7 Horror Films to Watch While Waiting For Book Two

While we wait for Burn the Rabbit to release on September 15 (RSVP to the online event here!), let's talk about a few horror movies you can watch now while you wait.

Here are 7 (maybe 8 or 9, really) horror films to watch now!

As you know, Rabbit in Red is packed with horror references. (Haven't started Rabbit in Red? Grab a copy on Amazon or request it at your favorite bookstore!) Burn the Rabbit, the second book in the trilogy, will similarly test your horror knowledge, but it does so in new ways--  from fresh riddles to darker challenges. My love letter to the horror genre continues, and the stories of our characters also significantly evolve. This book, more than anything, is about what happens to them.

Still, if you're like me, you enjoy a good horror-binge-a-thon. Here are a few movies available to watch (at the time of this post) that may influence a bit of the terror and fun in book two!

1. The Babadook

Available on Netflix

From IMDB: "A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her."

2. The 'Burbs

This is horror comedy, but it's possibly my favorite summer movie and horror comedy of all time!

Available on Netflix.

From IMDB: "An overstressed suburbanite and two of his neighbors struggle to prove their paranoid theory that the new family on the block are part of a murderous cult."

3. Hellraiser and Hellbound, Hellraiser II

Available on Netflix

From IMDB: "An unfaithful wife encounters the zombie of her dead lover; demons are pursuing him after he escaped their sadomasochistic underworld."

Available on Netflix

From IMDB: "Kirsty is brought to an institution after the death of her family, where the occult-obsessive head resurrects Julia and unleashes the Cenobites once again."

4. From Dusk Till Dawn

Available on Netflix.

From IMDB: "Two criminals and their hostages unknowingly seek temporary refuge in an establishment populated by vampires, with chaotic results."

5. Candyman

Available on Starz/Encore On-Demand

From IMDB: "The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth."

6. Alien

I may be disappointed if you haven't seen this one, but I'm adding it because it's always a fun one to rewatch.

Various showings on AMC; check your local listings

From IMDB: "After a space merchant vessel perceives an unknown transmission as distress call, their landing on the source moon finds one of the crew attacked by a mysterious lifeform. Continuing their journey back to Earth with the attacked crew having recovered and the critter deceased, they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun."

7. The Hills have Eyes

I love both versions. The classic is great-- you can't beat a Wes Craven original! The remake is fun, lots of jumps and scares. It gets no hate from me. 

Available on Showtime On-Demand

From IMDB: "On the way to California, a family has the misfortune to have their car break down in an area closed to the public, and inhabited by violent savages ready to attack."

Available on Showtime On-Demand

From IMDB: "A suburban American family is being stalked by a group of psychotic people who live in the desert, far away from civilization."

So, there's a few to add to your watch-list between now and September 15. There are tons of other allusions in the book, but I won't give away all the fun. Give these movies a watch, and see if you can spot their references in Burn the Rabbit!

The book releases September 15. Say you're "going" to this Facebook event. It's there I'll share the links for the online release as well as give away some prizes!

If you're new to Rabbit in Red, request a copy at your favorite bookstore or order it from Amazon here. It's the perfect time to start following the rabbit.

Follow me on Facebook, and explore my website for even more news and events.

Six Things To Expect From The Second Book

As we approach the release of Burn the Rabbit, I thought it would be fun to give you a spoiler-free preview of some of the fun. What can you expect from the second volume in the Rabbit in Red series?

1. Not everyone will survive.

Early in the story, one of our characters is violently attacked, and that act changes some of them-- one in particular. I really like the story-line and development for that character (it's not Bill) because at times this person will scare you. At times, you'll also probably dislike this character. That's all part of the story.

As the story continues, our characters face murder and death. Is it another twisted game? Once they see bodies that don't move or breathe, the answer is pretty obvious.

And what about the major characters? Are they safe?

I can't promise that. But I can promise that in book three (which has already been written; I know how it all ends), there's a funeral scene that just may make you cry. The question you'll have to ask: whose funeral is it?


2. We see a glimpse into JB's youth.

JB, perhaps, may be the most fascinating character. How did he become who he is? Is he twisted, mad, or genius? To help us understand JB, we'll see moments from his past: a scene from his childhood, several teenage experiences, and a dark, mysterious act as a young-adult.

It's all quite exciting, I think.

3. It's no longer only Bill's story.

I love Bill. How can you not love him? He's the awkward teen in love with a girl and obsessed with his passions. He lost his father. His mother hasn't really been 100% there. He's sure got a bit of me in him, and I hope he's got a bit of you, too. Rabbit in Red is told entirely through Bill's point-of-view. I knew that in volume two that I wanted to get inside the head of all of our characters-- to give the readers a chance to see what's going on in the minds of everyone.

