synopsis?

5.18.12 6:35am

Okay, I think I finally came up with a synopsis for the new book. As of right now it is still questionable and I might decide to change a few things about it or even scrap it for something else entirely. We’ll see…

Here it is:

Grayson, Louisiana is such a tiny place you would never think twice when passing it by on Highway 165. That’s what Greg Teeter wishes he had done when a series of unfortunate events cause him to take up temporary residence in this quaint little town.

In a fight for survival, plagued by dreams, there is no one to trust. Parasitic invisible monsters from another realm have been unleashed. The Hitchers are hungry and in control of everyone they ride. But these Hitchers aren’t the only thing trying to break into their world. Something much worse is forcing its way through. Something ancient and carnal. Will the dark secrets of those that reside in Grayson be revealed in time, or will it be too late?

Let the green grow

5.17.12 3:50pm

Well people, its looking like summer time!

We got tomatoes, banana peppers, jalapenos, green peppers, and… well, a lot of other types of peppers. We got watermelon and cantaloupe. We got it all! Now we just go wait for the goods to start popping up so that I can eat’em! We already have a lot of peppers, but that is because the peppers plants are from last year and were already big enough to start blooming early on. Man, they taste good!

Two books, two bucks

5.14.12 3:28pm

My good friend Dane Hatchell just released two books for 2 bucks. Both of which I happened to do the cover for. I think they both turned out quite nice. Eerie, yet sleek. I like that. And that is the reason why I am writing this blog about it. Dane has a way with words that to me is sleek, yet eerie. He is truly a one of a kind writer in the indie world of ebook self-releases. Which a lot of you know, these days are a dime a dozen. Well, Dane doesn’t run with the pack of the countless others. He is in a class all his own, especially in the horror and suspense genre. So here are the two books and what they’re about.

How would the President react to a full-scale zombie apocalypse? You can find out in Dead Coup d’État. It’s a few weeks before the presidential election. An army of dead rise from Arlington National Cemetery and wreak havoc on Washington, DC, while the whole world is engulfed in undead chaos. The President and the opposing candidate escape to Camp David and wait for a solution to the horrific situation. The undead have no alliance to either party. The walking dead show their political independence by targeting all in their insatiable hunger.

In Love Prevails, two couples escape their small town during the onslaught of the dead returning to life. Keith and Kara Sims, Steve and Jill Mitchell, seek to find refuge deep in a national forest. Along the way, a clan of survivalists offers them sanctuary in their small village. The group is well armed and has no problem defending themselves against the occasional zombie menace. The couples must make a decision to stay and subject themselves to the laws of the village, or continue their trek northward. Which will prove to be the greatest threat to their survival, the living or the undead?

Between the two books, my favorite was Love Prevails. Dane says that his favorite author is actually Robert Crais, a detective writer. And lets not forget his favorite horror movie: the original Nigtmare on Elm Street.

Where are things at right now?

5.13.12 4:38pm

Well, as of right now I have two major writing projects underway, as you already know and I wanted to do an update. The 2nd edition re-release of Epidemic of the Undead has been set to see print in the coming months with Severed Press. It is currently in the hands of author Tim Curran. He is going to have it for the next few weeks, as he is reading it. Once he is done we are going to see a blurb come from that for the books re-release cover. I am very excited about that, because Tim is not only a really cool dude, but one of my top 5 favorite authors. He sits up there with the likes of Brian Keene and Steven King.

Other than waiting on the re-release to hit print, I am finishing up on the first draft for my new novel HITCHERS. I am currently about 500 words into the last chapter and it is coming along nicely. I should see the first draft finished within the next few days. And I should also see the second and third draft finished by the end of this month. Once we get that done it’s time to hit the hands of a real editor. If things go according to plan, we should see HITCHERS hit print by the fall of this year.

Once this new novel releases, I think I am going to slow down on writing and start trying to build more of a media presence. Online interviews, guest blogs, magazine reviews, online-zines, and reader reviews.

Other than all of this, i have still been doing a lot of book cover designs for other publishers and authors; which has been a lot of fun.

the final artwork for the ‘HITCHERS’ book cover

5.10.12 8:40pm

Today, Alan M. Clark sent me the final artwork for what he put together for the novel I am currently working on. I think he did a great job! What do you think? Alan has done artwork for a load of books, a lot of which I have read. So, when I found the opportunity to work with him and have an original piece of art done by him for one of my books, I was all over it. I am really excited about how it turned out.

