Welcome to

'Cause This Is Thriller

2011-12-30T15:25:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that my short story, "Expertise," has been awarded Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest Thriller/Suspense Competition! The judge for this competition was three-time Bram Stoker award recipient David Morrell. Winners will be listed in the May/June 2012 issue of Writer's Digest and on www.writersdigest.com after the May/June 2012 issue is published. The story itself has yet to be published, but here's to hoping this honor will boost its chances!

Back to School

2011-12-23T22:14:00.000-08:00

Just over a week ago, I landed my first collegiate teaching gig. I will be an adjunct instructor of Theatre Appreciation at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH. Colby-Sawyer just happens to be my alma mater and I'm very excited to be rejoining the community. I am also thrilled to just get my foot in the door of this highly competitive "industry," and so soon after earning my MFA. I mean, who knows: perhaps in a semester's time I will be reporting another offer (or two?!) to teach more courses at CSC...or even another institution. In the meantime, I was hoping you guys could clear something up for me: Theatre is that thing that's like TV without the box, right?

Anthocon

2011-11-14T21:14:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I attended Anthocon in Portsmouth, NH. It was a relatively small conference but that did not make it any less enjoyable. Sponsored by Shroud Publishing, their list of guests was quite impressive. Among the speakers were familiar faces Brian Keene, Jonathan Maberry, and Rick Hautala--all horror writers I had the chance to converse with at Necon earlier this year. Also in the mix were speculative fiction writer Catherynne Valente (who visited the Stonecoast MFA program while I was attending,) and actor Michael Boatman, who many of you would recognize from his role on the television show, Spin City. As it turns out, Mr. Boatman is also a writer of horror fiction and an extremely nice guy to boot.

Unfortunately, I was having so much fun that I forgot to take pictures, thus making this post a little less interesting. Not sure when my next convention adventure will be, but I promise not to make that mistake again. And to make up for it in the meantime, here's Brian Keene's Anthocon keynote speech, "Roots." I found it very informative and delivered an uplifting message. Enjoy!

Soundtracks

2011-10-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

After a recent visit to his virtual home, I discovered that Brian Keene had put together several book soundtracks using the website 8tracks.com. I thought it was a really cool idea and I decided to give a try myself. So be sure to check out the soundtrack for my unpublished backwoods horror novel, The Remedy. I also complied a mix of songs that go very nicely with the upcoming short film, Exit 7A. I plan on using this site again for future writing projects and will keep you posted whenever one goes up. But take note: 8tracks only allows for a certain number of skips, so use them wisely. Happy listening!

Back from the Dead

2011-08-16T19:42:00.001-07:00

After making the unfortunate discovery that The Oddville Press is no longer in publication, (and stumbling upon a porn site where their web address used to be located,) I was forced to take down the link to my short story, "Exit 7A." However, thanks to Google books, I have relocated issue #6 and am pleased to announce my story is available to read once again. Just click here and turn to page 43. I plan to rewrite this story someday to match the film adaptation, so I guess that makes this version a rarity. Oooooohhh...

NECON XXXI

2011-08-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend my first Necon (Northeastern Writers Conference,) a convention for horror writers and aficionados. It was a unique experience to say the least. I had always heard how seamlessly the author guests and attendees mixed together in this super informal setting, but I still could not believe how many one-on-one conversations I was able to have with some of my favorite horror writers. When not sitting in on interesting panel discussions, I found myself chatting with Dallas Mayr (Jack Ketchum,) Brian Keene & John Skipp. It could've quite possibly been the strangest environment I've ever had the joy of finding myself in, with some of the most interesting characters I've ever encountered. If you're a horror writer searching for a future con to check out, look no further than Necon. After just one visit, the people there will already make you feel like a part of the community. I can only hope that I can afford the time and money to return next year.

Myself & Dallas Mayr (Jack Ketchum)

John Skipp and I say "Bring it on!"

Me (left) Brian Keene (right)

EXIT 7A...the movie!

