GSHW Blog

It Came From the Slush Pile! A Q&A session with best-selling anthology editor, John Joseph Adams At the EAST BRUNSWICK LIBRARY, 2 Jean Walling Civic Center, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 (tel: 732-390-6950).

John Joseph Adams is the editor of many bestselling anthologies, such as Wastelands, The Living Dead (a World Fantasy Award finalist), By Blood We Live, Federations, and The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Barnes & Noble.com named him ―the reigning king of the anthology world,‖ and his books have been named in numerous best of the year lists. He is also the fiction editor of the forthcoming science fiction magazine Lightspeed, and co-host of The Geek‘s Guide to the Galaxy podcast.

The events is scheduled to occur at the next Garden State Horror Writers meeting (OCT 10) located at  the East Brunswick Library, 12 Jean Walling Civic Center, East Brunswick, NJ 08816-3529. The business meeting starts at 11 am, followed by the guest speaker at noon. Non-members welcome. Admission is free.

The GSHW is a multi-genre writers group catering to the needs of writers from all walks of life. Recently, the group hosted presentations by authors such as Pat Lundrigan, Elizabeth Bear, Lawrence C. Connelly, and Robert Dunbar. Membership is $35.00 per year. For information about the group, email president@ghsw.net or visit www.gshw.net.

Writing the Short Story (Without Making Every Mistake There Is)

Dina A. Leacock, who writes under the name Diane Arrelle, has sold more than 100 short stories to anthologies and magazines. She has two published books, Just A Drop In The Cup, a collection of flash fiction and short-short stories and Elements Of The Short Story. She is proud to be a founding member as well as a past president of the Garden State Horror Writers as well as a past president of the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference. She lives on the edge of the Pine Barrens (home of the Jersey Devil) in South Jersey with her husband, two sons and cat.

Visit her website at: http://www.dinaleacock.com

 The events is scheduled to occur at the next Garden State Horror Writers meeting (January 9, 2010) located at  the East Brunswick Library, 12 Jean Walling Civic Center, East Brunswick, NJ 08816-3529. The business meeting starts at 11 am, followed by the guest speaker at noon. Non-members welcome. Admission is free.

The GSHW is a multi-genre writers group catering to the needs of writers from all walks of life. Recently, the group hosted presentations by authors such as Pat Lundrigan, Elizabeth Bear, Lawrence C. Connelly, and Robert Dunbar. Membership is $35.00 per year. For information about the group, call 908-528-3074 or visit www.gshw.net.

Keith DeCandidio speaks on “How to be a Professional Writer (Non-Writing Bits Version)”

Keith R.A. DeCandido

Author/editor Keith R.A. DeCandido discusses the various and sundry elements of having a writing career that have nothing to do with actually writing: time management, career management, relationships with editors and agents, and much more.

Born in the Bronx to a pack of wild librarians, Keith was forced into a career in publishing and over the past two decades he’s been a writer, editor, book packager, musician, TV host, anthologist, podcaster, and karateka.  As the author of over 40 books, his work ranges from novels to comic books to short fiction to eBooks to nonfiction, most in various media universes. In 2005, he novelized Joss Whedon’s Serenity and his recent or forthcoming work includes novels in the Star Trek universe, the ongoing Farscape comic book series, and the StarCraft: Ghost Academy manga series. Keith was recently awarded Grandmaster status from the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers.

Visit Keith’s website at: http://www.decandido.net

The events is scheduled to occur at the next Garden State Horror Writers meeting (OCT 10) located at  the East Brunswick Library, 12 Jean Walling Civic Center, East Brunswick, NJ 08816-3529. The business meeting starts at 11 am, followed by the guest speaker at noon. Non-members welcome. Admission is free.

The GSHW is a multi-genre writers group catering to the needs of writers from all walks of life. Recently, the group hosted presentations by authors such as Pat Lundrigan, Elizabeth Bear, Lawrence C. Connelly, and Robert Dunbar. Membership is $35.00 per year. For information about the group, call 908-528-3074 or visit www.gshw.net.

