I haven’t done one of these in a while. Life gets in the way and you never know when some kind soul will post a review. Delighted with those that have appeared recently.
Rosenberg’s tongue-in-cheek approach charms, creating an endearing, hirsute hero. Readers are sure to be entertained.
“Readers should add Even in the Grave and Other Terrors to their bookshelves next to copies of Lovecraft’s tales and Victorian authors’ macabre stories. […] Readers will enjoy both anthologies’ bloodcurdling, thrilling tales — stories that will make them lock their doors and check underneath their beds before drifting off to sleep.”
“A wild, steampunky adventure with laugh-out-loud moments and a perfect set of heroines. Hold on and enjoy the ride!”
Gregory Frost, author of Rhymer and Shadowbridge
“A rollicking steampunky romp through post-Revolution France. Most delectable!”
Tiffany Trent, author of The Unnaturalists
“A meticulously-built world awaits readers in this delightful steampunk mystery.”
A.C. Wise, author of Wendy, Darling and Hooked
“A truly delicious story. Deal confidently establishes her world and characters with small historical details and revealing turns of phrase, and leads you through the story’s twists to a satisfying end. *Chef’s kiss!*”
Miriam Seidel, author of The Speed of Clouds.
“A fun steampunk adventure that fans of Indiana Jones are sure to love.”
John L. French, award-winning author
“I loved this book! I love the idea of cryptids being so aware, so available and they make for exciting adventures and stories.”
Do you like free books? I guess I already know the answer that one…
Do you have a NetGalley account? If so, great! If no, they are free to sign up for and once you have one, you can request all kinds of book to review, some of them before they’ve even released! From large publishing houses and small. Here’s a link to NetGalley in case you want to sign up.
Things are still in transition with the SFWA NetGalley management, but fortunately, I always schedule my titles out months in advance and the previous person managing the SFWA NetGalley account had already set up our titles for the year. Since October’s titles weren’t sorted out until mid-month, those two are still available through November 11th. And for November we are adding James Chambers’ Vox Astra: The Black Box, a collection of his transformative science fiction stories. You can read more about all three books below. Once you do, we hope you will click the links below to head over to NetGalley and request them.
The Stars Will Sing Our Songs Long After We Are Gone…
…but who will remain to listen? Who will hear their sagas of conflict and discovery, their hymns of honor in the face of political intrigue, their ballads of tough calls made against the opposition of friends and enemies alike?
Open your ears to these unyielding revelations which sing of humanity’s place in the cosmos among distant worlds, of beings that exist outside our reality, and of shocking futures. Listen to their tales. Sometimes there are no good choices only hard calls. Though humanity may one day vanish, the stars forget nothing. We can only hope Vox Astra will be kind when they tell of us.
“In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost.” –Edgar Allan Poe
Wandering souls! Restless spirits! The vengeful dead! Those who die with unfinished business haunt the living and make their presence known from the world beyond:
A scientist’s invention opens a window onto a terrible afterlife.
A New York City apartment holds the secrets of the dead.
A grandmother sends text messages from the grave.
A samurai returns to his devastated home for a final showdown with his past.
A forgotten TV game show haunts a man with a dark secret.
A tapping from behind classroom walls leads to a horrible discovery.
The specter of a prehistoric beast returns to a modern-day ranch.
And the one seeing eye knows all—including what you did.
Haunted from the other side, these stories roam from modern cities to the shadowed moors to feudal Japan to the jungles of Central America, each providing a spine-chilling glimpse into the shadows not even death can restrain.
Do you dare open these pages and peer into the darkness they reveal?
Stories by Marc L. Abbott, Meghan Arcuri, Oliver Baer, Alp Beck, Allan Burd, John P. Collins, Randee Dawn, Trevor Firetog, Caroline Flarity, Patrick Freivald, Teel James Glenn, Amy Grech, April Grey, Jonathan Lees, Gordon Linzner, Robert Masterson, Robert P. Ottone, Rick Poldark, Lou Rera, and Steven Van Patten.
One cold December night, sixteen-year-old Abby Lowell and her foster sister are rescued by a mysterious and deadly figure in rags and a large hood. Abby never learns his name and never sees his face, but he’s obviously good with that black-bladed knife of his, very good.
Abby dubs him “Rags.”
But Rags isn’t done, not by a long shot. With her foster family under threat from the ruthless Bernards, who are determined to tear down their dilapidated hotel in favor of yet another casino, Abby finds herself in desperate need of a defender. A part of her is relieved when Rags returns to protect her again. And again. And again.
Now, with an army of thugs and a terrifying Voodoo witch hunting her, Abby must not only understand the dark truth behind Rags. She must accept that truth, frightening as it is, before it’s too late.
Do you like free books? I guess I already know the answer that one…
Do you have a NetGalley account? If so, great! If no, they are free to sign up for and once you have one, you can request all kinds of book to review, some of them before they’ve even released! From large publishing houses and small. Here’s a link to NetGalley in case you want to sign up.
So, normally I would be making this post at the beginning of the month, but for reasons, that didn’t happen. Our October listings only went live on NetGalley today, and deep thanks to those who made that possible because this clearly is the most ideal month for the following offerings. The first is Even in the Grave, a ghost anthology featuring many of the members of the New York chapter of the Horror Writers Association; and the second is Rags by Ty Drago, a brilliant bit of nostalgia steeped in stark terror. You can read more about both books below. Once you do, we hope you will click the links below to head over to NetGalley and request them.
“In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost.” –Edgar Allan Poe
Wandering souls! Restless spirits! The vengeful dead! Those who die with unfinished business haunt the living and make their presence known from the world beyond:
A scientist’s invention opens a window onto a terrible afterlife.
A New York City apartment holds the secrets of the dead.
A grandmother sends text messages from the grave.
A samurai returns to his devastated home for a final showdown with his past.
A forgotten TV game show haunts a man with a dark secret.
A tapping from behind classroom walls leads to a horrible discovery.
The specter of a prehistoric beast returns to a modern-day ranch.
And the one seeing eye knows all—including what you did.
Haunted from the other side, these stories roam from modern cities to the shadowed moors to feudal Japan to the jungles of Central America, each providing a spine-chilling glimpse into the shadows not even death can restrain.
Do you dare open these pages and peer into the darkness they reveal?
Stories by Marc L. Abbott, Meghan Arcuri, Oliver Baer, Alp Beck, Allan Burd, John P. Collins, Randee Dawn, Trevor Firetog, Caroline Flarity, Patrick Freivald, Teel James Glenn, Amy Grech, April Grey, Jonathan Lees, Gordon Linzner, Robert Masterson, Robert P. Ottone, Rick Poldark, Lou Rera, and Steven Van Patten.
One cold December night, sixteen-year-old Abby Lowell and her foster sister are rescued by a mysterious and deadly figure in rags and a large hood. Abby never learns his name and never sees his face, but he’s obviously good with that black-bladed knife of his, very good.
Abby dubs him “Rags.”
But Rags isn’t done, not by a long shot. With her foster family under threat from the ruthless Bernards, who are determined to tear down their dilapidated hotel in favor of yet another casino, Abby finds herself in desperate need of a defender. A part of her is relieved when Rags returns to protect her again. And again. And again.
Now, with an army of thugs and a terrifying Voodoo witch hunting her, Abby must not only understand the dark truth behind Rags. She must accept that truth, frightening as it is, before it’s too late.
I am still playing catch-up, so please forgive the mass posting. We’ve had a number of authors featured on other blogs for guest posts or interviews. Here are the recent ones.
