Fiction Writer ~ Jodi MacArthur

Ruby Hearts at Cast of Wonders

2012-01-28T01:32:00.001-06:00

Pssst...Heythere, it's been awhile, as in like four months. Where have I been? Ifyou figure that out let me know, I'd appreciate it. In the meanwhile,one of my oldest writing friends, Barry Northern, fantastic editor oftwo thriving podcasts (Cast Macabre and Cast of Wonders) has publishedand narrated my fantasy YA story,

Ruby Hearts.

Iam delighted and tickled with the way he has brought this story to life(and check out the cover art he created for the story- yay!). Amazing.Thank you, Barry! A special thanks to Cast of Wonders producer, GraemeDunlop, as well.

*This story was originally accepted in Absolutely Kate's "Harbinger 33".

Black, White and Red All Over at In Between Altered States

2011-11-05T02:13:00.000-05:00

Santa Muerte takes us to Jerusalem in "Black, White, and Red All Over" at In Between Altered States. The theme this month is salvation, and its always neat to read all the contributions together. The collective subconscience is amazing when a group of people are asked to write on a similiar subject.

Sincere Thank You to editor, Aleathia Drehmer.

Also, special thank yous to Sean Monaghan, Angel Zapata, and Lori Titus for the write ups they've done for "Mantra" and "Free Mercury" this last month. And extra appreciation to Erin Cole & Chris Allinotte for their encouragement and to others for reviews on Pulp Ink & Laughing at the Death Grin! anthologies and my stories within. I don't know what I'd do without the support of my writing family.

"Free Mercury" at Beat to a Pulp

2011-10-31T12:32:00.001-05:00

Horror.

Some think a Mantra can keep it from happening to them, others induce it into sick Halloween Games. It often bumps in the night casting shadows against the walls, hiding under your bed with a knife. Sometimes, though, horror is a simple melt of our vulnerabilities over blistering hot lava.

The only hope is to "FREE MERCURY"

Thank you, as always, to the wonderful editor of Beat to a Pulp, David Cranmer.

Happy Halloween!

Pulp Metal Fiction Anthology ~ Laughing At The Death Grin

2011-10-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

What goes through your mind when you think of PULP METAL MAGAZINE? It's like a ouja board of the dirty spirits of pulp, Slayer, bleeding scars, time balloons rising up up and way. And when the balloons pop, out frolic the likes of Melanie Browne, Ian Ayris, Chris Rhatigan, Richard Godwin, UV Ray, Charlie Coleman, Frank Duffy, myself, and many others.

"Laughing At The Death Grin!" is one collection of classics you don't want to miss. Many thanks to PMM dictator and editor, Jason Michel. Purchase at $.99 for limited time.

"Mantra" at All Due Respect

2011-10-02T02:21:00.000-05:00

What do you do when their whispers build to screams? When they crawl from front to back asking the same questions over and over? The serpent knows, so does the old bird.

MANTRA

at All Due Respect

Many, many thanks to ADR founding Editor,
Alec Cizak, for publishing Mantra, his wonderful support, and lovely introduction.

P.s. Every October someone loses a head around my house, my fictional character's house, that is. This story is one of what I am beginning to call my 2 AM stories. The images and thoughts 'Mantra' stirred kept me awake til dawn, not writing it, but the mere disturbing nature of it all. I hope you find the story just as deliciously frightful. Sweet dreams. ~ J. Mac

'Decoding Tarantino' Grand Prize Winner

2011-09-26T02:39:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all those who participated in the Decoding Tarantino PULP INK contest!

Congrats to Grand Prize Winner

Chris Allinotte

You win a $25 Amazon card and tons of Bubblegum.

You know, I can't remember when I began to read Chris's stories, but when I did, I was hooked. What has always stood out for me is his unique way of looking at the world. His stories have a different twist than one expects. He also can flip flop from one genre to the next with the ease of a trapeze artist. I really admire that. Check out his works of the horror, speculative, and bizarre at his website.

THE Tarantino Quote revealed:

For those who missed it, PULP INK is full of fantastic pulp and noir stories. You can get just a taste of the work in the book by reading Ian Ayris's story "Surf Rider" here.

XXX

Also, stay tuned for two fresh stories due out this October.

One will spin your head, the other twist your gut... just in time for the season.

XXX

Contest: Decode Tarantino and Win Gum!

2011-09-19T03:00:00.000-05:00

The Deal

So, nothing has gone like it was supposed to this summer. I could give you big, fat, sucky, juicy details, but I’d rather give you Juicy Fruit and talk pulp—PULP INK, that is. Nigel Bird and Chris Rhatigan invited me to be apart of their inspired, demented project last spring and I jumped aboard. Each author was provided a soundtrack title from Tarantino’s movie “Pulp Fiction” and asked to take their own spin. I was given “Jack Rabbit Slims” and had a blast writing it. I was tickled to pieces reading this entire collection, and not only reading, but giggling away like a mad woman on a wild word hunt BECAUSE:

The Decoding

I have a Tarantino movie quote for you to uncover using the hints provided below. You don’t have to purchase PULP INK to participate in this contest, but it would help! You can purchase PULP INK at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.

The Prize

The first five people to decode the quote will win a pack of Black Jack, Juicy Fruit, Big Red, and Bubble Yum automatically! All entrees will be entered for a random drawing. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $25 Amazon card along with the afore mentioned bubblegum-ages.

The Rules

1. Send your decoded entrees to my regular email address: jessjo (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject heading of BUBBLE YUM.

2. I will reply with a “Yay, you got it!” or “Loser! Back to the drawing board!” quickly as I can.

3. Everyone is welcome to play. Send as many entrees as you wish. Of course, stop when you get it right.

4. Cheat as much as you want with two exceptions: A. Don’t ask a friend who has figured out what the quote is -- Bad! Bad! B. Please don’t paste your decoding entree guess as a comment in this blog post, send to me in an email under the BUBBLE YUM subject line. I would love to hear your fav Tarantino quotes in the comment section, however.

5. You have until midnight next Sunday. Winner announced next day.

The Bubble

Why does bubble gum keep coming up? First, I really love the thought of all my fellow readers and writers blowing gigantic Bubble Yum bubbles while nurses with big butterfly nets chase us around the gardens, down the valleys, over the bridges, and through the woods to grandmother’s house we… scratch that. There’s another reason, but you have to read “The $5 Mil Hak” in PULP INK to decode that.

Enough chat, more action: GO

The Blankety Blank Blank Tarantino Quote

The Word ~~Hits~~ Hints

1. The first word of the thirteenth paragraph of
    The Wife of Gregory Bell by Patricia Abbott

2. The first two letters of the second word of the first sentence of the ninth paragraph of
    Your Mother Should Know by Allan Guthrie

3. First letter of the second word of the first sentence of the first paragraph of
     Zed’s Dead, Baby by Eric Beetner

     Second letter of the first word of the first sentence of the third paragraph of
     You Never Can Tell by Matthew C. Funk

     Third letter of the second word of the first sentence the first paragraph of
     A Corpse by Any Other Name by Naomi Johnson

4. First word of the first sentence of the third paragraph of
     If Love is a Red Dress – Hang Me in Rags by Michael J. Solender

5. Eight word of the second sentence of the second paragraph of
    The Creation of Ice by Sandra Seamans

6. The first three letters of the fourth word of the first sentence of the first paragraph of
    The October 17 Economic Development Committee Meeting by Chris Rhatigan

7. Eleventh word of the first sentence of the second paragraph of
    This Little Piggy by Hilary Davidson

8. Third word of the first sentence of the fourth paragraph of
    Jungle Boogie by Kate Horsely

9. Last six letters of the sixth word of the fifth sentence of the fourth paragraph of
    Jack Rabbit Slim’s Cellar
    The $5 Mil Hak by Jodi MacArthur

10. Third word of the first sentence of the sixth paragraph of
      A Corpse by Any Other Name by Naomi Johnson

11. First two letters of the second word of the fifth paragraph of
      A Whole Lotta Rosie by Nigel Bird

12. Third word of second sentence of second paragraph of
      Padre by AJ Hayes

13. The second and third letters in the sixth word of the first sentence of
      Threshold Woman by Richard Godwin

14. Fourth word of fifth paragraph of
      Comanche by Jason Duke

15. Eighteenth word of the fourth sentence of the fourth paragraph of
      Requiem for Spider by Reed Farrel Coleman

16. First word of the first sentence of the third paragraph of
      A Night at the Royale by Chris F. Holm

17. The fifth word of the fifth sentence of the fifth paragraph of
       The Slicers’ Serenade of Steel by Gary Phillips

18. First word of the third sentence of the first paragraph of
      The Lady & The Gimp: A Peter Ord Investigation by Paul D. Brazill

19. Ninth word of the third sentence of first paragraph of
      Clouds in a Bunker by David Cranmer

20. First word of the sixth sentence of the third paragraph from the end of
      If Love is a Red Dress – Hang Me in Rags by Michael J. Solender
      Hint: the word is the same as in word 24

21. The first three letters of the fifteenth word of the second sentence of the first paragraph of
      Surf Rider by Ian Ayris

22. Fifth word of the first sentence of the seventeenth paragraph of
      Misirlou by Jimmy Callaway

23. Second word of the third paragraph of
      Zed’s Dead, Baby by Eric Beetner

24. Ninth word of the seventh sentence of third paragraph from the end of
      If Love is a Red Dress – Hang Me in Rags by Michael J. Solender
      Hint: the word is the same as in word 20

25. Tenth word of first sentence of eighth paragraph of
      The Only One Who Could Ever Reach Me by Matt Lavin

26. Sixth word of the the eighth paragraph of
      You Never Can Tell by Matthew C. Funk

27. First letter of the fourth word of the first sentence of the first paragraph of
     Redlining by Jim Harrington

      Third letter of the fourth word of the first sentence of the first paragraph of
      Redlining by Jim Harrington

       The third and fourth letters of the seventh word of the first sentence of the first paragraph of
       Redlining by Jim Harrington

I'm BACK

2011-09-10T02:33:00.000-05:00

I was buried alive this summer! And I'm digging my way out. Sorry for neglecting all of you, but shoveling out from six feet deep is no easy task (ha ha- I know, I know.) I'm hoping to be at 100% over the next few months. No more disappearances are planned.

So, the next few weeks I promise to catch up on emails, beta reads, blogs, social networking, ect...

And I'm back in the game with stories coming out in all sorts of places where the sun rarely shines. In a few days, I'll be pimping an antho that has already been out a few weeks with a fun contest that includes prizes and bubble gum. Stay tuned!

Trailer Snuff at 5x5 Fiction

2011-06-12T11:12:00.001-05:00

Angel Zapata has created a fiction puzzle challenge! And he's done a monster mash up job editing:

Issue 2 of 5x5 Fiction: Secrets, Scuffles and Surprises

The reads are quick stabs of entertainment, but are writing them? Trailer Snuff took me a couple weeks. When Angel first announced the zine six months back, I thought a complete (good) story in five words by five sentences would be easy enough. But... nah. Might as well tie my tooth to a string, the other end to a knob and slam the door. On the other hand, I love a good challenge and reading others bites of creations are fun. After reading this (Crazy, Fun, Warped) issue, I challenge you to read the sub guidelines and work up a 5x5.

Big Thanks to Angel for publishing my work.

XXX

Durable Goods Issue 40 & Wicked Woman's Booty #8

2011-06-05T02:00:00.005-05:00

Have you heard of Durable Goods? Let me tell you about this gem. Editor Aleathia Drehmer invites two unknowing writers (or poets) to participate in a particular issue. She puts their work together (it reminds me of spin the bottle!) then writes a ribbon wrapping poem that unites the two pieces. When I recieved my microzines in the mail today, I couldn't wait to read which poem mine (called "Shiner") had been paired with. "We Look Better In Ruins" is written by FD Marcel. I was simply amazed at our synchronicity. Powerful. Aleathia's addition "There Is More Than a Disconnect" is vivid and balancing. Just wow.

