It’s been an interesting year for me truthfully. First, my novella, A Doll’s Life, came out in June from Falstaff Books. Now I’m discussing Devil’s Due, one of two anthologies I’m attached to, coming out in October. The other is SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire. Plus, Alice comes out in October, as well. The date got pushed back due to editorial issues. Today though, I want to talk about Devil’s Due, how it came to be, what my part in it was, and my story within.
Devil’s Due: the Idea
Adam Messer, the primary editor of Devil’s Due, and I have known each other for some time. I’m not 100% certain when I met him, but we became fast friends. He’s a man of many ideas and a lot of execution. Unlike some people I know, he makes decisions and then sees them through. He’s one of the reasons I started podcasting. As a result, I now have a podcast: There’s Stories Everywhere.
He and I worked together to produce the podcast version of his short story, “Wrong Turn”, from the anthology Stories We Tell After Midnight edited by Rachel Brune. You can hear that story online for free. After that stint in him writing a horror story and our working together, he pitched to me the idea of doing another horror anthology regarding deals with the devil. That would become Devil’s Due. Remember when I said he was a man of a lot of execution? I looked up one day and he’d already started inviting people to be a part of the anthology. Then it was off to the races.
The Anthology Comes Together
I helped to do some editing on Devil’s Due, which allowed me to read some fantastic stories from very talented people. The decision for the publication date was a no-brainer. Horror anthology = Halloween. Best time to put something spooky and creepy out there. I won’t tell you which one of the stories was my favorite, but I’ll tell you this; it was not mine.
The Black Rock
Tapping into my own fears, I started with a destitute writer. I’m not destitute but there are days when it doesn’t feel too far away. From there, I went with what would be their greatest wish: what would they give themselves away to get. In Alison’s case, it’s authorial stardom. She wants, desperately, to be a bestseller and that’s what is offered to her. Unfortunately, nothing is free and getting what you want isn’t always in your best interest.
When discussing Devil’s Due, I sorta feel like I’m talking about an abstraction. I suppose it will be real when I hold the anthology in my hands in October. Until then, you can preorder the anthology and be prepared to enjoy your shivers.