Seeing my own OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES on a handful of "best of 2016" lists in the past few weeks has really put a nice cherry on top of an otherwise chaotic year that was full of both blessings and hardships.  Because I love to help spread the word of great authors and their books, I figured I'd make my own list of favorites.  Here it is, a small list of my favorite reads I spent time huddled in a chair or leaning back in bed against my headboard, be it with a print copy or with my Kindle glowing dimly while the wife slept next to me.  Do keep in mind that these are books I read this year, NOT necessarirly books that were released this year.  There are a lot of books out there, and because I never even started reading until my mid 20s--followed by a several-year hiatus of all things fiction--I need to catch up on classics (King's The Stand for example...don't hate me) as well as newer books that are getting a ton of recognition including Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones and Odd Man Out by James Newman, both of which I am proud to say I own in print and have broken the spine on one just the other night.  So, without further delay, and in no particular order, here are my favorite books I read in 2016 along with the Amazon links to purchase them yourself if you so desire.

Tis the season to spook or get spooked.  Starting now until November 1st I'm offering my Double Feature Collection III:  DEATH DEALERS:  AID FROM THE ELDERLY for your Kindle-friendly device for free. 

But wait, there's more....

You can get ALL of the AMERICAN DEMON HUNTERS novellas for FREE during that time as well:

AMERICAN DEMON HUNTERS:  Battle Creek, Michigan by Chad Lutzke
AMERICAN DEMON HUNTERS:  Nashville, Tennessee by Zach Bohannon
AMERICAN DEMON HUNTERS:  Albany, New York by Bettina Melher
AMERICAN DEMON HUNTERS:  Washington D.C. by John L. Monk




Don't forget, you can read these in any order...and that includes the original AMERICAN DEMON HUNTERS novel by J. Thorn

No doubt we've all seen that author who gets all up in your personal space, mercilessly invading your Facebook and Twitter feeds and notifications with the unrelenting plugging of their book.  Yes, we all have to shamelessly plug, but come on, there is a line to be drawn, and often that behavior is an indication of the quality of work being offered.  But then there's the quiet artist whose talent eclipses SO many in the field yet you never hear about them.  That's John Boden--an underrated, gentle soul of a man whose is humble to a fault and one of my favorite authors, not just because of his profoundly deep prose but his original ideas. 

I first met John when we had both entered a writing contest.  I placed third.  He placed first.  Admittedly, instead of being content with placing at all, I was a little bummed I'd not taken first place.  Until I read John's piece.  I then left a comment under the winning announcement and congratulated him, telling him he definitely had the superior piece and deserved the win.  He found me on Facebook and we became friends.  Our diverse taste in music brought us closer together and then we began trading stories back and forth, sharing our work (both published and unpublished) as well as ideas we had.  It started to become clear that our writing had a lot in common; not necessarily our writing styles but the content.  It's not uncommon for either of us to write something that leaves the reader feeling a bit...hollow--melding the horrific with heavy emotional attributes that tap into the inner youngsters in us all. 

Then last fall John sends me an email with an attachment titled "JEDI SUMMER."  The email said:  "This is my coming-of-age novella.  It's all true except for the few things that aren't."  I forwarded it to my Kindle, and one night while in bed I decided to read a few paragraphs.  At first I didn't get it.  It read almost like diary entries but not really.  There were no dates or "Dear Diary."  Nothing like that at all.  They were first-person events, moments in a child's life.  But they were highly entertaining, and I ended up reading much more than the few paragraphs I had set out to peek at.  I stayed up far too late and woke the next day thinking about it.  There was no real order to the book yet it was still heading in a single direction, and taking me with it.  For reasons I couldn't understand, I was compelled to keep reading and enjoying every bit of it, wanting...NEEDING to know what the kid would go through next.  I longed for a certain ending, and the ending delivered.  I've been waiting nine months to tell people about the book so they can partake and here we are.  Come July 22, 2016 "JEDI SUMMER:  With the Magnetic Kid" is being released to the public, and it's already gaining rave reviews.  Well, enough about my thoughts on John Boden, here he is answering a few questions:  

CHAD LUTZKE:  Nearly all of your work is very deep emotionally. Why do you think that is? Would you say writing is therapeutic for you?

