SNOWBLIND by Michael McBride

I had the immense pleasure of reading one of the first books in ages to unnerve me more than a little.

Anyone who knows me, knows that one of my favorite subjects is Cryptozoology - specifically Bigfoot. I've written my share on the subject (with more to come) and it never fails to grab my attention when I find a new book.

Enter Michael McBride.

I purchased Snowblind, and it's sequel, several months back. Working my way through my "to read" pile, I finally got to this gem. Ladies and germs, I have to admit that I was utterly floored by this book! It is CREEPY AS ALL HELL and an absolute MUST for anyone interested in Bigfoot.

Michael McBride has firmly announced himself as a tremendous voice in horror fiction and that voice howls like a monster on the hunt.

Buy this book! I can't possibly stress that enough. If you read this blog, chances are good that you like sasquatch tales. You will LOVE Snowblind!

Trust me, folks, this guy knows what he's doing and isn't afraid to dig his teeth into the raw meat. This is easily the best fictional Bigfoot tale since Eric S. Brown's original Bigfoot War.

...and there is a sequel.

Click HERE to get your copy.

Lizardman by Lyle Blackburn - Book Review

LIZARDMAN: THE TRUE STORY OF THE BISHOPVILLE MONSTER by Lyle Blackburn

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I first became aware of Lyle Blackburn a few years ago through his horror/country/punk band Ghoultown. The music had made me an instant fan and I've been jamming out to the likes of Under The Phantom Moon, Carry The Coffin and Werewolves on Wheels (if you haven't, be sure to check out the movie that this song is based on. Pure drive-in, B-movie gold!).

It was a couple of years ago when I discovered that Lyle shared another interest with me. It turns out that Lyle is a well-known and well-respected cryptozoologist! When I heard he was writing a book about the famous Fouke Monster of southern Arkansas, I just had to get my hands on a copy as fast as I possibly could.

The Beast of Boggy Creek: The True Story of the Fouke Monster is an exceptional book. Its well written and painstakingly researched. No stone was left unturned. In my opinion, The Beast of Boggy Creek is required reading for those interested in the field of cryptozoology. I was thoroughly impressed and couldn't wait for his next book. Luckily the wait wasn't long!

If you live near the state of South Carolina, chances are you've probably heard of The Lizardman of Scape Ore Swamp. Its said to be a creature that roams throughout the area and leaves large, three-toed, footprints and has terrorised quite a few people over the years.

Being a North Carolina native, I've heard the legends many times. I've never really been sure what to think and have been a little skeptical of the creature. Being a massive fan of his previous book, and keeping an open mind, I decided to grab a copy. I'm glad I did.

Like The Beast of Boggy Creek, Lizardman is a well written biography, of sorts, that digs into the history, cultural impact and legacy of this bizarre creature. Lyle's research is as thorough and entertaining as it gets. He delivered another home run and presents the reader some theories that show that there could very well be something lurking through Scape Ore Swamp. My skepticism had waned by the end of the book.

Again, Lyle proves himself to be one hell of an author and cryptozoologist. Lizardman is a must for those interested in cryptozoology. Buy it. You won't regret it, I assure you.

Click HERE to get your copy

Lilly Dean book review

LILLY DEAN: FREAKED OUT SERIES
by
LORI SAFRANEK

Lilly Dean is a snake charmer with an unusual gift. Her talents soon lead her to the Steiner Freakshow - the best show on Earth. After finally finding a place where she feels a sense of belonging, Lilly and her and her act makes quite a mark on the audience and her fellow performers. All is going well until a shadow from her past comes calling.

I picked up this story on a whim. I didn't realize, at first, that it was a later installment of a series. No problem though. The story stands wells on it's own and you're left wanting more from the unique cast of characters. Luckily there's previous installments that delve further into their lives and more stories are still to come. The author did a fantastic job making the characters believable and the reader connects with them almost instantly.

