Apex Digest

Tidbits: Apex Winners, Insults, Lair News and Book Guts

Bits of Tid
Just a few odds and ends to report to you, gang, so I'll just get right to it and see if I can restrain myself from extraneous banter. Hey, did I just hear you scoff? Oh well, maybe you're right, but I can at least try.

First tidbit: The winners of the Support Apex contest have been announced over at Shocklines. To take a quick cyber-hike over to see if you're one of the lucky ones: Click Here.

Two free subscriptions to Apex, 4 issues of Dark Discoveries and a copy of Jennifer Pelland's, Unwelcome Bodies were all up for grabs and donated by Apex fans to help remind folks to subscribe to Apex Science Fiction and Horror Digest. The publisher needed a little help getting the word out that new subscribers were needed to keep their fantastic magazine afloat. If you'd like to add your support and receive one of the best mags in the business, stop on over to Apex and nab yourself a subscription for the very reasonable price of just $20 for four issues. Buying subscriptions keep magazines in business, which in turn gives writers a place to sell their stories so you have something wonderful to read!

Second Tidbit: After a whole long year of messing around, I'm FINALLY going to publish my newsletter. Thanks to everyone who subscribed WAY back when I launched the website. If you haven't signed up and you'd like to, Click Here.

Obviously from my newsletter publishing track record, you're assured I won't be spamming your email account with trivial ha-ha, BUT I can guarantee we'll have some newsletter-only promotions worth signing up for.

The inaugural issue will include a random drawing from all subscribers signed-up by the launch date, May 25th. The Prize: A signed/inscribed softcover copy of Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales. Only catch, you have to actually read the newsletter to see if your name was drawn. Not too tough, right? Subscribe Here!

Third Tidbit: I saw something over at David Niall Wilson's Macabre Ink that I wanted to be sure to share with you. When we shell out bucks to the small press often the limited editions we received are made by hand, which is the case with the books from Insidious Publications. They were the original publishers of my novella Mama's Boy, and since then they've been busy with several other titles. David interviews Chris Hedges in a fascinating photo essay on the making of a hand made book. Makes you really appreciate those little literary jewels even more. Click Here to have a look at "The Anatomy of a Book."

Tidbit Four: As you may have noticed, I'm easily entertained especially by strange things. One recent find for my personal amusement was The Alien Insult Generator. It's a random word generator but dedicated to, well...alien insults. If you stop by, you'll be treated such nuggets of nasty goodness such as, "Three eyed son of a radiation damaged toilet eating droid!" Or who could resist the "Dribbling son of a space sick nose worm." Oh yes, as I said, easily entertained. Click Here for more...I bet you get hooked too, you Bord sniffing son of a deranged space weevil! *giggles* Thank you John at Hollis.co.uk! Click Here and begin your dissent into alien insult hell!

Well that's is for the bits of tid. I hope you found something of interest. I hope to see you at the newsletter next Sunday!

Wickedly Yours,
Fran Friel

FREE Subscription to APEX? Yuppers...plus AJ























Free Subscription
Is that not just an absolutely gorgeous cover? Oh yes...oh yes it is. Like so many of the Apex Digest of Science Fiction and Horror covers, this one blew me away. This mag has been my favorite since I discovered it a couple of years ago. I'm a Apex for Life subscriber and when I saw that publisher Jason Sizemore put out a somewhat desperate plea for subscriptions I felt like I needed to help.

SO, I offered a chance for a Free Subscription as a way to draw some more attention to Jason's subscription drive, then a whole lot of other folks have jumped in to help with additional prizes. So pop on over to Shocklines for the details (register for the forum if you haven't already...it's an awesome board with LOTS of well-known genre writers in attendance) and just add a post to the thread. It's TOTALLY easy.

Clickety Here for the Link and a chance for a Free Apex Subscription!









Goodkin

You know how it is sometimes when you meet someone and they feel like kin? Well, that's AJ Brown and me. He's like my "little" brother and we have so many strange quirky things in common, you'd think we were really kin...and the best kind, goodkin.

