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Book Review: Where Nightmares Come From: The Art of Storytelling in the Horror Genre (Dream Weaver #1) edited by Joe Mynhardt and Eugene Johnson

Where Nightmares Come From: The Art of Storytelling in the Horror Genre (Dream Weaver #1) edited by Joe Mynhardt and Eugene Johnson

Crystal Lake Publishing. 2017

ISBN-13: 978-1640074682

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

With a few exceptions, books on writing usually bring on the snoozes, but Where Nightmares Come From is constructed in a manner that sidesteps the pitfalls of a typical writing book. It delivers both to amateur writers and seasoned authors, as well as giving readers an insight into how their favorite books came to be.

Twenty-eight chapters lurk between the covers, each by a different author (or several). Even if the reader doesn’t connect with one article or interview, there’s plenty more to capture his or her interest. The price of the book is covered in the first chapter, by Joe R. Lansdale, who talks about how the storyteller rules the roost, not the story. The conversational tone in which he spills his secrets brings to mind sitting across a table in a honky tonk, tossing back a few, and discussing the weather or sports, instead of the keys to a masterful story. “The Process of a Tale” is pure gold by Ramsey Campbell, a guru of the short story. Instead of telling how to write something in the abstract form, he shows the reader by taking them on a ride through drafts of an actual published story, dissecting each passage before improving it, piece by piece, tinkering with the language and design. It’s doubtful a struggling writer will close the book without feeling a kinship with the king of British horror. Charlaine Harris, author of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and Midnight, Texas takes readers on her own journey of storytelling, and how she concocts her novels. Like Lansdale, Harris knows how to explain her magic in a way that simply makes sense. Stephen King and Richard Chizmar share their experience collaborating on their recent bestselling book Gwendy’s Button Box. Elizabeth Massie, Ray Garton, and John Connolly also make great contributions, along with a slew of lesser-known authors readers should be aware of.  While I’ve mentioned just a few chapters in detail, every single entry has something crucial to offer the writer (or reader). This is a tool writers will be using for years. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by Dave Simms
Posted on May 21, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: Down There & Others by Keith Minnion

Down There & Others by Keith Minnion
White Noise Press, August, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1549570919
Available: Paperback, Kindle edition
 

Sometimes, people are blessed with excelling in multiple creative fields, such as Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Clive Barker, and the author of this collection, Keith Minnion. Those familiar with the iconic magazine Cemetery Dance will recognize his name, as the most innovative illustrator in each issue. Those who picked up the Stephen King/Richard Chizmar bestseller of last year, Gwendy’s Button Box, might notice the illustrations in that book look familiar, as well.

In this book, though, Minnion’s writing is the star attraction, and although each is accompanied by a very cool illustration, it’s the story that matters here. The stories are just as intense and well-written as in the author’s first collection, It’s For You. His writing style lends itself to fast reads, but upon rereading, his work reveals deeper, darker secrets. He will never be accused of overwriting, yet each story feels rich and imagined.

Down There & Others begins with an introduction by Tony Tremblay and contains 16 stories, as well as the beginnings of a new novel. While some stories have been previously published, many here are available for the first time.  They run the gamut from frightening to suspenseful to just outright weird (I’m looking at you,”The Blue Cat!”), Not a word is wasted. Other outstanding tales that will creep down your spine long after you finish them include “Old Bones; “The Wampyr”; the title story, published originally in Cemetery Dance magazine; and the best, hands down, “Little Sister.” The standout, though, is the inclusion of the first act of Minnion’s forthcoming novel, Dog Star. The reaction to that story will be intense, and might even blow away his first novel, the stellar The Boneyard. Recommended.

 

Reviewed by Dave Simms

Posted on May 18, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: Halloween Carnival, Volume 4 edited by Brian James Freeman

Halloween Carnival: Volume 4 edited by Brian James Freeman

Hydra, 2017

ISBN-13: 9780399182068

Available: Kindle ebook

 

This is the fourth installment in the Halloween Carnival five-part series, and the stories just keep getting better.

In “The Mannequin Challenge” by Kealan Patrick Burke, Theo fights his social anxiety and accepts an invitation for an office Halloween party. The only problem is when he finally arrives in the office, things aren’t what they seem.

Ray Garton’s addition to this collection, “Across the Tracks,” tells the story of Kenny, JayJay, and Sam, three boys who are targets for the school bullies. Halloween night promises a showdown, but the boys aren’t ready for what happens the next day. I did not see the ending with this one.

Bev Vincent’s “The Halloween Tree” tells the tale of the creepy tree that just feels…wrong. But, if the boys want to get the good candy, they have to make it passed its grasping branches. They’ve managed it every year just fine. This year should be no different. This one is probably my favorite out of the book. It’s clearly set in the late 1960s, as Luke makes his Planet of the Apes Halloween mask out of Plasticine and, despite claiming to have never seen the film, uses magazines and other available items for reference material to craft his own mask. The friendship the boys have is also written so well, and the end is beautiful in its message of solidarity.

“Pumpkin Eater” by C.A. Suleiman introduces us to Peter who loves Halloween, and his wife Marlene who does not. This Halloween, however, is the perfect time to correct some of the marital problems they have been facing for some time.

In Paul Melniczek’s “When the Leaves Fall,” Haverville has a secret, and its name is Graver’s farm. Chris and Kyle decide to discover the truth one Halloween night. What they find changes the lives of the two boys forever. This story had a sort of Salem’s Lot feel to it, with a dash of the madness of Lovecraft thrown in, which I love. “When the Leaves Fall” is the longest story in the collection, but it’s a fast read. The tension is effective throughout, and the reader becomes invested in the characters from the first page.

If you appreciate a good dose of nostalgia in your horror, this volume is for you. If you are looking for stories that make you think back to and ponder your past Halloween nights, this is also for you.

Contains: bullying

Recommended

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on May 17, 2018 by , 1 comment
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