January 8th, 2013 and all is horrifically well

Hello 2013! Hopefully everyone’s holiday was nothing less than superb. As for me, Santa brought a bottle of Crystal Head vodka. Of course I felt obliged to sample, which turned into the whole damn thing. Wasn’t right for a couple of days afterward, but hey, what can I say, I’m a three time a year alcoholic…News Year’s Eve, Superbowl, and one miscellaneous. One down and two to go!

Otherwise, I’m hoping to have a gruesome year. Last year, I have to admit to relaxing a little. Of course, working upteen hours a week was probably the culprit, contributing heavily to this. Nonetheless, 2013 will not be a repeat performance and I’ve since refined a writing time budget that will prove both efficient and productive. I have a number of pieces I’d like to complete and submit, starting with my first full-length novel, A Lawnly Existence. It’s a tale about a lonely old man who inadvertantly stumbles upon an ancient book that gruesomely aids in fulfilling his recently deceased wife's last wish. However, it is neither a ghost story nor a zombie tale.

While the edits with Suspense Publishing have only just begun, they are going well and I’m hopeful in publishing sometime this summer. We’ll just have to wait and see.

I’ve submitted a tale called All for Love to Cemetery Dance, but have yet to receive word as to whether it is accepted or not. Of course, as most writers’ will attest, with rejection rates typically hovering somewhere near 95%, one cannot count on anything. This piece was already rejected by Weldon Burge’s Zippered Flesh 2 anthology at Smart Rhino Publications. However, this was not due to any lack of quality, but simply because he had already accepted a few stories that pertained to the subject. Therefore, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. After all, you know what they call a writer that never gives up? Published.

And so, that brings us to current events and the things I have slashing, scratching and gnawing. Recently I pitched a couple of column ideas to a couple of publications. I would like to tell you more, but, until they are official, I need to keep it to myself. I will promise you that if they are accepted, you’ll hear about it here. And, I will also tell you that it revolves around classic monsters and the Twilight Zone, respectively.

Soon, Wee Willie Wicked will be back to writing those film reviews for Horror News. During the month of December, he took a break and can honestly say he missed it. Nonetheless, the holidays took precedent and since they are now over, this clowning around writer can continue on.

Then there is the letter to the editor of my Ohio hometown newspaper (The Steubenville Herald Star) that discusses my philosophy toward that hometown since the national eruption and uproar (and rightly so) of the high school rape case that appeared to allegedly be covered up by the upper echelon locals. If you haven’t heard about it, you’ve obviously been living under a rock since it’s being heavily covered by most of the major news organizations. The hacker group Anonymous was responsible for breaking the sordid tale and forcing eyes to be opened, and to “A”, as they are officially known, I am proud to include my solidarity. Coincidently, my letter will be printed in either the January 12th or 13th edition (probably the Sunday edition). You will be able to read it here when it's published.

And so, I'll close on this note, hoping that your year has started well also. As always, Stay Scared, Thomas