About Mr. Dreadful

Avid reader, father, husband, music junkie, freelancer, complete hooligan, and occasional knitter.

Dreadful Tales Book Club – June 2014 Edition

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Mr. Dreadful

Sometimes we take this Book of the Month thing for granted, man. Flo Realz. I mean, for those of us who partake in it every month, it’s just another book to add to the pile, and another notch on our bedposts… when we’re vanilla enough to read in bed, that is. *wink*

Rawr.

But every once in a while, something insane happens to remind us of just how special this thing really is, and just how far authors will go to gain the coveted “Book of the Month” title.

What kind of stuff happens, you ask? Well, shit… take a look at this: Now, we featured this author back in July 2012 with his nostalgic throwback/homage to the killer 80’s paperback horror novel, The Wicked, and had a blast doing so. And, while I’m not saying James went out of his way to get our attention or anything, but looking at recent news, it was either James, J.R.R.R.R.R.R.R. Tolkien, or Mother Nature…

Because, you know, the universe revolves around this Book Club…

Naturally.

Anyway, if you’ve been living in a cave without internet (first, you need to find a better cave…), you need to know that your literary boyfriend and mine, James Newman, was severely accosted by a vicious Ent. Why? We don’t know. He won’t say. Maybe James made that “Make like a tree and leave” joke again. Regardless of what transpired, it caught our attention, and convinced us to choose Ugly As Sin the June 2014 selection for the Dreadful Tales Book of the Month Club.

In addition to this high honour, the Horror Community banded together and set up a Telethon*, a Marathon*, and a celebratory Python*.

*None of this actually happened.

Ronald Kelly, one of my favourite authors evah, went so far as to set up an eBay auction called Helping The Hoss: An Auction for James Newman. He is truly an inspiration to all, and should be clapped on the back, or kissed by a bevy of beautiful swedish swimsuit models. Whichever.

That said, you can join us in discussing the book (and vicious, author hating Ents) here at The Mortuary, the official meeting place for the Dreadful Tales Book Club.

Available in paperback and ebook formats at Amazon, and wherever good books are sold.

– C

*Note: For the detractors, we don’t actually take James’ injuries so lightly, and wish him a speedy recovery.

News Release: Medallion Press Release The TREEbook

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Mr. Dreadful

On June 1st, 2014, Medallion Press took the first steps into the future of Ebook technology, and ushered forth a new era of Jetson-esque reading. And while those who read on their iPads may still find that they can’t use the device as a hoverboard, unlike the aforementioned futuristic family, one might still be entertained just enough to fuhgeddaboudit.

Now, while I’ve read what can be called the “trunk” story of Medallion’s newest TREElease (see what I did there?), The Julian Year by Gregory Lamberson, and can honestly say it’s a goddamned blast, I haven’t had a chance to check out the Time Reading Experience Ebook out, performing in all its glory.

But what I can tell from others who have reviewed it is that it’s a great experience. And damnit, the internet is never wrong.

Read on for news on what Medallion has in store for its readers.
We’ll have a review of The Julian Year up soon.

C. Continue reading →

2014 Stoker Awards

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Mr. Dreadful

Ah Stoker season. The time of year when everybody and their mother who is involved in the horror genre biznasss gets all primped and primed to… I actually don’t know WHAT they do there. I’ve never been… *sob*

But they do offer a live stream online! WOO!

Now, just in case you were like the hundreds (or more likely handful) of people who couldn’t log on to the live stream of tonight’s HWA Bram Stoker awards, please let me rub it in your face that I was there (eventually… it’s a long story).

I win. You lose. Goodnight.

No. In all seriousness, the majority of users (all but 25, in fact) could not log into the “Stoker-cast” because of the hotel’s bandwidth limitation. The HWA offered up this explanation via Twitter:

Naturally, the explanation came after I had already tweeted this (and continued my tradition of being annoying during the Stoker Awards):

That said, when I managed to get in there – likely because some poor bastard lost their connection right when I was assailing the feed again and again – I live tweeted the ever-loving fuck out of the whole damned thing for those of you who are savvy enough to follow yours truly on The Tweeter. (@paperbackhorror).
And then my RTs went stupid crazy, and some hot chick in a yellow bikini started following me… but I’m pretty sure she doesn’t actually exist, and, well… THAT, my friends, was the highlight of my night.

