Richard Laymon (1947-2001) wrote 67 books, mostly horror novels under his own name and some psuedonymns from 1980 to 2008. To wrap up this month of Halloween and Horror stories, I chose Laymon’s The Beast House from 1986. The Beast House is the second book in The Beast House series.

The Beast House is a creepy structure where 15 people have been killed over a number of years…by a Beast. The Beast House is located outside Malcasa, California. A young girl, Janice Crogan, writes to successful horror writer Gorman Hardy offering to share the secret stories of The Beast House in return for half of the profits of the projected best selling book. Little does Janice know that Gorman plans to get the facts of the story and cheat Janice out of the money.

The Beast House is run by a bizarre couple who offers tours to tourists. Most people think The Beast House is a huge hoax. They don’t believe The Beast exists. But…they are very wrong!

Richard Laymon knows how to amp up the fear and horror as the death count starts to mount. What better way to get ready for Halloween than to read this spooky tale! GRADE: B

THE BEAST HOUSE CHRONICLES SERIES:

The Cellar (1980)

The Beast House (1986)

The Midnight Tour (1998)

Friday Night in Beast House (2001)

I was just 10 years old when I started listening to Julie London sing her songs on the radio. Her voice was beautiful and I couldn’t wait to hear her sing another song. Over the years, I’ve listened to Julie London vinyl albums and later music CDs on a regular basis.

Here are two of my favorite Julie London albums: The Best of Julie London and All Through the Night.

The Best of Julie London includes some of my favorite Julie London songs: “‘Round Midnight,” “In the Still of the Night,” “The Thrill is Gone,” and “I’m in the Mood for Love.”

I love Cole Porter songs, especially when Julie London is singing them! “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” is a typical Cole Porter song with plenty of innuendo. “You Do Something to Me” is as sensual as can be! And Julie pours her heart out on “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.”

If you haven’t listened to Julie London in a while, she’s still waiting for you… GRADE: A (for both)

TRACK LIST:

TRACK LIST:

All of these stories suck. I mean literally! Poppy Z. Brite returns with a sequel to her Love In Vein vampire anthology (you can read my review of Love in Vein I here.). Love in Vein II‘s best stories are “First Date” by Richard Laymon about a horny young couple who decide to visit a cemetery at night for a frolic. You can make a good guess at what happens…

Neil Gaiman’s “Snow, Glass, Apples” blends a Queen’s problems ruling a declining kingdom after the death of her husband with a rapacious daughter who has her own deadly agenda.

If your Halloween could use a little spice, you’ll find the stories in both Love in Vain I & II can remedy that situation. GRADE: B

Table of Contents:

• Snow, Glass, Apples – (1995) – short story by Neil Gaiman
• Bela’s Plot – (1997) – short story by Caitlín R. Kiernan
• Armies of the Heart – (1997) – short story by Christopher Fowler
• Whispers in Walled Tombs – (1997) – short story by O’Neil De Noux
• Ceilings and Sky – (1997) – short story by Lucy Taylor
• The Fly Room – (1997) – novelette by Thom Metzger
• The Subtle Ties That Bind – (1997) – short story by David Niall Wilson
• When Memory Fails – (1997) – novelette by Roberta Lannes
• The I of the Eye of the Worm – (1997) – short story by Janet Berliner and George Guthridge
• Stigmata – (1997) – short story by Jean-Daniel Brèque (trans. of Stigmates)
• The Dripping of Sundered Wineskins – (1997) – novella by Brian Hodge
• I’m Not Well, But I’m Better – (1997) – short story by Pat Califia
• Kingyo no fun – (1997) – novelette by Nicholas Royle
• First Date – (1997) – novelette by Richard Laymon
• To Have You with Me – (1997) – short story by Randy Fox
• Dusting the Flowers – (1997) – novelette by David J. Schow
• Bloodlight – (1997) – short story by Stephen Mark Rainey
• The Privilege of the Dead – (1997) – short story by Thomas S. Roche

“Professor Jasper Tempest (played by Ben Miller), a genius criminologist at University of Cambridge, who has OCD and an overbearing mother, assists the police in solving crimes. Miller has stated in an interview that Jasper is also autistic.” (Wikipedia)

I’ve watched the previous four seasons of Professor T and enjoyed the mix of off-beat cast and off-beat murders. Adapted from the hit Belgian series of the same name, Professor T follows the eccentric, meticulously structured Professor Tempest as he solves baffling crimes.

In Episode 1 (of 6) in this new season, Professor Tempest and Dr. Helena Goldberg (played by Juliet Stevenson) are on a vacation to explore a possible relationship. But, two deaths in two days gets Professor T convinced the deaths may be murders. GRADE: B+

“The ability to read long and complex texts was once a widespread skill. It now risks becoming a rare, even esoteric accomplishment. …Though some still argue over the significance of factors like inequality or changes to the education system, it seems increasing obvious that the major culprit is the smartphone…” (p. 6-7)

James Marriott’s message is clear: “Without reading, the world is going to become less rational and more disorganized.” (p. 13) The decline of reading is obvious with the closing of bookstores, the plummeting of book sales, and the reduced usage of libraries (other than supplying movie DVDs).

