Book Review: Werewolves - An Illustrated Journal of Transformation

Werewolves: An Illustrated Journal of Transformation is a stunning book from author Paul Jessup and illustrator Allyson Haller. The book is in the form of an illustrated journal written from the perspective of a newly turned werewolf who is trying to understand and come to terms with the alarming changes she is going through.

The journal and illustrations chronicle the transformation of high schooler Alice and her brother Mark after they are attacked by what they believe are large dogs one night in the woods. Alice starts to go through some weird changes – she was a vegetarian, but now craves bloody meat – and writes it all in her journal alongside sketches she draws. It doesn’t take long for her to figure out what her and her brother are turning into, especially after they meet the pack that turned them into werewolves.

The strong personality of Alice really pulls you into the story and the simple yet gorgeous illustrations hook you even further. You will not want to put this book down, and it will probably become a permanent fixture on your coffee table, because hardly anyone can walk by without picking up the book and thumbing through it…and after thumbing through it they are likely to plop down and read as much as they can! It is just that engaging…

The book really does feel like a peek into a private journal and kudos to author Paul Jessup for pulling that off! I also must applaud him for creating a strong female lead that takes matters into her own hands. The illustrations by Allyson Haller deserve much praise as well, because their style fits perfectly into the overall tone of the book.

For fans of fangs ‘n’ fur, Werewolves: An Illustrated Journal of Transformation is a must-have!

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Silver Bullet (1985)

Ah, the nostalgia that a Stephen King work brings to me…his stories remind me of being in elementary school and devouring his novels. Of course, it also helped that I could identify with many of his characters, who were usually around my age in the books. I remember reading IT and then enjoying the movie on VHS (remember how it came with two VHS tapes since its 3 hour length couldn’t all fit on one?). Even though I didn’t really dig the ending of the film I loved the story and at the time was obsessed with actor Jonathan Brandis, so I pretty much wore out those VHS tapes. I enjoyed many of King’s other books and subsequent adaptations, but one (short) story I never read was Cycle of the Werewolf, which Silver Bullet is based on.

Silver Bullet is about young, wheelchair-bound Marty (Corey Haim) who lives in a small town with his family, including mom, dad, older sister and crazy Uncle Red (Gary Busey). He spends his days tormenting his older sister, hanging out with his best friend and best girl and tooling around in a tricked out wheelchair, courtesy of Uncle Red.

That is, until one day in May when the moon is full and the killings start. Townsfolk are being ripped to shreds but no one has any idea who (or what) the killer is. Every month when the moon is full the killings start again…

When the killer murders Marty’s best pal, drives his best girl and her family out of town and causes the town to cancel some firework festivities, he decides to take matters into his own hands…especially once he discovers exactly who and what the killer is. After convincing his older sister and Uncle Red, the three of them make one final stand against the monster on Halloween night.

Silver Bullet is a pretty decent Stephen King adaptation and a good werewolf film to boot! I really enjoyed how the main character was a kid and how this gave the film a sweet, nostalgic feel. The film may be rated R (there is lots of cussing and some gore), but I think it’s pretty kid-friendly and Marty is an extremely likable character you can root for all the way through. If you’re a kid you will have no problem relating to Marty and all the adventures he has (disabled or not) and if you’re an adult you’ll blissfully remember those carefree days as a kid (minus the werewolf…at least I hope so).

Corey Haim as Marty is the absolute star of the film and does a fantastic job in his role. His talent definitely shines through in this film and really makes you realize what a great actor we lost. Gary Busey is his usual scenery-chewing self in the film, but his boisterous Uncle Red gives the film a pleasant manic edge. And he’s got some of the most hilarious lines in the film (“Holy jumped-up bald-headed Jesus palomino!”). 

The film does have a few instances of bloodshed (victims getting diced and sliced, some ocular horror, etc.) but gore is not the focus of the film, so don’t go in expecting too much (it’s kid-friendly horror, remember?). However, I did like the impressive werewolf transformation scenes, especially one set in the church. Sure, some of the prosthetics look a little rubbery or fake, but at least all practical effects are used…and I was expecting much less out of the film!

