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!

T-shirts now available!

We've done posters, magnets, coasters, bookmarks . . . it's time we did a t-shirt!

If you want to be the first to have one, head over to my brand new Etsy Shop, FrightFest4D!

Currently, they are selling in a package with BOTH of my books. For one price, you'll get a signed copy of Rabbit in Red, a signed copy of Nightmares Under The Moonlight, the brand new Rabbit in Red t-shirt, and of course a bonus gift or two (I love surprises!).

I know what some of you are thinking. What if I already have the books and just want the shirt? Well, for now, I'm only selling them as a package deal to help promote the books. You can always order and gift the signed copies to a friend (or keep the signed ones for yourself, and gift them your older ones)!

In the future, I will make the shirts available separately, but for now, I hope you'll head over to Etsy and take advantage of this deal! I only made a few, so quantities are very limited!

By the way, Rabbit in Red Volume II, Burn the Rabbit, releases in September! We're going to have SO MANY PARTIES!!!! Get ready!

Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/frightfest4d

Follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/chianakas

Learn more on my website: www.joechianakas.com

Artist and Comic Expo Specials!

Hi friends-

I hope you Central IL folk will swing by and see me at the Artist and Comic Expo this weekend, June 11 & 12. I've got all sorts of sales and swag to give away!

The expo is at the Lakeview Center in Peoria, 1013 N. Lake Street, Peoria, IL 61614. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, and again on Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. I'll be there for all of it.

There's a ton of artists there-- much more than just me, including a dude who did some voice acting in Gremlins and Star Wars (how cool is that?!?). But let me get to my specials.

FIRST, you get the very first physical copies of my new book, Nightmares Under The Moonlight! Nightmares released on Amazon this week, and it hit the #2 spot on hot new horror! How cool is this? I'm still fighting for #1.

Online, paperback copies are $9.99. At the expo, I'll sell it to you for $7.50! 

Plus, buy Nightmares and you get this magnet, too! (Props to Camron Johnson for the awesome art work! Camron will be at the expo, too! He's got an amazing collection of art work that you'll be able to purchase.)

As they say in the infomercials, that's not all. Not all by a long shot!

If you also get a copy of Rabbit in Red-- my debut horror novel that at the time of this post has like 54 amazing Amazon reviews-- I'll throw in a copy of Nightmares for only $5.00. 

Buy Rabbit in Red, and you get two more gifts-- you get the Camron Johnson Rabbit in Red art BOTH as a fun magnet and a kick-ass poster (while supplies last). 

You saw stickers in the above picture, too. Those are from Fitz of Horror- the best horror Facebook page out there. Buy anything from me, and I'll give you that, too! 

I've even got Rabbit in Red coasters! Free with any purchase! That's FIVE free gifts if you buy both books!

The point is that this Expo is going to be incredible. I've got Rabbit in Red and Nightmares Under The Moonlight to sell to you, and I'll throw in all the gifts I can to celebrate!

But, like I said before, THAT'S STILL NOT ALL.

For the first time ever, I have HARDCOVER editions of Rabbit in Red to sell! These are VERY limited, but so freakin' cool! Online, the retail price of our hardcover Rabbit in Red books sell for $28.99. At the expo- you can get one for just $20.00!

ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT:

I'll be part of a round table discussion Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Come join the fun!

See you this weekend!

Follow Joe on Facebook!

Welcome to my Nightmares

Hello, friends. It's time I took a little time to fully introduce to you my new collection of horror shorts (now available on Amazon), Nightmares Under The Moonlight.

As I'm writing this, Nightmares is #6 in hot new releases in horror, with Stephen King holding the top two spots. I can't help but be relentlessly optimistic that I can beat him. Maybe even today!

Nightmares exists because of a few reasons. The first is because I had this really awesome Rabbit in Red short story, a tale that takes place after the Halloween events in book one. It's a story of a home intruder and a stalker, and it sets the stage for book two, Burn the Rabbit. I really wanted Rabbit in Red fans to read it and hopefully get even more excited for the second book (scheduled to release this fall!). Also, I thought it could be a great way for non-Rabbit readers to get a taste of that universe. Maybe they'll wonder exactly what happened that Halloween that makes Jaime so confident in picking up a weapon and going after a home intruder! That's my hope.

