Haunting Reads

Earlier this year I had a rare opportunity to make some horror recommendations for a library user who likes creepy mysteries, horror, and ghost stories. What luck! I exploded with ideas. Since we're getting close to Halloween, I thought this would be the perfect time to pull out my choices for anyone looking for a last-minute haunting read.

 I’ve broken down my selections into classics, newer releases, and graphic novels, depending on what type of reading experience you’re looking for.

Book review: City of Bones

Young adult fiction isn't an area of expertise for me, but I've found myself enjoying some of the more popular sci-fi/fantasy series that have popped up over the last few years. I think the appeal for me is emotional, as there's an intensity to the protagonist that drives the story. Not that adult fiction can't be dramatic and emotional, but there's something about young adult fiction, some hook that you don't always find in adult novels. On the other hand, I also usually can't read one YA novel after another. I need a serious break from the teenage mind to read and think like an adult again. I'm currently rejoining the adult world with Richard Matheson's I AM LEGEND after blowing clear through Cassandra Clare's CITY OF BONES in a matter of days.

Book review: The Lords of Salem

I'm a pretty lucky reader. I like almost all of the books I read in varying degrees, I rarely find a story so bad that I can't finish it, and I have never wished I could have the hours I spent reading a book back.

But after reading LORDS OF SALEM... well, I'm not saying I wish I had those hours back, but I wouldn't complain if some flying spaghetti monster god of fiction decided in his infinite mercy to grant them to me.

It was an interesting idea, and I liked parts of it, I just felt that there were so many things wrong with the approach, as well as the plot and character development. I say that as both a reader and a writer. And I don't like writing negative reviews, I like to give all creative works a chance; but I also have to be honest. And I honestly don't have a lot of positive things to say about my experience, but I will try to be constructive at the very least.

I'm going to stop here and say that there might be spoiler-ish information in my review, so if you're concerned about that you may want to skip this. My brief spoiler-free version is: If you're a big Rob Zombie film fan, have at it. It's gory, it's heavily influenced by past eras of horror, maybe you'll find it fun. If you're on the fence about his films, or outright don't like them, you may find this less fun. There are interesting, redeemable parts to the story, but the authors make a few wrong turns in terms of plot and character and leave you stranded in a bad part of town by the end.

Book review: The Demonologist

One of my more recent favorite books was "The Historian," by Elizabeth Kostova. It's not light reading, the tome weighs in at a hefty 642 pages. But every single page is worth it- so much so that I've read it twice, which is more than I can say for most of my favorite adult books published after, say, 1980. This Librarian of the Dead has so much stuff to read all of the time, that I took the time to read that TWICE. Think about it.

I loved the way "The Historian" mixed horror and supernatural themes with mystery, adventure, historical fiction, and a rich sense of setting. Specifically, the book explores the legends of vampires and Dracula in relation to the main characters. If any of this has made your inner reader perk up, I highly recommend the book. Don't be intimidated by the size, it moves quickly.

For those who just can't stomach 600+ pages, or have already read "The Historian" and enjoyed it, I would not hesitate to suggest Andrew Pyper's "The Demonologist."

Book review: Hemlock Grove

On April 19th, Netflix is launching another of their original series-- this time in the horror genre! HEMLOCK GROVE is based on the novel of the same name by Brian McGreevy, and the story is a modern gothic mix of horror, fantasy and mystery.

Boing Boing interviews Faith Erin Hicks

I may have hit on a sustainable theme through my Women in Horror Comics blog series, at least as long as I keep stumbling upon interesting information about the female comic creators I discovered during that process.

Women in Horror Comics: Rachelle Rosenberg

This feature is part of my Women in Horror Comics series in honor of Women in Horror Month. For more info on WiHM visit www.womeninhorrormonth.com

As I mentioned back in my feature on Jenny Frison, I'm a big fan of HACK/SLASH. Creator Tim Seeley has had a few different female artists working on the series over the years, one being my final Women in Horror Comics feature, cover artist/colorist Rachelle Rosenberg. Rachelle started working in comics in 2008, and her first color work on HACK/SLASH was in a one shot called "Entry Wound." In addition to her work on horror comics, Rachelle has done both covers and color for titles like X-MEN, DOCTOR WHO, GAMBIT, and HULK.

Women in Horror Comics: Nancy A. Collins

This feature is part of my Women in Horror Comics series in honor of Women in Horror Month. For more info on WiHM visit www.womeninhorrormonth.com

This week’s Women in Horror Comics feature, author Nancy A. Collins, has not only written for a variety of horror comics, she is also a horror novelist best known for her Sonja Blue vampire series. The first book in the series, SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK, won a Bram Stoker award for Best First Novel. Unlike some other paranormal fiction, Nancy’s vampires are as they should be: vicious killers.

"The Cruel Sting" in Sirens Call Ezine #7

I have a new short story in The Sirens Call issue #7, their Women in Horror Month edition filled with short horror fiction entirely contributed by female writers! My story is called "The Cruel Sting" (it's towards the end) and you can download the whole issue for FREE from their website. Be sure to check it out!

