Friends Unseen

3/25/15

Another year has passed, and once again I've fallen behind on keeping this blog up to date. So here's the quick overview:

In December of 2014 I sold my darkly comical horror novel HELLRIDER, with Eldritch Press. This one is a crazy cycle ride through death and beyond, with some nasty characters and a lot of mayhem. The best part? It includes song lyrics by heavy metal icon Richard Christy of Charred Walls of the Damned. What could be cooler than that?

 

I also signed contracts for my supernatural thriller THE CURE, which comes out on May 5, 2015, from Samhain Publishing. Filled with mystery, intrigue, and powers beyond our comprehension, it is about a veterinarian who has the power to heal and kill by laying hands. What happens when a big corporation, an international criminal, and the military all find out about her? You'll have to read the book!

In addition, Samhain Publishing will also be releasing two more novellas, WINTERWOOD and DEATH DO US PART, later in 2015.

Finally, my latest Samhain novella, CULT OF THE BLACK JAGUAR, came out in March. This is an homage to the pulp classics of the 1930s with a definite supernatural twit.

2014 Recap

I haven't been on as much as I should (as usual), so here are some highlights from 2014.

In December, the horror community suffered a tragic lost when HWA President and all-around great guy Rocky Wood passed away from complications of ALS. Rocky was an amazing man, and an inspiration and friend to me. He will be missed.

In May, I had dual honors at the Bram Stoker Awards Ceremony. First I got to present the Stoker for First Novel to my good friend Rena Mason, and then I received the Richard Laymon Award for Service to the HWA. And on top of that, I got to hang out with some great people, as always, premier CASTLE BY THE SEA at the Samhain party, and get a real confidence boost from my Samhain editor, Don D'Auria, who said he's a big fan of my work. That really made my weekend!

In other really big news, I signed contracts for four- count them, four! - novellas to be published by Samhain Publishing. They are: CASTLE BY THE SEA, FATAL CONSEQUENCES, LEGACY, and THIEF OF SOULS. The publishing order is still to be determined, but 4 will be released in 2014, and the fifth in early 2015.

 

On top of this, I'll have several short stories in various top-level magazines, ezines, and anthologies, including Cemetery Dance and Jason Brock's A Darke Phantastique.

And, I was featured in the comic strip Curtis again! A special thanks to Ray Billingsley for being a big fan!

Yes, it looks like 2014 might just be the year of the JG!

2013 Highlights:

At the Bram Stoker Award Convention in New Orleans, I had the opportunity to not only meet Amber Benson, but also present an award with her (Best Screenplay), and accept on behalf of Joss Whedon, who won for Cabin in the Woods.

And back in January, I  got to lead a group of horror panels at the American Library Association winter meetings in Seattle. This was especially fun because I had the opportunity to work with Jonathan Maberry, Nancy Holder, Ellen Datlow, Jason and Sunni Brock, William Nolan, and several other great people.

01/13/13

My latest novel, THE BURNING TIME, is now out. This one is a supernatural thriller with a Lovecraftian twist. My dual inspirations for it came from the John Fogerty song "The Old Man Down the Road" and the country-influenced stories of Manly Wade Wellman. 

This one was a Finalist for the International Thriller Writers Thriller Award. 

11/18/12

Wow, has it really been more than 5 months since the last entry? A lot has happened since then! Yours truly and my book Carnival of Fear were featured in 2 Curtis comic strips, thanks to that excellent cartoonist, Ray Billingsley.

I also worked with Ray on a poster for the HWA's Literacy Program, featuring Curtis:

06/07/2012

Good news and bad news this month.

The good news is that GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY was a Finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for Outstanding Achievement in Young Adult Horror. The bad news is, it didn't win. But it came close, and it was a fun and exciting ride!

Of course, 2013 is shaping up to be a great year, too. My next novel, THE BURNING TIME, is going to be released in January by JournalStone Publishing.

 2012 also saw the release of my next novella from Dark Fuse, HE WAITS. 

Latest news about books that are out or coming out.

Available now for pre-order: HE WAITS

http://www.darkfuse.com/he-waits-by-jg-faherty.html Also on the Dark Fuse site you can still order my other novella, THE COLD SPOT, which sold out in hardcover in record time!

CEMETERY CLUB continues to do well.

3/2011

THE COLD SPOT hardcover sold out in record time! 

12/22/11

As always, I'm way behind in updating this site. Let's see...GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY is doing well in terms of sales, and is getting some attention for awards, too. Fingers crossed.

In bigger news, CEMETERY CLUB came out in March 2012 and is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and in bookstores. 

Also in March, Delirium/Dark Fuse published THE COLD SPOT, a novella about a boy's encounter with some ghosts. More on both of these to follow!

8/4/11

What a summer so far! GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY is doing well; the kickoff at the Stokers was a hit and we're planning some great giveaway contests soon. 

In other big news, the CARNIVAL OF FEAR limited hardcover is now officially available for presale. Get yours quick. Less than 100 will be available. 

Finally, the biggest news of all - I signed a new 2-book deal with JournalStone Publishing for my chilling novel THE CEMETERY CLUB plus the as-yet unnamed sequel to GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY.

THE CEMETERY CLUB: 20 years ago, four teens accidentally unleashed an ancient evil lurking below the abandoned mental institution and cemetery. Now it's back, and only the four of them can stop it before it infects the whole town.

Due out late 2011/early 2012, this one is a true scarefest.

5/30/11

A lot can happen in a month! GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY is already at the printer, in preparation for a June 15 release at the HWA's Bram Stoker awards weekend.

Here is the cover:

The book is already getting excellent reviews, including this cover quote from award-winning author Jeff Mariotte: “With the frightening, funny, and first-rate GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY, JG Faherty takes readers on a cruise to some dark waters indeed.”

And in other big news, Altar 13 has purchased the rights to do a limited hardcover version of CARNIVAL OF FEAR. More on that as the story develops, but I'm real excited to be working with Shane and the Altar 13 gang.

5/2/11

Yes, it's been a long time since the last update. A lot has happened, but much of it had nothing to do with writing. We had renovations done on the house and had to move out for 3 weeks. Then there was a vacation to New Orleans, which provided a lot of material for future stories but put me behind in my work! Two weeks after that was hernia surgery for yours truly, which left me unable to sit at a desk for another week. Now that things are finally on track, I can update everyone on the good new that happened during the last 3 months.

