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.
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.
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 has launched! Check it out to see how we’re doing, and what awesome rewards are left to be had!
eSpec Books interviews Lou Rera, 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?
LR: I’d thought about the idea of a groupie or fan. There seems to be “fanboy” in almost any type of pop culture, and serial killers are no exception. My protagonist stumbles onto some memorabilia which gives him a front-row seat into the hideous acts of murder.
eSB: What was the greatest challenge you had coming up with an idea that would stand out among the other submissions?
LR: How do I write a ghost story that does not rely totally on the well-established tropes of the genre?
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?
LR: I consider humans the most malevolent of creatures. During our evolution, the one trait we developed (as far as I know) no other animal possesses, is deception. I write of the darker side of human existence. My story fits that viewpoint.
eSB: Do you foresee writing more stories with this character or in this world? Whichever your answer, why?
LR: No, I feel this character has taken his complete journey.
eSB: Okay, first off the top of your head, who is your favorite ghost and why?
LR: The ghost of Eva, in Peter Straub’s Ghost Story. Straub skillfully combines youth and beauty into death, revenge, and horror. Just brilliant.
eSB: Do you believe in ghosts, and why? Is there an experience in your life you can share with us that strengthened that belief?
LR: I’d be ignorant to flat out say no. About two months after my wife died, I heard her call my name as I entered our house. It was as if she were standing next to me. I ‘d swear it was her. Being more analytical about the experience, I researched what it might be. Simply put: An auditory hallucination brought on by extreme grief. But to this day, I don’t know.
eSB: Have you ever incorporated aspects of your own experiences in your fiction? Tell us about it.
LR: I do this in ALL of my work. The best resources are my own experiences. Of course, I alter everything. The example I use the most is the full moon. My first novel, SIGN, the protagonists spend their night of terror, outside, stranded during a full moon. I spent months, during all the seasons, out late, in remote rural locations to experience first-hand how a person would negotiate their world under the light of just the moon. I was stunned by what I’d discovered!
eSB: What haunts you as an author?
LR: The brevity and unpredictability of life.
eSB: What drew you to appreciate the horror genre? What inspired you to write in it?
LR: I’ve always had nightmares, vicious ones. I often wake screaming. I don’t know where these come from. Outside of that, I’ve always been drawn to the irony of life in general. Horror fits perfectly.
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.
LR: I write horror book reviews now and then. Since I was a professor in communication, I’ve written journal articles in the field, and I’ve edited a textbook on Visual Communication.
eSB: What is your least favorite aspect of being an author, and why?
LR: The time-consuming side of self-promotion and marketing.
eSB: Could you tell us about one of your most amusing experiences promoting your books?
LR: When my first novel was published, I was invited to read and speak at a bookstore near Cornell University. They promoted the event. They paid for my hotel and meals. I was treated very well. One person showed at the event.
eSB: What is one thing you would share that would surprise your readers?
LR: I think of and write all this nasty stuff, but I’ll capture small insects in my home, and release them outside. With one caveat: I am terrified of spiders.
eSB: What are some of your other works readers can look for?
LR: SIGN (2014 novel. A supernatural tale of deception and murder) AWAKE: Tales of Terror (2020) Collection of 14 short stories)
eSB: As a horror author, where do you find support for your writing?
LR: Writing is such a solitary endeavor. That has both and negative aspects. The finest support and comradery is through the wonderful organization I joined in 2014, The Horror Writers Association. I am part of the NY Chapter, and formerly of the Ontario, Canada Chapter. I’ve also belonged to a writers’ group for 15 years, basically the same people. All experienced and accomplished writers.
eSB: What advice would you give aspiring horror writers?
LR: Don’t live in a tunnel. Network with writers of the genre your write in. READ, READ, READ everything that inspires you.
eSB: What projects of your own do you have coming up?
LR: I am working on several short stories for themed anthology submissions. I am writing a script based on one of my stories and I am working on a new novel.
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.
NeoParadoxa Steps into the Shadows with Even in the Grave
A new anthology of chilling tales edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander
Pennsville, NJ—January 10, 2021—NeoParadoxa, an imprint of eSpec Books, is excited to announce a new anthology of original ghost stories, edited by award-winning authors James Chambers and Carol Gyzander. The book will be supported by a crowd-funding campaign set to launch in February 2022.
“The ghost story as a literary device offers endless opportunities for storytelling,” said editor, James Chambers. “Ghosts exist in some form in nearly all cultures and societies and have long fascinated readers. From traditional tales of ghosts, like those of M.R. James, to the wild reinventions of modern authors, tales of spirits and the world beyond death provide authors opportunities to tackle almost any theme. I’m thrilled to bring readers this new collection of ghostly tales.”
This anthology of creepy and evocative ghost stories assembles tales from twenty talented authors, including award-winners Marc L. Abbott, Teel James Glenn, Caroline Flarity, Robert Masterson, and Steven Van Patten. Haunted from beyond, these stories travel from the modern city to the shadowed moors to feudal Japan to the jungles of Central America to the prehistoric past, each providing a spine-chilling glimpse into the shadows not even death can restrain.
“Just as early religion can be seen as an attempt to explain of the world around us and our place in it, ghost stories can be one way to explore what happens after we are gone,” said editor, Carol Gyzander. “Some are spooky and scary, offering social commentary or cautionary words about how to live our lives, while others are heart-warming and reassuring. I love that we run the gamut with the ghost stories in this collection.”
Even in the Grave also features stories by Meghan Arcuri, Oliver Baer, Alp Beck, Allan Burd, John P. Collins, Randee Dawn, Trevor Firetog, Patrick Freivald, Amy Grech, April Grey, Jonathan Lees, Gordon Linzner, Robert Ottone, Rick Poldark, and Lou Rera.
“I have to tell you something,” said publisher Danielle McPhail. “I am not a horror person. As a writer or a reader. That’s me, my preference, not a smack-down of the genre. I tell you merely so you can appreciate that if I have accepted these manuscripts for publication it is because the authors have impressed me so very much, enough to overcome my own personal preferences.”
Other books to be featured in the campaign are Ty Drago’s Rags and Eyes of the Dead, the final volume in James Chambers’s Corpse Fauna Saga.
For More Information contact Danielle McPhail, especbooks@aol.com
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
LR: SIGN (2014 novel. A supernatural tale of deception and murder) AWAKE: Tales of Terror (2020) Collection of 14 short stories)
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.
eSpec Books 