The Fear County Chronicle #24
As the sweltering days of summer slowly come to an end and our beloved season of autumn looms near, we dream of cooler days, falling leaves, and leering pumpkins!
I know, I know… it’s still technically summer. As I sit in the comfort of the A/C, typing this issue of TFCC, it is a nearly unbearable 99 degrees outside. It’s been that way just about everywhere this summer in the Southern US. Hot and humid with bouts of evening thunderstorms with just enough rain showers to fill up the creek bed across the road, before it dries to a trickle a day or two later. It’s this type of weather that bring on the fever dreams of fall. The crisp bite of a frosty Tennessee morning, the tangy scent of woodsmoke in the air, and the leaves surrendering their summer greenness for an autumnal wardrobe of fiery yellow, red, and orange. And, toward the end, the dreams always seem to culminate in darker pleasures. Ghoulish decorations, bowls of bite-sized nirvana, and the simple, unassuming pumpkin placed upon the doorstep or porch rail; carved, disemboweled, and blessed with a sinister grin and an inner glow of flickering tallow.
Upcoming RK Releases for Fall 2023!
As of right now, I have one more book release and several anthology appearances lined up for the remainder of 2023: all in September and October.
The new Crossroad Press paperback edition of Twelve Gauge will be released on October 5th. Many of you know this novel under its Zebra Books title, Father’s Little Helper. But, since it's common knowledge that I utterly despise that altered nomenclature (sounds too much like a danged children’s book to me), I decided to rerelease this dark, crime/suspense/horror novel under its original pre-Zebra title. The new paperback edition will be the first time this novel has been back in print since its original mass market release in 1992. It also features a new cover by Chad Lutzke that lives up to the storyline within. Truthfully, Twelve Gauge is probably my most brutal and bloody novel to date. If you’re into extreme horror, this one is right up your alley. If you’re not, you’ll probably like it too. It’s set during the holiday season, so I consider TG to be my official Christmas horror novel.
Synopsis: The citizens of Cedar Bluff, Tennessee, have never recovered from the Christmas Massacre of 1978 ... that tragic day when Richard McFarland, armed with a shotgun, abandoned his wife and son and selected a local church as the stage for a bloody, murderous rampage. McFarland paid for his crimes in the electric chair. Yet not even death will stop him from finishing what he started ...
After fourteen years, Sonny's father is back. He'd been away so long that Sonny hardly remembered him. But Richard McFarland remembered his only son. And now he will teach him how to kill. Sonny is about to become a deadly force that will be unleashed on the unsuspecting citizens of Cedar Bluff. For when the time is right, he will return to the small, quiet town, bringing death and destruction on an even more terrifying Christmas Day!
I’m hoping to have paperbacks of Twelve Gauge in stock at the RKHORROR bookstore by mid-October. You can get the ebook now at Amazon and the audiobook (narrated by Hayden Hunt) through Audible.
I have three anthology appearances in September and October that I’m really looking forward to (and hopefully you will too).
Hot Iron and Cold Blood / Edited by Patrick R. McDonough
Publisher: Dead Sky Publishing / Release Date: September 26th
This collection features weird western horror tales by the likes of Joe R. Lansdale, Owl Goingback, David J. Schow, Ronald Kelly, Edward Lee, Kenzie Jennings, Jill Girardi, Vivian Kasley. Wile E. Young, Briana Morgan, Brennan LaFaro, Patrick R. McDonough, Drew Huff, L.M. Labat, and Jesse Allen Champion, as well as a foreword by R.J. Joseph. My story is titled “The Night of El Maldito”.
You can pre-order your copy of Hot Iron and Cold Blood here.
House of Haunts / Edited by Heather Daughrity
Publisher: Parlor Ghost Press / Release Date: October 13th
This anthology of 24 ghostly tales centers around each and every room of the haunted Hale House. Contributors include Clay McLeod Chapman, Mercedes Yardley, Justin Holley, Ronald Kelly, Heather Miller, Joshua Loyd Fox, Jay Bower, Simon Bleaken, DE McCluskey, Jo Kaplan, William J Donahue, Brooklyn Ann, Mer Whinery, Christy, Aldridge, Gage Greenwood, Samantha Underhill, Caitlinn Marceau, Jae Mazer, Jennifer Anne Gordon, Joe DeRouen, Jean-Francois Dubeau, Marie Lanza, and Matthew Hollis Damon. It also features an introduction by Josh Malerman. My story for this one is titled “Save Me a Spot on the Old Porch Swing”.
