Top 10 Horrors of 2012

Happy New Year everyone and I know I’m a little late with this as most had their ‘best of’ lists out by the end of December, but I’m ridiculously indecisive and I know as soon as I post this I’ll immediately think of others that should have been on here or it should be in a different order but such is life.  So with no further ado, my top 10 horror films of 2012…

 

10 – Manborg

At just over an hour long this frantic, 1980s video-game look and sound alike makes for the perfect midnight movie.  Some brilliant, endlessly quotable one liners make it a great one to watch with friends and the fairly short run time means the film ends before the joke wears too thin.  It is hugely enjoyable and its impressive to see a film without a big budget utilise it to create a ‘look’ that escalates the film into something more interesting.

9 – Resolution

With horror fans crying out for original additions to the genre I’m expecting Resolution to be one of the most talked about horror films of 2013 despite it not really fitting into any sub-genre.  Much of the film’s appeal for me rests on the incredible chemistry between drug-addled Chris (Vinny Curan) and well-meaning Michael (Peter Cilella) as it is their unlikely yet believable friendship that carries the film for the most part.  I must see it again.

8 – Citadel

The first film on this year’s list to make me cry, which is, regrettably, becoming more and more common.  Taking an altogether more sentimental take on ‘hoodie-horror’ ‘Citadel’ rests on the shoulders of Aneurin Barnard as a father traumatised by the death of his wife and it is his performance at the centre, despite a great turn from James Cosmo as a rather sweary priest.  I do have my complaints about the film in terms of it relying a lot on loud noises as opposed to genuinely scary moments (which it does have) but this film was a great surprise with its ability to maintain a claustrophobic atmosphere throughout.

7 – Chained

Chained was probably the most uncomfortable film I saw this year and I definitely left the cinema feeling a little grubby for it.  Although disturbing it also allowed for some incredibly uplifting moments as Rabbit is repeatedly conditioned to become a killer by his serial-killing captor Bob.  Eamon Farren has a strangely beautiful screen presence used to full effect and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Bob intimidates through the screen.  Jennifer Lynch has created a haunting film about the ways in which damaged people cope.  Wonderful, but so glad I did not have to get a taxi home after watching it.

6 – Errors of the Human Body

Body horror was something I was really unsure of before attending Abertoir this year due to being unaware of my own limitations in terms of watching gore.  Turns out, I’m quite a fan as this and a higher entry on the list will show.  Errors of the Human Body is a heartbreaking tale of genetic modification, mad scientists and failed relationships backed up by slick production, dark laughs and a steady, if slow for some pace.

5 – Before Dawn

One of a few feature debuts on this list – this one is from husband and wife team Dominic Brunt and Joanne Mitchell.  This was a film I was interested to see, but honestly did not expect that much from it and I was so glad to be proven wrong.  Zombie lore meets romantic drama as a troubled couple (played by Brunt and Mitchell) head off to a remote cottage in an attempt to save their marriage, blighted by husband Alex’s drinking problems brought on by losing his job.  There are some wonderful touches in this in relation to zombie mythology but at its heart remains a study of love and ultimately, despair (Aww..sweet).  The second film on this list to make me cry too.

4 – The Cabin in the Woods

I think the marketing for this film was one of the things to let it down.  The posters proclaimed it to be a ‘game-changer’ for the horror genre and this likely appealed to many fed up of the constant found-footage films, remakes/reboots and sequels being churned out.  However, ‘Cabin’ is not a game-changer at all.  What it is though, is great fun and this is probably the way it should have been sold to cinema goers.  The conventions and cliches being played with have already been tackled and some of the ‘you get the horror films you deserve’ points are a little heavy-handed, but it had me glued to my seat the first time I saw it and every time since too.  The only word I can ever use to describe it as is fun, and isn’t that enough sometimes?

