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Issue No. 2
February 2012

President's Note

Greetings!
 

2012 is gearing up to be a big year for JournalStone, and we are only just now entering February.

 

We launched our new forum a few weeks ago and I have to admit that I really enjoy it.  I love chatting with and meeting new people and the forum really does provide everyone an opportunity to get to know our authors on a personal level.  I don't normally frequent forums and I have never spent any time in chat rooms so I don't have any comparison points, but I love the JS venue.  If you get an opportunity, please sign up by clicking on this link and following the directions.  Not only would we be honored to have you, we are giving away $20 every Friday to one lucky member.

 

While the forum was our high point in January, our computer issues continued throughout the entire month.  We finally ended up switching hosting companies and are now residing on hostgator.com.  The move is completely behind the scenes, but cross your fingers we are finally over our connectivity issues.  I don't like bad-mouthing any company so let me just say, due to quality and customer service issues, we have decided to discontinue our business relationship with GoDaddy.

 

With our computer problems in the rearview mirror, we can hopefully get back to our passion, publishing books.  Pazuzu's Girl is set to be released Friday, February 10, 2012.  If you haven't heard of Rachel Coles, get ready to.  This novel is a fun YA story that is totally unique from anything I have ever read.  

 

On the charity front, to go along with our continued donations to Rocky Wood from our 90 Minutes to Live anthology, we are partnering with author Jeffrey Wilson and donating all the proceeds in February from sales of The Traiteur's Ring to The Navy SEALs foundation.  Jeffrey Wilson is currently in the reserves and spent several years on active duty attached to a Navy SEALs team.  Help support the SEALs and buy a copy of The Traiteur's Ring in February.

 

We also want to congratulate Brett J. Talley.  His book, That Which Should Not Be, is on the preliminary ballot for a HWA Stoker award and has made it to the second round of the ITW Thriller awards.  It is a little premature to jump up and down yet, but everyone at JournalStone is excited for Brett and we wanted to wish him luck no matter what the outcome.  Maybe by next month's newsletter we will have some official good news, but in the meantime we are happy for him as he continues to pass new milestones.

 

Along with our previously announced relationships from December, 2011, we want to thank Howard Katz of Library Journal.  He was very patient with us as we worked out an advertising campaign for 2012.  He was very supportive of JournalStone in the process and we look forward to a long relationship with the him and with Library Journal.

 

In January we added Library Journal and PissedOffGeek.com to our ever growing list of advertising partners which already included, (Publishers Weekly, Cemetery Dance Magazine, HorrorNews.net, Hellnotes.com, Horror News Network, Innsmouth Free Press, BuyZombie.com and Horror Asylum), I would say we are indeed set up to see our presence expand exponentially in 2012.

 

For my parting note, and as a teaser, I will add this in.  Keep an eye out on the forum and our website in February.  We are investigating some new printing options and you might be able to take advantage of some greatly reduced pricing by buying direct from JournalStone.com starting very soon.

  

Thanks everyone and we can't adequately express our excitement for the continuing opportunities in 2012 and our gratitude to all of our supporters who are making it possible.

 

 

Enjoy the Super Bowl. 

 

Christopher C. Payne

President 

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In our continuing discussions about the art of being published, we have covered editing, criticism, and the author's willingness to act upon suggestions. It's time to move on to a narrative element that never fails to produce good results; surprises.

 

There are two sorts of surprises-those readers expect, and the text that stuns the reader with its cleverness. Either of the two will do, but at least one of the two is vital to your story hooking its reader and holding them.

 

In our last post, we alluded to a recent, viral best-seller, which said that vampires sparkle. Without mentioning the name of the book, you know it. The surprise element itself has taken on a life of its own, and propelled the book series into the stratosphere. It has been said that there aren't any new elements in horror to write. Well, that author certainly found one. The best quality about it was that, it was clever and subtle. Only a small thing we had never been told about such creatures before and it stunned readers.

 

We are earnestly looking in our regular submissions for just such a gem. Every publishing house is looking earnestly for the same thing. Not every author will produce that magical note, but each author has that potential, if they continue to play at their creation with such a note in mind.

 

When is the best time to reveal this element? Retail Marketing has been reducing that answer down to a specific formula. The first sentence. But, we are in a new generation of publishing, and it is time to admit that readers are more patient than that formula suggests. They will not wait several chapters, however. The first few pages of a narrative, certainly, must at least hint at the surprises to come. The marketing blurb for the book, absolutely must let the reader know there is something unique about the story. Once it is firmly established in the reader's mind that the story is special and entertaining, they will be patient and continue reading.

 

Thanks everyone and enjoy.

Joel

 

To continue reading click on this link.

Proof Readers Needed

Are you interested in JournalStone's books but you can't afford the retail price?  We are always looking for sound proofreaders.  If you think you qualify and would like to read our pre-release novels, send an e-mail to christophercpayne@journalstone.com

 

We don't pay for proofreading but we do give you access to a wide variety of new releases.

 

We will send you a pdf and ask you to read the manuscript in 1 to 2 weeks and then forward us your grammatical changes.

 

We do require you to have some knowledge of the English language so please don't be offended if we have to decline your request to join the proofreading team.

 

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you. 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Cemetery Club by J.G. Faherty

Cemetery Club

by J.G. Faherty

Giveaway ends March 01, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Demon of Renaissance Drive by Elizabeth Reuter

The Demon of Renaissance Drive

by Elizabeth Reuter

Giveaway ends February 23, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Pazuzu's Girl by Rachel Coles

Pazuzu's Girl

by Rachel Coles

Giveaway ends May 04, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Goodreads Book Giveaway

JournalStone's 2011 Warped Words by Joel Kirkpatrick

JournalStone's 2011 Warped Words

by Joel Kirkpatrick

Giveaway ends March 16, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

90 Minutes to Live  

Click here for the full  interview by Brett J. Talley with Brad Carpenter.

