Coffin Hop 2012: Scream Time

Happy Halloween Coffin Hoppers!  This is the final day for the Hop and the last day to get your comments in to be registered for the signed copy of my novella In Memoriam and the Coffin Hop: Death by Drive-In EP sampler.  Go to any Coffin Hop post on the blog to be registered!  To check out the other Coffin Hop locations go to http://coffinhop.wordpress.com and take a trip around the graveyard for more prizes and authors who want to scare the crap out of you.

Earlier, I listed my favorite horror-themed songs and tonight I’m going to do a quick run down of my top 5 scary movies and books that make my skin crawl.

Silver Screen Scares List-

1.  A Nightmare on Elm Street- The original, the non-remake, and the one that made me sleep with the lights on when I was a kid.  Freddy and his burnt visage, slashing through the nightmares of teens.  Of course, he was justified, their parents did light him up like a torch and left him to die.  I love this one more because, while Freddy’s humor is fun in later installments, he is more serious and wicked in this first time out.  Always in my top lists.

2.  Event Horizon-  An experimental space ship disappears while on a test to travel to another galaxy by bending reality.  The ship vanishes and reappears years later.  A group is sent to investigate where the Event Horizon went and what happened to the crew.  The movie is darkly disturbing and has the ability to get under your skin.  An often overlooked gem that everyone needs to see.

3.  In the Mouth of Madness-  John Carpenter’s ode to H.P. Lovecraft is the story of an investigator sent to find missing author Sutter Cane who has gone missing before a big book release.  He finds himself on a downward spiral in a very Lovecraftian way.  This is one film that sticks in your head and makes you wonder what would happen if someone asked you, “Do you read Sutter Cane?”

4. Halloween- Carpenter again lands on the list with the best slasher flick ever made.  Michael Meyers is a killing machine with no remorse who returns home to wreak havoc on Halloween night and to finish some family business.  I do also like the Rob Zombie versions of Halloween.

5.  Night of the Living Dead- While I enjoy the original, the remake from the early ’90′s is my film of choice here.  When the dead rise and all looks lost just remember, “They’re coming to get you Barbara.”

The Bloody Book Shelf-

1.  IT (Stephen King)-  I read this book in 6th grade and it forever forged my destiny… and it freaked my reading teacher out.  Really, what kind of 11-year-old throws a 1k page book down on his desk for ‘free reading’?  This guy…

2.  Ghoul (Brian Keene)- Following the themes of childhood, this is by far the book from Keene that sticks in my heart the most.  I know people who mirror characters in the book and it makes it more personal.  If you haven’t read Keene or think he is just a zombie guy, give this book a read and be drawn into a world of monsters outside and those within.

3.  Vampyrrhic (Simon Clark)- A tightly woven vampire tale that returns the vamps to their natural state…ugly and blood thirsty.  The opening sequences of the book are Clark’s creepy descriptions and will leave you wanting to leave the light on.

4.  Salem’s Lot (Stephen King)- Another King book I read as a kid and about 3 times since.  I can’t say enough about how good the depictions of small town life and gossip get turned on its ear when the old ‘haunted’ house is bought.  Author Ben Mears returns home to the ‘Lot and is drawn in to the battle against the undead and his own ghosts.

5.  Night Chills (Dean Koontz)- Some have hounded me for liking Koontz, but the man can tell one hell of a story.  This novel isn’t straight-up horror, but when subliminal messaging is used to control a town, things turn ugly.  The scary part of the book has to do with losing control of yourself and being forced to do something against your will, even if you don’t know you’re doing it.

Well, this was short I admit.  However, I am bust preparing some other things and I hope everyone had a terrifying Coffin Hop 2012!  See you next year (although I’d rather you stay around and follow my adventures and misadventures in my quest to continue my writing career).

Goodnight…

Happy New Year and the Best Books of 2011

First off faithful readers, Happy New Year!  Things are already looking up for 2012 (except for my book buying ban for part of the year).  I hope everyone has a good year and we don’t die on December 21st like the crazies think we are.  I will prepare myself and consume mass quantities of rum the day before just in case, you can’t watch the world end sober can you?  My resolutions for the year are to make a writing regimen I can stick to.  There are some days I just don’t feel it, but the problem is the day becomes plural.  So to combat that, I have set some benchmarks for the novel and the novellas for the year.  If I can stick to those, this should be a very productive year. 

