tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43403786302669267362012-01-31T08:51:44.193-06:00The official blog of author Scott A. Johnson.Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.comBlogger731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-56219652223234093382012-01-31T08:51:00.000-06:002012-01-31T08:51:44.210-06:00

What you see above is the final front cover for my newest novel, ECTOSTORM:  Book Three of the Stanley Cooper Chronicles, put out by Twisted Library Press (Formerly Library of the Living Dead).  The cover was done by the same insanely talented fellow who did the covers for VERMIN and PAGES, Romik Safarian.  I'd provide a link, but there's nothing on his website right now, and that's a damned

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-80613794657089300412012-01-24T16:37:00.000-06:002012-01-24T16:37:20.356-06:00

A man walked up to a concert pianist one day and, after listening to him play for an hour, said to him "I'd give my life to play like that."  The pianist smiled and said simply "I did." So often, we writers are faced with people who say "I've always wanted to write a book."  And to them I ask "What's stopping you?"  A long list of excuses pop up ranging from time to money to kids to every other

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-10882925070809357232012-01-13T14:06:00.000-06:002012-01-13T14:06:09.884-06:00

The Seton Hill "Readings in the Genre" course has begun, lead by your's truly. Our subject this time around?  Monsters.  They hold a dear place in my heart because, really, aren't we all monsters of a sort?  More on that in a minute. I've chosen a motley crew of misanthropic mayhem masters about whom my students must read.  Included are Vampires (that don't sparkle, dammit), werewolves, golems,

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-76447403880110085012012-01-02T12:45:00.000-06:002012-01-02T12:45:56.297-06:00

A while ago (around 2010), I went on a drastic program and lost a significant amount of weight.  In all honesty, I dropped about fifty pounds and went from weighing around 225 to around 180 in about six months.  It was a difficult process, but one I enjoyed and one that came with more benefits than just my pants fitting better.  The next year, I decided to make a drastic lifestyle change and quit

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-16189705832964289952011-12-16T08:45:00.000-06:002011-12-16T08:45:18.049-06:00

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Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-41507576530386486632011-12-14T14:48:00.002-06:002011-12-16T09:15:39.800-06:00

I've been reading and performing this for years, but this is my version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas."  Hope you enjoy it.   I'll post the other version (Twas the Night Before Krampus) later.  Listen to the MP3! T'was the night before ChristmasIn my mausoleum.The ghosts were aboutbut only I could see 'em. There were chains on the gates, and snares on the ground.Not good at Christmasto

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-52715958389583679312011-12-13T10:25:00.002-06:002011-12-13T10:31:13.407-06:00

We're mere weeks away from the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012.  Last year, around this time, I put up a list of goals for the following year.  I'm happy to say I accomplished most, if not all of them. I did, in fact, lose a great deal of weight (which I promptly gained back again when I quit smoking), got another book published, landed an agent, and did lots of good things that made me

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-36597525597937287362011-11-18T10:49:00.000-06:002011-11-18T10:49:21.511-06:00

Anyone who knows me knows a few things.  One, I love Eggs Benedict.  Two, horror isn't something I do, it's something I am.  And number three, I can't stand the subjugation of any people because of race, religion, sexual orientation, or any one of a thousand other stupid "reasons."  Hate, in my opinion, is wrong and a sign of a uneducated, unintelligent mind.  So, before we go any further, let's

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-64630920702617756822011-11-11T21:24:00.000-06:002011-11-11T21:24:33.440-06:00

It took longer than I hoped, but I'm back to announce the winners of the Halloween photo contest!  We had so many entries that it took me this long to judge them all! Not really.  We had a total of four entries, and the reason it took so long is I got snowed under at work.  But that's boring. Because we had only four entries, I decided that there would be prizes for everyone.  All four

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-26535748266374062112011-10-14T16:56:00.002-05:002011-10-14T23:02:36.859-05:00

Psst...Hey...Wanna win signed copies of some of my books?  You can!  Really! I'm giving away signed books (and maybe a few surprises) to one lucky grand prize winner and two runner ups. GRAND PRIZE WINNER (1) - Will receive signed copies of Deadlands (my zombie novel), City of Demons (the first horror-noir novel I attempted), and PAGES:  Book Two of the Stanley Cooper Chronicles (which is book