Silver Bullet is a fun and entertaining werewolf film that is definitely worth viewing. Haim and Busey’s performances give the film bite, but it’s also King’s nostalgic tone and the practical effects that make this underrated flick a must-see for all Stephen King and horror fans.

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The Wolfman (2010)

With the poor performance at the box office, not to mention its delayed release, one might think The Wolfman isn’t worth checking out. On the contrary, however, it is a stunning film that even makes you forget it’s a remake. Its gorgeous gothic visuals (stark trees against a full moon, a decaying estate holding onto its stately yet tragic past, fog shrouded moors, dank dungeons) perfectly set the mood of the dark, tragic tale set in 1891 in England.

Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro), renowned actor, is called back to his childhood home by his brother’s wife Gwen (Emily Blunt), whom he has never met, after his brother goes mysteriously missing. When he arrives and is greeted indifferently by his father (Anthony Hopkins), he learns that his brother’s ravaged body has been found – and looks to have been attacked by wild mad man or ferocious beast. He vows to discover who or what killed his brother, even if it means dredging up painful childhood memories and putting himself in harm’s way.

In a tense and whirlwind attack of a gypsy encampment Talbot is bitten by the beast. He almost dies, but is nursed back to health by Gwen, whom he forms a special bond with. Yet, when he heals completely the townsfolk come around and tell him that on the next full moon he too will become a beast and murder people. He is also paid a visit by Det. Abberline (Hugo Weaving), who suspects that he is responsible for the killings.

To be truthful, I really wasn’t expecting much. I hadn’t heard that much of a buzz behind the film and I saw it in a near empty theater. This is really a pity, because the film is a wonderful homage to the original as well as making the storyline different enough so that it feels like its own movie.

Also, while I wasn’t too keen on Benicio Del Toro as the lead, I was surprised at how quickly I embraced him in his role. Same goes for Anthony Hopkins. Del Toro really made me sympathize with Talbot and his tortured, puppy dog eyes just sold the act even more. I also enjoyed seeing Hopkins in the role of the distant elder Talbot, and though he isn’t given that much to do, he still did a very believable job playing a father with a few skeletons in his closet.

Really, though, we don’t see a werewolf movie solely for the performances – we see it for the action and for the creature effects! And I’m happy and surprised to report that all of these things were fantastic. The film opened with a jarring scene and I felt that the rest of the action sequences (the werewolf’s grisly attack on a gypsy village, a rampage through London, the final hunt and so on) were appropriately paced throughout the film so there wasn’t a dull moment! The creature makeup and special FX looked great (another great job by Rick Baker) and shots of shoddy CGI were so few and far-between they aren’t even worth mentioning. There were also some choice cuts of bloody gore, far more than I was expecting, which should please all you gorehounds out there.

The Wolfman heralds the return of classic horror with its elegance, gothic atmosphere and exciting action. I really cannot comprehend the negative reviews it has been getting – it’s not a rip off of the original (have these people even seen the original?), it’s not boring and it certainly doesn’t “lack bite” (I wonder if they wrote that just cuz they wanted a cute headline), but it’s one of the few good (if not downright great) horror films I’ve seen in a theater for quite some time! I hope people will come to their senses and sniff out The Wolfman, because it is definitely a howling good time!

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Book Review: The Werewolf's Guide to Life - A Manual for the Newly Bitten

Lycanthrope lovers rejoice! The new Werewolf’s Guide to Life: A Manual For the Newly Bitten, by Ritch Duncan and Bob Powers, is a quirky, fun and informative “how to” book that horror fans can really sink their claws into!

This manual-style book is written specifically for people who have been bitten by a werewolf and shows step by step not only how to survive, but also thrive as a lycanthrope. Check out the book’s description:

Have you been attacked by a wolflike creature in the last thirty days? Was it after the sun had set and under a full moon? If you answered yes to both of these questions, there’s a very good chance that you were bitten by a werewolf. You now have less than a month before the full moon returns and with it your first transformation into a savage, bloodthirsty beast.

-Werewolves are real.

