Pastor Nox Invades the Real World...

I now have a costume of our beloved Pastor Nox. There will be more photos forthcoming, but here are a few for now.
The costume was created by Wandering Dream Studios (http://www.wanderingdreamstudios.com/) and photos by Demon Dolls Photography.

Author Shoutout: Kayti Nika Raet

Good friend and fellow author, Kayti Nika Raet is about to release the 4th book in her Outsider series.

For those who don't know, the Outsider series (currently Niko, Harm, and Outsider) are set in a dystopian future where the rain is completely acidic and the carnivorous monsters known as slithers roam the land tearing people apart.
Only a few people from the remaining population have what it takes to go out and hunt these things. Harmony Niko is one of them, and the series follows her evolution from a young woman to consummate monster slayer.

Here's the gist of book 4:

In a world full of flesh eating creatures, sometimes humans are the more terrifying monsters.

It's been three months since revolution swept through the city of Cherai and ousted Councilwoman King. The city now has a chance to recover from decades of injustice and oppression. With the help of Ben, Songhay, and the Gemini Gang, Niko works towards building a more egalitarian society.

But someone is murdering Slither hunters.

And coupled with the councilwoman's reappearance, all of Niko’s hard work balances on a precarious precipice - one wrong move and it will all be for naught.

As the number of bodies rise and the tensions within the city increase, Niko is soon forced to make a difficult decision. And it could change everything.

Find Kayti here:

Website: kaytinikaraet.com

Blog: writebitches.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaytinikaraetbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KNRwrites

Pinterest: pinterest.com/kaytinikaraet/

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1fb2cR7

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1IDVehs

Book Links:

Niko: http://amzn.to/1u5sFAe

Harm: http://amzn.to/1s9Nbz0

Outsider:  http://amzn.to/1w3tP3H

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1uWYEpr

And here's the lady herself

Coming soon: Castrated Epoch

I had a poem in 100 Reasons entitled Castrated Epoch. It's about being lonely and remembering better times. I grew rather fond of the piece, and wrote a short story based around it. After I get it formatted and get the cover finalized, it will be going up on Amazon as a stand-alone short.

Here's the poem:

Castrated Epcoh

Messy hair covers your shoulders

A flowy skirt brushes your feet

You stand holding a gothic fence

A beautiful bohemian treasure

In some era long past

Where I never lived

A time when we could chill

Together in gardens

Under warm gray skies

Surrounded by lusty greenery

Bonded and drinking whiskey

Til we pass out and dream

Nowadays I do it alone

My room smelling a cistern

I have my freedom but

Don’t know what to do with it

Should have existed long ago

We could’ve been together

I’m leaving this fantasy

Going back to the castrated epoch

You can also hear me recite it on Youtube: http://bit.ly/1OeRFPm

Just imagine what happiness can come from 17 pages of that. See you soon kids. 

Aleister, The Mighty Beetle

A couple updates of the worm turned beetle. Take a look at how deep and dark his color has gotten while he climbs and eats.

New interview posted

I just did an interview with fellow author Roma Gray of Trick or Treat Thrillers. Check it out here: http://trickortreatthrillers.com/interview-author-spotlight/interview-t-s-dann/

And check out her collection of novel previews here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Under-Harvest-Trick---Treat-ebook/dp/B00UG8U9C0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429400738&sr=8-1&keywords=gray+shadows+under+a+harvest+moon

Well...

A good friend and fan made this. Too funny not to share:

Nightmarescape 2

So as some of you know, I am well into writing the 2nd book in the Nightmarescape series. It will focus on Banshee as the main character with Curse having a side story that brings the two of them together once again. That being said, I'm about 80,000 words in and have decided to do some pretty heavy rewriting already. It will be even longer when done. It's also going to delay finishing the manuscript. I hope to have it done by the fall and then can begin edits in winter. In the meantime, you can get caught up to speed on the first book:

2 days on

Aleister is darkening in color, eating well, and running around his new tank. Gotta say...I'm glad I rescued him from becoming a food bug.

