Bram Stoker Awards Finalists w/ review links

I am very excited to present the The 2021 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot. Below I have reprinted the entire ballot with the addition of my reviews where appropriate.

Now, I need to go figure out who I am going to vote for because this ballot is filled with some amazing choices.

The 2021 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot Announced

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is pleased to announce the Final Ballot for the 2021 Bram Stoker Awards®. The HWA (see http://www.horror.org/) is the premier writers organization in the horror and dark fiction genre, with more than 1,800 members. We have presented the Bram Stoker Awards in various categories since 1987 (see http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/) 

Works appearing on this Ballot are Bram Stoker Award® Nominees for Superior Achievement in their Category, e.g., Novel, and everyone may refer to them as such immediately after the announcement.

The HWA Board and the Bram Stoker Awards® Committee congratulate all those appearing on the Final Ballot. Notes about the voting process will appear after the ballot listing.

If your work appears on this ballot and you would like to offer it to voting members of the HWA in the Internet Mailer to be sent on or around February 25, please see important information following the ballot.
The 2021 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot

Superior Achievement in a Novel
Castro, V. - The Queen of the Cicadas (Flame Tree Press)
Hendrix, Grady - The Final Girl Support Group (Berkley)
Jones, Stephen Graham - My Heart is a Chainsaw (Gallery/Saga Press)
Pelayo, Cynthia - Children of Chicago (Agora Books)
Wendig, Chuck - The Book of Accidents (Del Rey)

Superior Achievement in a First Novel*

• Martinez, S. Alessandro - Helminth (Omnium Gatherum)
• McQueen, LaTanya - When the Reckoning Comes (Harper Perennial)
• Miles, Terry - Rabbits (Del Rey)
• Piper, Hailey - Queen of Teeth (Strangehouse Books)
• Quigley, Lisa - The Forest (Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing)
• Willson, Nicole - Tidepool (The Parliament House)

*Due to a tie in fifth place, there are six nominees in this category.

Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel

• Ahmed, Saladin (author) and Kivelä, Sami (artist) - Abbott 1973 (BOOM! Studios)
• Garcia, Kami (author); Suayan, Mico (artist); Badower, Jason (artist); and Mayhew, Mike (artist) - Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity (DC Comics)
• Manzetti, Alessandro (author); Cardoselli, Stefano (author); and Cardoselli, Stefano (artist) - The Inhabitant of the Lake (Independent Legions Publishing)
• Morrison, Grant (author); Child, Alex (author); and Franquiz, Naomi (artist) - Proctor Valley Road (BOOM! Studios)
• Panosian, Dan (author) and Ignazzi, Marianna (artist) - An Unkindness of Ravens (BOOM! Studios)

 
Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel

• Blake, Kendare - All These Bodies (Quill Tree Books)
• Boyle, R.L. - The Book of the Baku (Titan Books )
• Lewis, Jessica - Bad Witch Burning (Delacorte Press)
• Sutherland, Krystal - House of Hollow (G.P. Putnam's Sons)
• Waters, Erica - The River Has Teeth (HarperTeen)

Superior Achievement in Long Fiction

• Castro, V. - Goddess of Filth (Creature Publishing, LLC)
• Khaw, Cassandra - Nothing But Blackened Teeth (Tor Nightfire)
• LaRocca, Eric - Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke (Weirdpunk Books)
• Piper, Hailey - “Recitation of the First Feeding” (Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy) (The Seventh Terrace)
• Strand, Jeff - “Twentieth Anniversary Screening” (Slice and Dice) (Independently published)

Superior Achievement in Short Fiction

• Gyzander, Carol - “The Yellow Crown” (Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign) (Hippocampus Press)
• Murray, Lee - “Permanent Damage” (Attack From the ‘80s) (Raw Dog Screaming Press)
• O’Quinn, Cindy - “A Gathering at the Mountain” (The Bad Book) (Bleeding Edge Books)
• Taborska, Anna -“Two Shakes Of A Dead Lamb's Tail”(Terror Tales of the Scottish Lowlands) (Telos Publishing)
• Ward, Kyla Lee - “A Whisper in the Death Pit” (Weirdbook #44) (Wildside Press)

Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection

• Files, Gemma - In That Endlessness, Our End (Grimscribe Press)
• Fracassi, Philip - Beneath a Pale Sky (Lethe Press)
• Maberry, Jonathan - Empty Graves: Tales of the Living Dead (WordFire Press LLC)
• Tuttle, Lisa - The Dead Hours of Night (Valancourt Books)
• Wise, A.C. - The Ghost Sequences (Undertow Publications)

