Dead Light Across the Lake – Assemble Artifacts #6 now on Audible

On Audible now, in Assemble Artifacts #6:

Their marriage on the brink of collapse, David and Sara make one last effort to repair it with a weekend getaway at a cabin at Mount Storm Lake. Sounds like a good plan, right? But that light coming from the direction of the power plant across the lake makes them both uneasy. Oh—did I mention that this is where David’s father killed himself?

dead light across the lake - new short horror story in assemble artifacts #6 from assemble media

My new story, “Dead Light Across the Lake,” appears in Assemble Artifacts #6, now on Audible and available, of course, on Kindle too. Also including stories from other writers like Z. K. Abraham, Wendy N. Wagner, Cynthia Pelayo, and more!

The publisher has given me a free Audible copy to share with a reviewer. If there is anyone here who wants to listen to this for free in exchange for an honest review, please email me at [email protected], and I will get you hooked up with a code. First come, first served—but please commit to writing a review on Audible when you’re finished!

Dead Light Across the Lake – NEW FICTION in Assemble Artifacts Short Story Magazine #6

Their marriage on the brink of collapse, David and Sara make one last effort to repair it with a weekend getaway at a cabin at Mount Storm Lake. Sounds like a good plan, right? But that light coming from the direction of the power plant across the lake makes them both uneasy. Oh—did I mention that this is where David’s father killed himself?

Read my new story, “Dead Light Across the Lake,” in Assemble Artifacts #6, available now for Kindle—audio is coming soon! Other stories by authors such as Z. K. Abraham, Cynthia Pelayo, and Wendy N. Wagner. Get it now.

WV Book Festival (Charleston) & Writers Can Read (Huntington)

Just ten days away from the West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston, WV, where I will be selling my books and merch. I always love visiting our capital and connecting with readers there. Don’t miss it—October 19th, from 8:oo a.m. to 5:00 p.m., find authors like me selling books in the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center. Attend writing workshops, presentations, and more, including talks and signings from this year’s featured authors, Gregg Hurwitz, Joy Callaway, Gene Luen Yang, Mia Manasala, and Sadeqa Johnson. Find out more details on all the programs and a schedule at www.wvbookfestival.org. It’s all free! We can’t wait to see you there.

A few days later, on Monday, October 21st, I’ll be joining my friend and colleague Carter Taylor Seaton as the two Featured Writers at the Writers Can Read Open Mic Night Series in Huntington, WV. Be at Heritage Station by 7:00 p.m., and come with something of your own to read, if you want!

I always love visiting Huntington and can’t wait to see everyone there. I’m so glad that Michael Connick has taken over the reins of this monthly event, which was formerly organized by Carter.

Writers Can Read Open Mic Night in Huntington #huntingtonwv #writerscanread #heritagestation #openmicnight #wvwriters #downtownhuntington #myhuntington #supportlocal #westvirginia #HtownWV #VisitHuntington

See you at the Lewisburg Literary Festival this weekend

David Baldacci among writers headlining the Lewisburg Literary Festival for 2024

Lewisburg, one of my favorite WV small towns, is home to cute little shops, art galleries, caves, restaurants, an indie bookstore, and, every August, the Lewisburg Literary Festival, one of my favorite events. This year, come out on August 2nd–3rd for this totally free festival that brings nationally known authors in to speak—past authors include Garth Stein, David Sedaris, and Jeannete Walls. This year, the featured Mainstage Authors are Ronni Lundy, Patrick Bringley, Victoria Christopher Murray, and David Baldacci.

Ronni Lundy
Patrick Bringley
Victoria Christopher Murray
David Baldacci
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Meet me at Alexandria on Main on June 22! Get tickets now

On June 22nd, from 6pm–8pm, I’ll have the honor of discussing my writing at Alexandria on Main, Elkins’s new independent bookstore. Dr. Ashley Lawson, a professor at West Virginia Wesleyan College, will be facilitating the conversation with me, after which I’ll be signing copies of my books. I heard a rumor that there might be snacks. SNACKS!

Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for students, and can be purchased online at Alexandria on Main’s website.

Please come and support our local independent bookstore!

LITTLE ONE on sale for Kindle — 99c this week only

“The heart-racing mystery will keep readers wondering who to trust and how the story will end.” — Publishers Weekly

Kindle owners, rejoice: this week, my ghost thriller, Little One, is discounted on Amazon down to only 99 cents in the US and UK for a few days. That’s right, just one dollar for hours of snowy hauntings, delivered hot and ready to your Kindle. That’s cheaper even than the Dollar Tree these days!

So what are you waiting for? Click the book below to start reading today. And why not give me a follow over on Amazon?

These are tough times. We all need more scary books to get us through.

“To Fear and To Rage” from DEATHREALM: SPIRITS praised by KIRKUS and THE HORROR REVIEW

Reviews are coming in for Stephen Mark Rainey’s anthology, Deathrealm: Spirits, in which I’m honored to have my short story “To Fear and To Rage” appear among other stories by all-star writers much more worthy than myself.

And reviews are good! Kirkus Reviews had favorable words for it upon its release a few months ago, calling it “Spine-tingling and sometimes stomach-churning… unflinchingly tense… a solid compilation that will satisfy avid fans of a range of horror subgenres.”

Carson Buckingham, writing for The Horror Review and its associated websites, says, “There is something for everyone here; so whether you enjoy splatter, suspense, or paranormal, you can’t go wrong with Stephen Mark Rainey’s Deathrealm: Spirits. This would be a wonderful Christmas gift for any horror aficionados on your list.”

Both reviewers call out “To Fear and To Rage” specifically. Kirkus says, “[Deathrealm: Spirits] hits its stride in its third offering, Timothy G. Huguenin’s ‘To Fear and To Rage,’ about a father and son whose remote mountain town is slowly overrun by unsettling faceless, eyeless creatures.” Carson is even more positive, listing my story as one of her favorites and claiming, “I had to remind myself to breathe reading this one.”

Christmas is almost here, everybody. So if you’re still trying to find that last-minute gift, follow the advice of these reviewers and grab yourself a copy today. Anybody out there who are already fans, don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Thanks for reading!

Join me and Todd Keisling for Story Hour tomorrow night

Back in 2020 (wasn’t that like, three months ago? or fifteen years ago?), Daniel Marcus and Laura Blackwell began Story Hour, a weekly live video of speculative fiction authors reading their own stories. Turns out stories are important and fun even after we’re no longer shut indoors all day, and the hosts been continuing their show ever since.

This Wednesday (uh—is that tomorrow already?) I’ll be teaming up with Todd Keisling, author of Devil’s Creek, Cold, Black, & Infinite, and my personal favorite The Final Reconciliation, to unleash unspeakable doom and madness upon Story Hour’s ill-fated listeners—er, bring comfort and entertainment to our friends…

The Story Hour hosts are riding that rad west coast vibe, so hit up the Story Hour website (https://www.storyhour2020.com) at 7:00 PST tomorrow night—that’s 10:00 p.m. eastern, way past my bedtime—that’s how much I love y’all! There will be a link on their home page to the Facebook Live and Zoom video feeds. If you miss it, or even if you don’t, they record all of these readings. Check out their growing archive of author readings on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100039975042631&sk=videos.

Stay up late with us tomorrow night! We’ll keep you awake

the WV Book Festival is this Saturday

Get ready Charleston, it’s one of the best weekends of the year—the West Virginia Book Festival! This Saturday (Oct 21), from 8:00 am to 6:oo pm, come meet WV authors (including me) for a day of book-buying, presentations, and hearing from the headline featured authors. It’s free to attend. As usual, I’ll be there, selling my books and some new mugs. So make some space on your calendar this Saturday for the West Virginia Book Festival, held at the Charleston Coliseum. For more information, go to wvbookfestival.org.