Tag: New Release

VIRTUAL RELEASE PARTY FOR “THE RACK” WAS A TRUE SUCCESS!

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Hello horror fans, it’s your old pal Skull with some cool news in the horror writing and reading community! I was lucky enough to be invited to the virtual release party for the new themed horror anthology, The Rack and a good time was had by all. Editor Tom Deady and Parasite Steve were the masters of ceremonies and many of the contributors spoke about their stories as well as the books that inspired them when they were spinning those creaky, squeaky wire racks at their local newsstands, drugstores, or libraries during the 1980’s. Stephen King and Ray Bradbury were frequently mentioned, but so were some less famous names. It was great to hear from the authors which included Christa Carmen, Tom Deady, Kristin Dearborn, Candace Nola, Errick Nunnally, Cynthia Pelayo, and Mercedes Yardley. While I’d love to go into serious detail about what each author had to say, this article would be very long and not ready for quite some time. The main takeaway is that The Rack is a richly diverse collection of stories both in contributing authors and the wide variety of their stories

Other features of the evening were the swag giveaway opportunities for non-authors to win nifty prizes like pens, journals, stickers, and even t-shirts with The Rack cover art on them. These mega-cool items were awarded to attendees who were able to name the author of The Rack story that Tom read aloud. The first person to do so won some great stuff! There was also a fun show and tell of favorite and unique books in the authors’ personal collections, featuring the funky, pulpy paperback covers of the 80’s along with a few books that never made it back to the library, presented by Errick Nunnally, that had a great story of their own. As the evening wound down, there were reading suggestions from many of the authors, and a discussion about who delivered and who just had nifty covers. We wrapped with a round up of what each contributing author was also doing. Overall, a great evening!

While your old pal Skull wasn’t an active participant, I truly enjoyed putting voices and faces to authors whose work I’ve read previously such Christa Carmen, Candace Nola, and Mercedes Yardley. I also dug meeting authors I wasn’t as familiar with, like Errick Nunnally. Can’t wait to read his story! Tom Deady is a very cool guy, and I’m cheered and inspired to know that he didn’t really get into writing horror until his 50’s because that’s where I am, working on making a comeback after mental health issues and disabilities crushed me like a bug in 2019. But this isn’t about me, it’s about a brand-new horror anthology with retro vibes that kicks ass. Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer will be doing a review ASAP, but until then go get yourself a copy of THE RACK and start reading!

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

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

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM DAMAGED SKULL WRITER! STARTING OFF RIGHT WITH MY FIRST PUBLISHING CREDIT OF THE YEAR IN “ILL WINDS AND WILD WEATHER” FROM SMOKING PEN PRESS

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Happy New Year all you monsters! It’s your old pal Skull with some good news for lovers of all thing speculative: A brand new Read on the Run anthology has just been released from Smoking Pen Press, and it includes a story from my mortal host Brian James Lewis! How about them poisoned apples? His short story “Too Cold For July” is one of the many great stories included in Ill Winds and Wild Weather, a collection of intriguing pieces that are just the right size for reading while one is riding the bus, waiting for food, sitting in your car while an oil change is happening, or chilling between classes. If you’ve got a few free minutes and an e-pub reader, the Smoking Pen Press has an anthology to help you escape the boring normality of the usual day. In fact, Brian’s story is about a person who likes to hit up thrift shops for cheap music to break their writer’s block. I don’t want to spill the bones, but I CAN tell you that it doesn’t take long for the blocked writer to wish they were back at their boring office. Unfortunately when one is dealing with dark magic, a quick sidestep is pretty much out of the question…

Currently, Ill Winds and Wild Weather is available from Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Gardners, and of course Amazon. Here is the link for obtaining it there: https://www.amazon.com/Winds-Wild-Weather-Smoking-Press-ebook/dp/B0CRTCVBZG There will be a physical ink and paper option available in the next few weeks as well. As always, thanks for following your old pal Skull and his mortal Brian James Lewis at http://www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com . You can also catch up with us on Twitter/X @skullsnflames76 . Stay tuned for cool things happening this year, including posts about writing and mental illness, Brian’s upcoming publications in Trajectory, The Iconoclast, and Sunlight Press. There will also be book reviews, and more information about Ill Winds and Wild Weather from Smoking Pen Press.