Tag Archives: Jeffrey J Mariotte

Appearances, Interviews, Novels, Poetry, Reviews, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

Hungry for Some MZ: The Hunger Links? Feast Your Fingers!

Writing

Lots of Marvel Zombies: The Hunger-related stuff:

-an interview with Paul Semel
-a review from Amy Walker over at Trans-Scribe
-an appearance on “My Favorite Horror” with Erik Smith
-an interview with Rob Ribar & Guido Sanchez over at Dear Watchers

I also have a poem up over at Eye to the Telescope: “Frybread at the Colony Powwow,” a SF haibun about the legacy of internalized colonization.

Finally, Jeff and I will be attending TusCon 50 in Tucson this upcoming weekend. My schedule is as follows:

Friday, November 10
8-9 PM, Panel Rm 1
In a world of hybrid vigor, do genres actually have meaning?
Diana Terrill Clark, Jeffrey J Mariotte, Marsheila Rockwell, Sharon Skinner

Saturday, November 11
3-4 PM, Ballroom
Kill your darlings. How do you keep character death meaningful?
Diana Terrill Clark, Marsheila Rockwell, Thomas Watson, Frankie Robertson

Saturday, November 11
4-5 PM, Autograph Area
Signing
Hal C F Astell, Janni Lee Simner, Jeffrey J Mariotte, KJ Kabza, Marsheila Rockwell
(I will have some copies of The Hunger!)

PLEASE NOTE: The Open Mic Poetry Slam is scheduled opposite my autograph session (i.e., from 4-5 PM), and is being held in the Ballroom. As a Rhysling Award winner, I feel like it’s important that I attend the Slam, even though I was for some reason not scheduled for it, so I will most likely only be at the signing table for the first ten or fifteen minutes. But it’s a small con; you can track me down if there’s something you really want signed.

Everything Else

I am available for editing work and I also do cultural consultation work, so if you’re in need of either, HMU!

Appearances, Causes, Comics, Family, Novels, Poetry, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

PRIDE MONTH NEWS

Writing

First, the cover for Marvel Zombies: The Hunger has finally been released, and here it is:

Cover for novel Marvel Zombies: The Hunger showing a chained and zombified Dr. Strange.

Creepy, amiright? You have NO idea, LOL. Available October 3rd (but you should totally preorder, because it totally helps authors when you do that).

Also, in the days leading up the the anniversary of the Dobbs decision, the publishers of Mine: An Anthology of Body Autonomy Horror are doing an author read-along for each piece in the antho, from June 9th through the 24th. My reading of my poem “Child Bride” will go live on June 12th. You can find out more and follow along with all the authors here.

Author Readalong schedule for bodily autonomy horror anthology.

Also, also, while I have been announced as a guest at Tucson Comic-Con, Jeff and I will not actually be attending this year, as we will be in Montana for the Lewistown Métis Festival instead, meeting up with family and MMF folks coming down from Canada. But don’t despair – we are hoping to be at Tucson Terror Fest in October to make up for our absence at TCC, so hopefully we’ll still see some of you.

Finally, after several years without an agent (my choice, having parted ways amicably with my last agent, who was very good at his job), I have rejoined the ranks of the represented. I’ll be working with Wayne Arthurson at The Rights Factory, one of only a handful of Indigenous literary agents in North America. Should be a good partnership.

Everything Else

Happy Pride Month! And while yes, love is love, this Pride, please remember that LGBTQ+ rights are under attack and trans folx in particular face increasing danger in many places in the US, so our focus should maybe be less on catchy slogans and more on actually protecting those who need it most right now.

#TransRightsAreHumanRights

Appearances, Awards, Causes, Comics, Novels, Poetry, Preorder Link, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

APRIL DROUGHTS BRING SNOTTY MAY SNOUTS (AHH-CHOO!)

Writing

I’ve been feeling like I desperately need to update my blog, but now that I actually sit down to do it, I’m not sure I have all that much new to report. (Maybe it was my website…LOL)

The Rhysling Award has move to a juried process this year, so being nominated doesn’t make you an Insta-Finalist anymore. That said, two of my nominated poems ARE Rhysling Finalists (Yaay!):

Short category:

“A Spell for Winning Your Personal Injury Lawsuit” – Dreams & Nightmares

Long Category:

“EMDR” – Unnerving Magazine

Oh, and I made (created) a list for Shepherd.com of The Best Contemporary Fantasy Books About Witches, so check that out. I hadn’t read it at the time, but if I had, I definitely would have included Cherie Dimaline’s VenCo.

