James Aquilone's Classic Monsters Unleashed

October readin' and dreamin'. James Aquilone's Classic Monsters Unleashed, a who's-who of new stories about famous creatures, from some of the best horror voices in the business. 

Jonathan Maberry's "Höllenlegion", a riff on "The Island of Doctor Moreau", kicks off this delicious autumnal feast. The inimitable Joe R. Lansdale's gobsmackingly good "God of the Razor" caps it. 

Read Lansdale's piece first, I was so excited. Don't do that; it is unfair to all the other great creature stories. Over a year later, I am reading the rest, and enjoying each and every one, from Tim Waggoner's modern werewolf yarn "Blood Hunt" to Lisa Morton's fun "Hacking the Horseman's Code" à la Amazing Stories late 1980's TV incarnation.

Gorgeous cover art, and some stunningly macabre interior story art,  from Colton Worley.

Reading with Amanda Earl & AJ Dolman at the Pump

Had a terrific reading with co-pilot AJ Dolman and Amanda Earl at the the Lieutenant's Pump in Ottawa this Sunday. Monsters abounded in our work—vampires, transphobic parents and shapeshifters, including my  longtime pal John Newman, whom I have had the pleasure to know since high school.

In "John Newman, you'll not catch me", he is pitted against a vile shapeshifter in a race through the forest to save the dreams of the residents of a sleepy small-town suburb. 

What an honour that Amanda made this happen.

Made possible by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Writers' Union of Canada.

Late Notes from a chilly, leafy All Hallows' Eve 2023

We received about 57 trick-or-treaters, all told, less than pre-pandemic, but about the same as last year. Many younglings among them, including Spidey-Kids, Mandalorians, and sparkle bunnies, the latter  which made our Pomeranian/Chihuahua crossbreed lose her furry mind. Some blood-spattered high-school kids made an effort, and  others, in hoodies, not so much, and parents, as clowns or robed figures with glowing axes. The young man and  a friend had his last trick-or-treating outing, hitting residents, about to close shop, who praised the details of his apparel, and doled out generous handfuls of candy. 

Hope everyone had a good Hallowe'en.

Fear Itself collection is spooky reading

Just another spooky-season PSA as we enter Ray Bradbury's October Country. Fear Itself, my new Lethe Press short story collection, is a blend of horror and SFF, which Publishers Weekly called "unsettling". 

Audible version narrated by the inimitable and talented Gavin J. Annette. 

Don't be afraid to snap it up. 

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