Out of the Cave and Coming to Scares That Care this Summer
That’s it. I’ve had enough of staying home. I love my house and my yard, but we need a trial separation.
More than that, I miss my Hellions! So, to remedy this year long sad situation, I’ll be appearing at the Scares that Care charity weekend in Williamsburg, VA from July 30th through August first. I’m signed up to do a reading along with Matt Serafini on Friday night, and then I’ll be part of a panel with some literary greats on Saturday. Those of you who have been to a reading with me before know I do anything but read. You want to fall asleep, I’ll read you a bedtime story. You want to have fun, let’s go!
I’m going to have a special guest with and will be giving out cool swag (and maybe some beers) to the folks that dare to visit my table. And I will be signing lots and lots of books. Here are just a few that I’ll have on hand. It’s time to say fuck you to the ‘Rona and 2020. Let’s all do it together!
Appearance On Saturday – Hudson Horror Show
If you’re going to be in the Poughkeepsie area this Saturday, May 12th, why not stop by the HUDSON HORROR SHOW and come see this monster dude? The 12 hour horror movie marathon tickets are sold out, BUT, the theater lobby will be chock full of awesome vendors. I’ll be there from 10 am until, well, usually around 6 or 7pm. You know, when the beer runs out.
Empire South Hills 8
1895 South Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
I never miss a Hudson Horror Show because the folks there have become part of my family. Stop by my table for the incredible baked goods provided by my baker daughter, Ivy Shea. I’m featuring and signing my 3 novellas in 1 extravaganza, MAIL ORDER MASSACRES. I have my lucky pen ready to personalize a book just for you. 🙂Â
Folks who have come to hang with me at HHS in the past know there are always free, ice cold beers under my table. So come on down for a sweet treat, killer book and cold brew! Only thing missing is a massage. I’ll also have 1 copy of each book in the Shea library, so find me early if there’s a particular title you’ve been looking to add to your collection.
Meeting The Creature From The Black Lagoon at CT Horrorfest
Hellions, this man’s dream has come true! As most of you know, I LOVE The Creature From the Black Lagoon. I was lucky enough to meet Julia Adams at Chiller Theatre a couple of years ago. Her signed picture is the centerpiece of my horror collection.
Well, thank to the amazing folks who run the CT Horrorfest that took place in Danbury, CT, I was able to meet the beast end of the beauty and the beast tale, Ricou Browning. He was the man who donned the heavy suit for all three Creature films (and yes, there are 3 of them!). Ricou Browning is the last surviving Universal Monster, a living legend, the final tie to the greatest period of monster making madness ever.
Me and my Lagoon homey.
This was one of the few times I was a stuttering fanboy, but I managed to garble my way through. I even stood up in the crowd later to ask him a question during the Q&A. And I didn’t break out in Nixonian flop sweat.
Which then leads to what a great little con CT Horrorfest is. I can’t believe as a New Yorker, I haven’t been there before. There were great vendors, a cupcake stand run by the people who won Rob Zombie’s Cupcake Wars, authors selling books (yes, there were people who wanted to buy books there. I can’t say that about all cons), celebs, cocktails, scares and more. It really was a blast and I plan to not only go there next year, but get a table as well.
If you’ve never been to a horror con, my only question is, what are you waiting for??? You can even bring your non horror friend or spouse, because most cons also feature old time celebs from TV and music. You’ll meet fantastic, warm and friendly people (what my daughter and I call The Black Shirts, of which we are proud members), but also rare interactions with people you admired. Just off the top of my head, I’ve had amazing conversations that will last a lifetime with people like George Romero, Elvira, Meg Foster, Dawn Wells, Sid Haig, Doug Bradley (Pinhead), Dee Wallace, Ken Foree, Kevin Van Hentenryck (Basket Case), Barbara Crampton, the cast of Good Times and so many more. At one con, my family even walked Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) through the process of setting up her table because she’d never done a con before. To thank us, she gave my daughters a signed wooden stake!
So if you live in the NY tri-state area, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket to the fest next year. And as I always do with cons, I’ll let the pictures below speak for themselves. See you all at Chiller Theatre next month!
Poor woman was left at the altar…to rot!
You can’t have a horror con without at least 1 Jason. It’s a federal law.
Ivy Shea learns that Christmas is not going to be so sweet this year.
I need to stop writing and make horror T-shirts. Busiest vendor of the day.
One of the ‘Stranger Things’ that happened that day.
Scares That Care – The Last Roundup
It’s been almost a month since I was at the second annual Scares That Care con and I’m just getting around to sharing the fun. Yeah, it’s been a bit hectic. Better late than never!
As with any con, I always let the pictures do the talking. This year, the pictures are better than ever thanks to awesome photog Tom Wolstencroft, who also happens to be my brother-in-law and world class book salesman. I loved his hook this year when people came by my table – “Do you like to read?” Sounds crazy, but it worked!