3 – Sightseers

Ben Wheatley’s ‘Kill List’ took the number one spot in my top ten last year and the teaser clip for this had me very hopeful, with its tone very similar to British comedy series like Nighty Night – dark, biting and delightfully absurd.  Of course, last year the film I was looking forward to seeing most was The Wicker Tree and we all know how that one turned out, so I was prepared for disappointment.  Luckily, Sightseers did not disappoint and while probably not strictly a ‘horror’ film, work of this quality should be welcomed into the genre.  Amy Jump is fast becoming one of my favourite screen writers and her collaboration with stars Alice Lowe and Steve Oram for this film is hilarious.  I am strongly looking forward to Wheatley and Jump’s next project ‘A Field in England’, starring Julian Barratt, Reece Shearsmith and Michael Smiley, among others.

2 – Antiviral

Brandon Cronenberg’s first film is bleak, clinical and every bit as invasive as the needlework undertaken on-screen as it explores celebrity culture, cosmetic surgery and the obsessions surrounding both.  Caleb Landry Jones has a brilliant on-screen presence and often it seems like the environment has been built around him as the centre point.  It is beautiful, captivating and I still can’t believe it is Brandon Cronenberg’s feature debut.  It feels far more sophisticated than that.

1 – American Mary

American Mary could have won this simply with its soundtrack, which is honestly one of the best I’ve heard in a while and needs an official release.  While I’m mentioning the sound (without giving anything away like some of the latest trailers…grrr) there is a moment of sound in this film so well designed that it sounded like it was coming from inside the cinema.  Some fantastic prosthetic work, lashings of dark humour and not ignoring the seriousness of their story make it a very strong follow up to ‘Dead Hooker in a Trunk’.  I’m already interested to see what the Soska Sisters will tackle next as their first two films couldn’t be more different.  Katherine Isabelle is a compelling leading lady, but for me the star was Tristan Risk as Beatress, who ably switched from confident and comedic to tragic and fragile.  With any film as highly anticipated and praised as this one its bound to have its detractors, but for me its blend of ‘Nip/Tuck’-esque stylised surgery and snarky revenge film worked very well.

So there you have it!  I realise that no top 10 list will have everyone nodding in agreement so welcome others to submit their ideas about the films that maybe should have been included, or anything I’ve missed out that I should have seen.  I’m on Twitter @caitlynmdowns for any discussion.  Thanks for reading and I’m hoping to be able to announce a pretty cool project fairly soon…maybe even during this week.

Carnage After The End

This theme tends to do strange things to punctuation in headers so I’ll just clarify here that the title is meant to be Carnage: After the End.  Anyway, once again I am really pleased to be involved in the announcement of a new horror anthology from Sirens Call Publications.  More accurately, two new books, as After the End is split into two volumes, each with ten stories – a credit to how much writing talent there is right now.  So with no further ado, I will let the book explain itself to you, starting with volume one!

Carnage: After the End – Volume 1

The Apocalypse has come, leaving in its wake small pockets of survivors battling to stay alive; each carving out a new beginning for mankind.

The ten stories in Carnage: After the End – Volume 1 are the terrifyingly harsh and brutal realities those survivors must face. Each one takes us to a place where humanity’s stragglers are forced to battle with enemies outside of their control; mutant beasts, groups of depraved and desperate people, and the terrifying threat of a dwindling food supply. Their fight for survival gets even more difficult as they search among the tatters of civilization for the will to carry on.

In a world where society has collapsed and terror lurks around every corner, no one can be trusted and nothing can be taken for granted.

Hell has invaded and happy endings are a thing of the past…

Contributing Authors in Volume 1 include:

Kimberly A. Bettes, Shane Cashman, Shane R. Collins, Laura Diamond, Rodney James Galley, Michael Griffin, Russell Linton, Adam Millard, Christofer Nigro, and Julianne Snow.

 Carnage: After the End – Volume 1 can be found at any of these fine retailers:

CreateSpace

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Smashwords

Just in case one volume isn’t enough for you, then check out the details for volume two:

Carnage: After the End – Volume 2

Hell has invaded Earth and happy endings are a thing long since forgotten.

