"Welcome to Count Gore De Vol's Tomb of Dark Delights. I'm J. L. Comeau, horror writer and resident Tomb Keeper. I have been charged with the daunting task of sorting and cataloging the Count's vast library of horror, science fiction and fantasy. Take a torch from the wall and follow me down the stone stairway into the darkness deep beneath the Dungeon. It's cold and damp down here--perfect for the kind of reading we're going to do. Never mind the shambling figures in the shadows, they're probably just some friends of ours looking for a good book. If you click on the cover, you'll be taken to a wonderful place where you can buy the book.
Now, let's reach into the musty stacks and see what we can find..."
(Clicking on the covers gives you more information and prices from Amazon.com and other outlets.)
Halloween may be past, but the horror remains! Just look!
BURNT
OFFERINGS (Valancourt 20th Century Classics) by Robert Marasco, Introduction
by Stephen Graham Jones
This is one of the first modern horror novels I read back in the 70s, and I
remember how it scared me. It really scared me. I’m happy to report that
BURNT OFFERINGS has stood the test of time, does not seem at all dated, and
still possesses the power to disturb the reader. The Rolfes, Ben and Marian,
live in a hot, noisy Brooklyn apartment and Marian, in particular, is
frantic to get out of the city for the summer. She finds an ad in the paper
for a summer rental that seems too good to believe—a stunning upstate New
York manor for less than a thousand dollars for the entire season. One catch
(there’s always a catch): they must care for the 85-year-old matron of the
house who never leaves the property. Not much of a catch, though, since the
old lady never emerges from her room and the only requirement is three trays
of food per day. Bringing their son David and their plucky 74-year-old aunt,
the family begins a summer that begins in heaven and ends in hell. Marian
quickly falls under the spell of the house, David begins seeing things and
behaving oddly, and before long their vigorous aunt begins to lose her
former vitality. It slowly becomes clear that the Rolfes have become
caretakers of the house for a purpose that they could not possibly have
envisioned. Stephen King acknowledges the influence of BURNT OFFERINGS on
his own novel, THE SHINING, and it is interesting to note the many
similarities. (Note: This novel was eventually made into a rather
forgettable film starring 1970s TV horror scream queen Karen Black as Marian
Rolfe.) Totally immersive and entirely enjoyable, BURNT OFFERINGS is truly a
horror classic. Introduction by Stephen Graham Jones.
ZOMBIES!
A CREEPY COLORING BOOK FOR THE COMING GLOBAL APOCALYPSE by Juscelino Neco
Adult coloring books are all the rage, but hey, how many mandalas or
butterflies can you color until you just give up due to ennui? Fear not! I
have the coloring book for horror fans right here. It’s gross! It’s
disgusting! It’s funny as hell! And, best of all, you can get out your
colored pencils and bring the zombie apocalypse to life (or death, I
suppose). Actually, this is a pretty nice book constructed of medium weight
white paper illustrated with grossifying line drawings of the walking dead
all zombified and mutilated with worms and rot and gore. The subject matter
is quite funny: enjoy coloring poor victims of zombies like Brooke, who has
finally reached her dream weight, or Rick, the vegan deli manager, and many
more victims of the worldwide zombie plague. Plenty of yucky yucks here for
those of a certain sensibility. Enjoy your coloring, kiddies!
If it’s true that young people aren’t reading, why is the Young Adult Fiction market so hot? They’re reading, that’s why, and here’s to you, young adult readers! Cheers!
CALL
FORTH THE WAVES by L. J. Hatton
The Celestine series continues with this, the second installment of L. J.
Hatton’s YA science fiction/fantasy/thriller epic. After the Roma sisters
have been kidnapped and made prisoner by the Commission, a governmental
agency that has been put in charge of controlling children affected with
extraordinary powers, Penn Roma has made the decision to use her powers to
free her sisters. Penn lives a dark life of running and hiding, all the
while gathering information about the horrible Warden Dodge, whose plans for
the four Roma sisters has made it impossible for Penn not to unleash the
power she is capable of. When Penn comes to know someone inside the system
who can help free her sisters, she’s not sure if it’s a double-cross that
will doom her and her family. Whom can she trust? Fast-paced, smart ,and
terrifically entertaining, this is a sequel that equals the excellent
original novel.
SING
DOWN THE STARS by L. J. Hatton
SING DOWN THE STARS is the first installment of L. J. Hatton’s riveting and
intelligent young adult Celestine series that adults will enjoy as well. The
story unfolds after the terrifying arrival of extraterrestrial lifeforms
that resemble jellyfish overspreading the skies, and then suddenly
disappearing a year later. Soon after their disappearance, certain females
were born with the power to control the elements of earth, wind, fire, and
water. And there is one more very rare power: the power to call down the
stars. The Roma sisters have these powers, and sixteen-year-old Penn Roma,
fifth of five sisters, has that rare power. Although their father has tried
to disguise and hide his daughters’ abilities, the sisters are found out and
taken, leaving Penn with the only choice left to her. She must use the awful
power with which she was born in order to save herself and her family.
To
get even more information about these titles, including some of the best prices
on the Internet, just click on each of the book covers and you'll be connected
to
About the Tomb Keeper (Or, who is this person of mystery)
J. L. (Judy) Comeau is an award winning short story writer whose work has appeared internationally in major horror and dark fantasy anthologies such as the Borderlands series, Best New Horror, The Years' Best Horror, the Hot Blood series, and the Dark Voices series in the UK. She is an active member of the Horror Writer's Association, and she lives in the Washington, DC area where she also teaches short story writing. Click on FIREBIRD to read one of her most anthologized stories.
To learn more about the Horror Writer's Association, just click on their logo!
