It is great for lot of things – catching up with friends, making new ones, sharing knowledge, learning something new, and getting inspired. But not writing. At least, not for me. I know some who can write at the hotel after a day of panels and chatting. Not me. I’m usually running between said panels or spending hours chatting with friends I only get to see once or twice a year. This year was no different. I am spent and that is such a fantastic thing!
To kick off StokerCon, the University of Pittsburgh shared some of their archived documents… and there was a table of some of my stuff! It was amazing to stand there with people who are interested in the genre and excited to have my work as part of a collection such as this. I can’t explain how honored I am to be part of this. I won’t make you sit through all that again, but suffice it to say that I am still floored.
I went into StokerCon a nominee for an award that weekend and with a secret on my lips. I came out a Raw Dog Screaming Press author (!!!!) and a StokerCon Finalist (no haunted house this time around!).
My novella, 12 Hours, will be released in 2024 as part of The Selected Papers from the Consortium for the Study of Anomalous Phenomena project. Here’s the official announcement from RDSP and a family picture. Spot some familiar and amazing faces?
I’m not totally done, but the whirlwind has passed. I have few things coming up, including a discussion about mental health and horror and a Burkittsville, MD event that I was invited to by the Mayor (right?!?!). But the next con for me is Multiverse…. so that means it’s time to WRITE!
And I’ve been at it. One nonfiction piece and a few thousand words toward a novel I am working on (wait until I tell you about this one!!!) so far. It’s good to be back at the keys.
Hope you are doing the thing you love and enjoying it immensely.
And, ooh, guess what??
Blackened Roots is out in the world! Zombies as told from authors of the Black diaspora. Amazing tales here by names you know and others you will enjoy getting to know! Check it out!
I see you grooving, busting out your 1980s moves… same, friend… no judgment.
Ok, so May got away from me. June tried that mess too, but I caught it before it escaped. Late newsletter but better late than never, as they say. 🙂 How’ve you been? What’s been up? What’re you doing?
It’s con season for some of us and I have been in the thick of it since April. I’ve been in person and online – I spoke in Berlin and North Carolina on the same day last weekend! Scares that Care: Authorcon, Final Girls Film Festival, Brandeis University’s Horror Symposium, Balticon, ConCarolinas, HWA Vancouver address, WriteHive… and it ain’t over! Here’s what’s coming:
StokerCon! I am on four panels (1 online and 3 in person): Articles of the Damned, Revamping Classic Monsters, and A Decade of Black Women in Horror live and in color. Come say hey!
In Your Write Mind: Two panels and 4 academic presentations (Yeah, I have LOTS to say!)
The Mighty Pen Summit: I’ll present some thoughts about our approaches to writing.
Knee Brace Press will host a discussion on Horror and Mental Health in July
MultiverseCon – all the things
A little more about StokerCon… Did you see that panel about a decade of Black women in horror? This is a very exciting time in the genre and I am so honored to be part of it. I look forward to this discussion. At the same time, Sumiko Saulson has put out a follow-up to their 100 + Black Women in Horror book from the 2010s and it will be available at the con as well as on Amazon.
I spy with my little eye… do you see me?
I am also SUPER excited about StokerCon this year because of the Stoker banquet. My two short nonfiction pieces are in the running for a Stoker Award this year and I couldn’t be more excited.
From Conjuring Worlds, my essay, “African American Horror Authors and Their Craft: The Evolution of Horror Fiction from African Folklore”, is up for Superior Achievement in Short Nonfiction
From Nightmare Magazine, my essay, “The Horror of Hair”, is also up for Superior Achievement in Short Nonfiction.
SO EXCITING!
There is also an event happening at the library where my work will be archived to kick off StokerCon. I am so honored to have some of my work showcased at this event. I can’t even believe I can even type these words in a sentence about myself. I am still floored over this – will always be.
And StokerCon means I get to see my friends Oh, the shenanigans! I can’t wait to see my folks and meat… I mean meet, sorry (LOL!), new ones.
There are some cool things happening even outside of all of that!
