Kevin David Anderson's Blog, page 5

The popular No Sleep Podcast has released their version o...

The popular No Sleep Podcast has released their version of my short story Blood, Gridlock, and PEZ. The story is produced by: Jesse Cornett and includes the voice talents of Atticus Jackson, Nichole Goodnight, Dan Zappulla, Jesse Cornett, and  Kyle Akers. The episode also has an interview with Elijah Wood. The story is on the subscriber side of the episode so you must be a NoSleep Podcast member to listen, or pay $2 for the episode. Episode link: Season 13 episode 1

NEW INTERVIEW on the DRABBLECASTKevin and Drabblecast hos...

NEW INTERVIEW on the DRABBLECAST
Kevin and Drabblecast host Norm Sherman discuss the horror genre, the origins of Cryptkeeper Norm, and the hit story The Box-Born Wraithfeatured as Drabblecast episode 87 back in 2008. The episode was their  second official Halloween Special. Click here to listen to this special Director's Cut episode of The Drabblecast

Evil Musical

Evil Dead the Musical has been around since 2003, ever since Canadian playwright George Reinblatt took a hard look at the Evil Dead trilogy and said to himself, what the franchise really needs is some song and dance numbers. And wow was he right. The musical has been performed around the country to sell out crowds ever since. Most productions will have what is called the splash zone (usually the first three rows) and if you have seen the films you know what those are for - think Galliger but with more crimson. 
So when my daughter told me that her high school was going to perform Evil Dead the Musical: High School edition, I didn't believe her. Turns out it was true. Four full performances of blood, gore, and singing! And when my daughter told me she had volunteered to work tech, cleaning up blood, moving around props - chainsaw, ax, Necronomicon, I couldn't have been more proud. I got to see three of the four performances and I have to say these kids really rolled up their sleeves, got their hands bloody, and put heart and unswallowed souls into this production. It was amazing. The final performance was my favorite as they were hellbent on exhausting their entire supply of blood. So much fun. 
If you are a horror fan, then experiencing Evil Dead the Musical should definitely make your bucket list. It pops up in several cities around the country and sells out fast, so keep an eye out. Here is a list of performances that are taking place in 2019. Evil Dead the Musical

My story, The Room, will be in the new horror anthology from Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. I believe the antho (which may be a short series of anthologies) is including stories inspired by the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark book series by Alvin Schwartz, with those haunting illustrations by Stephen Gammell.
Audio NewsI have uploaded two new videos to my YouTube channel of some old episodes of the Drabblecast (an eclectic fiction podcast with genre stories and general weirdness) and the long gone Well Told Tales podcast. My story Momentum is read by Norm Sherman in Drabblecast episode 23, and my story Piercing the Dead (also titled Ink Spot) is read by Brandon Carpenter on Well Told Tales. As I mentioned Well Told Tales is long gone but the Drabblecast is back from the dead after a hiatus. It has that new podcast smell but with a touch of the past. Norm Sherman is still at the helm but it seems he has more help this time around, and I hope that means the Drabblecast is here to stay. Check them out at www.drabblecast.org. My YouTube channel Kevin David Anderson - YouTube


LINKSMy YouTube ChannelMy WebsitePlaywright George Reinblatt websiteThe Drabblecast - ww.drabblecast.orgChilling Tales for Dark Nights.Me on FacebookMe on Instagram (honestly, not much going on there)Me on GoodreadsMy Amazon Author page
Performances of Evil Dead the Musical for 2019

HauntX Southern CA, 2019

HauntX the Halloween and Haunter's Expo took place in mid-February at the Pomona Fairplex and was a small but fun little con. It caters to professional haunters, home haunters, and the DIY haunted house community. There were two full days of workshops and seminars on building props, designing scares, and even preparing for a visit from the fire marshal. The vendor room had about thirty vendors most of which was for the DIY haunter, but there were Halloween knick-knacks and collectibles, hard to find horror DVDs, and enough cosplayers and picture spots to keep most shutterbugs busy.



Unlike some other Southern California haunting expos like Midsummer Scream and ScareLA, there weren’t any haunted houses to go through, but there were some interactive booths. One of the most popular was the VR game called The Raft. It’s a four-player experience where teammates board a raft and defend the swamp against an infestation of supernatural creeps. Lots of fun for all ages.

Another popular area was occupied by the Decayed Brigade. The fantastic sliding monsters of the Decayed Brigade troupe are a collection of talented and athletic individuals who have elevated a haunt scare tactic into an art form, one that originated at Knotts Scary farms in the early eights. Many of the Brigade members are former or current sliding street monsters at Knotts. The group puts on shows at horror cons, and all kinds of events, birthdays, corporate gatherings. They even have a new show designed for elementary schools in which the dress up as literary characters to promote reading. They did not perform a show at HauntX but they did conduct two different seminars at their booth, one about sliding equipment and the other on techniques. If con goers brought their own slide equipment they were allowed to slide with the brigade and take lessons from some of the best in the business.

