tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4824189750501188732024-02-20T10:38:42.231-08:00SUBVERTBIATHE BASTARDIZED GHETTO OF THE WRITTEN WORDchad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-70204543807832657032019-08-12T20:06:00.002-07:002019-08-12T20:06:40.883-07:00Book Review: The Serpent's Shadow by Daniel Braum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've been away from this blog for a long time, especially when it comes to reviews, which I've had little to no time for unfortunately. However, when the (hopefully one day) legendary Daniel Braum sends you his new book to review, and it's released by Cemetery Dance, you make exceptions. Because you know you're in for a treat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before The Serpent's Shadow, Braum has proven himself to be a master of dark magical realism in the short story form. I'm always disappointed when certain writers are only masters of this particular form, and the novels they release end up being a tad lackluster. Though this tale is more of a novella than a novel, it's longer than Braum's other work, and the point I'm trying to make is that he is still able to pull of the vibe he's become known for, yet he manages to concoct a few surprises along the way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Set in Cancun in the mid-80s (those familiar with Braum's work will certainly not be surprised by the setting), a young, naive, inexperienced American named David is on vacation with his family. He meets a young woman named Anne Marie at a club, and as their relationship grows, so does the mythology of the story, which relies heavily on Mayan culture (whether the impetus for this story is based on actual mythology or is a creation of Braum's, I am unsure and too lazy to look up). Pyramids are explored, visions are had, and a dreaded killer known as the White Lady stalks the land. You know me...I don't discuss plot much in these reviews, and that's really all you need to know before diving in. Whether you're diving into the clearest water at one of Cancun's beaches or something far murkier, Braum is reticent to share. Which is a good thing. I always appreciate a little ambiguity in fiction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the major pluses of Braum being allowed to spread his literary wings a little more in these 100+ pages is that the character development is much deeper than could be managed in a shorter story. Braum has always managed this better than most lesser writers in his shorts, but the characters in The Serpent's Shadow are given plenty of breathing room, and with David telling the story in first person, we are really able to get inside his head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The greatest surprise of this book is that, at times, it is a smidge more violent than what I'm used to from Braum (especially the climax of the story). It never goes overboard, as that would be a major tonal shift from the rest of the book, but it still shocks when it occurs. Though much of Braum's work walks a fine line between magical realism and horror, it is in these moments that the latter prevails.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There's a lot to love about this book thematically, and I've got plenty of thoughts about that element of the book, but this isn't a literature class, so I'm going to let you read this and make up your own mind as to what those themes are (I believe there are more than a few). Your assignment is to write a paper exploring these themes and turn it in to me later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you think magical realism begins and ends with South American authors such as Márqez and Borges, think again. Try a little taste of Braum's interpretation of this genre, and you won't be disappointed.</span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-60494226779238801952019-02-27T18:55:00.000-08:002019-02-27T18:56:36.863-08:00Reading/Signing for Sexy Leper ay Mysterious Galaxy April 6th 2PM<span style="font-size: large;">Hey, if you're in San Diego, please come to my event for my new novel Sexy Leper, coming up in a few weeks! I'll be reading an excerpt from the book, there will be a Q & A, and a signing after.</span><br />
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Mysterious Galaxy </div>
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5943 Balboa Ave #100</div>
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San Diego, CA 92111</div>
<br />chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-42502004937541186392019-01-18T06:58:00.000-08:002019-01-18T06:58:25.840-08:00Sexy Leper Available for Pre-Order<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGmw5Msgpp5hHwAj17aeTJ9rHumdt2MlwFrQ507HxKbUaZ6Y3q3JO-ZeK-yR5ZCM_Q6_u98rTLSpxy5tmpShSbjn8Ot37cdDrdZnYD7pDa1GulKj-w4IXkp56UD6ml2JQgmSMEwoPraR_/s1600/Sexy+Leper+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGmw5Msgpp5hHwAj17aeTJ9rHumdt2MlwFrQ507HxKbUaZ6Y3q3JO-ZeK-yR5ZCM_Q6_u98rTLSpxy5tmpShSbjn8Ot37cdDrdZnYD7pDa1GulKj-w4IXkp56UD6ml2JQgmSMEwoPraR_/s320/Sexy+Leper+Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hello all. My second novel, Sexy Leper, is available for pre-order from Bizarro Pulp PRess/JournalStone. It's a wild one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can check it out here:</span><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_493396699"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a>
<a href="http://journalstone.com/bookstore/sexy-leper/"><span style="font-size: large;">http://journalstone.com/bookstore/sexy-leper/</span></a>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-18640565357251353832018-12-05T20:37:00.003-08:002019-08-12T19:32:18.810-07:00Book Review: F4 by Larissa Glasser<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Upon first learning about this book, I saw it described as
something along the lines of (and pardon my paraphrasing) “Kaiju trans porn.”
And, well, that should give you a good idea of what you’re getting into here.
However, let that be just a starting point to the madness that lies within this
very brief 142 pages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Carol is a trans woman who is bartending on a cruise ship
that also happens to be a Kaiju, one of a handful that has managed to destroy a
good chunk of the world. In fact, there are many trans chicas working upon this
sleeping giant, and a few are also involved in some deviant side gigs.
