The Year of Cemetery Dance 2018

[Dana Jean]

16. Turn Down the Lights

edited by Richard Chizmar

About the Book:

"It was December 1988: George Bush had just defeated Michael Dukakis in the Presidential Election. Pitcher Orel Hershiser and the Los Angeles Dodgers had beaten the Oakland A's in five games to win the World Series. People were waiting in line at movie theaters to watch Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. Tom Clancy's The Cardinal of the Kremlin and Anne Rice's The Queen of the Damned were atop the bestseller lists. The most acclaimed genre books of the year were Thomas Harris's The Silence of the Lambs and Peter Straub's Koko.

And twenty-two year old college student Richard Chizmar had just published the premiere issue of a horror magazine named Cemetery Dance.

Twenty-five years later, there have been seventy issues of Cemetery Dance magazine. There have been more than 275 signed Limited Edition hardcovers in the Cemetery Dance book line. There have been awards including the World Fantasy Award, the International Horror Critics Guild Award, and the HWA Board of Trustees Excellence in Specialty Press Publishing Award, as well as nominations for the British Fantasy Award, the American Horror Award, and the Bram Stoker Award, just to name a few.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of that premiere issue of Cemetery Dance, we're proud to announce Turn Down the Lights, an anthology of authors who helped make the magazine what it is today. These original horror stories by Stephen King, Norman Partridge, Jack Ketchum, Brian James Freeman, Bentley Little, Ed Gorman, Ronald Kelly, Steve Rasnic Tem, Clive Barker, and Peter Straub capture the genuine love of the genre that pushes Cemetery Dance Publications forward year after year.

Now, turn down the lights, flip the page, take my hand, and start the dance…"

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this collection of fine writing and wonderful artwork.

Each story was different and well written. Not all are horror, but still unique and chilling in their own way. The styles and voices of each author offered a little bit of something for everyone.

Started with Stephen King -- I just love the way he tells a story. Simple but powerful.

My least favorite entry was by Peter Straub. I appreciate the creative style he took, but the story itself was just meh.

And Clive Barker's story? Holy mother of God.

I would definitely recommend reading it just to get a nice big taste of variety.



CORRECTION: My book only had two pieces of visual art: The cover of the first Cemetery Dance Magazine done by Bill Caughron and the cover art by Alan M. Clark. I had myself mixed up on books and wrote my thoughts without my book in hand thinking there were many artists -- my apologies on that.

And for the record, the cover is very nice and that piece by Mr. Caughron is pretty good too.

When I wrote my thoughts on this book, I didn't have my book in hand so had some missteps which I've corrected and definitely added my thoughts on Clive Barker's story -- kingricefan -- when you get your book, let me know what you think about Clive's contribution. GNTLGNT -- what were your thoughts? Keep it PG please.

 

[GNTLGNT]

When I wrote my thoughts on this book, I didn't have my book in hand so had some missteps which I've corrected and definitely added my thoughts on Clive Barker's story -- kingricefan -- when you get your book, let me know what you think about Clive's contribution. GNTLGNT -- what were your thoughts? Keep it PG please.

...having read all of Clive's early material-another foray into literary "porn" wasn't shocking....he has always seemed to aim for leaving his readers unsettled, squeamish, gobsmacked or amazed......

 

[kingricefan]

When I wrote my thoughts on this book, I didn't have my book in hand so had some missteps which I've corrected and definitely added my thoughts on Clive Barker's story -- kingricefan -- when you get your book, let me know what you think about Clive's contribution. GNTLGNT -- what were your thoughts? Keep it PG please.

It might be another few years until I get my copy, who knows?

 

[kingricefan]

...having read all of Clive's early material-another foray into literary "porn" wasn't shocking....he has always seemed to aim for leaving his readers unsettled, squeamish, gobsmacked or amazed......

Now I'm piqued......

 

[ghost19]

15. Wicked Things

by Thomas Tessier

"Private investigator Jack Carlson is traveling to the small, remote upstate city of Winship to look into a rash of suspicious insurance claims.

Like the farmer who accidentally blew himself up in a garnet mine, and the teenager who died in a peculiar car crash.

The Winship police and Medical Examiner appear cooperative but offer no real help.

