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Review of Family Portrait by Graham Masterton

3/3/2018

Family Portrait by Graham Masterton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of my all-time favorite books. I read it nearly twenty years ago when I was fifteen, and it affected me in a way I hadn't expected. The flippant, hedonistic attitudes of the characters would have ordinarily repulsed me, but Wilde's prose had been so enchanting, I found myself caring for these characters and getting wrapped up in their vain pursuits. When I discovered one of my favorite horror authors had written a novel based on one of my favorite books, I said, "How have I not read this yet!?" and I eagerly dived in.

I can honestly say this is one of the best horror books I've read in a while. Masterton is amazing at painting a scene, drawing out suspense, and crafting his cast. He's one of my favorites for understanding that the horror genre is about more than just scares. When you open up the reader's mind by triggering their fear, there's an opportunity to play on so many other emotions, and Masterton uses this opportunity to its fullest.

Family Portrait was written around the same time I was born, and yet, there was nothing to indicate it was penned over thirty years ago. Just like the Grays, nothing here has aged. The plot is still fresh, all this time later. I especially liked how this story is an origin story, the idea being that a real family inspired Oscar Wilde's most famous work - a family with a dark secret and an aging portrait. An easy five stars, no question.

Read this one if you haven't.

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Book Review - The Box: Uncanny Stories

1/15/2017

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The Box: Uncanny Stories by Richard Matheson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the best short story collections I’ve ever read. That’s not to say that every story is a home run. There were a few misses. But even the stories that failed to strike a chord with me did not fall completely flat. Each had its own charm and intrigue.

I don’t have much negative feedback to offer, so I’ll elaborate on the stories I really enjoyed. My favorites were:

“Button, Button”: A couple is offered an opportunity to earn fifty thousand dollars, and all they have to do is press a button. The catch? The button, once pushed, will cause the death of a random person. This idea really pulled me in, and the main character’s struggle with her own morality held me captive. A great story.

“Girl of My Dreams”: A criminal uses his girlfriend’s psychic abilities for bad instead of good. This story is told from the viewpoint of a violent psychopath who only looks out for “number one”, as they say. A truly chilling piece.

“Dying Room Only”: What struck me about this story is that it could happen to any of us, any time, on any average day. What would you do if a loved one suddenly disappeared? How far would you go to find them? Emotionally charged storytelling here.

“A Flourish of Strumpets”: Oh wow. This story “goes there”, exploring the idea of door-to-door sex workers. An unsettling plot with a hidden dose of humor. Loved it.

“Mute”: This is the longest story in the book. I couldn’t tell you if it was closer to novelette or novella length. I was too busy enjoying it. An orphaned little boy has never spoken a word and is thrust into a society desperate to make him speak. But what if his lack of verbal language is a rare treasure, more beautiful than anyone can ever imagine? What will happen when they finally break him into breaking his silence? Lovely bit of fiction, this one.

“Clothes Make The Man”: I thought this was so peculiar and interesting. A man cannot function without his magical suit. The ending will make you gasp!

“‘Tis the Season To Be Jelly”: In post-apocalyptic America, radioactivity is destroying the human race. People lose body parts left and right, but their hearts can still fall in love. I liked this one simply because it was so unusual.

Overall, a nice collection of stories from a world-renowned author. And I must add… If you are a writer in need of story ideas, this collection will get your brain wheels spinning. Richard Matheson is truly a master at thinking outside “The Box”.

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Goodbye to an idol. RIP David Bowie.

1/11/2016

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Yesterday, I decided to take a break from the internet for a couple days to focus on writing. Such self-discipline is necessary, as I'm easily distracted. Then something awful happened. David Bowie died. Suddenly, I was hooked to the net again, browsing and reflecting on how much I adored this man.

I was feeling too distracted to work on my latest piece of fiction, when it hit me. I could write something else. I could say goodbye to David Bowie. Once again, he’s inspiring me to express myself, just as he’s done all my life.

At six years old, I fell in love. I wanted to live in the world of Labyrinth. While watching that movie I remember thinking that if I were Sarah, I’d strike a bargain with the Goblin King: "Return Toby to my parents, and I’ll stay here." (Isn’t that what the whole thing was really about?) Sure, sure, the Goblin King was evil, but I also felt he was lonely and misunderstood. I suppose this is where my fascination with bad boys began. :)

And my fascination with Bowie stayed with me. My childhood was awkward. My pre-teens were awkward. My teens were awkward. But always, there was Bowie. He was awkward, too. Hell, the guy had mismatched eyes. He made being different look good… and sound good, too!

So the world didn’t understand me. Who cared. At least one guy did. With lyrics like “And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds, are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of what they're going through,” I knew he got it. And I felt a little better while listening.

