To all of you writing students out there...

The best advice that I can give you is to start writing and never stop. If you think you're in a slump or are experiencing writer's block, suck it up and muscle through it! Just get some words on the page. They may really suck, but who knows? You might end up going back some day and taking an idea from that crappy phase and turning it into your magnum opus. Just don't get discouraged. I know that's easy to say, and sometimes I don't take my own advice, but I'm a parent so I'm used to doing the whole "Do as I say, not as I do" thing. Deal with it! Just kidding, but seriously. Don't give up. Queue the cheesy 1980's music. Don't you forget about me...

So Long, and Thanks for All the Brains is available on Kindle!

For those of you who are into the digital books, So Long... is now available on the Kindle for $4.99. With 55 stories in the book, that's less than 10¢ a story! Eat it up, folks!

http://www.amazon.com/Long-Thanks-All-Brains-ebook/dp/B006T3L2CW/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325781790&sr=1-1-catcorr

Happy New Year!!!

What a great year 2011 was! So Long, and Thanks for All the Brains came out at the end of the year and did fantastic already! I can't wait to see what the new year brings for it!

The Collaboration of the Dead novel is still plugging away. Currently we're up to Chapter 28 out of 39, still a ways from the finish line but we've crested the top of the mountain! And it is looking fan-freaking-tastic!

2011 also saw the completion and release of There Can be Only One, the anthology containing all of the stories from the Writers' Shootout put on by Wicked East Press and the Collaboration of the Dead. I can't take too much credit for the book, though. Jessica A. Weiss did most of the work on that one, and boy does the book look great!

I think 2012 is going to be a great year! I'd like to see the novel done by the end of the year. And I'm working on another collaborative novel with Michael S. Gardner, and fantastic writer and great friend. I can't wait for you people to get to see this one! More info to come on that, but for now other than the little I've told you, it's hush hush, so SHH...

So Long, and Thanks for All the Brains is doing great on Amazon!

Two great reviews and the anthology is already ranked at #84,300 in Books on the Amazon Best Sellers List! Not too shabby for only being out 8 days!

Zombies Gone Wild! anthology - New, open for submissions

Zombie Gone Wild! Anthology open submissions

Email submissions to: zombiewild@gmail.com

Please put the title of your story, your first and last name, and the word count in the subject line of your email.

“Zombie Gone Wild” is a Living Dead-themed anthology. All genres of horror will be considered. Dark, disturbing, suspenseful, supernatural, gruesome, and gory are welcome. Bring out your undead! We want to see the craziest, wackiest, most out there living dead stories you can possibly think of! In fact, the more unique and bizarre, the more likely your story will get the star treatment… Well, at least it will get into the book!

Think Dead Alive, Cemetery Man, Undead, Versus, Re-Animator, Evil Dead, Return of the Living Dead III (Hello, Spinal Column Zombie?), Planet Terror

We will consider stories approximately 1000 words - 8000 words. We're leaving such a wide open word range to encourage writers to write a story until it is finished without padding your submissions with irrelevant details or chopping out important information to stay below a word maximum. Keep the story as tight, exciting and action-packed as possible. In order to satisfy those who enjoy a “quickie” horror fix, we will be accepting a limited number of flash fiction (i.e. 500 words or less) stories.

Payment for the anthology will be a digital copy of the book as well as discounted copies for purchase by the authors. While multiple submissions are allowed, please don’t send in simultaneous submissions or reprints.

DEADLINE: The deadline for this anthology is March 15^th, 2012. Expected response time is under one month after the undeadline has passed. Please don't query about the status of your submission until 30 days have passed. The projected release date will be in time to use them as stocking stuffers provided we get enough submissions!

So you're ready to submit your story to Collaboration of the Dead. We look forward to reading your work, but ask that you take a couple of minutes to familiarize yourself with our preferred submission format.

All Submitted Fiction Should Be In The Following Format:

· Send as an .rtf or .doc attachment

· Time New Roman or Courier 12 pt

· 1" Margins

· Left Justified (Align Text Left)

· No Extra Spaces Between Paragraphs

· 1/2" Tabbed Indents

· Double-spaced
· Section Breaks Marked With Centered ***
· Title half way down the first page, BYLINE/WRITING AS NAME below the title
· No Headers or Footers, No Page Numbers
· Use Italics instead of underline or _this_ or *this*
· Use "double quotation marks" instead of 'single quotation marks' for speech
· Include a short (2-4 sentence) biography, written in the third person, in your email.

