Shroud Update!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I just wanted to post a brief update.  Over the past few weeks I've travelled to and from San Francisco, been swamped with a work project, and working on my Masters degree.

I am in the process of catching up with the following:

1.  Author payments and contributor copies;
2.  Filling orders;
3.  Gathering content for the Shroud Digital Edition;
4.  Working on Shroud 11;
5.  Working on some big guest announcements for AnthoCon 2011.

Please, if you have any concerns or questions, feel free to shoot me an email.

The holidays are an extremely busy time for us here at Shroud as I am sure they are for you too.

Thank you!

Tim Deal
Owner/Publisher

Free Swag Halloween Weekend!

All weekend,, beginning now, receive a free fabric book bag with any order from the Shroud site. These make perfect shopping bags as well, and with the distinctive haunted house logo, you'll be sure to attract a few stares as you hand it to the grocery store bagger.

Tailor-made* to fit two six-packs of Schlitz Bull Ice Malt Liquor, a box of frozen White Castle cheeseburgers, and four bags of Doritos.  I like Taco Flavor, how about you?

But seriously, buy anything and get a FREE tote-bag.  Plus, I'll ship all in-stock items priority mail on Monday Morning.  Out-of-stock items will ship as soon as they become in-stock.  Am I making myself clear?  Just do the math.

Order here today!

*This is an outright lie.  This is a standard-sized fabric bag, probably churned out in crappy overseas factory somewhere by eight-year-old kids chained to glue guns or whatever.  But it's free.

Anthology 2011 Conference Welcomes Jonathan Maberry, Rick Hautala!

Though the event is more than a year-away, we've already been fortunate enough to secure a stellar list of special guests and attendees for Shroud's Anthology 2011 Conference.  Among them, is New York Times Bestselling author, Jonathan Maberry. Mr. Maberry is a multiple Bram Stoker Award winner, a freelance comic book writer, and recently penned the novelization of THE WOLFMAN film, starring Benicio del Toro.

Maberry's wildly successful novel, Patient Zero: A Joe Ledger Novel, is a bioterrorism thriller that launched a new series for St. Martin's Press, and was followed in 2010 by The Dragon Factory. In 2011 Joe Ledger returns again in the third installment, The King of Plagues. The first three books in the series have been optioned by producer Michael De Luca (Se7en, Magnolia, Blade) on behalf of Sony.

We are thrilled to have Jonathan Maberry in attendance and participating in several panels and workshops.

Rick Hautala has offered a firm commitment to attend as well.  Rick Hautala has more than thirty published books to his credit, including the million copy, international best-seller Nightstone, as well as Twilight Time, Little Brothers, Cold Whisper, Impulse, and The Wildman. He has also published four novels—The White Room, Looking Glass, Unbroken, and Follow—using the pseudonym A. J. Matthews. His more than sixty published short stories have appeared in national and international anthologies and magazines. His short story collection Bedbugs was selected as one of the best horror books of the year in 2003.

A novella titled Reunion was published by PS Publications in December, 2009; and Occasional Demons, a short story collection, is due in 2010 from CD Publications. He wrote the screenplays for several short films, including the multiple award-winning The Ugly Film, based on the short story by Ed Gorman, as well as Peekers, based on a short story by Kealan Patrick Burke, and Dead @ 17, based on the graphic novel by Josh Howard.

We are absolutely honored to have Rick join us at Anthology 2011!

The guest list is growing.  Stay tuned to the blog for more announcements!

ANTHOLOGY 2011: A Sneak Peek

By this time, you may have seen a stray Tweet or Facebook post that suggested that Shroud is hosting a con in 2011.  The fact is, Mark Wholley, Danny Evarts, and John Morse and I had been discussing the possibility since returning from Context in Ohio earlier this year.  We realized that with all of the expense, effort, and stress that went into attending cons, Shroud could quite reasonably host one and achieve many of the same goals.

Mark came up with the name, "Anthology."  It is a word that we are all very familiar with.  A collection of stories from different authors, and sometimes expanded to include other forms of art as well.

Anthology 2011 (or "AnthoCon") will showcase the creative brilliance of authors and artists within imaginative genres including (but not limited to) Horror, Mystery, Noir, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Historical, Steampunk, Bizzaro, and the convergence of art and literature within these genres in graphic novels, comics, and games.


Here are some of the details:


WHEN IS IT?

November 11-13, 2011 (Veteran's Day weekend)

WHERE IS IT?

Best Western Wynwood Hotel & Suites

580 US Route 1, Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801
Phone/Fax: 603.436.7600

And,

The Roundabout Diner and Lounge (adjacent to the hotel)

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

 In our planning discussion, we quickly agreed on a few key principles:

1.  The conference would encompass a variety of genres;
2.  It would provide an enriching experience for writers, artists and the fans of both;
3.  We would provide a comprehensive schedule of panels, workshops, and activities, but would not overburden or overwhelm our guests and attendees;
4.  We would create excellent commercial and networking opportunities for visiting authors, publishers, and vendors by maximizing our substantial contacts within the local community, media, art and literary scene, and universities;
5.  Finally, as it is now a Shroud tradition, there would be opportunities for fun, frivolity and friendship.

WHAT WILL THE SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE?