Isn't that a gorgeous cover?

To find out about submissions, invitations, or subscriptions (You know you want this months issue!) Go Here. Also, Aleathia slipped in my envelope a handwritten quote that quite touched my heart. Wonderful gal. Big thank you.

AND

WWB #8: The Skeleton Grave Digger

Can you figure out at which island The Wicked Woman's anchored? Rubies and Diamonds for the first respondarrrr!

SpinTop - Swan on the Rocks at Flashes in the Dark

2011-05-20T02:00:00.006-05:00

your dark is my poetry
mirrors break like sanity
the shards, they echo
they tell a story
I listen

SpinTop - Swan on the Rocks

It's been awhile since I've written an absurd horror, so here's a little piece for you. I hope it touches a place deep down, because that's where it was written from.

Thank you, as always, to the wonderful Lori Titus of Flashes in the Dark.

Wicked Woman's Booty Reviewed!

2011-04-29T11:51:00.000-05:00

AJ Hayes Reviews The Wicked Woman's Booty over at Chris Rhatigan's Death By Killing. Check it out here!

Thank you to both of you!

Creepy pic, huh? This and the one from the last blog I took at the border carnivals they have all the time down here. Way different than the ones they have up north.

XXX

How I Came To Write This Story At Patti Abbott's & Pimpin' My HomeGirls!

2011-04-28T14:12:00.006-05:00

Patti Abbott was very kind to invite me to write for her "How I Came To Write This Story" guest series on her blog. You can guess by the pic what story I chose. Hint: Garrrrr! Click Here to read.

Thank you, Patti! And sorry about the late posting of this. I must have confused the dates.

Pimpin' My HomeGirls, Yo
I've been missing my writerly girlfriends and gradually catching up on what they're up too (very sneakly) (I think) (maybe not) (whatever) AND just wanted to brag on them a bit. Enjoy:

~Carrie Clevenger's Crooked Fang releases their very song first demo and it rocks! Support their utter bad boy unsparkling awesomeness and buy me a shot of Wild Turkey. Wait. Buy their single!

~The brilliant Yelena Sable has written, produced, and directed a hilarious satiric short film! Watch it here.

~Lori Titus gives excellent advice on writing horror on her interview at The Chin Wag.

~Sandra Seamans has an excellent dark story at PMM called Death and Jelly Jars.

(Warning: she'll make you feel like a serial killer)

~May 1st, Erin Cole will be interviewing Spinetingler nominee Lily Childs on all sorts of dark horrors. Skeleton Candy for the soul! (Munch Yum Munch) Be sure to check it out.

Aleathia Drehmer's In Between Altered States celebrates its first year anniversary! Congrats to the wonderful creator, ezine and authors.

~Also, breaking news has it Romeo, from the Bella Vista hotel, has released Pamila Payne from the dank basement of his mind. She is actively lurking about on social networking worlds. First beware, then say hello.

XXX

Interview at Spinetingler Magazine

2011-04-18T09:26:00.000-05:00

Spinetingler Magazine's Brian Lindenmuth was very kind and awesome to ask me for a Conversations with the Bookless interview. It's up today. If you can stand one more of my interviews, check it out here.

A handful of you have noticed I've slipped out of existence recently. The good news is that I AM still in existence, but caring for a loved one who has been in the hospital and is going through a very troubled and trying time right now. The adjustment has been difficult, and you probably won't see me online until May or so.

Do know that I am still writing and that my muse has been feasting more than ever on new things I've been learning. So I hope you all are keeping up (ha ha).

Miss you all!

J. Mac

You know you wanna. Vote for Pillow Talk
XXX

Dynamite Toss At Paul Brazill's!

2011-04-04T14:23:00.001-05:00

Nigel Bird and Chris Rhatigan are holding up Paul Brazil's site with the mother load news of the century, if not the century, then at least of the summer. Yours truly was absolutely unable to resist when asked to participate, then about had a heart attack when I saw the list of names. These two gentlemen know how to knock'em dead. It's not even July, and you can feel the heat waves simmering from this lot.

Check out the big deal here

ps. Is your spine still tingling? Mine is. Vote for Pillow Talk
Read Yerself some WWB #7-- GARRRRR

XXX

Vote for Pillow Talk & Get some Wicked Booty!

2011-04-02T10:08:00.003-05:00

xxx

Quick post today as I'm busy, tired and ready to be beamed to nevernever land.

Polls for Spinetingler awards are OPEN.

To put it sweet & simple me swaggering sweethearts:

You afraid of the dark, Big Boy?

VOTE FOR ME. Please. And if not for me.

For Henrietta------------------------------------>

Read Pillow Talk
Flip on the lights
VOTE

PIRATES:
Wicked Woman's Booty #7 is up today at PMM

As always, THANK YOU for your support!

xxx

Spinetingler Award Nominee

2011-03-24T16:55:00.001-05:00

I just returned from no man's land to discover:

Pillow Talk is nominated for Spinetingler Award: Best Short Story on the Web

Yay! I would do a summersaults on my lawn if it had grass, weren't full of thorns, palm fronds, and baby mesquite trees. Not only am I shocked, surprised, blown away about the nomination but look what fantastic company I'm in!

Lily Childs, Matthew C. Funk, Nigel Bird, Steve Weddle, Jen Conley, Peter Swanson, Catherynne M. Valente, Dennis Tafoya.

Just Wow.

You can find all the story links available at the Spinetingler site HERE. Read up! Voting begins next week.

Many thanks to Beat to a Pulp editor David Cranmer for publishing Pillow Talk. I had no idea at the time how disturbing Henrietta would be on the audience's psyche, and how much they would enjoy it. (Freaks!)

xxx

Godwin. King. MacArthur. Together on CNN. (Kinda)

2011-03-16T13:19:00.001-05:00

And if that isn't exciting enough about that Brit writer who's taken the world by storm, I'm honored to say my book review, amongst others for Richard Godwin's Apostle Rising, has been mentioned on CNN. Holy ~~Sheet~~ Moly, Batman! Read this article and then go purchase the book! Your mind will thank you later.

xxx

Dancing With Myself At Sea Minor

2011-03-16T09:59:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Nigel Bird for letting me get all Billy Idol and Dance With Myself over at Sea Minor. As you can see here, I am a perfectly rational young woman simply doing what the voices in my head tell me to. Speaking of voices, I just finished Nigel's collection of soulful noir Dirty Old Town, and absolutely recommend it.

Thanks for reading.

xxx

Art at Lily Childs' February Femmes Fatales

2011-02-14T00:00:00.002-06:00

Lily childs' site is multifaceted and seeped deep in fears of the conscience and subconscious. Not only do I deeply admire Lily's thought provoking fiction, but I also admire her for providing a platform for others. This month she has nicknamed February Femmes Fatales. And the 'Femmes Fatales' she's showcased has blown me away with their talent. I'm excited to have engaged with new macabre women writers through Lily's site. Delicious to say the least.

I am humbled and happy to have my story, Art, featured today.

Thank you, Lily, not only for the story feature, but that hawt intro. Wow. I totally will write you into a Wicked Woman's Booty Episode for that!

I see a naked baby with wings, bow and a broken arrow pointed at butts! Whether you all are falling in or out of love, managing to maintain, or simply believe it doesn't exist: Happy Valentines!

And yes, the rumors are true. I'm caving and editing my novel, Xscents. I'll be sneaking around here and there, but mainly keeping to myself. Thanks for all of yuor support!

Love Is... Winners

2011-02-04T13:09:00.001-06:00

There is all this stuff I want to say about what you have written about what “Love is..”, but I’ll keep my mouth shut. Because it’s pure and perfect just the way you have said it.

Thank you for being vulnerable.

Thank you for opening your hearts and sharing.

Thank you for being the freaks you are.

(this does not include all of you, but most)

It means a lot to me, especially since I’ve known most of you, written with most of you, over several years. This was sort of a soul melt, mind crush, turn on experience. Being able to relate to each other like this makes the world spin and dollar store pens click.

The winner line was a easy pick, although I didn’t realize it at first. It is raw, honest, vulnerable. It slipped into a separate area of my mind none of the other lines touched. It hit a sweet, gnawing place like an over-rubbed scar. Does any of that make sense? Maybe not, but after sleeping on it, I knew this morning it was undoubtedly the winner.

The Winner of the $1 Rotating Love Message Pen Contest Is:

***

"Love is the regret you can't imagine life without."

~ Bryan Doyon

***

Bryan Doyon is a friend of a friend of John Wiswell. Bryan used to write, but hasn’t in a long time. So not only is he getting a pen, I’ll be sending him a notebook (from the dollar store, of course!). No more excuses. Congratulations, Bryan. Please let me know of your first publishing! I’ll be cheering for you.

2nd Place:

***

"Love is settling for spooning when you really wanted a fork."

~ Laurita Miller

***

This shines above all others like the north star. Witty, beautiful, naughty and brilliant. Sort of like Laurita herself.

3rd Place:

There were like 5 of you leap frogging over and over in my mind for third place. So, I took a lesson from King Solomon. I split the pen into five separate pieces. But then they grew legs and mouths, screamed and scuttled away. Solomon hadn't said anything about this. Briefly, I wondered if this is what The Queen of Sheba had come to ask him about. No one won third place. I'm sorry.

4th Place:

***

"Love is a virus which cannot be inoculated against."

~ David Raffin

***

I don’t have any more pens left. But David told me the other day, after dozens of one liners, which he is infamous for writing anyway, it wasn’t about the pen. It was about the secret of the universe. The secret of the universe wasn’t on the cheesy dollar store pen. But I found it on something else. So he’ll get that.

Honorable Mentions:

There are three types of people in the world. Those who can count and those who can’t.

I have 10 Honorable mentions:

“Love is…the antibiotic applied to your lover’s wrists once the handcuffs are removed.”

~ Angel Zapata

"Love is....he not only doesn't mind your tentacles...he helps you thread them through the holes in your sweater." ~ Karen Schindler

“Love is a popsicle—lick it until it melts.” ~ Linda Simoni~Wastilla

"Love is always in the heart, even if you buried his in the backyard." ~ Erin Cole

“Love is the hot sauce that makes the taco of life worth eating." ~ Chris Allinotte

"Love is an anagram of vole, coincidentally the only monogamous rodent."

~ Steven Chapman

"Love is...keeping dinner warm for 3 hours while I, "just finish this paragraph."

~ Sam Adamson

"Love is...offering the 1st or last bite. Obsession is offering both." ~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is a sunrise." ~ Sean Monaghan

"Love is a howling snow storm...clouding your vision yet filling your heart with wonder."

~ Alan Davidson

"Love is the click of a pen." ~ Marilyn Simpson

"Love is the radiation that kills cynicism." ~ John Wiswell

"Love is...difficult. It gets in the way of all the fun stuff." ~ Jason Michel

"Love is for angels - and they have a devil of a time with it." ~ Kevin J Mackey

"Love is unrestricted access." ~ Daniel Stine

"Love is a pause, a quickened breath that makes your heart stutter." ~ Lori Titus

"Love is an itch you can't scratch yourself." ~ Trevor Mcpherson

"Love is upside down and inside out, taking the fun and scenic route, always and forever."
~ Nicole Hadaway

"Love is found in the 10 cent store but if you want that in writing it's 10 times more."

~ Harry Sanderford

"Love is the opiate of the Misses." ~ Marc Nash

Read ALL "Love is..." one lines on the original post Here.

And finally, Love is… forever. I plan on putting up a link off to the side or eventually on top. People can continue to keep adding on to the “Love is…” list (previous blog) through comments or email, and I’ll keep adding to that blog post. I think it’s such a wonderful, powerful, random force, every line is precious and I’d like to keep it going. Each and every line contributed is valid, real, and important. Thank you everyone for your participation.

Thank you to Lynn Alexander and Dave Mathewson for mentioning the original idea on Facebook.