Deathrealm: Spirits / Edited by Stephen Mark Rainey
Publisher: Shortwave Publishing / Release Date: October 17th
This collection hails back to the days when Stephen Mark Rainey’s Deathrealm: The Land Where Horror Dwells was a major publication and influence in 1980s and 1990s horror. Spirits heralds Deathrealm’s return with new tales of supernatural horror. Contributors include Joe R Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale, Brian Keene, Elizabeth Massie, Ronald Kelly, David Niall Wilson, Eric Larocca, Linda D. Addison, Bridgett Nelson, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Jeff Oliver, Richard Thomas, Tony Tremblay, Patricia Lee Macomber, Maurice Broaddus, Heather Daughrity, Megan Arcuri, Larry Blamire, Timothy Huguenin, & Earick Nunnally. My story in this one is “Prayers From the Mouth of Hell”.
You can pre-order your copy of DEATHREALM: SPIRITS here.
Big End of Summer 25% Off Sale at RKHORROR!
To celebrate the ending of summer and the beginning of autumn, I’m offering 25% off your entire order at my RKHORROR online bookstore. Check out the selection of Southern-Fried Horror books, RK artwork, and t-shirts I have in stock. Catch up with some new RK releases for your library, including The Shrouded Tome, Pitfall, and Hell Hollow. I also have a new Halloween Horror Bundle listed that includes two fun and nostalgic seasonal story collections for one low price: Mister Glow-Bones and Other Halloween Tales and The Halloween Store and Other Tales of All Hallows Eve. Remember, all books come with a personal inscription and hand drawn RK artwork on the title page. And from now until October 31st, all orders come with free Halloween stickers! To get the 25% discount, just enter promo code SUMMEREND at checkout!
Next Chapter Con: Author & Book Event!
On October 7th, I will be a guest author at Next Chapter Con in Dalton Georgia. This is a one-day, multi-genre event with dozens of authors. Among the other horror authors scheduled to attend are Jesse D’Angelo, Chuck Buda, and B.L. Blankenship. If you are an author in the Tennessee/Georgia area, tables are still available. If you get a hankering to meet Ol’ Ron and get a few books signed (feel free to bring RK books from home), take yourself a day trip and come join us. The event is from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and admission is free!
From the Rocking Chair: Bunny Rabbit or Alligator… which one are you?
Lord Have Mercy! Lately, I’ve been seeing a few horror authors behaving badly! No, maybe that term is a bit reserved. Like we say down here in the South, they’ve been acting the fool and downright showing their ass.
Badmouthing and criticizing reviewers for doing their job. Make snide remarks online (and in private) about folks winning awards. Whining and complaining about their books not selling, not placing high enough on the Amazon lists, not getting enough attention on social media. Disrespecting established authors who paved the way in their chosen genre while they were still in diapers or no more than a lustful grin on their daddy’s face. Trashing anthologies and that are strictly ‘invitation only’, as well as editors who politely reject their story submissions. Waaah, waaah, waaah!
Am I being unfair or a bit extreme? No, I don’t believe so. Being an old dog horror hound that’s seen some genre history over the years, I’ve come across my share of hard-working, respectful storytellers, as well as folks who crave the prestige and attention of being a published author, but don’t possess the tact and respect to make that happen, at least not for a substantial period of time. I’ve got a few points here to make that I’ve learned over the years. As a writer, published or otherwise, some of them probably don’t apply to you… but, on the other hand, some of them just might. And, as usual, I’m only here to help. If you get butt-hurt and angry at Ol’ Ron, just see me as your exasperated grandpa sitting on the front porch, telling you to stop throwing a tantrum and act like somebody decent.
There are two types of writers: bunny rabbits and alligators. Bunny rabbits are soft and venerable. They’re jumpy and nervous and, as far as animals go, wear their hearts on their furry little sleeves. They think they’re pretty and precious, but if they feel threatened or mistreated, can bite a plug plumb out of your thumb without hesitation. They think their little rabbit pellets (stories and books) are like sparkly diamonds to be admired and cherished by all around them. Alligators, on the other hand, are more seasoned and reserved. They have an incredibly tough skin and don’t let the little things bother them very much. They keep their mouths shut and those pearly whites of theirs in check, to be used when the time is appropriate. Most of them have been around for a while and survived the swamp of the publishing business by laying low in the reeds and keeping a respectful eye on all the other gators who travel the same dark waters.
