Coming down to the wire, this time! Sorry, there has been so much going on.
We and a whole bunch of our authors–including David Lee Summers, Michelle D. Sonnier, Ef Deal, Dana Fraedrich, Jessica Lucci, Doc Coleman, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Jeff Young, Mike McPhail and John L. French–will be at the Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival this weekend. In fact, we are something of a main attraction, with most of our authors present participating in the literary scavenger hunt being held during the event, and our anthology, A Cast of Crows (upon which the scavenger hunt is based) will be launching Saturday (along with our other new steampunk and dieselpunk titles).
Mostly, we will be in the dealer’s room, but here is our schedule.
Saturday, April 1 @ 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
“Why do you think me Mad Libs.” (Tell-Tale Heart)
The Spectacles (main ballroom)
Don’t be nervous! Join our cast of crows (aka authors) for a madcap game of Mad Libs. The authors will take you on a wild ride of steampunk, Poe, and pure madness with stories that need some help from the audience to finish. Why do we insist they’re mad? Yell out while the crazy, creative, […]
Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Ef Deal, Jessica Lucci, Christine Norris, Jeff Young
Saturday, April 1 @ 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm
Author Round Table – What’s the Big Ef Deal?
Poe’s Parlour
Meet the author of the French paranormal steampunk novel Esprit de Corpse and chat about the writing life, the joys of doing the research for steampunk fiction, and her plans for the continuing adventures of Jacqueline and Angélique, the Twins of Bellesfées.
Saturday, April 1 @ 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
Author Round Table – Writing process with Jessica Lucci
Poe’s Parlour
Plotters, pantsers, and in betweeners: join steampunk author Jessica Lucci and learn fun, easy to follow, writing plans to execute your next story!
Saturday, April 1 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Beyond The Oblong Box Podcast taping
The Spectacles (main ballroom)
Beyond The Oblong Box is a podcast born of a need to eliminate misinformation about Edgar Allan Poe. Join your hosts Levi Leland and Virginia Poe as they discuss the loves, life, works, and the world in which Poe once resided
Saturday, April 1 @ 5:15 pm – 6:00 pm
Author Round Table – Writing Steampunk in the Wild West and Around the World
Poe’s Parlour
David Lee Summers often sets his steampunk in the western United States of the late 1800s where many cultures were meeting and colliding. Join him for a discussion of why the region appeals to him and the opportunities it presents for telling multicultural steampunk stories.
Saturday, April 1 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
A Cast of Crows: Poe-Inspired Steampunk Book Launch
Rue Morgue Panel Room
Come celebrate the launch of A Cast of Crows, the premiere volume in the Forgotten Lore series, edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and featuring stories by David Lee Summers, Michelle D. Sonnier, Judi Fleming, Aaron Rosenberg, Ef Deal, Dana Fraedrich, Jessica Lucci, Doc Coleman, and Danielle Ackley-McPhail. Also launching: Grimm Machinations and Grease Monkeys.
Contributing authors to the three anthologies attending the launch will be David Lee Summers, Michelle D. Sonnier, Ef Deal, Dana Fraedrich, Jessica Lucci, Doc Coleman, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Jeff Young, and John L. French.
Sunday, April 2 @ 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Author Round Table – Audiobooks for Indie Authors
Poe’s Parlour
Dana Fraedrich has explored every audiobook creation route so you don’t have to. From DIY to hiring a professional voice actor, ACX to Findaway, and more. Come with your audiobook creation questions and allow Dana to demystify this daunting (and rapidly growing) corner of the market for you.
Sunday, April 2 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
More than Gears and Goggles
Poe’s Parlour
Join a round table, intimate discussion with writer, editor and publisher Danielle Ackley-McPhail. She will discuss suggestions for taking your writing, crafting, or costuming to the next level by paying attention to the relevant details.
Some of you may have noticed, but we have a campaign going on right now, Full Steam Ahead! funding three amazing steampunk/dieselpunk books: A Cast of Crows, Grimm Machinations, and Grease Monkeys. For once, we have covers for all three right off the bat, or at least working covers, with some possible modifications down the line.
We wanted to showcase those covers that are to all effects done, and today we are starting with A Cast of Crows.
We don’t have cover copy yet, but this is an anthology of Poe-inspired Steampunk fiction with stories by David Lee Summers, Michelle D. Sonnier, Judi Fleming, Aaron Rosenberg, Ef Deal, Dana Fraedrich, Jessica Lucci, Doc Coleman, and Danielle Ackley-McPhail. This collection is being produced in conjunction with the Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival, which takes place the weekend of April 1-2 in Hunt Valley, MD. This is planned to be a series with each volume on a different theme each year based on the theme chosen for the event. The series name is Forgotten Lore and the frame on the picture will be the basis for each book, with the inset image changing based on the theme.
