NOWHERE HALL by Cate Gardner

 

Nowhere Hall by Cate Gardner is the latest volume of Spectral Press’s chapbooks, and like previous books, it continues the tradition of high-quality, thought-provoking stories. This was the first of Cate Gardner’s work that I’ve had the privilege to enjoy, and if this chapbook is a good representation of her work, she is an up-and-comer to keep your eye on.

Here’s the description from the back cover of the book:

In the ballroom, wallflower mannequins stretch their fingers towards Ron. He can’t ask them to dance. He’s already waltzing with other ghosts.

Someone stole the world while Ron contemplated death. They packed it in a briefcase and dumped him in the halls of the ruined hotel—The Vestibule.

After reading this story, I felt like I had just returned from a visit to a creepy, otherworldly realm of existence. Intensely haunting and mind-bending at times, Gardner’s tale stuck with me long after the words The End. This small book challenges the reader’s notions of reality and life, and as you turn the pages, you feel like you’re chasing something that’s always just out of your grasp. Nowhere Hall is an emotion-packed ride into another world . . . or is it really a different world?

I’ve reached the point that I now look forward to each new volume of Spectral Press’s chapbooks. While each story in the line is unique, it’s a guarantee that I’ll walk away every time in introspection. It’s like holding a mirror in front of me and taking a deep, long look. Sometimes I like what I see. Other times I don’t. Bottom line, I can’t ask for any more from a book, much less an entire line of books.

An Interview with Author Lincoln Crisler

It is with great pleasure that I welcome author Lincoln Crisler to Bookhound's Den as part of his blog tour. I hope you enjoy this interview with Lincoln, and make sure you say "Hi" to him.

So who exactly is Lincoln Crisler?

Most importantly, I'm a married father of three. I'm also a staff sergeant in the US Army and an instructor at the US Army Signal Center of Excellence, Fort Gordon, Georgia. In addition, I'm the author of two short story collections and one novella. If you had to sum me up in one word, it'd be "BUSY." I always have a few irons in the fire. It's a great way to live life!

I couldn't help but notice you're a combat veteran. First off, thank you for your service. How has your military experience affected your writing?

You're welcome! My military service has, essentially, sponsored my writing. I've been a writer since birth, except the first five years of my military career, but I wasn't serious about it until I deployed to Afghanistan. It was my second tour in the Middle East, and I was a newlywed, and we wanted to make the year count instead of treading water for twelve months. She got a degree and I wrote most of what eventually became my first short story collection. I'd say the plan worked!

Do you have a "typical" writing routine? Or do you just write when you're able?

It's easier to establish a writing routine when I'm deployed than when I'm home. When I'm deployed and off work, I don't really have any obligations...go to the gym and do college work, maybe. But at home, I help my wife run her business and we have a toddler and a teenager together. Most writers with day jobs either get up early or stay up late to write, but I'm already getting up at 4AM to play GI Joe. So, no regrets, but writing at home is a slow climb rather than the nice, mostly steady pace it is when I'm overseas! Lately, I've been taking my laptop with me to work and writing after physical training and on my lunch break. That doesn't seem to work out too bad.

Tell us a little bit about your new novella, Wild. What inspired it? Who would it appeal to?

WILD is a detective-western with bonus! zombies and magic. If you like cowboys, you should like WILD. If you like zombies, you should like it. And I've gotten great response from readers that have never seen a zombie-western before.

Do you have any projects that you're working on now you can let us know about?

I have two collaborative projects that I hope to have published before the end of the year; one is brand-new and another is an overhaul of something fans of my work may have read before. I have a secret comics project in the works (just waiting for my artist to free up some time) and of course, like many writers, there are a couple of novels that I work on when the mood takes me.

One last thing before you leave. Your bio says you like to cook. What's your favorite dish to prepare?

There's a recipe I created a few years ago for my wife's birthday that I call Shrimp Consuela. It's sauteed shrimp and garlic in a bleu-cheese cream sauce, over bowties. I don't think I've ever made it for anyone but Connie and the kids. It's freakin' awesome. If we hadn't already been married, I'm pretty sure she'd have dragged me to the courthouse by the short hairs the very next day.

