Happy Halloween

And for some the horror is just beginning. . . stay safe

Also in time for Halloween .... check out Lurid-lit.com

We post our top five, or in my case, top six Halloween reads....

http://www.lurid-lit.com/

THERE AIN'T NONE is now out in time for Halloween!!!

THERE AIN'T NONE is now appearing in DEATH THROES WEBZINE HALLOWEEN ISSUE #1 now!

http://deaththroes.net/uploads/Death_Throes_October_Issue_1.pdf

Blogging in the USSA

You make one little comment in the middle of a political campaign and the next thing you know, 'writers' who are employed to blog for a political campaign, or if they are not paid are certainly  drinking Kool-Aid, feel a burning desire to personally attack.

What I love about these 'writers' who specialize in nothing more than men's rooms scribbles, with made up names, feel they are somehow superior in their trade.

I have never looked my nose down on anyone. I have worked hard for my successes and I have hurt deep because of my failures. If you don't like my writing fine; but frankly I will put up my bibliography against any of theirs any day.

Again, they do no nothing more than diminish themselves and the candidate they support. This is especially so when they admit they are there to harass those with a counter point.

I am going to frame the exchange or look into how my civil rights were violated.

Saugus Ghost Story Contest II

High School stories are now read and ranked. I will be notifying the home office with our votes and now the wait for Halloween.

I have to say; there is a lot of talent and creativity coming from our young people. It is a blessing to see and an honor and privilege to be on this side of the contest.

UGLY BABIES is now in Paperback

To go with your Kindle version...

Surreal Grotesque Writers Workshop

We are proud and pleased to be included in the Surreal Grotesque Writers Workshop starting in November. As always, Thank you Daniel.

Saugus Ghost Story Contest

The pressures of being a judge seem to be just as great as being a participant. However the pressure here is weighing some marvelous tales. We just finished our scoring for the Middle School submissions and those results have been sent in.

Now it is on to the High School entries....

THERE AIN'T NONE to be published in DEATH THROES WEBZINE

I just received the word that THERE AIN'T NONE with the Devil and Santa Claus will be published in this month's DEATH THROES WEBZINE.

Three Halloween Tales reviewed on LURID-LIT RIGHT NOW!!!!!

I pull more than double duty this week --- I review three Halloween Horror Tales: HARVEST MOON by James A. Moore; MONSTERS: A HALLOWEEN STORY by Stewart O'Nan; and THE PRESS: A HALLOWEEN STORY by Graham Masterton.  It's a CEMETERY DANCE PUBLICATIONS SCARE-TACULAR!!!!!

Okay, I review three from Cemetery Dance in celebration of Halloween. Catch them now on Lurid-lit.com.

TRICK NO TREAT published in SURREAL GROTESQUE #13 Out Now!!!!!

A Halloween story of surreal proportions TRICK NO TREAT is out now in the 13th issue of SURREAL GROTESQUE known as the 'Lovecraft' issue.

Link below:

http://issuu.com/xy77boy/docs/lovecraft

INFESTED CANDY in the Anthology UGLY BABIES is out now

James Ward Kirk assures me it will be in paperback form. The e-book is out now on Smashwords. Masterfully edited by Sydney Leigh, take a read and enjoy the placenta.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/368910

Classic Book Review: Elizabeth T. Corbett writing science fiction in 1879

A GLANCE INTO THE FUTURE; OR THE WORLD IN THE TWENTY-NINTH CENTURY was published in 'Godey's Lady's Book' in March 1879. Set up as a one act play, in a women's fashion magazine, this fascinating tale of robots, push button vehicles, subterranean tunnels portends much of the things to come.

The story is available on line since it is the public domain.

Here is a link from the University of Pennsylvania during their celebration of women writers:

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/corbett/godeys/glance.html

Can We Be More Pretentious?

Can We Be More Pretentious?

