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Tuesday, November 27, 2018

A Quick Update

A quick update.  My novella is currently being edited. It will be the first book of a two or three book series, dependent upon public acceptance. I say this as it is not really a book of horror. It is more of a graphic thriller entailing murder without remorse, deceit, and werewolves.

I hesitate to go into much more detail at this point as the book has not been sent to any publisher as of yet for review. Those who have had the advantage of being advance readers have said it to be action-packed and filled with unthinkable twists. There have also been comments stating they were unable to put it down and can't wait on the second book to magically appear in front of them. 

I have just finished a short story to submit for a dark erotica anthology that will be released sometime next year. It, too, is awaiting editing completion before submission.

Another author, Charles Lynn and myself are co-writing another book of short stories at the current time. This book's first draft is almost complete. The rewrites and self-editing lie ahead before professional editing is called upon.

In addition, I am in the midst of writing another novella, as well as a full-length novel. Good things are beginning to happen as my author page on Facebook now has well over a thousand followers and a group of well-known horror writers is accepting me as one of their own and taking me under their wing.

The future is busy but very bright. As always, I sincerely appreciate your support.

Many Thanks,

Rich

Monday, October 15, 2018

Interviews and Guest Post for "The Gal In The Blue Mask" Blog

The interviews continue!  Thank you, Meghan Shena Hyden for three straight days of interviews and a guest post on your blog!  Most of my interviews have been fairly serious. Yet, Meghan allowed me to cut up and have fun.  Click on the links below to see the fun! 










Thursday, September 27, 2018

Two Interviews Now Available!

Just a quick post.

Have recently had the pleasure of having had interviews with the absolutely fantastic Maria Jordan and the utterly amazing Ms. Fiona of the UK. Thought you might like to visit them.

Maria Jordan with Richard Rumple

Ms. Fiona with Richard Rumple

Hope you enjoy!!!

Sunday, September 16, 2018

It's Time To Relax: Scarefest 2018 Is Over

Scarefest 2018 is over. Amid the grumbling from many of the vendors, I take away many positives from
this experience.

1) Don't always believe what the promoters tell you in advance as they are prone to change things at any time for the worse. 

2) Making friends is still the most important part of any gathering. I've met so many good people that are willing to help me along the way that I'm astonished. Fellow authors offering assistance in so many ways, vendors of all types of merchandise that included me in their group and treated me with tremendous respect and friendship, and fans willing to take a chance on a virtual unknown ... purchase his book ... and request he sign their copy as if he was a somebody.

3) There are many that still believe being rude is the way to go when it comes to dealing with people, and are oblivious to the comments about them I made as they walked away. (I know, but I couldn't help it. You know sarcasm is my cup of tea.)

4) My wife can indeed put up with my witty comments that sometimes sting for three days straight (although I wouldn't trust her to make it through a fourth).

In addition, I ended up in the upper middle of vendors of books and their sales totals with 23 books sold. I was told by several there that was excellent for my first show, not knowing the tricks they'd learned and
having a terrible location tossed at me, with jewelry and poster booths surrounding me, while many of the other book vendors were closer together and able to draw more of that type of audience. Having taught sales training for years, I quickly developed a sales pitch that worked well on those that I could get to stop for a minute and listen. Still, the new contacts, friends, and fans I've made are worth their weight in gold.

And, last but not least, I managed to get something I've been after forever. In its original packaging, never having been opened, I managed to get an antique "Chucky" doll (*See photo below). It will stay in that packaging unless he breaks out and decides that my wife and I should become his victims. I keep my fingers crossed he does not. Since these haven't been manufactured in years, this will only go up in value. A strange investment, I know, but shouldn't every horror author have one?



 

Friday, September 7, 2018

Scarefest 2018 ... Come See Me!



September 14th-16th is coming ever so fast.

(Well, it's the same as always, technically speaking, but it seems faster than normal.)

Anyway, Scarefest 2018 promises to be a fantastic event.  Lots of special guests, many of my writer friends, and all sorts of speaking engagements and art booths to partake.  Don't do anything but make plans to attend.