First of all, I signed a contract with JournalStone Publishing to put out my YA paranormal adventure THE GHOSTS OF CORONADO BAY. The story revolves around Maya Blair, a 16-year-old girl who can not only see and talk to ghosts, but also make them temporarily solid as long as they are in physical contact with her. All her life, she's only known 1 ghost - her grandmother. But now there are 2 new ghosts in town, and she's finding herself attracted to both of them. The only problem is, one of them was once an evil wizard, and he wants to kill her so he can return to our world and live forever. It's up to Maya and her friends to stop him before he unleashes a terrible demon on the world.

The tentative release date is mid-June, hopefully at the HWA's annual Bram Stoker Awards weekend.

There is also a strong possibility I'll be doing a second book with JournalStone - more on that as the details firm up.

In other news, my short story "Blood Will Tell" has been accepted for THE BEAST WITHIN 2 anthology, which will be coming out later this year. Another short story, "Ladies of the Lake" will be in the upcoming LEGENDS OF THE MOUNTAIN STATE IV which should also be out later this year.

Stay tuned for future updates!

2/1/11

First update of the new year, thanks to the craziness of the holidays.

Carnival of Fear is selling well, and garnering great reviews on the web. The first signing/reading in Dec. went well, with the next one scheduled for Feb. 17.

First acceptance of the new year: My story "The Great Zombie Invasion of 1979" will be in a major anthology (more on this when I can talk about it).

10/10/10

MAJOR NEWS! My first novel, CARNIVAL OF FEAR, is being printed and will ship out any day now! I've spent the past week proofing PDFs, locating places to contact about book signings, and trying to spread the word. Click HERE to order directly from the publisher (http://www.gravesidebooks.com) at 20% off the cover price or HERE to order from Amazon.com. Or you can order signed copies directly from me at jg@jgfaherty.com (and get free gifts as well!). CARNIVAL OF FEAR is a chill-a-minute story about a group of teenagers trapped in the haunted mansion at a carnival from Hell. In order to escape, they have to battle demons, vampires, werewolves, aliens, Frankenstein, and even the Devil himself.

I got great cover blurbs from people I really admire: Tom Monteleone, Deborah LeBlanc, Michael McBride, Shaun Jeffrey, and even Richard Christy, death-metal drummer genius and Howard Stern staff member!

8/12/10

Exciting news! The Monster Inside, a collection of dark, chilling short stories by me, is now available for ereaders at Smashwords. Use the coupon code WP24H to get $1.00 off the $9.95 cover price. Feel free to leave a nice review!

This collection includes over a dozen out of print short stories plus several new pieces of fiction and poetry.

7/18/10

Finally, some good news to post! It's been a long, slow summer, but I recently received news that my nasty little short story 'High Mileage' will be in an upcoming web issue at Daily Science Fiction, and my erotic vampire lust story 'Girls Night Out' will be in Lori Perkins' "Fang Bangers" anthology. Also, I'll have a non-fiction piece, "Ma and Pa Slasher" in Dark Scribe Press's upcoming anthology on the slasher genre, "Butcher Knives and Body Parts." I'm especially excited about that one as I'll be alongside such friends and luminaries as Jack Ketchum, John Skipp, Harley Jane Kozak, Lee Thomas, Greg Lamberson, and Don D'Auria, plus more than 50 others. It's going to be a knockout of a book.

Details on publications dates when I have them.

4/11/10

Good lord, it's been awhile! The new year has been one of sitting and waiting, because lots of coals are in the fire but I can't talk about most of them yet.

There is 1 piece of good news I can share, finally. My story "All Dead" will definitely be in the upcoming Horror Library Vol. IV, which should be coming out sometime before Halloween. For those of you not familiar with it, the Horror Library series delivers some of the best chilling short stories around. Stay tuned for preorder information.

In other news, well, like I said, I can't talk about things. But there will be more postings soon (fingers crossed!)

12/20/09

BR> A Happy Holidays to all! See you in the new year!

12/1/09

Just in time for the holidays! My story 'Yule Cat' is now available in Appalachian Winter Hauntings, from Woodland Press. Two children find out the old family holiday stories are more than just scary fairy tales.

10/25/09

'The Armies of Anubis' is finally out, in Tales of Moreauvia: Flights of Historical Fancy, available from www.Moreauvia.com. It's a fanciful alternate history piece filled with Egyptian zombies.

10/18/09

Lots of exciting news to announce! First of all, my story 'Trapped' can be found in Legends of the Mountain State 3, available now from Woodlands Press. As I previously mentioned, this is one of the creepiest stories I've ever done, in my opinion. Let me know what you think.

But that's not all!

I've also learned that my tale 'Yule Cat' has been accepted for Woodland Press's upcoming Appalachian Winter Hauntings anthology>. Bound to scare your Santa socks off!

And, in a continuing run of luck, my short story about a man tormented by ghosts, 'All Dead', will be in Horror Library Vol. 4, by Cutting Block Press. More on this as soon as I know the publication date.

In 'Dead as a Dodo' news, my monthly column in FearZone.com is no more, as they've given up being a paying market. Hopefully I'll place it somewhere else soon. And, the Winter Frights anthology that purchased my story 'Feral' has gone belly up. So the story won't be published any time soon, but at least we all got paid.

8/9/09

I am pleased to announce that I'll have a story in the next volume of Legends of the Mountain State. More details on that when I have them, but I can tell you that it's possibly one of the most chilling stories I've ever written, and I'm pleased as hell to be in such a respected anthology.

6/10/09

Over six months since my last post! Holy crappoly! Well, the reason for me not posting in a while is that I haven't had anything to report. I've made a few sales, but I can't announce them yet because the actual publication dates haven't been determined, and I don't want to jinx myself. One is in a pretty big horror mag, though, and I'm excited about it.

In the meantime, all my old stories are available, and of course there's the new 2009 Reader's Contest. Same as last year: send me the last 2 lines of any story published in 2008 or 2009 and I'll send you a free gift. It won't be cheesy, either. A book or magazine, something from my collection. And, of course, you'll be entered in my year-end drawing where 3 lucky readers win a short story written by me and not available anywhere else.

So, until I have more news, sayanara!

11/28/08

It's been awhile, but I've got a couple of big announcements to make.

First, my story, The Lesson, was accepted for www.wrongworld.com's 'Teachers' issue, premiering sometime in the next couple of months. My fourth sale to this big market is about a teacher whose classroom experiment goes, very, very wrong for him, and the teacher ends up becoming the subject. It's a rather Hitchcockian tale that I really enjoyed writing.

