Shock Totem - who loves them?

Oh yeah, because I have a story in it.

tohostudios wrote:

I guess I missed the first "special issue" then.  This is the first one I've seen like this. 

Personally I like it better.  I'll be taking this one with me to the Specialty Veterinary Clinic this Thursday when I take my cat for her third chemo treatment so the more compact form works great for me.

The first holiday issue was originally a digital-only thing. We made a print version late last year. We call that one Shock Totem #4.5 and the new one #8.5, as they come in between our main issues, but they're essentially a new series called Holiday Tales of the Macabre and Twisted, as opposed to Curious Tales.

So yeah, they'll all be small like that. Halloween is up next. =)

Upcoming release!

We are currently in the midst of putting together Adam Cesare’s brilliant novella, Zero Lives Remaining. As previously mentioned, Zero Lives Remaining will be released in e-book, paperback, and limited edition hardcover formats. The hardcover will be strictly limited to 100 copies and will come with some extra goodies, plus a very special slipcase, one which we’re pretty sure has never been done before.

Preorders for the hardcover will open soon. We expect it to sell out very quickly, so keep checking back with us for updates.

For now, though, we are extremely excited to share the amazing cover art (some minor tweaks will happen before going to print) created by Frank Walls.



Yes, it’s perfectly okay to drool. We did. Here is the back cover copy:

Robby Asaro is dead.

And alive.

He’s a ghost in the machine, keeping a watchful eye on the arcade where he lost his life two decades before. And the afterlife is good. The best thing that’s ever happened to him. But when the conscious electric current formerly known as Robby Asaro makes a decision to protect one of his favorite patrons, Tiffany Park, from a bully, he sets loose a series of violent supernatural events that cannot be stopped.

Trapped inside the arcade as the kill count rises, Tiffany and a group of gamers must band together to escape from what used to be their favorite place on Earth…and the ghost of Robby Asaro.

From the author of Tribesmen, Video Night, and The Summer Job, Zero Lives Remaining is a masterful mix of horror and suspense, dread and wonder, a timeless ghost story that solidifies Adam Cesare’s reputation as one of the best up-and-coming storytellers around. This is Adam Cesare firing on all cylinders—and he’s just getting started.

Look for it soon!

(Our very own Shiney in his acting debut!)


Click to Pre-order!

Along with our friends Frank Walls (artwork), Mike Lombardo and Reel Splatter Productions (film, photography), and Nick Gucker (illustrations), among others, we have been working very hard to make this one of the best limited editions ever released.

Strictly limited to 100 copies, the hardcover itself will be made to look like a VHS tape, which will then be housed in a classic VHS case with full wraparound "80s horror film" artwork and photography (see below) exclusive to this edition. A special insert will feature additional artwork and photography. Nick Gucker provides exclusive interior illustrations. Also included, a bonus short story by the author.





We expect this edition to sell out very quickly, so pre-order now if you want to secure a copy. Our goal is to begin shipping in early December. Paperback and digital editions will be available as well.

If you have any questions, e-mail us at general@shocktotem.com.

This should be available in Kindle format later today:



Here is the official Table of Contents:

* Unacceptable Content, by Catherine Grant (Editorial)
* Buddy, by Kathryn Ohnaka
* Saturday, by Evan Dicken
* Morning Books and Evening Books: A Conversation with F. Paul Wilson, by Barry Lee Dejasu
* Thirteen Views of the Suicide Woods, by Bracken MacLeod
* Anteroom, by Peter Gutiérrez (Poetry)
* Strange Goods and Other Oddities (Reviews)
* Hey Man, by Tim Lieder
* The Nightmare Rolls On: A Conversation with Stephen Graham Jones, by Zachary C. Parker
* You Are Here, by Stephen Graham Jones
* The Box Wife, by Emma Osborne
* Bloodstains & Blue Suede Shoes, Part 7, by John Boden and Bracken MacLeod (Article)
* Good Help, by Karen Runge
* Alan Roscoe’s Change of Heart, by S.R. Mastrantone
* Howling Through the Keyhole (Author Notes)

Packed with veteran authors and up-and-comers, Shock Totem #9 is another strong issue, one which sits well with our past issues but also uniquely stands on its own. Look for it soon in digital format later this week, with print to follow shortly thereafter. You can pre-order the print edition here.

We'll also be announcing our Halloween issue later today. =)

If anyone cares, we just released two new issues, our ninth and a new holiday issue for Halloween.



Print: http://amzn.com/0986274801
Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00PIUKFTI



Print: http://amzn.com/098627481X
Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00PIUKFTI

If anyone is interested, Kindle editions of all our issues save for Dominoes, which has no digital edition, are on sale for 99 cents. You can get everything we've released for under $15! =)

Sale is good through December.

Ordered the hard copy of #9 from Amazon

My copy finally came today. Holy crap that was slow!

I finally got around to reading the latest issue.

I thought the first story was "meh".  But wow, the second story "Saturday" just enthralled me.  It reminded me of Harlan Ellison's writing (especially "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream").  Such a great concept!  I'd like to see more stories furthering it; I can envision a bunch of sequels.

tohostudios wrote:

I finally got around to reading the latest issue.