~J. Mac

***

Top News Story: Frosty pulls "The Big Icee" on San Antonio

2011-02-03T19:55:00.001-06:00

2/3/11
SA End Of Times Reports:
Using special 7-11 developed icee technology ‘Frosty Snowmans’ have gathered from around the world, using icee guns on SA civilians.

“Apparently,” Frederick Warren Jr. new deputy of Little Yarney, Texas,says, “They aim towards the frontal loburlar parts of the brain systems, causin’ the brainstems to remain intack. Therefore, the body keeps functionin’ like a lizard, but the rest is just nuked. Basically, what I’m tryin to say to ya’ll, is the body goes haywire. And people, start actin’ real strange. Like a zombie. In fact, most of ‘em are now. Zombies, that is. Zombies. The Frosty Apocalypse is upon us.”

Special message from Lowes says, “Board up your windows! 10% off screws. Use tax refund $$$$.” Starbucks is handing out recyclable hand warmers. Jodi Mac is procrastinating choosing a dollar store pen winner. She will be posting sometime tomorrow afternoon. Laredo End Of Times reports three major drug cartels have gathered in peace to discuss the current condition. Shootings have been temporarily called off in the city. Long time resident, Rosalita Gonzales says,"The Frostys are such cold hearted bastards. I do not know where they come from, but they are not welcome in our city. And we will send our people after them."

Temperature is 27 degrees. Weathermen say it may or may not warm up by tomorrow afternoon.

***

Viva La Love Pen Click Message Flash Mob Contest

2011-01-27T22:28:00.048-06:00

On Facebook, I wrote about my amusement at the dollar store with these click for love message pens. It brought on a million bucks worth of fun and laughs! At the urging of conspirerers & fellow pen clickerers :

We have a contest!

Love is.....

1. In one line I want you to describe to me what love is. Make it gushy, lovely, Lady Gaga bad romancy, give me a bang for my dollar store buck!

2. Send to: jessjo 33 at gmail dot com with love bug in the subject line. Also, you can post down below in comments section of this blog, or at Facebook. Be sure to have the words "Love is..."

3. Along with your one liner, send me your name (hyperlinked to your website if you choose). No anonymous one liners! If you write it. Own it.

4. Please don't quote movies or songs.

5. Submit as many times as you like!

6. I will post everything I receive (unless vulgar & gross- that will be deleted) right here in this post for us to oogle and wonder if it would really fit on a pen and what size a pen that would be. (hee!)(Talked about THAT at PMM last sunday.) If you don't see your one liner here, email it to me! I probably missed it in the ruckus.

7. Contest starts now until Feb 3rd. Winner announced next Friday on Feb 4th.

8. Winner(s?) will receive a Click Rotating Love Message Pen to give to their honey on Valentine's Day.

Magnetic Fields on the Playlist all damn week, baby! And YES. This is pointless literary fun. We spend so much time taking the craft seriously, let's play. Let the one liners begin!

*Contest Title credits given to Lynn Alexander and Doug Matthewson.

Love is...

"Love is a Date with a PORN STAR!!!" ~ Miketonio Banderas

"Love is a cruise on the Wicked Woman." ~ Aj Hayes

"Love is ...bwahahahaa!" ~ Mari Juniper

"Love is a virus which cannot be inoculated against." ~ David Raffin

"Love is an anagram of vole, coincidentally the only monogamous rodent."

~ Steven Chapman

"Love is a bottle of whiskey, the more of it you have, the more shit-faced you get."

~ Chad Case

"Love is found in the 10 cent store but if you want that in writing it's 10 times more.

~ Harry Sanderford

"Love is....he not only doesn't mind your tentacles...he helps you thread them through the holes in your sweater." ~ Karen Schindler (Note: she likes big ~~pens~~ Pencils)

"Love is in the snapping jaws of cosmically intergalactic, invisible alligators."
(For Karen)

"Love is evolved from evil: live life, evolve." ~ Sean Monaghan

"Love is a sunrise." ~ Sean Monaghan

"Love is... lovers brushing." ~ Sean Monaghan

"Love is upside down and inside out, taking the fun and scenic route, always and forever." ~ Nicole Hadaway

"Love is an old wives tale" ~ Marc Nash

"Love is the opiate of the Misses" ~ Marc Nash

"Love is whatever Hallmark can rhyme it with" ~ Marc Nash

"Love is the correct concentration of chemical signals enabling the prospect of DNA being passed on." ~ Marc Nash

"Love is...the making of strange bedfellows." ~ Abha Iyengar

"Love is the antibiotic applied to your lover’s wrists once the handcuffs are removed." ~ Angel Zapata

"Love is having THE naked cupid (adult kind) lying beside you and not pointing an

arrow at your heart." ~ Mari Juniper

"Love is a howling snow storm...clouding your vision yet filling your heart with wonder." ~ Alan Davidson

"Love is elsewhere. It's never been here." ~ Marilyn Simpson

"Love is the click of a pen." ~ Marilyn Simpson

"Love is a room filled with chocolate." ~ Mariyln Simpson

"Love is a beast from the depths, risen." ~ David Raffin

"Love is tactile, making it hard to discern from a distance." ~ David Raffin

"Love is something I left somewhere and now cannot find." ~ David Raffin

"Love is something which, when given, is often not returned." ~ David Raffin

"Love is something that will make you strong– if it doesn't kill you." ~ David Raffin

"Love is only for the brave or foolish." ~ Willy Banger

"Love is breaking the surface and filling your lungs, just when you thought you were going to drown." ~ Willy Banger

"Love is...the banana on my cereal...the peanut butter on my toast...the curry on my goat." ~ Alan Davidson

"Love is a pause, a quickened breath that makes your heart stutter." ~ Lori Titus

"Love is knowing he's on the way home, and that in about four more hours last night's argument/snub/irritation won't matter anymore." ~ Lori Titus

"Love is irrational, inconvenient, divisive, and unfortunately altogether worthwhile."
~ John Wiswell

"Love is the radiation that kills cynicism." ~ John Wiswell

"Love is owing nothing and still wanting to give." ~ John Wiswell

"Love has a silent 'e' because it knows when to shut up." ~ John Wiswell

"Love is sharing your beer, and most definitely, your toothbrush." ~ Erin Cole

"Love is a slap of lightning, from which if you survive, you are never the same."
~ Erin Cole

"Love is always in the heart, even if you buried his in the backyard." ~ Erin Cole

"Love is an evolutionary imperative." ~ Jason Michel

"Love is...difficult. It gets in the way of all the fun stuff." ~ Jason Michel

"Love is... picking up smelly socks in silence." ~ Shannon O. Esposito

"Love is... a big ol' pot of organic veggie soup." ~ Shannon O. Esposito

"Love is... unclenching teeth, fists and expectations." ~ Shannon O. Esposito

"Love is for angels - and they have a devil of a time with it." ~ Kevin J Mackey

"Love is... the clashing of souls and minds, of tongues and teeth and of wobbly bits." ~ Lily Childs

"Love is... cleaning the whip for her after a good lashing." ~ Lily Childs

"Love is... a shag, a bucket of wine, and a dozen roses." ~ Lily Childs

"Love is... locking them in so they can't get away." ~ Lily Childs

"Love is... when it hurts so much to be apart you want to live inside each other's skin." ~ Lily Childs

"Love can move mountains...his standard fee is $69/hr." ~ Chris Allinotte

"Love is a tattoo you don't regret- even when it looks like cartoons f*cking."
~ Chris Allinotte

"Love is standing in front of each other, sweaty, dirty, ketchup stained and thinking, 'that's hot.' "~ Chris Allinotte

"Love is the hot sauce that makes the taco of life worth eating." ~ Chris Allinotte

"Love is silk stockings, lacy bras and stilletos - even when I let her wear them for a change." ~ Paul Phillips

"Love is a lie...no, wait - that's democracy." ~ Paul Phillips

"Love is overused, undervalued, overstated and underappreciated." ~ Paul Phillips

"Love is that feeling that makes you throw up on your shoes." ~ Paul Phillips

"Love is sweet and bitter, hard and soft, smooth and jagged, and the best and worst emotion two humans can share." ~ Zelda Martin

"Love is what a man claims to have for a woman, when actually he just wants to fuck her." ~ Zelda Martin

"Love is not for the faint of heart." ~ Zelda Martin

"Love is something that should be given only if it is returned." ~ Zelda Martin

"Love is a frequent cause of heartburn." ~ Zelda Martin

"Love is a word that cannot be defined, but we all know what it is when we experience it." ~ Zelda Martin

"Love is unrestricted access." ~ Daniel Stine

"Love is the kiss that follows the sting of the whip." ~ Carrie Clevenger

"Love is...keeping dinner warm for 3 hours while I, "just finish this paragraph."

~ Sam Adamson

"Love is...correcting homework at 3 a.m." ~ Sam Adamson

"Love is...cooking my favourite meal and not complaining when I'm too tired to
eat it." ~ Sam Adamson

"Love is...taking care of the little, fiddly, practical things that make life so hard."
~ Sam Adamson

"Love is...shaving the matted fur from an elderly cat." ~ Sam Adamson

"Love is...fingerless writing gloves." ~ Sam Adamson

"Love is...a bottomless cup of coffee." ~ Sam Adamson

"Love is the regret you can't imagine life without." ~ Bryan Doyon

"Love is a gamble win or lose." ~ Bryan Doyon

"Love is a fantasy that never comes true." ~ Bryan Doyon

"Love is never as good yet better than you had ever hoped for." ~ Bryan Doyon

"Love is ink." ~ Richard Godwin

"Love is showing up with a bouquet of daisies because I remember that they were your favorite flower back when we both were young." ~ Tony Noland

"Love is the best excuse." ~ Trevor Mcpherson

"Love is an itch you can't scratch yourself." ~ Trevor Mcpherson

"Love is the precursor to marriage and other expensive habits."
~ Trevor Mcpherson

"Love is a cheesecake - two forks, no plates." ~ Trevor Mcpherson

"Love is like swimming in warm Thanksgiving gravy." ~ Sean Patrick Reardon

"Love is sitting through "Little Women." ~ Sean Patrick Reardon

"Love is...remedy for the jaded heart" ~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is...unwavering honesty" ~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is...a rope thrown down whilst in the pit of despair" ~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is....life reanimated" ~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is....2ft of snow falling overnight!"~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is....chocolate pudding."~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is...offering the 1st or last bite. Obsession is offering both." ~ Rob Lundahl

"Love is....listening-- when all you REALLY want to do is make them see it your way" ~ Karen Schindler

"Love is....cold hands, warm heart ...and both can make niPPles stand to attention." ~ Karen Schindler

"Love is…like a slushball to the back of the head – cold, sloppy, and gives you a bit of a headache." ~ Laurita Miller

"Love is…settling for spooning when you really wanted a fork." ~ Laurita Miller
(she claims complete innocence in that remark)

"Love is what directly opposes your I.Q." ~ Guy Fishburn

"Love is the only good reason to lose sleep." ~ Guy Fishburn

"Love is conceding the argument when you know you are right." ~ Guy Fishburn

"Love is seeing her beauty in a flannel night gown and pig slippers first thing in the morning." ~ Guy Fishburn

Love is over-thinking for the millionth time what you want to say, rephrasing, cutting and pasting, editing until you're out of rational thoughts - then not having to say any of it aloud because he/she can feel every single one of your unspoken words. ~ Estrella Azul

"Love is a curse, bestowed on mankind by Eros; not knowing it's a curse is part of the curse." ~ David Raffin

"Love is a sad-eyed dog in an alley; no one wants that painting." ~David Raffin

"Love is letting me read the new book first" ~ @jacsmom (on twitter)

"Love is a four-letter word." ~John Wiswell

"Love is...the yin and yang of life." ~ Francesca Stevenson

"Love is...what you hate most sometimes." ~ Francesca Stevenson

"Love is...your everything, everyday, everywhere." ~ Francesca Stevenson

"Love is....why do you ask me? Don't you know?" ~ Francesca Stevenson

"Love is your favorite can of soup. It doesn't do you any good until you open it,
heat it up, serve it up and share it with some one. MMM mmm good!"
~ Guy Fishburn

"Love is a wooden stake and a silver bullet." ~ Tim Vansant

"Love is a popsicle -- lick it until it melts." ~ Linda Simoni-Wastila

"Love is like a horse on a carousel, all up and down, up and down..."
~ Linda Simoni-Wastila

"Love is a box of chocolates filled with nuts, fruit, and cream."
~ Linda Simoni-Wastila

"Love is...communication without saying a word." ~ Kevin Arth

"Love is...knowing the right thing to say, and when to say it." ~ Kevin Arth

"Love is...looking into her eyes and feeling that connection to her soul."
~ Kevin Arth

"Love is...giving her that foot rub, even if they've been in hiking boots all day."
~ Kevin Arth

"Love is a giggle in the middle of argument." @storyofmum

"Love is the spark that inspired ALL creation, it's energy dwells within all people and ALL things great and small." ~ Guy Fishburn

"Love is great until it ain't." ~ Linda Simoni-Wastila

"Love is blind; it has a guide dog who is prone to licking." ~ David Raffin

"Love is always a surprise, so much that I'll never be authority on the subject."

