RELENTLESS by Jonathan Maberry

I’m a Marvel guy. You probably wonder what that has to do with the latest Joe Ledger tale, RELENTLESS, from Jonathan Maberry. Stick with me, I will get there. Over the years, I have stretched and twisted and turned to many other comic book publishers, but I always came back to my favorite hero—Spider-Man. Even in his darkest days, there was humor and hope, and an overwhelming desire to do what was right—at least in the end. But I have a dark secret. It is the yang to my yin. The shadow that follows that optimism of Peter or Miles or whoever was wearing the webbing. The Dark Knight—Batman. Vengeance, pain, and the noirish sensibilities that bleed from the Dark Knight as he fought, in his own way, for what was right—often at significant cost. I think there is this duality in all of us—warring sides that fight for control. At least that is the way of my life. Batman—the ultimate anti-superhero. Yes, he wears spandex and a mask. And there’s that cape. It makes for great visuals and has saved his life more than a time or two, but in reality, it must cause more problems than it’s worth. And there’s the kernel. Reality. Batman is just a guy. Albeit an extremely rich guy, but he has no superpowers. He must rely upon his training and his tech and a lot of other people despite his innate ability to go it on his own. He is a detective and a vigilante. Over the many years, the writers have brutalized our poor hero in so many ways that I’m sure we have all lost count. He has been beaten, broken, and had to watch so many of his loved ones die horrible deaths. And THAT leads me back to Joe Ledger. He has been on a similar path.

Unlike Batman and his deontological convictions about means, Ledger has no problem killing. In fact, he has made an art of it. Just as we have certainly lost count of the ways the many writers have tortured Batman over the eighty-plus years he has lived (and died), keeping a ledger of all Joe’s kills would be impossible. This is the enormous difference between these two icons of pop culture, but they have much more in common than not. In RELENTLESS, Ledger’s reputation is more than enough to put a bowel-loosing scare into all but the scariest of Joe’s adversaries.

For those of you who are new to this series, you don’t have to have read RAGE, or even the first 10 Ledger books before reading this one. The author always skillfully gives the reader just enough so they are not lost. That said, I would highly recommend busting your piggy bank open and hitting your favorite indy bookstore to purchase all of them—including the anthologies. And if you want a signed copy, I think the good folks at one of Maberry’s favorite haunts, Mysterious Galaxy, might be able to coerce him into signing the whole shebang for you. If you really want a treat, buy the books AND the audiobooks. Ray Porter makes any Joe Ledger book a special treat. The series is a weird science, military thriller that brings to life many of the ghoulies and horrors of your most current nightmares. Be warned. There is a LOT of killing.

RELENTLESS smartly kicks off months after the heart-breaking, soul-crushing events of RAGE. It is dark. It is messy. And it is thrilling. If I had one complaint, it was that this book almost felt too big. At times, reading this one overwhelmed me. There was so much happening with so many characters out of Ledger’s past, present, and do I dare say, the future, that my head was reeling. It was like Maberry took everything bad that ever happened to Joe and everyone left that has done him wrong and told Bug to run them through his super-tech shredder and then did a Dr. Frankenstein on them all for poor Joe. Maberry has a knack for nearly destroying the world and somehow pulling us back from the edge, if only for a few more pages. And he always leaves us wondering dread is next, just as he always leaves us wanting more. This book is RELENTLESS.

Catriona' Wards Latest

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET is a dark and twisty tale that deftly stitches together a number of POVs starting with Ted. We are then introduced to his daughter and his cat, among others. We hear their tales of Little Girl with Popsicle, the Teds, the Green Boys, and so much more. It has been called a masterpiece, and rightly so. This sad and terrifying story feels more like a spell. Saying more—even a little—would be an injustice to the reader. Go into this one as if you were exploring the creepy, haunted house at the end of the street. The one that even the bravest fears to tread. The house where the owner could come home at any minute and catch you. 

This is a horror and a thriller. It comes at you with a slow creep—like a dripping water torture, but with acid. That's not to say there are no heartwarming moments. They are there but you have been warned, this novel will niggle and gnaw at the corners of your brains, and purr along at just the right clip until you are feeling nice and comfortable with your darkest fears. That’s when you’ll find that knife in your belly. Buckle up, pilgrims, because Ward is in full control and, believe me, you’ll want someone as skilled and crafty behind the wheel on this inimitable and harrowing ride down Needless Street.

