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A fellow horror-loving friend of mine recommended I watch “You’re Next,” and suggested it was a cross between “Home Alone” and “The Strangers.” Yeah. Okay. I like my humor black, thank you.

Luckily, this flick – directed by Adam Wingard and written by Simon Barrett – delivered the evil giggles. The plot isn’t anything new, since it involves a home invasion, but some “tweaking” was done, and it held my interest all the way through. I’ll even admit that a couple of times during those 96 minutes, I jumped violently enough to spill my favorite beverage.

The Davison family’s night of terror begins with a chilling message being scrawled in blood on their murdered neighbors’ wall. It’ll be their turn next, as the four siblings, and their significant others, gather at their parents’ secluded mansion to celebrate the couple’s milestone anniversary. The family is annoyingly dysfunctional, and I got a little impatient waiting for the slaughter to begin. The first arrow crashed through the dining room window and interrupted their squabbling just as I was about to hit the MUTE button on my remote.

As much as I disliked the spoiled siblings, Crispian (A.J. Bowen), Drake (Joe Swanberg), Felix (Nicholas Tucci) and Aimee (Amy Seimetz), their significant others were considerably more interesting. Well, at least the women were – Erin (Sharni Vinson), Zee (Wendy Glenn) and Kelly (Margaret Laney). Aimee’s boyfriend Tariq (Ti West) isn’t around long. I tried to feel some sympathy for the parents, Paul (Rob Moran) and Aubrey (Barbara Crampton), but then I decided they needed to pay the ultimate price for raising so many obnoxious kids.

The invaders are three men wearing animal masks (tiger/lamb/fox), because we all know that makes vicious killers more intimidating. When the gory attacks begin, so does the dark humor. Right away I started picking up on clues from the dialogue and figured out the reason behind the invasion well before the end of the film. But that was okay because I had a favorite character to root for and I wanted to see how it all played out.

Crispian is unaware of his Australian girlfriend’s survivalist upbringing, and to everyone’s surprise, Erin turns out to be one feisty little Outback sheila. She quickly takes charge of the situation, helping to protect the clueless and the undeserving. The crossbow killers are in for a bloody big challenge. And, for me, that’s what made the movie worth watching.

I like a horror film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Despite some noticeable flaws, this one provided decent acting to watch, some wicked chuckles and “gotcha” moments, and at least one cool character to care about. I even liked the Dwight Twilley music that accompanied much of the mayhem. Since the flick is definitely worth a DVD rental, I’m willing to give it three and a half goblins.

Unfortunately, I’ve had to put all fictional works in progress on hold the past few months to finish editing assignments and deal with the chaos of life, but my subconscious insists on creating mysterious tales to entice my lazy Muse to visit again. I dream a lot. Many times I don’t remember much about the details, though I might retain just enough memories to spark a story idea. The dream I had the other night was so vivid that I couldn’t get it out of my mind when I awoke. Not that I wanted to. That morning I wrote the whole scene down as it played out in my head. Perhaps one day it will become a full-blown short story or a novella. Perhaps not, but I admit I’d like to find out what happens to the narrator when she finally confronts her destiny.

“The Man with the Beautiful Smile”

I didn’t belong to them – I was aware of that from the start. I remember my real mother. Oh, my adoptive parents kept telling me those memories were just dreams, not reality, but I knew the truth.

Our last day together is forever etched in my mind. Party hats, and four candles on my Raggedy Ann cake. I had crazy red hair just like the famous doll I loved so much, and so did my mother. My fingers were sticky from the too-sweet icing. She cleaned my hands and took me out to play in the cool sand near the shore.

I was busy building a lopsided castle, listening to the waves crashing on the beach, and at first I didn’t realize that Mama had walked away from me. I looked up just in time to see her disappear behind a sand dune. When she didn’t come back right away, I got curious and followed her footprints until her slender figure came into view. She stood straight and still, staring out to sea, the foamy waves lapping at her bare ankles, the salty breeze lifting the skirt of her bright blue dress.