Something Scary showcased a creepy crawly story of mine that’s perfect for summer. You’re welcome and I’m sorry… I truly mean both things!
My little movie is making the rounds! We just got accepted into our fourth festival and have started winning and placing! So far we’ve won four awards ranging from Best Horror to Best Cinematography. Holy cow! What a wild ride, and we’ve just gotten started! Wanna see the trailer? Here it go! (remember David Alan Grier… In Living Color… “Like to hear it? Here it go!”??? It’s a thing, I promise, not just me forgetting my grammar – LOL!)
And don’t forget, the Realm trilogy is complete! You can check out all three of The Realm books to find out what happens to Patrick on his quest.
Horror and Sci-fi = serious fun!
That’s it for now, I think.
And just because this is really too funny not to share, here’s David Alan Grier and his, “Like to hear it? Here it go!” Ahhhhaahhh.
April is almost over and I didn’t realize it until today! The month flew by for me – how about you? I can’t even put my finger on what happened… I mean, I had some fantastic professional wins (!!!!) and wrote 7 short stories (ok!!!!!), but still. Maybe when you have this dude on loop when you’re at your desk, time is looser, more of a state of mind:
Things are HAPPENING!!
I’m a 2023 Imadjinn Award Finalist for my short story, “The Room”! This nomination made me realize something extremely cool. It’s a personal accomplishment that I hadn’t recognized before – one of those humbling moments. You guys, I have now either won or been nominated for an award for everything that I write in the creative space –
Short Stories – Most recent nomination for The Imadjinn award
Poetry – Nominated for a Rhysling award
Non-fiction – Nominated for a Stoker Award
Novel – Won the Golden Stake Award for The Promise Keeper
Screenplays – Won over 30 awards including Screenplay of the Year
Hot damn!
I’m floored.
I’m honored (no, I won’t start the name game like I did last newsletter, I promise!).
I’m thankful.
Since we spoke last, I judged a gross out contest that was truly nasty, had the world’s most interrupted interview ever (what was likely supposed to be about 5 minutes ended up being over 25 because of the author visitors who came to tell me cool stuff and never saw the camera rolling. LOL! It was a blast!). My novella/short story collection companion set (The Open Book and The Tales of Time) was released to critical acclaim – if you haven’t checked this set out, you should. Join the conversation – it is riveting.
The trilogy is now complete! Accursed is out (in paperback – Kindle is coming soon!) and that marks the end of this otherworldly tale. Find out what happens to Patrick and the family he so desperately wants to protect.
I shed a tear.
Origins, Book 2 of the Affinity Series didn’t release, as you know. I am so sorry. Changes abound with this saga, so stay tuned!!
Mars, The Band Man, and Sara Sue is ALMOST HERE! My first pure mystery/suspense/thriller, and it’s a fun throwback novel with a relatable character you’ll love, quirks and all! Sara Sue sees something she shouldn’t have seen, and now she’s gotta do something about it!
I had a blast writing this!
It will be available on May 2nd!
I’m thinking about doing a book party one of these days. Go on Facebook Live, sign some stock, and get it to you – very much like the way people did home parties online for candles and clothes at the end of the 2010s. The parties were fun and high energy. I loved that vibe, so I may try to revive it with books. Sound like fun? Stay tuned!
Movie news! We are starting up in the festival circuit! 271 Raeburn Avenue will be making the rounds at festivals shortly and I am so excited (and nervous and pumped, and, and, and…). Here’s the trailer again – check it out, like it, share it, spread the word. It is a really amazing thing to see people interpreting your work and doing their best performances in the world you’ve created. It’s… breathtaking.
I think that’s all I have for this month! I hope you are well and I look forward to what the next month brings!
This is the month where we honor women, so I might as well start from the the title! Do you remember The Name Game? Shirley Ellis brought us this stick-in-your-head gem back in 1964 and I don’t know about you, but I use the lyric play in conversation randomly (you know you do too… be honest!).
