Saturday is Horror Day #172 - X

 X

A group of young people want to make a porn film. It's 1979, and they can't exactly do this anywhere, as those types of films are more underground than acceptable. So they rent a cabin in Texas from an elderly couple. Wayne (Martin Henderson) is the director and his girlfriend Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow is the star). Jackson (Kid Cudi) is the lead male, and RJ (Owen Campbell) is cameraman while his rather naive girlfriend Lorraine (Jenna Ortega) holds the boom mic. Maxine (Mia Goth) is the other female actress.

The old man who owns the farm, Howard (Stephen Ure) lives at the main house with his wife. They 

find him creepy, and they are determined he not figure out what they're doing, sure he wouldn't like it. Yet they go so far as to shoot scenes in his barn, taking a chance on being caught. In their downtime, they discuss porn and why there is nothing wrong with it, and Lorraine decides she wants to be part of it, to RJ's dismay. That's about the time when everything takes a turn for the worse.

X is the first film in Ti West's trilogy. I reviewed Pearl last week which, although being made second, comes first chronologically.  Where Pearl was very psychological, X is more of your standard slasher film. But that isn't to say that it's not worth watching. Having seen Pearl already, I anticipated different things, but you can watch them in either order.  Again, Mia Goth is outstanding as Maxine. The third part of the trilogy is Maxxxine, which comes out July 5 and picks up where X left off. I am looking forward to that. I'll give X 4 Stars.

Book Review: Assassination Classroom, Vol 18 by Yusei Matsui

 

Assassination Classroom, Vol 18     

Author: Yusei Matsui

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: October 3, 2017

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Action Adventure Manga//200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Nagisa and Karma utilize their stealth skills to steal aboard the rocket headed to the space station, taking the place of the crash dummies, much to the surprise of the astronauts. Nagisa threatens them with a bomb (a fake one) and Karma explains their mission in order to gain their cooperation in gathering the data on Koro Sensei. When asked how they plan to return, they confidently say that they have that covered.

The two hitchhikers parachute back to their classroom, where they find a very angry Karasuma. But Koro Sensei convinces him that the information which the students gleaned from their trip, even outside of the data about himself, far outweighs any of Karasuma’s arguments. Going over the data, they realize that if handled correctly, the chances of Koro Sensei actually exploding and destroying the earth are minimal, and everyone rejoices. Can it really be that simple? But, also, is that a risk they can afford to take?

Koro Sensei wishes to schedule another career guidance session with each of them. Once they graduate, their assassination skills will no longer be of use to them, and they have their futures to consider. That is only 38 days away now. Not a lot of time. Plus they need to apply to the high school of their choice. For Karma, that’s an easy decision – he wants to attend Kunugigaoka High School and make the students’ lives miserable by outshining them lol Nagisa is conflicted about his career choice if he doesn’t become an assassin. He is surprised when Sakura asks him what else would he become but a teacher? That idea had actually never occurred to him.

The second Grim Reaper is still on the loose – and still determined to wreak vengeance on Koro Sensei! It’s unfortunate that he has teamed up with mad scientist Yanagisawa to take down Koro Sensei once and for all!

Valentine’s Day is coming! In Japan, that’s a time for women to buy chocolates for the men in their lives. And also for a certain teacher to indulge his matchmaking propensities! How many couples will he successfully match this year?

Time is ticking away, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance! As the students prepare for life after junior high, surely they must be wondering if there will be any life. They have discovered that the chances of Koro Sensei exploding are minimal, but they aren’t zero, so some sort of chance remains. And it looks like the wannabe Grim Reaper is more than happy to add to their confusion, along with the horrible man who made Koro Sensei what he is today. That can’t be good. Another great volume, only three more to go!

 

 

 

Wednesday Briefs: Dracula #20 (5.3)

  Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Gunther has dealt with the villagers, at least for now. But he's telling Avram and Dracula to stay put until he returns, and he'll be as quick as possible. Dracula is definitely unhappy. See what's going on in this week's chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Dracula #20 (5.3)

“It’s only me.” Gunther’s disembodied voice came floating down to them from above. Moments later, his black-robed body came into view as he plodded down the steps and joined them, one of the candles from the altar in his hand.  He set the candle into a wall sconce that Avram hadn’t even realized was there until that moment. It wasn’t much, but it was a definite relief from the previous gloom. Avram searched his friend’s countenance by the light of the flickering flames, hoping his expression would reveal the result of his encounter with the villagers, but Gunther’s face betrayed nothing.

Avram shot a quick glance at his employer.  He noticed that Nico seemed to be a little less uneasy than he’d been before, which must be a good thing. So why was he still concerned about him? Maybe because he was too familiar with his habits to believe all was now well.  He knew this slight change in his demeanor had nothing to do with Gunther’s arrival, as he clearly didn’t care for the man, and he also knew that the vampire held no fear of the dark, so it wasn’t just the presence of the light, although he himself found that to be a relief. Not that he feared anything with Nico by his side. There must be another reason for Dracula’s anxiety, but what it was he couldn’t begin to imagine. And he didn’t think this was the time to ask.

