New 'My Books' page and update

Hi everyone - time to update my publications page/s. I have recently added a My Books page where you can easily find a display of all my current titles. I will update this page as more come to hand. I am also preparing a new page especially regarding all the anthologies and magazines where my work has appeared (will do a new post when it is ready to go live). Both pages will have live links and excerpts to make it easy for anyone who wants to check out my work. A heart-felt thanks to all of those who have taken the time to read this website/blog and especially to those of you who have taken a chance on a newbie author and actually purchased my work. If you have read something you like please spare a moment and drop a review on the appropriate Amazon page - it really helps a lot to raise my profile and encourages me greatly to continue this crazy occupation and produce more work for you to read. Thanks again.

William Cook

BLOOD RELATED

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Related-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B009WU5PNQ/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405901050&sr=1-5

"Dark and deeply disturbing."
- Jonathan Nasaw, author of Fear Itself and The Girls He Adored.

"Blood Related is a nasty but nuanced take on the serial killer genre. Cook's bruising tale of twin psychopaths who are as cold as mortuary slabs is not for the weak-kneed."
- Laird Barron, author of Occultation and The Imago Sequence.

"A thought-provoking thriller."
- Guy N Smith, author of Night of The Crabs and Deadbeat.

"Great - Riveting - Amazing - take your pick. I just read William Cook's Blood Related for the second time. Both readings were followed with one thought, Wow. A horrific crime-filled tale of terror that makes us understand why we lock our doors at night, Blood Related is by far the best read I've experienced in years."
- John Paul Allen, author of Monkey Love and Gifted Trust

"Blood Related is a terrifying psychological thriller. William Cook is an author to watch." 
- Mark Edward Hall, author of The Lost Village and The Holocaust Opera.

"William Cook makes serial killer fiction exciting again! Expert narrative, bursting with flare, originality, and enough passion and brutality that even a real-life serial killer will love this book . . . and it's twisted and complex enough to make you question your own sanity after the first intense read."
- Nicholas Grabowsky, best-selling author of Halloween IV and Everborn.

About Blood Related

A novel of 383 pages.
Meet the Cunninghams . . . A family bound by evil and the blood they have spilled.

Meet Caleb Samael Cunningham, a diabolical serial-killer with an inherited psychopathology, passed down via a blood-soaked genealogy. Caleb is a disturbed young man whose violent father is a suspected serial killer and mother, an insane alcoholic. After his Father's suicide, Cunningham's disturbing fantasy-life becomes reality, as he begins his killing spree in earnest. His identical twin brother Charlie is to be released from an asylum and all hell is about to break loose, when the brothers combine their deviant talents.

Semi-finalist in The Kindle Book Reviews - Indie Book of the Year 2012 - Mystery/Thriller category.

 

DREAMS OF THANATOS 

http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Thanatos-Collected-Macabre-Tales/dp/1495994333/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405901050&sr=1-3


About Dreams of Thanatos

DREAMS OF THANATOS: Collected Macabre Tales

Dreams of Thanatos is a collection of macabre short fiction from William Cook, the author of the novel Blood Related. Demons, murderers and ghosts roam these pages although the most horrifying aspect Cook describes, is the dark soul of humanity. Whether writing about the horrors of modern life, or things that go ‘bump in the night,’ Cook’s writing is always “intense” and often “visceral” in his portrayal of the macabre. Included in this collection of fifteen stories is a novelette (Dead and Buried) and the origin story (Legacy: The Eternal Now and Thereafter) behind the novel, Blood Related. 

WARNING: STRONG SCENES OF VIOLENCE AND HORROR (Not suitable for minors). READER DISCRETION STRONGLY ADVISED.  

“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.” – Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days



CORPUS DELICTI

http://www.amazon.com/Corpus-Delicti-William-Cook/dp/0692210849/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405901050&sr=1-4


About Corpus Delicti

Corpus Delicti: Selected Poetry, is an eclectic collection of verse selected from over twenty years of writing. Nearly 200 pages of poetry that deals with darker aspects of life in a philosophical and experiential manner. While many of the poems are of a darker nature, readers will also find uplifting poems that counter the more taboo subjects in Corpus Delicti.

