Stephen Kozeniewski's Blog, page 39
February 10, 2017
Women in Horror Month #5: Jaime Johnesee, Author of the SAMANTHA REECE Series
Hey all! I met today's guest through Armand Rosamilia's Summer of Zombie tour in 2014. Since then I've enjoyed coming up in the trenches with her, and was excited to see she would be at Scares That Care Weekend last year. I was worried that she might not know who I was, but when I went to go meet her after one of her panels she jumped into my arms and told me I was "good people." So, yeah, if you want to know how to score a place in my heart, that's how. Anyways, enough of my prattling. Let's meet her and dive right into the interview.
About Jaime Johnesee:
Jaime Johnesee lives in Michigan with her husband and two sons. She spent fourteen years as a zookeeper before shifting her focus to writing full time. Known for her horror comedy series, BOB THE ZOMBIE, she is also currently authoring the paranormal horror series SAMANTHA REECE MYSTERIES for Devil Dog Press.
You can find her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, Google +, and Amazon.
Interview:
SK: What are your horror credentials?
JJ: Well, I lived a lot of horror in my life. Been raped, beaten more times than I can count, had two parasites (My beloved children) grow inside me, was mauled by a St Bernard, been face to face with tigers, lions, bears, and penguins. I’ve faced down and gotten over my fears of heights, spiders, and cockroaches.
SK: Who or what terrifies you? JJ: These days my biggest fear is something bad happening to my children. My second biggest fear is being a terrible mom.
SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?
JJ: There are absolutely challenges to being a woman in the horror genre. It’s not as bad as it once was, but I recall overhearing a publisher and several authors talking at WHC 2013 that they’d have to let all the guys know about an anthology before they had to open it up to all the whiny bitches who can’t write as well as men. I have heard editors specifically say if it has a woman’s name it’s going in the trash. I’ve watched as female friends have had their work rejected with their name on it and they resubmitted the same story with a male name and not only was it accepted but raved about.
SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?
JJ: I’d have to say Mary Shelley tops the list followed by Shirley Jackson, Anne Rice, Tanith Lee, Yvonne Navarro, Ellen Datlow, and Lisa Manetti.
SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?
JJ: I am currently working on the third book in my SAMANTHA REECE Mystery Series. I’m really enjoying combining the usual FBI mystery with the supernatural world I’ve created, hopefully they will too.
About SHIFTERS:
When a serial killer begins leaving remains of victims in hotel bathtubs all over town FBI Agent Samantha Reece makes it her business to stop him.
This detective's got an ace up her sleeve in the form of her ability to shift into the guise of a were panther. As she tracks down the cold-hearted murderer she also has to contend with an anti-shifter group determined to destroy her.
Not to mention the black jaguar who turned her decides to come sauntering back into her life.
February 8, 2017
Women in Horror Month #4: C.V. Hunt, Head Editor of Grindhouse Press and Author of RITUALISTIC HUMAN SACRIFICE
I first heard about today's guest on The Horror Show With Brian Keene, where he roundly praised her extreme horror novel RITUALISTIC HUMAN SACRIFICE. Ever since then I've been hoping to get her on the blog, and today she obliged! So let's meet out guest and then jump right into the interview.
About C.V. Hunt:
C.V. Hunt is the author of several unpopular books. She lives in Ohio.
To purchase signed copies of her books click here. You can also find her on Instagram, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, the Grindhouse Press website, and her author website.
Interview:
SK: What are your horror credentials?
CVH: I have a couple of short horror stories in anthologies. I have a novella titled ZOMBIEVILLE. My most notable is an extreme horror novel called RITUALISTIC HUMAN SACRIFICE. I’ve also recently finished another novel in the same vein titled HOME IS WHERE THE HORROR IS.
I don’t know if I’m exactly qualified to write horror but I’ve really loved horror movies since I was a kid. And eventually I graduated into reading a lot of horror as a teen.
SK: Who or what terrifies you?
CVH: Death and heights.
SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?
CVH: I personally find it completely irrelevant. I don’t really care for the concept of having a ‘Women In Horror Month’. I understand it was started with good intentions but I want the merit of my work to be considered with all horror, not just a small sect of the genre’s writing community. I feel like we are all writers and readers shouldn’t base the decision to read or not read my books because of what genitalia I was born with.
SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?
CVH: I’ve always loved
SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?
CVH: I recently finished a book titled HOME IS WHERE THE HORROR IS. I’m not sure when or where it will be published. So I would suggest checking out RITUALISTIC HUMAN SACRIFICE since its currently available everywhere books can be purchased. Both books are extreme horror if that’s your bag.
About RITUALISTIC HUMAN SACRIFICE:
Nick Graves is a miserable man. Every day he comes home from his dream job to a stale marriage. On the day he finally summons the courage to tell his wife, Eve, he wants a divorce she has exciting news for him – she’s pregnant.
Nick is a spiteful man. He purchases his dream home in an ideal location far away from family, friends, and coworkers. It’s a life changing decision he’s chosen to make without Eve’s consultation.
Nick is a terrified man. He quickly realizes the residents of his new hometown are a bit eccentric. After a trip to the local doctor’s office Eve begins to behave strangely. And once Nick finds out what’s really going on he’ll never be able to look at Eve the same way.