“The villagers? They are gone?” Dracula snapped. Apparently, he still retained a certain amount of tension.

Avram felt guilt well up inside of him—guilt that the man was even there with him at all when he could have easily escaped by himself and been far from here by now. Instead, he had voluntarily chosen to stay with Avram. He felt like such a burden. Nonetheless, he was grateful for Nico’s presence as well as his company. Whether he liked to admit it or not, he worried when Nico strayed too far from home. Never mind he was a hundred-fifty-year-old vampire with a mind of his own, Avram cared about what happened to him. And yes, he cared about Dracula… about the man who had virtually saved his life. That was not something easily forgotten.

It was a complicated situation.

“They have gone,” Gunther confirmed, remaining calm despite the obvious antipathy of the other man. “They have taken Doina and Bogdan back to their home to prepare them for burial and to administer the last rites.”

“If you need to go, we can make our own way,” Avram offered, but Gunther shook his head.

“No, that’s not necessary. Their priest shall do so.”

Avram understood immediately. He should have realized such would be the case, as most of the village were members of the newer church. Perhaps it was that fact which was helping to keep them safe in this less-visited place. But for how long?

“But I do really have to go now. I must insure your safe journey, remember? It’s imperative that you leave Bistritz as soon as possible.” He glanced sharply at Dracula and raised his hand, as if to ward off any arguments the other might make, but the vampire remained silent, so he continued. “I will make those arrangements and return with food as soon as I can. I’m not sure how long you must wait here—”

Dracula’s previously suppressed anger could no longer be contained as his silence came to its inevitable end, much to Avram’s chagrin.

“And who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do? You seem to forget whom it is you are speaking to, priest. You think you have the right to keep us detained in this… this detestable dungeon?” Dracula started to move toward Gunther and Avram quickly grabbed his arm, although he knew his strength alone would not suffice if Dracula did not wish it to be so. Dracula made no move to shake him off, but his anger was not to be allayed. “It is bad enough that we cannot return to the castle, perhaps for a long time to come, but you expect we should skulk beneath the earth like vermin? Trapped at your whim? And what if you do not come back, what then? Perhaps that is your plan? You wish for us to die, and this is to be our tomb? This shall be your revenge for the death of the idiot blacksmith?”

“Verdammte Arschloch.”

Avram heard Gunther swear under his breath. If he heard, then of course Dracula did too.

Gunther threw up his hands in exasperation. “I have put up with much from you, Dracula. Mostly for Avram’s sake. He is a good man, and I trust his judgment, even when it comes to you.”

“What do you know about me?” Dracula hissed. “You know nothing, that is what you know.”

“I know that Avram works too hard for too little appreciation. Trying to allow you to live the fancy life you enjoy. Let me ask this, what do you do to deserve this… this frippery.” He waved a hand at Dracula’s expensive suit. “There are people who are grateful to have a roof over their heads and food to eat, while you… you…” Breathing heavily now, he turned away from the vampire in disgust. “I have no time for this. Avram, I shall return. Please be safe.” He dashed up the stairs with surprising speed and the floor closed above them once more.

 to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

 

Saturday is Horror Day #171 - A Nightmare Wakes, Pearl

 A Nightmare Wakes

A very pregnant Mary Godwin and her lover, Percy Shelley, arrive for a summer visit to their friend Lord Byron, along with Mary's stepsister Claire and the renowned physician Dr. John Polidori. Byron demands to be entertained. He wants to hear ghost stories, and comes up with the idea of a competition to see who can tell the best one. This becomes the birthplace for Mary (who will become Mary Shelley) to write her masterpiece Frankenstein.

This should have been an interesting story, but bad acting and bad writing and an acute case of boredom caused me to give up after about fifteen or twenty minutes. I advise you avoid this film entirely.

Pearl

It's 1918. The world is a scary place. The Spanish flu is rampant, and the first World War, known then as the Great War, rages on. Pearl (Mia Goth) has gone back to live on the farm with her parents as her husband Howard (Alistair Sewell) has gone off to fight. Life on the farm is hard. Her mother Ruth (Tandi Wright) is harsh and demanding. Pearl has to look after her infirm father (Matthew Sunderland) who sits helplessly in his wheelchair. Pearl dreams of being a famous dancer, and practices whenever she can. But her mother catches her and belittles her and tells her to forget such foolishness.

Pearl's sister-in-law Mitsy (Emma Jenkins-Purro) tells her of a dance competition that will be held in a 

nearby church. The winner will get to dance with the group through several cities! She doesn't want to go alone, so has Pearl promise to get away from the farm and come with her. Pearl sees this as her big chance, her first step to stardom.

Pearl loves the animals on the farm. Even the crocodile she has befriended and whom she fees. It's people she has trouble with, never feeling quite right around them. One day, her mother sends her to town to pick up her father's prescription of morphine and she decides to go to the movies to see a film called Palace Follies which has a lot of dancing. Afterward, reluctant to return to the farm, she is standing in the alley behind the theater when a man comes out and strikes up a conversation with her. Turns out he is the projectionist (David Corenswet) and he invites her inside. They talk and he offers to let her see another film, but she has to go. He tells her to come back sometime.

