Just here today real quick to announce that my latest horror collection, The Nightmare Cycle, from Dark Owl Publishing, is available in Barnes & Nobles. Not just Amazon or horror specialty stores and conventions. You can obtain it online or through “select physical stores.” Probably the ones that have a horror section. If they don’t have it in stock, it can usually be obtained within two business hours (this can also mean one day). I’ll leave ISBN info down below, in case you want your local B&N brick and mortar to get it in for you. While I love the ease of Amazon and ereaders, personally, I prefer going and sitting with a cup of coffee or tea in a physical bookstore. Call me old-fashioned, but I will never tire of it. I’ll throw up the Amazon link as well. Cheers.
So today is here. Today is the day of my third official story collection: THE NIGHTMARE CYCLE, from Dark Owl Publishing. It is available in print and digital formats (Paperback and on Amazon Kindle). And as the year goes on, straight thru 2024, will be available at book fairs, from various literary vendors, horror and comic-themed conventions, the odd novelty or specialty store, or wherever other fine horror books or goods are sold. I will keep you updated on this website. The spooky fun starts in Arizona first and New York second.
A short story collection is a book of tales by one single author, where an anthology is a book of stories usually centered around a theme from not one but many authors, from many different states or countries or diverse backgrounds. The Nightmare Cycle was an idea for a book that came to me one day in a dream (go figure), but is not about being in a dream. It gets its title from every single story being “A Nightmarish Scenario,” one warped tale leading into the next (the theme of cycling and unending), and then the one thereafter. There is no finality. Just horrific circumstance after circumstance. Undulated terror. Beginning, middle, end. Think Rod Serling’s The Night Gallery, but modern day, my take.
THE NIGHTMARE CYCLE by Lawrence Dagstine
From Dark Owl Publishing – NOW AVAILABLE worldwide
You have mostly new stories between the pages, but you have some obscure offerings as well. Tales from my humble beginnings as a horror author. The 2000s era. There are stories like Thursday’s Children. Imagine pitting zombie youth against each other the same way people hold backroom cockfights for money. The Adopted, where werewolf adoption in Southeast Asia is more complex than you think. Human Transfer, a very dark and dystopic tale of population control, and betrayal by the people you thought you knew and trusted most.
There are Dark Owl exclusives, tales which are theirs and theirs only, such as The Thing about Eden. Imagine Mars in the future where life under one dark leadership only becomes concerning, overbearing, and darker with the next. The Acrylic Man, about a painter of spectral portraits who captures his love interests with not just grace but permanence. The Show Must Go On, a story about a sharpshooting djinn and her western travels, but also her wretched past.
You have new offerings such as Princely Homecoming, a unique take on Snow White, who longs for her long dead prince. There is Pet, a tale set during the backdrop of the Nixon era, which puts a twist on just “who” or “what” constitutes man’s best friend. Genetically speaking, of course. There is Our Family Awaits, a witch’s tale unlike any other, about foster care and deep dark secrets. This is one which will have you clutching the blankets. And there is so much more; there’s even a novelette within The Nightmare Cycle’s pages.
AMAZON KINDLE “EBOOK” VERSION:
(Sample a few pages below, or shoot for the paperback version)
Here’s the horror convention calendar for Dark Owl Publishing and The Nightmare Cycle. This calendar will obviously grow. I will be away in July (after the 4th), but I will have my netbook with me, keep in touch via social media. Dark Owl will also have some of their horror wares and anthologies available from a talented stable of other authors as well, so be sure to keep tuning in to this link below:
Oh, by the way, the fabulous cover art was done by Fernando JFL (Giotefeli), who is a professional horror illustrator and death metal artist from South America. He takes a rather retro, vintage approach to his work. If you are looking for an artist, might I recommend him: https://www.instagram.com/giotefeli, and https://giotefeli.tumblr.com/
The book is available first on Amazon, then Terror Trader second (Arizona’s Number One Horror Marketplace). Then it will go to the usual vendors and themed cons, and through the usual distribution channels/networks.
