Halloween reading list

What's on your Halloween reading list this year?

This week, I published a guest article over at Midnyte Reader about the five books I'm planning to read this Halloween. My reading interests are usually varied, but around Halloween the only thing I want is to curl up with a book that has any hint of spooky goodness. Here's the list in case you missed it.

Vampires, Bones, and Treacle Scones by Kaitlyn Dunnett

I'm about halfway through this cozy mystery and it's an instant mood-setter for Halloween. In Vampires, Bones, and Treacle Scones the town of Moosetookalook is planning a Halloween party in an abandoned mansion. But nothing goes as planned. Objects disappear. Hidden rooms are discovered. And then, someone is murdered. What follows is an investigation to try and find the killer.  

Say Her Name by James Dawson 

This YA horror novel is supposed to be one of the creepiest books you'll read this Halloween. Set in a boarding school, Say Her Name focuses on a group of students who dare each other to summon the legendary ghost of Bloody Mary: say her name five times in front of a candlelit mirror, and she shall appear... At first, nothing happens. But in the next five days, it'll become clear that Bloody Mary was indeed called from the afterlife and that she will come for them, as she has come for countless others before.  

The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn 

I absolutely loved Ania Ahlborn's horror novel Seed. She didn't really re-invent the wheel, but she took all my favorite elements from obscure horror movies from the seventies and eighties and threw everything into her own mix. With The Shuddering, she seems to be doing the same thing. This time, she focuses on a group of friends vacationing in a mountain cabin in Colorado. Something lurks in the forest, watching the cabin, growing ever bolder as the snow falls. After a blizzard leaves the group stranded, the true test of their love and loyalty begins as the hideous creatures outside close in, one bloody attack at a time. 

October Dreams: A Celebration Of Halloween edited by Richard Chizmar and Robert Morrish 

October Dreams is a delightful mix of Halloween goodies: never-before-published short stories, classic novellas, essays on the history of Halloween, personal reflections on Halloweens past, and guides to Halloween fiction. Among the authors are Dean R. Koontz, Poppy Z. Brite, Peter Straub, Jack Ketchum, Tim Lebbon, Ed Gorman, Tom Piccirilli, Douglas Clegg, Ray Bradbury, Richard Laymon, Kim Newman, Christopher Golden, and many more. Many call this a must-read for Halloween.  

Vacationing With Ghosts by Sharon Day 

Being an avid reader of Sharon Day's blog Ghost Hunting Theories, I've already had a preview of the many weird things that happened to her. Vacationing With Ghosts is partly a nostalgic flashback of the childhood family holidays in their beautiful summer home, and partly an account of the supernatural occurrences she encountered there. Having never experienced the supernatural, I'm usually the first to be sceptic. But Sharon Day's experiences always make me doubt my own belief. 

What's on your reading list this Halloween? I'd love to hear. Anything to recommend? 

And, of course, if you're looking for spooky reads, you can always check out my books Drowned Sorrow and The Strangers Outside. They're meant to really put you on the edge of your seat, so be prepared what you're getting yourself into. 

Megan Blackwood has just lost her son in an accident. Now she has come to Moonlight Creek with her teenage daughter, Jenna, hoping that a change of scenery might help to put their lives back together. 

But something odd is happening in Moonlight Creek. 

When rain falls over the village, its inhabitants commit grisly murders, leaving the village deserted again with the first rays of sunshine. Beneath the lake's surface, something watches... and waits... Waits to reveal a tragic past drowned in mystery and fear. One that doesn't bode well for visitors. 

By the time Megan realizes that her daughter's life is in danger, it might already be too late. 

“Pretty damn spooky” -- Book Cover Justice 

“A disturbing gem of the horror genre.” -- The Current Reader 

“A roller coaster ride of mystery, horror, and overall creepiness.” -- Reading Urban Fantasy 

“The scariest story of the year.” -- Sword and Magic 

Two sisters return to their remote holiday cabin after a day at the seaside. But little do they know they're being surrounded. Shortly after their arrival, the girls will come face to face with THE STRANGERS OUTSIDE. When the assailants make their intentions known, things take a shockingly terrible turn and an intense battle for survival will begin. 