Simple, functional, uncluttered.  It is our goal that each workshop, reading and panel be well-designed and well-attended.  Fewer workshops translate into greater attendance for each.  Furthermore, we want to continually drive traffic to the dealer room.  We have found that an overburdened workshop schedule inhibits the ability of attendees to browse at their own relaxed pace.  As a result, we have decided on a TWO track workshop/panel discussion format.  This means that workshops will occur in two conference rooms, instead of six or eight.

Schedule Outline

Friday, Nov. 11, 2011

2PM:  Arrival, check in, registration
5PM:  Dealer Room Opens
7PM:  Welcome reception (passed appetizers, cash bar)

Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011

9AM:  Dealer Room Opens
9AM to 5PM: Workshops, panel discussions
7PM to 1AM:  Shroud Party, Awards, Open Mic, Dancing (passed appetizers and cash bar)

Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011
9AM: Dealer Room Opens
9AM to 12PM:  Panels, reading, signings
3PM:  Dealer room closes
6PM:  Dead Dog Party in the Roundabout Lounge

While this is subject to change, we feel that the schedule is loose enough for attendees to network, visit Portsmouth's historical and cultural attractions, and visit the dealer room.  We are also working on additional content and activities including:

Gaming
Independent films
A juried art exhibit
Slam poetry
A field trip to downtown Portsmouth

WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE?

The list is growing so quickly I'll need a whole new post to tell you!  Coming up soon.

Contact Tim for more information.

Shroud's 2010 Halloween Extravaganza!

I'm not sure of the exact date that talented author (and friend) Kevin Lucia approached me and suggested a themed Halloween Issue.  What I remember is that Kevin offered to "guest edit" it and I was thrilled by the prospect of seeing Kevin's creative vision manifest.

Over the past several weeks, I've been delighted to see the names that have slowly made their way to the Halloween Issue's table of contents.  Rio Youers, Lisa Mannetti, Jeremy Shipp, Nicholas Grabowski, Kelli Owen, Norman Partridge, Dan Keohane, Jodi Lee, Brian Hatcher and so many more (see full TOC below).

Not only did Kevin put his absolute best effort into this issue, but he also suffered the rigors related to editorial management with class and aplomb.  His efforts also served as proof positive that the guest editor idea--along with the themed issue--was something that we believe could work out well for Shroud's readers.

Better yet, we ran into one of our favorite artists at Context in August, Steven Gilberts.  Steve has done a number of covers for Shroud and they are among our most popular. On the night of our fabled Context Shroud Party, Steve showed us a painting he had done onsite that day.  We fell in love with it and immediately contracted Steve to do the Halloween issue cover.  I asked Steve to take his pumpkin man concept and place them in "literary positions."  The masterful work you see above is what he came up with.  After Danny Evarts finished several beautiful original wood and linoleum cuts for spot illustrations, then edited and designed the issue, we felt that this is perhaps our best issue yet.  Perfect for our favorite holiday.

ORDER IT NOW (and receive it as it comes available)

Shroud DE Released! September Issue available!

Shroud is thrilled to release the premiere issue of our monthly digital edition in smartphone and tablet compatible .pdf format. With all exclusive content, Shroud DE provides an excellent way for readers to sample the same quality fiction, nonfiction and art as in our successful quarterly print magazine. V. 1.01 (September 2010) features a brand new novelette from critically-acclaimed Bizarro author, D. Harlan Wilson. Richard Wright takes us to CRAVEN PLACE, in the first installment of his new, never been published novel. Scott Christian Carr revisits one of his titular characters from HIRAM GRANGE AND THE TWELVE LITTLE HITLERS in LITTLE EDSEL EINSTEIN. This and so much more!  Download it HERE for free.

Table of Contents:

MICHAEL BALLANTINE REMEMBERS HIS NAME -- Victorya

Scott Christian Carr’s -- SOMEONE OUGHTA SELL TICKETS: DOWN & OUT IN RACHEL, NEVADA Part 1

THE BUREAU OF ME -- D. Harlan Wilson

CLICK-THRU CLASSIFIEDS, Discover New Treasures!

LITTLE EDSEL EINSTEIN -- A Hiram Grange Story by Scott Christian Carr

GRIMOIRES & TOMES, Book Reviews

CRAVEN PLACE -- A new serialized Novel from Richard Wright

DEMENTIS MORTUUS, Word Games for the Worst of Us

***********************
Read the September Issue of Shroud DE in your browser:

Open publication - Free publishing - More shroud de

Kevin Lucia to Attend Reading and Signing at Binghamton Bookstore

Subject: Binghamton Author, Kevin Lucia, to read from "Hiram Grange and the Chosen One (horror/comedy, adventure novel)

Date of the event: October 8th, 2010, 6PM

Location: River Read Books, 5 Court Street, Downtown Binghamton, NY, 607 217-7292. Web: http://riverreadbooks.com/

Contact: Tim Deal, Publisher, at tim@shroudmagazine.com or 603.652.8136; Kevin Lucia, author, at kevin@shroudmagazine.com

Details:

Kevin Lucia, a Binghamton author and alumnus of Binghamton University and Harpursville Central School will be signing and reading his first novel at River Read Books in downtown Binghamton on October 8th at 6:30 PM.

Lucia's "Hiram Grange and the Chosen One," published by Shroud Publishing, is the fourth book in the multi-author series, "The Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange."

