Today over on my pal Bob Freeman's blog, he announced an upcoming project that I'll be involved in. Here's what he had to say:
"Yes, Weirder Tales is coming. In August.
What can you expect? A weekly comic page, free of charge,
for starters. Sometimes more, depending on my mood and whatever else I’m
juggling at that particular moment.
Who’s involved? Well, there’s me, of course. Writing.
Drawing. Editing. And whatnot. We can’t forget whatnot. But also, I’ve already
received two scripts (yes, honest to goodness comic scripts) from Grimacing
Greg Mitchell, several St. Cyprian stories from Jovial Josh Reynolds, a couple
of tales from the keyboard of Wily Willie Meikle, and the promise of fiction
from the Tyrannical Tracy DeVore and Marauding Maurice Broaddus. And that’s
just for starters (and I didn’t even mention Oddfellows Serenade from myself
and Creepy Chris Wilson).
Why? Because we like you. M-O-U-S-E, baby."
Stay tuned for more exciting updates as this project comes together!
I remember back in the day reading Wizard Magazine and always excited to see a feature called "Casting Call" whereby the staff at Wizard had a little fun and cast who they thought would fit best with hypothetical comic book movies.
Well, I thought I would give the same treatment to The Coming Evil Trilogy. Seeing as how this series began as a script (and one day I'd like to see it return to that format, if God so wills), I've always thought of this trilogy in movie terms. So, for fun, we're gonna sit down and cast The Coming Evil Trilogy. Some of these actors I had in mind while writing from Day One, while others I came up with just for this feature. Some of these actors have aged considerably, and some of them--sadly--are no longer with us. Therefore, this is a total dream cast, and I think that each of these actors embody the essence of the characters.
Here's the cast, broken down by each book. KEEP IN MIND, THERE WILL BE SOME SPOILERS BELOW!
Dras Weldon: From the jump, I always envisioned Ethan Embry (circa Can't Hardly Wait) as Dras Weldon. I mean, come on, look at that guy! He's got this open face and this squirrely smirk. He seems to be the absolute last person you would choose to fend off the armies of hell--which is why he's exactly perfect for Dras.
Rosalyn Myers: While Eliza Dushku's turn as Faith Lehane in Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a major inspiration for the character of Rosalyn, I went through a major Jennifer Love Hewitt phase when I first started writing The Strange Man back in the late '90s. I think she's gorgeous; her eyes are so expressive and I think she has a great sincerity and vulnerability in her performances. In the books, Rosalyn goes from girl-next-door, to tormented victim, to lost soul. I think JLH could handle all of that and make us feel for her character's dark journey every step of the way.
Jeff Weldon: My wife and I agree that a young Tim Daly would make a perfect Jeff Weldon, while my brother leans towards The Vampire Diaries' Ian Somerhalder (who might also make a pretty good Strange Man, no?). However you cut it, we need an apple pie, upstanding good man and I think Supernatural's Jensen Ackles is a perfect fit. I think the early seasons of Supernatural show that Jensen is a powerhouse of an actor. He can be cute, threatening, burdened, desperate to please his father, and kind. He's got the full range (and I hear the girls think he's hot). Well, okay, I'll admit--he is a pretty good-looking man.
Isabella Weldon: When Jennifer Lopez is not all done up in her glamorous dresses, I think she displays a real down-to-earth beauty. She exudes strength, but also warmth and humor--everything a woman needs to play Isabella.
The Strange Man: This is a hard one, and I've changed my views on who should play the titular villain. But, these days, I'm gonna throw it to Tom Huddleston. Have you seen his creepy Loki grin? I think this actor could capture the suave appeal of the demon in his human form, as well as cutting loose and being wide-eyed evil and sadistic.
Lindsey McCormick: For the Strange Man's first victim, I would select none other than Vampire Diaries sweetheart Candice Accola. She's the right mixture of bubbly innocence and beauty--and we'd all instantly hate the Strange Man for taking her out of this world.
Sheriff Hank Berkley: For my money, the late great Lane Smith will always be Hank Berkley to me, hands down. He played the father in Son-in-Law (yeah, Pauly Shore!), and Perry White in Lois & Clark on ABC. I see this man and some of the characters he's played and I just want to give him a big ole hug. And that's exactly what kind of reaction I get from Hank. Hank is fatherly, a bit dopey at times, but all Southern heart. Mr. Smith would have knocked that performance out of the park.
