A Mixed Bag of Blood

Goblins

Goblins
"The stuff nightmares are made of" --Cemetery Dance Online

Skinner

Skinner
"A brutal horror story that will keep surprising you over and over" -- Horror Underground

Toxic Behemoth

Toxic Behemoth
Is the world ready for TOXIC BEHEMOTH?

The Unhinged

The Unhinged
EXTREME HORROR

Surrogate

Surrogate
“Surrogate is another fine example of just how powerful a horror story can be." --Examiner.com

Apartment 7C

Apartment 7C
Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.

Relic of Death

Relic of Death
"A fascinating, unpredictable, ever-shifting tale of greed and desperation. Highly recommended!" —Jeff Strand, author of Pressure

Witch Island

Witch Island
Reminiscent of 80s slasher flicks!!!!!

The Tree Man

The Tree Man
"Warlocks, witches, spiderlike familiars, and the ghosts of the evil dead... pit them all against a kid with a stolen shotgun and you've got a helluva dark ride! Creepy as Hell! Bernstein has crafted a Grimm's Fairy Tale for the modern age." -John Everson, author of NightWhere and Violet Eyes

Damaged Souls

Damaged Souls
"David Berstein's Damaged Souls is a hard-hitting mix of gut-churning horror, strikingly dark imagery, and prose as sharp as a cultist's sacrificial dagger. Don't miss it!" -- Tim Waggoner, author of The Way of All Flesh.

Fecal Terror

Fecal Terror
The Shittiest Book Available!!!!

Amongst the Dead

Amongst the Dead
"David Bernstein is a real craftsman, and one of the most thrilling voices to come along in a decade. He's who you should be reading now." —Joe McKinney, author of Flesh Eaters and Apocalypse of the Dead “David Bernstein is a rare kind of writer who really delivers the goods when it comes to horror. He'll be burning up the best seller lists soon. Count on it.” —Eric S Brown, author of A Pack of Wolves "David Bernstein's work resonates off the page, unforgettable in its elegant delivery, a ripple effect no doubt translating to ever bigger and vaster audiences as he continues to terrify -- and impress!" —Gregory L. Norris, author of The Q Guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Tears of No Return

Tears of No Return
“Tears of No Return begins with a gripping chaos of mind-readers, secret government agencies and vampires and never lets up. It demands to be read for all its intensity. David Bernstein plants a central idea in a minefield and just sits back and watches the explosions domino on each other. Thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended!” —Benjamin Kane Ethridge, Bram Stoker Award- winning author of Black & Orange and Dungeon Brain

Thursday, August 20, 2015

We Are Monsters





Hey David, thanks for having me on your site. It’s very kind of you. I, therefore, must apologize for the grotesqueries about to ensue.

You know one thing that sucks about being human? Getting sick. And I’m not talking about the sniffles or a stomachache. Although I whine like a freshly born baby anytime I have either. I’m talking about the funky, crippling, life-altering illnesses that skulk this planet and infect the truly unfortunate.

My debut novel, We Are Monsters, deals with mental illness, with an emphasis on illness. So I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the most horrific diseases and disorders that afflict mankind.

Warning, if you are hypochondriac, you may want to stop right here.

Here are 5 of the most disturbing diseases and mental disorders I’m presently aware of, in no particular order:

1) Fish Odor Syndrome: Have you ever forgotten to use deodorant and then realized you had terrible B.O.? Like, eye-watering B.O.? It happened to me once in middle school and I skipped class to take a bath in the restroom sink. Imagine, then, having your breath, sweat, and urine produce the pungent smell of rotting fish, with nothing you can do about it. Welcome to the world of trimethylaminuria, which prevents a persons body from breaking down a fishy-smelling organic compound found in food. And there’s no known cure.

2) Alien Hand Syndrome: Turns out the familiar plot device used in several horror flicks is an actual disorder. People with alien hand syndrome have full sensation in the errant hand, but it acts possessed. The 'alien' hand can undo buttons, manipulate tools, and even grope people without its owner’s consent.

I can see it now. “Hey, get your hands off me you pervert!”

“What? It wasn’t me! It’s my alien hand.”

The syndrome is caused by a separation of the lobes of the brain either through injury or surgery, and there's no cure other than to distract the wayward hand with an object to handle.



3) Myiasis: Okay, this one… This one I can barely think about without retching. Myiasis is the parasitic infestation of the body of a live mammal by fly larvae (maggots) that grow inside the host while feeding on its tissue. You’ve seen what maggots do to decomposing flesh, right? Well, Myiasis is where they do that to you while you’re alive. You think maybe you have a zit developing on your neck or arm, then… Surprise, you’ve got maggots!

4) Walking Corpse Syndrome: Also called the Cotard Delusion, this is a rare, though real, neuropsychiatric disorder in which patients believe that they have died, do not exist, are putrefying, or have lost their vital organs. In some cases, they can even smell the rotting flesh. While they may resemble zombies, they, fortunately, do not crave the taste of human brains. Unfortunately, because they believe themselves to be dead, they stop caring for their basic needs, and many die from starvation.

5) Tree Bark Skin Disorder: Ever had a wart? What were you willing to do to have it removed? I had one. I went to a dermatologist who burned it off with a freaking laser.

[Dermatologist]: “I’m now going to shoot your skin with a laser beam to remove your wart.”

[Me]: “Whatever, man. Just get it off me.”

People with Tree Bark Skin Disorder, or Epidermodysplasia Verruciformisgo as it’s technically called, have warts that grow so voraciously across their entire body they give one’s skin the appearance of tree bark. Good news: they can be removed through surgery. Bad news: they grow right back.


While reading about these ailments is interesting, I do not bring them up to poke fun. I find them fascinating, sure, but I also have sympathy for anyone suffering from one of these devastating disorders. I can’t imagine what it would be like, and I have a vivid imagination.

Part of my aim in writing my debut novel, We Are Monsters, was to try and get inside the minds of people who suffer from tragic mental disorders.

According to recent studies, 1 in 5 Americans suffer from various mental illnesses each year, so it’s a widespread concern. But, again, my aim wasn’t exploitation. I came at it from a compassionate point-of-view.

In my story it’s the doctors who are forced to confront the inner demons they have inside in order to see their patients in a new light. So far readers have been picking up on that twist and enjoying the fresh perspective.

For instance, author, Mercedes M. Yardley, said this about the book: “WE ARE MONSTERS is a smart, elaborate novel that weaves together the best and worst of us. Complex, terrifying, and still humane, this book moved me to both horror and compassion, and that's a difficult thing indeed.”

Anyone interested in facing the monsters inside my book can buy a copy here:
Kobo 

Thanks for having me over, David. Here’s where people can find me if they want to stay in touch: