We've lost Jim Moore

Writer James A. Moore has passed away.

Per Christopher Golden;

Celebrated horror and fantasy author James A. Moore passed away this morning at the age of 58. Moore was the author of more than fifty horror and fantasy novels, including the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under The Overtree, Blood Red, the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley) and the grimdark fantasy series Seven Forges and Tides of War. Moore also co-wrote many novels and stories with his longtime collaborator Charles R. Rutledge. His early career highlights included major contributions to White Wolf Games’ World of Darkness, and he was especially proud of his first comic book script sale, to Marvel Comics original series set in the world of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. A prolific and versatile writer, Jim wrote novels based on various media properties, including Alien, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Avengers. He was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award three times, for his novel Serenity Falls, in the long fiction category for Bloodstained Oz, a collaboration with Christopher Golden, and as editor (with Golden) for the groundbreaking horror anthology The Twisted Book of Shadows, for which the pair won the Shirley Jackson Award. Beyond his work, Jim Moore was a much-beloved figure in the horror community, a tireless champion of other writers and their work, who mentored dozens of new writers, relentlessly urging them to pursue their desire to tell stories. He is survived by his wife, Tessa Moore, and his legions of readers. No wake or funeral is planned, but a celebration of life will be held sometime in April.

Jim's reach touched a wide community of writers (and others.) We're all gutted.

I first met Jim in person at NECON in 2014. Shortly afterward, Jim moved north to Massachusetts (from Georgia.) That made us happy and lucky up here--and I got to interact with Jim at more local get-togethers and events, aside from an annual NECON meetup.

As prolific a writer as he was, he gave back with "tough love" encouragement that one does not soon forget (always in humor and a twinkle in his eye.)

"How's your manuscript? My slapping hand is just fine. Thanks for asking." 

"If your manuscript isn't finished now, it will take you twice as long after I break your arm."

"If you don't write your novel, how will we know how brilliant you are?"

Or the simple and direct, "Ass in chair."

His laugh was boisterous, his smile infectious, and his bear hugs put chiropractors out of business.

He will be missed--fiercely.

recent read; A HELL WITHIN

A HELL WITHIN by James A. Moore & Charles R. Rutledge

A HELL WITHIN returns us to Wellman, GA where the veil between our world and strange other worldly horrors hangs thin and shredded. Sheriff Carl Price and private detective Wade Griffin again find themselves up against the supernatural. This time, a serial killer is on the loose--and his weapon of choice are summoned demons. You see, these demons allow him to enjoy the crime vicariously--safely keeping the killer away from the crime scene.

Further complications arise when the local organized crime erupts in a gang war over territory. Can the stalwart duo and their occult allies keep their heads down and catch the killer?

A HELL WITHIN is described best as horror-action or horror-crime-action and that is exactly what you get. Moore & Rutledge stay on target, delivering chills & thrills, gunfire, and hellfire. The action scenes are explosive. Characters pop off the page. The story clips along. I read this book in two or three sittings.

If you're a fan of the earlier books, BLIND SHADOWS and CONGREGATIONS OF THE DEAD, you'll want to return to A HELL WITHIN. If you haven't experienced Griffin & Price before, grab any of the three. You're in for a hellacious treat!

recent read; THE LAST SACRIFICE

THE LAST SACRIFICE by James A. Moore

THE LAST SACRIFICE is the first novel of a (new) grimdark trilogy from James A. Moore. Moore again displays the chops that make his writing a standout. Dripping with blood, horror, and an array of moral gray, we are plunged into a world where dark gods demand human sacrifice. When mercenary Brogan McTyre decides the price of losing his entire family is too high, the world is plunged into Armageddon as Brogan battles the monstrous servants of the gods and sets his sights on killing the gods themselves, if no other options are available.

Not any easy mission. Certainly not any easier when Five Kingdoms have put a price on your head to stop the end of the world.

This series, The Tides of War, is apart from Moore's previous Seven Forges series. Once again, Moore's creativity shines through with a new world, new pantheon, new monsters, new nations and continents. The characters live and breathe and pop from the page - often with swords swinging.

The sequel, FALLEN GODS, was just recently released and I cannot wait to dive into the dark - again.

River City Writers 2017 offerings

River City Writers are expanding their offerings!

I attended the WRITE BETTER FICTION workshop last November, as you might recall.

For the first half of 2017, they are offering the workshop again. They have added three seminars, too. One deals with the business side of publishing. The other covers writing for comics. And, building your novel from the ground up. I will be attending the WRITING FOR COMICS seminar. At some point, I will also attend BUSINESS OF PUBLISHING but I'll need to catch the next one.

If you're in the area, give this consideration. If not, perhaps they'll be able to expand to webinars in the near future.

recent read; This Is Halloween

This Is Halloween by James A. Moore

James A. Moore serves up ten chilling tales dripping with Halloween atmosphere. Monsters, ghosts, malevolent haunted houses, deep dark woods. They are all here - waiting for you.

