Los Angeles Festival Of Books Signing!

I will be signing copies of my two horror books: Shadowfall and Carnival Night at the Crematorium at the Los Angeles Festival of Books this weekened! I will be at the Horror Writers Association Booth #902 from 11AM to 1PM on Saturday, April 22nd. Besides my books, I will also have posters of my book covers for sale as well. Hope to see you there!

New Novel Finished!

I'm thrilled to announce that I finsihed writing my latest novel this last fall. It is a 63,000 word novel, but it is not horror. They say that sometimes an artist is affected by divine inspiration...I don't know about, but it did just flow out of me. I actually could not stop writing it! I wrote some of this novel at home, at airport layovers, in hotels, while visiting other states and countries, and even at the Meritage Winery in Napa Valley, California! I specifically mention the winery as this novel is tentatively titled, Of Wine, Women, and Love.

It is the story of the Baudin sisters descended from a French-American family of Jewish-Catholic vintners who fled Nazi-occupied France during World War II. The sisters find themselves unexpectedly in charge of running the family winery in California after the sudden death of their parents. Rose, the older sister is forced to leave her career as a lawyer to run the winery to avoid total ruin. Her younger, bohemian, sister Lea experiences great difficulty in assuming the new responsibilities and falls into the arms of an abusive man who ultimately seeks to destroy both Lea and the family business. The sisters must learn how to cooperate to make good wine, celebrate their unique holidays (i.e. Chrismukkah) with friends and family, and overcome many obstacles in order to save the family business and find true love. It falls between commercial fiction and women's fiction.

Since I am not a woman, I feel a bit disengenuous about labeling my writing "women's fiction," but it is a story about two tough women and the trials and tribulations they must overcome. Women are strong in my story and are certainly the protagonists. I won't say anymore about it now, but I have submitted it to the Big Moose Prize (publishing award) and have had a LOT of rejection notes from literary agents. Ha! Plucky me though, I'm bound and determined to find a home for my novel yet. Think a cross between McLeod's Daughters (Australian TV drama series) and the film version of Under The Tuscan Sun and you will have some idea of my novel and it's witty dialogue. More soon? I hope!

Here are some pictures from the Meritage Winery Resort in Napa Valley, CA where I wrote some of my winery novel:

Sirens Call

Wow! I am happy to announce that one of my short stories, "Killer of Little Souls," will appear in the Halloween issue (#51) of The Sirens Call. The ladies who run The Sirens Call are tireless champions of horror writers and many up and coming great writers have contributed to their issues or have had their books published outright by them. This story marks my second appearance in their magazine and I wish them all the best in their continued endeavors! Here is the link to Sirens Call Publications, which includes their free e-zine, The Sirens Call. The Halloween issue is not out yet, but I will update this blog with the info on where to read it once it is out. http://www.sirenscallpublications.com/

The Case of the Vanished Writer

So...Where has Greg been these last few years? Well, I've been doing book signings at several events including literacy and book festivals. Last October (2019) I represented the Horror Writer's Association at a literacy even in the California High-Desert city of Hesperia. This was my last physical signing since COVID-19 hit and my other signings were cancelled. All through 2017-2019, I also did author signings at libraries and at Comic Con Revolution in Ontario, California. Last October I was also able to view a documentary on the defunct Showcase Theatre (Corona, California) which was made using a lot of my video footage of punk bands. This gained me my first cinematographer credit on IMDB!

However, the main reason I have kept a low profile is because I worked on my doctoral degree over the last three years. I just graduated this last summer and I am now a Doctor of Education! Whoa! So much going on...but...there will be much more to come! I am getting back to my creative writing pursuits now that my academic writing is done. Thanks.

(from top to bottom: April 2019 Literacy Festival signing, May 2029 Comic Con Revolution, October 2019 viewing of "If These Walls Could Sing" documentary, October 2019 represeting the Horror Writer's Association (Los Angeles chapter) at the High Desert Book Festival, and summer 2020 graduating as a Doctor of Education!)

I also got to do a book reading in Paris, France! On December 28, 2018, I joined the Paris Lit Up group and delivered a reading of my works. It was a great little club with awesome food and amazinng talent. Here are two pics of me just before I went on and one of me in the famous catacombs of Paris!

