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SPARREW ISSUE FORTY-ONE
Welcome to the SPARREW Newsletter!
The newsletter for Self-Publishers, Authors, Readers, Reviewers, Editors and Writers!
Welcome to the May 2025 issue of the newsletter!
So glad to have you on board!
I have a way of doing things with this newsletter. I don’t tackle the stuff for that month’s issue until it is that month. I don’t review interviews I receive back until I get closer to the cut-off date (which is the 20th of every month). And speaking of a cut-off, I stop gathering material at that particular date – except for books! I’ll add new books right up until the day I post the newsletter.
With articles, however, I normally stop looking for ones to add to that month’s issue on the 20th. And I don’t add anything that was published in the previous month, even after that month’s newsletter has gone out. That is, unless it’s part of a series and previous installments were published in the previous month!
That’s what happened this month, with one series in particular. And so, for this issue, I have made an exception.
I am a BIG fan of everything written by Elana Gomel. Not only is Elana one of my favorite science fiction and fantasy authors, but she writes thoughtful and well-researched articles on a variety of topics. For her Substack, A Guide to Unreality, she normally takes deep dives into either a single or a combination of books, typically science fiction books. Because Elana wrote a series of articles on violence in science fiction novels that started in April, I am including the first installment of this series in this newsletter, just in case anyone missed it in the last issue. Enjoy!
We’ve got a great issue for you this month!
I recently discovered that an author I know, Zach Ellenberger, is a self-published author! I actually found this out when I was reviewing his novel, Shadows by Night. Fortunately, Zach was able to take the time to be interviewed for this month’s issue. Check out his insights about self-publishing below!
Megan Guilliams is another favorite writer of mine. She actually has a short story in the forthcoming horror anthology, The Stranger At My Window. Megan not only writes short stories but she is also the author of some fantastic books! In fact, her latest novel, Spellbound Hearts, was just released! Megan took some time to share about her journey to becoming an author and also about her new book.
Josh Gunderson may be a familiar name as an author, but to me, I know Josh as a writer. In fact, I connected with him when he submitted his fantastic story, “Marshlight,” to the ecohorror anthology published by Twisted Dreams Press, Dark Harvest: Terrifying Tales from the Poisoned Planet. Since then, I have had the pleasure of becoming familiar with Josh as a writer of amazing short fiction stories, and my interview with him in the Writer section of the newsletter includes how writing has affected his life.
And in this issue, Jerry Blaze returns for the Feature Article, this time with an interview with the horror author Dan Shrader. I am excited about this interview; I am a big fan of both of these writers’ works in horror.
And, once again, the lovely Carolyn Howard-Johnson returns with the latest installment for her “Tricky Edits” column. You won’t want to miss it!
I hope you enjoy this issue! Feel free to drop me a note or connect with me on social media! I'd love to connect with you!
Enjoy this issue!
Check out archived issues of the SPARREW Newsletter here:
https://sparrewarchives.blogspot.com/
All current issues will be posted on my website here:
https://www.dmcwriter.com/the-sparrew-newsletter
Meanwhile, here are my most recent blog posts:
Dawn Colclasure’s Blog: "I Failed at My New Plan for the Freelance Writing But I Will Try Again"
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!
The SPARREW Newsletter is now a paying publication!
If you have an article you think might fight our needs, please send it our way!
We are interested in articles on the following topics:
Self-Publishing
Authors (interviews, articles promoting new releases, book marketing and promotion, website building and pointers, etc.)
Anything to do with books (analysis, reviews, breakdowns, etc.)
Book Reviewing
Editing and Editors
Writing
Each article should be no more than 2000 words. Must include a headshot and bio with your submission. Payment is $10 through PayPal, on publication. Reprints welcome and you retain all rights to your work. You grant SPARREW Books the right to reprint your article in a future ebook edition as well as the right to promote your article online.
Submit your work to Dawn at DMCWriter@gmail.com with "SPARREW Submission" in the subject line. Please submit your article as a .doc or .docx file. No PDFs. Any articles not relevant to the newsletter will be deleted unread. Please send your best work; articles will be published as-is.
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ATTENTION WRITERS OF BOOKS AND ASPIRING AUTHORS!
A new publishing company is in town! This indie press specializes in horror, but it is also open to books in other genres.
Twisted Dreams Press is a brand new independent publisher accepting submissions of short story collections, novelettes, novellas and novels from authors in a variety of genres!
Check out the new website to find out all the details!
Be sure to follow us on our Facebook page and our other social media platforms, which are all easily accessible from our website and Facebook page.
Please like our Facebook page
Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on our news
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MY MAY SUBSTACK POSTS:
Books For and Inspired by My Mother
Finding Balance in Nonfiction Writing
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THANK YOU…
Thank you, First Chapter Plus Magazine, for publishing my article "Love to Bake? Feast Your Eyes on These Seven NEW Dessert Cookbooks" in the May 2025 issue. My article is on page 21.
Thank you, Alien Buddha Press, for publishing my short story, “Cave of Wonders, in the new anthology, SUMMER SUCKS!!!: An Alien Buddha Press Anthology.
You can check out this anthology here.
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SELF-PUBLISHER CORNER
Self-Publisher Interview with Zach Ellenberger
1. What can you tell me about your experience as a writer?
I decided long ago that one of my bucket list items was to write a book before I die. I always enjoyed the art of storytelling and was among the many futures I wanted as a kid. I was originally a musician which is where writing began with me. In my 20s I became possessed by a story idea to the point where I decided to make a serious attempt at writing it out. That story became my first novel.
2. What made you decide to write a book?
I was introduced to writing through music. I was born to musicians so it came with the territory that I’d be one. If you told me as a teenager I wouldn’t end up becoming a musician, I would’ve told you you had the wrong person. But aside from music, I enjoyed reading about history and had been inspired by the fact that a family ancestor had fought for the Union during the Civil War. Given his Irish background, I looked to the Irish influence in the American Civil War, which is quite vast. When it comes to writing historical fiction, I want the story to stick as close to the facts as possible so the only element that remains fictional is the MC with the hope that people might learn something.
3. What circumstances brought you to the decision to self-publish your book?
I chose to self-publish after I had submitted my script to several agents and publishers. Not having any background or familiarity with writing, my perception of being a writer was terribly skewed and therefore had no idea what the appropriate steps to getting published were. Receiving repeated rejections, I simply assumed I wasn’t any good at writing and never considered that I had no prior experience or online presence as a writer.
