Catcoin is Coming

Catcoin: The Fictional History of a Cryptocurrency is the title of my new book. It's new in a great many ways. If you've read anything I've released already you have an idea of my style of writing, my brand. Some call it horror comedy, some call it whimsical urban fantasy, some call it straight up funny. Always with the monster bend. This time, with Catcoin, I'm exploring different territory.

The thread that binds it all together? The comedy. At least, I hope so. Catcoin is more of an adventure comedy. If you can picture a documentary that follows a dollar bill around you can start to wrap your head around what Catcoin in. Now, instead of a paper dollar bill, picture that currency as a drunk Cat from Italy who is turned into a Cryptocurrency (think Bitcoin) and we get to follow that wine guzzling cat as it trots around the globe being spent as a new form of currency the world has yet to see. That's Catcoin in a nutshell.

Catcoin. Premiers 2/28/20 on Kindle eBook.

So, I'm wading into a some uncharted territory with this one. It's definitely, in no way, shape or form, horror. But is is funny. So I'm going to be marketing it toward the action/adventure crowd. The easy money is to call it a thriller. Thrillers are hot right now. But, I think that's a disingenuous. Catcoin, at its core, is an action/adventure thriller. That is for certain and I must pitch it to the readers who appreciate that type of story. I don't believe this will hit in the same way that it hits for those who enjoy Death, Brats or Scatterbrain.

So, if you've picked up my books or not, I am here to tell you that Catcoin is something different. It's still tainted with humor the whole way through (at least, I hope so, humor is objective and that ball is in our court fine reader.) I've left the monsters behind. I've left the speckles of darkness in my wake.

Catcoin in my love letter to Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. I see the dawn of a new era in those things and it was important for me to provide a bit of fictional whimsy to that bright new future. You may see things the Catcoin way or you may not. That's for you to decide, just like we will all decide with things like Bitcoin and Etherium and their ilk.

The world is going crypto. Are you on board?

Pre-Order CatCoin NOW for just 99 cents on Kindle eBook before it assumes it's normal value of $2.99 after February 28th, 2020!

A Year in Reading 2019

Its time to reflect on my year in books for 2019. This is my favorite annual blog post. It has become my annual tradition to spotlight my noteable reads for the past year. I think it's a fun way to reflect on the best material I've had the honor of reading instead of making some inaccurate, ever changing and God forbid, controversial ranked list.

I like to present those books that really stood out to me in the past year. I managed to ready forty one books this year, one more than the previous year. The following are the books that have left an impact for one reason or another. They are presented in chronological order as I read throughout the year. I hope you will be inspired to check out any on this list that you haven't and discover those you wouldn't have ever considered.

And now, my most notable reads of 2019:

• BANG UP: A FILTHY COMEDIC THRILLER by Jeff Strand (2018) Jeff Strand: This book didn't seem to connect with fans of Jeff Strand's more comedic horror books but I loved it for the off-the-wall comedic romp that it was. If I were going to read erotica, it would all have to be like this. A solid 4.75 star effort.

• MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM by Grady Hendrix (2016) Quirk Books: There has been a lot of buzz around Grady Hendrix since Horrorstor and Paperback's From Hell. Instead of starting there, I decided to start with this. If everyone is talking about those other books and this one made my notable reads for 2019 list then I best get cracking on the other's for 2020.

•  IMPOSSIBLE DRIVEWAYS by Justin Grimbol (2018) Atlatl Press: A perennial favorite of mine. Justin Grimbol always delivers with his unique brand of poetry/prose story telling. There is charm and beauty in the uncomfortable truths and honest observations of the poet laureate of the weird and wacky.

• OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES by Chad Lutzke (2019) Poltergeist Press:  Last year, Chad Lutzke made my list of notable reads with OUT BEHIND THE BARN, a collaborative effort with John Boden. I wanted to be sure to read a solo effort from Lutzke. OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES is, without a doubt, my favorite read of 2019. This is the only 5-star rating I awarded this year. I love that the world is slowly starting to discover this extremely talented horror author. I expect to see more awareness and great effort from him in 2020.

