The Ghoulish Times 09/12/22
Hello and welcome to the latest issue of The Ghoulish Times. My name is Max Booth III, and if you are receiving this newsletter may god have mercy on your soul.
It’s been a weird month. It’s been a long month. The kind of month that feels like a year. If you missed the last newsletter, my mother died in a car crash on August 9th, and the week afterward I drove from Texas to Indiana to help my father grieve and take care of various tasks. I am still in Indiana, and will not be leaving until the morning of September 17th.
Today is the first chance I’ve had to do anything publishing/writing-related since…uhh, the last newsletter, I guess. So let’s get into it.
RABBITS IN THE GARDEN
Tomorrow, Jessica McHugh’s madhouse horror novel Rabbits in the Garden finally hits shelves again. I feel pretty shitty that I’ve not been able to help promote it as much as I would have liked the last month, due to my current circumstances, but I am very, very excited for people to read this thing. It’s…pretty fucking nuts, folks.
Back in Texas, I know my partner Lori Michelle is in the process of packaging pre-orders to mail out later today or first-thing tomorrow morning. I know she’s had it rough, too, without me around to take on my share of publishing duties. If you see her in the wild, buy her a cookie or something.
For those unaware, Rabbits in the Garden is a reprint. It was previously published over a decade ago by another press. We are thrilled to be bringing it back. Not only that, but we will also be publishing its never-before-released sequel later in November, titled Hares in the Hedgerow, along with a third installment currently untitled sometime in the future. It’s the Gardening Guidebooks Trilogy, baby!
Here’s a little bit more about Rabbits…
Twelve-year-old Avery Norton is head over heels in love with her best friend. With Paul Dillon at her side, she’s invincible against the slippery roofs of Martha’s Vineyard gingerbread houses, indifferent to sermons from her overprotective mother, Faye, and excited for another buoyant summer on the island.
According to the staff at Taunton Asylum, she’s also a crazed killer.
After uncovering a gruesome secret in her basement, Avery tumbles down a rabbit hole of death, doubt, and deception that leads to her incarceration in Taunton Asylum and threatens to keep her separated from Paul forever. But the more she learns about her past and the matriarch of the Norton family, the more realizes how much danger she and Paul are in.
From Bram Stoker Award Nominee, Jessica McHugh, the twisted mind behind The Green Kangaroos and Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven, Rabbits in the Garden begins Avery Norton’s horrifying journey to unearth the truth about her past and the woman who raised her to be a good little gardener.
You can order a paperback through our WEBSTORE and also snag a signed author plate from Jessica, or purchase wherever books are sold (I recommend Bookshop.org).
The sequel is also available for pre-order in our shop:
If you’d like to order both at once at a discounted price, we’re offering a bundle deal. Check it out HERE.
PRINTERS ROW RECAP / WEBSTORE SALE
Last weekend was the Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago. I had a Ghoulish Books table there, since I’m currently staying with my dad in Northwest Indiana (Portage, to be exact), and it’s only an hour’s drive to downtown. My brother Jeremy and nephew Xander joined me on Saturday. Here’s a pic of them early in the afternoon when the sun was at its meanest:
Frank also joined us. It was his first time in Chicago. Here he is relaxing in my nephew’s lap, post-poop:
At one point, a woman passed us walking a dog almost identical to Frank. Same eyebrows and all. Frank and her dog immediately started playing together, which is surprising when it comes to Frank (he’s a bit shy and grumpy usually). The best part? The other dog’s name was Barry. Frank and Barry. Are you fucking kidding me?
We had a truly excellent time. It was, without a doubt, the best day I’ve had since leaving Texas. It helps that we sold quite a bit of books, too.
Unfortunately, the second day of the fest was completely rained out.
I drove from Texas with a giant box of books in my trunk, and it’s only halfway empty at this point. We actually spent a little over $3,000 in new stock for this event and also NecronomiCon—the latter convention I had to bail out of after my mother died.
Which is why we’re currently doing a little sale in our webstore. Everything is 15% off when you enter code PRINTERSROW upon checkout. Deal expires Tuesday night. Go buy some spooky books! They’re good for ya.
UPCOMING EVENTS
My Chicago adventures are not quite over. On Wednesday the 14th, I have a reading/signing at Bucket o’Blood Books and Records with my pals Cynthia Pelayo and Daniel Kraus. I’ll probably bring Frank, too. More details HERE.
Then, on Saturday the 17th, I will be at the Barnes & Noble in Bowling Green, Kentucky from 3pm-5pm signing books. Here is the current endcap at the store promoting the event:
Pretty freakin’ cool, if you ask me. Oh, and Lori will be with me! She’s flying out on Friday the 16th and doing the drive with me. I am very excited! I fucking miss her so much!
Also, at the same location in Bowling Green, look out for future signings with other Ghoulish Books authors such as Laurel Hightower (October 8th, 2pm-4pm) and Jessica Leonard (October 15th, 2pm-4pm)!
I actually have a shit ton of events coming up, and I’ll wait to promote most of the other October ones until the next newsletter, but there is one last event I need to mention…
THE GHOULISH SHOW
Before COVID hit, I used to host a comedy variety show in Austin, TX called Something Indecent with Max Booth III. It only lasted a few months before it got shut down, but while it lasted I certainly had a blast. I’ve been dying to do something like it again—and, I’m pleased to announce, it’s finally time.
Beginning this month, on September 27th, and continuing every month on the last Tuesday of the month, I will be hosting a live entertainment show in Austin at Radio Coffee and Beer called THE GHOULISH SHOW.
Here is Betty Rocksteady’s wonderful poster art for the event:
I might have already talked about this show, actually. I can’t remember. I have the memory of a goldfish. Either way, the show is still happening, and I’m pumped. The first one is September 27th. I hope you come out. I think it’s going to be fun. More details HERE. Facebook event page HERE.
I’m going to attempt to record each show and post them on YouTube, but technology is often a cruel creature, so no promises anything will survive.
Episode #170. Dracula Film Adaptations with Gwendolyn Kiste!
Gwendolyn Kiste is the author of RELUCTANT IMMORTALS. On today’s episode of GHOULISH, we discuss various Dracula film adaptations, small cults in the 60s and 70s, and the beauty blood trend of 2016.
RECENT ACQUISITIONS
We have announced some acquisitions on social media and Publishers Marketplace, and I don’t think we mentioned it in this newsletter, so let’s play catchup real fast on some books I’m really excited to publish next year…
Okay, that’s it for this week. You can support us on Patreon, browse the books in our webstore, and follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter (PMMP | DMD | Ghoulish podcast | Ghoulish Books | personal). Reserve your ticket for Ghoulish Book Fest 2023. You can also join us on the Ghoulish Discord.
See you next time, ghouls.
I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom. Please know you're in my thoughts.