Publication date: October 13, 2020 Add to Goodreads Veterinarian Tom Copeland takes a job at a factory farm called Sunnyvale after a scandal...



Publication date: October 13, 2020


Veterinarian Tom Copeland takes a job at a factory farm called Sunnyvale after a scandal at his suburban practice. His job is to keep the animals alive for long enough to get them to slaughter.

But there are rumours of a strange creature living beneath the complex, accidents waiting to happen on brutal production lines and the threat of zoonotic disease from the pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and fish that the complex houses.

Suddenly, disaster rocks Sunnyvale and cleaners, butchers, security guards and clerical staff alike must come together under the ruthless leadership of CEO John MacDonald. Together, they’ll learn what happens when there’s a sudden change to the food chain.

Bon appétit.


What attracted you to the genre(s) you write in?


I write books that I’d want to read myself. Given that I read so many different genres, that probably explains why I write across multiple genres, too. But as a general rule, I’m attracted to darker, grittier genres because I think broken and ugly things are more interesting than things that are perfect.

What part of writing do you consider a chore?


Getting the words down is always a challenge because it leaves you feeling worn out, even though it’s also cathartic. But I think the biggest chore is promoting the books once they’re out there, because it’s an unforgiving task that takes up a lot of time that could otherwise be spent writing.

Where were you when you first thought "I need to write this story?"


That’s a good question. I think for me, it’s more a case that I constantly feel that I need to write and I just don’t feel happy unless I’m able to create. The particular story that I’m writing almost doesn’t matter because I have more ideas than I’ll ever be able to work on, so as soon as I’m nearing the end of one book, I start to think about what I want to work on next. 

Did publishing your first book change your process of writing?


Not really, but it did teach me the ropes. My first published book came out through a hybrid publisher called Booktrope, and that pretty much taught me the steps that I needed to follow to create a high quality self-published release. They eventually folded, but by that point I knew everything I needed to know to go it alone.

What's your favorite "bad review" that you've gotten?  


Ha! Well, I’ve had a few from other authors who sent me their books for honest reviews and then got annoyed when I gave them three stars and posted 1-star reviews of my books in retaliation. There’s also an ex-girlfriend who gave all of my books 1-star after we broke up. But my absolute favourite is probably the 2-star review I got from someone who just left the comment “I’m hoping to read this soon”.

What comes first for you - the plot or the characters?


They go hand in hand because the characters usually drive the plot and determine what’s going to happen next. For me, I normally start out with a concept and then the plot and the characters spring from that. With Meat, for example, I had the idea of a horror novel set on a factory farm and then I started to think about who might work there and what the horrors might entail.

Do you have any writing superstitions?


No, I’m not a superstitious person. I’m as sceptical as they come.

Is there a word you find yourself using too often when writing?


Yeah, “that”. I quite often write something like “he realised that the sun was going down” when you can easily shorten that to “he realised the sun was going down”. 

A lot of authors have a soundtrack while writing. Are there songs you had on repeat?


No. I’m a lifelong multitasker and so I often end up writing while watching YouTube videos or Netflix. While writing these responses, I’m watching The Boys from Brazil, a 1978 movie based on an Ira Levin novel. It’s not very good.

Do you have a favorite line that you've written? What is it and why do you like it?


Not really, although I do quite often make myself laugh when I’m editing my books and I read something that I wrote a while back and forgot about.

What is something about the genre that annoys you?


It depends on the genre, but most of them have at least something that annoys me. In general, I don’t much like reading romantic subplots, and it annoys me when I feel as though they’ve been added in just because people expect them, rather than because they serve the story.

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?


Stick at it, ignore the people who tell you that studying creative writing at university is a waste of time and don’t worry because you’ll be able to make a living.

What advice would you like to pass on to aspiring writers that is unconventional but true?


Nobody cares about your writing until you make them care about it.

Do you have a WIP? If so, can you tell us anything about it?


