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Reviving Creativity: My Journey Back to Writing

After a little hiatus where I did a little more (creatively, that is) than post my daily outfits on TikTok, which was quite fun actually, I’m finally getting back to business and back into writing. Honestly, I needed a break, and now that my creative coffers are full again, I’m thrilled to share this new book that I started maybe three(?) years ago as a serial for the short-lived Kindle Vella. After reworking it a bit, I’m proud to get this baby out there. Black and Blue Ivy is a YA gothic story about a girl who travels from the tough streets of Kensington, Philadelphia, to a home for wayward girls, then eventually lands in Providence House, the sprawling estate of a wealthy family in Philadelphia’s Main Line. If you know anything about gothic novels–especially the V.C. Andrews ones, which were an inspiration for this book–then you’ll know that’s when the trouble for our main character really begins.

There are religious themes in this story, which reflect–and challenge–my own Catholicism. I was thrilled to see the book reach #1 New Release in Teen and Young Adult Christian Social Fiction. I didn’t even know there was such a category, but I’ll take it. Please note, there is nothing preachy or proselytizing about this work, so atheists and other (fill in the blank) are welcome to partake. If there is a religious theme, it has more to do with examining and weeding out hypocrisy than anything else. I strongly believe writers should explore ideas that are important to them. That what makes a voice unique and interesting.

There is a disturbing trend in publishing today where it’s all about hitting the right “tropes.” If I’m not mistaken, “trope” used to be considered a negative term, a cliché, but it seems to have evolved to be synonymous with conventions, which is the term I prefer. I used plenty of gothic conventions in Black and Blue Ivy: the Jane Eyre orphanage and awful neglect, the tony mansion hiding diabolical secrets, the creepy housekeeper, the list goes on. My homages to V.C. Andrews, including a metaphor of powder sugar on doughnuts, abound. There’s also an attic or two. But this story is my own, meaning it comes from my own twisted (at times) heart. I’ve certainly given it my own spin, and with so many changes happening in publishing: the seemingly almost daily AI scandals, the bizarre AI witch hunts on Threads, the fact that “tropes” seem to be telling the stories, not the writer/creator, and the head scratching that goes along with why the hell is this book popular–yes, Romantasy I’m looking at you! Well, you get the picture.

I needed the break, and I’m excited to be creating again. I’m heading over to my studio this morning to record my first YouTube video in about six months. It’s good, no, it’s great to be back!

*Watch my first video in six months:

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We’ll Tear Your Soul Apart—Then Spit It Out!

Book Review: Wretch: or, The Unbecoming of Porcelain Khaw by Eric LaRocca

I’ve been disappointed by new horror. I recently returned three(!) new library books I ended up DNF-ing. Now, one, I admit, was a new romantasy. I was curious about why it was so popular. After taking a dip, I still am. But the other two were recent horror releases. I got about 100 pages in on each and thought, “Since when did horror become so safe, so self-aware, so annoyingly pedantic, so—dare I say it—afraid?”

I don’t want soft cuddles when I read horror. I want high stakes, operatic peaks, hatred and self-loathing of the most abominable kind, spectacular crashes into burning pits of hell! I want blood spilling out on the page by someone who understands my suffering, who dares to go there. To quote Blanche DuBois, “I want magic!” albeit of the gruesome kind.

LaRocca brings the dark magic, and then some!

Trawling through Barnes and Noble while my car was getting serviced, I happened upon Wretch, a new release by Eric LaRocca. Now, I had read one of his books — Everything the Darkness Eats — and enjoyed its off-the-rails over-the-top goriness. It gave me old-school Edward Lee chills. Pulling up the Goodreads page now, I’m shocked, shocked! to discover the book receiving such low ratings. Even respected reviewers in the horror community failed to recognize the undeniable talent in our midst that is LaRocca. Sometimes I wish some of these influencers would influence some other genre than horror — romantasy, for example.

But, back to browsing in Barnes and Noble. I was scanning the new releases and pleased to see a horror title. I recalled I liked the author’s style and took a chance on the hardcover, which, in case you haven’t noticed, ain’t cheap anymore. The cover looked cool, the author’s Clive Barker dedication and opening quote intriguing, so I took a gamble.

Well, I wasn’t just pleasantly surprised; I was gruesomely enchanted!

Quick synopsis: Simeon (Biblical significance?) is grieving his dead spouse, Jonathan. Depressed and failing at work, he takes a leave of absence and, through a dark web chatroom, wanders into an underground society of the desperate and grief-stricken, a strange support group where members attempt to detect the images of their deceased loved one through photographs of inanimate objects and boring landscapes. Simeon attends awkward meetings with the Wretches, which is part Fight Club, part Order of the Gash—the author freely admits to these influences in the afterword—but he’s longing for something more. He wants his lover back, in the flesh, and he’ll do anything to make that happen. Be careful what you wish for, because Simeon is eventually led to a character named Porcelain Khaw, a dark entity (I kept imagining Pinhead) who promises reconnection, but at a stiff price.

Besides the general plot, which intrigued me, one thing I loved about this book was that LaRocca doesn’t play it safe with emotions. He’s honest about his main character’s shortcomings; his self-loathing in particular rings true. He doesn’t play it safe with the queerness either. Parts of this book reminded me of the shocking underground scene of downtown New York I recall reading about in The Village Voice. I tried to capture some of that underground scene that titillated and horrified my imagination in my horror thriller Fashion Victims. I still consider it one of my best novels, although tragically neglected.

But back to Wretch.

I applaud LaRocca’s brutal look at the self-hatred that can turn us into empty vessels searching for love to fill us while callously draining those who love us. There is a tragically melancholy subplot concerning Simeon’s rejected former wife and their neglected teenage son in a way that shows the selfishness of grief and obsessive love in general. The concept of “reverse haunting” could have been explored more, or perhaps I’m just unfamiliar with that sub-sub-genre. One flashback scene involving an alligator enclosure at the zoo left me baffled. If I was supposed to identify with the protagonist, that almost ruined it for me.

Yet, I couldn’t stop reading.

There are a few quick and painful “gotcha” twists at the end, reminding the reader that horror is, after all, a thrill ride, or at least it should be. I closed this book feeling very satisfied and determined to read all of LaRocca’s books. If Stephen King proclaimed Clive Barker the future of horror, LaRocca may have just picked up that mantle with Wretch. Let’s hope more writers daringly follow his lead. I certainly am inspired.

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My Midnight AI Confession

Back when we were shooting Gemini Rising during the digital stone age, I recall the habitual stoner guitarist Jah (beautifully portrayed by Matt Fischer) improvising a line of dialogue that proved to be quite prescient nearly twenty years later.

AI has become inevitable, and, like the switch from vinyl to cassette, I’m not sure how I feel about it. The problem is, no one asked me then, and certainly no one cares now.

It’s everywhere and has been for a while. But more and more, I see it encroaching on the creative space like some kind of Cthulian (try writing that one without spellcheck) vaporous monster. Apparently, you can write an entire shitty (romance? tee-hee) novel using it, upload it to Amazon along with an equally shitty cover, and rake in the cash. As an indie author who’s yet to hit “Shrimp” status on the 20Bookto50K Facebook Group, it’s, frankly, tempting to create a new pen name, feed the A.I. monster, and have it spit out next month’s PECO bill.

There’s only one big problem with that: it’s not why I write, not why I create. To quote a genius who’s inspired centuries of writers: I cannot heave my heart into my mouth enough to fake that. And also, I enjoy the writing process too much to take that leap.

So, have I ever used AI? Full disclosure, yes! I’ve run my prose through Grammarly for years. It’s good at catching errors that slip by my blind spots, although I typically ignore its stylistic suggestions. And most recently, I’ve asked Chatgpt to “tighten” the ad copy for some of my Facebook posts, and although it’s been enlightening to see how much I suck at writing ad copy for my own books–much too humble and beseeching, I see how my friendly chatbot assistant could be as seductive as a gorgeous secretary in a sleazy 70s potboiler when it comes to “expanding my ideas.” So far, I’ve resisted, although a reviewer recently accused me of using it in a book written before I’d ever heard of generative AI. For the record, I’ve always used em dashes (although I prefer parentheses).

It’s a weird time, and I’m not militant, like some of my peers, about other authors using it. I get it, and I also get that books written by real people are better. And speaking of sleazy 70s potboilers, I’m currently chewing my way through a well-thumbed copy of Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight and loving every minute of it.

Okay. One last AI confession. While burning the midnight oil the other night, I cheekily asked ChatGPT to create a portrait of the characters from my soon-to-be-released novel, Black and Blue Ivy. I fed it the character descriptions, asked it to make a picture resembling an old V.C. Andrews cover, and this is what it spit out. And frankly, I’m astonished (and frightened) at how closely these characters resemble the ones formed in my head now committed to the page. Dare I use this image in my promotional materials?

I admit, it’s tempting. Would I prefer hiring a real artist for the job? If I had thousands of extra dollars lying around I would, but I’m already spending hard-on money on actual cover designers, line editors, ad creators–real people with real skills whom I’m happy to hire for the job. But this picture is so cool. It sums up the theme and style of my story so well, and if it got eyeballs on my book… Again, seductive.

As you can plainly see, I’m somewhat torn. Are the La Résistance authors who blatantly refuse to engage in anything AI and who love to call out anyone who does the true heroes, or are their careers destined to perish on the barricades while the robots take over?

I don’t know, and I’m frankly a bit scared to find out. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your honest thoughts about this topic.

*No AI was used to write this post. All awkward phrasings and clunky metaphors are my own.

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See You at Blobfest Tomorrow!

Just a quick announcement to let you know that I’ll be at Blobfest tomorrow, Saturday, July 11—and I’d love to see you there!

Be sure to stop by my booth and say hello! My Book Worms partner, James Ippoliti, will be there with me, and we’ll have copies of Book Worms Horror Zine, several of my books, and a few other spooky goodies for sale.

We had an absolute blast at Blobfest last year, and we’re excited to be back for another weekend of wonderful weirdness.

So, if you’re anywhere near Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, come experience the fun, soak up the wonderfully bizarre atmosphere, and don’t forget to stop by our booth to say hi. We’d love to meet you!

FYI, keep your eye out for the next issue of Book Worms, which is all about camp horror, slated for release soon.

I’m also thrilled to see my latest novel, Black and Blue Ivy, climbing Amazon’s Hot New Releases charts! If you love the twisted gothic family sagas of V.C. Andrews, I think you’ll feel right at home. You can pre-order your copy now ahead of its release at the end of July.

I hope you’re all enjoying a wonderful summer filled with sunshine, relaxation, and plenty of great books. Happy reading!

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Read This Before the World Ends: Inside Book Worms #10

With the daily news chipping away at any sense of normalcy, it’s hard not to feel like the world is teetering on the edge. That low hum of “end times” anxiety isn’t new—it’s followed humanity for centuries. Whether that’s comforting or not is up for debate. What is certain is that the apocalypse has always been fertile—if toxic—ground for horror.

In this issue, longtime horror blogger Will Errickson returns with a lineup of classic apocalyptic recommendations. We’re also excited to welcome Robert Ford to Book Worms for the first time, along with a group of incredible writers whose work is guaranteed to haunt you. Honestly, it’s better fiction than the nightly news. Grab your copy before the world ends and check out our back issues while supplies last.

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Chilling Holiday Stories

The Victorian custom of gathering family and friends to read (and likely reread) ghost stories is a holiday tradition I wholeheartedly embrace. There’s something about winter’s deep darkness that coaxes phantoms both within and without. Each year, I honor this deliciously eerie ritual by reading creepy tales—usually Poe—in my Haunted Library. Here’s the sample if you’d like to take a look.

In that same spirit, I’ve just released a collection of twisted Christmas- and winter-themed short stories—including two brand-new tales you won’t find anywhere else.

If you’re craving a mall Santa on a murderous rampage (and plenty more holiday mayhem), check out Nut Cracker and Other Twisted Wintry Tales, now available on Amazon Kindle in both ebook and print!

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New Release!

Starlex, my very first fantasy novel, is officially LIVE on Amazon and across major retailers in both ebook and print!

If you’re craving an action-packed adventure in the classic sword-and-sorcery tradition—complete with dragons, warring factions, and a steamy, high-stakes romance—then you won’t want to miss STARLEX.

Grab your copy and dive in!

Starlex Promo Video

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Autumn Vibes

Autumn, Are You Coming or Not?

Some autumns creep in with cool winds that grow stronger by the day, stirring up dry leaves and wistful memories that sing and crackle like a roaring bonfire. Other autumns, like the one we’re experiencing this year, cling to summer like a desperate lover, unwilling to let go of the heat. To this autumn, I say—it’s time to let go.

Better relationships await—like my new Ralph Lauren tweed blazer (snagged at a recent Nordstrom Rack sale) paired with my Vince wool sweater. Or perhaps a cozy throuple featuring jeans, my penny loafers, and a tartan wool cape? Autumn has been calling me for weeks, yet summer refuses to leave. Still, today’s rainy coolness gives me hope. It may be premature to pull my Filson waxed barn coat from the depths of the closet and tread the grounds with the hounds (do Shih Tzus count?), but I can certainly wear jeans, my short Wellies, and a light jacket. At least give me that!

Today, I’m doing my annual closet switch from summer to fall, and I don’t care if I swelter for the next few weeks. At least we had a beautiful Harvest Moon the other night, and my morning bike rides have been shrouded in fog. The autumn vibes are kicking in at last, and I’ve been keeping busy—cleaning house, writing my new book, reading (currently wrapping up Vamptember), and doing some sketching. It’s nice to slow the pace when the days grow shorter.

This morning, I woke early to continue final edits on Starlex (always worth the effort—turns out I’d switched a few character names without realizing it). I was thrilled to find an early review that could only be described as glowing! I try not to let it go to my head, but it’s okay to let a little positivity galvanize the final stretch of bringing this story to life. You can pick up an ARC copy of Starlex on NetGalley or Booksprout if you’d like. It officially releases in print and ebook on November 12 (pre-order ebook now).

And speaking of creations, the new Book Worms is here—and selling fast! This issue is all about folk horror, perfect for setting the spooky-season mood even if the weather isn’t quite cooperating. Do check it out, and let me know in the comments how you’re spending your autumn so far—hopefully not poolside (unless that’s your thing… in which case, I pity you—just kidding).

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Book Worms Summer Issue!

The Summer Issue of Book Worms is here—and it’s our biggest, boldest, most jam-packed zine yet! We’ve gone all out this time, with our very first full-color cover to kick off the season in style.

Since summer is all about camping trips, lakeside adventures, and spooky stories by the fire, we thought: why not go full cryptid? From lake monsters to forest beasts, this issue is crawling with strange sightings and spine-tingling tales.

We’re thrilled to welcome back some of our favorite contributors—like Clay McLeod Chapman and Angelique Fawns—along with a new crop of rising horror stars who are bound to blow your mind.

Book Worms has everything you need to unplug and escape: creepy reads, quirky puzzles, eerie games—anything to keep you off your phone and in the moment.

So go ahead, order your copy today. Toss it in your backpack next to the marshmallows and bug spray. You won’t regret it.

Click on the cover to order your Book Worms Horror Zine!

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Summer Reading & Writing

Cabin in the Woods

I just returned from my first summer getaway—and it was lovely. I’ve been renting this cabin on Lake Nockamixon for the past few years, sometimes as a solitary retreat in the dead of winter (which is actually one of my favorite times to go). But this year, it was more of a family affair.

I grew up in the country, so it’s in my soul. Coming from a large family that could, at times, feel chaotic, I used the woods—and climbing tall trees—as my emotional escape. Nothing soothes my nerves quite like a deep, quiet forest.

Honestly, I could easily become a hermit. I dream about it constantly. Maybe my dream doesn’t include the insects or the occasional field mouse, but I’d still take that kind of pest over the human kind any day.

Am I confessing to misanthropy? Not at all. I love people—but I love solitude more. It’s just the way I’m built. We all need to honor our natures, and mine craves quiet, natural spaces for comfort and restoration.

Perhaps this is one reason I became an avid reader as a kid—often perched up in a tree. Escaping into fantasy might not be the healthiest coping mechanism, but it’s far less destructive than many others. Writing, self-expression, creating plays and stage personae—none of that’s really changed. They’re all ways of coping, I suppose, if you dig in a bit deeper, but I’ll save that for my therapist.

Naturally, I brought books with me to the cabin, along with my sketchbook to indulge my latent (yet still sadly undeveloped) drawing talent, and my guitar—which I barely strummed the entire time. I have a notebook full of unfinished songs, but since I’m too shy to play around anyone, so finishing them will have to wait for the next solitary retreat.

But I did read. I’m currently indulging in a Richard Laymon read-a-thon I’m hosting on my YouTube channel with some BookTube pals. Extreme horror/splatterpunk is a genre I only dip into occasionally—for obvious reasons. It’s often gross, absurd, and, yes, frequently misogynistic. So, why was I the one to suggest this read-a-thon in the first place? LOL! Who knows. Go with it. I love a good gory drive-in movie in the summer, so Laymon it is. I’m on my fourth novel this month. I’d love a dollar for every “rump” and “turgid nipple” I’ve come across, but hey—I’m having fun. I may need to cleanse my palate with a cozy mystery when it’s all over.

Long summer days tend to bring out more focused writing in me. As a lifelong early riser, I try to knock out at least a thousand words each morning on my current work-in-progress. I recently released two YA romance novellas, and I’m now finishing up Book Two of an epic fantasy series that I still can’t believe I challenged myself to write. But here we are.

That’s my summer so far—and my summer plans. But as we know, life can change in an instant. All we can do is enjoy the day we’re blessed with.

Hope yours is a good one.