Is it just me or is the year flying by?
Oh, wait… let me share my writing music for today because, you guys, WOW.
Ok, back to the topic at hand. 🙂
I feel like the year is moving so quickly, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I hope you are feeling productive in whatever you are working on. I am feeling it over here as I finish editing a novella and get ready to start writing the next novel. I’ve read some amazing books in the past few weeks including Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay (I’m working through the series – this is book 3), and The Nanny by Gilly MacMillan. I am in the middle of The Audition by Ryu Murakami and Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan and I am enjoying every word of each. The moment I finish these two I will start House of Rain and Bone by Gabino Iglesias – I am so excited about this one!
I have been loving the movies recently (ok when do I not? I go see everything horror, thriller, action, suspense. I absolutely love sitting in a darkened theater eating popcorn and getting ready for a sensory treat). My summer movie pick has to be A Quiet Place: Day One for many reasons, not the least of which is the strong performance Lupita Nyong’o had. It is an important movie when you look at it through a critical lens. I liked it so much, I wrote an essay about it. Check it out here at NightTide.
Summer is the busy season for authors and this year was no exception. I had a blast at StokerCon and AuthorCon. I also had loads of fun signing the Raw Dog Screaming Press anthology Beyond the Bounds of Infinity at Vortex Books. And there’s more to come! If you are going DragonCon, I’ll be there! I have a lot of panels and a signing, so come say hi! I will also be at Capclave, at a the Blair Witch celebration with a few books on 9/14, at a signing for the release of my nonfiction book (more on that in a second) at Fuzzy Dog Books and Music on 10/5, and I’ll be back at Vortex Books & Comics for my own signing on 12/4.
About my new book… y’all…
“This is a book not only for casual fans of horror but for those who study it as well. Illuminating and revelatory, Wood has offered an important new volume in a growing area of exploration.”-Sheree RenĂ©e Thomas, Three-time World Fantasy Award winner and author of Nine Bar Blues: Stories from an Ancient Future, Sleeping Under the Tree of Life, editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and associate editor of Obsidian
“THE HORROR AESTHETIC is a brilliant, elegant and deeply insightful exploration of the many faces of horror. This will enchant both scholars and…well…everyone! Very highly recommended!” –Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of NecroTek and editor of Weird Tales Magazine
“… Wood’s collection stands out as more than a book. Rather, it could be seen as a course on horror, genre fans, and society as a whole…”-Becky Spratford, Booklist
“A thoughtful and engrossing examination of horror fiction’s enduring popularity and place in society. Absolutely essential reading for fans and scholars alike.” – Brian Keene, Bestselling author
That’s just some of what people have been saying out my little book! I am so excited to release this book on October 4, 2024. Here is the back cover copy:
Many creatures lurk in the dark, weaving on top of one another, roiling together like waves on the night sea. The darkness forms in layers to encompass the land, fill the corners, and obscure angles. Untold mysteries lie just beyond reach told in many tongues, many inflections, many rhythms.
The stories are many.
Innumerable.
Legion.
The Horror Aesthetic: Essays from the Dark Corners of the Genre shares perspectives from the darkest corners of the horror genre, providing study and nuance to the mythos, antagonists, and storytelling we love. This is a book that celebrates the craft of writing horror, explores the oral traditions that gave life to the written words of the gothic and the tortured, shines a light on what has been left in the obscurity of the dark. From the classroom to the far corners that only shadows reach, The Horror Aesthetic: Essays from the Dark Corners of the Genre examines the horror genre in rich context, contemplative zest, and dark humor.
It’s the horror research you never knew you needed until now.
You can pre-order now – it is available in hardcvover, paperback, and ebook. There will be an audiobook as well – narrated by ME!
There are short stories coming out in the next few months as well – Sudden Fictions podcast will likely be the next release. I think late August or early September. “Model Home” is the tale and it is fun. Keep an eye out for it here.
Also be on the look out for stories in House of Gamut, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and more! Check out what’s coming soon here!
The Lost Stories is also coming out soon. It is book 4 of The Open Book Universe. Before it drops, are you all caught up?
Also… YOU GUYS… I am so honored to be nominated for an Ignyte Award! Wow – it blows my mind completely to be among such talented company. If you haven’t already, please check out the ballot and celebrate these amazing authors.
You’ll find my essay, “The Fear/Horror of Change” waaayyyyy at the bottom in nonfiction – please do take a look!
I think that’s all on my end. I have some writing to do – there should be a few essays and interviews out in the next few months, so I’d better get cracking! 🙂
Until next time,
L. Marie
L. Marie Wood 