13 Questions with Ann Wilkes

Hello Horror Addicts, please join me in welcoming our featured author for episode 101, Ann Wilkes.

When asked how she felt about being on the show Ann replied, “I’m thrilled, naturally. Emerian has a top-notch site. It’s an honor.”

She has submitted to HA twice a flash fiction piece, as well as her audio story for the podcast. “My stories often have a sociological or even first contact bent to them. I have a hard time getting really hard with my science, though, going more for drama and humor. My stories are always character driven.”

Ann’s work is available in both in print and electronic format. “I have stories in anthologies that are available electronically, as well as archived flash fiction in various places, such as Every Day Fiction.”

As “a journalist, copywriter and entrepreneur by day and a dance teacher and dancer by night,” it’s surprising that she has any free time to write her stories. I also wondered how her “day job” played a part in her writing.

“Only as far as time commitments. Until you’ve “landed,” you can’t sit down and write a story to pay the bills. The stories come when they come and money follows when it follows. It’s not a guaranteed paycheck, so it’s hard for me to make myself write new stories, when writing ad copy or working on the dance site will give me more instant renumeration. Those are the ugly facts about the writing life I’m afraid.”

I was curious as always to see what had initially dragged Ann into the horror fandom. “The fast-paced action and the psychological thrillers. The creepy ones that you chew on for days and the adrenaline rush of the chase scenes.” Ann finds herself drawn werewolves and claims them to be her favorite horror monster. “They can be normal for the most part, but can’t let anyone get too close to them and discover their true nature. They are like Jekyll and Hyde, only they have a set schedule for their alter egos. But then they have to deal with the aftermath of their rampages. And the guilt. They’re both tormented and tormenter. They are driven by intelligence only until the moon is full, when they act only on animal instinct.”

Did you know that Ann often has dreams in which she is escapes the bogey man? “They are scary, yet empowering, because I always get away.” Another little known fact about Ann, is that she is “distantly related to the famous train/bank robbers, the Younger Brothers, who rode with Jesse James.” She also wanted to note that “it was the Younger Brothers gang, not the Jesse James gang.”

For the future, Ann has a couple of projects in mind and in the works. “I would like to create a collection of speculative fiction stories all relating to or about elephants and partner with an elephant sanctuary to market it as a fundraiser for the sanctuary and get a wider audience for the stories.”

“I’m shopping a few stories around that I have high hopes for. In one, In my psychological thriller set in space, I invented a sport.

“In another, there are monsters from the future, which are transported to our present instead of our past, as punishment for political crimes. The damage that ensues, with these huge rhinoceros-like creatures landing in a small Pacific Northwest town, is devastating compared to what would have happened if they were warped back to the dino-age as planned. It’s important to note that they arrive extremely hungry.

“Another involves a water world where the humans’ hosts are dying. They live on leviathans in a symbiotic relationship. There are symbiotes in the monster story, too. I guess I was going through a phase.”

For more information about Ann Wilkes, visit her website: annwilkes.com. “There’s nothing new about my website. All my energy has been going into a new venture that is rather off-topic. I just launched Sonoma County Dance Beat (socodancebeat.com) at the end of March.”

 

13 Questions’ Most Horrifically Fun Interviews

Alright Horror Addicts, do I have a special treat for you? Well, let me put it this way…would any woman make a deal with a crossroads demon to spend a night with the boys of Supernatural?  If you don’t know the answer to that question, then you my ex-friend are in the WRONG place 😉

In honor of our upcoming 100^th episode of Horror Addicts, I have wadded through the years of 13 Questions to bring you MY Top 10 favorite interviews!

Whether it be their insane sense of humor, their demonically seductive personalities, or just their undying passion for what they do…Below you will find the 10 Masters and Mistresses Wickeds that have left a mark on me; (Thankfully it wasn’t the black spot! Phheeewww!) as well as my favorite snippet from their interview.

Each author’s name will be a link to the real goodies (a.k.a. their original interview). Now, let’s get this hauntingly exciting review started!!!

10. Kimberly Steele-

[“I feel that my pathetic, obsessive lurking around Emerian’s fabulous site and community becomes slightly more legitimized because I’ve been asked to interview twice.”

You may have heard the rumors going around that Emerian and Kimberly hate each other. After you read what Steele had to say about the rumors you’ll see what’s going on. “She’s my sister by a different mister, I love that chica. Emerian and I share Criss Angel. We get at each other, but it’s really Criss is to blame. He’s a slut.”]

9. Shaunessy Ashdown-

[Shaunessy prefers the “monsters” that are “closest to reality.” “Serial killers, jilted lovers that fly off the handle, the sort of badies you find in thrillers like “Psycho” or “Fatal Attraction.” It’s fascinating to explore what turns a person evil…though in the supernatural realm, witches and ghosts really capture my imagination, maybe because they are the most real to me.”]

8. Patricia Santos-  

[Excitingly enough the “short” Patricia will be sharing with us an excerpt of her novel The Weeping Woman. Not wanting to give away too much information, all I could get out of Patricia was a small description about the excerpt. “It’s what I call my Mexican exorcism scene. A healer is removing a curse from a young girl. Pretty creepy. You’ll never look at a snake the same way.”]

7. Crystal Connor-

[My writing affects everything else. I write at night, so I really don’t have that much of a social life; everyone I love lives normal lives and sleep during the night. The way you’re supposed to haha. But the transition from punching a clock and being financially secure, to trying to carve out a life on the earnings of book sales has really shown me who my friends are. And luckily for me everyone who was around when I was spending money like there was no tomorrow are still with me today.]

 

6. Rick Kitagawa-

[“Hands down, my favorite monster is probably the Creature from the Black Lagoon and other aquatic-based creatures.  While the Gill Man is not the strongest or most terrifying of the bunch, he just looks so frickin’ awesome.  Actually, I’m working on (yet) another comic project that focuses on the Creature and other monsters, but puts them in day jobs and awkward social situations with each other.  It’s actually completely not scary at all (much more slice of life/emo stuff), but that just goes to show how much I like the Gill Man. I’m even willing to do a comic that’s not even remotely creepy because I like him so much.”]

5. Jennifer Rahn-

[“I am a scientist, currently researching brain tumors. I did a stint in the biotech industry after my Msc (sic) in Pharmacology and then did my PhD in breast cancer, so I’ve got quite a wide range of experiences that I could use to build up a story environment. I think it all gave me a lot of background fodder for the first novel, and I have an idea for a scifi whodunit, so it probably will provide me with background again, but the nice thing about writing fantasy is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be scientifically accurate!”]

4. Joshua Heinrich-  

[Josh’s relaxed nature took hold and he began to joke around while explaining his story The Basement to me. “It’s a bit over 1700 words.  Originally written in Times New Roman.  12 pt, I believe.  In English.  There’s a basement involved.  Okay, okay.  I’ll stop.  It’s a story I actually wrote a few years back.  It sort of jumps into the story of a woman locked in a pitch black basement, sort of following her actions and inner narrative as things come into focus.  I’m not sure I really want to give any more away before your listeners experience the story.  I guess that’s the problem with promoting stories with twists or that evolve into something else as the narrative goes along…it’s hard give a summary without spoiling the whole thing.”]

3. Shana Abé- 

[I watched hawks a lot. Eventually I could identify entire families. They’re graceful and deadly, and one afternoon I was watching them slice through the air when I thought, “Dragons! Aha!” Because although hawks are cool, dragons are even cooler. You can say whatever you want about dragons, create any mythology you want for them. They are purely products of our deepest, darkest imagination.

In fact, there’s a scene in The Deepest Night in which Lora and Armand are discussing why they–their species–are so feared by humans. Armand says: “Because dragons are the most formidable creatures of all. Because we exist at the fringes of their imaginations, nefarious and bloodcurdling and never quite fully defined. We can be shaped however they wish, assigned any horrific trait they dare to invoke. We’re the accumulation of all that they fear, most of all themselves.”]

2. Wicked Women Writers/Masters of Macabre-

There really isn’t a specific WWW or MMM that I enjoyed interviewing over the other. In fact, I found that it was the experience of doing a group interview of so many extraordinary authors that makes my WWW and MMM interviews some of my favorite!

And my favorite interview of all time is…dun…Dun…DUUUNNNNNNNNN

1. Emerian Rich-

[As the Horror Hostess that she is, I had to ask what actually got Emerian into the horror genre in the first place? “Horror and dark beauty inspire me to create, to live, to be. It sounds like a rather strange thing to say, that things usually involving death or terror inspire you, but I think it is the key to horror culture that outsiders will never really understand. I think it is a true test of the soul when someone is tortured or brought to the brink or death. There is a beauty when a character decides to accept the darkside or when they conquer it through personal strength. I am not a fan of mass murder or child abuse or terrorism in our real lives. However, I am a fan of the child or wife or soldier who battles through and shows that our human spirits can endure pain and still prevail.”]

2014 Writer’s Workshop Winner: A.D. Vick

Congratulations to our newest Writer’s Workshop winner, A.D. Vick. “I’m both thrilled and honored to be featured here. I’ve read some material written by other writers involved with Horror Addicts and I’ve found their material quite interesting. So, I’m also somewhat surprised as well as grateful that I’m being showcased here.”

Vick’s submission for the workshop was Night of the Harvestmen. I asked Vick to share a little background about his story with us. “The idea for the story came from my real-life experience. A couple of summers ago it was unusually hot and we were living under extreme drought conditions. As a result, I had to deal with a real infestation of harvestmen, which had apparently figured out how to get into my bathroom where conditions were moister and at times, wetter. They came in by the dozens; and while my story exaggerates their numbers, there were enough of them to really freak me out.”

As always, I was curious to know how A.D. became a fan of Horror Addicts and to see what drew him to the horror genre. Luckily, Vick was more than happy to share a story or two. “I guess I’ve been a HA fan for a year or two. My first connection to it came as a result of my friendship with Mimielle Marek LeFauve, who used to host tea parties locally once a month or so and is now involved with your productions. She spoke to me once or twice about an author friend living in San Francisco who had involvement with horror-story podcasts. Eventually, Mimielle introduced me to Emerian Rich, with whom I became Facebook friends. It wasn’t hard to learn about Horror Addicts after that.”

“I think it’s the interaction between ordinary people in the everyday world and the supernatural. I’ve had an interest in the supernatural for about as long as I can remember and have experienced a few brushes with it myself. I also enjoy the horror writer’s ability to describe occurrences in such detail that the reader feels that he or she is right there, sharing in the frightful occurrences. Horror films have great visuals as well as the ability to shock and frighten. You never know what might be lurking behind the next corner.”

In addition to Vick’s love for horror stories (especially Gothic literature), he loves music. He is particularly a fan of “heavy metal, classical, dark wave and Celtic.” He also is interested in the care and preservation of a couple of historic cemeteries. I’m fascinated by history and really enjoy discussing and writing about the relationship between certain historic events and the ghost stories that have come about as a result of them, whether real or imagined.”

Currently, A.D. is working on a sequel to his story A Fall from Grace. “When I finish it, I’m going to add it to a collection I have more or less self-published online called, Tales of Dark Romance and Horror. Then, I’d like to move this collection to Kindle and publish it in book form as well. After that, I’ll get back to creating new material that I can submit to various horror venues.”

For more information on A.D. Vick, be sure to check out these sites:

http://gothicembrace.blogspot.com

http://www.romanceandhorror.com

13 Questions with Mimi A. Williams

 

 

 

Helloooooo Horror Addicts! Let me welcome you to another horrific year full of stories ‘bout those who go bump in the night…

Tonight for our first episode of season 9 we have author Mimi A. Williams. A longtime fan of HA herself, Mimi was ecstatic to join the growing list of featured authors. “[This is] absolutely awesome! I’ve been a fan of the site for a few years since I discovered it, and I’ve loved reading the interviews. This feels like a rock star moment!”

For episode 98, Mimi decided to share with us a story she had submitted to a Horror anthology. “This story was written a while ago, but it got new life when I submitted it to a publisher for consideration for an anthology called Axes of Evil: A Heavy Metal Horror Anthology. I had written several horror short stories a number of years ago, but I never pursued publishing them – until now.” In short, “Rita is a short story about a woman in an abusive relationship who wakes up one morning and discovers she may have killed her partner. But try as she might, she can’t remember exactly what happened, and if she did kill him, what she did with his body.”

“Under my real name (Kim Williams Justesen) I’ve had five books for kids published, and I have a new Young Adult novel coming out in a few months. My first horror book came out in 2012. It’s called Beautiful Monster and it’s the story of a serial killer and one of his victims written in alternating points of view. My horror short story Rita is in the Axes of Evil anthology which came out on April 1st of this year, and later this year, my horror short Snow Queen will be published in the Heart Core anthology.”

Although Mimi’s career doesn’t involve novel writing, her profession is well…writing. “I work as a copy writer for an online retailer. The cool thing is, the company specializes in knives. All kinds of knives, axes, throwing stars, and lots of wicked, sharp, pointy things! So, yes – it affects me quite positively! I keep my writing skills sharp (pun intended) all day, and I learn about CM-154 steel, kukri blades, and weyverne axe blades! What horror writer doesn’t appreciate that? I also teach creative writing for a local university, which helps me stay focused on my own skills and keeps me thinking about fundamentals.”

“I still have a day job, but not much longer. Only for another year or so. It’s tougher to make a living a writing these days than it was when I started (15 years ago!). So many more people are pursuing writing and the competition is so much more challenging – all though I think in most ways that’s a good thing.”

Mimi found herself drawn to the horror genre because it “allows us to look at the dark aspects of life, to confront our fear through the safety of the page or the screen.”

“We somehow think that if we can survive what we confront through books and movies, then anything in real life can’t possibly be all that bad, right? I also really like it because I can plot all kinds of heinous methods of pain and suffering for people who tick me off and all I’m really doing is plotting! And so far, that’s still not illegal!”

Out of all the horror creatures out there, Mimi connects with the general idea of monsters. “[They] serve an important role in society. We identify with their status as misunderstood outsiders, we see the value of the purpose they serve (face it – a lot of deserving people get taken out by monsters), and they each force us as participants in their stories to confront a different aspect of ourselves. Rage, rejection, humiliation, all those dark and ugly emotions we feel are given expression through these creatures.”

Mimi then continued on to talk more about her writing and she offered this piece of insight for all the aspiring authors out there. “The hardest part about being a writer is the business aspect. It would be great if you could just write and submit and collect your royalty checks. But the business side is as time consuming (or more!) as the writing is. You’ve got to maintain your public presence. You’ve got to be constantly promoting yourself and your work, updating your Facebook and your website. You have to stay on top of trends, keep reading and staying aware of the market. Then there is the research on publishers and agents, and the submission letters, and the waiting. Writing is the easy part, it’s all the other stuff that gets challenging.”

Off the topic of horror…little known tid-bit about Mimi, she got her first tattoo when she was 37! She now has a total of 4 and is currently planning her next. So her main goal (besides planning her next few ink sessions is to “find a new agent (the last one didn’t work out real well), write at least two books a year and few more short stories, and keep submitting to eventually get to the point of writing full-time for a living.”

Besides that, Mimi is hard at work wrapping up her next few projects. “My young adult novel, Death’s Kiss (a paranormal story) will be out sometime in May. The Heart Core anthology will be out later this year, and I’m working on another short story for Axes of Evil Vol. II.  I always have two or three projects going at a time, so who knows what else may be lying in wait!”

For more information on Mimi A. Williams be sure to check out her personal website at kwjustesen.com

WheelMan Press

Zombie George Washington leads an army of Zombie Soldiers in a siege of Washington DC

October 1, 2013 – Stockbridge, GA. WheelMan Press releases novel Zombie George Washington: The Zombie President and His Zombie Army March to Retake DC — Zombie George Washington: The Zombie President and His Zombie Army March to Retake DC

The government hatches a secret plan to resurrect dead war veterans to create an army of zombie super-soldiers, and they bring back two of America’s greatest generals, President George Washington and General George S. Patton, to lead them. But when the two leaders discover just how corrupt the government they once so loyally served has become, it leads to deception, death, destruction, and a zombie army laying siege to Washington, DC, with the long-dead former President at its head.

Disabled African American author, GB Banks, sufferer of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, has been wheelchair- and home-bound and cared for by his parents for all of his 48-years. He hopes to make Zombie George Washington a success so that he can better his life, give back to his parents for everything they have done for him throughout his life, and free himself of the fear of being left alone and placed into a nursing home when they are gone. Banks’ disease, one that has caused him to have extremely brittle bones, stunted his growth, and left him dealing with frequent respiratory issues, but has never allowed his illness to deter him from having big dreams.

 

Zombie George Washington: The Zombie President and His Zombie Army March to Retake DC, is an epic zombie war tale that can be compared to the films World War Z combined with the film Olympus Has Fallen. It is available through distributors Ingram, Baker & Taylor, and from most major bookstores and ebook retailers worldwide. To contact the author, you may send him an email at:author.gbb@gmail.com.

Master of Macabre 2013: Rick Kitagawa

Congratulations to our Master of Macabre 2013, Rick Kitagawa!  For his submission, Rick was given a location of a Double Wide Trailer Home and his item was a black and white television.

Rick is very excited to be named the newest MMM. “It feels great!  To be honest, I was really surprised, as the competition was stiff indeed, but I’m very grateful that I was able to squeak out the win and am stoked the fans voted for me.”

I was curious if there was anything that Rick would like to have changed about his submitted story, Uncle Neal’s House? “A few more rounds of editing would always have been nice, but considering the amount of time I had (on top of all the other deadlines I was juggling), I’m pretty happy how it turned out.  I had to edit out about another 2,000 words, so I’m not 100% sure if I like this tighter, leaner version better than what I consider the original (more backstory and set-up was involved), but since the story worked maybe that says that the extra text wasn’t necessary?”

