Horror Slices - Issue #15 - Free Audiobooks!!!
It's Halloween Folks - and as Missy Elliott can sometimes be heard singing at this time of year... Get Ur Spook On!
SPOOKY SEASON!
Hello, one and all. It’s Halloween and that means we are going to talk all things horror and enjoy the season we’ve all been craving to come around since it last departed with the smell of rotten pumpkins on our doorsteps and the smell of leftover candy in our noses, and the hellacious cries of ‘Trick or Treat?’ ringing in our ears like a bad case of tinnitus.
This month I have a few special things for you all. Firstly, if you are one of the lucky ones who have opened this in good time and read it to the very end, you would have discovered some audiobook codes for my short story collection ‘Beautiful Atrocities’ at the bottom of this newsletter (first come first served I’m afraid) - I’ll let you quickly scroll to the bottom before you come back here.
Also, I have the huge honour of showcasing - via interview - a huge supporter of the horror genre, bookseller Marguerite Turley, of Lahaska Bookshop. Also, all books mentioned in this newsletter will feature links to purchase a copy from Lahaska Bookshop - keep it Indie people!
So, with the introductions out of the way, let’s get things spooky!
I now have a film / TV Agent
Some exciting developments happened a few weeks back.
I was approached by Alec Frankel of IAG (Independent Artist Group) for representation of my work for film and TV. He’d read The Devil’s Pocketbook (from Darklit Press) and the book, won him over and he really wanted to represent not only this book, but all my books, the ones I’ve written and the ones that I am yet to write. So, I’m pleased to say that I am now represented by Alec Frankel for Film and TV. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would happen, I’m still pinching myself about it, but it did happen and now we shall see what comes of it.
Writing Update - Publication of ‘I Died Too, But They Haven’t Buried Me Yet’
I’m thrilled to bring to your attention that ‘I Died Too, But They Haven’t Buried Me Yet’ was published recently (USA - UK publication coming soon) by Clash Books. It would be amazing if you’d be able to support this book by picking up a copy here, or by spreading the word. This book is all kinds of special, but don’t just take my word for it, why not listen to these folks who know a few things about what scares us…
“Nobody writes grief better than Ross Jeffery.” Josh Malerman, New York Times Bestselling author of Birdbox and Daphne
“Ross Jeffery is bold. He writes about the very worst and the very best parts of people, proving how ugly and glorious we can be.” Priya Sharma, British Fantasy and Shirley Jackson Award-Winning author
“This novel, like grief itself, will leave readers changed.” Michael J. Seidlinger, author of Anybody Home? and The Body Harvest
“I Died Too, But They Haven’t Buried Me Yet is a novel in which Jeffery’s passion for his art literally oozes from every page. Prepare yourself for a visceral tale of woe.” Catherine McCarthy, author of A Moonlit Path of Madness and Mosaic
“Atmospheric and disturbing, I Died Too finds Ross Jeffery scraping his knuckles through gravesite dirt to explore all the ways grief is just another word for possession. A wicked and twisted journey into a father’s nightmare where each new revelation brings more blood.” Tyler Jones, author of Burn the Plans and Midas
“Deep, dark, and dire - Ross Jeffery plumbs the depths of grief.” Ronald Malfi, bestselling author of Come With Me
I Died Too But They Haven’t Buried Me Yet - Special Edition by Thunderstorm Books
I’m thrilled to bring you all the news that Thunderstorm Books announced on the 23rd of October
the limited, 60-copy run, of ‘I Died Too, But They Haven’t Buried Me Yet’.
This edition is gorgeous and is signed by me, Tyler Jones, who contributed an epic introduction, and Nathan Logan, who worked on the wraparound cover and three internal illustrations, plus an exclusive short story about one of the characters within this dark story.
There are only a handful of copies left, if limited editions are your game then don’t delay. You can pick up a copy here.
The Devil’s Pocketbook
Once again I wanted to thank all those who have already picked up a copy, read, reviewed, shared or ordered it for your bookshop or library… I appreciate all your help and support, it means the world to me to see this book riding high and connecting with readers!
A Slice of Something Different - Interview with Marguerite Turley
My name is Marguerite Turley, I’m 52 years old and I work at Lahaska Bookshop in Lahaska Pa. I’ve been married to my husband for 29 years and we have two grown children. I’ve been at the bookshop for 2 1/2 years and I’ve never loved a job more than this one. My passions are reading horror and nature photography.
