BILLY is Number One Worldwide! (Redirect)

Hey, everybody!

In case you missed it, BILLY AND THE CLONEASAURUS has seen a meteoric rise to #1 on several international bestselling lists.  Read more here!

In Defense of NaNoWriMo (Redirect)

 Hey, all!

As November draws to a close, a lot of you will be thinking about whether NaNo was worth it.  Here are some of my thoughts, over on the old group blog.

My Final Appearance of 2021

Hey everybody!

I am delighted to announce a previously unscheduled local engagement.  I'll be appearing in the balloon shop I co-own (I know, fucking favoritism, right?) on December 2, from 4:00 - 7:00 pm EST.  The address is:

Air Studio (located in the West Shore Farmers Market)

900 Market St, Ste 29

Lemoyne, PA 17043

I'll have copies of all my books, including the brand new release BROKEN-DOWN HEROES OF THE WESTERN NIGHT.  Knock out all of your holiday shopping in one shot!

You can find out more information on my engagement here or on Holiday Magic in the Market in general here.

Some Treats for Horror Christmas (Redirect)

Hey, everybody!

ICYMI, I've got some treats for Halloween.  What would Halloween be without giveaways?  For more info, check out ye olde grouppe blogge here.

Plenty of "What the Hell?" Moments: Interview with A.I. Winters, Author of SUMMONER OF SLEEP

Ho ho ho, everybody!  Merry Horror Christmas.  I'm very pleased to welcome a perfect guest for the tail end of Spooky Season.  Let's meet her briefly and then jump right in! 

About A.I. Winters:

A.I. Winters is an award-winning horror and fantasy author. Her titles include SUMMONER OF SLEEP, STRANGE LUCK, THE NIGHTMARE BIRDS, and A DARLING SECRET.

Born in Northern California, Winters has since lived in every region of the country, but now resides in Los Angeles. She has published many articles on writing and publishing, and has worked as a grant writer and copy editor for non-profits, municipalities, and major corporations.

When not writing books, she enjoys breaking a sweat in Jiu-Jitsu class, baking desserts, and traveling.

You can connect with her on Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, Newsletter, or YouTube.

Interview:

SK: "Evil Dead" or "Evil Dead 2?"

AIW:  "Evil Dead 2!" It’s so over-the-top silly and slapstick. My favorite scene is when Linda comes back from the dead and dances in the woods. A few years ago I visited the Bearded Lady’s Mystic Museum in Burbank where they had an "Evil Dead" exhibit. Got to check out the iconic basement set, shotguns, and even the talking deer head. You’ve never seen me happier!

SK: So in your day job you write grants and copy for a variety of entities. How does this dovetail with your career in fiction?

AIW:  Being a technical writer by day has really helped me in the organizational aspect of writing fiction in terms of keeping track of small details, organization, condensing content, and editing. From the other perspective, writing fiction has strengthened my technical writing game in the sense of learning how to write hooks and eye-catching content. I’m very fortunate that both types of writing jobs really allow me to constantly learn and finetune my writing and editing skills.

SK: How are you gearing up for Halloween this year?

AIW:  Absolutely fantastic! I’m a total Halloween enthusiast, which is why I’m pleased to announce that I’m actually getting married this Halloween. Black dress. Black and orange nails. Pumpkins. Cobwebs. Spooky music. The whole shebang!

SK: Tell us a little bit about your tattoos.

AIW:  My back is covered in a Viking goddess (Hel). This is meaningful to me for so many reasons. I have Nordic blood and have always been drawn to the Vikings. They are a symbol of power and determination for me. I visited Iceland a few years back and it was magical to learn more about the Vikings and see actual archaeological remnants of their culture. On my leg I have a luck “ghost” dragon. I like to keep it spooky, so I decided never to fill in his eyes. The tattoo artist didn’t understand and said, “so you want it to be a ghost dragon?” I always liked that analogy. To me it’s a symbol of vitality and good luck.

SK:  What did we not talk about today that you'd like to put out there into the world?

AIW:  I just released a new psychological horror/thriller novel in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft meets Clive Barker. It’s called SUMMONER OF SLEEP and I’m so happy that it’s live in time for Halloween. Expect dark magic, occult themes, monsters, and plenty of “what the hell?” moments. Happy reading.

