So... Anything going on?
Man, has the world changed in the approximately 10,000 years that have passed since I last posted back in February. Right after a convention. Remember those?
So let's get the pandemic out of the way.
I work for a newspaper. (And hopefully will continue to, even if it is for less money.) Busiest I've ever been. Up to my eyeballs in pandemic all the time. Sick of talking about it. Probably why it's hard for me to even type full sentences about it at this point. So I'll just say this: The effect on writing and book marketing has been massive. As in I've done almost none of either.
But I have done a few things. So here they are:
In the Panic Room
I was a guest on Panic Room Radio in March. One of the highlights of my year so far. We talked about writing, coronavirus (of course), some of the people who've helped me (like Lynne Hansen, who was also on Panic Room recently, and Jeff Strand, who they'll probably soon rename the show after), and I read an excerpt from Drag You Down. It was great fun and over way too soon. James Longmore and Xtina Marie are awesome (love that Xtina and her poetry), and they promised to have me back. I was on with Matthew Quinn. He's on first at about the 30-minute mark and I'm at about the hour mark. Listen to their show and go like their Facebook page.
HWA-Atlanta Book of the Month
I am a member of the Horror Writers Association Atlanta chapter. Joining is one of the best things I've ever done. So many great supportive people. (A bunch of us even watched the Bram Stoker Awards together recently, via Zoom, of course.) Each month, the chapter chooses a book by a member to promote and April is my month. Nothing like having the economy crash and burn when you're trying to get people to spend disposable income. But I'm still very proud it was the HWA book for April, and if you'd like to purchase it or suggest it to a friend, I'd be grateful.
A brief, nonjoking detour:
I'm one of those people who makes jokes to keep from crying. Most journalists, like cops and firefighters and hospital workers, are highly adept at gallows humor. I can't scrub all the bad shit I've seen from my brain. So the tone of this post might say Nate is being a snarky jerk. But I assure you, I've been sounding the danger bell for this nightmare pandemic for months now. I know A LOT of people who've lost their jobs. And we've now lost more people to COVID-19 than died in Vietnam. So when I say I'd be grateful if you bought my book, I would be, but truthfully, I don't care. I'm grateful that I'm relatively healthy, coronavirus-free (so far anyway), still employed (so far anyway) and the people I know who've contracted the virus seem to be getting better. And I hope you and your loved ones are healthy, safe and employed, and if not, I sincerely hope that situation improves soon.)And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Scream magazine
Speaking of crashing and burning, allegedly there will be a full-page ad for Drag You Down in the April issue of Scream. It was originally supposed to go on news stands internationally, but now, because of the pandemic, it's only going to subscribers. It was supposed to ship April 25. I've yet to see the magazine. But this is what the ad looks like:
Speaking of ads...
There were also promos for Drag You Down on Episodes 9 and 10 of Make Me Read Your Book podcast, which quickly became one of my favorite podcasts. (Those two episodes feature Mary SanGiovanni and James A. Moore, by the way.) Katie Southard, who produces it, said she'd like to have me as a guest one day. You know, when the apocalypse is over and people can be around each other again and whatnot. Also, her husband Wesley has written some pretty cool stuff.
Pandemic Tradin' Post
If we ever have a true apocalypse, my skill, apparently, is obtaining reading material. So, you know, consider that when you're deciding who to invite into your bunker. So far, some of my favorite book mail has been from Matt Wildasin:
And this autographed morsel from Kenzie Jennings:
Get it? Morsel? A cannibal novel?
Thank God I'm at least entertaining to me.
Anyway, I've yet to meet either of these people in person, but I hope to one day (Is the pandemic over yet?) And Matt promises to sign his for me whenever our paths cross.
Matt also has a podcast, called Grindcast, and he helps out with this one you might've heard of. Kenzie was on an episode, and so was my friend Sheri Sebastian-Gabriel, on this one.
Upcoming
Who knows? It's hard to say these days. I have been talking to people about signing books and a speaking event (which might end up being virtual now) at two different arts centers. But again, who knows? This fall I'm planning to attend Monsterama and Multiverse, assuming those happen, of course.
Beyond that, there is a novel that is almost finished. One day soon I will work on it again. Stay tuned.
