HorrorWeb

HorrorWeb Chat with John Edward Lawson, Editor of Raw Dog Screaming Press 4.24.04 ... With promises to give insight on the inner workings of the publishing world, the editor's desk, and the life and times of a writer, chat was both entertaining AND informative for anyone involved in the world of books - from the reader all the way to the distributor!

We are the ones our mothers warned us about. -- John_Lawson

Session Start: John_Lawson has joined #horrorweb
HorrorWench there he is!!
hw_jekyll Welcome John
kldonihe Hola.
Egore Hello John nice to meet you, I'm Wench's slave
perrymcgee mister lawson sir
John_Lawson Greetings slaves and authors!
hw_jekyll and just general passer-byers :)
kldonihe I love you, John. But you know that already . . . I am here today to share this love with others.
perrymcgee can i chose which one I am?
John_Lawson I think you're both.
perrymcgee damn it kevin, I was gonna say that
kldonihe cringing
John_Lawson LOL
perrymcgee john...i brought my gf Stacy with me too
Trollking hi, hey there's uni sitting in the corner...find anything good to eat?
John_Lawson Oh, hey good to meet you Stacy.
stacy Hi John
Unimonster Yeah, I'm here Tk. Just polishing off some chicken!
perrymcgee OMG...standing down now
hw_jekyll chicken? why not lurkers?
Trollking heh heh (uni) watch dose bones man.
Unimonster SOMEONE locked my pantry for giving hints!!!!
perrymcgee dogs *love* chicken bones
Egore yeah last time we had to run you to the emergency room to get those bones that were lodged in your throat... I'm still paying on that bill ya know!
hw_jekyll well, if ever in need...just sneak on over lol
HorrorWench the monsters have their food and life is good... did i miss anything?
Trollking i don't think borne2beme will be here tonight. they're getting 20 inches of snow tonight an 50 mph winds.
John_Lawson (Chinese food just arrived...)
kldonihe2 John, stop eating. I'm dreaming of your hair snake-curling around me as you give me insight into the inner workings of the publishing world.
hw_jekyll yummy!
John_Lawson Yes, my snake hair. First key to ruling the publishing industry: have snake hair.
Trollking john's a gorgon?
Egore LOL @ TK
Unimonster Where's my mirrored shield!
Trollking that's be real handy when dealing with agents.. being a gorgon and all. :)
John_Lawson Don't worry, the snakes are out of it from all the allergy meds.
kldonihe2 I would heal you, John -- if I could.
perrymcgee junkie snakes? all hopped up?
John_Lawson TK mentioned Agents...anybody here have an agent?
perrymcgee just federal knockin on my door
John_Lawson LOL, the feds don't count!
Trollking Know any that will work for chicken? I could really use a marketer
hw_jekyll i'm an agent of the dark side lol
perrymcgee dark side agents are cool, m'kay?
John_Lawson Ah, good.. I've been wanting to sell my soul.
HorrorWench lol
hw_jekyll Yes, just come on over to the law firm and we can set you up lol
John_Lawson Actually, I have an agent
Trollking does he/she have a soul?
perrymcgee tell us John
John_Lawson haha, so the dark ones have law firms too...argh...
hw_jekyll yuppers, you bet
John_Lawson Have a soul? No, I don't think he does.
Unimonster What do you mean TOO?? The law firms ARE the dark ones!
Egore my soul has been gone for about 4 years now
hw_jekyll I don't think I have a soul...let me check.....ummm, nope....don't have one
John_Lawson My agent's out in California, does movie scripts. Doesn't work for a firm. Does charge fees. Yuck.
Unimonster Sorry, the ex's Divorce lawyer died recently, and I'm still celebrating!
John_Lawson So, no soul there.
perrymcgee is he worth it for what he does John?
hw_jekyll Avoid any contact with Wolfram & Hart lol
Egore LMAO
John_Lawson Hell no. i got 24 companies to read my scripts before signing with him.
John_Lawson Now, nothing.
hw_jekyll LOL
Trollking That many? Holy smokes...
Egore John doesn't watch Angel does he?
hw_jekyll Don't think so :)
Egore hehehe
John_Lawson Oops...dirty little secret comes out
Egore I want to work for Wolfram and Hart - that would kick butt
HorrorWench john doesn't have time!
John_Lawson :) I don't really watch TV at all!
Egore Well yeah neither do I
Trollking being an editor and an author I wouldn't think you'd have much in the way of time for tv anyway.
John_Lawson Ha, yes you're right. I have no time, sadly.
hw_jekyll So doing both jobs, John, which comes first? Do you focus on the editing and then writing or vise/versa?
John_Lawson Hmmm Good questiomn
Trollking heh heh
John_Lawson It's about 50/50. I get up around 5 am most days
Trollking very diplomatic I can see why you're an editor
John_Lawson work all day Have dinner with my wife then work at night
Egore Good man! Good man!
hw_jekyll or would it be more like what is available at the time? like if it is slow with editing then you write?
HorrorWench well for a change tonight...we're going to START with a bang, er prize... the 'early bird prize'
John_Lawson It comes down to what deadline is more pressing: the antho I'm editing, the book I'm releasing, or the story I'm contracted to do.
Egore wooooohooooooooo
perrymcgee i wanna win
HorrorWench first winner: The Scars Are Complimentary by John Edward Lawson... goes to STACY!!
Egore YAY STACY!
Trollking yay stacy!
perrymcgee yay Stacy!!!!!!
stacy wow, that's cool
hw_jekyll *does the snoopy dance for Stacy
Unimonster Congrats, Stacy!
John_Lawson Hey, congrats to the winner!
Egore sounds like a good book
John_Lawson Hope you enjoy it :)
stacy thanks, i'm sure i will
Trollking you set your own deadlines though right?
John_Lawson Most of the time :)
Unimonster I got one!
Unimonster When do you start promoting a book? Does it need to be finished, 3/4th done, at the printers? When does it all begin!!
John_Lawson You can start promoting ASAP, although it's better to have it in some stage of production. It gets tricky because... Most review mags want copies 3-6 months in advance (bound galleys) Before the official release date that is. And libraries usually only buy before the release date
Unimonster Do you generally have to pin a date down before you start the promotion?
HorrorWench that far in advance?
John_Lawson Yes, it's a sick business...you have to sweat over the details a year in advance!!!
Trollking i imagine it's a tough thing to do to reset an official release date.
John_Lawson Well, it's expected that your schedule with slide back a little, so the date is flexible.
Egore I just have to ask... What do you do when someone turns in crap? I've read a couple of books that made me think - "Why on earth is this even published, its pure dung!"
Unimonster What goes into marketing a book? How does one start the marketing process?
HorrorWench woah woah guys... slow down on the poor guy =)
John_Lawson Okay, to answer both questions...
Unimonster Sorry, Wenchy... you've got a bunch of aspiring authors here!!!