Burn the Rabbit alternates point-of-view from scene to scene. We're not in everyone's head. But you get to see the world through more than Bill's eyes, including Jaime's, Wes's, Rose's, and more. They each bring new, fresh perspectives to the story. Plus, you'll get inside the head of a few others that may surprise you. Most chilling, you'll also be inside the head of the villain. That's how, in fact, Burn the Rabbit begins.

4. Some love blossoms; some love changes.

Just as our characters evolve, so do their relationships. There's at least one couple who grows together very sweetly. I try to do their relationship justice-- the love they have (and you'll see it) is full of passion. Others, though, that you may root for . . .

I should tell you that several new characters are also introduced in this book. Let me just tell you this: Burn the Rabbit gets hot for all sorts of reasons.


5. My favorite chapter is actually one full of humor.

When I was a kid, I took karate lessons. I'd come home and try to get my mom and dad to do the moves with me. Sometimes my parents would humor me. They looked so silly, and I'd laugh hysterically at my mom trying to karate kick.

It gave me this idea. What would Bill and Jaime have their moms do if they wanted their families to participate hands-on in their passions? Just wait to see what they have Sally Wise and Janet Stein do. I LOVE it. So freaking much. And I hope you'll laugh and enjoy it, too.


6. Welcome to Hellfire.

In terms of scares and excitement, I'm most proud of Hellfire. Hellfire becomes the new challenge in Burn the Rabbit. I don't want to give away the fun, but picture this: a haunted house enhanced by the virtual reality technology you saw in volume one. That will give you a taste of Hellfire, and it gets wicked crazy!

I hope all of that sounds as intriguing and exciting to you as it does to me. The book releases September 15. Say you're "going" to this Facebook event. It's there I'll share the links for the online release as well as give away some prizes!

If you're new to Rabbit in Red, request a copy at your favorite bookstore or order it from Amazon here. It's the perfect time to start following the rabbit.

Follow me on Facebook, and explore my website for even more news and events.

Burn the Rabbit Release Dates

Hello, my friends--

I'm excited to announce the Burn the Rabbit release dates, AND officially post the back-of-the-book for you to see!

Burn the Rabbit, the second volume in the Rabbit in Red trilogy, doesn't harm any actual rabbits. What might get hurt? JB's Rabbit in Red studios and every single person in it. It's a fun story that I can't wait for you to read.

As I said in book one's acknowledgments (book two's first draft was written in the summer of 2015-- I work about a year ahead, and yes, I finished the final book just this summer), book two is to book one the way Game of Thrones is to Goosebumps. Things get darker, deeper, and it's one heck of a wild ride!

The book, both print and digital formats, will be available Thursday, September 15. We will do a special ebook sale price the day of the release, and some incredible giveaways, including a few Amazon gift cards! To be a part of that, please join the Facebook event here.

Then that weekend, for my Central IL friends, we'll have some special signings. The first will be at Zeek's Comics & Games in Washington, IL on Saturday, September 17. That's also their one-year anniversary party, and there will be all sorts of other authors and artists attending. It's also Batman day, and Zeek's is giving away a free, special Batman comic to the first two-hundred people. Of course, I'll have Burn the Rabbit and all my books there with some great specials and giveaways, too. Make plans to see me between noon and seven.

If that doesn't work for you, I'll be at the Peoria Barnes & Noble Sunday, September 18 from 2-4, too!

Again, join our Facebook event here today, and you'll get info about the release parties. You'll be eligible to win prizes, and it doesn't matter where you live or when you're free-- we'll be celebrating for the whole weekend, and if you can check Facebook, you can get in on the fun!

There will be other surprises, too. But we've got a month to go, so I'm not sharing everything just yet.

And, now, as promised, here's the back-of-the-book, designed and illustrated by Camron Johnson Illustrations!

Like it? Share it!

Follow the author on Facebook, and visit his webpage for more Rabbit in Red news here.

Pictured above:Rabbit in Red author Joe Chianakas, thanks to Apartment Two for the pic.

Horror Block Exclusive!

I am absolutely honored to announce that my book Rabbit in Red will be hopping in an upcoming Horror Block box!

This is the coolest thing to ever happen to Rabbit in Red, and I thought I'd tell you a bit about Horror Block and how this all came together.

First of all, Horror Block is a monthly mystery box sent to subscribers for $20 a month plus shipping. Inside each box is a variety of high quality gifts. Here are the contents of their latest box I received just yesterday!

