Death Sentences
= The ForeWarner =
The Matthew Warner Newsletter
May 28, 2005
Contents:
-- New Book Announcement
-- Other Publishing News
-- Website Goodies
-- Appearances
-- Recommended Reading
Opt-out instructions are at the bottom.
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NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT
My new collection is the first "secret sale" I alluded to in
the previous newsletter. Now announcing:
DEATH SENTENCES: TALES OF PUNISHMENT AND REVENGE
from Undaunted Press
Contents:
-- Artwork by Deena Warner
-- Introduction by Gary A. Braunbeck
-- Middle Passage
-- Angel's Wings
-- The Cave
-- A Second Chance
-- The Forgiving Type
-- Author's Notes
* Limited to just 250 numbered copies.
* Autographed by the author and artist.
* Softcover, perfect-bound.
* Ships August 2005.
Only $10
Pre-order: http://store.yahoo.com/shocklines/desetaofpuan.html
You will not be charged until it ships.
"This tidy little collection of five stories accomplishes in less
than 150 pages what it takes some writers thrice that amount to achieve."
--from the introduction by Gary A. Braunbeck
I just finished proofreading the page galleys, and I'm really pleased
with how it turned out. And of course I'm doubly pleased my publisher
hired Deena to do the artwork. In addition to the cover image and
design, she drew a handsome border for the title page and contents page
that incorporates images from each of the stories.
****************************
OTHER PUBLISHING NEWS
------> Horror World:
The publication of "With the Eyes of God" at HorrorWorld.org
was the second secret sale I mentioned in the last newsletter. I
actually sold it to Horror World last summer, long before they hired me
to write a monthly column, "Author's Notes."
Horror World features high-quality, original fiction every month from
some of the genre's biggest names (such as Tom Piccirilli and Christopher
Golden) that's available for that month ONLY. The site doesn't archive
the stories. This means that on June 1, you'll no longer be able
to read "With the Eyes of God" until I re-sell it. So
go on over to http://www.horrorworld.org/fiction.htm,
okay?
After you've read it, go to http://www.horrorworld.org/columns.htm
for a behind-the-scenes look into its composition. You'll meet the
make-up artists, special effects crew, and . . . okay, just kidding.
But "With the Eyes of a Writer" will teach you something about
the agony and ecstasy of writing.
As long as you're there, check out read my recent columns, which ARE archived:
-- (March 2005) "A Monologue about Dialogue (Part 2)"
-- (April 2005) "Addictive Plotting as Taught by BUFFY THE VAMPIRE
SLAYER"
Horror World recently gave me the title of Associate Editor. I won't
let it go to my head.
------> Cemetery Dance:
The collective unconscious is a mighty strange place sometimes.
The day before I announced DEATH SENTENCES, writer R.S. Rhine announced
a writing contest (and possible anthology) titled DEATH SENTENCE to celebrate
his new message board at Horror World. Well, as far as titles go,
I beat him to it (sucka!).
Now there's a movie coming out in August from Sony Pictures titled THE
CAVE. A month later, thriller writer David Morrell has a new book
about urban exploration. So of course, through no fault of anyone,
issue #53 (late July) of Cemetery Dance magazine will include a short
story of mine, "The Cave," about urban exploration. Oh
well.
Through special arrangement with the publishers, "The Cave"
will be reprinted in DEATH SENTENCES. I hope you'll pick up both!
As for the David Morrell novel, titled CREEPERS, I'll have the honor of
interviewing him for my September column at HorrorWorld.org. We'll
be comparing our respective research efforts into the strange underworld
of urban exploration.
------> THE ORGAN DONOR:
Here's an update on the real-world story behind my first novel.
Dr. Wang Guoqi, the burn doctor who defected here to testify before the
U.S. House of Representatives about China's illicit organ trade, is still
working his way through an arduous immigration process for political asylum.
I'm glad I got him a great pro bono lawyer. I'll keep you informed
as I hear things.
