Tag Archives: military horror

Editing, publishing, Ramblings, Reading, SNAFU

A LITTLE BIT OF SPRUCING AND A TOUCH OF CONTAGION

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<<clears out cobwebs; side-eyes spiders as they pack their bags in a huff (that squeal wasn’t me, I swear…)>>

<<dusts bookshelves, trying not to summon demons (it’s touch and go)>>

<<taps mic, winces at feedback, *sighs*, assesses life choices>>

<<TAKE TWO!! (Shh, that other post was a figment of your imagination…)>>

Well, it’s been a while, folks. Had a crazy-busy year with much happening on the home and work front. Also, how is it almost October already? Someone is most definitely stealing my days (months, they’re stealing my months.)

As someone who is particularly shite at social media, this was one of the easiest things to let slide this past year (gotta say, it did wonders for my stress levels, but that’s a post for another day). That being said, I’ve put on my big-girl pants because SNAFU: Contagion from Cohesion Press is coming out at the end of next month, and I’m immensely proud of the authors and the stories within… not that we’ve trapped the authors inside the pages – I’m pretty sure that’s illegal (and I don’t have the right alchemy).

It’s been quite the ride to get to this point, more so this time around as we had to factor in audio-processing time, and with a slush pile that was filled with plethora of incredible stories, it had the decision-making process one of the most difficult in the SNAFU series to date.

(Oooh, look! Shiny new cover! Like, the right one this time. Shh. It’s been a long day…)

This is reflected in the size of the tome. SNAFU: Contagion is packed with eighteen stories, coming out at over a whopping 400 pages. Yep, you read that right. Over. Four. Hundred. Pages. This baby packs a punch! (And much pew pew pew!)

This is the biggest SNAFU of Cohesion’s flagship series since inception, and we’re extremely chuffed to have a Joe Ledger Adventure Tale from the esteemed Jonathan Maberry, that features the one-and-only Mr Church, and the kick-arse Grace Courtland. Alongside this novella, are amazing stories from authors around the world: Australia, Germany, US, UK, Belgium, India… it truly is global.

In the lead-up to release, we’re going to Author Spotlight our amazing writers so you can get to know them a little better, see what they’re up to on the writerly-front, and have them give you a little somethin’ somethin’ about the SNAFU tale they penned for us. Without our authors, there is no book, and we can’t thank them enough for entrusting their stories to us, and allowing us to present them to you all.

So, starting in October, this blog will get quite the work-out as we introduce you to some new names while getting you reacquainted with a few of our stalwarts.

You can pre-order SNAFU: Contagion here, and if you’re not familiar with the series and want to see what it’s all about, you can go to Cohesion Press’ website, and sign-up for the newsletter (we will not spam you, we understand how that can suck), and you’ll get a free copy of SNAFU: Comms, which is only available on sign-up. No pressure, of course. But… free book!

With that out of the way, all I can say is that with SNAFU: Contagion, you’re in for a hell of a ride. So, lace up your combat boots, prime your weapons, make sure your gas masks are secure and sealed…

…We’re about to breach…

Editing, publishing, Ramblings, SNAFU

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: JAMES A MOORE

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And here we are! The last in our SNAFU: PUNK’D author spotlight. Tomorrow is THE. DAY. this edition goes live. We’ve cranked the juice, and will be electrifying this baby to life… not the author, the book. THE. BOOK. I swear.

So, settle in to learn you some stuff for the storyteller rounding out author spotlight for SNAFU: PUNK’D. The very kind sir that is JAMES A MOORE!

James A Moore is a best-selling fantasy and horror author. He has been nominated for the Bram Stoker award four times and won the Shirley Jackson Award with Christopher Golden, for editing The Twisted Book of Shadows anthology. He has written novels for the Aliens franchise, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Predator, in addition to writing extensively for the award winning World of Darkness roleplaying games and for Marvel Comics. His original fiction includes the Blood Red series of vampire novels, the Serenity Falls Trilogy with his recurring anti-hero the immortal Jonathan Crowley, the critically acclaimed Seven Forges series of fantasy novels and the grimdark Tides of War trilogy and, with Charles Rutledge, the Griffin & Price series of crime-horror novels, along with multiple standalone novels, including the Lovecraftian Deeper, and weird western Boomtown. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association, where he was both secretary and vice-president for multiple terms, the International Association of Media Tie- In Writers, the International Thriller Writers Association and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. He is the author of over forty novel-length works in horror, fantasy, science fiction, crime and westerns. He writes for adults and young adults.

