Monthly Archives: January 2012
POEM “TODAY” ACCEPTED; MAILER RESIDENCY ON HORIZON
Vagabondage’s Press’ Love Notes anthology will hit shelves just in time for V-Day gift-giving. Cozy night by the fire, anyone?
Many years ago, I wrote poetry. One of my favorites, “Today,” has just been accepted for Vagabondage Press’ Love Notes, an anthology of “passionate and romantic poetry…suitable for gift giving”[1] for Valentine’s Day 2012.
As of now, Love Notes is due out January 31. I’ll keep you posted. For more information about Vagabondage Press and to explore their current titles, visit http://vagabondagebookscom.ipage.com/bookstore/
A winter afternoon sun watches a flock of birds alight on the bay off the Norman Mailer house’s back porch, January, 2011.
In other news, I’ve been awarded a Winter Residency up at the Norman Mailer Writer’s Colony inProvincetown,Mass., and this time will be staying in the late writer’s home from February 1 – 15, 2012. I’m once again looking forward to a healthy and very productive two weeks in a beautiful environment. Although Ptown is gorgeous in the summer, I prefer it in winter: its atmosphere and light is perfect for writing ghost stories—and wow do I have so many in my head I can’t wait to get down on paper!
Despite last year’s rough winter, the birds were singing outside my Ptown apartment.
[1] Taken from Vagabondage Press’ original call for submissions for the Love Notes anthology.
Will you see something before they do? Hear it when they don’t? Find out! LIVE Ghost Hunt on Paranormal Valley with Nathan Schoonover TONIGHT, Jan. 17!
Want to hunt ghosts in your own living room? Join Nathan Schoonover and the IndyPara and Poughkeepsie Paranormal Investigators on Paranormal Valley for a LIVE ghost hunt at the historic Blue Store Restaurant in Livingston tonight from 9 p.m. – 11 p.m. ET on http://www.yourbgm.tv!
Nathan explains it all in the video below.
You’ll be able to interact with the team through the chatroom—to ask questions or to report something you’ve seen. Don’t miss it! For even more info, visit here: http://www.yourbgm.tv/pv-live
52 Weeks of Spam: Winners, Week of January 9
Winners, Week of January 9:
Re:Etradet Alert:_Platform issue,-account value_errors e23d16de6dd0774d
568788733672äThe_transactions_ALERTSe you may download-online [strange link with lots of odd characters]
Well, color me impressed…they got RIGHT back to me on that message I sent them regarding an issue on a site I don’t even use!
~
[jerqw] 對自身陰莖不滿者，需要增長增粗者
nl3judiearontamifm via yahoogroups.com to jerqw
d256tk
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Oh thank you, Yahoo user nl3judiearontamifm! I can’t wait to accept your invitation to talk about 對自身陰莖不滿者，需要增長增粗者! And yes, I simply MUST get the Yahoo! Toolbar so I can get invited to more groups for scintillating conversation I obviously can’t get elsewhere!
~
Everybody hates Spam—it fills up your Inbox (unless you’ve got G-mail, which does a great job of putting it in an appropriately-labeled folder), clogs your blog (WordPress does a great job filtering, too), and can threaten your computer’s security.
I have to say though, I love my Spam. It cracks me up—it’s poorly spelled, illiterate, and often leaves me wondering who would be dumb enough to click on the link for whatever product/service/lottery winning from mysterious relative in a country you’ve never heard of. So I decided in 2012 I’d go through my Spam each week and pick my favorites to share with the world. I remove the sender and any links that might be damaging (plus, who wants to give them press?).
See you next week! If you get any great Spam, you can post it here, just strip any links and the sender’s e-mail. And be sure to say something in the post to let me know you’re real. Otherwise I might think you’re…well, Spam.
10 Ways to Relax and Procrastinate Doing Just About Anything (even if you’re the type who feels guilty doing nothing)
I’ve always been the type who has way too much on her plate and feels guilty when nothing gets done…so I love the Holidays, because they give me an excuse to just flake out.
