Old Mother Hubbard Goes Before the Parole Board

Yep, the TRUE story finally revealed. Go read all about it on The New Flesh. I’ve transcribed it from Old Mother Hubbard’s very own words.

The New Flesh: Old Mother Hubbard Goes Before the Parole Board

My thanks to editor, William Pauley III.

13 Days of Horror Begins!

Erin Cole’s blog, Listen to the Voices will be hosting 13 DAYS OF HORROR beginning today and running through Halloween. Each morning, a new story or poem will be featured by a guest writer. Click the link below and enter into darkness…

Erin Cole’s Listen to the Voices: 13 Days of Horror

Summer Chiller Contest Winners

My flash story, Surrogate Fruit has placed first in the Flashes in the Dark, Summer Chiller Contest. The summertime theme, per the guidelines, was to create a story that turned “the regular trappings of the warmest part of the year into something dark and scary” in 1,200 words or less.

There were first through third place winners and two honorable mentions from writers Graeme Reynolds, Jessica Brown, Jodi MacArthur, and Shane McKenzie. Please read the announcement here:

Flashes in the Dark: News Page

Please visit each writer’s story in the Summer Chillers Archives and feel free to leave congratulatory comments in the feedback field:

Flashes in the Dark: Summer Chillers Archives

Sincere thanks goes to editors, Lori Titus and Bob Eccles who are not only kind people, but also some of the best horror writers around.

55 A Day, Nanofiction for Nanopeople: Love Story

I got the guest spot up on 55 A Day: Nanofiction for Nanopeople. It's called "Love Story." Editor, Ari Collins has compiled some great micro fiction (what he considers nanofiction). Please stop by, read and support this gem of a site.

55 A Day: Love Story

And for those wondering where I’ve been…yes, I’ve been hiding in my cave.

Sideshow 2: Tales of the Big Top and the Bizarre

Horror illustrator and artist extraordinaire, Mark Anthony Crittenden (who happens to be the cover artist) has asked me to pass on the word that Sam's Dot Publishing is still open to submissions for Sideshow 2: Tales of the Big Top and the Bizarre.

Per their guidelines, “We want unique stories about side shows, freak shows, travelling shows, carnivals, circuses, and fairs. Stories may fall into one or more of three genres: horror, fantasy, and science fiction (although typically we do not expect many science fiction stories). Although we are looking for original stories, we will consider reprints, but probably will accept no more than two--we really want original work. Story length should be somewhere between 1,500 and 5,000 words.”

They pay $12 for Original Stories & $7 for Reprints.

For those unfamiliar with Sam’s Dot, they offer a wide range of fantastic publications from managing editor, Tyree Campbell. Titles include Champagne Shivers, edited by Cathy Buburuz, The Drabble, edited by Terrie Leigh Relf and many, many more.

Please visit their newsletter for full submission guidelines:

Sideshow 2: Tales of the Big Top and the Bizarre

For general publication info:

Sam's Dot Publishing

BTW, in the very near future, A Rage of Angel will be featuring an Artist Spotlight with Mark Anthony Crittenden. The horror community should pay special attention to his work as he may be illustrating YOUR work very soon. Please stop by and view some of his effin’ amazing artwork currently on display at his blog:

Vision Primordial: The works of Mark Anthony Crittenden

House of Horror Call for Submissions

For those of you unaware, at the UK’s House of Horror magazine “There is always something happening in every room of this horror house. Join us for horror stories and poems in the basement, book reviews and interviews in the lounge, macabre models and horrific art in the studio, and bloody romance in the master bedroom.”

I, for one, read their magazine and find the quality of work submitted to be of the highest caliber. They are currently open to submissions for their online magazine:

House of Horrors

AND editor, S.E. Cox has just announced open submissions for their latest anthology, RUTHLESS: An Extreme Shock Horror Collection. From Within These Walls, the HOH blog site:

“We are looking for stories that will shock the reader, make them feel uncomfortable as they read. Give us your sickest, weirdest, craziest stories. The gorier and stranger, the better. That being said, the story still has to be strong. Gore for gores sake will not cut it, but a great story full of gory details is what we are looking for”

For more details, submission guidelines, and other pertinent links, please visit:

Within These Walls: House of Horror blog

House of Horror continues to donate to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, so please support not only the horror community, but a worthy cause as well. House of Horror anthologies and special print editions and can be purchased at their bookstore:

House of Horrors Book Store

10 Flash Quarterly: Deep Within the Heart of Thieves

My latest flash is up on editor, K.C. Ball's genre fiction e-zine, 10 Flash Quarterly. Every issue features 10 writers showcasing their interpretation of the presented theme. The October 2009 theme was "two men, one of them wounded, flee pursuit following a botched bank-robbery."