I called out to her, but she didn’t answer. When she turned to look behind her, that’s when I noticed the dark-haired man. He stood at the top of a nearby sand dune, dressed all in black. I still remember quite clearly how he smiled at her. That beautiful smile made me feel afraid, and I didn’t know why.

My mother was crying now. I could hear her sobbing over the noise of the surf.

I wanted to run to her, but for some reason I couldn’t move.

Mama started walking forward into the sea, only slowing down when she was waist deep and the waves slammed into her. She screamed right before she vanished beneath the water.

The dark-haired man appeared before me, suddenly, blotting out the sun. He knelt down and stared into my tear-streaked face. His eyes were the color of an angry sea.

“Run home now, darling Claire,” he said, with a voice deep and gentle. “Your mother is gone, but one day you’ll see me again.”

I must confess that I’m a sucker for television shows about vampires. (Pun intended.) And of course, I love movies and books that feature my favorite monster, too. Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” was the first horror novel I ever read. NBC’s re-imagining of this classic tale is different in many ways. (Actually, it differs in pretty much every way.) Six episodes in, with four to go, I’ve decided I’m committed to watching the rest of the first season – but not because the series is scary or shocking. Aside from a few scenes in the first episode, there hasn’t been much horror to witness. The main reason I enjoy the show is due to the fact that Dracula is being played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers (of “The Tudors” fame). This British-American production was filmed in Budapest, and I love the atmosphere, lavish sets, sumptuous costumes and the promise of a doomed gothic romance. So sue me.

In Romania in 1881, we first see Vlad Tepes as he’s being resurrected with a blood sacrifice by – surprise! – Abraham Van Helsing (Thomas Kretschmann). Apparently, Van Helsing has a bone to pick with a secret society known as the Order of the Dragon. He needs Dracula’s help to destroy them, knowing they were responsible for torturing the once powerful ruler known as Vlad Tepes and turning him into a vampire. Flash forward about fifteen years – the Count has arrived in London posing as a wealthy American businessman, Alexander Grayson. Van Helsing is a professor teaching medicine at a university and one of his star pupils is none other than Mina Murray (not yet married to Jonathan Harker). Mina (Jessica De Gouw) is a feminist with aspirations of becoming a doctor. Jonathan (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) is a reporter looking to climb the social ladder of success and Alexander Grayson gives him the opportunity. (Of course, Dracula has noticed that his employee’s fiancée looks exactly like his own late wife, Ilona.) I have never liked the character of Jonathan Harker and my opinion hasn’t changed. He’s supposed to be the good guy, but he comes across as wimpy, priggish and boring. (As my mother would tell you, I’ve always been more attracted to the bad guys – a serious flaw she happens to share.)

In this TV version, Jonathan and the Count aren’t the only ones in love with the beautiful Mina. Lucy Westenra (Katie McGrath) tries unsuccessfully to hide her true feelings for her best friend, while Mina tries to hide her growing attraction to Alexander Grayson. As for the Order of the Dragon, they have their top vampire hunter in bed with Dracula – literally. Lady Jayne Wetherby (Victoria Smurfit) is good with a sword, but she isn’t so good at relationships. I found it funny instead of ironic that she doesn’t know her lover is the vampire making snacks out of London’s prostitutes. Lust has made her blinder than a bat, and I think her bitchy, bad-ass character should be smarter. It’s not like the Count has “glamoured” her into believing he’s a warm-blooded human being. (As far as I can tell, this Dracula can’t shape-shift either, or turn into mist.)

In an interview I recently saw, Rhys Meyers said his Dracula was “a manifestation of pain and loss.” The show is mainly about betrayal and revenge.

Alexander Grayson is a charming con man. He plays mind games to gain Lady Jayne’s trust, knowing she is a member of the Order of the Dragon. One would think Dracula would destroy the secret society by finding each of the members and ripping their heads off, but his plan is more practical and long-term. The entrepreneur wants to wage an economic war and destroy their finances by coming up with a new energy source to devalue their oil interests. (Really, when I think about it, Dracula doesn’t seem nearly as evil as the diabolical J.R. Ewing.) The Count’s allies do their best to help him achieve this goal. Van Helsing works tirelessly on a serum that will allow Dracula to walk about during the daylight hours. An ex-lawyer, the loyal, intelligent Renfield (played by African-English actor Nonso Anozie) protects his boss at all costs, and the two share a solid friendship. (In this incarnation, Renfield is not a cockroach-eating lunatic.)

