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Age: 31
Sign: Aries
City: AMORY
State: Mississippi
Country: US
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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New Cover Art for Winds of Change (German Version)
I just got wind of the new cover for the German translation of my collection, Winds of Change.
This book was originally published in trade paperback and hardcover by the now-defunct Nocturne Press. I'm glad that Basilisk Verlag is giving the book another shot.
Here's a summary of what the book is about:
*A group of complete strangers are trapped inside a hardware store while the winds of change turn anyone who ventures outside into a pillar of salt. Is it the result of biological warfare gone awry or a simple terrorist's plot? Is it a Biblical curse, hearkening back to the plagues of Egypt? Or is it something much more sinister?
*A string quartet is held captive inside a seaside conservatory by a group of ocean-dwelling creatures whose only mission is to make the music stop. The quartet's only defense lies in their ability to create music. Thus, they must either play indefinitely or die.
*A homeless man befriends a young boy who can summon voodoo gods through the graffiti that he paints on the walls of the city. Yet it will take more than friendship to help the boy when one of the gods escapes.
Now, take a look at the cover.
5:55 PM
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Monday, April 14, 2008
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Interview with R. Thomas Riley
Today's interview is with R. Thomas Riley, author of Through the Glass Darkly. Having shared a table of contents with Thomas on a few occasions I can attest to the quality of his fiction. Thomas has a load of new projects in the works that should be worth checking out. Read on to learn more about the author and his work:
1. Readers haven't seen your name around as much in the past year, but you seem to be moving full speed ahead now. What have you been working on for the past few months?
I'll start off by saying this: This business is full of constant "a step" forward, "three steps" back. The last part of 2006 and most of 2007 was a very difficult year in my personal life. In addition, with the reality of working in the small and micro presses, a number of projects I had in the wings went belly up for various reasons that were out of my control. I took time to reconsider a lot of things in my life and rethink priorities and basically stopped submitting new projects or resubmitting the previous projects that lost publishers and writing for almost a year. When I did start writing once more, I found I had a lot to say and the work started to pile up the past few months.
2. Tell us about your involvement with Permuted Press.
My involvement with Permuted happened purely on a chance I took when Jacob Kier announced a project called Elements of the Apocalypse near the end of 2006. The project is slated to be a collection of four novellas written by four different authors where we destroy the world via the use of the Greek elements of Water, Fire, Air and Earth. The concept immediately struck me and I had almost a full story idea just jump into my head so I sent Jacob a query with my idea and he told me to go for it. I banged out a first draft in just over a week or so and he dug it. There's been some issues with getting the last novella for Air actually written by an author, a few have promised a draft and never delivered to date so that's been the major hold up on this project.
This led to another project Jacob asked me to take a stab at. I was asked to write a novella for Undead 3, but in the end it wasn't accepted. However, that novella has found new life and I am currently expanding it into a full novel with horror author John Grover. Permuted has treated me very well and it's just a matter of writing the right project for them. Though they are fairly new to the scene, they have definitely put out some very good product to date and I look forward to working with Jacob and Permuted on future projects.
3. You've done a lot of work with short stories and novellas. When do we get to see a full-blown novel?
I've got a few novels under my belt, but I've felt none of them were really publishable so I've never submitted them. I'm working on two novels (one is horror and the other is a mainstream historical/thriller) now that I feel are the best work I've done to date and hopefully when I'm finished I will definitely start shopping them around and see what happens.
4. For those uninitiated with your work, which of your short stories should they read first to get acquainted with your style?
I'd like to think my style has definitely changed over the past 8 or so years. I've learned a lot and have been lucky to have gotten some great advice from many of the writers that have gone before me. If I had to point to a group of stories that I think define what I feel are my best to date are the stories that are currently available on Amazon.com. Readers can find those by simply going to www.amazon.com/shorts and doing a search for my name.
5. You've got a story that will be included in a German anthology of Lovecraft-inspired tales. Are you a big fan of Lovecraft? If so, how much does your appreciation of the Mythos figure into your work?
Actually, "Enough to Make a Devil", was my first full-blown Lovecraft Mythos story. I've dabbled here and there in some stories, but never focused on the Mythos directly. I'm a fan of the ideas Lovecraft came up with, but never really had any idea for a story using his elements directly. I am by no means an authority on his work, but I had fun putting my own little spin on it for the German anthology. So far, another market hasn't accepted the story, but it will show up eventually in English.
6. What are you working on now?
At the moment, I'm concentrating on getting two story collections ready for publication. "Heal Thyself", is re-release of "Through the Glass Darkly", published by the defunct Nocturne Press. This new edition will feature new cover artwork, updated stories and at least two new original stories not in the previous incarnation. This is being published by Apex Publications and as of this interview we haven't made it to release date discussions.
The other collection will be all new previously published and original works and will be published by Doorway Publications (formerly Wicked Carnival Books). Again no release dates have been discussed as of this interview.
In addition to those projects, I am working on a co-author novel with John Grover which I mentioned previously. I already have a publisher in mind once it's finished.
I'm also writing a novel adaptation of a screenplay for Allied Horror Productions/Wicked Dreams Entertainment. This project is my first foray into the indie movie business and it's been a blast to do. Last I heard, the movie "Mortuary of Madness is in pre-production. This is a small project and movie, but you have to start somewhere.
7. You've had several short stories included in the Amazon shorts program. How has this helped in terms of exposure and opportunity?
I have three stories currently in the Amazon shorts program and one in particular has done quite well. I definitely think it has helped in terms of exposure and opportunity in many ways. You aren't going to get rich off the program, but it's a nice little chunk of change. I've worked very closely with my editor at Amazon to do as much as I can with the stories. For instance last year I was picked to be one of Amazon's Scary New Talents during the run up to Halloween which had me featured on the front page of Amazon and various other places for about a month. I've appeared right next to Bentley Little and David Morrell and that would not have been possible in other venues.
In another instance, I was asked if I wanted one of my stories featured in the Amazon shorts newsletter and offered as a free download on the site, as well as pre-packaged on all new Kindles, which I jumped at, naturally. There are a few more promotions my editor and I are in talks about that will hopefully be happening in the next few months. I feel that the Amazon shorts program has definitely allowed my work to be exposed to a entirely new audience that isn't necessarily familiar with the small press. In many ways, I think having a story available on Amazon is much more beneficial in terms of having a location to send readers so they aren't having to search out a small press magazine that may or may not be available any longer.