Danny Carpenter: As stated in a previous commentary, I've always envisioned Norman Reedus as everyone's favorite rebellious punk with a heart of gold.
Millie Walker: Precocious Mara Wilson from Mrs. Doubtfire would have been perfect for the soft spoken, though courageous, toddler who dared to shove a defiant finger in the face of hell.
Annie Myers: Michelle Trachtenberg was the cute, though annoying kid sister in Buffy, and I believe she would have served the same purpose as Rosalyn's cute, though annoying kid sister :p
Leonard Fergus: Again, as already noted in one of my commentaries for Enemies, I want Bill Cobbs to play Leonard. That voice, that gait! Accept no substitute.
Christopher Perdu: Well, it has to be a young Robert Redford, right? I mean, I said as much in the book!
Deputy Ryan Stevenson: We need a hulking guy with a sinister glint in his eyes. Browncoats rejoice as I believe Firefly's Adam Baldwin would be a perfect and intimidating Deputy (and later Sheriff) Stevenson.
Will Baxter: Okay, so I chose Hayden Christensen. Attack of the Clones notwithstanding, there's something about this actor that I want to like. I believe (a younger version of him) could play the shy, untried assistant pastor--but with a darkness brewing in his eyes.
Ray McCormick: "Doom! Doom!" Marvelous character actor Jeffrey Combs has all the Lovecraftian nuance to play Lindsey's grieving father who falls victim to terrible visions of the Doom That Has Come to Greensboro.
Earl Canton: I struggled with this one, but I think I've settled on Clancy Brown in the role of Earl, playing the embittered father who distrusts his local government and wants answers for all the "mysterious events" going on in Greensboro. I've loved Clancy Brown in everything I've ever seen him in, so I'm confident he would bring an intensity, and also a great sadness, to the role of Earl.
Jack Weldon: For the role of Dras and Jeff's father, I needed a man who could just look at you and either build you up or cut you down. The late Jason Robards is just that good. Reid: When Christopher calls in for some angelic backup, he gets this long-haired hippy in a "God Is Nifty" T-Shirt. Dean Haglund as Langley in The X-Files and The Lone Gunmen was, quite obviously, the inspiration for Reid and I can't imagine another actor playing him. Carter Ross: I pretty much just ripped off Carter's look from the character of C.J. in the remake of Dawn of the Dead anyway, so let's just cast the same actor, Michael Kelly, yeah?
Sarah Browning: This was a tough cast, but I really like Mary Elizabeth Winstead. I think she's a solid actress and would make a great "cute nerd" who makes eyes at Danny. She's smart, quirky, and confident: good qualities for the Haven's resident computer tech.
TJ Walker: Shawn Hatosy's turn as a discontent jock in '90s creature feature The Faculty puts him in the prime position for the role of misguided monster in our movie.
Rebecca Walker: Penelope Ann Miller was a name that sprung to mind while creating this list. She's got a tenderness, honesty, and fierce motherly instinct that could serve her well in the Dark Hour.
Franklin Whitaker: It's a Supernatural reunion! Papa Winchester himself, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, was always Franklin in my book. He's gruff, got the look of a hard worker, and has an easy-to-love smile.
Bonus round! I would be remiss not to include my dream casting for the Arbigast Group as featured in this e-novella that takes place between Enemies of the Cross and Dark Hour.
Jon Arbigast: I've already admitted in an earlier commentary that the character of Arbigast was directly inspired by my wide-eyed admiration of James Woods in John Carpenter's Vampires. Man, I love that guy.
Rashonda Spencer: I've never considered anyone else for the role of Arbigast's right hand woman than powerful lioness Angela Bassett.
Zabuto LeBeau: Idris Elba is everywhere these days, and there's a reason for that: He's just so blasted cool. He carries himself with humble confidence and power--perfect for Zabuto.
Nathan Callahan: Once again, the only person, in my mind, who could play the crude and brutish monster hunter is character actor Mark Boone Junior (and, hey, he's in Vampires too!).
Rachel King: Smoking hot Rachel Nichols would be a great fit as the rookie who has to prove her muster to the likes of Jon Arbigast.
So, there we go! The trilogy is cast! Do you agree or disagree with my casting? Who would you cast? Feel free to chime in and join in the fun!