I titled this post ‘Honored’ and I truly am. Some amazing things have been happening for me and I am so thankful and, yes, honored to experience them. As of this writing, I am a two-time Bram Stoker Award® nominated author. My short nonfiction pieces, “The Horror of Hair” and “African American Horror Authors and their Craft: The Evolution of Horror Fiction from African Folklore” are on the final ballot and I couldn’t be more excited.
If you are an Active or Lifetime member and want to check them out, let me know – voting ends on 3/15!
My poem, “Beautiful” was nominated for a Rhysling Award! I am speechless about this. I am honored to be among some of the best to ever do it. If you want to learn more about the world of speculative poetry, check out the SFPA.
I got the neatest surprise the other day! In an article with a lead that said THE FUTURE OF HORROR IS FEMALE, my work was showcased alongside five other female authors doing things in the genre. How cool!!
I wrote an article for Horror Tree about Women in Horror that dives into the history of the genre and where we are now. It’s pretty interesting. You can check it out here.
Really, all of this blows my mind.
I am also on Cloud 9 over the release of my romance/sci-fi/horror mashup beauty that just came out. Origins is book 2 of the Affinity Saga and I just love, love, love hanging out with these characters in the strange little world they inhabit. It is different writing for me and I am having a blast with it. In fact, I just finished editing BOOK 4 last night! 🙂
Come play with us!
Did you know that The Realm Trilogy is now complete?
I had a blast writing this series and am honored to present the whole thing to you now. So, so cool. And the ending?!?!?
WHOAH.
If you like a fast-paced story with twists and turns, some sci-fi, and mind-bending psychological horror, this is the series for you.
Do you love to write and want to learn more about genre (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, paranormal romance)? Do you have a movie running in your head that you want to get down on paper? I am honored to bring you classes to help you do just that (see what I did there?). Hone your skills with the help of industry professionals at the Speculative Fiction Academy (SFA).
Thank you for letting me do the thing I love: write! I’m HONORED to… ok, I’ll stop. LOL!
February is an amazing month! It’s Black History Month, the former Women in Horror Month, my birthday month, and the month where I will have THREE releases!
Yep…
THREE!!!
For you traditional horror fans comes a novella and short story collection combo about a book filled with stories that are to die for (I wish you could see the smirk I have on my face right now!)
On February 16th please welcome these beauties from Falstaff Books:
For all you lovers our there… lovers who don’t mind a little sci-fi and a little horror mixed in, that is, catch up with the Affinity Series. Book 2, Origins, comes out on February 23rd! Haven’t read Book 1 yet? Check out The Tryst!
I can’t wait for you to see these amazing books! I had a lot of fun writing them.
What else is goings on (channeling Bernie Mac right now)?
I taught a class at HWA’s Horror University called Decoding Screenwriting. Two hours worth of myth busting, tools for your toolkit, facts, and practicum. If you’ve ever wanted to write a screenplay, were in need of a screenwriting refresher, or wanted some practical industry knowledge, this is the course for you. Check it out!
I have the distinct honor of making it onto the preliminary ballot for the Stoker award in the short nonfiction category… twice! My two pieces: “African American Horror Authors and their Craft: The Evolution of Horror Fiction from African Folklore” and “The Horror of Hair” are in the running and I couldn’t be more excited. If you are an Active or Lifetime member and want to check them out, let me know!
It’s also love month and I am sending this newsletter on love day – not to be confused with Love Shot… though… wait…
I haven’t been able to get this song out of my mind, so I thought I’d share the love… shot! LOL! I ended up down a rabbit hole and have a bunch of new Exo favorites now. If the same happens to you, well, you’re welcome!
I’m doing my annual movie marathon – African Diaspora contribution this month. Join me on Twitter (@LMarieWood1) or FB (facebook.com/LMarieWood) to get in on the fun! We’ve already covered Blacula, Moonlight, and New Jack City (a classic, folks). Wonder what’ll be next.