Ellen Datlow will be speaking about: The Impact of the Economy on the Current Editing Climate.

About Ellen: http://ellen_datlow.livejournal.com ’s cabinet is crammed with trophies (including nine World Fantasy awards). The latest addition to her collection is this year’s Hugo Award for Best Editor – Short Form.

The events is schedule to occur at the next Garden State Horror Writers meeting (SEPT 12) located at  the Monmouth County Library, 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan, NJ 07726 (opposite Target). The business meeting starts at 11 am, followed by the guest speaker at noon. Non-members welcome. Admission is free.

The GSHW is a multi-genre writers group catering to the needs of writers from all walks of life. Recently, the group hosted presentations by authors such as Pat Lundrigan, Elizabeth Bear, Lawrence C. Connelly, and Robert Dunbar. Membership is $35.00 per year. For information about the group, call 908-528-3074 or visit www.gshw.net.

THE GSHW PRESENTS: Have I Got Muse For You! with award-winning writer Mike Penncavage

Join New Jersey writer, Mike Penncavage (winner of the 2009 Derringer Award), for a writing workshop packed with tips and techniques on where to find ideas for stories, and how to use them.
 
The events is schedule to occur at the next Garden State Horror Writers meeting (JULY 11) located at  the Monmouth County Library, 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan, NJ 07726 (opposite Target). The business meeting starts at 11 am, followed by the guest speaker at noon. Non-members welcome. Admission is free.

The GSHW is a multi-genre writers group catering to the needs of writers from all walks of life. Recently, the group hosted presentations by authors such as Pat Lundrigan, Elizabeth Bear, Lawrence C. Connelly, and Robert Dunbar. Membership is $35.00 per year. For information about the group, call 908-528-3074 or visit www.gshw.net.

GREGORY FROST will talk about “The Muse and Where to Find Her: Some Advice on Writing” at the next Garden State Horror Writers meeting at the Monmouth County Library, 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan, NJ. The business meeting starts at 11 am, followed by the guest speaker at noon. Admission is free.

The GSHW is a multi-genre writers group catering to the needs of writers from all walks of life. Recently, the group hosted presentations by authors such as Pat Lundrigan, Elizabeth Bear, Lawrence C. Connelly, and Robert Dunbar. Membership is $35.00 per year. For information about the group, call 908-528-3074 or visit www.gshw.net.

Frost is a writer of fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers. His latest work is the fantasy duology, SHADOWBRIDGE, published by Del Rey Books. Booklist, in a starred review, praised the first volume, saying, “Frost has created a world containing all manner of fantastic story.” Gary K. Wolfe in Locus Magazine added: “Surpassingly lovely prose…Frost could be on his way toward a masterpiece.” The American Library Association included it on their 2009 Best Genre Fiction reading list.

The second book, Lord Tophet, garnered Publishers Weekly’s coveted starred review: “Frost brings the charm of an ancient storyteller and the wit of a contemporary tale-spinner to this dramatic tale, effortlessly manipulating his troupe of mortals and immortals and bringing the truths and myths of Shadowbridge equally to life.” The Fantasy Book Critic called it “one of the few must-read fantasies of the year.”

His previous novel was the historical thriller, Fitcher’s Brides, from Tor Books, a re-imagining of the fairy tale of Bluebeard that was a finalist for both the World Fantasy Award and the International Horror Guild Award for Best Novel.

His short story collection, Attack of the Jazz Giants and Other Stories, also received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called it “one of the best fantasy collections of the year” while hailing the author as a master of the short story form. His short stories have appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov’s Magazine, Weird Tales, Realms of Fantasy, and in numerous award-winning anthologies. Recent work includes “Late in the Day,” in the December 2008 Realms of Fantasy; “The Final Act,” in Ellen Datlow’s Poe: 19 New Tales of Suspense anthology commemorating the bicentennial of Poe’s birth; and “The Bank Job,” in an unreleased werewolf anthology edited by Darrell Schweitzer, due out in 2010.