In case you missed it, last week I released a brand new tale set within The Coming Evil Trilogy. Lengthening Shadows is an e-novella set between Enemies of the Crossand Dark Hour. It sets the stage for that final book in The Coming Evil Trilogy--due to hit the market in February 2013. So, here we are for a commentary on the new story. However, because Lengthening Shadows introduces many concepts that will be explored in full in Dark Hour, I'm saving the commentary on those aspects for Book Three's commentary.
There is one thing that Lengthening Shadows has that marks it as a unique entry in the saga--the inclusion of The Arbigast Group.
An early roster of the Arbigast Group appeared in my short story "Flesh and Blood" found within the pages of The Midnight Diner Vol. 3. The Arbigast Group is my answer to the grizzled monster hunters--a not-so secret passion of mine. I get a thrill at the idea of a group of guys getting together for the sole purpose of hunting evil. I've always imagined what kind of brotherhood might exist in such a group, facing nightly terrors that the world refused to believe in. I imagined it would be a life of quiet sacrifice and no glory--save for the moment you were slaying some unthinkable creature.
More specifically, the Arbigast Group, and its inclusion in The Coming Evil Trilogy, was informed by two sources: John Carpenter's Vampires (based on the amazing John Steakley novel Vampire$) and that Schwarzenegger flick End of Days.
The leader of the Group--Jon Arbigast--is a thinly veiled homage to James Woods in Vampires. He's crude, loud, a bit egotistical, and a drunk. But, at the heart of him, he's a man who loves his team and would gladly die for them. I'm pretty sure Vampires was a flop at the box office and pelted by critics as being misogynistic. I suppose some of the latter criticism is warranted, but there is such a tenderness that Woods adds to his tough guy monster hunter that really left a lasting impression on me. I wanted to create a character like that to explore. Being knee-deep in my Buffy obsession at the time, it was refreshing to see hunters struggling to win. I had become so used to a hunter who barely had to fight to defeat a hellborn foe--and always had a cutesy comeback, to boot--that it was quite shocking to be reminded of how "blue collar hunters" had the harder battle. These guys had to rely on their teammates and their quick thinking and every inch they gained in the war against vampires was won only with blood and tears. I wanted to write hunters like THAT, not like Buffy.
Years passed. 2003 rolled around and I was looking to break into writing for the Halloween film franchise--ironically enough, also a John Carpenter movie. I wrote a script that saw a group of mercenaries--either originally built by Dr. Loomis or inspired by the wild-eyed bogey chaster--hired to hunt down Michael Myers. I even pitched it as "John Carpenter's Vampires meets Halloween". This team was called The Loomis Group. I made a lot of contacts that year in the Halloween machine (which would eventually lead me to write "White Ghost") and knocked on Dimension Films' door in order to pitch it. But, things fell through, no one returned my calls, and the script languished. Same old story. I was pretty bummed, even though looking back, I can already tell that my super action movie take on a Michael Myers movie would have probably ticked off quite a few diehard fans. Perhaps, then, it's better it didn't get made. Nevertheless, I really liked the concept and I liked the characters. Seeing as how I'm not a guy who likes to let a good idea go to waste, I started thinking about turning this script into an original story and bringing this group to life in an original work.
However, I couldn't very well call them "The Loomis Group" anymore (Well, I guess I could, but I didn't want to). I was aware that John Carpenter took the name "Loomis" from Hitchcock's Psycho. I decided to return to that source and mine Psycho for another name. Ironically I turned to the closest thing to a "monster hunter" you could get in the movie--that of private investigator Milton Arbogast, coolly played by Martin Balsam. I spelled the name phonetically, though, making for a one-letter difference. After giving the characters a name-change, I had a handful of gunslinging spook killers, but no one to pit them against.
I said my other inspiration for the Arbigast Group came from End of the Days. Now, I've only seen that movie once, and that was in the theater on opening weekend way back in 1999, but I remember that I did not like it at all. Back then, I was just starting to formulate the early versions of The Coming Evil in my mind, and it struck me that a big muscle guy with lots of guns and a mean snarl wouldn't do a lick of good against the Strange Man. The entire point of the Strange Man was that he had to be fought with faith, so, early on, I had the question of what would happen if the traditional Hollywood tough guy went toe-to-toe with my monster. So, after 2003, it finally clicked that I could bring in my Arbigast Group into The Coming Evil Trilogy.
The results are found in Lengthening Shadows.
That idea rotated in the back of my mind for a number of years, until I finally brought the Arbigast Group into the first manuscript of Dark Hour. But, honestly, I had so many things going on in that draft and was well over 200 thousand words (Enemies of the Cross was 120k for a point of reference) that I had to cut something. So, I took all the scraps from Dark Hour, re-fitted them, and produced Lengthening Shadows--a prequel tale.
