James Dorr's Blog, page 199

Chupa Cabra Takes Invisible People; Nightmare Stalkers Release Day Set; Vampire Girl Review October 1

Lots of small bits, with one not all that small.  Editor Timm Tayshun of Chupa Cabra House emailed today to say they’re accepting  my story “Invisible People,” originally published in the Winter 1992-93 DARK INFINITY, as a reprint for their anthology WE WALK INVISIBLE.  “Invisible People” is a symbolic (if one will) near-future dystopia based on the idea that as one becomes alienated by a society, he or she becomes no-longer-noticed by those still in that society’s mainstream.  The point is made, for instance (and to sneak in a plug ) in the story “Bottles” in THE TEARS OF ISIS where the maid Maria can walk unmolested as long as she’s wearing her maid’s uniform, but on her days off if she wears her own clothes she’s whistled at by the college boys at neighboring Harvard.  And as for the world in “Invisible People,” suppose one literally becomes invisible when those in the mainstream have been conditioned to only believe — and, hence, only to “see” — what society has told them is reality.

Also Horrified Press has announced the official release date for NIGHTMARE STALKERS & DREAM WALKERS (cf. September 20, June 28) as October 23, “just in time for the holiday season. . . .”  “The highly awaited horror anthology NIGHTMARE STALKERS & DREAM WALKERS edited by Suzie Lockhart & Bruce Lockhart 2nd dares you to confront the dark behind your eyelids, as no-one is safe to dream in this collection of  frightening tales from some of the biggest names in horror. NIGHTMARE STALKERS & DREAM WALKERS will be available in both digital and print formats.”  Speculation aside as to whether I qualify as one of “the biggest names,” etc., my story in this is one called “Flesh,” about a man who, because of a dream, has decided to get fat.

So, okay, you’ve just got to read it to see why.

And, speaking of the highly absurd, today’s third announcement is that my review of the Japanese film VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL, originally presented here last October 28 (“Recommended for Halloween Fun”), has been selected by M.R. Gott to appear as a guest blog on October 1, opening 2013’s WHERE THE DEAD FEAR TO TREAD, a.k.a. M.R. GOTT’S CUTIS ANSERINA, annual Halloween Celebration.  Thus far eleven more guest spots have been chosen stretching from mine on the first to October 29 and, while the real fun may not start for eight more days, for a sample of what WHERE THE DEAD FEAR TO TREAD is all about, one need but click here.

A Bloody Good Christmas Story Acceptance; Upstart Poets Farewell Fête (with a Lagniappe, Repeated)

What a Sunday!  A mellow party/poetry reading followed by email including my second Christmas story acceptance for 2013.  The first was for “The Match Story,” a Hans Christian Andersen tale retold in Third Flatiron Publishing’s having-not-a-bit-to-do-with-the-holidays summer anthology PLAYING WITH FIRE (cf. June 2, April 8), while this one will be for the Mocha Memoirs Press non-Christmas anthology IN THE BLOODSTREAM.  “Your submission must contain elements of dark fantasy or horror to be considered.  The subject matter is up to you.  We want beautiful prose and originality wrapped up in the darkest, creepiest story you’ve ever conceived.”  Sound like Christmas to you?

It did to me.  And so my offering in this outing is a modest Lovecraftian variant on a beloved Charles Dickens classic, here titled “A Christmas Carnage.”  It has to do with a recent graduate from Miskatonic U. who happens to have a midnight visit from . . . well let us just say a Christmas Present.  According to the original guidelines, the hope is to publish IN THE BLOODSTREAM in October.

And then the party, bittersweet in its way, was a farewell to Upstart Poets coordinator Joel Barker (see July 25, April 16, et al.) who leaves with his wife for New York on Friday.  Onward and upward.  It may also be a farewell to the People’s Bar, though there is some talk of a possible revival of some poetry program in this venue, though probably under a different name and with different ground rules.  But we shall see.

