The black Cat anthology
Reviews via Lulu.com
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27-Nov-2014I bought the collection for Soul Witch. It’s a well written story that needs to be developed into a novel! -
27-Nov-2014I’m usually a fan of straight up monster stories but Soul Witch pulled me in and wouldn’t let go. Very suspenseful with characters you want to see get their’s and a villain/heroine that you want to root for. Excellent book I really recommend for anyone that likes a good scare.
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24-Nov-2014This is a great collection. I loved Charles Rutherford’s Soul Witch. It’s a haunting tale of retribution that takes some wonderful twists and turns and resolves in a really satisfying way. Highly recommended.
Exceptionally well written collection of great horror stories. Each story is as scary & as believing as the next, each one draws you into the pages & ties you to it, each one is different & disturbing. Dan Weatherer writes smoothly and cleverly and with the pure skill of scaring you to death. Thank you.
The Soul That Screamed review (http://ebookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk)
Now, this is, in my opinion, just how story collections should be. There is plenty of variety, more or less something for everyone. This is a first collection from Dan Weatherer, but to read his words you get the feeling of reading someone who’s been doing this for a while.
Some of the tales here have the voice and style of the ‘old masters’ like Poe, Lovecraft, and M R James (The Legend of the Chained Oak, Florian, Siar’s Rock) while others feel a lot more modern. There are ghost stories in here, there are zombie/re-animation stories here, there are demons a plenty, a ‘creature feature (Fly Bad Butterfly, Fly – particularly disturbing for me this one as I have a ridiculous fear of butterflies and moths) and two darkly comic tales (‘Once A Butcher’s Wife’ and its’ follow up ‘Always A Butcher’s Wife’).
Weather comes across on the page as a more than competent author with a selection of ‘author voices’ to entertain you. I think we will be hearing a lot more from him in the future (I certainly hope so) and would be interested to see what he would do with a full length novel (and I want more stories of Agnes Ferry, the eponymous butcher’s wife – you’ve got to love the old dear, even if she is a nasty piece of work at times)
A Not To Be Missed Read 5 stars (Amazon.com) By Lea ODea on December 17, 2013
Dan’s awesome collection took me on a brilliantly scarey journey with macabre characters that made me laugh and shiver at the same time. I am so glad that I bought ‘The Soul That Screamed’ as I know I will be reading it again and again!
Can’t wait for Dan’s next work to come out!
Can’t wait for Dan’s next work to come out!
A mind altering treat! 5 stars (Amazon.com) By Maria on December 28, 2013
A mind altering treat, in the fact that these very well written stories will take you places. I was captivated by the stories in this book. Dan Weatherer has a way of writing that not only is easy to follow but wraps you up and takes you along! I recommend this collection of stories, but beware of reading it in bed – for if you fall asleep while reading you may just have some strange dreams, I did, loved it!
The cover of Michael Aronovitz’s newest collection of stories is perfectly apt—a group huddled around a campfire listening to the crackling “voice” within; the listeners are mesmerized by the flame (the storyteller in this instance), unable and unwilling to look away.Counting myself among these devoted listeners, I cannot help but recommend this collection. There are certain authors for whom I will drop everything (we’re talking books here) to read their latest endeavor. Last year, after consuming his brilliant novel “Alice Walks”, I added Mr. Aronovitz to that list.The twelve tales that make up “The Voices in Our Heads” are told in a variety of modes (and moods). There are rural and urban legends, meta-fiction, monsters, phantoms, delusions—a plethora of imaginative writing, which includes one of the finest “vampire” tales I have ever read. Another, “The Puddles” (originally featured in S.T. Joshi’s inaugural “Weird Fiction Review”), features a woman overtaken by her compulsion to keep herself and the world (in this case her apartment) spotlessly clean; a sad and horrifying tale.Storytelling seems to come naturally to Aronovitz. He has that rare ability to transmute the mundane details of our everyday existence into the most exquisite prose. You will find yourself nodding in agreement, and perhaps even laughing out loud, at the author’s spot-on descriptive prowess and his ability to tell-it-like-it-is.As disturbing as some of these “voices” can be, there is no question that they are utterly captivating and not to be missed. When the flame finally burns out and you leave Camp Aronovitz behind, the world will be viewed in a much stranger light.Mesmerizing tales of horror (Amazon.com)
“The way Michael Aronovitz scares you is that the person he is writing about is you. And I don’t know how he does that. Each story, I’m looking over my shoulder. It’s creepy in the best way. It’s what we come to horror for.”
– Stephen Graham Jones, author of Gospel of Z
“Aronovitz brings his experience as a teacher to the fore in The Voices in Our Heads, both in his protagonists professions and through his own ability to draw the reader into the tale, to make one think and feel.”
