Bone Home by Jonathan Moon

The air is hot and dry. And still. Yet watch how the curtains sway in that room above the breakfast nook. I’ll tell you what makes those ragged drapes dance: spirits, dark and tortured.

Hold my hand, my dear, as we walk the grim halls and rotted rooms of Bone Home.

No, my love, the house is built of wood and nails, wire and glass as houses often are. The name comes from the man who built this magnificent dwelling. In 1904, Edward Bone carved a clearing in these beautiful pines and built his family a home. Old Edward Bone was a distant cousin to my grandma. By a strange stroke of luck and diminished family bloodline I now hold the deed. A logger by trade, he knew the wood and used only the best. Edward Bone took nearly every piece of handcrafted furniture and stacked it in some hideous monolith the town’s folks burned. Before we enter, see there where the grass is blackened even after a century worth of snow and sun. Now into the house itself we venture. This door was handcrafted by artisans long dead and never recognized. It whines and creaks when we open it, but it has done its duty and kept the elements out. We can leave it open if you like, but I think it will be futile; they like the door closed. Why allow a breeze if you can’t feel it on your face?

To your left, my dear, are the dining room and kitchen. If you look at the dismal gray paper where it still clings to the walls, you can make out the faintest tint of the dark autumn yellow of sunflowers. How cheerful it must have been. Broken dishes and a feeling of nervousness that hangs in the air and clings to your skin are all that remain in the kitchen. The morning sun shines through this big window, and the family would sit at this table to eat breakfast and greet each new day together. No, my dear, blood dries brown. I don’t know what has left the smeared black stain across the table top. Although, I can show you century-old blood if we go back to the foyer.

See, my love, they closed the door when we went to the dining room. Before we go upstairs, see that dark blotch. A bloodstain. A deep, old bloodstain. Edward Bone took a bailing hook to his oldest daughter, Catherine, and gutted her right where you are standing. She bled out here. She lay in a puddle of her wet innards until her blood soaked into the floorboards and caked to her pale face. Catherine hates this foyer now. She lives in the cellar where her young blood dripped. I can show her to you if you want. She sits and rocks in the corner trying to keep herself together.

Okay, my dear, there’s more to see, so we’ll just keep moving. The stairs creak and moan like the dead, but they’ll grant us safe passage to the rooms up here. Notice how the pictures still hang on this decrepit wall. Look closer and see how the images are blurred and burned behind the flawless glass. I’ve stared into the distorted eyes of the images and I feel them screaming in my head, so, please, limit your glances.

Yes, my love, more blood awaits atop the stairs. Such wonderful tools those loggers used. Edward Bone caved in his son Simon’s skull with the five-pound hammer that he used to knock stubborn branches from downed logs and then stripped him naked like a cedar here in the hallway. Shush, my dear, there is Simon now. He is watching us with his eye. Don’t stare at the pulp that is his skull now for he may take offence. See how his naked form shimmers in the shadows as he sulks into his mother’s sitting room.

This, my love, is Edward Bone’s wife, Delores Bone. I find her here most often; rocking in her chair as you see her now. Sometimes Pamela, the middle daughter, crowds close, but she is shy around new people. She carries her head in her hands, and her long beautiful hair is eternally tangled with her blood. Delores can’t see you because, as you can see, he has sewn her eyes shut, but she can hear you. She sings young Simon haunting lullabies to calm his terrified spirit. Her voice is distant and sorrowful; see how it raises the gooseflesh on my arm.

That deep chill and pungent stench, my dear, is Edward drawing close. Watch how Mother Bone and son fade as the murderous patriarch approaches. We will meet him halfway when we turn the tarnished knob to the door to our right.

I must warn, my love, if old dead Edward Bone speaks we must cover our ears and leave. I’ll open the door now. It creaks loudest of all, and the house vibrates softly as his evil condenses to form a physical being. His restless murderous spirit rolls and swirls and that, my dear, is what makes the curtains wave. See how they whip now as his apparition appears. Today he is holding the gore-stained hammer and smiling like the damned. He died of starvation here in this room. He slaughtered his family and never again left this house.

Don’t look at his dark eyes as they roll in their sockets!
Ia. Tahgen noob fhtagn. Ia Ia.

No! My love, cover your ears and back away!
Ia! Tahgen noob fhtagn! IA! IA! IA!

My DEAR, My LOVE!
IA! TAHGEN NOOB FHTAGN! IA! IA! IA! IA!

I can’t save you, my love, and the hammer is all too real now. Your blood drips down my face, and my apology is stuck in my throat. I told you not to listen.

I have to leave now, my dear, but I always return. You’ll meet the young daughters Bone now and share in their phantom state; mutilated beauty surround by molding decay. I’ll bring you more friends until this house feels alive again.

Maybe, my love, I’ll move in so we can always be together in the grim hallways and rotted rooms of Bone Home.

Mr. Moon's Review of Eleven Twenty Three

I read a wide variety of independent fiction. I’m addicted to it. I have stacks and stacks of independent horror, zombie, and bizarro books that could really cause physical harm if they tip over. These books entertain me, they entrance me, they inspire me, and they are my escape. There is one thing that none of them have done yet though. As someone who reads dark and writes even darker, I don’t scare easy. All that being shared, I can say honestly Jason S. Hornsby’s new novel Eleven Twenty Three terrified me. Perhaps I was a little paranoid to start with and can only blame Jason Hornsby with pushing me over the edge with the thick moody slab of horror known as Eleven Twenty Three. Either way there is no denying the feeling of paranoid terror that seeps from this well crafted novel.

Eleven Twenty Three opens with the main character, Layne Prescott, and his girlfriend, Tara, sitting at an airport bar in Shanghai. They are waiting for their flight back to Lilly’s End, Florida and the funeral of Layne’s father when Layne makes eye contact with a man across the bar from them. The man is sweating and nervous looking with a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist. Within the first few pages Mr. Hornsby builds a mood of paranoia and foreboding that just gets thicker and thicker. Through a turn of odd events Layne ends up with the briefcase; finding it just as they reach Lilly’s End.

Mr. Hornsby takes his time and builds his characters through-out the first few chapters but the story and mood doesn’t sway and the feeling of dread is almost palatable as more characters are introduced. We met Hadjime, Layne’s equally cynical and paranoid best friend, and his sister, Mitsuko. The plot layers into the characters life and they are all dealing with very human issues that make the building terror even that much more real. Layne for instance is not only dealing with the death of his father but also a complicated relationship with Mitsuko. Amidst all the drama the terror emerges in brutal fashion.

Layne picks up his mother for the funeral of his estranged dad and at the grave side chaos erupts. As the clocks strike 11:23 half of the population of Lilly’s End go completely unexplainably and, worst of all, viciously insane. The people that don’t turn insane are attacked by their friends and loved ones; finding themselves having to kill or be killed. The funeral party turns on each other with incredibly gruesome results. The violence is sudden, vivid and highly emotional as the family tears into each other like rabid animals. During the funeral party battle royal gunshots and sirens are heard from all directions adding to the panic and chaotic scene. After a few minutes the people that went insane (the ones that didn’t kill themselves during their fits of violence and bloodshed) turn back shocked and confused by the gore of death all around them. Once the sudden destruction ends the town finds themselves blocked off at all exits by soldiers that shoot to kill.

Layne and friends are left to work the mystery of the briefcase, the ominous chemtrails in the sky above them, and the violent fits the town’s people experience at every 11:23. Conspiracies and paranoia run rampant as the cast of characters grows ever smaller every twelve hours working towards a conspirators dream ending.

I enjoyed Eleven Twenty Three immensely and count it on my top ten of the year. This novel is creepy and dark with enough smart dialogue to keep your brain working as the violence engulfs you. Highly recommended to fans of dark fiction overall. If you enjoy real paranoia and great violent terror you’ll love Eleven Twenty Three, even if you never leave the safety of your house again.

You can buy 1123 here!

Mr.Moon and the Day of Darkness

Mr.MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day came and washed us all in it's darkness! I got loads of excellent support from lots of great people. I feel i achieved my goal of spreading the word about my Nightmares and I couldn't have done it with out my friends and fans. THANK YOU ALL!

I gave away several things during the day and here is the list of the winners, Jason Baker(MA), Joe Bouthiette, and Zoe Welsh all won PDF copies of The Apocalypse and Satan's Glory Hole (to be send out within the week.)Martin Jolicoeur won the copy of The Apocalypse and Satan's Glory Hole signed both both Tim Long and I. I'll be sending PDF copies of Houdini Gut Punch to Robert Essig and Jason Baker(NV).Brandy Woods Kurtz hedged her bets and ordered both Mr.Moon's Nightmares and Houdini Gut Punch and it paid off for her as she won the prize pack of wicked books!

I had a lot of fun during the day (and the weeks leading up to it) and did a few really fun interviews. I was given a dose of my own DEATHMATCH medicine, not once but twice!

Check out the Pirate Lego Vs. Poseidon DEATHMATCH I wrote for Ken Cain.
I also did a killer Muppets Vs. Zombies DEATHMATCH for Headshot Heather.

