New Releases by Richard Chizmar

This book is to honor those who lost their lives in the May 31, 2019 attack in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

"When the Tuckers'' next door neighbor mentions someone rang their doorbell late the previous night, Sarah and Kenny Tucker check their home''s security camera and discover something shocking: the doorbell ringer also visited their house... and it was a terrified young woman with a shackle hanging from her right wrist. Almost overnight, she becomes known as The Girl on the Porch. There is national coverage on CNN and Fox News, and the video goes viral. As days pass and no one comes forward to identify the woman, fresh footprints appear in the garden next to their house; a neighbor''s pet is viciously killed; and a man starts following their daughter Natalie....

The tales here cover every corner of dark fiction, from the time-warped noir of "Dirty Coppers" to the blood-red west of "The Custer Files." But it''s in traditional horror that he really ups the ante. The particulars may seem familiar at first--the rainy-day child murders in "Roses and Raindrops," the allegedly cursed lighthouse in "Widow''s Point"--but readers will be surprised at how quickly they''re hooked and shocked at how the stories wend their way to unexpected conclusions. Chizmar has a genuine gift for undermining expectations and infusing the widely known tropes of the genre with fresh power

Vuelve Stephen King con una impactante novela corta en un formato muy especial. La pequeña ciudad de Castle Rock, en Maine, ha sido testigo de algunos extraños sucesos, pero solo hay una historia que no se ha contado... hasta ahora. Existen tres vías para llegar a Castle View desde la ciudad de Castle Rock: por la carretera 117, por Pleasant Road y por las Escaleras de los Suicidios. Cada día del verano de 1974, Gwendy Peterson, de doce años de edad, toma el camino de las escaleras, que ascienden en zigzag por la ladera rocosa. Pero un día, al llegar a lo alto, mientras recupera el aliento con la cara roja y las manos apoyadas sobre las rodillas, un desconocido la llama. Allí, en un banco a la sombra, se sienta un hombre con una chaqueta negra y un pequeño sombrero. Llegará un día en el que Gwendy sufra pesadillas con ese sombrero... La crítica ha dicho... «Esta novela sobre el fin de la infancia mezcla un tono dulce con otro más amenazante... La historia brilla especialmente cuando se hace preguntas universales: ¿Cuánto de lo que pasa en nuestras vidas es fruto de nuestras acciones y no el resultado de fuerzas impredecibles? ¿Y cuánto poder tenemos cualquiera de nosotros para salvar el mundo... o destruirlo? Los lectores devorarán esta estimulante historia.» Booklist «Una joya de pequeño tamaño pero llena de fuerza.» Publishers Weekly «Una fábula para un mundo que se vuelve más loco cada día.» Washington Post «Una lectura muy entretenida que nunca pierde su impulso inicial.» USA Today

A pequena cidade de Castle Rock testemunhou alguns eventos estranhos ao longo dos anos, mas existe uma história que nunca foi contada... até agora. Viaje de volta a Castle Rock nesta história eletrizante de Stephen King, o mestre do terror, e Richard Chizmar, autor premiado de A Long December. O universo misterioso e assustador dessa pacata cidadezinha do Maine já foi cenário de outros clássicos de King, como Cujo e A zona morta, e deu origem à série de TV da Hulu. Há três caminhos para subir até Castle View a partir da cidade de Castle Rock: pela rodovia 117, pela Estrada Pleasant e pela Escada Suicida. Em todos os dias do verão de 1974, Gwendy Peterson, de doze anos, vai pela escada, que fica presa por parafusos de ferro fortes (ainda que enferrujados pelo tempo) e sobe em ziguezague pela encosta do penhasco. Certo dia, um estranho a chama do alto: “Ei, garota. Vem aqui um pouco. A gente precisa conversar, você e eu”. Em um banco na sombra, perto do caminho de cascalho que leva da escada até o Parque Recreativo de Castle View, há um homem de calça jeans preta, casaco preto e uma camisa branca desabotoada no alto. Na cabeça tem um chapeuzinho preto arrumado. Vai chegar um dia em que Gwendy terá pesadelos com isso.