Aleister...full grown

Ladies n jerks, I've been quiet for a while. I haven't been posting pictures of Aleister while he/she (just gonna stick with he as a pejorative for now cus it's easier and it's near impossible to determine their sex without a microscope or dissection, which I wont' be doing). I've been letting him rest while he was in the pupa, but after a long day at work dealing with shootings and other hilarity, I came home to find him hatched and a full grown Darkling Beetle. I must say, I've done alright for a single father working a full time plus job.

An awesome review for Nightmarescape

 This is one of the best reviews I've gotten on Nightmarescape so far:

Dark and bright! A definite must-read! May 21, 2015

By Joseph B.

Format:Kindle Edition

When I first started reading this book, I'll admit it took me a few pages to get into it. I've never been much of a fan of the third person pov but with this one, it works. Not to mention the genre, horror hasn't been my go-to read for quite some time now. This being said, it took me until about 25 to 30 percent of the way into this journey to really accept it, to embrace it, but at that point I was all-in. This one will be unforgettable for me, to say the least.
I really got into the characters' minds after initially breaking into the storyline and I never let go of them. They all had their own unique background and each was explained thoroughly. These people, my God. You hate them when you first meet them but you are quickly thrown into their world, fighting alongside them, riding along with them with every turn of every page. The author paints their emotions on his own bleak canvas, and does so flawlessly. The characters are hard to fall in love with at first, but once you get to know them they are nearly impossible to forget.
T.S. Dann has done a great job with this one, I've never really read anything quite like this. It's a totally different approach to all of the psych/ paranormal/ horror/ totally uncategorizable genre that it is. I freaking loved it! Yes, read it!!!
I will read the next in this series, undoubtedly.
Once I finished this book, I realized how much I had adjusted to the different style of Dann's writing and had also come to enjoy it. I look forward to the next in this series, (yes, I was happy to read that it will be a series!) and eagerly anticipate it.
Great first novel, Mr. Dann! Please keep it going!

Thanks, and don't worry...book 2 is well under way and will be continuing the saga in the most brutal and grandiose of fashions. 

100 Reasons Release

As you may know, 100 Reasons released yesterday, May 16, 2015. It is currently free until May 21 2015. Here is some of the high praise coming from other authors:

 "Poe would have been proud!" -Claudette Nicole Melanson author of Rising Tide and Minion

 "Dark, gritty, poignant, and often grimly humorous each poem paints a vivid picture nonetheless." -Kayti Nika Raet author of Niko and the Outsider Chronicles

 "If you have always thought of poetry as frilly writing that discusses love and flowers, you are in for a harsh wake up call. And I do mean harsh." -Roma Gray author of Gray Shadows Under a Harvest Moon

 And here is what some reviewers have to say:

 "And I thought I had problems!" -Adam, Amazon reviewer

 "It is an accusatory volume that points its glass pipe-burnt finger at society and dares you to not wallow in your futility" -Phil, Amazon Reviewer 

" T.S. Dann's writing is very raw and real." -Bigtoerelations, Amazon reviewer

 "Dont tread this path lightly." -Jessica, Amazon reviewer

 I couldn't ask for better feedback.

Get a copy for yourself: http://www.amazon.com/100-Reasons-T-S-Dann-ebook/dp/B00WZOHP3Y/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

Aleister Update 5/15/2015

So, you've probably noticed that I've been pretty quiet about my superworm Aleister. Well, he's been curled up in the bottom of his cup for a while now. I came home today and found that he had shed his skin and become a pupa. This is the next stage on his (not sure still...just going with pejorative male here) journey to beetlehood. Have a looksee....oh yeah...and 100 Reasons releases on Amazon on Saturday. If you want a free one, you can win one in my goodreads givewaway. See below the pictures.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

100 Reasons

by T.S. Dann

Giveaway ends May 16, 2015.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to Win

Aleister May 2, 2015

So..Aleister, my superworm, is curling up and not moving around much. This means two possible things: 1. He's dying. 2. He's about to begin pupating. I'm hoping for the latter. Based on all the life cycle stuff I've looked up, that's what it seems like. If that's the case, then I'll have a full grown beetle soon. Have a look.

