Shock Totem | Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted

Available Now—The Wicked

Posted on May 14, 2012 by K. Allen Wood

Shock Totem Publications is pleased to announce that our first non-magazine release, James Newman’s fantastic ode to 1980s horror, The Wicked, is now available for purchase.

As previously noted, The Wicked has been revised by the author, expanded with a new foreword by Mark Allan Gunnells, a new afterword by the author, and brilliant new artwork and illustrations by Jesse David Young (with additional cover layout by Yannick Bouchard). Also included is a brand new, exclusive tie-in short story written specifically for this release.

[ click for full image ]

The book is currently available through our website and Amazon.com as a trade paperback for $14.99 and as an e-book for $4.99. We will keep you updated as it becomes more widely available through other retailers in the coming days and weeks.

A lot of hard work went into this release. We think you’ll dig it very much.

If you have any questions, please let us know. Interested reviewers should contact us here.

Posted in Alumni News, New Releases, Publishing, Shock Totem Digital, Shock Totem News | Tagged 1980s Horror, 80s Horror, Animosity, Bentley Little, Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, J.N. Williamson, James Newman, Jesse David Young, Kealan Patrick Burke, Mark Allan Gunnells, Midnight Rain, Pulp Horror, Richard Laymon, Shock Totem Digital, Shock Totem Publications, The Wicked, Ugly As Sin, Yannick Bouchard | 7 Comments

May 2012 Flash Fiction Contest

Posted on April 27, 2012 by K. Allen Wood

Every other month we host a flash fiction contest on our forum. The next contest begins on Tuesday, May 1.

Participants have one week to write a story based on a prompt that we provide. The prompt must be integral to the story. This requirement, we hope, forces writers to pen a brand-new tale rather than submit some previously written or reworked story.

When the week is up, the stories are anonymously posted in the hidden contest forum. The entrants then have three weeks to read each story and vote on their top three. Additionally, most give feedback on each story, thus ensuring everyone gets something out of the contest.

If interested, sign up here. It’s a good time.

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Posted in Contests, Shock Totem News | Tagged Contests, Flash Fiction, Flash Fiction Contest | Leave a comment

Mentionable Honors

Posted on April 17, 2012 by K. Allen Wood

Ellen Datlow just released her full honorable mention list for Best Horror of the Year Volume 4, and while there are a daunting 608 stories on that list, we’re very happy to say that seven of them are from Shock Totem authors.

Though none listed will actually appear on the list of 50 featured in the anthology itself, the recognition for our authors is hardly diminished.

So a hearty congratulations goes out to Lee Thompson, Amanda C. Davis, John Haggerty, Steven Pirie, Aaron Polson, Jeremy Kelly, and Mekenzie Larsen. Well deserved, fellas!

You can read their stories in Shock Totem #3 and #4.

And before I end this, I would be remiss if I didn’t send a very big thank-you to Ellen for her time and consideration. Our appreciation is beyond words.

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Posted in Alumni News, Shock Totem News | Tagged Aaron Polson, Amanda C. Davis, Best Horror of the Year, Best Horror of the Year Volume 4, Ellen Datlow, Jeremy Kelly, John Haggerty, Lee Thompson, Mekenzie Larsen, Shock Totem #3, Shock Totem #4, Steven Pirie | 2 Comments

Shock Totem Gets Wicked

Posted on April 6, 2012 by K. Allen Wood

Shock Totem Publications is pleased to announce our first non-magazine release. On May 1, 2012, we will re-release in paperback James Newman’s second novel and ode to 1980s horror, The Wicked.

Originally published in 2007 in limited edition hardcover, The Wicked has been revised by the author, expanded with a new foreword by Mark Allan Gunnells, a new afterword by the author, and brilliant new artwork and illustrations by Jesse David Young (with additional cover layout by Yannick Bouchard). Also included is a brand new, exclusive tie-in short story written specifically for this release.

[ click for full image ]

James Newman is the author of the critically-acclaimed Midnight Rain and Animosity, the short-story collection People Are Strange, and the novellas The Forum, Revenge Flick! and Olden.

And we’re extremely proud to officially welcome him into the Shock Totem family!

Praise for The Wicked

“The Wicked is a good old-fashioned, unabashed Horror novel. James Newman remembers when horror used to be fun, and he’s recaptured it here in all of its gory glory. A terrifying page-turner in the tradition of Graham Masterton, J.N. Williamson, and Richard Laymon. WICKEDly good reading from one of horror’s new heirs!”