Mr.Moon's Nightmares got a few more great reviews as well! Swing by and read them before you buy yourself a copy!

Mr. MoOn and The Day Before the Darkness

Tomorrow is Mr.MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day!

As promised I compiled a list of the books I'm giving away. Remember I'll enter you once in the drawing for every copy of Mr.Moon's Nightmares you buy and if you buy Mr.Moon's Nightmares and Houdini Gut Punch I'll enter you three times!


1. The Zombist- Library of the Living Dead- I'll sign my story 'Notches on a Tomahawk'


This massive tome contains 28 wild west zombie stories from some damn talented writers! My story Notches on a Tomahawk is a fan favorite of mine and it is along side some of the wildest damn western action ever. Six-guns! Guts! Undead natives! A GREAT ZOMBIE BOOK for the western/zombie fan in you!






2. Unbound and Other Tales- By David Dunwoody- Signed by THE Dunwoody

David Dunwoody is the author of one of my all time favorite zombie novels, Empire, and with Unbound he creates one of my all-time favorite literary characters with Emil Sharpe. The sorties here are dark and disturbing written in THE Dunwoody's addictive style. I've dubbed this book 'Darker than Lovecraft's coffin' and I stand by it.


3. Season of Death- by Eric S. Brown

ESB's Season of Death should be required reading for zombie fans. It contains five of the most wicked twisting zombie tales I've ever read. Season of Death is ESB's HARDCOVER follow up to Season of Death. It includes four novellas, two of which are sequals to stories in Season of Rot. The other two stories are 'Kinberra Down' ESB's sci0fi horror he wrote with Jessy Marie Roberts and 'How the West Went to Hell' ESB's wild west demon story. This is a beautiful book filled with awesome ESB action!


4. DOOM MAGNETIC!- by Willaim Pauley III-signed by WIlliam Pauley III

William Pauley III's bizarro novella is a madly entertaining story that blurs genre lines and will keep you digging it from beginning to end! A non-stop adventure with wild and crazy characters, strangely beautiful violence, and a galaxy wide chase over a stolen purple television!



5. The Zombie Wilson Diaries- by Timothy W. Long- signed by Timothy W. Long


Mr. Long's comical take on zombies stirs it up more than a bit. A man's vacation ends with a plane crash in paradise. He finds him self stranded on a desert with a hot dead chick! Come for the zombies, stay for the coconut bra!



6. Rotten Little Animals-by Kevin Shamel-signed by Kevin Shamel


Rotten Little Animals is the first book I read from Eraserhead Press's New Bizarro Author Series and it will not be the last. Mr.Shamel blows the lid of the secret world of animals! This story flows so easy and fun you'll most likely read it twice in a row. Plus, it's so damn good you'll want to read more NBAS books (trust me I know).


7. King Scratch-by Jordan Krall-signed by author Jordan Krall and artist William Pauley III

Jordan Krall is one of my favorite authors and I can honestly say I've always been entertained when reading his work. His novel Fistful of Feet is easily one of my fav bizarro works ever. King Scratch is a violent, sexy, pulpy noir masterpiece!


8. Eleven Twenty Three-by Jason S. Hornsby

Mr.Hornsby scares the hell out of my paranoid mind with 1123! A conspirators wet dream novel; featuring jaded youth, graphic disturbing violence, a truly fucked up governmental conspiracy, and awesome dialogue! This book is what TERROR means to me.

9. Apeshit-by Carton Mellick III

With Apeshit Mellick doesn't just turn the tired old slasher genre on its side, he blows a fist size crater in the side of its head and then violates the wound. One of the most fucked up books I've ever read but at the same time it is a funny violent tribute to one of my favorite genres growing up. A fantastic novel that will make your stomach do flips and dips. There is one down side to reading a KILLER novel like Apeshit, every other slasher story you ever encounter will seem like weak watered down diet beer next to this full bottle of Johnnie Walker Red bizarro horror novel!


So there you have it friends! Buy Mr.Moon's Nightmares tomorrow for your chance to win this wicked rad prize pack!

Mr. Moon Interviews Eric S. Brown

As I fan of zombie fiction I stumbled across Eris S. Brown's Season of Rot and knew right away I had found a new favorite. Since that time I've been lucky enough to read A LOT more of ESB's always fantastic writing, be published along side him (in The Zombist), write an intro for him, and call him my friend. He is easily one of the most prolific young writers in the independent scene. I'm very proud to bring you a few words with Eric S. Brown.




Q. I think the best way to start these out is for you to explain your influences and inspirations to us. Start with what first made you want to write and work your way forward from there.

A.

I guess the first thing that influenced me was comic books. I have read and collected them since I was four years old. On career day in the second grade, I wore a Green Lantern shirt and simply told my teacher I would be joining the corps when I grew up. She did not find that amusing. I read a lot of Stephen King, Clive Barker, Robert McCammon, etc. like any horror fan growing up in the 80s but it was folks like David Drake who made me want to write. I idolized Drake and still do to a degree. He is and was the master of military SF. I have a signed book that he sent me that is one of my most prized possessions. In high school, I got into a Lovecraft a lot. During this whole time, I was writing own stuff. Not originally material so much as fan fiction. I went so far as to write an entire “Alien Legion” novel as a kid for the super comic geeks who remember that series. Anyway, Drake was and is my hero. Without him, I never would have picked up a pen but Lovecraft is a big part of me too.

Q. I know you have had a BUNCH of stories published but do you still remember your first published piece?

A. Yep, who forgets their first? It was a zombie like virus tale called “Night Shopping” which ran in Burning Sky Magazine issue nine back in the day. It's been reprinted too many time to count.


Q. What are you working on right now?

A. I am hard at work on Bigfoot War II and III. Book III is going to literally leave folks going “what the heck?” and amazed at the same time if I pull it off. It will be my masterpiece of horror written by a fan for other fans. I am also doing an interview series for Naked Snake Press's blog where I am interviewing tons of zombie authors. In addition to that, I am doing tales for a few more anthologies that have invited me to be in them and thinking about what I plan for the future after the Bigfoot War trilogy conludes.


Q. Okay, I’ve read ESB stories with fast zombies and slow zombies (and smart zombies, animal zombies, pregnant zombies, plant zombies, and six dozen other kinds of zombies) which do you prefer to write? Which do you prefer to read?

A. I enjoy writing fast, “28 Days Later” style zombies the most but I do like to shake things up from time to time. As to reading, I love them all. I have been a diehard Z fan since I first watched Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead as a child and always will be.


Q. I’m very excited about Anti-Heroes by you and THE Dunwoody! Can you tell me about it?

A. Anti-Heroes is a joint book featuring dark, superhero novellas from the two of us. The book was Dave's idea. He called me one night knowing one of my goals was to really get into writing superhero stuff and asked me to do the book with him. The Enslaver of Worlds, a very Lovecraftian monster like being, was something he'd dreamed up as child and he knew I had The Human Experiment featuring MY superhero Agent Death coming out from Sonar 4 Publications so we decided do a book that featured both of them. My novella “The Zombie Farm” is Agent Death's second adventure. You don't have to read The Human Experiment to enjoy it but it will be much better if you do.

(Interviewer Note: ESB and THE Dunwoody?!?! THIS IS ROCK!)

Q. You’ve really branched out this year with How the West Went to Hell (a horror western), Kinberra Down (Sci-Fi), Anti-Heroes/ The Human Experiment (Super Hero), and Bigfoot War ( Cryptozoological Apocalyptic Horror). In the middle of all the middle of all that you wrote sequels to three of the five stories in Season of Rot, all chock full of zombie goodness. With all those different genres which was the most difficult? Which was the most fun?

A. SF hands down. I love SF but unless I flat out blend it with horror, I don't do it well. Kinberra Down was my homage to tales like Alien and Screamers but it wasn't an easy book for me to write. Jessy Roberts kind of teamed up with me a bit on it adding about a tenth of the book and expanding some of the character stuff. She was great to work with. I am fan of SF, comics, horror in general, and zombies. I love it all and the whole reason I write is that I am a fan. It just makes sense that I would try my hand at all of it. The Weaponer, a post apocalyptic, zombie, western is likely the closest thing I have done to blending all my loves into a single book. It should be out from Coscom Entertainment soon.

Q. How far would you make it through Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory?

A. LOL. I have no idea. Likely not too far if there was beer and cigarettes involved.

(Interviewer Note: I happen to know that the Oompa Lompas smoke, drink, and curse like Tim Long but only during their lunch hour.)

Q. If you absolutely had to pick a favorite comic book character, which would it be?

A. The Flash. I grew up with Barry but love Wally dearly. Wally is a family guy like me and that makes him even cooler in my eyes. Plus, I try to write like The Flash. Though for the record, my favorite teams are The Fantastic Four and The Legion of Superheroes. I have huge collections of both and am a total Legion geek. As to my favorite bad guy, that would be Dr. Doom.



Q, If You-from-Five-Years-Ago saw you today what would he say? And what would you tell him?

