Stephen King's If It Bleeds Read-Along - If It Bleeds and Rat

This is a read-along so be aware of possible spoilers ahead.

I apologize for having to combine the final two novellas in one discussion. October flew by, and I couldn't keep up. I enjoyed both of them very much. I hope you did too!

News flash: The Life of Chuck (the second novella in this collection) is being made into a series and the series creator is none other than Mike Flanagan. Pretty exciting, as Flanagan's work is always good. Not sure what network it will stream on yet.

If It Bleeds

Let me first say that Stephen King's The Outsider is one of King's best, in my opinion. I was riveted through the entire book, and I really enjoyed the HBO series as well. I also agree with King about Holly Gibney. She is one of my all time favorite characters. (Still need to get my hands on his new novel all about her.)

It's intriguing how SK came up with the premise for this story. Not the part where this being is similar to the one in The Outsider, in that it can change it's appearance (skin-walker comes to mind), but how the idea was sparked by seeing the same reporters reporting on all the disasters on the news. Genius! In this case, it is relatively harmless...its only negative trait is thriving on disaster. It's when it starts causing the disasters that we (Holly) have a problem.

The reason I think Holly is such a great character is her quirkiness, yes, but also how she has persevered through so much, and is carrying on healthy relationships with friends, and achieving success. She still has her moments of anxiety and self-doubt, but she thinks back to those who have taught her and helped her along the way (Bill Hodges, Ralph Anderson), and relies on her friends who care so much for her. These things help her stay grounded so she can do what she does best - catch monsters, save people, and protect her friends.   

That ending had me on the edge of my seat, and also wondering if there are more "skin-walkers" in Holly's future. I can't wait to continue on with what SK has cooked up for her next.

Rat

Okay, so I'm a writer, and I'm not sure if you've heard of it, but there's a little writing challenge that goes on every November called NaNoWriMo (Google it if you're not familiar) and I'm participating. I'm not so sure this was the story I should be reading right about now. 

SK sure knows how to write about something that may seem perfectly mundane (a writer who loses his shit every time he tries to write a novel), but for those of us who write, it is horrific. Although I will say that I kept thinking "Dude, get over it." So maybe I'll be okay. lol 

I'll admit, when the rat spoke, I jumped a mile. Was it real, or was Drew's fevered mind playing tricks on him? Was the death of Al and his wife truly just an accident, or was it truly the fulfillment of Drew's bargain (wish) with the rat? SK leaves it open for our interpretation because, even when the rat shows up again, we still don't know for sure if Drew is still imagining it. I'm coming down on the side that the whole thing was real, and I certainly would never trade finishing writing a novel for someone's death, terminal (supposed) cancer or not. Having made that choice, I can certainly understand why Drew decides to never write another novel.

So what did you think about these two novellas? Share your thoughts on the two novellas in the comments, or leave a link to a post. 

I'd like to thank those of you who joined in on the read-along, and Something Wicked Fall. We will be back next fall with more scary and another read-along. Until then, happy horror reading!

This post is a part of...

Stephen King's If It Bleeds Read-Along - The Life of Chuck

This is a read-along so be aware of spoilers ahead.

Here we go again with one of King's talents, but it has to be said...he knows how to write about the (supposedly) coming apocalypse. I found myself feeling very uncomfortable, and also a bit scared, as I read disaster upon disaster in the first part of the story. It was all bad of course, but it was the sink hole that really got me. I am not fond of the fact that sink holes actually exist. Seriously though, what an interesting way to take the story. I was not expecting it at all. "I contain multitudes"...so this world that was slowly blinking out was a part of Chuck's mind...mind-blowing! lol

I also found it interesting about what the man Yarbrough said about the 24 hour day. That the earth's rotation was slowing down and his theory that what was happening was larger than environmental degradation. I'm no climate change denier, but it is an interesting theory. 

What a sad story too. The ghosts in this story are scary because they let you see the future, specifically when someone dies/is dying. So, it's the waiting for it to happen, as his grandfather said. There's a message here too, at least in my opinion. We are better off not knowing when it's going to happen, or the exact way it will happen. I would have to agree. 