• A CONFEDERACY OF HOT DOGS by Christoph Paul (2017) Clash Books:  I've been meaning to read this one forever. I put it off afraid that it would read as an inside joke. The protagonist, Phil LoPresti is a real person and the character is based on that real person. Hence my apprehension of that turning out as an inside joke. But, I did finally commit to reading it and the result was it was my favorite weird/bizarre read of 2019. I think this will translate well and not come off as an inside joke to those in the know. Its simply fucking funny.

• BITCOIN BILLIONAIRES by Ben Mezrich (2019) Flatiron Books:  Ben Mezrich updates and turns the tables on his notorious book, THE ACCIDENTAL BILLIONAIRES. Where that book left the Winklevoss twins looking like the devil incarnate, BITCOIN BILLIONAIRES recasts them as the brilliant entrepreneurs that they are in real life. I have a love a affair with the story of Bitcoin and this telling of the Winklevoss twins story in cryptocurrency with gorgeous, sexy and Romantic. I've fallen in love with it that much more.

•  JURASSIC FLORIDA by Hunter Shea (2018) Lyrical Underground: Beautiful in its simplicity. This is a giant monster book. That's all. Its a great story wrapped around a giant iguana monster book set in Florida. Hunter Shea keeps it simple stupid (k.i.s.s.) and pulls off a notable read for 2019 in the process. 

• TERROR MANNEQUIN by Douglas Hackle (2019) Douglas Hackle: Douglas Hackle turns in a darker, more horror focused offering for 2019 and the result is TERROR MANNEQUIN. This title wins cover of the year handily. Its also backed up by one weird, twisted story full of macabre crazy. This book feels like its own new thing and others will only follow suit. Read the original, whatever it is!
  
  
   

• POPSICKLE HEART by J. Peter W. (2018) DP Books:  POPSICKLE HEART by J. Peter W. represents the sleeper hit of 2019. A full on, bizarro tale of one clown's struggle against the world. So bizarre, so weird, so artistic and visceral. Great weird writing, it's time everyone found out that J. Peter W. has got the write stuff. Dip your pink little toes into this quiet gem.

Honorable mentions for 2019 include: THE WARRIORS by Sol Yurick, a classic that I finally got around to reading: different but as good as the classic film inspired by the book. PRESTO! by Penn Jillette a different type of diet book. F*CKED UP STORIES: VOL. 1 edited by Ira Rat, a stand out DIY 'zine that wasn't big enough to warrant a mention of the main list but still a standout offering in short form for 2019. And lastly, Tim Meyer's LIMBS a twisted tale that simply fell one slot shy of getting main stage recognition.

2019 was punctuated by the fact that I only rated one book at 5 stars. And yet, I probably awarded the most 4-star reviews in a given year at the same time. Lots of great books but just one super stand out. 2020 promises to have more great reads in store. Weird will rise again and horror is sure to birth new great names. Catch ya in 2021!

You can check out the complete list of the forty books I read on Goodreads.
You can check out my notable books read from 2018 HERE.

TubeTops

A few weeks back, while watching the Twitter feed scroll along on my screen, I came across a tweet from a book reviewer who was looking for authors to interview for a new segment he wanted to try on his YouTube channel. Knowing that authors are a big bunch of media whores (myself included) I figured he'd already fielded a million eager volunteers but as it turned out, I was the first one.

The book reviewer, Ben Walker, maintains a YouTube channel called BLURB where he does, amongst other segments, very entertaining bizarro book reviews. His new idea was to interview authors with an interesting slant. He is going to ask them questions that have little if anything to do with writing. My questions were from entrance applications for Oxford University.