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-54997937193835464552011-10-11T22:15:00.000-05:002011-10-11T22:15:04.214-05:00

It's a running theme, that I'm going to answer a great many of the frequently asked questions that writers like myself get.  Because I write horror, many of my characters turn out to be less than savory sorts.  Sociopaths, psychotics, human monsters, my work is filled with them.  And invariably, when I go to conventions, one of the most often asked questions is "How?"  How can I, who on the

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-6124467072157225832011-10-07T09:39:00.000-05:002011-10-07T09:39:06.550-05:00

It's not cheating.  I swear, it isn't.  Writers do it all the time.  Luminaries like John Carpenter have admitted to it.  Stephen King does it (where exactly do you think The Dark Half came from?), and so do so many other writers you've read.  You may not even realize it.  What I'm talking about is the age-old chestnut of basing a character off yourself.  Maybe the character's not really you.  

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-19992886856423370342011-09-16T11:32:00.002-05:002011-09-16T11:43:20.692-05:00

It is, arguably, the single most frequently asked question to any writer, and one to which we all sit around and try to come up with canned answers so we won't just stare at the asker with a blank expression:  "Where do you get your ideas?" And, to be honest, it's a fair question.  Have you ever read the work of someone your really respect and wondered if there was some kind of alchemy at work

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-50628119355932515052011-08-23T13:43:00.001-05:002011-08-24T08:16:00.812-05:00

I read a report a while ago that stated the three professions with the highest incidence of clinical depression were actors, musicians, and writers (guess how many of those jobs I've held).  I think it's pretty easy to see why.  We're always craving approval, we all get rejected more than most people, and it's something we deal with every day.  For writers, depression has a one-two punch because

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-12733432588421575992011-08-09T09:42:00.000-05:002011-08-09T09:42:12.256-05:00

We've all got goals, pie-in-the-sky wishes, and dreams for a better life.  All of us writers sit around and think about what would happen if we got "that" contract, the one that would set us up in Stephen-King-Style surroundings and make sure that none of our families or friends would ever have to work again.  We all dream of seeing the words "based on the novel by..." on the big movie screen.  

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-45040594232414704302011-08-03T16:08:00.000-05:002011-08-03T16:08:52.676-05:00

(note:  This is not directed at anyone.  This came to mind after a crit session and made me think.) In a previous entry, I postulated that you, as a writer, should write the story you want to read.  I still stand by that statement, to a point.  But now that I think about it, I do feel it deserves a little qualification.  See, what the statements means, to me, is if my story is to pull my

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-15586219247690396612011-07-22T13:45:00.000-05:002011-07-22T13:45:30.814-05:00

Way back, many years ago, my first novel got picked up and published.  And, like any young writer, I was thrilled.  To the point that I actually had the audacity to go up to a few graduate students in the English department to share in my good news.  I tell the story a lot about how they turned their nose up at genre fiction (insert effete snooty accent, if you please), but there was one guy who

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-50573586115120373112011-07-14T12:34:00.000-05:002011-07-14T12:34:28.621-05:00

Like every writer on the planet, I always try to improve my own craft. I'll be the first to admit, I've made mistakes. But as someone who's been in the business for a while now, and who has some experience, I feel like it's part of my responsibility to throw those mistakes into the open and help someone else avoid them. So here are a few common mistakes that new writers make, and maybe you can

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-4308696882607580742011-06-10T14:10:00.000-05:002011-06-10T14:10:17.652-05:00

I was inspired by this article, in which many established authors took a tip from Elmore Leonard, and provided their ten rules of writing.  And, because I like to think of myself as a professional writer of some experience, I figured I'd share my top ten rules.  So, in no particular order, here they are, Scott's Ten Rules of Writing: Read everything you can get your hands on, especially the

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-63655758370541422842011-06-07T10:10:00.000-05:002011-06-07T10:10:02.428-05:00

If you're a writer, there are always going to be people who don't "get" what you do. No matter how successful you become, no matter if you sell one book or a million, there are always going to be people who, well-meaning as they may be, will drive you insane with phrases that, should you answer them in the manner deserved, would make you out to be a real asshole, even if you're not. You know

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-34764854638214989582011-05-24T10:29:00.002-05:002011-05-24T12:26:14.370-05:00

