Cover Reveal for Lucas Mangum’s We Are The Accused

Sinister Grin Press is excited to reveal the cover for We Are The Accused  by author Lucas Mangum! His new novella with a cover done by graphic artist Scott Carpenter.

The release date is January 15th, but you can pre-order in e-book now and have it hit your Kindle that day! Print will be available on release day.

We Are The Accused, Synopsis -

A mad god lusts for power. Two demon lovers lust for death. An ancient man seeks to devour plagues natural and supernatural.

All converge on the small town of Blue Brook, Pennsylvania to wage war unlike any other, yet strangely familiar.

Bianca is an Afghanistan war veteran turned police detective whose ex-con high school sweetheart has just come home. Boone is a boy entrusted with immense power and a mother who’s struggling to hold their family together. Lafferty is a priest with many secrets.

All are caught in the middle of something beyond their understanding. The inner and outer darkness of each doomed soul must be faced.

And blood will be shed.

WE ARE THE ACCUSED is a book for fans of the TV shows SUPERNATURAL and PREACHER, and is similar in tone to Jonathan Maberry’s GHOST ROAD BLUES and Brian Keene’s A GATHERING OF CROWS. It’s a story about coming to grips with darkness, both external and internal; it is also, at its heart, an adventure.

Lucas Mangum, Biography

Lucas Mangum lives in Austin, Texas. He is the author of FLESH AND FIRE, MANIA, ENGINES OF RUIN, GODS OF THE DARK WEB, and WE ARE THE ACCUSED. Though he avoids social media these days, he loves to hear from readers, and can be contacted at [email protected]

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Revealed! The Surreal Cover of Matt Hayward’s Next Novel, The Faithful, is Here!

Revealed! The Surreal Cover of Matt Hayward’s Next Novel, The Faithful, is Here!

 

Sinister Grin Press enthusiastically welcomes back author Matt Hayward to their catalog, with his novel, The Faithful. After the successful publishing of his debut short story collection Brain Dead Blues at Sinister Grin, we hope that fans will rave about his newest novel too.

 

The Faithful is due out October 15, 2018 in e-book and print and will be internationally available. However, you can now pre-order The Faithful in e-book at the link!

 

This breathtaking, eerie cover was designed by artist Matt Davis with specifications from the author. Davis use of layering and color brings this cover straight to the eye and holds it there, while taking in every nuance.

 

Also, if you look, each of Hayward’s covers has a color theme  – Brain Dead Blues, his debut short story collection from Sinister Grin was blue, What Do Monsters Fear? was purple, and The Faithful is an orange hue.

 

(Pre-order link)

 

“The piece I did for The Faithful is one of my favorite things I’ve done lately. Sinister Grin gave me a lot of creative freedom when it came to executing the art, and I ran with it,” said Davis about creating the cover. “Everything kind of came together, flowing first out of nothing and then out of itself. I love using texture in my work, and in this piece, it’s layered with tons of texture across every inch of it that makes the central elements-the church, and the eye-seem to grow out of their surroundings. You can really see all the layers and the textures when it’s all desaturated way down. The original version was entirely monochrome, and all of the vivid, outrageous color came at the end.”

 

The Faithful, Synopsis -

 

 (Pre-Order Link)

At the Mountains of Madness meets They Live! in a new novel from Matt Hayward, the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of What Do Monsters Fear?

 

After comedian Leo Cartwright performs his farewell comedy show in New York City, a young man ailed by cerebral palsy confides in him about odd dreams and a place he calls No Man’s Land. Leo thinks nothing of it until the man, Christopher Tate, winds up dead, along with a cryptic note taped to the comedian’s RV window: See you soon, Funnyman.

 

Leo sets out to find the truth about Christopher’s dreams to an odd town named Elswich. Shown to Leo in a dream by a mysterious man named Jarrad Prescott, the town prays to an Otherworldly god named Aypep and give their bodies to host his children in return for eternal life in the Otherworld.