A reader's review:

May 25, 2014 by Anthony Servante
Format:Kindle Edition

"Corpus Delicti by William Cook is an extravagant challenge. It is at once an abundant selection of poems on a wide range of topics while it is also individual little gems that captivate the reader. One might say that each poem has its own job, its own vision that leads one to the next poem, and so on. If anything, its greatest feature, its size, is also my one criticism. I see three books here, a trilogy, in one volume. But that's good news for poetry fans: you get three books in one, close to two hundred pages of gems to appreciate one by one. This is not a book to devour in one sitting. It is to be savored slowly, over multiple readings, perhaps three to four poems at a time. I tried random readings and sequential readings, and both work equally fine, with only a subtle difference in reading experience. It is not often that a book of such magnitude of thought and word reaches the modern reader. Purchase Corpus Delicti with confidence that you will have a year's worth of reading joy and introspection. And if you come to read William Cook from his fictional work, then you are in for a treat. Fans of Blood Related can enjoy these little intellectual challenges to the mind in the same way we enjoyed Cook's toying with the line between fiction and nonfiction with his serial killers in Blood Related. The pulse of poetry is as strong as the poet's heart in this very large compilation of poems."

 Blurbs


"William Cook is an uncompromising horror writer. Be prepared to slink down the underbelly of the world as visions are revealed that can't be unseen. Strong stomachs required here folks!"
- Rocky Wood, President of The Horror Writers Association and Stephen King biographer.

"William Cook - writer, poet, artist, editor. This talented man has no illusions about the horror that is human nature. His exploration of torture, murder and mayhem combines the scientific precision of a scientist dissecting a specimen with the creative flair of a sculptor working with words. Something tells me that he is just getting started and we'll be seeing a lot more of his dark crafts in the future."
- Anna Taborska, author of For Those Who Dream Monsters, director of The Rain Has Stopped, Ela, The Sin, My Uprising, A Fragment of Being




DEATH QUARTET (E-BOOK)

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Quartet-Short-Horror-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00FPT3MZQ/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405901050&sr=1-6


About Death Quartet


DEATH QUARTET (A Selection of Short Horror Fiction & Verse) is an eclectic miscellany of stories, poems, and ephemera, wherein the subject matter relates to the study of homicide and the aesthetic portrayal of such an act. In other words, themes of death and murder abound in this horrific collection brought to you by William Cook, an up-and-coming indie author of macabre fiction and the novel 'Blood Related.'

Amongst the selection of four short stories you will find the never-before-seen 'origin story' that generated the novel 'Blood Related'. A stand alone story in its own right, 'Legacy: The Eternal Now and Thereafter' rounds off DEATH QUARTET and gives fans of Cook's novel Blood Related a chance to see where it all began. Make sure you read it with the doors locked.


From Blinded by the Light:

"The tip of the sharp blade pressed hard on Patrick's lower eyelid. A tear bubbled and fell from his twelve-year-old eyelashes, gathering in the indent caused by the presence of the knife, before running the full length of his young face and falling onto his white t-shirt. His dad's breath smelt bad, real bad - like something had died inside him and was stinking him up big-time. Patrick stood on his toes, his father's muscled forearm pressing hard against his chest, pinning his scrawny back against the kitchen wall. Patrick stood as still as possible, cross-eyed with fear, his gaze never left the glint of the knife's blade in his face. His father gave the tip a slight twist and Patrick felt a stab of pain as warm blood traced the path of his tears to drop on his t-shirt. Patrick's breath hitched and all he could think to himself was - "this is it! Dad is gonna kill me. He's gonna kill me. He's gonna . . ."


DEAD AND BURIED (E-BOOK)

http://www.amazon.com/Buried-Supernatural-Young-Adult-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00IJMI8T6/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405901050&sr=1-10


About Dead and Buried

DEAD AND BURIED: A Supernatural Young Adult Thriller
 

A Novelette.

Ever been bullied? Ever been murdered? Ever been dead and buried? Ever been a ghost?


Donny is sick of everything, at home and at school. Most of all, he hates the bullies who have made his life a living hell. Strange things have been happening in the Cox household – Donny’s mother has mysteriously disappeared and his drunken father has been acting more strangely than usual. Donny’s little brother Max is relying on him to find their mother and to protect him from all the things little kids need protecting from. The local gang of thugs is intent on making Donny and Max’s lives as miserable as possible. They will resort to almost anything to make the Cox brothers’ suffer. What the bullies don’t consider, is the possibility that their cruel actions will have consequences far beyond their realms of imagination. 