JOHN BODEN: I'm not entirely certain. I mean, I don't purposefully set about writing that way. I tend to base most
characters on aspects of myself or people I know and I just paint them honestly, realistically. There are things that have been quite therapeutic for me. I wrote out a great deal of the grief after my Dad passed away. I just tend to write personal, I guess. I was actually quite worried that folks wouldn't like this (JEDI SUMMER). It's written in a very untraditional manner and I worried it wouldn't translate into a good read for others. The overwhelmingly positive response from beta readers let me know I was wrong.

CL:  Is writing something you'd like to make a living doing one day or is it just a hobby for you?

JB: I won't lie, it would be great to make enough money with my writing to tell the day job to piss off and just sleep in a little every day, write for hours and not have to go anywhere. Being a realist, that isn't likely to happen. I'm a middle-aged fellow who has worked since he was 17. I have a family and things that need financial attention and I need that promise of a timely paycheck every week. So I guess, I'd say hobby. I love doing it. I love that people actually care enough to read the things I manage to get published and even like them. I'm very grateful for that.

CL:  You've stated to me that your new book JEDI SUMMER is based heavily on your life and much of it is autobiographical, also your brother plays a significant role in the book. I'm curious what he thinks of it, as well as the rest of your family.

JB: I wrote it as a sort of olive branch/love letter to my little brother. When we were growing up, we fought a lot. There was always a resentment from me, because I was older and our Mom worked so much, I was thrust into an adult role of raising him in a lot of ways. As a teen , it made me mad. I was mean to him, hurtful and shit. I never really thought about it. He let me know once a number of years ago, how that made him feel and all I could do was say I was sorry. I never forgot it. I wrote a short once called "The Magnetic Kid", which was basically a scene that ended up in JEDI SUMMER...but I had not yet planned on expanding...it was just a little story about my brother. Then I decided to make it longer...and more and more truth fell into it and before I knew it JEDI SUMMER was done. My little brother loves it. He was thrilled about it, so does my Mom and my adopted little brother, Mike.

CL:  What is it about the coming-of- age subgenre that you are attracted to?

JB: I have always loved that subgenre. From Bradbury's numerous works that fall under that umbrella to King and McCammon. James Newman wrote one of my faves, Midnight Rain (and gave me a foreword for JEDI SUMMER) Dan Simmons' Summer of Night is a great one. Keene's Ghoul. Joe Lansdale has several books that fall in this territory. Mark Gunnells has a great CoA novella, Summer of Winters.  Kevin Lucia has some good stuff. You, my friend, have a brilliant CoA thing coming out soon! (referring to my novella OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES).  It's just an honest area. When you write about kids and growing up, you can tap into a vivid well of memory, it gives you a chance to tap into an honesty that you need to work a helluva lot harder for in "regular" work. That make any sense? Everyone has been a kid, everyone has some level of relating to that.

CL:  Give us some trivia concerning JEDI SUMMER, something that would be found in "author's notes."

JB: I don't wanna ruin anything so I'll be vague. This novella is probably about 92% true. There are some
fictional liberties taken but not many. I also did a really shoddy job of "concealing identities."  I'm pretty sure if anyone from home reads this, they'll know who I based characters on and I can only hope they don't get sore.

CL:  What's coming next for John Boden?

JB:  I'm having the best year for writing so far...I have a story in Borderlands 6 which was edited by Tom Monteleone and his daughter. I have a story in an antho called Bumps In The Road from Black Bed Sheet Books. I wrote an extremely surreal fable-type novella with Mercedes Yardley called Detritus In Love that will see print this fall from Omnium Gatherium Press. The only other thing I have going on is another novella called Spungunion that is currently subbed out and I'm waiting for word on it. I have the follow-up to Dominoes. It's a room-by-room tour of a haunted house. I need to figure out what exactly to do with that. I'd love to make it a pop up book. I have a few things planned to work on or start work on soon. Writing projects and Shock Totem duties. I'll keep busy, don't worry.

