Midnight Echo, the AHWA’s official magazine, now has a new website, a new subscription service and new payment rates for fiction, poetry, non-fiction and artwork

We’ve recently doubled the payment rates from 1c/word to 2c/word, but our aim is to be able to offer 5c/word.We’ll post regular updates to let you know how close we’re getting to our target.

In the meantime, why not have a look around the new website, check out the details for Issue 6, out now, and let us know what you think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Come Into Darkness
eBook Release
by Daniel I. Russell
Skullvines Press
ASIN: B006HP7SNE

RRP: US$2.99
Available from: Amazon & Barnes and Noble

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 The Noctuary
by Greg Chapman

Damnation Books

ISBN: 978-1615725496

RRP: $USD12.89 (paperback) $USD4.50 (e-book)

Available from: Amazon & Damnation Books

Simon Ryan is Hell’s new scribe…the safety of our souls will depend on his every word.

 Struggling writer Simon Ryan’s life has gone to Hell.

Shadows are pouring into his reality and his words are not his own anymore. He has been chosen to become a scribe for some of the worst creatures of the Underworld–the ones whose sole purpose is to torment human souls–The Dark Muses.

As Simon writes he falls deeper into the abyss and before long he has no sense of what is real. With the help of another scribe, old and mutilated, Simon comes to discover that his writing can mould people and places–that he can write things out of existence.

To become a scribe he has to pass a test and the Muses offer him a chance to rewrite his horrible past. All Simon has to decide is how the story ends.

Reviews:

“Both elegant and visceral, violent and darkly witty, Greg Chapman’s THE NOCTUARY is an insightful look at the processes of creation and the birth of horror. His sinister muse, Meknok, is one of the most intriguing new horror characters since Clive Barker unleashed Pinhead, and indeed THE NOCTUARY is occasionally reminiscent of Barker’s grim beauty, while being very distinctly its own beast. THE NOCTUARY is rich, compelling, and unsettling, and Greg Chapman is obviously a writer in complete possession of his own sinister muse.” 
~Lisa Morton, four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award and author of The Halloween Encyclopedia

 ”Greg Chapman’s THE NOCTUARY is straight from the depths of Hell. Here the past is a very difficult geography. Fresh and original it takes the reader on a frantic ride to regret; and may well provide the nightmares horror fiction often promises, but rarely delivers.” ~Rocky Wood, Bram Stoker nominated author of Horrors! Great Stories of Fear and Their Creators and Stephen King: A Literary Companion

“THE NOCTUARY blends supernatural and real-life horrors quite well.  Kudos to Chapman for dealing with a side-plot of child abuse in a non-exploitative (but still chilling) manner.”
~ Nick Cato, Antibacterial Pope

“I thought it was a deliciously twisted story of desperation, horror, and redemption… Mr. Chapman has a way with words that is akin to other writers that have made my skin crawl, and I mean that in a good way.”
~Must Read Faster

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ho Ho Horror
ed. Steve Rossiter (featuring Cameron Trost and Andrew J. McKiernan–illust.)
The Australian Literature Review
ISBN: 0987124226
RRP: Print AU$9.99 Kindle AU$2.99
Available from Amazon (print and Kindle)

Ho Ho Horror is a collection of eight Christmas horror short stories from both established and emerging writers of horror fiction.

From the terrors of physical danger, to characters at the edge of insanity, unsettlingly disturbed children, poignant psychological horror, and the supernatural, this collection of Christmas horror provides a unique blend of Christmas cheer and Christmas fear.

Ho Ho Horror is a project of The Australian Literature Review (www.auslit.net).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rage Against the Night
ed. Shane Jiraiya Cummings
Brimstone Press
ASIN: B006P18LM2
RRP: US$3.99
Available from: Amazon and Smashwords (print edition soon)

Under the onslaught of supernatural evil, the acts of good people can seem insignificant, but a courageous few stand apart. These brave men and women stand up to the darkness, stare it right in the eye, and give it the finger. These are the stories of those who rage against the night, stories of triumph, sacrifice, and bravery in the face of overwhelming evil.