Something within the Kaiju causes some of the crew and passengers to transform
into inhuman creatures, and really all you need to know for now is that you’re
in for some bizarro body horror (though not solely that). Anyone who reads my
reviews knows I don’t like to get into the plot too much, but rather some other
elements. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Despite of the strangeness that takes up the bookends of
this novella, I think the strongest moments are in the middle, when we get to
go back in time a bit and find out about Carol’s life before the current events
of the story, from being a reluctant “band mother” to a witness in court who
also happens to be lambasted by the media. Here we really get to know her
character a bit more, and I began to care about the internal turmoil she dwells
on throughout the book, usually via sarcastic remarks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Which brings me to my favorite element of the book:
Glasser’s penchant for sarcasm. She’s never afraid to let it fly, and it makes
up a large amount of Carol’s personality, which feels true to form considering
the pain she feels. Sarcasm is a common deflection method. Seriously, though,
the writing is quite humorous at times, and there were several lines that made
me laugh out loud. (When describing a pair of eyebrows—“They were really grey
and bushy, as if he’d grown them with the pride-maintenance of a ZZ Top
beard.”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">F4 is not going to be for everybody, this is certain. And
that’s okay. In fact, that’s great. Any art that is created with the intent of
pleasing everyone is sure to be trite, forgettable trash. Instead, you get
something disgustingly adventurous, unabashedly unique, and wholly fearless.
Prudes and TERFs need not apply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-23968530681653676212018-11-08T06:53:00.002-08:002018-11-08T06:53:39.930-08:00Teaser Art for Hag Comic Series<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a little teaser from my debut comic series Hag, coming in early 2019 from American Gothic Press. Illustration by Jon Clark. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="font-size: large;">"It's the biggest flood Texas has seen in years...and Carl Simmons is caught in the dead center of it.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.32px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, he's not alone."</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkD3x2S2ySqQgYwhY0_zZe1KdgliD-4uCn_ppVfeB4hgw3XqMIRV5xx3-HXeqFmCz6Wq0ot2bC3LbqCHAAiDnANseU3zdSTpheahg9tdtTDLipOox3a1yjWYkbqHGD1lG6oEJzADh5YJ7J/s1600/HagCover092818_jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="679" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkD3x2S2ySqQgYwhY0_zZe1KdgliD-4uCn_ppVfeB4hgw3XqMIRV5xx3-HXeqFmCz6Wq0ot2bC3LbqCHAAiDnANseU3zdSTpheahg9tdtTDLipOox3a1yjWYkbqHGD1lG6oEJzADh5YJ7J/s320/HagCover092818_jpg.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.32px;">For the rest of the tease, go here: </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"><a href="https://americangothicpress.com/comics/hag/">https://americangothicpress.com/comics/hag/</a></span></span></span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-39307034388533497422018-09-28T19:11:00.002-07:002018-09-28T19:11:49.902-07:00Book Review: Night's Harbor by W.J. Renehan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes I forget how enjoyable straight-up old-school horror
can be. You know, the stuff I grew up on? When it’s done well, as is the case
with W.J. Renehan’s novella Night’s Harbor, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At first I was a little worried since this is a vampire
story, and we certainly don’t need any more romantic fang-whores littering up
our literary world. No thank you. Luckily, Renehan has opted for vamps of the
vicious variety. I mean, no joke, these bastards are fugly inside and out, and
they do some extremely nasty things to some of the characters that even shocked
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me </i>a little. Yup, Renehan is not
afraid to go to some dark, dark places many authors will not explore, which I can
appreciate. I mean, this is horror, right? Not a happy-go-lucky skip through
Candyland while holding hands with Santa Claus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The setup to this story is very basic. Vamps taking over a
town, slaughtering or turning its denizens one by one, seeking something that
could allow them to essentially take over the world, and the town (most notably
a former sheriff and an old vampire hunter) must fight to protect humanity,
both their own and as a whole. What makes this novel work well and stand out is
Renehan’s superior command of prose. Not only is it very tight, but he allows
enough flourishes of language to solidifies him as a solid all-around writer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If I were to complain about anything, it’s that I wish this
were a novel rather than a novella, mostly because I would have liked a little
more breathing room to further develop some of the minor characters. The main
players are developed well, considering the space constraints, but I would have
loved a few more chapters with some of the other characters, specifically those
who fall victim to the vampires and have some seriously horrible fates. It
would have made the already strong impact even stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All in all, I was impressed and look forward to reading more
of Renehan’s work, especially when I get the hankering for a primo modern take
on classic horror.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-81775907138996125222018-09-14T19:17:00.001-07:002018-09-14T19:17:17.730-07:00Book Review: The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhmTvcWr_cmDQoygjWI9r0wYdVXSDzVjOBLWUEREaHrzuzvtAhaDiJUMmrPaL86uPVBzbAeTpINOVbb1LmInhmkvCNoq-FEIzGXz3CWFTHsrJFnBUWsDxv9pSeI2gDNZxMaCxxiPjN7tg/s1600/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhmTvcWr_cmDQoygjWI9r0wYdVXSDzVjOBLWUEREaHrzuzvtAhaDiJUMmrPaL86uPVBzbAeTpINOVbb1LmInhmkvCNoq-FEIzGXz3CWFTHsrJFnBUWsDxv9pSeI2gDNZxMaCxxiPjN7tg/s1600/download.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know it’s a total cliché to say you just can’t put a book down, but screw it. Tremblay’s latest novel is the epitome of such a claim. Problem is, I was reading it during breaks at work, so I HAD to put it down. Gah!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’ve been a huge fan of Tremblay since A Head Full of Ghosts (easily one of my favorite horror novels of the last ten years or so), and have been meaning to get to his back catalogue eventually, despite it not being of the same genre (I’m of the belief that authors this good generally excel at whatever genre they attempt to tackle. See Joe R. Lansdale for another example of incredible writing trumping genre). But in the meantime I’ve been moving forward. Despite it being a very different beast from AHFOG, I loved Disappearance at Devil’s Rock quite a bit, so I was rip-roaring ready for some more Tremblay to consume. Gimme gimme gimme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wasn’t ready for The Cabin at the End of the World.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Holy macanoli.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Allow me to give you just a quick setup, a taste if you
