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Adventures in the Inbox …
34 Orchard, the dark literary magazine I founded in 2019, is my baby, and while it has faced its challenges, it does well and brings me a lot of joy.
The past three days were a little bit rough, but it also reminded me that I have a lot of great people in my life, that everything happens for a reason—and that sometimes, you need things to burn to the ground so you can rise from the ashes. I don’t even know why I’m sharing this here, exactly–it’s not customary, or a good idea, for editors to talk about their negative experiences publicly. It might even be considered unprofessional. But I just have this feeling someone out there needs to hear this today, so whatever. I’m human.
The short version: 34O was listed Read the rest of this entry
Celebrate with me!
Writer John Palisano recently posted the following on Facebook:
Just got an email from NanoWrimo stating that ‘every’ writer would rather ‘have written’ than ‘write’ and that writing is painful and such.
I disagree. I love being in the zone. I love tapping away at the keyboard, the story flowing out like music. It’s one of my favorite things in the world. It doesn’t hurt. It’s not painful. It’s not a struggle to make happen, most of the time.
I’m not the only one, am I?
No, he’s definitely not the only one. There is nothing like being in that zone. That vanishing into a world in my head and staying there with my characters, living out whatever fantasy I want (no matter how outlandish), the words just flying out of me as easily as drunken conversation. It’s almost like being on a magical vacation; the outside world recedes. I obsess over whatever topic, setting, or interesting object that the story is about. I avoid bills, cleaning, laundry and just about anything else I can get away with for the sake of art, and hey, if I have to function because I can’t get out of something, it’s an excuse to mentally tune-out.
On the flip side, if the fiction is really just a channel for something sad, stressful, and overwhelming I’m trying to process, it can be gut-wrenching. I fail to eat for however long it takes to get it done, I avoid correspondence or contact with anyone as much as I can, I question every single choice I’ve ever made in my life or even why I exist at all. And I usually cry a lot.
This isn’t the case with every piece I write, but it was the case with a piece I finished this morning. It’s been the greatest week of my life in a long, long time, but it’s also been balls-on anxiety and other not-so-pleasant emotions since Tuesday.
A few of you out there are aware of this. It’s official–the first draft is done, and I have set myself free! I’ve not only written a very solid story (yes, it still has to go through revision and critique, but I don’t invest in that on a spiritual level), I’ve emotionally worked through what I was processing. I feel completely unburdened and can have some fun now—I can focus on cleaning my house, doing the shopping for Thanksgiving, and wrapping some Christmas gifts (I shop all year, so it’s never really too early to start).
I’m having a glass of wine in a nice hot bath to celebrate. I encourage you all to celebrate with me in whatever way you see fit! If you’re waiting to hear from me, you will soon. And oh my God, where are the cheese and crackers because I’m starving.
Have a great week!
I met a real Jackalope…
No visit to the Jackalope is complete without this. What an awesome photo opp!
In 2012 I wrote a short story, “The Thing Inside,” for an anthology called Unnnatural Tales of the Jackalope, edited by John Palisano.
Aside from the fact that I’ve always been fascinated with Jackalopes (if you don’t know what that is, click here), “The Thing Inside” remains one of my favorite pieces—it was heavily influenced by my first-ever visit to Austin in the summer of 2011.
I’ve been back to Ausin a few times since then (my sister lives there), and since this trip was long (two weeks), we had plenty of time to do some things we haven’t before. One of them was Read the rest of this entry
Scary Scribes’ Jackalope Episode is the Zombie Beaver Award 2012 Winner!
Every year, the Paranormal, Eh? Radio Network hosts its Zombie Beaver Awards, which recognize listener-chosen favorite shows, hosts, episodes, and other topics for the year. Listeners selected Scary Scribes’ Episode 7: Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope as their favorite guest/episode for 2012 (yes, even if the year’s not over yet—the “year” is usually considered October to October; any not considered this year will be considered for 2013).