At least for this evening we had snacks and drinks and music and poems — one poem each from those who chose to read, several with a theme of farewell.  Thus it was that I, called second somewhat to my surprise, read an ultimate “farewell” offering, “Sestina for Death,” but asking Joel also to make like a zombie and come back to see us from time to time.

As for the poem, originally published in STRANGE HORIZONS on August 30 2010, it’s been here once before as a lagniappe (cf. March  6 2011), so why not again?  For those who may have missed it on its first go-round, just press here.

Gotta Brag: Dying to Live Still On Track for Oct. 31 Release, & Guess Who has Top Billing!

It’s really not all that big a deal — someone’s name has got to be first — and the only “news” is that Diabolic Publications LLC’s  “no sparklers, please” vampire anthology DYING TO LIVE (cf. July 24, March 9) is still scheduled for a Halloween release.  But I ran across their ad blurb on Facebook today and, well, I hope no one minds.

My story in this is called “The Preacher,” inspired in part by a late 19th century spate of suspected vampire cases in Connecticut and Rhode Island  — yes, right here in the US of A — the last of which concerning a woman named Mercy Brown may also have been, in part, an inspiration for Bram Stoker’s iconic novel DRACULA.  Who’d have thought?

But the important thing is, in Mercy Brown’s and  in other contemporary New England cases, none of these vampires sparkled either.

Nightmare Stalkers & Dream Walkers Author Lineup Announced, Second Volume Open for Submissions; Dark Bits Available in Print as well as Ebook Formats

A couple of quick updates, the first being that Horrified Press has announced a complete lineup of authors for  their upcoming NIGHTMARE STALKERS & DREAM WALKERS anthology (see June 28), although it’s not clear if this the actual table of contents that is, the order in which the stories will appear in the book) or perhaps the order in which they were accepted.  Either way, though, it looks like an intriguing list..

Desperate Dreams – By Chantal Boudreau

Dose – By Jay Wilburn

Chosen – By Rebecca Besser

Virtual Black – By Todd Nelsen

Dreamer – By Ben Pienaar

Silent Scream – By Scarlet Norton-Duperre

MacKenzie’s Rose – By Rie Sheridan Rose

If You Should Die Before I Wake – By Josh Strnad

Flesh – By James S. Dorr

Dialogues with the Dead – By Kate Monroe

Seven Snowy Deaths – By K. Trap Jones

Nightmare – By Rick McQuiston

Shadow – By Mathias Jansson

Knock Knock – By Joel M. Kremer

7 Hours – By Max Booth III

Whispers – By Mark Slade

Gateway Drug – By Lindsey Beth Goddard

Rêve Noir -  By Eli Wilde

A Daffodil or Tulip Shan’t Compare – By Justin Tate

Phantom Flirts – By Justin Tate

The House on Cedar Street – By Sean Farren

The Twenty – By Ray J. Robbio

The Boy Who Usually Wasn’t There – By Allan Izen

The Patrol – By Kenneth W. Cain

Arcticus – By Greg McWhorter

The New Gaoler – By Konstantine Paradias

Special Delivery – By Wiiliam Holden

Oh Baby! – By Patrick O’ Scheen

Apep – By Joseph A. Pinto

Daydream – By Nathan J.D.L. Rowark

The Ferryman – By Suzie Lockhart & Bruce Lockhart 2nd

Mr Creator – By Joe McKinney

People might recall as well that the anthology was originally to be open until early next year so, with this great and quick a response, the editors have also announced a Volume 2, currently open for new submissions.  For more on that, as well as the original guidelines and concept, check it out here.  While, as for the when and where Volume 1 will be published, information will be on these pages as soon as I know too.

Then for the second update, the DARK BITS flash horror anthology (cf. September 3, June 30, et al.) is now available in hard copy, both in softcover and hardback editions via CreateSpace and Lulu.com, respectively.  These join existing ebook versions via Kindle and Smashwords, between them in pretty well all ebook formats.  Links for ordering can be found at publisher Apokrupha’s site by pressing here.