Cover design and composition by Danielle McPhail, McP Digital Graphics.
We just launched FULL STEAM AHEAD! a new campaign for two–maybe three–anthologies.
A Cast of Crows – Poe-inspired Steampunk fiction. This collection is being produced in conjunction with the Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival, which takes place the weekend of April 1-2 in Hunt Valley, MD. Authors: David Lee Summers, Michelle D. Sonnier, Judi Fleming, Aaron Rosenberg, Ef Deal, Dana Fraedrich, Jessica Lucci, Doc Coleman, and Danielle Ackley-McPhail. Edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail.
Grimm Machinations – steampunk faerie tale retellings, the sequel to Gaslight & Grimm, with many of the same amazing authors, plus some equally amazing new ones. And, of course, all new tales! Authors: James Chambers, Patrick Thomas, David Lee Summers, Christine Norris, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Cynthia Radthorne, Jeff Young, Gordon Linzner, N. Renee Brown, Bernie Mojzes, and Michelle D. Sonnier. Edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Greg Schauer.
And… if we hit the right stretch goal…
Grease Monkeys: The Heart and Soul of Dieselpunk – a collection of stories about the mechanics that keep the tech running or tear it down to make it work better, all in the midst of the war-torn World War I and II era. Authors: Bernie Mojzes, Misty Massey, Maria V. Snyder, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Derek Tyler Attico, James Chambers, Aaron Rosenberg, David Lee Summers, John L. French, and Ken Schrader. Edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and John L. French.
And when I tell you they have gone above and beyond anything we have ever received before, I am not talking hype.
I hope you might consider checking this project out.
It is award season once again. For those interested, here is a list of our qualifying titles by publication month. For those eligible to nominate and vote for the Nebula Awards, files have been posted to the relevant SFWA forums, or you can contact the publisher.
February
NOVEL CATEGORY –
The Clockwork Solution by Michelle D. Sonnier
The Legacy of the Sortilege Line
Treated with disdain by her family her entire life for not living up to their expectations—or prophesy—Arabella Leyden forges her own path and attains her greatest wish: to join the Sisterhood of Witches, doing so in a manner no one ever anticipated.
As the first-ever technomancer, the way before her is fraught with peril. Can she survive the machinations of her order, or be ground between the gears of reluctant progress?
More important yet, can she succeed at her first assignment: find the root cause of the famine sweeping through Ireland? And end it. A task that has already claimed two witches of the Sortilege line.
Her future hangs in the balance… perhaps even her very life…
NOVEL CATEGORY –
Daire’s Devils by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Give the Enemy Hell!
At the ass-end of the galaxy, Allied Forces—including the 142nd Mobile Special Ops Team, better known as Daire’s Devils—stand ready to defend the contested colony planet Demeter from military invasion and corporate exploitation.
But when the ranks are infiltrated by those determined to secure the top-secret designs of AeroCom’s new prototype flagship, the Cromwell, the newest member of the Devils, Corporal Katrion Alexander, finds herself facing off against an unexpected menace, synthetic operatives indistinguishable from living beings.
She and the Devils must neutralize this new threat, but how when the enemy wears a trusted face?
April
NOVELLA CATEGORY –
Systema Paradoxa: Chessie At Bay
by John L. French
Same ol’ Syn, all new mischief…
Just when Theodore Syn starts thinking about sinking roots, the military comes calling, needing a man with his… unique qualifications to deal with a need-to-know problem that’s cropped up in the Chesapeake Bay.
Something is out there, frightening fish and fishermen alike.
But that’s not the real problem. Someone is masquerading as a military official on American soil, and with war on the horizon, steps need to be taken to safeguard the East Coast, before the Axis Powers drive a U-boat—or something more unexpected—right up the mouth of the Bay.
NOVELLA CATEGORY –
Systema Paradoxa: Eyes of the Wolf
by Robert E. Waters
When a sudden trail of death and desolation sweeps through south and central Texas, elements of the case trigger an alert with a division of the FBI that tracks possible supernatural influence.
Agent Chimalis Burton, a specialist in cryptids of the Americas, has a history of vanquishing such monstrous creatures. When she is assigned the case, she scrambles to find answers before the situation worsens.
Evidence begins to suggest an evil that has festered for centuries; an evil that now rises to reclaim its power.
An evil that rests in the soulful eyes of a wolf.
