Thrilled to announce that my story “Beautiful, Broken Things” will be appearing in the latest anthology from Sekhmet Press LLC.
WRAPPED IN BLACK: Thirteen Tales of Witches and the Occult has a stellar line-up of talent, and I couldn’t be more pleased to be included! More information regarding release date, etc. when it’s available.
http://greymatterpress.com/equilibrium-overturned-from-grey-matter-press-publishing-june-2014/
“The Final Testimony of Molly Ryder” by Jeff Hemenway – In the near future, prisons will be run by the shadowy governmental program known as Sandman, in which convicts are forced to serve out life sentences in a drug-induced coma. Utilizing a tenuous psychic link, one investigator takes a dangerous journey into the mind of a serial killer to uncover the details of a murder. What he reveals has terrifying repercussions for all of humanity.
“Amnion” by John Everson – In a world where youth and beauty is valued above all else, a brilliant scientist attempting to develop a modern day fountain of youth will stop at nothing to test his groundbreaking theories. The results of his work have dire consequences for his life and for those closest to him.
“Martial Law” by JG Faherty – Mysterious invaders have overtaken a small town without warning. The residents quickly realize this is not an isolated incident, but that the United States has been thrown into chaos as the attackers turn the streets into rivers of blood. Trapped inside an ice-cream parlor, a group of neighbors struggle to come to grips with the terrifying events taking place on Main Street.
“Through the Ghostlands” by Rose Blackthorn – Three survivors of a devastating global calamity making their way through a dead world are searching for what remains of civilization. While nothing lives on land, in the ocean or in the sky, they are far from alone. Pursued by a menacing supernatural force, the trio learns they must put their differences aside to ensure their mutual safety.
“The Collected Sylvia, Volumes 1 to 1388” by Geoffrey W. Cole – Sylvia is apprehensive about the new planet to which she and her husband, Dorian, have traveled. A routine scouting mission to the surface, results in the damage of their landing craft, threatening to maroon the couple on a forbidding alien world. Unwilling to give up hope against terrifying odds, Dorian will go to terrible lengths to ensure their return.
“Perfect Soldiers” by S.G. Larner – The rift between this world and the one beyond has been ripped open, and a terrifying evil from the other side is gaining momentum by feeding off the hatred and fear of humankind. With a dwindling number of available soldiers, the armies of Earth are forced to resort to unspeakable measures to fight what may be the war to end all wars.
“Wombie” by Martin Slag – A small-town veterinarian is horrified at the gruesome sight of his new patient, an animal given as a gift to a little girl by her disturbed uncle. The doctor is shocked when he confirms the species and is overcome with fear for his community when he uncovers a hidden agenda far greater than anything he’s ever imagined.
“No-Man’s Land” by Roger Jackson – A regiment of English soldiers under siege from the onslaught of the Nazi war machine struggle to maintain their composure and win the battle. But while mortars rain down from the darkened skies overhead, their commanding officer decides to take fate into his own hands. Soon a horror far more terrifying than the war itself overtakes the shattered platoon.
“The Alamo Incident: From the Chronicles of Timeaus Shields” by Sean Eads – History is not without its whitewashing, including what may have occurred in the battle for the Alamo. In a West that’s known as wild for a reason, Timeaus Shields is assigned to investigate the force that’s been eradicating the soldiers stationed at the legendary outpost. What he learns shines an all-new light into the darkness of Manifest Destiny.
“The Butcher of Gad Street” by Stephen T. Vessels – Acrid has always believed he was put on Earth to serve a special, yet elusive, purpose. This role is finally realized when a citywide riot sparks a dark adventure that threatens to undermine society as he pursues the evil forces responsible, ultimately revealing his life’s purpose in an allegorical tale that examines the horrifying nature of mankind.
“Queen of Thermodynamic Equilibrium” by Josh R. Vogt – The organization Immortalis is dedicated to eliminating death throughout the galaxy. But a resistance fighter, believing death should continue as the powerful cleansing force it is, has other plans. Taking her quest to the wreckage of a derelict intergalactic battleship haunted by the ghosts of war, she seeks to breathe new life into old death.
“Compartmental” by Jay Caselberg – Humans are made up of small pieces of knowledge, echoes of past experiences and fragments of old memories, all of which we routinely secure in tightly closed boxes and file away in the darkened corners of our mind. What happens when these confined remnants escape from their compartments and bleed into the others creates an unimaginable psychological nightmare.
