1. Pennywise from Stephen King’s It. A clown with very, very sharp teeth. Can we get any scarier?

2. Big Jim Rennie and Junior from Stephen King’s Under the Dome. I loathed them in the book, almost as much as Umbridge from Harry Potter. They were cruel, manipulative, and downright evil. I must admit I like them more in the TV series, although Big Jim is still quite manipulative and evil.

3. The aliens from M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. These aliens are no E.T. or Alf. We may be their cattle, but at least we have water on our side. Strangely, I could have sworn I saw one in real life when I was a child (years before I watched the movie).

4. Michael Myers from John Carpenter’s Halloween series. My mom said she’d seen the movie while pregnant with me. I wonder what that says about us. Heh. I’m a big fan of the Halloween series, and my former housemate and I would spend hours discussing our theories about Michael Myers. No matter how slow he walks, he’s very persistent. Just be sure to cut off the right head, okay?

5. Jason from Friday the 13th series. A mother’s love can bring her creepy son back to life. Just be sure to stay away from lakes and cabins. And I have to admit seeing Jason beating one girl in a sleeping bag with another girl in a sleeping bag was the most memorable moment in Jason X.

What’s your favorite monster/villain from a horror book/movie?

A monster hunts us. After hibernating for a decade, it’s ravenous. We long to stop this nightmare, but the end of the road is far. There is no waking up once a legend sets its sights on you.

Purchase Once upon a Nightmare: A Collection by Cherie Reich at Amazon. From June 22-28, the collection is only $0.99!

Cherie Reich is a speculative fiction author and library assistant living in Virginia. Visit her website and blog for more information.

Ninja News

Nigel Mitchellposted about a Hemmingway app that can be used to improve your writing.

Summer Vacation Devotions by Tyrean Martinsonincludes fifteen devotions for families having fun on summer vacation and center around God's Word and activities like car trips, camping, building sandcastles and cooking s'mores. The author earnings will go to Peace Rehabilitation Center in Nepal to fight human trafficking.
Available as an eBook and paperback.

CassaStar - Few options remain for Byron. Slated to train as a Cosbolt pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth to his instructor, Bassa. As war brews on the edge of space, Bassa must make a decision that could decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission destined to stretch their abilities to the limit?

CassaFire - Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters behind him, the detection of alien ruins sends him to the planet of Tgren. Forced to train a Tgren named Athee and deal with an eager young scientist, he feels invaded. Tensions mount as the ruins reveal a potential weapon, plunging him further into the chaos. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

CassaStorm - Commanding the base on Tgren, Byron watches as a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the planet. When the war hits Tgren, it triggers nightmares in his son. The ancient alien ship begins transmitting a deadly code and the probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago returns. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

What is your favorite monster? (Mine would be Godzilla.) See some cool new books? Picking up the IWSG t-shirt? Get any of the trivia right? And if you’ve never read the trilogy, CassaSeries is a great bargain!Don’t forget to visit Beverly Stowe McClure!

IT is the reason why I don't want anything to do with clowns! I'm not keen on anything to do with ghosts. Took me forever to stop thinking about the sixth sense scariness! Can't believe there's a iwsg tshirt! Love it.

Congrats on your series. I already have the individual books. As for the horror, Steven King's Salem's Lot gave me nightmares, so did Pet Cemetery, The Stand, and then I stopped reading them. Glad I missed IT, as I am not afraid of clowns. Congrats on your cool shirt design.

I like the way this cover is designed, Alex. I just released 2 box sets, but *after* I'd done so, I heard an expert on a podcast explaining why 3D images aren't good on book retailer sites (think it was a mobile issue). So a smart design choice for this compilation.

I remember seeing a film many, many years ago called Them. It was about ants that had been affected by radiation (atom testing in the desert) and become giant monsters and were hunting people. It scared the sh*t out of me at the time and I still remember it pretty vividly. They made a certain noise - bit like cop cars I think - and hearing a similar noise brings it back even now.