NOVELLA CATEGORY –
Systema Paradoxa: Alone in the Muck
by Anton Kukal
After what felt like a lifetime in the sewers, Inspector Max Dalton would have thought he’d seen everything. He would have been wrong. When his trainees discover something inexplicable in the muck, life changes radically for all of them, including Max’s granddaughter, Gwen.
News of their discovery gets out and bounty hunters invade the tunnels beneath the city, forcing Max’s cooperation in their search. With life and love and liberty in the balance, Gwen will need help from an unexpected source to evade those looking to capture her new friend.
NOVELLA CATEGORY –
Systema Paradoxa: Forget Me Not
by Carol Gyzander
What is legend? What is truth?
A monster is said to lurk beneath the waters of Lake Erie. Jane and her twin brother Rob are haunted by just that. As children, they lost half their family to a terrible boating accident. They haven’t left dry land since. Only, at the age of sixteen, they allow friends to lure them onto the lake.
But should they have held their ground?
When something nearly swamps their boat, years of secrecy are swept away and the children’s father shares their family history with the supposed Monster of Lake Erie.
Will the tale bring closure or just more tragedy?
NOVELLA CATEGORY –
Systema Paradoxa: Found Footage
by Mary Fan
The camera doesn’t lie… but it has been known to hold a secret or two.
High-school student Jenny Chen captures a glimpse of an unbelievable creature when filming a student movie in the woods near Princeton, New Jersey. Despite her proof, only her best friend believes her.
Determined to reveal the truth about the strange creature, Jenny returns to search the woods, only to end up in a terrifying game of hunt and chase. Someone wants her discovery silenced…but who?
July
NOVELLA CATEGORY –
Systema Paradoxa: The Play of Light
by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Life and Death and Family Secrets…
Sheridan Cascaden faces more than memories when she receives a call in the darkest hours summoning her home.
Sent away five years prior to safeguard her from the evil that claimed her mother, Sheridan hasn’t been back since. She returns to find her childhood home in a disturbing state and her father straddling the Veil, with nothing to explain what happened. Now not only must she deal with her own demons, but she will have to delve into his if she is to unlock the mystery and save Papa’s life.
But wherein lies the line between truth and madness? Sheridan must find out before it’s too late… for both of them…
August
NOVEL CATEGORY –
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.
November
NOVELLA CATEGORY –
Systema Paradoxa: Hell’s Well
by Sean Patrick Hazlett
Astrophysicist Dr. Kate Gavin Weaver’s life was hard enough fighting for tenure at Caltech while raising a four-year-old daughter as a single mother. It was even harder living under the shadow of her estranged father, Mack Gavin, the host of the wildly popular television series, The Cryptid Hunter.
But when Mack disappears while researching the subject of his next episode in a secluded wilderness town in California, Kate decides to leave the relative safety of Pasadena to find her father.
What she uncovers there shakes the very foundation of her reality and forces her to grapple with an adversary she could’ve never imagined.
The time is upon us! We have been doing ChessieCon for years… since before it was ChessieCon, in fact. Last year I was invited as Guest of Honor, but sadly the event was forced to go virtual again because they lost their hotel and did not have sufficient time to secure another one.
This year they are at the Hunt Valley (formerly the Marriot, currently, I believe, Delta… but I could be wrong. This hotel has more identities than Sybil, but tell someone you’re going to be at the Hunt Valley, and they will know exactly where you mean!) In any case, I am invited back again this year as Guest of Honor, and I am so excited about the line-up they have scheduled. We will, of course, have a space in the dealer’s room where I can be found when I am not on panels or committed to other official things. Here is my schedule for the weekend:
Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Friday
5pm – Salon F
Danielle Ackley-McPhail Reading
7:30pm – Salon D
Basics of Crowdfunding
Saturday
10 am – Valley Room
Mass Signing
11:30 am – Salon C
Bug-Eyed Monsters and Other Alien Menaces
S/FF literature is rife with all sorts of threats to humanity. From literal Bug-Eyed monsters that want to harvest your organs to ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ and “The Thing”, to benign-seeming aliens that want to control your mind. How might actual extraterrestrial threats manifest themselves?
4 pm – Salon C
Alien Cultures vs Human Cultures
Aliens have often been portrayed as humanoid-sorts of beings, particularly in visual media. But what sort of cultural differences might come about if an alien weren’t at all humanoid?
