The works of horror author Thomas S. Flowers
If you’re like me, you’ve probably already been counting down the days until October. For many of us horror and sci-fi fans, October is OUR month. A month of fun, costumes, scares, candy, and a cornucopia of movies to indulge our wild sickening mischievous appetites. And for undead bibliophiles, I’ve got just the read for you to sink your teeth into! Fresh from the morticians slab, give a gander at the latest release in the Flesh Eaters series…
For fans who love Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBIE and Bruno Mattei’s HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD comes the sequel to ISLAND OF THE FLESH EATERS…in CITY OF THE FLESH EATERS!!! Continue Reading
Among the celebrations today for Fat Tuesday, I am also extremely excited to announce the release of my latest novel Palace of Ghosts. For those looking for something in the vein of Jacob’s Ladder meets The Haunting of Hill House (with touches of Lovecraft), I think Palace of Ghosts may be a story up your alley. Palace of Ghosts is a story that addresses my own ghosts. I wanted to explore the question of what would happen if traumatic memory could take physical form and terrorize and haunt the host.
Since 2008, I have sought some way to express what I’ve buried deep inside myself, what bubbles up between the cracks in my mask. I also wrote this story to hopefully give another perspective on how veterans returning from war think how other people see us, as if we’re otherworldly shadows…ghosts you might say, or something else entirely. I also wanted to talk about exposure therapy, a very real form of therapy that psychologists use to help veterans, and in a lot of cases to produce productive and healthy results. Some are not as lucky. The story is not a criticism of exposure therapy. Perhaps a warning, though. Be careful searching the psyche of men and women who have been to war and come home, you may not like what you find.
I want to personally thank my team for helping make Palace of Ghosts a physical reality. To Luke Spooner for the amazing cover design, to Patrick Loveland for his awesomely creepy interior chapter images, to Duncan Ralston for his support, confidence, and proofing, to my editor Chad Clark, for making me kill more than a few darlings on this, but all for the better. And lastly, to my wife, Kaia, for her support, love, and patience as I once again entered and exposed that dark world called memory.
Palace of Ghosts
Now Available on eBook and paperback (audiobook coming soon)
Four veterans of the Iraq War seeking a cure for Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder arrive at a notoriously haunted house in the bogs of Galveston Island called Amon Palace.
Samantha Green, a friendless former Army K-9 handler looking for a way to put her loss behind her. Brad Myers, a lighthearted former Military Police Officer severally wounded in war wanting nothing more than a good nights sleep. Andy Lovejoy, an overweight light spoken drone operator who once watched the war from above now questions who he has become. Marcus Pangborn, a headstrong Marine who desperately wants a dead friend’s forgiveness. The group joins Doctor Frederick Peters, an experimental psychologist looking to prove his exposure theory hypothesis, and his two assistants, Tiffany Burgess and Dexter Reid.
At first, their stay seems to conjure nothing more than spooky encounters with inexplicable phenomena. But Amon Palace is gathering its powers—and soon it will reveal that these veterans are not who they seem.
Again, huge thanks to my team for their contributions and support. And also to you for taking a chance and (potentially) reading my new book. I know horror is not for everyone and subjects such as PTSD can be too heavy for some, and that’s okay. My goal is to relate my own emotions on these complex matters, to be as honest as I can, even if that means the truth being ugly (because it often is). I also want to write something that is entertaining and will (hopefully) give you nightmares. Can’t say I didn’t try! Until next time friends, don’t forget to…
Live. Laugh. Scream!
Another year, poof…gone. Funny how time works. Relativity and all that. And it has become (or has always been) customary to reflect on the past years achievements, failures, and experiences and then to cast our gaze into the new year that waits before us. 2018 was an interesting year, to be sure though not as traumatic as 2017. But, a year being a year, it would be difficult to go through all the many turns and dips in the road, so instead I’d like to reflect on some of the bigger impressions.
