A very short post today, but hopefully one you'll like - since it's the holiday season and all, I'm giving away free copies of Basement Blues. Just call me Santa's lil helper.
Janet starts us off with Basement Blues a fun noir style story. Only this time instead of ole' Sam Spade our detectives are "monsters". Astrid, a vampire, Ruth, a ghost and Bill, well, you have to read the story to find out what he is, run Blue Moon Detective Agency. They specialize in handling the more unusual cases and they get a doozy of one when Susan, a zombie with a problem, shows up. Susan has a ghost in her basement that is trying to kill her...again. Why, you ask? Now, if I told you that I would give away a wonderful gasping twist in this fun spooky tale about how monsters can make the best of friends.
In her next tale Dim, Janet wrenches your heart out with a story about a man turned child by the horrors of war and how they continue to haunt and terrify him into his innocence. Charlie went to war to serve his country and came back with half a brain, literally, and a fear of the dark. When his convoy was hit by friendly fire he was trapped for two days with his dead comrades under an overturned half buried truck. Now he is being taken care of by his ailing grandmother and ignored by a sister he adores. What is it in the dark that scares him so much? When you find out it will make your skin crawl and want to scream in terror.
And last, but not least is Pushing Janey, a tale about a young man, Phan, and a young woman who catch each others eye in Piccadilly Station. Unfortunately, before Phan can learn the young woman's name she has a terrible accident and is killed. Why is it then that the young man is still seeing her at the Station with a strange star like dark spot on her back? To make things even weirder he starts to see other people that are there one minute and gone the next, each with the same star shaped dark spot. Are these people trying to tell him something? Find out what the dead are saying to Phan in this physiological thriller that will leave your head spinning.
Janet even throws in the first three chapters of her début novel Wolfsong at the end of Basement Blues and Other Stories to tantalize our imaginations and bring us into a world of myth, monsters, and magic that leave us yearning for more.
The last story, Pushing Janey, was a bleak ghost story that caught me totally by surprise in a couple of ways over just a few pages. This story is *not* funny, but it's very well-executed and it will keep you guessing until the end.
It was the middle story, Dim, that blew my mind. It elevates fear of the dark into something almost tangible--I don't think I've read a story that tackles that particular subject so well, or with such a unique approach. The description and atmosphere are chilling, the characters are fascinating, and the overall story execution is spot-on. This is one story that will get you to get up and turn on all the lights in the house--in the middle of the day.
This collection is worth it for Dim alone, but read the rest and you won't be disappointed!
Head on over to Smashwords and use voucher code ES96G at checkout for your 100% discount.
This version of the book can be either downloaded to your e-reader or pc or printed off if you'd rather have a hard copy - either way, enjoy and have a great festive season!
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Latest reviews :
Great collection of spooky stories!, 31 Oct 2011
By Tabitha's Attic - Published on Amazon U.S.
This review is from: Basement Blues (Kindle Edition)
Basement Blues and Other Stories is a collection of spooky tales by Janet Sked to get you in the scaring mood.Janet starts us off with Basement Blues a fun noir style story. Only this time instead of ole' Sam Spade our detectives are "monsters". Astrid, a vampire, Ruth, a ghost and Bill, well, you have to read the story to find out what he is, run Blue Moon Detective Agency. They specialize in handling the more unusual cases and they get a doozy of one when Susan, a zombie with a problem, shows up. Susan has a ghost in her basement that is trying to kill her...again. Why, you ask? Now, if I told you that I would give away a wonderful gasping twist in this fun spooky tale about how monsters can make the best of friends.
In her next tale Dim, Janet wrenches your heart out with a story about a man turned child by the horrors of war and how they continue to haunt and terrify him into his innocence. Charlie went to war to serve his country and came back with half a brain, literally, and a fear of the dark. When his convoy was hit by friendly fire he was trapped for two days with his dead comrades under an overturned half buried truck. Now he is being taken care of by his ailing grandmother and ignored by a sister he adores. What is it in the dark that scares him so much? When you find out it will make your skin crawl and want to scream in terror.
And last, but not least is Pushing Janey, a tale about a young man, Phan, and a young woman who catch each others eye in Piccadilly Station. Unfortunately, before Phan can learn the young woman's name she has a terrible accident and is killed. Why is it then that the young man is still seeing her at the Station with a strange star like dark spot on her back? To make things even weirder he starts to see other people that are there one minute and gone the next, each with the same star shaped dark spot. Are these people trying to tell him something? Find out what the dead are saying to Phan in this physiological thriller that will leave your head spinning.
Janet even throws in the first three chapters of her début novel Wolfsong at the end of Basement Blues and Other Stories to tantalize our imaginations and bring us into a world of myth, monsters, and magic that leave us yearning for more.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Two good stories, one amazing story, 11 July 2011
By Jamie Schultz - Published on Amazon U.S.
This review is from: Basement Blues (Kindle Edition)
This is a short collection of three very different stories. Basement Blues is a humorous paranormal detective story that has a lot of fun playing with the classic vampire, ghost, and zombie tropes. Who do you call when you're a zombie with a psychotic washing machine haunting your basement? Blue Moon Detective Agency! The humor is right on, very much in the vein of Terry Pratchett, and the characters are lovably entertaining. I would have liked the main character to have more agency in the final outcome (no pun intended), but this story was a fun read nonetheless.The last story, Pushing Janey, was a bleak ghost story that caught me totally by surprise in a couple of ways over just a few pages. This story is *not* funny, but it's very well-executed and it will keep you guessing until the end.
It was the middle story, Dim, that blew my mind. It elevates fear of the dark into something almost tangible--I don't think I've read a story that tackles that particular subject so well, or with such a unique approach. The description and atmosphere are chilling, the characters are fascinating, and the overall story execution is spot-on. This is one story that will get you to get up and turn on all the lights in the house--in the middle of the day.
This collection is worth it for Dim alone, but read the rest and you won't be disappointed!
Congrats on the reviews! Any word on the full length story with the cast of Basement Blues?
ReplyDeletehi Scott - I'm about 80% of the way through it - I was hoping to get it up for Halloween, but real life had other ideas. If all goes to plan though, Die Laughing will be ready and up as an ebook in either December or January.
ReplyDelete