Some Reviews, A Novella Coming Soon, and Turning 40

Some pretty nice reviews turned up this week on Amazon.com. I'd love to be one of those wonderfully secure, detached, utterly rational authors who claim they never look at reviews and don't care what folks think of their work, but, hey....most of us love it when folks dig our work, and wince a little inside when they don't, and I'm no different. 

In any case, I've managed to cut my "checking Amazon for reviews" down to once or twice a week at this point (baby steps, folks), but I can't lie - getting a nice review puts a little spring in my step, gives me that little boost I need to keep going. Here's what came in over the past week or so:

From the first moment you arrive in Clifton Heights for poker night, Kevin Lucia gently takes you by the hand and leads you into the misty macabre. Somewhere along the way the hair on the back of your neck starts to rise and your heart beats faster. Kevin Lucia does an excellent job of weaving together these tales within the tale. To the very end of this book, you are a resident of Clifton Heights. I can't wait to go back there. - Marley Andretii

Like many horror movie sagas, this book left me with many questions while the answers are only vaguely hinted at, leaving this world wide open for a second (and third and fourth) installment. - Angie Lisle

The stories are woven together in such a way it feels like a really great novel, filled with people you come to care about that pop up when your not expecting it. The end of the book had my heart breaking, no small feat for a horror novel. I can't wait to see what Kevin Lucia comes up with next!! - Angela

Again, I feel very blessed to see so many folks digging what I'm serving, and I'm thankful for everyone picking up a copy. 

On another front, a new Clifton Heights novella - a coming-of-age-Lovecraftian tale of loss and revenge - will be coming your way in the foreseeable future. It'll feature new characters and locations, but you'll see some familiar faces from Things Slip Through, to be sure.

Tentatively titled Devourer of Souls, it'll be coming out in ebook first, then eventually paperback. Contract's singed; I'm just waiting for the go-ahead to say who with. It's a great outfit I've heard nothing but good things from, so I'm looking forward to working with them.

With one of my best friends and best man at my wedding, Chris,
at my 40th birthday party last weekend.

Finally, I turned 40 yesterday, and I couldn't be happier. I work at a rewarding (if sometimes exhausting) job I enjoy with great students and co-workers, I'm healthy and active, I have a writing career of sorts, and most importantly of all, I've been blessed with a wonderful family - beautiful kids and a beautiful, supportive wife who's had a big hand in making every single year better than the last. I can honestly look back and say I'm more content and happier than I was when I turned 30 (though I was pretty okay back then, too), so I look forward to what the next ten years will bring.