A Sneak Peek at "Scrap" in Dark Visions 1 from Grey Matter Press.

 

Grey Matter Press have issued sneak peeks of stories featured in their Stoker nominated anthology Dark Visions 1. This time it's the turn of my 12,000 word story, Scrap.

To take a look click on the link to it here. 

Dark Visions 1 Nominated for Stoker Award

Although I do not normally pay much attention to awards announcements I must admit to being pleased that Grey Matter Press's very first anthology, Dark Visions 1, has been nominated for a Stoker Award under the category for Superior Achievement in an Anthology. And for all the contributors: Jonathan Maberry, Jay Caselberg, John F.D. Taff, Jason Ridler, Ray Garton, Brian Fatah Steele, Sean Logan, Jonathan Balog, Sarah Johnson, Charles Muir, Milo James Fowler, and Jeff Hemenway, and the two editors: Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson.

My 12,000 word story Scrap is included in it. 

Scrap

My story Scrap in Dark Visions 1 seems to have got more positive reviews than any story I've written for a while. What pleases me more than anything is that I put a lot of heart and soul into this story, which I think is one of the best I have ever done.

A brief description of it on the Grey Matter Press website:

Scrap by David A. Riley
Childhood should be a time for leisurely days spent playing in the sun. But for two abused brothers coming to grips with life on their new English estate, a day of adventure opens the door into a world of evil and sets in motion a chain of events from which there seems little hope of escape.




From one reviewer on Amazon:

"could easily have been a kitchen sink drama, depicting the lives of two brothers growing up in a poverty-stricken council estate in England", adding "Riley chooses to inject a healthy dose of horror, elevating his story to a different, altogether more gruesome level."

From Horror Honeys:

"David A. Riley's "Scrap" had a gritty cinematic feel - the story of two down-and-out brothers looking for scrap metal to steal and sell, until they venture into a part of town best left untouched."

From Hellnotes:

"David A. Riley’s “Scrap,” concerns two brothers living in England who have been abused at the hands of those who should be caring for them. What they see as a new opportunity to turn their lives around turns out to be anything but. David lures readers into the plot and shocks with the greatest of ease."

From The Horror News Network:

"SCRAP by David A. Riley is in my top two for this collection. It's just so, so good. It's sad and terrifying and just very well written. I would like to read more of Riley's work as well. It seems the words and the stories come easy to him."

Dark Visions 1

Further to my last post about the anthology, there's been another great review for Dark Visions 1, this time on The Horror News Network.

Of my story, Scrap, the reviewer, Alicia Banks, had this to say: "SCRAP by David A. Riley is in my top two for this collection. It's just so, so good. It's sad and terrifying and just very well written. I would like to read more of Riley's work as well. It seems the words and the stories come easy to him."

I wish the last sentence was true!

Another great review for Dark Visions 1

Hellnotes have just published another great review for Dark Visions 1 from Grey Matter Press, edited by Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson. My own story Scrap came in for some pleasing praise: "David A. Riley’s “Scrap,” concerns two brothers living in England who have been abused at the hands of those who should be caring for them. What they see as a new opportunity to turn their lives around turns out to be anything but. David lures readers into the plot and shocks with the greatest of ease."

Whew!

Great Review for Dark Visions 1

There's a great review for Dark Visions 1 on the Horror Honeys site. Pleased with the comments about my story: "David A. Riley's "Scrap" had a gritty cinematic feel - the story of two down-and-out brothers looking for scrap metal to steal and sell, until they venture into a part of town best left untouched."

Dark Visions 1 - out in paperback

Grey Matter Press's anthology Dark Visions 1, which has been out as an ebook for several weeks, is now available in paperback.

