Another Year Bites the Dust

Year-end roundup

Newsletter Articles

12/30/22 – Another Year Bites the Dust

With another year in the grave, we must brace ourselves for those well-meaning people who say not to dwell on everything that went wrong—and in this particular decade, plenty of things go horribly, horribly wrong. While these optimists mean well (sometimes), I find this sentiment hurtful. It presumes that I’m somehow able to control my thoughts. I’m a grown man (sometimes) and still have not mastered this trick. I can’t kick a song out of my head when its stuck there, and I can’t “not dwell” on the bad things that happened over the course of a year once it’s ending.

In my forty-five spins around the sun, I’ve learned the best way to cope with a year’s worth of brutal accidents, crippling defeats, and general screaming misery is not to ignore it but to find a way to laugh at it. Yes, some events are too traumatic to ever laugh at, but in most cases, a little time can add a much-needed dose of comedy to personal tragedies.

For example, back in October I hydroplaned coming up my long back driveway and crashed into my own house. I was totally sober. When the accident happened, it was devastating. But no one was hurt, and things like this happen—that’s what insurance is for. So now, I can laugh about it. I mean, I crashed into my own house. It’s pretty fucking funny.

A year is kind of like a new pair of slippers. At the start, they’re a nice change and you’re excited about it. But after a while, they start stinking and falling apart, and eventually must be discarded. But you keep getting new ones because what else are you going to do? Besides, a lot of that stinking is your fault, and you know it.

Of course, there is another option to keep you from dwelling on the negatives. Obviously, you can try to focus on the good things that happened this year, however few and far between they may be. And this year, I’ve had some great things happen (sometimes).

In 2022, I released my second book in the Koyote Universe, BALLAD OF THE WEREVIXENS, my terrifying crime thriller A FINE EVENING IN HELL, and my horror novel tribute to slasher movies, EX-BOOGEYMAN. I also re-released my Christmas thriller novella, A COLD PLACE FOR DYING. I started writing articles for Backwoods Survival Guide Magazine and Preppers Magazine. I also opened my own website where readers can purchase signed books directly from me, as well as t-shirts, stickers, buttons, and other cool swag items.

I was a special guest at the final SCARES THAT CARE charity event, Authorcon 2022, CT Horrorfest, and Haverhill’s Halloween Book Festival—all excellent conventions where my fans came out to see me and get signed books. I loved getting to meet you all! Stay tuned for 2023 book signing tour announcements.

THE NIGHT STOCKERS, a novel I co-wrote with Ryan Harding, won the Splatterpunk Award for best novel, making me the only person to have twice won in that category (in 2019, I won best novel for FULL BRUTAL).

I also won best costume at Aron Beauregard’s big Halloween party. I was Macho Man Randy Savage.

But my most exciting event of 2022 was THE OBITUARIES, a horror anthology series I created with Aron Beauregard and Daniel J. Volpe. The massive success of these books has been overwhelming in the best possible way, and we have huge plans for the series going forward. Prepare for some big, bloody surprises in 2023! Fans of extreme horror are going to flip their biscuits, just like we have.

As with every year (and every day of my life), I am deeply grateful to all my readers, fans, followers, and friends out there in the horrorverse. Your incredible, unwavering support makes it possible for me to keep doing this full time, and I love you all so much for it. With this post, I’d like to thank all of you for subscribing to this newsletter and taking the time to read this.

I hope you all can laugh at your own misfortunes this year, celebrate your own successes, and fondly reflect on the fleeting moments of happiness 2022 brought, big and small. Enjoy New Year’s Eve, even if you’re like me and won’t bother staying up to see the ball drop. Hopefully you have someone to kiss, even if it’s just your pet. And if you have resolutions, I suggest you start on them now. If you’re serious about accomplishing something, there’s no reason to wait to get started. No sense starting 2023 as an asshole.

Happy New Year!

Some of my favorite things from 2022 that you can enjoy too:

1.     Bryan Ferry was my number one artist this year on my Spotify wrap, and I was in the top 0.005% of fans. That’s borderline stalker status. If you like spooky, EDM crooning, this is the music for you. Check out “Avonmore” to start with, and his incredible cover of “I Put a Spell on You.”

2.     There are so many great indie horror books out now. I suggest you click on the names to check out Aron Beauregard, Jonathan Butcher, CV Hunt, John Wayne Comunale, Kristopher Rufty, Daniel J. Volpe, Mona Kabbani, John McNee, Wesley Southard, Candace Nola, Andersen Prunty, Matt Kurtz, Wile E. Young, Lucy Leitner, Scott Cole, and S.C. Mendez. There are many others, but these folks come to mind for my favorites from 2022. Continue supporting indie authors and creators!

3.     Remember that you can buy cheesecake at the grocery store. I always seemed to forget that but revisiting The Golden Girls on Hulu reminded me I don’t have to wait until I’m at a restaurant to enjoy a good slice or four of cheesecake. Life is short. Treat yourself. And try to be happy.