Chris Reed Fiction

December 18, 2010

2010-12-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

My short story, WWJD?, will appear in the February 2011 issue of Death Head Grin.

My flash story, Something Different, is now out in the 52 Stitches annual anthology.

No new short stories in the works at the moment. I'm still working on my novella, Haters, a horror/sci-fi story of a race war in Flint, Michigan.

Finally heard back from Cutting Block Press about my novella, Snowbirds. It was rejected, mainly for being too long. This is especially hard to swallow considering it was originally half the length, and I expanded it hoping that making it longer would give it a better chance of being published. Ugh.

I'm at a strange point in my career. After writing short stories for 7 years, I'm getting burned out. My ideas are becoming larger in scope, but I'm struggling because I'm not used to writing longer stories. But I'm going to keep plugging away. Maybe eventually I'll write full novels, but for now completing something 30 - 40k in length is challenging enough.

October 30, 2010

2010-10-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

My short story, Mall Walkers, will be appearing in the December issue of The Horror Zine.

My short story, Security, is now up at Blood Moon Rising.

October 15, 2010

2010-10-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

My short story, Down the Tubes, will be in the November issue of Death Head Grin.
My short story, Sunday Afternoon at the Detroit Zoo, will be in the December issue of Death Head Grin.

Still waiting to hear back about several short stories and a novella.

July 31, 2010

2010-07-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

My short story, The Fiend, has been short-listed at Dark Recesses Press.

Still waiting to hear back from Cutting Block Press about my novella, Snowbirds.

Currently mid-way through my new untitled novella about a race war in Flint, MI.

June 08, 2010

2010-06-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

My short story, Sisters, will be appearing in D.O.A., an extreme horror anthology from Blood Bound Books.
My flash story, Teddy, will be appearing on The New Flesh ezine.

My newest chapbook, PAIN FACES, is now available for purchase right here on the Web site.

May 29, 2010

2010-05-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

My short story, The Relic, has been short-listed at Electric Spec.

Also, my newest chapbook, PAIN FACES, will be available for purchase shortly. It collects 5 previously published short stories: Cauliflower, Agents of Karma, Marbles, The Accused, and the title story.

April 29, 2010

2010-04-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

My short story, Cuts, will be appearing in Death Head Grin.

Still waiting to hear back from Weird Tales and Dark Discoveries about my stories The Relic and WWJD?, respectively.

March 27, 2010

2010-03-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

My short stories Putting Blackie Down and Adventures in Narcolepsy will be appearing in Death Head Grin ezine.

March 20, 2010

2010-03-20T13:57:00.001-07:00

The Horror Zine's second anthology now has an official name: TWICE THE TERROR: THE HORROR ZINE. This anthology features numerous up-and-coming authors (myself included), as well as some established pros: Joe R. Lansdale, Bentley Little, Graham Masterton, Deborah LeBlanc, Ed Gorman, and Simon Clark.

I'm also in the initial stages of a collaboration with fellow Michigan authors, Rick McQuiston and Joshua Scribner. It's a collection of our favorite personal (previously published) stories. Working title: MICHIGAN MADMEN.

March 4, 2010

2010-03-04T07:02:00.000-08:00

It's official: I'll soon be sharing a table of contents with Graham Masterton, Joe R. Lansdale, and Bentley Little, among others! (My short story, This Moment Will Haunt You Forever, will be appearing in the as yet untitled Horror Zine anthology Volume 2.) Seeing my name listed with these masters of the craft is a great honor and a huge confidence boost. It's definitley the high point of my career so far.

In other news, my short story, Sisters, has made it onto the short list for the Blood Bound Books extreme horror anthology, DOA.

VILE VISIONS BOOK SIGNING!

2010-02-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the repetition, but I just want to make sure everyone sees this: This Saturday, February 27, from 11 am until 4 pm, I'll be at Beyond Coffee on S. State Rd., Davison, selling and signing copies of my first short fiction collection, VILE VISIONS. I'll also be doing a live reading at 3pm. For those who are unfamiliar with my work, I write weird fiction, often brutally disgusting and laugh-out-loud funny in the same story. (And yes, venereal warts CAN be funny!) Stop in and warm up with a hot beverage and enjoy some tripped-out stories.

