Tuesday 29 November 2016

13 Drops of Blood by James Roy Daley



Collection Includes:


The Exhibition: A screamer. My two main characters enjoy a night on the town and venture into a "One Night Only" exhibition called "The Horror Show". They find more terror than they can handle. 


The Confession: A throwback tale, reminiscent of Richard Matheson. George Lewis, arrested for murder, desperately explains that he's not the dangerous one. It's the man alongside the tracks the police should look for, the man the train rolled past... every few miles. 


Baby: The opening scene is a Tom Hanks / Meg Ryan romance. Could there be anything less threatening? Too bad Tom's a werewolf and Meg's pregnant. A full moon during the third term is anything but romantic. 


Ghost in my Room: Many of my stories are plot driven, but this one focuses on mood. Read it in your bedroom at night, while you are alone. 


Jonathan and the Perfect Ten: In this plot-heavy piece Jonathan Weakley is a small-town scientist that creates giant monsters. People are willing to pay good money to see his creations. He figures they'll pay more to watch the monsters fight. Of course, some of the townsfolk deem giant monsters a problem.. that's okay. Jon's got a plan to take care of the non-believers. 


The Hanging Tree: In the old west punishment comes swiftly, especially when the crime is murder. But the hanging tree has a terrible reputation, and what dies on the tree doesn't always stay dead. 


Thoughts of the Dead: A story like no other--a letter, typed by a dead man. As the living corpse clicks away at the keys some of his words are rooted in logic. Other thoughts, however, are a little tougher to interpret. The dead rarely stay focused... and there are better things for a dead man to do, than type. 


Summer of 1816: Mary Shelley is having problems in her personal life. She heads into a terrible storm searching for inspiration, and finds more than that. A monstrous man challenges her thinking and offers her a glimpse of what she desires most.


Fallen: Business as usual during the zombie apocalypse. In this flash fiction piece we catch a glimpse of a man during his final minutes of life, and his first moments of death. It's a shame he's in no position to be reborn.


The Relation Ship: I've recently been told this piece should be required reading in high school. Maybe because the tale is filled with metaphors and timeless imagery, and was scripted with a gentle touch. It is a hardcore fantasy piece, exploring the innocence of youth and the relationship between a man and woman. Or in this case, a young man and the mythological creature... Lilith. 


Suffer Shirley Gunn: One of my favorite sci-fi short stories is called Puppet Show, by Fredric Brown. In Puppet Show an animal speaks. What I enjoyed so much wasn't the talking animal, but the fact that I believed it. Suffer Shirley Gunn is my take on the hardest sell in fiction: talking animals. 


Humpy and Shrivels: When I'm asked to read a story at a writers convention Humpy and Shrivels always sits near the top of my list. I broke all the rules on this one, and wrote a nice big joke: two men sitting in a bar, one by one they leave for home, and enter the cemetery... but of course, the cemetery is haunted. The perfect yarn to share while sitting around the campfire.


Curse of the Blind Eel: Of all the short stories I have written none have caused more of an uproar than this one. Some have called it the funniest story ever written. Others have threatened to pull out their eyes and jump in front of a streetcar. Vampire hunters enter Dracula's castle, problems ensue... and that's when the shit hits the floor.


I would like to thank the author. I have had this book for 4 years, totally forgot it was there. But that aside, I thought it was about time I read it.

Well what do I think of a book that is meant to scare you lol. Some of the stories was good, others was passable. 1 made me feel like I wanted to be sick (no pun intended). Would I read the author's books, I am still undecided as it was a new experience for me.

Sunday 13 November 2016

Stevenage Writers: The Annual: Volume 1 - Various



I was given this book by 1 of the authors to read and review for an honest opinion. Well I can say that in some parts there was spelling mistakes/grammar errors. Some of the stories were a bit too far fetched (but in their defence, they are new authors who are mostly testing the waters to see what we think of their types of writing).

There are a few authors there who've got either stories out there for all to see or a blog that they post their work on. Now I know some of the stories/poetry isn't to everyone's type/style, but I would say there is something for everyone in this book.

