#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 123: A Finished Copy of Jackal, Jackal

This week I have a finished copy of a collection that I have a glowing review to in Booklist, courtesy of an award winning small press. Details below, but first, here is how you enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #122. Our winner was Debbie from Helen Plum [IL] Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

On the May 1, issue of Booklist, I had this review:

Jackal, Jackal: Tales of the Dark Fantastic

by Tobi Ogundiran July 2023. 317p. 

Undertow, paper, $18.99 (9781988964430). 

First published May 1, 2023 (Booklist). 

With award nominations piling up for stories scattered across the speculative fiction publishing landscape, Ogundrian thankfully has gathered 18 of his compelling tales of dark magic in one place. Clearly framed by the author’s Nigerian roots, but with a conscious nod to dark speculative tales from all over the world, the stories in this volume will captivate readers with their haunting atmosphere, confident voice, and immersive settings. The two original stories in this collection are a great example. “Jackal. Jackal,” expertly combines the animal masks as a form of haunting trope with a cautionary tale of what happens when you try to erase the past, injecting it all with new terror in just a few short pages, while “Midnight in Moscow,” riffs off of the well-known Slavic character of Baba Yaga to showcase the enduring power of folklore across cultures. A great introduction to an up-and-coming author, this book will appeal to readers of dark speculative fiction by marginalized voices who actively engage with the white western canon such as Stephen Graham Jones, Marlon James, and Cassandra Khaw.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Haunting, Immersive, Compelling

I have a lot more to say about the HUGE appeal of this excellent collection over on the general blog, including readlaikes for specific stories and more authors who you should check out.

This is a finished copy which Undertow sent to me after the book published. I gave my ARC away to a local library and am offering this book in hopes that you add it to your library immediately. But back to Undertow Publications, they have been awarded the 2022 Bram Stoker Award for Speciality Press. Click here for that announcement. Also they have a book up for a Bram Stoker Award as well, Breakable Things, which I gave a STAR review in the October 2022 issue of Library Journal.

This is a press and a book you want to keep on your radar for dark fiction collection development. As I said in that longer post when the review went live:

It is a great collection from a trusted small press. Totally worth an add, especially because he has that epic fantasy series coming. Get this on the shelf before Ogundiran's popularity explodes.

Enter now and you are entered going forward. Next week, I have a 2-fer: a cult Horror fav paired with an upcoming book by a mainstream author who is also the NYT Books Horror columnist. And then we are into June and the giveaway EXPLODES into the biggest titles of Summer and Fall coming at you all Summer long. In other words, get in on the giveaway sooner rather than later.

Good Luck!

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 122: A Signed Copy of The Complex by Brian Keene

This week I have a signed copy of a book that I proclaim in my book as a "start with" title for one of the genres top authors. Details below, but first, here is how you enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #121. Our winner was Christopher from Buncombe County [NC] Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

In Chapter 2 of my book, I give an overview of the genre right now. In it, I name Brian Keene as one of my "Old Guard." I write about his work as a protector of the genre and a mentor to many of its best new voices. But then I get to his writing as I say:

However, while his importance as a mentor is unparalleled, he is also a fantastic writer. The undisputed king of mainstream pulp horror, Keene is a master at describing the dismemberment of bodies. He writes blue-collar horror featuring the people he encounters in his own life, from all political spectrums, and as a result. all of his characters are fully realized, heroes and villains. He also does not shy away from writing from the point of view of women or marginalized voices. Readers new to Keene can try The Rising, but the autobiographical and more recent, The Complex is the best place to begin.

The Complex is the best book to showcase how Brian Keene writes today. It perfectly captures why readers love him.

Last week, Brian came Bucket O'Blood in Chicago for an event and I was there. I bought a copy of The Complex with the intent to have him  sign it and give it away to one of you. 

So this week, a signed, finished copy of The Complex is going to one of you to add to your library collections. But to all of you, I want to remind you to add Brian Keene titles to your circulating collections. Since he mostly publishes with small presses, you have to order from a book store. Here is the Bookshop.org link to Keene's catalog to make it easier for you.

Make sure you have The Rising (credited as part of a trifecta that marked the beginning the 21st Century zombie craze- info in the link), Earthworm Gods (one of the first cli-fi horror novels of this era and an OG Summer Scares title), Ghoul (an emotional coming-of-age horror story), and of course, The Complex (being given away today), at a bare minimum. I promise you, they will be very popular.

Enter now and you are entered going forward. And forward includes books by Isabel Cañas, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Clay McLeod Chapman, Paul Tremblay, lots of Nightfire authors, and more. 

Good luck!

Photographic proof that Brian signed
the book just for my winner.