They have lots of cool curated lists of witch books, so you should totally hop over there and take a peek!

Still no cover art for Marvel Zombies: The Hunger, but I will obviously post it when it drops.

Jeff and I will be doing a local library event this coming weekend:

Phoenix Public Library Con-Fusion 2023
Weird and Wild West
Ironwood Library
4333 E Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85048
Saturday, May 20th
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Jeff and I have a panel on publishing at 10 AM, and Jeff has one on weird westerns at 3 PM. They have had other events over the past several weekends, focusing on different genres, but this is the only date we could make. Come see us!

Also, I believe I will be doing a reading of some sort of my poem, “Child Bride,” as part of a readalong with the other authors involved in the Mine: An Anthology of Body Autonomy Horror, a charity antho whose proceeds go to NARAL. That will be on June 12th, so keep an ear out!

Okay, I think that’s everything. Further bulletins as events warrant! Heh.

Everything Else

Just a reminder: trans rights are human rights, trans women are women, trans men are men, and people who are obsessed with what’s down someone else’s pants or what bathrooms they use are creepers. Gross.

Appearances, Awards, Comics, Family, Novels, Poetry, RPGs, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

LET’S CATCH UP!

Writing

Hey, look! I didn’t actually fall off the face of the earth! Been very busy writing Marvel Zombies: The Hunger, but it’s turned in now and, with its release date having been moved to October to take advantage of the “spooky season,” it’s now a part of Aconyte’s 2023 Fall catalog. Still no cover art that I can show you, but I promise I’ll do a post when it’s revealed.

Here’s a quick recap of writing-related happenings since my last post:

I had two poems, “Unleashed” and “Tapping on the Void,” published in the Winter 2023 issue of Frozen Wavelets, which you can download for free here.

Jeff and I did go to Tuscon Festival of Books this year, but not as vendors or presenters. Jeff had a signing at the Tucson Sisters in Crime booth for the Trouble in Tucson anthology, and then we visited some writer friends, hit some panels, and bought some books. Fun but tiring day.

I had three poems nominated for the 2023 Rhysling Award:

Short category:

“The Honorable Iris C. Thaumantos, Presiding” – Musing of the Muses (Brigids Gate Press)
“A Spell for Winning Your Personal Injury Lawsuit” – Dreams & Nightmares

Long Category:

“EMDR” – Unnerving Magazine

Good luck, little poems!

I was slated to attend the Arizona Comic Book Arts Festival in February, but I got sick right before, so Jeff valiantly manned our table alone.

I had another poem, “Final Arrangements,” published in Bloodless: An Anthology of Blood-Free Horror from Sliced Up Press.

I think that’s everything? Maybe not, but hopefully you’ve been keeping tabs on FB & what remains of the bird app, to catch anything I might have missed here.

Everything Else

Two surgeries, lots of holidays & birthdays, and politics gone wild pretty much sums up everything else, I think. Tonight we’re going to see the D&D movie, which I’ve really been looking forward to (seeing as how I’ve written three D&D novels, heh). Hope you all have something fun to look forward to, as well!

Appearances, Awards, Comics, Family, Interviews, Mental Health, Novels

FEED ME IN MY EARHOLES!

Writing

Lots of things for you to listen to this month!

First, the SFPA has been recording some of the Long Category Rhysling Award nominees, and “Erasing Myself from the Narrative” was included (I opted not to have “Reservation Fairy Tales 101 – Final Exam” recorded because it it written in a multiple choice format that doesn’t lend itself well to reading aloud). Go give it a listen – Diane does a great job!

Then I did two podcasts. One was an interview with Rob & Guido over at the Dear Watchers podcast. That one bounced around and was a lot of fun and I think you will enjoy it. Pop over and check it out!

The other was not quite so fun. It was actually a serious panel discussion with some wonderfully compassionate ladies (and the host, Chad) about the ramifications of mind control in comics being used largely as a tool for sexual assault. Like I said, not a fun conversation, but a necessary one, and hopefully a healing one. You should head over to Graymalkin Lane the Podcast to hear that one.

Last but not least, I have my TusCon 49 schedule! The con runs from Nov 11-13, and my stuff is all on the 12th:

Autograph Session, 1-2 PM, Autograph Area
Gloria McMillan, Jay Smith, Jeffrey J Mariotte, Marsheila Rockwell

Killing Off Characters, 4-5 PM, Ballroom
Some authors love to do it. Some authors hate to do it. But you have to do it. Characters must die. But why? And how do you do it well?

