Tag: Lethe Press

DO YOU LIKE STORIES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL THAT CREEPING SENSE OF UNEASE YOU CAN’T QUITE PUT YOUR FINGER ON? IF SO, “MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AIR” BY ERIC SCHALLER IS JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

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Meet Me In The Middle of The Air
Eric Schaller
Lethe Press
7/1/2024
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Howdy horror fans, it’s your old pal Skull with a collection of strange miracles and dark comedies from Eric Schaller. Meet Me in The Middle of The Air is an intense book that requires readers to accept a certain level of unease to really enjoy the stories within. Things come at you hard and fast once you open the gate. Case in point, the first story Schaller presents to us, The Assistant to Doctor Jacob pulls us into a lovely hothouse full of exotic flowers curated by a young boy’s neighbor. It all seems quite innocent with the doctor’s encouragement of the boy’s interest in gardening, everything tucked away into the happy memories file of the brain, until the police come knocking on the now adult boy’s door with some very strange pictures and a lot of questions.

While The Parasite sounds like a truly terrifying title, it’s actually a pretty entertaining short story. When the snoring of a husband brings an unbidden guest into his body, not all the changes it causes are bad. Whilethat’s sort of a relief, some strange things do happen in the dark of night that will make sure that this urban neighborhood will keep on changing. Snoring sleepers beware!

What if all the angry words we said took up physical space and embodied their meanings? That’s what happens in Voices Carry where two couples argue about infidelity that has occurred between some of their members. As their angry words take on the forms of dangerous flying shapes that fill the room, it seems like it would be best if they could stop the flow, but will they? A great story to show readers the impact of bad deeds and refusal to accept blame or find a solution.

Crystal Vision is a melancholy but interesting tale about a group of addicts living solely for the crystal meth made by a fella named David. It all starts in a fun sort of party atmosphere, but things devolve rather quickly. Socially acceptable behaviors and hygiene go first. Valuable possessions follow until the few remaining people turn into a bunch of starving naked truth seekers who are ready to crack. This one hits home because so many neighborhoods are dealing with ice houses these days, ours included.

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Meet Me in the Middle of the Air by Eric Schaller a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It is an intriguing tapestry of the uncanny and unusual that sometimes runs off the rails with a high degree of intensity. Luckily, there is a wide variety of material here that provides something for everybody to enjoy, even if the whole may be a bit too much for many readers to digest entirely. This is a collection of stories that will stick in your head whether you want it to or not and actually led to your old pal Skull having some nightmares, which is rare. Schaller’s work is based on many real places, people, and creatures which means that he is a master of the thin blurred line between worlds. So, if you’re looking for adventure, you’re in the right place. Meet Me in the Middle of the Air.

Thanks for stopping by the Skullcave and digging this week’s review! For more information about Lethe Press’ catalog of great books, artists, and the chance to save a little green, head on over to: www.lethepressbooks.com There you’ll also find more information about their authors, Eric Schaller included. To follow Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer, please visit: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com Until next time, be well and keep reading independent horror!

About your reviewer:

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil, reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and share reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name: Brian James Lewis

“THESE THINGS THAT WALK BEHIND ME” BY DAVID SURFACE HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM LETHE PRESS AND IT IS GREAT!

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THESE THINGS THAT WALK BEHIND ME
David Surface
10/1/2024
Lethe Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello horror fans, it’s your old pal Skull with a brand-new release from Lethe Press! These Things That Walk Behind Me by David Surface is packed with 14 speculative tales that will latch onto your brain and stick around long after you’ve finished reading. Or, if you’re at all like me, you’ll find yourself rereading this awesome collection again and again. The stories are really that good! Ready to take a walk on the wild side? Then let’s get to it.

Inside These Things That Walk Behind Me by David Surface you’ll find stories about things that shouldn’t exist, but they do. A fallen angel hidden in an airplane hangar that takes care of those who cannot help themselves, Angelmutter. A town whose boys disappear into a large network of caves that exist underneath them and a mother who knows more about it than she should, The Lost River Boys. How about construction company that builds unique structures that transport creatures from another realm into your hometown? Little Gods To Live In Them, is that story. We all watch those shows on TV about people suddenly disappearing only to show up thousands of miles away decades later. Give Me Back My Name shows us what it’s like to be that person and it isn’t at all pretty. Losing your mind is often viewed as losing touch with reality, but what if it actually shows us how life really is and why people act the way they do? These Things That Walk Behind Me gives us insight into that.

