Guest blogger: JA Konrath/Jack Kilborn

A quick glance at the books I've read makes it clear I'm not much of a horror reader. Why, then, was I so interested in having JA Konrath (and his alter ego Jack Kilborn) post here as part of his month-long blog tour to promote his newest book?

I read JA Konrath's blog and adore it. It's called "A Newbie's Guide to Publishing", but he posts so much that any writer can learn from. I have several of his posts pinned to my bulletin board for daily inspiration, and he's kick-started my writing more times than I can count.

For today's post, I asked him to list a few of his favourite books and why he likes them. And here he is!

--
My name is JA Konrath. It's also Jack Kilborn.

Kilborn, my pen name, has a book coming out in April. It's called Afraid, and I tried my damnedest to write the scariest book of all time.

I love horror novels. Heather kindly aked my to write about my three favorites, so here are my top picks:

LEGION by William Peter Blatty. This is the sequel to his huge bestseller, THE EXORCIST. While I enjoyed that novel, this one surpasses it on the creepy meter. The villain kills in horrible, possibly supernatural ways. The subplot involving talking to people who have died is positively chilling. Plus the finale brings back Father Karras, the priest who exorcised the demon from the previous book. Great scares, a compelling story, and a terrific finish make this one of the best horror novels of all time.

MASTER OF LIES by Graham Masterton. This is also known as BLACK ANGEL in the UK. The first chapter is the most page-turning, horrifying, nightmarish opening to any book, ever. The rest of the novel is terrific, but I defy anyone to read the first chapter and not be shocked. It will stay with you for the rest of your life. How many books can boast that?

PRESSURE by Jeff Strand. This already came out in a limited edition, and is getting a large paperback release in July. It starts out as a friendship between two classmates, one of whom is a bit, well, off. Then it escalates into the bromance from hell. Seriously, this thing packs a punch. But it also really moves you, because you care some much about the hero. This book isn't for the faint-hearted, but if you think you're tough enough, this may be the greatest serial killer novel ever written.

Of course, I encourage all fans of horror to check out the paperback release of Afraid, which comes out in both the US and the UK in just a few weeks. You can read the first fifty pages at www.JackKilborn.com. But only do it if you're feeling really brave....
--

Am I feeling brave? Well, since I usually can't watch an entire episode of CSI without having to hide my face at least once, I'd say maybe not. But maybe YOU are! :)

Heather