So this past weekend held the date that Harold Camping, the 89-year-old prognosticator, said God himself would come back and take away the chosen, in preparation for turning the Earth into Hell.  Or something like that.  The point is, Saturday came and went, and, if you're reading this, you're still here.  Which means one of two things:  One, you're a naughty person who didn't get taken up to

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-25231150929078296492011-05-04T13:36:00.000-05:002011-05-04T13:36:59.424-05:00

I just returned from World Horror Convention 2011, which was held in beautiful Austin, Texas. Who'm I kidding...I live here. It wasn't that big of a stretch to figure out I'd be going to that one. In fact, I'd have had to kick my own ass if I missed it.  It was a great con, with lots of panels and fun stuff, and even a mass book signing with more than a hundred authors (of which I was one).  

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-5544362537953636852011-04-20T14:20:00.000-05:002011-04-20T14:20:50.079-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen (and people who actually read this blog), I'm very proud to announce the release of my ELEVENTH book, PAGES: Book Two of the Stanley Cooper Chronicles! This is the sequel to the aptly titled VERMIN: Book One of the stanley Cooper Chronicles. For those who don't know, Stanley Cooper was a normal guy with a normal job until an industrial accident sent him crashing thirty

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-802948547987903942011-04-05T15:11:00.000-05:002011-04-05T15:11:14.684-05:00

In today's political climate, there's an ongoing debate over the subject of same-sex marriages. Should they or shouldn't they be allowed? As a sane, rational-thinking, and educated person, who has studied public speaking and has listened to all the rhetoric, there's one glaring thing I'd like to point out: The phrase "core values." Every person who has come out against the idea of same-sex

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-67641474618277798592011-03-02T09:12:00.000-06:002011-03-02T09:12:27.083-06:00

I've been looking at everything going on in the federal and state governments, and I feel like the halls of power are filled with crazy people.  In Texas, they've passed a revisionist version of history books that omit the word "slavery" and almost every important non-white from "history," decided that creationism is a far better way to go than with scientific fact, and are pushing abstinence

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-66399899076718734162011-01-27T09:34:00.002-06:002011-05-24T13:12:31.741-05:00

Once you've finished your first draft, passed it off to your first reader (if you don't have one of these, you really need one), gotten notes, cried, cursed and pouted, then let the cold realization that your words aren't perfect when freshly vomited from your brain set in, then it's time to do that thing that every writer I know hates:  Rewrites.  Keep in mind, this is a crucial part of the

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-37215341320209360682011-01-03T10:25:00.000-06:002011-01-03T10:25:05.236-06:00

One of the most frequent comments I get is "I don't know how you do it."  Meaning, the asker doesn't understand the process of cranking out 400-plus pages of a manuscript, how much time it takes, etc.  There actually is a method to writing a book, and it's grueling.  So the purpose of this entry is to offer some insight to the whole process of writing a book. First, find a premise.  It's harder

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-63746604167731942022010-11-09T11:48:00.000-06:002010-11-09T11:48:23.275-06:00

I've been married (quite happily, I might add) to my wife for a long time.  We've been together for eighteen years now, and there are just a few things that, through nearly two decades of living with her, I feel every guy should know.  I listen to our single friends and hear what they say they want, so here is the SFW list of things that every guy should learn how to do to get the woman of his

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-59325755110304875722010-10-29T10:57:00.000-05:002010-10-29T10:57:34.047-05:00

My favorite holiday is not, as you might guess, Christmas.  Like many other horror-type folks, Halloween is my Christmas.  Some people geek out over what I call the "silly season" and spend craploads of money on trees, tinsel, animatronic Santa Clauses and nativity scenes.  I do that at Halloween.  Actually, I usually just go into my writing room, take a few pieces off the shelves, and put them

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-41921984228872966302010-10-11T12:26:00.000-05:002010-10-11T12:26:48.829-05:00

The other day, I was in a social situation (I know...shocking, ain't it?) and overheard a couple fighting about...well...everything.  When the guys all retreated to a local pool hall, the fellow in that relationship did nothing but gripe about his significant other.  I learned later that his girlfriend did the same thing.  It seems the two of them make each other miserable.  It reminded me of

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-79408546870860693292010-09-17T13:47:00.000-05:002010-09-17T13:47:17.681-05:00