8. Some of the current projects on your website list collaborations with various authors. Do you write differently when you collaborate? Explain how the process works.
I've done a few collaborations so far. Some have worked out and others have not so much. Each situation was different and was a learning experience. I definitely write different during a collaboration relying on a back and forth with the other author, each of us riffing and building off each other's ideas. I've tried a few different methods, from plotting out extensively with the other author before we ever wrote a word, to merely starting a story with a vague concept and expanding off the other's sections in a back and forth. Of these two methods, I'm partial to just writing what comes after reading the other author's section. The collaboration with John Grover is an expansion of a completed novella. John read the novella and really expanded the whole concept and is truly making me up my game and I'm enjoying the heck out of the process so far.
9. What are you reading right now? What is the last book you read that you think should be a must-read on everyone's list?
Strangely enough, I haven't been reading much horror lately. I'm really into noir fiction at the moment and reading a great little novel called, Dope, by Sara Gran. I think it is essential for a writer to read outside their chosen genre. While horror is my first love, I've been enjoying exploring the noir genre immensely thanks to Tom Piccirrilli. The most recent book I've read that I think should be a must-read on everyone's list is apocalyptic, The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier.
10. Any parting thoughts?
5:08 PM
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Tuesday, April 08, 2008
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The Machinery of Infinity
This week’s free fiction appeared first at AlienSkin magazine in 2003.
Enjoy!
The Machinery of Infinity
The tick-tock of the clocks was soothing. It was like being in the womb and listening to a mother’s heart. Comforting. As if time itself stood still in that one room while the world decayed outside the walls. As far as the old man knew the clocks had never been wound or set by human hands. They had just always been here, ticking away with metronomic regularity. And every once in a while one of them would stop, never to keep time again.
The old man looked through his telescope at the bustle of people crowding the streets of the nearest city. They were oblivious to the clocks that were steadily chewing away at the minutes of their lives. Or at least they were until one of the clocks stopped. Almost immediately an obese woman wearing large hoop earrings and a floral print dress crashed to the pavement. Her heart was still long before the paramedics arrived. The people didn’t realize that one of the clocks was responsible for this. But they had all heard the saying before about someone’s time running out, and somewhere deep in the subconscious they made the connection.
Lucas didn’t have time to watch the fracas below. The doorbell drew his attention away from the window. He looked at the watch on his wrist and wondered where the time had gone. He hadn’t expected the reporter here so soon.
When he opened the door he was surprised to find a beautiful young girl with a head full of blazing red hair. She hardly looked like the type of shark needed to survive in a predator’s world. But it was obvious that she knew how to stay afloat without drowning or getting eaten by a bigger fish. She was smart, and Lucas could tell it immediately. He couldn’t help liking her. It bothered him.
"Mr. Blake? I’m Ashley Dobbs. I’m here to do the interview with you."
"The interview. Right." he said hesitantly.
"It’s just going to be a little public interest piece about you and all of your clocks. Nothing to be nervous about."
Lucas nodded, not quite believing it. He knew quite a bit more than she did about what the interview was going to entail.
She looked around the room with a child’s sense of wonder. "You do have quite a lot of clocks. It must have taken you years to amass such a collection. How did we find out about you in the first place?"
"Actually, I contacted your editor myself about doing an interview. It seemed like a good way to show off what I’ve spent so many years of my life on."
"I’m sure the public will be interested."
Lucas smiled. "I think so," he said.
Ashley dug a small handheld recorder out of her purse. "Do you object if I record our conversation? It will make it easier to write the piece if I have something to refer to."
"Of course not."
Lucas led the girl over to a high-backed leather chair. He sat down across from her on the matching leather sofa.
"Why the fascination with clocks?" she asked him, getting right to the point.
"They measure a mystery," Lucas replied. "Time is as elusive as sand through our fingers. We never have enough of it, and unlike some things in life, you can never bargain for more. We’re all allotted a limited amount of time, and when that’s gone, we’re through. Finished. I’ve always found it fascinating that we plan our lives by the mandates of a clock."
"Everybody wishes they had more time at some point or another," Ashley agreed.
"It’s true. Any husband who’s ever lost a wife yearns for five more minutes to tell her that he loved her. Victims of paralysis wonder what their lives might be like if they had left the house one minute later or one minute sooner. A second can make the difference in winning a race and losing a race. It can also mean the difference in disarming a bomb. Seconds and minutes provide the framework around which we build our lives. Take away a second here, an idle minute there, and a life can be reduced to rubble. It’s like pulling a girder out of a skyscraper and watching it fall. Time can mean everything in the grand scheme of things."
"That’s pretty philosophical," Ashley said, obviously impressed. "I thought you were going to say something about how soothing the sound of the clocks were or how much you admired the individual craftsman ship of each one."
"These clocks are the foundation of the world," Lucas said, looking very serious as he said it.
Something about the way he said it made Ashley a little uncomfortable. She had heard that kind of fervor before in the words of doomsday cultists.
"I take it that most of these clocks are one of a kind," she said, holding the recorder tightly.
"Everyone of them are unique," Lucas said. "As unique as fingerprints or snowflakes."
"You made them?"
"I have never seen the maker, but some would call him God."
Ashley felt around in her purse and was satisfied when she found her cell phone. This guy was a little on the eccentric side to say the least. Nothing to worry about yet. Still, she wanted to be prepared in case he tried something.
"So tell me what’s really special about these clocks," Ashley said, trying to ignore that bit about God. "Tell me what it is about these clocks that would interest the world."
"When these clocks stop," Lucas said. "the world ends. These clocks are the only thing keeping the earth spinning and lives from ending tragically."
Ashley was suddenly sure she had stumbled across a bonafide nutcase. Lucas must have been able to read the expression on her face.
"You think I’m crazy. You think I’m just a doddering old man who’s stayed locked up in his apartment for far too long. But I’m as sane as you are. More realistic too. Once these clocks stop, Armageddon will tear the earth apart."
"Why should I believe any of this?" Ashley asked. She was glad to see the little wheels on the tape recorder were still moving. Nobody would believe a story like this unless presented with proof.
"Go to the television," Lucas said. "Find a channel with news."
Ashley did as she was told and Lucas went to his wall of clocks. He was careful about the clock he chose.
In truth, it was hardly a clock. A watch would have been a more accurate description as it could have easily been worn on a wrist without drawing scrutiny.