One of my favorite tales in this great mix is The Devil Will Be At The Door. You know that ghost story many of us hear at YMCA Camp, in Boy Scouts, or in the case of this story on the church school bus during a long ride home? It’s about a horribly haunted house in the middle of nowhere and ends with a jump scare scream. The details are usually filled in to fit the location, but it’s pretty much the same tale. Eventually we grow up and decide such terrifying things don’t exist. But what if they do, and you just haven’t found it yet? Or, worse, it’s out there looking for you? Oh, and if you’ve heard that story in your lifetime…There’s no getting away.

Another story I really dug was, When The Circus. Danny escapes from a small southern town and a meaningless life by going to New York City, a giant metropolis that never sleeps and you can get whatever you want 24 hours a day. But such a vast place is dark, dangerous, and ready to eat newbies alive. Danny needs a place, somewhere to take shelter, and he finds it in a ghost bar hidden under some scaffolding. There he meets Lenny, an old school tough New Yorker who holds court nightly teaching valuable lessons and telling stories. But a person can only hide so long in the middle of a hurricane. Events unfold in front of Danny that threaten to steal his sanity. His happiness has already fled. One night when Lenny starts telling everyone about a bizarre event that happened right on that particular night many years ago, Danny refuses to buy it. Back in the old days, the circus would come to Madison Square Garden and people lined 34th street at midnight to see the elephants walk from the train to the garden. But one year, things went horribly wrong, and the results were bad enough to drive a person mad. The Big Apple doesn’t let go of the scary things, it holds them tightly trapped in its dark bosom of night, then shows them to fragile minds like a demented flasher in a black raincoat. GOTCHA! Lenny says that the only way to avoid being sucked into the flames of Hell is to shelter in place. Danny says he’s full of shit and makes a break for it. Will he see what he’s looking for, or is it all just a hoax to scare newbies?

How The World Works, is another great story. Many people think the world is an efficient machine that can easily be explained by science or their particular brand of religion. Yet, every year, strange things happen that defy logical explanation. This story is a tale about secrets and friendship. The narrator’s friend, Mike, hasn’t had a very good life and isn’t exactly Mr. Manners. Still the narrator cares about him and is pleased to hear that he’s returned to town after a long absence. When he goes to visit Mike in his new place, it’s entirely rad, especially to a couple of teenage boys. Mike’s story is that he’s housesitting for a guy and has free run of the house. But what’s with all the freaked-out cats? More importantly, what’s that damn thing in the basement? Will Mike’s explanation clear things up or just make it worse? One thing is for certain, the piper must be paid. That’s just How The World Works.

If you’ve read this far, then you probably already know what your old pal Skull thinks of this book, but let me just put it into words: Wow, what an awesome collection of short horror stories! Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives These Things That Walk Behind Me a BIG 5 STARS! David Surface writes stories that stick with you and grow as time passes. It’s not excessively gory or easy to stick in one box, but his words lodge into your brain and blossom into images and feelings that hang on long after you put the book down. Or you’ll keep picking it up to savor again and again. These Things That Walk Behind Me will make it to the Wall of Fame eventually, but for now it follows me from room to room, and I can’t help reading just one more story. Bottom line: get this collection and enjoy the work of awesome storyteller, David Surface!

Thanks for visiting the Skullcave, if you enjoyed this review please consider subscribing and following us on social media to help more independent authors get more exposure and spread the word that Indy Horror Rocks! For more information about this book and other great titles from Lethe Press go to: www.lethepressbooks.com
For more information about David Surface and to sign up for his newsletter, Strange Little Stories, go to: www.davidsurface.net

About your reviewer:

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

THE LETHE PRESS EDITION OF “H.P. LOVECRAFT’S COMMONPLACE BOOK” BRINGS HIS WEIRD COSMIC MAGIC TO LIFE WITH AWESOME ILLUSTRATIONS AND FANTASTIC PRESENTATION BY MICHAEL BUKOWSKI ALONG WITH A FEW COOL SURPRISES FROM LOVECRAFT HIMSELF!

