Tag: horror books

The Dead Civil War by Kenneth W. Cain

Synopsis

It takes only one maniac to destroy the world.

Family is often at the heart of our intent. When that which we hold dear is threatened, our hand is forced. This is the reason so many work all day at a job they would prefer to leave. Each day we do what we can to provide for those we love.

America; land of the free, home of the brave. What if this place we call home erupted in sudden turmoil? What if the very people who protect our country, began turning their guns on each other instead of our enemies? What if one man could use that disjointed state to his advantage, to destroy everything we believe in—our faith, our homes, and our families?

In the near future the United States finds itself divided between two parties that are slowly decimating America from the inside out. While our nation battles, countries from around the world notice our disarray and make their move to either stake claim to near-abandoned territories or seal themselves off from the evolving horror completely. The United States has become a nation of Republicans versus Democrats, torn between the red and the blue. And who decides how America will move forward when the dust settles? One man.

When all is accounted for, there are sides that will remain. Lines will be drawn in the sand, between men and women, the living and the dead. And these sides will form packs.

Some of these packs we can trust. But others, those of the undead, are based on different principles. These are packs driven by one sole motive, to feed. Their hunger is a driving force and the virus, having given them life, continues to prove unstable, ever mutating.

As the struggle for power resurfaces, the United States is faced with many hardships. New problems demand unique approaches, and a leader emerges from out of the ruin. This forerunner will cure our land and lead this nation under his watch, rebuild it with his hands, and rule with an iron fist.

Who will help the United States return to what it once was—a strong nation, by the people and for the people? Who will rise up against this tyranny that has taken over, led us astray? Who of you will endure these struggles with us and fight for the America that we know and love?

Sydney Forrester is this person. She is a trailblazer, fearless in the shadow of the dead. She will fight, relying on her intuition and the sharp edge of her sword. She is the woman who will gather the reigns of this fight and drive us toward a better tomorrow.

It will take strength to refocus her husband, to return him to the man he once was. Despite their years of separation, they will brave the unknown in hopes of reuniting with their young son.

Before this small group of people can mend a nation, they must first heal their pasts. Some of them have secrets they have kept hidden for fear of facing the truth. The horror that they too might be responsible is a constant threat to their weakening souls. Until they can stand on their own two feet, how could they possibly save America?

Sydney cannot fight this battle alone. She will need help. It will take the union of her fragmented family, the realization of one half of a twisted relationship between two reckless brothers, the truth of one mysterious zombie, the courageousness of a distraught jester, the steady mind of a criminal and a dragon. Together they will fight for what they have always held high, their freedom. They must confront the man who has crippled this nation. Together they will make those who have committed crimes against America pay for their heinous acts.

Even if they do succeed, will it be enough? Can America be saved? And if it is, will it ever learn from its mistakes? Only time will tell, but there will always be those who rise up against the evils in this world. Sydney and her friends are among those willing to fight. Are you ready to fight with them? Are you ready to battle the undead?

Prepare yourself. Only you can determine the future of this country.

Blurb

“Tough and honest, The Dead Civil War has got some serious teeth to it.  Think Patrick Henry goes to Zombieland, because that’s what Cain has in store for you!” – Joe McKinney, author MUTATED and INHERITANCE

Bio

Kenneth W. Cain writes dark fiction from his home in eastern Pennsylvania, where he lives with his wife and two children. He is the author of several novels and short fiction, including his acclaimed collection These Old Tales. His work has appeared alongside such notable authors as Hill, Barker, Ketchum, Braunbeck, Maberry and more.

He became interested in the art of storytelling at a young age, spending hours listening to his grandfather spin tales beside the light of a barrel fire in southern Illinois.  Darkness, fear, mystery, and a bit of the unknown were elements the old man wove into his stories that Kenneth relies on in his own tales.

He discovered his passion for dark fiction spending one too many graveyards shifts on-call for the local Pepperidge Farm cookie plant.  He immersed himself in a world full of books, late night television, and chronic nightmarish dreams, embracing his own fears through his writing and artwork. It intrigued him enough to study creative writing in college in order to hone his skills.

Before writing, Kenneth spent more than twenty sleepless years in the graphic design industry. Kenneth remains a loyal fan of the Cardinals (baseball and football), the 76er’s and the Flyers. He also does formatting and digital conversion work for various publications, including the Lovecraft eZine.

Kenneth’s deepest wish is to share his stories, to have them read. Perhaps his tales will bring you a chill or make you think twice about locking your front door. Either way, he is grateful for his dear readers and hopes you enjoy.

You can learn more on his website.

Available in Trade Paperback or eBook:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

NightWhere by John Everson

2012 Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Achievement in a Novel!

Synopsis

She yearned to go beyond… but some curtains should never be opened.

When Rae broached the idea of visiting an underground sex club, Mark didn’t blink. He should have. Because NightWhere is not your usual swingers club. Where it’s held on a given night…only those who receive the red invitations know. Soon Rae is indulging in her lust for pain. And Mark is warned by a beautiful stranger to take his wife away before it’s too late.

