Archive for the ‘Zombies’ Category
This month’s Bloomington Writers Guild sponsored “First Sunday Prose and Open Mic” (see April 7, et al.), at Bloomington’s Juniper Gallery, returned to its classical pattern of two featured readers and, after a break, brief closing readings from audience members — in this case three.
Thus, Bloomington-raised and current Evanston, Illinois resident Freda Love Smith, author of the memoir I QUIT EVERYTHING and full-length book RED VELVET UNDERGROUND, opened the session explaining how, in Bloomington for her niece who graduated yesterday from the university, she had also stopped by and chatted with students at the pro-Palestinian encampment in Dunn Meadow and, for today, had decided instead of reading from her book, to read excerpts from a just-written essay scheduled to appear this fall in INDIANA REVIEW on 1970s activist/Symbionese Liberation Army member — and herself an Indiana University graduate (class of 1970) — Angela DeAngelis.
She was followed by IU Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology PhD candidate, and production volunteer and past Lotus Education and Arts Foundation staff member Jeremy Reed with excerpts from his dissertation, with sections on public space, rumors, and limits on permitted and non-permitted speech centered, in this case, on the Jaresh Festival of Culture and Arts, an annual summer celebration in Jordan.
Then after the break, there were three volunteer readers of which I was last, following humorous segments by Writers Guild member Tonia Matthew and First Sunday Moderator Molly Gleeson, bringing us back to the possibly more somber mood of the opening essays with a flash story, “The Third Prisoner” (no, no, my position in the lineup is pure coincidence), on a sort of South/Central American activism . . . with zombies.
It came to my finally ordering one, an author’s copy not forthcoming (not all contracts offer one in print, but it is a nice thing and much appreciated — at least by me), but then the whole story was kind of based on illusion, wasn’t it? The story, “Marcie and Her Sisters,” originally published in REEL DARK (BlackWyrm Publishing, 2015). And now reprinted.
This is the blurb, via Amazon: “Life is a journey, not a destination.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Emerson’s point has been echoed by many, but in the Land of the Weird the question arises, “A journey to what destination?” At the same time, you might ask, “Is the journey therefore the destination?” The journey may well be an individual’s destination, because it will define them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And in the Land of the Weird, that journey can take twists and turns that amuse, sadden, or horrify.
This trip into the Land of the Weird offers you 39 unique trails to follow, assisted by 35 different guides, each leading you down their own singular paths, manifesting their own view of journey as destination, some laughing, some weeping, and some, eyes wide with fear, shaking as they point out the spectral footpath for you to follow on your way down The Rabbit Hole.
And the book: THE RABBIT HOLE, VOL VI (cf. November 7, October 25, et al.) — or THE RABBIT HOLE WEIRD STORIES DESTINATION: JOURNEY, as Amazon lists it — edited by Tom Wolosz, and publisher The Writers Co-op. It was released in a will-o’-the-wisp way, as befits Halloween, on October 31 2023 but the problem then was to actually get it. This is the way I had put it November 7: The book can be found, in some places and some forms: on Amazon it can be bought in e-form . . . [w]hile for paper copies it’s presently “out of stock” — which I understand to mean not yet in stock. But should be coming soon.
So, long story short (and other things going on anyhow), I gave it the rest of the year to settle down, then re-tried Amazon on January 2 and . . . actually bought it! On January 4 I received an email that it had shipped, but the gremlins weren’t done yet. A second email on the day it had been supposed to arrive cited a “shipping delay,” and new expected arrival date of January 15. And today (the 16th) it’s finally here!
And so of my story, as mentioned above (of the subtitled “Journey,” and quoting myself again): “Marcie and Her Sisters” decide one day they might marry zombies — or do they? In any event, the journey (ah, now!) is not one wholly filled with flowers and butterflies. Oh, no! Nor is the narrator entirely reliable. . . . In THE RABBIT HOLE VI in front of me now, then, I’m hoping for the kind of surreality of my own book, AVOID SEEING A MOUSE. But will it be there?
Supply problems presumably over by now, one can check for oneself by pressing here.
