Book Launch: Best Little Witch-House in Arkham by Mark McLaughlin

With the book launch of Best Little Witch-House in Arkham, I've been fortunate enough to pluck from one of the stranger, more perverse galaxies of the Trickyverse, One Mark McLaughlin to join us today on Writing is Tricky (WiT).

Mark is a Bram-Stoker Award-winning author (the "oscars" of horror writing if you will), witty, horrific, and hilarious.

Is he more genius than madman or more madman than genius?  After reading Best Little Witch-House in Arkham, you'll understand why the answer is not important.   

Read on to learn about Mark's latest book launch and stop back soon as Mark himself will be handed the reins here on (WiT) to blog something special just for demented, little us.

-Tricky

Welcome to the Best Little Witch-House in Arkham. In this midnight den of dread and doom, you will find twenty-five rooms, each with a story of its own to tell. Here you will enjoy a delectable variety of otherworldly nightmares and blasphemies ... enough to satisfy even your most eldritch desires.

Here you will find evil pop-stars longing to devour their fans. You will meet a sophisticated secret agent in search of supernatural super-villains. 

You will learn the vile secrets of Kugappa, the writhing octopus-god, and Ghattambah, a grotesque insect deity whose soul dwells beyond time. 

You will smell the unhallowed stench of the Odour out of the Terrible Old Man. You will drink the creamy Milk of Time, an unholy substance which flows through the depths of a forbidden house of horrors known as Der Fleischbrunnen. You will even travel through deep space to a futuristic restaurant for alien connoisseurs, where you will sink your teeth into the monstrous specialty of the house.

You will find all of these horrors, and so much more ... in the Best Little Witch-House in Arkham. New from Wildside Press.

Check out the book (paper and on Kindle)...

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Little-Witch-House-Arkham-McLaughlin/dp/143444208X/

...and some of Mark's regular haunts online 

Mark's Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/markmclaughlinmedia

The Witch-house:

http://www.facebook.com/BestLittleWitchHouse

Mark's Bio 

Author Mark McLaughlin's latest releases are the story collection, BEST LITTLE WITCH-HOUSE IN ARKHAM, and the two-author poetry collection, REVENGE OF THE TWO-HEADED POETRY MONSTER (with Michael McCarty).

Mark's fiction, nonfiction, and poetry have appeared in more than 1,000 magazines, newspapers, websites, and anthologies, including GALAXY, FANGORIA, LIVING DEAD 2, THE BEST OF ALL FLESH, WRITER'S DIGEST, CEMETERY DANCE, MIDNIGHT PREMIERE, DARK ARTS, and two volumes each of THE BEST OF HORRORFIND and THE YEAR'S BEST HORROR STORIES (DAW Books).

Other collections of Mark's fiction include BEACH BLANKET ZOMBIE, MOTIVATIONAL SHRIEKER, SLIME AFTER SLIME, PICKMAN'S MOTEL, RAISING DEMONS FOR FUN AND PROFIT, and AT THE FOOTHILLS OF FRENZY (with coauthors Shane Ryan Staley and Brian Knight).

With regular collaborator Michael McCarty, he has written MONSTER BEHIND THE WHEEL (their latest horror novel), PARTNERS IN SLIME (their latest collaborative story collection, packed with monsters), ALL THINGS DARK & HIDEOUS, PROFESSOR LaGUNGO'S CLASSROOM OF DOOM, and more.

Mark is the coauthor, with Rain Graves and David Niall Wilson, of THE GOSSAMER EYE, which won the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Poetry. He writes a blog on cinematic horror called BMovieMonster. And, he is also a marketing and public relations specialist, writing articles for business journals, newspapers, trade publications and websites.

What others are saying about Mark

What critics and colleagues have said about Mark McLaughlin's work over the years:

"In the most devious manner, McLaughlin's stories achieve a high degree of demonism by perpetuating a sinister 'humor' at the gallows of the human comedy."

