Two years ago, The Black found its way into the marketplace. Those of you that listen to The Dead Robots’ Society have probably heard some of this already, but for the rest of you, let me tell you about The Black.

The Introduction…

I didn’t think I’d ever sell a book on a pitch. For a so-called “unestablished author” whose indie published work hadn’t managed to gain a wide audience, selling a book with just a synopsis was unbelievable. So how the hell did it happen? You can blame my nemesis for that. Continue reading “Essay–The Black: A Memoir of Sorts”

As I approach that special moment of sending The Black: Outbreak to my publisher, it’s time I owned up to something. I have in the past few weeks mentioned that I was hard at work on a secret audio project. Well, it’s time to reveal that secret, especially since it won’t be finished in time anyway.
Last year, I mentioned that The Black: Arrival was probably the last audiobook I would ever narrate. It was supposed to be the last, the very last, except for anything having to do with The Street. However, circumstances have forced my hand.
When I released The Black on audible, it quickly made a lot of money. “A lot” being commensurate with “more than a few bucks.” It didn’t seem to matter that the audiobook was released long after the actual book came out. Listeners flocked to it and I was both surprised and elated by its sales. I considered hiring someone to narrate The Black: Arrival for me, but I was trying to make a deadline and it would have been impossible. Turned out I needn’t have bothered. Arrival took a long time to finish and put on the Audible store. I swore to myself I’d hire a pro for the third book. And then I looked at the sales.
Arrival hasn’t sold nearly as well as The Black. In fact, its sales are downright dismal by comparison. Based on that data, I decided that instead of spending $1500-2000 to have Outbreak narrated, and lose money on it in the process, it would be better if I sat my fat ass in the chair again and babbled into the microphone. Thus, here we are. Continue reading “A Little “News” From The Darkness”

Genres. If you go to any book store, online or brick and mortar, or, Garaaga forbid, even a library, you’ll find shelves (virtual or real) marked with “Science Fiction,” “Fantasy,” “Thriller,” “Romance,” “Literature,” “Drama,” “Classics” and tons of others. And I’m just talking about the fiction sections. Notice what’s missing? That’s right. “Horror.”
Well, it’s not really missing so much as it is hidden amongst the stacks of more “popular” genres. Last time I darkened the doors of a Barnes and Noble, the so-called “horror” section was a single fucking bookcase filled with only the best known authors. None others need apply. Is this all there is when it comes to horror? Hell, no. So where are the horror stories written by the not so famous?
Continue reading “Essay–The Problem With Horror”

I’ll share a little secret with you–I’m a geek.
I was one of the awkward kids who never really seemed to find his place until very late in high school. While the cool kids in junior high and early high school listened to Van Halen, I was jamming out to Rush, Pink Floyd, and Metallica. I wrote. I played video games. I played the trumpet in band. I had friends who were in some ways very much like me and in others, very different.
Continue reading “Essay–Nostalgia is a Dangerous Thing”