The Road to Hell -- Out Soon!

Here's the cover to Post Mortem Press' forthcoming collection of four novellas entitled The Road to Hell which features my story "The Cemetery Tour".  This book should be out at the end of February or the beginning March.  I will post a link when it is released.

Excerpt From "A Step Toward Redemption"

Here is an excerpt from the second story in my chapbook Pantomime (Panic Press).

A Step Toward Redemption

    

      Sandy's story was of a rough life, one I have heard before though I still found interesting.  She was forty-five years old with a six-year-old child she rarely saw, living in a room at an elderly couple's house, working two part-time jobs for a wage made only more minimum after the government took a slice.  The hard lines on her face told a story of their own, one of alcohol abuse and possibly drugs.  They weren't laugh lines around her mouth, but frown lines.

      Sandy was lively enough though, the type of person who wouldn't let you know how much she hurt inside for fear of ruining a perfectly good time, because in her world good times were far and few between.

      After a few drinks we decided it was time for bed.  Jill gave Sandy a blanket and pillow telling her she could sleep on the couch.     

      "I'll give you a ride back to your car in the morning," I said just before Jill and I went into our bedroom.

      When I woke in the morning, Sandy was gone, the blanket she slept in neatly folded on the couch.

First Review for Malicious Deviance

The first review for my forthcoming anthology Malicious Deviance (Library of the Living Dead) has been published at Hellnotes.  This book will be in print and kindle and should be coming out very soon.  Malicious Deviance is my brainchild which features 25 stories dealing with bad, evil, or just plain out dissagreeable protagonists.  The review turned out wonderfully.  Read it HERE.

Excerpt From "Pantomime"

Here is a short excerpt from the title story from my new Pantomime chapbook available from Panic Press.  Just a tiny taste.  If you like what you read, you can buy the book in print HERE, or the kindle version HERE

 

     "Clyde!  You've made a terrible mistake."  Thomas stared into the glass as he spoke. 

     Curious as to what he was so intent on, Clyde stepped beside him to have a look.  His eyes filled the lenses of his glasses, his mouth agape.

     Pantomime had its face against the glass staring at Thomas with the most evil expression imaginable.  The face was bright red with a mouth full of sharp gleaming teeth that up until now Clyde hadn't seen.  On its head were two horns that were much larger than the mild lumps Clyde had seen before.  It looked like a demon and was clearly angry in its confinement.

     "I've never seen them like this before," Thomas whispered.  "Never."

     "Them?  Pantomime is the only one."

Sample Excerpts From Pantomime Beginning Monday

Beginning this Monday, February 7th, I will be posting an excerpt from the first story in my new chapbook Pantomime.  Each following Monday for four weeks I will post an excerpt from each story in the chapbook, one at a time.  If you like what you read on any given Monday, do yourself a favor and buy a copy or a kindle download.

And as I always say, be sure to leave a review at lulu.com or amazon.com.  Reviews really do help.

Don't Give up the Ship!

I was glazing over my notes the other night when I noticed something interesting.  I've heard of writers, particularly those new to the publishing world, who submit a story once or twice and give up on it after it is rejected once or twice, as if the story is now tainted and can never be sold.

Nonsense!

Even if the rejection details why, and even if those reasons are due to poor writing and bad grammar...never give up!  Rewrite the story, join a crit group, set it down and come back to it after you've honed your skills, but whatever you do, don't give up on it. 

Well, yeah, there are exceptions, but you'll know stinker when you see it.  There are stories that are better taken behind the barn and shot, but even if you see a glimmer through the veil of rejection, work on it.  make it better.  Make it breathe.  Make the next potential publisher have to snatch it up for their latest anthology or magazine.

Case and point: the last story I sold was rejected 12 times before finally selling to a 1 cent per word ezine.  I'm glad I didn't give up on it back at rejection 3 or 4, or even 8 or 9.

You see, sometimes a story is rejected because it doesn't fit a certain publication or an editor just doesn't like your style.  It doesn't mean the story is bad; often time rejection is purely subjective.  So if you're drowning in your own sorrow because a publisher didn't want your story, chin up!  Read it over again, tighten it up, and send it to another publisher.

The Cemetery Tour Picked Up By Post Mortem Press

I'm happy to report that my novella "The Cemetery Tour" has been snatched up by Post Mortem Press for publication in their forthcoming collection of four novellas titled "The Road to Hell".  This will be my longest published work of fiction to date.  The tentative release is slated for July 2011.  I'll post the cover as soon as I see the artwork.

Post Mortem Press is beginning to make some wave in the small press world, and they're going to be hitting the road very soon.  Take a look at their news page to see the conventions they will be attending, and if they're in your town, check 'em out: Post Mortem Press