The Strangers Outside has been turned into a movie starring Pierre Lekeux and Iulia Nastase. 

"This was a really fun, creepy horror story PERFECT for Halloween." -- Little Squeed Book Reviews 

"This had me on the edge of my seat, wanting more, more, MORE! Basically, this is an amazing horror story you should go buy NOW!" -- The Beaucoup Review 

"The Strangers Outside had me thinking about the ending for a couple of days after." -- The Diary Of A Bookworm 

"Vanessa Morgan's writing is not to be missed, for it comes from the depths of fear to give readers a chance to be entertained as well as enlightened." -- Pitching Pencils 

How to get your novel noticed in Hollywood

I get many questions from authors wanting to know how I managed to get all my stories adapted into movies. So when author T.B. Markinson asked to guest post on her blog, I thought I'd share my story about how I got several filmmakers interested in my books. You can read about it here: How to get your novel noticed in Hollywood

Photo: Little Winter

Movies about intelligent machines

Here's a guest post that originally appeared at Bibliophilia Please and For The Love Of Film And Novels. The post was part of the blog tour for GPS WITH BENEFITS, a short film script in which a womanizer purchases a GPS device with a mind of 'her' own. It got me thinking of other movies about intelligent machines. Here are some of my favorites...

Demon Seed

A scientist creates an organic super computer which becomes obsessed with human beings, and in particular the creator's wife. Demon Seed is one of Dean Koontz' best novels to date. Check out the excellent movie adaptation from 1977 starring Julie Christie.

Chopping Mall

Security androids turn evil and kill the employees from a shopping mall. Lots of eighties movie fun!

Christine

Early Stephen King novel about the relationship between a nerdish boy and his evil car. John Carpenter directed the movie adaptation in 1983.

Ghost From The Machine

Fun horror movie from the 90s in which a serial killer's soul transforms into electrical energy. The killer then uses the electrical grid and computer networks to continue his killing spree.

Rubber

A tire discovers his telepathic powers. He sets his sights on a mysterious woman.

Maximum Overdrive

Every machine in the world comes alive and becomes homicidal. Written by Stephen King.

The Mangler

In Stephen King's short story The Mangler, a demon possesses a laundry folding machine. Tobe Hooper directed the movie adaptation in 1995. Two sequels followed.

The Car

The seventies movie The Car tells the story of a sleek and stylish car that goes on a rampage due to it being possessed!

What are your favorite movies about intelligent machines?

***

GPS WITH BENEFITS can be downloaded from:

* Amazon.com
* Amazon.co.uk

Doppelgängers, evil kids and monstrous animals

Earlier this month, I guest posted on Paranormal Wastelands and Immortality Revolution about the monsters that scare me the most. Here's the post in case you missed it.

Doppelgängers

A doppelgänger is a person's physical double. Seeing one's own doppelgänger often heralds death or serious illness. Paranormal investigators believe that the doppelgänger is an individual's past or future self. In some traditions, the double has no shadow or reflection.

Here are two seriously creepy horror movies about doppelgängers...

The Broken (2009)

Dream Lover (1986)

Evil kids

There's something undeniably scary about children gone evil wether it's through vampirism (Salem's Lot), radioactivity (The Children Of Ravensback), aliens (Village Of The Damned) or just plain insanity (Devil Times Five, We Need To Talk About Kevin, The Good Son).

The following are my favorite evil kids movies...

The Children Of Ravensback (1980)

Bloody Birthday (1981)

Who Can Kill A Child? (1976)

Monstrous animals

Animals will always be cute and cuddly, even if they take on monstrous proportions. So they might not be the scariest, but they're definitely the most fun. Zombie dogs, demonic cats, killer morays, giant turtles, hungry bears, angry rabbits, ... It would be difficult to pick a favorite. Anyway, here's a small selection...

Belve Feroci (1984)

The Bermuda Depths (1978)

Night Of The Lepus (1972)

What are your favorite monsters?



Best Vampire Movies

To celebrate the release of my vampire story A GOOD MAN, let's have a look at some of the best vampire movies ever.

