Monday, September 26, 2016

Happy One-Year Anniversary!

As of September 26, 2016, Rabbit in Red turns one year old!

Let me start by thanking you, and let's celebrate some of our accomplishments!

Rabbit in Red has been picked up by Horror Block!



The absolute hottest, best (no doubt about it!) horror subscription box in the entire world is sending its subscribers up to 16,000 copies in this November's block! We've created an exclusive, new cover for Horror Block. This month's Horror Block is celebrating Stephen King. October's, among many things, is celebrating Nightmare on Elm Street. November-- we're celebrating Rabbit in Red. We've gone from an incredibly small publisher to reaching a huge, international audience. It's unbelievable to me.

Rabbit in Red earned best horror book of 2016!



Over 100 books were nominated. We took over ten percent of the entire vote. You all are the best!

Rabbit in Red was picked up by the app, Tapas!



Tapas loved the stories, and I was honored to be offered a contract to include my books on their platform. If you've never checked them out, you can download the app for free.

Fitz of Horror produced the audio book!



One of the most popular (the best one, if you ask me) horror movie pages on Facebook produced the audio book for Rabbit in Red, which is now available on Amazon, Audible, or iTunes!

Burn the Rabbit, the second book in the series, hit #1 on Amazon's hot new horror!



I'm really excited for you to read the second book. We're getting darker, creepier, and just a heck of a lot more terrifying!

Rabbit in Red earned Halloween 2015's Book-of-the-Day honors!

I'm hoping to get the same for Burn the Rabbit this year!

We hit seventy reviews on Amazon just today!

For a book that started with such a tiny publisher, this is a huge accomplishment.

Here's the thing: I know some of this surely has to come off as bragging. Well, I am proud, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I've never stopped giving up, and I never will stop chasing my dreams. But there's much more to it than that. Notice I always try to say what WE have accomplished. I know that I can't do it without you. My friends, my readers: You voted Rabbit in Red #1, you posted 70 reviews on Amazon, you talked about it enough to get the attention of Horror Block and now we're reaching not just hundreds of readers but thousands and thousands of readers.

Thank you for helping this guy's dreams come true. Your support is amazing, and I believe you get what you give. And you all got a lot of love coming to you!

Want to help me celebrate? Just keep doing what you're doing.

But if you haven't picked up the series, could there be a better time of year to do so? Grab a copy from your favorite bookstore or order it online.

Thank you for following the rabbit.

Get Rabbit in Red, the book voted FAVORITE HORROR BOOK OF 2016, today!

Available at Barnes and Noble, online retailers like Amazon, or request a copy from your favorite, local bookstore or library.

You can read it on the app, Tapas!

You can get a signed copy from our Etsy shop.

The audio book is available for those who prefer to listen! Get it on AmazonAudible, or iTunes!

Follow the author on Facebook or Twitter.

The second book in the series, Burn the Rabbit, is available now, too.



Enjoy!

Friday, September 16, 2016

#1 Hot New Horror Release!

This morning, I awoke to great news: Burn the Rabbit hit #1 on hot new horror! Thank YOU-- my friends, my readers, all of you who got the book on day one.

Now, let me tell you all the places you can get the book and the upcoming events I'm doing, so you can get a signed copy if you'd like.

Get ebook or print from Amazon.

The audio book of Rabbit in Red book one is available on iTunesAudible, and Amazon. Click the link of your preferred retailer, and download Rabbit in Red today!



Get any of my books off the hot app, Tapas, which allows you to start reading for free and then purchase new "episodes" with keys. Fun! Download the Tapas app for your iPhone/iPad or Android device. Then search for Rabbit in Red, Nightmares Under The Moonlight, and Burn the Rabbit-- all three are featured in Tapas' New Releases!



Of course, I also encourage you to shop local. You can request Rabbit in Red and Burn the Rabbit from any bookstore in the world. Call them up, tell them you want it, and if they don't have it, they'll order it for you.

In Central IL, thank you to Zeek's Comics & Games (Washington), Barnes and Noble (Peoria), I Know You Like a Book (Peoria Heights), Lit. on Fire Used Books (Peoria), and the ICC Bookstore (East Peoria) for stocking my books.