Pearl is the story of a young woman on the verge of madness, who has dreams and aspirations she desperately wants to achieve but her life is very bleak. She can't relate to the people around her and her mother doesn't understand, while her father is beyond reaching. The dance audition is her breaking point, but even before that there was something off about her and she had a cold, cruel nature of her own, perhaps verging on being narcissistic. 

Pearl is like a twisted, dark version of The Wizard of Oz. When I saw Pearl on her bike, I was reminded of Elmira Gulch (Wicked Witch of the West). The scene with the scarecrow in the field and the scene where Pearl throws water on her mother are also reminiscent of the classic film.  In Oz, Dorothy too wanted to get away from the farm and see the world, as she tells the traveling salesman. In Pearl, he is the projectionist, who tells her he can take her to Europe. Of course, he has his own agenda but she is too naive to see that. There is even a character named Dorothy in Pearl. Some found the scene with the scarecrow disturbing, but I did not. I wonder what those people thought of the explicit (for that time) movie the projectionist showed Pearl.

Pearl was directed and co-written by Ti West (Mia Goth is also listed as a writer), who brought us The House of the Devil, which I reviewed previously. Whereas I found that film forgettable (in fact, I started to watch it again, having actually forgotten I'd seen it), Pearl is a masterpiece. a veritable tour de force of a horror film. Engrossing from beginning to end, I could not even imagine what was going to happen. Mia Goth's performance is brilliant. It is both criminal and not surprising that she was not nominated for an Oscar. I have come to disregard those as being far too political and having little to do with actual excellence. The best actress Oscar that year went to Jessica Chastain for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Go figure. I highly recommend Pearl and I give it a rare 5 Stars. Pearl is actually the prequel to X, but you can watch Pearl first. After X comes Maxxine. I look forward to reviewing both.

Wednesday Briefs: Dracula #19 (5.2)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Dracula and Avram have been hidden in a secret underground room by Gunther so they won't be found by the villagers. While they demand to know what happened to Bogdan and Doina, Dracula is kind of freaking out. See what's happening in this chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Dracula #19 (5.2)

The priest’s last words echoing in his head, Dracula rose abruptly from the questionable comfort of the chest and began to pace about the limited interior of this claustrophobic chamber. His thoughts turned inward to another time and place, the present momentarily forgotten.  Only Avram’s agitated voice drew him abruptly from his somber revery.

“What is going on? I know you can hear what they’re saying, but I cannot!”

The vampire paused mid-stride to listen once more to what was happening above them before replying. “Your friend just told everyone that the blacksmith killed his wife and that he also brought about his own death.”

“That is basically true. Do you think they believe him?”

Dracula shrugged before he realized Avram couldn’t see his gesture in the darkness. “So far as I can tell, it seems they do. For how long remains to be seen. I had my misgivings about your friend, Avram, but I must say that for a priest, this one is not so bad.” Having said this, he began to take the measure of the room once more through the medium of his steps. It was not the darkness but the size of this almost tomblike enclosure that was the cause of his anxiety. He paced the perimeter as if to assure himself that the walls were not going to close in upon him anytime soon. He knew there were those would be surprised at this unexpected phobia, taking into consideration what he was. But they had no idea what he had been through, albeit years ago. Avram’s sudden grasp upon his arm caught him by surprise and forced him to stand still, although he could have easily torn himself from the other man’s grip.

“Why don’t you finish that thought, Nico?” Avram’s tone sounded more relaxed, almost playful, in contrast to Dracula’s growing disquietude.

“What do you mean?” Dracula pretended ignorance.

“You know what I mean.” He mimicked Dracula’s voice—rather accurately, the vampire had to admit. “And you, Avram, are not so bad for a Jew. You’ve told me that before, you know.”

Dracula rolled his eyes. He could see Avram’s wry smile, despite the darkness. Trust him to remember such remarks. Sometimes the man’s excellent memory was a blessing, other times more of a curse. “To be honest, I usually forget that you’re a Jew. Not like either one of us practices the religion he was born into.”

“No, but it’s never mattered to you, either. And you’ve never treated me poorly because of it. For that, I am grateful. Come, sit down. I can’t keep track of you in the dark.”

“And why should you wish to?” Dracula argued, even as he complied with Avram’s request and seated himself beside him once more.

“So, this church. You are very familiar with it, no?” Avram changed the subject, as if the answer to his employer’s question was too obvious to need to be stated.

“Well, yes. I attended the church many years ago, with my family.” Dracula didn’t discuss his family often, or at all. Of course they were long dead. “But not for many years. You know that.”

“That is true, I do. I assume you were not aware of this space beneath the floor before this, or its purpose in existing?”

“No, not at all.” Dracula fought the impulse to begin to pace again. He’d been in worse places and had survived. He would do the same now.

“So, were you baptized here? Did the priest sprinkle water on your little baby head? Did he say bless this tiny vampire child?”

