Reviews

The Ghost of Korrim McKarthy by Brandon Berntson - I loved the idea of scared kids in the woods and the bully who gets his due in this story. To me this one was the scariest of the bunch!

Day of the Dead by Marilyn Peake - I liked the idea of masks and what happens when we wear them in this story. I also liked the fact that this story made me laugh in places where I probably shouldn’t have but it was enjoyable all the same. I loved the dark vs light irony and there’s nothing scarier than creepy kids who seem normal at first.

The Raft by Kim McDougall - The description in this story can’t be beat. I was on that raft with them and I could feel the sun scorching while we waited to be rescued.

Divine Messenger by K.L. Nappier - While not particularly scary, I loved the wisdom and sarcasm that flowed from the old woman. Nappier makes your heart nearly explode when she plays against that ticking clock.

Three on a Match by John Klawitter - I enjoyed this one. It made me think of Twilight Zone and those fun British humor novels rolled into one. The Mr. Know-it-All Psychiatrist’s panic was most enjoyable.

Arachnotail by Biff Mitchell - Last on my list of favs, this one shows how our psychological fears can overtake even our most obvious mental abilities. I loved how the obvious solution couldn’t be implemented or the danger averted because of a combo of liquid courage and irrational uncontrollable fears. In the end you wonder if you’d be hanging beneath the cliff in piss-stained pants in fear of something you could normally squish with your shoe on level ground.



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	From Beverly J. Rowe at Myshelf.com In "Day of the Dead," Marilyn Peake makes you wonder if you would be different if you put on a mask, in this creepy story of a hunt for the right Halloween costume, with a shift into a question of real identity. ** I'm addicted to these fascinating journeys into the imagination by the writers at Double Dragon Publishing...what unearthly ideas can they possibly come up with next? I can't wait for a new addition to the Twisted Tails series. They really interfere with my bedtime. To read the entire review, visit: MyShelf.com From Bill West at the short review*: Twisted Tails III Pure Fear* is a varied collection of eighteen twist-in-the-tail stories written by twelve authors, including the editor, linked by the theme of fear. It does what it says on the cover. All are well written by able authors who present the reader with believable and engaging characters in compelling situations. To read the entire review, visit: http://www.theshortreview.com/reviews/TwistedTails3.htm Halloween Review Spot at Sable Lit Reviews In October 2008, Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear was chosen for the coveted Halloween Review spot at Sable Lit Reviews. Laura Major also wrote a fantastic review of the anthology... Review by Laura Major at Sable Lit Reviews: No source of fear goes unexamined in J. Richard Jacobs’ Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear anthology. Combining 18 stories from nearly a dozen talented authors that resemble Stephen King’s Creep Show, anything Alfred Hitchcock and the Twilight Zone is no easy task but Jacobs does an excellent job of showcasing each author’s ability to bring into the light what scares us most. There’s a story for every scary thrill seeker whether it’s the eerie heart-racing kind as in J. Richard Jacobs’ The Beast in the Basement or the psychological and existential terror that haunts all of us as in KL Nappier’s Backslide, Twisted Tails III won’t disappoint. Some of my favorites include: The Ghost of Korrim McKarthy by Brandon Berntson - I loved the idea of scared kids in the woods and the bully who gets his due in this story. To me this one was the scariest of the bunch! Day of the Dead by Marilyn Peake - I liked the idea of masks and what happens when we wear them in this story. I also liked the fact that this story made me laugh in places where I probably shouldn’t have but it was enjoyable all the same. I loved the dark vs light irony and there’s nothing scarier than creepy kids who seem normal at first. The Raft by Kim McDougall - The description in this story can’t be beat. I was on that raft with them and I could feel the sun scorching while we waited to be rescued. Divine Messenger by K.L. Nappier - While not particularly scary, I loved the wisdom and sarcasm that flowed from the old woman. Nappier makes your heart nearly explode when she plays against that ticking clock. Three on a Match by John Klawitter - I enjoyed this one. It made me think of Twilight Zone and those fun British humor novels rolled into one. The Mr. Know-it-All Psychiatrist’s panic was most enjoyable. Arachnotail by Biff Mitchell - Last on my list of favs, this one shows how our psychological fears can overtake even our most obvious mental abilities. I loved how the obvious solution couldn’t be implemented or the danger averted because of a combo of liquid courage and irrational uncontrollable fears. In the end you wonder if you’d be hanging beneath the cliff in piss-stained pants in fear of something you could normally squish with your shoe on level ground. For finding all the ways to scare us, Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear earns 4 out of 5 Sable Seals. SableLitReviews.com Review Quote from Margaret Marr, Reviewer for NightsAndWeekends.com, for my short story, Day of the Dead, published in Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear Melinda picks up the perfect mask for Halloween and ends up with a deadly personality change. Creepy and chilling, "Day of the Dead" will cause an icy chill on the back of your neck. Review by Margaret Marr, NightsAndWeekends.com In this third compilation of Twisted Tails, you’ll be greeted with some old favorites, and you’ll pick up a few new favorite authors. And, as always, you’re guaranteed a collection of spooky tales that’ll send shivers cascading down the back of your neck. If a tale can make my skin crawl when my cat jumps through an open window to greet me, it’s a tale well written—and Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear is filled with them. In “The Ghost of Korrium McKarthy” by Brandon Bernston, nine-year-old Samuel Driscoll takes his imagination to a scary level that he can’t control, pushing him closer to death and madness. How does a vampire survive when he’s lost at sea? Find out in “The Raft” by Kim McDougall. This story will have you wondering whether Theo is really a vampire—or if he’s just allergic to the sun. In “Divine Messenger” by K. L. Nappier, Emily tries to outwit Death when he comes knocking at her door to take her husband’s soul. “Arachnotail” by Biff Mitchell will have you cringing in fright as a spider gets cosmic revenge on a young man who accepts a stupid dare that puts him in a perilous situation. A housewife wonders if the man on her porch is there to fix her fence or drive nails through her skull in “Handyman” by J. Richard Jacobs. This story reminded me of the time when my brother and his wife visited the water gardens in a remote section of the county, and he started to wonder how many bodies the guy approaching on an ATV had buried beneath the sludge of the water garden. With the Twisted Tails series, each collection touches on a different realm of fear. In this third edition, the fear stems from psychological terror. Each story reaches in and taps on that locked door in your mind where your most depraved fear lurks—and you pray the door never swings open. Though I’m not usually one to enjoy short story collections, I always look forward to reading the next offering of Twisted Tails. The stories are all so well-written and imaginative that they keep me snared in their clutches until I’ve read the last tale—and Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear is no exception. So come on...dive between the pages of this book—and you might just find out what scares you the most. Ed. Note: For more information about Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear, visit Double Dragon Publishing. NightsAndWeekends.com
Copyright (c) 2010 Marilyn Peake