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HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY TO “FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE” BY PEDRO INIGUEZ, JUST RELEASED BY RAW DOG SCREAMING PRESS!

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Hello fans of diverse horror! It’s your old pal Skull celebrating the RAW DOG SCREAMIMG PRESS book birthday of “Fever Dreams of a Parasite” by excellent writer and poet, Pedro Iniguez. This collection is a wild collage of Latin culture, traditions, and things that go bump in the night. Sometimes a ghost is a ghost and sometimes it’s ICE grabbing innocent people under the cover of night.

FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE is insanely well written and perfect for the times we are going through right now. Readers will connect with Iniguez’s characters and be able to see something they’ve looked at before with different eyes, maybe for the first time. There is a lot of evil in our world that’s not always easy to define. This is where the storyteller is both a guide and a shaman. Enter the FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE for view behind the veil. Currently available from RAW DOG SCREAMING PRESS at http://www.RawDogScreaming.com or from your preferred book retailer in both physical or kindle/e-book formats.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY WITH THANKS FROM DAMAGED SKULL WRITER AND REVIEWER!

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Hey everybody, it’s your old pal Skull taking some time to appreciate and give thanks to all of our veterans and their families who have sacrificed a lot so that we can enjoy many freedoms that people in other countries do not. Celebrating veterans is important whether you agree with the concept of war or not. It’s about letting the men and women who stick their lives on the line that we recognize the hell they have gone through and are grateful. Not all veterans have spent time on the front lines, but without them our troops would likely fail. I’m talking about cooks, mechanics, and of course medical staff. Empty stomachs don’t win wars, nor do Jeeps and tanks that don’t run, and without the fantastic medical teams many more soldiers would not make it home. It doesn’t take much time to say, “thank you for your service,” to that man wearing a Vietnam Veteran hat or the young woman in full uniform waiting in line ahead of you at the grocery store, but it’s important. Everyone doing a job wants their efforts to be appreciated and veterans deserve a huge amount of respect. Without them, you might not be here at all.

IF YOU LIKE THE OLD WEST AND OLD MAGIC, “GOBLINS & GUNSLINGERS-FRESH BLOOD” BY IVAN K. CONWAY SHOULD BE ON YOUR FANTASY READING LIST!

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GOBLINS & GUNSLINGERS-FRESH BLOOD
Ivan K. Conway
TBR 7/10/2024
Prince of Harts Publishing
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Well, howdy pardners! It’s your old pal Skull with an interesting twist on the classic Western. The action happens in the old west and there are quite a few swaggering gunslingers ready to slap leather at the drop of a hat. There are plenty of saloons and houses of ill repute, too. What’s different is the folks out there doing battle. In Goblins & Gunslingers-Fresh Blood by Ivan K. Conway, magical creatures and various mixtures thereof jingle their spurs down dusty streets. Humans are present, but in the minority. You’re much more likely to see a goblinoid, elf, ogre, or even a vampire in a cleric’s getup including a wide brimmed hat to keep the sun at bay. They use a wide variety of weapons from pepperbox pistols to machetes and enchanted swords, all the way to magic.

Not one to dilly-dally, Conway sets us down right in the middle of the fray, using retrospective musings to fill us in on main protagonist, Helen Providence. Unfortunately, she’s got a bit of a drinking problem after an intensely difficult life that led to the loss of both her parents. At one time, she was considered a war hero, but now she leads a rough and ready posse of bounty hunters across places with names like Dustbin, Flamefield, and Carnage Canyon. Tethered to a powerful person named Mr. Balm, they must capture others in debt and give him their souls to reduce their own debts and the loss of their very being. But they’re not the only bounty hunters out there and things can get mighty tricky real fast if you’re not careful in these parts. Because, just like our current day, there is a serious amount of racial hatred out there with too many folks looking to exact vigilante justice. Best strategy is to keep your face covered by that classic western bandana and hat to avoid trouble. However, it’s kind of hard to keep covert in this spell slingin’, machete swingin’ crew! But you didn’t pick up this book to be bored, now did ya?

