More Interesting Posts from Other Websites

I've posted a lot of advice for aspiring writers on my blog and my Facebook page, but Chuck Wendig has posted on his blog Terribleminds one of the best "tough love" advice columns for readers I've seen in a while. If you need a good kick in the ass to get your writing going, check out 25 Things I Want To Say to So-Called "Aspiring" Writers.

Sadly, I have to agree with Horror Convention Cult: It Ain't What It Used To Be. The past few years I've attended some of the mega-conventions, and am not impressed. The organizers cram as many people into the showrooms as possible, charge ridiculous prices to meet your celebrity, and then you're lucky if you get five seconds with him/her. I still prefer the more the fan-based venues like Spooky Empire.

Bloody Disgusting has listed their picks for the Top 10 Infectious Horror Movies. I agree with most of them, but have reservations about The Undead. 

Postmortem: The Life and Deaths of a Medicolegal Death Investigator is one of the most interesting things I've read this month. Joseph Scott Morgan writes about his career, which includes graphic and detailed descriptions of death scenes and a profile of how he and his police colleagues mentally dealt with such daily tragedies.This is a great resource for anyone who wants to include a medical examiner in their story, or who is looking for for an idea to jump start their writing.
 

REMINDER: I Will Be on the Apocalypse Nana Radio Show Tonight

Just a reminder that tonight fellow zombie writer Shana Fest and I will be guests on Jackie Druga's "Apocalypse Nana" radio show on the Prepper Broadcasting Network for The Zombie Daze hour. If you haven't gotten your fill of zombies yet, then tune in here tonight at 9PM EST/6PM PST.

Lessens Learned as a Writer: Don't Videotape Your Interview with the Dogs in the House

This past Sunday, I was trying to prepare a video answer to some interview questions for Jaideep Khanduja's website Pebble in the Still Waters. I had chosen a good question/answer that I thought would catch the readers' attention, chosen an appropriate background, and sat down to record my answer. The only thing I hadn't done was make sure the doors to the study were closed. Rather than a one-minute video answer to an interview question, I got several minutes of bloopers. Enjoy.

Take One. Look for Walther's nose at the bottom of the screen.

Take Two: Walther doesn't take no for an answer.

Take Three: Bella gets into the act.

Take Four: It's no better when your wife is behind the camera making you laugh.

Another Cautionary Tale for Aspiring Writers

[NOTE: This posting is in lieu of the regular Interesting Postings from Other Websites.]

Back on 16 July I posted My Own Cautionary Tale for Aspiring Writers to warn them about some of the less reputable independent publishers in the industry. Sadly, sometimes you even have to be careful with the more reputable publishers as is detailed in The Curious Case of Ellora's Cave.

For those unfamiliar with Ellora's Cave, the publishing house was established in 2000 in the days before the Kindle and Nook, and quickly carved out an empire for itself by selling PDF books via email in the erotica genre. That empire is now crashing down around the company and, sadly, its stable of writers because of greed, fraud, and mismanagement. While this case is an exception within the industry, it's worth any author's time to get to know the details.

I'll Be Appearing on the Apocalypse Nana Radio Show on 25 September

On Thursday night, 25 September I will be a guest on Jackie Druga's "Apocalypse Nana" radio show on the Prepper Broadcasting Network for The Zombie Daze show. If you haven't gotten your fill of zombies, then tune in here Thursday night at 9PM EST/6PM PST.

More Interesting Posts from Other Websites

One of the great mysteries of our time revolves around the true identity of Jack the Ripper (it's one of my favorite topics in history). According to The Daily Mail, due to a lucky purchase from an auction and some forensics work with DNA, the true identity of Jack the Ripper can be revealed as... you'll have to click here to find out.

Or maybe you won't find out. A website called usvsth3m has disputed the claims of The Daily Mail and provides their own evidence rebutting the DNA forensics provided by The Daily Mail. While usvsth3m does not identify whom they believe is the real Jack the Ripper, they do provide some fascinating counter evidence if you click here.

My wife and I always debate the part of vampire lore about why the undead don't cast shadows in mirrors (and neither do their clothes, for that matter). It's nice to see we're not alone in this debate. Andy Boylan takes a look at this in Reflecting on Vampires: Why Don't They Appear in Mirrors? 

Cover Art for Upcoming Projects

Below is the cover art for two projects that will be released in October.

On 10 October, Emby Press will be releasing The Vampire Hunters: Vampyrnomicon, the sequel to The Vampire Hunters. In this novel, Drake Matthews and Alison Monroe battle The Master for control of the Vampyrnomicon, the book that reveals the darkest secrets of the vampire society.

Also scheduled for release by Emby Press on 10 October is the Monster Hunter -- Doomsday anthology. It contains my short story "From Space It Came" about a giant wolf spider mutated by radiation that crashes to Earth inside the space station and threatens a Florida college town. Below is a list of the other writers and stories that will appear in the anthology.

