Books of Fiction
Death of heaven (portmanteau novel) (Amazon/Kindle/Smashwords) - See other page on this website for more on this epic horror/science fiction book. Reviews: Reader Views, Literary Titan, Lynn Worton, verified purchaser's review. Video Trailer
Anthology of Evil II Vol. I (short story collection - Kindle/Smashwords) - A collection of my newer short stories and sequel to my first book published, Anthology of Evil.
Anthology of Evil II Vol. II - The Unwritten (novel - Kindle/Smashwords) - Nominated for the Eric Hoffer Book Award. My first published book, Anthology of Evil, was a collection of short stories ending with a novella (Andrew). My attempt to duplicate this with the sequel failed as my novella The Unwritten, which I began years ago on Wattpad, was so fun to write it grew into it's own book and so my sequel became two volumes in the series. "The Unwritten" concept was to write about something in three separate universes which somehow came together in the end. I started the story for fun on Wattpad and hit a wall that lasted several years until I was working on this sequel and the story grew into novella lenght at the end of the book. One day the conclusion suddenly came to me, I assume, as it had been gestating in my mind over those past few years. I was having so much fun expanding the novella that it became what I thought was too big for the book and deserved it's own book. I'd never had a series before, or a series in multiple volumes. And so, Volumes I and II came into being.
Anthology of Evil (short story collection - Kindle/Smashwords) - My first published book and a collection of my older, first published and unpublished short stories ending with the novella, "Andrew", which evolved into my second book, Death of heaven (created along with another, single page short story, "Perception", about humankind's long misperceptions about our place in the universe. Video Trailer
Short Stories - eBooks and audiobooks:
When asked to write a short story for the horror anthology (Giant Tales Final Ships) he produced, "Gravity Up!" which became an addendum, a story aside from Death of heaven. It is written from the perspective of merely one among the mass of humanity who had no idea what was crushing so many into nonexistence.
Another short story he wrote for another anthology (Giant Tales World of Pirates) was Breaking on Cave Island, where he explored the earlier life of another of his characters, Lord Ritchie. He is a character whose previous and original tale the actor Rutger Hauer (the replicant "Roy Batty" in Blade Runner) once chose as a winner in his international short story contest held over 2001-02.
There are plans to write a sequel to Death of heaven and include the two women from his screenplay, Gray and Lover The Hearth Tales Incident (a semi finalist in the Circus Road Films screenplay contest in 2014). There are as well plans in the sequel to that franchisable screenplay to have the two main male protagonists appear from the book.
A long time fan of Dorothy Parker, Harpo Marx and other members of the now long extinct Algonquin Round Table, a while back The Murdock Society was formed. A loosely based collection of artists Murdock found admirable and professional were selected, inducted and listed on his mobile app.
That notorious New York round table was started in part by the one and fascinating Murdock Pemberton, whose first name had actually been his mother's maiden name. Murdock has received the blessing of Pemberton's granddaughter, Sally Pemberton who has compiled a book about her famous grandfather. She graciously gave her permission to use the idea of The Murdock Society in exploring art and ideas.
Andrew (novella) - Story of a very young boy, the child of a very brilliant married couple who were also rather unusual scientists. It is a story about how Andrew tries to deal with an event more traumatic than anyone should ever have to experience, no matter what age they are. This is then juxtaposed with how he learned to deal with it as an adult, who he developed into by that point in his life, and where his parent’s efforts end him up.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
The Conqueror Worm - This story is the first full chapter of the book, Death of heaven. Jimmy and James are two young boys who leave on the same block. They are best friends, adventurers in the realm of childhood and they decided to dig for buried treasure. What they dig up is a terror beyond their ability to put it into words. Unless that word is... a scream. Also available as an audiobook.
About, The Conqueror Worm....
"The story itself is very strong, lulling the reader into a false sense of security as two young boys hunt for treasure, before ultimately morphing into a violent and sometimes disturbing tale of horror. This is done with such swiftness that it takes the reader almost completely by surprise, which only enhances the effect." - WILDSound Writing Festival's First Chapter Contest - from a review of "The Conqueror Worm."
Also available in Audiobook format.
Originally published in Rhonny Reaper's Creature Features Anthology.
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
EarVu - Dr. James Michaelson is working in a new lab on some fantastic new technology. He is on a three person team of Quantum Physicists: the lead and creator of this new "tech", Dr. Garrison; a magnetic theorist, Dr. Johnson; and himself. But something is wrong at the lab. They seem to be rather light on attendance today. There is something wrong. He can feel it. Something has gone terribly, horribly wrong....