Anyway, AJ has been a great inspiration to me with his talent and unbounded enthusiasm and energy. His love of the art of writing and his undaunted pursuit of a good story has helped to keep me writing sometimes when I didn't think I could, so I'm immensely honored that he dedicated a blog to me. If you have a moment, please stop by and visit AJ Brown's blog at the Horror Library Blog-O-Rama at Blogger or at HLBOR MySpace.

You can visit AJ at his Friday column at the HLBOR and anytime at:

MySpace

Theater of Nightmares

Enjoy and have a great week, gang!

Wickedly Yours,
Fran Friel

Publisher Sizemore on Bad Chicks & More Booty

Quickie One
Just a quickie today, gang. I have work spilling down my chin and puddling on the floor. But before I drown, I wanted to share two quick tidbits.

Apex Science Fiction and Horror publisher, Jason Sizemore, is sharing his vivid imagination over at the Horror Library Blog-O-Rama. I do not confirm or deny part three of his essay. When you have a second, pop on over and decide for yourself:

Click On - The Horror of Women.

Quickie Two
Jeesh, I have so much more I want to share with you, but no time to spare. But I need to at least tell you that the Pirate Contest has some additional Booty for the taking. We now have a Second Prize of the hard cover edition of Jennifer Pelland's 2007 Nebula Finalist, Unwelcome Bodies! But you've got to play to win, so if you haven't walk the plank on over to the contest blog:

Right Here.

It's so easy, a one legged pirate could do it. *chuckles from sleepless delirium*

Thank you to Jason and Apex Book Company for the generous donation to the piratey goodness.

Back to work for me. Arrgh, Mateys!

Wickedly Yours,
Fran Friel

I'm No Hitchcock





Even More Global Domination
Okay, before we get to the magnificent Alfred, I wanted to alert you to the ever growing threat of world domination coming from my favorite, I mean, that dastardly mag and publishing house Apex. The fiends have taken another giant step forward to their goal by hiding behind their brand spankin' new highly professional and easy to navigate website. Stop by and see for yourself. It's a hideous plot, I tell ya'. While you're there, be sure to buy something. Commerce is the only way to keep them distracted from their ultimate goal. I highly recommend Gratia Placenti...FABOO!

But if you can't beat 'em, Join 'Em!







Now, To Alfred
I've looked at a lot of elements that have contributed to my twisted sensibilities, hence my penchant for writing horror, and one of my earliest memories of being emotionally marred was Alfred Hitchcock's, Psycho. I was a darn good faker as a kid, and one fateful night, I faked being asleep on the sofa while my parents watched Norman do his dirty deeds. I watched the whole wicked movie with one eye closed, not moving a muscle for fear of being discovered and banished from the horror and the delight of my decadent viewing.

There's a reason why parents don't allow their kids to watch horror, and I'm living proof. That movie scarred me for life, and just now as I think about it, my novella Mama's Boy was no doubt an opportunity to purge some of that scarring. Jeesh, the things we discover buried in our own little psychic-cemeteries when we least expect them.

Anyway, I'd like to contribute to your delinquency by offering up a real treat. Last night I found a fantastic site - The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. There you'll find links to full length episodes of that wickedly wonderful show.

For a nostalgic ride into Scaryville with Alfred & Co. - CLICK HERE!

I'm No Hitchcock
No siree, I'm no Mr. Hitchcock, but that didn't stop me from making a lame attempt at a little video making myself. Actually, it was just a bit of a laugh to try making a video or sorts with the Slide.com program. It's very limited and it's too slow, and on and on I could complain, but it was free and it was fun. Following is the link rather than a video player. I didn't want to post the embedded video, because it plays automatically (no auto on-off switch - one of those things I could complain about, but I won't...or did I just? :D ), so I didn't want it to knock over anyone's machines, particularly folks that might have dial-up.

With all that said, please give the link below a little clickety, and let me know if you like my lame-o MB vid:

MB is Back - Summer 2008!

Have a fine week, kids, and enjoy a little Hitchcock for me.

Wickedly Yours,
Fran Friel