~ Margo Gremmler

"Love is...the last ray of light til the night bathes you in blue light." ~ Justin

"Love is...knowing when it's time to walk away." ~ Karen Schindler

"Love is...mindless reason." ~ Billy Pauley

"Love is... knowing someone so well you could begin to take them for granted... and then not doing that." ~ Billy Pauley jr

"Love is something you spend all your life looking for and rely on instinct to discover." ~ Billy Pauley jr

"Love is simple... people are complicated." ~ Billy Pauley jr

Winners have been posted!!!

But Love is...forever. I am keeping this up and would LOVE for you to continue to contribute. Either leave a comment below, email me with lovebug in subject line or tweet at me (@jodimacarthur) with hashtag #lovebug. Thank you so much for your openness and vulnerablility. This has been a spontaenous, flash, random, and powerful force of yes, Love. And Yeah, I'll probably reformat all this when I get the chance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love is... what I'm feeling as these variant and wondrous and ponderous one liners pour in. Keep sending in your LOVE IS... Greek Goddesses, Gods, Pirates, Lovebugs and Nerds! And yes, the colors, sizes, and fonts are swirling, twirling before your very eyes as the list grows and Ms. JMac's cluelessness to formatting befuddles her ever-the-more.

***

I Interview Melanie Browne at PMM Where We Suffer the Leetle Lemmings, See Circus Fish, Sculpt Charles Manson (kinda), Pole dance with Gypsies, and then the Wicked Woman's Booty Sails into Thunderous Thwarts of Thicketing Trunks of Trampled... Trinkets

2011-01-22T22:53:00.009-06:00

***

The title? True story. Mostly.

There are a few reasons why Texas shouldn't be thrown to hell in a handmade casket. In no particular order: Carrie Clevenger, geckos, Suzy Bradshaw, wildflowers, Bill Crider, mourning doves, Nicole Hadaway, Mark Crittenden, this thing, the cactus on my roof, and

Yes, this is her tattoo! I found this
at Billy Idol's site.
Hawt as a Borderland Texas BBQ
grill in the grid of summer
where the wasps the size of f*cking
birds come out to bite then sting you.
Sizzle, sizzle little lady
let that rebel roar.
(I wrote that for you, Mel)

<------ Melanie Browne, editor of The Literary Burlesque, who I had the distinct pleasure of ~~laughing with~~, ~~lemming-tossing with,~~ ~~pole-dancing with~~, ~~rebel-yelling with~~, ~~chatting with~~, ahem, officially interviewing for Pulp Metal Magazine. She is nothing but abstract awesome and everything I had hoped Texas to be. Thank you, Mel, for making the lone star state, well, not so lonesome and for giving the world such lovely visions through your eyes.

Also.... ARRRR!!!!! PMM spanks

The Wicked Woman's Booty in Episode #6 Thar Be No Rules 'ere Gentlemen o' Fortune Tread

A big Thank You, as always, to Jason Michel.

ps. I'm terribly behind on reading stories and responding to emials I'll catch up soon (I hope!)

Godwin's Review of Michel's "Confessions Of A Black Dog"

2011-01-19T13:24:00.000-06:00

As most of you know, Jason Michel's book Confessions of Black Dog was unleashed recently through BrownPaperPublishinG.

Richard Godwin has given a stellar review of COABD that has got me and everyone else just itching to read it (as if we weren't already!). Both men are remarkably intelligent, and even more importantly, have a respect and love for the art of storytelling. Read Godwin's review HERE or HERE. Then rush off to purchase Michel's book HERE.

Comments are closed on this post! Please leave your wonderful thoughts at these gentlemen's sites. I'm sure they would love to hear from you.

P&E Poll Time - Click It or Ticket

2011-01-16T21:04:00.000-06:00

Two sadistic, lovely souls decided to torture and delight mine by nominating my short stories Spindled Souls & Pillow Talk over at Predator & Editors Polling Site. If Amazon Goddess Frogslingers threaten you or lest I send Henrietta with scarlet binds and finely feathered pillows ~all the better to smother you with, my dear~ then go now, and vote for the tortured souls of the scarecrow folk OR for whoever the heck you want to vote for (Lori Titus, Sean Monaghan, Angel Zapata, Paul Brazil, Bill Crider, Chris Holms, Brian Barnett, Jim Bronyaur, ect, ect, ect...) HERE.

And while you are at it, there are many fine ezines and editors that have been nominated as well. I've made my choices and you can make yours.

Click here to vote for editors.

Click here to vote for ezines.

Everybody Loves Cocaine... and Matthew McBride, My review

2011-01-13T19:58:00.002-06:00

Random. Chance. Fate. Fatum as the latin word goes. Which, enunciated, sounds like fat tombs. You tell me the words ‘fat tombs’ and I think of the frog plague from the old testament and I wonder if the children (the children of the children) of Egypt, as a past time, made pyramid tombs for fat frogs...
Did I mention the word random?

Well, fate dishes it out to us in both the good and bad varieties. And I was happy when Matthew McBride let me know I’d won a copy of Needle magazine with his story, Everybody Loves Cocaine. The envelope arrived endowed with his wonderful art, and his story page has a “best wishes, you rock!” and signature. It simply made my day. Good 'fat tombs' for Jodi!

So Matt, I hope you like the collage I made above and the review I wrote for you below. And that Bowie? It’s been places, man. But I ain’t sayin’ where. *wink*

***

McBride’s story, Everybody Loves Cocaine, is a razor edged read you don’t want to shave or snort with. Although, the razor comes in handy if you happen to find yourself, like his protagonist, with two other dudes, and only half a gram of cocaine. Sometimes, “Sorry, dude” just doesn’t cut it. You want some more? Get some while its still legal… by purchasing Needle magazine here.

Recently, I’ve been disappointed in small press releases. Because of the availability and ease of self-publishing, there is a rush to throw paper, words and names together and fart it unto mankind. All that to say, I was very pleased with the quality of Needle Magazine. It is on par with other high quality magazines I’ve subscribed to over the years such as Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and Shimmer.

Thanks to fatum and some good people, I won’t be building any frog tombs, but I got
a good smile, a signed kick ass story, and a pleasant discovery of a quality ezine.

Thank you, Matt.

Interview with Richard Godwin & Choose Your Poison Weekend

2011-01-08T09:34:00.001-06:00

***

I was interviewed at the Slaughterhouse while The Girl Who Was Chased by the Abominable Snowman with a Machete spanked The Wicked Woman's Booty.

Poisoned pleasures come in 3's.

Links below.

Interview With Richard Godwin at the Slaughterhouse

Thank you Richard!

The Girl Who Was Chased By The Abominable Snowman At 10Flash!

Thank you to 10Flash! editors Kc Ball & Jude Marie-Green

The Wicked Woman's Booty #5: Tis Be th' Way o' Lust an Lore

Thanks to PPM editor Jason Michel for docking me bad boy pirates!

Buffalo Gal, Won't You Come Out Tonight and Give Hell's Bells a Shake at Thrillers, Killers n Chillers

2010-12-29T21:13:00.002-06:00

Buffalo Gal,
Won't You Come Out Tonight
and Give Hell's Bells a Shake

at TKnC

Big Thank You to editor Col Bury.

Warning: Somethings just aren't right. This story is one of them. The author is not responsible for any disturbances this story may cause to the spirit of Christmas forward hence thereof and... after.

Dross at In Between Altered States

2010-12-26T23:28:00.003-06:00

Sometimes we ask questions too late.

Read Dross at In Between Altered States. Thank you so much to editor, Aleathia Drehmer, for publishing this raw flash of prose.

The Jolly Art of Handwriting Interpretation

2010-12-21T23:55:00.000-06:00

Xmas bells are ringing in the distance. And the end grows nigh. Not because of the new year, mainly because I'm going to attempt The Fudge recipe again. Someone dear wrote and sent it to me three years ago. I attempt it every year but, darn it, I can't read the handwriting for the life of me. It reads differently every time. Here is how it reads tonight. Enjoy. And if this blows up the planet... I'm sorry, Mom.

Recipe: Fudge
From:----------
Makes: 36 lbs

1 large can of eloped musk
3 chops of liqueur

Bring to a boil and croak,
strenthening until beepings honk. Harken.

Add: 1 cube of beetles
Then pan antlers (gently)

1 lb mice choc. Let burrs broaden niftly.
2 packages of choc. chirps (chicken?)
6 ox marshmallows ala crème
2 tsp of vanilla

Best until explained. Pet sappy deer.
Add walnuts or pecans if so desired. Pour into 10x14 pan

***

Thanks for all the love and support this year from each and every one of you. We all work together to keep the dream, all of our dreams alive. Be well. Most of all, be happy. With a fierce passion. Merry Christmas! And, of course, a happy New Year.

***

And the Winner is........

2010-12-16T08:33:00.000-06:00

Now that I have internet back, I can actually post this.

Thanks all for participating in the Holiday Book Blog Catalog here & at Erin Cole's site. It was a pure joy for us to promote your marvelous creations. I've heard great news from authors about book sales rising. Woo! Now to business. FREE CD. WHO WANTS? Well, only one gets....

<----Who wins that fabulous cd?

Personally autographed by

Sal Abruscato? ---->

I put the names in my favorite thing ever: The Floppy Hat
<----

Me without names in Floppy Hat

---->

AND THE LUCKY WINNER IS.....

Charles Gramlich

Woohoo!

Congrats, Charles! Thank you for participating. I think you will LOVE
A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH.
Be sure to check out Charles's book (that was promoted in the Holiday Book Blog catalog) Cold in the Light.

Just for fun, I thought I'd post a vid of APHND below. It's one of my favorites. Please be sure to scroll down and turn off the music player. Enjoy! I encourage you to go purchase your own cd here.

Happy Birthday PMM! BreadCrumbs!

2010-12-11T16:49:00.003-06:00

It's Pulp Metal Magazine's 1st birthday!

Jason Michel has lit a bomb of a birthday candle for your literary darkness. Richard Godwin, Kristin Fouquet, Ian Ayris, Melanie Browne, UV Ray, Paul D Brazil, Kevin Shamel, yours truly and the hairy Dictator himself (and more!) give you stories nothing less than a jolt of pure unadulterated 100% PMM fandango madness.... Read. Here. Now. Or I'm sending that bug after you and it's got one hell of a pincher.

My Story

Bread Crumbs

left by the muffin man. Secret messenger of a monster:

the insect with a thousand eyes.

It's been waiting for you, for this moment, for a very long time.

AND just incase you haven't heard (of course you have) about Jason Michel's debut novel, "Confessions of a Black Dog". It can be purchased at Brown Paper Publishing. I bought a copy myself and am looking forward it.