2011-08-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

Super-mega-ultra exciting news alert! My short story, "Exit 7A," has been adapted into a short film! Hammer & Saw Films, who produced "Motel," have released the trailer on the official site. Principal photography occurred in the spring, and post production should be completed by September. For those of you who read the short story at The Oddville Press, you will find the film version differs quite a bit. I never was too enthusiastic about the story's ending, but the screenplay, which I wrote with director William Peters, gave me the chance to finally rework it. Along with supplying the story and adapting it to the screen, I also co-produced the project, so I have first hand information that this short film is going to kick all sorts of ass! So stop reading this post already and head on over to the site and check out the trailer, cast, and some production stills. And if you have a smart phone, check out the mobile version of the website as well. More news to come on this exciting development...so stay tuned!

No Longer a Padawan

2011-07-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note:

Please ignore the fact that I'm holding my diploma
in a restroom, and all the irony that comes with it.

According to the University of Southern Maine, I am now a Jedi Master. And by that I mean I have successfully earned my MFA in Creative Writing from USM's Stonecoast Program. To anyone interested in pursuing the MFA, I would highly recommend you check out Stonecoast. Their low-residency program has been named one of the best in the nation, and their Popular Fiction focus is perfect for those writers who tend to lean towards robots, dragons, and things that go bump in the night. Not to mention, your faculty includes four time Bram Stoker winner, Nancy Holder, Hugo award wining James Patrick Kelly, and Scott Wolven, whose work has appeared several times in Best American Mystery Stories. Convinced yet?

Funny or Die and Other Festivities

2011-03-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

MOTEL is now available to view at Funny or Die, the website co-owned by Will Ferrell. In other MOTEL related news, the short film has increased its festival acceptances to six! After being screened at the "Vermont International Film Festival," the "Love Your Shorts Film Festival," and the "Dam Film Festival," MOTEL will also be featured at The Rochester International Film Festival (April 14th - 16th,) and The Puerto Rico International Film Festival (June 23th - 26th!) Did I mention it also won "Best Comedy" and "Best in Fest" at the SNOB (Slightly North of Boston) Film Festival?

Hammer and Saw Films plan to keep this momentum going right into their next project, an adaptation of my short story Exit 7A. Shooting begins April 9th, so stay tuned for more news!

MOTEL

2010-11-21T08:29:00.001-08:00

I'm a little late delivering this news, but I helped develop the story to a short film titled MOTEL that is currently being screened on the film festival circuit. The film is based on a real life event that occurred in Arkansas when my brother and I were road tripping from Montana to Vermont. Only a few details have been altered, but the majority of this comically absurd tale is entirely true. After premiering at the Vermont International Film Festival, this short is now available to view here. (It is also being screened today at the SNOB Film Festival.) Enjoy!

A Second Helping

2010-11-02T15:49:00.001-07:00

In case you missed it the first time, my short story, The Secret Word, has been reprinted at Verbicide. They appropriately put up the story on Halloween, but just because that ghoulish holiday has come and gone, doesn't mean you shouldn't stop getting your daily doses of the macabre. So if you haven't read it, go ahead and check it out, and feel free to click the "like" button at the top if you enjoy the tale. The story is also still available in issue #15 of Twisted Tongue, which is available as a free digital copy in their back issues section.

Behind the Eight Ball

2010-10-09T06:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, there. Remember me? I wouldn't blame you if you did not. There was little news to report this summer, since I have been plugging away on my novel and submitting very few short stories. But after a four month long hiatus, I have returned with good news. My flash fiction piece, Behind the Eight Ball, is now up at A Twist of Noir. If anyone is still strolling by my site these days, feel free to check it out. And while you're there, perhaps you'd like to take a peek at the work of my classmates who are either currently enrolled or have graduated from the Stonecoast MFA creative writing program at the University of Southern Maine. These crime fiction writers include Libby Cudmore, Matthew Quinn Martin, Ian Withrow and Eric M. Bosarge.

The Land Bridge

2010-06-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

Two of my stories will be included in the upcoming speculative fiction anthology, The Land Bridge. The anthology is the brainchild of its editor, Zachary Jernigan, a sci-fi writer and fellow MFA candidate at the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast program. The book is sure to be a fantastic read, featuring some of best new science fiction and fantasy fiction available today...and whatever the hell it is I do. The Land Bridge is due out at the end of this month and will be sold through Lulu.com. So stay tuned...