Rage Against the Night features the megastars of dark fantasy and horror—including Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, Peter Straub, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, F. Paul Wilson, Jonathan Maberry, Scott Nicholson, Nancy Holder, Sarah Langan, and many, many more.

All proceeds will be donated to Rocky Wood, author and President of the Horror Writers Association, who is battling motor neurone disease.

• The Gunner’s Love Song—Joe McKinney
• Keeping Watch—Nate Kenyon
• Like Part of the Family—Jonathan Maberry
• The Edge of Seventeen—Alexandra Sokoloff
• The View from the Top—Bev Vincent
• Afterward, There Will Be a Hallway—Gary A. Braunbeck
• Following Marla—John R. Little
• Magic Numbers—Gene O’Neill
• Tail the Barney—Stephen M. Irwin
• The Nightmare Dimension—David Conyers
• Roadside Memorials—Joseph Nassise
• Dat Tay Vao—F. Paul Wilson
• Constitution—Scott Nicholson
• Mr. Aickman’s Air Rifle—Peter Straub
• Agatha’s Ghost—Ramsey Campbell
• Blue Heeler—Weston Ochse
• Sarah’s Visions—Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
• More Than Words—David Niall Wilson
• Chillers—Lisa Morton
• Changed—Nancy Holder
• Dead Air—Gary Kemble
• Two Fish to Feed the Masses—Daniel G. Keohane
• Fenstad’s End—Sarah Langan
• Fair Extension—Stephen King
• Rocky Wood, Skeleton Killer—Jeff Strand

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink
by Isabelle Rowan
Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 978-1-61372-253-4
RRP: US$14.99 (Paperback via Amazon) US$6.99 (Amazon Kindle)
Other formats available at Dreamspinner Press

Roman centurion Dominic drew his last human breath during the time of Hadrian. In the centuries since, he’s seen much of the world change around him, but the vampire finds himself held captive in Melbourne, Australia, by his fascination with young, passionate, fun-loving, and alive tattoo artist Michael Chapman. Unable to resist the lure of Michael’s beauty, Dominic finds himself entering the parlour to get a tattoo he knows will fade.
The attraction he feels only grows, and despite Dominic’s extreme reluctance to get involved with a human, he and Michael form a bond-a connection that all-too-soon attracts the attention of a dark spectre from Dominic’s bloody past. Soon, a dangerous game of cat and mouse threatens not only the budding romance, but also their humanity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinister Slices

Naughty or Nice

by Cameron Trost

Published in: Ho Ho Horror

Available from: The Australian Literature Review

A Cool, Private Place

by Jen White

Published in:  Future Lovecraft

Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble

by Mike O’ReillyPublished in: Dark River Press

The Inspirational Bird

by Christina Alexander

Published in: The Short Listed stories of the 2011 Elyne Mitchell Rural Women’s Writing Awards

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ScaryMinds has a strong committment to the discussion and promotion of local horror literature. We will regularly review novels, short story collections, etc, and interview the writers working in horror in this region.

From the Pit brings you the latest Australian horror news in books, comics and film.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

More information HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Midnight Echo, the AHWA’s official magazine, now has a new website, a new subscription service and new payment rates for fiction, poetry, non-fiction and artwork

We’ve recently doubled the payment rates from 1c/word to 2c/word, but our aim is to be able to offer 5c/word.We’ll post regular updates to let you know how close we’re getting to our target.