Still, though, I struggled just a bit with whether to bring the Group into the world of The Coming Evil. Now understand that practically everything I write "fits together" into a single mythology. From Rift Jump to The Coming Evil to most (if not all) of my short stories. So, from the moment I first wrote the Group in "Flesh and Blood", I knew they were connected, but I hesitated on making that connection blatant. Why? Because the Group hunts various kinds of monsters, but I wasn't sure how open my Coming Evil readers would be to the idea that more supernatural creatures than the Strange Man existed in this world. The Coming Evil is rooted very firmly in a Christian worldview, and I was aware that most of my readers also adhered to such a view. How would they feel about me dropping in werewolves, vampires, and the like into their belief structure? Especially since I couldn't give the "Coming Evil explanation" for werewolves and vampires in this book, due to time constraints.
I essentially had to drop the bomb that traditional monsters were real without giving any explanation for them at this time. I wasn't sure how that would go, or if I was going to stretch the bounds of believability in the fictional universe I had created. In hopes of diffusing the tension a bit, I was careful when describing the things that Arbigast faces not by their traditional names, but by the somewhat vague description of "ghouls,
ghosts, phantoms, things in the closet, things under the bed, flesh eaters,
dead walkers, blood drinkers, savage man-beasts, unnatural predators,
everything people feared as children and grew up to laugh at, before they
discovered they were real".
I thought this would suffice to get across the idea of the things Arbigast faced without having to get TOO specific. Ideally I'd like to continue writing Arbigast stories sometime in the future, and then I can get more into the specifics of my versions of the classic monster mythologies. We shall see.
There is, at the moment, one other short story with ties to the Arbigast Group slated for publication and that's "Divide and Conquer" coming soon in the Monsters! anthology. That story also connects the Group to my other monster-chaser character Vinnie Caponi: Urban Mythologist who made his debut in last Halloween's A Cat of Nine Tales occult detective anthology. Could there be a full-length Arbigast Group novel in the future? Honestly, I'd love that, but at the moment, my plate is full enough for two Greg Mitchells. I need to clear that away before I'd be able to dive into such a project. But the Group definitely has more stories in them, and it would be great to finally cut loose and just write about some denim-clad gunslingers traveling the American backroads, blasting away every kind of monster I can think of. Sigh... Only time will tell.
Thanks for sticking around for these end notes to Lengthening Shadows. I hope everybody checks out the e-novella. It's available for $2.99 at Kindle and Smashwords. And most importantly, be here in February when we release Dark Hour!
Look what came out today, just in time for Elvis' birthday?
I'm happy to announce that Lengthening Shadows--the brand new e-novella nestled within The Coming Evil Trilogy--is now available in all ebook formats! Hit up Kindle or Smashwords to download a copy for your platform of choice for $2.99.
Lengthening Shadows is an original tale that serves as an "inbetweenquel", bridging the gap between The Coming Evil, Book Two: Enemies of the Cross and the trilogy's final installment Dark Hour, headed your way in February. Shadows sets up some of the new characters you'll meet in Dark Hour, as well as laying the groundwork for that final tale. Think of it as an extended prologue, to get you ready for the trilogy's mind-shattering conclusion! Mind-shattering, I tells ya!
Buy your copy today, and stay tuned to this blog as I'll write up a couple posts about Lengthening Shadows, leading to the release of Dark Hour. You won't want to miss it.
ABOUT THE NOVELLA:
The Resistance Has Begun.
Rebellion is in the air as the demonic visitor known as “The
Strange Man” begins his takeover of Greensboro.
Promising prosperity and hiding his true identity, the creature adopts the name
“John Graves” and makes himself at home in his position as the town’s new
mayor.
It is a time of sedition as former pastor Jeff Weldon and a
small band of faithful warriors plot to overthrow the hellish regime. By day,
they carry on in their quiet lives, but at night they venture into haunted Greensboro on dangerous
missions. A war is brewing in the town’s shadows as even the remnants of the
Committee—the original conspirators who helped pave the way for the Strange
Man’s arrival—now plot to betray him, hiring a group of hardened mercenaries to
kill the monster once and for all.
In the middle of the conflict is Annie Myers, still reeling
from the grim fate that befell her older sister Rosalyn. Annie’s blossoming
faith is put to the test as she encounters a new and fearsome monster on the
outskirts of Greensboro
who is taking control of the skies.
