Happy Death Day to You

 

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. I've been busy podcasting with Monster Men and the Final Guys.

Incredibly, the Final Guys podcast just celebrated our first anniversary. Where does the time go? It's been fun so far and it's only getting better. Recently we added movie and book reviews to the site and we are featuring articles by a variety of writers from the FG community.

Here's my first submission to get you started. Check it out.
Happy Death Day (2017)

Vegetarian Werewolves, Blue Aliens, Evil Trees and Monster Men

I am way behind on posting Monster Men shows and we have had some great guest lately. We really cover a lot of the horror landscape with shows about horror for children, alien invasions and a cursed tree that drives people to murder. It's a ton of fun. Enjoy.

Monster Men Ep. 81: The Devil Tree w/ Keith Rommel and Lawrence Knorr

Monster Men Ep. 80: Aliens Invade Boom Town with Glenn Rolfe

Monster Men Ep. 79: Scary Stories for Kids- The Vegetarian Werewolf w/ Robert Holt

Monster Men Meet the Monster Writers: Keith Rommel & Jonathan Janz

Keith Rommel
Cursed Men, Fallen Angels and the ever present shadow of death. On this new Monster Men we welcome back our buddy Keith Rommel, author and screenwriter. The movie of his book The Cursed Man is coming soon, and you won't want to miss his other novels; The Lurking Man, The Sinful Man and Among the People. Keep up with Keith Rommel at his website or Facebook page. 

Jonathan Janz

Follow the Exorcist Road! We are very excited to present this new Monster Men with our guest, the amazing horror author Jonathan Janz. Check out his must-read books: House of Skin, The Sorrows, Savage Species, Dust Devils and his latest, Exorcist Road. And check out the Jonathan Janz blog for more. 

Recommended Summer Reading: The Montauk Monster

If JAWS made you think twice about going in the water, The Montauk Monster will make you skip the entire trip to the beach.

This is one of Hunter Shea's best novels, if not his best to date. This book is not just a fantastic summer read, it's a ton of fun and non-stop action thriller from cover to cover.

You ever see pictures of those strange animal carcasses that occasionally wash up on the beach, and no one can identify what they are? They seem to be hideous conglomerations of several animals. Well, Shea takes this real life phenomena and spins a hell of a tale with it. One that involves ravenous creatures, deadly pathogens, conspiracies and tons of bullets and blood.

One of Shea's trademarks is the crazy, "all hell's breaking loose" kind of finales to his stories. This book is no exception... AND HOW! The story takes very little time to get cooking and never let's up once it gets going.

I really enjoyed this one. Go get it.

This is the End! - Monster Men Ep. 61

On this episode of the Monster Men video podcast, we discuss and review two great movies that could not be more different. First we tackle the apocalyptic comedy "This is the End" starring Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and James Franco... and a ton of other stars playing themselves. The end of the world has never been funnier. (WARNING- SPOILERS in this episode.)

Then we turn our attention to a movie that has gotten a lot of critical acclaim, but you may have not seen yet. "We Are What We Are" is an American remake of a Mexican film with the same title. It's a dark film with a slow burn and a creepy premise involving a family of cannibals living in modern day society. 

Finally, we review "Redheads," a great horror novel by Jonathan Moore. This is a book you've got to check out. Here's the synopsis.

A killer far worse than insane.
Chris Wilcox has been searching for years, so he knows a few things about his wife's killer. Cheryl Wilcox wasn't the first. All the victims were redheads. All eaten alive and left within a mile of the ocean. The trail of death crosses the globe and spans decades.

Meet the Cursed Man

We Monster Men are proud to present our interview with Keith Rommel. This was one of our favorite episodes we've ever done. Keith is not only an interesting person, but he truly has the spirit of a Monster Man and we are happy to have a new friend.

 

Keith is the author of THE CURSED MAN, great book that is also in production as a movie. His Thanatology series also includes THE LURKING MAN and the THE SINFUL MAN. Thanatology is the study of death and dying, and each of his books features death, in some form, as a main character. 