Let's Scare Jessica To Death (1971)

Recently released from a mental hospital, Jessica (Zohra Lampert) moves into an old New England farmhouse in hopes of starting a new life. She discovers a strange girl in the house that doesn't want to leave and doesn't want her to be there. Legend has it that a girl drowned in the nearby lake and is now roaming the countryside as a vampire. Extremely well-done and eerie, Let's Scare Jessica To Death (aka The Secret Beneath The Lake) is the movie that influenced me the most in my work as a writer.

Salem's Lot (1979)

Salem's Lot - population 1319 - and growing eerier by the moment. Since an ominous outsider has moved into this sleepy New England town, the dead walk the streets of Salem's Lot. Vampires have never gotten any creepier than this. In 1987 followed the disappointing sequel A Return To Salem's Lot and in 2004 an intruiging mini-series starring Robe Lowe, Donald Sutherland and Rutger Hauer.

The Hunger (1983)

The lovers of the vampire Miriam (Catherine Deneuve) don't age as long as she is in love with them. When her current lover, John (David Bowie), starts to age rapidly, he understands that Miriam has fallen in love with someone else and that he has no more than a couple of days to live. He tries to win back the love of his lover while seeking help from a doctor (Susan Sarandon) who researches premature aging.
 

 

Fright Night (1985)

A teenager discovers that his next-door neighbour is a vampire. The sequel from 1988 is well-worth it as well. From director Tom Holland (Child's Play, The Stranger Within, The Langoliers).

The Wisdom Of Crocodiles (1998)

 
Stephen Griscz (Jude Law) is searching for the perfect woman, but all his relationships end in tragedy which arouses the suspicions of police officer Healey (Timothy Spall). One day, Stephen meets Anne (Elina Löwensohn), a woman much better than all the others. Anne is intrigued by Stephen's strange airs, but soon it becomes clear that only one of them will survive the relationship.

 

This post has originally appeared as a guest post for The Horror Hotel as part of the blog tour of A Good Man.

 

My previous guest posts about vampires: Scary Vampire Animals / Fun Facts About Vampires / 90s Vampire Movies / Quiz - Which Character Should You Be Dating / Music That Inspired A Good Man

 

About A GOOD MAN

Loved Dexter and American Psycho? Then chances are you will love A Good Man.

Louis Caron is a good man – vegetarian, he feeds the homeless, takes care of animals and is concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire - and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most.

The movie adaptation of A Good Man is currently in production in will be shot in September 2012.

Purchase

Amazon (ENG) * Smashwords (FR)

Which character from A Good Man should you be dating?

To celebrate the release of my new supernatural thriller "A Good Man", take this super fun quiz to see which character best suits you.

Should you be dating Vincent or Louis?

Vincent and Louis both love to travel, have their insecurities, and are hopeless romantics—but while they share those things, Vincent is human and Louis is not. Vincent is in his twenties and Louis is in his fifties. Vincent loves Wax Tailor and Vitalic and Louis is all about Bach.


1. What is your favorite book?

a.      “White Nights” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (short story) – A man is never smitten with the woman that truly loves him.
b.      “Shangai Baby" by Wei Hui – Exotic, urban, steamy.
c.      “Nevermore" by Kelly Creagh – Supernatural creatures exist.
d.      “The Unbearable Lightness Of Being" by Milan Kundera – I think I have a dark side, but I'm positive and balanced in real life.

2. What do you want to eat tonight?

a.      Spaghetti allo Scoglio - Can we go to that romantic Italian restaurant near the lake?
b.      Cheesecake - Let's just grab something small before we go out.
c.      Hemoglobin - I think I have some leftover blood in the fridge.
d.      Falafel and salad - Vegetarian, please.

3. What is your dream destination?

a.      Budapest - The city of romance.
b.      London - Dining and music.
c.      Hereafter - One way ticket.
d.      Prague - Architecture and culture.

4. What pet would you like to own?

a.      Dog – It matches with the image of the perfect family unit.
b.      No pets – I don't want the responsibilities that go with it.
c.      Vampire bat – There's something strangely familiar about these animals.
d.      Cat – I'm a total cat person.