Damaged Skull Writer & Reviewer gives Goblins & Gunslingers-Fresh Blood by Ivan K. Conway a solid 4 STAR REVIEW! There’s action galore with a lot of positive elements like female empowerment, breaking out of the usual hail of bullets by using things like magic, enchanted swords, and smarts to handle trouble. The characters and scenery are interesting and memorable with enough conflict to keep things moving. Things get a little bit cluttered in a few spots, but it’s definitely worth the effort to continue. More details are revealed as the story progresses which leads to greater clarity for readers. I will also admit that your old pal Skull might not have a deep knowledge about magical beings and their abilities, which might have slowed my progress. Overall, a fun, fast paced read that I’d recommend to everybody. If you dig the old west and old magic, the Goblins & Gunslingers series of books was written for you!

Looking for more information about Ivan K. Conway? You can find him on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and also follow him on Amazon.com where you can preorder this book for $1.00 in Kindle format and/or purchase his previous novel. Goblins & Gunslingers-Bad Blood. As always, thanks for visiting your old pal Skull at Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer! Please consider following us at www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com to see what’s next.

About my mortal:

Brian James Lewis is a disabled poet and writer with PTSD who finds writing to be vastly important to his recovery. Working class to the bone, he writes inclusive, real-world prose and poetry that hits home. Brian’s work has appeared in anthologies from Smoking Pen Press, No Bad Books, and HellBound Books. He’s also appeared in online publications like The Sunlight Press, the Hook of A Book Poetry Project, and The Sirens Call e-Zine. Besides writing, Brian enjoys bringing old typewriters back to life, including a Royal KMM formerly owned by Rod Serling. Visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com for news and independent book reviews, or on X/twitter@skullsnflames76

CREEPERS BY DAVID MORRELL LIVES UP TO ITS NAME AND TAKES READERS ON A THRILLING RIDE THROUGH A PAST AND PRESENT FULL OF EVIL

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CREEPERS
David Morrell
9/1/2006
CDS Books
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello horror fiends, and welcome to the Skullcave! Today your old pal Skull wants to share one of his favorite late-night reads, Creepers by David Morrell. One reason I like it is that it’s about a dank, treacherous place where one can be easily trapped and possibly die waiting for rescue. You know, a cozy place that seems a lot like home. Heh-heh-heh! But enough of my sentimental drivel, let’s get down to business and head over to the Paragon Hotel…

Located in the not very lovely seashore town of Asbury Park, New Jersey, the hotel was the brainchild of an eccentric millionaire. In the beginning it was quite famous and very classy and cutting edge. Unfortunately, it became a place left behind as the years rolled by and Asbury Park declined into a dangerous ghost town. Not the sort of place you want to hang out with the kiddies or have a carefree frolic. In fact, its owner committed suicide for mysterious reasons and the hotel remained shuttered for decades, unavailable to anyone until now. Unable to pay property taxes, the estate has no choice but to step aside and let the wrecking ball do its dirty work.

But before this can happen, the Creepers arrive for one last look at history. Professor Conklin and his small team of urban explorers will be the Paragon’s last guests. Leaving no mark, making no changes, the ghostly team will ease their way in to see what’s left. This time, things are a bit different. Frank Balenger, a reporter from the New York Times, is joining them to collect material for a feature he’s doing on the hot trend of urban exploring, a highly illegal activity that could have serious consequences for the individuals involved. Well, that’s what Balenger says he’s there for. It’s not long before he’s forced to reveal skills that no newspaper reporter is required to have and the other members of the group start asking questions.

When what seems like a lark turns into a trip into hell, the Creepers need Balenger just to stay alive. Booby traps made both by nature and man are everywhere in the rotting tomb that was once a proud pyramid. The Paragon Hotel is full of strange, mutated creatures, pirates, and a person so deranged that every step becomes a nightmare. There are also more complications when the professor reveals why the team of urban explorers is really risking life and limb inside the dark death trap. Also revealed is Balenger’s true reason for accompanying the team and why he’s so good at what he does. But as the odds keep mounting against them, the fun history trip becomes a fight for survival and all bets are off as to whether any of the Creepers will make it out of this hellhole full of twisted secrets alive.