John_Lawson 1) a lot of editors prefer "crap" to placate their own egos (they're often unrecognized writers and want to be "better" than others)... Or they incorrectly guess what people will want. it's easy to play it safe when so much money is involved and not be daring.
perrymcgee so that's why editors don't like my stuff...i'm too good
Trollking lol
John_Lawson LOL, Perry Hey, I like your sstuff! 2) Marketing a book involves many tasks and many people
perrymcgee but you're deranged
John_Lawson Okay though, back to the question. At the very least, market yourself. Have business cards even the kind you print at home on your own printer (the kind I use) Network with other authors, spread the word
HorrorWench i use those too!
John_Lawson heheh, very economical
Trollking it's just smart
Egore Really? Network with other authors? Intersting....
John_Lawson Also, attend chats...hit the message boards...join newsgroups and spread the word there. Authors often have connections...
HorrorWench hehe 'attend chats' =)
John_Lawson :)
perrymcgee and going to many conventions gotta help too
John_Lawson IE, they know a bookstore owner
Unimonster Is there a good way to get editors to notice your work?
John_Lawson Yes, include $500 untraceable cash OR...
Trollking lol too fast...just my thinking
Unimonster (LOL) How about for those among us who are poor???
Trollking ya better be good looking
Unimonster Damn... I'm all outta luck!
John_Lawson Read their guidelines very carefully, and stick to them. Be courteous and professional at all times, and even if they reject your work approach them again they'll remember you, so it's good to take advantage of that. And yes, Perry the conventions are a must. As for the editors: be sure to include your full contact info on each item
Trollking what's the fine line between being a pest or just determined
John_Lawson And, get to know their product beforehand.
HorrorWench research before you attack, like any good job interview
John_Lawson Yes, absolutely. Annoying/borderline stalker:
Trollking got ya. no black clothes and leave the weapons at home
John_Lawson I've had people call me repeatedly, threaten me, e-mail me every day until they get the answer they want.
Egore geesh
John_Lawson Often, though, we work it out and they calm down. Yes, leave the weapons at home!
Trollking lol
HorrorWench so once you've got an editor, publisher, etc... How much fine print is in an author's contract? What should people look for when drawing up or signing a contract? Are there hidden dangers in the language used in publishing contracts?
John_Lawson Okay, the contract... One big danger in any creative contract, music/books/film/whatever, is a clause that allows the financer to recoup money from all projects before paying you, ie, if you're in a multi-book deal and they're saying your first book is still being recouped, and you're on book three in the deal
Trollking ouch!
John_Lawson Also, make sure there's a clause stating when the publisher has to publish the title by.
HorrorWench ohhhh
Unimonster I wouldn't have thought of that!
John_Lawson Otherwise it could be years.
perrymcgee wow
John_Lawson It gets tricky.
Unimonster But shouldn't you have a literary agent to cover that end of things?
Trollking should one get a lawyer rather than negotiate oneself?
HorrorWench or is the literary agent basically your lawyer?
John_Lawson There's plenty more, we could go on for hours. And...
John_Lawson absolutely! Get a lawyer or even just a friend to look it over. Or agent or whatever. And, if your agent or lawyer is handling it all, make sure you read it through yourself and get them to explain everything to you first.
Egore How do you deal with creative freedom? Do you let authors run wild and then edit/suggest changes to rein them in, or are there creative guidelines from the beginning?
John_Lawson Also, find out how many copies you're getting...get it in writing...and your discount for buying extras. Okay, guidelines... I have a certain "type" of material i look for as a publisher And as an editor I look for a specific type of material for each project. The trick is to let people know up front what "style" or "feel" you're aiming for and then allow them the creative room to create
Egore I see...
HorrorWench so it's easier to take out than add in?
John_Lawson Absolutely.
Trollking so you have a stable of regular writers that do work for you
John_Lawson Then, hopefully, the two of you will have a good enough working relationship to go through and make some changes here and there as necessary. Kevin and Perry are among them. There are many others too. If you find somebody who you can have a great working relationship with, that's worth a million bucks. Stick with them.
perrymcgee its a two way street then...a writer needs the right publisher, and vice-versa
Unimonster How do you feel about self publishing? And what should authors know about it, the consequences of it, etc. before they decide to go that route?
John_Lawson Self publishing, another great question!
John_Lawson Definitely research until you've studied all the companies then research more, because there will always be other companies out there.
DanKeohane I recently self-pub my short story collection, but that's about as far as I'd recommend to anyone...
John_Lawson How was it dealing with iUniverse?
Trollking how did that work out Dan
DanKeohane The major prob with SP is the lack of distribution... iUniverse and bookstores don't get along (any print on demand for that matter)
kldonihe3 I haven't self-published anything yet . . . but I'm thinking of self-publishing my poetry collection-book thing . . . because that will be nearly impossible to find a publisher for.
DanKeohane I truly like iUniverse, but I got in when the cost...
DanKeohane was only 199.00 for a book, including distribution via online channels and... a wicked nice layout, etc.
Egore I would think that would give you extra motivation to get your books sold
Unimonster Well, how to you sell and promote when you self-Publish?
DanKeohane Selling and promoting is pretty much in your own court...
John_Lawson One main thing to watch for is price of the copies Plus you don't always get control over cover design and layout
DanKeohane iUniverse will offer certain marketing kits but it has iUniverse all over it. When I promoted i wanted the title and author emphasized
Egore really?
Unimonster What exactly did the $ buy, Dan?
Mike_Arnzen Didn't iUniverse do Jeff Thomas' "Aiiiiieeeeee!" too? Good book.
John_Lawson Yes, it was a good book too!
DanKeohane At the time (the cost is about 400 now) it got me the book (5 copies) online distribution to amazon etc, no editing though... (yep Jeff orig did Aaaiieee with them, he's the one who told me about them.
Egore ouch
kldonihe3 All-vowel book titles are infinitely cool, BTW.
DanKeohane It IS a cool title.
Mike_Arnzen Gutsy.
John_Lawson Yeah, a publisher probably would say no to that title
Unimonster Just 5 Copies?? How much per copy did you charge?
John_Lawson Yeah, you need copies to promote so 5 copies doesn't seem like enough.
DanKeohane Not to mention VERY high on the alpha sorting list!
HorrorWench Time to give away another goodie...
Egore John - After Wench announces the winner I have another question
DanKeohane They have specials all the time, but 25 get 30 % off, etc... not a bad deal.
John_Lawson 30% isn't too bad
HorrorWench hey hey.... Hell on the Installment Plan goes to UNIMONSTER
Unimonster WOO-HOOO!!
Egore YAY UNI!
perrymcgee yay uni
Egore Hell on the Installment Plan - That's your Bio isn't it ? LMAO
Mike_Arnzen lol
HorrorWench lol
John_Lawson life story!
Egore would you recommend self publishing Dan?