Frost is one of the Fiction Writing Workshop Directors at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA. His web site is www.gregoryfrost.com and his blog is”Frostbites,” at http://frostokovich.livejournal.com

The Garden State Horror Writers  is pleased to announce the upcoming appearance of Hugo and Locus  award-winning author, Elizabeth Bear, at their April 11th  meeting at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in  Manalapan. Bear, an important new voice in the science fiction and fantasy field, will be presenting a talk on “World Building  & How Writers Get Their Ideas” and will follow up with a signing of her books. The meeting is open to the public and begins at noon.
 
Debuting in 2005, Bear is known for the SF Thrillers Hammered  (which won the Locus Award for Best First Novel), Scardown, and Worldwired, all part of the Jenny Casey Trilogy. Set in 2062, the series follows the gritty adventures of Jenny Casey,  formerly of the Canadian Special Forces, as she faces mean streets filled with drugs, gangs, and warfare in virtual reality. Bear is also the author of the popular Promethean Age Series, an urban fantasy set in contemporary and historical  settings. Blood and Iron begins a saga that follows the Faerie Court in its battle with Human Mages for control over Earth’s destiny. Other novels of note are her stand alone SF novels,  Carnival and Undertow, as well as Norse fantasies A Companion to Wolves and All the Windwracked Stars. Along with two short story  collections, Bear’s award-winning short fiction has been  published in many genre publications, with “Tideline” winning  the coveted Hugo award for Best Short Story in 2008. Visit her  website at www.elizabethbear.com to find out more information.

Lunacon.org
Various GSHW Members will be speaking on a wide variety of topics at Lunacon 3/20-3/22.
Speakers: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Gary Frank, Neal Levin, Hildy Silverman

Track Start Time End Time Room
Gaming 3/21/2009 2:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 3:00:00 PM Odelle
Title:  Religions in a Gamer’s World
Description:  Flesh out your game with viable-sounding religions, rather than the cookie cutter ones we see in the manuals. Actually, not much is said in the manuals on religion, cults, folkways, etc. For instance, your cleric might worship the assassin’s god of sophisticated death, or the Elvish grass and nut maidens who provide forage for animals of the forest. You’d want some kind of pantheon, as well as knowledge of how to please your deity/ies and invite him/her/it/them to listen to your prayer/invocation/ritual.
Participants:  Alexandra Honigsberg, Neal Levin, James Daniel Ross, Jane T. Sibley[M],

 
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Gaming 3/21/2009 4:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 5:00:00 PM Poplar
Title:  Game Designers’ Roundtable
Description:  Game designers of various RPGs talk about particular challenges of design and worldbuilding.
Participants:  Leigh Grossman, Neal Levin, Aaron Rosenberg[M], James Daniel Ross,

 
Sunday Total Events This Day: 2 
Track Start Time End Time Room
Gaming 3/22/2009 1:00:00 PM 3/22/2009 2:00:00 PM Poplar
Title:  A Tribute to Gary Gygax
Description:  The biggest name in the development of roleplaying games, and one of the few recognizable names in a low-profile field, Gygax was always a lightning rod for many people’s views about gaming, both from inside and outside the field. A look back at Gygax’s life and influence on the field.
Participants:  Neal Levin, Aaron Rosenberg, James Daniel Ross,

 
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After Dark 3/22/2009 12:00:00 PM 3/22/2009 1:00:00 PM Brundage B
Title:  E-Publishing Seminar
Description:  There’s growing e-book market for paranormal romance, fantasy, and science fiction. What should writers (and readers) know about the way the e-book field is developing?
Participants:  Bianca D’Arc, Michele Lang[M], Neal Levin, Jim Minz,
 
Saturday Total Events This Day: 1 
Track Start Time End Time Room
Literature 3/21/2009 2:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 3:00:00 PM Elija Budd
Title:  The Broad Universe (BU) Rapid Reading
Description:  Broad Universe is a woman’s organization founded to promote the works of women authors in the speculative genres. A variety of BU members will read 5-10 minutes of their work, followed by Q&A. Participants include Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Sarah Avery, Racheline Maltese, April Grey, and Gail Z. Martin
Participants:  Danielle Ackley-McPhail,
 