Pre-order JEDI SUMMER here.

Here's a little interview I did with Bird Box author, Josh Malerman to help promote the release of Crystal Lake Publishing's Gutted:  Beautiful Horror Stories.  I originally posted the interview on the Horror Novel Reviews website.

If you're an avid reader of horror who regularly ingests and searches for the next big thing, there is no doubt that in the past year you've come across the words "Bird Box" more than once, as you scoured Goodreads, Google, blogs and Facebook for recommendations on what to read next.  If you've already read Josh Malerman's BIRD BOX then you're on that long list of people who share the suggestion of this claustrophobic tale about incomprehensible terror, insanity, and extreme perseverance.

When Josh isn't tirelessly writing fiction he's writing songs for his band The High Strung.  And while he may be sitting on a mountain of manuscripts since the release of BIRD BOX, he promises to give his readers more very soon.  Much more.  One such piece can now be found in Crystal Lake Publishing's new anthology GUTTED:  BEAUTIFUL HORROR STORIES with his story "The One You Live With." 

C.Lutzke:  I read your contribution to GUTTED:  BEAUTIFUL HORROR STORIES last night (The One You Live With).  One of the more nontraditional stories in the collection, and I very much enjoyed the voice.  I'm curious about the genesis of it.  Any cool story that goes along with how you came up with the idea?

 J.Malerman:  It was the idea of a woman being haunted by her own self. Not a possession and definitely not a split personality thing. But to consider your “other” self, the private you, as its own entity... that freaks me out. Because then you’re not alone in there and who knows who is leading who to do what. I do think we all have a private self no matter how open we are. It’s just impossible not to change, to get geared up, when you’re around other people. In this way, I guess it’s a little abstract: a woman’s public persona is haunted by her private one. Or is it the other way around? The real psycho-crack here is... which is the real Dana? And if it’s somewhere between the two... then who is she at all? That’s an identity crisis on a billboard right there. And yet, maybe the freakiest thing about Dana is that, while she’s aware of this (thanks to Mom), she’s somehow managed the balancing act. She gets ugly in front of the mirror as an eighty year old woman, same as she did when she was a kid. I like that about her, that she never tipped all the way in one direction or the other, never declared ‘THIS is me.’ But of course, that’s also what makes her frightening. She’s a kind of living ghost in that way. The only real genesis of the story would be my own worries about maintaining my personality no matter who I’m around. You ever notice that you’re funnier around people who think you’re funny? And I don’t mean that they laugh at the same jokes others don’t laugh at. I mean that your content is actually funnier when you’re around them! Like when you dream in languages you don’t speak. It’s astonishing to me how much of our personalities are guided by the vibes we get from the people around us. If you walk into a room full of people who think you’re a brilliant man, you’re more liable to say something brilliant. This all worries me. Because, ONE why can’t we consistently be our whole selves at all times? And TWO who’s to say you’re around the right people, the people who bring out the good shit? All your life you’ve said, “Oh, it’s not me to be spontaneous.” And yet, would it have been you if a bunch of kids called you spontaneous on the playground, thirty years ago? To me, that’s horror. The alternate yous. The inner yous. All compared to the current you.

 CL:  Based on what Dana's mother says in your story, would you consider Josh the musician and Josh the writer two different yous?  And do you prefer one over the other?

JM:  Great question. I would say they’re different people, yeah, but they’re close. Kinda like how Dana’s mom tells her that her two yous are still close together because she’s just a kid. Writing scary books and little songs have always been a fountain of youth for me. So, while the two are different form one another, they’re both juvenile, together, and close, like young Dana’s two sides. The real “other” me is the guy who freaks the fuck out in the middle of dinner and thinks, “My God... all this time you thought you were an artist... but you’re only a shadow of one.” That guy has got to go. But he doesn’t! As you know, as we all know, he doesn’t. But I’ll tell you what, he’s got a sweet tooth, Superman ice cream, and I found a parlor he likes, and I can distract him for long periods of time.

 CL:  Lyrically, what is one of your favorite songs?