-- Author Thomas Ligotti

"Listen up. Noel Coward is back. Salvador Dali is back. Dylan Thomas is back. And they're all rolled into one in the shape of Mark McLaughlin who writes stories that are wonderfully witty, surrealistic and ineffably strange. Absolutely fabulous. .... If your palette is jaded, come to the feast that is Mark McLaughlin."

-- Author Simon Clark

"Mark McLaughlin's prose never disappoints. It might shock, dismay, puzzle, leave you rolling out of your seat laughing or sitting back in amazement, but it never disappoints."

-- David Niall Wilson

"McLaughlin's tales are laugh-out-loud assaults on consensus reality."

-- Paul Di Filippo, ASIMOV'S

"Reading Mark McLaughlin is a little like stepping out of the door of an airplane in mid flight. The view is pretty amazing, but the shock of impact may do you in ... gruesome, funny and touching. Top that: anybody...."

--Matthew Nadelhaft, TANGENT

Cover Reveal: Hysteria

Hysteria by Stephanie M Wytovich

Today I'm showcasing the cover for the upcoming book of poetry by demented poetress and Poe-lover, Stephanie M. Wytovich.   

SUMMARY: Asylums once used to confine those deemed mentally unfit linger, forgotten behind trees or urban development, beautiful yet desolate in their decay. Within them festers something far more unnerving than unlit corners or unexplained noises: the case files left to moulder out of sight, out of conscience. Stephanie M. Wytovich forces your hands upon these crumbling, warped binders and exposes your mind to every taboo misfortune experienced by the outcast, exiled, misbegotten monsters and victims who have walked among us. The poetry contained in Hysteria performs internal body modification on its readers in an unrelenting fashion, employing broad-spectrum brutality treatment that spans the physical to the societal, as noted in Stoker Award winner Michael A. Arnzen's incisive introduction.

The book to be released by Raw Dog Screaming Press can be pre-ordered here:

http://www.rawdogscreaming.com/books/hysteria.html

Then stop by the Madhouse  (http://joinmeinthemadhouse.blogspot.com/) and--from a safe distance--tell Stephanie hi.

Poetress and first-class hugger
Stephanie M Wytovich upon
meeting yours truly 

Sometimes the Devil you know...

Well Trickyverse--the wait for the sequel to the Devil and Preston Black (Devil) is finally almost over.  Like Devil, the cover art is friggin' sweet I must say.   Plus if you're like me and can't wait until the official release, Jason Jack Miller has graciously given us a peek at the first 100 pages--scroll down to the link.  You will NOT be disappointed.

I'd have more to say except...well I paused my reading of those excerpt pages just long enough to post this and--I'm headed back.

For your protection

SATOR

AREPO

TENET

OPERA

ROTAS 

Rock on Trickyverse--Rock On






THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK BY JASON JACK MILLER

Coming June 2013 from Raw Dog Screaming Press
Cover Art by Brad Vetter

Preston and Katy face a new darkness....

Sometimes a battle between good and evil doesn't look much like the ones they show in movies. The good guys don't always wear white, and they don’t always walk away with the win.


And sometimes you're better off with the devil you know.


The last time Preston went down to the crossroads, his best friend died and he nearly lost his brother. But Old Scratch doesn't take kindly to fools, especially not those who come knocking at his front door. And before all is said and done, he's going to teach Preston a thing or two about what it really means to sacrifice.



LINKS:
Read the first 100 pages of The Revelations of Preston Black - http://jasonjackmiller.blogspot.com/p/the-revelations-of-preston-black.html


Pre-order The Revelations of Preston Black at Raw Dog Screaming Press - http://www.rawdogscreaming.com/books/the-revelations-of-preston-black.html

Guest Blogger: Lee Allen Howard, author of Death Perception

Hi Trickyverse--as promised, here is some great writing advice from author Lee Allen Howard.  Below, you can also learn more about Lee and his writing and new novel Death Perception--T

Using Beta Readers to Evaluate Your Fiction

So, you’ve written a novel and done your revisions and polished it as best you can. Is it ready to send to an agent or publisher—or to publish yourself? Hard to tell.