My second announcement is that my end-of-the-year reading contest winners have been selected, and they are:

Amy Meyers of Kentucky

Maureen Styffe of New Hampshire

Jerry Enni of California

Congrats to all three, who each win a never-before-published copy of a short story of mine, plus a random book from my collection of horror.

Beginning in January, I'll start another contest for 2009!

10/1/08

Halloween comes early this year! My story 'Guests in the Attic' is now officially available as part of www.wrongworld.com's Halloween spooktacular. You can go here to preview it and/or buy the collection: Halloween. And don't forget that on Oct. 24th I'll be in Montvale, NJ, at the Nightmares festival/fright fest, doing signings along with other members of the Garden State Horror Writers Association. I'll be signing promotional materials, copies of Dark Territories, and CDs of my own stories.

Nightmares is a wild experience, filled with exhibits, a horror museum, and a 3D maze.

Come on out and have a frightfully fun night!

Visit Nightmares for more information.

9/23/08

Wow, has it really been 2 months since my last update? Hard to believe summer's gone already. The past 2 months have been filled with writing, yard work, and some short vacations. But now that the fall is moving in, it's time to start thinking about my favorite holiday, Halloween. And I've got big news:

On Oct. 24 I'll be in Montvale, NJ, at the Nightmares festival/fright fest, doing signings along with other members of the Garden State Horror Writers Association. I'll be signing promotional materials, copies of Dark Territories, and CDs of my own stories.

Nightmares is a wild experience, filled with exhibits, a horror museum, and a 3D maze.

Come on out and have a frightfully fun night!

Visit Nightmares for more information.

And for a good scary story, on October 1st go to "WrongWorld" to get my story "Guests in the Attic" in their special Halloween DVD release.

7/22/08

Boy, where to start? Just got back from Necon, and boy are my drinking muscles tired (ha ha!). What a whirlwind of days and nights. It was great to catch up with old friends, like Matthew Dow Smith, Dan Waters, Monica O'Rourke, Lee Thomas, Nick Kaufmann, Wrath James White, Dallas Mayr, Jane and Gina Osnovich, Matt Schwartz, Chris Golden, Hank Schwaeble, Gary Frank, and so many others. At the same time, I finally got to put faces to so many people I'd been emailing with over the years - Nanci Kalanta, Tim Deal, Beth Massie, Martel Sardina, and too many others to even list here. More to come, and pics, later on when I actually have time to sit down and put everything together!

7/15/08

Been a while since I posted. Been busy writing. Still busy, especially with Necon coming up! But here's some news for people clamoring for something new to read:

Check out my story "The Jesus Orchid" in the next issue of Shroud Magazine, which should be available in a week or two. This is the chilling tale of a desperate man and the medical miracle he finds in the Florida Everglades. But is it really a miracle, or has the mysterious Alligator Daddy delivered something darker than the deepest waters of the swamps?

Find out for yourself!

Order the magazine here.

And while you're at it, enjoy terrifying and thrilling stories from Joseph D'Lacey, Shaun Jeffrey, Joseph McGee, Sheldon S. Higdon, Tina Jens, Rob Davies, Phil Kuhlman, Ken Goldman, D. Harlan Wilson; an interview of Michael Marshal Smith; gut-wrenching art from Bart Willard; reviews by I.E. Lester and Shawn Oetzel; a preview of Dario Argento's MOTHER OF TEARS-- the conclusion to his startling trilogy of horror.

The next update will be my big Necon report!

5/28/08

Bits of the Dead, with my story, "Experimental Subject," is here!

You can order it now at Horror Mall:

Pre-order at Horror Mall by Clicking Here

Zombies.

38 authors.

38 gut-wrenching tales.

Flash fiction at its finest, all illustrated by underground favorite Sean Simmans and edited by Keith Gouveia.

Stories by

Piers Anthony, Robert Appleton, Joel Arnold, Drew Brown, Adam-Troy Castro, Nick Cato, C.M. Clifton, Christopher Allan Death, Ed Dempster, J.G. Faherty, Paul A. Freeman, Charles A. Gramlich, J.H. Hobson, M.M. Johnson, Michael Josef, Kiernan Kelly, Nancy Kilpatrick, Michael Laimo, Catherine MacLeod, James Newman, Kurt Newton, Jeff Parish, Matthew John Peters, Jeffrey C. Pettengill, Daniel Pyle, Gina Ranalli, Steven Savile, Julia Sevin, R.J. Sevin, Nate Southard, Jeff Strand, Simon Strantzas, Marcie Lynn Tentchoff, Lee Thomas, William T. Vandemark, Steve Vernon, Tim Waggoner, John Weagly

Bits of the Dead is a hard-hitting, pulse-pounding collection of zombie tales that'll have you ripping through the pages faster than a ghoul through a warm body.

5/22/08

A tiny sale, but a good one!

Just found out that my flash piece, "Experimental Subject," will be in the Bits of the Dead zombie anthology coming out later this year. More on this news when I have a website and publication date to post.

In other news, I just got my new logo/avatar/business card artwork, which you can see below. I'm calling it The Monster Inside. The artist is Aesenath, who you can find on DeviantArt. She is a master of the dark, macabre, gothic style that I love. She's going to be doing something else for me in the near future, something big, but I can't talk about that yet. In the meantime, buy her stuff, you won't be sorry!

5/17/08

Wrong World strikes again!

Or maybe I should say, I strike again with another Wrong World sale?

Just found out that www.WrongWorld.com is picking up a story of mine for their Halloween compilation coming out this fall. It's going to be a dvd of all reprints.

My story is "Guests in the Attic," first published by MagusZine last year. It's a classic horror tale of monsters and bad things happening to people. It's bloody and scary and a lot of fun!

5/5/08

Genetic Disasters! World-threatening mutations!

That's right, my short story "Hybrids," about a scientist who unleashes a genetic disaster on the world, will be available June 10 at Wrong World .

For an excerpt, check out this link: "Hybrids"

And while you're at Wrongworld, my short story "The Toll" is now available in PDF format besides DVD. If you haven't read this chilling tale of a backwoods encounter of the most awful kind, now's the time to do it.

Remember, my stories make great Mother's Day gifts!

In other big news, the final table of contents for the Winter Frights anthology from Magus Press has been announced, and it thrills me to be in there with the likes of Michael McBride, Michael Arnzen, Kealan Patrick Burke, Lisa Morton, Bev Vincent, and all the other fine authors in the anthology. As a comical treat, the editors have put together a YouTube video: "Winter Frights"

That's all for now!

Rest in Peace, Lucy

4/22/08

Wow, has 2 months passed by already? Hard to believe!