Splatterlands Cover, ToC Shown Here (Plus a Brief Account of the ‘Splatterpunk’ Movement”)

The news in a way isn’t even that new.  SPLATTERLANDS:  REAWAKENING THE SPLATTERPUNK REVOLUTION (cf. July 18, February 9) is still scheduled by Grey Matter Press to be out this fall.  And July’s post even had a link to see the contents, but, Grey Matter having emailed about something else today, I thought it might be time for a reminder — as well as actually publishing the contents here, even if alphabetized by title rather than being the final order.  Also, I did run across a picture of the cover.

To quote the editors, “SPLATTERLANDS seeks to reawaken the hyperintensive writing style and disturbing themes that were indicative of the original Splatterpunk authors whose work and graphic depictions of the true effects of violence and terror has fundamentally changed the way both horror and entertainment media is approached today.  The new anthology will be published as a single bone-crunching volume that includes stories of personal, intelligent and subversive horror intended to evoke the original 1986 movement.

“The term ‘Splatterpunk’ was originally coined in an effort to categorize a wave within horror fiction that sought to address what many authors at that time felt was the general homogenization and highly diluted nature of horror being produced in the mid-80s.

“The original Splatterpunks included some of the most brilliant writers of all time, with many of their pieces containing some of the most graphic, most visceral and darkly violent stories ever penned. Considered both disturbing and thought-provoking, this truly ground-breaking work now influences almost every aspect of modern crime, thriller, horror and general entertainment media.

“The Splatterpunks were honestly literary revolutionaries, and we intend to honor their achievements with SPLATTERLANDS.”

 

STORIES INCLUDED IN SPLATTERLANDS

“Amputations in the Key of D” by Jack Maddox

“The Artist” by James S. Dorr

“The Defiled” by Christine Morgan

“Devil Rides Shotgun” by Eric Del Carlo

“Dis” by Michele Garber

“Dwellers” by Paul S. Collrin

“Empty” by A.A. Garrison

“Heirloom” by Michael Laimo

“Housesitting” by Ray Garton

“Letter to My Ex” by J. Michael Major

“Party Guests” by Chad Stroup

“Violence for Fun and Profit” by Gregory L. Norris

“The Viscera of Worship” by Allen Griffin

And then (why not?) a brief description by the editors of my story in this:  “Dorr’s disturbing tale, ‘The Artist,’ is a tale of a sculptor plagued with emotional burdens that ultimately affect his work. ‘The Artist’ appears in SPLATTERLANDS from Grey Matter Press.”  Ah, that “art thing” from me again, as in all those blurbs on THE TEARS OF ISIS.  Brave words, these, but are they accurate?

Later this fall when the book is released, check here for information on how to find out.

“Frogs’ Hair” Scheduled for Miscellanea November 14; Untreed Reads Fifty-Cent Sale Extended to September 30

Harken we back to the entry of April 5 2012 where we find a very, very short story, “The Cage,” that’s been posted in MISCELLANEA:  A TRANSDIMENSIONAL LIBRARY (cf. also February 25 2012), a quirky foreshadowing of a library of the future of “books that have never existed and that haven’t been written yet,” as represented by excerpts from such tomes.  Limited to 300 words, these are not entire stories, but the game is to suggest the greater tales that lie behind them — that is, not to tell them, but to invite the reader to imagine what they may or may not be.  Then with a fast forward to August 15 of this year, we discover a new, even shorter story has been accepted for MISCELLANEA.

And now we discover this story, “As Fine as Frogs’ Hair,” a 75-word saga concerning witches and princes and frogs and maids and hair extensions . . . and, oh, all sorts of things, is officially scheduled for publication in MISCELLANEA:  A TRANSDIMENSIONAL LIBRARY on November 14, two weeks after Halloween.  What fantasies may this excerpt evoke?

To find out, one must wait till then.  But for a taste of what MISCELLANEA is like one need only press here.

