I've received a few advance paperback copies of Broken Barriers, the sequel to The House at Black Tooth Pond, from Crossroad Press (these are reserved for select individuals who contributed to the cause), and I'm rightly excited about it. The ebook and paperback are due for release on December 1, and the audiobook will follow shortly thereafter. Here's a few pics with a little foretaste of what's to come.
The Editor Known as Mr. Deathrealm. Author of The House at Black Tooth Pond, Blue Devil Island, Dark Shadows: Dreams of the Dark (with Elizabeth Massie), and many others. Feed at your own risk. Note: Stephen Mark Rainey is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the author to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com.
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
BROKEN BARRIERS Is Coming...
I've received a few advance paperback copies of Broken Barriers, the sequel to The House at Black Tooth Pond, from Crossroad Press (these are reserved for select individuals who contributed to the cause), and I'm rightly excited about it. The ebook and paperback are due for release on December 1, and the audiobook will follow shortly thereafter. Here's a few pics with a little foretaste of what's to come.
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Autographed, Creepy-Ass Books at Chapter & Hearth Booksellers
It's cozy, comfortable, and has all the character of the best neighborhood bookstores from their heyday — not to mention a fine selection of books! If you love books, and you're anywhere in traveling distance, I strongly recommend that you stop in!
Stephen Mark Rainey delivers a chilling Appalachian tale steeped in atmosphere and creeping dread. The House at Black Tooth Pond follows the unsettling mysteries surrounding an isolated home and the dark history embedded in the surrounding woods. Rainey’s signature slow‑burn tension and vivid sense of place make this one of his most haunting works. Our in‑store copies are signed by the author, making this eerie novel a perfect addition for collectors and horror fans alike.
THE GODS OF MOAB
In The Gods of Moab, Stephen Mark Rainey blends Appalachian dread with cosmic horror, pulling readers into a remote mountain community where ancient forces stir beneath the surface of everyday life. The novel builds a slow, unnerving tension as characters confront otherworldly menace and unsettling revelations that challenge their grip on reality. Rich with folklore, psychological unraveling, and that signature Rainey atmosphere, this is a gripping descent into mythic terror. Our signed copies make an exceptional addition for collectors and fans of dark, immersive storytelling.
BLUE DEVIL ISLAND
Set against the backdrop of WWII, Blue Devil Island blends military suspense with Lovecraftian terror as a squadron of soldiers encounters something far more sinister than enemy forces. Mark Rainey’s mastery of claustrophobic tension and otherworldly menace turns this remote island into a nightmare landscape. These signed editions offer readers a gripping mix of historical adventure and cosmic horror — a standout for anyone who loves dread that builds page by page.
THE LEBO COVEN
In The Lebo Coven, Mark Rainey taps into dark rural folklore and the shadowy traditions of a small Appalachian community. Witchcraft, ritualistic secrets, and ancestral darkness converge in a story that feels both timeless and deeply unsettling. The novel’s slow‑building supernatural tension makes it a perfect read for fans of occult horror. Our signed copies highlight Rainey’s local roots and give collectors a chance to own a piece of Martinsville’s horror legacy.
Monday, August 24, 2026
Distant Early Warning: BROKEN BARRIERS....
The compelling sequel to The House at Black Tooth Pond
SIX WEEKS AGO: A series of horrific events rocked the small, mountain community of Aiken Mill, Virginia — a horrifically mutilated body vanishing from the town morgue and numerous prominent individuals going missing without a trace — leaving both local and Federal law enforcement agencies baffled.
“Stephen Mark Rainey is the only writer whose prose ever gave me an actual thrill of fear. In Broken Barriers, he takes us back to the town of Aiken Mill for his own style of combined Lovecraftian and Appalachian horror. The plot hurtles along, gripping the reader with damn near unbearable tension as the characters scramble to make sense of the horror overwhelming the sleepy college town. I sure stayed up way too late, unable to turn the pages fast enough.”
