Novellas/Novels

What we want:

Graveside Tales seeks chilling, character-driven stories of the Supernatural, particularly those set in the Lycanthrope universe. Psychological suspense, “killers on the loose”, and cross-genre blends (Paranormal Romance or dark fiction containing SciFi, Historical and/or Fantasy elements) are welcome provided the subject matter is original and the focus remains on horror. Gore, sex, or controversial content is okay as long as its inclusion is essential to the story and not incorporated solely for shock value.

We will also consider publishing backlisted material. If you are an author who has a backlisted titles you would like to see republished, please query us at submissions@gravesidetales.com with "Backlist" and the title of the book in the subject line.

See – Submissions for complete guidelines

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1. Submissions ...

Incredible But True – Ten 3-minute shows.

• The Man Who Walked Behind by Incredible But True
  
• Water, Water Everywhere by Incredible But True
  
• Mr Watt's Awakening by Incredible But True
  
• Dead Man's Mirror by Incredible But True
  
• The Man Who Saw Everything by Incredible But True
  
• Human Atmosphere by Incredible But True
  
• The End of David Lang by Incredible But True
  
• What Day Will He Die by Incredible But True
  
• The Playful Spirit by Incredible But True
  
• Beware My Son by Incredible But True

History of the series

This series consisted of 15 minute shows, similar in format to Ripley's Believe It Or Not that had aired from 1930 to 1948. It was hosted/narrated by Ken Nordine and was produced by Unusual Features Syndicate. This syndicated series was heard on the Mutual network during 1950 and 1951 on various days and at various times. For example, according to "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All Circulating Shows" by Jay Hickerson, it aired on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 PM from April 17, 1950 through June 5, 1951 and on Saturdays at 5:15 PM from June 30, 1951 through December 22, 1951.

Besides the 15-minute shows, another syndication of 3-minute shows was also produced, again hosted by Ken Nordine.

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by Brandon Layng

This most recent installment has been delayed. There are many reasons behind that (and for those who feared that there wasn’t going to be a next one, well this proves there is nothing to fear) and some of those reasons are also the cause of a change of my planned subject for this part. Originally, I was going to write about the value of the ideal reader but I’m delaying that one.

Everything has a purpose and why should a writer be any different.

Even a serial killer has a reason for doing what they do, though they may not understand what it is, it often comes out in the crimes they commit, and without those clues the FBI wouldn’t be able to work up their generic profiles. Writers have a reason for putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboards as well. Horror writers, in some cases, may not be all that different from serial killers when it comes to their motives. I want to take some time to discuss my purpose. And the purpose of this is to get you other writers to look closer at your own reasons for clicking at the keys. We often like to pass off our written creations as ways to pass the time but you shouldn’t sell yourself short.

I lost a grandmother this past week*, with the exception of my wife’s grandmother whom I’ve adopted as my own, this recent loss was my last grandparent. She was my stepmother’s mother but that never stopped her from accepting me as her grandson. In addition, those of you who are readers of my blog know that my own mother is seriously ill with cancer and she has been recovering the last couple of weeks from a serious bout with pneumonia*. These two events have forced me to evaluate a great deal of things including mortality. I was forced to see that time moves too quickly and we, as a species and at times most especially writers, don’t spend enough time with our loved ones. Too quickly their accomplishments can be forgotten in the waves of grief.

A week ago I remembered a pile of note papers I had been storing in the basement that contained the words my mother had deigned to grace the pages with. They are poems she wrote when she was a teenager and when I was a teenager. Almost all of which are unpublished. I asked her about them and if she would like me to submit them for her. I wanted her to see her words published; to see that others thought they were as valuable as I did. Tonight she told me I could do with them as I wished after she was gone. I was a tad disappointed. I asked her, "don’t you want to know that someone accepted them before you are gone?" Her reply was, "I accept me and that’s all I need." She’d taken a creative writing course through the local college when I was younger and I had always thought that she had wanted to be a writer as well. That those poems and stories were left unpublished out of the nagging fear all novice writers have: rejection. Maybe that was part of it but she has no regrets about it. She wrote to spend a few moments of the day with herself, her feelings and for the unadulterated fun of it.