When my book City of Demons was set to be published, I asked author Gary Braunbeck to write the introduction.  In what turned out to be both brilliant and humorous, Gary made the following statement about me:  This is a man who does not see the same world the rest of us do.  I do not mean he sees the world differently than us – he sees a completely different world, and that mad sparkle in his

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-71387261597940432722010-09-03T14:56:00.001-05:002010-09-03T16:55:03.175-05:00

My new book, VERMIN:  Book One of the Stanley Cooper Chronicles, just hit Amazon, and I hope lots and lots of people buy it.  Stanley Cooper is an average guy, short, dumpy, with bad hair.  But an industrial accident left him dead for seven minutes.  When paramedics revived him, he discovered he had the ability to see dead people.  And not just ghosts, but the living energy that surrounds all

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-7411703746901359142010-08-24T10:49:00.001-05:002010-08-24T10:59:57.103-05:00

Recently, to make ends meet, I've been doing freelance formatting for a publisher.  While most of the manuscripts I get I can chug out in a couple of hours, there are a few that make my job very difficult, and they could all be fixed if the authors paid attention to standard submission formatting guidelines.  When I first started writing, I had a hell of a time trying to find these magical

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-49997744730259461202010-07-30T13:07:00.000-05:002010-07-30T13:07:16.719-05:00

There are a great many misconceptions about writers.  One is that anyone can write a horror/romance/sci-fi/fill-in-the-genre book and get it published.  Another is publication equals respect.  But by far the biggest one has to do with how we measure success.  For the most part, normal everyday folks look at someone who has a couple of books published and think we must be rich. I thought I'd

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-88235846270077058202010-07-15T14:54:00.000-05:002010-07-15T14:54:47.242-05:00

In ancient Greece, those who were creative begged for the indulgence of strange creatures.  There were nine of them, most often depicted as beautiful women in sheer robes.  I'm speaking, of course, of the fabled Muses.  They were the source of inspiration, relators of history and guardians of culture.  And now, in our modern age, those of us who write, act, dance, play music, or do any other

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-64257719287623092332010-07-05T14:10:00.000-05:002010-07-05T14:10:08.123-05:00

I know I do this a lot, but my webmaster, Owen (the creepy little bastard), decided that the site looked...what was the word he used?.. Bleak.  So he redesigned the site.  Head on over and take a look at it:  http://www.americanhorrorwriter.net And let us know what you think.  Owen may not care, but I sure do.  Hope you all had a happy and safe July 4th!  For those not in the USA, hope you had a

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-79618856751939944332010-05-05T15:42:00.000-05:002010-05-05T15:42:10.534-05:00

As hard as it may be to believe, I read violent material.  I know, you're shocked to hear it, but I've also written some pretty bloody stories.  One of the often-overlooked aspects of said novels and stories is the ever-popular fight scene.  Two (or more) toughguys (or ladies) slugging it out to prove dominance/prove a point/defend someone/defend their own lives is just the thing to get a

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-50999493711249360202010-03-22T10:14:00.000-05:002010-03-22T10:14:38.132-05:00

Since my last rant, I got to thinking about other things that annoy me in fiction.  Things that denote not only lazy writing, but also that the writers spend little time actually reading or researching and get all their information from watching episodes of A-Team or 80's action flicks.  Here are a few of my favorites: Gunshot Impact - I love it when I read that a character, wielding a .22

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-51663358406729431182010-03-17T09:08:00.000-05:002010-03-17T09:08:29.558-05:00

As readers, we see hundreds of thousands of the same idiot-formed stereotypes in what we like to call "popular fiction."  Characters that are cookie-cutter cliches and paper-thin do nothing to advance the art and are indicative of bad writing.  Yet, they still happen.  Pick up five random paperbacks, I'd bet that four of them have some kind of stereotyped characters.  Moreover, the stereotypes

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-60196324219672524292010-03-03T16:43:00.000-06:002010-03-03T16:43:23.911-06:00

I read a post a little while ago in which someone gave a list of suggestions for living a happy life.  It was a good list.  So good, in fact, that it made me think of my current mental state.  I don't really tell very many people this (though I guess they'll know now), but years ago, I was diagnosed with clinical depression.  Prozac worked until my insurance provider stopped covering it.  It took

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-89064035013722487682010-02-15T13:36:00.000-06:002010-02-15T13:36:43.949-06:00