It is with great pleasure to announce that I’ve nabbed my fifth “Zombie-themed fiction” acceptance in the last year, and it goes to the new publishing outfit Red Polka Books. The name of the anthology this time is called QUARANTINE, and it is a book of short stories featuring many different authors from many diverse backgrounds. I am headlining the book (I’m actually the first short story as soon as you open it up). And it is a book centered around deadly viruses, pathogens, and pandemics. Even worse than Covid-19. It will be available in the States on platforms such as Lulu (Amazon later), should you want a print or digital copy for your daily commute to work, and will eventually creep its way into other countries such as the UK and India. My story is based off a deadly pathogen, and military scientists have to actually shut down a school with kids inside. Undead children who have become victim to HOS (a hostile pathogen with a science behind it, and yeah, some goofiness as well). Read my short story in Quarantine today, entitled, “Classroom of the Dead.”
QUARANTINE – Anthology of Modern Pandemic/Horror Tales
Featuring Lawrence Dagstine’s: “Classroom of the Dead”
QUARANTINE – DARK LOCKDOWN TALES for the 21st Century
Edited by Simon Dubois & Rasiika Sen – for RED POLKA BOOKS
Coming Spring 2023. A new collection, with mostly new stories. Along with some of the best and most obscure tales from the author’s earliest years as a horror writer. Thirteen stories that transcend the meaning of sleeplessness. Each story a nightmarish scenario or circumstance, one after the other, from beginning to end. From Dark Owl Publishing. THE NIGHTMARE CYCLE.
Prepare yourself for a LOT of bad dreams and restlessness.
Happy Halloween 2022! I am pleased to announce that I am in yet another anthology this autumn, this time again from Culture Cult Press. And it’s a horror short inspired by “real life events.” The name of the story is: The Nightmare of Bayhurst. And you can find that short story along with 33 other fabulous authors weaving their own little tales of haunted mansions, manors, houses, dwellings, apartments, what-have-you. My story centers around the time I first moved to Brooklyn, New York City between 2000 and 2001. Hard to believe that was so long ago. I was in my twenties, it was my first place, and I had lived in the basement of a few-story walk-up (what some in NYC would call a very small, dinghy six-apartment tenement). It was close to subways, a movie theater, drug stores, a baseball card store, parks, and shopping. The rent was fantastic. I paid around 650 to 700 per month. You’ll never see that kind of rent again in New York. But there was something eerie and ominous coming from the boiler room, which I just happened to live next to. And the super/owner, as well as a few of the tenants knew about it too. Strange sounds, strange occurences. Like a young girl moaning. Well, now you can read a fictional account of those events in the Halloween Book, ‘HAUS: AN ANTHOLOGY OF HAUNTED HOUSE STORIES.’ That is basically the theme, and like my last anthology from Culture Cult Press (I Cast You Out!), this is also edited by Jay Chakravarti. It is available in paperback, and sold in the US, UK, and India. I will put any and all necessary pics, banners, links, book covers below or to the right-hand side for your convenience. It is on Amazon right now, matter of fact.
Summer is almost over, Fall is on our doorstep. With that means cooler temperatures (excited about that), and possibly a second wave of Covid-19 (not too excited about that). Regardless, it means more staying home, working remote, and more time to sit back and read. I’m pleased to announce I have sold two BRAND NEW short stories to the upcoming 650+ page anthology: A CELEBRATION OF STORYTELLING. The cover is gorgeous, and it should drop around Christmas 2020. It will be put out through new publisher, Dark Owl Publishing House. The book will feature two stories of mine: a mystery and scifi tale. And I will keep you updated with Amazon links and ordering info in the coming months.