The end of the year is the time when many reflect on what happened and what they would like to see themselves doing in the coming year. Good. Do that… as long as you learn lessons from what you’ve experienced and remain accountable to those future goals. Don’t spend a lot of effort wishing the year could have been different – I have recently had a fact reinforced to me, one that I thought I already knew, but never really understood to the magnitude I do now until about three days ago: things happen for a reason.
Really.
They do.
If you have the presence of mind to see the path whatever that “thing” happening in your life took to get you where you are, you will be amazed. That’s not to say you shouldn’t put in effort or you shouldn’t strive for something that feels out of reach. You should. But when you don’t get exactly what you want (and you won’t, not all the time) wait a beat and see what else might be coming. There’s a reason you didn’t get or do that specific thing at that specific moment. Wait for it. It may still be coming to you – or something else – and it will get there EXACTLY when its supposed to.
This year has been a whirlwind for me – so many things happened that I didn’t see coming… so many things were supposed to come to fruition that did not. But guess what? The way I see it, 2023 is going to have all of those things that I was waiting for in 2022 AND MORE, and folks, THAT is going to be flipping amazing!
Get ready for these individual titles in 2023:
Plus another sumthin’ sumthin’ or two towards the end of the year that I’m gonna just stay quiet about right now 🙂
You’ll also find these releases coming out this year with a contribution from lil ole me (so far!):
I’ll be speaking at some places, like the Final Girls Conference out of Berlin, Scares that Care, and ConTinual. And I will be reprising my role as Horror Track Programming Director at MultiverseCon!
Also, my movie will be done! I can’t wait to check out the road this takes me on! I can’t help but share the trailer again:
Good stuff next year, even if there were some lefts that should have been rights along the way this year. Some of the lefts left me frustrated. But ALL of the rights left me elated!
My to do list next year has three new things on it that I never thought I’d write down, and I am up for the challenge. The important question for you to ask yourself about your own new year list is, ‘Are you?‘
And since I mentioned sumthin’ sumthin’, here’s some Maxwell to close out the year:
Snow on the ground. Hot chocolate in steaming mugs. Christmas lights twinkling on the tree. Pick your song and cue the music (“Baby, it’s cold outside,”, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,”), and sway… don’t forget to sway. This scenario is as familiar as they come. It represents the making of memories, the ones you call upon throughout the year to bring you joy, a sense of belonging, and love. It is also the default scene for many Christmas horror movies and those of us who like that kind of thing get nostalgic just thinking of cold winter nights with a good slasher film on the TV. Ah, the holidays.
If you’re looking for a good (and that’s a relative term, mind you) Christmas horror movie, check this list out. It goes beyond Gremlins, A Christmas Carol (because… ghosts), and The Night Before Christmas, folks – they are must-see Christmas horror movies in their own right, but you knew that already. So settle in, pour yourself a cup of hot chocolate, and pull the covers around you real tight… because everyone knows that the covers hide you from what’s lurking in the shadows, the thing waiting in the shadowy place just beyond the flickering lights on your Christmas tree… right?
Black Christmas – Don’t mess with girls in their sorority house… period. The 1974 original stars Margot Kidder pre-Superman fame and is a slasher movie through and through. Halloween may have put slasher movies on the map, but Black Christmas is the precursor in the genre. Alert – there was a remake made in 2019. There was also one made in 2006. Compare and contrast, if you dare!
Silent Night, Deadly Night – The beginning of a franchise, Silent Night, Deadly Night might be the most recognizable title in the Christmas slasher genre. A boy, traumatized at a young age, is triggered later in life to reenact his parents’ gruesome murders. And then the bleeding commences.
Krampus – Don’t believe in the spirit of Christmas? You’d better get yourself in gear before Krampus comes to visit. The antithesis of Santa Claus, Krampus punishes those who misbehave in the most terrifying of ways. Kind of sheds new light on the lyrics of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, doesn’t it?
Being a little spooked inside the confines of one’s own home is not relegated Halloween – stories of home invasions frightening us out of our sleep and hallucinations of flying animals attest to that (you know, ‘Twas the… I know you know). So, give in. Add a little Christmas fear with your Christmas cheer!
