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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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Probable spoilers ahead. As far as I’m concerned, director J.J. Abrams has succeeded in making a superior sequel with Star Trek: Into Darkness. I liked it even better than the first film. The action sequences are spectacular and the plot moves along at a breakneck pace that barely gives viewers a chance to take a breath. Seriously, those two hours and ten minutes flew by at warp speed.

One thing that has us Trekkies so excited about this franchise reboot is the fact we don’t know exactly what will happen next due to the “time travel fallout” that took place in 2009’s Star Trek, when an alternate timeline was created, changing each character’s future. Expect to see familiar events from the old movies given new twists and turns.

As this film begins, James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) is back as the young, brash captain of the Enterprise, leading a mission on the class-M planet Nibiru. (The opening scenes in the red jungle are visually stunning.) A volcano is about to erupt and destroy the primitive species, and First Officer Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto) is hurled into the inferno to neutralize the problem. But when do things ever go as planned for the crew of the Enterprise? Kirk once again violates the Prime Directive in order to save his friend, and must face the consequences back home.

He barely has time to deal with the shock of his severe punishment when all hell breaks loose on Earth: Terrorist John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) is determined to destroy Starfleet at any cost.  As a result of an attack on Starfleet headquarters, Kirk suffers a terrible loss. It’s up to him, Spock and the rest of the crew – Bones/McCoy (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and Scotty (Simon Pegg) – to go after Harrison when he flees to the Neutral Zone to hide out on the Klingon planet Kronos. Yes, we finally get to spend a little time with the violent Klingons, who are still archenemies of the Federation, at this point. My favorite villain in this flick (there’s definitely more than one), is the terrorist John Harrison (an alias, by the way). The brilliant Benedict Cumberbatch, of Sherlock fame, is deliciously menacing as the British Baddie, and not entirely unsympathetic.

Also along on the mission to help capture Harrison is Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve). An early interlude between Kirk and Carol, in her underwear, had some viewers crying foul, saying the scene was gratuitous. I thought it was excusable because 1) it was so brief, 2) Abrams was trying to remind the audience that Kirk is a womanizer, and 3) perhaps the encounter served a purpose by foreshadowing their future involvement (if that’s going to happen in this universe).

Even though we’re served up plenty of action in this latest installment, that does not mean we don’t get to see heartfelt emotion between the main characters as their relationships evolve. Fans will enjoy the familiar humor of Bones’ observations and Scotty’s lamentations. Spock still has to struggle to control his human side, as his romance with Uhura and his friendship with Kirk become more complex. All of them will be tested, and lessons will be learned when it comes to breaking the rules – defying orders to follow one’s heart instead of one’s head.

I’m not going to say this was a flawless, perfect film. But I believe Trekkies will be extremely satisfied with it, and science fiction fans, in general, will find it entertaining. If you choose to see Star Trek: Into Darkness, take my advice and don’t drink a lot of soda beforehand. You won’t want to miss one breathtaking minute. Oh, and if you don’t like movies that cause you to leave the theatre with uplifted spirits, then go see Les Misérables.

Live long and prosper.
 

“Any reviewer who expresses rage or loathing for a novel is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armour and attacked a hot fudge sundae.” – Kurt Vonnegut

I couldn’t resist opening with this quote. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that’s caused such a firestorm among fans and reviewers. Thanks to a German reader who had access to the worldwide web, I (and everyone else) knew the ending of “Dead Ever After” before it was released in the U.S. But I felt I needed to read the entire novel anyway – having devoured the previous twelve books in the series. I had to see for myself if other fans were justified in their shock and disappointment with how this long saga was brought to a close by Charlaine Harris.

There’s no way to talk about such a topic without spoilers being involved. This review is primarily for those of us who’ve been fans since the very beginning – way before True Blood premiered on HBO in 2008. (And by the way, the TV series is much different than the books.) I’ve read other reviews by unhappy fans, and I’ve watched them get bashed online by writers, friends of Charlaine, who admitted they have never even read any of the novels. Not one. I hardly think that’s fair, and it’s not very professional either.

