J.D. BARKER

News

Mar102016

J.D. Barker’s short story, Of the Lake, appears in the anthology Ancient Enemies – Available Now

For millennia, they have watched us from the shadows, creatures we thought were nothing more than fantasy, or nightmare. Now they are here, among us, stalking us within the pages of this book. Vampires, Werewolves, the undead, and more. Our oldest foes, humanity’s Ancient Enemies.
Allow us to escort you through eleven stories by some of today’s newest voices within horror. But stay close, we cannot guarantee your safety.

GRANTED
by J. Nichole Parkins
A chance purchase at an antique store. A peevish djinn bound by an ancient curse. A lovesick college girl and three wishes. What could possibly go wrong?

AFTER DARK
by Mikey Campling
Jen and Matt are spending what should be a relaxing weekend at the coast, but they have become the unwitting focus of an ancient force. Are its intentions good, or does it have darker plans for these two young lovers?

GENE CATCHER
by Adam Vine
Looking for a night of fun, Paul thinks he has hit the jackpot when he is invited to hook-up with Linda. But this beautiful young woman is not what she seems, not what she seems at all.

REVOLUTION
by L. Marshall James
It was supposed to be a simple interview, but Will Utrecht is about to learn the awful truth about the billionaire subject of his next story… and it’s a truth that will change the world.

THEY MAKE ME DANCE
by Stant Litore
Sometimes the horror we perpetrate against our fellow humans is greater than any monster we can imagine… sometimes.

THE HALFWAY HOUSE
by Luke Hartwick
Imprisoned within a building, the infected pass their days playing board games while their memories slowly fade. Their self-appointed father figure keeps everyone alive and safe, at least until the serum runs out.

OF THE LAKE
by J. D. Barker
Gavin thinks he just got lucky. The beautiful woman he’s going home with tonight is simply out of this world.

DACHAU SUNSET
by Paul Antony Jones
Not all evil in the concentration camp at Dachau wears a uniform. Young Anyanka Jedynak is about to find out there is a deeper, darker wickedness exploiting the camp’s unfortunate souls.

THE LICH
by Adam Vine
We’ve all heard the stories of the Lich King waiting in his labyrinth Castle-Under-The-Mountain for those foolish heroes who think they can get the better of him. But those were just stories, this is the truth. Come closer, please.

ONCE IN A BLOOD MOON
by Mikey Campling
Temple Ashton seems like the quintessential sleepy English village, but as the full moon rises, American tourist Marcus Sutcliffe is about to find out that looks can be very, very deceiving.

THE MERCHANT
by L. Marshall James
Greed, it’s been the death of better men. But who is to say that our lust for power and wealth ends with our final breath?

Jul92015

Win a FREE Copy of J.D. Barker’s FORSAKEN Audiobook on Audible!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!!!

Listen to the debut from the author selected by the Stoker family to co-write the prequel to Dracula!

“This Bram Stoker Award finalist is a fast passed ride reminiscent of early Stephen King and Dean Koontz.”

When horror author Thad McAlister (www.thadmcalister.com) began his latest novel, a tale rooted in the witch trials of centuries past, the words flowed effortlessly. The story poured forth, filling page after page with the most frightening character ever to crawl from his imagination. It was his greatest work, one that would guarantee him a position among the legends of the craft.

But was it really fiction?

He inadvertently opened a door, one that would soon jeopardize the lives of his family.

She wants to come back.

At home, his wife struggles to keep their family alive. Secretly wondering if she inadvertently caused it all…a deal she made long ago. A deal with the Forsaken.

Praise for Forsaken

“Barker’s ambitious debut is aimed squarely at fans of classic horror. Witches, spells, miniature demons, and personal doubt give plenty to latch on to… the plot moves at a brisk pace… a promising start to a planned series.”
– Publisher’s Weekly

“Barker is a master wordsmith.”
– Editorial Review, AudioBookReviewer.com

“A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind!”
– International Bestselling Author, Jeffery Deaver

“Masterful storytelling.”
– Editorial Review, Bookish

“It is clear Barker is a name to watch in horror.”
– Editorial Review, The Horror Bookshelf

“J.D. Barker has conjured a modern cauldron of horrors based on historical fact.”
– Editorial Review, The Tomb of Dark Delights

“WOW if there is one horror book that you need to read this year, then this is the one.”
– Editorial Review, Wyres World