Sure, I always have something ongoing. At the moment, I’m working on my self-edits for the fourth book in my Leipfold series of quirky cosy mysteries, which will go over to my editor and eventually to my publisher. That’s called Boys in Blue and sees Leipfold and the gang tackling a conspiracy that goes to the heart of government. I’m also slowly but surely writing a coming-of-age novel called Greebos that follows a group of schoolkids as they finish secondary school in a small town in the British Midlands in 2005.

Which of your characters was your favorite to write and why?


Most of the recurring characters in the Leipfold series. I particularly enjoy writing scenes with Maile and Leipfold in because they have great chemistry and they often make me laugh with the things they say and the interactions they have with one another.

Would you and your main character get along?


Yeah, probably. Most of my main characters are based on myself, at least to a certain extent.

Killing off characters your readers love - Risky or necessary?


Both, I guess. Again, it’s all about serving the story, so there’s no point killing them off just for the shock value.

Did any of your characters surprise you while you were writing?


All of the time. The more you get a feel for them, the more they start to feel like real people and to make their own decisions. It’s generally their dialogue that surprises me as opposed to the decisions they make, because the decisions are normally carefully planned ahead of time as part of my outline.

You've watched a movie 50 times and you still aren't tired of it. What movie is it?


I’m more of a TV series kind of guy, but it’s probably American Pie 2. Funnily enough, I introduced my girlfriend to the American Pie movies this weekend as she’d never seen them.

Which animal (real or fictional) would you say is your spirit animal and why?


A wolf, because they’re lonely animals that can also function in packs and they’re active at night. I actually have a tattoo of a wolf howling at the moon.

What would you say is your weirdest writing quirk?


I have something called “The Schedule” where I alternate between doing stuff on my computer, tidying my house and writing. There’s a whole set of rules to it and most people that I tell about it think I’m crazy, but it seems to work for me.

You've just gone Trick or Treating. 

What do you hope is in your bag? 

What do you pawn off on your kids/SO/random stranger?


Anything that isn’t vegan.

What is in your internet search history (researching for your book) that you would want someone to wipe if you were under suspicion from the police?


I think I’d rather they left it up there. That would confuse the hell out of them.

You wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. What was it?


I have a lot of them. I think in the last one that I had, I’d been kidnapped and was being taken somewhere on a train.

What movie completely scarred you as a child?


I’ve never been able to figure out what movie it was, but I remember my dad watching a film where someone got pulled apart by having their legs tied to a tree and their arms tied to a car that then accelerated off. That scene still lives rent free in my head.

What's the strangest thing a fan (or other author)  has said to you?


I always find it strange when people assume that I make enough to be able to live off my royalties. Maybe one day…

If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?


Hah! Probably cats, they just don’t give a damn. And that’s why I love them.

Your main character is at the hardware store. What do they buy?


If it was James Leipfold, he’d probably buy something multifunctional like a Swiss army knife.

If you were bitten and changed, would you want it to be by a vampire or a werewolf?


Probably a vampire because they seem to be more in control of their transformations.

You're riding through the desert on a horse with no name. What are you going to call it?


Camel, for the irony.

What are your SM links? Can we follow you and pretend we're besties? 



Dane Cobain (High Wycombe, UK) is a published author, freelance writer and (occasional) poet and musician with a passion for language and learning. When he’s not working on his next release, he can be found reading and reviewing books while trying not to be distracted by Wikipedia.

His releases include No Rest for the Wicked (supernatural thriller), Eyes Like Lighthouses When the Boats Come Home (poetry) Former.ly (literary fiction), Social Paranoia (non-fiction), Come On Up to the House (horror), Subject Verb Object (anthology), Driven (crime/detective), The Tower Hill Terror (crime/detective), Meat (horror), Scarlet Sins (short stories), The Lexicologist’s Handbook (non-fiction) and The Leipfold Files (crime/detective).