A. He would say “Wow!” and I would say “Don't give up. Keep at it man.”


Q. Who said, “Calm down, you’re acting very un-Dude.”?

A.I have no idea on that one mate. Couldn't we just talk comics?

(Interviewer Note: Walter from The Big Lebowski. He is a human quote machine!)

Q, Which holiday has better candy, Halloween or Christmas?


A. Halloween.


Q. You have scared the hell outta me before, so I got to ask what scares you?

A. Snakes and Bigfoot. They creep me out man.

(Interviewer Note: ESB’s Bigfoot Monsters are scary as HELL.)


Q. It took me about a week longer to get these questions back to you. Did you write a new book in that time?

A. I just recently wrote Martin Kier and the Dead in a week. It's soon to be released from Naked Snake Press. That's the closest I have come lately. The books in the Bigfoot War series are taking some time because I want them to be my best ever so it will be quite a while until I wrap them up.

(Interviewer Note: Bonus action…I wrote the intro to Martin Kier and the Dead.)

Q. Quick, name drop five great independent horror talents!

A. Excluding you (since it’s your blog), David Dunwoody, Stephen North, Nick Cato, the late Z. A. Recht, and Peter Clines.




DEATHMATCH QUESTION


Q. Since you are a fan of comic books and I’m a fan of your books I wanna try something different. Let’s pretend there is an alternate reality of your town of Babble Creek from your story Bigfoot War. Now in this other Babble Creek the story starts the same…Jeff loses his dad and brother and is infused with a vicious thirst for revenge. He comes back to town and gets his revenge. He is standing in the clearing when the tribe of angry giant beasts emerges from the nearby trees. Now, the big difference in this other reality is Jeff has super telekinesis he acquired from government experiments from his time in the military. So please describe for me, in 1,500 words or so, what would happen if a tribe of raging Sasquatches attacked a super with a wicked hate for Bigfoot!

A.


Jeff stepped out onto the porch and took a deep breath of fresh country air. It was hard to believe it was all over. Somehow it didn’t feel real. It felt as if there was something left to do. Jeff hopped over the porch railing to the grass and walked around the house, taking one last look at this place of nightmares before he headed to his car.
A roar erupted from the trees beyond the gravel drive. It was not the voice of the creature which had so long haunted him. It sounded different, as if it was a cry of grief not rage. He broke into a run. Jeff knew the voice belonged to another of the creatures and it was going to come after him like he had its kin. He took off in a run for his car. As he reached it, several more howling voices roared in the woods, a chorus of sadness becoming rage.
Jeff looked at the rifle lying in the passenger seat but decided this was a fight he could handle himself. It was only fitting. The government had made him a freak. He stood his ground and readied himself for what was to come. He could no longer keep count of the number of voices in the air. His heart thundered in his chest and sweat poured from his skin. If he was going to die today, he wasn’t going to go down without a fight. An eight-foot-tall creature lumbered from the trees. He could see it was female. Large sagging breasts hung from underneath the fur of its chest. Jeff concentrated and it's head exploded from the pressure of a telekinetic vise that crushed it into spray of bone shards and red mist. The headless monster flopped to the ground then lay still. No sooner had the body hit the dirt, than did the others come. They were of all sizes and shapes, male and female. The smallest looked to weigh a little over a thousand pounds and was a tiny in comparison to most of the others. A large male led the charge at him. The beast like creature stood nearly a dozen feet tall and the ground shook with each of its steps. Hulking muscles rippled underneath the thick layer of hair that covered its arms and legs. As one they bounded towards him. Jeff jabbed a hand forward and an invisible blade of mental force slammed into the throat the large male. With a pained attempt at a scream, it stumbled as blood washed over and streamed down the front of its body. It met his eyes and Jeff smiled as he saw the fear there before it took its last breath, falling before him. Jeff waved his arm sending a solid wall of power into the creatures' forward ranks. They were tossed backwards, many with broken ribs, fractured legs, and bloodied faces. It was time to make the conflict more personal. Transparent blades forged of his willpower formed in his hands as he ran forward to where the monsters were regrouping and still more poured from the trees. With a mental push, he flung himself through the air at the closest two, slicing one's forehead open that sprayed brain matter onto his hand and arm. He landed in front of the second, striking upwards at its chest. His blade pierced the thing's heart as its eyes grew wide and its breath caught in its throat. Jeff jerked the blade free and spun to face the mob gathering around him. At once, he saw there were too many. They had closed in so fast, the area was too confined from him to continue the fight with his blades. As they leapt onto him, he raised a shield of crackling energy over himself. Their fists and feet hammered into it pushing him to his knees. Blood leaked from his eyes, ears, and nose as he struggled to keep the shield up. With his last ounce of willpower he turned the shield into a wave of outward flying razor like shards. The four closest beasts were mangled and cut to bits. Several behind them suffered deep gashes and grazing wounds but none of them backed off. Jeff collapsed, his eyes falling shut, as hair covered hands grabbed his body and tore it to shreds in a fury of fear and anger.


KILLER DEATHMATCH! Ladies and gentlemen, Eric S. Brown!

Eric hangs out all in horror and zombie forums all over the web. You can also find him on facebook.
You can find his massive collection of dark fiction here...
ESB Books

Mr. Moon's review of Rotten Little Animals

Mr.Moon's Nightmares All Day Day is only five days away! I was lucky enough to receive a signed copy of Kevin Shamel's Rotten Little Animals to add to the prize pack. In honor of that I wanted to share a review I wrote for Rotten Little Animals awhile back. I also want to take a second and tell everyone that Mr.MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day is only the beast it is becoming because of Mr.Shamel. His generosity and kindness are second only to his ability to write damned entertaining fiction. I'm honored to be able to add a signed copy of Rotten Little Animals to my prize pack!




Mr. Shamel takes us deep into the secret world of the furred and feathered with his debut novel Rotten Little Animals. As is so happens animals really can talk...and so much more.

The story starts with an animal film crew shooting a zombie movie in a human family's back yard. Stinkin' Rat is the director and the brain behind it all. A human boy named Cage accidentally spies the animals filming and (in order to protect the secrets of animals everywhere) the animals kidnap him. It is quickly decided the crew will film the kidnapping and enter the resulting movie into the Animaux Film Festival (held every year in France, of course). Chaos ensues and I don't mean a little bit of chaos. We are talking zombie fights, torture-porn, award show massacres, and more angry little critters than you can shake a stick at. I don't want to ruin any thing for you (the story evolves quickly with a ease that veteran writers have trouble mastering) so I'll just say the action and laughs don't end til the last page.

The story is very fast paced and well told, the twists you encounter pull you in deeper into the secret world of the animals. Shamel gives his characters (be they animals or the odd, okay, very odd, human) personality and life. As the story unfolds you pick up on Shamel's tongue-in-cheek commentary of the state of the world. I felt he clowns it all well. Greed, perversion, and the movie business are all comic fodder in this little gore streaked, chuckle filled story.

All in all a great first novel that balances laughs and action perfectly. Highly recommended for fans of action, comedy, animals, scat (hey, animals poop, okay?), and good smart fiction.

get it here

Mr. Moon and the Interviews Three

In honor of the very near Mr.MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day I have had a flurry of interviews! Take some time and give them all a good reading. Thank you!

Crystal Conner hunts me down and grills me about Mr.MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day,The Apocalypse and Satan's Glory Hole, and working with a wild man like Tim Long here....


I'm the Featured Author over at Juniper Grove this week! Swing through and check out my interview with the awesome Jadis here...



And then Ken Cain gives Mr.Moon's Nightmares a good reviewin' and me a taste of my own DEATHMATCH medicine here...



I hope you can all take a minute to check these all out! And I want to say thank you to all three for interviewing me! I also have one more coming up from none other than Headshot Heather! Stay tuned.

Mr. MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day is only 5 days away!

Prize pack so far-
1. The Zombist-Library of the Living Dead
2. Unbound and Other Tales-written and signed by David Dunwoody
3. Season of Death- by ESB
4. Rotten Little Animals-written and signed by Kevin Shamel
5. DOOM MAGNETIC!- written and signed by William Pauley III
6. 1123- By Jason S. Hornsby
7. King Scratch- written and signed by Jordan Krall, also signed by artist William Pauley the III

so far 7 books, two with William Pauley's signature!!!

Mr MoOn's Review of David Dunwoody's Unbound and Other Tales

As Mr.MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day (12-10-10)draws closer I want to give you little reviews about the books I've chosen for my give away; in the case I haven't read the book I will review another book by that talented author. Since he was first up with my interviews it is only fitting I share a review I wrote awhile back for David Dunwoody's Unbound and Other Tales.