February 18, 2010

2010-02-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

Party like a Rock Star! will appear in Midnight in Hell ezine.
This Moment will Haunt you Forever will appear in The Horror Zine.

Almost time for the book signing/reading at Beyond Coffee on the 27th. Been too busy to think about it, but starting to get a little antsy now.

January 20, 2010

2010-01-20T05:53:00.000-08:00

Patience will appear in The New Flesh ezine.
Agents of Karma will appear in Rotten Leaves #2.
Azz-Izz will appear in Death Head Grin ezine.

January 15, 2010

2010-01-15T05:41:00.000-08:00

My short story, Pain Faces, will be appearing in the March issue of Death Head Grin ezine. Did NOT expect to find a publisher for this one. It's pretty brutal.

Also, I'll be selling and signing copies of VILE VISIONS, DEATH VIBES, and DANCING WITH THE TERRORISTS at Beyond Coffee 1509 S State Rd. Davison, MI, Saturday February 27, from 11am to 4 pm. Will also be doing an interview with the Davison Index next Monday to drum up some interest in the event.

Despite all the positive things that are happening, I've been experiencing a barrage of rejections lately. It can be disheartening at times, but I just keep telling myself that's what happens when you're so prolific--More stories means more rejections, right? BUT, I have been able to use some of the criticisms that accompany these rejections to fine-tune the stories and make them stronger. So thank you to all the editors who have the courtesy to include a little mention of what worked and what didn't work for them. As the old saying goes, "Writing is rewriting."

January 2, 2010

2010-01-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

My flash story, Something Different, will be appearing in the 2010 edition of 52 Stitches.

Shifting gears once again to focus my creative energy on USED ADDICTIONS. Currently laying down the inks for issue 6. Once this is finished, I'll be working on UA #7, then it will probably be back to fiction.

December 6, 2009

2009-12-06T17:17:00.000-08:00

My new chapbook, DANCING WITH THE TERRORISTS, is now available! This mini-collection is signed and numbered to just 50 copies. Contains the following previously unpublished stories:

Dancing with the Terrorists
Adventures in Narcolepsy
Conan vs. Rosa Parks

Check out the side bar for ordering information!

October 30, 2009

2009-10-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

My short story, Cauliflower, will be appearing in House of Horror.

My short story, Boy Parts, will be appearing in the first issue of Rotten Leaves, which debuts tomorrow. I'm especially glad to see this one find a much-deserved home, after the debacle involving the "Until Somebody Lose an Eye" antho a few years ago. Apparently divorce is grounds for reneging on a binding contract. I don't know. Hmmm. Maybe we should ask Tom McIlveen about that.

October 11, 2009

2009-10-11T05:48:00.000-07:00

My short story, Sick John, will be appearing in the December edition of Midnight In Hell e-zine. And it IS sick.

My 5-story chapbook, DEATH VIBES, will be available here on the Web site shortly. VILE VISIONS, the book-length collection, is still scheduled for release on Halloween.

October 7, 2009

2009-10-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

My flash story, Intruder, will appear in the 10-15-09 edition of The New Flesh. Check it out.

Gearing up for the Skelebration of Scares at Pages Book Store, Friday, October 9th in Downtown Flint. I'll be there signing copies of my new chapbook, DEATH VIBES, which is a mini-collection of 5 stories taken from the full-length book,VILE VISIONS. This full-length collection will be available right here on the Web site on October 31st. More updates soon.

September 30, 2009

2009-09-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

My short story, Security, will be appearing in the October 2010 issue of Blood Moon Rising.
My short story, Satisfaction, will be appearing in a future issue of Sex and Murder Magazine.