The Return of the Living Dead Writer!

I'm back and updating my blog! Stay tuned! Here is a collage of books and magazines that my work has been in over the years. — with James Ward Kirk, james ward kirk fiction, Stephen Cooney, William Cook, Julianne Snow, Nina D'Arcangela, Gavin Chappell, phrenic press, Schlock Webzine, Gloria Bobrowicz and Jo-Anne Russell.

StokerCon #2 signing: RMS Queen Mary 2017

StokerCon 2017 (the second StokerCon) Wow. I cannot believe I did this signing over three years ago already! I signed my books next to William F. Nolan who I consider a legend for Logan's Run alone! Jonathan Maberry was next Nolan. What an honor to be in such great company. I also got to meet George R.R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame, but his handler would not let me take a picture with him....

New Signings!

Hey all! I have bunch of author signings coming up. Today I am signing copies of both of my books at Stoker Con 2017 on the Queen Mary in Long Beach harbor from 3PM to 4PM. Come get a book and I'll sign it! I'll be signing with William F. Nolan, the author of Logan's Run. Soooo stoked!

New Book for a New Year!

Attention all horror fiends! I have a new book coming out soon...Carnival Night at the Crematorium. Here's the back cover blurb:

Carnival Night at the Crematorium is a roller coaster ride of suspense and psychological terror. Just like wandering through a seedy midway at an old carnival, you have no idea what you’ll run into or what bizarre twists your visit may take. These 21 pieces of weird fiction are each like a different attraction. Some are scary and some will cause you to ponder about life and the thin veil of death. Do you hear that? The barker is calling you to enter the next tent of wonders. Do you dare?

Coming soon on JWK Fiction and available in print and ebook from Amazon. More info soon!

Hail the New Year!

Welcome to a New Year and hopefully new things in store for my writing. As of right now things have been pretty slow in regards to my writing. I hope to change this with an anthology of my short stories to come out this year and work on a new novel.

Lately, I have mostly been doing signings for Shadowfall and doing presentations for small museums. Last year I did two lectures on the history of the Circus and Circus posters. I also did one lecture on the history of fanzines. Both lectures were well met by the public and helped me form relationships with the Ontario Museum and the Temecula Valley Museum, both here in the Inland Empire region of Southern California where I live.

I currently helped to curate an exhibit on comic books featuring African-American/Black (non-American) superheroes. This exhibit is running right now at the Temecula Valley Museum:

In other news, last Saturday I signed copies of Shadowfall at the Moreno Valley Public Library for their first ever Writer's Expo:

This was a good signing for me and I met some cool writers and readers too! This event was the brain child of Debby Johnson who is on the Moreno Valley Arts Council. Thanks Debby! She is a writer too and here is her site: http://www.debbyjohnson.com

And here is a great shot of me signing courtesy of Cindy Finklestein! Thanks Cindy and Larry!:

That's all for now. Stay Weird!

Upcoming Signing!

It's October and time for spooks, zombies, and witches of all kind to come out and haunt a bit. I will be haunting....err, I mean signing copies of my book SHADOWFALL in San Bernardino this Saturday, October 8th! Check out the flyer for the event:

SHADOWFALL IS HERE!

Finally! After almost two years of trying to get my first book out, SHADOWFALL is now available in kindle/ebook and paperback formats!

You can get it through Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/Shadowfall-Greg-McWhorter-ebook/dp/B01DPTUIV8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1460909059&sr=8-4&keywords=shadowfall

SHADOWFALL is a pulp-style horror-adventure story. It can be read by all-ages and features an eye-popping cover by legendary Mexican pulp artist, Jorge Avina! Here is a blurb about it from the back cover: The place is London. The time is now. Ghost-like apparitions start materializing late at night and start to kill. The Greater London Investigators of the Paranormal investigate just as the bodies begin to pile up and discover a sinister attack plan left over from World War II. Can they stop a supernatural evil that originates from ancient times? Get ready to run...or die!

I don't want to give away too much of the story here, but I ask you to take a chance and read it for yourself. If you have Amazon Prime, you can download it for FREE.