In CHOSEN ONE, Lucia takes his readers on a wild chase through Belfast's darker boroughs as Hiram Grange faces his toughest--and perhaps most unusual--assignment yet.

CHOSEN ONE has garnered widespread International praise as well as several recommendations for a Bram Stoker Award from Lucia's peers.

Reviews:

“H.P. Lovecraft meets Ian Fleming – and H.P. Lovecraft wins. Lucia delivers non-stop action and shocks from the get-go, with tentacle very firmly in cheek…”

- Joseph D’Lacey, critically acclaimed author of MEAT and GARBAGE MAN.

“In the mood for a wild ride of a book? Something smart and scary and exciting? Kevin Lucia’s HIRAM GRANGE & THE CHOSEN ONE fits the bill to perfection. It teems with monsters and demons, with arcane lore, black magic and narrow escapes. Even the hero is edgy and obsessed. What could be more delicious? Long live Hiram Grange!”

- Robert Dunbar, Bram Stoker Nominated author of THE SHORE and MARTYRS & MONSTERS

"Kevin Lucia's writing is both scary and smart--a lethal cocktail that makes for mesmerizing storytelling."

- Tosca Lee, critically acclaimed author of DEMON: A MEMOIR

"Packed with high octane dark adventure and brimming with humor, Kevin Lucia’s HIRAM GRANGE & THE CHOSEN ONE thunders across the pages like a herd of wild horses. This is what cult fiction is all about!"

- J. L. Comeau, Count Gore's Creature Feature

“Fans of Kevin Lucia’s short story work have long awaited his first novella. And his book in the Hiram Grange series is the perfect vehicle for Lucia to not only please his old fans, but to show new ones just how damn good he is.”

- Gregory Hall- author of AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET and host of the Funky Werepig

"Hiram Grange and The Chosen One is one of those stories you simply lose yourself in, and hate to have end. From the opening to the final scenes it never lets up with over-the-top action and plenty of dark laughs. I loved it! And want more Hiram Grange, please!"

- Bram Stoker-Nominated author of SOLOMON'S GRAVE, Dan Keohane

Please contact the publisher or author for additional details.

Hiram Grange Series now sold as a set!

Shroud Publishing is pleased to announce that the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange are now available to order as a five book set, at a $10.00 savings!  Place orders HERE.

Welcome to the scandalous misadventures of scurrilous boozer and malcontent, Hiram Grange. Though afflicted with a laundry list of dysfunctions, addictions and odd predilections, Hiram Grange stands toe to toe (and sometimes toe to tentacle) with the black-hearted denizens of the Abyss and dispenses justice with the help of his antiquated Webley revolver and Pritchard bayonet. A five-part series. Cover and illustrations by Malcolm McClinton, and original woodcut prints by Danny Evarts.

With this order, you will receive all five books in Volume 1 of the Hiram Grange Misadventures, including:

Book One: Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned, by Jake Burrows
Book Two: Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers, by Scott Christian Carr
Book Three: Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist, by Robert Davies
Book Four: Hiram Grange and the Chosen One, by Kevin Lucia
Book Five: Hiram Grange and the Nymphs of Krakow, by Richard Wright

All five books at an exceptional bargain! Start the dysfunctional adventure today!

Here's what readers and reviewers are saying about the series:

"Stunning and startlingly original...a must read!" -- Nate Kenyon, author of THE BONE FACTORY and SPARROW ROCK

“Somewhere in the Underworld, Lovecraft is grinning with delight and Hunter S. Thompson is raising his bottle high. You won’t find a darker, more twisted character than Hiram Grange.” -- Greg Hall, author of AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET, and creator of the Funky Werepig Radio Show.

An absolute  must read for fans of fast-paced, action-packed occult thrillers."-- Gene O'Neill, Stoker-winning author of JADE and DEATHFLASH

“H.P. Lovecraft meets Ian Fleming – and H.P. Lovecraft wins. Lucia delivers non-stop action and shocks from the get-go, with tentacle very firmly in cheek…” -- Joseph D’Lacey, critically acclaimed author of MEAT and GARBAGE MAN.

"Twisted, shocking and full of pitch-black humor and darkly original twists. One of the best books I've read this year." -- Brian Keene, author of DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN and DEAD SEA

Announcing the 1st Annual HIRAM Awards!

Shroud Publishing is excited to announce the first annual "HIRAM" awards--Shroud's recognition of the superlative, the superb, and the silly!. 


Over the past three years, we have had the privilege of working with some of the most talented, hard-working, hard-drinking, and downright funniest writers, artists, and publishers in the genre.


This year, we will recognize them and pass out  awards at Context 2010. Don't worry, attendance is not required to receive your award.  


The HIRAM Award will include a customized certificate designed by Danny Evarts--Shroud's preeminent book designer and artist. Furthermore, awardees will receive discounts, free swag, and invites to Shroud events (including the yet-to-be-announced Shroud Campfire Retreat!)


More details to come!

• Who penned the best short story from 2007 to 2010?
• The funniest?
• Whose novella challenged the boundaries of the genre?
• Who penned the most book reviews?
• The best nonfiction?
• The best Interview?

