Okay, here's the skinny: Jeff Strand's latest horror novel, released as a mass market paperback by Leisure Books, is DWELLER, an ass kicking, tear jerking, thoroughly gory tale of a boy and his monster that follows its unlikely protagonists over decades of friendship. As a lifelong fan of KING KONG, THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, and TROG, I found it irresistible, and devoured it in a day and a half. DWELLER gets the "Fear Zone Seal of Approval" for delivering the goods and then some, and a Limited Edition hardcover is available from Dark Regions Press , the same outfit that had the good sense to publish a print edition of the author's short story collection, GLEEFULLY MACABRE ... (more…)

Back when Fear Zone first launched, one of our first author reading videos was Nicholas Kaufmann reading an excerpt from his Bram Stoker nominated novelette General Slocum's Gold, which we selected as our Best Short Fiction for that year (although Nick pointed out it wasn't all that short). For one year, this New York based author wrote "The State of the Genre", and he currently writes a similar column, "Dead Air," for The Internet Review of Science Fiction. This is a big year for Kaufmann: Chizine sold out the limited edition of his new novella, Chasing the Dragon, which will be published in December, and November sees his first published mass market novel, Hunt at World's End, one ... (more…)

ANDRE DUZA is a talented writer of horror and bizarro fiction, who is probably best known for his novel DEAD BITCH ARMY, which was also recently spun off into a graphic novel called HOLLOW-EYED MARY. His other books include JESUS FREAKS, NECO SEX MACHINE, and the upcoming BIG DADDY NOFACE.

I recently sat down with him to talk about horror, bizarro fiction, and just life in general. Here's the interview.

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Okay, let's start out with your titles, like DEAD BITCH ARMY and NECRO SEX MACHINE. Where do you come up with these great titles?


I've always had a thing for titles that convey the vibe of the story in a way that they almost become characters in themselves. Like, without the title, the ... (more…)

So, Douglas E. Wright,...mind if I call you Dougie? No, I can tell by that mean look you'd rather I didn't. Okay. I'm ashamed to admit that upon first meeting you on the online message board The Haunt, I mistook you for Douglas Winter that wrote all those nonfiction books about Stephen King. Has that happened to you before? (Please say yes and save me from dying of embarrassment.)


No. Not even my sister calls me Dougie. As for the Douglas Winter comment. Another great big, NO! LOL No, I can't say it ever happened before. However, I have been mistaken for screenwriter Doug Wright. Hence, the 'E' now in my name. No reason to be embarrassed. I liked it.


You're one of those exotic ... (more…)

When I first met Nick Cato (briefly) back in 2005 at the World Horror Convention in New York City, little did I know that this guy would become one of my closest friends. I'm amazed how much we have in common - from a lifelong love of horror, comedy, movies and music (especially punk rock), to a current fascination with the emerging bizarro genre. Nick is also the editor of the long-running fanzine THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW, which has been reviewing horror books for years, and he is the kingpin behind NOVELLO PUBLISHERS, which has been doing a great job keeping the humorous horror genre front and center. Nick and I even co-edited an anthology of funny horror stories called DARK JESTERS, ... (more…)

Earlier this year, I met a very new and exciting writer online at THE HORROR MALL's forum, THE HAUNT. A place where writers and collectors come together to discuss everything horror. This up and coming writer's name is MARK ALLAN GUNNELLS. Our meeting happened quite by chance. Mark had noticed my name and emailed me telling me how much he loved my writing. I was thrilled. However. Overtime. I realized he thought he was speaking with Douglas E Winter! Once I broke it to him I wasn't whom he thought, we moved onto what we actually had in common. He went on to tell me about a story he had placed in one of the early editions of the BLACK INK HORROR magazine by SIDESHOW PRESS. I read the story, ... (more…)

I first met Kurt Newton back in 2001, when the New England Chapter of the HWA first started up. As I got to know him, I realized we shared a lot of the same attitudes about writing, and about horror as a genre. We've since gone on to become really good friends, sometimes collaborators, and fans of each other's work. I'm always psyched to hear about a new Kurt Newton book or story, and obviously, I'm not alone. We recently sat down to chat in anticipation of the release of Kurt's new chapbook, BLACK BUTTERLFIES, coming soon from Sideshow Press.

If you're not familiar with Kurt's work, definitely seek it out. He's a terrific writer, and I can't recommend him enough.

And now, on with the show:

... (more…)

Okay, let's get serious.

When people think of Jeff Strand, they usually think of his comic horror, like his hilarious novel THE SINISTER MR. CORPSE, or his hilarious take on "The Three Little Pigs," included his short story collection GLEEFULLY MACABRE TALES, which was recently nominated for a Bram Stoker Award, or his memorable performances at the World Horror Con Gross Out Contests (I particularly enjoyed the one he did the year organizers tried--and failed--to ban the contest). Or maybe you just know him from his self deprecating blog, or for the interviews he's done right here on Fear Zone. This his fourth time around our track, making him our most frequent interview subject (okay, one ... (more…)

Kim Paffenroth has become, indubitably, one of the most influential new voices in the zombie genre. From his detailed nonfiction dissection of George Romero's work in Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero's Visions of Hell on Earth to his profoundly intriguing post-apocalyptic series Dying to Live, he has infused an exhilarating new life force into the world of the living dead. Now, with the release of his latest novel Valley of the Dead Paffenroth, a Professor of Religious Studies and cult icon, takes us on a journey through the dark medieval world of Italian poet Dante Alighieri and the inner rings of hell. I had the pleasure of interviewing Paffenroth recently and this is what he ... (more…)

Fearzone contributor, historian and author Jason S. Ridler has only one tale left to finish before having fifty horror, fantasy, and crime stories surfing the slush piles. Now, he let's you pick which story will be lucky number fifty: an sf adventure, a gritty drug-fueled western, or a dark flash fiction piece about addiction. Which one? You choose!

To vote, go to Ridler's Live Journal and throw down your chip in the comments section. You have until the end of the day Monday, the 18th of May. Think of this as a new form of Choose your own Adventure. Your Code Name is Ridler

Doc Ridler thanks you. (more…)