1. The Mercury Cascade by Paul D. Hayes
2. The Trials of Blood by Robert Cristante
3. The Deadly Toy by Tom Howard
4. Allies of Convenience by Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
5. Besta Preto by Tim Jeffreys
6. Hardy by Jason Lairamore
7. The Sin that Slew the World by James Fadeley
8. Vengeance is 9 by Joyce Frohn
9. Zombies and Other Ways to Break Your Heat by Erika Dusen Tamindzija
10. Source by Benjamin T. Smith
11. The World Turned Upside-Down by John X. Grey
12. Flight of the Bumble-Beelzebubs by William R.D. Wood
13. Silver Tide by Jonathan Ward
14. Shadows by Patrick Van Slyke
15. From Space It Came by Scott M. Baker
16. At the Gates by David Dunwoody
17. Mr. Toad vs. Dracula by Gareth Barsby

Keith Publications, publisher of my novella Dead Water, carried my blog Why Do I Write? Please check it out and all the great books published by Keith Publications.

More Interesting Posts From Other Websites

Last week I posted a piece about, Patrick McLaw, the 23-year-old teacher whose rights were blatantly violated for writing a novella about a school terrorist attack nine hundred years in the future. Now 16-year-old Alex Stone has been arrested and suspended from school for writing a fictional story about killing a dinosaur with a gun. I wish the school officials who enforce their Zero Tolerance policies with such zeal would show the same determination in stopping bullying in schools, which is a far more prevalent and destructive activity.

On a more positive note, Penny Sansevieri, author and CEO of Author Marketing Experts, has written a piece for The Huffington Post titled Why (Some) Authors Fail, a very frank discussion of what to do and not to do if you want to succeed in the publishing industry.

And let's end off with some fun stuff. Check out List25's 25 Creepiest Places on Earth. The ones I want to see are Beelitz Military Hospital (#22), Takakonuma Park (#24), and of course Pripyat (#20) and Sighisoara (#17).

Upcoming Convention, Radio Appearances

Following the release of Yeitso, and the upcoming releases of The Vampire Hunters: Vampyrnomicon and "From Space It Came", I'll be attending several conventions in Georgia and Florida where I'll be signing copies of my new books as well as my previous works. The schedule of events is below:


Walker Stalker Convention at the Americasmart Building 2 in Atlanta, Georgia, 17-19 October 2014. The guest list includes numerous cast members (past and present) from The Walking Dead, Howard "Bub" Sherman from the original Day of the Dead, and more.

Spooky Empire at the Doubletree Universal Hotel in Orlando, Florida, 24-26 October 2014. The emphasis this October is on horror writers, and several dozen will be attending. Other celebrity guests include The Walking Dead alumni Michael Rooker, Lew Temple, and "The Kids of The Walking Dead"; Tara Reid of Sharknado 2 fame; and Terry Moore from the original Mighty Joe Young.


Winter Garden Wonderfest at the Bella Room Banquet Hall in Winter Garden, Florida, 30 November 2014. Hosted by Florida Geek Scene, this event be showcasing many of Florida's comic and media talent in the fantasy realm.


I'll also be making a few more guest appearances on Apocalypse Nana Radio with Jackie Druga, that is, unless I wear out my welcome. Jackie will be hosting me on on Thursday, 25 September for the "Zombie Daze" show, and again on Thursday, 23 October for the "Apocalypse Living" show.

One of the Creepiest Short Stories Ever

My stepdaughter loves Creepypasta, a website dedicated to publishing short stories designed to scare its readers. She trolls through that site and then can't get to sleep because it scares the hell out of her. There is one story in particular she loves, and she recently got me turned on to it -- "The Russian Sleep Experiment" about a Soviet sleep deprivation experiment that goes horribly wrong. The unidentified author created a macabre tale that's a perfect blend of horror, history, and medical facts and that drips with the frightening possibility that the events described could have happened. The audio version on IReadCreepyPasta.com makes the story even more spine chilling.

If you have thirteen minutes to be truly creeped out, then click here.

REMINDER: Tonight Is Apocalypse Trivia Night on Apocalypse Nana Radio

Tonight at 9PM EST/6PM PST myself, fellow zombie writer Shana Festa, and audio voice actor David Dietz will be hosted by Jackie Druga on the "Apocalypse Nana" radio show on the Prepper Broadcasting Network where we will be the contestants in Apocalypse Trivia Night. Tune in here to listen to the show.

Some Truly Epic Artwork

Many thanks to Mitch Hyman, creator of the upcoming indie film Bubba the Redneck Werewolf, for this epic piece of artwork that is now my computer background. Anyone who knows Alison and I really well will get the significance of this.

.

Interesting Posts From Other Websites

I hate to begin with a depressing article but, as a writer, I find Incarcerated for Writing Science Fiction a very disturbing development. Putting aside the politics surrounding Zero Tolerance policies, if writers can be harassed in such a manner for merely describing such events, then it sets a dangerous Orwellian presence.

On a lighter note, check out 35 Extraordinary "End of the World" Inspired Artwork.

This is a fascinating biography of Johnny Eck. Most of you probably don't know his name, but will recognize his face as the Half-Boy character from Tod Browning's Freaks (1932).