Enough about me…so how about the list of the 10 best books from 2011?  To qualify, the book had to be released in 2011.  I read about 90 books last year and this is only for 2011 release books.  The number means nothing.  The number 1 is not the best, but just where it got listed.  I know Jeff Strand was happy to be number 4 on a list of mine earlier in the year, but look at it a list of the 10 books you should have on your shelf or books you need to get and throw on the ‘To Be Read” pile.  Let us draw back the curtain and here we go…

1.  11/22/63 by Stephen King – This book did not excite me when the synopsis was revealed and I dreaded reading it.  I will be the first to admit, I was wrong.  This novel is up in my top 5 of King’s books.  He weaves the tale of a man out of time and on a mission to kill Lee Harvey Oswald into a sometimes heart wrenching story of love and loss.  The end is one of his best and shows that the man once considered a hack writer is indeed the king of modern literature.

2.  Sacrifice by Wrath James White – Wrath is known for being extreme with the subject matter in his books.  I found this story of two detectives investigating a series of bizarre murders to be rather tame by his standards… and I liked it better that way.  The violence is there, the sex is there, and the naughty language is there but it is toned down and I think it allowed the story to flow better.  I don’t know if I am just over the extreme stuff or not, but I liked Sacrifice better over his other new release Pure Hate (which is still a good read).  The characters from another book that appear blew my mind and left me wanting more (I just have to wait).

3.  Entombed by Brian Keene – Set in the Dead Sea world, survivors of the zombie apocalypse hole up in a bunker beneath a hotel.  Brian touches greatly on my favorite part of the zombie mythos and that is the breakdown of man as a social animal.  When the society we know is gone and the fabric of our world are ripped apart, how do we as animals react?  The book is less about the zombies and more about the breakdown of the social order within the bunker.  The book also features his story White Fire from the Hell Followed With Them anthology from a few years ago.  Both are outstanding reads.

4.  The Pumpkin Man by John Everson – A dark and brooding story about a legendary murderer who carved pumpkins and kids alike.  This book hands down featured the best use of a Jack ‘O Lantern ever.  It is fast paced and was a super book.  The hardcover is sold out, but during my interview with John during the Coffin Hop 2011 Tour, he informed me that the trade paperback from Leisure has added material (still need to read that).

5.  Fangboy by Jeff Strand – A heartwarming tale of a boy named Nathan who was born with really big and sharp teeth.  We are treated to his high points and his low points while he tries to find his place in the world.  There are nice places, bad orphanages, and an evil circus that makes us stand up to root and cheer for poor Nathan Pepper.  Jeff’s comedic style is on full display and needs to warm your heart this winter.

6.  Back From the Dead by J.F. Gonzalez – Nothing ever good comes from messing with spells to raise the dead and this books highlights the main reasons why.  A superb novel about the secrets towns can keep and how the evil that permeates the ground can act when provoked.  Every book J.F. comes out with gets better and better.  A box in the mail with a book from him is a good day indeed.

7.  Waiting Out Winter by Kelli Owen – A short novel about the problems arising from messing with the natural order of nature.  Flies released to combat a worm infestation has  unintended consequences in the bleak winter months.  The book is full of tension and it introduces us to a world I hope she returns too in the future.

8. Samson and Denial by Robert Ford- Bob wrote one of the most fun books I read all year.  He shows us how the world can go to hell when you buy a mummified skull, cross a cult of hot woman, and try to deal with the city of Philly.  The book is well written and is amazing to hear when he reads from it. 

9.  The Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi – A thick book, but it is so well plotted and executed that it reads at a lightning fast speed.  The book is moody, suspenseful, and full of sorrow.  A writer who returns to his hometown becomes obsessed with the story of a boy and the up-ended dock in the lake dubbed the ‘floating staircase’.  I became really wrapped up in the story and surprised myself by how emotionally invested I became in the story as it unfolded.  Stop reading, go to a website with books, and buy it.  Now…I’m waiting!

10.  This Little Light of Mine by Nate Southard – A chapbook about people caught in a parking garage collapse.  They have no cell signal, no idea what is going on, and only limited sources of light.  When the darkness falls, something is with them, and their light is running out.  I loved the story and I hope Nate will one tell us the extent of what happened in the world outside the garage.

Well, there you have it.  Those are the 10 favorites of mine from 2011.  There are some books I didn’t get a chance to read yet from last year (notably Ray Garton’s Meds and Trailer Park Noir).  So, I might add-on at a later date.

Goodnight and keep reading…

The Year That Was 2011

Well, this is it.  Here we are at the end of 2011 and it was one hell of a year.  When the year first started, I had just  finished out 2010 with a fun reading at Mo*Con IV and a few rejection slips from editors.  That was pretty much my writing career till 2011.  Considering I didn’t start writing until mid 2010, I didn’t expect much.  I heard all the stories and such about, ‘doing your time’.  Well, I guess I did enough time, because 2011 was a very good year.  The first half was slow, but once April hit, all bets were off.