David Dunwoody is the talented author of one of my favorite zombie novels, Empire. I can honestly say Unbound and Other Tales takes all the things I loved from Empire and spreads them out over a novel and a handful of short stories. Mr. Dunwoody builds grim worlds with very human (and very inhuman) characters to inhabit them. He then weaves tales that wrap and twist around you; pulling you into them. Mr. Dunwoody honors Lovecraft, in substance not style, in nearly every story here and the results are unique and terrifying. The title story, Unbound, is novel length while the eight stories that make up Other Tales are each quick bursts of madness that are over before you are ready for it.
In Unbound a wicked villain, Sharpe, from a popular series of pulp novels comes to life and wreaks hell on all in his path. The characters are all very solid but Sharpe steals the show as a supernatural badass you won't soon forget. Sharpe reminded me of the Judge from Cormack Mc McCarthy's Blood Meridian joined with every cowboy tough guy and movie serial killer I grew up with. Three desperate men, each having had Sharpe sadistically cut into their lives, make the unlikely team pit against the cowboy madman. The action is quick paced and violent as the story unfolds from the twists and layers Mr. Dunwoody weaves. Mr. Dunwoody's graphic storytelling shines here and calls to mind greats such as King, Laymon, and Mathison in turn without loosing his unique voice.
The short stories following the pulpy macabre Unbound continue to build on the dark feeling Mr. Dunwoody easily establishes early on. Voice, the first is haunting and heartbreaking at the same time in only a few pages.
The next, Saligia, is the lone real zombie story in the collection and it may be the weirdest of them all. The story builds in one direction then spins into an entire different one about midway. My mind couldn't help but search for the symbolism here, this story feels bigger than you catch with your eyes the first time through.
Ministry is a darkly semi-comedic piece that shows the hazards of "grave riding." This story features a re-occurring character, Mr. Chith, from other Dunwoody stories. The appearance of Mr. Chith backs up my claim that David Dunwoody builds his own personal mythos as he writes, giving you as a reader vast areas of his madness to explore.
The insanity of Clowns builds solid and thick into a truly terrifying tale. This story takes the idea of zombies taking over in a wonderfully twisted direction that really raises the hairs on the back of your neck. Imagine a town filled with emotionless clowns; all with the same painted blue smile.
Exhibit pulls you forward to a twisted ending with a Lovecraftian feel. There's a strong moral lesson buried under the sex and horror and Mr. Dunwoody polishes it up with a nice dash of irony.
Mr. Dunwoody's story Mother Tree was first featured on Choate road where he was awarded their spot-light scribe of the year. An old tree has lovers and children in this weird story told completely different then the rest of the collection. However, like the others it oozes an addictive darkness that engages you through out.
The last story, The Devil's Due, is set in purgatory as seen through Mr. Dunwoody's eyes. A former private eye is given a job by Satan in this pulpy horror story.
All in all a great collection of macabre and strange stories that will appease old Dunwoody fans and surely earn him more. The stories are as varied as they are strange but as a whole this book is darker than Lovecraft's coffin and it presses that feeling down on you. Highly recommended for fans of strange scary horror (if you are reading this then I mean you.)

Get it here

Mr. Moon and Bizarro Horror X2

I'm very excited and proud to announce that Houdini Gut Punch is live on amazon.com! Yup, my first ever venture into the editing world (be afraid world, be very afraid) was born yesterday. And you know what makes the day even cooler? Houdini Gut Punch has a twisted Bizarro Horror brother! That's right Toe Tags 2: Blood and Bizarro, from Brian Barnett and William Pauley III, is live on amazon as well! That's two tomes of wicked weird bizarro horror for you, together boasting over thirty strange scary stories! Order both from amazon and get free shipping! A frakin' double dose of Jordan Krall and Kevin Shamel!If keep typing I'm only going to use more exclamation points so I'll just turn you loose on these two ToCs of 100% awesome.

Side A
NEON GUTTER MEAT-Jordan Krall
Consumer's Paradise-Patrick D'Orazio
The Claws that Catch- P.D. Hansen
The Fowlness- Stephanie Kincaid
Salami Rhett-Kevin Shamel
Another Double Helix Day In Tailertown- Ben McElroy
New Age- Rick Conrood
Real Love Burns- Jonathan Moon

Side B
Hit and Fun- Garrett Cook
Guy Who Got A Headache- Matt Nord
All Due Stories In Good Time- Timothy W. Long
The Aircrash Bureau (or How Johnny Carson and General Patton Hijacked a Space Shuttle To Get Back On The Air)- Nick Cato
You'll Be Grated When You're Dead- Ruth Imeson
!PING!- Christopher Fox
Drain Angel- Cameron C. Pierce

Find it here



THE SPIDERS OF HONEYVILLE by William Pauley III
FORECLOSURE by Garrett Calcaterra
SHADOW POX by David W Barbee
GUNS II by Joey Froehlich
THIRST by Laura Eno
WIT'S END by Suzie Bradshaw
GUY UNHINGED by Steve Lowe
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOMBSTONES by Joey Froehlich
BLACK ENVELOPES by Jordan Krall
GINGERBREAD MEN by John F.D. Taff
LISA GOT SQUASHED by Jodi MacArthur
A PRIVATE NIGHTMARE by Joey Froehlich
WAR AND PIECES by J. Travis Grundon
MOTHER'S SOLACE by Alan Spencer
SHEA by Kevin Shamel
UNTITLED by Joey Froehlich
THE NOWHERE ROOM by Andersen Prunty
CARNIVORL by Lee Hughes
HAPPINESS COMES IN SMALL PACKAGES by Brian Barnett

AVAILABLE HERE

See what I'm saying? Huzzah! And amazon is so excited they'll give you FREE shipping if you order them together! Boo. Ya. Ka.

MoOn

Mr. Moon Interviews William Pauley III

I'm sitting in a small dark room with stale smoke swirling around me. I've turned up the radio and let the animals out of their cages. I've smashed all the light bulbs and stepped on the broken glass. No, it's not my birthday. I'm trying to get in the right state of mind to talk with William Pauley III. Mr. Pauley is a hard working bizarro author/editor that writes quick moving bizarro fiction that jumps genres faster than Jamey Jasta from Hatebreed can do a pop star kick. Seriously friends, William Pauley III will be at the forefront of bizarro authors leaving their stain on the literary world and you should get hip to him now. Take for example this interview...it's chock full of laughs, pop culture nightmares, and Pauley's undeniable attitude. Enjoy!

Q. First of all, can I call you Pauley 3?

A. Yes, but only if you call me William first.
(Interviewer Note: Too fancy and rich for a damned nickname, huh?)

Q. Okay now that that’s out of the way, what are the earliest influences on your writing? Please include any social factors for wanting to write in addition to other authors and their work. What made you want to write?

A. I’ve always loved to read. I remember when I was a child my parents would often take me to the library. I was always drawn towards science fiction and mysteries mainly. Stuff like Encyclopedia Brown and those fun little ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ books. I also loved Goosebumps, which I think may be why I love B-movies so much now, especially horror and sci-fi B-movies. I was also very, very influenced by 90’s Nickelodeon shows – pretty much all of them. Nickelodeon was so weird and funny back then. I would be surprised to find a bizarro author who didn’t grow up watching Nickelodeon. Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and Roald Dahl also became major influences for me. When I got a little older, around middle school age, I started reading more ‘grown up’ authors such as Ray Bradbury, George Orwell and H.G. Wells. While I always enjoyed horror films, I never really started reading horror until years later.

My first memory of actually writing was when I was about eight years old. My grandma gave me a blank notebook. I remember thinking that I wanted to write until every single page was filled up. I didn’t end up writing that much, but what I did write was a short story about the military finding an alien body and doing an autopsy on it. During the autopsy, the alien wakes up and kills everybody. A couple of years later, the movie INDEPENDENCE DAY came out and I was so pissed. I was convinced that they had stolen my story. But really, the story isn’t that original anyway. Looking back now, I am pretty sure that I had even stolen the idea from a documentary I had watched anyway. But yeah, I was a pissed little ten year old for a while, haha.

Q. I like my fiction weird and dark, and sometimes I like it short…so it seems this The New Flesh is made just for me. Just in case it isn’t could you tell us about it?

A. Actually, it was made just for you! The New Flesh is a blogzine that I started about a year and a half ago that specialized in publishing weird stories. When I first got brave enough to send my stories into magazines, I found that a lot of my stories were being rejected because of how weird they were. Since there weren’t really any places to publish weird flash fiction, I had to submit to the closest thing – horror flash websites and sci-fi websites. Then after the tenth or eleventh “this is too weird” letter, and knowing that I had many writer friends with this same problem, I decided to start my own website. We’ve got some killer tales, too! You should definitely check us out if weird is your thing.



Q. I enjoyed the hell out of Doom Magnetic! The high action bizarro mix of Sci-Fi Western and Violent Crime Horror makes for one of my favorite novellas of the year. And now I hear there’s a frak load more of Doom Magnetic to still be unleashed. Fill me in.

A. Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. And yes, you’ve heard right. Doom Magnetic! and its two sequels, Doom Magnetic!! and Doom Magnetic!!!, will be released in a single volume tentatively titled, THE COMPLETE DOOM MAGNETIC! through LegumeMan books. LegumeMan had read the first book and liked it so much that they slapped me with a check for $5,000,000 [notice I said ‘slapped me with’ not ‘paid me’] to publish it and its sequels. I can’t really give away any of the plot details just yet, but you can expect more fast-paced, facked-out mayhem with your cowboy pal, Maundin, and the ever evil Qoser, the Japanese assassin with a cue-ball eye. It is going to kick your ass.