Got an idea? Email me. :)

Shroud DE: Get it for Free and a call for submissions

We are thrilled about the exclusive content coming out for Shroud DE.  Brand new terrifying fiction, Hiram Grange flash fiction, exclusive and insightful book reviews, a serialized novel by Richard Wright, and a startling (and EYE-opening) new column by Scott Christian Carr.  This stuff is soooo hot that we won't release it anywhere else but the SHROUD DE!  The cool thing, is that we'll send you Shroud DE for free if you simply sign up:

Sign up for the Shroud Newsletter.

Hey, I'm curious, do you have a column, art, photography, or poetry idea for Shroud DE?  Send me your pitch.  If we use your idea, we'll pay cash for it!

Rock on!

News! Coming in August: Shroud Digital Edition ("DE")

We're excited to announce that we've begun work on the Shroud DE, a digital version of Shroud Magazine that will feature thrilling stories, interviews, columns and more beginning in August.

• Shroud DE will be released on a monthly basis and will complement Shroud's quarterly print edition.  
• Shroud DE will be available online using an easy to read technology that simulates the print experience.  
• Shroud DE will also be available for download and will be compatible with the iPhone and the iPad for reading on the go.

We are pleased to be able to offer more ways for readers to access thrilling, quality fiction, as well as insightful, useful nonfiction content.  Furthermore, we are happy to provide another publishing outlet for authors.  Shroud Publishing will continue to pay Shroud DE authors the same rate as in our print edition.  Submissions provided during our regular submission periods will be considered for Shroud DE.

In addition, Shroud will be launching special advertising rates to celebrate the launch of Shroud DE.  Details will be released soon, but by using digital technology, Shroud DE will be able to link directly to advertisers' Web destinations and thus provide more value for the advertising dollar.  Also, Shroud DE will debut its Click-through Classifieds, linked text ads offered to authors, artists, and small press publishers at a very low price.

Best of all, Shroud will offer Shroud DE, initially, at no cost to readers.  We hope that readers, writers, and advertisers will enjoy a whole new way to enjoy Shroud's content.

It's Okay to be a Zombie!

Authored by Nathaniel Lambert 
Illustrated by Danny Evarts 

Sure, zombies are pretty scary. They stink. They want to eat your brains. They're terrible house guests. Who says zombies can't be fun, too? Don't they look kind of silly falling down and bumping into things? Sometimes they can even be cute. So, before you run away screaming for your lives, stop and appreciate the beauty of the undead. And remember, It's Okay to be a Zombie.

A darkly humorous, tongue-in-cheek, full-color UNchildren's book!

See the Book Trailer HERE.
Order it HERE


What Are People Saying?

"Evarts and Lambert do for zombies what Jesus and Kenny Rogers did for beards."

-- Andersen Prunty, author of MY FAKE WAR

"A delightful lesson in tolerance and rotting. Right up there with Heather Has Two Mommies and Stellaluna-with cooler illustrations...and more rotting."

--Gina Ranalli, author of SUICIDE GIRLS IN THE AFTERLIFE and CHEMICAL GARDENS

"... a delightfully humorous child's-eye view of the world of the walking dead." 

--Myrrym Davies - Editor, Graveside Tales Publishing

About the Creators

Nathaniel is the co-author of  Sideshow P.I.: The Devil's Garden and Sideshow P.I.: All Fall Down. He lives in North Dakota with his wife, two kids and a bulldog. The cold weather works wonders on his rigor-mortis. E-mail Nathaniel.

Danny likes to make pretty pictures, and often not-so-pretty ones. His works can be seen in the likes of Shroud Books and Magazine. He makes a home with his partner in the woods of Maine, where it's easier to avoid torch-bearing mobs. Visit him on the web HERE.

Publication Date: May 28 2010

ISBN/EAN13: 0982727526 / 9780982727522

Page Count: 28

Binding Type: US Trade Paper

Trim Size: 8.25" x 8.25"

Color: Full Color with Bleed

Shroud Submission Update: The Importance of Revisions

We've almost completed a full month of our submission period and I have had the pleasure of reading dozens of exceptionally well-crafted short stories.  A big "thank you" to the writers that have chosen Shroud for possible publication.

We have also begun to make notifications, thus making response times currently at LESS than one month.  In most cases we will try and offer a personalized response with some constructive feedback, but not always.

Why not always?

Well, here's the thing.  If your story has substantial merit, but needs a a few tweaks, then we will humbly make our suggestion(s).  However, if it appears that your story has not made it through a revision phase then we will likely send you a polite "pass."

As writers, we cannot expect a first draft to be publishable.  It may be good, it may be original and it may be entertaining, but it is not publishable.  All writing requires subsequent revisions.

Ursula K. Le Guin said that “forced to weigh your words, you find out which are the styrofoam and which are the heavy gold. Severe cutting intensifies your style.”

I am seeing a large number of Shroud submissions that are at the 5000 word mark but could clearly be cut down substantially.  Many contain unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, run-on sentences, excessive exposition and summary, unnecessary scenes, unnecessary dialogue attribution, etc. etc.

This is not to say that longer stories are inherently "bad" or "wrong."  However, there are many of these longer submissions that would benefit from the "intense cutting."

