If you like sad, creepy, sometimes abrasive stuff like my flick MAY, you might dig the sad, creepy, sometimes abrasive music of our band OogLaDaar.

Tonight I'm reading CUT CORNERS, VOLUME 1. Stories by @ramseycampbell.bsky.social, Bentley Little, and Ray Garton. This little out of print beauty was a pain to find but absolutely worth it.

Caitin Marceau is up to her usual scamming, I'm afraid. I was there when she did the EXACT same bullshit at DarkLit. Avoid Hedone Books and anything else affiliated with Marceau like the plague.

Hedone was run by perpetual non-payer Caitlin Marceau. Avoid this editor when they inevitably launch their next project. To all Hedone authors affected, you have my sympathies and I’m sorry this is happening to you.

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN UNTIL 2/28 What are we looking for? *Splatterpunk, antifascist, and anti-capitalist #horror *Works from members of marginalized groups *Novels, novellas, poetry chapbooks, and nonfiction *NEW: WE ARE NOW LOOKING FOR SMUT/EROTICA! madnessheart.press/submissions/...

Remember that nothing can stop you from writing (or anything else!). Not rejection, not a bad day, not another pass from an agent, not a negative review, not these fascists, not even that awful voice in your head. No matter what happens, you can always write, so do that.

Hellraiser nested in Basic Instinct nested in The Sopranos

Just signed my second publishing contract! My novella THRILL KILLERS is forthcoming from @grindhousepress.bsky.social later this year 🥳

This is that sign you needed that you should definitely keep creating. Go.

Trivia of Terror

Lowkey thinking of subtitling my dryad sequel novel The Next Generation and the third book The Final Chapter because I am a whore for unsubtle references

Pete and Vinny, the gay greasers in FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING, walked so all the gay greasers in RIVERDALE could run

So I got an email today about the splatterpunk novella I wrote last summer. You'll be hearing a lot more about it very soon

Currently listening to TRAIN DREAMS by Denis Johnson on audiobook

Fun soap opera/horror trivia for my fellow Y&R fans: Peter Barton (Scott Grainger) gets his head smashed in the shower by Jason Voorhees in FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 4. Tracey E. Bregman (Lauren Fenmore) is the killer in HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME's borderline nonsensical plot twist ending.

14 books read so far this year. Hope to get to 18 or 20 by the end of the month

Here's my pencil artwork of Joan Crawford in the killer Strait-Jacket from 1964 🪓

I'm on a roll for finding out-of-print horror books on a bargain lately: SHOCK TOTEM #4 SHOCK TOTEM #4.5 CHRISTMAS ISSUE CUT CORNERS VOL. 1 CUTTING BLOCK, SINGLE SLICES VOL. 1 And God help me, I made an eBay account just to bid on IN LAYMON'S TERMS because the library copies are all non-circulating

You know what will get this novel across the finish line AND published? Spite.

Now reading another one by the master.

I am desperately missing the two feral cats I took care of at my first apartment and the stray I took care of at my old house

Still working on the novel today and let me say this again: my worst day as a writer is a thousand times better than my best day at any other job.

Was a while back but I remember someone looking for issue 5 of Shock Totem. There’s one on eBay auction right now, FYI

Don’t know who needs to hear this, but finish that first draft. Seriously.

Started to believe I can finish this novel. Even let myself worry about blurbs. That’s always a PROCESS. I’ve been blurbed by many favorites—Tremblay, Due, Cosby, Malerman, Wendig, Enríquez—which is awesome, but…what next?! Anyway, same? Hope this helps: gabinoiglesias.substack.com/p/asking-for...

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN UNTIL 2/28 What are we looking for? *Splatterpunk, antifascist, and anti-capitalist #horror *Works from members of marginalized groups *Novels, novellas, poetry chapbooks, and nonfiction *NEW: WE ARE NOW LOOKING FOR SMUT/EROTICA! madnessheart.press/submissions/...

Clever conversations are key to storytelling success on soaps. How are General Hospital, Young & Restless, BTG, B&B and DAYS doing?

Me: "I've read like a dozen Edward Lee books and Jack Ketchum's entire bibliography. I can watch [insert extreme horror movie's title here] no problem." Me after watching said movie, shaking as I pour a third scorch: "I need all of the cigarettes."

"I'd rather be a pig than a fascist." - Hayao Miyazaki, PORCO ROSSO

Best cure for winter blues—a sun nap!

Does anyone else feel that in recent decades movies rarely depict average working people? In the 70s and 80s we had movies about struggling families, stories about people most of us could understand. Not necessarily about the struggle, but where it was an obvious factor.

Dildos are EXPENSIVE! If people are willing to purchase and then throw dildos at you, you are THE WORST.

Glenlivet neat after dinner hits so well

I think every writer should read BURNING YOUR BOATS by Angela Carter to learn the lesson "write whatever you want however you want to write it," and if it works it works. I hated Fireworks but absolutely adored The Bloody Chamber, Black Venus, and American Ghosts. Incredible works of genius

Currently reading. Hope to have them both finished by end of day tomorrow

Stephen King: submitted for the approval of the midnight society, i call this the dead zone King: it's about this all-american guy named johnny smith who's always telling corny jokes and just all round being a lovable goofball King: in fact you might say King: that he's in King: the DAD zone

Anyone have a copy of MUTT by Shane McKenzie I could buy for a reasonable price? I'd pay for shipping too

It's lost on the people who need to hear it, but it sure was nice to see.

"People take their time putting two and two together, and even so they generally come up with five." - Lawrence Block, GRIFTER'S GAME (aka MONA)

I used to collect stray/feral cats when I lived in Ohio, and today I learned my dad used to bring stray dogs home when he was a kid 😭

Your monthly reminder: Keep writing. When no one cares, persist. When things appear to be crumbling, keep at it. When it's difficult, push through. When you feel alone, listen to the stories in your blood. Just write. The world needs your stories.

If #GH can pull the plug on Drew, other shows can do the same w stories not working 🤔 #YR #DAYS #BTG #BoldandBeautiful

Mentally I'm here

I'm not even halfway finished reading it yet, but I can say with confidence that COME TO DUST by @brackenmacleod.bsky.social is going to be one of the best books I read this year. It's so fucking good. I have not been this viscerally upset by a novel since STRANGLEHOLD by Jack Ketchum

You ever read a book by an author you've read before and EVERYTHING works? The characters, the story, the dialogue, the prose. Like they took all the little things you liked in their previous books and somehow made them even better?

Man Who Thought Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ Was Over In For Thrill Of His Fucking Life https://theonion.com/man-who-thought-fleetwood-macs-the-chain-was-over-in-for-thrill-of-his-fucking-life/

Monthly reminder: Many people have a book in them, but it takes a special kind of freak to leave the Land of Laziness, cross the Plains of Procrastination and Insecurity Mountain, find the Blade of No One Made You Do This, and use it to cut your chest open and yank that book out.

One day left to submit your work to Nightmare Magazine! We close at 11 pm tomorrow night. As ever, we're looking for short stories under 7500 words, flash stories 0-1500 words long, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Next up on my reading list