The Lahaska Bookshop located in Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, PA has been around for five years and it is the sister store to the Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, PA which has been in business for 25 years. Both stores are full of passionate booksellers who love every genre and love to put books in people’s hands. The stores’ have just changed hands to our new owners Lauren and Damian Ford. The previous owner Glenda Childs was a wonderful boss and was loved by all of the writing community.
Q. What was your first engagement with literature?
MT. My parents were voracious readers, so reading has been in my blood since I was born.
Q. What was the first book that captured your reader's mind and why?
MT. The first book that I have vivid memories of and that had a huge impact on me was ‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. I read it when I was 12, my sisters are much older than me and they had read a lot of King so it got passed down to me. I remember being scared to death and having nightmares every night until I finished the book. I was hooked after that.
Q. Do you re-read books, if so which book have you re-read the most and why?
MT. I’m not a big re-reader of books but one I have read at least three times is Shoeless Joe by WP Kinsella. Baseball was a huge thing with my Dad, so it always made me think of the games we would go to when I was a child. It’s just a beautiful book that always brings me to tears.
Q. You're a bookseller, what are some of the best things about that profession for you, and currently which are the five books you are recommending to shoppers?
MT. Being a bookseller means so much to me, besides the obvious perks I love it when I recommend a book and people love it. It feels so good to have inadvertently made them happy! It’s my favorite part of the job. Five books I am recommending right now are Whalefall by Daniel Kraus, my favorite book of this year! Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi is a fantastic and very emotional book. 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann, this book is a perfect compilation of some modern horror classics! What Kind Of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman, is incredibly moving and frightening! Last but not least The Massacre at Yellow Hill by CS Humble, is gorgeous and emotional!
Q. Who's your favourite writer?
MT. Picking my favorite author is very hard, but one I always go back to is Grady Hendrix. He has an amazing way with words and he’s so funny! The combination of his dark humor and his nightmare fuel is just perfection to me!
Q. Which books are you looking forward to seeing published in the latter part of the year?
MT. The books I’m really looking forward to coming out this year are The Paleontologist by Luke Dumas, A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper and I’m really looking forward to your book I Died Too, But They Haven’t Buried Me Yet.
Q. For anyone who might be looking to get into becoming a bookseller, what tips or advice would you give them?
MT. Take it from someone who has a degree in photography and no writing credentials at all, if you’re passionate about reading and convey that to the bookstore owner, I think you have a really good chance. I let my boss know how much I loved to read and recommend books, and she saw how passionate I was when I talked about books.
Q. If you could have any writer - alive or dead - come into your bookstore to do an event, who would it be and why?
MT. If I could have any writer come do a signing it would be either Stephen King, because, Stephen King!! Also, Grady Hendrix, because he did a signing at our sister store many years ago that I missed but he hadn’t been back since.
Q. What was the last book you sold today?
MT. The last book I sold today was Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas.
Q. If you could give authors any advice for getting their books in your bookshop (or other independent bookshops) what would that be?
MT. If I could give authors advice to get their books in stores I would say first and foremost get your book on Ingram. If it’s on Ingram it must be returnable and have a decent discount. We aren’t able to order books for the store that don’t have these three things. This is true for our store I don’t know if it’s how every other indie store works.
Q. What book are you currently reading, and what are your thoughts on it?
I am currently reading The September House and it’s incredible! This is the haunted house trope as I’ve never seen it!
That’s it, folks, thanks so much Marguerite for allowing me to interview you for my Newsletter, I really do appreciate it and think that many folks will take something from that. Also, a reminder that all books will have links to Marguerite’s bookshop in this edition of Horror Slices, so why not go online or in-store and buy a book? Support an Indie bookstore…it’s the spooky season after all.
Slices of Horror - The Fog by James Herbert
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this offering from Herbert. I’ve been a fan for years, ever since I read The Rats and this one has been calling to me for a while, and I finally decided to pull the trigger. And what an explosion of horror it became.
There are some great elements in this and I’m not sure when Splatterpunk became a thing, but if it wasn’t around or mainstream when this book was written, then I’m sure this book was the advent of it. There is one scene out of countless scenes in this book which will live long in the memory for the horror and the barbarity of it and that is the scene with the teacher. If you’ve read it you know, if you haven’t, then I’m not going to spoil it for you.
The story is fast-paced and although there is a lot of science stuff, it never really alienates the reader. The only issue I had with it was a couple of sex scenes (I’m no prude) because you could really tell they were written by a man in the mid 70’s - the way they were written, looking back at it, we’re just cringe-worthy, talks of going from ‘one wet cave (mouth) to another wet cave (vagina)’ - it just wasn’t for me. Also, there were some depictions of women that I don’t feel help the book, but at the time it was written, this appeared to be the way white men wrote about women (I’m not excusing it, just mentioning it - as I’m where I am now, in the great awakening of our time, and not back in the 70’s when this shit was just the way things were done).
