Look, I have my own page on The Bram Stoker Awards website! This makes me very happy. đ You can see it here.
Tag Archives: Little Dead Red
Crystal Lake’s Massive Kindle Sale!
You guys! Crystal Lake is celebrating the end of August with a HUGE 99 cent Kindle Sale, including my Bram Stoker Award-winning Little Dead Red and my favorite novel, Pretty Little Dead Girls. (The sale starts on August 29 for PLDG.) So many books are on sale, and I’ve picked up a few myself. Why not check it out?  The rest of the info is below.
Welcome to Crystal Lake Publishing’s August sale! Grab as many as you can before the prices go up throughout the week, but stick around, as well. The authors behind these books will drop by throughout the week with questions, challenges, games and giveaways.
These titles will drop to 99c today and slowly rise back to their normal prices by Monday the 4th of September. The sale is active on Amazon.com andAmazon.co.uk.
On sale from today:
LITTLE DEAD RED by Mercedes M. Yardley â getBook.at/DeadAmazon
EMBERS by Kenneth W. Cain â http://getbook.at/CainsEmbers
EIDOLON AVENUE by Jonathan Winn â http://getbook.at/AmazonEidolon
WHERE YOU LIVE by Gary McMahon â http://getBook.at/WhereYouLive
STUCK ON YOU AND OTHER PRIME CUTS by Jasper Bark âhttp://getbook.at/JasperPrimeCuts
SLEEPER(S) by Paul Kane â http://getbook.at/Sleepers
BLACKWATER VAL by William Gorman â http://getbook.at/BlackVal
THE OUTSIDERS Lovecraftian anthology â http://getbook.at/AmazonTheOutsiders
SARAH KILLIAN: SERIAL KILLER FOR HIRE by Mark Sheldon âhttp://getbook.at/SarahK
WIND CHILL by Patrick Rutigliano â http://getbook.at/AmazonChill
THE THIRD TWIN by Darren Speegle â http://getbook.at/ThirdTwin
THE FINAL RECONCILIATION by Todd Keisling â http://getbook.at/TheYellowKing
SAMURAI AND OTHER STORIES by William Meikle â http://getbook.at/Amazon-Samurai
VISIONS OF THE MUTANT RAIN FOREST by Robert Frazier and Bruce Boston â http://getbook.at/RainForest
THE FINAL CUT by Jasper Bark â http://getbook.at/FinalCut
TALES FROM THE LAKE VOL.3 anthology â http://getbook.at/Lake3
THROUGH A MIRROR, DARKLY by Kevin Lucia â http://getbook.at/AmazonDarkly
Sale starts 29th:
CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE zombie anthology â http://getbook.at/AmazonGrave
WRITERS ON WRITING VOL.1 â 4 OMNIBUS â http://getbook.at/WoW
PRETTY LITTLE DEAD GIRLS by Mercedes M. Yardley â http://getbook.at/PrettyAmazon
WHERE THE DEAD GO TO DIE by Mark Allan Gunnells and Aaron Dries âhttp://getbook.at/TheHospice
Be sure to check out our other titles, as well:Â http://www.crystallakepub.com/book-table/
Brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing – Tales from the Darkest Depths
The Little Dead Red and Other Stories COVER REVEAL!
I’m thrilled to show you the cover to my collection “Little Dead Red and Other Stories,” which will be put out by Vault Books.
Marcela BolĂvar is the artist and she knocked it out of the ballpark! This is only one of the gorgeous illustrations that she did. The numbered edition will have four original pieces of art, and the lettered will have five. They are all breathtaking.
âVault Books is extremely pleased to publish a limited edition printing of the Bram Stoker winning story, Little Dead Red along with selected other short stories and essays. Little Dead Red & Other Stories will be an exclusive printing of this collection unavailable anywhere else, and will showcase Yardleyâs ability to terrify us with short stories, flash-fiction, and of course, her award winning novelette.
Table of Contents
Fiction:
- Little Dead Red
- Taking the Storm as a LoverCharms for the Dark Season
- Milk and Moonshine
- Deadened (Previously Unpublished)
- The Quiet Places Where Your Body Grows
- A Cypher of Spring
- Big Man Ben
- Ravenous Stars, Carnivorous Moon (Previously Unpublished)
- Black Eyes Broken
Essays:
- Hide the Sickness
- A House Without Corners
- Monarchs (Previously only available in audio)
Little Dead Red & Other Stories will be available in two different editions. Here is what they will have in common:
- A new, original cover, as well as three additional full-color interior illustrations by Marcela BolĂvar
- A rich and horrifying collection of Miss Murderâs short fiction, containing two brand-new, unpublished stories (âDeadenedâ and âRavenous Stars, Carnivorous Moonâ), as well as the exclusive print version of her essay, Monarchs.
- A new Foreword introducing the Bram Stoker Award winning novelette and the other stories
- An in-depth interview with author, Mercedes Murdock Yardley
- Brief explanations from the author discussing each story in the collection, giving readers a window into the authorâs mind (safety not guaranteed)
- Printed on 60# acid-free paper
- Smyth sewn for durability
- Foil stamping on the front boards and spine
Numbered Limited Edition:
- Limited to up to only 500 copies
- Bound in leather
- Personally signed by Mercedes Murdock Yardley
- Hand-numbered
â
Lettered Edition:
- Limited to up to only 52 copies
- Bound in leather
- Personally signed by Mercedes Murdock Yardley
- Hand-lettered
- Housed in a custom slipcase
- Will contain one additional art piece not in the numbered edition
The collection is available for preorder HERE.
2016 Reading Lists!
There are few things cooler to me than seeing somebody’s favorite reads of the year. I’m always trying to catch up on super cool books. But I can’t tell you how amazing it feels to actually end up on somebody’s list!
Apocalyptic Montessa was mentioned on The Baked Scribe.
Detritus in Love was mentioned on Char’s Horror Corner and Gingernuts of Horror.
Little Dead Red was mentioned on Wag the Fox.
Water Thy Bones (Gutted) was mentioned on James Everington-Scattershot.
If you have a minute, please stop by and see the other wonderful books that made these lists! Thank you. đ
Get Little Dead Red and Pretty Little Dead Girls for 99 Cents!
99 cents for a short time only!
The Wolf is roaming the city in this Bram Stoker Award winning Mercedes M. Yardley novella, and he must be stopped.
âLITTLE DEAD RED is a dark retelling of the classic fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. But make no mistake; it isnât that story in modernized form. That would be dark enough, but Mercedesâ version would horrify a Grimm brother. Yardley masterfully doles out little tidbits of Grim Marie and Aletaâs backstories while simultaneously developing the story, taking us into the black recesses of her protagonistâs mind, and developing her characters with exceptional aptitude.â â Shane D. Keene, Shotgun Logic
Stop him before itâs too late: http://getbook.at/DeadAmazon
A dark yet lovely fairy tale with lyrical language and a high body count â Pretty Little Dead Girls: A Novel of Murder and Whimsy by Mercedes M. Yardley.
âPRETTY LITTLE DEAD GIRLS features a heroine who, despite the âsmudge of impending doomâ and an unrelenting, seriously perverse serial killer in hot pursuit, âchallenged fate, challenged the universe.â Imagine Neil Gaiman and Wes Anderson penning a dual, simultaneous re-imagining of SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and PRETTY IN PINK and employing the late, great television show PUSHING DAISIES as a conceptual framework and youâll be in the neighborhood.â â Fangoria Magazine
Can Bryony survive her destiny?: http://getbook.at/PrettyAmazon
Little Dead Red and Other Stories! Win a Limited Edition Copy!
So the most amazing thing happened.Vault Books is a new publishing company that  creates limited editions of new and existing works by some of the most noted writers of speculative fiction, and they took me under their wing.  Pre-orders for my new limited edition short story collection Little Dead Red and Other Stories are now live. And this thing is going to be wonderful! The details make me swoon. I mean, literally swoon.
