A Very Scary Christmas

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “Christmas”? I know for me it’s some good, old-fashioned, spine-tingling horror. I mean, what can be more frightening than the holidays? Fighting the crowds to buy some over-priced gift for someone who may or may not like it. An overweight guy in a red suit that knows everything you’re doing, whether you’re being naughty or nice. For goodness’ sake, he knows when you’re sleeping and when you’re awake. I don’t know, but if you ask me, this guy sounds a bit like a Peeping Tom. And let’s not even get started about all the “fun” that is had traveling during the holidays.

So in celebration of all the horror that occurs during this season, I’ve decided to have “A Very Scary Christmas” giveaway here at my blog. I’m not the most creative person when it comes to these contests and giveaways—plus I’m pretty busy during this time of year—so I’m going to make entering this contest a breeze. There are three possible ways for you to enter:

1. Leave a comment on my blog. You can comment on any post here, new or old. It doesn’t have to be anything insightful or profound, just leave a comment. You receive one entry for leaving a comment; feel free to comment as much as you want, but you only get one entry even if you leave 50 comments.

2. Become a follower of my blog. If you click on the little “Follow” button to the right and become a follower of my blog, you receive an entry for the contest. All current followers are automatically entered.

3. Re-tweet one of my tweets on Twitter about this contest. Again, feel free to re-tweet me 50 times, but you only get one entry for the giveaway.

You may get up to three entries for the drawing if you do each of the above things. The contest will be open for one week and will end on Tuesday, December 14th at 12:00 p.m. EST. At that time, all entries will be tallied and a drawing will be held, with my kids drawing names of the winners.

So, you may be asking, what are we drawing for? There will be a first and second place price, which I think you’ll like:

First place: Winner will receive five—yes, five—physical books. And these aren’t just any books; these are books by some of the most talented horror writers out there today: Vampyrrhic by Simon Clark, A Gathering of Crows by Brian Keene, Snow by Ronald Malfi, The Killing Kind by Bryan Smith, and Joyride by Jack Ketchum.

Second place: The second-place winner will receive a physical copy of The Regulators by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman).

All books are brand new and have not been read. Due to shipping costs, this contest is limited to U.S. addresses only. ***Winners will be announced here and via Twitter. You will have three days to claim your prize before another winner is selected.***

Good luck and have a horrible…er…I mean, wonderful holiday season!

Top Ten Books I Read In 2009

Since we are drawing to the close of yet another year, it is the time to compile lists of a wide variety things from the past year. Since my passion is reading, I am going to make a top ten list of books. But I didn't read ten books that were published in 2009; instead, I read 46 books (as of the time this is written), most of them older titles. So, instead of a top ten of 2009 published books, I am going to make a top ten of the books that I did read this year. Without further ado, here is my top ten list, in no particular order:

Top Ten Books I Read in 2009

1. 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King. This is one of my favorite King books. It is an interesting vampire story, and no one can tell a story like Stephen King. Definitely a classic.

2. Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi. I don't read too much in the way of nonfiction, but this was an enthralling book. Very fascinating topic, giving a behind the scenes look at the Manson investigation. Still amazes me that a man like Manson could wield that much power over other people.

3. On Writing by Stephen King. Wonderful memoir by King about how he approaches his craft. A must read for anyone interested in writing. Not a technical treatment, but more of an informal look at writing.

4. Bad Moon Rising by Jonathan Maberry. This is the exciting conclusion to the Pine Deep trilogy. Maberry has a unique talent to tell a story, and this trilogy does not disappoint.

5. The Rising by Brian Keene. Groundbreaking take on the zombie genre. Keene reinvented and rejuvenated the zombie as we know it. Excellent story and a very good starting point to Keene's work.

6. The Farm by Scott Nicholson. Nicholson is one of my favorite storytellers, and maybe I am a little partial to him because he is a local author. The blurb on the back of the book makes this story sound far-fetched, but this is a very entertaining read.

7. The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. This was my first book by Ketchum. It is a disturbing story that probably is not for everyone, but this one hooked me as a Ketchum fan.

8. The Conquerer Worms by Brian Keene. Again, Keene delivers with a fresh and unique story. I was hesitant to read this one, based on the cover art of the book (yes, that is very superficial) and the premise, but this is probably my favorite of Keene's work that I have read thus far.

9. In The Dark by Richard Laymon. Laymon is a master, in my humble opinion. This is a story that truly creeped me out and had me looking over my shoulder. If you have not read any Laymon, you need to!!!

10. The Resurrectionist by Wrath James White. This is a book that made me squirm and left certain images imprinted on my mind for life. I am a huge fan of White, and would highly recommend him to everyone, although I suspect everyone would not be able to handle his work.

Here are a few that just narrowly missed my list: The Cellar by Richard Laymon, The Stand by Stephen King, City Of The Dead by Brian Keene, Afraid by Jack Kilborn, and The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.