Soulz At Zero
Proudly Presents
The Death Certificate!
-----THE-DEATH-CERTIFICATE------VOLUME-1-ISSUE-1---------OCTOBER-1994-----
Staff: The Stranger, Jack Flack - Editors, Writers.
* If you are interested in contributing to The Death Certificate
please let one of the editors know.
I want to see. Show me. Take me to the fun house, into the
dark where the bogeyman jump out and go boo and scare me. And
then you can hold me tight. Hold me very tight.
Show me the dead men so I can feel alive.
- from Ash Wednesday
- Chet Williamson
+ Table of Contents +
1. Words from the Editor
2. SAZ News
3. Horror News
4. Reviews
5. The Writers Block
6. Final Words
1. Words from the Editors:
When we started SAZ we didnt know how many people would be
interested in reading poems and short stories on their computers.
We hoped that maybe twenty people would take a look at our work,
twenty-five at the most. At the time Im writing this, over forty
people have looked at pack one.. We want to thank all of those
who took the time to read over pack one and we hope you continue
to support us in the future.
If there was one problem we had with the first pack it was
the amount of comments we received about it, which was almost
nothing. We do want to hear from you and we do want to know what
you think. We dont want messages telling us how lame we are or
anything like that. But we do want to hear from you so we know
if were reaching anyone out there or if were doing this all in
vain. So please, leave us a message on any of the many boards
that we are on.
What you are looking at now is the SAZ Newsletter, The
Death Certificate. The idea of the newsletter is to pass on
news about SAZ and horror in general. We will have reviews of
books, movies, and music that have horror tones to them. We will
have tons of quotes and information about new books that are
coming out. We will have non-fiction pieces about the many
meanings of horror. The future of this newsletter depends on
your responses. If you hate it, its gone. If you like it, then
we will keep doing it. But most of all we want to know how you
think we could make it better.
Well thats all from me for the first issue. Thank you for
taking the time to look through pack two and please send your
comments to us and support us by sharing the pack with a friend.
Now, turn down the lights, keep your eyes wide open, and
pray you dont find your name, on The Death Certificate...
The Stranger
2. Soulz At Zero News
On September 13, 1994 the first Soulz At Zero pack was
released. There was little interest at first but once word got
around, the downloading really began. Over forty people have
downloaded the pack and over fifty have looked through it. We
consider this a great success and thank those of you who took the
time to read Soulz At Zero pack 1.
On October 13, Pack II will be released which includes more
great LIT, more Gifs and Ansis then before, and our new
newsletter The Death Certificate. We hope you enjoy it and
feel free to write us a message with your thoughts or comments.
3. Horror News by The Stranger:
New in Bookstores
Insomnia by Stephen King. The master returns to the bookshelves
this October 3rd with his latest installment of horror. 787
pages long, this book should mark the return of King to the genre
that made him a household name after his recent trips away from
horror with Geralds Game and Dolores Clairborne. The story is
about an elderly man named Ralph Roberts who finds himself
suffering from insomnia after the death of his wife. And maybe
its the lack of sleep or maybe not, but something is making him
see things that are more than hallucinations. Based in the town
of Derry, Maine where strange things have happened before It was
also based there Ralph and his friends are about to encounter
something they wont believe. If only they could sleep it off..
Look for a review of this book in the next newsletter.
Twilight Time by Rick Hautala. Known as Maines other author,
Rick Hautala has slowly become one of the most respected horror
writers in the field. His newest book, his eighth, has just been
released by Zebra and it appears to be the continuation of
Hautalas new jump from Horror to Psychological Horror. The
story is about a man named Jeff Wagner who is returning to his
home town in Maine where as a child, Jeff was abused along with
his sister and younger brother. Jeff formed multiple
personalities, each one more dangerous then the other, and the
only way to heal himself was to leave Maine. And now hes coming
back, hes about to open the door that has been closed for so
long, hes about to meet head on with his childhood fears once
again.. Well thats what the back of the book says, expect a
review of the book in the next newsletter.
Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite. Poppy Z. Brite has just turned
twenty-seven years old and she is already being called the
hottest writer in the horror field. Drawing Blood is her second
novel, last year she released Lost Souls, which quickly went on
to become a best seller. Brite has the power to take the
madness of her generation and turn it into blood curdling
horror. She listens to Tom Waite or Nine Inch Nails as she pens
her stories and its usually clear in her writing style. This
story is about Trevor McGee and his family. His father goes
crazy one day and kills off Trevors mother and brother. Trevor
had to leave to find sanity, but now hes back, back to face the
ghosts and find a reason for his fathers deed. He befriends a
computer hacker and a beautiful girl as he plunges into a world
of terror that will lead either to understanding or to a
blood raining repetition of the past. This book should be a great
read. Echo Magazine says of this book Darker and more exotic
than Anne Rice. More cerebral than Stephen King...Horror is
rarely this good. Review in the next issue, hopefully.
