Issues of Shock Totem free on Kindle

The awesome crew at Shock Totem Publications are offering FREE Kindle copies of issues 1 through 5 this week. Get on it while the getting is good! Check it out here. And spread the word!

Shock Totem #6 paperbacks!

Received copies of Shock  Totem #6 and will be sending the five winners their copies tomorrow! Thanks to everybody who spread the word about its release and thanks to everybody who entered! If you haven’t tried them yet go snag a copy from Shock Totem’s website or Amazon! They’re the best.

Shock Totem #6 Winners

I’ve drawn the five winners for the Shock Totem #6 giveaway! Thanks to all who spread the word and entered! I will let the winners know once I receive the copies I ordered, and when I have them in the mail on their way to recipients.

The winners are: Nancy, Amanda Lyons, Bill, Kelly Stiles, and Keith Chartier. I will email you to get your addresses within the next week! Thanks, all!

Also saw a blistering new review of WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL that’s on the Preliminary Ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards. Thanks to Gabino Iglesias. You can read the review here.

Shock Totem #6 Giveaway

Very excited that Shock Totem #6 will be out soon and I have just ordered 5 paperback copies to give away to some lucky buggers. 

All you’ll have to do is share this giveaway on FB, or Twitter, Google +, Goodreads, or wherever, and paste the link of where you shared it in the comments section down below.

Easy. I’ll run this Giveaway for two weeks and then pick the five winners.

Very excited about  sharing pages again with one of my heroes (Jack Ketchum). Plus Shock Totem is super fine and I love those guys. The interview I did for this was a blast. You can check out the table of contents here.

Thanks to anybody who spreads the word and enters!

Review in Black Static

Very happy to see the latest review of WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL in the super awesome Black Static Magazine. Thanks to Peter Tennant for the read and time! Here’s a snippet of what he said:

With its central concept of a once violent man who has been domesticated, but is prompted by circumstances to get back in touch with his inner beast, this novella reminded me of nothing so much as the Cronenberg film A History of Violence, though in the touches of arch-weirdness that litter the text – Fist trundling the corpses of his loved ones around in a shopping trolley, talking to them and pet lizard Bianca, his conversation with an artist who works with bodies – there is also more than a hint of the Lynch of Blue Velvet… At the heart of the story are questions about the nature of violence and how far we go before crossing a line. Fist’s dilemma underlines the failure of both society and the justice system, leaving a man to do what a man has got to do, if I’m allowed a cliché or two. It’s a powerful and affecting story…

You can check out Black Static here…

Also had a first recently when WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL got mentioned in another book’s review on HorrorTalk. Pretty neat. Here’s a snippet.

Not too long ago I was blown away by Lee Thompson’s When We Join Jesus in Hell. What fully impressed me was not just Thompson’s amazing skill, but the fact that I truly enjoyed a style of writing that I tend to avoid. Normally, I’m a meat a potatoes type of guy and don’t have a lot of a time for…I don’t know, “pretty” words? But Thompson didn’t care about likes, he just said read it and like it, which I did. I’m thinking J.R. Hamantaschen went to the same school as Thompson, because he pulled the same shit on me with his You Shall Never Know Security, a collection of his short stories.

Also answered interview questions for Shock Totem #6, which will be out soon with a story by me and others, including that sexy mothereffer Jack Ketchum. Looking forward to when that issue hits the stands (and ereaders). 

Not the Final Cover

And if you’re of a mind, swing by to participate in the discussion on Horror Aficionados where I’m guest author for January! We’re having fun and you should too!

January’s Guest Author and an Upcoming Interview

I’ll be the guest author for the month of January at the Horror Aficionado’s group on Goodreads! They’ll be reading and discussing my heartbreaking novella WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL. I’m very excited to participate and look forward to answering a bunch of questions. Thanks to Jason and Tressa for the invite! Come join us! 

This novella has been turning heads. And it should. It’s wickedly subtle (not). 

Grab a copy for Christmas and join the party! 

If we’re not friends on Goodreads, send me an invite, punk. 

And to keep up with all the whirlwind that is my writing career sign up for my newsletter off to the right there. 

Oh, I’ll also have a deliciously decadent interview in Shock Totem #6 as well! I love that crew! Make sure you check it out. 

Not the Final Cover

Thanks for everybody’s support! Merry Christmas or whatever it is your celebrating!

Two short story sales

Sold two new short stories! One to Shock Totem #6, which is terrific because I love those guys and their publication. The other sold to Nameless Magazine and it’s great to have a story  in Jason V. Brock’s magazine! I’ll share more about them when they’re closer to release.

Shock Totem #4 free for Kindle Today

Go get Shock Totem #4 for free on your Kindle today. It’s a great issue. I love those guys.

Thanks to any who spread the word!