Lucas held it up before Ashley like a hypnotist about to put his subject under. It ticked back and forth like the pendulum on a grandfather clock. "Watch closely," Lucas said.
Nonchalantly, he dropped the clock on the floor and smiled to show that he had done it on purpose. It kept ticking until he stomped it flat with the heel of his shoe. Gears crackled, springs popped, and the room seemed a little smaller without that clock to fill in the milliseconds of silence with its quiet ticking.
"I don’t understand," Ashley said impatiently when nothing happened.
The old man calmly swept up the battered remains of the clock. Somewhere in the background an anchorman on television was talking about the impending war with one of the terrorist countries. Ashley wouldn’t have heard any of it if there hadn’t been a change in the newsman’s tone.
She quickly turned to face the TV set and the harried newscaster. It was clear from the look on his face that he had just received a very disturbing memo. He cleared his throat once and took a long sip of water.
"I have a breaking bit of news here on my desk." He struggled with the words, unsure of how to say them aloud.
"The President of the United States has just been shot. I repeat The President of the United States has just been shot. This is not a joke. This is a very real report. He has been rushed to Bethesda Naval Hospital, but there is no word on his condition. I have no specifics about the location or severity of the gunshot wound. I will report every piece of news as I receive it."
Ashley sat back down in the leather chair, numbed by the news.
"It’s not possible that you caused this," she said.
"It is possible. Should I prove it to you again?"
Ashley considered the possibilities. If he really was responsible for what happened to the president, then another demonstration would end in some sort of catastrophe. It was a crazy thing to consider.
Lucas took another clock off the wall and grabbed a hammer out of a nearby drawer. This time the clock was bigger, more impressive. If what Lucas said was true, then there was no telling what destroying one this size might do.
"Wait," she said. "I believe you."
Lucas smiled, satisfied. Then he pulverized the clock anyway.
Moments later Ashley heard something on TV about an earthquake killing thousands of people in Peru. But she was too shocked to really comprehend it all.
"You didn’t really believe me," Lucas said. "But I’ll bet you do now. These clocks are like gears in the machinery of infinity. Destroy one and things start going haywire. Destroy them all...." He let the thought linger like a cloud of contagion on the air.
"You’re crazy," she said. "Why did you even bother to set up this interview in the first place if there’s not going to be anyone left to see it?"
"People take time for granted. They think tomorrow is guaranteed when it isn’t. Don’t you think the world would be a lot better if everyone valued the days and weeks and years they were given?"
"Who made it your decision to judge what humanity needs?" Ashley asked. "Sure, we may take time for granted but that doesn’t mean you should take it upon yourself to teach us a lesson."
Lucas sighed. "I have lived here for as long as I can remember. I have lived alone, cooped up in a tiny apartment that may well be the nexus of our universe. I have lived with only the tick-tock companionship of these clocks, and I have done it with the knowledge that I was wasting my time knowingly while others do so oblivious to the forces that move and swirl around them like eddies of air. They take life for granted. I would do anything to trade places with them for a day, to forget my post here in this rathole. But that isn’t what destiny has planned for me. It isn’t my life to do what I want. Why should anyone else be any different?"
Ashley almost felt sorry for the old man until he smiled and drove the hammer through the face of a grandfather clock in the corner of the room. She could almost hear the screaming, as if the clock were alive. But she knew those were just the voices of a hundred thousand souls starving to death in some poverty stricken African nation.
"You can’t do this," Ashley said, putting down her recorder and withdrawing her cell phone from her purse. "I won’t let you."
"You won’t stop me," Lucas said, rushing at her with the hammer. Ashley put up both hands to defend herself. The hammer glanced off of the phone’s faceplate, shattering the crystal. She didn’t have to pick it up to know that it wouldn’t work again.
Lucas grabbed her by the throat. "Don’t try anything like that again. You are here to watch me and to chronicle the end of the world. It won’t matter that there won’t be anyone left to read it. The fact that you are here is enough for me. I’ll enjoy going back and perusing the destruction that I have caused."
"You’re crazy," Ashley said, rubbing her throat as Lucas released his grip.
"Am I?" he said, taking another clock off of the wall, this one made of black-veined marble. He didn’t bother to use the hammer. Instead, he dropped the clock into an aquarium filled with goldfish. Somewhere in the world, monsoons, tidal waves, and tsunamis destroyed entire societies, burying them in watery tombs.
"No," Ashley whimpered.
"Yes," Lucas said. "I’ll bet people are starting to come to their senses now and wishing they’d done things differently. They see the catastrophes that are befalling the world and regretting the time they wasted. Lonely men are mourning the missed opportunities to tell the women of their dreams how they felt. Parents are wishing they would have said ’I Love You’ to their children when they dropped them off at school. Those that spurned religion thought they had more time left to repent of their sins and are frightened now that their souls will be condemned to hell. I’ll bet movie theaters, restaurants, and sporting events are empty around the globe. People have realized that there are more important things in life."
"Life is about living," Ashley said. "But then you probably wouldn’t realize that since you’ve never gotten to do that."
Lucas backhanded her, splitting her lips. "Shut up. This isn’t a psychoanalysis of me. This is a psychoanalysis of mankind, and I’m the shrink. Not you."
He saw the dangerous look in her eyes and knew that she would be trouble if he didn’t do something. He pulled a roll of duct tape out of a drawer and bound her hands and feet. He left her mouth free.
"I think you’re jealous," Ashley said. "You think if you can’t enjoy life that nobody else should be able to."
"Perhaps a little," Lucas admitted as he set an old wooden clock on fire in the middle of his kitchen floor. The linoleum began to shrivel and crinkle in the heat as two countries went to war with forbidden weapons.
Ashley wept as Lucas systematically destroyed the other clocks one by one. "There won’t be anyone left soon. I’m saving us for last," he said.
By now there wasn’t any broadcasts on television. The only sound was static and an eerie silence outside. People were either holed up in what was left of their homes or dead. A strange purple aurora seeped across the sky like blood into a strip of gauze. Smoke was heavy in the air.
There were no sirens, no horns honking on the streets below, no rumble of machinery. There was only a tomb-like silence. To Ashley it felt like attending a wake for the citizens of earth.
It was a shame that it had to end this way.
She struggled and writhed against her bonds as Lucas incinerated, smashed, drowned, chopped, and tortured the clocks on his walls. True to his word, he was really going to go through with it.
She felt a brief surge of hope, however, once she found a rough edge to grate against. It wasn’t long before the duct tape began to fray.