It will be worth it, believe me!

Look for me behind these signs.


and this table cover
(it will be straightened out then)


My wife and I will be wearing these T-shirts.


So, really now, if your eyes are open, you'll find us!

Really, you will!


See you there!!!

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Gabriela: Tales From A Demon Cat Is Available!!!

If I were to say this hasn't been a battle I'd be lying. 

There are many things that led to the delay of this publication:

  1. Major factor was publishing program glitches. For several days, the files were approved by the publisher, but because of a glitch in their program, errors continually showed up in the final proofs. Things like a blank line suddenly appeared under a paragraph, that wasn't there on the file. That fixed, the next review showed a paragraph was no longer indented. I was pulling out my hair (don't worry, I have plenty) trying to get things that weren't my fault fixed. Then, when they discovered it was their program, I had to wait on the programmers to get their end fixed. 
  2. Procrastination, both on my part and that of others. I was so busy finalizing and editing that I delayed writing a "blurb" for the back cover of the book. Then, since the bio I had written was too long, I found it replaced with the one used on my first book, which had to be corrected. Between my own downfalls, as well as others being busy with personal responsibilities, I was fighting a deadline that could have been met if the first reason hadn't have come into play.
  3. Gabriela hexed this project. She thought it funny to see me going ballistic and soaking T-shirt after T-shirt in sweat worrying about getting it out. She's a true demon, and doesn't try to hide that fact in the least.
But, at this writing, the paperback is available for purchase, and the review is almost finalized for the Kindle version. I'll post both links below as soon as each becomes available.

So, there you have it. And, everyone thinks a writer has it easy. The pressure of trying to get a quality piece of writing out to the public is tremendous. I know, at least I'm not dealing with the heat outdoors. But, then again, you've never dealt with the heat around a demon cat!

I do thank all of you for your patience and support. It means more than you realize.

Many Thanks!






Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Scarefest 2018 
will be held 
September 14-16 in Lexington, Ky.
... and I'll be there!


Yep, I'll be at Scarefest 2018 selling my books along with vendors from all over the United States. In addition, the star-studded guest list just keeps right on growing:

Cassandra Peterson 
(Elvira)

Adrienne Barbeau  
(The Fog, Escape From New York, etc.)

Robert Mukes
(House of 1000 Corpses)

Tobin Bell  
(Saw movie series)

Costas Mandylor  
(Saw movie Series)

Joe Bob Briggs 
(Drive-In Theater, The Stand)

Sid Haig 
(House of 1000 Corpses, Hatchet, Death House)

Steve Gonsalves & Dave Tango  
(Ghost Hunters)

and more!



Stop by the booth and say "Hello" when you pick up a copy of my new book, 


Remember those dates, September 14, 15, and 16.


I'm hoping to see you there!


Monday, June 25, 2018

Release Date: Gabriela Tales From A Demon Cat


The long wait is almost over!


Gabriela 
Tales From A Demon Cat

will be released on July 6th.

This is a collection of short stories (if you didn't know because you've been locked in the basement for the last six months by your sadistic sister who has been jealous of you her entire life for one reason or another and was going to hire a hitman to kill you, but decided not to because they all wanted too much money and she figured it cheaper to keep you around and enjoy torturing you from time to time by smacking her gum in your ears and talking with her mouth full of food for the rest of your life), as told by my demonic cat, Gabriela.  Some of the stories are about her owners in her past lives, and what either they did, or had done to them, while others have been told to her as she awaited rebirth into another one of her nine lives standing in line in Hell. (Yeah, I had it all wrong, too.  See, cats have nine lives, but only one at a time as Gabriela tells it.  The rest of the time is spent standing in line to be reborn. Of course, the wait takes in Hell if you're like Gabriela, or in Heaven, if you're like someone not like Gabriela.  Read the book and you'll see what I mean.

There are psycho killers, werewolves, vampires, witches, rattlesnakes, Bigfoot creatures, and a whole lot more, children. Gabriela likes to tell a tale ... and once you sample her way of doing so, you'll be asking for more!