Jim’s authorly sacrifice for SNAFU: PUNK’D is INFERNAL ENGINES: Who hunts the Hunter?

You can find Jim on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.a.moore1/

Jim has just finished work on his latest novel. KORIGAN GRIMN: WARLORD, which is the first in a new series, THE FORGOTTEN. 

Editing, publishing, Ramblings, SNAFU

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – KIRSTEN CROSS

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Not long now! That’s right, SNAFU: PUNK’D is just days away from publication, which means we’re closing in on the last of author spotlights. We at Cohesion Press have snagged many a great author here for this edition, and we wanted to give you a gander at abyssal imaginings of our storytellers, a pimp of their tales, and to shoo you over to their other authorly shenanigans.

If you’d just follow us down to the dungeon… er, I mean, the green room… you can find our next author for SNAFU: PUNK’D: KIRSTEN CROSS!

Kirsten (Kes) Cross has reached her fifth decade and hasn’t quite worked out how the hell that even happened yet. She spends her days in a little cottage on Exmoor in Devon with roses around the door (no, really) writing web content to pay the bills while she builds up a bespoke jewellery business.

In between, she writes the occasional scary-as-all-heck stuff and has been a regular contributor to SNAFU from the very first outing. Her story, Sucker of Souls was included in the Emmy award-winning Love, Death & Robots. Again, seriously, no idea how that happened. It was fun being sprinkled by a bit of Hollywood magic for a while, though.

When not writing or making shiny things, she spends the rest of her time travelling around the country on her beloved British Army Armstrong motorcycle, occasionally stopping and pointing at the scenery for no apparent reason.

Kes’ latest offering in SNAFU: PUNK’D is BROKEN SOULS OF THE EMPTY SPACE:  a steampunk extravaganza complete with dirigibles (briefly, they don’t half go bang easily…), cigar-smoking centaurs, and Stonehenge. Sometimes, it’s hard to know who the real monsters are…

You can find Kes on Facebook, over at Instagram if you like shiny things, and on Amazon if you like wordy things.

Keep an eye out for Trading Bullets With The Devil, her first novella created in cahoots with the insanely talented Mark Steensland, coming soon from Cemetery Dance.

Editing, publishing, Ramblings, Reading, SNAFU

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: AMANDA BRIDGEMAN

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SNAFU: PUNK’D is powering toward publication at the end of October, so we at Cohesion Press are launching our authors into the sphere (not literally, that’s surely illegal) via an author spotlight that takes you on a trip (ne’er truer words spoken…) into their imaginariums (please mind the step), a tease of their story, and their other authorly shenanigans.

If you’ll come this way…

On your left, behind the plexiglass, you’ll find the ninth author in this SNAFU: PUNK’D spotlight: AMANDA BRIDGEMAN!

Amanda is a two-time Scribe Award winner, a two-time Tin Duck Award winner, an Aurealis and Ditmar Awards finalist, and author of several novels and short stories. She is also a screenwriter. Her original fiction includes the sci-fi crime thriller The Subjugate, which is being developed for TV by Anonymous Content and Aquarius Films, and is being studied at two German Universities (Düsseldorf and Cologne) as part of a program on Australian speculative fiction, in conjunction with the Centre for Australian Studies. Amanda’s media tie-in fiction includes that written for Marvel (X-Men), Black Library (Warhammer 40k), and Z-Man Games (Pandemic).

For this edition of SNAFU, Amanda has taken us on a hell of a cyberpunk ride with her tale ROGUE T.R.A.I.N: A specialist military unit must stop a deadly AI-controlled runaway train before it hits the city, but they aren’t the only ones on board… 

You can find Amanda on her socials below:  

Twitter: @Bridgeman_Books / Twitter

Instagram: @bridgeman_books • Instagram

Facebook: Amanda Bridgeman | Facebook

Threads: @Bridgeman_Books

Blue Sky Social: @amandabridgeman.bsky.social

If you’re wanting to read more of Amanda’s work (and you should!), check this out:

The Spud Compton novella trilogy (The Darkest Cargo, The Deepest Jungle, The Deftest Deceit) is out now. Best described as Firefly meets Alien with a touch of Predator, these are short, fun, action-packed reads.

