Mort, I'll keep a look out for those other titles next time i'm in town, are they on the Leisure horror label? As for switching musical instruments, i do that myself, the only thing is i still have dreams of becoming a virtuoso on each one ! piano, electric guitar and classical guitar. The truth is i just want to be a good musician, It's hard to put the time in, but there's no other way.

Yeah, know what you mean. Do play harmonica with guitar or banjo, and do frequently switch in a song from mandolin to banjo or electric violin, but I'm lucky: when I'm performing, I usually have Mike Baker on standup or electric bass and Chuck Niebling on vocals and guitar--and real lucky when we have Zane, Mike's son, on hand drums and/or trap set. Bunch of good musicians can cover all kinds of Mort mistakes.

You can hear the above plus the Original Driftin' Drill Bits and Sister Betsy on the CD BUCKEYE JIM IN EGYPT, which can be bought from Lone Wolf Audio or Matt Schwartz's SHOCKLINES.COM. I'm proud of that one.

NATIONS OF THE LIVING is not yet a Leisure Book, but I'm sure Don D'Auria will soon decide he needs it. Thing is, Don always wants to give me too much money for stuff--and damn it, if he hands me 8 or 9 figures, you know, he can't publish lots of stuff by other people. I don't want to deny people lots of Leisure horror, but it is difficult for me to find a way to be gracious in turning down the wealth Leisure wants me to have.

For now, though, you can get the book through PRIME BOOKS, the publisher, or shocklines--hardcover, but so beautifully done it will likely outlast me, or softcover.

Thanks for being a Mal Pal by mail.

Best

Mort

65 Tue February 25 2003 - 12:52:10
Fullname: Mal
Email:
Comments: Mort, I'll keep a look out for those other titles next time i'm in town, are they on the Leisure horror label? As for switching musical instruments, i do that myself, the only thing is i still have dreams of becoming a virtuoso on each one ! piano, electric guitar and classical guitar. The truth is i just want to be a good musician, It's hard to put the time in, but there's no other way.

66 Tue February 25 2003 - 04:19:26
Fullname: Mort
Email:
Comments: Hey, Mal,

Thanks for the good words on MOON. Truth: I love that book, counting it a work that does what I hoped it would from start to finish.

I'm pleased, too, with NATIONS OF THE LIVING, NATIONS OF THE DEAD, but MOON is a book literally written for "every hung up person in the whole wide universe," mainly 'cause that's an army I march in, and so it's very special to me.

As for the banjo, yeah, when I've been playing regularly, I'm not bad, though I doubt Bela Fleck is getting fearful. These days I'm mostly sawing away of electric violin, however: I find if I do a song or two on an instrument and then move on, nobody notices I'm not a virtuoso on any one of 'em.

Thanks again for letting me hear from you.

Best,

Mort

67 Sun February 23 2003 - 22:39:14
Fullname: Mal
Email:
Comments: I have been reading Moon on the Water, i have quite a few story collections, yours ranks as one of the very best i've read. Hope your banjo playing's near as good.

68 Tue January 21 2003 - 19:25:10
Fullname: Chad
Email: csmith@woh.rr.com
Comments: Mort,
THE STRANGERS reminds me of a Richard Laymon book in some ways, now that I think about it. But at the time I read it, I hadn't read any Laymon at all yet. I didn't start reading Richard Laymon until Leisure started reissuing some of his later titles. I found and read THE WOODS ARE DARK a couple years ago and loved it, but I couldn't find any more of his stuff around my hometown. Now I'm a collector.

I picked up a copy of MOON ON THE WATER, a few days ago, and I tore right into it. I'm very impressed by all the stories, most nobably "Buckeye Jim in Egypt." A masterpiece. I loved it. "Bird's Dead" reminded me, if only in spirit, of "Black Country" by Charles Beaumont, another beauty.

Most of all, buying your collection reminded me of the story "The Old Man and the Dead", which I read years ago in one of the Skipp/Spector zombie anthologies. I thought it was the best story of its particualr volume. I'm glad you included it in this collection as well, as it will give me a good excuse to read it again.

I'm really hoping to make it to the WHC. Looks like I'll be driving if I go. I'll bring what I have of yours along if I do.

Chad L. Smith

69 Fri January 17 2003 - 22:48:34
Fullname: Mort
Email:
Comments: Hey, Chad,

Thanks for writing.

David is simply one of the best writers out there. I admire him tremendously. If you've not read his collection BLACK EVENING, it's a must--and I am damned if I know why FIRST BLOOD was not NATIONAL BOOK AWARD or Pulitzer contender. It is a masterwork, up there with Robert Stone's DOG SOLDIERS and Ketchum's RED.

Thanks for the nice words on STRANGERS, which some people think my most frightening and/or intense book.

