....you should be doing this kind of thing for a living Deej.....your assessments are always honest and many times hilarious.....the gift is awesome and thank you for sharing.....
The Year of Cemetery Dance 2018
- Thread starter Dana Jean
- Start date
-
This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.
Thank you Scott. That's very sweet but all of this is just my opinion, as you know. No one would pay me for it.
People get paid to do reviews all the time. skimom2 does it. I think his point was, you have a thoughtful, fair, humorous way in your reviews and not every reviewer (paid ones) can do that!Thank you Scott. That's very sweet but all of this is just my opinion, as you know. No one would pay me for it.
thank you for the kind words. Skimom is a professional reviewer and she follows a very strict code of reviewing; whereas, I just sort of fly by the seat of my pants-- and I throw out my thoughts without a lot of proofreading -- so, I end up correcting correcting correcting things! And I don't have to censor my feelings so much or my colorful observations.People get paid to do reviews all the time. skimom2 does it. I think his point was, you have a thoughtful, fair, humorous way in your reviews and not every reviewer (paid ones) can do that!
You could do a blog and maybe become a famous blogger.thank you for the kind words. Skimom is a professional reviewer and she follows a very strict code of reviewing; whereas, I just sort of fly by the seat of my pants-- and I throw out my thoughts without a lot of proofreading -- so, I end up correcting correcting correcting things! And I don't have to censor my feelings so much or my colorful observations.
...Maybe sweet, but it’s the truth as I see it...I have noticed your talent in other areas including the Halloween tale....never self-deprecate, others are more than happy to tear you down...keep doing what you do lass, it’s very much appreciated...Thank you Scott. That's very sweet but all of this is just my opinion, as you know. No one would pay me for it.
Naw, would be too lazy to keep it going. The only reason I'm sticking with this is because I made this my New Years Resolution (one of them anyway) that I would start reading these CD books! So many books just sitting there!
You are very correct. Nothing is more true than the glee people take in tearing someone down. I'll just keep yapping and I appreciate anyone who takes their time to follow along with me.
I've been reading these all along. Very good reviews - and I love the cover art critiques. You've really made me want to subscribe! What're they paying you, kid?
"Nothing is more true than the glee people take in tearing someone down" That's sad, but true of many - of that type of person anyway. Hurts my heart to behold.
"Nothing is more true than the glee people take in tearing someone down" That's sad, but true of many - of that type of person anyway. Hurts my heart to behold.
Thanks girl! I'm paid in a head full of stories!
When people are miserable curs, they take delight in tromping on the throats of others.
It's fascinating to watch, pitiful to see and painful to be on the receiving end.
See? I think of something last minute and go back and throw it in -- I did edit my thoughts to give Poor Petuh a little more credit, I forgot I really did like his section on Dracula and The Stepford Wives.I love your reviews, Deej!
35. Eulogies II: Tales From the Cellar
edited by Christopher Jones, Nanci Kalanta and Tony Tremblay
"Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” The contributors to Eulogies II seem to be saying, “All the world’s a cellar, and one only need pull open the bulkhead doors to catch a whiff of the stench, or to walk down the damp, crumbling concrete steps to brave an encounter with what creeps, crawls, or festers in the darkness.” In most cultures, hell is known as a place underneath, down below, in the dark where it is either unbearably hot or unbearably cold, where terrible circumstances overwhelm or even destroy those who wander there. Hell is the ultimate cellar. So it’s no wonder the idea of going down stirs up such a sense of dread. And our life experience is filled with cellars.
Cellars of place. Cellars of time. Cellars of circumstance. They can all hold dark, horrifying, and unseemly secrets."
From the Introduction by Elizabeth Massie
My Thoughts:
Cover Art for this book is by a Deena Warner. Very atmospheric and appropriate. Good.
One inner pencil drawing by Keith Minnion. Just one piece of art, right at the beginning. And this is a large book. It's packed. It's dense. It's big boned. So, while Keith Minnion's talent is obvious, it was squandered by not being used more.
I say to publisher's putting these things together -- pick a lane. Either commit to adding artwork throughout the book, or just give it a rest. I love to see stories illustrated so in this particular case, this art-bone you threw out, while a terrific and detailed piece, wasn't satisfying because we just got the one.
The book itself was a stocky solid thing in my hands. And it was filled with some really talented writers and many of them were new to me. I don't think I've read most of these authors anywhere else, so that was great fun to get the deluxe horror platter served up by a new bunch of kids.
Not all the stories were hits for me, and I have to say, a couple just downright groaners.
And that was because, yep, the mindset seemed to be, this is horror so I have to combine sex and violence to really shock that audience. Uh, no. I am really tired of that old chestnut. Give me some new concepts, thank you.
As I ho-hummingly have stated over and over again, when sex and/or violence is needed, it is a must that it is present in the story. But when you're just throwing that s*t out there to shock me, titillate me, gross me out -- it's a big FAIL.
I did enjoy the author bios at the end of their stories. Some of those were pretty clever and obviously packed with some serious credentials.
My favorite story in the book was by Eric J. Guignard called A Serving of Nomu Sashimi. A fresh entry. Simple. Not overworked, not trying too hard -- nice little story.
