Andrew CullRezensionen

That ending bit had me a little stressed out but I'm glad it went the way it did.

Author's guest post at my blog:
https://bookfare.blogspot.com/2023/05/foodfic-please-welcome-angela-sylvaine.htm...

This is such a huge disappointment for me. I was incredibly excited to read this book. The cover artwork, the anthology topic...what horror buff doesn't love found footage movies?... I was very intrigued by the idea of found footage stories, everything drew me in.

My excitement lasted right up until the 6th story... Spewed News. I simply cannot believe how politically biased this story is....shockingly so. The entire plot is centered around bashing the right wing. At one point, the narrator even expresses that if you are reading this, you must veer left.....is this supposed to insinuate republicans don't read??Or is it an acknowledgement of the offensive nature of the story?? I'm independent, but even I found it offensive.

I've never liked it when authors impart their personal ideology in their writing. I prefer to read material that is politically neutral and devoid of strong social ideology influences. Reading is a hobby, it should be enjoyable and stress free, an escape from real world issues. This was just blatant political agenda garbage. I'm astounded as to why Iglesias and Cull would include a story like this. Do they feel its ok to ridicule ppl based on their political views? Are they trying to alienate their republican readers?? I find this unacceptable.

Unfortunately, this isn't the only unacceptable faux pas found in these pages....another story name drops , in a disturbingly negative way, both James Charles, a popular YouTube personality, and Dr. Phil, I don't believe he needs an introduction....both are represented in critical light. I doubt either granted their permission to be used here. Another story attacks religion and heavily implies having a religious Mother and friend drove a teenager to become a psychopath.

I am beyond disappointed with this anthology. It's a shame, because this was a great book otherwise, the other stories included were all really good. Unfortunately, I will not be reading any work by either writer in the future. I simply cannot support anyone who would so callously attack particular groups of their readers, the very ppl who purchase their work, thereby creating their income. Including these stores exhibits extremely poor taste :(

My review of this book can be found on my Youtube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/wP-cgg0zJiE

Enjoy!

This one genuinely creeped me out and the shadows outside my room last night seemed far more menacing...

The dark descent into grief after a tragic loss, this is a grim read, but very well done.

Short chapters blink this nightmare upon a nightmare into chilling life. A dark tapestry leading you deep into what seems to be inescapable despair. This is a story you won't soon forget.

Review Copy

A solid collection of longer short stories and a bonus short-short make up this novella-length collection from Australian writer-director Andrew Cull.

Did You Forget About Me? - Cam Miller is a struggling actor and at age thirty he has yet to make his mark. When his long-estranged father dies and leaves Cam his childhood home he contacts his sister and makes plans to visit the property. The trip brings back unpleasant memories and more. Cull makes effective use of his filmmaker's eye for detail. Although this is only a short story, Did You Forget About Me? had something that's been missing in a lot of books I've been reading recently and that's "atmosphere."

Hope and Walker - This is a charming story with a touch of horror. The opening lines, "We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him", immediately drew me in, so important with a short story. This is one exceptional short story. Highly recommended.

The Trade - Another really strong opening line begins this story of something from the woods leaving dead things for a troubled family. "I was seven and that was the Summer death stalked our home." This tale features a slow build with a killer ending.

Knock and You Will See Me - I can't stress enough how a strong opening line can make a short story. Here's another one. "We buried Dad in the Winter. It wasn't until the Spring that we heard from him again." This is one creepy story.

The Rambling Man - A wonderfully gruesome short to wrap up this collection.

Recommended.

Bones is available in both paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - Andre Cull is a writer and director of The Dark and The Possession Of David O'Reilly (UK title: The Torment). His first novel, Remains, is due for release later this year.

Having read these four stories in digital form previously, it was a true pleasure to revisit them, presented together in print. Deliciously creepy with ever building suspense, these tales entertain and absorb. If you enjoy good horror stories, you will love this book. Each story has its own identity but they work beautifully as a collection.

Great little story. Creepy and well written. Perfect for a rainy night.

Seriously creepy, and a bit gory. Well-written from the point of view of a boy.

Bloody hell. Not many books genuinely creep me out but this one did. The story comes in waves. Just as you think things have settled you get dunked again. Constant uncertainty as to what would happen next.

Review Copy

A solid collection of longer short stories and a bonus short-short make up this novella-length collection from Australian writer-director Andrew Cull.

Did You Forget About Me? - Cam Miller is a struggling actor and at age thirty he has yet to make his mark. When his long-estranged father dies and leaves Cam his childhood home he contacts his sister and makes plans to visit the property. The trip brings back unpleasant memories and more. Cull makes effective use of his filmmaker's eye for detail. Although this is only a short story, Did You Forget About Me? had something that's been missing in a lot of books I've been reading recently and that's "atmosphere."