-The majority of lycanthropes who do not have access to this book die during or shortly after their first transformations, generally due to heart failure, gunshot wounds, exposure, drowning or suicide.

-Hollywood horror movies are NOT to be used as guides to living as a werewolf. Their goal is not to educate but to entertain. As a result, they are largely ignorant of the realities of the conditions.

-Ignorance creates monsters; lycanthropy does not.

-You are not a monster.

The Werewolf’s Guide to Life cuts through the fiction and guides you through your first transformation and beyond, offering indispensable advice on how to tell if you’re really a werewolf, postattack etiquette, breaking the news to your spouse, avoiding government abduction, and how to not just survive but thrive. You cannot afford to not read this book. Your very life depends on it.

The Werewolf’s Guide to Life is a tongue-in-cheek romp that discusses living with lycanthropy. Besides what the description discusses, the book also covers issues such as different werewolf body types (The Big Bad Wolf, The Pug, The Papa Bear and The Lionthrope), tips on your first transformation (take off all rings, including your wedding ring, bring extra clothes, etc.) and even a handy food guide estimating how much food you will need the three nights out of the month when you’re a werewolf. It also explains hairy subjects like dealing with vampires (or, “the effeminate undead” as the authors call them!) and other werewolves, proper restraint systems, building a safe room, romance, health and avoiding doctors, government, police, werewolf hunters and “fur chasers” (people obsessed with werewolves). It even discusses the science behind lycanthropy and why and how it occurs!

Authors Ritch Duncan and Bob Powers have written a very fun (at least for non-lycs; for lycanthropes this is serious business) tome that runs in the vein of horror how-to’s like The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks! The book is an engaging read and very quickly paced, which means you can probably get through it in a few sittings. This is infinitely practical for new lycanthropes that need all the vital information they can get before their next transformation! It also boasts lots of quirky humor, not to mention the vast array of information it covers! If you have a werewolf question, it’s probably answered in The Werewolf’s Guide to Life!

Besides the informative manual-style of the book, it also features some amusing side notes, including “Famous Lycs Through Time” that includes a side box every 20 pages or so featuring people like social activist Rosa Parks, artist Norman Rockwell, comedienne Minnie Pearl, explorer Sir Francis Drake and many more! The book is also beautifully illustrated by Emily Flake, featuring pictures and diagrams that perfectly punctuate the items discussed by the authors.

The Werewolf’s Guide to Life: A Manual For the Newly Bitten is a devilishly delightful read that will have you howling with joy! Not only is it a vital read for lycanthropes out there, but also provides plenty of hair-raising fun for non-lycs as well!

Pick up your copy before the next full moon!

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Hard Rock Zombies (1985)

Where can you find horrible 80’s ballads, a rock star that is a pedophile, Nazis, deformed midgets, zombies, a grandma that transforms into a werewolf, bad 80’s metal hair, music video montages, Adolf Hitler and limber but evil groupies? Hard Rock Zombies, that’s where, one of the worst films ever made!

In the opening scene, a dirty-looking blond hitchhiker (Lisa Toothman), who looks like she’s wearing nothing but a scrap of shower curtain, gets picked up by two skeevy lamebrains. Two seconds later they’ve pulled off for a bit of skinny dipping in a scum-encrusted pond where Dirty Blond drowns both dudes. Who knew drowning produced so much blood? A weird guy who was taking pictures the whole time and his pet midgets (one with a patch over one eye and the other looking more like a creature from Ghoulies) join Dirty Blond in disposing of the bodies…but not before Dirty Blond cuts one of the victim’s hands off and croons, “I wanna hold your hand!”

After this preposterous opening scene we join “the band” onstage as they perform for their 12 groupies. After the long and drawn-out song, they head backstage, strip to their skivvies and pose for pics with more groupies! Lead singer and perv Jessie (E.J. Curcio) becomes enamored of the very young-looking Cassie (Jennifer Coe), who not only looks like she’s 12, but also looks like she’s got caterpillars glued over her already bushy Groucho Marx-like eyebrows. Cassie tries to warn Jessie that his band shouldn’t play their next gig in her podunk town, but Jessie is too smitten to pay attention.