Signings: I will be signing copies of the paperback version and the poster of the front cover at the following places:

April 23 @ Norman F. Feldheym Central Library in San Bernardino, CA
May 7th @ Player's Comics in Moreno Valley, CA
May 15th @ StokerCon in Las Vegas, NV at 11AM (half-hour only)
More to come! Check back here for updates.

Fun Facts:

#1) I based a lot of the names, places, and ideas on real historical fact for extra realism. I enjoyed all of the research that led me toward completing this book.

#2) The way I found my cover artist, Jorge Avina, makes for a great story. I actually purchased a piece of original cover artwork that he had done for a Mexican horror pulp off eBay. I got the piece in the mail and searched for him using Google until I found the right 'Jorge Avina' and asked him if he would be interested in doing my cover. We agreed on a price and within two weeks he had the whole cover finished and shipped to me! During our emails back and forth it turned out that the piece of artwork I purchased from him was never returned to him from the publisher that was going to use it; so it had been sold illegally. I contacted the eBay dealer (who lives in Mexico like Jorge) and they said they had purchased three pieces of his artwork from a guy who knew Jorge! Luckily the dealer was very nice and contacted Jorge and returned the other two pieces back to him in-person. I offered to compensate Jorge for the one I had purchased off eBay, or return it, but he insisted I keep it as all had worked out so well. I was now a paying client and the other two lost pieces were now returned. It never ceases to amaze me how serendipity can play a role in life. Here are Jorge's original sketches for the cover based on my ideas:

Although my book is the first piece of Jorge's printed in the U.S. for U.S. consumption, he is willing to work with anyone around the world and he is a great guy and fast artist. Here is the link to his website for his info and contact: http://www.jorgeavinailustrador.com/#!formulario-y-mapa/cwrv

#3) Another interesting thing happened as I was putting my book together. I met a cool guy at my work that is a computer graphics wizard named Jonathan Kittleson. Jon is a young guy with cool tastes and really knows his layout and design. We talked and I asked him if he would help me out with the cover for my book. He agreed and did a wonderful job creating text for the cover and laying out the front, back, and spine making everything ready for the printer. He read my mind and even blew up a portion of Jorge's artwork for the back cover. Here is Jon's complete layout:

Jon was also able to print posters of the cover for me at a fantastic price! These are the posters that I will take to signings and they look mind-blowing!

#4) Lastly, before I found Jorge Avina, I had tried several other artists. One artist did some sketches for me, but none of them were exactly what I was looking for and all of sudden I quit hearing from that artist even though I had offered to pay them! I tried contacting other artists who had astronomical prices. I even found the guy who did all of the Walking Dead artwork for AMC and he offered me a discount as he liked my subject matter, but I really could not afford him either. I found a local emerging student artist, Veronika Gorchkova, at my local comic book shop and offered to pay her if she could deliver a good painting of what I wanted. Although her painting was good, Jorge's art fit my story much better and I felt so bad that I paid her anyway for her time and effort. Here is her piece that almost became the cover:

Although Veronika's piece did not get used, I wish her all the best in furthering her art career!

Personal thoughts: I am thrilled to finally get this out. I had a lot of rejections from larger publishers. Some of them flat-out didn't want it as I have no big 'name' recognition or I wasn't in their clique (at least that is the impression I felt from many of them). One larger publisher said I made it into their last round of picks from out of their large pile of stories, but in the end they passed.

I finally went to someone I have worked with over the years that I trust to be a good person and do their best to meet my demands and that was James Ward Kirk and his imprint JWK Fiction. James has always been open to encouraging new writing talent and does not discriminate. If your story is good, that is all he cares about. So, I handed him my story and all the artwork and said "Go for it!" and now it is out. I will be publicizing the heck out of my book over the next year and James and his publishing company will reap the benefits of my efforts. Thanks again James!

Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to the Riverside Writers Group that read through each chapter of my book as I was writing it. They are very nice people and gave me some great ideas for edits; James, David, Nancy, Gene, Kat, Danielle, Lucio, Don, and others. I thank you all!

