Getting a name on the spine

    the first book to bear my name on the spine was Cage of Bones & Other Deadly Obsessions, a collection of my short stories published in the '90s in various magazines and anthologies, released by Delirium Books in October 2000.

    Since then, I've published a number of other titles, and edited a couple books to boot. But Cage of Bones will always hold a special place in my dark heart!


    Books I've edited

    Sins of the Sirens

     

    Sins of the Sirens
    (Dark Arts Books, 2008)
    $17.95
    ISBN: 978-0-9779686-2-6
    Edited by John Everson

     

    Released in January 2008, Sirens features new stories and rarities from Maria Alexander, Christa Faust, Loren Rhoads and Mehitobel Wilson. The largest Dark Arts collection yet, this anthology features 20,000 words of fiction from each author, including "Firebird" an original novelette from Christa Faust!

     

  • ORDER ONLINE! Order this title directly from Dark Arts Books.

    •  

    In Delirium II

     

    In Delirium II

    (Delirium Books, 2007)

    $50.00

    Edited by John Everson

     

    In Delirium II is a sequel to the original In Delirium, which was edited by Brian Keene. As with the first volume, this second one is a tribute anthology to Delirium’s proprietor, Shane Staley, and is composed of stories written by authors who have been previously published by Delirium. Included are stories from Tananarive Due, Brian Keene & Mike Oliveri, Rick Hautala, John Pelan and many more.

  • Order from The Horror Mall.

    •  

     

    Spooks!

     

    Spooks!
    (Twilight Tales Books, 2004)
    $15.00
    ISBN: 0-9711309-7-3
    Edited by Tina L. Jens
    & John Everson

     

    Ghostly revenge. Ghostly salvation. Ghostly poltergeistic pranks... Inside the pages of the new Twilight Tales anthology Spooks!, you'll find 29 tales of the unexplained, the unexpected and the undead. Some people just refuse to stay in their graves! Featuring work from Charlee Jacob, Jay Bonansinga, J. A. Konrath, Linda Addison, James S. Dorr, Martin Mundt, John Weagly, and many more.

  • ORDER ONLINE! Order this title directly from Twilight Tales.
  • Read John's story "The Tapping" from Spooks! for free online...or listen to the MP3 Podcast!

Books By John Everson

Covenant by John Everson, paperback edition

Covenant
(Leisure Books)
$7.99 (mass market paperback)

y first novel, Covenant will be released in paperback and available in bookstores everywhere from Leisure Books on Aug. 26, 2008!

A mix of mystery, the occult and horror, Covenant was first issued in November 2004 from Delirium Books in a signed & numbered, hardcover format, and on June 25, 2005 the Horror Writers Association presented Covenant with a Bram Stoker Award in the "First Novel" category in a ceremony in Burbank, California. You can see articles, photos, and watch a video of my award acceptance here.

The novel follows Joe Kieran, an investigative reporter who discovers a web of mysterious teen suicides that somehow connect five women in a small coastal town. Is there really a malevolent presence inside Terrel Cliff that holds all of the town in thrall? Or is there a murderous covenant between five women to sacrifice their first-born?

Beneath the remains of a long-demolished lighthouse, Joe discovers Terrel's secret history and salvation and puts his own soul in deadly danger.




Needles & Sins


Needles & Sins
By John Everson
(Necro Publications, 2007)
ISBN: 1-889186-74-0
$50 (limited hardcover)
$20 (unlimited trade paperback)

y third collection of 19 horror and dark fantasy short stories is called Needles & Sins, and was released in October 2007 from Necro Publications in both unlimited trade paperback and limited hardcover formats. It includes the story "Letting Go," which was nominated for a 2007 Bram Stoker Award.

The collection includes some of my best work of the past decade, including three stories that have previously earned spots on the Honorable Mention list of the Year's Best Fantasy & Horror anthology series. In addition to the reprints, there are six brand new stories included, including the title story, "Needles & Sins."

Here's the publisher's description of the book:

Roses scented with bitter deception, Oracles redolent in hidden redemption, a body-mod-obsessed ingenue with an amputee fetish and a demon gone soft on a bitter angel. Dreamcatchers, an alternate Nativity with a pimp God and a non-compliant Mary, Stupid Bitch the three-legged cat and the secret explanation of how Germany almost won the war with the devil on their side. These are just a few of the provocative sets in these 19 stories rife with "Needles & Sins"...

Read the title story "Letting Go" for free online!

Read the title story "Needles & Sins" for free online!



Sacrifice

Sacrifice coverSacrifice
By John Everson
(Delirium Books, 2007)
$50.00
Limited Edition (250 copies) Signed Hardcover

y second novel Sacrifice was released by Delirium Books in a limited edition hardcover in March of 2007. At this point, the publisher is sold out, but many bookstores still have copies. So if you want to make sure you get a copy, stop by The Horror Mall. The paperback version will be released by Leisure Books in June 2009.

Thanks to my friend Jade Paris for the Sacrifice photo at right!

Here's the description of Sacrifice from the Delirium edition:

Ariana is on a killing spree. Dressed in a black vinyl catsuit, she lures men to hotel rooms, where they will leave their bodies behind—in multiple pieces. That's the part of the story that the newspapers know. The “Sunday Slasher,” as she's dubbed for her habit of leaving behind a corpse every Sunday morning, doesn't just have a wealth of misanthropic bones in her body. She's also got a hunger for ultimate power and control. Through ritual sexual sacrifice, she aims to open the door between this world and the domain of the powerful, but violently perverse Curburide demons. She will be their queen, and they will rape the world.