 

It’s a wish granted through sacrifice…

 

Praise for Hayward -

 

“Hayward bleeds onto the page…” - Brian Keene, author of The Rising and Ghoul

 

“… the future of the horror genre is changing hands, and there is a whole new brew of writers assuming the task. Matt Hayward leading that pack.” - Edward Lee, author of The Bighead and White Trash Gothic

 

Matt Hayward. Biography -

 

Matt Hayward is a Bram Stoker Award-nominated author and musician from Wicklow, Ireland. His books include BRAIN DEAD BLUES, WHAT DO MONSTERS FEAR?, and PRACTITIONERS (with Patrick Lacey). He compiled the best-selling anthology WELCOME TO THE SHOW and is currently writing a novel with Bryan Smith. Matt wrote the comic book THIS IS HOW IT ENDS (now a music video) for the band WALKING PAPERS and received a nomination for Irish short story of the year from Penguin Books in 2017. His work can be found in LOST HIGHWAYS, CLICKERS FOREVER, TALES FROM THE LAKE, DARK MOON DIGEST, THE HORROR ZINE, and more. His websites is www.sundancecrow.com and he can be found on Twitter at @MattHaywardIRE.

 

About Sinister Grin Press

Sinister Grin Press publishes horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban, and western novels. Most of our books are so horrifying they’re categorized as “books that’ll carve a smile on your face!” However, we are very proud of our other genres as well. Please peruse our back catalog for an array of titles and follow us to learn about our new and upcoming books. We have some superb authors on board to offer you what we hope will be some of your best reads of the year. Find us at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Cover Reveal for Twin Lakes from the Sisters of Slaughter

Cover Reveal - Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires from the Sisters of Slaughter Rings in a Sinister Fall

Sinister Grin Press is thrilled to announce that the Sisters of Slaughter are back with us for another book, just in time to ring in the Autumn and Halloween season! Twin Lakes:  Autumn Fires is perfect for setting the mood and will appeal not only to fans of thrilling horror, but also small-town crime. The outstanding cover art we reveal to you here was done by artist Zach McCain. He captures the atmosphere and mood of the book, and the autumn fires, perfectly. We hope you love it – let us know!

The cover coupled with an excellent story brings about a book you absolutely need on your bookshelf this Fall. We also reveal the back-cover copy below the cover, so be sure to check that out too.

You can pre-order now at a discount to receive the e-book on the release date of September 30th.  A beautiful paperback will be available on release date.

(Pre-Order Link)

Now, without further hesitation, we present to you the cover for Twin Lakes:  Autumn Fires.

 

 

It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? In his own words, artist Zach McCain talks about how the cover came about through his mind and hand. Check out the work in progress below.

Creation of the Cover by Zach McCain

The direction for this cover was a campfire casting a shadow of a demon and some satanic looking runes worked in.  The tricky part was figuring out what this “shadow” could be cast on seeing that it’s an outdoor setting and how the runes would be worked into the image.  I did three quick sketches.

 

 

My first idea was that the demon’s shadow could be cast on a giant rock and that the runes would be chiseled into the rock.  The second idea was that the shadow would be cast on the ground and the runes would be sketched into the dirt.  And the final idea I had was that the shadow wouldn’t be cast on anything at all and just be darkness and that the runes would be made of sparks from the fire.  What ended up being chosen was the third idea.

 

When I started drawing the actual thing I got the idea that part of the shadow/demon would “bleed” into the empty spaces between the trees.

 

 

As the drawing progressed I started to add the runes to the fire and continued making the dark areas darker and the light areas lighter.

 

 

I initially planned for the image to have movement but when I looked at the final version I realized while it had motion there wasn’t enough to make me happy so I digitally adjusted the flow of the fire and the demon.

 

 

This was a cover that was difficult at the start but ended up being a very fun one to work on. I was quite pleased with the final product.

 

Twin Lakes: Autumn Fires

A campfire in the distance should be a relief to a victim on the run, but instead, it signals darkness and the doorway to evil….

When Liz accepts a ride from a stranger, she ultimately becomes the victim of a heinous crime. After fighting off her attacker, she stumbles towards a campfire in the distance and onto the scene of a violent murder. The terror of discovering a decapitated young woman is only the beginning, as when the shadows begin to move, she finds that this new killer has set his sights on her. He wants her to share in an autumn fire.

Meanwhile local law enforcement, along with a secret group of town founders, are working to solve the murders and end to the autumn fires. Can they stop the perpetrator in time before he gets to Liz? The ancestors have centuries of wisdom on their side, and yet, will it be enough to stop a murderer calling upon the power of demons to guide him? After generations of hiding, will their identity be revealed to the unsuspecting citizens of Twin Lakes?

From the Bram Stoker nominated authors of Mayan Blue comes a new tale woven to introduce you to the creepiest of towns. For fans of Twin Peaks, Wayward Pines, or the new Castle Rock, this one is sure to draw you in.