JM:  Check this one out (and it’s somehow fitting with “The One You Live With”):
You think we look pretty good together
You think my shoes are made of leather
But I'm a substitute for another guy
I look pretty tall but my heels are high
The simple things you see are all complicated
I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated, yeah

Substitute your lies for fact
I can see right through your plastic mac
I look all white, but my dad was black
My fine-looking suit is really made out of sack

I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth
The north side of my town faced east, and the east was facing south
And now you dare to look me in the eye
Those crocodile tears are what you cry
It's a genuine problem, you won't try
To work it out at all you just pass it by, pass it by

Substitute me for him
Substitute my coke for gin
Substitute you for my mum
At least I'll get my washing done

The Who’s “Substitute”

That line, “The north side of my town faced east and the east was facing south.”

And this verse, by my friend Mark Owen, is out of this world:

“Buried in the cellar,
there’s a fortune teller.
One time she read, my palm she said,
‘You’re no Rockefeller.’”

From his song, “Never, Never, No”

So good.

CL:  When I write, the only thing I can listen to in the way of music is instrumentals (usually soundtracks) or I get too distracted.  Is there a genre of music that gets the creative juices flowing for you?

JM:  Soundtracks, for sure. I’ve got one helluva collection of horror movie soundtracks on vinyl. I’d love for you to come over and listen to some right now. I’d love for every reader to hear ‘em. Some of the best are Under the Skin, Creepshow, Troll. Up until recently I would say the same thing you said about songs with lyrics, that they distract me while writing, like I’m listening to Chuck Berry and suddenly one of my characters is riding along in his automobile. But I’d like to give rock n’ roll another chance. I’m gonna try writing the next book to a rock soundtrack and see what comes of it. Let the pace run me. I’m game. I’m ready for that now.

CL:  What scares you?

JM:  Probably being out of control scares me most. Back when my friends were trying LSD I gave it a single go and I made the unutterable mistake of trying to stay rooted in reality while surfing the rings of Saturn. Bad idea. So there you had a situation where a fella (me) got freaked out because he was trying to stay cool at a time when he should’ve been a freak. And yet, the ‘letting go’ was the scariest idea of all. I realize it’s something I gotta work on. I'm not a control freak with my friends or band or lady (Allison), that’s not the kind of control I mean, but I do tend to keep one foot on planet Earth until I start reading or writing. Those are the only times I truly ‘let go.’

CL:  Any weird rituals or practices you do when writing that you wouldn't want us to know about unless put on the spot for an interview?

JM:  Well, as you know, you drop a lot of your good ideas all over town. In the bars and restaurants, on a friend’s couch, in the alley behind the shoe store, and so I gotta go run and pick them up before writing them down. Gotta go scurrying around town, looking for little piles of ideas, bag em up and bring 'em home to the office. Then I dump them all out on the floor. Our new puppy eats one or two. So then I gotta jam my finger down her throat, get her to throw up the story idea about a woman who is stalked by two stalkers (who don’t know about one another) and then I can sit down to write it.

CL:  If there was one writer you wish you could collaborate with, living or dead, who would it be? 

JM:  I would love to write a book with John F.D. Taff. I would love to write a book with D. Alexander Ward. My great friend Mark Owen. My mom. My kid brother Ryan. My older brother Derek.

CL:  You're putting together a four-person supergroup and you have to have at least one female in it...who are your members and what do you call it?

JM:  Let’s put my girl Allison Laakko on vocals. You gotta hear her. Gonna blow your lid. And let’s surround her with Steve Cropper (Booker T and the MGs) on guitar, James Jamerson (Motown) on bass, and someone simple but fun like Doug Clifford (CCR) on drums. Ray Manzarek on organ with them. Ray and Allison would shine like the moon in that band. Let’s call them...

MOON

CL:  What's next for you as far as writing goes?