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Expedition of the Arcturus (Science Fiction) - A generational spaceship is sent to its destination. Will they all make it? Why might some of them, or all of them, not make it? What is really going on? The story unpeals layer after layer of the reasons and meanings behind the lives of generations on Earth's first colonization space ship and the political motivations behind it. Those who may land and create a new life, have never been to Earth, but were born on this ship and raised by those who were. Some of which will never see the new world they were sent to colonize. This story, told in reverse timeline, was first published in Perihelion Science Fiction magazine (PerihelionSF.com) March 2013.
Review - Stranger Than SF
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Gumdrop City - Based on a true crime story. A widowed father spends an afternoon contemplating his strange neighbor whom everyone is wary of... and his own daughter’s whereabouts. This was made into a film prequel, "Gumdrop", a short horror...which has won 16 international film festival awards (Trailer), including: Best Film Noir Short, Best Thriller Short, Best Horror Short, and Best Director.
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
In Memory, Yet Crystal Clear (Science Fiction) - A world famous surgeon helps his missing son’s friend, only to find it leads to monumental changes to the United States and the world, in ways he could never have foreseen.
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Japheth, Ishvi and The Light (Zombie, Science Fiction) - We escaped society at the commune, but these soldiers came, and these things, that they came to... has Hell crawled from the depths? Based on the Biblical tale of Abraham and his son Isaac, Japheth loves his son Isaac. Along with Ishvi's siblings, they live in a religious commune known as, "The Light". Life is good. They have land, and love. Community. Until the Zombie Apocalypse burns into the ground as terrifying pillars from the skies and throws in some devastating confusion. Add in a splitting migraine, few special Decon soldiers, God himself and well, there you pretty much have it. All the good ingredients needed for a very real nightmare.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
The Mea Culpa Document of London - A medieval Witch Hunter and Judge of the Inquisition has a problem; the same one his mentor had to deal with years before. This is a document that was found by a modern researcher, who had his own problems (further explored in “Death of Heaven”).
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Mr. Pakool's Spice (Zombie) - It is months beyond the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. A father and his two children are trying to make it through the wintry back woods of Oregon state to somewhere safe. ALSO included in this ebook is a second short-short story that has never been published until now, called "The Regeant's Daughter - 'An Eye for an Eye'" that won a little award. No, I'm not being ironic, it was a very little award, just for and from a group of authors. But hey, it got one right?
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Poor Lord Ritchie's Answer - A medieval Lord is sent to deliver a gift to his enemies in order to complete a negotiated peace and save his Royal family. But he has a few problems along the way. Trouble is, are the problems his, or is someone trying to convince him he is insane? Or, is something else entirely going on?
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Quantum History (Humor, Sci Fi) - A science experiment goes unforeseeably wrong, affecting a man and his wife across the country, in a bizarre and humorous fashion.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Sarah - A Twilight Zone type tale where evil can be found in a twisting of our mental processes through situation or disease in the actual formation of our thoughts "Sarah", has Alzheimer's. Her family loves her. But sometimes that's just not enough.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Simon's Beautiful Thought (Science Fiction Romance) - “I love you Simon. I wish I didn’t, but I do. It’s destiny, as if I were made for you.” She looked up at Simon, her eyes big, twinkling, passionate, and tracking him perfectly. He felt as if he could fall into them. “I love you too,” Simon said. “But sometimes, love is not enough. Sometimes, loving someone, is just not-- right...”
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Xibalba Unleased (Science Fiction/Horror) - Short Story. A research expedition to an ancient Mayan cave in Belize leads to dire events being released back out into the world after over a thousand years:
Slow, heavy industrial blues filled the room, the sax lending a sultry background to the nicely furnished apartment. Her heated breaths forced tiny hairs on the woman's face below her to move about as the skin heated and cooled with each breath.
A widescreen on the wall silently displayed Werner Herzog's seminal film, "Fata Morgana".
"Now do you want to die, Vicky?" A slight hesitation, then simply a whispered--
"No. Please. Vicky don't. Please...."
"Too late.
Amazon
Smashwords
Story Anthologies with other authors, including JZ Murdock:
- X The Unknown in A-Z Horror Anthology (upcoming) from Dark Chapter Press (never published)
- Giant Tales - World of Pirates (3 minute stories)
- Giant Tales - Final Ships (3 minute stories)
- The Undead Nation Anthology (on Smashwords)
- Creature Features Anthology
- Writer's Shack Anthology
- Hunger Pangs Anthology
Death of heaven (portmanteau novel) (Amazon/Kindle/Smashwords) - See other page on this website for more on this epic horror/science fiction book. Reviews: Reader Views, Literary Titan, Lynn Worton, verified purchaser's review. Video Trailer
Anthology of Evil II Vol. I (short story collection - Kindle/Smashwords) - A collection of my newer short stories and sequel to my first book published, Anthology of Evil.