So tonight, I sat, I thought, considered the purpose behind my own writing.

The only thing I’ve truly come to fear in life is death. I fear that I will die having accomplished little outside of being a husband and father. Those are great, except I am an honest and greedy man, wanting to be remembered as a great husband and a father my children can be proud to call Dad. I want to leave an impression on the world and know that I’ve left it a better place. I think we all want that in some way. To not be forgotten after we are gone. Some leave their mark in the form of a fingerprint in the concrete laid for the foundation of a house. I’m a poor manual labourer, I’ve tried and I’m no good at it. So I write and it could be argued I’m no good at that either. Except I enjoy writing in a way that getting the ratio of concrete mix to water just right can’t compare. The sweat, tears and sleepless nights are worth it when I get one line right and I’m happy with the hope that it might leave an impression on the reader that might be remembered in years to come. A hundred years from now I dream of a man or women reading that same line and laughing, smiling, crying or shivering to it because through it they will know some small piece of me and remember it and me in the process. When I hand my wife a copy of a book I’ve written, those words will be in there to remember me by and to know that I was real in a concrete way. Words spoken can easily be forgotten from one generation to another but the written word is something that can be touched and passed on. When I write, I’m laying the foundation of my life, building a house of good and bad memories that generations after me can visit long after I’m gone.

The purpose behind my writing is so I am not forgotten. Every writer has a purpose behind their words and keeping that in perspective will remind them not to give up when the words come a little harder to the page. You may have noticed that several specific words have been repeated during this rambling of mine – the title was not excluded in this – and the reason for this is, is I hope that they will continue to resonate after you’ve finished. That you will not forget them when next you take up your pages to create your worlds. I hope you find inspiration in them.

*This part of AWJ originally appeared over a year ago on my blog. I’ve had time to reflect on the words. I still feel them to be true to this day. This August 28^th will be the year anniversary of my mother’s passing. She lost the battle against cancer but she fought it with every ounce of love she had in her. When she was diagnosed she was given six months to live and she demanded more, living nearly two years. In the remembrance of her death I’ve found another purpose for my writing, learning to take her words to heart. May each of you reading this discover that the most important acceptance of your writing is your own.

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2. A Writer’s Journey: Part 1 ...
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I am pleased to announce Graveside Tales will be reopening to submissions on September 1st, 2010.  Dale is currently going through a couple of the older manuscripts, but the bulk of the backlog has been reviewed and replies issued.  For the two or three of you still awaiting a response, please allow Dale a little more time to fully review your work.  You will receive a final decision from us very soon. 

In other news, Dale is currently working on formatting previously published GST titles for digital download.  While we still intend to publish physical books, we understand the convenience and appeal of lower cost e-books.  It is our hope that by offering titles in a variety of downloadable formats (Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, et al), we can boost sales and offer better royalty payments to our authors.  Look for your favorite GST titles to appear in e-book format in the near future! 

I would also like to mention I have taken over scheduling the releases for Graveside Tales Books.  Starting with the 2011 lineup, accepted authors will work with me on both editing and release planning.  It is my intention to release a new title every other month.  Here is the official lineup through August 2011:

First week of September 2010:  Huffer by Michael J. Hultquist

Halloween 2010:  Carnival of Fear by JG Faherty

December 2010:  A super-special surprise (currently in negotiation)

February 15, 2011:  The Wide Game by Michael West

April 15, 2011:  Looking at the World with Broken Glass in My Eye – a short story collection by Mark Justice

June 15, 2011:  The Beast Within 2 – edited by Jennifer Brozek

August 15, 2011:  The Bleeding Room by Barry Napier

I think that covers everything for now.  If anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me or Dale.  As always, thank you for your dedication to GST.  We appreciate your support!