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Con Suite
The eSpec Book Launch Party – Come help us celebrate our 2022 new releases, including Daire’s Devils and The Play of Light by Danielle Ackley-McPhail, The Clockwork Solution by Michelle D. Sonnier, Esprit de Corpse by Ef Deal, Chessie At Bay by John L. French, and the anthology Devilish & Divine, edited by John L. French and Danielle Ackley-McPhail
We will have author readings, goodie bags, books, and a prize raffle
Sunday
10 am – (wherever they are)
Kaffeeklatsch
11 am – Salon D
Stand-Alone Books vs Series, Salon D, Sunday 1100
So, you’ve written a story. It’s complete, it’s coherent, it has an interesting plot, believable world-building, engaging characters, all that good stuff. But has your story come to an actual end? If this part of the story is over, is there a need or room for another part of the story? In other words, does it need a sequel, a prequel, or a somehow related different story?
Mike McPhail
Dealers Room – Mike is taking a pass on programming this weekend to help cover the dealer’s table while I am off doing Guest of Honor stuff.
Oh my! This isn’t our first convention back, but it is the biggie! Both excited and a little anxious to be returning to Balticon after two long years away. I can’t tell you how much we are looking forward to seeing our fan fam after so long. Mike McPhail is easing his way back into the circuit and coming just for support and enjoyment this year, but Danielle has a rather nice schedule that leaves her plenty of time to both man the dealer’s table and socialize, the particulars of which you can find below.
Someone’s read your work in progress… and they have feedback. How do you know what should be incorporated, and how can you do it so that changes feel consistent with what you’ve written? How can you deal with conflicting suggestions? How do you tell the difference between impartial constructive feedback and a reader’s personal preference?
A good fight scene can improve the pacing of your novel, raise the stakes for your character, and add immediacy to your writing. But how do you do it well? How do you determine what weapons your character would use and how do you convincingly portray that? Short of studying martial arts for ten years and achieving a black belt, how do you research the combat skills so essential to a pulse-pounding action scene?
Narrative works maintain audience interest through the buildup and release of tension, but how do creators balance this with the requirements of character development and plot construction? How can tension be maintained when audiences can see how many pages (or minutes) are left, or are familiar enough with genre conventions to know what to expect?
11:30 AM St. George
Readings: Christie Meierz and Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Christie Meierz, Danielle Ackley-McPhail
________________
The authors will read from their new and upcoming works.
7:00 PM Baltimore Ballroom A
eSpec Book Launch
Carol Gyzander, John L. French, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Hildy Silverman, Michelle D. Sonnier, Robert E. Waters
________________
Please join us as we celebrate the release of our most recent titles: The Clockwork Solution by Michelle D. Sonnier, Chessie At Bay by John L. French, Daire’s Devils by Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Eyes of the Wolf by Robert E. Waters, Even in the Grave edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, and Devilish & Divine edited by John L. French and Danielle Ackley-McPhail (with stories by stories by Robert E. Waters, Michelle D. Sonnier, and Hildy Silverman). There will be authors, books, homemade cookies, fun, and prizes! (Just a little different than the launches we have a reputation for throwing, but we hope you will come to help us celebrate just the same.)
MONDAY
1:00 PM Guilford
I Sold a Novel! Now What?
Gail Z. Martin (moderator), Joshua Bilmes, Danielle Ackley-McPhail
________________
So you have sold a novel, either through a traditional publisher or via the self-publishing route. Now what? How do you make sure that people buy (and read!) your work? We’ll talk marketing, publicity, touring, and other ways of infecting the public with your mind virus.
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.
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.
Okay! We have had a rush of activity, so there are going to be a lot of videos to recap here. 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!
Teel James Glenn reading an excerpt from “The Red Mare” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
About the Author
Teel James Glenn’s poetry and short stories have been printed in over two hundred magazines including Weird Tales, Mystery Weekly, Pulp Adventures, Space & Time, Mad, Cirsova, Silverblade, and Sherlock Holmes Mystery. His novel A Cowboy in Carpathia: A Bob Howard Adventure won best novel 2021 in the Pulp Factory Award. He is also the winner of the 2012 Pulp Ark Award for Best Author. His website is: TheUrbanSwashbuckler.com
Gordon Linzner reading an excerpt from “Moshigawa’s Homecoming” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
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.
Amy Grech reading an excerpt from “Bruised and Battered Nevermore” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
About the Author
Amy Grech has sold over 100 stories to various anthologies and magazines including: A New York State of Fright, Apex Magazine, Dead Harvest, Flashes of Hope, Gorefest, Hells Heart, Hells Highway, Hells Mall, Needle Magazine, Punk Noir Magazine, Scare You To Sleep, Tales from the Canyons of the Damned, Tales from The Lake Vol. 3, The One That Got Away, Thriller Magazine, and many others. She has a poem forthcoming in the Under Her Skin anthology. Amy is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers who lives in New York. You can connect with her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amy_grech or visit her website: https://www.crimsonscreams.com.
