A Bloody Good Book for the Holidays - Book List 2011

I've never been normal, so why start now? I'm sharing my dark and twisted holiday reads with you. Some I've read and some are new to me and sound fangtastic! Enjoy! I know there's something for everyone on this list. Tis the season for giving! And books make great gifts.

1) Shock Totem: Holiday Tales of the Macabre and Twisted 2011 - The perfect magazine for the perfect gift. Chockful of great authors from Shock Totem!

2) Christmas Trees and Monkeys: Collected Horror Stories, Volume 1 by Daniel G. Keohane - Just because I love the title. Have to read this one.   

3) The Twelve Frights of Christmas edited by Charles Waugh, Isaac Asimov, and Martin H. Greenberg - Have to get this one as well. Any Greenberg collection is worth the read. 

4) A Christmas Carol of the Living Dead - A Zombie Holiday Tale by good ole Charles Dickens and Rebecca Brock - I'm sure the zombies punch this classic up a bit!       

5) The Twelve Terrors of Christmas written by John Updike and illustrated by Edward Gorey - Who doesn't love a little Gorey for the holidays?

6) The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton - An instant holiday classic at my house.

7) Christmas is Dead...Again edited by Anthony Giangregorio - A collection of shorts from Living Dead Press. Sounds promising!

8) Christmas Ghosts: A Collection of Spooky Tales for a Winter's Eve edited by Bob Underdown - Includes shorts by Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, and more.

9) Burn, Christmas! Burn!! by Brian Gage - An illustrated satire for any office worker or disgruntled elf.

10) The Undead That Saved Christmas edited by Lyle Perez-Tinics - An illustrated selection of shorts -- ALL ZOMBIE!!!

11) A Vampire Christmas Carol by Sarah Gray - See, there are vampires too!

12) Wolfsbane and Mistletoe edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L .P. Kelner -  This one I've read. It's great!

As always, happy reading and happy writing to all!

Grave Matters - Recommended Cemetery Books

By now, if you've been following my blog or my Facebook posts, you know I am a huge cemetery nut. It's one of the only places to think and relieve stress that also inspires me to write.

I got into cemetery touring, history, and photography in my early 20s. I thought for October, I'd share a list of cemetery books with you. They make great research tools for writers or are just a good way to relax and appreciate the beautiful craftsmanship of days gone by. There are so many beautiful books out there, but these are a few to get you started.

The Cemetery Booklist 2011

1) Love Cemetery: Unburying the Secret History of Slaves  by China Galland - details the restoration and history of an unmarked slave cemetery in East Texas.
                                                               

2) City of the Dead: A Journey Through St. Louis Cemetery #1, New Orleans, Louisiana by Robert Florence - details some of the most famous graves in New Orleans and the history of cemeteries there.

3) New Orleans Cemeteries: Life in the Cities of the Dead by Robert Florence - includes pictures of 13 cemeteries in New Orleans.

4) Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister - details the symbolism of tombstones. When I first got into cemetery touring, this book was an invaluable guide.

5) Stories Told In Stone: Cemetery Iconology by Gaylord Cooper - another invaluable guide to cemetery symbolism.

6) A Graveyard Preservation Primer (American Association for State and Local History) by Lynette Strangstad - a must-have book for anyone attempting graveyard restorations and preservation.

7) The Victorian Cemetery (Shire Library) by Sarah Rutherford - discusses the Victorian approach to burial and surviving cemeteries today.

8) The American Resting Place: 400 Years of History Through Our Cemeteries and Burial Grounds by Marilyn Yalom - photographs and discussions of burial places from all different cultures across America, including Native American mounds.

9) Haunted Cemeteries of New England: Stones, Stories, and Superstitions by Roxie J. Zwicker - the title pretty much sums it up.

10) Savannah Cemeteries by Matthew Propst - details Savannah, Georgia cemeteries/history, which I think are beautiful, having toured them myself.

11) Forever Dixie: A Field Guide to Southern Cemeteries & Their Residents by Douglas Keister - included are the graves of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.

12) MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE: London's First Landscaped Cemeteries by John Turpin - the famous cemeteries of London designed from 1832 on.

13) Houses of Life: Jewish Cemeteries of Europe by Joachim Jacobs -tour of 30 Jewish cemeteries from the Roman Era to modern Britain and France.

14) Understanding Scottish Graveyards by Betty Willsher

15) Beautiful Death: The Art of the Cemetery by Dean Koontz - I own this book and it is a great addition to any Koontz collection.