JM:  Book 2 for ECCO/HarperCollins is done and they’re working on the cover art now. I’m rewriting the first 50 pages or so of books 3, 4, 5 (they’re already written) so that I can show them those. For me, it’s taken way too long between Bird Box and Black Mad Wheel (that’s my next book, book 2, not a sequel, and this is the first time I’ve mentioned the title anywhere) but I’m learning. I think I understand the pace of the publishing industry now and I won’t let a gap like this one happen again. And yet, I’m freakin thrilled about Black Mad Wheel so...  I guess it doesn’t matter how or when it came to be. Sometimes I forget that Bird Box is my first book, and that I’m gonna need to learn some things about the business side. Other good news: A novella in the fantastic collection I Can Taste the Blood comes out August 23rd. Short stories in the Jonathan Maberry edited anthologies Scary Out There and Out of Tune 2. A short story in the Max Booth III and Lori Michelle edited Lost Signals. And a free standing novella (170 pages I think?) coming out later this year with This is Horror called A House at the Bottom of a Lake, which is about two teenagers who discover a helluva clubhouse under water. Also working with Dark Regions Press on a “definitive/illustrated” edition of Bird Box. And a short story in the Michael Bailey edited You, Human. That’s a lot of great stuff. Scripts, too. And a new novel, as yet untitled, about a bitter psychiatrist who sets out to frighten his patient.

CL:  Throw out a link or two for those interested in finding out more about you and your work.

JM:  Facebook is about it for me. My agent, Kristin, has someone working on a website now. I’m very excited about that. But yeah, Facebook is about it right now. I need to stretch out in that way, huh. But like I said... I’m learning.

I also wanted to make sure I said thank you, to you, and to Doug Murano and D. Alexander Ward who published my first short story (ever) in Shadows Over Main Street. I love you all, and this is what we’re all living for, excited for, working toward. Writing and reading and the thinking that follows. So, to Doug and D, THANK you for having me with Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories and I see an endless golden literary future for them both.

You can grab Gutted:  Beautiful Horror Stories edited by Doug Murano and D. Alexander Ward featuring stories by Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Ramsey Campbell, Paul Trembley, Josh Malerman, and many more, right HERE

Purchase Bird Box here.

Synopsis:  A neglected 12-year-old boy does nothing to report the death of his mother in order to compete in a spelling bee. A tragic coming-of-age tale filled with horror and drama in the setting of a hot New Orleans summer. 

I'd love to give you a set date right now on the release of my novella "Of Foster Homes and Flies," but I'm still unsure.  The plan is for mid-to-late July.  I'll be finishing it up, then a clean draft will be sent off to my beta readers and street team and to hopefully collect some blurbs.  From there I'll potentially make another sweep through, format it, and it'll be ready.   

If you'd like to join the street team then toss me an email.  Those on the street team are sent a free e-copy of the book in advance to read and have a review ready and posted to Amazon and/or Goodreads on release day (the review can be two words or two thousand words..the choice is yours. They both help equally).  It's pretty much a win/win but it is time sensitive. 

Also, Great British Horror has released "What Goes Around" an anthology full of stories where we find out what happens if two forces of badness go toe-to-toe with one another...evil versus evil.  My story "Taming the Tongue" is within the pages:  A story about a man, his dog, and the unruly elderly woman next door.  You can get that right here.

Hello readers!  Today is my 22nd wedding anniversary.  Congratulations?  Why, thank you!  But that's not all.  Today also marks the two-year anniversary of my decision to take writing seriously and pursue it with everything I had.  A lot has happened since then.  Quite a few of my stories have been published in anthologies, magazines, and websites.  I've won writing contests.  I released my own 18-story anthology along with a handful of double feature anthos and a special holiday single.  I compiled and edited a themed anthology for Black Bed Sheet Books.  I've been handpicked for a few projects, and I've collaborated with other authors.  I've done several reviews for Horror Novel Reviews, Heavy Planet, and HalloweenForevermore, and I've written articles for three different horror magazines including THEE horror magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland.  I even landed several editing/proofreading jobs and cover design. 