It’s sort an in again, out again kind of thing, I suppose. My post for THE RABBIT HOLE, VOL VI (cf. October 25, et al.) — or THE RABBIT HOLE WEIRD STORIES DESTINATION: JOURNEY, as it’s being called now — had touted a late October publication date. But then things got scattered, or at least seeming to be, which might be appropriate for trips to white and/or other-hued bunnies. Some book markets had it, while others were waiting. Or seemingly so. Or was that hard copy, or maybe at least early orders for e-versions?
Whichever, I haven’t yet seen a copy myself. This was the one that has my story “Marcie and Her Sisters,” originally published in BlackWyrm’s REEL DARK in 2015, about zombies and marriage. And possibly unreliable narrators. For (from the original call) odd, unusual stories where the journey can be the destination, or the destination the journey, anything at all — happy, sad, good, bad, or even indifferent. Stories can emphasize whatever floats, or sinks, your boat. And distributors possibly unreliable as well?
So enough of waiting. The book can be found, in some places and some forms: on Amazon it can be bought in e-form, “officially” published on Halloween, October 31. While for paper copies it’s presently “out of stock” — which I understand to mean not yet in stock. But should be coming soon.
And so, let’s just say it: if Kindle is your pleasure, you can get to that by pressing here. And from there there’s a link to a hard copy site where, presumably, it should be available any day (week?) now.
RABBIT HOLE VI, with my story “Marcie and Her Sisters” (cf. October 12, September 18, et al.) is actually out for Halloween already, or at least for pre-order for electronic copies, but. . . . Well, let’s let Editor Tom Wolosz explain via this morning’s email:
The Rabbit Hole VI Destination:Journey ebook is available for preorder (October 31st release) from the following: Barnes and Noble Rakuten kobo Apple Books Scribd tolino OverDrive bibliotheca Baker and Taylor Odilo vivlio Borrow Box Smashwords Gardners.
Still waiting for Amazon. The book has been resubmitted since their initial block over one story being free online (it’s been taken down to conform with Amazon rules). I’ll let everyone know as soon as I do.
Hoping for the paperback to be available by the 31st, but I still haven’t gotten the proof copy.
Or, the imps of the internet have struck again — or is that only to be expected, given today’s closeness to Halloween. “Marcie and Her Sisters,” as a quick reminder, is the one about three not-so-old women who go to the zombie store to buy themselves husbands. It is being reprinted, having been originally published in REEL DARK (Blackwyrm Publishing, 2015).
On the other hand, the well-traveled Aimée of New Orleanian “Casket Girl” fame has already arrived, via the “mid 2021” WEIRDBOOK, in THE SIREN’S CALL special Halloween issue (cf. July 14). This one’s a freebie, for which you may press here.
Got it?
Okay, as you may notice it’s a LARGE issue at 344 tightly-packed, no-frills pages, with the story to find, “Death and the Vampire,” not until page 227. But worth the marathon scrolling, I hope (well, actually, I used an edit function with a “Find” button, but search for my name, not the word “vampire,” unless you’re okay with a LOT of stops in between). This is the one where Aimée, as she passes St. Louis Cemetery Number 1 on her way to the French Quarter, meets a tall man in a hooded black cloak carrying a scythe — and it’s too early, she notes, for Mardi Gras but also too late for Halloween.
Also, he may know more about vampires than it seems to her a person should.
Ahh, the writing life. And this time a double-header! First up, from Author/Compiler Dennis Wilson Wise:
Hwaet! The proofs have arrived, and I hoped you could take a look at your chapter to ensure that no errors have crept in through the layout process. I’d like all contributors to do three things:
Confirm that the line numbering is correct;
Verify that no errors have crept into your final text (I’ve already done the headnote and endnotes myself);
If you see an error, please either mark it on the PDF or email me the line, error, and correction you wish to see.
At this point in time, only minor changes can be accommodated. Focus on correcting errors, misspellings, or mistakes in the typesetting. Please refrain from stylistic changes, although I can consider those if justified enough. Get your revisions to me in one week’s time, by Thursday, October 19th.
As with its companion in a moment, that email sent actually maybe an hour earlier Wednesday morning, there turned out to be no corrections needed — although there was one thing I wanted to double check on a library computer Thursday. The publication, a scholarly one, SPECULATIVE POETRY AND THE MODERN ALLITERATIVE REVIVAL (see June 24, 2022; April 29, 2021, et al.) with two poems of mine in it, “The Westfarer,” originally published in DARK DESTINY: PROPRIETORS OF FATE (White Wolf, 1995) and “The Worm in the Wood,” STAR*LINE, May-June 2001, about viking exploration and werewolves, and Arthurian legend, respectively.
