Even though Stephen King writes like a maniac (in a good way), turning out more books in a year than some people do in a lifetime (Harper Lee, we’re looking at you), eventually there comes a time in everyone’s life when he has read every book King has written (even Rose Madder) twice. So what’s a fan to do? It’s not that easy to find writers whose books share King’s signature blend of great characters, heart-felt emotion, and horror that’s grounded in everyday reality. When you want to read a Stephen King book, you want to read a Stephen King book and not something by V.C. Andrews. Being offered an ordinary horror novel in the place of one by the master is like being hungry for a home-made chocolate chip cookie and being offered Snackwells instead. Yes, it’s a chocolate chip cookie but it’s not the chocolate chip cookie you want.

Luckily for you, at Horror Snark, we’re fans too and we understand your particular and selective craving. We’ve compiled this list of books to help you feed your need for a King-like reading experience while you’re waiting for King himself to finish his own next novel. Also luckily for you, if you pace yourself just right, you’ll finish the last book on the list just as Joyland arrives (June 4).

You’re welcome. Feel free to send us home-made chocolate chip cookies in gratitude.

1. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Almost every school kid in America has read “The Lottery,” Jackson’s most famous short story and a staple of English courses. Her 1959 novel, The Haunting of Hill House, is one of the greatest haunted house stories ever written. Not only is it genuinely creepy, but the author’s portrait of the main character, a woman who spent years caring for her invalid mother, only to be cheated of her inheritance, is beautifully drawn, as are the other characters who are chosen to participate in a paranormal investigation at the eponymous Hill House. Jackson’s prose is so beautifully crafted that her opening and closing paragraphs are close to poetry.

2. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

Probably the only novel ever inspired by an eBay listing, Heart-Shaped Box revolves around rock star with an enormous sense of entitlement and really bad taste in collectibles, an innocent little girl and a malevolent ghost who ruined several lives in life and plans to wreak even more havoc in the after-life. Rocker Judas (“Jude”) Coyne has run roughshod over the people he’s known, and all his sins come home to roost when the heart-shaped box arrives. Unfortunately for Jude, he’s not the only one in the ghost’s sights.

3. Swan Song by Robert McCammon

This is McCammon’s epic work, a post-apocalyptic tale of retribution and redemption and rebirth that’s often compared to King’s novel The Stand. The story takes place after a nuclear exchange has laid waste to America and chronicles the adventures of a group of survivors who must contend with the forces of chaos, represented by “the Man with the Scarlet Eye.” The characters here are ordinary people caught up in an extraordinary accelerated evolution of humankind and adjusting according to their natures. Some seek power and domination while others, like the homeless woman known as “Sister,” are searching only for peace. Sister is a powerful character whose deliverance from guilt and sorrow provides the book’s emotional backbone.

4. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

This is the first in a series of books about the title character (who goes by “Odd”) so if you like it, there are plenty more where this one came from. Odd is an excellent character and Koontz has surrounded him with a cast of supporting characters that includes a ghost who haunts a tire store and a girlfriend with a ferocious work ethic. These characters are quirky, but not so over the top that they get annoying. The “villains” of the story are scary, dangerous creatures who put the “horror” in “horror novel.” On top of the fright moments, though, there’s a bittersweet feel to much of what goes on that may remind King fans of his novel Dead Zone.

5. Every Dead Thing by John Connolly

John Connolly’s “Charlie Parker” books are technically mysteries, but they contain a strong supernatural/horror element that will appeal to fans of both genres. They’re also best read in the order they were written as each book contains many references to events and characters encountered in earlier books.  The protagonist, a private detective whose wife and daughter have been murdered, sees visions of the dead and these visions torment him. If this first book whets your appetite for Connolly’s brand of horror/noir, also try The Black Angel with a church of bones and fallen angels woven into the mix.