His short stories have also been anthologised in Local Haunts (ed. R. Saint Clare), We’re Not Home (ed. Cam Wolfe), Served Cold (ed. R. Saint Clare and Steve Donoghue) and Eccentric Circles (ed. Cynthia Brackett-Vincent)

Published October 4, 2022 by Berkley Books A  young woman in need of a transformation finds herself in touch with the animal inside in this ...



Published October 4, 2022 by Berkley Books

A young woman in need of a transformation finds herself in touch with the animal inside in this gripping, incisive novel from the author of Cackle and The Return.

Rory Morris isn't thrilled to be moving back to her hometown, even if it is temporary. There are bad memories there. But her twin sister, Scarlett, is pregnant, estranged from the baby's father, and needs support, so Rory returns to the place she thought she'd put in her rearview. After a night out at a bar where she runs into an old almost-flame, she hits a large animal with her car. And when she gets out to investigate, she's attacked.

Rory survives, miraculously, but life begins to look and feel different. She's unnaturally strong, with an aversion to silver--and suddenly the moon has her in its thrall. She's changing into someone else--something else, maybe even a monster. But does that mean she's putting those close to her in danger? Or is embracing the wildness inside of her the key to acceptance?

This darkly comedic love story is a brilliantly layered portrait of trauma, rage, and vulnerability.

Add to Goodreads
 
A darkly comedic love story about a girl turned werewolf by Rachel Harrison? Yes, please. I couldn't wait to get to this one. Harrison previously covered zombies in the gruesomely funny The Return and the fellowship of witches in Cackle. One would think that werewolves would be a logical next step.

The first few pages throw the reader right into the fray as Rory leaves a bar on a misty night and hits an animal on the dark road. We all know from the cover that this is going to be a werewolf story so no one is really surprised (except for Rory) when it's divulged that what she hit was a freakin' werewolf. It attacks, leaving Rory bleeding in the woods, but somehow still alive the next day. Rory knows that people will think she's totally nuts if she runs screaming about being attacked by a werewolf so she creates a story about a bear attack. 

 As Rory manages all the physical and emotional changes along the way, there's plenty of sarcastic banter with others and inside Rory's head. She's a completely chaotic mess but she's going through a lot right now, okay? Becoming a werewolf is tough! Rory approaches all the crazy changes with a can-do attitude. She's leaking silver blood, she's stronger, has a craving for all things meat, and her hair is looking Ah-mazing. Sure, she's thinking WTF the whole time but she's learning how to vibe. 

The dynamic between main characters is always at the forefront of Harrison's books and Such Sharp Teeth is no different. Rory and her twin sister Scarlett have a close relationship; close enough that Rory drops everything to head back to her hometown when Scarlett calls saying she needs her. Rory loves the freedom of her life in the city but willingly stepped away from it all temporarily to give support to her pregnant sister.  

It might sound very strange to call a werewolf book endearing, but that's somehow just what Harrison manages to evoke. The addition of romance might put a lot of people off as horror and romance aren't often themes merged but I enjoyed it. I appreciated that it wasn't love at first sight and it wasn't easy. Rory's complicated internal conflicts kept her from being completely honest with herself. 

Before you think it's a Hallmark movie, Harrison manages to tackle some tough subjects. (TW) Rory is dealing with the trauma of a sexual assault as a child and she still harbors resentment towards her mother, leading to a tumultuous relationship. Bodily autonomy is also wrapped up in the narrative as both Rory and her sister navigate their changing bodies—Rory's lycanthropy and Scarlett's pregnancy changes. 

While it's more little horror light or cozy horror, Such Sharp Teeth is fast-paced and hilarious, while still being beyond adorable. It's very female forward and about loving who you are. Comedy and horror is one of my favorite combinations and Harrison does it right.

If you're a horror fan, you don't wait for Halloween to imbibe all things spooky. Sometimes though you still want a eerie story to h...


If you're a horror fan, you don't wait for Halloween to imbibe all things spooky. Sometimes though you still want a eerie story to help set the mood. Although Halloween is right around the corner, it's not too late to start a Halloween read.
You can't go wrong with any of these books and right now, all of these are currently available on Kindle Unlimited!