HauntX is currently under new management. It had been around for a few years moving from location to location, but it now seems with the new owners they will try to settle in at the Pomona Fairplex. This year it felt very much like a brand-new event, the kind that comes with growing pains. Midsummer Scream, a haunting expo that takes place in Long Beach in July brings in over 20, 000 visitors during its two days. Will HauntX ever grow to that size? I couldn’t say, but they are off to a really good start.






All photos by A. Anderson

Dawn of the Debt

My short story Dawn of the Debt is now available as a short ebook (kindle) on Amazon. Included with Dawn are two bonus stories, the flash fiction piece Twitching and the short story The Interview. All three stories have a twist on the Zombie genre. 
Its only 99 cents, but between Oct 29th and Nov 2nd it will be available as a FREE download. If you missed those dates you can still get it for FREE on my website as a PDF. 


I only went to a few events this year; WonderCon, Midsummer Scream, and The San Diego Festival of Books. Surprisingly, The joke book I wrote with my son, The Geektastic Joke Book 4 Kids by Giggles A. Lott & Nee Slapper seemed to sell the best. We might put together another for next year. Still talking it over. 
Anyone who has ever visited this blog knows that I am not much of a blogger. If I make four posts a year that's three more than my usual. So I'll just wrap up with a few news bits, then posts some pictures, and call it a blog post. 
MIDNIGHT MEN The strange world of Dale and Earl will be expanded in MIDNIGHT MEN a new collection of stories inspired by the popular truck driving, darkness seeking, demon killing characters, Dale and Earl. The anthology which will include some of Dale and Earl most memorable adventures, including Green Eyes and Chili Dogs, will also feature the novella, Kandy with a K. MIDNIGHT MEN will be released in Fall 2019.   
THE RED SPIDER
Kevin's story The Red Spider has sold to Omicron Entertainment for their upcoming anthology Automobilia. The Red Spider features Kevin's popular truck driving characters, Dale and Earl. The anthology is scheduled for a late 2019 release and features contributions from Bruce Holland Rogers, Marge Simon, Bruce Boston, William F. Nolan, Juleigh Howard-Hobson, Gerri Leen, and Dean H. Wild. 
NIGHT SOUNDS
Podcasted Tales of Terror  Kevin's short story collection NIGHT SOUNDS will be available in Spring 2019. The collection will feature stories that have been released in audio on podcasts like The Drabblecast, The Dunsteef, Pseudopod and most recently on The Horror Hill Podcast. Night Sounds will have an introduction by voice talent and podcast producer Jason Hill, of the Horror Hill podcast currently running on the Simply Scary Podcast Network
Pictures from Midsummer Scream


 Members of the Horrors Writers Association
LINKSDawn of the Debt on Amazon
The Geektastic Joke Book 4 Kids on AmazonFREE Dawn of the Debt PDF

Midsummer Scream and other Stuff

Upcoming Appearances!
I will be at MidSummer Scream for the third year in a row at the Horror Writers Association table - Long Beach Convention Center July 29th. This is one of my favorite events of the year!

I'll also be at the 2nd annual San Diego Festival of Books August 25th. Didn't go to the first one, but I hear great things. Really looking forward to it.

A Few Releases
Green Eyes and Chili Dogs, my story about two road-weary truckers that fight evil, and indigestion was released on the Simply Scary Podcast. It is the same stellar production that Jason Hill produced in 2016. The episode (episode 6, season 3) is doing very well and has inspired me to conjure up tales from Dale and Earl.

Green Eyes and Chili Dogs is now available on the Simply Scary Podcast - Season 3 episode 6  To listen to or download the MP3 - go hereTo listen to it on YouTube - go here
AFTER THE ORANGEDawn of the Debt, my story about a very dark and undead future is available in After the Orange, an anthology that imagines the world a few decades after the Trump presidency. From B Cubed Press and edited by Manny Frishberg.

