Tag Archives: Cthulhu Fhtagn!

August 14, 2015 · 6:30 pm

Reminder: Reading/signing Sunday at 3 p.m. at Borderlands! Plus Cthulhu Fhtagn! is coming!

So I’m back at home for a solid 18 hours before heading off to San Francisco in the morning. This is a good thing, as San Francisco is awesome. And on Sunday, I’ll be at Borderlands Books at 3 p.m. for a joint reading/signing with Taiyo Fujii, author of Gene Mapper. I’ll likely read from The Venusian Gambit and perhaps from something else, too. If you’re around, I’d love to see you there!

Also, I got this:

It’s so pretty, in a dark and creepy way. Very excited about this one. The anthology got a nice review at Fantasy Literature and a “future treasures” mention at Black Gate. It’s available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and at Word Horde, and comes out tomorrow, Aug. 15.

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August 2, 2015 · 12:00 pm

Reading at Borderlands Books in San Francisco in two weeks

Another handy event reminder for you: Two weeks from today, on Aug. 16,  I’ll be at Borderlands Books in beautiful San Francisco to do a reading alongside Japanese science fiction author Taiyo Fujii. The gig starts at 3 p.m., and given this fantastic store, you’ll want to hang out the rest of the afternoon.

It’s certainly an odd but interesting pairing, as Taiyo writes near future, cutting-edge science fiction. He self-pubbed in Japan a few years ago and saw his debut Gene Mapper shoot to the top of the Amazon charts there. That led to a publishing deal and now the English translation in the U.S. I’ve not read Gene Mapper, but I hear tell it’s a pretty intense, awesome thriller, and you can bet I’m picking up a copy.

As for me, of course, I’ll be talking about the Daedalus trilogy and likely reading a bit from The Venusian Gambit. It’s also worth noting that Cthulhu Fhtagn! comes out the day before the reading, so I may talk that up and read a bit from “On a Kansas Plain” to celebrate that, too.

So if you’re in San Francisco or the Bay Area in general, I’d absolutely love to see you. And if you can’t make it, I urge you to please patronize Borderlands Books and consider becoming a member. It’s a fantastic store and a wonderful focus for the local SF/F community. If you’re not in the area, never fear — they ship! Check ’em out and help the store thrive; alternatively, be sure to buy from your own local booksellers.

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July 27, 2015 · 5:30 pm

Fantasy-Faction interviews me, and I allude to stuff obliquely

TVG-cover-finalThere’s a new interview with me out today from Fantasy-Faction. I talked with the illustrious Dan Hanks — a stand-up guy if there ever was one — about The Venusian Gambit, finishing off the Daedalus series, and what comes next.

I’ve had to kind of tiptoe around that last bit in a number of interviews and such. I can safely say that there’s definitely a something next beyond short stories. In fact, I’m working on it now, and hopefully with out jinxing it, I think it’s some of my best writing. It’s not a continuation of the Daedalus series — that’s a completed story, in my mind, with no pressing need to go back to the setting. It’s new and different.

And that’s all I can say right about now. I’m hopeful there might be more about by September or so. In the interim, I’m gonna write, and you’ll have to hang tight. In the meantime, I do have a story in the Cthulhu Fhtagn! anthology out next month, and it looks like Unidentified Funny Objects 4, which has my “Confessions of an Interplanetary Art Fraud” therein, is due out in the fall.

But that’s all I can say for now. Except for these, which probably doesn’t help unless you do the research to figure out what they are. (Hint!)

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July 23, 2015 · 5:45 pm

Cthulhu Fhtagn! up for preorder on Kindle

Are you prepared for Cthulhu’s rise? That’s a silly question, because much like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody expects Cthulhu…which is funny, since it’s a ginormous octopus-headed, bat-winged, humanoid horror that you really can’t miss.

But I digress.

Cthulhu Fhtagn!, the latest Lovecraft-inspired anthology from uber-editor Ross Lockhart, is now available for preorder on Amazon Kindle. The book of 19 amazing weird tales — from authors such as Laird Barron, Richard Lee Byers, Molly Tanzer and, well, me — comes out August 15. Get in on it! Preorder it! Prepare for the soul-wrenching darkness!

Well, the first two, at least.