About SUMMONER OF SLEEP:

A dark family secret. A town that doesn't exist on any map. An elixir that will unleash an apocalyptic, transformational horror on the world.

In the isolated mountain town of Marble Woods, the townspeople harbor a dangerous secret. It's here, away from the civilized world, that they can experiment with human genetics that have the power to alter your mind and body. When Ryder Ashling, a down-on-his-luck longtime sufferer of nightmares, discovers the town, he thinks he's found a cure, but bears witness to their research and its terrifying, inevitable unraveling.

In exploring the disturbing crossroads of genetic manipulation and lust for youth and control of the physical, Winters' cautionary tale of the perversion of natural order and desire will entice and rattle readers in this thought-provoking tale of terror.

CLICKERS NEVER DIE Available For Pre-Order!

Hey, everybody!  Head on over to Thunderstorm Books to reserve your copy of CLICKERS NEVER DIE today.  Only ten days remain, so don't miss out!

(Oh, and it comes with two free miniatures, courtesy of my co-author!)

The seminal horror series created by J.F. Gonzalez, Mark Williams, and Brian Keene reemerges from the depths with the weirdest, most brutal installment yet!

Washed-up oceanographer Cameron Custer is hoping a mysterious living fossil discovered in the South Pacific could breathe new life into his career. Instead, Custer’s new specimen points him toward a heavily guarded secret — the truth behind the Guadalcanal Campaign. During World War II the U.S. Marine Corps had more than just the Imperial Japanese Army to contend with. They also had to wage a vicious battle against the amphibious Dark Ones and an onslaught of their deadliest servants.

Now, an ocean heaving with blood and guts, a battlefield teeming with rage and terror, a man’s demented love affair with a fish monster, and a boy’s heartwarming friendship with a prehistoric crab monster will all combine to prove that… CLICKERS NEVER DIE!

Splatterpunk Award nominated author Stephen Kozeniewski (THE HEMATOPHAGES, BILLY AND THE CLONEASAURUS) and Splatterpunk Award winning author Wile E. Young (THE MAGPIE COFFIN, CATFISH IN THE CRADLE) join forces for one of modern horror’s most anticipated reboots!

Official Release Announcement: BROKEN-DOWN HEROES OF THE WESTERN NIGHT

Hey, everybody! I'm very excited to announce a release date for my next novel, BROKEN-DOWN HEROES OF THE WESTERN NIGHT:

Friday, September 17, 2021

Meanwhile, it is currently available for pre-order currently.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Kobo
Google Play

Apple

I do want to warn my longtime fans: this one is a departure for me. This is a war story with a great deal of gallows humor. There are no horror or science fiction elements in it. For some of you that will be a relief, but for others, fairly warned.

So get your pre-orders in now or stop by again on Friday. And feel free to spread the word. Remember: indie authors eat or starve by word of mouth. Thanks for all your support, everybody!

Kozeniewski New Book Announcement (Video)

Creature Feature Weekend 2021 Autopsy (Redirect)

Hey, everybody!

ICYMI live and in person, you can check out my recap of Creature Feature Weekend 2021 by clicking here or the picture below.  Enjoy!

The Quintessential GOREFEST POST

Hey, everybody!  GOREFEST, featuring both of my winning Gross-Out contest entries under the title "The Terrible Two" is now available.

You can read about GOREFEST on Goodreads or purchase it via: 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Canada

Here are some other places around the web to learn more about the latest splatterific Evil Cookie release:

The Evil Cookie anthology page

A blogpost on Clan Witch

A mention on Eric J. Guignard's blog

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on Brian Keene's blog

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on Lionel Ray Green's blog

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on Brian Keene's Newsletter

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on File 770

New Release Announcement: GOREFEST

Good news everyone!

I'm very excited to announce the release of the extreme horror anthology GOREFEST, featuring both of my winning Gross-Out Contest entries under the title "The Terrible Two."

What's that?  You didn't know I won the last World Horror Gross-Out and the first KillerCon Gross-Out Contests?  Or even that such things existed?  Well, then you're going to love reading them both along with some of my background notes on both in GOREFEST.