100 Reasons for preorder

100 Reasons is now up for preorder on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WZOHP3Y

Aleister over the last couple days 4/27/15-4/30/15

Haven't had time to update his progress on here, but he's been posing. From 4/27-4/30. Still in the larval superworm phase. Not sure when pupating begins. Take a look.

Goodreads Giveaway

I'm giving away a signed copy of Nightmarescape on Goodreads. Click it to win it.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Nightmarescape

by T.S. Dann

Giveaway ends May 10, 2015.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to Win

Worm life 4/25/15

Burrow, burrow, eat some potato, burrow some more...doesn't sound too shabby.

Wormin on 4/23/15

Here's Aleister chilling on top of Zoroaster's Voice of Saturn. I had it on the other night and he started kinda pulsing with the beat. It was pretty cool to watch. I'm instilling good taste from a young age.

Aleister 4/21 and 4/22 2015

The mighty hungry hungry worm is doing well. He's eating collards and potato. Good for the bones. Good for the kids.

4/21/2015:

4/22/2015:

Aleister 4/20/2015

I sprinkled some pieces of collard greens into Aleister's cup tonight. He responded by retreating and burrowing into the cornmeal. I hope by the time you turn into a beetle you've found some balls or uterus cus that hidin shit ain't gonna fly when you grown.

Oh yeah...got a giveaway going on too:
<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2703c98f20/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="2703c98f20" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_ll63b2fi">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

Aleister the Superworm

Greetings everyone. This is my new friend, Aleister. It (can't tell the sex at this stage) is a superworm that will grow into a Darkling Beetle. Apparently this is done by isolating the worms and allowing them to pupate. A friend of mine breeds reptiles (Adam from Adam's Geckos) and uses these as food for the animals. I said let me rescue one and let it live a full life cycle.

I will be chronicling Aleister's journey to adulthood here on this blog. Does this bother some of you? Good. Is it weird? No, it's nature. If you hate it, perfect. Fuck off.

Now with the superworm pics. The white crap is the oatmeal stuff it's been burrowing in.

Giant Ass Summer GIveaway

It's time kids for another giveaway. In this one, you can win from yours truly a signed copy of Nightmarescape, a signed copy of 100 Reasons, or a Morbid Publications shirt. You could also win a copy of Niko by Kayti Nika Raet, a copy of Rising Tide by Claudette Melanson, or books from over 20 other authors........or...........you could win a grand prize of a Kindle loaded with 30 books from each author.
The authors in this giveaway are really going nuts on this one, so like some of our pages and enter to win some stuff. Get clickin' jerks.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Benefit sales for Stephen Shoemaker and Wormreich

NEWS: For those who know, black metal band Wormreich was in a horrific van accident last night while coming back to Atlanta for a show. My friend, Stephen Skullator Shoemaker survived, but is critically injured. I've started a Big Cartel store to sell my printed books. This includes the print run of Nightmarescape and the limited advance print copies of 100 Reasons. I'll be donating the proceeds from these sales over the coming weeks to him. If there was ever a time to help, if you've been holding off on buying something, here it is now, for a very good cause.
http://morbidpublications.bigcartel.com

A few things to come....

Been incredibly busy as of late. I will have something to show for it though. Check out the following things:

1. Website relaunch:
     The old site was on Wix and was Flash based. Consequently, when flash became irrelevant on mobile devices, its visibility almost disappeared. This has been rectified on a new Wordpress html site. Standby for the official relaunch.

2. 100 Reasons release
     I am waiting on some finalization for the final product before releasing 100 Reasons for general sale. Anyone interested in being a pre-reader let me know and I'll provide you with an ecopy.