In the meantime, why not have a look around the new website, check out the details for Issue 6, coming this November, and let us know what you think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas Wings
eBook Release
by Lily Rose
Rose Dreaming
ISBN: 978-0-9872133-0-3
RRP: US$2.99
Available from: Amazon & Lulu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mammon (Book One of the Ferryman Chronicles)
by J.B. Thomas

Random House Australia

ISBN: 9781742750743

RRP: AU$18.95

Available from: Abbeys, Amazon, Angus and Robertson, Booktopia, Borders, QBD Bookshop

After the savage, tragic deaths of their parents, Grace and Joe Callahan learn that they they are descendants of the sarsareh – an ancient order of mercenaries who hunt very special prey. Grace and Joe take their place in the Order, but are treated with hostility and fear by other recruits. For the Callahan siblings have powers that fascinate and terrify. Joe is a Ferryman, capable of opening dimensional rifts, while Grace’s telepathic abilities surpass anything the Order has ever seen. To complicate matters, Grace falls for her older, more experienced squad leader, Ivan. Meanwhile, the sarsareh elders have their own plans for Joe. But none of that will matter if the powerful demon, Mammon manages to convince Joe to open a gateway to his demon world and overrun Earth with his armies. If he succeeds: game over.

Reviews:

http://www.burnbright.com.au/cels-reviews-j-b-thomass-mammon/

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12136182-mammon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sinister Slices

The Rains of la Strange

by Robert N Stephenson

Published in: Anywhere But Earth

Available from: Couer de Lion

The Advertising Imperative

by David Conyers

Published in:  Ticon4.com

Available from Ticon4.com (online story)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinister Awards

This Green Hell

by Greig Beck

NOMINATION – International Thriller Writer’s Award 2012.
Category: THRILLER – Best Paperback Novel.

NOMINATION – Aurealis Awards for Speculative Fiction 2011
Category:  Best Horror Novel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ScaryMinds has a strong committment to the discussion and promotion of local horror literature. We will regularly review novels, short story collections, etc, and interview the writers working in horror in this region.

From the Pit brings you the latest Australian horror news in books, comics and film.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

More information HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Midnight Echo, the AHWA’s official magazine, now has a new website, a new subscription service and new payment rates for fiction, poetry, non-fiction and artwork

To celebrate ME’s ‘re-launch,’ we’re holding a subscription drive across the month of October; anyone who subscribes to one of our subscription options between now and Halloween will go into the draw to win the following:

• First Prize: $200 in cold hard cash!
• Second Prize: $50 prize pack from Black House Comics, a copy of Macabre; A Journey through Australia’s Darkest Fears, edited by Angela Challis and Marty Young, plus Australian Hauntings, edited by James Doig, and a signed copy of White Tiger by best-selling author Kylie Chan.
• Third Prize: a signed copy of This Green Hell by Greig Beck, plus Australian Hauntings, edited by James Doig, and a voucher to the value of $75 for use at Cohesion Editing and Proofreading.

Thanks to Tasmaniac Publications, we also have copies of Bone Marrow Stew by Tim Curran, and Concrete Jungle by Brett McBean, to give away, plus there are more copies of Macabre; A Journey through Australia’s Darkest Fears, Australian Hauntings, as well as AHWA merchandise to the value of $60!

We need to reach 100 (or more) subscribers to be able to hold this draw, so spread the word! Let your friends know. Help Midnight Echo take you backstage to the midnight show. Plus, the more subscribers we get, the better we can pay our contributors. We’ve recently doubled the payment rates from 1c/word to 2c/word, but our aim is to be able to offer 5c/word.

We’ll post regular updates to let you know how close we’re getting to our target.

In the meantime, why not have a look around the new website, check out the details for Issue 6, coming this November, and let us know what you think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Macabre
eBook Release
ed. Angela Challis & Dr. Marty Young
Brimstone Press
ASIN: B005NWMJ8Q
RRP: US$4.99
Available from: Amazon & Smashwords

Also, the Print On Demand version has been accepted by Lightning Source and is expected to be available via its global distribution network within 4 – 8 weeks. More information on this version in the coming weeks.