And then the companion, from Editor Tom Wolosz: Attached is the RH VI ebook set to be released October 31st. It is formatted for a kindle so if you look it over in google docs or some other reader the formatting might be a bit off. Please give your story one more look, and if there are any glaring typos let me know by October 20th so I can make last minute corrections. If you would like a PDF version, please let me know.
I did need the PDF as it turned out, which was quickly sent when I emailed back. The book this time: THE RABBIT HOLE, VOL. VI (cf. September 18, et al.), a charity anthology with proceeds to go in part to the Against Malaria Foundation, and my story in it, “Marcie and Her Sisters,” originally published in REEL DARK (BlackWyrm Publishing, 2015).
And again no corrections required, but by the time I’d finished it nearly midnight, it waited until today, Thursday, with both returned to their publishers this afternoon. With more to come here in each case when it’s known.
It’s not too early. So, for its Backspace Gallery pre-Halloween session, the Bloomington Writers Guild’s First Wednesday Spoken Word (cf. September 6, et al.) brought writer, teacher, and stage magician Thomas Hastings with a demonstration of several tricks involving ropes — including a simplified version of the “Indian rope trick” which, according to him, was actually invented in Chicago. And to add to the magic, then reading several poems from his collection CROP CIRCLE SECRETS (Muse Rules Press, 2004) on such things as UFOs (under whatever name) and other assorted “popular-belief” wonders.
His was the second reading to an audience of just under 20 people, beginning at 6 p.m., in a program opening with composer/musician DREKKA presenting electronic melodies spiced with on-the-spot physical sound effects, both haunting and strangely immersive. Then the first of the featured readers was . . . me . . . with a Victorian tale of death and funerals, “The Re-Possessed,” originally published in CEMETERY RIOTS (Elysium Press, 2016) as well as 25 GATES OF HELL (Kydala Publishing, 2020), in an attempt to address the age old question: “What does an undertaker do when the bereaved declines to pay the bill?”
Then, after a final piece by DREKKA followed by a brief intermission, seven “Open Mic” readers offered poetry, stories, and creative nonfiction to a remaining group of about a dozen, to end for October at just before 9.
Some things move swiftly. We have an announced publication date for THE RABBIT HOLE, VOL. VI, with my story “Marcie and Her Sisters” (see just below, September 14, et al.), for late October. And as of now we have a release of the cover as well.
Of THE RABBIT HOLE, to continue the call partially quoted below, [w]hat we’re looking for are odd, unusual stories where the journey can be the destination, or the destination the journey, anything at all — happy, sad, good, bad, or even indifferent. Stories can emphasize whatever floats, or sinks, your boat. Just remember to keep it weird as befitting a trip down the Rabbit Hole. And as for my story, keeping in mind the odd, the unusual, quoting myself now from May 31, “Marcie and Her Sisters” decide one day they might marry zombies — or do they? In any event, the journey (ah, now!) is not one wholly filled with flowers and butterflies. Oh, no! Nor is the narrator entirely reliable. . . .
In other words, a love story. Perfect for Halloween when days are chill, the nights growing longer — and “Marcie” is only one of a total of 39 stories in nearly 350 pages! At least as in the contents of Thursday’s “semi-proof.”
(And to add a small note, THE RABBIT HOLE VI has charity ties as well, with an option for royalties to go to the Against Malaria Foundation.)
But . . . needing to check suggested changes on the public library’s newer computer, yesterday’s proof sheet from Editor Tom Wolosz had to wait to go back until today, Thursday. The story: “Marcie and Her Sisters” (cf. May 31), originally published in 2015 in BlackWyrm Publishing’s movie-related anthology REEL DARK.
And not very many changes were there anyway — only three in all, and these all only small ones on the story’s first and second pages. Introductory hints in a way. But subtle too (the story’s a weird bit, with lots of stream-of-consciousness styling), or at least so were my comments on two. In any event, nothing was major, my own takes mainly having to do with foreshadowing. And shades of emphasis.