Your old pal Skull gives CREEPERS a FIVE STAR RATING, without reservation. This action-packed thriller will get your blood pumping and keep you turning pages long after lights out. Morrell packs his work with well researched historical bits, something that makes the reading experience even more tangible. Kind of a 3-D effect, if you will. He also addresses mental health issues, PTSD to be exact, in Frank Balenger, connecting it to the nightmarish conflicts in the middle east that melted soldiers’ minds. Overall, a powerful novel that I’m very glad I read. There is also a sequel to Creepers called Scavenger that takes readers on another adventure with Frank Balenger. He’s tough and smart, but also human which makes him the kind of hero who’s accessible to readers. According to David Morrell’s website, davidmorrell.net there will be a movie made of Creepers in 2024. If that pans out, it should be a very interesting flick. Stay tuned!

Brian James Lewis is a disabled poet and writer with PTSD who finds writing to be vastly important to his recovery. Working class to the bone, he writes inclusive, real-world stories and poetry that hit home. Brian’s work has appeared in anthologies from Smoking Pen Press, No Bad Books, and HellBound Books. He’s also appeared in online publications like The Sunlight Press, the Hook of A Book Poetry Project, and The Sirens Call e-Zine. Besides writing, Brian enjoys bringing old typewriters back to life, including a Royal KMM formerly owned by Rod Serling. Visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com for news and independent book reviews, or on X/twitter@skullsnflames76

“THE ELEVENTH DOOR” BY JAMES G. CARLSON IS THE PERFECT READ FOR LOVERS OF ALTERNATE WORLDS, AMAZING CREATURES, FRIGHTENING PLANTS, AND TOUGH DETECTIVES. JUST MAKE SURE TO BRING YOUR FLASHLIGHT!

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THE ELEVENTH DOOR
James G. Carlson
January 15, 2024
Gloom House Publishing
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Are you a fan of fantastic new worlds, detailed
mystical creatures, and detective stories? If so, your old pal Skull has a book
that you will absolutely love! Recently released by Gloom House Publishing, The
Eleventh Door by James G. Carlson is an amazing trip into the 11th
Realm, a magical but extremely dangerous place that exists within the cosmic
plane along with the Earth experience that most of us choose as our “normal”.

Madeline Sharpe is a disgraced detective who’s now in
the business of being a private eye. She’s also trying to heal after being the lead
detective on a bizarre series of grisly murders. Unfortunately, she’s spending
too much time pouring firewater down her neck in an effort to burn out the
horrors and having zero luck with that. She is succeeding at making her own
life a huge depressing mess, though. Her attempts at throwing herself down the
crapper are interrupted by two of her former police colleagues who are baffled
by a horrible case they can’t make any headway on. Especially not in the official,
rule following capacity they’re forced to operate in.

After an awkward start, Madeline takes the case. She’s
broke and not exactly having to turn jobs down, so getting paid is a good thing.
But if she thinks her previous case was a mind breaker, she ain’t seen nothing
yet! Dealing with a strange and very dangerous man named River and the eleventh
realm is going to stretch Madeline’s physical and mental capacities so far that
she may not make it back. Her journey starts with a cabbie named Flynn who
likes to travel with unique companions from the animal kingdom, a house from
hell, too many visits from the creeptastic River, a peeping Tom cockroach, and
falling in love with Lucas Hill. Nothing about this case is casual or business
as usual. Strange places, windows into another world that seem to open at
random, and creepy crawlies you’ll have nightmares about abound. River tells
Madeline that she must walk away from the investigation to save herself. But
there’s no way she’s going to do that. Too much damage has already been done in
the name of evil. With the fate of our world as we know it hanging in the
balance, Madeline leaps through The Eleventh Door.