Local insurance agent Joe Bellman is evasive and fearful.

And shortly after meeting Jack, both Bellman and his secretary Chris Innes turn up dead, an apparent case of murder-suicide.

Jack isn't buying any of it.

As he pokes behind the Norman Rockwell exterior of Winship, he finds a place smoldering with crime, corruption and bizarre religious fervor. He becomes involved with a club dancer named Kelly, who may know some of the secrets but who may also be a mortal threat to Jack.

The town of Winship is itself part of the puzzle, a place where unseen choirs can be heard, where the ground appears to glow, creating confusion and mental disorder in anyone nearby, where gangs of young thugs roam free to bully and beat people.

A friend of Kelly's disappears in an open meadow, as if swallowed up by the earth.

Behind it all may be a cherubic old priest, Father Jimmy.

And as Jack tries to unravel the growing number of mysteries — both criminal and mystical — he finds himself in a fight to save his own life, and sanity..."

My Thoughts

Thomas Tessier is a good writer and that shows in both the title story, Wicked Things and the bonus novella included in the book, Scramburg, U.S.A.

In regards to Wicked Things, this story had a nice flow, a noir type detective and I had great hopes for it. Unfortunately, it just fell short of what it was wanting to accomplish. Up above in the "about the book" section that I pulled from Cemetery Dance, it brings up questions about what is happening in the town of Winship and what is happening to its citizens. Absolutely nothing is fully realized in this story. Not one odd or interesting scenario is ever satisfyingly answered.

While many best selling, fantastic stories leave us guessing, this wasn't about that. There were so many situations and characters that were introduced -- intriguing shiny things dangled in front of our eyes -- it's like he forgot that he had to actually tell us a story. And I never ever got the Norman Rockwell feel that the press release touts.

Besides not really staying focused, there was one thing that irked the holy hell out of me. Jack Carlson, our middle-aged private investigator, picked up a couple of partners while in the town of Winship.

So, ho hum, we had to get through those scenes. BUT, one of our young girls rolling in the sheets with him kept calling him daddy. I swear to God, I was about ready to start my own hashtag: #MeTooNauseousToKeepReading.

If any of you call your man daddy, get over here so I can barf on you. And stop. Please.

The second story Scramburg, U.S.A was also well written. There is no doubt Mr. Tessier knows the mechanics and the formula for a good story. But, that doesn't necessarily translate into a satisfying story. This was better than the first entry in the book, but never felt fully fleshed out.

Both stories had elements left hanging like kite tails, just there for decoration.

Overall, disappointed, but I don't judge this author by this one book, he's written many so I would definitely give him a try on something else.

James Higgins Photography did the cover photo and it is a beautiful composition. But it doesn't go with either story at all.

The feel I get for the photograph is a beautiful European City, very cosmopolitan -- which Winship and Scramburg were not.

Wicked Things sounds very good DJ. Let me know what you think.

 

[ghost19]

Wicked Things sounds very good DJ. Let me know what you think.

And I’m a moron you already reviewed it. I’ll just shut up now....nothing to see here.....

 

[Dana Jean]

...having read all of Clive's early material-another foray into literary "porn" wasn't shocking....he has always seemed to aim for leaving his readers unsettled, squeamish, gobsmacked or amazed......

Now I'm piqued......

It's a well written story, but sweet jebus.... I don't want to say too much because I want you to experience it in all its wonderful glory.

Horror writing seems to be dominated by men. And it appears that they all had a connection to it from a young age, probably from watching all those old horror movies. And for shock value in a time of repression and taboo, almost all of these movies had to throw in some hint of the big "X." Pushing as close to that rating as they dared. Usually going hand in hand with violence. As each previous generation of horror pushed against the Tipper Goreness of their day.

It seems in all this horror reading I am doing that sex, sensuality, nudity and violence goes into their very definition of horror. It's almost like it's the ingredients of horror, and if they don't add something -- it won't be true to the genre.

Obviously I'm just yapping and there are probably male horror writers who have not put one moment, one scene of sex et al in ANY of their stories, but, this is just my own personal observation based on what I am reading right now. And I'm not saying every story contains it. I'm just saying, almost all male horror authors write it into something at some point in their career.