Three leading voices in modern horror take us on a journey through Halloween in the infamous town of Clifton Heights.

DAUGHTER OF THE MISTS by Kevin Lucia: Clifton Heights’ biggest classic horror movie cinephile finds himself plunged into the midst of his own personal horror movie nightmare, in which he discovers how savage the classic monsters actually are.

ONCE UPON A HALLOWEEN NIGHT by Jeremy Bates: In the days leading up to Halloween night, two brothers will discover the worst kinds of monsters are often human.

BROTHERS by Jason Parent: Sometimes, bonds between brothers are thicker than blood. Rand wants nothing more than to be an Alpha, a member of the most popular fraternity on campus. He convinces his best friend, Henry, to pledge with him. Before they can join, Rand and Henry must follow the senior Alphas’ rule: a predicament that soon leaves them humiliated, victimized, and broken. Rand is left to face the torment alone but, hiding in the darkness, another is willing to share it with Rand, one who promises something more sinister than revenge...and a Halloween party the survivors of which will always remember. 



Halloween horrors

The same trick-or-treater keeps coming to my house. He's starting to scare me.

There's a scarecrow standing in the vineyard--but we stopped using them years ago.

And there's something moving in the pumpkin patch...

HALLOWEEN HORRORS is a wildly terrifying anthology of Halloween stories. Ghoulish trick-or-treaters, gruesome jack o'lanterns, and faceless specters haunt the pages of this book, ready to leap to life in the deepest corners of your mind. Sit down in front of the fire, as the chilly autumn wind howls outside, and read... if you dare..


this is halloween

Author James A. Moore offers up ten autumnal tales of the darker things that lurk just around the corner of Indian Summer. A man learns of a town's obsession with scarecrows and tries to find the answers as to why they are so important. Children move through familiar streets and find that Halloween makes everything different. Tis' the season when ghosts are real, witches soar through the night, and things in the Beldam Woods are not always what they seem. Sometimes it's the monsters that wear the masks.



From the author of Devil's Hill and The House on Moon Creek Avenue comes a new anthology of grindhouse horror in The Halloween Grindhouse.

On Halloween night, four friends use a new app that takes users to random locations that are considered weird, creepy, and haunted. The location generated for them is an abandoned house in a sketchy neighborhood.

Upon entering the empty home, they find a room containing an old television set, a VCR, and a set of videotapes. What is on the tapes will bring them instant regret, fear, and a new threat that awaits them under the full October moon.

Includes the short story "Mischief" and four new original tales of Halloween horror and suspense.


This Halloween, usher in the spookiest of seasons with a collection of fourteen haunting tales from some of the finest talents in indie horror today. A curious coffin calls to trick-or-treaters. A group of ghosts seek revenge on the one who took their lives. A woman who makes her own candy uses the most wicked of recipes. A man discovers a naked girl in the woods with no clue of who, or what, he should fear. A witch witnesses atrocity and does everything in her power to prevent history from repeating itself. A pair of otherworldly beings know the every desire of those who trespass on their abode. A local boogeyman casts a yearly shadow over the neighborhood and everyone in it.



There's an old house up on a hill in the woods that the kids call "Halloween House". They accused the mysterious old woman who lived there of being a witch until the rumors got out of hand and the panicked townspeople burned her house down with her in it one Halloween. She only said one thing before she died: "A curse on all of you!"

Now, three years later, the spooky holiday approaches again, and Carmen is left in charge of taking her little brother trick-or-treating.

But strange things begin happening around the small town.

Children are going missing one by one, and the only clue to their disappearance is a gingerbread man left on their windowsill. Now Carmen has to protect her brother so that he doesn't become the next victim as the townspeople descend into insanity all around them. Riddled with fear, they have no one to pin the kidnappings and strange occurrences on.

Because the witch is already dead...

...isn't she?