Ted’s story is disturbing on so many levels, but the writer makes it worth it. It is my introduction to Catriona Ward’s writing. This book is a triumph. I cannot wait to see this one brought to the big screen. Andy Serkis will certainly have his hands full with the adaptation. Now, I must away, to find her other novels. 

The audiobook I listened to, narrated by Christopher Ragland, was provided to me courtesy of the publisher, Macmillan Audio, #NetGalley, and the author in exchange for my review. I am thrilled to have been able to get a sneak peek.

THE QUEEN OF THE CICADAS by V. Castro

I really wanted to love this book—like five stars love it, and I did through the first part of this story. It is one of obsession, retribution, and revenge and spans several timelines and characters with the primary focus on Milagros and Belinda. V. Castro weaves the sad and brutal tale of Milagros Santos. Here the author exposed us to the everyday horrors that face migrant farmworkers with the folkloric terror found in such stories as Bloody Mary or the Candyman. Castro uses Belinda as both our guide and our anchor to the modern world until we lose her to her obsession with the story of La Reina de las Chicharras, the Queen of the Cicadas.

I found myself languishing about two-thirds of the way in, making finishing this novel longer than I had hoped. I think the author had too many good ideas and tried too hard to make them all work. For those not much on erotica, the story is not crawling with it but it is there. In the end, Castro tied everything together nicely. She pulled me back into the story and gave me an ending to go along with the great beginning. Castro has crafted a tale that is equally mystical, magical, and folkloric. She is certainly an author who will be on my radar for years to come. 

I reviewed a digital ARC generously provided by the author, V. Castro, and publisher, Flame Tree Press, via NetGalley at no cost, obligation, or remuneration. I opted to review this title.

Come October, this Writer becomes an Author

 I can only share a little. That's the way of the publishing world. I have an announcement.

My work has finally found a home. I have a piece of flash fiction (a short, short story) that a literary journal will publish in October. More details as I can share. 

What I can share is that I will have achieved one of my biggest goals this year—a dream, to be sure. Since 2019, when I started writing much more seriously, I hired a writing coach, Max Gorlov from across the pond, I have taken several classes to strengthen my writing skills, and I have been in a constant cycle of submissions and rejections—short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. Max helped me see through quite a few errors and problems that I had with my novel—a work of 13 years. I was over 85,000 words in when I hired him to help me write my first novel. I think that the hardest part was to have to ditch that first, uncompleted draft and rework it. I should break 100,000 words in the rewrite within the month and finish this year for certain. I was a 'pantser' with no structure or plan. A 'pantser' is someone who writes from the seat of his pants. The alternative would be to be a 'plotter.' That is someone who outlines and methodically maps out where almost everything goes. While I live my life so much more like a 'pantser,' I have come to the realization that I NEED to be a 'plantser.' That will satisfy my nature and the reality of life. 

I have many people to thank for their support and inspiration as I transition into retirement to add this skill/art to my repertoire. They don't let you add an acknowledgment section in a literary journal for a piece of flash fiction. Of course, I owe almost everything to my wife, Linda​, for her support, love, and belief in me and my dream. My daughter, Lian, has also been there for me. They have both been beta readers, critics, and cheerleaders. I would not have made it this far without them. My lifelong friends, Ray​ and Skip​, the horror/writing community on social media (Jonathan Maberry, Gabino Iglesias, Cina Pelayo, Stephen Graham Jones,  Cat Cavendish, Victor LaValle, and so many others) who have been more than generous. My mother, Jean, for an undying love that ALWAYS supported me and kept me on my path. And that guy in the CBS Sunday Morning story that I posted below, our Uncle Stevie. He has thrown more scares into me and shared so much on the art of writing that it would be a horror not to mention him.