– Erin Thorne, author of Behind the Wheel, Diane’s Descent.
“THE VOICES IN OUR HEADS” introduces us to one of the most dynamic and compelling writers in contemporary weird fiction. Michael Aronovitz’s tales are gripping, terrifying, and wide-ranging in tone, style, and manner. Their one unifying trait is their brilliance.”
–S.T. Josh
By Up All Night Horror Fiction Review on May 3, 2014
If you aren’t yet familiar with the work of Michael Aronovitz, you are in for a surprising treat. His latest gift to horror fiction fans is a collection of thirteen haunting short stories called The Voices in Our Heads (2014). Aronovitz’s passionate devotion to the craft of writing is undeniable. He not only produces some of the most original horror fiction out there, but he also serves as the English Department Chair for the Mathematics, Civics, and Sciences Charter School in Central Philadelphia, teaches English at the high school level, and is a Professor of English at Widener University, Immaculata University, and Delaware County Community College. I am definitely impressed.Now, let’s get back to his book. I sat down with this one determined to pick it apart, you know, find some fault in it. After all, every review can’t be full of positives, right? I just didn’t know what I was getting into. I sat down mid-morning with The Voices in Our Heads and the next thing I knew, the brakes of my daughter’s bus were hissing in front of the house as it dropped her back off from school. Then, I spent a good part of the evening reading my favorites from the book aloud to my wife, who also loved them. These stories are all great, but I’m just going to mention a few. Trust me; you’ll be doing yourself a real favor by discovering the rest on your own.The best part of this collection is Aronovitz’s familiarity with his characters. Of course, they are fictional, but every reader is going to make a personal connection with at least one of them. For example, life has blessed me with an occasionally crippling case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. If you’re with me on this one, whether it is yourself or someone you love, you are really going to enjoy “The Puddles.” In this story, Aronovitz introduces Doris Watawitz, an elderly widow with an extreme case of OCD. When Doris’s neighbors pollute the back alley with putrid garbage water, she becomes obsessed with the God-awful stench that her home seems to have absorbed like a sponge. Doris cleans, and cleans, and then cleans some more trying to eliminate the horrible smell, but nothing, not even a visit from her trusted plumber can free her from the lingering reek of the Reading boys’ garbage water. Down and out, Doris laces up her sneakers, throws on her hat, and marches out into the sweltering summer heat toward the home improvement store determined to eradicate the hellish odor at whatever the cost. Aronovitz’s talent for easing his reader into the mind of Doris is amazing. Even if you are not familiar with the burdensome symptoms of her disorder, you will understand and share in the torment of Doris’s obsession all the way to the tragic end.”The Rain Barrel” is the shortest of short fiction at three pages, but it is a hard hitter (pardon the pun). Twelve-year-old Georgie plays baseball, and he is damned good, too. Georgie also hears voices that echo from the rain barrel that his dad has placed under the gutter near their garage. Like most young boys, Georgie wants to impress his dad with his talents. However, when the voices coming from the rain barrel begin compelling Georgie to do things like peeping in on his mom in the shower and pissing in his dad’s beer, his dad is just too busy living out his dreams through Georgie to hear his pleas for help. Desperate for relief, Georgie takes matters into his own hands. “The Rain Barrel” is the work of a true storyteller. Not many writers can introduce two characters in a way that enables a reader to know exactly what they are about in so few words. Aronovitz is really showing off his skill for writing natural and meaningful dialogue here. It is exciting to read an author who can pack so much of a punch into so little space. This is classic short horror fiction at its best!Finally, there is “The Shape.” The plot of this one is thick and its symbolism is deep. Professor Becky Buckingham is an eccentrically beautiful young mother caught in the lingering process of divorce. As she continues to grow weary from the burden of the men in her life—her husband, a student in her class, and a local sheriff—walking all over her, her fears of what appears to be a man in a fur-lined parka with a shadowy, indiscernible face who stalks her wherever she goes become overwhelming. At last, she discovers the man in the parka hiding in her closet. Becky must confront the ominous figure that has now made its way into her home. What she discovers after attacking her demon head-on is that she is just one of many women who have been harassed by this ill defined pursuant. “The Shape” is the most engaging story in this collection. Aronovitz possesses a gift for narrating from many different perspectives that he obviously loves to and should continue to share.I love this book. The Voices in Our Heads has earned a place on my page of my favorite fiction. Aronovitz is carving his niche as a master in the world of horror fiction with his ability to combine original plots, highly developed characters, and natural, effective dialogue into stories that will continue to haunt readers well after they have placed his book back on the shelf.