The ten stories in Carnage: After the End – Volume 2 tell of the frighteningly horrific and cruel lives the survivors must face. Each one takes us to a place where humanity’s stragglers are forced to battle for their very existence against their own grim reality; creatures from different worlds or times, individuals or groups of miscreants who feed on the fear of the weak, and even the terrifying threat of unknown bacterial organisms. Their will to go on diminishing among the tatters of the civilization they once knew.

In a world where society has collapsed and terror lurks around every corner, no one can be trusted and nothing can be taken for granted.

The Apocalypse has come, leaving in its wake small pockets of survivors battling to stay alive; each carving out a new beginning for mankind…

Contributing Authors in Volume 2 include

Angel D. Callido, Charlie Fish, Harper Hull, Magda Knight, Jason Lairamore, Harry Manners, Zachary O’Shea, Wednesday Silverwood, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and L.E. White.

Carnage: After the End – Volume 2 can found one at any of these fine retailers:

CreateSpace

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Smashwords

You can find more from Sirens Call Publications from the website or by contacting Kalla Monahan (@KallaMonahan) or Nina D’Arcangela (@Sotet_Angyal) on Twitter.

Abertoir 2012

As you’ve seen from the videos posted direct from the festival I had an awesome time at Abertoir 2012, but I still felt like there was room for a further write-up on it now that I’ve had some time to reflect on the whole thing.

What is wonderful about Abertoir is the fact that you don’t have to choose between screenings as you might with some larger festivals so its easier to take a chance on films that you’re not sure about or would probably not normally make the effort to see.  As a result, you can stumble upon some real gems and in some cases, even change your mind about certain sub-genres.  This was certainly true for me this year as before attending I had it set in my head that I was not a fan of body horror – however the cold and heartbreaking Errors of the Human Body and Brandon Cronenberg’s stunning debut Antiviral have changed my mind about that and I definitely want to find more films like them.  Suggestions via Twitter always welcomed.

There is truly something for everyone at Abertoir and that was certainly highlighted this year through the wide selection of classic and newly restored films showing alongside new projects from experienced and up and coming directors.  This is without even mentioning the wide range of sub-genres on offer, including musicals, thrillers and monster movies, as well as short films.

Another thing that Abertoir has is an incredible sense of community.  The organisers are incredibly welcoming and this obviously extends to the guests they are able to secure for Q&As.  Even those who are unable to attend send videos (some hilarious introductions like the directors of Resolution) and are usually well-received by the audience.  I would challenge anyone to find such a selection of films, talks and special events for as little as Abertoir charges.

So with all that said, I’ll discuss my personal favourites from the festival.  I had several favourites throughout the festival that changed in order throughout the week, but all remain very strong contenders and certainly future additions to my DVD collection.  Ultimately American Mary was my favourite film, closely followed by Sightseers (which was shown with wickedly funny short Him Indoors) with Errors of the Human Body, Antiviral, Resolution and Citadel close behind.  An honorable mention has to go to Sleep Tight, which actually had me checking under the bed after I saw it!  I’m hoping to have some full reviews of some up pretty soon.

Abertoir is Looming

Tomorrow I am off to Aberystwyth for a jam-packed six days of horror goodness.  I am also lucky enough to be involved in covering the festival with fellow horror blogger Hayley with coverage set to range from footage of talks and a Rocky Horror themed party to on-the-ground video reviews and reactions from festival-goers.  Very excited (and truth be told, a little nervous) about all this and hope that people will be interested in what we produce.  At the moment it is likely that I will be reblogging from Hayley’s blog, that can be accessed via this link to save on time spent uploading videos to two different computers.  Should also have some written reviews following the festival after I’ve recovered too.  Keep an eye on my twitter account (@caitlynmdowns) for bite-size morsels of what’s currently happening.

All in all I can’t wait for the festival and to share the experience with readers. I hope you’ll enjoy it.  Check out Abertoir for a full list of films, talks and stage shows that will be covered.