The Whammy Weekend

Growing up, this was always a crazy weekend for me. June 19 is my parents’ anniversary. June 20 is my mother’s birthday. And if these two dates sandwiched together weren’t enough, they usually occurred over Father’s Day Weekend. I didn’t call it ‘The Whammy Weekend’ back then, but I should have. I struggled with what to do for these two wonderful parents that God blessed me with. Their anniversary was always a concrete reminder of what love could be—and should be. They were there for each other—always. And while they disagreed at times, I cannot remember a true fight. They were the loves of each other’s lives—an undying love.
And how could I honor the birth of the woman who raised me up and took care of me, who loved me unconditionally even when I was being a shit? She was a strong, fierce mother. A real beauty, inside and out.

And Father’s Day… I can't imagine a better man and father. He was larger than life and that was a good thing because he had to be larger than life to fit all the life he had inside. If he ever failed at anything, it was holding all that life inside himself. I don’t believe he tried to hold it in. He shared everything good that he had, and that life spilled forth from his body in the smile on his face, the laughter in his voice, and the love he had for everyone. How can you buy or make a gift to repay them for all that they have given you? 

And, of course, I couldn’t leave things alone. As if the Whammy Weekend wasn’t complicated enough, I married the love of my life. Linda’s birthday is the same day as my mother’s, June 20. I often joked that it took me until I was 40 to find a wonderful woman who had the same birthday as my mother so I wouldn’t forget the date, but the truth is, for me at least, June 20 was just a happy coincidence. For my wife, she had to share the day. And I know that sometimes it was tough, but she, like my mother, is an amazing woman who puts up with a lot of my wild living. And I am forever thankful that she is in my life. Happy birthday, my love. 

Hang on folks, I am not finished. Complicated and multi-layered and all-over-the-place is just part of who I am so… I HAD to go and tinker around with Father’s Day. Some of you may have deduced from recent posts that I have been on a bit of a life journey recently. Earlier this week, I got back from a whirlwind trip that was mostly dedicated to discovering who my birth father was. I discovered my birth family through DNA analysis. Unfortunately, both of my birth parents had passed on. I missed meeting my father by a little more than a year. I have been fortunate enough to meet his two sisters and almost all of his other children, and cousins and friends. My father had six more children after I was born and from everything that I learned about him, he, too, loved life and was full of life. And while his path differed greatly from my father, Phil, they were both self-made men and the life of the party. Greatly loved and full of love. Perhaps Daddy Rich had a little too much love to spread around, but I am so grateful for that, too, otherwise I probably would be here writing this. Thank you to all my sisters, brothers, aunts, and cousins for bringing him back to life for me—for just a little while. And from the looks on so many of your faces, it seems that my looks brought him back to life for you, if only for the brief moment of recognition when we finally got to meet face-to-face. 

And how could I talk about Father’s Day without mentioning and bragging on the wonderful woman who is the reason that I am blessed enough to call myself a father? I am so proud of the woman that she has become and while I so miss her being here in our home every day, she will always be with me in my heart and in my thoughts. I don’t know what I did to deserve her. My beautiful, wonderful, amazing, funny, silly, smart, caring daughter Lian has now been cursed with the Whammy Weekend. Curse is not the right word because this weekend, while it might overwhelm at times, is a joyous one, full of life, laughter, and most importantly, love.  

I love my family—old and new. I am so happy we are on this journey together. 

AI and Algorithms

About a year ago, I retired from the design industry to focus more on life. When I started, we still used X-acto blades and wax, and you had to have training and skills. We were called commercial artists back then. A designer had the luxury of time back then to let a concept breath a little before releasing it into the wild. Now, anyone can produce an ad or a brochure. As computers began to take over our lives, the applications for typesetting and design became easier to use. Even if you aren't one of those adventurous sorts who use Word to design your company logo, you can get a logo for your company from one of the crowd-sourcing sites like Fiverr, Creative Market, and 99designs real cheap. Emphasis on cheap. And, by doing so, you are supporting struggling designers in Eastern Europe and Asia. A win-win for all you globalists! The industry has been watered down. It is cutthroat. And, it can be tough to make a living at it. But, as challenging as it can be, it can also offer great rewards. 

