The Twenty Books Jay Recommended the Most This Year – 2020
I was pleasantly surprised to find myself on a year-end list of books. As a writer, reader, reviewer and occasional journalist, Jay has seen a lot of books, and these 20 in 2020 stuck with him.
I recommend a lot of books. Each month, I compile a list of the ten books I recommended most that month. This is very unscientific. I scan my Twitter, email, articles I’ve written, and other corners of the Internet to sort my book recommendations into a countdown. People love lists and countdowns…
Regarding #19 (me) Jay said of WHITE PICKET PRISONS,
Kelli Owen is one of a number of authors who is under recognized for her talent. This book could have easily become a copy of a number of stories that orbit this premise, but Owen very quickly establishes that she is no one’s imitator. It has a great crime fiction feel and a marvelous horror sensibility. I was glad to be reading this story the whole time I was in it.
See his blog post for the other nineteen books you should probably be aware of!
Corona Con
“Life is What Happens To You While You’re Busy Making Other Plans…”
Coronavirus, or rather COVID-19, has disrupted life as well know it. Social distancing is keeping people from their jobs, their families, and well, their plans. Among those plans being changed and/or cancelled are a number of conventions, which is what sparked this idea…
You see, Scares That Care does a convention in August in Williamsburg, VA every year, and this year they were expanding with a spring convention in Wisconsin. Covid had other plans. And as soon as Wisconsin was cancelled (for the safety of everyone), those of us who were planning on attending thought maybe we could do something for the overall morale of con-goers and guests alike. Initially I thought it would be a short, cute, live Q&A… it’s turned into something else entirely.
Horror authors, reviewers, and even Joe Ripple himself from Scares that Care were on deck Saturday, April 18th for a LIVE streaming day full of readings, panels, giveaways, and more!
It was a smashing hit! Here’s what “Something Ghoulish” had to say about it.
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The event was recorded and posted to youtube |
Guests included: Jonathan Janz, Mary SanGiovanni, Robert Ford, Tim Meyer, Matt Hayward, Wes Southard, Somer Canon, Wile E. Young, Stephen Kozeniewski, Aaron Dries, Bracken MacLeod, Brian Keene …with moderators: Sadie Hartman (MotherHorror of Nightworms), Bob Pastorella (This is Horror), Steve Pattee (Horror DNA), and Shane Keene (Ink Heist)
The schedule was planned as follows. Please note these were just guidelines, an order to the chaos. The actual times on the video are posted on the youtube page.
9:45 am — Kick Off: Joe Ripple of Scares That Care
10:00 am — Reading: Bob Ford
10:30 am — Panel: “Finding New Readers” Stephen Kozeniewski, Mary SanGiovanni, Aaron Dries, Wile E. Young, moderator: Steve Pattee (of Horror DNA)
11:30 am — Reading: Brian Keene
12:00 pm — Panel: “Collaborations” Bob Ford, Matt Hayward, Somer Canon, Wes Southard, moderator: Sadie Hartman (MotherHorror of Nightworms) 1:00 pm — Reading: Aaron Dries
1:30 pm — Panel: “Characters likable vs. compelling” Bracken MacLeod, Kelli Owen, Tim Meyer, moderator: Bob Pastorella (of This is Horror)
2:30 pm — Reading: Jonathan Janz
3:00 pm — Reading: Stephen Kozeniewski
3:30 pm — Panel: “Versatility and cross-genre” Brian Keene, Jonathan Janz, TBA, moderator: Shane Keene (of Ink Heist)
4:00 pm — Reading: Bracken MacLeod
There is a finite amount of time and far too many people to include, so yes, it’s very very likely there will be a second one later this summer if cons continued to get cancelled…
Stay home, stay safe, and to quote George Romero, “Stay Scared!”
Summer Vacation | Buttercup of Doom ep 48
Available FREE on: Project iRadio • iTunes • Stitcher • Android • Tune-In
and now available on Google Play Music
A short and sweet episode for the 4th of July. Because, hey, I wanted to celebrate too. So a quick talk to cover: seasons in writing, summer vacation entertainment, and what to do with those children (who find themselves out of school with the whole world to explore and yet say they are “bored”). I have a kiddie pool, a hammock and a half-hour to spare. How about you? (note: random clicks in background is firework noise and couldn’t be fixed. sorry)
Sponsors: THE TERMINAL byAmber Fallon (fb . tw . www) | Necrocasticon | Project iRadio’s Patreon
Suggestions/Requests: n/a (to suggest/request use the form or post on FB)
Mentions/Shoutouts and Linky-Links: Thunderstorm Books | Brian Keene | Tim Lebbon’s WHITE | mandatory.com’s 4th of July tweets | Geocaching
Hashtag Hell: #summer #vacation #maelstrom #TimLebbon #BrianKeene #ThunderstormBooks #jaws #TheShining #Floaters #50shadesofgrey #LiveSpecimens #geocaching #catwoman #HalleBerry #lickable #greenlantern #RyanReynolds #RIPD #deadpool #JohnnyDepp #TheLoneRanger #IndependenceDay #ID4 #4thofJuly #RobZombie #halloween #kiddiepool #overstimulating
#patreon #facebook #twitter #instagram #projectiradio #buttercupofdoom #podcast #kelliowen
Coming up: #feareverything #colors #labels #hipsters …and your suggestions?!