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H.P. LOVECRAFT’S COMMONPLACE BOOK
Illustrated by Michael Bukowski
Lethe Press
8/3/2024
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello awesome readers, it’s your old pal Skull with a book that I’m honestly, kind of in love with: H.P. Lovecraft’s Commonplace Book recently released by the rather awesome Lethe Press! Serious Lovecraft fans may be familiar with this little volume of his collected thoughts and ideas, but I’m willing to bet you haven’t seen it looking like this edition that is wonderfully illustrated by Michael Bukowski. I mean, when I opened the package and this purple-skinned beauty slid out, I immediately sat down and gave it my full attention. Check out the cover pic and the Odd nocturnal ritual. Beasts dance & march to musick image! The book is like this ALL the way through!

As a writer myself, I enjoy books like this that give readers a peek behind the wizard’s curtain. They let readers see story ideas, what interested their favorite author, and maybe offer some memorable quotes. But, let’s be honest, most of those books are exceptionally dry, which means that only diehard fans are going to work their way through them. Bukowski’s art pulls you into the Lethe Press edition of H.P. Lovecraft’s Commonplace Book and makes you want to see what’s on the next page, and the next one after that. There’s a perfect balance between the illustrations and Lovecraft’s words that drives things forward nicely. Speaking of which, the font and colorful ink choice really make the words pop. I love that Lovecraft’s original introduction has been included and that he’d just like an “admirably neat typed copy” from R.H. Barlow, Esq. Also included is a nifty little piece of artwork by Lovecraft: a sketch showing a side profile of the mighty CTHULU for a possible future sculpture. How about that for coolness?

H.P. Lovecraft’s Commonplace Book from Lethe Press is a treasure trove of ideas, quotes, and notes about unique happenings and other writers. Lovecraft also included a cool reading list of weird fiction that he was collecting for an article. It contains familiar names like H.G. Wells and Algernon Blackwood and many others that I will be looking into. One of Lovecraft’s quotes that stood out to me was: “Life is more horrible than death.” While folks who read those insanely cheerful self-help books that spew paragraphs about what “super-duper great people” they are might disagree, they need to realize that these words came from a man who was plagued by nightmares, insomnia, and poor health for the majority of his life. Yes, that’s what fueled much of his work, but it wasn’t any picnic for Lovecraft who died early and only realized fame posthumously.

What does your old pal Skull think? I don’t think it’ll surprise anyone that Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates H.P. Lovecraft’s Commonplace Book, the Lethe Press edition illustrated by Michael Bukowski a cosmic 5 STARS! It is a wonderful volume that both celebrates its creator and the fantastic art of Michael Bukowski who also included a little Dungeons & Dragons magic in some of these illustrations. Bukowski also took time to edit out offensive material that Lovecraft unfortunately included in some of his work. It is a new day and one to celebrate our diversity, not be afraid of what we don’t understand.

For more information about Lethe Press or to purchase a copy of this book, please go to: www.lethepressbooks.com

For more information about Michael Bukowski, you can check out his detailed profile on the Lethe Press site or go right over to: www.lastchanceillustrations.wordpress.com
or visit: www.yog.blogsoth.blogspot.com

About the reviewer:

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

IN “A SCOUT IS BRAVE” WILL LUDWIGSEN AND LETHE PRESS TEAM UP TO BRING READERS A FANTASTIC TALE OF FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP, AND FEAR THAT PICKS UP WHERE H.P. LOVECRAFT’S “A SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH” LEFT OFF

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A SCOUT IS BRAVE
Will Ludwigsen
July 1, 2024
Lethe Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello horror fiends! It’s your old pal Skull with a most excellent read to help you celebrate the recent birthday of H.P. Lovecraft. A Scout Is Brave by Will Ludwigsen ties in beautifully to Lovecraft’s novella A Shadow Over Innsmouth   and moves the action forward to 1963. The U.S. is in turmoil, with issues like the Vietnam war looming and events like the assassination of President John F. Kennedy stirring the pot, so it almost seems like a reprieve for the Castillo family when Dad is offered a job far away from Queens, NY. Not only that but the Innsmouth Oil Speculating Consortium is offering a hefty salary along with a rent-free house. Heck, they’re even paying moving expenses!

While that is pretty sweet for an out of work construction and demolition diver, it doesn’t take long for the Castillos to realize that Innsmouth, Massachusetts is one strange place. All the houses are boarded up, the population is tiny, and their leader is an eccentric preacher named Mr. Pritchett who keeps rattling on about “the deep ones” and “returning to glory.” Young Bud Castillo also finds out that everyone in town is elderly and there aren’t any other kids to play with. This is a major disappointment because he really wants to get a new Boy Scout troop going. Bud carries his handbook everywhere and strives to be the most all-American good guy that he can possibly be. Yeah, he has a temper sometimes, but so does his old man, who recently got fired from his job because the boss’ son left him in the Harlem River with no air to breathe.

