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Derby Scribes 2011 Anthology

1/29/2012

Nice little anthology from a group of writers from Derby and a few special guests. Conrad Williams's story The Gallery steals the show for me and was my stand out short story of 2011. At £4 its great value and Stuart Hughes, Richard Farren Barber and Christopher Barker's stories are extremely enjoyable also. Different styles and stories,get it for Conrad's story alone, but the others incl Simon Clark are no fillers either. www.derbyscribes.co.uk

Peter Straub: A Special Place (The Heart of Dark Matter)

1/29/2012

Mini-Review: A Special Place (The Heart of Dark Matter) is a novella which tells teh boyhood beginnings of the killer Keith Hayward, who features in Straub's excellent book The Dark Matter. This was a joy to behold, so much so I read it in a day, it is a superb piece and comes with a handmade deckled edge and you can feel the love of books from the author and publisher. If you loved The Dark Matter like I did, this is a must buy. Peter Straub at his best, I raise my real ale to you sir!

Susan Hill's, The Woman in Black

1/22/2012

When ambitious attorney, Arthur Kipps, is tasked with settling the affairs of the late Mrs. Alice Drablow, he sets about traveling north of London with the dreams of making partner and securing a prosperous future for himself and his wife. As he enters the estate known as Eel Marsh House, he’s unwittingly hurtled into the dark and unknown and soon realizes that what you can’t see can hurt you. Like a slow fuse, the secrets of the woman in black follow a path to destruction that’ll keep you glued to the pages and on edge of your seat. With spot on pacing and a setting that would make Stephen King shiver, THE WOMAN IN BLACK delivers in a way that uniquely blends our innate need to succeed and fear of the dark where we know that something, just out of sight, lies in wait. I read this well before the announcement of the film starring Daniel Radcliff, but thought with the upcoming February 3rd release that now was a good time to review it. The opening with the family sitting around telling ghost stories in the dark was great and something that I’m sure we’ve all done at one time or another. While the supernatural events are those made for stories, I found Arthur Kipps to be very relatable which translated to real concern throughout his ordeal. My verdict’s still out on the film, but if it remains authentic to the story and void of the typical cheap Hollywood scares, it’s sure to be a winner. Final Verdict: The uneasy atmosphere and overwhelming, almost obscene sense of isolation that Susan Hill subjects you to, is nothing short of brilliant. I love the chance to get so lost in a book, so completely captivated by its pages, that I can noticeably feel my heart rate increase as the story unfolds. Susan Hill captures the essence of the woman in black and the abhorrence of Eel March House so perfectly that I was left in a state not unlike how I felt after I first watched The Exorcist. Arthur Kipps’ struggle to provide for his family amidst unkempt evil is easily paralleled to today’s very real struggle to provide against seemingly insurmountable odds. With jobs scarce and the economy on a downswing, Arthur’s choice to endure in times of darkness and uncertainty will undoubtedly serve as source of inspiration for some. A must-read for any fan of things that go bump in the night, THE WOMAN IN BLACK is the perfect ghost story in what is sure to be a Susan Hill classic.

THE CERBERUS PROTOCOL by Jon Merz/Joseph Nassise

1/18/2012

On December 5th, scientists at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland ran a short test on the newly completed Large Hadron Collider. For that brief period, protons swarmed back and forth along the seventeen miles of carefully constructed tunnel and slammed into each other with devastating force, generating power the likes of which had not been seen since the moment of the Big Bang. Just a few short hours. That was all it took for our world to be invaded by hideous creatures from somewhere beyond. A scientific achievement that has the potential to help mankind that then goes horrifically wrong? What’s not to get excited about? This premise had me so excited. Finally, a freakishly cool plot that was the perfect escape for me! And when I started reading my excitement grew even more. Unfortunately, this book (short? Novella?) fell way short of my expectations from both Jon and Joseph. This is the review I never wanted to write. The review of great authors gone awry. Both Jon and Joseph are incredibly talented writers, and are so much better than this that to say I was shocked with what happened here is putting it mildly. I really struggled with the writing of this review. I kept going back and forth on write it or leave it alone. In the end our mission is to offer honest, unbiased takes on what we’ve read. Final Verdict: The premise was fantastic and it started great, but it quickly became evident there were two distinct authors and that they were not on the same page. Neither one of them had their acronyms consistent; one would use WMV, the other WMVD. One would use HMVV the other HMVVW and the list goes on. TCP is particularly void of any character development and it's too bad, because there was room for some really rich backgrounds. Instead we get paper-thin (no pun intended) disposable characters who arbitrarily decide to join this group with absolutely no history of it, its origins, or any argument as to why they should join. We’re treated to a generic acceptance with no reason as to why or how these characters figure in--with the exception of the over-clichéd Russian blonde bombshell, who has some apparent connection to the group’s founder, but alas that must be top secret because we're never told what the connection is. The ending is atrocious. What could have been a thrill-ride straight out of “HELL” is instead a perfect example on why an idea should never be rushed and why self-publishing has such a bad rap. Literally in the course of a chapter or two, all the team members are captured, nearly killed, and then reunited to "save the day" complete with an abrupt: THE END. No wrap-up, no epilogue to explain the aftermath, no hook to future installments, just THE END. This biggest disappointment is that I KNOW, beyond reasonable doubt, that both Jon and Joseph are far better than this. But hey, even Steven Spielberg has dropped the occasional turd.

