Fandom Fest /Fright Night Film Fest is this coming weekend, June 29-July 1, and in addition to meeting the stars of various Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy films, there is a huge Literary Track where you can meet and mingle with authors and publishers.   I will be speaking on several panels.  View the complete panel listing here.

I will also signing copies of my work, including paperback and limited edition hardcovers of my novels Poseidon’s Children and Cinema of Shadows.  Hope to see all my faithful readers there!

Where has this year gone?  FandomFest / Fright Night Film Fest is just two weeks away!   With guests like legendary director John Carpenter, and two sold out hotels, this is going to be one of the largest conventions anywhere this year!  I will have a table all weekend where faithful readers can buy my works and have them signed, including my new novel Cinema of Shadows, which will not be available to the rest of the public until August 7!  In fact, there will be a huge book launch party for the novel on Saturday night, so I hope to see everyone there!  When I’m not at my table, or meeting with John Carpenter and the other guests, here are the panels and events where you can find me over the weekend:

Friday, July 22

Fiction Readings, 8pm in Panel Room C.  Featuring:

Michael West

Allan Gilbreath

Jimmy Gillentine

Horror Writing-Realistic Character Development and Other Considerations:   There are some definite considerations to keep in mind when writing in the horror genre.  Developing realistic characters in a horror novel has its own hurdles due to the genre itself.  If you are a horror writer or just curious about the genre, this panel will explore the unique genre considerations.

Friday, 9pm in Panel Room B.  Featuring:

Brady Allen
Michael West
Andy Deane
Elizadeth Hetherington
Bonnie Stewart
Mari Adkins

Saturday, July 23
 

Writer’s Groups:  Writer’s Groups can really damage an aspiring writer, or they can be incredibly helpful.  This panel will help you evaluate whether you are in a Writer’s Group that will be beneficial to you.  What do you look for in a good writer’s group?  What are some red flags to look out for?

Saturday, 11am in Panel Room B.  Featuring:

Bethany Halle
Ruth Souther
Mari Adkins
Peggy DeKay
Gary Wedlund
Michael West 

Small Press-Pro’s and Con’s:  This panel will give you a nice overview of small press publishers, including the good, the bad, and the ugly.  What are the strengths of small press?  What are its weaknesses?  Where do small press publishers fit in within the publishing world of 2011?  You might be very surprised to find out just how important small press publishers are becoming!

Saturday, 1pm in Panel Room B.  Featuring:

Jason Sizemore
Michael West
Jimmy Gillentine
Bobby Nash
Jackie Gamber
Mike D’Ambrosio

Crafting a Series or Franchise Character:  Whether you are writing a dedicated series, or perhaps a group of books featuring a heroic, franchise-type character, there are some extra things to ponder as you go about your work.  This panel features authors of both kinds, who will explore the additional things that need to be kept in mind when writing several books that have a core connection.

Saturday, 7pm in Panel Room B.  Featuring:

Eric Wilson
Elizabeth Donald
Michael West
Jackie Gamber
D.A. Adams
Steven Shrewsbury

Seventh Star Press Book Launch:  Saturday, 9pm in Panel Room A.  

Join horror author Michael West as he launches his new novel Cinema of Shadows.  Get ready to find out why Harmony, Indiana is going to soon become one of the most popular, and dreaded, locations in horror! 

And that’s about it.  Hope to see everyone at the event July 22-24!

Greetings, faithful readers! 

Another month has come and gone.  Hard to believe that a fourth of the year is already in the history books.  Guess the old saying about “time flies when you’re having fun” is true after all.  March, 2011, was full of  interviews, signings, and work, work, work.    So without further ado, here’s a quick recap / status update…

The month began with not one but two glowing reviews of my debut novel, The Wide Game.  The first was from Sheri Jenkins White at Xomba Horror:

Hello again, faithful readers!

Well, the old saying about time flying by when you’re having fun could not be more true.   These are truly exciting times at West Manor, full of new releases and more big announcements.  So without further ado, here’s a quick recap / status update…

The month began with the release of the book trailer for my debut novel, The Wide Game.  Produced by Darkrider Studios,  who also did the trailer for Skull Full of Kisses,  the clip perfectly captures the atmosphere and terror of the book.  I could not have been happier with it! 

I was then lucky enough to be Greg Hall’s guest on The Funky Werepig.  It was such a fun time!  We talked about the novel and I was able to hint for the first time at a big announcement.  (More on that in a minute.)

Then, on Tuesday, February 15th, The Wide Game was released by Graveside Tales Books.  As if that wasn’t wonderful enough, the Sci-Fi Guys gave the novel a glowing review.  You can now order the book here!

That same week, Dark Quest Books put the Fell Beasts anthology, featuring my short story “Sandwalkers,” up for presale.  I’m very proud of this story, and happy that my faithful readers can now order it here.

And then I got the word that another of my short stories, Blood and Silk, had been accepted for the upcoming The Beast Within 2 anthology, due out later this Summer from Graveside Tales Books!

