Escape Hatch 55 and a 1/2: Old Demons and New

Upcoming events with Scott Carson and Don Winslow; "Ushers" and "Late Returns"

Mar 28, 2024

Lost Man’s Lane

Oh, hi again. I know, it’s usually months between newsletters… you must be wondering what I’m doing in your in-box, so soon after my last visit?

First and foremost, there are a couple events I forgot to hype in the last Escape Hatch. Here’s one: I’ll be hanging in Nashua with a wizard of supernatural suspense, the young Scott Carson, who bears a startling resemblance to thriller novelist Michael Koryta.

Catch us April 1st, 7PM, at the Nashua Public Library on 2 Court Street. We’re going to talk about his newest, Lost Man’s Lane. I thought Lane was a gripping, almost irresistible read, located in the same narrative neighborhood as Stranger Things and Super 8. Don’t be an April Fool: pick up your copy and come on out to the chat.

With Don Winslow

Two days later I’m in Portsmouth, NH, at the Music Hall, 7PM sharp, to celebrate the release of City in Ruins, the last of Don Winslow’s Danny Ryan novels… and the book with which he intends to retire, after rattling off a string of firecracker crime novels, going all the way back to his first, The Death and Life of Bobby Z. I always love breaking open a Don Winslow—he’s very much in the same class as Mario Puzo and Elmore Leonard—and it’s a heartbreaker he’s decided it’s time to be done. But he’s going out on a hell of a note: City in Ruins is a banger. Come on out, it’s going to be a good night.

Usher-ing out New Demons

I go back a ways with horror writer Joe Lansdale and was looking forward to being a part of New Demons, the anthology he was co-editing with Keith Lansdale and Patrick McDonough. A little over a week ago, though, they pulled the plug on the project. I was sorry to hear it; that one boasted a killer line-up of contributors.

My own story for New Demons, “Ushers,” is a particular favorite of mine. It’ll turn up elsewhere in time. I was also offering a few goodies to support the Kickstarter’s release: some rare signed oddities and a Tuckerization. Those may yet appear as well—I like the idea of auctioning them through Skelton Crew Studios to raise money for the Redfearn-Hill fund, which supports various charitable causes. That could be cool. Stay tuned.

Late Returns

Subterranean Press has just announced a lovely limited edition of my story, “Late Returns,” featuring some of François Vaillancourt’s finest imagery. My thanks to them for giving this one such an extraordinarily beautiful release. If you’re in the market for a handsomely produced ghost story, this might be worth a look.

That’s it—all I got for you at the moment. Oh, well, there was this little thing from screenwriter C. Robert Cargill on Twitter the other day:

That’s something to look forward to… three somethings, actually.

Catch you soon, either at one of the upcoming events, or in the next issue of Escape Hatch. I hope you’re all well and getting some good reading done this cold and drizzly spring. Hang in there.