From APEX Publications:
Cover artwork by Cortney Skinner.

Apex Publications is pleased to announce that the MOUNTAIN DEAD zombie anthology will be arriving soon!

SYNOPSIS:
Almost heaven… or is it?

The mountains’ enduring beauty holds something dark. Something dreadful. Something hungry for our flesh, our brains. Something dead yet not quite dead, driven by magic as old as the coal seams and the hills.

Come see the dark side of the mountains where the undead walk. Appalachia stands against an ever-hungry, never-tiring army created by the region’s own mysteries and lore. Mountain Dead collects intriguing zombie tales by some of the best names in horror, including John Skipp, Jonathan Maberry, Geoffrey Girard, Gary A. Braunbeck, Tim Lebbon, Elizabeth Massie, Lucy A. Snyder, Bev Vincent, Tim Waggoner, and many more.

Introduction by S.G. Browne author of Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament
Afterword by Rebekah McKendry of Fangoria Magazine
Edited by Hugo and Stoker Award-nominated editor Jason Sizemore

MOUNTAIN DEAD contains most of the lost stories from the Appalachian Undead project from last winter, along with four new exciting works of zombie horror. This has been a bit of a secret project as I assembled all the pieces together to make it happen. I am ecstatic about bringing these dead stories back to life!

This one comes out in June. Keep your eyes open for the Early 50 order announcement!

Table of Contents:Introduction — SG Browne
When Granny Comes Marchin’ Home Again — Elizabeth Massie
Sitting Up with the Dead — Bev Vincent
Company’s Coming — Ronald Kelly
Repent, Jessie Shimmer! — Lucy A. Snyder
Black Friday — Karin Fuller
Calling Dead — Jonathan Maberry
Times is Tough in Musky Holler — John Skipp & Dori Miller
Reckless — Eliot Parker
The Girl and the Guardian — Simon McCaffery
On Stagger — G. Cameron Fuller
Long Days to Come (New version) — K. Allen Wood
Hide and Seek — Tim Waggoner
Sleeper — Tim Lebbon
We Take Care of Our Own — John Everson
Miranda Jo’s Girl — Steve Rasnic Tem
Being in the Shadow — Maurice Broaddus
Almost Heaven — Michael Paul Gonzalez
Twilight at the Zombie Game Preserve — S. Clayton Rhodes
Hell’s Hollow — Michael West
Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Makeshift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse That Now Serves as His Church — Gary A. Braunbeck
Let Me Come In — Lesley Conner
Deep Underground — Sara M. Harvey
Zombies in a Church — Geoffrey Girard
Afterword — Rebekah McKendry

Note: This is not the official, final table of contents and order of stories.

Fearnet has posted an excellent new review of Appalachian Undead, the anthology featuring my short tale “Hell’s Hollow.”  Here’s an excerpt:

“The fact is, it’s difficult to pinpoint a weakness anywhere in the anthology. Johnson has built the book with a mix of established names and newer talent, and the finished package does not come close to wearing out the welcome of its central idea – it does, in fact, leave the reader wanting even more. Appalachian Undead is an absolute blast to read, and should serve as the perfect antidote for those dreading the end of the Halloween season.”

Click here to order your copy of Appalachian Undead!

As if the sound of dueling banjos wasn’t frightening enough, later this month, APEX Publications will unleash Appalachian Undead,  a new anthology dedicated to mountain folk who just won’t stay in their graves.   The amazing cover art was created by Cortney Skinner, and I am pleased to announce that my short story, “Hell’s Hollow,” is among these hair-raising hillbilly tales.    Here is the full Table of Contents:

Foreword by S.G. Browne (author of Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament)
When Granny Comes Marchin’ Home Again – Elizabeth Massie
Calling Death – Jonathan Maberry
Hide and Seek – Tim Waggoner
Twilight of the Zombie Game Preserve… – S. Clayton Rhodes
Being in Shadow – Maurice Broaddus
Sitting up with the Dead- Bev Vincent
The Girl and the Guardian – Simon McCaffery
Repent, Jessie Shimmer! -Lucy Snyder
Almost Heaven -Michael Paul Gonzalez
On Stagger – G. Cameron Fuller
We Take Care of Our Own – John Everson
Sleeper – Tim Lebbon
Reckless – Eliot Parker
Company’s Coming – Ronald Kelly
Black Friday – Karin Fuller
Spoiled – Paul Moore
Miranda Jo’s Girl – Steve Rasnic Tem
Times Is Tough in Musky Holler – John Skipp & Dori Miller
Hell’s Hollow – Michael West
Long Days to Come – K. Allen Wood
Brother Hollis Gives His Final Sermon from a Rickety Make-Shift Pulpit in the Remains of a Smokehouse that now Serves as His Church – Gary A. Braunbeck

Special afterword by Fangoria Magazine editor Rebekah McKendry

I am so honored and excited to be a part of this anthology, and I hope my faithful readers will check out all of these great tales!

Click here to order your copy today!

From editor Ty Schwamberger: “This is the original cover art for the anthology, Cadence in Decay, forthcoming from UK publisher Mansion House Books. Edited by yours truly, contributors include: Adam P. Lewis, J.F. Gonzalez, Mike Oliveri, Tim Waggoner, Maurice Broaddus, Jack Ketchum, James A. Moore, Jeff Strand, Ramsey Campbell, Gary Braunbeck, Weston Ochse, Michael West, Thomas A. Erb, Skip Novak and Ian R. Faulkner.

“CID will be released in signed limited edition hardcover the first half of 2013.”

My story is called “Unknown Caller,” and it is as dark and twisted as the artwork suggests.

Jennifer at Book Den just posted a new interview with me on my two Seventh Star Singles, “Goodnight” and “For the River Is Wide and the Gods Are Hungry.”  We also talked about my upcoming novels, Poseidon’s Children, the first book in my epic, dark Urban Fantasy series, The Legacy of the Gods, and Spook House and Field of Screams, the next two Harmony, Indiana titles. 

Read the interview here!

Book Den is also giving away copies of all 8 Seventh Star Singles to three lucky people!  This contest will be open until January 31, 2012.  Good luck!

The website Between Two Books is giving you a chance to win all the Seventh Star Press Singles e-Books, including my short stories, “Goodnight” and “For the River Is Wide and the Gods Are Hungry.”  They also conducted an interview with me on everything from my favorite books and writing style to what I think of digital books and the current state of Horror. 

You can register to win copies of the short stories here!

And read the new interview here!

As one year ends, another begins, like the chapters of a book that you just can’t put down, eager to see what happens to all the characters on the next page.  And let me tell you, faithful readers, there is a lot of exciting stuff coming on those next pages.  But before we look ahead, let’s reflect a moment on the story so far…

2011 was one hell of a year!  It was a rollercoaster ride of the highest highs and lowest lows.  On the high end, I signed on with Seventh Star Press and saw a record number of works published in various magazines and anthologies. 

“Sandwalkers” published in Fell Beasts

“Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite”  published in Shroud #11

“Masako’s Tale” published in The Beast Within 2: Predator & Prey

The Wide Game  

And last but not least, Cinema of Shadows.

The reaction from faithful readers and critics to Cinema has been especially rewarding, and I thank you all for your kind words and support. 

And for the lows?   Well, they were pretty damn low.

Sara J. Larson, a co-founder of Indiana Horror Writers, my harshest critic, my biggest fan, and one of my closest and dearest friends, has been battling breast cancer for over a year.  There was a time, after her chemo and radiation treatments, when it looked like she would be with us for years to come, but in the fall, her condition took a turn for the worse.  She is now in hospice, and her time is short.  For those who have had a friend or family member fight a losing battle with this disease, you know my sadness and my total feeling of helplessness.  She is in my thoughts and my prayers every minute of every day, as is her incredible husband, Bill.  If you have never had a cancer screening, please do so.  And give what you can to cancer research so that, someday, no one will have to go through this. 