It has been a while. I’m sure I’ve missed a few titles with the chaos life has been. I will try to keep up to date going forward. We have a few titles releasing this month. Two of them are through our NeoParadoxa imprint, and one is under our main eSpec Books imprint. We hope you’ll check them out!
“In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost.” –Edgar Allan Poe
Wandering souls! Restless spirits! The vengeful dead! Those who die with unfinished business haunt the living and make their presence known from the world beyond:
A scientist’s invention opens a window onto a terrible afterlife.
A New York City apartment holds the secrets of the dead.
A grandmother sends text messages from the grave.
A samurai returns to his devastated home for a final showdown with hispast.
A forgotten TV game show haunts a man with a dark secret.
A tapping from behind classroom walls leads to a horrible discovery.
The specter of a prehistoric beast returns to a modern-day ranch. And the one seeing eye knows all—including what you did.
Haunted from the other side, these stories roam from modern cities to the shadowed moors to feudal Japan to the jungles of Central America, each providing a spine-chilling glimpse into the shadows not even death can restrain.
Do you dare open these pages and peer into the darkness they reveal?
Stories by Marc L. Abbott, Meghan Arcuri, Oliver Baer, Alp Beck, Allan Burd, John P. Collins, Randee Dawn, Trevor Firetog, Caroline Flarity, Patrick Freivald, Teel James Glenn, Amy Grech, April Grey, Jonathan Lees, Gordon Linzner, Robert Masterson, Robert P. Ottone, Rick Poldark, Lou Rera, and Steven Van Patten.
The Stars Will Sing Our Songs Long After We Are Gone…
…but who will remain to listen? Who will hear the stories they tell of the wisdom of species dying to protect worlds against a cosmic threat, to witness the crisis of warriors faced with unconscionable acts and soldiers determined to cling to hope amidst violence and despair?
Open your ears to these tales of heroes both fantastic and ordinary, who travel among the planets or dwell deep in the canyons of city streets. Hear the voices of the stars as they speak of lost loves, long-slumbering guardians, brutal conflicts, wars beyond time, and the powerful ties that hold people together in the face of violence. Though humanity may one day vanish, the stars forget nothing. We can only hope they will be kind when they tell our stories.
Sorry for the delay in sharing these officially, I was putting in a lot of hours at work.
We are very much looking forward to seeing those of you who will also be at Heliosphere in Piscataway, NJ this weekend. This is our first forey back into in-person events and we couldn’t be more excited! Please do look us up either in the dealer’s room or at one of the following panels if you don’t spy us kicking around the con. We can’t wait to reconnect!
To note the highlights of the weekend, I will have a reading on Saturday at 3:15pm in the library, which I am sharing with David Walton. And in a slightly less recognizable form than pre-‘Rona, we will be holding an eSpec Book Launch with many authors in attendance, including Amy Grech, Gordon Linzner, Teel James Glenn, Robert Ottone, John P. Collins, Jonathan Lees, Marc Abbott, Christopher J. Burke, Hildy Silverman, and Keith R.A. DeCandido, celebrating all the orphan books that grew up in isolation, most particularly Even In The Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, and Devilish & Divine, edited by John L. French and Danielle Ackley-McPhail.
Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Friday 5:15 pm-6:20 pm Salon A/B (Dealers) Books-n-Brews: Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Bjorn Hasseler (you are welcome to have your own table or join forces, if the two of you wish)
Saturday 2:00 pm-3:05 pm Salon C Villains and Dark Stories
Saturday 3:15 pm-4:20 pm Library Readings with Danielle Ackley-McPhail and David Walton
Saturday 8:00 pm-9:59 pm Salon C
Espec Book Launch / EVEN IN THE GRAVE anthology group reading
Saturday 10:00 pm-10:59 pm Salon C The Care And Feeding of Psychological Horror
Sunday 1:00 pm-2:10 pm Salon D Build-a-Book Workshop
Mike McPhail
Saturday 11:30 am-12:45 pm Salon A/B
Books-n-Brews: Alex Shvartsman and Mike McPhail (You are welcome to have your own table, or join forces if both of you would like that.)
Saturday 8:00 pm-9:59 pm Salon C Espec Book Launch / EVEN IN THE GRAVE anthology group reading
Sunday 10:00 am-11:15 am Salon CJudging a book by its cover
Sunday 2:20 pm-3:30 pm Salon C The Relationship between Sci-Fi and Occult / Speculative Interests
Seems like only yesterday we concluded our funding for this book…
Okay, a week ago, but thanks to a lot of hard work and dedicated hours by those involved in producing Even in the Grave we are just days away from going to press. Crossing our fingers and petitioning our lucky spirits that we can have books in time for Heliosphere (March 25-27), which is in just :::gulp::: eighteen days! Our plan is to launch the book at the convention, Saturday from 8pm to 10pm (see the program book for location). If you are attending, we hope to see you there to celebrate this monumental effort — see what I did there? LOL
Anyway, enough nattering. I give you the most amazing cover for Even in the Grave, art and design by the esteemed Lynne Hansen.
“In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost.” –Edgar Allan Poe
Wandering souls! Restless spirits! The vengeful dead! Those who die with unfinished business haunt the living and make their presence known from the world beyond:
A scientist’s invention opens a window onto a terrible afterlife.
A New York City apartment holds the secrets of the dead.
A grandmother sends text messages from the grave.
A samurai returns to his devastated home for a final showdown with his past.
A forgotten TV game show haunts a man with a dark secret.
A tapping from behind classroom walls leads to a horrible discovery.
The specter of a prehistoric beast returns to a modern-day ranch.
And the one seeing eye knows all—including what you did.
Haunted from the other side, these stories roam from modern cities to the shadowed moors to feudal Japan to the jungles of Central America, each providing a spine-chilling glimpse into the shadows not even death can restrain.
Do you dare open these pages and peer into the darkness they reveal?
Stories by Marc L. Abbott, Meghan Arcuri, Oliver Baer, Alp Beck, Allan Burd, John P. Collins, Randee Dawn, Trevor Firetog, Caroline Flarity, Patrick Freivald, Teel James Glenn, Amy Grech, April Grey, Jonathan Lees, Gordon Linzner, Robert Masterson, Robert P. Ottone, Rick Poldark, Lou Rera, and Steven Van Patten.
Once again, there are going to be a lot of videos in this one. Many, but not all, are from the #GhostsAndGhoulsAndOtherCreepyThings campaign, which ended on the third, but these books can also be pre-ordered from the eSpec store.
Because most of these are from the anthology Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, I’m going to put the book description here, rather than repeat it with each video:
“In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost.” –Edgar Allan Poe
Wandering souls! Restless spirits! The vengeful dead! Those who die with unfinished business haunt the living and make their presence known from the world beyond:
A scientist’s invention opens a window onto a terrible afterlife. *A New York City apartment holds the secrets of the dead.
A grandmother sends text messages from the grave. *A samurai returns to his devastated home for a final showdown with his past.
A forgotten TV game show haunts a man with a dark secret.
A tapping from behind classroom walls leads to a horrible discovery.
The specter of a prehistoric beast returns to a modern-day ranch.
And the one seeing eye knows all—including what you did.
Haunted from the other side, these stories roam from modern cities to the shadowed moors to feudal Japan to the jungles of Central America, each providing a spine-chilling glimpse into the shadows not even death can restrain. Do you dare open these pages and peer into the darkness they reveal?