A word on adjectives and adverbs from Chekov:

“When you read proof, take out the adjectives and adverbs wherever you can. You use so many of them that the reader finds it hard to concentrate and he gets tired. You can understand what I mean when I say ‘The man sat on the grass.’ You understand because the sentence is clear and there is nothing to distract your attention. Conversely, the brain has trouble understanding me if I say ‘A tall, narrow-chested man of medium height with a red beard sat on green grass trampled by passers-by, sat mutely, looking about timidly and fearfully.’ This doesn’t get its meaning through to the brain immediately, which is what good writing must do, and fast.”

We must learn to chip away at our sentences so that they support the timing and tone of the scene and/or the nature, disposition and emotional state of the character.  Every sentence does not require rich and dense descriptors and flowery prose--some will, some won't.

So please. if you are rushing to meet the deadline for this submission period and skip any meaningful revisions, please understand that you will likely (and unfortunately) receive an unspecific "pass."

Best of luck and keep writing!

READ SHROUD MAGAZINE'S SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Sample a Shroud Publishing Anthology!

Tom Piccirilli's ALL YOU DESPISE (2nd printing) open for pre-order!

When  Shroud Publishing released Tom Piccirilli's rare limited edition novella, ALL YOU DESPISE, over a year ago, we quickly sold out of our original, small print run.  We had originally planned the initial print run at 500 copies, but in the end, we capped it at 100. The popularity of the novella was proof-positive of our reader's interest in short-tun limited editions, and, quite simply, the demand far outweighed our supply.  At the time,  we promised to do another small print run as soon as our schedule and resources allowed for it.

That time is now.

We are going to open ALL YOU DESPISE up for pre-orders while we set up another very small print run.  It is our intent to keep quantities very limited in order to maintain the collectable quality of the book.  As a result, we will only have 50 signed, hardcover copies available from the printer with an estimated arrival date of June 1st, 2010.

Pre-orders are available now, and we have to limit orders to two per person.

ALL YOU DESPISE

In All You Despise, a signed, illustrated, limited edition hardcover, Piccirilli’s characteristically lean prose grimly illustrates the high price of redemption and the violent limits of brotherly love.

When a nameless man awakens to find his blood-spattered brother passed out in his trailer it sets off a chain of painful, hard-hitting events that tests family loyalty and shows the savage impact of a father’s dark legacy.

Fast-paced and packing a visceral punch, All You Despise will keep the reader anxiously turning pages all the way to its unexpected conclusion.

This exclusive offering from Shroud Publishing features a special introduction penned by Bram Stoker-winning author Brian Keene and stunning illustrations by veteran illustrator Alex McVey.  Both contributors will also sign this special limited edition alongside the author.

Limited to only 50 copies and available only from Shroud Publishing, ALL YOU DESPISE will be a unique addition to your quality book collection.

All You Despise will be priced to move at only $34.99 (78 pp, jacketed hardcover, signed)

At this price, supplies will definitely not last.

Tom Piccirilli is the author of twenty novels including THE COLD SPOT, THE MIDNIGHT ROAD, A CHOIR OF ILL CHILDREN, and THE DEAD LETTERS.  He's a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award and has been a finalist for the World Fantasy Award, the International Thriller Writers Award, and Le Grand Prix de L'Imagination. Learn more at www.tompiccirilli.com

Brian Keene is a two-time Bram Stoker Award winning horror author. His novels include Dead Sea, Ghoul, City of the Dead, Terminal, The Conqueror Worms, Fear Of Gravity, and many more. Several of his books and stories have been optioned for film, video game and comic book adaptations. The New York Times, Fangoria, the History Channel, and others have credited Keene with ushering in the new era of zombie popularity in pop culture.

Alex McVey is an award-winning illustrator whose work has been published internationally, ranging from album art to graphic design to book illustration.  He has illustrated the works of Stephen King, Joe R. Lansdale, Gahan Wilson, Brian Keene, Ramsey Cambpell, and Richard Matheson, among others. His clients include ad firms, gaming companies, film studios, bands, and book and magazine publishers.

"Very few authors working today put pain on the page with the skill that Piccirilli does. From the narrator to Danny to the innocent people that become embroiled in their bitter lives, Piccirilli packs DESPISE with a living, breathing cast that comes alive and embeds itself in your brain in a scant 78 pages."

-- Blu Gilland, Bookgasm Review

Hiram Grange and the Chosen One Coming soon!

Hiram Grange doesn’t believe in fate. He makes his own destiny. That’s a good thing, because Queen Mab of Faerie has foreseen the destruction of the world, and as usual… it’s all Hiram’s fault. He must choose: kill an innocent girl and save the universe… or rescue her and watch all else burn. Just another day on the job for Hiram Grange.

In Book Four of the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange, author Kevin Lucia, takes his readers on a wild chase through Belfast's darker boroughs as Hiram Grange faces his toughest--and perhaps most unusual--assignment yet.

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER.  Should be available in 1 week.

About Kevin Lucia

Kevin Lucia is a Contributing Editor for Shroud Magazine. His short fiction has appeared in several anthologies. He teaches high school English, and is working on a Creative Writing Masters Degree at Binghamton University. He lives in Castle Creek, New York with his wife and children. He is also currently writing his first full-length novel. Visit Kevin online at www.kevinlucia.net.

What are People Saying?

“H.P. Lovecraft meets Ian Fleming – and H.P. Lovecraft wins. Lucia delivers non-stop action and shocks from the get-go, with tentacle very firmly in cheek…”

 - Joseph D’Lacey, critically acclaimed author of MEAT and GARBAGE MAN.

