I'm Not Here . . . I'm There

I'm honored to be a guest blogger over at Grade Z Horror to help celebrate Laymon month. Stop by and check out my post in which I talk about discouragement, smut, and rumps. Hey, I told you it's Laymon month.

Over the next few days I'll have some new reviews posted here. I just finished reading a couple great stories: The Drummer by Anthony Neil Smith and Abolisher of Roses by Gary Fry.

KILLERCON by William Ollie

William Ollie is an author that’s been on my “Authors To Read” list (yes, I literally keep a list) for a long time. So when the opportunity to read his upcoming book, Killercon, for review arose, I naturally said “Yes.” William Ollie’s works include The Damned, Sideshow, and the recently released Lord of the Mountain.

Horrorcon is THE convention for horror aficionados; it’s literally a who’s who of the horror industry. With Horrorcon quickly approaching, all of the heavy hitters of horror writing are getting ready for it. However, half the battle is making it to Horrorcon alive. Those attending this year’s Horrorcon include Bryan Kenney, the up-and-coming author who can’t seem to avoid trouble. Also coming is Graham Greystone, the accomplished author who’s trying to reclaim his life after health problems. Rick Greaton is a talented author who can’t seem to catch a break. Damien Crabtree is a young author breathing new life into the genre. And Red33 is a wannabe writer who has an ax to grind with all of the above. If Red33 has it his way, heads will roll at Horrorcon—literally.

This book grabbed me from the opening scene and didn’t let up until the last word. There’s a psycho killer, a bar fight, and a car chase—in the first twenty percent of the book! The story focuses on a real-life situation that happens regularly—an Internet message board flame war. Except one of the parties involved in this flame war doesn’t stop at insulting others anonymously via an Internet message board.

Ollie’s prose is solid and the dialogue throughout the book flows naturally. Full of balls-to-the-wall action, this book is a must-read for horror fans; especially those of Richard Laymon. I’m not sure if Ollie meant Killercon as an homage to the late, great Mr. Laymon, but to me that’s exactly what it turned out to be.

This book is going to be a limited edition put out by Thunderstorm Books. For the real-life inspiration for this book, check out Ollie’s blog post about it. To order the book, go here.

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.