Now that we’ve got the critters sorted out, you probably know which one you are. If not, here’s a few tips to help you make up your mind.
Not everyone is cut out to be a writer / I know, blasphemous, isn’t it? I think I am a writer, therefore I am. Well, it doesn’t always work out that way. Believe it or not, writing does require a fair share of talent and persistence to accomplish. You may have popped up out of bed one morning and declared “I’m going to be a writer!”, but until you do the actual work and dedicate yourself to what actual writers do on a continuous basis, you won’t know for sure. When I started out in 1976, I knew I wanted to be a writer, but it was years before I truly believed that I was one. Sad to say, there are a lot of wanna-be writers out there who care more about making a name for themselves and earning a few extra bucks than actually writing a good, endearing book or story that will stand the test of time. If you’re serious about being a writer, the work is what matters, first and foremost. Not the glitz and glamour (and believe me, there’s precious little of that in the publishing business, unless you make it to the top 5%). Good writing signifies good writers, not how many likes you get on a social media post or how many glowing reviews you have on Goodreads or Amazon.
Instant success is NOT guaranteed / More and more, I’m seeing new writers griping and complaining because their writing career isn’t going according to their pre-conceived timeline or that their first few books or stories didn’t make an instant splash among readers or their peers. Many get discouraged and threaten to quit before they even get started. It takes hard work and tenacity getting some traction in your chosen genre and developing a following. Sometimes it takes a long time before you actually have anything accepted and published. It took me twelve years between the first time I laid pen to paper and when I actually saw my work in print. You’ve got to dedicate yourself to your craft and hang in there for the long haul. True, an author comes along every now and then that hits it big in a very short period of time, but that’s an anomaly. Finding your voice, establishing your brand, and developing a faithful readership takes time and patience.
Rejections and reviews are OPINIONS / Opinions are like buttholes… everyone has one. When you submit a story to an anthology or a book to a publisher and they reject it, that’s not a jab or intentional disrespect toward you. It’s an opinion. Maybe your writing voice or the particular piece you submitted didn’t fit well with the aesthetic of their collection or their publishing line. It was that editor or publisher’s opinion. When a reviewer takes time to read your work and critique it honestly, that is their opinion. If it turns out that they didn’t like it or enjoy it or make an emotional connection with it, or even got offended at something in the storyline, and gave you one or two stars… that’s still their opinion. It doesn’t mean everyone will see your work in the same light or will even take that reviewer’s words to heart when reading the review. Don’t get angry and fly off the handle. And, please, try to refrain from airing your grievances (and hurt feelings) in public, particularly on social media. It doesn’t look well on a writer and can leave an impression that will last for a very long time, especially if the writer continues to throw a hissy fit about every negative thing a reviewer has to say about their work. I attribute some of this behavior to inexperience, but then again, I’ve seen a few folks who have been around for a while doing the same thing. Learn to appreciate and learn from every review you get, good or bad.
Awards and Accolades (and those who receive them) should be deserving of congratulations and praise, not contempt / Lately, I’ve seen some jealousy and disparaging remarks aimed at folks who have won awards. Stokers, Shirley Jacksons, Splatterpunks. It doesn’t matter whether they deserved them or not. Somebody (probably a number of somebodies) thought that they did, so that’s why they were honored with the distinction of winning one. If it makes you angry or goes against your grain, keep it to yourself. Especially if you were in the running for that same award and didn’t win. Like complaining about reviews, mouthing off and make nasty comments about who won an award and why they were undeserving is not the act of a humble and seasoned writer. Maybe you’ll get one someday… maybe not. If you do somewhere down the line, you certainly don’t want some malcontent making ugly remarks about whether you do or don’t deserve to have it in a place of honor on your bookshelf.
So, now that that’s said and done, take a look in the mirror. Do you see white fluff, pink ears, and a twitchy little nose? Or do you see thick scales, a steady reptilian gaze, and the patience of a predator on the prowl? I hope you see a gator staring back at you. Bunny rabbits don’t last very long in this line of business.
Thanks for taking time to read this issue of The Fear County Chronicle. I hope you found something enjoyable and informative. Until next time, keep cool, grin like a jack-o-lantern, and until next time, Many Happy Nightmares, y’all!
I'll see you at Next Chapter Con! I'm sharing a table with Chuck Buda. I like a good one-day event.
Well-said on bunnies vs. gators, Ron!