Credit for author photo to Clark Fox

Guest Post: Author Lee Thompson

It is with great pleasure that I welcome author Lee Thompson back to Bookhound's Den. Lee is the author of the forthcoming Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children from Delirium Books (which is, by the way, the first limited edition I've ever purchased!). Lee is a tremendously talented author that I suggest everyone read, whether or not you're a horror/dark fiction fan; Lee's writing is sure to stir something deep within. Without any more of my blather, I present to you Lee's guest post.



“On Knowing What You Want” by Lee Thompson

I'm listening to the late and great Danny Gatton as I write this. The man knew what he wanted. He worked at it and was incredible. Sadly, like a ton of gifted, hardworking bastards, he killed himself in a small and lonely apartment even though fans adored him and his presence humbled other musicians. Like Danny, a lot of my other heroes knew what they wanted—Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bruce Lee, Thomas Edison, etc.—and they devoted their lives to their calling.

They were not dabblers.

Their work consumed them.

They used their passions and unique visions to leave their mark.

That's something I want. I'll strive for it whether it's reachable or not.

When I was a boy I wanted my dad to love me and my mom, to show it consistently. I also wanted to be a ninja.

When I was a teen I wanted my dad to teach me because I had no fucking idea how to be a man. (I also wanted to be ninja and a little bodybuilder.)

In my twenties I wanted to be a badass guitarist with unique phrasing and tone and masterful chops—like Brian Setzer, Hendrix, Vaughn, Gatton, as well as a ton of classical players. And I was pretty proficient in all of those things because I worked at them hours every day. From a young age I admired the dedication it took and I failed to understand how some people could be so fearful, bland and lazy. Now I think their perspective of life just gets them down, they give up their dreams, they realize to be still and commonplace is far easier than bearing a heavy workload and stretching their minds and bodies' imaginations.

When I knew I wanted to be a writer (I mean really dedicated to doing my absolute best) I'd already written four junk novels. So, the natural thing for me, once I'd said, “This is it. I'm giving a hundred percent to writing and learning whether my days be fun-filled dancing or suffocatingly bleak,” was to study my heroes. People like Tom Piccirilli, Greg Gifune, Douglas Clegg, Jack Cady, Peter Straub, Ray Bradbury, and Jack Ketchum. They had things to teach me. Markets they'd published in, wisdom in interviews, the beat of scenes, the craft of character.

I hand copied things to learn, just like when I'd studied various martial arts or guitar phrases to develop precision and efficiency. I'm also a firm believer in lists. LOL. And I wrote what I wanted for my writing career and luckily I'm on my way in what seems a short time span.

Here's my list. Even though I've had people tell me what I should do, this is what I've stuck by and for me it's paying off:

I want to focus on writing stories that set a tone right away, where I can mine the mysteries, joys and sorrows of childhood. I want to keep pride from tripping me, be open-minded and continually learning (though I have learned that letting it steep for a bit is always good). I want to give back with things I've learned, to publishers who've put their faith in me, to friends who have helped me. I want to be an approachable author because it means a lot to me that readers spend their time and money on my work. I want to mix my favorite genres because I love them all and each has something special about them (and I couldn't pick just one anyway.) I want my world and imagination to be an open range, not a small bedroom. I want to pay my dues. I want to sell to markets I enjoy and respect and to have my name alongside my heroes through Delirium Books, Bad Moon Books, Shock Totem, Dark Discoveries, Apex, Weird Tales, etc.. Places where the publishers care about the writer and reader. Where the products are incredible. I want a solid career, and to keep pushing myself and learning.

I don't think generalizations like “I want to be the next Stephen King,” or “I want to sell ten stories to pro mags a year,” works for me. I want specifics, concrete goals and the robust satisfaction that comes when reaching them!

In NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN my characters know what they want. John McDonnell wants to solve the mystery of four girls' brutal deaths, but he doesn't want his dad's friends to go to prison. Mike Johnston wants to see his mother die peacefully, but first he wants truth and her apology so he can forgive her. Wylie Wright wants the sheriff's wife even though she doesn't know what she wants, and it goes against the morals he's always upheld until passion flared between them. And my characters want to know who Angela Forte is and why she's intruding on their lives with black magic.