Jim pulled together a collection of previously published tales. Many take place on Halloween. If not exactly on Halloween, some of the other tales are still perfect reads for the season. Some of the stories are loosely connected by location. The Bedlam Woods are a dangerous place and many tales can be told about that dark forest. The town of Wellman, Georgia--featured in Moore & Rutledge's novels Blind Shadows and Congregations of the Dead--also makes an appearance in one story.

The scent of candle-singed jack-o-lanterns will stay with you long after you close the cover!

p.s. - Look at that gorgeous cover art by Dan Brereton!

recent read; The Blasted Lands

James A. Moore strikes again with The Blasted Lands. This sequel to The Seven Forges picks up directly where the previous novel left off.

The strength of this novel is its characters. They all feel real even though they populate a "grimdark" fantasy world. They exist in politics, in alliance forging, in war, in sorcery, in soul searching. We see all sides of the conflicts.

The plotting is no slouch, either. The players more through a swirl of intrigue and action. The tension ratchets up throughout the story right to the cliffhanger conclusion. The story is even larger and grander than its prequel.

I can't wait for City of Wonders!

(For an even more in-depth review that nails everything I like about this novel, I refer you to Keith West's review.)

TIN MEN marching

Believe it or not, this is not a review. On Tuesday, Christopher Golden's latest novel, TIN MEN, a scifi military thriller set in the near future, was released.

Chris setup a launch event split over two nights. I attended last night's event at the Haverhill Public Library in Massachusetts. To make it fun and informal, Chris brought co-guests. John McIlveen, Toni Kelner and James A. Moore.

Chris read a small excerpt, and the panel held court on writing questions and stories. It was pleasant and fun.

There were plenty of other writers in the audience, too. Chatted with other NECONers and even spent some time talking with director Izzy Lee about an upcoming short film she did with a Innsmouth flair. (It will be part of an international anthology movie called Danse Macabre.)

In addition to buying TIN MEN, they held a robot trivia contest and I came away with extra loot. Extra special as all three of these books were on my wishlist. I love the cartoony take on pulp cover art on Wicked Tales. If you look close enough, you'll see that it is H. P. Lovecraft's gravestone. (really, that is what it looks like, the artist did his homework.)

Great night out!

recent read; Congregations of the Dead

Congregations of the Dead is the second novel by James A. Moore and Charles R. Rutledge featuring the duo of sheriff Carl Price and private investigator Wade Griffin.

Price and Griffin are investigating real world issues – missing girls, forced prostitution and other dark, unsavory elements of humanity. Tangentially, they clip the world of the supernatural and find themselves facing a vampire and his congregation, as well as real world criminal organizations.

Oh, and those Moon-eyes' in-bred Blackbournes from the first novel (which you don't need to read first, but should anyway; Blind Shadows) are keeping tabs on Price, too. Add to that an ex-wife (for Price) and the smothering heat & humidity of a Georgia summer, and our heroes are quite piled upon by the time we reach the crescendo of this tale.

Occultist Carter DeCamp and his protege Charon return here, as well - offering occult advice, assistance and weaponry.

I really like the vampires in this story. I really enjoyed the twist of Reverend Lazarus Cotton as a Holy Roller, fire & brimstone revival preacher who earnestly believes his vampirism is a gift from God. Fry, his human servant foil, was a great sociopath character (and, I love the tribute to Dwight Frye/Renfield in his name.)

Classic vampire tropes are used to solid effect. The “native soil” angle was very well played, and the rats...- oh, those rats. I don't want to say anything else for fear of spoilers.

Not unlike Buffy the Vampire Slayer t.v. series, real world issues were not directly related to the supernatural. Real world problems still exist, and supernatural issues do not change any of that. A problem is a problem, and the heroes must deal with each in its own way.

If you enjoyed Blind Shadows, you'll enjoy Congregations of the Dead, too.

recent read; Writ In Blood (Serenity Falls, Book I) by James A. Moore

Writ In Blood (Serenity Falls, Book I)

In upstate New York, a writer embarks on writing his hometown's history. What Simon MacGruder learns are dark and disturbing moments that the entire town seems to casually overlook. Occult forces are at work - they always have been, since Serenity Falls' cursed beginning. Meanwhile, Jonathan Crowley, a mysterious man with decidedly unnatural abilities, heads toward Serenity Falls to meet something dark and evil. But, strange events keep his arrival perpetually delayed.

Serenity Falls was originally one self-contained novel. When it went to paperback, the story was expanded into a trilogy of novels. As such, Writ In Blood tends to be a very large setup novel that sets the stage for the rest of the trilogy (I assume.)

As I've only starting reading Moore's work, so it might be early to say, but between reading Seven Forges and Writ In Blood, I would daresay James A. Moore likes to build his worlds and reveal them to us in due time. He does this deftly and keeps the reader interested all the way. Writ In Blood might be more about the town of Serenity Falls as a historical whole than about its inhabitants, though many of them obviously have roles to play. This opening tale is largely about atmosphere and that's what good horror is, to me.

Moore presents the tale across three aspects - MacGruder's experiences as he digs into the town history, the town history itself, and Crowley's journey. It's a good idea, with Crowley's physical action giving counterweight to the drama of MacGruder and the history of the town.