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Literature 3/21/2009 2:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 3:00:00 PM Brundage B
Title:  Ghosts in Fantasy
Description:  Why should ghosts frighten us? Are we prejudiced against the metabolically challenged? Where do we get our ideas of ghosts? What different conceptions of ghosts do we see in folklore, literature, and media?
Participants:  Pauline Alama[M], Ginjer Buchanan, Gary Frank, Marvin Kaye,

 
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Literature 3/21/2009 6:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 7:00:00 PM Brundage A
Title:  What’s Next When the Zombies are Gone?
Description:  Now that even Jane Austen characters are fighting zombies, have they jumped the shark? What will take their place in pop culture if the thundering herds of zombies go the way of the passenger pigeons.
Participants:  Gary Frank, Kim Paffenroth, Steven Sawicki[M], Micah Schneider,

 
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After Dark 3/21/2009 9:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 10:00:00 PM Brundage A
Title:  What Would Cthulhu Do?
Description:  Fascination for all things Lovecraftian extends to many people who have never read Lovecraft - such as the audience for the satirical advice column DEAR CTHULHU. What is it about Cthulhu that resonates so well to a twenty-first century audience?
Participants:  Gary Frank, Kim Paffenroth, Nick Pollotta, Patrick Thomas[M],

 
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Craft of Writing 3/21/2009 10:00:00 AM 3/21/2009 11:00:00 AM Brundage B
Title:  The Future of Short Fiction
Description:  There have been troubling signs recently, like the loss of Realms of Fantasy, F&SF switching to a bi-monthly schedule, and declining subscriptions. At the same time, there’s the rise of online magazines, the recent rebirth of anthology series, and more. How is the short fiction landscape in SFF changing.
Participants:  Linda Anfuso, Neil Clarke[M], Marvin Kaye, Hildy Silverman, Shane Tourtellotte,

 
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Business of Writing 3/21/2009 12:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 1:00:00 PM Grand North
Title:  Magazine Editors’ Roundtable
Description:  What are magazine editors looking for, what are they seeing too much of, what annoys them, and what makes some writers a pleasure to work with.
Participants:  Christopher Cevasco, Neil Clarke, Marvin Kaye, Hildy Silverman, Gordon Van Gelder[M],

 
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Literature 3/21/2009 4:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 5:00:00 PM Grand South
Title:  Revisionist Fairy Tales & Other Retellings
Description:  Why are authors drawn to retelling familiar tales? What makes a retelling creative enough to attract interest even from those who know the original?
Participants:  Alma Alexander, Sam Butler, Josepha Sherman, Hildy Silverman[M],

 
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Science & Technology 3/21/2009 5:00:00 PM 3/21/2009 6:00:00 PM Odelle
Title:  Online Learning
Description:  Weren’t we all supposed to be educated from home in our own private learning pods by now? A look at what’s going on in online learning in various environments (academic, business, etc.).
Participants:  Kevin DiVico, Hildy Silverman[M], Elisabeth Waters,

 
Sunday Total Events This Day: 1 
Track Start Time End Time Room
Media 3/22/2009 1:00:00 PM 3/22/2009 2:00:00 PM Bartell
Title:  Is LOST Lost?
Description:  So, was the addition of time travel to the series helpful or shark bait?
Participants:  Kathleen O’Shea David[M], Kim Kindya, Perrianne Lurie, Hildy Silverman,

Author of “Classic” Horror Novel to Discuss Folklore

Legends linger in the dark places of the earth, legends as old as fear itself.

At noon on Saturday, November 8, 2008, Robert Dunbar (author of THE PINES) will appear at the Monmouth County Library in Manalapan, New Jersey to address a meeting of the Garden State Horror Writers. He will give a talk entitled “Real Folklore/True Fiction.” Dunbar – who has two novels being published in the next few months as well as a collection of short stories – has based much of his work on indigenous American myths. Real Folklore/True Fiction will address the social and psychological realities underlying many cherished legends … and their uses in crafting meaningful contemporary literature.