But the new year is here with lots to accomplish. I’ve found it’s much harder to get back on the horse after theHolidaybreak these past five years or so: it goes from standstill to hyper-speed in what seems like one day; it’s like there’s no “easing back in” anymore. And as fast as our world these days expects us to move, experts agree downtime lowers stress levels and helps a person not only stay healthy, but be more productive.
So, here are my top ten ways (in no particular order) to relax—and procrastinate doing just about anything—even if you’re the type who feels guilty doing nothing.
First, spend an hour making a list of all the things you want to accomplish that day. Then, do one or more of the following:
Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, and do not multi-task during the conversation.
Drink just one more glass of wine/beer/soda/coffee.
Tune in to a marathon of a favorite show or podcast. That way, you can say, ‘I’m just going to watch/listen to one more episode and then I’m going to do xxx.’
Next time you’re in the bathroom, open that magazine you keep on the back of the john and instead of just looking at the photos, read one full article.
Get on the great time-suck called Google Earth. Look at your old neighborhoods, your friend’s houses, your favorite vacation spots, et cetera.
Pick up a novel/anthology you’ve been meaning to read, and tell yourself you’ll read one more chapter or story before you go do xxx.
Google your favorite topic to see if there are any new articles since the last time you were obsessed—or, if you’ve set up a Google alert for that particular topic, head on over to your e-mail and catch up.
Surf Youtube for whatever floats your boat, such as music videos from a favorite band. Then watch them all.
Take a long hot bath/shower.
Play Solitaire until you win (I still do it with real cards, but you can also do it on the computer). Or, play your favorite game (system or hosting social site doesn’t matter) until you reach the next level.
These keep the mind engaged, so I find they usually work. In case they don’t?
Well…there’s always Facebook.
TOYS FOR TOTS HORROR STYLE WINNER; IN POE’S SHADOW GETS HONORABLE MENTION
The winner of the Toys for Tots Horror Style library is Paul Cardullo of North Carolina! The winner was selected by drawing; Cardullo receives an entire library of horror novels, short story collections, magazine, music and other goodies donated by horror writers and publishers. The kitty includes a signed copy of Peter Straub’s Floating Dragon, William Meikle’s The Amulet, Gary A. Braunbeck’s In the Midnight Museum, and loads more (I was honored to donate a copy of Skeletons in the Swimmin’ Hole).
To enter, participants purchased a toy that was $5 or more, took photos of themselves holding the toy and in a Toys for Tots donation box, and posted their photos on the Toys for Tots Horror Style Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ToysForTotsHorrorStyle (you can head over to their page and see all the submissions under their Photo Album “Toys for Tots ~ Our Santas in Training.”) The winner was announced on YouTube; you can see that video here: http://youtu.be/Rvnfoua0JQ4.
In Poe’s Shadow News
The anthology In Poe’s Shadow, which contains my story “Vanity,” was recently recommended by Literary Mayhem’s Peter Schwotzer: http://literarymayhem.com/wordpress/2011/12/14/book-review-in-poes-shadow/. In Poe’s Shadow also made the Honorable Mentions list in Schwotzer’s “Best Books of 2011,” which you can read here: http://literarymayhem.com/wordpress/2011/12/29/my-top-books-for-2011/
If you’d like to purchase In Poe’s Shadow, you can do that here: http://amzn.to/InPoesShadow
SKELETONS SWINGS BY SCI-FI SATURDAY NIGHT!
Sci-Fi Saturday Night wrote a great review of Skeletons in the Swimmin’ Hole—Tales from Haunted Disney World, noting “It is very cool to read horror fiction that gives you something that you can work with as a reader. These stories don’t just beat you over the head with a bloody arm, instead they hold that arm out to shake your hand.”[1] As if that weren’t enough, I had a blast on their December 17 show, getting a chance for the first time to talk about the impetus behind each story. Did you miss it? No worries…you can listen to the archive right here: http://www.scifisaturdaynight.com/?p=5209. Or, you can listen right from my blog by clicking here:
Oh, and a caveat: I was shopping for Nathan for Christmas and bought a few things for him under their “Geeky Gift Ideas” section, so if you’re a fellow Sci-Fi Geek, check out some of those links!