Taltos by Anne Rice. This book is the third installment in her
Lives of the Mayfair Witches series which began with The
Witching Hour and then Lasher. The story is about a race of
beautiful and practically immortal giants who once lived in peace
on an island in the North Atlantic. That is until Homo sapiens
came along and began to slaughter them. And so the Taltos
disappeared from the earth, well not entirely. At least one
lived, Ash Templeton, a seven-foot-tall New York millionaire who
is seeking for one of his own kind. And there is another, a
woman born from a witch who Ash must find. The reviews on this
book so far are horrible.. But then again its been the number
one bestseller for two weeks now.
Coming Soon to bookstores:
Dark Rivers of the Heart by Dean Koontz. The limited edition
version is priced at 250 and is probably already sold out.
Expect to see the trade hardback version out before Christmas.
Dell Abyss will release two highly anticipated books possibly
before the year is out. California Gothic by Dennis Etchison
and Swamp Foetus by Poppy Z. Brite. California Gothic will
mark Etchisons third novel and should be out before Christmas.
Swamp Foetus is a collection of short stories that is already
out in an expensive limited edition version but will be released
in paperback around January. These two both promise to be big
sellers and great reads.
New on the magazine rack:
Cemetery Dance Magazine, Summer 1994. My personal favorite
magazine once again proves itself to be the best horror fiction
magazine around. A wonderful piece of art is featured on the
cover and as usually the pictures inside are breathtaking. This
issue has short stories by well known short story writer Norman
Partridge as well as three well known novelist, Ed Gorman,
Douglas Clegg, and Mathhew J. Costello. There are articles by
Charles Grant, Douglas Winter, Kathryn Ptacek, and Thomas F.
Monteleone to name a few. And the interview this issue is with
Nancy A. Collins author of such books as Sunglasses After Dark
and her new one Wild Blood. Cemetery Dance is always worth the
money. Pick up the new copy at a comic book store or horror
store near you.
New on Video:
The Stand. This six and a half hour made for TV mini-series is
now available at your local video store. It comes on four VHS
tapes which also includes a behind the scenes making of the film.
The Stand, based on the novel by Stephen King, was one of the
highest rated mini-series of all time. The story is about a
disease that sweeps across the country killing everyone except a
select few who are called in dreams by the voices of good or
evil. The survivors make their decisions on who to follow and
prepare themselves for the Stand.. Highly recommended.
New on CD:
4P by Danzig. On October 3rd Danzig released there fourth studio
album. Riding high on the success of the song Mother, Danzig
looks to keep there new audience by adding more melodies to the
songs but by also keeping the screams and devilish lyrics that
made them popular. The album contains twelve songs including
Brand New God, Going Down To Die, Until You Call on the
Dark, and Bringer of Pain. It also includes a hidden track on
the CD version at track number 66, which is a Gregorian chant to
the demons. The album is loud, aggressive and evil. Buy it.
Review in next months Death Certificate.
Life is not good one day it will be good
to die, and then to live again.
Christine Rossetti
4. The Reviews:
Books:
The Nightrunners by Joe R. Lansdale, 1987 Tor Pub.
Fangoria Magazine said of Lansdale You have to turn to
someone like Clive Barker to equal the repulsive and vivid
imagination Lansdale has at his command. But where as Barker
will slice open a victim with precision like a surgeon, Lansdale
will rip his victims apart like Jason from Friday the 13th.
There is no one who writes like Lansdale, there are many who
write with the same vicious style but none who understand the
mixture of language and life as well as he does. After reading
this book you will have to wash the blood from your own fingers
as every page drips of it. Okay, well not really, but you get the
idea. The Nightrunners was Joes first novel under his own
name and it shows. His inexperience makes for a sloppy plot and
bad structure but it also brings raw power and originality like no
other book has. The story is about a woman named Becky who one
night a long time ago was raped by a group of boys. The boys
call themselves The Nightrunners and with a little help from
fate and maybe a little strange magic, they are about to meet the
woman they terrorized years before. You see, she was able to
recognize one of the boys on the night she was raped and he was
sent to prison. He hung himself in his cell. And now his best
friend is the groups leader and he knows he must bring revenge to
the woman who he feels killed his friend. He knows he must bring
revenge because his dead friend tells him so.
Let me warn you here, this book is very violent and somewhat
shocking. And because of that its also almost impossible to find.
This one didnt last too long on the shelves before people
decided it had to go away. But it can be found through horror
bookstores and should cost under ten bucks. At the end of the
newsletter will be the address of Pandoras Bookstore where I
bought my copy for only four bucks plus three dollars for
postage and handling. This book is worth it. Its an amazing
book, the first novel of one of the biggest names in the horror
field, it includes a short introductory by Dean Koontz, and it
should be a great collectors item in the future. Check it out if
you can get a hold of it.
The Stranger...
Created By by Richard Christian Matheson, Bantam Pub, 1993.
