Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Download from Smashwords (eBook) Amazon Barnes & Noble.com Amazon B&N Category:  Horror Publisher: Black Bed Sheet Books ISBN-10:  1946874116 Type: Fiction Pages: 488 Copyright: May 8, 2019 ISBN-13: 9781946874115 His newest nightmares—2 novellas, 12 short stories, and 17 dark poems—are scared up in The Collected Nightmares. Read them if you dare. Synopsis: Nightmares and dreams war inside you. Nightmares twine along the veins and through the synapses, into the nerves and beneath the skin. They skulk in the darkness that surrounds your heart. They’re always with you. They are you. They’re a version of you that has gone too far, done things you can’t take back. They lie. Dreams lie too. They, however, dwell in the light, in the open. They shine on your face out of the sun, and where before you saw darkness in the face of the stranger on the street, you now see the kindness in their eyes and the upward curve of their lips. Dreams light the way forward. Nightmares seek to drag you back. They’re always fighting for control of your body, but only you can decide which one wins. This is what master storyteller Fred Wiehe shows us through his achingly raw prose and poetry in The Collected Nightmares, that you can fight for the dreams, or sink into the darkness and let the nightmares take you. Every one of Wiehe’s characters—the struggling writer confronted by the sins of his past…. The witch who's the only thing standing between a small town and the evil that lurks in an ancient tree on its outskirts…. The man who’s visited in the night by a beautiful but very, very cold woman…. The three teen friends who play with demons beyond their ken…. The vengeful patrons of a horse stable…. The monster hunter who fears he might be the worst monster of all—make unexpected choices. Read the two novellas, twelve short stories, and seventeen poems contained within, and then ask yourself: Which will you choose?      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xG_PQMOgE

Hellnotes Review by Brian James Lewis
"Hello there, horror fans! Are you familiar with the saying, “No Rest For The Wicked?” Well, it seems to be a maxim that Fred Wiehe applies to his work. He may not be wicked, but he definitely knows how to write about those who are. The Collected Nightmares, recently released by Black Bed Sheet Books, is vast! We’re talking nearly 500 pages that include two novellas, twelve short stories, and seventeen poems. This author is not one to rest upon his laurels. The reason? Pain caused by an accident and the acid rain that lands on the injured party in multiple forms, all of which Wiehe has noted for us in the heartfelt intro.
This might sound odd, but I especially enjoy works written by those who deal with pain on the daily. It isn’t because I’m some cruel bastard who gets a cheap thrill from the suffering of others. No, it’s more the feeling of meeting another member of the tribe I belong to as well. Suffering chronic pain puts a drive into a creative person like nothing else. Not even love can surpass the determination to leave a legacy and the chance to escape into another world, like the misery of pain does. Next to that is the anger hanging onto pain’s coattails. You’ve got to express that shit somehow or go mad. Wiehe’s fierce prose and valiant poetry are red hot with that expression. Ready to dig The Collected Nightmares? Then hold onto your hats, we’re going in!
“Pretender” starts us off on the right foot as we follow author Frank Lester who is running late for his own book signing on Halloween. At first, he is jazzed about being in Barnes & Noble, but elation dies quickly when someone tells him that his father dropped by. Many of us would be cheered by the prospect of at least one friendly face in the crowd, but that’s not the case for Frank. His father is dead, so how the hell could he pop into any store, let alone talk to a clerk? Looks like somebody has attempted a prank in very poor taste, but why? As the story progresses, spirits and Halloween customs assert themselves. Could a mask help Frank escape what’s coming after him? Perhaps giving out Soul Cakes in the more modern form of candies will appease the demons? Frank keeps hearing, seeing, and smelling clues. Is it just his imagination or signs of impending doom? Just when you thought Halloween was scary enough, Wiehe shakes your sanity. Intense!
Right after that fine piece of fiction, we read “Penny’s Song,” the first of many poems in this volume. Short, sharp, and frightening, Wiehe’s poetry adds much flavor to The Collected Nightmares. These are powerful poems that tell us a lot about Fred and definitely express some of that anger I mentioned. A good example is “Not Dead,” which features the phrase:
The pain is always a part of me
Never gone
From it I am never free
There’s a lot more to this poem that I want you to read and appreciate. This is one of the best and most direct poems about what it’s like to keep your life, but not yourself as the result of events beyond your control. That, friends, is real life horror. We don’t want others to feel sorry for us. Hell, we don’t even know how we feel about you. Just understand that we are different now and there’s no chance of turning back even if we could. “Rebirth” and “Succubus” are full on terror about creatures of the night.
“Shoot Me” is a frightening flash piece that will surprise readers and is a heartfelt piece of writing. “The Collection” is a great slam against those bullies and mean people mentioned in the introduction. It’s a pleasure to see that their money can’t protect them and their bullshit reputations all the time! There are creatures out there who only want one thing, no substitutions. You can whine all you want, Mr. Applebee! See you soon! “My Only Daddy” is a frightening tale with a sharp twist. The narrator becomes alarmed when his son starts talking to people he can’t see and acting out. Surely this is not the little boy he and his wife raised? Well, his wife is gone now, due to mysterious causes. While the man is doing his best, his son ramps up the odd behavior. A stop must be put to this and there’s only one way to do it! But was it the right one?
One story in particular really stands out as a frightening fable about those who hurt others for fun. “The Reckoning” is beautifully written with just the right amount of terror mixed with a very important message. When a group of girls who take lessons at a riding stable start insulting the girl who works there cleaning stalls, things get out of hand fast. Yelling turns to violence and it looks like somebody might even die. The stable’s owner jumps into action, but instead of shouting at the girls or threatening to tell their parents, he insists they listen to a story. This isn’t just any old fairy tale, either. No way, this is a true story and what it reveals is chilling.
The Collected Nightmares is a genuine 5 STAR READ! Fred Wiehe should feel damn proud of what he’s accomplished here and we’re fortunate that he’s decided to stay among us and challenge our brains with his words. I really enjoyed his twisted tales and think you will, too!"


Manic Readers Review by Alice Clary
"A collection of stories, poems and novellas covering pretty much every scary thing you can imagine, including monsters, ghosts, demons, evil doppelgangers and good old-fashioned murderers. Some of my favorites were The Reckoning, a satisfying story about vengeance and bullies. Another was My Only Daddy. This one was a bit sad, yet clever and spine-chilling. Another of my top choices was the final one, Dead Girl, about a romance with a dead woman, though not in a perverted way. You’d just have to read it to understand. What a great way to end the collection.
“The Collection of Nightmares” is a fitting title. These tales encompass pretty much everything nightmares are made of—in a creepily fun way. I thoroughly enjoyed each of the included works of this author. The only thing that would have made it better is just a bit of editing, although the minor issues were not enough to detract from my enjoyment. I’m not into poetry, but even the poems were entertaining and chilling. It’s been a long time since I’ve read scary stories, and these satisfied my craving. Settle in for a dark, deliciously chilling joy ride through this collection of stories. You’ll want to sleep with one eye open, if you can sleep at all."