If you want it in print, head on over to Word Horde and order direct from the publisher — and get the ebook bundled with it for just $19.99. You’ve spent more on lunch. Heck, I’ve spent more on a single bottle of beer.

As for my story, “On a Kansas Plain,” I won’t say too much except that it’s set in the modern day, and bad things happen. Bad. Things. But you probably already figured that last bit out. As I’ve said before, it’s a bit of a departure for me, but I’m excited to see it among the work of so many other great authors.

August 15. Cthulhu’s coming. Be prepared.

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June 16, 2015 · 5:45 pm

One week to go before The Venusian Gambit is released in audio

Once again, my thanks to everyone who’s been reading and enjoying The Venusian Gambit. I’m really heartened at how well it’s been received, and appreciate everyone who’s taken the time to leave reviews on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, etc. Those things help.

Just as a reminder, the Audible audio release of the final Daedalus novel is coming on June 23 — one week from today. You can pre-order it now and get it all set up in your queue. I’m really glad we kept the narrators on for all three books; they’ve done a really fantastic job.

And one more book note: The folks at SFCrowsnest reviewed the latest issue of Apex Magazine, featuring an excerpt of Gambit, which prompted the reviewer to get the first two books in the trilogy. Job well done, there!

Otherwise, I’m here plugging away. I have some vacation coming up at the end of the month after the Vermont SF Writer’s Series, and I’m working on the Next Thing, which you may hear about later this summer. My Pathfinder serial should be gearing up in a few weeks, and Cthulhu Fhtagn! comes out in August with my short story therein.

Long story short, things are pretty darn good.

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June 5, 2015 · 9:30 am

Unexpected short story successes

I would absolutely love to say that the three short stories I have coming out over the next several months are part of an overarching career plan designed to slowly but inexorably claw my way to the top of the heap of science fiction and fantasy. Or that they represent just a fraction of the creativity spewing from my, er, creativity font.

Yeah…no.

Now, bear in mind: I could not be prouder of these three stories. The first, the Pathfinder story “Crisis of Faith,” will be serialized on Paizo.com in June/July, and it’s a nice dose of classic D&D-style fun. “On a Kansas Plain,” a very sparse, creepy story that I think hits pretty hard, will be in Cthulhu FhtagnI in August from Word Horde. Finally, “Confessions of an Intergalactic Art Fraud” will be in Unidentified Funny Objects 4 in November; this one is pretty antic and insane and, hopefully, funny. They are all very different from each other and from my novels. It would seem I have range as a writer.

But if you think I actually planned all this, that’s not the case. I already explained how “Crisis of Faith” came to be via Twitter, which was a very happy accident indeed. The other two were similarly unplanned, though at least more deliberate.

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April 29, 2015 · 5:45 pm

The cover of Cthulhu Fhtagn! looks awesome. Pre-order now!

Like the Deep Ones slowly crawling up from the depths of the sea, more details have come to light regarding Cthulhu Fhtagn!, the Word Horde anthology of Lovecraft-inspired tales — which includes one of mine, “On a Kansas Plain.”

First off, here’s the cover:

Delightfully creepy and fun, isn’t it? Well done, Word Horde!

Also, the stars will be right on August 15, when Cthulhu Fhtagn! will be released upon an unsuspecting world. You can pre-order both the print version — signed by editor Ross E. Lockhart — and the ePub ebook in a bundle direct from Word Horde for $19.99 — which would be a very cool thing to do, as it would help Ross put out even more great fiction.

The anthology roster can be found here, and it’s a pretty fantastic bunch of writers. We’re talking 19 tales of unnerving goodness. You want this one, folks. Go pre-order it!

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April 19, 2015 · 1:41 pm

The Venusian Gambit makes Library Journal‘s monthly SF/F roundup

TVG-cover-finalI’m very happy to see that The Venusian Gambit made it into Library Journal‘s recent roundup of forthcoming SF/F titles. There’s only a handful of books mentioned out of the several dozen coming out in May, so I was pretty excited to see Gambit in there. My thanks to Megan McCardle and the whole Library Journal crew for once again showing the Daedalus series some love.