R.C. Matheson will probably always be best known as the son
of one of the most famous horror writers of all time, Richard
Matheson I Am Legend. But R.C. has been making a name for
himself in the horror world for a while now and with the release
of his first novel he has established himself as a writer to
watch for in the future. If you know R.C. Mathesons writing,
you know its his short-short stories that have earned him the
right to be considered one of the best writers around but with
his new book, Created By, Richard takes a stab at finding a
bigger audience than his short stories could ever find. Richard
is the master of short-shorts stories under a thousand words
and though his novel is hard to follow at times, the power he
brings to his shorter works makes this book worth reading. He
has the same quick cobra strike attack of writing that Joe
Lansdale has but without all the blood. Hes able to make one
sentence scary and funny at the same time. Created By is the
story of Alan White, a hot young writer-producer looking for the
one megahit every Hollywood writer dreams about. He finds it in
a show called The Mercenary. The show has sex, violence, and
even nudity, and though the networks are getting uptight about
the show, the television viewers cant keep their eyes off their
screens. Theres only one problem, the show is beginning to
have its own life. Murders on the show are becoming the next
mornings headlines and Alan himself may be the next victim.
The story has some twists, yet at times you may feel you
know exactly whats going to happen. The writing is wonderful
though there may be a few too much television lingo to keep up.
Overall I liked the writing more than I liked the book. But I do
recommend it, especially if youve never read Richard Christian
Matheson before.
The Stranger...
Shadow Man by Dennis Etchison, Dell Abyss, 1993
Few authors are more respected in the horror field than
Dennis Etchison. Although he has written only two novels
Darkside being the first, he has established himself as one of
the best writers of horror. Under the pen name Jack Martin,
Etchison has written many adaptations of movies for books such as
The Halloween movie series and Videodrome. But it is his short
story writing that has made him already somewhat of a legend. He
has many short story collections, all of which are hard to find,
all of which are worth the trouble of trying to find them. The
Dark Country would be the most popular and the one you may be
able to get a hold of.
Shadow Man is about a strange man who lives under the
shadow of night and only the children know his legend. But
social worker Lissa Shelby is starting to get worried because
many of the children she works with are missing. When a homeless
boy is discovered missing, Lissa sets out to find him, only to
encounter a reality more terrifying than anything she could have
imagined. With the help of a friend, she will search and
possibly find, the Shadow Man.
Dennis Etchison is one of the best writers around and thats
obvious once you read the books prologue. Theres only one
problem, he has no idea how to write a book. This book has so
many strange plot twists and one of the worst endings Ive ever
come across that its almost hard to recommend. Almost. I have
to recommend this book for the writing, it is truly one of the
best written books in a long time. Etchison takes a boring plot
and makes it scary and full of emotion in short paragraphs.
Etchisons next book should be coming out in November or early
December. Watch for it and read this one while your waiting.
The Stranger...
Dark Channel by Ray Garton, Bantam Pub., 1992.
Ray Garton is known for his writings on two different
subjects, sex and religion. This book has both. This book marks
the first attempt by Ray Garton to go main stream and he
accomplishes that very well. His other novels Live Girls,
Darklings have all had an excess of violence and sex but he
tones it down with Dark Channel. Not a lot but he does tone it
down. Garton is considered by some a sexpunk, which is a phrase
taken from another slang horror term splatterpunk. Whereas a
splatterpunk is uses excessive violence and blood, a sexpunk uses
excessive violent sex. But in this book the sex only begins at
the end and never gets too graphic. And the violence is rarely
spoken of.
The book is about a woman named Hester Thorne who has begun
her own new age group called the Universal Enlightened Alliance.
The starts the group because Orion, the voice speaking to her
inside her head, told her too. Her group becomes one of the
biggest in the world, people are flocking from all over to her
meetings to hear her speak. But private detective Jordan Cross
has been hired to find out more about the group after another man
who was suppose to be doing research on the group never returns.
As Jordan begins his search he finds more people who have lost a
love one to the group and together they will search to find where
everyone is, or to see if there even alive.
Ray Garton never cops out in this book, meaning he never
says it was only a trick. He gives us the feeling that
everything we see in the book, no matter how improbable it may be
is actually happening. His writing is very straight forward and
the plot goes in every direction but its still easy to follow.
Garton has an amazing way of introducing us to ten or so
characters and then making it possible for us to remember them
all. Though the book isnt what youd call scary, it is a great
read and something could be learned from it about religion in
this country. Check it out and see if your a believer..
The Stranger...
Gone South by Robert McCammon, Pocket Books, 1992.
It was hells season, and the air smelled of burning
children. Wow! Thats the first line from Robert McCammons
twelfth novel and from there the ride begins. McCammon has set
his sails for the world of mainstream writing but still his books
always have a sense of horror to them. Whether it being the
emotions that scare or the feelings of pain, McCammon can make
you hurt like no other. His epic Swan Song is possibly one of
the best horror books of all time and his other novels arent
much worse. McCammon has a southern style of writing that makes
you want to read carefully through every sentence so you can see
the picture hes painting before your eyes. Where a Joe Lansdale
would write quick sudden sentences that punch you in the gut,
McCammon writes long flowing sentences that just dance through
your head. He is truly one of the best writers out there in any
field of fiction and any chance you have of reading any one of
his books should be taken.
Now lets talk about Gone South. The story is about a
Vietnam Vet named Dan Lambert who kills a man in a moment of fear
and fury and in that one instance his life is changed forever.
