Stephen Kozeniewski's Blog, page 8

Anarchy in the UK 2023! (Redirect)

 

Another quality post brought to you by Steve! 

Hi-diddly-ho, neighborinos!

What's that, you say? Why the change in normal greeting?  Well, let me tell you.  I am drunk.  And I have not slept in weeks.  Drunk at noon, you say?  Fuck you, says I.  I have been editing, editing, editing...oh, and filling out contracts and sending out rejections and crushing dreams and making payments.  Never let anyone tell you that you should ever edit an anthology!
But since I already did the hard work, I hope you'll all tune in on Wednesday to see how THE PERFECTLY FINE NEIGHBORHOOD (that's right, I tied it all back together) will look.  I hope to see some of your smiling faces at the big Table of Contents announcement on Wednesday. 
Here's the link, which you can click right now to add it to your schedule of events, or just click at the appropriate time.
Anyway, I spent the last year or so planning for a big trip to Europe.  The day I got back was actually when my last ATB post went up (don't worry, I scheduled it weeks ahead of time.)  But knowing that I would eventually want to share all of my experiences on the group blog (or you can just keep reading here on the main blog), I made this video.  And now I can finally share it!

Since I ended that video by starting to eat some of the British snacks, I decided I'd better eat them all for your viewing pleasure.  So the next week I basically made a mukbang as a direct sequel.

The Quintessential THE THING UNDER YOUR BED Post

There’s something under your bed.

And you can find it here:
Amazon
Apple
Google Play
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Kobo

Or learn more about it here:
GoodreadsA Review on Happy Goat Horror
A Review on Horror Bookworm ReviewsThe cover from Sharon Wasko's portfolioA book haul post on Books, Bones, & BuffyA mention on Books, Bones, & Buffy

Negative Space 2: A Return to Survival Horror

Hi everyone!

You might have already seen some buzz about this online recently, but I'm here to fly in like a bee and buzz about it a bit more - Dark Peninsula Press has released their new anthology, "Negative Space 2: A Return to Survival Horror".

Edited by Aric Sundquist, this dark, bloody, scary anthology contains a story by yours truly... a story set in the universe of THE HEMATOPHAGES! If you've read my sci-fi/horror novel, you'll already know that it contains lots of burrowing nasties and a tonne of blood, but can you ever have too much blood? I think not! Which is why I decided to return to one of my most fearsome universes to add a bit more. You don't have to have read my previous work to "get" the story, but if you have and you're interested, think of this as a short prequel.
Here's the first line of my story "Derelictus", just to whet your appetite...
"The headless woman never stops screaming."
But I'm only one author in the line-up! Who else has turned up in this anthology to scare you, I hear you ask? Well (deep breath)...
J.W. Schnarr, Scott McClosky, Xariffa Suarez, Brad Kelechava, Kristin Kirby, S.R. Miller, Ashley Lezak, Richard Beauchamp, M.J. Mars, Rosemary Thorne, Benjamin DeHaan, Eric J. Guignard, Scotty Milder, Stephen Kozeniewski

If you'd like something to read that will keep you up at all hours with the lights on, you can find it in paperback or ebook through the following links:
Amazon USAmazon UKDark Peninsula Press
Enjoy! (Or whatever you say to people you're hoping to scare)


 

StokerCon or Bust!

Hey everyone!

It's StokerCon this weekend and I'm hoping to see lots of you there! It's always such a great event and one I look forward to all year. If you're attending, be sure to come say hi!

Dates:      Friday - Sunday June 15 - 18, 2023

Location: Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square

                 300 West Station Square Drive

                 Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Panels:    Friday

                2pm - "Embracing Brevity: Micro and Flash Fiction" (with Angela Sylvaine (M), Alex                            Ebenstein, Donna J.W. Munro, Chelsea Pumpkins, and Sall Bosco) - Brighton III-IV

                5pm - "Mass Author Signing" - Admiral

               Saturday

               11am - "Reading" (with Rebekah L. Webb, Kate Maruyama, and Maxwell I. Gold)                                                Brighton I

If you're undecided and want to check out the event in more detail, here be the link.