DanKeohane iUniv sets the price themselves, unfortunately. Christmas Trees & Monkeys retails at 14.95 nonfictions goes higher for some reason
John_Lawson How many pages?
DanKeohane The reason I self-pub'd my collection was that at the time there really was no small presses open to collections and...
Egore ahhh I see Dan
DanKeohane I decided to just do it myself because a lot of marketing is in your own hands for many small presses anyways since its a coop venture.
Egore nice to know
John_Lawson Yeah, that's for sure. Even big presses expect you to promote.
DanKeohane My novels, though, I'm marketing to the Big Men (and Women). Get some shelf coverage.
Mike_Arnzen That's a good point, Dan. But another issue is editing.
John_Lawson A lot of small presses don't do much on that front either.
DanKeohane editing yes... since my stories has all been prev pub'd, I had an easier time of it.
Mike_Arnzen Except I can attest that Raw Dog does a LOT of editing. Loved my experience with 100 Jolts. Makes sense, Dan.
John_Lawson If you self-publish be sure to get someone to read it for you!
Egore In regards to cover art
DanKeohane cover art for iU you mean?
Egore how much does cover art determine whether a book sells or not?
DanKeohane A LOT in my opinion. I've very often picked out a book solely on the cool cover.
John_Lawson Mainly it influences whether people pick up the book and look at it or not.
Egore right
John_Lawson The back cover text is probably what sells or doesn't sell it
Egore that is why I wondered, do you take a lot of time trying to figure out what is going on the cover
FatDaddy how does Michael Moore sell any books then? Have you seen his picture?
John_Lawson Yes, mucho thought goes into it.
HorrorWench for me it's the first page... the cover gets me to pick up, the back gets me to open it, that first page sells it
Trollking do you have regular artists you go back to or put a project out for tenders
John_Lawson Yeah, we do have regular artists, Mike Bohatch is astounding. if you want to check out his art it's Eyes of Chaos
Egore I've been there :)
Trollking on my way
Egore I think we have a link with them
FatDaddy I'd like to see horror books with Big Daddy Roth style covers
Egore Who makes the final decision of what goes on the cover?
John_Lawson It's easier to find an image that has already be made than to have someone make one up.
Egore editor, author, publisher?
Mike_Arnzen I love Bohatch's art on the Delirium edition of Grave Markings.... I was so lucky!
John_Lawson It's usually in the contract that the publisher has the final say.
Mike_Arnzen I totally agree, FatDaddy! Have you seen Jeff Gaither's stuff? It's a twisted take on Roth's work.
Egore I see
FatDaddy he's the Electric Frankenstein cover guy right?
John_Lawson However we let Mike pick out his own art for 100 Jolts from an artist we suggested
HorrorWench Raw Dog Screaming Press is an expansion of the ezine Dream People, which is in association with Eraserhead Press. Are these types of cross connections common in the literary world, or is this a unique situation? And how did that lineage happen?
Mike_Arnzen Sesow is god.
John_Lawson Yes, Matt Sesow rules, and as for our unique connections to EHP... Jen and I have been running the Dream People webzine for 3 years on behalf of EHP, but when this business op came our way we didn't want to let the zine die.. Dream People is one of the few zines anywhere publishing this type of material, so it's good for the scene to keep us on board. Plus, we and EHP don't really battle in the market place, we even help promote each other some. BTW, editing a zine is a great way to meet good authors and develop working relationships with them.
FatDaddy cool way to be
John_Lawson Like we did with the talented Mike Arnzen!
Mike_Arnzen blush
HorrorWench what is the biggest difference between print and electronic publishing, other than the format? What nitty gritty goes into running an Ezine?
John_Lawson Well, printing artwork is always a nightmare, whereas online you just paste in the link to the jpg and it's all good. Plus, online you have to be shorter that is, brevity saves the eyes. But there's nothing like holding the product and being able to carry it anywhere for reading.
FatDaddy buy stock in Visine....lol
John_Lawson Seriously
HorrorWench I'm among those that can't read 'tons' on a screen, i need the paper... I'll cheat and just print it if i want to read something expansive
FatDaddy I agree with that Mr Lawson
perrymcgee totally agree too
Mike_Arnzen That's why doing Bare Bone and the chapbooks is such a cool tie-in with Raw Dog. RDSP is to Bare Bone what Dream People is to EHP.
John_Lawson Yes, I'm a bit of a hypocrite in that I edit an e-zine but can't stand to read online
John_Lawson Haha, yes
kldonihe3 BARE BONE . . . yes, that thing.
Trollking a zine online is fine but reading an all text novel is just something I wouldn't want to do. I don't think printed work is in danger of being replaced anytime soon.
Unimonster How do you decide which stores will carry your books? Do you market differently for different venues - such as Barnes & Noble's vs. Amazon.com?
John_Lawson Okay, you *have* to have a distributor for any printed publication. We're lucky to have Ingram, the largest in the USA. They make the books available to all retailers, online and off.
Unimonster Is that primarily the publisher's responsibility?
John_Lawson Our job is making sure the retailer knows our products exist. Which means advertising, or attending the cons and meeting the buyers for the shops.
FatDaddy aha schmoozing!
John_Lawson The responsibility is solely on the publisher in this area.
kldonihe3 Speaking of BARE BONE, I just checked Amazon. New content that I wasn't aware of . . . sexy. Thanks, John (or was it Jen?).
John_Lawson The key places to hit are Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus, and Booklist the bhain buyers read those religiously.
Unimonster Does the author have any recourse if he feels the publisher isn't marketing his book vigorously enough?
John_Lawson Jen handles getting Amazon to list all content. (I have a short fuse with Amazon)
DanKeohane That's how bookstores decide what to stock?
kldonihe3 Oh! ignorance shining through
John_Lawson Yes sir, mostly on reviews and ads in those magazines As for the author and grievances...
HorrorWench oh dang... so the more reviews you get, the better the reviews, the more likely you'll be stocked?
Mike_Arnzen Familiarity is the name of the game on that score, I think.
John_Lawson As far as "small" presses go, there's a very limited budget and small staff on hand, so you can't expect them to pay the $2,000 for ads in Publishers Weekly every week. At the same time, you can site them for bad faith Or, breach of contract if you have specific promo items worked intot he contract.
DanKeohane That's a key thing with a newly published anything, get copies out to those reviewers! How much does a good review alleviate the lack of advertising?
John_Lawson Everybody has the right to audit their publisher's sales records at the very least, if you think they're being skeevy.
Mike_Arnzen "Raw Dog Skeevy" .,.. nah.
FatDaddy makes sense, watch your hiney
John_Lawson It all depends, Dan. A good review in a webzine often is only good for being exploited in quotes on your flyers and ads.
John_Lawson On the other hand, A review came out for 15 Serial Killers in March that got us a boost in sales.
