Happy Halloween Coffin Hoppers!  This is the final day for the Hop and the last day to get your comments in to be registered for the signed copy of my novella In Memoriam and the Coffin Hop: Death by Drive-In EP sampler.  Go to any Coffin Hop post on the blog to be registered!  To check out the other Coffin Hop locations go to http://coffinhop.wordpress.com and take a trip around the graveyard for more prizes and authors who want to scare the crap out of you.

Earlier, I listed my favorite horror-themed songs and tonight I’m going to do a quick run down of my top 5 scary movies and books that make my skin crawl.

Silver Screen Scares List-

1.  A Nightmare on Elm Street– The original, the non-remake, and the one that made me sleep with the lights on when I was a kid.  Freddy and his burnt visage, slashing through the nightmares of teens.  Of course, he was justified, their parents did light him up like a torch and left him to die.  I love this one more because, while Freddy’s humor is fun in later installments, he is more serious and wicked in this first time out.  Always in my top lists.

2.  Event Horizon–  An experimental space ship disappears while on a test to travel to another galaxy by bending reality.  The ship vanishes and reappears years later.  A group is sent to investigate where the Event Horizon went and what happened to the crew.  The movie is darkly disturbing and has the ability to get under your skin.  An often overlooked gem that everyone needs to see.

3.  In the Mouth of Madness–  John Carpenter’s ode to H.P. Lovecraft is the story of an investigator sent to find missing author Sutter Cane who has gone missing before a big book release.  He finds himself on a downward spiral in a very Lovecraftian way.  This is one film that sticks in your head and makes you wonder what would happen if someone asked you, “Do you read Sutter Cane?”

4. Halloween– Carpenter again lands on the list with the best slasher flick ever made.  Michael Meyers is a killing machine with no remorse who returns home to wreak havoc on Halloween night and to finish some family business.  I do also like the Rob Zombie versions of Halloween.

5.  Night of the Living Dead– While I enjoy the original, the remake from the early ’90’s is my film of choice here.  When the dead rise and all looks lost just remember, “They’re coming to get you Barbara.”

The Bloody Book Shelf-

1.  IT (Stephen King)-  I read this book in 6th grade and it forever forged my destiny… and it freaked my reading teacher out.  Really, what kind of 11-year-old throws a 1k page book down on his desk for ‘free reading’?  This guy…

2.  Ghoul (Brian Keene)- Following the themes of childhood, this is by far the book from Keene that sticks in my heart the most.  I know people who mirror characters in the book and it makes it more personal.  If you haven’t read Keene or think he is just a zombie guy, give this book a read and be drawn into a world of monsters outside and those within.

3.  Vampyrrhic (Simon Clark)- A tightly woven vampire tale that returns the vamps to their natural state…ugly and blood thirsty.  The opening sequences of the book are Clark’s creepy descriptions and will leave you wanting to leave the light on.

4.  Salem’s Lot (Stephen King)- Another King book I read as a kid and about 3 times since.  I can’t say enough about how good the depictions of small town life and gossip get turned on its ear when the old ‘haunted’ house is bought.  Author Ben Mears returns home to the ‘Lot and is drawn in to the battle against the undead and his own ghosts.

5.  Night Chills (Dean Koontz)- Some have hounded me for liking Koontz, but the man can tell one hell of a story.  This novel isn’t straight-up horror, but when subliminal messaging is used to control a town, things turn ugly.  The scary part of the book has to do with losing control of yourself and being forced to do something against your will, even if you don’t know you’re doing it.

Well, this was short I admit.  However, I am bust preparing some other things and I hope everyone had a terrifying Coffin Hop 2012!  See you next year (although I’d rather you stay around and follow my adventures and misadventures in my quest to continue my writing career).

Goodnight…