But don't just come for me and that stupid fucking thing I just described!  Also "enjoy" such authors as Lucas Milliron, Wesley Southard, Jay Wilburn, and Armand Rosamilia.  But before those names make you turn away from this anthology forever, some good authors have been included too, such as Wrath James White, Jonathan Butcher, and Daniel J. Volpe.  It's a veritable smorgasbord of grotesqueries!

You can purchase GOREFEST on Amazon US, Amazon UK, or Amazon Canada.  I hope you'll consider picking up a copy, as well as sharing on social media, or even just telling a friend.

Thank you so much for all your support!  You're the best!

Creature Feature Weekend or Bust!

Hey everybody!

I'm very excited to remind you that I'll be appearing at Creature Feature Weekend this year.  The event will be this coming weekend, Friday through Sunday, August 27-29, 2021.  The address is:

Wyndham Gettysburg
95 Presidential Circle
Gettysburg, PA 17325

I'll be appearing alongside such reprobates and luminaries (I'll let you decided which is which) as Kristopher Triana, Brian Keene, Wile E. Young, Mary San Giovanni, Wesley Southard, John Urbancik, and Somer Canon.

Hope to see you there!

Dispatches From Scares That Care VII (Redirect)

 Hey all!

In case you missed it, make sure to swing by the ol' group blog for some dispatches (sort of) from my time at Scares That Care VII.  It's so good it's scaaaaary!

Scares That Care or Bust!

Hey, everybody!

I am super excited to announce my return to the live event circuit after nearly a year and a half off the road.  I am doubly excited to be appearing at my very favorite show, Scares That Care!

I will be appearing in the celebrity room at STC VII this weekend, Friday through Sunday July 30 - August 1, 2021.  The venue is located at:

DoubleTree by Hilton
50 Kingsmill Road
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185

So far I am scheduled for one reading with the illustrious Jeff Strand on Sunday at 1:15 PM EST.  But I will be at my table during convention hours and likely skulking around the hotel the rest of the time, so you should have no trouble finding me.  And even if you can't make it in person this year, please do contribute a little something to the charity, as it is very worthy of your support.  Otherwise, hope to see you all there!

Google Search: Don Sakers (Redirect)

 Hey, everybody!  A friend of mine passed away recently.  I know it's cold comfort to his friends and family, but I wanted to put together a small piece with my fondest memories of Don Sakers.  I hope you'll check it out.

Read Wide (Redirect)

Hey everybody!  Hope you're doing well.  ICYMI, make sure to check out my interview with Sean Seebach over on the group blog.  I think you'll find it more fun than a million Super Bowls.

A Terrible Title for a Blogpost (Redirect)

Hey, everybody!

I need help.  I need input.  Check out this blogpost over on the group blog and then leave your comments there or here.  Thanks! 

Editing for Fun and Profit (Redirect)

Hey there all you cool cats and kittens.  If you've ever wondered what my editing process looks like, then look no further!  Well, actually, do look further because it's over here on the group blog.  Or, better yet, just look further down the page and watch the video directly.  Enjoy!

Bad Reviews (Redirect)

Hey, everybody!

Make sure to swing by ye olde grouppe blogge this week for an oldy but a goodie: my thoughts on bad reviews.

FarPoint 28 or Bust!

Hey all!

I'll be appearing at my first (and hopefully not last) convention of 2021 this weekend.  Make sure to stop by Farpoint 28 and join in all the fun!



Farpoint 28

Dates: Saturday and Sunday February 20-21
Location:
Virtual

Panels:  

Saturday 11:00 AM - "Are We Just Going Mad?  Online Civility and Social Media" (M) with Jay Smith and Gregory A. Wilson

Saturday 2:00 PM - "Narrative in Different Mediums"

Publish Like a Motherfucker Course 8: Fans, Friends and Fuckers (Redirect)

Hey, all!

In case you missed the update, my video interview earlier this month went off splendidly and I'm sharing it on the group blog today.  

Or, if it makes it easier, check it out right here:

The Quintessential BLUDGEON TOOLS Post

Hey, everybody!  BLUDGEON TOOLS, featuring my short "Braineaters in the Mist" (including, yes, the triumphant return of Braineater Jones) is now available.  You can grab a copy on Amazon.  The anthology also has a page on Goodreads.