Alex, is the series all in one big book? That's the impression I'm getting from the pic. Pretty cool. I don't have a favorite monster because me and monsters have never gotten along and I spend very little time with imaginary monsters. When I was a kid, my brothers (who did like monsters) and I watched a lot of Chiller which showcased the Godzilla movies. They were a bit hokey and so much easier for me to watch. But I did like them.

Very cool Tyrean! I'll have to check that out. I already have Rachel's book. I like the premise of Girls and Gadgets. :-)

Hi Alex - congratulations on the series - that looks a great 'box set of your Cassa e-series'. I will read books 2 and 3 shortly ...

I saw a murder play where the song leading up to the horror was the Titwillow song from the Mikado ... it's always given me the creeps, where the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, ever since! Funny how something heard when still vulnerable ... sticks with you ... even though it's a film or tv programme (it might have been) ... I don't like horrors!

A lot of great book releases. And wow, that is quite a list of creepy characters. Jason and Michael were probably my first horror movie villains to fear. I was quite freaked out by Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elms Street. Good luck with the boxed set, Alex!

Thanks for the link to my blog. You wrote a great post. I hope everyone reads it.I don't care much for monsters. Frankenstein is about the scariest to me, but I haven't seen many spooky movies and seldom read scary books.Think I need to buy a book and a t-shirt.Have a wonderful week.

Already ordered my tee-shirt. Any monster that resembles a spider or insect is the best/worst for me. Already ordered my tee-shirt. I knew 2/5 of the trivia. I think on the curve, that is a passing grade.

Cherie, I never read Under the Dome but I watch the show and I always shout at the TV, "Kill him! Someone has to kill Big Jim!" I'm glad Michael Myers was your #4. He would definitely be at the top of my list too.

My favourite monster is the Creature from the Black Lagoon. I remember seeing that when I was little and thinking how real it looked. I watched it again bout 2 years ago. Oh, it was so lame, but it's still my favourite.

I have to admit that I just don't do horror. I might be weird this way, but I've never seen a horror movie that scared me.

I think it's a combo of me going in mentally prepared for being scared, growing up in some scary real-life situations and having been exposed to how stories worked from a young age that meant that very few horrific "twists" actually meant anything to me.

So I guess my favorite "monsters" to watch and read for scary thrills are serial killers, stalkers or other events that show the dark side to humanity.

I'm not really scared by monsters but creepy looking eyes freak me out. I remember watching the Poltergeist when I was in my teens and the wicked man in that scared me so much I slept with the light on for months!! Decades later, I still cringe at the thought. Congratulations to you and Cherie!

So happy for your boxed set release and nice post with Beverly. I prefer the prep side of writing, the outlining and development.There are too many monsters to choose a favorite, but I know that Clown better stay away from me. I love the new group t-shirt. Great job Jeremey.

Congrats to the series-this is wonderful. I know I got a couple of the trivia right. Now, as for my scare monster-I have to choose Dracula. Yes he has been done to death but to know this character is based on a real nut (Vlad the Impaler) and that he can be quite a charmer we, well, he is something i can sink my teeth into. Sorry I just had to:)

Congrats on the CassaSeries release! Tyrean's book sounds intriguing, and I love that it supports such a good cause. I don't have a favorite monster. I think vilains, especially those who are seemingly good on the surface, are the scariest. Love the ISWG shirt!

Love that t-shirt. I am very sure that the group and its founder IS a shining light for many.Monsters? Sadly humans trump anything else for scariness for me.Congratulations as always to all the authors you featured.

Congrats to Cherie and to everyone releasing new books! Great monster movie picks. The aliens in the Alien movie series are frightening. So wonderfully creepy! Once again, Alex, congratulations. :) Your Cassa series is fantastic!

Stephen King knows how to make his monsters/villains! The raptors in Jurassic Park always spooked me, so intelligent and vicious. That is why I made the Soyoko, evolved raptors, in my novels. Congrats on the boxed set of Cassa-books!!