Table of Contents
Fiction:
- Little Dead Red
- Taking the Storm as a Lover
- Charms for the Dark Season
- Milk and Moonshine
- Deadened (Previously Unpublished)
- The Quiet Places Where Your Body Grows
- A Cypher of Spring
- Big Man Ben
- Ravenous Stars, Carnivorous Moon (Previously Unpublished)
- Black Eyes Broken
Essays:
- Hide the Sickness
- A House Without Corners
- Monarchs (Previously only available in audio)
Little Dead Red & Other Stories will be available in two different editions. Here is what they will have in common:
- A new, original cover, as well as three additional full-color interior illustrations by Marcela BolĂvar
- A rich and horrifying collection of Miss Murderâs short fiction, containing two brand-new, unpublished stories (âDeadenedâ and âRavenous Stars, Carnivorous Moonâ), as well as the exclusive print version of her essay, Monarchs.
- A new Foreword introducing the Bram Stoker Award winning novelette and the other stories
- An in-depth interview with author, Mercedes Murdock Yardley
- Brief explanations from the author discussing each story in the collection, giving readers a window into the authorâs mind (safety not guaranteed)
- Printed on 60# acid-free paper
- Smyth sewn for durability
- Foil stamping on the front boards and spine
Numbered Limited Edition:
- Limited to up to only 500 copies
- Bound in leather
- Personally signed by Mercedes Murdock Yardley
- Hand-numbered
Lettered Edition:
- Limited to up to only 52 copies
- Bound in leather
- Personally signed by Mercedes Murdock Yardley
- Hand-lettered
- Housed in a custom slipcase
- Will contain one additional art piece not in the numbered edition
The beauty of this stops my heart. I can’t fathom my work being housed so wonderfully, and I can’t wait. If you’re interested in picking up a copy, you can do so here. The cover and illustrations will be done by Marcela BolĂvar, whose work is jaw-dropping. The cover shown on the Vault Books page will NOT be the final cover. It’s simply a placeholder until we get the art. But you should check out Marcela’s gallery, because I think my words and her art were meant to go together.
May I just say that being released alongside Dan Wells, Peter Orullian, and Brandon Sanderson is insanely cool and humbling? It blows my mind that people believe in me this much.
Now here’s the part you’ve been waiting for! Here’s your chance to win a free copy of my limited edition book! (Or a copy of Brandon Sanderson’s new book. Or books from Dan Wells, Peter Orullian, and Steve Diamond. Seriously, this is amazing.) Help spread the word about Vault Books and enter for your chance to win. Thank you so much! Have an amazing day.
Darkness Dwells Podcast Episode 60!
Okay, so this was so much fun. I was delighted to go on the Darkness Dwells podcast and meet one of my new favorite people, Jason White. I recount my dorkiness at the Bram Stoker Award, my unholy love for The Lord of the Flies, and listen in horror as Jason is abducted by Skynet. Please stop by and take a listen! There is a *lot* of laughter. đ
So, Um. This Happened. Thank You!
On Saturday night, I was blown away when I was awarded the beautiful Bram Stoker Award for my story Little Dead Red.  Little Dead Red is probably the darkest thing I’ve written. It’s a tale about little girls, their dead-inside mothers, and the Wolves of the world. It’s a tale of love and justice. It’s a difficult read because it isn’t fantasy. It’s real.
(Thanks to S Scranton Photography for this gorgeous picture! I love it!)
I was so genuinely honored to be nominated. I know how clichĂŠ that sounds, but it’s true. I was seated in a room with F. Paul Wilson and other authors who make me starstruck. How surprised was I, you ask? So surprised that I didn’t hear my name called. So surprised that I didn’t have a speech prepared. Stephen King has won this award. George R. R. Martin won this award. I didn’t expect to win this award. What a dream come true. Â I still can’t believe it. Thank you so much.
To see a list of the complete nominees and winners, please stop by the HWA blog.
Get To Know A Bram Stoker Award Nominee
After the official Bram Stoker Awards nomination ballots were announced, I was contacted and asked to give an interview as an official nominee. (I’m a nominee! Yay!) The awards are later this week and they didn’t have time to run the interview series, but I’m allowed to put my interview up here. Please take a second to read some of my thoughts about my long fiction story Little Dead Red. Have a wonderful day!
Please describe the genesis for the idea that eventually became the work(s) for which youâve been nominated. What attracted you most to the project? If nominated in multiple categories, please touch briefly on each.
