Silas and Emma have settled into a quiet retirement in High Point, West Virginia. There’s nothing so peaceful as a September sunset painting the pines that edge their field. From this magic twilight emerges the Yellow Carousel, as if planted and grown just for Silas. Why shouldn’t he climb its sunflower petals and mount its undulating deer?
Join Silas’s and Emma’s encounter in my new short story “The Yellow Carousel,” out now in CHM Magazine #35.
Another one of my stories gets new life breathed into it—listen now to the audio podcast production of “The Station Agent’s Wife, 1927” by our good friends at Tales to Terrify! My story is read by Danielle Hewitt, who also did a great job reading my other story “She Will Come to Brood” for Creepy.
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It won’t be my first time at the West Virginia Writers Conference, but it will be my first time with a “Presenter” badge. Click on the poster image above to see a more detailed list of workshops.
Continue readingIn February 2021, “AV_NEST.CASEFILE” appeared in the horror/dark fantasy anthology, Dim Shores Presents Vol. 2. I’m pleased to say that it’s now been released as a podcast episode on Creepy! The wise folks at Creepy suggested the title “AV_NEST.CASEFILE” might be a little awkward when read aloud (and maybe a little awkward read silently), and it now is named “She Will Come to Brood”.
The truth is, I’m late to my own party here; this episode came out about a month ago. February is busy, okay? I miss stuff. But you shouldn’t miss this. It’s got creepy birds, giant eggs, and an eighty-foot nest.
Click the image above to be brought to the episode on their website, or find it on any of your favorite podcast apps, like Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. Don’t forget to leave a review if possible.
Every New Year’s Dayish I review the previous year and make new goals. Last year I posted a stock photo of a silly sheep, as well. No ewe this year.
2022 had a lot going on. Job changes, moving, first-time homeownership—all this, to say nothing of writing-related goals. But we’re here to say something of the writing-related goals. So let’s get to it. What were my 2022 goals?
Finish Gobbler of Fire —Yes, though not nearly as early as I planned.
Write another adult novel —Not even close.
Write another short story or two — Yes, and it is… interesting.
The Saturday Evening Post has rounded up their Most Popular of 2022 in various categories. Last night I was surprised and happy to see that “We Suckle” snuck into their top ten short stories!
(Can’t figure out why my screenshots are turning out with such poor resolution, sorry)
Thanks to everyone who read and shared this story. It is only because of you that it made this list. If you haven’t read it yet, find it here: https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2022/10/we-suckle/
🔥🔥🔥
#thesaturdayeveningpost #topten #top10 #horrorauthor #horrorwriter #wesuckle #weirdhorror #shortstories #shorthorror #augustusvalley
Merry Christmas from me, Emily, and Poe. We wish peace and joy on you.
For a child will be born for us,
Isaiah 9:6 (CSB)
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on onepurpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
who, existing in the form of God,
Philippians 2:2–11 (CSB)
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.
Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Every horror writer hopes for their story to be selected for one of Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year anthologies. While I still haven’t achieved that honor, her recently posted long list of works considered for volume 14 contains several stories from Dim Shores Presents Volume 2, including my own “AV_NEST.CASEFILE”. I’m very proud to be listed alongside many other talented friends and colleagues. Ellen Datlow is a legend. Check out her list at https://ellendatlow.com/category/news/.
(In case you missed this one, buy a copy of Dim Shores Presents Volume 2 to read it yourself!)
I’m a horror author, so by default I have to love Halloween. But even if I didn’t write spooky stuff, I’m pretty sure I’d still like the holiday. In fact, this Halloween is super special to me, since it is Emily’s and my first one in Elkins. Below are some updates on what we’ve been doing this spooky season!
Continue readingSaturday, October 22nd (tomorrow), I’m going to be in Durbin, WV, doing a Meet & Greet at the Durbin Community Library! Come on by at 2:00 pm and let’s hang out. I’ll have copies of Unknowing, I Sink to sell and sign. I haven’t been able to get restocked on my other books, though, having sold out of all my copies recently at the West Virginia Library Association Fall Conference. If you already own any of my books that need signing, by all means bring them by.
Sorry for the late notice—I sort of lost track of which week it was. What happened to October? This is the best month, and for some reason this year it seems awfully short.
I hope to see you there!