Once again, this isn't really a scary story, in the normal sense of the word. But there are different kinds of scary, and King always knows just how to convey them. The dancing was nice too. 

Share your thoughts on this novella in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back October 16th to discuss the next novella, If It Bleeds. If you need the reading schedule, find it here.

This post is a part of...

Stephen King's If It Bleeds Read-Along - Mr. Harrigan's Phone

This is a read-along so be aware of spoilers ahead.

One of the things Mr. King does best, besides the chilling and creepy, is coming-of-age themes. This theme is very clear in Mr. Harrigan's Phone. The befriending of Mr. Harrigan at first leads one to believe that something creepy is going to happen in that house (as Craig waters plants and reads to the old man as a job). And what about that phone? I liked how the story was set around the time iPhones started to appear (though I hate iPhones lol), and so when Craig gets one, he is learning, and when he gives one to Mr. Harrigan, they sort of learn together. Mr. Harrigan's reaction and subsequent liking of the phone is truly entertaining. Craig was a genius pulling off sparking the old man's interest by showing him how to easily look up the stock market standings. Something Mr. Harrigan is very interested in due to his riches. All the while, we're wondering what this all means. Why is Mr. Harrigan, a self-proclaimed "ruthless tycoon" so interested in Craig? Personally, I think as we age (especially at Harrigan's advanced age), we start looking back at our innocence as we grew up, and so Harrigan spending time with Craig is a comfort, and he is reminded of his own more innocent days. 

The more supernatural side of the story comes about after Harrigan dies and Craig slips the old man's iPhone in his pocket in the casket. And so, he is buried with the phone. When Craig has hard times in life (being beat up by a bully, the loss of a beloved teacher, etc.) he calls Harrigan's phone for comfort and leaves voice mails about the occurrences. For some reason, the phone continues working, even after years have gone by so we know that is definitely supernatural. The chilling part comes in when the bully, and the drunk driver who killed the teacher, both come to suicidal endings. 

Ultimately, the friendship wins out and Mr. Harrigan sends the cryptic text that can only mean he's telling Craig to stop. I genuinely feel that Mr. Harrigan knew that these continued revenge scenarios would take a very negative toll on Craig, and so he is still a mentor and a friend even after death. Craig complies and throws the phone in the lake.

Share your thoughts on this novella in the comments, or leave a link to a post. We'll be back October 1st to discuss the next novella, The Life of Chuck. If you need the reading schedule, find it here.

There is a Netflix film based on this (with the same name) that I thought was done well. Donald Sutherland as Mr. Harrigan was the perfect choice, and Jaedan Martell put in a great performance as Craig. If you haven't already, you should give it a watch. Here's the trailer...

This post is a part of....

Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet by #AdamHowe - Review

My thoughts
Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet is a book of three horror novellas that really takes you on a ride...and what a wild ride it is!

Damn Dirty Apes is a little yarn about a washed up boxer turned bouncer, who reluctantly joins the hunt for a skunk ape, a local legend (sort of like Bigfoot, but much more stinky, apparently). This one was pretty funny and suspenseful at the same time. I could totally see it as a movie on the SyFy Channel. Yeah, I have a thing for those movies. What can I say...

In Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, we get a bit of The Deliberate Stranger mixed in with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or maybe Wrong Turn. I haven't decided yet. Just when you think Ted Bundy emulator, Terrence Hingle is the worst ever, here come the Ritter brothers. Who is worse? Well, you'll have to read to find out. Let me just say that if you like the afore mentioned movies, then this is the story for you.

Gator Bait is the final novella and what a finale. Hammond has a thing for the ladies, but after his latest encounter with the husband, he is sworn off dames until...would that he had listened to himself. Finding himself working for a backwoods mafioso with a giant gator for muscle, he soon finds himself ignoring his own advice about messing with dames. His boss has a looker of a wife, and she's a damsel in distress. Men. Try thinking with the right head. Might not be a bad idea.

This trio of novellas is damn good pulp fiction/horror. The stories are quite graphic and twisted, but any lover of horror worth their salt will recognize the brilliance in this book. Damn fine writing too.

About the book
Publication Date: Nov. 2, 2015
Publisher: Comet Press
Publication Length: 250 pages

From Adam Howe, winner of Stephen King’s “On Writing” short story contest, comes three original novellas of hardboiled crime, graphic horror and pitch-black gallows humor.