Entity Review

Due to the allhorror.net site not currently up I’ve decided to post this review here for now.  Hopefully, in time it’ll go up over there too.  I was lucky enough to see this film on Saturday as part of Abertoir and Chapter Arts team up over the Halloween weekend, culminating in a showing of The Evil Dead and Before Dawn tomorrow night (go to abertoir.co.uk/events/cardiff for more information – there is still time to book!).  This showing was only the second screening in the UK before it hit Celluloid Screams the day after, so pretty excited to be doing a review for it.

 

Entity (2012)

Director/Writer: Steve Stone

Starring: Dervla Kirwan, Charlotte Riley & Michael David Worden

 

Entity follows Kate (Charlotte Riley) a producer/presenter working on a programme called ‘Darkest Secrets’, aiming to investigate the mysterious discovery of a mass burial ground, along with members of her team Matt (Rupert Hill) and David (Oliver Jackson).  The team are also joined by psychic Ruth Peacock (Dervla Kirwan) who serves to lead them to the site and also provide some contact with the deceased in an attempt to discover what happened to them, while Yuri Levkov (Branko Tomovic), has his own, darker reasons for participating in the investigation.

 

 

If anything can plunge horror fans into despair at the moment, it’s the arrival of yet another found footage film.  Luckily, director of Entity Steve Stone, despite looking to programmes like Most Haunted for inspiration has made a film that utilises the more effective elements of found footage, while still creating a film without the usual trappings of the sub-genre.  This is achieved through the switching between the first-person shaky-cam style and the more conventional filming style so you’re not left reaching for sick bags from being shaken around for the full run-time.  What this does, however, is make the inevitable shaky-cam segments all the more effective.

 

 

It is refreshing to watch a low-budget that does not suffer from a weak link amongst its actors, with all playing their respective parts well and with subtle nods to character pasts and motives without having to explicitly tell the audience all about their backgrounds.  It is no wonder that the film has already secured distribution as it cuts straight to what horror audiences really like and keeps the action moving.  The haunting performance of Michael David Worden as Mischka is incredible, considering Worden’s relative lack of experience and adds greatly to the atmosphere.  It does subvert some common horror tropes by refusing to follow a character’s reaction to something in the distance with a reverse shot, meaning that the suspense is kept up and the Entity is not always revealed completely to the audience.

With director Stone’s background in digital art there is an expectation that the focus will be on impressive visuals and while the visuals of the asylum where much of the action takes place are suitably daunting, the sound design is the real heart of the film.  It is, without a doubt, one of the best uses of sound in an independent feature that I have experienced.  The cinema rumbled and creaked along with the film asylum and frequently built to borderline painful ear-piercing screeches that put the audience in the same space as the on-screen characters.
I would give it a very strong 5 out of 5 and urge people to check out the website http://www.entitythemovie.com for more information and forthcoming screenings.  For the sake of a better experience I would strongly suggest seeing it in a cinema if possible, just to be able to ‘feel’ that sound.

Abertoir Takes Cardiff

With my pass already purchased for Abertoir in Aberystwyth from the 6th to the 11th of November I’ve been impatiently counting down the days.  Luckily, Abertoir are a great bunch of people who believe in horror all year around and for the first time are venturing outside Aberystwyth for a few horror-filled days to Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre from October 26th to the 31st. Full details are available from the Abertoir site.  One of the most exciting things for me personally though is the chance to see The Evil Dead on the big screen at Halloween.

My reaction is pretty much summed up by a simple gif:

 

Portmanteau Horrors

I’m going to start this blog by just stating that I’ve still yet to see a huge number of portmanteau or ‘anthology’ horrors but due to being excited about V/H/S wanted to take a look at those I’ve enjoyed most.  I’m grateful to any lovely people who can suggest any others to watch, either on the comments here, or on Twitter @caitd5.  Likelihood of spoilers is pretty high.