Please place your contact information on the title page:

Name (and pseudonym, if applicable) Approximate Word Count
Address
Phone
Number
Email

Please Include The Following With Every Submission:

· Brief Cover Letter. A short greeting, submission TITLE and WORD COUNT. You may include a list of publication credits or any other information you would like, but it is not necessary. Also, include CONTACT INFORMATION (Your REAL NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS, at the bare minimum)

· Subject Line -- Please put ANTHOLOGY TITLE SUBMISSION: Title/Last Name/Word Count) [Example – Undead days/Jackson/6,000)].

Frequently Asked Questions about Collaboration of the Dead Anthology Submissions

Who may submit?

· Any person age 19 and older may submit to Collaboration of the Dead (19 is the legal age of majority in New York, where Collaboration of the Dead is located); authors 16-18 may submit if they provide a letter of permission from their legal guardian.

Do you only accept stories written in third person?

· First person perspective stories will be considered right along with third person. We are not looking for stories told through second person, unless you can really, reeeaaaaaallllly impress us.

What are your content standards?

· Graphic language/scenes are not discouraged as long as integral to the story. No gore-porn, hard-core porn, or anything that isn’t vital to the story. No needless cruelty to animals or children.

Do you accept Multiple Submissions?

· Yes. Unlike many anthologies out there, we are currently welcoming multiple submissions from authors, with a max of 2, please. However, understand that this does not guarantee that you will get 2 stories into the anthology.

Do you accept Simultaneous Submissions?

· No, we do not want simultaneous submissions. We try to send out rejections and/or short list notifications in a timely fashion. Please note the date of the deadline when you submit your story. As we do not make any final selections until the after the deadline has passed, it is possible we may hold on to your story for a long time. If you don't want to wait for a response, please submit your story close to the deadline.

Do you accept Reprints?

· Yes! If you have rights to the story, you can submit it and it will be considered just like the rest.

Where do I send my electronic submission?

· zombiewild@gmail.com

Can I mail you my submission? I don't have/like/want email.

· At this time we are only accepting electronic submissions. If you got to this website, you have to Internet, and if you have to Internet, you can set up an email address.

Do I get paid for my story?

· Payment is a digital copy of the anthology, discounted copies for purchase by the authors and the knowledge that you are included in a book with a bunch of other kick-ass zombiphiles!

Will you notify me that you received my submission?

· You will hear back about acceptances/rejections within 30 days of the DEADline (heh, heh, heh). If you don’t, contact us at zombiewild@gmail.com

If you have any questions feel free to email me at either email address

Now Available on CreateSpace!!!

https://www.createspace.com/3681729

Now available on CreateSpace! With 55 short tales of zombie fiction plus the first 5 chapters of the upcoming Collaboration of the Dead novel,at $20 that's a lot of BANG! for your buck! You're welcome!

Full cover for So Long... and the updated ToC

Remembering Human…Bint Arab

Necropolis Burning…Robert Forrester

Blissfully Ignorant…Michael C. Dick

An Undead Night to Remember…K. A. Master

Quality of Life…T. Fox Dunham

Remember Me…Kenneth E. Olson

Undead Surveillance…Jason Papke

Strange Rain and Mississippi Mud…Richard Jay Goldstein

The Secret to Survival…T. L. Barrett

Mikey…Theresa Derwin (photo by Lee Hartnup)