On the way to Cassie’s town Jessie practices his newest song, which he’s borrowed from a medieval incantation that was used to raise the dead. Great idea, bonehead!

The band picks up Dirty Blond, who is out hitchhiking again (what a strange pastime…) and she tells them to stay at her family’s spacious Southern-style mansion. Once they arrive they meet with the creepy midgets and the rest of Dirty Blond’s strange family, including her grandparents who let the creepy midgets watch while they have geriatric sex, a hulking, bald man who is either her brother or the gardener (he’s quite handy with the weed whacker) and the paparazzo-in-training from the pond.

After they’ve stashed all their equipment, the band heads into town and we are forced to suffer another horrible musical number – and, hey, this one’s a montage complete with band members skateboarding, scaring kids by spraying them with shaken cans of beer, dancing like idiots, posing in a gigantic wood cut-out of themselves and hamming it up while disapproving townsfolk look on. The band gets thrown in jail for being so lame, but Dirty Blond bails them out.

After almost getting electrocuted while playing another horrible song in front of their hosts, the band eats it for real at the hands of Dirty Blond’s psycho family. Dirty Blond herself takes out a guy in the shower, while grandma turns into a werewolf(!) and mauls two other band members and Jessie is taken out by baldy with the weed whacker, but not before he gives Cassie his tape for his new dead-raising single!

After the funeral, it is revealed that the members of Dirty Blond’s family are all Nazis in hiding and that her grandpa is actually the Grand Fuhrer himself, Adolf Hitler! Hitler has a hidden bunker well-stocked with poisonous gas and plans to take out the entire U.S.!

Meanwhile, Cassie is visiting the band’s grave. She plays the tape Jessie left her and – sho ‘nuff – the band comes back to life as zombies – stiff, Robot-dancin’ zombies that look like a bad KISS cover band that is.

They kill Dirty Blond and her Nazi family (who return as zombies), then drive (yup, zombies can drive) across town so they can play a showcase and impress a record executive. While we are forced to listen to another god-awful song (the third time we hear it in the film), zombies are slowly overtaking the town. The remaining townsfolk think they can repel zombies by holding out huge posters of famous people…buuuut that idea doesn’t work too well and more people become the zombies’ lunch.

One old guy suggests offering the ghouls the town’s virgin, who just happens to be Cassie. Something about the zombies not attacking the town for another 100 years if they can screw and eat a virgin. Anywho, the townspeople haul Cassie up the mountain like a sacrificial lamb and offer her to the zombies.

It’s up to Jessie and the rest of the zombified band to save his jailbait lady love and to put a stop to the zombie nonsense once and for all…but not until we suffer through yet another musical number.

Whew! Apologies for such a long synopsis, but really I wanted you to get a complete gist of the insanity of this movie! And believe me, you haven’t heard anything yet! I have yet to mention the self-cannibalizing midget or the freaky dance montages that feature Dirty Blond. In case you haven’t noticed, this movie is all over the place and you’ll be asking yourself WTF did I just watch when you are through (if you can bear and get all the way to the end, that is).

First off, the puke-inducing music is not what anyone would call “hard rock.” It just sounds like the most generic, Monster Ballad-esque sap you’ve ever heard. And they just keep playing the same damn songs over and over. Plus, they’ve got the whole pedophile angle covered even in the lyrics, which actually say “I’m so in love, but you’re so young.” Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Totally groddy! Someone call Chris Hansen with To Catch a Predator!

Considering this was at one point just supposed to be a 20 minute short movie I understand all the padding used, but did they really have to keep showing such cheesy montages? First with the band “running wild” (errrr, if “wild” means consorting with a bunch of pudgy schoolkids, riding skateboards and doing a Beatle-esque type dance down the middle of a street) through the redneck town and later on with Jessie and Cassie running at each other in slow-mo both dressed in white! And who can forget Dirty Blond doing some kind of weird 80’s dancing, first randomly in the desert then as a slinky zombie minx (who knew zombies were so flexible?). You could fill 20 bottles of Cheez-Whiz with the cheesiness coming out of just these montage scenes alone!