Here's more good news to report: Wrong World has purchased my story 'Hybrids' for their "Inflation" issue, which will come out later this summer. 'Hybrids' is a down and dirty throwback to the giant monster movies of the 50s, and is guaranteed to put a chill into your spine. More on this soon.

'The Toll' - a creepy tale of backwoods encounters and wrong choices - is currently available at Wrong World in DVD format, with the PDF version coming soon.

2/22/08

Wrong World has posted a video trailer and excerpt of my story 'The Toll.' Check it out here: Wrong World Trailer

2/18/08

Good news and bad news today. First, the good news. My story 'The Toll' has been accepted for publication as a spoken DVD by Wrong World. This is a cool site, check it out. To date, this is one of the two best markets I've cracked (the other being Cemetery Dance), and I couldn't be prouder. Here is what the Wrong World people have to say about it on their website:

One of the first questions we ask about a story is, did the story linger with us, or did it merely loiter, that is, take up space and never move along?

Well, J.G. Faherty’s “The Toll” moves like lightning and lingers like first love. It’s WRONG WORLD® from the beginning, through the middle and far beyond the ending.

Our preliminary logline: Wrong Turn meets King Kong in the city of Indecent Proposal. Traveling the back roads of rural Utah, a surgeon and his wife take an unmapped detour in search of help for a creature they accidentally struck on the highway.

“The Toll” will appear in CHOICES—The Fork in the Road for release on DVD-Video and PDF April 10, 2008.

Watch the website and the blog for the trailer.

Now for the bad news.

I just found out that my old college mentor (and a good friend) Richard Bothner passed away over the weekend. We lived on opposite ends of the state, and after leaving grad school I only ever saw him when I occasionally went back to visit relatives or for alumni weekends, but we kept in touch via xmas cards, etc. In his last card, this past xmas, he mentioned good news (at the age of 78, he'd just finished co-writing the definitive field guide to NY state reptiles and amphibians) and good health for his whole family.

He had a crazy sense of humor, and was the one who helped me shift from English to Biology as a major after I decided in my freshman year that the college English program sucked. Throughout undergrad and grad school, I not only took all his classes, but I ended up as his teaching assistant for Ecology, Ecology of the Everglades, and Comparative Anatomy. In grad school, I also 'managed' the herpetological collection, which included rattlesnakes, vipers, and other exotics.

A true field biologist in the old fashioned sense, he was most at home slogging through a swamp in pursuit of something potentially deadly, or sitting around a campfire with a bottle of scotch telling ribald jokes and limrics. Our drunken adventures together are too numerous to list, and stretch from Canada to South Florida.

He authored dozens of journal articles, and for many years was the country's expert on upper NY state reptiles, especially snakes.

I remember for my graduation, he gave me a set of drawings of buildings on our campus that he drew personally (he was a talented and in-demand illustrator). They're still framed and hanging on my office wall.

He will be missed.

1/25/08

Ah, the holiday season - the cause of so many delays! Yes, I am blaming Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, along with the associated visits to see relatives, hosting of dinner parties, and attending family gettogethers, for the fact that I haven't updated this page since OCTOBER!! Holy crap.

So, what news do I have for you? Not much, actually. I've heard about two acceptances for short stories, but since I haven't seen the contracts yet, I can't divulge the details. However, I'll definitely have some stories in print and online in the first part of this new year.

Big news about the BOUND FOR EVIL anthology, which contains my short story Windows to the Soul as well as stories by HP Lovecraft, Mark McLaughlin, Ramsey Campbell, Angeline Hawkes, Christopher Fulbright, and over 50 other authors. It's almost ready for release, and it will be a real masterpiece, an 800-page, 66-story collector's edition with 2 dozen illustrations by World Fantasy Award-winner Allen Koszowski. Pre-order it now, 'cause there won't be many copies of this beauty available for long.

My interviews and book reviews are big hits at Dark Scribe Press and FearZone - check them out when you get a chance. I've chatted with people like TM Wright, Steve Vernon, Michael McBride, Tom Monteleone, David Niall Wilson, and others. Great fun!

In other news, the long-delayed release of Cemetery Dance Issue #58, containing my hard-hitting story, Bones, will be released any day now. Production and personal issues at CD led to the multi-month postponement, but everything is back on schedule now. This issue not only is my first time in the pages of Cemetery Dance, but also the big Charles L. Grant tribute issues, with some very big names in there.

That's it for now. Stay tuned for further news!

10/31/07

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Here's to the best holiday of the year. We'll be locked in the family room, lights off, watching horror movies tonight. Sacrificed several animals already, so the dark gods will be favoring us this year, I hope.

10/15/07

Well, it's been awhile since I've posted, and there's good news and bad news. First, the good news. My short story, "Graduation," is now available in the current issue of All Possible Worlds, which you can purchase here. "Graduation" is a fantasy story, sort of my take on YA fantasy. Enjoy it, and the rest of the magazine as well!

In other good news, I'm doing interviews and book reviews for FearZone.com, Dark Scribe Press, and Horror World. Check them all out!

I just returned from 5 days in Sedona, Arizona. A great place. Visited the Grand Canyon for the first time, and did a lot of hiking in Red Rocks. Took 350 pics with the digital cam, and got some great ideas for short stories, one of which I've already outlined. Also managed to edit 2 of my short stories and outline 3 chapters of a novel while on the plane!

Now for the bad news - I'm no longer Fiction Editor at Doorways Magazine. I was unceremoniously (and unexpectedly) replaced by Mort Castle. It's nice that it took a big name in horror to replace me, but still, being dumped is never fun. I have one more interview in the final issue, due out at the end of October.

08/17/07

Just completed updates to my MySpace profile (JG_Faherty), with a cool new skin and a whole bunch of pictures.

Also, I'm posting links to my Stoker-eligible stories on the HWA board and at Shocklines chatroom. They're available in Word or PDF format.

Finally, in the coming months I'll have book reviews and interviews over at Dark Scribe Press. More on that when they're published, probably in October.

07/01/07

Found out today that my story "Guests in the Attic" has been accepted by MagusZine for publication on their website - most likely in their October 2007 issue. This site is offering fiction by some excellent writers, both established and up & coming. Check them out at MagusZine.

For those of you who enjoy a classic, scary horror tale, 'Guests in the Attic' is right up your alley.

05/01/07

BIG NEWS!! The recent run of good luck continues. I just found out yesterday that my story, 'Bones,' will be in Issue #58 of Cemetery Dance, coming out in June! Not only that, but it's the Charles Grant tribute issue, so I'll be right there alongside some major names! Talk about great exposure. I can't wait to get my hands on a bunch of copies!