Dracula laughed so hard he snorted. “Of course, not. You are so ridiculous sometimes, Avram. Everything was done according to tradition, naturally. My father… he supported the church all throughout his lifetime. Everything he did, his very identity, were all tied up with his need to be praised by the church. He hated the infidels who held our country hostage for so long, and he died long before the Austrians annexed everything, so he never had to endure Habsburg rule. And what did he get for his loyalty? Only a worthless son.” 

* * * *

Avram was shocked by what he was hearing. Nico had never spoken this way before. In fact, he never spoke about his parents, avoiding any references to them or to his youth. Anything prior to his becoming what he was. Even that particular story had never been revealed.  Naturally, Avram had never met the older Draculas, they having died many years before he was even born. Avram had always assumed they’d been a typical family, although his experience with such was limited, his own parents being killed when he was very young. And he’d certainly never heard Dracula speak of himself in such a deprecating way. To be honest, the vampire had a great vanity, one he loved to have stroked by as many people as possible.

Worthless? Where had that come from?

“Nicolae Constantin Dracula, why are you talking such nonsense?” he expostulated. “You need to stop that this instant. What is—” Before he could finish the question, he heard the floor above creaking and the moment had passed.

to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 14: Instinct by Eiichiro Oda

 

One Piece, Vol 14: Instinct        

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: April 3, 2007

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action Adventure/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Princess Vivi is appalled that the giant Dorry was tricked into drinking exploding ale, but she assures him they had nothing to do with that! Luffy is forced to overpower him, for the giant’s sake as well as their own, and now he is angry that this happened to Dorry. Meanwhile, Mr. 5 and Ms. Valentine seem to be in trouble with their superiors over their failure. But they can redeem themselves by obtaining the heads of the two giants, Broggy and Dorry, which are worth 100 million berries each!

Luffy, Vivi, Zolo, and Usopp end up running into each other, only to learn that Nami has disappeared and Usopp thinks a dinosaur ate her! Turns out that the two bosses are Mr. 3 and Ms. Goldenweek – he works in wax and she is an artist of gravity. Mr. 3 interferes in the giant’s battle and helps to bring one down and capture the other. Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine capture Vivi, Zoro, and Nami and bring them to Mr. 3, who intends to make them part of his huge candelabra!

Luffy arrives with Usopp and Karoo, but it’s unclear whether his presence is more of a hindrance than a help. Can he use the powers of the wax against their owner? And will Miss Goldenweek overcome him with her Colors Trap ability? Meanwhile, back at the ship, Sanji is wondering what is taking everyone so long, and maybe the girls need him to rescue them. He decides to search for them and runs across the other wax camp, now abandoned. Naturally, he decides to have some tea.  Unexpectedly, though, he hears a phone ring. In the middle of the jungle? Of course he answers it and receives a surprising reply from the other end.

These Baroque Works people just seem to keep coming out of the woodwork! Apparently, the lower their number, the higher in the hierarchy they are. And now we meet Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek (It seems the number system just applies to the men, although each is partnered with a woman). The lower the number also translates to greater abilities, it seems, as well.  Zolo’s suggestions as to how they should accept the inevitable and pose as candles are hilarious, but Nami is not so quick to embrace that particular Fate - not even the suggestion they cut off their legs.

This volume contains a mix of comedy, tragedy, and mystery.  Always something in the Grand Line, am I right? Looking forward to the next volume!

 

 

Saturday is Horror Day #170 - The Tunnel

 The Tunnel

While searching for a solution to the problem of water shortage, suggestions have been made regarding a vast network of tunnels beneath the existing Sidney infrastructure. There are a lot of homeless people in those tunnels, however, and the government is reluctant to discuss the situation in any way or provide an explanation as to why the proposed project cannot move forward. Unwilling to take no for an answer, a team of investigative journalists decided to head down under and see for themselves what the government doesn't want anyone to see. The group includes Natasha Warner (Bel Delia), Peter Ferguson (Andy Rodoreda), Steve Miller (Steve Davis) and 'Tangles' Williams (Luke Arnold). They lie their way past security and proceed into the tunnel. 

Before they are through, they will regret going down there.

Though claiming to be a found footage film, I don't think this really fits the definition, as it is actually a 

movie that is made regarding what happened and it includes interview footage of the survivors as well as the footage they brought back. In a true found footage film, the filmmakers don't survive, which is why the footage is just found after the fact.

That being said, The Tunnel is about a group of journalists determined to get to the bottom of a story, despite being told that homeless people have been reported going missing. That phrase alone would give me pause, but not these hardy members of the press. Also, once they elude security, then no one knows they are down there, another red flag. The first half is fairly slow with the survivors giving their version of events in a matter-of-fact way.  The journalists run across a massive bell, and what else to do but strike it, which they do of course. Another red flag. The element of surprise was just lost at that point, assuming they might have to sneak up on someone committing nefarious goings on. When one of them goes missing, and they run across his flashlight and fresh blood... well, that would be my cue to leave the premises immediately.