Before I share all the fun pics, I do want to say thank you to everyone who stopped by my table, bought a book, drank a beer, laughed at our shenanigans. I loved getting to hang out with my writing brothers (and sister!), especially the motley crew of Jonathan Janz, Ron Malfi, Kristopher Rufty, Russell James, David Bernstein, Tim Waggoner, Adam Cesare, Brian Keene. Kelli Owen, Armand Rosamilia, Bob Ford and so many others.
I’m already making plans for next year. By the way, the nicest people in the world attend horror cons. Some may look scary, but they’re all pussycats.
This really happened! Thanks to Ron Malfi for seeing it in the machine.
We never did find a Frankenstein for her.
My favorite undead pirate. I kept thinking of THE FOG.
The Lords of Salem were in town!
You don’t wanna breastfeed that baby!
My neighbor was a human jukebox.
I believe she won the kids costume contest. Creepy as hell.
A new fan who came all the way from the Big Easy.
Yeah baby!
My kind of peeps.
Not sure who she was supposed to be, but the guys were all glad she was there.
Come Get Your Scare On!
Okay, I’ve been talking alot about the fun that is soon to come at the SCARES THAT CARE WEEEKEND this Friday through Sunday. From authors, to celebs like Kane Hodder, Sid Haig and Kari Wuhrer, movie marathons, makeup wars and even tick or treating, the folks who put this all together have injected it with an HGH/steroid cocktail. I’m loading up the Monster Mobile and the entire Shea clan so we can descend on Williamsburg, VA like locusts from a Roger Corman drive-in flick. The beer is already cooling and the Shea women are piling up the treats to share with everyone who stops by our table.
I also just got a delivery of awesome Montauk Monster can cozies to celebrate the release of the audio adaptation by GraphicAudio. If you’re going to be drinking with me, you need to keep your beer cold! We’re going to run a special during the Scares weekend – buy 2 books and you get a cozy, fo’ free. (Modelo not included, but if you ask nice, I will share the beer I’ll have under the table)
For those who plan to come to my reading with Armand Rosamilia on Saturday, audience participation will be rewarded. I’ll be talking about the real Dover Demon incident in 1977 and tossing prizes to the peeps who can answer the monster trivia I throw out. Bone up on your cryptozoology if you want to bring home the bacon.
Like I’ve said before, I’ll have lots of copies of my upcoming releases, TORTURES OF THE DAMNED and THE DOVER DEMON. You can get a signed copy before the rest of the world, a Scares that Care exclusive. Naturally, copies of all of my books will be on hand as well. I think I aggravated my hernia when I tried lifting the container. Is there a doctor in the house?
If you’ve got some vocal chops – hell, even if you don’t – swing by the hotel bar for some scaryoke. Last year, I heard some pretty good pipes. Of course, as the night wore on, things got a little less than stellar, but hey, that’s what scaryoke is for!
So come one, come all, and know you’re getting your horror on for a very good cause, because when all is said and done, this one is for charity. Support the denizens of the dark and help those in need.
Authors Galore at Scares That Care Weekend
I used to go to the Horrorfind convention in Gettysburg, PA every year because it was the one con jam packed with authors. Most years, the number of authors outnumbered the celebrity guests, which was just fine by me. I’d load up with signed books and have my TBR pile set for months. And I wasn’t alone. Throngs of people came to see their favorite writers, year after year.
Then Horrorfind bit the dust.
But since this is the horror genre, it rose from the dead, only with a new name and location. I attended the Scares That Care Weekend last year in Williamsburg, VA and totally felt the Horrorfind vibe. I met a ton of people who actually like to read horror, not just watch it and collect signed headshots. So it was a no brainer to go again. The fun starts on July 24th and goes all through the weekend.
Let me tell you, there are some great authors attending this year. So, for all you hardcore readers, here’s what I hope is the complete list, because not everyone is listed on the website :
Brian Keene
Tom Monteleone
Jonathan Janz
Carlton Mellick
Edward Lee
F Paul Wilson
Ron Malfi
Kelli Owen
Tim Waggoner
Russell James
Kristopher Rufty
David Bernstein
Armand Rosamilia
The Light Brothers
Laura James
Will Bozarth
Edward L. Jefferson
Christian Jensen
I mean, holy cow! Every taste is catered to this year.
I’ll be doing a reading (and if you know me, you know it will be very different from a reading) along with Armand Rosamilia on Saturday at 3:15, and an author Q&A on Sunday at 1:00.
So hop in that car or plane and head down to Virginny this summer. I’ll have copies of all my books on hand, as well as an advance release for my new Pinnacle paperback, Tortures of the Damned and, cross your fingers, The Dover Demon. And if you’ve ever met me at a con, you know I’ll have plenty of beer to share. Bottoms up!
Scares That Care Weekend – My One Con Appearance For 2015
I know it’s still months away, but I wanted to let you all know that I’ll be at the SCARES THAT CARE WEEKENDÂ in Williamsburg, VA July 24-26th. This is the second annual con and if it’s anything like the first, it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun.