In the last year and a couple months I’ve sold five books to Delirium/Darkfuse, and it still blows my mind. Dave Thomas just interviewed me on their website, which was a lot of fun, and I reveal some secrets. Have a gander.

Also neat to see that Goodreads has a feature that lets me list the Division mythos on my author page. It’s going to be pretty amazing to watch that fill up with all 13 books in the next few years.

Glad I stumbled across that. I learn something new every day.

Jonathan Maberry just guest posted on Book Den, too. Check it out!

Darkfuse has the Delirium novella subscription available for Kindle now too.

And my newest novella DOWN HERE IN THE DARK wants to rock your socks off. Go snag it and leave me a review on Amazon or Goodreads. I’m also giving away a few copies but you have to hurry…

My latest novel (the sequel to Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children) is going to go all gang busters on you. It’s dark and vivid and wants you to give it a chance.

Stay tuned for an interview with Greg Gifune and a guest post I’ll be doing about the first Red Piccirilli book BEFORE LEONORA WAKES.

Thanks!

2011 Year in Review!

Buckle your seatbelt (this was a busy writing year…)

At the beginning of 2011 Ellen Datlow picked three of my stories for Honorable Mention in her Year’s Best Horror, volume 3! The first three stories I sold! It was a good start to the year and a nice buzz.

This year I’ve had stories published alongside some great writers in mags and anthos and webzines I love! Shared space with Joe Lansdale (x2), Lee Thomas, Jack Ketchum, Bentley Little, Jason V. Brock, Ken Wood, Maggie Jamison, Jeffrey Thomas, Michael McBride, Tom Piccirilli, Weston Ochse, James A. Moore, Nick Mamatas, Gene O’Neil, Ronald Malfi, Kevin Wallis, Steve Lowe, Shane McKenzie, etc. in Delirium’s Horror Wired anthology (February), Dark Discoveries #18 (May), Apex’s Zombie Feed, vol. 1 (June), Shock Totem #4 (July), Literary Mayhem (October), A Hacked-up Holiday Massacre anthology (November).

Delirium Books released my first Division novel NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN in signed/limited hardcover, paperback, and Digital in June 2011! A wonderful cover by Dani Serra.

Delirium Books released my first Frank Gunn novella IRON BUTTERFLIES RUST in hardcover and digital in August 2011! Another wonderful cover by Dani Serra!

I sold the second Division novel THE DAMPNESS of MOURNING to Darkfuse Publications on October 19th! (Going to be released in signed/limited hardcover and digital in February 2012 and has a killer cover by Dani Serra. Bam!) This novel also came out early (Dec. 8th 2011) as a Kindle Exclusive. Pretty damn neat.

I sold the second Frank Gunn novella DOWN HERE IN THE DARK to Delirium Books on October 19th! (Going to be released in signed/limited hardcover and digital in April 2012 and has another killer cover by Dani Serra. Bam! I’m knocking things down.)

I sold my standalone novella WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL to Delirium Books on Dec. 14th (my dad’s birthday). It’ll come out in 2012 as a signed/limited hardcover and digitally! Another badass cover from Dani Serra! *Dance* This is one of my favorite pieces and was so difficult to write that it made me cry several times. And my hero Tom Piccirilli commented on WHEN WE JOIN JESUS IN HELL when I shared the rough opening on here. It made me extremely happy. Not only is he a badass author, he’s encouraging and kind and such a great guy. I’d probably give him a kidney if he needed it. Maybe not mine, but somebody’s.

I sold my standalone novella IMMERSION to Thunderstorm Books.

My buddy, Jassen Bailey, bought me a book I’d been searching for forever! Tom Piccirilli’s first novel Dark Father! Thanks so much, bro! What a thoughtful, dude!

I wrote reviews for The Crow’s Caw which is a great site if you want to know what books are rocking the genre.

I’ve sported some stylish threads thanks to The Bag & The Crow. I think their tees have gotten me laid a couple times and increased my creativity.

I wrote quite a bit even though I was insanely busy working 60 hours a week at my regular job spring and summer, plus some Sundays at my old job, critting friends’ work, studying writing, reading, doing some reviews. Then when worked slowed down in the fall I spent most of my time playing guitar, drawing and painting (which I’ve never really invested any time in but found it’s super fun), and I had a blast talking life and its great mysteries with my buddies Shaun, Jassen, and Susan. I love those guys so much. Those three are like soul mates to me.

I’ve seen Susan search for truth, dive deep into the waters of her soul, and come back even more incredible, and I’m so proud of her. What a woman.

I’ve watched Jassen blossom despite slogging through the most challenging year of his life.

I’ve witnessed my buddy Shaun hone his writing voice and the stories he has to tell to a razor sharp edge. I can’t wait until people read his novels.