(Interviewer note: Keep your eyes turned towards Australia for this KILLER collection of awesome bizarro story!!!!)

Q. What else are you working on?

A. Right now I am crazy busy writing the Doom Magnetic! sequels, but I also have another book in the works called Demolition Ya-Ya. It’s a novel about a man who wakes up in the middle of the desert to find that he is melting. He has no memory of who he is or why he is melting, but he soon finds himself caught in a dangerous game. It is a very dark sci-fi/bizarro/horror tale that will be published by The Library of Bizarro Horror Press alongside a novel by the great Jordan Krall. I’m very excited about working with both The Library of Bizarro Horror and Jordan Krall.

I also have a book coming out VERY soon from Grindhouse Press called The Brothers Crunk – An 8-Bit Fack-It-All Adventure in 2D. If you grew up in the eighties playing Atari, SEGA, or the almighty NES, then you won’t want to miss this weird little book where the characters live in a world that uses classic video game accessories as real weapons. Look for it to hit in the next month or so.

(Interviewer Note: I can honestly say, as The Library of Bizarro Horror, that we are honored to work with both William Pauley III and Jordan Krall...this will rip faces off!)

Q. Who is your all-time favorite bad guy from movies or literature?

A. Oh man, this is a toughie. I tend to like villains much more than heroes, so I have a pretty long list of ultimate badasses. I really like The Joker. I really, really enjoyed Gary Oldman’s character in Leon, The Professional – man, he was insane! I also really like Mr. Gone from the comic book series The Maxx. He had his head cut off twice and the man still fucking owned! But my all-time favorite? Probably Darryl Revok from the movie Scanners. If anyone else can think of a more brilliant badass than Michael Ironside, then I’d love to hear it.


Q. Why does William Pauley III write bizarro fiction instead of civil war romance novels?

A. Start up The Library of Civil War Romance Press and I will get to writing.

(Interviewer Note: Maybe we'd finally get rich!)


Q. If you could pick 6 horror movies for an all night movie marathon which would they be?
A. Only 6?! Okay… off the top of my head: Tokyo Gore Police, The Brood, The Thing, Dust Devil, Microwave Massacre, and Let Me In (no, not LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. Yes, I’ve seen both versions and prefer the remake).


Q. Speaking of that what is your favorite Disney movie?

A. Tron.

(Interviewer Note: Niiiiice!)


Q. While we are on a roll how far would you make it through Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory?

A. To the very end. And when Mr. Wonka gave me the factory, I’d wait until the old fart kicked the bucket, sell it and make millions.


Q. Frankenstein or the Wolfman?

A. Frankenstein. I can’t stand werewolves. Boooorrrriiiinnnggg…


Q. Water, Whiskey, or coffee?

A. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.


Q. If you could kick one super hero in the nards with no repercussions who would it be?

A. Superman, even though it would probably break my foot rather than hurt him. Fancy alien asshole.

Q. Who said, “That rug really tied the room together…did it not?”?

A. THE DUDE.

(Interviewer Note: I would have also accepted Walter Sobchek, I had to watch The Big Lebowski this morning to make sure The Dude said it too. Damn, it there goes my streak.)

Q. Any advise to aspiring writer types?

A. Don’t take advice.


Q. Quick, first name your all time favorite piece of bizarre fiction and then name drop five bizarre talents!

A. My all-time favorite piece of bizarre fiction is Mark Z. Danielewski’s HOUSE OF LEAVES. Check it out if you get the chance. Oh and I’m also nearly finished reading Jordan Krall’s BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE APOCALYPSE DONKEYS which may very well end up being my favorite bizarro book ever. It’s damn good and should be available soon. Five bizarre talents? 1) Jordan Krall, 2) Matthew Revert, 3) Garrett Cook, 4) Steve Lowe, 5) Chris Bowsman (look for his excellent debut early next year)

DEATHMATCH Question

Q. Your character Qoser from Doom Magnetic, he of the cueball eye and the ability to open the Doom Magnetic, is searching the galaxy for the man known as Maudin accompanied by a small army of the ferocious little bastards known as Mopes. Qoser follows Maudin’s scent to a Brokencyde show. Qoser and his mopes end up in the screamocrunksters dressing room. Three burley body guards surround the brightly attired rocker/clubers. Undaunted by the men Qoser does what he does and asks if they know where Maudin is. The band responds by dousing Qoser with champagne. His cueball eye ball twitches and chaos erupts. Describe the carnage and the outcome in 1,500 words

A. The Brokencyde boys giggle into their armpits as Qoser wrings out his champagne soaked kimono. He is holding the ends of thirty leather leashes in his fist, of which thirty blood-thirsty mopes are attached to, so he has to squeeze the liquid out of his dress with only one hand. The mopes tug anxiously at their leashes, their blood-stained teeth hang like daggers on the outside of their mouths.
“I’m going to ask one last time, and I suggest you answer me straight,” Qoser says, shaking the liquid from his hand. “Where. Is. Maundin?”
The boys try their best to keep from bursting into laughter, their faces turning cherry-red from not breathing. All of them that is except for Mikl, who seems lost in thought.
“You…” Qoser says, pointing at Mikl. “You know where he is, don’t you?”
Mikl looks up at Qoser and screws up his face, “What’d you say his name was again, yo?”
“Maundin.” Qoser repeats, stepping a foot closer. The mopes are now only inches away from Brokencyde. They dart their tongues out like frogs, tasting them. Saliva gathers in puddles on the floor.
Mikl closes his eyes and begins to bob his head, mumbling nonsense under his breath. “Yo, yo… check it… yo… I got a FREAKDIDDY all up in my biznazz,” Mikl sings, his voice suddenly and oddly electronic. “Askin’ for a mothafucka, ain’t nobody seen him…”
Se7en stands up and combs his frizzy dyed hair down into his face with his fingers. He begins to scream along with Mikl’s rap. “FREAKDDIDDDDDDDDYYYYY!!!!!! MOTHAFUCKAAAA!!!!!”
“Oh shit!” Mikl looks back at Se7en and playfully punches his shoulder. “We’z just wrote another muthafuckin’ song, yo! This one’s GOT to be the one that gets us dat mothafuckin’ Grammy.”
“NO DOUBT!” Se7en screams.
Qoser checks the word count. Shit, only 300. I must somehow make this last for another 1,200 words! He drops the leather leashes from his hand. The mopes rip every last inch of meat from their bones, even licking up the blood on the floor afterwards. Qoser raises his hand high in the air. The bones suddenly begin to move and levitate off the floor. Qoser whips his hand around, causing the bones to swirl together and tighten into a large ball of gore (hey, that rhymes!).
Thirty diehard Brokencyde fans stand in front of the stage, anxiously awaiting the most crunktastic band in history to come out and scream nonsense into their faces for the next two hours. The lights go out. The thirty drunk-out-of-their-fucking-skulls fans all start screaming and falling over one another. The curtains pull back, revealing a faint silhouette of something hanging over the stage. The spotlights come on and make their way over to the object – the giant ball of bloody Brokencyde bones.
The crowd is silent for nearly thirty seconds as they all stand and stare at the mess of bone. Finally, someone in the crowd screams, “GET CRUNK, MOTHAFUCKA!” And the others scream and start dancing, even though there is no music. A couple of the girls even sneak on stage and drink Brokencyde blood out of the other’s navel – the most crunkaliscious blood eva!
Qoser walks out onto the stage and grabs the microphone. “I just wanted to apologize for only doing about half of the required word count, but you can’t possibly understand how annoying these kids were. I mean, sure… I would have loved to have tortured them a bit, but that song… that fucking song put me over the top,” Qoser takes a deep breath. “So long for now… oh, and don’t forget to tip your bartender. Good night!”
A few people clap as he exits the stage, but no one listened to a single word. A few hours later, the place begins to empty out. Not a soul complained about the band not showing up for the show. Surprisingly, no one seemed to notice.

(Interviewer note: Okay, this is a great DEATCHMATCH, however, I just had to point out if Pauley would have described every character as 'drunk-out-of-their-fucking-skulls' he would have reached the word count. Don't give up kids, and use long descriptive words in catchy phrases when you need to thicken things up.)

Ladies and Gentlemen, William Pauley the III!!!!
Look, the front side of his head!

You can find Pauley all over the internet but I recommend looking for him at his blog

Grindhouse Press whom will be publishing The Brothers Crunk.

Stop by and read all the strangeness you can handle or you can sub your crazy weird stories to him at The New Flesh

Next up...Eric S. Brown!!!!

Mr. Moon's review Of Eric S. Brown's Bigfoot War

I've decided to start doing a few reviews of independent fiction books on this here Monkey Faced Demon blog. When I started the interviews I was lucky enough to have David Dunwoody, one of my favorite authors and good friends, go first. And now with the book reviews I'm starting again with someone I am a fan of and a friend to; Eric S. Brown. So without any more blah, blah...

