Interview Week | Bowie V. Ibarra | Horror Author | AstraDaemon

Today, Bowie V. Ibarra, author of THE LEGEND OF ST. UVALDE, stops by the Lair...

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What was your first experience with the horror genre, and did that influence you as an author in any way?

I distinctly remember the trauma of watching Friday the13th at my neighbors house when I was around 6. The ax to the face scene totally messed me up. Watching ‘The Funhouse’ at my aunt’s house in my cousins room at around the same age was traumatizing, too. Still, it did create a fascination for horror movies that I dug into when I got older and was able to understand what was going on.

Why do you think the horror is so popular in both literature and films?

Because we’re all sick and twisted and need psychological help. But seriously, it's exciting to be scared. As an armchair psychologist, there’s a certain thrill making it through a horror movie, a feeling of exhilaration having placed yourself vicariously as the protagonist and making it to the end. Of course, we were never really in danger. But, we put ourselves there in our mind. It's definitely a fix folks develop.

What do you think of the alternative sources of horror, such as Reddit’s No Sleep stories?

Any venue that allows folks to be creative and express themselves through any artistic medium, I support. It’s incredibly beneficial for mental health to be able to express our feelings and products of our imagination through any art form.

What kind of horror do you prefer for your own entertainment?

I’m open to all horror, but I have always had an affinity for classic Romero/Fulci style zombie horror. The major 80s slashers are great, and also happen to be looked upon as great examples of female empowerment. I have personally written a supernatural horror story with “Alamo Rising”, 80s style creature horror with the popular “Big Cat”, as well as zombie horror titles which are the foundation of my writing career. I recently regained the rights to the ‘Down the Road’ zombie horror series. A re-release of the popular underground zombie horror series should be out in 2021, so keep an eye out for that.

What is your favorite kind of horror monster and why?

Its Romero/Fulci-style zombies all the way.

Do you do anything special for Halloween?

You would think I would, but I do not. Best I might do is dip into my horror movie library throughout the month.

Name one of your horror stories you think fans should read.

Truth is, it would depend of what they were in to.

If they’re into traditional Romero-style zombie horror, the Down the Road series would be best to check out.

If they like a zombie horror story with some depth and a lucha libre theme, then “Sword of the Angel” is a story they will love.

If folks are in to violent criminal atrocities with extreme zombie brutality, “The Texas Assassins” is an incredible story filled with some of the most disturbing passages of violence committed to the page.

If they like ghosts and supernatural horror in the tradition of ‘The Fog’ or “The Beyond”, “Alamo Rising” is a must.

If they like the 80s horror style like ‘Jaws’, ‘Alligator’, ‘Grizzly’, then they would love “Big Cat”, one of the most popular of my books, and a loving tribute to 80s horror.

If they like ‘Twilight Zone’, ‘Creepshow’, or other anthology-style horror stories, then they need to pick up “Asylum of Terror” today. Filled with short stories by some of the most talented underground writers, it’s a must-have.

As I look at this list, its clear the ax to the face of that lady really planted the seed of inspiration for the horror stories I write.

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Special thanks to Bowie V. Ibarra for stopping by on such short notice. Come back tomorrow for another visitor!

As always,

AstraDaemon

Cast Out the Demons | AstraDaemon

Father Fernando Lopez de Ugalde is a catholic priest who developed his ministry at the Vatican under the watchful eye of Pope Pius VII. The pope reveals to Father Ugalde the secrets of the Vatican library, hoping the arcane knowledge contained within can provide a new age of Christian worship through secret arts. For decades, Father Ugalde develops his knowledge and collects it in a grimoire to serve him in times of need.As Father Ugalde and his acolytes fight a supernatural curse in south Texas ending up in the small town of Encinal, the current pope, Pius IX, learns of the magic being wielded by the priest. He and several leaders of the church begin to study in the Vatican library to try and develop the same magical arts as Ugalde. The pope travels to Texas with his own team of Christian magic-users to bring Ugalde to his side. His goal: To take over the world with the new magic.Will Father Ugalde and his acolytes be able to overcome the magical death squad lead by Pope Pius IX? Or will Ugalde submit to the power of the Pope and take over the world? Discover now the true Legend of St. Uvalde.