 

 Arguably the first portmanteau horror is Dead of Night and despite its release in 1945 is still thought of highly to this day.  It does hold up well, threading together the stories, blended with elements of comedy and the ever-spooky ventriloquist dummy and builds towards a shocking climax.  It sets the scene for future portmanteau films by weaving together the stories in an interesting way, preventing what could be a simple film gimmick into a successful, enjoyable and yes, at times scary piece of work.  This pioneering work clearly inspired the work of Amicus studios throughout the 1970s as they adapted horror comics into films starring some of the biggest names in horror.

One of these comic adaptations is The Vault of Horror and contains my favourite segment of any anthology horror (so far) ‘Midnight Mess’ and also my second favourite ‘The Neat Job’.  The framing device for the film involves a group of men (including Dr Who star Tom Baker) entering a lift, that instead of taking them to their desired floor opens out to a basement room where chairs are arranged in a circle.  The men all take a seat and begin to tell tales of strange dreams they have had in which they meet their demise.  While the content has certainly aged the stories have a camp, dark humour to them and the sense of the grotesque that I really love.  The idea of blood on tap, direct from the neck of a still-living human being remains a horrifying idea, as does the frustration and anger of a housewife who, unable to keep up with her husband’s meticulous sorting regimes decides to kill him, chop him up and store him in carefully labelled jars.

The segment ‘The Neat Job’ clearly inspired the Dawn French segment of the Psychoville Halloween segment in which the tale is modernised to include the perils of improper recycling.  Creators Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith use the anthology formula in order to set-up a variety of different stories that would be unable to fit into the Psychoville storylines but still, through a bit of clever writing, manages to further and set-up the second series.  It’s a device the pair used alongside Jeremy Dyson and Mark Gatiss for The League of Gentlemen Christmas Special to use some of their characters in a different way while still remaining true to the worlds they have created.  Mark Gatiss also used a form of portmanteau story telling in his fantastic series Crooked House, that moves through different times of the house and the effect it has on its inhabitants.

The thing I really love about anthology horrors is that they allow for a wide variety of horror themes.  It can deal with the supernatural, serial killers or any other sub-genre of horror in small chunks.  Most anthologies include paranoia, revenge, betrayal, grief and obsession which are integral to the nature of horror.  For example, in ‘The House That Dripped Blood’, one of the stories concerns a horror author who begins to see his serial killer creation Dominic around the house, often attacking his wife.  This theme of obsession and the dark interests of those who work in horror works well as a story opener.  The sight of Dominic is one of the more genuinely creepy things within the often camp nature of some of Amicus’ output.

Another great thing about the anthology horror is the line up of cult and horror names involved in the productions.  Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliot, Anna Massey, Tom Baker and Vincent Price have all been a part of one or more and the format often allows them to play against type.  A good example of which is found in ‘The House That Dripped Blood’ where Christopher Lee appears to be playing the role of a villain before a twist in the tale showcases his talents in a different way.  Of course, the performances that conform to their usual roles are just as fun, with Vincent Price explaining the breeds and cross breeds of various monsters in ‘The Monster Club’ being a particular highlight.

So that’s my little ramble about anthology horrors, inspired by the fact that V/H/S is out soon, the format of which (if successful) could allow new directors to collaborate with others and hone their craft by working on smaller tales, but with the creativity to weave them together.  My only problem with V/H/S is that its another found footage film and they really have outworn their welcome, but at least there’s a little change to the format and the handover to a variety of directors should inject some life into the genre.  Plus, who can argue with how cool that poster is?

Thanks for reading and as already stated at the start of the blog all suggestions for more anthology horrors are welcomed, either here or on Twitter.

1 Year and 10 Days

I’ve been terribly inept and neglectful lately due to ongoing work but am going to try and post more regularly from now on.  Worst of all I’ve even missed commemorating the 1st birthday of Scared Sheepless by 10 days.  So this post will just be a little catch-up type of deal then I can sort some more (hopefully interesting) stuff out for the next few weeks.