Unimonster Yep. You've certainly given me a lot to think about for when I finish my novel.
HorrorWench i was eyeballing that one today john!!
John_Lawson Haha, yes Kevin, and I must say your room needs tidying up!
Egore yeah she told me allllllllll about it
Mike_Arnzen 15 Serial Killers...an unforgettable read...pick it up HorrorWench!
John_Lawson Ah yes, I'll send you a copy for review :)
HorrorWench ... serial killers is right up my alley, i'll gladly review it
kldonihe3 Sorry about all the soured meat, John . . . the cleaning lady has (ahem) taken ill.
perrymcgee its a great read
FatDaddy do you guys look at new authors a lot?
John_Lawson Okay, new authors. Yes, we consider them all the time they're vital for continuing the scene.
FatDaddy being as yet, unpublished that's good to hear
John_Lawson One of our novels, The Fall of Never (due out this fall), is from a new author.
kldonihe3 Some of the best stories in BARE BONE #5 (now a RAW DOG thing) are from brand new authors . . .
HorrorWench i really like new authors - like finding a gem
Casey Do you feel it affects your ability to get published with a major publisher if the work in question was first picked up by a small press?
HorrorWench good question Casey
Trollking good question casey
FatDaddy yeah good one
Mike_Arnzen Reprint or new work?
Casey reprint
DanKeohane Writers like Jim Moore and Tim Lebbon got their start in the small presses, and the likes of Don D'Auria read them and bought their books to republish in the Big Place. So their books were helped by being exposed in the small press first
John_Lawson It should all be in your contract. Small publishers should aggressively be pursuing resale to larger publishers to do new mass market editions. Or is that the question? If you mean does it make you attractive to have been published elsewhere, the answer is absolutely.
Mike_Arnzen So small presses can function like agents, if they get licensing rights in the contract.
John_Lawson Yes, that is correct Mike. It's good for all involved.
Casey I think the question has been answered. Thank you.
HorrorWench prize time! Hell on the Installment Plan .... goes to... Trollking !!
John_Lawson Congrats, Troll Meister.
kldonihe3 suiciding self for not winning
Trollking MOI!? But I'm already in hell and behind in the installments!
Mike_Arnzen aiding kldonihe3
perrymcgee congrats to troll...condolence to kevin
Mike_Arnzen lol!
Unimonster TK!!! COOL!
Casey Trollking, save it to give at Christmas.
Trollking happy feet dance
FatDaddy lot of love in the chat room...lmao
John_Lawson I'm swooning :)
HorrorWench nah... there's lots more kldonihe3
John_Lawson Look at Necro Publications and all the stuff they've sold to Leisure Books.
Mike_Arnzen Question for John.
John_Lawson Fire away, good sir
Mike_Arnzen How did you guys invent the name "Raw Dog Screaming Press"?
perrymcgee yeah...good question
John_Lawson Ah yes...a good question, that...it is derived from the title of one of my poems, which can be found in The Scars are Complimentary, (which I believe Stacy won just a little while ago). This was at Jen's suggestion, because it would be memorable. We don't want to fade into the background!!!
perrymcgee cool reason dude
Mike_Arnzen A lot of people look at me funny when I tell them who the publisher of 100 Jolts is.
John_Lawson Tell me about it, LOL
Mike_Arnzen But I tell them that that's part of the appeal to me -- it just sounds cool!
kldonihe3 I like the doggie-head icon thing.
John_Lawson I usually have to repeat the name to people a few times before they're willing to accept that they heard it correctly.
FatDaddy yeah, being published by Raw Dog Screaming Press sounds waaaaaaaaay cool
John_Lawson Thank you! As for the logo, Jen designed it it's what she does for a living.
FatDaddy maybe I'll be thanking you in the near future ;)
Mike_Arnzen When someone asked "What else have they published?" I almost said Korean cookbooks, but that would have been insensitive.
John_Lawson For sure get a graphic artist friend or friend of a friend to make your logos, ads, etc.
John_Lawson hahahahhaha, Mike you salty dog you
HorrorWench how do you decide whether to use a story as a Chapbook, or to use it in a collection with several others [same author or various]? and i have a followup to that...
kldonihe3 And I have a follow up to the follow up which will be followed up by my next follow up.
HorrorWench smart aleck =)
FatDaddy as soon as i follow up to that which i have yet to follow up on
HorrorWench the whole lot of you! hehehe
kldonihe3 And your response, John, must be in essay form -- in German.
FatDaddy =D
HorrorWench oh i figured the form of a question for $500
John_Lawson Okay, well, generally it's the word count. To maximize the effectiveness of the printing costs we prefer trade paperbacks of a minimum 104 pages.
John_Lawson You rascals!
FatDaddy Wisconsin Serial Killers for 200 Alex
John_Lawson LOL Plus, chaps are harder to sell in some ways.
HorrorWench how so?
John_Lawson We're trying to only make chaps now that are limited editions, fiction, with illustrations. Mike can tell you about life in the trenches trying to sell poetry chaps. But in making chapbooks, you have to treat it like a "real" book in terms of design, dealing with the author/artist, marketing, etc.
HorrorWench And for those that don't know, can you tell us exactly what a Chapbook is, and the history of them [for 300 alex]
FatDaddy ;0~
Mike_Arnzen Chapbooks= "cheapbooks"
FatDaddy chapstick
HorrorWench well that and they're shorter... not necessarily 'one' chapter, but not very many
John_Lawson A chapbook is a saddle-stitched (stapled) book with cardstock or paper cover and roughly 20-40 pages.
kldonihe3 Poetry books are worse than poetry chaps -- in terms of getting publishers interested. No one wants to put out poetry books. (Perhaps I should say I'm Bukowski-back-from-the-dead-and-stinking).
FatDaddy puts his poetry away for now
Mike_Arnzen Small collections of stories or poems (sometimes just one story). I like them...they're collector's items, if produced nicely. But people tend not to buy them.
Mike_Arnzen They're best for selling at readings, I think.
John_Lawson Check out the selections at Project Pulp and Shocklines, or go to the publisher tables at cons. There are plenty of good chaps being made.
HorrorWench i like them... it's like a little taste of an author
Mike_Arnzen I like them too...they're authentically "underground" and somehow even more intimate than many pod produced books.
HorrorWench and speaking of chapbooks - i have one left to give away here... then we move onto the SICK anthologies =)
John_Lawson As for poetry books, buy the Poet's Market it's a huge resource.
Trollking comic publishers were doing thaem at one point and called them 'whites" cool things to collect
HorrorWench but what's the history of chapbooks... how new are they in the market?
Mike_Arnzen I think they've been around since Thomas Paine.
