The Caretaker of Lorne Field: "In a word--superb"

I'd like to thank Steven Riddle over at "A Momentary Taste of Being" for his thoughtful and generous review of The Caretaker of Lorne Field.

Pariah--Pulp Master

Here's the painting that the German publisher, Pulp Master, has come up with for Pariah. It's a beauty, and captures Kyle Nevin's soul perfectly.

Murder & Mayhem in Newton Oct. 5th

The Caretaker of Lorne Field as a Rorschach test

Here we have what appears to be a straightforward horror story about a 300 year-old legend that demands a caretaker diligently weed a field in a small New England town from Spring thaw until first frost, or the world will come to an end. The story set in modern times has the current caretaker, Jack Durkin, believing what he pulls out from the ground each day are Aukowies—creatures who if left unattended will, according to the 300 year-old Book of Aukowies, grow into blood thirsty creatures that will ravage the world. Some of the older townspeople still believe this legend, most believe that all Jack is pulling out of the ground are ugly weeds. And there’s the rub. Jack either knows something most of these other people don’t, or he’s delusional, and which one it is is left up in the air, at least until the end of the story.

The Caretaker of Lorne Field has unexpectedly become a kind of Rorschach test where no two readers seem to take it quite the same way. Publisher’s Weekly called Caretaker in a starred review a ‘superb mix of humor and horror’. Booklist calls it a ‘superbly crafted horror story [that] explores the dichotomy between belief and rationality’. Kirkus found it harrowing, Library Journal, a nail-biter, and Stefan Dziemianowicz for Locus Magazine, ‘a very darkly funny dark fantasy’. Ed Siegel for Newsday writes it’s a ‘delicious horror-ish novel’ that explores sub-themes of belief vs. logic, sacrifice vs. selfishness and one generation against another. Joe Hartlaub for Bookreporter.com believes Caretaker succeeds as a horror novel, as a psychological thriller and as a haunting parable. Naomi Johnson found Caretaker layered with dread and unease, and saw it as a religious parable, with Jack enduring as Job had endured. Author Paul Tremblay views Caretaker as a horror novel and also a parable of society’s current meanness, unease and ambiguity. Other readers and reviewers see the book as a political parable, as a fable mirroring modern society, as a fascinating character study and as a poignant blending of H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. A reviewer for the Dallas News, David LaBounty, even saw it as camp.

So what is it about this deceptively simple story that seems to affect readers so deeply, and yet has each reader taking this novel so differently? That is something that each person is going to have to discover for themselves.

The Caretaker of Lorne Field Book of the Day

I'd like to thank the fine folks over at Red Room for making The Caretaker of Lorne Field their book of the day.

Drowning Machine on The Caretaker of Lorne Field

Naomi Johnson over at the Drowning Machine (one of my favorite review sites for discovering new books to read), gives her thoughtful analysis and review of The Caretaker of Lorne Field, summing the book up as such:

This is just the kind of book that someday will be on high-school reading lists, and this is the kind of thought-provoking book that will then be challenged by both parents and church leaders, possibly even banned in some ultra-fundamentalist communities. But every reader, and particularly fans of Stephen King, should take a peek into this odd, sad fable. What you find there will forever be a secret between just you and Jack Durkin. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Read the entire review here.

And the award goes to...

This is maybe the most creative, ambitious, and ultimately dumbest email scam letter I've received. I tip my hat to the scam artists who came up with this, at least for its originality. Hard to believe anyone could fall for this, though. Btw. This is the email address these scamsters came up with: fbi.publicinformationoffice@gmail.com

--dz

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION(FBI)
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM, 7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON,DC 20535,
0001.


THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION(FBI)
in collaboration with
CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA(CBN)REMITTANCE PAYMENT.


We the Federal Bureau of Investigation earnestly apologize for notifying you with this confidential information via e-mail rather than a Certified Mail Order,or a conversation in person.it was as a result of the Exigency inherent in this notification,owing to transparency and accountability enshrined in the constitution.


In the quest to cushion the affect of the global financial shock,The American Government under the surveillance of the (FBI)saddled with the responsibility of sundry investigation,alongside the Cyb er Crime Complaint Center(CC-CC)has entered a bi-lateral agreement with the Federal republic of Nigerian Government for an onward release of all overdue remittance fund deposited in the treasury of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN)in charged with the mantle of onward payment to the legitimate beneficiaries across the globe.