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90 Minutes to Live 

  

90 Minutes to Live is an anthology dedicated to Rocky Wood.  Rocky, the current president of the HWA, was diagnosed with ALS and the proceeds from this book will be donated to help him purchase much needed medical equipment.  If you are interested in purchasing the book please follow this link to Amazon and know you will be supporting a great cause.

 

Brad Carpenter wrote, Godforsaken, one of

the short stories included in 90 Minutes to Live and Brett J. Talley, author of That Which Should Not Be was kind enough to conduct the interview.

 

So sit back, relax and get to know what makes Brad Carpenter tick and how he came about writing horror.

 

Brett:  Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for a living when you aren't writing?

 

Brad:   I was born and raised in Knoxville, TN. However, I recently moved to Los Angeles. I live with my wife, Melissa, and my daughter, Paisley, and our crazy Weimaraner named Penny. Unfortunately, I am still serving tables and slinging drinks at the Cheesecake Factory. It is a good job, but damn.... I wish I could write all day long.

Highlights
Joel Kirkpatrick
Book Giveaway - Cemetery Club
Book Giveaway - The Demon of Renaissance Drive
Book Giveaway - Pazuzu's Girl
Book Giveaway - 90 Minutes to Live
Interview - Brad Carpenter
JournalStone's $2,000 in 2012
Book Review - Pazuzu's Girl
Charity - Support the Navy SEALs
About Us

JournalStone is a small press publishing company, focusing on horror, fantasy and science fiction in both the adult and young adult markets.

 

We are members of & actively support:


HWA - Horror Writers Association
WNBA - Women's Nat'l Book Assn.
HPLHS - HP Lovecraft Historical Society
IBPA - Independent Book Publishing Assn.
SFWA - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

  

Check out our electronic bookstore at www.journal-store.com.

 

JournalStone is holding its 2nd annual HORROR writing contest. Our first one turned out so well we decided to do it again, and again, and again.  If you are not familiar with last year's winner, please check out That Which Should Not Be by Brett J. Talley.  That could be you next year.

 

If you are interested, please submit your 75,000 words or more manuscript/novel to joel@journalstone.com on or before April 1, 2012, and you will be entered.  The winner will receive a $2,000 advance against future royalties and have his/her novel published by JournalStone. 

 

Grammar counts; have it edited before you submit your entry.

 

The #1 winner is also eligible for active membership to the HWA (Horror Writers Association).  Have you always wanted to join, but haven't met the criteria? You can now become an active member with all of its benefits and prestige!

 

Scared about not winning?  Second prize gets a $500 advance and a published novel.  Yes, you have to sign a contract first.  Third place gets a $200 advance and for the last time, also gets a published novel. 

 

Not one of the top three?  No worries, you might still be good enough to get your novel published; you will just have to earn your money on the royalties.  We only have so much to give out for free.

 

Worried about costs?  JournalStone is a small press publishing company, not a vanity press.  We pay all the costs associated with publishing your novel. All an author is required to do is submit a freakishly scary book and rock our world.  There are no entry fees.

Pazuzu's Girl 

Pazuzu's Girl

 

I love working with JournalStone because I have been fortunate enough to get an early look at so many amazing novels. Pazuzu's Girl is definitely in those ranks!  It has such an interesting, unique plot and is so well written. I continue to be impressed by the caliber of writers who are being discovered or re-discovered by this company.

 

One thing that always snags me is when the seemingly bad characters, Pazuzu in this case, turn out to really be the good guys. Pazuzu is almost like any other normal, single father, trying to raise his rebellious teenage daughter right. Sure, he can dissipate into a swarm of locusts, and he's been known to spread a plague or two. A guy has to make a living, right? Deep down, Pazuzu has real heart, and the author does such an amazing job developing his character, keeping in his scary side and melding it with his humanity. We all have a scary side; admit it.

 

Another great thing about this novel is Morpho's character. We get to see her grow and come into herself, much like the butterfly she is named after.  We get to see her in the normal, angsty teenage life of an outcast. Our heartstrings are tugged as she finds love, and then we are crushed when her whole world comes apart around her. Morpho is able to find her strength, cling to her morality, and stand up to the evil that plagues her life and the world as a whole.

 

There are so many familiar yet revamped ideas included in this novel along with a lot of great, new aspects and characters. I love anything that has to do with gods and goddesses. Heck, you might even find a zombie or two in this one as well-or are those ghosts-or demons-or...?? 

 

Hmmm...guess you'll have to read to find out!

 

Review by Cassie McCown

The Traiteur's Ring  

Support for the Navy SEALs

  

In August of 2011, the Navy SEAL community suffered its worst single day loss of life in its more than 50-year history when a team of SEALs aboard a special operations helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. Like everyone with ties to the Naval Special Warfare, writer Jeffrey Wilson was deeply affected by this event. Everyone in the community is connected in some way to the families devastated by this tragedy.

 

Together with JournalStone Publisher Christopher C. Payne, Jeffrey has set out to raise money for the Navy SEAL Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides direct support for wounded SEALs and others from the Special Warfare community, and provides support and comfort for the families left behind when SEALs are killed in the line of duty. 

 

For the entire month of February, Jeffrey Wilson will donate 100% of his royalties from his novel THE TRAITEUR'S RING to the Navy SEAL foundation. In an incredible show of generosity and support, Chris Payne at JournalStone has agreed to not only match this donation, but in fact donate 100% of JournalStones' February profits from this book during February.

JS $2000 in 2012 AD