Year in Writing 2014: Part 1 (with links and cover gallery)

I look back upon 2014 pleased to note that it was a vast improvement over the previous year, writing-wise. For a list of upcoming anthology appearances, please visit Part 2.

My newest available published story is "Suicide by Cop," a dark crime story that deals with a tough subject. It is available to read for FREE right here. Over My Dead Body also includes several of my solve-it-yourself mini-mysteries. This link will take you to the two most recent entries, and on the page you'll find another link for four others.

Also newly published in 2014:

"Glass Caskets" appeared in Cadavers, from Knightwatch Press. Available here. This is a themed anthology about dead bodies. Not zombies (the un-dead), but corpses, stiffs, cadavers! A variety of genres are present. I'd classify my story as dark fantasy. Thanks to G.P. Stratford for selecting my story.

"Reynolds's Tale" appeared in Darker Edge of Desire from Tempted Romance. This is a themed anthology of romantic horror stories, or supernatural sex stories, if you prefer. The authors aim to give you chills and sweats simultaneously. Thank you to Mitzi Szereto for purchasing my story! Available now!

Doug Murano, C.W. LaSart and I met at SoDakCon in May of 2014. Our experience there exceeded all our expectations. We wanted to do something special for the attendees next year, so we collaborated on a multi-author collection. We each chose four reprints that we are very proud of, and each wrote one brand new story exclusive to this collection.

My stories included are: "You Don't Know Jack" and "There's Not A Word For It" from Bedtime Stories for Carrion Beetles; "The Adventure Never Ends," which is exclusive to this collection; and "Ghost Soup" and "A Misadventure to Call Your Own."

To purchase a copy in paperback, click this link.
To purchase a Kindle edition, this one will work.

"Four Houses Down, on the Bad Side of Town" appeared in In Shambles. This anthology features eclectic and eccentric horror stories. Interesting side note: Kevin J. Anderson, probably the most well-know author included, was the editor who purchased my first professional-rate sale back in 2012. Thanks to Jesse Duckworth for purchasing my story. In Shambles is available HERE.

"Clutterbugs" appeared in Strangely Funny II from Mystery and Horror, LLC. This is a loosely-themed anthology of humorous fantasy and horror stories. Thank you to Sarah Glenn for purchasing my story. Extra credit for going all out on the promotional materials, too. I gave away a lot of post cards and book marks for this one! Available here.

2014 got off to a good start (even though the world ended--sort of) thanks to Vignettes From the End of the World from Apokrupha. Part of the QuickLII series of flash fiction, the theme of this anthology is evident from the title. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Literary Fiction and more. My story included is "Carrying On". This book is available in paperback, for Kindle, and in hardcover. Check here for details.

"Methods of Coping" and "Coping Methods" are two different stories using the same characters and same premise. One is (much) longer, one is shorter.

"Methods of Coping" (the longer of the two) appears in Beyond the Nightlight, a young adult horror anthology from A Murder of Storytellers. Thank you to Adrean Messmer for purchasing my story. 

"Coping Methods," along with a poem titled "Neck, Romantic," appears in Black Hills Literary Journal: The Family Issue. Thank you to Black Hills Writers Group (Karen Hall and Charlotte Walling, among others) for purchasing my work.

Thank you for reading!

Adrian

Year in Writing: 2014 (with links) PART 2

I look back upon 2014 pleased to note that it was a vast improvement over the previous year, writing-wise. I will soon share Tables of Contents with three of my favorite authors! More on that later...

My newest available published story is "Suicide by Cop," a dark crime story that deals with a tough subject. It is available to read for FREE right here. Over My Dead Body also includes several of my solve-it-yourself mini-mysteries. This link will take you to the two most recent entries, and on the page you'll find another link for four others. Many thanks to editor Cheri Jung at Over My Dead Body for being great to work with and for providing an outlet for most of my mystery writing.

Stories sold in 2014 (but not yet published) include:

 "Estranged" will appear in Shadows Over Main Street, a themed anthology in which Lovecraftian horror comes to Small Town, USA. Hazardous Press will release this in early 2015. Other contributors include Gary A. Braunbeck, Lucy Snyder, Lisa Morton, Brian Hodge, and many more. I've read a proof copy for contributors cover to cover and I loved it. For more information, you can look here. Thank you to editors Doug Murano and D. Alexander Ward for purchasing my story.


(Not pictured:) "Another Mouth to Feed" will appear in Cranial Leakage II: Tales from the Grinning Skull. A horror anthology tentatively set for second (maybe third) quarter 2015 from Grinning Skull Press. More information coming as we get closer.

"Slay it Forward"will appear in Insidious Assassins, an assassin-themed anthology (crime, horror, humor, and more). Smart Rhino Publications will release this in the first or second quarter of 2015. Other authors include Joe R. Lansdale, Jack Ketchum, and many more. For more information, there's a Facebook page well worth a look. Thank you to editor Weldon Burge for purchasing my story. (Cover not final.)