I am part of an amazing new charity anthology put out (March 3rd 2020 in digital, and March 10th 2020 in paperback) by science fiction writer/editor Stephen Landry. With artwork by Amelia Parris. The name of the charity anthology is RISE AND RESCUE: Vol. 1. It is a book of RPG and gaming-related tales for a very worthy cause. And you should pick up a copy right now! It is at a great price, I have a brand new RPG tale within its pages, along with 22 other talented authors, and ALL proceeds earned go to WIRES. Wires is a special wildlife group who are trying to save the baby koalas and baby kangaroos who have lost their homes or become sick due to the bushfires that have DEVASTATED Australia. Are you a fan of LitRPG or gaming-related fiction? Let’s help the animals of Australia. As an animal lover myself, this is doing a charitable thing. Check out the book covers and other banners below. And don’t forget to read my short story: “The War Module.” FIRST TIME in print! Links also below!
RISE AND RESCUE:
A Charity Anthology
For WIRES Wildlife – Volume 1 – 22 Authors!
RISE AND RESCUE: Volume 1
Save the koalas, save the kangaroos, help animals devastated by Australian bushfires.
Almost 450 pages of fiction by genre writers who are gamers/compassionate people.
You can get the book off Amazon, and very soon from Barnes & Nobles, Kobo, and through Apple Books, in print, in digital (if tablet or eReader is your thing), or even mobile (if reading on a phone is your thing). ALL formats.
Read: “The War Module” – a LitRPG story by Lawrence Dagstine.
AUTHOR LINEUP for RISE AND RESCUE Volume One
If you’re a fan of genre fiction. If you love to read. Let’s do this for the animals. Let’s do it because it’s right. Rise and Rescue…Now available.
For only 99 cents, you can now own my vampire novelette, The Paraplegic. Available at Smashwords. Just click on the picture below, or, see what other low-cost titles I have available. I even have a free science fiction story you could try out, and in the coming months I will be downloading more stories at no cost (usually under 5,000 words); I’ll also be coming to Kindle, Nook, Apple, Sony, Kobo and Nexus. Novelettes and novellas will always be at the right price. Quality, plot-driven stories, characters we care about: because that’s what matters first and foremost. Science fiction, fantasy, horror and more in Mobi, ePub, PDF, and a variety of other formats. You’ll be able to order them direct from here (eBooks & Kindle), or be redirected. Also be sure to follow me on social media platforms such as Facebook & Twitter. There will be cool contests in the coming months and free reading material will go out to my 5,000th Facebook follower and my 500th Twitter follower. Cover art by Bob Veon.
THE PARAPLEGIC
Now Available at Smashwords – ONLY 99 cents!
When Herbert was told he had amnesia, he knew things were bad. When he couldn’t feel anything below the waist, he got scared. When the doctor told him he’d be paralyzed for life, he got depressed and wanted to die. After all, no one wants to be a paraplegic. But what made him crippled so suddenly? Did somebody do this to him? And if so, why? Now in the hospital, undergoing intensive surgery, little does Herbert know that the force responsible isn’t done with him, not by a long shot! Something’s coming back. There’s a little unfinished business to take care of, and it comes in the form of vampires.
Get your favorite Dagstine stories in under a minute. Click below:
Coming to e-Dagstine.com Download Center, coming to eBooks & Kindle (and as a chapbook).
In the vein of George Orwell’s 1984
“A CHILD WEEPS IN MOSCOW”
A Novella by Lawrence Dagstine
Alien possession meets alternate history, in this communist tale set in 1923 Russia, about a boy named Abraham (Abe), whose parents suddenly disappear one day. Like many of the adults throughout Russia, they are being taken away in the night by a special police force put together by Lenin’s “new” government, a government put together after the arrival of spacecrafts with biomechanoid origins and higher intelligence and influence. Aliens the citizens simply call, The Invaders!
Klara Izolyev, Abe’s teacher, tells the boy that the only way he can learn the truth about the Invaders is to go to Moscow. There he will learn what they really want on Earth, what role they play in the current socialist movement, and possibly find his missing parents and sister. There he will fight starvation, arrest, combat homelessness, and meet an even more influential figure. Arkady, the leader of a Moscow street gang, whose parents have also been taken away. Together they will all journey to find the people they once loved, discovering just why the aliens are so interested in helping Lenin.
