Through his hobby of stop-motion photo-graphy, young filmmaker Tom DeFrank builds a demon puppet, unwittingly creating a subliminal bond with an ancient entity. As he animates the miniature model, the boy summons a sinister force that gives vent to his own inner demons. Like a fury, it escapes into the world wreaking the terrible vengeance of the boy's repressed rage.
But fate intercedes. Tom befriends Julie, a girl whose father is the infamous Stephen Parrish, reclusive psychic and town enigma. While romance blooms between the teens, Parrish perceives the strange presence within Tom's aura. He sets out to solve the mystery of the demon, and the sinister devil-cult that once terrorized the region
In the small town of Chapinaw, strange events unfold. With each flare of Tom's passion, a strange creature is witnessed in the countryside. As the public grows fearful, suspicious eyes turn to Parrish as the source of the evil. Even as he labors to expel the rampaging beast, bitter grudges come to the fore . . . and people start dying. Will he be able to leash the monster in time, and harness the will of its creator; a boy little conscious of his power to create or destroy?
In Darkness It Dwells is my first work of fiction, a supernatural thriller with strong characters, and bold dramatic turns. Writing this novel was a long journey of almost eighteen years. It began as a short film back in 1984, (my senior thesis film Ten Thousand Demons), but it soon became a pet project, often picked up, discarded, and picked up again.
During that period, I developed other stories, screenplays, and film treatments, but this one kept calling me back.
It went through a curious evolution, and led me into deep explorations of the occult and mysticism. As the years rolled by, I developed a close identification with the characters, from the sixteen-year-old protagonist who labors with his animation hobby (much the way I did at his age) to the troubled psychic who questions his 'gift' of clairvoyance. The story is a metaphor for addiction, obsession, and the dark passions that dwell within the soul, while also being a terrific monster tale.
The novel was completed in 2004, and initially self-published as 'Demon Shadow'. It was then picked up by Medallion Press, and published as a mass-market paperback under the new title in 2006.
The book is available online at Amazon.com, and other fine bookstores.
A screenplay version of the book can be found here:
IN DARKNESS IT DWELLS screenplay
Reviews for 'IN DARKNESS IT DWELLS'
Lesley May 2006 The Eternal Night
http://www.eternalnight.co.uk/books/
"... This is one hell of a creepy story! At first it seems to be a fairly normal tale of a demon trying to break through to our world and using a young man as a conduit, but as the story progresses you discover that there are many more aspects to the tale that add additional texture to the story and result in one of the best and original horror stories I have read in a very
long time. If you think of all the best features of supernatural horror this book has most of them - demonic possession, astral travel, brutal murders, black magic, human sacrifice and just a little bit of teenage lurve to finish it all off!
For a horror story to grip me like this one takes some skill and Joseph Laudati has it in spades. I am looking forward to reading his next book to see if he can maintain the same high standard."
Harriet Klausner....Review Center March 21, 2006
http://www.reviewcentre.com/review191177.html
"...IN DARKNESS IT DWELLS is a fascinating paranormal thriller starring a delightful teen whose only enjoyment in life is the slow stop motion photography (see the movie Jason and the Argonauts as a terrific sample) until he meets Julie. The support cast augments the insight into the young hero and propels the fast-paced action forward. In some ways Stephen is the most enthralling character as his psychic gift is also a curse. Horror fans will appreciate this work and want Joseph Laudati to provide a prequel of what drove Stephen to Chapinaw."
Marissa NOVELSPOT.NET April 2006
"....Is there anything more intriguing than a small town with a dirty secret and a dark past? We are obsessed with towns that have something to hide: Amityville, Waco, Charles Manson's ranch in Death Valley. We eat this stuff up with a spoon, all the while saying how tragic it was that something like that happened. We can't help it; it's basic human curiosity. Joseph Laudati plays on this fascination with his novel In Darkness It Dwells....
...Mr. Laudati, a monster-maker in his own right, has crafted an excellent story with In Darkness It Dwells. I had a hard time getting into the story at first; I'm used to books that are non-stop action from the get-go. Mr. Laudati has taken a psychological approach that slowly spins inside your head until it sinks its claws deep inside of you and doesn't let go until the last page is read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Laudati's work.
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