THE LEGEND OF ST. UVALDE by Bowie V. Ibarra is not anything like his DOWN THE ROAD series, or his creature feature BIG CAT. This novella is a mix of legend, theology and magic...everything from demons and witches to priests and zombies. Told as a story being passed on from father to daughter, the pace is somewhat slow, but contains plenty of action along the way. The last battle is absolutely fantastic. (You can find out more about one of the characters in THE CRUEL FATE OF DR. BREWSTER McGILL.)

I love this direction Ibarra is taking with his writing, blending fact and myth with history and current events, calling into specualtion the nature of faith. I hope he will continue with this cultural sub-genre of supernatural horror.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Halloween Reading: Consumption Week | BIG CAT REPOST | AstraDaemon

Each week will have a different theme. The first week is all about consumption...being eaten...devoured. The prize will be a copy of BIG CAT, signed by Bowie Ibarra.

In order to enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on one of the (Blogger) posts dated Oct 1st to Oct 4th. The comments can be about the stories, the themes or Halloween. A winner will be selected and announced on Sunday, October 4th. Unfortunately, due to postal issues, only U.S. residents will be allowed to enter.

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BIG CAT by Bowie Ibarra, author of the Down The Road series, is an entertaining suspense-thriller featuring a predator terrorizing a rural area near San Uvalde. Nothing supernatural or over the top, just a lot of unfortunate people who have forgotten their true place in the food chain.

True to his writing style, Ibarra has included some sexual content, giving the story an 80s slasher motif. However, the serial killer hunts on four legs and doesn't wear a mask. Due to the naughty bits, I don't recommend this story to anyone under the age of 14.

The rotating POV creates some intense, scream-at-the-book moments, especially with the personal drama between the main characters. Even though some of the personalities are somewhat cliché, especially the two idiot cops and the airhead named Chip, the variety keeps readers guessing about everyone's chance of surviving to the end.

The moral of the story: don't get caught with your pants down.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Halloween Reading: Consumption Week | GIVEAWAY | AstraDaemon

To get into the Halloween mood, every week in October, the Lair will be giving away autographed copies of horror paperbacks. These are stories which have been featured as top picks in the last couple of years.

Each week will have a different theme. The first week is all about consumption...being eaten...devoured. The prize will be a copy of BIG CAT, signed by Bowie Ibarra.

In order to enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on one of the (Blogger) posts dated Oct 1st to Oct 4th. The comments can be about the stories, the themes or Halloween. A winner will be selected and announced on Sunday, October 4th. Unfortunately, due to postal issues, only U.S. residents will be allowed to enter.

There will be a total of five October giveaways, with each corresponding to the weekly Halloween theme. There will also be daily reviews of horror novels, short stories and series, and a couple of author interviews, so check back often.

If you have any questions, just ask.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Undead Texas Slaughter

THE FALL OF AUSTIN by Bowie Ibarra is set in the zombie apocalypse of DOWN THE ROAD, but this novel is a stand-alone story. However, I do recommend reading the other two books which provide different perspectives to the horror unfolding across Texas. All three novels have a variety of characters, plenty of conflict among the survivors, and some of the most brutal action scenes I've ever read.

Of the three DTR books, this one is the most emotional. The contrast of heroes and villains is gut-wrenching, as Ibarra's undead onslaught brings out the best and worst in his characters. After following the bloody battles between the various survivor groups, the ending left me in tears.

I know years have passed since Ibarra wrote these books, but I would LOVE to have a novel centered on the two leaders of the southern exodus. PLEEEASE!!

As always,
AstraDaemon

Return to A Zombie Favorite

DOWN THE ROAD: ON THE LAST DAY by Bowie Ibarra takes place in the same zombie apocalypse as the first book, but it's not exactly a sequel. While I recommend reading the original story before this one, it's not necessary. Readers of both will discover what happened to two of the characters who drive off from the original storyline.

My favorite part of the story is the moment the town's survivors hang their banner on the building to expose the media lies. I love how the townsfolk pull together to secure their town. Of course, the military nutjob has to go and wreck things. The UN forces learn the hard way what happens when you mess with Texans.