THE PINES was the first novel to explore the lore of the Leeds Devil (one of America’s oldest oral myth traditions), and though heavily expurgated, it created something of a sensation. This year – just in time for Halloween – Leisure Books will release THE PINES in its first unabridged paperback edition. “Publication of this restored edition gives the book’s current fans cause to rejoice,” raved Weird New Jersey Magazine, “and will help Dunbar’s powerful novel find the place it deserves among the classics of modern horror.”

What inspired the book? “I practically grew up on the legend of the Jersey Devil,” explains writer Robert Dunbar. “I heard the stories everywhere as a kid, on every camping trip. Every summer at the shore.” Over the years, THE PINES has attained a fiercely partisan following (making it a “cult” favorite among horror fans) and garnered the kinds of reviews most authors only dream about. The Philadelphia Inquirer called it “dark, foreboding, menacing, eerie … seductive.” And Delaware Valley Magazine said it was “not only a superb thriller but a masterpiece of fiction.”

Was he surprised by the reviews? “Hardly. The American horror novel represents a venerable tradition, founded on the works of literary giants like Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville,” says Dunbar. “In other words, it’s meant to be serious art. Scary but serious. Hey, I’m on a quest here. It’s only recently has horror literature has been ghettoized as pulp fiction. I mean to fix that.” This new paperback edition of THE PINES will be the definitive version, with all previously censored material restored.

Dunbar has been a poet and a playwright. He has worked for a wide variety of newspapers and magazines and has also written and produced for television. He has often lectured at schools and libraries and has been a guest on numerous television and radio programs, discussing both THE PINES and THE SHORE (a sequel also due out shortly in paperback), which moves the action from the pine barrens to a New Jersey beach town. For more information about Robert Dunbar’s work, visit his website at www.DunbarAuthor.com.

Mundania Press
Cincinnati, OH
Publication Date: August 2008
Cover Art: Lynn Perkins and Christina Yoder
Cover Design: Danielle McPhail
Trade Paperback: 1594264082
E-Book: 1594264074
$14.00, 6 x 9, 000 pages

http://www.mundania.com/books-tomorrowsmemories.html

Havoc…Destruction…Revenge…

With triumph heavy on their hearts, Kara O’Keefe and the survivors from the battle atop Yesterday’s Dreams rush to Ireland and Tír na nÓg, carrying with them a weapon feared by gods and men. There they seek solace and healing for their warriors, and a miracle for Patrick, Kara’s father, mortally wounded in the battle.

What they find is a siege of ancient enemies. Carmán’s children have returned, united with a foe from the very dawn of the Tuatha de Danaan. Their combined forces threaten to be more than the immortal Sidhe and their human allies can combat.

Still coming to grips with her magical heritage, Kara must once more face ultimate evil and help to save the immortal bloodline from which she is descended.

Now announcing the official release of Tomorrow’s Memories (Mundania Press, September 2008)
This is the long-awaited sequel to Yesterday’s Dreams, an urban fantasy based on Celtic Mythology.

If you would like to order the eBook or Pre-Order a print copy, click the link above. You can also learn more about the book at that link, or at www.sidhenadaire.com/books/TM.htm.

For anyone that purchases a copy of the book through the Mundania site, if you are attending Philcon (www.philcon.org) bring your receipt and your copy of the book and you will receive a free raffle ticket and the opportunity to win a replica Scottish claymore at the book’s official launch party (see below). To learn more specific details of the launch party an raffle, please visit www.sidhenadaire.com/promoTM.htm.

Prize donated by Griffon’s Claw Armoury (www.griffonsclaw.com)
Holder of the Winning Ticket must be present at the time of the drawing and also must have photo id displaying proof of age as the nature of the prize requires the winner be 18 years of age or older.

Thank you, and we return you to your regularly scheduled programming…

Danielle Ackley-McPhail