(Pre-Order Link )

Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason, Biographies

Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason are a twin sister writing team from Arizona. They have been writing together since they were little girls and have been dubbed the Sisters of Slaughter for writing a mixture of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. They’ve been published by Sinister Grin Press, JEA/Wetworks, Thunderstorm Books, Bloodshot Books, Eraserhead Press, and Fireside Press. Their debut novel Mayan Blue was released by Sinister Grin Press, earning a nomination for a Bram Stoker Award. They’re currently working on Silverwood: The Door with Brian Keene, Richard Chizmar, and Stephen Kozeniewski, which is a serial horror story put out through Serialbox, the HBO of literature. Check the sister writing duo out on Amazon for more details about their other projects and find them on Twitter or their Facebook Author Page.

About Sinister Grin Press

Sinister Grin Press publishes horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban, and western novels. Most of our books are so horrifying they’re categorized as “books that’ll carve a smile on your face!” However, we are very proud of our other genres as well. Please peruse our back catalog for an array of titles and follow us to learn about our new and upcoming books. We have some superb authors on board to offer you what we hope will be some of your best reads of the year. Find us at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Cover Reveal : Kill Hill Carnage by Tim Meyer

Kill Hill Carnage is a full-adrenaline ride like nothing else you’ll read this summer. From all of us at Sinister Grin Press, we can’t wait to share it with you on its debut of July 15, 2018, when it will be available in e-book and paperback.

Check out this amazing cover by Zach McCain, reminiscent of an 80s VHS release! We hope you like it as much as we do. You’ll be sweating on the beach for more reasons than one!

“Zach nailed the cover,” author Tim Meyer, said. “Love the design. I mean, this beauty captures the story’s tone perfectly. Just look at that mutant! Epic. Already have it hanging on the wall in my writing office.”

(PRE-ORDER HERE)

McCain, the cover artist, gives us a glimpse into the “making of” the cover so you can see the inside scoop and process. Thanks Zach!

The Making of Kill Hill Carnage

“I was very excited to work on this cover because I would have the chance to draw a monster, McCain said.  “It’s ironic that being an illustrator in the horror business I can count on one hand the opportunities I’ve had to put a monster on a cover.  I was really looking forward to this one.

The direction was to have a cabin or campground with a monster looming over it.  So I did a couple of very basic sketches.  The decision was to go with #1.”

 

 

“At first, I liked the basic pyramid composition of the #1 sketch even though it has been used countless times on horror covers but once I started doing the actual drawing it started to look stiff,” McCain continued.  “Like there was a lack of energy behind it.  I started completely over but kept the general composition intact.”

 

 

“I had the idea that the trees would blend into the veins on the monster’s body,” McCain said.  “Suddenly it started to look and feel much better to me.

As with most covers I do it’s always the beginning part of the process that is the most difficult.  Once I got the image looking the way I wanted the rest was just a matter of color.”

 

 

“Something that I was worried at first might look boring ended up being one of the more enjoyable covers I’ve worked on,” McCain said.

 

PRE-ORDER E-BOOK NOW

 

Kill Hill Carnage, Synopsis -

These woods are dark and full of monsters…

In 1991, hell was unleashed upon Saint Christopher’s Summer Camp for Kids. The killers left behind piles of bodies and rivers of blood. Some say a family of inbred cannibals was responsible. A masked psychopath with a butcher’s knife is another popular theory. Some still believe a camp counselor lost his mind and went crazy on everyone with an axe. But there’s also the mysterious, derelict factory that sits nearby, atop Kill Hill. A place where urban legends are manufactured, both the grotesque and bizarre.

Twenty-five years later, the factory on Kill Hill is still said to be operational, but no one can get near it. It’s safely guarded along with the secrets within. But there are a few loose strings and hitman Frank Harmon has been sent to tie them up. His kill list is short, but the night is long and full of unspeakable horrors. With the help of a few college students on an impromptu camping adventure, Frank must contain the mess at Kill Hill before it spreads to the neighboring towns. Before it infects the entire country. Before it invades the entire world.

From the fantastical, high-octane mind of Tim Meyer, author of Sharkwater Beach and In the House of Mirrors, comes his most frightening tale yet! Summer camp this year is at your own risk.

