“Plutonian Shore” now available

I’ve got a new Black Lands novelette in Nightmare Abbey 4. It’s a standalone story called “Plutonian Shore,” and I’m especially proud of this one. 

I always like the stories where I get to explore other characters from different walks of life and how they’re dealing with a world where paranormal has become the norm. 

In this case, the story is about a woman named Jill who becomes involved with a militant Black Lands activist group (yes, there are people in this world who fight on behalf of rights and freedoms for deadly supernatural creatures). After a catastrophic incident, Jill leaves the group and seeks redemption for her actions in a most unusual — and dangerous — way.

Sycamore sold; SuperNOIRtural Tales to be reprinted

I sold my first novel today!

To say this has been a long time coming would be a very large understatement.

Every House Is Haunted was published way back in 2012, and while I’ve written several books since that time, I never knew which would be the first one I managed to sell (if any of them).

I’m glad it turned out to be Sycamore for a couple of reasons. The first, and most obvious, is that I love the book and I’m proud of it. Second, it’s the first novel in the Black Lands series, which I’ve been writing about for almost 15 years in the form of chapbooks, novellas, and short stories. Sycamore is the culmination of those stories, and I couldn’t be happier for the book — and the series — to find a home at Cemetery Dance.

My deepest thanks Kevin Lucia and Richard Chizmar for believing in me and in this series. I knew I was in good hands last year when CD published the reprint of Every House Is Haunted, and I can’t wait to see what they have planned for Sycamore and the rest of the books in the Black Lands series.

Thanks as well to my agent Jack Gernert and my manager Peter Katz, who take care of my book and tv/film business, so I can take care of MY business, which is writing books.

Thanks to my family and friends for their love and support. Most of all to my wife Kathryn, who never stopped believing in me even though I’ve had more than a few doubts about myself over the long years leading to this moment.

And last but never least, thanks to everyone who has supported my work over the years, especially those of you who have followed my continuing treks into the Black Lands. Even though I’ve told a lot of stories about that dark dimension, I can assure you I’ve saved you something special with Sycamore.

I can’t wait for you all to see it.

One final note that’s worth mentioning: in a wildly unexpected coincidence, FB Memories tells me it was 14 years ago today that the first Black Lands novella, “Temporary Monsters,” was published! Now that is some seriously cool timing!

For more information about the Sycamore deal and some other cool stuff I’ve got cooking, I recommend signing up for my newsletter.

Thanks again!

“Nightlight” now available

I’ve got a new Black Lands story in Nightmare Abbey 3. It’s a Felix Renn story called “Nightlight,” and it’s a bit of a different outing for my paranormal PI in that it isn’t about Felix working a case. In this story, Felix is drinking in a bar when the city is hit by a blackout. He offers to escort a woman home and hilarity ensues. Or horror… I can’t remember which. 

Anywho, I had a lot of fun writing it, and it was great to work with editor Tom English again. Tom took a longish story from me many moons ago called “The Dark and the Young” for a massive anthology called Bound for Evil, which featured stories by many excellent authors. It was a great experience and I was so glad when Tom reached out to ask if I had something for his latest horror venture. Hopefully it won’t be the only appearance of a Black Lands story in the haunted halls of Nightmare Abbey

Stay tuned, and until then, pick up a copy of Nightmare Abbey 3

“You Have What I Need” now available

I’m very excited to announce the publication of a new Black Lands story.Screams From the Dark 

“You Have What I Need” is the kickoff story in the new anthology Screams From The Dark. Edited by Ellen Datlow and featuring 29 stories by some of the finest authors of horror and dark fiction today. I’m honoured to be included among them, and even more to have a Black Lands story in such an incredible collection.

This is another of my standalone Black Lands tales, meaning it doesn’t feature recurring characters like Felix Renn or Jerry Baldwin. Instead, I wanted to explore the day-to-day (or in this case, night-to-night) lives of other people and how they deal with a world where paranormal has become the norm. 

Vampires are one of the many monsters that exist in the Black Lands, and they’re among the deadliest. In addition to being vicious, blood-thirsty creatures, they also carry a deadly virus that can turn their victims into vampires themselves. 

In this story, a woman with a bite on her arm walks into a hospital emergency room… and then the horror truly begins. 

“You Can’t Save Them All” now available

I can’t think of a better way to start the spooky Halloween season than with a new Black Lands story! 

And I’m even more excited because the story gets to make its debut in the inaugural issue of Weird Horror, a new pulp horror magazine from the excellent Undertow Publications

The story is called “You Can’t Save Them All,” and I don’t want to say too much about it except that it’s a “standalone” tale, in that it doesn’t feature Felix Renn or Jerry Baldwin. 

The story is about a social worker who finds herself getting drawn deeper and deeper into her latest assignment which involves a mysterious young girl. 

I hope you’ll check out the story and support an excellent new magazine. 

See you on the nightside! Happy Halloween! 

10 years of Felix Renn and the Black Lands

I was updating the Black Lands website the other day when I noticed something interesting — a milestone I wasn’t aware of, but one that I feel deserves a small acknowledgement.

Ten years ago, in September 2009, the very first Black Lands story was published as a chapbook by Burning Effigy Press.

“Temporary Monsters” marked the introduction of Felix Renn, the Toronto PI who works supernatural cases in a world where paranormal has become the norm.