2018 began with a very slow start. I had just started a new “day job” and had just released my second short story collection (Beautiful Ugly: And Other Weirdness). The release had a decent initial push, but then fell flat in the coming months of what i call “The Dead Zone.” This dead zone consisted of the months between April and July, or what some indie authors sometimes call “the summer slump.” This “summer slump” hit me pretty hard. Sales dropped significantly, as well as Kindle Unlimited page reads. It seemed in those four months that an inevitable question came to mind: “Why am I writing if nobody wants to read my books?” Its an honest question, but as I thought about it more, the more I realized my priorities and objectives were not in sync. NO, not the band, its the general understanding of what you want, why you want what you want, and setting goals to get there. Continue Reading
Wow. Not to sound cliche, but I can’t believe the holidays are already upon us. Halloween will always be my favorite holiday of the year, but truth be told, I favor the others just as much. Of the two, Halloween and Christmas, Thanksgiving has a different vibe. Halloween and Christmas have a “wow factor” to them. Lots of decor and movies and books and songs and overall loud celebration. Whereas Thanksgiving has a quiet disposition. More humble, taking stock of what we have to be thankful for, and not just the historical roots of the reason for the season. I know I personally have a lot to be thankful for.
And of course I haven’t even mentioned the best part of Thanksgiving–THE FOOD!!! There’s the turkey, of course (baked, smoked, or fried). Mash potatoes and gravy and yams and green bean casserole and corn bread stuffing. Hmm….its all so good. But my favorite dish is sweet potato casserole. Below is a recipe from Food Network that I’ve used before. Its certainly a crowd pleaser, and it doubles as a side dish + dessert. Continue Reading
Behold! Dracula, the movie that launched a twenty-three year progression of monster movies we call Universal Classics. Who could have predicted the success despite a rather tremendous stage career of not only the film but also the glowing eyed antagonist, Bela Lugosi? Dracula, the dashing, mysterious godfather of modern horror cinema, released at the Roxy Theater in New York City, on February 12, 1931. Even the cleverly crafted “fainting” rumors and “on-call” medical staff in the lobby orchestrated by nervous executives, hoping to induce some natural sense of morbid curiosity, was unnecessary. According to film historian Michael Fitzgerald, within the first 48 hours of Dracula’s release, the Roxy Theater had sold over 50,000 tickets. Horror had just become mainstream. Dracula’s acclaim paved the way for the other classics we’ve grown to love, our other Universal Studios Monsters, such as: Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and The Wolfman, each owing their existence to the success of one film, even if said film wasn’t entirely all that great. There were some issues, on and off stage. But I think, by and large, the success, as it began at first, was due to the period in which the film released. Lets take a look back in time (key Twilight Zone theme).
The golden era of Universal Studio monster movies is one of most interesting bits of Americana cinematic history. Why? I’m glad you asked! As the roar of the 1920’s was coming to an end, the decade that had ushered in high booms and some of the best silent pictures would eventually end in the same dramatic fashion. The Stock Market Crash, also known as “Black Tuesday,” on October 29th, 1929, while still under much debate among certain historical circles, we can say that following the panic, America went into the greatest depression she, thus far, had ever known. By March 1930, 3.2 million people would be unemployed. And while Americans were growing uncertain regarding the future in the face of food riots, strikes, and lamentable upheaval, not to mention prohibition, even more uncertainty was developing on the horizon.
Beginning in 1928, against the backdrop of Germany’s almost two decade long depression following the end of the Great War, and the peoples utter discontent with what they considered a failure of Wiemar Democracy, the Nazi Party (The National Socialist Party) slowly began taking over the Reichstag (Reichstagsgebäude). Fascism was a darkening cloud over the Atlantic. By January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor. By 1935, the anti-Semitic Nuremberg Laws were established, and in 1939, with Germany’s invasion of Poland, World War II officially began.
This, of course, is just a brief look at the world during the era Universal Horror shared. Only with the luxurious logic of hindsight can we contemplate why executives were nervous over Dracula’s success in the first place. Some things we can guess. This was a film, based on a stage play, based on a novel that was, at the time, rather dark and perhaps too sexualized for tastes during the 1930s. And across the pond, the world was in turmoil. And not just that, but Lon Chaney, the Man of a Thousand Faces, the producers first pick as Dracula, had recently and tragically passed away.