The characters are very believable, and Ibarra describes the area quite well. I'm being vague because I hate giving away too much when it comes to zombie novels.

The ending is mind-blowing. Still the best revenge scene since The Count of Monte Cristo (even after all these years).

As always,
AstraDaemon

Memory Lane Is Filled With Zombies

DOWN THE ROAD by Bowie Ibarra is one of the first zombie novels I read, as AstraDaemon, while writing for The Zombiephiles several years ago. Since then, I've read HUNDREDS of undead stories (still do), and the author has gone on to make quite a name for himself in the horror community. To this day, this series remains one of my favorites, so I felt the need to revisit George Zaragosa and his apocalyptic journey.

I strongly recommend reading the introduction by Travis Adkins (now Travis Maatta, and also another favorite author of mine), as he explains the difficulties Ibarra faced during the original release of this book, especially the harsh criticism dished out in some reviews.

As for the story, I think many readers are going to empathize with George's POV. He just wants to make it home alive. The government has ordered survivors to turn themselves into the FEMA camps. Anyone trying to shelter in their homes will be arrested. Anyone in possession of firearms or using firearms to defend themselves against the infected will be arrested. Rather than fighting the dead, the soldiers victimize the civilians in the camps. the zombies are not much of a threat compared to what the living are doing to each other.

Ibarra uses his unique style to twist this into a personal crime drama, taking this outbreak to another level. As George witnesses the best and worst of humanity, he finally discovers the true fate of his murdered fiancée. I highly recommend this series to all zombiephiles.

However, if zombies are not your flavor of horror, you should read Bowie Ibarra's BIG CAT.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Bigfoot Love

A cryptozoologist searches for love.Dr. Eric Brownstone is a cryptozoologist who has discovered the location of the mythical bigfoot near Kerrville, Texas. But his quest to capture the fabled monster has more to do with his pursuit of ultimate love than scientific inquiry in this Bigfoot erotica title from San Antonio Best Author 2018 runner up.

GONZO BIGFOOT: A LOVE STORY by Bowie V. Ibarra cleverly mixes beastiality and cryptozoology to create a flash fiction erotic encounter between a scientist and a legend. Bigfoot is packing a 50-cal, and Dr. Brownstone is on the receiving end. Forget billionaire playboys and dinosaur trysts, this is the blizzard which will leave you feeling like a glazed donut. After this, Sasquatch will be renamed Bigdick.

Throwback Thursday: Holiday of the Dead

38 holiday-themed zombie stories from new and established authors...

Over 500 pages crammed full of flesh-eating horror and dark humor from the cream of UK, US and Canadian talent. Theme parks, serial killers, seaside resorts, Christmas, Thanksgiving and fishing trips.

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HOLIDAY OF THE DEAD is this a great sampling of some of the best authors from the zombie genre, but an incredible showcase of what the horror sub-genre has to offer. Too many people think zombie stories are comparable to zombie movies, when, in fact, undead stories have evolved far more than the undead in the film industry.

This anthology exceeded my expectations...various locations, an array of holiday settings - everything from weekend getaways to major holiday celebrations, and some of the best zombie action I've ever read.

I would definitely put this collection in my top ten list for anthologies.

As always,
AstraDaemon

The Tree of Death

BIG CAT by Bowie Ibarra, author of the Down The Road series, is an entertaining suspense-thriller featuring a predator terrorizing a rural area near San Uvalde. Nothing supernatural or over the top, just a lot of unfortunate people who have forgotten their true place in the food chain.

True to his writing style, Ibarra has included some sexual content, giving the story an 80s slasher motif. However, the serial killer hunts on four legs and doesn't wear a mask. Due to the naughty bits, I don't recommend this story to anyone under the age of 14.

The rotating POV creates some intense, scream-at-the-book moments, especially with the personal drama between the main characters. Even though some of the personalities are somewhat cliché, especially the two idiot cops and the airhead named Chip, the variety keeps readers guessing about everyone's chance of surviving to the end.

The moral of the story: don't get caught with your pants down.

As always,
AstraDaemon