I had a lot of fun answering the irreverent questions and the final product came out great. The segment is called What The Book? and I am the first victim/guest. I look forward to more of these fun segments with other writers.
I'll share it with you here:

And as a bonus, Ben Walker read SCATTERBRAIN just before he interviewed me for What The Book? to get an idea of what my writing was about. He wound up doing one of his signature bizarre book reviews as a surprise bonus to doing the interview segment.

Check out Ben Walker dying for his art in his bizarro book review of SCATTERBRAIN here:

A Year In Reading 2018

Its time to reflect on my year in books for 2018. This is my favorite annual blog post. It has become my annual tradition to spotlight my noteable reads for the past year. I think its a more realistic way to reflect on the best material I've had the honor of reading instead of making some inaccurate, ever changing and God forbid, controversial ranked list.

I like to present those books that really stood out to me in the past year. I managed to ready forty books this year and the following are the books that have left and impact for one reason or another. They are presented in chronological order as I read throughout the year. I hope you will be inspired to check out any on this list that you haven't and discover those you wouldn't have ever considered.

And now, my most notable reads of 2018:

• IN THE COMPANY OF OGRES by A. Lee Martinez (2007) Tor Books: The first book I awarded five stars in 2018. In The Company Of Ogres was my return to A. Lee Martinez, a writer whose work is near and dear to me. Style-wise, my own writing most closely resembles his work. It had been a few years since I read any of his books and I was not disappointed by this comic fantasy gem. 

• BUYING ILLEGAL BUGS WITH BITCOIN by George Billions (2017) George Billions: I picked up this book because I have a mild obsession with Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. I was happy to find a fiction book based around the subject matter. I was blown away by the story itself. George Billions is the writer I am most excited about in 2018. This book is brilliant, if you read no other book on this list, read BUYING ILLEGAL BUGS WITH BITCOIN. For those who want to keep score, this is my favorite read of all in 2018.

•  CRAWLSPACE by Dan Padavona (2016) Dan Padavona: Crawlspace was my early pick for best horror read of the year. Though, in the end, it didn't top my list, it's still a solid, creepy horror story with an 80's throwback feel. The titular crawlspace in the book was a creepy area I could relate all too well to as I once lived in an apartment building with a very similar artitecture. This was my first dive into Dan Padavona's work and I look forward to more creeps and chills when I dive back into his work again.

• CYCLOPS ROAD by Jeff Strand (2016) Jeff Strand:  There were three strong contenders for my favorite read of 2018. Cyclops Road was one of those three. This my my first experience with a full-on Jeff Strand novel and it was glorious. Its fantastic, funny and captivating. An honest-to-God page turner of a book that will not let you put it down until you find out if there is a cyclops at the end of the road. A must read book no matter what your taste in reading.

• DIE EMPTY by Kirk Jones (2017) Atlatl Press:  Die Empty was a book I knew I wanted to read as soon as I read the synopsis. This is the third of three books that were far and away my favorite reads of 2018. Die Empty shines in its ability to pull off the 2nd person point of view, only one other book that I've read has accomplished that feat and Kirk Jones may have just done a better job. If you've lived some life and can appreciate the ups and downs it throws at you, you need to experience Die Empty.

• OUT BEHIND THE BARN by John Boden & Chad Lutzke (2018) Boden/Lutzke:  One of the few books I read that was published in the current year. This little book packs a powerful wallop. It is my pick for favorite horror read in 2018. A genuine page turner that you will plow through to get to the shocking conclusion. It has one of those Sixth Sense type endings that will take your breath away. Gorgeous horror.

•  COME HOME, WE STILL LOVE YOU by Justin Grimbol (2017) Atlatl Press: Justin Grimbol makes back to back appearances on my year end list. Come Home, We Still Love You is poetry told in prose. It is signature Grimbol. There is charm, discomfort, humor and hefty doses of reality in these little vignettes from snippets of Justin's life and relationships. It's beautifully real even when it's (maybe) not. Justin Grimbol is a man who can wield words like a gentleman caller with a box of long-stem roses. You will melt.

