Friday, August 10, 2012

Bad Dreams/New Screams - A 2012 chapbook from Cemetery Dance


3.5 of 5 Stars

An interesting project conceptually, Bad Dreams/New Screams is a flip chapbook.  Bad Dreams is three stories from established authors in the horror field and then New Screams is an equal number of shorts from relative newcomers.

The known entities here include Ray Garton, Douglas Clegg and Brian Keene.  Some of the best writing today.  On the downside, all of the stories are dreadfully short.  I don't think any were more than ten pages, but then there is only so much room in a chapbook.

First up, from the demented mind of Ray Garton (by the way, I mean "demented" as a compliment), comes "A Date With Maggie".  Just one more reason to be wary of blind dates.

From Douglas Clegg, there's "The American".  A man driven by love to do despicable things.

And Brian Keene 's story is "The Ghosts of Monsters".  "It's all bullshit.  There's no such thing as monsters", but I guess that would depend on your definition of a monster.

New Screams include "Dr. Johnson's Patient" from C. W. LaSart, "The Wings of a Fly" from M. Louis Dixon and "Meat Socks" by Nikki McKenzie.  All competent stories from new authors worth keeping an eye on.

Nothing ground-breaking here, but a fun read throughout.

Available in a limited unsigned run of 600 copies from Cemetery Dance. http://www.cemeterydance.com/page/CDP/PROD/cemetery07




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