Hi fellow writers, Brian here. While I know that much of my writing and reviewing has been in the speculative realm, occasionally one of my pieces of creative nonfiction gets published. This one “Flea Market Special” is about the days when I used to be a vendor at Jimay’s Flea Market in Upstate New York. It’s fun bit of people watching and how one can be surprised even at a flea market. Please check it out and let me know what you think. I’ll post the link here but you can also find it a Aji Magazine’s website. Issue 14 page 72 “Flea Market Special” by Brian James Lewis. Enjoy!
Hello everyone, it’s your old pal Skull here to say a heartfelt thank you to all the veterans who put their lives on the line so that we can do what we’re doing today. Without these brave men and women who served our country and helped our allies, the world would be a much different place. Freedom is not free and some gave all. Make sure to thank veterans and active duty soldiers for their service when you have the opportunity. It means more than you know.
Ah hello there fans of speculative fiction, it’s your old pal Skull with news of an exciting new “Compendium of Curiosities.” That does sound tempting, doesn’t it? But wait, there’s more:
“Silent House Press Returns From The Void With Fifteen Of Horror’s Best Voices” They aren’t just banging on caskets either, folks. We’re talking about writers you know and love like:
LYDIA PRIME
GWENDOLYN KISTE
JILL GIRARDI
RICHARD CHIZMAR
PHILIP FRACASSI
Just a mere taste of the delights available to those who desire dark reading experiences. Now begone! Your old pal Skull has some reading to do. But watch this space for my upcoming review of DARK MURMURS-A Compendium of Curiosities from the one and only SILENT HOUSE PRESS.
God’s Leftovers Grant Wamack Bizarro Pulp Press August 26, 2022 Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello all you readers of horror and dark fiction, it’s your old pal Skull with some new dark fiction from Grant Wamack! Recently published by Bizarro Pulp Press, his novella God’s Leftovers is all killer and no filler, and I mean that in more ways than one. Just a quick note here for people concerned with triggers, this book is violent, gory, and contains some very graphic sex scenes. I know most of my readers are okay with that as long as it’s integral to the story, but for those who aren’t…you have been warned. Powerful images that stay in your head for a long time are on their way. All ready? Excellent! Then let’s all head for the desert.
What do a family of four, an extremely religious man, some funky hippies who live a strange life in desert, and a tough rapper and his videographer all have in common? They’re all visiting the Valley of Fire, a national park in the Nevada desert. The visitors all enter the park looking for something good. The family of four want to explore nature and see wildlife. Jerry the highly religious, uptight man is looking for peace. Big Redd and Scotty came to shoot a badass music video. The couple? Who really knows why they’re here. Probably to boink on the rocks and get video content for their vlog. But, instead of the goodness they seek, the visitors are found by the wiry man.
The desert is an ancient place full of magic and deadly threats. One might not regard the ragtag group of stoned looking hippies meditating for hours as any sort of threat, but the air vibrates with an electric hum that makes all things electronic die. As the power of The Collective continues to rise, the fates of the park’s visitors are revealed and the view ain’t too pretty. Help comes from an unlikely source, but will it be too late? The wiry man is not one to give in without a fight and to the winner goes the harvest. One person will finally find peace by riding into the flames on a pale horse, but who is it? Your old pal Skull gives God’s Leftovers a solid 5 out of 5 STARS and agrees with advance reviewers like Lucas Magnum that this spectacular splatterpunk blast is going to leave you wounded and bleeding. You’ll never look at a desert landscape in the same way again. Get it, but be warned, this ain’t no feel-good story. I dare you to step into the fire. Want more information about Grant Wamack? Head on over to his blog www.grantwamack.wordpress.com Want more information about Bizarro Pulp Press? Then head on over to the Journalstone website at www.journalstone.com Want more information about Damaged Skull Writer Brian James Lewis and his Reviewer pal, Skull? Then follow us at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com
God’s Leftovers Grant Wamack Bizarro Pulp Press August 26, 2022 Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello all you readers of horror and dark fiction, it’s your old pal Skull with some new dark fiction from Grant Wamack! Recently published by Bizarro Pulp Press, his novella God’s Leftovers is all killer and no filler, and I mean that in more ways than one. Just a quick note here for people concerned with triggers, this book is violent, gory, and contains some very graphic sex scenes. I know most of my readers are okay with that as long as it’s integral to the story, but for those who aren’t…you have been warned. Powerful images that stay in your head for a long time are on their way. All ready? Excellent! Then let’s all head for the desert.
What do a family of four, an extremely religious man, some funky hippies who live a strange life in desert, and a tough rapper and his videographer all have in common? They’re all visiting the Valley of Fire, a national park in the Nevada desert. The visitors all enter the park looking for something good. The family of four want to explore nature and see wildlife. Jerry the highly religious, uptight man is looking for peace. Big Redd and Scotty came to shoot a badass music video. The couple? Who really knows why they’re here. Probably to boink on the rocks and get video content for their vlog. But, instead of the goodness they seek, the visitors are found by the wiry man.
