I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Philippa C. Jabouin’s “Short Shorts on Family and Other Issues” helps readers take a journey into the everyday and seemingly mundane experiences that can reflect on the issues and problems that can arise in our everyday relationships.
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The Synopsis
In these thirty snippets of everyday life, Philippa c. jabouin offers vignettes of seemingly trivial moments of her characters’ interactions with themselves and others.
Through deep reflection, existential questions, misunderstandings and eloquent silences, the stories offer quick snapshots of the complexity of the human mind and its dynamics.
The Review
This was a profound and moving read. The author did an incredible job of layering these short little vignettes and stories with a healthy balance of theme and story-driven narrative. The way the author included pages adjacent to the stories for readers to write down their reflections on the lessons and themes they picked up on in the stories themselves was just incredible and made for a more personal and interactive reading experience.
What stood out to me and made the lessons stand out, even more, was the way the author framed each story’s “characters”. The obscurity of the characters allowed the reader to hone in on the messages and themes of the stories far more, allowing them to place themselves into the narrative in place of a more elevated “character”. The themes that focused on family, friends, romantic relationships, and so much more really brought an emotional depth and allowed the reader to connect to the stories themselves in a more personal manner.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, personal, and engaging, author Philippa C. Jabouin’s “Short Shorts on Family and Other Issues” is a must-read short story collection. The fast-paced read and brilliant storytelling will hook readers instantly, and the way the author writes will allow readers to able to see themselves in the narratives and connect on a much more personal level. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Philippa c. jabouin has authored many articles and short stories under her name and as a ghostwriter. As a recovering ex-lawyer, she now spends her time writing as a freelance journalist, editor, and consultant. This is her first published collection of short stories. She lives in the Ottawa/Gatineau region of Canada.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
As two people grieve the loss of a beloved individual in their lives, they recall the start of their passionate and intense relationship years earlier in authors Mark Leslie and Julie Strauss’s “Lover’s Moon”, the fifth book in the Canadian Werewolf series.
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The Synopsis
He’s an alpha wolf and a beta boyfriend.
She’s dated every monster in New York City.
It’s time for their Meat-Cute.
Michael Andrews, a Canadian living in New York, is learning to live with the side effects of lycanthropy. Other than waking up naked and bloody in Central Park once a month, he’s managing just fine. If only he could finish the book he’s supposed to be writing. If only he could find someone he trusted enough to tell the truth to.
Gail Sommers may not have her love life in order, but at least she’s smart about things that really matter. She runs the coolest occult shop in the city, and is a pre-eminent scholar of the occult. She’s made a vow of celibacy so that she can spend this year focusing on her work and her self-care. She’s even been hired to help out a very famous and very sexy horror author.
As a new era in the Canadian Werewolf saga begins, Lover’s Moon flashes back to the romantic and comedic story of how Michael and Gail met and fell in love back in the summer of 2011. Told through both Michael and Gail’s unique perspectives, it also explores Gail’s past, introduces new characters, and reveals some of the deeper secrets of both of their lives.
A special Canadian Werewolf tale co-authored by Mark Leslie and Julie Strauss.
The Review
This was such a fun surprise in a very heavily paranormal thriller and romance series. The authors did an amazing job taking readers deeper into the romance aspect of this narrative than ever before, with the story serving both as a prequel to the main story and evolution of these two characters in the modern day of the main series narrative. The passion and humor that is infused into this narrative is both a great tribute to the character development of novels in the series that came before and a great departure from the more action and paranormal-driven narratives fans have gotten used to over the years.
What really made this story unique was the character development between these two characters. The raw emotions and the way the authors gave each of the protagonists their own unique perspective on their relationships both past and present felt both relatable and heartfelt to the reader. The mixture of desire, passion, and heat with the secret lives that initially drives a wedge between them and the hurdles they have to overcome individually to finally find their way back to one another made this story such a compelling read.
The Verdict
Heartening, entertaining, and emotionally-driven, authors Mark Leslie and Julie Strauss’s “Lover’s Moon” is a must-read paranormal romance and a great addition to the Canadian Werewolf series. Both a departure and an intimate reading experience that feels both relatable and engaging, the authors have crafted a very personal dive into the Canadian Werewolf universe. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Authors
Mark is a writer, editor and bookseller who was born and grew up in Sudbury, spent many years in Ottawa and Hamilton and currently lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
When he is not writing, he tacks “Lefebvre” back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.
Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother’s refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.
When he’s not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.
Julie lives in Southern California with her husband and four kids. She homeschools them. “The kids, I mean,” Julie says. “Not the husband.”
She likes to eat dark chocolate and drink good wine and read lots of books and doesn’t usually bother with housework.
Julie warns anyone who might read her blog or her books: “You should know that I have a foul mouth and complain about the heat all the time. I speak in movie quotes, but they tend to be the obscure, random quotes that no one understands except me. I crack myself up. You’ll get used to it.”
Julie used to publish romance novels under the pen name Emma Foster. “But it turned out,” she admits, “I’m way too lazy to keep up two online profiles in addition to all the other personalities inside my head. So I dumped the pen name, and now you can find me at social media places as Julie Wrote A Book. I’d make a terrible spy. (Or maybe the Best Spy Ever. You’ll never know for sure.)”
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Set in an alternate historical world, the crew of the latest Apollo mission to the moon in 1979 finds themselves in a battle for the United State’s claim to their portion of the moon as soviet strike teams assault their base, and tensions run high in the height of the Cold War in author Alan Smale’s “Hot Moon”, the first book in the Apollo Rising series.
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The Synopsis
Imagine for a second what would have happened if the Soviets had gotten a cosmonaut to the moon first, if Neil Armstrong and Apollo 11 had been in a humiliating second place. Everything would have unfolded differently.
America would never have let the Soviets win the space race. That would have been unthinkable during the Cold War, political suicide for any president. We’d have gritted our teeth and doubled down, poured billions into the Apollo program.
HOT MOON is set in 1979 in this alternate world. The US and the Soviets both have permanent moon bases, orbiting space stations, and manned spy satellites supported by frequent rocket launches. Reagan is President and the Cold War is hotter than ever.
The crew of Apollo 32, commanded by Vivian Carter, career astronaut, docks at NASA’s Columbia space station on their way to their main mission: exploring the volcanic Marius Hills region of the Moon. Vivian is caught in the crossfire as four Soviet Soyuz craft appear without warning to assault the orbiting station.
The fight for the Moon has begun!
The Review
This was such an intricate and detailed sci-fi meets historical fiction read. The world-building and tension the author brings to life by utilizing the backdrop of the Cold War was an inspired choice, especially given how integral the space race was to the Cold War. I loved how the author was able to use their background and expertise to delve into the heavier aspects of the sci-fi genre, while also incorporating much of the Cold War era tech and political leanings that would have made up the majority of this book’s cast of characters. The technical aspects of the narrative were felt immediately, with the main character breaking down the technical details of their space suit and how an AK-47 could fire in space. Even the opening of the book has diagrams, blueprints, and maps that relate to the tech that would have been available at that time.
It was the cast of characters that really made this story shine. The author did an amazing job of capturing the POV of both sides of the Cold War through these characters, allowing readers to see events from both the U.S. and Soviet Union sides of the war as the action unfolds. The strength and courage of the protagonist Vivian Carter was inspiring to read about and added a human depth to the sci-fi heavy narrative.
The Verdict
Intriguing, adrenaline-fueled, and engaging, author Alan Smale’s “Hot Moon” is the perfect sci-fi meets political thriller and historical fiction read and the best start to the Apollo Rising series! The imagery and atmosphere that the author built really gave a great cinematic quality to the author’s writing and allowed for the political intrigue and suspense to build quietly as readers delved deeper and deeper into this entertaining world the author built. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Alan Smale is a professional astronomer, but his writing tastes have always veered more towards alternate and twisted history, fantasy, and horror. His novella of Romans in ancient America, “A Clash of Eagles” in Panverse Two, won the Sidewise Award for Alternate History, and the first book in a trilogy set in the same universe, CLASH OF EAGLES, appeared in 2015 from Del Rey in the US and Titan Books in the UK and Europe. The series continues with EAGLE IN EXILE (March 2016) and will conclude with EAGLE AND EMPIRE (2017). Alan has sold 40 short stories magazines including Asimov’s, Realms of Fantasy, Abyss & Apex, Paradox, and Scape, and original anthologies Panverse One and Two, Apollo’s Daughters, Book of Dead Things, and Writers of the Future #13.