Who would they cast now?
In the end, it boiled down to Lugosi, and mostly only because he was literally the last option and would work for cheap, about $500 a week. Certainly, the film was a risk for Universal, but as history proved, Dracula became one of the greatest escapes for worrisome audiences listening in on radio broadcasts about invasions, famine, poverty, and war. And of course this was no simple drive to the movies! Not at all. For the silent and talkie black & white era “going to the movies” was no humbug experience with sticky floors and hoodlum teenagers. Especially for theaters such as Roxy, in New York City. The Roxy was a Grand Theater, a “Cathedral of the Motion Picture.” Going to the movies to see Dracula was not the same experience as going to the movies today, to say the least. Going to the movies during the 20’s and 30’s was like going to the Opera in today’s standards. Folks got dressed up for cheap tickets and excellent performances. Live orchestras opened the night before a large velvet curtain pulled away revealing the white projection screen underneath. Going to the movies, was indeed The Greatest Show on Earth.
But that was then. Now, we’re sitting at 87 years since Dracula’s original release. What does Dracula say for today’s audiences. Well, to be honest I’d say most people probably feel Dracula is rather dated. Tod Browning’s directorial control seems very lacking in many regards. Consider the piece of cutout cardboard left on a lamp for one of Lugosi’s closeups. In fact, we should probably give more directorial credit to Karl Freund, famed cinematographer of 1927’s German Expressionist masterpiece, Metropolis. And the lack of a musical score gives one the impression of empty space, like watching a High School stage production than a big budget Hollywood movie. Its choppy. There’s a sense of discontinuity.
HOWEVER!
Despite all that, Dracula, in my most humble opinion, is an incredible film that at times is still scary today. The fact that the movie is, in its own way, still disturbing stresses something important about the kind of story being told. A horror story playing on fears realized in the hearts of humanity told since the first campfire. Dracula tells us about (though, i’d argue for socially different reasons between 1931 and today) our fears of the so-called foreign invader, fears of madness, fears of hierarchical purity (Nazis called this, Volksgemeinschaft; the United States called it, Eugenics), fears of the unknown, fears of losing free will (especially the freedom of choice), and fears of death.
One of the greatest (of many) appeals with Dracula is its quality of acting. While Dracula was Bela Lugosi’s signature role, a role he played beautifully and held audiences with his mesmerizing Hungarian accent, my favorite was actually Dwight Frye’s portrayal as Renfield. Watching the movie, even now 87 years later, Renfield gives me the chills. His sensibility as Dracula’s minion, his raving lunacy, devouring spiders and flies alike, was delivered with pure genius and incredible character acting. Especially during the scene aboard the Vesta, when the London longshoremen discover Renfield hiding below deck, the look on his face looking up at them from the staircase is, to say the least, disturbing. And this pretty much goes for the rest of the supporting cast. Edward Van Sloan as Abraham Van Helsing was marvelous. And who could deny the captivating charm of Helen Chandler as Mina Harker, the subject of Dracula’s desire?
Yes, Dracula has some production issues that could sway you away into settling with a few YouTube clips to satisfy your curiosity. If I could somehow convince you otherwise, I hope this review helped. There’s certainly an historic importance with Dracula, but not just that. Dracula was, regardless of the all its mistakes, hauntingly human, and, as it was billed back in 1931, a strange [otherworldly] romance that started a chain of monsters that we for better or worse take for granted.