4. What has your experience as a self-publisher been like?
It’s not for the faint of heart. For myself, I chose to handle every aspect of publishing a book: cover art, formatting, designing, etc., with the only others involved being the ones who were kind enough to read my manuscripts and offer edits and revisions. With that being said, I don’t believe there’s anything more rewarding to have done all the work and be able to hold the final product in your hand knowing it was all of your making.
5. How do you respond to the negative stigma attached to self-publishing and self-published books?
I can understand the frustration as I, too, was reluctant to do it, especially after no other publisher or agent was willing to accept it. But I think part of that is the need to earn the peer acknowledgement and validation from others recognizing your abilities. How can we really measure value in someone’s work if anyone is able to publish any story regardless of its message or content and call themselves a writer? Now, anyone’s a writer with just a click of the mouse button. At the same time, it provides access to writers who might otherwise be filtered/censured by large publishers who remain selective in form and genre. It’s a double-edged sword over which I remain conflicted. It’s hard enough calling myself a writer.
6. What is one very important lesson you have learned as a self-publisher so far?
Abandon your comfort zone. Completely. The elephant in the room that few like to address is promoting and marketing yourself. That is an aspect that relies totally on yourself. I personally struggle to talk about myself in any capacity, so self-promotion is inherently terrifying. But it’s part of the gig… (shoulder shrug)
7. What do you know now about self-publishing that you wish you knew at the beginning?
I’m not so sure there’s much I do know now that would’ve benefited me starting out as things are rapidly changing in terms of taste and design. But best practice is being up to date with other writers, what they’re doing, what appeals to you, but also what appeals to the audience targeting.
8. A lot of authors of self-published books have reservations about promoting and marketing their book. Some even feel that it is a form of vanity or self-importance. What is your opinion about this?
I certainly have reservations about promoting myself and even calling myself a writer. But I think it’s the hard reality of self-publishing and even being a writer in general. I think it’s one of the necessary “evils” that comes with the territory, even to the degree that you’re just trying to appeal to publishers. You need to sell yourself. Unfortunately, with self-publishing, there’s a higher demand for it to succeed because you don’t have the same resources to back you that a publisher would normally have. There’s no team behind you providing insight, suggestions, or decisions to help bring your vision to life. Like I said, the truth is, I hate talking about myself too. It feels disingenuous and boastful even with every attempt to avoid being so, and part of that comes from my own neurodivergent struggles. But it’s a concession I’m willing to make to write stories.
9. How do you promote your books and what form of book promotion has worked the best for you?
I’m sure a lot of other writers have said the same, I’m downright awful at promoting my work. Obviously, social media has been the big avenue for exposure and networking with others. But with that, I also enjoy making videos and so I’ll produce short video promos for my books and myself as an author. Seeing as though I have a hard time taking myself seriously, I opt to make funny videos to catch people’s attention off the bat. That seems to have been the biggest impact on promoting, making it more approachable. Lately, I’ve been focusing on promoting in the physical space, around my town, at bookstores and what not.
10. What are some other important things you have learned as a self-publisher?
There are thousands of people out there who are trying to become writers and utilizing self-publishing. I don’t say that to disillusion people who want to become writers or start self-publishing. I say that to encourage people to use it for their own benefit. I’ve learned to seek out other writers similar to me, network and build/find myself a community. I wouldn’t be anywhere as a writer if it weren’t for the community of fellow writers I’ve come to know over the last few years. It’s certainly not easy to do so in this day and age, but well worth it.
11. Do you feel that self-publishing is a viable choice for other authors?
Yes. To me, it’s the counterculture of our age compared to the traditional form which brings with it all the usual stigma that can be misleading. It’s also fluid and transforming. I think especially lately, as a result of current events, the negative views toward corporate elites like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and others have soured people’s attitude toward self-publishing because Amazon has essentially monopolized the self-publishing industry with its KDP platform. But that only drives the need for alternatives in self-publishing and I think in just a few years, self-publishing will be vastly different with more options available.
12. How do you feel that self-publishing their books has helped many unknown authors finally get the recognition their books deserve?
I think it’s given publishing access to people who wouldn’t normally have it available to them, opening up a whole new market of writers and creative minds to storytelling. I think a lot of opportunities and good talent get missed when considering the arduous nature of traditional publishing. But self-publishing gives people the opportunity to understand the process be part of it but also take charge of it, leaving you in full control of the final product.
ABOUT ZACH:
Zach Ellenberger is a writer based in Chicago where he lives with his wife and kids. Originally a Pittsburgh native, Zach attended Ohio University for communications while moonlighting as a musician. After a decade of performing live music, Zach’s artistic focus shifted towards creative writing where he published his first novel in 2020, following it up with several other short stories in various genres including historical fiction and horror. His second novel is slated to release next year. When Zach is not writing, he enjoys playing music, gaming, and hiking.
NEW IN SELF-PUBLISHING:
"Avoid These Common Book Title Mistakes That Can Tank Your Sales" by Penny Sansevieri
via Author Marketing Experts
"Stop Trying to Skip the Line: How Book Marketing Fundamentals Drive Sales" by Penny Sansevieri
via Author Marketing Experts
"What is book bundling and how does it work?" by Penny Sansevieri
via Author Marketing Experts
AUTHOR CORNER
Author Interview with Megan Guilliams
1. When did you start writing?
I’ve always loved to write. I think I wrote my first story when I was seven. My first book debuted on Amazon in 2023, but I had a massive collection of literature I had been writing for over 10 years. Currently I have 31 novels published and have been in 8 anthologies.
2. What was your journey towards becoming an author like?
I’ve always written for myself. It’s a passion I’ve had since a very young age. When I was in school, my friends enjoyed reading my short stories, and that gave me the courage to branch out later in life. Self-publishing was a mystery to me until I met my friend Kasey Hill. She guided me through the process and the rest is history. Of course, I’ve met people who don’t like my work. When that happens, I try not to let it bother me. Even the worst criticism can have something productive to say. Growing as a writer is the key. If I had known having other writer friends would be so fulfilling I would have attempted to find them sooner. When I’m at my lowest, they always find a way to lift my spirits. Being surrounded by likeminded people, who can talk openly about their passions can be amazing.