Anthology of Evil II Vol. II - The Unwritten (novel - Kindle/Smashwords) - Nominated for the Eric Hoffer Book Award. My first published book, Anthology of Evil, was a collection of short stories ending with a novella (Andrew). My attempt to duplicate this with the sequel failed as my novella The Unwritten, which I began years ago on Wattpad, was so fun to write it grew into it's own book and so my sequel became two volumes in the series. "The Unwritten" concept was to write about something in three separate universes which somehow came together in the end. I started the story for fun on Wattpad and hit a wall that lasted several years until I was working on this sequel and the story grew into novella lenght at the end of the book. One day the conclusion suddenly came to me, I assume, as it had been gestating in my mind over those past few years. I was having so much fun expanding the novella that it became what I thought was too big for the book and deserved it's own book. I'd never had a series before, or a series in multiple volumes. And so, Volumes I and II came into being.
Anthology of Evil (short story collection - Kindle/Smashwords) - My first published book and a collection of my older, first published and unpublished short stories ending with the novella, "Andrew", which evolved into my second book, Death of heaven (created along with another, single page short story, "Perception", about humankind's long misperceptions about our place in the universe. Video Trailer
Short Stories - eBooks and audiobooks:
When asked to write a short story for the horror anthology (Giant Tales Final Ships) he produced, "Gravity Up!" which became an addendum, a story aside from Death of heaven. It is written from the perspective of merely one among the mass of humanity who had no idea what was crushing so many into nonexistence.
Another short story he wrote for another anthology (Giant Tales World of Pirates) was Breaking on Cave Island, where he explored the earlier life of another of his characters, Lord Ritchie. He is a character whose previous and original tale the actor Rutger Hauer (the replicant "Roy Batty" in Blade Runner) once chose as a winner in his international short story contest held over 2001-02.
There are plans to write a sequel to Death of heaven and include the two women from his screenplay, Gray and Lover The Hearth Tales Incident (a semi finalist in the Circus Road Films screenplay contest in 2014). There are as well plans in the sequel to that franchisable screenplay to have the two main male protagonists appear from the book.
A long time fan of Dorothy Parker, Harpo Marx and other members of the now long extinct Algonquin Round Table, a while back The Murdock Society was formed. A loosely based collection of artists Murdock found admirable and professional were selected, inducted and listed on his mobile app.
That notorious New York round table was started in part by the one and fascinating Murdock Pemberton, whose first name had actually been his mother's maiden name. Murdock has received the blessing of Pemberton's granddaughter, Sally Pemberton who has compiled a book about her famous grandfather. She graciously gave her permission to use the idea of The Murdock Society in exploring art and ideas.
Andrew (novella) - Story of a very young boy, the child of a very brilliant married couple who were also rather unusual scientists. It is a story about how Andrew tries to deal with an event more traumatic than anyone should ever have to experience, no matter what age they are. This is then juxtaposed with how he learned to deal with it as an adult, who he developed into by that point in his life, and where his parent’s efforts end him up.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
The Conqueror Worm - This story is the first full chapter of the book, Death of heaven. Jimmy and James are two young boys who leave on the same block. They are best friends, adventurers in the realm of childhood and they decided to dig for buried treasure. What they dig up is a terror beyond their ability to put it into words. Unless that word is... a scream. Also available as an audiobook.
About, The Conqueror Worm....
"The story itself is very strong, lulling the reader into a false sense of security as two young boys hunt for treasure, before ultimately morphing into a violent and sometimes disturbing tale of horror. This is done with such swiftness that it takes the reader almost completely by surprise, which only enhances the effect." - WILDSound Writing Festival's First Chapter Contest - from a review of "The Conqueror Worm."
Also available in Audiobook format.
Originally published in Rhonny Reaper's Creature Features Anthology.
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
EarVu - Dr. James Michaelson is working in a new lab on some fantastic new technology. He is on a three person team of Quantum Physicists: the lead and creator of this new "tech", Dr. Garrison; a magnetic theorist, Dr. Johnson; and himself. But something is wrong at the lab. They seem to be rather light on attendance today. There is something wrong. He can feel it. Something has gone terribly, horribly wrong....