“In the mood for a wild ride of a book? Something smart and scary and exciting? Kevin Lucia’s HIRAM GRANGE & THE CHOSEN ONE fits the bill to perfection. It teems with monsters and demons, with arcane lore, black magic and narrow escapes. Even the hero is edgy and obsessed. What could be more delicious? Long live Hiram Grange!”

- Robert Dunbar, Bram Stoker Nominated author of THE SHORE and MARTYRS & MONSTERS

"Kevin Lucia's writing is both scary and smart--a lethal cocktail that makes for mesmerizing storytelling."

- Tosca Lee, critically acclaimed author of DEMON: A MEMOIR

"Packed with high octane dark adventure and brimming with humor, Kevin Lucia’s HIRAM GRANGE & THE CHOSEN ONE thunders across the pages like a herd of wild horses.  This is what cult fiction is all about!"

- J. L. Comeau, Count Gore's Creature Feature

“Fans of Kevin Lucia’s short story work have long awaited his first novella. And his book in the Hiram Grange series is the perfect vehicle for Lucia to not only please his old fans, but to show new ones just how damn good he is.”

- Gregory Hall- author of AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET and host of the Funky Werepig

"Hiram Grange and The Chosen One is one of those stories you simply lose yourself in, and hate to have end. From the opening to the final scenes it never lets up with over-the-top action and plenty of dark laughs. I loved it! And want more Hiram Grange, please!"

- Bram Stoker-Nominated author  of SOLOMON'S GRAVE, Dan Keohane

Submission Period Begins on May 1st. New Halloween Issue!

We are opening to submissions on May 1st through the end of July and it is my sincere hope to offer you fast response times.  Please take a moment to reacquaint yourself with our Submission Guidelines.

I also hope that we will have the privilege of publishing your story, but please follow the guidelines.  If we receive a submission that does not meet the guidelines then we will be forced to delete it unread.

Why do we do this?  Because each submission period brings approximately 400-500 submissions, and in an effort to offer good response times we must focus on those submissions that meet the guidelines over those that do not.

Everyone on our small part-time staff are writers and we feel your pain and appreciate your creative effort.

SPECIAL SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITY

Kevin Lucia, one of Shroud's talented authors and editors, will be guest editing Shroud's Autumn Issue in 2010.  He has selected, appropriately, a Halloween Theme.

Kevin is looking for new, exciting and unique stories that cleverly integrate or honor this holiday.  The same Shroud submission guidelines apply, and we will be selecting stories from this submission period.  HOWEVER, the Halloween Issue submissions should be noted as a "Halloween Submission" and sent as an .rtf attachment to Kevin Lucia directly.

During this period, we will allow you to send a regular submission to Tim, as well as one Halloween submission to Kevin, if you so desire.

We look forward to your words.  Thank you, as always, for supporting Shroud!

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Our newsletter is infrequent and your information is not shared with anyone.  Plus, I'll give you a buck for signing up.

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The Terror at Miskatonic Falls

Free Shroud Swag Sunday!

All day today, receive a free fabric book bag with any order from the Shroud site. These make perfect shopping bags as well, and with the distinctive haunted house logo, you'll be sure to attract a few stares as you hand it to the grocery store bagger.

Tailor-made* to fit two six-packs of Schlitz Bull Ice Malt Liquor, a box of frozen White Castle cheeseburgers, and four bags of Doritos.  I like Taco Flavor, how about you?

But seriously, buy anything and get a FREE tote-bag.  Plus, I'll ship all in-stock items priority mail on Monday Morning.  Out-of-stock items will ship as soon as they become in-stock.  Am I making myself clear?  Just do the math.

Order here today!

*This is an outright lie.  This is a standard-sized fabric bag, probably churned out in crappy overseas factory somewhere by eight-year-old kids chained to glue guns or whatever.  But it's free.

Shroud Video Promotion! Get a free book!

Shroud Publishing Brings on Web Marketing Intern

Shroud Publishing is pleased to announce that we have brought on Kenton Kotsiris as an intern.  Kenton is currently working on his MA in English in the United Kingdom.

Kenton's duties at Shroud will be to expand our Web presence and build our online audience.  In addition, he will be employed to promote and publicize our talented group of authors.

We sincerely look forward to working with him.  You can contact Kenton here.

Kenton's Bio

Kenton Kotsiris has always been a lover of horror fiction. Being an avid reader, he has experienced many nights sleeping with the lights on. With his educational endeavors coming to an end, he is now focusing on his own writing. You can read all his random rants and horror interest at KentonKotsiris.com. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in English Literature, and is currently working on his MA in the UK. Lastly, he is extremely excited to be a new member of the Shroud Magazine team!

Getting Ready for HIRAM GRANGE AND THE DIGITAL EUCHARIST!

From its global headquarters in Boston, the mysterious Occlusionist Movement is preparing to control the world with its Digital Eucharist, while in the serpentine bowels of the city an ancient demon is unleashed, eager for revenge against the man who imprisoned it years ago--Hiram Grange!


On the heels of the release of Hiram Grange & the Twelve Little Hitlers, Rob Davies' intelligent and uproarious novella, Hiram Grange & the Digital Eucharist, has challenged the boundaries of adventure horror fiction. Eucharist is the third installment in the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange series.