will. A gay couple (Andrew and Eric) and their adopted Chinese daughter Wen set
off to a cabin in northern New Hampshire to enjoy some alone time. Since this alone
would not make for a very interesting book, naturally something has to foil their
plans. And that something comes in the form of Leonard, Sabrina, Redmond, and
Adriane, a group of intruders who show up feigning friendship but harboring
something much darker. All signs point to cult, but something’s off. You see,
these four individuals (who allegedly have never met before that morning) have
all foreseen the impending apocalypse, and the only way to stop it is from
coming (and it’s coming, like, really goddamned soon!) is for the happy family
to choose to do something unspeakable. To share anything more would be
spoiling, so I’ll leave it at that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tremblay employs a breakneck pacing I’ve not seen in his
previous efforts, only taking a few brief breaths for reflective flashbacks,
and it works well for this book. I was sufficiently stressed from the moment
things turned bad until they grew much, much worse. And if you’re familiar with
Tremblay’s love of ambiguity (which I also love, love, love), The Cabin at the
End of the World is no different in the sense that you may think you have a
handle on what happens by the time you hit the last page, but you can’t really
be sure. One thing you can be sure of: this is a dark, dark book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As is to be expected, the prose shines in a way that perfectly
sates my appetite for language. To manage this while maintaining such manic
energy throughout is no small feat. A brutal story, beautifully worded. As long
as Tremblay keeps pumping out novels of this quality, I’ll keep shelling out my
hard-earned dough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. Paul, you need to promise to come back to San Diego one
day. I regret to inform you that, though you managed to personalize my book and
leave a message, you never technically signed it! Haha!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-84273950892860747812018-07-11T21:01:00.004-07:002018-07-11T21:01:44.951-07:00Deleted Scenes from Secrets of the Weird<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLO_IX7rnbiTx4aOqQdxAwzd5vBDMLl9rSgo1SvXQt5gd2P1_ad_udGis7N406c2ecMaeoZq5lyI9io2nqlDPCShGbGdZRbGIjVw4BMs0EfqZXpz0qqq_Qoe-N5vmhq774I7fXdzoJjxw/s1600/Secrets+of+the+Weird+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLO_IX7rnbiTx4aOqQdxAwzd5vBDMLl9rSgo1SvXQt5gd2P1_ad_udGis7N406c2ecMaeoZq5lyI9io2nqlDPCShGbGdZRbGIjVw4BMs0EfqZXpz0qqq_Qoe-N5vmhq774I7fXdzoJjxw/s320/Secrets+of+the+Weird+Cover.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 200%;">In honor of the one-year anniversary of the release of </span><i style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 200%;">Secrets of the Weird</i><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 200%;">, I thought it might be fun to post a couple of brief deleted scenes from the book. Enjoy...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Deleted Scene #1:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This would have taken place right at the beginning of Chapter Fourteen, just before Civilized Cannibals played their show at Club Club. In this brief exchange between Mace Akers and Steve London, there's some fun dialogue and setting description, but ultimately it was just slowing down the chapter as a whole, so away it went.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b>Steve London inched his way toward Club Club’s infamously
grotesque restroom. He looked like an animated skeleton doing the graveyard
boogie. Frail old stickers and flyers on the Wheat Paste Wall attempted to
escape from their positions. The pathway leading from the main hall of the club
to the restroom was stickier than a rug weaved with freshly chewed gum. A few
thoughtful and inspirational graffiti statements tattooed the restroom’s outer
door: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">FOR
A GOOD TIME, CALL 1-800-YOUR-MOM<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">VIV
& THE VACCUUMS SUCK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">LIBERACE
IS GAY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><s>JOANIE
BLEW CHACHI</s> CHARLES TOSSED BUDDY’S SALAD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A strident flush roared behind the door,
as if the whole city was about to be sucked into the Earth’s toilet. Moments
later, Mace Akers burst through the door like a firefighter on the way to save
a kitten. He lifted each arm and sniffed at his pits, confirmed they were
acceptable for public interaction. A devious grin was smeared across his
cinderblock face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Is it safe to go in there?” Steve asked. Worry haunted his eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Well,” Mace said, “it’s not my finest work, but I think you’ll still be
impressed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Steve froze, weighing out his options. He puffed on the remains of a
clove cigarette as if it were providing him with oxygen. His pupils bounced
around inside his eye sockets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I used the last of the TP, too,” Mace said, already halfway across the
club before Steve had a chance to make up his mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I think I can hold it just a little longer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Deleted Scene #2:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;">A very tiny cut from the fanzine interview with Civilized Cannibals. There's some funny stuff here, but I also realized Mace and Steve had already given Christopher a lot of grief about his previous relationship with Cypress, so it would have been a little redundant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">S.S.: What’s this I hear about one
of you guys dating some chick from the Sweetville Hitlerjugend? Is that true?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">M:
Well, all I’m saying is that it wasn’t me. Not saying that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wouldn’t </i>partake, just that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">didn’t</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">S:
Not it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">M:
Posi swazi.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier;">C:
Shut up. Okay</span><span style="font-family: Courier; mso-bidi-font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Extra Bold";">...</span><span style="font-family: Courier;">shit. That’s done and done, all right? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">M:
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sure </i>it is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">C:
Come on...can’t a guy make one stupid mistake in his life? Let’s just get this
clear: I don’t agree in any shape or form with her politics. Never did and
never will. I thought she had a couple of good qualities—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">M:
I bet I know just what those two wonderful qualities are. Tune in Tokyo!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">C:
Shut it. Basically, I was hoping she’d grow out of it. Didn’t happen. The past
is just that. Let’s move on.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-20220219130622688042018-06-06T20:28:00.001-07:002018-06-06T20:28:43.551-07:00Short Story Coming Soon in a New Anthology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My short story "The Fabulous and Tormented Life of a Serial Extra" will be released this August in an awesome anthology from Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing. You can pre-order the book here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_599978876"><br /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://perpetualpublishing.com/product/lost-films/">http://perpetualpublishing.com/product/lost-films/</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKNt3SViz6mMYKxzeJaWzkI5VaSJtoai4xJ7-eBz1jegt-UZN1Q1os7cRsa4GdPtbfStmZ4dX788Kd7OnfbxckYexYYeKsYTCoIoKOnFEWsfqGdUzzHbQJs2mAeS4D25P0WfvC5UFi8BQ/s1600/34266656_1944559635556467_573040450802286592_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="679" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKNt3SViz6mMYKxzeJaWzkI5VaSJtoai4xJ7-eBz1jegt-UZN1Q1os7cRsa4GdPtbfStmZ4dX788Kd7OnfbxckYexYYeKsYTCoIoKOnFEWsfqGdUzzHbQJs2mAeS4D25P0WfvC5UFi8BQ/s320/34266656_1944559635556467_573040450802286592_n.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<br />chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-36102083529864506452018-03-20T20:19:00.002-07:002018-03-20T20:19:41.028-07:00Living Writers Series Reading at SDSU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-G90TgwKKr8VxUVaLG0-zKRoiIm9ca_pgIfHxjMTAdRPI8caIl6fLg3OUQrsBY0J-xvIqU1SX-T9WnFJktcfkRGA4SOFe8lwLsS-3DxcRLPSby9ulMVq2J7ImBzfrIuEb28LnKEZHrGpN/s1600/00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1269" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-G90TgwKKr8VxUVaLG0-zKRoiIm9ca_pgIfHxjMTAdRPI8caIl6fLg3OUQrsBY0J-xvIqU1SX-T9WnFJktcfkRGA4SOFe8lwLsS-3DxcRLPSby9ulMVq2J7ImBzfrIuEb28LnKEZHrGpN/s320/00001.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm very excited to announce I've been invited to appear as part of the SDSU Living Writers series this semester. I'll be reading from Secrets of the Weird, and there will be copies of the book available for sale, as well as copies of the limited Civilized Cannibals tape (starting to run low on these tapes, and when they're gone they're gone). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a bonus, this event falls on the evening of my birthday! All the info is in the flyer. Come check it out if you can.</span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-22028606411269443832018-03-15T21:10:00.001-07:002018-03-15T21:10:51.364-07:00Book Review: Lovebites & Razorlines by J. Daniel Stone<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: large;">On some level, I feel I’ve found a kindred spirit in J.
Daniel Stone. I’d previously only read his (awesome) story in I Can Taste the
Blood, which offered hints of Barker without resorting to pastiche, and now I’m
finally getting around to reading more of his work. Thankfully, Stone is no
one-hit wonder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the risk of making this seem like the All About Me Show,
allow me to begin this review by touching on why I relate to Stone’s approach
to dark fiction before I dive in and speak a little more specifically about his
work. We clearly have at least a few of the same literary influences (especially
the aforementioned Barker, as well as Poppy Z. Brite), and we both cannot
resist incorporating the music we love into the fiction we give birth to.
However, we use these influences in such distinct and different ways that the
similarities are only enough to make a personal connection (which is cool in my
book).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and get this—Stone has a character named Dorian Wilde. I
have a character named Dorian Wylde. Methinks we are officially two sides of
the same subversive coin. Either that or we share a very unhealthy brain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stone’s short stories reek of the streets of New York
(though not always) as well as what goes on beneath those streets and in the
cracks between, and they frequently (again, not always) delve into queer themes
and/or use queer characters. And these characters, whether they are gay,
straight, or somewhere in the void, are more or less all outsiders. The sorts
of people who are attracted to the underground not because they are “cool” or
attempting to be, but because they have no choice but to be there. They simply
don’t belong anywhere else. The true misfits and freaks of the universe. Many
of the stories in this collection reuse characters from his novels Blood Kiss
and The Absence of Light and are intended to be companion stories to those
books. I can’t help but feel that, though all of these particular stories were
well written and interesting, they would have resonated with me a bit more had
I been familiar with the novels. That said, one of my favorite stories in the
book fell into the appendage story category (“The Tunnel Record”). Really
awesome stuff that is essentially Stone’s personal stamp on C.H.U.D.s. I mean,
really, how much more New York can you get than that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The title story is definitely one of the standouts, a somewhat
disgusting tale about a disturbed young man with a Frankenstein complex whose
idea to make his own undead patchwork monster does not go quite as planned. My
favorite, however, would probably be the closing story, “Ecdysis,” which
involves a transformation that goes far beyond the limits of mere gender. But I
feel the favorites might become fluid over time. This is the type of collection
that if you like one story, chances are you’ll dig the rest. They maintain a