Meanwhile, there's no sign China intends to abandon its human rights abuses
in which it sells the organs of executed prisoners to its hospitals.
THE ORGAN DONOR featured the plight of an executed Falun Gong practitioner
whose organs are transplanted into two American brothers in China to buy
a kidney. At the time of publication, I wrote that, to the best
of my knowledge, it wasn't actually a capital crime in China to practice
Falun Gong, although its members were reportedly subjected to torture
and brainwashing. I predicted that would change, though--and I was
right. An August 6, 2004 article in The Epoch Times ("Illegal
Organ Business Booms") alleges that at least 1,000 Falun Gong followers
were tortured to death between 1999 and 2004, and that some of these victims
had their organs removed.
Articles about China's organ trade and my relationship with Dr. Wang are
at http://www.matthewwarner.com/organdonorinfo.htm
****************************
WEBSITE GOODIES
MatthewWarner.com has been lightly revamped with a new navigation bar
and page organization. You can now read my February article from
Hellnotes Newsletter about the first Borderlands Boot Camp for Writers;
it's the second item down in my non-fiction bibliography: http://www.matthewwarner.com/pubs.htm#nonf
There's also a new photo gallery from April's World Horror Convention
in New York, and a new author's photo on my bio page in which I show off
my detachable head.
****************************
APPEARANCES
I spoke to the Creative Writing Club of Westfield High School (Chantilly,
VA) a few days ago, rescheduled from February. I really enjoyed
discussing the business of fiction writing and hope to be invited back.
For extra credit, the students are writing essays about my presentation.
I've asked the teacher to send me the top-three-graded essays for publication
on my website, so check back to see what they thought about me.
------> Upcoming appearances:
Horror-Web Online Interview
starting May 30, 2005
Ask your question on the "Matthew Warner Q/A" message thread
http://p219.ezboard.com/fhorrorwebfrm14
** Check out Horror-Web's review of THE ORGAN DONOR at http://tinyurl.com/amnyx
Horrorfind Weekend 2005
August 19-21, 2005
Baltimore, MD
** Featured author.
** I'm also playing in the "Celebrity Poker Tournament" at 9
p.m. Friday with Ashley Laurence (HELLRAISER) and Jeffrey Combs (REANIMATOR).
Teen Read Week Presentation on Horror Literature
October 20, 2005 @ 7 p.m.
Chinn Park Regional Library
13065 Chinn Park Dr.
Woodbridge, VA 22192
ph. (703) 792-4800
See http://www.matthewwarner.com/appearances.htm
for a CV of my speaking engagements before librarians, students, and writers.
Contact me about visiting your group or class.
****************************
RECOMMENDED READING
As always, I've been reading a lot of great (and not so great) books.
I thought you'd be interested in checking out the great ones:
ENDER'S SHADOW (Ender Pt. 5), novel by Orson Scott Card
THE CRYSTAL CITY (Alvin, Pt. 6), novel by Orson Scott Card
THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO WRITING A NOVEL, by Thomas F. Monteleone
BURNT SIENNA, novel by David Morrell
LESSONS FROM A LIFETIME OF WRITING, by David Morrell
THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE ROSE, novel by David Morrell
THE PROTECTOR, novel by David Morrell
****************************
"There's a new gun in town. His name is Matthew Warner, and he's taking
on all challengers with writing that crackles with tension, energy, and
imagination."
--Thomas F. Monteleone, author of THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB
"We at Really Scary think he's a big meanie, but his opinions on
'addictive' plotting are worth a read."
--ReallyScary.com, 4/7/05, reviewing my HorrorWorld.org column about BUFFY
THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
"Wanted in many states but we got him for Maryland. Matt is
one to watch in the world of horror writing."
--Mike Roden, organizer of the Horrorfind Weekend convention coming in
August
Matthew Warner
Falls Church, VA
www.MatthewWarner.com
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