Nightmare’s Eve
Stephen H. Provost
Publication date: February 22nd 2018
Genres: Horror, Young Adult

A collection of 16 short stories and 10 dark poems in the tradition of “The Twilight Zone.”
Trapped for eight centuries in a space no larger than a shoebox. What would you do to escape? How far would you go to rid yourself of that parasite in your brain that feeds off the worst of your nightmares? What if the person closest to you were fated to die – and you were powerless to stop it?
What if your savior were also your greatest fear? Would you trade years of your life for a chance at redemption? Would you slay or spare the dragon whose eyes gaze up at you pleadingly in the final moments of its life?
These are the questions that run through the mind when twilight fades and eyelids grow heavy. Fight the onset of sleep. Thrash beneath the covers in futile defiance of what lies beyond. This is the between-time of Nightmare’s Eve, those brief but lingering moments between the waking world and the abyss. It will have you. It’s only a matter of time.

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My Review

Nightmare's Eve is a collection of short horror stories and poems that are tame enough for young adults (I'd say 15-16+), but still pack a punch for those adults who like their horror to have some bite.

There are sixteen stories in all, and I can guarantee that there is at least one (but most likely more) story in the collection that will appeal to whichever type of reader you may be.

I enjoyed quite a few of the stories. I think my favorite one was Stranger Than Fiction, which reminded me a bit of Stephen King's Word Processor of the Gods. It's about a journalist who has the ability to bring his stories into reality. But there's a twist that no one will see coming, and when the story ended, I may have screamed at my Kindle, all giddy with glee. Trust me, it's a doozy.

Another favorite is the story with the same name of the book: Nightmare's Eve. Although, it does have a secondary title of Rotten Robbie's Christmas Comeuppance, which amuses me greatly. The story is definitely a fun play on Santa and his naughty & nice list. I rather liked how it went, and Robbie, who really is rotten, definitely gets his comeuppance.

My third favorite is Lamp Unto My Fate. It involves a smarmy lawyer and a genie. Said lawyer thinks he knows what's what when it comes to getting said genie to grant him wishes. Unfortunately for him, he isn't as smart as he thinks he is. I liked how... well, I can't spoil it, so I won't say anything more.

I think one of the nicest stories, while still fitting the paranormal-y/horror vibe, is Turn Left on Dover. I don't know what it is about that story, but it made me happy. It's almost too nice for a collection like this. Almost.

There are many other stories and poems inside this book that you'll get to enjoy once you grab yourself a copy. And you'll definitely want to do that, especially if you love short horror stories as much as I do.

Nightmare's Eve is definitely a winner, and I'm looking forward to more stories from the author.

Four stars from me!

Author Bio:
Stephen H. Provost is a veteran editor, reporter and columnists with more than 30 years of experience at daily newspapers in California. He’s currently the managing editor of The Cambrian on the Central Coast, as well as a columnist and assistant city editor for The Tribune in San Luis Obispo.

As an author, he has written historical nonfiction (“Fresno Growing Up” and “Highway 99: The History of California’s Main Street”), novels (“Memortality” and “Identity Break”), while also exploring the realms of mythology, fable and ancient history.

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