I think the right actors were cast in the right roles and I have no problem with their acting abilities. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Jessica De Gouw have good chemistry. The smoldering looks they share are believable, and I have to admit that’s the main reason I tune in every Friday night. I want to see Mina betray Harker and enjoy it. Of course, this is supposed to be a “limited” series and one would expect for Dracula to be bested in the end by the good guys – although members of the Order of the Dragon come across as the true villains in this show.

The bottom line? If what you want to see is true horror, explicit violence and sex, you should look elsewhere (HBO or Showtime?). This series is more of a cross between “Downton Abbey” and “Dallas.”

Halloween is fast approaching and it’s the perfect time of year for a scary read. If you like horror short story collections, check out my eBook, “The White Death and Other Ghastly Ghost Stories.” It includes eight reprinted tales along with two new ones. See the detailed description below.

If you know me at all, you know I’m a sucker for a good, creepy ghost story. I love to write’em, read’em, and watch’em on the big screen. Since we’ve officially entered Halloween season, I thought I’d list a dozen of my favorite movies from the last century. (There are a few new ones I haven’t seen so far this year, but I’m sure I’ll catch them on DVD at some point. Feel free to give me your own recommendations.)

Here’s my personal favorites list, from oldest to newest:

“THE UNINVITED” (1944) – Directed by Lewis Allen; starring Ray Milland, Gail Russell, Ruth Hussey

This black and white movie was based on Dorothy Macardle’s novel, and tells the story of a composer and his sister who fall in love with a beautiful, English seacoast mansion called Windward House. They soon find out why it sold for such a reasonable price: the house and the cliffside property are haunted by two entities – one benevolent, one malignant. Eventually they discover the truth about the long ago tragedy involving a love triangle that ended badly for all concerned. (But…when do love triangles ever have a happy ending?) I like the fact that there’s more than one decent plot twist in this old-fashioned story, and some genuinely eerie moments to enjoy.

“THE HAUNTING” (1963) – Directed by Robert Wise; starring Julie Harris, Richard Johnson and Claire Bloom

Based on the excellent novel by Shirley Jackson – “The Haunting of Hill House” – this creepy black and white film is about a team of paranormal investigators who decide to “conquer” Hill House, infamous for its lurid past of violent deaths and insanity. Unlike the book, which Jackson considered to be purely supernatural, the screenwriter decided to also turn it into a psychological horror flick, playing up the vulnerable female character’s mental instability.  Needless to say, all hell breaks loose on the team and the consequences are disastrous.

“THE SHINING” (1980) – Directed by Stanley Kubrick; starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers

Stephen King made it known that he hated this movie version, unfaithful to his novel of the same name, and he eventually had it turned into a TV mini-series (1997), which he approved. He thought Jack’s performance was over the top, and he disliked Shelley’s wimpish portrayal of her character. Oh, well. It’s scary fun, in my opinion (although I also liked the TV version). You probably already know this story well: A couple, John (“Jack”) and Wendy Torrance, and their young, psychic son, move to an isolated hotel (The Overlook) in the Rockies, where they must spend the entire winter. The alcoholic dad has the job of caretaker, and he soon falls under the influence of the evil entities haunting the huge place. I love the twin girls – and the “lady” in the tub. The scene where the young, psychic Danny encounters her in Room 217 gives me chills to this day. (Incidentally, I’m getting ready to read King’s long-awaited sequel to “The Shining” – “Doctor Sleep.”)