"Why didn’t you just leave?" she asked Lucas as he destroyed civilization by civilization. "Surely you could have just walked out on all of this at any time."
Lucas shook his head. "An angel took me away from my parents for the specific purpose of tending to the clocks. They keep watch over me. They would kill me if I left."
"Why hasn’t an angel come to stop you yet?" Ashley asked as the bonds on her hands broke.
"I’ve been thinking about that for the past hour or so. It’s possible that I’m the instrument being used to bring about the end of the world. All those horrid things that are mentioned in Revelation are probably coming to pass outside this window. Pestilence, war, famine. Maybe I’m just being used to do the dirty work."
Ashley quickly freed her feet as Lucas busied himself with another clock.
"Do you think God would ever give the world a second chance?"
"I think we’ve had more second chances than we deserve," Lucas said. "And you’ve had more second chances than the rest of the world. The only reason you’re still alive is because you’ve been with me."
While Lucas was talking, Ashley made a split-second decision. There were only two clocks left, and she knew that she would only be able to grab one. The first was a large brass clock with a pendulum. The other was a small alarm clock with two chrome bells on top and a small metal hammer in between. The alarm clock seemed more practical. It also seemed like the ironic choice.
Knowing that her timing had to be perfect, she waited until he was engrossed in the immolation of a digital wall clock. Then she made her move. Lucas howled as Ashley ran past him and grabbed the alarm clock. She was out the door before he could catch her.
Lucas was much too old to run very far, and Ashley knew that she was free once she had made it to the stairwell.
If these clocks represented portions of humanity, then she had just saved a small fraction of earth’s population. It would be enough to start over with.
She knew it was pointless to go back and try for the last remaining clock. Lucas would have destroyed it by now.
In some small way, Ashley felt pity for the old man. In all probability, his had been a lonely life. She wanted to put an end to that misery. Fires burned on just about every street, and it wasn’t hard to grab a piece of burning debris and set the apartment building aflame.
Clutching the clock to her chest like a newborn baby, Ashley walked the deserted streets looking for someone else, anyone else. The town was dead. The world, for all intents and purposes, was dead.
But eventually it would be reborn, rising from the ashes like a phoenix. Ashley would simply travel from town to town until she found people. Then they would start about the task of recreating humanity.
And maybe in some ways, Lucas had been right. Maybe time was a commodity that people took for granted. She didn’t think that would be the case anymore. Lucas had gotten his point across.
It had just taken the deaths of billions of people to do it.
The smoke in the town was overwhelming, and Ashley wrapped part of her shirt around her mouth and nose. The clock ticked loudly in her hands like a time bomb.
She wondered if humanity would be able to survive such a dramatic blow and silently prayed to God that he would have mercy on those of them that were left.
Only time would tell.
8:53 PM
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Wednesday, April 02, 2008
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Invasion
Every so often, I’ve been posting an old short story that hasn’t seen the light of day in quite a while.
Today’s story is called Invasion and was originally published in a magazine called Whispers of Wickedness.
Enjoy!
Invasion
Hundreds of coma patients in various hospitals around the world simultaneously woke up at exactly 6:35 in the evening. Mary Jenner was one of those. She hadn’t been a functioning part of the world for more than eight months, and yet when she opened her eyes and spoke, it was as if no more than a minute or two had passed.
At first, Sammy Jenner didn’t realize that his wife had spoken. He thought it was someone on television. Then he recognized the voice. It had been a while since he’d heard it last.
"It’s coming," Mary said ominously as her bowels released. A thin line of drool ran from a drawn corner of her mouth. The way she looked at her husband reminded him of a frightened little girl. He’d never seen a look like that on his wife’s face in the eighteen years they had been married.
For the moment, he was just glad to see any kind of expression at all.
"You’re awake," Sammy Jenner sobbed, hardly believing the fortuitous turn of events. He had been waiting and praying for this day, and now it was here. Tears rolled down his face as he grabbed Mary’s hand and rubbed it against his cheek.
"It’s coming, Sammy," Mary reiterated. "It’s coming to swallow the world."
Sammy chalked the whole thing up to disorientation after lying in a coma for so long and promptly rang the nurse on duty. At that point, nothing could have ruined his mood. He finally had his wife back.
Mary’s recovery was one of the most talked about cases on that floor for the rest of the week. All of the doctors and nurses who had been tending to her the past eight months showed a surprising lift in their step. It was rewarding to see that their dedication had helped someone survive.
In the days following her awakening, the doctors wanted to monitor Mary to make sure there was no undetected brain damage. All of them were hopeful that she would make a full recovery, especially since she had defied so many odds to get to this point. And while it took her a few days to adjust, Mary did start to revert to her previous self, much to the delight of her husband and friends. The car wreck that had put her in the hospital to begin with was completely in the past.
Sammy had just about forgotten those fateful words that Mary spoke upon awakening when she said them again after taking her prescription for the evening.
"It’s coming, Sammy. You should get away from me while you still have the chance."
Sammy looked at his wife and was suddenly fearful that something might actually be wrong with her mind. Eight months was a long time to sleep.
"Who’s coming?" he asked, hoping that it was nothing more than a temporary slip in Mary’s sense of reasoning.
"I don’t know," Mary admitted, obviously confused by the question. "The only thing I’m sure of is that it’s coming, and the world is in danger."
Sammy wasn’t about to ask what ’it’ was. He didn’t want to know what Mary was thinking. That would solidify her insanity for sure. It was also crush every hope for the future, and that was something he just couldn’t do at this point. He had waited so long for Mary to wake up, and now that she had, he wanted to dream about getting their lives back.
"I know you think something is wrong with me," Mary said. "But I’m not crazy. I’ve been somewhere else for the past eight months. I don’t know where it was, but it wasn’t in this world or in this body."
"Mary," Sammy began, hoping to cut her off.
"Let me finish," she insisted. Sammy went quiet.
"I know this is going to sound strange but I brought something back with me from that other place. It’s like someone used my consciousness to smuggle something into this world. I can’t explain it any better than that. It’s kind of like feeling pregnant without the baby."
Sammy didn’t know how to respond to that. Thankfully, one of the nurses came in at that time to check Mary’s vitals.
After the nurse left, Sammy diverted the conversation to other topics, filling Mary in on her baby brother’s marriage, the state of her mother’s diabetes, and other things she needed to know. It was all too much to comprehend for a woman who had been in a coma for eight months. The moment Mary drifted off to sleep, Sammy wasted no time finding the doctor who had been caring for his wife for the past eight months.