-Lee Thompson
http://alongthispathsodarkly.blogspot.com/

"Crooked Stick Figures" by Lee Thompson

I have no problem admitting it: I get excited when I'm able to get something for free. Especially when it comes to stories and books. So when I found out that Darkside Digital was giving away a free e-copy of Lee Thompson's short story, "Crooked Stick Figures," I nearly tripped over my Web browser to get my copy. If you've read any of Thompson’s work, you know why I would run to get this.

John McDonnell works for Child Protective Services. He's seen his share of pain and ugliness. When he answers a call to a lonely house, everything inside him screams for him to just turn and walk away. The little girl that greets him at the door becomes his guide...into madness.

If you haven't read any of Thompson's work, here's your chance to experience his unique, emotion-packed writing—for free! This is a powerful little story that will leave you yearning for more of Thompson’s work. Don't miss out on this quick, creepy read.

Get your free e-copy (EPUB, MOBI, PDF) for a limited time here.

PAGES OF PROMISES by Stephen James Price

Pages of Promises is the first of Stephen James Price’s work that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Price is also the author of 2:27 A.M. He publishes other independent authors' work through his publishing company, Generation Next Publications.

Pages of Promises is a collection of short stories that cover a wide range of subjects. The title story is about the pull and attraction of a unique book—one that requires blood. There is a story about a grandmother who has issues controlling her rage. Ever wonder about some of the seedy restaurants you see along lonely stretches of highways when you’re travelling? Price has that covered too. Stephen King’s influence, a pet cat you wouldn’t want to hold, psychotic killers, angels, and even Santa and his reindeer—it’s all in here. There is little that Price doesn’t touch on in this collection.

To say I was impressed by this collection would be an understatement. It doesn’t take long for the reader to discover that Stephen James Price is a natural storyteller. There wasn’t a single story that I just didn’t like in this collection. A couple of them left me scratching my head a bit, but the overwhelming majority of them had me wanting more. A few of my favorites are the title story (about the pull of a malevolent book), “Family Obligations” (about a grandmother gone wild), “Damn, I Hate Stephen King” (where King’s influence goes a little too far), “The Final Chapter” (about an artist who uses a macabre medium), “Pretty Kitty” (ever wonder what to get that special someone in your life?), “One Man’s Angel” (explores the bad side of someone’s good luck), and “Man’s Best Friend” (about a dog that just won’t die).

If you take Stephen King’s engaging storytelling and Bentley Little’s ability to create something terrifying from the mundane and mix them together, you’d have Stephen James Price. I don’t like to make comparisons to other authors, but while I was reading this collection I couldn’t help but think of King and Little. If you want to read something that will have you turning the pages late into the night and will cause you to never look at your pet cat the same again, make sure you check out this collection of twisted tales from the mind of Price. It's a steal, priced at only $0.99 right now.

THE HAUNTING OF ESTHER COX by William Meikle

I had a notion again the other night for a quick, fun read, and somehow I again ended up with one of William Meikle’s novelettes on my Kindle. The Haunting of Esther Cox sounded intriguing and exactly what I was in the mood for. So, like I did with Meikle’s Abominable, I downloaded it and read it in one sitting.

Esther Cox isn’t a bad girl. Really, she’s not. However, after a day with her suitor goes terribly wrong, things begin to take a turn for the worse for her. Her suitor disappears, she can’t sleep, and she begins to sense things are just not right in her home. Soon, things escalate from Esther feeling that something is wrong to Esther experiencing things, such as the sound of walking and voices. When the malevolent force that’s oppressing Esther starts to affect the lives of those around her, they seek help for her. But the more help offered to Esther, the worse the results.

I enjoyed reading The Haunting of Esther Cox. Meikle’s writing is smooth and I was quickly pulled into the story. It’s fast paced and spans over a year’s time (in the late 1800s) in just a novelette-length work. Was it groundbreaking? No. But I became lost in the story and I forgot about everything else around me for about an hour. That’s exactly what I wanted at the time I read this, and to me that’s what a good story is all about. If you like ghost/poltergeist stories and are looking for a quick read with some creepy moments, this one’s for you.

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.