Carolyn Kay, Jeffrey J Mariotte, Jennifer Roberson, Marsheila Rockwell, Marty Ketola, Thomas Watson

Writing Realistic Women, 5-6 PM, Ballroom
Striking the balance between having your female characters still female, but not insulting can be a challenge.

Beth Dolgner, Diana Terrill Clark, Heshe Leontess, Marsheila Rockwell, Sharon Skinner

I think that’s it. Hope to see some of you there!

Everything Else

Our son David and his long-time partner, Becca, have gotten engaged. We are so happy for them and can’t wait for them to start this new phase of their lives together!

Appearances, Causes, Family, Interviews, Novels, Preorder Link, RPGs, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

ALERT!!! NEW RELEASE DATE!

First off, I know everywhere still says Sisters of Sorcery is slated to release Sept 20 (next week), but I have been informed that the release date has been pushed back to SEPTEMBER 27. So you’ll have to wait just a tiny bit longer for your copy. Sorry about that!

Also, it will be the day of dueling releases here in Marcyville, because my husband, Jeffrey J. Mariotte, ALSO has a book releasing that day – The Squad, the first book in his new Major Crimes Squad: Phoenix series. So pick that one up, too!

It was great seeing everyone at TCC, but I got food poisoning from Denny’s pancakes on Saturday, so that ended the con early for me. Apologies to everyone who was hoping to get a signed book on Sunday. We’re planning on attending TusCon 49 in November, so hopefully you can pick one up there!

I also have an adventure in Coyote & Crow’s latest crowdfunded effort (which looks like it will be very successful). It’s my first ttrpg credit and I originally pitched it as a Scooby Doo episode, so you really don’t want to miss it!

I was also involved in Part Two of Gwendolyn Kiste’s Pro-Choice Horror Roundtable, which you can read here.

Oh, yeah, and I recently signed a contract for a Super Sekrit Project that you guys are going to LOVE. But I probably won’t be able to talk about it until next year – gotta love those NDAs, heh.

Everything Else

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. You all know this is a very important cause for me, given that my youngest son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was only 4 months old. I’ll leave you with some facts and a link to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a pediatric cancer charity started by a young girl who eventually lost her battle with neuroblastoma. Please consider donating something if you can. Less than 4% of federal research dollars go to pediatric cancers, and Big Pharma has no incentive for research, given that childhood cancers are “rare” in comparison to adult ones – the ROI isn’t large enough for them to bother. So research money has to come from private sectors – that means US.

Appearances, Causes, Family, Mental Health, Novels, Poetry, Preorder Link, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

TCC! POEMS FOR REPRO RIGHTS! AND POSSIBLE TMI!

Writing

Tuscon Comic-Con is less than a week away! Jeff and I will be at Table(s) 129/144 in Artist Alley and we will have a TON of new stuff for you to pick up, hopefully including early copies of Marvel Untold: Sisters of Sorcery. We also have a panel on Saturday from 1:30-2:20 with our friend James A. Owen, “How to Write a Novel.” That should be interesting. (Jeff also has all of this stuff on his blog, including a list of some of the stuff we’ll be bringing, so do check that out.)

I also forgot to mention that my poem, “Damsel in Distress, Redux,” was solicited for the In Trouble anthology by Ominum Gatherum, in support of reproductive rights. That one is available now, at the link provided. I will also be having my poem, “Child Bride,” reprinted in a Body Autonomy Charity Anthology coming from Creature Publishing, also in support of reproductive rights. More info on that one’s availability when I have it.

And the Blog Tour for Sisters of Sorcery has ended. If you missed any of the days, I have links posted on my Instagram account, so you can find them all there.

As part of the tour, the fine folks over at The Book Network did an Author Spotlight on me, which you can read here.

And don’t forget I’m offering personalized poems, poem-spells, and one-card Tarot pulls over on my ko-fi page. Limited availability, so don’t miss out!

Everything Else

Possibly TMI for my readers on the more male end of the gender spectrum, but…menopause fucking sucks, especially for a control freak like me. Ask my poor husband, who has to deal with Irrationally Angry/Dangerously Depressed Marcy every few days (he’s been more patient and kind than anyone could ask for; I’m very lucky to have him). I’ve had some bloodwork done and will be seeing a hormone specialist, so hopefully I will be back to my normal uptight, repressed self very soon, LOL. Fingers crossed!

Comics, COVID, Family, Mental Health, Novels, Poetry, Preorder Link, Short Fiction, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

BLOG TOUR FOR SISTERS AND MORE WITCHY STUFF

Writing

First off, Aconyte has set up a blog tour for Sisters of Sorcery that starts TOMORROW, Aug 15, so you should totally check out each of these fine folks to see what they have to say about the book:

Sisters of Sorcery Blog Tour Schedule.

