Hell Hath No Fury…On Professionalism and Silence.
There’s an old saying, I’m sure you’ve heard it. Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned. This is a phrase that has chilled many hearts, mostly because it’s true. Women may be considered the gentler sex, but times they are a changing. As the manager of a gaggle of other females in my day job, and a member of the so called fairer sex, I can tell you that women are not to be taken lightly in matters of love (as the original sentiment pertained to)… OR business. Here’s where the Grimm Mistresses come in.
I’m not going to rehash all the details here, they have already been most eloquently stated by Allison M. Dixon HERE And Stacey Turner HERE
I would, however, like to add my voice to the chorus. Or as I like to think of it, this bitch is about to bang her drum.
I am not shy about my feelings when it comes to Shared Royalty Anthologies. The entire idea is shit. Worse than shit. For The Love Markets are almost a better deal. At least they are upfront about ripping you off. You know it from minute one. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey Lady. I want to publish your work, hope to make a few bucks off your friends and family who will buy it, and never pay you a damned cent. You okay with that?” It’s not cool, but it’s almost honest. Shared royalty though, they offer the possibility of payment, while putting the risk directly on the author’s shoulders. I didn’t bring you all here to bitch about shared royalties, though. Just know it’s not a good model. It’s so bad, in fact, that I won’t allow them in my Open Market Group.
“But C.W.!” You may be saying, “you have submitted to them! What a hypocrite you are.” Perhaps. I will admit that Grimm Mistresses was a shared royalty market. I didn’t submit to it because of that. I knew the likelihood of making any money was slim to none. The fact is, I liked the idea of the book. When Stacey Turner approached me about it and told me who else would be in the anthology, I liked the idea of sharing a TOC with those ladies. It’s a cool bunch of women who filled the pages of that book. And the cover art Ragnarok bought for it? Unbelievable. The most beautiful cover I have ever laid eyes on. I wanted to be part of this project and honestly, my story was already written. Why not? It was a story that I wrote for Ad Nauseam and was never quite happy with. Upon expansion, I liked it more. I will say with complete honesty that I think it is the weakest one in the book, though a few of the reviewers have disagreed (I am grateful). But here’s where the story gets interesting.
We actually moved some copies. It was a pretty decent seller (how decent I cannot say, as I have seen no sales reports). Through much hard work, interviews, podcasts, Twitter launches and such, we actually managed to sell the damned thing. I started to have hope that I may see a return on this. To date, I have not.
Before I go on, I must say that this isn’t a personal attack on anyone. It’s business. You see, though I have found the owners of Ragnarok to be really nice guys, their business model has left a lot to be desired. They have failed to live up to their promises at every point. I could go on and on about cancelled anthologies, late contributor copies, pre-orders taken on limited edition hardcovers that the customers had to beg for their money back when they were canceled without notice, late royalties (really, really late) and blocked authors, but if you want to hear about all that, please go up and read the posts by the two lovely ladies I linked above.
I won’t go into all the details. I don’t need to. I will tell you that if you want the things that are owed to you by Ragnarok, you will have to get LOUD. You will have to bitch publicly. Then, and only then, will you get an apology on facebook about being overextended and how they have grown too fast. Then, and only then, will they start to deliver on their promises, but they will probably pull your book from sale as well.
I should stress at this point that I do not speak for all of the Grimm Mistresses. Some have spoken out as well, and some have remained silent. I respect all four of my grim sisters. I will admit I haven’t personally contacted Ragnarok. We decided early on to let just one grim mistress be our voice in these matters as she has a very cool head and possesses a sense of the utmost professionalism. Also, I don’t believe authors should have to hound publishers for what is owed to them. I won’t speak for her, or Mercedes M. Yardley. I adore them both. I won’t speak for Allison M. Dixon or Stacey Turner either, they have spoken for themselves (I adore them both as well). But I will speak for myself. I am disappointed. I am frustrated. I am pissed. Not for myself. For the others. Whatever money owed won’t break me or these other ladies. But we deserved better.
Ragnarok had a book by five talented, intelligent women. They bought the most kickass cover art I’ve ever seen. It couldn’t have been cheap. They then proceeded to drop the ball at almost every turn. And when confronted? They pulled it off the market. What a sad waste of a beautiful book.
I have no doubt that we will be labeled hysterical. I have no doubt that some might want to consider us hard to work with. I’m not afraid. I have plenty of publishers and editors who will verify that, on the contrary, I am very laid back when it comes to business.