DAMN DIRTY APES

Washed-up prizefighter Reggie Levine is eking a living as a strip club bouncer when he’s offered an unlikely shot at redemption. The Bigelow Skunk Ape – a mythical creature said to haunt the local woods – has kidnapped the high school football mascot, Boogaloo Baboon. Now it’s up to Reggie to lead a misfit posse including a plucky stripper, the town drunk, and legend-in-his-own-mind skunk ape hunter Jameson T. Salisbury. Their mission: Slay the beast and rescue their friend. But not everything is as it seems, and as our heroes venture deeper into the heart of darkness, they will discover worse things waiting in the woods than just the Bigelow Skunk Ape. The story the Society for the Preservation of the North American Skunk Ape tried to ban; Damn Dirty Apes mixes Roadhouse with Jaws with Sons of Anarchy, to create a rollicking romp of 80s-style action/adventure, creature horror and pitch-black comedy.

DIE DOG OR EAT THE HATCHET

Escaped mental patient Terrence Hingle, the butcher of five sorority sisters at the Kappa Pi Massacre, kidnaps timid diner waitress Tilly Mulvehill and bolts for the border. Forcing his hostage to drive him out of town, it’s just a question of time before Tilly becomes the next victim in Hingle’s latest killing spree. But when they stop for gas at a rural filling station operated by deranged twin brothers, Dwayne and Dwight Ritter, the tables are turned on Hingle, and for Tilly the night becomes a hellish cat-and-mouse ordeal of terror and depravity. The meat in a maniac sandwich, Tilly is forced against her nature to make a stand and fight for survival. Because sometimes the only choice you have is to do or die…to Die Dog Or Eat The Hatchet.

GATOR BAIT

Prohibition-era 1930s… After an affair with the wrong man’s wife, seedy piano player Smitty Three Fingers flees the city and finds himself tinkling the ivories at a Louisiana honky-tonk owned by vicious bootlegger Horace Croker and his trophy wife, Grace. Folks come to The Grinnin’ Gator for the liquor and burlesque girls, but they keep coming back for Big George, the giant alligator Croker keeps in the pond out back. Croker is rumored to have fed ex-wives and enemies to his pet, so when Smitty and Grace embark on a torrid affair…what could possibly go wrong? Inspired by true events, Gator Bait mixes hardboiled crime (James M. Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice) with creature horror (Tobe Hooper’s Eaten Alive) to create a riveting tale of suspense.

Listen to this sample reading from the book over at YouTube from the folks at Manor House:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cKt_Y9CwO4

About the author

Adam Howe writes the twisted fiction your mother warned you about. A British writer of fiction and screenplays, he lives in Greater London with his partner and their hellhound, Gino. Writing as Garrett Addams, his short story Jumper was chosen by Stephen King as the winner of the On Writing contest, and published in the paperback/Kindle editions of SK’s book; he was also granted an audience with The King, where they mostly discussed slow vs. fast zombies. His fiction has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Thuglit, The Horror Library, Mythic Delirium, Plan B Magazine, and One Buck Horror. He is the author of two collections, Black Cat Mojo and Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet, plus the eBook single, Gator Bait. Future works include Tijuana Donkey Showdown, One Tough Bastard, and a crime/horror collaboration with Adam Tribesmen Cesare.

Find him on Twitter at @Adam_G_Howe.

Praise for Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet
"It's an explicit, hard-hitting, twisted funhouse ride into pulpish horror wrapped loosely in a tattered skein of irreverent, jet black humor. In short, it's a freakin' blast." --Walt Hicks, author of Dirge of the Forgotten

“With Die Dog Or Eat the Hatchet, Adam Howe hasn’t written one of my favorite books of the year, he’s actually written three of my favorites. Stories that are tight, toned, and genre-confounding. Horror fans and crime fans are going to come to blows over who gets to claim Howe as one of their own, but they’re both going to be wrong because Howe’s his own thing.” – Adam Cesare, author of Tribesmen and Mercy House

