A New Year!

It's a new year. 

That's great because 2013 was a year of not much. A customer told me that odd numbered years are bad years and even numbered years are good ones. 2014 should be good by that logic, no?

I made a resolution and this time I didn't tell a soul so I would stick to it. I also didn't tell a soul so that when I broke it, nobody'd be the wiser and I could go on smok-- breaking the resolution and I could pretend that I didn't break any promise I made to myself. 

2013, despite being an odd numbered year, was pretty good for me. I got published in new places, made some new friends, and started new projects. One of those projects was finishing my first novella, Death Thing. It's finally ready to start pushing to small and unsuspecting presses. I feel good about it.

There's a lot to tell you about but I'd rather wait until some of it is closer to ready. Until then,

BUY MY CHAPBOOK. SUPPORT MY CHEETOS HABIT. REVIEW IT ON GOODREADS.

The Kill Look now at Out of the Gutter

Howdy, folks.

My latest story, The Kill Look, is now at Out of the Gutter.

Click here to read the damn thing.

It should also be noted that I will be reading a Christmas story at 69 All the Time presented by the fine folks at wait...what? I'm aware that that sentence made little sense.

It'll be at Le Rouge Boutique (it's a naughty shop, folks). 7:30 pm. There'll be a thousand other readers there and it will be free and fun and generally exciting.

Click here to get the damn details.

I was also in a fine video by a local mad genius who goes by the name of Steven Warren. There are super high production values and special effects that cost so much we'll be paying them off from the grave.

Watch the damn thing.

My story Flesh House was accepted to the JUNK anthology and you can get your hands on it here. 

Jack Arambula drew that for Flesh House a long time ago and now I can finally use it.

I came up with the story for Flesh House at Foxing Quarterly's first issue release party at a now-gone bookstore, DOMY. It's tiny. Even the outside grounds are tiny. There were a ton of people there, too. I was reading Cortin A. Zelaznog's phenomenal work of dirty absurdity, Puppetro. 

I get claustrophobic at times and this time it struck me. It's Texas so even when it's cold it feels like Satan's taint. It could have very well been cold, though. Anyways, there were all these people there and everyone was sweating and everyone was smoking and admiring each other's facial hair or fashionable boots. I kept thinking, "God damn, these people are fucking flesh walls that are going to collapse on me."

Then I thought of the title. Some of my stories come from titles first. 

I wrote Flesh House to be disgusting. A good friend told me he had to stop eating while reading it. I take that as a high compliment. 

Get the damn JUNK anthology. Every story in there is a winner. I'm honored to be among such a fine group of folks. 

There'll be some cool stuff to announce in the near future. There are good things coming and I can't wait to tell you about them. 

Anthology stuff

Howdy, folks.

My story, Flesh House, is included in this fine anthology alongside Ryan Sayles, Chris Leek, Chris Rhatigan, Danger Slater, Jason Armstrong, and David James Keaton. It's a swell ride through Hell. Pick it up today. 99 cents is a steal!

Hell, it ain't Halloween anymore but I was also included in Horror Novel Review's anthology for Halloween. The story The Werewolf Dentists From Hell is about exactly what it sounds like. Buy it now!

Don't forget about Toilet Stories From Outer Space!

Buy Slagdrop Presents America... You're Welcome! today

Buy Slagdrop Presents America... You're Welcome!
$5

SAD SAD SAD FEST

Tomorrow night, folks.

Come to the SAD SAD SAD FEST at a car wash.

This is one of those readings where getting permission didn't happen so let's see how it goes.

https://www.facebook.com/events/180113635512650  <--- click there for all the information

I searched sadness in Google. This guy's sad. 

Photos

Photos from the October readings.

Owen Egerton's One Page Salon at the Whip In, Austin, TX.

Photo: Nina Barker

I got to show some skin at the Foxing Quarterly Wes Anderson Party at the Scoot Inn. Yee haw.

Photo: Nina Barker

The Long Beach Poetry Festival in Long Beach, CA.

Photo: Nina Barker

Telling a true story about getting hit by a car and dying in Aqua Socks at the Testify show at Spider House Ballroom, Austin, TX. 

Photo: Abby Ronaldes

Another angle from the Testify show. My hands go nuts when I can't read from a paper.

Photo: Nina Barker

The holidays are coming and everyone needs bathroom reading material. Why not get Toilet Stories From Outer Space? Click here. 

October

October's over.

I've got no readings scheduled until November 7th and that one will be at a car wash. 

After that, Slagdrop will finally release Slagdrop Presents America... You're Welcome! It took a long time for it all to come together but after all the hiccoughs had been hiccoughed, I am glad to say that we put out a fine piece of work. 

Jack Arambula designed the cover and the back cover and helped with the layout. Many a night were spent hunched over computers and cussing. Jack and I also have a web comic series called The Weekly Weird Monthly. Check it out here.

Pat Davis did a bang-up job on the layout and has a cool art piece on the interior front cover. Maybe it'll end up being a t-shirt? 

There are some fine writers in there. I'll just name a few: Scott Montgomery, Zachary Locklin, Cheryl Couture, Gerald Locklin, Clint Margrave, Ryan Sayles, April Krassner... I can go on and on. 

On Saturday, November 9th, meet us at the Crooked Floor to release this weirdo celebration of America. We'll have some special deals and there will be a vote on who is dressed in the most patriotic get-up. Whoever wins, wins a free magazine, a free beer, and a free Ouija board dictated letter of gratitude from a former president. 

Now, on to other things. 

Testify here in Austin is one hell of a show. Check out their website, check out their shows. I told a story about getting hit by a car at their last show and I had a blast. I have to say thanks to them for letting me step on their stage. I may have left a few crumbs and spilled some mustard on stage, but it was a damn honor. Abby Ronaldes is a local artist about town here - she's one of the organizers and a friend and a big thanks goes to her for allowing me to drink TWICE as much as was contractually mandated. 

The Long Beach Poetry Festival in Long Beach, CA was incredible. There were a ton of fine poets, I sold a few chapbooks, met some great people. All was great. Speaking of meeting great people and fine poets, Thomas R. Thomas has a book out and you should buy it. His poetry is great. Click on his name. 

The gift buying holidays are upon us, folks. I'm not trying to force you into turning my chapbook, Toilet Stories From Outer Space, into a stocking stuffer but it fits inside a stocking like a... glove. It fits into a large glove like a small stocking, too.