The third act in the critically-acclaimed series by Written Backwards, is a symmetrically-structured anthology of psychological horror by Bram Stoker Award nominated editor Michael Bailey, whose previous anthologies include The Library of the Dead, Qualia Nous and Pellucid Lunacy. The anthology contains 45 illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne, over 20 stories by the likes of Stephen King, Jack Ketchum, Ramsey Campbell, Gary A. Braunbeck, Mort Castle, Josh Malerman, Scott Edelman, Richard Thomas, Richard Chizmar and Gene O''Neill, and with 20 intertwined poems by the likes of Elizabeth Massie, Marge Simon, Bruce Boston, Erik T. Johnson, Stephanie M. Wytovich, and also includes an introduction by the extraordinary Chuck Palahniuk.

Darkness Whispers will introduce you to the town of Windbrook, a sleepy little community nestled deep in the secluded Skullkin Valley of western Pennsylvania. All is well in Windbrook, just like usual, just like always. Nothing changes here, nothing is different. Except... except today something is different. An old man with piercing gray eyes will arrive in town this morning. This man isn''t human. Not even close. And he isn''t coming alone. Death travels with him. Richard Chizmar, award-winning author of A Long December, and Brian James Freeman, acclaimed author of The Painted Darkness, have combined forces to create an old-fashioned tale of horror, full of good and evil, with a breathtaking ending that will leave you wondering when this peculiar old man might be coming for you.

Che cosa accomuna una ragazza che non si arrende e un seducente uomo in nero? Una cosa preziosa: la scatola dei bottoni di Gwendy.

Christmas and a birthday collide, criminals get a holiday surprise, a man drifts through a life he once knew, and Santa gets hungrier with each passing year. These are just some of the tales of terror found in Christmas Horror Volume 2, featuring all original fiction from Jeff Strand, Elizabeth Massie, Richard Chizmar, Gene O''Neill, Steve Rasnic Tem and William F. Nolan.

The third - and incredibly special volume in HellBound Books¿ flagship horror anthology - this one bursting at the seams with even more fantastically dark horror from the cream of today¿s horror scene, each one of whom was specially invited to contribute and support the fantastic Hilarity for Charity and its fight againt Alzheimer¿s - proceeds from this mighty tome will be donated accordingly... Featuring: Jack Ketchum, Michael Bray, Jeff Strand, Chad Lutzke, Eddie Generous, Lance Tuck, Wade H. Garrett, Richard Chizmar and Billy Chizmar, James H Longmore, Jaap Boekestein, Iain Rob Wright, Michael McBride, Edward Lee, David Owain Hughes, Ray Garton & Benjamin BlakeTwenty-two tales of disturbing terror and nefarious imagination - the perfect antidote to a peaceful night¿s sleep!

Richard Chizmar, Lisa Tuttle, Norman Prentiss, Kevin Quigley, and Peter Straub unmask monsters hiding in plain sight in an anthology of heart-pounding short fiction assembled by horror author and editor Brian James Freeman. DEVIL’S NIGHT by Richard Chizmar You’ve read about what happened that night. What you don’t know is the true extent of the damage. The papers got it wrong—and the truth is so much worse than you thought. THE LAST DARE by Lisa Tuttle Elaine hasn’t been back to her hometown in years. The house she lived in is gone. The tower house isn’t—nor are the stories of the fate that befalls whoever dares to go there. THE HALLOWEEN BLEED by Norman Prentiss People think there’s some sort of mystical power that allows enchantments and witchcraft to come to life on Halloween night. But real magic obeys no calendar—and true evil strikes whenever it’s least expected. SWING by Kevin Quigley In Hollywood, everyone lives forever. At least that’s what I used to think . . . before Jessica. But no one seems to live long when they’re around me. PORK PIE HAT by Peter Straub When it comes to jazz, there are players, and there are legends. “Hat” was a legend. His real name didn’t even matter. Still, he had his secrets—secrets best left buried in the past. Praise for Halloween Carnival Volume 5 “This miniature cavalcade of spine-tingling and thought-provoking horrors lives up to its name and is the perfect Halloween treat.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Wiedersehen mit Castle Rock Die kleine Stadt Castle Rock in Maine hat die seltsamsten Vorkommnisse und ungewöhnlichsten Besucher erlebt. Warum sollte es der 12-jährigen Gwendy anders ergehen? Eines Tages tritt ein schwarz gekleideter Unbekannter an sie heran und macht ihr ein Geschenk: einen Kasten mit lauter Schaltern und Hebeln. Wozu er dient? Gwendy probiert es aus, und ihr Leben verändert sich von Grund auf.