Stories by Marc L. Abbott, Meghan Arcuri, Oliver Baer, Alp Beck, Allan Burd, John P. Collins, Randee Dawn, Trevor Firetog, Caroline Flarity, Patrick Freivald, Teel James Glenn, Amy Grech, April Grey, Jonathan Lees, Gordon Linzner, Robert Masterson, Robert P. Ottone, Rick Poldark, Lou Rera, and Steven Van Patten.
Hope you enjoy!
The eSpec Books Author Reading Series
Lou Rera reading an excerpt from “The Spectacles” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, available for pre-order on the eSpec store.
About the Author
Lou Rera writes horror, supernatural crime and subjects that delve into the darker side of humanity. He is the author of SIGN, a supernatural thriller of deception and murder. His collection titled, AWAKE: Tales of Terror, features 13 stories of horror, supernatural crime, and murder. He is a professional designer, media producer, writer, and musician. He is an experienced music producer, working in studios in Western New York and Los Angeles.
He is a member of the Horror Writers Association, New York Chapter, Just Buffalo Literary Center, and IMDB. His short stories have appeared in the Canadian anthologies, Group Hex Vol 1, and Vol 2. His collection of flash fiction: There are no doors on a cocoon, is a caustic look at the seedier side of existence. His flash fiction has won awards in Art Voice Magazine. His flash fiction and short story work have been published in Queen City Flash, The Writer’s Eye, Twisted Dreams and The Flash Fiction Magazine. Lou writes occasional reviews for Horror Novel Reviews.
Lou holds an M.A.H. in Information Design from the University at Buffalo. He lives in New York State with his wife MaryRuth, a personal chef, and their wire-hair fox terrier.
Robert P. Ottone reading an excerpt from “After Trevor Vanished” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, available for pre-order on the eSpec store.
About the Author
Robert P. Ottone is an author, teacher, and cigar enthusiast from East Islip, NY. He delights in the creepy. He can be found online at SpookyHousePress.com, or on Twitter & Instagram (@RobertOttone). His collections Her Infernal Name & Other Nightmares and People: A Horror Anthology about Love, Loss, Life & Things That Go Bump in the Night are available now wherever books are sold.
Oliver Baer reading an excerpt from “Insubstantials” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, available for pre-order on the eSpec store.
About the Author
Oliver Baer was the editor of Cthulhu Sex Magazine and Two Backed Books. His epistolary novel, Letters to the Editor of Cthulhu Sex Magazine, was published in October 2019. His short stories have appeared in April Grey’s anthologies as well as others. His essays have been on blogs as well as books. His poetry has appeared in Goodreads Best Poems 2020, Paper Teller Diorama, Hell’s Mall: Sinister Shops, Cursed Items, and Maddening Crowds, Birds Fall Silent in the Mechanical Sea, Cthulhu Sex Magazine, Horror Between the Sheets, Horror Writers Association Poetry Showcase Vol. II and other publications. His book of poetry and photographs, Baer Soul, came out in 2011. His CD of poetry set to music, Gathering Souls, which came out in 2013, spawned the show A Conclave of Baer. The band Lucky Witch and the Righteous Ghost, released an EP, Dreams in the Witch House, that is inspired both by HP Lovecraft and his poems. He has appeared as an indescribable horror from the depths, sometimes with a lightsaber, and his likeness has appeared on tv and film while his voice has been heard on internet radio as well as a podcast or two. There have also been various artistic renditions created of him. He is visible using the virtual spectrum of social media by following him on Twitter https://twitter.com/obaer and/or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/obaer3 Much of his work can be found at http://tentacularity.wordpress.com.
Michelle D. Sonnier reading an excerpt from her story “As Ye See, So Shall Ye Find” from Devilish & Divine, edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and John L. French.
Hell Bound or Heaven Sent?
Some of us will never know until it’s too late.
From an infernal fiend reduced to baking cookies to distract a small child, to a pastor’s kid rescued from a fall from grace by an unlikely pair, and every iteration in between, Devilish & Divine explores the spectrum of mankind’s encounters with beings of power beyond our comprehension.
Are you ready to explore otherworldly hosts—both heavenly and otherwise? With stories by James Chambers, John L. French, Robert E. Waters, Jenifer Purcell Rosenberg, Christopher J. Burke, Michelle D. Sonnier, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Russ Colchamiro, Michael A. Black, Patrick Thomas, Hildy Silverman, and John G. Hartness
About the Author
Michelle D. Sonnier writes dark urban fantasy, steampunk, and anything else that lets her combine the weird and the fantastic in unexpected ways. She even writes horror, although it took her a long time to admit that since she prefers the existential scare over blood and gore. She is the author of The Clockwork Witch and Death’s Embrace and has published short stories in a variety of print and online venues. You can find her on Facebook (Michelle D. Sonnier, The Writer). She lives in Maryland with her husband, son, and a variable number of cats.
James Chambers reading an excerpt from his novella The Eyes of the Dead, volume 4 of his celebrated Corpse Fauna series, which can be pre-ordered on the eSpec store.
About the Author
James Chambers is an award-winning author of horror, crime, fantasy, and science fiction. He wrote the Bram Stoker Award®-winning graphic novel, Kolchak the Night Stalker: The Forgotten Lore of Edgar Allan Poe. Publisher’s Weekly described The Engines of Sacrifice, his collection of four Lovecraftian-inspired novellas published by Dark Regions Press as “…chillingly evocative…” in a starred review. His story, “A Song Left Behind in the Aztakea Hills,” was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award.
He has authored the short story collection Resurrection House and several novellas, including The Dead Bear Witness and Tears of Blood, in the Corpse Fauna novella series. He also wrote the illustrated story collection, The Midnight Hour: Saint Lawn Hill and Other Tales, created in collaboration with artist Jason Whitley.
His short stories have been published in the anthologies The Avenger: Roaring Heart of the Crucible, Bad-Ass Faeries, Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad, Bad-Ass Faeries 3: In All Their Glory, Bad Cop No Donut, The Best of Bad-Ass Faeries, The Best of Defending the Future, Breach the Hull, By Other Means, Chiral Mad 2, Chiral Mad 4, Dance Like A Monkey, Dark Hallows II: Tales from the Witching Hour, Deep Cuts, The Domino Lady: Sex as a Weapon, Dragon’s Lure, Fantastic Futures 13, Gaslight and Grimm, The Green Hornet Chronicles, Hardboiled Cthulhu, Hear Them Roar, In An Iron Cage, Kolchak the Night Stalker: Passages of the Macabre, Man and Machine, Mermaids 13, No Longer Dreams, Qualia Nous, Shadows Over Main Street (1 and 2), The Side of Good/The Side of Evil, The Society for the Preservation of CJ Henderson, So It Begins, The Spider: Extreme Prejudice, To Hell in a Fast Car, Truth or Dare, TV Gods, Walrus Tales, Weird Trails, and With Great Power; the chapbook Mooncat Jack; and the magazines Bare Bone, Cthulhu Sex, and Allen K’s Inhuman. He has also written numerous comic books including Leonard Nimoy’s Primortals, the critically acclaimed “The Revenant” in Shadow House, The Midnight Hour with Jason Whitley, and the award-winning original graphic novel, Kolchak the Night Stalker: The Forgotten Lore of Edgar Allan Poe.
He is a member and trustee of the Horror Writers Association, and recipient of the 2012 Richard Laymon Award and the 2016 Silver Hammer Award. He lives in New York. Visit his website: http://www.jameschambersonline.com.