There seems to be an unspoken rule in small press that when wronged, we authors are to bear it in silence. That to speak out, we are being unprofessional. Fuck that noise. That only benefits bad publishers. Have you been wronged? Has the publisher taken little or no steps to correct it? Then speak up. Save others from suffering the same fate. Maybe you’re a new author and you don’t want to make waves. Maybe you’ve signed with them and want to believe it will be different for you. Hell, maybe it will. Maybe a lesson will be learned and things will go better in the future. I hope so. But, though I cannot speak for the others, I can state simple facts. One of our number was the poster girl for this company. She had multiple works published by them and was their biggest champion. She has since pulled all her works and reversed her rights. They owe her a hell of a lot more than they owe the rest of us. Pay attention to the authors who aren’t with the company anymore. Ask them why.
I hope I will get paid soon, but I’m not holding my breath. There are other avenues available, grievance committees and such, but I hope it won’t come to that. If it does, they have only themselves to blame. I am not afraid to make noise. This bitch will bang her drum. Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Who Hasn’t Been Paid.
Godspeed Mr. Wood
http://www.rockywoodauthor.com/
It is with the heaviest of hearts that I sit here today. For those of you who are unaware, today we lost a great man. Rocky Wood, President of The Horror Writers Association, lost his hard fought battle against ALS. Many of you will know him from his career and his close ties to Stephen King. Some of you will know him as a champion of the horror genre and a dedicated man who gave his all to helping to elevate the genre and its acceptance in the literary community, all while battling a crippling and devastating disease. Some of you are fortunate enough, as am I, to remember him as a supportive friend, honorable human being, and a blessing to be around. For the last three years I have forged a bond with Rocky as he helped me navigate the ins and outs of the Bram Stoker Awards® and the many rules I needed to be familiar with. He was always kind, always patient, and always a friend. It is soul crushing to look back through our years of correspondence and realize that there will be no more. I am deeply saddened by this, as I know many others are and it’s hard to find comforting words at a time such as this. Instead, I can only offer his family, friends and associates a prayer for peace in the knowledge that his earthly suffering has reached its end. The people in our lives are not gifts. They are loans. And we are blessed for the time we have them, and further blessed when they are gone by the lessons and love that is their legacy. Godspeed Rocky. We will miss you forever and always.~C.W.
Another Halloween Over.
Sadly, another Halloween has come and gone. 364 more days until we can do this again. I must say that I am completely impressed with the ideas you all came up with for what may be haunting my house. Very creative indeed! Ghost cats, clowns, dolls and so many other creepies. It was truly difficult to choose a winner this year. I wish I could send the prize to all of you, but I can’t. That said, I have picked the winner. Of all the comments, the one that stuck with me most, caused me to open a window and do a little google-fu. was Nikki’s. I had never heard of a Domovoi before and it really intrigued me. Congratulations Nikki! You won! I will get your box o’ goodies to you ASAP. And to the rest of you… Thank you so much for participating and making the Hop a blast for me yet again. Until next year… Pleasant Dreams!
Free Shit… And A Coffin Hop!
As you can no doubt tell by the marvelous picture above (contributed to this year’s hop by the super talented Jolie DuPre), it’s that magical time of year once again, when churchyards yawn and Hell itself breathes contagion into this world… Wait. I think someone else wrote that.
Anyhow, it’s Halloween again and as is my custom, I’m just dying to give one of you lucky souls some very cool, very free shit! But, some of you new followers may be confused. It’s not Christmas, you may be saying to yourself. Is it my birthday? No, chances are it’s not your birthday, (but if it is, how cool is that?!). It is, however, time for the 3rd Annual Coffin Hop.
What is that? You ask yourself.
Well, it’s just about the most awesome thing ever. Every year a great big group of horror writers and artists band together and blog, each giving away one or more prizes during the week leading up to Samhain. With so many horror folks putting on this party, and so many contests to enter, chances are very high that you may just walk away with some very cool shit this year.
Now you’re saying to yourself, Is this shit really that cool?
Only if you like free books and Halloween swag. And if you don’t like that stuff, I’m sure you’re starting to realize you’ve wandered to the wrong blog hop. No worries, just google dwarf hamster porn and you’ll be directed where you want to go. It’s okay. Mistakes happen. We’ll close the door behind you.