Also today has come an announcement that Untreed Reads Publications’s weekend sale on short stories, noted immediately below,  has been extended until the end of the month.  “Again, all short stories are on sale for just 50 cents each through September 30th, AND discount coupons that folks might have DO apply. This sale is only through The Untreed Reads Store.”  I have two titles in this sale, VANITAS and I’M DREAMING OF A. . ., which can be reached by pressing their pictures in the column just to the right or else via Untreed Reads own store site.

Also for another reminder, this one two posts down, Kobo’s half-off sale on electronic books is still on till the end of the month too, featuring the two above Untreed Reads stories plus a few others, also by me, from Untreed Reads and other publishers (notably PEDS, POLUDNITSA, and I believe THE GARDEN in the near-right column, as well as Damnation Books’s TELLING TALES OF TERROR (where I wrote the introduction) and the Untreed Reads anthology YEAR’S END:  14 TALES OF HOLIDAY HORROR.

For Kindle Die-Hards: I’m Dreaming Of A. . ., Vanitas on Untreed Reads Fifty-Cent Short Story Sale Today and Sunday

Wednesday’s half-price sale is still on at Kobo (cf. just below) but, for those who prefer their fiction on Kindle — at least for short stories — Untreed Reads’s own store is offering them this weekend in multiple formats for fifty cents each.  Kobo, on the other hand, while at the same price for stories listing at $0.99, offers EPUB format but doesn’t have Kindle.

As for Untreed reads, let Editor/Publisher Jay Hartman explain:  “Just a heads-up that all short stories in all categories have been marked down to $0.50 for this weekend . . . Untreed Reads is transitioning away from stand-alone short stories, but we do want to make the ones we have right now more attractive to buyers.

“The sale is scheduled to end at 11:30 pm on Sunday, September 15th. HOWEVER, more than likely, we will be putting the distribution titles back to their regular price and leaving the Untreed Reads short stories at $0.50 for a while longer. We want to see if we can get more movement out of these titles.”

So some sale prices may actually be available after Sunday, but, again, only for short stories and, for this sale, only at the Untreed Reads Store — while the Kobo sale will continue all month for all lengths of story, but excludes Kindle format.

Confused?  I know I am.  But the bottom line, at least for my work:  If you’d like to get my Christmas horror tale I’M DREAMING OF A. . . or my steampunk/mystery VANITAS for just fifty cents each and in Kindle format, just click their pictures in the center column of this page, but best do it by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow just in case.  If you prefer EPUB (including Nook, etc.) you have a choice of clicking the picture to purchase directly from Untreed Reads or going to the URL at the bottom of Wednesday’s post for Kobo.  But if you’d like a bargain price for my near-future SF story PEDS, you’ll have to go to Kobo for that because it’s priced as a novelette, not a short story, and hence isn’t part of the Untreed Reads sale (and, as a reminder, the Kobo sale may also include other titles by me, or with work of mine in them, like POLUDNITSA or TELLING TALES OF TERROR or even Untreed Reads’s own New Year’s anthology YEAR’S END:  14 TALES OF HOLIDAY HORROR).

Untreed Reads (and Others) Fifty-Percent-Off Sale Via Kobo for Month of September

This just came in from Jay Hartman of Untreed Reads  Publications (cf. August 29, et al.):  “I just received word from Kobo (http://www.kobobooks.com) that there is a coupon code that is good for the entire month that will give readers 50% off their purchase.  That means that every single title by Untreed Reads and all of its distribution clients can be purchased at 50% off with the code, and there is no limit to the number of titles that can be purchased.  Of course, any other non-discounted titles are also eligible with the coupon.”  There are a few rules — or at least things to know.  Books purchased through Kobo are in EPUB format, which means that while they can be read on almost every computer or ebook device in the world — Kobo, in fact, has its own free app that can be used with Nook, Mac, or iPad, etc. — they cannot be read on Kindle or with the Kindle app.  Also, if not in the US, there still shouldn’t be any problem — Kobo can be reached by readers from around the world.

