A highly recommended read for fans of ghouls, zombies and old west supernatural tales and not as graphic as one would expect. Kudos for the writer. 

Read the full review.

The other review is for “Black-Eyed Kids” and it comes from Gef Fox at Skull Salad Reviews:

Whoa Nelly, this one was a dark treat to read. The first two books certainly had their fair share of sinister vibes, but there was more–how do I put it?–rollickingness. No that’s not right. Maybe sardonic tone is what I mean. Felix is the kind of guy who will let his world-weary side shine through. This time around there isn’t a lot of room for that, because his life is in imminent danger even more than the last two times. The story is the most intense of the three with a threat that Felix comes to believe he can’t defeat. Everything plays out really well with an episodic quality I’ve come to expect and appreciate from Ian’s work.

I think this would have to be Ian’s strongest effort yet of the three novellas published so far, which bodes well for future iterations, including a Felix Renn novel that’s apparently in the works. If you enjoy gritty urban fantasy, this should be right up your alley.

Read the full review.

Thanks to both reviewers for the kind words, and for taking the time to read (and review) my work!

“The novella captures the West with descriptive details of the desert, the small town, and the Groom ranch. The dialog also echoes what we have come to expect from western-speak without relying on clichés. Because the visage of the old west looms so large and accurate, the sci-fi and horror elements work within the framework to create a good counter-balance between the normal west and the weird west. Deadstock is a welcome addition to the Weird Western tradition. Dryden and Raisy can be placed with confidence alongside Joe R. Lansdale’s Jonah Hex, Ray Krank’s Ghost Rider, and Lon Williams’ Lee Winters. I look forward to further rides into the Weird West with Ian Rogers.”

Read the full review.

This is one of the most insightful reviews of my work to date. Servante pointed out things in my story that surprised even me. He also provides a nice introduction and overview of the Weird Western genre. A great way to start of my 2012. Thank you, Anthony!

Deadstock was published by Stonebunny Press and is available at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. There’s also an e-book version available for the Amazon Kindle.

“The world Ian has created here is surprisingly robust when barely using thirty pages to know only set the stage, but tell the whole story. The added twist of a drug that seems to temporarily morph users into monsters of choice is both macabre and original. There’s a good payoff at the end with enough of a teaser for future installments… Seeing Canada portrayed as something other than a snowbound land of overly polite syrup-suckers is always welcome, and Ian did a heckuva job layering grime all over Toronto. I’m looking forward to reading what else he has in store for the great white north and abroad.”

Read the full review.

Meanwhile, over at the Toronto Writing Examiner, Mary Rajotte has written an article on the series as a whole. Here’s an excerpt:

With a catalog of stories that are dark in tone and which explore everything from ghosts to demons, Rogers is well-schooled in the art of scaring readers.

But his supernatural detective series of stories deftly mixes darker tones with the thrilling adventure that comes with the classic whodunnit.

Read the full article.

Thanks to Mr. Fox and Ms. Rajotte for the kind words. And best wishes to everyone for a Happy New Year!

Thanks to Mary Rajotte for all of her hard work. I’ve done a few guest blogging posts in the past, but nothing remotely close to this. I really felt like a celebrity this past month. All I need now are some book groupies. If anyone is looking for some last minute Christmas ideas for me… Anyway, I had a lot of fun, and I think we succeeded in introducing a number of people to Felix Renn and Black Lands.

Since I probably won’t be posting again before the holidays are upon us, I want to take a moment to thank not just Mary but all of the wonderful book bloggers who have been kind enough to promote my work this past year.

If the Felix Renn novels are ever published, and if they are successful, it will be because of the early word-of-mouth of websites like Bloody Bookish, Dreadful Tales, The Man Eating Bookworm, Ginger Nuts of Horror, Wag the Fox, Book Den, and The Darkeva.

So I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for making my year. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Thanks also to everyone else who participated in the contest. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that all three chapbooks in the Felix Renn series are still available from Burning Effigy Press for only $20.

Also, Peter Darbyshire, author of The Warhol Gang, has some very nice things to say about the Felix Renn chapbooks. Thanks, Peter!

Rogers continues to engage and intrigue with his trademark cross-over of the supernatural mystery…. [his] writing has a cinematic quality that is fully immersive.

Read the full review.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to swing over to BloodyBookish.com and enter the contest to win a complete set of the Felix Renn chapbooks.

I was also very pleased and honoured to see that the Felix Renn chapbooks made Jim Mcleod’s Top Ten Discoveries of 2011 over at Ginger Nuts of Horror. Thanks, Jim!

“The Black-Eyed Kids… are relatable in form but utterly terrifying in action and motivation, not to mention extremely violent, all of which, I think, makes them really frightening. We also get to meet another weird and original creature from the Black Lands, the blackwood, a carnivorous, spider-like tree, which shows up in one of the novella’s best set pieces.”

Read the full review.

The other review comes from Colum McKnight at DreadfulTales.com. Here’s an excerpt:

“Having read a lot, if not all, of Rogers’ work, I’d come to assume that I was going to mainly get style and content from this author. This novella proves that he’s not only capable of the above mentioned two things, but he’s also capable of setting you up for some truly intense scares. And good faith in the author, coupled with a vague sense of knowledge as to where the character is going, tells me that this is a trend that Rogers is going to set for the Black Lands novels. I’m stoked.”

Read the full review.

Thanks to both of these gents for the very fine reviews. I will now call off the BEKs and make sure they never visit your homes again!

Check out BloodyBookish.com for the full contest details.

First up in The Bloodlight is an interview with yours truly. Next week: a review of “Black-Eyed Kids”!

Speaking of reviews, the fine folks over at Innsmouth Free Press have reviewed the Canadian horror anthology Chilling Tales. Here’s what they had to say about my Felix Renn story:

Ian Rogers brings us My Body. This is a well-thought-out tale with some great twists. A private detective meets a little girl who takes him into a haunted house. It is now his job to try to figure out who is doing the haunting.

Read the full review.

Thanks to IFP for the review, and thanks to BB for putting me in The Bloodlight!

“…it’s fast paced gripping tale, that will hook you on page one and keep it’s claws in you until you turn over the final page. Seriously folks Ian Rogers has a great talent for writing highly entertaining stories.”

Read the full review.

I’m really glad that people seem to be digging this story as it’s my first foray into a new genre. It certainly makes me want to write more tales about Sam and Raisy. If only there were more hours in the day!