Holiday Book Blog Catalog!

2010-11-30T23:11:00.010-06:00

Here is the Holiday Book Blog Catalog Erin Cole has so beautifully put together. (Big round of applause for Erin!) The literature varies in tastes of lovely imagination. It is featured on both of our blogs to reach maximum readership. Visit Erin's site here.
Buy a book, read a book, give a book... well, you know what to do.
THIS IS TODAY-----> I'll be giving away a brand spanking new A Pale Horse Named Death cd. Hello, Santa Death Metal! Good writing music. All ya gotta do is leave a comment below. I will put your names in a santa/grinch/snowman/jodifloppy hat and draw randomly on Dec. 15th.
Support Imagination---> Read.
Enjoy!

————————————————————————————————————

New on the Market as of 12/7 !!!

JASON MICHEL

Confessions of a Black Dog by Jason Michel

“Never has anybody’s work reflected so deeply the actual ‘man’. Complex, obstinately thumbing its nose at convention, astute in its appraisal of both the writer and the world around him, probing, insightful, rich, and unfettered by modern constraints, a poke in the eye for any and all literary establishments, Jason Michel is not a writer for today, nor he is a writer for yesterday, he is a unique amalgamation of all the best parts of all the writers who did it their way. Highly recommended for those genuinely interested in learning something new. But please God, don’t call him the new ‘anything’, he’s his own man.” ~ Frank Duffy, The Journal

Available through Brown Paper Publishing
Visit Jason at www.beatendog.blogspot.com or his creation Pulp Metal Magazine

————————————————————————————

LORI TITUS
Lazarus by Lori Titus
It's 1869, and in the town of Lazarus, California, the dead don't stay that way. Luella Pembry, a woman haunted by her own dark past, arrives in town with a device and a plan that may stop the Rising of the dead. She offers her help, for a price. With the help of Sheriff Benjamin Drake, they must face the secrets of Lazarus and race to stop the supernatural forces that threaten to destroy their town, and their own lives as well.
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Green Water Lullaby by Lori Titus (Short Story Collection)
In the town of Chrysalis, South Carolina, things are never what they seem. Lovers come back from the dead. Victims fall prey to "animal" attacks. Friends serve up childhood buddies for sacrifice. And a young family fights for survival during a killer storm.
Available through Sonar4 Publications:

————————————————————————————

LAURA ENO
Don't Fall Asleep: (A Dream Assassin Novel), by Laura Eno
In the 27th century, a psychic aberration has manifested in humanity, gifting a select few with the ability to weave dreams for others. They ply their addictive trade, calling themselves Dream Merchants.
Rarer still are those who can assassinate people while they dream…
Newly arrived on Altair IV, Cassandra Dade works her profession as a Dream Assassin according to her own code of ethics. She's beautiful, rich and running from her past—a past which is about to catch up with her.
The partner she trains might be all that stands between her and mental destruction, a fate worse than death. But does his own secret agenda set them on a collision course with disaster?
Available at:
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle
Smashwords
Visit her at http://lauraeno.blogspot.com/

————————————————————————————

JEANETTE CHEEZUM
Six Sentences Volume 3
Three complete stories told in six sentences each, for readers that don’t always have the time. May 2010 (search for Jeanette Cheezum)
Available at Amazon

Vox Poetica Inspirations Collection 1, Spring 2010
Annmarie Lockhart’s first poetry collection each taken from a picture prompt.
Available at Lulu

Visit her at 6S: Jeanette Cheezum

————————————————————————————

JEFFREY S. CALLICO
Rough Travel
Jeffrey S. Callico, in his recent collection of poems, Rough Travel, touched upon the theme of domestic alienation and pathos in all its subtle nuances but with a certain disenchantment that only a bio-lab’s scalpel has for a corpse on the table.
Available through Graffiti Kolkata
Read a Review, by Sarbajit Sarkar
Jeff is the editor of the popular e-Zine, Negative Suck. He can be reached at his blog, What Is But May Not Be, or email: wiredwriter26@gmail.com

————————————————————————————

MICHAEL J. SOLENDER
TOPOGRAPH: New Writings From The Carolina landscape and Beyond.
An Anthology featuring over 30 authors including: Michael J. Solender's essay, Unaffiliated.
As the acclaimed Novello Festival of Reading marks its 20th anniversary, it is partnering with Charlotte ViewPoint magazine to showcase innovative fiction, poetry, and essays from the Carolinas and beyond.
Topograph surveys the literary landscape that has emerged in recent decades, exploding tarnished ideas about Southern writing. For anyone interested in the latest trends, this collection offers a broad spectrum of styles, including formally innovative essays, adventurous flash fiction, and minimalist poetry alongside more traditional storytelling and memorable travelogues. It provides a vista of the most exciting work being done in the area, writing that’s often informed by geography in unexpected ways.
Available at Novello Festival Press

Last Winter's Leaves - A Chapbook by Michael J. Solender.
This collection of very short stories and poems were written as a therapeutic balm after dealing with some significant challenges. Very personal and full of emotion, this collection represents some of my most heartfelt work.
Published by Full of Crow Press
$3, two for $5 plus $1 postage, Contact: michaeljsolender@gmail.com
Visit him at Not From Here, Are You?

————————————————————————————

PEYCHO KANEV
Bone Silence
Peycho Kanev has been writing poetry for the past 10 years. His poems have appeared in more than 400 literary magazines, such as: Poetry Quarterly, Welter, The Shine Journal, Ann Arbor Review, The Catalonian Review, The Arava Review, Nerve Cowboy, Walnut Literary Review, Midwest Literary Review, Chiron Review, Tonopah Review, Third Wednesday, Leaf Garden, Istanbul Literary Review, 322 Review, Mad Swirl, In Posse Review, Southern Ocean Review, The Houston Literary Review, The 13th Warrior Review, Mascara Literary Review, The Mayo Review, Windmills, The Aroostook Review, Naugatuck River Review and many others.
He is nominated for the Pushcart Award and lives in Chicago. Also in 2009 his short story collection “Walking Through Walls” (Ciela), and in April 2010 his poetry collection “American Notebooks” (Ciela) both were published in Bulgaria. His new poetry collection “Bone Silence” was released in September 2010 by Desperanto, NY.
Available at Amazon

"r"
His collaborative collection “r”, containing poetry by him and Felino Soriano, as well as photography from Duane Locke and Edward Wells II was published in the spring of 2009 by Please Press.
Available at Amazon
Email: pupef2001@yahoo.com

————————————————————————————

DEBBIE LAMEDMAN
A Teen Drama Student's Guide to Laying the Foundation for a Successful Acting Career, by Debbie Lamedman
A Teen Drama Student’s Guide to Laying a Foundation for a Successful Acting Career provides invaluable information on a variety of different colleges, universities, and programs. It features quotes from theater faculty and professionals explaining what they look for during the audition process.
A general overview of what to expect from either a BA or BFA program in the performing arts is also included. In addition, you will find straightforward discussions on topics such as: • How to begin the college-application process • How to commit to or rule out an acting career • How to pick the right theater program for you • How to get into the school of your choice • What goals are you looking to accomplish in your college training program? For all you drama students considering an acting career, and for your parents who need up-to-date information, this is an essential guide book written by a seasoned theater educator and author.
Available at Amazon

The Ultimate Audition Book for Teens Volume 4: 111 One Minute Monologues, by Debbie Lamedman
The Ultimate Audition Book for Teens Volume IV: 111 One-Minute Monologues is for the junior high and high school drama student that provide timely subject matter and contemporary, age-appropriate topics. Easily categorized for young men and women, the pieces range from the humorous to the more serious. This collection of short works fills a need previously lacking for this particular age group.
Available at Amazon
Visit her at Confessions of a Cluttered Mind
***Two of her plays were produced in NYC in November!***

————————————————————————————

CHARLES GRAMLICH
Cold in the Light, by Charles Gramlich
Where the beings known as the Whoun came from, only a few know. What they're going to do next is anyone's guess.
But in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, where a decades old conspiracy has started to unravel, a few people are about to find out. Against an enemy from their nightmares, they’ll have to fight, to save the life of an unborn child who isn't human, a child that will change their world forever.
In the brooding forest, they'll learn what it means to fear the dark.... And the light.
Available at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
You can reach Charles at his website: http://charlesgramlich.blogspot.com/ or by email = kainja@hotmail.com

————————————————————————————

MAGEN TOOLE
M is for Monster, by Magen Toole
Monsters and creatures and horrors, oh my…With each letter of the alphabet comes a new monster, and with each turn of the page comes a new foray into another author’s sinister imaginings. From new twists on traditional favorites to modern glimpses into lesser-known mythology, from time-honored staples of the horror genre to never-before-seen beats of the authors’ design, these twenty-six tales take you on a roller-coaster tour of wicked conjuration.
Available at:
Amazon
Facebook Page
Magen Toole
m.toole@rocketmail.com
http://magentoole.wordpress.com/

————————————————————————————

MICHELLE SCOTT
The Dragons of Hazlett, by Michelle Scott
In Amberweise's polite society, a proper young woman of pure Magician ancestry would never involve herself with something as unpleasant as solving a murder. She would faint at the sight of wheels, pulleys, hinges or other demonic machines. She would never deign to notice the wretched lives of the non-magical commons who serve her day and night, nor would she ever dare to question the traditions of her upbringing. And, most certainly, she would never even think of falling in love with a man whose combination of common heritage and magical abilities have made him a pariah.

Available at Amazon
You can reach Michelle at her website: www.mscottfiction.com or her blog Holy Terrors

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TAYLOR STEVENS
The Informationist, A Thriller, by Taylor Stevens
Available March 2011. Pre-order at Amazon

Visit her on Facebook

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KRISTIN FOUQUET
Twenty Stories, by Kristen Fouquet
Twenty Stories is a collection of literary short stories and flash fiction, many set in New Orleans, with four previously unpublished stories, including The Depreciation of The Darbonnes.
Available at Amazon
Website: Le Salon http://kristin.fouquet.cc/

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TIM HALL
Half Empty by Tim Hall
Many readers have said that Tim Hall's debut novel contains possibly the hottest, most well-written sex scenes of any novel in recent memory. An acutely observed story of the emotional and physical extremes of romantic obsession and early alcohol withdrawal, Half Empty explores the lives of Brooklyn and Manhattan hipsters struggling to define themselves in a world where nothing matters. Now on sale for the holidays for only $3.99 at Undie Press. Signed by the author.

Available at Undie Press

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MATT HILTON
Cut and Run, by Matt Hilton
Joe Hunter's devil is Luke Rickard, a killer who has stolen his identity and committed a vicious double murder. His motive? Revenge. His method? A blade. His mission? Kill anyone Hunter holds dear.
It is a deadly duel of wits that takes Hunter from the streets of Miami to the squalid barrios of Colombia to the jungle hideaway of a drug baron. And brings him face to face with his past.
Revenge is a dish best served cold and Joe needs a cool head if Rickard is not to cut and run.
Available at amazon.co.uk

Slash and Burn, by Matt Hilton
Joe Hunter is enjoying some much needed r&r when a young woman approaches him to help find her missing sister. Kate Piers knows about Joe from her dead brother Jake, Hunter's former comrade in arms, and for that reason alone he feels obliged to help. The fact that Kate is very attractive doesn't hurt.
Together they go to Imogen's Kentucky home where they are immediately attacked by a bunch of thugs, acting on behalf of local businessman Robert Huffman. Huffman is outwardly respectable but the psychotic twins he uses as his enforcers give the game away: he has links to organised crime and a deadly reputation with a blade. Huffman is also looking for Imogen, and kidnaps Kate to act as bait. Looks like Joe is in trouble again . . .
Available at amazon.co.uk
And coming soon...Blood and Ashes (JH 5) (Available February 11th 2011)
Visit Matt Hilton: website, email: matthiltonbooks@live.co.uk, and
blogs:
Matt Hilton Books,
Joe Hunters Fixers,
and Thrillers, Killers, 'n' Chillers
He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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GAY DEGANI
Pomegranates, by Gay Degani
The title "Pomegranate" is inspired by the classic myth of Demeter, goddess of the grain, and her love for her daughter, Persephone, who is carried off to the Underworld by Hades. Demeter wanders the earth, refusing to let any growing thing prosper until her child is returned. Also find hints in these eight mother/daughter stories by Gay Degani of Medea, Lizzie Borden, and the mom next door.