5.  What is the best season?

a.      Spring – Flowers, dresses, romance.
b.      Fall – Perfect time for a city trip.
c.      Winter – It gets dark early.
d.      Summer – Reading in the park.

6.  What is your favorite color?

a.      Pink – Maternity, protection, fragility and love without passion.
b.      Red – Ambition, confidence and independence.
c.      Black – Suppression of desires and worldly aims, hidden depths, inner longings.
d.      Green – Harmony, balance, peace and patience.

7.   What job do you want your man to have?

a.      Accountant – Stability is the magic word.
b.      DJ – Music is sexy.
c.      Temp – I don't want to stay in the same country or city for too long.
d.      Retired (or almost) – I have a thing for older men.

8.  What movie do you watch over and over again?

a.      The Good Girl – You rarely get what you want in life, particularly in love.
b.      L'auberge espagnol – Living abroad, meeting people, having fun.
c.      A Good Man —A new vampire movie that shows us vampires the way they really are.
d.     Brief Encounter – They don't make movies like that anymore.

If you answered...

Mostly a's: After a series of short-lived love relationships with men that can't commit, you want to settle down with a serious guy that treats you right. Chances are that Vincent may be the one who sticks with you, but you'll never know who else is on his mind.
Mostly b's: There's a fun concert tonight. Wanna be Vincent's date? If you play it cool, he'll be head over heels with you.
Mostly c's: You are probably a vampire, just like Louis! You will have a lot in common with him, but he'll hate you for it.
Mostly d's: Go and read your book in the park instead of on the couch and you might be lucky enough to stumble upon Louis. Love is in the air!

***

Louis Caron is a good man. Vegetarian, he feeds the homeless, takes care of animals and is concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge - he's a vampire - and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempts to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most.

Purchase

Amazon (ENG) * Smashwords

Music that inspired A Good Man

To celebrate the release of my new supernatural thriller, A GOOD MAN, let's have a look at some of the music that inspired this unforgettable vampire story!

Wax Tailor - Fireflies
Because it mingles so well with the atmosphere of the story, I often listend to Wax Tailor's album In The Mood For Life when writing A Good Man. Fireflies in particular would be a great accompaniment to the beginning – Louis seeing Nathalie for the first time on the street, then entering the bar when the more catchy part of the song starts...

Holly Golightly - My Love Is

I imagine this song playing in the background in one of the scenes where Louis is watching his neighbour, Nathalie. The lyrics summarize well what he feels for this woman, but he knows that his insecurities will prevent him from ever telling her that personally.

Vitalic - Poney

One of Vincent's favorite songs; he often plays it in the bar where he's DJ'ing. The song also eludes the feeling of youth that his older friend, Louis, longs for. It's in strong contrast with the calm, often classical, music Louis listens to at home that reflects his unwillingness to take any risks.

Cinnamon Chasers - Luv Deluxe
Another one of Vincent's favorite songs that he often plays in the bar where he works. The girl in the music video reminds him of his ex-girlfriend Céline.

Chinese Man - I've Got That Tune

I've Got That Tune would be the perfect song for when Louis comes home after his somewhat destastrous date with Martine, drinking wine alone in his apartment. Solitude, loneliness, love... It's all there.

Wax Tailor - Seize The Day

Wax Tailor's Seize The Day has always been the perfect song to accompany the last two scenes of A GOOD MAN. We all know that we should seize the day and enjoy the small things in life without worrying too much about the bigger picture. Unfortunately, most of us realize this when it's too late.

***

Do you like Dexter and American Psycho? Then chances are you will love A Good Man.

Louis Caron is a good man – he's a vegetarian, feeds homeless people, takes care of animals and is converned with the ecological well-being of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire and local detective Taglioni becomes increasingly suspicious of him. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but where he will also destroy the lives of those he cares about.

Purchase

Amazon * Smashwords

Scariest Vampire Animals

Head over to Writing My Own Fairytale where I did a guest post on the scariest vampire animals as part of the book blog tour for A Good Man.

The vampire animals I wrote about are:

Vampire animal #1 - Lampreys

Long monster-like fish with neither scales nor jaws latch onto a host with their hook-like teeth and gulp down its blood. Luckily, they spend almost seven years as harmless larvae, but once it reaches adulthood they terrorize their habitats and even attack humans when starved. They have caused the extinction of many other water creatures.