STORY SYNOPSES FOR DARK VISIONS ONE (alphabetical by title)

Collage by Jay Caselberg
What would you do if you lost your one true love? Most of us will be faced with that question at some point in our lives. That is, unless, we are the one lucky enough to get out first. It’s said that love hurts. But does it have to hurt this much?
Delicate Spaces by Brian Fatah Steele
There are places all over the world where the veil between the living and the dead is so thin that those on either side can sometimes see through. It’s when the dead choose to step across that line that it becomes a problem.
The Last Ice Cream Kiss by Jason S. Ridler
The mind of a disturbed child is a terrifying thing, like an abandoned building filled with dark and dangerous hallways. There are passages that should not be walked, doors that are better left unopened and rooms whose secrets were never intended be revealed.
Mister Pockets: A Pine Deep Story by Jonathan Maberry
Pine Deep, Pennsylvania is a typical small town with a not-so-typical dark and troubled past. But it’s just another ordinary day for young Lefty Horrigan until there is a mysterious murder and he come face-to-face with Pine Deep’s sole hobo. Has the trouble returned to “the most haunted town in America?”
Raining Stones by Sean Logan
A gruesome series of murders plagues San Francisco as the broken memories of an absent father point an alcoholic reporter in a direction he may not want to go. Are Lonnie’s dreams merely liquor-fueled hallucinations, or are they instead leading him down a darker path into the strange world of religious fanaticism?
Scrap by David A. Riley
Childhood should be a time for leisurely days spent playing in the sun. But for two abused brothers coming to grips with life on their new English estate, a day of adventure opens the door into a world of evil and sets in motion a chain of events from which there seems little hope of escape.
Second Opinion by Ray Garton
Greg is a failing author who hasn’t had a bestseller in years. But he believes he has just the right manuscript to revive his career. In need of a fresh set of eyes, he shares the story with a friend and fellow author who provides him with a bit more than a second opinion.
Show Me by John F.D. Taff
There is something very strange about Joe Middleton, and everyone on campus knows it. But that doesn’t mean the college junior is off limits when it comes to trying to get into his pants. But be forewarned, once you know Joe, you will never be the same again.
Thanatos Park by Charles Austin Muir
There are horrible things that exist just beyond the barrier of human perception. Sometimes we hear them in that steady, chronic drone of a world humming along around us. Other times we stumble onto the truth in the darkness, unprepared and incapable of grasping the sheer magnitude of our wholly inaccurate concept of reality.
Three Minutes by Sarah L. Johnson
For an orphan living in a group home, John doesn’t have much of a future to look forward to. Awakened each night by the same horrifying nightmare, he takes to sneaking out to the local lake in order to avoid the Dream Eater that plagues his sleep. His goal: to hold his breath underwater, for only three minutes.
The Troll by Jonathan Balog
The magic of summer is over, and the new school year has begun. Time that was once Marty’s to enjoy is now sure to be filled with the drudgery of homework and avoiding grade-school bullies. That is until he hears a strange voice calling to him from beneath a bridge.  One he meets the troll, life for Marty become a whole lot more interesting.
The Weight of Paradise by Jeff Hemenway
Humans have tried for years to live their lives without worry. For some this might mean a desire for wealth, fortune or fame. For Alfie it means trying to fight off the deadly form of leukemia that’s killing him long enough to enable his scientist girlfriend to find a cure. But sometimes it’s important to be careful what we ask for.
What Do You Need? by Milo James Fowler
John wakes up in an unfamiliar place that appears to look like any run-of-the-mill 1970s motel room. But the problem is, it’s not the ‘70s. What is he doing here? How long has he been here? And whose is that terrifying voice on the phone?

First Review of Dark Visions 1

The first Amazon review for Dark Visions 1 gives it 5 stars and a great, detailed write up.

I was particularly pleased to see the reviewer mention that my story, Scrap, "could easily have been a kitchen sink drama, depicting the lives of two brothers growing up in a poverty-stricken council estate in England", adding "Riley chooses to inject a healthy dose of horror, elevating his story to a different, altogether more gruesome level."

Kitchen sink was exactly what I was aiming for while writing this story, which I believe is one of the best I have ever done. 

DARK VISIONS volume one - Grey Matter Press

A date has been announced for the publication of Grey Matter Press's horror anthology Dark Visions, volume one: September 17th.

