Received word today that another friend has left this world. Out of respect for the family, I’m not sharing yet, but it got me thinking of everyone already gone. Too many empty seats.

Finished THE POWER FANTASY Vol. 2. I maintain this is the best independent superhero story happening right now. Take out the theatrics and a world of superbeings would be terrifying.

Halloween Advent Calendar has been assembled.

Received an excellent review on FOR A FEW SOULS MORE.

Just saw the film adaptation of PRIMITIVE WAR. If you think Jurassic Park movies don’t have enough people getting eaten, this will remedy the situation. Go see it! I want this to be a success so we get more dinosaur horror movies like this.

Birthday Barnes & Noble book haul!

Went to see WEAPONS yesterday. I enjoyed it, but if there was a tagline for this movie, it would be: “And now for something completely different.”

Retroactively, it’s probably good I couldn’t attend any of the various conventions I wanted this weekend since I’m laid up with a 102 degree fever. Also, our A/C broke. On the bright side, got some writing in while my daughter watched Godzilla.

Set up and ready to go at OKC Horror Con.

Oklahoma folks (and anyone else who wants to come). I’ll be attending OKC Horror Con this weekend. I’ll have all my books for sale and will be there all three days.

We should all be very afraid.

Indie horror writer and super great guy Kristopher Rufty could use our community's help. If you have the means, please consider donating $5 or $10. www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-mov...

Closing in on the ending of my neo-slasher. Two years of work into this thing, I feel like Frodo crawling up the slopes of Mt. Doom. 95,000 words so far.

This 4th of July, celebrate the hubris of your nation and species with the realization it was Earth all along.

Keeping up with the news today reminded me of something.

I’ve entered into a slight melancholy today. Last night I used a can of aerosol and a lighter to bring judgement to the black widow and its egg sac at the back of my mailbox. The cops two doors down did not think using a homemade flamethrower on a mailbox qualified me as a “suspicious character”.

Today is the late Weston Ochse’s birthday. Sometimes, I feel like the horror genre forgets the greats who came before us who helped shape the magnificent storytelling we have now. Weston was a true master who deserves more recognition, go buy one of his books (and I recommend Scarecrow Gods).

Eagerly looking forward to the release of this anthology and not just because I’ve got a brand new novella included in it!

I recently finished the Jed MacKay’s initial run on MOON KNIGHT, this has been the best comic I’ve read since IMMORTAL HULK and easily one of Moon Knight’s best of all time. If you’re a fan of the character, immediately go pick up this run.

Word to the wise, preemptively check how slippery the bottom of a kiddie pool is when taking your kids to swim. You might slip and crack your back on the edge and have a bruise that roughly matches both the size and outline of Texas across your right side.

This made my absolute day. I’m so glad Lord Samper enjoyed it and hope all of you do as well.

DUST BOWL CHILDREN was so bad it caused this person to spontaneously invent entirely new words like "magesticestically", "misleeding", "parargaraph", and "uncomfertable".

How many ways can you kill someone with a combination lock? Well, my neo-slasher is going to answer that question. 😂

Pretty sure they’re about to rip the bandage off and reveal they actually elected a dog. AIR BUD: PAPAL PUP.

The best part about writing a new Magpie story is the very brutal and primal magic Salem invokes. I always feel like I stretch the limits of my imagination coming up with whatever ritual he engages in.

What the IRS hears when I plug in my writing expenses. youtu.be/_wJh8F5PqOU?...

I have teamed up with some friends (@texascthulhu.bsky.social @judithsonnet.bsky.social @mathewlreyes.bsky.social @roxanellanque.bsky.social @midnightpals.bsky.social ) for Five Raging Hearts: Splatterpunk for the Soul! Keep up-to-date by signing up for my newsletter, link below.

One of the cool things about AuthorCon is the ability to customize our badges. John Durgin definitely wins this year. The simplicity of it leaves me no doubt he IS John Durgin

Another AuthorCon in the bag. It was a year of firsts and a year of familiarity, I always come away from this thing feeling younger and more energized than when I arrive. Despite staying up until 5 a.m. and waking up at 9:30 four days in a row. 😂 Thankful to see all my old friends.

If anyone is passing through Richmond around 12:30 pm tomorrow on their way to AuthorCon, could I humbly request a ride? I would much rather ride with a friend than regale an increasingly terrified Uber driver about plot points for my current projects.

Finished reading this one over the weekend and it was quite good. The decision to have the audience create their view of the killer solely from correspondence sent TO him but not FROM him was brilliant. 4 out of 5 ⭐️

My stock came in and the new edition looks NIIIIICCCCEEEE.

Just in time for AuthorCon V, my out-of-print novella SHADES OF THE BLACK STONE is returning. Mysterious monuments, ghosts, and small town horror to the max.

Wrote a scene last night that made ME uncomfortable. The ending is cathartic but the build up made me squirm.

This review has given me brand new marketing! "THE MAGPIE COFFIN is so abhorrent you'll swear off the subgenre and author forever!"

Wesley Southard and I are set up and ready to go at the Evansville, Indiana Horror Convention.

🚨🚨🚨This coming weekend!🚨🚨🚨 Myself and author Wesley Southard will be heading to Evansville, IN to take part in Evansville Horror Con! We’ll be there both days, with plenty of books on hand, so come by and have a great time.

Hello all! This weekend, Wesley Southard and I will be venturing to Evansville, Indiana for the Evansville Horror Convention. If you're in the area, come out and see us. It's going to be a good time.

(A story by request) The Year is 2027, and Elon Musk, who's legally changed his name to Rocket Boy, and now owns a pharma company, Disney, Time-Warner, 2 airlines, all of Texas except for Mud Creek, and Apple, remains frustrated because @stephenking.bsky.social still won't kiss his ass.

As I look at our nation today, all I can think of is a quote from Will Rogers. "There are three kinds of people. The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation, and the rest that just have to pee on the electric fence themselves."

Best part of writing an aggressive amnesiac character searching for his identity are the threats: *Holding a gun to the antagonist's head* "Do you have any idea who you're talking to!?"

Started reading this and it’s fantastic. The Cold War but with superpowers makes for good storytelling.

Not the divine intervention I was expecting.

Defending my first draft to editors:

My friend: I read your book, it was great! Me: Oh, thank you. What did you think of the extended incredibly detailed porcupine torture scene?

I saw COMPANION and thought it was a lot of fun. It leans more into sci-fi than horror, but that doesn't detract from it at all. If anything, it reminded me of an extended episode of Black Mirror and is highly cathartic. Would recommend if you like seeing toxic people get taken down.

Introduced Ada (my daughter) to Godzilla and she’s become a fanatic. I couldn’t be happier. Emily: You’ve created a monster. Me: The King of the Monsters! 😂

Just a reminder, that everything happening is designed to make you feel overwhelmed, to feel hopeless, to make you think you have no power. And like everyone that traffics in lies, this is another one.

Meme of the Day.

Mexico has the opportunity to do something hilarious…