Nightmare After Christmas

For those of you who found a shiny new Kindle under your Christmas tree and are hankerin' to fill it up with content, you might like to know the ebook version of EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS is available for FREE until December 30th.  My little gift to you. If you miss out, no worries, you can still read it for free with your Prime membership until March 6, 2012. If you prefer the feel of paper between your fingers, Barnes &...

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Goodreads Book Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win a copy of EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS. Contest expires January 01, 2012. .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660;...

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The Five Best Books of 2011

In honor of my favorite book this year, I give you THE FIVE BEST BOOKS OF 2011. 5. ROBOPOCALYPSE by Daniel H. Wilson  In the near future, at a moment no one will notice, all the dazzling technology that runs our world will unite and turn against us. Taking on the persona of a shy human boy, a childlike but massively powerful artificial intelligence known as Archosassumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything...

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KDP Select

If you're not familiar with Amazon's new KDP Select option for authors, you can get yer learn on here: Amazon's KDP Select.  While the terms are not entirely favorable--for instance, I don't like the exclusivity clause--I've decided to give it a try with  EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS. What does this mean for Kindle owners? If you're a Prime Member, enjoy yourself a free copy of EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS....

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Books N Stuff 2

EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS is now available at Books N Stuff 2, located at the Old Lumberyard Shops in Milford, PA.  You don't have to buy my book, of course, but stop on by and support your local bookstore.  They have a great selection of new and used books, as well as games, a computer area with complimentary wi-fi, and some really comfy couch...

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Exclusive Interview with Robert Gray

I recently chatted with Susan Heim, parenting author and "Chicken Soup for the Soul" editor.  You can check out the interview here: Susan Heim on Parenting: Exclusive Interview with Robert Gray, Author of Eve Hallows and the Book of Shri...

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Black Friday Deals

Yeah, I got one, too.  Use the coupon code below and receive 25% off the paperback version of EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS.  This coupon expires December 1, 2011.  J6U2UDZ8 ...

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My Revision Process

There's a stigma attached to self-published books that they are poorly edited or not edited at all.  Because a manuscript didn't go through the "proper" vetting process, there is a fair amount of truth to this.  I've seen a lot of crap out there.  (Truth be told, I've seen a lot of traditionally published messes, too.) With EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS, I never expected to achieve perfection (an impossible pursuit anyway), but I at least took that stigma to heart. BOS went through 9 revisions total.  The first draft, for me, has always been about exploration.  I don't do outlines (on the other hand,...

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Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks is now available

EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS is now available for sale.  And to celebrate, I'm, er, sponsoring a contest over at Eve's website.  The rules are simple: draw a picture of something "spooky" and email it to evehallows1031[at]gmail[dot]com.  Enter your picture before December 1, and you get a free autographed book.  The only requirement is to be a child ... or a child at heart. At Eve's site, there is also a new bookstore...

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New Eve Hallows Website

The new Eve Hallows website is now live for your viewing pleasure.  Drop on over and say hi to Eve.  As we get closer to the release of EVE HALLOWS AND THE BOOK OF SHRIEKS, there will be some fun prizes and giveaways on her site, so check back frequent...

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JUDGING A BOOK BY ITS COVER

Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks I've mentioned a bit about the creation process for the cover of Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks (If you want to read that earlier post, you can check it out here), but I thought on this freakishly snowy Hallow's Eve, I'd talk a little about the picture itself. First off, let me introduce the characters.  On the left, we have Maddie Hallows (Eve's Mom); hiding behind the tombstone...

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Eve Hallows Updates

Finishing up some last-minute edits on Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks, which is currently on schedule to be released on or about November 8.  The paperback edition will be available for $12.99 and the ebook-flavored edition for $2.99.  More to come on that once we get close to the release date... If you'd prefer a free copy (because everyone likes free, right?) then email me at EveHallows1031[at]gmail[dot]com....

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Think Different

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. - Apple Inc. Think Differe...

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Kindle Fire and the Nook of Doom

Yesterday, Jeff Bezos and company announced--to much fanfare--their latest line of Kindle products, which included the highly-anticipated Kindle Fire tablet.  But the real stars of the show were the prices.  Here's a breakdown: Kindle Fire $199.99 Kindle (With Special Offers) $79 Kindle Touch (With Special Offers) $99 Kindle Touch 3G $149  According to Bezos, he's rather comfortable with slim profit...