February 6, 2017
Women in Horror Month #3: Somer Canon, Author of VICKI BEAUTIFUL
Hey everybody! I first heard about today's guest when I appeared last month on The Horror Show With Brian Keene. Brian was comparing her to such luminaries as Sarah Pinborough and The Sisters of Slaughter, and I thought to myself, "Ah! I have to get her on the blog!" And now she is! So without any further ado, let's meet her and then jump right into the interview.
About Somer Canon:
Somer Canon is a minivan revving suburban mother who avoids her neighbors for fear of being found out as a weirdo. When she’s not peering out of her windows, she’s consuming books, movies, and video games that sate her need for blood, gore, and things that disturb her mother.
For more info about Somer including social media links and a list of her published works, check her out at SomerCanon.com!
Interview:
SK: What are your horror credentials?
SC: I am the author of the novella, VICKI BEAUTIFUL as well as the Halloween themed short story, "Mischief." Other than that, my credentials are strictly as a lifelong fan of the genre.
SK: Who or what terrifies you?
SC: Deep murky water scares the ever-loving crap out of me. The ocean. Lakes. Deep rivers. My imagination gets a death grip on any semblance of a calm demeanor and sends me scrambling back to dry land where there are wonderfully terrifying things such as spiders that jump. But at least I see them.
SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?
SC: I think that the point of view of a woman in horror situations, told by a woman, is something the genre could certainly use more of. Having said that, I have seen completely lovely and fair representations of just that told by men. Are there more working writers who are men? Sure, but I’ve never once felt that I’m the little girl intruding on the big boys’ territory. Gender isn’t irrelevant for either side, we need those stories because we all want to identify with those characters and in order to get those characters, we need writers who can truly put us in their shoes.
Horror is beautiful because it is so open to being inclusive. Of all the crap horror as a genre takes for being base and crude, it has always been magnificent at telling it’s tales from different points of view. Being a woman in horror hasn’t come with any hindrances simply because of my gender.
SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?
SC: Character-wise, I’ve always had a strong love for a good female villain. The final girl thing tends to get a little tired and cliché, but a good woman villain can really get under your skin! In no order, Margaret White (CARRIE’s mom), Pamela Vorhees (Jason’s mom), Annie Wilkes (MISERY) Lionel’s Mom from "Dead Alive," and Ellen Rimbauer from "Rose Red." They’re strong, they’re scary, and they do some real frickin’ damage.
Then there are the classic horror writers like Mary Shelley, Shirley Jackson, V.C. Andrews, and even Emily Dickinson. But you know what? There are female horror writers who have not yet, but will someday achieve icon status and they’re writing today and they’re doing beautiful, deadly work. I’m a big fan of Sephera Giron, Catherine Cavendish, The Sisters of Slaughter (Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason), and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.
SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?
SC: I’ve got four works out for submission right now and I’m finishing up book three in a series of standalone books about witches. If anyone wants to check me out, the best place to start is my website somercanon.com. Why should folks check me out? So I don’t fade into absolute obscurity, I guess!
About VICKI BEAUTIFUL:
One last taste of perfection…
Sasha and Brynn descend upon the showplace home of their girlhood friend, Vicki, planning to celebrate her surviving cancer to reach her fortieth birthday. As they gather around Vicki’s perfectly set dinner table, though, her husband shares devastating news. The cancer is back, and she doesn’t have long to live.
Her life is cut even shorter than Sasha and Brynn expect—the next morning, their friend is found dead, her flawless skin slit at the wrists. But a tub full of blood is only the beginning. Before the weekend is through, they are forced to question how far they’re willing to go to fulfill Vicki’s last wish.
A very specific, very detailed recipe that only the truest of friends could stomach…
February 3, 2017
Women in Horror Month #2: Kayleigh Marie Edwards, Author of BITEY BACHMAN
Today's guest first came to my attention when I read her absolutely heart-wrenching (non-fiction!) defense of the zombie genre on Ginger Nuts of Horror. (It was also my introduction to Mr. Wiggles, a character I fully intend to steal one day.) Ever since then I've wanted to have her on the blog, and today she graciously agreed! So let's briefly meet her and then dive right into the interview.
About Kayleigh Marie Edwards:
Kayleigh Marie Edwards is a playwright and a fiction and non-fiction writer from South Wales. She's been published in several anthologies and regularly writes articles and reviews for The Spooky Isles and Ginger Nuts of Horror. She mostly enjoys zombies, and cheese, but apparently cheese is irrelevant for a bio. She disagrees - eating cheese before bed time is where most of her ideas come from. Even though she's 30, she lives alone with her cat. She's fine with it. Fine. With. It. She can be contacted at ofthedead@hotmail.co.uk.
Interview:
SK: What are your horror credentials?
KME: I suppose I'd have to list my uni degree in my credentials! I studied Theatre and Media, but basically angled everything I could towards horror. My final dissertation was on "The Walking Dead," and I wrote a zombie comedy theatre script for my major project. Much to my shock, it ("Kill 'em in the Brain") actually got staged a couple of times! I carried on in uni to do a Masters in Scriptwriting, and same story applies there really, it was all about the horror. I guess the lesson here is that you can literally get a degree in anything these days!
Degrees aside, I've grown up pretty obsessed with horror. Everyone in my family are Stephen King fans, and we basically communicate in horror movie quotes.
SK: Who or what terrifies you?
KME: I'm not religious or superstitious, but ghosts and the idea of being possessed scares me more than most other stuff - apart from the notion of going insane. That really terrifies me. Sometimes I wonder if I actually tried, would I be able to drive myself mad with my thoughts? I don't know! I guess a full on mental collapse could happen to anyone, under the right circumstances, so that's something I live in fear of!
SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?
KME: I think that being a 'woman in horror' has some unique challenges, but it depends on your target audience, I guess. It's a male dominated arena (especially when you look at the man/woman ratio at horror cons, and the number of men involved in producing horror films compared to the number of women involved). I think (I've been told by some male 'friends' hmmm) that there's this assumption that if you're a woman writing horror, then you're probably writing about sparkly vampires, or vampires who wear frilly shirts, or sexy vampires who bleach their hair and own cool bars.... you see where I'm going here).
I mean no disrespect to the women who DO write those books (I'm a fan of most of them!), but the typical demographic for those books is women, and that's not what I write. Sometimes I worry a bit about how to market myself without excluding anyone - but then I suppose that nobody's audience is everyone!
I've also been told (you know, in those kind of lists like '10 Tips for Getting Published'), that it's harder to get a publisher/agent to even read your work if you're a woman writing in horror. Apparently, we go to the bottom of the pile. I'm not sure how that can be true though, and I've not found that whatsoever in the indie and small press community.
SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?
KME: The first female horror icon that springs to mind, for me, is
I'm also a massive fan of
SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?
KME: I'm working with Sinister Horror Company on a collection of short stories. I'm quite excited, as this will be my first book in print that's just me! People who like a mixture of straight up horror and a bit of a giggle might like it. If I can, I'd like to mention that I feel really flattered that SHC are working with me - I think I own everything they've printed! They're a really talented bunch so I'm delighted to have my name added to their ranks.
About BITEY BACHMAN:
Brian, a regular guy (despite his love of a certain musical), just wants to finish up his long and weird night at work in peace. Unfortunately, life has other plans for him. Working at a mental institution for the criminally insane can be a bit chaotic on a normal day, but on this particular night, Brian finds that things get a bit out of hand. A hysterical patient here, the jab of the wrong needle there, and all hell breaks loose. Short-staffed, expecting a useless trainee any minute, and obligated to work overtime to help out his peach of a boss, Brian isn’t having the best of nights. Things only get worse when a body goes missing and certain individuals get a bit bitey. Luckily, the trainee turns up just in time...To render him unconscious.
Luckily for Brian, this is the night he’s always been planning for.
February 1, 2017
Women in Horror Month #1: S.C. Parris, Author of THE DARK WORLD
Hey all! I first met this year's first interviewee for Women in Horror Month a few years ago when we were briefly stablemates together at a small horror press. Since then she's worked as a student, a bookseller, an editor - basically in every aspect of the publishing business. So I was delighted when she agreed to come on the blog and share her thoughts. First, let's meet today's guest, and then we'll jump right into the interview.
About S.C. Parris:
[image error]
At 24 S.C. Parris has accomplished quite a bit in her young life, but by no means feels her journey is over.
With a dark fantasy vampire series releasing through Permuted Press in 2016, she has been busy at work completing the fourth and fifth and sixth books in the series.
She is a Bookseller at Barnes and Noble and is currently seeking agent representation.
As a lover of the written word she has also chosen to expand her publication list as a Contributing Editor for CLASH Media, and she is the Fantasy Acquisitions Editor for Burning Willow Press.
She is looking to get around to conventions within the coming years so look out for her to come darken up your neck of the woods soon!
With blood and love, she's the one with lots of bite,
Follow her on her website, her Tumblr, her writing Tumblr, Instagram, and Facebook.
Interview:
SK: What are your horror credentials?
SCP: I'm the author of horror short story, "A Night of Frivolity" published in 2013 by the now-defunct, Before Sunrise Press, and the author of on-going series, THE DARK WORLD series published by Permuted Press. Both deal with vampires, however, THE DARK WORLD series is a dark fantasy, tinged with horror elements, but ultimately an amalgamation of hard fantasy, monsters, and the ever-present fear of death or what it means to be a monster.
SK: Who or what terrifies you?
SCP: My mind terrifies me. Mainly because I can't control it. I live with anxiety and depression, and though I have both under control, they do tend to escape their cages from time to time. When this happens, I acknowledge it, and do what I can to return to my (somewhat) sanity.
SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?
SCP: I feel like gender is definitely relevant to the field. We are seeing more and more women writing horror-oriented pieces, and I hope we continue to see the same. This goes for my WOC (women of color) in the horror writing fields as well. There's this preconceived notion that my vampires will be something akin to the 'Twilight-esque' creations born from that series (mostly because I am a young woman, I believe), but people are very surprised when they learn there is much more depth to my series as a whole, and that my vampires will take the blood they need, from whoever they need it from without another thought.
SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?
SCP: My favorite icons would have to be Rhiannon Frater, Anne Rice (though I've never read her work; my love for her is born from what she's done for vampires) and Kindra Sowder. Aside from being amazing women that deal with their share of mental and/or physical illness, they power through and continue to write the stories that shock and scare us. For that, I think of them every time I sit down to write, and even when I'm not.
SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?
SCP: I'm currently writing Book 5 in THE DARK WORLD series, 'The Goblet.' If a massive world, filled with vampires, werewolves, witches, elves, dragons, merpeople, and centaurs does not entice you, I'm afraid nothing more I can say about it will. It has to be read to be believed, I've found.
About THE DARK WORLD:
Welcome To The Dark World. A world kept from the eyes of humans where all manner of Dark Creature live, war, and thrive.