And last, but certainly not least, I was only able to hint at it on The Funky Werepig, but late this month it was announced that I signed a three book deal with the good folks at Seventh Star Press!     The novels will all be set in the fictional town of Harmony, Indiana, and the first of them, Cinema of Shadows, will be released later this Summer.  The second novel, Spook House, will come out in 2012, and a third yet-to-be-titled book will be released in 2013. 

The novels will be available in hardcover, trade paperback, and E-book formats, and because they are all set in Harmony, Indiana, faithful readers can look for many of their favorite settings and characters from The Wide Game, and several stories in Skull Full of Kisses, to make an appearance. 

Look for more updates throughout the coming months.

And that’s about it.  February 2011 now slips into history.  But looking ahead to March, it is clear that there is much more excitement ahead! 

Stay tuned, faithful readers…

Hello, faithful readers!

2011 sure got off to a quick start here at West Manor! I was so busy with projects new and old that the month of January went by in the blink of an eye. Not that I’m complaining, mind you. I do love to stay busy (sure beats the alternative!).

So, here is a quick recap / status update…

The Wide Game

My first novel, The Wide Game, will be released on February 15th by Graveside Tales Books. Last week, you all got the first look at Bob Freeman’s amazing cover art (see above). What you didn’t see, however, was what gets wrapped inside that cover. I got my first look at the formatted manuscript, and let me tell you, the good people at Graveside have put together a beautiful little package here. Writers’ works are like their children, and we all want the best for our children, don’t we? Well, with this edition of Wide Game, I got the best.

The other Wide Game-related project that has kept me busy over the last month has been the book trailer. You know me, Horror movie buff that I am, I can’t just have a simple book trailer that shows the cover art, a few blurbs, and the ordering info. No, no, no. It has to be cinematic! And to that end, Darkrider Studios and I have been trying to put together something very special. I can’t wait for you to see it!

Look for both the book and the trailer in the very near future.

Vampires Don’t Sparkle!

This month, Dark Quest Books launched Ambrotos Press, a highly selective Horror Imprint, who’s mission is to publish only the highest quality fiction in the horror genre from some of today’s most well-known authors. They also named me as the editor on a collection of gritty, horrific vampire fiction titled Vampires Don’t Sparkle!  This invitation only anthology is due out in March, 2012.

That sounds like a long time off, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not! Like I said, January went by in the blink of an eye, so the release will be here before you know it. Luckily, stories have already started coming in from some of the most exciting writers working in Horror today, so I’ve got some reading to do!

Appearances

January saw the announcement that the Master of Horror, John Carpenter (Halloween, The Fog, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, etc.) will be joining me as a guest at FandomFest this July.

I could not be more excited! Really looking forward to this show and I hope to see many of you there!

I also added a stop at Fear Fair in April. Indiana’s Scariest Haunted House is hosting Scream Break on Saturday, April 30th, and I will be there with copies of The Wide Game and other works for signing. Fear Fair served as the setting for part of our Wide Game trailer shoot, so it seems only fitting. Hope you will brave the chainsaws and come see me!

But first up on my busy 2011 schedule is a radio show and a bookstore signing.

I will be the guest of The Funky Werepig on Saturday, February 12th at 2pm. We will chat about The Wide Game, my other projects, and who knows what else. It’s the Werepig folks. Anything can happen!

And last, but certainly not least, I will be signing The Wide Game and other works at the IUPUI Campus Center Barnes & Noble (420 University Boulevard Indianapolis, IN 46202 / Store telephone: (317)278-2665) on Thursday, February 24 from 11 am-1 pm. This is my first local bookstore signing, so I hope all my faithful readers in Indianapolis will help make it an event to remember!

Fell Beasts

Finally, you may remember that my short story “Sandwalkers” is featured in the upcoming Fell Beasts anthology. The book was originally due out in December, but had to be delayed due to technical issues. Well, the book is now at the printers and should be ready for ordering soon. Don’t worry, as soon as I have more info, I will post it.

Well, that’s about it for January 2011. A busy, busy month. And from the looks of it, February will be just as exciting!

Stay tuned, faithful readers, we’re just getting started…

The Master of Horror, John Carpenter (Halloween, The Fog, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, Prince of Darkness, They Live, Need I go on?), has been added to the guest list of  FandomFest.  This huge, inaugural event will be held July 22-24, 2011, in Louisville KY, and will feature guests from Horror, Sci-Fi, Comics,  Television and Gaming.   Fright Night Film Fest will showcase the best in independent Horror in screening rooms throughout the weekend.  And this year, for the first time, publishers and writers will be a large part of the festivities.  Michael West (Skull Full of Kisses, The Wide Game, Vampires Don’t Sparkle!), Maurice Broaddus (King Maker, Orgy of Souls, Dark Faith), APEX, Black Death, Graveside Tales, Skullvines, and many more will be in attendance, giving horror fans an insane amount of content and activities for their admission dollars! 

For tickets, hotel information, and up-to-the-minute news on guest additions and programming, check out the official FandomFest website.

See you there!