As a designer, I was exposed to many life experiences that would not have been possible without my career. In my last position, I was blessed with meeting many of the top performers working in jazz today. As a stage manager for one of the largest free jazz festivals in the world, I met people like Chick Corea and Doctor John, now living on through recordings and memories. People like Dr. Arturo Sandoval, McCoy Tyner, Pete Escovedo (hi Pops!), The Bad Plus, and so many more. And some off-jazz greats like Sheila E., and The Commodores. When I owned my design agency, I had the pleasure of meeting and doing work for Alicia Keys and others. 

Moving on from music, I also did a lot of work in the sports industry. I had great fun designing logos and uniforms for a number of minor league teams like the Las Vegas 51s and Jacksonville hometown favs, The Lizard Kings. I did some work for the pros—the Sacramento Kings, Colorado Rockies, San Antonio Spurs, and Boston Bruins, to name a few. I got behind-the-scenes tours of Fenway Park and Boston Gardens and was a regular at the old Jacksonville Coliseum. And being in Jacksonville opened up the opportunity to do a lot of work for the golf industry. I handled the design chores for The First Tee and did overflow design work for the PGA TOUR and the World Golf Hall of Fame, LPGA, and many others. 

Time moves on faster than the body can age. 

This post was originally meant to be a post on artificial intelligence and algorithms and the effect both are having and will have on the quality of the creative life. Instead, I think that I meandered into one of the Ghosts of Christmas Past and spent a morning looking back on my career. 

And now that I am reinventing myself and trying on yet another hat as a writer, there is the AI Novel Generator from Reedsy. I have been pecking away at my first novel for more than thirteen years, and now, I can generate a copyrightable novel in seconds. Oh, joy!

My Heart is a Chansaw

by Stephen Graham Jones
Release date: August 31, 2021

If you are into slashers, this latest novel by Stephen Graham Jones is a "must-read." I only gave the book three-and-a-half stars because I have lost my taste for the horror found in slashers. I find slashers to be in the same category as murder mysteries. For years, as an actor, I had fun with friends creating characters that were messed up. Damaged people who had no problem, taking what they wanted to benefit themselves. Sometimes I was the killer. Other times I got murdered. I have many wonderful and terrifying memories of those times that I gave up because of a news story. The interview was with a woman struggling with the loss of a family member who had been murdered. During the interview, she mentioned her own horror at the thought of all those who derived pleasure and entertainment from the murder of others. I had never thought of what I was doing in that light. Similarly, I used to love slashers—especially in the heyday of the 1980s and 90s. And while slashers (and the murderers in the Murder Mysteries that we put on) did ultimately get the justice they deserved, most of the stories were about the inventive way people could be killed. Maybe I am being way too politically correct here, but because of this, I found myself dragging through portions of this novel while in others—captivated by the characters—almost blundering through the pages like a final girl. Plowing through the words of ignored warnings and ultimately blood and guts to get more story.

The book is very well written and loaded with symbolism, but I found myself lost at times with regard to the references to the many slashers in the novel. As with so much of his past work (at least, those books that I have read,) Dr. Jones is incredibly vivid and imaginative in his storytelling. This reader could tell just how much the slasher meant to him. I think you would be hard-pressed to find a more hardcore eighties slasher fan than Stephen Graham Jones, except for protagonist and anti-hero Jade Daniels. 

The fact that this was an homage to the slasher and a sort of love affair with it was evident. While billed as a horror, this one is also a mystery and a crime story in all its pulpy goodness. 

I want to thank NetGalley and Saga Press, an imprint of Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster, for the opportunity of reading the digital ARC.

In Darkness, Shadows Breathe

Sorry this review is late. Released in January of this year, In Darkness, Shadows Breathe by Catherine Cavendish from Flame Tree Press follows the separate hospitalizations of two women, Carol and Nessa. It is a visual tale in that this creepy, gothic story infects both your waking hours and painting your dreams with the macabre. Tortuous experiments and revenant spectres will have you feeling like you are shambling the halls of a hospital that felt more like a mental ward. The book was largely broken mainly into two parts before reconnecting them, and perhaps, that is fitting as the story alternates between two times and, in a sense, two realities.

My chief complaint about this read—and it is valid for so many horror stories—is why do the antagonists remain in situations that they find themselves in? I understand Carol, but Nessa's partner? Gah! Am I being petty here? 

