Timothy Long's Beyond The Barriers

This is the first book that I've read from Timothy Long and I will say that it will not be the last. Mr. Long has crafted a badass zombie tale that strays from the pack, hunts it down and kills it! It's quick, violent, scary and creative; all things that zombie fans crave. The Ghouls are awesome. They have the ability to plan and they have a few more tricks up their rotting, slimy sleeves. I can't praise this book enough folks. Trust me, this one is a buy! Grab it NOW!

Buy the Kindle edition
Buy the Paperback

A very interesting recording.

This was recorded the other night. It was less than a mile from my house. At times, we could hear what sounded like trees being struck with something.

This video was recorded a while back. The location is about two miles away from where the screams were recorded.

This is nothing new for the area. You can see reports HERE, HERE, HERE and a local newspaper article HERE.

New posts will follow when I have a bit more to add. Meanwhile, here's some more from the area:

1940'S - PRESENT: Unusual sounds heard in the southern portion of Henderson county near the state line on Heatherly Heights road. Almost a yearly occurrance. Usually it can be heard mainly at night or early morning. The sound is best described as a loud "scream" that can be clearly heard throughout the valley below. Most recently sounds were heard outside a home on ***** road, only a couple of miles away from where the sounds were reported of a large type animal roaming through the front yard at night. This is still to be looked into and confirmed. However in the surrounding woods large footprints that measured 16 inches were found, as well as a small tree that was bent down and broken. The break was measured at around six feet from the ground. There was nothing in the immediate area that would have fallen and caused the break.
There have been numerous other reports that included a woman coming home from work, who claimed she saw a large black thing "leap" across the road.

Last year, a large branch was found snapped. It was roughly 1.5 - 2 inches thick, a fresh break and nothing in the area that could've fallen on it to cause the damage. The break was roughly 8 feet high.



VHS Horror Memories

They say that once you start with the “back in my day” rants, you're getting old. So, on that note, I'm going to embrace my inner old fart and look back at something that means a lot to me.

I was four years old when I watched my first horror movie (HP Lovecraft's The Unnameable). Since then, I have been addicted to anything spooky and scary. I can remember nights when I couldn't sleep and would sneak out of bed and watch movies like Hellraiser, Dr. Butcher MD, Pieces, Return of the Living Dead, Gates of Hell, Evil Dead, etc.

Before long, I didn't have to be sneaky anymore. I could watch these great movies with the rest of the family. I liked them, I was going to watch them anyway, what would be the use in stopping me? Then I got to venture into the video stores and seek out the movies of my choice. These trips introduced me to another of my favorite childhood memories.

At one time, Hendersonville NC had gobs of small mom and pop video stores (Video King, Cinema One, TR Video, Movie Stop were my main haunts). They all had thick horror sections that were off to the side in dimly lit areas. It was like light wasn't permitted into such areas. I loved it! It is those places that helped mold me into the wonderfully warped individual I am today with movies such as Devil's Rain, Sleepaway Camp, Madman, The Burning, Deathstalker, I Spit on Your Grave, Last House on the Left, movies by Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento, Mario and Lamberto Bava... it was my home away from home.

I can still remember snooping through the shelf and being in awe of the horrific artwork that adorned each box.

Today, there are very few of these stores left (if any). And movie covers are fifteen minute photoshop jobs that have nowhere near the skill of the “good ol' days.” The movies themselves were a whole new breed as well. If you watch a horror movie from the 70's or 80's, even the bad ones are still good and have merit. Even the really really bad ones are good to make fun of!

There are a few people who are trying to keep these wonderful things alive. Many director's are trying to capture the look and feel of the old greats and there are people who are working hard to preserve old VHS tapes and the cover art.

If you're an old tape fart like me, then you understand this little tribute and the pictures above are making you smile.

}:-)~

Also be sure to check out the guys at VHShitfest

A Tribute to a Legend Behind The Camera

The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)

When I was around four or five years old, I sat down and watched a movie with my family that scared the living hell out of me, yet it had a powerful effect on me. To this day that movie remains my all time favorite and I even keep a copy of the DVD in a locked case. The movie was The Legend of Boggy Creek. Now this wasn't you average, run of the mill horror flick. It was a documentary which chronicled numerous sightings of a large, hairy, bipedal creature that haunted the small town of Fouke Arkansas and surrounding areas.



The film was directed by Indiana native, Charles B. Pierce, who went on to write, direct, produce, act and even serve as set decorator for numerous films. It is even said that he came up with the famous Clint Eastwood line, "Go ahead, make my day."

Boggy Creek went on to gross around $25,000,000 and spawned the sequels: Return To Boggy Creek (1977) and Boggy Creek II ...and the Legend Continues (AKA The Barbaric Beast Of Boggy Creek part II) in 1985

 

Charles Pierce died in March of 2010 of natural causes.

Rest In Peace
June 16, 1938 - March 5, 2010

For more info on Boggy Creek, click HERE or to buy a copy of The Legend of Boggy Creek on DVD, click HERE

Why Do You Write That Stuff?

Had a conversation a while back with someone I haven't seen in years. She asked what I was doing now and I told her that I'd been doing a lot of writing, that I'd been published several times and that I had a new story in the works.

"Really?! That's so cool! What did you write?"

"A few scary stories."

The person in front of me looked as if she'd swallowed a whole lemon caked with shards of broken glass.

"Oh, eew. I don't like scary stuff. Why don't you write something serious?"

At this point, Evil Charlie is barking at the door and revving his Leatherface approved chainsaw. I calmed myself and continued.

"Horror is just as serious as anything else. In fact many people consider horror to be the perfect genre because in a well crafted horror tale, you can laugh, cry, fall in love and go through a plethora of powerful emotions other than just fear. Horror also serves as a safe way to see the dark sides of humanity and for us to learn lessons from the characters. It's also a good way to relieve stress. Basically, horror is the miracle drug to cure a shitty day."

I got a few odd looks.

Horror has, and always will be, my first choice. It allows me exorcise my personal demons so they are kept under control. At the same time I am also providing a (hopefully) entertaining romp for someone to enjoy. Something to make them laugh, cry, fall in love, get an adrenaline rush from a scary scene and mabe even make them think. It provides an escape from the rough day with an element of fantasy and guilty pleasures minus the guilt.

You wake up with a cold, stubb your toe against a sneaky chair, you boss yells at you for something that may, or may not, have been your fault and you get a flat tire on the way home.

You take a few minutes and read a short, scary story. Suddenly you feel a little better. You think, 'hey, maybe my day wasn't so bad after all. It could be worse. I could have a ravenous zombie werewolf with six heads trying to eat my ass!'

Get it here!

Sticks and Stones on sale NOW!

Sticks and Stones RELEASE DATE!!!!!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 will finally see the release of my novelette Sticks and Stones. I have to say that I'm just a wee bit excited. It will be a deluxe edition that contains Halloween On The Lowe Road and The Legend Of The Mountain Devils. I'll have the purchase link up ASAP. For now, here's the cover.


and a cover blurb...
"A splatterpunk, creature feature hybrid that mutates into one vicious, blood soaked beast."
 - Spooky Sean

For those of you who haven't read it yet, Just In Sight is a prequel to Sticks. But more on that later...