Philip Fracassi's Blog: PHILIP FRACASSI BLOG, page 4

Debut Novel Announcement -- "BOYS IN THE VALLEY" Coming Halloween 2021!

December 28, 2020

I’ve been looking forward to announcing my debut novel for many years, and now I finally get to do it!

Thrilled to announce my novel, BOYS IN THE VALLEY, will be arriving on October 31, 2021, from the esteemed Earthling Publications, as part of their annual Halloween series of books.

The novel will be produced as a deluxe limited hardcover edition of only 500 copies. All copies will be signed and numbered. There will also be a very limited lettered edition and an original introduction by a fellow horror writer (tba).

Cover art is being created right now and the manuscript is in the final proofreading stages.

2021 is lining up to be an exciting year for me, and having my debut novel release is a massive cherry on top. I’ll have a new novella announcement coming next month, my second story collection (BENEATH A PALE SKY) releasing in the summer, and now the novel on Halloween.

Can’t wait to share all these new stories with you.

Below is a brief synopsis of the novel:

St. Vincent's Orphanage for Boys.

Turn of the century, in a remote valley in Pennsylvania.

Here, under the watchful eyes of several priests, 30 boys work and learn and worship. They live their lives in a methodical way and get along despite different personalities and pasts. Peter Barlow, orphaned by a nighttime murder at his childhood home, has made a new life here. As he approaches adulthood, he has friends, a future...a family.

Then, late one stormy night, a group of men arrive at their door, one of whom is badly wounded, his body covered with occult symbols carved into his flesh. Upon his death, an ancient evil is released that infests St. Vincent's and the children within. Soon, boys begin acting differently, forming groups. Taking sides.

Others turn up dead.

Now Peter and those dear to him must choose sides of their own, each of them knowing their lives -- and perhaps their eternal souls -- are at risk.

I'm thrilled to be working with Paul Miller, whose wonderful press has published books by the likes of Josh Malerman, Joe Lansdale, Clive Barker, Christopher Golden and many others.

More details and ordering information coming next year - please stay tuned for details. The best way to receive the most updated news and ordering information for my books is by joining my newsletter.

Lastly, I discuss the new novel, my other upcoming releases and much more in a recent interview with Wyrd Transmissions. Listen here.

Thanks for your interest!

-PF

2020 Reading Roundup

December 13, 2020

2020 Reading Roundup

I love the tradition of giving an annual list of recommendations from the books I read in the past year, and always look forward to similar lists from other writers and readers. I'm doing mine a little early this year because, frankly, the rest of my month is going to be insanely busy with work and holiday stuff. So, without further ado, my list of 2020 recommendations.

Okay, a little ado. I read 66 books in 2020, which is a smidge below my annual goal of 80, but I got a lot of writing done and it really ate into my casual reading time. I also read a lot for reviews and interviews that I wrote for Book and Film Globe.

The following books are not from any specific year, although most of them were published in 2020. It's also worth noting I am only listing books I FINISHED, meaning the stack of 20+ partially-read books on my table don't count (at least this year).

Okay, no more messing around. Here are books I read in 2020 that I think you should all read, too:

Last Words - Michael Koryta

Bag of Bones / If It Bleeds / Blockade Billy - Stephen King

The Immeasurable Corpse of Nature - Christopher Slatsky

The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon

Malorie / Carpenter's Farm - Josh Malerman (Read my interview w/ Josh HERE)

The Living Dead - George Romero, Daniel Kraus (Read my interview w/ Daniel HERE)

Unsub - Meg Gardiner

The Chrysalis - Brendan Deneen

As Summer's Mask Slips - Gordon B. White

Worse Angels - Laird Barron (Read my interview w/ Laird HERE)

Basketful of Heads - Joe Hill

The Blackening - Seán O'Connor

Survivor Song - Paul Tremblay (Read my interview w/ Paul HERE)

The Return - Rachel Harrison

Lost River - J. Todd Scott

Only Good Indians - Stephen Graham Jones

More Better Deals - Joe Lansdale

We Need to do Something - Max Booth III

Blacktop Wasteland - S.A. Cosby

Mr. Cables - Ronald Malfi

Red Hands - Christopher Golden (Read my interview w/ Christopher HERE)

The Raven - Jonathan Janz (Read my interview w/ Jonathan HERE)