Cigarette Break

2010-05-16T08:16:00.001-07:00

My story, "Cigarette Break," is now available in the most recent issue of Bewildering Stories. Actually, I forgot to update the site last week and now it's the last day of this issue. However, the story will still be available in Bewildering's archives, so if don't read this post in the next 24 hours, fear not. You can always use the link under the "Stories" column to the right.

The piece is what people in the industry might call a "trunk story," so I'm not sure if it lives up to the level of "bewildering." But I still hope you enjoy it, and if you're looking for weird, there's a good chance you will. (You can also change the color of the text! Oooh!)

The Secret Word

2010-05-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Issue # 15 of Twisted Tongue, which features my short story, "The Secret Word," is now available in both print and digital format. If you live in the United Kingdom, the price of a printed copy should be slightly less (since it is a UK publication and you won't have to pay for overseas shipping.) However, no matter where you hang your hat, the PDF version is free for all! I hope you enjoy.

Out of Order

2010-04-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (4/23/10) my short story, "Out of Order," which originally appeared in Verbicide Magazine, will be the daily stories at Cell Stories. The story will only be able to be read on an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Blackberry, Droid or other mobile devices. So tomorrow, log onto www.cellstories net using your phone's internet browser. Or, if your phone can read QR codes, you can go to cellstories.net on your computer, and zap the image there.

The Zoo

2010-04-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

My short story, "The Zoo," is up at Yellow Mama. It's accompanied by this strange illustration on the right here...which isn't exactly the sort of imagery I was trying to conjure. So if you were hoping for a story about monkeys with human faces, you'll probably be disappointed. But if you're willing to read a story that lacks human/animal hybrids, click above and check it out.

For Mona

2010-02-17T20:59:00.000-08:00

My short story, For Mona, is now available at The Cynic Online Magazine. Click the link, or the image, to read.

In other news, Dark Moon Books emailed me this week to inform me that their final decisions for their zombie short story collection have been delayed...again. So no final announcements on March 1st. This time the delay will be by "a few weeks." I guess we'll have to wait and see how long that really means.

The Secret Word

2010-02-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling very international today as I just found out that my story, "The Secret Word," will be appearing in issue 15 of the UK based publication, Twisted Tongue. This will be my first foreign publication credit, and it will be available in both print and PDF formats. And we don't even have to wait that long since the issue is due out in March! My own British invasion will soon begin...

Exit 7A

2010-01-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

After an unexpected month long hiatus, I return with good news. My story, "Exit 7A" will be appearing in issue six of The Oddville Press this February. It's looking like it will be a good month for yours truly, as The Cynic Online Magazine will also be featuring my story, "For Mona," on the 16th. I should also mention that I am now being mentored by four time winner of the Bram Stoker award, Nancy Holder, and that doesn't suck either! I hope to be sharing the work I accomplish under her guidance in the months to come...so stay tuned.

The Stinger

2009-12-17T11:37:00.000-08:00

Two days ago, I should have been encouraging all of you to check out my story "Bass Sick," at The Monsters Next Door. However, as I revealed in a previous post, that publication is no longer in production. But a mere two days later, I am pleased to announce that a new story of mine is now available! Head on over to Flashes in the Dark and check out my new flash fiction piece, "The Stinger."

Small Town, U.S.A.

2009-12-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

I have new story available in issue five of Sex and Murder: A Magazine of Extreme Horror, Dark Fiction, and Splatterpunk. I knew I had found the perfect home for my piece, "Small Town, U.S.A.," when I read the website's intro: "There aren't many magazines that go in for extreme horror, or splatterpunk. The general reason that's usually given is that there's no market for it, the stuff is just not palatable to the mainstream audience. Quite frankly, I think that's bullshit." If you agree, you can follow the direct link to the story here or click on "Small Town, U.S.A." under the stories column.

Bad News and Good News

2009-12-01T11:12:00.001-08:00

I'll give you the bad news first. The Monsters Next Door, a magazine that was going to feature my story, "Bass Sick," on December 15th, will no longer be in publication. So after months of waiting, my story has become homeless a mere two weeks before its publication date. *sigh*

However...