But I think probably the biggest surprise through it all (okay, writing for Famous Monsters not once but twice was huge for me) is the many, many friends I've met along the way.  I had no idea that the horror writing community was such a supportive one.  Horror authors are not competitive.  This isn't a contest.  Everybody wants to see others succeed, and in my experience they offer great advice to help make that happen.  Everyone has been so encouraging and always willing to lend a hand, advice, feedback, etc.  There are a large handful of people that I've only known as an online presence (or through the phone, web cam, etc.) yet I consider dear friends.  I've written stories with some of you.  I've shared the table of contents with some of you, and some I've had lengthy discussions about writing, books, music, art, God, writing, books and books and writing and books.

On this two-year anniversary I want to say to you--my reading, reviewing, and writing friends--thank you.  Thank you for your helping hands, your advice, your time, your ARCs, your blurbs, your constructive criticism and most of all your friendship.  There are too many of you to name, but most will know exactly who you are.

Here's to many more years of writing with bigger goals being reached and satisfying opportunities falling into our laps.

~Chad

In the past few years I've seen a lot of poor decisions being made by authors trying to establish their brand.  Normally their folly is in the way of pushy salesmanship and lacking any real connection to potential readers--the author just looking for brainless consumers with wallets.  This just doesn't work, and unfortunately the world is full of people who haven't figure that out yet.  It's true that at times you do need to shamelessly plug.  And, if you're anything like me, that stings a little.  However, for those who are still figuring it out, I wanted to write a quick story about establishing a brand--from the consumer's perspective--using the example of someone who isn't in the writing world but the music world. 

In 1987, when I was 17, I was at the local record store with $10 in my pocket.  Like always, I spent far too much time deciding on which cassette (or piece of vinyl) was deserving of my hard-earned funds.  I came across the debut cassette by a band called The Accused.  I'd never heard of them, and against my better judgment, I purchased the cassette for the glorious cover art alone.  It turned out to be one of the single best purchasing decisions of my life.  They became my favorite crossover punk band, and I followed them obsessively for the next two decades, buying everything they released. 

Fast forward about 20 years since that risky purchase:  I had a punk rock/horror zine called "Cornflake Overdose" that cast the name "Chad Overdose" upon me for the next 15 years.  The zine gained a very nice following, and my doorstep was regularly littered with music and movies for review as well as artwork submissions and paying subscribers from all over the globe.  I interviewed people/bands like Bruce Campbell, Henry Rollins, ex-Misfits Bobby Steele and Myke Hideous, Grade, Electric Frankenstein, D.R.I., Fu Manchu, Snapcase, Eerie Von (Danzig/Sam Hain) Lloyd Kaufmann (Troma), Kyra Schon (Night of the Living Dead), Tom Sullivan (Evil Dead FX), among others that I'm having a hard time remembering right now.  I was "in bed" with Troma and other indie film and record companies, who were sending me tons of promotional items and product.  It was fun while it lasted.  But the zine got to be too big for me to handle by myself, and so I shut it down.

The Accused live '87

In the midst of it all, I decided to make a cold call to Blaine Cook, the lead singer for The Accused.  The internet existed but not everyone was using it, and email was still fairly new to many, so much of my communication was done by way of snail mail and phone calls.  Blaine's phone number in Seattle, Washington was listed so I made the call and flat out asked the guy if he would bless me with an interview.  He agreed immediately.  We set up a time, and Blaine took my address and snail mailed me several original photos from his personal collection that had been taken while on tour over the years, so that I could use them in the layout of the magazine.  After the phone interview, we remained internet acquaintances.  Sometime later I emailed him and asked him how things were going in the music world and if there was anything we could expect in the way of musical projects with him, as he had been in several bands outside of The Accused (including The Black Nasty, Denial Fiend, and The Fartz with Duff McKagan from Guns N' Roses).  He responded: "Give me a call and I'll fill you in."  So I did.  And he did.

Soon after, my oldest son Elijah (around 11 or 12 at the time) had taken a liking to a lot of the music that I was listening to, including The Accused.  One day he asked me "Dad, what does Blaine sound like when he talks?"  He asked me this because Blaine has one of the most unique and disturbing voices in music you'll ever hear (see clip below).  His voice was 80% of the appeal of the band for me in the first place.  The next time I spoke with Blaine via email I told him what Elijah had said, joking about it.  He wrote back:  "Have him call me."

