Beyond the Void

Mary SanGiovanni Newsletter, Issue 6 January 2024

Hi there! I’m horror author Mary SanGiovanni, and this is the sixth issue of my author newsletter. Thanks for reading!

Happy New Year! Last year, I made a tentative plan to do these once a month, and largely failed. There were some really awesome events like my wedding to Brian Keene and some real successes like my ALIEN novel and a gig writing a Shanna comic for Marvel, but I also fell into a bit of a writing slump. I had written (or just finished) some of my best work, but the publishing business can be tough sometimes and money is almost always tight when you rely on your creativity for a living. It happens. You wonder sometimes if you’re shouting into a void, you compare your success to those around you, all that stuff they tell you not to do, and just focus on your writing. Sometimes, even if you’ve been around for a while and know better, you have little insecurity hiccups. This is why I find it so important to make time for those who love and support you, and who you love and support in return. They help you reframe your perspective and remind you that you’re here to tell your stories and that those stories have value.

I attended Chris Golden’s HOUSE OF LAST RESORT Weekend this past weekend, and it was just what I needed — some of my closest and longest-standing friends getting together to celebrate not just Chris’s accomplishments, but what we have all collectively done in the field of horror fiction. We got to meet new friends and new writers, readers, booksellers, librarians, and people who just love horror books. It was great. It was exactly the recharge that I needed, and I’m grateful to Brian Keene for organizing it and to so many great folks in attendance who shook me out of my slump. I am so grateful to have such good people in my life.

It’s important, I think, when you feel like you have writer’s block or you’re in such a slump to take inventory of what you’ve accomplished, and maybe more importantly, what you can still accomplish going forward. Like anything worth doing for life, you have to remember that it is for LIFE, so everything doesn’t need to be accomplished at once.

It’s my birthday this Sunday, and I will be of an age that is both young and old. It is a time for reflection, but not regret. It’s a reminder that every day is worth getting up in the morning, but that sometimes, I’m the one who has to find that reason why. And it’s an opportunity to look forward to what life is going to bring me, but also, what I am going to go out and get for myself. I have a wonderful, loving family whom I have added to this past year, and I have written some books I’m proud of.

Life is pretty good. Knock on wood, it will keep getting better.

Writing-wise, my Marvel Zombies: Black, White, & Red story is now out. It looks pretty good. I hope if you’re a fan of comics, you’ll pick it up. Here’s the alternate cover:

I’m just about finished with a novella with Ed Lee that might just turn into a short novel. Lee has it now for the final touches. I like to think both our fans are going to get a kick out of this — and some surprises, too.

As far as the personalized stories I’m writing, I am dedicating February and March to getting these finished. I really, truly appreciate your patience on these. If you paid for a story and don’t see your name on this list, please let me know right away.

Winnie (Michael Ward)

Lucas Zehr (in progress)

Shannon Bradner

Austin Appleby (in progress)

Benn Martin and Panzer (in progress)

Vince Hollman (Angel Hollman)

Anthony Naylor

My novella, Partial Places, is going to be included in a short story collection called WHISPERS FROM THE UNCANNY VALLEY. More on this soon.

The sequel for THRALL, tentatively titled NULL, is progressing as well.

I believe I’ve mentioned that my cosmic horror haunted house novel, THE EVERYWHERE HOUSE, will be published by Thunderstorm Books. It should be released soon, and I would really like this one to do well. If you read it and like it, please spread the word.

"Mary SanGiovanni is as effective and versatile a writer as anybody working today. She knows her monsters. Of equal importance, she understands the frailties and strengths of the people who fight evil." — Laird Barron, author of SWIFT TO CHASE

"Mary SanGiovanni deftly mixes genres and voices, and her books are always creepy, unsettling, and thrilling." — Paul Tremblay, author of CABIN AT THE END OF THE WOODS

This month’s cosmic horror recommendation: Cosmic Horror Monthly Magazine. Keene got me a subscription as an early Christmas present, and I’m really enjoying it. The magazine offers both cosmic horror and weird fiction, serialized work, some interesting articles, and cool artwork. It’s definitely worth picking up if you’re a fan of cosmic horror and weird fiction.

That’s it for this month. Thanks for subscribing. I’ll see you next time.