Joe Kieran is a young reporter who has just left the East Coast port town of Terrel with a demon on his back. Literally. Having forged a covenant with the demon, Malachai, to save the lives of two women, he now has a constant invisible companion, albeit one who is less than trustworthy. When Joe picks up Alex, a teen hitchhiker on her way to the Rocky Mountains, he soon finds that he's been setup by Malachai. Alex is more than just a perky runaway; she has the ability to talk to ghosts, something her right-wing parents forced her to hide. But now she will need that talent more than ever; as Malachai sets them all on the path that can only lead to... Sacrifice.



Candy in the Dumpster

Candy cover" ...One of the best collections of the year by four remarkably warped individuals..."

- DreadCentral.com

Candy in the Dumpster
(Dark Arts Books)
$13.00
Trade Paperback

he first Dark Arts Books release made the honorable mention list of the Year's Best Fantasy & Horror anthology! A compilation of 12 "new and used" horror stories by four Chicago authors - Jay Bonansinga, Bill Breedlove, John Everson, and Martin Mundt - the collection also features an introduction by another Chicago horror veteran, Mort Castle. It was first issued at the World Horror Convention in San Francisco in May 2006 and went into its 3rd printing in the summer of 2008.

"...And though each is a unique perspective and unique voice, they all have that "tongue in cheek" (not necessarily one's own), satirical, never say "die" when you can say "maim" kind of thinking that we find in those works of horror likely to reside and resound within the reader's consciousness for a long, long time."

- From the Introduction, By Mort Castle


  • MORE INFO: View the Table of Contents, Author Bios and read Free Fiction samples from Candy in the Dumpster at Dark Arts Books.


Failure

Failure cover "...without a doubt
the coolest chapbook
of the year"

- Maximum Horrors

Failure
By John Everson
(Delirium Books, 2006)
$19.95
Limited (fewer than 350 printed)
Signed Hardcover Chapbook

y novella Failure debuted the new Delirium Books hardcover chapbook line at the start of 2006. The Delirium Chapbook Series books are pocket-sized (4.50 inches by 6.25 inches) hardcovers with full wraparound graphic covers laminated on the boards. I created the artwork for Failure and the next two editions in the chapbook series, Imprint by Patrick Lestewka and Pickman's Motel by Mark McLaughlin. View full versions of these and other covers I've designed in my Artwork area.

Here's the description of Failure from Delirium's site:

Raymond is such a failure, he can't even kill himself and get it right. Cindy just plain doesn't care; she'll get on her knees for anyone beneath the football field bleachers to score a nickel bag hit. And Sal is a frustrated goon with a hook nose and an attitude so sour he can't nail a girl even with the lure of free dope and a getaway car.

When these three desperate teens meet Aaron, a failed practitioner of the dark arts who offers them the best high they've ever smoked in exchange for some kinky sexplay inside his pentagram, things can only go from bad to worse. Aaron hopes to ensnare and re-birth the spirit of a late witch, to capture her power from beyond the grave for his own.

Soon, they'll all learn the darkest, bloodiest, most terrifying definition of Failure.

  • REVIEWS: Read the critic and reader reviews of Failure
    ORDER ONLINE FROM:
  • Search eBay for this out-of-print title.


Covenant

CovenantWinner of the HWA Bram Stoker Award for first novel!

Covenant
By John Everson
(Delirium Books, 2004)
$50.00
ISBN: 1-929653-65-4

mix of mystery, the occult and horror, Covenant was issued in November 2004 from Delirium Books in a signed & numbered, hardcover format, with evocative cover art by Alan Clark. On June 25, 2005 the Horror Writers Association presented Covenant with a 2004 Bram Stoker Award in the "First Novel" category in a ceremony in Burbank, California. (see photo of the award at lower right)

The novel follows Joe Kieran, an investigative reporter who discovers a web of mysterious teen suicides that somehow connect five women in a small coastal town. Is there really a malevolent presence inside Terrel Cliff that holds all of the town in thrall? Or is there a murderous covenant between five women to sacrifice their first-born?

Beneath the remains of a long-demolished lighthouse, Joe discovers Terrel's secret history and salvation and puts his own soul in deadly danger.

  • READ the Midwest Book Review, Hellnotes, Horror Vault and Sinisteria reviews of Covenant!

Stoker Award for Covenant by John EversonStoker Award Media:



Vigilantes of Love

Vigilantes of Love by John EversonVigilantes of Love
By John Everson
(Twilight Tales Books, 2003)
$12.00
ISBN: 1-929653-07-7
Trade Paperback

his trade paperback collection includes 15 dark fantasy and horror tales, including the title story written especially for this collection. The followup to the collection Cage of Bones and Other Deadly Obsessions, Vigilantes of Love takes a quieter tone, and includes both original stories and reprints from the anthologies TransVersions and Freaks, Geeks & Sideshow Floozies.



Cage of Bones & Other Deadly Obsessions

Cage of Bones & Other Deadly Obsessions
By John Everson
(Delirium Books, 2000)
$29.00
ISBN: 1-929653-07-7
Limited Edition (300 copies) Signed Hardcover

his limited hardcover edition of 20 erotic horror stories was first published on a Friday the 13th -- 10/13/2000 by Delirium Books. It was the sixth hardcover title released by Delirium, and the first to feature a dustjacket (the prior books were issued without dustjackets to better display their foil stamp titling.) While Cage of Bones sold out several years ago, copies are still available through resellers on Amazon.com or eBay and sell for anywhere from $90-200.