Haunted grounds is a familiar trope in horror stories, but Cavendish weaves unsettling, non-linear timelines into a unique tale. I'm thrilled to have finally read her work. She has haunted my TBR pile for too long. I recommend this book and not just to horror aficionados. Go out and buy it, check it out from your library, or beg it off a friend. Just do it before you hear someone whisper the words, “you’re next.”

 Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher, Flame Tree Press, for allowing me to share my thoughts on #InDarknessShadowsBreathe.

Creeped Out and Just a Little Bit Hollow

 

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After I finished this one, I wanted more. That is usually a very good sign. I enjoyed the story. It has a very strange, weird horror vibe. The Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy is such an apt name for the museum where all this kinda-sorta takes place. I remember a similar kind of “museum” in Florida on the way to Panama City Beach that had a human fetus in a pickle jar. I wish now that I had paid to enter that place, but I digress. The main characters are quirky and odd in their own way, and for most of the book fit in perfectly with the oddities in this book but came off too cartoonish in some places. I have read elsewhere that Algernon Blackwood’s The Willows inspired this book. I cannot comment on any similarities as I have yet to read the latter. What I can tell you is that I will NEVER look at a willow the same way again. This other world is the stuff of nightmares. T. Kingfisher wrote a magical, twisted tale that wormed its way into my brain and took root. I know that what it left behind will stay with me and grow for a long time to come. I wish Goodreads had a sliding scale for their ratings as I wanted to, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to giving this s 4-star rating. Much of it is deserving of that and more, but some things the main characters did or didn’t do that broke the spell. And I wanted more of that Willow World.

View all my reviews

Most Anticipated Reads of 2021

I had Cynthia Pelayo’s CHILDREN OF CHICAGO as one of my most eagerly anticipated books. Lucky me, I got my hands on an ARC from NetGalley and Polis Books. I wrote a non-spoiler review last month. It is no longer on my TBR pile, but it should be on yours. 

I have heard nothing but good things about C. J. Tudor. Sadly, I have yet to read anything that she has written. That will change this year with THE BURNING GIRLS—already out January 19, 2021. It is another non-horror on my list. This crime story is a psychological thriller and set in one of those closely-knit British villages where something isn’t quite right. Throw in some missing girls, a sketchy parish priest, and a centuries-old site of executions for religious martyrs, and I am certainly in. I have a feeling that I will be going back and pick up more of her books soon. 

What can be better than an exhilarating spy thriller written by an intelligence veteran? One that was written by Alma Katsu—a real spy writing real spy thrillers with real women. RED WIDOW is coming out on March 23. I’m also looking forward to reading THE DEEP and THE HUNGER.

After THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS, I’m not sure my heart can take MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW by Stephen Graham Jones (8/31/2021, Gallery/Saga Press). In this one, we are “trapped in a slasher film as tourists go missing.” I live in Florida, and while we do make a lot of our living off of tourists, a few going missing… See? He is already making me think dark thoughts. Jones loves slashers, so this should be quite a ripping thrill-ride of a read. And if you want a fun romp into some strange territory, pick up NIGHT OF THE MANNEQUINS. I also picked up a copy of MAPPING THE INTERIOR, so he should keep me pretty busy this year. And knowing him, he'll have another half dozen coming my way soon, too. 

RELENTLESS is the second in the new Joe Ledger series by Jonathan Maberry (St. Martin's Griffin). I plan on dropping everything for this one. I need answers. I need adrenaline-pumping, page-turning excitement. I need someone’s head on a spike. If you like thrillers, sci-fi, tech, horror, and crime on a scale way beyond my imagination, go to your favorite indy bookstore and start at the beginning—NOW. If I were you, I'd also give the Ledger series additional attention in the form of audiobooks. Ray Porter adds an incredible level of reality to the stories. An excellent place to get your book is from Mysterious Galaxy. It’s one of Maberry’s haunts, and if you order from there, you might even be able to get a personalized copy. The man is a writing machine, but don’t let that scare you off. All of his books are imaginative, creative, and superbly crafted. I am also very excited for his upcoming dark epic fantasy, KAGEN THE DAMNED. I am currently reading INK. You must read that one as well.

