Published by Zumaya Publications
ISBN 1-59109-068-7
$5 ebook / $13 paperback
http://www.zumayapublications.com/item.php3?id=26
I don't like Stephen King's stories. But a great many people do, and they will be captivated by Chronicles of a Madman. In one important respect, LaRocca's little book is BETTER than anything King has written. Stephen King's stories are obviously made up, fairy tales for a f^$%#ed-up world. LaRocca is a talented and competent writer, whose work is imaginative, and yet in most cases real, factual, based on the author's life.
There is humor too. I enjoyed a dialogue between Judas Iscariot and Jesus, which casts a new, and possibly far more accurate, light on the crucifixion myth.
Every writer ought to be a craftsman of language. As an editor, I know all too well how sadly this is lacking in many cases, but LaRocca is a master of English, and meticulous in his use of writing technique. His stories are passionate, almost embarrassingly personal, gripping with the vividness of detail.
I can honestly recommend this little book to all readers of Horror.
Michael was born in North Carolina, and he grew up in NC and Florida. In December 1999, he moved to Hong Kong. After spending the nineties "chasing money," he dusted off the "childhood dream" of becoming a full-time writer.
That was four published books ago, and he's still living in Hong Kong, writing and editing full-time. He enjoys the company of his wife and his cat.