This opening tale ends on a some very unresolved notes. (see - "split up into trilogy.") But I've been invested enough in the twisted little town of Serenity Falls that I certainly will be returning for the second installment.

Camp NECON 34

This past Friday I was fortunate enough to attend one day of "Camp NECON" in Rhode Island. (It is a 4 day affair, but I figured I would ease into it considering family time demands, etc.) NECON is the abbreviation New England Horror Writers Convention. I don't know why HW is left out of the acronym - I guess it's not as fun to say. And NECON is fun!

I haven't really tried my writing pen on horror in a long time, but there have been some short stories in that vein of late on my computer. I've been reading more horror lately, and a lot of the writers attending are genre-crossers anyway.

I met Charles Rutledge and Jim Moore in person. Charles showed me all the ropes. We spent most of the day together and with others chatting & socializing.  I cursorily had brief greetings with Amber Benson, Kasey Lansdale and Christopher Golden, among higher profile names you might recognize.

Yeah, Jim & Charles are big guys!

A panel on Horror & Crime fiction and the lines they blur.

A panel on film making (mostly indie, but some network t.v., too!)

Christopher Golden and James A. Moore

I met and bought a pile of signed books from Darrell Schweitzer, plus a few other books.

Loot! And all signed except the Keith Taylor collection.

I just missed meeting F. Paul Wilson as he showed up just as dinner started, and I headed home afterwards.

Aside from those names you know, I met plenty of other friendly, considerate, passionate and kind folks. The panels were fun. The informal KaffeKlatsch discussions were informative and fun.

I must thank Charles publicly for including me. Learning that he had been in my backyard (so to speak) last year, I wanted to meet up this year. Then I figured I didn't want to just third-wheel my way into a dinner, so I decided to do at least a day of the convention properly. And Charles agreed that was a fine plan.

 I ate well, I talked writing and books and genre and Doctor Who and I had a blast.

The unfortunate bit was that this is NECON's 34th year, and the convention founder and organizer Bob Booth died last year, so I never met him. But there was a wonderful tribute to the man, his legacy. We watched an interview where he went over the history of NECON. It was touching and very informative.

And that was all in one day! And I didn't even get to stay for the evening stuff!

NECON is a great, small, no pretensions, all inclusive little convention.They do keep it small. But, if you ever get the chance to go, especially if you know someone else attending who can guide you through the first time, it's is absolutely worth the experience.

Great motivation, too. I can't show up empty-handed next year, or Jim Moore will look me in the eye and say, "Write your damn book." ;)

recent read: Seven Forges

Seven Forges is the opening novel salvo of what promises to be a large, rollicking dark fantasy series from James A. Moore. Moore has experience as a horror writer and this is his first published fantasy work.

In the novel's opening, we are introduced to Merros Dulver, a mercenary and former soldier who has undertaken a commission to explore the Blasted Lands - a scary wasteland north of the Fellein Empire. His mission comes at the behest of not only his emperor, but also his emperor's sorcerer/advisor. Things get complicated when Dulver makes contact with an unknown/lost race, the Sa'la Taalor; and they know him by name. Uncomfortably thrust into role of semi-ambassador, Dulver is soon embroiled in politics and cultural honor. The Sa'la Taalor are large, scary and the most efficient, violent warriors Dulver (or any Fellein citizen) have ever encountered. To have them as enemies instead of allies would spell certain destruction for the Fellein Empire.

The book spreads its vines and roots as Moore brings various characters into play, and sets up many questions - some which are teasingly not answered in this opening volume.  While there is a bit of lack of martial action in the second act, the story does move forward as Moore explores and explains various cultures and characters. It is groundwork laying for the entire series, and I didn't really mind it because it was not presented as info dump. Moore kept me interested with exploring the world he has created.

The third act kicked everything up a notch, establishing some riveting suspense and by the novel's end, we are left with some large, breathtaking cliffhangers - including the opening of war.

I really enjoyed this novel. Moore deftly arranges all his story elements to keep the reader engaged straight through the tale. The cliffhangers work - I am eager to start reading the sequel, The Blasted Lands, shortly.

recent read; Blind Shadows

Blind Shadows by James A. Moore & Charles R. Rutledge

When a childhood friend of Sheriff Carl Price is murdered in the small town of Wellman, Georgia, Price and another friend, private investigator Wade Griffin, find themselves pulled into a dangerous and strange investigation.  Moving from meth lab suspects to all-out horrors from outer dimensions, Price & Griffin face enemies who grow by number, size and lethality as the story builds.  The duo also make interesting allies along the way.

Every character had a backstory, and that made for solid storytelling, character interaction and growth.  The beats were steady, the stakes and suspense amped at the correct frequency.  I liked the blending of little people of the earth with larger Lovecraftian gods.

The authors seem to gel well - I didn't really feel thrown out of the story by style change at any time.

This was a very enjoyable read, especially for the month of October. Good horror and a wild ride at the end.

I liked the various references to other horror & pulp characters and writers sprinkled throughout the tale.  I bet there were more I didn't catch.

Looking forward to the sequel, Congregations of the Dead, already.