About Rob Davies:

ROBERT DAVIES writes stories about lobster girls and laser beams. Mimetic fiction is for wimps. Raised on a steady diet of weird paperbacks, Infocom games, and comic books, Rob has always wanted to be a writer (Well, actually, he first wanted to be a dinosaur, but that didn’t work out so well). When not writing, Rob likes to travel around the world, searching for the ideal pint and the perfect bookstore. He lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with his wife Sara and two cats, Lilith and Tiamat. His favorite Horseman is Pestilence.

Visit Rob online at www.robertedavies.com.
Cover Art and illustrations by Malcolm McClinton
Layout, design, copyediting, and woodcut embellishments by Danny Evarts

What are People Saying?

"Join Hiram Grange as he negotiates with a little voodoo help an unfamiliar and scary Boston. Along the way he struggles with Black Magic rituals, creatures summoned from the Abyss, his own inner
demons, and the mysterious enslaving power of the Digital Eucharist. At stake: Saving the world from the  Occlusionist Movement. The writing is consistently authentic and compelling. An absolute  must read for fans of fast-paced, action-packed occult thrillers."

--Gene O'Neill, Stoker-winning author  of JADE and DEATHFLASH


"The Digital Eucharist is a trip in every sense of the word...dark, funny, humanistic, and surreal. While others are producing stories and characters in a familiar cookie-cutter format, the minds behind Hiram Grange are blazing a trail as unique and wonderful as the world they are working within. Hiram Grange is Absinthe for the fastidious horror reader." 

-- Michael Knost, Bram Stoker Award-winner of WRITERS WORKSHOP OF HORROR

"Vivid, engaging, and darkly humorous – Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist is another spectacular entry in the Hiram Grange series that you can't afford to miss.

-- Jason M. Tucker – Author of MEAT CITY & OTHER STORIES

Shroud Sunday! Free Book Bag with ANY order!

All day today, receive a free fabric book bag with any order from the Shroud site. These make perfect shopping bags as well, and with the distinctive haunted house logo, you'll be sure to attract a few stares as you hand it to the grocery store bagger.

Tailor-made* to fit two six-packs of Schlitz Bull Ice Malt Liquor, a box of frozen White Castle cheeseburgers, and four bags of Doritos.  I like Taco Flavor, how about you?

But seriously, buy anything and get a FREE tote-bag.  Plus, I'll ship all in-stock items priority mail on Monday Morning.  Out-of-stock items will ship as soon as they become in-stock.  Am I making myself clear?  Just do the math.

Order here today!

*This is an outright lie.  This is a standard-sized fabric bag, probably churned out in crappy overseas factory somewhere by eight-year-old kids chained to glue guns or whatever.  But it's free.

Thank you!

I just want to thank you all for sticking with Shroud over the past two years. Your support, friendship, and patronage have meant a lot to me. While the state of the economy has definitely impacted Shroud's sales, we continue to adapt and move forward in order to continue to provide quality literary entertainment and a home for your writing.

The ups and downs of the publishing business have been a real education for me. I sincerely believe that the biggest thing that I've learned (so far) is that there lies a close and caring community within our genre. I really, really enjoy that sense of community.

I've also learned that people are always there to help out if you need it. People like Danny Evarts, Mark Wholley, Kevin Lucia, Greg Hall, Scott McCoy, Sheldon S. Higdon, Norman Rubenstein, Ben Eads, Natalie Sin, Nate Lambert, Brian Hardin, Robert Canipe, The Hiram Five and Malcolm McClinton -- hell--all of you guys! You've ALL helped so much in promoting and supporting Shroud and I quite sincerely love you for it.

Shroud Underground Members please log into the Message Board for a little thank you gift!

An Update

Wow, March blew by, didn't it? We have one month until we are open for submissions again and we are in the process of rereading the last handful that still remain in our "second read list." Danny has done at tremendous job of getting "Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist" ready for review (want a .pdf ARC?).

Issue 8 is due out any day now, and will feature a cover by Danny Evarts himself. I'll see if I can dig up a cover sample for you!

Horror Writers Association Adds Shroud to the Approved Publishers List

There are few honors in dark fiction publishing as important as to be recognized by the preeminent horror author advocacy organization, The Horror Writers Association. Shroud was thrilled to be nominated for a Bram Stoker Award last year by the HWA for "Best Anthology" for Beneath the Surface. This year Rio Youers' Shroud novella, Mama Fish made the final update for the award, and since Shroud's inception several of Shroud's authors have been recommended for the award.

However, it's not always about awards. From a publisher's standpoint it is more important to be recognized for treating authors the way they should be treated. Since Shroud's first issue, first novella, and first anthology, we have always insisted on paying our authors for their efforts. In the beginning, we paid professional rates and were responsible for helping a few authors secure Active HWA status. As economic conditions got rocky, we were forced to scale back our payment scheme, and thus helped writers attain their affiliate status. We always pay advances on longer work, and we hope to return to professional rates in the very near future.

The president of the HWA, Deborah LeBlanc, has informed us that the HWA board has voted to add Shroud to their list of Approved Publishers. Our name will be added to the list in the next few weeks after the Stoker Awards process quiets down.

Thank you HWA!