fairly consistent tone, with a lyrical command of language that rarely wavers. Often sad, frequently strange, always so, so dark.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-40996582626296196432018-02-27T20:09:00.000-08:002018-02-27T20:09:53.870-08:00Winner of Best Graphic Novel Script at the Silver Scream Festival<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_vP5jaMXJ5JKmdSBMJJdBlhyphenhyphen76cdl5R-JUtj4GZncQjMUt44gK9xMoXAL3FrdMPeqFom-SpMQ59UC4WIzygwWs9rKpSumkGbHZIWaNnLnuEu80RITAnPsepT55bnO_IC1zmJBy76z7-K/s1600/SSFF2018-BestGraphicNovel-Script-Laurel-black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="408" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_vP5jaMXJ5JKmdSBMJJdBlhyphenhyphen76cdl5R-JUtj4GZncQjMUt44gK9xMoXAL3FrdMPeqFom-SpMQ59UC4WIzygwWs9rKpSumkGbHZIWaNnLnuEu80RITAnPsepT55bnO_IC1zmJBy76z7-K/s320/SSFF2018-BestGraphicNovel-Script-Laurel-black.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'm very excited to announce that I was the winner of Best Graphic Novel Script at the Silver Scream Festival this year! American Gothic Press will be publishing my 3-issue comic series Hag. Can't wait for this to come to fruition. More info as it develops...</span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-29655934767964317792018-01-10T19:42:00.000-08:002018-01-10T19:42:22.567-08:00Book Review: The Wish Mechanics by Daniel Braum<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC_JsACdjB3O8Nv1gM_AkR3xjpHol8eoaW3H4jFSme2J2eN7vJfxE6C1d_CgcoHPKbPRLCbTuAVDutcMgUtwP_Nay6f9VD2JrJOKBZteDXxz4h0y7TV7nkYPb0ibTGJWMkP1MBm_9SnqB/s1600/51Hu%252BCRsuiL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEC_JsACdjB3O8Nv1gM_AkR3xjpHol8eoaW3H4jFSme2J2eN7vJfxE6C1d_CgcoHPKbPRLCbTuAVDutcMgUtwP_Nay6f9VD2JrJOKBZteDXxz4h0y7TV7nkYPb0ibTGJWMkP1MBm_9SnqB/s320/51Hu%252BCRsuiL._SX322_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’ve sung the praises of Daniel Braum’s work enough both in
person and on this blog at this point that some of my sentiments might come off
a bit redundant here, but I’m not stopping until many, many more people convert
to the Church of Braum. If you’ve yet to read my thoughts on the genius work of
a writer who deserves to be far more well known than he is, this review will
hopefully serve as a suitable introduction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Wish Mechanics is Braum’s second full collection of
short fiction (his first being The Night Marchers). Unless, of course, you
count the much shorter collection Yeti. Tiger. Dragon., which only features three
stories. I’ve read enough of Braum’s work at this point that I’m guaranteed two
things when opening one of his books: 1. I know what to expect & 2. I honestly
have no idea what to expect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Allow me to clarify. My first statement is regarding
consistency of style. Some writers are chameleons, deciding their prose should
take multiple forms depending on the story’s needs (I count myself as a member
of this particular group). Others maintain a strong, steady voice so invariable
it leaves you breathless at the ability to accomplish such a feat. Now, I don’t
think one approach is necessarily better than the other, but Braum falls firmly
in the second camp, and it works as nothing less than a major strength in his
case. As for comment #2, despite having a pretty good idea of how Braum’s words
will appear on the page (or how they will sound if read aloud), I never know
where those words are going to take me. It is this combination that makes Braum
a true visionary of modern fiction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The quality of the stories never wavers, regardless if Braum
is attempting magical realism (“Tea in the Sahara”), introspective horror
(“Tetsuya and the Ranagareet”), science fiction (“Resolution Seventeen”), or
whatever else he chooses to write. His stories are always threatening to
transcend genre, skirting around the hallmarks one might expect and instead
opting for an emotional rawness that cannot quite be described. Sometimes the
tales are deceptively normal, then take a turn for the weird when you least
expect it (“This Is the Sound of Your Dreams Dying”). There is always something
not-quite-right going on, almost Twilight Zone-esque, but looking toward the
future. In fact, I’d love to see one (or more) of Braum’s stories adapted into
a Black Mirror episode (the title story, for instance, might be an especially
great fit). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In this collection, Braum’s writing is (as always) earnest,
poignant, dark, and moving. If you’re a fan of literary fiction that operates
on a fantastical level, I can’t think of another living writer who pulls it off
with greater finesse than Daniel Braum. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-68626887613208587592018-01-08T20:25:00.001-08:002018-01-08T20:25:49.938-08:00Bay Area Book Tour Coming Up!<span style="font-size: large;">Going to be in the Bay Area in a couple weeks for some Secrets of the Weird book tour events. Come out if you're in the area:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday January 20th - QTY Treehouse 1684 7th Street Oakland 3pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/247685545770839/">https://www.facebook.com/events/247685545770839/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday January 21st - Borderlands Books 866 Valencia Street San Francisco 3pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/214188619126161/">https://www.facebook.com/events/214188619126161/</a></span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-74038325186958782422018-01-02T19:42:00.001-08:002018-01-02T19:42:54.469-08:00New Novel to Be Released Sometime in 2018<span style="font-size: large;">I'm very excited to announce that my new novel, Sexy Leper, will be released sometime in this coming year by Bizarro Pulp Press. More information to come as it develops...</span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-41962705553621252152017-12-14T20:00:00.000-08:002017-12-14T20:00:27.832-08:00Book Review: Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKygNKIj7E4gJnMnsy1eyZhIqu9g1KThBLB5tUK5DYypBLbTDX1X1p10uJul_HR4bdSXe3-pUs8lXakcksqAw6_RcXJBYvFNTkxeRgIywRZtD2AboJK0iUm18yg_F6uhXXwT8tO652OhjP/s1600/51Gt3DuStDL._SX348_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKygNKIj7E4gJnMnsy1eyZhIqu9g1KThBLB5tUK5DYypBLbTDX1X1p10uJul_HR4bdSXe3-pUs8lXakcksqAw6_RcXJBYvFNTkxeRgIywRZtD2AboJK0iUm18yg_F6uhXXwT8tO652OhjP/s320/51Gt3DuStDL._SX348_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I think this might actually be the first nonfiction book
I’ve reviewed, but if I’m going to toss one of those in the mix it might as
well be a doozy such as this one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before I get into the actual review, I have to mention I had
the pleasure of seeing Hendrix do a presentation for this book at Mysterious
Galaxy, and it was without a doubt the most entertaining author event I’ve ever
been to. Words can not describe…but lets just say if I had randomly wandered
into the bookstore that night not knowing a thing about this book I would have
bought it after just a few minutes into this maniacally organized presentation.