Dr. Fortman smiled as Sammy told him what had happened. "Mr. Jenner, your wife has been in her own private world for eight months, and now she’s back in our world. A little disorientation is to be expected. Once she regains some of her strength we’ll get her into counseling and help her ease back into her life. Soon, all of this will be a distant memory. Your wife will be a fully-functioning member of society again, and your life will be back to normal."
Sammy breathed a sigh of relief. He placed a lot of faith in what the doctor had to say, and Fortman had pretty much said exactly what he wanted to hear.
Sammy soon stopped worrying about his wife’s state of mind. Then he happened upon an article in the local newspaper that made him reconsider the doctor’s prognosis.
The headline was cryptic, yet familiar: "Coma Patient Wakes After Two Years, Dies in Two Days."
It only took him a minimal amount of research to determine that the patient had roused from their coma at approximately the same time Mary had.
The newspapers in the hospital gift shop all had similar headlines. The disturbing thing about them was the fact that the victims mentioned all had different names and were from different towns in the region. Yet they had all roused from their comas at approximately the same time....and all died sometime thereafter.
Sammy left Mary in bed and ran to a payphone. He dialed information and got the number for one of the deceased. The widow picked up on the eighth ring.
"Hello," she whispered. It sounded like she had been crying.
"Mrs. Wheeler, this is Sammy Jenner at the coroner’s office," he said, hoping his hunch about Mr. Wheeler’s death turned out to be accurate. "I’m sorry to bother you. Things must be very hard. But I need you to describe the circumstances of your husband’s demise one more time so I can cross-check them with our records."
"Fine," Mrs. Wheeler said, straining to keep the sobbing at bay. "But I want you to know that this is painful for me."
"I understand," Sammy lied.
"Carl had been awake for a couple of days when he started complaining of abdominal cramps. The fact that he could feel anything at all was a welcome problem since he’d been asleep for nearly eight years. I paged one of the nurses and thought they would bring him a couple of pills to soothe his stomach. By the time they got there, however, it was too late. Even now, I’m not sure what really happened. Only five minutes or so passed between the time he started complaining and the time he died. One moment, he was lying there groaning. Then he said something like, ’It’s coming.’ The next thing I knew Carl’s stomach was ripped open and little spider-like things were crawling out of him. What was worse, I could see inside of him, but there weren’t any organs or blood or bones. There was just a vast expanse of darkness. It was like staring into space. It was probably just shock but I thought I could even see a few stars in all that black. I ran out screaming. I have no idea what became of the spider-like creatures, but I’m pretty sure that nobody else saw them. Either I’m crazy or they escaped."
Sammy didn’t say anything for a moment. He was too stunned to speak. The fact that Mrs. Wheeler’s husband had said the same thing Mary had said upon waking disturbed him. Even more disturbing was the prospect that Mr. Wheeler’s fate would also befall Mary.
"Mr. Jenner?" Mrs. Wheeler said when Sammy didn’t reply. "Are you still there?"
"Yes," he said. His voice was shaky. "Thank you. You’ve answered all my questions."
When he hung up the phone, he wasn’t sure what to do next. Panic? Vomit? Run to one of the doctors and explain the situation? He knew that nothing he could do would save her now if what Mrs. Wheeler said was accurate. He had no reason to believe that it wasn’t.
He ran to Mary’s room as fast as he could. The peaceful smile on her face was enough to tell him that she currently wasn’t in any pain. But Mr. Wheeler’s pain had set in quick.
"Are you O.K., baby?" he asked. It was clear that his concern was evident.
"Yes, I’m fine," Mary said. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, it’s silly really," he admitted, feeling like the phone call had been nothing but a big practical joke. After all, it was impossible to take what Mrs. Wheeler had said seriously.
He didn’t think it was so silly a moment later when Mary’s face contorted in pain. She screamed, and Sammy was reminded of the first time she had given birth.
"It’s coming," she shrieked.
Despite what Mrs. Wheeler had said about the amount of time that lapsed between the initial pains and death, Sammy buzzed one of the nurses. The heavy-set nurse, Mrs. Bridges, arrived in less than a minute.
"What is it?" she asked as Mary’s abdomen exploded. A flurry of black appendages was all they saw. The things moved entirely too quick for them to get a detailed look at them. Mrs. Wheeler had been right. They did sort of favor spiders. But there was more than enough that was different and alien about them to distinguish them from the arachnid family.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Bridges never had a chance to do much speculating of any type. The creatures ate her alive in a matter of seconds. It was like watching piranhas in the Amazon devour a calf while natives crossed the river.
Sammy couldn’t do anything but gape in awe at his dead wife’s opened stomach. He’d always heard of astral projection theories that proclaimed the existence of other worlds and planes of reality. Maybe Mary had lived on one of those planes of reality for the past eight months just as she’d claimed. Maybe she had been a vessel, used to smuggle some sort of alien bioterror weapon back to earth. Maybe the earth was about to be invaded.
What Mrs. Wheeler had mistaken for outer space and stars in the depths of her husband’s abdomen was actually an alternate reality at night. Sammy could see the same thing she had seen. But he saw more. He saw alien vistas, strange plateaus, and something large rumbling along the ground toward him. If Mary had been an opened book, he would have closed her then to avoid the killer that was approaching at breakneck speed. As it was, he couldn’t do anything but cry out in pain as the spider-like creatures moved away from Mrs. Bridges’ remains and toward him, eating him bit by bit.
The small killers weren’t fast enough, however, to keep their sire from taking its hunk of flesh. A large, hairy stalk reached through the gap in worlds that was Mary’s abdomen and impaled Sammy like an appetizer on a toothpick. A trickle of blood ran from his mouth as he was pulled into the doorway, into Mary.
The first thing he thought of as he died was that he and Mary had perished together just as he’d always hoped they would.
The second thought was that the doorway was open, and something very terrible was about to invade. The earth didn’t realize it yet, but it was in for a very nasty fight.
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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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Interview with Joel A. Sutherland
Today’s interview is with Joel A. Sutherland, editor of "Fried! Fast Food, Slow Deaths" and author of "Frozen Blood"
 
1. First off, let’s talk about Fried! Fast Food, Slow Deaths, the anthology you co-edited. Tell us a little bit about the anthology and what inspired the theme of the book.