V. Castro has a couple coming out this year. I cannot wait to get my hands on THE QUEEN OF THE CICADAS (06/22/2021) from Flame Tree Press. An urban legend and the Aztec goddess of death is enough to hook me. And speaking of goddesses, she has the GODDESS OF FILTH coming out in March of this year. It is a novella about 5 Chicanas, possession, and power.

Just in time for your summer read is another twisted tale out of Texas from Joe R. Lansdale. MOON LAKE is a stand-alone novel that is sure to deliver on anyone’s love of murder, mayhem, and some freaky, off-kilter humor that might leave you feeling a little guilty for laughing. Out from Mulholland Books June 22, 2021. 

I have been looking forward to the new DUNE movie that keeps getting pushed back—another victim of COVID. I thought that I would reread the first trilogy. Instead, I believe Kerstin Hall’s STAR EATER (06/22/2021, Tor/Forge) will be out soon enough and should give me all the space opera and political intrigue that I got from Frank Herbert all those years ago.

A few other notable releases this year: 

DUST AND GRIM by Chuck Wendig is on my radar for an October read. And I’d like to pick up DEATH & HONEY from Subterranean Press but the one that I could afford is sold out. That one has two additional stories—one each from Kevin Hearne and Lilah Bowen (Delilah Dawson). I still NEED to get the rest of Dawson’s SHADOW series. WAKE OF VULTURES was a fast-paced, albeit weird, horror/western that had me hooked from the start. 

I also have the first three books of John Scalzi’s THE INTERDEPENDENCY waiting patiently for me in my TBR. 

THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP by Grady Hendrix (7/13/2021) Hendryx seems to have a way with women. This should be a good one. I also have HORRORSTÖR in my TBR pile. Both will be making their way to the silver screen. 

CERTAIN DARK THINGS by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (9/2/2021, Tor Nightfire) I plan on giving her one more try. She had received rave reviews for MEXICAN GOTHIC, and while I found it entertaining enough, it did not blow me away. Hopefully, this one does. 

Some that I missed from last year that I will be squeezing in are:

RING SHOUT P. Dejeli Clark

THE WORM AND HIS KINGS by Hailey Piper

TOUCH THE NIGHT by Max Booth III

SURVIVOR SONG by Paul Tremblay

THE TOLL by Cherie Priest

HIGHWAY 181 by D.S. Ullery

BROKEN by Don Winslow

STRANGE WEATHER by Joe Hill has been gathering dust on my nightstand. And that is a horror in and of itself. That will be rectified. And FULL THROTTLE. I have too many by Daddy King on the TBR: THE OUTSIDER, ELEVATION, IF IT BLEEDS, and THE INSTITUTE. 

And then there are rumors. Victor LaValle has been working on a new one. LONE WOMEN has a pub date in 2021, but I haven’t seen an actual date—yet. He has it pinned on his Twitter feed (@victorlavalle,) so I remain hopeful. I. CAN. BE. PATIENT. as I loved, loved, loved THE CHANGELING (2017, Spiegel & Grau).  

And Gabino Iglesias supposedly has a new one coming soon. He has been stingy with the details, but you can be sure that you will hear about it once he does have news he can share. If you are not familiar with his latest work, COYOTE SONGS, I highly recommend that you head out today—right now—and get a copy. This one is sure to rip you open with a machete and haunt you for some time to come.

There are more, of course. There are always new writers coming on the scene as well as new-to-me writers. What and who do you recommend?

REVIEW: Children of Chicago

CHILDREN OF CHICAGO is a caffeine-fueled story that is a melting pot of crime, horror, and myth, like the city itself. It is ever-changing—always building upon itself, but has it really? Something about this case is different from the start but, for Homicide Detective Medina, something all too familiar is gnawing at her. She is a wounded animal suffering tragic loss, and while the scabs may have hardened, have they have left scar tissue, and the wounds are still there. And the children are dying. 

This is a well-crafted story drenched in history and lore. Don’t expect Hollywood- or even a New York-ending. This is Chicago, and it has its own history. Has Cynthia Pelayo created a new Slenderman? Time will tell, but if it is anything like the story she has crafted, I certainly hope not. This is the first of what I know will be many great reads from this author for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Polis Books for allowing me an early lead of this e-ARC. If it isn’t already on your TBR pile, it should be. And if it already is, you should move it to the top. It would make a great read to kick off the 12th annual Women in Horror Month. It is out in early February 2021.