I’ve seen these friends suffer and watched them grow while facing adversity, with honesty, heart and dignity. Listened and shared. Lived and loved deeply and more passionately and honestly than I’ve ever been capable of before (and surprisingly, to me anyway, it had to start with loving myself and letting go of a lot of self-loathing and buried resentments. How weird. LOl).

My buddy and long time critique partner Kevin Wallis finished his first novel! Was a pleasure to read and give him feedback. Can’t wait until he sells that bugger!

My publisher, Shane Ryan Staley, built me a sweet website! How awesome is that? I could hug him several times, maybe even rub his feet.

I went to my first convention in October (Rock & Shock). Got to meet up with uber cool Jassen Bailey, sexy kitten Susan Scofield, iron man Ken Wood of Shock Totem, fellow authors Bill Gauthier and Adam Bloomquist, Tom Moran of Sideshow Press, watched Jordan Norton get molested by a big hairy guy and Scott Wieser of Morning Ablaze laugh at him, Andy Royal made me laugh my ass off, Danny Evarts was kind, Matt and Melissa Herron of Corrupt Culture were great and funny in the booth next door, and Kurt Newton and me had a fun talk. Sold out of the paperbacks of Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children (thanks to everybody who bought a copy and spent some time with me!) as well as learned some very valuable lessons. I really enjoyed seeing people picking up my novel, asking questions about it, as well as talking to them and signing copies for them. How fucking neat. Thanks to everyone for such a wonderful time!

I spoke to a 6th grade class (Jassen’s daughter Jayda’s) about creativity and imagination while on vacation in Maine. It was a total blast even though I’m very introverted. I read them the first chapter of my teen book Before Leonora Wakes, they sent me a very kind thank you, and I sent them a physical copy of the book. Win-win! Looking forward to speaking to more kids about creativity in the near future!

I did a fun and personal guest blog tour (though I did fall way behind on it since writing fiction was my number one priority and I didn’t have the energy for both some weeks. Yet the people who allowed me on their sites are beautiful and gracious and so understanding.)

I’ve had a ton of great reviews on pretty much everything that came out this year. From my first novel Nursery Rhymes for Dead Children to my first novella Iron Butterflies Rust, and garnered some nice mentions on stories that have appeared in magazines and anthologies. Sweet! Thanks to all the book reviewers who have taken the time to give me and my work a chance!

Brian Keene doesn’t know me from Adam, but he was kind enough to mention me on his website, which was damn cool of him! Then my buddy Susan sent me a link to Brian Keene’s Top Ten Books of 2011 and my first novel, Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children, is on there. So, a big thanks to Brian for taking the time to read it and for sharing it! And thanks to Susan for always letting me know stuff like that is out there because I’m kinda lazy (or focused on writing) when it comes to keeping track of what’s going on.

Plus Brian let me use this awesome blurb!

“Thompson’s voice is his own — strong, hypnotic, and unsettling. Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children is a bleak fucking book, and therein lies its danger. So beautifully-constructed is Thompson’s prose, that the reader is often caught off-guard, mesmerized by a turn of phrase or a descriptive passage, until the book grabs you by the balls and rips them right off, breaking your heart and your psyche in the process.”

Thanks Brian!

My favorite short story, Beneath the Weeping Willow, from Shock Totem #4 was recommended for a Bram Stoker Award. This story and the protagonist tie-in directly to the second and third Division novels. I’m very proud of that one so it holds extra special significance to me that other people dug it. Plus it’s cool to see my name near Stephen King’s. When on vacation at Jassen’s in Maine, Jassen took me to his house, too! Thanks, dude! I wish Stevie would have come out and we could have wrestled in his yard, that’d have been fun!

My publisher made me my first book trailer (for the 2nd Division novel The Dampness of Mourning)! I think it turned out great!

I feel like I’ve grown as a man, a friend, a lover, and a writer. There were a few times when I was utterly exhausted and I thought I might take some steps back—sometimes I probably did, I can get cranky or anti-social when I’m not well-rested or sick—but what a year it’s been. I’ve worked my ass off, but I’ve also been lucky to have so many amazing people in my corner. Because really there is only two halves of my success… First: I write. Second: I’m fortunate enough to have people as excited about the work as I am. People who give me feedback, a publisher who believes in me, book reviewers and readers, lovers of literature and people full of imagination.

So many, many thanks to everyone who has been my friend, taught me valuable lessons, offered honesty and encouragement, bought the books, reviewed my work, and spread the word!

Let’s see how 2012 shapes up next, huh? Perhaps it’ll bring some of us diamonds to share with the world.

AnthoCon

If you’re going to AnthoCon this weekend check out Susan Scofield’s art, and then buy some of it!!! That pic is one of her pieces, sucka!

Say hi to Jassen Bailey (bigwig of The Bag and The Crow), and snag an awesome shirt!!!

Give Ken Wood of Shock Totem a kiss for me, and take a picture!!!

Dance with Andy Royal and pretend you’re rock stars!!!

Thank you!