Fun with Ivy, Barry, Grabinski and Lexi

Some quick mid-month updates for you:

Birds of Prey #6, the penultimate issue of my first full arc, will be available at finer comic shops (and e-readers) everywhere tomorrow! Usually, the sixth installment of a seven-part story isn't the place to jump on board, but I think you'd do fine in this case. Of course, why skip the joyful mayhem of issues one through five?

There's more comics news to report, but I can't... quite... yet. Some hints, though: One title is about an extremely well-known man in a suit. And the other calls to mind bleeding and drinking. Any guesses? Leave 'em in the comments below.

I'm very proud to report that Fun & Games, the first Charlie Hardie novel, was nominated for a Barry Award in the category of Best Paperback original. The winner will be announced at this year's Bouchercon in Cleveland.

Go watch BenDavid Grabinski's pulpy, splattery short "Cost of Living," especially if you're an 80s action junkie.

Go buy David J. Schow's Upgunned, out today. Here's the first line: "I had just wrapped up having sex with my best friend's ex-wife, after shooting naked pictures of her, when I heard a slight entry noise from the elevator end of the loft, and looked up into the face of a man holding a gun." How can you not buy a novel that opens with this line? You can't!

Go download Adam Cesare's Tribesmen, one of the first installments of an e-book line edited by the legendary John Skipp. It's violent, sick, brilliant and hilarious. Adam had me at "Italian cannibal."

And finally: While I can't tell you everything about my forthcoming collaboration with Lexi Alexander (see previous entry), enough's been spilled on Twitter that I can give you some real skinny. I wrote a short film called "Execution Style," directed by the immortal Ms. Alexander, for a new YouTube Channel that Anthony E. Zuiker is launching in collaboration with BlackBoxTV. The film stars Goran Visnjic, Nicki Aycox, Bill Bellamy and Rene Auberjonois, and was shot over three days in early February. I was lucky enough to hang out on set (and even be useful every once in a while). And I can confirm the film is full of exotic weapons, blood, firearms, punches, kicks, insults and German beer. "Execution" will debut this spring, so stay tuned for more...