Superior Achievement in a Screenplay

• Chaisson, C. Henry; Antosca, Nick; and Cooper, Scott - Antlers (Searchlight Pictures)
• Dong-hyuk, Hwang - Squid Game, Season 1, Episode 1: "Red Light, Green Light" (Siren Pictures) 
• Flanagan, Mike; Flanagan, James; and Howard, Jeff - Midnight Mass, Season 1, Episode 6: "Book VI: Acts of the Apostles" (Intrepid Pictures)
• Graziadei, Phil and Janiak, Leigh - Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (Chernin Entertainment)
• Peele, Jordan; Rosenfeld, Win; and DaCosta, Nia - Candyman (Universal Pictures)

 
Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection

• Lansdale, Joe R. - Apache Witch and Other Poetic Observations (Independent Legions Publishing)
• McHugh, Jessica - Strange Nests (Apokrupha)
• Simon, Marge and Turzillo, Mary - Victims (Weasel Press)
• Sng, Christina; Yuriko Smith, Angela; Murray, Lee; and Flynn, Geneve - Tortured Willows: Bent. Bowed. Unbroken. (Yuriko Publishing)
• Snyder, Lucy A. - Exposed Nerves (Raw Dog Screaming Press)

Superior Achievement in an Anthology

• Chambers, James - Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign (Hippocampus Press)
• Datlow, Ellen - When Things Get Dark: Stories Inspired by Shirley Jackson (Titan Books) 
• French, Aaron J. and Landry, Jess - There is No Death, There are No Dead (Crystal Lake Publishing)
• Guignard, Eric J. - Professor Charlatan Bardot's Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World (Dark Moon Books)
• Johnson, Eugene - Attack From the 80’s (Raw Dog Screaming Press)

Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction

• Knost, Michael - Writers Workshop of Horror 2 (Hydra Publications)
• Olson, Danel - 9/11 Gothic: Decrypting Ghosts and Trauma in New York City’s Terrorism Novels (Lexington Books)
• Weinstock, Jeffrey Andrew and Hansen, Regina M. - Giving the Devil His Due: Satan and 
• Cinema (Fordham University Press)
• Wetmore Jr., Kevin J. - Eaters of the Dead: Myths and Realities of Cannibal Monsters (Reaktion Books)
• Woofter, Kristopher - Shirley Jackson: A Companion (Peter Lang Publishing)

Superior Achievement in Short Non-Fiction

• Ognjanović, Dejan - “The Three Paradigms of Horror” (Vastarien Vol. 4, Issue 2) (Grimscribe Press)
• O’Quinn, Cindy - “One and Done” (Were Tales: A Shapeshifter Anthology) (Brigids Gate Press)
• Verona, Emily Ruth - “A Horror Fan's Guide to Surviving Womanhood” (thefinalgirls.co.uk)  
• Wetmore Jr., Kevin J.  - “Devil's Advocates: The Conjuring” (Auteur Publishing/Liverpool University Press)
• Yuriko Smith, Angela - “Horror Writers: Architects of Hope” (The Sirens Call, Halloween 2021, Issue 55) (Sirens Call Publications)

Important Notes for those Appearing on the Final Ballot:

If your work appears on the Final Ballot (i.e., you are the author, agent, editor, publisher, or publicist) and you wish to provide a link allowing Voting Members to read the work, there will be a SPECIAL FINAL BALLOT INTERNET MAILER issued on or about February 25.

If your work was listed on the Special Preliminary Ballot Internet Mailer it will be relisted automatically with your previously provided links and you need not email or query.

If links to your work were not included on the Special Preliminary Ballot IM and you want to include them on the Special Final Ballot IM, please email the Internet Mailer editor at imailer@horror.org with the details as soon as you can, but no later than February 24 (links will not be accepted for this Special IM after February 25). You may offer to send electronic copies; provide reading copies on a website; or provide physical copies. Anyone validly representing a work appearing on the Final Ballot may submit via this method, whether or not they are HWA members (this includes the author, agent, editor, publisher, or publicist of the work).

Do NOT spam Voting Members; this is a severe breach of etiquette – Active and Lifetime (voting) members tend to notice such breaches and may consider them when determining which works to vote for on the Ballot.