Official soundtrack for…Mysterious Lady of the Caribbean (teasers):
The Adopted–Lawrence R. Dagstine
The Beast Within–Frank Summers
Rise of the Animal–Carl Hose
Twin Moons–Christopher Jacobsmeyer
Grandma, What Big Teeth You Have– Rob Rosen
Exodus–Jessy Marie Roberts
Running With The Pack-Mark Souza
Shilak’s Gift–Scott Sandridge
Roadkill–D. Nathan Hilliard
Forces of Evil–Edward Mckeown
Blood Drops and Mercury–Stephanie Morrell
Arcadia–Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
The Mystery of St. Mary’s Morgue–Matthew Dent
The Werewolf Spell–Kiki Howell
The Trojan Plushy–David Bernstein
The Bane of Existence–Marianne Halbert
Caffeine Fix–Fiona Titchenell
The In Crowd–Patricia Puckett
Uninvited–Kelly Metz
By The Cycle Of The Moon–Dylan J. Morgan
Runaway–J.Leigh Bailey
Once Upon A Crime–Jay Raven
Azieran: The Templar’s Chalice–Christopher Heath
Without Remorse–Ben Langhinrichs
Springing The Wolf–Dale Carothers
Welcome to 2010. For a decade it started off as a small webzine within the confines of cyberspace, publishing many of today’s familiar SF poets and short story authors… Well, it’s finally here. The premiere print issue of the highly anticipated Sam’s Dot Pub: THE MARTIAN WAVE. I am honored to have a story in the premiere issue among such names. Get it now. This first issue has a superb cover by Laura Givens and is bound to sell out either online or at Sam’s Dot Publishing attended conventions. Now a semi-annual magazine! Rejoice!
FEATURING: Steve De Beer, Tyree Campbell, Dan Thompson, Keith P. Graham, Patty Jansen, Bret Tallman, Rick Novy, Shelly Bryant, Justin Bohardt, s.c. Virtes, Marge Simon, and Lawrence Dagstine. Edited by J. Alan Erwine.
Or… The BEST WEEKEND EVAH! Thank you sooo much to everyone who stopped by my booth and picked up copies of my books, pulp magazines, and other wares. Many of you told me you’ve never read genre before, many of you took my card, and a couple of you even stood in line and actually waited. You don’t know how good that made me feel. Thank you again. Here I thought folks don’t read anymore (well, that was before this weekend, assuming I now have new readers – I really hope you enjoy the tales and stay tuned to this spot).
ISBN: 978-0-9819696-2-6
Good news: I’ll be back next weekend. Some marketing, diversifying, and injecting the right pitches clearly doesn’t hurt, I see.
Bad news: If you’re new here, I’m temporarily sold out of Fresh Blood. I only have five copies left, and at the moment I need to mail out to review venues. I will, however, still have a few copies of other books and pulps on hand. But these will be sparse.
Technically this should be part 2, but since it laps into the following week, I’ll leave it as is, because it will be 3. I’m coming back! I’ll be signing copies of FRESH BLOOD at Flea by the Sea on the weekends in Coney Island, New York. I’ll have copies of obscure pulp mags on hand (with stories of mine in it), hardcovers, other books, and you have Famous Nathan’s Hot Dogs just up the street. So come say hi, pick up a book or two by yours truly, go to the beach or amusement park, and on the following dates below.
With that said, August 2009 will be a pretty low-key month. That and my laptop screen is falling apart at the edges. However, be here in September and October. Autumn time, as usual. Because I’ll have a plethora — and I do mean a handful — of new publications and new stories you’ll want to check out. Own a Kindle? An iTouch? Or Sony eReader? Well, my first e-title debuts in September from DAMNATION BOOKS, and at Killercon 2009.
VISITATION RIGHTS – A different kind of ghost story
Come join prolific short story writer, Lawrence R. Dagstine – scifi, fantasy, horror and more! — at Coney Island’s Festival by the Sea. Books, books, and more books.