Do you love All Hallows' Eve? Ghost stories? Tales from beyond that leave you feeling unsettled while walking to the kitchen at night? The orange-and-black vintage Halloween aesthetic? Haunted houses with shuttered windows?

Edited by Gaby Triana with John Palisano, this anthology of 19 short stories by some of the most terrifying names in horror is the perfect collection for a dark and stormy October night. Featuring tales to make you hide under the covers by: Jonathan Maberry, Gwendolyn Kiste, Catherine Cavendish, Tim Waggoner, Jeff Strand, Sara Tantlinger, Lee Murray, Alethea Kontis, Lisa Morton & more.

JONATHAN MABERRY - "When You See Millions of the Mouthless Dead Across Your Dreams in Pale Battalions Go"
LISA MORTON - "Halloween at the Babylon"
TIM WAGGONER - "No One Sings in the City of the Dead"
JEFF STRAND - "Ghosts of Candies Past"
LEE MURRAY - "The Ghost Cricket"
GWENDOLYN KISTE - "A Scavenger Hunt When the Veil is Thin"
SARA TANTLINGER - "How to Unmake a Ghost"
ALETHEA KONTIS - "The Ghost Lake Mermaid"
CATHERINE CAVENDISH - "The Curiosity at the Back of the Fridge"
SCOTT COLE - "Postcards From Evelyn"
DENNIS K. CROSBY - "Bootsy's House"
STEVE RASNIC TEM - "When They Fall"
CATHERINE McCARTHY - "Soul Cakes"
MAUREEN MANCINI AMATURO - "A Bookstore Made of Skulls"
HENRY HERZ - "The Ghosts of Enerhodar"
JEREMY MEGARGEE - "Always October"
DANA HAMMER - "A Halloween Visit"
DAVID SURFACE - "The Crawlers in the Corn"
EVA ROSLIN - "Pink Lace and Death Gods"



Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween Part III

A house flipper with everything to lose must contend with an ancient evil. The playing of a horror classic in a historic movie theatre unleashes an undead terror. A mentally unstable lighthouse keeper comes face to face with the ghosts of the past. A colonial American town battles something wicked stalking them in the surrounding woods. An elderly priest recounts the harrowing tale of his family's dark curse through three generations. A house decorated for Halloween night gives trick or treaters more than they bargained for…

These creepy, atmospheric short horror stories await you in “Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween Part III.” Take a trip down the tree-lined roads of fall and cozy up with this collection of stories guaranteed to give you that spooky October feeling, just like Parts I & II.

When the Halloween Beyond stores appear across America, they intertwine the lives of three visitors in a web of mystery and magic.

THE TALKING-BOARD by Lisa Morton: Can ancient magic exist in the modern world?
When Kayla’s sister Hailey went missing in the nearby Ghost Woods on Halloween night, the last person to see her was the solitary, elderly Brigid. Kayla, who has long suspected Brigid of being involved with Hailey’s disappearance, dreads the first anniversary of her sister’s vanishing even as her best friend Sophie urges her to put the past behind her.
Halloween nears and Kayla pays a visit to the pop-up Halloween Beyond store, where an enigmatic clerk named Maeve convinces her to buy a talking-board. Kayla begins receiving messages which claim to be from Hailey, but is it actually something more sinister calling out from beyond the veil?
Brigid—who may be a witch—offers to lead Kayla into the Ghost Woods on Halloween in search of answers. Kayla discovers dark truths about herself as she and Brigid confront the terrifying supernatural forces that claimed Hailey.

NEW BLOOD by Lucy A. Snyder:Maddie is keen for Halloween, but when she moves to a strange coastal town, a Devils’ Night party forces her to face eldritch dangers that threaten her entire family.

A GENTLEMAN’S SUIT by Kate Maruyama: Halloween Beyond is magic. The store’s inscrutable clerk finds Lex exactly the right costume which somehow makes people see the nonbinary Lex for who they really are.
It’s Lex’s last Halloween at home before college, and it had better be good. When Lex’s father, Beto, known locally as the King of Halloween adds an enormous animatronic Death on a boat to the collection in his elaborate front yard haunt, Halloween night takes a deadly turn.
Lex is having trouble letting go of old friendships, of home, of Halloween itself, but they now face the hardest kind of letting go.