[1] The Dome, “Skeletons in the Swimmin’ Hole by Kristi Petersen Schoonover,” Sci-Fi Saturday Night, December 13, 2011, http://www.scifisaturdaynight.com/?p=5074
52 Weeks of Spam: Winners, Week of January 2
Everybody hates Spam—it fills up your Inbox (unless you’ve got G-mail, which does a great job of putting it in an appropriately-labeled folder), clogs your blog (WordPress does a great job filtering, too), and can threaten your computer’s security.
I have to say though, I love my Spam. It cracks me up—it’s poorly spelled, illiterate, and often leaves me wondering who would be dumb enough to click on the link for whatever product/service/sum from mysterious relative in a country you’ve never heard of. So I decided in 2012 I’d go through my Spam each week and pick my favorites to share with the world. I remove the sender and any links that might be damaging (plus, who wants to give them press?).
Winners, Week of January 2:
100 priecless tiips for thsoe wmoen whoo hvaen’t fonud thier iedal vagnial inefction teratment!
…um, what is a ‘teratment’? Is that a new species of turtle?
~
Re: build up of fool ingredients
Men are usually embarrassed to discuss their hale condition issues – MediTrust can help
I don’t think I want to even know what a “hale condition” is. I can only imagine it has something to do with uncontrolled weather coming out of someone’s orifice?
~
“Have you ever thought of meeting your true love in the Internet? A hot beautiful woman is waiting for you to chat with her! my account on this site: XXX.xxx.”
I just got engaged so I don’t need it, but I’m sure someone I know is in need of a hot, beautiful woman…I wouldn’t want any of my friends to be single too much longer.
See you next week! If you get any great Spam, you can post it here, just strip any links and the sender’s e-mail. And be sure to say something in the post to let me know you’re real. Otherwise I might think you’re…well, Spam.
WRITERS: AFFORDABLE CRITIQUE AND WORKSHOP FEBRUARY 4!
Are you a writer looking for a productive way to kick off your 2012? You’ve found it! Join me as New England Horror Writers hosts a day-long, affordable writing workshop—which includes a professional critique for registered attendees and a bag lunch—at Annie’s Book Stop inWorcester,Mass., on Saturday, February 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Writers T.J. May, Trisha J. Wooldridge, and I will run the workshop and provide the critiques.
Here’s the store’s press release with all the details you’ll need:
New England Horror Writers is hosting a writing workshop at Annie’s Book Stop on 65 James Streetin Worcester, MAon Saturday, February 4th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The class is geared toward beginning to intermediate writers interested in bettering their writing and editing abilities while exploring all the “What now?” possibilities for publishing.
The class will be taught in three parts, writing, editing, and publishing; offer a bagged lunch; and include a professional critique of up to 2000 words of registered attendees’ manuscripts.
Attendees will learn under three professional members of the New England Horror Writers. Kristi Petersen Schoonover is a three-time Norman mailer Writers Colony Winter Resident; her short fiction has appeared in Carpe Articulum, The Adirondack Review, Barbaric Yawp, New Witch Magazine, Toasted Cheese, and others. Her most recent work, Skeletons in the Swimmin’ Hole, is a collection of ghost stories set in Disney Parks. T.J. May is a writer of dark fiction daylighting as a behavior therapist to children with autism. He is a regular contributor to Shroud Magazine, co-founder of SUMM Publications, active member of the HWA and chairperson of the events committee for the New England Horror Writers. Trisha J. Woodridge is the president of Broad Universe, an international non-profit dedicated to celebrating and promoting women who write speculative fiction. She’s contributed to several anthologies, including the EPIC-award-winning Bad-Ass Faeries series, is an associated editor for Spencer Hill Press, and freelance writes and edits for magazines, independent authors, and academic websites.