The action is to little and too late. By then I was fairly bored. And honestly, I never came to care about any of them, a fatal flaw in a horror movie if you find yourself rooting for the monsters. Which isn't to say I won't check out the sequel and remain optimistic. This wasn't the worst film I've ever seen, just not the most interesting. I'll give this film 2.5 Stars.

Wednesday Briefs: Dracula #18 (5.1)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Things have gone from bad to worse as the villagers have been seen getting ready to converge on the church. Gunther quickly provides a hiding place for Avram and his employer, but Dracula is none too keen on it. See what's going on in this week's chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's happening with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Dracula #18 (5.1)

To say that Dracula was not happy with this turn of events would be an understatement. Under other circumstances, in another place, he would have simply fought his way out, something he was more than capable of doing.  But that was not the best solution here and now though. Necessity compelled them to make the most rational choice. That being the case, he saw no sense in taking out his displeasure on Avram. If he were to be completely honest with himself, this situation was of his own making. Well, at least some of it. Avram had warned him against continuing his dalliance, but he’d paid no attention to his advice and did precisely as he wished. As he invariably did. Even so, there had been no need for the idiot blacksmith to do what he did. Knowing that the man paid the ultimate price for his unwarranted cruelty gave Dracula a certain satisfaction.

But this…

He repressed a shudder and followed Avram without comment as the priest pointed them down a narrow set of stairs into what felt like the very bowels of the earth itself.  Or maybe this was the entrance to hell. What was this place? How did he not know of its existence? More importantly, how long must they remain here? He didn’t entirely trust the priest, but thus far he’d shown himself to be more honorable than the villagers. And clearly Avram trusted him and he trusted Avram.

His unease only continued to grow the further they went. Their descent soon ended, though, to his relief, as they reached the bottom of the stairs. But his relief was short-lived when he realized that the space they found themselves in was no more than about ten feet long and maybe half that distance wide. The room—if one were to use the term loosely—was completely empty and reeked of disuse and decay. Dracula wrinkled his sensitive nose in disgust as ancient odors of unwashed bodies assailed him, permeated with feelings of fear. The rough stone walls were damp to the touch. How and why they’d been excavated, he couldn’t say.

“Don’t make a sound,” the priest admonished them. “I’ll return as soon as I can.” Before Dracula could protest, the floor was creaking back into place, enclosing them in darkness. Luckily, he had better eyesight than most—not that there was anything to see—his senses being rather preternatural. There were other reasons for his unease.

“Don’t worry, everything will be all right,” Avram softly assured him. “Why don’t you set down the trunk so we can sit on it.”

Dracula thumped the trunk onto the stone floor, perhaps a little harder than necessary, in order to express his displeasure. But, to his surprise, Avram didn’t bother to chide him or tell him to be careful with his property. Instead, he took a seat on the trunk and patted the domed surface beside him, as if inviting him to sit there. The Baroque style trunk was a recent acquisition—well, it had been twenty years, but to the vampire that was recent. The domed top overhung the sides, giving it the appearance of being larger than it was. Molded iron straps ran from front to back with similar straps along the front of the cherry oak chest, which was also decorated with various figures that resembled angels. The vampire had found that to be an amusing touch when he’d first purchased the piece in Vienna years before.

 Dracula considered his options for a moment, but in the end he decided that standing was something he was not interested in and so he sat… and silently waited.

They had barely situated themselves when he became aware of voices from above them. Voices that were not the priest. Angry voices. Apparently, they had entered this hiding place not a moment too soon. The villagers—at least some of them—had arrived.

Dracula watched as Avram cast a worried glance upward. “He will be fine,” the vampire assured him before putting one finger to his lips. No rejoinder was necessary. He needed to listen.

“What has happened here?” a man’s angry voice demanded to know. Other voices joined in, as if what had occurred were not obvious, their querulous questions punctuated by occasional shrieks and screams as others arrived. Was everyone converging on this one place for some reason? Their number seemed to be swelling, as if someone was deliberately leading them here where few people ever bothered to come—someone who did not have either Avram’s or his best interests at heart.  He noticed that some of the women of the village had also arrived, probably agitated by the sudden appearances of their drunken husbands in their homes, having been whipped into an irrational frenzy by the old woman, curse her soul. Dracula was fairly sure not all the shrieks he was hearing came from members of the fairer sex, either.

For a few moments, a chaos of indistinguishable sounds reigned from above. Dracula couldn’t help but notice that Avram was disquieted by what even he could hear, despite their underground location. He wrung his hands together in distress. At one point, he attempted to rise, but Dracula shook his head and he gave up the effort. The sounds began to grow fainter and fainter, and Dracula knew the priest had somehow managed to still their protests… at least for the moment.

“What has happened is that Bogdan has killed his good wife,” the priest said. “And he has also brought about his own demise, as you can see.”

How clever of the priest not to say the blacksmith killed himself. Loosely speaking, he was telling the truth. Probably to salve his priestly conscience. Dracula didn’t care what he said, as long as it diverted the attention of the village away from this place.

“But why?” “Yes, why?”

A moment of silence.

“He was undoubtedly misled by evil voices.”