Available for purchase at Amazon

Visit Gay Degani's personal website and her Flash Fiction Chronicles ezine.

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SEAN PATRICK REARDON
Mindjacker, by Sean Patrick Reardon
When wealthy Russian mobsters contract L.A. psychologist Joel Fischerto develop a device to manipulate minds, the DreemWeever exceeds allexpectations. Everything is on track for delivery and a big payday,until two adventurous stoners steal his Dodge Challenger that, unknownto them, contains the DreemWeever in its trunk. Fischer and his crewhave two days to get it back or he dies. About the Author:Sean Patrick Reardon is a crime / thriller fiction writer, who paysthe bills working fora large investment company and resides in Massachusetts. When notdoing the above, He likes to play lacrosse and spend time with familyand friends. His stories have been features onThrillers,Chillers-n-Killers and A Twist of Noir.
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and e-book at the Apple iBookstore and Smashwords

About the Author: Sean Patrick Reardon is a crime / thriller fiction writer, who paysthe bills working fora large investment company and resides in Massachusetts. When notdoing the above, He likes to play lacrosse and spend time with familyand friends. His stories have been features onThrillers,Chillers-n-Killers and A Twist of Noir.
He blogs at http://www.seanpatrickreardon.blogspot.com/

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NICOLE HADAWAY
Release, by Nicole Hadaway
"Follow vampire Miranda Dandridge as she finds love amidst rescuing children from the Nazis during WWII."
Available at Ebook Undead
http://www.blogger.com/www.dandridgehouse.blogspot.com

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DAVID RAFFIN
Rhyme or Treason: (the hard fought illusion of choice), by David Raffin
In “The Twilight of the Clowns” a traditional way of life ends as clowning ceases to be a viable way of life;
In “Everybody Loves a Little Elf” elves save a man’s business but they create a literal stink about property rights and slave labor;
In “More than One Day in the Life of Igor Igoravitch” a KGB agent is caught up in a web of intrigue that is his own creation;
The web of lies in Charlotte's Web is exposed;
and the price of the simulacra in the window is finally laid bare.
Available at:
Amazon
Scribd
You can visit David at his websites:
http://davidraffin.com/
Vision? Nary!
--
"Sometimes I think inside the box. It's quiet there. But so dark."

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RICHARD GODWIN
Apostle Rising, by Richard Godwin
Detective Chief Inspector Frank Castle never caught the Woodlands Killer and it almost destroyed him. Now years later, mauled by the press, and traumatised by nightmares, he is faced with a copycat killer with detailed inside knowledge of the original case.
He and his partner DI Jacki Stone enter a deadly labyrinth, and at its centre is the man Castle believes was responsible for the first killings. He’s running a sinister cult and playing dark mind games with the police. The investigation has a shattering effect on the lives of Castle and Stone. The killer is crucifying politicians, and he keeps raising the stakes and slipping through their hands. Dark coded ritualistic killings are being carried out on high profile figures and the body count is rising. Castle employs a brilliant psychologist to help him solve the case, and he begins to dig into the killer’s psyche. But some psychopaths are cleverer than others.
Pre-order through AtlasBooks
Visit Richard Godwin at The Slaughter House

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ALAN W. DAVIDSON
The Cuffer Anthology: Volume II
Alan W. Davidson's literary tale 'The Inscription' appears in the Cuffer Anthology: Volume II. It is a collection of 34 short stories selected from more than 200 entered into the Cuffer Prize, held annually in Newfoundland and Labrador. The anthology showcases stories with a Newfoundland flair from both new and established writers in the province. This year's book contains a fine collection, ranging from literary fiction to science fiction and from humour to horror.
Purchase through Creative Book Publishing
You can visit Alan at Conversations From Land's Edge and reach him at awdavidson.nl@gmail.com

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JODI MACARTHUR
Toe Tags 2: Blood and Bizarro
Edited by William Pauley III and Brian Barnett, this anthology spills a fine collection of horror and bizarro writes.The book cradles one of Jodi's most precious, strange, squished babies, "Lisa Got Squashed". It is a longer tale of hers, unfolding through twists & turns of dialogue. It is a story about pain and how we as humanity deal with it. It is a story about poor, poor Lisa and... how she got squashed.
Available at Amazon

Flash!
Edited by Chris Bartholemew is a collection of well, flash. The stories range from literary to bizarro, from the seriously serious to comedy central. It is one of Jodi's favorite collection of print anthos. Her story, "Teatime with Worthog" features a crazy tea party of the purely straight jacket variety. Refusing to drink tea can result in an electrifying shock of the kind we have nightmares about. With the help of a saucy kitty cat, Raymond (the dog) growls down his Worthog grandmother. Who wins? Only the Beached Whale knows.
Available at Amazon
Visit Jodi MacArthur's site at http:///www.jodimacarthur.blogspot.com

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KEVIN SHAMEL
Rotten Little Animals by Kevin Shamel
Animals are people too! And that is messed up. So they have independent cinema. See what happens when an animal film crew kidnap a human boy and make a movie of the abduction. Read things about Nature that just aren't natural. Fear your pets from this day forward.
With zombie-cat attacks, gun-blasting massacres, drugged-out puppet shows, exploding car chases, camera-chickens, bat acrobats, wild sex, martini parties and torture-ROTTEN LITTLE ANIMALS is a crazy ride through the underground animal film scene and on to the Big Time.
Available at Amazon
About the Author: Kevin Shamel is a bizarro writer for Eraserhead Press. His first book, Rotten Little Animals, was part of the first wave of the New Bizarro Author Series. His forthcoming novel, Island of the Super People, will be out in the spring of 2011. You can find more of his writing all over the place and stuff about what's going on at his blog: http://www.shamelesscreations.com/

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ANGEL ZAPATA
Long Live The New Flesh, Year One, edited by William Pauley III and Suzie Bradshaw
On August 11th, 2009 a new and exciting blog was born, THE NEW FLESH. This blog quickly became the home of hundreds of misfit stories that, to put it simply, were 'too weird' for other markets. 212 stories were published during YEAR ONE, including Angel's piece, Grub.

These are our favorites. Free Ebook

The Man of Shadows, by Angel Zapata
The Man of Shadows is a dark collection of twenty-five short horror stories.
It begins with “The Mouth of Babes,” a visceral tale of streetwalkers and addicts, morbid voyeurs, cannibalistic tattoos, and witchcraft. Jimmy only wants another photograph for his online Death Images website. But when his good friend, Steve calls him down to the morgue to see a body with a strange tattoo of a mouth on her abdomen, he learns that sometimes the dead have incurable appetites.
In “Death Reversal,” a grief-stricken wife hopes to resurrect the husband she murdered by making a long distance call to hell.
“The Bridge” pits the superstitious beliefs of the neurotically-challenged, Benson against the very real presence of a modern-day troll.
“Dead Flames” paints us a brief love story between the walking dead.
From the wicked predilections of children to the varied manifestations of evil personified, The Man of Shadows will have you running for the light.
Available January 2011: Pre-order at Panic Press

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AARON POLSON
Loathsome, Dark, & Deep, by Aaron Polson
Civil War veteran Henry Barlow hasn’t carried a gun since his wife’s brutal murder, a memory he drowns nightly with bourbon and whiskey after spending his days as a field agent for H&P lumber. When reports of the strange goings on at the Lewis River camp reach H&P, they send Barlow and a small band of armed mercenaries upriver to investigate. As the days pass and things get stranger, Barlow must confront the phantoms of his past, his alcoholism, and the dark hearts of men perverted by power and greed. Most of all, he must find a will to live in order for he and his team to get out of the woods alive.
Available at Amazon
Coming soon to Barnes and Noble
Aaron Polson (author's blog)
Loathsome, Dark and Deep (novel website)

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CHRIS ALLINOTTE
Aurora Wolf Press presents "Novus Creatura"
Here there be New Creatures who will become the new Frankenstein Monsters and Draculas. Mirroring society, they reach from within the pages to clutch at your throat, your very soul. The authors within these pages want to share their creatures with you. Spider-children and environmental horrors; gene-spliced monstrosities and black worms, Shadow People and Midnight Drivers, All waiting to crawl into your mind with the turn of the page.
Features: Fear Combined, by Chris Allinotte, as well as new frights from Sean Monaghan, Gregory Miller, Emma Kathryn, TK Turner, and many others!
Available at:
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Amazon.uk

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JONATHAN MOON
Mr. Moon's Nightmares, by Jonathan Moon
I want to take you away. To a place where beauty and madness walk hand in hand. The trees whisper and screams shatter the silence. Curses stain where evil lies yet the view remains serene and breathtaking. I want to show you things. Dark and terrible things that dwell down overgrown paths and in the hearts of men. We'll see cosmic terrors, legendary monsters, and ancient horrors along the way. Your tears will fall and your pulse will race. Reality will twist and bare it's teeth. Here in my Nightmares.
Mr. Moon's Nightmares @ Amazon

Houdini Gut Punch, by Jonathan Moon
Welcome to where terror has as many faces as a house of mirrors. From soul swallowing ducks to hot-rodding miscreants, it is weird... From glowing chunks of meat to cherub-faced earwigs, it is scary... A multicolored galaxy of uppers, downers, laughers, and screamers awaits! Smile through clenched teeth, and flex your stomach- Prepare yourself for ....... HOUDINI GUT PUNCH

Houdini Gut Punch @ Amazon
You can find Jonathan at his blog- http://www.blogger.com/www.mrmoonblogs.blogspot.com, Facebook, or, email at bizarrohorror@yahoo.com

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MARK ANTHONY CRITTENDEN
Their Dark Masters: Tales of Extreme Vampire Horror, edited and illustrated by Mark Anthony Crittenden
When vampires have outlasted the passing of eternity, their dark masters will rise from ancient slumber. What evil games will they play? Find out as the finest small press authors weave their blackest tales of the fanged tyrants of old. Warning: horror content is extreme. Authors include Lee Hughes, Erin Cole, Lily Childs, and Tyree Campbell.
Their Dark Masters will be available on Amazon, January 1st, 2011 from Red Skies Press. http://redskiespress.proboards.com/

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DAVID CRANMER
Beat to a Pulp: Round One, edited by David Cranmer and Elaine Ash
The BEAT to a PULP: Round One anthology is a collection of short stories from twenty-seven of today's top writers and emerging talent. This gargantuan set runs the gamut of genres and sub-genres to include noir, crime, hardboiled, ghost, western, fantasy, and sci-fi. Round One features a foreword by the venerable Bill Crider and cover art by James O'Barr of The Crow fame.
Available at Amazon
Read Beat to a Pulp’s weekly punch at .
Visit David Cranmer at http://www.blogger.com/www.davidcranmer.blogspot.com or Elaine Ash at http://www.blogger.com/www.elaineash.com

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SEAN MONAGHAN
The Vampire Gustav at the End of the Universe, by Sean Monaghan
The Vampire Gustav at the End of the Universe Gustav is immortal. He floats through space long after the Earth has been consumed by the dying sun. One of a dozen stories in this chapbook, "The Vampire Gustav at the End of the Universe" was originally published in Bewildering stories, and was an editor's choice for both the Fourth Quarterly Review and the Annual Review in 2009. The other stories in the chapbook run from humor - like "The Servants of Darkness go for Pizza", originally published in Static Movement - to dark horror, magic realism, steam punk and crime.
Available at Amazon
Reach Sean at seanmonaghan@inspire.net.nz or his website: Venus Vulture

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BRADLEY SANDS

My Heart Said No, But the Camera Crew Said Yes, by Bradley Sands
Forget everything you know about life, the world, and all the objects in it. Bradley Sands can bend them to his will with a frightening disregard for reality. You never know who, or what, is lying in wait behind the next comma. Whether it's Super Noxious Air Man and his sidekick, Kid Centrifugal Force, or the next episode of Teddy the Rottweiler Spayer, Sands keeps you off-balance with laughter and astonishment.
These stories are crammed with the delightfully odd and the scurrilously silly. From moment to moment My Heart Said No requires the most unexpected, perplexing, and hilarious leaps of faith. But you'll be glad you took this exhilarating jump into uncharted territory.