Then there was the whole “what were they smoking?” plot addition of Nazis and werewolves! Seriously, did they think that a strictly zombie movie would be that boring and they needed a little extra Third Reich pizazz? I really don’t know what writer/director Krishna Shah and co-writer David Allen Ball (and no, they haven’t done all that much since this, ahem, “film”) were thinking when they unleashed this horribly bad movie on an unsuspecting audience, but if they were doing drugs while dreaming this film up then it would make for a perfect “this is your brain on drugs” PSA. Just say no, kids!

You’d think with such vivid imaginations some great gore would come out of all this, but sadly the only “gore” we get is blood that looks like it was squirted right out of a Heinz ketchup bottle. The kill scenes are pretty hysterical, though, especially when geysers of blood erupt during a drowning scene and that the zombiefied band kills Hitler by what looks like a ring-around-the-rosies game gone wrong.

The craziness of the Hard Rock Zombies makes some parts entertaining, but for the most part it’s a real snoozefest. The film looses what little momentum it had at about the one hour mark and all those musical numbers certainly make it seem much longer than it actually is. I might have even fallen asleep had the music not been so gratingly bad. Yet, this film is so bad that like Troll 2 it certainly deserves to be seen at least once…but once will definitely be enough. After that you’ll want to bury Hard Rock Zombies for good.

Available from Amazon!

Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

A little while ago I lamented the lack of modern-day horror movies filmed as period pieces. It seems that the rich superstitions of the past, coupled with the lack of technology back then, would make period horror flicks a no-brainer. Yet, because I think horror fans are continuously underestimated, the studios keep pumping out horror films that feature a bunch of modern-day teens fighting for their lives against a masked killer. Those kinds of films are all good and fun, but sometimes I want a film that delves deeper and has some history behind it.

Enter Christophe Gans’ 2001 film, The Brotherhood of the Wolf. Based on the true story of the “Beast of Gevaudan” that terrorized the French countryside during the reign of King Louis XV, Brotherhood is an extraordinary film that not only shows us the terror of people that feel completely unprotected and vulnerable to a monster, but also shows us how superstitions, religion, beliefs and lack of technology of that time influence people’s assumptions of just what the beast was. It also manages to mix a straight-up monster tale with a period drama and adds some amazing Kung-Fu action as well!

In the film, the French region of Gevaudan has been terrorized by a wolf-like creature that likes attacking women and children. The beast has eluded any attempts at capture, so King Louis XV sends his naturalist Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) to investigate reports of the beast and hopefully aid in killing it. Fronsac is accompanied by his “blood brother” Mani (Mark Dacascos), a Mohawk Indian who rescued Fronsac during the Seven Years War in America.

Through many hunts organized by the nobles of the region, Fronsac tries to discover exactly what the beast is and how it can best be killed. He is startled to discover evidence that proves the beast is not merely a large wolf, but something much more sinister…and that a man might be somehow controlling the creature.
As Fronsac is coming to his conclusions, he also begins to fall in love with Mariane De Morgangias (Emilie Dequenne), daughter in the affluent and influential family. Yet, he continues to visit prostitute Sylvia (Monica Belluci) until Mariane’s brother Jean-Francois (Vincent Cassel) alerts his sister to Fronsac’s infidelity.

With Fronsac being distracted from the hunt for the beast by thoughts of Mariane as well as his unusual findings suggesting that the beast is not a wolf, the King sends in his own lieutenant to dispatch the creature. The lieutenant kills a fairly large wolf and claims it to be the beast to appease the King and then coerces Fronsac to go along with the lie. Defeated in both hunting for the beast as well as in love, Fronsac returns to Paris and the King forbids him from ever returning or speaking of Gevaudan.

When the real beast strikes yet again, Fronsac defies the King’s orders and returns to the region to prepare for one final hunt…but nothing can prepare him for the true horror of what he finds.