 

Tim Meyer, Biography -  

Tim Meyer dwells in a dark cave near the Jersey Shore. He’s an author, husband, father, podcast host, blogger, coffee connoisseur, beer enthusiast, and explorer of worlds. He writes horror, mysteries, science fiction, and thrillers, although he prefers to blur genres and let the stories fall where they may. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter as @timmeyer11, or his blog www.timmeyerwrites.com.

Media/Reviewers -

Digital ARCS will be available in July for those interested in reviewing, so plan your schedule now or put in an early request. Scheduling is also underway for interviews or features with Meyer. Please contact Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi at [email protected] or find her on Twitter at @erinalmehairi, if interested.

Sinister Grin Press -

Sinister Grin Press publishes horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban, and western novels. Most of our books are so horrifying they’re categorized as “books that’ll carve a smile on your face!” However, we are very proud of our other genres as well. Please peruse our back catalog for an array of titles and follow us to learn about our new and upcoming books for 2018. We have some superb authors on board to offer you what we hope will be some of your best reads of the year. Find us at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Cover Reveal: Under the Bronze Moon by Richard J. O’Brien

Cover Reveal: Under the Bronze Moon is SGP First Fantasy Release of 2018

Sinister Grin Press is very excited to reveal the cover for our first fantasy title of the year, UNDER THE BRONZE MOON, by Richard O’Brien. It will be published on June 15, 2018 and available in e-book and paperback formats.

This adult fantasy novel is a beautiful literary work of art that will take you through time via flashbacks, but you’ll always feel in the moment with these characters who’ve set their course on redemption. We hope fantasy readers who love the great works of literature in history will appreciate this novel.

Learn about the creation of the cover here and be sure to let us know what you think!

“I was fortunate enough to be presented with a few different ideas from Zach regarding the cover for Under the Bronze Moon,” said O’Brien. “Then came the cover that changed everything. As soon as I opened the image, I thought this is absolutely the right cover for several reasons. The cover captures the overall otherworldly aspects of the book. In addition, the lone figure standing before the moon is done in such a way that his identity remains a mystery—perhaps symbolizing three different characters who witness firsthand, at various points in the story, something that is not supposed to exist. Lastly the giant moon, rather feral-looking as it dwarfs the lone figure, represents the magnitude of a long-held secret that is revealed within the story.”

Creation of Under the Bronze Moon
by Zach McCain, artist

The direction for this cover was a bronze colored moon rising over the horizon and a man standing in front of it.  The author mentioned liking a series of covers done by another artist, so I looked her up and tried to do something in a similar style.

  

The author ended up choosing to go with my traditional style artwork instead.  I did a simple thumbnail sketch which was approved.

I worked so quickly on this one that I forgot to take progress shots along the way.

The finished image:

Next, I did a few different versions with text and this is the one that was finally approved.

It took a lot of different ideas and drafts before getting rolling but once the sketch was approved everything came together very fast.

We appreciate Zach working so hard to produce such a phenomenal cover for Richard’s glowing literature. Fantasy fans don’t want to miss out on this one.

Under the Bronze Moon, Back Cover Copy –

In Under the Bronze Moon, Professor Harold Miller discovers the otherworldly inspiration for the late writer R.J. Hyatt’s only published novel, The Land of Dust and Honey—a long, dense exploration into an alternate world discovered by a soldier of The Great War and a young girl from a different century. When his publisher tasks him with locating a ‘lost novel’ by Hyatt, the scholar travels to meet Hyatt’s literary estate heir, May Weldon.

There he learns that May wants his assistance in her passing from this world. For his help, Miller is rewarded with a well-guarded treasure and access to the fabled world from which Hyatt drew his inspiration. For a scholar who devoted his adult life to R.J. Hyatt’s work, it is a dream fulfilled. How long the scholar will remember his life-changing experience, after May is gone for good, is something else altogether.

Pre-Order Kindle Version Here

Richard J. O’Brien, Biography –

Richard J. O’Brien’s stories have appeared in 13 Horror, Disturbed Digest, Encounters Magazine, The Del Sol Review, Vicious Circle: Season One, and other publications. His novels include The Garden of Fragile Things (Vagabondage Press, 2015) and Infestation (Sinister Grin Press, 2016). Richard lives in New Jersey. He earned his MFA in Creative Writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University. When he’s not busy writing, he teaches writing and literature at Rowan College at Gloucester County and Stockton University. Find out more on Richard J. O’Brien at his website.