I’ve tried to look at the issue from two perspectives: as a writer and a reader/fan.

“Dead Ever After” had a different feel to it from the start. In the previous books, the point of view character was always Sookie Stackhouse, the telepathic heroine of the series. In this last installment, the author used multiple viewpoints. No big deal to me. When the book begins, Sookie is now estranged from her vampire lover Eric Northman, and is soon accused of killing her former friend and co-worker, Arlene. To make things more complicated, at least three people are out to get Sookie. However, in my opinion, only one has a proper, believable motivation to end her existence. (The worst motivation: We are expected to believe that her gay fae cousin, Claude, wants to kill Sookie because she never expressed a desire to sleep with him while he was living with her. Huh?)

In the first sections, similar to a prologue, I was bothered by the details involved when a businessman makes a deal with the devil. He sells his soul to Satan, and convinces his associate to do the same. He gets two wishes in return. He wants to be prosperous again – and he wants a fae object that Sookie has, which grants one wish to the owner. What? He wants the “cluviel dor” so he can have influence over his wayward witch of a daughter. Why didn’t he just ask the devil to make it so?

Throughout the novel, I kept getting the feeling that another author wrote the book instead of Harris. The narrative flow, the way the characters behaved (contradicting their opinions/attitudes from previous books), all seemed strangely unfamiliar. Having been exposed to Charlaine’s forum and having read many interviews with her, perhaps a few things shouldn’t have surprised me at all. She has always stated that she never liked Sookie’s long-term love interest, Eric. She wanted to end things between them early on, but the publishers told her that the Sookie/Eric partnership was too popular with readers and it increased sales. Apparently, she also wanted to end the series after writing four to six books. But, again, the publishers convinced her to continue on and stretch out the storyline. In the meantime, the author kept promising faithful readers that Sookie would eventually have her “happily ever after.” Whatever that meant.

The main criticism I have with “Dead Ever After” is that Charlaine should never have had to write it. She ended this book, and the series, the way she always intended to from the beginning, when she thought there would be half as many novels, and that’s why so many readers are upset. Fans don’t understand how Sookie could end up having a love affair with her boss and friend (a shape-shifter she’d already known for five years when the series began) when there had been no hint of a romance between them at all since the first book, when a brief kiss didn’t go over so well. There were many missed opportunities in previous books to end the Eric affair and start a romance between Sam and Sookie, but Charlaine didn’t make that choice – probably because the publisher wouldn’t have been pleased.

The ending of this series did not give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. Sookie doesn’t really get her happily ever after, and neither do any of the other characters as far as I can tell. Eric is turned into a villain and is sent away to be a vampire queen’s reluctant husband. Sookie tells Sam they should take it extra slow – and who knows, perhaps their feelings were influenced by the magic of the cluviel dor when she used it to save his life (at the end of the last book, Deadlocked). As for her life – it hasn’t changed much at all from the way it was in the very beginning. She’s not a virgin anymore and she has a little extra money after becoming Sam’s business partner at Merlotte’s Bar & Grill, but other than that she’s still left hating her telepathic gift and worrying about what everyone in town might think of her. I was hoping she’d finally realize her special ability was a super-power and use it as such.

It doesn’t seem right that a character could go through so much over such a long period of time and yet change so little.

I have a confession to make: I’m a geeky fangirl and have been for quite a few years. I come by the trait honestly, since my mother is just as big a fan as I am. This summer and fall we’ll have plenty to be happy about – five new movies will be released and we’ve been looking forward to all of them. Some are sequels and a couple are reboots of an old franchise, which we hope will be worth the wait.