In regards to next year’s challenge, Rick isn’t too sure on what he is wanting, but he does know one thing. “I want there to be more monsters.  Take note, everyone!” He also wanted to send a shout out to all of the other MMM Contestants. “I want there to be more monsters.  Take note, everyone!”

Fans of Rick, be sure to keep an eye out on this guy as he has several projects in the works. “I have almost too many ideas to boil down into anything concrete to talk about, but besides just writing more creepy stories and painting creepy art, I’m launching a course called Artrepreneurism 101, which is designed to help budding artists (including writers, musicians, etc.) develop an entrepreneurial spirit and start hustling their art to make a living off of it.  You can sign up for the class (it’s local now, a web version is in the works) at www.artofhustlingart.com. Additionally, I’m still plugging away at the comic The Siren’s Call (the first few pages are up on my website) and I hope to publish a collection of short stories by early next year.”

And if you haven’t read Uncle Neal’s House, you can find it here.

13 Questions with Patricia Santos

As the Season Finale looms right around the corner, we thought it would be best to feed your horror hungry minds with a name familiar to Horror Addicts…Patricia Santos Marcantonio. Thought this is her first time to be featured as an author, Patricia made her HA debut in 2012 as a Guest Blogger with her post about La Llorona. She has also had her novel The Weeping Woman reviewed by our very own David Watson and was even had The Weeping Woman featured as one of our Free Fiction giveaways!

Patricia stated that she was both, “honored and excited” to be featured on HA. Excitingly enough the “short” Patricia will be sharing with us for episode 96 is an excerpt of her novel The Weeping Woman. Not wanting to give away too much information, all I could get out of Patricia was a small description about the excerpt. “It’s what I call my Mexican exorcism scene. A healer is removing a curse from a young girl. Pretty creepy. You’ll never look at a snake the same way.”

The inspiration for Santos’ novel came from her own childhood. “The Mexican folk tale of La Llorona.  It’s the story of a beautiful and selfish woman who drowned her own children. She was turned into a horrible apparition and is doomed to walk the night looking for her children. My parents told me the story when I was a kid and it scared the hell out of me.  The character is fascinating because she is evil, but also heartbreaking. I’ve also written a play and short story about her.”

Not only has Patricia been working on horror novels but darker children’s books as well, such as her book Red Ridin’ in the Hood. “I took fairy tales from around the world and retold them with Latino characters and culture to create a new take on them.  With each fairy tale, I had to come up with a central theme as a starter. For Example, Hansel and Gretel to me is about the tenacity of children.  I’m very proud of that book which made it on the reading list of many school districts. One story from the collection also is in a textbook. I have also written a middle-grade book about two resourceful sisters who hunt ghosts. They are scared and delighted because they discover a ghost in their new school. I’m looking for a publisher for that one.”

And Santos doesn’t stop there, her skill range from journalism to school books to writing screenplays. “I was a longtime reporter, but quit three years ago just to write. I love it. Being a reporter for all those years did teach me how to meet deadlines, write quickly and do research–all useful to a fiction writer. I also write screenplays and have placed in the top percentages in many contests. I have written and produced four short films. One of those is homage to bad sci-fi horror movies called “Attack of the Killer Potatoes.””

Like most of you Horror Addicts out there, Patricia’s love of horror grew from many of the classics. “I have so many favorites—mostly the ones that have distinct characteristics. The monster in “Alien.”  Boris Karloff’s “Frankenstein.” Anything zombie. Hannibal Lecter. The ants in “Them.” Christopher Lee’s  Dracula. The hotel in “The Shining.” James Arness’ “The Thing.” And of course, “Dexter,” who I will miss. I also love anything by H.P. Lovecraft and “Tales from the Crypt.”

Patricia’s future goals are simple, “to continue to be a storyteller and sell books, of course.” And continue she does, “A mystery involving Jack the Ripper, a John Grisham-drama, and also a graphic novel collection of horror and suspense stories called Suena Street. Suena means dream.”

For more information on Patricia Santos Marcantonio, be sure to check out these websites:
http://patriciasantosmarcantonio.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Santos-Marcantonio/e/B001IXO71G
http://theweepingwoman.com/

Press Release: Black Labyrinth Book II

Black Labyrinth Book II: Joe R. Lansdale illustrated by Santiago Caruso

Horror exists within all of us. Darkness encroaches and recedes through our minds, an amoeba that fluctuates in strength and intent. It only defines us without resistance.

These are stories where resistance falters or is lost entirely. This is where the boundaries between the innerverse and the outerverse recede. Perceptions will be warped. Friends will become demons.

Enter Black Labyrinth, the first imprint of books purely dedicated to psychological horror. Written by the masters of horror and dark fiction. Illustrated by artist Santiago Caruso. Published by Dark Regions Press.

May we navigate together on October 8th, 2013.

 

KBatz 5 (ish) Antarctica Essentials!

As the wicked summer heat begins to fade, Horror Addicts. net has opened the dead mail bag, and what should there be but a fan question for Kbatz!!

Lovely UK fan Alex asks what 5 box sets I would take with me were I stranded in Antarctica.  Wow, that’s a toughy. I hope my exile isn’t in the summer, sunshiny time! I need it dark and icy!

1. I’d have to cheat and agree with Alex’s email and say the complete Dark Shadows box set. Classic, campy, scary, 1200 episodes plus will fill a lot of chilly nights, too!

2. Purely on non-horror indulgence, I’d have to take me some Sharpe and Sean Bean or the Lord of the Rings Extended Editions.  🙂 Man love!

3. Tossing in some sci-fi as well, I got The Alien Quadrilogy blu ray set for my Christmas! We just finished the exhaustive features disc for all 4 films. Lordy, I’d have to pack some Fassbender and Prometheus, too.

4. More old school UK props, I have to say my favorite show ever is actually Blake’s 7. Learn it, live it, love it!

5. I’m a chick and I am so, so over packing, but I have to end my list with the ‘every Hammer Horror film ever’ box set.  Simply because I don’t really think such a collection exists in a pretty set, and it dang well should!

What are YOUR Top Stranded Arctic/Island Genre Essentials, Addicts? Tell Kbatz! Because, just my luck, I’ll get all nestled in ala The Thing and realize I forgot a major favorite!

And Thanks for asking Alex! 🙂

K

13 Questions with Shana Abé

This week’s featured author Shana Abé is thrilled to be a part of the HA team and, for episode 95, will be sharing an excerpt from her latest release, THE DEEPEST NIGHT. Shana said, “I picked a really cool scene involving living smoke and agony and guardian stars who watch at night. Oh, and the heroine ends up making a pretty huge sacrifice.”

THE DEEPEST NIGHT features the last living members of an ancient, enchanted species called the drákon: shapeshifters who have the ability to turn from human to smoke to dragon.  “The entire series began with this incredibly vivid image I had of a single scene: a young dragon, golden and glittering, battling an airship by herself beneath a purple starry sky. (I don’t think it gives anything away to say that it becomes a crucial scene in the first book of the series, THE SWEETEST DARK.)

Now Shana, isn’t new to weaving the tales of dragons, “I’ve been writing about dragons for quite a while. My first series that featured them, the Drákon Series, was hugely popular, but I felt the need to shift time periods and main characters. Instantly I came up with Lora Jones: an impoverished, cunning orphan from the ghettos of London who has no idea she’s actually drákon. Both THE SWEETEST DARK and THE DEEPEST NIGHT highlight how she comes into her powers–which are actually quite dangerous–and slowly learns to master them. “

“I set the series in Europe at the very beginning of WWI, because that was the only war in which the combatants used airships to drop bombs. And I really wanted Lora to go after that zeppelin! In THE DEEPEST NIGHT: It’s 1915, and Lora and Armand have set out to cross enemy lines to rescue one of their own. It’s definitely a story about magic and sacrifice and unbounded destiny.”

Shana went on to say what had inspired the series in the first place. “Hawks and bunnies. Seriously. I have pet house rabbits, and I used to live in LA, where there are tons of hawks. Whenever I’d let my bunnies outside to play, I’d have to stand guard over them. I watched hawks a lot. Eventually I could identify entire families. They’re graceful and deadly, and one afternoon I was watching them slice through the air when I thought, “Dragons! Aha!” Because although hawks are cool, dragons are even cooler. You can say whatever you want about dragons, create any mythology you want for them. They are purely products of our deepest, darkest imagination.

In fact, there’s a scene in THE DEEPEST NIGHT in which Lora and Armand are discussing why they–their species–are so feared by humans. Armand says:

“Because dragons are the most formidable creatures of all. Because we exist at the fringes of their imaginations, nefarious and bloodcurdling and never quite fully defined. We can be shaped however they wish, assigned any horrific trait they dare to invoke. We’re the accumulation of all that they fear, most of all themselves.””

For more information on Shana’s Drákon tales, be sure to check out her website: shanaabe.com. The site has been newly re-vamped or shall we say…re-fired for her latest book series the Sweetest Dark. According to Shana, “THE DEEPEST NIGHT is, in fact, the second book in the Sweetest Dark Series, and I wanted to freshen up the site. New photos, new content, new links, and a couple of insanely awesome book trailers produced by Random House. I love it.”

Unlike many Horror Addicts out there, Shana was not drawn to the dark side by blood and gore. No in fact it is the idea of a “safe scare” that caught her attention. “Let’s face it; everyone loves the thrill of a safe scare. What I mean is, I don’t want to be frightened in my real life. That sucks. But movies, books, plays–venues that allow us to indulge in fear or shock or whatever that adrenaline-producing thing is without real-life consequences–that’s awesome.”

That being said, there was one time in Shana’s life that she wasn’t so excited about safe scares. “To this day, the monster/creature who scares me the most is Lon Chaney from the 1925 production of Phantom of the Opera. I’m not talking any cheesy, romantic version of the story; I’m talking about the grainy, black-and-white, fully disfigured, creepy version. I saw it as a little girl very late one night, loooong after I was supposed to be asleep. I was being babysat by some chick who I guess thought it would be hysterical to deal with a terrified child for the rest of the night, because she let me watch it in my empty, unlit house, all by myself. I cowered under a blanket and I swear didn’t sleep for days.”

Now-a-days, she spends her time baking and writing. “I like to bake, but I hardly ever do. I make incredible cinnamon-sugar cookies. But I live in Colorado, where nearly everyone I know is ridiculously fit and healthy. If I bake a batch of cookies, I always end up eating too many of them myself because all my friends are like, “Oh, I love them, but you used real sugar?? I’ll have just one.” And then I’ll have, like, eleven. [Then with writing, the hardest part is the isolation]. Isolation is a very necessary part of creating fiction, because the cacophony and rituals of everyday life can really steal time. Writers tend to write alone, which means we have to carve out that intention, that space, very deliberately. And then nourish it. Some people are able to write in noisy, crowded places, like coffee shops. I can’t do that. I need calm and quiet to let my dreams loose.”

Currently, Shana is finishing up the third book in the Sweetest Dark Series. After that, [she has] an idea for a brand-new trilogy that’s probably going to be a bit more dire than anything [she has] done before. It’s still in the early stages in [her] mind, but very compelling!

So be sure to keep an eye out for any updates from Shana. You can stay up to date but following her at:

www.facebook.com/ShanaAbe

www.shanaabe.com

Jeff Carlson: Interrupt

In the distant past, the leader of a Neanderthal tribe confronts the end of his kind.

Today, a computational biologist, a Navy pilot, and an autistic boy are drawn together by the ancient mystery that gave rise to Homo sapiens. Planes are falling from the sky. Global communications have ceased. America stands on the brink of war with China — but war is the least of humankind’s concerns. As solar storms destroy Earth’s electronics and plunge the world into another Ice Age, our civilization finds itself overrun by a powerful new species of man…

You can find Interrupt on Kindle or order print copies from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com.

http://www.amazon.com/Interrupt-ebook/dp/B00B3V9GAA/
http://www.amazon.com/Interrupt-Jeff-Carlson/dp/1612183646/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/interrupt-jeff-carlson/1114672648?ean=9781612183640

Press Release: Ramsey Campbell-Holes for Faces

The new collection Holes for Faces by world-renowned horror author Ramsey Campbell is now available on DarkRegions.com, Amazon.com and the Amazon Kindle.

Trade paperback and ebook editions in stock/available, premium signed limited edition hardcover preorders available on DarkRegions.com and include paperback and/or ebook editions after order is placed.

Description

One of the most respected living horror writers in the world, Campbell has more awards for his horror tales than any other author, and “is likely to be remembered as the leading horror writer of our generation,” according to S.T. Joshi. One of the heirs apparent to early-twentieth-century American author H. P. Lovecraft, Campbell’s horror stories are often set in contemporary Merseyside, England, his own hometown, and involve quite ordinary characters. His unsettling, dreamlike prose, however, transforms his work into very effective horror fiction.

Holes for Faces collects many of his best tales from the first decade of this century. An attempt to avoid a haunted house leads into worse danger. The announcements at a railway station deal with stranger things than trains, and is that another railway station in the distance or a different kind of destination? A childhood game becomes a source of terror, and so does a radio quiz show. Even Christmas decorations may not be trusted, and beware of that Advent calendar! A hotel provides amenities you mightn’t welcome, and a visit to a tourist attraction attracts an uninvited follower. A train journey may never end, unless it already has, and a visit to a hospital brings back more than memories. A myth about a horror film has unwanted consequences. There are angels you mightn’t want to see too clearly, if that’s what they are. And you’ll have to decide if it’s better to stay in the dark or see what’s waiting there. You’ll find uncanny dread in these pages, and disquiet and terror, but also poignancy and comedy of paranoia. One theme runs through all the stories: youth and age.

Table of Contents

Passing through Peacehaven

Peep

Getting It Wrong

The Room Beyond

Holes for Faces

The Rounds

The Decorations

The Address

Recently Used

Chucky Comes to Liverpool

With the Angels

Behind the Doors

Holding the Light

The Long Way

Blurbs

 

“Consider Holes for Faces another textbook by one of our best practitioners, an essential addition to the bookshelves of horror readers and writers alike.” – FEAR NET

“Holes For Faces is a must-read for Ramsey Campbell fans, collecting his best stories from this fledgling century we find ourselves in. And if you’ve not been introduced to Mr. Campbell yet, then I can think of no better place to start.” – The Occult Detective

“…a superb collection of stories of the strange and the dark that I’m sure fans of the genre will love. I know I did.” – The Horrifically Horrifying Horror Blog

“The title story, “Holes for Faces,” is a tale of sliding realities in which our protagonist sees a very different world around him. He becomes aware of the horrors that no one else can see. These stories reflect Campbell’s ability to take normal and tilt it just far enough to create fear. This could happen to you he reminds us and that is the greatest fear of all.” – Horror Novel Reviews

“…as the reader progresses into the tales, the tension increases as the stories become more sinister and, well, down right creepy in that some of the stories make us question our innermost selves. In reading “Holes For Faces”, which I have enjoyed immensely, I discovered that my personal favorites are “Getting It Wrong,” “Holes for Faces”, and “The Rounds”.” – Widescreen Online Review

“Campbell is renowned among fans and writers alike as the master of a skewed and exquisitely terrifying style.” – Library Journal

13 Questions with Denise Verrico

Let’s have a devilish round of applause for our newest featured author, Denise Verrico. For episode 92 Denise has decided to share with us a sneak peek into her newest novel, Servant of the Goddess.

You may recognize Verrico’s name from her popular series Immortyl Revolution, and the Servant of the Goddess just so happens to be the fourth installment of the series. Since our preview is a part of the series, I wanted to find out all I could about the Immortyl Revolution and Denise was excited to share.

“The idea for the series evolved over a period of time. I kicked the first novel, Cara Mia, around for a long time before I sat down to finish it. Back when I was reading a lot of Anne Rice, I had a dream about a female vampire. I’d never read a book about one at the time. My husband and I brainstormed a little. He suggested exploring the fact that my protagonist was a woman and the implications of being both female and a vampire. Vampire sexual politics–who knew?

I based a lot of the Immortyl culture on ancient ones. I created a multi-layered society that enslaved three fourths of their population. Then I got interested in biotechnology and came up with the idea of a race to harness immortality. The revolution was Kurt’s idea entirely. The little bugger decided to take the series this way. It’s funny how a character can hijack a series. Cedric MacKinnon, the hero of the third book, started out as a love interest for a character in the planned later novels. He soon became one of my favorites. His story begged to be told. An entire religious cult and art form were born from his creation. This is why I love speculative fiction so much. You can do things like this. I really get into building the world and the characters.

I like to tell a story about people and their foibles, even if those people happen to be vampires. All good stories are ultimately about a human inner conflict.”

Denise was also kind enough to attach the official Press Release for all of you to check out: ***Childhood fascination with Vampires serves as Author’s inspiration for book series

Vampires have been capturing Urban Fantasy Author Denise Verrico’s imagination since childhood and now she shares that vivid imagination with countless readers throughout the world. Servant of the Goddess, Book Four of the Immortyl Revolution now available.

Columbus, OH – Vampires have been capturing Urban Fantasy Author Denise Verrico’s imagination since her days growing up in Western Pennsylvania and now she shares that vivid imagination with countless readers throughout the world. “My favorite television show as a child was the soap opera Dark Shadows, and my favorite author in the vampire genre is Anne Rice. I like the Gothic and historical aspects of her books. I must give her credit for influencing me,” says Verrico. Readers of the Immortyl Revolution series are taken with the one-of-a-kind twist on vampires that Denise brings forth and in the unique locales in which her writing takes them. Ms. Verrico says, “Inspiration comes a lot from my non-fiction reading. I’ll read about a place or historical period, and I’ll want to create a character to reflect it.”