~Myrrym Davies – Editor

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by Michael McCarty

 

 

Forget about the new Twilight movie, whatever it’s number is … 33 1/3. The problem with that series is, it’s too damn serious. That’s why HBO’s True Blood is so much more enjoyable. They aren’t afraid to have a few chuckles here and there. I’m also happy to hear that the movie Vampires Suck is coming out soon. It looks like a satire of all the vampire flicks.

 

It can be difficult to combine comedy and terror in one movie. For hardcore horror fans, the slapstick can get in the way of the scares … and for comedy fans, there may be too many spooks and not enough silliness. For these reasons, vampire comedies are often the Rodney Dangerfield of monster movies: they don't get the respect they deserve.

 

Monster comedies have an interesting beginning. Universal Studios, who brought us the big monsters of the '30s — Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy — was teetering near bankruptcy during the '40s and '50s. Universal decided to yuck it up with many of its famous monsters in several Abbott and Costello films. The comedy duo shared the bill with such creatures as the Mummy (and you thought this new mummy was the first to have comedy and chills?), the Invisible Man, and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. The first vampire comedy was Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which featured Bela Lugosi revisiting his role as Dracula.

For those who like their movies both frightening and funny, throw open the casket’s lid and chuckle at these vampire comedies.

 

LOVE AT FIRST BITE (1979)

American International Pictures

Starring George Hamilton (Dracula)

Directed by Stan Dragoti

93 Minutes (PG)

Rating: ***1/2

 

Over 30 years ago, theaters were invaded by three pivotal vampire films: a remake of Dracula with Frank Langella, a remake of Nosferatu, and the best of the lot, the comedy, Love at First Bite.

Normally suntanned George Hamilton goes pasty to play the famous count. He also adds a touch of romance and class and some great comic timing to the role. The film opens with Dracula playing the piano in his castle as wolves howl outside. He shouts: "Children of the night — shut up!"

 

With a situation comedy storyline, the Count is forced out his castle by the Communist government. So, Dracula takes his coffin and his faithful, bug-eating assistant Renfield (played by scene-stealing Arte Johnson from Laugh-In) and travels to New York City.

 

On a quest to win the affections of model Cindy Sondheim (Susan St. James), he has to deal with all the problems of modern night-life, as well as her psychiatrist boyfriend Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg (Richard Benjamin), a descendent of Van Helsing.

  

The chemistry works well between Hamilton and St. James. "Never a quickie," Dracula boasts, "always a longie." The Count's seduction of Cindy is a strange mix of sex, humor and a variation on the myth that three bites can transform a victim into a vampire.

One of best and most successful of the Dracula spoofs, Love at First Bite has withstood the test of time. Plenty of belly laughs, well worth seeking out.

 

 

ONCE BITTEN (1985)

Samuel Goldwyn

Starring Lauren Hutton (the Countess)

Directed by Howard Storm

94 minutes (PG-13)

Rating: ***

 

Before Jim Carrey was Ace Ventura, The Cable Guy, comedian Andy Kauffman or Truman, he played nerdy Mark Kendall: someone who is so geeky and clueless, he tries to go all the way with his uptight girlfriend Robin (Karen Kopins) in the front seat of an ice-cream truck with a big clown's head bouncing on top.

  

Enter the Countess (played by perky blonde Lauren Hutton), who needs to drink blood from a virgin three times before Halloween so she doesn’t age (a theme also found in Andy Warhol's Dracula, Love at First Bite and the Hammer classic, Countess Dracula). Unfortunately she lives in LA, a city not exactly crawling with virgins.

  

The underage Kendall and his even geekier pals go barhopping, hoping to score. Kendall ends up with the Countess who does a Mrs. Robinson routine with fangs.