FatDaddy that radical
HorrorWench lol
Trollking as i said comic publishers were doing them in the 40's
John_Lawson William Faulkner's first book was a self-made poetry chap.
perrymcgee wow
John_Lawson Did 24 copies I think.
kldonihe3 Chapbooks = tools of anarchy
FatDaddy ,whistles
HorrorWench i've never seen one for sale in the store, only online...then again i live in the armpit of the universe
HorrorWench so who wants a chapbook??
kldonihe3 I do.
perrymcgee me
FatDaddy mememememememememe
DanKeohane BITSA
John_Lawson Me! Me!
DanKeohane Hey. Why is everyone singing?
HorrorWench the next one here is Unknown Pleasures by Jeffrey Thomas... alrighty then... grabbing a short person!
DanKeohane damn I'm 6'3"
Trollking thatr would be me 5 ft 3
kldonihe3 I am just under 5 foot 7 inches.
John_Lawson I'm 6'8"
Egore 5 1 here and shrinking
DanKeohane I just chopped off my legs
Trollking 6 ft 8 really?
perrymcgee im 4'20"
Trollking no way
John_Lawson Hahah
FatDaddy squatting
kldonihe3 I disincarnated myself really short now
DanKeohane disinwhat?
DanKeohane you should win just for that word...
Trollking heh heh
kldonihe3 disestablishmentarianisted myself.
John_Lawson It's erotic horror everybody, so watch out
FatDaddy oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
John_Lawson Hence the name Unknown Pleasures
HorrorWench oh yeah, in that case can i please see I.D. from everyone? hehehe
FatDaddy hubba hubba
perrymcgee im old enough to be my dad
HorrorWench and the winner is.... the fat one! FatDaddy
FatDaddy yeah my id wants to see that stuff for sure
John_Lawson Congrats, Daddy
DanKeohane woo hoo, congrats FD!
Egore NO!!!!!! you will give him ideas! LMAO
kldonihe3 *spiraling down dark hole*
FatDaddy woooooohooooooooooo
perrymcgee yay fatdaddy
Trollking like he needs any more encouragement...hoestly people.
DanKeohane someone give Kevin something soon... I'm starting to worry
FatDaddy I got so many ideas now you wouldn't have room for more ;D
HorrorWench LOL... and because i misread my cheat sheet... i have another chapbook... let's do another one!
perrymcgee kev, you outta meds?
John_Lawson LoL, Kev's never out of meds!!!
Trollking lol
kldonihe3 I am very happy, Dan! *squeezing rubber stress-head* My life is going very well, thank you! *chainsaw sounds*
HorrorWench and the winner is... well heck! it's kldonihe3 =))) and that's for Psych Noir
perrymcgee wow...this is better than being at the carnie
HorrorWench =)
Trollking hey kldonihe! congrats!
DanKeohane hasn't anyone noticed that Kevin hasn't replied since he started that chain saw? :-)
HorrorWench LOL
kldonihe3 Psycho Noir -- thank you! I've want that one 4-ever! I saw starring at it at the WHC!
perrymcgee yeah kevin...congrats
FatDaddy uh oh he disincarnated his hands
kldonihe3 chainsaw ran out of gas, bummer
DanKeohane (lol)
HorrorWench thank john, he's giving them away, i'm just pulling the names =)
John_Lawson It's a bucket o' chainsaw fun, Kev. Be careful with it.
FatDaddy the five star palm of death
kldonihe3 I am a winner! For the first time in my life! Congrats to all other winners *the dark hole closes -- for but a second*
HorrorWench since we're giving away the anthology next: How do you edit an anthology? Do you edit the same for every writer, or does each writer's voice require a different style of editing? and with trepidation that it will start another cycle of 'followup' jokes... i DO have a followup to that question =)
John_Lawson Anthologies: as mentioned earlier, I do try to work with certain authors time and again once I've established a good working relationship with them. Most are very easy to work with and need little in the way of revision or guidance, however others turn in work that is good but needs some more effort to reach its full potential.
perrymcgee what you do with those?...you edit, or send back?
John_Lawson I generally try to have a single unifying theme so that 1) the stories flow together well and 2) it's easier to market. People like to have a specific "personality" to identify with.
John_Lawson I do my best to work with authors, Perry Occasionally though, they can get to be...uh...unprofessional...
HorrorWench really? tell us a horror story bout that!! and the follow up...Have you ever considered doing an anthology where the writers edit each other's work?
John_Lawson Ha! Now THERE's an interesting thought. Hmm!
HorrorWench that's why i asked it... Egore and i were discussing that thought... it would be fun
FatDaddy good Q wenchie poo!
HorrorWench =)
John_Lawson If I did that I'd want to have a good editorial board together, like say Vincent, Kev, others
HorrorWench so when should we expect that one out? hehehe...
kldonihe3 Let's do it tomorrow, John.
perrymcgee been there...kinda a mess tho...5 authors saying too many different thoughts about stories..
John_Lawson Oh, The Other Side of Madness????
perrymcgee yeah
HorrorWench no no no perrymcgee... one author does another's, not everyone - but don't let them do each other's... mix it up a bit
perrymcgee maybe HorrorWench, that might be a better way
John_Lawson Aha, I see. Pairing the authors up. That's even more interesting.
perrymcgee yeah...kinda is
vwsakowski like the original Eraserhead Press collective
Unimonster I do remember a book that had several different author, each writhing one chapter of a mystery novel. Wasn't very good, as I recall.
kldonihe3 Yes, EHP did that back in the day. With their books . . .
Unimonster Much like my typing...
FatDaddy I remember that one too, I think
John_Lawson How did that work, with EHP
vwsakowski there were six of us...
HorrorWench mystery uni? maybe horror would be better
vwsakowski only Kev and I edited each other's work...
Unimonster Possibly...
vwsakowski as for the others, it got mixed, but basically one author editing another's book
kldonihe3 It worked decently, for a while . . . but the EHP collective is now just EHP because -- like any utopic commune-like mindspaces -- human nature stepped in.
John_Lawson BTW, Vincent was the editor of Arnzen's book for us. (Mike was hear earlier, V)
vwsakowski Bummer that I missed him
HorrorWench oh i feel i should give something away!!... SICK anthology anyone??
perrymcgee Horrorwench, I have a john lawson signed copy...so will step away
John_Lawson Kevin and Vincent are both in Sick, actually
kldonihe3 We are SICKers.
HorrorWench and the winner is... spinning the wheel of death... BloodyMary!
Egore woho
perrymcgee yay bloodymary
vwsakowski We are the illness!
FatDaddy congrats mary!
Bloodymary wooo hooo!
kldonihe3 screaming with passionate happiness?
John_Lawson Congrats, Mary, may you be blessed with much blood.
Unimonster Congratulations, Bloody!
John_Lawson We've infected many tonight.
HorrorWench i think so!!
FatDaddy does a happy sick boy dance with Mary
HorrorWench i wanted hell on the installment plan but i'm not in the drawing =)
Bloodymary lmao
HorrorWench everyone send me your name/address info ...
