My Picks for the Top 10 Books of 2009!

Here's my list of my favorite books of 2009, in order:
1. Bestial-Ray Garton
2. Urban Gothic-Brian Keene
3. Wolf's Gambit-W.D. Gagliani
4. Heavy Metal Horror (anthology)
5. Vermin (anthology)
6. Bonded by Blood 2 (anthology)
7. Under the Dome-Stephen King
8. Relentless-Dean Koontz
9. Breeding Ground-Sarah Pinborough
10. The Bone Factory-Nate Kenyon

What are yours?

My story, "The Interloper," comes out in Bonded by Blood 2 on Friday the 18th!

Remember my publication that won me story of the month in SNM Horror? No? Good, 'cause it's out in the new anthology Bonded by Blood 2! Here's the link: https://www.createspace.com/3417084

Enjoy this tale of insanity!

My vampire piece, "FREAKS," just came out in Downstate Story!

This one is huge: my vampire story, "FREAKS," just came out in the new Downstate Story (http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfgeh/dss)! Not only did I get paid fifty dollars for the piece, I also got another twenty-five for illustrating the story with a pencil sketch, which is a first. I've already been interviewed and I understand I'll be doing live readings and be on television. ROCK FUCKING ON.

And don't worry, real horror fans/authors, I came at the vamps in an original way and it's gory.

Success (despite myself)!

I'm flying high on all the success I've been having as a writer the last 3/4th of the year, and this from someone who was ready to quit after writing for 1/&1/2 years to no avail! I've had ten publications in ten months, the Vermin and Heavy Metal Horror anthologies were reviewed by the San Diego Examiner and I just had my second interview with my home-town paper: The Peoria Journal Star, for my newest publication in Downstate Story. So here's the lesson to all struggling new writers (make sure you have talent though; I had a novella published in 2001): don't give up!

John Skipp and Craig Spector

Can't believe it took me so long to discover these guys. I just read The Cleanup by John Skipp and Craig Spector, and it was fantastic. Funny story: I got the paperback from the bookshelf downstairs in my apartment building when I moved it and finally finished it last night. If you don't know who they are, you need to check them out. I don't think I've ever read anything like The Cleanup before. It's a wild ride of epic proportions (I won't ruin it with a spoiler). In a way, I guess I did check them out a bit. I saw Fright Night in the eighties, the first good vampire film, in my opinion. I just don't think they had the technology to make a decent vamp flick before that. Of course the vamp film was perfected with Bram Stoker's Dracula, which Skipp and Spector had nothing to do with, but they definitely set the stage. John's writing with a different partner now, but I'm definitely buying all of Skipp's books, no matter whom he writes with.

Twilight

I've been knocking Twilight for some time (and now am knocking the werewolves that look like German Shepherds in New Moon) because it's trendy and stars pretty boys and dumb Bella Swan, thinking a vamp is a boyfriend. Goddamn it, you're they're food, not a girlfriend!

Anyway, I wanted to know what I was talking about, so I began to read the dreaded first novel in the saga. It's worse than I even thought it would be. The biggest overuse of the weak, to-be verb "was" that I'd ever seen followed by a boring story line had me yawning and shaking my head. It didn't hold my interest and I couldn't get past page five. Isn't Stephanie Meyer in a critique group? The first thing I learned in a crit group: avoid weak, to-be verbs as much as possible and go with active verbs instead.

I'd say it's young adult and impresses kids, but I know kids that think it's retarded. Well, at least now I know what I'm talking about when I say Twilight fucking sucks!

Like I said, I want to know what I'm talking about. Coming in the mail soon, the movie version of Twilight from Nextflix. Oh, the humanity!

Edward Woodward, star of The Wicker Man, dies.

The passing of Edward Woodward saddens me, the actor who played the uptight Christian copper in the good version of The Wicker Man (1973). He was mostly known for his non-horror roles and a string of solo albums where he performed the vocals. Wicker is one of my favorite horror movies ever, and his reactions to the insane Wiccans planning to sacrifice him to the god and goddess were excellent, the acting superb, believable, flawless--the man had me spellbound as I watched the flick ten times. Sad to lose anyone who made such a rich contribution to the horror genre. I can only hope that when Christopher Lee dies, the news shows him the same amount of respect, an actor much more active in the horror genre with his string of Hammer films where he played Count Dracula.