The eSpec Guest Author Reading Series
Gordon Linzner reads an excerpt of his flash fiction “St. Ives Surprise”, from the anthology Lost Lore and Legend, edited by David Green.
About the Author
Gordon Linzner is the founder and former editor of Space and Time Magazine, as well as the author of three published novels (The Troupe, The Oni, and The Spy Who Drank Blood) and dozens of short stories in F&SF, Twilight Zone, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and numerous other magazines and anthologies, most recently Corporate Cthulhu, Baker Street Irregulars II, Release the Virgins! and the forthcoming The Mountains of Madness Revealed. He is a lifetime member of SFWA, a licensed New York City tour guide and lifelong resident of that city, edits, cat-sits, and leads the Saboteur Tiger Blues Band, among other distractions.
These interviews are related to our GHOST AND GHOULS AND OTHER CREEPY THINGS campaign. For those just joining us, we are crowdfunding three projects on Kickstarter and also taking some time to introduce you to our participating authors, some of whom are new to eSpec. The campaign is in its final hours! Check it out to see how we’re doing, and how many amazing bonus rewards we’ve racked up!
eSpec Books interviews Gordon Linzner, contributor to Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander.
eSB: Even in the Grave is a collection of ghost stories, without spoilers, is your story a part of a greater universe stemming from other stories you have written, or does it stand alone? Whichever your answer, can you tell us about what makes that universe unique?
GL: This story is one of several I set in ancient Japan, all of which are stand alone, but of course they do share a common folklore, one which I found fascinating. Every culture has its ghosts and demons, but in the lore of this island nation in particular they felt to me more intrinsic than, for example, in that of the western world.
eSB: Okay, first, off the top of your head, who is your favorite ghost and why?
GL: My favorite fictional ghosts vary depending on my mood and what I’ve read (or watched) most recently. I greatly enjoy most of the spirits, particularly the scout leader, in the original British version of “Ghosts” – the U.S. version is okay, but not as good. As for real ghosts…one of my side jobs involves giving ghost tours here in New York, and much of the appeal of those spirits depends greatly on their back story. One of my favorite stories involves an unreal ghost, that is, not the spirit of a dead person but one created by a mind obsessed with a certain character. There’s a house on Gay Street in Greenwich Village said to be haunted by a figure in formal dress and a cloak which a pulp writer who lived there in the 1940s claimed he created with his mind, being so invested in the character. That writer was Walter Gibson, and it was in that building that he wrote his final adventure of The Shadow…the mysterious figure who haunted the place for years afterward.
eSB: Do you believe in ghosts, and why? Is there an experience in your life you can share with us that strengthened that belief?
GL: Despite a few eerie experiences, and as mentioned leading the occasional ghost tour here in New York, I am not a firm believer in ghosts. Rather, I think what we perceive as the dead returning as things we interpret as such simply because we don’t have a real-world explanation, and therefore are interpreting as best we can (sometimes even if we don’t believe our own idea). That said, I can’t resist mentioning the time, over a decade ago, when a group of us (including the late Lisa Manetti) decided to extend our NeCon weekend at the Lizzie Borden house. Some of us were more aware of paranormal activity than others; I, for instance, only realized the next morning we may have been re-enacting some events from more than a century earlier. Without the bloodshed, of course.
eSB: Other than horror, what genres do you write in? Tell us something about your other works and what makes those genres different from writing horror.
GL: I actually started out doing more sword & sorcery than horror. That genre also has its share of horrific elements but allowed me much more flexibility in world-building. The market is somewhat limited these days, alas! I’ve done more than a few urban fantasy and historical fantasy tales, and dabbled a bit in (soft) science fiction and mysteries. In the latter area, to my own amazement, I sold four Sherlock Holmes stories last year!
eSB: What is your least favorite aspect of being an author, and why?
GL: Staring at a blank computer screen for hours, trying to come up with a new story. To some extent I miss the typewritten sheets I started out with, last century. It’s easier to simply delete a paragraph that isn’t working than to throw the page away and start over, although I can’t help feeling the latter helped one concentrate more, gave more thought to what you plan to put on the page before your fingers hit that keyboard.
eSB: What are some of your other works readers can look for?
GL: I have a variety of short stories scattered all over the place right now, but Crossroads Press has kindly reprinted all three of my novels from the late ‘80s: The Troupe, The Oni, and The Spy Who Drank Blood.
eSB: What advice would you give aspiring horror writers?
GL: The same advice I’d give any genre writer; sit down and do it, and keep doing it until you get it right. Read and analyze, figure out why something works in a story and something else doesn’t. If you can, join a group of similar interests and don’t be afraid to give or take criticism. I was fortunate to meet a group with some very talented writers but before that, I learned a lot from publishing a small press magazine: in seeing why a certain submission didn’t work, I’d often realize a story of mine had similar flaws.
eSB: How can readers find out more about you?
GL: In addition to my occasional postings on FaceBook the isfbd site has a fairly complete list of my shorter work, though it’s a bit behind on my recent publications (2021 was, happily, a busy year for me).
Gordon Linzner is founder and former editor of Space and Time Magazine, and author of three published novels and scores of short stories in F&SF, Twilight Zone, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and numerous other magazines and anthologies, including Footprints in the Stars (eSpec Books). He is a member of the Horror Writers Association and a lifetime member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.
Another in our series of GHOST AND GHOULS AND OTHER CREEPY THINGS interviews. For those just joining us, we are crowdfunding three projects on Kickstarter and also taking some time to introduce you to our participating authors, some of whom are new to eSpec. The campaign is nearing the end! Check it out to see how we’re doing, and what awesome stretch goals we are close to unlocking!
Today’s interview is with Allan Burd, contributor to Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander.
eSB: Even in the Grave is a collection of ghost stories, without spoilers, can you tell us a bit about your story and how you came up with the idea?
AB: I’ve always been fascinated with plausible, scientific explanations for what’s currently considered paranormal. And as humanity advances, so does our scientific knowledge. I’ll have to just leave it at that.
eSB: What was the greatest challenge you had coming up with an idea that would stand out among the other submissions?
AB: I favor the high concept. I’m glad that was enough for my story to be included amongst this fantastic group of authors. Whether that makes it stand out or not I’ll leave up to the readers.
eSB: Is your story a part of a greater universe stemming from other stories you have written, or does it stand alone? Whichever your answer, can you tell us about what makes that universe unique?
AB: My story was written as a contained chapter (the first) in part of a larger collection of ghost stories that I’m currently writing that all share the same literary sphere.
eSB: Do you foresee writing more stories with this character or in this world? Whichever your answer, why?
AB: Yes, simply because the concept allows for a multitude of twists and turns for me to explore as a writer.
eSB: Have you ever incorporated aspects of your own experiences in your fiction? Tell us about it.
AB: Not really as I mostly write about monsters and aliens, but from a character point of view I do pull things from real life that readers can relate to and implant them into my characters.
eSB: What haunts you as an author?
AB: Low readership 😉 While my work generally gets positive reviews, there are so many stories out there, it’s tough to cut through the clutter. I’ll just keep at it and hopefully keep rising upward so more readers can see.
eSB: Other than horror, what genres do you write in? Tell us something about your other works and what makes those genres different from writing horror.
AB: I actually don’t consider myself a horror writer. My few forays into the horror genre were for charity. I far prefer writing sci-fi, action adventure with monsters, and YA because that’s more where my head is at.
eSB: What is one thing you would share that would surprise your readers?