The same day I received this horrible news, Dark Moon Books also sent an email to inform me that "Bass Sick" has made the first cut for their upcoming zombie anthology. I will know sometime in January if my story will be selected from the thirty stories they're considering to be one of the twelve to fourteen stories they will include in the book. So fingers crossed...

SPLAT!

2009-11-27T22:50:00.001-08:00

You might have noticed the link to POP! under the "Friends" column. This is my friend (and fellow writer) Rachel Carter's blog on pop culture. It is highly entertaining, even if you aren't highly interested about what's "hot" in the entertainment biz. I am now contributing my own column called, "SPLAT!" which will cover the darker/bloodier side of popular fiction and film. Consider it the rated R section of the blog. So if you're a tween, make sure you bring your parent or legal guardian along before clicking the link.

Kinesis

2009-11-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

My short story, "Kinesis," will be featured in issue # 4 of Sideshow Fables, a magazine of circus fiction. Editor Paul Eckert had this to say about the tale: "This story had some great characters, and I was enjoying reading about them. I was wondering how the story could end, and you did not disappoint. Great ending." The issue is slated to come out June 2010, but a special edition issue may be published earlier. So stay tuned!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy Halloween and share this video I directed and starred in back in 2006 (I'm the one in the blue shirt in case you didn't know.) Now I'm off to the all-night horror marathon at The Coolidge Corner Theatre. I hope it's as good as the 2nd annual Vermont Horror Festival that I attended last night. If you weren't there, you missed out! Guest speakers were Vermont author, Joe Citro, as well director Rob Schmidt, who did a Q & A after the screening of "Wrong Turn."

Halloween from Verbicide Magazine on Vimeo.

Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival

2009-10-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd share my plans to attend the Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival. The fest will take place in Providence, RI, October 22nd to the 25th. So if you're in the area, check it out. They're also featuring an H.P. Lovecraft tour, which may appeal to any classic horror literature fans out there.

For Mona

2009-09-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

"For Mona," my short horror story dealing with the food service industry, is to be featured at The Cynic Online Magazine. The story will be published February 16th, 2010, almost exactly two months after the publication of "Bass Sick," and two months prior to "The Zoo." The story was inspired by my own discovery of a mysterious package in a restaurant freezer, quite similar to the one the main character comes upon. But I should note that the events that followed in real life were not as ghastly as the ones that occur in the story!

Horse or Human

2009-09-14T20:17:00.000-07:00

Here's kind of a different one for you all. My latest story, "Horse or Human," is available at Rope and Wire: A Western Lifestyle Online Community. I don't normally write westerns, but I've always been a fan of the genre in film form (Tombstone, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Shane, The Quick and The Dead, Unforgiven, The Man with No Name Trilogy, etc.) And as a horror aficionado, I suppose my attraction to the western tale is only natural since there's so much potential for terror and mayhem on a lawless frontier. Scott over at Rope and Wire had this to say: "The story is a bit different from most of the stuff that comes my way. I think that's what I like about it." So saddle up and ride on over to Rope and Wire and see for yourself.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait...

2009-09-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

Seven months from now, my short story, "The Zoo" will be appearing in Issue #19 of Yellow Mama. The issue is slated to release April 15th, 2010, a sunny day I'll look forward to after a long, cold winter. Special thanks to editor Cindy Rosmus for her highly flattering words. She calls the story "unique and wonderful" and was "floored by the genius of it." Hey she said it, not me.

Intervention

2009-08-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

My new flash piece, "Intervention," is now available at MicroHorror. Just a little 514 word short story that I hope will add a quick macabre moment to your day. Fun fact: the dumping of the trash can in the story was inspired by the same act occurring when Stephen King's wife and friends confronted him about his substance abuse in the 1980s.

Bass Sick

2009-08-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that my short story, "Bass Sick" will be appearing in the December 15th issue of The Monsters Next Door. It's a creepy little tale inspired by playing Rock Band for countless hours and watching every season of Tales from The Crypt on DVD. Now that's what I call research!