The desert is an ancient place full of magic and deadly threats. One might not regard the ragtag group of stoned looking hippies meditating for hours as any sort of threat, but the air vibrates with an electric hum that makes all things electronic die. As the power of The Collective continues to rise, the fates of the park’s visitors are revealed and the view ain’t too pretty. Help comes from an unlikely source, but will it be too late? The wiry man is not one to give in without a fight and to the winner goes the harvest. One person will finally find peace by riding into the flames on a pale horse, but who is it? Your old pal Skull gives God’s Leftoversa solid 5 out of 5 STARS and agrees with advance reviewers like Lucas Magnum that this spectacular splatterpunk blast is going to leave you wounded and bleeding. You’ll never look at a desert landscape in the same way again. Get it, but be warned, this ain’t no feel-good story. I dare you to step into the fire.
Want more information about Bizarro Pulp Press? Then head on over to the Journalstone website at www.journalstone.com
Want more information about Damaged Skull Writer Brian James Lewis and his Reviewer pal, Skull? Then follow us at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com
Grant Wamack
ABOUT YOUR HOST:
Brian James Lewis is a disabled poet and writer with PTSD, who writes daily on vintage typewriters rescued from scrap piles, including one previously owned by Rod Serling. He’s also been a reviewer of dark poetry and speculative fiction since 2016. Most recently, Brian’s poem about mental illness “AGAIN” was published in JMWW and his short fiction piece about mass shooter Chance McCandless, “Following My Destiny” is in the Spring 2022 edition of Trajectory Journal. Check him out on Twitter@skullsnflames76 and visit his website www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com for news and reviews.
Glad that JMWW published my poem about mental illness! This goes out to everyone dealing with lifelong issues and also their partners and caregivers. #MentalHealthAwareness
September’s challenge was to write a short horror story around the theme “til death do we part”. My story (entry #12) “Heart and Soul” visits a couple on their 50th wedding anniversary. You don’t see that kind of dedication too much these days! What’s their secret? Well, there’s a lot of them actually and every marriage does require sacrifice…Find out how big by checking out my story on Crystal Lake’s Patreon! It only costs 5 bucks a month and offers a lot of great benefits, including mucho good reading! If you’re already a member, I’d sincerely appreciate one of your votes. Members can vote for up to three stories and help 3 emerging writers to move forward in their careers. Many thanks from myself and all the authors who’ve reached this level of the challenge!
VENUM MALUM Michael R. Collins January 9 2022 Gloom House Publishing Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello horror fans! It’s your old pal Skull with a cool new read by Michael R. Collins that goes by the title Verum Malum. This is just one new selection from growing independent press Gloom House Publishing run by none other than James G. Carlson who is a fine author whose work has been nominated for multiple awards. Be sure to check him out at: gloomhouse@yahoo.com As an extra bonus, Gloom House is currently having a half press sale this month! That means you can sample a lot of cool writing for less or get more books on a budget. Nice! And now back to the subject of this review…
Venum Malum looks absolutely terrifying if you go by cover art alone, but this is a complex story that’ll have you feeling much more than just fear. Ben and Noah are a married couple who not only have to deal with negative vibes about their love, but also about their skin color. This leads to police not taking their complaints seriously and people treating them as “less than.” However, they do have some solid friends who are their chosen family. Jackie is one of those friends. Noah is upset that his husband hasn’t informed him about the cancer returning to his body and there is an argument. Turns out that many things aren’t as they seem and after an uninvited guest sparks things off, Ben tells Noah and Jackie about his secret dark past in which he belonged to a satanic cult. While that is scary, the worst part is that the group wants Ben back and is willing to stop at nothing in their pursuit of him. They’ve opened a portal to a demonic world called the Venum Malum that makes going to hell look like a Caribbean cruise. Group leader Marius believes that this will bring him unlimited evil powers, but will it really? Noah becomes a lion to save his man, but will that be enough to protect them? Will the police finally protect them without discrimination? Skull recommends you get a copy and find out. You won’t be disappointed!
Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Michael R. Collins’Venum Malum a hearty FIVE STARS! There is a lot going on in these pages to keep readers riveted with the bonus of being very contemporary. Horror is often a great vehicle for social commentary and Michael R. Collins does a great job weaving his message into the pages of his work without having it feel preachy or unnatural. This book is a great read about the power of love, friendship, and how even a seemingly evil satanic rock band can turn out to be solid citizens. Always look beyond a book’s cover before making judgement. Get yours at: gloomhouse@yahoo.com and visit Michael R. Collins at: www.michaelrcollins.wordpress.com Thanks for stopping by the Skullcave! Stay tuned for more interesting news and reviews coming soon at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com
Wow, this is exciting! I’ve reviewed many excellent Crystal Lake titles and submitted to calls, but this is the first time I’ve made it onto the next round. WooHoo! I’ll post new information when it is time to read the stories and vote. For any of my friends out there who are subscribers to Crystal Lake’s Patreon, I would sincerely appreciate your vote! Many Thanks
Sure it seems far away while we’re still walking around in shorts and flip-flops, but Halloween is creeping towards us on silent feet. Fans of horror are running around full of excitement, like the handsome devil above. They’re eager to visit haunted houses, corn mazes, and read some scary stuff. To help those with a reading jones, there’s the annual Halloween Issue of The Sirens Call E-Zine. Not only that, but you can dig it for free!
My story “Still A Great Night To Be A Kid” is about a couple of teenage boys who are in a hurry to grow up. So they ditch their trick-or-treat gear and head for Hemlock’s House of Horrors to celebrate in style. But there’s something strange about the town’s newest attraction…
Damaged Skull Writer 
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