Caroline Flarity reading an excerpt from “I Am Helen Gunthe” from the upcoming EVEN IN THE GRAVE, edited by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, funding now on Kickstarter.
About the Author
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.
Michelle D. Sonnier reading an excerpt from her novel Death’s Embrace, an ancillary prequel to The Clockwork Witch.
There is no aspect of life that magic does not touch, including death.
Raised to follow in her mother’s footsteps, groomed to be a proper hedgewitch, Macaria longs to blossom and bloom both into womanhood and her magic. But deep inside, doubts have begun to take root.
During a springtime ritual meant to ensure a fruitful growing season, fate conspires to redirect Macaria’s path. Falling victim to ill omen after ill omen, she returns home bloody and bruised to meet her destiny.
With the dawn, and an unfortunate sacrifice, her magic unfurls and her new vocation as a death witch is revealed. Can Macaria learn to see the beauty in Death? Or will the Council of Witches force her into its final embrace?
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.
To celebrate the release of Michelle D. Sonnier’s The Clockwork Solution, the long-awaited sequel to The Clockwork Witch, we are sharing an excerpt with you today. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter One
The Story Begins Anew with Danger Close at Hand
Arabella Helene Leyden alighted from a hansom cab two blocks from her father’s house. The summer sun still hung above the horizon despite it being well past the hour for supper. She had hoped for a breath of air to clear her head, but the hot and sticky late afternoon air wasn’t much better than the stuffy confines of the cab. Regardless, she walked the remaining distance. She brushed wayward strands of her dark brown hair from her sweaty forehead with a sigh, trying not to think of the oppressive heat.
She had quite enjoyed High Tea with Julian Pattersby, the cerebral young man who’d caught her eye. Even the company of his dour maiden aunt as chaperone hadn’t put a damper on their enjoyment. Between bites and exciting conversation about the optimal number of teeth on a cog for various applications, Arabella watched a curious family drama play out between Julian and his impoverished aunt.
Aunt Adelaide’s frown had deepened each time Julian ordered another pot of tea, but she said not a word. Julian pretended not to notice his aunt slipping part of her meal into the small carpet bag in her lap. No plate left the table with a single scrap of food upon it, and several linen napkins seemed to go missing. Julian paid the exorbitant bill without either concern or complaint.
After tea, while Aunt Adelaide was distracted by a spectacular example of pelargoniums on their garden stroll, Julian whispered in Arabella’s ear that his uncle from his mother’s side forbade him from giving money to his father’s side of the family but never argued over extravagant dining expenses.
Deep in thought, Arabella strolled down the sidewalk toward her father’s house, a dreamy smile on her lips. Even in the midst of a prickly and potentially embarrassing family matter, Julian showed himself to be kind and generous, a gentle soul. He was an eminently suitable young man. For just a moment, she allowed herself to forget about the dangers and political machinations of the witching world and pondered the romantic possibilities of a young heart.
It was in that moment that the perils she sought to distract herself from reinserted themselves.
Arabella cried out as heat from something flew past her cheek, missing her by inches. Yanked out of her woolgathering, she saw a witch a few feet ahead of her on the sidewalk. The witch held her flame-wreathed hands away from her body. Arabella gasped. Footsteps sounded on the pavement behind her. Another woman, dressed in the dowdy clothes of a washerwoman, leapt in front of Arabella. The washerwoman’s hands twisted in an arcane shape, and the next blast from the snarling fire witch slid over a hastily erected shield. The flame shot up into the sky and dissipated harmlessly. The fire witch shrieked in rage.
“Get into the house!” Arabella’s savior hissed over her shoulder even as she kept her eyes on the fire witch. “I’ll hold her off.”
“But? What?” Arabella stammered. “Who are you?”
“That doesn’t matter,” she growled through gritted teeth. “Get to the house. You’ll be safe behind the wards.”
The fire witch threw another fire ball, and the unknown witch projected her shield out and around it. The fire suffocated in the bubble.
“Tabitha!” Arabella’s defender called out. “You don’t have to do this.”
“Lies! She cannot be allowed to live!” Tabitha screeched. She hurled another fireball. The mystery witch caught it and snuffed it out again, her movements sure, but she panted from the strain.
Tabitha was in between Arabella and her father’s house. With a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure no carriages were coming, Arabella dashed across the street. She pelted up the sidewalk, dodging screaming people running for cover. Her unknown savior had Tabitha completely distracted, but who knew how long that would last.