Alan grew up in England, and has degrees in Physics and Astrophysics from Oxford University. He serves as director of an astrophysical archive, and performs research on black hole binaries at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Alan also sings bass with well-known vocal band The Chromatics, and is co-creator of their educational AstroCappella project.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Tensions mount in one man’s life when he discovers a young girl locked in his basement soon after the loss of his daughter, claiming to in fact be his daughter, and he must decide if fate has brought his daughter back to him or if he is slowly losing his grip on reality in author Tom Starita’s “Delta”.
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The Synopsis
Jason Carico is a grieving father, desperately trying to come to grips with the loss of his eight-year-old stepdaughter, Delta, who drowned two months ago.
But if she’s dead, then why is there a little girl claiming to be Delta locked up in his basement?
Desperately wanting to believe her, Jason attempts to live a normal life while hiding his nightmare below. His anxiety explodes when his late wife’s sister appears on his doorstep. Can he trust her? Would she believe him? And what will the police think if they ever find out the only African American man in town has a white girl trapped in his basement?
The haunting motto of Mother’s death cult tolls throughout the book, “The Universe has a plan, independent from the wants of man.”
The Review
This was such a chilling and haunting read. The tension and heart-pounding suspense the novel’s narrative brings to life was the perfect way to marry both the horror and thriller genres that this story needed. The pacing the author set up perfectly allowed readers to develop this compulsive need to understand the circumstances surrounding this strange and troubling situation, as one minute readers see a tale of a man who has captured a young girl in his basement, and in the next a disturbing cult has set their sights on the same girl, and in the next a powerful force of nature threatens to converge on everyone at once.
This book’s narrative was definitely character-driven, and the characters really elevated the tension and atmosphere of this gritty suspense thriller meet horror read. The emotional pull of these characters, from Jason’s fractured psyche and desire to “protect” Delta, to Colleen’s struggle to right a grievous wrong and stop the madness she suspects is happening, really kept me invested in the narrative.
The Verdict
Haunting, engaging, and thrilling, author Tom Starita’s “Delta” is a must-read horror suspense read of 2022. The chilling atmosphere the author’s use of imagery creates and the shocking twists and turns that leave readers on the edge of their seats, eager for a second book, made this story shine so brightly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Tom Starita is the author of three novels, “Two Ways to Sunday,” “Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated,” and his latest “Delta.” When asked for her thoughts about him, Oprah Winfrey said, “Who?” Tom Hanks refused to respond to an email asking for a quote, and former Mets great Mookie Wilson once waved to him from a passing taxi.
Originally from Staten Island, NY, Starita has now found a home in Connecticut with his amazing wife Shannon, their beautiful daughter Chloe and their potato of a dog Lola. But, most importantly, he loves the New York Mets.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Jennifer Lieberman helps readers and aspiring authors alike learn how to create a stellar audiobook based on their recently published novels in her book, “Make Your Own Break: How to Record & Publish Your Audiobook in 7 Simple Steps”.
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The Synopsis
“Make Your Own Break: How to Record & Publish Your Audiobook in Seven Simple Steps” is a simple and straightforward ‘how to’ guide for self-published authors and explains how to record and publish a manuscript as an audiobook.
Award-winning writer, actor and producer Jennifer Lieberman developed this seven step guide based on her background in filmmaking & film production, acting and performance coaching while stumbling through the process of recording her own audiobook.
This resource walks you through what to expect in the process by breaking it down into seven steps from time management, necessary equipment as well as tips on preparation, recording and editing.
The Review
This was a unique, educational, and thoughtful read. The short yet interesting read was the perfect companion read to any upcoming or published authors who are on a budget and seeking a way of bringing their book to the audiobook format. The attention to detail and personable way the author writes will set readers at ease and keep them invested throughout the book.
The book was absolutely engaging on so many levels, but what really struck a chord with this reader was the step-by-step process that the author detailed in the book. The way the author explores everything from mental and psychological hangups about publishing your own audiobook, to the almost physical therapy style of education on vocal exercises, and does it in such a short amount of time, made this book such an important and engaging one for indie and published authors alike to have in their library.