Bigfoot War

By Eric S. Brown


As a kid my dad took us to Yellowstone National Park up to once a week during summer time. The tree covered mountains and wide beautiful fields of wildflowers are forever in my mind. Since my youth I’ve fanaticized about what lies in the shadow of those tall evergreens and what dances through the high mountain meadows in the moon light. Even with my hyper-violent over active imagination I never saw Bigfoot the way Eric S. Brown does in his new Bigfoot War. Massive thick beasts with savage claws and even more savage brute strength live in the heavily wooded area around Babble Creek, NC.
The book opens with a frantic attack that leaves a young boy named Jeff without his brother and father. Jeff tells the town what burst from the trees and slaughtered his family but he is branded crazy by the town. Jeff grows up and never looses his thirst for revenge against the hairy murderer. He shows back up in town and his sole thoughts are on destroying the massive beast that killed his family. He rounds up some help and stalks the blood thirsty beast in the surrounding forest.
Jeff gets his revenge by slaughtering the Bigfoot but at a high price. Unfortunately for the very skeptical town a tribe of the massive brutal beasts is thrown into a fury over the murder of one of their own. So begins the slaughter! From here it is all out battle as the fierce tribe of beasts tear apart the town and every inhabitant they can get their claws on. Now, I’ve been a fan of ESB since I’ve read Season of Rot and I’ve read everything he has released since. I love his style and his style shines here. When the monsters attack the tension is high and the gore sprays. Fleeting rays of hope are snuffed out with giant clawed hands.
ESB made his name with zombie tales but he proves with Bigfoot War he can write whatever his swimming mind wants to. I don’t know if the Bigfoot is one of his favorite monsters from his youth or if Babble Creek is based on his home town but Bigfoot War, while as violent as they come, has a more personal feel than most of ESB’s other works. I can’t get enough and thankfully I won’t have to because he is working on the sequel right now! I highly recommend not only Bigfoot War but anything written by Eric S. Brown.

You can order Bigfoot War here

Mr. Moon Interviews Benjamin Rogers

Hello all! I'm very excited to bring you now a few questions with one of my brothers from The Library of the Living Dead; Benjamin Rogers! Benjamin has been working hard at spreading the world for the first novel in his trilogy, Faith and The Undead. Benjamin is also a fellow zombie fan and Pink Floyd fan that is a convention going fool. He has taken time out of his busy schedule to chat with me, so we'd better get down to it!

Q.Let’s start at the beginning. How long have you wanted to write and what were your earliest influences? Has your style changed any as you read more and more authors work?

A. Actually I don’t ever remember wanting to be an author. I wrote in High School and college but that was for assignments. It hasn’t been until the past couple years that I really took up the pen for ‘me’ and just let the words flow.

My style changes every time I read something by a different author. I pick up something new. Except Cormack McCarthy’s lack of punctuation. I can’t stand that! I guess I’m a blend of every author I’ve ever read from William W. Johnstone (The Ashes series) to Shakespeare.

(Interviewer Note: Blood Meridian is one of my favorite novels of all time and the lack of punctuation drives me crazy as well.)


Q. Your debut novel is FAITH & THE UNDEAD, part of a trilogy. How much of the story have you figured out? How long has such a big idea been in your head?

A. To be honest I have the entire story in my head. I know where everything is going and what is going to happen to each character. The big task is getting down on paper. I’m pretty sure some of the things I do are going to confuse and upset some people but I don’t write for pulp. I write because I have a story to tell and usually my tales have a definitive purpose.

The story came about after the 2009 Horror Realm in Pittsburgh. I was working on a different story at that time, but after the convention I chose a different route that led to the Trilogy of the Undead!


Q. What is keeping you busy right now?

A. Well, I’m obviously working on Book 2, CRUSADES & THE UNDEAD which is now a weekly blog post on my website at www.benjamincrogers.com. I’m also working on recording FAITH & THE UNDEAD as an audio book but that is something I have no experience with so it is taking a little time!

Of course there are the endless home improvement projects and my beautiful 18 month old daughter Mallory Jayne to keep me busy!


Q. Fast zombies or slow zombies?

A. I’m a diehard traditionalist so I lean heavily toward slow zombies. I prefer the concept of mass death moving towards you. There are plenty of other fast monsters out there!


Q. How far would you make it through Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory?

A. Now that I’m diabetic I’d like to think I could make it all the way through but my guess is that I wouldn’t make it past the river of chocolate! There were so many things to choose from in there that I’d be running the other kids over!

(Interviewer Note: If I fell into a chocolate river i wouldn't come back up until I couldn't feel my arm.)

Q. Where do you see independent horror is three and a half years?

A. Honestly I really see independent horror taking over from the larger publishers in that time. There are so many great authors out there like Dunwoody, North, Moon, Long…. It is hard for me to say nothing will change. We have the LOVE that large publishers don’t!
(Interviewer Note: Hey, I know them dudes!)

Q. To what do you attribute the growing popularity of zombie fiction?

A. We had an interesting discussion at Horror Realm 2010 about the zombie being the last monster archetype. I think that people are realizing that the zombie is the closest thing to a 'true’ monster we will ever get. It could be your wife, lover, child, neighbor, or someone you don’t even know moaning on the other side of the door or pounding on it to get to your flesh! That is truly scarier than some vampire lurking outside your window!


Q. Who said, ‘I don’t roll on Shabas!’?

A. First of you crazy fool, the Jewish day of rest is spelled ‘Shabbos’! And the man who said it is Walter Sobchak from “The Big Lebowski”. One of John Goodman’s greatest roles ever!

(Interviewer Note: Way to point out my non-Jewness, Benjamin! And ten bonus points for your correct answer!)

Q. What was the first scary movie that you remember watching? Do you remember the last time you watched it?

A. Omega Man, with my Dad when I was little. We had just moved to Pittsburgh and bought a house that needed a lot of work. One Saturday it was really nasty out and Dad decided to sit down on and watch some B-grades on Superhost out of Cleveland. He called me in with him and we watched Omega Man. I watch it twice a year and am due on 11/6 since it was my Dad’s birthday!

Q. Speaking of that, if you could pick 6 horror movies for an all-night movie marathon what would they be?

A. Night of the Living Dead – Got to go old school here!
The Exorcist (original uncut) – Dude, seriously! I get to meet Linda Blair at Horror Hound next week and have no clue what I’m going to say!
Dawn of the Dead (original) – No doubt. Screw the remake!
Event Horizon – Gotta feed the sci-fi fan in me!
The Last Man on Earth – Vincent Price & a Richard Matheson story to boot! This was a no brainer for inclusion!
Omega Man – I know. Charleton Heston in an inaccurate remake of The Last Man on Earth. It has sentimental value for me!

(Interviewer Note: I am down for this marathon!)

Q. Okay, spotlight on Mr. Rogers, please….What is your all-time favorite piece of zombie fiction so far?

A. Damn, MoOn! Not an easy question to answer. If you are talking film then there is no doubt only one choice and that is Night of the Living Dead. When it comes to the written word I have to say it is Empire by David Dunwoody. Something about Empire really struck a chord in me. Something deep. It is a big inspiration behind me writing the Trilogy of the Undead. I will say that I greatly prefer independent zombie work as opposed to major publishing. I think we have more unique ideas and presentation!

(Interviewer Note: I agree, Empire is one hell of a great zombie novel!)

Q. Are there any local legends around where you live?

A. We don’t have anything major like Bigfoot, but we do have some things that are based in historical fact. We have Mansfield Penitentiary, which was a brutal prison and is purportedly quite haunted. There is also Camp Chase which was a Confederate Prisoner of War camp. It is haunted by the voices of children and a woman that is dressed in white who is supposedly looking for someone. Also this area was on the front edge of the frontier so we have a lot of ‘dead’ towns around here. You’ll find a lot of old buildings that have fallen down to rubble so there are hauntings around there. We do have a ‘plague’ cemetery. When they built all the canals through Ohio there was a rash of mysterious deaths during the construction near a small town called Lockbourne, OH. They buried all the people together to isolate the disease but there is no documentation of the cause of death. You can actually see it in the center of a cornfield now a day!


Q. Aside from zombies, what is your favorite ALL-TIME monster from film or book?

A. While not a huge fan of gore I love Pinhead from Hellraiser. There is just something about him. The stoic nature, the dark poise. He scares the crap out of me!

Q. Quick, name drop five great independent horror talents!

A. Okay MoOn, I’m going to treat this like NFL picks. Four that everyone knows and then I’m going out on a limb for my fifth!

David Dunwoody, Stephen North, TW Brown, Ben Jones, and my out on the limb pick Monique-Cherie Snyman (Keep an eye on this writer! I think she is going to go a long long way!)


DEATHMATCH QUESTION...