By having photo after photo of oneself in various serious poses of sitting in coffee café with a copy of our book or entering a library.

Can We Be More Pretentious?

By stressing how busy we are yet we still have an output of 2,400 pages.

Can We Be More Pretentious?

On our Amazon Author page with fake reviews including one that says that our latest work is better than Shakespeare.

Can We Be More Pretentious?

In having a friend of one's parents write a puff piece in the paper to help move units.

I have nothing against self-publishing, not at all, but let's not make ourselves out to be the greatest thing since a bread slicer until we actually have someone other than ourselves and a credit card determine the viability of our work.

All writers are narcissists. Most of us are media whores, myself included. But let us not proclaim we are greater than the bard when our work isn't truly judged by a third party.

I read a puff piece on a local author that made me ill. It was insulting to all writers, especially those who choose to self-publish. I think the scribe who wrote the article as well as the scribe who bathed himself in his own glory, fail to understand that ego is the cruelest critic while real readership is the fairest.

A Demented Bird, A Ghost Planet and Escorts Are Coming Up With A Guy Named Jack

I have noticed a lot of writers' blogs discuss upcoming projects. Okay, here we go.

Upcoming project. Upcoming projects. Here is what we are working on in terms of the longer works; novels and novellas.

I am getting back to my Bizarro Novel about a demented dead bird. I expect this to be done and out to a publisher for consideration by December.

We are doing research on a science fiction horror tale concerning a rogue planet. This was inspired by the recent news concerning the discovery of a planet roaming free without a sun. The plot line is very promising.

We are also doing research on a surreal novella involving the Internet escort business. Yeah, I know some of you are saying, but this is a tired trope. Did you watch 'Walking Dead' last night. If you did, you don't get a comment. Is this s tired trope? No it isn't. There are no vampires involved; there are no Satan worshippers involved; there are no serial killers involved; and NO she will not be a ghost or succubus. The plot line I think you will find is subtle, we will tie in how the economy has gone underground and I believe the story is up to snuff and will pack the same punch as with my other weird tales. This is in the research stage ---- get your mind out of the gutter please.

And finally, I am bringing Spring Heeled Jack back with another British standby in a novella half finished.

Short stories will come. We are experimenting with more poetry. This is a fertile period and we hope to be prolific in our story telling output and terrifying.
 

L A Sykes Original Fiction on LURID-LIT.COM Now!!!!!

On Lurid-lit.com we are pleased to bring you original fiction. This week we have "Shotgun Therapy" by L A Sykes. You have got to read this.

http://www.lurid-lit.com/2013/10/original-fiction-shotgun-therapy-by-la.html

THE NIGHT COUNTRY is reviewed on Lurid-lit now!

Stewart O'Nan's 21st century ghost story THE NIGHT COUNTRY is reviewed on Lurid-lit. This 2003 novel is controversial. Read why.

100 DOORS TO MADNESS which includes TAP is out now!!!

My grisly short tale TAP has hit the stands in Forgotten Tomb Press' 100 DOORS TO MADNESS. This is a huge anthology weighing in at over 400 pages and an intense one. The link to the paperback version is:

https://www.createspace.com/4469208

The Kindle link will be out shortly.

Are We Really THAT Stupid?

The reboot of Stephen King's "Carrie" will be hitting screens in a matter of days. Cue all the normal whoopla, hype, etc.

So a viral video has been produced pranking people in a coffee house where a woman has her own 'Carrie' moment to the sheer terror of the average person at the counter.

If you haven't seen the video, you must have been under a rock as it is everywhere save for my bathroom. The quality is of the prank is poor; the acting even worse and the direction, well, are people really THAT stupid to freak out when books fly off shelves and a man is slammed up against a wall and then the ceiling.

Hello my name is REALITY; who else do you know can actually do this?

Have you ever seen a coyote build a trap it received in the mail?

What the heck is actually going on with public education?