Hope to see you there!

THE THING UNDER YOUR BED - Release Announcement!

 

Hey everybody!
I'm back and excited to tell you about my latest book release... THE THING UNDER YOUR BED.

French Press has released several books this year, and it's been a while since I unleashed one of my own... but it finally chewed itself free. THE THING UNDER YOUR BED is a novella containing your worst nightmare...


There’s something under your bed.

It hates you. It wants to devour you and everyone you love.

Dad’s at work. Mom’s dead drunk and no help whatsoever.

Maybe your stuffed rabbit can help, since he seems to be alive and talking now. Then again, maybe that just means you’ve finally gone around the bend.

Whatever plan you come up with to survive the night, though, you’d better not let so much as a fingertip stray off your mattress. If you do, you’ll be ripped to bloody chunks by…

THE THING UNDER YOUR BED. I hope it creeps you out and entertains you in equal measure. If you'd like to snatch up your own copy to read in bed (just whatever you do, don't let your foot dangle over the edge while reading!), you can find it in the following places:

Amazon
Apple
Google Play
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Kobo

If you hear a voice in the middle of the night while you're lying alone in the dark, I just hope you have a bat or something handy, or at least your phone!

If you have "consumed" (haha!) this novella, a little review on Amazon/Goodreads/Social Media goes a long way to help me spread the word.

Until next time, thank you dear friends, and sleep well...

The Blood-Red Lake

Hey everyone!

Just swinging by to let you know about a new FREE short story that I penned. If you're a fan of THE HEMATOPHAGES, this might be of particular interest to you, but if you haven't read it, don't fear! You don't need any background information to be delighted (and hopefully horrified) by my "bloody" offering to you.

Folks, I proudly present.... THE BLOOD-RED LAKE, published as part of online horror anthology 'Two Thousand Word Terrors'.

This online anthology is courtesy of Rooster Republic Press - a great source of horror.

THE BLOOD-RED LAKE has horror, blood (lots of blood), family, and mystery. What more could you want?
"The lake is red like fire, Papa."
If you'd like to read it, you can find it HERE.
Peace out!

Authorcon Excitement and Limited Edition Madness!

Hi everyone! Gather around, for I have news...

Firstly, for those who follow the convention circuit, you might already know that Scares That Care falls in August. Unfortunately, the August convention isn't happening this year (I know, I cry tears of sadness with you). That's the bad news. However, the good news is that the more author-focused version of it - Scares That Care Authorcon - is going ahead in April! And if that isn't exciting enough, guess who will be there? ME! So when/where is it, I hear you ask?

Dates: Friday through Sunday March 31 - April 2, 2023
Location:
DoubleTree by Hilton
50 Kingsmill Road
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185

Now, I hope you'll get super excited with me as I tell you what I have planned for this upcoming event. I will be having not one, but two con exclusive products (not counting remaining copies of HORSEMEN, of which there are only 9 left on the planet, which, yes, I will be bringing with me. Once these last few are gone, they are gone forever, as I will never put them back into print - it's rumored that they invoke dark magic).  The first con exclusive will be t-shirts:

While supplies last (hint: they won't last very long) I'll have black Braineater Jones t-shirts in S, M, L, XL, and 2XL.  But not to worry, if you don't like the color or you miss out, you can always grab more Braineater t-shirts and other swag at the French Press Shop.

The second con exclusive will be a book which I have not yet published, and have only just announced: THE THING UNDER YOUR BED.

THE THING UNDER YOUR BED is a standalone extreme horror novella which takes place entirely on a little girl's bed over the course of a single night.  And until I publish it later this year, the only place you'll be able to get a copy is in person at STC AuthorCon. If, by some chance, I have any leftover copies, you'll be able to request them from April 3rd. So don't miss out on your chance to be one of the cool kids!  (Note: the owners of French Press are not responsible if THE THING UNDER YOUR BED causes monstrous delusions, night terrors, or profuse sweating.)



