A Novella
Melon Head Mayhem
By: Alex Ebenstein
Published by: Shortwave Publishing
Cover art: Marc Vuletich
Cover design: Alan Lastufka
Release Date: July 11, 2023
Print ISBN: 978-1-959565-15-4
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-959565-16-1
Have you ever wanted to live inside your favorite horror film? Prove you have what it takes to fight Freddy? Destroy Jason? Mangle Michael?
Cousins Carson and Sophia are in town for their grandma’s funeral and are, unknowingly, about to live out the nightmare that is every horror fan’s dream.
After they find an old unfamiliar VHS tape tucked away in grandma’s house, they figure the worst that can happen is a few cringeworthy moments and 90 minutes wasted. Instead, the video summons the movie monsters—local urban legends called melon heads—into their very real lives!
The destruction caused by the blood thirsty melon heads has Carson and Sophia fighting to survive and sets them on a deadly path to the shores of Lake Michigan, home of the devilish beasts. They vow to destroy every last one of the melon heads and make sure these monsters never get a sequel.
Will they survive? Would you fare better?
It’s a creature feature. It’s a throwback. It’s… MELON HEAD MAYHEM!
Praise for “Melon Head Mayhem”
“A really fun and entertaining book… Ebenstein weaves a hectically bloody tale oozing with film grain and cheap practical effects… this collection is going to be hailed as the modern day Goosebumps for adults.”
—Horror Obsessive
“Alex Ebenstein delivers a fun, pulse pounding love letter to urban legends and dusty VHS tapes with MELON HEAD MAYHEM. It’s pure creature feature goodness that will have you cheering until the very last frame page!”
—Joshua Hull, author of Mouth and screenwriter of Glorious
“In his superbly entertaining novella, Alex Ebenstein transports us to a world of VHS tapes and fast-paced B-movie fun, with a love for the genre that really shines through. With thrills, nostalgia, and a mystery to solve, B-movie fans will want to check out Melon Head Mayhem!”
—Antonia Rachel Ward, author of Attack of the Killer Tumbleweeds
“Melon Head Mayhem is perfect for B-horror movie fans. This novella is packed with unique monsters, glorious gore, and wacky fight scenes, while also featuring a heroic duo struggling to reconnect with the meaning of family and home. Alex Ebenstein delivers with a fast-paced and fun love letter to the days of VHS tapes that will make you pine for Blockbuster Video. Snatch this one off the shelf and hit play!”
—Angela Sylvaine, author of Frost Bite