The Verdict
Gripping, enlightening, and thought-provoking, author Jennifer Lieberman’s “Make Your Own Break: How to Record & Publish Your Audiobook in 7 Simple Steps” is a must-read nonfiction book for authors looking to delve into the audiobook game. The way the author is able to highlight the current audiobook trends going on in our world and the simple yet important steps one can take to create their own audiobook made this a truly unique and insightful read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Jennifer Lieberman is from Maple, Ontario, Canada and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from York University in Toronto. Jennifer has appeared in over thirty stage productions in Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, Europe and Australia; including her Award-Winning Solo Show Year of the Slut, which was adapted into to novel “Year of the What?” In addition to her performance career she has penned a number of screen and stage plays including the wacky web-series “Dumpwater Divas” and the short films “Leash” and “Details” which both screened at the Festival De Cannes’ Court Métrage among other international film festivals. Other books by Jennifer include “Make Your Own Break: How To Master Your Virtual Meeting in Seven Simple Steps” and “Make Your Own Break: How To Record & Publish Your Audiobook In Seven Simple Steps.”
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A man who lost years of his life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit seeks revenge against the one man he considered a friend, who rejected his pleas for help during his trial, in author Steve Malik Swayne’s “Traitor”.
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The Synopsis
Traitor is an intensely deranged mental excursion, full of poetically expressed vengeance and a mischievous plot for revenge.
The main character, Xavier Ruffin, has just been released from prison after serving a 12-year sentence for a murder he did not commit. He is hell-bent on getting back at his former friend, Tyson Carter – who is now employed by the state – for rejecting his impassioned plea for help during the preliminary stages of his case.
Taunted by an inner demon, Xavier vows to make Tyson pay for every moment of freedom that he feels was stripped away from him, considering Tyson a traitor.
The Review
This was definitely a gritty and hard-hitting story of vengeance. A much more modern take on classic revenge stories like The Count of Monte Cristo or True Grit, the reader is instantly brought into a heartbreaking yet brilliant narrative that highlights the injustice that exists within our modern justice system and the impact of the prison system can have on a person. The imagery and atmosphere the author brings to life in this novel elevates the narrative and brings a vivid image of these characters in an almost cinematic way.
What really drove the narrative was the incredible character development that the author built. The resentment, determination, and heart that protagonist Xavier brought to the story and the shocking development that Tyson has early on made this story instantly click for readers. The tension that was built as the protagonist’s mission for vengeance built and grew over the course of the narrative kept me as a reader hanging off of the author’s every word.
The Verdict
Captivating, entertaining, and thought-provoking, author Steve Malik Swayne’s “Traitor” is a must-read modern-day revenge tale like no other. The heart and passion that the author writes with perfectly mirrors the gritty setting and engaging twists and turns that the story takes as this protagonist dives further and further into his need for revenge. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
What’s up everybody! I am Steve Malik Swayne. I was born in Ogden, Utah and raised in Salt Lake City / Las Vegas, NV. I became fascinated with words in elementary school where I began writing short stories and poems which eventually led to me writing music. After years of pursing a music career, I began running the streets, headed down the wrong path eventually leading to my incarceration. While incarcerated, (a father of three) I decided I wouldn’t become a statistic. I enrolled in college classes where I obtained two associate degrees, one in Liberal Arts and the other in General Business Administration. Still passionate about writing, I began writing fictional novels, calling home to my wife, where she would record my writings, then take the hours of recordings and type them into her laptop. From there, we pursued publication and now those publications are being introduced to the world.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
After being infected by a disease that turns people into cannibals, a former scientist turned bodybuilder living in a government rehabilitation facility for cannibals must stop a powerful cannibals rights group that his recently infected brother has joined in author Dana Hammer’s “The Cannibal’s Guide to Fasting”.
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The Synopsis
Igor Fenenko, a former research scientist, is a scary, scary man. Not only is he a massive bodybuilder with a spider tattooed on his face, but he has also been infected with Pestis Manducans — viral cannibalism. Igor tried to resist indulging, but his research specimens smelled so delicious. Who did it hurt, really, to nibble a corpse?
Caught, disgraced, and sent to a ‘rehabilitation’ center, Igor is now forced to live in a government-mandated Containment Center. He spends his days pressing wildflowers, growing blueberries, and doing his best to avoid human meat. More than anything, he wants a cure for the virus that has ruined his life.
Igor’s brother, Karl, is also infected with Pestis. But unlike Igor, he does not live in a Containment Center. He lives down by the river, where he runs a cannibal rights group. At first, the group seems harmless enough, if a bit creepy and overzealous. But when Igor discovers their evil practices, he is forced to intervene.
Aided and opposed by rich eccentrics who have their own agendas, Igor must use his brains and muscles to find a cure while fighting the urge to turn brains and muscles into a delicious lunch.
The Review
I absolutely loved this novel. The author did an incredible job of crafting a narrative that felt alive on the page. The character growth and dialogue felt very natural and captivating, albeit a little bit fantastic given the nature of the narrative. The atmosphere and imagery used to bring this story to life were so vivid in their delivery that readers instantly felt transported as if Igor was standing right there in the room with them.
Yet it was the themes the author explored that really allowed the plot to shine through. The use of themes that explore humanity’s propensity for judging and alienating an entire group of people based on preconceived notions about who they are and what they are capable of was felt heavily in this read, and it played so naturally with the very horror-centric idea of a cannibal virus. The way the author mirrors the world’s mistrust of cannibals both past and present with the way even Igor is perceived by others because of his appearance and his insecurities, as a result, to be viewed in a certain light really did a great job of reflecting this thought-provoking story device.
The Verdict
Haunting, impactful, and engaging, author Dana Hammer’s “The Cannibal’s Guide to Fasting” is a must-read bio-horror meets literary fiction read. The authors writing style allowed for a good balance of humor and wit with the more serious and macabre aspects of the cannibal storyline, while also showcasing a very human and emotional narrative of the power of judging others and how it impacts the world as a whole. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder your copy today or pick up your copy on September 6th, 2022!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
Dana Hammer is a novelist, short story writer, playwright, and screenwriter living in Anaheim, California.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Two young women dive deeper and deeper down into a blood-soaked world of carnage as they give into their unquenchable new appetites in author E.F. Schraeder’s “As Fast As She Can”.
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The Synopsis
Living in a quiet house on the outskirts of town, Ginger isn’t like
the other girls.
When she wakes up and discovers the unthinkable about her
adoptive parents, she runs away and goes on a rampage straight
to the only friend she has. Can she control what they both become?
With a violent, growing hunger and more questions than answers,
Ginger has nowhere to turn.
The Review
This was a shocking, pleasantly campy horror read! The humor and dark comedy aspects of the narrative are felt instantly, as the protagonist joke and go out for a “night on the town” as they make their way through a barrage of victims to satiate their appetites. And yet the charm and heart of their bond are felt instantly, as is their surreal approach to their newfound status as a zombie…of sorts.
The mythos and world-building that the author was able to put together in such a short amount of time made this such a powerful read. The theme and atmosphere the author crafted out of this novel made this story feel like a late ’80s era horror comedy with an LGBTQ twist. The story moves quickly, and as the characters and world expand, so does the mythology surrounding their hunger and status in the world of the living, making this a shockingly delightful read.
The Verdict
Haunted, entertaining, and brilliantly written, author E.F. Schraeder’s “As Fast As She Can” is a must-read horror novel that cannot be missed. The dedication to the genre and the almost cinematic way the story is written will keep readers invested in this story until the bloody end. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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E. F. Schraeder has a new lesbian horror / coming of age book out: As Fast As She Can.
Living in a quiet house on the outskirts of town, Ginger isn’t like the other girls.
When she wakes up and discovers the unthinkable about her adoptive parents, she runs away and goes on a rampage straight to the only friend she has. Can she control what they both become?
With a violent, growing hunger and more questions than answers, Ginger has nowhere to turn.
Two dozen camps dotted the acreage around the five-mile perimeter of the lake. The trails that linked the parcels were scarcely marked. Off season, only half of the cottages would have guests, and even fewer would have phones or cell coverage. The land was big enough and remote enough for the girls to stay lost.