D. Harlan Wilson Interview in Bull Spec

D. Harlan Wilson, the critically acclaimed other of a number of works within Bizarro and Irreal fiction, and the author of the Bram Stoker long-listed Shroud title, Peckinpah, An Ultraviolent Romance, recently sat down with the staff at Bull Spec for an interview.

BULL SPEC (blog here)is a professionally- and royalty-paying speculative fiction market and quarterly print magazine with DRM-free, commons-friendly e-books and audiobooks available for "donate what you like" in English, Spanish, French, and Chinese, based in Durham, NC, US.

D. sent me a copy of the interview. It's compressive, intelligent, and enlightening. In it he says:

"Peckinpah is a satire that makes an explicit and absurdist critique of small town American ethics and lifestyles. I don’t know if this critique stems from events, technologies, cultural formations, etc. of the early 2000s. In many ways it could apply to the 80s and 90s. Perhaps Peckinpah’s fragmented, disjointed, unconventional style indicates a recent current in narrative—similar stylistic experimentalism is visible in, say, Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves and David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas."

You can order a copy of the first issue of Bull Spec today.

Shroud Writers: Payment Processing Reminder

Just a quick note to remind Shroud's wonderful writers that (as the contract indicates) I need a simple email invoice before I can process your payment. I know it's a bit different from some fiction publishers, but it helps me track things, and then reconcile for tax season.

The invoice simply requires (in the BODY of the email):

Name

Amount Due

Type of payment (check or Paypal)

Address (if check desired)

Thank you!

Dread Central: Shroud Magazine "Beautiful"

We are honored by Elaine Lamkin's review of Shroud Magazine on Dread Central.

Lamkin says:

"Have you ever come across something SO amazing that you wanted everyone to know about it? Well, that happened to me recently when I received the latest issue of Shroud magazine. Looking nothing like a traditional magazine – more like a trade paperback-size book - Shroud is the brainchild of Timothy Deal and his love for the literary and artistic world of horror is evident in how beautiful this magazine looks."

Read the entire review on their site.

Buy Shroud Now.

"A gleeful homage to Peckinpah's work"

JoSelle Vanderhooft at Pedestal Magazine has written a thought-provoking and in-depth review of D. Harlan Wilson's masterfully-written novel, PECKINPAH:

"Wilson’s blood-bucket descriptions and wild imagination together would be enough to make Peckinpah a delightful Bizarro novel, and a pretty good parody of Peckinpah’s style (at least, as I understand it). But Wilson does not stop there; rather, he mixes camera angles, stage directions, and, most astonishingly, digressions into film criticism to make his novella not only a gleeful send-up/homage to Peckinpah’s work, but a thoughtful study of it."

Read the comprehensive review HERE

Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers Shipping Now!

Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers is available now, and shipping from Amazon!

On the heels of the release of Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned (B&N, Amazon, SP), Scott Christian Carr's wildly original novella, Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers, has already begun to create some excitement among readers. Hitlers is the second installment in the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange series.

One of those readers is none other than Lloyd Kaufman, President of Troma Entertainment and Creator of the Toxic Avenger. Kaufman read Hitlers, and said it was:

"more fun than a barrel full of Hitlers... The best novel since Don Quixote!"

Greg Hall, the master of ceremonies over at the Funky Werepig radio show was equally impressed:

“Somewhere in the Underworld, Lovecraft is grinning with delight and Hunter S. Thompson is raising his bottle high. You won’t find a darker, more twisted character than Hiram Grange.”

But the lavish praise and adoration doesn't stop there! Renowned sci-fi author Patricia Anthony, who wrote Cold Allies, Brother Termite, Conscience of the Beagle, Happy Policeman, Cradle of Splendor, God's Fires, Flanders, and Eating Memories said this about Hitlers:

"Scott Christian Carr is one of the most insightful writers I know. He's also one of the funniest. Reading 'Twelve Little Hitlers' never fails put you under an intellectual pleasure-dome, which is great in and of itself --- The unexpected surprise is, you'll also laugh your ass off!"

Shroud's 20 Most Recommended Reads of 2009!

By Kevin Lucia, Shroud Magazine Review Editor

Book reviewing is a strange gig. Everyone likes different things. Taste and preferences vary. So do style and voice. As much as we don't want to admit it, it's often all a matter of opinion. One reader's bestseller is another reader's most despised literary atrocity ever put to page. That, and how to account for the way one book impacts some readers, yet glances off the head of others? Sometimes, it has everything to do with quality, style, taste, and timing. Other times, books simply hook readers in "just the right way".

Read the recommended reads HERE...

A Note on Submission Periods...

We sincerely apologize, but Shroud magazine's submission period has changed. We are doing our best to improve our response times, and in order to accomplish this, we have narrowed our submission period for 2010 significantly. Our new submission period is listed on www.shroudmagazine.com under "submissions."

Unfortunately, we cannot review your submission and will not hold on to it at this time.

We are currently closed to unsolicited novel and novella submissions as well.

Again, we apologize for the change, but please understand that we are doing this to provide better service to you, the writer. We feel that quick and consistent response times allow you to maximize the ability to publish your manuscripts.

Please visit www.shroudmagazine.com and visit our submissions page, blog, or MySpace page in order to get the most up-to-date information on reading periods.

Thank you, and we wish you a wonderful new year!