The 94th Delusion

The Nature of Being an Introvert

Last weekend, as of writing this, my family and I went to a place called Pickett Park in East Tennessee. It’s still the off season, so the campgrounds and most of the cabins were closed. We stayed in one of the few open cabins and had the place pretty much to ourselves. There’s a small river and at least ten different trails to hike of varying lengths. We were only there for a few days, just a quick trip, but it was a lot of fun. I’ve decided I’m always planning a trip in May, at the tail end of the off season, that way I can be spared the nonsense that comes with crowds. In a week or two, when everything opens and the kids are out of school, that place is going to be booming and the experience decreased nominally.

I’m not really a people person. I’m quiet, reserved, and, well, like Pee Wee told Dottie, “I’m a loner.” I don’t necessarily like that about myself, but it is who I am. I’m certain in life opportunities have passed me by because of this. I’ve noticed that people who are more forthcoming and talkative have more things offered to them, make friends who bring new experiences into their lives, find more success in their endeavors, etc. Some folks would love the park to be full so they can meet new people. My wife, son, and I were in our element hiking barren trails and seeing very few signs of human life. It really was nice. No loud music, no obnoxious partiers, no screaming families. When I go out into nature that’s what I want. Peace and quiet. That’s how I relax and retreat from the throngs of the daily grind. That’s why I moved to east Tennessee and bought two acres of property. I don’t need a neighbor right on top of me.

So yeah, it was a good trip. We’ll definitely go back.

I ran a BookBub deal last week for Broth House. This is only the second time one of my books have been chosen for one. The first time was a non-US deal for Infected Voices, so it was considerably cheaper and I came out even. This time it was a US deal and three times the cost. Unfortunately, it was a failure. I lost money on it. I can’t say that surprises me, but I did have high hopes. I’m glad I pushed a few hundred eBooks out there but running a $.99 deal means you need to sell a lot of copies to come out even much less make a profit. BookBub deals have worked wonders for some authors but that’s not the case for all of us. I figure I had to take the chance. I won’t be eager to try a BookBub deal any time in the near future but I’m sure I’ll try again at some point.

This is the cover for the official ShiverCon anthology. It has a stacked lineup! If you grab the book and come out to the convention in Muncie, Indiana August 14 & 15 you can get the authors to sign it, including myself. That’s pretty damn cool!

My next release is a little book called Devil’s Reign. The paperback will be available exclusively through my Big Cartel store at ressighorror.bigcartel.com. The first 75 copies of the book will be the Devil’s Reign Deluxe Bundle. That comes with an exclusive sticker and bookmark plus a special vintage item that has something to do with the story. It’s really cool and unique. I think you’ll really like it. Here’s the thing . . . I’m not releasing the cover art or showing you what any of the goodies that come with the bundle are until the people who preorder get their packages, that way it’s a surprise. I think this is cool enough that it needs to be a surprise for those who preorder. I will, of course, encourage those readers to post unboxing videos when they get the package. I’m telling you, this is going to be pretty damn cool.

I just ordered custom mailers for the Devil’s Reign Deluxe Bundle as well as bookmarks, and once those items come in, I will get the preorder set up. Getting signed books in the mail is fun but with this deluxe bundle I’m trying to make it even more fun.

The bundle will be available worldwide, but, of course, international shipping is going to be kind of steep, therefor I have decided to release the eBook through Godless. I still need to reach out to Drew Stepek about that. The eBook will be released at least a month after the paperback. Keep in mind, this book will never be available anywhere else. I’ll have copies in my Big Cartel store, at events, and the eBook will be available through Godless. That’s it!

Fresh off a successful tour, heavy metal band Devil’s Reign celebrates with a private party in an old movie theater with plenty of booze, drugs, and mischief. The album went gold, their fans love them, the future is bright . . . and yet there is division.

In this story that’s Demons meets Mark of the Devil, read about a band that faces their inner demons for a wild night those who survive will never forget!

That’s all for this edition of Confusions, Delusions, and Formidable Impressions. Go out and read some horror books and tell the world about them!