Long Time No See

Hey everybody! I have not written a new blog in quite a while so I need to catch you up on a lot of cool happenings. First of all, I have had some personal issues that have caused me to become very lax about keeping up with my blog. I also understand that many people do not need to know what is happening with me on a month to month basis, so I plan on updating this blog quarterly from now on, with exceptions as I feel necessary. Now to the horror at hand...

I have been featured in a couple of anthologies that I want to mention. First of all, Jennifer Miller should be commended highly for her on-going yearly anthology; Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror.

I missed out on being in the 2014 edition, but Jennifer remembered me when it came time to do the 2015 edition and I am thrilled to be included in such a fine book. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. It would be awesome if you bought a copy for that reason alone. You actually have several buying options with this anthology.

You can buy just the "Ladies" stories:
http://www.amazon.com/Ladies-Horror-2015-Amanda-Spedding/dp/1517511356/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460066450&sr=1-1&keywords=ladies+of+horror+2015

Or you can buy just the "Gentlemen's" stories:
http://www.amazon.com/Gentlemen-Horror-2015-Greg-McWhorter/dp/151751147X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460066529&sr=1-1&keywords=gentlemen+of+horror+2015

Or you can buy the mega-edition with both:
http://www.amazon.com/Ladies-Gentlemen-Horror-2015-McWhorter/dp/1517511550/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460066578&sr=1-2&keywords=gentlemen+of+horror+2015

You also have the choice with each format to purchase a Kindle or paperback copy. So what are you waiting for? Get one and help support the American Cancer Society and get some great horror stories too!

I actually received high praise for my contribution by an Amazon reviewer (Hydra M. Star) who wrote: "Greg McWhorter gives us half a dozen stories in this volume to enjoy. “The Horror at Engle Farm” is the one that I believe is the best. Set in the proper time period, it seemed like the sort of story one would expect to read in an old issue of Weird Tales. Yes, it was really that good." Yowzaaaa!!!

Next up is a beautifully designed tome of mighty horror entitled; Southern Haunts 3: Magick Beneath the Moonlight.

This is put out by the great folks at Seventh Star Press. They always have exceptional cover art! I have one short story in this collection that you can get in Kindle or paperback form here: http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Haunts-Magick-Beneath-Moonlight/dp/1941706339/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460066899&sr=1-1&keywords=southern+haunts

Another anthology that I am proud to be a part of is the newest incarnation of Axes of Evil: A Heavy Metal Horror Anthology -vol. I.

Editor Alex Johnson is a stalwart on the horror writers circuit who refuses to buckle under peer pressure and he carves his own destiny, right or wrong. I respect that. I think likewise. You can't please everyone and some times you leave unhappy people behind in your wake toward your goals. Well, to the anthology itself...Although other anthologies have come out with this same title, the stories in this one are all unique to this volume including the one I wrote specifically for it; "The Collector." I will say that my story mirrors my own life a bit and it is a disturbing take on collecting rock memorabilia. Get it on kindle or paperback here: http://www.amazon.com/Axes-Evil-Heavy-Horror-Anthology/dp/1522748113/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1460304712&sr=8-2&keywords=axes+of+evil

Fourth, and last, for now...Dead Guns Press who released some of my crime fiction in their Hardboiled anthology have just released a limited hardcover version of Hardboiled, but I think you can only order it directly from their website at: www.deadgunspress.com

I have some amazing news about my own novella, Shadowfall, that I will share soon in a separate post now that I have caught up!

I've Been a Baaaad Boy!

Hey everyone in cyberland! It is I, Greg McWhorter, back again. I have not posted in quite a while as I have been very busy with life. I've spent the last few months doing some major repairs on my house and have had a lot of family come and visit and so on. I've been very bad in that I have spent little time writing. I plan to rectify this immediately and just tonight I completed a 3,358 word horror short story for an upcoming anthology. Yay! So...what news do I have for you?

FIRST: My novella that I have been trying for a year to get published should actually see print/digital form soon. At the latest by January, I hope. This has been my longest horror story yet, clocking in at a whopping 31,000 words and professionally edited, etc. No fluff, just all good story and horror! I don't want to give it away just yet, but think Ghostbusters mixed with Indiana Jones and a zombie-style invasion...That is pretty close.