From the battlefields of Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front to the horrors of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot to even the absurd cult classics of J. Michael Muro movies, Street Trash, Thomas S Flowers’s love for gross and equally deeply emotionally things has no bar or limit. Such appetites saturate his own writings, from the paranormal happenings of his PSTD ridden thriller series Subdue, to his gory zombie infested PLANET OF THE DEAD series, to even his recent dabbling of vampiric flirtation in THE LAST HELLFIGHTER. He hopes that his love for the genre seeps into the minds of his readers. And that you will enjoy his books just as much as he enjoyed writing them. You can follow Thomas and get yourself a FREE eBook copy of FEAST by joining his MONTHLY mailing list. Sign up by vising www.ThomasSFlowers.com
(available on eBook, paperback, and audiobook)
Here in Houston, Texas, the weather has finally let in a little sunshine and “cooler” temps. Yes, “cooler,” as in less humid, which in Houston creates our version of fall. Indeed, it does feel like fall outside, my favorite time of year. A relief from the sweltering summer AND the beginning of the season of the macabre. That’s right, I’m talking about Halloween folks! And for us fans of what goes bump in the night, Halloween is no mere one day a year holiday, Halloween is a month long celebration.
This year feels…what’s the word? More horrorcentric, perhaps? It seems horror has become more or less popularized in that there are more than the usual blockbuster movies hitting theaters, and Netflix has begun releasing more original titles, and not just small B-rated stuff, but the real McCoy, such as the new show The Haunting of Hill House, which I believe just released today. Over on Machine Mean, we’re almost mid-way through Fright Fest. This year’s theme, voted by popular demand, is vampire movies. From Blade to Dracula to Let the Right One In to Interview with the Vampire to Nosferatu and even Blacula, we’ve got just about every vampire movie ever filmed covered. 31 days of horror from a number of guest contributors. Trust me, you’re not going to want to miss this seasons Fright Fest lineup.
In Other News…War for the Planet of the Dead released this past week on Oct 9, 2018. The preorder, of course, was made available last month. You can now purchase on eBook and paperback over on Amazon. The audiobook is currently in production with Rick Gregory doing the narration. Speaking of audio books, the audiobook for The Last Hellfighter also just released this week. Thus far its making a big splash with historic horror fans.
It may just be October and we’ve still got two more months in the year, but i’d like to share with you some ideas for new books in 2019. I have 3-4 solid stories that I’d love to explore and by nature force my readers to explore with me. First up will be Island of the Flesh Eaters, this will release early 2019–either late winter or early spring. What’s it about? Think 1980s zombie movies and there you go. The cover is already done, designed by the very awesome Michael Bray. This title will release through Darker Worlds Publishing.
The next title will carry with it a more serious note, called Palace of Ghosts. It’s mostly mapped out in my head. Though I never try to force a story to go somewhere. If it wants to turn right, its turns right. If it wants to turn left, it’ll turn left. What’s it about? I don’t want to give too much away, but the premise is that a psychiatrist invites a group of veterans suffering with PTSD to spend a week in a haunted house (palace) as an experimental form of therapy. Luke Spooner is doing the cover for this title, which I’ve been given a preview–and yes, I’m very excited to see this book unfold. Luke is an fantastic artist, his stuff always amazes me. You can check out his work here. I’m aiming for a summer release with this one.
Also slated for 2019 is the third book in the Planet of the Dead series, titled Escape from the Planet of the Dead. As per norm, there will be new stories set within the universe of Planet of the Dead, and a few more continuations, including Doctor Ying from War of the Planet of the Dead, and Polk’s crew. My friend Travis Eck will be doing the cover work again on this title–i’m curious to see what he’ll come up with. And Shadow Work Publishing will be releasing it come October 2019. And if you’re curious, this title WILL NOT be the last. I have at least one more book mapped out for the series.
Lastly, for late 2019, I’m itching to explore this idea of a vampire western book called A Bullet for Nosferatu. Other than the concept and title, I do not have much else. My aim is to have more on this later on in 2019. 4 titles total, not a shabby plan for a blue collar writer such as myself. And how, pray tell, will I accomplish such as task? Like anything else, I can’t do it alone. The only part of writing that truly comes from just me is passion, a passion to tell stories. But passion alone is often not enough. I also depend on the support of my family who allow me some quiet time in the evenings to write. The support of my readers who not only support through buying my tales but also leaving me some feedback in a review. And lastly, I couldn’t do it without the support of my writing community and publishers. Take my advise, writers who live on a island do not survive for very long.