PAGES TORN FROM A TRAVEL JOURNAL by Edward Lee

I had the pleasure of reading a few of Edward Lee’s books this past year, but I had not read any of his Lovecraftian books until I read Pages Torn from a Travel Journal. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this one, but based on other books I’ve read by Edward Lee, I had a feeling there would be plenty of sex, violence, and quality writing. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

It’s a hot summer day in the mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression. A bus travelling through the area breaks down and all the passengers disembark. Soon they learn they are stranded in this remote backwoods area for the night. Some decide to go stay at an over-priced hotel. Some decide to sleep on the bus. But three—Howard, Nate the mechanic, and the bus driver—have the good fortune to attend the nearby O’Slaughnassey’s Travelling Show. Approaching the carnival with eager expectations, the night quickly descends into madness, mayhem, and the macabre. Howard’s fantastical writings have not prepared him for the weirdness he is about to encounter this night.

The book is written as journal entries from the main character’s point of view. While the main character is only identified as “Howard,” there is no doubt he is none other than H.P. Lovecraft. Written in a style similar to the real-life Lovecraft, this book had me turning the pages late into the night. While Lee’s books are definitely not for everyone, this book is a treat for his fans. The description on the product page is spot-on: “A novella of the most debauched, degenerate evil.” This one is full of sex, violence, and the weird. I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Pages Torn from a Travel Journal is a limited edition release of 300 signed and number copies from Bloodletting Press. It’s a must-have for any Edward Lee fan.

William Meikle's Blog Crawl: An Interview

I'm honored that Bookhound's Den is a stop on William Meikle's Blog Crawl. Meikle is a prolific author, having ten novels published and over 130 stories published in twelve countries and eight languages. Meikle's writing is fun and imaginative, and while he is coined as a "pulp" writer, don't let that fool you. The man knows how to write and how to tell an intriguing story. I recently read and reviewed his novelette, Abominable, and loved it. I can't wait to tackle more from his immense collection of e-books he's had published. For more information about William Meikle, stop by his site.

Make sure you read to the end of the interview to enter for your chance to win Kindle—yes, I said a Kindle—filled with Meikle's e-books.

Question: Your work is less concerned with street and corporate crime than most other Scottish crime fiction. Have the recent boom years of police procedural, forensic science and Noir novels affected you as a writer of darker stories?

Answer: Only to the extent that everything is grist to the mill. I do read widely, both in the crime and horror genres, but my crime fiction in particular keeps returning to older, pulpier, bases. My series character, Glasgow PI Derek Adams, is a Bogart and Chandler fan, and it is the movies and Americana of the '40s that I find a lot of my inspiration for him, rather than in the modern procedural. Paradoxically, forensics and noir have affected my horror fiction more than my crime fiction, helped along by my background in Biological Science.
 
Question: In your work it is the atmosphere of danger as an impersonal presence that creates suspense. Is that harder to maintain than giving it a human form and having a detective investigate psychological motivation as a means of creating order from chaos?
 
Answer: I believe the opposite is true. A monster is often just that - monstrous, unknown and unknowable. Maintaining a distance from what people understand as real life is the hard bit, but no harder than trying to make readers understand a criminal/murderer whose thought patterns are far away from their own. As I said, a dark unknown is sometimes easier, as everyone has their own fears and phobias that they can project onto an unseen, impersonal presence.
 
Question: Your Watchers trilogy is written in the tradition of the Arthurian legend and your three books about Glasgow PI Derek Adams could be read as a tribute to Raymond Chandler. Ever since the opening scene of The Big Sleep Philip Marlowe and his disciples have been seen as latter day knights in shining armour. Seen in that light, is your genre transition less surprising than it might seem to some readers of traditional crime fiction?


Answer: It's all about the struggle of the dark against the light. The time and place, and the way it plays out is in some ways secondary to that. And when you're dealing with archetypes, there's only so many to go around, and it's not surprising that the same concepts of death and betrayal, love and loss, turn up wherever, and whenever, the story is placed.

Plus, there are antecedents - occult detectives who may seem to use the trappings of crime solvers, but get involved in the supernatural. William Hjortsberg's Falling Angel (the book that led to the movie Angel Heart) is a fine example, an expert blending of gumshoe and deviltry that is one of my favorite books. Likewise, in the movies, we have cops facing a demon in Denzel Washington's Fallen that plays like a police procedural taken to a very dark place.