A supernatural coming-of-age story that deals with the consequences of bullying.


Recommended for mature Young Adult readers 16yrs +
Contains scenes of violence and low-level supernatural horror.

“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days


CREEP (E-BOOK SHORT)


About Creep


(Short Story - approx 8,500 words + Novel Excerpt from Blood Related)

Be careful who you get into a car with, even if that car is a taxi! A dark story of a young girl's date with death. CREEP is a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the gripping climax which is unexpected and will leave the reader cheering for more. Serial Killers don't always get away with murder, no matter how hard they try.

CREEP, is the first story in an exciting and gritty new psychological thriller series. Cassandra: Hunter of Darkness, is a hero to the victim and a merciless angel of death to the evil ones. A killer of killers, she strikes fear into the hearts of those who get their kicks off hurting others. Join Cassandra on her quest for justice and revenge as she begins her journey into the dark underbelly of serial murder and takes care of business as only she knows how.
A reader's review  

"5.0 out of 5 stars A New Horror Mythos Begins  
May 18, 2013 by Vincenzo Bilof
Format:Kindle Edition
An origin story drenched in blood, "Creep" is an excellent precursor to an intriguing premise. By reading the title and the story synopsis, readers will know what to expect from this tale, but Cook's method of introducing his new brand of madness is where the intrigue lies.

Cassandra's development is the result of the detailed writing that Cook uses to capture the sensory deprivation and overload; emotions broil over in stomach-churning revelation. The story is a moment of self-discovery for Cassandra; with so many torture movies and stories on the market, the audience is quite familiar with this scenario. However, this story is the chrysalis; Cassandra's physical and emotional transformation is revealed through the amount of detail Cook pours into the environment around her. On the literal level, "Creep" offers visceral scares and bestial symbolism to explain Cassandra's moment.

Read by itself without any further context, "Creep" stands by itself well enough. It's a quick read if you allow yourself a quiet, dark place to read with low light. Cook continues to improve as a writer; there are still some moments / actions that are characterized through "telling" rather than showing, but this remains a personal preference of mine. Personally, I don't think Cook necessarily has to include this origin story in the upcoming novel; it can be referred to in scattered flashback moments, because this is rather a complete episode in Cassandra's life.

Considering what the story is designed to achieve/explain, Cook delivers upon his promise: the terror is personal and life-changing for Cassandra, and he explains why with well-crafted imagery and moments of revulsion.

Side note: Cook included one of my favorite scenes from his highly recommended novel, "Blood Related." There's enough entertainment value in this package to turn lovers of serial killer horror into William Cook fans"

DEVIL INSIDE (E-BOOK SHORT)

http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Inside-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B00B3OCVMC/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405902970&sr=1-8

About Devil Inside


Devil Inside is a short horror story that will leave you wanting more. Graphic and descriptive, the tale winds itself around a young boy who discovers that when you make a wish, you better make sure you really want it.

Horror, Violence, Supernatural, M15+

Short Story + 4 x Poems + Excerpt from Blood Related (novel).

A reader's review 


“5.0 out of 5 stars Edge of My Chair Horror
December 21, 2013 by Diane J
This review is from: Devil Inside (Kindle Edition)

I am very picky about my horror. I have been hooked since I read Poe in High School. William Cook is one of the best writers in this genre that I have read. From the minute I began reading Devil Inside, I was drawn into the world and mind of the young main character, Jacob. The story builds in suspense and mutilations flawlessly, ending in an exceptionally gratifying outcome, at least for me. William is a master of the genre. I am going to get every book, story and poetry piece he has written and indulge in a blood bath of intense, unrelenting fiction. Bravo!”

Book Review Shout-out

Recently I've had a few books of mine that I've given away for free. If you happened to download a free copy and can be bothered dropping a short review I'd really appreciate it. As someone who has been self publishing for nearly two years now (alongside traditional methods) I have yet to receive my first royalty check from Amazon! Shocking I know, but a true story nonetheless - so, any little review or feedback I receive is cherished and much appreciated as it helps make this whole lark worthwhile. Thanks to those of you who already have left reviews for myself and other authors.