Scared Sheepless came directly from my starting to write horror film reviews for AllHorror.net, where I realised that I didn’t just like writing about the films themselves, but rather those things around it.  A huge thanks first off to Robin and Julie for being so awesome and not only giving me the opportunity to write for such a great site, but also for recommending Martyrs – a film that still hasn’t left my head.  I’ve always had really great responses from people who’ve read the reviews, even if they disagree with what I’ve said, people have always been polite.

So about a year or so ago I was in a little market stall and saw a possessed Regan in bed that had sound and movement and I realised that was the sort of wonderful thing I wanted to write about.  Coupled with this is the fact that The Exorcist is one of my favourite films ever (and a fair candidate, I think, for one of the best films ever made) and I came back to find out more about the merchandise and Merchandise Monday was born.

Following on from this I was able to attend my first film festival – Abertoir in Aberystwyth.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many films in such a short amount of time.  The Abertoir organisers are great and really do find and showcase some gems.  Also met some other wonderful film fans who I’d been able to speak to a little bit on Twitter, but nothing bonds a group of people like heavy drinking at Inn on the Pier.  Look out for Moore and Roberts too who are currently doing some great audio/visual reviews.  Looking forward to going back again this year to see what will be showcased and hopefully getting some reviewing done.  One of the best things to happen as a result of Abertoir and AllHorror was that my review of Some Guy Who Kills People was used in a press piece for Newcastle Cinema…the finished piece is still one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen and I can’t quite believe its my words on there.

Also huge thanks to authors like Jake Bannerman and Julianne Snow (and Sirens Call Publications as a whole) for being so accomodating and being interviewed and doing guest posts for the blog.  I’m pleased to say that I’ve yet to encounter anyone unpleasant or difficult in my time of writing stuff, so long may that continue.  So with that said, I’m hoping to get back into the blogging and try and include more opinion type pieces.  Thanks to everyone who has read or retweeted my reviews or blog entries, it means a lot.  Now on to year 2!

Twisted Realities Blog Tour

Twisted Tales: Of Myth and Monstrosity is a collection of twelve tales from twelve different authors who used their creative talents to reach back into the lore of times gone by and put their own twist on the tales we’ve all heard. Think you know them all?

A soul for a soul, but what of the cost? A found treasure, but what would you sacrifice to keep it? What lurks in the enchanted woods, coming for the thing you treasure most? Recognize them, do you? You may recognize the fable, but you’ve yet to hear the tale told through the mind’s eye of the twelve authors in this collection – they are not what you would necessarily expect them to be!

Myth or reality…

Explore the twelve tales of horror and intrigue in Twisted Realities: Of Myth and Monstrosity and ask yourself, what would you consider a fair price to pay for life immortal… or the chance of life at all?

Would a young woman pass up a shiny bauble if she believed it to be nothing more than a harmless trinket? What transpires once a year in a peaceful and remote village that no one will ever speak of? What better way for a broken man to honor a crippled existence than with a memorial of blood and vengeance? How could a disfigured woman ever dream of chancing across an object that would restore her beauty – and at what cost?

Follow the twists and turns of each writer as they delve into the legends of days gone by, as well as the consequences that are wrought when myths and monstrosities collide with our world.

Contributing Authors include:

Thomas James Brown, Nina D’Arcangela, K. Trap Jones, Amber Keller, Lisamarie Lamb, Edward Lorn, Alexa Muir, Kate Monroe, Joseph A. Pinto, J. Marie Ravenshaw, Julianne Snow, and Jonathan Templar

Twisted Realities: Of Myth and Monstrosity is available in print and digital forms from these find retailers:

Print: Amazon, CreateSpace

eBook: Amazon, Amazon.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.it, Amazon.es, Smashwords (Nook, Kobo, Sony and Kindle eReaders)

Excerpts from three of the twelve magnificent stories contained within Twisted Realities: Of Myth and Monstrosity. For a preview of all 12 stories, please go to SirensCallPublications.com

The Plight of Phaylen Ponsford – Julianne Snow

Each thin layer of dirt removed had the potential to reveal a relic of a lost time; perhaps a treasure of incalculable value. Phaylen had wanted to be an archaeologist for as long as she could remember. The desire stemmed from the continual playback of a childhood favourite that still held her spellbound; good old Indy never let her down. With all of the bad things that had befallen Phaylen, Indy always remained a constant source of inspiration. Even after the fire.

