Life of the Dead, Released!

Everything has finally come together for "Life of the Dead," and I am pleased to announce its official release.  It is currently available for the kindle, and the print version should be on Amazon soon.  Also, you can always buy copies from Martinus Publishing for $12, which is 95 cents off the regular retail price.  As for ebooks, this volume will be exclusive to the kindle, as a kdp select version.

Check out the Kindle Version Here!

There are some really great stories in this collection, and it's not just a bunch of typical horror zombie stories.  These stories are very character driven, with elements of sci-fi that make them quite fun to read.  Speaking as someone who isn't the biggest fan of the "zombie" genre, these stories are really good.

Want to read a sample?  Check out Joseph Conat's contribution, Tickity-Tock, a different kind of detective story!

Don't let the cover fool you; this isn't just zombie stories.  A lot of the tales deal with death in other ways.  Check out the tableof contents for an added feel for the storylines.

Life of the Dead Stories and Pre-Order Offer

The final formatting for Life of the Dead is now complete, so the book is available for pre-order.  It's only $12, so reserve your copy today here.

Of course, I'm sure you'd like to learn a little more about the contents, so here's the story list, along with brief descriptions:

1:  Living Ever After –by Emily Swaim

When the plague of death infects humanity, Evelyn Lifor fights for a cure, but not everyone wants to be cured.

2:  Last Request –by Edmund Wells

An undead comedian runs afoul of angry country folk, and has one last shot at the spotlight.

3:  Stiffed –by Ken MacGregor and Kerry G.S. Lipp

Jason wakes up dead, but for how long?

4:  Death Insurance –by L. Rigdon

After a fatal accident, Samuel Hinkley finds that his death insurance premium has been misplaced by computer error, forcing him to wade through a sea of bureaucracy to claim his rightful rest.

5:  The Future –by Mark Olivares

Amidst the zombie apocalypse, there lurks a new sort of hunter.

6:  Tickity-Tock –by Joseph Conat

Detectives are on the hunt for a criminal intent on utilizing zombies as a deadly weapon.

7:  Girls Gone Dead –by James S. Dorr

Undead models make a modest profit for this professional photographer.

8:  And Then There Were None –by Karl G. Rich

Years beyond the zombie wars, a top-secret research group hunts for answers amidst the Siberian permafrost.

9:  Cure –by Jay Wilburn

To defeat the zombie menace, great sacrifices must be made, and the cure could be a deadly one!

10:  The Miracle of Death –by Edmund Wells

When an eccentric old doctor promises the story of a lifetime, one ambitious young reporter seeks to make a name for herself.

11:  Zombie Zoo –by Tim Mucci

On a distant colony world, the remnants of the great zombie plague remain as a fading attraction to space-faring tourists.

12:  The Shombie Apocalypse –by Neal Wooten

Questions and controversy plague a society where only women are affected by the zombie affliction.

13:  Dead Thoughts –by Ross Baxter

A legendary crime boss hires a college student to perform a controversial experiment on his zombified daughter—to unlock her dead thoughts!

14:  Z1 –by JL Mo

The Sauntess race came to Earth with the promise of peace, only to infect mankind with a deadly virus, one they are desperate to cure.

15:  Just Another Friday Night –by David Greske

A macabre ensemble gathers for drinks and poker at the local cemetery.

16:  The Quantum Dead –by Larry Hinkle

Theoretical physics play a role in explaining the lives and motivations of the undead.

17:  Dread Man Walking –by Barry Rosenberg

Cursed with a horrible disease, one scientist develops a lethal cure for himself.

18:  Beau –by Lauren A. Forry

What happens to man's best friend when the zombie apocalypse strikes?

19:  Soul Tracker –by Dan Gainor

A science-fiction epic of alien worlds, conjoined souls, and one man's quest to become the ultimate warrior.

There you have it in a nutshell.  When you're ready to buy, head over to the book's description page and click the handy paypal link.  Shipping is free for delivery in the USA.

Life of the Dead Update & Contents

It has been far too long since I posted to the blog, as work and life's many activities keep me busy.  Much is happening, and time seems to get away from me at this time of year.