Spud Compton #1 – The Darkest Cargo – Amanda Bridgeman

Editing, publishing, Ramblings, Reading, SNAFU

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: DAVID W. AMENDOLA

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As Cohesion Press edges ever-closer to the release of SNAFU: PUNK’D at the end of October, we are on a mission of regalia for our authors and the tales of the fantastique they’ve created. Which basically translates to promotion time for all of our storytellers with an author spotlight that gives insight into their imaginariums (back away sloooowly), and a tease of their story.

Let’s get to it!

Please give a hearty welcome to our eighth author in this SNAFU: PUNK’D spotlight… DAVID AMENDOLA!

David W. Amendola has been a pulp fiction fan and epic history nerd since his teens, and his stories combine both. He writes science-fiction, fantasy, horror, westerns, military adventure, mystery, and mashups of all these genres. He also occasionally writes about non-fiction topics such as family genealogy, history, and numismatics. He has a Bachelor of Arts in World Military History and a Graduate Certificate in World War II Studies, both from American Military University. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 21 years. 

Six of his short stories have been featured in SNAFU anthologies and one, The Secret War, was adapted into a feature for the first season of the Emmy-winning Netflix animated series Love, Death + Robots. 

For this edition of SNAFU, David has meshed together a cyberpunk tale with BRAINJACKED: A cyborg team is sent by the U.S. Space Force to retrieve a crashed satellite. Bounce in, secure the wreckage, and bounce out before anybody knows they’re there. Piece of cake. Until they get brainjacked… 

You can find David at his website:  http://dwamendola.wix.com/authoramendola

Editing, publishing, Ramblings, Reading, SNAFU, Writing

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – CJ GOLDBERG

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The release of SNAFU: PUNK’D is stalking with very little stealth toward the world, and we at Cohesion Press are getting the stage lights all set up for our authors and the tales they’ve forged for this edition. Which means it’s promotion time for all of our storytellers with an author spotlight that gives insight into their imaginariums (use the stealth when approaching, my friends), and a tease of their story. Buckle up!

For our sixth instalment of the SNAFU author spotlight, put your claws together for CJ GOLDBERG!

As a kid, C.J. spent his days exploring the Montana woods, reading horror, and watching scary movies. He soon discovered that storytelling was his passion.

After graduating from The University of Montana with a degree in Acting, C.J. worked as a professional poker dealer for 14 years in Montana bars. During that time, he never gave up on his dream of becoming a horror author. He studied writing craft extensively through books, courses, and workshops, and in 2017 he moved to Glasgow, Scotland while his wife attended graduate school. This allowed him to focus full-time on his writing career.

He now lives in Petaluma, California, with his wife and two kids where, when not changing diapers, he is writing his debut novel, a cosmic horror story set in a remote Montana town.

Cohesion Press is chuffed to bits that we will be presenting to the world CJ’s first published story.  For SNAFU: PUNK’D, CJ has dipped his hands into all that is bio-punk with FACTORY OF FEAR: A mercenary and her team search for her team search for her missing brother in a monster-infested bio-factory.

You can find CJ on Bluesky: CJWritesHorror.bsky.social

Cool stuff, Editing, publishing, Ramblings, Reading, SNAFU

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – TORION OEY

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As we edge ever-closer to the release of SNAFU: PUNK’D (woot!), we at Cohesion Press are all about the shouting and the kudos of our authors and the tales they’ve spawned for this edition. Which mean we’ll be promoting the hell out of all our storytellers with an author spotlight that gives insight into their imaginariums (holy forking shirtballs), a tease of their story, and also promotes their other writerly mischiefs as well. Let’s do this!

Buckle up for our fifth instalment of the SNAFU author spotlight, and give a rowdy welcome to TORION OEY!

Torion holds a BA in psychology and creative writing and an MS in psychology. He has written every year for National Novel Writing Month since 2014 and self-published the mystery Loco Motive and high fantasy Not James on Amazon. He is an SFWA member and has had works featured in Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, Expanded Field Journal, and NonBinary Review.