Putting those issues aside, I thought the book was a really fun, engaging and horrific read… highly recommended! Now I need to read more Herbert!
What’s it about: A peaceful village in Wiltshire is shattered by a disaster that strikes without reason or explanation, leaving behind a trail of misery and horror. A yawning, bottomless crack spreads through the earth, out of which creeps a fog that resembles no other. Whatever it is, it must be controlled.
Where to buy: You can buy a copy of this book here.
Slices of Horror - Holly by Stephen King
My Thoughts: Well, that was bloody good, although I do have some issues - mainly the books length. I thought it would have made a killer novella if it was trimmed down a bit, the subplot of Barbara and her writing didn’t really do it for me, apart from her relationship with her mentor. It just seemed to lag each time we went there, but I know that parts of this were key to future discoveries in the plot!
But, having said that I do love the character of Holly and her getting her own book, was something I wanted to experience and it was pretty cool. Also the old couple, no spoilers here, we’re brilliant and I loved how King wrote them, the pages seemed to catch fire when they were present.
A good book, not a great book, but there were so many bits to love that these glossed over my small dislikes. Any time spent with King is time we’ll spent!
What’s it About: Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a midwestern town.
“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.” — BILL HODGES
Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of the beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.
Where to Buy: Anywhere books are sold, but I recommend purchasing a copy here.
Slices of Horror - Croc by David James
My Thoughts: Well, I picked this one up on a whim as it had been sitting on my shelf for quite a while, and I bloody loved it.
Straight out of the gate, this one pulls you through the sewers of New York. There is no preamble, it starts with a bang and doesn’t let up for its 157 pages. It’s a creature feature, and that creature is a massive saltwater Crocodile which has somehow gotten into the sewers causing havoc and filling its stomach with those poor, unfortunate, sewer workers.
The story develops into somewhat of a cat-and-mouse game with the Croc and our reluctant hero, and I honestly felt a little claustrophobic whilst reading it, and my heart rate was spiked on numerous occasions.
With a small cast of characters James really makes you feel for each of their individual plights, and that I feel - the small cast of characters - is where the story excels.
There are scares and thrills and a lot of blood and guts and attacks - this was a fast-paced story which does exactly what it says on the tin.
Croc - yep, a huge croc in the sewers - don’t expect this to be a classy, literary event, it is not, it’s more pulp… and that’s why I enjoyed it so much!
If you don’t ask too many questions, and just sit back and enjoy the ride, you’ll find it reads like an action/thriller!
What’s it About: "The crocodile was racing past him, and Reamers only had time to look up as the beast's mouth opened wide, then closed with a sickening crunching sound around the torso of one of the men."
For years people had heard the rumours about crocodiles and alligators lurking in the sewers of New York -- and for years everyone had laughed about them with scorn, but now...
Where to Buy: It’s an old book, eBay would be my recommendation.
Horror on Celluloid - Chapelwaite (Paramount Plus)
Chapelwaite was an interesting look at the short story Jerusalem’s Lot which is found in Stephen King’s ‘Night Shift’ - the premise is great and it clings closely to the source material, but there were a few wooden actors and actresses who didn’t sell their performances to me. Having said this, there are moments of fear and dread in the series and the final few episodes really amp this up - the house under siege episode was brilliant as was when our group revealed a vampire within their midst. The special effects were really good too and I’m pleased that they also kept the vampires looking a lot like the original Salem’s Lot vampires - which was a nice touch. All in all, I’m grateful that I watched it, as I do like to tick the boxes of King’s adaptations, would I be bothered if I couldn’t find it to watch, not really.
Trick or Treat
As I mentioned, if you read this newsletter to its conclusion (or quickly scrolled to the end for your prize), congratulations, weary traveller. Please use the codes below to nab your prize, a free audible code for my debut short story collection ‘Beautiful Atrocities’ I hope you enjoy it!
US - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
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US - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
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US - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
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US - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
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US - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.com/acx-promo
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UK - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo
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UK - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo
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UK - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo
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UK - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo
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UK - Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Beautiful Atrocities, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible.co.uk/acx-promo
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Thank you again for sticking around, and welcome new subscribers - I hope you have enjoyed the recent drippings of my mind. Until next time folks… stay horrified!
😘😘😘
I waited a day to give someone else a chance for the audible codes since I got ones for Juniper and Tome, plus I own, read, and loved Beautiful Atrocities. I’m glad others got the codes and can experience this amazing collection👏👏👏