Elijah Shine Lutzke age 15

I waited until a Sunday night after dinner (Seattle time) when I thought it would be most appropriate for a phone call from a pre-teen stranger.  Blaine spoke with Elijah for about 15 minutes on the phone, answering questions and chumming it up.  Elijah was a bit star struck.

Over the years, Blaine sent CDs, stickers, flyers, buttons, and T-shirts.  This entire time he never pushed his product on me.  He didn't need to.  He was just generous.  He comes from a punk rock world with DIY ethics, and at 50+ years old he still adheres to that.

I've kept in contact with Blaine and have done everything I can to spread the word of his music (as well as his restaurant entrepreneurship).  He doesn't tour anymore and now owns two burger joints (Zippy's Giant Burgers) in Seattle.  Had I lived closer, then no doubt my support would have been by way of making his restaurants a regular stop for my family and friends, but Seattle is a long way from Michigan.  However, he did have T-shirts.  And to show support for his new venture, I insisted on purchasing one when they first became available a few years ago even after he wanted to send one for free.

Blaine with wife Rahel at one of Zippy's Giant Burgers locations in Seattle, Washington

When I was putting out Night as a Catalyst I sent Blaine a handful of stories and asked if he would write a blurb.  Does he have credentials in the literary world?  No, unless you're counting lyrics.  But it meant something to me, and because The Accused were known for coining the term "Splatter Rock" with their album covers and their comic-bookesque horror subject matter as well as mascot "Martha Splatterhead," I knew some of my readers would know exactly who Blaine Cook was.

Blaine has even given me permission to use The Accused name as well as Martha Splatterhead on a writing project--the only problem being that the real deciding factor is another member who, at this point, seems to be off the grid, so the project, as of now, has gone no further than the idea bank where it will remain until I can contact said off-grid member (I'm talkin' 'bout you, Mr. Niemeyer…whom I should add has also been generous to both myself and Elijah by way of Accused swag and original artwork).

Blaine's latest band Toe Tag, features members of The Accused, and in the past few years I've done CD artwork for them, a promotional video, and just recently a T-shirt design.  All for free.  And this is my point for the entire article .  My motivation to support Blaine and his music, and even lend a hand when I can, was driven by his generosity both with his time and his product.  Blaine presented his product with a very human, very tangible side.  I was treated not like a fan but like a brother in the punk rock world.

Now, I'm not saying every writer should be sending out print copies of their books to everyone in the hopes of gaining favor in return.  But how many books do you think you're really selling by friending other writers on Facebook and immediately sending them links to your Amazon page?   That kind of mechanized behavior you're exhibiting just took the fun right out of everything, and you've tagged yourself with a Day-Glo negative somatic marker, with those potential readers now putting you in the same category as those pesky telemarketers. 

Yeah, that doesn't sit well, does it?

What I got out of reaching out to Blaine was getting to know one of my musical idols and to express my love for his art to him personally.  What he got by responding in the manner he did is lifelong support from me, and if there's anything I can do by way of my personal talents then I'm always on board.  This is extremely beneficial for writers to develop these types of relationships.  There's a big difference between getting someone to crack open a single book, and getting someone to search out the rest of everything you do.  Help establish that motivation within your readers to genuinely want to support you by way of contact and human relationship.

Focus more on establishing relationships, rubbing elbows, and making friends with both readers and writers alike.  My friend and fellow horror author J. Thorn is a great example of exactly what I'm talking about.  J's motto is to give without expecting anything in return.   It's what he lives by.  He is very DIY as well, and much of what he does now he does by way of being self taught.  And the knowledge he has he is very generous with.  I've no doubt that much of the reason J has been so successful with his book sales is because of this practice.

So remember, that uneasy feeling you get when you relentlessly spam others with your books like some kind of robot (I'm not talking about the normal advertising…we all need to do this)… that feeling is there for a reason.  You're doing it wrong, my friend. 