You may also post the fact that your work is available to be read for Bram Stoker Award consideration ONCE and only once here: http://www.horrorwritersassociation.org/login-forum/  (Bram Stoker Eligible Work). If you had already posted your work here prior to the announcement of the Final Ballot you ARE entitled to post it once more. Note: Only members may post at this Forum, but members are encouraged to post on behalf of non-members who may appear on the Ballot.

February 28: Stoker Final ballot dispatched – please note only Active and Lifetime Members can vote. If you are an Active or Lifetime Member and do NOT receive your electronic ballot link by March 1, please first check your spam/junk mail filter, make sure your email address is updated in Wild Apricot, and then email Brad C. Hodson at admin@horror.org with a brief message about the issue. Note that Ballots are sent to the same email address as the Newsletter and the Internet Mailer. It is the responsibility of Members to keep their email address up to date in Wild Apricot or by advising the administrator of any issues with your membership account at admin@horror.org. Late Ballots cannot be accepted under any circumstances.

March 15: The Bram Stoker Awards final ballot closes at midnight U.S. Pacific Time. Any ballots received after this time will be discarded.

March 15: The 2022 Bram Stoker Recommendation sheet goes live and the 2022 Bram Stoker Awards Juries open to Submissions. Members should hold any Recommendations for works published in the calendar year 2022 until the Sheet is live.

Members wishing to submit work published in 2022 to the relevant Jury should read the information at the Bram Stoker Awards website before doing so here: http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/submissions/

May 14: The 2021 Bram Stoker Awards® announced during the Annual Bram Stoker Awards Banquet held during StokerCon™ 2022 in Denver, Colorado. 

Bookings and information at: http://stokercon.com. Note: Banquet Tickets are separate from the Convention Membership and should be purchased directly from https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stokercon-2022-tickets-102847690210. Click “Tickets” to see the Banquet option as an add-on to your existing registration or an option for a new registration.

Please direct any questions to: stokerchair@horror.org

Bram Stoker Awards® Committee

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 73: The Lake of the Dead

This week's #HorrorForLibraries giveaway features a book that is consistently voted one of the best EVER by Norwegian readers. Details below, but first, how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #72.. Our winner was Holly from Kentucky. Now on to today's giveaway.

Lake of the Dead by Andre Bjerke is a Norwegian classic and it is now available for the first time in an American edition courtesy of one of my favorite small publishers for libraries-- Valancourt Books. I reviewed this title in the January issue of Library Journal. Below is my draft review with extra commentary from Goodreads:

Three Words That Describe This Book: translation, mystery-ghost story hybrid, compellingly creepy

Draft Review: Norwegians’ consistently list titles by Fossum, Nesbo, and this 1942 classic in the top three of their all time favorties. Werner, a young scholar, disappeared while investigating a sensational murder from over 100 yrs before. Now, a year later, his sister, and his friends-- a psychologist, an occult specialist, a stage actress, and our narrator, a mystery novelist and private detective-- plan a trip to the haunted lake hoping to find him. Written with an enticing first person narration, directly addressing the reader, and with chapter titles like, “ In which a madman's diary is presented,” it is as if Bjerke is daring readers to put the novel down, a herculean task once started. This forgotten classic, with an excellent, new translation, allows the creepy setting, menacing tone, and very real danger of this compelling and engaging story to shine in all its 1940s glory for a modern audience.

Verdict: While some of the views on women are a bit outdated here, they are directly addressed in the excellent introduction, leaving room for this title to appeal to a huge swath of readers from fans of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir or Anthony Horowitz, to atmospheric Horror-Mystery hybrids by Cynthia Pelayo or Simone St. James.

Extra info: Great, accesible translation of a book that in Norway is consistently in the top 3 of favorite books by Norwegians coming in only behind Nesbo and Fossum! Originally published in 1942. Never available in an American edition.

Out dated notions of women but it is 1942! The translation makes it shine in all of its glory though. Captures the voice well. 

Super creepy and atmospheric, mystery-ghost story hybrid, compelling pace. I especially loved the titles for each chapter which are a leading statement to get you to just read one more chapter. For ex.. "Chapter 5: In which a madman's diary is presented." Who could resist one more chapter with that hanging over you. 

Reads like a 1940s mystery-- ala Agatha Christie with a strong first person narration by the investigator who is a crime fiction writer. The book breaks the 4th wall often. A

I really enjoyed being immersed in the 1940s feel but the super creepy lake house and the menacing tone, and VERY REAL danger, were not outdated in anyway. 