“THE CHANGELING” (1980) – Directed by Peter Medak; starring George C. Scott, Melvyn Douglas, Trish Van Devere

Classical composer John Russell relocates from NYC to Seattle, trying to get over the sudden death of his wife and young daughter in a car accident. His new friend, Claire, talks him into renting a monstrously huge mansion, and it doesn’t take long for John to realize he’s not alone in the house. To quote writer M.R. James, I felt “pleasantly uncomfortable” pretty much all the way through this film. I also felt moved to tears on occasion, not just from the grief displayed by John due to the loss of his family, but by the terrible secret he uncovers about the child entity that haunts the mansion. Spooky stuff.

“GHOST STORY” (1981) – Directed by John Irvin; starring Fred Astaire, John Houseman, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Melvyn Douglas, Alice Krige

Four elderly, successful gentlemen (Ricky, Ed, John, Sears) have a private club they call “The Chowder Society” – they meet every week to tell horror stories. For fifty years, they’ve also shared a horrible secret. When they were young, they were all in love with a beautiful, mysterious woman named Alma. A tragedy unfolded, and now they must pay the price. Alma: “I will show you things you’ve never seen, take you places you’ve never been. And I will see the life run out of you.” Based on Peter Straub’s novel – one of my favorites.

“POLTERGEIST” (1982) – Directed by Tobe Hooper (Written by Steven Spielberg); starring Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O’Rourke

I never get tired of this one. A subdivision was built over top of a cemetery, and the unscrupulous businessmen didn’t bother to move the bodies. Tsk, tsk. The Freelings must be punished first, apparently, and things really get serious when their young daughter is “ghost-napped.” Good scares (I really hate clowns), and I also appreciate the humor throughout the flick. “They’re heeeee-re.”

“LADY IN WHITE” (1988) – Directed and written by Frank LaLoggia; starring Lukas Haas, Len Cariou, Alex Rocco, Katherine Helmond

The first time I watched this movie, I was haunted by it for days afterward. Horror writer Frank Scarlatti returns to his hometown and remembers the extraordinary events that occurred when he was nine years old in the fall of 1962. It all starts when Frankie is locked in the school’s cloakroom after hours on Halloween night by bullies. He sees the apparation of a little redhaired girl as she’s attacked. Later that night, the masked man who attacked her shows up looking for something in the cloakroom and tries to get rid of Frankie by choking him, but he’s interrupted and flees. The janitor is wrongfully accused. Frankie soon learns there have been eleven children attacked in the area by a mysterious killer. The little redhaired girl, Melissa Montgomery, was the first, and her grief-stricken mother (the lady in white) jumped off the cliff where her body was found. Frankie knows the spirit of Melissa will lead him to the truth.

“THE OTHERS” (2001) – Directed by Alejandro Amenabar; starring Nicole Kidman, Chris Eccleston, Fionnula Flanagan

Inspired by the 1898 novella by Henry James, “The Turn of the Screw,” this movie entertained me all the way through and was genuinely creepy and intriguing. A devout Catholic woman, Grace, lives with her two young children on an isolated estate located on the Isle of Jersey. WWII has just ended and Grace is waiting on the return of her husband, Charles. She’s under a lot of stress – she’s lonely and must take care of her son Nick and her daughter Anna, who are both drastically allergic to the sun. With the arrival of three servants (Bertha, Ed and Lydia), she thinks things will get better, but mysterious things begin to happen right away. Grace thinks the house is haunted, or perhaps she is going insane. I definitely won’t give away the big twist at the end.

“THE GRUDGE” (2004) – Directed by Takashi Shimizu; starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, Will Mapother, Bill Pullman

This movie is a remake of the Japanese film, “Ju-On,” which is also worth seeing. Until this flick was released, I hadn’t seen a lot of Japanese-inspired horror. I was completely creeped out by the look and feel of the ghosts and the jerky camera-work. Lots of eerie moments and there were many scenes that had me jumping in my seat. Set in Tokyo, it’s about an exchange student named Karen who is studying to be a social worker. She offers to take over for a nurse who didn’t show up for work, and proceeds to care for an elderly woman in a house that turns out to be haunted. Wow – is it ever haunted! (What did I say earlier about love triangles and tragedy and revenge?) In this case, the grudge is also a curse that passes on to different people throughout the story. I enjoyed it – and not just because I have a girlie crush on Sarah Michelle Gellar.