That book and CURSED BE THE CHILD will be out in new "author approved" editions from OVERLOOK CONNECTION/INFINITY--with Publisher Dave Hinchbirger hoping to debut 'em at WORLD HORROR.

Look forward to meeting you if you can be there and thank you for your interest in my work.

Best,

Mort


70 Thu January 16 2003 - 12:14:10
Fullname: Chad
Email: csmith@woh.rr.com
Comments: I read your books too, Mort. I have a first edition paperback of THE STRANGERS and I remember it as a dark, disturbing ride. I just saw your latest collection from Leisure books on the shelves at my local bookstore, and I mean to pick it up on my next visit.
I might be at WHC this year, too.

71 Thu January 16 2003 - 12:09:13
Fullname: Chad
Email: csmith@woh.rr.com
Comments: I noticed you mentioned David Morrell's book TESTAMENT in comparison with Ketchum's RED. And here I thought I was the only one around who read Morrell. I guess I'm not alone. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on by David Morrell since I read his short story "Orange Is For Anguish, Blue Is For Insanity" in Douglas Winter's excellent anthology PRIME EVIL. David is a true master of suspense. I dare anyone to pick up TESTAMENT or BLOOD OATH and not finish it in a single sitting.
And oh, he created John Rambo, too. And the novel FIRST BLOOD makes the movie look like a joke.

72 Sat December 07 2002 - 14:43:58
Fullname: Mort
Email:
Comments: Clinton Moore wrote: Comments: Mort, just picked up a copy of Moon on the Water yesterday and have read the first couple of stories..I am really impressed so far. It's hard to find short stories in the horror/suspense genre that are nothing more than cliche's or horror movie rip off's, but all of your stories so far have delivered. I picked up the book because of the blurb by Ketchum, who to my mind is one of the top five horror writers in the world.

I concur fully with your praise of Jack Ketchum: his short novel RED is absolutely masterful, "moral and intelligent" fiction that ought to be known outside the sometimes sadly limited "horror genre": it can stand with Robert Stone's DOG SOLDIERS and David Morrel's TESTAMENT--and that is serious praise.

Cliches and horror film rip-offs? Nah, I hope not. I don't accept retreads and no-brain non thinks from my students at any level, currently high school through grad school, and I'd be some kind of bs artist to demand more from them than I do of myself.

I'd be remiss in not plugging my own stuff, so, if you like Buckeye Jim in the collection you're reading, you might also like the related CD and its music, dramatizations, sfx, etc.: BUCKEYE JIM IN EGYPT: AN AMERICAN AUDIO JOURNEY.

My new collection, NATIONS OF THE LIVING, NATIONS OF THE DEAD, is out in trade paper and hardcover editions from Prime Books. I'm pleased with it. The book includes the short story "Disappearances," getting some serious Stoker consideration and the Stoker nominated "I am your Need," which I consider one of my better pieces.

& because Matt S who runs the enterprise is a serious horror enthusiast, I recommend that anyone wishes to purchase this stuff and other horror related writing, art, etc. go to his www.shocklines.com.

Best,

Mort

PS. Did I hear you live in MO? If so, will I get a chance to meet you at the upcoming World Horror Con in Kansas City?


73 Fri November 29 2002 - 03:04:19
Fullname: Clinton Moore
Email: skfanatic@hotmail.com
Comments: Mort, just picked up a copy of Moon on the Water yesterday and have read the first couple of stories..I am really impressed so far. It's hard to find short stories in the horror/suspense genre that are nothing more than cliche's or horror movie rip off's, but all of your stories so far have delivered. I picked up the book because of the blurb by Ketchum, who to my mind is one of the top five horror writers in the world.

74 Thu November 14 2002 - 09:03:36
Fullname: Tim L.
Email: ..
Comments: Hey, where has J.N. Williamson been? This is the first year in a while that we apparently aren't going to see a novel by him. Is he no longer with Leisure? I know the Masques reprints are coming out, but I really, really love his books. You two seem to be close so I thought maybe you had some inside info.

Thanks in advance,

TL

75 Thu November 14 2002 - 08:33:13
Fullname: Mort
Email:
Comments: Darkomick writes:

Comments: Mort, in the book Writing Horror, I noticed two or three essays missing. That a misprint or is this done deliberately? Kinda curious. Still informative though.

Glad you like the book, but sorry, you definitely have a botched print edition.

Strange, but happens. The other day I picked up a copy of December issue of THE WRITER (with my article "The Comics Grow Up"): the first 14 pages of it were missing. Same with the other two copies at that store.

Glad I don't have the paranoia thing or I'd be seeing a conspiracy here.

Tell Mr. Bookstore to set things right for you. I like all that book heaps and you're entitled to read it all for your dollars.

Best,

Mort