Readers of mysteries like those by Anthony Horowitz will enjoy this and of course Nordic Noir fans. Especially fans of Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. But also light horror like Alma Katsu's THE DEEP

Order a copy for your library today and good luck!

Thanks to Valancourt for providing this ARC for the giveaway.

2022 Summer Scares Title Announcement

Click here for the full Summer Scares
Resource Page

In celebration of National Library Lover’s Day, the Horror Writers Association (HWA), in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, and Booklist, is delighted to announce the fourth annual Summer Scares reading list, which includes titles selected by a panel of authors and librarians and is designed to promote Horror as a great reading option for all ages and during any time of the year.

Every year, three titles are selected in each of three categories: Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade. For 2022 the selected titles are:

ADULT:

• Coyote Songs by Gabino Iglesias [Broken River Books, 2018]
• My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris [Fantagraphics, 2017]
• The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman [Quirk Books, 2019]

YA:

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare [HarperTeen, 2020]The Companion by Kate Alender [G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2020]Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams [Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2020]

MIDDLE GRADE:

The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown [Scholastic Press, 2019]Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker [Henry Holt and Co., 2019]Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne [Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2020]

"I'm thrilled with the selection of books and authors chosen by the Summer Scares programming committee for this year's program,” said 2022 spokesperson Alma Katsu, “and look forward to working with librarians to introduce these great titles to more readers."

The goal of Summer Scares is to introduce Horror titles to school and public library workers in order to help them start conversations with readers that will extend beyond the books from each list and promote reading for years to come. In addition to the annual list of recommended titles, the Summer Scares committee will release themed lists of even more “read-alike” titles libraries can suggest to readers. And, in order to help libraries forge stronger connections between books and readers, the Summer Scares committee will be working with both the recommended list authors and Horror authors from all over the country to provide free programming to libraries. 

The Summer Scares Programming Guide, created each year by the Springfield-Greene County (MO) Library, and free for libraries anywhere to access, is back with the tools libraries need to connect with their communities. 

“The 2022 guide is packed with ideas that library workers can use to engage their communities with these great titles, whether they're putting up book displays, hosting author events, or planning an entire Summer Scares program series,” states Konrad Stump, co-creator of the programming guide. 

This year’s programming guide will also feature an article by Yaika Sabat from NoveList, a new Summer Scares partner. 

“NoveList is working to highlight the program through the creation of booklists, recommendations, and even some promotional material,” notes Sabat.

Sabat, Stump, Katsu, and many of our Summer Scares 2022 authors will be appearing along with committee members Becky Spratford and Julia Smith as part of the HWA’s Librarians’ Day, taking place in person on May 13, 2022, at the Curtis Hotel in Denver, CO, during this year’s StokerCon. Summer Scares content will be available live, in person, and as part of our virtual conference, as well as on the HWA’s YouTube page.

The HWA is a non-profit organization of writers and publishing professionals, and the oldest organization dedicated to the horror/dark fiction genre. One of the HWA’s missions is to foster an appreciation of reading through extensive programming and partnerships with libraries, schools, and literacy-based organizations.

The 2022 Summer Scares program committee consists of author Alma Katsu, HWA Library Committee Co-Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump, as well as Academic Librarian Carolyn Ciesla, Book Riot Editor and YA specialist Kelly Jensen, and Booklist Editor and Middle Grade specialist Julia Smith. 

For more information about the Summer Scares reading program, including committee member bios and how to obtain promotional materials and schedule events with the authors/committee members, please visit The Summer Scares Resource page: http://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/p/summer-scares.html or email HWA Library Committee Co-Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump at libraries@horror.org. 

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 72: Manhunt

This week's #HorrorForLibraries giveaway features a book that is about to explode into the world. The new gold standard for the band of survivors Zombie Apocalypse tale. Details below, but first, how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #71. Our winner was Jessica from the Elizabeth Titus Memorial [IL] Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

I don't think I have enough superlatives for Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin or it's cover out 2/22/22.