Cory and Ginger approached the first camp they saw and crept outside, peering into the windows to see what awaited them. Cory tripped over a rusted canoe leaning against the side of the house. As it crashed to the ground, a light flared on in the back of the house, illuminating the fifteen feet to the shed behind the house.
Cory yelped. “Shit.”
“Shh,” Ginger whispered. She set a hand on Cory’s shoulder. “They’ll think it’s an animal.”
“It is.” Cory bared her teeth and snarled. Cory crouched, her small frame hunched against the peeling blue paint of the cottage. Her slender shoulders pulled up, and the heavy gray hood of her sweatshirt drooped over her head. A shadow across her face accentuated the wide-eyed expression.
“You’re sort of hot when you’re hunting,” Ginger said. She bit her lower lip, immediately regretting the admission. Urgent, warm hunger pressed in Ginger’s stomach. She returned a low growl. “Let’s go,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.
They crashed into the front door, lunged onto the scrawny old man in the kitchen before he had time to squeeze the trigger of his shotgun. They tore the patchy pajama shirt from his lean body and shredded him in seconds.
“That’s it?” Cory asked. A dribble of saliva clung to her mouth as she licked her lips.
“Guess he lives alone.” Ginger wiped her face clean on her sleeve. They kicked through the house, looking for anything interesting to take. “Need a flashlight?” Ginger swatted the heavy silver flashlight that swung from a looped handle on a nail.
“No, I can see in the dark.” Cory paused. “Hey, I can see in the dark. Is that, like, a thing for us?” She smiled, her pupils returned to normal now that she’d fed.
“I guess. I don’t know. Not like I had a course in zombification before I got to you.” Ginger laughed. “How many camps are up here?” she asked.
Cory shrugged. “Hope there’s a bigger family or something we can sink our teeth into.” She rummaged through the old man’s desk drawers. She tossed stacks of papers onto the floor, they scattered in heaps. “Ah ha!” She pulled out a slim, golden-handled hunting knife. “Now this, I like!”
Ginger grabbed the knife, sliced a ‘Z’ shape into the air. “Nice, but I don’t think we need weapons.”
“Whatever. It’s still badass.” Cory tucked the blade into its sheath and undid her belt, slipping the knife holster into position at her waist. “Cool, right?”
“Okay, it does look badass. You’ve got a whole burnout serial killer look happening now.” Ginger clicked off the back porch light. “It’s really working for you.” She opened the door and waved Cory ahead of her.
“Hot, huh?” Cory winked as she walked by, her arm brushed Ginger’s hip.
Ginger let out a quick gasp before she could stop herself. Embarrassed that Cory had heard her and a little curious. She sighed. She wondered if something was going on between them, something way better than eating campers. Ginger bit down on the inside of her mouth briefly and giggled.
“Still hungry?” Cory asked.
Somehow, the question struck Ginger as flirtatious. She didn’t know what to say. I’ve got to be imagining this, right? Ginger shrugged, chasing behind Cory as she ran ahead in search of the next cabin. I mean, we’re pretty messed up right now . . .
For three hours, Cory and Ginger ransacked camps, devouring everyone they found, dragging the residents into the moonlight one at a time. The small camps around the pond were spread out, sparse enough among the trees to conceal the screams. As they gorged they left only blood and destruction in their wake.
Crickets fell quiet as the girls ran over boulders along the water’s edge. Their movements were smooth and silent. Cory stopped abruptly, balancing on one leg in a karate pose.
“>Ginger, do ya’ think the cops are after us?”
“Duh, of course they are! Or will be. Why?”
“I don’t know. It’s kind of awesome, that’s all.”
“Which part?” Ginger smiled.
“Well, the whole ‘killed my mom and took to the woods’ part, mostly. You know? Or is that like total after school special bullshit?”
“No, it’s way worse than some crap about bulimia or underage drinking.” Ginger’s laughter came in spurts. She wiped her brow. “I mean, I think we’re in a whole different league of problem children.”
“Hey, Ginger,” Cory said after a few moments of silence. “Aren’t we supposed to be like, all ‘uugh, brains’ and shit?” She waved her arms in front of her in a classic Frankenstein pose.