Thank God. I thought that freak would never leave! Where was I? Oh yes. As you can see in the picture below, this year’s prize pack includes signed copies of AD NAUSEAM (my collection of extreme horror), GRUESOME FACES, GHASTLY PLACES (a recent collection containing stories by Adrian Ludens, Doug Murano and myself-All South Dakota horror authors) and none other than DEATH BY DRIVE-IN (the official Coffin Hop anthology, put out by the lovely and talented Mr. Axel Howerton). As if such high-brow literary delights were not incentive enough, I will also include some tokens of the holiday that I have selected with my own two, bloody, little hands.
But how do I get this cool, free shit? You cry.
No worries, I’m about to tell you.
Last year I asked you all to share your jack-o-lanterns with me and it was a great time. This year, however, I am in the middle of a move and am feeling a bit pressed for time. That’s right, as you all are having fun visiting the sites and winning the free shit, I will be boxing up my worldly (and otherworldly) possessions (did someone say possession?) and moving them into my very first, owned by me, home! No more renting for this kid! That said, my contest this year is pretty simple. I want you, in just a few sentences, to tell me what you think my new home may be harboring.
Is it haunted by Victorian ghosts? Are there petulant poltergeists in the pantry? Disturbed deities in the den? Banshees in the bedroom (YEAH there is!)? Tell me what I will find as I take up residence at the new place, and be creative. Be scary. Be funny. Knock my socks off! Leave your description in the comments and the one that I like best will take home the gold (and by gold, I mean free shit, of course)!
And that’s all it takes. Put on your thinking caps, wow me with your originality, and make sure to click the picture of the handsome fellow above. He’ll take you back to the list so you can win even more free shit! Enjoy the Hop.
*NOTE In order to protect you from a deluge of smarmy spammers or the lunatic ravings of an internet troll whose name might rhyme with Dickolaus Schmaccione, the comments on this site are set to approve only. AND due to the aforementioned move, I will be losing internet very soon. Comments posted may not be viewable until sometime late Monday. Mea Culpa.
And the Winner Is…
And so it ends. Another October gone, the streets quiet once again, the children all scrubbed and glowing from exhaustion and sugar-rush. Across the country, teachers sigh in frustration as students gaze into nothing, their little minds and bodies wore out from the previous night’s adventures and imagining that magic time when the school bell will ring and free them to go home to a candy bag bursting at the seams. And once again, my favorite holiday is fading…
BUT! There is still a little Halloween magic left! I get to give one lucky a soul a box of goodies. Less than a dozen of you entered my contest, which should’ve made it easy, but BOY it sure wasn’t. Who knew you were all such talented bastards?! I am amazed at the level of skill in most of the jack-o-lanterns sent to me. It wasn’t an easy decision at all, the originality and thought that went into each and every one was stunning. You are all rock stars as far as I’m concerned. Of course, there can only be one winner. In the end, I had to go by technical difficulty and even then it was hard.
AND THE WINNER IS…
Brandi Slater of Michigan, for her two jack-o-lanterns pictured below. Though I loved them all, these two really stood out to me, particularly the wolf. The skill it took to carve that moon in the background is amazing. Brandi will receive the prize pack including signed copies of a few of my works, some cool Jack Skellington swag and of course, a signed copy of COFFIN HOP: DEATH BY DRVE-IN from which the proceeds go to supporting children’s literacy at: Litworld http://www.litworld.org/. The rest of you can still pick up a copy here: http://goo.gl/1FyjiU and do your part to help create a world where all children know the joy of reading. Congrats Brandi and a huge THANK YOU to everyone else who competed. You are all amazing!~C.W.
Do You Carve?
Hello Boils and Ghouls! Can you believe it’s already been a year since the last Coffin Hop? Time sure flies when you’re a demon, bent on destroying the world… Erm, I mean, Having fun! This year I’ve decided to keep things short and sweet as I’m sure you have plenty of other sites to hop to. My contest will be pretty easy as well, at least for those who truly celebrate Halloween, the way our ancient alien ancestors intended. And this year, the Hop is all about YOU!
So, do you carve? Are you a painter? Do you do both? How early do you buy your pumpkin? Do you keep it until it rots, or throw it out November 1st? What’s the most important trait for a good pumpkin? These are the things I want to know about you. The information I carve, I mean CRAVE!