1. First up is Iron Man 3, starring Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley. Even though there are references to the events that unfolded in The Avengers (released last spring), I believe this movie is not a direct sequel to that flick. Ben Kingsley plays the villain, “The Mandarin.” I hear there are action sequences so elaborate they make the ones in the first two movies seem tame. Of course, we will still get treated to the usual sharp-witted dialogue from the main character Tony Stark. The release date is May 3, but the movie has already premiered overseas and has broken big box office records. I’m sure it will do the same here in the States.

2. Next in line in order of release date is Star Trek Into Darkness, opening May 17, and starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho and Anton Yelchin. The villain is played by Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock Holmes fame. More explosive action and familiar one-liners, which a true Trekkie can’t do without. As a long-time Star Trek fan, I have to say I was extremely pleased with the first film. The casting directors couldn’t have done a better job choosing actors to play these “sacred” roles. The chemistry between them all is absolutely perfect. (And unlike some fans, I found the romance between Uhura and Spock to be perfectly logical.)

3. On June 14, a rebooted Superman franchise will kick off with the release of Man of Steel. Henry Cavill takes over the role of Clark Kent. The trailer looks very promising and is noticeably different than all the other versions of Superman I’ve seen in the past. The film also stars Amy Adams as a not-so-typical Lois Lane, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, and Michael Shannon as the villain, General Zod.

4. Next up, with a release date of July 3, is another franchise reboot, The Lone Ranger, starring Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as John Reid (Lone Ranger). Depp has been my favorite actor for over a decade and I can’t wait to experience his vision of this old familiar western. I hear he’s promised the Native American communities that Tonto will be portrayed much differently than in the disrespectful TV version. And before everyone goes, “I can’t believe they picked Johnny Depp to play a Native American character,” you should be aware that he’s actually part Cherokee.

5. Finally, coming in last with a release date of November 8, is a sequel, Thor: The Dark World, starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins. I didn’t think I’d like the first Thor film, but I’m glad my mother talked me into seeing it. I hope we’re not disappointed with this follow up. I still haven’t seen a trailer for this flick yet, but I’m sure we won’t have too much longer to wait.

If you’re interested in reading my reviews of certain upcoming films, check back here every week or two. I’m sure I’ll have plenty more to say.

I’ll be in Indianapolis, Indiana the weekend of May 3 through 5 attending Mo*Con VIII. This is a small convention founded in 2006 by my friend, and writer, Maurice Broaddus. (http://mauricebroaddus.com). Mo will tell you it’s become more like a ‘family reunion’ to those of us who attend the event every year. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Whether you’re a writer, an artist, or simply a person who enjoys reading speculative fiction, this convention has something for everyone and never fails to entertain. (Not to mention, the wonderful food provided to attendees all through the weekend is included in your entrance fee.)

Special guests this year are Jim C. Hines, Saladin Ahmed, and Gary Braunbeck. Below is an excerpt from Maurice Broaddus’ blog with more details about the event:

Mo*Con 8: The Mind and Spirit of the Artist

Mo*Con has always been about the “intersection of art, faith, and social justice” and this year is no different. There’s no easy way to describe the Mo*Con experience, except as perhaps as a convention room party extended for a whole weekend, except held in a church. Its aim has always been to be fairly small and intimate, yet retaining the feel of a family reunion.

Part of what makes Mo*Con a different sort of convention is that it revolves around a series of conversations (and food and art). Mo*Con has a two part vision. The first, inspired by many a late night at conventions, is to provide a forum for publishing professionals to get together and discuss some of the larger issues which affect their writing and their social conscience. Discussions can be had in a spirit of respect. The second is that too often the artist is underappreciated and here they are spoiled.

This year’s theme is “The Mind and Spirit of the Artist,” revolving around a discussion on Saturday the 4th about the struggles many writers have with mental health issues and what that means for their craft, their lives, and their community. The featured writer guests of honor have all written publicly about their struggles with issues from depression to anxiety to other issues. As the countdown for Mo*Con begins, several will be posting part of their stories.