The links will be posted here as soon as they're available. Be sure not to miss it!!

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Soon, my friends ... soon!

My apologies.

I've been writing full blast to get enough short stories to publish a book of them as I've previously stated. I've only got a few more to go, so please have patience.

Let me say this, I'm going to take the recommendation of Ray Bradbury if I ever partake of a task like this again. To come up with enough ideas and concepts to put together a book of shorts all at once is a tremendous undertaking. One, I might add, should never be attempted all at once. No, Mr. Bradbury's recommendations were to write one when it hit you, hold on to it, and then write another when you felt the urge. When there were enough to find a common theme for, then put it all together in book form, such as what he did in The Illustrated Man.

That is the way it should be done and will be if ever I do this again (which you know I will, lol).

The rewrite of They Lurk In Summer is also progressing nicely. Many changes, both in adding and subtracting parts of the story, rearranging the timeline to make it an easier read, and converting the passages to my current style are taking place. It won't be a totally "new" book, but when you read it you may think it is.

So, that's it!

Thanks again for your patience. I'm going to be a part of Scarefest here in Lexington, Ky. in September.  All books will need to be done by then, as well as a million other things in preparation. Feel free to contact me on Facebook if you wish, or via email rcrumple@aol.com.  I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Ciao!

Sunday, February 25, 2018

The Empties ... A New Comic Book For Today's Horror Fans

How long has it been since you've sat down with a good comic book?

5 Years? 10 years? 20 years? Longer?

As a child of the 60's (which obviously makes me an old fart), comic books were a daily part of my life. The Internet was obviously nothing more than science fiction at that time, as were cell phones, watches that measured our daily activity, and flying drones.

Still, somehow we survived. Comic books helped that happen.

The first comic book I can remember having was the original issue of the Fantastic Four. (What I wouldn't give to have a mint copy today.) My mother and I had just come from the doctor's office where I hadn't cried during the injection of a Polio shot. I was rewarded with a nickel Coke, a candy bar, and the Fantastic Four. That visit to the drug store started three habits that would continue for the rest of my life.

The types of comics I enjoyed knew no genre. I loved them all. Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, The Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Tom & Jerry, Archie, Donald Duck, Micky Mouse, Wally Gator, Tennessee Tuxedo, Magilla Gorilla, X-Men, Spiderman, and so many others that if I named them all, you'd grow tired reading. My favorites included the screen adaptations of movies. Treasure Island, Old Yeller, Lobo, Mysterious Island, and more assisted my imagination in understanding how to see what the words were saying. It's a task of every writer that types the first word. I'd be remiss in saying comics didn't help me in achieving this skill.

Through my days in the military, many of us escaped the mundane routines of daily life by sharing our collections. Not only were we taken to worlds outside of the realities we faced but found our sanity demanded this relief. Later, married life brought a sharing of these books with my children. Yet, I found with cable television hitting the marketplace, they found other avenues of entertainment. Still, I'd pick a few up while shopping for my own enjoyment.  The early 90's brought forth a revival. By accident, I discovered that comics had come a long way. No longer were they just minor stories to entertain, but illustrated novels of sorts. Grim Jack, Watchmen, and even The Vampire Lestat series (which I still have, unopened in each of the issues original plastic wrappings) were aimed at the adult reader instead of children. Batman had been revived to be a much darker character and Superman had lost half of his powers. There was even a new character for Hispanic's called El Diablo that had a limited edition series. (I have all of those, too.)

Comics remind me of the old adage, "A picture is worth a thousand words." A writer understands what that means more than anyone else. Hours are spent in an attempt to find just the right combination that will keep the reader interested. Thus, the pictures of comics do their jobs well, presenting an image to spur the imagination into action.



This brings us to The Empties. I was recently approached to review this new addition to the many lines of comics in the marketplace, today. Perhaps, being a writer of Horror had something to do with it. I'd rather believe it was fate calling me.