Now that was an outright lie.

 to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday is Horror Day #169 - The Girl in the Basement

 The Girl in the Basement

Like most teenagers, Sarah (Stefanie Scott) wants to do the things she wants to do. But that's hard to do when your father is as strict and domineering as her father Don (Judd Nelson) is. Defying him, she slips out of the house to meet her boyfriend Chris (Jake Etheridge) to go to a party together. However, her father is waiting for her when she returns and he is angry. One day he overhears Sarah talking to her mother Irene (Joely Fisher) and her sister Amy (Emily Topper) about how she  plans to leave as soon as she turns 18, get out from under her father's controlling thumb. Don realizes he needs to act fast.

In basement, hidden behind a bookcase, is an old bomb shelter built by a previous owner. While Amy is  off at college and Irene at the store, he tricks Sarah into going down to the basement under the pretext of helping him to carry something. She is surprised to see the bomb shelter but enters it nonetheless - big mistake. Don locks her in immediately and life as she has known it is now over.

The Girl in the Basement is based on a real life horror story that happened in Germany. Josef Fritzl locked up his daughter Elisabeth, whom he had been molesting since about the age of 11, and held her hostage for 24 years. She bore him 7 children, one of whom died, three she raised in the basement, and 3 he "found" on the doorstep, claiming Elisabeth had left them there. The movie is pretty accurate on the basic details and it is horrifying. Judd Nelson plays a darker character than any I've ever seen him play.  The really horrifying thing is that this is probably far from being an isolated incident. 

 

The movie itself will keep you watching with horrified wonder, asking yourself how low can he go? The answer is pretty low. It was once a Lifetime movie and as such you can still see the cuts for the commercial breaks. I'll give this film 3.5 Stars.

Book Review: Extinction by Douglas Preston

 

Extinction       

Author: Douglas Preston

Publisher: Forge Books

American release date: April 23, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/Technothriller/384 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Frankie Cash receives her first assignment as AIC – Agent in Charge – as a member of the Colorado Bureau of investigation – a kidnapping and possible murder at the Erebus Resort. Erebus is a 144 square mile resort in the mountains of Colorado where the wealthy come to play. But the big attraction lies in the various animals, once extinct, that have been de-extincted by scientists and brought back to life, now roaming the self-contained land of Erebus. Animals such as the wooly mammoth and the giant sloth. The victims are a young couple on their honeymoon – he’s the son of a billionaire and she’s a former Olympic Gold Medalist. Things don’t look good for the young couple, considering the size of the blood stains found by their tent. But there’s no need to spread panic until they know more.

Jim Colcord is the local sheriff. An older man, with many years of experience, he heads immediately to the crime scene where he meets Cash. Looks like they’ll be working together. Colcord brings a team of dogs and their handler, Acosta, to follow the scents. But they lose them in a massive heap of mammoth dung. The head of Erebus’s security team is a man named Maximillian. Something seems off with him, almost like he’s hiding something. The arrival of the father of one of the victims, the billionaire Gunnerson, does nothing to help the situation. He wants answers and he wants them now!

To further complicate matters, a film crew is filming within Erebus, having paid a high price to do so, and they have their own security team. Cash thinks they need to close the resort, but her boss, McFaul, is having none of it. It’ll look bad, not to mention cost the resort money… and money talks.

One avenue they need to explore is the mines that are situated beneath Erebus, long disused. And yet Maximilian seems reluctant to discuss them, for some reason. That only makes Cash even more suspicious. Especially when she learns the security chief told them about two of the mines but neglected to mention a third mine. The deeper she and Colcord go down the rabbit hole, the worse it gets. And now more people are dying in terrible ways. What in the world is going on here?

Douglas Preston is one half of the fabulous team that brings us the Pendergast novels, which I dearly love. He also writes his own novels, which are just as wonderful. Extinction is no exception. He has a way of posing questions and then pondering possibilities. Imagine Jurassic Park… but worse.  And it’s not farfetched either, considering how far modern science has advanced. Preston creates living, breathing characters, some of whom you’ll love, some you’ll come to hate. Action is never lacking, and the mystery will keep you guessing until the very end. Don’t forget to read the Afterword, it contains some fascinating information!

If you’re new to Douglas Preston, go back and read his other books. Also, delve into the Pendergast series. You’ll be glad you did!

Virtual Book Tour: Crossing Day by William A. Glass

 Good morning, everyone! Please welcome author William A. Glass to Full Moon Dreaming today! He is here to discuss his new release, Crossing Day! William will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! To find the other stops on the tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of the post!

 

CROSSING DAY

William A. Glass

 

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GENRE:  Young Adult/Alternate History

 

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BLURB:

 

It's been one hundred and sixty years since the Confederacy won its independence at the Battle of Altamaha Crossing. Slaves of African descent still perform most of the work in the South. This seems normal to Ryan Walters and his friends who attend high school in Huntsville, Alabama. Like teens everywhere, they enjoy sharing videos, playing sports, and hanging out with friends. Jaybird's drive-in is their favorite gathering place. There, they befriend Mish, a slave girl who works as a car hop. When the drive-in’s owner sells Mish to a dirty old man, Ryan and his friends awaken to the injustice around them. Despite the danger, they decide to help Mish escape. Will they succeed?