Here’s the description for THE CURSED MAN: 

Alister Kunkle believes death is in love with him. A simple smile from friend or stranger is all it takes to encourage death to kill. 

With his family deceased and a path of destruction behind him, Alister sits inside a mental institution, sworn to silence and separated from the rest of the world, haunted by his inability to escape death's preferential treatment. 

But when a beautiful psychologist arrives at the institution and starts offering him care, Alister braces himself for more killings. When none follow, he tries to figure out whether he truly is insane or if death has finally come to him in the form of a woman. 

Keith is a fantastic author and a really great guy. You will love the stories behind his books as well as the process of making a book into a movie. To learn more about Keith Rommel, visit his website at http://keithrommel.weebly.com and buy his books on Amazon. 

Hunting the Lizard Man with Lyle Blackburn

The Monster Men have a big treat in store for you this time around. On this episode of the video podcast we interview author and real life monster hunter, Lyle Blackburn. Lyle's books THE BEAST OF BOGGY CREEK and LIZARD MAN are must reads for fans of cryptozoology, urban legends and monsters. In part one of our interview we focus on the events in Bishopville, NC surrounding the mysterious Lizard Man. Lyle has the full story and a lot of behind the scenes knowledge from his vast research into this case. 

Check out Part One and watch for Part Two coming soon. That's when the focus turns to the Beast of Boggy Creek.

THE WAITING is Over

We dedicate this episode of Monster Men to Hunter Shea's new novella, THE WAITING. It's a ghost story about a newlywed couple and a ghostly apparition of a young boy that appears in their home. Not only is it a fun and chilling read, but it's also inspired by actual events. Check out the show and and then get yourself a copy for your Kindle or eReader.

An Interview with Robert Stava, Horror Author: Monster Men Ep. 53

A new Monster Men is up! Our guest this time is horror author Robert Stava. Robert is a great writer and a good friend of the show.

We discuss his great new book, The Feast of Saint Anne, which is a clection of four short, inter-related stories. It's the second book in his Hudson Valley Horror series, following up his first book, At Van Eyckmann's Request. You'll also learn about the mysterious town of Wyvern Falls, the epicenter of Stava's Hudson Valley horror stories. 

We also cover a variety of other spooky topics like Sleepy Hollow, creepy carnivals, the haunted Hudson Valley, ventriloquist dummies and the Red Baron's Daughter. 

You are not gonna want to miss this one. And after the show, head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of the book!



The Monster Men Video Podcast: If you love things that go bump in the night, you'll fit right in.

• Find more episodes of Monster Men at: www.themonstermen.net 
• Facebook at www.facebook.com/monstermen13
• Horror author Hunter Shea at www.huntershea.com

Monster Men Ep. 48: Scary Books & Movies for the Halloween Season

Episode 48 of Monster Men is up!

Now that Halloween season is here, it's time to embrace all things spooky and scary. That includes movies, TV shows, Halloween specials. haunted houses, pumpkin festivals and books. Books, books, books!

Scary books, horror novels, terrifying tomes... whatever you want to call them. A great way to get into the Halloween spirit is with a good book. 

To help usher in the month we Monster Men like to call HORRORTOBER, Hunter and I have collected a list of great, scary books and some cool horror movies for you to check out. This includes great, original books, novellas by Tim Myer, Brian Moreland, Jonathan Janz, Jamie Evans and Frazer Lee.

Let us know what you think of our picks and let us know some of your suggestions. Join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/monstermen13. 

And now for the big news....

I am happy to announce that the Monster Men now have a website! So now you can find us at www.themonstermen.net as well as on our YouTube Channel and on Facebook. Check out our new site and let us know what you think. It's a work in progress, so please come back often to see what's new.

One last thing... keep an eye on #horrortober all month for posts from Hunter and I on all of our Halloween antics and please join in by marking your tweets with our hashtag too.

IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS: A Good Horror Read

I recently read the new horror novel IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS by Tim Myer, co-host of the Splatter Chatter podcast.  I wrote a review on Amazon and thought I’d post it here as well.

If you are looking for a horror novel with an edge, and one that will keep you guessing, IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS is for you. It quickly draws you in and before you know it, you won't want to put it down.

The story is suspenseful, fast-paced and gets more and more interesting as you go. Plus, it's got satanic cults, demonic forces, sadistic murderers, dark magic and even a few laughs. What more could you ask for?

At the heart of the story is Ritchie Naughton. Ritchie returns home to New Jersey when his life comes crashing down, thanks to a health scare and an unpleasant end to a long-term relationship. But that's just the beginning of his bad luck. After taking a job as a photographer for a small, local paper, the strange, old camera he finds in the office basement starts to capture some disturbing images that should not be there. Before long, Ritchie is neck deep in the dangerous underworld of Red River, NJ and the dark forces hidden IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS.

Ritchie Naughton is a big reason why you'll enjoy this book. He is a regular guy, just like you or me. You'll immediately find yourself relating to him and rooting for him. Author Tim Meyer has created a very realistic and likeable character that talks and thinks like a real person. His inner monologue and banter with some of the other characters can be quite funny at times. His reactions and thoughts always seem authentic, especially in light of the crazy things that he experiences as the story progresses.

Forget those same old vampire and zombie stories you've been reading for years and try something new and different. Take a trip IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS; you'll like what you see.
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Note: I was provided a copy of the book by the author for purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review.

Monster Men Ep. 36: Ketchum, Hoax Hunters and More

It’s a new Monster Men video podcast featuring a review of the grim horror novel The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. A renowned horror author, Ketchum has been called the scariest man in America by Stephen King. Then we discuss the Hoax Hunters comic book series, about a very unique paranormal reality TV show. Plus, an interview with our buddy Anthony Ventarola, internet radio host, horror fan and part time UFO hunter. You won't want to miss this one. 


Find more episodes of the Monster Men video podcast here on my blog, on our YouTube channel: Monstermen13 or at horror author Hunter Shea's website and you can also join us on the Monster Men Facebook page.

Follow us on Twitter: @backinjack and @huntershea1

Why WARM BODIES Might Just Work on Film

If you've been watching TV lately you must have seen the trailers for the new zombie romantic comedy WARM BODIES. I guess you could call it a Zom Rom Com.

WARM BODIES is a movie based on the novel by Isaac Marion, which is described as a "zombie romance" and is often dismissed as TWILIGHT with zombies. I had never heard of it until my Monster Men podcast partner Hunter Shea reviewed it way back on our third episode, a show dedicated to all things zombie. That was over a year ago. I have included a link to the video below so you can watch the episode. I'll spoil it a bit by telling you that Hunter loved the book. He also added that it essentially moved his wife to tears. Naturally, I was curious and anxious to read it myself.

Shortly thereafter, I read the book. It's definitely a different take on the zombie genre. The story revolves around a zombie known only as "R". He cant remember his entire name. Give him a break, after all he is dead. One day, during an attack on some teenagers, R eats the brain of a guy named Perry and begins to experience emotions for Perry's girlfriend, Julie. R ends up protecting Julie from the rest of his zombie cohorts and takes her back to his home at the airport. Slowly but surely, R continues to regain his humanity and a relationship blossoms between these two unlikely people. What follows is a story of forbidden love between a couple from different worlds, the living and the dead. And these two worlds to do not mix. 

If this all sounds a bit familiar, it's because WARM BODIES is not so much TWILIGHT with zombies, but rather ROMEO and JULIET with zombies. Just look at the two main character's names; R and Julie. 

(I know, I know... TWILIGHT is basically a take on ROMEO and JULIET with vampires. But WARM BODIES is much closer to Shakespeare's actual story.)