AB: I wrote a chapter book with my son when he was much younger and put it out there on Amazon. It called The Crazy Invisible Kid vs. The Eye Monster (because who better for someone invisible to lock horns with). It’s cute. I wish more people would check it out.
eSB: What are some of your other works readers can look for?
AB: The Roswell Protocols was my first novel. I wanted to do a realistic take on what would happen if the incident at Roswell repeated itself in our current day and age and what would happen if the ship did NOT crash in the United States. Even though the book was published over a decade ago, it’s still my best seller. My most recent novel is Hellion, a YA romp that features monsters, magic, and mayhem all firmly grounded in the suburbs of fictional Westville. This one I consider my best written.
eSB: What projects of your own do you have coming up?
AB: I have a few more short stories in the pipeline, along with a novel looking for a home, and a few screenplays I’ll be pitching sometime this year.
Allan Burd is a science fiction author hailing from Long Island, New York that loves penning exciting stories about the supernatural and aliens. He also occasionally dabbles in children’s books and short stories. His first novel, The Roswell Protocols, about a second crashed UFO, published in 2009 got the ball rolling and he’s been writing ever since. He is a contributor to The New York State of Fright.
These interviews are related to our GHOST AND GHOULS AND OTHER CREEPY THINGS campaign. For those just joining us, we are crowdfunding three projects on Kickstarter and also taking some time to introduce you to our participating authors, some of whom are new to eSpec. The campaign has passed the halfway point! Check it out to see how we’re doing, and what awesome rewards are left to be had!
eSpec Books interviews Caroline Flarity, contributor to Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander.
eSB: Even in the Grave is a collection of ghost stories, without spoilers, can you tell us a bit about your story and how you came up with the idea?
CF: My story is inspired by the infamous Old Hag Syndrome, a form of sleep paralysis usually reported by men who claim that an evil old hag sits on their chests and tries to smother them in their beds. I wondered, who is the “old hag”? The story is told from her perspective.
I first heard about the Old Hag Syndrome listening to a paranormal show on Coast to Coast AM, back in the day when legendary broadcaster Art Bell hosted. This show and others on the subject of sleep paralysis fascinated me because I experienced sleep paralysis as an adolescent. There were plenty of nights as a teen when I lay terrified and unable to move in bed, my mind awake, my body numb, and felt the presence of something malevolent in the room.
eSB: Is your story a part of a greater uinverse stemming from other stories you have written, or does it stand alone? Whichever your answer, can you tell us about what makes that universe unique?
CF: This is a stand-alone story told from the perspective of a ghost, a widow who died shortly after the end of WWII.
eSB: Do you foresee writing more stories with this character or in this world? Whichever your answer, why?
CF: No, this is a one-off. I think the ending is the spookiest part, and what happens to the ghost next is best left to the reader’s imagination!
eSB: Do you believe in ghosts, and why? Is there an experience in your life you can share with us that strengthened that belief?
CF: Yes, I believe consciousness survives the death of the body. I believe in ghosts. I had a friend who lived in Santa Cruz, California. When visiting her house, I often felt uncomfortable walking down a mirrored hallway that led to the bathroom, but didn’t think much of it. During one visit, her son was not home and she invited me to sleep in his room. I lasted about five minutes in that kid’s room once the lights were out. I felt like an invisible presence was two inches from my face, glaring at me. I left and slept on the living room couch, waking up in the middle of the night in a state of high alert. Something was buzzing in my ears. I was flooded with adrenaline, my heart shrieking, hoping it was a bug. The blinds stared rattling, but the windows were closed. The buzzing began to sound like something trying to form words. I bolted into my friend and her husband’s bedroom and slept on the carpet at the foot of their bed! The next day she told me that her late mother was a witch who used to practice the dark arts with her peers in the Santa Cruz mountains. For most of my friend’s life, she’d felt the protective presence of what she called “The Watchers.” And her children now felt the same presence. I never went back.
eSB: What are some of your other works readers can look for?
CF: My first novel The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter was published in 2019. Supernatural meets Mean Girls in this YA horror debut for older teens. Anna is the grieving daughter of a paranormal investigator with a hoarding problem. When a parasitic evil invades her town (and mind), she must harness its power before it destroys the only family she has left. To do so, she’ll have to keep her increasingly dark urges at bay. The story is relentless and creepy but ultimately uplifting.
eSB: As a horror author, where do you find support for your writing?
CF: Other horror and dark speculative fiction writers are a great source of support. Sometimes I find that attending writing workshops with people who don’t appreciate horror is counterproductive. Not always, of course!
eSB: What advice would you give aspiring horror writers?
CF: Read as much as you can in your genre and be kind to yourself. Find joy in the process because writing is hard work that’s often unrewarded.
eSB: What projects of your own do you have coming up?
CF: I just finished a solid second draft of my new novel Sometimes in Daylight, a psychological horror with a sci-fi element. A woman is confronted with a terrifying theory about the origins of her insomnia after locating the cousin who abandoned her decades earlier.
Caroline Flarity is a freelance writer living in NYC. Her fascination with fringe topics and scary movies led her to begin her writing journey penning creepy screenplays. Her debut novel The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter began its life as a feature script, placing in the finals of the StoryPros Awards and as a semifinalist in Slamdance Film Festival’s writing competition. The Ghost Hunter’s Daughter was named a “Best YA of 2019” listee by Ginger Nuts of Horror and won Crossroad Reviews’ 2019 Indie Book Award. Caroline is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association.
Because most of these are from the anthology Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, I’m going to put the book description here, rather than repeat it with each video:
“In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost.” –Edgar Allan Poe
Wandering souls! Restless spirits! The vengeful dead! Those who die with unfinished business haunt the living and make their presence known from the world beyond:
A scientist’s invention opens a window onto a terrible afterlife. *A New York City apartment holds the secrets of the dead.
A grandmother sends text messages from the grave. *A samurai returns to his devastated home for a final showdown with his past.
A forgotten TV game show haunts a man with a dark secret.
A tapping from behind classroom walls leads to a horrible discovery.
The specter of a prehistoric beast returns to a modern-day ranch.
And the one seeing eye knows all—including what you did.
Haunted from the other side, these stories roam from modern cities to the shadowed moors to feudal Japan to the jungles of Central America, each providing a spine-chilling glimpse into the shadows not even death can restrain. Do you dare open these pages and peer into the darkness they reveal?
Stories by Marc L. Abbott, Meghan Arcuri, Oliver Baer, Alp Beck, Allan Burd, John P. Collins, Randee Dawn, Trevor Firetog, Caroline Flarity, Patrick Freivald, Teel James Glenn, Amy Grech, April Grey, Jonathan Lees, Gordon Linzner, Robert Masterson, Robert P. Ottone, Rick Poldark, Lou Rera, and Steven Van Patten.
Hope you enjoy!
eSpec Books Author Reading Series
Randee Dawn reading an excerpt from “Fetch” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
About the Author
Randee Dawn is an author, journalist, and lucky denizen of Brooklyn. Her first novel, the humorous pop-culture fantasy Tune in Tomorrow, will be published in 2022 (Solaris). Her short fiction has appeared in publications and podcasts including 3AM Magazine, Well-Told Tales, Where We May Wag, Children of a Different Sky, Magic for Beginners, Dim Shores Presents, Another World: Stories of Portal Fantasy, Dim Shores, Horror for the Throne, and Stories We Tell After Midnight 3. She has a short collection of dark speculative fiction short stories, Home for the Holidays, and co-authored The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion. She co-edited the speculative fiction anthology of “what if” stories about The Beatles, Across the Universe: Tales of Alternative Beatles. When not making stuff up, Randee publishes entertainment profiles, reviews, and think pieces regularly in outlets including Variety, The Los Angeles Times, Today.com and Emmy Magazine, and writes trivia for BigBrain. She can be found at RandeeDawn.com and @RandeeDawn (on Twitter).