Explore Australia’s dark literature past, present, and future all in one landmark anthology! From the very earliest colonial ghost stories through to grim tales of modern life, Macabre will take you on a journey through the dark heart of Australian horror. With classic stories from Australia’s masters of horror alongside the best of the new era, Macabre: A Journey through Australia’s Darkest Fears is the finest dark fiction anthology ever produced in Australia.Macabre features 38 stories from Australian literary legends such as Henry Lawson, Barbara Baynton, Marcus Clarke, David Unaipon, Mary Fortune, and A. Bertram Chandler; modern masters such as Terry Dowling, Kaaron Warren, and Sean Williams; and the 21st century’s brightest new horror stars: Stephen M. Irwin, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Paul Haines, Richard Harland, David Conyers, and Will Elliott.Macabre: A Journey through Australia’s Darkest Fears is the winner of the 2010 Australian Shadows Award, and it was nominated for the 2010 Bram Stoker Award!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinister Slices

Love Death

by Andrew J. McKiernan

Published in: Aurealis #46 (new FREE monthly e-pub – due 1^st November 2011)

Available from: Smashwords

The Wanderer in the Darkness

by Andrew J. McKiernan

Published in:  Midnight Echo #6

Available from Midnight Echo

Shovel-Man Joe

by Amanda J. Spedding

Published in:  Award Winning Australian Writing – Melbourne Books

Available from Melbourne Books

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ScaryMinds has a strong committment to the discussion and promotion of local horror literature. We will regularly review novels, short story collections, etc, and interview the writers working in horror in this region.

From the Pit brings you the latest Australian horror news in books, comics and film.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

More information HERE

The Land of Bad Dreams

Book Launch and Signing: The author will be reading at Conflux at 1.30 pm on Saturday, 1^st October 2011. The panel “The Paradox of Darkness” (12.30 pm on Monday, 3^rd October 2011) will feature a performance of “The Torturer’s Confession”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stories by AHWA members:

Jason Franks

B. Michael Radburn

Pete Kempshall

And many others!

It’s back! And it’s bigger and better than ever – literally!

It’s been over a year since we left Tamsyn in After the World: Gravesend and things aren’t getting any better for anyone. Fewer people and more zombies isn’t really going to make anyone happy.

In Pack Rules, Jason Franks (Kagemono, The Sixsmiths, McBlack) takes a completely new cast and tells a chilling story about the end of the world in the arts end of the world – Melbourne. It wasn’t like this for Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire (look it up people!).

And in a massive change to the format of the books, After the World has gone from a single story book to an anthology of some of the best horror and sci-fi this side of…that thing over there.
More – we’ve doubled the size which means we’ve got more room for more works from more new and established writers working in speculative fiction. More I tell you!

Heading up matters is B. Michael Radburn (The Crossing) with Indian Summer, a tale of a bike that likes to be ridden; The Rule of Three by Pete Kempshall, a story about a man alone in space, driven to desperate acts; Nothing Goes to Waste by Raymond Gates, a chilling story about how far you would go for your family; Thirty Seconds by Eugene Gramelis, a tale of science and revenge for all the right reasons; The Hobart Town Whisperer by Clinton Green, about  the way a town can be haunted; and shortieA Clockwork Arthur by Black House favourite Jason Fischer and I can’t even tell you what that one’s about – I think it’s something to do with elephants.

With brand new cover art from Jason Paulos and a pinup from… Jason Paulos, it’s one good looking book. The back cover is by Jason too. And let’s not forget it took three Jasons to get this much awesome together so it has to be rockin’.

Nine short stories that explore the effect of random chance on the lives of ordinary people. A Touch of Evil offers an answer to the eternal question: “What if …?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Join one of Australia’s most successful authors of science fiction, fantasy and horror, Lee Battersby, for a journey through the fantastic art of the science fiction short story. Over six weeks you will learn how to build worlds, character, voice and mood in this challenging and rewarding form.
Each week includes readings, discussion, critical analysis and creative responses. The course is jam-packed with resources, networks, opportunities and most importantly, the tools you need to write your own way.
The Online Learning Centre gives you the flexibility to study at your own pace, when and where it suits you, as well as plenty of opportunities to interact with other students and receive feedback from Lee Battersby in course forums.
6 weekly topics beginning on Monday October 3, 2011
URL: http://awmonlinelearn.com.au/course/category.php?id=15

ScaryMinds has a strong committment to the discussion and promotion of local horror literature. We will regularly review novels, short story collections, etc, and interview the writers working in horror in this region.