The Last Hellfighter
WAR for the PLANET of the DEAD
Thank you for reading and for the continued support. Remember to stop by the movie review site, Machine Mean. Lots of good stuff there from some really talented writers. Great movie suggestions too, if you’re in the market for something scary to watch for Halloween. For those interested in supporting me on Patreon, follow the link here. And as always, don’t forget to…
Where will you be when the world ends? When it comes to apocalyptic movies, the beginning has always been my favorite part. Sure, its fun to see the aftermath, what the world looks like when the dust settles, but what I find absolutely intriguing is what happens in those defining moments when normalcy gets flipped on its head. This is a huge reason why I’ve always enjoyed George A. Romero’s films. Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead are (among other things) about what happens in the moment when the world ends. Day of the Dead and Land of the Dead are films about how people are doing after-the-fact. Good movies, but they’re missing that special punch. As we discuss Diary of the Dead, let that defining question sink in, that is, What will you do when the world ends? Continue Reading
“…extraordinarily enthralling novel which weaves from contemporaneous society into the future and back to the early 20th century American culture and the Great War” -The Haunted Reading Room.
“…an unique take on the Dracula legend with some great historical aspects to it” -Amazon Reviewer.
In the year 2044, reporters from the Public Relations Ministry gather at the home of Benjamin Harker, the last surviving member of the Harlem Hellfighters. At the age of 144, he is the oldest recorded man alive.
Hidden among them, Clyde Bruner is looking for a different kind of story. Across the United States, despite the Great Walls and patrol drones built to keep America secure, something has found its way in. And now towns are vanishing during the night. Entire populations, gone. Only to return after the sun sets, changed, unholy, and lethal. And whatever this evil is, its spreading west.
According to a bedtime story Bruner’s grandfather told him when he was a boy, Benjamin Harker has seen this before. He’s faced this scourge. Fought this evil. Survived them. Killed them. From the trenches of the Great War to the jungles of Vietnam to the sands of Iraq, Harker will search his past to save our future. But as each city light extinguishes across the country, is there no time left to stop what’s coming?
From the author of FEAST and Reinheit comes a new chapter in horror…
News reports speak of mass panic and violence spreading across the globe. Negligent leaders hide behind misinformation. But in an age of paranoia and suspicion, who can say what is true anymore? Struggling to survive against a sweeping epidemic that has engulfed the planet, survivors will have to make hard choices in a world that no longer makes sense.
Live. Die. Or become one of the undead.
Today marks eighteen years since the terror attacks on New York City, the Pentagon, and Flight 93 (a domestic passenger flight that had also been hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists as part of the 9/11 attacks. It crashed in a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.) On September 11, 2001, the world witnessed (in summary) the following events… At approximately 8:46 AM EST, Flight 11 crashes into the north face of the North Tower of the iconic twin World Trade Center towers. Confusion and shock grip those on the streets below and in nearby buildings. Was the an accident, some wonder? At approximately 9:03 AM EST, Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower. This is no accident. Something terrible is happening. Panic breaks out as people flee from falling debris and fear at the sight of such a cataclysmic event. At approximately 9:37 AM EST, Flight 77 crashes into the western side of the Pentagon. At approximately 8:49 AM EST, CNN interrupts the regular scheduled program to bring the world the shocking news:
At approximately 8:48 AM EST, Chopper News Reporter Tom Kaminski reported live on local New York City television news network WCBS during the traffic and weather segment the following:
The world was now plugged in as events unfolded throughout the day. And at approximately 10:03 AM EST, Flight 93 is crashed by its hijackers as a result of fighting in the cockpit 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Later reports indicate that passengers had learned about the World Trade Center and Pentagon crashes and were resisting the hijackers. The 9/11 Commission believed that Flight 93’s target was either the United States Capitol building or the White House in Washington, D.C. At 9:59 AM EST, the South tower of the World Trade Center collapses. And at 10:28 AM EST, the North tower collapses. And the world would be forever changed.