Issue 2 writers include D. J. Barber, Alexander Burns, Laura Eno, Jude-Marie Green, Oonah V. Joslin, John Jasper Owens, Stephen D. Rogers, Tanya L. Schofield, Robert Swartwood, me, and a bonus tale by Gay Degani.

10 Flash Quarterly: Deep Within the Heart of Thieves

Plagiarized...Three Days Later

Whew…can you believe the response? That guy sure picked the wrong writing community.

As we all know, a writer by vocation pens alone. Some have called it a lonely life. I don’t know if I agree with that. What I do know is if I excluded the online community of writers I scribe beside, I wouldn’t have another writer’s voice cheering me on each and every day.

Three days ago, all I wanted was my daily dose of flash fiction. Who knew what opening that e-mail would do? And how far the echo of outrage would travel?

If this experience has taught us anything, it’s that the internet world of writers (and especially, small-press horror writers) is very, very small. For the most part, we’re all familiar with each other’s names and writing-styles. We know the editors and they know our work. But most of all, we know what line not to cross, and we’re willing to lay it all down and defend it.

It's brought us all closer.

We’ll never completely stop plagiarism from happening again to one of us, but neither will we be silent about it. Something has changed within us. Where once we may have remained a passive observer, we now stand vigilant, ready to strike back, and ready to identify the predator lurking in our midst.

My deepest thanks to all of the writers and editors who banded together with me in this time of crisis, and proved the value of our craft. The bevy of e-mails, tweets, and support I received on my blog from every walk of life has been like manna from heaven.

I never thought anyone would bother to steal any of my words. Thank you all for helping me take them back.

-Angel Zapata
10/1/09




The following is a collection of links created by each of you on your blogs, websites, and forums about that plagiarist scoundrel, Richard Ridyard. Sorry if I missed any:

http://www.sfwa.org/2009/10/editors-check-your-slushpiles-theres-a-plagiarist-afoot/

http://ringkeeper.blogspot.com/2009/10/beware-word-thieves.html

http://venusvulturenews.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/plagiarism-explosion/

http://jameslecky.blogspot.com/2009/10/three-times-is-enemy-action-mr-bond.html

http://inkinmysweettea.blogspot.com/2009/10/wrangling-words-on-web.html

http://www.britishfantasysociety.org/forum/index.php?topic=2166.0

http://editorunleashed.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2657

http://skullvines.com/?p=835

http://flashesinthedark.com/the-flashes-in-the-dark-news-page/

http://mumbling-sage.livejournal.com/35643.html

http://jodimacarthur.blogspot.com/2009/09/commitment-to-integrity.html

http://erincolelive.blogspot.com/2009/09/stealing-babies.html

http://jimsteel.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/calling-all-editors/

http://abrokenlaptop.wordpress.com/2009/09/30/plagiarism-ticks-us-right-off-obviously/

http://abrokenlaptop.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/we-interrupt-this-blog-post/

http://house-madam.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-couldnt-believe-my-eyes-when-i-opened.html

http://deborahb.livejournal.com/316037.html

http://surgebin.blogspot.com/

http://surgebin.blogspot.com/2009/09/plagiarism.html

http://scriitor.livejournal.com/tag/shock+totem

http://www.ruzkin.com/

http://www.infinitewindows.co.cc/

http://en.wordpress.com/tag/richard-ridyard/

http://www.damonlord.info/2009/09/plagiarism-is-wrong.html

http://www.eyesoretimes.com/2009/09/grand-theft-boogeyman.html

http://writtenwyrdd.typepad.com/writtenwyrdd/2009/09/an-apparent-case-of-plagiarism.html

http://surchur.com/all/plagiarism

http://www.dailytourniquet.com/?p=548

http://tweetmeme.com/story/195207747/we-interrupt-this-blog-post%E2%80%A6-%C2%AB-a-broken-laptop

http://aaronpolson.blogspot.com/2009/09/ive-been-violated-and-so-have-many.html

http://aaronpolson.blogspot.com/2009/09/wip-wednesday-this-is-me.html

http://leehughes.net/?p=283

http://jiraiyanews.blogspot.com/2009/09/copycat-alert.html

http://theycallmepotato.blogspot.com/2009/09/scumbag-steals-stories.html

http://writtenbysin.blogspot.com/

http://colburysnewcrimefiction.blogspot.com/

http://thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com/2009/09/plagiarism-no-thank-you.html

http://pdbrazill.blogspot.com/2009/09/angel-zapata-plagiarized.html#comments

http://ionplayer.blogspot.com/2009/09/stolen-words.html

http://tensecondsaday.blogspot.com/2009/09/leap-of-faith.html

http://blog.verulamwriterscircle.org.uk/?p=607

http://conversationsfromlandsedge.blogspot.com/2009/09/great-pretender.html

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/01/fiction-writer-plagiarist-tip-dont-steal-from-stephen-king/

http://kjmackey.blogspot.com/

http://twapedo.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/fictional-character/