In ninth grade, I had to do a project for school and design my own Utopia. I named it Valley Stardust and the leader was a starman modeled after Ziggy Stardust. I have a folder full of my old writings in my bedroom closet, and I dug this project out today. Here’s some pics.

I fueled up on Bowie during my teen years to power me through the bad days. Not every album or side project made my favorites list, but it was always good. He had that way about him. He painted, he sang, he acted, he played instruments. Like King Midas and the golden touch, everything Bowie touched turned to art.

Creative people look to other creative people for inspiration. In that respect, Bowie not only gave the world his own art; he inspired countless artists after him to make their own. If you ask me, a life in the arts is always well spent, but in this particular case, I think his 69 years adds up to much more. Perhaps we should count his time in light years. :)

Now that I’ve gotten this out of my system and said goodbye to a lifelong idol, I really should get back to writing. Because that's what David Bowie would want me to do. I know the kids will distract me. I know my crazy life will go on around me while I struggle to create. But I won’t sweat it. There can be no art without life, and life is meant to be lived. As a wise man once said:

“Let the children lose it. Let the children use it. Let all the children boogie.”

Born David Robert Jones, he ended up going by David Bowie so people wouldn’t confuse him with Davey Jones of The Monkees. Well, we couldn’t confuse him with anyone now. He was truly one of a kind. RIP, Mr. Bowie. Much love, much respect. The starman has returned to the stars forevermore.

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Poem to raise autism awareness wins third place at P & E polls

1/17/2015

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I'm writing this blog today as a thank you to everyone who voted for my poem "The Voice Inside The Mirror" in the Preditors & Editors poll this year. This poem is very special to my heart. I wrote it in response to the bullying of autistic children/ teens, which occurs in shocking numbers in our supposedly "civilized" society.

As it turns out, the poem ranked third place for Best Poem of 2014. The anthology in which it appears, Fractured Realms, got #5 in the Best Anthology category. All in all, not bad! A great honor to be nominated and receive so many votes! All proceeds earned for Fractured Realms are given to the Autism Trust, so it's good for the cause when we manage to pull in a few extra readers.

But the real focus here is autism awareness. I'd like to share this poem with you today, in hopes that it might touch someone and perhaps motivate them to discuss bullying with their children. Not every child is a bully, but a lot of them stand by and let it happen because they don't know to report it. We like to think the new generation of children are raised "tolerant". Yet bullying incidents towards autistic kids occur every day. Here are a few links that just might break your heart:

Autistic Teen Left Paralyzed After Bullies Force Him Off Bridge

Bullies Drench Autistic Boy In Bodily Fluids

Why Autistic Kids Are Bullied

For the main character of my poem, I chose a boy with an extreme form of autism that prevents him from speaking. There is no way for him to express his feelings to his peers. Until one day, something wondrous happens....

The Voice Inside The Mirror

"Lonely" was a loaded word
Zaine wished his lips to speak.
But though his mind was crying out,
his mouth spoke not a peep.
His feelings, bottled up inside
the prison of his brain
were triggered by the sights and sounds
that, daily, tortured Zaine.
Too much, he thought but couldn't say,
too much is taking place,
an endless stream of lights and noise
and countless thoughts to chase.
He plugged his ears against the noise
and longed for it to cease.
His muscles twitched beneath his skin
and itched for a release.
Red-hot, piercing pinpricks stung
his flesh as he refused
to flail his arms and flap his hands
and let his demons loose.
Worse yet than his body's pain:
the crowd's relentless gaze,
observing him with cold regard,
a rat trapped in a maze.
Peculiar boy, misunderstood,
whose brain often betrayed him.
His peers moved with a steady stride;
his special needs delayed him.
But there was something he could do
that no one else was able.
When he stood before a mirror,
young Zaine could turn the table.
No longer was he crippled by
the limits of his mind.
In the mirror's reflected twin
a vibrant brilliance shined.
The first time his reflection smiled,
Zaine wondered, Who are you?
The strange boy only winked an eye,
reached out and pulled him through.
The mirror opened up to Zaine;
glass suffered not a fracture.
He tumbled through, fell to his knees,
and dropped his jaw in rapture.
Before his eyes, this world made sense,
a place built just for Zaine,
customized to fit his needs,
tailored for his brain.
He found himself returning each day
when he felt alone.
Though he knew he couldn't stay.
This place was not his home.
One day a bully followed him,
seeking a little fun.
(He liked to corner smaller boys
and tease them til they'd run.)
He watched his victim slip away,
In shock, he felt defeat.
The mirror seemed to swallow him,
first head, then chest, then feet.
How can this be? The bully thought,
reaching out to touch the glass.
It didn't yield, hard to the touch.
Why did it let Zaine pass?
And now, filled with that burning rage
that fuels young troublemakers,
he scanned the room with wild eyes,
hoping to find glass-breakers.
He ripped the lid from the commode
and swung with all his force
until a splintered spiderweb
rained down onto the floor.
And in those shiny, shattered pieces
a strange sight did appear:
a hundred tiny Zaines stood there,
gazed out from in the mirror.
"Why?" Zaine asked, this question
echoed from his mass reflections.
"Why do you hate me?" he repeated
from the mirror's fragmented sections.
The bully frowned and shook his head.
He'd never heard Zaine speak.
He didn't have an answer;
his heart felt heavy; knees felt weak.
He gathered up the pieces
and he passed them out at school
to all the kids who'd done Zaine wrong
and labeled him a fool.
The shards, they told a story
of a boy, not unlike them,
who wanted to be understood,
but ended up condemned.
Inside that mirror, he found his voice.
What was reflected there?
The soul of a boy, so differently wired,
his struggles so unfair.
Together, the kids who'd tortured him
fixed the mirror with tape and glue.
They held their breath and waited,
hoping Zaine would step back through.
And when he did, an odd thing happened.
They cheered and welcomed Zaine.
They celebrated his return,
this boy and his wondrous brain.
Now when they look into the mirror,
they think of that special kid
and smile, remembering the voice he found
and the magic trick he did.