But certain Creatures are about to find that there is more to the dark than blood and bite.... The Dark World holds secrets...and the greatest of all are about to be revealed.
When Xavier Delacroix witnesses the death of beloved Vampire Order member, Eleanor Black, his world is turned upside down. A visit to the King of All Dark Creatures, Dracula, reveals little but more secrets, sending Xavier to keep a few for himself. After all, he is no longer sure who he can trust....
With the surprising appearance of strange new Creatures, the Dark World is plagued with a strange energy, energy that is affecting all Dark Creatures for the worst....
Equipped with nothing but questions, Xavier and those close to him are forced to face this new threat, even if it may cost them their lives.
January 30, 2017
Women in Horror Month
Hey, everybody! It's almost February, and that means it's almost one of my favorite celebrations of the year: Women in Horror Month. For the whole month I'm going to shut up and introduce you to some of the best women acting, writing, directing, and publishing in my favorite genre.
Now, a couple of questions perennially surround WiHM, and I'm not going to pretend like they don't exist. So here are some of my thought on the matter. If you feel differently, or, hell, even the same, I don't care, chime in below in the comments.
1.) Do you think women write with their breasts and/or vaginas?
No, I don't. Women can write as well in every subgenre of horror as men, and men can write as well in every subgenre as women. Body parts and bodily functions play no role in writing skill. And while I understand that singling people out because of their sex and/or gender (no, they're not the same thing) can be a dark road to discrimination, failing to acknowledge that society treats members of the various different sexes and genders (yes, there are more than two) differently is a road to myopia and a form of dismissal.
2.) Doesn't having a Women in Horror Month just perpetuate tokenism and the idea that women shouldn't be involved in horror?
I don't think so, at least, not in 2017. I was fortunate enough to come into the genre at a time when many of my peers and best friends were women, and didn't seem to suffer sales-wise from that fact. But I'm also a student (admittedly a very elementary-level one) of the genre's history, and I know that wasn't always the case. When Mary Shelley arguably invented the horror genre two hundred years ago, FRANKENSTEIN was dismissed by critics very explicitly because of the Victorian notion that women shouldn't write novels. That was an ominous foot to start off on. And as recently as ten, fifteen years ago horror was still not considered a seemly place for women. Take a look at how many of the authors from last year's WiHM still go by just their initials. That's a throwback to an era when publishers assumed men wouldn't buy books by women...you know, women like Joanne Rowling. We're not talking about the '30s or even the '50s here. We're talking about the '90s and '00s. So while horror seems to have come to a place where men and women have equal seats at the table, it wasn't that long ago - within almost all of our lifetimes - that the exact opposite was true. I'd say WiHM is trying to celebrate that relatively recent change, and ensure that it's cemented into the public consciousness.
3.) Wouldn't it be better to just treat every month like Authors in Horror Month, and to hell with what's between their legs?
I think I do. I've never gone back and counted, but I'd wager in all the interviews I've done over the years, men and women are probably equally represented. I don't tend to think about gender when I'm inviting someone onto the blog. However, I'm also in my early thirties, and I've been part of the horror community for about three years. There are a lot of people not a whole lot older than me who literally lived their whole lives watching horror function as an old boys network. (Or "Buddy System" as it's almost universally never been called.) I don't think that being of a certain age or a certain generation makes you inherently biased. But I do think that it may take active semaphore on the part of younger people to signal to older people that things have changed. I don't think male Baby Boomer authors are all sitting around twirling their moustaches going, "Fucking dames trying to horn in on our territory!" But they may be surprised to learn that things have changed. They may even be happy about it. Maybe the old guard is saying, "Oh, good, look how far we've come!" And if, in a few years, the idea of a Women in Horror Month seems so laughably outdated we have no more need for it, then great.
4.) Isn't this just another self-congratulatory PC bullshit waste of time?
Maybe. I know it's all the rage lately to be anti-political correctness, but I've also noticed that a lot of people seem to use "I know it isn't PC to say this..." as a preamble for some horrible misogynistic and/or racist remark. Sure, there are issues with PC culture, but if you look at political correctness as some kind of straitjacket that is preventing you from being your true, racist, sexist self, then you are just a bad person. So, no, I don't think WiHM is bad because it's PC. It may be self-congratulatory. It may be masturbatory. It may be the fruit of all those SJWs I keep hearing about because no one ever actually admits to being one. It may even be...problematic. Certainly it's problematic, and every time I bring it up with a female author, we have a mini recap of this blog post. But the way I look at it, if the absolute worst possible outcome of WiHM is that you hear about a bunch of horror professionals you never heard about before...then the whole thing is a net gain. That's why I do it.
Now, a couple of questions perennially surround WiHM, and I'm not going to pretend like they don't exist. So here are some of my thought on the matter. If you feel differently, or, hell, even the same, I don't care, chime in below in the comments.
1.) Do you think women write with their breasts and/or vaginas?
No, I don't. Women can write as well in every subgenre of horror as men, and men can write as well in every subgenre as women. Body parts and bodily functions play no role in writing skill. And while I understand that singling people out because of their sex and/or gender (no, they're not the same thing) can be a dark road to discrimination, failing to acknowledge that society treats members of the various different sexes and genders (yes, there are more than two) differently is a road to myopia and a form of dismissal.
2.) Doesn't having a Women in Horror Month just perpetuate tokenism and the idea that women shouldn't be involved in horror?