Friday the 13th

I guess I'm supposed to feel that it's going to be a bad day because it's Friday the 13th, but I don't. My dad always said while I was growing up that it could be a lucky day. I believe it. I got up early and got a lot accomplished on my computer that has hardly any memory. Most of the other days this week, the damn thing wouldn't work in the morning. (I'm switching to a better computer next month.)

Then again, I don't believe in superstitous bullshit.

And hey, the date works for horror! So it's all good.

How is horror faring?

It's looking well on the horror front as far as movies: Paranormal Activity bypassed Blair Witch as the biggest blockbuster of all time; I just saw Orphan and 666: the Child and they were both awesome. So how are we doing book-wise? Who's faring well, just King and Koontz (both of whom I love)? Well, it depends on how you look at it. Although I'm going the agent and big six publisher route when I finish my novel, when I sit down to read a horror novel, I'm just looking for something good, whether it's on a big house or not. Sarah Pinborough's Feeding Ground shreds, as does the new Brian Keene novel, Urban Gothic. In fact, the Leisure releases hardly have any shabby novels lately. I'm getting ready to buy Under the Dome by Stephen King, and his latest short story collection, Just After Sunset, was killer. Odd Hours by Dean Koontz had me spellbound. I'm getting ready to buy Death Metal by Armand: can't freaking wait for that one! And my story, "The Unwelcome Visitors," just kicked off in the Vermin anthology (rymfireebooks.com/vermin.html)!

Rock on!

What Halloween Means to Me

As a witch, Halloween used to mean that I'd dress up like my pet, mimic her actions and get drunk on strawberry wine, making her my familiar. Halloween was also one of the eight major sabbats, where I'd bust out my guitar and growl praises to the devil, also while drinking strawberry wine. Now, as an ex-witch, it means putting on a costume and trick-or-treating with the kids in my neighborhood who love my crazy Jason Vorhess getup, then gorging on the candy. It also means a night to watch a shit-ton of horror movies.

Interestingly enough, the movie Halloween (where Rob Zombie not only remade it but re-slammed it), which I recently watched again, is about Michael Meyers returning from the dead and killing everyone in sight. This goes along with my former witch teaching that the veil between the living and the dead is thin on Halloween; therefore, Michael just steps right through it.

With my ex-wife, Halloween meant holding a seance and conjuring up a ghost of the previous apartment renter who'd hung himself--a true poltergiest if I've ever heard one.

Now, it's just a fun time of the year which I'd BETTER celebrate as a horror author. So get out there and have some fun! Whether it's Samhain, or just a fun holiday, it's an excuse to PARTY.

The Vermin anthology!

My short story, "The Unwelcome Visitors," was published in the Vermin anthology! And here's the best part: it's only $2.99! Follow this link to get it: http://rymfireebooks.com/vermin.html.

The tiny legs are coming to get you!

2009 Muse Conference

The 2009 Muse Online Writer's Conference was a wonderful opportunity where I learned a lot about the writing and publishing industry, plus making many new horror friends! This was my second year and it keeps getting better each time. It was an awesome experience, and it's free! Come learn about what you thought you knew about being an author at the 2010 conference. Just go to http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/ in September and register. You'll be glad you did. It's a week-long blast!

Anti-My Space people

I've run into people lately--other writers--that look down on authors that have My Space Web sites. I say, "It's a blog and Web site in one: real easy." They say My Space isn't as "it" as it used to be, or that Lolitas will be bothering me. Well, I'm not afraid of kids, but I've never had an underage girl bug me on My Space.

First of all, I'm into thrash and death metal. I don't give a fuck what's trendy.

Second, a writer should take every opportunity to network and build an author platform. Am I on the other sites the naysayers are talking about? Sure! I'm on Wordpress, Blogger, Facebook, Goodreads, Ning, Twitter, DFG, Critters, My Writer's Circle--you name it, I'm on it. If I've forgotten something, someone please tell me because I want to get all the fans I can garner. That's the deal: the race is on to see who can get the most fans to read your novel (and I'm in the process of finishing up book number one if anybody's wondering). So if you pick out certain Web sites that are to your liking and discard the others, you're missing out on all the fans you could be getting in those other places.

Me thinks some people are chatting too much and perhaps not reading and networking enough.

Urban Gothic by Brian Keene

I was very impressed with Brian Keene's new novel, Urban Gothic. Before, I thought he was just a good author, but he's crossed over into great by offering up mind-blowing horror that I didn't see coming or imagine in my wildest nightmare! I highly recommend this novel from Leisure Horror.