My gift to you…
I have never written a Christmas horror short story before… until now! Thanks to the folks at Snarled, this little beauty was animated for their Something Scary YouTube Channel. Check it out if you dare!
Give yourself a gift!
Treat yourself to some L. Marie Wood. There’s a scare out there for everyone… and a little romance too! Grab an ebook for your Kindle just in time for the holidays! Happy holidays, folks!
October is a very cool month for us horror writers. It’s the month when a lot of people are interested in the same things we are every other day of the year – creepy movies, things that go bump in the night, scary stories by candlelight… you know, stuff like that. It’s the time when liking horror movies is cool rather than cause for side eye, and cosplay is a shared experience rather than something to gawk it. For those of us who live and breathe this kind of stuff on a daily basis, know that we welcome you, part time horror folks! We enjoy giving movie suggestions and sharing the horror titles on our ‘to be read’ lists. We love helping you put together the perfect costume for the party you are going to. Some of us know where you can get black lipstick that will come off without having to scrub your lips raw. Many of us know who makes the best pumpkin cheesecake in our respective towns.
Welcome, friends! 🙂 We’re happy to have you.
Every October I embark on a 31 Days of Horror Movies challenge and I absolutely adore the journey. This October I have watched some really cool movies, such as Creep, Old People, and Incantation. Follow me on FB (www.facebook.com/LMarieWood) or Twitter (@LMarieWood1) to join the fun. Any time I watch a movie I like, I post about it – it’s the film theory geek in me, I can’t help it. So, follow me and join in the discussion.
Cool things are happening right now:
My screenplay, Low Budget, won a couple of film festivals this month! I am so honored. What started as a little idea in the back of my mind has turned into something that has touched people enough to consider it for an award… and then it actually WON! WOWZA! The tagline: Territory is important, as a film crew racing against time finds out when they get caught in the crossfire of the undead. It’s a fun story!
I am literally the doctor of scary things. I successfully defended my dissertation and have earned a PhD in Creative Writing. You may have to put up with some doctor jokes – I mean, most likely yes, this will happen. WOOHOO!
Under Her Skin, the anthology where my poem “Beautiful” is housed, won First Place in Bookfest Book Awards! HOLY COW!!!
The crowfunding effort for Blackened Roots: An Anthology of the Undead came out this month. I am honored to be on the TOC with such greats as Sheree Renee Thomas, Eden Royce, Steve Van Patten, and more. If you want to contribute to this amazing publishing project, check it out here!
I am waiting with bated breath for the third novel in The Realm Trilogy to hit the stores. It is bittersweet to wrap up this story, but I did so with respect for the the journey… and what a heck of a run it has been! Accursed is due out in the middle of Dec. Preorder today!
My first mystery novel is hot on Accursed’s heels (that’s just how it goes sometimes!). Mars, The Band Man, and Sara Sue is available in Dec – stay tuned for more on this one!
Perhaps the coolest of them all hasn’t happened just yet. The trailer for my first short film, 271 Raeburn Avenue, is scheduled to drop on Halloween!!!
YO!!!!
That is freaking awesome for a horror lover like me! Follow me on FB and/or Twitter so you don’t miss it! For now, here is the boss poster:
We launched a new horror class at the Speculative Fiction Academy this month, adding to our pretty robust offering in the genre. It’s called Religion and Horror and if you ever wanted to figure out how to make that subgenre work, this class is a must see. Check it out!
That’s all I have, folks, but before I go, allow me to make this Public Service Announcement: Award season is upon us and I have a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of goodies that are eligible this year. If you are so inclined, please take a look at the list and do your thing! If you saw the list before, I have added two new pieces to it, so give it another look.
And now I leave you with the great Screaming Jay Hawkins, because why not?
That’s what I found myself saying when what I am about to tell you became reality. For real? Seriously?? Stop playing! (I became my teenage self again for like 10 solid minutes!) And even though the initial shock has changed from surprise and disbelief to elation since everything has been finalized and the process has begun, I still pinch myself about the whole thing. What whole thing, you might be wondering?
This whole thing…
!!!!