Now hes on the run, not only from the police but from bounty
hunters who want the reward money being offered for his arrest.
He has to flee to the Louisana bayous and make his way through
the swamplands to escape but he may never escape the guilt that
is driving him insane. This is not one of my favorite McCammon
books but it is still worth the read. This book has characters
you wont soon forget and tales a fantasy story that will have
you surprised and laughing at the same time. McCammon has so
much improved since his first novel Baal that it is a pleasure
to read writing this good.
The Stranger...
There is nothing more beautiful than death.
Walt Whitman
5. The Writers Block By The Stranger...
This is where I will write a short essay on how to help you
become a better writer. First let me say that I dont consider
myself a great writer nor do I consider myself the keeper of
knowledge on how to write. I only want to share things that have
helped me become a better writer in hopes that it will help you.
I have not been published though I continue to try but I believe
that I have some suggestions or tips that might help. At the end
of the article I will list some horror magazines that you can
write to in order to get there guidelines and possibly be
published in them. Okay lets start.
In this issue Im going to deal with the simple rules on how
to become a better writer. Next issue Ill deal with how to get
published though it hasnt helped me.
There are two very important rules that come to mind that
every author tells a young writer. Number one, you must read a
lot. We learn language and how it can be used by reading the
works of others. The more you read the better understanding you
will have for the workings of a story such as plot,
characterization and setting mood. And I think its very important
to read the genre that you plan on writing, whether it be horror,
science fiction, or whatever. This allows you to keep up to date
on whats already been done and what the current feel is in your
genre. But at the same time I dont think you should limit
yourself, meaning I dont think you should read tons of books and
magazines and see that vampires are the current rage and then you
start writing vampires stories exclusively. By reading others,
we find out what everyone else is doing and then we try to come
up with are own style or originality.
The second rule is to write. Writers learn there craft by
writing just as an athlete becomes better through practices.
Writers should always be writing and in time you will notice a
big change between your first pieces and the ones you do now. A
lot of younger writers feel that after writing ten short stories
that its time to start sending them in to magazines. And though
some of these writers may be good enough to get there works
published so soon in their hobby, its a better idea to wait
until you have written the story that uses all your talents
perfectly. This usually doesnt happen until after, say, thirty
or so short stories. Poetry is different because at anytime you
may come up with something that means a lot to you and works just
as well for others.
Thats it for this issue. I kept it short due to lack of
time and also because I didnt think anyone would want to read
anymore. Next issue well look at the more advanced writer who
is ready to be published.
Here is a list of some magazines. Send a SASE to which ever
ones you like and tell them you would like a copy of their
fiction guidelines. This is the first step in getting your
finished product out to the markets. Thanks for reading and good
luck with your writing.
Dreams and Nightmares. This is a poetry magazine that excepts
horror or fantasy poems. Write to: 1300 Kicker Rd., Tuscaloosa,
AL 35404. There very quick with responses.
Deathrealm. This is a big horror fiction magazine, tough to get
published in. Write to: 3223-F Regents Park, Greensboro, NC
27455.
Eyes. This is a beginning horror fiction magazine. Quick
responses. Write to: Apt. 301, 2715 S. Jefferson Ave., Saginaw,
MI 48601.
2AM Magazine. Another big magazine in the horror world. Write
to: Box 6754, Rockford, IL 61125-1754. This magazine helps out
newer writers.
Thin Ice. A good small magazine that responds quickly. Write
to: 379 Lincoln Ave., Coucil Bluffs, IA 51503.
Aberations. This is for adult horror fiction. Write to: Sirius
Fiction, PO Box 460430, San Franciso, CA 94146.
Thats all of them for this issue but I have a lot more that Ill
share with you in the next few issues. When addressing these,
state the name of the magazine first and then the information
that comes after Write to:. Send a Self-Addressed-Stamped-
Envelope with each and expect a response in 2-8 weeks.
6. Final Words:
Im cutting the newsletter short this month due to lack of
time. I hope that by next months issue we will have twice as
many reviews and hopefully some non-fiction pieces on horror. If
anyone would like to contribute to the newsletter, feel free to
leave us messages on the many boards we are on. If there is
anything you would like to see in the next Death Certificate
just leave us a message. Well youve wasted enough time reading
through this newsletter, go enjoy the LITs if you havent
already. And upload the pack to your favorite boards and any
long distance boards you may be on. Thanks again, and well see
you next month.
Young fingers black from ink as your shaking hands glide
down the page, trying to see if your name is on the death
certificate. The wind screaming against the window, begging to
get in, to get to you. And at last you find the dotted line,
written in blood the letters that form your name. A sudden gasp
caught in your throat, a flicker of the lights until they fade
off completely. The cold touch of fingers as a hand reaches
across the bare skin of your neck. Goosebumps rise from your
neck just as the lights shine on once more. And once again you
are alone. Before you lies the death certificate, your name is
no longer written. You have escaped death, for now.
The Stranger...
C Copyright SAZ 1994. -The Stranger and Jack Flack-
Proudly Presents
The Death Certificate!