At my house, it varies from year to year. Last Halloween we carved, the year before we did both. But this year it was all about the paint. We’d spotted some brilliant white pumpkins at a local farm and fleet store around the end of September and just knew they were for us. Of course, as mild as the weather had been, we also knew there was no way those pumpkins would survive until All Hallow’s Eve. So we waited, we bided our time, our grubby little paws rubbing together in anticipation. And guess what? You’re right, they were all gone by the time we returned. And so we set off to the seventh level of HELL (yeah, Walmart) in search of the next best thing, orange pumpkins and white spray paint. Now my family is pretty diverse. We each have our own criteria for what makes the perfect pumpkin. I am all about the symmetry. My oldest daughter believes it is the roundest pumpkin that makes the grade, and for my son, the smoothest. My middle daughter swears it’s all about SIZE! She always picks the biggest of the bunch, regardless of whether it’s a lopsided, warty monstrosity. Lou doesn’t give a shit what pumpkin he gets, as long as he doesn’t have to come with.
I’ve included photos of this year’s pumpkins. I think they turned out pretty well. They should appease the spirits and keep the demonic forces from entering our home to raise all manners of havoc such as fire, pestilence, and that annoying toe seam on your sock that won’t lay flat.
This brings me to the important part, THE CONTEST! It’s simple really. All you have to do is send me a photo of your pumpkin. Paint it, carve it, throw it in the road. It doesn’t have to be this year’s jack-o-lantern. It could be a favorite from years gone by, but be original, be creative. Feel free to include some details about what makes a perfect pumpkin in your eyes. There are only a few minor rules you must adhere to:
*Do not cheat. Only dickfaces cheat! Don’t insult my intelligence by sending me a google image. I know a professional photo from a snapshot.
*Send the photo to C.W.LaSart@hotmail.com NO LATER than Midnight Central Time on October 31st.
*Please include your full name, email address and mailing address in the body of the email. The photo can be an attachment.
*MOST IMPORTANTLY! DO NOT, under any circumstances, include naked pictures of yourself. Seriously. I am getting so sick of all the junk in my inbox! What is it about my writing that makes you sickos think I want to see your tidbits? No really, just don’t.
And that’s it. After I have collected all the photos, I will present them to an impartial Jury made up of myself, two preteen girls, one flirty 8 year old boy, and a bulldog. We will pick our favorite and post it here on November 1st! The winner will receive all the wonderful goodies pictured below, as well as a signed copy of the Coffin Hop Charity Anthology, Death By Drive-In! So what are you waiting for? Get carving and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!~C.W.
Abbigail the Bulldog for Display Purposes Only *NOT INCLUDED!
Prize Includes: One signed copy of Ad Nauseam: 13 Tales of Extreme Horror, One signed copy of Bad Dreams New Screams (A limited edition Cemetery Dance Chapbook, only 500 in existence), One signed copy of Coffin Hop:Death By Drive-In (A Charity anthology by the Coffin Hoppers that supports literacy with all proceeds going to Litworld http://www.litworld.org/), One Jack Skellington Notepad, One Jack Skellington Hardbound Calendar/Planner, and a snazzy pair of Jack Skellington socks! Those who don’t win can still pick up the Charity Anthology here: http://goo.gl/1FyjiU Coming soon in E-Format!
Get Back To The Hop Here: http://coffinhop.com/
I’m Not Offended.
Robert McCammon and I at WHC 2013
I want to tell you a story. Those of you who are familiar with this blog know what comes next, but for my new friends, this is where I begin my rant. Usually I try to stick with topics that scare me. Today however, I want to share something that disappoints me deeply. I would like to preface this by explaining that I am not easily offended. Anyone who has read my writing can vouch for that. I’m also not opposed to nudity in general, nor am I opposed to nudity in horror films. I love horror films. Gratuitous sex is just part of the bargain. I’m not offended by it at all. Far from it. I’m one of the least prudish people you will ever meet. Of course, after today the fans of a certain well-known horror site might disagree on that point, but we’ll get to that. This post might piss some of you off and I’m deeply sorry about that. No, I’m just kidding, if it pisses you off, you’re part of the problem. Let’s start the story, shall we?
