Write with Fire, Anomalous Appetites

Novelist, nonfiction writer, and poet Charles Gramlich has just published Write with Fire: Thoughts on the Craft of Writing. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks to be an interesting read and a very helpful guide to writing. Gramlich has been writing for 20 years, and I'm sure he has quite a few pearls of wisdom to share. The book is currently available from Amazon (click on the link above) and Barnes & Noble.

In other book news, speculative poet and reviewer extraordinaire Tony Bernstein has written a very favorable review of Anomalous Appetites for an upcoming issue of Star*Line. The book is a giant collection of poems and artwork, and even if I wasn't one of the contributors I would highly recommend getting a copy.

For all of you who have already had enough of summer, here's a haiku by Patricia Benedict.

Contributor copies... a poor man's best friend

Got some contributor copies this week, so now i have something to read (in between Choke by Chuck Palahniuk, Selected Poems of Langston Hughes, and Holocaust Poetry).

Talebones #36 has apparently been out for a while now, but thanks to the USPS I just got my copy this week. It's a great issue, full of the likes of James Van Pelt, Paul Melko, and Mikal Trimm. Talebones, in my humble opinion, is one of the most consistently good dark fantasy magazines out there.

Also arrived this week is issue #103 of the recently-revived Space & Time. The editors were kind enough to include my poem (a tribute to Ray Bradbury) in this issue. Haven't had a chance to read it yet, but the cover and lineup look great.

For those of you haiku lovers out there, the new issue of paper wasp is out, and it's as filled with quality poems as ever. There are a few poems by Fran Masat, Carolyn Cordon, and Amitava Dasgupta that really stand out.

Not a contributor copy, but I did receive in the mail from talented writer and poet Tony Bernstein a copy of the new Tales of the Talisman. Tony wrote a very favorable review of my chapbook, Bits & Pieces, so buy a copy of the magazine and check it out (or buy a copy of my chapbook -- or both).

All of these magazines are currently open to submissions, except Space & Time, which is taking a short break but should reopen soon.

NVH Magazine

Here's a newer magazine that's somehow been flying under the radar. NVH Magazine is an online journal of horror fiction and poetry, edited by David "Doc" Byron. Take a peek around the website... there's plenty there to amuse yourself. Be sure to check out their submission guidelines and reader's forum, as well as an informative article by poetry editor Tony Bernstein about the use of humor in horror poetry, both historically and now.

Niteblade #3

Editor Rhonda Parrish has just published issue #3 of Niteblade, and you need to check it out. It's got fiction by well-known writers Eric S. Brown and Lee Moan, among many others, and poetry by many of the genre's top names -- Terrie Leigh Relf, Stephen M. Wilson, Charles Gramlich, Tony Bernstein, and Kristine Ong Muslim to name a few. "County Hospital, 4am" by Christopher Hivner is an especially chilling one. I count myself lucky to have a poem in the same issue as these fine folks.

You can read the stories and poems from the website, but for just $2 you can buy a PDF ad-free copy of the magazine and help support a small but growing genre mag.