Meghan Arcuri reading an excerpt from “In the Machine” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
About the Author
Meghan Arcuri is a Bram Stoker Award-nominated author. Her work can be found in various anthologies, including Borderlands 7 (Borderlands Press), Madhouse (Dark Regions Press), Chiral Mad, and Chiral Mad 3 (Written Backwards). She is currently the Vice President of the Horror Writers Association. Prior to writing, she taught high school math, having earned her B.A. from Colgate University–with a double major in mathematics and English–and her masters from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She lives with her family in New York’s Hudson Valley. Please visit her at meghanarcuri.com, facebook.com/meg.arcuri, or on Twitter (@MeghanArcuri).
Marc L. Abbott reading an excerpt from “The Bells” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
About the Author
Marc L Abbott is the author of the YA novel The Hooky Party and the children’s book Etienne and the Stardust Express. He is the co-author of Hell at Brooklyn Tea and Hell at the Way Station, the two-time African American Literary Award-winning horror anthology with award-winning author Steven Van Patten. His horror short stories are featured in the anthologies, Hells Heart, Hells Mall, Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign and the Bram Stoker Nominated horror anthology New York State of Fright. In film, he is the writer and director of the horror shorts SNAP and Being Followed. A two-time nominated best actor for his role in the science fiction film Impervia and Best Actor winner for the film Identity Check. In storytelling, A 2015 Moth Story Slam and Grand Slam Storyteller winner. The writer and performer of the storytelling solo shows Love African American Style and Of Cats and Men: A Storytellers Journey. He is the host of the monthly storytelling show Maaan, You’ve Got to Hear This! in Bushwick, Brooklyn. In addition to being an active member of the HWA New York Chapter, Gamma Xi Phi Fraternity and co-host on Beef, Wine, and Shenanigans, he also heads the Beyond the Tropes reading series with the Center of Fiction in Brooklyn, NY. Find out more about him at http://www.whoismarclabbott.com.
Trevor Firetog reading an excerpt from “What’s Your Secret” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
About the Author
Trevor Firetog writes out of Long Island, New York. He is the author of the horror-thriller novella, Usual Monsters. His short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies. Aside from writing, Trevor collects and restores vintage typewriters. When he’s not reading on the beaches of LI, or scavenging used bookstores, he’s usually holed up in his office, working on his next project. Find him on Twitter and Instagram @TrevorFiretog.
Michelle D. Sonnier reading an excerpt from chapter 2 of her novel The Clockwork Witch.
The Humiliation of the Sortilege Line
The seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, Arabella is destined to disappoint, when she was expected to shine. Though she descends from a long line of gifted witches she has earned the moniker of a “brown bud” showing no sign of magical talent.
When it truly seems her lot can grow no worse, she discovers an unnatural affinity for…of all things…technomancy. Not only are the mysteries of the mechanical world open to her, but her newfound ability allows her to manipulate them, making her the first-ever clockwork witch and anathema to the nature of the witching world.
How will she come to grips with her new power when she must question if she will survive the judgment of her family and her peers? Or, more daunting yet…The Trials?
About the Author
Michelle D. Sonnier writes dark urban fantasy, steampunk, and anything else that lets her combine the weird and the fantastic in unexpected ways. She even writes horror, although it took her a long time to admit that since she prefers the existential scare over blood and gore. She is the author of The Clockwork Witch and Death’s Embrace and has published short stories in a variety of print and online venues. You can find her on Facebook (Michelle D. Sonnier, The Writer). She lives in Maryland with her husband, son, and a variable number of cats.
These interviews are related to our GHOST AND GHOULS AND OTHER CREEPY THINGS campaign. For those just joining us, we are crowdfunding three projects on Kickstarter and also taking some time to introduce you to our participating authors, some of whom are new to eSpec. The campaign is approaching its final week! Check it out to see how we’re doing, and what awesome rewards are left to be had!
eSpec Books interviews April Grey, contributor to Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander.
eSB: Even in the Grave is a collection of ghost stories, without spoilers, can you tell us a bit about your story and how you came up with the idea?
AG: My writing group was doing a gothic story challenge and I was inspired by my apartment house and next-door community garden to write about a disabled vet and her challenges as she struggles to rebuild a life for herself.
eSB: Okay, first off the top of your head, who is your favorite ghost and why?
AG: Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas. He’s man’s best friend and devoted to Jack Skellington.
eSB: Have you ever incorporated aspects of your own experiences in your fiction? Tell us about it.
AG: Yes, my novels take place in NYC (where I’ve lived for nearly 50 years). As I’ve lived much of that time in old tenement buildings, I often incorporate what it’s like to live in a place where you walk up five flights of stairs, have inadequate heat and hot water, deal with pests, walls that are cracked and ceilings that cave in.
eSB: What haunts you as an author?
AG: Fear of alienating readers and friends when I deal with controversial subjects. I fear going too far.
eSB: What drew you to appreciate the horror genre? What inspired you to write in it?
AG: Horror is an incredibly flexible genre. As long as you are invoking a sensation of unease or fear you can write with elements of other genres: There’s romantic horror, gothic horror, SF horror, horror westerns, comic horror, cosmic horror, you get the idea. It’s an emotion and so as far as world building goes there are fewer rules. Just scare people!
eSB: What is your least favorite aspect of being an author, and why?
AG: Self-promotion and marketing. It can take up a huge amount of time and effort possibly better spent writing. This is harder on a novelist than a short story writer as most publishers have it in the contract that the author will at the least maintain a social media presence.
eSB: Could you tell us about one of your most amusing experiences promoting your books?
AG: Two teenagers walked up to me at the HWA booth at Comic Con and said their teacher recommended to his students to read the anthologies I produce. I thought at first someone was pulling my leg. I was deeply touched that I was helping young people become fans not just of horror movies but also short stories.
eSB: What are some of your other works readers can look for?
AG: I have three urban fantasy novels out, and I am editor of the Hell’s series: Hell’s Garden, Hell’s Grannies, Hell’s Kitties, Hell’s Heart, Hell’s Bells, Hell’s Highway, and Hell’s Mall.
eSB: As a horror author, where do you find support for your writing?
AG: Broad Universe and The Horror Writers Association—both excellent organizations.
eSB: What advice would you give aspiring horror writers?
AG: Read and write every day, and understand your genre and the business aspects of being a writer.
April Grey’s short stories are collected in The Fairy Cake Bakeshop and in I’ll Love You Forever. She is also the author of urban fantasy novels: Finding Perdita, Chasing the Trickster and it’s sequel, St. Nick’s Favor.
She edited the anthologies: Hell’s Heart: Tales of Love Run Amok; Hell’s Bells: Wicked Tunes, Mad Musicians and Cursed Instruments; Hell’s Garden: Mad, Bad and Ghostly Gardeners, Hell’s Grannies: Kickass Tales of the Crone and last year’s, Hell’s Kitties and Other Beastly Beasts. She is a co-editor on the Stoker Award nominated New York State of Fright.
She and her family live in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC in a building next to a bedeviled garden. Gremlins, sprites, or pixies, something mischievous lurks therein. Someday she’ll find out.