It started in February when I was given the chance to read at Horrorfind 13 in September.  It meant I had to skip Mo*Con, but I was ok with that for this chance (and to the guy who does the selecting - thank you, I still say I owe you more and you know who you are).  I now had a conundrum…what should I read since I didn’t have anything published yet?  April brought what I thought was the answer when my first acceptance came for “Stonewall” (that anthology has been cancelled and brought back from the dead to be published at some point in 2012 I hope).  It was followed closely in May when “A Winter’s Feast” was accepted.  Stories went out and rejections came back for a few months.  Late summer and early fall would prove to be a storm.

I tried to spend most of the summer working on my novella, “In Memoriam” (I am preparing to get the first three chapters out based on the synopsis I sent out).  The short stories were on the back burner, but some didn’t want to be buried.  Through the next three months I had eight more stories accepted.  I only set myself a goal of five.  Come on, let’s be realistic, it was only my first full year.  So, if you want to see what’s coming or what is out to buy, check out the Biblio page.  There is even a nonfiction piece that will be out in January and I will give you more info when I get it.

That brought me to Horrorfind 13.  It was the most fun I could have had.  I drove with my partner in crime Wesley Southard to the great state of Pennsylvania for a weekend of books, booze, and good friends.  I learned tons from people I hadn’t seen in a year and from some new friends as well.  Then I had the reading.  I wish I would have done better, but I was nervous and it showed.  I decided to read “A Winter’s Feast” for my time in the ring.  I picked it because it was my first story to see print and because it was the only thing I had the book for.  It was sweet to be up there and read from the book.  I highly recommend it!

The year ends and I’m gearing up for 2012 with the work on the novel and another novella or two.  The short stories will keep coming and ten is the goal for 2012.  I will take some of the stories plus some new ones for a collection or two in the fall (I hope if things go well).  I have not forgotten the blog followers, you guys have a story coming just for you.

The thank you’s for 2011- My wife (my pre-pre-reader who busts me up before Troy gets me), kids, and pug: you guys are the greatest family a man can have.  To the following for their advise: Wesley Southard, Brian Keene, James A. Moore (who told me to stop screwing with “In Memoriam” and get it out there), Tim Lebbon, Bob Ford, Kelli Owen, Christopher Golden, and to John Everson and Jeff Strand for the interviews.  Troy Green for being my pre-reader from hell (and kicking my stuff in the teeth – you make it better) and to Armand Rosamilia (Rymfire Books), Jessica A. Weiss (Wicked East Press), Eric Beebe (Post Mortem Press), and Jessy Roberts  (Pill Hill Press) for trusting my work and putting it in print.  Lastly, I want to thank all who have read and followed the blog this year, 2012 will be even better! 

The top ten books of 2011 will be up on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day for you to take a look at.  If you haven’t read some the books on the list, go get them and enjoy the rides they will take you on.

Goodnight…

Crossroads (and not that crappy movie…)

Those words are like my battle cry.  They are words from a man who I respect very much and I credit along with my friend Wesley Southard of starting this whole wild ride.  Without those two would I be sitting here now blogging to the masses?  Hell no, I wouldn’t care or have anything to say.  Wes got the ball rolling, digging up a talent I had buried, and Brian gave me the confidence to carry it forward and do something with it.  I could never thank you enough Brian for the encouragement and advise. 

The market is a mess right now.  Before going forth, brandishing the banner of a completed novel, I decided to start small and work up.  The last year I have mainly written short and flash fiction attempting to find my voice and get my name out.  I have found some success with this.  There are nine stories out there now and one is already in print (if you haven’t, go pick up “Undead of Winter” with my story “A Winter’s Feast”, links are in the Biblio section to the right).

But the time has arrived.  There are still some ideas for shorts floating around, but the time has come to think bigger.  I have a short story collection in the works to submit to a place next year that will weave my “Dark Frontier” concept into a group of stories that flow as one narrative (a small peek will be in Pill Hill Press’s “Daily Flash 2012″ anthology with the story “On the Wings of Darkness).  I also have another in the works that introduces my town of White Creek through the stories of local legends during a centennial celebration.  While these are still shorts, they are really different acts in a larger piece.  I have managed to complete my first novella, “In Memorium” this past year also.  I fight with myself about some story points and my pre-readers are about two to three weeks from getting it to tear apart (I’m counting on you guys-no being soft).  I also fight about “In Memorium” because the social construct that the story takes place in is very controversial and if the opening stays like it is, it will freak people out (I hope).  I have plotted out three novels and the first three chapters of the first one are complete, but this will take some time.