As the Dark Hour draws nigh and the shadows lengthen, it
becomes all the harder to determine who is friend and who is foe, and if anyone
will survive the battle to come.
"Lengthening Shadows", an original e-novella,
serves as the bridge between "Enemies of the Cross" and "Dark
Hour", Books Two and Three of "The Coming Evil Trilogy".
2013 is upon us. 2012 was a very busy year for me, writing-wise, and 2013 is already shaping up to be just as hectic. My New Year's Resolution for 2013 is to whittle down my projects so that, by 2014, I might just work on ONE novel at a time. ...Or maybe two. But hopefully no more of this seven novels at once nonsense. I need a break. I've got a certain story that I want to tell (no, I won't tell you what it is yet :p) and I want to be able to give it my full attention. Beyond that, I'd like to just rest and enjoy life for a little while.
Having said that, here's a quick rundown of what you can expect from me in 2013!
--Coming up in the next couple weeks will be the release of my e-novella, nestled in between Enemies of the Cross and the final book in the trilogy (see below). The e-novella is called Lengthening Shadows and introduces a new element to The Coming Evil mythology--that of the hardened monster hunter. The Arbigast Group--my gang of gunslinging monster killers from my short story "Flesh and Blood" in The Midnight Diner--will be moseying on in to Greensboro to see what they might do about this Strange Man spook. I've been dying to bring these guys into the story, proper, so it'll be fun to see what kind of trouble they might get themselves into. But more on them and that closer to the e-book's release.
--In late February/March, the trilogy will be complete as The Coming Evil, Book Three: Dark Hour will be released by Splashdown Darkwater. Everything has been building to the final moments in this book and I am on pins and needles to share it with you all. I shed many a tear writing this final story and count it as one of the most personal and heartfelt things I've ever written. It is going to be epic.
--In December of ye olde 2012, I turned in my first draft for my Unofficial Timeline to Back to the Future for Hasslein Books. In the months ahead, we'll be editing through that and hopefully have that released to you sometime this summer, depending on how fast we can put this thing together. If you've seen the Back to the Future Lexicon that's already available (and if you haven't, you need to buy it right now), you'll know that this is a massive endeavor, but, I think, worth every penny.
--I'm working on the sequel to last summer's releaseRift Jump. The book is tentatively titled Sara's Song and wraps up the story begun in Rift Jump quite nicely, I think. It's going to be a very dramatic send-off of this story that's meant a lot to me growing up. The characters of Michael and Sara have been with me since I was a young teenager, and this is, in many ways, my good-bye to them. There could be more Rift Jump books in the future, but if not, Sara's Song will definitely bring about a tearjerking conclusion that will, hopefully, leave you as satisfied as I feel writing it. There are quite a few surprises in store for you in this book, so go buy Rift Jump now and get all caught up!
--In addition to that, I've finished a new occult/crime novel and am in the process of shopping that around to different publishers. If you've read my story "Metamorphosis" in Rookhaven's Cat of Nine Tales anthology last Halloween, then you've already met one of the main characters, Vinnie Caponi: Urban Mythologist. More on this project as it develops.
--I still have two short stories that will be released in the coming months. One about a bigfoot!
--Somewhere in all of that, I'm also slated to write the next installment in author Frank Creed's technothriller Underground series! It's a tremendous responsibility to write in another's universe and I take it very seriously. I can't say much about the book, at this point, except to say that it will feature Big Hoss Dupree, the character I created for Frank's Underground anthology released last year. I really have a soft spot for the grumpy Ex-Communicator and look forward to telling another tale. If you've yet to get started on Frank's series, you've got three books to catch up on! Start with Book One: Flashpoint and get to reading! It's a wild ride through a futuristic cyberpunk world, perfect for fans of The Matrix and the Shadowrun RPG.
So that's what I'm working on right now. Also, once Dark Hour is released, you can look forward to my usual coverage, including interviews, maybe a blog tour, as well as commentaries, and a soundtrack for your listening pleasure as you read the concluding chapter of The Coming Evil Trilogy. I hope to see you all every step of the way.
Happy New Year. May you make the most of it, tear down the walls, and seize your dreams--but also take time to enjoy the ones you keep close.
I'm exhausted just listing all these projects, so I'm giving myself the night off to order in a pizza and watch Quatermass and the Pit!