These interviews are related to our GHOST AND GHOULS AND OTHER CREEPY THINGS campaign. For those just joining us, we are crowdfunding three projects on Kickstarter and also taking some time to introduce you to our participating authors, some of whom are new to eSpec. The campaign has passed the halfway point! Check it out to see how we’re doing, and what awesome rewards are left to be had!
eSpec Books interviews Jonathan Lees, contributor to Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander.
eSB: Even in the Grave is a collection of ghost stories, without spoilers, can you tell us a bit about your story and how you came up with the idea?
JL: Power Out, Wind Howling takes place in multiple points of time in the life of Anderson Mathis, an heir to extreme wealth and privilege, as he confronts something dredged up from his family’s legacy of greed and malice. I wanted to mix in a little of the creaky, haunted imagery I grew up loving into a very modern story.
eSB: Do you believe in ghosts, and why? Is there an experience in your life you can share with us that strengthened that belief?
JL: I do believe there is something watching me from the darkest corners of my room. I only sleep facing the bedroom door. When I flip to the other side I begin to hear things or sense something behind me. Are these ghosts or a psychological problem?
I’m the type to shout at the screen during horror films when characters make the worst decisions and then quickly realize I would be that kind of character.
eSB: Have you ever incorporated aspects of your own experiences in your fiction? Tell us about it.
JL: Always. Whatever my current obsessions are I tend to weave into a semi-personal narrative from something I’m working out myself or through observations of others. Basically, ranting through fiction.
eSB: What haunts you as an author?
JL: Not being around long enough to finally put to paper some ideas that have been terrorizing me for forever. I gotta prioritize. No excuses.
eSB: What drew you to appreciate the horror genre? What inspired you to write in it?
JL: It might have been the bright orange Crestwood House books on movie monsters that I refused to give back to my elementary school library or the hours spent watching Creature Double Feature on Channel 56, but my appreciation deepened in the tales of the author, John Bellairs. I felt a kinship to him, not only because he lived only a couple towns over from me, but also in the way he explores the curiosity of children. He maximizes the energy and precociousness in his young characters while escalating the tense, surprisingly scary, scenarios in what is considered a middle-grade read. I think he exceeded what was expected for that age group and probably scarred a couple kids along the way. Didn’t hurt that the books were illustrated by the incomparable Edward Gorey.
eSB: As a horror author, where do you find support for your writing?
JL: I have been so lucky to stumble upon some of the greatest group of people I’ve ever met at conventions like StokerCon, organizations like HWA, reading series like Matt Kressel and Ellen Datlow’s Fantastic Fiction at the KBG in New York. No matter where you are on Earth there is always someone you can connect with.
Give your stories to people in the genre but more importantly give it to people who aren’t. They sometimes give you the best advice.
eSB: What advice would you give aspiring horror writers?
JL: Oh man. Easy. FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED. It’s worth the agony to push through something and a great way to learn your strengths in a first draft. It’s always going to transform. Embrace the edit. Challenge yourself. Make yourself uncomfortable. But if it’s really not working out, toss that sh*t aside and keep it moving. We don’t have enough time here.
eSB: What projects of your own do you have coming up?
JL: I’m so excited to see some of my work unleashed in anthologies such as Other Terrors (ed. Rena Mason, Vince Lugiano), Chiral Mad (ed. Michael Bailey), The Horrible Book of Hidden Horrors (ed. Doug Murano) and Even In The Grave! I’m always proud to be part of a book that is created by people who care deeply for the genre.
In addition to over a decade of creating strategies and video series for outlets ranging from Complex Media to TIDAL, Jonathan Lees has also spent twenty years championing filmmakers through his programming work with the New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, TromaDance, and now, Final Frame hosted by StokerCon.
His first published story, The Ritual Remains, debuted in the NECON anthology, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, and he is looking forward to ruining your dreams for years to come.
These interviews are related to our GHOST AND GHOULS AND OTHER CREEPY THINGS campaign. For those just joining us, we are crowdfunding three projects on Kickstarter and also taking some time to introduce you to our participating authors, some of whom are new to eSpec. The campaign has passed the halfway point! Check it out to see how we’re doing, and what awesome rewards are left to be had!
eSpec Books interviews Marc L. Abbott, contributor to Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander.
eSB: Even in the Grave is a collection of ghost stories, without spoilers, can you tell us a bit about your story and how you came up with the idea?
MLA: My story, The Bells, is the story of a man who uncovers a horrible family secret when he goes to settle his father’s estate. Restless spirits in the house terrorize him using bells to get his attention, then forcing him to confront the truth about the man his father was and why he may or may not be the true heir to the family fortune.
In the story, I talk about the use of bells as a way of the dead reaching out to the living. I was inspired to use this idea after reading about how bells used to be connected to headstones with a string that was connected to the corpse when someone was buried. This was done because often times a misdiagnosis would lead to a person being buried alive. If a person were to wake up in their coffin they could pull on the string and the bell would ring, signaling to anyone nearby that the person should be dug up immediately. I built the story off of that then went back to include the family dynamic and the idea that appearances are very deceiving especially when lies are accepted as truth.
eSB: What was the greatest challenge you had coming up with an idea that would stand out among the other submissions?
MLA: It was the setting for me. I have written ghosts stories before, but they have often been set in the present. This time around I wanted to challenge myself and do a period piece. I also wanted to make the whole reason for why the ghosts do what they do a bit more complex than say a simple haunting. I wanted to give the ghost a true purpose to what they are doing and coming up with something believable and not filled with tropes, that was also a challenge.
eSB: Is your story a part of a greater uinverse stemming from other stories you have written, or does it stand alone? Whichever your answer, can you tell us about what makes that universe unique?
MLA: This story is a stand-alone tale and not part of any of my other works. What makes this story unique is that in this universe the ghosts interact with one another in order to tell their own tragic story. They are also capable of being seen by anyone who comes to their residence. They don’t stay hidden or use many parlor tricks to the attention of the living. They’re very straightforward in their ways.
eSB: Do you foresee writing more stories with this character or in this world? Whichever your answer, why?
MLA: I don’t see myself revisiting these characters or revisiting this world I created. There isn’t anymore that I feel I want to say about the living or dead characters here. This is really a one-and-done type of tale which allows the reader to make up in their own minds what they think happens beyond the end.
eSB: Okay, first off the top of your head, who is your favorite ghost and why?
MLA: My favorite ghost, hmm, it would have to be Joseph from the movie The Changeling with George C. Scott. That ghost really scared me when I saw that film because of how he interacted with the environment around him. The things he would do to get Scott’s attention ranged from subtle to haunting playful. He never did anything harmful but they were often unexpected (chasing someone down in a rickety wheelchair comes to mind) and it would send chills through me. It still scares me to this day when I think about it.
eSB: Do you believe in ghosts, and why? Is there an experience in your life you can share with us that strengthened that belief?
MLA: I absolutely believe in them. I had an experience when I was little, shortly after my grandfather passed away, I was staying over my grandparent’s house and sleeping in the bed he used to. I remember I woke up and saw a figure in the dark walking toward the bed from an adjacent room. I could tell it was my grandfather from the hunched way he was walking. I pulled the covers over my head and a few seconds later I felt his hand touch my shoulder. When I pulled the covers back he was walking away then he disappeared. My family told me that he came to look in on me.
eSB: What haunts you as an author?