-----THE-DEATH-CERTIFICATE------VOLUME-1-ISSUE-1---------OCTOBER-1994-----
Staff: The Stranger, Jack Flack - Editors, Writers.
* If you are interested in contributing to The Death Certificate
please let one of the editors know.
I want to see. Show me. Take me to the fun house, into the
dark where the bogeyman jump out and go boo and scare me. And
then you can hold me tight. Hold me very tight.
Show me the dead men so I can feel alive.
- from Ash Wednesday
- Chet Williamson
+ Table of Contents +
1. Words from the Editor
2. SAZ News
3. Horror News
4. Reviews
5. The Writers Block
6. Final Words
1. Words from the Editors:
When we started SAZ we didnt know how many people would be
interested in reading poems and short stories on their computers.
We hoped that maybe twenty people would take a look at our work,
twenty-five at the most. At the time Im writing this, over forty
people have looked at pack one.. We want to thank all of those
who took the time to read over pack one and we hope you continue
to support us in the future.
If there was one problem we had with the first pack it was
the amount of comments we received about it, which was almost
nothing. We do want to hear from you and we do want to know what
you think. We dont want messages telling us how lame we are or
anything like that. But we do want to hear from you so we know
if were reaching anyone out there or if were doing this all in
vain. So please, leave us a message on any of the many boards
that we are on.
What you are looking at now is the SAZ Newsletter, The
Death Certificate. The idea of the newsletter is to pass on
news about SAZ and horror in general. We will have reviews of
books, movies, and music that have horror tones to them. We will
have tons of quotes and information about new books that are
coming out. We will have non-fiction pieces about the many
meanings of horror. The future of this newsletter depends on
your responses. If you hate it, its gone. If you like it, then
we will keep doing it. But most of all we want to know how you
think we could make it better.
Well thats all from me for the first issue. Thank you for
taking the time to look through pack two and please send your
comments to us and support us by sharing the pack with a friend.
Now, turn down the lights, keep your eyes wide open, and
pray you dont find your name, on The Death Certificate...
The Stranger
2. Soulz At Zero News
On September 13, 1994 the first Soulz At Zero pack was
released. There was little interest at first but once word got
around, the downloading really began. Over forty people have
downloaded the pack and over fifty have looked through it. We
consider this a great success and thank those of you who took the
time to read Soulz At Zero pack 1.
On October 13, Pack II will be released which includes more
great LIT, more Gifs and Ansis then before, and our new
newsletter The Death Certificate. We hope you enjoy it and
feel free to write us a message with your thoughts or comments.
3. Horror News by The Stranger:
New in Bookstores
Insomnia by Stephen King. The master returns to the bookshelves
this October 3rd with his latest installment of horror. 787
pages long, this book should mark the return of King to the genre
that made him a household name after his recent trips away from
horror with Geralds Game and Dolores Clairborne. The story is
about an elderly man named Ralph Roberts who finds himself
suffering from insomnia after the death of his wife. And maybe
its the lack of sleep or maybe not, but something is making him
see things that are more than hallucinations. Based in the town
of Derry, Maine where strange things have happened before It was
also based there Ralph and his friends are about to encounter
something they wont believe. If only they could sleep it off..
Look for a review of this book in the next newsletter.
Twilight Time by Rick Hautala. Known as Maines other author,
Rick Hautala has slowly become one of the most respected horror
writers in the field. His newest book, his eighth, has just been
released by Zebra and it appears to be the continuation of
Hautalas new jump from Horror to Psychological Horror. The
story is about a man named Jeff Wagner who is returning to his
home town in Maine where as a child, Jeff was abused along with
his sister and younger brother. Jeff formed multiple
personalities, each one more dangerous then the other, and the
only way to heal himself was to leave Maine. And now hes coming
back, hes about to open the door that has been closed for so
long, hes about to meet head on with his childhood fears once
again.. Well thats what the back of the book says, expect a
review of the book in the next newsletter.
Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite. Poppy Z. Brite has just turned
twenty-seven years old and she is already being called the
hottest writer in the horror field. Drawing Blood is her second
novel, last year she released Lost Souls, which quickly went on
to become a best seller. Brite has the power to take the
madness of her generation and turn it into blood curdling
horror. She listens to Tom Waite or Nine Inch Nails as she pens
her stories and its usually clear in her writing style. This
story is about Trevor McGee and his family. His father goes
crazy one day and kills off Trevors mother and brother. Trevor
had to leave to find sanity, but now hes back, back to face the
ghosts and find a reason for his fathers deed. He befriends a
computer hacker and a beautiful girl as he plunges into a world
of terror that will lead either to understanding or to a
blood raining repetition of the past. This book should be a great
read. Echo Magazine says of this book Darker and more exotic
than Anne Rice. More cerebral than Stephen King...Horror is
rarely this good. Review in the next issue, hopefully.
