3 For $3 Sale

So what goodies did everyone get for Christmas? I got some pretty good stuff. Like this clock from my parents:

Judging by the buzz on the Internet, one of the major gifts this year were e-readers. A Kindle, Nook, even an iPad -- some kind of e-reading device. So I thought it would be a swell idea to lower the price of my three e-books to 99 cents each at Amazon and Smashwords (sorry, Nook owners, B&N took way too long to upload this time around but you could always purchase the epub from Smashwords and transfer it to your Nook). Here are the details.

In Solemn Shades of Endless Night is a 14,000-word story about a man trapped in perpetual Halloween night who must make the ultimate choice: to save himself or the world.

“Halloween night. A battle between good and evil, darkness and light. The blurring of reality. A touch of trust and betrayal. The burden of the past on present and future generations. Robert Swartwood’s In Solemn Shades of Endless Night has it all. A classic Halloween tale that will keep you turning the pages.”

— David B. Silva, author of The Shadows of Kingston Mills

A young man finds a mysterious silver ring that holds extraordinary powers -- a ring that the darkest evil in the universe wants for its very own.

This edition contains a bonus short story.

“Robert Swartwood’s The Silver Ring is a full-tilt no-holds-barred bobsled of a ride, absolutely engaging and a hundred percent fun. If this one doesn’t grab you, it’s time to up your Ritalin.”

— Joe Schreiber, author of Chasing the Dead and No Doors, No Windows

Josh wakes up one morning to find his ten-year-old brother filling in a grave in the backyard. From there, the day just gets worse.

This edition contains the original 10,000-word novelette, a 3,000-word alternate ending, and two bonus short stories of pulpy horror goodness.

So yeah, this deal isn't really 3 for $3 as much as it is 3 for $2.97, but I just thought the former sounds better. This offer is only good until the end of the year when the prices go back to $1.99. Enjoy!

30-Word SmokeLong Winners

The latest issue of SmokeLong Quarterly has gone live, featuring the top 5 picks of the 30-word contest. Over 1,400 stories were submitted; out of those stories about 50 was sent to me, and from those I choose the winners. Congrats to Ted Chiles, Sion Dayson, Kevin O'Cuinn, Jan Ellison, and Patricia Anderson (who, if I had to pick just one winner, would have won for her really great story "Still Life"). Thanks to Tara Laskowski and everyone else at SmokeLong for asking me to judge (plus narrowing down those 1,400-some stories!), and to everyone who submitted. Be sure to check out the rest of the issue, especially Ravi Mangla's awesome piece.

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Ignorant People

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Yesterday another YouTube video became sort of viral in publishing circles and I'm sure you've probably already seen it but I present it here just in case:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv4Hpz-GI3g

I even posted it on Facebook with the caption "Spoiled Brat!" I was (in case it wasn't obvious) being facetious. After all, the kid is just a kid, not even five years old, and on Christmas morning, what kind of presents does a kid that age want to open? Toys, of course!

It would be different if the kid were, say, ten years old and flipping out that he got a book instead of a toy. But no, this particular child is three, so it's expected, right?

Of course, the kinds of people who regularly comment at YouTube apparently didn't understand this little fact, based on this note by one of the kid's parents regarding the video:

I have deleted a lot of very undeserved negative comments that have been posted....I understand now that without a good understanding of the back history one could make a poor assumption of him....but now i hope you know that he was ONLY THREE YEARS OLD PEOPLE and that he only thought your supposed to get toys for christmas....partly because of how commercialized this holiday has become.....we have since taught him differently..............but just for kicks were gonna wrap books again for him and see what happens....

Personally, if I were a parent I don't think I'd post a video of my child on YouTube in the first place, but this was the choice these parents made. And sure, in some ways, the video's cute, but is it deserving of such snarkiness from those degenerates trolling YouTube? No, of course not. And this is yet another reason why I hate ignorant people.