“In the fragmented, trivialized and angry new world that is being shaped by the smartphone, conspiracy theories and mad ideas spread with terrifying fertility. Political discourse which was once conducted in print–with its remarkable capacity for sustain logical thought and extended argument—now takes place amid the moronic inferno of social media.” (p. 13)

Confrontation, arguments, name-calling are all on the increase. Everyone can air their grievances on-line no matter how silly. In fact, being silly and outrageous only increases “Likes” and audience response. We are drifting into chaos and illiteracy. Artificial Intelligence can’t fix that.

The New Dark Ages provides all the examples of smartphone addiction you could want. The Social Media companies designed their products to be addictive. The result is not only a decline in reading, but depression, anxiety, bullying, and suicidal thoughts (and actions). Our society is spiraling out of control. We have a $40 TRILLION debt with little in the way of repayment. The course we’re on is not sustainable! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION — 1

1. The reading mind — 15
2.  The rise of reading — 28
3. The rise of the screen — 55
4. The disenlightenment — 82
5. The political power of books — 103
6. The end of democracy? — 117

Conclusion — 154

Acknowledgements — 169

Recommended Reading — 171

Notes — 175

The 5-1 Buffalo Bills are resting after their 33-30 win over the Raiders. Looming ahead is a battle against Jeff Smith’s Ravens on November 1. The Vegas early point spread has the Bills favored by 3 points. That could change…

How will your favorite NFL team perform today?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd89zz5u2Kc

I taught a course in MARKETING for nearly 40 years. Over that time, I saw a lot changes in how companies used marketing to sell their products. Recently, a TV commercial featuring Megan Fox is getting heavy rotation on many channels…especially those watched by men.

Just click on the link above and click on the sound icon in the lower right corner to see and hear Megan Fox do her thing!

Ghostfinders SERIES:
   1. Ghost of a Chance (2010)
   2. Ghost of a Smile (2011)
   3. Ghost of a Dream (2012)
   4. Spirits from Beyond (2013)
   5. Voices from Beyond (2014)
   6. Forces from Beyond (2015)

Here’s a series that will get you in the Halloween mood! Simon R. Green wrote this series from 2010 to 2015. The Ghost Finders series is set in the same world as the Nightside, Secret Histories, and various other Simon R. Green supernatural novels and frequent references to characters and places between them.

The main characters are the leader, JC Chance, who was touched by something from Outside in a recent case and is still trying to determine what all that means; Melody Chambers, girl geek and computer expert; and “Happy” Jack Palmer, Class Eleven telepath and official gloomy bugger who provides occasional comic relief from the horrific events in these books. The Ghost Finders are joined from time to time by JC’s ghost girlfriend, Kim, who is truly creepy.

These three Ghost Finders are part of the Carnacki Institute who are dedicated to “Do Something” about ghosts, and live by the motto “We don’t take any shit from the Hereafter”.

If you’re a fan of Simon R. Green, you know what to expect: plenty of action, plenty of angst, and a dollop of humor when events take a turn for the Worst. Fun reading for Halloween! GRADE: B (FOR ALL THE BOOKS IN THE SERIES)

I own a number of Greatest Hits CDs of The Rolling Stones. Rewind, from 1984, includes many of my favorite songs: “Tumbling Dice,” “Miss You,” “Brown Sugar,” “Waiting on a Friend,” “Angie,” and “Start Me Up.”

After 1984, The Rolling Stones continued to perform in concerts, continued to put out occasional albums, but much of their magic was gone. Rewind captures the essence of what made the Stones the Greatest Rock Band in the World for that era. Are you a Rolling Stones fan? Do you have a favorite song? GRADE: A

TRACK LIST:

I have not been pleased with Ellen Datlow’s recently published anthologies. You can read my review of Lovecraft’s Brood here.

Of the 19 stories in All Hallows Eve, I really only liked one of them: “Her Mother’s Business” by Garth Nix. A young girl’s mother is a con artist and uses her wiles to cheat wealthy widows out of vast sums of money by staging a seance with her victim’s dead relative.

Garth Nix cleverly sets the seance in “Her Mother’s Business” on Halloween when other Powers decide to intervene. Sadly, none of the other stories in All Hallows Eve come close to the excellence of this story. GRADE: C

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction Ellen Datlow
Foreword Lisa Morton
That Hannie Agnes Josh Malerman
On the Path, Bleeding Lee Murray
Good Kids Rich Larson
Treats Clay McLeod Chapman
The Levels Livia Llewellyn
Forever Again Michael Marshall Smith
The Devil’s New Year Stephen Graham Jones
Merciless Feast Linda D Addison
Or So the Story Goes Christopher Golden
The Kuker Alma Katsu
Ankou’s Night Brian Evenson
The Hungry Grass Siobhan Carroll
Saturday Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ
Give Me Something Good to Eat Theresa DeLucci
Her Mother’s Business Garth Nix
The Thinning of the Veil Jeffrey Ford
Dare Me Richard Kadrey
On the Night of the Welcome Stranger Nathan Ballingrud
The Auld Woman with the Broom John Langan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

ABOUT THE EDITOR