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Treehouse Trailer

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Director Michael Bartlett is proud to release the teaser trailer for the suspense thriller Treehouse. This exciting tale, set in the backwoods of Missouri, has opened for international sales this week at the most prestigious film festival in the world, Cannes. Here, the film will screen for buyers. But, editors and journalists can preview the film’s future release, right here!

Bartlett’s film has been adapted to screen from writers Alex Child and Miles Harrington’s original script. The film begins when Elizabeth (Dana Melanie) arrives home from school to witness the abduction of her younger brother. She gives chase and is not seen again. Soon, news breaks to the local community, coinciding with sightings of strange humanoids and animal abductions and mutilations. The town descends into paranoia and a curfew is enforced.  Brothers Killian (J. Michael Trautmann) and Crawford (Daniel Fredrick) stumble upon Elizabeth by chance when sneaking out to party with some local girls and that is when all proverbial hell breaks loose! A confrontation looms between these youths and their hunters.

Treehouse is described by Bartlett as a “siege film…in the same vein as John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 (1976).” The refuge in the film is an elaborate treehouse, set fifty feet in the forest’s canopy. This set was developed with folding partitions, which allowed cameras to film the action, from multiple angles and levels. As well, Bartlett says of the film: “suspense is built and fear is amplified by what is not seen, or only alluded to.” Viewers of the trailer can gather clues as to the film’s true villain. The rest is left up to your imagination.  Finally, Bartlett hired his crew from the The Signal (2007) and Winter’s Bone (2010) productions, to realize his vision.

Synopsis: The story for Treehouse focuses on missing teenagers and unknown shadows in the local Missouri woods. A brother and sister are kidnapped and two brothers find one of the victims, Elizabeth. Elizabeth is alone and afraid, in an isolated fort; several shadows lurk below. All three classmates will have to face an unimaginable evil, if they are to survive the night.

Release Date: TBA.

Director: Michael Bartlett.

Writers: Alex Child and Miles Harrington.

Cast: J. Michael Trautmann, Dana Melanie and Clint James.

Spider From The Well (Book Review)

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“Spider From the Well”, written by Tim Reed, is an inventive novella that combines Lovecraftian horror with classic science fiction themes.  Using imaginative story telling, the book explores the deterioration of a man’s sanity as he struggles to understand the world that seems to be changing without explanation.

Taking place in a tranquil English countryside, “Spider From The Well” follows a happily married couple as they begin a long awaited vacation.  While exploring the area together, the husband and wife discover a diary with a cryptic inscription buried near a well.  Overcoming some initial reluctance they begin reading the diary and are introduced to the life of M. Hattern and the events of 1899 that forever changed his life.  The initial journal of Victorian era observations quickly regresses as the journalist attempts to make sense of the creatures, events, and visions that are beginning to haunt him.

Expertly crafting the progression of madness and paranoia, Reed creates a chilling tale that will leave the reader questioning their own reality.  Through the use of well developed alternate histories, horrifying potential futures, and brooding creatures with terrifying motivates “Spider From The Well” is an engrossing novella with a surprising ending.  The use of the diary format allowed Reed to develop a character that was intriguing and a potentially unreliable narrator heightening the sense of horror and building madness.  However, the short length of the story made the conclusion feel a little rushed and some aspects of the book (the alternate futures and exploration of gods/myths) did not feel fully explored.

Overall, “Spider From The Well” by Tim Reed is a nicely developed novella that follows the tradition of H.P. Lovecraft horror with some strong science fiction aspects.  Incorporating ancient legends, and crafting alternate histories, Reed is able to create a strong plot that will leave readers wanting to know more.  I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark fiction that leaves you questioning your own stability.

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3 Skull Rating Horror Palace

Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha  is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
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New Tim Reed Horror Book: Spider From The Well

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tim-reed-smAuthor Tim Reed has been published several times in the short story and novella field, in both the US and UK, spreading his net on the fantasy, weird tale and horror genres.  His latest work is Spider From The Well ( reviewed by Horror Palace) which takes a man and his wife who are on holiday in New Forest to a place they never expected to go.

After discovering a tattered diary and reading it, they become drawn into a tale of a bereaving man from Coverspider-from-the-wellthe 19th Century, who has visions of a green sun and creatures clambering from the well outside his house. Slowly, as madness takes him, these cosmic visions intensify and he finds himself under siege; his daughter, pet cat and his independence are under dire threat, leaving him alone, afraid, and at the mercy of horrific, otherworldly invaders. He witnesses alternate histories of the world, grim futures, and at the end of all, a dreadful predator patiently broods – hoping to sate its hunger. What fate awaits the Victorian man?

Will the diary reveal secrets best left in dust? And what is the ultimate purpose of the green sun, looming over the Earth like an emerald?

Reed he has a love of well-written fantasy and supernatural fiction – both old and modern – and cites Algernon Blackwood and H P Lovecraft as his primary literary inspirations.  He professes himself an Author of Speculative Fiction.

www.timreedauthor.com

Nobody Goes There (Book Review)

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No-body-goes-there-CoverThe book “Nobody Goes There” by Lex Sinclair is a disturbing tale that introduces the reader to a small town hiding a huge secret.  Following a plot that revolves around strange and horrible things happening in a relatively normal town, the book is an enjoyable read for those who appreciate suspenseful horror stories.

Taking place in a South Wales town that is normal in most respects, “Nobody Goes There” follows the lives of various townspeople as they are terrorized by a mysterious creature that lurks in a nearby canal.  The people in town are divided between the older people in town who refuse to discuss the gruesome deaths that continue to occur, and the younger people in the town who constantly tempt fate by exploring the canal.  The book follows two students, Dorothy and Owen, as they become aware of a creature that is responsible for the deaths and disappearances in the canal.  Though they are both deeply afraid of whatever has been killing locals for generations, they are determined to avenge the deaths of their friends and protect the remaining townspeople.
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This is a distinctly UK/Welsh novel, with nuances like “kerb” instead of curb that can make the American reader pause, but is required and enjoyable projecting the realism of taking place in Wales.  The strong plot of this book, along with the engaging writing style, keeps the reader interested in both the characters and overall story line.  Sinclair is able to tell the story from the point of views of multiple characters allowing the reader to grasp the full horror of the situation while steadily building suspense.

While there are a few issues with grammar and typos, the minor issues do not take much away from the readability of the story.

Overall, this is creepy, disturbing, and a well-written horror/thriller piece is a true page turner that will keep the reader on edge.  Expanding upon the classic plot of good versus evil, the book features well crafted, realistic, characters who are forced to face their own fears to protect those around them.  I would recommend this book to any horror fan who enjoys a story with a touch of mystery and suspense.

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3.5-Skull-Rating-Horror-PalaceReviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha  is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
More Horror Book Reviews

Also by Lex Sinclair: The Goat’s Head