Then, while walking around the dilapidated old town, Bud discovers a library. It’s all boarded up in front, so he goes around back hoping that there might be a way in. Just when he finds one, Aubrey Marsh practically drops right into his lap. While he’s small and a bit odd looking, Aubrey appears to be a real live boy. Things are looking up! With a couple more fellas, they’ll be able to put a Scout troop together in no time. Except that Aubrey is the only other kid in town. Still not daunted, Bud decides that they can still have their own sort of troop. Aubrey dives into the idea of becoming a boy scout with amazing enthusiasm and becomes solid friends with not only Bud, but his mother and dad, too. Sometimes he helps them understand the situation in Innsmouth. But others, he relies on them to help him with his quest for answers about what happened to the previous residents of the town.

Unfortunately, as Aubrey and Bud collect facts and start putting pieces of the puzzle together, the picture it reveals is an alarming one. Dad says that he doesn’t know exactly what the people of Innsmouth are doing with an oil drilling rig, but it certainly isn’t drilling for oil. Reverend Pritchett becomes even more animated as the work gets closer to completion, babbling about some kind of long-awaited reunion and eternal life. The townspeople follow suit, making things awkward. Then Mrs. Castillo gets kidnapped while Bud and his Dad are taken hostage. Suddenly the job is no longer a voluntary thing and Aubrey disappears. Will the Castillo family ever be reunited? Are the townspeople truly headed towards great glory, or something worse than death? Why is Mrs. Marsh such an excellent swimmer? And where the heck is Aubrey? As the novel rockets towards its explosive conclusion, all these questions and more will be answered! All you need to do is grab yourself a copy of A Scout Is Brave to get the scoop.  

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates A Scout Is Brave by Will Ludwigsen a BIG 5 STARS! Superbly written and perfectly connected to Lovecraft’s original concept of Innsmouth, it’s clear that Ludwigsen is very familiar with the Cthulu mythos. Like many good horror stories, A Scout Is Brave is also about accepting yourself and others for who they really are. Maybe you’re a Puerto Rican Jew from Queens, like Bud, or a half human-half amphibious creature from the sea who desperately wants to be a real boy. The best things in life are friends, because they’re the family we get to choose, or who chooses us. Too many blood families get hung up on stupid stuff like who a person should love, or what they’re career path is supposed to be, and the big icky one: religion. The truth is that no perfect race or life form exists in the universe. We all have flaws, but also a lot of good to offer others who can see past them. Worshipping a higher power is not always a good thing, especially when those powers are angry sea creatures that want to take over the world.

While A Scout Is Brave is listed as a YA read in some markets, this book is great for adults, too. Especially those of us who had a less than stellar childhood and were forced to move state to state after finally making a few friends. It is scary at times, but also full of love, and some really cool details that bring Innsmouth into the present day. It is also currently on sale at the Lethe Press’ website: www.lethepressbooks.com along with some other seriously boss titles. Your old pal Skull encourages you to pop on over there and take a look! While you’re checking out cool things, you might also enjoy visiting Will Ludwigsen’s page at: www.will-ludwigsen.com Thanks for visiting your old pal Skull and if you wouldn’t mind, give us a follow at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com

About the reviewer

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

IF YOU ENJOY THE WRITINGS OF H.P. LOVECRAFT AND TERRIFYINGLY BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK, YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE LETHE PRESS’S SPECIAL EDITION OF “THE COMMONPLACE BOOK” WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY MICHAEL BUKOWSKI

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Hello fans of all things weird and cosmic horror! Your old pal Skull just received this absolutely fascinating book from Lethe Press! A review is on its way, as soon as I can tear myself away from the marvelous illustrations by Michael Bukowski. They are bursting with color, texture, and imagination and when put next to words by H.P. Lovecraft-magical. All that is great, but something even better is that this book is currently on sale over on the Lethe Press website. I’d suggest you head on over to http://www.lethepressbooks.com and get yourself a copy now. I know it’s early days yet, but this will make an excellent holiday/birthday/Christmas gift for the speculative fiction lover in your life. Stay tuned and subscribe to read your old pal Skull’s full review soon. Also be sure to check out Michael Bukowski’s website http://www.lastchanceillustration.wordpress.com Be well and keep reading Independent Horror!