My Favorite Reads of the Last Year

I started 2020 by finishing off Mallory O’Meara’s Lady from the Black Lagoon. I don’t often read non-fiction, but this one caught my attention. The book is part biography and part memoir. One shouldn’t expect a tell-all biography of Millicent Patrick. Part of this tale is the writer’s own journey. I have always held a particular fondness for the Creature. Perhaps, that is because they filmed part of the second film, Revenge of the Creature, in my hometown. A couple of my other favorite pieces of old Florida, Wakulla Springs, and Silver Springs were used as sets for the original. O’Meara tells the tale of one of Hollywood’s often over-looked legends, Milicent Patrick. She was the Creature’s actual designer, and like so many other stories from our lives, her work was claimed by a man as his own. This book sets the record straight and does Ms. Patrick some justice. It is an excellent read for anyone who loves classic horror films, Hollywood, and digging into the murky waters of someone’s past.

I finished off Don Winslow’s The Cartel Trilogy. I read The Power of the Dog (2005) the year before and thoroughly enjoyed it. While the follow-ups, The Cartel (2015) and The Border (2019), were written more than ten years later, they seamlessly fit together. The series has great characters, a lot of violence, and wonderful cinematic quality—fitting since the FX Network now has the trilogy in development. There is still time to read these before the series airs as there is no date for production. Fingers crossed on this one as Ridley Scott is also attached. I will certainly be reading more of Winslow’s work. I love short stories, so I think I’ll dig into Broken next. I wonder, though, if I should read Savages and The Kings of Cool first? Any recommendations?

Rounding out my favorite non-horror read of the year is Jonathan Maberry’s Rage. It is the first of the second Joe Ledger series, Rogue Team International, and what a thrill ride! This action/military thriller has it all—terror, terrorism, horror, guns, blood, science, tech, and so much more. And none of it feels forced. Maberry’s skillful storytelling makes it so you could jump in here without having read the first series. However, I’d still recommend starting at the beginning—way back at the first book, Patient Zero (2009) because I would not want to miss one minute of the adventures of anyone in Ledger’s breakneck life. I am still digging through the anthologies for the many short stories that Maberry has shared. If action/military thrillers aren’t your thing and horror is, I also FINALLY got around to reading Ghost Road Blues. This one was pure horror, with a nice dose of small-town quirkiness to give this the feeling of an old story told at a campfire’s edge in the middle of nowhere.

I read a lot of new-to-me writers this year. The Only Good Indians by Steven Graham Jones was probably my favorite read. That’s the book I would name if some vengeance-wracked elk-headed woman were after me. I read Mongrels first because it is all about werewolves, and I have this idea for a story. And I am currently reading Night of the Mannequins. What a twisted and very different story that one is. This guy is a prolific writer, like a few others I’m reading. I’m talking about you, Jonathan Maberry. It’s almost too much for a slow reader like me to digest.

The ‘Rona hit at the end of the first quarter. We started wearing masks and social distancing, so I thought it only fitting to do a little distancing myself with Toni Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone. It was a magical fantasy that transported me away for a little while. The audiobook was magic. 

I made a conscious effort to read horror, and other books, by women this year. I could and will do better in 2021. I read The View From Flyover Country. Sarah Kendzior gives us a look at how we ended up in 2020 from a political and social standpoint. We still have so much to do for equality in this country. I’m always up for something from Zora Neal Hurston. She was one of this country’s greatest treasures, so when a new or new to me book by her is published, I’m all in. Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick is a newly packaged telling of eight of her short stories. Wickedly funny and socially poignant. I got a little scifi fix from Charlie Jane Anders’s The City in the Middle of the Night—imaginative, inventive, and great characters. And I finally did make it back around to Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Left Hand of Darkness. I know. I know. What took me so long? I enjoyed it and was glad I finally got to it, but I hate to admit that it didn’t transport me to another world. The other slap to the wrist that I so rightfully deserve is for reading Octavia E Butler’s Kindred. That one did move me—right back to the days of slavery. It left me a bit hollow and wanting more. I will be picking up more of her work. 