If you’re anything like me, you’re simultaneously addicted to and repulsed by fast food. Every time I drive by the golden arches, the smiling redhead, the crowned burger, the friendly colonel, the big bell, the...what was I talking about? And why is there drool on my lower lip? Oh, yes, as I was saying, every time I drive by a fast food joint my stomach tries to get me to pull in. But every time I give in and wolf down a burger and fries, I instantly regret it. It’s nasty stuff, fast food, and that’s why the idea of a book of fast food horror stories seemed so...delicious.
A few years back a new small press announced itself to the world by opening a call for submissions for six horror anthologies. Only one book saw the light of day before the press collapsed and released all of the accepted stories. One of the doomed projects was to be called Fast Food Frenzies. Once they closed their doors I saw some of the contributors on message boards and blogs wondering if they could produce and release the book themselves. I hated seeing all of these talented artists get burned, so my wife, Colleen Morris, and I decided to take up the reins and salvage what we could of some of the previously accepted stories while opening up a call for submissions for new material.
2. In addition to being an editor, you’re also a writer. Does being a writer have any impact on the way you view and respond to submissions?
Absolutely. I’ll admit that before I co-edited the book I had occasionally felt that editors were out to get writers, they secretly took great pleasure in rejecting stories, and there was a weekly meeting where editors would gather to drink goblets of blood and ridicule submissions. This is completely untrue. The goblets are filled with tomato juice, so we can all just pretend it’s blood.
Seriously though, having been on the receiving end of rejections many, many times, I made it a goal to treat each and every writer with the utmost respect. I know all too well the pain of reading that "although well written, your story isn’t what we’re looking for right now." I struck up a conversation with some of the writers who had stories rejected for Fried!, and am happy to have made some new friends with similar interests from the process.
3. Your website lists several publication credits that show your versatility as a writer. It seems you’ve written horror, science fiction, and what looks to be a children’s story. Do you think fans of your work in one genre will enjoy your work in other genres? Besides horror, what other types of books do you read that might surprise your horror audience?
I think for many readers the most important element is not whether or not a book has monsters or spaceships or wizards or shirtless Fabio look-alikes, but whether or not it’s a good story well told. Great writing will shine through any genre. I hope that my stories and novels will appeal to readers with a variety of literary tastes.
I just finished Schulz and Peanuts, a biography about the creator of Charlie Brown and Snoopy. I’m tempted to call it a horror, because sometimes it’s better to not know too much about the artists behind the art. I also read just about every new picture book that comes into the library I work in, and my wife once forced me into reading Confessions of a Shopaholic. The real horror was that it wasn’t all that bad.
4. You’ve got a novel out from Lachesis Publishing called Frozen Blood. What can you tell us about it?
I’m currently in the process of final edits for it with Louise Bohmer, the Editor-in-Chief of Lachesis. It’s due to be published in summer 2008, which is the perfect time of year to read a book (perhaps on a sunny beach) about an ice age causing the end of the world, if you ask me. Here’s a summary:
As Tara Stewart drives through the pitch-black night from Charlotte to Ottawa, she’s haunted by the ghosts of her past. Summoned to her abusive father’s funeral, she hasn’t been home or spoken to her family in years. The last place she wants to be is in the company of her vindictive twin sister, Evelyn, and her dubious brother-in-law, Peter. But that’s exactly where she’s heading.
And then the hail begins to fall.
Barely making it home alive, Tara falls on the icy driveway and is pulled inside by Evelyn as she loses consciousness. She awakes the next morning with a pounding headache and a swollen knee.
Outside, the hailstorm is still raging. Reports on the news suggest that it is a worldwide catastrophe.
Now prisoners in their own home, the three estranged family members must try to survive the worst storm in modern history. But as Tara soon discovers, her family—and the house itself—seem hell-bent on her destruction.
And the hailstorm shows no signs of dying anytime soon.
5. Do you have any plans to continue editing? If so, what’s your next project?
Editing Fried! Fast Food, Slow Deaths was a hair loss-inducing event, so yes, I absolutely can’t wait to do it again! Colleen and I have been bouncing ideas back and forth and have just begun approaching publishers. It might be a while yet before guidelines are posted, but as long as I have hair to lose I’ll definitely edit another collection.
6. According to your website you are a librarian. As someone who encounters a wide variety of books, are you ever surprised by the quality of fiction that actually sees print? What is the most overrated book you’ve come across?
Whereas I do feel that not every book is created equal, it goes against my profession to disparage any particular book or author. One of the golden rules of librarianship is to encourage reading, no matter what the patron wants to read. Having said that, I’d recommend that everyone avoid Eragon like the plague. Great story behind the book, dreadful book.
7. What is your favorite short story and why?
There are so many, but "Grimble," by Clement Freud springs to mind. It was published in—are you ready for this title?—Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren’t as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents Who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn’t Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out, published by McSweeney’s. Did I just waste all my allotted space writing that title? Dang. I guess you’ll have to go get a copy of the book to see why I liked "Grimble" so much. That’s more fun, anyway.
8. Any parting thoughts?
We have an expression in Canada that goes "Remember, always keep your stick on the ice, and don’t pull your goalie." I’m not really sure what that means, but I’m Canadian, and it sounds like a closing sentiment, so that’s what I’m going with.
Oh, and thanks for having me, Jason. It’s been fun! I can be reached at my website, www.joelasutherland.com, or my blog, http://joelasutherland.livejournal.com/
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Friday, March 07, 2008
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The Cage reviewed at Blogcritics.org
Alex Hutchinson just did a great new review of The Cage for Blogcritics.org. Reviews like this one always make my day.
Read the review here: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vYmxvZ2NyaXRpY3Mub3JnL2FyY2hpdmVzLzIwMDgvMDMvMDcvMDE1NTE3LnBocA==
For those that take the time to read the review, please help me out by posting a comment in the 'comments' section at the bottom. This will help move the review to the front page of the site and gain a little more exposure for The Cage.
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
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Contest 1
I've recently started doing a few interviews on my website @ http://www.jbrannon.net and MySpace page @ http://www.myspace.com/darkgraffiti. So far I've interviewed John Grover, Steven Lloyd, David Dunwoody, Derek Gunn, and Brandon Ford. Because I think these guys deserve a few more readers, I want to make sure that their interviews are getting read. I've decided to do a quick, fun little contest to help promote these guys and their work.
All you have to do is email your answers to these questions to jason.m.brannon@gmail.com to be entered in to the drawing.