Coraline - Neil Gaiman

The Night Will Find Us - Matthew Lyons

Relic - Preston & Child

Open Season - C.J. Box

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn Trilogy - Tad Williams

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars - Christopher Paolini

This is cheating, but books I've started but not finished that are really great (so far) include:

Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Loop - Jeremy Robert Johnson

Denis Johnson - Train Dreams

Wanderers - Chuck Wendig

Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires - Grady Hendrix

Desert Notebooks - Ben Ehrenreich

The River - Peter Heller

Until the End of Time - Brian Greene

Lovecraft Country - Matt Ruff

The Witch Elm - Tana French

Perdido Street Station - China Mielville

Look Homeward, Angel - Thomas Wolfe

Devil's Creek - Todd Kiesling

Fathoms - Rebecca Giggs

Killers of the Flower Moon - David Grann

...and so many others. But they'll have to wait until next year! In the meantime, enjoy the list and get reading.

(Some books waiting patiently for 2021…)

2020 Writing Roundup

December 12, 2020

2020 Writing Roundup

Due to COVID restrictions, I was able - until recently - to spend a majority of 2020 year at my desk writing.

Publishing-wise, I released four stories and a fifth on Reddit (as a sort of experiment),

Working with some amazing publishers, including Lethe Press and Independent Legions, I released reissue editions of my collection, BEHOLD THE VOID, and two novellas (SHILOH and SACCULINA), all in print and ebook formats.

Writing-wise, I started the year by completing the second half of my novel GOTHIC, which is currently being shopped by my agent.

I wrote a large novella called COMMODORE, which sold (and is coming soon!).

I wrote an additional nine short stories, five of which are under consideration and four of which sold. Two of those four have already been published.

I spent a bulk of the summer writing and editing another novel called BOYS IN THE VALLEY, which sold.

In 2021 (as of today), I'll be releasing a novella, a story collection (BENEATH A PALE SKY), a novel, and seven short stories in various places, including audio. I'd love to add to that total, but we'll see.

In addition, 2021 will see the release of two deluxe limited editions (including ALTAR, below), and two foreign-language editions of my work.

I'm currently negotiating a contract for the publication of another novel (A CHILD ALONE WITH STRANGERS) for a spring 2022 release. Fingers crossed we come to terms.

Lastly, I managed to option two short stories for film adaption, and am hoping to confirm a third in the upcoming weeks.

Overall, pure output was just over 210k words, which is pretty decent for me. Especially with the heavy rewrites of the two novels.

I'm thankful for all the readers, my Patrons, the publishers and editors who picked up my work, my agent and agent friends on the film side, my beta-readers and community friends, and family. It's the support of all the above that gives me the fuel to keep pushing forward. So thank you.

See you around the bend.

- PF

(For more info on any of my releases, you can visit my BOOKS page, or click here to see a full list of my STORIES with links.)

*Header artwork by Adrian Borda

My Top Thrillers of the Last Decade : 2010-2020

Welcome to my too-long list of my Top Thrillers of the Last Decade!

Some notes regarding the compiling of this list:

1 - This is a list compiled from books I have read between 2010-2020. Obviously, not every book I read would constitute a “thriller”. I read a lot of straight horror, a lot of literary stuff, sci-fi, fantasy, poetry, non-fiction, etc. So I tried very hard to keep this list to mystery/thrillers, even if they do have horror elements.

2 - I’ve cheated a few times and combined books by one author. I don’t do this because I’m generalizing or throwing in random titles, it’s because every one of those books is in my top tier of thrillers I’ve read.

3 - I originally wanted to do a Top Ten List. But that became too difficult, so I was gonna do a Top Ten with a slew of Honorable Mentions, but that also was too difficult. So, in the end, I just listed them all.

4 - These are books, culled from the 800+ books I’ve read in the last decade, that I would 100% recommend to anyone who enjoys a great thriller / mystery. Again, a good portion of these also have horrific or supernatural elements, but many are grounded in the real world. One of the prerequisites I’ve used is there needs to be a mystery of some sort - something that needs to be solved. I may have strayed a bit, but I don’t think I went too far away. So a nice mix, I hope.

5 - You’ll note the absence of many “classic” thriller writers. Yes, I’ve read Lee Child, Harlan Coben, Jonathan Kellerman, John D. MacDonald, Robert Parker, Dashiell Hammett, Agatha Christie, James Ellroy, Elmore Leonard, James Cain and Raymond Chandler (among others). Most of these writers I read well before 2010, although some I’ve read more recently. All I can say is: I stand by my list.