3. What can you tell me about your latest book? (Feel free to include an excerpt.)
My latest book is a dark romance novel titled, Spellbound Hearts. When a young man’s sister falls prey to an evil spell, he must cross a wall that separates the humans from the supernatural to find someone who may be able to help. His sights are set on the last pure blood witch to walk Hemitog Nation, and it doesn’t even matter to him that she’s wanted for murder.
Here's the intro to Spellbound Hearts. (The E-book drops on May 5th and the paperback comes out on the 6th of May. In the following weeks there will be a limited-edition bundle pack that will include 1 of 4 signature scent, oil-based perfumes brought to you by Durty Gurls Soaps and Such, a hardcover copy of Spellbound Hearts, complete with 2 full-page color portraits done by a local artist, and a complementary necklace that represents one of the 4 main characters.
Leaning against the wall of Washbone Alley, Pepper slipped a hand-rolled smoke from her leather jacket and popped it in between her ruby-red lips. Her ears perked when she heard the clomping footsteps of Ginger’s foot soldiers approaching. It wasn’t the first time she had attempted to apprehend the girl, and Pepper was sure it wouldn’t be the last. Too bad she’d already fed, and the glamour had kicked in. All Pepper had to do now was sit back and let the clueless oafs make their way down Cherry Avenue, and that would be that. Chewing on the end of her rolled tobacco, Pepper closed her eyes and breathed in the cool evening air. It had rained a few hours prior to her arrival, and she could still smell the sweet memory of Spring. Little puddles littered the cobblestone nook she stood in, allowing the reflections of the streetlights above to give her presence a romantic feel. Cold mist pocketed, blowing a gust through Pepper’s dark, vermillion locks. The movement made chills go down the woman’s spine. Tiny goosebumps formed on her arms. The wind had been brisk but not altogether unpleasant.
“I think she went that way! At least that’s what the bar owner told me.” A husky voice called. Footsteps approached Washbone, but as anticipated, she watched with whimsey as they passed by her without so much as a glance. Pepper couldn’t figure out why Ginger constantly put her faith in the likes of those blubbering idiots. When Pepper’s mother was in charge, she wouldn’t have tasked any of them to pick up her dry cleaning, let alone avenge someone’s death. She assumed, at least, that was what they wanted her for.
If anyone else had told you the story, Pepper would have looked like a stone-cold killer. If you get the story from the horse’s mouth, though, you’d see it was all one big fat misunderstanding. Pepper loved her mother, and she could never have done what they accused her of.
Suddenly, Pepper’s head jerked towards the entrance of Washbone Alley. Another, more petite set of feet was approaching. Shoving her hand into her front pant pocket, Pepper retrieved a shiny, silver lighter just before the woman stopped right in front of her. Her eyes stared without seeing, but Pepper understood; the new girl could tell someone was in there. It never ceased to amaze Pepper how resilient Tandy could be. After what happened to Tandy right there in Washbone, she still didn’t hesitate to come looking for her best friend. Pepper shuddered to think what could have happened if someone hadn’t been there to save her… the night of the attack… The night Pepper’s mother, Camila, died.
“Come on, Pep. You know I hate it when you do that… You are in there, aren’t you?” Sighing, Pepper rolled her eyes and chewed on the filtered end of her smoke. Flicking the lighter, she released the glamour. The sudden spark of light made the new girl jump. Pepper must have found this entertaining because seconds later, the woman was laughing.
“What’s wrong, Tandy? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Growling just under her breath, the girl joined Pepper inside Washbone and snatched the cigarette from her thin fingers. “Hey!” She snapped, “That’s mine!”
“Not anymore,” Tandy announced, slipping the wet filter between her lips; she took a drag, grimaced, and then threw it into a puddle. The ember hissed and then dwindled out in a matter of seconds. “I was going to say that was payment for making me worry. Unfortunately, that was before I realized there wasn’t anything fun rolled up in that little burrito of yours. Don’t you know tobacco can kill you?” Tandy’s comment set Pepper off onto another round of uncontrollable giggles.
“Since when are you the healthy living police?”
“Since I found out you’re smoking again.” Pepper’s demeanor began to soften as she inched closer to the shorter woman.
Usually, Pepper Stormgrave would have given Tandy a hard time, ruining her last cigarette. The supernatural community had outlawed tobacco unless it was burned for magical purposes, and it wasn’t like she could cross the border into Normie Land whenever she felt like it. Ever since her mother’s untimely death, Ginger had seekers guarding the entrances and exits 24/7. One thing Pepper could say about those goofballs when they were on a mission like that, they tended to be pretty thorough. If you didn’t have the correct paperwork, you weren’t going anywhere.
4. What sort of methods do you use for book promotion?
I am absolutely horrible at marketing. I’ve attempted to use Amazon Ads before, but that hasn’t gotten me very far. My favorite way of promoting is by posting on my social media sites, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. I have some beta readers who get the word out as well, and I quite enjoy doing vending events. I’m old-school, and leave my business cards everywhere.
5. Where do you get your ideas for stories?
I quite often bounce ideas off my husband, and he’ll add scenarios to things I’ve started creating. Sometimes I listen to music and make up little stories about what the singer could be singing about. Art is a huge inspiration as well. I’m a huge fan of lowbrow art, cartoon art, and pop art, including surrealism. Sometimes ideas come to me in dreams, or even when I’m walking one of the many wooded trails near my house.
6. What are you working on right now?
The book I’m working on right now is titled, A History of Evil, Stories of Generational Horror. It’s a collection of short works I’ve done over the last year or so mostly about how the past can come back to bite you. I’m about 30,000 words into it, so I’d guess about halfway done.
7. Any advice for other authors?
Read what you love, write what you know, and make sure to have fun! Don’t let skeptics keep you down. You can’t please everyone. Also, don’t be afraid to take a few risks with your writing, that’s how you grow. Branch out, and try new styles, write in a new genre or from a different POV.