Media/Reviewers -

Digital ARCS will be available soon for those interested in reviewing, so plan your schedule now or put in an early request. Scheduling is also underway for interviews or features with O’Brien. Please contact Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi at [email protected] or find her on Twitter at @erinalmehairi, if interested.

Sinister Grin Press -

Sinister Grin Press publishes horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban, and western novels. Most of our books are so horrifying they’re categorized as “book that’ll carve a smile on your face!” However, we are very proud of our other genres as well. Please peruse our back catalog for an array of titles as well as follow us to learn about our new and upcoming books for 2018. We have some superb authors on board to offer you what we hope will be some of your best reads of the year. Find us at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

 

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Cover Reveal of Toroa by Erik Hofstatter

Sinister Grin Press is pleased to announce the next book on our publishing list, Toroa by Erik Hofstatter, which is publishing May 15, 2018. We are even more pleased to show you the surreal cover created by Zach McCain. We just think it’s mesmerizing! Let us know your thoughts.

The beautiful cover is the icing on the cake as the story is phenomenal as well, so don’t delay in pre-ordering it in e-book or purchasing a print copy for your collection on publication day.

(Pre-Order)

“The direction I was given for this cover was very basic:  a sea, a large bird, darkened sky, and perhaps a cliff,” said artist Zach McCain.  “As far as planning I didn’t do any sketches or think too hard about it.  All I knew is that it should have motion, so I chose to have the bird flying and to have the waves crashing against the rocks. I just jumped right in.  For some reason the title of the book made me think of book covers from the 1970s and so about partway through as I was working on it I knew I wanted to capture a little bit of that vibe without it being obvious.  I ended up being very happy with the result.  A very simple cover on one hand but also one that has mood and a touch of nostalgia.”

At Sinister Grin Press, we were enthralled by the mood evoked by the cover of Toroa! It’s breathtaking and we hope all our readers think so too.

“Zach’s brush captures the brewing, emotional cataclysm with a perfect storm of bleak, melancholic colors, and in the heart of it all - a lamenting albatross, its colossal wings blackening like death’s embrace,” said author Erik Hoffstatter.

Toroa, Back Cover Copy –

Infants are vanishing all over Waitangi, a small island nestled in the Pacific Ocean. The local tribe believes a colossal albatross is responsible. Worse still, they are convinced that the seabird had been trained to carry out these sinister kidnappings. On the other side of the globe, in England, a troubled Maori girl falls in love with Aryan — a charismatic fire-breather. As their doomed relationship unfolds, a tragedy strikes, leaving her forever changed. Grieving, she travels to the island in desperate search of her estranged father and seeking answers to her shrouded origins. Will her actions influence the mysterious events occurring on the isle?

Erik Hofstatter, Biography -

Erik Hofstatter is a dark fiction writer and a member of the Horror Writers Association. Born in the wild lands of the Czech Republic, he roamed Europe before subsequently settling on English shores, studying creative writing at the London School of Journalism. He now dwells in Kent, where he can be encountered consuming copious amounts of mead and tyrannizing local peasantry. His work appeared in various magazines and podcasts around the world such as Morpheus Tales, Crystal Lake Publishing, The Literary Hatchet, Sanitarium Magazine, Wicked Library, Tales to Terrify, and Manor House Show. Rare Breeds is out now via Dark Silo Press as well as Toroa from Sinister Grin Press, on May 15, 2018.

Website: www.erikhofstatter.net

Twitter: @ErikHofstatter

Facebook: www.facebook.com/erikhofstatter

Media/Reviewers

Digital ARCS will be available in early May for those interested in reviewing, so plan your schedule now or put in an early request. Scheduling is also underway for interviews or features with Hofstatter. Please contact Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi at [email protected] or find her on Twitter at @erinalmehairi, if interested.

Sinister Grin Press -

Sinister Grin Press publishes horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban, and western novels. Most of our books are so horrifying they’re categorized as “book that’ll carve a smile on your face!” Please peruse our back catalog for an array of titles as well as follow us to learn about our new and upcoming books for 2018. We have some superb authors on board to offer you what we hope will be some of your best reads of the year.