“THE MARSH” (2006) – Directed by Jordan Barker; starring Gabrielle Anwar, Forest Whitaker

Claire Holloway is a stressed out children’s writer who’s afraid she’s about to have a mental breakdown. She decides to take a vacation in the country, and when she notices an ad for Rose Marsh Farm, which strongly resembles the place she’s been seeing in her nightmares, she feels compelled to visit the property. Claire almost immediately senses something amiss with the old house, and when she begins seeing the troubled spirits of a little girl and a teenaged boy around the nearby marsh, she contacts a paranormal expert to help her solve the mystery.

“THE ORPHANAGE” (2007 – Spanish, with English subtitles) – Directed by J.A. Bayona; starring Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep

Made in Spain (“El Orfanato”), this movie not only creeped me out, the ending moved me to tears. It was so much better than I was expecting, mixing chills with a compelling storyline. Laura, a former orphan, buys the old orphanage where she once lived for a while as a child, planning to turn it into a facility for disabled kids. She brings her husband and young adopted son, Simon, there, and soon Simon tells her he has made friends with the spirits of five children who are trapped there. The ghost children tell Simon that he is adopted and that he will die soon. Not long after that, Simon disappears. Laura is determined to find her son and unravel the terrible secret that has been hidden at the orphanage for thirty years.

“INSIDIOUS” (2011) – Directed by James Wan; starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins

I should have known there would be a sequel. I’ll have to see it, too, eventually. I was a little upset by the ending when I first saw this movie, since I didn’t realize James Wan planned to continue the story. I liked the original anyway, however, since it had many spooky moments that made me squirm in my seat. Renai and Josh Lambert move into their dream house with their sons, Dalton and Foster, and their baby daughter. One morning they find Dalton in a comatose state, and realize he’s become a vessel for the ghosts who reside in an astral dimension. Apparently, Dalton has inherited his father’s ability to astral project during sleep. Only this time, the boy has become stranded in the astral plane known as “The Further.” Dalton is guarded by a red-faced demon, and many other tormented souls who are determined to escape – including the “shadow woman” who once haunted his father.

So, those are my top dozen so far. And yes, of course I like “Ghostbusters” – but it’s not scary so it didn’t make my list. Happy trick or treating!

NOTE: I probably should have made this a Top 13 List, but “The Woman in Black” (2012), starring Daniel Radcliffe, definitely gets an honorable mention. (I loved the book by Susan Hill, as well.) Many goosebump inducing moments.

It first started back in 2005 – two horror-loving friends with the same birthday decided to have a “different” kind of party for themselves. Fast forward eight years later: the event is now the world’s largest annual zombie “attack” walk. Every August 29th starting at 8:29 p.m. – no matter what!

The walk starts and ends in the Highlands area of Louisville, KY, along Bardstown Road. (This has always been my favorite part of the city.) Concerts and merriment start after 9:00 p.m. and continue until midnight. So, if you plan to be in or near the Derby City later this month, make sure you attend the zombie walk – even if you’d rather be a spectator or a “zombie hunter” instead. All are welcome.

Here’s the official website link for more info:  www.louisvillezombieattack.org/

Zombies unite!

If I sit down to watch a horror movie, more than likely vengeful ghosts or bloodsucking fiends will have starring roles. I’ll save my favorite supernatural spook flicks for a future blog post. I think I’ve seen far more notable vampire films in my life than any other kind of cinematic horror.

Here are my top faves, oldest to newest.

Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971) – Directed by John Hancock, with Zohra Lampert as Jessica and Mariclare Costello as Emily. This one is a low budget, eerie film about a recently released mental patient (Jess) who goes to a farm on an island off the coast of Connecticut to finish recuperating from a breakdown. She comes across a mysterious woman, Emily, who has been squatting on the land. Is all the weirdness in Jess’s mind, or is it really happening? For weeks I couldn’t get the song (sung in an early scene by Emily) “Stay Forever, My Love” out of my head. Very haunting, just like the movie.