Also worth noting within the LJ roundup: A quote from The Clockwork Crown by Beth Cato (she who blurbed Gambit so nicely), and a mention of The Rebirths of Tao by all-around great guy Wes Chu.

And congratulation to Molly Tanzer for her debut novel, Vermilion, named the LJ debut of the month in that same roundup. Fun fact: The Daedalus Incident was the SF/F debut of the month in LJ two years ago. The editor of my debut? Ross Lockhart. The editor of Molly’s debut? Ross Lockhart.

The editor of the Cthulhu Fhtagn! anthology coming out in August with my short story in it? Ross Lockhart.

Ross is now the proprietor of Word Horde and has continued kicking ass and taking names, as you can plainly see. He’s a fantastic editor and all his kudos are well deserved indeed. And I can’t wait to read Vermillion as well — it sounds amazing. Way to go, Molly!

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March 31, 2015 · 5:30 pm

The table of contents for the Cthulhu Fhtagn! anthology

The stars are slowly drifting into alignment, and the eldritch forces behind Word Horde are emitting nigh-incomprehensible gibberings of darkness and madness, waiting for the time, this August, when the Old Ones return.

In other words: Ross Lockhart over at Word Horde has released the table of conents for the upcoming Cthulhu Fhtagn! anthology! And, of course, it’s awesome.

Here’s the list:

Introduction: In His House at R’lyeh… – Ross E. Lockhart
The Lightning Splitter – Walter Greatshell
Dead Canyons – Ann K. Schwader
Delirium Sings at the Maelstrom Window – Michael Griffin
Into Ye Smoke-Wreath’d World of Dream – W. H. Pugmire
The Lurker In the Shadows – Nathan Carson
The Insectivore – Orrin Grey
The Body Shop – Richard Lee Byers
On a Kansas Plain – Michael J. Martinez
The Prince of Lyghes – Anya Martin
The Curious Death of Sir Arthur Turnbridge – G. D. Falksen
Aerkheim’s Horror – Christine Morgan
Return of the Prodigy – T.E. Grau
The Curse of the Old Ones – Molly Tanzer and Jesse Bullington
Love Will Save You – Cameron Pierce
Assemblage Point – Scott R. Jones
The Return of Sarnath – Gord Sellar
The Long Dark – Wendy N. Wagner
Green Revolution – Cody Goodfellow
Don’t Make Me Assume My Ultimate Form – Laird Barron

I’m excited to be in an anthology with so many talented folks, some of whom I’ve met before and some of whom I’m simply a fan. The titles themselves are pretty cool, and I’m particularly looking forward to reading Laird Barron’s piece, as it sounds like something I’d say to my kid after she’s had too much sugar.

We don’t have a cover or release date yet (beyond the fact that it’s in August), but this one looks to be something special regardless. Head on over to Word Horde for more, and do check out the other books on offer while you’re there.

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March 23, 2015 · 5:30 pm

I have a short story in the upcoming Cthulhu Fhtagn! anthology!

Don't worry...the final cover will be slightly more scary.

Don’t worry…the final cover will be slightly more scary.

I am exceptionally pleased and outright stoked to make my first short-story sale announcement, and doubly so because of the topic.

My story, “On a Kansas Plain,” will be included in Cthulhu Fhtagn! from Word Horde, due out in August. The anthology is edited by none other than Ross Lockhart, who did a fantastic job editing The Daedalus Incident for Night Shade Books. So make that triply pleased, because I get to work with Ross again.

This is a bit of a departure for me, as the Daedalus trilogy is very much four-color adventure, but I’ve been a Cthulhu fan ever since I first read Lovecraft’s works in college (and played some pretty intense Call of Cthulhu sessions). Having a go at Lovecraft story was very much on my authorial wish list, so naturally I’m thrilled to put a check mark next to it. I get to do a little homage, I get to stretch my skills a bit…it’s just a win all around.

As Ross put it, “the stars will be right this August” — i.e., that’s when the book comes out, but I don’t have a firm date yet. I’ve seen the list of authors, and while that hasn’t been released publicly, suffice it to say I’m honored to be among them. And the cover art is still preliminary, but I promise it’s suitably dark and foreboding and tentacle-y and has nothing to do with the image above.

I’ll be posting more about the anthology as the stars align and the time draws near….! Fhtagn!

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