Anywhooo… you can see below for the nominees and wieners… sorry… winners.
You’ll have to go to another site for wieners.

(All of the below opinions belong to me, myself, and I(rene), and in no way reflect the blah blah blah Dreadful Tales blah blah. Don’t bug the others if you don’t agree with me. They won’t listen anyway. So shush.)

Superior Achievement in a Novel

Joe Hill – N0S4A2 (William Morrow)
Stephen King – Doctor Sleep (Scribner) WINNER
Lisa Morton – Malediction (Evil Jester Press)
Sarah Pinborough and F. Paul Wilson – A Necessary End (Thunderstorm/Maelstrom Press)
Christopher Rice – The Heavens Rise (Gallery Books)

*I was kind of pulling for Pinborough and Wilson to win this one, but the battle of the Kings pretty much made that difficult, didn’t it? Regardless, I seriously urge all of you to pick up A Necessary End. It is fantastic*

Superior Achievement in a First Novel

Kate Jonez – Candy House (Evil Jester Press)
John Mantooth – The Year of the Storm (Berkley Trade)
Rena Mason – The Evolutionist (Nightscape Press) WINNER
Jonathan Moore – Redheads (Samhain Publishing)
Royce Prouty – Stoker’s Manuscript (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)

*I had my eye on Moore’s Redheads for this one, but Mason deserves the win just as much.*

Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel

Patrick Freivald – Special Dead (JournalStone)
Kami Garcia – Unbreakable (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Geoffrey Girard – Project Cain (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Joe McKinney – Dog Days (Journalstone) WINNER
Cat Winters – In the Shadow of Blackbirds (Harry N. Abrams)

*In The Shadow of Blackbirds was my pick for this category, but McKinney spins a good yarn as well. I’d still like to encourage y’all to check this one out. It’s a great, and inventive read.*

Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel

Ed Brubaker – Fatale, Book Three: West of Hell (Image Comics)
Caitlin R. Kiernan – Alabaster: Wolves (Dark Horse Comics) WINNER
Brandon Seifert – Witch Doctor, Vol. 2: Mal Practice (Image Comics)
Cameron Stewart – Sin Titulo (Dark Horse Comics)
Paul Tobin – Colder (Dark Horse Comics)

*Caitlin R. Kiernan kicked the shit out of this category, and I really couldn’t be happier. She deserves this win. Alabaster: Wolves was my pick for the win, with Brubaker’s Fatale coming in a very close second.*

Superior Achievement in Long Fiction

Dale Bailey – “The Bluehole” (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, May/June 2013)
Gary Braunbeck – “The Great Pity” (Chiral Mad 2, Written Backwards) WINNER
Benjamin Kane Ethridge – “The Slaughter Man” (Limbus, Inc., JournalStone)
Gregory Frost – “No Others Are Genuine” (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Oct/Nov. 2013)
Greg F. Gifune – House of Rain (DarkFuse)
Rena Mason – East End Girls (JournalStone)

*I’m super stoked that Gary won the award for this story. It’s incredible, and he deserves the win.*

Superior Achievement in Short Fiction

Michael Bailey – “Primal Tongue” (Zippered Flesh 2, Smart Rhino Publications)
Patrick Freivald – “Snapshot” Blood & Roses, Scarlett River Press)
David Gerrold – “Night Train to Paris” (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Jan/Feb 2013) WINNER
Lisa Mannetti – “The Hunger Artist” (Zippered Flesh 2, Smart Rhino Publications)
John Palisano – “The Geminis” (Chiral Mad 2, Written Backwards)
Michael Reaves – “Code 666” (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Mar/Apr 2013)

*This category was tricky for me, but only because it was near impossible for my to get a few of the stories in my hands. I had Mannetti’s The Hunger Artist picked for this one. But then again, I’m a lifelong Mannetti fan.*