Brotherhood of the Wolf is an absolutely stunning film in all respects. From its beautifully-filmed action sequences to the acting to the plot, it is as close to perfect as can be! The first thing I noticed about the film was the jaw-dropping cinematography, by Dan Laustsen. Each and every scene is just beautiful, whether it’s Fronsac inspecting a woman’s body laid out on fallen autumn leaves in the shallow end of a pond or it’s a shot of the tree-covered countryside swathed in snow. The film is just gorgeous! Director Gans certainly has an eye for the dramatic, especially in his exciting action sequences! Whether it was horses racing through the forest or Mani taking on a group of ruffians, the direction by Gans was near flawless and lets us see everything that was happening. I also appreciated how in a few scenes the action was slowed down so we could see it in all its glory! Simply breathtaking!

The story, written by Gans and Stéphane Cabel, was fantastic as well! I really loved how almost all of the characters (with the exception of Mani) actually did exist in real life and how the first third of the film is faithful to true events. The story also isn’t a traditional “werewolf” tale, though it makes short mention of the possibility, instead taking a more intriguing path as to the genesis of the creature. I also enjoyed how it encompassed aspects of different genres like drama, romance, horror, action, martial arts and period piece. This worked marvelously well and made it feel like a more complete story.

The characters were also all fantastic, and we can never be sure who to trust or who to suspect. The intrigue between characters really helped to heighten the tension of the film. The actors all did a phenomenal job of bringing their characters to life, especially considering the large cast! Samuel Le Bihan was stunning as the swashbuckling Fronsac and Vincent Cassel put forth a very memorable performance as the suave yet creepy Jean-Francois De Morgangias. Monica Belluci added a mystical, noble air to her character of the prostitute Sylvia while Emilie Dequenne added some spunk to her innocent character of Mariane De Morgangias. I also enjoyed Mark Dacascos in his physically-demanding role of Mani, especially in his amazing fight sequences!

The action sequences, as I’ve already mentioned time and time again in this review, just left me speechless. Whether it was someone fighting off the beast or Mani fighting a gang of ruffians or Fronsac’s final battle, I just couldn’t rip my eyes away from the screen! And these action-sequences aren’t that far and in-between either…they happen pretty often throughout the film and it’s just a thrill watching every single one of them! The martial arts Kung-Fu action used works surprisingly well in Brotherhood and I think the way these scenes are shot make them an appropriate fit into the context of the film. The glimpses of the beast also work very well, letting us see a bit more as the film progresses, but never quite revealing just what it is until the end of the movie.

I could wax poetic about all the merits of Brotherhood of the Wolf, but for time’s sake I will cut it short! Brotherhood of the Wolf is an exciting, luminous film that left me in awe. I am a sucker for period horror films, and this is certainly one of the best (if it isn’t THE best) I’ve ever seen. It utilizes its setting for optimum effect, using the superstitions of the 18^th century as well as a true story to build its premise, then adding dashes of martial arts action and its own conclusions as to the identity of the beast to round out its awe-inspiring tale. If this review hasn’t convinced you to run out and watch it, let me reiterate by saying – GO! Watch it NOW!

Available from Amazon!

Interview with Author William D. Carl

Good werewolf fiction is hard to come by, which is why we here at Fatally-Yours.com were ecstatic when we were given the opportunity to interview author William D. Carl, who has just had his explosive debut novel, Bestial: Werewolf Apocalypse published by Permuted Press.

With Bestial: Werewolf Apocalypse, Carl makes werewolves scary again! We were eager to find out what makes Carl tick and how he tackled such the seemingly difficult and under-used werewolf genre. Read on to find out more about this Bestial writer!

Fatally Yours: William, you’ve crafted a thrilling adventure with Bestial: Werewolf Apocalypse. Where did the idea for the book come from?

William Carl: Lately, horror seems to have taken a turn inwards, becoming very psychological and introspective. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. Much of it is wonderful. I, alas, happen to love creature features, especially a good slam-bang horror tale – like Robert McCammon’s Stinger or Brian Keene’s The Rising. For a first novel, I wanted to write something I’d just plain enjoy reading, and Bestial is a real roller coaster ride of a book. I wanted something exciting, and I’ve always loved werewolves, so the two together, blended with a bit of fifties science fiction, seemed to mesh well.