Q. The zombie virus is spreading across the face of the planet at an alarming rate. America is torn asunder by the gnashing teeth of an undead army. China has gone dark and black smoke billows from the devastation of its greatest cities. South America is crowded with the risen dead and even the dense forests offer no safety. Britain is the last country to fall and people are doing their best to just go on with life. Agent 007, James Bond, is as stressed as the rest of his countrymen and, like many, he seeks the calming trance a Pink Floyd show brings. Halfway through the laser show chaos erupts and zombies attack. Crew, security, and fans alike are attacked and then rise again to claim their pound of flesh. In all the chaos 007 and Pink Floyd frontman David Gilmore escape the crowd of ravenous dead and climb up into the catwalks. 007 sends Gilmore up the ladder first and for his act of heroism he receives a zombie bite on his ankle. He manages to climb the ladder but collapses at the top. David Gilmore, armed only with a day-glo green guitar, approaches the super spy but backs up when 007 snarls viciously at him with blood dripping from his open mouth. SO now, Benjamin, tell me what happens when Zombie 007 faces off with David Gilmore! You have 1,000 words to describe the carnage and the outcome!

Gilmour looked down upon the now green skinned Bond as he pulled himself across the catwalk. The wound on his ankle had festered so badly that Bond’s leg couldn’t support his weight. The Pink Floyd front man backed up slowly knowing that he had some space behind and some time to figure out what he was going to do about this current predicament.
Let’s see. I’ve thrown a concert in a Roman amphitheater in Pompeii, made beds fly, and pigs soar through the sky. With that rhymed thought, Gilmour began to strum his day-glo green Strat that he was trying out for the show. At any regular concert he would have gone for his black one but there was something special about today. Something special indeed!
“What’s wrong my dear David? Is there something amiss? I told you years ago I would control the world,” the voice behind Gilmour exclaimed.
He turned his head partway to the voice, never taking both eyes off the undead Bond that had paused his forward progress. On the giant screen over the stage, Gilmour could see a giant white Persian cat with a hand stroking the fur on its head. As the camera panned back the face that greeted the guitarist shocked him, Roger Waters.
“You stole my band, David. I’m here to take it back!”
Gilmour bristled at the accusation and began to strum the tones of a modern Floyd favorite, “Dogs of War.” He knew that Waters was always jealous of that song and that the undead were oddly terrified of the large animal. As Bond picked up with his advance towards him, the giant German Shepherds from the video came up on the huge screen and began their lope across the field.
Bond, in his extreme fear, fell shrank back from the guitarist opening a large gap between the man and zombie. Realizing his chance, Gilmour changed songs to “Pigs (three different ones)” from the Animals album. When the song starts, Gilmour knew that Algie the Fifth, would come fly across the top of the stadium right where his nemesis stood. Sure enough, from behind the stage, came Algie the large inflatable pig that had kept audiences entertained for almost thirty years.
The slight breeze gently buffeted the remote control porcine blimp as she made her way out into the open stadium. The laser show that displayed on the large screen kept Bond occupied with flashing lights as the porker made its way closer and closer until it was too late for the undead super spy. The forelock of the pig caught him in the small of the back and flipped him over the railing that the zombie had used to pull himself upright. Gilmour watched the body tumble through the air as he led into one of the songs many guitar riffs and splatter against the seat that had been set up on the stadiums floor.
“Damn it Gilmour! You bloody git! How dare you foil my plans again?” shouted the voice from the screen.
“Anytime, Roger. I warned you once and I’ll warn you again; do not mess with The Floyd!”
With that declaration the screen went dark. During his battle with the British Agent, Bond, the stadium had managed to clear out as the undead chase their living quarry out into the night air of the town. Stand atop the catwalk and looking out into the empty venue, Gilmour smirked and began to play one of his all-time favorite songs, “Comfortably Numb.” He broke into the lyrics through his wireless microphone and had a surprise.
When he asked the line, “Is there anybody out there?” a voice spoke up from the arena floor.
“I am sir!”
Gilmour looked down to see a young girl, maybe fifteen years of age standing below him amongst the strewn seats and body parts.
“Have you been bitten?”
“No sir!”
“Good! Do you know who I am?”
“You’re the lead singer of Floyd!”
“Yes, but what’s my name?”
The girl looked down at the floor and built up the courage for her reply. “I don’t know, sir!”
Gilmour stood back for a second and looked around the arena taking in the carnage, devastation and most of all Bond’s broken body not twenty feet from the teenage survivor.
“It’s Gilmour, David Gilmour. Double O Pig, Zombie Hunter!”

Nicely done!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Benjamin Rogers!



Be sure to track Benjamin down at his web site
NEXT Up- William Pauley III!!!!!

Mr. MoOn's Nightmares All Day Day (12-10-10)

It has been roughly six months since the release of Mr. Moon’s Nightmares! The Library of Horror helped make the dream of sharing a collection of my dark stories with the world come true. As my first published work it has been well received in horror circles....check the BLURB-AGE...

"I love a good nightmare, and Jonathan Moon never disappoints when he pries his head open to show us all the dark things inside."
-David Dunwoody, author of EMPIRE and UNBOUND & OTHER TALES


“Mr. Moon's Nightmares is eminently satisfying. Mr. Moon is a crafter of stories, pure and simple. He knows how to set the mood, give the right amount of ambiance, and then provides an eerie creepiness that immerses the reader in the doom and gloom of each tale.”
-Patrick D'Orazio, author of COMES THE DARK


"Jonathan Moon's writing grips you with a breathless mix of terror, beauty, and creepiness that is hard to resist."-- Lori Titus, author of GREEN WATER LULLABY and LAZARUS.


“Jonathan Moon weaves stories in fine detail, with a style that ensnares the reader and then scares the living snot of them in straight-shooting, out-and-out, blood and guts staccato. Ride with him and whoop your way to hell.” --Kevin Shamel, author of ROTTEN LITTLE ANIMALS


“Jonathan Moon pulls the sinister from the seemingly innocent. Like a sadistic surgeon of words, Moon takes horror to a new level, slowly slicing our piece of mind until there is nothing left but our raw fear. He’s the only guy I know who can turn ladybugs into harbingers of violent terror. His tales are poetic, dark, and oddly beautiful.” –Jordan Krall, author of SQUID PULP BLUES and FISTFUL OF FEET

So, if all these killer writers enjoy Mr. Moon's Nightmares you are bound to as well. I feel I've put together a great collection of fine horrorcore for horror fiends such as yourself.

I, being the god of my world, have deemed December 10, 2010 Mr. Moon’s Nightmares All Day Day! On this brisk December day I want to take a chunk out of the horror market and shake it for the world! ‘How can I help this half deranged writer so he leaves me be?’ you may be asking yourself. Well, this half deranged writer wrote out a list of ways for you!



1. Buy Mr. Moon’s Nightmares! If you haven’t yet, on December 10, 2010 go to

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Moons-Nightmares-Jonathan-Moon/dp/1451577249/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1287516260&sr=1-1"

I want to see that sales rank jump! More sales means more advertising and I want to hop on that train! Now, maybe you already own a copy of this masterful collection of terror but perhaps you have friends that would enjoy a copy under their Christmas tree! I’m planning the event so all books ordered will be delivered in time for Christmas!



2. Give Mr. Moon’s Nightmares a review on Amazon! Go to http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Moons-Nightmares-Jonathan-Moon/product-reviews/1451577249/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1"

and tell the world how scary and beautiful Mr. Moon’s Nightmares is.





3. Blog about it! If you have a blog you could help my cause by reviewing Mr. Moon’s Nightmares, promoting Mr. Moon’s Nightmares All Day Day, or even, for the boldest amongst you interview me! If you do wish to review Mr. Moon’s Nightmares for your blog I’ll shoot ya off a PDF copy!



4. Join the the facebook event page for Mr. Moon’s Nightmares All Day Day. Hang out while I spin mad promos and ramble on and on and on. Tell your friends so we can all be FRIENDS together.
http://http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=170572399623444"


Any way you can help is greatly appreciated!

As an added bonus I’ll be posting up different things all day on 12-10-10 like my favorite music videos, favorite quotes, and profanity laced alcohol fueled reviews of my favorite books and movies! I’ll be giving away a few MP3s of me reading a select few stories from Mr. Moon’s Nightmares.

I plan on interviewing MYSELF, with questions you can send me to be answered, at my Monkey Faced Demon blog!

As a special added bonus I will be giving away some of my favorite independent books of the year! I plan on giving away a pack of nine books including titles by David Dunwoody, ESB, Jordan Krall, Tim Long, Kevin Shamel, and Carlton Mellick III! For EVERY copy of Mr. Moon’s Nightmares bought I will put your name in a drawing. If you order Mr. Moon’s Nightmares and the forthcoming Houdini Gut Punch I’ll enter you three times in the drawing!



Only a month and a half away dear friends but I feel ready. Thank you for reading and thank you for being there. Join me on December 10, 2010 to celebrate great independent horrorcore with Mr. Moon’s Nightmares All Day Day!



Thank you all for helping me make my dreams come true!!!!



Jonathan MoOn

Mr. Moon is in ABANDONED 2

I'm very honored to be in the second installment of awesome photographer Jason Baker's Abandoned series. I closed the first collection and I was lucky enough to open this one. My style works very well with Jason's and I enjoy every chance I get to work with him. We will have a lot of great dark goodness for you in the coming years. Also, I'm honored to share the Table of Contents with a few good friends and all great writers. SEVEN great horror stories! Over FIFTY of Mr. Baker's eerie creepy photos!!