Servant of the Goddess is the fourth novel of the urban fantasy vampire series written by Denise Verrico. This installment follows up her debut novel, Cara Mia, which introduces the characters and world of Immortyl Revolution and its sequel, Twilight of the Gods and My Fearful Symmetry.  Set in 2001, Verrico’s My Fearful Symmetry introduced a new vampire hero, Cedric MacKinnon, a temple dancer in service to the Goddess Kali, who learns his beauty and speed render him a lethal weapon. “My vampire society originates in India. In my third novel, My Fearful Symmetry, I delve deeper into the origins,” says Verrico.   “In the fourth book, I unite heroine Mia Disantini and Cedric in a way that raises some sparks.  It takes place in NYC in 2001, so there will be momentous events my characters must deal with.”  As in all her novels, Servant of the Goddess maintains a science fiction twist on the genre, action-packed thrills and a touch of romance.***

Currently there are currently four novels and a collection of three shorts.  I’m concentrating on some other projects at present, but there will be probably two or three more Immortyl Revolution books. For those of you wanting to learn more about the series, be sure to check out Denise’s website: immortylrevolution.blogspot.com

Now, Denise may be a preschool teacher and a small press author; but she hopes to one day make the big move and open her own press. “I’m dog tired at the end of a day, so I need to drink a lot of coffee when I get home to write.  I learn a lot working with kids.  It’s cool to see them interacting, their conflicts and cooperation.  I do have children as characters in my books, but they aren’t in any way based on kids I know.  I write about cast-offs and street kids. I would like to write a kids’ book someday, if I can come up with a good idea. I want to keep writing and having books published.  I’ve been a small press author, but I hope to see the urban fantasy novel I just finished published by a New York press.  My husband and I may start a small press someday.”

As many of you readers know, I’m always curious to learn what lured our authors to the darker side of things and it’s no different with Denise. She was nice enough to answer all my random questions and let us in to how she became infected with the horror bug.

“I like a good scare and loads of suspense.  As a writer, the dark side of humanity is fascinating.  I like to explore what makes a person become a monster.  When I was a kid, horror and sci fi movies were my favorites.  I saw Night of the Living Dead when I was eight and watched Dark Shadows on TV when I was six.  Dark Shadows started my love affair with vampires.  My vampire novels are much darker than a lot of Urban Fantasy.  There are relationships explored, but I’d hardly call them “romance”. I’m also biased toward vampires.  They are the monsters most like us.  I also love serial killer books like Silence of the Lambs and Darkly Dreaming Dexter.  I eat up true crime stories.  My husband is seriously concerned when he sees me watching all those murderer bios on TV.  However, I do like my zombies, if the gore is done in interesting ways and there’s a good story.

Despite the fact that I love horror, I used to be really squeamish about blood.  I almost passed out watching the George Romero film Martin.  However, I had to do a blood draw every day when I was pregnant with my son because I had gestational diabetes.  I got over it somewhat, but I still have to look away when I have blood taken.  I can watch surgery shows and horror films without a problem now.”

Denise has been busy as of late as well, “I recently finished an Urban Fantasy novel, and I’m working on a fantasy novel set in an 18^th century culture. I have a steampunk horror story I’m playing with.  In addition to new editions of the Immortyl Revolution novels, there will be a short coming out featuring one of my vampire characters.  I hope before the end of the year.”

For more information on Denise Verrico, please check out these sites:

deniseverricowriter.webs.com

immortylrevolution.blogspot.com

 

Guest Blog: The Creepiest Job I Ever Had

Written By : Sumiko Saulson

When I was a young newlywed, in need stable part time employment in my field of internet technology in order to support my family, I got a job working in a genetic research facility. The place had a creepy, Resident Evil vibe to it with its long, poorly lit, frequently empty hallways, and the elaborate series of card keys we had to use to get into the various laboratories. Every lab was equipped with emergency washing stations for washing your eyes in case you should some caustic substance in them, special foams to spray down in case of chemical spills and instructions on what to do if you should accidentally release any airborne pathogens and how to call in Hazmat so that their team covered from head to toe in protective gear that looked something like a space suit could clean up the mess if things should go terribly awry.

There were laboratories for the experiments on live rats, and I would find myself being alone in rooms with nothing cages full of laboratory rats.

When I was hired, I was told that they did animal research, and they asked me during the interview process before I was hired if I would be comfortable with the fact they were experimenting on rats and mice. They were particularly concerned since I admitted that I had pet rats at home, but I told them that if a rat’s life had to be sacrificed for something like developing a cure cancer, I was okay with that, and didn’t think it was any worse than my eating dead cows… actually, maybe not as bad, since my eating hamburger definitely won’t help anyone develop a cure for Alzheimer’s.

The facility was researching cures for genealogical conditions and disease, but I was not a scientist. I was a computer repair technician. In fact, I was one of only two repair techs and the company was on a large, old campus composed of aging brownstones. Despite the efforts to modernize the interior with long, identical-looking mazes of sterile corridors such as you might see in a hospital, the main halls suffered from a dank, musty aroma and the ancient overhead fluorescent lights hissed and buzzed and flickered. You had to use special key cards and key chain dongles to access every new area, and I had a massive keychain for these passkeys and for thumbprint reads for special areas and equipment. The overall effect made me feel like I was walking through a live version of the laboratory areas in the first-person shooter game series “Doom”.

I also had to repair computers in the clean rooms, which are laboratories where cannot enter without a mask over your face, dust covers over your shoes, rubber gloves, and a knee-length labcoat that seals on the front and the back, like a hospital gown. A double-door system where you entered one door, put on your gear, and then entered another kept out dust and unauthorized personnel. Because I am nearsighted, and the rooms were often hot and muggy, I did my best to do my job from behind glasses that were frequently fogging up from my body heat.

Most of the time, I was completely alone in the room, or worse… it was just me, and rows of cages of genetically altered rats.

In one of the labs, there were rats that had been genetically altered to be perpetually overweight so that the scientists could study obesity; in another were rats that were bred with the genetic tendency for Alzheimer’s. In still other laboratories, the rats were altered in ways that I could not understand, or imagine.

Not knowing what diseases the rats had, or what contagions were in the laboratory was part of what was so nerve wracking about working in the research facility, and the many signs reminding you that there were dangerous disease all around you and that you had to be extra careful not to trip and break anything of the test tubes people had sitting at their workstations produced a certain amount of anxiety. Sometimes people had computers on workbenches in laboratories, connected to electronic microscopes and other specialized equipment, and I had no idea what kinds of things might be in those test tubes and beakers.

Sometimes, I would walk into a lab when the research assistants were handling rats who had reached the end of the line in terms of their usefulness as live animals. They were put down, with a shot of some sort, and although I knew that they were using the least cruel method possible, I still felt a little sad. Sometimes the rats were baby ones, or very young. In spite of my cavalier speech when they hired me, I loved my pet rats the way people love their cats and dogs, and that made it hard for me.

Later in my job, I was involved in creating a database system for bar coding the rats. The system used little UPC codes such as you find on packages of groceries at the market. I was very disturbed by this, as I imagined all of the horrible Frankenstein-like ways they could adhere barcodes to living rats, through some sort of tattoo or branding process, as if they were miniature cattle – cattle, like the future hamburgers I callously described during my interview. I cringed to think about metal objects injected under the skin, or tagged to their ears.

I guess I really let my imagination get the better of me.

As it turned out, the barcodes actually weren’t being attached to the rats, but to the outside of their cages.

For more information about Sumiko Saulson, author of Solitude, be sure to check out these sites:

wwww.SumikoSaulson.com

Buy Solitude at Amazon.com

Oakland Art Scene, Examiner.com

Press Release: Gargoyle

Gargoyle: Three Enchanting Romance Novellas by Beth Barany, Kay Keppler, Patricia Simpson (SB Group, July 10, 2013)

Available now in print and ebook on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Gargoyle-Enchanting-Romance-Novellas-ebook/dp/B00DVNC9E8

 

—

The mysterious lives of gargoyles.

They don’t just hang out on buildings.

They right wrongs. They wreak havoc.

And they change the lives of unsuspecting people who never see them coming.

—

ON A WING AND A PRAYER by Kay Keppler

Humorous Contemporary

Craig knows Bea is in trouble. But Craig can’t do anything about it—because he’s a garden gargoyle and Bea can’t hear his warnings.

TOUCHSTONE OF LOVE by Beth Barany

Time Travel

When a thunderstorm transports software expert Rose Waldman to thirteenth century France, she meets hunky stonemason Julien, who is secretly creating a gargoyle in defiance of his master mason.

 

THE MILLER’S DAUGHTER by Patricia Simpson

Sentenced to burn at the stake for sorcery, Merofled volunteers to help jaded warrior Alaric kill a gargoyle that threatens her village.

Mental Ward: Stories from the Asylum

Sanatorium, mental ward, psychiatric hospital – they’re all the same. Places where the infirm, the crazy, and the certifiable go for treatment… Or what passes for ‘treatment’.

This is a collection of stories of bedlam taking place within the padded walls of an institution. Stories of experiments gone wrong, patients revolting against the staff, or even the deranged doings of those charged with giving care. They are sick, depraved, and atrocious – the type of stories that rarely reach the light of day.

Are you brave enough to crawl inside the minds of the thirteen authors who wrote these tales… Or are you afraid you’ll be locked up for peeking?

Featuring the talents of:

Delphine Boswell, Alex Chase, Sean Conway, Megan Dorei, A.A. Garrison, Tom Howard, Russell Linton, Suzie Lockhart and Bruce Lockhart 2^nd, Jennifer Loring, Sergio Palumbo, Joseph A. Pinto, and D.M. Smith

Purchase Links:

Amazon: US, CA, UK, IN, BR, DE, FR, ES, IT, JP

CreateSpace

Smashwords

13 Questions with Rish Outfield

This week, I find myself in a familiar predicament when it comes to interviewing. What to do when I can’t break down the interview into 13 questions. Now, the reason why I’ve been having so much trouble with this episode’s featured author is because Rish Outfield’s answers are…just plain brilliant. With that being said, today’s interview will be a little different than usual, to allow you a deeper look into the dark mind of Rish. Continue, if you dare…

Sapphire: How do you feel being on Horror Addicts for the first time (as the Featured Author)?

Rish: “I don’t know if others have found it an honor (or if it even technically qualifies), but it’s really an honor.  I’ve never been a featured author before, though I was once a featured attraction in the Blokes No One Will Sleep With Sideshow, which traveled extensively through the Southland.  Wait, are we supposed to make jokes with these questions?  Do I have to answer them honestly?  Am I under oath?  I did swear, but it was on a copy of “I Am Legend” rather than a Bible.  But I took it as the same thing.  Sorry if I’m confused. Thank you for giving me this spot, and for trusting me not to chase away your audience for a month.”

S: Have you written a new story for Horror Addicts episode 90 or are you sharing a pre-written one?

Rish: “I considered sharing an older story, then thought this would be a good opportunity to write something new.  I always wanted to write about a group of college students who perform some kind of rite or ritual in the forest, and unleash something beyond their control.  I figured I’d make a go of it with this one.  It ended up being a much longer piece than I intended, and certainly longer than was permitted for the show.  I had to decide what to keep and what to lose, of course, but I hope the best parts remain.”

S: Can you give us a little sneak-peek into your story?

Rish: “Unreleased tells of Trevor Vanllewyn, who is a man at the end of his life.  Years ago, he and his college friends summoned a qarin, like a genie in a bottle, and he never quite escaped the events of that night.  So now, at the end of his life, he chooses to summon it again, wanting one last glimpse at otherworldly beauty.”

S: What inspired you to write Unreleased?

Rish: “I had two images in my head when I came up with this tale.  The first was an old man, walking through the desert, and the other was a beautiful girl, shivering beside a fire.  Originally, I thought the old man would be the retired professor the main character goes to for help, but for some reason, the old man ended up as the main character of the story.  I intended him to be pretty bitter and amoral, but I ended up relating to him way more than I probably should have.”

S: What have you been up to since the last MMM Challenge?

Rish: “I have started narrating audio books on Audible.com, hoping to combine my love for storytelling and for podcasting into something with a paycheck at the end.  So far, it’s been a bit less fun than writing about frontier werewolves, cursed objects, and witches living next door, but I still enjoy narration, and hope that check is in the mail, or soon will be.

S: What can we find on your website, Dunesteef.com?

Rish: “In 2009, my friend Big Anklevich and I had way more ambition than we do today, and we started a fiction podcast (the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine) where we’d not only present short stories people submitted us, but we’d do it with music, sound effects, and a full cast of voices.  We’ve produced more than a hundred Sci-Fi, Horror, Comedy, Fantasy, and Western stories, followed by our hopefully-amusing discussion.  We’ve slowed down in recent years, but we still manage the Herculean task of storytelling in that elaborate fashion.  From time to time.”

S: Do you currently have any stories published in either e-book format or traditionally?

Rish: “For some reason, I have always been terrified to share my work with others.  Rejection is a natural part of life, but I still fear it the way other folks fear spiders or bats or cannibals or melons (people still fear cantalopes, don’t they?).  So, I submit my work very infrequently.  Despite that, my stories have been heard on the Drabblecast, Journey Into…, The Way of the Buffalo, and this very podcast.”

S: What would you say is the hardest thing about being a writer?

Rish: “Two things.  Obviously, the fear of sharing my work as I’ve just mentioned.  But also, I have so many ideas for stories, books, and screenplays that I know are good ones, but sometimes I lack the ability to convert those ideas to actual text, or the wherewithall to write the damn things out to their conclusion.  Everybody struggles with their own writing demons, but those are the two biggest, most horned, hunched, and winged demons in my personality.”

S: What do you enjoy about the horror genre?

Rish: “The other night, I went to my uncle’s house to watch a movie on his couch.  I decided to walk there, since it was such a nice evening.  We chose to watch a Horror movie, and when it came time to walk home, I scrutinized every shadow, every empty space where something could be crouching.  As I walked in front of a house that had its porch light on, the light suddenly went out, and I took off like a shot.  I ran the entire way home as fast as I could, adrenaline somehow keeping me from any fatigue.

When I got to my door, fumbling with my keys, certain that something would grab me before I got in, I had to laugh.  There were no crones or feral children or hobo clowns out there lurking, but my hindbrain was convinced there was.  My heart was hammering and my legs were sore the next morning, but it was actually a FUN experience.  I enjoyed being scared, and will fondly remember that movie (and outing) because of it.

Some people hate being scared, and I understand that.  But to be scared when you know you’re not in any actual danger, that’s a pleasure, in a way, and probably psychologically healthy.”

S: What is your favorite horror monster and why? Vampires, Werewolves, Mummies, Sea Creatures, Serial Killers, Frankenstein Monsters, Zombies, or anything else you can think of…

Rish: “While I am obsessed with shapeshifting demons and sinister children, the werewolf is my favorite.  I love the idea of a person, good or bad, becoming a monster that doesn’t care about human problems, but simply runs free, causing destruction and terror, whenever the moon is full.  As a little boy, I checked out a book on Universal’s “The Wolf Man,” and was surprised to not be scared of poor Larry Talbot, but to feel sorry for him.  At the back of the book, I discovered that Lon Chaney Junior, who played the Wolf Man, died when I was born.  For some reason, that’s always stayed with me.”

S: What was your favorite horror/scary story growing up?

Rish: “Like many of my generation, the writing of Stephen King thrilled and intoxicated me.  Nothing speaks to me the way his early writing did/does.  Before that, there was a writer named Daniel Cohen who would publish collections of urban legends and creepy campfire tales, such as the one about ghostly hitchhiker, the one about the hook in the door handle.

Before that, though, I was a very young boy sent over to keep my grandmother company for the weekend.  I told my parents that I was afraid to sleep in the same room as her, because her snoring was so loud and spooky.  My dad responded, “It’s good that she snores like that, son.  It keeps away the ghosts.”  Apparently, that was the opposite of the right thing to say to me, but I’ve never forgotten the story, all these years later.”

S: Could you share with us a little known fact about you?

Rish: “When I was a child, I not only had an overactive imagination, but would sometimes have hallucinations when I was sick.  My poor mother would struggle in vain to explain to me that there weren’t creatures crawling across the ceiling toward me . . . because I saw them.

I doubt my fragile adult mind would withstand such visions today, but I’ll admit that there are nights, usually only one or two a year, where I will awaken from a nightmare and open my eyes to find someone standing at the foot of my bed, watching me.  I’ll close my eyes tightly, like the child I was, and think, “Not there, not there,” and when I open my eyes again, they will be gone.

Does that ever happen to you?  If so, hey, feel free to disregard this answer.”

S: What are some additional projects that you’re currently working on or planning that your fans can look forward to?

Rish: “We’ll be presenting a couple of my own stories soon on my podcast, and I’ve just recorded the audio for the first installment in a series of–count ’em–thirty-three books, which will be for sale at Audible (if I live that long).

If I actually HAVE fans, I can all but guarantee to lose them when people hear my entry into this year’s “Masters of the Macabre” contest.  It has something in common with Count Dracula, a mosquito, and that first book by Stephenie Meyer.”

That concludes this week’s 13 Questions interview with Rish Outfield. For all you fans out there you can keep an eye on all things Rish at these following websites:

http://rishoutfield.blogspot.com

http://www.dunesteef.blogspot.com

Press Release: Midnight Syndicate – Monsters of Legend

Midnight Syndicate’s new “Monsters of Legend” CD to be unleashed July 19^th

June 20, 2013 (Cleveland, OH) – On July 19, Midnight Syndicate will release it’s sixteenth studio album, “Monsters of Legend.” This “tribute to the golden age of horror” will feature sweeping symphonic horror instrumental music and sound effects in the signature style the band pioneered. “We want to make you feel like you are a character in one of those classic horror films – that you’ve entered a world where any one of the iconic characters from the Universal Horror and Hammer Films could be right around the corner,” said composer Edward Douglas.