Women in Horror Comics: Rachel Deering

This feature is part of my Women in Horror Comics series in honor of Women in Horror Month. For more info on WiHM visit www.womeninhorrormonth.com

I'm excited to kick off this series with writer, letterer and editor Rachel Deering. Rachel contributed to WOMANTHOLOGY, a comic anthology series brought to life by Renae De Liz to showcase the work of women in comics. Rachel also created and Kickstarted her own series, ANATHEMA, in which huntress Mercy Barlowe and her lover, Sarah, are discovered and doomed to be tried as witches. Mercy escapes, but returns in time to witness Sarah's soul being taken by monstrous ravens as she is burned at the stake. In her immense grief and guilt, Mercy seeks help and takes on her own dark powers in order to rescue the soul of her beloved from being used by a dark cult to resurrect a much more dangerous evil.

Book review: Fatale, Book 1

This first volume of FATALE collects issues #1-5, giving readers an introduction into the world of Josephine and the mysterious hold she has on man after man throughout the decades. Nicolas Lash meets "Jo" in the present day, and discovers that his godfather, recently deceased author Dominic Raines, had a secret manuscript which elaborated his own relationship with the same woman back in the 1950's.

Joe Hill and Stephen King on Richard Matheson's "Duel"

After posting about the Horror Comic Awards last month I've been playing catch-up on all the great titles I've missed. One that I've gotten really into, ROAD RAGE, is not my usual fare, but because I'm a big fan of the writers involved I couldn't help being curious.

Things over in the Library of the Dead have been a little hectic, so I may not get anything new written until tonight. Planning things tends to make your Librarian just a little nuts, and I'm having people over this weekend. Add in lots of meetings and things going on at work, preparing for a collaborative graphic novel genre study by re-reading Maus I & II and Watchmen, the general weirdness of life, completing another short story and an attempt to finish up Star Trek: The Next Generation... well, there hasn't been a whole lot of time to reflect on the darker side of life.

I do have a review of The Apparition upcoming, I'd love to write about the Stephen King/Joe Hill graphic novel version of DUEL along with the film adaptation of Matheson's story, I'm strolling through the art book on ossuaries and charnel houses, I've got two more movies waiting for me at home, I've got games on the brain so I really want to talk about horror themed tabletop games... I'm not lacking for ideas, just the time.

So stick with me, kiddies! Your Die-brarian will be back with more content soon!

Book review: Your House Is On Fire, Your Children All Gone

A quick look at the book's description from its cover would indicate to anyone why I picked this up: "Shirley Jackson meets The Twilight Zone in this riveting novel of supernatural horror." They had me at Shirley Jackson, but the rest helped too.

I finished the novel feeling more perplexed than anything. I wondered, "Did I miss the horror? Was I not paying enough attention?"

Siren's Call eZine Open Submissions

As part of Women in Horror Month in February, Siren's Call eZine is dedicating their 7th issue to female writers in the genre! They're seeking "dark and edgy fiction" for their publication, with all works due to them by February 1, 2013. They accept short stories, flash fiction and poetry, see more submission requirements at their website. I know that's my perfect excuse to write a new story that might be banging around in my brain!

If you haven't heard of Women in Horror Month already, boy are you going to hear about it from me. From their website:

Kickstart My Bloody, Dripping Heart

Thanks to internet magic-- Twitter and Neil Gaiman, in this case-- I came across this Kickstarter for an anthology of original horror fiction from Ellen Datlow, a highly experienced, award-winning editor in the horror/fantasy genres. If, like me, you appreciate short horror fiction and support the contributing writers having a chance to write and set free stories that maybe didn't fit in elsewhere, please back it! More amazing short and shivery tales let loose in the world = Yes, Please!

There are three days to go and they need just under $5,000 to be funded! Spread the word!

Fearful Symmetries: An Anthology of Horror

Book review: The Dead and the Gone

If you enjoy books that leave you with a certain feeling... heart-wrenching despair? Just this side of utter hopelessness? A hollow, depressing fear of the future? Boy have I got a series for you!

Horror Comic Awards

I just discovered this, so forgive the last-minute nature of it all but ComicMonsters.com is taking votes for their Horror Comics Awards over the next couple days. Even if you're not that up to date on your horror comics (like *ahem* ...me) you'll still see some familiar titles like THE WALKING DEAD, LOCKE & KEY and 30 DAYS OF NIGHT. You do need to register for an account in order to vote, a minor hassle but not a huge deal.

Homespun Threads now on Amazon!

The eBook I mentioned on Friday is now available on Amazon as a Kindle version! Click here to check it out!

If you do happen to buy the book, please leave a review of it somewhere-- either on Amazon, or if you're on Goodreads or some other book website that you prefer. We'd all appreciate it! It will help promote and encourage other people to buy the eBook as well. Remember, this is to help support children's theatre!

Book review: "Red Rain" by R. L. Stine

Before I was the Librarian of the Dead, before I was even a teenage Library Page of the Dead, I was just an odd little kid who liked reading all sorts of creepy stuff. Some of which I probably shouldn't have been reading. The price one pays for having a reading comprehension level that exceeds one's mental and emotional maturity.

I used to love the paperback, pulpy horror-thriller novels about high school kids being terrorized and haunted and vamped and slaughtered. One shots, anthologies and series by the likes of Christopher Pike, Caroline B. Cooney and of course, R. L. Stine.