ABOUT MEGAN:
Megan Guilliams is an Independent Fiction author who specializes in Urban Fantasy and Horror. She is a Franklin County native who lives in Virginia with her husband and two children. When she's not writing Young Adult and New Adult Fiction, she enjoys painting. Filling the walls of her home with colorful lowbrow art and Pop art, Megan enjoys bringing her book's characters to life. As a young child, Megan dabbled in short stories, often entertaining her peers. While Megan doesn't hold any specialized degrees that led her to her writing passion, she currently has over thirty novels published on Amazon and Kindle. You can find more of her work in the year to come, as well as read her story “Kroak” in Nature Triumphs: A Charity Anthology of Dark Speculative Fiction, “Love, Lies and Bleeding” in The Devil’s Playground: A Horror Charity Anthology for Drug Addiction, “The Christmas Wraith” in Last Christmas: A Holiday Horror Anthology, “She Bitch” in Piece by Piece: An Anti-Valentine’s Day Collection of Short Stories, Poetry and Prose. A Taste of Heaven” in Beauty in Darkness, a Literary Tribute to TS Woolard, All Published by Dark Moon Rising Publications. You can also find her poem “Leon” in Sleeve of Hearts, Poems, edited by Lindsey Goddard, and brought to you by the Weird Wide Web. Other published shorts by Megan Guilliams include, “Over Easy” in Dark Harvest an Ecohorror Anthology, Published by Twisted Dreams.
AUTHOR NEWS:
"How I Spectacularly Botched Spectacularly Botching My Pre-Orders" by Alina Adams
via Alina's Newsletter
"Seattle’s Tessa Hulls says Pulitzer-winning book will be her only one" by Moira Macdonald
via Seattle Times
"‘Clown in a Cornfield’ Author Adam Cesare on the Slasher’s Huge Twist, Book Changes and How Frendo Compares to Pennywise and Michael Myers" by William Earl
via Variety
"An AI-powered Coca-Cola ad campaign mistakenly invented a book by a famous author" by Beatrice Nolan
via Fortune
"Author Judith Weisenfeld unpacks historic links between religion, race and psychiatry" by Adelle M. Banks
via Anabaptist World
"Shrewsbury resident pens memoir of growing up in China, and making a new life in the U.S." by Margaret Smith
via Worcester Magazine
"A Rainy Day With Her Son Inspires This NYC Mom to Become a First-Time Author" by Daisy Levine
via Our Town
REVIEWER CORNER
My Reviews:
Dawn Reviews Books:
Other Website Reviews
Hellnotes
Book Review: OLD MONSTERS NEVER DIE
Book Review: AN ARABIAN NIGHT-MARE AND OTHERS
Book Review: THE WAGES OF BELIEF
Horror Bookworm Reviews
Dropshipped by Stephanie Sanders-Jacob
Let’s Cut Up Dad! by Douglas Ford
KittyLisha Reviews
Book Review: Mastering the Defiant Miss Ramano by Maryse Dawson (The Moretti Family Book 1)
Uncomfortably Dark
05/01/2025: Sonja Ska Reviews ‘The Shepherd of the Black Sheep’
5-3-25 — Special Guest Reviewer - Danielle Yvonne
5-4-25 — Christina Critiques (Stokers and International Booker Shortlist Finalist)
05/07/2025 Sweet Reviews: Dark Tides 15- A Graveyard of Stars
05/08/2025: Sonja Ska Reviews 'The Lamb'
5/10/25 Special Guest Reviewer: Danielle Yvonne
Rachel Schommer Reviews: 5.12.25
Sweet Reviews: Unbortion by Rowland Bercy Jr.
05/15/2025 Sonja Ska Reviews ‘ The Sundowner's Dance’
5/17/2025 Special Guest Reviews - Danielle Yvonne
5-18-25 — Christina Critiques Stoker, Booker List, and Indie Horror
Other Book Reviews
Review of The Solstice by Elaine Pascale by Nora B. Peevy
via Nora B. Peevy
Calls for Reviews
I’d love to find reviewers for my books! Contact me at DMCWriter@gmail.com if interested.
READER CORNER
BOOK BLOGS:
BOOK NEWS:
"The Best Five Novels of First Contact" by Elana Gomel
via A Guide to Unreality
"Police Arrest Publishing House Staff Over Alleged LGBTQ+ Books"
via The Moscow Times
"Can We Vaccinate Against Murder?" (SF and Violence, Part 1) by Elana Gomel
via A Guide to Unreality
"What To Do About Klingons?" (Violence and SF, Part 2) by Elana Gomel
via A Guide to Unreality
“Righteous Killers” (SF and Violence, Part 3)
via A Guide to Unreality
NEW BOOKS:
Alina Adams
Genre: Historical Fiction
Deb Jordan
Genre: Crime Thriller
Elancharan Gunasekaran
Category: Poetry Collection
Big Island Beatnik: Poetry & Photography from the Lower East Rift Zone
James Schwartz
Category: Poetry Collection
J. Edwin Buja
Genre: Historical Horror
Stories by Joseph Farley
Genre: Short Story Collection
The Original Daughter: A Novel
Jemimah Wei
Genre: Women's Fiction
Domenica Ruta
Genre: Women's Fiction
Home of the American Circus: A Novel
Allison Larkin
Genre: Women's Fiction
Aaron John Curtis
Genre: Literary Fiction
Florence Knapp
Genre: Women's Fiction
Written by Daniel Kehlmann, Translated by Ross Benjamin
Genre: Literary Fiction
Lori Ostlund
Genre: Short Story Collection
Sue Hincenbergs
Genre: Mystery & Detective
Foreign Fruit: A Personal History of the Orange
Katie Goh
Category: Biography & Memoir
Written and Illustrated by Victoria Lomasko, Translated by Bela Shayevich
Category: Biography & Memoir
Ed Valfre
Genre: Flash Fiction Collection
Brad Thomas
Genre: Horror
Tim Waggoner
Category: Writing Reference
Terry Carr, Richard A. Lupoff and Robert Silverberg
Genre: Fiction Collection
Great Short Novels of Science Fiction
by Robert Silverberg
Genre: Fiction Collection
The Grammar of Fantasy, An Introduction to the Art of Inventing Stories
Written by Gianni Rodari, Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe, Translated from Italian by Jack Zipes
Category: Writing Reference
Awake in the Floating City: A Novel
Susanna Kwan
Genre: Literary Fiction
Sophia Lee
Genre: YA
Adelaide Faith
Genre: Literary Fiction
Lincoln Michel
Genre: Literary Fiction
Kevin Wilson
Genre: Literary Fiction
Honor Jones
Genre: Women's Fiction
Garrett Carr
Genre: Literary Fiction
The Emperor of Gladness: A Novel
Ocean Vuong
