I could give you some kind of self loathing cheese to go with my desperate whine, but what fun would that be? Yeah, so it's been a slow writing year (well, not the writing part, slow on the publishing end), big deal, right? It's a goddamned competitive business and there's a lot of talent out there right now. There isn't room for all of us in the micro world of anthologies and magazines whose pages are even worthy of being graced.
Yep, I could bring you down with all of my self doubt, and I've probably started to do that in one freaking paragraph, but alas, I have a new short story out with a publisher I have been trying to work with since they first came on the scene several years ago. I talking about none other than DarkFuse Magazine. Those of you in the horror community know of DarkFuse. If you don't, chances are you're living in a cave in the desert with no wi-fi. My story is called "Inflatable War." It fits somewhere between bizarro and horror and it's weird and wonderful. I couldn't be more proud to have my work grace the DarkFuse website. If you're interested in reading a story about a man dangerously obsessed with an array of inflatable animals, and I know you are, head on over to DarkFuse's website. It only costs .99 cents for a month subscription or twelve bucks for a year, which allows you access to all of the short stories they've published over the years. That's an incredible deal!
Now, about Salpsan. For those of you taking notes, Salpsan is my novella forthcoming from Damnation Books. Some of you are cringing at the mere mention of Damnation Books, but let your hearts not be troubled. Despite all of the bad press DB has had from disgruntled authors, there has been a major change. They have been taken over by Caliburn Press and a lot of changes are underway, most notably for me, the release of my long awaited novella (well, I know I've been waiting a long time for it!). I'm not going to get into the issues DB had with their previous ownership. If you're interested, you can google it. I just hope they can resurrect themselves and polish off their tarnished reputation.
Communication with the new ownership has been stellar. I have been told that Salpsan will be published early to mid December. As publication nears I will make updates with cover art and some teaser posts. I'm really excited for this one. It's quite different from my previous novels, most of which I would classify as urban horror. This one is a dark Gothic tale set in the countryside of Spain. More info to come.
Advanced Praise for Salpsan:
"Robert Essig has crafted one creepy-as-hell tale of modern Gothic horror that sets an ominous tone from the first few words and never lets up. Told from the POV of an unconventional narrator with secrets of her own, Salpsan is a dark, dark story that will prove you wrong several times when you think you know where it's going. I enjoyed it immensely, and can't wait to read more from this writer!"
-- James Newman
Author of The Wicked, Animosity, and Ugly as Sin
"With Salspan, Essig takes you on a twisted journey through the Spanish hillside;
one full of intrigue, memorable characters and hellish encounters.
This is a story that will stick with you, long after turning the last page."
--K. Trap Jones
Author of The Sinner, The Harvester and The Charm Hunter