A nice surprise arrived in the mail today--my copy of Coach's Midnight Diner Vol. 3! For the uninitiated, The Diner is described as "A Hardboiled Anthology of Horror, Crime, Detective, Paranormal, and Weird Fiction With A Christian Slant". My zombie love story Flowers for Shelly appeared in the last Diner collection and I'm super excited that my monster hunter outing Flesh and Blood appears in this latest edition. Flesh and Blood features the first appearance of The Arbigast Group, a band of rough-and-tumble monster killers-for-hire, who originated in an excised subplot from an early The Coming Evil, Book Three draft. I hope to tell many more adventures featuring the Group in the days ahead--including a possible "crossover" with The Coming Evil--so here's your chance to get in on the ground floor!
First, an update on "The Coming Evil" front. I have the edits from my editor and we're hard at work on making this the best novel it can be. We're getting closer, folks!
In "Flesh and Blood", readers are introduced to Jon Arbigast, a mercenary monster killer. Along with his partner Rashonda Spencer, Jon is called to Haiti at the request of a friend and fellow hunter to take on a difficult job. What starts out as a simple hunt goes terribly wrong, as Jon learns that, when dealing with family, things can get messy.
Zabuto rounded another alleyway and disappeared from Jon’s sight. The older hunter spat out a curse, stood with creaking bones, and moved through the brush once more, trying to keep his visual.
When Jon reached his new position, though, Zabuto was nowhere to be seen. He tapped his mike. “Spencer, you got eyes on Z?”
“I don’t see him.”
Jon cursed again. “Well, find him! He’s not in any shape to—”
A shrill cry split the night.
Jon froze.
Then he sprang into action.
He raced through the tall grass, clomping through mud, nearly tripping in the mire. Simultaneously, he brought out his Desert Eagle and held it aimed and ready. “I’m moving in, Spence!” he roared.
“No spook spotted,” she reported back, her breath hurried.
Another cry. A woman’s cry, wailing. The sounds of struggle.
Jon pushed his way in between the small shacks and the impoverished faces that stared back at the graying white man with the gun. They shrank in fear, retreating into their homes. Jon helped them along by waving them back with his gun. “Get inside! Get down!”
He absently realized that they had no idea what he was saying, but he hoped the urgency in his foreign-tongued command would suffice.
Emerging into the alleyway where he last spotted Zabuto, he heard a crash and a gunshot. “Spence, where is he, for God’s sake?!”
“I don’t know! I—”
The sound of another gunshot echoed in the hovel to Jon’s right. With a burst of speed, he hurled his foot into the door in a storm of splinters and leveled his pistol, prepared for anything.
I’m happy to announce today that my short story “Flesh and Blood” has been picked up and will be included in the upcoming 3rd Edition of Coach’s Midnight Diner. The Diner has been good to me, seeing my first short story “Flowers for Shelly” published in the last edition, and I’m happy to be a part of the crew this go ‘round as well.
“Flesh and Blood” marks, what I hope to be, the first of many adventures for my new cast of characters—The Arbigast Group, a team of no-nonsense, gunslinger-style monster hunters. These are the guys you hire in dark alleys to take care of that ghoul problem that’s plaguing your town. They ride in, get the job done—usually in bloody fashion—and ride off to find more things to shoot dead.
I first thought of The Arbigast Group back in 1998, when Halloween H20 came out. I remember watching the TV spot for the movie and thought “What if a group of guys with guns, guts, and years of supernatural know-how busted in on Michael Myers while he was skulking about and hosed him?” Well, that thought entertained me for a good long while and, over the years, I often thought of The Arbigast Group. When it came time to write the first drafts of The Coming Evil Trilogy, I had actually written a subplot in Book Three that would have seen the Group headed to Greensboro to face the Strange Man. For many reasons, I excised that particular plot, but the characters had really taken a life of their own in spite of their place on the cutting room floor. So, I lovingly scooped them up, gave them a little more polish, and now we’ve got their first solo adventure “Flesh and Blood” coming up.
The anthology is up for presale now. I encourage everyone to go out and order a copy. I’m really excited to be in this anthology, in particular, because I find myself surrounded by friends, including Kevin Lucia of Hiram Grange and the Chosen One fame, and Ed Erdelac—a fellow Star Wars contributor and horror writer (check out his Merkabah Rider for some Weird West action)!
I hope everyone enjoys the Arbigast Group in action. And, who knows, they might make it to Greensboro yet…