Genre: Literary Fiction
The Devil Three Times: A Novel
Rickey Fayne
Genre: Historical Fiction
Insectopolis: A Natural History
Peter Kuper
Category: Science & Nature
Darren Guest
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Wolfgang Carnifex and Alexander Letkemann
Category: Collaborative Essay
Silk & Sinew: A Collection of Folk Horror From the Asian Diaspora
Edited by Kristy Park Kulski
Genre: Anthology
The Cold Light of Fate (The Jovian Universe Book 5)
Kim Catanzarite
Genre: Science Fiction
Lesley Welsh
Genre: Crime Thriller
Debbi Voisey
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Sophie Thomas-Morton
Genre: Psychological Thriller
P.S. Traum
Genre: Short Story Collection
Brian J. Smith
Genre: Fiction
Edited by: Nick Netherby
Genre: Anthology
Dr. Chris McAuley
Genre: Children’s Horror
Nick Roberts, Dan Franklin, Leigh Kenny
Genre: Horror Novella Collection
Rockets’ Red Glare (The Sage Mendiluze Series - Book 1)
William Webster and Dick Lochte
Genre: Thriller
Lynette Noni
Genre: YA
Ari Marmell
Genre: High Fantasy
Giovanna Silvestre
Genre: Biography & Memoir
Songs of Summer (Part of The Fire Island Trilogy)
Jane L. Rosen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
The Girls of Good Fortune: A Novel
Kristina McMorris
Genre: Historical Fiction
Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us
Anna Malaika Tubbs
Category: History
Fred Lunzer
Genre: Literary Fiction
Helena Close
Genre: YA
Richard Bausch
Genre: Short Story Collection
Chris Pavone
Genre: Thriller
Sandra Proudman
Genre: YA
Alison Bechdel
Genre: Graphic Novel
Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKULTRA
John Lisle
Category: Politics
A Collection Richard LeDue
Category: Poetry Collection
Bones Of The Earth: Poems from the Thicket’s Edge
Daniel Culver
Category: Poetry Chapbook
Somewhere, Someone is Forgetting You
Chrissy Stegman
Category: Micro-prose collection
ON THE MOVE: THINGS IN MOTION ON EARTH & BEYOND
Written & illustrated by Romana Romanyshyn & Andriy Lesiv
Translated from Ukrainian by Oksana Luschevska
Category: Children's Nonfiction
SUMMER SUCKS!!!: An Alien Buddha Press Anthology
By Various Authors
Genre: Poetry & Fiction Anthology
Andrew K. Arnett
Genre: Fiction
Gillian Jackson
Genre: Crime Mystery
Lisa Cutts
Genre: Crime Thriller
Look Ma, No Hands: A Chronic Pain Memoir
Gabrielle Drolet
Category: Biography & Memoir
Gaia Wakes: Earth’s Emergent Consciousness in an Age of Environmental Devastation
Topher McDougal
Category: Physical Science
Chinese Encounters with America: Journeys That Shaped the Future of China
Written by Various Authors, Edited by Deborah Davis and Terry Lautz
Category: Essay Collection/Political Science
Writing to the Rhythm of Labor: Cultural Politics of the Chinese Revolution, 1942–1976
Benjamin Kindler
Category: Asian Studies
The Care of the Self and the Care of the Other: From Spiritual Exercises to Political Transformation
Daniel Louis Wyche
Category: Philosophy
Parmenides: Ontological Figure, Being 1
Written by Alain Badiou, Translated by Susan Spitzer and Kenneth Reinhard, Introduction by Kenneth Reinhard
Category: Metaphysics
Afterlives of the Plantation: Plotting Agrarian Futures in the Global Black South
Jarvis C. McInnis
Category: African American and African Diaspora Studies
The University Unfettered: Public Higher Education in an Age of Disruption
Ian F. McNeely
Category: Education
The Loyalty Trap: Conflicting Loyalties of Civil Servants Under Increasing Autocracy
Jaime Lee Kucinskas
Category: Social Sciences
Sparks for Innovation: Why Hackathons Work and How to Organize One
Maciej Ryś
Category: Business
Sorcery's Dark Embrace: Witches, Shifters, And The Broken Beyond
Jupiter Rose
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Breaking Coven, Building Dreams (The Excommunicated Witch Savant Book 1)
Isabel Campbell
Genre: Fantasy
Megan Guilliams
Genre: Dark Romance
Archangel (Book One: Fallen)
Rick Partlow
Genre: Science Fiction
William Meikle
Genre: Victorian Time Travel Adventure
Castle of Horror Anthology Volume 12: Ripped from the Headlines
By Various Authors
Genre: Horror Anthology
Dani Francis
Genre: Action and Adventure Romance
His Face Is the Sun (Book One of Throne of Khetara)
Michelle Jabès Corpora
Genre: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy
Salt and Gunpowder (Part of the Chronicles of the Ages series)
Samuel DenHartog
Genre: Adventure
Christina Li
Genre: Gothic Romance
The Burden of Life: An Eyebiter Novel (The Eyebiter Saga Book 2)
Jay Bower
Genre: Horror
Inked in Ashes (Inkbound Book 1)
Shannon Mayer
Genre: Fairy Tale Fantasy
Goblins Don't Count (Singsong City Book 8)
Juliann Whicker
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romantic Comedy
Allison Miller
Genre: Short Story Collection
Stefan Angelina McElvain
Genre: Fiction Collection
Ashes of the Feathered Throne (Chronicles of the Ages series)
Samuel DenHartog
Genre: Military Historical Fiction
Jeremy Bates
Genre: Near-Future Thriller
The Olive and the Empire (Chronicles of the Ages series)
Samuel DenHartog
Genre: Historical Fiction
Angel Ramon
Genre: Horror
Light of the Witch: A Witches of Keating Hollow Novella (Keating Hollow Happily Ever Afters Book 3)
Deanna Chase
Genre: Paranormal Ghost Romance
Jerry Blaze
Genre: Erotic Adventure
The Derelict: First Wave (Book 1)
Daniel Young
Genre: Science Fiction
KN Gould
Genre: Horror
Scareville: A Very Scary Christmas
John Ward
Genre: Children's Horror
EDITOR CORNER
Tricky Edits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson
As Promised in Dawn’s Last SPARREW
Glorious Appendices Tricks for Final Edits
By Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Dawn’s The SPARREW Newsletter Gift Sample Collection up and ready for you to benefit
from the best-of-the-best from those years in 2025.
