NOVEMBER NETGALLEY LISTINGS

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.

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Vox Astra: The Black Box

James Chambers

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.

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Even in the Grave

edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander

“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.

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Rags

by Ty Drago

Atlantic City, 1982

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.

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OCTOBER NETGALLEY LISTINGS

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.

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Even in the Grave

edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander

“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.

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Rags

by Ty Drago

Atlantic City, 1982

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.

JULY NEW RELEASES

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!

Click the titles below to order.

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Even in the Grave

edited by James Chambers
and Carol Gyzander

“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.

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Vox Astra: When Clouds Die

James Chambers

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.

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COVER REVEAL – EVEN IN THE GRAVE

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

The book can be pre-ordered via the eSpec Online Store.

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.

eSPEC BOOKS AUTHOR READING SERIES – 2/26/22

Time for another recap!

Once again, there are going to be a lot of videos in this one. Many, but not all, are from the #GhostsAndGhoulsAndOtherCreepyThings campaign.

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!

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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.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – MEGHAN ARCURI

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 launches tomorrow, but you can check it out today and click to be notified!

eSpec Books interviews Meghan Arcuri, contributor to Even in the Grave, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander.

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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?

MA: My story is about a grandmother whose spirit is trapped in her computer. Her granddaughter inherits the computer and the two discover they can communicate.

I had read a non-fiction article in the New York Times about a woman who had inherited her grandmother’s laptop. She kept getting emails/notifications that were addressed to her grandmother, and every time she got one, it made her sad, feeling haunted by her grandmother.

So, I thought: what if grandma’s ghost were literally trapped in the computer and able to respond?

eSB: What was the greatest challenge you had coming up with an idea that would stand out among the other submissions?

MA: To be honest, this story is not particularly scary. In fact, it’s meant to be funny. When I saw Jim and Carol’s call for ghost stories, I knew that technically this fit the bill, but I also knew no one would be getting nightmares from it any time soon. I explained this to Jim and Carol when I subbed, but fortunately they decided to take it.

eSB: Okay, first off the top of your head, who is your favorite ghost and why?

MA: I love the Ghost of Christmas Present from Scrooged. Carol Kane is a comic genius, and she was on fire in that movie.

eSB: Have you ever incorporated aspects of your own experiences in your fiction? Tell us about it.

MA: Yes. Being a parent can be super frightening. My daughter had a medical incident a few years ago which, in the moment, was terrifying. Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing, but I used it as a source of inspiration for a story which went on to be nominated for a Bram Stoker Award®.
(This story—“Am I Missing the Sunlight?”—is in Borderlands 7, edited by Olivia Monteleone & Tom Monteleone.)

eSB: What is your least favorite aspect of being an author, and why?

MA: The self-doubt. It can be paralyzing at times, which is not at all productive.

eSB: What is one thing you would share that would surprise your readers?

MA: I love romance. As much fun as it is to mess around with your characters in a horror piece, there’s nothing like a HEA (happily ever after).

eSB: What are some of your other works readers can look for? 

MA: You can find my two latest short stories at 34 Orchard (“Because You’re Mine”) and Classic Monsters Unleashed (“Green with Hunger”).

My story “Found and Lost” is in Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign, edited by James Chambers.

eSB: As a horror author, where do you find support for your writing? 

MA: The horror writing community, at large, is tremendously supportive. People of every level are generous with their time and wisdom. You need only to ask for help, and at least one person will respond.

eSB: What advice would you give aspiring horror writers? 

MA: Go to conventions. Go to readings. Join writers groups and/or organizations like the Horror Writers Association. These will provide you with opportunities to do the most important thing for your career: meet people. Not only will you be able to network and learn a lot of tips and tricks of the industry, you will also make lifelong friends.

eSB: What projects of your own do you have coming up? 

MA: I recently ran my first marathon. Between that and all the Covid nonsense, my writing production has slowed. Now that training is over, I can set my sights on my white whale: writing a novel. The crazy things is, training for and running a marathon has given me a lot of strategies for how to approach the novel, so I’m feeling optimistic.

eSB: How can readers find out more about you? 

MA: I am on Facebook and Twitter, and I have a website (see info below).

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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.

Learn more about Meghan Arcuri:

Website  *  GoodReads  *  Amazon  *  BookBub

Follow Meghan Arcuri on social media:

Twitter  *  Facebook  *  Facebook (Author)  *  Instagram

PRESS RELEASE – EVEN IN THE GRAVE

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.

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For More Information contact Danielle McPhail, especbooks@aol.com