Darkness, My Old Friend by Lisa Unger

1/17/2012

In The Hollows there are secrets. They linger in the darkness, slowly festering until only a psychic can stir them up. Jones Cooper has recently given up his post at The Hollow Police Department, early retirement they say. Only he knows the real reason, the darkness, creeping in from his past. He’s having a hard time being useless and takes pains to make sure that he tends to his neighbors’ petty needs (can you water the plants and feed the cats while I’m gone?) to feel wanted…whole. Not until psychic Eloise Montgomery contacts him regarding a stagnant cold case, does he feel useful again. In The Hollows’ eerie forest, Michael Holt is a man on a mission. He’s returned to the small town where he grew up to help close the family estate after his father dies, and to perhaps finally get the answers he needs regarding his mother’s disappearance years earlier. But he feels compelled to dig in the woods, for what, he’s not quite sure…he just needs to dig. For a bestselling author (Die For You, was epic) I have to say that this book is rather disappointing. I was looking forward to sitting down and immersing myself in a complex thriller, but instead I found myself putting the book down to read other things. The book has amazing descriptions, character depth and dark settings. But there was no action, no thrills…nothing to keep me interested. I received this book last fall and I actually set it aside for a few months, not at all compelled to find out what was happening within its pages. Fragile, the story’s predecessor was fast paced and nerve racking, this fell short on every level. Hopefully Unger can create a new storyline with the same characters that can grip me, for her next endeavor.

Win a copy of David Moody's AUTUMN:DISINTEGRATION.

1/7/2012

Be the 13th person to send an email to dan@thenovelblog.com with the subject "Is it AUTUMN yet?", complete with your name and address, and we'll mail you a copy of David Moody's AUTUMN: DISINTEGRATION.

Congratulations to Mike of Williamsburg Virginia, the winnerof our giveaway!

Keep checking back all, as we'll be running more contests soon (and I promise to get my email right)!

James Franco Signs Deal with Amazon for First Novel

1/4/2012

Original story by Andy Lewis of HollywoodReporter.com The novel, "Actor's Anonymous," a fictional take on his acting career, marks another aggressive move by Amazon into publishing. James Franco signed with Amazon to publish a novel "Actor's Anonymous," which is reported to be a fictionalized telling of his life as an actor. No publication date was announced. The novel will be Franco's thrid book but his first novel. He published Palo Alto, a book of short stories, in October 2010. In April Rizzoli will publish James Franco: Dangerous Book Four Boys, a collection of material drawn from 2010 art show Franco helped curate that played in New York and other cities. Franco has famously eclectic interests. In addition to his writing and work as an artist, he has pursued a Ph.D. in literature at Yale, an M.A. degree in creative writing from Columbia, and a degree in filmmaking at New York University's Tisch School for the Creative Arts. Franco just completed filming a role in Sam Raimi's Oz: The Great and Powerful. Earlier this year, he starred in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Amazon's signing of Franco is another indication of the e-commerce giant's push into publishing. Other notables who have signed to publish books with them include Penny Marshall, Deepak Chopra, and Timothy Feriss, author of the 4-Hour Workweek . The company has also been aggresively expanding its other imprints, including genre imprints in science fiction and mystries. Franco is represented by Richard Abate of 3 Arts Entertainment, who become the go to book agent for many in Hollywood. His clients include Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Dick Wolf, and Jerry O'Connell.

Bestselling Authors Joseph Nassise and Jon F. Merz Launch HELLstalkers Series with Barnes & Noble