Next, I sold another witchy horror poem! This one is called “Final Arrangements” and will appear in the Bloodless anthology from Sliced Up Press. The book releases in October (just in time for Halloween!), but you can find pre-order links here.

Speaking of which, I have enough witch poems now for a chapbook or collection, so horror poetry publishers, HMU!

I also sold a (witchy) Halloween story to a very cool market, but I’ll have to wait to tell you about that one.

Also, also, I don’t know if you know I have an Instagram page, but I’ve been posting some mini-primers on various characters who appears in Sisters of Sorcery, so you should pop over there and read up before you get your copy!

Finally, I started a ko-fi page where I’m offering personalized poems, personalized poem-spells, and one-card Tarot pulls. Just some fun stuff I like to do that I thought other people might be interested in. You should check it out if you get a chance.

Everything Else

Well, let’s see, I slipped and fell TWICE (once UP the stairs, because I am just that talented) and had a pretty bad drug interaction between my antidepressants and ginkgo balboa (which my doctor had suggested for lingering post-COVID brain fog, saying it “couldn’t hurt” – ha! joke’s on her!) of all things. I’m doing betterish now, though.

Anyway, here’s a picture from our Sedona trip. My amazing photographer/writer/lots of other stuff husband Jeff Mariotte has better ones on his social media, so you should check those out, too.

Two birds flying over Sedona

78 more days until Halloween!

Awards, Collaborations, Mental Health, Poetry, Short Fiction, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

LINK-A-PALOOZA!

Writing

June has been a busy month! First, Diet Riot:A Fatterpunk Anthology has officially released! It contains a ton of great stories, one of which is my witchy, gender-bent Bluebeard retelling, “Blue Hair.” You don’t want to miss this one!

Next, Jeff and I have another Elin and Kord story out! (Well, minus Kord.) This one is in Cosmic Horror Monthly #24, entitled “Deep Into That Darkness Peering” (which some of you may recognize as a line from Poe’s “The Raven”). They did misspell my name, but what are ya gonna do? Buy it anyway!

I also had a short story nominated for the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers Scribe Award – “Stepping Stones” from the Voices of Varuna anthology. It’s about colonization and assimilation – in space! You should pick up the antho if you haven’t already – it’s awesome!

(Also, for those of you keeping count, that’s my fourth award nomination of the year; three for poetry and one for fiction. Just, you know, if you’re keeping count.)

Finally, the poem I wrote for the Horror Writers Association’s Mental Health Initiative, “The Bullfrog and the Black Dog,” is up. You should go check it out, along with the other great work being put out by members for this initiative. The anthology, Of Horror and Hope, which has more work than is up on the website, will be out on July 1st.

Whew! That’s a lot! Hope next month is even busier!

Everything Else

Recovered from COVID only to have a tooth fracture and have to be extracted. Fun! (Not.) It’s always something, LOL.

Anyway, this is a long weekend in the US. Not much to celebrate of late, but I hope you find some space for self-care this weekend. You deserve it. (Except you, Roy. You can fuck off.)

Causes, Collaborations, Poetry, Preorder Link, Short Fiction

TODAY’S THEME IS RESISTANCE

Writing

Quick update to let you know about some new stuff of mine that has been (or is about to be) released into the wild.

First, a story Jeff and I wrote together, “A Single Feather,” has been updated and reprinted in Black Cat Weekly #34, so you should definitely check that out if you missed the story the first time around. It was inspired by Amanda Polchies’s iconic resistance to fracking and is dedicated to Jeff’s brother Michael Mariotte, whose own efforts to protect our Mother Earth are legendary.

Also, my SF poem “The Bones On Which They Cut Their Teeth,” is part of this very cool anthology, Resist With Every Inch and Every Breath, which comes out on May 1st, but is available for pre-order now.

Everything Else

All these laws trying to make gender-affirming care for trans youth illegal are disgusting, immoral, and downright evil. The people behind these bills DO NOT CARE about protecting kids. They just want to get rid of trans people. That is their only agenda. The definition of genocide does not currently include trying to destroy a group based on their gender identification, but make no mistake – that is what this is.

If you don’t believe me, you can read the UN’s definition for yourself:

“In the present Convention, genocide means ANY of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

*Killing members of the group;
*Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
*Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
*Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
*Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Importantly, the victims of genocide are deliberately targeted – not randomly – because of their real or perceived membership of one of the four groups protected under the Convention.”

Remember, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

#TransRightsAreHumanRights