•  PERSON by Sam Pink (2010) Eraserhead Press:  A sleeper hit, for me. This book had sat for a year and more unread. I was inspired by a facebook post to reexamine my desire to read it. Though the opening chapter made me want to close it and put it back on the shelf, I read forward and from chapter 2 through to the end, Person was glorious. It was everything I enjoy about bizarro fiction and is exemplary of the genre during is golden era. 

•  SKULLFACE BOY by Chad Lutzke (2017) Static Age Books:  Skullface Boy had all the buzz through 2018 in the horror circles. After falling in love with Lutzke's collaboration with Joh Boden, I knew I had to read Skullface Boy. It is equal parts horror, coming of age, bizarre and road trip. But what makes it truely work is just how real the inprobable character Skullface Boy is. Skullface Boy is an adventure full of trials and tribulations that we all wish we could face, it would give us as much character as he has. You must read this book in 2019 if you haven't in 2018.

There they are, the cream of the crop for 2018. A few honorable mentions that didn't make the list are: AUNT POSTER by John Wayne Comunale, THE MORBIDLY OBESE NINJA by Carlton Mellick III, Ray Bradbury's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (my first read of the classic) and TEXAS CHAINSAW MANTIS by Kevin Strange. 

My To Be Read pile for 2019 is already threatening to topple over. I'm sure I will get derailed along the way, as I always do, with an array of simply-must-read work that will debut in 2019.

You can check out the complete list of the forty books I read on Goodreads.
You can check out my notable books read from 2017 HERE.

Podcast Killed The YouTube Star

SCATTERBRAIN is out running wild in the book world. That means it's time for me to start my media blitz. As you may or may not already be aware, I host my own podcast, Bizzong! The Bizarre and Weird Fiction Podcast on the Project Entertainment Network. But to get the word out about the new book I have to cast a wider net.

As you may or may not have noticed, I've appeared on several different podcasts recently. So let this entry serve as your one-stop-shop as your own personal Mr. Frank Radio Network launch pad. I'll give you the skinny on all the shows I've made appearances on recently.

The NEW Panic Room Radio Show:  The Panic Room airs live Thursday nights via BlogTalkRadio. You can listen to hosts Xtine Marie and James Longmore as they chat with writers from all walks of life and you can also listen back as a podcast after the show airs. One of the few live shows that do it right.

The Sample Chapter Podcast:  A great new book related podcast that I've really been digging on. The Sample Chapter Podcast is hosted by Jason Meuschke who conducts a short interview and then allows the feature author to read a sample chapter from one of their published books. You can listen to hear a sample from SCATTERBRAIN here.

The Lunch Ladies Book Club Podcast: The Lunch Ladies Book Club, hosted by Shelly Rosamilia is an audio book club. Shelly (along with occasional special guests) does a deep dive into the books she has been reading. On this episode, I join Shelly to discuss John Wayne Comunale's DEATH PACTS AND LEFT HAND PATHS. Did we like the book? Listen to find out!

Bizzong! The Bizarre and Weird Fiction Podcast: No matter what you do make sure to check out my podcast, Bizzong! where I interview everyone who is anyone that writes, eats and breaths bizarre and weird fiction. Every Monday, exclusively on the Project Entertainment Network.








You can also hear become a patron of the Project Entertainment Network to listen in to the new episode of NOT Bizzong! A Patreon Exclusive Podcast of the Project Entertainment Network where I pull back the curtain on your favorite network podcasts to find out what makes them tick. Consider becoming a patron now for as little as $1 a month.

Thanks for listening and make sure you check out the new book, SCATTERBRAIN. Available for Kindle eBook and paperback. Also available to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited.

Scatterbrained

Well, it's been awhile since I posted in this joint. And there's a bunch of stuff to catch up on. So here's all the stuff that is up in Frank J. Edler Land as of late:

The biggest update is that my new book, SCATTERBRAIN, will premier on Kindle eBook and paperback on October 12th! All the previous posts earlier this year about eating avocado and eggs with Chuck Buda and Tim Meyer in Panera Bread around New Jersey led to this release! The fruit of that labor is a tale of B-movie Killer Brains from the monster's point of view. It is available NOW for pre-order on Kindle ahead of its release. 