Vampire animal #2 - Mosquitos

Mosquitos are behind more human deaths than any other animal because of the diseases they carry. Male mosquitos are pretty harmless because they eat a vegan, nectar-based diet, but female mosquitos need to drink blood to get their protein, thus carrying over diseases such as malaria.

Vampire animal #3 - Bedbugs

Bedbugs hide in dark, secluded areas during the day - in mattresses, behind walls, under floors - and come out at night to drink blood. An outbreak spreads quickly, since females lay up to 500 eggs in a lifetime. Pesticides nearly wiped out American bedbugs in the 1940s, but they've recently come bouncing back. Kissing bugs are similar to bedbugs as they come out at night and feed upon humans. They are bigger and more aggressive than bedbugs. They also spread disease.

Vampire animal #4 - Ticks

Because ticks can drink up to 600 times their body weight in blood, they are considered one of the scariest vampire animals on earth. They also spread illnesses like Lyme disease.

Vampire animal #5 - Vampire bats

Of the roughly 1000 bat species, only three drink blood. They feed mainly on horses, cattle and other livestock, but they sometimes attack humans as well. One bite alone is enough to spread rabies.

Vampire animal #6 - Candirú

Let's finish with one of the scariest of all vampire animals: the candirú. These parasitic catfish live in the Amazon and Orinoco rivers and are known to enter the victim's private parts where they feed upon the blood and tissue. When this happens, it is very difficult to remove the candirú. They are the main reason why it is forbidden to swim naked in those area's.

***

Loved Dexter and American Psycho? Then you will love A Good Man.

Louis Caron is a good man – vegetarian, he feeds the homeless, takes care of animals and is concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire - and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most.

Purchase  

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon FR

Fun Facts About Vampires

My latest book A Good Man (also available in French as Un homme bien), now in preproduction with Radowski Films, has been released earlier this month. In celebration, I have some fun facts about vampires to share with you!

- Stakes, garlic, sunlight and holy water are not the only ways to kill vampires. Other cultures recommend boiling a vampire in vinegar,  pounding a nail through his navel, beheading it, burying it at a crossroads or scattering birdseed on its tomb. Hawthorn branches, rowan trees, fire, peppermint, salt, iron, and running water are also considered dangerous for vampires.

- Almost every country has its own vampire legend. Some even date back thousands of years. One of the best known vampires is Vlad Dracul, also known as Vlad the Impaler (1431-1476). He allegedly killed up to 30,000 people and liked to dip bread into the blood of his victims. Although he was reported dead in 1476, his tomb has remained empty. Some historians believe that Prince Charles is a direct descendant from Vlad Tepes.

- A rare disease called porphyria causes vampire-like symptoms such as extreme sensitivity to sunlight, hairiness, strange behavior and reddish brown coloring of the teeth. It's also known as the vampire disease or the Dracula disease.

- In ancient times, anaemia was often mistaken for a symptom of a vampire attack.

- One of the most popular vampires in children's fiction in recent years is called Bunnicula - a cute little rabbit that lives a happy existence as a vegetarian vampire.

- The romantic and sensual Hollywood vampires differ drastically from folklore vampires. The Ghanan Asasabonsam vampire, for example, has iron teeth and hooks for feet, which they drop from treetops onto unsuspecting victims. Certain regions in the Balkans believe that pumpkins and watermelons would turn into vampires if they were left out longer than 10 days or not consumed by Christmas. A drop of blood on a fruit's skin is a sign that it is about to become a vampire.

- The oldest known vampire legend comes from Sumerian and Babylonian mythology and is about the ekimmu, a spirit or demon who was not buried properly and has returned as a vengeful spirit to suck the life out of the living.

Want to read more about vampire facts and myths? Then head over to my vampire guest posts at Holly's Horror Land and Sweeping Me.

***

Do you like Dexter and American Psycho? Then chances are you will love A Good Man.

Louis Caron is a good man – he's a vegetarian, feeds the homeless, takes care of animals, and is concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire - and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most.

Purchase

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon FR