Once she was past Tabitha, Arabella hurried back across the street again. Almost home, she thought. She gasped when she saw another woman by her father’s front gate. She stood transfixed by the battling witches down the street and seemed not to have noticed Arabella yet. She could be a mundane woman; she could be a witch. If she was a witch, she could be here to either hurt her or protect her. Arabella had no way of knowing. Not wanting to risk it, Arabella darted into the alley and hurried to the back garden gate.
Tiny Fae faces peered from the foliage as Arabella dashed through the garden. Curious whispers followed her the whole way. She yanked open the kitchen door and threw herself inside. Arabella slammed the door shut and leaned against it, panting.
Safe. But for how long?
Arabella struggled to calm her racing heart and slow her breathing. She strained to hear if the battle still raged between the witches even as she knew it was useless. She would never hear anything this far away, through so much stone and brick. She shuddered to think about the conflict coming close enough to hear.
Her breathing restored nearly to normal, she stepped back from the door, staring at it. She wrapped her arms around her middle and bit her lip. Who was her savior? Which House did she have to thank? And her would-be assassin… Tabitha. Which House did she have to blame?
Would there ever be a time Arabella would be accepted enough to leave her home without risking her life? She briefly considered venturing back out to check on her benefactor, maybe help her, but she swiftly rejected the idea. Without training in the more violent magical arts, she was a hindrance, not a help. Arabella closed her eyes and tried to fix the visage of the brave witch in her mind. She would question her sisters when she got to Blackstone House, after the Investiture ceremony, to see if they knew who she was. Then she could offer proper gratitude to her rescuer.
Arabella sighed. She listened to the creaks of the house, trying to discern if her father or brothers were home. She thought she heard someone tinkering in the lab. Father? Henry? Upstairs seemed quiet. She expected John would be out late with his friends tonight. They were all to leave early in the morning to head for Blackstone Manor and her Investiture. John said something about a “last hurrah.”
Arabella thought about poking her head into the lab, but she changed her mind and wandered toward the stove. There was no point in telling her father or her brothers about the attack. It was over, and she remained unscathed. They couldn’t do anything about it, and it would only upset them. With an absent flick of her wrist and a bit of technomancy, Arabella turned up the gas lamp in the kitchen. She shook the kettle on the stove, relieved to hear water sloshing. A cup of tea would be just the thing to soothe her jangled nerves. After her Investiture things would be better, Arabella told herself. After her Investiture, every member of the English Council of Witches would have to accept her. There would, of course, still be the sly dance of passive-aggressive political maneuvering, but the outright assassination attempts would surely cease. Or so she hoped.
Snapping her fingers, Arabella lit the gas under the kettle on the integrated striker her father had invented for the stove. His little invention sold quite well and had become an integral part of the family’s financial fortunes. The little device was easy enough to use the mundane way, but by using her magic, Arabella avoided streaks of ash on her hand.
Arabella bustled around the kitchen, preparing the leaves while the water boiled. Her eyes fell on the curling burgundy, black, and pearl ribbons of her Investiture invitation lying on the kitchen table. She frowned. It felt odd to be invited to one’s own party, but she supposed it really couldn’t be helped since she didn’t live under Mother’s roof anymore. It was Mother’s own fault, really. She was the one who had disowned Arabella in the front hall of this very house when she refused to come to heel.
Of course, Mother had addressed the invitation ‘Arabella Helene Sortilege.’ Was the gesture a sweet treat offered in apology? Or was it a lure to trap her now that Arabella could be useful?
She found either prospect infuriating. Briefly, Arabella contemplated tossing the invitation into the stove’s flame and watching it burn to ash, but she just shoved it out of the way and started the tea to steep. She could puzzle over Mother’s motivations later. For now, Arabella must focus on her last-minute arrangements before they left this treacherous city for Blackstone Manor in the morning.
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.
eSpec Books is trying something new that we’re hoping you will like. We have two new books releasing on February 1 and each author has recorded an excerpt. Using the following links you can click to be reminded when the videos go live. We will have a live chat with the authors during the readings. We hope you will come and help us celebrate these brand-new book babies!
Treated with disdain by her family her entire life for not living up to their expectations—or prophesy—Arabella Leyden forges her own path and attains her greatest wish: to join the Sisterhood of Witches, doing so in a manner no one ever anticipated. As the first-ever technomancer, the way before her is fraught with peril.
Can she survive the machinations of her order, or be ground between the gears of reluctant progress? More important yet, can she succeed at her first assignment: find the root cause of the famine sweeping through Ireland? And end it. A task that has already claimed two witches of the Sortilege line.
Her future hangs in the balance… perhaps even her very life…
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.
Scheduled for 10:15am
Danielle Ackley-McPhail reading an excerpt from chapter 19 of her novel Daire’s Devils.