I’m not sure if Hendrix is still doing events for this book, but if he is, and
if he’s coming to your town, you’d be a damned fool to skip it. Would I lie to
you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Quirk has done a bang-up job with this book. From the
gorgeous embossed cover to the beautiful reproductions of the infamous covers
throughout the pages, they weren’t skimping on the professionalism here. And
these aspects alone would make this a good coffee table book. Luckily, the
content is just as entertaining as the book is easy on the eyes. She’s got
beauty and brains, folks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The thing that immediately strikes me is Hendrix’s
enthusiasm for the material. This wasn’t just sheer research (though, yes,
there was much research to be done). This was a true labor of love. Hendrix
seemingly knows every minute detail of practically every book he mentions, from
the names of the people who created the cover art to (in the case of some
authors) what happened to the “one-hit wonders” of horror fiction. And the best
aspect of Hendrix’s writing is that he effortlessly speaks about these books
with a keen sense of humor. I chuckled more times than I could count, and it’ll
reel me in to read this book again eventually. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Though I’ve read my fair share of obscure horror novels, I
realized after reading Paperback from Hell that I am just an amateur and have
much catching up to do. There were at least a dozen books with descriptions
that made my jaw drop at how full-blown bonkers they were, ones that I now must
try to hunt down in some dusty old used bookstore (SO many books in the “Hail
Satan” chapter, for instance. Yowza.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If I were to voice one small complaint, it would be that I
thought Hendrix was a tiny bit dismissive of Splatterpunk. I wish he had delved
into the subversive elements of this sub-genre a bit more, as it’s a very
important movement to me, and most of the first-wave Splatterpunk authors are
my biggest personal influences. To be fair, he did name a few authors who stood
out to him, so I could just be taking it personal, as Hendrix took plenty of
digs at other sub-genres. I also thought Rex Miller’s Slob got the short end of
the stick (despite giving it so much page space, which I do applaud Hendrix for).
I just feel this novel deserves more respect, as it’s one of my all-time
favorites. Really, though, at this point I’m just nitpicking so I don’t sound
like I’m giving Hendrix a massage with a happy ending. Time for me to shut up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You probably already know if you want this book or not.
There’s a pretty specific audience for it. The average soccer mom probably isn’t
going to be too into this. However, if you are within the target audience and
were on the fence, trust me…it’s well worth your hard-earned cash.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-82562229173691162112017-12-05T21:28:00.001-08:002017-12-05T21:28:09.634-08:00Book Review: Disappearance at Devil's Rock by Paul Tremblay<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsuJvnkzI8cXXpVXcBYSnDFNdrCaxX6gFM4q2QEaBMD2s6KY-O4qd4xqExDnHzcigOhmN55W_3m3arDcbMt-gxeAtHwAbU_DXNOWQV3oURcbtuPiJLahdLemFW9syVs4zNEzBIbZHr6o7/s1600/27064358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsuJvnkzI8cXXpVXcBYSnDFNdrCaxX6gFM4q2QEaBMD2s6KY-O4qd4xqExDnHzcigOhmN55W_3m3arDcbMt-gxeAtHwAbU_DXNOWQV3oURcbtuPiJLahdLemFW9syVs4zNEzBIbZHr6o7/s320/27064358.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After 2015’s brilliant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Head Full of Ghosts</i>, Paul Tremblay quickly became an author I had to
continue following. Though his next book sat in my to-be-read pile a bit longer
than I’d hoped, I finally got around to reading it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A teenage boy named Tommy Sanderson mysteriously disappears.
The world his family and friends live in slowly crumbles. Various twists and
turns appear, which I shall not begin to describe because I prefer to keep this
a spoiler-free zone, so that’s all you’re going to get regarding the plot. Deal
with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I noticed some people claiming <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disappearance at Devil’s Rock</i> was a bit of a disappointment after
Tremblay’s last book, and though it does not reach its predecessor’s greatness,
it is far from disappointing. In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to
finish. Tremblay’s main strengths are characters and language, two things that
are immensely important to me both as a reader and a writer, and he beautifully
weaves these elements into this story that I can’t help but love it. His
characterizations of the children in this book are especially effective,
successfully nailing realistic portrayals of young boys on the cusp of puberty
and how quickly their innocence can go astray. He also deeply carves into the
headspace of Tommy’s mother Elizabeth and his younger sister Kate, creating a
strong emotional core. The sense of loss in this book is raw and exposed. And,
God, so many sentences and turns of phrase that color me green.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A few loose ends throughout are likely the cause of some
readers’ complaints, but I’ll defend this approach if I have to go down
swinging. It adds an element of realism to a piece fiction that may or may not involve
supernatural elements. And the less things are explained, the scarier they are,
at least as far as I’m concerned. This is not to say that nothing in this book
comes with an explanation, so don’t expect to be left completely in the dark.