****

To purchase a copy of Fractured Realms, visit one of the following links.

Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/shop/horrified-press/fractured-realms/paperback/product-22000279.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Realms-Horrified-Press/dp/129191370X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421545274&sr=8-2&keywords=fractured+realms&pebp=1421545336210&peasin=129191370X

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A Review of Cracked Sky by Ben Eads

12/30/2014

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Stephen Morrison is a grieving father who can't let go of the past. He lost his daughter, Allie, in a tragic car accident, and his psyche suffered a blow so devastating, he feels hopeless to ever recover. He finds release from his mental anguish in the pain pills prescribed for his injuries, and his wife, Shelley, is forced to watch him stumble down the slippery slope of addiction while battling her own maternal grief.

The tension in this book is palpable. Eads approaches the topic of depression with finesse. He spins a visceral web of self-loathing, with enough horror to hold our attention. Most importantly, he makes us care. We care what happens to our main characters as frightening occurrences plague their everyday lives... such as Stephen's strange ability to move his missing arm--a ghost arm, if you will.

When the ice cream truck driver responsible for Allie's death dies in his hospital bed, something sinister seeps into this world from a mysterious crack in the sky, and one thing becomes clear: their daughter is attempting to contact them from beyond. Allie needs their help.

This novella has a vibe along the same lines as the movies Poltergeist and Insidious--a dark world within our own world, a helpless child, trapped. Yet the writing is one of a kind. The pages are full of passion, suspense, and fear. Author Ben Eads nails the dynamics of a loving marriage fraught with heartache and terror. And you won't be disappointed with what awaits you in Cracked Sky.

You can pre-order this novella before January 12th or purchase it after the 12th by visiting:
http://www.amazon.com/Cracked-Sky-Ben-Eads-ebook/dp/B00QD89JK0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417391534&sr=8-2&keywords=cracked+sky

You can sign up for the Cracked Sky newsletter on Ben's website: http://beneadsfiction.com

Also, please show your support and like him on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ben-Eads-Fiction/266455789069

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A Book Review Of "Alamo Rising" by Bowie V. Ibarra

11/14/2014

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Hey, everyone! If you're familiar with my blogging history, you know that I used to run Author Interview Corner. I closed it recently, as I want to spend more time focused on my own writing. Yet, there will be times when I want to promote my fellow writers, and since this website comes with a blog, hey, how about right here? I just finished a book, and I thought I'd share the review.

Alamo Rising is the third book I've read by Bowie Ibarra, and if I had to summarize his work in one word, I'd go with: “fun”. His characters have a certain rambunctious energy, capable of carrying them through hell and back with a smirk. Doesn't everyone love that in a protagonist? I know I do.

Alamo Rising kicks off when a newly formed team of paranormal investigators starts prowling for ghosts in San Antonio. A dark curse is unleashed on the city, and strange things start happening in the area around the Alamo. The team soon bites off more than they can chew as they catch the eye of those evil people who are summoning the dark forces... and who will let nothing stand in their way.

My favorite decade for horror movies is hands-down the 1980s, and Bowie's writing style gives me the same vibe. A dramatic plot-line, interspersed with comedy and witty dialogue to keep it light, all leading up to some major buckets of blood. Drama, comedy, and gore--the three main ingredients for a fun horror story. Throw in some truly original ideas, and you've got Alamo Rising. Another good one, Mr. Ibarra. Keep them coming, please.

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Review of Family Portrait by Graham Masterton

Book Review - The Box: Uncanny Stories

Goodbye to an idol. RIP David Bowie.

Poem to raise autism awareness wins third place at P & E polls

A Review of Cracked Sky by Ben Eads

A Book Review Of "Alamo Rising" by Bowie V. Ibarra

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