 

 

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Check Out New Cover for The Journal of Jeremy Todd

Sinister Grin Press is thrilled to show you a new REVISED cover created by artist Matt Davis for The Journal of Jeremy Todd by author John Quick, which was published July 2017 and is available now in e-book and print. This composition notebook-style cover was created painstakingly by hand with the graphic ability of Matt, then the rest of the art over laid. The photo of the Riverside Mental Health Center, the facility the book was found in (*wink*), is paperclipped to the upper corner to draw the reader in.

Unlike most books, this won’t have back cover copy, but instead is a continuation of the art just like a real journal. It does seem to have encountered a bloody hand, though, and an investigation is underway.

An introduction to the book will grace the inside front pages to begin this book. The Journal of Jeremy Todd is written in first person and is the account of Jeremy Todd. Is he crazy? He says he’s not. Only you can decide based on his found journal, which we’ve published on behalf of the Riverview Mental Health Center (*wink wink*). When the journal was found, there were many other clues tucked inside as well, such as a medical report, a letter, a newspaper article, and photos

These clues (in reality) were nicely designed for Sinister Grin by graphic artist Kevin Robel of Robel Graphics and placed in the book.

Please let us know what you think!

OR ORDER NOW ON AMAZON

The Journal of Jeremy Todd, Synopsis -

“I am not crazy.

I’ve had some issues. That I won’t deny. But am I crazy? I suppose that’s going to be up to you to figure out.

This is what happened to me around the time of my high school reunion. This is what I did, and why I did it. The story not only of that reunion and the events surrounding it, the ones you’ve probably read about in the papers, but about the things that happened during high school that make it necessary for things to play out the way they did. This is what happened to me, and to all those kids who thought I was simply a target in school. This is the true story of what they did to me, and what I did to them in return.

Once you’ve read my tale, I’m sure you’ll agree that I’m not crazy.

And who cares what that judge thought, anyway?”

From John Quick, the author of the highly regarded debut novel Consequences, and the collection, Three Shots and a Chaser, comes a unique tale of simmering madness and revenge. The Journal of Jeremy Todd, found by Riverview Mental Hospital staff, has now been made public.

John Quick, Biograpy –

John Quick has been reading and writing scary and disturbing stuff for as long as he can remember and is happy to now be releasing some of his creations upon the world.

John Quick

His debut novel, Consequences, is available now as a paperback or digital format. At the end of 2016 he published a small short story collection, called Three Shots and a Chaser, with a unique idea of wrapping those stories around a main story. It’s available in digital or print formats as well. Having now released The Journal of Jeremy Todd, with Sinister Grin Press, last July, and Damnation Trail, on April 17, 2018, he looks forward to letting you know about other upcoming titles soon. He lives in Middle Tennessee with his wife, two kids, and four dogs that think they’re kids.

When he’s not hard at work on his next novel, you can find him online at http://johnquickauthor.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Sinister Grin Press

While you’re here, check out what else Sinister Grin Press has to offer by looking around our site. We have plenty of books in all sub-genres of horror that are sure to “carve a smile on your face.”

 

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12 Gauge: Songs from a Street Sweeper by Dustin LaValley Cover Reveal

12 Gauge: Songs from a Street Sweeper Cover Reveal

We are very excited at Sinister Grin Press to unveil the cover for Dustin LaValley’s next book with us, 12 Gauge: Songs from a Street Sweeper, which is a collection of his novellas. The set includes Spinner, H/armed, and The Deceived. The Deceived, a psychological thriller, has already been optioned for film. The collection will publish in July 2018, but digital pre-order will be available very soon.

We won’t keep you in suspense, but present you with the cover, then be sure to follow after to the rest of the article below to hear thoughts from the author and the artist.

“One of the best things about my experiences working with Sinister Grin so far has been all the creative freedom they give me in executing covers for them,” Davis said. “It says a lot about how they trust my decision-making process, and that allows me to go into every project uninhibited as far as the kinds of ideas I think I want to try.

With the cover for 12 Gauge, I wanted to try something at least thematically similar to the previous cover I’d done for a Dustin LaValley book: A Soundless Dawn. I wanted to do something that evoked the same kind of reaction, so I went with something abstract and minimalist. Both of the pieces play with themes of sound and song, so the imagery reflects that. Texture is important, too. I always try to pile on layers of subtle textures to push the eye around.”

LaValley agreed that the art reflects the content and is very happy with the work. At Sinister Grin Press, our hope is that readers are drawn in as well to the entire package.