Included in the July box: Triple feature blu-ray, Psycho t-shirt, Friday the 13th hat, Walking Dead collectible, Rue Morgue Magazine, and an original Simpsons horror art piece. All that for $20!!!

I've received all sorts of cool gifts throughout the years I've subscribed, and now I can't wait until thousands of people open their box and find an exclusive, new paperback edition of Rabbit in Red!

Rabbit in Red will appear in the November 2016 Horror Block, but I recommend subscribing now and just keeping it current! It's a delight to see that box arrive and find a variety of goodies for the horror fan.

Based on current subscribers, I've been told that up to 16,000 paperbacks of Rabbit in Red will be included. That's why I'm excited: it's the chance to connect with thousands of horror fans around the world. In the years that I've been a subscriber, I've only seen one other fiction novel included in Horror Block. That was a vampire book called Bitten, which went on to become a popular television series on the Syfy channel!

What may surprise you is this: Being included in Horror Block was not only a dream from day one, but I've been working on it since the first words of Rabbit in Red were written. In that first chapter, you'll notice that Bill Wise, our protagonist, makes a comment on them being the "most kick-ass subscription box ever." Yes, it's internal advertising for Horror Block, but every word Bill says about it is sincere. I describe Horror Block as Loot Crate for horror fans but on steroids. You get ten times the quality.

Horror Block is one of the Nerd Block mystery boxes!

Even before Rabbit in Red was published, I had sent messages to Horror Block about my novel idea and what I was doing to celebrate them inside the book. That's right. I sent e-mails to them in the summer of 2015. Rabbit in Red wasn't published until the fall of 2015. Throughout the year, I would tweet at them or comment on a Facebook post. I followed up messages every so often, and then in June of 2016, I received this message:

"I fell asleep reading your book . . ."

At first, I thought: Well, that's rude. Just say no if you don't like it.

But then: "I fell asleep because I stayed up as late as I could on a work night to read. I didn't want to stop."

And then: "I'll need a quote on 13,000-15,000 copies."

Since then, Horror Block has sold out every month and continually gained subscribers. We're looking at up to 16,000 copies right now. That's a lot of horror fans and a lot of opportunity.

In general, here's how I function: for better or for worse, I'm the "always happy, never satisfied" kind of guy. Being a writer is tough. Think about it. How many books do you think the average person has read this year? How many books have you read? Now, there are fantastic exceptions (and we love you for it), but that number is awfully low as a generalization. Follow that up with this: How many books have been published this year? Or even just written? I honestly think there may be more writers than readers some days.

So I told myself, if publishing is a route I want to pursue, then there are two things I need to do.

1. Learn to be happy and celebrate any success. That means to celebrate a single sale or a single review. Forget hundreds and thousands of sales and reviews-- celebrate the individual reader, the individual sale, the individual review. You don't need 50 or 100 or 1000 to be happy.

2. BUT if you do want more than that, you have to find unique strategies. Not just the same old blogs and tweets over and over again. So I connected with a kick-ass band for an original Rabbit in Red song, we did a live action trailer, we got the best original artwork possible, we connected with horror pages and fans, we did event after event after event.

Happy, but not satisfied.

Well, I feel pretty satisfied today. But when I finish this blog, I'm going to get back to work on book three. (Book two in the series is complete!). Then I'm going to brainstorm other ways to connect with horror fans and readers.

Never give up.

Thank you to Horror Block for this incredible honor and opportunity. Sign up on their website today.

A few other shout outs:

Give Camron Johnson Illustrations a like on Facebook. Camron is doing the exclusive cover for the new Horror Block edition, as well as the cover for Burn the Rabbit, book two in the series!

Original art by Camron Johsnon for Rabbit in Red

Give Fitz of Horror a like, too! Fitz is one of the biggest horror pages and horror supporters out there. He's also the voice of the rabbit-- look for the audio book of Rabbit in Red this fall!

Give Apartment Two a like. They are a media content group producing new pictures and videos to pepare for Burn the Rabbit's release.

Photo by Apartment Two

Of course, I hope you'll follow me on Facebook, check out my website here, and sign up for my newsletter for all the latest, cool news!

For my local friends, I hope to see you at Zeek's Comics & Games (give them a like, too!) on Saturday, September 17 for the print release of Burn the Rabbit! We'll have plenty of copies and lots of extra swag and giveaways. Don't miss it-- it's their one year anniversary, and the place will be packed with lots of cool artists, authors, and specials!

To all of my friends and readers: thanks for your reviews, your love of Rabbit in Red, and your support of me. This wouldn't be possible without you!

Burn the Rabbit cover designed by Camron Johnson Illustrations

Subscribe to Horror Block now and be sure to get your copy!