  

The rest of the film follows our teenage protagonist through a limbo-land halfway between the vampire-state and the wonder years, with some brilliant comic moments for Carrey. Donning black clothes and dark shades as normal dress, he evens wins a costume as a vampire. "I'm not wearing a costume!" he insists.

  

Another highlight of this film is the Countess' gay butler,  played by Clevon Little (from Blazing Saddles) who lives in her closet. His over-the-top performance adds plenty of giggles. "I've come out of the closet centuries ago," he quips.

  

A PG-13 sex comedy, the sexual jokes should have been more explicit to get an R rating, or tamed down more to get a PG. Even so, Once Bitten succeeds at being a teenage sex-comedy version of Love at First Bite.

         

ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK (1988)

New World Pictures

Starring Cassandra Peterson (Elvira)

Written by John Paragon, Sam Egan & Cassandra Peterson

Directed by James Signorelli

96 minutes (PG-13)

Rating: ****

 

Movie critic Roger Ebert once described Elvira as "a cross between Mae West and Vampirella." That might explain the ever-lasting appeal of the sexiest of all vamps. She may not suck blood, but since this movie indicates that her family dabbles in the supernatural, I’m counting her as part of the vampire world (who knows, maybe Dracula was her grandpa).

  

The movie is about everyone's favorite well-endowed B-movie hostess, who’s already ready to share the occasional cleavage joke. "I’m the gal who put boo back into boob tube," she remarks at the beginning. Sure, she’s stuck hosting campy monster flicks, but her dream is to someday have her own Vegas show.

 

She heads off in her souped-up '58 T-Bird to the conservative town of Fallwell, Massachusetts. She travels to this decent community (as the sign leading into town says) to find out what her late Aunt Morgana left her in the will.

When she gets there, she learns that she now owns her Aunt's ramshackle, spooky house and a cute poodle named Gonk, who she transforms into a punk poodle. "I need a house in Fallwell like I need a padded bra," she gripes.

Elvira is soon at odds with the prudish town busybody, Chastity Pariah (Edie McClurg) who doesn't approve of the busty vamp’s lifestyle. Pariah says, "You won't fit into this town — you don't even fit into that dress."

 

The rest of the plot revolves around Elvira's weird family heritage, leering teens, a book of magic, and an evil Uncle who wants to take over the world. Plenty of naughty-but-nice fun.

 

The R&G Video Collector's Edition Gold Series version is highly recommend because it presents the film, a featurette, a profile of the T-Bird (the Macabremobile), and profiles of Elvira and Edie McClurg — a total of 12 minutes of miscellaneous material.

FYI, I interviewed Cassandra Peterson, a.k.a. Elvira in my book, Modern Mythmakers from McFarland: http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-3497-8

 

 

DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT (1995)

Castle Rock Entertainment

Starring Leslie Nielsen (Dracula)

Written by Mel Brooks, Rudy DeLuca, and Steve Haberman

Directed by Mel Brooks

90 minutes (PG-13)

Rating: ** 1/2

 

Mel Brooks is best-known for his comedies, but he is also a horror and sci-fi junkie. Not only did he make such genre comedy classics as Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs and High Anxiety, but he has also produced David Cronberg's 1986 remake of The Fly.

 

Although his Dracula comedy was bombarded by the critics, the movie plays well for vampire fans. His genuine affection for vampire films is evident from all the lavish sets and costumes (complete with plunging dress necklines showing off plenty of cleavage). The look of the movie is reminiscent of Hammer’s horror classics. Lysette Anthony, who plays Lucy, is a dead ringer for Hammer heroine Hazel Court.

 

The story is pretty much the standard Dracula plotline. The biggest difference — besides the spoof elements, of course — is that Renfield (Peter MacNicol does a delightful job) is played up and Harker is played down.

Mel Brooks, who co-wrote, produced and starred in the movie, parodies Nosferatu, tons of Hammer movies, and the Dracula performances of Bela Lugosi, Frank Langella, and Gary Oldman. Not as outrageous as most films by Brooks, but still worth a few good chuckles.

