Paul D. Dail is quite the guy. I regularly visit his blog for a little friendly banter and to find some great new authors and some who have been around for a while as well. Paul seems to have an interesting bunch of folk commenting and there are always some very interesting facts brought to the surface.
http://www.amazon.com/Paul-D.-Dail/e/B005IFLZQ0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
http://pauldail.com/
Book description for The Imaginings
“never disregard your imaginings”
Three years after his brother Peter’s suicide, David Blithe is still haunted by this cryptic message found scrawled on a piece of newspaper in his brother’s apartment. David can only believe that Peter must have gone insane… until the supernatural being that pushed his brother to his death finds David in Colorado. The encounter nearly kills him. Badly scarred, in a fight for his soul and his sanity, he escapes into the mountains.
Three months later, David collapses in the Montana cabin of Dr. Robert Marrick, his wife, and their teenage daughter, Jeannie. Something more than just coincidence seems to have driven David to the Marrick cabin, something that seems to revolve around the girl, but in the ensuing chaos, will he be able to save Jeannie’s life without losing his own?
The Imaginings takes the reader into a world where the questions of “right” and “wrong” aren’t so easily defined, locking David and Jeannie in battle with an evil that threatens not only their lives but ultimately all of humanity.
Approximately 125,000 words.
Here are some reviews I pulled from Amazon.
Actually, there's probably some interesting psychological analysis there - most people read horror for the same reason they read science fiction or fantasy/supernatural stuff: the escape. And what better time to escape than the holiday season? I don't know about you, but I'm beat - decorating, shopping, cards, gifts, parties are all great things, but the sheer volume sometimes overwhelms me. Especially since this year I'm doing it all while we are in the process of settling into New House (hooray for New House!)...
Eek, she said!
So a little vacation from reality isn't a bad thing just now. Although, quite honestly, I don't really want to vacation TO author Paul Dail's worlds so much as vacation THROUGH them... Because seriously, holy cow, I don't want to spend any more than reading-time in a world where pure evil runs rampant through the bodies of "regular" (well, sort of) people the way water runs rampantly downhill!
The Imaginings is a great example of the traditional horror story. It scares you from page one on, builds and releases and builds and releases the tension until you think you're going to explode, and then culminates in a grand "is it REALLY over" moment or two before the words run out... (and yes, I intentionally didn't say "before the end" - because in the manner of all great scary-story writers, this one leaves you wondering if the end is really upon you.
The story starts out with a suicide and things only get messier from there. In the wake of said suicide (his brother), David Blithe is trying to understand exactly what happened and what the rather cryptic last words about not disregarding your imaginings might mean. Well, let's just say that all too soon he finds out - and the manner in which he does is a unique mixture of Lovecraft and King that I found appalling and impossible to stop reading all at the same time. David is an entirely believable (and immensely likable and sympathetic) character, as is his unwitting counterpart (Antithesis? Nemesis? Victim? Ally? Friend? All of the above?) Jeannie, the girl who becomes integrally (and extraordinarily) entangled in David's mess after a spectacularly unexpected and violent interlude early on in the story.
The Imaginings explores classic themes of good and evil and the battle each of us undergoes to support the one and fight the other. There are plenty of psychological thrills and chills (the kind of horror I prefer because my own imaginings, driven by an author's words/images, are usually creepier/scarier to me than anything the author could have come up with on their own since my head knows what freaks me out the most) to accompany some truly graphic and disturbing physical ones (the kind of horror I do not prefer because it grosses me out but that I understand is often a necessary component of the psycho scary stuff).
The epic battle plays out in unique ways and the outcomes are satisfying while still leaving some wiggle room for your own mind to wonder what might happen next. There's been a lot of talk about the ending and whether the dual perspectives are too much or not. Personally, I liked it. Then again, I love perspective shifts - think they give extra dimension/depth and interesting new thought-provoking-ness to a story.