Archived!
FOREVER!!!
HOLY COW!
I didn’t dare to dream of this – it seemed so out of reach. Archiving was for people like Maya Angelou and James Baldwin. People whose words MATTERED. All I ever wanted was for my words to impact people; I only wanted to touch people, have my words linger and stay with them, and (considering the fact that I do write psychological horror fiction, after all) scare them. I never thought beyond that – at least not consciously. But now, as I look at what has come to pass and think about what it means, I see something that I had not considered before at play. While I was working with my head down, putting my words into the world and hoping they resonated with people at the same time wondering if those words were just floating in ther air or falling on deaf ears, people were actually connecting with them. People really did see the contribution that I (the female, African American, unrepentant pantser, horror fiction author than I am) made to the literary community. And that contribution matters. Now my words will be available forever alongside giants like George Romero and Linda Addison. Now my “papers” (OMG I just love that!) will be accessible to students who need to know that pantsing is a viable way to write and that their chicken scratch can amount to a beautiful story, that their genre mixing actual can work and only speaks to their versatility. They will be available to students in school now and 200 years from now. Now I know, without a doubt, that my words will impact people… that my words MATTER.
Y’all.
That’s some heady stuff.
I will never be over it.
Honored, thankful, floored, humbled, pumped – I am all of these things at once and will always be.
And I will keep putting my words out there because, guys, I am just getting started.
Speaking of… (the segue wasn’t awesome this time, but not the worst! LOL!)
I have a few “words” coming out soon!
Accursed is book 3 of The Realm Trilogy… it’s the end of the story and it is a banger, if I do say so myself! So much movement, so much tension… this series closes with gusto. (This is NOT the cover – the cover reveal will be SOON!)Out Mid October!
Mars, The Band Man, and Sara Sue – this is my first mystery and it was great fun putting together! There’s something to be said for minding your own business… just sayin’. This is a throwback novel and I love it! Out Mid November!
I signed a couple of contracts for work that will be out in 2023. Short stories and poetry, and then there are the big ‘uns like book 2 of the Affinity Saga (Origins) due out in Feb and that colossal project between me and Falstaff Books that kicks off in Feb as well (traditional horror fun, you guys!). Can’t wait for you to see!
These are also my words!!
Yes, you are seeing this right – this is a MOVIE POSTER!!!
My short screenplay, 271 Raeburn Avenue, will be on the silver screen soon! Filming is done and the movie is in post production (look all that film lingo!! LOL!). I got the chance to hang out on set for a day and watch some of the scenes unfold. I have to tell you, watching people act out a scene you wrote and speak lines you came up with in the middle of the night in front of your computer is an experience like no other. I loved every minute I got to spend with this amazing cast and crew. I can’t wait to be able to share more about this!
Umm… what else?
Oh! This cool thing happened! My alma mater, Southern New Hampshire University) put up an article about speculative fiction that had a few of my thoughts in it, as well as a picture! I love this! This is one of the articles that prospective students will have access to when considering attending the school and I am so happy to be able to encourage and assist in that way. Check it out – it’s an interesting read!
I’ll be speaking at a few places in October. I am so excited about these events – I get to put on my professor hat AND keep on my creative one at the same time! I’ll talk about Candyman, zombies, and horror proper in that order. WOOT!
What else have I been doing?
I have not had a ton of time to read recently (surprise, surprise!), but I have been able to watch a few things. The standout for me since we last discussed film and TV is Bulgasal: Immortal Souls. Great acting, interesting storyline, and an almost continual shift of perspective that makes you hunt for the bad guy only to find that you might actually be rooting for them! Loved this series. Loved Lee Joon in this (from The Silent Sea, a sci-fi horror series that I raved about a few newsletters ago). Definitely worth watching.
Quick notes – Are you watching Cobra Kai? If not, you probably should be! So much fun, and not just for those of us who remember watching the first Karate Kid movie when it came out in theaters!
And… did you hear that Sweet Home is getting two more seasons?!?!? YASS!!!!
L. Marie Wood 