 

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EXCERPT:

 

 

 

Melanie wanders into the dining room and finds her parents already seated at the table with their personal slaves standing behind them. Her mother, Dorothy, takes a sip of orange juice and replaces the glass on the lace tablecloth. Her servant, Natty, immediately gets a pitcher from the sideboard and refills the glass. Meanwhile, James is smiling at Melanie. “Morning, Miss,” he says. The white-haired Black man pulls out her chair. Once she’s seated, he spreads a cloth napkin over her lap.

 

“What was all the ruckus at Jaybird’s last night?” Dan Montgomery asks. He’s the mayor of Huntsville and knows everything.

 

“A German boy started it,” Melanie says defensively.

 

“Yes, and his father already called me to complain. He’s a big wheel at The Space Flight Complex.”

 

“Sorry!”

 

Montgomery points to the syrup. His slave, Parker, reaches for it and then pours. “Enough,” Montgomery snaps. He turns back to Melanie. “You and all the others will have a week of detention.”

 

Melanie gasps. “What about cheerleading practice?”

 

“You should have thought of that before you went to the drive-in. That’s where all the delinquents hang out and you with them.”

 

“I won’t go anymore. Please.” Melanie bats her baby blues at her father. His expression melts. “Go to detention after school today, and maybe we’ll see about tomorrow.”

 

“Thanks, Dad.”

 

Montgomery cuts off a bite of pancake and pops it into his mouth. That reminds Melanie to eat as well. It’s almost time for the bus.

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Bill is a retired business executive who now lives in a small southern town with his wife, Bettina. She’s a retired high school German teacher. Bill coaches soccer at a small college. Often, Bettina, who has a commercial driver’s license, pilots the soccer team bus to away games.

 

Bettina and Bill have three sons, Alex, Robert, and Gordon who have all graduated from college and moved away to pursue careers. Instead of having an empty nest, Bettina and Bill now host three rescue dogs. They enjoy finding promising hiking trails to explore with their dogs.

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/william.glass.50767

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamasaglass

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/WilliamAGlass3

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-glass-1281609/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20170818.William_A_Glass

LibraryThing:  https://www.librarything.com/profile/Glaswa4611

 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Day-William-Glass-ebook/dp/B0CW8HBGV4/ref=sr_1_1

 

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Q. You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?

A. If I was marooned on a desert island my choice for the one person to be with would be my wife, Bettina. She is a very resourceful, competent person who would help make the most of the situation. The one item I would want to be sure of having is my fishing rod. That would enable me to either catch fish or at least look like I was doing something constructive while actually goofing off!

Q. Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?

A. I think the musical “South Pacific” would best exemplify my life. It’s about the interactions between US military personnel and the local population of the Pacific Island where they are based. The musical came out in the late 40’s about the time I was born into a military family. My first memories are of living in an exotic foreign country. “South Pacific” was controversial when it came out because of its forthright treatment of racial prejudice. I lived on army bases and attended integrated army schools in Europe at a time when strict racial segregation was the norm in the American South. Many students my age went on to protest in favor of civil rights. The “South Pacific” character I would most identify with is Luther Billis. In the musical Billis provides most of the comic relief. In high school I was always the class clown and like Billis evinced little respect for authority.

Q. Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scene using them: hammer, saucer, traffic lights

A. With a sigh, Jake lets in the clutch and downshifts. Should have taken the bypass, he thinks as he comes to a stop, how can a town this size have so many traffic lights? The signal changes and Jake gets the motorcycle back into gear. He passes a brick building and with a glance ascertains that it’s the town library. Further down a neon sign hanging in the window of a modest building promises liquid refreshment. Might as well hammer a couple of beers, Jake decides and downshifts again.

Inside the dimly lit establishment three grizzled heads seated at the far end of the bar swing in unison to gaze at Jake as he enters. Disappointment at not seeing another regular is written on their faces. Sullenly the old timers turn back to concentrate on their drinks. A woman holding a whiskey bottle pushes through a pair of swinging café doors and Jake gets a glimpse at the tidy kitchen behind her. Setting the bottle on the bar the woman dries her hands with her apron. “What’ll you have?” she asks Jake.

You! Jake thinks, staring into her sparkling green eyes. He bites his tongue to keep from blurting out that thought. “What’s on draft?” he manages to get out.

“All we got is PBR.”

“That’ll do.” Dave lays a five-dollar bill on the counter to prove he’s not a deadbeat. The woman reaches for a mug in an overhead rack accentuating her slim figure. She turns to the beer tap.

Jake is smitten. Red hair and green eyes! What’s she doing in a place like this? He watches her carefully top off the mug with just the right amount of head. “What’s the cat’s name?” he asks pointing to the tabby licking a saucer of milk in the corner.