I know you're probably picturing me sat with my feet up, sipping a cocktail and wearing sunglasses indoors for some reason, as I sell my many wares - but nay - I will be busy! I will be doing several panels and readings.  Here's my full schedule of events, literally none of which you will want to miss even a millisecond of:

Panels:

Friday 6:45 pm - "Collaborations" (Moderator, with Wile E. Young, Wesley Southard, Ruthanne Jagge, Daron Kappauf, and RJ Roles) - Room 16

Friday 8:00 pm - "Military Ops" (with Scott M. Baker, moderator, Rachel A. Brune, John Lynch, and L.P. Hernandez) - Room 16

Saturday, 12:00 noon - "A Tribute to Jay Wilburn" (with Armand Rosamilia, Max Booth, Jeff Strand, Daniel J. Volpe, John Urbancik, and Thomas R. Clark) - Room 18

Saturday, 10:30 pm - "The Gross-Out Contest" - Room 18

Sunday, 12:15 pm - "Reading" (with Wile E. Young) - Room 8

Also, on a *slightly* different note, I just wanted to remind you that WE ALL LIVE IN A FASCIST POLICE STATE NOW, THANKS TO THIS ONE FUCKING GUY. Well, in one of my fictional worlds we do, anyway. You can find it HERE and the first three chapters are absolutely free!
This year's Authorcon is set to be a blast, and I can't wait! I hope to see you all there. Until then, stay frosty!

The Quintessential DEAD & BLOATED Post

DEAD & BLOATED, featuring my short "My Octopus Master" is now available for purchase from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Read more about it here:

Goodreads

And here's what folks around the web are saying about it:

A mention on the Evil Cookie website
A submissions announcement on Horror Tree
Fantastic Fiction
A mention on Christine Morgan's Website
A mention on Medium
Videos:

(c. 2:50)

The Quintessential CAMPFIRE MACABRE: VOL. 2 Post

CAMPFIRE MACABRE: VOL 2, featuring my short "Never Go in the Attic" is available now from: 
AmazonBarnes and Noble
You can find out more on:
Goodreads
And here's what people around the internet are saying about it:
A mention on Bev Vincent's websiteA mention on Freedom With WritingA mention on Chad Lutzke's websiteA submission announcement on Published to DeathA mention on HorrorSongA mention on Angela Sylvaine's blogA submission announcement on Tim J. Major's websiteA mention on Marisca Pichette's blogThe submission announcement on Horror TreeA mention on Clay McLeod Chapman's blogA mention on 13 Visions
TOC Announcement from Cemetery Gates MediaA mention on Brennan LaFaro's blogA mention on Anthony J. Rapino's blog

YOU'RE MINE - Audiobook Announcement!

Howdy folks,

Somer Canon's YOU'RE MINE has been out there wreaking havoc and inducing nightmares for several months, and now it's taken on a whole new lease of life in the form of an audiobook!  

Narrated by Clare Radix, you can now enjoy almost 10 hours of spine-tingling story time.

 Insecure misfit Ioni Davis never thinks she’ll find love in her sleepy West Virginia hometown. Then the tall, fascinating stranger Raber Belliveau transfers to her school.

Their attraction is instant and red-hot. And a shared fascination with witchcraft bonds the young lovers even closer.

But while Ioni is responsibly studying her newfound religion of Wicca, Raber has chosen an altogether…different path.

Soon, Raber’s behavior becomes manipulative. Even abusive. And their love story for the ages is turning into a macabre farce. All Ioni wants to do is get out.

But Raber has discovered a dreadful way to control their relationship. A ritual which hasn’t been attempted in over a century. A spell to unleash a bloodthirsty terror which can never be satisfied.

Ioni finds herself trapped in a struggle for her life and even her free will against a once-trusted lover who has assured her…

YOU'RE MINE
If you'd like to be scared silly with the audio version, you can find it at:
AMAZONAUDIBLE
If you'd like to get your hands on the paperback, you can find it at:
AMAZON 
Until next time - stay spooked!