And even further back, in the "gentleman detective" era, we have seekers of truth in occult cases in John Silence and Carnacki. Even Holmes himself came close to supernatural conclusions at times.

I've recently explored this for myself, in the Midnight Eye Files stories, in a series of Carnacki stories, and I even got a chance to have Holmes fight a Necromancer in Edinburgh in an anthology appearance in Gaslight Grotesque. It seems there is quite a market for this kind of merging of crime and supernatural, and I intend to write a lot more of it.


Question: Though the theme of darkness comes in strange and shifting shapes, the notion of a complex personality with one or more dark sides is comfortably at home in Scottish Gothic literature. Are you inspired by the works of James Hogg and Robert Louis Stevenson?
 
Answer: Stevenson in particular is a big influence. He is a master of plotting, and of putting innocents into situations far out of their usual comfort zones while still maintaining a grounding in their previous, calmer, reality. His way with a loveable rogue in Treasure Island and Kidnapped in particular is also a big influence. Other Scottish writers who have influenced me include John Buchan, Iain Banks and, more in my youth than now, Alistair MacLean and Nigel Tranter. From them I learned how to use the scope of both the Scottish landscape and its history while still keeping the characters alive.

Question: You have had over 130 stories published in eight languages and your fiction seems to sell abroad as well as at home. As for the success of your fellow Scottish crime writers, the reasons for their internationally acclaimed work might be a contemporary setting and local flavour. Where does your work find its widest audience?
 
Answer: I'd love to be better known in Scotland, but the sad truth is that the big markets are in the States, and that's where I find most of my readers. My readership is generally in the fantasy and horror fields, not really known as a big draw in Scotland. That said, I've sold several short crime stories to The Weekly News which is still widely read. My Grannies would have been proud of me.

Question: A writer with a shared interest in fantasy and horror fiction is Stephen King. After many experiments in various genres he seems to have most fun where his imagination finds the least number of formal restrictions. Is that the genre's appeal for you, too?
 
Answer: It's pulp fiction that interests me, and I find that it crosses many genres almost seamlessly. I rarely think about "genre" anyway. I write what I want to write and leave marketing labels to the publishers. That said, there -is- indeed a freedom in writing about the supernatural where, instead of having a man come in with a gun to get the scene moving, you can have any manner of things going on as long as you can explain them away to the reader's satisfaction. The verisimilitude matters though -- the reader has to -believe-, and that can be difficult to pull off.

************************
 
To enter for a chance to win a Kindle filled with William Meikle's e-books, simply leave a comment below. At the end of February Mr. Meikle will have a drawing from all eligible entries from his Blog Crawl (of which this post is one stop along the way). For more details, see Mr. Meikle's blog.

AS I EMBRACE MY JAGGED EDGES by Lee Thompson

Lee Thompson* first sold his stories this past year and his work has appeared in a number of places. His novelette, As I Embrace My Jagged Edges from Sideshow Press, is the first of his work that I’ve read. I went into this one not knowing what to expect but came away with my mouth hanging open.

Boaz’s family has a legacy to uphold. They are the latest in a long line of those entrusted to protect a sacred relic: a bronze shard from the fabled Temple of Solomon. Constantly moving around, they never settle in one place for long and are always in danger from those who want to get their hands on the powerful relic. One day Boaz’s uncle, Jack, is found dead with his throat sliced open. Not only have they been discovered, but the one person who understands and accepts Boaz is dead. Now Boaz must face not only his inner turmoil alone, but he also must make a stand against the dark forces seeking the shard.

I was amazed to find that I could be so affected by such a small work of fiction. Thompson’s writing can only be described as beautiful, passionate, and emotional. Though he just recently began selling his work, his writing displays a maturity of a much more seasoned author. He crafted a truly engaging story that left this reader wanting more. Keep an eye on Lee Thompson; he has a bright future and will be an author to be reckoned with.

Reminiscent of Tom Piccirilli’s style, if you enjoy a raw, put-it-all-out-there type of storytelling, As I Embrace My Jagged Edges is for you. Also available from Thompson is Before Leonora Wakes.

*Thompson is a co-reviewer for The Bag and The Crow with me.