http://www.scaryminds.com/

From the Pit brings you the latest Australian horror news in books, comics and film.

http://fromthepitnews.blogspot.com/

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

More information HERE

The Broken Ones

Book Launch and Signing: Brisbane Writers Festival – September 7th 2011

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our world is not the only one…
From apartments haunted by ghosts both internal and external, and horror museums masquerading as doorways, to towns where vehicular manslaughter is a way of life, and highways are a preying ground for monsters, GHOSTS IN A DESERT WORLD is a collection of 13 macabre tales designed to chill you the core.
Interweaving dark, and oftentimes socially relevant themes, with the spiritual and philosophical, GHOSTS IN A DESERT WORLD will make you think, even while leaving you afraid to turn the lights out.

“In particular I liked the author’s handling of the blood work. I keep saying it and no one is listening: good horror writers have an inborn ability to limit their own prose without rubbing a reader’s nose in the visceral. Matthew Tait, on the evidence in this collection, is a good horror writer” – Scary Minds.

“Matthew Tait’s collection of short stories kidnaps the reader and abandons him in a disturbing world of lunacy and paranoia. Tait’s horror is at the same time in-your-face and darkly atmospheric. There are some recurring themes that give this collection a sense of haunting continuity. Stand-out tales like “The Devil’s Plaything” and “Dark Crib” introduce the reader to the town of Cyclone Cove, where it’s not always easy to tell just who the maniacs really are while “Car Crash Weather” and “Terrica” illustrate the terror of the automobile. Every horror fan should join Tait on his grim road-trip through a desert world” – Cameron Trost, author of Letterbox.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Eye Of Infinity
by David Conyers
Cover Artist – Mike Dubisch
Interiors – Nick Gucker
Perilous Press

ISBN13: 9780970400048
ISBN: 0970400047
RRP: $US9.95
Available from: Barnes & Noble and Perilous Press

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

by B. Michael Radburn

Dymocks George Street, 424 George Street, Sydney (mezzanine Level)
6 PM
Books and signings available
RSVP Events@PanteraPress.com

ScaryMinds has a strong committment to the discussion and promotion of local horror literature. We will regularly review novels, short story collections, etc, and interview the writers working in horror in this region.

From the Pit brings you the latest Australian horror news in books, comics and film.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

Ian Carew left London to become a teacher in Mirebury, a town lost in the moors of Cornwall where everybody knows each other and life is quiet and pleasant. His elderly neighbour, Mrs Mary Hopkins, treats him like a son, and the local butcher, Jack Cochon, is his closest friend. All that is missing from Ian’s life is a good woman to share his bed with and a little adventure.Little does he know, he is about to get a taste of both.One day, when Mrs Mary Hopkins opens her letterbox, she makes a gruesome discovery and suddenly Mirebury is thrown into a state of shock and outrage.At first, they assume it was a random act, but the horrible deliveries continue and, before long, the townsfolk of Mirebury are forced to acknowledge that they have become the target of a campaign of terror – and nobody’s letterbox is safe.Is the dreaded “Postman” one of them, or is he an outsider?Tensions grow and the solid communal values of Mirebury crumble as suspicion and accusations tear the town apart. Neighbour is pitted against neighbour and tempers flare.The enemy only strikes at night and moves through the fog like a phantom as he makes his deliveries – it seems impossible to catch him. The fate of Mirebury will come down to one man.Letterbox is a dark thriller about how fragile the fabric of small town society really is and how one man, by pulling the right strings, can expose dirty secrets and trigger underlying tensions between neighbours.