Stephen King teams up with long-time friend and award-winning author Richard Chizmar for the first time in this original, chilling novella that revisits the mysterious town of Castle Rock. There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974, twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong—if time-rusted—iron bolts and zig-zag up the precarious cliffside. Then one day when Gwendy gets to the top of Castle View, after catching her breath and hearing the shouts of kids on the playground below, a stranger calls to her. There on a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small, neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat… The little town of Castle Rock, Maine has witnessed some strange events and unusual visitors over the years, but there is one story that has never been told—until now.

The Man may mean different things to different people: society, the government, a parent, a boss, a significant other, a shady organization that only controls a subset of a group or society, men in general, women in general. The Man makes the rules, and those rules exist to keep us in line. To make society run smooth and stop us from regressing back to the wild animals that lurk within us. But what happens when we break the rules? What happens when we buck against The Man and his machine that we''re slaves to?F*ck the Rules features rule-bending stories from writing masters such as Guy N. Smith, Richard Chizmar, Adam Millard, Antonio Simon, Jr., Suzanne Fox, and more. Find out what happens when you throw your middle fingers up and defy those who hold you down.

From Richard Chizmar Manuscripts found in a dark corner of his office, from a time long forgotten-the Eighties. Revived at the hand of two horror masters, these stories are a slice of the past brought into the present. The Sculptor With Ray Garton An artist finds a block of stone in his home, ready to be carved. A creative dry spell now broken, but at what cost? Roses and Raindrops With Brian Keene A delivery to the old house on the edge of town haunts a man with horror and possibility. Composed in the ''80''s, nearly lost to time, these two stories are now UNEARTHED

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.

Chet and Michael are brothers. They are also police officers. What they are not is friends. Their mother died when they were young. Their only parent was an absent cop father who preferred women and scotch to raising them. So Chet being older had to raise Michael. Chet was the quiet responsible one; Michael was the handsome wild one who came to resent Chet''s rules and regulations. Michael still resents them especially when Chet tries to break up the affair his younger married brother is having on the side. Neither man is willing to back down. Neither man is a stranger to violence. Then Chet decides to pay a late night visit to the woman he calls his brother''s whore. . . .

RACCONTO LUNGO HORROR - Sprangate le porte durante la Notte del Diavolo, perché è allora che sono in giro i veri mostri. Cominciò tutto in un gelido venerdì notte di ottobre. Era la notte precedente ad Halloween, quella che da sempre veniva chiamata la Notte del Diavolo, quando eravamo bambini e nel nostro cuore Halloween era secondo soltanto al Natale. Se non altro, i giornali azzeccarono almeno "questo". Il giorno, intendo. Quanto al resto, non scrissero una sola cosa giusta di ciò che resta della storia. Io c''ero, quella notte. Lasciate che vi dica cosa è successo "davvero"... Richard Chizmar è il fondatore e il direttore della Cemetery Dance Publications e della rivista horror "Cemetery Dance". Ha curato ed editato dozzine di antologie, incluse: "The Best of Cemetery Dance", "The Earth Strikes Back", "Night Visions 10", "October Dreams" (con Robert Morrish), e la serie "The Shivers". Insieme a Jonathon Schaech ha fondato la casa di produzione Chesapeake Films, firmando sceneggiature cinematografiche e televisive per United Artists, Showtime, Sony Screen Gems, Lions Gate, NBC e molte altre case di produzione. Tra i progetti più importanti di adattamento, ricodiamo: "From a Buick 8" dall''omonimo romanzo di Stephen King, "The Hour Before Dark" tratto dal romanzo di Douglas Clegg, "Black House" firmato da Stephen King e Peter Straub e alcuni episodi di "Masters of Horror" trasmessi da Showtime e di "Fear Itself" andati in onda su NBC.