Which leads me to 2012…

One of the projects I am working on for the new year is an anthology of Vampire fiction for Naked Snake Press called Vampires Don’t Sparkle!  The stories will be dark, and gritty, with vampires that do not mope or go to prom, and best of all…all proceeds from the sale of the anthology will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Sara J. Larson’s name.  The stories are in, and I am reading and editing like crazy, so I hope to have a table of contents for you soon.  If you are a fan of Horror, or you just want to help make a difference in the war on cancer, please buy or download a copy when it becomes available in the first half of 2012.

On a much lighter note…

Also coming in 2012 is the first novel in my Legacy of the Gods series, Poseidon’s Children.  This epic, four book saga has been a project that I have been toying with off and on since 1989, and I am so happy that Seventh Star Press is giving me the opportunity to be able to finally share it with all of you.  Look for the limited edition hardcover, paperback, and eBook versions of Poseidon’s Children to surface in March.

I also have three new short stories coming out in the next few months.  “The Grove” will appear in Shroud Magazine, Issue #13, “For the River Is Wide and the Gods Are Hungry” will be released as a $0.99 eBook from Seventh Star Press, and “Unknown Caller” will be part of an amazing limited edition anthology from MHB Press called Cadence in Decay.

And last but not least, my next Harmony, Indiana novel, Spook House, will be released in September.

I will also be on the road quite a bit in the next 12 months, with appearances at Days of the Dead, HorrorHound Weekend, Fandom Fest, and Scarefest to name just a few.  Check my schedule throughout the year, as it does change from time to time.

Yes indeed, 2012 promises to be another roller coaster of a year!  Let’s hope there are more ups than downs for us all, and I look forward to meeting many of you in my travels.  As always, thanks to you, my faithful readers.  You are why I do this, and I hope to offer you more thrills and chills over the next 12 months and for many years to come.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am pleased to be a part of Ty Schwamberger’s new limited edition anthology Cadence in Decay from MHB Press.   The books will all be finely bound and signed by each of the contributors, and there are some amazing writers involved with this anthology.  Here is the full table of contents:

“Ricochet” by J.F. Gonzalez

“War of the Worlds Fever Dream” by Weston Ochse

“Unknown Caller” by Michael West

“Cacophony” by Adam P. Lewis

“Breaking Up” by Ramsey Campbell

“Dead Cache” by Mike Oliveri

“Patience” by Skip Novak

“War Is Over” by Gary Braunbeck

“Dialing the Dead” by James A. Moore

“Communication Breakdown” by Maurice Broaddus

“Terminal Point of Addiction” by Ian R. Faulkner

“The Christmas Calle”r by Jack Ketchum

“Spencer Weaver Gets Rebooted” by Thomas A. Erb

“Tin Cans” by Jeff Strand

“The Talking Dead” by Tim Waggoner

Cadence in Decay is set for release in early 2012.  Stay tuned for more information, or visit the MHB Press Coming Soon page!

My new short story, “Unknown Caller,” will be featured in the Cadence In Decay anthology, edited by Ty Schwamberger and released by Mansion House Books, the home of UK-based MHB Press/Hard Gore Press.   MHB Press specializes in the publication of finely bound, signed, and illustrated limited editions of out of print classic works of Horror and Erotic Horror, as well as exciting new works from todays best voices in the genre.  The anthology is currently slated for an early 2012 release, and in addition to my story, features the work of: Wrath James White, J.F. Gonzalez, Mike Oliveri, Tim Waggoner, Thomas A. Erb, Maurice Broaddus, Ian R. Faulkner, James A. Moore, Deborah LeBlanc, Skip Novak, Jeff Strand, Ramsey Campbell, Gary Braunbeck, and Weston Ochse.

This limited edition, signed, and illustrated hardcover will be available for pre-order in the near future, and is sure to become a collector’s item.  Stay tuned for more news as it becomes available!

My short story, “The Grove,” which was to have been part of the  ill-fated Nick Cave anthology, will now appear in Issue #13 of  Shroud Magazine. 

I will post more information as it becomes available.