SECOND: I received this happy news regarding an anthology that I have a story in:

"History and Mystery, Oh My! is a finalist in the Short Fiction category for the 2015 FAPA President's Award. The Florida Authors & Publishers Association awards these annually. Monstermatt Patterson took the gold last year with Ha-Ha! Horror.

HMOM is up against two other story collections for the gold.

The awards will be given on August 8th. Keep your fingers crossed!"

It is really a super anthology. You can pick one up in print or digital at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/History-Mystery-Oh-Edith-Maxwell/dp/099158256X/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1426472904&sr=8-1&keywords=history+and+mystery+oh+my

THIRD: I did get some record reviews and a live concert review printed in this fine magazine out of the U.K.:

FOURTH: I finally got the next episode of my cable show out on Time-Warner Channel 16 in the Riverside/Moreno Valley/Perris area. It is also available for FREE viewing on youtube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQXwrPYgi9A

This episode is on Garage Rock of the 1960s and the influence it still has up to present day. It features me conducting interviews with THE SONICS, THE MUSTANGS, and MIKE STAX (of THE LOONS and Ugly Things Magazine). There are also musical performances and much more. Check it out if you are a music fan.

FIFTH: I promise to start writing more again! Also, I have decided to do some drawing again after not drawing for years (except doodles). Here is my most recent horror effort:

Well...I want to keep this short for now so this will be all for August, but next month I hope to share some big news with you regarding my novella and the releases of other anthologies that my stories will be in. Back to work now! Cheers!

AXES OF EVIL II COMETH!

April! Whew! It's been a busy year and it has been hard squeezing in writing time as family, work, life, all take their toll on me. I was watching a classic film the other day, The Philadelphia Story (starring Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart), and the scene in which Stewart turns down patronage from the rich female...it made me raise my hand and say "If he doesn't want it, I'll take it!" I wish I could write full-time, but I've never been rich and I have to work to make ends meet. That is what is wrong with art in the United States...very little financial help for artists that are struggling and trying to get accepted by mass media. Whatever...I think I will die having only been read by the select few and maybe...just maybe...I will get rediscovered in the future and people will read me with more fervor.

Okay, no more whining and off to what matters...this month's crop of news!

Ladies and Gentlemen and Whatever the Rest of You Are...

AXES OF EVIL II has been unleashed!

Yes! J. Ellington Ashton Press in cooperation with WetWorks present AXES OF EVIL II. Here is what they say about it; "The sequel to the bestselling heavy metal horror anthology, AXES OF EVIL II features even more tales of blood, death, evil and hot licks." All stories approved and edited by Alex S. Johnson. This horror anthology is loaded with metal music horror! All of the stories in some way revolve around the world of Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, Grind, and...a little Punk Rock. Heavy on the guitars, gore, and evil, AXES OF EVIL II will seer into your brain page by page. Get it now on Amazon and read my story that was included; "Witchbone."

Get it here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1508975256/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

In other news...SOUTHERN HAUNTS 3 is getting ready to go to press and has one of my stories included within it's hallowed pages. Also, I'm working on getting together my works for the LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF HORROR 2015 anthology that is a yearly benefit for the American Cancer Society with all proceeds going to them. Nice!

Got a few other tricks up my sleeve, but that is all for now. Expect more soon! I hope to make this summer busy with writing and publishing!

Cheers,
Greg

Lazy Dayz...

Okay...I've been lazy the last few months. Actually, the truth is...Can you handle the truth? Just kidding! I've been busy on many non-writing endeavors. Besides horror/crime writing I also host a cable TV show called Rock'n'Roll High School 101 (check it out on youtube) and have been wrapping up an episode on garage rock from the 1960s. I've also been busy with my job as a teacher and dealing with a new release on my record label. Yes...I am a polymath...a renaissance man...I wear many hats. So...sometimes writing falls behind. I will tell you that I am currently writing a sick crime story that is a 2000s homage to Jim Thompson...As depraved and raunchy and violent and bloody as he would have been if he were alive today. More on that later...

The good people at Mystery and Horror, LLC took a chance and included one of my stories in their latest paperback/kindle/ebook: HISTORY AND MYSTERY OH MY!