If you're looking for a hell of a thrill ride, this is one you won't want to miss. Oh, and the author is a pretty cool guy too, so his website (www.PaulDail.com) is also worth a visit every now and then. :)
That should give you a pretty good idea of the kind of writer Paul is. He is new to the craft, but he writes well and has a great future ahead of him. I suggest you read his books and visit his blog. You're in for a treat!
Blaze
Paul D. Dail
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http://www.amazon.com/Paul-D.-Dail/e/B005IFLZQ0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
http://pauldail.com/
Book description for The Imaginings
“never disregard your imaginings”
Three years after his brother Peter’s suicide, David Blithe is still haunted by this cryptic message found scrawled on a piece of newspaper in his brother’s apartment. David can only believe that Peter must have gone insane… until the supernatural being that pushed his brother to his death finds David in Colorado. The encounter nearly kills him. Badly scarred, in a fight for his soul and his sanity, he escapes into the mountains.
Three months later, David collapses in the Montana cabin of Dr. Robert Marrick, his wife, and their teenage daughter, Jeannie. Something more than just coincidence seems to have driven David to the Marrick cabin, something that seems to revolve around the girl, but in the ensuing chaos, will he be able to save Jeannie’s life without losing his own?
The Imaginings takes the reader into a world where the questions of “right” and “wrong” aren’t so easily defined, locking David and Jeannie in battle with an evil that threatens not only their lives but ultimately all of humanity.
Approximately 125,000 words.
Here are some reviews I pulled from Amazon.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read! Even if you don't like horror., February 21, 2012
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Imaginings (Kindle Edition)
Horror is not ordinarily a genre I would read but couldn't stop reading
this book. The characters have great depth. The author also gives
detailed descriptions without being too wordy. I was so swept up by the
story that I often thought I was there. I highly recommend this book. It
would also generate a great discussion for any book club. I look
forward to what Paul Dail will be writing next.
4.0 out of 5 stars
With the weight of a demon on his back...a wicked tale of possession, January 16, 2012
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Imaginings (Kindle Edition)
The Imaginings starts out with a bang in a great visually terrifying
first chapter when we're introduced to the main character's brother and a
demon. When the demon later possesses David, and he, as the
protagonist, begins a long painful journey of wandering through several
states. He doesn't want harm to come to anyone if the demon feels the
urge to rear its ugly head. But he can't stay completely away from
humankind and never fail runs into someone along the way. A young girl
whose parents met an unfortunate end during an encounter with the demon
has telepathic visions of David throughout her life until she ultimately
meets up with him again. I read this in an afternoon. The demon is like
a horrific version of the baggage we all carry through life. I liked
how the author made the demon emerge like a surge of emotion we've all
experienced at one point or other. The book is well done and an
enjoyable read.
4.0 out of 5 stars
One hell of a ride through classic themes of good/evil and the battle each of us undergoes to support one and fight the other, January 13, 2012
By
Jill Arent "All Things Jill-Elizabeth" (Batavia, NY) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Imaginings (Kindle Edition)
So here we are, holiday week, Christmas is coming to my household, and
what am I bringing you for Book Review Tuesday fare? Why, creepy, scary,
horror of course! (teehee)Actually, there's probably some interesting psychological analysis there - most people read horror for the same reason they read science fiction or fantasy/supernatural stuff: the escape. And what better time to escape than the holiday season? I don't know about you, but I'm beat - decorating, shopping, cards, gifts, parties are all great things, but the sheer volume sometimes overwhelms me. Especially since this year I'm doing it all while we are in the process of settling into New House (hooray for New House!)...
Eek, she said!
So a little vacation from reality isn't a bad thing just now. Although, quite honestly, I don't really want to vacation TO author Paul Dail's worlds so much as vacation THROUGH them... Because seriously, holy cow, I don't want to spend any more than reading-time in a world where pure evil runs rampant through the bodies of "regular" (well, sort of) people the way water runs rampantly downhill!