Imagine if you will, a facebook timeline. It could be very much like yours (probably is since we are both horror fans) but it isn’t yours. It’s mine. On this timeline are many posts by horror writers, memes by horror sites, and in general, just a plethora of horror related stuff. It’s a lovely timeline. It sees its share of monsters, blood and gore, and even some nudity. Now climb into my head as we are scrolling this timeline. Do you see it? Good! Imagine, if you will, you come across a picture that gives you pause. We are all familiar with the little twin girls from The Shining. Imagine that same hallway, only in place of the young girls, two adult twins have been poorly photoshopped into the foreground. They are both blonde with headbands and they are holding hands. They are also both completely nude with the exception of a pair of bloodstained knee socks. The tiniest of little boxes cover the necessary bits, but there is a link to the “uncensored version” posted directly below.
Okay, here is where you start rolling your eyes and saying “Come on, C.W.! It’s HORROR. This seriously can’t offend you, can it? You wrote a story about a guy fucking a hole in the ground!” But please stick with me here, I’m not done and I have a point to make. Whether that point is valid or not is completely up to you. Back to the story…
So you see this picture and you realize it is posted by the facebook page of what is known as a respected and highly trafficked horror website. It’s one of your favorites and is generally full of reviews, photos of classic horror movie posters, and all those usual things. You’re surprised, so you click the picture and are directed to the page. You’re still slightly shocked that they would post this. It really has nothing to do with the horror industry and is clearly a blatant excuse to post a rather gratuitous picture of porn. You aren’t outraged, but you’re a little stunned (remember, you’re in my head right now). Then you see the comments on the picture. Now you’re pissed. These misogynistic replies, posted by what can only be politely referred to as basic and crass troglodytes, start to get under your skin. I will share the fine comments posted by these knuckle-draggers later, complete with my own commentary.
But let’s get back to the subject at hand. You may not see my point yet, but I will spell it out for you. The picture was originally shared by a website called Boobs and Blood or some such shit. That’s fine. I’m not offended that they have this picture. It’s clearly not a site for which I am the target audience. Have at it! But it was shared by a site I do follow. It wasn’t on their website, just the facebook page, but that page is representative of this site I once followed and respected. I’m not offended. I’m gravely disappointed. I find it sad that such a respected site, with a broad range and large female fanbase would allow the posting of something so irrelevant to the horror industry. Posters of movies with nudity are relevant. Sure, they are. Gratuitous sex is a staple of the industry. It’s the norm. Full frontal female nudity is not. The most disheartening part of it is that they would willing post something that is potentially offensive to half their fanbase. And if the photo doesn’t bother most women, clearly the commentary that was allowed to follow would make the majority uncomfortable. I know that it is impossible for a site to post things that EVERYONE will enjoy or agree with, but I think a line was crossed here. The picture and ensuing comments gave what was once an enjoyable page for most, a crass frat house atmosphere. Let’s take a peek at some of these comments, shall we?
Eric S. says “Carpet installation. Hahahahaha! Pretty smooth…” Very clever there, Eric. I see what you did with the thinly-veiled reference to the women’s grooming habits. Your mother must be proud.
Michael B. says “One of them actually stole a book of matches and tried to burn off her
pubes, so I… corrected… her….” Wait, what? What the fuck does that mean? Does anyone else think that sounds rapey?
Lee V. says “best photograph in the world” Clearly Lee’s reading tastes don’t include TIME magazine. I bet he considers the stories in the Penthouse Forum to be fine literary fiction.
There are more along that line, but I think you get the picture. But here’s where the disturbing shit really starts. Enter a couple people who speak negatively about the photo. Let’s look at how their comments are treated:
Jill G. says “What the hell is this? What does this have to do with the Shining? Why
can’t you just have a horror site without parading around naked women? And the
pseudo-pedophilia implied here is more than a little disturbing.”
To which Michael C. responds (Michael is my new favorite. A very special sort of douchebag) “@Jill Chill out please. It’s a parody on something most horror
fans are familiar with. If not then you almost can’t call yourself a horror
fan. As for the rest of your comment. Those things you mentioned never came to
mind until you spoke of it and I still don’t see it. You have to try real hard
to imagine the pseudo-pedophilia. I think you have serious issues if you think
this image is problematic. And suggest to seek out professional help” Um, Nice try. I don’t think so, Michael. You see, I don’t remember the twins from The Shining ever being naked. If you are seeking a true parody of this scene, might I suggest the one featuring Stephen King and Colbert? Now that was funny shit. This is just an excuse to post two naked women.
Nope. Not naked.