'MY COFFIN IS MISSING' to be published by Horrified Press

This is one of the shortest stories I have ever written. This is one of the quickest stories I ever wrote. While I stand behind every word taken out of my brain --- I am fonder of this tale than most.

I have no idea why. The title came to me at 1 a. m. Thursday morning, the 4th, and as I was driving to my work destination at 8 am the entire tale just unraveled right before my eyes. When I arrived I pulled a pad and hastily jotted it down, making small revisions throughout the day at various times, more to pace the rhythm than anything else. By the time I sat again in the evening the first draft was typed and printed.

On Friday the polish was applied and my wife took a look to correct punctuation in two spots. She too has been taken by the tale. It gave her the creeps with little or no action.

Details will follow on when MY COFFIN IS MISSING can be found.

Cover Art and Table of Contents released for 100 DOORS TO MADNESS

http://forgottentomb.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/anthology-open-100-doors-to-madness/

What is especially cool to me is sharing a table of contents; sharing a volume with Guy de Maupassant one of my childhood literary heroes.

I am honored to be a part of this collection and am so grateful to Forgotten Tomb Press for this opportunity.

FEAST OF THE DEAD Antholgy with PESTS out now!

Happy Halloween.

What Phase Is The Moon?

In the wake of my guitar story I run into another pathetic tale this time involving a short story. I am affiliated with a writers' group on Facebook and as is the case messages of our doings will cross cyberspace.

Today I received an acceptance in an anthology and so did a colleague. Hers is for a charitable organization where sales of the book will go directly to a charity.

Noble. Quite noble. As I was about to congratulate her, there appeared a prior Facebook response where the writer complains that given the quality of the book cover, the book has to be full of trunk stories and the charity will be lucky to get $100.00.

Is this jerk week? Is there something in the water? Is it a phase of the moon?

Well I congratulated her and as far as the jerk goes; I guess we all know who received a rejection letter.

RIP Tom Clancy

Tom Clancy passed away at age 66. Rest in Peace Mr. Clancy and thank you for 'The Hunt For Red October" along with other wonderful books. Thank you, sir.

TAP to be included in an anthology

We are pleased to announce that TAP will be included in the horror flash fiction anthology "100 Doors To Madness" by Forgotten Tomb Press due out this month. Details to follow.

Did I Just Become Self Aware or Am I Just Full Of It?

Recently I came across a version an amazing cover of a famous song performed by a twelve year old.
This young lady plays guitar better than most of the locals I have seen. But as I watched this kid, with immense talent, several people in the crowd buzzed amongst themselves, yet loud enough, that this was absolute proof that the song and the group who performs the song are overrated.

The beauty of art is in its simplicity. The beauty of art in any form is its ease in transcendence to reach into different medium and is accessible to everyone. The beauty of art is in discovering innate talent.

It always pains me, especially during this time in history, when it seems the podium is solely in the hands of  those who lack the talent; lack the skill; lack the overall understanding and feel it necessary to label and denigrate those who have found their talent; who have created.

Many of these same people complain about labels yet they are quick to do so in the most negative way.

I say this because the people making this 'discovery', over their packaged coffee cups, then turned their attention to ignore the music and spend even more time discussing the importance of a particular reality show with the same reverence one would give to the Bible.

I am not trying to be snob here. Let's give kudos to the talent of this young person. Let's acknowledge the music created by someone else and how it transcends a generation; to the perfection of that art form and its beauty.

My decision in refraining from specific names is to avoid minutia.

"The Dance of Death" versus "The Dance of Life" Ambrose Bierce versus Ambrose Bierce === Genius!

Quick Book Review: THE BROTHERS BULGER by HOWIE CARR, Grand Central Publishing, 2006.

With Whitey Bulger's sentencing on the calendar and his rambling and whining letters spewing out of jail this is the definitive read into the unbelievable web of corruption and death that gripped Massachusetts and extended its tentacles nationwide.