It happened when Phaylen was nine. An electrical short in one of the wires connecting her favourite pink lamp with the frilly nightshade to the wall. It could have picked any point in its life to short out, but instead it chose a moment when a young Phaylen was sleeping next to it. Within that instant her life changed – in the worst possible way.

Gone were her frilly pink lamp, her bed that had once been covered in a pink and purple polka dotted bedspread, and all her toys.  In their stead was just pain; both physical and emotional.

Phaylen had always been a heavy sleeper; a trait that her alcoholic mother had once considered a Godsend. In the wake of the devastation and the mounting medical bills, she began to consider it a curse.

It wasn’t long before she considered Phaylen cursed as well.

The Silver Comb – J. Marie Ravenshaw

Aisling pulled up close to the garage – knowing that both stalls would be in use – and turned off the car. She grabbed the groceries and her purse. Deciding to leave her books in the car -she didn’t need to crack them until Sunday anyway- she slid out and slammed the door behind her.

Aisling glanced toward the front door, mapping out the path she would take in the utter darkness. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a shadow flit by at the edge of the woods. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned toward the area. Narrowing her eyes, she yelled, “Who’s there?” No answer. Chills ran up her spine, making her shiver in response.

A thought crossed her mind, making her smile and immediately staving off her fear. She yelled again. “Cal? You messin’ with me again? ‘Cause if you are …” She shook her head and continued toward the front door.

As she stepped onto the bottom step, the porch light came on, illuminating the front yard and temporarily blinding her. She raised her arm to shield her face from the bright light. Her eyes widened as the front door opened to reveal…

Drakul – K. Trap Jones

My name is Drakul and I have become a lost cause, a faded shadow of my former self. I was once a loyal follower of Dionysus, the God of grape harvest and wine, until the others discovered my weakness. Immortality flows through my veins along with the wine, but only one of them actually helps me to erase the memories of my past. I turn to my friendly liquid for acceptance and for denial of what I have become. I am a satyr; half-goat, half-man, but a full drunkard. I am immortal, but death can greet me from the hands of any God.

The wine has become my only friend, for it is that within the goblet that I truly consider my companion; but alas, even he is not above betraying me on occasion. I had an unfortunate event that pushed me away from the glory of the Gods to where I find myself today. Before I wallow too deep in the present, allow me to reflect upon the past. For it is within the sands of time that my prosperity truly reigns supreme. It was within the protection of the Gods where I truly became gifted, but it was within the winery orchards where I found my betrayers.

Childhood Nightmares Under The Bed

 

“Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed”

 An anthology from Sirens Call Publications

Edited by Kate Monroe, this collection of tales of night time terrors range from the literal interpretation of who’s Under the Bed, to the sinister and complex workings of the subconscious mind on many different levels. What is in the hall; who is downstairs; am I really awake; are you my friend? All these questions and more are answered by the twisted minds of the twelve horror authors who dazzled us with their interpretations of Childhood Nightmares. Beware! You may begin to have a few of your own after reading their infectious tales…

Those whispered tales of monsters hiding under the bed, or of the demons lurking in the shadowy corner where we dare not glance for fear that seeing them will make them all too real. Oh, how the innocent landscape of a child’s imagination lends fertile soil to horrors ready to be sown on the slightest of sounds; the tales and the terror they wreak on our youthful minds never quite leaves us.