04/22/07

Wow, two postings in two days! That almost never happens. But more good news: my short story 'Windows to the Soul' has been accepted for the upcoming 'evil books' anthology, BOUND FOR EVIL. Yea!

04/20/07

Wow, a long time since I've posted. Spring is here, after the proverbial flood. Luckily, we only got a soaked carpet in the basement; many others lost entire rooms and even their homes. If you know one of these people, do your best to help them out.

On to the good news: My story, 'Family First,' has been accepted for the Garden State Horror Writers annual anthology. 'Family First' is a zombie tale with a twist. And no, I'm not gonna say what it is!

Doorways #1 was a hit! And now it's almost time for Doorways #2: fiction by Angeline Hawkes, Michael Laimo, Yvonne Navarro, and Athena Workman, among others, as well as interviews with Angeline Hawkes and Brian Keene by yours truly.

I'm trying to get my name out there more and really become part of the next internet generation, so I've reluctantly set up a blog spot:

JG Faherty Blog.

I've also set up a MySpace account, which you can visit here:

JG_Faherty.

C'mon and check me out!

1/18/2007

In a few weeks Doorways #1 will be out. It features more interviews by yours truly, as well as another Brain Matter column. Plus stories by Graham Masterton, Dan Waters, Monica O'Rourke, and Sephera Giron. Check it out! Doorways

1/4/2007

Well, it's a new year, and I've got a lot of news to begin 2007 with.

First of all, my story "The Monster Inside" can be seen on the Edge of Propinquity site as of January 15th as one of the featured stories. Check here after the 15th to read it: The Monster Inside

Other News:

Doorways #0 was a big success; the stories went over great, and everyone loved the interviews. Doorways #1 will be even better, with stories by Graham Masterton, Dan Waters, Monica O'Rourke, and Sephera Giron. There will also be an interview of Graham Masterton by yours truly.

Buy it, read it, and enjoy it!

12/6/2006

In Memorium:

Anthony 'Tony' Faherty. A brave, loving, and faithful companion who until his dying day always had a smile on his face and a wagging tail. He will not be forgotten.

11/30/06

It's been awhile but here's some news: The first issue of Doorways Magazine is now available! Go to Doorways to place your order. There will also be 5 copies autographed by Gary Braunbeck that will be auctioned off. Issue #0 includes fiction by Gary Braunbeck, as well as interviews by yours truly with Gary B. and Deborah LeBlanc.

Check out my intro:

"Doorways is all about what could be waiting for you behind the doors. The Unexpected. The Gruesome. The Terrifying. With each page you'll open a new door and find yourself face-to-face with the unexplained. Spirits. Cannibals. Suicides. Tales of terror. Haunted hotels. Truth, fiction, or the gray area in between? You'll have to decide for yourself. Some of these doors will treat you to strange tales. Others, hopefully, will open your mind to new possibilities and overturn your views on what is real and what isn't. Some of our hidden secrets may even nauseate you or piss you off. That's the chance you take. Now it's time to find out what lies on the other side."

Pretty nifty, huh? Well, what are you waiting for? Go buy a copy!

In unrelated news, my story "Dieting With Dogs" can be found in the 'Chicken Soup for the Dieter's Soul' book coming out in December 2006. Not horror, but it pays a lot better than horror!! :)

10/13/06

Well, the Halloween season is approaching once again, and I'm happy to have some news for you. First, Doorways Magazine is rolling along well - I've got interviews with Deborah LeBlanc and Gary Braunbeck in the first issue, and luminaries such as Tom Monteleone and Brian Keene lined up for issue 2. Issue 1 will also have some kick-ass fiction guaranteed to knock you pumpkin socks off.

My other news is that I've just found out I'm the winner of this year's Tales From the Moonlit Path Halloween Contest. My story, 'The Midway,' (set in my ongoing world of the Carnival of Fear) can be found here: (The Midway). The editors said: "We found it creepy and disarming."

That's what I like to hear!

I also took honorable mention in the Apex Horror and Science Fiction Digest Halloween Contest, placing in the Top 10.

That's all for now - remember, with the spooky season upon us, don't be a Hallo-weenie! Costume up, go to a party, trick-or-treat, and decorate that house. Read your kids (or yourself, or your friends) a scary story.

9/17/06

A Sad Farewell

On Friday, Sept. 15 2006 Charles L. Grant, renowned horror, dark fiction, fantasy, and science fiction author, died at home. He was 64. In recent years, because of his illness, Charlie hadn’t published much, but prior to that he was a prolific writer, putting out over 100 books and 200 short stories in 30 years, plus television tie-ins and television scripts. One can only imagine how much more he wrote and never published. If you happen to be in the new generation of readers that wasn’t buying or reading when horror was at its heyday in the 80s, I urge you to go out and buy some of Charlie’s stuff.

Which books should you buy? You could start with his collections of short stories; or perhaps his Shadows anthologies, which helped launch the careers of many writers. There are the Oxrun Station and Black Oaks series of novels. There’s one of my personal favorites as a young lad just getting into horror many years ago, The Pet. Recently, I discovered some very old stories of Charlie’s, sci-fi from the 70s. Even those have more than a hint of his personal brand of horror, what he, and many after him, described as ‘quiet’ horror.

Charlie could do more with subtle words and creeping events than most authors can do with 100 pages of gore-splattering, teeth gnashing, knife descending action. He didn’t try to make you jump out of your seat or lose your lunch; no, Charlie was much happier if you went away with a vague feeling of disquiet that clung to you for days afterwards and constantly made you feel as if there was something just around the corner...something you weren’t sure about, but you knew you definitely did not want to see.

But don’t take my word for this – look at some of the awards he won: British Fantasy Society's Special Award for Life Achievement. Two Nebula Awards. Three World Fantasy Awards. The Horror Writers’ Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

They don’t make them like Charles L. Grant anymore. He will be missed by many.

8/15/06

Make that three updates! I'm on a roll. My zombie love story "Home on the Range" has been accepted for the upcoming anthology "Loving the Undead", to be published by, believe it or not, From the Asylum Books and Press (www.fromtheasylum.com). The projected publication date is October of this year, just in time for Halloween.

8/15/06

Wow - two updates in one month! Lucky me. Here's the good news: My story "R-Factor" has won First Prize in the 'Hot Summer Somthing' contest over at 'From the Asylum' (www.fromtheasylum.com). It will appear on their website in September, and also be part of their 2007 anthology.