Her are some other places around the web to learn more about the latest diabolical creation from Evil Cookie Publishing:

The book page on the Evil Cookie website

A release announcement on Brian Keene's blog

A submission announcement on The Horror Tree

A purchase link on Takealot 

A purchase link on DyMocks

A purchase link on Bol

A mention on the Ohio Horror Writers Association page

A submission announcement on Authors Publish

A review on Christine Morgan's World of Words
A review on Horror Bookworm Reviews

A Russian-language review on Darker Magazine

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on Brian Keene's blog

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on Lionel Ray Green's blog

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on Brian Keene's Newsletter

Mentioned as a Splatterpunk Award Nominee on File 770

A review on Doris V. Sutherland's blog

Videos

2021 Appearances

Hey all!

Here is my schedule of appearances for 2021.  I anticipate it will be light and mostly virtual as long as the pandemic persists, but with a little luck, perhaps I'll make some live appearances this autumn.  As changes occur, I will update this page, so be sure to check back often.  Events in red have occurred in the past.

If you'd like me to make an appearance at a convention, signing, or other event you're organizing or attending, feel free to contact me and we'll discuss it. Most events in Baltimore or Philadelphia are a slam dunk for me to attend, but I'll consider travelling if invited.

Farpoint 28

Dates: Saturday and Sunday February 20-21
Location:
Virtual

Panels:  

Saturday 11:00 AM - "Are We Just Going Mad?  Online Civility and Social Media"

Saturday 2:00 PM - "Narrative in Different Mediums"

Scares That Care Charity Weekend VII

Dates: Friday through Sunday July 30 - August 1, 2021
Location:

DoubleTree by Hilton

50 Kingsmill Road

Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
Panels:  

Sunday 1:15 PM - Reading (with Jeff Strand)

Creature Feature Weekend

Dates: Friday through Sunday, August 27-29, 2021
Location:

Wyndham Gettysburg
95 Presidential Circle
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Panels:  

Holiday Magic at the Market

Date: Thursday, December 2, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm EST
Location:

Air Studio (located in the West Shore Farmers Market)

900 Market St, Ste 29

Lemoyne, PA 17043

Panels:

Women in Horror Month 2021 Kicks Off!

Hey, everybody!

Happy Women in Horror Month!  I'm glad to see we're still going strong for the 12th year with this worthy celebration.

I like to play on the level with you, my blog readers, to the maximum extent possible.  (You should be grateful you're not my Instagram followers.  I feed them nothing but bullshit and promises.)  I considered continuing my WiHM interview series in 2021 but I just don't have the bandwidth right now.  I like to think I rarely protest "pandemic" on anything, but this might just have to be my lone tradition that falls by the wayside.

I do genuinely apologize because in a lot of ways this blog series is the highlight of the year for me.  But I worry I'd be doing myself and my guests a disservice trying to put it together now with everything else that's going on in my life.  However!  If you really need some spotlights on some great women in horror, I've got about seventy of them here for you.  First, let's look back at 2020, and then all the years before.  Hope you enjoy and find a new author to check out!

2020

Melissa Hayward

Mar Garcia
Sarah Pinborough
Ellen Datlow
Lynne Hansen
Zoje Stage
Gwendolyn Kiste
Carmilla Voiez
Lucy A. Snyder
Hildy Silverman
Caroline Kepnes

2016

Ursula K. Raphael
A. Giacomi
Lily Luchesi
Sharon Stevenson
Samantha Kolesnik
E.M. MacCallum
J. Rudolph
Rachel Aukes
The Sisters of Slaughter
Rhiannon Frater
Chantal Noordeloos
Trista M. Borgwardt
Tonia Brown
J.L. Murray
Rebecca Snow
C.A. Hoaks
Vanessa Ionta Wright
Stevie Kopas
Renee Pickup
Erin Sweet al-Mehairi

2017

S.C. Parris
Kayleigh Marie Edwards
Somer Canon
C.V. Hunt
Jaime Johnesee
Crystal Connor
Mary SanGiovanni
Amber Fallon
Nikki Howard
Kindra Sowder
Lesley Conner
Rose O'Keefe