We asked the authors in this collection to reach into the forgotten recesses of their twisted minds and share with us the tales of nightmares that can only thrive in the hidden corners of a child’s imaginings; the bogeyman under the bed, the outlandishly fiendish creature lurking in the dark, the slight murmur of sound coming from the hall… did you close the door completely?

Explore the myriad terrors that only a child can twist from nothing into some ‘thing’ in the span of a single rapid breath. Do you dare delve into your own memories? Perhaps you’ll start sleeping with the lights on again…

Tell us, who is Under the Bed?

 

Contributing Authors:  Colin F. Barnes, Nina D’Arcangela, Phil Hickes, Amber Keller,

Kim Krodel, Lisamarie Lamb, John McIlveen, Kate Monroe, Brandon Scott,

Joshua Skye, Julianne Snow, and Jack Wallen

Want a copy of ‘Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed’ for yourself? Visit:

eBook:                  Amazon.com, Amazon.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it

Smashwords.com (Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony, PDF)

Print book:          Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com

 Here is a small sampling of “Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed”,

followed by a link to a free preview of all twelve stories.

 

‘Baby Teeth’  – Kim Krodel

“She adds every tooth she gets to her disgusting smile.  But the screws keep growing out of her gums.  She never runs out of space for more teeth.”

“Why does she want them?”  Brian’s voice was small.  His eyes bugged, as if the skeletons stacked in God’s closet were tumbling out at his feet.

“For biting, Dummy.  She likes to eat little kids.”  Cal grinned as he spoke.  “If she bites you with her screws, your skin gets stuck to ‘em, so she likes teeth better; so she doesn’t have to floss so much.”

“No, she doesn’t.  She’s nice—she gives presents!  Mom said!”

“That’s what Mom wants you to think.  Otherwise you’d freak out about it.”

Brian blinked, staring and processing; weighing his brother’s words against those he had gathered from adults.

“See this?”  Cal rolled up a pant leg to reveal a jagged run of lumpy, silver skin.  “She bit me hard the first tooth I lost ‘cause I didn’t know what was coming.  Now I’m big enough to fight her off.”  Calvin posed like a weight-lifter…”

 

‘Shades of Red’ – Colin F. Barnes

“Two thuds come from beyond the door. Probably just his mother falling, dropping the bottle.  Hollow rasps come from the corner of Mitchell’s dark bedroom: between the old, rickety wardrobe that creaks if you walk too close to it, and the dresser with the broken drawer front.

Mitchell conjures images of Scamp, their pet dog: a mongrel of various terriers and common working dogs. He pictures his little whiskery face, his excited panting. Anything to stop thinking about…the Shade. But it won’t go away. It’s stuck in his mind like a leech. Growing fat on the fear.

Is it darker in that corner than normal? Is that an outline of something…is it…moving?

Mitchell whirls away and pulls the duvet over his face. Sweat forms quickly on his forehead as he breathes hot air under the stifling cover. It’s not real, just your imagination. It’s not—

A quiet laughter. The voice muffled as if obstructed. Mitchell raises the duvet slightly. Just enough so he can peer out and check that corner again. He wishes he hadn’t. A pair of red orbs float in the gap. He screams for his mother. No answer…”

 

‘Show and Tell’ – Kate Monroe

“He belatedly realized that tonight, there had still been no answer, no response. He leaned over the edge of the bed and cautiously lifted the sheets.

“Are you there?”

A blast of fetid air; putrid, repellent.

Satisfied, Tommy continued.

“I wish they’d bloody die.” Awestruck by his bravery in making the grand pronouncement, he allowed himself a few moments in which to savor the forbidden words on his tongue before he spoke again. “Yeah, I do. I wish they’d both just shut up and die.”

A sigh, no stronger than the breeze outside, lifted up the bed sheets and danced around Tommy’s bare feet, curling up his toes as he pursed his thin lips.

“What do you think, then?”

Before any answer could come from under the bed, shuffling footsteps announced his great-aunt’s arrival in his room…”

Please visit Sirens Call Publications for an extended preview of Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed available for download.