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Todd Keisling's THE SUNDOWNER'S DANCE
Todd Keisling's The Sundowner's Dance is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to in ages. It's nice to have "mature" characters as the key players, and the characterizations feel spot-on. Malcolm Hillgartner's narration is also perfect — his voice captures each character believably and consistently, without ridiculous affectations that can ruin an otherwise good storyline. The plot unfolds slowly but with increasing tension, so it never feels bogged down — and the creep factor moves gradually from subtle to off the charts. A wonderful example of character-driven cosmic horror, and highly recommended.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
New Freebie: "Epiphany: A Flying Tiger's Story"
I've put up a new freebie on my website — "Epiphany: A Flying Tiger's Story," a tale of cosmic horror set in the Pacific during WWII. This one originally appeared in the Dark Tales anthology Dead But Dreaming in 2001. (There are also several other stories on the site you may check out if you wish.) Available as a PDF or ePub file.
If you enjoy these tales, please let me know. Use the "Contact Me" link at my website — The Realm of Stephen Mark Rainey (www.stephenmarkrainey.com).
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
BALAK (Revised Edition) Now Available
The new, revised edition of Balak is now available from Crossroad Press/Macabre Ink in ebook and paperback. (The audiobook is the original version.)
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
THE HOUSE AT BLACK TOOTH POND for Christmas?
(starred review)
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Hellnotes Review of THE NIGHTMARE FRONTIER
"The pacing was flawless, the characters are a realistic
cross-section of Appalachian townspeople, and the story kept me
emotionally invested the entire way through. You may like, love, or
hate the characters, but you will always have strong feelings
regarding each of them. And that, my friends, is true
brilliance."
It's always nice to see a complimentary review of one of my novels, and Carson Buckingham delivers one in Hellnotes to make me blush bigtime. Check it out... and check out The Nightmare Frontier, in ebook, audiobook, and now in paperback from Crossroad Press.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
THE HOUSE AT BLACK TOOTH POND... More to Come?
the grounded
and believable characterization of his protagonists makes suspending disbelief easy. This is cosmic horror done right!”
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Distant Early Warning: The Year of the Fugue Devil
If you know about the Fugue Devil, it knows about you. If you see the Fugue Devil, it will come for you.
My novelette, "The Fugue Devil," is the cornerstone story of my fiction collection Fugue Devil: Resurgence, published in 2022 by Black Raven Books. The novelette (and its sequel, "The Devil's Eye") are built on the premise that many decades ago, summoned by the power of music, the Fugue Devil—a dreadful, malevolent entity from another place—entered our world.
Every seventeen years, in Sylvan County, Virginia, on the Autumn Equinox, the Fugue Devil appears to satiate its hunger for unsuspecting souls. The events of the original tale occur in 1974, those in "The Devil's Eye" in 1991, and in various other of my works, there are suggestions that something terrible happened in the designated area in 2008. Well, guess what. It's 2025, so this is the year the Fugue Devil is set to appear again on the Autumn Equinox, which falls on September 22.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
THE NIGHTMARE FRONTIER Now Available in Paperback!
Saturday, March 8, 2025
THE HOUSE AT BLACK TOOTH POND—A Starred Review in Publishers Weekly!
“Rainey brings Lovecraftian horror to rural Virginia in this chilling
tale...the grounded and believable characterization of his protagonists makes
suspending disbelief easy. This is cosmic horror done right.” Publishers Weekly
I know this week falls in the middle of the Amazon boycott, but if you'd like an
autographed copy of the paperback, just shoot me an email at
mark (at) stephenmarkrainey (dot) com, and I can almost certainly
accommodate you. The audiobook has just come out from Audible, narrated by the
inimitable
Joshua Saxon; so when the boycott is over, please avail yourself...
In the meantime, here is a list of retailers where you can buy the ebook.
Friday, November 22, 2024
For a Limited Time! Blue Devil Island Kindle Edition Is 99¢
FOR A LIMITED TIME...
Publisher Crossroad Press is offering the Kindle edition of my WWII novel, Blue Devil Island, for only 99¢. You can spend a buck, get yourself an exciting book to keep you busy for a coupla days, and still have enough to snag yourself a cold one or two.
