Kirjahaku

"The tone and building dread reminds me of classic Stephen King. Great velocity and impact, and super creepy. Don't go in the basement "-- Stewart O'Nan, New York Times bestselling author of The Night Country and A Prayer for the DyingWhen Henry was a child, something terrible happened in the woods behind his home, something so shocking he could only express his terror by drawing pictures of what he had witnessed. Eventually, Henry's mind blocked out the bad memories, but he continued to draw, often at night by the light of the moon.Twenty years later, Henry makes his living by painting his disturbing works of art. He loves his wife and his son, and life couldn't be better... except there's something not quite right about the old stone farmhouse his family now calls home. There's something strange living in the cramped cellar, in the maze of pipes that feed the ancient steam boiler.A winter storm is brewing, and soon Henry will learn the true nature of the monster waiting for him down in the darkness. He will battle this demon and, in the process, he may discover what really happened when he was a child -- and why, in times of trouble, he thinks: I paint against the darkness.But will Henry learn the truth in time to avoid the terrible fate awaiting him... or will the thing in the cellar get him and his family first?Written as both a meditation on the art of creation and as an examination of the secret fears we all share, The Painted Darkness is a terrifying look at the true cost we pay when we run from our grief -- and what happens when we're finally forced to confront the monsters we know all too well.Reviews and Praise: "Fast-paced, satisfying horror... a compelling read thanks to skillfully composed prose that builds tension and evokes emotional response." -- Publishers Weekly"Brian James Freeman's evocative tale about the dark corners of an artist's imagination is elegant and haunting."-- David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of The Shimmer"Spooky stuff " -- Richard Matheson, New York Times bestselling author of What Dreams May Come and I Am Legend"The Painted Darkness is a dark, terrifying, and deeply moving gem of a novella. Brian James Freeman managed to both scare me and move me to tears." -- Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Keepsake"The tone and building dread reminds me of classic Stephen King. Great velocity and impact, and super creepy. Don't go in the basement " -- Stewart O'Nan, New York Times bestselling author of The Night Country and A Prayer for the Dying"Wonderfully reminiscent of the quiet horror of Charles L. Grant, The Painted Darkness takes readers on a gently chilly walk through the forest of fears both conscious and subconscious. With Straubian lyricism, Brian James Freeman evokes not only the irrational terrors of childhood, but addresses the roots of creativity and the vital importance of art. A very impressive achievement." -- Bentley Little, author of The House and His Father's Son"The Painted Darkness delves into territory that fascinates so many of us -- the fine lines between beauty and horror, faith and fear, art and the unconscious. Both a wonderful allegory and a gripping read, Brian James Freeman has written a taut, memorable tale."-- Michael Koryta, award-winning author of So Cold the River, The Cypress House, and The Ridge

This collection features tales of horror by Brian James Freeman that deal with both real and supernatural terrors, exploring unfamiliar territories within the heart and mind, uncovering our darkest demons in the most unexpected places: - Erin and Russ discover something their beloved "Pop-Pop" hid away in his attic that was never meant to see the light of day again.- A lonely young man's unusual job takes a heavy toll on him in "Answering the Call."- In "The Final Lesson," a mild-mannered high school teacher might not be able to control himself when he learns the truth about his wife's death.- Patty knows everyone makes mistakes in life, and when it comes to "Loving Roger," she wants to fix the errors of her ways, no matter how high of a price she might need to pay.- A family man discovers monsters taking over the world in "Among Us," but he also learns that a chosen few can fight back--if they're willing to sacrifice everything they love the most.- As "Not Without Regrets" opens, Sarah is remembering her grandmother's motto: make every day count and live without regrets because no one gets out alive.- Finally, in "What They Left Behind," a young man discovers something lurking in the basement of an abandoned office building... something that is evil, and very, very hungry.These stories showcase Brian James Freeman's dazzling virtuosity and imagination as his characters descend into the depths of madness. Discover why Richard Matheson called his writing "spooky stuff" and why Stewart O'Nan said his stories have "great velocity and impact." There is darkness all around us, but Brian James Freeman isn't afraid to shine a light onto the things that scare us the most.