“Eerie, creepy, and frightfully good. Watch out Stephen King…J.D. Barker is hot on the trail of horror writing and will most certainly give you a run for your money!”
– Editorial Review, Best Crime Books

“Harry Potter for adults. The imagery will haunt you.”
– Author, Jack Stevenson

“A horror book that grips you from the start. I grew up reading horror by the likes of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and James Herbert, to name but a few. J.D. Barker deserves to have his name up there with them.”
– Editorial Review, By The Letter

“Classic gothic horror at its best. A truly impressive debut.”
– Author, Joan Hall Hovey

“Five stars. Perfect.”
– Editorial Review, Confessions of a Reviewer

“Scary, exciting, fun in all the right ratios, Forsaken is the right kind of book for anyone who enjoys a racing heart and a pounding pulse.”
– #1 Bestselling Author, MichaelBrant Collins

“It’s a superlative read!”
– Author, Robin Spriggs

“Incredibly atmospheric and cinematic – it would make a fabulously creepy movie. .”
– Editorial Review, Lucy Literati

“FORSAKEN is one of the best first novels I’ve read in a long time. Well written, a compelling story line. Put J.D. Barker’s name down on your must read reminder on the fridge – highly recommended.”
– Author, Gene O’Neill

“Mr. Barker may have begun by following in the footsteps of such horror royalty as Stephen King, John Saul and Dean Koontz; but he has blazed a unique path of his own with FORSAKEN.”
– Editorial Review, Fresh Fiction

“This was hands down the best novel I’ve read this year. From the first page, to the very last. This novel had me in its hold. I couldn’t wait to turn the page, yet at the same time, I was terrified to. This book is littered with heart stopping OMG moments. Toward the end of the book, the last few chapters, I was on the edge of my seat. As if this book couldn’t get any better for me. It’s not just an awesome story, but it is beautifully written as well. The flow from the first word to the last is seamless. I just love this book. I can’t wait for the next book. Without a doubt, this book deserves five stars.”
– Editorial Review, Word Gurgle

Jun192015

Listen to Forsaken by J.D. Barker for Free on Audible!

Listen to the debut from the author selected by the Stoker family to co-write the prequel to Dracula!

“This Bram Stoker Award finalist is a fast passed ride reminiscent of early Stephen King and Dean Koontz.”

But was it really fiction?

He inadvertently opened a door, one that would soon jeopardize the lives of his family.

She wants to come back.

At home, his wife struggles to keep their family alive. Secretly wondering if she inadvertently caused it all…a deal she made long ago. A deal with the Forsaken.

Praise for Forsaken

“Barker is a master wordsmith.”
– Editorial Review, AudioBookReviewer.com

“A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind!”
– International Bestselling Author, Jeffery Deaver

“Masterful storytelling.”
– Editorial Review, Bookish

“It is clear Barker is a name to watch in horror.”
– Editorial Review, The Horror Bookshelf

“J.D. Barker has conjured a modern cauldron of horrors based on historical fact.”
– Editorial Review, The Tomb of Dark Delights

“WOW if there is one horror book that you need to read this year, then this is the one.”
– Editorial Review, Wyres World

“Harry Potter for adults. The imagery will haunt you.”
– Author, Jack Stevenson

“Classic gothic horror at its best. A truly impressive debut.”
– Author, Joan Hall Hovey

“Five stars. Perfect.”
– Editorial Review, Confessions of a Reviewer

“Scary, exciting, fun in all the right ratios, Forsaken is the right kind of book for anyone who enjoys a racing heart and a pounding pulse.”
– #1 Bestselling Author, MichaelBrant Collins

“It’s a superlative read!”
– Author, Robin Spriggs

“Incredibly atmospheric and cinematic – it would make a fabulously creepy movie. .”
– Editorial Review, Lucy Literati

May292015

J.D. Barker Signs On to Co-Author Prequel to Dracula with Dacre Stoker! #DraculaBegins

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Prequel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula to be Written
by Dacre Stoker and J.D. Barker

Additional information can be found at: www.draculabegins.com

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is arguably one of the greatest horror novels ever written. It has stood the test of time and found life through countless generations. It has been translated into forty-four languages, sold millions of copies worldwide, and inspired more than three hundred films.

What if the book we know today was not the book Bram Stoker submitted to his publisher in 1897?