You can read all about episode 7 here: http://kristipetersenschoonover.com/2012/07/29/the-jackalope-arrives-on-scary-scribes/
, hear the original episode here: http://scaryscribes.com/past-episodes/scary-scribes-ep-7-unnatural-tales-of-the-jackalope-07-29-2012/
, or watch a special illustrated version here: http://blip.tv/fawn/scary-scribes-with-host-kristi-peterson-schoonover-interviews-4-book-authors-jeff-strand-sephera-geron-fawn-dt-griffith-from-the-anthology-unnatural-tales-of-the-jackalope-6333740
Or here: http://www.frequency.com/video/scary-scribes-w/58994618
To hear Paranormal Eh?’s Zombie Beaver Award 2012 Show, listen here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/paranormaleh/2012/10/01/zombie-beaver-awards-2012
Here was this year’s ballot:
Best Show on PEH
Paranormal Eh? Radio
Reviews from the Shadows
Our Haunted Lives
Hells Bells Radio
Headlocks and Hair Pulls PWTR
Scary Scribes
Spectral Retrospective
Best Show Not On PEH
Darkness Radio
Straight Jacket Society
Real Time
The invisible World
Best Host / Team PEH
Terry Konig & Stephen Lancaster
Terry Konig & Chris Edge
Terry Konig & Frank Todaro
Krissy P
Nicole &Angel
Darren & Brittney
Best Non-PEH Host/Team
Darkness Dave
Edge and Lancaster
Jeff Sylvia
Frank Todaro
Favorite Guest, Our Haunted Lives
Favorite Guest, Paranormal Eh? Radio
Favorite Guest, Hells Bells
Favorite Guest, Scary Scribes
Favorite Episode, Reviews from the Shadows
Favorite Episode, Headlocks & Hair LHP
Favorite Episode, Spectral Retrospective
Best Internet TV Show
Monstervision TV
Twisted Gypsies
Our Haunted Lives
Best Hall of Fame
The Ghostman & Demon Hunter Show
Ghostly Talk
Darkness Radio
Favorite Topic Show Paranormal Eh? Radio
Black Eyed Kids
Black Eyed Kids and Ties to Vampires
Big Foot
Nazis and the Occult
The Evil of Hitler
Listeners made a selection or wrote in their favorite episodes.
Listen Carefully: The Jackalope is Here!
The jackalope is here in this special edition of Scary Scribes featuring snippets from Western Legend Press’ new anthology, Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope. Then we’ll get to chat with authors Jeff Strand, David (D.T.) Griffith, Sephera Giron, RachelTowns, Jezzy Wolfe, and Fawn Recording Artist.
Listen to it on the archives here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/paranormaleh/2012/07/29/scary-scribes-ep-7
Or directly on this site by clicking below:
Scary Scribes Ep 7 – Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope, 07-29-2012
…you can get copies of Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope here:
The Jackalope Arrives on Scary Scribes!
Tonight’s special edition of Scary Scribes will feature snippets from Western Legend Press’ new anthology, Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope—and then we’ll get to chat with jackalope expert Casie Smalls as well as authors Jeff Strand, David (D.T.) Griffith, Sephera Giron, Rachel Towns, Jezzy Wolfe, and Fawn Recording Artist. Tune in today, Sunday, July 29, 6 p.m. ET here to listen live…http://www.blogtalkradio.com/paranormaleh/2012/07/29/scary-scribes-ep-7
…and while you’re waiting, check out the Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope Trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_A-HrZvotc&feature=plcp
and the show’s guests below!
Introducing Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope: Eighteen stories, a poem, and a letter all about the fabled Southwestern Jackalope. Read as a lonely jackalope comes into his own, learn how Ronald Reagan used his jackalope to find political success, explore the horrific ramifications as jackalopes terrorize those unlucky enough to cross their paths…and meet other creatures along the way, like the mighty chupacabra and terrifying moths. This collection explores many aspects of the world of the jackalope! Edited by John Palisano, with tales by Jeff Strand, Rick Pickman, Fawn, D.T. Griffith, RachelTowns, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, Sephera Giron, and more! Available in Print and Ebook wherever books are sold!
Jeff Strand
Jeff Strand is the three-time Bram Stoker Award finalist (and zero time winner) of such novels as PRESSURE, DWELLER, BENJAMIN’S PARASITE, WOLF HUNT, A BAD DAY FOR VOODOO, THE SINISTER MR. CORPSE, and a bunch of others. Naturally, his story in UNNATURAL TALES OF THE JACKALOPE remains his greatest achievement, and there’s really no reason for him to publish another word, since he’ll never, ever, ever top that one.