 

DARK VISIONS: VOLUME ONE TO BE PUBLISHED IN SEPTEMBER
Publication Date and Brief Synopsis of Each Story
CHICAGO—The publication date of the much anticipated Dark Visions: A Collection of Modern Horror – Volume One (DV1) was announced today by Grey Matter Press. The company’s premiere collection of dark fiction will be released and available for purchase on September 17, 2013.
“We are exceedingly happy to see the publication of this collection that will have readers cowering under their sheets,” said co-editor Anthony Rivera. “Everyone at Grey Matter Press is proud to see Dark Visions hitting the streets next month as it features a number of bestselling horror and fantasy authors with long histories in legacy publishing, national and international award winners, a selection of indie authors making huge waves, as well as authors whose work some may never have read.”
Dark Visions: A Collection of Modern Horror – Volume One will be available for purchase on September 17. The collection will be published in both print and digital versions. Its companion volume, Dark Visions 2 (DV2), is slated for release later this fall.
When combined, the two volumes will make up a collection containing more than 25 tales of terror that the publisher hopes will keep horror lovers awake at night. The multi-volume collection is co-edited by Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson.
“We believe that Dark Visions is going to be quite a surprising thrill ride for readers and fans of horror, both old and new,” said Lawson. “Within its pages, there’s something for everyone.”

***

STORY SYNOPSES FOR DARK VISIONS ONE (alphabetical by title)

Collage by Jay Caselberg
What would you do if you lost your one true love? Most of us will be faced with that question at some point in our lives. That is, unless, we are the one lucky enough to get out first. It’s said that love hurts. But does it have to hurt this much?
Delicate Spaces by Brian Fatah Steele
There are places all over the world where the veil between the living and the dead is so thin that those on either side can sometimes see through. It’s when the dead choose to step across that line that it becomes a problem.
The Last Ice Cream Kiss by Jason S. Ridler
The mind of a disturbed child is a terrifying thing, like an abandoned building filled with dark and dangerous hallways. There are passages that should not be walked, doors that are better left unopened and rooms whose secrets were never intended be revealed.
Mister Pockets: A Pine Deep Story by Jonathan Maberry
Pine Deep, Pennsylvania is a typical small town with a not-so-typical dark and troubled past. But it’s just another ordinary day for young Lefty Horrigan until there is a mysterious murder and he come face-to-face with Pine Deep’s sole hobo. Has the trouble returned to “the most haunted town in America?”
Raining Stones by Sean Logan
A gruesome series of murders plagues San Francisco as the broken memories of an absent father point an alcoholic reporter in a direction he may not want to go. Are Lonnie’s dreams merely liquor-fueled hallucinations, or are they instead leading him down a darker path into the strange world of religious fanaticism?
Scrap by David A. Riley
Childhood should be a time for leisurely days spent playing in the sun. But for two abused brothers coming to grips with life on their new English estate, a day of adventure opens the door into a world of evil and sets in motion a chain of events from which there seems little hope of escape.
Second Opinion by Ray Garton
Greg is a failing author who hasn’t had a bestseller in years. But he believes he has just the right manuscript to revive his career. In need of a fresh set of eyes, he shares the story with a friend and fellow author who provides him with a bit more than a second opinion.
Show Me by John F.D. Taff
There is something very strange about Joe Middleton, and everyone on campus knows it. But that doesn’t mean the college junior is off limits when it comes to trying to get into his pants. But be forewarned, once you know Joe, you will never be the same again.
Thanatos Park by Charles Austin Muir
There are horrible things that exist just beyond the barrier of human perception. Sometimes we hear them in that steady, chronic drone of a world humming along around us. Other times we stumble onto the truth in the darkness, unprepared and incapable of grasping the sheer magnitude of our wholly inaccurate concept of reality.
Three Minutes by Sarah L. Johnson
For an orphan living in a group home, John doesn’t have much of a future to look forward to. Awakened each night by the same horrifying nightmare, he takes to sneaking out to the local lake in order to avoid the Dream Eater that plagues his sleep. His goal: to hold his breath underwater, for only three minutes.
The Troll by Jonathan Balog
The magic of summer is over, and the new school year has begun. Time that was once Marty’s to enjoy is now sure to be filled with the drudgery of homework and avoiding grade-school bullies. That is until he hears a strange voice calling to him from beneath a bridge.  One he meets the troll, life for Marty become a whole lot more interesting.
The Weight of Paradise by Jeff Hemenway
Humans have tried for years to live their lives without worry. For some this might mean a desire for wealth, fortune or fame. For Alfie it means trying to fight off the deadly form of leukemia that’s killing him long enough to enable his scientist girlfriend to find a cure. But sometimes it’s important to be careful what we ask for.
What Do You Need? by Milo James Fowler
John wakes up in an unfamiliar place that appears to look like any run-of-the-mill 1970s motel room. But the problem is, it’s not the ‘70s. What is he doing here? How long has he been here? And whose is that terrifying voice on the phone?

