2021 - Not too Shabby

Wow, it seems like only yesterday we were all complaining about how bad 2020 was. Now we are winding 2021 down and I have to say 2021 was not too shabby. I had stories appear in seven anthologies. My characters Earl and Dale, The Midnight Men, were featured in four episodes of the Horror Hill podcast and I returned to The Drabblecast with a new story that I'm pretty proud of. I got some local press for my inclusion in the international Ramones-inspired anthology. I received a small mention for my work in the charity anthology Local Haunts in Ellen Datlow's The Best Horror of the Year, Volume 13. I got to attend two wonderful horror conventions and reunited with writers who I haven't seen since the shutdown and got to make some new writer friends from around SoCal. I have new stories coming out in early 2022 including in the all Generation X anthology from Dark Ink Press, and the very popular No Sleep Podcast. And just a few days ago I signed a new publishing contract to have my collection Night Sounds published, coming out sometime in 2022. So, 2021, not too shabby. 

MISSPELLED
Magic Gone Wrong

 

My new story Everything Poops is in the new anthology from Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing. It's about a little girl who summons the monster under her bed on purpose.  Everything Poops also inspired the cover image. The Drabblecast also produced an earlier version of the story in audio. The link to the episode will be below. 

 

RELEASED
What Nightmares will Escape!

 

My story Liberation is in the first horror anthology from No Bad Books. It's a straight-up body horror tale with a hint of crazy. Spiders are involved in my story and another tale by Evan Baughman, and I like to think our stories inspired the cover. 

CRUNCHY WITH CHOCOLATE
All Dragon Stories

My fantasy comedy story, Nog, the Not So Terrible, made its debut in this oddly named all dragon anthology. I don't write a lot of fantasy, but it's nice to know that if I do it will find a home in a weird anthology. 

 

 

HORROR for the THRONE
One-Sitting Reads

My reprinted story, Momentum, is now available in the third installment of the ONE SITTING READs anthology series. It's the third book in a series of anthologies, one for Fantasy, one for SciFi, and now Horror for the Throne: One-Sitting Reads. Yes, that is an outhouse on the cover...I'm in all the classy anthologies.

GABBA GABBA HEY
A Ramones Inspired Anthology

 

The anthology, GABBA GABBA, HEY, An anthology of fiction inspired by the music of The Ramones featured my new story The KKK Took My Baby Away! I was extremely proud and excited when I got the notification that my story would be one of 24 selected from several hundred submitted to the U.K. publisher from around the world. I even got a little press out of it from our local online news source The Patch: Temecula. You can read that article here: The Ramones And Temecula Paraeducator Rock In 'Gabba Gabba Hey'

Buy GABBA GABBA HEY at:

NICE PAT ON THE BACK As mentioned above, I got a nice shout-out in Ellen Datlow's The Best Horror of the Year Volume 13, for my short story contribution to the charity anthology, Local Haunts.  This year I was in a few places in the podcast world, most notable the Horror Hill Podcast and The Drabblecast. My Earl and Dale stories Serendipity and The Applicant occupied four episodes of the Horror Hill Podcast, and my short story Everything Poops made its way onto the Drabblecast. NOW AVAILABLE SERENDIPITY The last story in my book Midnight Men, Serendipity, is a fist full of laughs and blood that sets up what I hope will be the next book. Serendipity is split over two episodes and is available on most podcast streaming services and YouTube.  Horror Hill S4 Episode 11: Serendipity Part 1 - YouTube Horror Hill S4 Episode 12: Serendipity Part 2 - YouTube  THE APPLICANT   In my newest Earl and Dale story, the demon-hunting truckers are getting around to setting up their new business, E & D Trucking. Against Dale's better judgment they decide to hire an office manager inviting all manner of unholiness to walk through their door.  Horror Hill S5 Episode 03: The Applicant Part 1 - YouTube Horror Hill S5 Episode 04: The Applicant Part 2 - YouTube    EVERYTHING POOPS I returned to The Drabblecast this year with my short story Everything Poops. A very short, quirky story about a little girl and her closet monster. My story is one of three stories in this episode and if you want to just listen to mine click on this link which will take you 31 minutes into the episode, straight to my story: (click on "play" once it loads) Everything Poops on The Drabblecast To listen to the entire episode (all three stories)  go here: Drabblecast 453 – Trifecta: Modern Fairy Tales   MIDNIGHT MEN PLAYLIST Based on requests/suggestions from Midnight Men fans, this year I gathered all the Earl and Dale stories in one place on YouTube. The MIDNIGHT MEN Playlist is now available with hours of Earl and Dale's demon killin' goodness.   All stories are read and produced by the talented Jason Hill and the fine folks at Chilling Tales For Dark Knights Entertainment.  The MIDNIGHT MEN Playlist on YouTube                        Well, that is enough nonsense for this Year. So long 2021, hello 2022.   If you're looking for more stuff to read or listen to, head on over to my website and click on the BOOKS / STORIES link for an almost up-to-date list of everything I have available. Check out the FREE AUDIO link or my YouTube channel for dozens of my stories available for free produced by the likes of Jason Hill, the fine folks at the Drabblecast, Pseudopod, Simply Scary, and the No Sleep Podcast.