On March 21st, 2013, I received a phone call from Holly Newstein telling me that her husband, Rick Hautala, had suffered a massive heart attack. That piece of information shocked me into a surreal sort of panic, so much so that at first I could not make the leap to the next thing she said...that he had died. It seemed impossible. Rick had been such a good friend, such a consistent and stable force in my life, that the idea of him being so suddenly removed from this world...I just couldn''t make sense of it. I have no doubt that readers will treasure this two-volume set. It is my hope that as you read, you will ruminate a little bit about the man for whom we all have come together within these pages. And I hope you''ll urge others to pick up their own copies of MISTER OCTOBER as well.

Poslední zimní bouře nepřinesla do malého mainského městečka Castle Rock jenom chlad. Šerif Norris Ridgewick a jeho tým zoufale pátrají po dvou pohřešovaných dívkách. Sedmatřicetiletá Gwendy Petersonová žije ve Washingtonu a už dávno to není rozpačitá dospívající dívka, která kdysi trávila léto běháním po Sebevražedných schodech v Castle Rocku. Tajemný cizinec v černém obleku jí tehdy svěřil neobvyklou krabičku, jež nabízela drobné dárky, ale její použití mělo přímo katastrofální následky. Když se pro krabičku vrátil, slíbil, že už ji Gwendy nikdy neuvidí. Gwendy o krabičce nikdy nikomu neřekla – ani svému manželovi. Jednoho dne se ale krabička znovu objeví. Gwendy se vrací do rodného města a čas na záchranu dívek se krátí...

Kouzelná skříňka pro Gwendy je dalším Kingovým dílem situovaným do fiktivního maineského městečka Castle Rock. Tentokrát se však, na rozdíl od těch ostatních, jedná o poměrně krátkou novelu, napsanou navíc ve spolupráci s Richardem Chizmarem. Na začátku příběhu je Gwendy 12 let. Je to bystrá holčička, která má problémy s nadváhou, s nimiž se dokáže svou vůlí a kázní vypořádat. Jednoho dne ji v parku osloví záhadný černě oděný muž, který jí z neznámých důvodů dá jedinečný a nebezpečný dárek – kouzelnou skříňku s páčkami a různobarevnými tlačítky. Stisknutím páček skříňka vydává buď vzácné stříbrné dolary, nebo nesmírně chutné čokoládičky. Barevná tlačítka jsou destruktivní a mají přímo katastrofické následky. Co se stane, má-li osud města a vlastně i celého světa v rukách dvanáctiletá dívenka?

Když bylo Gwendy Petersonové dvanáct let, dal jí cizinec jménem Richard Farris do úschovy tajemnou skříňku. Nabízela pamlsky a staré mince, ale byla také nebezpečná. Stisknutí kteréhokoliv ze sedmi barevných tlačítek přinášelo smrt a zkázu. O několik let později skříňka znovu vstoupila do jejího života. Jako úspěšná spisovatelka a vycházející politická hvězda byla Gwendy opět nucena vypořádat se s pokušením, které představovala – úžasný pocit pohody vyvážený děsivě temným nutkáním vyvolat katastrofu. Ve třetí, závěrečné knize bojuje Gwendy Petersonová, nyní senátorka Spojených států, s ranými příznaky Alzheimerovy choroby, které se snaží tajit. Ale čeká ji mnohem náročnější úkol, tajná mise, aby zachránila svět.