This is the first year the event will be held at Broad Ripple United Methodist Church. The convention has expanded to include a First Friday event featuring the art of Steve Gilberts and Kristin Fuller. There will also be a spoken word performance from prominent poets: DDE the Slammer, Devon Ginn, Pope Adrian, Bless, Theon Lee Jones, Dizz, Reheema McNeil, ParaLectra, and Mr. Kinetik, hosted by Ill Holiday. These events will be open to the public. The spoken word event will be a fundraiser event for the local non-profit group, Second Story.

We’ll be debuting a few projects at this year’s Mo*Con. Seventh Star Press is the featured publisher this year.

The event is expected to draw over 100 writers, artists, editors, and publishers and many networking sessions. A half dozen workshops will be offered ranging from topics like privacy issues for writers to post-apocalyptic fiction to hands on demonstrations.

About five years ago, I discovered Graham Masterton’s “Night Warriors” series, and I went on to enjoy some of his short horror tales here and there as well. When I saw he was releasing a mystery/crime novel, I was pleased. I love detective stories and whodunits.

I bought “White Bones,” not realizing it had been released in America ten years ago under the title “A Terrible Beauty.” Luckily, I hadn’t already read that particular book. A publisher apparently had decided this story starring Detective Katie Maguire of the Cork Garda could be the first in an Irish crime thriller series, so “White Bones” is also now being referred to as “Katie Maguire #1.” (I have to admit I like the book cover for “A Terrible Beauty” better than the updated version.)

One wet November morning, a field on Meagher’s Farm gives up the dismembered bones of eleven women.

The bones date back to 1915, and bear the ritualistic marks of an executioner who skinned his victims alive. Detective Superintendent Katie Maguire of the Cork Garda wants to give these women justice, but the trail is stone cold. And then a young American tourist disappears, and her bones are discovered on the same farm. With the crimes of the past echoing in the present, Katie knows she must find a way to solve the old murders before the present day killer strikes again.

The character of Katie Maguire is likeable but flawed, and sometimes she seems to face constant adversity a bit too well. Being the first female Detective Superintendent in Ireland, she has to deal with resentment from several male colleagues on a daily basis, and her home life is even more troubled. The loss of a baby boy has left her marriage in shambles.

“White Bones” raised plenty of emotions in me while I was reading it, and I can’t really say I enjoyed the experience, even though I couldn’t stop until I got to the end. It was well written and moves along at a good pace, but I felt it was much more of an extreme horror story than a crime novel. I had problems reading through the graphic torture scenes.

Overall I found this tale to be relentlessly sad and bleak. It even weakened my desire to visit Ireland one day. (I’ll probably get over that though.) Also, I wish I’d noticed the “Selected Guide to Cork Slang” that appears in the back of the book before I had finished reading the novel.

The twist at the end seemed somewhat surreal, although it wasn’t completely unexpected since enough clues were presented to the reader to keep it from being too fantastic. When I think about the sequels – however many there may be – I honestly don’t know if I’ll have the gumption to read them. I would only recommend this book to true horror fans.

More reviews and ratings are coming in for my horror story eBook collection, “The White Death and Other Ghastly Ghost Stories.” Check out what readers are saying about it on Amazon and Goodreads. (Ten dark tales of vengeful ghosts and lost spirits. From New Orleans to San Francisco, relentless specters haunt both the innocent and the guilty.)

Latest Amazon reviews:

“Great collection of ghost stories from a writer whose style is deceptively simple yet succeeds in thoroughly involving the reader in the story. Highly recommended.”

“I couldn’t put this book down. Looking forward to Debbie Kuhn’s next book!”

(Click the link above to read more reviews on Amazon.)

Reviews on Goodreads:

“Been a while since I liked a short story book as much as this one.”

(Click the link above to read more.)

“The White Death and Other Ghastly Ghost Stories” is available on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Lulu.com and the iBooks Store for only $2.99.