This anthology is perfect for fans of Halloween stories, supernatural, horror anthologies, classic horror, Mystery and suspense, the occult, magic, strong female protagonists, and thrillers.

Crystal Lake’s Dark Tide series will continue soon with more tales of Mystery Thrillers and Horror Books, including themes of Weird Western, Sherlock Holmes, Grief Horror, Body Horror, Mystery fiction, Travel Horror, Deadly Duos, and Psychological Thriller books.




Nothing stays buried this Halloween!

Not with 18 scary tales of flash fiction filled with Halloween goodness.

Shallow Waters is an official monthly flash fiction contest hosted by Crystal Lake Publishing, with different themes each month. The best submissions every month are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page (an exclusive behind the scenes community of readers and authors), where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner (you don’t have to be a patron to enter). Come find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to vote in future contests (or gain access to our Still Water Bay series and so much more). Be sure to check out the Shallow Waters series page here on Amazon, where you’ll find volume 1 for free.

This Halloween Horror Anthology includes:
Introduction by Joe Mynhardt
“Mummy’s Boy” by Karen Bayly
“Tumshie” by William Meikle
“Arts and Crafts” by Madison McSweeney
“The Halloween House” by Sheldon Woodbury
“West Pennfield Township Newsletter, October 2021” by Tom Coombe
“I Want Candy by Larry Hinkle
“Let the Darkness In” by Ricki Whatley
“Soul Cake” by Anthony D. Redden
“The Pumpkin Fetch" by Tom Deady
“Wishing” by Jay Bechtol
“One Parent Survives” by Wil Dalton
“Don’t Eat the Candy” by Matt Bliss
“The Red Scarf” by Rhea Rose
“Shackled to the Shadows” by Richard Thomas
“Apple Tree Man” by Roxie Voorhees
“Smooth Man” by Kim Mannix
“Sleepy Hallowed” by Joseph VanBuren
“How to Create the Perfect Pumpkin” by Francesca Maria

This anthology is perfect for fans of Halloween books, flash fiction, scary stories, classic horror tropes, horror books, mystery thrillers, horror anthologies, and mystery and suspense flash fiction stories. With a bit of dark humor and candy sprinkled over the top.

Skeletons, ghosts and witches. All Hallows Eve is filled with the terrors that walk the thin line of our world and the other. From the twisted minds of some of todays best horror authors, Dark Halloween is a collection of halloween themed stories sure to delight and terrify.

How will you celebrate the holidays?

Dark Halloween is book 5 in the holiday horror collection

Strang isn’t the small, quaint town it appears to be. It’s haunted every night by a creature the townsfolk refer to as Halloween. Once the sun sets each day, Halloween emerges to collect its treats: a small, live offering from each household. The residents comply because no one wants to be the target of Halloween’s tricks. But the nightmare of residing in Strang is nothing compared to the yearly ritual Halloween demands of the citizens on All Hallows’ Eve.

HALLOWEEN, 1988


A gang of twelve-year-old boys are trick-or-treating in London. Off in the distance, they hear the discordant chimes of an ice-cream truck. It seems strange to hear on a cold autumnal night, but their thoughts of maximizing their candy haul soon dismissed its incongruous melody… until they saw the rusting hulk idling in the shadows at the end of the street, its driver a faceless shadow.


That was the night he took one of them.


OCTOBER, 2016


Years later, Halloween is fast approaching and Tom Craven is still haunted by the events of that dark night, especially the fact that their friend was never found. Increasingly plagued by horrific visions, Tom returns to the place where it all began, only to discover he's not the only one who can feel it. His friends have already arrived and are preparing for a battle which could get them all killed.


The Ice Cream Man is back… and he’s come for the ones that got away.