I'm very much looking forward to the other acts at the Steiner Freakshow and will be eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Click HERE to get your copy now

Bones of Willow Lake - book review

BONES OF WILLOW LAKE
by
Rhiannon Mills

I had the pleasure of reading this book about a year ago, long before the initial release. I wasn't sure what to expect as I typically don't read paranormal romance. From the very beginning, I was drawn into the world weaved by Mills and found a tale that was something much more than I had ever expected. Bones of Willow Lake has plenty of eerie atmosphere, genuine tension and even a few laughs to accompany the romance. I highly recommend this book, even if, like me, you're not a reader of this type of book. The storytelling is superb and it will hook you and drag you down into the murky depths of Willow Lake!

Click HERE to get your copy now!

10 Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty - review

I first heard of this while I was a guest on ZombiePalooza: Dead Again Radio. I was immediately intrigued and just had to check it out. Tonight was the first chance I had to give it a look and get caught up on what I had missed. I'm actually still watching it. What I'm seeing is basically SURVIVOR: BIGFOOT EDITION. The reason for that is simple, this is a game show that follows that format. Teams of "hunters" are given two challenges per episode and at the end, one team is eliminated. Is this what I expected? No. Sometimes that can be a good thing. You get a pleasant surprise and discover something brilliant. That's not the case here.

The teams consist of people who seem to spend more time fighting than bigfooting, not just with other teams but with each other. You also have the so called "Bigfoot Killer" Justin Smeja. Supposedly Justin shot two sasquatches and actually killed a juvenile. According to him, instead of bringing back what would be the single greatest zoological discovery in history, he thought it would be a better idea to bury the body and walk away. Later, fueled with bravado and a touch of fame, he returns to the, now frozen, grave and brings back a clump of hair that was in the general vicinity and claims it was 100% certain from the creature he killed. After testing, the hair was proven to be from a bear and Justin started crying. You can see this on Bigfoot: The New Evidence. So, this is just my opinion, Justin is a hoaxer. Having him on a team such as this dents the credibility for me.

The big problem is the game show format. If producers were serious about this, instead of eliminating people, they should place each team in a known hotspot and turn them loose. Have them spend the duration of the season searching their designated area and if nothing is found, move to a new spot on the next season.

These are just my opinions. You may really like the show and if so, more power to you. I just don't think this is the way to handle this particular subject. I will say, however, it's leaps and bounds better than that abomination that the National Geographic channel aired in which researchers and witnesses were made fun of by a comedian host.

I have had numerous people ask for my thoughts on TMDBB and, as promised, gave it a shot. I am pleased to see that Bigfoot is growing in interest. My hope is that the future will hold more shows that have legitimate interest and take things seriously. In that case, more information will be available for those who want to hit the woods and start their search. I would love to see Bigfoot be proven in my lifetime.

One final note:
The two camps in Bigfooting is kill and no kill. I'm not going into my personal stance on this just yet but if you are on the kill side, see a Bigfoot, shoot it and kill it, DON'T BURY IT AND WALK AWAY! BRING IT BACK SO IT CAN BE TESTED!

Thanks for dropping by and I'll talk with y'all later.
- Charlie

Book Review: Autumn Aftermath by David Moody

David Moody's writing is definitely something different. That is shown very clearly in his apocalyptic AUTUMN series. These are not your typical zombie novels. Its difficult to really explain without giving away too much. These books have a great deal of heart amidst the carnage and bleakness but they're not fluffy either. There's plenty of violence and stomach churning muck to go around. The zombies themselves evolve much like the characters. It all leads up to the fitting conclusion, AFTERMATH. The tensions are white hot as everything draws to a close but there's plenty of hope and heartbreak ahead as the last of the living struggle to survive. This book reads like an old medieval adventure as survivors from an island clash with others who have taken shelter within the walls of a castle. A siege of both living and dead make this a nail biting finale all the way up to the very last page!

Once again, David Moody has hit a home run. I was wide awake at a ridiculous hour in the morning just to finish it. I really can't wait to see what he has in store next.

Click HERE to get it now