My last published short story of the year is a good one. “Frank Warner” is in an anthology from the new Ossuary Press. This anthology has a quirky vibe to it, as if the book were meant to be flipped back and forth through, as there is no page number marker for each story in the ToC.
gris-gris
Also, one of the editors, Adam Vine, drew cool images for each of the author’s work. Mine is a gris-gris as featured in the story. Plus he wove a short story throughout the book as introduction to each story. Very unique take with this one and I like it a lot. Available on Kindle and in paperback on Amazon and other online options, soon to be available as an audio as well. Just head on over to https://www.ossuarypress.com/ .
A bit of a sneak of the cover for the Under the Stairs anthology from Ossuary Press. My short and sweet creeper, “Frank Warner”, is a perfect fit in this collection that’s chock full of good terrors! I really like the layout of this one too, with some great images all throughout the book and sprinkled with interesting written notions of horror before each short story. Releasing in paperback and digital on December 1st!
First, happy release day for this cool anthology The Nightmare Never Ends: An Anthology of Horror that features my story, “All Hail the Pig King in Dreams”. Available currently on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback. A cool theme and a lot of terrific authors featured here!
Next up is a reading event for the just released magazine, Makeout Creek, here in town. I have a short piece in there called “I Cut the Grass” that I will be reading a part of that evening. Should be a fun time!
Finally, and I haven’t spoken much on this one because I was too sure how it would all come together, but it did! From Archer Publishing, a collection of short horror stories is releasing on November 7th! My story, “Clickets” is in there and they did a really cool job of graphics for each digital copy of the story. Below is mine:
It’s kind of weird that I wait all year for these to be released (another one is on the way soon too, fingers crossed!), then it all happens at once! Very exciting!
Makeout Creek Issue #8 Cover by R Nicholas Kuszyk.
Funny writer kind of story. I had been submitting around my flash story, “I Cut the Grass”, for a while. It’s not a horror story, unless you count the horrors of modern humans, and it was rather hard to place, I suppose due to the subject matter. I was all ready to give up on it. Then I randomly thought I would like my friend and excellent writer, Andrew Blossom, to give it a read and see what it maybe needed. It turns out he was just in the process of putting together the 8th issue of Makeout Creek Magazine and thought it would make a good fit in the issue! What luck!
I am so excited to be working with Andrew again too. He used to live here in Richmond and was one of those people that I consider to be a writer’s writer. We have collaborated on several things here in town; writing projects as well as everything John Waters. He is a master of the craft, and was really an inspiration for the Richmond Macabre series Beth Brown and I did over a decade ago. (Based on his Richmond Noir anthology.)
Anyway, I am pleased as punch to be a part of the magazine. Pre-order is available here. It will also be available in a few shops around the country, like World of Mirth in Richmond, VA. There are also THREE release date readings scheduled, one in Seattle, WA (Here Today Brewery & Kitchen, Tuesday, October 24 at 5:00 pm PT), one in Pittsburgh, PA (Bottom Feeder Books, Friday, October 13 at 6:00 pm ET), and one right in the hometown of Richmond, VA (Pho Luca’s, Wednesday, October 18, 6:00 pm ET).
What a great thing, right? I am so happy that this odd story has found a home!
P.S. I know there are a LOT of links above, but each one is worth it! 🙂
Hurray! A story that I had worked on for quite a while (studying, researching and learning some of the subject matter AND finding someone to help me with some Latin bits) has finally found a home for publication. “All Hail the Pig King in Dreams” will be in an anthology from Exploding Head Fiction in October this year called “The Nightmare Never Ends”.
I took this photo over a year ago in Philly specifically to use for a social media post if the story was ever accepted. Yay!
Other cool news, I have a new band called Crack Fox, featuring me, my beloved wife, and our friends Briant and Ian. Kind of a punk-blues vibe. We just recorded a three song demo at As Is Audio with the phenomenal Evan Elizabeth. Check it out here!
Coming in September of this year, I am part of another terrific anthology. This one is from a new group of fine folks at “Under the Stairs” and the collection is going to be called Homebound Horror. My story, Frank Warner, will be joining 20 other authors in this exciting collection! The ToC of writers has been released and the cover reveal will be happening in a month or so. Should be a good one, y’all!
Just released, and quickly, from Bag of Bones Press a flash fiction smorgasbord (or would it be tapas?) of horror written in the second person present. That can be a challenge! My short story, Gryllidae, is in there. A quick little terror involving grief. I have another longer story I am shopping around currently that also entwines grief with some horrible things. Thanks to SJ Townend for this 1st of a two part series, which proceeds go to a Children’s Fund in the UK! You can get copies here.
Today is the official release day for Generation X-ed! So far the reviews from various media outlets have been extremely positive. 22 dark stories of that era by writers that grew up during that era, though you don’t have to be a Gen X-er to enjoy them. Fun for all ages!
Here is a listing of the stories and writers:
In From the Cold – Adrian Ludens
A Genealogy of Hunger – Thomas Vaughn
Sacrifices – Douglas Ford
Splitting Maul – Phil Ford
Naming the Band – Elaine Pascale
The Walk-In – C.D. Brown
Nothing to See Here – Kristi Petersen Schoonover
Get Away from Me – Kevin David Anderson
The Shade – C.O. Davidson
Paper Dolls – Glynn Owen Barrass
The Crimson Church – Thomas K.S. Wake
Birnam Hall – L.E. Daniels
Prey Heed to the Preacher Man – Eldon Litchfield
Tough Break – Mark Towse
How I Met Kurt Russell – Rob Smales
Movie Call – Derek Austin Johnson
Waiting for the Worms – Erica Ruppert
Parker Third West – Dale W. Glaser
Stand Beside Me Now – Tim Jeffreys
Subdivision – Matthew Barron
Maya – Matthew Chabin
Regulators – Holly Rae Garcia
We all have stories. Generation X has now reached the era and life of middle-ish age, and whether it be the press or ourselves starting to embrace it as some sort of banner to wave, it is happening. As a 20-something year old when the phrase was coined by a “boomer”, I was not a fan, implying Generation X leads to a y and z and then what? Where is youth supposed to go from there? Plus it wasn’t even coined by someone of our generation. I’m past that now. Every generation embraces their creativity as the be all and all of everything, and we are no different in that respect. Music and movies were our babysitters though, so in some ways we may have one upped all of you bastards. Horror movies were definitely our bag too, so it’s only appropriate that a delightful anthology like this exists right now. I’m honored to be a part of it, and I recommend anyone that enjoys that era of culture give this a spin on your reading turntable. 22 varied tales from a great group of writers and edited by the amazing Rebecca Rowland on the terrific Dark Ink / Am ink publishing group which is also home to books by Tom Savini and Kane Hodder. Today Generation X-ed is let loose upon the world!
Coming up super soon, y’all! This book is already getting some great reviews from horror websites and I’ve already read some of the wonderful tales in here. (Trying to savor it!) Plus Editor Rebecca Rowland is phenomenal to work with as you can see with this great promo! You can order through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc, or find out more here.
Now available for pre-order and on sale! I’ve gotten an advanced copy and read several of the stories. Quirky and fun and already has gotten some good buzz on it. Sweet! Available in paperback, hardcover and audio soon HERE.
reviews from horror websites and I’ve already read some of the wonderful tales in here. (Trying to savor it!) Plus Editor 
Phil Ford 