With his group of air warriors, who call themselves the Blue Devils, McLachlan soars into frequent combat with the Japanese, inflicting serious casualties upon the enemy. However, on the squadron's island home, signs appear that it may not be entirely alone, for in nearby volcanic caves, McLachlan finds evidence of habitation by unknown natives — natives that resemble no known living race, and that may yet exist in the mysterious subterranean catacombs. As the tension on the island mounts, McLachlan is forced to fight on two fronts: against their known enemy, the Japanese, and an unknown, predatory force that leaves mutilated victims as the only evidence of its presence.
As the Solomons campaign enters into its final skirmishes, the Japanese, at last, turn their attention to Conquest Island. In the final conflict, the Blue Devils find themselves the target of an overwhelming assault by the desperate Imperial Japanese forces—and McLachlan must face the reality that the key to his men’s survival lies deep in the dark and deadly caves of Conquest Island itself.
"Rainey skillfully mixes military fiction with alien encounters to present a fast-paced tale of wartime heroics and unearthly terrors. Blue Devil Island is a good selection for large science-fiction or horror collections."—Library Journal
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Coming in February 2025: THE HOUSE AT BLACK TOOTH POND
“Welcome to Aiken Mill, Virginia—The Cold Case Capital of the World.”
My new novel, The House at Black Tooth Pond, is scheduled for release by Macabre Ink (the horror imprint of Crossroad Press) in February 2025...and yes, I have the excitement!
While exploring the darkest corners of Sylvan County, psychology professor Martin Pritchett and his brother, Phillip, happen upon a crumbling, century-old house beside a body of water called Black Tooth Pond. A strange compulsion leads both men back to the house time and time again, but neither can remember any of the events that occur there.
As both Sheriff Parrott and the Pritchett brothers attempt to solve their respective mysteries, their paths begin to converge — paths that lead directly to the ancient, foreboding house at Black Tooth Pond.
"Stephen Mark Rainey's talent is on display here like never before. His masterful use of imagery transported me to shadow-haunted Sylvan County. I heard the eerie cry of the whippoorwill, that cry that marks the presence of the evil entity that roams the woods and lurks within the walls of the house at Black Tooth Pond. You will hear it, too."—Mike Davis, The Lovecraft eZine
Thursday, August 29, 2024
The Fisherman by John Langan
John Langan's The Fisherman is what I would call a genuine weird tale, an appealing blend of cosmic and folk horror in an epic-sized novel. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Danny Campbell, whose spot-on presentation made for an engaging, oftentimes gripping listening experience.
The Fisherman, as has been frequently noted, unfolds with slow deliberation, establishing character and atmosphere with vivid, colorful prose. The story opens with narrator Abe, a recent widower, becoming enamored of fishing. He develops a friendship with one of his co-workers, Dan, who is also a recent widower. Together, they share a few enjoyable outings at various rivers and creeks throughout upstate New York, and eventually seek out a new location for a fishing trip, the innocently named Dutchman's Creek, which connects the century-old Ashokan Reservoir with the Hudson River.
At this point, the novel becomes a narrative within a narrative by way of a story related to Abe and Dan by one "Howard" at a local diner (Langan's description of Howard's physical resemblance to H.P. Lovecraft is hardly coincidental). Howard relates the lengthy story of several families in the early twentieth century, whose lives are intertwined by their connections to the construction of the reservoir. Suffice it to say that complications of the preternatural variety affect each of the characters, oftentimes to profound degrees.
This secondary narrative initially feels more than a bit jarring because it interrupts the story's dramatic flow at what seems an inopportune moment and, rather unexpectedly, becomes the novel's lengthier and deeper focus. Still, once past my initial bemusement, I became immersed in the wandering, sometimes unsettling detour. The narrative's beats in many ways echo those of Lovecraft's "The Colour Out of Space," although Langan presents us with far more kinetic action than Lovecraft would have ever dreamed of penning, while also imbuing his characters with greater depth and poignancy than any the Old Gent ever seemed capable of conceiving.