8/4/06

Well, as usual it's been too long since I've updated. But here's some good news: I'll be editing stories and writing a column for the new magazine from Brian Yount called Doorways. This will be a mag devoted to horror films, books, and music. Lots of reviews, and also three fiction stories per issue. Dark Discs will be a quarterly publication, with the first edition slated for October. We're hoping to showcase the best new horror from unknown writers. There will also be columns by Greg Lamberson and several others. I've already begun reviewing stories for issue 1.

To submit, send your story as an attachment to darkdiscsmagazine@yahoo.com.

6/22/06

2006 HWA Stoker Awards Weekend Review

(for pictures, Click here)

What can I say about this year’s Stoker weekend? I got to hang out with some of the world’s greatest horror writers; I had barrels of laughs with the Stoker committee, even as we worked our butts off to get the activities and presentations coordinated; and I was able to pitch my work to two top-class agents.

And that doesn’t begin to cover it.

I’m a relative newbie to the whole convention planning scene, but I have to admit I am damn proud of how well things went. Can you say, nary a problem at all?

Lee Thomas, our Chairman, and the Stoker crew – Gina Osnovich, Jane Osnovich, Nick Kaufmann, Gordon Linzner, Nick Mamatas –worked tirelessly to contact people, arrange events, format the program book, obtain awards and materials for the goodie bags, and take care of all the hundreds of other details. Mary SanGiovanni worked magic in coordinating the pitch meetings so important to these weekends. Deena Warner did a magnificent cover with the program book cover art.

But enough praise. What about the weekend itself?

Thursday

By the time I arrived, Lee and crew had already brought in the goodie bags and other crap. After hanging in the Lee Thomas Hospitality Suite-War Room-Breakfast Nook-Kaufmann Rollaway Bedroom for a while, we headed into Newark to find a place to eat. Jane and Lee navigated us in a round about fashion to some outlet mall, where we ate bison burgers at Ruby Tuesday’s and then hit some clothing shops to find Lee a tuxedo shirt. After that, it was back to mission control to do a quick run through of the audio-visual presentation. Hank Schwable and Lisa Morton joined us, and we bullshit-ed about horror movies and books for a few hours. We also had b-day cake for Jane.

I went back to my room around 1:30, and stayed up until 3:30 working on my PowerPoint presentation, trying to insert a video-taped acceptance speech.

Friday

On Friday morning, I put the finishing touches on the media presentation, and then hit the gym to work off breakfast. I did 40 minutes on the bike, in part because Hank S. came by and we talked for a while as I exercised. At home, I walk 2 miles a day, but I’d never do that long on the bike.

In the afternoon I joined Jane and Nick Kaufmann at the registration desk. Working registration is always fun, because you get to meet new people and say hello to old acquaintances.

Friday evening was the cocktail reception, which was well attended, considering a lot of people don’t usually arrive until Saturday. I met Michael Arnzen, a very funny dude. I also met Stephen Jones, Amanda Foubister, and Mandy Slater, with whom I had many enjoyable (often hilarious) conversations over the course of the weekend. I also had a chance to renew acquaintances with F. Paul Wilson, Tom Monteleone, Mary SanGiovanni, Gina Osnovich, Kelly Laymon, Michael Laimo, Mike Marano, and several others.

Following the cocktail party, I joined Paul W., Tom M., Stephen J., Amanda F., and Mandy S. for a party in Tom and Paul’s room. For me, these small get-togethers are probably the best thing about coming to conferences; sure, the networking is great, the pitch sessions are important, and the banquets and panels are fun, but for an aspiring writer and long-time fan of the horror genre, nothing compares to sitting in a room with people who I’ve read and admired for years, listening to them tell stories of the ‘old days.’ Tales of times spent with Manly Wade Wellman, Karl Edward Wagner, and Harlan Ellison - the people whose books I read when I was in middle school and high school in the early seventies. Stories of the early days of the HWA, of conferences and parties attended with Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Brian Lumley, Charles Grant, and the other giants of the 1980s and 90s.

At one point, Paul mentioned that back then there was a real collegiate atmosphere to the get-togethers, and to the relationships the writers had. Part of this was because the industry was smaller, but part was because these people genuinely had a great time getting together. He said that he’d like to see more of this today, that it seems to be fading somewhat. Tom and Steve both made the point that it’s so important for the writers of today, the young writers, the ones just starting out, to not forget where the industry came from, and stories of the old guard, that soon the torch would be passed on to us, and we’d be the ones to move the HWA, and the horror/dark fiction industry genre in general, forward for the next 20 to 40 years.

In a way it’s like becoming part of a six degrees of separation within the writing community: Lovecraft to Karl Wagner & Wellman to Monteleone, Wilson, Jones, etc. to King, Koontz, Straub, Laymon, etc., to Keane, Laimo, Lebbon, Marano, and so many others, and hopefully to me one day. Not for the first time, it struck me how these people are a real bridge between the original masters of horror and today’s writers, and like they told me, it’s up to us to pass along those stories that they tell.

Tom also paid me a nice compliment, telling me that I have a much better grasp of the horror business than a lot of other people, and that I have the ability to put a beginning, middle, and end together to create an effective story. Coming from someone with his multi-decade career, That was a big boost to my determination to succeed in this business.

Paul, Tom, and Steve had so many great stories that it’s quite possible the conversation could still be going on today, assuming we didn’t run out of alcohol, but Kelly Laymon came by to tell us of another party, so we packed up our glasses and bottles and made our way to Kelly’s room, which was filled to the doorjambs with celebrants. After a few of Kelly’s ghastly ‘shooters’ (‘Don’t drink the yellow shooters!’ became our unofficial version of the Woodstock ‘brown acid’ warning), the party moved once more, but I decided to call it a night, knowing Saturday would be long, and I’d have to be relatively clear-headed.

Further party details have been sealed to protect the not-so-innocent.

Saturday

B-Day (Banquet Day). We started bright and early with a ton of coffee and some super-sized muffins (“You must eat the muffins” intoned Nick Kaufmann as he rose from the depths of his cot). We reviewed the day’s plans, and then split up to get things going. Lee, Gordon, and I met with the hotel’s audio-visual guy to go over the equipment we’d be using. Then, at 11am, we did a run-through with Tom M., who would be Toastmaster that night, and our two presenters, Linda Addison and Gerard Houarner.

After that, I returned to my room to get ready for my two pitch sessions. On the way, I bumped into David Morrell, another friendly face from numerous conventions and the two Borderlands Writers’ Boot Camps that I’d attended, and he mentioned that if I ran into Miriam Goderich, his agent, I should introduce myself.

Funny how things work out.