Sounds easy enough? OK, here are the questions:
1. Name one of John Grover's books.
2. Name one of the authors in the Croatoan Publishing lineup.
3. What is the name of the prequel to David Dunwoody's "Empire"?
4. Which film producer optioned the rights to Derek Gunn's "Vampire Apocalypse"?
5. Name one of the characters in Brandon Ford's "Crystal Bay".
Trust me, these are pretty easy questions to answer. No one should have to search very hard.
Now, with the questions out of the way, what is the reward?
One entrant will be drawn on March 5. That winner will receive:
1 copy of The Church of Dead Languages (published by White Noise Press)
1 copy of Die Kirch der Toten Zungen (German translation of The Church of Dead Languages)
1 copy of The Cage
1 copy of James A. Moore's "Blood Tide " chapbook (93)
1 copy of The Rise and Fall of Babylon chapbook (Keene/Urbancik)
1 autographed copy of John Connolly's "The Black Angel" (hardback)
and maybe one or two other goodies I might have laying around....
Remember, entries must be in by March 5.
Now, go and have fun learning about these great authors and their works.
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Saturday, February 16, 2008
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Interview with Brandon Ford
Today's interview is with author Brandon Ford. Read on to learn more about Brandon's new novel, Crystal Bay.
1. For the uninitiated tell us what your novel, Crystal Bay, is about.
Crystal Bay is sort of a supernatural Fatal Attraction concerning an evil sorceress who will stop at nothing to maintain her immortality. In her spare time, she seduces young men and obtains her strengths by robbing them of theirs. Now, she has her sights set on Gage, a married aspiring writer who has just moved in next door.
2. What sources of inspiration did you draw from when writing Crystal Bay?
For the character of Gage, my inspiration really came about because I was going through a lot of the same things he was. I really wanted to begin my career as a novelist and I knew that the only way to do that was to start writing my first novel. And, like him, I was dealing with the daily hardships of being mired in a job I couldn't stand.
For Amanda's character, I thought long and hard about every single psychotic bitch I've read in books, seen in movies, and even known in real life. Sharon Stone's portrayal of Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct is a prime example of what type of character Amanda really is: beautiful, enticing, seductive, and murderous. I've always loved these kinds of characters, so it was a lot of fun to write Amanda.
3. Is there a particular famous novel or short story that you wish you
had written? If so what is it and why?
Oh geez, there are tons. But one novel recently that I absolutely loved was The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum. Such a gripping and disturbing read that in between page-turns, I couldn't help thinking to myself, "Man, I wish I'd written this!" I've grown quite envious of Ketchum's style and technique. I think he's one of the best genre writers working today.
4. What are you working on now?
Right now, I'm working on 2 new novels. Diary of a Teenage Victim concerns a young woman who is sexually abused by someone very close to her and in the end exacts a bloody vengeance. Pay Phone is a twisted story of a ruthless serial killer who finds his victims through a public phone residing across the street from his apartment building.
5. What has been your proudest moment as an author thus far?
Probably receiving my author copies of Crystal Bay. This was a novel I wrote 4 years ago and spent countless hours trying to get published. I literally mailed out hundreds upon hundreds of letters to editors and agents all around the country and each time I though I might actually make it, I was shot down. Finally seeing the book in print form was a surreal experience and one I know I'll never forget.
6. Horror novels and movies are rife with clichés. Which clichés did
you take pains to avoid when writing Crystal Bay? Are there any
specific clichés that are particular pet peeves?
One thing I really can't stand is the famous "killer's monologue." In the genre whenever there is a killer that conceals their identity until the last scene, they always have this monologue where the recite exactly what they did and why they did it to a character that is intended to be the final victim. The so-called "final victim," of course, gets away.
As for storylines, there are dozens that have been done hundreds of times before, yet still creep their way into print every single day. I'm really tired of in-bred families living deep in a remote forest. I'm really tired of techno-thrillers. I'm really tired a lone detective tracking a serial killer (this particular cliché is probably the most overused and one that annoys me more than any other).
You cannot avoid clichés like these in modern storytelling and I try very, very hard to come up with something original. And if I can't come up with an idea that's 100% unique, then I at least try and tell the same story a different way. There were one or two sequences toward the end of Crystal Bay that I fully admit have been done before, but I definitely tried to tweak them so that the reader doesn't know what's going to happen on the next page. I won't reveal what those clichés are, though. You have to find out for yourself. J
7. On your blog, you mention how tough it is to self-promote. Do you
find that promoting the book is more difficult than actually writing
it? What difficulties have you encountered in getting the word out
about Crystal Bay?
In some ways, yes, self-promoting a book can definitely be more difficult than writing the manuscript itself. I've pissed off a lot of people by using their forum space to create awareness about my book. I've gotten hate mail from people because of it, too. I've gotten my messages and topics deleted a number of times as well. But at the same time, I've received many messages from people congratulating me on beating the odds and these are messages from people I can immediately tell already know how hard it is to get a first novel out there and most of all, how hard it is to promote it on your own.
I've also e-mailed many, many websites that focus on not only books and writing, but the horror genre as well. For the most part, I've either gotten no responses, or "Sorry, can't help 'ya out." And then there's the webmasters who request a copy of the book for review consideration. Now, I'm not a rich guy and I definitely can't afford to keep sending out free copies left and right. If I'm going to send a complimentary copy of my book to someone, I definitely expect a review or a mention at the very least. I guess some people don't see it that way.
But then again, there are other websites who offer to promote the book and expect nothing in return. For example, HorrorMovies.ca. I posted a message about the book in their forum and they took it upon themselves to post a news bulletin about it for me without my even asking them. Very nice indeed. And then there's J.B. Kohl, who also has a book out from Arctic Wolf. She more than happily gave me a nice little mention on her personal website and even conducted an interview with me. So, yes, there are people out there who are willing to help the little guy, but there are way too many people who'd rather just delete my e-mail the moment finish it.
8. Do you have a guilty pleasure in your book collection that you would
be embarrassed to admit that you enjoyed?
Absolutely. I really, really enjoyed Elvira's trio of books: Transylvania 90210, Camp Vamp, and The Boy Who Cried Werewolf. Very campy and a lot of fun to read. These particular books are aimed at a young adult audience, but I still find myself picking them up every now and again.
I'm also a bit embarrassed to admit that I enjoyed Star by Pamela Anderson. I didn't find out until months after I finished it that she didn't actually write it. Shame on you, Pam.