Virtual book launch: Facebook Event

From 2007 to 2011, Martin Livings conducted what could only be described as a misguided attempt to overcome his own writer’s block by irregularly asking friends reading his blog to contribute words and ideas, which he would then form into short-short stories in under ten minutes, and usually on a Tuesday.And thus Tuesday’s Ten Minute Tales were born.Working with such evocative – and oft-times purposely oblique – terms as “nyctophobia”, “depressing sheep”, “Pilates”, “dishwasher”, and even “total confusion”, Livings set out to create coherent and, yes, even insightful tales from such humble and random beginnings.He failed, mostly. But some of the stories were amusing, at least. And now the best of these tales have been gathered together in a free e-book, Ten Minutes To Dumbsday!Horror, science fiction, fantasy… all have been seriously abused in the making of these stories and, hence, this book. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll even wonder why you bothered reading some of them. And, in the end, you’ll have a rare and often disturbing insight into the workings of the mind of Martin Livings, when he doesn’t have time to edit or filter himself!And remember, kids, nothing worth doing should take more than ten minutes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our world is not the only one…
From apartments haunted by ghosts both internal and external, and horror museums masquerading as doorways, to towns where vehicular manslaughter is a way of life, and highways are a preying ground for monsters, GHOSTS IN A DESERT WORLD is a collection of 13 macabre tales designed to chill you the core.
Interweaving dark, and oftentimes socially relevant themes, with the spiritual and philosophical, GHOSTS IN A DESERT WORLD will make you think, even while leaving you afraid to turn the lights out.

“In particular I liked the author’s handling of the blood work. I keep saying it and no one is listening: good horror writers have an inborn ability to limit their own prose without rubbing a reader’s nose in the visceral. Matthew Tait, on the evidence in this collection, is a good horror writer” – Scary Minds.

“Matthew Tait’s collection of short stories kidnaps the reader and abandons him in a disturbing world of lunacy and paranoia. Tait’s horror is at the same time in-your-face and darkly atmospheric. There are some recurring themes that give this collection a sense of haunting continuity. Stand-out tales like “The Devil’s Plaything” and “Dark Crib” introduce the reader to the town of Cyclone Cove, where it’s not always easy to tell just who the maniacs really are while “Car Crash Weather” and “Terrica” illustrate the terror of the automobile. Every horror fan should join Tait on his grim road-trip through a desert world” – Cameron Trost, author of Letterbox.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ScaryMinds has a strong committment to the discussion and promotion of local horror literature. We will regularly review novels, short story collections, etc, and interview the writers working in horror in this region.

From the Pit brings you the latest Australian horror news in books, comics and film.

Sinister Reads

Love Lies Dying
by Steve Gerlach
Legumeman Books
ISBN – 978-0987049681
RRP: AUD$23.95 (free postage within Aus.)

Available from (print) Legumeman Books and Amazon; (ebook) Smashwords and Amazon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hicky Knocky & Forsaken Blossoms
by Glenn Cannon
McKenzie Publishing
ISBN – 978-0-646-52363-7
RRP: AUD$19:99

Now available from: PolyEster Books

Hicky Knocky

Mother Nature now yearns for a great chunk of humanity to be annihilated.  Only then can she reclaim her majesty and balance.

This is the nightmare logic of Hicky Knocky, a poltergeist who views people as a cancer on the earth and instills a share house with its misanthropy.  As soon as Lee moves in, he experiences the menacing trances and hallucinations that grip the household.  Lee decides to restore his peace of mind, but not even his purification ritual of burning the house down abates Hicky.

Forsaken Blossoms

Ian is in a gang of high-school boys who form a creed against society’s materialism and hypocrisy. One day, his mother arranges a mentor for him, Gary, a martial arts instructor back in Melbourne after living in Japan.  At first, Ian idolizes Gary, but when the gang’s leader, Alpha, rules that Gary represents soft, New Age values – not manly virtue – the boys plan their retribution.