UPCOMING EVENTS

This Saturday, Sept 17, I'll be at Zeek's Comics & Games from 12-7 as part of their one-year anniversary party. I'll have all of my books plus some extra swag to giveaway! Zeek's is having all sorts of fun: the first 200 people get a free Batman gift, there's face-painting for the kids, tons of specials, and lots of other visiting artists and authors, like Camron Johnson, the artist who did Burn the Rabbit's cover design. He's releasing his own comic that day, Thy Neighbor!

On Sunday, Sept 18, I'll be at the Peoria Barnes & Noble from 2-4 with several other local authors. Come get a signed copy of Burn the Rabbit there!

Here are a few other events coming up in future months:

Book club reading & signing
    Tuesday, October 11, 4-6 p.m. Join Joe at the Chillocothe, IL Public Library for a book club discussion of Rabbit in Red followed by a book signing!
Get ready for NaNoWriMo!
   Monday, October 17, 6:00-7:30 p.m. Join Joe at the North Branch of the Peoria Public Library for a FREE workshop on National Novel Writing Month. 
Burn the Rabbit Halloween Party and Signing!
   Wednesday, October 26, 6:00 p.m.: Join us at I Know You Like a Book in Peoria Heights, IL for a special signing of Burn the Rabbit. Plus, we'll have a costume contest with prizes, candy, and more!

Peoria Public Library Book Fair
   Saturday, November 5, 2-4 p.m. Join Joe at the North Branch of the Peoria Public Library to get a signed copy of any of his books!

WHAT"S BURN THE RABBIT ABOUT?



Bill Wise can't wait to return to Rabbit in Red Studios--this time as a student in JB's brand-new Horror College. He's looking forward to learning the craft, renewing last year's friendships, and above all, to seeing Jaime, and finally asking her to be his girlfriend. 

But before he even gets to see her, one of their own is violently attacked. JB goes on the hunt, and the students learn about his troubled past, which changes their views of him forever. As their project, they create Rabbit in Red's most terrifying and disturbing challenge yet, Hellfire, and use it to recruit a new class of horror students. 

Then the bodies start piling up, and the mysteries become more and more dangerous. Is this another one of JB's dark games-within-a-game, or will Rabbit in Red--and everyone in it--burn in the end?

Follow Joe, the author of Rabbit in Red on Facebook, and visit his webpage here for more info on his books!



Thursday, September 15, 2016

Book two now available!

Burn the Rabbit, Rabbit in Red 2, is now available!

It's here!

The first thing I'd like for every single one of you to do is to PLEASE grab the ebook from Amazon today. It's on-sale for 99 cents for a VERY short time to celebrate the release. Even if you're not an ebook fan, every single sale of the ebook is what really makes a difference in our ranking on Amazon.

My goal is to get to #1, but I will need help from EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!

Get the ebook today HERE.

But of course, if you're like me, you want that beautiful paperback in your hands, too. We've got you covered with two awesome events this weekend.

The first is at Zeek's Comics & Games for their one-year anniversary. I'll be there Saturday, September 17, from noon to 7. Get a signed copy of any of my books, including Burn the Rabbit. I'll have some bonus prizes for you as well!

Then on Sunday, September 18, I'll be at the Peoria Barnes and Noble from 2-4 signing copies of Burn the Rabbit! Hope to see you either at Zeek's or Barnes & Noble, whichever you can attend.

CHECK OUT MY TV NEWS INTERVIEW ON THE NEW RELEASE HERE.


Don't forget: The new audio book is available, too!

I am so proud and honored to introduce to you the audio book for Rabbit in Red! It's narrated by Bryan Fitzgerald, the horror mastermind behind the hottest horror Facebook page, Fitz of Horror.

The book is available on iTunes, Audible, and Amazon. Click the link of your preferred retailer, and download Rabbit in Red today!

Know people who love audio? Tell them about it! This one won't make you fall asleep behind the wheel. Rabbit in Red makes for the perfect driving companion, and Fitz's voice gives the right emotion-- and the right terror-- to the story. I hope you'll check it out today.

I hope you'll support this project. Creating quality narration and the production of the reading took TONS of hours and tender-loving-care. I'm so glad such a big project landed in the hands of Fitz, as he took exceptional time and care to make this the best audio possible. Please get (OR GIFT!) a copy of the audio book today!


Monday, September 12, 2016

Tapastic News!

Hard work pays off, I like to think, and it's been a good summer for Rabbit in Red. First, Horror Block picked up the novel to send to 16,000 horror fans around the world in their November Block. Then we produced an amazing audio version of Rabbit in Red by the horror wizard behind Fitz of Horror. And just this weekend, the book was voted "Favorite Horror Book-of-the-Year" in the SIBA Readers' Choice Awards!