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives The
Eleventh Door by James G. Carlson a glowing FIVE STARS! This
novel is an excellent combination of real and alternative worlds populated with
amazing creatures and unique characters that Carlson describes to us just
enough, so that our brains get to have fun picturing them. If I were to
make a comparison, I’d say that The Eleventh Door is a bit like Harry
Potter for adults with some Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy thrown
in. When I say that, I mean feel wise, Carlson’s work is not derivative of
those books in any way. Everything you’ll read is original James G. Carlson
magic, that’ll keep you in your seat for the entire ride. Have a snack and a
drink handy because once you start reading The Eleventh Door, you’re
not going to put it down until the very last sentence. You might even be sad
that the ride is over.

Or is it?

Fortunately for all of us, James says that he’s hard
at work on the next book in what might just become a series. Whoo-Hoo! While I
don’t like to go overboard on reviews, your old pal Skull encourages the folks
in Hollywood to take a walk through The Eleventh Door and get in
touch with Mr. Carlson before competition starts driving the price up for movie
and merchandise rights. Time for a hot new series to wow the world instead of remaking
the same damn movies multiple times. Also, consider checking out James’ novella
Midnight In The City of The Carrion Kid which also features an alternate
world and an awesome story line. Your old pal Skull says, “get it!”

For more information, check out the following links:

https://gloomhousepublishing.wordpress.com



https://godless.com/collections/james-g-carlson



www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eleventh-door-james-g-carlson/1144576790



www.amazon.com just
click Books and type in The Eleventh Door

*Links are arranged in this order starting with
independent companies who really need your purchase vs more mainstream
companies like Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Whatever way you choose to get your
reading material, thank you for being brave and daring to step out of the corporate
boring box. You’re in for a treat!



SMOKING PEN PRESS DELIVERS 18 GREAT STORIES IN THEIR NEW WEATHER THEMED SPECULATIVE FICTION ANTHOLOGY “ILL WINDS AND WILD WEATHER”!

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ILL WINDS AND WILD WEATHER
Edited by Catherine Valenti & Laurie Gienapp
January 24, 2024
Smoking Pen Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello friends, It’s your old Pal Skull with a review of the very cool weather themed speculative fiction anthology Ill Winds and Wild Weather. Recently published by Smoking Pen Press as part of their Read On The Run series, this collection of 18 great stories includes work from both seasoned writers and those just getting started. This makes for a delightful mixture of voices telling stories in perfect-sized bites to enjoy throughout your day. Two thumbs up to Smoking Pen Press for this idea that helps people still enjoy reading in a world that continues to move faster with each passing year. Sometimes the idea of committing to a 500 plus page novel can be really daunting between all the smartphone alerts, having multiple jobs, and people just not being polite as they used to be. But a quick 15-minute story that packs a punch is perfect!

Care to take a peek inside Ill Winds and Wild Weather? Then put on your rain slickers, sunglasses, rubber boots, and helmets. There’s an Aggressive Mist heading our way! Cheryl Flinn tells us a tale of Irish magic gone wrong in this one. Molly had wanted to see Ireland and when a friend offered her son Dermot, as a guide, she took her up on it. Things had started well, but now she was waking up in a cave with giant cows walking about in a thick mist that was nearly impossible to see through and no Dermot. Something about the place with its giant stones and timeless aura seems wrong, so when an ancient looking woman arrives to lead her to Dermot and safety, Molly follows her. It’s the worst possible action she could take, but are there really any other options when one is trapped in an Aggressive Mist?

Well shiver me bones! There’s something about rain and especially lightning that can make for some truly terrifying times. Another good example of this is Stormy with a Chance of Murder by Alan Orloff. Meteorologist Mike Martell is TV weatherman whose forecasts haven’t been going so well lately and that’s not the only problem he has. In too many moments of weakness, Mike got involved with a much younger woman at the station and it was wonderful. Well, until recently, when she started blackmailing him for big bucks. If he doesn’t pay up, she’ll spill the beans to his wife and likely get him fired. Mike doesn’t have the money, still wants the mistress, and needs some kind of way to get out of the mess he’s in. Now he’s betting everything on his forecast of a MegaStorm that could help him get the hell out of dodge. But sometimes one can be too correct and that might be even worse. Great story with more twists than a cyclone!

