#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 87: The Last Storm by Tim Lebbon.

After a week off to attend ALA Annual [and get some awesome ARCs for future  giveaway], I am back with 3 copies of a book I just reviewed for Booklist. Details below, but first, 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 86. Our winner was Erin from Winnetka-Northfield [IL] Library District. Now on to today's giveaway.

I have three [3] copies of today's giveaway to pass  on to three [3] winners!!!

The Last Storm by Tim Lebbon is the PERFECT summer read for those who want to feel the fear both in their gut and as they are sweating out the summer heat. But like every "Nature Gone Wild" Lebbon title, while the action and characters hold your interest and keep the pages turning, it will also make you stop and think. 

Below is the text from my post on the general blog when the review posted in Booklist earlier this month. It also includes a my thoughts on how Cli-Fi in SF is  different than Climate Horror. 

Click here for the original post. I also have the bulk of that post pasted below.

Global warming has turned most of North America into a desert. Twenty years ago, Jesse, a “Rainmaker, brought down a deadly storm containing more than water. Now, living alone, off the grid, Jesse is punishing himself, not only for the harm he caused that day, but also because when he realized that his young daughter, Ash, held even more danger inside of her and tried to halt her training, he may have caused her death. For ten years, Katrina, Jesse’s estranged wife, has been searching for Ash, and when she hears word of a young Rainmaker, Katrina convinces Jesse to join the search and save their daughter. But Jesse and Katrina are not the only ones looking for Ash. Lebbon's [Eden] latest climate change fueled Horror novel uses multiple points of view to allow the characters to develop and the suspense to intensify, racing to a climactic, stormy battle. Thought provoking, disturbing, and family centered, this tale will appeal to readers of tales as varied as fans of the storytelling style of The Violence by Dawson, the family centered, dark fantasy of The Changeling by LaValle, or water crisis fueled cli-fi The Water Knife by Bacigalupi.

YA Statement: Teens will be drawn in by Ash and her compelling and unique coming of age storyline, but they will stay for the intensifying action and honest assessment of a near future climate dystopia. The addition of some terrifying monsters literally falling from the sky is a nice bonus.

Further Appeal: This is a plot driven narrative, but with character development and a strong sense of place. There was so much detail about the most important storylines that frame this story that I had to use up many of my 175 allowed words on that in the draft above. However, I did add words back into my final sentence that do NOT appear in the magazine.

The original frame for Ash and Jesse's powers was fascinating and very well developed. They are genetically derived from a single line of humans with the ability to enter a parallel dimension and bring rain into our world. Descriptions of the process and what each of them–Jesse and Ash– see while there is very cool and I will not spoil it for you. And this world building of their separate spaces collides nicely toward the end. I think those were some of my favorite parts of the book.

Some more notes from when I was reading: High unease, through provoking, family focused, fast paced, multiple povs, cli fi, compelling, disturbing, intensifying!!! With a little cosmic twist. Walks the Horror-Dark Fantasy-SF line in a satisfying way.

The multiple points of view are key. With such a fast-paced, plot heavy story, there is no way we could have gotten the character and place development we needed here without that. This is a book that will satisfy a wide range of readers for that reason.

I also wanted to drop this quote from my book here as it explains the different between climate fiction in Horror versus Science Fiction because it might matter for some [see the YA statement above for a sneak peak at why this is Horror].

"Climate change horror differs from its science fiction fueled cousin (“Cli-Fi”) in that it is not simply the changes in climate which bring the unease. Rather in these horror stories, as the climate itself brings natural disasters, it is also an instigator of the creation of a monster itself, whether born of the climate change or awakened by it."

Three Words That Describe This Book: Climate Horror, high unease, multiple points of view 

Readalikes: The plot is very different here than in The Violence listed above, but the similarities between the two stood out to me as I was reading. Many will want more fast paced, cli-fi and the Bacigalupi is the best place to start there before sending them to this extensive archive of excellent Cli-Fi choices via Book Riot. But I wanted to make sure people understood the very touching parent-child story here. The LaValle rec is to hammer that home as well. Also fans of Christoper Golden [and there are many] will enjoy this and all books by Lebbon.

This book comes out in early July, so if you haven't pre-ordered yet, fix that ASAP. And thanks to Titan for the multiple copies.

I will pick three [3] winners this week and get them in the mail on the 5th.

Enter now and be entered going forward. I have some amazing upcoming titles from publishers big and small!

Good luck and have a nice holiday weekend [here in America].