...For your art. People that know me or that have had the "Scott A. Johnson Experience" at Seton Hill know that there are few things that royally piss me off.  Among the worst of them is a curious habit most often seen in beginning/novice/would-be writers:  Apologizing for your work.  If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times (to use hyperbole), never, never, NEVER apologize for your

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-90824542888950063642010-02-10T08:55:00.001-06:002010-02-10T16:06:27.962-06:00

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-33684969687226814912010-01-26T09:43:00.000-06:002010-01-26T09:43:54.684-06:00

One of the great hallmarks of horror is the palpable build of tension.  King did it masterfully in The Shining, with its slow-burn ratchet of terror.  Matheson, when he wrote Hell House, created one of the single greatest nail-biters in literature.  We, as writers, all aspire to create that sense of dread, that feeling that has our readers squirming in their seats, that moment when our readers,

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-22650916507073885822010-01-20T08:26:00.000-06:002010-01-20T08:26:41.551-06:00

One of the most common topics about which I'm asked is networking.  Many aspiring writers, newly published authors, and hopeful new micropress publishers ask me how I got to know so many authors, how I find out what's going on in the industry, and where I go to find people who know their business. The answer is simple:  Professional Writers' Organizations.  No matter your genre, there is a

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-68267894892032180872009-12-31T09:44:00.001-06:002009-12-31T09:46:55.540-06:00

I don't usually make "resolutions."  To me, they're most often promises that, no matter how well intended, are damned near impossible to keep.  However, 2009 was a rough year for many (me included) so I'm looking forward to the new year with a renewed sense of optimism.  So this year, I'm going to make a few, but I'm going to separate the list into two categories:  Things I know will happen (

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-973694200564000192009-12-16T09:14:00.002-06:002009-12-16T14:39:49.582-06:00

If you've ever applied to an MFA program, chances are you've been told that they only encourage litterary fiction.  They usually don't allow genre fiction, by which they mean the things that most people read.  Genres like Science Fiction (Sci-Fi), Romance, Fantasy and Horror do have a place, however, for the burgeoning novelist of the future. By now, most folks know that, in addition to working

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-81181871006311896232009-12-02T14:00:00.002-06:002009-12-02T14:25:37.674-06:00

Music is a big part of my life.  People like me wander around with our own private soundtracks in our heads, can't walk through a door without hearing some kind of theme-song, and generally find that there are few, if any, times when the inner monologue is silent.  As a former professional musician, music says so much about my mood and current disposition, that most folks who know me know how I'm

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-75430942616311175922009-11-20T09:25:00.000-06:002009-11-20T09:25:22.106-06:00

Okay, I know I already did one blog today, but this seriously needs to be addressed.  I know I'll ruffle a few feathers with this, but what I'm going to write here is the truth, plain and simple, and if you ask any professional writer, they'll agree. Here it is: MONEY FLOWS TO THE AUTHOR, NEVER AWAY. Simple statement, eh?  Here's the problem.  Say you're an aspiring writer.  You've just

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-27442972463061418442009-11-20T09:00:00.000-06:002009-11-20T09:00:13.156-06:00

Just pick up a book, any book, I don't care which, and flip through a few pages.  For many of them, what you read there is a running commentary of what the characters see and hear.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you, but the truly great writers don't stop there.  You've got five (or more, depending on whether or not your character is in some way psychic) senses to work with, so

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-88587863647399493952009-11-05T12:26:00.000-06:002009-11-05T12:26:29.302-06:00

One of the more interesting conundrums that many writers face is the whole "good-guy/bad-guy" dynamic.  In many cases the writer feels compelled to have a hero and a villain, and they do everything in their power to make the good-guy likable enough that people actually want to see him win.  But then there's the "bad" guy.  The antagonist, if you will.  Nothing, in my opinion, is as boring as a

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-14652609053581096642009-11-03T10:50:00.000-06:002009-11-03T10:50:49.816-06:00

Everyone knows who my influences are.  I've touted the works of Lovecraft, Matheson, and others for years, and I'll keep doing so forever.  But there's another side of that.  Sure, these guys made me want to become a writer, but who are the top names now?  And who are the names to watch in the future?  I know a few of these fellows personally, but their work stands above all else.  These are the