If there are any of you out there who would like a free e-version (Kindle,Nook, PDF) for review purposes of any of my titles, please comment in the section below or contact me via williamcookauthor (at) gmail (dot) com- visit my Amazon page here for details about my various titles.


Enjoy the rest of your week. 


William


#books #reviews #indie


New Horror Anthology Release – Terror Train



Proud to say I have a story in this anthology (‘One Way Ticket’) – in fact, one of the more complex stories I’ve written and one that I hope operates on a few different levels. The Terror Train Anthology, published by the good folk at James Ward Kirk Fiction, includes both stories and poetry about murder, madness, mayhem, monsters, and the macabre on the rails! The stories take us on a train ride that begins in New York and ends in California, with a little time in Europe, and includes over forty stops in between. Included in this magnificent collection is one by the legendary William F. Nolan titled “Lonely Train A Comin’.” The old west, a character that travels back in time, a tale from the future – they are all there. We have stories full of evil, revenge, love, lust, and mystery. We even have a little noir and, of course, a whole lot of Horror! Trust me, it’s a ride you won’t soon forget. The anthology has been getting lots of positive reviews, so be sure to check it out via the links at the end of this article.


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TERROR TRAIN ANTHOLOGY

EDITED BY A. HENRY KEENE & KRISTA CLARK GRABOWSKI




All aboard theTerror Train


From NYC to New Orleans, through winding paths and cityscapes, it grinds the rails and shatters the dead of night. It comes, stopping at stations along the way, to steal the screaming souls of the living and the dead and transport them to hell…  The Terror Train rides, from city to city, from village to village, through states, across rivers and mountains. If only it could tell its tales of grisly murder, of demonic pacts, black holes into different dimensions and portals to other realms where the ghosts of train robbers hunt in perpetuity for that elusive bullion filled carriage that cost them their immortal souls. Behold the terrors the train has witnessed, see firsthand the horrors it has lived through and when you get on board, pray, pray you’ve entered the right one, on the right track, the one that does not lead to oblivion… 

Terror Train contains stories by new and established authors, with a special guest story by William F. Nolan. All aboard!


Grab your copy now!


US LINK http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Train-Mathias-Jansson-ebook/dp/B00KYWRWS2/ref=la_B00HXO3FRG_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402746042&sr=1-3

UK LINK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terror-Train-Mathias-Jansson-ebook/dp/B00KYWRWS2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402748251&sr=1-1&keywords=terror+train





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Cover art by Stephen Cooney


Full author list:
Roger Cowin
Charie D. La Marr
Michael Thomas-Knight
Mark Rigney
Stephen Alexander
Mike Jansen
Justin Hunter
Mary Genevieve Fortier
Jeremy Mays
Murphy Edwards
Dennis Banning
Brigitte Kephart
Brian Barnett
Mathias Jansson
Abdul-Qaadir Taariq Bakari-Muhammad
Aaron Besson
Stephen Alexander
Jim Goforth
Dona Fox
Tony Bowman
Rie Sheridan Rose
Dale Hollin 
David S. Pointer

Stuart Keane
William Cook
Shenoa Carroll-Bradd
Stephen Alexander & Roger Cowin
A. P. Gilbert
Shane Koch
William F. Nolan
Teri Skultety
E.S. Wynn
Lori R. Lopez
Thomas M. Malafarina
Leigh M. Lane 
Alex S. Johnson
Plus Dedications and Appreciations by Keene and Grabowski


TRAILER


 Terror Train is a wonderful collection full of great stories and poetry. You’ll be happily frightened as you ride the rails. As one of the author’s recently said “It’s a ride that’s to die for”.

ALTERNATE VERSION OF BOOK DESCRIPTION (NOT THE ONE ON AMAZON)

Terror Train is the creative brainchild of A. Henry Keene. The train leaves the station noir-style in New York and travels across the country until it stops in a California of the future. In between it stops in several states including Tennessee, Missouri, and Louisiana. At every stop there is a different tale of murder, ghosts, demons, and other horrors. There are tales of love gone wrong, twisted demon-possessed trains, a vampire story that is nothing like any vampire story you’ve ever read, and many other fun terrors. And the legendary William F. Nolan has humbled us with his gracious contribution. Along with the stories there are wonderful poems spread throughout this collection by some truly talented poets. Trust me, this is a ride you won’t soon forget.