September 28, 2009

2009-09-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

Taking a mini-break from Used Addictions to spend a little time working on fiction. First point of order is the Skelebration of Scares, which will take place at Pages Book Store in Flint. I'll be signing copies of my new 24-story collection, Vile Visions, as well as reading a few select stories. When I say "new" collection, I should clarify that this is NOT all new material; rather, it is a compilation of some of my favorite published stories from the first 6 years of my career (2004 thru 2009). Many of these stories appeared in my first 2 collections, No Lemons and The Next Batch. While these two books were honest efforts at getting my stuff out into the public eye, they were also rushed efforts, chock full of rejected stories that were rejected for good reasons. Vile Visions, however, is a much better representation of my work. This collection will be for sale soon right here on the Web site.

August 31, 2009

2009-08-31T20:33:00.000-07:00

My flash story, Downwind, will be appearing in The New Flesh e-zine next month. This is an older, sort of odd little tale, but one that I've always felt deserved to be read.

May 3, 2009

2009-05-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

My flash story, Sole Provider, will appear in Midnight Echo, the Magazine of the Australian Horror Writers Association. It's been a long, strange trip for this one, but I'm happy it has finally found a home.

April 9, 2009

2009-04-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

As it's been a while since I've updated this thing, I figured it was time to stop in and explain why. After 5 years of dealing with the ups and downs of the small press fiction world, I've decided to take a break and concentrate on my other love--drawing. As I stated in my BIO, I've been a comic book fan since I was a kid, and I really miss the artform. So I've decided to resurrect my comic book, USED ADDICTIONS. It's about a cigarette butt, an empty wine bottle, and a used condom and their adventures on the streets of Flint and Detroit. You can read more about it here: http://www.usedaddictions.com/. I'm also on Facebook and MySpace, but the web site is where you can order copies of the comic, as well as keep up on all the news involving my discarded dudes.

I may resume writing short fiction some day, but for now I just seem to have lost the love. For me, making comic books is the perfect balance of creativity and fun. And while there was never a shortage of story ideas in my head, the process of writing fiction has ceased being fun for me.

So, to everyone who read this blog on a regular basis, I extend to you a very heartfelt THANK YOU, and I hope you'll check out my comic.

Chris

February 3, 2009

2009-02-03T19:47:00.000-08:00

Procession will be appearing in Everyday Weirdness.
Before and After the Rain will be appearing in Splat/Bang.

January 27, 2009

2009-01-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

My flash stories, Decibels and Daddy's Girl, are both up at MicroHorror.com.

Autumn on TX-12 has won the Editor's Choice Award at Many Midnights.

The February issue of Twisted Dreams, featuring my flash story, Marbles, is now out.

OMG! The Book of Awesome Stuff, which includes my novelette, Big Top Justice, is shooting for a June release.

December 24, 2008

2008-12-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

Punch Drunk will be appearing in Twisted Dreams.
Autumn on TX-12 will be appearing in Many Midnights.

The year is quickly winding down, but I still have a couple of goals I'd like to meet. The most important thing to me is finishing the novella I've been working on since August. It's 99% complete; now all that's left is to tweak the ending, which has been giving me fits. Second, I'd like to rewrite a story I wrote a couple of weeks ago. This one I feel has potential to be something really special.

Also, this might be the best time as any to talk about my goals for the coming new year. As anyone who has been following my so-far modest career will know, I've been puttsing around in the small press for nearly 5 years. I'd like to think that this coming year will be a break-out year for me, as I have some stories that I think might make a big impact. The challenge, of course, is finding time between work, school, and family responsibilities to get some things done. I just finished reading a biography on the band Nine Inch Nails, which focused a lot on the incredible amount of ambition Trent Reznor had, and his single-mindedness when it came to his work. It was definitely inspirational. So I'm going to try to focus more on my work in the coming year, to spend less time with things that don't pertain to my career, and more time with things that do. Easier said than done, I know, but it doesn't hurt to try.