The Geektastic Joke Book 4 Kids - a collection of geeky jokes from Star Wars, Superheroes, Minecraft, Monsters, Harry Potter, Video Games, Doctor Who, Star Trek and so much more! Humorous illustrations and cartoons perfect for kids (Ages 8-12 plus}
A Few Things Comming Up!The Horror Hill Podcast will feature my story Momentum to close out their first season. I was extremely proud to have four of my stories featured in the first season of Horror Hill. Many thanks to Jason Hill for his production skills and voice talent. Momentum will be released on July 26th. 
My story The Red Spider has sold to Omicron Entertainment for their upcoming anthology Automobilia. The Red Spider features Kevin's popular truck driving, darkness seeking, demon killing characters, Dale and Earl. The anthology is scheduled for a late 2019 release and features contributions from Bruce Holland Rogers, Marge Simon, Bruce Boston, William F. Nolan, Juleigh Howard-Hobson, Gerri Leen, and Dean H. Wild.
My anthology, NIGHT SOUNDS, will premiere at this year's San Diego Festival of Books (2018). Night Sounds will feature many of the stories that have debuted in podcasts such as the Drabblecast, The Dunesteef, Pseudopod, The Simply Scary Podcast and most recently The Horror Hill podcast. With an introduction by Jason Hill creator of the Horror Hill Podcast, Night Sounds will be available in Trade Paperback and eBook.
I've been invited to participate in Chilling Tales for Dark Nights new anthology series, which will be a tribute to Alvin Schwartzfor’s Scary Stories for Dark Nights YA book series. The first volume is scheduled for an October release.

Final thoughts....I know many of you are at Comic Con San Diego this weekend and I hope you're having a great time. If you like Comic Con or want to go but can never get tickets - think about going to WonderCon! Its put on by the same folks who run the San Diego Comic Con. Its a little less crowded (just a little) and almost as big. Tickets are almost always available, and access to this con is a bit easier. The San Diego chapter of the HWA had a table there this year and it was fantastic. I had a wonderful time and am looking forward to next year. 

Wondercon 2018, at the HWA table. I think I need a cool hat — with Richard W Goldsmith, Robert Payne Cabeen, Cecile Grimm-Cabeen and James Jensen.


Horror Writers Association, San Diego Chapter representin'!!! — with Alexandra Neumeister, Crystie Goldsmith, James Jensen, Kevin David Anderson and Richard W Goldsmith.

YouTube and WonderCon!

I've finally done it. I've started a YouTube channel. Why? Glad you asked. Well, there seems to be a lot of content out there on the YouTubes with my name on it, especially with the launch of the Horror Hill video podcast from voice talent and producer Jason Hill. Now don't expect videos of me waxing philosophical about the latest news, political issues and or catastrophes. I don't do that. Not on video at least. But there will be short stories, book reviews, novel excerpts, and anything I come across that looks fun and geeky.

You can check it out at: Kevin's YouTube Channel

If you are at WonderCon this weekend I will be at table DL-07 with the San Diego chapter of the HWA, on Sunday, March 25th signing copies of Night of the ZomBEES, Night of the Living Trekkies, the anthology California Screamin', and a new joke book for kids that I put together with my son. Hope to see you there.

October Rising

I love October. Always have. Fall is underway, and Halloween is just around the corner. And this October I have two stories coming out. The first, Babysitting for Writers, will appear in the Halloween edition of Unnerving Magazine which is now available for pre-order. 

Later in the month on October 22nd my story The Mount of Death will come out in the HWA San Diego Chapter's anthology California Screamin'. The anthology has an introduction by New York Times Best Selling author Johnathan Maberry, and stories by Kevin Wetmore, E.S. Magill, Chad Stroup, Sarah Read, Richard Goldsmith, Brian Asman, Kristina Grifant, Jean Grahm, Billy Ingreso, James Jensen, Nickolas Furr, Alexandra Neumeister, Aaron Smith and a poem by Lori R. Lopez. 

There will be a launch signing/reading/party at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego on 10/22/17 at 2pm. I'm not scheduled to attend but I'm trying to make it. 
Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore
5943 Balboa Ave#100, San Diego, CA 92111
I got a head start on Halloween this year in July as I attended Midsummer Scream, a mid-summer Halloween convention that is like Disneyland for horror fans. There has been a rise in Halloween themed conventions across the country and Mid Summer Scream is by far one of the best. 

New Audio Stories on Youtube

My stories The Box Born Wraith, and Green Eyes and Chili Dogs got some new fans this past month thanks to voice talent and artist Jason Hill. Jason contacted me before Halloween last year and asked if he could use a few of my stories, including The Box Born Wraith which he heard on The Drabblecast as audition pieces for a reading job at Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. Chilling Tales is a horror-themed storytelling series and very popular Youtube Channel. Long story short, Jason has produced two of my stories so far, and one was accepted to be included in Chilling Tales' The Simply Scary Podcast.

In addition to the audio, Jason, and David Romero (Art Director at Chilling Tales) produced some original art to accompany the stories now available on Youtube.  The image above is by Romero for the story The Box Born Wraith run on The Simply Scary Podcast Season 1, Episode 16.