The CD artwork features original images from classic Universal Studios horror movies including Frankenstein, Werewolf of London, and Dracula. “Listeners will hear the influence of the Universal Monster, Hammer, and Euro Horror films from the 30s through the 70s, not only in the music but in the images the songs conjure,” added Gavin Goszka. Although the band promises the new disc will deliver the dark atmosphere haunted attractions, roleplaying gamers, and Halloween enthusiasts expect from them, they feel they’ve crafted a disc that transcends their favorite time of the year. “As we did on Carnival Arcane, we’re always trying to take things up a notch both musically and with the sound design. There is a lot going on in this one. Plenty to pull you in, spark your imagination, and keep hold of you anytime you’re looking to visit that mysterious place in your mind’s eye.”

The CD will be available for pre-order the first week in July. In addition to other new merchandise, Entity Productions Halloween Music will be releasing a special edition 12″ vinyl version of the Monsters of Legend album, hand-numbered and limited to 250 copies.

Official Midnight Syndicate website: www.MidnightSyndicate.com

Midnight Syndicate on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MidnightSyndicate
ABOUT MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE:

For almost two decades, composers Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka have been known as Midnight Syndicate, creating symphonic soundtracks to imaginary films that facilitate a transcendental and adventurous escape into the secret dimensions of the mind’s eye. To many of their fans, they are Gothic music pioneers brewing a signature blend of orchestral horror music and movie-style sound effects. To others, they remain the first “haunted house band” that forever changed the Halloween music genre and became a staple of the October holiday season. And some know them as the duo that teamed up with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast to produce the first official soundtrack to the legendary Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Their critically-acclaimed works are reminiscent of sweeping, complex masterpieces by artists such as James Horner, Danny Elfman, Black Sabbath and King Diamond and have been featured as a part of groundbreaking films, television shows, video games and at haunted attractions, amusement parks and live performances worldwide.

Midnight Syndicate’s music has become integral to setting a powerful mood at top-rated haunted attractions and amusement parks as well as at costume shops, gaming and Halloween parties and Halloween-themed cruises from Siberia and Hong Kong, to Europe and the United States. The duo has released 15 studio albums since 1997, and Douglas and Goszka’s original, work also been used at Hugh Hefner’s Halloween parties, on episodes of The Barbara Walters Special and in the drive-in film The Rage, Universal Studio’s Horror Nights XVIII as well as by Monday Night Football and by artists Insane Clown Posse, Three Six Mafia, Twiztid and The Misfits. In 2010, Midnight Syndicate released a full-length horror film called The Dead Matter, directed, scored and co-produced by Douglas alongside Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Till Dawn, co-founder, KNB FX) and Gary Jones (Xena, Boogeyman 3).

Midnight Syndicate continues to pursue its quest to use instrumental music to tell explicit stories full of tension, twists and turns. Most recently, the band completed the score to the grindhouse thriller “Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan.” In summer, 2013, Midnight Syndicate will release the soundtrack to that film along with Monsters of Legend, a tribute to the classic Universal, Hammer and Euro horror films that helped shape horror cinema.

13 Questions with Julianne Snow

Hello, hello, hello Addicts! I know you’ve just been dying to catch up with author Julianne Snow. Well, guess what…SHE’S BACK!!! Though she has been on HA before, this is Julianne’s first time as our 13 Questions featured author.

For our upcoming episode 89, Julianne has included excerpts from her novel Days with the Undead: Book One. She has also included a sneak peek into Days with the Undead: Book Two, which will be making its debut later this year.

For those of you unfamiliar with Julianne’s novel, here’s a quick look into the beginning Day with the Undead:  Book One.

“It was a close call today. We’ve been travelling west, trying to get in front of and then outrun the Undead for almost two days now. Trying to stay off the roads but keeping close enough to use them if the need arose was getting more and more difficult. And then the inevitable happened.

We came across a horde of the Undead just mulling – well, not even mulling – just standing in a clearing early this morning. As far from them as we were and as silent as we were being, something or someone in our group caught their global attention and the collective of milky white eyes that turned in our direction was positively bone-chilling.”

Obviously, Julianne has a “very deep affinity” for Zombies and she was willing to let us in and tell us just why she loves zombies and horror so much. “It started back when I was six and caught the original Night of the Living Dead on television while I was home sick from school. There’s just something about the undead and apocalyptic tales that strikes a chord within me.”

“I also read Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery when I was in the third grade and it’s stuck with me since then. While the story is bleak, there’s a level of humanity within it that resounds within me. As the years have passed, I’ve read it again and again, finding nuances that could only be reflective of what I was going through personally. It’s probably my favorite short story of all time. I like feeling that build of tension; it’s what I strive to create when I write. There’s nothing better than hearing back from one of your readers who had the intended reaction to what I wrote.”

One of the main ways to keep in touch with Julianne and what she’s been up to is her Days with the Undead website. “At the moment, I’m not posting any new fiction but I am featuring other authors in the genre in my interview series called ‘Chewing Braaiiinns with…” on Mondays. On Fridays I have a feature called ‘Zombie Film Fridays’ where I feature a film in the genre and present some interesting facts about it. I’m hoping very soon to get back to regularly posting my ‘Zombie Vs.’ feature, but we’ll see if time and imagination allows. On my blog, Days with the Undead, I only post fiction in the zombie genre. On my other blog, The FlipSide of Julianne I post fiction that is more general horror in nature.”

For all you tech lovers out there, fear not, all of Julianne’s publications are available in print, as well as digital versions.

Julianne is one of the “lucky ones,” as she not only loves writing on her own time but she actually works in the industry as the Publicist at Sirens Call Publications. Another fact, you may not know about her is that Julianne is a certified Fire and Explosions Investigator.

Her goals are, in her own words…simple. “I want to be able to do what I love and keep doing it. I love writing and continued success, even on a small scale, will help me to continue doing what I love.”

“I [also] I have a collection of short stories releasing soon called Glimpses of the Undead. I also have a number of tales that have been accepted into anthologies which should be releasing at various times this year. If you’re good at keeping secrets, I’m involved in three collaborative writing projects that will be released later this year as well. I can’t give away too many details but I’m super excited about them!”

Julianne Snow’s Bio:

It was while watching Romero’s Night of the Living Dead at the tender age of 6 which solidified Julianne’s respect for the Undead. Since that day, she has been preparing herself for the (inevitable) Zombie Apocalypse. While classically trained in all of the ways to defend herself, she took up writing in order to process the desire she now covets; to bestow a second and final death upon the Undead. As the only girl growing up in a family with four children in the Canadian countryside, Julianne needed some form of escape. Her choice was the imaginations of others which only fostered the vibrancy of her own.

Days with the Undead: Book One is her first full-length book, the basis of which can be found in her popular web serial of the same name. Along with many zombie shorts published on her blog, she has a story in Women of the Living Dead as well as two zombie pieces; a standalone short and a collection releasing the summer of 2013. Julianne’s second novel in her Days with the Undead series will also be released in 2013. Stay tuned!

 

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @CdnZmbiRytr

Facebook: Julianne Snow

FB Fan Page: Days with the Undead

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/cdnzmbirytr/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110149434437717424445/posts

Goodreads: Julianne Snow

Amazon Author Page: Julianne Snow

Blogs: Days with the Undead & The FlipSide of Julianne & The Randomness of Julianne

13 Questions with Rick Kitagawa

How was your Spring Break Horror Addicts? Are you dying for your dose the macabre? Well your dark dreams have come to life; we’re back and we’ve got some tales waiting just for you. For episode 88 we have author and artist Rick Kitagawa who was excited to join the other great names featured on HA. “I’m definitely honored and excited to be Horror Addicts’ featured author for June.  The staff has been great and I really hope the excerpt disturbs you in all the right ways (and of course, makes you want to finish the story).”

Rick’s story he’ll be sharing is titled The White Mask. “My piece The White Mask, was already written, and can be found in my self-published zine “Short Stories of Horror and Darkness” (really original title, right?). It is a twist on the Snow White fairy tale, and I think it expands the mythos of Snow’s world a bit.  Unfortunately, due to the time limit you won’t be able to hear how Snow exacts her revenge, but you’ll definitely hear how she gets into the mess that becomes her life.

On the non-plot side of things, this story is probably one of my favorite that I’ve written, but also one that probably disturbs me the most, which I suppose is a good thing for a horror author.  Hopefully it’ll haunt you as much as it haunts me.”

Like I mentioned earlier Rick is not just an author but an artist as well. On his website http://www.rickkitagawa.com you can find his screen prints, paintings and short stories. “Right now, I just currently have my flash fiction Heritage up there right now, which is really inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s obsession with bloodlines and the Dark Mirror painting series by Marci Washington (which are super fantastic, check ’em out). I also have up some of the introductory pages to the upcoming comic project The Siren’s Call that I’m trying to get out by October for the Alternative Press Expo.  I also have a one-page, watercolored comic that was just sort of done on a whim in which my totally juvenile sense of humor came out.”

“[Also] by the time you read this, there should be some new silkscreen prints and small originals in the shop, and hopefully a new blog post or two.  Really, for exciting new updates on what I’m up to, I’d recommend liking my facebook page: www.facebook.com/rickkitagawa.art as I post some micro fiction and an illustration that goes with it three times a week as part of my Noon-thirty Creepshow.”

Though, Rick’s stories are on available in print he informed me that he is looking to get a digital version of his short story zine in the near future.

Having so much on his plate artistically wise, I was curious if Kitagawa had a “day job” that affected his work in any way. “Actually, writing is complementary to my (various) day job(s), as I primarily identify as a visual artist, but I often incorporate writing/text/stories into my paintings and prints. Additionally, I also do some event planning and t-shirt printing to pay the bills, and I’m also the San Francisco Bay Area Artist Ambassador for Crescent (the company that makes mat boards, illustration boards…lots of board-like things). If you can’t tell, I need to sleep more. Little Known Fact – I’m actually model and actor on the side, and have been in print for Apple, HP, AT&T, and have done commercials for Heald Business College and Sprite.  Weird where life takes you.”

Now what brought this jack of all trades to the Horror side of things, you ask? Well, I’ll let Rick explain that for himself. “I love the horror genre simply because it really makes us examine the worst part of ourselves and humanity, and forces us to draw a line in the sand on where we stand.  Would we leave our loved ones in a zombie attack to save ourselves?  Would we make that deal with the devil?  Horror shows us the darkest parts of the human mind, and hopefully inspires us to be better people.”

“Hands down, my favorite monster is probably the Creature from the Black Lagoon and other aquatic-based creatures.  While the Gill Man is not the strongest or most terrifying of the bunch, he just looks so frickin’ awesome.  Actually, I’m working on (yet) another comic project that focuses on the Creature and other monsters, but puts them in day jobs and awkward social situations with each other.  It’s actually completely not scary at all (much more slice of life/emo stuff), but that just goes to show how much I like the Gill Man. I’m even willing to do a comic that’s not even remotely creepy because I like him so much.”

Rick has several more projects in the works: “I’m hoping to finish up the other three major short stories that I’m slowly writing/editing/rewriting, and I hope to always find a story that I can take all the way to becoming a full-blown novel.  I also want to finish up my comic project and come up with an interactive puzzle/storytelling gallery show that weaves my passion for art, writing, and puzzles together in a big old festering ball of horrific awesomeness. And, definitely keep an eye out for The Dark Wizard’s One Stop Shop, which is going to be a themed online bazaar of madness which will take physical form at the San Francisco Zine Fest this Fall. Also, be on the lookout for my next self-published, yet-untitled book, which will have the full text of The White Mask plus at least two new stories along with some comics, illustrated short stories, and tons and tons of monster/creepy art.”

 

For more information on Rick Kitagawa, be sure to check out these sites:

http://www.rickkitagawa.com/Risk/
https://www.facebook.com/rickkitagawa.art

 

Guest Blog: Marie Sumner

Horror’s Appeal

Horror films, books, and attractions are a large part of the entertainment industry, and it’s for a very obvious reason; they make money. What isn’t clear is why they make so much money. What is the appeal of gory murder scenes, predictable plotlines, and stereotypical characters?

Every year, people make trips to haunted houses, corn mazes, and other attractions with all sorts of scary costumes for Halloween, spooky decorations and sounds, and of course, as many elements of surprise as feasible.

Many studies have focused on what makes horror as entertainment appealing to the human mind. There are many theories, and the trends change through different mediums. The appeal of horror novels differs from that of films, partially because of the differences in the mediums themselves.

Horror Novels

Many of the most successful box-office horror films are based on novels. The Exorcist is one of these, as is Rosemary’s Baby. Though both deal with Catholicism and an exorcism, only Rosemary’s Baby was condemned by the Catholic Church.

The book version of The Exorcist was purportedly based on true events. The novel focused on the “life affirming” theory that if pure evil exists, pure good must as well. The movie takes a different approach, as it caters to a different audience. At the end of the film, the audience is tempted to believe that the demon is victorious over the priests.

Horror novels thrive off of suspense and hope. It is hard to tell character motivations and fates in novels. Why would a book lean toward a happier ending than a film? How does the mind process these mediums differently?

Horror Films

While books are processed completely in the mind, films incorporate the senses of sight and sound. Horror films are known for being predictable and rather cheesy. The horror is not real. You usually know who is going to die, the bad guy is completely evil without cause, and the blood is not believable at all. Horror films can be wildly successful even if they aren’t well-made. People don’t watch horror films for quality; they watch them for cheap thrills.

Horror attractions

Horror attractions such as haunted mazes and mansions utilize both aspects of horror that novels and films do. They have unreal, outrageous designs, but many try to maintain realistic qualities. They also use the sense of suspense and surprise present in horror literature. There may be some cheap thrills, but they are framed around suspense rather than predictability.

Horror and the Human Mind

Science has not yet explained all of the intricacies of the human mind when it comes to horror. Perhaps the appeal comes in the form of escapism; fictional horror allows a release of tension without putting you in real danger. There may be some aspect of horror that is intensely fascinating, like high school girls going after bad boys; danger is appealing.

Do you enjoy the horror genre of entertainment? Why or why not?

This guest post was written by Marie Sumner, a lover of Halloween, horror, and all things scary. Stay caught up with Marie’s work on her Twitter Account.

BayCon – Triskaidekaphobicon

BayCon 2013 – Triskaidekaphobicon

Emerian Rich and other HorrorAddicts.net authors will be at this year’s BayCon. BayCon is the largest science fiction, fantasy, and horror convention in the San Francisco Bay Area. The convention takes place over Memorial Day weekend, starting on Friday afternoon May 24th, and ending Monday, May 27th.

Emerian and her HorrorAddicts.net crew provided the decorations this year to get the BayCon group into the spooky, horror, mood of Chairwoman Sabre’s theme: Triskaidekaphobicon, or the fear of 13 con.

Come join Emerian and the gang at the Santa Clara Regency Hyatt for a weekend of magic, mystery, and spookiness!

Meet:

 

• HorrorAddicts.net Hostess, Emerian Rich
• Most Wicked 2009, H. E. Roulo
• Most Wicked 2011, Laurel Anne Hill
• Best in Blood Season 1, Jeff Carlson
• GothHaus 3 voice actor, Dario Ciriello
• Horror Author, Jason Malcom Stewart
• Horror Author, Jay Hartlove
• HorrorAddicts.net friends Sandra Sadiak, Ann Wilkes, Beth Barany, Dani & Eytan Kollin, and many more.

Confirmed events are:

• Trick or Treat Carnival for all ages
• Live interview with HorrorAddicts.net Season 2 Best in Blood, UK author and podcaster, Mike Bennett, via Skype
• HorrorAddicts.net Tea Party
• A LIVE podcast recording of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
• How to make Slam Books
• Horror readings
• Tons of live bands
• Art gallery
• A movie screening of The Dead Matter by Midnight Syndicate
• How to make Book Necklaces
• Dealer’s Room
• Masquerade costume contest
• Tons of writers / readers / fan / costume panels
• A movie screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas
• Klingon Slave Auction
• Dancing – Regency and Belly Dancing
• HorrorAddicts.net Family Friendly Cereal and Horror Cartoon event
• And much, much more…

Meet Emerian, get stamps in your Horror Passport, and send a TerrorGram! Don’t forget to pass by the HorrorAddicts.net fan table for goodies, freebies, and spooky stuff!
This is going to be the best BayCon ever!

Check programming at BayCon.org for the full schedule of events.

2013 Writer’s Workshop Winner: Jeff Watson

 

Let’s give a warm Horror Addicts welcome to our newest Writer’s Workshop Winner Jeff Watson!

Being one of our younger fans, I asked Jeff what it felt like to find out that he was the chosen winner for this season. He responded that “it feels amazing to know that people actually liked it. No one usually even understands what I write.”

Though Jeff is still currently in high school, he shows the makings of a great horror author. The story he submitted for the Writer Workshop is titled, The Kid I Used to Know. “It is a story about an outgoing kid who falls silent then dies, becoming a part of a global series of suicides; it also focuses on the fear of his friend.”

Jeff shared with me that his main attraction to the horror genre are the descriptions of the terror that people go through. Along with the fear and the death that intrigues all horror fans.  Even with being a full time student, Jeff spends a lot of his time writing. He explained that the hardest part of writing for him, “generally is writing out my ideas so they make sense to others.”

Being a part of the younger Horror Addicts generation, Jeff grew up around the new “horror classics” such as The Grudge; which happens to be his favorite horror movie.

His favorite “horror monster” is vampires. But unlike many in his generation, Jeff strays away from the sparkling kind and finds himself drawn more towards the dark demonesque vampires of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Jeff may not be currently working on any projects but HA fans need to keep their eyes and ears open for this up and coming author!