***

The long list of contributors to Dark Visions: A Collection of Modern Horror (Volumes 1 and 2) features authors from 4 continents, including Jonathan Maberry, Ray Garton, Jay Caselberg, John F.D. Taff, Jason S. Ridler, David Blixt, J.C. Hemphill, C.M. Saunders, David Murphy, Edward Morris, Trent Zelazny, David A. Riley and many more. The complete list of contributors and their stories is available at the Dark Visions website: http://www.darkvisionsanthology.com.
“The stories in both volumes truly epitomize the concept of unrelenting evil, and we believe the cover artwork shatters that old cliché about not being able to judge a book by its cover,” explained Lawson. “When both volumes are combined side-by-side, the artwork creates a diptych that reveals the true vision of darkness that we believe haunts this collection.” Featuring the sinister image of a monster with a hideous glowing eye, the cover artwork, additional information and insight into the overall concept is available at the Dark Visions website: http://www.darkvisionsanthology.com.

***

Grey Matter Press is a Chicago-based publisher whose mission it is to find and cultivate the best voices working in the dark fiction genre today. We are committed to producing only the finest products containing exceptional tales of horror, fantasy, science fiction and speculative fiction. More information about Grey Matter Press is available at: http://www.greymatterpress.com.

Dark Visions 1 from Grey Matter Press - cover art

This is the cover for Dark Visions Volume One from Grey Matter Press. The anthology is due to be published shortly and contains my 12,000 word story Scrap.

Dark Visions from Grey Matter Press

For details of the two volumes of Dark Visions from Grey Matter Press please click on the link.


Dark Visions 1 - Contributing Authors:

The Troll - Jonathan Balog
Collage - Jay Caselberg
Delicate Spaces - Brian Fatah Steele
What Do You Need? - Milo James Fowler
Second Opinion - Ray Garton
The Weight of Paradise - Jeff Hemenway
Three Minutes - Sarah L. Johnson
Raining Stones - Sean Logan
Mister Pockets: A Pine Deep Story - Jonathan Maberry
Thanatos Park - Charles Austin Muir
The Last Ice Cream Kiss - Jason S. Ridler
Scrap - David A. Riley
Show Me - John F.D. Taff

Here's another short extract from my story, Scrap, from volume 1:

"It was barely dawn when the boys were wrenched awake by hysterical screams from their mother’s bedroom.

His heart thumping, Gary threw aside his duvet and leapt out of bed, bare feet skidding on the thin carpet. The door into their mother’s room was already open. In it, lit by a single bedside lamp, he could see his mother. She was sat up in bed, hands clamped to the sides of her head as she screamed and screamed. Other than this she seemed unable to move. Her eyes were transfixed on the other side of the bed. Bumping into each other in confusion, the brothers jammed the doorway. Karl’s side of the bed was dark and wet. There was a narrow lump where he lay beneath the duvet."

Dark Visions edited by Anthony Rivera and Sharon Lawson

Grey Matter Press have announced details of their anthology Dark Visions volumes 1 and 2.