I don't think so, at least, not in 2017. I was fortunate enough to come into the genre at a time when many of my peers and best friends were women, and didn't seem to suffer sales-wise from that fact. But I'm also a student (admittedly a very elementary-level one) of the genre's history, and I know that wasn't always the case. When Mary Shelley arguably invented the horror genre two hundred years ago, FRANKENSTEIN was dismissed by critics very explicitly because of the Victorian notion that women shouldn't write novels. That was an ominous foot to start off on. And as recently as ten, fifteen years ago horror was still not considered a seemly place for women. Take a look at how many of the authors from last year's WiHM still go by just their initials. That's a throwback to an era when publishers assumed men wouldn't buy books by women...you know, women like Joanne Rowling. We're not talking about the '30s or even the '50s here. We're talking about the '90s and '00s. So while horror seems to have come to a place where men and women have equal seats at the table, it wasn't that long ago - within almost all of our lifetimes - that the exact opposite was true. I'd say WiHM is trying to celebrate that relatively recent change, and ensure that it's cemented into the public consciousness.
3.) Wouldn't it be better to just treat every month like Authors in Horror Month, and to hell with what's between their legs?
I think I do. I've never gone back and counted, but I'd wager in all the interviews I've done over the years, men and women are probably equally represented. I don't tend to think about gender when I'm inviting someone onto the blog. However, I'm also in my early thirties, and I've been part of the horror community for about three years. There are a lot of people not a whole lot older than me who literally lived their whole lives watching horror function as an old boys network. (Or "Buddy System" as it's almost universally never been called.) I don't think that being of a certain age or a certain generation makes you inherently biased. But I do think that it may take active semaphore on the part of younger people to signal to older people that things have changed. I don't think male Baby Boomer authors are all sitting around twirling their moustaches going, "Fucking dames trying to horn in on our territory!" But they may be surprised to learn that things have changed. They may even be happy about it. Maybe the old guard is saying, "Oh, good, look how far we've come!" And if, in a few years, the idea of a Women in Horror Month seems so laughably outdated we have no more need for it, then great.
4.) Isn't this just another self-congratulatory PC bullshit waste of time?
Maybe. I know it's all the rage lately to be anti-political correctness, but I've also noticed that a lot of people seem to use "I know it isn't PC to say this..." as a preamble for some horrible misogynistic and/or racist remark. Sure, there are issues with PC culture, but if you look at political correctness as some kind of straitjacket that is preventing you from being your true, racist, sexist self, then you are just a bad person. So, no, I don't think WiHM is bad because it's PC. It may be self-congratulatory. It may be masturbatory. It may be the fruit of all those SJWs I keep hearing about because no one ever actually admits to being one. It may even be...problematic. Certainly it's problematic, and every time I bring it up with a female author, we have a mini recap of this blog post. But the way I look at it, if the absolute worst possible outcome of WiHM is that you hear about a bunch of horror professionals you never heard about before...then the whole thing is a net gain. That's why I do it.
January 27, 2017
Revisiting Women in Horror Month 2016
Hey everybody! I'm about to clock out for the next 28 days, because February is...
Dun dun dun dun!
Women in Horror Month!
As I'll discuss on Monday, WiHM is a bit hokey and maybe mildly controversial, but if the worst outcome of it is that you meet a few great horror authors you might not have heard of otherwise, I consider it a net positive.
Last year was a smashing success in terms of blog traffic, and it featured all of the women in the genre that I consider dear friends and would do anything for. (If you're a regular visitor, you'll probably recognize their names, no doubt.) But I decided this year to give you a whole new slate of authors, editors, actors, and the like. So before we jump into WiHM 2017, why not take a few minutes this weekend to go back and peruse last year's participants? Then, like I said, on Monday we'll talk about some of the controversy around WiHM, then starting Wednesday you won't have to listen to me ramble again for a month. Again: net positive.
Ursula K. Raphael
A. Giacomi
Lily Luchesi
Sharon Stevenson
Samantha Kolesnik
E.M. MacCallum
J. Rudolph
Rachel Aukes
The Sisters of Slaughter
Rhiannon Frater
Chantal Noordeloos
Trista M. Borgwardt
Tonia Brown
J.L. Murray
Rebecca Snow
C.A. Hoaks
Vanessa Ionta Wright
Stevie Kopas
Renee Pickup
Erin Sweet al-Mehairi
Dun dun dun dun!
Women in Horror Month!
As I'll discuss on Monday, WiHM is a bit hokey and maybe mildly controversial, but if the worst outcome of it is that you meet a few great horror authors you might not have heard of otherwise, I consider it a net positive.
Last year was a smashing success in terms of blog traffic, and it featured all of the women in the genre that I consider dear friends and would do anything for. (If you're a regular visitor, you'll probably recognize their names, no doubt.) But I decided this year to give you a whole new slate of authors, editors, actors, and the like. So before we jump into WiHM 2017, why not take a few minutes this weekend to go back and peruse last year's participants? Then, like I said, on Monday we'll talk about some of the controversy around WiHM, then starting Wednesday you won't have to listen to me ramble again for a month. Again: net positive.
Ursula K. Raphael
A. Giacomi
Lily Luchesi
Sharon Stevenson
Samantha Kolesnik
E.M. MacCallum
J. Rudolph
Rachel Aukes
The Sisters of Slaughter
Rhiannon Frater
Chantal Noordeloos
Trista M. Borgwardt
Tonia Brown
J.L. Murray
Rebecca Snow
C.A. Hoaks
Vanessa Ionta Wright
Stevie Kopas
Renee Pickup
Erin Sweet al-Mehairi
January 25, 2017
The Horror Show 100th Episode Telethon or Bust!