Those who attend get first crack at my summer release, TORTURES OF THE DAMNED, a few days before it hits stores nationwide. Of course, I’ll have all my books on hand. There will be author readings (and the high strangeness that I do for mine), panel discussions and more. I’ll also be joined by fellow Samhainers Jonathan Janz and I hear Kristopher Rufty and Ron Malfi. Oh, and there’s also this little known writer called Brian Keene that will be there as well. I hear he’s written some cool zombie books.
Check out this pic of me on the website that makes me look like one tired, long-faced bastard.
I promise, I’m waaaay more alive than that in person. Get your tickets and make your reservations and head on down. I had an amazing time last year. Odds are, if you stop by my table, we’ll be sharing some brews.
Come See Me At Scares That Care Weekend
Calling all horror hounds from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The amazing charity event, Scares That Care Weekend, is nigh! Held in Williamsburg, VA, I’ll be there this weekend selling and signing books, hanging out with amazing writers like Jonathan Janz, Jack Ketchum, Brian Keene and Kelli Owen and doing some celeb watching.
Hope you can catch me in the author reading room on Saturday at noon where I’ll be teamed with my Samhain bud, Jonathan Janz. I promise to have something a little…different than your normal reading.
I’m stoked to be there and hope I can catch some of the film fest as well. The best part is meeting you, the folks who read my books and spread the word! I’ll have copies of my newest Samhain novel, Hell Hole, available a week before the official release date.
There will be copious paperbacks of The Montauk Monster. I’ve also loaded up the monster mobile with Sinister Entity, Forest of Shadows and Evil Eternal.
Come on down to stock up on books, get some awesome autographs and horror gear. It’s a wonderful charity event and one of the best horror cons around. And you never know, I may just resurrect my “buy a book, get a beer” promotion I’ve been known to do when I get antsy!
Horrorhound 2014 Pictorial
I’m back from Horrorhound Weekend 2014. I survived the drive to Cincinnati and back, despite riding into a flash blizzard that caused 90% of the cars to slide off the road and having a piece of lumber fall off the back of a semi and nearly impale my car. Take that, fates!!
I heard that over 15,00o hardcore horror fans descended on the convention center. It made the news. Hell, I made the news. Yep, on Saturday morning I watched the Channel 5 news and saw the Samhain booth with me and author Russell James chatting up a potential reader.
And man, were there a lot of readers. You don’t alway get that at cons (don’t get me started on the state of readers today). The Samhain booth was loaded with authors this year. It was a blast hanging out and signing books alongside Mick Ridgewell, Russell James, Kristopher Rufty, Tim Waggoner, Jonathan Janz, David Searls and Quinn Langston in her full Steampunk gear.
My favorite part of any con is meeting new people and reuniting with old friends. Spoke to quite a few aspiring horror writers. The best part was that most of them were women. This genre needs more estrogen! I’m very grateful to everyone that came out and stopped by our booth to chat with all of us and buy our books. You’re what makes this whole writing thing worthwhile.
So, as usual, here is my Horrorhound pictorial. Get ready to do a lot of scrolling. If you think it looks awesome, because it was, get your tickets to their next con in Indianapolis in the fall! I’ll be there.
Revvin’ Up For Horrorhound
That’s right, I’m loading up the Monster Mobile and pointing it west, hitting the road like a demon on an unholy mission, armed with pepper beef jerky, liquid libations and a Brinks truck to pay for the gas. My destination : Horrorhound Weekend in Cincinnati. I wasn’t able to make any cons last year, so I need to make up for lost time. Hope you can join me and other great Samhain authors like Jonathan Janz, Russell James (I’m Russell James, bitch!), Mick Ridgewell, Kristopher Rufty, Tim Waggoner, David Searls and Quinn Langston. Â The Samhain booth will be front and center in the main expo room.
The legendary Bruce Campbell will be there, as well as members of The Walking Dead and some of the cast from my favorite movie last year, You’re Next. Horrorhound is the Mardi Gras of terror, so get it in gear and come party with us!
I’ll be in the booth all throughout the weekend signing books and acting the fool, when I’m not shopping for horror gear. I’ll be previewing my upcoming book, The Waiting, as well as my moldy oldies like Sinister Entity and Forest of Shadows. Knowing Samhain, folks who come to the booth may even get a discount code to pick up a copy of The Waiting. My assigned signing times are below, but you can bet I’ll be there much more:
Friday : 7:00 – 10:00 (with Jonathan Janz and Mick Ridgewell)
Saturday : 3:00 – 7:00 (with David Searls and Tim Waggoner)
Sunday : 11:00 – 2:00 (with Kristopher Rufty, David Searls and Mick Ridgewell)
Stop on by, talk some horror, get some great books and have a drink with me!
Hunter Shea 