Eventually, this verbally related "folk tale" finds its climax, and attention returns to Abe and Dan, whose ventures into the land around Dutchman's Creek begin to mesh with those in Howard's tale. Make no mistake, that Howard could have told such a lengthy, detailed account from such an earlier time defies logic, and Langan addresses this issue with masterful aplomb. The now-continued primary narrative spins its own web of disturbing threads that finally lead to a wonderfully satisfying conclusion, creating what I would call a story far stronger than the sum of its various parts. While not what I would call a perfect novel, The Fisherman hits enough perfect notes throughout its length that it could indeed be considered a pivotal work in the realm of cosmic horror.
Four and a half out of five Damned Rodan's Dirty Firetinis.
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
The Gods of Moab Now Available in Paperback!
The Gods of Moab is a frightening novella by Stephen Mark Rainey, acclaimed author of Balak, Blue Devil Island, Other Gods, The Nightmare Frontier, and editor of the award-winning Deathrealm magazine and best-selling Deathrealm: Spirits anthology.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
How to Thoroughly Devalue the Limited Edition of Your Upcoming Book
In my case, sign the signature sheets.
Done, and shipped back to the publisher. In fact, cover artist Wayne Miller and I met for dinner last night, and he signed the sheets for the lettered edition. So Other Gods is that much closer to completion, and I expect that by May it will be running loose on the streets. Almost certainly, I will have copies to take to Mo*Con with me in June. I can bean unsuspecting passersby with them.*
*For this activity, I shall require the hardcover edition.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
UDDER GODS now up for pre-order

Moooo yeah! Ready for pre-order, my upcoming collection of very
scowy tales from Dark Regions.
Ye olde book description:
"Spanning a career of over 20 years, the 16 tales in Stephen Mark
Rainey's
Other Gods depict an
alluring yet macabre world, rendered by one of the horror genre's most vivid
imaginations. With settings ranging from the remote backwoods of Virginia to the
urban wilderness of Chicago, the veneer of Rainey's world appears familiar, even
comforting; yet, beneath its surface, ancient, malignant powers lurk, ready to
spring forth and destroy any who discover them. Laced with humor and recounted by a captivating voice, the tales
in Other Gods wait
for you with open arms—but beware, for they are also laden with darkness. And in
that darkness, danger waits."
What one scary writer says:
"Stephen Mark Rainey is a master at grounding horror and terror in a time
and place. His stories are effective because he understands character, as well
as the motivations of both his people and his monsters. And, in a field often
tinged with cynicism, Rainey shows us that monsters can also be fun. One of our
best contemporary storytellers."
—Scott Nicholson, author of
They Hunger
Available in three editions:
Lettered hardcover, signed by author and cover artist Wayne Miller ($150.00)
Limited edition signed hardcover ($45.00)
Trade paperback ($19.95)
P.S. There aren't really any cows in this book. Sorry.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
On the Auction Block
One of the schools in Martinsville is having a fund-raising auction, so I offered to donate a copy of The Last Trumpet in case there are bidders with sturdy hearts. As it turns out, it's not just the book on the block; I go along with it. A reading, a little dinner party, and a whole lotta horror. Sounds like fun, so I hope some brave soul will put up a bid.
I've been sick with a nasty flu bug all week long. I took a flu shot in the fall, but I hear the strain that's going around tends to laugh at such feeble precautions. It's been a bad one—high fever, aches, lots of congestion. Yesterday, I couldn't even get out of bed without losing my balance. Much stronger today, and the congestion is slowly clearing up, but I'm still a long way from a hundred percent. Man, I don't remember getting so sick with these bugs in my younger years. Sometimes this aging business really doesn't sit well with me. Peg's been doing poorly this week too, but hopefully the weekend will help turn things around. Allison's coming home for a visit, so that'll either do our spirits good or push us over the brink of insanity.
