November 23, 2008

2008-11-23T14:09:00.000-08:00

I've been on something of a hiatus lately, with school, work, and family consuming most of my time. But with the semester winding down, work under control, and the kids locked inside their shiny new cages, I'm ready to resume my pursuit of world dominance.

As I've been idle for a while, the only thing new to report is the release of Chimeraworld 5, which includes my short story, Apple Pie & Glory Holes. It's a story that was under consideration at Red Scream when the publication went belly-up. "Apple Pie" is, without a doubt, one of my strangest, most hardcore stories to date. Order the antho and see for yourself:

http://www.lulu.com/content/4731778

September 27, 2008

2008-09-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

My flash story, Marbles, will be appearing in the February 2009 issue of Twisted Dreams.

August 2, 2008

2008-08-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

Lily's Grave is now up at http://www.killer-works.com/. Check it out, but be warned; even though it was written 4 years ago, it's still one of my most brutal stories to date.

I'm currently collaborating on a story with Mark Zirbel. For anyone who's been stuck in a closet for the past few years and doesn't recognize the name, Mark has stories all over the small press and recently received honorable mention in The Year's Best Fantasy & Horror for his story, "Bags." The tale we're cooking up is going to be a real doozy, too.

Okay, here's where I get to the bad news: My fan fiction story, Conan vs. Rosa Parks, was rejected by the folks at the Versus anthology. It placed well, even making it to the final round of selections, but competition was fierce and the empty slots were few. I've been invited to submit to next year's antho, so maybe I'll send them my back-up story, Galactus vs. Rosie O'Donnell.

July 19, 2008

2008-07-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

Just got word that my short story, Lily's Grave, will be appearing in the August edition of Killer Works. This is one of my earlier stories, and in my opinion, one of my best. It's been making the rounds for a number of years now, collecting many a rejection letter along the way. I'm glad it's finally found a home.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the folks at Press 53 about my story, Conan vs. Rosa Parks. Their anthology, VERSUS, which pits iconic characters against one another, sounds like it's going to be something really special.

June 9, 2008

2008-06-09T15:55:00.000-07:00

Defense Mechanisms will be appearing in AlienSkin.
Apple Pie & Glory Holes will be appearing in Chimeraworld 5.

Goal for the month: Apply ass to chair.

April 27, 2008

2008-04-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Fifth Grade Hustle will be appearing in Black Heart Magazine.
Yesterday's Assignment will be appearing in Necrotic Tissue.

Apple Pie & Glory Holes has been shortlisted for Chimeraworld 5.

March 23, 2008

2008-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Good and bad news this time around. First the good: My short story, Fear of Ovens, was accepted for a future issue of Cemetery Moon. (It will be retitled, Phobia, per the edior's request.)

Now for the bad news. UNTIL SOMEBODY LOSES AN EYE, which would have included my story, Boy Parts, will probably not be published. As anyone who reads my news section from time to time will already know, this kind of thing happens to me all the time. So just for fun I've decided to compile a list of the stories I've had accepted only to find out they would not be published due to the closing of the publication, change of editorial staff, or whatever. Here they are in no particular order:

The Last Captain-- was to be published in Seasons in the Night.
Hold the Ketchup-- Flash Fantastic.
The Executioner-- Red Scream.
Electric Love-- Red Scream.
Golfers-- Chainsaw Magazine.
Country Mike-- Grinderphallus.
Sisters-- Meat Grinder Press.
Sole Provider-- Shadowed Realms.
Defense Mechanisms-- Escaping Elsewhere.
Cauliflower-- On the Night Highways.
Boy Parts-- Until Somebody Lose an Eye.

That's the list so far, and I'm sure it will grow as this is the nature of the small press. On the bright side, some of these stories were eventually picked up by other publishers. Having said that, I've learned that it pays to keep plugging away, and that if a story is good enough it will eventually be published.

Two more stories making the rounds:

Decibels to Weird Tales.
Sisters to Slice.

And two more in the works: Sick John and Before and After the Rain.