The next 10 things I read might not have a drop of any of this in it. But I can almost bet it does. And, when it is necessary for the story, it must be there. But I hate when it's forced just so they can write some repressed Penthouse forum letter with the thought of shocking, titillating, or grossing us out. I think all men believe they can write the bestest sexual or nude encounter evah!

Okay men. Stick up for yourselves. Let me have it. And you ladies who disagree, what say you?

 

[Neesy]

It's a well written story, but sweet jebus.... I don't want to say too much because I want you to experience it in all it's wonderful glory.

Horror writing seems to be dominated by men. And it appears that they all had a connection to it from a young age, probably from watching all those old horror movies. And for shock value in a time of repression and taboo, almost all of these movies had to throw in some hint of the big "X." Pushing as close to that rating as they dared. Usually going hand in hand with violence. As each previous generation of horror pushed against the Tipper Goreness of their day.

It seems in all this horror reading I am doing that sex, sensuality, nudity and violence goes into their very definition of horror. It's almost like it's the ingredients of horror, and if they don't add something -- it won't be true to the genre.

Obviously I'm just yapping and there are probably male horror writers who have not put one moment, one scene of sex et al in ANY of their stories, but, this is just my own personal observation based on what I am reading right now. And I'm not saying every story contains it. I'm just saying, almost all male horror authors write it into something at some point in their career.

The next 10 things I read might not have a drop of any of this in it. But I can almost bet it does. And, when it is necessary for the story, it must be there. But I hate when it's forced just so they can write some repressed Penthouse forum letter with the thought of shocking, titillating, or grossing us out. I think all men believe they can write the bestest sexual or nude encounter evah!

Okay men. Stick up for yourselves. Let me have it. And you ladies who disagree, what say you?

She doesn't write horror but Diana Gabaldon has quite a few racy scenes in her books (the Outlander series in particular).

"sex, sensuality, nudity and violence" - wow - sounds like I'm missing out!

 

[GNTLGNT]

It's a well written story, but sweet jebus.... I don't want to say too much because I want you to experience it in all it's wonderful glory.

Horror writing seems to be dominated by men. And it appears that they all had a connection to it from a young age, probably from watching all those old horror movies. And for shock value in a time of repression and taboo, almost all of these movies had to throw in some hint of the big "X." Pushing as close to that rating as they dared. Usually going hand in hand with violence. As each previous generation of horror pushed against the Tipper Goreness of their day.

It seems in all this horror reading I am doing that sex, sensuality, nudity and violence goes into their very definition of horror. It's almost like it's the ingredients of horror, and if they don't add something -- it won't be true to the genre.

Obviously I'm just yapping and there are probably male horror writers who have not put one moment, one scene of sex et al in ANY of their stories, but, this is just my own personal observation based on what I am reading right now. And I'm not saying every story contains it. I'm just saying, almost all male horror authors write it into something at some point in their career.

The next 10 things I read might not have a drop of any of this in it. But I can almost bet it does. And, when it is necessary for the story, it must be there. But I hate when it's forced just so they can write some repressed Penthouse forum letter with the thought of shocking, titillating, or grossing us out. I think all men believe they can write the bestest sexual or nude encounter evah!

Okay men. Stick up for yourselves. Let me have it. And you ladies who disagree, what say you?

....well, Steve is a perfect example-sure he's written some sexual content scenes-but to me, they seemed rather awkward-even the infamous "kid coupling"....having said that, yeah-lotsa guy writers seem to think they need to include the old slap & tickle into their writing, but for me-it just interrupts the plot and pacing...."Hey, let's do the horizontal mambo honey, then we'll look in the basement. Whaddya say?".....derp......horror and whore(male or female)don't need to co-exist to advance the scares. Off the top of my head, HP Lovecraft scared the hell outta me as a kid, and I don't recall one romp in the sheets that made that happen......

 

[Dana Jean]

She doesn't write horror but Diana Gabaldon has quite a few racy scenes in her books (the Outlander series in particular).

"sex, sensuality, nudity and violence" - wow - sounds like I'm missing out!

Oh absolutely. Women writers do it also. Didn't mean to suggest they don't. I was just basing this on my current streak of male horror writers that I am reading.