6 - I reserve the right to modify! If I recall something else I’ve read that for some reason I forgot about, I may toss it on for future generations.

Hope you enjoy the list, and I hope find a book or two you weren’t aware of! Get reading!

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

The Little Friend - Donna Tartt

Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier

The Millennium Trilogy - Stieg Larsson

Speaks the Nightbird - Robert McCammon

The Shining Girls - Lauren Beukes

The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins

The Thicket - Joe Lansdale

A Head Full of Ghosts / Disappearance at Devil’s Rock / The Cabin at the End of the World - Paul Tremblay

Mr. Mercedes / Finders Keepers - Stephen King (Yes, the 3rd book is omitted, for good reason)

House of Small Shadows / No One Gets Out Alive - Adam Nevill

Penpal - Dathan Auerbach

The Changeling - Victor LaValle

Naomi’s Room - Jonathan Aycliffe

Koko - Peter Straub

House of Leaves - Mark Z. Danielewski

Stranded - Bracken MacLeod

A Drink Before the War / Darkness, Take My Hand - Dennis Lehane

The Force - Don Winslow

Red Dragon - Thomas Harris

Heaven’s Crooked Finger - Hank Early

In a Dark, Dark Wood - Ruth Ware

Heart-Shaped Box / Horns - Joe Hill

Final Girls - Riley Sager

Bone White - Ronald Malfi

Blood Standard / Black Mountain / Worse Angels - Laird Barron

Bird Box / Inspection - Josh Malerman

Ill Will - Dan Chaon

IQ - Joe Ide

The Chestnut Man - Soren Sveistrup

Eight Perfect Murders - Peter Swanson

The Whisper Man - Alex North

Last Words - Michael Koryta

Unsub - Meg Gardiner

The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides

Red Sparrow - Jason Matthews

The Poet - Michael Connelly

Only Good Indians - Stephen Graham Jones

Blacktop Wasteland - S.A. Cosby

Open Season - C.J. Box

IT’S NOT PROLIFICITY… IT’S PANIC

I’m taking a break from rewrites for the book I will likely always refer to, at least internally, as my “pandemic novel”. This will always be the novel I wrote in the heart of the COVID-19 virus outbreak, the one that forced citizens worldwide to quarantine, wear masks and gloves when stepping outside for a routine errand, to social distance at least six feet away from other human beings when in public. That killed hundreds of thousands and infected millions. That politically divided a country. That brought out the best in people, and the worst in people (the very worst of which seemed to crawl out from beneath moist rocks and from between mildewed floor planks like an infestation).

Of course, it’s also the time of civil unrest due to the fight against systemic racism, the murder of George Floyd, the uplifting heights of hope and the soul-crushing, heart-wrenching valleys of police brutality, crime, and fallow, selfish leadership at nearly every level (but especially at the top).

But I think “pandemic novel” works. Does the job. If for no other reason, the pandemic gave me the time to sit down at my desk every day and work, my day job in the film industry being shelved until it’s deemed “safe”; until this pandemic loosens its grip and people start being part of the solution instead of the problem. As I write this post, that day is looking more and more like one that takes place in the year 2021. Which sucks.

So, I work. I write. And write and write. At the sake of sounding like a braggart, but for the point of this essay, I’ll give you the stats: In the last 6 months, I’ve written two novels (and the rewrites that come with them), a novella, four short stories; as well as a Foreword, multiple book reviews for magazines, and a handful of articles for an online entertainment website.

When I wake up with nothing on my plate, I put something on my plate. Not because I’m prolific, or driven, or a workaholic. It’s for one reason and one reason only:

I’m panicked.

I write like Indiana Jones runs when the boulder is rumbling down on him from behind. I write because I’m at the point of my life where the balance has shifted from me being in the “first half” of my life to the dreaded “back nine”. Yes, I’m still in my forties. Technically. Like, hanging by a thread. Which means my life clock and, even more so, my career clock, is ticking louder and louder every day. Sometimes it’s all I hear.

TICK … TICK … TICK … TICK!