#HorrorForLibaries Giveaway 121: Whalefall by Daniel Kraus

This week I have a title that I can already tell you is one of the best Horror books of the year. I gave it a STAR in Booklist's May 1, 2023 issue. Details below, but first, here is how you enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #119. Our winner was Meghan from Sargent Memorial [MA] Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

Back to today's giveaway then. Whalefall by this year's Summer Scares Spokesperson, Daniel Kraus, is everything you expect it to be and also, so much more. It is an adventure thriller done to perfection. But it is also an emotional story about family relationships and grappling with death; it is a tale filled with  while wonder, awe, an deep sadness; it is disgusting and exciting and beautiful. I wrote about it in more on the main blog a few days ago here, but below is the draft review for the sake of this post:

STAR
Whalefall 
by Daniel Kraus 
Aug. 2023. 336p. MTV, $27.99 (9781665918169); e-book (9781665918183). First published May 1, 2023 (Booklist). 

Prolific, bestseller Kraus presents a moving character study disguised as a riveting, cinematic, survival thriller. Jay is a high school senior dealing not only with the loss of his local hero and diving legend father, Mitt, but also his unresolved anger with their complicated relationship. In an attempt to bring some peace to his mother and sisters, Jay attempts a dangerous solo dive that is cut short when he is swallowed by a whale. Told from Jay’s point of view in short, alternating chapters set in the present, denoted by how much air is left in his tank, and the past, mostly between 2015 and 2021, readers fall into the story immediately. The pacing is relentless, the awe, astounding, and the tension, palpably constricting, even as Kraus takes time to add the necessary details both scientific and visceral. However, it is Jay’s constant growth throughout the story where this novel shines, allowing its beauty to emerge, and leave its mark on all who encounter it. An easy sell to fans of Ocean Horror like Pressure by Keene or harrowing survival stories like 127 Hours by Ralston, but also those who love the wonder, disgust, and heartfelt emotions found in Eric LaRocca’s work. 

YA Statement: Written by an author with many YA fans, featuring a 17 year old protagonist and mixing high-action, high stakes adventure with an honest look at a complicated parent-child relationship, WHALEFALL will attract a wide range of teen readers.

Again, click here for a lot more from me on this book including more readalikes, appeal commentary, and my 3 words.

Thank you to MTV Books for the ARC. Remember, enter once and you are entered going forward. And you should enter if you want this book because I will have another giveaway after StokerCon since we will also have copies to giveaway there as well. 

Get on this title now and make sure you have a few copies preordered to have on hand 8/8. It is going to be popular. 

Horror for Libraries Giveaway 120: The Salt Grows Heavy and Agony's Lodestone

This week I have 2 titles for 1 winner. One is a hotly anticipated novella that I gave a STAR in LJ and the other a new voice, from an emerging small press, that is getting a lot of praise. Details below, but first, here is how you enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #119. Our 2 winners were Juliana from New Lennox [IL] Public Library and Brenda from Westlake Porter [OH] Public Library Now to this week's giveaway.

First a book I already told you about in the April 2023 issue of Library Journal, where I gave it a STAR. The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw. This book is definitely Horror, but I need to tell you, it also has one of the most beautiful endings to a book I have ever read, in any genre. I am still thinking about it.

Here is the link and text of my review.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Visceral, Reclaiming a Myth, Lush 

Draft Review: What if the Little Mermaid laid eggs and her hatched children’s hunger laid waste to her prince’s land? Khaw’s latest novella tackles this question head on with a brutally visceral but seductive opening sequence. The mermaid, done being held captive and rendered mute by her husband, meets up with the only survivor, a plague doctor, to move on. They quickly come upon a band of children gleefully hunting one of their own at the direction of their keepers, “The Saints,” three adult cult leaders who rebuild the near-death child with parts taken from themselves. Told in three sections, each satisfyingly complete as its own story, ending with a cliffhanger, this compelling tale features strong world building, innovative uses of body horror tropes, lush language, and a captivatingly direct narration, as it takes protagonists and readers on a journey to contemplate what it means to be “saved.”

Verdict: With this brilliantly constructed tale that consciously takes on a well known story and violently breaks it open to reveal a heartfelt core, Khaw cements their status as a must read author. For fans of sinister, thought provoking, horrific retellings of western classics by marginalized voices like those written by Helen Oyoyemi and Ahmed Saadawi.

I will also have an interview with Khaw in the July 2023 issue of Library Journal which features my cover story-- the Horror Genre review.

Thanks to Nightfire for the ARC to give away. The book comes out next month.