So, the crossroad?  I have gotten pretty used to having success with the short stories and I’m getting ready to embark on a journey that will more than likely crush my spirit.  The days of whipping a story out in a few days and getting in some place are coming to a close.  Why?  I’ve been called an “arrogant motherf**ker” in the past month and to some extent it’s true.  My goal for 2012 is to have something I don’t share with anyone else, a book of just me.  Is that wrong?  No, it is just the natural evolution of my writing career, to take off on my own.

This is where you guys come in.  Go out and support people like Wes and I, buy the books we’re in, and then review the book at Amazon (or Tweet about it, talk on Facebook about it, help get the names out).  One of the main things I’ve learned from the authors I’ve met in the past two years is to pimp the hell out of yourself.  I didn’t feel comfortable at first, but you either learn to network and get your work noticed, or you fade away silently into the night.  I choose to survive, I choose to push myself, and I choose to write for you.

So let the journey began, let’s ride the ride, and take some names along the way.

As a thank you, I am working on something for everyone who has signed up to follow the blog before Dec. 31, 2012.  I guess my wife playing Christmas music already has got me feeling like gifting the ones who were here when it all began, were here when the heads rolled, and were here before the storm.

Good night…                                                     

Coffin Hop Day 3: Sad News and Author of the Day

Welcome to-day 3 of the Coffin Hop! 

I realized that my blogs about me are no longer on the front page, so I will recap what has gone on before.  My name is Brent Abell and I write horror fiction.  I have only been writing for a year and a half and have already had eight stories accepted (it was nine-more on that later).  In the past two years I read at Mo*Con IV and recently read at Horrorfind 13 in Gettysburg.  So far, only one story has seen print from Rymfire eBooks and the others should be coming out soon, starting in a couple of weeks with my story “Spot Shoot” in Post Mortem Press’s New Dawn Fades anthology.  More stories will be coming from Pill Hill Press and Wicked East Press.  For more information, please click on the Biblio link on the right.  I am working on two novel projects, finishing the last touches on a novella, and working on concepts for two short story collections.  Here is where you will find all the latest news and rants.  Feel free to also follow on Twitter or to send a friend request on Facebook, I also use those quite a bit as new arises (links to these are on the right also).

Ok, the news…In a sad turn, The Twisted Library has cancelled almost all of their planned anthologies.  This includes my story “Stonewall” which was to appear in their The South Will Rise Undead anthology.  It saddens me because this was the first story I ever had accepted, so it held a special place in my heart.  Now that the story has been returned, I’m brushing it up and finishing up my initial concept by making it a novella.  I have some places in mind, so we will see what the future holds.  I wish the good Doc and all the Twisted Library luck and their moves now save the press for later when the economy improves.

Author of the Day #3-  So far I have talked about Stephen King, Brian Keene, and Jeff Strand stopped by to answer some questions this week.  Today’s author is somebody who’s work is simply amazing and is a big influence on me along with the other three authors.  Ray Garton’s books have been some of the best I have read in the past three years since I found small press horror.  He is the author of works such as the highly regarded vampire novel Live Girls, he gave werewolves a neat twist in Ravenous and Bestial, and even his non-supernatural thrillers such as Shackled are great reads.  The good thing about Ray’s stuff is that he tries to keep things in print.  All of his hard to find novellas and short stories find ways to get back out for a bigger audience to enjoy.  The past year has seen many of his limited and hard to find books being released in trade paperback format from e-reads.com as well as a few new ones like Trailer Park Noir and Meds.  If you have not been reading Ray, you’ve been missing out a one hell of a writer and if you have…you know how talented the man is.

Day Three Author Question:  What thriller by Ray about people who live in the sunny hills is my favorite novel from him?

Coffin Hop Contest Author- Tuesday Edition

 Ok gang for the rest of the time, I have decided to let everyone enter an answer to the Author of the Day and all right answers will be entered.  I want more people to have a chance.  The blog this week will have a new bio for me since the first one is old enough it doesn’t appear on the front page anymore.

Today’s author is Brian Keene.  Since “The Rising” hit the shelves, Brian has been one of the most popular genre authors in the business.  He is a two-time Stoker Award winner, has a shelf of other awards, and continues to sell out all his limited releases.  His work is being re-issued by Deadite Press (go and buy them all, they are all a good read).  I have had the chance to hang out with him a few times and he is a great guy on top of it all.  His words to me at Mo*Con IV in 2010 are a huge reason I am still writing.  So I owe this man a lot and now you guys get to try to guess my favorite book by him. 

Hint:  To narrow it down, my favorite book doesn’t involve zombies and novellas are fair game.