The Imaginings is a great example of the traditional horror story. It scares you from page one on, builds and releases and builds and releases the tension until you think you're going to explode, and then culminates in a grand "is it REALLY over" moment or two before the words run out... (and yes, I intentionally didn't say "before the end" - because in the manner of all great scary-story writers, this one leaves you wondering if the end is really upon you.
The story starts out with a suicide and things only get messier from there. In the wake of said suicide (his brother), David Blithe is trying to understand exactly what happened and what the rather cryptic last words about not disregarding your imaginings might mean. Well, let's just say that all too soon he finds out - and the manner in which he does is a unique mixture of Lovecraft and King that I found appalling and impossible to stop reading all at the same time. David is an entirely believable (and immensely likable and sympathetic) character, as is his unwitting counterpart (Antithesis? Nemesis? Victim? Ally? Friend? All of the above?) Jeannie, the girl who becomes integrally (and extraordinarily) entangled in David's mess after a spectacularly unexpected and violent interlude early on in the story.
The Imaginings explores classic themes of good and evil and the battle each of us undergoes to support the one and fight the other. There are plenty of psychological thrills and chills (the kind of horror I prefer because my own imaginings, driven by an author's words/images, are usually creepier/scarier to me than anything the author could have come up with on their own since my head knows what freaks me out the most) to accompany some truly graphic and disturbing physical ones (the kind of horror I do not prefer because it grosses me out but that I understand is often a necessary component of the psycho scary stuff).
The epic battle plays out in unique ways and the outcomes are satisfying while still leaving some wiggle room for your own mind to wonder what might happen next. There's been a lot of talk about the ending and whether the dual perspectives are too much or not. Personally, I liked it. Then again, I love perspective shifts - think they give extra dimension/depth and interesting new thought-provoking-ness to a story.
If you're looking for a hell of a thrill ride, this is one you won't want to miss. Oh, and the author is a pretty cool guy too, so his website (www.PaulDail.com) is also worth a visit every now and then. :)
That should give you a pretty good idea of the kind of writer Paul is. He is new to the craft, but he writes well and has a great future ahead of him. I suggest you read his books and visit his blog. You're in for a treat!
Blaze
Little known fact: he also has a great singing voice. I attended a reading he did at WHC and he sang. Very good reading, and nice singing too.
ReplyDeleteStacey
Now you're going to give him a big head, Spot! Cripes!
ReplyDeleteBlaze
Thanks for casting your spotlight upon Mr. Dail, Blaze. You're right about his blog. The topics discussed are always highly interesting and Paul is always very good about replying. I always come away glad to have stopped by.
ReplyDelete-Jimmy
Thank you, James. Paul is quite a guy! For being a new kid on the block, he is jumping in and doing well, and he knows how to play well with others. Like you say, he always answers the comments of his readers.
ReplyDeleteBlaze
Wow, thanks, Blaze. Sorry I've been so tardy getting over here (and hi to Jimmy and Stacey).
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the spotlight. And I'm always glad to have you over to the blog for a discussion. Oft times enlightening. Other times entertaining. Sometimes a mix of the two.
Thanks again.
Paul D. Dail
www.pauldail.com- A horror writer's not necessarily horrific blog (just in case anyone missed it :)
You are very welcome, Paul. Yes, your blog is always a fun place to visit. You're neat, you buy the beer, and your friends are way cool. And I won Hunter's book! Woo, hoo!
ReplyDeleteBlaze
Man, everywhere I go, someone's reminding me that YOU won Hunter's book! Drat! ;-)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, great choice in spotlighting Paul. He's a good guy, a wonderful writer, and one of the reasons I didn't run screaming from the blogosphere after taking one look at the place!
Paul is a great guy, Anikocarmean, and I really enjoyed spotlighting him. I love my give and take with him every week and picking up great info from his great friends as well. Knowledge is power, and I learn from all of you.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of knowledge: I learned that Hunter is a great writer. I started reading his novel last night.
Blaze