Get it here on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/History-Mystery-Oh-Edith-Maxwell/dp/099158256X/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1426472904&sr=8-1&keywords=history+and+mystery+oh+my

Coming soon... SOUTHERN HAUNTS PART 3 is coming out soon and features a short story from me! More on that soon, but it is coming out from Seventh Star Press, LLC and should be a great book! No cover design to share yet...maybe next post?

Also coming soon...AXES OF EVIL II featuring my story "Witchbone." Those of you that know me well, know that I have been around the music industry all my life. This is the only horror story that I have ever written using a modern setting with a modern band. It should fit in well with this anthology. Most of the other writers in it are fans of heavy metal music so I am the only punk rocker within the pages. More as this one develops. I shared the cover last post so I won't this time.

Also, I have a live review and some record reviews coming out in the next issue of Failsafe Magazine out of England.

Here is a picture of me interviewing one of my favorite bands, THE SONICS, backstage at the Roxy in Hollywood for the next episode of my cable TV show.

More next post!!!!!!!!!!!

Winter Cometh

Hey gang! Not too much to relate right now. My writing output has been pretty slow as I've been bogged down with other projects and my regular job. I know...NOT a good excuse, but stuff happens. This post will cover November and December activities. So what is new? Well...

I did have a story accepted by Mystery and Horror, LLC for their upcoming anthology entitled HISTORY AND MYSTERY, OH MY! Here is a peak of what I believe will be the cover art. This is slated for very late 2014 or very early 2015 release:

Whoa! Another anthology that is coming out very soon that I am lucky to be a part of is the AXES OF EVIL II. This is the second in the series of horror stories centered around the world of hard rock, heavy-metal, and punk. The editor, Alex S. Johnson, has been working really hard on this series and has done a lot of publicity to set the stage for a great release. This book will be published by J. Ellington Ashton Press. Here is the cover done by Stephen Cooney:

Like I said, the editor has been working hard on publicity and here is a link to a radio interview he did about the series:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/viktoraurelius/2014/12/11/axes-of-evil--the-series

This should be an amazing anthology and I am honored to be in this one. Some of you know that I have been dealing with bands and the music industry since 1985 so I think it is great that one of my stories was actually able to fit within the scope of this anthology as I do not normally mix the world of music with the world of horror. This should be a fun read.

I also have a piece or two coming out in another anthology that will be released by a newer publisher named Barbwire Butterfly Books. Their anthology is completely based on the works of H.P. Lovecraft and his Cthulhu mythos. Although I am a big fan of his mythos, I have written little based on it so this publisher will be publishing what little I've written around it. I'm not sure when this is due out, but I did sneak a peak at the Table of Contents and found these fine writers:

BEYOND THE COSMIC VEIL (Anthology Title)

Author List:
Angel Zapata, Juan Julio Gutiérrez, Gary Murphy, Lee Zumpe, David S. Pointer, Mathias Jansson, Dustin Coffman, Carl Fox, E.s. Wynn, Wilum Pugmire, Erin Cole, Ron Koppelberger Jr., Gary Thomas, Michael Lindquist, Patricia Anabel, Greg McWhorter, Brian Rosenberger, Lori R. Lopez, James Anderson, Kevin Henry, David-John Tyrer, Frank Searight, Charles Danny Lovecraft, Ashley Dioses, KA Opperman

Sorry that I do not have much else to share right now. I have to get back to writing and getting my personal anthology together. I am also getting sucked into writing more reviews on records and books for music magazines so watch out for info on that next time.

I leave you with a darkly humorous cover from an EC Comic Book from 1954. I was lucky enough to have one amateur horror/sci-fi story and art published by EC Comics many years ago (I need to dig it out and share it here soon) and I wish they were still around.

Cheers and Happy Holidays! -Greg McWhorter

October! Finally!

Yes...October. Time to finally break out the horror movies and get ready for Halloween. As you can tell, I sort of took September off from my blog. I was just too busy with work and thus my writing had to take a backseat for a month. Besides, not too much is going on right now. What is going on? WEIRDOS!