 

[Dana Jean]

....well, Steve is a perfect example-sure he's written some sexual content scenes-but to me, they seemed rather awkward-even the infamous "kid coupling"....having said that, yeah-lotsa guy writers seem to think they need to include the old slap & tickle into their writing, but for me-it just interrupts the plot and pacing...."Hey, let's do the horizontal mambo honey, then we'll look in the basement. Whaddya say?".....derp......horror and whore(male or female)don't need to co-exist to advance the scares. Off the top of my head, HP Lovecraft scared the hell outta me as a kid, and I don't recall one romp in the sheets that made that happen......

I agree with you.

But, sometimes depending on the story itself, sex can actually be well written, detailed and an integral part of the plot in horror. When someone is writing a gritty, down and dirty story -- like Big Driver, it's got to be well done and do it's job. I think stephen did his job with that story. I'm sure there are other examples of well done sex scenes in horror, but most are just gratuitous moments thrown in for shock value. I appreciate the authors who challenge themselves to NOT go that route and just give us an old fashioned boo!

 

[Dana Jean]

....well, Steve is a perfect example-sure he's written some sexual content scenes-but to me, they seemed rather awkward-even the infamous "kid coupling"....having said that, yeah-lotsa guy writers seem to think they need to include the old slap & tickle into their writing, but for me-it just interrupts the plot and pacing...."Hey, let's do the horizontal mambo honey, then we'll look in the basement. Whaddya say?".....derp......horror and whore(male or female)don't need to co-exist to advance the scares. Off the top of my head, HP Lovecraft scared the hell outta me as a kid, and I don't recall one romp in the sheets that made that happen......

In regards to Lovecraft, from a Vice article by Philip Eil

Spoiler: R rated discussion about Lovecraft movie adaptations

"And we can't ignore the movies. There seems to be an unwritten rule that Lovecraftian adaptations must have a gratuitously topless woman or some other sexual scenario missing from the original stories, which contain "virtually no women" (Joyce Carol Oates) and "virtually no sex" (Lovecraft biographer, S. T. Joshi). The psychedelic B-movie adaptation of Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror" gave us perhaps cinema history's first tentacle-rape scene. Re-Animator (an adaptation of "Herbert West—Re-Animator") delivered the brain-scorching image of a disembodied head attempting cunnilingus. And Dagon (an adaptation of Lovecraft's "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"), includes a scene in which the protagonist—an unlucky guy named Paul who eventually lights himself on fire—makes out with a woman he encounters while being chased through a mansion by murderous fish-people. As the encounter heats up, Paul reaches under the woman's shirt and finds gills along her torso. A moment later, he sees she has two wriggling tentacles instead of legs.

All of this posthumous sexualizing is more than a little ironic, considering how non-sexual Lovecraft actually was. In 1945, the New York Times noted that his "loathing for fish was even stronger than his aversion to sex." His biographer, S. T. Joshi, classifies him "among the most asexual individuals in human history."

 

[GNTLGNT]

In regards to Lovecraft, from a Vice article by Philip Eil

Spoiler: R rated discussion about Lovecraft movie adaptations

"And we can't ignore the movies. There seems to be an unwritten rule that Lovecraftian adaptations must have a gratuitously topless woman or some other sexual scenario missing from the original stories, which contain "virtually no women" (Joyce Carol Oates) and "virtually no sex" (Lovecraft biographer, S. T. Joshi). The psychedelic B-movie adaptation of Lovecraft's "The Dunwich Horror" gave us perhaps cinema history's first tentacle-rape scene. Re-Animator (an adaptation of "Herbert West—Re-Animator") delivered the brain-scorching image of a disembodied head attempting cunnilingus. And Dagon (an adaptation of Lovecraft's "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"), includes a scene in which the protagonist—an unlucky guy named Paul who eventually lights himself on fire—makes out with a woman he encounters while being chased through a mansion by murderous fish-people. As the encounter heats up, Paul reaches under the woman's shirt and finds gills along her torso. A moment later, he sees she has two wriggling tentacles instead of legs.

All of this posthumous sexualizing is more than a little ironic, considering how non-sexual Lovecraft actually was. In 1945, the New York Times noted that his "loathing for fish was even stronger than his aversion to sex." His biographer, S. T. Joshi, classifies him "among the most asexual individuals in human history."