There are things I appreciate about this new offering and some that I don't. Being a comic book, the artwork is the first factor to consider. In The Empties, the drawings are indicative of what one finds in graphic novels of today. Yet, these black & white images are created with an edge, one that creeps into your soul and refuses to leave. Precise to a degree, yet, vague enough to allow your imagination to fill the gaps it supplies. Impressive.

The Empties storyline is basically another tale of zombies, or is it? As I have only seen an advance copy of the first issue, I'm not sure. Much of this book is spent developing the primary characters, Derrick and Helen, and their current domestic situation in life. Still, the book opens with a well-presented offering of what may come later in the area of horrific occurrences.

I have to step back and be completely honest, my writing consists of developing characters to the nth degree, verbose if you will. I'm working to reduce this to allow the reader's mind and imagination room to thrive. Yet, I still find much of this necessary to present an accurate depiction of the character and in getting the reader to love or hate them. The Empties reminds me of this same effort. However, there is an early restaurant scene that tends to get old quick, and could easily have been condensed without harming the storyline. Too much needless chatter and panel usage before the primary purpose of the scene is revealed. Yet, the book moves on nicely after that.

As in the cliffhangers of old, The Empties first issue ends abruptly, but not atop the mountain staring at a deep chasm as most. My interest as to what happens next is there, but the "Oh, my God, how could they stop here" feeling sought is not present. I'm not sure if this was done because the storyline is still developing, or because the story concerns itself with human domestic concerns in many more panels than the horror of zombies. The next issue will tell the tale.

The Empties is interesting and has tremendous potential. It will be interesting to see how the story progresses in issue number two. Obviously, the story will revolve around the "Derrick" character, but the others shown are all in question. Other answers to how the zombies came about, how many people will survive, what new characters lie ahead, and who cleans the food off the wall will hopefully be supplied in future issues. The Empties has planted its seed in my curiosity. I'm anxious to see how it grows.

Look for it in the near future in comic book stores throughout the nation. As soon as it becomes available, I will amend this review to let you know, as well as post links where you can order it. I'll be waiting for your comments after reading it. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

*  *  *  *

Here's a link where you can purchase The Empties !


Thursday, January 25, 2018

Change Is Our Friend ... Especially For You, The Reader

I was once ordered to believe, "Change is our friend."  If I failed to do so, I would be terminated.

I did as told, and taught that for years until I learned that "change" in the eyes of my employer meant screwing over people by increasing hours and decreasing sales percentages. I left that employer for another, but quickly found them to be the same. Twas the way of the industry in which I was a participant for many years. I'm sure it still leads the way in ensuring the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Such being, it seems to be the prototype for much of government today.

Yet, there are times that changes are a necessity. Not for profit, although it may come, but for quality of work and product. 

Recently, I was accepted into a Mentor Program with the Horror Writers Association. In doing so, I submitted several chapters of my second book, "They Lurk In Summer" for review.

My mentor is a well known and highly respected individual, genius in my book, by the name of Jason V. Brock.  Check out the link. His accolades speak highly of his efforts and many achievements.

Jason took the time from his already hectic schedule to rip my writing apart, which was exactly what I wanted. He showed me ways to make the writing more interesting for the reader, get points across without pages of description, and provided me with a way of thinking that was first difficult to grasp, but with practice, has become much easier to accomplish.

That was after only an hour phone conversation.

He's sharing his valuable time with me ... a novice. I'm privileged to have his help and treasure his comments. It's making me a better writer for you, the reader.

Thus, a change has to take place. Instead of working on a new novel, I'm rewriting the old, making it the way it should have been published. Samples have been given to a couple of my previous advance readers and the comments received have been tremendous. The changes make the book not only easier to read, but grab the reader with additional strength and passion. It's a much higher level of writing. A level I didn't have the knowledge of reaching at one time, but am gaining it through the program.

I ask for your patience while I do this. It is my opportunity to grasp a skill set that will help to make future efforts well worth the money you spend on them, and more.

I guarantee, you won't be disappointed!