I have to admit, I was not as big a fan of the book as my podcast partner was, and to his credit, he is a published horror author and I am not. So he may know literature better than me. However, while I did not "love" the book, I did think it was a pretty good read and an interesting new direction to take the zombie genre. I mean really, how many more DAWN OF THE DEAD ripoffs do we need? If you are looking for something different in a zombie book, it's definitely worth a look.

Not long after I read the book I learned that a movie was in the works. I have to say, at first I did not think it was a good idea. A film version of this book seemed like an inevitable "TWILIGHT with zombies" if there ever was going to be one. Also, the idea of a zombie/human romance might work in a novel, but not everything translates from book to screen that well.

Then, after many months, a trailer finally came out. The first thing that struck me was that
Rob Corddry, from THE DAILY SHOW, OLD SCHOOL and HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, was cast as R's best friend, M. That was unexpected and a good sign. I am a big fan, but he's a funny guy and not one you'd think of for a romantic horror movie. My interest was officially peaked. Then I watched the trailer and I realized that the film was taking a more comedic approach to the material. I have to say, that's pretty smart, or as R might say, "That's using your braaaaaiiiins."

I don't think a serious approach to this adaptation would have worked. Particularly the "Bonies", who are the skeletal elders of the zombie hoards. Also, I just don't know if the general public would buy a zombie/human romance with a straight face. Edward in TWILIGHT may be a vampire, but he's handsome, charming, can talk and does not stink of death. I mean, does the typical movie going female really want to be intimate with a rotting corpse or James Dean with fangs? And does the typical movie going male want to see zombies being all lovey-dovey or does he want to see them eating the flesh of the living? But turn it into a comedy and you suddenly have a lot more leeway... and you'll attract a much larger audience. Girls get their romance (without the hardcore horror) and guys get to see a funny movie, with zombies, that counts as a chick flick for date night. It's a win/win.

This has made me more optimistic about seeing WARM BODIES on the silver screen. Hopefully it works, provides a lot of laughs and maybe even captures some of the spirit and heart of the book. Perhaps it could even join SHAUN OF THE DEAD, ZOMBIELAND and FIDO among the all-time great Zom Coms. I don't know if it will be that good, as the bar is set pretty high, but I am always rooting for a zombie movie to succeed. It's good for the genre and the future of movies of this kind in general. 

Plus, I love the fact we, the Monster Men, told you about this book long before it was on the radar. Not to say "We told you so.", but... we kinda did.

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Click here to see the Monster Men podcast episode with Warm Bodies book review. 

The Monster Men video podcast: A lighthearted conversation about dark topics. We cover horror movies, books, ghost stories, sci-fi and other spooky subjects with a sense of humor and a sense of the macabre. Co-hosted with horror author Hunter Shea. 

The Warm Bodies Trailer: (In theaters 2/1/13.)

Monster Men Ep. 31: Horror Author Robert Stava

One of my favorite things about doing the Monster Men show is that I have met a lot of great people, both online and in person. This is a perfect example of that...

This latest episode of Monster Men was filmed at our Halloween event in October 2012 at the Wicked Wolf Tavern in White Plains, NY.  In this one, you'll meet horror author Robert Stava. He tells us about his great new book "At Van Eyckmann's Request" and introduces us the mysterious town of Wyvern Falls. 

Could Robert do for the Hudson Valley what Stephen King did for Maine? I don't know, but he sure is off to a good start.

Monster Men Ep. 28: Horror Books Not to Miss From Samhain Publishing

In this episode of Monster Men, we celebrate the release of Hunter Shea's latest novella, Swamp Monster Massacre. It's his ode to the Skunk Ape, sometimes referred to as Bigfoot's southern cousin. This one promises to be a fun ride. 

Then we review some of the other books you'll find at Samhain Horror. Samhain has an exciting and upcoming group of authors that is well worth discovering. Writers like Brian Moreland, Russell James, Frazer Lee, David Bernstein, Damien Walters Grintalis, Kristopher Rufty and W.D. Gagliani.

If you are looking for some original, quality horror instead of the usual mainstream drivel, you have come to the write place. 

Check them out at www.samhainhorror.com