Book Trailer: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Check out the trailer for Stephen King's highly anticipated new novel - 11/22/63. Order it below and it will arrive automatically on your Kindle on November 8, 2011!

Book Review: Seed by Ania Ahlborn

I have a confession to make. I just had my ass kicked by Ania Ahlborn. In fact, Ania, if you're reading this, I would suggest getting buttons, coffee mugs and bumper stickers made up that state that very thing -- "I just got my ass kicked by Ania Ahlborn!"

Let's be frank. Today's horror just doesn't scare the way it used to. Maybe it's due to the world being so screwed up that horror isn't horror anymore or maybe it's due to the fact that everything in the genre has been done and re-done to the point the well has run dry; I don't know. Virtually all modern horror movies are lame and weak, while many modern horror novels tend to feel too commercially-driven to be honest. Or at least that's what I thought up until I read a little e-book called Seed.

The story follows Jack Winter and his family in the swampy lands of Louisiana. Something evil is going on with Jack and Aimee's youngest daughter, Charlie; something that Jack is all too familiar with. As Jack relives his own childhood nightmares, and learns the truth about what has haunted him his entire life, he's forced into a battle for his daughter's very soul.

Seed is a breath of fresh air on the horror landscape and it's one of the first books to actually make me feel nervous while I was reading it. The imagery in the book is amazing and Ania's rich prose sucks you right in and doesn't falter a step throughout.

Seed starts off with a bang and never lets up until the final gut-wrenching page. Literally, there was something creepy happening on every page in this book. To say I loved Seed is a severe understatement. This is a rare piece of perfection and one of the scariest books you'll ever read. The fact that Ms. Alhborn did it all on her own without the help of a traditional publisher makes me love it even more. As a matter of fact, if I were to be so bold, I would say that this 99-cent e-book alone is more than worth the price you paid for your Kindle to enjoy it. Call me crazy, but that's how much I enjoyed reading Seed!

As you might have guessed by now, Seed gets ***** out of *****. A stunning debut by one of my now must-read authors.

Order Seed by Ania Ahlborn below and prepare to have your ass handed to you. Don't worry, you'll love every minute of it. 

Book Trailer: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is one of Amazon's Best Books of the Month for September. Watch the book trailer for this enchanting new novel and enter a world of love, joy, heartbreak, deceit and magic!

Harlan Coben Discusses His First YA Novel -- Shelter

New York Times bestselling author, Harlan Coben discusses his first YA title, Shelter. For a truly breathtaking ride, order the book below; it's available NOW! Check out the book trailer for Shelter below.

Short Story Review: The Mothman Isn't Real by Jason Thacker

The Mothman is one of the most mysterious cryptozoological creatures around. I mean, sure, there are hundreds of documentaries, movies, books and other media resources dedicated to the winged, red-eyed beast, but pretty much absolutely nothing is truly known about it. People can't even begin to speculate what it is. Unlike Bigfoot, Nessie and a few other heavy hitters, the Mothman is sort of a quiet, inconspicuous creature, not unlike Jersey's "Devil." No pictures exist of the Mothman, no video footage is ever caught, but one thing is certain - it scares the bejeezus out of anyone who crosses its path. And, it also happens to be one of my favorites.

So, you can imagine my delight when I get an email from author Jason Thacker to review his new short story, The Mothman Isn't Real. Before I started my journey into Pikeville, Kentucky (where the story takes place), I silently prayed for this variation of the Mothman mythos to feature a kick-ass, take no prisoner sort of Mothman.

I love it when prayers are answered.

Thacker's short story is a fast-moving, thrill-a-minute read that features a menacing, dangerously blood-thirsty Mothman. The characters in Thacker's short story are realistic and believable and that's oh so important, and even more so in a short story in my opinion. I blazed through this story and loved every minute of it. Full of action, suspense and mystery, The Mothman Isn't Real made for a fantastic early Saturday morning read. I highly recommend this fun and exciting story and give it ***** out of *****.

Pick up The Mothman Isn't Real for your Kindle at Amazon using the link below or visit Jason Thacker's page on Smashwords to get this story in another format.

Book Trailer: Night of the Living Trekkies

If this isn't the best book trailer I don't know what is! Read the book and pray for the movie!

Kindle Single Review: Mile 81 by Stephen King

You know, they used to describe Stephen King as the writer of all those vampire, werewolf and monster stories, but if you take a long look at his works, vehicles, possessed or otherwise, play heavily into his monster rotation too. Earlier works like Christine, Maximum Overdrive and From a Buick 8 all feature killer vehicles and so does his latest work, Mile 81.

Mile 81 is a short story originally released for e-readers, but it will be available in book and audiobook formats eventually. This tale takes place at an abandoned rest stop along the turnpike in Maine. It starts off with 10-year old Pete Simmons heading out to the old rest stop for a day of adventure only after his older brother wouldn't let him tag along with him and his friends. Armed with a magnifying glass and a half-empty vodka bottle he finds along the way, Pete enters the rest stop, peruses the left-behinds and ultimately gets a little woozy off a few sips of vodka. He eventually falls asleep, and while he's sleeping, outside all hell is breaking loose. You see, a mud-covered car has rolled up the ramp to the rest stop, and this is no ordinary car.

Reading Mile 81 is like listening to your favorite rock band do an acoustic set. All the necessary notes are still represented, and the songs still sound fantastic, but they're not quite the same. Taken as it is, Mile 81 is a fast-paced read and a highly enjoyable one, but it's not as deeply satisfying as long-form Stephen King.

Even still, I give Mile 81 **** out of *****.