Dacre Stoker has dedicated the last ten years of his life to researching his family’s legacy. He has pored through documents both public and private in an attempt to piece together information on the man, his great-granduncle who wrote this epic tale, and the events that inspired it. In doing so, he has discovered a disturbing fact: Bram Stoker may have intended Dracula to serve as a warning, a glimpse of a very real evil.

The original Dracula preface (recently discovered in the Icelandic translation) includes the following:
“I am quite convinced that there is no doubt whatever that the events here described really took place, however unbelievable and incomprehensible they might appear at first sight.”

The Icelandic edition is not the only version containing alterations and inconsistences. In 1980, a copy of the original manuscript was discovered, its pages revealing a different ending. The German, Italian, and French versions have numerous discrepancies from the original English. Are these variances errors in translation, or intentional? Could Bram have concealed a message within this altered text? We know he went to great lengths to plant the Islandic preface with the help of his friend, Hall Caine. What else might he have hidden?

“As I delved deeper into his writing, particularly his journals, it became increasingly clear that Bram meant for Dracula to be more than just entertainment,” Dacre explains. “There’s a message here and today’s technology provides the tools we need to decipher it. J.D. Barker and I plan to do just that.”

More information can be found at: www.draculabegins.com

About The Authors

J.D. Barker
J.D. Barker is the international bestselling author of Forsaken (Hampton Creek Press, 2014). A finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Debut Novel, the expertly crafted tale twists both past and present into a fast-paced, suspenseful ride that leaves you hungry for more. His latest novel, The Fourth Monkey, is set to release early in 2016. He currently splits his time between Englewood, FL, and Pittsburgh, PA, with his wife, Dayna.

When asked about this project, Barker had this to say: “The information uncovered by Dacre is phenomenal. Bram Stoker truly believed vampires were real. As the world turns the last page of this book, we may find ourselves wondering if he was right.”

www.jdbarker.com

Dacre Stoker
As the official representative of the Bram Stoker Estate, Dacre Stoker travels the world with his compelling presentation, Stoker on Stoker. The presentation weaves together the details of Dracula’s history, Stoker family history, and Bram Stoker’s life in Dublin and London, then separates fact from popular fiction…revealing the truth about all things Stoker and Dracula. Stoker is the co-author of the bestselling novel Dracula the Un-Dead (Dutton, 2009) and Bram Stoker’s Lost Journal (Robson Press, 2012), a nonfiction book based on Stoker’s unpublished personal journal found in an attic on the Isle of Wight. He currently lives in South Carolina with his wife and children.

www.bramstokerestate.com

Complete Icelandic Edition Preface

“The reader of this story will very soon understand how the events outlined in these pages have been gradually drawn together to make a logical whole. Apart from excising minor details which I considered unnecessary, I have let the people involved relate their experiences in their own way; but, for obvious reasons, I have changed the names of the people and places concerned. In all other respects I leave the manuscript unaltered, in deference to the wishes of those who have considered it their duty to present it before the eyes of the public. I am quite convinced that there is no doubt whatever that the events here described really took place, however unbelievable and incomprehensible they might appear at first sight. And I am further convinced that they must always remain to some extent incomprehensible, although continuing research in psychology and natural sciences may, in years to come, give logical explanations of such strange happenings which, at present, neither scientists nor the secret police can understand. I state again that this mysterious tragedy which is here described is completely true in all its external respects, though naturally I have reached a different conclusion on certain points than those involved in the story. But the events are incontrovertible, and so many people know of them that they cannot be denied. This series of crimes has not yet passed from the memory – a series of crimes which appear to have originated from the same source, and which at the same time created as much repugnance in people everywhere as the murders of Jack the Ripper, which came into the story a little later. Various people’s minds will go back to the remarkable group of foreigners who for many seasons together played a dazzling part in the life of the aristocracy here in London; and some will remember that one of them disappeared suddenly without apparent reason, leaving no trace. All the people who have willingly – or unwillingly – played a part in this remarkable story are known generally and well respected. Both Jonathan Harker and his wife (who is a woman of character) and Dr. Seward are my friends and have been so for many years, and I have never doubted that they were telling the truth; and the highly respected scientist, who appears here under a pseudonym, will also be too famous all over the educated world for his real name, which I have not desired to specify, to be hidden from people – least of all those who have from experience learnt to value and respect his genius and accomplishments, though they adhere to his views on life no more than I. But in our times it ought to be clear to all serious-thinking men that “there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
London,
Bram Stoker