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-19339501491838829252009-10-20T16:23:00.000-05:002009-10-20T16:23:46.563-05:00

In order to write, one must first read.  To write in any genre, one should read who they consider to be the masters of their craft.  But why nine, you ask?  Why not ten?  That tenth place is saved for the next book that wow's me.  Everyone has a list like the one that follows, and everyone's is different, but what follows are the top nine works of horror fiction that inspired, and continue to

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-82162253335775480342009-10-13T09:11:00.000-05:002009-10-13T09:11:33.525-05:00

Every year, people ask me what my favorite Halloween movies are.  And while my tastes in film do change from time to time, there are a few that I just can't do without.  So here (with links) are my favorite Halloween movies of all time.  Perfect for a dark night when the streets outside are filled with ghouls and goblins.  In no particular order: Trick 'r Treat - It just came out, I know, but

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-2716488368866541302009-10-08T11:14:00.000-05:002009-10-08T11:14:10.310-05:00

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-55049713018266981682009-10-06T12:25:00.000-05:002009-10-06T12:25:32.968-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year.  It's the time when the air turns cooler, the leaves change colors (in places where such things actually happen), and the smile on my face gets bigger.  October has always been, and will always be, my favorite month of the year.  And why?  Because it contains my favorite holiday of all time:  Samhain, Sow-een, All Hallow's Eve, Hallow'een.  Or, as it's

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-67538845811349698852009-09-30T11:56:00.000-05:002009-09-30T11:56:31.217-05:00

You have a seriously wonderful idea, the kind to which Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes are attached, and you race to your keyboard to get it down before the muse leaves you without a word, page, or even so much as a muse-turd on your chair.  You begin to write, gleeful that your idea will be the greatest thing since Shakespeare wrote "MacBeth."  Then it happens.  You've written yourself into a corner,

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-53718790005944679512009-09-23T13:46:00.002-05:002009-09-23T14:09:39.003-05:00

Some of the greatest writers, I think, have a serious problem with reading.  Not that they're illiterate, mind you, but that, when called upon to do so, they can't read their own stuff.  Part of being a writer is promoting your work, and that means going to conventions and taking part in Q&A panel discussions and actually reading a snippet of your latest opus.  And while the story or section

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-37872252930360503972009-09-14T16:06:00.001-05:002009-09-14T16:06:54.684-05:00

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-8989065232976362282009-09-10T11:02:00.000-05:002009-09-10T11:56:38.990-05:00

Okay, hotshot. Your book's been published, and now you've been booked for a convention appearance or have secured a table at the next relevant convention. What do you do? What...do...you...do? Relax. Surviving the con is painless and is actually one of the most fun parts of this job. I have a blast at conventions, and you can too. Just use your head and follow a few simple guidelines:Your

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-69488674652531624612009-09-08T23:37:00.000-05:002009-09-09T00:14:09.289-05:00

By now, everyone knows that I review stuff for Dread Central, the greatest horror-news site on the planet. Mostly I do books, but I pretty much review anything that winds up in my mailbox. Because of my work ethic, I've gotten to review some really wonderful movies. I've gotten to see movies that no one ever sees. I've also been subjected to some of the most banal and horrible things ever

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-6499215853349681602009-09-03T08:18:00.000-05:002009-09-03T08:26:38.339-05:00

When my book, Deadlands, went out of print because the publisher closed its doors, I was sad, but I figured all good things had to come to an end. I mean, after all, it was my best seller, and (according to the publisher) it almost sold out of its first print run of 5,000 copies. So I thought that was it for my little zombie story. Then along came Dr. Pus and the Library of the Living Dead

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-45647825836679452722009-09-01T10:22:00.000-05:002009-09-01T10:46:43.434-05:00

It's a statement I hear every day. "I'd love to *insert artistic activity here,* but I don't have the time." My general response to that is, well, then I guess you don't really want to do it, do you? Not to be cynical, but let me take you through a typical day for me: Up by 6 a.m., at work by 7:45, lunch for an hour around noon, home by 6pm. After that, there's the karate class, the children

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-21372369770387257482009-08-26T10:58:00.001-05:002009-08-26T11:16:27.457-05:00