I also like to pair hotly anticipated titles with ones you may not be aware of and since Khaw's book is a novella (and slim), I am going to add another title to the package. This one is from up and coming publisher Tenebrous Press. I have been impressed with their range of titles, and I think libraries should consider adding them. I will also be meeting the owners at StokerCon, (even the one who lives in Romania is coming), and I hope to have some more formal partnerships in the future. But in the meantime, here is the post they did for me last October, to introduce themselves to libraries.

The specific ARC I am giving away is Agony's Lodestone by Laura Keating. It came out on April 14th and is getting a lot of praise from readers. Here is the publisher's summary:

A grave could be visited. Ashes could be scattered. But simply vanishing? That ripped a hole in the world the size of a life, and through that hole sighed a terrible wind repeating a single note: 

Gone. 

For years, Aggie had forgotten the real Joanne, the way her sister had laughed, fought, been. But now that the videotape made her real again—no matter how many times the recording changed, no matter how terrifying the flickering images—it was all Aggie wanted. To trade the Gone for the One. She owed Joanne that much. To say she was sorry. That it had been her fault.

It had been all their faults.

One winner will get both advance copies.  

Remember, if you enter once you are entered going forward. 

Good luck!

Big News for the Summer Scares Authors Panels

I can finally announce this! 

In past years, the Summer Scares committee has hosted panel discussions with the authors-- one panel per age group-- and we posted them on the HWA You Tube channel for free.

This year, however, we have coordinated with our Summer Scares partner, Booklist to take advantage of their robust, regularly scheduled, FREE webinars, and have scheduled all 3 panels to be offered live with easy, free on-demand access.

The first one features the Middle Grade authors and is Friday, May 12 at 1 pm CT. Julia Smith, from Booklist and our Summer Scares MG expert will be moderating.

By working with Booklist for these webinars we can now give the Summer Scares program a larger reach. The webinar announcements will end up on the radar of thousands of library workers. We also have gotten more buy in from the publishers than we ever have before, again, because they trust Booklist webinars. And we can take advantage of the archiving of past programs which Booklist does so well. Library workers already know to go to that archived webinars page to look for training of any kind, on demand, and for free.

Sign up for the MG panel today with this link. Or pass it on to your YS staff. The YA panel will be later in May and the Adult in early June. I will announce them all on both blogs just as I am doing this MG announcement today.

I will also add the link to the archived webinar after it happen to the Summer Scares Resources page. And those Summer Scares pages get archived as well here. Which means, not only can you watch this year's panels after they happen at this link, but also, you can still easily access those old YouTube discussions at this link.

I hope you join us!

Summer Scares Middle-Grade Panel  

Date & Time: May 12, 2023 01:00 PM CT

Description: Gather ‘round the campfire for a spine-tingling discussion of this year’s middle-grade horror selections for the Summer Scares Reading Program, a program designed for libraries by the Horror Writers Association, in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, and Booklist. Books for Youth senior editor Julia Smith will gab with Summer Scares authors Katherine Arden (SMALL SPACES), K. G. Campbell (A SMALL ZOMBIE PROBLEM), and Dan SaSuWeh Jones (LIVING GHOSTS & MISCHIEVOUS MONSTERS) about all things horror and why scary stories belong on children’s shelves, both at home and at the library. This free, one-hour webinar will take place on Friday, May 12th at 1 pm CT / 2 pm ET. Register now, or the banshees will haunt you forever. 

Click here to register-- FOR FREE-- now!

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 119: 2 FINISHED Copies of a New Story Collection

This week I have 2 FINISHED copies of a brand new story collection that is from one of my most trusted small presses and has praise from Gwendolyn Kiste. Details below, but first, here is how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #118. Our 2 winners were Chris from Hardwood Creek [MN] Library and Kelly from Boston [MA] Public Library. Now to this week's giveaway.

This week I have TWO FINISHED COPIES of Constellations of Ruin: Stories by Andrew S. Fuller. Why the capitalization? Because, I normally give away ARCs which you cannot add to your collections. This book however, I highly suggest you  add if you win, and consider ordering is you don't. Here is the back cover copy including praise from Gwendolyn Kiste:

An octopus chosen for a secret mission; generations march through a mycelial tunnel in space; spirits visit a post-apocalyptic fishing village; houses revel when no one is home; a lifetime of seeing invisible monsters; the world begins granting unspoken wishes—these are only a few of the encounters in Constellations of Ruin. In this short story collection, Andrew S. Fuller explores growth and loss, survival and resistance, on a tour from lost neighborhoods to cursed cities to strange futures. Each tale contains wonder and horror, crafted in a stirring and unforgettable manner. 