In light of the foregoing,we hereby crave your indulgence on this sensitive matter,In which the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has pledge is total commitment to dispense all through it's Apex Bank(CBN).

Prior to this mutual agreement,our team of experts has swung into action based on Ethics and Protocols,in regards to this commendable scheme.The (FBI)global intelligence,cyber unit saddled with the responsibility of monitoring cyber crime activities has in possession of a copy of your file in custody of you unremitting fund which was sent to them through our operational database system.


in our capacity as an Investigative Agency,we have sufficiently been able to tap into global information technology super highway of E-banking and E-transfer of overdue remittance payment funds and upon our findings,we discovered that the sum of ($50:OOO USD)unremitting fund has been voted and endorsed in your favor for immediate transfer to your designated location.

You are to reconfirm this information for Cross-Examination by the ad-hoc verification panel set up the Government to forestall any form of illegality.

NAME IN FULL.................................................................................................
DATE OF BIRTH...................................................................................................
MARITAL STATUS..............................................................................................
CONTACT ADDRESS.............................................................................................
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER..................................................................................
OCCUPATION.......................................................................................................
NATIONALITY.....................................................................................................


Further findings revealed that some corrupt ex- government officials are conniving with some officials of Nigeria Federal Ministry of Finance to change your account and transfer your inheritance funds to a strange account in Canada through a man by the name Mr. Andrew Stevenson who purported to be your cousin, he presented some necessary documentations evidencing your claim purported to have been signed by you for to the release of your remittance fund.

Mr. Andrew Stevenson bank details:

Scotia Bank
314 Harwood ave. s unit
Hpo5 Ajax, ont. l1s 2ji, Canada.
Account Number: 321020072923
Account Name: Andrew Francis Stevenson

As a matter of urgency, you are requested to contact the Central Bank of Nigeria to confirm that Mr. Andrew Francis Stevenson is your true representative, so that Central Bank of Nigeria will disburse the inheritance fund to the bank account above and update their payment record but if this Mr. Andrew Francis Stevenson is not your cousin/representative ensure you send a disclaimer to the executive governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and instruct him to remit your fund to you without delay via an ATM digital card which is the most secured way to receive fund of such magnitude. Below is the officially established email address of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Name: Sanusi m.lamido
Office Address: Central Bank of Nigeria,
Tinubu Square, Lagos - Nigeria.
EMAIL: sanusilamido10111@live.com
TELEPHONE:+231-80-37559935


We advise that you go ahead in dealing with the Central Bank of Nigeria with the address above and be assured that we are monitoring all their activities as well as your correspondence at all level. If you are presently dealing with any financial institution(s) or person(s) claiming to have relevance to the payment of your overdue funds out-side the above financial institution you are warned in your own interest to stop further communication.

Be informed that any delay in reaction to this letter will be assumed that Mr. Andrew Francis Svenkeson is your legal representative and the funds will be remitted into the nominated bank account that he has provided.

The Central Bank of Nigeria will not be held responsible for any mis-represented transfer made due to your inability to furnish them with accurate information. If you need further assistance and direction, contact us via our free domain network email address;

fbi.safetywatch@fedbureau-ofinvestigation.org .


Signed;

Agent Shawn Henry,
Assistant Director, FBI Cyber Division.

Is Caretaker a classic? And Hollywood rumors...

Is The Caretaker of Lorne Field a classic? Bookreporter believes it deserves to be!

And I have to admit it was kind of cool seeing myself mentioned in this Hollywood rumor. And it will be even cooler if it turns out to be true! I'm not trying to be coy here--I don't know, but with the little information I do have it's definitely a possibility (although not with Small Crimes).

Bad Thoughts, #126 and counting

Bad Thoughts as a gateway drug "to a full-blown Zeltserman addiction." I'd like thank Paul Hochman for this very generous blog post over at bn.com. And it's working. At last check Bad Thoughts was ranked #126 at bn.com

Librarian Picks: Five Great Novels

It was nice to stumble on this and see Caretaker included.