So, where are the tales of terror? Well, I did get my hands on two of Paul Tremblay’s masterful books, Disappearance At Devil Rock and the short story compilation Growing Things and Other Stories. I wanted to read Survivor Song, but my TBR pile was so large this year. I will read it in 2021, as well as anything else the man chooses to write. I also managed to get in both of Josh Malerman’s Bird Box books. Malorie was a nice addition, although her kids… I’ll chalk that up to teenagers being teenagers. Another writer that I spent time with more than once this past year was Chuck Wendig. Wanderers might not have been the one to read during a pandemic, but I did and do not regret it. I also read his book on writing, Damn Fine Story. This one should be on every writer’s reading list. I did get one of Stephen King’s books in this year—Revival. It is a nice addition to his kingdom of horror, but like Wanderers, maybe a little too realistic in light of the times. I’ll be reading The Outsider this year. I’m looking forward to reading that one as well as watching the series simultaneously on HBO as I did with 11/22/63 and found it quite enjoyable. I had heard so much about Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic. It was entertaining with well-crafted characters and setting but a bit of a letdown considering all the hype. I would have liked less set up and more gloomy horror. Laurel Hightower delivered the goods with Crossroads. It had the very creepy Pet Semetary vibe. How far would you go to bring back one of your children from the dead? 

I have been in the process of writing my own Southern gothic horror tale for far longer than I had hoped but am making good progress. I’m revising much of it with the help of a writing coach. That was why I jumped off the horror ride and dove into a few classics in the genre. I read Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. Is it wrong of me to say that I wished that I lay dying myself on many occasions while reading this one? I liked his others much better. For a more sordid tale, I treated myself to Cormac McCarthy’s Child of God. I love this man’s style and way with words. Let’s just say that I was delighted to see Lester Ballard get what Lester Ballard got. It is said that a good Southern gothic has grotesques. This dark tale had that and more. Before I returned to horror land, I took a spin with S.A. Cosby. Blacktop Wasteland is one worthy addition to anyone’s shelf of crime novels. The characters were frustratingly good; the action was adrenaline-inducing.

I finished up the year with The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. I would have liked to give this one five stars and would have if it had been a story without ANY men. The women in this tale were marvelous. The horror was chilling. I will read Grady Hendryx again as I have Horrorstör sitting on my bedside table. I am still reading two books that I started in 2020. I already mentioned Night of the Mannequins. The other is The Hollow Ones by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. I plan to kick off the year with The Hollow Places, adhering to the #LadiesFirst meme. Perhaps I am feeling a little hollowed out after the last four years.

I’ll follow this post up with some of the novels that I am most looking forward to reading in 2021. 

O’Connell Ye Faithful

It’s Christmastime. And we are nearing the end of what I am sure has been a long strange year for everyone. 2021 will bring more changes and require us all to adapt and modify our lives, yet again. Please be safe. Think of yourself as you make your way through this world, and remember to make others’ health and welfare an important part of your life. This world is a small place, and we need to get better at sharing it. 

With this in mind, finding safe things to do during the holidays can be challenging. How about a ride around some of your city’s best Christmas light displays? Here in North Florida, we have a magical neighborhood display that will transport you to another world. It is in the Blackhawk Bluff neighborhood off Girvin Road. I hear that the churches downtown look pretty spectacular, too. (Thanks, Rosemary!)

If you are on Spotify, check out this playlist I put together years ago. It is called O’Connell Ye Faithful. It is a mix of some of our favorites from years long ago—Doris Day, Dean Martin, Eartha Kitt, Leon Redbone, Harry Belafonte, Vince Guaraldi, and so many more. I hope you find as much peace and joy in it as Linda and I have.

Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah! Happy Kwanza! Happy Festivus!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and joyous holiday season.

Is it really possible to live an ordered and organized life? Is there any fun in that?

 

"Well, only got an hour of daylight left. Better get started"

"Isn't it unsafe to travel at night?"

"It'll be a lot less safe to stay here, your father's gunna pick up our trail before long"

"Can Loca ride?"

"Yeah, I can ride, Margaret, time to go! Maigret, thank you for everything"

"Goodbye Chenga"

"Goodbye miss"

"I'll be back"

Is there anybody out there?