3. Castrated Epoch short story/novelette/whatever you want to call it
    I have adapted one of the poems from 100 Reasons into a full story. It will be released as a stand alone ebook in May most likely. The cover is already done and I'm just waiting on some editing.

4. I'm still part of a spring giveaway. If you want to win w copy of Nightmarescape in print or electronic format, check it out here: http://bit.ly/1HgisrX

Standby for all that and more from your old pal T.S. Dann.

Another chance to get a book

I'll be part of a spring themed book giveaway with Claudette Melanson, K.K. Allen, Janet Brennan, Sabrina Street, and a bunch of other authors. If you want to win  a copy of Nightmarescape, now would be the time. Here's where you can enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go get em kids.

March Is Upon Us

And did it ever sneak up. Some of you have been complaining about how gray and depressing it's been. Here's a poem to keep with the spirit of the season:

Deep Queen of March

Come to me again

O maiden of this mountain

Beneath cool blue sun

Bathing the valley’s shadow

Together we shall drink iodine

In a mildewed shower

Encrusted with quiet appreciation

Wet with knowledge of nothing

Eels waiting to pull us under

Busting through the cataract

Boiling consistency of burning tar

The nauseous part of this

Started out pretty

Only to walk through

Five o’clock spring light

Feeling the cool and the warmth

All at once

Packing a stockless AK pistol

Beside her blade

Strolling to the summit

Then putting a bullet in her head

The only justified alternative

A bloody meal left for foxes

I could eat a round myself

Or just walk back down

The great eagle’s spine

Within ever gentle wind

Never passing where I started

We’re all alone

Weep humanity....

For the final submissions have been completed. Soon all shall have 100 Reasons...to do what...that's up to you after reading it....

Positive Feedback

"I'm so fucking sad, I feel like one of your poems on the inside" -Bella Roccaforte, author of the Ink Series

That is a pretty heavy statement coming from good friend and fellow author Bella Roccaforte. Whether you like my shit or hate it, you have to admit, I never do anything half-assed. 100 Reasons will be coming soon. I needed to clean up the final proof and once I approve the final e-copy I will be going to print.

Until then, I leave you with this piece from 100 Reasons:

Roses From the Ribcage

Beautiful things hurt

Evidenced by the rose’s thorn

Good things are opiate

Leading to withdrawal

Yet I labor for these

Odds against it all

Intoxicating cloud of hope

Come on through and crash

See the scented hope

As it turns to ash

With no redeeming song

Beneath gunpowder stippling

Meninges torn

Neurons broke and crippling

Scrape the inner skull

Weigh the dead brain

What did you in?

Get a free book for St Patrick's Day

By joining in on this Rafflecopter: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Another piece from 100 Reasons

Since fellow author Kayti Nika Raet posted a picture of a spinosaurus for me today, I figured I should share this from my forthcoming volume 100 Reasons:

Asleep in the Deep End

Fenrir’s muzzle is off
He’s tearing up the town
But still no match for spinosaurus
Neither belongs in the water
Deep blue and clear
Lacking sediment or chlorine
Putting drowning in plain view
Trying chest compressions
Is better than nothing
When the kid comes back up
At least someone did something
Instead of just staring for a change
He’ll live for now
Don’t know about brain damage

100 Reasons cover reveal

I've been rambling about it for a while....here is the cover for my first poetry book, 100 Reasons.

Pastor Nox stopped by...

And left me with a respiratory infection for the past week. That lovable disease ridden scamp

A Piece from 100 Reasons: Pursuit With Water and Sewer

I have a poetry book coming out. Some of you have heard me raving about it. Here is one of the 100 pieces it will contain:

Pursuit With Water and Sewer

Love stories are fantasies

It should stay that way

We’re all too mortal

Amongst pine needles and rocks

To believe such tales

There’s nothing out there

That’s the scariest part

Our story a single triptych

Birth, growth, death

What else do you need?

A nice car wreck?

That can be arranged

I didn’t see shit

Yall gonna pay me or get sued

Until administrators say otherwise

Did you think your ultimate fate

Was yours to decide?