IN THIS BRAND NEW RELEASE FROM PHILIP FRACASSI AND LETHE PRESS, “NO ONE IS SAFE!”

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NO ONE IS SAFE!
Philip Fracassi
April 5, 2024
Lethe Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello once again, you wonderful horror fiends, it’s your old pal Skull with an amazing short horror collection by Philip Fracassi. Not only that, but there is a fab introduction by Ronald Malfi that is an absolute treat to read. Just released this month by Lethe Press, No One Is Safe! Features fourteen stories giving readers over 300 pages of tales that both entertain and deliver that delicious fear we all crave to bust us out of our boring everyday lives. Let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?

Things start off with the innocent sounding title The Wish, but it quickly becomes clear that Jonathan’s birthday party isn’t going to run smoothly. His dad has a heart attack while trying to grill up some burgers mid-party and then has the audacity to die. What a party pooper! Everybody freaks out and boom, party over. Later that evening, a helpful neighbor tries to end the kid’s birthday on a happy note with the whole cake and candles thing. The still angry Jonathan makes a very specific and binding wish that will affect his entire life. Sometimes wishes do come true even if you wish they didn’t.

Another great story is Murder by Proxy which does a seamless job of marrying old school Humphrey Bogart detective fiction with what may be our AI controlled future. The detective on this case is Dixon “Dixie” Merriweather, who’s been a Los Angeles detective for over 20 years. He knows a few things, like how to talk to a homicide victim’s AI tabletop unit about what occurred in this unique case where it appears the guy just exploded. The unit, named “Beximo” seems cooperative, but there’s something about the whole situation that just isn’t adding up right. As Dixie digs deep, he realizes that the problem he’s trying to solve has frightening worldwide implications and that sometimes what you can’t see is the most lethal.

Sometimes a person makes a bad judgement call. We’re human, it happens. Most of the time we realize that there’s been a screw up and can fix at least some of the damage, apologize, maybe grovel if required. But when large sums of money enter the picture, many people toss good judgement out the window and will cheerfully dunk their head in a full toilet bowl again and again. Money talks and nobody walks. Overnight is a story about the treacherous road of deceit and the consequences. Pete is a night guard for a major movie company that’s shooting a flick in a remote area. He’s got his directions, knows what to do, but somehow when this dude shows up waving cash and asking for favors, he lets his guard down. Hell, Pete can make some big green from this guy if he just bends the rules a little. Then some bad shit goes down on his watch, putting him on the hot seat. Pete worries that he might end up behind bars, but soon finds out that there are far worse punishments than cooling your heels in prison.

“Marmalade” is your old pal Skull’s favorite story in No One Is Safe! It starts out with a young guy talking to a person who’s writing a book about exactly what happened in the neighborhood of Sabbath Corners. The main topic is an ancient old woman named Ms. Grimmel and her cat, Marmalade. As the interviewer goes about talking to multiple witnesses, more details fill in the picture, which is both wonderful and completely terrifying. Were miracles really happening in that little neighborhood or was it all the work of the devil? This approach is somewhat akin to Carrie by Stephen King with the kind of social revelations brought to us by Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone.

I don’t think it will surprise anyone who’s read this far that Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives No One Is Safe! By Philip Fracassi a very hearty FIVE STARS! I love short stories and these stories are awesome! Every tale grabs you by the collar and thrusts you into a new adventure that’s very different than the one before it. From what I understand, this was Fracassi’s aim with this collection and he definitely achieved it. The movie poster cover by Jim & Ruth Keegan lures you in and then the master takes over, pulling you into the pages like a giant red space monster that wants to “communicate”. No one puts it better than Ronald Malfi who says, You’re in it now, riding the high that is the powerhouse fiction of Philip Fracassi. If this is your first time reading Philip’s work, be prepared to become that self-confessed Fracassi junkie that I, too, have become. Highly recommended.

No One Is Safe is available at your favorite booksellers, including Amazon.com which also features all this author’s work and a cool way to follow him. For more information check out: Philip Fracassi’s website: www.pfracassi.com You can also visit him on Facebook/Instagram at pfracassi and on Twitter/X at: @philipfracassi. Also be sure to check out Lethe Press at: www.lethepressbooks.com for more great titles. You can also find them on Twitter/X @lethepress and Facebook and Instagram. Tell them that your old pal Skull sent ya! Thanks for popping by the Skullcave for another cool review and remember to support independent horror!

Philip Fracassi

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