Bloodymary man, made my night
HorrorWench and i think john should get perrymcgee a chapbook... just cuz you begged so nice perrymcgee!!
perrymcgee yeah...wanna chapbook john
HorrorWench hehehe
Bloodymary lol
John_Lawson Okay, cool Perry gets a chapbook then.
HorrorWench and i DO have another question [i'm full of em!]
John_Lawson Yes, please fire at will!
perrymcgee happy murder parents dance!!!!
HorrorWench While reading your story "Mouthful of Dust" in the SICK anthology, I came up with a GREAT idea for a story. Is that something you strive for? Getting your readers imaginations to just work on their own, or do you feel that distracts their imagination away from your story?
HorrorWench hehehe we started this one in AIM and i told you to stop and i'd reask tonight...here it is =)
John_Lawson Wow! That's way too cool! I'm really excited to hear it :) hahah So, yes, I can only hope to ignite that spark in the imaginations of others.
kldonihe3 John, the Psych Noir reading you gave ignited my pants, causing them to explode. Thank you . . .
HorrorWench so you strive to entertain and motivate?
John_Lawson That's how it often works for me; I read a story/poem/book and just *have* to go write something because somet element in the writing inspired me to do so.
perrymcgee john's writing has always been mental *pretty*, then when ya aint lookin, he rips your ankles off
HorrorWench or gives you a hotdog - which by the way... ewwwwwwwwww
kldonihe3 Like I say, it has pants-exploding properties.
John_Lawson Absolutely, HW, I hope to entertain while providing something provocative for the thought process.
Bloodymary i have a question when your ready John
John_Lawson Hmm...hot dogs and exploding pants. Why don't we move on to your question, Mary.
Bloodymary As a producer, an audio engineer, performer, writer editor and publisher . which one suit is your favorite to wear?
John_Lawson Ha! Well, as long as I'm delving into the creative process I'm happy, but I'm truly at my happiest when writing. It's great to be involved in the creation of a product, and I think in very audio/visual terms, but creating a story is the most satisfying result.
Bloodymary If every writer asked himself or herself one question before they sat down to write, what should it be?
John_Lawson What do I fear?
kldonihe3 My question: "Is the computer on?"
FatDaddy ooooh I need to write that one down - seriously I just wrote that on a post it
John_Lawson I think much of the most successful writing stems from what we fear most. And, we often have many fears to chose from. I'm not just talking strictly horror writing either.
Bloodymary no i agree, i think most authors ignore that fact, which in turns leaves their own "soul imprint" in the writing
perrymcgee post-its don't work in a tornado
John_Lawson Cool, I'm glad and I wish you luck with it. Exploring your own fears is a very difficult thing. At the same time, we can't ignore the other things we are passionate about, ie, or loves and hates, but much of what we fear springs from both of those elements.
perrymcgee good point
John_Lawson So, just from exploring that fear we get a great set of dynamics for character interaction, a natural plot arch, etc.
FatDaddy yeah we tend to fear what we are passionate about
perrymcgee what made you want to become an editor? a serious editor?
kldonihe3 A crazy-cool editor . . .
perrymcgee yes...agree
HorrorWench any type of editor
FatDaddy predator editor?
HorrorWench especially considering you're a writer and it would take time away from that passion
perrymcgee my question exactly HorrorWench
John_Lawson Hmm, well, I hadn't considered it as an option until I talked with Carlton Mellick III, founder of Eraserhead Press. I wrote asking if he needed help with the press, and he said he needed somebody to run The Dream People, so i rose to the challenge.
John_Lawson I'm glad I did, because it really broadened my horizons. It's kept me in touch with so much of the great unread work of the fringe literature underground, such as exposing me to poetry.
HorrorWench are you still surprised by everything involved?
perrymcgee did you know what it entailed at the time?
John_Lawson I had no idea what was involved! Had to learn as I went. And yes, it has taken time from my writing...considerable time. But also it's helped me to understand "good" and "bad" writing techniques a lot more intimately.
HorrorWench oh that's a good point
perrymcgee yes...believe that John...
vwsakowski btw, John, did you mention that you've re-opened TheDreamPeople for theJune/July issue?
John_Lawson Aha! Yes, it's is reopened folks!
perrymcgee cant read another story and not see what could be done differently
John_Lawson Vincent is the guest editor!
perrymcgee yay Vincent
John_Lawson And yes, Perry, that is the truth...a thousand times yes.
vwsakowski yes, I'm open to subs
perrymcgee ya read/ya learn
John_Lawson (btw, the new GL's for TDP are up on Ralan.com)
perrymcgee ohhh...gonna look then
John_Lawson But the downside of it all is, you start nitpicking with everything you read, from menus to novels by your favorite authors.
perrymcgee yes
HorrorWench reviewing does that to you too =)
John_Lawson LOL
Bloodymary lol
HorrorWench some things i've really wanted to read with a red pen !! hehehe...
John_Lawson Perry, what was your experience like working with 3F Publishing?
kldonihe3 Or you dream-edit (i.e. going over a dream-page over and over and over and over in your head until you awaken black-eyed and puffy).
perrymcgee wasnt too allowed to say much - could give a thumbs up or down, but not the real reasons why
John_Lawson Personally, I've been plagued by publishing-related dreams of late. Such as long involved dreams about distribution warehousing. Snore. That's kinda weird, why bother to have you read it?
perrymcgee well...editors wanted their own opinions expressed back to them
John_Lawson Then again, I guess you were more of a preliminary reader not a full fledged editor? Hmm.
perrymcgee was a good gig...but clearly not a functional experience
HorrorWench was it a learning one at least?
perrymcgee oh yes learned a lot but learned it as a writer...not an editor...
John_Lawson What's been your experience as an editor, Kevin?
HorrorWench lol now see who's asking the questions =)
Bloodymary hehe
John_Lawson Haha, yes, I'm turning the tables!
HorrorWench yep
kldonihe3 It's improved my writing, that's for sure . . . Gives me a chance to read a lot of stories, some good -- quite a few not so good. Also gives me a chance to give pointers to the not-so-good . . . as I always give feedback. *Always.*. Takes more time to write a personal letter, but I'll continue nevertheless.
John_Lawson Good man!
kldonihe3 I love putting stories together . . . attempting to craft separate entities into a whole that sings. Sometimes, that's very hard indeed. But I press on . . . forever and ever and ever.
John_Lawson Yes, I agree about trying to personalize rejections and point out areas to improve/strengths.
kldonihe3 Editing is actually a fun thing for me. Not as fun as writing . . . but I enjoy it. Yes, very much so.
John_Lawson And, it is incredibly fulfiling to piece together the completed book/magazine.
John_Lawson Perhaps you have to be a special kind of masochist to enjoy editing, but I do too.
Bloodymary lol
HorrorWench is it more work on the writing end or the editing end?
perrymcgee gotta be writing
kldonihe3 More grunt-work on the editing end . . . at least in my experience. Think of editing your own story, wasn't that a little stickier than the actual writing of it?