I started late. Well, I should say, I started publishing late. My first story sold when I was in my mid-forties. In the years since, I’ve published nearly twenty stories, a story collection (with another on the way), some foreign editions, and a few novellas. I’ve had three agents, three book publishers (for one book!). I’ve now written, but not sold, three novels, one of which has been sitting patiently (or not so patiently) on editors’ desks for over a year. A YEAR.

Seasoned, professional writers are out there right now saying, “Well, yeah, that’s how long it takes. A year or more to sell a book, if you sell it at all. Plus another year or two until the book is released. It’s glacial. Welcome to publishing, rook.”

Now imagine a cartoon stickman banging his head against a wall again and again and again. That’s me waiting to sell a book. I’m as impatient as a tick tasting blood. But hey, that side of things is out of my control, right? Unless I want to pull those novels away from my agent and self-publish them, I gotta play the waiting game.

Which drives me CRAZY.

Because remember what I said earlier? About my forties. Hanging by a thread, baby.

TICK … TICK … TICK … TICK!

So I do what I can. I do what is in my control.

I write.

And write and write and write. I write in the morning, the afternoon and at night. I write every day, weekends included. When there is no pandemic and I’m working 12-14 hours days on a movie set, I can’t write. Which means when I’m not working, ho boy, I’ve got some serious catching up to do. Plus that next job could be right around the corner, which means there’s another clock that’s ticking. Between jobs, I typically have anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months of freedom. So I cram in as much writing as I can. Fast. Because all those clocks are ticking, right? So if that means ten-hour writing days, if that means 10,000-word days that burn my eyes and scramble my brains, then that’s what it means. If that means no social life, no languid trips, no days off, then that’s what it means.

I’m not driven. I’m terrified.

I write in a frenzied panic because I know that at any moment God could pull the rug out from under me, or the quarantine will be lifted and I’ll be sucked back into a job, or … or … or…

Tickticktickticktick…

Okay, so why am I telling you all this?

Honestly, I don’t really know. Part of me hopes that by sharing my nerve-shredded anxiety about carving out a writing career, others may see a bit of themselves and know they’re not alone. That we’re all caught in the same whirlpool of age and time and fear, rowing backwards, against the pull, to reach the surface. To not be sucked down, forgotten in a vortex of darkness.

Maybe I hope it will inspire others to take writing more seriously. To realize that time is short, that each day is a gift, that being in your 30’s doesn’t mean immortality. That the clock – or clocks – are ticking. Maybe NOW is the time to write that novel you’ve been playing around with in your head all these years. Maybe NOW is the time to sit down and bang out that short story, or poem, or screenplay.

Maybe a little anxiety is a good thing, because it drives us to the act of creation.

Or maybe I’m telling you all this because living in a state of constant panic, writing as if each word gives me ten more seconds of oxygen, is taking its toll. And my reasons, then, are selfish. Nothing more than a venting session of fear and paranoia and unsolicited information.

So no, I’m not sure the reason for writing this. All I know is I had to write it. And I can’t think about the reasons anymore, because I’ve got work to do.

 

PF

New Release, "Beneath a Pale Sky", and Reissues Coming Soon from Lethe Press

June 20, 2020BIG NEWS!

I’m thrilled to officially announce the sale of a new story collection.

BENEATH A PALE SKY, a brand-new collection of eight stories, will be published in Summer, 2021, from Lethe Press in paperback, ebook and audiobook editions.

The stories in this collection have been individually published by the likes of Cemetery Dance, Dark Discoveries Magazine, Lovecraft eZine and several anthologies. The collection will also feature an original novella.

In addition to the stories, BENEATH A PALE SKY will feature an Introduction by New York Times Bestselling novelist, Josh Malerman, author of Bird Box, Inspection and the upcoming Malorie.

I’m grateful to publisher Steve Berman for bringing me into the fold at Lethe Press, where I’ll be joining authors such as T.E. Grau, Daniel Braum, Livia Llewellyn, Will Ludwigsen, Anya Martin, Robert Levy, Kurt Fawver, Nate Southard, and so many others.

I’m especially excited that BENEATH A PALE SKY will be released during the 20th year of Lethe Press’ existence. An amazing accomplishment in today’s publishing world.

Lastly, the story collection has also been sold to Dilatendo Mentes Editorial for a Spanish edition, which will be released in 2022. Other international editions are in the works, so stay tuned!

But wait! That’s not all!