“This is Not a Horror Story” by Tim Waggoner – A visit to the DMV is always an uncomfortable task, but for one young woman it becomes a journey into her own private terror. Living in a surveillance state run amok, the woman is soon horrified to learn that governmental computers reveal far more about her activities than just her driving record.
“Sunrise” by Tony Knighton – Marty can’t breathe and needs serious medical attention. But a trip to the hospital in a decaying city rife with corruption and strangled by environmental hazards is far more dangerous than it should be. Forced to battle oppressive protocol, a callous healthcare system and black market criminals, a father faces insurmountable odds to save the only life that matters—that of his dying son.
A few weeks ago, I was contacted by writer and editor D. Alexander Ward to see if I’d be interested in participating in a writer’s blog tour. At that time I had to decline – this was just prior to the World Horror Convention in Portland OR, and I was stressing out about getting everything done before hitting the road.
Then about a week ago I was asked again by wonderfully talented author and editor, friend, and fellow dog-lover Sydney Leigh. Now that I have a bit more time, I was happy to say yes! And you can see her answers on her blog here.
But I’m going to go ahead and add the link to D. Alexander Ward’s blog as well since he asked me originally – and because I thought his answers were also enlightening. You can read them here.
So without further ado…
Questions:
What am I working on?
That seems to change from day to day. I have a nearly finished fantasy novel that I still want to complete. Because it is going the be the first in a trilogy, I need to get an idea of where the overall story is heading so books 2 and 3 are not completely drifting in limbo (I’m a professed pantser and it’s difficult for me to plan ahead). I’m working on what will probably be a novella, something a little different for me, a fantasy/sci fi/horror (I know, just throw everything into the pot!) that I’m really getting a kick out of. Plus I’m always working on short stories, flash pieces and drabbles. There are several things about to come out in print, a couple things in edits with publishers, and some things out there in slush.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
That’s a difficult question for me, maybe for any writer. I know that I try to put a dark beauty in most of what I write. I want my stories to be an escape for the reader, yet to have characters and situations that are recognizable. Mostly, what I want is an emotional reaction from what I read, and so I try to put that into my writing as well.
Why do I write what I do?
I have been drawn to “genre” since I was a child. My amazing mother gave me access to worlds without end in her collection of horror, science fiction and fantasy books. She never held me back from exploring what interested me, just made sure she was available in case I was confused or uneasy about something. Because of that, I feel I have always been able to stretch my imagination in any direction I please. So really, I write whatever interests me at the time, regardless of whether it’s genre, short or long, poetry or anything else.
How does my writing process work?
As I mentioned above, I’m a pantser. I think I’ve outlined a plot line maybe once in the last ten years. When I first started writing, I was telling myself stories. I found out how it ended when I got there. That still happens a lot. Sometimes I’ll have an endpoint in mind, and allow my characters to take me to it. I have found that if I have everything already figured out in my mind, I usually have less interest in putting it all down. For me, writing is a journey and I tend to set out on every one with a sense of wonder.
I do try to write every day, and because I’m working on drabbles and shorts and longer pieces I will switch back and forth. That way I never get bored – but I occasionally have pissed off characters in my head railing that it’s their turn!
Now, I’d like to introduce you to the wonderful people who will be continuing the traveling blog next Monday!
Michael J. Evans is a Massachusetts-based horror writer. He recently edited an anthology of ghost stories, From Beyond the Grave, which was published by Grinning Skull Press (www.grinningskullpress.com). His short story, “Hungry for More,” was recently accepted for an anthology scheduled to be published later this year. He has also had stories appearing in a couple of anthologies published by May December Publications. He is currently at work on several projects, which he hopes to have completed by the end of the year. You can find excerpts of some of those projects here. https://mjevansauthor.wordpress.com/
Thomas Kleaton at http://thomaskleaton.wordpress.com/
Bio: Thomas Kleaton is a freelance horror writer. He has had stories published in SNM Horror Magazine, Dark Eclipse Magazine, and the anthologies Cellar Door: Words of Beauty, Tales of Terror, Serial Killers Tres Trias, Bones, and What Has Two Heads, Ten Eyes, and Terrifying Table Manners?
“Sacrifices” is now live at SpeckLit, which publishes 100 word drabbles.
SpeckLit is edited by Alex F. Fayle, which publishes 100 word fiction, as well as 100 word book and movie reviews.
Moonlight and Thorns 