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So, perhaps you've read either my 2016 novel The Last Days Of Jack Sparks or my 2019 novel Ghoster. Which means you're awesome. 

Or maybe you've even read both, which makes you doubly so. 

Provided you enjoyed yourself, you might be wondering what to read next.

Obviously, if you've only read Jack Sparks, I'll recommend Ghoster next and vice versa. But beyond my two novels, there's my short-form fiction work.

In recent years, I haven't mentioned these stories all that much, and so perhaps you might enjoy a potted guide to them. And then, in each monthly newsletter for the next five months, I'll highlight one and tell you a little more about the genesis of the story and the cover artwork, etc. Sound good? Let me know, simply by replying to this email. I always love to hear from you. Tell me what else you'd love to see in this newsletter, too.

All of the books that follow are currently only available in digital form, via Amazon and the like, or from my own Payhip store. If you'd like to see a physical release of any of them, then once again do reply and tell me. If enough people ask, then perhaps at least one anniversary edition could happen this year...

BEAST IN THE BASEMENT (2012)
Astonishingly, this psychological suspense novella will reach its tenth anniversary in September! This fact is almost as scary as everything that lurks within these pages. The story centres on a recently bereaved and increasingly unstable author, who toils over a book which will close a trilogy of best-selling fantasy novels. When the author experiences a violent intrusion to their remote country home, they begin to unravel, leading to a series of shocking revelations.

I'm still really proud of Beast In The Basement. It's the book that very much helped me get my first literary agent. Readers have told me how they gasped out loud upon reaching certain moments of the book, and you really can't hope for a better reaction than that as an author! If you wanted my one recommendation for what to read next after Sparks and Ghoster, it would be this one. 

A SINCERE WARNING ABOUT THE ENTITY IN YOUR HOME (2012)
Once again, this chilling short story also hits its tenth anniversary this year, in October. Presented as a letter to YOU which is delivered to YOUR house, this grave warning from the previous resident tells you things you really don't want to hear. 

Again, I'm proud of this 10,000 word story. Especially because it takes advantage of the unique quality of prose fiction - the imaginative collaboration between author and reader, that means each story is pictured in a different way by each person. I love the fact that each reader will read this story while imagining the home in which THEY currently live! Will tell you more about the writing process in the April edition of this newsletter, when I will highlight this tale.

AUTO REWIND (2016)
This novelette feels like the most overlooked example of my short-form fiction, perhaps because it's the quirkiest of the bunch. A bit like Beast In The Basement, it's hard to describe the plot without giving anything away, but it's basically about the overwhelming power of nostalgia to protect and harm. As the book goes on, a child of the '80s takes ever more extreme measures to protect his family's lifestyle.

In the opening scene of Auto Rewind, a man is beaten to death with an Atari 2600 console. Told you it was quirky. :)

AMERICAN HOARDER (2016)
If you're a subscriber, you may have received a free copy of this book when you signed up! Hope you enjoyed. If you subscribed before the book became available as an associated special offer, by the way, then do reply to this email and I'll send you a link through which to claim this digital short story, which interfaces with one of my novels...

THE NOTHING MEN (2018)
My first sci-fi story unconnected with Doctor Who! This one sprung from the idea of how social media might respond to an alien invasion. The result ended up being pretty fun and also pretty dark. More than a hint of Black Mirror about it, I'd say. 

This one is available only in two ways:
1) In the pages of the 2018 dystopian charity anthology Resist! Tales From A Future World Worth Fighting Against, which was co-edited by Star Wars: Rogue One writer Gary Whitta. 
2) When you become my latest supporter at Patreon! I made the story available to my amazing patrons in PDF form last year. 

So there we have it - the story so far in terms of my short-form fiction. For some reason, over the years since 2018, I haven't had any suitably compelling ideas for short stories to push me into writing another! Sadly, I'm not the kind of writer who can churn things out in production line fashion, no matter what. My brain seems to have permanently switched to long-form mode, which is probably a good thing if you're ever going to see a third novel from me!