Available at:
Amazon
Raw Dog Screaming Press

Sorry I Ruined Your Orgy, by Bradley Sands
Bizarro humorist Bradley Sands returns with one of the strangest, most hilarious collections of the year.

In Sorry I Ruined Your Orgy, the pope gets sued, a headless man falls in love with a bowl of rice, and architects dismantle the earth. A war breaks out over greeting cards. A suicidal amputee tries to kill himself. William S. Burroughs becomes an amateur archaeologist and Tao Lin drinks an ape-flavored smoothie.
Between a breakfast of clocks, a lunch date with Adolf Hitler, and breakdancing in outer space, anything is possible in the work of Bradley Sands. Just never wear a bear costume to an orgy.
Available at Amazon
Reach Bradley at his website: http://www.bradleysands.com/ or his email: bradleysands@gmail.com

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JHON BAKER

Hands on the Hips, by Jhon Baker

Hands on the Hips is the newest volume of the collected poems of Jhon Z. Baker, compiled from published and unpublished poems. This is poetry for the real, poetry for the people, poetry for the moment, poetry to satiate the needs, poetry of an American outlaw.

Available at Amazon
You can reach Jhon at his blog: THE PLATITUDES OF WILLFUL RESEMBLANCES

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MICHELE MARIE TATE

Blood, Money, Power, by Michele Marie Tate

Blood, Money, Power was inspired by a true story. It is an epic political saga of wealth, mystery and greed that leads to murder. Follow the Preston family bloodline for three generations (1920-1997).

Otto Preston, a power-hungry attorney, will do whatever it takes to build a lasting legacy and erase the pain of his personal past. Relive the folklore of Hearst castle and the lives of legendary movie stars like Marion Davis and Charlie Chaplin. Meet determined Amber as she fights for justice and struggles to unravel the mystery and intrigue from the past that led to her personal nightmare.I invite you take this action-packed ride from Santa Barbara, CA, Thailand, and the scenic Columbia Gorge in Portland, OR.

Available on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble nook
Website: http://www.michelemarietate.com/

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CLARK HAYS and KATHLEEN MCFALL

The Cowboy and the Vampire: A Darkly Romantic Mystery, by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall

He’s a little bit country, she’s a little bit undead. Cowboy meets girl, girl meets business end of pointy teeth, cowboy loves girl anyway. Along with a loyal dog and proud horse, Lizzie and Tucker battle Vampire thugs threatening to take over the world. Set in the bustling metropolis of fictional LonePine, Wyoming, and the concrete canyons of New York, the book is a fast‐paced thriller with equal parts romance and laugh-out-loud humor as a lonesome cowboy and a high-maintenance reporter – and unwitting Queen of the Undead – fall into an unlikely romance and face an epic battle with an ancient evil.
Available at Amazon, Powell’s and other discerning bookstores.

Find out more at http://www.cowboyandvampire.com/ orwww.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire

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ERIN COLE
Grave Echoes: A Kate Waters Mystery, by Erin Cole
The nightmare is real…Kate Waters suffers from narcoleptic hallucinations, which recently involve her unreachable sister, Jev, and a mysterious key. When Kate receives the terrible news concerning Jev’s fatal car accident and acquires the mysterious key from her visions, she unlocks her sister’s world of perilous secrets involving witchcraft, poltergeist, and a heartless killer determined to get back what is his.
The danger lies in whom to trust.Terrifying paranormal encounters, a trailing wolf, and an attempted murder of one of Jev’s friends, forces Kate to turn to the one she fears most, the priestess of Jev’s coven, Thea. She challenges Kate’s beliefs and provides her vital clues about her sister’s murder, but will Kate overcome her fears before anyone else dies? To do so, she will have to trust in a world where the possibilities are unbelievable and the consequences are deadly.
Available at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
AuthorHouse

Back to the Middle of Nowhere: Horror in Rural America, Edited by Jessy Marie Roberts & Jessica A. Weiss
Erin Cole's Blood Vision takes you to the heart of horror in a remote country field. When Dean and Maryanne hit a deer with their combine, they have no idea what was chasing it, but small-town rumors of a half man, half moth will soon tell—some nightmares never end.

Available at:
Pill Hill Press
Amazon
You can visit me here at this blog, http://www.blogger.com/www.erincolelive.blogspot.com or my website Erin Cole Writes

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Toe Tags 2: Wherein Lisa Gets Squashed

2010-11-22T21:50:00.000-06:00

Now available, Toe Tags 2: Blood & Bizarro edited by William Pauley III & Brian Barnett. I'm proud to be included with fantastic writers such as Kevil Shamel, Suzie Bradshaw, Lee Hughes, Laura Eno, Andersen Prunty, Jordan Krall, David W Barbee, Steve Lowe, Garrett Calcaterra, John F.D. Taff, J. Travis Grundon, Alan Spencer, Joey Froehlich, Brian Barnett and William Pauley III.

My story, Lisa Got Squashed, holds my record for number of full rewrites at the big 40. That's FOUR-ZERO. Lots. It's my baby. My poor strange, squashed baby. Here's a sample:

***

"Kid, you’re forgetting, she went insane. Cuckoo. Checked out to La La land. And in the land of crazy clowns and roving daisies, there's a big difference between squish, squash, and smoosh."

"So why'd she go insane?" Jordan asked.

Derek finished off his beer. "You liked my party, kid?"

Jordan flinched at the change in Derek’s voice. He nodded and shrugged simultaneously, unsure of what to reply.

"Sure as hell you did.” Derek’s voice deepened. "How did she go insane, you ask?" He tightened his grip on the bottle, stood up, and smashed it on the barbeque grill.

“Woah!” Jordan stood, knocking over his lawn chair.

“Where you going, buddy?” Derek lifted the sharp edge of the broken bottle. “Get back here.”

Jordan limped towards his pickup. He felt Derek’s big hand grab his shirt; yank him backwards. "You’re not going anywhere yet."

"I wasn't going..." Jordan’s eyes grew huge when Derek brought the glass close to his face.

"Just shut up, kid." Derek screwed up his face like he had just gotten a whiff of his own breath. "Lisa went insane, the way we all go insane. Someone hurts you, hurts you real bad. We all have our ways of coping. Some choose drugs, women, smoking, some..." He tilted the bottleneck head down, like he was guzzling. "Booze. Lisa chose schitzo. In the end," Derek’s pupils expanded, "the pain always comes back to get you."

They stood there.

Eye to eye.

Silent.

Jordan finally adverted his gaze and willed himself not to piss his pants.

Derek let loose of Jordan’s shirt. Forced a smile. “Sorry, buddy. Didn’t mean to frighten you. Why don’t you go have a seat and I’ll fetch you another beer.”

Jordan thought of making another attempt for his pickup, but even if he could make it, what then? His truck wouldn’t make it far on the flat. He glanced at the weapon in Derek’s hand and made a decision. Jordan limped back to the lawn chair, turned it upright, and sat.

"This'll help." Derek handed him a cold one.

"Uh, thanks."

"You see," Derek flipped his sunglasses up. "What caused her to go schitzo is not what's important. What she did about the pain between the reality checks in La La land is what really matters. She took some sharp glass," he held out the razor shard of the bottle, "and she cut her wrists." He made a slicing motion over his own wrists.

Jordan, in the middle of a gulp, choked, and spit beer into the wind. It sprayed back in his face.

Derek twisted his thin lips into a smile. "Kid, get a grip."

Jordan coughed again. He pulled his tank top up and swiped it over his face. "So did she die?”

"No." Derek's voice softened. "Unfortunately, for her, she lived."

***

Wicked Woman's Booty #4

2010-11-14T11:33:00.004-06:00

Pulp Metal Magazine

***

Big Thank You to PMM's creator & editor Jason Michel

***

ps. Art is credited to Brutal Legend. Classic Heavy Metal Rockers Might want to click HERE.

Sex, Blood, and Fairy Tales by Yelena Sabel

2010-11-09T14:29:00.008-06:00

Yelena Sabel and I may live in opposite parts of the country, but we share the same love of horror, popping reality bubbles... with class. And class doesn't even begin to describe what this actress, model, and creatively talented screen writer can do (which seems to be everything!).

Yelena is in the process of directing her first movie, in which she herself stars, called, “Sex, Blood, and Fairy Tales”. She has written the script based on true life events. It has a human edge with a horror bite. I can't wait for the whole shebang! Watch the cool promo (scenes) below and check out movie progress, Yelena's great daily quotes, and gorgeous pictures on Facebook. You can also read her stellar interview with novelist Richard Godwin at his infamous "Chinwag at the Slaughterhouse" interview series.

ps. If you are faint of heart, please sit down before you watch and... cover your eyes.

(scroll down and turn off music before pushing play!)

http://www.royalbladeproductions.com

Pillow Talk at Beat to a Pulp

2010-10-24T02:00:00.008-05:00

Yeah, yeah, I know I've had more shorts come out this week then the whole freaking summer. But hey, it's the week before YOU KNOW WHAT, and this story is as psycho, sexy, crazy as it gets. The night I wrote this, I had to turn on the lights... and I had to question where Henrietta came from, then decided I didn't want to know. I don't want to know how dark it gets in those soulless places where the sun can't raech. If you're brave enough read...

Pillow Talk at Beat To A Pulp

A big Thank You to wonderful Beat to a Pulp editors, David Cranmer and Elaine Ash. Be sure to catch their first anthology, Beat to a Pulp: Round One. It holds some of my fav writers including Spinetingler award winner Anonymous-9. That wicked woman kicks serious fiction booty. (Arrr!)

Halloween Games at 13 Days of Horror

2010-10-22T02:00:00.009-05:00

You know you wanna play...

Halloween Games

At Erin Cole's 13 Days of Horror.

Kudos and a sincerely haunted Thank You to the Mistress of All Hallow's Eve. Erin is a true gem and giver in our writing community. Love ya, girl.

ps. This story is dedicated to and inspired by David Barber. A couple weeks back, he pushed his own personal limits with writing. I admire a risk taker. With this story, I explored beyond my own boundaries. Thanks, David. ;-)

***

Play With me at The New Flesh

2010-10-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

(Click Pic for Halloween read)

Thanks to III and Brian for letting me stow my eyeball in a pickle jar at The New Flesh.
(And you thought my mis-spelling was due to something else- ha.)

ps. Beat to a Pulp's new anthology, Beat to a Pulp: Round One, has finally been unleashed unto the world. I've been looking forward to this one. Raed a top interview with one of BTAP editors, Elaine Ash here.

***

Tainted Lady is at The Sideshow

2010-10-15T12:47:00.006-05:00

***

"Tainted Lady" is at Side Show 2: Tales of the Big Top and Bizarre

Edited by Cathy Buburuz, Cover Art by Mark Crittenden (!)

"Even in death, the Man In Black had won.
He turned you into a freak, a monster.
You deserve to burn; all the freaks deserve to burn."

*Tainted Lady was my fav short to write in '09 ;-)

WTF (Who's The Fruitcake) at Fruit Loops Anonymous

2010-10-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

My muse ate too much cheesecake.
Marbles rolled.
And I'm sort of cognitively challenged at the moment.
In and out of the hospital with medical issues.

