Ethan Reid Books

Congrats to the HWA Stoker winners

Ethan Reid — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:22:53 +0000

The Horror Writers Association has announced the winners of 2011 Stoker Awards. Congrats to the winners, and a big congrats to Richard Matheson for winning the Vampire Novel of the Century Award for I Am Legend. Well deserved. Man is a master writer. Truly inspiring. If you haven’t read I Am Legend, do. Then go read Hell House. Just can’t say enough about Matheson’s writing.

More of the awards are listed on the HWA website, here. Straub, King, Oates make the winners. As does Alan Moore for this graphic novel Neonomicon. And a big congrats to Jonathan Maberry, winning a Stoker for his YA novel, Dust and Decay.

If you’ve never had change to take a look at any actual Stoker award, here’s a photo of the haunted house.

Random Friday the 13th thoughts/notes

Ethan Reid — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:51:47 +0000

Yeah, I know. But we only get three of these this year. Another in April and July and who cares about Friday the 13th in July unless you’re camping.

Random thoughts/notes: You’d be one of the few, but if you’re not watching Masterpiece Theatre’s Downton Abbey, do. Julian Fellowes is crafting some truly special dialogue (and when did Thomas become such a likeable character? I’m going to miss booing him from the sidelines).

On fiction and why it’s good for you: Friend and bestselling thriller writer Boyd Morrison tweeted some interesting stuff on the benefits of reading fiction yesterday, from the Harvard Business Review: The Business Case for Reading Novels by Anne Kreamer.

And a plug: For my mentor from my USC days, SL Stebel (Rad Bradbury calls him “the best writing teacher that ever was“). His thriller The Collaborator is available on Amazon’s new audiobook website audible.com, narrated by Michael Bell. Get a copy here.

And lastly, some true Friday the 13th material: A new poster for the 20th Century Fox/Tim Burton produced film, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. How long before someone spins off Downton Abbey full of zombies instead of wounded soldiers?

When the S#!T hits the fan

Ethan Reid — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:37:06 +0000

I heart researching apocalypse. While working on the current manuscript, I keep delving into books about “how to survive when DISASTER STRIKES.” Some books are truly super, well thought-out. Things one needs to know. Earthquake, natural disaster stuff. Kind of like a Bear Grylls episode (Bear’s thing about using a cell phone to start a campfire was awful goodness. I’ll throw the vid in below, just in case you ever get lost in the wilderness, your plane goes down in the forest, some stranger dumps you in the woods, etc.):

Others survival books are more, well, let’s say they predict certain doomsday. Disaster books with pictures? Oh, they’re special. Good examples — The Mormon Four: Four foods that are nutritious and store well. Whole wheat, honey, powdered milk and salt. Great, cute cartoons. The Physiological Fear Factory? I get that, too. But charred rat on a stick — in photos? Oh yeah. How to compost your you-know-what, cartoon style? Welcome to my day.

Ok, that’s my post for the week. Off to go dialate some pupils and increase some heart rates.

World Horror Convention 2012 set for SLC

Ethan Reid — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:25:12 +0000

Since I’m finally a member of the Horror Writers Association, I thought I’d push the biz. That said, the 2012 World Horror Convention will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 29-April 1, 2012. From the convention’s official site:

The World Horror Convention is an annual gathering of professionals in the horror industry; publishers, authors, artists, musicians, filmmakers, dealers and, of course, horror fans. WHC serves as both an industry insider’s networking event and a chance for fans of the genre to get together, meet some of the creative talents in the field, and generally spend a weekend celebrating All Things Scary.

More reason to attend? According to the HWA, the association will celebrate its 25th anniversary with founding members Joe R Lansdale, Karen Lansdale, and Robert McCammon in the house. More reason to attend? The Stoker Awards will be announced on the evening of March 31, 2012.

Not too early to book them tickets…

AMC’s The Walking Dead gets more, uh, life

Ethan Reid — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:00:05 +0000

Okay, I know I’m behind on this one, but last week’s news that AMC renewed it’s zombie show The Walking Dead is worth repeating. Getting a third year is wonderful news for what I think is a great show, only two weeks into season two.

According to HuffingtonPost, last week’s episode drew an audience of 6.7 million for the first airing and another 2.1 million viewers for the later repeat. Season one averaged 5.2 million viewers a week. If you haven’t, the graphic novels written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics are worth a look. If you haven’t set the DVR yet (and you should), here’s the trailer.

According to horror-movies.ca, FOX International launched the show globally last weekend on cable networks in Europe, Asia, Latin American, Africa and the Middle East. What? You thought the zombie apocolypse was confined to Atlanta?

Business stuff

Ethan Reid — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 17:32:31 +0000

Finally getting around to housecleaning (I know, like finally?). First, on twitter, you’ll find me at @WriterEthanReid. Second, a big (like super BIG) thanks to the awesome Barbara Poelle at IGLA for bringing me on board. Oh, did I almost forget Halloween? The Walking Dead and American Horror Story. If you haven’t set the DVR, do. The last AHS actually gave me nightmares.

Call of Cthulu, from Hulu

Ethan Reid — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:04:05 +0000

Before Comcast starts to charge you a hand and a leg to stream a movie (no slasher pun intended), here’s a pre-holiday flick, H.P. Lovecraft style:

Jack the Ripper pre-Halloween fun

Ethan Reid — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:15:52 +0000

Screaming Lord Sutch – Jack The Ripper (live 1964).

Cronin’s “The Passage” is a must read vampire epic

Ethan Reid — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:07:31 +0000

Been too long, true believers. Been a busy writing fool. I also recently had a great time at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference. If you haven’t, do. But I digress. I simply wanted to post a quick blurb for you to stop whatever you are doing, and go read The Passage. Now. From the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a professor at Rice University, author Justin Cronin has crafted a vampiric masterpiece. 766 pages of pure adrenaline, sweet prose, and superb hooks. I may even dare say this horror epic rivals King’s The Stand…

So what’s the hubbub? A truly wonderful narrative thread. Superb characterization. Unique, while staying true to vampire lore. Don’t believe me? From Ron Charles at the Washington Post:

In the same way that “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell” gave us a mature alternative to “Harry Potter,” “The Passage” is for adults who’ve been bitten but can’t swallow the teenybopper misogyny of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series.

And Mike Peed at the NY Times:

“The Passage,” is a 766-page doorstop, a dystopian epic that’s the first installment in a projected vampire trilogy. Ballantine Books bought the lot for over $3 million, and the film rights to the novel sold before the book was completed.

A vampire fiction epic sold before the manuscript was even done. Movie rights? Well, Ridley Scott gobbled those up way back on 2007. Think: The Next Harry Potter movie franchise. The author’s website is here. Pick up the hardcover at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com. Sony eReader, Kindle, whatever.

Just read the darn book.

Penguin’s vision for books on the iPad

Ethan Reid — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:37:11 +0000

Has Penguin launched the first salvo for an iBook? Someone will come up with a name for publishing house Penguin’s version of books for the new iPad. Certainly a step forward from an e-Book.

I have to admit, it’s pretty intriguing.

Good luck doing that with your Kindle. Can’t wait to see the first porn app. Eew.

You can read more at Gizmodo.