Another post speaking out about the picture, Caren says “22,701 Horror fans on this page. How many do you think are women? Glad the guys think this is relevant.”
And the responses. From “The Site In Question” “Probably a lot of women. We have posted things like this before, and have actually gotten good responses from women. If there are men that are doing this sort of stuff, we would post it up there as well. That is just not the norm for the most part. Sorry if it offends you.” Oh, okay. The fact that you would post penises makes this totally cool. My bad. Carry on. But the fact that two women have now commented against it must be about as irrelevant as the picture itself.
The only male response speaking out against the picture, Paul F. says “I have to agree with Caren on this. I don’t really see the relevance of this to horror. It’s simple pornography. You might as well be posting links to Redtube or something. And before anyone gets on their histrionic high horse, no, I’m not gay nor am I a prude, not that that would be relevant to any intelligent debate on the subject. Those that do comment like that, should really question whether they see women as anything more than ‘walking vaginas’. I simply don’t want to open up Facebook, where I connect with a lot of horror authors and horror movie film pages, and see what is basically porn. Which is why I will now unlike the page. Good luck in the future.” Thanks Paul. Nice to see you aren’t all like Michael.
But wait! Here comes that wily Michael again “@Paul How is this porn? Go look up what the definition of porn is and then come back and explain it to me. The image here is censored. While it might be slightly erotic it sure is no porn. @Caren Your comment suggest that all women would have problems with this assuming you represent all women. I know a lot of healty and law abiding women who don’t object to this kind of imagery. And sorry to say but if people make more fuzz about seeing a little nudity as opposed to limbs being chopped off then I am kinda worried. Don’t we all come to this world naked? Honestly people chill out.” Yeah! How dare you point out the irelevance of this picture! It’s naked women for Christ’s sakes! We NEVER get to see that. Bite me, Michael. And they linked the uncensored version. They only posted the censored version out of the desire to keep their facebook page, not any nod to modesty or taste.
But, apparently she does speak for some other women. Sumiko S. Says “Your comment suggests that you speak for all women vicariously, Michael
– because you know some women that it doesn’t bother. The fact that it doesn’t
bother some women does not mean that the women and men are bothered by it
should be silenced. People are entitled to have opinions, even ones you may not
personally agree with.
I think you should chill out.”
Okay, enough of that. At this point you might be thinking to yourself, “Come on, C.W. It’s not that big of a deal.” Some of you women may even be thinking the usual things. Men are pigs. Guys will be guys. No. That’s a cop out and you know it. I mean really? You men should be offended by that (though most aren’t because it lets them get by with bad behavior). Seriously, it’s not like you’re intelligent people who can control your actions and words, right? (note, heavy sarcasm intended by author) Women are forced to be okay with this sort of thing all the time, but let me tell you something, just because they remain quiet does not mean they aren’t uncomfortable. The unfortunate side effect of Women’s Lib is that a percentage of women, in hopes of not being lumped in with the more militant feminists, strive to embrace this behavior. They bury their discomfort in hopes of being “cool” or not being “that gal”. Well guess what? I’m okay with being that gal. I don’t give a shit. I’m not a prude. I’m not easily offended. But I’m sad to see this site resorting to this behavior. Right now is a hot time for the Sci-Fi/Horror industry in regards to the treatment of women. I am generally the FIRST to defend the industry amidst many allegations of sexual harassment at cons, disadvantages toward female authors and all the other horseshit that women deal with on a regular basis. I am not a card carrying feminist. You may think it’s wrong to call out all those men and their posts, but don’t worry. Sexist primates like that probably aren’t reading this fucking blog anyway.
But, in the end, it’s their page. They have the right to post what they want. Even if it is completely irrelevant to the industry and potentially offensive to the women on their page. As a former fan, I have a right to react. Their choice has put them in this blog. You know how we writers are. Originally I had intended to leave the site unnamed. But then I read their lame excuses and apologies which acknowledge the picture, but take absolutely no responsibility for posting it.
“We all love watching death, blood and gore…. Don’t let a couple of naked people get to you!!” It’s not the naked people, it’s the absolutely gratuitous reason for the picture on a site dedicated to horror.
“We share a lot of things on this Facebook page. One: its not our website, Two: if you don’t like it, don’t see a point to it, or are really offended by it, tell the blog it came from. Funny thing is we have had more bad comments and people mad about a twilight post than this. Again, we just share things sometimes. Could be a cool t-shirt, hello kitty chainsaw, trailers, or naked people. It’s a big world out there folks…” Yep. A big old world. Full of people. Some are writers. Welcome to my blog.