OCD…Joe Sherry

The Beginning of the End?...Jack Bantry

Old Louisville…Bruce L. Priddy

The Return of Dale Corby…Jonathan Wood

Troubleshooter…Gary Madden

For Audrey…Nicky Peacock

The Army of Al-Din…Douglas J. Moore

Zombies are Dead…Iain Rob Wright

Fractions…Dale Elster

Rotgut…Rebecca Snow

Complete Ignorance…Michael C. Dick

Diary of Gerhard Koblenz…T. L. Decay

The Z Word…Philip Harris

A Quiet Night, a Perfect End…Annie Neugebauer

Dry Rot…Jamal K. Luckett

The Food of Love…Marc-Anthony Taylor

Behind Glass…Michelle Ann King

Zombies Were People, Too…Suzanne Robb

Springfield…C. Douglas Birkhead

Stir-Fried Cerebrum…Anne E. Johnson

Autopsy This!...Indy McDaniel

Blood Is Thicker Than…Bryan Vogt

Deadweed Day…Paul S. Huggins

Destiny’s Secret …Stef White

Fur, Claws and Zombies…Iain Rob Wright

The Change…Jim Gadsby

The Screaming Dead…J. Rodimus Fowler

My Child Lives…Golda Mowe

She’s Waiting…Mihai Boc

Unusual Appetites…Jessica A. Weiss

Folks like Us…B.E. Scully

Rory Thompson Called Him the Gunslinger…Jack Bantry

Play by Play…Scott Lininger

Not Death, but Dying…Katie Young

Waiting for Gordon…Allen Jacoby

The du Bec MS, 1349…Kelly Evans

Mary…S. Wayne Roberts

Seven Eight One Five Four…Alyn Day

Goodnight, Sweet Revenant…R. S. Pyne

In the End, We are like our Fathers…T. L. Barrett

For the Cure…Kristal Stittle

Priorities, Priorities…Theresa Derwin

Live, and Let Them Be Undead…Pembroke Sinclair

Planes, Strains and Runaway Meals…Justin Sharples

The Unzoetic Zombies of Oz…Vince Liberato

Max...Tara Sayers

Go and buy String Bridge by Jessica Bell!

Today is THE day to help Jessica Bell's debut, STRING BRIDGE, hit
the bestseller list on Amazon, and receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free!



All you have to do is
purchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, and
then email the receipt to:




jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com




She will
then email you a link to download the album at no extra cost!

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

If you are
not familiar with String Bridge,
check out the book trailer:

Rave Reviews for String Bridge:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of my
veins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page,
yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones of
heavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just as
with any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet and
musician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and the
difficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout,
seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure that
allows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her world
begins to unravel … String Bridge is
a powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just a
hint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of Repulsion
Thrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writer
of great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficult
scenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holds
barred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to develop
character, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel.
I look forward to reading her
next novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen Jones
Gowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

Connect with Jessica:



String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell

Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/

Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell

Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com

Please TWEET and/or FACEBOOK this post using #StringBridge!

Official ToC for So Long, and Thanks for All the Brains!

Table of Contents:

Remembering Human – Bint Arab
Necropolis Burning – Robert Forrester
Blissfully Ignorant – Michael C. Dick
An Undead Night to Remember – K. A. Masters
Quality of Life – T. Fox Dunham
Remember Me – Kenneth E. Olson
Undead Surveillance – Jason Papke
Oh, the Dreadful Wind & Rain – Richard Jay Goldstein
The Secret to Survival – T. L. Barrett
Mikey – Theresa Derwin
The Beginning of the End – Jack Bantry

Old Louisville – Bruce L. Priddy
The Return of Dale Corby – Jonathan Wood
For Audrey – Nicky Peacock
The Army of Al-Din – Douglas Moore
Zombies are Dead – Iain Rob Wright
Fractions – Dale Elster
Complete Ignorance – Michael C. Dick
Diary of Gerhard Koblenz – Trevor Smith
The Z Word – Philip Harris
A Quiet Night, a Perfect End - Annie Neugebauer
The Day Danny McAllister Decided to be a Hero – Matt Nord
Dry Rot – Jamal K. Luckett
The Food of Love – Marc-Anthony Taylor
Behind Glass – Michelle Ann King
Zombies Were People – Suzanne Robb
Springfield - C. Douglas Birkhead
Stir-Fired Cerebrum – Anne E. Johnson
Autopsy This! – Indy McDaniel

Blood is Thicker Than… - Bryan Vogt
Deadweed Day – Paul S. Huggins
Destiny’s Secret – Stef White
Fur, Claws and Zombies – Iain Rob Wright
The Screaming Dead – J. Rodimus Fowler
My Child Lives – Golda Mowe
She’s Waiting – Mihai Boc
Unusual Appetites – Jessica A. Weiss
Folks Like Us – B. E. Scully
Rory Thompson Calls him the Gunslinger – Jack Bantry
Play by Play – Scott Lininger
Not Death, but Dying – Katie Young
Waiting for Gordon – Allen Jacoby
Mary – S. Wayne Roberts
Seven Eight One Five Four – Alyn Day
Goodnight, Sweet Revenant – R. S. Pyne
In the End, We are Like our Fathers – T. L. Berrett
For the Cure – Kristal Stittle
Priorities, Priorities – Theresa Derwin
Live, and Let Them be Undead – Pembroke Sinclair
Planes, Strains and Runaway Meals – Justin Sharples
The Unzoetic Zombies of Oz – Vince Liberato
Teaser Chapters from the Collaboration of the Dead novel
Chapter 1 – Matt Nord
Chapter 2 – Todd Brown
Chpater 3 - GNBraun
Chapter 4 – Zombie Zak
Chapter 5 – Stephanie Kincaid