Q. What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

A. My wife and I both enjoy quiet evenings at home with our assortment of rescued dogs and cats. We love to curl up in bed surrounded by our furry friends who are happy to watch whatever is on PBS with us. Our evening probably wouldn’t impress outsiders as overly romantic, but we’re happy!

Q. When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

A. I almost always start with a character or in the case of my new novel characters. I had an idea for the theme I wanted to develop with Crossing Day in mind for a several years, but was unable to find the right approach to take until one day, it hit me to put a group of high school students in a story that would bring out the topic. Once I began writing about these characters, they helped me develop the plot.

Q. If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

A. Without a doubt I would want Adam Sandler to play me if they were to make a movie about my life. He is a great actor who in several movies has shown that he can convey the sort of give-a-damn attitude I had growing up!

Thank-you for featuring my novel Crossing Day on Full Moon Dreaming today!

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Virtual Book Tour: My Gangster Father and Me by Marcia Rosen

 Good morning everyone! Please welcome author Marcia Rosen to Full Moon Dreaming today! She is here to talk about her new release, My Gangster Father and Me. Marcia will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

 

MY GANGSTER FATHER AND ME

Marcia Rosen

 

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GENRE:  Memoir

 

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BLURB:

 

Happy Fathers Day.
Our history and experiences can define us, inspire our actions and as writers impact our words and stories.  Mine most definitely has. My father was a gangster. Really!

This is my story about my relationship with my father and how his profession affected me and my life, “He called me Sugar Plum. Both a blessing and a burden, I learned interesting lessons from my father: about generosity and determination, taking risks, and certainly finding the willingness to live life as an adventure.”

 

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EXCERPT:

 

 

You can command respect by your actions and deeds. You most certainly can’t demand love. I’m pretty sure my father never really felt loved by his family or by my mother, except perhaps briefly when they were dating and first married.

 

My father showed me by example the importance of helping someone who is homeless and hungry. He often bought a meal for those in need. I watched him do those things. One time, I was walking with him on Main Street in downtown Buffalo, past the five and dime store. A man, who looked like he was around fifty, asked for money. My father said, “Let’s go inside and I’ll buy you something to eat.” I can still picture us going inside to buy him a meal.

 

I grew up learning to be tolerant, yet at times he was intolerant. He taught me to believe in the necessity of fairness and justice, yet he himself did not always demonstrate those traits. He taught me to respect others, yet from my point of view he showed a lack of respect for some people. I believe he was a racist and told him so. His own history figured largely in his feelings and way of thinking.

 

My father’s attitude towards Black people had its source when he was in his early twenties. He and my grandfather had a small, thriving business providing farm-grown produce to some of the larger grocery chains in the city. Several times a week, leaving well before dawn, they would drive outside of the city to buy fruits and vegetables, often returning after dark.

 

Tired and in need of some rest, a young Black man who worked for them took over the driving. He too must have been tired and fell asleep at the wheel. There was a serious accident killing my grandfather and sending my father to the hospital for several months. He was lucky to have survived, as was the driver. My dad was not told about his father until the doctors were sure about his recovery. He spent the rest of his life taking a small white pill each day to stop him from shaking; he had nerve damage from the accident. He rarely spoke about it. Yet it affected his entire life.

 

We strongly disagreed about his being a racist. He would always say, “I’m not racist.” I think he was. When I became very friendly with the daughter of a Black family who moved in next door to us, we moved. As a teenager, when my African American boss drove me home from work one day, my father had a fit. “What if someone sees you? What will they think?” It was the 1950s and people thought all sorts of illogical and irrational things.

 

There was more of this type of attitude and comments from both my father and mother. I was not at all happy with them, and they were not too pleased with me. This was a frequent topic of controversy between us.

 

For me, like many others in this country, I cried tears of hope on November 4, 2008, when it was announced an African American was elected President of the United States of America. Tears were on my cheeks, as they were on thousands of others: leaders and everyday Americans, white and Black. We voted and sent an important message. Not everyone heard it, but on that day reasonable voices prevailed.  

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Marcia Rosen is an award-winning author of twelve books including nine mysteries, the most recent is An Agatha, Raymond, Sherlock, and Me Mystery: Murder at the Zoo. She is also the author of The Senior Sleuths, the Dying to Be Beautiful Mystery Series, and The Gourmet Gangster: Mysteries and Menus (Menus by her son Jory Rosen). She wrote The Woman’s Business Therapist and My Memoir Workbook and has given Memoir Writing presentations and classes for close to twenty years. Her Memoir Blog can be found on her website. For twenty-five years she was owner of a successful national marketing and public relations agency.

 

Marcia has frequently been a featured speaker at organization meetings, bookstores, libraries, and Zoom Programs presenting talks on Encouraging the Writer Within You, Marketing for Authors, Writing Mysteries…Not A Mystery and A Memoir Detective…Writing Your Life Story. She has also helped numerous writers develop and market their books.

 

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Southwest Writers, New Mexico Book Association, Public Safety Writer’s Association, International Memoir Writer’s Association, Women’s National book Association and National Association of Independent Writers and Editors—for which she is also a board member.

 

www.MarciaRosen.com

 

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