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 86: Writing the the Dark: The Workbook

Today I have a very exciting opportunity. A finished copy of a companion workbook to one of my GO-TO resources that I think every library should own. Details below, but first, 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 85. Our winner was Patty from Port Chester-Rye Brook [NY] Public Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

On my "Horror Resource" page I list 7 print titles I believe every library should own. One of those is:

• Writing in the Dark by Tim Waggoner. Accessible, useful and engaging, this guide is a deep dive into the genre itself as much as it is a how-to textbook. There are nuggets of advice from horror authors from all over the world, many of whom your patrons know and love, but  he also breaks  down the entire  genre and its enduring appeal in a way that will speak equally to all, from fans to fraidy cats.

This book won the Bram Stoker Award [2020] for Superior Achievement in Nonfiction and has become a vital tool for writers of any genre. At the request of readers, Waggoner created a workbook which expands upon the writing advice in the first book and provides exercise with space to complete them in the book itself.

Writing int the Dark The Workbook is just as vital a resource as the first book. And in fact, I have added it to the Horror Resources page as a MUST BUY for all libraries. But especially, if you host a writing group-- teen or adult-- you need a copy for your general collection and then just for the writing group as well because many of the exercises here are excellent for any fiction writer. Remember, Waggoner has written 50 novels and has been a writing teacher for decades. He knows what he is doing and his exercises have been tested in real life, by him and his students.

This is a finished copy of the workbook courtesy of Rag Dog Screaming Press. If you win this add it to your collection. But also all of you reading this, make sure you have the original book and order a copy of the workbook [available via Ingram], at least 1. It will get heavy use. 

Finally, a reminder. I will be at ALA Annual next week, which means no giveaway at that time, but it does mean I will be getting my hands on even more great ARCs to give away to you in the future. In the meantime, enter this week so you are eligible to win any week going forward.

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 85: Anybody Home?

Today I have a giveaway of a book I gave a STAR review to in the June issue of Library Journal. As soon as I finished it I wrote this down, "Holy Crap! What did I just read?" And remember, I read a lot of Horror, so for a book to do this, well, it is impressive. Details below, but first, 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 84. Our winner was Miranda from Joliet [IL] Public Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

Anybody Home? by Michael J. Seidlinger is an extreme, in your face description of the planning and recording of a violent home invasion. And it is participatory for the reader-- You are implicated in all of the violence which is awful and yet very impressive.

Here is the refreshing and awesome thing about this book-- it is  exactly what it claims to be. There is no twist. From the first page it is terrifying and intense. This is sustained throughout. Extreme, unbearable tension... for all 250ish pages. It never lets up, it only gets worse. And yet, you will keep turning the pages.

This book makes Cabin at the End of the World by Tremblay look like a cake walk. The reading experience is similar to the one from THINGS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE WE LAST SPOKE by LaRocca  but longer and more intense. This is THE MOST intense psychological horror you have ever read. Seriously. It makes Out by Natsuo Kirino look tame.

Three Words That Describe This Book: participatory, engaging narration, extreme-- nearly unbearable-- tension

You can access my draft review, the final LJ Star review and extra notes and read likes at this link.

But right now, enter the giveaway if you haven't already.

And thank you to Clash Books for the giveaway copy. They are 100% a small press you need to keep your eye on. You can visit my full list of vetted small presses for libraries for more information on them or other publishers of note.

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 84: Nightmare Fuel

After a week off the #HorrorForLibraries giveaway is back with a Nonfiction titles I recently reviewed for Booklist. My soundbite, "It does for Horror films what my book does for Horror books." Details below, but first, 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 83. Our 2 winner was Anna from Phillis Memorial [WI] Public Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

Today I am offering a very early ARC of Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films by Nina Nesseth courtesy of Tor Nightfire. 

My full review was in the March 15th issue of Booklist and can be found on the blog. 

A few notes for those of you who will not click through:

This books works because Nesseth is both a fan and a scientist. It is a mix of scientific research, social science, and personal information. 

Readers who love Horror movies will eagerly seek out this title, but it is also a great recommendation for fans of Mary Roach or Grady Hendrix’s Paperbacks from Hell.

Further Readalikes: Danse Macabre, My Book [this is very similar except analyzes the appeal of Horror movies, not books]. Science of Pop culture titles.

Three Words That describe this book: conversational, thought provoking, comprehensive

This is a great chance for your Horror movie fans to get ion on the #HorrorForLibraries fun. Remember, enter once and you are entered going forward. Good luck!

#HorrorForLibraries Giveaway 83: Dark Stars Hardcover

Today I have a finished hardcover copy of an anthology featuring many of the biggest names in Horror. Details below, but first, 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 82. Our 2 winner was Carrie from Racine [WI] Public Library. Now on to today's giveaway.