Instead of crossing your fingers and exposing your manuscript to the risk of immediate rejection, why not first let someone read your book and provide feedback? If they spot any problems with story, plot, characters, or writing, you’ll have a chance to improve your work before you send it to someone who’ll buy.

Writers have been doing this forever, passing on their finished manuscripts to a close circle of trusted readers. But for the new novelist, it’s one more step along the path of learning to become a published and professional writer.

Whom should you choose? It’s best not to choose someone who isn’t an avid reader, who doesn’t like the genre you write in, or who won’t give you honest feedback (meaning both praise and constructive criticism).

A good beta reader is someone who reads widely, reads in your genre, and can discuss with intelligence the elements of fiction (characters, plot, description, setting, dialog, narration, etc.). Your best bet may be another writer whose back you can scratch at a later date.

If you’re working to deadline, it’s wise to set a date for the review to be completed. Just make sure you give your reader plenty of time to read, and agree on the deadline beforehand.

If there are specific issues you’re concerned about—for example, “Does Mrs. Gulliver seem like a fully formed character to you, and are her motivations understandable and sufficient to fuel the brutal murder she commits?”—you may want to communicate these up front so that your beta reader can be on the lookout as she reads. And make it clear that you’re looking for constructive feedback to make your story better, not just ego strokes.

If you send an electronic file (.mobi, .epub, .pdf, or other), make sure the copy is marked “BETA” on the cover page. Ditto for a printed version. And if your printed version is looseleaf, put it in a binder to keep the pages from getting lost. Invite your reader to make comments in the margins as she reads.

This is your precious intellectual property. You may want to include a copyright statement and warning on the title page and in the footer of every page, along with the specific reader’s name. 

For example:

On the title page:  “BETA COPY 1, <date>”

In the footer of every page:  “Copyright 2013 <Your Full Name>. Duplication prohibited. <Beta Reader’s Name> - Beta Copy 1 - <date>”

This way, if you create more than one version, even if a page is removed from the binder, you’ll know where it came from. Print a fresh version for your next reader with the footer changed appropriately.

Once you hand your reader the manuscript, leave him alone. Don’t call or text every day, asking about his progress and whether or not he likes it. The exception here is inquiring about progress as you near your agreed-upon deadline.

When the reading is done, it’s time for a talk with your beta reader. You may want to prepare and print a list of questions about characters, plot, description, setting, dialog, narration, and so on. If they fill it out, you have their answers in writing.

If you sit down to interview, make sure you put her at ease and encourage her to speak his mind candidly about his opinion. Then, let him talk, and keep your mouth shut. Resist the urge to jump in and explain everything (although you should answer questions when asked, or if you’re unclear about what they’re saying). Above all, turn off your emotions, turn on your smile, and THANK him for the hours he’s spent helping you.

If you get published, a nice touch is to mention him in the acknowledgments section, gift him a signed copy of the book, or take him to dinner. Or all three. If his feedback was valuable, you may want to call on him again.

Then, you evaluate the feedback. It may be a good idea to get another reader’s opinion before you overhaul your manuscript based on your first reader’s input. Fix obvious errors, naturally, before printing a fresh copy for your second reader. But remember that opinions are just that—opinions. No two readers will agree on everything about your book. However, if two or three readers point out the same problem, it’s a good sign that you need to do more work.

I followed this process with DEATH PERCEPTION, my latest supernatural thriller tinged with horror and peppered with dark humor. My beta readers were Kerri Knutson and Gary Reichart, whose feedback I appreciate very much. You’ll see them mentioned on the acknowledgments page with a few treasured others.

DEATH PERCEPTION is available in trade paperback, Kindle (.mobi) and Nook (.epub) at http://leeallenhoward.com/death-perception/.

1. 

BIO           

Lee Allen Howard writes horror, dark fantasy, and supernatural crime. He’s been a professional writer and editor of both fiction and nonfiction since 1985. His publications include The Sixth Seed, Desperate Spirits, Night Monsters, “Mama Said,” “Stray,” and DEATH PERCEPTION, available in various formats at http://leeallenhoward.com.