But I also wanted my readers to know me for more than Rabbit in Red. I love horror, obviously. I seriously have the most messed up dreams, and I love them (crazy, I know)! Each of the tales in this book is based on an actual nightmare that I've had. Here's the back-of-the-book blurb.

Yes, I dreamed of the semi-driver in my tale "The Destroyer." That printer in "PC Load Blood" haunted me late at night, too. The earbuds in "Easy Listening" and the Fitbit device in "Restless"-- you may wonder how I ever sleep after reading those tales. 

They are very different from Rabbit in Red, and as a writer, I want to have a variety of stories and range. So I made a goal to put together a one-hundred page short story collection.

It makes for an easy read to escape from work or school, I think. Coming up with horror ideas is always a fun challenge, and I hope these will make you think, "Ooh, great idea." That's all I ask for.

BUT I'm also giving you the first look inside Rabbit in Red book two, Burn the Rabbit. Near the end, I've included the first, unedited chapter of book two. We're getting darker and scarier-- book two is a wild ride and I can't wait for you to read it!

Here's the table of contents for Nightmares:

That's worth the 99 cent e-book price, right? Definitely.

Now, go snag a copy here and let's beat Stephen King. We can do it. With friends and readers like you, of course we can!

Don't forget to join me this weekend, June 11 and 12, at the Artist & Comic Expo in Peoria. I'll have print copies available to sign at a discounted price!

Thanks, everyone, for still following that damn rabbit in red.

6/6/15, 10:10 a.m.

Follow me on Facebook for the latest updates. 

Artist and Comic Expo: So Much Horror Swag!

I'm going all out for Peoria's Artist & Comic Expo (ACE) on June 11 and 12, and I sure hope you'll join me there!

What will guests have a chance to get? Besides tons of artists, comics, cosplay, vendors, food, entertainment and more, I want to make it worth your time to stop by and see me.

Here's what you'll get from me:

1. ACE attendees will be the FIRST to get a copy of my new book, Nightmares Under The Moonlight! 

2. ACE attendees will get Nightmares at a special discount! The retail price in stores and online is $9.99. But for you: Just $7.50!

3. Actually, I'll make it even cheaper for you, if you get a copy of Rabbit in Red that weekend, too. Get Rabbit in Red for $15 and I'll add Nightmares for only $5! That's TWO books for $20!

4. ACE attendees also get access to some awesome swag! Purchase either book from me and get this Rabbit in Red signed poster (by the artist, Camron Johnson) AND a Fitz of Horror sticker (Fitz is the coolest Facebook horror page, ever-- go give it a like!) while supplies last.

5. But that's not all! How cool would these magnets look on your fridge? 

I'm talking about the magnets for my books, of course, not my kick-ass Pac-Man or Game of Thrones magnets. Whatever book(s) you buy from me during the ACE weekend, I'll give you that magnet for FREE, too!

6. Oh, how about just one more freebie? 

I have brand new Rabbit in Red coasters! You can get this with ANY purchase, too!

So-- two awesome books for twenty bucks. Both signed. Plus a poster signed by the artist. Plus a couple of magnets. Plus a coaster. Oh, and you'll be part of the first group to get Nightmares Under The Moonlight. That sounds like a heck of a deal, don't you think? (And I'm still working on one more extra, actually!)

It's all because I want to share these passions with you. These books-- the stories in them, the time and energy they took-- I love them, and I hope you will, too. And it's also because I want to do all I can to celebrate amazing local events like Peoria's Artist & Comic Expo (give their page a like)! 

For my wonderful readers who live too far away to attend ACE, I sure hope you'll keep following. I've got a very special opportunity for you coming soon, too. Imagine all of the above items boxed together with ONE MORE surprise . . . it could be yours, and I'll give you all the details about that later this June.

Make sure you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, subscribe to my author newsletter, and find even more scares on my website at www.frightfest4d.com. 

Get the details about ACE here!

Life Update: From Moving to "Nightmares"

It’s time for a good old life update on the blog! My apologies for taking forever to update, and I sincerely thank those of you who pay attention and support my work. I even had a few Facebook and Twitter messages from followers asking if I was okay. I wonder if that means I spend too much time on social media :)

So, here’s a 2016 life update.

I moved! As of 4/20, I reached a new high in life (bad pun intended). Check out some of the space below!