But you also shouldn’t expect to have everything wrapped up in a neat little
gift box with a pretty little bow. Thank you, Tremblay, for taking this
approach. It was a gift in its own way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If your tastes in dark fiction lean more toward the
literary, you really should be reading Paul Tremblay. I’d still recommend
starting with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Head Full of Ghosts</i>,
but once you’re hooked on his work after that gem you should give <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disappearance at Devil’s Rock</i> a try. It’s
a keeper.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-48266458418925601212017-11-16T19:31:00.000-08:002017-11-16T19:31:17.039-08:00Reading This Saturday<span style="font-size: large;">If anyone lives in or near Vista or just wants to make the trek to Standards Record Store, I'm doing a reading there this Saturday at 7pm. 216 E Broadway Vista, CA</span><div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pick up a copy of Secrets of the Weird, the limited Civilized Cannibals tape, and buy some sick records from one of the best shops in San Diego County. See ya there!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19d_BI6xkLci6qOGp_S59Xt90jJmxrUoIINqGIQXKJq1YmlSJmkxYhxf1KQDagI7NNM7H2_yddkgfkDqk7OyTfG1Eo1MERtrBZZ-93IR3XHtvM-HHfEk0fcR8V0W8YVX1mm1Tg5B2U5qE/s1600/Standards+Reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19d_BI6xkLci6qOGp_S59Xt90jJmxrUoIINqGIQXKJq1YmlSJmkxYhxf1KQDagI7NNM7H2_yddkgfkDqk7OyTfG1Eo1MERtrBZZ-93IR3XHtvM-HHfEk0fcR8V0W8YVX1mm1Tg5B2U5qE/s320/Standards+Reading.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
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chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-79111092021111825772017-10-16T20:06:00.000-07:002017-10-16T20:06:17.831-07:00Reading This Friday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4rN0UxmZh-HYt76YsxfjAdZvPXPSU5V-iSLm00sKzdrip6_iGs9CMD2DSvtzTm6pciHI1jMwoxHO6uvTIWx1XhJj1aXkotiVNAFqN7z1XcC4kcC8EJ9k_7KkpDv4g7dvPHSdn0mc_xeG/s1600/22448671_2051661505068669_2497722768219446448_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="741" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4rN0UxmZh-HYt76YsxfjAdZvPXPSU5V-iSLm00sKzdrip6_iGs9CMD2DSvtzTm6pciHI1jMwoxHO6uvTIWx1XhJj1aXkotiVNAFqN7z1XcC4kcC8EJ9k_7KkpDv4g7dvPHSdn0mc_xeG/s320/22448671_2051661505068669_2497722768219446448_n.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whoah...two posts in one night! Just wanted to share that I'm doing a reading this Saturday at Heartwork Coffee Bar. They are celebrating the release of their zine Extraction, I'll be reading a very special chapter of Secrets of the Weird (seriously, don't miss this!), followed by a Misfits cover band. Should be a hoot...see you there!</span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-15525440587098968392017-10-16T20:00:00.000-07:002017-10-16T20:00:32.430-07:00HWA Poetry Showcase Vol. 4 Available Now<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_crMfFCOkOVRO8GvT65kCoNwHkWwHtm-gdEo11bb4eeEWrkHrfgEaraS0-otfVKjoABpJpR7qe-NTuIMTt7gHJlqKYh6452exGYg1304WD7EXX46tB40uDK755NeYTiRTv4gIR6ttCY3H/s1600/51aJPAukymL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_crMfFCOkOVRO8GvT65kCoNwHkWwHtm-gdEo11bb4eeEWrkHrfgEaraS0-otfVKjoABpJpR7qe-NTuIMTt7gHJlqKYh6452exGYg1304WD7EXX46tB40uDK755NeYTiRTv4gIR6ttCY3H/s320/51aJPAukymL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The 4th volume of the HWA Poetry Showcase is out now, featuring my poem "Skin to Scales." Check it out here;</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/HWA-Poetry-Showcase-IV-4/dp/0985808977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1508208913&sr=8-3&keywords=hwa+poetry+showcase"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.amazon.com/HWA-Poetry-Showcase-IV-4/dp/0985808977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1508208913&sr=8-3&keywords=hwa+poetry+showcase</span></a>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-86509852692112854692017-09-30T13:52:00.000-07:002017-09-30T13:52:06.234-07:00Signings for California Screamin' at Warwick's and Dark Delicacies<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LL8Vmq-zOA8203zo_lTDBNTNtfM9vrj7uSb1piFPgSXtN8pKHL1UCeyj3uJuXFnyo5uzyq1jbusJztbW2XYj6KvCBtORLEBszKET1GInUxN98c5RuAzUQI1c5bloj215dK7fMNuBxXoA/s1600/22135501_10212634055638477_8756848994126058602_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LL8Vmq-zOA8203zo_lTDBNTNtfM9vrj7uSb1piFPgSXtN8pKHL1UCeyj3uJuXFnyo5uzyq1jbusJztbW2XYj6KvCBtORLEBszKET1GInUxN98c5RuAzUQI1c5bloj215dK7fMNuBxXoA/s320/22135501_10212634055638477_8756848994126058602_o.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A couple of upcoming signings for the new California Screamin' anthology, which features my short story "The Perfect Playground." Myself along with various other authors for the book will be at Dark Delicacies in Burbank on Saturday November 4th from 4pm to 6pm, and a few of us will be signing at Warwick's in La Jolla (the info is in the flyer above). Hope to see some of you there!</span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-71325416741931658212017-09-23T18:57:00.000-07:002017-09-23T18:57:38.921-07:00Book Review: The Dark at the End of the Tunnel by Taylor Grant<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: large;">After seeing Taylor Grant read at two StokerCons in a row
(one of which I was graced with the privilege of sharing the reading slot) and
being quite impressed each time, I knew I needed to pick this book up at some
point, so I finally ripped it out of my mental to-do list and bought the damned
thing. And it does not disappoint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Throughout this collection, Grant proves his talent as a short
story writer. Writing short stories that are satisfying for both the writer and
the reader can be a challenging task. Grant mentions in his introduction that
he wrote the majority of these stories for his own personal enjoyment with no
real yearning to have them published. Thankfully his senses were slapped into
him and he pursued publication, because it would be a shame to have these tales
rotting in some dank drawer, whimpering to be read by the craving eyes of the
horror public. These are no self-indulgent, masturbatory tales. Quite the opposite.