Superior Achievement in a Screenplay

Fabien Adda and Fabrice Gobert – The Returned: S1E8 “The Horde” (Ramaco Media I, Castelao Pictures)
Brad Falchuk – American Horror Story – Asylum: S2E11 “Spilt Milk” (Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision, Ryan Murphy Productions)
Bryan Fuller – Hannibal: S1E1 “Apératif” (Dino De Laurentis Company, Living Dead Guy Productions, AXN: Original X Production, Gaumont International Television)
Daniel Knauf – Dracula: S1E2 “A Whiff of Sulpher” (Flame Ventures, Playground, Universal Television, Carnival Films)
Glen Mazzara – The Walking Dead: S3E16 “Welcome to the Tombs” (AMC TV) WINNER

*I really didn’t see TWD winning this award. If it was up against Dracula by itself, sure. But with AHS, Hannibal, and The Returned stacked against it? I was rooting for The Returned (Les Revenants) to take it home. But I guess you Americans still don’t like the French. 😉 *

Superior Achievement in an Anthology

R.J. Cavender and Boyd E. Harris (ed) – Horror Library: Volume 5 (Cutting Block Press)
Eric J. Guignard (ed) – After Death… (Dark Moon Books) WINNER
Michael Knost and Nancy Eden Siegel (ed) – Barbers & Beauties (Hummingbird House Press)
Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. (ed) – The Grimscribe’s Puppets (Miskatonic River Press)
Anthony Riviera and Sharon Lawson (ed) – Dark Visions: A Collection of Modern Horror, Volume One (Grey Matter Press)

*Don’t even ask me about this one. I’ll stand by The Horror Library forever. I’m glad Guignard won, as he seems like a nice guy, but I want to see +THL+ receive its due.*

Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection

Nathan Ballingrud – North American Lake Monsters: Stories (Small Beer Press)
Laird Barron – The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All and Other Stories (Night Shade Books) WINNER
James Dorr – The Tears of Isis (Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing)
Caitlin R. Kiernan – The Ape’s Wife and Other Stories (Subterranean Press)
S.P. Somtow – Bible Stories for Secular Humanists (Diplodocus Press)

*”It’s about time Barron took home a Stoker Award” says every Lovecraft and modern “Weird” fiction fan ever. I agree, but still don’t dig HPL. Sorry, Brice. Barron deserves the recognition for his stellar work in the genre*

Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction

Barbara Brodman and James E. Doan (ed) – Images of the Modern Vampire: The Hip and the Atavistic (Fairleigh Dickenson)
Gary William Crawford – Ramsey Campbell: Critical Essays on the Modern Master of Horror (Scarecrow Press)
William F. Nolan – Nolan on Bradbury: Sixty Years of Writing about the Master of Science Fiction (Hippocampus Press) WINNER
Jarkko Toikkanen – The Intermedial Experience of Horror: Suspended Failures (Palgrave Macmillan)
Robert H. Waugh (ed) – Lovecraft and Influence: His Predecessors and Successors (Scarecrow Press)

*I don’t even want to talk about this category. Have you ever tried to read essays on HPL or Ramsay Campbell, let alone Bradbury? This ain’t bathroom reading, folks! This is some seriousness! I couldn’t handle it, so I don’t have a vote. But YAY for Nolan, right?*

Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection

Bruce Boston – Dark Roads: Selected Long Poems 1971-2012 (Dark Renaissance Books)
Helen Marshall – The Sex Lives of Monsters (Kelp Queen Press)
Marge Simon and Sandy DeLuca – Dangerous Dreams (Elektrik Milk Bath Press)
Marge Simon, Rain Graves, Charlee Jacob, and Linda Addison – Four Elements (Bad Moon Books/Evil Jester Press) WINNER
Stephanie M. Wytovich – Hysteria: A Collection of Madness (Raw Dog Screaming Press)

*And finally, the Poetry award. See, I had my sights set on Helen Marshall for the win, not only because she’s hot, or because she’s Canadian, but because this was a really goddamned good book! I haven’t read something this awesome since Maria Alexander’s At Louche Ends. Boston’s Dark Roads is a trip worth taking as well, but I’m glad Rain, Marge, Linda, and Charlee won. They do a lot of good for Horror Poetry.*

Helping The Hoss: A Benefit Book Auction for James Newman

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Mr. Dreadful

It’s no doubt that all of you folk who are steeped in the genre already know about James’ injury, and the subsequent medical expenses that have arisen from this unfortunate incident. And it’s no surprise that the genre stepped up and took matter into their own hands, whether sending good ju-ju Newman’s way, or offering to kick the bark off of the offending tree that assailed such a gifted young man.