No, they’re right. It’s not their website. Just their facebook page, which all decent authors know is a huge representative of who we are as a brand. I won’t name the site. No, that would be wrong. But I will include a link to their page. 😉 I would like to know what you think. A decent dialogue goes a long way toward resolving issues. Much farther than asking people to chill out, and expecting them to bite their tongue when they see something they don’t like. Maybe it’s an overreaction. After all, it could just be that time of the month. Right guys?
Author’s Note:
Upon some reflection, I have decided to delete the link. Though my opinion on the actions of said Horror Site have not changed, it is not my intention to cause a witch hunt. However, the picture of me flipping them the bird still stands. Thank you~C.W. LaSart
A little “gratuitous” photo of my own.
Let’s Celebrate!
Hey! It’s my birthday next week and to celebrate, I’m giving away a FREE copy of Ad Nauseam on Goodreads. Just follow the link to enter. http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/42910-ad-nauseam
Bram Stoker Awards® Preliminary Ballot Announced!
Hello my friends! Today I have the great honor of announcing that the preliminary ballot has been released for the 2012 Bram Stoker Awards®, and Ad Nauseam: 13 Tales of Extreme Horror is included. Congratulations to all the authors, editors and publishers who made the list. I am humbled to be considered in such fine company!
* NOTE: This is only the preliminary ballot and works included are not to be considered NOMINATED.*
2012 PRELIMINARY BRAM STOKER AWARDS® BALLOT
NOTE: For those appearing on this ballot – your work is NOT a “nominee” at this point (that only occurs if you appear on the Final Ballot).
NOVEL
Bodner, Hal – The Trouble with Hairy
Clines, Peter – 14
Ethridge, Benjamin Kane – Bottled Abyss
Everson, John – NightWhere
Faherty, JG – Cemetery Club
Jordan, Lee F. – Coronation
Kiernan, Caitlin R. – The Drowning Girl
Little, Bentley – The Haunted
McKinney, Joe – Inheritance
FIRST NOVEL
Boccacino, Michael – Charlotte Markham and the House of Darklings
Coates, Deborah – Wide Open
Day, Charles – The Legend of the Pumpkin Thief
Dudar, Peter – A Requiem for Dead Flies
Gropp, Richard – Bad Glass
Hatchell, Dane – Resurrection X: Zombie Evolution
Holm, Chris – Dead Harvest
Jones, K. Trap – The Sinner
Soares, L.L. – Life Rage
Sterbakov, Hugh – City Under the Moon
YA NOVEL
Bickle, Laura – The Hallowed Ones
Bray, Libba – The Diviners
Burt, Steve – FreeK Show
Collings, Michaelbrent – Hooked: A True Faerie Tale
Lyga, Barry – I Hunt Killers
Maberry, Jonathan – Flesh & Bone
McCarty, Michael – I Kissed A Ghoul
Stiefvater, Maggie – The Raven Boys
Strand, Jeff – A Bad Day for Voodoo
Waters, Daniel – Break My Heart 1,000 Times
Wilson, Connie Corcoran – The Color of Evil
LONG FICTION
Burke, Kealan Patrick – Thirty Miles South of Dry County
Faherty, JG – The Cold Spot
Giglio, Peter – Sunfall Manor
Ketchum, Jack, and Lucky McGee – I’m Not Sam
Malfi, Ronald – The Mourning House
McKinney, Joe, and Michael McCarty – Lost Girl of the Lake
Miskowski, S.P. – Delphine Dodd
O’Neill, Gene – The Blue Heron
Prentiss, Norman – The Fleshless Man
Thompson, Lee – When We Join Jesus in Hell
SHORT FICTION
Bailey, Michael – Bootstrap
Boston, Bruce – Surrounded by the Mutant Rain Forest
Breaux, Kevin James – The Journal of USS Indianapolis Survivor: Stefanos
“Stevie” Georgiou
Cushing, Nicole – A Catechism for Aspiring Amnesiacs
Lake, Jay – The Cancer Catechism
McKinney, Joe – Bury My Heart at Marvin Gardens
Ochse, Weston – Righteous
Palisano, John – Available Light
Snyder, Lucy – Magdala Amygdala
SCREENPLAY
Hill, Susan, and Goldman, Jane – The Woman in Black
Kim, San Kyu – The Walking Dead, “Killer Within”
Minear, Tim – American Horror Story: Asylum, “Dark Cousin”
Olynyk, Signe – Below Zero