I don't know if he qualifies as a monster but Randall Flagg from The Stand (and I believe he also appeared in the Watchtower series?) is just about the scariest fictional character I've read. Jamey Sheridan played him in the miniseries and there were rumors that Matthew McConaughey would play him in the feature film they're supposedly putting together.

Congrats on the CassaSeries - a neat little bundle at a very good price. I already have all three. I am not into scary movies like Halloween or Jason. I do enjoy a little supernatural stuff. If I had to pick a monster it would be King Kong - I always felt bad for him as he fell for the girl and then he gets shot..so sad...they should have left him in his own surroundings.

I need to find some summer reading material. I guess I need to check out some blogs and see what people are offering.

I'm not surprised that Cherie Reich may have once seen an alien. Me, I swear I once dated an alien--there was no other explanation for him. Cherie's monster book (we all know some monsters, don't we?) sounds good, so I'll check it out.

Those are some great choices for villains. Especially #1-3.I remember reading IT and was horrified by Pennywise the Dancing Clown. (Everything floats down here). When I saw the TV movie I was very disappointed.

Big Jim is such an interesting character. He was written well. And just when you think he can't get any worse, he starts to change and you almost feel sorry for the guy, or think he's changed, then WHAM! He's trying to kill you. And the thing that makes it even worse, is he thinks he's doing it for the greater good.

As for the aliens, I loved them in the movie. It shows you don't have to have tons of CGI to have a creepy bad guy. Those things creeped me out long before I saw a single claw from them.

I don't know if I could come up with five. I don't watch a lot of horror movies so my favourite villains would mostly come from Sci.Fi. Darth Vader originally was a great character for that list but after seeing the first three movies, he just seems more like a pissed off child than anything. I'd pick the Emperor as one of my bad guys. He was definitely familiar with the long con.

Another bad guys I'd have to choose is the Master from Doctor Who. Mostly because if I didn't pick something from Doctor Who, I'd be a very poor fan. The Master is a crazy, insane, megalomaniac. His ambitions are grand and his plans are diabolical. He only wants to control all of space and time. Is that too much to ask?

The third person I'd probably choose as a favourite villain is Benjamin Linus from Lost. Another cold, manipulative character. He was always one step ahead of you and on the rare chance you got the upper hand, it turns all he planned it that way. You never knew what to expect from him. And that makes a great evil-doer.

T. Drecker, I still haven't come across the weeping angels, but I've only seen a couple episodes of the old Dr. Who. *sighs*

Andrew Leon, there is a monster on your bed? ;)

Birgit, Dracula is a great classic monster. Quite charming too. :)

Susan Kane, I really need to see those weeping angels on Dr. Who.

Big worms are kinda creepy, even if they seemed a bit silly too, farawayeyes.

Suzanne Furness, clowns are a bit creepy in general. Add big, sharp teeth like what Pennywise has, and then they're downright terrifying.

It was a great movie, Dixie@dcrelief.

Those types of villains are particularly scary because you don't know they're the villain until it's too late, Jenni Enzor.

Michael Offutt, I know this is probably going to get me into trouble, but I haven't actually seen Alien before or any of the Alien series. I know of it from culture, but I haven't had the honor of watching it.

Humans can be pretty scary, Elephant's Child.

Stephen King is good at giving people nightmares, Jemi Fraser.

Nilanjana Bose, I haven't heard of the flesh-eating tree before. That sounds really scary and creepy!

Jaws was a great villain, Karen Peterson, although I think real sharks are more neat than scary. :)

Thank you, Helena! There are some people we come across that we hope are alien, aren't there?

I think you may be right about Pennywise, Shannon Lawrence!

Aww, Casper was such a cute ghost, mail4rosey!

Freddy does have a way of invading people's dreams, Decadent Kane. ;)

J.H. Moncrieff, I know what you mean about the mini-series. A part of me would like to see it because I really enjoyed the movie and book, but another part of me knows they can't find anyone better than Tim Curry for Pennywise. Mmm, Kiefer Sutherland was an awesome vampire villain in The Lost Boys.

