We caught up with author Janet Racciato at WonderCon, and she told us about her latest self-published fantasy series called Old Souls. The idea goes like this: “Have you ever met an animal who seemed different, who knew how to do thing that it shouldn’t? What about the news reports about wild animals saving people or entering buildings for no apparent reason? What if you learned that these animals, these Old Souls, were waging battles against the powers of darkness? This war has been raging since the beginning of time. The demons sent by Ahriman have been called abonsam, goblins… and gremlins. But while their names may have changed over time, their purpose has not. The only things stopping the creatures from causing chaos and suffering in the world are the Old Souls sent by Ahura Mazda. Now the creatures are after a little girl destined to be an instrument of the light, and a special Old Soul named Zada has been appointed to keep her safe.” Zada’s Story is available now in paperback.
Monsters
Shape-SHIFT!
More we discovered at WonderCon: Author Lauren Jankowski and her Shapeshifter Chronicles series of urban dark fantasy books. Here’s the description of Sere From The Green, the first book in the series: “There is a race that lives among humans, unbeknownst to them, called shape shifters, those that can shift from human to animal at will. Many protect the innocent on Earth and act as the eyes and ears of the guardians, divine beings similar to gods in ancient myths. Isis is a woman who lives a normal life until the day she photographs a murder scene for her job. When the body disappears from her photographs, Isis is determined to solve the mystery. Her investigation uncovers answers about her own past and sets her on a journey that will change her life forever.” Visit the series web site to find out more.
Two for Survival
Fresh back from WonderCon in Anaheim, and there was so much interesting stuff to see there! Like… Chuck Grieb is an art instructor at Azusa Pacific University, but he worked for years in animation production as well. Now he’s expanded his resume to include “author” with his illustrated fantasy novel The Goblin Twins — the first book in his Garden Clan series. It features more than 100 black & white and full-color illustrations. “Running for their lives from an evil shaman, The Goblin Twins Bela and Vuto flee to the far side of the enchanted Thicket. But the shaman has not given up, and the Goblin Twins’ escape to the Faerie Garden Clans sparks a confrontation which could lead to a Goblin-Faerie war.” Check out the official web site to find out more, including the author’s other projects.
I Want A Monster To Be My Playmate
Something delightful from Clarion Books: The Pebble and Wren graphic novel. “A little girl and her live-in monster learn about what makes them different — and what unites them. This graphic novel is a silly, sweet, and sometimes gross tribute to friendship, and to the wacky world we live in. Based on his webcomic of the same name, Pebble and Wren by Chris Hallbeck follows human girl Wren and her live-in monster, Pebble, as she teaches them all about how the human world works — from why the moon changes shape to why we don’t eat candy wrappers — while trying to unlock special abilities without which Pebble will have to return to the monster forest.” Find out what happens next.
Cats. Do You Trust’em?
We missed the Hairball horror mini-series last year, but now Dark Horse have released issues #1 – #4 in a very special single-volume collection. “A young girl with a black cat begins to suspect the innocuous beast is behind all her troubles: Her parents’ fighting, family plagues, and innumerable supernatural horrors. As she tries her best to rid herself of this creature, she discovers that maybe the cat is not evil after all and a greater terror may be behind these horrific events harming her life. Collects Hairball #1-#4 in a deluxe, hardcover die-cut format featuring faux cat fur.” Seriously, they did that. It’s written by Matt Kindt, with artwork by Tyler Jenkins and Hilary Jenkins.
Fantasy vs. Horror
There’s something so perfectly fannish about a comic book series called Unicorn Vampire Hunter. It’s written by Caleb Palmquist and illustrated by Daryl Toh. “A young woman named Jezebel moves to a magical marsh to live with her uncle, Seamus the Wizard and his puppies that never grow old. One day, Jezebel wanders into the dark forest and almost falls victim to a vampire. Luckily, her life is saved by a unicorn, who gores the vampire with his horn, killing it. Jezebel and her uncle welcome the unicorn into their family, but things are about to get dicey…” Find out how in this new series from Scout Comics.
They Bump Back For You
We love the first line of this description: “In a world where nightmares are more than just bad dreams, stuffies are the last line of defense against the things that go bump in the night. When Becky Burns experiences a great loss, a stuffie named Fenny is assigned to protect her. But Fenny soon realizes that she may be in over her head, and it may be more than just monsters that Becky is facing.” Keepsakers: Defenders of the Dark is a new black & white graphic novel written and illustrated by Tayson Martindale (the artist behind Thunderfrog). It’s available now in paperback from Invader Comics.
B*tches in the Backwoods
A different take on werewolf horror can be found in Lycan: Girl’s Night, a one-shot comic book from Band of Bards. “A rogue pack of werewolves has been on the run for centuries. After starting new lives in a sleepy Colorado community, living undetected among humans, their enemies have finally tracked them down. Their idyllic suburban lives were a dream, but sometimes you can never escape your past, no matter how hard you try. These women wanted peace, but their tormentors won’t let them be. See what happens when they unleash their long suppressed might.” It’s available now, with a story by C.J. Hudson and art by Mary Landro. This town better legalize Awoo.
Eldritch and Endearing
Sometimes we can’t believe the stuff we get to write about here… Things like The Adventures of Cthulhu Jr. and Friends, a new “all ages” graphic novel from Source Point Press. “A wannabe supervillain has to capture the son of Cthulhu (who just happened to move in across the street for the summer) in order to be admitted into the League of E.V.I.L. Hilarity, hijinks, and, yes, even a little (all-ages appropriate) horror ensues as the ‘dastardly’ villain starts to realize that perhaps his priorities are misaligned… unlike the stars, which are entering their proper alignment for the return of The Great Evil One!” Told you. It’s available now, written by Dirk Manning, with art by Scoot McMahon and Sean Burres. Oh, and there’s a Cthulhu Jr. plushie available too!