Well, for all of us who wish we could help in a bigger way… now you can! And you can manage to grab some major league purchases to go along with your generosity, as well!

Take a look over at Ronald Kelly’s blog for more info on how you can “Help the Hoss”.

We’re behind this auction 100%.

Stuck On You by Jasper Bark

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Mr. Dreadful

With a tag line by the publisher that actually says “Warning! Do not buy this book, gentle reader”, how the hell can I actually stand here (I’m totally sitting, guys) and say that you shouldn’t buy this book?

Because you know what? You should really buy this book.

If you like slashers, you should buy this book.
If you like Deadite Press and their nasty nastiness, you should buy this book.
If you like flesh dripping, genital torturing, disgusting prose, you should buy this book.
If you like Nora Roberts and those Evanovich books, you should… um… not buy this… fuck it, you should totally buy this book.

Why?
Because you’re never going to read something both horribly disgusting, and so brilliantly written, ever again. Ever.

So yeah, I am fully supportive of you all buying this book. It’s horrendously disgusting, and actually made me write to the publisher and ask “What the hell was that?” (Check that with Joe. He’ll back me up.)

Warning! Do not buy this book, gentle reader.

No really, we mean it. Move along, click away from this page and go look at some Dino porn instead. We’re not kidding. The only reason we published it is because award-winning author Jasper Bark has got some serious dirt on us. Honestly, there’s no other reason to put out something this depraved.

This is the sickest, filthiest and most horny novella you’re likely to read this year. It will turn you on even as it turns your stomach. Think you’ve seen everything there is to see in horror and erotica? Think again! Just when you think this story can’t get any lower it finds new depths to plumb.

Why are you still reading this?! Oh God you’re going to buy it aren’t you? You can’t help yourself. You’re going to click on that purchase button and download this little bad boy.

Well don’t say we didn’t warn you…

– from crystallakepub.com

Flo realz, people. This is the real deal.
Okay… enough talking like an idiot.

The synopsis basically says nothing about the piece itself, but tell you everything about the nature of the style and the delivery of the story. It’s gritty, nasty, depraved, and highly sexually charged. I wouldn’t even hesitate to say that this could be the forefather of a true erotic horror movement, albeit very extreme “horrorotica”.

The story centers around a husband, Ricardo, who has been sent on an errand to Mexico by his wife, Ellen, to pick up a few odds and ends for their “artisan trading” business. The biggest problem with this? Whether or not Ellen can trust Ricardo to behave himself while in Mexico alone. Recently, Ellen had caught Ricardo in an attempted affair, uncovered more past indiscretions, and confronted him violently. Though she still allowed him to cross the border in search of items to sell as their booth in Arizona.

And that’s when he met Consuela. And everything gets worse from there.

When I say “everything gets worse”, I really mean it. Well, everything but the writing.

This sick puppy of a novella, ringing in at 58 digital pages, starts at disturbing, and takes an escalator up to the next level of the weirdo shopping center, to the over-the-top grossness store, and restocks its shelves with cans of whatthefuck pasta (with extra sauce) and vomit flavored Ramen noodles.

There’s nothing else I can say about this that won’t be a spoiler, save for the fact that it’s one of the most imaginative and excessive horror/erotica stories I have ever read. When Bark’s collection hits the shelves, I’m going to be first in line to get my sticky little hands on it.

Note: Being turned on by this story worried me a little bit, but the cover reminds me of a ham steak for some reason and I’m actually kind of hungry… and that’s really beginning to worry me more…