Book review: Blood type.

I am overjoyed to announce that I was recently accepted into Blood Type: An Anthology of Vampire SF on the Cutting Edge. This is an anthology that I submitted to quite a while ago, with a story that I really grew to love. In fact, I could see it becoming a full length novel, and possibly a series some day.

All net proceeds from sales of this anthology will go to The Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The theme of this anthology is the perfect match for such an amazing organization.

Within this collection, I am honored to stand alongside such greats as William F. Nolan, Peter Giglio, Mike Resnik, Taylor Grant, and many more.

The scheduled release date is October 31st, 2013, however I will be sure to communicate any updates as they are available

Table of Contents:

1. The Undying by William F. Nolan**
2. Taxing Youth by Rebecca Brown
3. The Souls of Stars by Amelia Mangan
4. Evergreen by Peter Giglio
5. Reptile House by Stephen Graham Jones*
6. Accommodation by Michael R. Collings*
7. A Little Night Music by Mike Resnick*
8. Predators of Tomorrow by Michael Kamp
9. Mountains of Ice by Jilly Paddock
10. Occupation by James Ninness
11. Orientation Day by Peter Watts
12. The Pilot by Jason Duke
13. Unperished by S.R. Algernon
14. Eudora by James S. Dorr
15. A River of Blood, Carried into the Abyss by John Palisano
16. Better for Burning by H.E. Roulo
17. I Was There… by Tarl Hoch
18. Strays by Robert S. Wilson
19. Damned to Life by Essel Pratt
20. Happy Hour by GN Braun
21. Temporary Measures by Jay Wilburn
22. I, Vampire by David N. Smith & Violet Addison
23. Slave Arm by Laird Barron
24. Gods and Devils by Taylor Grant
25. 17 by Jonathan Templar
26. Chrysalis by Jason V. Brock
27. Data Suck by Benjamin Kane Ethridge
28. Sun Hungry by Tim Waggoner
29. Wet Heavens by Brian Fatah Steele

Charles Beaumont (January 2, 1929 – February 21, 1967) was a prolific American author of speculative fiction, including short stories in the horror and science fiction subgenres. He is remembered as a writer of classic Twilight Zone episodes, such as “The Howling Man,” “Miniature,” and “Printer’s Devil,” but also penned the screenplays for several films, among them 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, The Intruder and The Masque of the Red Death. As best-selling novelist Dean R. Koontz has said, “[Charles Beaumont was] one of the seminal influences on writers of the fantastic and macabre.” Beaumont is also the subject of a documentary, Charles Beaumont: The Life of Twilight Zone’s Magic Man, by Jason V Brock.

Illness and death

When Beaumont was 34 and overwhelmed by numerous writing commitments, he began to suffer the effects of what has been called “a mysterious brain disease.” He began to age rapidly. His speech slowed and his ability to concentrate diminished.

“He was rarely well,” his friend and colleague William F. Nolan (who went on to co-write the science fiction novel Logan’s Run) would later recall. “He was almost always thin, and with a headache. He used Bromo-Seltzer like most people use water. He had a big Bromo bottle with him all the time.” Other symptoms were of the professional as well as physical persuasion, Nolan went on: “He could barely sell stories, much less write. He would go unshaven to meetings with producers, which would end in disaster. You’ve got to be able to think on your feet [as a script writer], which Chuck couldn’t do anymore; and so the producers would just go, ‘We’re sorry, Mr. Beaumont, but we don’t like the script.'”

Some (including friend and early agent Forrest J Ackerman) have asserted that Beaumont suffered simultaneously from Alzheimer’s and Pick’s diseases, but it has also been speculated that the condition was related to the spinal meningitis he suffered as a child. The former diagnosis was echoed by the UCLA Medical Staff, who subjected Beaumont to a battery of tests in the mid-1960s. As recalled by Nolan, the UCLA doctors sent Beaumont home with a death sentence: “There’s absolutely no treatment for this disease. It’s permanent and it’s terminal. He’ll probably live from six months to three years with it. He’ll decline and get to where he can’t stand up. He won’t feel any pain. In fact, he won’t even know this is happening.” Nolan himself sums up what happened: “Like his character ‘Walter Jameson,’ Chuck just dusted away.”

Several fellow writers, including Nolan and friend Jerry Sohl, began ghostwriting for Beaumont in his final years, so that he could meet his many writing obligations. Privately, he insisted on splitting these fees.

Charles Beaumont died in Woodland Hills, California at the age of 38. But at that time, said his son Christopher later, “he looked ninety-five and was, in fact, ninety-five by every calendar except the one on your watch.” Beaumont’s last residence was in nearby Valley Village, California. He left behind his devoted wife Helen, and two sons and two daughters. One son died in 2004 of eerily similar circumstances. The other, Christopher, is a successful writer in his own right.

Charles Beaumont is buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

Here is The Qwillery’s list of novels, etc. being published in April 2014. If there is something that we’ve missed, please leave a comment below. Any genre mistakes are ours. Leave a comment below if you feel that the genre is wrong. Also note that this list is always under revision. Publication dates change. We try to keep this as accurate as possible. The most accurate lists usually can be found for each week in The View From Monday posts. Please note that we use the publisher’s publication date in the US.

D – Debut
e – eBook
h2mm – Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp – Hardcover to Trade Paperback
ri – Reissue or Reprint
tp2mm – Trade to Mass Market Paperback

AH – Alternate History
Ap – Apocalyptic
DF – Dark Fantasy
Dys – Dystopia
F – Fantasy
FR – Fantasy Romance
FTR – Folk Tale Romance
Gh – Ghosts
Go – Gothic
GoR – Gothic Romance
H – Horror
LC – Literary Criticism
LF – Leterary Fiction
M – Mystery
P – Paranormal
PCM – Paranormal Cozy Mystery
PA – Post Apocalyptic
PHR – Paranormal Historical Romance
PNR – Paranormal Romance
SF – Science Fiction
SFR – Science Fiction Romance
SP – Steampunk
SPR – Steampunk Romance
Su – Supernatural
Sus – Suspense
Tech – Technological
Th – Thriller
TTR – Time Travel Romance
UF – Urban Fantasy
VG – Video Games