13 Questions with Ed Pope

This week for 13 Questions, I was given the honor of interviewing former Horror Addicts staff member Ed Pope! Ed was eager to share his thoughts on being on the other side of the HA spectrum. “I couldn’t be more pleased, and I’m very grateful for being given the opportunity – especially as this story means a lot to me. I’ve always enjoyed the scope of the genre that Horror Addicts promotes and the variety of mediums it encompasses; so it’s nice to find a home for my little niche here. Having been involved with Horror Addicts previously as a fan and a staff member I’m quite humbled to be featured as I’m well aware of the high quality of writers who have gone before me.”

The story Ed has decided to share for this episode was previously written but is making its debut on Horror Addicts! “The Herd explores a situation where the horrors inflicted on dairy cows are perpetrated upon a human. [Ed finds] bringing accepted everyday horror into sharp focus fascinating and hope that in juxtaposing it with a clearly unacceptable premise the story has an interesting theme. [He has] tried hard not to dictate what is right and wrong, just to do what any author aims for: to ask the reader to look at a situation from the perspective of another.”

Fans of HA will remember Ed’s movie reviews that were featured on here and his website Transgressive Cinema. For those of you new to HA, please allow Ed to explain a little bit about his site to you. “Transgressive Cinema is my horror review site and my focus has switched towards a new love of screenwriting; this has taken up all of my writing time. I’ll never lose the enjoyment of being opinionated about horror films though, so people should still check it out for occasional updates and there is a good archive of film reviews and essays for people to read.”

Pope doesn’t generally post short stories online but you don’t have to look hard to find some of his writing. His story The Herd is now available on Kindle. Ed also has a short story published in the Horror Addicts Disaster Anthology which, as Ed so eloquently states “everyone should buy as the proceeds go to a great charity.” Also Ed wanted to add that Amazon has a fee for Kindle stories, so if any Horror Addicts fans want a free copy of The Herd in PDF just email Emz and he’ll send you one.

As mentioned above, Ed tends to gravitate towards horror screen writing. “I have been investing a lot of time in screenwriting. The nature of screenwriting means that what you write doesn’t see the light of day for a long time, if ever. I really want to hone the craft of screenwriting and get something on the screen. It’s a style unto itself and I find it a very rewarding framework to write within. It is very limiting sometimes, especially if you try to write with one eye on getting it made into a film, but this is part of the challenge that I enjoy. As a novelist if you want to set your story in a floating castle in space, you can; if you are an indie screenwriter you can’t unless you get very lucky or have tons of cash. Really I’m a horror film fan more than a horror novel fan, so these goals suit my motivations well.”

Ed’s love of horror began when he was younger with such movies as The Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Exorsist. In Pope’s own words, “it has always been the vicarious thrill of experiencing a situation you’d be terrified of but in a safe environment. It’s just so much fun. Go to the cinema and watch people coming out, if they are wide-eyed and laughing – they’ve almost certainly just seen a horror movie. That’s the buzz I love. Chasing in vain that thrill of being scared out of your mind, in a way that was only possible as a child, is what makes me a Horror Addict.”

Currently, Ed is working on getting The Herd to the Big Screen. “I’m not sure about fans, but those of a masochistic disposition may be able to one day see The Herd on screen as I have finished rewriting it as a script. I’m pleased to say I’m in discussions with one of my favorite indie directors, Melanie Light, with a view to getting it made if we can get the funds together. I’ve changed it around a fair bit and given it a different ending, so there are no real spoilers on the podcast! I’m finishing a feature length script about an obsessive compulsive with nocturnal yearnings. Naturally, things don’t go well for him and dark shadows stalk him through the cityscape.”

For more information about Ed Pope or his work, be sure to check out these great sites:

http://transgressivecinema.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ed.pope.716

Press Release: Factory of Dreams

Have you gotten your copy of ‘Some Kind of Poetic Destruction’, Factory of Dreams’ 4th album?!?

It’s a conceptual scifi album that follows the adventures of Kyra, a unique and mysterious character who holds the key to our fate. Something is closing in on the Earth. What is it? What is its purpose? What will happen to Earth? Discover the storyline, full of surprises and mysteries, as we follow Kyra on an epic journey to find her purpose, faith and destiny throughout the album.

12-page booklet with original artwork, 70 minutes of music with 12 brand new tracks and a Bonus track.

This new album explores even further the sound of the previous album Melotronical, pushing it beyond the boundaries of the Electronic Progressive Metal genre. Expect poignant melodies, heavy passages balanced by atmospheric parts, rhythmical changes and instrumental sections that are sure to delight all who appreciate the genre.

Track highlights are the explosive Neutron Star, the epic Join Us into Sound, the powerful Dark Season featuring Magali Luyten, the beautiful Seashore Dreams (cd includes the full version of this track ~7 min) and Angel Tears featuring great interaction and duets between Jessica and Raquel Schüler.

Hugo Flores also decided to remake an older song called Playing the Universe, now revamped by Jessica’s vocals, that perfectly fits the storyline.

The brand new album features amazing guest vocalists and musicians. Check them out:

   Magali Luyten (www.magali-luyten.com) of Beautiful Sin, Ayreon, Epysode – Vocals

   Raquel Schüler of Hydria (www.hydria.com.br) – Vocals

   Lyris Hung of HUNG (www.lyrishung.com) – Violin

   Chris Brown (www.csbrownmusic.com) of Ghost Circus and Roswell Six – Guitar

   Tadashi Goto (www.tadashi-goto.com) – Keyboards

   Shawn Gordon of Psychic for Radio (www.therecordlabel.net) – Keyboards

Narration by Mark Ashby, Angela Merrithew & Nathan Ashby

Produced by Progrock Records & Hugo Flores, mixed and composed by Hugo Flores

Mastered by Chris Brown

Artwork by Venefica Luna of https://www.facebook.com/circleofwolvesjewellery

Factory of Dreams is:

Hugo Flores – Music / Instruments/ Sounds / Production

Jessica Lehto – Lead vocals, vocal harmonies / arrangements

Track List

• 1 – Prelude
• 2 – Strange Sounds
• 3 – Escaping the Nightmare
• 4 – Angel Tears
• 5 – Seashore Dreams
• 6 – Dark Season
• 7 – Sound War
• 8 – Hope Garden
• 9 – Travelling
• 10 – The Neutron Star
• 11 – Join Us into Sound
• 12 – Playing the Universe
• 13 – Seashore Dreams (BONUS video version)

PREORDER the 4th album for a $2 discount @ http://www.therecordlabel.net/progressive-rock/factory-of-dreams/some-kind-of-poetic-destruction

New trailer video @  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxL8_LnL_ws

http://poeticdestruction.com

http://www.facebook.com/fdofficial

http://www.facebook.com/hugofloresmusic

http://www.facebook.com/hugofloresofficial

http://www.reverbnation.com/factoryofdreams

http://www.youtube.com/projectcreation

http://twitter.com/factoryofdreams

http://hugoflores.com

13 Questions with Crystal Connor

It’s that time of year again addicts, time to fulfill your blood thirsty urges for guts, gore, movies, books, vampires, zombies, and everything else your horrific black heart desires!

To get the 8th apocalypse started, we have the one and only The Darkness author, Crystal Connor! And, as a true HA fan she was more than happy to talk with me for an exclusive interview for all her fellow fans out there. “I’m crazy excited about being interviewed for Horror Addicts. I’m a connoisseur of all things horror so this is like a milestone for me”

For episode 85 of Horror Addicts, Crystal was kind enough to share with us her short story, Best Friends Forever. “[The story is one] that I wrote for my anthology …And They All Lived Happily Ever After! It’s in the process of becoming an audio book narrated by the amazing Kay Richardson who has the most amazing voice. I’m really excited about the audiobook, even though I wrote the stories every time I hear a story it’s like a whole new experience and only serves to take my excitement to even a higher level.”

Crystal didn’t want to give too much about Best Friends Forever away but she was kind enough to give us a little sneak peek into her story. “BFF tells a story of an end of a relationship and the dark and unsettling places a person will go to in order to keep the person they love, or escape.”

Now, like I mentioned above, Crystal is well known for her novel The Darkness. For those of you unfamiliar with the dark tale go out and get it HERE. And for the rest of you, Crystal would like to share with you the beginning of The Darkness. “When I 1st wrote The Darkness I thought it was a short story. I was working in a boat yard at the time, the wielding instructor there is a big prize winning author and he heard I was a writer and asked if he could read my work. So I took him The Darkness and basically flipped out and told me that it wasn’t a short story, that I was being lazy and I needed to start taking my writing seriously because it was more than just a hobby.  That turned out to be the best advice anyone has ever given me.”

Book two of the trilogy is also available, if you haven’t heard of it yet then you are in for a treat. You can find book two: Artificial Light on Amazon.

“I currently have three publications. The Darkness and Artificial Light, books I & II of the Spectrum Trilogy and my anthology …And They All Lived Happily Ever After! The Darkness and Artificial Light are available in both print and e-book format. …And They All Lived Happily Ever After! is only available in print because the unique interior design does not translate into a digital format which is why …And They All Lived Happily Ever After! will be available in an audio format.”

Having churned out three publications and other short stories, I just had to know how writing has affected Crystal’s life lately. This was her response:

“It’s my full time job. Right after the release of Artificial Light I started really talking seriously about quitting my job to write full time and what was surprising is how much support I received from my family and friends. They’re not kidding when they say starving artist and it’s been hard but I have a really good circle of support and things are starting to get a little easier.

My writing affects everything else. I write at night, so I really don’t have that much of a social life; everyone I love lives normal lives and sleep during the night. The way you’re supposed to haha. But the transition from punching a clock and being financially secure, to trying to carve out a life on the earnings of book sales has really shown me who my friends are. And luckily for me everyone who was around when I was spending money like there was no tomorrow are still with me today.

Sometimes when I think about how much my family and friends mean to me and how they’ve all supported and continue to support me I get so overcome with gratitude that I literally burst into tears. I don’t know why I do that.”

Crystal is looking forward to the day that she can “earn enough fans to be able to make a decent living doing something that [she loves].”

Be on the lookout for future work by Crystal Connor! Being a full time author, there is a lot that she is currently working on. “Well like I said, the production is underway to turn my anthology …And They All Lived Happily Ever After! into an audio book and I am currently working on the final book in the Spectrum Trilogy. I do have some other projects simmering on the back burner but I would like to get these two finished and out the door before I starting talking about what’s next.”

For more information on Crystal Connor…be sure to check out these sites!

http://www.wordsmithcrystalconnor.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CrystalYConnor

And as a special Thank You to all you Horror Addicts out there, here is her interview for the …And They All Lived Happily Ever After! launch party!

Press Release: Midnight Echo – Australia

MIDNIGHT ECHO TO DISTRIBUTE CEMETERY DANCE MAGAZINE/ ISSUE #9 TABLE OF CONTENTS RELEASED

Midnight Echo magazine is now the official Australian distributor of Cemetery Dance Publications, the world’s leading specialty press publisher of horror and dark suspense. “Cemetery Dance Publications is thrilled to be working with our friends at Midnight Echo to make it easier and more affordable for collectors and readers in Australia to order our books.”

Brian Freeman, Managing Editor, Cemetery Dance Publications Readers can visit the Midnight Shop page on the ME website to see all the titles now available, or to place a pre-order for upcoming books: Midnight Echo Magazine Shop

“For those living in Australia, this deal means you no longer have to pay the expensive international shipping costs when you order CD books. And don’t forget that you can also order the latest copy of Dark Discoveries magazine from us, too,” ME Executive Editor Marty Young said. “Also, it’s party time in the Midnight offices as the goblins release the Table of Contents for the upcoming Midnight Echo Issue 9, edited by Geoff Brown and due for publication on May 31. “Please note we also have a few advertising spots left, so please read on for details, but you’ll need to be quick.”

The details on ME#9 are as follows:

Cover art by Mel Gannon

Interior art by Greg Chapman

The Table of Contents:

Literature

Changeling by Jonathan Maberry

Black Train Blues by James A Moore

Black Peter by Martin Livings

The Road by Amanda J Spedding

Coffee Rings by Kristin Dearborn

The Wee Folk by JG Faherty

From the Forebears by Steven Gepp

Little Boy, Little Girl, Lost in the Woods by Mark Patrick Lynch

The Fathomed Wreck to See by Alan Baxter

Poetry ganesh by Talie Helene

Comic Allure of the Ancients: The Key to His Kingdom – story by Mark Farrugia, illustrations by Greg Chapman

Special Features The Mythology of Mid-World by Robin Furth (non-fiction) Russian Field of Mysteries by Tony Vilgotsky (non-fiction) An Interview with Jonathan Maberry An Interview with Mel Gannon Regular Features A Word from the AHWA President – Geoff Brown Tartarus – Danny Lovecraft (poetry column) Pix and Panels – Mark Farrugia (comic column) Black Roads, Dark Highways #4 – Andrew McKiernan (column) Sinister Reads (all the latest releases from AHWA members) Pre-orders for the limited print edition are now being taken. Please visit http://www.midnightechomagazine.com for full details.

Press Release: Post Mortem – Santa Muerte

Post Mortem Press announces the release of its latest young adult horror novel Santa Muerte written by Cynthia (cina) Pelayo. Pelayo’s Santa Muerte was researched using recent media reports of the escalating drug cartel crimes in Mexico and North America and the suspected involvement of worship to Santa Muerte, a saint-like figure said to provide love, luck, money, and revenge – all at a price. The novel follows a 17-year-old girl living in Chicago, Ariana Molina, who struggles with visions of death while trying to save her father, a Mexican federal investigator, as well as herself from the wrath of the drug cartels and Saint Death.

Ariana Molina is a high school student in Chicago and life is quiet until her father, Reynaldo Molina, the lead federal investigator in Mexico targeting criminal organizations arrives on her door step. After her father is involved in a mysterious car accident that leaves one person dead, Ari begins to have visions of a veiled skeletal figure that asks for her father.

Struggling with gruesome ghosts, and being suspicious of suspected gang members that have moved in across the street, Ari soon becomes the target of the drug cartels and their black magic cult of Santa Muerte.

Santa Muerte is available in trade paperback and eBook format via Amazon and other fine on-line retailers.

About the author:

Cynthia (cina) Pelayo grew up in a haunted house with very superstitious parents in inner city Chicago. She went on to pursue a Master of Fine Art in Writing at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she says she majored in the macabre. Pelayo’s short story collection, Loteria, is a collection of 54 short stories that explores Latin American superstition, folklore, legend and myth. She is the Publisher/Gravedigger of Burial Day Books, a boutique horror press. She lives with her husband and two angry shih tzus in the very neighborhood she was raised. She wears black—most of the time—and she stays out of the sun as much as (un)humanly possible.

About Post Mortem Press:
Post Mortem Press has quickly become a powerful voice in the small genre press community. Mixing business acumen with a deep regard for the author, Post Mortem Press has gained the trust and respect of many renowned authors, from F Paul Wilson, Jack Ketchum, Gary Bruanbeck, Tim Waggoner, Michael Arnzen, and Jonathan Maberry, to Harlan Ellison, Joe Hill and Clive Barker. Our goal is provide a showcase for talented authors, affording exposure and opportunity to “get noticed” by the mainstream publishing community.

Dark Regions Press: Encounters with Enoch Coffin

Encounters with Enoch Coffin

A Lovecraftian fiction illustrated by

Santiago Caruso and Clint Leduc

Announcing a new collection of Lovecraftian tales following the artist Enoch Coffin co-authored by critically acclaimed authors W.H. Pugmire and Jeffrey Thomas. The book will be offered initially in two signed hardcover formats signed by the authors, artists and bound in premium materials like leather and imported cloth. The book will also be offered in an ebook and trade paperback edition. The book is lavishly illustrated on the front and back cover by renowned artist Santiago Caruso while every story in the book is accompanied by an interior illustration by artist Clint Leduc.

Enoch Coffin is a proud inhabitant of Massachusetts, an artist following in the footsteps of local legend Richard Upton Pickman. Coffin is an artist with a singular quest: to capture in paint, or ink, or clay — however he might — sights that no mortal has ever portrayed in art before…and lived to exhibit. His quest will take him throughout actual New England locations, and that other New England of H. P. Lovecraft, where his models will be doomed souls, ravening ghouls, and entities from beyond the veil.

Individually acclaimed for their weird fiction, in this collection of short stories authors W. H. Pugmire and Jeffrey Thomas collaborate to paint the portrait of a character every bit as fascinating and unique as the subjects of his artistic encounters. With haunting illustrations on the front and back cover by renowned illustrator Santiago Caruso and interior illustrations accompanying every story by illustrator Clint Leduc, Encounters with Enoch Coffin is anticipated to be one of our bestselling titles of 2013.

Press Release: Deep Cuts Anthology Honors Women in Horror

DEEP CUTS ANTHOLOGY HONORS WOMEN IN HORROR

Co-editors Angel Leigh McCoy, E.S. Magill, and Chris Marrs announce the publication of DEEP CUTS, an anthology of short horror stories celebrating Women in Horror Month, February 2013. Both genders submitted stories, and they also submitted recommendations for short horror stories written by women writers. There are 60 recommendations in all.

“Deep Cuts smartly sidesteps the bloody ‘women in horror’ debate and puts its money where its mouth is. This fantastic collection, featuring both genders, pays tribute to the best dark tales told by women. A deeply cerebral experience that is at times honest and intimate, but always chilling.” – Mercedes M. Yardley, author of Beautiful Sorrows

Title: Deep Cuts
Publisher: Evil Jester Press
ISBN-13: 978-0615750897 | ISBN-10: 0615750893
List Price: $14.95
Publication Date: Jan. 14, 2013
Format: Trade Paperback; 286 pages
Dimensions: Length 6″ Height 9″ Width .7″

Brief Description:
Deep Cuts presents 19 stories of mayhem, menace, and misery by today’s writers, in honor of the women who write horror. And, like songs buried deep in an album’s track, gifts you with 60 recommendations for their powerhouse tales, all for your terrifying enjoyment.