February 11, 2008

2008-02-11T17:35:00.000-08:00

The Last Captain will be appearing in The Best of Trail of Indiscretion.
Big Top Justice was accepted for OMG! The Book of Awesome Stuff.

As you can see, I still haven't given up on the small press. There are a lot of great people involved in this industry, and I enjoy what I'm doing too much to let the occassional bad experience get me down. So having said that, here's a list of stories currently making the rounds:

Sole Provider to Cemetery Dance
Lily's Grave to Down in the Cellar
Cauliflower to City Slab
Satisfaction to Black Ink Horror
Fear of Ovens to Cemetery Moon
Security to Doorways
Fifth Grade Hustle to Black Heart Magazine
Pollution to From the Asylum

More updates soon!

January 23, 2008

2008-01-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

Sold my first poem, Mushrooms, to Aberrant Dreams. I've never been much of a poet, although I do enjoy reading other people's poetry.

January 20, 2008

2008-01-20T06:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I updated this thing, so here's a quick rundown of what's been happening (if anyone cares to hear about it).

For now, I'm done with short fiction. After struggling for nearly 4 years in the small press and making very little progress, I've decided it's time to take my work in a different direction. I have a few unfinished projects I'll be spending the year working on. The first is a memoir of my misadventures in the beverage industry. Most of you probably aren't aware that I've worked for all 3 major soda companies, and man do I have some crazy stories to tell. The book is tentatively titled POP PUSHERS: DISPOSABLE HEROES AT THE FRONTLINES OF THE COLA WARS. Pretty snazzy, eh?

Next on the list is USED ADDICTIONS, a comic book about a cigarette butt, an empty wine bottle and a used condom. I have the first three issues completed and several more in the works. As soon as all the copyright stuff is taken care of I'll be selling comics right here on my web site.

So that's it. There are a few other projects I'll be tackling later, including a middle readers book and a sci-fi novel, but for now these 2 projects will keep me busy.

As for fiction, I've had 2 of my previous acceptances dropped due to magazines going under. The editors didn't even have the decency to contact me, which is another reason I'm done with the small press. I've had this happen too many times and I'm tired of being dicked around by inconsiderate people.

I'll keep the site updated with my progress on both my projects. Thanks for reading.

November 3, 2007

2007-11-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

Today is Day 3 of NaNoWriMo and I'm up to about five thousand words, which puts me on pace to just about hit the coveted 50k mark by the end of the month. This is my first year doing NaNo, and I'm pretty excited about it. The piece I'm working on, The Hands of Jonah Brown (working title) may not end up being novel length, but it should hit at least 30 or 40k after I flesh it out. What's it about, you ask? That, for now, is classified.

September 19, 2007

2007-09-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Black Ink Horror #2, featuring my short story, Generosity, is now out. This is a digest-sized magazine with a matte cover, and each story is accompanied by two pieces of artwork, making it a treat to look at as well as read.

I'm in a bit of a rut as far as acceptances go. But I do have seven stories that are currently making the rounds, so I'm hoping for some good news soon.

August 11, 2007

2007-08-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

The second review of TATTERED SOULS is now up. You can read it here at Monster Librarian. Critic David Agranoff loved Drool, and you will too, so pick up a copy of the antho today!

July 18, 2007

2007-07-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

The first review of TATTERED SOULS, featuring my novelette, Drool, is up at Bookgasm. You can read it here: http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/horror/tattered-souls/.

July 10, 2007

2007-07-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

A few new acceptances to mention:

Generosity will be appearing in Black Ink Horror.
Defense Mechansims will be appearing in Escaping Elsewhere.
Cauliflower will be appearing in On the Night Highways.
Grease will be appearing in AlienSkin.

My novelette, Drool, was recently published in the TATTERED SOULS anthology. It can be ordered at http://www.cuttingblock.net/. I'll be doing some book signings this fall in support of the antho, but I'm not exactly sure of when or where. Check back for details.