Lethe Press will be reissuing my out-of-print novella, SACCULINA, in brand new paperback and ebook formats. SACCULINA (called “terrifically scary” by The New York Times) was originally published by JournalStone, and has been out of print for almost two years. I’m grateful to Lethe for bringing it back into the marketplace. The release date, as of this announcement, is pending.

I will also be partnering with Lethe to to reissue my story collection, BEHOLD THE VOID, which is currently in print from the amazing Lovecraft eZine Press. Lethe will take over publishing duties in order to create more seamless distribution opportunities for both story collections. The look and feel of the existing edition will be the same. I want to thank Mike Davis at eZine Press for generously helping facilitate the transition and for being a wonderful publisher in the genre.

The reissue edition will be available in August, 2020.

I look forward to working with Steve Berman at Lethe Press on these projects, and will provide more details as they become available. Special thanks to Josh Malerman for signing on to do the Introduction.

I can’t wait to share these stories with you.

About Lethe Press:

Lethe Press is an independent publishing house specializing in the strange, the eerie, and the uncanny. Many of our books do have queer interest but we've grown into speculative fiction for all readers. Named after the Greek river of memory and forgetfulness, Lethe Press is devoted to ideas that are often neglected or forgotten by mainstream publishers. Founded in 2001 by author Steve Berman, Lethe Press has grown steadily to become one of the larger gay presses. 

Industry magazines such as Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly have given our titles starred reviews. Our books have been numerous finalists for--and won several times--such awards as the Andre Norton, Golden Crown Literary, Lambda Literary Awards and the Shirley Jackson Awards. Our anthologies have featured the works of many acclaimed and New York Times best-selling authors.

Lethe Books are distributed by Brodart, Follett, and Ingram. Our books are easily ordered by libraries and all booksellers, both online and brick-and-mortar. We encourage our readers to patronize their local bookstores.

New Website – Please Re-Follow!

To all my blog followers – this is for you!

Thank you for following my blog at pfracassi.com. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been building a NEW website on a non-Wordpress platform (SquareSpace).

If you can, I hope you’ll migrate with me to the new site, which will launch this Friday, July 19.

The best way to be notified of the new website launch, and to receive an invite to follow me at the new blog, will be to sign up for my author newsletter (if you haven’t already).

To sign up, please click the link below and it will take you to my newsletter sign-up page.

***SIGN UP***

Thank you for your support, for following, and I hope you’ll continue to stay with me as I launch an exciting new design.

Best wishes,

Philip Fracassi

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The new home page!

“Fail-Safe” gets reprint in NIGHTMARE MAGAZINE

This is a bucket-lister for me.

So pleased to have my story “Fail-Safe” reprinted by John Joseph Adams – one of the great editors in horror / sci-fi / fantasy – for Nightmare Magazine’s May 2019 issue.


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“Fail-Safe” was originally published in my collection, BEHOLD THE VOID, and was previously reprinted by Ellen Datlow for BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR VOLUME TEN.





You can read “Fail-Safe” online for free by clicking HERE .

You can also buy an ebook of the magazine, or subscribe to Nightmare Magazine by clicking HERE .

Hope you’ll check it out. Enjoy.




PF

Signed with Elizabeth Copps / MCA

Some great news — so excited to announce my signing with agent Elizabeth Copps at the Maria Carvainis Agency, who will be representing a new collection of stories, a mammoth 650-page novel and an additional novel in process right out of the gate.

Could not be more thrilled. This will be my 3rd agent in 3 years, but I feel like I’ve finally found the perfect situation for me and my work after a lot of frustration, misfires and turmoil.

Want to thank author Andy Davidson for the assist, as well as give a shout-out to those writer friends who helped me through my recent rough patch and offered invaluable advice and much-appreciated support.

Fingers crossed these books find homes and get out to readers – I look forward to this next phase of my career with great anticipation and the highest level of cautious optimism.

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New Story Release – THE REJECTS

I’ve just released a new story for Kindle called THE REJECTS.

When a military space official is given a VIP tour of a secret discovery on Earth’s moon, he is forced to come to terms with a history – and a possible future – of the Earth’s inhabitants that flies against all human knowledge and reason. A tale of madness and evil… in space!

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THE REJECTS is available on Amazon.com as a Kindle eBook for $1.99. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can download the story for free.

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Hope you enjoy it – and thank you for the support!