I hasten to add, I have three stand-alone short fiction electronic chapbooks in this myself, PEDS, VANITAS, and I’M DREAMING OF . . .,  as well as a story in the Untreed Reads anthology YEAR’S END:  14 TALES OF HOLIDAY HORROR (and I’M DREAMING OF . . . is a Christmas tale too!), although when I checked out Kobo myself (searching first on “James S. Dorr”) I was unable to find VANITAS until I asked for it specifically by title.  (I was also able to find my non-Untreed Reads short fantasy e-chapbook POLUDNITSA and anthologies LIMELIGHT and POST APOCALYPTIC RAIDS with stories by me which I’m assuming are part of the sale too.  Also Damnation Books’s TELLING TALES OF TERROR — with introduction by me — by searching for it by title and my e-chapbook THE GARDEN by searching for “James Dorr Garden.”)  The pictures of five of these books in the center column here won’t take you to the sale, however — for this one you need to either go directly to Kobo or, better, use the special  URL http://bit.ly/16iK9An .

So again the sale is for the entire rest of the month of September.  Also, the coupon code to use for all sale purchases is:  Sept50

Poems from Vamps to be in October HWA News — Still Some Time for Other HWA Poets

It was about three weeks back that Marge Simon posted the notice on the Horror Writers Association Facebook page:  “CALL FOR HALLOWEEN POEMS!”  The gist was that if HWA poet members had “some cool poems that would fit a Halloween theme, 20 lines or less” to send them to Marge or HWA NEWSLETTER editor Kathy Ptacek for a feature in the October issue.  No pay, to be sure, but reprints are okay, with deadline on September 12 (that is, there are still a few days left for any of you who are HWA members — just send as text in the body of an email to Kathy at her “gilaqueen” address).  And so, why not?

Word came back today that two I sent have been accepted, “Jazz Girl” and “The Aeronaut” from my all-poetry collection VAMPS (A RETROSPECTIVE).  They do get around, having had unlife even before their appearances in VAMPS (in SPIDERWORDS and AMANITA BRANDY, respectively) and so, like bad pennies — or maybe about $2.50 each adding in inflation — here they are again!

To see them in VAMPS, click the orangy picture in the center column — “The Aeronaut,” in fact, is highlighted on the book’s back cover  (“Meet just one of the vamps in this book.. . .”) — and take it from there or, if an HWA member, just wait till next month.  ‘Cause vampires are like that, you know you love them or, even if not, there’s no way to escape.

Other “Bloody” Anthology Set for Day Before Halloween Release

Just in time for the real vampires to be out?  Today was Contract Day in a manner of speaking, sending back a contract for PROSPECTIVE JOURNAL that came yesterday (see August 22 — this is the one for “A Slice of Cheese” for their “Sasquatch” issue) and, just as I was about to log off for the afternoon, another that just arrived from Nightscape Press.   The Nightscape contract, by coincidence, is for the “other” charity anthology, BLOOD TYPE (cf. July 23 — which also offers an alphabetical table of contents, this one in order of title — and 18), with proceeds to go to The Cystic Fibrosis Trust.  Fully titled BLOOD TYPE:  AN ANTHOLOGY OF VAMPIRE SF ON THE CUTTING EDGE, contents-page illuminati include Tim Waggoner, William F. Nolan, Michael R. Collings, Mike Resnick, and a number of others.  So between it and BLEED, as noted in the post just below, buyers will have a double opportunity both to read well and do good at the same time.

My offering in BLOOD TYPE is the modest “Eudora,” a girl whose father bought her a wormery when she was young, coming in at a relatively lightweight 1500 words. “Always on the go, that was Eudora.  Seductive.  Beautiful.  Treating Goth clubs as if they were smorgasbords.  Meeting new men there as well.”  Also today’s email made it official, that the release date for BLOOD TYPE is to be Devil’s Night, October 30, the eve of Halloween.

See everyone there?