I want this to be a platform for EVERYONE within the horror community; authors, publishers, bloggers, reviewers, actors, directors, artists. I could go on, if you work in the genre then you are more than welcome to apply for the job.
The rules are quite simple…
You are invited to imagine yourselves as warden for an old graveyard, and 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…
Michael Clark
THE ENTIRE SERIES IN ONE VOLUME. It’s all here, from Mary to Mildred, and everything in between. Tim Russell bet his last dollar on a run-down farmhouse in New Hampshire–but had no idea when he did so that there were two hidden graves on his property. The house, he soon learns, is full of someone else’s family problems—and that family has been dead for over a century.
You can buy The Patience Of A Dead Man from Amazon UK & Amazon US
Books
Well, my first confession is that I am NOT a voracious reader so you’ll be familiar with many of my choices. My second confession is that I love to see “Soon to be a major motion picture” on the cover, and if I’m interested I snap it up and read it before seeing the movie. My favorite of these was THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. I was surprised that the best moment in the book was not in the movie–Agent Starling knocks on Jame Gumb’s door and sees a Death’s Head moth land on his robe while he’s in the kitchen. Oh well. Great book, great movie.
The second book “soon to be a movie” when I read it was “The Shining.” Yup. I’m that old. Fifty-four actually. I saw “Halloween” and “Dawn of the Dead” in the theater too. The only thing about the movie that I didn’t like was the big maze (preferred the bush lions) and that they changed Room 217 to Room 237. You know the rest. We’ve all read it.
The third book “soon to be a movie” that I loved was “Jurassic Park.” Surprise, surprise, even though groundbreaking special effects were used, the book was still better. I loved Michael Crichton’s scientific descriptions.
“Pet Sematary” was not a book that was soon to be a movie at the time that I read it (but of course now we know that it has even been remade). The premise is the key to this one–hard to beat. Quick anecdote: I met Stephen King at a book signing for “Christine” in 1983 and I asked him what his next book would be. He told me…”Pet Sematary.”
“Red Dragon” was also made into two movies (remember “Manhunter” from 1986?). It’s related to “The Silence of the Lambs” and highly commercial, so I’ll keep this one short. I loved the book.
“Night Shift” by Stephen King, because it is so much fun. Many of these stories were made into parts of movies too–and you all know these too, so on to:
“Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories.” I haven’t even finished this book because I’m juggling so many things right now (leaving me with something to discover on the Graveyard Shift)–but the most chilling short story I’ve ever read is inside this book: “Harry,” by Rosemary Timperley. Fourteen pages of creepy.
And my last selection is not a movie (at least that I know of). “Naomi’s Room” by Jonathan Aycliffe. Again the keyword here is “chilling,” or “eerie (my favorite horror emotion). I want to be scared, and this book has scares you will remember. Sometimes I read select passages to see if mine match up in any way.
Album
The album I would take with me is “Purple” by Stone Temple Pilots. They’re my favorite band, and I’ve met them at two different meet-and-greets. They were with Chester Bennington at the time (R.I.P. Chester) so I didn’t get to meet Scott Weiland (R.I.P. Scott), but I did shake his hand while he was on stage. The DeLeo brothers are great guys and Eric Kretz gave my nephew his drumsticks after the show–class acts. My favorite song (“Plush”) is on their first album “Core,” but “Purple” has worthy rockers like “Meatplow,” “Silvergun Superman,” and “Unglued,” along with the beautiful “Still Remains.”
Luxury
The luxury item I would bring with me was my most recent purchase on eBay–a long antique kitchen knife that will be featured on the cover of my third book, Anger Is Acid. The knife would do me well in the cemetery I think.
The Patience Of A Dead Man: Michael Clark
THE ENTIRE SERIES IN ONE VOLUME. It’s all here, from Mary to Mildred, and everything in between. Tim Russell bet his last dollar on a run-down farmhouse in New Hampshire–but had no idea when he did so that there were two hidden graves on his property. The house, he soon learns, is full of someone else’s family problems—and that family has been dead for over a century.
You can buy The Patience Of A Dead Man from Amazon UK & Amazon US
Michael Clark
Michael Clark was raised in New Hampshire and live in the house that Patience Of A Dead Man is based on. The bats of the barn really circled the rafters all day and there really was a man-made grove in the forest. He now lives in Massachusetts with his wife Josi and his dog, Bubba.
The Patience Of A Dead Man, Dead Woman Scorned and Anger Is An Acid are his first three novels.
You can find out more about Michael by visiting www.michaelclarkbooks.com
Follow Michael on Twitter @mikeclarkbooks
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