Three spotlight writers included in the anthology are Nancy Holder, Yvonne Navarro, and Mehitobel Wilson. Lisa Morton wrote the Introduction.

NANCY HOLDER is a New York Times Bestselling author. Her work has appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, LA Times, amazon.com, LOCUS, and other bestseller lists. A five-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers Association, she has also received accolades from the American Library Association, the American Reading Association, the New York Public Library, and Romantic Times. She has sold many novels set in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Saving Grace, Hellboy, and Smallville universes.

YVONNE NAVARRO is the author of twenty-two published novels and well over a hundred short stories, and has written about everything from vampires to psychologically disturbed husbands to the end of the world. Her work has won the HWA’s Bram Stoker Award™ plus a number of other writing awards.

MEHITOBEL WILSON has been nominated for a Bram Stoker Award™. In addition, she received an Honorable Mention in the Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror five years in a row. Her work is featured in Sins of the Sirens, a Dark Arts book.

LISA MORTON is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and producer. She plays an integral role in the horror community as Vice President of the Horror Writers Association. In addition to her accomplishments and accolades, Lisa is also well-known for being a champion of women writers in the horror genre. Her most recent works is the graphic novel Witch Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times, written with Rocky Wood and Greg Chapman, published by McFarland.

THE EDITORS of Deep Cuts are Angel Leigh McCoy, E.S. Magill, and Chris Marrs. Between them, they have decades of experience as writers and editors. We are available for interviews or guest blog posts and would greatly appreciate any publicity you can give our project.

You can find the original post here: Deep Cuts

2013 Wicked Women Writer Challenge

2013 Wicked Women Writer Challenge – How Will You Survive?

Welcome to the 5^th annual Wicked Women Writers Challenge – hosted by HorrorAddicts.net

Where women show how horror done right is horror that stays with you forever.

Are You Ready?

What is the Wicked Women Writer Challenge?

A challenge to all women horror writers, published or unpublished. Not only do you get to show off your prose, but we challenge you to perform your story in a podcast recording for all our listening pleasures. Both your written story and audio podcast are publicly judged and voted upon by the fans to determine who becomes 2013 Most Wicked. Each podcast story must be crafted by the entrant and will be limited to ten (10) minutes.

2013 Theme: How Will You Survive?

Premise:  Life is never convenient. Why should the apocalypse be any different? Our challenge is how would you survive in an untimely apocalyptic situation.

Story Elements

Upon acceptance in to the 2013 Wicked Women Writers Challenge, your destiny will fall under the Norns Hands of Fate. The Norns will randomly assign the following required elements to help you craft your apocalyptic survival story.

Location: Where will you be when the inevitable strikes? The office lunchroom, stuck on the freeway, a public toilet, or at the gynecologist? We’re pretty sure it won’t be while you’re hunkered down in an underground missile silo with a fully loaded bug out bag.

Disaster: How will the end of the world strike? There is an endless spectrum of how humans will meet their ultimate demise. EMP blasts, super volcano, economic collapse, aliens, terrorist invasion, asteroids, or possibly even zombies are but a few of the ways to end humanity, as we know it. Will you be prepared? What Will You Do to Survive?

Item:  It wouldn’t be fair to trap you in a room full of flesh-eating slugs and not give you a fly swatter now would it? Each challenger will receive one item to help them out of their dire situation. Use your item wisely.

Caveat Disability:  You are trapped in your designated location. Unfortunately, you have an untimely disability. There is someone or something trying to kill and possibly eat you. Will you escape or battle it through to the bitter end? What might await you on the outside if you do manage to escape? How Will You Survive?

WARNING:  The Norns are feeling itchy this year. This challenge is not for the faint of heart. For those of you brave enough to listen…here is a message for all of you Wicked Women out there: Listen If You Dare

Ladies, are you ready for this year’s Wicked Women Writer Challenge? Please email your name, headshot, and short bio (under 50 words) to wwwchallenge2013@gmail.com

Killion Slade, our 2012 Wicked Women Writer Winner, will contact you for further challenge details and timeline. Deadline to enter the 2013 Wicked Woman Writer Challenge is June 20, 2013.  Please note: The earlier you enter the challenge, the longer you’ll have to prepare, write, edit, and produce your contest entry before the deadline. Contest slots fill up fast!

Good Luck and May the Norns Take Pity on Your Mortal Soul!

Press Release: Nilaihah Records

Nilaihah Records is VERY excited to officially announce ALKEMIC GENERATOR from Italy as the newest band on our label! An amazingly talented trio that fuses classic EBM and darkwave music with a hint of rock, a dash of tribal and strong operatic female vocals. Close your eyes and imagine Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, The Gathering and Qntal all merged with danceable electronics!

So, their debut album The Orinic Geometry will be released in February/March 2013.

 

 

Nilaihah Records is also excited to announce a new release from THE AZOIC entitled Corruption. This 12 track EP brings back the sound the fans have grown to know as THE AZOIC and also pushes their style even further into new territories. Kristy’s signature vocals mixed with catchy hooks and high energy electro comes to life in the new Corruption EP that includes over 64 minutes of music. Check out the songs here: http://www.nilaihah.com/corruption.htm

Press Rlease: Black Labyrinth – Joe R. Lansdale

Joe R. Lansdale Joins the Black Labyrnith Imprint

Author of Edge of Dark Water and Ranked in Top

10 Horror Authors of All Time

Dark Regions Press is excited to announce that the best-selling author of Edge of Dark Water, The Bottoms, the Hap and Leonard novel series and Bubba Hotep will be joining Tom Piccirilli in the list of ten Black Labyrinth authors. Joe will be delivering an original psychological horror novella to the press by the end of 2013.

The projected launch publication date for the book on the DarkRegions.com website on Tuesday, November 12th of this year.

The book will be available in all Black Labyrinth editions, including the specialty oversized Ultra-Deluxe hardcover tome. For more information on the Black Labyrinth imprint visit the Black Labyrinth page at: http://www.darkregions.com/blacklabyrinth

Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over thirty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in eighteen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Hotep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story Incident On and Off a Mountain Road was adapted to film for Showtime’s Masters of Horror. He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

For more information on Joe Lansdale, be sure to check out these sites:

Amazon Author Page

http://www.joerlansdale.com/

Most Wicked 2012

Wicked Women Writers all over the world,

Here is the woman you voted MOST WICKED 2012!!!!! That’s right I had the opportunity to interview the one and only Killion Slade. The set up for this interview will be a little different than usual so that all of you at home can really get a  look into the mind of our Wicked Woman Writer.

So stay scared and enjoy,

Sapphire

1) How does it feel to have the title Most Wicked 2012?

I am very honored to be among the Most Wicked and seriously stoked about being 2012 Most Wicked Women Writer!  It is a great honor and I sincerely thank everyone for their votes and time listening to the stories.

When I first found the Wickeds I was so excited that I found other women who wrote in the same genre as me.  I knew immediately – I wanted to be a wicked.  This means so much to me! Thank you again for such an awesome opportunity!  The stories from everyone were amazing and I knew the competition was going to be tense.  I am honored to take the Gauntlet for 2012 and help usher in for 2013!  I am so proud to be a Wicked!

2) What inspired your story?

You all did such a compelling introductory to our contest theme for this year – Horror takes no Holidays and I’ll admit it was a real challenge! I personally was taken aback when I received the Passover holiday.  I had no clue where to begin!  But truthfully, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me because I had no preconceptions. Thus, the research began.  I traced the story back to it’s old testaments roots and the plagues of the pharaohs.  From there it morphed into evil Egyptian Gods and their annual Passover Harvest of souls.

The most challenging aspect of the entire story to me was the “why” factor.  It had to be more than just an evil presence wanting to take souls for Passover – there needed to be a compelling reason why.  That’s when the idea of the Nephilim came in and how they were banned to the underworld for the misdoings of their parents.  They had a reason why they wanted redemption and revenge.

It was sentimentally fun incorporating the garden rake and the beach scene into my story – they were actually fond memories of summers on the beach building sand castles.  But that still wasn’t enough.  I needed the horrific evil, twisted surprise at the end which tied back into the original research on Passover. I didn’t want the holiday to be a passing moment for the story but the catalyst for the entire event. So in the end, our heroine we all were rooting for, turned on us, and became the Antichrist.

3) Is there anything you would change about your submitted story?

I think if there was anything I could have changed would have been the amount of time we had for our story.  The complexity my story could have been supported stronger with a subplot, but other than that, I don’t believe there is anything I would change.  I really enjoyed the whole learning curve of keeping it under a time limit.  That was very challenging.

4) Have you started thinking about next year’s WWW Challenge?

I have actually.  I am excited to test out a couple of ideas that I believe will up the challenge level of the contest and participation.

5) What do you have to say to the other WWW Contestants?

I wanted to thank each and every one of them for participating in this contest.  It was a lot of hard work and it takes a very determined woman to not only write an intriguing horror story, but then to craft it into an audio podcast performance.  My hat is off to everyone.  It was an honor to be featured with you in this contest and I encourage you to participate again in the 2013 challenge!

6) What was your favorite WWW story? 

Oh boy…that’s a toughie.  Each one of them had their own unique level of intrigue and twist.  I especially loved the endings because each WWW submission pulled out an excellent surprise to their stories. However, the vampire trucker story sticks in my mind 😉

I was truly inspired when I heard the sound effects from Laurel Anne’s podcast from 2011 Wicked Women Writer contest.  Her timing and placement of the sound effects added so much more depth and sensory to her words.  I was hooked.  I just knew mine had to include them. .  My goal then was not just write a compelling story, but to turn it an audio auralgasm.

I contacted Emerian to learn how to create a podcast. I learned so much form her awesome video tutorials and listened to all the great advice you, and others offered on story podcasting. I researched online to find sound effects and purchased a few as well.  Some were hard to find, such as the Gregorian chanting monks, but I didn’t stop until I had the right mix.

In using the Audicity software, I mixed, flipped,and morphed the screams and music to time it right with the words to help convey the emotion of the moment.  I even found that the sound of silence became very engaging and added impact.  I sent my story out to a few beta listeners and got their feedback before recording the final take.  I think I must have done it at least 20 times!

7) Are you currently working on any projects that your fans should be looking forward to?

As a few folks know, my husband and I are a writing team, but for the Most Wicked contest, this was all my own horror show. He’s more of a fantasy – sci-fi guy.  We met on Second Life and now live in the mountains of Montana with our beautiful daughter, 4 cats, a dog, and seven horses… oh and a few chickens. We do have several more short stories published in anthologies for Death Sparkles, Bite from the Heart and soon to be released, The Ghoul Saloon Anthology. After this fantastic experience of podcasting, I am anxious to add additional audio versions of our published stories.

We are currently in the second round revision edits on a paranormal thriller trilogy called Exsanguinate in which we hope to pitch in 2013. Here is logline and blurb.

A Halloween horror night, theme park adventure for software gaming developer Cheyenne O’Cuinn results in a death style change she never dreamed existed.  Recovering from a vicious attack and her sisters abductions, Cheyenne must rescue her sisters from vampiric kidnappers before they’re used to breed warmongering dhampirs.  By unconventional means through her on-line role-play game, Cheyenne must navigate violent and tortuous clues in both reality and virtuality to rescue them.  Betrayal throughout the vampiric realm unravels human food shortages and global war preparations.  Amidst an impending vampire apocalypse, Cheyenne finds herself both in conflict for survival, and for her heart.  Will her immortal self derail any hope of solving the growing puzzles before time runs out to save her sisters, herself, and her humanity?

Question from Rhonda Carpenter – What made you join the Wickeds?

As soon as I found the Wickeds online – I knew I wanted to be among you. I purchased the Wickeds anthology and when the contest came up, I knew I had my work cut out for me.  Finding other women who had just as twisted points of view on life as me, was a real thrill. I wasn’t crazy after all. But crazy is subjective, now isn’t it? LOL

For more information on Killion please check out these sites:

We have a website at www.killionslade.com where we offer up character dossiers and book trailers about our upcoming stories. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, and occasionally on Twitter.

Press Release: Dark Regions Press – Jeff Strand

New Short Story collection featuring seven never-before-printed tales from Jeff Strand

DEAD CLOWN BARBECUE

From the author of Pressure, Dweller and A Bad Day for Voodoo comes a new short story collection featuring seven never-before-printed tales and original cover artwork by Alex McVey. The stories within this collection range from hilarious to downright disturbing, proving that Jeff Strand is still a master at what he’s known for: a delicious blend of the humorous and the horrific. Strand fans will take delight in the seven new stories first printed in Dead Clown Barbecue, including “Pett Semmuteary,” “Dummy,” “True Hero,” “Fangboy and the Troll,” “Stop Stabbing Me,” “Pregnancy Test,” and “Push the Button.” A man who finds a severed nose on a plate on his dining room table. A bell that can summon Satan (maybe). Casual Fridays at work that get out of control. A cheery outlook on the post-apocalyptic landscape. The final thoughts of a doomed skydiver. A girl punished by having to share a bed with her grandmother’s corpse. Revenge via baking a tarantula into a cake. A shocking look at where those awful computer generated book covers come from. And the lost tale of Fangboy. These are only a few of the demented stories in DEAD CLOWN BARBECUE, a collection of thirty gleefully macabre tales, seven of which were written just for this collection. There’s even a brand new one about a ventriloquist dummy. Those things creep you out, right? You’ll laugh. You’ll scream. Okay… you probably won’t actually scream, unless you already had issues before you started reading, but you might cringe and get a little spooked.

Available on DarkRegions.com, Amazon.com, libraries, specialty bookstores and other online vendors.

Visit http://www.darkregions.com/books/dead-clown-barbecue-by-jeff-strand

Jeff Strand was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Strand’s novel PRESSURE has been optioned for film; he’s hoping the movie will be made soon so he can scream “My baby! What have you done to my precious baby?!?” Strand’s novels are usually classified as horror, but they’re really all over the place, from comedies to thrillers to drama to, yes, even a fairy tale (FANGBOY). Because he doesn’t do cold weather anymore, he lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife and two cats.

Best In Blood Season 6 – Nathanael Munn

Hello, all you Horror Addicts out there! Are you ready for a new and a frightening good year of horror?! Well to get this year started I have an interview with the one and only Nathanael Munn, our Season 6 Best in Blood author.

I started off by asking Munn how he felt about receiving the title, to which he replied, “Well I felt surprised and honored really. It’s a good feeling to know that other people were entertained by one of my stories.”

He then added, “Well I’m not for speeches, but I would like to thank Horror Addicts for giving me the opportunity to share my work with their fans. And a really big thank you to all the Horror Addict Fans that listened and downloaded my story. Without them I could not have won.”

Now, what got our daring author into Horror in the first place you ask? “That’s a tough one. It’s not a story but rather real life. I believe my house was haunted by something. As a kid I had many a terrified nights tightly balled under my blanket. Listening to footsteps walk up down our long hallway followed by chilling feelings of not being alone. Sometimes hearing whispers. Without getting into much detail many things happened that even thinking back on it creeps me out little. I rely on my on the memory of what I was feeling at the time to aid my writing. Plus I like to let imagination run wild. But if you want to know a book that creeped me out the most when I was younger, here you go… I read a book called Hell Board by Dana Reed when I was in the 5th grade. It freaked me out. I never looked Ouija Boards the same way again… I think that book tied into the specter that haunted me at night led me down the path I have chosen to follow.”

All you horror fans better get yourself prepared because Munn is planning on “taking horror fans on new incredible journeys through the mind.” And, though Nathanael hasn’t made the plunge into e-books yet he did inform me that he is currently working on a Webzine. He also has a novella being released in March of 2013 titled, Derivation.

If fans want to keep up with what Nathanael is doing or contact him you can do so at the following places:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arcanum-Axiom/191155884381
www.arcanuaxiom.com
https://www.facebook.com/natel.munn

Press Release: Sirens Call Publications – Carnage

Carnage: After the End – Volume 1

The Apocalypse has come, leaving in its wake small pockets of survivors battling to stay alive; each carving out a new beginning for mankind.

The ten stories in Carnage: After the End – Volume 1 are the terrifyingly harsh and brutal realities those survivors must face. Each one takes us to a place where humanity’s stragglers are forced to battle with enemies outside of their control; mutant beasts, groups of depraved and desperate people, and the terrifying threat of a dwindling food supply. Their fight for survival gets even more difficult as they search among the tatters of civilization for the will to carry on.

In a world where society has collapsed and terror lurks around every corner, no one can be trusted and nothing can be taken for granted.

Hell has invaded and happy endings are a thing of the past…

Contributing Authors in Volume 1 include:

Kimberly A. Bettes, Shane Cashman, Shane R. Collins, Laura Diamond, Rodney James Galley, Michael Griffin, Russell Linton, Adam Millard, Christofer Nigro, and Julianne Snow.

Interested in picking up a copy? Carnage: After the End – Volume 1 can be found at any of these fine retailers:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Smashwords

Carnage: After the End – Volume 2

Hell has invaded Earth and happy endings are a thing long since forgotten.

The ten stories in Carnage: After the End – Volume 2 tell of the frighteningly horrific and cruel lives the survivors must face. Each one takes us to a place where humanity’s stragglers are forced to battle for their very existence against their own grim reality; creatures from different worlds or times, individuals or groups of miscreants who feed on the fear of the weak, and even the terrifying threat of unknown bacterial organisms. Their will to go on diminishing among the tatters of the civilization they once knew.

In a world where society has collapsed and terror lurks around every corner, no one can be trusted and nothing can be taken for granted.

The Apocalypse has come, leaving in its wake small pockets of survivors battling to stay alive; each carving out a new beginning for mankind…

Contributing Authors in Volume 2 include

Angel D. Callido, Charlie Fish, Harper Hull, Magda Knight, Jason Lairamore, Harry Manners, Zachary O’Shea, Wednesday Silverwood, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and L.E. White.