Taltos by Anne Rice. This book is the third installment in her
Lives of the Mayfair Witches series which began with The
Witching Hour and then Lasher. The story is about a race of
beautiful and practically immortal giants who once lived in peace
on an island in the North Atlantic. That is until Homo sapiens
came along and began to slaughter them. And so the Taltos
disappeared from the earth, well not entirely. At least one
lived, Ash Templeton, a seven-foot-tall New York millionaire who
is seeking for one of his own kind. And there is another, a
woman born from a witch who Ash must find. The reviews on this
book so far are horrible.. But then again its been the number
one bestseller for two weeks now.
Coming Soon to bookstores:
Dark Rivers of the Heart by Dean Koontz. The limited edition
version is priced at 250 and is probably already sold out.
Expect to see the trade hardback version out before Christmas.
Dell Abyss will release two highly anticipated books possibly
before the year is out. California Gothic by Dennis Etchison
and Swamp Foetus by Poppy Z. Brite. California Gothic will
mark Etchisons third novel and should be out before Christmas.
Swamp Foetus is a collection of short stories that is already
out in an expensive limited edition version but will be released
in paperback around January. These two both promise to be big
sellers and great reads.
New on the magazine rack:
Cemetery Dance Magazine, Summer 1994. My personal favorite
magazine once again proves itself to be the best horror fiction
magazine around. A wonderful piece of art is featured on the
cover and as usually the pictures inside are breathtaking. This
issue has short stories by well known short story writer Norman
Partridge as well as three well known novelist, Ed Gorman,
Douglas Clegg, and Mathhew J. Costello. There are articles by
Charles Grant, Douglas Winter, Kathryn Ptacek, and Thomas F.
Monteleone to name a few. And the interview this issue is with
Nancy A. Collins author of such books as Sunglasses After Dark
and her new one Wild Blood. Cemetery Dance is always worth the
money. Pick up the new copy at a comic book store or horror
store near you.
New on Video:
The Stand. This six and a half hour made for TV mini-series is
now available at your local video store. It comes on four VHS
tapes which also includes a behind the scenes making of the film.
The Stand, based on the novel by Stephen King, was one of the
highest rated mini-series of all time. The story is about a
disease that sweeps across the country killing everyone except a
select few who are called in dreams by the voices of good or
evil. The survivors make their decisions on who to follow and
prepare themselves for the Stand.. Highly recommended.
New on CD:
4P by Danzig. On October 3rd Danzig released there fourth studio
album. Riding high on the success of the song Mother, Danzig
looks to keep there new audience by adding more melodies to the
songs but by also keeping the screams and devilish lyrics that
made them popular. The album contains twelve songs including
Brand New God, Going Down To Die, Until You Call on the
Dark, and Bringer of Pain. It also includes a hidden track on
the CD version at track number 66, which is a Gregorian chant to
the demons. The album is loud, aggressive and evil. Buy it.
Review in next months Death Certificate.
Life is not good one day it will be good
to die, and then to live again.
Christine Rossetti
4. The Reviews:
Books:
The Nightrunners by Joe R. Lansdale, 1987 Tor Pub.
Fangoria Magazine said of Lansdale You have to turn to
someone like Clive Barker to equal the repulsive and vivid
imagination Lansdale has at his command. But where as Barker
will slice open a victim with precision like a surgeon, Lansdale
will rip his victims apart like Jason from Friday the 13th.
There is no one who writes like Lansdale, there are many who
write with the same vicious style but none who understand the
mixture of language and life as well as he does. After reading
this book you will have to wash the blood from your own fingers
as every page drips of it. Okay, well not really, but you get the
idea. The Nightrunners was Joes first novel under his own
name and it shows. His inexperience makes for a sloppy plot and
bad structure but it also brings raw power and originality like no
other book has. The story is about a woman named Becky who one
night a long time ago was raped by a group of boys. The boys
call themselves The Nightrunners and with a little help from
fate and maybe a little strange magic, they are about to meet the
woman they terrorized years before. You see, she was able to
recognize one of the boys on the night she was raped and he was
sent to prison. He hung himself in his cell. And now his best
friend is the groups leader and he knows he must bring revenge to
the woman who he feels killed his friend. He knows he must bring
revenge because his dead friend tells him so.
Let me warn you here, this book is very violent and somewhat
shocking. And because of that its also almost impossible to find.
This one didnt last too long on the shelves before people
decided it had to go away. But it can be found through horror
bookstores and should cost under ten bucks. At the end of the
newsletter will be the address of Pandoras Bookstore where I
bought my copy for only four bucks plus three dollars for
postage and handling. This book is worth it. Its an amazing
book, the first novel of one of the biggest names in the horror
field, it includes a short introductory by Dean Koontz, and it
should be a great collectors item in the future. Check it out if
you can get a hold of it.
The Stranger...
Created By by Richard Christian Matheson, Bantam Pub, 1993.