Alice Jacobs didn't believe in ghosts... until her daughter was taken by one.

When Alice's husband disappears while investigating a series of strange and terrible incidents in the bustling seaport of Salem, she is forced to bring her young daughter, Abigail, along from Boston while she takes up the search. But she soon learns of a terrible curse that has the entire town bracing for nightfall: one hundred years after the infamous witch trials, the vengeful spirit of a woman hanged for witchcraft will rise from hell to claim the souls of Salem's children.

Alice dismisses the old legend as foolish superstition until Abigail is snatched from her bed by a sinister woman made of smoke and mist.

Desperate to find her daughter before the sun rises and she is lost forever, Alice races against time on a spine-chilling adventure that takes her from forgotten dungeons and gloomy cemeteries to the haunted forests of Gallows Hill. Along with a roguish sailor searching for his own missing child, she battles deadly supernatural forces and uncovers a dark secret that may be the key to saving Abigail's soul... if only she can survive the most terrifying night of her life.

Suspenseful, thrilling, and dripping with atmosphere, All Hallows Eve is a spine-tingling treat for fans of Darcy Coates, Amy Cross, Robert McCammon, and anyone who enjoys having their skin crawl with every turn of the page.



Halloween just got a whole lot darker...

DARK HALLOWS: 10 Halloween Haunts is a wonderfully chilling collection of creepy tales that will have readers up late into the night--but only if they leave a light on!

This new offering from Scarlet Galleon Publications and Editor Mark Parker, includes stories from industry luminaries and new voices alike: Brian James Freeman, Al Sarrantonio, Robert Morrish, Norman Partridge, Ronald Malfi, Aaron Dries, Adam Cesare, Mark Parker, and Lisa Morton. And features a never-before-published tale from Cemetery Dance founder and publisher, Richard Chizmar!

Each story is beautifully accompanied by original artwork from Aaron Dries, making this a must-have for book lovers and collectors everywhere. It’s one frightful ride readers won’t want to miss.

Exploring the chilling haunts of Dark Hallows, is to take a journey into the very heart of Halloween, where readers are reconnected with the best, and hopefully worst, the 'dark holiday' has to offer.

Publication date: October 14th, 2022 Add to Goodreads A hair-obsessed serial killer… A flesh-eating motorway pileup… A grotesque holiday ill...



Publication date: October 14th, 2022


A hair-obsessed serial killer…

A flesh-eating motorway pileup…

A grotesque holiday illness…

Forget what you think you know about the human body. In Rob Ulitski's debut short story collection, get ready for a thrilling, gut-churning ride through death, disease and destruction.

Boasting thirteen unique stories and a whole host of brutal bodily afflictions, 'Fleshed Out' explores the fragility of flesh and blood, and the gruesome ways our bodies can twist, contort and transform into our worst nightmares.



What attracted you to the genre(s) you write in?


I have always been a huge horror fan. From reading Stephen King at far too young an age, to my first film memory being the original Resident Evil (2002), I've always been attracted to the grislier side of life. 

Where were you when you first thought "I need to write this story?"


It was during the pandemic - my work as a filmmaker suddenly dried up, and I realised that I wanted a creative outlet I could do from anywhere in the world. 

Did publishing your first book change your process of writing?


Definitely. A lot of my writing before was far too lengthy and wordy. Knowing it was going to be published meant I got a far better editor than myself involved, and went through more drafts than I do with my personal writing. 

What's your favorite "bad review" that you've gotten?  


I haven't had any reviews at all yet, so this is still to come!

What comes first for you - the plot or the characters?


The plot! I think the plot really informs the characters, so it makes sense to me to start there and grow the characters from a certain problem or perspective. 

Do you have any writing superstitions?


Not yet! Maybe these will come as I write more haha. 

Is there a word you find yourself using too often when writing?


Surreal. Everything in my stories is surreal, so it's a word I try not to use now!

A lot of authors have a soundtrack while writing. Are there are songs you had on repeat?