Give the Enemy Hell!
At the ass-end of the galaxy, Allied Forces—including the 142nd Mobile Special Ops Team, better known as Daire’s Devils—stand ready to defend the contested colony planet Demeter from military invasion and corporate exploitation.
But when the ranks are infiltrated by those determined to secure the top-secret designs of AeroCom’s new prototype flagship, the Cromwell, the newest member of the Devils, Corporal Katrion Alexander, finds herself facing off against an unexpected menace, synthetic operatives indistinguishable from living beings.
She and the Devils must neutralize this new threat, but how when the enemy wears a trusted face?
About the Author
Award-winning author, editor, and publisher Danielle Ackley-McPhail has worked both sides of the publishing industry for longer than she cares to admit. In 2014 she joined forces with husband Mike McPhail and friend Greg Schauer to form her own publishing house, eSpec Books.
Her published works include seven novels, Yesterday’s Dreams, Tomorrow’s Memories, Today’s Promise, The Halfling’s Court, The Redcaps’ Queen, Daire’s Devils, and Baba Ali and the Clockwork Djinn, written with Day Al-Mohamed. She is also the author of the solo collections Eternal Wanderings, A Legacy of Stars, Consigned to the Sea, Flash in the Can, Transcendence, Between Darkness and Light, and the non-fiction writers’ guides The Literary Handyman, More Tips from the Handyman, and LH: Build-A-Book Workshop. She is the senior editor of the Bad-Ass Faeries anthology series, Gaslight & Grimm, Side of Good/Side of Evil, After Punk, and Footprints in the Stars. Her short stories are included in numerous other anthologies and collections.
In addition to her literary acclaim, she crafts and sells original costume horns under the moniker The Hornie Lady Custom Costume Horns, and homemade flavor-infused candied ginger under the brand of Ginger KICK! at literary conventions, on commission, and wholesale.
Danielle lives in New Jersey with husband and fellow writer, Mike McPhail and four extremely spoiled cats.
Reviews
“War is tough, so is writing about it. Danielle Ackley-McPhail’s Daire’s Devils rises to that challenge and comes away triumphant.” David Sherman, Marine and bestselling author of the Starfist, Demontech, and 18th Race series
“A hard-hitting military science fiction with plenty of action, mystery, and intrigue—where do I sign up?!” Maria V. Snyder, New York Times best-selling author of the award-winning Navigating the Stars
“Plenty of action along with corporate and political intrigue in the finest tradition of Elizabeth Moon’s Familias Regnant novels, with just a dash of Blade Runner-esque mystery to add a little spice to the mix.” Dayton Ward, Marine and New York Times bestselling author of The Last World War and Star Trek: Agents of Influence
“Once again, eSpec Books delivers another thrilling glance at future military action […] Ackley-McPhail shows an acute awareness of military terminology and command structure [as] the complex, multilayered plot of Daire’s Devils unfolds.” Bud Sparhawk, Air Force veteran, multi-Nebula finalist, and author of Shattered Dreams
Ready to sit back and relax on this blustery day? Take a few moment and enjoy these readings by the authors of eSpec. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Just little snippits to give you a taste of these awesome books.
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.
Ty Drago reading an excerpt from his upcoming novel Rags, funding as a part of the GHOSTS AND GHOULS AND OTHER CREEPY THINGS campaign on Kickstarter starting 2/1/22.
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 only not understand the dark truth behind Rags. She must accept that truth, frightening as it is, before it’s too late.
About the Author
Ty Drago (Rags) is a full-time writer and the author of ten published novels, including his five-book Undertakers series, the first of which has been optioned for a feature film. Torq, a dystopian YA superhero adventure, was released by Swallow’s End Publishing in 2018. Add to these one novelette, myriad short stories and articles, and appearances in two anthologies. He’s also the founder, publisher, and managing editor of ALLEGORY (www.allegoryezine.com), a highly successful online magazine that, for more than twenty years, has featured speculative fiction by new and established authors worldwide. Ty’s currently just completed The New Americans, a work of historical fiction and a collaborative effort with his father, who passed away in 1992. If that last sentence leaves you with questions, check out his podcast, “Legacy: The Novel Writing Experience,” to get the whole story. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Helene, plus one cat and one dog.
Michelle D. Sonnier reading an excerpt from her story “The Light of One Candle” from After Punk, edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail and Greg Schauer.
While mankind can scarce hope to pierce the Veil without crossing it, a few intrepid souls will ever bend their will against the aether, combining artifice and the arcane to uncover its secrets. From voodoo death cults to the Day of the Dead, mummy parties, the wheel of reincarnation, the practice of death portraits, and so much more, these tales leave no gravestone unturned.