Or, in short, I think the publisher, The Writers Co-op, is doing a bang up job so far. And, as I told Editor Wolosz too, I’m really, really looking forward for the book, THE RABBIT HOLE vol. VI (a charity anthology too, to help the Against Malaria Foundation), to be released.
Messing with minds — mine, or yours? We go weeks without any new news of note, then, Bang!, two acceptances on the same day. Ah, the writing life.
So, no time to waste, both with contracts attached, signed and sent back this p.m. The first from British publisher Hawk & Cleaver for THE OTHER STORIES PODCAST plus possible year’s end anthology in print and/or electronic. The email (from Editor “Kez”) was thus: We loved this story. Fun and bonkers and gory!/ We’d love to run it on the main feed./ I’ve attached your paperwork. Could you also confirm your Paypal email address?
The story a reprint, “I’m Dreaming Of A. . . .,” originally published by Untreed Reads in December 2011, and met again on these pages just last month re. the Hurricane Ian relief anthology MONSTROM (see April 22, et al.). The tale, perhaps to come out around Christmas?, is as implied in the wording of its acceptance about mad, bad weather. As well as gory.
Then for the second, another reprint originally appearing in BlackWyrm Publishing’s 2015 cinema/horror anthology REEL DARK, “Marcie and Her Sisters” (cf. April 28 2016, November 15, May 19 2015, et al.). The call for the Writers’ Co-op’s annual THE RABBIT HOLE anthology, this year’s (Volume 6) theme “Destination: Journey,” explained, [i]n a simple sense, the journey itself being the destination can be taken literally or as a metaphor for life. On the other hand, as a non-sequitur it can mean almost anything — think Kafka, Bierce, Serling, or Lovecraft — and we’re really looking forward to your interpretation, because falling into the Rabbit Hole is always a strange and different experience. What we’re looking for are odd, unusual stories where the journey can be the destination, or the destination the journey, anything at all — happy, sad, good, bad, or even indifferent. Stories can emphasize whatever floats, or sinks, your boat. Just remember to keep it weird as befitting a trip down the Rabbit Hole.
That seems simple enough! (THE RABBIT HOLE also, I might add, like MONSTROM with a tie-in to charity, this one with option for royalties to go to the Against Malaria Foundation.)
And as for mind-melting, “Marcie and Her Sisters” decide one day they might marry zombies — or do they? In any event, the journey (ah, now!) is not one wholly filled with flowers and butterflies. Oh, no! Nor is the narrator entirely reliable. . . .
The bottom line, from Editor Tom Wolosz: Congratulations. The editorial committee has reviewed your story, “Marcie,” and would be very happy to include it in our upcoming anthology, THE RABBIT HOLE VI. I must say, we all enjoyed it very much.
Or actually today, Monday, the fifth Sunday plus a day, but the prompt this time wasn’t till the fourth Sunday — March 26 — although still in the same month. So then a week later, April 2nd, I drafted my opening, answering the third of a quartet of springtime (more or less) oriented suggestions.
Thus, for March’s Writers Guild’s “Third Sunday Write” (cf. February 27, et al.):
3. a perfect picnic. . .
It’s the ants that did it. Picnics are generally fraught with danger, they being outside. Wandering skunks; the occasional zombie, in season; one’s freeloading neighbors. And trees, of course, squirrels pelting us with acorns. But what saved us was ants.
Ants are nature’s miracles, small, unobtrusive, but with wee biting parts that are embrued with fire. And a vacuum cleaner with an extra-long extension cord were the tools to capture them. Those who did not have vacuum cleaners could borrow from their wives. But with millions of ants captured now in dirt-bags, we had our weapons.
It took only starving them a single season, and then they were ready.
So, picnics restarted, we bided our time, vacuum cleaners humming, our thumbs hooked and anxious, hovering over the machines’ “reverse” switches. We waited. . . Waited. . . The menaces slowly approaching our blanket.
And then it was time! Thumbs toggling blowers, a fire-hose stream launched — of ANTS! Gnawing through skunks, zombies, like they were Jello. Taking down neighbors, shredding treed squirrels. And when they were done, generously sharing with us the leftovers.
A perfect picnic. . .
jamesdorrwriter 