Don't know what's going on, but I'll let you know when I know. My spelling, writing, memory and focus seems to be rearranged, upside down, and inside out. So I'm very very hesitant to be writing anything on blogs, twitter, facebook or even emails at the moment. In fact, it took all day just to write this... argh! I will have you know that my imagination is perfectly fine and I am continuing to write. Although if I'll be able to interpret any of it later is questionable.

Thanks for reading, and thank in advance for your care. If I do visit blogs I'll prob just leave a: Good job. Nice. And boring sh*t like that. Because I can handle one or two wrods. I think.

Wicked Woman's Booty: Sizzle Me A Pirate Stump!

2010-09-19T10:38:00.002-05:00

Me third episode of Wicked Woman's Booty is up at PMM

Sizzle Me A Pirate Stump

Be wary ye faint o' heart

Party Me Hearties!
Today be international Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Arrrr!

Previous episodes:

#1 ~ Stolen!

#2 G Hits The Spot

Fiction Daily Feature

2010-09-03T14:44:00.005-05:00

I just discovered a quote from my story, The Sower, was featured on Fiction Daily HERE. Made my day. The story is close to my heart.

Fiction Daily excels at finding "the pulse of literature" around the web. Big Thank You to the editors, one of which is writer extraordinaire, Matthew C Funk.

Dog Days Of Summer Winners & Erin Cole's New Book

2010-09-01T10:41:00.002-05:00

Michael Solender has announced the Dog Days Of Summer Winners!

Congrats to Grand Prize Winner Sam Anderson for his fab piece of humorous summer hell. He's got one heck of an imagination. Happy to say my piece, Solistice, won a special Jury Award. It will be posted in the coming weeks at The Not or you can download the Dog Days Of Summer e-Chapbook Mike put together, accompanied by beautiful photography from the lovely Kristin Fouquet. Thanks for all you've done, Mike!

Just about peed my pants when I saw Erin Cole, my dear sister in horror, has published her first book "Grave Echoes". Wow! Those of you who've read her shorts know that her work is 100% quality entertainment. Her writes are lovely and deadly, and I can't say enough good about this writer. You can order Grave Echoes on Amazon, or for a limited time, she's offering signed copies (which I will be purchasing). Go to her blog or brand spanking new website ErinColeWrites for more info. Congrats, Erin!

Sexy Hot Score @ The Not

2010-08-16T00:54:00.000-05:00

What do you rate?

Sexy Hot Score

At Michael Solender's

The Not

Thank you to MJS for letting me do literary at his site. I'm a proud Not Head.

My Resignation Letter

2010-08-11T22:44:00.007-05:00

Dear Editors of The New Flesh,

Sadly, You accepted my story Adventures of My Little Carnivorous Pony based on the premise that this was a good story. Sadly, you’ve even included it in your Free New Ebook Collection of New Flesh’s first year. Sadly, I’ve come to realize that it ISN”T a very good story, because you see, I was mislead about what the conflict actually was. I thought My Little Carnivorous Pony was conflicted in the sense that if she remained true to herself, she wouldn’t blend into the ‘norm’ and wouldn’t have friends. If she gave up being herself, everyone would like and play with her. Unfortunately and apparently, this isn’t really what the story was about.

I’ve decided to stop writing. I’m a disgrace. A loser. A REJECT for crying out loud. I’m a mere Jungle Jane, not a Jungle George. The leotards were so tight that, apparently, sadly, and unfortunately, I can’t even UNDERSTAND my own stories, at least according to this reject letter below, which I received before The New Flesh editors accepted Adventures Of My Little Carnivorous Pony.

I will sit at my computer and cry. I will ask myself in the dead of night whether I truly am a writer, and keep Wishing. Wishing that I could be like the other awesome, cool, amazing, writers that made it into the awesome, cool, amazing New Flesh’s Free Ebook that anyone can download completely free by clicking Here. Here. And Here.

Thank you for the very kind, though, misguided words. And I’m sorry. Again.

Sincerely,
Jodi MacArthur

Ps. Got smurfs?

Ppss. Long Live The New Flesh!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Jodi MacArthur,

Thank for your submission to Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxxx. I regret to inform you that we are unable to use it at this time. I like the concept, although the use of My Little Pony and Smurfs concern me a bit since those are trademarked characters. Of more concern, though, nothing is actually resolved during the course of the story -- the pony is carnivorous and sad because she has no friends, then she eats a smurf. A resolution to her friendless situation would be necessary for this piece to feel complete. -- Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx

We wish you good luck in placing the story elsewhere.
Sincerely, All of us at Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxx

Disclaimer: I am not dogging the magazine that sent me the reject (in fact, it was very kind of them to send me their personal thoughts). It's more about treasuring The New Flesh, because they give a home for stories that don't fit anywhere else.

WildCard

2010-07-23T01:38:00.010-05:00

There is you. Then there's the promise of who you could be. But what if you aren't who you think you are? Margo Gremmler bends the rules to get by. The only way to make an honest living is to be criminal. The draw back?
Guilt can be a bitch.

~ WildCard ~

A Margo Gremmler series

www.goodsneverbeensobad.blogspot.com

Margo Gremmler is a real life person. She has wild red hair and a personality that ~~kicks arse~~ I adore. She lives in Chicago and helped saved the Evanston Libraries. She enjoys jazz and is currently querying her YA dystopian novel, 30 Decibels. To the best of my knowledge, she’s never hired a hit man. This mini series pilot is for and dedicated to her. I auctioned the opportunity to be in one of my fiction stories, and Margo’s generous bid won. I’m so glad it did. More than she will ever know.

Paul Phillips owns a book store in the land Down Under. He writes horror and has a great sense of humor. He generously donated a good portion to the Evanston Library, and he fit the bill, so as a surprise, I wrote him in as the character Detective Phillips.(Please don't sue me!)

Big Thank You to the editing services of Karen Schindler who helped smooth out the choppiness and Sean Monaghan for reading and awesome feedback. There is an anonymous reader too, you know who you are, and you know how grateful I am.

Zombie Luv Contest Winners!

2010-07-22T12:13:00.002-05:00

*This was already announced on Mari's Randomites, but I figured I'd blog it too*

First Place ~~Winner~~ :

"The Tale-Tell Beat"

by Nishida C

Her story drew me in from the very beginning and just took my breath throughout. The judges were unanimous on this story. Write more, Nishida. (Please) Congrats! Read her story at Flashes In The Dark today.

2nd place Winner:

"Dead Flames"

By Angel Zapata

Angel Zapata? What can I say? He can scare your socks off and melt your heart in one breath. It was very worthy of creating a second place slot. Story will be featured at Flashes In The Dark July 26th.

Honorable mention:

"For The Love Of Mike"

by Sam Adamson

Not only did he win the poll's vote, but he won mine and the other judges as well. His stories have this way of sticking with you for a long time afterward. He truly has the unique touch.

~~~~~~~~~~~

There are a good ten of you that impressed me with either quality, originality, pacing, but I need to keep my mouth zipped for the sake of choosing stories for a Zombie Luv antho.

It was blast to work with the other judges Mari Juniper, Lori Titus, and Jim Bronyaur. Great people, great stories and lots of zombie luv to go around. Thanks for the fun everyone!

Undead WildCard Poetic Teaser

2010-07-21T00:45:00.001-05:00

A poetic teaser for Margo Gremmler's library auction bid-winner story, WildCard, is posted at

Undead Poets Society

Story will be posted here THIS Friday. I'm hoping it rocks your socks.

Wicked Woman's Booty 2

2010-07-05T11:26:00.005-05:00

Wicked Woman's Booty heats up, walks the plank, and ships out with Episode 2:

G hits the Spot

Pulp Metal Magazine has morphed into lighter hues and polkadots, but the appeal is all the same. Be sure to check out the new site and reads this week. As always, a big thank you to Jason Michel.

Sean Monaghan's novel is serialized over at Infinite Windows! The Rotated jumps straight into action with kidnappings, cults, sci fi devices, motorcycles, and love triangles. Read his first episode HERE.

Zombie Luv Flash Contest Is Here

2010-06-20T10:11:00.007-05:00

Jodi Has Sent Her Imagination Zombie To Give You This Important Message:

Brains! Brains! Brains! I love your braiiiinnssss!

Update:

I'm (enjoying) reading your entries, plugging in scores, and leaving the mark of the beast (smiley faces) as I visit your blogs. Keep up the salacious zombie writing.

Be Bold. Be Unique. Be Romantique.

Mari from Mari's Randomites is DEAD and she's celebrating by holding a Zombie Luv Flash Fic Contest. Find guidelines, prize info, and more HERE.

Look for the #ZombieLuv hashtag on twitter.

Wicked Woman's Booty

2010-06-16T13:10:00.006-05:00

Avast me hearties! Wicked Woman be a'sailin 0' Pulp Metal Magazine. It be a pirate serial with adventures, treasure maps, the cave of ali baba, frog wenches, and Cap'n Viper. Many thanks t' Jason Michel fer askin me on the PMM crew with he and Paul Brazill. I be thinkin' of no finer company.

Read episode 1: Stolen!

Last but not least, because of the procurements of mysterious maladies, I'm taking a slight break from blogosphere and the interweb worlds. Email is always open.

And The Winning Bidder is...

2010-06-03T09:20:00.008-05:00

*** Margo Gremmler ***

I know for a fact she's a hero in more ways than one, but will she want to be written in as one? I asked her hero or villain? And her response was...."evil by day, good by night". That wasn't in the rules! Haha, clever Margo found away around the rules (my kinda chicka).

Thank you for your donation, Margo (and everything you've done for your dear library). You've got a story and signed footprint in order to Muse- The Hobo Prince.

ps. Thank you to everyone who bid, offered donations (especially Karen Schindler), donated funds straight to the library (especially Paul Phillips), helped spread the word, and offered their support.

Read Margo's Evanston Library Update here.

Rabid at FitD (For Reals This Time)

2010-05-27T00:01:00.002-05:00

The whistling deer head is stuck to the wall. It cannot get you from there.

Rabid

At Flashes in the Dark

(Thank you, Lori!)

**some of you will remember this from the good ol' days

**On Another note, I decided to make a conversational, rambling blog called, Blahh...Og. I think the title is quite explanatory. ;-) Feel welcome to visit and jump in with me.

SAVE THE LIBRARY

2010-05-19T20:27:00.011-05:00

Become An Important Literary Figure

Be written into a classic Jodi twisted short story!

---> Go <---

Evanston Public Libraries & Friends is holding an auction to save their libraries from closing. Margo Gremmler and other Library lovers around the world have rallied to the cause.

How can you help?

One of the items up for bid is a 'unique experience' donated by yours truly. I will write the winning bidder into my next short story. A hard copy (and signed footprint) will be delivered by mail. The story will also be posted here on my blog, dedicated to the kind soul who helped saved Evanston Libraries.

Bidding has started at $1.00. Can you up that?

---> Go <---

Support Imagination.
Support Libraries.

JUST IN: Check out the fantastic editing service Karen Schindler is offering as a donation to the library. I've seen her work, and it's pretty incredible. If you are like me and want to make a couple pro sales, you won't want to miss out on this. CLICK HERE to bid!

** To learn more about the plight of Evanston Libraries please visit (the wonderful, black leather corseted, inspiring, fellow save- the- library- partner- in- crime writer and undead poet ) Margo Gremmler 's website and read her posts about the cause here and here.

Decisions at Tainted Tea

2010-05-17T23:20:00.011-05:00

Tainted Tea's Spring Issue is out! Featuring my winning flash fiction story, Decisions, and other stories by David Massengill, Joseph Haeger, and Chris Yodice. Also includes dispicable, lovely art by Undead Ed (you know you wanna see it).

Tainted Tea's lovely website, blog, and ezine is put together and edited by Kris Fossett and Shane R. Toogood. Their winter mag made #11 out of 100 for horror ezines on Lulu. Woohoo!

A sincere THANK YOU to you both.

*I lvoe loev LOVE the way you formatted 'Decisions' and the art!*

Buy.

Submit.

Drink some Tainted Tea...