R.C. Matheson will probably always be best known as the son
of one of the most famous horror writers of all time, Richard
Matheson I Am Legend. But R.C. has been making a name for
himself in the horror world for a while now and with the release
of his first novel he has established himself as a writer to
watch for in the future. If you know R.C. Mathesons writing,
you know its his short-short stories that have earned him the
right to be considered one of the best writers around but with
his new book, Created By, Richard takes a stab at finding a
bigger audience than his short stories could ever find. Richard
is the master of short-shorts stories under a thousand words
and though his novel is hard to follow at times, the power he
brings to his shorter works makes this book worth reading. He
has the same quick cobra strike attack of writing that Joe
Lansdale has but without all the blood. Hes able to make one
sentence scary and funny at the same time. Created By is the
story of Alan White, a hot young writer-producer looking for the
one megahit every Hollywood writer dreams about. He finds it in
a show called The Mercenary. The show has sex, violence, and
even nudity, and though the networks are getting uptight about
the show, the television viewers cant keep their eyes off their
screens. Theres only one problem, the show is beginning to
have its own life. Murders on the show are becoming the next
mornings headlines and Alan himself may be the next victim.
The story has some twists, yet at times you may feel you
know exactly whats going to happen. The writing is wonderful
though there may be a few too much television lingo to keep up.
Overall I liked the writing more than I liked the book. But I do
recommend it, especially if youve never read Richard Christian
Matheson before.
The Stranger...
Shadow Man by Dennis Etchison, Dell Abyss, 1993
Few authors are more respected in the horror field than
Dennis Etchison. Although he has written only two novels
Darkside being the first, he has established himself as one of
the best writers of horror. Under the pen name Jack Martin,
Etchison has written many adaptations of movies for books such as
The Halloween movie series and Videodrome. But it is his short
story writing that has made him already somewhat of a legend. He
has many short story collections, all of which are hard to find,
all of which are worth the trouble of trying to find them. The
Dark Country would be the most popular and the one you may be
able to get a hold of.
Shadow Man is about a strange man who lives under the
shadow of night and only the children know his legend. But
social worker Lissa Shelby is starting to get worried because
many of the children she works with are missing. When a homeless
boy is discovered missing, Lissa sets out to find him, only to
encounter a reality more terrifying than anything she could have
imagined. With the help of a friend, she will search and
possibly find, the Shadow Man.
Dennis Etchison is one of the best writers around and thats
obvious once you read the books prologue. Theres only one
problem, he has no idea how to write a book. This book has so
many strange plot twists and one of the worst endings Ive ever
come across that its almost hard to recommend. Almost. I have
to recommend this book for the writing, it is truly one of the
best written books in a long time. Etchison takes a boring plot
and makes it scary and full of emotion in short paragraphs.
Etchisons next book should be coming out in November or early
December. Watch for it and read this one while your waiting.
The Stranger...
Dark Channel by Ray Garton, Bantam Pub., 1992.
Ray Garton is known for his writings on two different
subjects, sex and religion. This book has both. This book marks
the first attempt by Ray Garton to go main stream and he
accomplishes that very well. His other novels Live Girls,
Darklings have all had an excess of violence and sex but he
tones it down with Dark Channel. Not a lot but he does tone it
down. Garton is considered by some a sexpunk, which is a phrase
taken from another slang horror term splatterpunk. Whereas a
splatterpunk is uses excessive violence and blood, a sexpunk uses
excessive violent sex. But in this book the sex only begins at
the end and never gets too graphic. And the violence is rarely
spoken of.
The book is about a woman named Hester Thorne who has begun
her own new age group called the Universal Enlightened Alliance.
The starts the group because Orion, the voice speaking to her
inside her head, told her too. Her group becomes one of the
biggest in the world, people are flocking from all over to her
meetings to hear her speak. But private detective Jordan Cross
has been hired to find out more about the group after another man
who was suppose to be doing research on the group never returns.
As Jordan begins his search he finds more people who have lost a
love one to the group and together they will search to find where
everyone is, or to see if there even alive.
Ray Garton never cops out in this book, meaning he never
says it was only a trick. He gives us the feeling that
everything we see in the book, no matter how improbable it may be
is actually happening. His writing is very straight forward and
the plot goes in every direction but its still easy to follow.
Garton has an amazing way of introducing us to ten or so
characters and then making it possible for us to remember them
all. Though the book isnt what youd call scary, it is a great
read and something could be learned from it about religion in
this country. Check it out and see if your a believer..
The Stranger...
Gone South by Robert McCammon, Pocket Books, 1992.
It was hells season, and the air smelled of burning
children. Wow! Thats the first line from Robert McCammons
twelfth novel and from there the ride begins. McCammon has set
his sails for the world of mainstream writing but still his books
always have a sense of horror to them. Whether it being the
emotions that scare or the feelings of pain, McCammon can make
you hurt like no other. His epic Swan Song is possibly one of
the best horror books of all time and his other novels arent
much worse. McCammon has a southern style of writing that makes
you want to read carefully through every sentence so you can see
the picture hes painting before your eyes. Where a Joe Lansdale
would write quick sudden sentences that punch you in the gut,
McCammon writes long flowing sentences that just dance through
your head. He is truly one of the best writers out there in any
field of fiction and any chance you have of reading any one of
his books should be taken.
Now lets talk about Gone South. The story is about a
Vietnam Vet named Dan Lambert who kills a man in a moment of fear
and fury and in that one instance his life is changed forever.