I arrived in the lobby for my first pitch session, with Dimension Films, only to find it had been cancelled. I mentioned to Mary SanGiovanni, who was racing around with her session timer, that if any other agents or publishers had a free moment, I was available and ready to shamelessly promote myself.

At that point fate, and Hank Schwable, stepped in. Hank had been about to meet with Miriam while he waited for Don D’Auria to finish lunch, and he offered the spot to me, for which I’m eternally grateful. I jumped at the chance. As luck would have it, Miriam and I ended up having more in common than just a love of classic horror, and the meeting went very well. She was a pleasant and gracious person, and I’m glad I had the chance to meet her.

At seven pm, I joined Lee, Linda, Gerard, and Gordon for the final run-through of the audio-visual presentation. With some time left before the banquet started, I made a brief appearance at the cocktail party, where I got to meet Joe Hill, and then returned to the banquet room to help put the finishing touches on the table decorations.

The banquet began promptly at 8pm, and I defy anyone to find fault with the meal. I had the steak, a perfectly-cooked filet mignon you could practically cut with a fork. From what I heard, the salmon was equally good. Appetizers, salads, chocolate fudge cake; all of it was outstanding. Kudos to the staff at the Hilton, who made sure everything was simply outstanding all weekend long, and who really went out of their way to be helpful. This should be a lesson to the hotels in Manhattan, where quality and service are becoming as rare as good television.

The awards ceremony kicked off at 9:30pm. The audio-visual presentation went off with only the smallest of hitches, and afterwards everyone congratulated our team for a job well done. Doug Winter, Toastmaster Tom Monteleone, and Lifetime Achievement Award-winner Peter Straub were their usual entertaining selves, and Joe Hill, Hank Schwable (accepting for Gary Braunbeck), Lisa Morton, and Michael Arnzen had some of the more humorous acceptance speeches.

Following the banquet, there was an after-party in the Lee Thomas hospitality suite, where I finally got to meet Rhodi Hawk, who I’d previously only talked to through emails and phone calls (Rhodi – good to meet you, and I still owe you a glass of wine!) Later on, the party moved to the hotel bar, where I also had conversations with the wonderful Lisa Morton and the always-entertaining Stephen Jones. I finally dragged myself off to bed at 2am, exhausted and yet thrilled to be going home the next day. Unlike most cons, this time I’d had no time to do any writing in my hotel room, and I was eager to plant my butt back in my comfy chair and put to paper all the ideas I’d been jotting down all weekend.

In closing, I just want to thank Lee and the entire Stoker committee for letting me be a part of the weekend, and I want to give a big shout-out to this year’s award winners (posted below).

To all of the friends I made or re-acquainted myself with over the weekend, thanks for the fun times and looking forward to seeing you at WHC in 2007!

6/13/06

Something new today - just set up my first blog. No idea what I'm doing, but you can go here to see it: JG Blog

Check it out and leave a message.

6/5/06

Well, finally some news about me - after all, isn't that why you're here?

I just found out that I'm a 'runner up winner' in the Desdmona Hard Boiled Sex Contest, where you had to write an old-fashioned detective story with an erotic bent. My story was "Slutty Dead Girl," a horror story naturally.

The editors had this to say:

"Who is this guy? The scumbag P.I.: a cockroach who hugs the corners, avoids sunlight and slurps his morning rot-gut from a crusty coffee mug – only to emerge when we hard-boiled fans need a protagonist, and then he becomes a hero, if momentarily. Well ... nix the hero part. Does this guy even brush his teeth? Then, somehow, Faherty comes up with something even better: a girl who can stand up to him. A ghoulish pleasure."

You can read it here: Slutty Dead Girl

Stayed tuned to this page, because I'm hoping to have some big news coming up in the near future.

Also, the HWA Stoker Awards are in a couple of weeks, and when I return from lovely Newark NJ I'll have a complete wrap-up of the event, where yours truly is in charge of the media presentation during the awards ceremony.

Finally, don't forget to check out my monthly column, "Brain Matter," in the Horror Writers Association newsletter.

5/23/06

Actually, today's new news isn't about me, but about John Passarella, who's new book, Kindred Spirits, hits the stands today.

Kindred Spirit, available in stores and on-line from all the big booksellers, is the kind of story rarely written today - it builds on suspense rather than hitting you over the head with blood and guts. It's a ghost story where you rarely see the ghost, a murder mystery where the killer doesn't leave a trail of mutilated bodies in his wake. I won't give it away, but this is an exciting read for any fan of paranormal thrillers. I highly recommend it.

Stay tuned for more upcoming news on my own material - hopefully I'll have something for you soon!

3/27/06

Wow, been a while since I've posted here. I updated my book cover page, which can be viewed here. Also, my poem "The Dentist" has been selected for inclusion in Wicked Karnival #7.

2/14/06

I got an early Valentine's present - My flash piece, “The Key to Her Heart,” has been selected for publication in February’s Wee Small Hours. “The Key to Her Heart” is the story of a young woman who discovers an unexpected danger in online dating, that finding a relationship might just be the worst thing that can happen. The story can be found on Hellnotes beginning on February 15.

1/27/06

It’s my birthday, and I’m celebrating by beginning a new round of edits on my novel “The Carnival of Fear.” Yes, it’s already been circulated, but I come armed now with new insights and ideas for improving the plot, characters, and dialog, courtesy of the Borderlands Writer’s Boot Camp for the Novel, which I attended from Jan. 20 – 22. For those of you unfamiliar with this fantastic program, or who want to learn more about it before signing up for the next session, please see my complete review click here.. (Pictures can be viewed here..)

The short version is that our four instructors (Thomas Monteleone, Jack Ketchum, Thomas Tessier, and Ginjer Buchanan) did an absolutely fabulous job of evaluating the manuscripts of all 20-something attendees, and providing in-depth critiques. Did those criticisms hurt? Sometimes. After all, this is your baby being dissected and analyzed. But in the end, I walked away with new insights, a desire to make the book better, and the knowledge of how to do that.

The Borderlands Boot Camps (Short Story and Novel) are invaluable for anyone who wants to become a better writer. After finishing the Short Story class last year, I made my first pro and semi-pro sales. I hope to have equal good fortune with the novel this year.

1/20/06

Well, Happy New Year and all that jive. Between the holidays and vacations and work it's been hard to get here and update, but today I'm going all out, so check out the new bibliography section as well.

Just got back from Las Vegas, and man that is THE place to go for a fun, wicked vacation. If you want to hear about it, you'll have to ask me in private!