This Week’s Rating: R (language) — buttercup ratings system info here
Fake Victims | Buttercup of Doom ep 46
Available FREE on: Project iRadio • iTunes • Stitcher • Android • Tune-In
and now available on Google Play Music
Today’s lesson, theme, and beat over the head message: Don’t Be A Dick. I discuss the dicks in your life, in your writing, and all over your facebook wall. I break down the fake victims of the world into subcategories and call each of them out as dicks. I get angry. I get a little sweary—#NSFW this week folks. From gorillas to alligators to nightclubs… oy. Hashtag of the week? #causesquatters
Sponsors: Project iRadio’s Patreon | Curse of the Ancients, by Chuck Buda | Bizzong www • fb • bbb
Suggestions/Requests: n/a (to suggest/request use the form or post on FB)
Mentions/Shoutouts and Linky-Links: Kelli Owen Patreon Page | Brian Keene • Check Your Privilege
Hashtag Hell: #characters #butthurt #offended #irony #privilege #safeplaces #meme #microaggression #keyboardwarriors #nightclub #gorilla #alligator #victims #serialkiller #zoo #disney #florida #wiki #NOSWIMMING #white #black #yellow #red #brown #patreon #facebook #twitter #instagram #projectiradio #buttercupofdoom #podcast #kelliowen
Coming up: #Overwhelmed/Everything Will Kill You #summervacation #STCliveshow …and your suggestions?!
This Week’s Rating: R (language) — buttercup ratings system info here
Movies vs Books | Buttercup of Doom ep 45
Available FREE on: Project iRadio • iTunes • Stitcher • Android • Tune-In
and now available on Google Play Music
Sometimes the movie is okay, even good, but it’s rarely (read as never) what the book was. This week is all about the differences between what was a envisioned with the written word in a book, and what was brought to us visually on the screen through adaptation of said books… and why Hollywood should be punched right in the throat. *Here there be spoilers
Sponsors: Project iRadio’s Patreon Page | Kelli Owen Patreon Page | AntiFilms presents The Wolf and the Baby (and their Facebook page)
Suggestions/Requests: Robin Burke (to suggest/request use the form or post on FB)
Mentions/Shoutouts and Linky-Links: Brian Keene • Honest Trailers • Mark Tufo & Armand Rosamilia’s Arm n’ Toof
Hashtag Hell: #skillet #stevenweber #fairuzabalk #cujo #stephenking #theshining #deewallace #jurassicpark #madmagazine #petsematary #deankoontz #phantoms #thestand #wizardofoz #thewalkingdead #robzombie #halloween #patreon #facebook #twitter #instagram #projectiradio #buttercupofdoom #podcast #kelliowen
Coming up: #Victims #Overwhelmed/Everything Will Kill You #STCliveshow …and your suggestions?!
This Week’s Rating: R (language) — buttercup ratings system info here
Choosing Your Battles w/ Brian Keene | Buttercup of Doom ep 44
Available FREE on: Project iRadio • iTunes • Stitcher • Android • Tune-In
and now available on Google Play Music
This week I invite special guest, Brian Keene — author, Stoker award winner, HWA Grandmaster recipient, super mouth of the genre, podcaster on The Horror Show w/ Brian Keene, my friend, my pretend big brother, and my example of how not to behave in public. We’re going to dish dirt, name names, and recount all the shit that makes us shake our head, laugh, or both… (this is the edited, public consumption version**)
Sponsors: Project iRadio’s Patreon Page | Kelli Owen Patreon Page | Brian Keene’s Patreon Page |
Suggestions/Requests: n/a (to suggest/request use the form or post on FB)
Mentions/Shoutouts and Linky-Links: Brian’s message board • JF Gonzalez • Geoff Cooper • Dave Thomas (Meteornotes) • Robert Swartwood • Weston Ochse • Nick Mamatas • Joe Hill • Rachel Autumn Deering • Bob Ford • Bracken MacLeod • Charlie Grant • Wrath James White • Brian Hodge • John Skipp • Shocklines • HWSNBN • HWA • Nate Southard • Mary SanGiovanni • and others
**The uncut, unedited, full 2-plus hours of Keene, is available to my patreons for as little as a buck a month… The uncut version includes: Pheromones, Personal Dirt, Conspiracy Podcast details, plans, etc., Mamatas’ Christmas Carol, The Death of Comics, Brian’s whiteboard and end game, Why Shocklines is called “jello” …and so much more!
Hashtag Hell: #collaborating #conspiracy #mulder #parties #cons #wifeswapping #Dorchester #authors #messageboards #trolls #internet #family #friends #therising #peanutgallery #QnA #batman #superman #poisonivy #WHC #roku #patreon #facebook #twitter #instagram #projectiradio #buttercupofdoom #podcast #kelliowen
Coming up: #moviesVSbooks …and your suggestions?!
This Week’s Rating: R (language) — buttercup ratings system info here
My playlists:
Shut Up & Write
The Neighborhood
Floaters
Live Specimens