I’d never heard of the term ‘June Gloom’ before going to StokerCon in San Diego earlier this month and finding it overcast every morning. But that was the extend of the June Gloom for me becuase this month has been nothing but June BOOM (see what I did there?). What an awesome month this has been and I’m gonna tell you all about it, but before I start going on and on, lemme share my latest music find: Ampiano. It is like deep house – kinda reminds me of Blue Six, but with a little Afrobeats vibe too. I LOVE IT. I’m actually listening to it right now!
Here is the video to what I am listeing to. The place looks like my first apartment, though I couldn’t have fit this many people inside:
OK, now that you have something to listen to, check THIS out (stealing from a post I wrote, because it says all the stuff I still mean): So…
I was gonna release this cover as a teaser, something blocking most of it, obscuring it from view, was going to slowly step it out there as we approached the pre-order announcement… and then the pre-order hit #1!!!!! I can’t begin to explain how jaw-droppingly amazing it was to go on Amazon to grab the pre-order link so I could update my website, and be met with an orange banner before promo had ever begun.
And, you guys, the book stayed #1 for like 5 days!!!!!!!
OMG!
So… I wanna say something about this cover now because it blows my mind.
I wanna say something about the book too, because it has been a long time in the making.
But first I wanna say thank you so very much to everyone who already pre-ordered. It means so very much – I can’t even explain.
This cover was created by Maya Preisler. They’ve done many covers for my work – way back to Telecommuting – but the process for this one had the most beautifully collaborative vibe. I want to thank them for that and this stunner of an end result.
I want to thank Mocha Memoirs Press, LLC for hearing this vision and nodding along with me. I know what that nod means, friend, and I appreciate you going out on the ledge with me time and time again.
ABOUT THIS BOOK…
Well, let me let the back cover copy speak for itself:
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.
**********
It’s a fun one, y’all, one I’ve been writing for years.
If you want to pre-order this beauty, I would be overjoyed and honored. It is available on Kindle here: https://a.co/d/07kHzDtN and you can pre-order the paperback here: https://mochamemoirspress.com/…/the-horror-aesthetic…/
The paperback will release on 10/4/2024 on Amazon as well.
But WAIT! There’s more!
Or maybe not… now that I’ve said that, I think I already told you guys about The Lost Stories coming out toward the end of the summer (book 4 of The Open Book universe).
Did you catch my article on Juneteenth?
I appreciate House of Gamut for providing a platform where I could speak about my thoughts – I hope the piece resonates with people.
Let’s see…. what else…
- I signed a few things and saw a few things… listened to some too. I’ll just say I think July and August are gonna be fun!
- I started writing a new novel – literally only a few hundred words, but I’m pumped about it.
- I saw Jhene Aiko live (fed my soul in so many ways).
- I had the honor to read a few things this month that blew my mind. I’d tell you what they were, but then…
🙂
I hope your June is like mine – a BOOM and not GLOOM-y. 🙂
That’s it for today! Until next time…
L. Marie
L. Marie Wood 