Interested in picking up a copy? Carnage: After the End – Volume 2 can found one at any of these fine retailers:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Smashwords

Press Release: Carlson sells new thriller novel to 47North

International bestselling author Jeff Carlson, best known for his Plague Year trilogy, sold apocalyptic thriller Interrupt to editor David Pomerico at 47North via the Donald Maass Literary Agency.

Terms were not released, although Maass, an agent with thirty years’ experience in New York, described the deal as “solid.”

Based partly on the success of Carlson’s self-published sci fi thriller The Frozen Sky, 47North’s editorial team invited Carlson to pitch a new novel.

First a short story, which sold 40,000 copies electronically, The Frozen Sky is now a full-length novel that’s earned acclaim from genre greats such as Larry Niven, Allen Steele, and David Marusek.

“Jeff is incredibly talented as evidenced by his nanotech trilogy and the all-new Frozen Sky,” said Maass.  “Opportunities to work with writers with his imagination, craftsmanship, and drive are why I love agenting.”

Interrupt is slated for publication in July 2013.  47North will release print, ebook, and audiobook editions.

“They envision Interrupt as a big summer beach read,” said Maass.  “This novel is a wild ride.  It puts Carlson in the same league as blockbusters like James Rollins or Kim Stanley Robinson.  Like his Plague Year novels, Interrupt is a plausible, terrifying thriller.  He combines real-world biology and astrophysics with secret agents, military adventure, and an especially intriguing heroine.  Then he upends our everyday lives with one giant shock after another.  I love it.”

Russian rights to Interrupt have already sold to AST/Astrel via Cameron McClure of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.  Carlson’s previous novels appeared in several countries around the world including Spain, where Plague Year was a hardcover bestseller, and Germany, where the trilogy sold in best bid auction to Piper Verlag.

Readers can find advance news, free excerpts, videos, contests and more on the web sites of 47North at http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000715991 and Jeff Carlson at http://www.jverse.com

Press Release: Black Labyrinth-The Walls of the Castle

From the four time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, two-time winner of the International

Thriller Writers Award and finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award Tom Piccirilli comes

an intense and visceral psychological thriller novella, the first title in the Black Labyrinth

imprint illustrated by Gothic artist Santiago Caruso.

 

 

In the labyrinthian maze of endless corridors, annexes, and wings of the enormous medical complex known as The Castle prowls a grief-stricken man determined to redeem himself and bring justice for those victims incapable of doing it for themselves.

During the four months that his son lay dying, ex-con Kasteel lost his job, his wife, and nearly his mind.  He became a fixture at the Castle, a phantom prowling the halls in the deep night, a shadow of his former self until he faded from sight and was forgotten altogether.

Now, without any life to return to, he takes it upon himself to become the Castle’s guardian.  He lives off the grid hiding among the hundreds of miles of twisting passages, rooms, offices, and underground parking structures.  Despair, confusion, and terror are the natural state and trade of any hospital:  Not only must the patients endure disease and infirmity, but others are victims of physical and sexual abuse from the outside world or from cruel security guards. 

The Castle was originally a colonial Dutch settlement: a village that grew into a town which grew into a city and at last became a hospital.  Kasteel has lost his very identity to this place, taking for himself the original Dutch name for “Castle.”

Kasteel sleeps in empty operating theaters, sneaks food from the cafeteria, hacks into computers, and is privy to both staff and patient files.  Using his skills as a burglar he tracks down the attackers, the deceivers, and the killers.

In the psychiatric wing’s day rooms and gardens long-suffering patient Hedgewick is Kasteel’s only friend.  Hedgewick sees his father’s ghost and claims to fight in a gladiatorial arena while the hospital guards bet on the winners.  Kasteel and Hedge often meet in the Fool’s Tower, a ten-story high steeple once used to quarantine yellow fever victims a century ago, overlooking acres of gardens.  A place where family members go to pray for their loved ones, and the distraught often commit suicide.

But a new name is now whispered in the Castle: Abaddon, the ancient name for the angel of death.  A brain-damaged woman has visions and speaks only to Kasteel.  Abaddon is a killer, a man lost to the Castle like Kasteel himself, wandering the corridors searching out victims.  Even as Abaddon hunts the innocent, Kasteel hunts Abaddon, eager for a final showdown that may at last set him free.

20% of hardcover proceeds for The Walls of the Castle by Tom Piccirilli
will be donated directly to the author, and 100% of ebook proceeds will go
to the author in his fight against brain cancer. He recently underwent
surgery to remove a golf ball-sized tumor from his brain and there has
been a massive community outpouring.  Buying The Walls of the Castle is
another way to help Tom in his fight.

————————————————————————————————————

Tom Piccirilli is an American novelist and short story writer. He has sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. Piccirilli is a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for “Best Paperback Original” (2008, 2010). He is a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and he won the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of “Best Poetry Collection”.

Press Release: Dark Regions Press- Crooked House

New Haunted House Novel in the Vein of The

Shining from Bram Stoker Award Winning Mass-

Distributed Author Joe McKinney

“A rising star in the horror scene ” – FearNet.com

“A merciless, fast-paced and genuinely scary read that will leave you absolutely breathless.”

– Bram Stoker Award-winning author Brian Keene on Dead City

From the best-selling author of Dead City, Mutated, Flesh Eater, Quarantined and more comes the all-new haunted house novel Crooked House published by Dark Regions Press to be available on Tuesday, October 23rd on the DarkRegions.com website. The book will be available in two premium signed collectible hardcover formats and a trade paperback edition. In this republican country, amid the fluctuating waves of our social life, some- body is always at the drowning point. Those words were true when Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote them in 1851, and they were true in 1933, when a fire burned half of Crook House to the ground, taking James Crook’s wife and two sons with it. A disgraced bootlegger and former pro baseball player, James Crook returned from prison to find his house, and his life, a pile of cinders. Broken and insane, he rebuilt Crook House, putting his pain and loneliness into every timber. But Hawthorne’s words are still true today, and nobody knows that better than Dr. Robert Bell, who has just moved into Crook House as part of his hiring package from a small Texas college. He soon discovers that Crook House is more than just a new beginning for himself and Sarah and their daughter Angela. For the Bell family, Crook House is a place where the past still lives, and its horrors waiting for the next drowning man. With Crooked House, Joe McKinney brings you a chilling novel in the vein of The Shining by Stephen King, a haunted house tale that will stay with you long after the final page is turned.

 

Joe McKinney is a San Antonio based author of several mass-distributed horror, crime and science fiction novels. His works include the three part Dead World series, the science fiction disaster tale, Quarantined, which was nominated for the Horror Writers Association’s Bram Stoker Award for superior achievement in a novel, 2009, and the real crime novel, Dodging Bullets. In 2012, McKinney’s Flesh Eaters won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel of 2011.

13 Questions with Shaunessy Ashdown

“I’m about to climb that mountain behind me and I’m scared out of my mind.” –Shaunessy Ashdown

 

 

 

 

Hello all you Horror Addicts out there! This week we have brought back the original Master of Macabre, Shaunessy Ashdown!

Shaunessy had a few words for all you readers out there, “I’m so grateful to have been given another opportunity to produce a story for you adrenaline junkies! And I can’t believe a whole year has passed and we already have a new Master of Macabre.”

The story that he has recorded for us is titled, Commencing Slaughter; which is about “the not-so-distant future, when food is scarce, a young bio-engineer starts his first day of work at a powerful gene tech corporation. With guarantees of a monthly salary and plenty of calories to feed on, he believes he’s found his dream job. Little does he know what perverse surprises his new employer has in store for him! It’s a story about food production and the evils that plague it.”

The inspiration for the story actually came Ashdown’s own frustrations with the food industry. “The more I learn about food, the more I realize how crappy our options are. It’s almost impossible to eat ethically and healthily. And if you try, you come up against all kinds of resistance -– just wait and see what happens to the protagonist in my story, haha!”

Now some of you may or may not be familiar with Shaunessy’s published works, German school books. I was curious if his educational work affected his fiction projects in anyway and Ashdown was kind enough to explain that, “It’s been very good training for me. Most of these books have to be understandable to young learners who have a relatively low level of English, yet we have to present texts that interest them. As a writer, this forces you to convey your message using simple vocabulary and sentence structures, really get down to basics, you know?”

Not only is Shaunessy an author but he is an editor for a German school book publisher. So I had to ask if Ashdown had any tips out there for all us writers out there. “In a publishing house, the highest-level decisions editors have to make pertain to the house’s program, i.e. what books and other products they will produce. My recommendation to writers submitting an idea to a publisher is to pitch it in such a way that it obviously compliments the house’s program. Also show readiness to work with an editor to develop your story further. New authors who are too rigid to divorce themselves from their original ideas are generally regarded as both arrogant and incapable.”

Ashdown has been writing on and off through out his entire life, he even mentioned that “in fourth grade I won my school district’s young authors’ contest with a sort of feminist Christmas story called “Rachel the Female Reindeer.” But I can’t claim to have lived the writer’s life the entire time since then.”

As many of our guest authors here on HA, Shaunessy prefers the “monsters” that are “closest to reality.” “Serial killers, jilted lovers that fly off the handle, the sort of badies you find in thrillers like “Psycho” or “Fatal Attraction.” It’s fascinating to explore what turns a person evil…though in the supernatural realm, witches and ghosts really capture my imagination, maybe because they are the most real to me.”

Shaunessy’s goals for the future mainly revolve around his editing career. “My goal for the next few years pertain mostly to my job in educational publishing. I’ve only been an editor for a year, you see, and it will take me another year or so before I really know what I’m doing. But it’s a really intriguing and multi-faceted job and I feel I have wonderful opportunities to positively affect how languages are taught here in Europe.”

Sadly, he does not have any projects currently on the burners but Shaunessy said “he would love to write and record another story for you guys someday, though. Feel free to ask!”

For more information on Shaunessy Ashdown, be sure to check out these websites!

https://www.facebook.com/shaunessy.ashdown

https://plus.google.com/117679369543451264265/posts

http://thewaytomypurpose.blogspot.com/

Press Release: Dark Regions Press-Notes from the Shadow City

Notes from the Shadow City

by Gary William Crawford and Bruce Boston

“In Notes from the Shadow City, Crawford and Boston distill a bleak dystopian vision. Alone or together, and utilizing poetry, prose, and photographic images, they have crafted a guidebook, a Baedeker to the same outliers as chronicled by Dostoyevsky, Kafka, and Orwell, where shadows are more real than the gnomons that cast them, and the predominant colors come from the stripped-down underside of the rainbow.”
               —Robert Borski, author of Blood Wallah and Other Poems
“Like grim guides of the underworld, Boston and Crawford lead you into a terrifying landscape of tragedy and tyranny. At times morbid, despairing, inspiring, and hauntingly beautiful, the Shadow City etches itself into your mind with lonely, tormented characters and their tragic fates.”
                —Anders Monsen, Editor, Prometheus
“Boston’s and Crawford’s voices meld beautifully to create dark music. Notes from the Shadow City will echo in your nightmares.”
                —Linda D. Addison, Bram-Stoker-Award-winning author of Being Full of Light, Insubstantial
“To say that reading Notes from the Shadow City is a delight might be misleading; to say that it is unsettling, disconcerting, provocative, and remarkable is to scratch the surface of the shadows and begin to reveal the genius beneath.”
               —from the introduction by Michael R. Collings, author of The House beyond the Hill

 
Bruce Boston lives in Ocala, Florida, once known as the City of Trees, with his wife, writer-artist Marge Simon, and the ghosts of two cats. He is the author of fifty books and chapbooks, including the novels The Guardener’s Tale and Stained Glass Rain. His poetry and fiction have appeared in hundreds of publications, including Asimov’s SF Magazine, Amazing Stories, Weird Tales, Strange Horizons, Realms of Fantasy, Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, and The Nebula Awards Showcase. One of the leading genre poets for more than a quarter century, Boston has won the Bram Stoker Award for Poetry, the Asimov’s Readers Award for Poetry, and the Rhysling Award of the Science Fiction Poetry Association, each a record number of times. His fiction has received a Pushcart Prize and been a finalist for the Bram Stoker Novel Award and the Micro Award for flash fiction. For more information, and links to work online, visit www.bruceboston.com.

 
Gary William Crawford (born 1953) is an American writer and small press publisher. He is the founder and editor of Gothic Press, which since 1979 has published books and periodicals in the field of Gothic literature. From 1979 to 1987, Crawford produced six issues of the journal Gothic, which features articles on Gothic fiction from 1764 to 1986. Later, the press published the horror poetry magazine Night Songs. In recent years, the press has published The Gothic Chapbook Series, which features pamphlets of fiction, poetry and scholarship. He has numerous poems, stories, and articles in the small press. Crawford has recently begun the online journal, Le Fanu Studies, about ghost and mystery story writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu, and is compiling Internet databases on Le Fanu, Fritz Leiber, Ramsey Campbell, Walter de la Mare and Robert Aickman.

 

 
Available on DarkRegions.com, Amazon.com, libraries, specialty bookstores and other online vendors.
Visit http://www.darkregions.com/books/notes-from-the-shadow-city-by-gary-william-crawford-bruce-boston

13 Questions with Laurence Simon

Now here is a name that all you HA listeners out there will know, Laurence Simon, a.k.a the creator of the 100 Word Stories series! That’s right, this week I was able to interview the master of short stories and even catch a glimpse of what goes on inside that head.

Laurence explained to me how his short stories got their start. “A college friend wrote 100 stories 100 words long, so I thought I’d give it a shot and write a few. They were about Abraham Lincoln, inspired by a play written by Woody Allen. Then, a few years later, some other friends created a site called 100 Words Or Les Nessman, where you had to write a 100 word story on a topic or write about the WKRP character. I recorded the stories I wrote for that site and put them on a podcast feed. When the Les Nessman site became unstable, people wanted to keep up the challenge aspect of that site, so I came up with the Weekly Challenge for others to participate in.”

And for those of you, like me, who have been wondering just how many of these stories Simon has written…well, I’ll let him tell you…. “I’ve written at least 1 a day for the past seven and a half years. My queue is stacked up through April of 2014, and there’s many more in the drafts pile. So if it isn’t over 4,000 by now, it’s close to that number.”

Animal lovers everywhere will appreciate what Simon feels is his best work so far, A Night On The Beach, which was written for one of his cats. In fact he cares for them enough that “every night before he goes to bed, he walks by the shelf that his cats’ ashes are on, and tells them that he misses them.” Laurence was also kind enough to share A Night On The Beach with us –

—————-
I wake up and shake the sand from my shoes. This happens every morning.

But I haven’t been to the beach in years.

Only in my dreams.

Sometimes, there’s driftwood in my hand, seaweed wrapped around my ankle.

Salt in my hair from the ocean spray.

On a shelf over my mirror, I’ve put my seashell collection.

All these things, I dream of. And bring back with me.

When I dream of you, take my hand, and let me bring you back.

I will leave my sadness on the sands of my dreams.

To be washed away with the tide.
—————-

Now I’m sure many of you have come across one of Laurence’s many websites, here is a look into his “isfullofcrap” site. “These days [isfullofcrap.com is] just an “About Me” placeholder. I used to run a daily political and current events snark blog called “The Blog Is Full Of Crap” there. And before that, I ran “Amish Tech Support.” But those days are over. My daily blogging is about Second Life, but that’s also fading. I’d rather just enjoy it than get all nitpicky on it, or rail against a privately-held company that develops features and pricing structures for customers that no longer exist and never will again. So, really, http://podcasting.isfullofcrap.com/ is where the real deal is. That’s where the the podcast dwells. (Until I give it its own domain and put isfullofcrap.com out to pasture.)”

Now my addicts, on to the horrifying part of this interview! Just kidding but I am gonna tell you a little bit about Laurence’s love of horror. According to him, “Fear is such a deep and raw emotion. Writers and directors who can manipulate you through it effectively are very rare. Stories that don’t rely on the supernatural or impossible are more powerful than ones that do. The Long Walk by Stephen King is my favorite horror tale. (To me, it’s horror. Deal with it.) But the moment that he wimps out and whips out a haunted demon-car or crazy-assed parallel universes, I want to smack him with the book and run him over with a van. The guy is brilliant without having to rely on that stuff. Okay, so a little magic or impossibility is necessary, but just a touch of it… one little tiny twist or spark. That’s all it takes. Good horror is when you hand someone a shovel, they dig themselves into a hole, can’t get out of it, pass through the drama as they try to get out of it by other means, and then go one step further into the really nasty stuff… the horror stage. If it doesn’t have a touch of hubris, then you’re only a victim to be added to the body count. Misery will always beat Christine in my opinion.”

“The traditional monsters are unbelievable. Give me something human or once-human, because real people are the biggest monsters of all. You’re going to laugh, but Willy Wonka was a horror movie monster to me when I was little. The man was witty, aloof, and bumping off kids one by one. Then, he told Charlie he broke the rules and… and…That’s usually when I had to go to bed. If you think about it, lots of movies are like that.
– Cut off ET when the alien is dead and Elliot is in the science lab.
– Cut off Wizard of Oz when Dorothy is watching Auntie Em in the crystal ball.
– Cut off The Ten Commandments when the Israelites have their backs against the sea.
Try it. (Especially on your kids.)”

And sadly, this brings us to the end of our interview kiddies. BUT fear not, there are more 100 word stories in your future. Here’s some things on the drawing board:

– More 100 word stories

– More 100-word entries for the A is for Avatar series (http://aisforavatar.com/)

– Collections of the stories in Kindle and other e-book reader formats.