I gave this novel a STAR review in Library Journal which because it is a STAR you all can read it for free here or below:

Beth and Fran are in the woods, on the run from monsters, both those created by a virus that turns any human with enough testosterone into a zombie-esque creature and an organized group of TERFS, led by a woman who could go toe-to-toe with Negan from The Walking Dead who rules with a violent brand of anti-trans, feminist hate. Beth and Fran are not helpless however, they are skilled hunters, seeking the valuable, estrogen rich testicles of the infected men, to bring back to their friend, Indi, a doctor who is distilling E for medicinal purposes. So begins this compelling, fast paced, and tense post-apocalyptic tale of a band of survivors, fighting off villains and struggling to find safety, featuring stellar world building and complex, fully developed characters. The original frame, a testosterone driven plague, opens the door for Felker-Martin to probe the popular zombie trope while simultaneously centering the experience of trans men and women. The result, a sensual, tender, honest, and inspirational story of imperfect but well meaning people banding together in an attempt to not only survive but thrive.

Verdict: Manhunt confidently plants a flag declaring its place as one of the great zombie, band of survivor tales, right beside 21st Century, thought provoking, and action packed classics such as The Rising by Keene, Zone One by Whitehead, and the Newsflesh series by Grant, period.

Three Words That Describe This Book: band of survivors, thought provoking, action packed

I hope I make it clear here that this book is violent. But surviving a world where men have become monsters cannot be without violence. Survival is not pretty. Nor are the awful, human monsters.

But this book is also so tender and sweet in ways that are honest. These are survivors who want to live, at any cost.

Many will try to say bad things about this book because of its violence or its focus on trans characters. Others have tried to find fault with the author herself, an outspoken and publicly trans woman who shares her thoughts and feelings, no matter how controversial, openly.

All of those haters are wrong. This is a spectacular book. If you like band of survivors, apocalypse stories, especially those with zombies, you will love this novel. And the way Felker-Martin introduces the menace makes her centering of the trans experience NOT a gimmick in any way, it is literally a direct consequence of a testosterone driven virus and the TERFs who more evil than the men who have been turned into zombie like creatures. It's brilliant.

The only problem with this giveaway  [courtesy of Nightfire] is that my advanced copy was so advanced that it only has a plain yellow cover. So sorry for no awesome cover. But it is still the same great read. and I will send it to one lucky winner.

Good luck.

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 71: The Final Chapter of Gwendy's Tale

This week's #HorrorForLibraries giveaway features a book by NYT Best selling authors Stephen King and Richard Chizmar, the final book in a trilogy which also closes a loop in another series. Details below, but first, how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #70. Our winner was Ashley from Washington District [IL] Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

The final book in the Gwendy's Button Box Trilogy by Richard Chizmar and Stephen King is coming out on 2/15/22 and I have an ARC courtesy of Chizmar to give away to you. 

This series is an excellent, sure bet option for fans of ominous Dark Fantasy or Atmospheric Horror. Watching Gwendy grow over the course of the 3 books, and seeing how the path to the end was clearly laid out in the first book, has been fascinating. The evil is real, the threat is not overstated, but Gwendy herself has needed to become a fully realized version of herself in order to meet the challenge. We needed the three books to get her there.

Real quick though, to catch everyone up, here is my review of Gwendy's Button Box and my review of Gwendy's Magic Feather. And here is the publisher summary for Gwendy's Final Task:

When Gwendy Peterson was twelve, a mysterious stranger named Richard Farris gave her a mysterious box for safekeeping. It offered treats and vintage coins, but it was dangerous. Pushing any of its seven colored buttons promised death and destruction.

Years later, the button box entered Gwendy’s life again. A successful novelist and a rising political star, she was once again forced to deal with the temptation that box represented.

Now, evil forces seek to possess the button box and it is up to Senator Gwendy Peterson to keep it from them. At all costs. But where can you hide something from such powerful entities? 

In Gwendy’s Final Task, “horror giants” (Publishers Weekly)Stephen King and Richard Chizmar take us on a journey from Castle Rock to another famous cursed Maine city to the MF-1 space station, where Gwendy must execute a secret mission to save the world. And, maybe, all worlds. 

Looking back at my older reviews and the upcoming title I will say the tone also has an increase that is realistic. So while the first book was sinister but somehow still sweet, the next book was eerie, and now this one is fairly terrifying. 

Chizmar and King have worked very hard to fit these books in King's mythos [and here in particular to The Dark Tower Series in a nice surprise], so that uber fans will be overjoyed. However, the touch is light and this trilogy is completely enjoyable on its own. You do not need to be in the know to enjoy it for what it is-- a well rendered and satisfying series that will bring readers joy for years to come. And that last point is important-- this will have fans for years to come.

Enter now for your own ARC and get ready for Gwendy.