It’s Hip to be Square!

I haz books! My 13 copies of Halloween Party ‘21 have arrived. Gravelight Press has produced a gorgeous 7×7 horror anthology replete with terrifying tales and vintage Halloween illustrations. I’m honored to be included.
It’s hip to be square!
Available in ebook and paperback now.
 
   
 
   

Givin’ Ya the Shivers!

Prepare to be scared! 💀 Coming November 15, Fae Corps Publishing‘s two-volume horror anthology, Fae Shivers, includes Forgotten Horrors and Remembered Nightmares. 👻
My demonic possession story, “Break and Enter,” will be featured in Remembered Nightmares. After a fugitive breaks into an old country chapel, the pastor learns that he’s running from something far more terrifying than the death penalty. 😈
Available in paperback in November.
Fae Shivers: Remembered Nightmares Cover Fae Shivers: Forgotten Horrors Cover
  Phil Giunta's Bio in Fae Shivers

Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity Recap

A busy week resulted in a delayed after-action report of my first experience with Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity (C3). While this annual writers conference in Columbia, MD is geared toward crime fiction, mystery, paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction, all genres are welcome. This year’s keynote speakers were Hank Phillippi Ryan, NYT bestselling author and 37-time Emmy-award winning journalist and  Sherrilyn Kenyon, NYT bestselling author of over 80 novels. Sherrilyn’s inspiring, poignant speech damn near brought many of us to tears. 

Vaughn Jackson, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Phil Giunta
With Vaughn Jackson and Sherrilyn Kenyon at Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity Con (C3).

Special guests included Kathleen Barber, whose novel Are You Sleeping was the basis for Apple TV’s Truth Be Told, and James Grady, author of Six Days of the Condor, which was made into the classic 1975 Robert Redford film, Three Days of the Condor. I suspect the other three days were victims of Hollywood budget cuts, but I digress.

Phil Giunta with James Grady
With James Grady at Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity Con (C3).

The conference delivered a fun and edifying variety of discussion panels and presentations on various aspects of writing and publishing, ranging from creating captivating characters and writing believable fight scenes to the value of deep listening and the elements of world building. I participated in the latter panel as well as another on writing in the paranormal and speculative fiction genres. 

Friday night’s Noir at the Bar treated us to eight talented storytellers who read samples of their work from a breadth of genres including crime fiction, fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal.

It was a joy to meet and chat with several amazing writers throughout the weekend including Lanny Larcinese, Ef Deal, Glenn Parris, Vaughn Jackson, F.J. Talley, Frank Hopkins, Sharon Buchbinder, and former MMA fighter, J.R. White. A special shout-out to Weldon Burge on the debut of his first novel, Harvester of Sorrow. Weldon is also the owner of Smart Rhino Publications and had published my ghost story, “Bottom of the Hour,” in his anthology A Plague of Shadows in 2018. He and I have stories in about four different anthologies, each from different presses. 

Speaking of anthologies, C3 produces a limited edition anthology available only to attendees of the conference each year. Although the book is not available to the public, it was no less exciting to see my Sherlock Holmes and Johnny Watson tale, “The Five-Day Killer,” in print for the first time since I wrote it six years ago. Perhaps it’ll become a valuable collector’s item if I ever hit the big time. 

C3 2021 Anthology Front Cover   C3 2021 Anthology Back Cover    The Five-Day Killer - first page

I carpooled to the con with fellow speculative fiction writer, Chris Ochs, who also happens to be the president of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group. After the con ended on Sunday, Chris and I drove to the Common Kitchen in Clarksville where we met several local friends for lunch before heading home. 

My deepest gratitude and admiration to redoubtable C3 organizers Austin Camacho, Denise Camacho, Cynthia Lauth, Susan Henry McBride, and Jodi Schwartz for their Herculean efforts to make the conference a success!

C3 Conference Team
The C3 Team! (L to R): Jodi Schwartz, Cynthia Lauth, Austin Camacho, Susan Henry McBride, Denise Camacho

About This Writing Stuff…

This week, Ruth Harris offers sage advice on writing that ever daunting blurb. Over at the Kill Zone, James Scott Bell carves out a middle ground for plotters and pantsers while PJ Parrish ponders what comes first, plot or character.

Speaking of characters, Donald Maass encourages us to create fully realized characters by first being real with ourselves. Rebecca D’Harlingue offers advice on dual-timeline plots, Steve Myers argues that our protagonist’s outer journey is fundamentally an inner journey, and Barnes and Noble’s restructuring might be the comeback story of the year.

All that and little more. Enjoy!

How to Improve Your Writing Skills: Take Your Writing from Good to Great by Nicole Dieker

How to Write the D*mn Blurb by Ruth Harris

Writing About the Pandemic—or Not? by Paula Munier

Plot or Character: What’s Your Starting Point? by PJ Parrish

Five Questions to Ask Before Starting a Dual Timeline Novel by Rebecca D’Harlingue

Plotting for Pantsers and Pantsing for Plotters by James Scott Bell

B&N Rides a Wave of Positive Trends by Jim Milliot

Have Print ARCs Become a Hot Commodity? by Weronika Strzyżyńska

The Inward Path of the Protagonist’s Journey by Scott Myers

Purple Prose and the Word Surgeon’s Scalpel by Tom Bentley

Creating Character Safety Zones by Donald Maass