2018

Lisa Morton
Shelly Rosamilia
Monica J. O'Rourke
Christine Morgan
Claire C. Riley
Suzanne Robb
Damien Angelica Walters
Kelly A. Evans
Pippa Bailey
S.L. Perrine
Jennifer Loring
Veronica Smith
Suzanne Madron

2019

Sadie Hartmann
Mary Fan
Stephanie Wytovich
Elizabeth Massie
Catherine Cavendish
Gemma Files
Ania Ahlborn
Kelli Owen
Tlotlo Tsamaase
Kristi DeMeester
Christina Sng
Yvonne Navarro
Nadia Bulkin

2020 Splatterpunk Award Nominations

Hey, everybody!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago it's awards season around the horror community (and the arts world in general.)  I don't anticipate getting a National Book Award or a Pulitzer Prize any time soon, but for those of us in the indie horror world there are, fortunately, a few honors with popular nominations processes.

If it strikes your fancy, I do have one work up for this year's Splatterpunk Awards.  One of my greatest achievements to date was seeing THE HEMATOPHAGES nominated for best novel in 2017 and I still look forward to bringing home a Bernie of my very own.  

You can nominate my short and the anthology it was included in by e-mailing splatterpunkawards@gmail.com and include the category, title, and author/editor.  (All of this information is helpfully included below.)  More rules and information can be found here.

So, without further ado, here are my eligible works for 2020:

Best Short Story

"Braineaters in the Mist" by Stephen Kozeniewski

Best Anthology

BREWTALITY edited by K. Trap Jones

Other recommendations:

To help you round out your ballot, here are some of my recommendations for the other categories:

Best Novel

    THE MAGPIE COFFIN by Wile E. Young

    GONE TO SEE THE RIVERMAN by Kristopher Triana

   

(Oh, and if you want to recommend THE PERFECTLY FINE HOUSE by Stephen Kozeniewski and Wile E. Young I guess you can, but I'm hard-pressed to call it splatterpunk or extreme horror so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ but maybe it's better not to take the space from someone more deserving.)

Best Novella

    RED STATION by Kenzie Jennings

    THE NIGHT SILVER RIVER RUN RED by Christine Morgan

Best Collection

    BLOOD RELATIONS by Kristopher Triana

    THE ESSENTIAL SICK STUFF by Ronald Kelly

Solving All the World's Problems With a Single Blogpost (Redirect)

Hey, everybody!

It's time for everyone's favorite kind of post: a redirect!  About all the horrible things going on in the world!  Enjoy!

Publish Like a Motherfucker Course 8: Fans, Friends, and Fuckers

Hey, everybody!

Hope all's going well with you.  I'm delighted to announce the second "Publish Like a Motherfucker (With Stephen Kozeniewski)" of 2021, and boy is it a doozy.

I'm pleased to welcome World Horror Grand Master Brian Keene, winner of a multitude of awards and author of a plethora of books, including THE RISING, NEMESAI, and END OF THE ROAD.

Stop by my business page Wednesday, February 3, at 8:00 pm EST.  I will, of course, be recording for posterity, but if you have questions, you'll want to be there live to participate.  And, as always, if you're interested in future PLAM courses, let me know in the comments below, on social media, or during the course.

Course 8:  Fans, Friends, and Fuckers

Date:  Wednesday, February 3

Time:  8:00 pm EST

Syllabus:  Now that you've published you've started hitting social media and the convention trail hard.  With special guest World Horror Grand Master Brian Keene we'll discuss:

- to what extent should you welcome fans into your life?  when do you go from drinks at the hotel bar to inviting them into your home?  how do you tell merely eager fans from truly dangerous ones?

- how do you distinguish between genuine friends and climbers?  what do you do when people ask you to wave your magic wand and make them famous?

- do the lifelong friendships outweigh dealing with jackasses?  is it safer to be more guarded online and in person?

BRAINEATER JONES is on sale!

Hey, everybody!  BRAINEATER JONES is on sale for $0.99, across the world, on multiple platforms.  The sale ends January 13, so strike now while the iron's hot.  

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Google Play
iTunes