Help us celebrate. Gift it to a fellow author. Find it on Amazon.
If you read about Dawn’s celebratory book in her last newsletter issue where I promised to follow up on one of my favorite final edits tricks, you’re in the right place. This isn’t a duplicate.
Birthday celebrations are forever. You might have last read this helpful book above a few weeks ago or read more about it in my “Tricky Edits” column last month. If that’s the case, you remember I promised you more on Appendices.
So, it’s keep-my promise time. This is part of a short list of important edits to consider in final edits, the ones that too many authors don’t know about or bother with. We’re concentrating on the last suggestion in that issue; number eight that promises a list of "What you might be missing if you don’t read Appendices in books that have them:”
When you read appendices, don’t skim. Think about the details you can begin to apply for the needs of your own books. Appendices are mostly found in nonfiction books but not always, so if you prefer to read poetry or fiction, the appendices of others’ books might be valuable for you, too.
1. Sometimes you’ll find near equivalents to appendices in other genres masquerading under other names, glossaries for instance. It’s a mistake not to take that observation as a lesson. You might use this same approach to helping your reader.
2. Don’t just read for information. Watch the way segments are worded and the layout for the sections. Is there anything there that can be used to help your readers for your next book?
3. Does recommended reading offer something that will help you delve deeper into topics you now realize you know too little about?
4. Watch for examples or samples--sometimes set out visually--that will support what you learned in the book you just read, some that you can use as templates.
5. You might find a summary or organizational chart of the book you just read that will make you think twice about what you just read.
6. A list of experts the author interviewed or were otherwise instrumental for quotes or information--even beyond acknowledgements which can have a different focus. My The Frugal Editor includes a list of agents who offered me their query letter pet peeves and permission to print them.
7. Sometimes you’ll find a whole new how-to section that doesn’t fit in the rest of the book because it’s written by some other expert for something the author knows you’ll need but doesn’t quite fit in the book.
8. You might find resources other than recommended readers (like those agents mentioned above!)
MORE ABOUT CAROLYN:
Once a month Carolyn Howard-Johnson shares something writer-related she hopes might save some author from embarrassment (or make the task of writing more fun or creative.) The third edition of The Frugal Editor from Modern History Press includes a chapter on some of the words most misused by the very people whose business it is to know them. It is the second multi award-winning book in her multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers. The Frugal Editor, now in its third edition, has been fully updated including a chapter on how back matter can be extended to help readers and nudge book sales.
Carolyn blogs sporadically on editing at http://www.thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com and at her SharingwithWriters blog on other aspects of the publishing world and welcomes guest posts with ample author credit lines and links and welcomes guest posts complete with credit lines and ample links for her guests. She also tweets writers' resources and tips at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo using #FrugalBookPromoterTips hashtag.
New in Editing:
"How To Spot And Reduce Nominalization In Writing" by Derek Haines
via Just Publishing Advice
"The trouble with dangling modifiers"
via Sentence First
Comma after a short introductory phrase
A flock of birds fly or a flock of birds flies?
"On criticizing and critiquing"
WRITER CORNER
Interview with Writer Josh Gunderson
1. Have you always been a writer?
I’d like to take the aggressively philosophical route and say that ‘I’ve been a writer since I was bitten by the writing bug in the 3rd grade’ or the annoying road of ‘Once you’ve decided you’re a writer, you’re a writer’ but I don’t really believe that. I have always wanted to be a writer but it wasn’t until I really got a hang of this whole “being a semi-functional adult” that I really wanted to be a writer and felt like I had made the transformation.
There was a great quote in Andromeda Romano-Lax’s “The Deepest Lake” which popped up as I was pondering this question that really hit me. One of the characters is pumping up another and says, “”If you write, you’re a writer [...] Identity comes first and it’s yours once you claim it and start doing the work. Not when you’re published, not when reviewers say you’ve done a good job, not when you get awards, not when you have a million followers.””
So, sure, I’ve been writing since I was a weird little 3rd grade kid, but it has just been within the last decade or so that I've really claimed it.
2. When did you realize that maybe writing was actually a “thing” you could do, get published and even sell?
That little 3rd grader knew that writing could be a ‘thing’, which is the joy of being young but then older me got scared and that fear of the unknown and uncomfortable tends to make things a bit hard which, upon reflection, is REALLY annoying. I was always creative but the world tends to tell creative people that there’s no money or future in it which is where that fear is born. Once I decided to ‘do it scared’ things changed and I knew that this could be a thing for me. Might not be making a living from it quite yet but at least I’m living the way I want to.
3. What was your first sale as a writer and how did it feel to sell your work?
My first book was an educational nonfiction work about Cyberbullying. It wasn’t until after the first month that the book was available that there was really any excitement. Those first sales are great fun but those are the family and friend sales, those awesome people that support your work. It’s after the obligatory “support your friends” period wears off when it feels really cool to see that little tally mark letting you know that someone wanted to read something you wrote.
4. How has writing helped you in other areas of life besides being something you could earn money from?
Writing has given me a different perspective of the world and how I interact with it. I pay more attention to the little details in life. I’m a painfully introverted person, but when I see an opportunity to meet and engage with people who look like they have some amazing stories, I’m going to do it. Right now, I’m on a cruise in Alaska, marking something off my bucket list that has been there since I was in middle school. The trip itself has been amazing and between the crew on the ship, who come from all over the world, and people we’ve met in ports, the stories are amazing. I tend to do my best writing when I’m on a cruise ship and these people and their stories find their way into my own tales. Being a writer has broken me out of my shell and often makes me more daring than I normally would be. The life motto over the past few years has definitely been, “do it for the plot.”
5. What was your biggest accomplishment as a writer?
This might be weird to say, but getting my first rejection from a publisher felt like an accomplishment. It felt good because it wasn’t a form rejection and they had taken the time to express that they really enjoyed the pages and the premise but they already had filled designated slots for that particular genre. The rejection stung but their words told me that there was a place in the world for my story, just not quite yet.