Fatally Yours: What were your inspirations for the novel and why did you decide to write a werewolf story?

William Carl: Werewolf movies are the best – I can’t get enough of them. Werewolf fiction, however, mostly seems to be going the way of vampire fiction – lots of ‘woe is me, I’m cursed, blah blah blah’ and even straight out romance. There are exceptions – Steve Wedel’s books, George W.M. Reynolds’ Wagner the Werewolf, McCammon’s Wolf’s Hour. The beasts in the movies never stopped for love. I wondered what certain authors would do with the werewolf theme to shake it up a bit. What would Brian Keene do? Or Michael Crichton? I wanted to translate the fury and savagry of the best werewolf movies into a book…times a couple thousand.

Fatally Yours: What is your favorite werewolf movie and/or film of all time?

William Carl: That’s a tough one. There’ve been so many good ones over the years. Lon Chaney’s The Wolfman will always hold a special place in my heart. I am also partial to Dog Soldiers, American Werewolf in London, Ginger Snaps, and The Wolfen. Tops would have to be The Howling, for me. It really epitomizes the terror one feels when confronted with the animalistic (just that scene in the porno shop at the beginning). Plus, it winks at the viewer. There are plenty of laughs to be had, but never at the detriment of the jolts.

Fatally Yours: Bestial: Werewolf Apocalypse is your first full-length novel. What were your hopes, fears and expectations for the book?

William Carl: Well, I’d love to sell a million! Seriously, though, I’d love to have people read it, like it, and want something else from me. A writer’s always afraid his/her book will be lost in the shuffle, especially in the ultra-busy small press. But Permuted Press has been great in getting the word out about the book, and people are starting to discover it and, so far, the word on the street is that people like it a lot! I’m still shocked when I talk to someone who has read Bestial and tells me how wonderful it was. I’ve actually had two ladies tell me it kept them awake until they finished it! Is there any higher praise for a writer of horror?

Fatally Yours: Do you have a special method or routine for your writing? Are there any rituals to get you in the mood to write?

William Carl: Sadly, I have to work one of those jobs that puts the food on the table. In retail management, so my hours shift around a lot depending upon when I am needed. If I open the store, I will write for a bit at night. If I close, I get up early and whack out a thousand words in the morning. If I am off work, I can make up for days when I couldn’t get anything accomplished. I have a partner, and we understand each other pretty well after seventeen years. I stay in my study, with no distractions, no music, just the computer and my poor typing skills. Most times, the dog sleeps beside me while I am writing. He’s a comfort when I can’t think of anything else to move the story forward.

Fatally Yours: Who is your favorite literary character of all time in the horror genre and why?

William Carl: The Auctioneer in Joan Sampson’s horribly under-read book The Auctioneer. He comes into a small town and begins buying things. Little by little, he chips away at the town’s soul, forcing people to sell what they don’t want to, what they don’t need to. It’s a period piece, but it could just as well be talking about the horrifying way people with power coerce those without power into doing their will. Watch the news. It happens all the time! It’s a great reflection of people with power. I know, it isn’t an action packed creature feature, but damn, it got under my skin.

Fatally Yours: How do you feel about the lack of quality werewolf films/novels out there? Why do you think werewolf stories are so hard to pull off?

William Carl: I think the films have a better consistency than the books. I also love The Company of Wolves, the Paul Naschy werewolf films from Spain, Wolf (really a publishing biz expose, but I love it still), and even Werewolf in a Girl’s Dormitory for kitsch value. The less said about things like Skinwalkers, Cursed, and Big Bad Wolf, the better. They missed the point entirely. Werewolves are vicious, savage, unstoppable forces of sheer brutality. They are not teen-friendly monsters. A good werewolf movie tends to be pretty violent, by the nature of the beast. The only qualm I have with the really good movies, is that there’s usually only one werewolf…at the most a small pack. A couple of silver bullets, and they’re gone. That’s why I thought of a way to spread the lycanthropy virus through the air we breathe. Tens of thousands of werewolves. A lot scarier than those slow moving zombies or the self-pitying vampires, eh?

