Brian Kirk's Blog

I have twin sons who are in elementary school, and one of my greatest joys is writing original fiction for their classes in which I incorporate their classmates as characters. Watching the students’ reactions as they hear their name assigned to characters within a fictional story is priceless. And, I believe, it awakens young minds to the power of the written word, and the realm of the imagination, making the idea of reading, and writing, more exciting.

At first, I liked the idea of writing stories th...

My novel Will Haunt You has been out for about a month now, and I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to everyone who has given the book a read. I also want to thank the many reviewers who have taken the time to share their thoughts on the novel. I’m very pleased with the reception the book has received so far, including praise from several of the horror industry’s most respected review sites, such as the following:

Today is the official release day for Will Haunt You, which is now available in all formats where all fine (and fiendish) books are sold. My heart is full of gratitude for the following people who helped make this twisted dream a reality. While writing might be a lonely job, nobody creates a book alone.

There is no way this book would exist without the unwavering support of my smart, funny, beautiful, wise, and loving wife, Anne, who happens to also be my first, and harshest, reader. Believe...

Rio Youers is the kind of writer I aspire to become. His ideas are original and ambitious, his sentences smooth, yet razor sharp, and his stories are all so emotionally powerful they can raise the price of Kleenex stock.

I am both honored, and grateful, that Rio took the time to read my latest novel, and offer the following kind words.

“The writing has a guitar-like rhythm—a cool, choppy riff—that hooked me in, and all but had me tapping my foot as I whirled through the pages. But rest assur...

I read The End In All Beginnings by John F.D. Taff back in 2014 and became a fan of his for life. In fact, that collection, which would go on to become a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award, made such an impression on me I felt compelled to write an essay on it. And, no, I don’t normally make a habit of writing unpaid essays for fun. That’s how much that collection moved me.

Words typically come easy, but not when expressing the strange twists of fate that have led to a time when an author who...

Russell James is an expert at tackling the darker aspects of the human psyche. He explored the dark potential of dreams in his novel Dreamwalker, how quickly we can succumb to hysteria in Q Island, and now he takes on one of my personal macabre obsessions, the evil impulses that drive human predators to kill.

Russell is here today to share examples of these pathological murderers to prepare readers for what they can expect when they venture into the terrifying world of his newest novel, The P...

If you aren’t already familiar with the work of Todd Keisling, just wait. You will be.

I echo the words of author John Langan, who had this to say about Keisling, “Todd Keisling is a born storyteller, drawing the reader into artfully constructed narratives that scout the darker end of the literary spectrum with skill and bravado.”

I’ve gotten to know Todd well over the last few years, and he continues to impress me as a writer and a thinker (plus, he’s a pretty swell fella). When asked to rea...

I often wish there were more people like Stephanie M. Wytovich in this world. But, to be honest, I don’t think the world could handle it. The sun would supernova the instant two such humans inhabited the same timeline. In fact, maybe that’s what causes supernovas to occur. Stephanie M. Wytovich incarnates twice in the same lifetime and the whole universe explodes.

I’ve read much of Stephanie’s work. It’s made me laugh. It’s made me cry. It’s made me so happy to be alive I can hardly stand it....

What do you get when you mix Peter Straub and Joyce Carol Oates together in a literary cauldron? Who the hell knows. But if you like those two authors, you’re sure to love Lisa Mannetti. Her work is just as rich, just as layered, nuanced, and intricate as any author known for writing, what is often called, literary horror.

Lisa’s work is equally intelligent and engrossing. As thought-provoking as it is horrifying. You learn something new while reading a Mannetti story, right before she yanks...

Gemma Files is one of those rare authors whose work is so powerful, so original, so freaking smart and affecting, that reading one of her pieces, be it a short story like, “each thing i show you is a piece of my death” (co-authored with Stephen J. Barringer), or a novel like Experimental Film, may very well make you a fan for life. I know that I am.  Any time she has a new release, I’ll be first in line to place an order.

To my great delight, Gemma Files agreed to read my latest novel Will Ha...