A view of part of the main floor from when you open the front door: This is where I write when I want to write, as Stephen King says, "with the door open." 

Organizing my horror collection

A view of my office

Putting together my other creative writing space: This is where I work when I want to write "with the door closed." I love being surrounded by all my favorite books and pop culture inspirations!

Moving is a HUGE process, as many of you know. I have months more of work to do on the house. So whenever I'm slow at posting or being active online, it's a safe bet that I'm either working on the house or writing. 

Rabbit in Red Volume Two (Burn the Rabbit) is DONE! It just needs to go through one final and formal round of editing with my favorite editor in the world, Kathy Teel, who helped me turn book one into what I had always hoped it could be. I hope to release it in September. My goal is one Rabbit in Red book every fall or Halloween season. It's the BEST THING I HAVE EVER WRITTEN. I LOVE all of you who loved Rabbit in Red. It makes my day. But looking back, Rabbit in Red was just my warm-up. Book two is a total game-changer. I can't wait to share it with you. Expect to see some promotions and whatnot this summer if you'd like to get involved and help with those!

I’ve got a special collection of horror shorts releasing soon! It’s called Nightmares Under The Moonlight!

First, a big thanks to Camron Johnson Illustrations for the awesome cover art! I've got several awesome horror short stories and a few extra surprises in this collection. Right now, I'm keeping the content as a surprise: If you want a chance to WIN A FREE COPY and be among the first to read it and know those surprises, please sign up for my author newsletter HERE. That link will take you to my wesbite. The newsletter is free, and I promise to send something out no more than once a month-- you won't get sick of me. I don't update too often :) But when I do, it's to give away free stuff and tell you about cool news! 

Special events! I’ll be at the Artist and Comic Expo in Peoria on June 11 and 12. I’m working on the specials for that weekend, but the coolest thing is that Nightmares Under The Moonlight will be available to convention-goers first! I’ll discount the book and offer special prices if you buy that and a copy of Rabbit in Red, too. So please mark your calendars for that convention, and come out and be the first to get a copy! For those outside of Peoria, I'll make the book available online later that weekend, too!

Go HERE to like ACE (Artist and Comic Expo) on Facebook!

My ACE promo

On a final note, authors are often asked to give advice to those aspiring to be published. Let me tell you one story that made me very proud, and how it happened.

The other day, a manager from a Barnes and Noble store called me. She asked if I would do an event—a solo signing and speaking event. That’s huge! Trust me, especially with the big stores, it’s usually us authors calling them and hoping they will hook us up. It completely made my day! 

She said, “our assistant manager is a huge fan of your book!” Then she checked to see how many copies they had in stock, and told me, “well, we’ll order a bunch more. I have no doubt they’ll sell.” 

These are words that sent me on another high—a compliment from a reader who is also a bookstore manager! Plus, the confidence of a business that your product will sell: these are the little examples that make me feel that all the hard work I put into writing and promotion have really started to pay off.

Now, how did I get there? Be GRATEFUL and appreciative for all the opportunities you get as a writer. A few months back, I did an event with a half dozen authors at the same store. To be brief: virtually every author complained about the set up or was rude to the people in charge. I couldn’t believe it. I made sure that day to be even extra appreciative for the opportunities given me. Not every event is going to be perfect. You make the most of it, and all parties learn from that experience.

And, of course, guess who got invited back? And guess who didn’t? Not a surprise to me.

Be kind to the booksellers, business owners, readers, fans, and everyone who is helping you out. There will be poorly coordinated, organized, and marketed events. That’s life. How you react to such events will determine your success (and invites) at future events. 

With that said, let me thank some Central Illinois stores who have been nothing but AWESOME. I'm going to link their Facebook pages. Give them a LIKE, please, and even more importantly, go buy stuff from them.

ZEEK'S COMICS AND GAMES: what a treasure cove of fun stuff in Washington, IL. A MUST SEE.

LIT. ON FIRE USED BOOKS: a hidden gem in Peoria, IL with monthly events for readers and performers-- so cool!

I KNOW YOU LIKE A BOOK: a gorgeous boutique store in Peoria Heights, IL that constantly supports independent authors

Thanks for reading and supporting me, too. Please follow me on Facebook or Twitter, and sign up for my author newsletter on my website.

Get your copy of Rabbit in Red today!