I have liked/loved a few stories, laughed at 1 or 2 as well with the story lines that have been thought up. I would like to read more on "Ghost Story" written by David Cleave as he had me wondering what was going to happen in the next part to the story. I also found S J Gungam's "Letter of Complaint" was a good story as it could happen to anyone and it most probably does. BUT I found "What is the world coming to" a very thought provoking piece of work as it brings home the endangered species and what we as human species can save and help in this world. "The Pod" had me laughing as it tells a story of what us children looking after our parents into their old age and taking advantage of their savings. 

I will be quite interested to see what these authors come up with next. Looking forward to Volume 2 in the near future.

Tuesday 8 November 2016

Wolfgang (Wolfgang Chronicles Book 1) by F.D. Gross



Sixteen years have passed since the death of Lord Egleaseon, the vampire lord who sought to be human again, defeated by the famous noble lord, Wolfgang. One day after cleansing the surrounding countryside of vampires, Wolfgang returns from his latest expedition only to be faced with the horrible reality that everything he held dear to his heart has been taken from him. His wife is dead, his home is burned, and his son is nowhere to be found. Only the smallest inclination leads him to believe his orphaned servant is somehow responsible. 

He is desperate and provoked, and will do anything to get his son back, even if it means journeying the path of darkness. Thus begins the story of Wolfgang.


I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review this book. I like reading vampire books with a story line. It gives me the insight to the undead (I'm not a vampire lol).


A father & husband on a revenge for what the vampires have done to his wife and son. Thinks that God has left him in his time of need. Where is his servant, why has he taken his son. This story gives you the insight to vampires and what a vampire hunter does (when I read or watch a film, it's not always the same). The story continues and I wonder what will happen to Wolfgang in the search for his son. 

Saturday 5 November 2016

The Murderer's Son by Joy Ellis



"What if your mother was a serial killer?" 

A BLOODY KILLER SEEMS TO HAVE RETURNED TO THE LINCOLNSHIRE FENS 

A gripping standalone crime thriller by the best-selling author of the Nikki Galena series. 

Twenty years ago: a farmer and his wife are cut to pieces by a ruthless serial killer. 

Now: a woman is viciously stabbed to death in the upmarket kitchen of her beautiful house on the edge of the marshes. 

Then a man called Daniel Kinder walks into Saltern police station and confesses to the murder. 

But DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans of the Fenland Constabulary soon discover that there is a lot more to Daniel than meets the eye. He has no memory of the first five years of his life and is obsessed with who his real mother is. 

With no evidence to hold him, Jackman and Evans are forced to let him go, and in a matter of days the lonely Lincolnshire Fens become the stage for more killings and Daniel has disappeared. 

In a breathtaking finale, the truth about Daniel’s mother comes to light and DI Jackman and DS Evans race against time to stop more lives being destroyed. 

The detectives: DS Marie Evans lost her husband in a motorbike accident and has personal connections to the case. DI Rowan Jackman leads the investigation. He is extremely smart and has a knack for bringing out the best in his diverse team, which includes the mysterious computer specialist Orac. 

Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the shocking ending. 


THIS BOOK IS NOT PART OF THE NIKKI GALENA SERIES BUT TAKES PLACE IN THE SAME STUNNING AREA 

Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell. 

ALSO BY JOY ELLIS 
THE NIKKI GALENA SERIES 
Book 1: CRIME ON THE FENS 
Book 2: SHADOW OVER THE FENS 
Book 3: HUNTED ON THE FENS 
Book 4: KILLER ON THE FENS 


I would like to thank the author who wrote this awe inspiring book about a man's journey into a mind of a woman who he's never met. 

This psychological thriller had me turning pages whilst it took me so time due to other commitments to read it. Never read this author before (but would read her other books). The title makes you think of 1 way the story will go and then as you carry on reading the book, it takes a turn and goes a different way. 


The characters are really believable and make you feel as if you're on egg shells with the detectives and you even have some blackmailing in the storyline as well.