“The 26 diverting speculative shorts of Fuller’s collection prove entirely transporting.”—Publishers Weekly 

“These strange and heady tales will take you into worlds of dreams and nightmares, carrying you along with vivid and immersive prose that will take hold of you and not let you go. Put this collection at the top of your reading list.”—Gwendolyn Kiste, three-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens and Reluctant Immortals

And here is more about the author as well:

Andrew S. Fuller writes stories that have appeared in magazines, anthologies, comics, and short films, and his debut fiction collection Constellations of Ruin coming April 2023. Since 1999, he has served as Editor of Three-Lobed Burning Eye magazine, publishing stories by many authors. He grew up Nebraska and other places, climbing trees and reading books, dabbling in archery and metal music, and now lives in Portland, Oregon with his spouse and pets, not far from rivers and forests and a few extinct(?) volcanoes. Find him online at andrewsfuller.com, and on social media as @andrewsfuller.

As I mentioned above, JournalStone/Trepidatio is one of my most trusted independent publishers. They put out books by a huge range of authors, including NYT bestsellers. Their books stand up to multiple checkouts. And, most importantly, their editors have an eye for talent. 

Get on the Fuller bandwagon now by entering this week's giveaway.

Please note, these books will come directly from the author as soon as he receives his author copies. The book is coming out this week. I will send your addresses to the author after confirming with you. 

I am asking you, the winners, to add these to your collections and get them into your horror reader's hands. And if you are not the winner, consider visiting their website and ordering one (or other books by JournalStone/Trepidatio) for your collection.

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 118: 2 copies of No One Will Come Back For Us: Stories

This week I have 2 copies of an excellent dark speculative collection by an up and coming author courtesy of one of my favorite independent Horror presses, one you will be hearing more about in the coming days. Details below, but first, here is how to enter:

1. You need to be affiliated with an American public library. My rationale behind that is that I will be encouraging you to read these books and share them with patrons. While many of them are advanced reader copies that you cannot add to your collections, if you get the chance to read them, my hope is that you will consider ordering a copy for your library and give away the ARC away as a prize or pass it on to a fellow staff member.
2. If you are interested in being included in any giveaway at any time, you must email me at zombiegrl75 [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject line "#HorrorForLibraries." In the body of the email all you have to say is that you want to be entered and the name of your library.
3. Each entry will be considered for EVERY giveaway. Meaning you enter once, and you are entered until you win. I will randomly draw a winner on Fridays sometime after 5pm central. But only entries received by 5pm each week will be considered for that week. I use Random.org and have a member of my family witness the "draw"based off your number in the Google Sheet.
4. If you win, you are ineligible to win again for 4 weeks; you will have to re-enter after that time to be considered [I have a list of who has won, when, and what title]. However, if you do not win, you carry over into the next week. There is NO NEED to reenter.

Click here to see giveaway #117. Our 2 winners were Kevin from Ruth Hughes Memorial District Library [MI] and Christina from Thayer Public Library [MA]. Now to this week's giveaway.

My April 2023 Horror Review Column is now live [you  can access it all on the general blog here] and in that column I have a glowing review of No One Will Come Back for Us: Stories by Premee Mohamed:

Three Words That Describe This Book: confident, full spectrum of dark speculative, reclaiming Lovecraft 

Draft Review: Mohamed’s debut collection contains 17 stories that span the entirety of today’s dark speculative landscape and present a vision of its emerging future. Many of tales use a Lovecraftian frame, set in the author’s “real gods” universe, exploring the well trod cosmic concepts of hopelessness and fear with a fresh vision, often incorporating parent-child relationships such as in the Pushcart Prize nominated story “Willing” featuring a farmer and his beloved younger daughter who is summoned by the gods to be sacrificed and the eco-Horror tinged “The Evaluator,” presenting a possessed child in a landscape where the old gods have been destroyed by pollution. No matter the plot or setting, however, each story is marked by a strong narrative voice, confident world building, and an unease that seeps into every corner. leaving readers unsettled but also looking at their world from a new perspective. 

Verdict: Introducing an exciting new voice, this collection will be enjoyed by fans of Cassandra Khaw and Lucy Snyder, but more importantly, it presents another stellar collection by Undertow Publications, making the independent publisher a not to miss player in the Horror marketplace.

This is an author you need to know about now. Thank you to Undertow Publications for sending me 2 advanced copies of this collection to give away to 2 of you. 

Enter once and you are entered going forward. I have some HUGE authors coming to the giveaway including Daniel Kraus, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Isabel Cañas, Clay McLeod Chapman, Paul Tremblay and MORE! Don't miss out. Enter today. 

Good luck!