John_Lawson The writing is, for me, more of a time-stealer because of the physical effort involved, but editing somebody's work, reading hundreds of thousands of words of submissions can be really draining at times.
kldonihe3 At one point, I wanted to pull my eyes out and fling them across the room . . . I got better, though.
John_Lawson Yes Kevin, I agree about the actual editing of my own writing.
Bloodymary haha
John_Lawson That's a painstaking process.
kldonihe3 Never-ending process . . . at least for me.
HorrorWench do you write in full and then edit, or edit as you go?
kldonihe3 But I'm the King of Revisions.
John_Lawson Well, I try to edit as I go so long as I'm not interrupting the creative flow, but there's always going to be a thorough revision process at the end.
John_Lawson Except, I will admit, some of the things I posted at the New Absurdist
kldonihe3 Yes, that's the best way . . . unless the flow is an especially manic one.
John_Lawson But it's often just about impossible to catch all of the errors yourself, because you're so close to the work, so always try to get others to read over it too.
perrymcgee agree...dont leave a bad para...unless its way bad
John_Lawson (my wife is a great help in that area)
perrymcgee (my gf is too)
kldonihe3 Where is Jen? I thought she might be here . . .
John_Lawson She's sitting next to me reading a collection subbed to RDSP :)
kldonihe3 Oh, hello Jen-who-is-reading.
John_Lawson In fact, she was typing my responses for me earlier while I ate although, she didn't type everything for brevities sake as I tend to ramble :)
HorrorWench LOL
John_Lawson She was like,"Okay, that's enough"
kldonihe3 John -- when Jen married you, did she realize she'd be sucked into a whirlwind of publishing madness the likes of which the world has never before seen?
John_Lawson Hahah, I think she suspected something was up! At least she should have, after 12 years.
perrymcgee lol
Bloodymary John, In your live journal, a staff member comments that Raw Dog is trying to dance the line between genre fiction and experimental fiction. Do you feel that after the company has reached its full stride and has the acclaim it deserves, you will able to not only dabble, but also jump in headfirst?
John_Lawson I think it'll be more like a belly flop!
HorrorWench lol
John_Lawson And hey, thanks for reading the live journal! But to answer your question...
Bloodymary it was interesting, especially the tips for how-to-promote-yourself
John_Lawson We're looking at accepting several more of each type hopefully the horror will contain some experimental elements, and the experimental will be very dark, but we're also looking into taking work that is just straight horror, straight experimental material
kldonihe3 BARE BONE wants to be more experimental/odd . . . sometimes that's hard to find amongst pure horror writers . . . but I'm questing.
John_Lawson Thanks, and now that you mention it I'll be continuing the articles on promotion regularly.
perrymcgee kevin, you takin subs for the next BB yet?
John_Lawson I believe BB #6 is full, correct?
kldonihe3 #6 (Ocotber) is pretty much full. As for #7 -- I'll probably officially (and publically) open to subs about a month after #6 is released.
kldonihe3 Want to send something for #7 now, Perry . . . that would be fine . . . but the publication wait will be about 11 months
John_Lawson Yes, that will come out next April
perrymcgee Kevin, ill mail ya somethin
HorrorWench how soon can you publish something and what's the longest it's taken to publish something?
kldonihe3 I've only got a single story for #7 now, from someone who sent and didn't mind the wait . . . I could look at one or two more before the Fall, but that would be all, probably. Perry is always welcome to fill my inbox full of fiction. Please, do so . . . I want it.
John_Lawson Well, let's see. Our first tile, 15 Serial Killers, came out last October and we only formed the company in August. In fact, we didn't get the final version of the manuscript until September! But one of the author's conditions was that it be released Oct/Nov. So that was the least amount of lag time.
John_Lawson As for the longest, well, the novels Everybody Scream! and The Fall of Never will both have been waiting almost a year.
Bloodymary When publishing a new author, does it impress you when they come to you with so many fresh ideas or would you wish rather they'd focus on just one? Does it throw you a red flag that this author lacks focus?
HorrorWench wow
Unimonster Very good question, Bloody!
John_Lawson A single unique idea can be as effective as several good ideas, but regardless of the number of plots/subplots there should be a unity of focus that maintains a cohesive structure for the story. In Hollywood, they want the one great angle that you can describe in 25 words. For a novel you need a great idea and several good ones to fill up the space.
HorrorWench subplots
kldonihe3 Or lots of purple prose to up the word-count!
John_Lawson Yep, the problem for many writers, new or old, is managing the subplots so they don't overtake the entire project. Also, it's hard for some to tell when they're really trying to write two separate books and need to split up the manuscript.
HorrorWench do you mean sequels johns or different stories
John_Lawson Yes, i refer above to sequels. Or, alternately, they're trying to do a series of books in one book, and instead need to separate ideas and explore them more deeply.
kldonihe3 A book idea: Meta-fiction-thing in which the subplot wars against the main plot in an attempt to become the main plot.
vwsakowski or, as in many new books, where it's just a lot of "stuff happening" but no real plot(s)
John_Lawson Egads, the "stuff happening syndrome" (groan)
Unimonster What's your best advice for someone who wants to get that first book published?
John_Lawson My advice involves editing, and editing again. Make sure a writer or editor friend you trust has gone over the manuscript too. And like I said way at the beginning of the conversation, know the publisher's guidelines in and out before sending to them. You could be sending to the wrong editor, for instance, and the book won't ever have a chance might even just be thrown out.
kldonihe3 black listing
Bloodymary John, what kind of books are you drawn to?
John_Lawson i'm drawn to dark work that contains some social commentary, such as Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho or Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club.
kldonihe3 'American Fight Club Psycho -- A sequel'
John_Lawson What kind of work are you all attracted to? What would you like to see RDSP publish? Oh, and I can take your questions
HorrorWench i'd like to see something with smart character that do everything right and still get killed =)
John_Lawson hahaha, yes, that would be interesting!
HorrorWench and NO stereotypes =)
kldonihe3 I'd like to throw something at you too, John . . . but I'll just wait until I see you again.
Bloodymary I want to see more intellectual horror and less of the patterned mind-numbing redundant stories ....do you look for a certain type of work? What types do you avoid?
John_Lawson Bloody, one thing we strive for is bringing people unusual work that most publishers won't touch, because it's "weird" and hasn't been seen before. We shy away from the standard retreads in all genres, in the hopes of offering authors and readers alike an alternative.
HorrorWench going where no publisher has gone before =)
Bloodymary *and lets all say a silent prayer of thanks*
John_Lawson For instance, Ron Malfi's novel is more of a surreal horror novel, yet he's about to sign a deal with the big boys in NY for his military thrillers. Hopefully we'll be able to thrive while doing this...that remains to be seen :) But from the people I've talked to, they're all ready to see something new. Many readers are getting jaded.
workthistime any new anthos or collections being developed for rdsp?
