Issue #22 (July 2012)

The Epitaph

Journal of the New England Horror Writers (NEHW)

The NEHW Committee:

Tracy L. Carbone – Co-Chair
Stacey Longo – Co-Chair
Dan Keohane – Treasurer
Jason Harris – Director of Publicity/Webmaster
K. Allen Wood – Director of Publications
Scott Goudsward – Director of Events
Danny Evarts – Art Director
Tim Deal (alternate)
T.J. May (alternate)

NEHW SIGNINGS AND READINGS:

Open Air Market and Festival

The NEHW will once again have a spot at the Middletown Open Air Market and Festival. It’s happening on Sunday, Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hebron Harvest Fair

The NEHW will once again have a booth at this four day fair. It runs from Sept. 6 through 9.

Rhode Island Comic Con

The NEHW will be at Rhode Island Comic Con on November 3 and 4.

Tantasqua’s Holiday Craft Fair

The NEHW will have tables at the Tantasqua’s Holiday Craft Fair at the Tantasqua Regional Sr. High School in Fiskdale, MA from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on December 1.

WRITING WORKSHOP

From Trisha Wooldridge:

Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester welcomes Spencer Hill Press as they host “There’s Magic in this Writing Workshop” on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spencer Hill Press is a small press out of New Hampshire that specializes in paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy Young Adult, Mid-Grade, and New Adult fiction, with a new imprint, Spence City, opening in October, which will feature urban fantasy.  Founded by Kate Kaynak, author of the acclaimed Ganzfield series, in 2010. Spencer Hill Press’s mission is to grow the careers of quality authors and offering books that have that “can’t put down” quality.

At the “There’s Magic in this Writing Workshop,” owner Kate Kaynak, and senior editor Trisha Wooldridge, will discuss the craft of writing, editing, marketing, and a professional critique of pitches and queries.  Since this is Spencer Hill Press’s first time at Annie’s, they are offering a special price of $50 for the full day workshop with a $10 discount for members of Broad Universe, Worcester Writers Collaborative, New England Horror Writers, and students with valid ID. And a bagged lunch is included! Registration is due by Aug. 8. Sign-up at Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester in person, by phone (508-796-5613), or send an email to info@anniesbookstopworcester.com for information on how to sign-up via PayPal.

Join us from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the full day workshop with Spencer Hill Press.

NEHW WRITING OPPORTUNITIES

From Trisha Wooldridge:

Doorways to Extra Time, a short story anthology, is now accepting submissions.

In our busy world of meetings and microwaves, car radios and cell phones, people always wish they could get an extra hour in the day. What if they could? Doorways to Extra Time is an anthology that explores ways to get extra time (be it an hour, a day, or a decade) and the impact it would have (whether upon a single life, a family or an entire world).We’re looking for stories with a touch of the fantastic—whether mystical, magical, mechanical, or just plain mysterious—but they can be set in any time or any genre: contemporary or historical, science fiction or fantasy, horror or magic realism. We could even find a place for a nonfiction essay if it was truly exceptional. In short, show us something show-stopping, and we’ll make time for you.

Suggested Length: full stories (from 3,000 to 7,000 words) and flash fiction (preferred under 1,000 words). We will accept good stories up to 10,000 words but longer lengths are a harder sell.

Due Date: Oct. 15, 2012

Editors: Anthony Francis and Trisha J. Wooldridge

Submission Guidelines: Please email your submissions to anthology@spencerhillpress.com. Put your story in the BODY of the email (no attachments) and put “DOORWAYS TO EXTRA TIME” in the subject line along with the title.

And now the boring bits: We can only accept previously unpublished stories. Please don’t use characters or material to which you do not own the copyright so Disney doesn’t come sue us—this is not a fan-fiction anthology. Contributor payment will be an advance of $10, a contributor copy of the print edition, and an equal share of the contributors’ portion of the royalties. Please make your work appropriate for a PG-13 audience and avoid gratuitous sex, violence, politics and puns.

For accepted submissions, Spencer Hill Press will take first print and electronic publishing rights, which are exclusive publishing rights for as long as the anthology remains in print. This means that authors will not be able sell or publish their stories elsewhere, and when the rights revert to the authors after the anthology is no longer in print, they will only be able to market the story as a reprint, which in nearly all cases is a harder sell and has a lower pay rate than first print. We at Spencer Hill Press hope that the anthology will have strong sales that will result in healthy royalty payments, but we want authors to go into this with eyes open, knowing how acceptance to one anthology limits the marketing of the same story down the road.

NEHW MEMBER NEWS

From Trisha Wooldridge:

Trisha J. Wooldridge, writing as T. J. Wooldridge, has sold her first mid-grade novel, The Kelpie, to Spencer Hill Press.  The novel will be released December 2013.

In the novel, Heather MacArthur is an 11-year-old who has the “pleasure” of living in a centuries-old castle complete with ghosts and faeries. The problem: Heather MacArthur is an 11-year-old who lives in a castle complete with ghosts and faeries … and now children in the nearby village are going missing.

From Deb Eskie:

Eskie is featured in the next edition of Peep Show, by Short Scary Tales Publications. This is the second publication for her short story, “For the Love of Death.”

From Patrick Rahall:

Rahall and Ashleigh Homon (a.k.a. Ashes von Nitemare) have released Monsters in the Closet on Amazon Kindle and on Amazon as a hard copy.

From Robert Heske:

Heske asks people to visit The Night Projectionist Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/thenightprojectionist and help push it to the 12,000 mark.

The book is also available digitally at comiXology. You can also buy the book at Amazon for a steep discount or it can be bought at the publisher’s website, http://www.studio-407.com.

He is also ramping up for his micro-budget movie to be shot in Massachusetts in the Fall. Visit the website at www.blessidthemovie.com or LIKE the film on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/BlessidTheMovie.

He is starting an IndieGoGo campaign at http://www.indiegogo.com/blessidthemovie and would appreciate any donations or sharing of the link. Your reward will be immortality (Blessid is about a suicidal pregnant woman who discovers her next-door neighbor is over 2,000 years old) and great perks listed on the IndieGoGo page. Although not a horror film, Blessid has a dark undertone and supernatural elements and is being directed by Mass horror makeup artist and special effects wiz Rob Fitz.

Lastly, Bob writes a web comic called IndieCreator on http://www.investcomics.com. Bob has interviewed NEHW member TJ May for the column in the past. He invites you to read his latest column with amazing Massachusetts writer/illustrator/mask maker Duncan Eagleson, who has worked on a variety of iconic comics (Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour). Read it here: http://investcomics.com/features/indiecreator-interviews-duncan-eagleson.

From K. A. Laity:

New publications include:

“The Claddagh Icon.” Short story. Atlantis eBooks/Lite Editions

http://atlantis.lite-editions.com/ebook.php?c&p=28. July 21, 2012.

“Won the lottery! Didn’t see bus.” Micro fiction. Stylo Writing Academy Six

Word Story Competition

http://www.stylowritingacademy.co.uk/Stylo_Writing_Academy/Competition.html. July 3, 2012. Runner-up.

Laity is editing the anthology, Weird Noir, for Fox Spirit Books in the UK.

Space is limited, but if you have a pitch that might fit, let her know ASAP,

katelaity@gmail.com. Stories due Sept. 5.

From Christopher Walsh:

Walsh has some submission acceptance news. His short story, “God Save The Queens,” is about a haunted recording studio in Philadelphia and was accepted by Wicked East Press for inclusion in their anthology Fresh Ground, Coffee House Flash Fiction V3, edited by Jessica A. Weiss.  It should be released in early 2013.

From Rob Smales:

Smales’ story, “Photo Finish,” is included in the anthology, The Ghost is the Machine. This collection is filled with steampunk-inspired ghost stories and includes a story by author Joe Hill. The anthology was edited by Patrick Scalisi and will be released on Aug. 14.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS:

Ed Brzychcy (MA)

Duncan Eagleson (RI)

Rob Smales (MA)

David Birtwell (MA)
Vlad Vaslyn (MA)
Kenneth Heard (RI)
David Macpherson (MA)
Robert Chipman (ME)

– Jason Harris, Editor, the Epitaph: Journal of NEHW
– Stacey Longo, Assistant Editor, the Epitaph: Journal of NEHW