Several more novellas and short stories have followed over the years, some featuring Felix, some introducing new characters — because as I’ve always said, the main character in this series is the Black Lands itself — and they’ve always been my favourite ones to write.

Last year I finally finished the first Felix Renn novel, Sycamore, and I have plans for many more books in the series.

I don’t like to talk about stories that aren’t written yet, or books that aren’t published, but I can tell you there’s a lot happening behind the scenes. I’ve got enough material for a new collection of Felix Renn stories, a collection of standalone Black Lands stories, and I’m about to begin work on the second Felix Renn novel.

I wish I could tell you when these books will see the light of day, but that’s a bit harder to determine. Without getting into the business side of things, all I’ll say is that I’m currently looking for the right agent, one who gets what I’m trying to do with this series, and will support and champion my work. Any writer will tell you this can be a long and difficult process.

But today I’d like to focus on the 10th anniversary of “Temporary Monsters,” and the debut of Felix Renn and the Black Lands.

I’d like to thank Monica S. Kuebler for publishing that little chapbook all those years ago, and the ones that followed, as well as the Felix Renn collection, SuperNOIRtural Tales (and to Mike Carey for writing a wonderful introduction). I’d also like to thank all the writers and readers who have supported my work, and the Black Lands series in particular. The world of writing and publishing can be as dark a place as the Black Lands itself, and you have all been the beacons of light that help show me the way.

I look forward to seeing what happens in the next ten years.

(“Temporary Monsters” is available to read for free online — also as an eBook for Kindle, epub, pdf.)

“A Glass Darkly” now available

What better way to celebrate the fall season than with a new Black Lands story! 

Space & Time #134

In “A Glass Darkly,” Felix Renn receives an unpleasant blast from the past when he’s asked to help an old colleague set up a meeting with the Paranormal Intelligence Agency. 

What follows is a nightmarish bloodbath from which Felix might not be able to escape. 

This was a fun story to write, in part because I got to explore a bit of Felix’s backstory, but mostly because I got to cut loose with some visceral action featuring PIA agents going toe-to-claw with some really nasty Black Lands entities… with Felix caught in the middle. 

On a rather cool side note, I believe the magazine features the first artist rendition of Felix Renn. There’ve been many Felix stories published over the years, but I’m sure pretty sure none of the artwork thus far has provided a glimpse as to what Mr. Renn looks like. 

Space & Time is available in print and electronic versions. This issue also features fiction from some other excellent authors, so I hope you’ll check it out. 

Sycamore finished

I am very happy and very excited to report that I’ve finished the first draft of my new novel, which is the first book in the Felix Renn/Black Lands series. It came out at 97,532 words, and it’s called Sycamore.

I’ve spent several years writing short stories and novellas about the Toronto-based private investigator Felix Renn, a kind of supernatural Spenser, in a world where the paranormal is the norm.Sycamore is the first Felix Renn novel, and it was such a joy to write.

I am very happy and very excited to report that I’ve finished the first draft of my new novel, which is the first book in the Felix Renn/Black Lands series. It came out at 97,532 words, and it’s called Sycamore. I’ve spent several years writing short stories and novellas about the Toronto-based private investigator Felix Renn, a kind of supernatural Spenser, in a world where the paranormal is the norm.Sycamore is the first Felix Renn novel, and it was such a joy to write. I had forgotten how much I loved writing in Felix’s voice and exploring the world of the Black Lands. I can’t speak to where or when this novel will be published (if it’s published at all), but I can say it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book. I actually finished writing it on July 30th, and have spent the past couple of weeks giving it a final pass before sending it off to my agent. Being able to read the story as a whole is usually cause for a series of minor heart attacks and spasms of self-doubt, but in the case of SYCAMORE I was surprisingly pleased with how well everything held together. Maybe it’s because I’ve had this story in my head for several years, or maybe it’s because I’ve come some way as a writer in that time. Regardless of the reason, I’m feeling very positive about this book. I love the story, I love the characters, and I love the groundwork that’s been laid down for the rest of the series to come. Huge monster-sized thanks to my wife, Kathryn, who has supported my work from the very beginning, and has been telling me for years, “You have to write the Felix book!” I also want to thank my agent, Christine Cohen, who helped bring me back from the dead, and who’s been looking forward to this book for a long time. I’m very fortunate to have these two incredible women in my corner.I had forgotten how much I loved writing in Felix’s voice and exploring the world of the Black Lands. I can’t speak to where or when this novel will be published (if it’s published at all), but I can say it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had writing a book.

I actually finished writing it on July 30th, and have spent the past couple of weeks giving it a final pass before sending it off to my agent. Being able to read the story as a whole is usually cause for a series of minor heart attacks and spasms of self-doubt, but in the case of Sycamore I was surprisingly pleased with how well everything held together. Maybe it’s because I’ve had this story in my head for several years, or maybe it’s because I’ve come some way as a writer in that time.

Regardless of the reason, I’m feeling very positive about this book. I love the story, I love the characters, and I love the groundwork that’s been laid down for the rest of the series to come.

Huge monster-sized thanks to my wife, Kathryn, who has supported my work from the very beginning, and has been telling me for years, “You have to write the Felix book!”

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What are the Black Lands?

The Black Lands is a dimension filled with supernatural creatures that lies next to our own world. This alternate reality is the setting for a series of stories by Ian Rogers.

To find out more about the Black Lands, read the history.