I thought the first story was "meh".  But wow, the second story "Saturday" just enthralled me.  It reminded me of Harlan Ellison's writing (especially "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream").  Such a great concept!  I'd like to see more stories furthering it; I can envision a bunch of sequels.

I will pass this along to the author. I'm sure he'll appreciate the compliment! =) I won't pass along the first comment. Haha.

And it really took that long to arrive? Jesus. Thanks for buying a copy, though. Really appreciate it, bud! =)

Eyesore wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

I finally got around to reading the latest issue.

I thought the first story was "meh".  But wow, the second story "Saturday" just enthralled me.  It reminded me of Harlan Ellison's writing (especially "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream").  Such a great concept!  I'd like to see more stories furthering it; I can envision a bunch of sequels.

I will pass this along to the author. I'm sure he'll appreciate the compliment! =) I won't pass along the first comment. Haha.

And it really took that long to arrive? Jesus. Thanks for buying a copy, though. Really appreciate it, bud! =)

It actually came at a good time because this is the annual lull in my interest in my Sport Illustrated subscription because this time of year Si has articles about a bunch of sports I don't care about so I have time to digest the ST issue.

But yeah, I thought waiting for more than 3 weeks for my copy to arrive was a bit extreme.

Eyesore wrote:

Oh, and this might be of interest to you guys:

Shock Totem Publications is proud to announce Dominoes, by John Boden.

Dominoes is a Little Horror Book, the perfect bedtime read for strange parents and bizarro children, a book not only meant to be read but also experienced.

Click for full-size images.

Cover art and interior illustrations were once again handled by the amazing Yannick Bouchard, who also did the cover art and illustrations for Beautiful Sorrows.

Praise for Dominoes:

“Now for something strangely different: death falls like a hellish deck of bruised songs through the lives of old and young in the unexpected flow of images screaming in Dominoes by John Boden.” —Linda Addison, author of the Bram Stoker Award-winning How To Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend and Being Full of Light, Insubstantial

“Strong stuff. Strange, incantatory, and speaking of things that might already have come to pass. This is some seriously weird shit.” —Gary McMahon, author of Tales of The Walking Wounded, Pretty Dead Things, and The Concrete Grove trilogy

“Equal parts evil and beautiful, John Boden has created a prose poem that reads like a bedtime story that would work best if told right before the apocalypse.” —Adam Cesare, author of Tribesmen, Video Night, and Bound By Jade

“Boden is a master of the surreal. His language is lyrical and haunting, and he packs each sentence with more emotion than other writers manage to accomplish in an entire novel. Dominoes is a wonderfully off-kilter apocalyptic tale of madness and misery.” —Mark Allan Gunnells, author of Asylum, The Quarry, and The Summer of Winters

Dominoes will be released in paperback format this coming October.

As many of you know, John Boden is known as Shiney here at HOM. This is an odd book, for sure, so unless you're into what they call "bizarro" fiction it might not be for you. But it's going to look amazing! =)

If Alice digs it, surely you will. Right?

I doubt anyone here would be willing to pay this much for a hardcover, and a novella at that, but I thought you might get a kick out of seeing it (and praise me because I'm a fragile flower who needs constant reassurance):



Along with our friends Frank Walls (artwork), Yannick Bouchard (additional artwork), Nick Gucker (illustrations), and Mike Lombardo and Reel Splatter Productions (film, photography), among others, we have been working very hard to make this edition of Zero Lives Remaining one of the best limited editions ever released. It's been a long time coming, but the limited hardcover edition is finally finished and ready to ship. We hope it's been worth the wait.

Robby Asaro is dead.

And alive.

He’s a ghost in the machine, keeping a watchful eye on the arcade where he lost his life two decades before. And the afterlife is good. The best thing ever to have happened to him. But when the conscious electric current formerly known as Robby Asaro makes a decision to protect one of his favorite patrons, Tiffany Park, from a bully, he sets loose a series of violent supernatural events that can’t be stopped.

Trapped inside the arcade as the kill count rises, Tiffany and a group of gamers must band together to escape from what used to be their favorite place on Earth…and the ghost of Robby Asaro.

From the author of Tribesmen, Video Night, and The Summer Job, Zero Lives Remaining is a masterful mix of horror and suspense, dread and wonder, a timeless ghost story that solidifies Adam Cesare’s reputation as one of the best up-and-coming storytellers around. This is Adam Cesare firing on all cylinders—and he’s just getting started.

Strictly limited to 100 copies, the hardcover itself is made to look like a VHS tape, which is housed in a classic VHS case with full wraparound "80s horror film" artwork and photography exclusive to this edition. Nick Gucker provides exclusive interior illustrations, and there is also a bonus short story. A special insert features additional artwork and photography, plus an interview with "B-movie legend" Adam Blomquist. And finally, there are six autographed "movie still" cards featuring the entire cast (from the trailer) and director, Mike Lombardo.

Check out these photos (apologies for the less than stellar quality):  











We expect this edition to sell out very quickly, so order now if you want to secure a copy. When all 100 are gone, they're gone for good. There will be no future hardcover pressings. Paperback and digital editions will be available soon.

If you have any questions, e-mail us at general@shocktotem.com.