– A feed of the stories in image format so people with WiFi picture frames can create slideshows of the stories

– Apple and Droid apps

– New refrigerator magnets of my best stories

For more information on Laurence Simon, you don’t want to miss checking out these websites!
http://twitter.com/isfullofcrap
http://twitter.com/100wordstories
http://www.facebook.com/100wordstories
http://podcasting.isfullofcrap.com/

Press Release: Naughty Nights Press – Campus Sexploits 3

Campus Sexploits 3

Campus Sexploits 3 is the third book in a series of anthologies all about the fantasy fun days of youth. Four naughty, college/university-themed, erotic short stories to tantalize and tease the senses, while giving readers a little taste of the wickedly erotic worlds these four fantastic authors can weave. Worlds of incredible, earth-shattering, sexual freedom involving college or university students and the kinky antics they participate in. Worlds you can just feel yourself fall into…
Contributors: Tanith Davenport – Assume The Position, Scarlett Black – The Librarian, Angelica Dawson – The Highest Bidder, Liz Adams – Squirting Secrets

Press Release: Starwave Records – Umbrella

umbrella

 

2nd mini-album [Monochrome] on sale October 24, 2012

“If the world is a black and white dream, perhaps I’ll see you there”
In the year since their previous release [Samidare], umbrella has continued to evolve, holding their own oneman live and adding a new member to the lineup. Now at last they present their long-awaited second mini-album, sending a downpour to your heart in the form of a new musical score. …An umbrella over your heart.

※If an advance order is placed together with an order for an item in stock, both items will be delivered together when the item on advance order is officially released. Therefore, it is recommended that advance orders are placed separately.

Line-up :
vocal&guitar: Yui
guitar: Shu
bass: Hal
drums: Sho

Live schedule :
Oct. 2, 2012 – Ikebukuro CHOP (album pre-sale event)
Oct. 5, 2012 – Nishikujo BRAND NEW
Oct. 27, 2012 – Closet Child Harajuku (shop clerks for 1 hour)
Oct. 28, 2012 – Tokyo Ryutsu Center (multimedia convention M3)
Oct. 28, 2012 – Ikebukuro CHOP
Oct. 29, 2012 – Kyoto MUSE
Nov. 4, 2012 – Shinsaibashi club ALIVE!
Nov. 18, 2012 – Pure Sound Amemura (in-store event)
Nov. 18, 2012 – Nishikujo BRAND NEW
Nov. 22, 2012 – Shinsaibashi club ALIVE! (sponsor event)
Dec. 16, 2012 – Shinsaibashi club ALIVE! (oneman)
Jan. 12, 2013 – Ikebukuro CHOP (oneman)

2nd mini album [Monochrome]
Oct 2, 2012 at the live house
Oct 24, 2012 in stores
CD number: SWKA-2
Label: Starwave Records
Distribution: Daiki Sound
Price: 2,500yen (tax in)
Limit: 1000 copies

Playlist:
01. Sekai no Owaru Oto
02. Kazaana
03. Wasurenagusa
04. Monochrome
05. Taiyoukousen
06. Binetsu
07. LoV

Press Release: Kollin Bros – Day By Day

NOW ON SALE!

 

The Kollin Brothers joint novel Day by Day, a Mayan prophecy (and first-ever short story) is officially on sale!

Day By Day is a Mayan prophecy tale that takes place on the last day of Earth’s existence. The Prometheus award-winning authors have not only come up with a doomsday like no other, they’ve also managed to place the fate of humanity on the hopes and perseverance of a most unlikely duo — quite possibly the strangest in science fiction history. Enjoy Day By Day, a Kollin Brothers adventure that begins at the end.

13 Questions with Nancy Collins

This week on HA we are doing things a little different, our featured author for this week Nancy Collins will not be sharing a story with all us fans. Instead, we will be listening in on an exclusive interview with Nancy.

Professionally, Collins has been writing for 25 years and has “22 novels and short story collections published. Many of them are available both in print and as e-books.” Nancy also wanted to add, “I am in the process of making my back catalog available via e-books.”

Nancy has been “published in all formats: major traditional publishers (Penguin, Harper Collins, New American Library), small press publishers (White Wolf, Cemetery Dance Publications, Biting Dog Publications, Gauntlet Press, Overlook Connection Press), e-publishers (Premier Digital Publishing, Biting Dog Publications) and self-epublishing (Hopedale Press).  [She prefers] traditional major publishing, if for no other reasons than [getting] paid an advance for [her] work and [she doesn’t] have to be responsible for everything, thereby giving [her] time to actually write book. However, [she does] enjoy some aspects of self-publishing, such as designing the e-covers for [her] novels and short stories. That’s not to say [she’s[ good at it, mind you–just that [she enjoys] it.”

As I mentioned, Collins has several books published and some of her well noted novels include those in her Golgotham series. And the series is so popular that it has it’s own “city” website: Golgotham Online. Nancy explained that “Golgotham Online is dedicated to my Golgotham series of urban fantasy novels, set in New York City’s supernatural ghetto. It’s designed to resemble a Chamber of Commerce tourism website, like those for, say San Francisco’s Chinatown or New Orleans’ French Quarter. All the restaurants, bars and shops listed are those from the books. There are restaurant menus, a FAQ for visitors to the area, and the like available. I generated all the copy myself.”

Now all of you Collins fans out there…get ready for some interesting insight into the growth of the author’s lover. “I’ve always enjoy the horror genre’s ambiguity, as well as its ability to unnerve, not just horrify. I like stories and movies that make me think, and are not afraid to have an unhappy/unconventional ending…As a kid I always had a fondness for vampires and werewolves. They’re the essential building blocks of gothic horror, really. The biggest problem with werewolves, though, is that there are only a handful of decent movies about them: The Wolfman, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Howling, American Werewolf in London, The Company of Wolves, and Ginger Snaps. That’s about it. On the other hand, there are plenty of excellent vampire movies out there, ranging from the traditional, like Horror of Dracula and Nosferatu, to unconventional stuff like Near Dark, The Hamiltons, and Martin. ”

Nancy then shared another childhood “horror” story with me. “When I was a kid the Dr. Seuss story The Pale Green Pants scared the living daylights out of me.  It’s a story about a guy who sees an empty pair of pants walking down the street, and is so frightened he runs away, and the pants chase after him. Not only that, they stalk him. At the end of the story the guy realizes the pants just wants someone to wear them, and doesn’t mean any harm. But in my mind, the pants were trying to kill him. (Don’t ask me how I came up with that interpretation) I had nightmares about being chased by the empty pants, and became so upset that my mother finally had to sit me down and tell me that it was impossible for pants to run around without anyone inside them. Then I saw the original INVISIBLE MAN, where he runs down the street, stripping off his clothes–and lo and behold there’s a *pair of empty pants running around with no one inside them!* On TV!!! Therefore it *must* be true.  My mother cursed poor Claude Raines for weeks.”

Collins’ goals for the future are simple: To get all her back catalog (that includes 50+ short stories and novellas) formatted and available for sale in ebook format, while still being paid to write.

Be sure to be on the look out for Nancy Collins’ upcoming projects: “I’ve got the third book in the Golgotham series, Magic and Loss coming out in 2013 from Penguin/Roc. Premier Digital Publishing (PDP) will be releasing the revised and updated ebook edition of In The Blood, the direct sequel to Sunglasses After Dark, before the end of the year.  I’ve just signed a contract with Overlook Connection Press to release the Sonja Blue trilogy (Sunglasses After Dark, In The Blood and Paint It Black) in a series of limited collector’s edition hardback. I’m also working with artist Stan Shaw to release the Sunglasses After Dark Graphic Novel via IDW. I’ve also got original short stories appearing in the forthcoming Clockwork Fables and Exotic Gothic #5. I also expect to have a series of audiobooks, produced via ACX, available in time for Christmas 2012, to be made available via Audible.com, Amazon & iTunes. So far, the audiobooks under production include Sunglasses After Dark, The Thing From Lover’s Lane, Return to Hell House, Hell Come Sundown, Lynch and Walking Wolf.”
For more information on Nancy Collins, check out these websites!

http://www.golgothamonline.com/
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/nancy-a-collins/
http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/32665/Nancy_A_Collins/index.aspx
http://truesonjablue.blogspot.com/2012/08/sunglasses-after-dark-now-on-kobo.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FGobLc+%28True+Blue%29

Photo Credit: Tommy Boulden
Sunglasses After Dark/In The Blood/Paint It Black art credit: Sean Hartter

13 Questions with Michaelbrent Collings

As mentioned earlier in the week by David, our featured author for episode 80 is none other than Michaelbrent Collings. The best selling author of Apparition, the first chapter of which will be featured on our HA episode on Saturday.

After asking my first question, I knew this interview was going to be a blast. Just read what Collings had to say about his first time on Horror Addicts. “You know that feeling you get when you win a Nobel prize right after you find out your lottery numbers came up? It’s like that.  Only less.   Seriously, it’s nice to be here.  I always enjoy talking to people who appreciate horror.  So since you guys not only APPRECIATE horror, but are actually ADDICTED to it, I like it that much more.”

Now I don’t want to get you too excited about hearing Michaelbrent’s Apparition. Though the story is amazing, we will only be sharing the first chapter with you. So once you are hooked, feel free to head on over to Amazon and pick up your very own copy. But for those of you unfamiliar with Apparition here is a summary of the novel by Collings himself. “Apparition is the story of a family.  Brother, sister, mom, and dad.  Only one night the mother suddenly goes crazy and tries to stab her children to death.  The father saves them, but the mother then turns the knife on herself.  A year later, what’s left of the family is still trying to heal, to come to terms with what’s happened.  But it’s not over.  Because whatever force turned the mother into a murderess… has also set its sights on the father.  He has to find a way to rid himself of a supernatural entity that wants to possess him and use his body to kill his own children.”

Michaelbrent then went on to explain the inspiration for his novel, “Basically, whenever I write a scary story the first thing it has to do is scare ME.  And as a father there are very few things more frightening than the specter of losing a child.  So I took that kernel of a concept and played with it, finally realizing that far worse than simply LOSING a child would be the idea that you had to KILL one of your kids.  And Apparition was born.”

Maybe a few of you are not entirely familiar with the name Collings but it rings a few bells. Well, Addicts you are most likely thinking about the All Write writing seminars, created by….you guessed it, Michaelbrent Collings. “Yup, it’s my baby.  I started it for a few reasons.  One is that I am partially based out of Idaho, and I’ve found that there is a lot of interest in writing in general out here.  There are also a lot of folks who are interested in screenwriting, which I know a fair bit about – I’m a member of the WGA and a produced screenwriter.  So I looked around and realized that there was a large group of interested people who didn’t have nearly the same number of opportunities to get quality instruction as you might find in Los Angeles, and decided that someone had to change that.  More than that, though, I wanted to create an “A to Z” seminar where people could come in and learn a tremendous amount about the art and craft of writing – everything from poetry to novels to screenplays.  Not just a refresher course or one of those seminars where they pump you up and get you excited but don’t actually teach you much; I wanted to provide the most comprehensive writing seminar available ANYWHERE.  And hopefully that’s what we’ve got in All Write.”

And if that wasn’t what you were thinking of then I am sure it was one of around a dozen of stories written by Collings. “[All of my books are] available as both print and e-books.  I love e-books (there’s something wonderful about having an entire library with me wherever I go), but I’ll never leave print books behind.  There’s just something about the smell…[I am also both self-published and traditionally published. But I have had far greater success with my self-pub works.  We’re in a moment of real change in the publishing and literary world, and it’s exciting to see that.  It’s becoming less and less about whether you’ve been published by one of the big houses, and more and more about how many people actually download your book.”

Being such a well known horror author I was curious about what it was that attracted Michaelbrent to the genre. “I like a few things about the horror genre.  One thing is that it’s one of the few genres left where you can posit the existence of something beyond this life.  It has become more en vogue to pretend that everyone in literature is an atheist – or at least an agnostic – which I have found does not really mirror human existence.  Most folks believe in God, most believe in Heaven.  I think writing about those things makes for a richer experience, and horror by its very nature allows for that, since it so often deals with the supernatural and “the beyond.” Another thing I like about horror is that the stories are dire enough that, perhaps ironically, they allow for characters to rise above themselves and become truly heroic.  Everything is more powerful when placed under the magnifying lens of terror, including the (I believe) inherent goodness of humanity.  The best horror stories elevate and inspire just as much as they terrify.”

Here’s a little tid-bit for all you fans out there, Collings’ favorite scary stories growing up. “Probably a three-way tie between Jackson’s The Haunting Of Hill House, King’s The Shining, and Koontz’s Lightning.  All three of them are pinnacles of what they are trying to do.  Gun to my head, though, I’d probably say The Haunting wins by a nose.  Jackson’s story is so subtle, so artful.  The creepiness of it crawls into you; seeps into your bones so gradually you don’t realize how scared you are until it’s far too late to just put down the book and walk away.  Wonderful stuff.”

Now to all the horror and especially the vampire fans out there, be on the look out for Michaelbrent’s upcoming projects. “Well, I’m working on a couple things.  Something I’m working on that HA fans might want to look out for is a book I’m calling the anti-Twilight.  It’s going to be called Hooked, and though it’s a vampire tale, I’m doing some very fun things with the vamps that cast them in a light that is brand new.  No one has ever touched on this aspect of vampires before, so it should be a fun and (hopefully) creepy tale.”

For more information on Michaelbrent Collings, be sure to check out these websites!

http://www.michaelbrentcollings.com
http://fandemonium.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=114:author-guest-michael-brent-collings&catid=2:guests&Itemid=68
http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentCollings

Press Release: COLD+SLEEP

COLD+SLEEP

COLD+SLEEP, the new band project started in 2012 by SEN, who is also active in the band marlee. Following the pattern of a hedonistic encounter of metal and club sounds, COLD+SLEEP makes cyberspace dance to a faster track in search of the cycle of new music entrusted to the next generation and the end of the world!

A project was initiated in January 2012 to release 12 consecutive monthly singles, which can be purchased only at the iTunes Store. They had their first live gig on April 30, 2012, at Sapporo Sound Lab Mole, and in September 2012 they will begin a monthly live circuit!

COLD+SLEEP digital release singles
1st single [SLEEPERS] Now on Sale
2nd single [SICK BOY] Now on Sale
3rd single [Share The Freedom] Now on Sale
4th single [Spinal Column] Now on Sale
5th single [Solid Stae Sadness] Now on Sale
6th single [Sadistrick] Now on Sale
7th single [Soul Hacker] July 29, 2012 release

COLD+SLEEP I-tunes Store:
http://itunes.apple.com/jp/artist/cold+sleep/id497612223

COLD+SLEEP Live Scripts 2012 -Test case of Scripts-
Sep 15, 2012 Ikebukuro CYBER (Darkest Fest)
Oct 31, 2012 Ikebukuro CYBER
Nov 10, 2012 Ikebukuro CYBER

COLD+SLEEP SEN’s Blog:
http://ameblo.jp/coldsleep-sen/

COLD+SLEEP Official Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/coldsleepofficial

2012 Masters Of Macabre Winner!

Congratulations to Philip Carroll, our MMM challenge winner of 2012!!!

This is what Philip had to say about being voted the Master of Macabre, “It feels great to be crowned Master of Macabre. It’s gratifying to know there are others that enjoyed my story. I’ve won writing contests before, but that was typically because I was the only one who entered. Also, I have considered that horror is not my genre. Perhaps I was mistaken. I think back to my youth and when I went with a friend to see the original Amityville Horror. I came out of that movie so freaked out that when the “slasher movie” genre became the fashion, I never really participated. However, I remember when I had a paper route in high school and actually had to ride my bike before dawn, throwing the papers onto porches, I often spooked myself imagining there were corpses in cars I rode past. But as long as I didn’t look into the cars I would be ok.”

As a writer myself, I was curious if there was anything he would change about his cursed story of winning the lottery. “Regarding my submitted story, I made a mistake on how long I had, or how many words I could record in 15 minutes. I ended up really short at about 12 minutes. I only had two days left before the deadline when I figured that out and didn’t want to make a big addition without time to consider and edit. So, yeah. I would spend more time and description from the first time his brother shows up.”

Carroll went on to talk about next year’s MMM contest, “I submitted my story not realizing that I would be responsible for next years contest if I won. I call myself a chronic unhatched chicken counter. So as soon as I realized that I could be running the show next time I started putting thoughts together. I’m pretty sure I have a solid theme and hope we get good participation to make it the best show possible. I’ve never had my own podcast, but have participated in others, and filled in a couple times  as guest host. I record every month, or so, at Flying Island Press for the audio version of our SciFi/Fantasy e-magazine, so I think I have the skills to put it together.”

Speaking of next year’s challenge, I asked Philip if he had anything to say to future contestants. “What would I say to those considering participating in next years competition? Do it. Of course. If you aren’t an experienced writer, do it anyway. We all have stories to tell and starting with a prompt is a great way to get inspiration and experience. For my first two years of writing, everything I wrote was based on a prompt from the Great Hites Podcast, or the 100 word weekly challenge podcast. And start early. As soon as we get the submission guidelines up, start working on it so that you have time to get it done, and work on your recording.”

Fans get ready for some Carroll goodness, from a horror short to a The Price of Friendship companion novella! “If I had any fans and they wanted to know what to look forward to, I would say for horror I have a story coming out in Emz’s Disaster Anthology. Probably my favorite short story to date. I usually write YA and I am currently recording a follow up Novella, about 23k words, to my podiobooks.com novel, The Price of Friendship. POF, which is out and available is very family appropriate. It’s the first novel I have published and wanted it to be clean. The novella, POF Addendum: Summer Surprise is solidly PG-13 mainly due to violence. I’m also writing my first murder mystery to submit to an anthology based on murder at thanksgiving.”

For those who would like to try Philip’s other ‘horror’ stories, there is a link to them in a blog at www.thepriceoffriendship.blogspot.com. One about being a paperboy and seeing dead people in parked cars. Other information would be to check out the blog listed above and to stop by www.flyingislandpress.com where he records for the magazine and occasionally blogs about science fiction and fantasy writing and books.