Currently Reading: 
Midnight Rain - James Newman (friggin' amazing)
Tales from the Lake vol II - Crystal Lake Publishing anthology

So I've been working on my first full-length book, Trash Baby Godfather.  It's been coming along nicely.  I've been putting together a street team that will be helping with promo on day of release so I'm pretty grateful for that.  I'd love to be able to say that the book will be out by May, but I can't make any promises.  The visual concept of the cover is in the hands of the artist, which is half the fun--seeing your book cover.  In the near future I'll be announcing the artist.

I thought I'd have another cool contest for those who have signed up to be on my VIP reader list.  Now's your chance to get your name into one of my books.  On April 02, 2016, I will be randomly drawing a name from the reader list.  I'll be contacting that person and will name one of the characters in Trash Baby Godfather after them.  Will it make you famous?  No.  But you'll get bragging rights.  I'll even send you a paperback copy of the book when it's released.  If you haven't already, simply sign up here.

Lots of cool stuff is being released and finally seeing the light this year.  Also, a few cover reveals and a very special announcement that I'm keeping on the down low for now are just part of the future fun. 

Currently Reading: 
Tales from the Lake Vol. 2 - Crystal Lake Publishing anthology
The Magazine of Bizarro Fiction issue #1

Exciting things ahead.  For those who have complained and wished they had something longer to read from me, you only need to wait a few more months.  I'm turning my story "Trash Baby Godfather" into a novella.  It's important to note that this is not some dark and somber, tear-jerking social commentary nor is it deep and cerebral.  This is a fun, light-hearted piece that I like to describe as Bubba Ho-Tep meets Basket Case meets Superfly.

That being said, what I'm looking for is a "street team."  A reliable group of ravenous readers who are willing to receive a FREE copy of anything I publish in the future in exchange for a review on Amazon and Goodreads.  I'm not asking for 5-stars from everyone.  But be fair.  The reviews can be anything from a single sentence giving your opinion of the read to several paragraphs explaining all the joy (or distress) you experienced during the read.  For starters, I will be sending everyone on the street team a Kindle/Nook copy of Trash Baby Godfather approximately two weeks before its release date, then on the day of release your review goes up and magic happens.  Those who participated in the street team and left reviews will find their names stated with gratitude in the paperback version of Trash Baby Godfather.  Shoot me an email at Chad7Lutzke@gmail.com to participate, and anticipate getting a copy of the novella in about four to six weeks.

A quick congratulations to Shannon Everyday, Carla Brandolino (Carla you never returned my email...I'd like to get that copy to you), and Michael Donner for winning the audio book copies of The Him Deep Down last month.

For those who actually frequent the site (or those who just stop by to take a quick peek), my apologies for not updating for a few months.  I'd like to report the reason is secondary to being neck deep in my first novel, but that would be a lie.  Other than entering a handful of contests and beginning two stories for anthologies this year, I haven't been doing as much writing as I'd like to be.  I wrote my first story of the year a few weeks ago and it's one of my favorite I've ever written.  However, unlike most of my work, it's not horror, so finding a home for it may take some time, as I'm not that familiar with my options in non-horror markets.  Last month, for the Christmas season, I released my coming-of-age YA story The Cross Examining.  The response I've gotten so far was more than I expected.  People really seem to dig it. You can find that here.

Just a quick note about reviews and ratings.  I can't tell you enough just how helpful your few words (be it a sentence or a paragraph) left on Amazon and/or Goodreads can be.  They can make or break an author.  No reviews means no exposure, so to those who take the time to leave an honest review for any author, thank you!

I'll be doing a few special things to celebrate my 46th birthday next month (February 13th) including giving away three audio copies of The Him Deep Down, my novelette written with Terry M. West.  I'll be drawing names from those who have signed up to my VIP reader list, so if you want in on the fun you can sign up here.

The Bumps in the Road anthology I'm putting together and publishing through Black Bed Sheet Books is compiled with a finished cover.  It's still going through formatting and the gathering of blurbs.  I'm still hoping for a late January release, but the closer it gets the more it's looking like a February release.

*Finished reading recently: 
I Am Legend (again) - Richard Matheson (5 stars)
Bad Chili - Joe Lansdale (4 stars)
Jedi Summer - John Boden (5 stars)
Dominoes - John Boden (5 stars)