Hey kids! Tomorrow is going to be my first public appearance of 2017. I'm very excited to be a part of a worthy charitable event benefiting the Scares that Care 501 (c) (3) Charity. That event will be the 100th episode of The Horror Show With Brian Keene, which will be a 24-hour marathon.
The telethon will take place Thursday and Friday, January 26-27 12:00 noon EST - 12:00 noon EST. If you live in the Baltimore, MD area, feel free to stop by any time. It's going to be at:
Holiday Inn Express
11200 York Rd.
Cockeysville, MD 21030
I'm scheduled to be on as a guest from 11:00 pm to midnight. That may be a bit negotiable depending on what ends up happening on the ground. I'm also going to be around for the whole event, and there will be a book table, so I'll be available to sell and sign autographs. Or just chat or something if that's your thing.
If you can't make it out, you can still enjoy the telethon on Brian Keene's YouTube channel and definitely contribute a little something to Scares that Care. Hope to see you there!
The telethon will take place Thursday and Friday, January 26-27 12:00 noon EST - 12:00 noon EST. If you live in the Baltimore, MD area, feel free to stop by any time. It's going to be at:
Holiday Inn Express
11200 York Rd.
Cockeysville, MD 21030
I'm scheduled to be on as a guest from 11:00 pm to midnight. That may be a bit negotiable depending on what ends up happening on the ground. I'm also going to be around for the whole event, and there will be a book table, so I'll be available to sell and sign autographs. Or just chat or something if that's your thing.
If you can't make it out, you can still enjoy the telethon on Brian Keene's YouTube channel and definitely contribute a little something to Scares that Care. Hope to see you there!
January 18, 2017
Kick-Ass Females in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Giveaway
Hey all! If you've followed the blog for very long you've probably met Mary Fan and Sharon Stevenson, two of my favorite authors (and people) in the world. Well, they, along with five other great authors, have combined to bring you the Kick-Ass Females in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Giveaway. It's so massive, I'm not going to take up another centimeter of space with this prologue. Take a look! And enter.
Win a $35 Amazon gift card, three signed paperbacks and four eBooks! Totally Addicted to Books has teamed up with seven must-read authors to bring you our Kick-Ass Females Giveaway. These books feature amazing female characters in the fantasy, paranormal, and science-fiction genres. ONE (1) lucky winner gets all of the following: $35 Amazon Gift Card A signed paperback of ARTIFICIAL ABSOLUTES by Mary Fan. A signed paperback of DAUGHTER OF THE RED DAWN by Alicia Michaels. A signed paperback of DEMON DIVIDED by Sharon Stevenson. And eBook copies of: THE PROPHECY OF ARCADIA by M.H. Soars, DYING BREATH by Kory M. Shrum, PETRIFIED CITY by S.C. Green & Lindsey R. Loucks, and EDEN FOREST by Aoife Marie Sheridan.
FROM AWARD WINNING AUTHOR AOIFE MARIE SHERIDAN Sarajane Anderson is your regular twenty-one year old with family, friends and a normal job. She also happens to be the only person who can save Saskia, a parallel world to earth. When Sarajane is taken to Saskia, she could never have imagined the reality of the world that she is stepping into- a world where magical abilities are in everyone's possession. She must face a father she never knew, a world that is beyond her belief, a guardian who captures her heart; and a darkness that wants to take it. On her journey, Sarajane discovers her magical abilities, and realizes too that they come with a price. She is truly tested as her own loved ones are put at risk- the ultimate question she is forced to ask herself is, how do you choose who lives and who dies?
BLOOD BOUND is the Amazon bestselling Scottish urban fantasy novel that combines a breakneck plotline with flawed characters and a wicked sense of humour. "It's a read that grips you from the beginning, and keeps you enthralled until the very end." – Ashley, Fae Books 19-year-old twin demon trackers Shaun and Sarah Gallows are used to running into trouble—mostly the kind with fangs—but while Sarah embraces her powers to their fullest extent, trusting her instincts implicitly, Shaun distances himself from his abilities and can do little more than despair at his sister’s reckless nature and idly back her up. When they come across 17-year-old Melissa Carling, a demon tracker who’s been torturing innocent super-naturals, they know they have to stop her. Sarah is desperate to punish Melissa for what she’s been doing but Shaun’s instant attraction to the girl points to a soul-mate bond stronger than anything he’s ever had to fight before…
Being a teenager is tough, especially when you have to pretend to be something you’re not, and you’re in love with someone you shouldn’t. 115 years ago, a small planet called Arcadia was invaded by a vicious alien race and nearly destroyed. Cut off from their resources, the Arcadians turned to Earth for help. A group of Arcadian explorers discovered a Prophecy that claimed their salvation lay in the hands of two children from Earth. To ensure their safety, the Arcadian Council sent their most gifted youngsters to Earth to act as protectors. Samantha is one of them. To succeed in her mission she must learn to control her Arcadian powers and keep her true identity from her best friend, and the girl she swore to protect, Alexia. But Samantha will soon realize that nothing is as it seems. Someone is trying to prevent the Prophecy from taking place and the prophecy boy hasn't been found yet. There is also a new drug circulating at school that is turning students into freakishly strong menaces. To make matters worse, distractions keep getting in her way. Such as her love/hate relationship with her “cousin” Matthew. Or her confused feelings toward popular and mysterious Julian. She wants nothing more than to be free to live her life. But the survival of Arcadia depends on her and her friends. Free will is not an option.