Both stories are available in a stand alone form on Jason Hill's Youtube channel, along with his art created for the stories.
Green Eyes and Chili Dogs read by Jason Hill
A pair of road weary truckers take on vampires on the lost highways of Utah


The Box Born Wraith read by Jason Hill
Benny thought that getting buried alive would be the end of him. Little did he know that it was just the beginning.

Long Beach Comic Con Recap

I had so many fun moments this weekend at the LB Comic Con - Seeing my wife in her homemade Batgirl costume, watching my son battle a Doctor Who angel with his lightsaber, taking in the smile on my daughter's face when she met and posed with a David Tennant cosplayer that was spot on - you had to look hard to make sure it wasn't really him, meeting a cosplayer Jessica Edmonds and her mom, that I've been FB friends with for years but never met in person, and this one (Picture) not only meeting a zombie red shirt Lana Holt, but finding out that they are an organized horde that stagger through the halls at conventions like Star Trek Las Vegas.


Made some new friends and caught up with some old ones. Next to me is Chad Stroup, the smartly dressed gentleman with a noose for a tie on the end is Oz Monroe, and next to him is his wife Heather, a dynamite promoter who really knows how to rock minotaur horns. Big thank you to Janet J Holden for doing so much organizing, and making sure everything went smoothly. All in all it was a fantastic weekend. 
Some of the works from the fine folks I hung out with this weekend.
Janet Joyce Holden
Anton Weiss, father of all vampires, returns from a long, mysterious sabbatical and swears genocide on his entire family. His letter of intent is abrupt, its reasoning unclear, and consequently his descendants choose to ignore the threat, and assume their beloved creator has simply gone mad.

Until the slaughter begins.

Unprepared and caught by surprise, the survivors are forced to leave their sanctuaries and forge new, hasty alliances in a desperate bid to protect themselves. But can they stop their revered ancestor? And whom can they trust?

In the struggle to survive, Gilles and Mina are joined by Mark, an enigmatic and vengeful newcomer, who was tortured and left for dead by one of their society's powerful Elders. Subsequent events suggest the three have been brought together for a purpose, but one that proves elusive.

But when loved ones are threatened, and companions begin to die, enemies must become friends, and for Mark in particular, that might also include the man who brutally murdered him.
Oz Monroe
Jon Aesop, a man without religious belief, is forced to question everything when his family is tortured and killed by what appears to be an angel. Desperate to find his wife's soul, he must survive murderous angelic forces while seeking answers to the afterlife.

Var is a freak to humanity and an abomination among angels. For centuries he's hunted in the shadows, living a life of self-destruction, but obsessed with revenge.

What they both discover--hidden in the depths of hell--will change everything
2016 Independent Publisher Book Award: Gold Medal-Horror
2016 Next Generation Indie Book Award: Winner-First Novel
Readers' Favorite Book Review: Five Stars

Walter Jarvis
What if you could live forever? Would you do so if you knew that first you had to die yourself? Or that other people would have to die at your hands so you could maintain your immortality? 

Would you be willing to become a monster that feeds off the living by making love to them, knowing eventually your love-making will destroy them? 
You would, if you were one of the Chosen, a secret and select group of immortals under the sway of Andre Van Dorn, who has discovered a serum that blocks the aging process—but at a terrible price. Van Dorn has only one rule for those in his circle: the secrecy of the Chosen is inviolable. Anyone who breaks this rule by resuming contact with people from their past life must be destroyed. And not only the perpetrator, but those closest to him as well.

James Barlog (J.M. Barlog) 
The adventure continues ... Minno 2 packs more zany adventure, more creatures, and new characters into this thrill-a-minute sequel. Every chapter sweeps you along in the strange and marvelous world of Ambrosia. For Minno and Hailey there's no time to rest. They must forge alliances to take on even more bizarre adversaries. The bond forged between Minno and Hailey is about to be tested. Can the girls' unlikely friendship survive another harrowing exploit in an unfamiliar land? Hugely engaging, the Minno series is the perfect one-two punch of excitement for middle school and young adult readers.

Naomi Brett Rourki
Science Fiction and Fantasy inspired by life on America's Indian Reservations. Life on a reservation embodies two of the major themes in Speculative Fiction- The Other, and Being Human. The people (both Native and non-Native) who live on a reservation encounter (or are forced into) situations on a daily basis that explore what it is to be The Other in society, or challenge what it means to maintain one's humanity in the face of change. So join us inside as we travel from a dusty street in Northwest Montana to the icy moons of Jupiter; as we discover long-lost tribes and meet the newest member of the family in the near future; and as we find that life on the rez isn't only for the living (at least not if the number of ghosts there is any indication!)