MMY: Stacey Turner invited me to a very cool anthology of Grimm Brothersâ stories that were retold exclusively by women. Iâve always been partial to Little Red Riding Hood and thought of how I could bring it into the modern day without losing the horror of it. Iâm quite pleased with the result.
What was the most challenging part of bringing the concept(s) to fruition? The most rewarding aspect of the process?
MMY: Little Dead Red is all about abuse. Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and murder. It was difficult to tackle something so realistic and try to do it justice. Little Aleta and her mother, Grimm Marie, are fictional characters who represent very real world problems. I feel like their stories were told with care and grace, and thatâs rewarding.
What do you think good horror/dark literature should achieve? How do you feel the work(s) for which youâve been nominated work fits into (or help give shape to) that ideal?
MMY: I think great dark literature should make you feel. It should move the reader in some way, whether it be outright terror or quiet unease. Good literature is the antidote to apathy, and I think Little Dead Red makes the reader uncomfortable because itâs highlighting something that could actually happen to their children, if it hasnât already.
Iâm curious about your writing and/or editing process. Is there a certain setting or set of circumstances that help to move things along? If you find yourself getting stuck, where and why?
MMY: I have three young kiddos in a tiny house the size of a shoebox. I canât wait for ideal circumstances because they will never come. I do like to have Coke Zero at the ready, and also comfortable, snuggly socks while I write. I usually donât listen to music because I need to hear if the kids are murdering each other in the next room. Or right in front me, because theyâre usually with me.Â
I seem to get stuck when I try to force an idea that doesnât grow organically. When I say, âHey, I want to highlight a certain issue,â and stick a character into the story who doesnât belong there, everything falls apart. The same thing happens if Iâm writing strictly for deadline under duress, and Iâm not emotionally invested in my piece. I had an editor fly out to Vegas for 36 hours so we could brainstorm and unstick me, because Iâve been at a halt on two books for about a year. She flew home yesterday, and Iâm finally ready to face this demon.
As you probably know, many of our readers are writers and/or editors. What is the most valuable piece of advice you can share?
MMY: The best advice Iâve ever received was to celebrate every little step of the process. As a creative, we like to challenge ourselves. Weâre always thinking about the next project. But if you enjoy every aspect, every relationship created and every small advance toward the ultimate goal, the journey becomes a thing of beauty.
If you’re attending WHC this year, what are you most looking forward to at this yearâs event? If not attending, what do you think is the significance of recognitions like the Bram Stoker Awards?
MMY: I think these awards are all about being recognized by your peers in the industry. A typical reader hasnât heard about The Bram Stoker Awards, but the genre authors have. Itâs very cool to have the members of the HWA read and ultimately care enough about your work to put it to a vote.
What scares you most? Why? How (if at all) does that figure into your work or the projects you’re attracted to?
MMY: Iâm terrified of losing my children. Iâm also uneasy about the idea of there being a Big Bad Horror out there that is too tough to handle. I like to take on projects that hit a core terror in each of us. Losing those we treasure is horrifying. Losing the critical fight and having the ancient horror overrun you? Unthinkable in Western horror.
What are you reading for pleasure lately? Can you point us to new authors or works we ought to know about?
MMY: My favorite book from last year is Brian Kirkâs We Are Monsters. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of that and it was dark, psychological, and strangely sensitive. I love Therese Walshâs The Moon Sisters. Matt Betts has quirky, unexpectedly poignant poetry alongside his fiction. I tend to read nonfiction for pleasure. I love that feeling of constantly learning. I hunger for knowledge.
 Mercedes M. Yardley is a dark fantasist who wears red lipstick and poisonous flowers in her hair. She writes short stories, nonfiction, novellas, and novels. She is the author of Beautiful Sorrows, Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love, Nameless, Little Dead Red, and her latest release, Pretty Little Dead Girls: A Novel of Murder and Whimsy. Mercedes lives and works in Sin City, and you can reach her at http://www.mercedesyardley.com.
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My Bram Stoker Award Nomination Certificate!
And fingernails that I haven’t bitten to the quick, yet! Woo hoo!
I’m so happy to be nominated. We’ll find out the winners next month at Stokercon, which will be pretty cool. Hope to see some of you there!