Maurice Mitchell, Pennywise can definitely give people nightmares.

I was the same way, Kim Lajevardi. I completely get the fear of clowns now.

Big Jim was definitely well written, especially since people go back and forth with him during the book. I think they couldn't have gotten a better Big Jim in the TV series than Dean Norris. Wonderful villains to add to the list, Jeffrey Scott!

Alex congrats on Cassa Series being available. I love your list of monster/villains. I wish I had known about this blogfest! I think my favorite horror book is The Passage. That book truly terrified me...during one particular scene. I remember reading it at night and I had to put it down.

Congrats on the series! How exciting. And the IWSG t-shirt is awesome.You made me laugh about your mom seeing Halloween while pregnant with you, Cherie. :D Good luck with your tour and collection release!

Hey Alex ~ great news on the ebook Cassa collection! I enjoyed your review of Jurassic Wolrd. I agree with what you said. The characters seemed to be stereotyped more than original. I did enjoy the tie-ins they did with the first Jurassic Park (which is hard to beat). But that Indominusrex just can't compare with good old T-rex! The bigger park is definitely not better, and the beginning could have been a little peppier. But I definitely had fun at it. Pennywise was hard to top as a monster/villain! Most of Cherie's picks were a little intense for me! I can handle Stephen King in a book, but a movie is harder.On the road again. Have a good one!

Hmm... It was never scary to me because it was a clown, but because of what It really was. I read the book a few years back, and I loved how this horrific creature from outside our universe disguised itself as all those things, how it still terrified people over a decade later and could still get into their heads and make them see things that weren't there, and how It was actually laying eggs on our world. *That* is scary to me. ^_^

Not sure if I have a favorite monster, but I've always been a fan of the aliens from the 'Alien' movies.

Ah, that's true about It. The book makes the entire thing scary, although I thought the creature at the end (the one in the sewers) was lame looking in the movie. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Mason T. Matchak!

Re the monsters, I have to admit I'm terrible with horror. I read Stephen King because he's an amazing writer, but I get the most terrible and vivid nightmares every time I do so I'm making my way very slowly through his works... Pennywise the clown is definitely up there with the scariest creatures I've ever come across, even in my limited experience!

I'm not a really big fan of scary movies. Never seen any of these and that's a good thing! I'm fine with non-violent horror and gothic creepiness. Do I even have a favorite monster? Maybe I like dragons?

your scary movie fav's are great choices.Hubby and I were disappointed in the twist of Under the Dome this week. Looking forward to seeing where it goes though. Not sure who my favorite monster is but I love any kind of sci fi "B movie" bring on the mecha shark verses Megashark, Godzilla, sharknado, giant mutant ants, etc, Love them all the cornier the better. xo

My favorite monster/villain from a horror book/movie...? Well, let's see... That would have to be Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, both the book and the movie. You should read that book, Alex, and pretend the other ones don't exist. It scared the shit outta me, I tell you. And as for my favorite monster, well, that would be this one: click! even if the one in the movie didn't have teeth...

Non-violent horror and gothic creepiness can be fun to watch and read. Dragons are great monsters/creature, Cathy Keaton.

Shh, I haven't watched the newest episode of Under the Dome yet, Katherine's Corner. *winks* I do like the show, but I am a disappointed they've gone so far off script (i.e. the book). Those sci fi "B movies" have awesome monsters!

Great choices, Al Penwasser!

Wow! That's dedication, Mark Koopmans, to read IT so much. As I child, I used to play in the sewers. I wouldn't dream of doing that now.

Invisible monsters are the scariest, Leovi!

Lecter is an awesome villain, Blue Grumpster!

Thank you, Deniz Bevan!

Cute monsters work too, Alexia! And dragons can be monsters if they're the village-destroying type. :)

About Me

I'm a sci-fi writer on a journey of discovery - books, movies, music, etc.
Founder of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, I'm the author of Amazon Best Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, & Dragon of the Stars