I did manage to get a little writing done, to stay in shape for this week's Novel Writer's Bootcamp that I'm attending, beginning tonight. So stay tuned for the next entry, it's bound to be full of advice, stories, and pain.

12/21/05

BR> Almost Christmas, not getting much done, but good news: "Rough Justice," the sequel to "Bones," (see below), has been accepted to the CWW Raw Meat anthology, to be published in early 2006. Thanks to all the Wicked Karnival staff and readers! I'll update this as soon as I have more information.

Also, the Animal Magnestism anthology, with my story "A Dog's Life," is now available on Lulu. Here's the link:

Animal Magnetism.

12/9/05

One holiday down, two to go. Between eating, working, shoveling snow, and shopping for presents, I've still managed to get in some good writing time; not as much as I would have liked, but better than nothing.

So here's the good news: My story, "Out of the Garden," has been accepted by 'The Late Late Show' (www.latelateshow.com), and will appear on the site beginning January 1st and running through the end of February. This story is kind of interesting, it's a flash piece really, because it was inspired by a writing assignment in Tom Monteleone's great book, The Idiot's Guide to Writing a Novel. Which prompt was it? Well, you'll have to read the story, and the book, to find out. But, all thanks to Tom!

11/22/05

Damn, has it been almost a month already? Things have been busy around here, what with work, starting my assignments for January's Writer's Bootcamp Class, working on stories to submit for several anthologies that are due in December, and finally beginning work on the multi-media presentation for the 2006 Stoker Awards banquet in June. Yes, I'll be working with Lee Thomas, Gina Klein (Osnovich), Jane Osnovich, Nick Kauffman, Nick Mamatas, and Gordon Linzer on this year's ceremonies, to be held in NYC again. Let's hear it for us!

I've also received word that my story for SilentWhispers has had publication delayed due to the site's editor/publisher being seriously ill at this time. We're wishing J.M. a speedy recovery.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Go douse yourselves in L-tryptophan!

10/30/05

More good news - October has been very good to me. I just received word that I'm a flash fiction ("The Only Good Spider") and poetry ("Natural Selection") contest winner at www.sciencefictionfantasyhorror.com. They'll both be available on the site in November, as well as appearing in an upcoming limited chapbook. Plus, my flash piece "Jacob" took third place in the Whispering Spirits writing contest in October, and will be available on their site in mid-November.

10/24/05

Well, where to begin? Good news - the Wicked Karnival Halloween Special, featuring Pt. 2 of my story "The Funhouse," is now out and available at Wicked Karnival.com, Shocklines.com, and also Lulu.com (See the Order Information page).

'Doses of Death: A Macabre Collection of Small-Town Terror' is now available at Lulu.com, and soon at Amazon.com. Check out the ad - my story, "Bones," is the first one described in the blurb.

On the less happy side, the East Coast has been battered by heavy rains every few days, and now we're expecting the remnants of Wilma. That could mean power losses and water in the basement for this nervous writer. Plus, we just had to put a new roof on the house last week. But as awful as this is, it doesn't compare with what's happened in Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Please help those people out in any way you can. My personal charities can be found below, and also on my 'Links' page.

10/13/05

Not sure if anyone is aware of it, but as of September, I've got my own article in the HWA monthly newsletter. As of this month, its official title will be "Brain Matter."

10/5/05

The September edition of Wicked Karnival is out, and it's excellent. Great cover, and the interior illustrations rock as well. Of course, part one of my story, "The Funhouse," is the highlight of the magazine (IMHO), but there's also a great interview with Jack Ketchum, one of my favorite authors, as well as some excellent poetry and stories. The theme for this issue is fairy tales, so you can expect some gruesome takes on Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs, and more. Pick it up now (Wicked Karnival). and get into the Halloween spirit!

9/21/2005

I've just received word that my story, "A Dog's Life," has been accepted for the 'Animal Magnetism' charity anthology, all proceeds from which will be going to aid hurricane Katrina victims. This SciFi-Horror-Fantasy anthology project is being produced by S.A. Parham and W. Olivia Race of IndigoRage.com. Full details for submission can be found at Ralan.com or Indigo Rage anthology page. Right now, publication is projected for December 2005 - the perfect Christmas gift!

9/6/2005

HELP SAVE A PET’S LIFE - Make a donation to aid the Katrina Pet Rescue Efforts, and I will take $20 off the price of your resume package!

Hundreds of people are being forced to leave their pets behind during the rescue efforts in Katrina’s aftermath. These join the thousands of animals already left homeless by the disaster. The Humane Society of the United States and the North Shore Animal League are both sending rescue units to disaster areas every day to provide food, water, and shelter for these helpless dogs and cats. They are also finding homes for the animals they cannot reunite with their owners. Your donation can help save the life of a dog or cat today.

For the Human Society, please visit this site: Humane Society.

For the North Shore Animal League, please visit here: NSAL.

For the ASPCA disaster relief effort, please visit: ASPCA.

9/1/2005

Good way to start the new month - I received an Honorable Mention in the Horror World Hometown Contest (same as third place). Columnist Matthew Warner (author of Death Sentences: Tales of Punishment & Revenge and Eyes Everywhere) created the contest, a 300-word non-fiction essay about creepy home towns. For Stony Point, I mentioned our proximity to Sleepy Hollow and Spook Rock Road (haunted by an Indian Maiden's ghost), plus some local legends, including the Ramapo Salamander and the hairy creature who stalks our woods. See Matt's September article at: http://horrorworld.org/columns.htm.

7/27/2005

Well, I can hardly begin to describe what's been happening lately. After a long dry spell, I've had short stories accepted in three publications for the coming fall:

* 'The Funhouse,' which will be split between the September and October 2005 editions of Wicked Karnival.

* 'Bones' in Doses of Death: A Macabre Collection of Small-Town Terror, which will be available in late October.

* 'Dreams of Darkness' in Silent Whispers Monthly.

As of late summer, I've got eight or nine short stories and three novel manuscripts doing the rounds, and I'm hoping my string of good luck continues.

Because of my work schedule, I've got no current plans to attend any regional or national conferences or conventions, much to my regret. My last one was the World Horror Convention in NYC back in April. I had a blast, met a lot of great people, and renewed some old friendships. My goal is to get to NECON someday, but that's tough, what with family and work.

I did get away for a couple of days this month, though. I went to Baltimore with Andrea for a long weekend. We did a wine tasting, stayed in a 'haunted hotel' at the seaport, and generally ate and drank our way through three days and nights. I did manage to get some writing done while I was there, and picked up some useful local ghost tales.