Actually, it's quite obscure, but I used an industrial electronic soundtrack on a short film before, and I tracked down the guy who remixed it, Plaster Music. He had an EP out which I listened to on repeat every time I worked, and I feel hugely inspired and thankful for such an awesome soundtrack. It's this one. https://plastersound.bandcamp.com/album/in-between

Do you have a favorite line that you've written? 


The opening line of the first story in my collection: "Natalia was soaked through with blood, fresh tangles of hair dangling from her puckered lips."

What is something about the genre that annoys you?


I don't know if it's in the genre, but the fact that many authors have to hide the fact their books are horror, and call it 'supernatural thriller' or something like that to make it sell. It's one thing I'm very passionate about, making it clear that I am writing horror, and very proud to do so. 

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?


This writing malarky might actually materialise into something awesome and different opportunities, so stop using the word 'surreal' so much! 

What advice would you like to pass on to aspiring writers that is unconventional but true?


You don't have to have been writing for ages to publish a book. Just have a good team around you, and especially a good editor. 

Do you have a WIP? If so, can you tell us anything about it?


Right now I'm looking to expand an idea from my collection into a book series. 

Which of your characters was your favorite to write and why?


Helena in my short story 'Crystalline'. She has such a bad go of things, but still has hope and optimism for the future. 

Killing off characters your readers love - Risky or necessary?


In this genre, very necessary. 

Did any of your characters surprise you while you were writing?


Again, I think Helena. She held out hope much longer than I first thought she would. 

You've watched a movie 50 times and you still aren't tired of it. What movie is it?


Resident Evil (2002). For some people it's a guilty pleasure, for me it's just pleasure. 

Which animal (real or fictional) would you say is your spirit animal and why?


A llama. They're my favourite animal, though I've never had a good experience with them. I like the fact they just trot around doing their own thing, looking cute and avoiding any stress they aren't involved in. I like to think I have some of these qualities at least some of the time! 

Would you rather live in a haunted mansion or a cottage surrounded by fairytale creatures?


A haunted mansion. Think of the stories you'd have to tell! 

Using only emojis, sum up your book.


💪💀💇🐟 🩸🏭

You've just gone Trick or Treating. What do you hope is in your bag? What do you pawn off on your kids/SO/random stranger?

In the UK, we have these two chocolate bars called Bounty and Snickers. I'd give away anything liquorice flavoured.  

What is in your internet search history (researching for your book) that you would want someone to wipe if you were under suspicion from the police?


What happens if you eat a lot of hair. 

You wake up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. What was it?


Falling. Always falling or being on tall buildings about to fall. 

What cliched tattoo would your main character have?


I feel like Doug from the short story 'Doug' would have a cliche tramp stamp (UK lingo for cheap tattoos just above the butt crack) 

What movie completely scarred you as a child?


Deep Blue Sea 🦈

What's the strangest thing a fan (or other author)  has said to you?


Nothing yet! 

If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?


Oh, cats. Definitely cats. 

Your main character is at the hardware store. What do they buy?


A spade... 

If you were bitten and changed, would you want it to be by a vampire or a werewolf?


Vampire! 

You're riding through the desert on a horse with no name. What are you going to call it?


Horseface. 

What are your SM links? Can we follow you and pretend we're besties? 


@robulitski on everything and @robwriteshorror just on IG - OF COURSE! 


Rob writes visceral, concept-driven horror stories, anchored by complex
characters and offbeat narratives.

Writing primarily in the body horror genre, his debut release, ‘Fleshed Out’ is
a thirteen-part short story collection which explores the “fragility of flesh and blood, and the gruesome ways our bodies can twist, contort and transform into our worst nightmares.”

Rob was born in Portsmouth, UK, and received his bachelor of arts in Film
Production from the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham.

Having trained in filmmaking, and working as a director and producer on
everything from music videos to shorts to feature-length anthology films,
Rob’s official writing journey started in 2020.

When not writing, he can be found watching cheesy 90s films, baking cakes
and haunting local bookstores.
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