Welcome to PETRIFIED CITY, where the dead don’t stay in the ground. Ten years ago, an accident at the city chemical plant leaked toxins into the soil of the historic Brookwood Hill Cemetery. From the poisoned ground emerged the wraith – ghosts of the long dead who gorge on the energy sucked from the city’s dwindling population. Desperate to contain the threat, the government enclosed the city in a giant dome, trapping the wraith and the residents inside. Now, there’s almost nothing left. Sydney Cale – a thief with a strange and secret power – attempts to escape from the city’s jailers, only to find herself facing off against the wraith. She teams up with Alain, a raven shapeshifter who is a member of the Order of the Reapers, a powerful force who work to banish the wraith back to the underworld. Alain agrees to protect Sydney and her friend Diana in exchange for her help. She must enter the Citadel – the wraith compound in the center of the city – and steal back his kidnapped daughter. But what Sydney finds inside the Citadel will change everything. The wraith are evolving, drawing energy from the decaying city itself. Soon, they will be powerful enough to break free of the dome. Sydney and Alain must stop the wraith before they escape and infect the world, even if that means dooming themselves, and everyone they love, to petrifying inside the dying city.
Jane Colt is just another recent college grad working as an Interstellar Confederation office drone—until the day she witnesses her best friend, Adam, kidnapped by a mysterious criminal. An extensive cover-up thwarts her efforts to report the crime, shaking her trust in the authorities. Only her older brother, Devin, believes her account. Devin hopes to leave behind his violent past and find peace in a marriage to the woman he loves. That hope shatters when he discovers a shocking secret that causes him to be framed for murder. With little more than a cocky attitude, Jane leaves everything she knows to flee with Devin, racing through the most lawless corners of the galaxy as she searches for Adam and proof of her brother’s innocence. Her journey uncovers truths about both of them, leading her to wonder just how much she doesn’t know about the people she loves.
"I always knew I was going to die. I just didn’t know it was going to be today." Maisie won’t live to see her seventeenth birthday. Her mother and sister are locked in a war over the world, and Maisie is stuck between them. She must decide if she will join her sister’s cause, or defend her mother. In the face of her mother’s demands, Maisie doubts herself and what she truly wants. But her only alternative is to be murdered by the person she loves most. Jesse wants to find her father’s body and finish him before he can resurrect. If she succeeds she will save millions, if not billions, of lives. But first, Jesse must defeat the woman protecting him. Will Maisie stand with her? Or fight by her mother’s side? One decision will make all the difference in the world.
On the outside, seventeen year-old Selena McKinley is like any other teenage girl. Yet, Selena has always felt as if she doesn’t belong and is counting the days to graduation and her freedom from the small town that makes her feel so out of place, when the arrival of a stranger turns her world upside down. Selena will learn just how different she is and the truth of where she comes from. A lost princess, they call her, the catalyst for a war involving a world that she was taken from as a child. An evil queen obsessed with her own beauty with a plan to enslave the human race.…the notion seems so silly, yet Selena knows in her heart that it is true. Then there is Titus, the shape shifter whose blue eyes and claims of destiny hold her heart captive. Can Selena find the strength to do what she must while following her heart?
Win a $35 Amazon gift card, three signed paperbacks and four eBooks! Totally Addicted to Books has teamed up with seven must-read authors to bring you our Kick-Ass Females Giveaway. These books feature amazing female characters in the fantasy, paranormal, and science-fiction genres. ONE (1) lucky winner gets all of the following: $35 Amazon Gift Card A signed paperback of ARTIFICIAL ABSOLUTES by Mary Fan. A signed paperback of DAUGHTER OF THE RED DAWN by Alicia Michaels. A signed paperback of DEMON DIVIDED by Sharon Stevenson. And eBook copies of: THE PROPHECY OF ARCADIA by M.H. Soars, DYING BREATH by Kory M. Shrum, PETRIFIED CITY by S.C. Green & Lindsey R. Loucks, and EDEN FOREST by Aoife Marie Sheridan.
FROM AWARD WINNING AUTHOR AOIFE MARIE SHERIDAN Sarajane Anderson is your regular twenty-one year old with family, friends and a normal job. She also happens to be the only person who can save Saskia, a parallel world to earth. When Sarajane is taken to Saskia, she could never have imagined the reality of the world that she is stepping into- a world where magical abilities are in everyone's possession. She must face a father she never knew, a world that is beyond her belief, a guardian who captures her heart; and a darkness that wants to take it. On her journey, Sarajane discovers her magical abilities, and realizes too that they come with a price. She is truly tested as her own loved ones are put at risk- the ultimate question she is forced to ask herself is, how do you choose who lives and who dies?