It's no secret that, in addition to all the other goofy stuff I'm into, I do book reviews for Dread Central. So I thought I'd throw out a few reviews of books that I did, and let the blog-o-verse know what I thought about them as well. So, without further adeu...Flesh by Richard LaymonLevel 26: Dark Origins by Anthony ZuikerBestial by Ray GartonThe Bone Factory by Nate KenyonZombie Bukake by

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-82673691555816257532009-08-24T18:13:00.000-05:002009-08-25T12:28:41.594-05:00

Every aspiring writer I know has questions about the business, and most of them revolve around three subjects. Tops on the list: Will you read my manuscript/collaborate on a manuscript/write my novel for me? Easy answer to this one: I'm sorry (not really) but no. Here's why: I'm busy working on my own stuff and I don't want the possibility of someone saying I ripped them off. I do work

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-69444973217212808382009-08-21T08:33:00.000-05:002009-08-21T08:52:57.303-05:00

One of the things that really cheeses me off in writing is when a professional (or aspiring) writer doesn't seem to know the rules of grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Aside from annoying me, it is also one of the quickest ways to ensure your manuscript makes a fast leap from slushpile-hell into the recycle bin. So, being the helpful little sod that I am, here are a few of the most common

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-25470075424574063202009-08-20T08:20:00.000-05:002009-08-20T08:51:51.376-05:00

So you're writing a book and the setting needs to be a place that we (your readers) have never seen before. Your creatures are strange, your races are weird, and you want to make it as realistic and believable as possible. Well, building a world for your characters isn't just a matter of picking a pretty backdrop. There's actually a lot more to it, and there aren't that many writers who take

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-1801641908985767142009-08-18T11:27:00.000-05:002009-08-18T11:34:46.639-05:00

Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodlefrom the New York Times' Writers on Writing Series.By ELMORE LEONARDThese are rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what's taking place in the story. If you have a facility for language and imagery and the sound of your voice pleases you,

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-25668391682487920262009-08-17T19:20:00.000-05:002009-08-17T19:41:45.760-05:00

A long time ago, when I got my first book published, I hurried to tell a few people whom I thought would be excited over a friend and colleague's first book. When I told them, they seemed happy for me, but then they asked what I wrote."Horror!" I exclaimed."Oh," they said. "You write genre fiction." Then they turned up their noses and walked away. A few months later, one of these same people

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-15469027789472164152009-08-17T16:20:00.001-05:002009-08-17T19:42:38.089-05:00

I'm going to be in San Antonio signing copies of my books and mingling with the stars on August 27-30, at the Alamo Draft House! Come by and see me, buy some books, and have a blast! Guests include Bill Johnson (Leatherface from TCM2), Tony Moran (the first Michael Meyers), Ari Lehman (the ORIGINAL Jason Voorhees) and more! Oh...And I'll be there too. In case you were wondering. There will

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-4439893544322185452009-08-17T11:48:00.000-05:002009-08-17T11:50:42.882-05:00

One of those things I've always wanted to do. "Weird Al" Yankovic, you are my hero!

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-51028788004183999392009-08-15T23:36:00.001-05:002009-08-17T15:33:34.362-05:00

As a teacher at Seton Hill's Masters in Writing Popular Fiction program, I work with students every semester to try to help them perfect their writing abilities. Not that I'm perfect mind you, but since I've gotten books traditionally published (that's all I'll ever do, mind you), someone seems to think I know what I'm talking about. So occasionally, I'll post something for the writers out

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-27978757227351269192009-08-15T23:05:00.001-05:002009-08-16T00:38:44.072-05:00

<!--StartFragment--> <!--StartFragment--> City of Demons is my newest novel, released in July from Library of the Living Dead press. It also is kind of an experiment, in that it's the bloodiest thing I've written, and I wanted to try to write something in the "noir" genre made famous by Dashell Hammett and Mickey Spillane. It's about a cop who tracked down a serial killer that almost killed

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340378630266926736.post-39503265125191284862009-08-15T22:51:00.000-05:002009-08-15T22:54:25.541-05:00

This is something of an experiment for me. I've been on the internet for years now, and for some strange reason, I've never actually had a "blog." Sure, I'm on MySpace, Facebook, and you can always find me at Dread Central and AmericanHorrorWriter.net, but I've never really had a real, honest-to-goodness "blog" before. So here I am, typing this pretty much as it comes out of my head like

Scott A. Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401840261793826042noreply@blogger.com0