Fatally Yours: If your book were turned into a movie, what actors would you want to play the lead characters and who would you want to direct?

William Carl: Doug Limon would be a great director. He did the Bourne movies, and he understands action. But he’s never done horror. How about Joe Dante? I’ve loved just about everything he’s done, and he understands the genre, having directed The Howling. As far as a perfect cast?

Rick – George Clooney (Steve McQueen woulda been great!)
Chesya – if Jennifer Hudsun were 6 years older, she’d be great!
Christian – Joseph Gordon-Levitt could still play 17, couldn’t he? He’d be good.
Cathy – Michelle Pfieffer, because she had that vulnerability Cathy needs.
Andrei – That big bald dude from Night Watch.

Fatally Yours: What do you have planned in the future? Is there a new novel you are currently working on?

William Carl: I’m currently shopping around a couple horror novels. I have a werewolf novella, a Western, in Graveside Tales’ The Beast Within this month. I have a story in the upcoming In Laymon’s Terms from CD [Cemetery Dance Publications]. Right now, I am working on a noir story, set in 1957. Something very different for me, but it just downloaded into my brain and it wants out!

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Book Review: Bestial - Werewolf Apocalypse by William D. Carl

Author William D. Carl bursts upon the horror scene with his ferociously non-stop, action-packed debut novel, Bestial: Werewolf Apocalypse. Carl goes straight for the jugular by immersing the reader in a world overrun by werewolves, where a few remaining souls must fight tooth and nail (and fangs) for their very lives.

The book opens in the middle of a turbulent bank heist, but as soon as the full moon comes out people begin to change. Somehow, an experiment has gone wrong and a lycanthropic air borne virus has been unleashed on the populace of Cincinnati. Most people turn into werewolves, but there are a few that are miraculously immune to the virus. A group of unlikely survivors band together to escape from the thousands of bloodthirsty werewolves ravaging the city, but a military quarantine is intent on keeping anyone from leaving the perimeter, infected or not. Can the survivors find a way out of the devastated city before it’s too late?

I was hooked on Bestial: Werewolf Apocalypse from page one! I don’t consider myself much of a werewolf fan (partly because there has been such an absence of good werewolf horror material lately), but finally, William D. Carl has made werewolves scary again! Not only does the fur fly fast and furious in the novel, but Carl actually takes the time to focus on characterization. Each character has a backstory, emotions and feelings, so in a short amount of time you find yourself caring deeply about each character. It’s not hard to cheer on homeless teenager Christian, sassy and strong Chesnya or even thief-with-a-heart-of-gold Rick.

Even the werewolves, though ferocious and frightening, also gained my sympathy. After ripping apart prey all night as werewolves, humans are usually horrified when dawn approaches and they realize they’ve viciously eaten their loved ones. Some embrace their new bestial selves, but most go insane with thoughts of what evil deeds they’d committed the night before. This glimpse of the humanity of the werewolves really adds depth to a book that could have easily been just a rip ‘em up gorefest.

I also enjoyed Carl’s descriptions of a quickly deteriorating society. After the virus outbreak Cincinnati is quarantined from the rest of the world and every man, woman and child, werewolf or human, are on their own. There are no cops, no firemen, no government or order to speak of – it’s everyone for themselves. Though lasting only a short three days and nights of the full moon cycle, this demolishing of “the norm” really affects people quickly and Carl portrays this breaking down of society in devastating detail.

Also devastating is the carnage left behind by the werewolves. Gorehounds won’t be disappointed with the extremely graphic and bloody scenes described by Carl. Not only that, but the tension that Carl creates will keep you on the edge of your seat! One scene in particular where three characters meet – two seek refuge from the werewolves in an armored truck while another tries to escape from a collapsing high-rise building and they all eventually come together – will have you biting your nails in anticipation and suspense!!

Horror fans can’t go wrong with William D. Carl’s Bestial: Werewolf Apocalypse. It’s an action-packed thrill ride that invigorates the werewolf subgenre and isn’t afraid to bare its teeth.

Available from Amazon!