Let me clue you in

It involves autolysis

Discoloration, bloating, and decay

Your life is yours in the meantime

But you constantly fail at it

Your options are yuppies and thugs

And neither like you

Words are weapons like pointless art

So are empty bourbon bottles

Busted on curbs ready for a good fight

Give it twelve hours

Target date for the book in print copy is sometime around Valentine's Day 2015.

Mistakes, lost time, ruminations on the past, coulda, woulda, shoulda, but didn't

The other day I was driving with a friend who I will refer to here as Dr.Gonzo.We were in the middle of going somewhere to do some crap for work. On our way, we passed a high school. I watched some of the kids going in as we sat at a red light and though aloud to myself and him "Damn...if I could be that age again I would have done so many things differently." There was a little silence before he responded.

"Yeah, well join the club. It's ok though. In ten and twenty years, they'll be saying the same thing."

That was a profound statement indeed. And a very true one at that. As much as I've been beating myself up lately, I am further along than I was this time last year. I finally published Nightmarescape, which was ten years in the making. That was something I should have spent a little more time relishing and enjoying, but immediately started stressing out about other projects and the next book in the series. Well I know that was probably not the best thing to do. Therefore I am calmly working on things as my day job allows.

I guess in the end, I feel like I should have moved faster and could have been somehwere else in life by now. Whatever truth or fallacy there may be to that sentiment is irrelevant. What I've got to work with is what is the now. The past is the past, the present and future are all that I can change.

Thanks Dr. Gonzo for giving me a little perspective in the midst of a shitty week. And remember kids...you"ll be wishing you did plenty of shit differently too...but that's ok...because the generation after you will say the same thing.

Ever wonder what Larry Spectre would look like on South Park?

Well...here you go...

Clouds and Carbonate

This one will likely be in my third poetry volume which will probably come out sometime in 2016.

Clouds and Carbonate

Empty is the jar

Save orange dust

There’s no arousal

Outside of a hungry flat line

Level upon the EKG

White tile coated red

No absorption before another

Oncoming disappointment

This will be final

I keep telling myself

Only to repeat the cycle

A phoenix snapping into embers

The face in the sky

Grins with broken teeth

Dribbling infection upon the earth

Scented in halitosis and alocholism

Sticking like viral jizz

Upon an ex’s chest

It’s just me

I don’t get it

Not part of this

Separation is necessary

For getting shit done

All that is necessary

Being left alone

When something once existed

We didn’t know what it was

But it was there

Substantially lacking in the present

Drowning in a dry humidity

Needing to just go far

Somewhere in the pines

Dusting needles from headstones

There’s nothing left to cry for

Or look forward to 

Content copyright T.S. Dann/Morbid Publications

Feel free to repost with proper acknowledgement

Bleeding Hearts Giveaway 2015

And here's the link:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click away kids. Win a book or prize from yours truly, Kayti Nika Raet, Claudette Melanson, J.C. Brennan, Sherri Wingler, or 9 others. Click on the arrows or dots to scroll through. Subscribe to people's shit to win stuff.

Time for another giveaway

And this time it's February themed. If you want to win a print or ecopy of Nightmarescape, the opportunity will soon present itself. In the meantime, here are some promos:

And there it is...another year shot to hell

2014 was a pretty crappy year with only one highlight for me: finally releasing Nightmarescape. Book 2 is being heavily rewritten, hopefully I'll have the first draft completed near summer. Before that...I have a poetry book coming out. 100 Reasons is due out in February. A cover reveal will be coming soon. In the meantime, here's a poem for the new year and the passing of time:

We're Not Getting Old, We're Getting Dead

What was alien

Became familiar

Is now alien again

Body occupied a space

Mind occupied a place

No longer

Emotions once vivid

Thoughts once rational

All foreign stimuli now

Beneath the pass of time

Don’t get used to anything

Life itself is temporary

As are its stages

Just remember

You’re not getting old

You’re getting dead

Crappy 2015 jerks.