Wet, wet, wet…I don’t know about you mortals, but too much rain makes your old pal Skull’s bones hurt, so for our next stop we’re going somewhere hot and dry. How about the dust bowls of Oklahoma? In Breathtaking by Warren Benedetto, Anabel and her brother Toby must stick close to the house because a dust storm can whip up any minute, turning a sunny day into gritty night within minutes. The dust is a terrifying killer that tries to get into everything it can, including the unfortunate neighbors who got caught walking home from the store. But there’s something else out there in the storm that looks like a woman in a billowing white dress and it screams. When Anabel tries to ask her parents about it, they clam up and say it was nothing. Still, there’s some kinds of nothing that can hurt a body real bad and you can’t ignore a banshee for long…

Ahhh! Well I’m all warm and toasty now, how about you folks? Oh right, I forgot flesh people still have to breathe! Sorry about that, heh-heh. That was just a tiny peek into this thrill-filled collection of weather themed stories that will make your days more exciting when you read them. Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Ill Winds and Wild Weather from Smoking Pen Press a brightly glowing 5 STARS! Your old pal Skull highly recommends this collection of 18 great speculative tales that are currently available for purchase in both e-book and physical format on Amazon.com and your favorite booksellers. For more information about Smoking Pen Press’ other fine titles and upcoming calls for submissions, go to: www.smokingpenpress.com.  As always, thanks for visiting the Skullcave, if you’re not yet a subscriber, please do so to help more independent writers be seen. We’re all in this together!

Brian James Lewis is a disabled poet and writer with PTSD who finds writing to be vastly important to his recovery. Working class to the bone, he writes inclusive, real-world stories and poetry that mirror real life. Most recently, Brian’s work has appeared in The Sunlight Press. His poignant piece “Flag In the Wind” can be read on their site free of charge. He’s also been featured in the Hook of a Book Poetry Project discussing mental health and the power of writing. A frequent contributor to Trajectory Journal, Brian’s short story, “Going To Be A Long, Cold Winter” will be included in upcoming issue #26. Besides writing, Brian enjoys bringing old typewriters back to life. Visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com for news and independent book reviews, or on X/twitter@skullsnflames76

JAMES G. CARLSON’S NEW NOVEL “THE ELEVENTH DOOR,” JUST PRINTED BY GLOOM HOUSE PUBLISHING, HAS ARRIVED AT THE SKULLCAVE!

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Hello horror fans, it’s your old pal Skull with a cool new release from Gloom House Publishing! I’ve read previous works by James G. Carlson, and am looking forward to checking out The Eleventh Door. Here’s the back cover synopsis:

Madeline Sharpe, a disgraced detective turned private eye is asked by a former colleague to consult on a perplexing homicide case. She reluctantly accepts the job, but while following her quarry’s trail she encounters things she can’t explain. Things that defy reason. She then finds herself transported to a hidden realm populated by wild landscapes and strange creatures. All she can do is fight for survival and seek a way back home before the universe, and her sanity fully unravel…

Sounds intriguing, does it not? Those familiar with the work of James G. Carlson will know this is not his first foray into uncharted territory. Most recently his novella Midnight In The City Of The Carrion Kid took readers on a wild ride of a crazy underground city that is both beautiful and horrifying at the same time. Put plainly, it’s a really cool book. Carlson’s writing is also inclusive, bringing diversity to his characters that makes them OUR characters. This is really important because besides horror, James G. Carlson makes positive social statements with his work and this is something we need more than ever in our fast-paced world that seems to be trying very hard to de-humanize us.

The Eleventh Door is beckoning, so I must step inside, but your old pal Skull will be back soon with news and a review of this journey I’m looking forward to taking. For more information about this release and others, you can visit James G. Carlson and Gloom House on Facebook or visit Gloom House Publishing at: http://www.gloomhouse@yahoo.com