‘This is a quick read, a quick ride through madness.  The author, Glenn Cannon, takes you on a crazy and frightening journey where your adrenalin never stops.  It is an unsettling story at times, but the events unfold so quickly that the reader is swept along in the paranormal hysteria.’ ~    Wendy O’Hanlon (Acres Australia)

‘I’m not entirely sure if Forsaken Blossoms is a book that you can say you enjoyed, it’s not even a safe read in horror terms, but it’s certainly well written and has something to say. I was happy that I got a chance to be exposed to the ideas and writing style, and would recommend this one to those wanting something slightly deeper on their reading lists. Give it a go, every now and then it’s good to step beyond the simply dark and into more murky waters. I would certainly be up for reading some more from Glenn Cannon. ‘ ~ www.scaryminds.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Australian Hauntings: Colonial Supernatural Fiction
ed. James Doig
Equilibrium Books
ISBN – 978-1-921456-51-0
RRP: AU$29.95

Available from Equilibrium Books,  Angus & Robertson and Emporium Books

James Doig, critically acclaimed editor of Australian Gothic and Australian Nightmares, presents another collection of weird and supernatural fiction. Reprinted here for the first time since their original publication in long-forgotten books and magazines, these rare relics from Australia’s past will stimulate the imagination and keep you awake long into the night. Australian Hauntings completes an outstanding trilogy of gothic fiction, unearthing many classic tales from Australian authors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stephen King: A Literary Companion
Rocky Wood
McFarland Publishing
ISBN – 978-0-7864-5850-9
RRP: US$39.95

Available from Amazon and McFarland

This companion provides a two-part introduction to best-selling author Stephen King, whose enormous popularity over the years has gained him an audience well beyond readers of horror fiction, the genre with which is most often associated. Part I considers the reception of King’s work, the film adaptations that they gave rise to, the fictional worlds in which some of his novels are set, and the more useful approaches to King’s varied corpus. Part II consists of entries for each series, novel, story, screenplay and even poem, including works never published or produced, as well as characters and settings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ghosts Can Bleed
Tracie McBride (Cover artist Molly Rodman)
Dark Continents Publishing
ISBN – 978-0-9831603-6-6
RRP: US$13.99

Available from Dark Continents Publishing

Alien landscapes and mythic societies…creatures of the night and the more terrifying monsters of the human psyche… Be warned: Ghosts Can Bleed… but it’s not just the blood you should be worried about…

By turns terrifying, darkly comic, surreal and stomach-churning, these forty one stories and poems from award-winning author Tracie McBride open the veins of the world to show humanity in a different – and much darker – light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinister Slices

Red on Red

by Jen White

Published in: Bewere the Night

Available from: Amazon

Listening to Tracy

by Jen White

Published in:  Dead Red Heart, due April 2011

Available from Ticonderoga Publications

Old Red

by Jen White

Published in: Ethereal Tales

Available from: Ethereal Tales

Cathedral Man and the Rare Twelve Inch

by Trost

Published in: Blue Crow Magazine #3

Available from: Blue Crow Magazine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinister Awards

‘The Cloud’

by Paul Mannering

‘Doctor Who Season 3’

by Paul Mannering

Finalist (Fan Award): Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!

Sinister Reads

Should Have Killed the Kid
by R. Frederick Hamilton
Legumeman Books
ISBN – 978-0987049667
RRP: AUD$23.95 (free postage within Aus.)

Available from (print) Legumeman Books and Amazon; (ebook) Smashwords and Amazon

At the time it seemed so cut and dry. When the old man held out the knife and asked him to kill the kid, Dave didn’t think twice. The man was clearly nuts. Raving about an apocalypse that only the boy’s death could stop. Dave had done what any rational person would have – knocked the lunatic out. A lucky punch and all had been over… or so he thought.

Locked in a skyscraper in Melbourne, Dave Thomas has ample time to rue and lament his decision. As he watches the city burn, it’s a little difficult to escape the enormity of his mistake.

Claws have invaded the shadows.

Billions are dead.

Continents in ruin.

And to rub salt in the wounds, the only hope for salvation is to face that decision all over again.

He really should have killed the kid.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This Green Hell
by Greig Beck
Pan McMillan
ISBN – 9781405040495
RRP: AUD$32.99

Now available from all good bookstores

Deep in the steaming jungles of Paraguay, Aimee Weir is in trouble.

The petrobiologist has found what she was looking for – a unique microorganism in a natural gas deposit – but it proves to be more destructive than anyone could have imagined. A contagion is striking down all in its wake. The camp is quarantined, but workers start to vanish in the night.

