What do monsters fear? Responsibility. Withdrawal symptoms. Owning up to their past mistakes. One of the recovering addicts in Matt Hayward’s creep-fest What Do Monsters Fear? sums up the plot in a few well-chosen words: “Three strung-out fucks are gonna stop an ancient evil god?” Hell, yeah, they are! Because the ancient evil god—a body-snatching baddie… Continue reading What Do Monsters Fear? by Matt Hayward
Irish author/musician Matt Hayward puts his impressive writing chops on display in his short story collection, Brain Dead Blues. The lead story, “God Is In The Radio,” owes much to H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Music Of Eric Zahn,” only it’s more coherent and satisfying than the original. An aging rock star finds an inter-dimensional doorway hidden inside… Continue reading Brain Dead Blues by Matt Hayward
Every time I wash my hair I feel like the victim of a cruel joke…and not just because I’m naked in the shower. It’s because I can’t figure out which bottle is shampoo. My wife and daughter use a lot of different products, from shampoos and conditioners to body washes and cleansing gels. Everything comes… Continue reading Tiny Writing On Bath Bottles Is Cruel Joke On The Naked
Big fish eat little fish. That is the law of the sea as well as the law of business. Smaller companies get bought up by bigger companies. It’s happened in the telephone and cable business, and in many retail markets—giant box stores like Loews and Home Depot have put nearly all of the Mom-and-Pop hardware… Continue reading The Death of Local News—Why Gannett Media Sucks
Paul Tremblay’s A Head Full Of Ghosts is a beautiful novel, a post-modern tale of demonic possession that leaves you questioning where truth lies in our surreal/unreal world. Publisher William Morrow sums up A Head Full Of Ghosts: The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie… Continue reading A Head Full Of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
She’s going, and that’s all there is to it. My nine-year-old daughter got invited to spend a week with her cousins at their lake house in New Hampshire. It’s been in the planning stages for weeks, and she’s got everything worked out. She knows what outfits to pack, which shampoos to bring, and which stuffed… Continue reading Fighting A Losing Battle Against Roots, Wings, and Time
Some people deserve to die. Jesse Timmendequas is one of those people. In 1994, Timmendequas lured 7-year-old Megan Kanka to his home by saying he wanted to show her a puppy. He then raped her, beat her and strangled her with a belt. A day later, he led police to her body. His crimes lead… Continue reading New Jersey’s Death Row A Comfortable Wait
Once upon a time, I loved going to rock concerts. It didn’t matter what the act was. Tickets were cheap in the 1980s: $15-$20; maybe $27.50 for fancy seats. One week in the mid-80s I saw REO Speedwagon on a Monday night, and KISS that Thursday. I was at an Ozzy Osbourne/Metallica show where the… Continue reading Modern Concerts Are Big On Spectacle, Short On Feel
When life gets confusing, sometimes you look to the universe for answers or a sign. This is especially true if you’re facing a big life choice, making a major decision, or, like me, looking for a new job.I took our dogs out for a midnight bathroom break the other night, and I noticed a small,… Continue reading Insect Omen: Wooly Bear Caterpillar A Sign From Above?
“Can I have $40 regular? Cash.” This used to get the gas tank on our SUV nearly full. But the other day something miraculous happened. The pump clicked to a stop after $29.50. “That fills it,” the gas station attendant said, seemingly as astonished as I was. “Here’s your change, sir.” Wow. I couldn’t have… Continue reading Cheap Gas Is Great, But Where Are The Other Savings?