Brooklyn Author, Lawrence R. Dagstine will be signing copies of his new short story collection FRESH BLOOD, rare hardcovers, anthologies, and obscure pulp magazines and more at FLEA BY THE SEA!
For details on transportation by subway, bus, or car, see website above. There will be amusement park rides, entertainment, food, and thousands of people are expected to attend. There will also be arts & crafts, photography vendors, jewelry and clothing merchants, and tons of other stuff!
Come join prolific short story writer, Lawrence R. Dagstine — scifi, fantasy, horror and more! — at Coney Island’s “Summer of Signings”. Twice a week, every other week this summer at Thor Equities’ new DREAMLAND! — Festival by theSea…
Brooklyn Author, Lawrence R. Dagstine will be signing copies of his new short story collection FRESH BLOOD, rare hardcovers, anthologies, and obscure pulp magazines and more at FLEA BY THE SEA! Stay tuned for booth locations and exact dates.
Stay tuned for times and dates. Transportation by subway and other details can be found on the site. Times are usually weekends, 12pm to sundown (or 9pm)! Off-peak dates will be updated here depending on booth availability.
THE HORROR FICTION REVIEW is now up. Horror author and book reviewer, Nick Cato (Novello Publishers), has now put up the book reviews for June 2009. It’s a delightful little site and I highly recommend checking them out. If you scroll down, you’ll find a positive review of my debut collection FRESH BLOOD in-between authors Jack Kilborn and Louise Bohmer. The site also has an interview with Robert Dunbar.
“Lawrence Dagstine has a wonderfully fertile imagination and he has crafted many wonderful, original stories.” – David Lee Summers, Editor, Tales of the Talisman and author, Heirs of the New Earth.
“Lawrence Dagstine never ceases to amaze me with his abundant talent. His short stories are incredibly imaginative, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly captivating.” – P.S. Gifford, Author, The Curious Accounts of the Imaginary Friend.
“Dagstineinjects some much-needed freshness into his monsters; he endows them with complex qualities both human and inhuman, which somehow makes them all the more disturbing.” – Ben Thomas, Editor, The Willows Magazine.
This comes a little bit late, but Sam’s Dot Publishing books and magazines will be available at the conventions just below. Aoife’s Kiss, Beyond Centauri, Sounds of the Night, Champagne Shivers, and more! I would say once the April conventions hit, you can ask for FRESH BLOOD (my latest collection). It should be available then. They publish a whole array of wonderful periodicals, novellas, and other genre fare.
As for myself, due to the recent woes of the U.S. economy, I probably won’t be leaving the Northeast anytime soon. But I will be walking the floor of this year’s FANGORIA Weekend of Horrors. If you see me, stop me. Say hi. I’ll be representing a bunch of publishers and handing out free merch! Also, now that the weather is getting nicer, I’ll be attending book fairs and book festivals, and hopefully the odd reading or two.
Aoife’s Kiss, published by Sam’s Dot Publishing and now going into its 28th quarterly issue, is bigger than ever. They offer a print version and an online version. However, starting June 2009, they will become a straight-on print only venue. I can be found this month, March 2009, in their Web edition. Would you like to order a copy of the print version? Links provided below. And remember to vote for your favorite story by your favorite author, as these get chosen for future Wondrous Web World anthologies.
A Collection of Science Fiction & Horror: ISBN: 978-0-9819696-2-6
Sam’s Dot has come a long way in the last ten years, its authors being nominated for such awards as the Nebula, the Hugo, and the Bram Stoker. Many a famous name have made a guest appearance there. Most important, if you are a new writer, I am living proof that you can slowly work your way up the ladder and get a “book deal” or “payment” or things such as an “advance” or “publicist” for your efforts (bear with me, there’s a lot in the pipeline, and there are only twenty-four hours in a day).
I think this month’s“tuppence” column by SF award-nominated editor Tyree Campbell will be overlooked, and it’s such a terrible shame. Especially for new talent. Please, I urge you to read it and follow it with all your heart:
Lawrence Dagstine: Author 
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