MLA: This may sound silly but my 9 to 5 haunts me as an author. That chunk of time I spend working there gets in the way of the amount of time I could be writing. If I could do both at the same time I’m sure it wouldn’t bother me as much.
eSB: What drew you to appreciate the horror genre? What inspired you to write in it?
MLA: Mine was more of who than a what. My father was the one who drew me to the genre when I was a boy. We used to watch old Universal horror movies on PBS on Saturday Nights and the way he would explain the backstories of the monsters was fascinating to me. He had a way of speaking in a kind of Vincent Price voice to make the story more ominous which forced me to ask questions and look up information on monsters. This was also I realized a ploy to get me to read spooky stories. After being introduced to Edgar Allen Poe and the short story, The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs, I started dabbling in writing my own horror stories. What inspired me was the challenge to one-up anything I saw or read and see if I could scare myself with my own work. If I could do that, I knew I was on the right path.
eSB: Other than horror, what genres do you write in? Tell us something about your other works and what makes those genres different from writing horror.
MLA: I have two books that are not horror. One is a YA coming-of-age novel called The Hooky Party about two high school seniors who throw a hooky party after their Senior Cut Day is canceled by their principal. Then there is my children’s book, Etienne and the Stardust Express which tells the story of a little boy and his dog who use the power of imagination to travel through France and Italy without ever leaving home.
While there are scary stories found in YA and Children’s genres, these two stories I wrote were more grounded in reality than my dark fiction. Children use their imagination all the time when playing by themselves with their toys or after they see a movie they will act out scenes pretending they’re in the story. I felt like I could just go with the flow and really explore that ideology. With YA, having to go back and remember what that time was like (this story takes place in 1990) as a teenager I took a very light-hearted approach. I lingered a lot on the good times and aspects of how my friendships were. I can really be free to explore and have fun. Horror is a different animal for me. I feel like I need to know where I am at all times. I can’t be all over the place and come back to the linear tale. The objective is to make the reader unsettled and on edge which means that I often need to be on edge when I write. It’s fun but much darker.
eSB: What is one thing you would share that would surprise your readers?
MLA: I do live storytelling. I tell true stories about my life on stage and I run a monthly storytelling show called Maaan You Got To Hear This (at least I did before COVID but I intend to go back to it). I’m a 2015 Moth Grand slam Storytelling Winner as well. So, not all of my stories are fiction.
eSB: What are some of your other works readers can look for?
MLA: I have two horror novels I penned with fellow author Steven Van Patten, Hell at the Way Station, and the sequel, Hell at Brooklyn Tea. I am also featured in several anthology collections including Under Twin Sun (Order of Wilde), Hell’s Mall (Djinn in Tonic), Hell’s Heart (A Marked Man), and New York State of Fright (Welcome to Brooklyn, Gabe). I also have two non-horror books. A children’s book entitled Etienne and the Stardust Express and a YA coming-of-age novel called The Hooky Party.
eSB: As a horror author, where do you find support for your writing?
MLA: I’ve found a lot of support through the HWA since I joined in 2013. Being given the chance to participate in readings, have publishing opportunities, and get the help I need, I always know there is someone there willing to support what I do.
eSB: What advise would you give aspiring horror writers?
MLA: Write about what scares you. Tap into that one thing that makes you afraid and incorporate it into your work. Also, do your research on the type of monsters you want to write about. Don’t just rely on the fiction you know or have read before. There are always very fascinating nuances to things and interesting history when it comes to folklore. You will be pleasantly surprised what you discover and how much you use to make your own work stronger.
eSB: How can readers find out more about you?
MLA: Readers can follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
I also have a website www.whoismarclabbott.com where they can catch up with me on my latest projects and appearances.
Photo: John F. Sheehan Photography (www.jfsheehanphoto.com)
Marc L. Abbott is the author of the YA novel The Hooky Party and the children’s book Etienne and the Stardust Express. He is the co-author of Hell at Brooklyn Tea and Hell at the Way Station, the two-time African American Literary Award-winning horror anthology with award-winning author Steven Van Patten. His horror short stories are featured in the anthologies, Hells Heart, Hells Mall, Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign and the Bram Stoker Nominated horror anthology New York State of Fright.
In film, he is the writer and director of the horror shorts SNAP and Being Followed. A two-time nominated best actor for his role in the science fiction film Impervia and Best Actor winner for the film Identity Check.
In storytelling, A 2015 Moth Story Slam and Grand Slam Storyteller winner. The writer and performer of the storytelling solo shows Love African American Style and Of Cats and Men: A Storytellers Journey. He is the host of the monthly storytelling show Maaan, You’ve Got to Hear This! in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
In addition to being an active member of the HWA New York Chapter, Gamma Xi Phi Fraternity and co-host on Beef, Wine and Shenanigans, he also heads the Beyond the Tropes reading series with the Center of Fiction in Brooklyn, NY .
“Steampunk, werewolves, spirits, and romance. All the ingredients a reader needs for a fast-paced, action-packed adventure.” 
“I loved this book! I love the idea of cryptids being so aware, so available and they make for exciting adventures and stories.” 
Wandering souls! Restless spirits! The vengeful dead! Those who die with unfinished business haunt the living and make their presence known from the world beyond: 
Atlantic City, 1982
To note the highlights of the weekend, I will have a reading on Saturday at 3:15pm in the library, which I am sharing with David Walton. And in a slightly less recognizable form than pre-‘Rona, we will be holding an eSpec Book Launch with many authors in attendance, including Amy Grech, Gordon Linzner, Teel James Glenn, Robert Ottone, John P. Collins, Jonathan Lees, Marc Abbott, Christopher J. Burke, Hildy Silverman, and Keith R.A. DeCandido, celebrating all the orphan books that grew up in isolation, most particularly Even In The Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, and Devilish & Divine, edited by John L. French and Danielle Ackley-McPhail.
Gordon Linzner is founder and former editor of Space and Time Magazine, and author of three published novels and scores of short stories in F&SF, Twilight Zone, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and numerous other magazines and anthologies, including Footprints in the Stars (eSpec Books). He is a member of the Horror Writers Association and a lifetime member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.
AB: The Roswell Protocols was my first novel. I wanted to do a realistic take on what would happen if the incident at Roswell repeated itself in our current day and age and what would happen if the ship did NOT crash in the United States. Even though the book was published over a decade ago, it’s still my best seller. My most recent novel is Hellion, a YA romp that features monsters, magic, and mayhem all firmly grounded in the suburbs of fictional Westville. This one I consider my best written. 
Allan Burd is a science fiction author hailing from Long Island, New York that loves penning exciting stories about the supernatural and aliens. He also occasionally dabbles in children’s books and short stories. His first novel, The Roswell Protocols, about a second crashed UFO, published in 2009 got the ball rolling and he’s been writing ever since. He is a contributor to The New York State of Fright.
Time for another recap! 
AG: Two teenagers walked up to me at the HWA booth at Comic Con and said their teacher recommended to his students to read the anthologies I produce. I thought at first someone was pulling my leg. I was deeply touched that I was helping young people become fans not just of horror movies but also short stories.
April Grey’s short stories are collected in The Fairy Cake Bakeshop and in I’ll Love You Forever. She is also the author of urban fantasy novels: Finding Perdita, Chasing the Trickster and it’s sequel, St. Nick’s Favor.
In addition to over a decade of creating strategies and video series for outlets ranging from Complex Media to TIDAL, Jonathan Lees has also spent twenty years championing filmmakers through his programming work with the New York Underground Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, TromaDance, and now, Final Frame hosted by StokerCon.
eSpec Books 