12/28/2011

December 22, 2011: International bestselling authors Joseph Nassise and Jon F. Merz announced today the launch of a new series of novels that combine science fiction, horror, and action-adventure into the perfect blend for any genre fiction fan. HELLstalkers tells the story of an elite group of soldiers brought together to fight an invasion of otherworldly creatures that have infiltrated our world as a result of an accident at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. Led by former US Army Ranger Memphis Stone, the HELLstalkers unit is comprised of an international cast of former special operations and intelligence operators who are devoted to tracking down and killing the wide array of monsters, aliens, and other creatures that come through portals into our world. "The best part of this launch," said Nassise, "is that we are doing it with Barnes & Noble, one of the premier forces in the changing face of publishing." The first HELLstalkers novel, THE CERBERUS PROTOCOL, will be available exclusively on the Barnes & Noble.com website for Nook users for thirty days. After that time, the novel will also be available for other popular e-reading platforms, including the Kindle, the Kobo, and the iPad. THE CERBERUS PROTOCOL will officially go on sale at BarnesandNoble.com on December 27th. According to Merz, the series will be "a non-stop roller coaster ride - like the X-Files on steroids." Each new HELLstalkers book will feature exotic locations, bizarre villains, crazy characters, and tons of adrenaline-charged action. Nassise and Merz are no strangers to writing action-packed material. Nassise's Templar Chronicles is an international bestselling urban fantasy series in multiple languages with audio rights recently scooped up by Graphic Audio. Merz's supernatural espionage Lawson Vampire series is a cult favorite and is headed to television in 2012. Both authors have also written a number of books in the Rogue Angel adventure series. For more information on HELLstalkers, please visit the official series website at http://www.hellstalkers.com or join the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/hellstalkers. Grab a copy for your Nook today for just $3.99!

Harry Shannon and Steven Booth's THE HUNGRY

11/27/2011

What’s worse than being trapped in a town being overrun by zombies? How about being trapped in a town being overrun by zombies, chased by crazed bikers hell-bent on destruction, hunted by a military controlled by a scientist crazed on power, while running in a wedding dress with no skivvies? How does that grab you? I’ve got to tell ya, what THE HUNGRY lacks in plot it makes up for hundred-fold in pure, unadulterated, adrenaline fueled, sexy-assed entertainment. Rather than trying to take itself seriously, it focuses on just the pure outrageousness of a given situation and exploits it in a way that leaves you grinning and wanting for more. I was thoroughly entertained. The tail-end of THE HUNGRY takes a turn to the familiar when it goes from original story to almost a carbon copy of Paul Anderson’s RESIDENT EVIL, complete with virus infected super heroine (Alice/Miller), virus infected, bat-shit crazy super human military villain (Sanchez/Wesker) and military bad-boy gone good (Sheppard/Redfield). Final Verdict: Mindless fun with a stroke of brilliance, THE HUNGRY is the perfect stop if you’re looking for a break from the mundane and you’re not in need of a whole lot of plot. The title promises nothing except mayhem and gore, and it delivers in both categories with the ferociousness of a feral cat trapped in a back alley. Hungry? Pull up a chair and have a seat. Harry will be right with you…

Peter Mark May's ALT-DEAD: AN ANTHOLOGY

11/27/2011

ALT-DEAD is an anthology of sixteen short stories edited by our very own Peter Mark May. Please note that this is an independent project of Pete’s and that TheNovelBlog.com is not involved in any way. The contributors are Stephen Bacon, Stuart Young, Gary McMahon, Dave Jeffery, Mark West, Zach Black, R.J. Gaulding, Jan Edwards, Steven Savile and Steve Lockley, Katherine Tomlinson, Adrian Chamberlin, Ian Woodward, Stuart Hughes, Stuart Neild, Richard Farren Barber and Johnny Mains. You may only recognize a few of the names, or maybe none of them, but don’t let that deter you. It’s like Forest Gump’s comparison to life being like a box of chocolates: “you never know what you’re going to get.” Half the fun lies in being surprised. The short stories range from a tale of a dead gorilla, to the calling of the sea, to zombies, with each one being unique in its own right. While some of the stories were just “meh” for me, others were great and I wanted to highlight my top three. 3. FISHER OF MEN by Adrian Chamberlin. A young child, who’s been missing his deceased mother, gets the answer to his prayers when the parade comes through town. This was simply a great short that stood out to me because of its uniqueness and clever storytelling. 2. RUNNING WITH THE DEAD by Zach Black. A tired old man who’s down on his luck receives the opportunity of a lifetime. Or should that be dead-time? Almost homage to the Twilight Zone episode KICK THE CAN (1962), albeit a polar opposite one, it offers a unique take on “moving on”. 1. A REAL BURIED TREASURE by Stuart Neild. When two friends search the internet for get rich quick schemes they stumble upon directions for a reportedly “real” buried treasure. After they dig it up and bring it back to their apartment, they soon realize that its original owner wants it back. Brilliant! Hands down my favorite! It was so different than everything else it couldn’t help but be set apart from the others. The entire atmosphere was captured perfectly and actually had me nervous. Final Verdict: In a 2007 NY Times article Stephen King wrote: American short story alive? Check. American short story well? Sorry, no, can’t say so. (read the full article) While great shorts are out there, you have to dig pretty deep to find them. With the explosion of self-publishing for e-readers there’s so much crap out there you could spend countless hours digging through it to find one worth reading. I don’t have the time to waste on such a task so I rely on reviews (that I trust) or a friend’s recommendation instead. ALT-DEAD proves that there are still authors out there that haven’t forgotten the art of telling a great short story. This is one collection worth reading.