By Ken Bingham on May 6, 2014
Format: Paperback
Michael Aronovitz is a find for anyone who truly loves good writing. I hesitate to say “horror” writing, because quite simply, the man is a great writer, genre or no. And the man’s fiction frightens me. I’m not the squeamish sort. In fact, all the splattered blood and severed heads that are thrown up on screen during your casual Horror Film Splatacle do little for me other than send me to checking my cell phone again.Aronovitz, however, is a horrorster of a different sort. He gets into your mind. He lets you relate to the characters, both the good and the evil, the calm and the frantic. And when he gets into your psyche, he can do anything. The guy is a master magician, using your own worst fears for his little bag of tricks.
By Wolfgang Brady on February 11, 2008
Format: Paperback
Horror Fiction Review SpringCONTAGION by Jason GehlertA nasty virus breaks out in Natas, Africa. An American doctor (Quentin Forsythe) goes to the isolated colony in an attempt to find a cure. After he’s shot (non-fatally) by a local rebel dictator (and goes missing), doctors Judas Sturgis and Katy Madison also show up from the States looking to help find the cure.What ensues is a gory-action tale featuring an airborne disease that’s half leprosy, half Ebola (!), which gives its victims a brief-period of zombie-like effects before liquefying their internal organs. I enjoyed the ride, this one’s really fast-paced and at times genuinely exciting. If you approach this one like a shot-on-video cult film, you might get a kick out of it. Gehlert’s Contagion is an ambitious, fun novel.
By PAUL
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Dear loyal horror readers I just finished Contagion by Jason Wolfgang Gehlert and I must say what an enjoyable seventies stylized Eco thriller it was. It moved like an entertaining B movie but with the in depth care about characters of classic survival films like the Poseidon adventure and the towering inferno. Highly enjoyable and highly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars (Amazon.com)
contagion can grow on you. July 20, 2014
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Great zombie book. Couldnt put it down
Til I finish the book.very good read.
Til I finish the book.very good read.
Mark Slade’s debut novel, A Six Gun and the Queen of Light, is a gripping, surreal and spooky western with intriguing characters and dusty-gorgeous settings described in a vivid style that brings to mind greats like Zane Grey and Stephen King. Ready to ride with the cowboys and demons in the town of Bedlam? Hit the trail with Slade’s A Six Gun and the Queen of Light– just make sure you never eat a horde!
A review of ‘A Six Gun & the Queen of Light’ from lurid-lit.com
This is a novella contained in a volume of the same name that also includes a poem (The Wicked Widget) also by Mark Slade and a short story (Tribal Death) by Nathan J. D. L. Rowark. All things considered let us first examine the little prizes found in the back of our literary box of cracker jacks.“The Wicked Widget” is a marvelous and amusing little ditty about some wee folks, no not those ‘wee folks’, living underground. The companion art by Ida Astero appears to be Tim Burton inspired as does Mr. Slade’s verse. This was an unexpected and pleasant gem that on its own I hope, will lead to its own headlining adventures someday.In “Tribal Death” Mr. Rowark blends the old west and the supernatural in an action filled tale of lead, gold and greed. This too was a surprising little prize that stands alone as being worth the cost of admission by itself.The hat trick or trifecta is certainly “A Six Gun And The Queen of Light”, a story you certainly will not expect. Welcome to the town of Bedlam and meet the residents and experience some of their ‘hobbies’: shape shifting, Chinese mysticism, were-boars, apparitions and magic all against the backdrop of the post-Civil War wild west.The chapters are short just like a cracker jack, completely addictive and sweet with action in exhilarated jolts. I love the use of ‘the other white meat’ and believe me it is ‘other’ white meat. Like any western this is a battle for justice or good versus evil that will surprise, amaze and not disappoint.This volume is scheduled for release this week and I am telling you, you really can’t wait.Buy this book!
Ok these authors do not hold back. The grittiest and grimiest stories await. This book is not for the faint or just surface horror reader. This group gets down to the bone. I enjoyed it as it is a quick read. It took me a week because of life, but really should only be about a couple of hours and it’s done. Thank you Nathan and look forward to more.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just the way I like It! 19 Mar 2014
By Lesley J Boatright – Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Horror scares me. That’s why I like this anthology. Horror in smaller doses that I can handle. Horror that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Horror that makes you stop and think. This has it all!
Format:Kindle Edition
There are many incredible stories in this anthology. Horrified Press knocked this one out of the park! A “Must Read”!
Nightmare Stalkers & Dream Walkers
Format:Paperback|Verified Purchase – Amazon.com
Anyone who enjoys the tingle from reading creepy horror, will love this. I especially enjoyed the story submitted by Sean Farren – well written and seriously sick & twisted. While he may be out of the running as a weekend babysitter, I definitely look forward to more writing from this author.
Horrified Press 