 

So, seek out these movies and sink your teeth into a vampire comedy!

 

- – -

Michael McCarty is the author of the vampire novel, Liquid Diet (www.khpindustries.com), and seventeen other books. His latest story collection, A Hell of a Job, is jam-packed with twenty-five short stories, including two vampire tales, “Extra Credit” and “For Better or for Worse,” both co-written with Terrie Leigh Relf. The story collection is available at: http://www.damnationbooks.com/book.php?isbn=9781615721177.

 

A Little Help From My Fiends, from Sam’s Dot Publishing, features twenty collaborative tales, including such campire yarns as “Lucania,” co-written with Sandy DeLuca; “The Substitute,” co-written with Michael Louis Calvillo; and “Dracula Has Risen from the Sofa (Plumped-Up Couch Potato Upgrade),” co-written with GravesideTales.com columnist Mark McLaughlin. You’ll find Fiends lurking in the Anthologies section of www.genre-mall.com.  

For more information on Michael’s projects, visit www.myspace.com/monsterbook or type his name into the search engine at www.Horror-Mall.com. You can contact Michael at monstermike69@hotmail.com

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Invited authors wanting to better understand what we are looking for or anyone wishing a digital copy of The Beast Within edited by Matt Hults can purchase a digital PDF copy for $2.99. 

Ordering information:

Send orders to orders@gravesidebooks.com

Include Your name & Paypal address

Once your order is received we will send you a Paypal invoice. Once paid we will send downloading information within 24 hrs.

You will be able to read this either on your computer or your eBook reader (most eBook Readers supported)

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Jennifer Brozek is a freelance author and editor for many RPG companies including Margaret Weis Productions, Savage Mojo, Rogue Games, and Catalyst Game Labs. Her contributions to RPG sourcebooks include Dragonlance, Colonial Gothic, Shadowrun, Serenity, Savage Worlds, and White Wolf SAS. Winner of the 2009 Australian Shadows Award for edited publication, Jennifer has edited three anthologies with more on the way. Author of In a Gilded Light, she has more than twenty-five published short stories, is the creator and editor of the semiprozine, The Edge of Propinquity, and is a submissions editor for the Apex Book Company. When she is not writing her heart out, she is gallivanting around the Pacific Northwest in its wonderfully mercurial weather. Jennifer is a member of Broad Universe, SFWA and HWA. To learn more about her, follow her blog at http://jennifer-brozek.livejournal.com/"

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by Brandon Layng

"It is encouraging to see how perfectly a book, even a dusty rule book, perpetuates and extends the spirit of a man."

– E.B White, from The Elements of Style

So you want to write a book? Good for you. Maybe good for us; the readers of your future accomplishment. I want you to write the next winner of the Stoker award for first novel. But you can’t do that if you don’t read. You need to get yourself booked before you can hope to ever hold your own book in your hands. And I want to give some suggestions. The following books I will be mentioning have all been invaluably helpful to me for different reasons.

The first is the above quoted "little book" by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style. Any published writer in the English language that has arrived at some degree of success in their chosen field will tell you to keep a copy in your back pocket and read it often. Memorize passages of this roughly hundred page book that encompasses more than just grammar. If the school system failed to teach you the fundamentals of grammar as it did me then the passages you will find clearly written in these pages will seem like a liberating revelation. At the usual price of $10 it is affordable, which means there is no excuse for a writer not to have a copy if they are serious about the craft.

I get asked all the time to recommend books that would be helpful to other writers and the most influential one I have come across has been Noah Lukeman’s The First Five Pages. Written from the POV of an Agent, Editor and Writer, Lukeman puts the mysteries of the industry behind the books that end up on the shelves into the light of day and into easy to understand terms. After you read his examples in each chapter of where a paragraph can go wrong, you stop and think of your own writing, realizing that you’ve made the same mistakes numerous times. I’ve slapped my head to the point of bruising over such easily avoidable mistakes. Lukeman takes it a step further by giving end-of-chapter exercises to follow, encouraging you to rip apart your manuscript until it is lean, mean and the best it can be. I’ve read the book at least eight times now and never fail to come away with something new each time.