More about Jeff Strand at http://www.jeffstrand.com
David (D.T.) Griffith
David (D.T.) Griffith is currently enrolled in WesternConnecticutStateUniversity’s MFA in Creative and Professional Writing program. Along with pursuing fiction in the darker genres, he’s preparing to write a book in the corporate communication field as part of his graduate thesis. His background is in visual arts, working as a photo retoucher, graphic designer, web designer, and illustrator since the mid-90s. He studied creative writing and made it part of his undergrad degree, BFA in Fine Arts. His undergrad mentor was Dick Allen, currently Connecticut’s Poet Laureate.
Learn more about David and his work at http://dtgriffith.com/.
Sephera Giron
Sephera Giron has always been fascinated with the weird and macabre. As a child, she enjoyed the taxidermy oddities displayed in sideshows at local fairs, wax museums in Niagara Falls back when they showed real mutations of nature including living humans and she even read tarot at Carnival Diablo as an adult. She has had over a dozen mass market horror and erotica books published with more of her visions transforming into e-books almost as fast as a Jackalope chases whiskey. Sephera has two sons and lives by the lake in Toronto.
Visit Sephera at http://www.sepheragiron.com
Rachel Towns
Rachel Towns is a Teacher who lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband Paulo. She currently writes speculative fiction, fantasy and historical fiction stories, whenever she can keep her two cats, Duck and Biggles away from the laptop, which they seem to believe is some kind of high tech cat bed.
More about RachelTowns at her website, http://thestraggletag.wordpress.com/
Fawn
Fawn is an award winning ASCAP singer, songwriter, composer and recording artist, who shared the top of the Billboard Dance Charts with LadyGa Ga, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson in 2010 with her song ‘Wish U Love’ on Hades/Stonedef Records.
Produced by Chad Jack and Tim Letteer, the song made it to #6 on the Billboard charts and was #2 only to Madonna, on the dance/house Masterbeat charts the first 2 months of its release. Her music video of the same song, produced by Fawn and directed by Stephan Wozniak, debuted in the top 10 music video charts on MTV’s LOGO Channel alongside Taylor Swift, Beyonce’, LadyGa Ga, Mariah Carey, Timbaland and Jennifer Lopez. It remained in the top 10 for 5 months and charted at #142 for the Top 200 Hit Dance Songs of 2009. ‘Wish U Love’ was nominated for ‘Best Dance Single’ at the Hollywood Music In Media Awards in 2010 and Fawn was personally nominated for a 2010 Wake Up Award for recognition in inspiring humanity to it’s full potential. In 2009, Fawn won the JPF Music Award for ‘Best Dance Single’ for ‘Wish U Love’ and the JPF Music Award for ‘Best Dance Album’ for “Body Soul and Mind,’ both available on itunes. In 2009 she also won the VH-1 Songwriting award for her soulful song about racism, “Into The Light” and in 2011 won ‘Cover Model Of The Year’ for LIC Magazine.
Her voice and songs have been heard on numerous TV shows, CD Compilations, commercials and films such as The Little Red Wagon, Spike Lee’s The Girl Is In Trouble,The Nathalee Holloway Story, CSI Miami, Charlie’s Angels 2011, Ugly Betty, Nip/Tuck, Ford, Mazda, Pontiac, Barbie, Ponds, Target, Guiding Light, Lavazza Coffee, The Young and The Restless, Missing, Dead End Falls, and Witchblade, among others. Fawn is currently in the studio finishing up her next electronica album and a piano based compositions album. After that, her goal is to start recording her Traditional Christmas Album made up of original songs and some oldies but goodies.
At present, she has become a published author, making it into the anthology “Unnatural Tales Of The Jackalope” with her short story “The Jackalope and The Jellybean,” currently available on Amazon by Western Legends. She is also part of a photographic exhibit and two separate coffee Table books, alongside Diane Warren and other notables in ‘A Day In My Shoes: Pumps and Pups’ by photographer Amy Martin-Friedman, with proceeds benefitting Animal Alliance, an animal welfare charity. She has future plans to be photographed for the project ‘Vgirls’ with Schwartz Studios before the end of 2012.
Fawn began her entertainment industry career at the ripe age of 6 months old, starring in several National TV Commercials. By the time she was 10 years old, she was doing voice-overs and singing commercials. Her first song released when she was a teenager and produced by BT, Brian Transeau (Film Composer for Monster/Fast and Furious), ‘Oneday,’ raised a substantial amount of money and awareness for people with HIV/AIDS. All proceeds from the song were donated to the cause.
More about Fawn at www.fawnmusic.com.
Jezzy Wolfe
Jezzy Wolfe was the web-designer/mistress and contributor for Choate Road, the ‘Chuck E Cheese’ of horror, and co-hosted the blogtalk radio shows The Funky Werepig, and Pairanormal. Currently, she’s a reviewer for LIQUID IMAGINATION.
Her stories have appeared in various publications such as The World of Myth, Twisted Tongue magazine, The Odd Mind magazine, and the soon coming anthologies HARVEST HILL, Morpheus Tales special flash issue, The 2009 LADIES and GENTLEMAN of HORROR, and the Choate Road sampler fun book, KNOCK KNOCK… WHO’S THERE? DEATH!
More about Jezzy on her website at http://jezzywolfe.wordpress.com/
Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope: Covers Sneak Peek
The almost-final covers for the upcoming Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope anthology have been posted to Western Legends Publishing’s Facebook page (at http://www.facebook.com/WesternLegendsPublishing). It’s my understanding this is pretty close to what they will look like; they only, apparently, need a couple of margin adjustments and the ISBN (and clearly, there’s only part of the back cover shown in the photo). Take a look right here!
The cover art was created by Jason Mones: www.jasonmones.com, and the graphic design and layout of the book were created by D.T. Griffith: www.dtgriffith.com
I’m really excited and honored to have been included in such a unique project! The book is due out June 30, so stay tuned!
The jackalopes are coming!
The search for the jackalope—that mythical demon-esque cross between a rabbit and an antelope that dwells in the American west—has come to an end with the release of Western Legend Publishing’s anthology Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope. In this collection of horror stories due out June 30, my short story “The Thing Inside” and 20 others bring the terrifying jackalope to vivid, scary, life.
The collection is edited by John Palisano (author of Nerves from Bad Moon Books) and is WLP’s debut volume. The table of contents is now posted over on the Western Legends Publishing Facebook page! You can check that out here: http://www.facebook.com/WesternLegendsPublishing (and click Like while you’re at it?).
While it’s never a good idea to say “this is a collection that hasn’t been done before”—well, honestly, a collection of horror stories centered around the jackalope really hasn’t, according to my research (the closest thing I could find were a few single-story books aimed at very young children). This fantastic collection isn’t to be missed and will be available in both print and shortly thereafter e-book; I’ll keep you posted.
Scary Scribes Bonus: John Palisano answers Twitter listener questions!
Scary Scribes Episode 2 taught us we need to have a Twitter feed directly into the studio—our guest John Palisano, author of Nerves, got a few questions from listeners! John was nice enough to answer them for us after the fact, and we’re presenting them here as a bonus.
Questions
Did Hell Raiser or Clive Barker inspire your work?
Clive Barker is an enormous influence on my work. He’s a huge inspiration: when I read his stories, it makes me want to explore my own imagination to its fullest. I love how he straddles genres, like fantasy and horror. Of course, his writing is gorgeous. Hellraiser was not a direct influence on Nerves, although it is one of my favorite horror films and stories of his that I’ve read. If anything, I would say Nerves would be closer to Clive’s Weaveworld and/or Imajica.
Who would you want to play the main character on screen?
While I was writing Nerves I pictured a young John Malkovich as Josiah, complete with no hair, super-pale skin, and red eyes. I think Jackie Earle Haley would be amazing in the role. He’d really nail the anger and loneliness. As far as Horace? I always saw Ron Perlman, who I bet would be properly intense and troubled. I bet Doug Jones would make an amazing Ogam. He’d be charming and manipulative, but would then be able to turn on the pure, unhinged evil when the time is right.
Will the book be on the iBook store?
The e-book versions of Nerves will be released within 90 days of publication. It will be available in iBooks, Kindle, Nook, and any other format you may like. I’ll post the news on my site when it breaks (www.johnpalisano.com) and you can monitor Bad Moon, as well. (www.BadMoonBooks.com)
Thank you so much for these great questions. I hope you all enjoy your journey into the world of Nerves.
Miss Episode 2? You can listen here: Scary Scribes Ep 2 – John Palisano, 02-26-2012
Get your nerve to go: listen to Scary Scribes Episode 2 here!
Writer John Palisano.
If you missed John Palisano and an exclusive presentation of his newly-released novel Nerves on Scary Scribes, you can grab it to go here:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/paranormaleh/2012/02/26/scary-scribes-episode-2
or here:
Scary Scribes Ep 2 – John Palisano, 02-26-2012
The book was released on the day the show aired, so we truly did get the jump! Don’t miss it!