This collection by Brian James Freeman features characters who are searching for answers to deeply troubling questions: - In "Running Rain," a devastated husband and wife pretend life can somehow be normal again after their son becomes a victim of a serial killer, but the dark secrets they're keeping from each other push their relationship to the brink.- Jacob is a cable repair technician who doesn't much care for his job, and in "Mama's Sleeping" he finds himself troubleshooting a very serious problem with the unusual little girl who appears to be all alone in Apartment 6B.- Considering how high the radiation levels still are, no one is supposed to be in the abandoned town near the old nuclear power plant, but journalist Stephen feels he is being watched just the same in "An Instant Eternity."- "Where Sunlight Sleeps" is the tale of a grieving father and his young son, both dealing with a shared loss the best they can, who take a trip down a memory lane lined with jagged edges and vicious traps.- The young couple in "Marking the Passage of Time" face the imminent end of the world while trying to determine where all of the time they thought they still had has gone.- In "Walking With the Ghosts of Pier 13," a young man visits the beach front amusement park where his brother died during a terrorist attack that changed the country forever.- And finally: the question isn't how do you prove "A Mother's Love," but instead, how does a son prove his love for his mother is truly eternal and never-ending?These hauntingly beautiful stories show why Publishers Weekly called Brian James Freeman's writing "skillfully composed prose" and why Tess Gerritsen said, "Brian James Freeman managed to both scare me and move me to tears."

This collection by Brian James Freeman features dark stories that are a little different from his other works. Some focus on unusual characters; some are simply told in unusual ways. The last two are closely linked pieces, although the connection is hidden under the surface.- Kathy has a great deal on her mind as "Tomorrow Could Be Even Better" opens, but mostly she's thinking about how quickly life can change when you're least expecting it... and today a brief encounter with a stranger will send her life changing very quickly and spiraling toward madness.- When it comes to "The Temperament of an Artist," sometimes you just have to let the paint fly onto the canvas and see what the results are... even if that paint looks a little too much like blood.- "The Gorman Gig" is definitely not going like the others, and Mike and Jimmy have no idea how badly this job's going to end for everyone involved...- As "One Way Flight" takes off, the man in seat 36-B awakens to find everyone else on his plane is dead, including the pilot. Now the clock is ticking and he doesn't have much time to figure out who he is, what has happened, and most importantly, how to get off the plane alive...- Assuming Michael manages to escape the punishment room by surviving for "One More Day," he isn't sure he'll be able to live with the knowledge of what he did, but then again, that's a dilemma he wouldn't mind confronting, given the finality of the alternative.- In "The Silent Attic," Amy is haunted by the memory of her mother's last days, but will one last trip to the room where her nightmares were born set her free?- And finally, "Danny Dreams" introduces readers to Danny Walker, who knows all too well that the life of the dead is often placed in the memory of the living...These thought-provoking stories show why David Morrell called Freeman's writing "elegant and haunting" and why Michael Koryta said Freeman writes "a taut, memorable tale."

This collection by Brian James Freeman features characters haunted by horrors they think are out of their control, but perhaps the sources of their greatest terrors are closer to home than they ever feared possible: - "Ice Cold Dan the Ice Cream Man" is the tale of one man doing hard, mind-numbing work to escape the demons of his past, but what if those demons don't want to let him go without a fight?- In "Losing Everything Defines You," a bestselling author believes his family has mysteriously vanished without a trace, yet if that's true, why is he hearing footsteps in the hallway outside his bedroom door every night?- When Sam discovers the jogger dying in the middle of the road in "As She Lay There Dying," he isn't ready for what she needs to tell him... or more importantly, why she sounds just like his dead wife.- William Carver and his family fled the colonies to escape a monster stalking their community, but the western plains might not be the safe haven they had hoped for once they hear "How the Wind Lies."- When Melissa was a little girl, her father told her children are "Perfect Little Snowflakes," different and unique in conception because no one knows where they'll actually land once they hit the ground... but what does that really mean?- This loving mother doesn't remember when the coldness began to fester inside her, and now she's terrified for her baby as she suffers from the final stages of "The Plague of Sadness."- And finally, in "The Last Beautiful Day," a devoted husband returns to the scene of the worst day of his life by volunteering for a job that is both morbid and profound.These thought-provoking stories show why Stewart O'Nan said Freeman's writing has "great velocity and impact" and why Publishers Weekly called his work "highly readable."

"Freeman's prose is clean and lovely, painting the canvas of the printed page so unobtrusively yet with such pronounced effect. His writing will leave you both chilled and deeply moved." - William Peter BlattyBrian James Freeman's first full-length collection features twenty-nine stories that deal with both real and supernatural terrors.These tales are populated by characters who seek answers to deeply troubling questions. They are haunted by horrors they think are out of their control, but sometimes the source of their greatest fears is closer to home than they ever imagined. As William Peter Blatty notes in his introduction, "Freeman writes like someone who has seen the darkness lurking within the human heart and is compelled to shine a light on our deepest fears. His writing will leave you both chilled and deeply moved."Originally published only as a small print run Limited Edition in the UK, this new edition features revised text and updated story notes by the author.