As of right now I don’t have a synopsis done of for the new book, as I still have about three more chapters to right before I am done with the books first draft. For those of you that are curious, the book is called HITCHERS, because the creatures hitch a ride, so to speak, taking control of their victims by sticking a meaty tip into the ear and into the brain.

Epidemic of the Undead is gearing up for re-release

5.8.12 7:32pm

Today is the day that I feel productive. I love feeling productive. I just finished proof reading the edits and comments made by my editor at Severed Press and I have to say, this publisher is really great. They take the time to put out a solid product. The editor went above and beyond, not only as an editor but as a reader. The comments and suggestions for this 2nd edition release have made it something I can really be proud of. Not only does Severed Press take time with their authors, they develop lasting relationships. When we work on a project together, we do it until everyone involved is happy. I enjoy not feeling rush or pressured by deadlines. If you are sitting on a horror novel as a writer and are looking for a real publisher, I highly recommend Severed Press. Unlike some publishers that might be over the top or just spit out books too fast, Severed Press is a perfect fit. I highly recommend them to anyone.

But about this new 2nd edition release. Out of all of my books I feel like this book is the one. I am really happy with the character development and the balance of action vs. moving the story along. If you have read any of my other books, this one will really strike your fancy. I can really relate with the characters in this one. They are in a touring folk band for crying out loud!

took off my 1 and 1/2 year beard today

5.7.12 12:19am

Today I just couldn’t take it. I took off my beard! All together it was probably about seven to eight inches long before I cut it today and in August which is about two months away I was going to have hit the two year beard mark. If you are wondering why I would take it off, I will tell you. Plain and simple I was just done wearing it. I was done having it in my mouth when I eat. I was done having to groom it. Taking care of it was just getting to be a bit much.

“but it was so cool and big!”

No, it was freaking hot as mess. You know how hot it gets in Texas? Really hot. And besides, to be honest, I think I can grow a better one. I feel like there are things I can do different with the next beard that will make it thicker, healthier and all around just a bigger, better beard. Do I plan on growing another one? Absolutely! But for now I am going to enjoy the change. Can you imagine having a beard for 2 years and then taking it off? It’s very invigorating. Free. If you have ever had braces for a few years and then get them off, then you know how it feels for the sudden change. My chin feels all slimy. Don’t worry though, its clean. I cleaned it.

What do you think of the NO Beard?

Why read when you can look at pictures

5.5.12 4:59pm

Last night I decided to start re-reading the Walking Dead comic books. For Christmas last year I got the Compendium One issue and it has just been sitting there. Having read it before and then later watching the first season on DVD, I have to say, it is a little weird going back and reading it again. I can see all of the things they did wrong in the TV show and all of the stuff they left out or added. I am still enjoying the book so far, but I guess you can say I am seeing it all in a new light. So far I am on book 3. So far I have to say, although they added a lot more depth in the show, the comic book is way better. The amount of hatchet related decapitations in the books are astronomical in comparison to the TV show. Based on what I am seeing so far, if you watched the show first, I recommend getting the comics, because they are way freaking better.

Clickers: the first book

5.4.12 8:20pm

I just finished up Clickers by J. F. Gonzalez and Mark Williams. I have to say, I thought it was a great book. A very cool slice of fan fiction meets originality. I will have to admit that although the characters were all great and the story was amazing, it was a little less than what I am used to reading. The story was a little slower than I like. Although it had all of the gore that I love and need, the last few chapters were a little less than desired. At the last minute a lot of new characters got added and suddenly became hard to follow because they had way too many characters running a muck all at the same time. It was cool though because most of them died, but I think it was a little much. Although that was my only personal choice in flaws, I was really happy with the book and look forward to reading the 2nd and third book as well. This book was a prime example of why Deadite Press is awesome.

packages in the mail

5.4.12 4:13am

Look at what I got in the mail today. Here are a hand full of great books that are all Severed Press releases. I got these in the mail for a few reasons. Not only because I love the publisher’s authors, but because I had the liberty of doing the cover layout and design for these books. I can’t really say which book I will read first, but I will definitely be posting some reviews once I do. To be honest I will probably start off reading the Coalition first simply because that one is the shortest one!