The Scary Reviews

Genre: Horror
Length: 61 Pages
Release date: June 24, 2018
Synopsis: He was lost, directionless, unable to find his identity.

He thought he found it in her, which was good because he was teetering on the edge of madness.

She had no way of knowing her actions would push him over it.

This is a story about the dangers of depending on others to give you a sense of self-worth, taken to the extreme. It is a graphic, dark story not meant for the faint of heart. The graphic content makes up only 15% of the prose, but it is some of the most harrowing writing ever committed to page.

Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review

Every so often I come across a story that I find hard to review, and this was one of them. The main character wasn’t likable, and I found it hard to empathize with his plight. He was written as an awkward kid short on friends who grows up to be cocky and opinionated. He blames everyone for how he turned out in life, taking little responsibility for himself. The story had some very graphic scenes, more than I found enjoyable, which is saying a lot since I spend most of my time reading horror stories.

The synopsis stated, “This is a story about the dangers of depending on others to give you a sense of self-worth, taken to the extreme”. This is probably why the world is full of psychopaths and unbalanced people. To hinge your feelings and views on the world on the feedback of everyone you meet in your life can only lead to disappointment. To blame all past interactions as the reason for your current and future behavior is a problem and the situation the main character finds himself in. If you want a dark ride through the eyes of a crazy person this is the book for you, for me it didn’t hit the mark.

Link to purchase Maybe the Dream Knows What is Real

Steve Grogan, biography

Steve Grogan was born in the often-filmed city of Troy, NY. He started writing as far back as second grade. He has written in a variety of formats (novels, short stories, poems, screen and stage plays, blogs/articles) and genres (horror, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, drama). He has had several stories, articles, and poems published in print and online.

Steve is also a father, a boyfriend, a musician, a fitness fanatic, and a martial artist. He has been studying Wing Chun Kung Fu since 1995, and he maintains a blog/YouTube channel that describe his training habits, epiphanies, and advancement. It also candidly discusses his stumbling blocks, such as his struggle with nutrition and mental health issues.

Steve’s most recent, ongoing project is his online comic book REDemption, which he is publishing with the help of artist Johnny Carruba. He also does freelance, editing, proofreading and ghostwriting work on the side. If you have any interest in hiring him for that, you can reach him here: stevegroganfreelancewriting@gmail.com