A quarter memoir, a quarter confessional and half instruction manual, Stephen King’s On Writing is at the top of many list. Written in King’s usual laid back and conversational tone. It comes across like a self-help seminar at times but never fails to inspire through the heartfelt descriptions of his childhood, using the landmarks in his writing life as platforms to give easy to remember lessons through very visual and at times amusing writing. A must-have; less for hard fact, more for inspiration. The man makes you torn between hearing what he has to say and getting your own words on the screen.

Writing Horror by Edo Van Belkom, is a hard to find book but worth the search. Van Belkom lives in Toronto and writes a wide range of horror, including the popular Wolfpack YA horror series. The book reads like an easy to relate to text book and some of the information provided can be found in much easier to locate books on the craft but Van Belkom has some serious style that would be worth learning for any new author.

If King’s book is in part inspirational then The Writing Fairy Guide to Calling Yourself a Writer by Dorothea Helms is all inspirational and motivating. Helms has made a living out of writing and approaches it daily as a business the same as going to work at a regular nine-to-five job but one she takes great joy in, even when it gets hard to do. The first thing she starts off with is by giving the reader permission to call themselves "a writer". It seems like a simple concept but I saw her lecture at a local library and let me tell you as a young writer plagued with self-doubt, it is intensely liberating to be told it is okay to tell people that I am a writer. I used to tell people I write. Never that I was a writer. It helped to feel less guilty about this after my first publication but thanks to Mrs. Helms I now say it without shame. Filled with motivational exercises that break down the self-imposed barriers we all put up, I think you’ll find her lessons invaluable.

There are many other books out there and you should seek them out. Not just in your chosen field of horror but in other genres as well. I’ve learned many great lessons from reading books on writing mystery and thrillers as well as romance even. A good novel incorporates some of the elements of these other genres and a great novel that will appeal to many and stand the test of time to be called a classic incorporates all of those elements. Life isn’t just filled with horror. There is mystery, love, and history. Don’t forget that and readers won’t forget the tale you weave.

To take this lesson a step further is also to remember that a book shouldn’t only be fiction, for no fiction can stand without support in fact and to help with this aspect the library is your friend. Research the people, places, occupations and events of your story but when writing don’t bog the story down with too many facts otherwise you might as well right a text book on the subject. Roughly 80% of what you learn while researching shouldn’t make it into the final product. You’ll know what things to include and the rest is only there to help you write those things with confidence. If you feel like you don’t know what you’re talking about it will come across in your work and readers will pick up on that; feeling even more lost than you. Plus you’ll be so worried that you’re not getting your facts straight you’ll forget to write believable prose. The end effect won’t be a fun experience. Knowing your facts lets you write them as if it were second nature.

I’d also like to encourage anyone reading this who has a book they would recommend to list it here in the comments section if it hasn’t already appeared above. Pass on them gems people.

Now, hit the books!

** I’d like to add one more book I have found since this article originally appeared. The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass. Maass is the head of one of the top literary agencies that represents genre fiction and the man knows what he’s talking about as he dissects the most noteworthy books around throughout his own guide. He gives examples of how individual authors have found the magic that keeps the readers reading their bestsellers and tells you how to duplicate it. It’s a must have for any writer’s shelf. Buy a copy for the office, the car and the bathroom. Read it again and again and you will never stop finding new ways of improving your own work.

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Every year on Halloween, strange things happen in the small community of Harvest Hill. The 31 stories (one for each day in October) are so well crafted that Harvest Hill actually comes alive and makes you want to go there to see if things really do go bump in the night on Halloween. The editors did a remarkable job compiling some pretty great stories and I hope there is another volume of this anthology soon.

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