New Columns

 

Over at Horror World, I devote my column to a review of Stephen King's new novel Joyland. Read it here, if you're so inclined. 

And my weekly newspaper column tackles reader mail. It's on page 2.

The Long Rotting Arm of the Law

I write a column every quarter for Horror World, and the new one just went up. It's all about the writing of The Dead Sheriff. Check it out here.

Columns and Comics

While it’s still up, here the link to the current edition of the Ashland Beacon. My weekly column is on page 9, and it’s sort of about Chiller Theater, the monster movie showcase that ruled the Saturday night’s of my youth.

Also, I have a new column up at Horror World. You can read it here.

Our editor on Dead Earth: Sanctuary has returned the first round of suggestions on the novel. I’ll be going over those this week.

I’ve had an issue this week with my eyes which requires medication. It’s interfered with my reading. When I can read, I’ve been perusing graphic novels, a mixture of new and old stuff.

The old is mostly made up of my favorite era in comics: 1970s Marvel. It was a time where some incredible work was produced with apparently very little editorial supervision. That’s very much the opposite of how the big two seem to operate these days, where nearly every story beat seems to be planned out by executive committee. Both periods produced some real dreck, but the current era seems to be more craptacular. Of course, I’m old. So take this for what it’s worth.

Reboot/restarting an entire line of comics (as DC did last year, and Marvel is rumored to be doing) seems like such a cop out. I can’t argue with DC’s great success with their retooling of their books, yet rather than say “We’re in a rut. We have no good Superman stories left to tell”, why not find creators who are excited to take a shot at those iconic characters? You should never run out of good stories. Find better writers. Turn them loose. Tell your editors to take the broomsticks out of their collective ass, and have some fun again.

New Column At Horror World

My new Horror World column--titled "The Three Scariest Words"--is up now. You can read it here.

New Column

My latest Horror World column is up and ready for your eyeballs. You can read it here.

Looking At A Free Book

Horror World, my home away from home, is giving away a signed copy of my new collection Looking at the World With Broken Glass in My Eye.

To enter the drawing, sign up here.

I'll be happy to inscribe the book to the winner.

Inspiration, Motivation and Masturbation

I have a new column up now at Horror World. You can read it here.

Pod of Horror Message Board

It just went up at Horror World. Do drop by with your questions and comments and random observations.

Later today, I hope to be back here to tell you that the new episode of Pod of Horror is at long last available for your listening pleasure.

Commenting on Horror

I am now a columnist for Horror World, rotating every three or four months with the site's other, far more talented contributors.

You can read my first offering (at least through this month) right here.

More Mark

Bulletin: Horror World has run out of people to interview. The evidence is right here.

(Thanks to Steve Wedel for asking some great questions.)

First Sale of 2008: Legends of The Mountain State 2

Editor Michael Knost has accepted my story "Dancing in Time to the Beating Heart of the World" for the second volume of his Legends of the Mountain State series ("The Way Home" was in the first volume). This story concerns the ghost of a nurse who haunts the halls of a hospital in Huntington, WV.

I'm jazzed about being a part of a lineup that includes Gary Braunbeck, Lucy Snyder, Jonathon Maberry, Brian Freeman, Michael Laimo, Rob Darnell, Maurice Broaddus, Steven Shrewsberry, Bob Freeman, Mary Sangiovanni, Nate Kenyon, Nate Southard and Brian J. Hatcher.

The book is scheduled for publication in October.

I also have a list in the upcoming Horror Book of Lists, edited by Amy Wallace, Scott Bradley and Del Howison. I believe it, too, is scheduled for October. There's an array of big name contributers in this one, and then there's me. I have to call my Mom and tell her I'm in a book with Stephen King!

***

The talented Steve Wedel interviewed me today for the February edition of What's On Board, Horror World's free newsletter. If you want to read it, just sign up here. In the interview I talk about my writing, Pod of Horror, why Stephen King will never be on the show and the kind of underwear Nanci Kalanta wears.

Okay, one of those statements is false, but you'll have to read the interview to find out which one.

Mr. Hands

My review of Gary Braunbeck's new novel can be found over at Horror World.