A book featuring photographs by Dawn Wirth was just released by her and Jesse Viduarre (a.k.a. Jesse Xerox) and it documents Los Angeles' most notorious (and first) punk band, WEIRDOS. All of the glorious photos are from 1977 up to maybe 1978, the earliest incarnation of this amazing band. I am very proud that Dawn asked me to write an introduction to her book. Besides my two-page introduction, there are also intros from such luminaries on the scene as Pleasant Gehman (Lobotomy Fanzine, SCREAMIN' SIRENS), Terry Graham (drummer for BAGS, GUN CLUB), and Cliff Roman (founding member and guitarist for WEIRDOS). If you love punk rock or just great rock photos, get this book!

http://www.blurb.com/b/5540418-the-weirdos

Other writing...I do music reviews occasionally too for magazines like Ugly Things, Record Collector News, Maximum Rock'n'Roll, and The Big Takeover. Recently I was asked to write some reviews for an amazing magazine out of England titled FAILSAFE.

FAILSAFE is all about the pioneers of punk rock and the glorious history of punk music on both sides of the Atlantic. Strange thing about it though...I don't think you can buy it anywhere! It is made as a labor of love from the publisher and mailed out around the world to appreciative miscreants. Oh well...If you ever see it, check it out. Great insights on punk rock bands and history.

Other news? Well...Dead Guns Press says that their western horror anthology BADLANDS should be out soon. It features two of my stories...more on that when it is out. UPDATE!!! BADLANDS is now available on Amazon in paperback format! I have two short horror stories set in the wild west of the 1800s within this anthology. Get it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Badlands-John-L-Thompson/dp/1494773449

I hear that AXES OF EVIL II is being assembled and should see release soon. It has one of my stories in it.

I'm still waiting to hear from a publisher to see if my novella, SHADOW FALL, will see print any time soon.

I'm slowly putting together my personal anthology for James Ward Kirk Publishing. I hope to have it ready to go to print by the new year.

And that is about it right now...Whereas last October seemed a flurry of activity, this October seems quiet so far. The calm before the storm? I hope so! I need to get back to writing so I am making this short.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Back To The Grind

Well...summer is over at my house. Lounging around, reading books, hanging out with family and friends, going on small trips...That is all over now. Back to work and back to being more productive.

The biggest thing that happened to me over the summer was thought I finished writing my first novel. Well, not really a full-length novel, but what is called a novella. My story is currently at 31,578 words, but I am still making a few tweaks to it. It may get a little bigger, but not by much. To me a perfect idea is only perfect as long as filler/fluff is not added to it and I don't want to sacrifice my story just to make it bigger. I have sent it to a publisher and I am being told to wait 3 to 6 months for a reply on whether they will take it or not. It would be easier to sell if it were longer, but oh well...

I will tell you more about my novel...er...novella after it gets picked up (or rejected).

In other writing news, my relationship with James Ward Kirk Publishing has brought more wonderment into my life. In previous posts I mentioned that my story "The Horror at Engle Farm" had won the Editor's Choice Award in the BARNYARD HORROR anthology and my story "The Twilight of Men's Lives" also won another Editor's Choice Award for INDIANA CRIME REVIEW 2013, both by JWK Fiction. Well, it seems that both of these stories are now included in JWK FICTION BEST OF HORROR 2013, which is out now in Kindle and Paperback form.

This anthology features a lot of up and coming great talent. Besides my humble efforts, I find the work of Chantal Noordeloos, Paula Ashe, and James Dorr to be very literate and exciting. Paula Ashe's story "Bereft" is the most creepy story that I have read in ages. So, besides tooting my horn, you should pick this up to have a sampling of horror writing from the best new talent of today. Remember, this is a 'Best of' collection so there is no fluff here. Every story should keep you fairly enthralled.

On another note, I have always found James Ward Kirk Fiction to be honest and striving to improve constantly. They pay off in cash or contributor copies when they can and are trying their best to build up towards being a pro-paying publisher. So support the 'Indy Horror' publisher and get this mighty tome of horror now!