Is it fear of contamination – or has something far more lethal come to the surface?

Alex Hunter – code name Arcadian – and his Hotzone All-Forces Warfare Commandos must be dropped in to the disaster area to do whatever it takes to stem the outbreak. It has been a year since Aimee has seen Alex; she thought she had left him for good. Now she needs him more than ever.

In the sweltering jungles of South America, the Arcadian must learn to master his violent inner demons for this rescue mission to have any chance of success. But can he survive long enough to confront the danger that threatens the very survival of mankind?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Torment
by Greg Chapman
Damnation Books
ISBN – Print  9781615723423/ eBook 9781615723416
RRP: eBook US$4.99 TPB US$12.50

eBook available from Damnation Books & Amazon

Print edition available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Jessica’s Newman’s tragic childhood has come back to haunt her. Her father, a Catholic deacon whom she hasn’t seen since he was found not guilty of her mother’s death during an exorcism ritual, has turned up dead in Scotland, a single gunshot wound to the head. Forced to take her family to Scotland and deal with her father’s estate – a derelict mansion in the Grampian Mountains – Jessica begins to question her mother’s death and just what role her father played in it. But the house – and its dark basement – could provide more answers than she bargained for.

“There are points in Torment when this novella is truly a torment to read, but in the all the right ways. Chapman inexorably draws the reader into Jessica Newman’s terrifying world to the point where there are two choices – put the story down to still your beating heart, or read on into the complex mystery, rightly fearing what lies on the next page. This is at once a tale of demonic and ghostly terror, as well as a compelling nod to the core imagery of classic horror. I don’t expect I’ll forget this tale any time soon, and that may not be a good thing!” ~Rocky Wood, author of Stephen King: The Non-Fiction and Horrors! Great Tales of Fear and Their Creators

“Torment echoes The Exorcist with its tale of tortured souls and questions about faith. A chilling, tightly written story from a new voice in horror.” ~Brett McBean, author of The Mother, Tales of Sin and Madness, and Concrete Jungle

“Torment is a slow-burning supernatural thriller that fuses the darkness of Blatty’s The Exorcist with the visceral thrills of ghost stories from masters such as Peter Straub and Robert Hood. With authorial sleight of hand, Chapman turns the exorcism sub-genre on its head with Torment. Greg Chapman is an author to watch.” ~Shane Jiraiya Cummings, author of Shards and The Apocrypha Sequence

“Well-placed dark fiction doused in history, ritual and intrigue.” ~Mark Farrugia, editor, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine: Best of Horror #2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinister Slices

Resurrection in Red

by Jason Nahrung

Published in: More Scary Kisses, due April 2011

Available from: Ticonderoga Publications

Children of the Cane
by Jason Nahrung

Published in:  Dead Red Heart, due April 2011

Available from Ticonderoga Publications

Wet Work

by Jason Nahrung

Published in: After the Rain, due April 2011

Available from: Fablecroft Publishing

Mending the Fences
by Jason Nahrung

Published in: Aurealis #45, due May 2011

Available from: Aurealis

A Dark Forestby Jen White

Published in: Extinct Doesn’t Mean Forever anthology

Available from: Amazon

Behind the Midnight Blinds

by Marty Young

Published in: Horror World

Out of the Storm
by Rick Kennett

Published in:  Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine

Available from Dunesteef

Thirty Minutes for New Hell
by Rick Kennett

Published in: Aurealis #45

Available from: Aurealis

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinister Awards

An Ordinary Boy

by Jen White

Shortlisted for Young Adult Short Story: 2010 Australian Shadows Award

Macabre: A Journey through Australia’s Darkest Fears

Ed. Angela Challis & Dr. Marty Young

Various tales listed in Ellen Datlow’s  ‘Honourable Mentions’ list -Best Horror 2010

by Jenny Blackford, Felicity Dowker, Andrew J. McKiernan, Amanda J. Spedding & Kyla Ward

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!