May News
Hi Everyone,
Happy May! In addition to including Stars Wars Day (the 4th), May is also Weird West Month! This subgenre of westerns intermingled with the fantastical is one of my favorites. To celebrate, I did a brand refresh of Weird West Fiction, a website I run to showcase awesome authors, books and games in the genre. You can check it out here.
I’m happy to report that the Monster Gunslingers game I co-created is near the finish line. Hopefully we’ll have some concrete news in the next few weeks! And because you’re reading this, you’ll be eligible for a giveaway and/or discount related to the game in the near future!
In other news, I will once again offer my 10-week course on speculative fiction at UC San Diego Extended Studies for the summer semester. Student feedback on the course was stellar, I’m pleased to say! If you might be interested in signing up, check in a month or so for registration to open. Alternatively, my popular “Sellable Short Stories” virtual workshop at Reach Your Apex is available on-demand for a limited time. I cover short story and submission tips, along with writing exercises to hone your craft.
Lastly, I have a BIG update coming soon related to a brand-new game. Stay tuned!
Story Updates
I am beyond pleased to be part of this stellar anthology about off-duty Valkyries and their earthly adventures! It’s a dream seeing my name alongside giants in the fantasy genre.
Death Maidens, edited by Henry Herz, includes my story, “Mother Knows Best.” The tale features an incognito Valkyrie who has to make an impossible choice between honor and family. Preorder here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/781858/death-maidens-by-edited-by-henry-herz/.
My anthology, Women of the Weird West, is out next month! It is currently on Netgalley and I’m so happy that early readers are enjoying it so far.
The book showcases 25 original speculative poems and short stories by extraordinarily talented authors. In these pages, you’ll find tales of gunslingers, outlaws, dreamers, and survivors who face overwhelming forces both human and supernatural.
San Diego readers, save the date for Saturday June 20th at 1pm for a launch party at Mysterious Galaxy!
I’m pleased to have been invited to write a weird western story for this fun anthology. Don’t Go for the Vault is a horror anthology centered on bank robberies and heists with a horror twist. The Kickstarter goal was met (thank you to everyone who supported) so look out for this anthology in a few months!
Events
The LA and San Diego Horror Writer Association (HWA) chapters had a fantastic time at the LA Times Festival of Books (left). I also joined a fun sci-fi panel at Verbatim Books last month. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!
Here are my upcoming events:
Mysterious Galaxy signing with Gwendolyn Kiste – Weds, May 13 at 7pm
StokerCon – June 4-7
Creepaway Camp (participating author) – June 29-July 3
Launch Party for Women of the Weird West – Saturday, June 20 at 1pm at Mysterious Galaxy
Comic-Con – July 23-26
Midsummer Scream – August 8
KPBS San Diego Book Festival – August 22
LAcon V, the 84th World Science Fiction Convention – August 27-31
Long Beach Comic Con – September 5-6
Horror on the Mississippi (participating author) – October 1-4
Scream Diego - October
That’s the roundup for this month. I hope May brings you page-turning books, great conversations and lovely spring days!