Here it is on Amazon for Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/JWK-Fiction-Best-Horror-2013-ebook/dp/B00MFOGJR2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407601556&sr=8-1&keywords=jwk+fiction

Here it is on Amazon for a paperback copy: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692269398/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dpd_uxK5tb1MNDQFM

The wonders never cease...I sent a short autobiographical nonfiction piece to an online magazine called FIVE2ONE and I only just recently discovered that they have printed copies of their online magazine available for purchase. I went ahead and bought one and was pleased to see my piece alongside a lot of creative poetry and short stories. FIVE2ONE is about creative writing and not horror. As I continue to write, I am a little afraid of being pigeonholed as one type of writer or another so I am glad to see this piece in print.

You can read my autobiographical piece here for free online:

http://five2onemag.onimpression.com/search/label/H.D.H.C

Or if paper is your thing, get the print copy here:

http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/602928?__r=439389

On other writing fronts, I still write for music magazines as time permits. The next issue of Mike Stax's wonderful magazine UGLY THINGS will feature an article on the L.A. punk band SCREAMERS by Jon Savage (author of England's Dreaming) and will be accompanied by photos from my archive. So none of my writing there, but still proud to mention my involvement with that. I did write an introduction for a book to be released soon by Dawn Wirth (famous L.A. punk photographer) about THE WEIRDOS. If you don't know the WEIRDOS, they are probably Los Angeles' most important punk band from the first wave of punk. I am honored that Dawn asked me to write an introduction piece for her book. Lastly, I wrote a couple of record reviews for David Ball's FAILSAFE magazine from England. I hear it is out now and I can't wait to get a copy. If you appreciate scholarly journalism on punk, you can't do much better than FAILSAFE magazine.

More next month! See you in September!

Summer Time Blues

Wow! Where does the time go at summer? Family, friends, hobbies, to-do list stuff...oh yeah...WRITING! Here it is already July and I have not written a single short story, but I have completed the skeleton of my first novel. I want to take a few days away from it, but then I need to reread the whole thing and flesh it out a bit before I start sending it publishers. My writer's group is also reading it and giving me some good advice on parts. I won't leak any of it just yet, but i will say that it involves hybrid undead ghost-like creatures that are invading London. I wrote it much like Bram Stoker's Dracula with a nod towards pure journalism in some parts, to pure pulp and horror in equal amounts in other parts. More on this soon...I will say that being a fan of the short story, it was a little difficult for me to get into a novel length venture, but I'm glad I did and I think horror fans will enjoy the result.

In other July news...

THE UNDEAD WAR: TALES OF THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE is now available as both a regular paperback and an eBook from Dead Guns Press. I have one short story in this collection and it is the only story I've ever written with a true zombie in it. My story in this is a reprint of one of my older stories, but I was thrilled to be included in a tome with other great writers like Selene MacLeod, T. Fox Dunham (Congrats to Dunham who is getting one of his novels turned into a movie!), Matthew Wilson, Gary Murphy, and John L.Thompson, just to name a few.

Get it here as an eBook:

http://www.amazon.com/Undead-Dead-Guns-Press-Book-ebook/dp/B00LJJCIMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405624667&sr=8-1&keywords=undead+war

Or here in paperback edition:

http://www.amazon.com/Undead-War-Zombie-Apocalypse-Volume/dp/149477030X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1405624667&sr=8-1

In other horrific news...

I wrote an original short story a few months back to go along with a piece of artwork by legendary black/death metal album cover artist Niall Parkinson from Ireland. I was really inspired by his piece entitled "The Time Has Come" and wrote an entire short story around his artwork. My story is just now seeing the light of day courtesy of James Ward Kirk Publishing and Niall's book titled NO SIGHT FOR THE SAVED. Right now it is only available as an eBook, but I understand it is just a matter of days before you can get a paperback copy.

Here is the eBook link:

http://www.amazon.com/Niall-Parkinson-No-Sight-Saved-ebook/dp/B00LRQ6VKY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405625164&sr=8-1&keywords=no+sight+for+the+saved

UPDATE: JULY 21st: The paperback version of NO SIGHT FOR THE SAVE is out now! You can order the paperback here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692255796/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dpd_eZrZtb0KNECHWQQA

Here is the artwork that inspired what I think is one of my very best short horror stories to-date:

"The Time Has Come" by Niall Parkinson

That is all for now, but I hope to bring you some great news about my novel in the near future! Cheers and Happy Summer, Greg