Hope and Walker - This is a charming story with a touch of horror. The opening lines, "We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him", immediately drew me in, so important with a short story. This is one exceptional short story. Highly recommended.

The Trade - Another really strong opening line begins this story of something from the woods leaving dead things for a troubled family. "I was seven and that was the Summer death stalked our home." This tale features a slow build with a killer ending.

Knock and You Will See Me - I can't stress enough how a strong opening line can make a short story. Here's another one. "We buried Dad in the Winter. It wasn't until the Spring that we heard from him again." This is one creepy story.

The Rambling Man - A wonderfully gruesome short to wrap up this collection.

Recommended.

Bones is available in both paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - Andre Cull is a writer and director of The Dark and The Possession Of David O'Reilly (UK title: The Torment). His first novel, Remains, is due for release later this year.

Knock and You Will See Me by Andrew Cull is a fun, action-packed read that left me on the edge of my seat. In fact, I read it in one sitting which, even with novellas, is a rare thing for me. I am easily distracted and easily bored, especially so lately. This novella, on the other hand, had my heart pumping.

The story encompasses the life of a single mother that is sensitive to the supernatural. Raising three boys on her own, Ellie Ray finds herself taking care of her elderly father. Soon, he passes away. After his funeral, strange things begin happening. Strange things that quickly begin to escalate into things far more terrifying. As the story continues, it quickly becomes a matter of life or death not just for Ellie, but for her young boys as well. As someone who wants to be a mother, this went straight to my heart.

Despite its short length, Cull manages to perfectly recreate the small town feel. Not only that, he perfectly fleshes out several characters in ways I've found authors incapable of doing in full length works. For this, I've got to give him props. For the most part, I really enjoyed reading this book.

I do have to dock a star from the final rating due to various typos I encountered throughout the story. That and the cliched ending were a little bit too much for me. It was, however, a pretty solid story and I highly recommend it for fans of the macabre. With vivid, at times stomach curdling descriptions, Cull has a way of making his reader's skin crawl.

I would like to thank the author for providing me with a copy for this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Review copy

Hope and Walker, by Andrew Cull, is a charming story with a touch of horror. The opening line, "We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him", immediately drew me in, so important with a short story.

Em Walker's parents ran one of the two funeral homes in the small town of Hope.

"Mum and Dad never argued much. Although they did have a huge row one time when I was seven. I'd been playing hide and seek with Dad when he'd gotten a call from a customer. He'd been on the phone so long that he'd forgotten all about the game. Two hours later Mum found me asleep in a casket, where I'd hidden, while she was giving a tour of the showroom. It hadn't helped matters when I'd woken up with a start, sat bolt upright in the coffin and screamed. Mum and Dad lost that sale to Bob Ryan and it was quite a while before I showed my face downstairs again."

When ten-year-old Billy Jenkins came to Walker and Son Funeral Directors it was an extraordinarily sad day. His murder a mystery. As was her habit by now, Em sat drawing his likeness in her sketchbook, talking to Billy as she drew. What happens next was nothing short of remarkable. To learn more. Pick up this exceptional short story.

Recommended.

Hope and Walker is published by Vermillion Press and is available for the Kindle through Amazon.com. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - Andre Cull is a writer and director of The Dark and The Possession Of David O'Reilly (UK title : The Torment). His first novel, Remains, is due for release later this year.

Review copy

I recently read and greatly enjoyed an anthology of Christmas themed horror written by members of the Australian Horror Writers Association. That book was Hell's Bells and one of the stories within was Old Man Christmas, written by filmmaker/writer Andrew Cull. When Andrew reached out to me with a request to read and review his new short story, Did You Forget About Me? I jumped at the opportunity.

Cam Miller is a struggling actor and at age thirty he has yet to make his mark. When his long estranged father dies and leaves Cam his childhood home he contacts his sister and makes plans to visit the property. The trip brings back unpleasant memories and more.

I don't want to get into he nitty-gritty here. After all, this is just a short story and it's secrets should be discovered by the reader. I will say I enjoyed the experience and that Cull makes effective use of his filmmaker's eye for detail.

"I pulled the curtain aside. I could feel the cold pressing against the glass outside, wanting in."

Although this is only a short story, Did You Forget About Me? had something that's been missing in a lot of books I've been reading recently and that's "atmosphere."

Recommended.

Self-Published and currently available only for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the author's bio - Andrew Cull is both a writer and director. His first novel, Remains, is set for release in 2017.