“The recipe for Adam Howe’s DIE DOG OR EAT THE HATCHET is: Two parts Joe Lansdale, One part Justified, and a heavy dose of WTF. The result is a swampy cocktail darker than any backwoods hayride, stronger than the meanest Sasquatch, and crazier than anything you’ll find chicken-fried at your local state fair.”—Eryk Pruitt, author of Hashtag and Dirtbags

"Adam Howe proves with the three stories in this book that he can basically write anything. And write it very well indeed. To summarise: A three novella collection that you absolutely must have in your collection. I give this one the highest possible recommendation that I can." -Nev, Confessions of a Reviewer

"Adam Howe’s “Die Dog or Eat the Hatchet,” is equal parts terror and fun, his dark comedic voice dances through each of the works in this collection to create engaging stories filled with bars, dames, rabid dogs, and an ape with one hell of a right hook."(Nathan Crazybear/Splatterpunk Zine)

"Once again this author has sucked me into the darkness of his stories and unleashed the twisted, disgusting and stomach churning madness that I come to expect. In fact, I would have been very disappointed if this book was not even more mind-blowing than Black Cat Mojo. And he did not disappoint. Hats off to Mr Howe for creating this magnificent novella of pure horror. I would definitely recommend this to readers of horror and make sure you buckle up as you will be in for the most twisted ride of your life!" -Crime Book Junkie

"I'm pretty certain that whatever genre you like to read, be it pulp, noir, horror, anything really, you will find something to enjoy here. It's fast paced, action packed and brilliantly written. Comet Press has got a diamond on their hands! 5 stars" -Adrian Shotbolt

Buy the book

Amazon

Amazon UK

Barnes and Noble

Want to Feature Adam Howe?
If you would like a copy of the book for review or to conduct an interview with Adam Howe, please contact Erin Al-Mehairi, Publicist, at Hook of a Book Media: hookofabook@hotmail.com. 

Blood Sacrifices - Review #BrianMoreland

My thoughts

First of all, the book as a whole. One of the best collections I've read to date...seriously!

As I was reading The Girl from the Blood Coven, the short prequel to The Witching House, I was thinking, "This is really something." I was seriously creeped out. That's a good thing. What can I say about The Witching House that can even describe its brilliance? It almost had me as scared as I was when I read my favorite horror novel of all time, Hell House by Richard Matheson. The legends surrounding the Blevins House, the urban explorers, the house itself--the perfect set-up for what is, in my eyes, a classic horror tale. This tale does not rely on horror cliches to get the scares. It is genuine, bare bones horror that reaches out and grabs you by the throat. 

Darkness Rising is more realistically scary, meaning it's scary because the murder/torture and filming of the acts could actually happen, speaking strictly in a non-supernatural instance. I'm sitting there thinking, "Damn it, Marty, when you saw that there was another vehicle at the lake, why didn't you just leave?" But then, there wouldn't be a story. This tale was more about the cruelties in the world...the murders, the bullying...and what might happen to one guilty of these cruelties. And, strangely enough, it's also a love story which also made it a heartbreaking read.

The Vagrants held more of a message for me. Messages about our ever growing homeless problem in this country, and about cultism. At least, that's what I felt as I was reading. What if the hopeless in this world were made to rise up by a charismatic leader and destroy the world as we know it? Pretty scary stuff. It's testament to how easily people can be led to believe something when they feel there is nothing left. 

Moreland is a hell of a horror writer. This is my first read of his work and it will not be my last. You should read this book now!

*********

Blood Sacrifices houses four tales of terror by one of the masters of horror, Brian Moreland. Previously only available in digital format, these stories are compiled into one book and can now be ordered in print!

Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Samhain
Publication Length: 282 pages

Some evils require sacrifices.

From the author of Dead of Winter and The Devil’s Woods come four tales of blood-tingling horror:

The Girl from the Blood Coven
In this short prequel to The Witching House, when Abigail Blackwood claims her hippy commune family has been massacred, Sheriff Travis Keagan and his deputies investigate. They discover there’s more than weed smoking going on at Blevins House. Much more.

The Witching House
Sarah Donovan is scared of just about everything, but she helps her adventurous boyfriend investigate the old, abandoned Blevins House, scene of a forty-year-old unsolved massacre. Little do they know the house is hungry for fresh prey…

Darkness Rising
When Marty Weaver encounters three killers who like to play sadistic games with their victims, his own scarred past is unearthed. And when his pain is triggered, blood will flow…and hell will rise.

