Vampires, Witches, and Me Oh My!: Guest Post by Jason Sizemore author of Irredeemable

Let's welcome Jason Sizemore to the the blog today. It's awesome to have him here. Make sure to get a copy of Irredeemable.

There’s a man named Stephen Zimmer. He runs a small press named Seventh Star Press. Stephen is a rather dashing gentleman, even of nature, full of poise and charm.

There’s another man, this one is named Jason Sizemore. He sees himself more a publisher and editor, and he operates Apex Publications and the Hugo Award-nominated Apex Magazine. This fellow, a bit of a rough-around-the-edges type from southeastern Kentucky, likes to dabble in the fine art of short fiction writing. Over a period of approximately 8 years, he had 35 or so short stories published.

What strange things happened when these two men of letters met at a writer’s convention in Indianapolis? Some things aren’t meant for public consumption and will remain a secret. Irredeemable, on the other hand, it is for everybody.

Okay, I’ll stop with the high-minded prose and end the silliness. The reason Irredeemable happened is Stephen Zimmer. Stephen had been following my intermittent writing career over the past few years. He enjoyed my fusion of Southern Gothic with Appalachian sensibilities and genre trappings. So at a convention last year, he approached me about doing a collection with his press.

Like any writer would, I was blown away and honored that he was interested in publishing my work. Yet, I had reservations. I spend a lot of time running Apex Publications. I also have a moderately demanding day job that saps a large amount of my mental reserves each weekday. I worried that if I did a book with Stephen, I would not be able to give it the full promotional attention both the book and Seventh Star Press deserved. I told him I was interested, but needed to think about it.

Yeah, that sounds kind of lame. You get handed a wonderful gift that many writers dream about and you say “Uh, let me think about it.” To Stephen’s credit, he smiled and told me to take my time.

Since the book is now out, there is no surprise ending. A few months later, I decided not to be lame. The hardest part was convincing myself my short fiction was worthy a collection. My writer friends got me over a severe case of imposter syndrome. Thankfully, the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

So I learned one important fact from this whole experience. Put your trust in Stephen Zimmer. He’s a walking +5 to everyone’s karma score when he’s around.

About the author: Jason Sizemore is a writer and editor who lives in Lexington, KY. He owns Apex Publications, an SF, fantasy, and horror small press, and has twice been nominated for the Hugo Award for his editing work on Apex Magazine. Stay current with his latest news and ramblings via his Twitter feed handle @apexjason.

Book Synopsis for Irredeemable: Flowing like mists and shadows through the Appalachian Mountains come 18 tales from the mind of Jason Sizemore. Weaving together elements of southern gothic, science fiction, fantasy, horror, the supernatural, and much more, this diverse collection of short stories brings you an array of characters who must face accountability, responsibility, and, more ominously, retribution.

Whether it is Jack Taylor readying for a macabre, terrifying night in The Sleeping Quartet, the Wayne brothers and mischief gone badly awry in Pranks, the title character in The Dead and Metty Crawford , or the church congregation and their welcoming of a special visitor in Yellow Warblers, Irredeemable introduces you to a range of ordinary people who come face to face with extraordinary situations.

Whether the undead, aliens, ghosts, or killers of the yakuza, dangers of all kinds lurk within the darkness for those who dare tread upon its ground. Hop aboard and settle in, Irredeemable will take you on an unforgettable ride along a dark speculative fiction road.

Author Links:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jason.sizemore1

Twitter:

@apexjason