Who You Gonna Call?

This week's flash fiction comes from a recent picture prompt. It's included for emphasis ... Enjoy! Catharus sat upon the lilting tombstone singing. Normally her melodic echoes wrought joy from even the hardest heart or saddest soul. A thrush’s song worked wonders; miracles even. Things, however, weren't working in her favor today. Scooting closer to …

A Taste of “Raising Hell”

"Give me your name, Shakespeare?" the horned brute demanded. Apparently, he was the guy (or goat) in charge. I swallowed and tried not to shit my pants. "Dusty." The beast found this amusing and laughed. "Dusty, eh? Lots of dust where I'm taking you, filth. You should feel right at home in Hell." I didn't …

Beowulf: The Midgard Epic–A Teaser

“Out from the marsh and rotted logs, The misty hills and sinking bogs, Arose the one God’s hatred clothed, Rose Grendel, bloodlust fully posed ...” This is one of James’ favorite quotes from his new novel Beowulf: The Midgard Epic, and a bloody good one, I concur, soon to be released from Stitched Smile Publications. …

Do Fear The Reaper – with Briana Robertson

I love Halloween. No, even more than that. I bloody love Halloween. Not only does it mean that we’re properly into Autumn (or “Fall” for all of you lovely colonial types), but to a horror writer and fan of horror in general, it’s the perfect time of the year. For one thing, the evenings drawing …

Happy Halloween

  Here's a little something to get you in the Halloween spirit. I decided to put my poetic nature to the musical test and crafted a Halloween tune. Trick or treat! Happy, Happy Halloween (A Theme for Halloween) CHORUS: Happy, happy Halloween, Halloween Happy, happy Halloween VERSE 1: Vampire bats are flying As the banshees’ …

Every bitter thing is sweet – Talking “Low” with Mike Duke

“To a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.” - Proverbs 27:7 One of Mike Duke's favorite quotes from his new novel LOW, soon to be released. Here at SSP we couldn't wait to share what Duke has in store for you, so we convinced him to share a little bit. A little sneak preview, …

Ghostly Wrath

Flash Fiction Saturday is on! Dive into the notion of Grendel's mother as a ghost ... Beware!  She's everywhere! Many monsters, many ghouls, and nary can they cover Bodies, brains, and brutal deaths the same as Grendel's mother Someone said that she had died, but flesh was just a cage Now her ghost is everywhere, …

How-To: Author Takeovers

So you've been invited to do an author takeover at a release party. Fantabulous! Now what? While having the spotlight on you might seem overwhelming, it's really fairly simple. Readers (and that's who we're hoping is attending a release party, obviously) want to know about three things: Your book You What they  might get So …

Horror Humpday: Phobia

Breath hitches. Chest clinches. A bitter chill sets in. Eight hairy legs carry eight evil eyes as it scurries and scuttles and sidles closer. Cold sweat beads then weeps, trickling along icy skin, and the scream is caught, cut off, as terror engulfs. Heart races. Horror chases the spider in its wake as it knowingly …

Teaser Tuesday: Reaper, Coming Soon From Briana Robertson …

It's Teaser Tuesday, and I wanted to shout out to Briana Robertson, a fellow Stitcher. Her Stitched Smile Publications work, Reaper, is coming soon. Here's a little poem I wrote to commemorate its release, along with an original piece of art and a teaser for it as well ... And remember, Death comes for us …