—Brian Keene
Author of The Rising, City of the Dead and Ghoul

“Demons, depravity and despair, oh my! Reminiscent of the best of 80’s horror and Bentley Little at his most grotesque and unrelenting, The Wicked is the kind of horror we don’t see enough of anymore. This is one wild and bloody ride, and in the capable hands of James Newman, it’s one worth taking.”

—Kealan Patrick Burke
Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Turtle Boy and Kin

The Wicked will be released in paperback and e-book formats. More details will follow closer to release. If you have any questions, please let us know.>

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Posted in Alumni News, New Releases, Publishing, Shock Totem Digital, Shock Totem News | Tagged 1980s Horror, 80s Horror, Animosity, Bentley Little, Brian Keene, Graham Masterton, J.N. Williamson, James Newman, Jesse David Young, Kealan Patrick Burke, Mark Allan Gunnells, Midnight Rain, Pulp Horror, Richard Laymon, Shock Totem Publications, The Wicked, Ugly As Sin, Yannick Bouchard | 2 Comments

And the March Flash Fiction Contest Winner is…

Posted on March 29, 2012 by K. Allen Wood

Michael Wehunt

Michael won with his story “Beside Me Singing in the Wilderness.” Not only did he win the contest, but we just sent him an acceptance letter for another story to be published in issue #6. He’s had quite a good day!

The prompt for this contest was this photo, the so-called “blood waterfall,” which Nick wrote about last year. Obviously it is not blood (unless Nick is to be believed), so we asked the authors to explore a simple question:

What if it was blood coming from the earth?

Participants were required to build their story around that image and question. Nearly 50 signed up, 29 finished.

In addition to Michael’s winning tale, Andrew Bourelle came in second with his brilliantly titled “Haemorrhagia Memoriae,” and Third Place went to “Alizarin, with Variations,” by Gio Clairval.

Congratulations, fellas!

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Posted in Contests | Tagged Andrew Bourelle, Blood Red Waterfall, Blood Waterfall, Contests, Flash Fiction, Flash Fiction Contest, Gio Clairval, Michael Wehunt | 2 Comments

The One-Hour Flash Fiction Challenge

Posted on March 29, 2012 by K. Allen Wood

This Saturday, March 31, at 8 PM EST, we will once again be hosting our bi-weekly flash fiction challenge. The challenge: You have just one hour to write, edit, and post your story.

This is a “prompted” challenge, meaning your story must be based on the prompt, which will be revealed just before 8 PM. The challenge takes place here on our forum, so you’ll need to create an account if you want to participate.

The purpose of the challenge is to force you, the writer, to clear your mind of all distractions and write a complete 1,000-word-or-less story within the allotted time. You’ll have to not only write the story, but also edit it, and then post it by 9 PM EST.

For those interested, here are the rules:

Unlike our bi-monthly flash fiction contest, the bi-weekly one-hour flash challenge is just for fun. The challenge will be held every other Saturday, officially beginning at exactly 8 PM EST. There are no prizes! And the rules are simple.

1. All stories should be complete, written and posted within one hour, and can be anywhere from one sentence to 1,000 words in length.

2. You may choose to write your story in any genre.

3. Your story must be built around the restrictions—words, themes, photo prompts, word limits, etc.—provided by the Flashmaster at the beginning of the challenge.

4. Once the participants’ work is posted, the voting and comment session begins and continues until all votes are in. Time limit for voting will be determined on the spot, depending on how many people finish the challenge.

5. The winner becomes Flashmaster and hosts the next contest.

And that’s it. Simple and fun.

Think you can do it? Join the forum and be present this coming Saturday at 8 PM EST. More information can be found on the forum.

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Posted in Shock Totem News, Writing Challenges | Tagged Flash Fiction, Flash Fiction Challenge, Forum Events, Shock Totem, The Forum, Writing Challenges | 4 Comments

Kindle Users: Free Shock Totem

Posted on February 6, 2012 by K. Allen Wood

This week only we’re running promos on all five issues of Shock Totem. Starting today with issue #1, Kindle user will be able to download it for free. Tomorrow issue #2 will be free, Wednesday issue #3, and so on.

Monday: Shock Totem 1: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted
Tuesday: Shock Totem 2: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted
Wednesday: Shock Totem 3: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted
Thursday: Shock Totem 4: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted
Friday: Shock Totem: Holiday Tales of the Macabre and Twisted 2011

We hope to reach thousands of new readers this way, but will be content with far less than that if they truly enjoy what we do and the great stories our authors have provided.

If you haven’t read all—or any—of our issues, now is the perfect time. If you have, please encourage others to give us a shot.

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