I do wish I owned Eulogies I and I guess there is a Eulogies III that would look great on my bookcase also.
edited by Christopher Jones, Nanci Kalanta and Tony Tremblay
"Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” The contributors to Eulogies II seem to be saying, “All the world’s a cellar, and one only need pull open the bulkhead doors to catch a whiff of the stench, or to walk down the damp, crumbling concrete steps to brave an encounter with what creeps, crawls, or festers in the darkness.” In most cultures, hell is known as a place underneath, down below, in the dark where it is either unbearably hot or unbearably cold, where terrible circumstances overwhelm or even destroy those who wander there. Hell is the ultimate cellar. So it’s no wonder the idea of going down stirs up such a sense of dread. And our life experience is filled with cellars.
Cellars of place. Cellars of time. Cellars of circumstance. They can all hold dark, horrifying, and unseemly secrets."
From the Introduction by Elizabeth Massie
My Thoughts:
Cover Art for this book is by a Deena Warner. Very atmospheric and appropriate. Good.
One inner pencil drawing by Keith Minnion. Just one piece of art, right at the beginning. And this is a large book. It's packed. It's dense. It's big boned. So, while Keith Minnion's talent is obvious, it was squandered by not being used more.
I say to publisher's putting these things together -- pick a lane. Either commit to adding artwork throughout the book, or just give it a rest. I love to see stories illustrated so in this particular case, this art-bone you threw out, while a terrific and detailed piece, wasn't satisfying because we just got the one.
The book itself was a stocky solid thing in my hands. And it was filled with some really talented writers and many of them were new to me. I don't think I've read most of these authors anywhere else, so that was great fun to get the deluxe horror platter served up by a new bunch of kids.
Not all the stories were hits for me, and I have to say, a couple just downright groaners.
And that was because, yep, the mindset seemed to be, this is horror so I have to combine sex and violence to really shock that audience. Uh, no. I am really tired of that old chestnut. Give me some new concepts, thank you.
As I ho-hummingly have stated over and over again, when sex and/or violence is needed, it is a must that it is present in the story. But when you're just throwing that s*t out there to shock me, titillate me, gross me out -- it's a big FAIL.
I did enjoy the author bios at the end of their stories. Some of those were pretty clever and obviously packed with some serious credentials.
My favorite story in the book was by Eric J. Guignard called A Serving of Nomu Sashimi. A fresh entry. Simple. Not overworked, not trying too hard -- nice little story.
I do wish I owned Eulogies I and I guess there is a Eulogies III that would look great on my bookcase also.
Last edited:
Next Up: See that cover? See that last name? I'm already feeling sorry for Poor Petuh! I'm hoping his story just wins me over!
Deej you have 4 top notch writers in this volume. I don't think you'll be disappointed at all. Garton is a fine writer and I don't think he's been given the kudos that he deserves.Next Up: See that cover? See that last name? I'm already feeling sorry for Poor Petuh! I'm hoping his story just wins me over!
I want to love them all, right down to the last grave-waxed corpse.
I just noticed your quote from Dennis Etchison. Another fine writer who doesn't get the kudos he deserves.
I just read one of his short stories in A Book of Horrors. Good story and that quote -- whoa. The older I get, the more little dyings I experience and as I become more detached and exhausted, it just spoke volumes on my behalf. And dyings, to me, doesn't necessarily mean the bodily loss of someone.
Small dyings meant everything I've lost along my journey --people, yes. But also, innocence, trust, dreams, energy, time, drive and on and on and on. All those dyings, *heavy sigh*
Dana Jean I realize that I have been on this board a relatively short time but it has not taken me long to realize a few things. One of those that I thoroughly enjoy is reading most of your posts whenever I can find the time. Admittedly this thread is new to me and I have only read the last couple of pages (promise I will get to others in time). Your way of writing reminds me why I began to read Mr King in the first place. You write intelligently, painting word pictures while at the same time "talking like I talk" for a lack of a better way to put it. Thank you for that.
As far as your observations on dyings, like everything I read now it spoke to me personally. As I have stated lost my father in 14 unexpectedly. In one day all the things you listed, innocence, trust, energy, time and drive felt like they were gone. Went on that way until my "incident " in 17. When my middle child told me "never to die again" I got a new perspective. Started working with young people again (ballplayers) and they are still full of all those things I felt I had lost. Energy from them, and my own children, rejuvenated my view on this thing called life. Don't get me wrong. I am still a slightly less fat, aging old sexist fart. But every day is more appreciated and seems slightly brighter.
Keep up the good writings girl. This voyeurish reader (Constant was taken, trying out something new) wants more please.
Do you pick what you want to read? Why was I thinking Cemetery Dance was something you could subscribe to and be sent whatever comes out next? Was I dreaming? I tried the site but it's too much for so close to bedtime. But you've got me very interested.
Small dyings. Ayuh. My eyebrows.
Small dyings. Ayuh. My eyebrows.
I can't wait until Deej sees this, you have the measure of our girl... she will have trouble hearing and believing because she is so undervalued sometimes, but yes... you absolutely have the measure of our girl. I loved your post, thank you.