(Not pictured:) "Atop the Ferris Wheel" will appear in Forgotten Places, a horror anthology featuring authors who are members of The Horror Society. The table of contents is still a secret at this point and the cover has not yet been revealed. However the anthology should be available as early as January 2015. Thank you to editor Henry Snider for accepting my story for inclusion.

"I Can Do What I Need to in the Dark" will appear in Surreal Worlds, a bizarro-horror anthology slated for first or second quarter of 2015 by Bizarro Pulp Press. Other contributors include Steve Rasnic Tem, Bruce Boston, Max Booth III and many more. A complete list of the authors can be found  here. Thank you to Vincenzo Bilof for purchasing my story. (Cover not final.)

I currently have about ten other stories out and under consideration, with a trio of others in various stages of completion.


One final note:
I have a mental "Mt. Rushmore of My Favorite Authors." These are the four writers who I hold most dear. I own a great deal of their work and always enjoy what I read. They inspire me to hone my craft and to try new things. I heartily recommend anything they've written. These four authors are: Joe R. Lansdale, Mort Castle, Steve Rasnic Tem, and Gary A. Braunbeck. A glance back at some of the authors with whom I (will) share Tables of Contents in 2015 should clearly show why I consider 2014 to be a huge Writing success.

I enter 2015 fully energized. I'm sure it will be a year filled with challenges, surprises, and new stories!

Thank you for reading,
Adrian

NOW AVAILABLE! Gruesome Faces, Ghastly Places

HERE is the link to order your copy of Gruesome Faces, Ghastly Places!

NOW AVAILABLE, my collaboration with Doug Murano and CW LaSart.

Each of us included an exclusive never-before-published story, and we each selected four of our best previously published stories for a one-of-a-kind multi-author collection that we hope will serve as a sampler of our work that proudly waves banners for authors of dark fiction, and for authors from South Dakota!

Cover and interior art by Luke Spooner

Read on to see what these authors (who got a sneak peek) had to say about Gruesome Faces, Ghastly Places:

"The official State motto of South Dakota is 'Under God, the people rule.' After reading the stories in Gruesome Faces, Ghastly Places you might decide that a less beneficent entity or two is in charge and that the people seldom rule and often barely survive. In the very best way, this collection...reminds me of the classic "Hitchcock Presents" paperbacks: The horror here initially seems familiar and then takes twists and turns, zigs, zags, and deadfalls into new and ultra-disturbing places. South Dakota will not likely add this title as a guidebook, but if you like traveling with fear as a companion, you'll want this collection of G and G."
-Mort Castle, Bram Stoker Award-winning author and editor.

"These three voices, brought together here like a chorus, are part of the cutting edge of modern horror. Go ahead and turn the page. I dare you. But I will warn you. You're gonna get sliced up. And you'll love it while you bleed. They're that good."
-Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author

Gruesome Faces, Ghastly Places collection to feature South Dakota horror authors

Coming soon: GRUESOME FACES, GHASTLY PLACES, a collection of horror stories by South Dakota authors. It will feature five stories each from Doug Murano (co-editor of Shadows Over Main Street), C.W. LaSart (author of Ad Nauseam) and me, Adrian Ludens (author of Bedtime Stories for Carrion Beetles). Cover art is by Luke Spooner.

Our respective web sites:
http://muranofiction.blogspot.com/
http://www.cwlasart.com/
http://www.carrionhouse.com/
and last but not least,
http://www.adrianludens.com/about.html

Darker Edge of Desire has it's own home page!

Edgar Allan Poe was said to be found wandering the streets of Baltimore in a state of great distress just days before he died. Nurses said that his clothes did not fit, and did not appear to actually belong to him. Poe remained incoherent until his passing. Poe shouted the name "Reynolds!" repeatedly before he died.

"Reynolds Tale" will be included in Darker Edge of Desire, an anthology of dark Victorian erotic horror, edited my Mitzi Szereto.

Coming in October! But visit the web site now for teasers from five of the other stories included, plus bios on the authors, some advance reviews, and more!

Darker Edge of Desire Home Page

SNEAK PEEK: Four upcoming anthology covers!

 Darker Edge of Desire, edited by Mitzi Szereto, will be released this fall by Tempted Romance. You can already pre-order on Amazon. My story, an erotic horror re-imagining of Poe's last days titled "Reynolds' Tale" will be included in this anthology. Final list of contributing authors not yet made public.

Surreal Worlds, edited by Vincenzo Bilof, will be released this fall by Bizarro Pulp Press. My entry, a sad, surreal horror story titled "I Can Do What I Need to in the Dark", joins work by Steve Rasnic Tem, Bruce Boston, John Palisano, Max Booth III, Robin Wyatt Dunn, and many other fine authors. For the full (but unofficial) list, click on the link. 

Shadows Over Main Street, edited by Doug Murano and D. Alexander Ward, will be released this fall by Hazardous Press. My short story, "Estranged" will be included. Lovecraft-flavored horror comes to Small Town, USA in this anthology. Fiction by Brian Hodge, Lisa Morton, Mary SanGiovanni, Lucy Snyder, Rena Mason, and many others. The full (but unofficial) list can be found by clicking the link.