MARCH 1, 2007

2007-03-01T08:54:00.000-08:00

Another acceptance today, this one from Shadowed Realms for my flash piece, Sole Provider. This is easily one of the strangest stories I've ever written. I'm just glad someone out there has a sense of humor that's just as warped as mine.

February 17, 2007

2007-02-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

It seems like every time I start feeling discouraged, something happens to light a fire under my butt and get me motivated to write again. This time it's a sale to the forthcoming Cutting Block Press anthology, TATTERED SOULS. I originally submitted my novella, Drool, for the second volume of Butcher Shop Quartet. But the editors, feeling that the majority of the subs they received didn't quite fit the Butcher Shop theme, decided to take the best of the bunch and start a new anthology.

TATTERED SOULS is scheduled for an April release, just in time to make its debut at the World Horror Convention in Toronto. I will be posting ordering information here on my site as soon as I get a definate release date.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2006

2006-09-13T17:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got my contributor's copies of Trail of Indiscretion. It's a nice, digest-size magazine with a sleek, attractive cover. The stories aren't too shabby, either. I recommend picking up the latest issue at www.fortresspublishinginc.com.

I haven't had a whole lot of time to write lately because I was recently hired as Fiction Associate Editor at Red Scream (big grin), and I've spent the last two days reading submissions. But I have made a few more of my own submissions since my last post:

The Fitting Room to the HOLY HORRORS anthology
Satisfaction to Dark Animus
The Cast to Midnight's Library
Fifth Grade Hustle to 55 Words
Fear of Ovens to Dark Discoveries

My story, Family Tradition, will be appearing in a future issue of Down in the Cellar.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

2006-08-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Big news! My story, Hunter, was accepted for UNTIL SOMEBODY LOSES AN EYE (although it may be re-titled Boy Parts). This is my first professional sale, and a real ego boost considering I haven't had much luck placing stories lately. Speaking of...

My story, Adventures in Narcolepsy, was rejected by Bust Down the Door and Eat All the Chickens. I'm having a heck of a time finding a home for this one. It doesn't seem to fit into any one genre. It's part horror, part black comedy, part absurdist...all weird.

Got my laptop yesterday and spent half the night banging out a new story, trying to get used to the feel of it. I kinda like it so far. Maybe it'll bring me some luck.

Sunday, August 6, 2006

2006-08-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

I've removed 3 of my stories from my "Publishing Credits" section. They are The Executioner, Electric Love, and Apple Pie & Glory Holes. All were accepted by Red Scream, but since their fiction editor split, they've had to make some adjustments. You can read all the gruesome details at their web site, www.redscream.com.

I've submitted 11 more stories since my last post:

Apple Pie & Glory Holes to Cthulhu Sex
Sole Provider to Shadowed Realms
Lily's Grave to Carnival Macabre
Air Guitar for Dummies (reprint) Mind Games antho
Adventures in Narcolepsy to Bust Down the Door and Eat All the Chickens
Cauliflower to Walking Bones
Family Tradition (reprint) to Down in the Cellar
The Executioner to Back Roads
Problem Solved to Inch
The Babysitter to Inch
Fifth Grade Hustle to Inch

Still waiting on word from the guys at the Until Somebody Loses an Eye antho concerning my story, Hunter.

Some bad news--Cauliflower was shot down by Down in the Cellar. It's a gross tale. Maybe a little too gross... Nah!

Friday, July 7, 2006

2006-07-07T16:01:00.000-07:00

My son, Logan Christopher, was born June 8th. I told my wife not to drink during the pregnancy. One margarita won't hurt, she said. He'll be just fine, she said.

Now that the wife and I are settling into a routine with the kids, I've been slowly getting back to writing. I just finished the first draft of a story called Cauliflower, and tonight I'll be submitting my flash story, Defense Mechanisms, to Escaping Elsewhere.

Here's some encouraging news--last night I got an email from Jeff Strand informing me that my story, Hunter, has made the short list for the anthology, Until Somebody Loses an Eye. Shouldn't be too much longer until I find out its ultimate fate.