LINKS

US LINK http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Train-Mathias-Jansson-ebook/dp/B00KYWRWS2/ref=la_B00HXO3FRG_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402746042&sr=1-3

UK LINK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terror-Train-Mathias-Jansson-ebook/dp/B00KYWRWS2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402748251&sr=1-1&keywords=terror+train

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22457461-terror-train?from_search=true





Music for Writing Dark Fiction


Recently I asked my author pals on Facebook for recommendations of “creepy, haunting classical music.” The following list is the best of the recommendations I received, along with some of my own favorites. While some have operatic elements, it was mainly the haunting melodies and invocation of atmospheric qualities I was looking for to inspire the writing of a ghost story. That story ended up being 'Dead and Buried' which is included in my collection 'Dreams of Thanatos.'  I usually have some music in the background when writing, especially atmospheric classical tunes with a gothic flavor. Hopefully you will find some new music here you have not heard before. Hell, it may even inspire you to write something suitably dramatic and haunting. Enjoy.





Camille Saint-Saƫns - Danse Macabre





Mozart - Requiem



Gyƶrgy Ligeti - Requiem





Le'rue Delashay - Through The Valley Of Death





Liszt/Leibowitz/London Philharmonic - Mephisto Waltz


  

Mussorgsky - Night on the Bare Mountain (Original Version)






Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki - Symphony No 3




God of War II - Complete Soundtrack





Beethoven - 7th Symphony/2nd movement






Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique, 4/5







Frederic Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 2, 3/3





Chopin - Nocturne op.9 no.1





Liadov - Babi Yaga




Gustav Mahler - Symphony No.7 in E-minor - II, Nachtmusik




Sibelius - The Swan of Tuonela 






Mendelssohn - Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave) (Abbado)





Mahler - Symphony No.2 in C minor "Resurrection"





Franz Liszt - Totentanz (piano and orchestra)





Jerry Goldsmith - The Haunting Suite





Sibelius - Tapiola ( Full ) - BPO / Karajan 



 

Prokofiev: Suite Scythe - 2. The Evil God and the Dance of the Pagan Monsters 




Rachmaninoff - Isle of the Dead






Camille Saint-Saƫns, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Sibelius, Jerry Goldsmith, Franz Liszt, Mendelssohn, Horror, Writing, Dark Fiction, William Cook, Dreams of Thanatos, Gustav Mahler, Liadov, Frederic Chopin, Berlioz, Gyƶrgy Ligeti, God of War, Mozart, Le'rue Delashay, Mussorgsky, Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki, Beethoven, Classical, Gothic, Music

Serial Killer Quarterly - a new magazine from Grinning Man Press

http://www.serialkillerquarterly.com/product/subscription-2-5


Whatever you might think about serial killers and the vile deeds they do, there is no denying the morbid fascination they induce with their repugnant personalities and the bizarre (and often quite ordinary) reasons behind their abhorrent actions. The thing that continues to fascinate readers of true crime and global media networks is that these criminal monsters are on the outside everyday people like you and I. It is the mystery and the perversity of their inner worlds that marks them as objects of interest to amateur 'arm-chair' psychologists and detectives. 

As an author who has dealt with this subject matter in my own work ('Blood Related') I did countless hours of research into both real true-crime cases and fictional accounts of serial killers. With the publication of my book and the subsequent interest in it from the reading community at large, I have also had occasion to rub shoulders with other authors who share the same morbid curiosity about these creeps. Indeed, the archetypal serial killer protagonist has become a common trope across Thriller, Action and Horror genres with no signs of abatement to date. I met Lee Mellor, the co-creator of the magazine - Serial Killer Quarterly, online through a mutual project and have stayed in touch ever since. Lee is an interesting chap and has some intelligent and profound insights into his chosen fields of study. Before you read the interview below that Katherine Ramsland has kindly given me permission to share, here is some information about Lee Mellor - a talented writer and musician and the creator of Serial Killer Quarterly.

WHO IS LEE MELLOR?


Lee Mellor is a published author, musician, and doctoral student currently based out of Montreal. Lee's books, Cold North Killers: Canadian Serial Murder (2012) and Rampage: Canadian Mass Murder and Spree Killing (2013) focus on the underexplored topic of multicide in Canada. Both are available in the True Crime section of most Canadian bookstores, and in hard copy and e-book form through www.amazon.com (USA), www.amazon.ca (Canada), and www.amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom).