This one is super exciting. Back in October, I reviewed the anthology, Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror edited by John FD Taff and featuring a stellar list of authors: Chesya Burke, Ramsey Campbell, Gemma Files, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, John Langan, Livia Llewellyn, Josh Malerman, Usman T. Malik, Priya Sharma, and John F.D. Taff.

 It was supposed to come out that month, but it was pushed back.

Nightfire sent me a finished hard cover and I want to give it to one of you to add to your collections. 

Click here for my full, glowing review, in which I say, "the stories take brilliant chances that will be worth the time investment; expect many to be up for major genre awards."

Three Words That Describe This Book: Epic, Imaginative, Genre Expanding

Good luck!

Syosset Public Library Shares Their Full Summer Scares Slate

One of the biggest supporters of Summer Scares programming is Syosset Public Library in New York. Community Engagement Specialist Jessikah Chautin plans virtual programming around Summer Scares every year. This year she shared the schedule with us and invites any of your or your patrons to join in.

I have posted the entire schedule below with the Zoom links. It all begins tomorrow with 2022 Summer Scares spokesperson Alma Katsu in an event that needs no registration. 

One of the best things Syosset does with their Summer Scares programming is to use it as a way to feature their local horror authors.  That is a great example of what we are trying to do with the program in general. We want to use it as a way to feature Horror-- all of it-- not just the chosen authors. Chautin gets that. 

So please, check out this programming schedule and consider joining in-- you or your patrons.

Finally, if you want some help planning Horror events at your library anytime of year, email libraries@horror.org.

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SUMMER SCARES KICK OFF EVENT AND BYOB 

Alma Katsu! Virtual BYOB and Author Visit a Summer Scares Event 

Link to join Webinar

Thursday, May 19 2022 at 7:30 PM 

Grab your favorite beverage and zoom in to “meet” Alma Katsu author of THE FERVOR.  This event officially kicks off Syosset Library’s Summer Scares programing. 

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Andrew Joseph White! Virtual Author visit a Pride Month and Summer Scares Event  (Registration Required) 

Registration Link 

(Co-hosted with Teens) 

Thursday, June 16 2022 at 7:30 PM 

Zoom in to “meet” Andrew Joseph White, author of HELL FOLLOWED WITH US, a YA/Crossover novel about a Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. 

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PC Cast! Virtual Author visit and BYOB a Summer Scares Event 

Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 7:30 PM 

Link to join Webinar

Grab your favorite summer beverage and zoom in to “meet” PC Cast, author of INTO THE MIST and many other favorites.

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American Gravestone Symbolism 101 with Dr. Elise Ciregna 

Thursday, June 9 2022 at 7 P.M. 

Link to join Webinar

Have you ever wandered through a cemetery and wondered about the motifs and symbols carved into them?  Join Dr. Elise M. Ciregna as she presents a talk on American gravestones and symbolism over the past 400 years. Symbolism on American gravestones can tell us a lot about attitudes towards death, religious belief, contemporary thought, social and popular culture, literature and artistic endeavor, and many other areas of interest. We will look at some of the most common themes and how to interpret the symbols and motifs on gravestones, and link these to their time, their places and the people who used them to mark their loved one's burial site. 

 

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Voices from Gilgo: The Hunt for the Long Island Serial Killer. A Summer Scares Event. 

Thursday, August 11 at 7:30 PM 

Link to join Webinar

Join local author and host of the VOICES FROM GILGO podcast Robert P. Ottone as he discusses the mystery of the Long Island Serial Killer. 

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Write your own Gothic Horror/Romance with Erin Coughlin 

Thursday, June 30 at 7 P.M. 

Register in advance for this meeting here:

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#Trending Summer Scares Wrap Up! J.W. Oker! Virtual BYOB and Author Visit

Thursday, August 25 7:30 PM ET

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81117734684

Welcome to the United States of Cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker not only uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures but investigates the ways in which communities have embraced and celebrated their local cryptids.

2021 Bram Stoker Awards Winners

Click here to enter the awards database

Please click here to see the full list of this year's nominees and winners and every nominees and winner throughout the history of the Bram Stoker Awards.

Also, if you would like to watch this year's ceremony you can see me get to stand up and be recognized in person for winning the Richard Laymon President's Award for Service during virtual StokerCon last year and me announcing Superior Achievement in A Novel with Jennifer McMahon. Plus everyone else. 

The Bram Stoker Awards Ceremony is one the HWA's YouTube Channel.