November 2, 2009

Not all that long ago some folks killed Jack Haringa, and this time around, it's Brian Keene's turn to die horribly. But it's for a good cause, really. If you are so inclined and enjoy any of the stories you read on various blogs today, please consider a donation to the Shirley Jackson Awards. You'll find the link at the bottom of the page.

BRIAN KEENE AND THE SAVAGE STRANGER
By
Steven L. Shrewsbury

Fate seldom dresses like a fickle bitch. However, on a walk through a barren forest in Pennsylvania, a man saw the air before him glow. When a humanoid form took shape in this radiance, all he could say was, “Sonofabitch.”

Out of this luminosity stepped a hulking figure, covered in froth like an Irish Car Bomb. The man, the living embodiment of something that would give John Buscema a hard on, shook his mane of hair from side to side. Fiery blue eyes clear, they riveted onto the face of the walker. Dressed in worn boots, badly sewn trousers and a sleeveless tunic, the hairy man sported a wry smirk on his bearded face

“Brian Keene,” the deep voice growled. “I’m here to fuckin’ kill ya.”

The walker’s mouth gaped as the looming figure reached behind his back. Out from a wolf skin sheath emerged a huge blade.

“Why do you want to kill me? What did I ever do to you?”

Sword bisecting the bearded face, the brute chuckled. “Ya did nothin’ to me, but ya and yer buddies pissed off a wizard in the ether realm, years back.”

Eyes flaring, mind racing, Brian wondered, “You have to do better than that.”

The hulking man paused, shrugged and said, “Somethin’ ‘bout a ceremony at a book party, that really go the attention of a few wizards way off in the past. Like tossin’ a dwarf in a pond, all them ripples will come back and bitch slap someone with an ego problem. Every action has a reaction, either in this realm or the next.”

Keene stepped back, face flushed. “This isn’t happening. It’s gotta be bad stuff from—“

“Your patron pleaded your case to that wizard. I liked your patron. We sat and drank as the wizards argued about it all. While we had a few drinks together and he told good tales, the wizard angered wasn’t convinced of your harmless nature by Mr. Laymon on your boyish foolishness.”

“What? I was a damned kid when I did that!”

Another shrug rippled from the mighty shoulders of the savage. He stepped closer and the stench of sweat, whiskey and a woman’s perfume struck Keene. “I killed men and got laid when I was young. Ya deal with things.”

As he stepped back further, Brian stammered, “How can you understand me? You can’t be from here. How can you speak English?”

A tired sigh escaped the barbarian’s lips before he snapped, “I thought ya were a Doctor Who fan.”

“We…I…pissed off someone so bad that they sent you across space and time to kill me?”

“It’s a strange world, dream scribbler. Once, a drunken bard’s spirit invaded my dreams from your time line. The Oracle of Wodan keeps his soul in a jar, while his flesh lay in a tub of water back in your time. Fate isn’t a fickle bitch. She’s a real cunt, ya know?”

“That’s not fair…”

“Words, words, words,” the man muttered, hands gripping the pommel of his sword tighter. “Fairness ain’t got nothin’ to do with life.”

Bewildered, Brian turned to run as the stranger raised the sword to strike. The savage never swung, as the distance between them lengthened.

The flat of the great sword swatted Keene’s right hip, sending him careening into the dead leaves and long grasses. When the stranger loomed over him, Keene kicked at his calf, striking the leather boot and causing the savage some mirth.

“You have fight in you. That’s good. I’d hate to kill a coward. I’d still slay you, I’d just feel bad about it later for a bit.”

“What are they paying you?” Brian exclaimed as the barbarian stood astraddle of him.

The man paused. “Nothing money can buy. It’s all about blood, friend. Go unto your death knowing that at least you didn’t die over money or pussy.”

Sword held high, the barbarian entreated his god, WODAN and prepared to strike.

Brian didn’t believe in Wodan, though, and took his change to punch the savage in the balls.

Shock spread over the man’s face and his blade fell from his grip, dropping behind them in the leaves. However, the thug dropped to his knees, his superior weight astride Keene, pinning writer in place. His huge hands landed on Brian’s throat.

“The wizards have my son, you see,” the barbarian grunted through clenched teeth. “His life for yours, that isn’t a bad bargain. I’d kill myself to see you die. You and all of your spell casting friends.” The body under the barbarian kicked and writhed, but the savage held him fast, whispering, “Don’t dance in darkness, you’ll stumble and you’re sure to fall.” Soon, nerveless hands gripped the killer’s wrists as Keen convulsed in his death-throes.

Within minutes, the brute stood over Keene’s body. When the corpse vented, passing wind loudly, another sound echoed in the forest. The shrill tones bounded as music into the savage’s ears. He reached down and pulled a tiny object from the dead man’s pocket.

