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!

I'm hiring!

Friends and readers,

It's time to get ready for volume two in the Rabbit in Red series! Burn the Rabbit will release in mid-September, and I'd like to put together an awesome team to help spread the word!

The number one lesson for success is this: It's other people who will make you successful. It's about asking for help. And so, I'm asking for your help.

I want to put together a special Burn the Rabbit Public Relations Team. And ANYONE can join!

Here's the job description:

Requirements:

You can be of any age, high school, college, retired-- it doesn't matter!

You can live anywhere. Any city, any state, any country.

You do need to be on Facebook.

Preferably, you enjoyed Rabbit in Red, have an enthusiastic spirit, and don't mind sharing things on FB!


Duties:

We will do three or four simple things. It really won't take much of your time.

1. We will share Facebook posts about the book and try to increase likes.
2. We will participate in an online "party" the week the book releases.
3. We will engage in a few specific strategies to generate attention for the book.

Easy, fun stuff you can do from Facebook, even just a few minutes here and there! If any of that sounds vague, it's just because I'm still brainstorming all the ideas. Really, it's simple: You, your phone or computer, social media, and some creative ideas!

Payment:

I'm not there yet where I can pay lots of money for help, especially if a lot of people sign up. That's why I need genuinely enthusiastic people, ones I consider friends willing to help, but I will pay you in creative ways. Here's just a sample of what I want to do for you in return:

1. YOUR names will be in the acknowledgements in Burn the Rabbit! You will be immortalized in print!

2. We will do one or two things as contests, in which you will have the chance to win cash prizes! So there is some $$$ involved, and only PR team members will be eligible to win.

3. If you need to build your resume, think of this as an AWESOME addition to your volunteering section! I'll help you phrase it perfectly, and we'll add some PR/marketing experience with an author to your resume! Now that's pretty cool.

4. There may need to be an actual party, too. One with food and drinks, on me.

5. FREE SWAG! I hope to get you all sorts of extra goodies. My hope is to do an official Rabbit in Red PR team shirt and maybe some other extra goodies.

Interested? Message me on Facebook or e-mail at joechianakas@gmail.com. I'd like to have the team put together by July 14. I'll add you to a private Facebook group where I'll share more details, and we'll get to work shortly thereafter.

Thanks, always, for your support!

UPDATES:

A few people have asked, what are those "specific strategies" that you will ask us to do?

I'm thinking we will do a few different things, but think of it all as encouraged, not required. It's meant to be for fun and to generate buzz for the release! I'll post something in a private group on Facebook- a challenge for us. This would probably be a little something once or twice a month, something in July, 1 or 2 things in Aug, 1 or 2 things in Sept for the release. That's it!

For July: I'll put everyone into teams to generate new likes for these pages. Whichever team does the best wins gift cards!

In August: I'll set up a couple of giveaways, and ask everyone to spread the word! You will get to give away free copies of Rabbit in Red!

In Sept: we will promote the new release with a couple of activities, but it's all mainly just sharing posts, plus hopefully getting and reviewing the book, too. In return, I'll give a million thanks! It's the enthusiasm of a team- not just one person- that really makes something hot. Plus, I hope to do some special giveaways just for the team—so even more things for you to earn and win!

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.

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