Before I move on to the next item, let me remind you that when you signed up to this newsletter, you will also have received a money-off discount code on all of my books available at my Payhip store

You can also see a list of all my books on my site here, including my two digital non-fiction titles. 

Oh! And! Other authors are available. I highly recommend the following books: 
  • House Of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski
  • Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
  • The Three by Sarah Lotz
  • The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
  • Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk
  • The Last House On Needless Street by Catriona Ward
  • William Blake Vs The World by John Higgs (non-fiction)
NO SPOILERS HERE. I will never spoiler you on anything. Hand on heart, I wouldn't ever even discuss the end of The Sixth Sense in public. But Christ, have you seen the first half of Season 4 yet? I am still recovering from the emotional fallout. Ozark is one of the very few modern TV shows that qualifies as a must-watch for me. While it shares a few qualities with the mighty Breaking Bad (antiheroes, extreme tension and a certain sense of anarchy), it has also very much grown into its own beast.

I am obsessed with Jason Bateman's performance as Marty Byrde, the supernaturally calm money-laundering genius. Marty can stare death in the face (as he and his family do, every episode), yet retain his wits. Laura Linney is also very powerful as Marty's wife Wendy and there are no weak links among the entire cast. After Bateman, though, my favourite performer has to be Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore, a young trailer-dweller determined to do well for herself and her family.

Because Marty and Wendy are often hard to root for (and I like that, by the way - characters don't always have to be likeable, they just need to fascinate), Ruth is a character you can pretty much always want to win, and Garner is absolutely stunning in the role. Love her.

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing Ozark yet, I urge you to give the first episode a try on Netflix! Come back and let me know if you love it.

Digitising old interviews

You may or may not know this about me, but I started out as a rock journalist for Kerrang! magazine.

Over the course of my 14 years at the weekly UK mag, I carried out hundreds of interviews, while travelling all over the world. 

For a long time now, I've been meaning to digitally back up all my many tapes, because magnetic physical media isn't expected to last forever. And now I've finally got down to carrying out the task.

I'm using the Audacity program for the job, and trying to back up at least three tapes a day. Even at this pace, though, I anticipate that the task will take me a couple of years!

You can hear one of my Kerrang! interviews in my latest video on my YouTube channel Possessed By Metal - highlights from my 1996 interview with Type O Negative frontman Peter Steele.

Happily, I've yet to encounter a tape that's ruined and can no longer be played. Thank God for that. Fingers crossed for the rest.

In case you're wondering why most of the pictured tapes bear orange stickers, I'm applying these to tapes to denote that I've digitised them!

Closing thoughts and links

Thanks so much for subscribing to this newsletter - and for sticking with it, if you've been here a while.

As well as publishing new editions of The Necronoppicon on a monthly basis, I'm going to adopt a new level of focus when it comes to making this thing primarily for my readers.

I've come to realise (and God knows, it's taken me a while) that the majority of you signed up for news on my writing, and perhaps insight into the process, or maybe even a little insight into me, and not necessarily stuff about my YouTube channels or tips for writers.

As I said above, please do reply to this email and tell me if I've got that right, plus what you'd love to see! I will continue to include flashes of YouTube stuff (there's a YouTube link coming up in the next paragraph, for example!) and the odd thought on writing itself, but it seems right for the emphasis to tighten from this edition onwards.

Here are some links that may take your fancy: 

FOR READERS: FOR CLASSIC DOCTOR WHO FANS: FOR CREATORS: Have a great March, if at all possible, and I'll see you again for the April edition of The Necronoppicon.

Beast wishes,

Jason
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Yet more links on the socials...
My retro variety YouTube channel. Lots of Doctor Who!
My metal specialist YouTube channel
My website
Instagram author account
Instagram rock journalist account
Instagram retro fun account
My Twitter account
My author page at FB
Medium
Copyright © 2022 Jason Arnopp, All rights reserved.


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