For those of us who were around at the time, we all have our own “where were you on 9/11” story. Me? I have one. Though mine is nothing special. I wasn’t on ground zero. I didn’t pay witness with my own eyes the devastation caused by such malicious and cowardice acts. Mine is a simple recollection of a young man from Roanoke, Virginia, who was on his way to join the Army. I had previously enlisted back in March 2001. However, they did not have an opening for Basic and AIT for my MOS until Sept 2001. My report date was supposed to be September 11, 2001. At approximately 5:30 AM EST, my parents dropped me off with my recruiters and hugged me goodbye. I then drove with my recruiters, Army sergeants whom I have long since forgotten their names, to the nearest MEPS center, which for me happened to be in Washington, D.C.
I cannot recall exactly when, but during the drive the two sergeants began receiving phone calls from both Commanders of their recruiting office and loved ones watching the news back home. I believed this was when the second hijacked flight crashed into the World Trade Center. As they told me the news and the mood in the car quickly plummeted from a nervous excitement about what life awaited me in the Army to fear; a plain and simple dread. Nothing was certain. At the time, the news could only speculate as to the cause. But as time went on, al-Qaeda took the credit for the attacks, and the evidence supported their claim. And what were we to do, us young soon to be sworn in soldiers, airmen, seamen, and Marines? What future would we now face?
Much like an inferno, the fervor of patriotism intensified during those first few days that would last into the years to come. Fear was replaced with hate; rage and anger coursed through our veins and we wanted revenge. For those of us who had technically enlisted prior to 9/11, we were dedicated to the cause but perhaps with a little more pause than those who in the coming months joined the service. The War on Terror that had more or less been ongoing for decades prior was tattooed with fresh ink into the flesh of my generation. This was our mission: “I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself. I am an expert and I am a professional. I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of the United States of America, in close combat” -Soldier’s Creed (post 2003).
The overall death toll resulting from the events on 9/11 was 2,977 souls including first responders, civilians, and the nineteen misguided men who hijacked four fuel-loaded US commercial airplanes. And as of November 2018, according to research conducted by Brown University, the post 9/11 War on Terror (which includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq) have cost the estimated lives of 480,000 – 507,000 souls. This count includes US Military, US DOD Civilian Casualties, US Contractors, National Military and Police, Allied Troops, Civilians, Journalists, Humanitarians, and opposition fighters (of which there is an estimated body count of 109,396 to 114,4710). According to the figures provided by Brown University, 52% of the deaths caused by the War on Terror are civilian causalities, while only an estimated 22% are enemy combatant.
I’m not trying to grand stand with some yawning political statement. Not at all. I’m just a guy who like many of you became swept up in the patriotic mania that burned at the heart of our country following one of our most tragic days. And as a combat veteran who served tours in the Iraq War (OIF/OEF) in the spreading efforts to curb terrorism, perhaps I can share with you a unique perspective. Looking back I have to wonder if anything we did “over there” mattered? What difference did we make? Was terrorism truly snuffed out by our efforts or did we do nothing more than give birth by our actions to the next generation of militants? What will our children say when they study these events in history class? Will they look back at us as heroes who fought against evil? Or will they see us as just another cast of tragic pawns who served in a senseless war?
These are impossible questions to answer. But I do ponder on them, especially today. I was reading an article this morning regarding 9/11 and I stumbled upon a piece of information. I had never heard of this before, but apparently months following the collapse of the World Trade Center, while firemen were clearing through the rubble where the towers fell, they came upon a chunk of warped metal with a piece of Biblical text fused to it. The inscription was from the Gospel of Matthew; from the Sermon on the Mount, to be exact. The text said:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Or with a more modern translation…
“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”
I read that article this morning, thinking of all the many verses and chapters and books there are in the bible, yet these are the words that were infused on a fragment that just so happen to be found at the scene of the crime. I’m not going to tell you what to think. Draw your own conclusions. But this revelation has certainly given me pause to ponder. And what better thing to do today while we honor the lives of those that were tragically lost and to those who were lost while attempting to save as many souls as they could.