Until his career as an author took off, Lee devoted a great deal of time to writing, performing, and recording storytelling music. He was voted among the Top Ten Singer-Songwriters in Montreal three years in a row, and in 2008 ranked #3 next to Leonard Cohen and Rufus Wainwright. His first album Ghost Town Heart (2007) was considered one of the best “country” albums of the year by numerous indie publications and reviewers, and is notable for the songs “Liberty Street” and ”Nowhere, Manitoba.” After some soul searching, in 2011, Lee recorded ten more tracks for his second album Lose - a low key release, with the title track and “Suzy Blue Eyes” being two of the more popular tunes. 

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Lee also conducts historical and criminological research for several television programs.

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After obtaining his Bachelor of the Arts in 2009, Lee relocated back to Brighton, ON, where he began work on his second album and first book.  Originally, he had intended to write a fictional novel about a criminal profiler who tracked serial killers in Canada.  Upon realizing that he was only aware of three Canadian serial murderers, Lee began researching the topic in order to avoid unintentionally copying a real life Canadian killer in his novel.  Along the way, he became so fascinated by the secret history of serial homicide in the great white north that Lee decided he would write a non-fiction book about the subject. 

In 2011, Lee's book Cold North Killers: Canadian Serial Murder was picked up by Dundurn Press, and published in March 2012. Dundurn asked him to write a second, Rampage: Canadian Mass Murder and Spree Killing, which he completed in early October. Both books are available to purchase through most major book retailers and Amazon.

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Recently, Lee has entered a PhD program at Concordia University to pursue his academic interest in multiple murderers and sex offenders. Stay in touch with Lee and his various ongoing projects via the links below.

Contact Lee 
Facebook Cold North Killers  
FacebookRampage  
Facebook – Lee Mellor’s music  
Twitter@leemellorwriter
Bloghttp://mellortalksmurder.blogspot.com

Lee Mellor interview by Katherine Ramsland.

A new digital quarterly on serial murder promises to entertain but also educate. 






One of my colleagues, Lee Mellor, got it into his head that someone needed to create a quarterly magazine devoted exclusively to serial murder. So, he did it, and it’s a stunner. Beautifully designed, this debut issue features case histories written like short stories of such people as Col. Russell Williams and the enigmatic Israel Keyes. Lee, the editor-in-chief, even wrote a feature about the final words and meals of these offenders.

I asked Lee some questions, which he graciously answered below:

1. Please describe the concept for Serial Killer Quarterly and tell us what's in the first issue.

Serial Killer Quarterly is an e-magazine, the first publication by Grinning Man Press. This issue includes the killers you named above, plus the DC Snipers and the Internet's first serial killer, John Edward Robinson. We've also included some lighter sections to break things up, such as “Killer Flicks,” where we review films featuring real or fictional serial murder cases. Mr. Brooks is in the hot-seat this quarter.

2. What motivated you to found this magazine?
 
I was inspired by the true crime/detective magazines of the twentieth century. Though popular in the first half of the century, by the 1970s, most had been forced out of print due to the high overhead costs of printing and distribution, along with competition from television and cinema. With the advent and increasing popularity of electronic books, Grinning Man Press wants to take advantage of the lower cost of e-publishing to resurrect the genre. We’re focusing exclusively on serial murder cases due to the immense and enduring public interest in the topic. Research has shown that 40% of true crime publications feature cases of serial killing.

That said, there were some elements of earlier true crime magazines that we do not wish to replicate. One example is the ubiquitous cover illustrations of scantily clad women being bound and gagged by hulking males. Not only are these images dangerously misogynistic and insulting to our female readers but many serial killers have admitted to having used them pornographically in late childhood and adolescence.

The last thing Grinning Man wants to do is foster a new generation of Ted Bundys, so we take a more subtle, ominous approach to our illustrations. For example, “21st Century Psychos” features an image of Alaskan serial killer Israel Keyes unearthing his “hit kit” on a moonlit night. We've also replaced the earlier magazine's tacky bright colors with a grittier more noir aesthetic. 