BLOOD BOUND is the Amazon bestselling Scottish urban fantasy novel that combines a breakneck plotline with flawed characters and a wicked sense of humour. "It's a read that grips you from the beginning, and keeps you enthralled until the very end." – Ashley, Fae Books 19-year-old twin demon trackers Shaun and Sarah Gallows are used to running into trouble—mostly the kind with fangs—but while Sarah embraces her powers to their fullest extent, trusting her instincts implicitly, Shaun distances himself from his abilities and can do little more than despair at his sister’s reckless nature and idly back her up. When they come across 17-year-old Melissa Carling, a demon tracker who’s been torturing innocent super-naturals, they know they have to stop her. Sarah is desperate to punish Melissa for what she’s been doing but Shaun’s instant attraction to the girl points to a soul-mate bond stronger than anything he’s ever had to fight before…
Being a teenager is tough, especially when you have to pretend to be something you’re not, and you’re in love with someone you shouldn’t. 115 years ago, a small planet called Arcadia was invaded by a vicious alien race and nearly destroyed. Cut off from their resources, the Arcadians turned to Earth for help. A group of Arcadian explorers discovered a Prophecy that claimed their salvation lay in the hands of two children from Earth. To ensure their safety, the Arcadian Council sent their most gifted youngsters to Earth to act as protectors. Samantha is one of them. To succeed in her mission she must learn to control her Arcadian powers and keep her true identity from her best friend, and the girl she swore to protect, Alexia. But Samantha will soon realize that nothing is as it seems. Someone is trying to prevent the Prophecy from taking place and the prophecy boy hasn't been found yet. There is also a new drug circulating at school that is turning students into freakishly strong menaces. To make matters worse, distractions keep getting in her way. Such as her love/hate relationship with her “cousin” Matthew. Or her confused feelings toward popular and mysterious Julian. She wants nothing more than to be free to live her life. But the survival of Arcadia depends on her and her friends. Free will is not an option.
Welcome to PETRIFIED CITY, where the dead don’t stay in the ground. Ten years ago, an accident at the city chemical plant leaked toxins into the soil of the historic Brookwood Hill Cemetery. From the poisoned ground emerged the wraith – ghosts of the long dead who gorge on the energy sucked from the city’s dwindling population. Desperate to contain the threat, the government enclosed the city in a giant dome, trapping the wraith and the residents inside. Now, there’s almost nothing left. Sydney Cale – a thief with a strange and secret power – attempts to escape from the city’s jailers, only to find herself facing off against the wraith. She teams up with Alain, a raven shapeshifter who is a member of the Order of the Reapers, a powerful force who work to banish the wraith back to the underworld. Alain agrees to protect Sydney and her friend Diana in exchange for her help. She must enter the Citadel – the wraith compound in the center of the city – and steal back his kidnapped daughter. But what Sydney finds inside the Citadel will change everything. The wraith are evolving, drawing energy from the decaying city itself. Soon, they will be powerful enough to break free of the dome. Sydney and Alain must stop the wraith before they escape and infect the world, even if that means dooming themselves, and everyone they love, to petrifying inside the dying city.
Jane Colt is just another recent college grad working as an Interstellar Confederation office drone—until the day she witnesses her best friend, Adam, kidnapped by a mysterious criminal. An extensive cover-up thwarts her efforts to report the crime, shaking her trust in the authorities. Only her older brother, Devin, believes her account. Devin hopes to leave behind his violent past and find peace in a marriage to the woman he loves. That hope shatters when he discovers a shocking secret that causes him to be framed for murder. With little more than a cocky attitude, Jane leaves everything she knows to flee with Devin, racing through the most lawless corners of the galaxy as she searches for Adam and proof of her brother’s innocence. Her journey uncovers truths about both of them, leading her to wonder just how much she doesn’t know about the people she loves.
"I always knew I was going to die. I just didn’t know it was going to be today." Maisie won’t live to see her seventeenth birthday. Her mother and sister are locked in a war over the world, and Maisie is stuck between them. She must decide if she will join her sister’s cause, or defend her mother. In the face of her mother’s demands, Maisie doubts herself and what she truly wants. But her only alternative is to be murdered by the person she loves most. Jesse wants to find her father’s body and finish him before he can resurrect. If she succeeds she will save millions, if not billions, of lives. But first, Jesse must defeat the woman protecting him. Will Maisie stand with her? Or fight by her mother’s side? One decision will make all the difference in the world.
On the outside, seventeen year-old Selena McKinley is like any other teenage girl. Yet, Selena has always felt as if she doesn’t belong and is counting the days to graduation and her freedom from the small town that makes her feel so out of place, when the arrival of a stranger turns her world upside down. Selena will learn just how different she is and the truth of where she comes from. A lost princess, they call her, the catalyst for a war involving a world that she was taken from as a child. An evil queen obsessed with her own beauty with a plan to enslave the human race.…the notion seems so silly, yet Selena knows in her heart that it is true. Then there is Titus, the shape shifter whose blue eyes and claims of destiny hold her heart captive. Can Selena find the strength to do what she must while following her heart?
January 16, 2017
A Day of Service
On this Martin Luther King Day a lot of uncomfortable things, unfortunately, spring to mind to discuss, but I intend not to discuss them here and now.
I don't know a lot about Dr. King but I suspect that he would not have liked the way that his name gets tossed around these days. So rather than add my voice to the chorus that became a cacophony declaring in all contraindication to anything that ever actually happened what Dr. King would have wanted, I'll just say that this is, correctly, a day for service. It is a day to remember that the struggle goes on, and perhaps now, more than ever, to realize that the struggle is never really over.
I don't know a lot about Dr. King but I suspect that he would not have liked the way that his name gets tossed around these days. So rather than add my voice to the chorus that became a cacophony declaring in all contraindication to anything that ever actually happened what Dr. King would have wanted, I'll just say that this is, correctly, a day for service. It is a day to remember that the struggle goes on, and perhaps now, more than ever, to realize that the struggle is never really over.