6. Who has inspired you the most in the writing field?
As a millennial, I had the honor of being a part of the “if our parents knew what we were reading, they would be mortified” generation. I knew I wanted to grow up and be the next K.A. Applegate or R.L. Stine. The two of them introduced me to the twisted world of horror and morally grey characters and I was hooked.
I look at Katherine Applegate and Micheal Grant (collectively K.A. Applegate of the Animorphs series) not only as writing inspirations but how to be a good human being. Frankly, Animorphs should have been a bigger deal, but they were overshadowed by Harry Potter. Where the Wizarding World and its creator have not ages well, Animorphs stands the test of time and that’s what I want. I not only want to create worlds and characters that withstand and that people care about, but also be someone you can look up to as a human.
7. What are some of the challenges you have faced as a writer and how did you overcome them?
Right now, the biggest challenge is time. I feel like I never have enough of it. Making the time to write when you’re working for a paycheck, pretending to have a social life, and dealing with day-to-day monotony is a lot. There are so many ideas brewing in my head, so many outlines, started stories and novels, so many worlds waiting to be born, it can be overwhelming. It’s part of the reason I’m so productive when I’m on trips, because I have no responsibilities. People will make fun of me for sitting on my laptop while on a cruise, but my idea of a vacation is getting some writing done! (I’m getting a lot of strange looks right now as we slowly sail past a glacier, but I’m also the only person who seemed to spot the pod of dolphins swimming alongside us, so I’m the real winner here)
8. What is the best writing advice you have ever received and why do you feel it is important?
Do it now. Do it scared. Just do it.
This is just a collective of advice from a multitude of places including but limited to an unhinged Shia LaBeouf video. It’s also the advice I tend to give people once they find out I’m a writer and they want my advice on how to get started. Just do it. Start writing and don’t stop. It’s not always going to be perfect, it’s not always going to be your best, but at least you’re doing it. Do I take my own advice? Absolutely not, I’m a perfectionist. But I’m doing it, and that’s the most important part.
9. What sort of writing do you do now?
My writing is all over the place and depends heavily on my mood at the time. I’ve been really into writing short stories lately so my focus has been there, but I also have about 10 novels either outlined or in progress. I like to bounce around between different projects because it keeps me working. If I hit a wall with one thing, I move to another for a while. When I can’t deal with my characters, I’ll jump over to my blog to prove to my followers that I’m not dead, I'm just a busy adult with ADHD.
10. Where can we find some of your work online?
My website is always a good start, or my blog. I’m working on being better at updating both, promise… maybe.
11. What advice do you have for aspiring writers thinking of taking the leap of getting their work published?
My best advice would have to be, take the advice of others with a grain of salt. I’ve met authors on all ends of the spectrum, those that have told me that my odds of getting an agent or publisher on my side are a million to one to authors who are so excited to meet like minds and cheer on their community. The path to success isn’t one size fits all. I’ve always approached writing like I do running a marathon- we’re all running the same race but it’s not against each other. I’m running my race. I’ll finish before some people and I’ll finish after some people. But I started and I finished. That’s what matters.
12. What are your final thoughts about being a writer?
All I can think about right now is how lucky I am. Being a writer taught me to be brave, to take chances and to do things scared. It’s taught me to be adventurous, open to new experiences, open to new people, and to explore. I’ve learned to be more curious, not to be afraid to ask more questions, and to take a step back to really soak in the world around me.
ABOUT JOSH:
Josh Gunderson is an author, educator, blogger, and cat dad. His acclaimed nonfiction works include You're Doing It Wrong, a memoir chronicling his life and career, and Your Digital Life: A Teen’s Guide to the Online World, a detailed exploration of the digital world and its challenges. Josh is also the author of the best-selling poetry collection The Lamenting Mallrats Society. In addition to his books, he writes regularly on his blog, Avoiding Neverland, sharing insights on topics ranging from social media to his love of cruising. Recently, Josh has expanded his writing to include fiction, with a particular interest in horror.
News for Writers:
"So, You Want to Write a Cookbook?" by Amy Levitt
via Eater
"The Real Reason Most Writers Fail to Earn Sustainably" by Darius Foroux
via Writing to (L)Earn
"Is Your Worldbuilding TOO Powerful?" by Janet Forbes
via Writers In The Storm
"Vulnerable, Villain, or Just Vile? Writing Problematic Characters" by Grace Wynter
via Writer Unboxed
"Children's Writing: Story, Plot, and Arcs" by Karen Cioffi
via Writers On The Move
"3 Easy Edits for Better Emotional Descriptions" by Janice Hardy
via Fiction Writing University
"Editing a Bloated Manuscript (what to cut, and how)" by Fallon Clark
via MetaStellar
"4 Ways to Avoid Info Dumping" by Lindsey Odorizzi
via The Writer's Workout
"Create a Writing Schedule You Can Stick with" by Rebecca Camarena
via Writers On The Move
"I Write Tragedies, Not Sins" by Luke Babb
via The Wild Hunt
"Is My Book a Romance?" by Selene Grace Silver
via Writers In The Storm
"What Writing for The Wonder Years Taught Me About Novels" by Mark B. Perry
via Literary Hub
"Writing to Help Save Democracy" by Randy Susan Meyers
via Writer Unboxed
"5 Tips for Creating Great Non-Fiction Books" by Dr Raman K Attri
via Reader Views Blog
"9 Paying Poetry Markets for Writers" by Karoki Githure
via WritersWeekly
"What I’ve Learned Writing for Children" by Rachel Toalson
via Writer Unboxed
"Confessions of a Repeat Novel Resuscitator" by Virginia Pye
via Writer Unboxed
"8 Tips for Turning Your Short Story into a Full-Length Novel" by Sarah "Sally" Hamer
via Writers In The Storm
"Want Creative Cred? Give A Little!" by Rebecca Forster
via Writers In The Storm
"Writing Advice I Ignore But Still Pretend to Follow" by Sabyasachi Roy
via Authors Publish
"Tension in Fiction: What it is and how to build it" by Fallon Clark
via MetaStellar
"57 Literary Journals that Pay Their Authors" by Emily Harstone
via Authors Publish
"Immersive Interiority: How to Collapse Narrative Distance to Get Emotion on the Page" by Alex Van Tol
via Jane Friedman
"It’s a Book, Not a Slide Deck: Avoiding Fast-Content Habits in Nonfiction" by Dinah Laprairie
via Jane Friedman
"POV Bright Spots and Blind Spots" by Erin Halden
via Jane Friedman
"How to Finish Your Draft—One Tiny Sprint at a Time" by Colleen M. Story
via Master Writer Mindset
"Stop Talking About Your Writing" by Rachel G. Jordan
via Reader Views Blog
"Embracing My Writing Process" by Karen Scott
via The Writer's Workout
"Unpacking "Show, Don't Tell"" by Laura Romig
via The Writer's Workout
"Beta Readers Help—But Editors Make Your Book Great" by Jenn Windrow
via Writers In The Storm
"A Guide to Staying Afloat" by Juliet Marillier
via Writer Unboxed
"Negative Space of a Poem or Photograph: The Poetics of What’s Left Out" by Sabyasachi Roy
via Sabyasachi’s Substack
"5 Sacrifices You Have to Make to be a Successful Writer" by Colleen M. Story
via Master Writer Mindset
"The Arc of Time" by Dave King
via Writer Unboxed
"“See” Your Story Take Shape With Visual Notetaking" by Liz Massey
via Writer's Digest
"Fantasy Isn’t (Only) Escapism" by Flavia Brunetti
via Writer's Digest
"5 Tips for Writing a Historical Romance" by Mimi Matthews
via Writer's Digest
FEATURE ARTICLE
A CHILLING DEEP DIVE INTO THE MIND OF DAN SHRADER
By Jerry Blaze
Dan Shrader is an author of extreme horror and splatter. He is the mastermind behind the Full Nasty series as well as the bestselling short, Cravens Freaks. Dan lives and writes in Southern Indiana. He was gracious enough to grant SPARREW newsletter this interview.
