Category Archives: Must Read Books

Critical Blast Publishing: “Gods and Services New Location” – ANTHOLOGIES!

I have a novelette out in the recently released anthology from Critical Blast Publishing, Gods and Services New Location. I’m appearing beside 9 or 10 other authors, with stories on the subject of objects related to mythological gods or deities that you might acquire from a curiosity shop. They could be a good deity, or a bad deity. The presence of these gods could be related to statues, chandeliers, ancient artifacts, books. Hence the title and theme. Imagine walking into an antique dealer and finding an object for your home that once belonged to a god. The book is edited by R.J. Carter, and Critical Blast Publishing does a lot of these themed anthologies. They also do a lot of comics, graphic novels, and some illustrated genre fare and their products can be found at vendor tables at various conventions around the country. The name of my story is The Barn Cupid, and it’s about a possessed Cupid statue. It’s a horror-love story, obviously. It is available in paperback, on Amazon or Barnes & Nobles. I will provide all links and pics below.

GODS AND SERVICES NEW LOCATION

Published by Critical Blast Publishing – Edited by R.J. Carter

Featuring Dagstine story: “The Barn Cupid”

On Amazon (sample it, buy in print paperback):

Or buy it at Barnes & Nobles (click link, be redirected):

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gods-services-r-j-carter/1147212287

ISBN-13: 9781967199914

Critical Blast Publishing Homepage:

https://www.criticalblast.com/content/publishing

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”

Books about Genocide: “Genocidal” – An Anthology, by Culture Cult Press

For my next speculative piece it’s another new one, and we’re going into an anthology themed around a very controversial subject. And that’s genocide and The Holocaust. I was inspired to write this story after reading Elie Wiesel’s epic biography, Night. My story is dark science fiction meets horror meets alternate history. It features Adolf Hitler. And robots. These robots are known as The War Machines. Hitler and the robots are main characters in this dramatic tale. Because of the subject matter, a lot of editors didn’t want to read or take a chance on this piece (probably one of my most powerful in a long time; I have another powerful story written in the second person slated for later this year). The name of my story is: “Christmas along the Danube.” It is indeed a holiday story, it is a trigger warning story, there is death, and you can find it right now in the Culture Cult Press anthology, Genocidal. Every piece in Genocidal features some form of subject matter on genocide or the Holocaust. It might be poems, it might be essays or non-fiction, firsthand accounts, or in my case, dark science fiction. Though I suspect any firsthand stuff would have been passed down through the ages. Still, go check out my story, along with the other authors’ contributions. Ordering links will be further down below.

#GENOCIDAL – Published by Culture Cult Press

Featuring Dagstine story: “Christmas along the Danube”

Where to order your copy (click links, be redirected):

Paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/j-chakravarti/genocidal/paperback/product-7k6dy4j.html

ePub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/j-chakravarti/genocidal/ebook/product-jewmeq7.html

According to publisher info received, the April 2025 discount code BCORPBOOKS15 may be used for a 15% discount on Lulu on all purchases. 

Culture Cult Press Socials:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CultureCultPress

Instagram: https://instagram.com/culturecultpress

Visit at: https://CultureCult.co.in

Also check out my latest chapbook from Farthest Star Publishing,

SMALL FAVORS by Lawrence Dagstine

I would say if you want to get introduced to my more extreme forms of horror writing in 2025, and you’ve never read a Lawrence Dagstine piece before, then you want to start here: Small Favors, then follow up with Christmas along the Danube in Genocidal, and later this year (say, October) Inherited in the book, No Exit. Those three pieces. Trigger warning for each one.

Other New Entries: “Books & Anthos”