“Matt Davis has done a fantastic job with 12 Gauge: Songs from A Street Sweeper, LaValley said. “Displaying the frayed characteristics of those found within while at the same time, keep the cool and calm, stoic simplicity of the work in full view.  I couldn’t be happier with the cover art.”

12 Gauge : Songs from a Street Sweeper, Synopsis –

12 Gauge : Songs from A Street Sweeper includes three white-knuckled novellas.

Spinner

A prison escapee leads law enforcement on a chase through the Adirondack Mountains, where
they encounter a reclusive elderly man with a dark secret.

H/armed

An ultra-violent satirical commentary on societal norms, cliques, and obedience.

The Deceived

A criminal pair invade the home of the wrong man on the wrong day.

Praise

“Spinner is a thriller, a horror story, and an adventure narrative. It’s also a lot of fast, bloody,
violent fun.” - Gabino Iglesias, Horror Talk

“LaValley creates a non-stop, adrenaline ride of violence and mayhem, in a setting Americans
know all so well. H/armed is a bloody, relentless and visceral assault on the senses. Wickedly
entertaining.” - Paul Hough, writer/director of The Human Race

The Deceived is equal parts thrilling, creepy, and downright brutal. A wonderful tale.”
- Ronald Malfi, author of Bone White

Dustin LaValley, Biography -                              

Dustin LaValley was unable to attend the black-tie gala to receive the SUNY Parnassus Award for Creative Writing, as he had a fight in New Hampshire the same night, where he brought home gold. He’s had several books published, and as a screenwriter several scripts produced. His psychological thriller novella The Deceived, which is included in (12 Gauge) Songs from a Street Sweeper, has been optioned for film. He lives in the Adirondacks of New York, where he’s a practicing Sensei of Seito Shito Ryu karate and Okinawan jujutsu.

Media/Reviewers

Digital ARCS will be available within the next week for those interested in reviewing. Scheduling is also underway for interviews or features with LaValley. Please contact Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi at [email protected] or find her on Twitter at @erinalmehairi, if interested.

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Jason Parent’s They Feed Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal for THEY FEED by Jason Parent

 

The first book of 2018 to be published at Sinister Grin Press is a horror novel called THEY FEED by Jason Parent. It’s due to be out April 15 in e-book and paperback formats on most major online retail sites.

Today, we want to reveal the fantastic cover for THEY FEED and give you some information about the book! Stay tuned to our blog, Twitter, and Facebook ongoing for news such as pre-order and launch of this book, as well as other upcoming books.

(Pre-order now available for Kindle edition)

 

About the Cover

 

The artist on the project for Sinister Grin Press was Zach McCain. “The idea for this cover was simple,” he said. “A rundown cabin in the woods. I started by doing a pencil drawing but the overall feel was too soft and not edgy enough. I decided to go the digital route and use lots of black. The second attempt achieved the proper tone.”

At Sinister, we feel that the cover truly absorbs the atmosphere of the story and draws the reader into the darkness of the story.

 

“I love the cover for They Feed! It’s dark, it’s beautiful, it’s sinister… Zach perfectly captures that border between two realities, that moment at dusk when the world of day creatures come to an end and the slithering things of the night have their reign,” Parent said, of his new cover.

 

Are you wondering what THEY FEED is about?

 

The night uncovers all we wish not to see.

 

A troubled man enters a dusky park before sunset. A young woman follows, hidden in shadow. Both have returned to the park to take back something the past has stolen from them, to make right six long years of suffering, and to find justice or perhaps redemption—or maybe they’ll settle for some old-fashioned revenge.

 

But something evil is alive and awake in those woods, creatures that care nothing for human motivations. They’re driven by their own insatiable need: a ravenous, bottomless hunger.

 

The campgrounds are full tonight, and the creatures are starving. Before the night is over, they will feed.

 

An unrelenting tale of terror from Jason Parent, acclaimed author of People of the Sun and What Hides Within.

 

Jason Parent, Biography –

Jason is an author of horror, thrillers, mysteries, science fiction, and dark humor, though his many novels, novellas, and short stories tend to blur the boundaries between these genres. From his award-winning first horror/mystery novel, What Hides Within, to his widely applauded police procedural/supernatural thriller, Seeing Evil, Jason’s work has won him praise from both critics and fans of diverse genres alike. His work has been compared to that of some of his personal favorite authors, such as Chuck Palahniuk, Jack Ketchum, Tess Gerritsen, and Joe Hill.