The final formatting for the Life of the Dead anthology is nearing completion, and I can safely say that the collection of stories will be published in July.  I’m sorry to say it will be 1 story shorter than I had planned, as someone who promised me a story ended up bailing on me.  Even without that final addition, we’re still looking at over 90,000 words, as a couple of these selections are lengthy.

So, here is the final table of contents:

1:  Living Ever After –by Emily Swaim

2:  Last Request –by Edmund Wells

3:  Stiffed –by Ken MacGregor and Kerry G.S. Lipp

4:  Death Insurance –by L. Rigdon

5:  The Future –by Mark Olivares

6:  Tickity-Tock –by Joseph Conat

7:  Girls Gone Dead –by James S. Dorr

8:  And Then There Were None –by Karl G. Rich

9:  Cure –by Jay Wilburn

10:  The Miracle of Death –by Edmund Wells

11:  Zombie Zoo –by Tim Mucci

12:  The Shombie Apocalypse –by Neal Wooten

13:  Dead Thoughts –by Ross Baxter

14:  Z1 –by JL Mo

15:  Just Another Friday Night –by David Greske

16:  The Quantum Dead –by Larry Hinkle

17:  Dread Man Walking –by Barry Rosenberg

18:  Beau –by Lauren A. Forry

19:  Soul Tracker –by Dan Gainor

I plan to have some tag lines for each story to describe their content in the next week or two.  As intended, most of these stories have a science-fictional element, and aren’t your typical zombie gore-fest (though there are still elements of horror and the horrific, obviously).

Pre-orders for Life of the Dead will open up toward the end of June.

Cover art by Tito Miranda

Closing Early

This is something that an editor never likes to do.  I'm sorry to say that I must call an early end...

I'll give you all a minute to take a deep breath.

Feeling better?  Okay, as I was saying, I'm afraid I must call an early end to the submissions period for Life of the Dead.

This is actually a good thing.  There have been so many qualified submissions for this anthology that I could have put together 2 books!  As good as it is to have a wide variety to choose from, it is also a bit sad in the fact that I have to say no to so many worthy authors.

The last month has been crazy, with submissions flowing in left and right.  At this point, I have pretty much all of the material that I need, and it would be unfair to ask people to keep sending in submissions, knowing that I really can't use any more.  There are a couple of slots left that aren't "locked down," but there are several stories vying for those slots, and unless something incredible comes in soon, I'll have to make the final selections.

The new submissions deadline for Life of the Dead is April 30, 2014.  If you happen to have something exceptional, send it along, but keep in mind the competition is fierce.  Some hard sci-fi would have the best chance of winning out at this point, just FYI.

The date of publication is now set for early July 2014.

Dead Anthology to Come

Horror generally hasn't been my genre, and I honestly will never be a fan of the gory slasher flicks that are a dime a dozen.  However, amidst the slew of slush are some really intelligent tales of suspense, sci-fi horror, and fantastic terror tales that contain more than blood and gore.  I've had the pleasure of reading several such pieces in recent months from very talented writers, and as a Sci-Fi & Fantasy publisher, I feel like putting some things together for those of you who tend toward the macabre.

For my first foray into the darker side of publishing, I'd like to announce the "Life of the Dead," anthology, a collection of logical and suspenseful Undead stories.  Yes, Zombies have been done to death, yet for some inexplicable reason they have staying power at the moment.  The zombie craze has yet to die down, so I'll put together my own take on the sub-genre.

What I'm after:  I'd like to see some originality to the stories, something that isn't just a rehash of Night of the Living Dead, or similar low-budget bloodbaths.  I'm after stories that add a sense of logic to the zombie phenomenon, stories that trend toward Sci-Fi.  Give us some science behind them, or show us a new side of zombies that we don't generally see.  Basically, show me more than just yahoos blasting living dead with shotguns.  As the title implies, I'd like to see the life of the dead.  Are they really all about eating brains, or is there something deeper?  Explore the possibilities.

Check out the complete submission guidelines here.

There you go, another great Martinus Publishing Anthology to look forward to.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go clean my Mossberg, just in case...