But it’s already too late. Because Rae hasn’t come home. Now Mark is in a race against time—to find NightWhere again and save his wife from the mysterious Watchers who run the club. To stop her from taking that last step through the degradations of The Red into the ultimate BDSM promise of The Black. More than just their marriage and her life are at stake: Rae is in danger of losing her soul…

Reviews

“NightWhere isn’t for everybody…Think Hellraiser meets Basic Instinct, and you have some idea about the dark contents of this novel. That being said, I loved NightWhere.”
–Hellnotes

“I can guarantee once you start NightWhere you will not be able to put it down; it sinks its hooks into you and you just have to turn the next page to see what will happen next.”
–Famous Monsters of Filmland

“…extremely well written, providing the kind of reading experience you get from Cormac McCarthy’s The Road or Scott Smith’s The Ruins — relentless in both realism and emotional impact.”
–The Horror Review

“The dialogue is crisp, the plotting is fast-paced — it’s a very confident piece of work, regardless of the subject matter. And is it scary? Yes, at times NightWhere is very scary…because this is a novel that can go anywhere. And it does.”
–Bloody Disgusting

“NightWhere is a darkly erotic, deeply disturbing and hauntingly engaging tale that took my breath away – literally…  This tale of heightened eroticism, degradation, masochism, graphic violence and often horrific imagery is the proverbial scrape across a chalk board or the fingernail stroke down one’s spine that elicits an aching twinge and shudder; and, weirdly, leaves you wanting more. NightWhere may not be ‘hauntingly beautiful’, but it’s a hell of a good read.”
–Dark Haven Book Reviews

Bio

John Everson is a staunch advocate for the culinary joys of the jalapeno and an unabashed fan of 1970s European horror cinema. He is also the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of seven novels, including the erotic horror tour de force of NightWhere and the occult / urban legend mystery of The Pumpkin Man. Other novels include Covenant, Sacrifice, The 13th and the upcoming spider-driven Violet Eyes. His tales have been translated into Polish, French, Italian, Turkish and German and optioned for potential film development. His short stories have been gathered in a handful of collections, including the Cage of Bones & Other Deadly Obsessions and Needles & Sins. A 10th anniversary edition of his Vigilantes of Love was reissued in 2013. You can learn more about John on his website.

You can watch a reading from NightWhere at Chicago’s Tuesday Funk live reading series on YouTube.

NightWhere is available in Trade Paperback or Kindle on Amazon.

Pray Lied Eve by Lydia Peever

Synopsis

Kaia is haunted by fingerprints marring the basement door. No matter how hard she scrubs, they return over and over. The only things in the cellar are old Halloween decorations, and she double checks, everyday. 

Connor has sighted the most miraculous and mysterious thing in his life. Either no one else can see them, or no one believes it. Ice balls larger than a fist smash to the ground regularly. When the church bells ring just right, another one falls. 

Laurel knows animals can talk. Sometimes they ask her to do things. One will explain why they have always been drawn to her. By that time, she has grown and so have they; into hideous demons with terrible demands.

Bio

Lydia Peever is a journalist and horror author living in Ottawa. With articles in some newspapers and a few magazines, she is currently working on the sequel to her violent vampire novel, Nightface published by Post Mortem Press.

With too many hobbies and diverse interests, you may find her researching genealogy in a dusty library, profiling artists for ottawahorror.com, or taking photos at a punk show. By day, she haunts trendy cafés, tends poison flowerbeds, and photographs roadkill.

You can find her short fiction Crocodile Rot in Dark Moon Digest #10, Thicker Than in For When the Veil Drops from West Pigeon Press, and The Tapestry in the forthcoming Postscripts to Darkness IV.

The final story in Pray Lied Eve, ‘Bad Shepherd’ has been read by fellow author Nelson W. Pyles for The Wicked Library horror podcast. You can listen here.

You can learn more about Lydia’s work on her website.

You can purchase the Trade Paperback or Kindle on Amazon.

Preta’s Realm by J. Thorn

Synopsis

Drew works hard, pays his taxes, and loves his family. But when a visit from the spirit of his deceased grandfather coincides with the violent murder of two co-workers, Drew falls into a desperate spiral of delusion and betrayal as the demons of the past drag him into Preta’s Realm.

Bio

J. Thorn believes in the imaginative power of the horror novel and the escape from reality it provides. He knows that embracing the entire spectrum of human emotion, even its dark realms, makes for a more meaningful and authentic life. You can learn more on his website.

Available in Trade Paperback and Kindle on Amazon.

Extinction Machine by Jonathan Maberry

Synopsis

The President of the United States vanishes from the White House.

Phoenix by Steve Byrne

Synopsis

Vietnam 1967.

Something monstrous has risen from the ashes of war…

When the US marines enter the hidden village of Mau Giang, they unleash an ancient darkness from within its temple walls. A fearful secret kept for generations by the native Montagnard tribespeople.

Abraham Curtis travels to Vietnam to visit his sister Jenny, an aid worker in Saigon. Together they join a humanitarian convoy into the Central Highlands, where Jenny is to adopt a child orphaned by the conflict.

But the influence of the breached temple is spreading its contagion across the combat zones of Vietnam like gangrene through flesh, and soon it will destroy Bram’s world. Pursued by a bloodthirsty cult, he must search for his missing sister through the war-torn wastelands, his only companions deserters, rebel soldiers and a woman who may not be quite human.

Across the world, protestors line the streets. The battle lines are drawn – war and peace, hawk or dove. Is this the apocalyptic coming of the Man of Blood, prophesised by Nostradamus? On panic filled streets, during the Fall of Saigon, Bram will find his answer.

Bio

Steve Byrne has an obsession with all things horror that led him to begin writing novels . Many years ago he had some short stories published in various small press magazines, and was hawking four books around various publishers. But then the bottom dropped out of both the horror market, and Steve’s world. He didn’t write for a long while. But now he’s back, with an axe to grind. You’d better take cover – ‘cause it ain’t gonna be pretty! You can learn more about Steve on his website.

You can download the Kindle edition on Amazon US or Amazon UK. The Trade Paperback will be available soon.