It's hard being a Killer Brain. Just ask Scatter, a Killer Brain who just wants to be a Killer Brain. But he can't, his parents want him to get a job. Scatter would rather do what he does best, terrorize the city with his pack of Killer Brain friends. But Scatter is about to find out life isn't fair.
Crazed neurosurgeon, Dr. Justin Case is out to avenge the death of his parents at the hands of the Killer Brains. And now he has Scatter in his sights. Along with his cohort, Coda, Dr. Case will stop at nothing to exact his revenge and seek the closure he has sought since he watched his parents get devoured by Killer Brains as a child.
The odds are stacked against Scatter. He must navigate life while trying not to fall into the clutches of his would-be nemesis. Can Scatter get by without a little help from family and friends. He just wants to live life doing what he loves but sometimes responsibility has a way of rearranging your priorities. Join Scatter as he navigates through life, the job market and a city full of crazies all keeping him from doing what he loves, being a Killer Brain.

The promotion for SCATTERBRAIN has already begun. "The Gal In The Blue Mask" blog hosted an interview with Scatter, star of SCATTERBRAIN as part of her Halloween Extravaganza. Check it out to find out what Scatter Brain is all about as well as check out an expert from the book. And because I'm oh-so-special, blog host Meghan Hyde also interviewed me as part of the Halloween Extravaganza! It was a back-to-back Frank-O-Palooza!

In addition to all the SCATTERBRAIN hullabaloo, I've also landed my first Zine appearance. I love the idea of DIY zines but I've never had the drive to do my own and I've been underwhelmed by some of the others I've seen out there. That was until I discovered Ben Fitts' new Rock N' Roll Horror Zine. The Rock N' Roll Horror Zine is the perfect place for my writing style. And as it just-so-happened, I had started working on a series of short stories I was toying with the idea of putting into a collection. But the idea petered out once I started work on SCATTERBRAIN and other upcoming projects. When I saw the call for Rock N' Roll Horror inspired stories for the zine I figured the stuff I had worked on would be a great fit. Zine editor, Ben Fitts agreed and my story, That Time I Hung Out With Motley Crue now graces the pages of issue #3. You can order your own copy of The Rock N' Roll Horror Zine through Etsy or follow their home page here to get bundle deals as well!

And to round this whirlwind month out, I will be taking part in a Halloween Book Signing at Second Time Books in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey on October 27th from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. This appearance was rooted in our Beers N' Fears Brewery Tour this past spring. Before our stop at Spellbound Brewery in Mt. Holly, NJ we stopped at this quaint, little second hand bookstore in neighboring Mt. Laurel. It is a gem of a shop that carries books across a wide array of genres. Their horror and fantasy section were especially appealing. I, myself, bolstered my Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson collection at a nice price. Anyway, we made nice with the shop owners and when we explained what we were up to with our Beers N' Fears appearance that day they invited us to do a signing at their shop anytime. Well, Tim Meyer, Chuck Buda and myself will be cashing in on their generous offer by doing a Halloween time book signing at this fantastic shop. If you are in the area I encourage you to come out, check out the shop and maybe you can be one of the first people to get your hands on a paperback copy of SCATTERBRAIN there as well!

That's all for now. Keep an eye and ear out for me in the weeks to come for appearances on your favorite podcasts and blogs as I criss cross the intra-webs spreading the gospel of SCATTERBRAIN for the world to hear! And don't forget to pre-order your copy of SCATTERBRAIN today so it's sitting there for you on your Kindle device the moment it is released!

Interview at Cedar Hollow Reviews

Check out The interview I did at Cedar Hollow Reviews, a great horror blog.

http://www.cedarhollowhorrorreviews.com/2018/03/interview-with-frank-j-elder.html?m=1