You can keep in touch with Lee on his Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lee-Allen-Howard-author/117844011639457. Follow him on Twitter @LeeAllenHoward.

Book Launch: DEATH PERCEPTION by Lee Allen Howard

Hello everyone--I'm happy to announce that friend and fellow Seton Hill Alum-er, Lee Allen Howard, has announced the launch of his new novel Death Perception this week.  Part crime novel, part supernatural thriller, part...funeral pyre 'n smores (I kid you not), this is Lee at his very best--putting you in the front car of the roller coaster, careening you past memorable characters, jostling you through hairpin plot twists, and trying his darndest to scare the bejesus out of you while managing to satiate the most macabre of sweet tooths.

It's a really fun read.  Be sure to check it out. 

Then stop back next Wednesday, May 22, when Lee stops by to guest blog about Using Beta Readers to Evaluate your Fiction right here at Writing is Tricky.

Oh and did I mention he's also started his virtual book tour.  Be sure to check out his other appearances throughout the month, listed below.

Book Details

DEATH PERCEPTION by Lee Allen Howard

Release date: May 15, 2013

Available now in Kindle, Nook, and in trade paperback

308 pages

ISBN: 0615800696

ISBN-13: 978-0615800691

Front cover art by Neil Jackson

http://leeallenhoward.com/death-perception/

Book Description

Kennet Singleton cremates the dead... and then they speak: "Avenge us!"

Nineteen-year-old Kennet Singleton lives with his invalid mother in a personal care facility, but he wants out. He operates the crematory at the local funeral home, where he discovers he can discern the cause of death of those he cremates--by toasting marshmallows over their ashes.

He thinks his ability is no big deal since his customers are already dead. But when his perception differs from what's on the death certificate, he finds himself in the midst of murderers. To save the residents and avenge the dead, Kennet must bring the killers to justice.

Author Bio

Lee Allen Howard writes horror, dark fantasy, and supernatural crime. He’s been a professional writer and editor of both fiction and nonfiction since 1985. His publications include The Sixth Seed, Desperate Spirits, Night Monsters, “Mama Said,” “Stray,” and DEATH PERCEPTION, available in various formats at http://leeallenhoward.com.

You can keep in touch with Lee on his Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lee-Allen-Howard-author/117844011639457. Follow him on Twitter @LeeAllenHoward.

Blurbs

"Dastardly devious, cleverly conceived, and just a whole lot of fun to read, DEATH PERCEPTION is Lee Allen Howard on fire and at his finest. Rife with winsome weirdness, it's like the mutant stepchild of Carl Hiaasen and Stephen King, mixing a truly unique paranormal coming-of-age story with a quirky cast of offbeat noir characters into a novel that's simply unforgettable... and hilariously original. A supernatural crime story, blazing with creative intrigue... don't miss it."

--Michael Arnzen, author of Play Dead

"Lee Allen Howard's DEATH PERCEPTION is a red hot union of Gothic crime thriller and grim humor that burns with supernatural tension. Beneath the sickly sweet scent of caramelized sugar lies the wildly entertaining tale of a man who delivers justice to the dead while fanning the fires of the living. Ever hear the expression, 'laughing in a morgue'? DEATH PERCEPTION feels just like that. Howard has a gift for crafting eccentric characters and clever plots. This is dark fun at its best."

--Jason Jack Miller, author of The Devil and Preston Black and Hellbender

"DEATH PERCEPTION has officially made me envious of Lee Allen Howard. It sings like a choir of angels, yet weeps like a ghost in winter. Everyone should have this in their collection.”

--Trent Zelazny, author of To Sleep Gently and Butterfly Potion

5/15/2013  http://armandrosamilia.com
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5/17/2013  http://www.marysangiovanni.com 
5/18/2013  http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com/
5/20/2013  http://www.huntershea.com
5/21/2013  http://jasonjackmiller.blogspot.com/
5/22/2013  http://mikemehalek.blogspot.com/
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5/24/2013  http://outofthelockbox.blogspot.com