...interesting.......he is likey spinning like a top in his grave from these idiots sexing up his work......

 

[Dana Jean]

17. Wildwood Road

by Christopher Golden

"About the Book:

Michael and Jillian Dansky seemed to have it all.

But driving home from a Halloween masquerade, Michael momentarily nods off behind the wheeland wakes to find nothing is the same. Standing by his car is a little girl he came within a breath of running down. She leads Michael to her "home," an empty house haunted by whispers, and sends him away with a plea: "come find me."

But in the weeks to follow, it's clear that someone—or something—doesn't want Michael to find her: ominous figures with gray coats and misshapen faces trail him everywhere. And then one morning a cold, cruel, vindictive woman awakens in place of his wife.

Michael must now search not only for the lost girl but for a way to find the Jillian he's always loved, and to do so he must return to where the nightmare began. Down an isolated lane, where he'll find them—or die trying."

My thoughts:

John Cassady's artwork graces the cover of this intriguing story. I wasn't a fan of the cover until I read the book, and it totally works. Good concept.

Christopher Golden is a talented writer. You can tell he loves to write. Because... this book was about 100 pages too long. We got stuck reading a lot of minutiae -- Golden created reams of darlings that needed to fall on the sword. The urgency and tension of the story got bogged down in all those words. The long chapters were tedious.

But, the overall narrative was good. His ideas advanced the plot nicely. The bad guys, or girls in this case, were very suggestive of Stephen King's little bald doctors from Insomnia.

A nice tightening would have helped the pacing here and elevated this story to another level.

 

[Dana Jean]

I have 3 quick chapbooks I'm going to read in a row, so next up:

 

[GNTLGNT]

...chapbooks, they any good for dry and cracked lips?....or are they just balm for the brain?.....

 

[Dana Jean]

18. The Hollow Earth

by Steven Savile

This is not a Cemetery Dance book, but I received it in a grab bag from that publisher, so qualifies for the thread.

About the Book:

"There are secrets held within the earth that should never even be whispered, secrets that only the darkest minds of our kind entertain or record.

One such archaic tablet was stolen from the British museum and with it something from the deepest catacombs of the earth has been released. It has been whispered in occult circles that the tablet holds the secret to discovering the location of the Catamine Stair, the endless spiral that descends all the way into the hollow heart of the earth.

Days later a demonic looking corpse is found crucified on the cupola of St Paul's Cathedral. Something has been let lose. Challinor and Millington, adventurers from the fabled Greyfriar's Club in old London Town, are hell bent on finding out the truth before it is too late."

My Thoughts:

Cover art and artwork included in the chapbook is done by Daniele Serra. Terrific cover and the creative pieces included throughout are always a bonus.

I love the language of this book. The poetic sound. A great line included: "The melancholy leaves fell across his face, leaving smears of pollen on his lapel like poisonous kisses."

Given this was a chapbook, it was a very quick read. Maybe a little too quick. And that was the disappointment. It could have easily been a longer story with more focus on the members of the Greyfriar's Gentlemen's Club. But, overall, a nice little story.

 

[Dana Jean]

Next up, another chapbook:

 

[Dana Jean]

19. Necropolis

By John Urbancik

Not a Cemetery Dance book, but I received it from CD so qualifies for the thread.

About the Book:

"In the great city of the dead, night brings life to the gravesides. Spirits rise as the sun falls. Love is tested. Mysteries are presented. Strangers drift through the stones. Queens. Spiders. Goddesses. Death. In the great city of the dead, a dollar coin might buy your dearest wish. A photographer might capture her own heart. A breeze might reveal a raven. Listen to the sounds of the flute, listen to the soundless fireflies, listen to the ravensong.

It's not only ghosts that wander the Necropolis."

My Thoughts:

Mr. Urbancik also does the photography for the cover and throughout the book. Graveyards are always an interesting subject, so the pictures are perfect for the story and satisfyingly unsettling.

Another quick chapbook read, I'm not really sure how to say anymore about this story than what the press release above reveals.

All graveyards are cities of the dead containing quiet, good neighbors. But occasionally, in this city, a few neighbors make things interesting. The welcome mat is out, newcomers welcome. I enjoyed the story.

 

[Dana Jean]

Next Up: