It’s been quite a while since I’ve had the strength to do a What’s New Wednesday post … Better late than never, right? 🙂 This week, I have some great recent bookish announcements and updates for you, and because I’ve been pretty absent, there are some other things I need to share that came out a few months ago. Whoopsies! Other than that, I delve into some of my current obsessions (although, I won’t go into too much detail). So, this post will be short-ish, but chockful of info. I think. Let’s see where it takes me …
Announcements and Updates
Bram Stoker Awards®
First off, I just need to tell the world (again) about the fact that The Bone Carver made it onto the 2020 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot! I’m so excited about the news—excited and happy and just incredibly honored. 😀 And to see my name amongst such talented authors is … WOW! Just thinking about it leaves me speechless (and a teensy tiny bit intimidated). It truly is such an honor and privilege to be nominated a second time, though. So, thank you to everyone who voted for my book. I really appreciate it immensely. 🙂
Check out the entire final ballot here.
Classic Monsters Unleashed
Last year, before all hell broke loose with this pregnancy, I was invited to take part of a super cool anthology called, Classic Monsters Unleashed, edited by James Aquilone! Now, I know I’ve not been quite as productive as I should be, but I pushed myself as hard as I could to get better in order to take part of this fabulous horror anthology.
Thus far, the all-star roster includes some of the biggest names in horror, and features: Jonathan Maberry (Dr. Moreau), Ramsey Campbell (Count Magnus), Lisa Morton (Headless Horseman), Richard Christian Matheson (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), Linda Addison (a character inspired by The Blob), Tim Waggoner (a story inspired by The Wolfman), Maurice Broaddus (Invisible Man), Dacre Stoker (Dracula), John Palisano (a character based on Creature From the Black Lagoon), Rena Mason (a character based on The Mummy), Alessandro Manzetti (Mina Harker) and Mercedes Yardley (Dorian Gray), Owl Goingback (Dracula), Seanan McGuire (Mad Scientists of the classic monsters universe), and yours truly—Monique Snyman (a character inspired by The Fly). 💃
The lineup is still being revealed and there are a lot of things you don’t want to miss out on seeing: the cover art, illustrations, and a whole lot of things. But WOW! It’s an impressive anthology already and I’m thrilled to see my name in a book with some of horror’s finest writers. It’s gonna be so freaking cool. EEEEP!
What’s more is that there will be a submission period for those who’d like to submit their own monster stories! So, if you think you have what it takes, keep your eye out for more news on the Crystal Lake Publishing Facebook page.
OH! And there’s a Kickstarter campaign launching on March 8th. Sign up for a campaign alert. (Subs will open once funded). 🙂
Dead of Winter
On January 26th, 2021, another great horror anthology hit the shelves, but I wasn’t able to pimp it as much as I wanted to … Now that I’m a little better and trying to catch up on life, though, I thought I’d give all my lovely readers a head’s up on getting their hands on Dead of Winter, edited by Lindy Ryan and published by Blackspot Books. If you need some cold in your life, this is the book you want. 😉
DEAD OF WINTER
Eight Chilling Tales to Read Under the Cold Moon
A tinker’s son acquires a cursed soul.
A dying woman is haunted by her own reflection.
An uninvited presence haunts a Christmas seance.
A festive holiday turns macabre.
Despite the twinkling lights and steaming cocoa, the end of the year is the darkest time of the year—a season of short days, long nights, and cold skies. In this special anniversary anthology, the authors of Black Spot Books mix Ye Olde Yuletide hauntings with modern-day holiday horrors to weave a chilling new collection of dark winter tales. From frozen forests stalked by eerie Christmas ghosts to rotting gifts of winter malice, the spirits of Christmas come home for the holidays in the Dead of Winter.
GET YOUR COPY TODAY!
New Contract Signed
Whoohoo! 🥳 In January, I signed a new contract for another project I can’t really discuss yet. It’s big, though, and it features authors from across the world! I’m both hella excited and nervous about this one … Nervous because the first draft needs to be signed off on by the publisher before the baby comes 😱😱😱, but excited because this project is different to anything I’ve done in the past. I’ve seen the cover (EEEEP! It’s gorgeous), the website (AHHHH!), and it’s going to be freaking awesome. I can’t wait to show you guys EVERYTHING. Keep an eye out for more details as they become available. 😉
Website Updates
In between everything book-related and getting ready for the new addition to our family, I’ve been updating the website here and there. For example: I’ve added a Titles I’ve Edited section to the Other Books page on the site, in order to celebrate the books I’ve worked on in the past. I’m sure I’ve missed some books, so please do get in touch if you’re an author I’ve edited and don’t see your book there. Also, because I’m sure some readers would love to get their hands on some of those books. 😉
Furthermore, I’ve seen that some of my links were broken around the site, which I’m systematically fixing. Right now, all the Extras on The Night Weaver Series page is in working order (I’ll add more extras when I have time), and I’m busy putting together some cool stuff for the Dark Country Series page (which will be revealed as we get closer to the publishing date).
There are more books going to be added, so more pages will eventually arrive. Also, I have some interesting ideas I’m trying to incorporate into the website to make it even more fun for readers. 🙂 It’s a work in progress, so we’ll see what happens when. In the meantime, you’re welcome to browse around.
This Week’s Obsessions
TV Shows
The second season of Prodigal Son released in January and it’s really fun. I love the dark humor that the writers incorporate into this show, and Michael Sheen and Tom Payne’s characters really feed off each others’ energies. Definitely give this one a watch if you haven’t already. 🙂
On Saturday mornings, I now watch Jared Padalecki’s new show, Walker, while I’m eating my cereal. The first couple of episodes showed some growing pains, but it’s getting really good now, especially if you need something a little lighter when it comes to cop(-ish) shows. Also, and I hate to admit this, but I was kind of a fan of Walker: Texas Ranger as a kid, so …
Music
The Dark Country albums are just that—darker country music by various artists. It’s what I like to call “perfect driving music”. Also, husband likes it, so that works in my favor. 🙂
I have always enjoyed the True Blood OST, because it encapsulates that Louisiana magical music for me. Whether I’m correct in that assumption or not, I don’t know. I’ve never been to Louisiana (I want to go … badly).
This leads me to King Britt Presents: Sister Gertrude Morgan … I’ve been fascinated with Sister Gertrude Morgan—a poet, artist, musician, and preacher—for years now. I was introduced to her art at first (which I love) and then her music followed, her history came next, and I just find her to be an interesting person. So, of course, I needed to add this older album to my current obsessions, because hey, if you’re in the mood for “folksy”, you gotta add some Sister Gertrude Morgan. 🙂
Wow, that was quite a lot of information!
If you’ve made it this far, thank you! As always, I appreciate it a lot. 🙂 I’ll check in again soon, but for now, I have quite a bit of editing to attend to.
Have a great week, folks,
Monique 🖤