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Horrorfind Weekend 13 Update

Horrorfind Weekend 13 is fast approaching, now only a few weeks away (Sept 2-4).  And once again, I'll be making an appearance ... I know, I know, you've waited all year to see me.  Well, I can't wait to see all of you, too. Last year, the convention drew a crowd of around 5000.  This year, I'm  expecting a much larger crowd, especially since both hotels sold out so fast. As I've mentioned before, I'll be doing two readings...

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Thoughts on Books

Last time I visited Washington, D.C., I went to the National Archives to see all those famous historical documents--Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and so on-- and I remember thinking how marvelous those documents are, not only because of their meaning, but because of their beauty. There's something about that old parchment and the hand-crafted, painstaking alignment of the text that exudes a majestic quality. Farther...

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Borders

The demise of Borders has been thoroughly picked apart by pretty much every person with an interest in the written word.  Whatever circumstances led to their downfall--be it poor management, ebooks, Amazon--the result is the same ... It's over, Johnny. What I find particularly sad is that ever since Border started its liquidation sale, my local store has never been busier.  Even at a mere 10% discount, the place was...

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Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks - Cover Design by Shaun Lindow

It goes without saying that if you've decided to go the self-pubbed route, you're job description goes far beyond writer.  Some of that extra work is tiresome, and just about all of it distracts you from the main task of actually writing.  That being said, it's not without some benefits--namely the ability to have complete control over your cover design. Thanks to the ridiculous talent of artist Shaun Lindow, I couldn't be...

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Proceed With Caution

Instead of offering a list of rules you must not break, or a list of rules you must follow, in this month's Hellnotes article, I decided to give a list of rules that are sometimes okay if used sort of properly. Yup, just call me Switzerland. You can check it out here: Proceed With Cautio...

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Pottermore Revealed

J.K. Rowling today unveiled Pottermore.com, an interactive site pertaining to all things about The Boy Who Lived.  The site will open to a million fans on Harry Potter's birthday, July 31, and then go live for the rest of us muggles in October. The bigger news, in my opinion, is that Rowling plans to finally release the series in ebook format (also due out in October); however, the ebooks will only be available through Pottermore.com. What does this mean exactly?  For one, Rowling has just kicked both her publishers and every distributor to the curb, which is all too reminiscent of when Stephen King ventured off...

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On Reading Horror

This month's Hellnotes article is all about exploring the deep and rich history that the horror genre has to offer.  It's about learning your craft the old fashion way: by watching a professional at work. You can check it out here: On Reading Hor...

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Horrorfind 13 Author Schedule

This year's Horrorfind Weekend (lucky number 13) will be held once again in Gettysburg, PA on September 2-4.  And once again I'll be attending as both a fan and an author.  The difference, however, is that this year I'll be doing a special reading just for kids.  (Don't worry, folks.  I won't be reading the story from last year.)   The schedule is tentative, but as of now I'm reading on Saturday (10:00am-10:30am) and...

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25th Anniversary of Stephen King's IT

Following the announcement that Cemetery Dance is releasing three special editions of Stephen King's masterpiece IT this fall, their server went down.  The announcement was that big. As you can imagine, I'm a huge fan of IT.  In fact, it is my favorite horror novel of all time.  So, yeah, you better believe I refreshed my screen about a thousand times until my order went through.  Good news is the server is...

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The New Writer's Rejection: Zero Purchases

Thinking of self-publishing? You might wanna check out this month's Hellnotes article before you dive in. You can check it out here: GRAY MATTER – THE NEW WRITER’S REJECTION: ZERO PURCHA...

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Happy St Paddy's Day

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Before You Begin

HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL WRITER: Buy the most expensive computer imaginable, with a monitor as wide as a bay window.Fill your writing room with a really big desk ('cuz you need to fit that monitor somewhere). The bigger the desk, the more important and author-ish you will feel.Get yourself a nice pen. I suggest one of the Writers Edition pens from Montblanc. My personal favorite is the Edgar Allan Poe. You won't need it for writing, but it looks...

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And so the snowman apocalypse begins...

As much as I'm sick of the snow ... and sleet ... and ice--I'm really hating the ice!--the weather does allow me to finish some projects I've been neglecting.Which means my latest article is now up at Hellnotes. You can check it out here: Write What You Know. Ever wonder how to apply that advice to horror fiction? Well wonder no mo...

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