Announcements

Turns out I write horror too

/ Shane / 4 Comments

I’m very pleased to announce the sale of my story “Lullabies for a Clockwork Child” to the horror podcast Pseudopod.

I’ve been listening to Pseudopod for a long time (I first blogged about them going on 3 years ago), and it simply can’t be beat for horror audiofiction. I actually write a decent amount of horror, but this is the first I’ve sold.

I have a very active imagination (you might say over active) and therefore as a child I suffered a deep-seated fear of the dark. I spent most every night of my childhood scared witless, and had all sorts of tricks to “forget” to turn the light off. When I was older I slept with the tv on every night so as not to be alone in the dark. (I should say it was rather being NOT alone in the dark that bothered me, but I digress…)

Naturally, I was drawn to horror like a moth to a flame, tempting fate a little too often even though I knew it was a terrible idea and I would regret it later. I tried to ignore my natural fascination, but unfortunately my best friend Chris was also a bit of a horror buff and he subjected me to hours and hours (and hours) of horror movies until eventually I sort of inoculated myself against the genre.

At that point I sort of threw in the towel and said, “Why not?” immersing myself in horror movies, novels, and short stories, and burning myself on that particular flame over and over and over again. What can I say? I guess on some level I like to be terrified.

As always, I’ll keep you posted when it goes up, and in the meantime feel free to check out some of the other creepy tales over at Pseudopod.

“My Heart” in its theatrical debut

/ Shane / 2 Comments

Just a friendly reminder: an adaptation of my story “My Heart is a Quadratic Equation” will be featured as part of the Pulp Stage’s upcoming Sci Fi Night show next Thursday, April 24th.

More details are available here, but if you happen to be out Portland way, be sure to stop in at the Jack London Bar and check it out. Tickets are only $5 if you buy them online!

 

4 Years Old

/ Shane / 1 Comment

You know, usually when I write one of these birthday posts, the first thing I do is go back and review the post from the previous year.

It’s funny how last year I said he had changed so much from the previous year, because this year I think, “Wow, he hasn’t changed much since the last post.” He still talks all the time, has little interest in dressing himself, still adores his baby and his sister, and loves to be goofy. I guess he’s just solidified into a real person now.

(Side note, did I really say he wasn’t cuddly? Because that was *totally* wrong.) (Side side note, has he only been going to the bathroom by himself for a year? Time does fly.)

There are a lot of things that Ollie is planning to do when he’s a 4 year old. I think he’s pretty sure he’s going to transform into an adult overnight. Certainly he is suddenly seeming much older to me. I’m not sure if it’s going to school, growing a little taller, speaking a little clearer, or just being a little more independent, but all of a sudden I can see him growing up.

He rode a pedal bike for the first time the other day. He can buckle 66% of his car seat buckles all by himself. He knows the words to songs. He makes honest to goodness jokes. He’s certainly the only just-turned-4-year-old I know who thinks so much about being a daddy.

So happy birthday, buddy. I hope you get all 5 pianos you wanted so your kids will have pianos when you grow up.

2014_04_04_9999_4

Art & Words Show

/ Shane / 3 Comments

I am very excited to announce that one of my stories has been selected for Art on the Boulevard’s Art & Words Show.

This is *such* a cool project! Let me explain:

13 stories and poems have been selected, along with 13 works of art, for display at the show. Now that the selections have been made, the writers and artists will swap. My story will be given to an artist who will make a painting, picture, or sculpture to represent that story. Meanwhile, I will receive a work of art and I will write a new story to accompany it. All of the resulting art and stories will be displayed in the gallery, including a reception and reading of the written works on Saturday, September 27.

So many shades of awesome. My stories will be hanging in an art gallery. Someone is going to use my story to inspire them to make art. Who ever thought I would have an opportunity like that?

The whole thing is just an amazing creative explosion, with art and music and stories building off of each other and artists from different disciplines and communities inspiring each other. It’s very humbling to be a part of it all.

Unfortunately the show is down in Texas, so I won’t be able to attend the actual reception, but if anybody happens to be down that way, I hope you check it out!

Double giveaway!

/ Shane / 8 Comments

What’s better than a free giveaway? How about TWO free giveaways?

My good friend Alexis runs an amazing sewing business out of her home. She can make all kinds of things, but I’m telling you right now, this is your go to shop for homemade muppet merchandise. You heard that right, homemade muppet merchandise. If, for some reason, you’re not in the market for muppet merchandise, she can work with you to make pretty much anything you want (she’s that good!)

To celebrate our individual awesomenesses, Alexis and I are doing some cross-promotional giveaways.

Over on the ThreadAbell facebook page, I am giving away a free paperback of OOMPH: A Little Super Goes a Long Way, which contains my story “Random Play All and the League of Awesome”.

OOMPH is an anthology of the tremendous potential of trivial superpowers. From the promo copy:

Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way explores what it takes to be a superhero with just a little bit of power, where heroes and heroines use their small gifts to great advantage.

Sometimes you don’t need a big lever to move the world.

Sounds amazing, right? Dare I say…super?

All you need to do to enter is to “like” the ThreadAbell facebook page and then leave a comment on the ThreadAbell facebook page about a favorite post from my blog (and there are SO many awesome posts to chose from!).

So easy, right?

But wait, there’s more!

Alexis is giving away a headband here on my blog. I can personally certify the awesomeness of her headbands, since she’s made some for Sara:

Sara ThreadAbell Headband

ThreadAbell Headband

(Note: this is just an example headband, impromptu selfie-style, not the headband that is up for grabs!)

All you need to do to enter is to “like” the ThreadAbell facebook page and then leave a comment on THIS BLOG POST telling me what your favorite item is from the ThreadAbell Etsy shop (and there are SO many awesome items to choose from!).

Just to re-iterate, comment HERE to win the headband, comment THERE to win the book. And in any case, like her page!

A winner for both drawings will be chosen randomly from the respective comments on Sunday, January 26th (6 p.m. Central time). For those entering the drawing for the headband, make sure to leave your email address in the comment form so I can contact you if you win.

(And, for those of you who don’t win, OOMPH is available in paperback, as well as for the Kindle or Nook. If you’ve already read the book, please leave a review on Amazon!)