This interview took place between Jerry Blaze (JB) and Dan Shrader (DS).
JB: Hello! How are you?
DS: 35
JB: Tell us (for the sake of breaking the ice) who you are?
DS: A clown trapped in a man’s body.
JB: What inspired you to be a writer?
DS: I‘ve always had a passion for writing and storytelling—since I was young. It’s something that has constantly been a part of me, and I’ve felt an urge to pursue. I’ve got so many ideas bouncing around, I can’t relax until I write them down.
JB: When did you decide you were going to write full-time or part-time or just period?
DS: I’ve always dreamt of being a professional writer or just actually doing it. It’s been my dream forever. My twenties were rough, and I stopped for a long time after high school. I was a mess, couldn’t stay sober, and that dream was a long way off. I struggled to write more than a page. Over ten years of binge-drinking and self-hatred destroyed my passion, but I’M BACK.
JB: What is your most successful book to date?
DS: Full Nasty Books and Cravens Freaks
JB: What is your process?
DS: I have thoughts in my head and I try to write them down, either by typing or by hand, in any way possible. I have scraps of notes. Can’t say I have a process. Sometimes, I work on three or four projects at a time.
JB: Do you prefer any legal drugs to help, nicotine? Caffeine? Whatever the hell they put in vapes?
DS: A lot of coffee. I vape now after fifteen years of smoking cigarettes. That is it.
JB: What is your favorite genre to write?
DS: I have explored various horror styles. In the past, I tried screenplays and crime drama, but I always preferred horror.
JB: Which of your books do you wish people knew more about?
DS: Banshee Graveyard and Soulless Lonesome
JB: Do you prefer to self-publish or small-press publish? Why?
DS: At the moment—Self-publish. I’m a control freak when it comes to my work.
JB: What are your thoughts on Amazon categories?
DS: They’re a hot mess. You only pick three (which don’t cater well to horror authors) and when the book is out, this odd algorithm throws you in stuff you never even put it in.
JB: What do you think about book awards?
DS: Been nominated for a few, but I’m not against them. I think it’s a good thing.
JB: What, in your opinion, makes or breaks a book?
DS: Characters and scenes that are too descriptive. Too much unnecessary backstory. Repeated material. Lack of authenticity. Or when you read and can just tell the author is being lazy, like they gave up or trying too hard to finish. It’s hard to explain, but you know it when you see it.
JB: What do you think about AI in covers, writing, etc.?
DS: If you use AI to write or even generate ideas for you, it’s best not to write at all. It’s disrespectful.
Plain and simple: AI is the devil. If you use it—please go fuck yourself very much on that—you're a cheat and it’s insulting to people who create.
JB: Who’s your favorite author?
DS: Clive Barker
JB: Who would be your ideal co-author for a book?
DS: Would love to work with Kristopher Triana one day.
JB: What do you think of book labels based on word count? Short, novelette, novella, novel?
DS: I write until the story is finished, without a specific word count in mind. Short stories are under 6K words. Novels are over 40K words. The middle ground is where the fun happens.
JB: Follow up, what’s your preferred word count?
DS: I seem to fall in the 15K to 22K bracket a lot with most of my work. I only have one novel.
JB: What are your dreams as a writer? Ultimate goal? Etc.?
DS: Keep creating. Build a fan base. Get my work out there. Maybe have a book into a movie one day when Hollywood pulls their heads out of their asses and stops remaking everything.
JB: Where do you see the horror community going?
DS: I’m not entirely certain, but it’s like a family. It changes and wraps back around. What wasn’t cool today might be cool tomorrow. It’s important to listen to our elders by reading their material, carrying the torch forward, and generating new ideas from it. This community is different from all others and I believe will be here forever.
I’m not sure I answered this great. I’m honestly still stuck in the 80s and 90s of horror. I mean, none of my stories have characters with cell phones. LOL
JB: Any advice for aspiring writers?
DS: Keep your head down, stay out of the drama, and write.
Write. Write. Write. Be the best you can.
Find Dan Shrader books on Amazon now!
ABOUT JERRY:
Jerry Blaze is an award-winning author of Horror and Bizarro fiction.
After achieving success in the erotic market, Jerry decided to undertake Extreme Horror/Splatterpunk/Bizarro fiction writing and released several books. Some of his books have been bestsellers on Amazon. He has been awarded the 2025 Golden Wizard Book Prize and the Literary Titan award.
Jerry is a fan of Grindhouse and exploitation films from the 70s and 80s, often modeling his work on them. He currently lives in the American Midwest, but travels often to get inspiration or to run away from angry mobs.
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Thanks for reading! See you next month!