Love at First Bite (1979) – Directed by Stan Dragoti, starring George Hamilton, Susan Saint James and Richard Benjamin. Not scary at all, but quite funny. Dracula in love – in the 70s.

Salem’s Lot (1979) – A made for TV movie based on my favorite novel by Stephen King. Directed by Tobe Hooper and starring David Soul, James Mason and Bonnie Bedelia. There are scenes in this film that gave me nightmares. Writer Ben Mears (Soul) returns to his hometown in New England and discovers it is being terrorized by vampires.

Fright Night (1985) – The original, directed by Tom Holland, starring William Ragsdale, Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall. Nobody believes Charlie Brewster (Ragsdale) when he discovers his new, charismatic neighbor (Sarandon) is a bloodsucking fiend. Creepy and amusing. (I also like the 2011 remake directed by Craig Gillespie, starring Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin and David Tennant. It’s completely different, and quite suspenseful.)

Near Dark (1987) – Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (first Oscar-winning female director), starring Adrian Pasdar, Jenny Wright, Lance Henrikson and Bill Paxton. Lots of gore and black humor. A midwestern farm boy falls for a young vamp and joins up with her bloodthirsty, nomadic family.

The Lost Boys (1987) – Directed by Joel Schumacher, starring Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. Two teens move with their newly divorced mother to a California town infested with vamps. Cool, creepy vamps. Lots of humor – mainly due to The Frog Brothers. I must confess I like the soundtrack, too.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula ( 1992) – Francis Ford Coppola’s colorful, erotic, humorous, gory version of the classic novel. Starring Gary Oldman as the lovesick count, Winona Ryder as Mina, and Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker. Anthony Hopkins provides some comedic relief in the role of Van Helsing.  (And yeah, Keanu has a terrible English accent, but he still looks cute and troubled.)

Interview With a Vampire (1994) – The film based on my favorite Anne Rice novel. Directed by Neil Jordan, starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst. The adventures of eighteenth century vampires, Louis (Pitt) and LeStat (Cruise). Switches back and forth between the interview with Louis and a modern day reporter (Slater), and how Louis became a reluctant vampire, thanks to bad boy LeStat. (I have to admit that Cruise did a much better job in the role of LeStat than I expected.)

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) – Written by Quentin Tarantino, directed by Robert Rodriguez. Starring George Clooney, Tarantino, Harvey Keitel and Juliette Lewis. Over the top action-suspense, with lots of gore and humor. Two criminals and their hostages unknowingly seek refuge in a Mexican desert establishment populated by vicious vamps.

Blade (1998) – Based on the Marvel comic character, directed by Stephen Norrington. My fave role for Wesley Snipes so far. Also starring Stephen Dorff and Kris Kristofferson. Snipes plays “Blade” – a different sort of superhero – a vampire-human hybrid who can walk in the sun and protects humans from bloodsuckers. I really like his sword.

Let the Right One In (2008) – Swedish original, based on the novel by John Lindqvist. (Don’t bother with the American version.) Directed by Tomas Alfredson. Starring Lina Leandersson and Kare Hedebrant. One of the most unique vampire tales I’ve seen on the screen. So much to love about it, I’m happy to say. Excellent plot and splendid acting. Oskar (Hedebrant) is a twelve year old bullied boy who develops a crush on his new young neighbor, Eli (Leandersson). But, as Eli tells him, “I’ve been twelve for a very long time.” Vampire love is really complicated.

And that’s all, folks. Some people will probably think I’ve left a great many noteworthy films off my list, or they’ll completely disagree with my taste in vampires.  Well, they can just, you know….bite me!

The 4th of July is probably my favorite holiday of the year. I almost always have a party on some scale – and lots and lots of fireworks. To all my American friends, I hope you have a safe and happy Independence Day!

Thought it was high time for another ‘Irene and Ellie’ (Senile Sisters) cartoon. Ellie loves the 4th of July just as much as I do. (Illustration by C.N. Pitts.)

When the holiday weekend is over, check back here for more updates and reviews!