This includes my story Scrap, set in Edgebottom, concerning the activities of two brothers who set out to make some money for themselves by scrounging scrap metal and make the mistake of breaking into derelict houses in the notorious slums of Grudge End.

This is a short extract from it:

"Which was when he caught sight over Eddie’s shoulder of the body curled beneath the kitchen sink. It looked bloated, its utilitarian feminine clothes straining against swollen, elephantine limbs; something wet had spread across the linoleum from under the body like rancid syrup that had dried into dark brown, yellowish crusts at the edges.

Gary turned away from it, felt his stomach begin to cramp, before he threw up against the wall. Whatever he had eaten all day was heaved onto it, splashing his jeans. Abandoning the pram, Eddie blundered into him. His face looked bleached and scared. He could barely speak, gesturing at Gary to get out of the house while making inarticulate sounds at the back of his throat like a strangled hen. At any other time Gary would have laughed at him, but now he turned and scrambled onto the street. Rain showered his face as he stared up at it, gasping for breath. Drops of it washed away some of the vomit from his lips, but not enough. He could still taste its acidic bite.

He saw Eddie staring at him, his eyes grown huge and frightened.

“It had no head.” His brother’s voice barely more than a whisper..."

Scrap

Pleased to have just had a 12,100 word story, Scrap, accepted for an anthology from Grey Matter Press in the States, Dark Visions. This should be published sometime later this year.

This is a taster from the opening pages:
 It was a month since Gary and his older brother moved into their new house in Edgebottom and he hated it. Although the council estate was similar to the one they’d been brought up on in Blackburn, that was where all their friends lived and they couldn’t get on with the lads here, who seemed to be a close knit bunch of inbred country bumpkins. Edgebottom was miles from anywhere, stuck out in a valley in the middle of the moors like a big grey canker. Gary liked the word canker. Then again, he had a fondness for words that puzzled others, especially Eddie, who might be a year older but was so slow he’d been kept back a year in school and was in the same class as Gary. That always struck him as hilarious. Some people thought they had to be twins because they were in the same year, till he explained that, no, he wasn’t the runt of the litter (Eddie was two inches taller than him) it was because Eddie was thick. Not that he ever let Eddie hear him say that. Thick or not, Gary loved him in a way only brothers brought up by arsehole parents could, even though one of those arseholes was dead. A mean little man, their father had always either been drunk or on drugs, and never worked. It was a bright day when he’d overdosed, which was how they came to leave their council house in Blackburn and ended up in Edgebottom, where their mum grew up. Their old home might not have been heaven on earth but this place was shit as far as Gary and Eddie were concerned, especially when their mum shacked up with another loser. Ten years younger than their mother, Pete didn’t look it, with bad skin and bags beneath his eyes. So far he hadn’t hit the boys but they had had more than a few warnings, and Gary was wary. It wouldn’t be long before something happened, though time was on their side. Eddie would be fifteen at the end of the month, and they were getting big enough to stand up for themselves, especially if they looked out for each other. 
Gary gazed across their garden with its tufts of dead dandelions, nettles and scraps of garbage, most of it rusting, that Pete had dumped in it, like the engine of a crashed motorbike that was seeping oil or the fridge whose insides stank and were full of mould. It was impossible for Gary to imagine anyone ever putting food in there. In the distance he could see the grey rooftops of Grudge End, a derelict area of terraced streets that rose up the same steep slope as the estate. Some of Grudge End’s terraced streets had been demolished, which was where the estate had been built. The rest loomed like a drab ghost town, about which he had heard enough tales from the boys at school to give him the creeps. It had a bad reputation, even though no one lived there anymore. From what he’d heard at school no one had lived there since long before any of his classmates were born. It was supposed to have been demolished by the council years ago but for some reason no one seemed able to explain they hadn’t. One word was that the council couldn’t find anyone who was interested in developing it, so the houses stayed, decaying in their own good time, but that seemed unlikely to Gary.