Be it heaven or hell or the limbo in between, the hereafter is about to get ‘Punked.
With stories by Jody Lynn Nye, David Sherman, Gail Z. Martin and Larry N. Martin, James Chambers, Michelle D. Sonnier, Jeffrey Lyman, Bernie Mojzes, Jeff Young, David Lee Summers, L. Jagi Lamplighter, and Danielle Ackley-McPhail.
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.
Christopher J. Burke reading his flash fiction story “The It Girl” from his solo collection In A Flash 2020.
Who says there’s never enough time anymore?
Help yourself to twenty tales of wit and wonder for those with but a little time to read. Pick up Christopher J. Burke’s debut collection of award-winning flash fiction for a quick trip through the whimsical to magical to speculative and back again.
A space-traveling hustler gets taken, but can’t bring himself to mind in the afterglow.
Playing fetch takes a darker turn as a man who hears dogs’ thoughts encounters a hellhound.
A disturbing young man brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘writer’s block.’
With the edges of the galaxy to explore, for one convict, solitary confinement is more than worth doing extra time.
A young visionary is on to a hot new idea, but it takes an outside perspective to give it a brilliant spin.
And many more fantastic tales to transport you for just a moment or two…there and back again In a Flash!
About the Author
Christopher J. Burke is a writer, high school math teacher, and webcomic creator. He’s also a gamer and fan of science fiction who has been telling stories since he was little. This combination ultimately led to his first professional sale, “Don’t Kill the Messenger,” in Autoduel Quarterly. This was followed by the creation of a fiction fanzine, Driving Tigers Magazine, with stories set in the Car Wars universe of Steve Jackson Games, which had a five-issue run. Thanks to his knowledge and love of that game, he was asked to co-author GURPS Autoduel, 2nd edition for Steve Jackson Games. He took time off from writing when he switched careers and went back to school to become a teacher. But not before he completed a goal of having a humor piece published in MAD Magazine.
In 2007, he started the math-based webcomic (x, why?), filled with the kind of geeky humor that makes his students groan when he includes them in the daily lesson. Christopher still updates the comic with new strips every week on his blog.
After a chance meeting at a launch party in 2014, Christopher was once again bitten by the writing bug and started producing flash fiction. He won several monthly flash fiction contests on the eSpec Books blog, and appeared in their anthology, In a Flash 2016. Christopher lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Antoinette.
Delighted to say that Michelle D. Sonnier received an amazing review in Publishers Weekly for her upcoming novel, The Clockwork Solution. You can click the link to read the full review, but below is the take-away! Want to pre-order a copy for yourself? Receive a 25% discount on all orders over $20 from the eSpec store using promo code HDAYCHEER, good through January 31.
Sonnier keeps the story light and fast-paced, balancing Arabella’s mission with the tangled relationships in the witch community. Closing with a deliberate setup for the next volume, this is sure to hook fans of gaslamp fantasy.
It isn’t often that we do this–or need to do this–but there are occasions when a book goes out with a cover we later wish were better. It’s not that they are bad, but often we learn new tricks or upgrade the systems and suddenly we are capable of so much more. This is one of those cases.
I give you the revised cover for The Clockwork Solution by Michelle D. Sonnier, art and (re)design by Mike McPhail of McP Digital Graphics.
Original Cover
Redesign
The book releases on February 1, but you can pre-order it on Amazon or direct from the eSpec Store. Also, now through the end of January, if you use promo code HDAYCHEER on the eSpec Store, you will receive 25% off all order of $20 or more.
This has been awhile in coming, but let me tell you, well worth the wait! We are delighted to share with you the cover for Michelle D. Sonnier’s The Clockwork Solution, sequel to her debut novel, The Clockwork Witch. Artwork by Mike McPhail/McP Digital Graphics. The book will release in Spring 2022, but we will have a lovely excerpt for you soon.
The Legacy of the Sortilege Line
Treated with disdain by her family her entire life for not living up to their expectations—or prophesy—Arabella Leyden forges her own path and attains her greatest wish: to join the Sisterhood of Witches, doing so in a manner no one ever anticipated.
As the first-ever technomancer, the way before her is fraught with peril. Can she survive the machinations of her order, or be ground between the gears of reluctant progress?
More important yet, can she succeed at her first assignment: find the root cause of the famine sweeping through Ireland? And end it. A task that already claimed two witches of the Sortilege line.
Her future hangs in the balance… perhaps even her very life…
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’s published short stories in a variety of print and online venues, and has upcoming projects with eSpec Books and Otter Libris. 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. The Clockwork Witch is her first full-length novel.
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