Ginger chuckled. This is perfect. The two of us against the world.What could be better? “No, I mean, I don’t know. We’re pretty quick though, right?” She pushed her hair out of her face and smiled.
“Totally!” Cory squatted low on the stone and then sprang up, kicking out one leg. “I’m like, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Zombie.”
Ginger fell over laughing. It took her a minute to realize Cory had run ahead to another camp. She pushed herself up onto her elbows and ran to the house. Cory was already inside by the time Ginger arrived.
“Look at him!” Cory shrieked with pleasure tugging the long, wavy blonde hair of a thin teenage boy out the front door. He struggled while Cory dragged him easily into the grassy yard.
A motion activated security floodlight clicked on and shone white in their faces. The boy wiggled and winced, tried to yank himself away from her, but he only managed to rip the sleeve off his shirt. Cory sunk her fingers deep into the joint of his rotator cuff and pressed her face into the wound until she felt the dull thud of bone crack against her teeth. “He’s cute. Let’s keep him! Can we keep him?” she squealed.
The boy howled in agony, blood soaking his chest.
“He’s not a puppy, Cory. You can’t just decide to…” Ginger paused, watching Cory pull the boy back into her mouth. Ginger squinted at the boy and nodded. She pursed her lips like she was about to speak, but her expression went blank. She cocked her head to a distant noise. What was that? Voices? Ginger focused. There was nothing in the yard but corpses. Ginger tugged a tangle of auburn hair into a ponytail. She rested a hand on one hip then said, “If you like him, flip him.” She was surprised she felt so amicable to Cory’s idea, but maybe it made a certain sort of sense. Why not a third? Maybe three’s a charm.
The boy wriggled beneath Cory’s clutch for a few moments then the spasms settled. He groaned as if he knew the lucky ones died. Cory tore off the other sleeve of his blood-soaked shirt and gently wiped the mess from his shoulder.
Cory pulled out her hand from his shoulder muscles clenching a soft chunk of wet flesh. She lowered her lips to the fresh wound with a smile then pressed her teeth into him. A satisfying gush of blood spurted into her mouth. She moaned in satisfaction.
“Take it easy if you’re keeping him.” Ginger flung a dismembered hand from the boy’s father at Cory.
Author Bio
E.F. Schraeder is the author of the queer gothic novella Liar: Memoir of a Haunting (Omnium Gatherum, 2021), which was an Imadjinn Award finalist in 2022. Schraeder is also the author of a story collection and two poetry chapbooks.
Schraeder’s recent work has appeared in Lost Contact, Strange Horizons, The Feminist Wire, Birthing Monsters, Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, Mystery Weekly Magazine, Lavender Review, and other journals and anthologies. Schraeder’s nonfiction has been included in Vastarien: A Literary Journal; Radical Teacher; the American Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom blog, and elsewhere. Awarded first place in Crystal Lake Publishing’s 2021 Poetry Contest, E.F. Schraeder’s work also placed as a semi-finalist in Headmistress Press’ Charlotte Mew Contest (2019). Current creative projects a full length manuscript of poems and an unruly collection of essays. An ex-professor and youth librarian, Schraeder holds an interdisciplinary Ph.D. and advanced degree in Library Science. An Active Member in the Horror Writers Association and a Lifetime Member of the Science Fiction Poetry Association, E. F. Schraeder believes in ghosts, magic, and dogs.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A therapist finds herself drawn into a world of the strange and bizarre as a mystery client walks into her office with stories of the supernatural in authors Barbara Lien-Cooper and Park Cooper’s “The Talking Cure: A Novel of Magic & Psychiatry”.
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The Synopsis
Zach Cutter claims he’s not really an antiques dealer as such, but that he’s really a supernatural investigator.
–Zach claims he’s got repressed memories, missing at least a year of his life, probably more.
–Zach claims he can do magic. Not stage magician magic– REAL magic.
–Zach claims he’s got FEELINGS for his new psychiatrist, Dr. Cynthia Mann.
–Zach claims a LOT of problematic things.
But they’re ALL TRUE.
After a disturbing case in New York made Dr. Cynthia Mann wonder if the supernatural might actually be real, she’s started her life and her practice all over again in Cleveland, where she meets a new patient, stranger than any she’s ever met before—and far more charming than anyone she’s ever met, too.