 

Jason grew up near Fall River, Massachusetts, the setting for several of his novels. He has lived in New England most his life, currently residing in Rhode Island.

 

Sinister Grin Press -

 

Sinister Grin Press publishes horror, fantasy, science fiction, urban, and western novels. Most of our books are so horrifying they’re categorized as “books you can sink your teeth into!” Please peruse our back catalog for an array of titles as well as follow us to learn about our new and upcoming books for 2018. We have some superb authors on board to offer you what we hope will be some of your best reads of the year.

 

 

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David Bernstein’s Episodes of Violence Cover Revealed

At Sinister Grin Press, we are thrilled to welcome back David Bernstein to our publishing catalog again this year. For July, we are releasing his novel, Episodes of Violence, in limited edition hardback. Orders will be taken until July 30. Soon after, it will also be available in print and digital formats too! David feels this is one of his most brutal and emotional manuscripts yet, and we feel it’s one of his most accomplished. If you’re a fan of the books of Jack Ketchum, you’ll want to pick this one up. You’ll definitely want it if you’re already a fan of David himself. Let us entice you further with the outstanding piece of art that is the cover, created by none other than artist Zack McCain. Check out the synopsis below, view the cover, and then continue to read, as Zack explains about the covers creation.

 

 

Episodes of Violence, Synopsis –

Amber had been looking forward to college life. She loved high school and was certain college would be even better, especially since she pledged one of the sororities on campus. At least that was what she thought, until one night her soul was fractured and darkness awoke within her.

Unable to cope, she returns home hoping to heal. Unfortunately, her hometown is wrought with brutal violence. People are being slaughtered in random fashion. The police are clueless. Despite the surrounding chaos, she is still determined to thrive.

However, when the violence shows up at her front door and rips her life apart, she realizes that the darkness within her is the only thing that will keep her sane and alive.

From the storyteller mastermind David Bernstein, author of Witch Island and A Mixed Bag of Blood, comes one of his most gut-wrenching tales yet. You might not sleep after this one.

 

 

PRE-ORDER LIMITED EDITION HERE

 

Creating the Cover
by Zack McCain

 

My direction from Sinister Grin was that there was to be three images stacked on top of each other, but slightly offset.  The top image was to be of someone playing “mailbox baseball.” The middle image should be a close-up of a woman’s eyes with a terrified look.  And the bottom image should be of a woman carrying a knife in one hand and a severed head in the other.

 

I started off by doing a sketch.

 

 

Once the sketch was approved, I began drawing it out on a comic book board.  Once I had it scanned into the computer, I began adding color and texture to the background.

 

 

After laying down some color, I realized it needed more contrast so I began adding highlights and making the darks… darker.

 

 

As soon as the images started to look right, I started trying out different fonts.  League Gothic seemed to fit the best.  But I wasn’t very happy with it being a straight line across the top and the bottom.  And the cover was still lacking something that would make it flow better from top to bottom.

 

 

I decided to offset the text and have it stacked just as the images are stacked and offset from each other.  The cover began to flow much better after that.  The final piece was adding some blood spatter to the background connecting each of the images.

 

 

A very straightforward cover compared to some.  The real challenge was finding a way to give movement to a cover that had the potential to be very static.

 

At Sinister Grin, we feel  that Zack really made this cover pop with his artistic talent to create something unique that you’ll want to own to accentuate the stellar content inside.

PRE-ORDER LE LINK HERE

David Bernstein, Biography -

 

David Bernstein is originally from a small town in Upstate New York called Salisbury Mills. He now resides in NYC and misses being surrounded by chainsaw-wielding maniacs and wild backwoods people that like to eat raw human flesh. He’s grown used to the city, though hiding bodies is much harder there.

 

He is the author of Amongst the Dead, Damaged Souls, The Tree Man, Witch Island, Relic of Death, Apartment 7C, the short story collection A Mixed Bag of Blood, and now,  Episodes of Violence. David writes all kinds of horror, from hair-raising ghost stories to gore-filled slashers and apocalyptic tales of terror. He loves hearing from his readers.

 

You can reach him on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/david.bernstein.3. Visit him at his website: davidbernsteinauthor.blogspot.com email [email protected], or on Twitter at @Bernsteinauthor.

 

Sinister Grin Press

While you’re here, check out what else Sinister Grin Press has to offer by looking around our site. We have plenty of books in all sub-genres of horror that are sure to “carve a smile on your face.”

 

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