You are invited to look after the Kendall Reviews Cemetary, and to choose eight books, preferably horror/dark genre, to take with you to cover your shift; here you can discuss why you chose the books.
As well as the books, wardens are allowed one song/album to listen to. Again, an explanation for this choice is required.
You must also discuss one luxury item you can bring, which must be inanimate and not allow communication.
If you’d like to take part in The Graveyard Shift then please submit an application to gavin@kendallreviews.com
A new shift is about to begin. The warden for the week’s #GraveyardShift is…
C.C. Adams
For Denny and Olivia, life is good. In a lavish wedding, the couple have taken another step forward, with a beautiful honeymoon and bright future to look forward to. Like many relationships, theirs is one that needs love, trust and commitment – qualities that are slowly and surely tested, with insidious forces at work.
And, gradually, the couple and their relationship will start to suffer, as the cracks begin to show. …as does something else.
You can read the Kendall Review for There Goes Pretty HERE
What would I read if I were a warden of an old graveyard? Part of me thinks that reading horror while on the job would be asking for trouble. But I’ll play. In no particular order, here are the 8 books, 1 album, and 1 luxury item I’d bring.
Books
Brian Keene – “The Rising”. I’ve said this countless times: this is still, to date, the best zombie story I’ve ever come across: whether book, TV, or film. Yes, that includes The Walking Dead. Night Of The Living Dead. 28 Days Later, Zombieland, et al. It’s that good. I know opinion’s divided as to whether zombies should be fast or slow – this book shows them as fast – but I don’t mind either way. The Rising shows not only are the undead fast (or at least suitably mobile, given injury to body and limb), but intelligent and cunning. It’s blunt, it’s visceral, and nothing short of impressive. Favourite quote from the book? Probably: “THE VOID IS COLD!” Impressive. Don’t believe me? Read the book and see the scene that comes from.
Wayne Smith – “Thor”. For those who know werewolf films, this is the source material for the film Bad Moon. For those who don’t, Thor is a werewolf tale – but from the perspective of the family dog: Thor being the Alsatian in question. Thor happily lives with his human family, which he thinks of as his Pack. Things take a turn for the worse when Uncle Ted comes to visit, especially since Thor can sense what the family can’t: Uncle Ted is a werewolf. The joy in the narrative comes from the unique perspective of an animal character, as well as when things take a turn for the worse (no surprise there). Genuine suspense, threat, horror – and near tear-jerking drama. Read it, and see what I mean. Probably my favourite horror novel to date.
Erik Hofstatter – “Rare Breeds”. For all the books I’ve read over more recent years, while some have been good, this novella gets the additional accolade of ‘nasty.’ Unflinchingly so. For me, this remains Hofstatter’s best work to date: a psychological horror with a macabre sensibility. Sleepwalking, incest, and secrets. And that’s before you actually find out what this particular ‘rare breed’ is. Deliciously twisted – the tone of which you’re unlikely to encounter elsewhere anytime soon.
Joe Donnelly – “Incubus”. The irony is that I was looking for another book called Incubus (written by Ray Russell; both are good), but happened across this one instead. With the exception of Jim McLeod at Ginger Nuts Of Horror (along with the author), I can’t think of anyone who knows about this story. The tagline, ‘what kind of baby steals a mother?’ is what drew me in. The answer to that question is told in a deliberately paced and nuanced narrative – a masterclass in tension and dread. For all the horror books I’ve read, this is about the only one that made my skin crawl (the brother’s suicide in Needful Things was the only other work that came close – and that was the one scene).
William Peter Blatty – “The Exorcist”. Despite being a horror film I saw back when I was small and Afro’d, I’d only read this within the last few years: a friend was good enough to gift me a copy. Since the first demon film I can remember was Night Of The Demon, seeing The Exorcist was a revelation: that a demon could ‘fit’ inside a human. But demons make for interesting monsters. They know how to hide. Their very nature is inhuman, or at least a perversion of human. They have superhuman strength. Cunning. Ancient knowledge and wisdom. Book or film, The Exorcist shows exactly why the forces of good have their work cut out for them.
Susan Hill – “The Woman In Black”. Another tale I heard about some time ago, but only got around to reading in the last couple of years. Everything you’d want in a ghost story: setting, a creeping sense of dread, and supernatural menace. What I like about ghosts is the idea that they can’t necessarily cause you physical harm, but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. Fear of them is more than enough. ‘The Woman In Black’ ups the ante from start to finish. Long overdue for a re-read.
Stephen King – “Pet Sematary”. Still my favourite King work to date, and no, I’ve not read anything lately from him. Certainly not beyond Desperation, I don’t think. What I like about Pet Semetary is how things spiral out of control. Louis makes one bad choice after another, but it’s not just him that suffers: and it’s the collateral damage that I love. Smaller details, like his daughter’s unconscious awareness of the growing horror really make this novel stand out from the likes of Cujo or The Tommyknockers. Unmissable.
Preston & Child – “The Relic”. What drew me into this one was a flash of fanged jaws on the cover, and the tagline, “Natural selection is about to begin.” Never underestimate the power of a tagline.
Pretty much a creature feature, but with a sense of suspense. As with many a monster story, there’s a sense of ‘something is coming.’ The book doesn’t disappoint. Yes, there’s mayhem, but there’s also suspense. Unlike the film, which condensed elements from the book, the novel gives more background on Zilashkee’s child – which is the title character. Also known as Mbwun: He Who Walks On All Fours. The backstory is equally solid: ‘you take devil in box’ is a line that sticks with me.
Album
Eric Benét – “A Day In The Life”. Regardless of genre, there are very few albums I can listen to from start to finish. I can probably count them on the fingers of one hand. A Day In The Life is one of those. From the opening joy of life and love (That’s Just My Way) to the mid-tempo lament (Lamentation). Slow ballads (Come As You Are) to the haunting reflection on finding the right woman (Ghetto Girl) – ‘so tell me what’s up with you / can you keep it real?’ An album good enough to gift to a good woman.
Luxury Item
Now, that’s a tough one. Given I’m in a graveyard where forces may be evil and/or (un)dead, maybe I need a weapon of some kind. Metal baseball bat, I’m thinking. Actually, more like a metal baseball bat coated with silver, which has been blessed on consecrated ground or some such. So forbid if monstrous forces come at me, they’re leaving with a concussion. Broken jaws and missing teeth.
There Goes Pretty
For Denny and Olivia, life is good. In a lavish wedding, the couple have taken another step forward, with a beautiful honeymoon and bright future to look forward to. Like many relationships, theirs is one that needs love, trust and commitment – qualities that are slowly and surely tested, with insidious forces at work.
And, gradually, the couple and their relationship will start to suffer, as the cracks begin to show. …as does something else.
You can buy There Goes Pretty from Amazon UK & Amazon US
C.C. Adams
Photo courtesy of Clem Onojeghuo at www.clemono.com
“London native C.C. Adams is the horror/dark fiction author behind books such as But Worse Will Come, Forfeit Tissue, and There Goes Pretty. His short fiction appears in publications such as Weirdbook Magazine, Inferno, and The Third Corona Book of Horror Stories.
A member of the Horror Writers Association, he still lives in the capital. This is where he lifts weights, cooks – and looks for the perfect quote to set off the next dark delicacy. Visit him at www.ccadams.com“
You can follow CC on Twitter @MrAdamsWrites
Amazon UK Author Page
Amazon US Author Page
Leave a Reply