During the progress Zach makes as Cynthia’s patient, he tells her stories about his past, and their relationship slowly edges from a doctor-patient one to a friendship—and Zach clearly wouldn’t mind if it became more.
Together, Cynthia and Zach will eventually have to find a way for him to get out of the trouble he stumbled into long ago…
The Review
This was such an engaging and exhilarating paranormal read. The authors did such a great job of world-building and infusing humor and wit into the dialogue between the characters. The vivid imagery that was used in the author’s writing was perfect to help build a visual in my mind of these stories that Zach begins to relay to Cynthia. I could easily picture that first story in particular, with Zach helping a ghost locate the map to some lost loot that he had left with his partner in crime years earlier. The more intimate approach that the authors took to this style of storytelling will draw readers in immediately.
One thing of note that all readers should know is that some of the characters and stories involve instances of self-harm, suicide, and more, so reader discretion is advised. With that in mind, the emotional and psychological nature of the narrative and the way the author balanced this out with the witty dialogue between the two main protagonists was so great to see, as it added a grounded and depth of humanity to the story that featured so many supernatural and mythological stories of magick and creatures abound.
The Verdict
Captivating, heartfelt, and entertaining, authors Barbara Lien-Cooper and Park Cooper’s “The Talking Cure: A Novel of Magic and Psychiatry” is a must-read paranormal thriller of 2022! The imagery and atmospheric build-up of these supernatural cases from Zach and the growing relationship between him and Cynthia will have readers hanging off of the author’s every word. If you haven’t yet, be sure to go and follow the author’s socials and website for updates to their publishing schedule, as the preorder link should go live next month.
Rating: 10/10
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About the Authors
Barb is originally from Minnesota. She was a radio DJ for a while in college, and then she grew up to become a guitarist/singer-songwriter and got an album put out on the Imp label. However, she also had health issues: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia and extreme environmental sensitivities and allergies. (She also has Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to issues involving her family of origin.)
For a while, brain fog from the CFS and the fibro made it harder for her to read long and involved works of fiction… So (since she’d always loved them in her childhood) she got into reading comics and graphic novels, particularly the comparatively avant-garde work coming out at that time from DC Comics.
Now we pop over to Park, in central Texas. Like Barb, Park also read comics (and a LOT of books) in his youth as well (a lot more sci-fi and fantasy books than Barb, and a lot more Marvel comics than Barb). Then he started college and said “I need an extra hobby or something. Maybe I’ll get back into comics again.” He started doing so, including reading the comparatively avant-garde work coming out at that time from DC Comics…
Then someone in the letter columns of the comic Sandman announced that they were doing a fanzine for readers of that comic. Barb and Park both wrote in.
Barb and Park became aware of one another… Park liked the writing Barb submitted to the fanzine, and he wrote to Barb, and they began writing to each other. Then they started talking on the phone… they fell in love… they started visiting one another…
Reader, they got married (to each other).
Barb wrote for the award-winning website Sequential Tart, made by women about comics and other popular culture things, and Barb wrote a lot of reviews and articles (especially articles)
Park and Barb had a column online for a now-defunct website entitled The Park and Barb show (about the same sorts of things) for 12 years…
A little after they started those things, Barb started writing her comic Gun Street Girl…
A little after that, they started adapting and editing manga for major American publishers importing manga (and sometimes their South Korean and Chinese counterparts) from the far side of the Pacific. Honestly, there were too many to keep track of… lots and lots of titles. Near the end of this, Barb and Park wrote the manga pitch The Hidden for TokyoPop, perfectly timed to appear the week that that company fell apart.
Then Barb and Park wrote the sci-fi vampire graphic novel Half Dead.
Somewhere around this time, Park successfully completed his Ph.D. in literature, and then Barb and Park wrote the vampire prose novel Something More Than Blood.
Eventually Park started writing his cyberpunk comic Swipe for Angry Viking Press.
(You can read more about all of the above projects elsewhere on this website!)
There were also other various short stories (and a novel, in one case) and non-manga-related editing jobs, too many to bother counting here…
These days, Barb and Park live happily together in Austin, Texas.