3. What’s your vision for it? 

Artistically, we aim to bring our readers nail-biting true life page turners that make for compelling reads without resorting to sensationalism. For readers who are interested in criminal psychology or criminology, we have also included a number of sidebars with descriptions of concepts such as psychopathy, sexual sadism, victimology, etc. However, this content is supplementary, and readers who are simply interested in a gripping story can ignore it. So the magazine is both entertaining and educational.


Also, I think there is a certain unwarranted stigma attached to reading true crime publications. Where I personally don't mind sitting on the subway thumbing through a paperback on Richard Ramirez (great way to stop people from sitting beside you), I feel that a lot of curious readers are very self-conscious about how this would be perceived. By bringing true crime to our readers' tablets, laptops, cell phones, and e-readers, they can enjoy this genre in public without having to worry about being unfairly judged by workmates or fellow commuters. 


4. You're laying out some issues by themes. What can we expect in the near future?

This year's line-up is already finalized, and I am incredibly excited about it. Following our Winter 2014 issue “21st Century Psychos,” will be “Partners in Pain.” This issue focuses on serial murderers who kill in teams, including male-male couples (Burke & Hare/Duffy & Mulcahy/Lake & Ng), male-female (Clark & Bundy/Bernardo & Homolka), female-female (Golay & Rutterschmidt), and murderous teams of three or more people (Corll, Henley, and Brooks).

Issue #3, “Unsolved in North America,” will be published in the summer of 2014, with features on the "Servant Girl Annihilator" by the legendary Harold Schechter, with whom I had the pleasure to dine in NYC last summer, and Michael Newton's look at the compelling case of the "Cleveland Torso Murderer," which left a black stain on the career of the celebrated detective Eliot Ness. 

The year will end with Fall 2014's “Cruel Britannia” – an issue devoted to British serial killers. Burl Barer will write a feature piece on the infamous “Yorkshire Ripper” Peter Sutcliffe, Carol Anne Davis returns with a story about the grotesque Robert Napper ripper-murders, and you’ll be there with the horrific crimes and philosophies of “Moors Murderers” Ian Brady and Myra Hyndley. 


5. What fresh angle on the topic does your publication bring?
 
As Serial Killer Quarterly is an electronic publication which can reach the world, we're striving to build a magazine which truly reflects and respects our international readership. By the end of the year we will have featured killers from the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Russia, and Mexico. So we're hoping to broaden our reader's knowledge of multiple murder as a truly international phenomenon.

 
We will hold off on the more notorious cases until at least 2015, as Bundy, Dahmer, Gacy, Gein and Jack the Ripper have already been done to death (no pun intended). Serial Killer Quarterly will present cases that are equally as fascinating, but have, for whatever reason, flown under the radar of the general public.



END 

About Grinning Man Press:


Grinning Man Press is an e-publishing company founded in 2013 by Lee Mellor (author of Cold North Killers and Rampage) and his long-time friend, Aaron Elliott. Through the advent of .PDF publications, we seek to resurrect popular fiction and detective magazine formats from the early-mid 20th century, allowing a new audience to enjoy them on their computers, tablets, smartphones, or Kindle readers.

We are proud to feature articles and stories by world-class authors such as Harold Schechter, Katherine Ramsland, and Michael Newton.

Grinning Man operates on one principle: if it’s creepy, dark, disturbing, outlandish, macabre or unsettling, we print it. Currently, Grinning Man’s sole publication is the nail-biting Serial Killer Quarterly – a gripping True Crime e-mag featuring real cases of serial killing from around the globe. Our 2014 line-up consists of:

Winter 2014: 21st Century Psychos – Katherine Ramsland, Michael Newton, Lee Mellor

Spring 2014: Partners in Pain - Cathy Scott, Katherine Ramsland, Carol Anne Davis

Summer 2014: Unsolved in America – Harold Schechter, Michael Newton

Fall 2014: Cruel Britannia – Burl BarerCarol Anne Davis, Katherine Ramsland

In the near future, GMP plan to launch magazines on the paranormal, along with fiction mags featuring serials in the genres of sci-fi, horror, fantasy, mystery and erotica. For more info, please contact them.


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Katherine Ramsland, Peter Vronsky, Michael Newton, Lee Mellor, Grinning Man Press, Serial Killer Quarterly, Serial Killers, Serial Killer, True Crime, Interview, Article, Harold Schechter

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