The Vagrants
Beneath the city of Boston, evil is gathering. While living under a bridge with the homeless, journalist Daniel Finley witnessed something that nearly cost him his sanity. Now, with a book published about the experience, he’s caught between the Irish mafia and a deranged cult preparing to shed blood on the street.

This is a collection of books previously published in digital format.

Purchase Links

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Samhain
Brian’s Audio Books at Audio Realms

About the author
Brian Moreland is a best-selling and award-winning author of novels and short stories in the horror and supernatural suspense genre. In 2007, his novel Shadows in the Mist, a Nazi occult thriller set during World War II, won a gold medal for Best Horror Novel in an international contest. The novel went on to be published in Austria and Germany under the title Schattenkrieger.

Shadows in the Mist, Dead of Winter, and The Devil's Woods are his currently available novels, as well as his Kindle short-story The Girl from the Blood Coven and the novella it led into called The Witching House. Now, he has released the full-length The Devil’s Woods. His novella, The Vagrants, was released in 2014, and another, Darkness Rising, in 2015.

He loves hiking, kayaking, watching sports, dancing, and making guacamole. Brian lives in Dallas, Texas where he is diligently writing his next horror novel. When not working on his books or books for other writers, Brian edits documentaries and TV commercials around the globe. He produced a World War II documentary in Normandy, France, and worked at two military bases in Iraq with a film crew.

Brian lives in Dallas, Texas. You can communicate with him online at www.brianmoreland.com, his Dark Lucidity blog, Twitter, or Facebook.

Praise for Brian Moreland
"For horror fans wanting a healthy dose of the small-town stuff a la Stephen King, be sure to pick up a copy of this (The Girl from the Blood Coven) memorable and frightening short story, a wonderful teaser that will whet your appetite for the main course, The Witching House, where the twisted story continues." -DarkEva/Hellnotes

" Very much in the tradition of HELL HOUSE, THE WITCHING HOUSE is a creepy, modern turn on the haunted house story." -Tim Potter

"Far and away the best new piece of fiction I've read this year. With Darkness Rising, Brian Moreland reminded me why he's one of my two favorite (not King, Laymon, Ketchum...etc.) authors out there (the other being Ronald Malfi). I'm a huge fan of his novel, Shadows in the Mist, but I think this novella rivals it." -Glenn Rolfe, author of Blood and Rain, on Darkness Rising

"Brian Moreland writes a blend of survival horror and occult mystery that I find impossible to resist. I know, when I've got one of his books in my hands, that I'm going to be lost to the world for hours on end. He's just that good." -Joe McKinney, author of Dead City and Flesh Eaters

"A thrilling, wholly-engrossing read that masterfully crosses multiple genres and leaves the reader breathless. Moreland weaves one hell of a history lesson, rich with brilliant characters and incredible plot twists. Highly recommended!" -Brian Keene, bestselling author of The Last Zombie and Ghoul, on Dead of Winter

“Dead of Winter is an exceptionally well crafted horror novel that tells a gripping story of dark religious doings, a horrific serial killer, and a sympathetic Inspector, in a dark and fascinating historical setting of 19th century Canada. The atmospherics are outstanding and the story offers plenty of surprises right up to its shocking and violent conclusion. Highly recommended.”
- Douglas Preston, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Monster of Florence and Cold Vengeance

“Brian Moreland’s fiction is taut and spellbinding, often blending varied themes to form a dark genre very much his own. From his WWII occult thriller Shadows in the Mist, to the haunting chiller The Devil’s Woods, Brian’s work is at once versatile, original, and deeply engaging.” - Greg F. Gifune, author of The Bleeding Season

"The Devil's Woods is an awesome horror novel, filled with nerve-wracking suspense and thrilling action!” - Jeff Strand, author of Wolf Hunt

Want to Feature Brian Moreland?
If you would like a copy of the book for review or to conduct an interview with Brian Moreland, please contact Erin Al-Mehairi, Publicist, at Hook of a Book Media: hookofabook@hotmail.com