GRAVEROBBERS WANTED (NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY) by Jeff Strand

Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) by Jeff Strand was another book high on my “Wanted” list that I finally got around to picking up cheap for Kindle (I believe for only $2.39). And like a few other books I’ve read recently, I had heard a lot of good things about it. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the book, but based on the title and what little I knew about Jeff Strand’s writing style I figured it would be a fun read.

In this first book of the Mayhem series, we are introduced to Andrew Mayhem—devoted husband, loving father, wannabe private eye, and all-around magnet for trouble. If there was ever a poster boy for the slogan “Sh*t Happens,” Andrew is it. In this story, we find Andrew short on money, without a steady job, and owing money for a recent car accident. Enter the beautiful woman with an offer for Andrew and his friend, Roger, they simply cannot refuse. How much trouble can they really get into by digging up a fresh grave? Turns out A LOT. What follows is a wild ride in which the stakes steadily rise.

Strand’s prose is snappy and reads quickly, and his dialogue flows naturally. I don’t normally care much for my comedy and action/horror mixed, but Strand expertly blends them to create a hilarious thrill ride that will keep you turning the pages. Strand’s writing is unique and not quite like anyone else’s I’ve read. The Kindle edition is nicely formatted and there are a very few minor errors/typos. Be forewarned: if you read this book you will want to get the others in the series (Single White Psychopath Seeks Same and Casket For Sale (Only Used Once)).

This was one of the most fun reads I’ve had this past year and I’ll be jumping on the other two books in the series soon. I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy action/horror books. And while there is plenty that is funny in this book, it’s not for the faint-hearted, as the book does get darker throughout and deals with subjects that may be too disturbing for some readers.

5 out of 5 stars.

October Blues

October has always been my favorite month. I can remember as a child waiting for the calendar to flip from September to October. That signaled when it was okay for me to start decorating my front yard with graves, ghouls, and headless bodies. Yeah, I’ve always had a fascination with the macabre and dark things. As I grew older and reached high school and college age, my “traditions” changed from decorating the yard to having multiple horror-movie marathons throughout the month of October. But, still, it was like some switch went on inside me when the calendar flipped from September to October.

But in the last few years, that excitement I’ve had for the month of October has waned. Sure, I still enjoy the weather (for the most part) and the changing of the leaves, but I don’t seem to have any “traditions” that I hold on to anymore. And it feels as if I’ve missed the entire month of October this year. This bums me out.

I have two young children and I really want to instill in them the excitement I once had for this month. I’m not talking about a love for gory zombies and rotting arms sticking out of the ground—although, I’d happily take that. I’m talking about enjoying a time of year when it’s okay, and even encouraged, to allow your imagination to run wild. A time of year when we can find beauty in death and decay.

I’m going to make sure that next year we slow down just a little bit so when can enjoy this enchanting season. Sure, maybe the kids will decide they want to decorate the yard with unicorns and fairies. But that’s okay. As long as they’re excited and their imagination is flying free, I’m fine with it.

Brian James Freeman's THE PAINTED DARKNESS

I was lucky enough to snag an early review copy of Brian James Freeman’s The Painted Darkness through LibraryThing. I’ve never read anything by Mr. Freeman, but I had heard a buzz about this book and looked forward to digging into it.

The book is not intimidating, the advance review copy weighing in at a mere 173 pages. And Freeman’s writing is very smooth and the story immediately intrigued me. I’m a fairly slow reader, but I made quick work of this enjoyable tale.

Henry is an artist. He paints, not for enjoyment, but more from compulsion. He has had an active and vivid imagination from early childhood. However, Henry’s painting has become a problem in his marriage. But even during this turmoil, Henry must paint. Problem is, right at this moment, he can’t. But eventually, Henry must paint against the darkness.

Throughout the book, Freeman alternates between the present time and the time when the Henry the artist was “born.” I’m usually not a fan of this approach to storytelling, but Freeman makes it work. By the time I finished the book, I had the distinct impression that I had just read a Stephen King work. And I mean that as a compliment to Mr. Freeman.

I’d recommend this atmospheric novel for a good, quick read. Mr. Freeman definitely has a knack for telling an interesting story. He doesn’t get bogged down in unneeded information or mundane details. This is a creepy story that will keep you turning the page to find out what happens.

4 out of 5 stars.