Me and writer Gregory Norris in the field near the bee hives at the SNOWBOUND: WITH ZOMBIES anthology release event at the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill, MA. Photo by Judi Calhoun.

Winter’s right around the corner, so there’s nothing more perfect than announcing that Snowbound: with Zombies, a collection of horror stories inspired by the supernatural tales of the poet and abolitionist John Greenleaf Whitter, is now available! The official release event held at the 327-year-old birthplace museum in the barn and carriage house was a great success (see pix below)!

All proceeds will go to the museum.

The anthology contains my short story “Shreds of Black,” which is based on Whittier’s poem, “Telling the Bees.” It appears with twenty-two other works by John McIlveen, Peter Rawlik, Christopher Golden, Scott Goudsward, Morven Westfield, Celia Thaxter, Stuart Conover, W.H. Pugmire, Roxanne Dent, Ken Faig Jr., Judi Calhoun, Tracy L. Carbone, KH Vaughn, Joseph A. Citro, Karen Dent, Hannah Gonsman, David Bernard, Michelle Souliere, Gregory L. Norris, and Faye Ringel.

The book can be purchased from Amazon here in print and here for Kindle. It can also be purchased at the museum’s gift shop. A visit to the birthplace is not to be missed (and if you’re staying overnight, I highly recommend the Hampton Inn Haverhill…I’ve stayed there twice and had a great experience both times)! You can find out more about it at the official website here.

My husband Nathan shares information about the beehives on the Whittier property (he’s an exterminator. It’s illegal to kill honeybees — they instead need to be removed by a certified beekeeper and taken to a hive — but Nathan knows much about them).

I actually love it when selfies get messed up like this. Gregory L. Norris, on the left, is quite photogenic. I love his expression here.

Copies of Snowbound on the Dent sisters’ display table.

My little corner of the world.

Writer Scott Goudsward (who wrote the short story “The Autumn Years” for the anthology) playing with a book stand.

Writer Morven Westfield (“The Fortune Teller”) signs a guest’s copy of SNOWBOUND.

Faye Ringel (center, essay, “Whittier and the Supernatural Legends of New England”) chats with a guest (left) and fellow writer John McIlveen (“Devotion”).

Morven and I always take pictures of ourselves taking pictures of each other. I don’t know why we do it or how the tradition got started, but we make sure we do it every time!

Swag for Morven’s book THE OLD POWER RETURNS…I love pencils that change color in reaction to temperature! Look closely here; you’ll see my handprint. Kinda ghost-like!

David Goudsward, editor of SNOWBOUND: WITH ZOMBIES, chats with Linda, who serves on the board at the Whittier Homestead.

Writers Roxanne Dent (“The Haunting of Jemima Nash”) and Judi Calhoun (“Brick Wall”) clown around.

I think Nathan is talking about the bees again.

Author James Moore — who stopped by to say hello — and John McIlveen take time out for a photo.

All things apple were being served in the Carriage House, down the road a bit from the barn.

Morven Westfield reads from “The Fortune Teller.”

Roxanne Dent reads from “The Haunting of Jemima Nash.”

Karen Dent reads from “Deadly Regrets.”

Judi Calhoun reads from “Brick Wall.”

Gregory Norris reads from “The Coldest Room in the House.”

Gregory Norris reads from “The Coldest Room in the House.”

I read from “Shreds of Black.”

Me and Morven pose for a photo at our table.

Scott’s a local, and he took us to a great restaurant in downtown Haverhill called “Wang’s Table.”

Nathan is excited to drink something that has lots of sake but tastes exactly like punch…sounds dangerous to me!

Scott gets ready to enjoy his Mai Tai.

Lobster Fried Rice! It was awesome.

An outside shot of the barn in which the event took place. Photo by Morven Westfield.

Me and writer Gregory Norris in the field near the bee hives at the SNOWBOUND: WITH ZOMBIES anthology release event at the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill, MA. Photo by Judi Calhoun.

Morven Westfield and I like to take photos of each other taking photos of each other… it’s not an event without it! So here’s the one she took of me.