Dig that retro cover. It’s just one of many things I like about Stephen King’s latest novel, “Joyland.” (If I’m not mistaken, this book is only available in paperback and audio.) I’ve long been a fan of King’s dark fiction, but I must admit that I haven’t enjoyed much of his work over the last ten years. I’ve never held it against him, though, and I always give him the benefit of a doubt. To be a prolific writer for so many decades, how could he not begin to have creative burn-out? To me, many of his mammoth novels seemed bloated for no good reason. I still haven’t finished “Duma Key.”

Published by Hard Case Crime, “Joyland” is less than 300 pages long and is, perhaps, an homage to the old-fashioned pulp novels of yesteryear. Set in 1973, it’s a pleasing mix of genres: part murder mystery, part ghost story, and most definitely a coming-of-age tale.

Our narrator is jilted college student Devin Jones, who decides to leave New England for the summer and take a job on the coast of North Carolina at an amusement park called Joyland. He’s hoping the distance away from home will help heal his broken heart. He fits in with the carny crowd much better than expected, and soon learns about the ghost that haunts the Horror House. Four years before, a young woman named Linda Gray was viciously murdered on the ride, her body dumped next to the tracks. Sometimes people see her standing there, bleeding, dressed in the clothes she died in.

I walked down the double-S, thinking it would not be beyond Eddie to hear me and shut off the overhead work-lights as a joke. To leave me in here to feel my way past the murder site with only the sound of the wind and that one slapping board to keep me company. And suppose…just suppose…a young girl’s hand reached out in that darkness and took mine…?

Devin finds plenty of trouble when he starts digging and realizes a series of similar murders had occurred elsewhere before Linda Gray was killed. Playing detective can be hazardous to one’s health. (Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances – it only makes you root for them harder.)

Reading this book gave me a warm, fuzzy, familiar feeling – like how it felt when I first began reading King’s early stuff (including certain short story collections). I enjoyed the superb characterization, interesting, believable dialogue, the suspenseful atmosphere – even the humorous, sad, and sentimental moments. And, in case you don’t know me very well, I absolutely cannot resist a ghost story. Ever.

However, I will confess that I guessed the killer’s identity less than half-way through the book. But seeing how it all played out was fun.

The characters are all colorful, and most of them have an important role to play in twenty-one year old Devin’s life: The fake fortune teller who isn’t such a phony, a dying child with psychic abilities and his beautiful mother, Devin’s two college friends who will help him at any cost. The blurb on the back flap says, “This story is about love and loss, growing up and growing old – and about those who don’t get to do either because death comes for them before their time.”

“Joyland” also reminds me of King’s short story “The Body,” in that it’s told in retrospect by a sixty-something narrator looking back on the summer and fall of 1973. Really, in my head the character of Devin was King himself, being reflective and nostalgic. And what’s so bad about that?

Tomorrow I leave for New Orleans to attend the World Horror Convention and the Bram Stoker Awards Weekend. And I still haven’t packed everything! (Taking a deep breath and a break to post this new blog.)

I hope to see you there for tons of great programming and activities. I’m very excited about the special guests for the convention this year: Amber Benson (actress/writer), Ramsey Campbell (writer), Glenn Chadbourne (artist), Jonathan Maberry (writer), Caitlin R.Kiernan (writer), Robert McCammon (writer), and many more!

Here is the link to the official website:  http://www.stokers2013.org/

Also a reminder that my eBook, “The White Death & Other Ghastly Ghost Stories” is still available online at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBook Store, etc.:

www.amazon.com/White-Death-Ghastly-Stories-ebook/dp/B009SQTHXI/ref=sr_1_6

I’ve visited The Big Easy twice before, and it never gets old. The convention will be held at the famously haunted Hotel Monteleone in the heart of the French Quarter. There are many local ghost tours offered of the Quarter and of the unique cemeteries in the area.

The last time I was in New Orleans, I crept over to St. Louis No. 1 Cemetery to visit the tomb of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau (see photo below). If you plan to attend, don’t forget to have beignets at the Café du Monde. And if you run into me, I’ll buy you a Hurricane. Laissez les bon temps roulez!!!!

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