Ross, Gary, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray – The Hunger Games
Sanchez, Eduardo, and Jaime Nash – Lovely Molly
Whedon, Joss, and Drew Goddard – The Cabin in the Woods
ANTHOLOGY
Beebe, Eric – Fear the Abyss
Castle, Mort, and Sam Weller – Shadow Show
Gallows Press – Tales from the Yellow Rose Diner and Fill Station
Guignard, Eric J. – Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations
Miller, Eric – Hell Comes to Hollywood
Salter, Richard – World’s Collider
Scalisi, Patrick – The Ghost Is the Machine
Scioneaux, Mark C., R.J. Cavender, and Robert S. Wilson – Horror for Good: A
Charitable Anthology
Swanson, Stan – Slices of Flesh
FICTION COLLECTION
Cain, Kenneth W. – These Old Tales: The Complete Collection
Carroll, Jonathan – Woman Who Married a Cloud: Collected Stories
Castle, Mort – New Moon on the Water
De Winter, Corrine – Valentines for the Dead
Hand, Elizabeth – Errantry: Strange Stories
Hirshberg, Glen – The Janus Tree
Lane, Joel – Where Furnaces Burn
LaSart, C.W. – Ad Nauseam
Oates, Joyce Carol – Black Dahlia and White Roses
Onspaugh, Mark – Christmas Ghost Stories
Yardley, Mercedes M. – Beautiful Sorrows
NON-FICTION
Aisenberg, Joe – Carrie: Studies in the Horror Film
Amazing Kreskin, The, and Michael McCarty – Conversations with Kreskin
Collings, Michael – Writing Darkness
Klinger, Les – The Annotated Sandman, Volume 1
Matthews, Araminta Star, Rachel Lee, and Stan Swanson – Write of the Living Dead
Morton, Lisa – Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween
Paffenroth, Kim, and John W. Morehead – The Undead and Theology
Perry, Dennis R., and Carl H. Sederholm – Adapting Poe: Re-Imaginings in Popular Culture
Phillips, Kendall R. – Dark Directions: Romero, Craven, Carpenter, and the Modern Horror Film
POETRY
Addison, Linda, and Stephen M. Wilson – Dark Duet
Boston, Bruce, and Gary William Crawford – Notes from the Shadow City
Collings, Michael – A Verse to Horrors
Dietrich, Bryan D. – The Monstrance
Ong Muslim, Kristina – Grim Series
Simon, Marge, and Sandy DeLuca – Vampires, Zombies & Wanton Souls
Turzillo, Mary A. – Lovers & Killers
——————
The following will not appear on the Preliminary Ballot. As there are only
five works, these will proceed directly to the Final Ballot.
GRAPHIC NOVEL
Bunn, Cullen – The Sixth Gun Volume 3: Bound
Moore, Terry – Rachel Rising Vol. 1: The Shadow of Death
Thornton, Ravi – The Tale of Brin and Bent and Minno Marylebone
Wacks, Peter J., and Guy Anthony De Marco – Behind These Eyes
Wood, Rocky, and Lisa Morton – Witch Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times
A Brief Reflection.
2012 is just about over, and 2013 is knocking on the door. What this new year will bring is anyone’s guess. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on 2012 and what it has meant to me. This year has been one of the best of my life. It brought me the publication of my first collection, many story sales, my first horror convention and new friends in the publishing industry. It has been a banner year for me as a writer and I hope to see even more progress in 2013. I could go on and give you a list of all the accomplishments and joys I have felt, but they seem trivial at the moment. You see, despite the many wonderful things that 2012 has blessed me with, it ends on an extremely sorrowful note for myself and my family. We lost someone very precious on December 20th. My beloved Aunt Susie left us much too soon and the void in the family is not one that will soon be filled. If ever.
I want to take this moment to thank you all for being a part of my journey, my life, and my family. I pray that 2013 will bring you all many good tidings, but mostly I pray it will bring love, friendship and healing to all of us in need. Be good to one another. We aren’t promised tomorrow, so my resolution is to never take one bit of it for granted. Much love and Happy New Year~C.W. LaSart