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Expedition of the Arcturus (Science Fiction) - A generational spaceship is sent to its destination. Will they all make it? Why might some of them, or all of them, not make it? What is really going on? The story unpeals layer after layer of the reasons and meanings behind the lives of generations on Earth's first colonization space ship and the political motivations behind it. Those who may land and create a new life, have never been to Earth, but were born on this ship and raised by those who were. Some of which will never see the new world they were sent to colonize. This story, told in reverse timeline, was first published in Perihelion Science Fiction magazine (PerihelionSF.com) March 2013.
Review - Stranger Than SF
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Gumdrop City - Based on a true crime story. A widowed father spends an afternoon contemplating his strange neighbor whom everyone is wary of... and his own daughter’s whereabouts. This was made into a film prequel, "Gumdrop", a short horror...which has won 16 international film festival awards (Trailer), including: Best Film Noir Short, Best Thriller Short, Best Horror Short, and Best Director.
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
In Memory, Yet Crystal Clear (Science Fiction) - A world famous surgeon helps his missing son’s friend, only to find it leads to monumental changes to the United States and the world, in ways he could never have foreseen.
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Japheth, Ishvi and The Light (Zombie, Science Fiction) - We escaped society at the commune, but these soldiers came, and these things, that they came to... has Hell crawled from the depths? Based on the Biblical tale of Abraham and his son Isaac, Japheth loves his son Isaac. Along with Ishvi's siblings, they live in a religious commune known as, "The Light". Life is good. They have land, and love. Community. Until the Zombie Apocalypse burns into the ground as terrifying pillars from the skies and throws in some devastating confusion. Add in a splitting migraine, few special Decon soldiers, God himself and well, there you pretty much have it. All the good ingredients needed for a very real nightmare.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
The Mea Culpa Document of London - A medieval Witch Hunter and Judge of the Inquisition has a problem; the same one his mentor had to deal with years before. This is a document that was found by a modern researcher, who had his own problems (further explored in “Death of Heaven”).
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Mr. Pakool's Spice (Zombie) - It is months beyond the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. A father and his two children are trying to make it through the wintry back woods of Oregon state to somewhere safe. ALSO included in this ebook is a second short-short story that has never been published until now, called "The Regeant's Daughter - 'An Eye for an Eye'" that won a little award. No, I'm not being ironic, it was a very little award, just for and from a group of authors. But hey, it got one right?
Amazon
Smashwords
Audiobook
Video Trailer
Poor Lord Ritchie's Answer - A medieval Lord is sent to deliver a gift to his enemies in order to complete a negotiated peace and save his Royal family. But he has a few problems along the way. Trouble is, are the problems his, or is someone trying to convince him he is insane? Or, is something else entirely going on?
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Quantum History (Humor, Sci Fi) - A science experiment goes unforeseeably wrong, affecting a man and his wife across the country, in a bizarre and humorous fashion.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Sarah - A Twilight Zone type tale where evil can be found in a twisting of our mental processes through situation or disease in the actual formation of our thoughts "Sarah", has Alzheimer's. Her family loves her. But sometimes that's just not enough.
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Simon's Beautiful Thought (Science Fiction Romance) - “I love you Simon. I wish I didn’t, but I do. It’s destiny, as if I were made for you.” She looked up at Simon, her eyes big, twinkling, passionate, and tracking him perfectly. He felt as if he could fall into them. “I love you too,” Simon said. “But sometimes, love is not enough. Sometimes, loving someone, is just not-- right...”
Amazon
Smashwords
Video Trailer
Xibalba Unleased (Science Fiction/Horror) - Short Story. A research expedition to an ancient Mayan cave in Belize leads to dire events being released back out into the world after over a thousand years:
Slow, heavy industrial blues filled the room, the sax lending a sultry background to the nicely furnished apartment. Her heated breaths forced tiny hairs on the woman's face below her to move about as the skin heated and cooled with each breath.
A widescreen on the wall silently displayed Werner Herzog's seminal film, "Fata Morgana".
"Now do you want to die, Vicky?" A slight hesitation, then simply a whispered--
"No. Please. Vicky don't. Please...."
"Too late.
Amazon
Smashwords
Story Anthologies with other authors, including JZ Murdock:
- X The Unknown in A-Z Horror Anthology (upcoming) from Dark Chapter Press (never published)
- Giant Tales - World of Pirates (3 minute stories)
- Giant Tales - Final Ships (3 minute stories)
- The Undead Nation Anthology (on Smashwords)
- Creature Features Anthology
- Writer's Shack Anthology
- Hunger Pangs Anthology