6. The Scream by John Skipp & Craig Spector

The combination of rock music and horror sounds inherently cheesy but done right; the two elements can be as complementary as peanut butter and chocolate. (Check out Armageddon Rag by the ever-awesome George R. R. Martin of Game of Thrones if you don’t believe me.) The Scream also does it right, using the culture wars of the Eighties as a backdrop for a story about a heavy metal band that literally plays the devil’s music, thus justifying every right-wing Christian’s call for censorship. The characters are very well-drawn, particularly a girl named Jesse who has to make a very personal choice.

7. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The story begins with an act of shocking violence and ends in tenderness and along the way offers a memorable cast of characters both living and dead. The story of a child raised by ghosts and protected by a vampire after surviving the murder of his family, The Graveyard Book is driven by a mystery and fueled by character interactions. It is more like Peter S. Beagle’s A Fine and Private Place than Gaiman’s Sandman and Death stories but his wry wit is intact. “It takes a graveyard to raise a child,” one character notes, and we meet most of the inhabitants of the graveyard as the story unfolds, whether they’re important to the narrative or not. It’s an extravagance of characters that’s almost Dickensian and a rich, layered read.

8. Bent Steeple by G. Wells Taylor

Taylor, a Canadian horror writer, set this vampire novel in a small town in northern Canada, a dark place made even darker by the harsh winter weather that holds it prisoner until late spring. Like King, Taylor has a knack for writing strong characters who are no longer young but still plenty sharp, and his portrait of the local doctor who figures out what’s going on is dimensional and engaging. The book explores dark themes in a character-rich environment with a chilling subtext that is a visceral reminder of both the reality and the banality of evil underneath the supernatural goings-on.

9. The Dead Letters by Tom Piccirilli

There’s a serial killer element to this book but don’t let that put you off. What really drives the narrative are the big moral questions that plague the protagonist, a grieving father who fears he’s losing his grip on reality when the man who killed his daughter surfaces with a series of new crimes that could be bizarre acts of penance or could be fiendish ploys to lure his victims into a game where the stakes are nothing less than their souls. Featuring a character whose pain causes her to punish herself with bites that go to the bone, a scary doll house (extra points for that!) and dark themes that go beyond genre tropes, the book builds to a devastating emotional climax.

10. The Painted Darkness by Brian James Freeman

This is billed as a novella (it’s only 160 pages), but it’s too good to leave off the list. It’s the story of artist Henry, whose painted nightmares sell for big bucks, but whose art stems from a childhood trauma he has mercifully blocked out. We see Henry as both a boy and a man in the book and Freeman’s equally adept at rendering both stages in his protagonist’s life. He’s also very good at building suspense and atmosphere, ratcheting up the creepiness with a classic horror novel setting (a creepy old house) and a secret that just won’t stay buried in the past–a past we witness.

Written, shot, edited, scored, and all VFX done in 48 hours.

C.R.E.E.P from Ascension Productions on Vimeo.

Team: The 13th Monkey
www.ascensionproductions.co.uk

Scott only has 8 days left to reach his goal! You can help by contributing here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/in-fear-of

In Fear Of on YouTube || Slick Devil Entertainment || Scott W. Perry’s Facebook

Directed by Ben Howling & Yolanda Ramke
Produced by Ben Howling, Yolanda Ramke, Marcus Newman, Daniel Foeldes

Tropfest Australia 2013 Finalist

Mena Films announces their campaign to start production of Malevolence 3. Once again, Stevan Mena is writing, directing and producing, along with longtime co-producer Tim Bristol and producer/actor Brian O’Halloran (Clerks). Fans can contribute funds towards commencing principal photography – even pre-ordering the Blu-ray™/DVD! In addition, fans who commit targeted minimum pledge amounts will be eligible for exclusive incentives including signed scripts, tickets to the premiere party, a Skype session with the cast and filmmakers – and a chance to appear in the film!

In Malevolence 3, Martin Bristol returns to where it all began: the home where he was kidnapped from. But he is not the boy who disappeared over 10 years ago. Tortured and abused at the hands of his psychotic captor, Graham Sutter, Martin is damaged beyond repair. Lurking in the shadows of suburbia, he stalks and kills without remorse, picking his victims at random – or are they? Special Agent William Perkins follows Martin’s trail of terror, desperate to capture him before he kills again. Martin’s family, mourning his disappearance for over 10 years, is informed not only that he is alive, but that he is responsible for the wave of murder sweeping through their town. Will they be able to reunite with their long lost son before it’s too late, or will Perkins have to use excessive force to bring him down?

For more information about Malevolence 3, check out www.malevolence3.com
Indiegogo: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/malevolence-3

Synopsis:
Forced to take refuge from a deadly tornado, the Maguire family finds shelter in an abandoned storm cellar. As the storm passes, the family tries to make their way out only to realize that someone or something, not quite human, is holding them captive. Struggling to get out alive, they soon realize that no, they simply aren’t alone.

Nailbiter Official Site | Facebook
Patrick Rea: Vimeo | Facebook | Twitter
SenoReality Pictures: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter

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Here are the details on the DVD release:

JOHN DIES AT THE END

Written & Directed by Cult Legend Don Coscarelli
Starring Academy Award® Nominee Paul Giamatti, Clancy Brown, Emmy® Winner Glynn Turman and Doug Jones
Available on DVD and Blu-ray April 2, 2013.
Synopsis:

In JOHN DIES AT THE END, it’s all about the Soy Sauce, a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John (Rob Mayes) and David (Chase Williamson), a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs…

Adapted from David Wong’s audacious trans-genre horror novel, JOHN DIES AT THE END with screenplay by and directed by Don Coscarelli (BUBBA HO-TEP) and also stars Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman and Paul Giamatti.

For more info:

Official Facebook: www.facebook.com/johndiesmovie
Official Website: www.johndiesmovie.com
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/johndiesmovie

The trailer shows primary cast members on the wrong side of a knife. Actress Anna Rust (The Brothers Grimm) appears prominently in one of Budapest’s empty streets. Her character is chased in back alleys and a park by an unknown attacker. As well, actor Pau Masó (Haunted Poland) is shown as he provides safe refuge for the distressed Anna. And, even the killer makes an appearance with a sharp blade. Horror fans can view this deadly cat and mouse exchange in the clip provided below!

Bloody Night is also set to tour over 20 horror film festivals. Festival runs will take place both in North America and Europe, with specific dates to be announced shortly.

The film’s synopsis:  “4 University students travel to Budapest during the winter break holiday, but they find their lives endangered. Now, these four friends will have to fight for their lives, to escape a masked madman and killer (Sweet Dreams Productions).“

Release Date: Q2 2013.

Director: Hakan Yildiz.
Producers: Burcak Ozder, Deniz Sahin and Hakan Yildiz.
Executive Producers: Hakan Yildiz and Csanad Darvas.

Cast: Hakan Yildiz, Pau Masó, Anna Rust, Zsolt Der and Christoph Fortmann.

Official Site: http://www.bloodynightmovie.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bloodynightfilm
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bloodynightfilm

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Starring: Josh Merrill & Brooke Hemsath

Official Site / Facebook

Director: Michael Ballif
Writer: Josh Merrill
Producers: Michael Ballif & Josh Merrill
Executive Producer: Zach Wall
Production Designer: Allen Bradford
Original Score: Keaton Anderson
Editor/VFX: Michael Ballif
Special Make-Up FX: Allen Bradford
Sound: Josh Merrill
Please contact 2HOURSthemovie@gmail.com for additional information.

Printed on-demand at high-resolution with UltraChrome digital inks on a premium, self-adhesive fabric material that can be removed and re-used hundreds of times without damaging surfaces.

If you’d feeling a little more bitchy (like I usually do) Megan also has ‘Stabbity‘, which I should probably put in my bathroom.

If you’d like to purchase Megan’s art you can grab her wall graphics over at Walls360.com. Looking for buttons, t-shirts and other cute (but still spooky) things? kawaiinot is the place to go.

You can find her other, non-Kawaii Not related work at http://www.murphypop.com/.

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