“Hmm. All of these names here for me like a list of services at a whorehouse. Well done, spellcaster.” Forehead furrowed at the letters before him that soon translated into his own tongue. He nodded and said, “Yes, I do need an EMT right about now.” His laughter rippled across the forest as he picked up his sword, removed Keene’s head and set it up to face him. He reached out, opened the eyes and smiled. He then put the head under his arm, sat with his back against a nearby tree to wait for the ambulance to arrive. He sang a song his father taught him about blood, honor drinking and whoredom.


http://www.shirleyjacksonawards.org/sja_support.php

April 3, 2009

My new horror novel TORMENTOR will soon be released by Lachesis Publishing. It features a killer cover by Bob Freeman. Details forthcoming.

October 27, 2008

My story "Pretty Face on Genocide" will appear in the RAW anthology from SNUFF BOOKS. I'm honored to appear with pals like John Edward Lawson and LL Soares.

October 11, 2008

My tale CAIN TWISTS appears in the anthology MOUNTAIN STATE LEGENDS 2.

I'm honored to appear along side such writers as Gary Graunbeck, Michael Liamo, Nate Kenyon, Maurice Broaddus, Mark Justice, Lucy Snyder, Bob Freeman, and Nate Southard.

Michael Knost was a joy to work with.

June 9, 2008

My new horror novel HAWG is up for pre-order at THE HORROR MALL and GRAVESIDE TALES store.

HORROR MALL


GST store

May 12, 2008

My novel HAWG will be released June 2008. Be on the look out for more bulletins.

May 8, 2008

MONSTROUS* (working title)
Edited by RYAN C. THOMAS
With an Introduction by STEVE ALTEN
Published by PERMUTED PRESS

TOC (in no particular order):

Nate Kenyon - Keeping Watch
John Towler - Scales
R. Thomas Riley-The Locusts Have A King
J. Thomas Jeans - Nirvana
Greg Norris - The Cove
Steve Alten - Lost in Time
John Platt - Gone Fishin'
Erin Anderson - Jessari
Steven Shrewsbury - Attack of the 500 Foot Porn Star
Jeff Strand - The Big Bite
Patrick Rutigliano --- The Enemy Of My Enemy
Randy Chandler - Cooties
Aaron Polson - A Plague from the Mud
DL Snell - Present Tense, Future Imperfect
Cody Goodfellow - The Island of Dr. Otaku
David Conyers & Brian Sammons - Six Legged Shadows
Guy N. Smith - Crabs
Paul Stuart - Deep Dark Submission
Evan Dicken - Extinction
James A. Moore - Whatever Became of Randy

March 24, 2008

I just received word that Lachesis Publishing has accepted my horror novel TORMENTOR. This is really great news and I'm stoked about the project. The book will be released early in 2009.

After being struck by a car bomb in Iraq, Marine reservist John Kern starts to hallucinate spirits, forgotten gods, and the man he beat to death back when he boxed professionally. While he recovers in Germany, Kern gets caught up in a cult of ghouls trying to resurrect a medieval Prussian torturer. Though still seeing visions of the nether-world, Kern attempts to make sense of those around him: A fawning nurse, a drunken fellow soldier, a concerned priest, a transsexual alchemist and the necrophiliac leader of the cult.

Will Battlin' John Kern be strong enough to face what steps out of Hell itself?

A story of horror, twisted lives, sacrifice, and heroism, TORMENTOR reaches deep into the soul and forces one to face their fears and overcome them.

March 23, 2008

I can now make it official that Graveside Tales will publish my horror novel HAWG this summer. This hardcore tale may bow at HFW in August, but we’ll see. Not a tale for the squeamish, I want to thank Dale Murphy and those at GST for taking a flyer on this one.

Blue collar tough Andrew White knows that in the rural community of Miller’s Fork bad things are best left in the dark. He soon learns that monsters wear many shapes.

In a populace rife with of vice and deception, something has broken loose…something hidden and feral. Set free from a neighbor’s barn, a force rampages through the locality. Hungry and insatiable, the berserk wrath unleashed from Mr. Solow’s shed is holds a darker secret than anyone could imagine.

Only a factory worker, a twisted biker, an unsure sheriff, and a wounded addict stand in the way of the beast. Can they put aside their differences and defeat what lurks inside them in time to defend what they love?

Come, peer inside the souls of Miller’s Fork and see if they possess the courage to stop the primal fury that is…Hawg.

March 20, 2008

My Elijah Blackthorn tale ZENITH OF THE TOTEM was just accepted by PLAIN magazine.

This story appeared years ago (in a much shorter form) in DEATHGRIP 2 LEGACY OF TERROR.

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next »