They deserve to be read and enjoyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The book starts out strong with “Masks,” which deals with a
man who doesn’t quite feel like himself anymore. This is immediately followed
by what is likely my favorite piece in the collection: “The Silent Ones.” Such
a depressing story that addresses the topic of loneliness in a way I’ve not
seen done before, and it gets pretty damned weird along the way. “Dead Pull” is
a fun and satisfying story, especially for someone such as myself who loves
animals dearly and abhors those who mistreat them. “The Infected” takes a clever
approach to tackling the drudgery of being a working stiff versus following
your creative dreams, which intersects with a peculiar “fiction” manuscript
passed down from grandfather to father to son that begs to be completed. There
are no stinkers in the bunch. It comes as no surprise that this book was a
finalist for a Bram Stoker Award.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Grant has an enviable command of language, his stories and
the ideas that spawn them are unique, and he doesn’t stick to one type of
horror. Some of these stories could be referred to as “quiet horror,” while
others are far more brutal. Some have a sci-fi edge, and there are occasional
hints of the black humor you might find in a classic E.C. Comics story. Being
able to hop genres while maintaining quality and style is a commendable feat,
so pick up this book and see how it’s done. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-35367839221514977542017-09-18T20:02:00.002-07:002017-09-18T20:02:20.251-07:00Cover Reveal: California Screamin' Anthology<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizyVLq669pTMUR39DgpaLaZ_67o_h61k9lbFvlg4Xw9X91ZYoVMHZZAMphTktLbv-AutdG1HwAv1OZQess-KQfxxDyo1Fk3c_oarMQsS8GNbOnKJ70Pp0-xI4cJ-9pl7h_V4kxy5mYMdZ/s1600/21762207_520484778287051_6681226695063757811_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="552" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizyVLq669pTMUR39DgpaLaZ_67o_h61k9lbFvlg4Xw9X91ZYoVMHZZAMphTktLbv-AutdG1HwAv1OZQess-KQfxxDyo1Fk3c_oarMQsS8GNbOnKJ70Pp0-xI4cJ-9pl7h_V4kxy5mYMdZ/s320/21762207_520484778287051_6681226695063757811_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There's a new anthology coming your way this October called California Screamin'. Alongside stories from quite a few awesome other authors will be a reprint of my short story "The Perfect Playground." More info to come...</span>chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-37557533463777544952017-09-01T17:43:00.002-07:002017-09-01T17:43:22.746-07:00Book Review: Baby Powder by John C. Foster<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I always love a good single-author short story collection
(not bad ones, though…keep those far away from me pretty please). I especially
enjoy collections in which each story stands apart from the next. Welcome to
the latest perfect example of this, Baby Powder by John C. Foster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There’s a lot to dig into here. This does not mean the
collection is dense and/or difficult to get through. In fact, it’s a fairly
quick read despite being 300 pages. But the ideas, and very often the
well-crafted language, will stick with you in way flavor-of-the-month genre
books will not. A good mix of horror and science fiction-ish pieces here. I’m
not going to go over every story in the collection, but I would like to
highlight a few faves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The opener, “Highballing Through Gehenna,” comes out
swinging. A very bleak and strange tale, leaving most of the facts to the
imagination, letting the mind get used to an apocalypse of a different sort.
Stressful on the level of Train to Busan. However, the threat these train
passengers face is not of the zombie variety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“Talk to Leo” is an unsettling piece about ventriloquism.
Sort of. The creeps don’t let up much during this story, and I believe it’s
because Foster doesn’t over-explain the situation. I love when authors make
this choice. Sure, things can still be a bit scary if you know exactly what
you’re facing, but I believe frights you can’t conveniently put in a box are far
more powerful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“Meat” is killer. Trees that eat people. ‘Nuff said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’ve always wondered why there aren’t more horror stories
that deal with the death penalty, and “A Lamb to Slaughter” does so
beautifully. It will make you think without feeling like you’ve been preached
to. It also heads in unexpected directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But the real treasure of this collection is the final story,
which also happens to be the title story. “Baby Powder” is where Foster’s true
magic as a writer has comes together to create something special. The story
focuses on a “haunted house,” for lack of a better term, but it goes much
deeper than that. The prose is wonderful throughout, the characters are
memorable, and the vibe of the whole story left me rattled for a couple of days
after I read it. I don’t want to say anything else for fear of spoiling the
wonder, but it’s worth buying this book for this story alone (plus, you also
get a lot of other really awesome stories, so you really can’t lose.) Just one
of those “wow” moments. I knew after reading Mister White that Foster was a
good writer. After reading “Baby Powder,” I now see how great he is. His finest
moment so far. No pressure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-482418975050118873.post-66817148299054151682017-07-05T20:35:00.000-07:002017-07-05T20:35:42.946-07:00San Diego Horror Professionals Volume 3 Now Available<span style="font-size: large;">Volume 3 of the San Diego Horror Professionals anthology series (Grand Mal Press) is now available! The print version is ready to go, and the ebook should be available soon. This features my short story "The Heretic Lambs," stories by the other usual suspects from the previous 2 volumes, AND stories by a few new additions to the crew. Check it out here:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/San-Diego-Horror-Professionals-Vol/dp/1548519758/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1499312016&sr=8-3&keywords=san+diego+horror+professionals">https://www.amazon.com/San-Diego-Horror-Professionals-Vol/dp/1548519758/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1499312016&sr=8-3&keywords=san+diego+horror+professionals</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />chad strouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02221983320254044878noreply@blogger.com0