Now hes on the run, not only from the police but from bounty
hunters who want the reward money being offered for his arrest.
He has to flee to the Louisana bayous and make his way through
the swamplands to escape but he may never escape the guilt that
is driving him insane. This is not one of my favorite McCammon
books but it is still worth the read. This book has characters
you wont soon forget and tales a fantasy story that will have
you surprised and laughing at the same time. McCammon has so
much improved since his first novel Baal that it is a pleasure
to read writing this good.
The Stranger...
There is nothing more beautiful than death.
Walt Whitman
5. The Writers Block By The Stranger...
This is where I will write a short essay on how to help you
become a better writer. First let me say that I dont consider
myself a great writer nor do I consider myself the keeper of
knowledge on how to write. I only want to share things that have
helped me become a better writer in hopes that it will help you.
I have not been published though I continue to try but I believe
that I have some suggestions or tips that might help. At the end
of the article I will list some horror magazines that you can
write to in order to get there guidelines and possibly be
published in them. Okay lets start.
In this issue Im going to deal with the simple rules on how
to become a better writer. Next issue Ill deal with how to get
published though it hasnt helped me.
There are two very important rules that come to mind that
every author tells a young writer. Number one, you must read a
lot. We learn language and how it can be used by reading the
works of others. The more you read the better understanding you
will have for the workings of a story such as plot,
characterization and setting mood. And I think its very important
to read the genre that you plan on writing, whether it be horror,
science fiction, or whatever. This allows you to keep up to date
on whats already been done and what the current feel is in your
genre. But at the same time I dont think you should limit
yourself, meaning I dont think you should read tons of books and
magazines and see that vampires are the current rage and then you
start writing vampires stories exclusively. By reading others,
we find out what everyone else is doing and then we try to come
up with are own style or originality.
The second rule is to write. Writers learn there craft by
writing just as an athlete becomes better through practices.
Writers should always be writing and in time you will notice a
big change between your first pieces and the ones you do now. A
lot of younger writers feel that after writing ten short stories
that its time to start sending them in to magazines. And though
some of these writers may be good enough to get there works
published so soon in their hobby, its a better idea to wait
until you have written the story that uses all your talents
perfectly. This usually doesnt happen until after, say, thirty
or so short stories. Poetry is different because at anytime you
may come up with something that means a lot to you and works just
as well for others.
Thats it for this issue. I kept it short due to lack of
time and also because I didnt think anyone would want to read
anymore. Next issue well look at the more advanced writer who
is ready to be published.
Here is a list of some magazines. Send a SASE to which ever
ones you like and tell them you would like a copy of their
fiction guidelines. This is the first step in getting your
finished product out to the markets. Thanks for reading and good
luck with your writing.
Dreams and Nightmares. This is a poetry magazine that excepts
horror or fantasy poems. Write to: 1300 Kicker Rd., Tuscaloosa,
AL 35404. There very quick with responses.
Deathrealm. This is a big horror fiction magazine, tough to get
published in. Write to: 3223-F Regents Park, Greensboro, NC
27455.
Eyes. This is a beginning horror fiction magazine. Quick
responses. Write to: Apt. 301, 2715 S. Jefferson Ave., Saginaw,
MI 48601.
2AM Magazine. Another big magazine in the horror world. Write
to: Box 6754, Rockford, IL 61125-1754. This magazine helps out
newer writers.
Thin Ice. A good small magazine that responds quickly. Write
to: 379 Lincoln Ave., Coucil Bluffs, IA 51503.
Aberations. This is for adult horror fiction. Write to: Sirius
Fiction, PO Box 460430, San Franciso, CA 94146.
Thats all of them for this issue but I have a lot more that Ill
share with you in the next few issues. When addressing these,
state the name of the magazine first and then the information
that comes after Write to:. Send a Self-Addressed-Stamped-
Envelope with each and expect a response in 2-8 weeks.
6. Final Words:
Im cutting the newsletter short this month due to lack of
time. I hope that by next months issue we will have twice as
many reviews and hopefully some non-fiction pieces on horror. If
anyone would like to contribute to the newsletter, feel free to
leave us messages on the many boards we are on. If there is
anything you would like to see in the next Death Certificate
just leave us a message. Well youve wasted enough time reading
through this newsletter, go enjoy the LITs if you havent
already. And upload the pack to your favorite boards and any
long distance boards you may be on. Thanks again, and well see
you next month.
Young fingers black from ink as your shaking hands glide
down the page, trying to see if your name is on the death
certificate. The wind screaming against the window, begging to
get in, to get to you. And at last you find the dotted line,
written in blood the letters that form your name. A sudden gasp
caught in your throat, a flicker of the lights until they fade
off completely. The cold touch of fingers as a hand reaches
across the bare skin of your neck. Goosebumps rise from your
neck just as the lights shine on once more. And once again you
are alone. Before you lies the death certificate, your name is
no longer written. You have escaped death, for now.
The Stranger...
C Copyright SAZ 1994. -The Stranger and Jack Flack-
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