John_Lawson Well, now that you mention it...
perrymcgee yesssss????
Bloodymary You kidding, I already saw two books i plan to order..15 Serial Killers and Bare Bone #5
John_Lawson We've got one hush-hush project that we picked up through a contact at WHC this year. He's still patenting the process. It's a story that isn't a printed story, and will travel around the country from promo purposes. Sounds cryptic, I know, but that's all I can say now.
HorrorWench tease
Bloodymary lol
John_Lawson Also, we've made such a stir at the cons that apparently people were talking about us at the NOW conference at Notre Dame...and, a certain World Fantasy Award winning editor was on hand and impressed, and we're now working out a deal with them for their new series of anthos. Again though I can't mention names, as he's just finsihing his contractual obligations with his current publisher. BB 675 when is that slated to come out?
kldonihe3 August of 2976.
perrymcgee 2012
kldonihe3 A space odyssey (two years later)
John_Lawson LOL, we're already having scheduling difficulties with it!
kldonihe3 Damn!
Bloodymary lol - i love psychological horror
John_Lawson Cool. Then BB is for you.
HorrorWench i like gore and psychological
kldonihe3 The first story in BARE BONE #5 is to die for . . .really groove with it.
John_Lawson Also, A Dirge for the Temporal which is coming out in August.
HorrorWench if i say 'oh dayuuum' out loud while reading, you've done your job =))
John_Lawson Ha! Yes, that's when I know I want to publish something with RDSP!
kldonihe3 BB #5 is mostly psychological horror . . . I throw a few purely supernatural ones/surreal ones in for kicks, however . .
workthistime how about the dream people? hows that working with rdsp?
John_Lawson Well, it can be time consuming, and we also want to avoid conflict of interest as it's the Eraserhead Press webzine, so there's a thin line to walk. But, thankfully, some guest editors are swooping in and saving the day, like Vincent Sakowski. Also, Kevin Dole 2 is going to edit a bizarre romance issue for us later this year.
HorrorWench bizarre romance? that kinda scares me
John_Lawson We like being involved in it, though, as it's a lifeline to the new and talented authors springing up.
Bloodymary do tell
John_Lawson Ha, it scares me too! it should be a doozy.
Unimonster The Redhead did it!
HorrorWench lol
Bloodymary lol
kldonihe3 Bizarre anthologies have a place in my heart. (I'm doing a speculative/experimental fiction walrus (walri) anthology.
John_Lawson Yes, look for my own contribution "Walricide Story" sometime soon
kldonihe3 Oh, so that's the title! Good . . .
John_Lawson Bizarre romance...I'm not even sure what to think of it. I think of pink corpses.
kldonihe3 I think of blenders loving dish washers.
HorrorWench well is there anything you'd like us to know at this point John? any final insight or information?
John_Lawson Final insight: we are the ones our mothers warned us about
perrymcgee even your mother warned you about me
Bloodymary lol
John_Lawson lol, I knew it!
HorrorWench lol
John_Lawson She's been spreading rumors again
HorrorWench where will you be appearing for readings, signings, etc. in the coming months??
John_Lawson I'll be doing a reading tomorrow actually, a poetry reading at the Bethesda Literary Festival at the Neptune Art Gallery if you can make it. Also, I'll be at the HWA conference June 3-6.. At Keene Con 4 July 3...
kldonihe3 Aren't you hosting the Academy Awards next year, or something?
John_Lawson Haha, and the MTV music Awards too!
HorrorWench lol
John_Lawson and Horrorfind Weekend 4 this August will be manning a table, reading horror poetry, and will be on the erotic horror panel
HorrorWench will you be at horrorfind weekend
Bloodymary then i guess i will see you in august
John_Lawson Plus, I might be going to the World Fantasy Con in Phoenix this October, but that's up in the air at this point.
John_Lawson Oh! You'll be there???
HorrorWench me, egore, uni, Bloodymary, jekyll, and 4 you didn't see tonight =)\
kldonihe3 Horrorfind is still up in the air for me . . . about 63.4% sure I'm going.
John_Lawson Ultra cool. You're not from Maryland are you? Now, wait, you're in the midwest.
HorrorWench yeah i'm wisCOLDsin
Unimonster 4??? THat many??
HorrorWench yeah uni... full count: me, igor, you, bloody, jekyll, hyde, hroth, absynthe, and erin
Bloodymary ahh, but you must go ...Kevin.. how else will i get to ask questions about BB's? lol
John_Lawson Wow, awesome! We'll have to hang out, etc. And Kevin, if you don't come I'll spank you with the spiked paddle!
Bloodymary lol
Unimonster COOOL!!!
kldonihe3 I went last year . . . had a groovy time. But I just did the World Horror Con and I'm going to Colorado to see a friend in a few weeks . . . money, money, money . . . but I'll probably make Horrorfind happen. I usually do (where there's a will there's a way.)
Bloodymary im not too far from Maryland
HorrorWench you can hang by me anytime you want - i'll be easy to spot... just look for the white Horror-Web tshirts and then go to the one with the loudest mouth
Bloodymary lmao
HorrorWench hey, it's not a joke... that's how people found me last year, so i know it works =)
John_Lawson I'll have to remember that :) "Okay, which one of you is the loud mouth?"
Bloodymary ...*points at the wench***
HorrorWench i'll find you, you've got a table right?
John_Lawson Yes indeed, we'll be right there in the dealers room. I'm 6'8" with long hair and very easy to spot.
kldonihe3 I am short and fearsome.
John_Lawson Kevin *is* fearsome.
HorrorWench you're 6'8"??? honestly???
Bloodymary oh, so fun will be had
John_Lawson Kevin and Vincent can vouch for me.
kldonihe3 John is amazingly tall . . .
HorrorWench k, if you hear a loud mouth look towards your knees... 5'3" here =)
Bloodymary lol
John_Lawson Hmm. Well, on that note I'd better haul my carcass back to the bone market.
stacy thanks for sharing your time, John...and everyone. goodnight
John_Lawson But it's been a genuine pleasure hanging out and getting to know you all.
HorrorWench thank you very much for coming, it was great fun and quite informative
Bloodymary Thanks for taking the time
vwsakowski see you later, John, and all...
Unimonster Night, John... Thanks for everything!
HorrorWench Night everyone!
kldonihe3 Bye John . . . may flights of angels do . . .something . . . dunno.
vwsakowski G'night
Bloodymary hehe
Unimonster Night!
John_Lawson Thanks to all for dropping in and sharing ideas Good night!
kldonihe3 Sleep tight . . . don't let the insectoids in the bed bite.
*** John_Lawson has left HorrorWeb

We thank John for his time, wonderful work in the genre, and the honor of chatting with him!! THANKS JOHN!! =)