Strangely Funny II, edited by Sarah E. Glenn, will be released this fall by Mystery and Horror, LLC. My humorous fantasy story, "Clutterbugs", will be included. Final list of contributing authors not yet made public.

Also upcoming:

A solve-it-yourself mini-mystery in the July 6th issue of Woman's World. I can almost guarantee your local supermarket will have this!

"Glass Caskets", a dark modern fantasy/horror story, will be included in Cadavers, due near the end of the year from Knightwatch Press/Fringeworks.

"Little Hearse on the Prairie", a weird western I coauthored with my sister, Heidi M. Roth, is slated to appear in the third issue of The Big Adios, in March 2015.

Upcoming Story Appearances

My weird western story, "Little Hearse on the Prairie" will appear in The Big Adios. It is scheduled for March 2015 (Issue #3).

My solve it yourself mini-mystery "Kernel of Untruth" will appear in Woman's World and will appear in the July 6 issue.

My humorous fantasy story, "Clutterbugs" will appear in Strangely Funny II. Out soon! See my home page for a sneak peek at the cover.

My erotic horror story, "Reynolds' Tale", about Poe's final days, will appear in Darker Edge of Desire closer to the end of the year.

My horror/fantasy story "Glass Caskets" will appear in Cadavers, a themed anthology also slated for the end of the year.

Two additional mini-mysteries will soon appear at Over My Dead Body.

I will update with cover speak peeks, tables of contents, and other announcements as they become available.

SoDak Con 2014: Had a Great time!

Had a great time with my fellow South Dakota-based horror authors, C.W. LaSart and Doug Murano, at our booth at SoDak Con 2014. A big thank you to Shareece Tatum, for inviting us! Also thanks to Jessica for putting SoDak Con on my radar. Thanks to my wife Crissy for taking pics! Thanks to the HWA for the banner. Most of all, THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by to purchase a book! We authors were fortunate in that we had two anthologies for sale that Doug and I both had stories in, and another anthology that C.W. and I both had a story in! We had a limited quantity of five different titles and SOLD OUT of all of them! Already looking forward to next year.

"Clutterbugs" in Strangely Funny II, Two New Mini-Mysteries on OMDB!

Strangely Funny II will include my humorous fantasy story, "Clutterbugs". In it, a forgetful sorcerer must contend with his arch-nemesis, who has infiltrated the cast of a reality TV show in order to stage his latest attack. One man's trash is another man's magical talisman in Clutterbugs. More info, including release date and other authors, to be announced soon. For now, here's the cover:

Two new solve-it-yourself mini-mysteries are posted online at Over My Dead Body! They published my mystery story, Monday Mourning at the Curl Up & Dye last year.

Here's the first of two brand new mini-mysteries, Bad Apples.

And here's the second, Whistle A Happy Tune.

Collection Now $1.99 in MANY New Formats

HERE is the link to purchase my collection, Bedtime Stories for Carrion Beetles, in virtually any format you want! Epub, PDF, Mobi, Kindle, and more all available! Best of all, the collection is now only $1.99. I've lowered the price of the paperback from $10.99 down to $8.99 on Amazon.

Three Bits of Exciting News!

I spent some quality time on Smashwords today, formatting Bedtime Stories for Carrion Beetles for a wider audience. Hopefully I will soon be able to announce the book's availability for *your* device. 

I also finished a brand new 5500 word urban fantasy story tentatively titled Balloon Animals this morning. Off to critique group it goes!

HERE is a sneak peek at the cover and author list for Apokrupha's upcoming anthology, Vignettes From the End of the World. All the stories are flash (very, very short) fiction. My contribution is "Carrying On" and may not provide you with the ending you expect! Features several authors with whom I have "shared spines" (been published) with before. Available soon.

450 Free Downloads

Thank you to the 450 people who, according to Kindle's stats, downloaded my collection, Bedtime Stories for Carrion Beetles, during the 48 hours that it was available free. It will be interesting to see if I get any new reviews on Amazon, or any feedback here on my blog, on Facebook, or at my web site as a result.

SoDak Con 2014: I'll Be There!

I'll be doing a panel with fellow South Dakota-based horror authors C.W. LaSart and Doug Murano at SoDak Con, May 30-June 1st! We'll also all be selling and signing books. Doug and I appear in 52 Stitches (Strange Publications) and the upcoming Vignettes from the End of the World (Apokrupha) together, while C.W. and I both have stories in the Stoker-nominated Slices of Flesh anthology. We're going to prove horror authors CAN play nice with others. Thanks to Shareece Tatum and SoDak Con for the invite.

Check the list of Special Guests announced so far!

Check out the official announcement too!

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New Official Web Site

For the latest updates on Adrian Ludens, his writing, upcoming anthology appearances and more, please visit his new official web site:
adrianludens.com
Thanks!