Here is the Table of Contents and below it the links on how to order...

All That Glimmers Isn't Copper- by Jonathan MoOn

Atop Hepatica Hill- by Stephen W. Roberts

The Intruder- by Todd Martin

Dilapidated Souls- by Robert Essig

Reawakening- by Charlotte Emma Gledson

The Sickly Hall- by Seb Naylor

The Blue Man In The Shadows- by Chris Bartholomew

You can order Abandoned 2 here...

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1608536#about-book


You can order the first Abandoned, with my story Conversing Doctor DeFeo, here...

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1209915


ENJOY!!!!

Mr. Moon Interviews Jeremy C. Shipp

I love independent fiction like heroin loves the needle. Seriously, immediately after finishing Jeremy C. Shipp's incredible new collection Fungus of the Heart I sat down and wrote out these questions. Jeremy is a stand out talent and a star on the rise, his talent is only overshadowed by his kindness and humility. I'm very proud to bring you a few words with the wonderfully unique Jeremy C. Shipp.

Q. Let’s start at the very beginning. Do you remember the first thing that made you want to write? Please include any social influences as well as other author’s work.

A. My greatest influence was playing pretend with my brothers when I was a kid. We would come up with complex storylines and recurring characters such as the grim reaper and an extremely lucky wrestler with two Neanderthal sidekicks. I also fell in love with storytelling thanks to creative individuals such as HG Wells, Terry Gilliam, Ray Bradbury, George Lucas, Alexandre Dumas, Jim Henson, Jules Verne.


Q. Do you remember your first published story?

A. My first published story was called “Love Thy Demon.” It was either about a demon or an anthropomorphic tea cozy. I can’t remember which.


Q. What are you working on right now?

A. I’m hard at work on a new dark fiction collection, a middle grade fantasy novel, a screenplay, and a couple other projects. Oh, and I’m starting an indie rock band with the Mothra Twins and Max Headroom.

(Interviewer note: Be careful that Max Headroom is a son of a bitch.)

Q. Who is your ALL TIME favorite bad guy for books or movies?

A. The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra.


Q. Why does Jeremy C. Shipp write bizarro fiction and not glittery vampire stories?

A. I go wherever my imagination takes me, and my imagination takes me to worlds inhabited by zombie polar bears, boys who live in cabinets, and mold sprites.


Q. For your story ‘Flapjack’, from The Bizarro Starter Kit: Blue, the characters seem to have their own language. How did you come up with it? And do you have a translation guide in case I missed something?

A. I’ve always loved playing around with language, and so it was easy for me to come up with Flapjack-speak. The only translation guide exists in my head, but every word in the story can be understood through context.


Q. How far would you make it through Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory?

A. Being vegan, I’d go to Billy Bonka’s Vegan Chocolate Factory instead, where all the chocolate tastes moderately disgusting. Billy Bonka believes it’s wrong to remove Oompa Loompas from their native lands, and so he enslaves the plant-based Poompa Ploompas instead, which is much more ethical. I would make it all the way through the factory, because I’m quite the goody two-shoes. After I inherit the factory, the Poompa Ploompas would convince me that all plants have feelings, and I’d end up starving to death.

(Interviewer note: Poompa Ploompas are delicious sauteed in olive oil and garlic.)

Q. If you could pick 6 horror movies for an all-night movie marathon which would they be?

A. Audition, Dead Alive, Psycho, The Happiness of the Katakuris, May, The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra.
( Interviewer note: I'm goggling the Lost Skeleton of Cadavra as soon as i post this!)





Q. In your fantastic new collection of short stories. ‘Fungus of the Heart’, there are several reoccurring themes; such as War, Redemption, Family, Gender, Love, Hope and Despair. As different as the stories all are they all seem interconnected if only through theme and subject. Was this intentional? How much of your personal life do you put into your stories?

A. I wanted each story to be its own universe, but I wanted these universes to be funhouse mirror reflections of our own world. Every story in the collection focuses on relationships. Love, family, friendship. My personal life bleeds into my stories, and my stories bleed into my personal life, but I would never write an autobiography or a memoir. The characters and situations in my stories are only somewhat inspired by real life. For instance, the way that Cicely and Nicholas (from my novel Cursed) talk to each other reminds me of how me and my wife talk to each other sometimes.

Q. As a leader in the new Bizarro movement you’ve organized an on-line writer’s workshop. Can you tell us all about it?

A. I teach an online writing course called the Jeremy C. Shipp Yard Gnome Fiction Army Bootcamp. My students read lectures and complete weekly writing exercises. They also write and critique short stories and novel chapters. If anyone reading this would like to learn more about the course, feel free to email me at bizarrobytes@gmail.com.


Q. Who said, “It’s a fucking show dog! It has papers!” ?

A. I have no idea, dude. Walter Cronkite?
(Interviewer note: Soooo close, Walter Sobchek. John Goodman's character from The Big Lewbowski.)

Q. Stephen Roberts (of The Dark Fiction Show fame) states in his bio that your novel ‘Vacation’ changed the way he looks at fiction. Does being an inspiration to your fellow writers make you feel as sexy as it would make me feel?

A. Being an inspiration to other writers makes me feel like a yard gnome shaman who’s just discovered a new species of magic mushroom.


Q. Whiskey, water, or coffee?

A. I don’t drink coffee or anything alcoholic, so I’d have to choose the Smurf smoothie.


Q. How many yard gnomes live in your yard? Have you ever seen them attack?

A. The colony in my yard consists of 634 worker gnomes, a Queen, four shamans, and a pair Vaudevillian gnomic pirates. I once watched my yard gnomes tear apart an attic clown using nothing but their titanium sporks. It was horrific, and yet somehow grotesquely beautiful.

(Interviewer note:I would be scared shitless around that many yard gnomes!)

Q. Quick, name drop five Bizarro talents!

A. Andersen Prunty, Tom Bradley, Gina Ranalli, John Edward Lawson, Carlton Mellick III.


Q. Any advise for aspiring writers?

A. Read and write every day. Write even when writing feels like the last thing in the universe you want to do. Also, don’t let rejection get you down. Rejection letters are good for you. They’re high in omega-3 fatty acids.

DEATHMATCH Question!!!!!!

Q. Your attic clown saunters down to steal some bagels from your breakfast table and is confronted by none other than Earnest Hemingway. The two have a brief but silent conversation with their eyes, and then the shouting begins. It wakes you and you crash into your kitchen as the attic clown yells, “This house isn’t big enough for the two of us!”
Being the calming voice of reason you talk them into working out their problems the old fashioned way; with a two out of three falls battle!

Round 1. A spelling bee between the two big-word-loving-fiends.

Round 2. A bare-knuckle boxing match ala’ the 1930’s.

And if necessary….

Round 3. Each man builds his own giant robot warrior (think Voltron) and must destroy the other!

You have 1,500 words to describe the carnage and the outcome!!!!


A.

Looking down at the index card, I say, “Spell Kilimanjaro.”

“K...I…L—” Ernest begins earnestly.

“I’ll kill a man, Jer-o,” says the clown, and chortles until he pops a blood vessel.

Ernest sighs. “I’m not nearly drunk enough to spend time with such a fool.”

“It’s six in the morning,” I say.

“It’s six in the evening in Kilimanjaro,” Ernest says.

“No it’s not.”

At this point, the Attic Clown squirts the ground with demonic seltzer and raises a horde of balloon animals. They’re all bees and they’re all swarming around Ernest. They’re saying, “K.I.L.L.A.M.A.N.J.E.R.O.”

As the bees stab Ernest all over his body, the old man says, “K.I.L.I.M.A.N.J.A.R.O.”

“Ernest wins,” I say, and the bees all pop, spraying blood and pus all over Ernest’s head and safari clothes.

Next, the Attic Clown and Ernest shrink down to the size of a whiskey bottle. The attic clown changes his clothing and enters the Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot ring.

“I’m not going to get into the ring with Tolstoy,” Ernest says.

“But that’s not Tolstoy,” I say. “That’s just the Attic Clown in a Russian military uniform.”

“I refuse to fight anyone Tolstoy-esque.”

“Fine. The Attic Clown wins this round.”

For round three, Ernest and the Attic Clown build a couple of miniature giant robots out of LEGO bricks.

Ernest's Drunktron tries to shoot the Attic Clown's Gigglebot using a miniature giant shotgun, but the Drunktron can't shoot the broad side of a robotic barn.

Meanwhile, the Gigglebot slaps the Drunktron over and over with a miniature giant rubber chicken.

Eventually, Ernest is destroyed but not defeated.


Whoa, the first ever deathless DEATHMATCH, and I still loved it!
Bravo! thank you Jeremy C. Shipp!

You can find more Jeremy C. Shipp here...

http://www.jeremycshipp.com/
http://www.twitter.com/JeremyCShipp
http://rawdogscreaming.com/fungus.html

Next up Benjamin Rogers!!!!!