9. Any parting thoughts?
Well, I'd just like to say thanks very much for allowing me this opportunity to speak my mind and many, many thanks for your help in promoting Crystal Bay. Wish there were a lot more of you out there.
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Eternal Vigilance
I just did an interview over at the Eternal Vigilance site.
Follow this link to read the interview: http://www.gabriellefaust.com/archives/331
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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
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Interview with Derek Gunn
Today's interview is with Derek Gunn, author of Vampire Apocalypse.
Read on to see what Derek has to say about his take on vampires, optioning his novel for film, and what he's working on for the future.
1. With so many books on the subject currently on the market, what made you decide to write a novel about vampires? What made you think you could bring a fresh approach to this subgenre?
Well, I've been reading horror for years and have always loved vampires in particular. There is just something inherently scary about such a powerful creature. I was raised on Richard Matheson and Stephen King, where vampires were vicious creatures and I have never liked the angst-ridden stories that are filling the shelves at the moment. These creatures are, in essence, no longer human. Their bodies have changed to allow them to die and rise again, they feed on us and are far stronger then us. They are more animalistic than human and, as such, have different attitudes. I have tried to bring this vicious creature back to vampire fiction.
But, you're right, there's no point in bringing out another vampire book unless there is something new to offer and this is where Vampire Apocalypse really comes into its own. I have set it in the near future where the world is in chaos. A brief, but devastating, war has plunged the world into an energy crisis, the planet itself has rebelled against us and weather patterns have changed dramatically, isolating whole communities and into this mix the vampires come from the shadows and take over. I have introduced a few new elements in the story to try and explain, logically, how this change can happen and that had a large bearing on how the humans can fight back so effectively. I have also introduced thralls in the mix. This is not a new concept but no-one has ever brought them into the storyline as much as I have, at least not that I have ever read.
2. In one review, Vampire Apocalypse was compared to the movies From Dusk til Dawn and Red Dawn. Were these films influences on the novel? What other post-apocalyptic novels or movies influenced you?
I was delighted with that comment actually as it certainly portrays how visual the book is. There are no airs and graces here. I set out to write a book that entertained those who read it. Anyone who is looking for an in depth analysis of the psychology of vampires should look elsewhere. Anyone who enjoys a good story with credible characters that act as close to normal as I could get them to do is in for a treat. I can't really say that these two movies influenced this story in particular as the bones of this book have been rattling around for a long time before I put pen to paper.
To be honest, I have always been a fan of a good book with a great story rather than movies. Alistair MacLean and Edgar Rice Burroughs may never have won literary awards but they told great stories that kept you reading through sheer plot and tension and it's this that had influenced me most. I want my readers to pick up my books and be entertained so much they are reluctant to put the book down.
3. Vampire Apocalypse has been optioned for film. How did that come about?
Ah, that's a long story. I have my wife to thank for that. With a small press novel it's hard to get the word out to people that it exists at all, let alone that it might be any good. With mass market you are on the bookshelves so people can pick it up when they go into a bookshop but not every bookshop stocks small press.
To get the word out we have canvassed many reviewers and horror sites asking anybody who would listen to review the book. I was very, and pleasantly, surprised with how many people reviewed the book and even more pleased that the reviews were all so positive. My wife went even further though and she sent information about the book to any site that listed books, whether they reviewed it or not. One of these sites was seen by one of the writers now attached to the movie and he sent it on to Richard Finney and it snowballed from there.
4. Given that movie adaptations are notorious for varying from the source material, what elements of your novel do you hope don't get lost in the translation from print to screen?
This is one that I am asked often. There is no doubt that it will be different, in fact I'm looking forward to seeing what new ideas they have injected into it. I do hope, though, that the core of the book is maintained. This is a book about people in a desperate position who believe in each other and are prepared to fight to get back what they had. It is a book about where we are going with our abuse of the planet we live in and it is a book about hope. If they keep these elements I'll be happy.
5. If you could hand pick the actors who would star in the adaptation of Vampire Apocalypse, who would they be and why?
To be honest I would prefer unknowns. Look at Heroes and Lost – did anyone know any of the actors before those shows? With unknowns they can become the character without anyone comparing them with what they did before. If it becomes a TV series then this will be even more important. Wouldn't it be so cool to have actors named in a few years in movie magazines and have Vampire Apocalypse in brackets after their names as the show that launched them?
6. There are two additional books in the Vampire Apocalypse world that will be released in the future. What can readers expect from these books?
Ah, these books are bigger and better, even though I say so myself. Vampire Apocalypse was my first ever writing. I hadn't even written any short stories – I went straight in with a novel. As such there are a number of things I would do differently if I wrote it now. These new books allow me to put in more about each character, who they are and why they act as they do. The first book was light on characterisation – functional would be a good description, but the story can't progress until we know a bit more and the new books will expand on this.
There's more action too. If you thought the first book had action wait till you see what's coming. Everything gets escalated. I have been very careful though not to just have more of the same and I have gone in a few new directions that, I hope, will please those who enjoyed the first. Don't get too attached to main characters either; I have no problem making grand sacrifices where they are needed. The third book is nearing completion and again I have a few twists and turns I hope no-one will expect.
7. On your website, you've got three additional novels listed. Are these slated for release?
I wrote these in between the first Vampire Apocalypse novel and the second one and this allowed me to write a few stories completely unrelated to vampires. There's a really cool Zombie novel, an historical supernatural story and an 'End of the world' story about the gates of Hell opening.
Two are under consideration at the moment so, hopefully I'll have an announcement soon on those, and the third is still looking for a home.
8. What are you currently working on?
I am currently finishing the third Vampire Apocalypse novel and then I will start on a new project that my agent has asked me to write. More details as I think of them.
9. Vampire Apocalypse has gotten positive reviews from a variety of sources. Which review or comment are you most proud of?
Oh that's a tough one. How to piss off all the reviewers I don't mention eh. I think Apex did a review recently that said, "Gunn weaves a terrific tale. Breathtaking well-plotted action, colorful descriptions, well-crafted characters and scenes all drive the story forward to and through its explosive pivot point
I can live with that.
10. Any parting thoughts?
I, well when I say I what I really mean is my wife, Alice, has just re-designed my website and has set up a new one specifically for the Vampire Apocalypse Universe so if you have a few free minutes please come along and have a look. She gets paid on hits, one kiss per hit, so the more the merrier
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