As this is the first workshop offered at the 65 James StreetAnnie’s, there is a special price of $30 for the course, or $25 for members of New England Horror Writers, Worcester Writers Collaborative, or Worcester college students.
T.J. May (http://www.tjmay.net/)
Trisha J. Wooldridge (http://www.anovelfriend.com/) on a publishing panel at Rock and Shock, October, 2011.
How to register: In person at Annie’s Book Stop, 65 James Street, Worcester, Mass.; via phone by calling Annie’s at 508-796-5613; via e-mail to anniesbookstopworcester@gmail.com. Payment is in advance by credit card, check, or cash. Attendees must turn in their manuscripts for critiques no later than January 27 (details on how to submit upon registration). Walk-ins, if there is space, must pay full price and will not have a reserved bag lunch nor will they get the professional critique—but they are eligible for a class critique that day.
For more information, contact Annie’s Book Stop via www.anniesbookstopworcester.com, e-mail anniesbookstopworcester@gmail.com, or phone 508-796-5613. Space is firmly capped at 21 participants, so if you’re planning on attending, register soon!
IT’S OFFICIAL…WE’RE ENGAGED!
The ring. Had I known this was going to happen I’d have painted my nails…I’d been cleaning all day, so they really didn’t look so hot! Photo by Jen Connic.
I got the shock of my life at our annual New Year’s Eve gathering…Nathan asked me to marry him just before the ball dropped!
I never saw it coming or had any clue, but being we both love our friends and our parties, there wasn’t a more perfectly-suited moment for the occasion.
Of course…I said yes! We don’t have a date set yet, but we do have an idea…and I will say that I’m glad I changed my name to his years ago, because now all the icky paperwork’s out of the way and all I have to do is enjoy the good stuff.
If you’d like to share the magic, here’s a musical slide show of the evening as well as the two-and-a-half minute film of the proposal. What’s “The Year-Long Question” about? Nathan asked me in 2011…and I answered him in 2012. For the rest of his life, he says, he’s going to tell people he had to wait a whole year for my answer. Ha!
Enjoy!
Me and Nathan a couple of hours before the big moment. I had no clue.
Slideshow
The Proposal
GhoStory Guru: “The Phantom Coach” by Amelia B. Edwards (Amelia Ann Blandford)
Welcome to winter…in my opinion, the best season in which to set a ghost story (that is, if your story setting is somewhere that gets cold, snowy, gray, and damp). While winter’s characteristics seem to make it an obvious choice, it still takes a great writer to exploit them properly to evoke the shivers.
No story does this better than Amelia Ann Blandford’s Victorian chiller “The Phantom Coach,” set in December on “a bleak wide moor in the far north of England.”[1] Consider: “…the first feathery flakes of a coming snowstorm just fluttering down upon the heather and the leaden evening closing in all around. I…stared anxiously into the gathering darkness, where the purple moorland melted into a range of low hills, some ten or twelve miles distant.”[2] It’s the “feathery flakes…fluttering” that creates the sound of snow in the reader’s ear, and even when our weary lost man is given shelter in the warmth of a cottage (complete with odd owner, creepy manservant, and scary tall tale), it’s hard to escape the press of the barren lands just outside the walls. By the time we reach that terrifying climactic scene (there’s one paragraph that’s so frightening the image it created is burned into my mind—I’d love to print it here, but I’d spoil it for all of you), we’re as damp, cold, and isolated as the narrator—and that chill is unshakable well after we’ve digested the story’s shocking last line.
Don’t miss reading this by the fireplace. For sure.
“The Phantom Coach” is found in 1996’s Wordsworth Classics publication Classic Victorian & Edwardian Ghost Stories (the edition selected by Rex Collings). You can purchase it here: http://amzn.com/1853261866