AND NOW, I'm proud to announce a partnership with Tapastic! Tapastic has launched a hot app available for your smartphones and tablets called Tapas.



Here's how Tapas describes themselves (you can learn more on their Facebook page or website):

Tapas is a new app for bite-sized, snackable stories. The word "Tapas” originally means bite-sized snacks in Spanish cuisine. Likewise, on our Tapas app, you can find appetizing “story snacks” for your curious mind.

Start reading thousands of novels, comics, and illustrated stories for free! Unlock episodes with keys — that’s like our version of power-ups. Unlocking episodes also directly benefits our awesome content creators and helps them continue doing the work they love.





I love finding creative ways of reaching readers, and a friend (thanks, Joe Maubach!) introduced me to to Tapas. I started using the app and was amazed at the content. The stories and comics are fresh and fun, and the app's design makes the content incredibly visually appealing. And I love the concept! We often take out our phones to spend just a few seconds or minutes in between life's responsibilities. Instead of just browsing the same social media streams, why not read something "bite-sized" and fun?



So, I took a risk and sent Tapas my work. They don't just publish anything. They want high-quality content for their users. I felt incredibly honored that they requested the full manuscripts of all my books, and even more excited when I got this message after they had a chance to read them: We really loved your stories and would love to get them on our platform! 


Rabbit in Red now available on Tapas!


I signed a contract to have my work available on Tapas, and I look forward to seeing this app grow!

Also available on Tapas!


So, my readers and friends, please take a moment to download the Tapas app for your iPhone/iPad or Android device. If you haven't read Rabbit in Red, Nightmares Under The Moonlight, or Burn the Rabbit, all three will be available on Tapas. If you have read them, browse the other books and comics. There's a lot of cool work on this program!

Coming to Tapas this week!


Thank you, Tapas, for the honor of being included!

Get Rabbit in Red on Tapas here!

Get Nightmares Under The Moonlight on Tapas here!

Burn the Rabbit is available here!

Follow me, the author of Rabbit in Red on Facebook, and visit my webpage here for more info on my books!


Friday, September 9, 2016

Audio Book Now Available!

I love a story where two or more passionate people stumble across one another, and when those passions collide, something great happens.

Nearly a year ago, I came across a Facebook page called Fitz of Horror. It was about horror movies, primarily-- a place to share and discuss one's favorites. Of course, I liked that right away, and when Rabbit in Red released (my book that Fitz called "a love letter to the horror movie genre"), I sent Fitz a message, asking if he'd share the book on his page.



He was enthusiastic and happy to do so (and since that day, I've noticed what a tremendous supporter he is to many horror creators and fans). Intrigued by the book, he asked for an autographed copy. For the shout-out, I glady sent him one.

Any writer is nervous what people may think of their work, and I was even more nervous about Fitz. You see, Rabbit in Red was written for people like him and me-- the horror junkies that just can't get enough, the ones who stay up too late to watch a movie, the ones for whom fall and Halloween are their favorite times of year.

Thankfully, Fitz loved it! He wrote a great review and continued to share it with all of his followers (as of the time of this post, he has 87,000 Facebook fans!).

As Rabbit in Red continued to find success, I decided it was time to do an audio book. I set up an audition, and to my surprise, Bryan Fitzgerald, the man behind Fitz of Horror, submitted an audition to read the book. It turned out to be fantastic. His voice enhanced the suspense and the terror I wanted to build, but at the same time, it provided empathy for the characters, allowing us to get into their hearts and minds. That's the combination I was looking for! Some readers were very good at being scary. Some were great at expressing a character's emotion. Fitz was able to do both.

We offered Fitz a contract for the audio book, and he accepted. He put in dozens and dozens of hours at a professional recording studio this summer, and now all of that hard work finally has a product!

I am proud to introduce the Fitz of Horror Audio Edition of Rabbit in Red!




You can buy a copy now on Audible, Amazon, or iTunes


I don't know about you, but several audio books I've tried have put me to sleep. Rabbit in Red, with Fitz's narration, is NOT one of those books. Download it today, and give yourself something incredibly unique to listen to on that drive to work or on your evening walks. You won't regret it.

Thank you and congratulations to Bryan Fitzgerald. Give his Fitz of Horror page a like, too, and be sure to follow along.

The sequel Burn the Rabbit releases this coming week!