For this edition of SNAFU, Torion has fanned the flames of firepunk with his tale, OUT OF THE FRYING PAN: A pyromaniac drags a city into a night of turmoil and domestic terrorism when he targets the heads of several big businesses.

You can find Torion online in the links below:

Facebook: Torion Oey https://www.facebook.com/torion.oey/

Instagram: @torionloco https://www.instagram.com/torionloco/?hl=en

Twitter: @torion_oey https://twitter.com/torion_oey?lang=en

Torion has two novels available on Amazon: the first, Loco Motive, is a historical mystery and was self-published in 2019; and the second, Not James, is a high fantasy and was self-published in 2022. The latter book received a positive Kirkus Review which you can read here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/torion-oey/not-james/

Cool stuff, Editing, publishing, Ramblings, Reading, SNAFU

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – ZACHARY O’SHEA

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The release of SNAFU: PUNK’D is just weeks away (I’m excited!), and we at Cohesion Press are wanting to celebrate the authors and the tales they’ve created for this edition. So, we’ll be promoting all of our storytellers with an author spotlight that gives insight into their imaginariums (take a flashlight, it’s dark in there), a tease of their story, and also promotes their other writerly works as well. Let’s go!

Huge shout-out to the fourth author in this promotional party… ZACHARY O’SHEA!

Zachary O’Shea lives sometimes in the Land of Neon Sunrises and other times in the Great White North. There’s something about the stark differences between the American Southwest and Northern Ontario that he can’t resist. Spoiler; it’s his wife. He has spent his life telling stories from absurd coloring book creations as a child to a lifelong passion for game-mastering role-playing games, and occasionally dipping a toe into short horror fiction. When he’s not writing, which is honestly rare, Zachary is spending time with his family, running a role-playing game session, or blowing off some steam in an MMO. Though, he’s usually writing something in stolen moments even in between all of this. 

For this hell of a SNAFU tome, Zac has brought to life (from much death) a clockwork tale with a monster from the depths of time.

THE REFORGED MAN: Brought low by dishonor, reforged with spite and steel, Goro fights the corrupt system that ripped everything away from him. The vengeful ronin has stumbled upon the shogun’s vile plot to unleash a kaiju against his rivals, a plan already in motion. Goro, along with old allies, must stop this strange beast or die trying.

You can find Zac online in the links below:

Personal Website: https://www.zacharyoshea.com

Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/boxofteethrpg/
Mastadon: https://dice.camp/@Boxofteeth
Tiktok: boxofteethrpg
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/boxofteethrpg-blog
Twitter: @boxofteeth

And should you want more of Zac’s work, check this out:

Grease Paint: Crimson Threads #1 is out now.  Grease Paint is a modern take on the classic slasher story set in a horror, urban fantasy setting. Psychopomps: Crimson Threads 2 is coming soon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQH4JJVY

Editing, publishing, Ramblings, SNAFU, Writing

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – MYNA CHANG

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With SNAFU: PUNK’D just weeks away from publication, we at Cohesion Press want to rave about our authors and the tales they’ve penned.  We’ll be promoting all of our storytellers with an author spotlight that gives insight into their imaginariums (be afraid), a tease of their story, and promotes their other writerly works as well.

So, without further ado, let’s roll out the red carpet for our third author in this promotional party… MYNA CHANG!

Myna Chang (she/her) is the host of Electric Sheep SF. Her work has been selected for Flash Fiction America (W.W. Norton), Best Small Fictions, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Small Wonders, Daily Science Fiction, and MicroPodcast’s special science fiction edition. Her micro collection, The Potential of Radio and Rain (CutBank Books) was published in 2023. She has won the Lascaux Prize in Creative Nonfiction and the New Millennium Writings Award in Flash Fiction.

For this editon of SNAFU, Myna has delved into the dark arts of biopunk (yay! Ahem, as you were…), with her story, SITUATION NORMAL: Neuro-linked retrieval specialist Jenna Jones and her canine partner are assigned to rescue a scientist from a secret research facility. Turns out he’s stupid and the building is covered in alien snot, so, you know, another ordinary day.

You can find Myna online in the links below:

Website: https://mynachang.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MynaChang

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mynachang.bsky.social

And here’s a little sumpin’-sumpin’ about Myna’s micro collection that you should definitely check out:

The Potential of Radio and Rain is an award-winning collection of micro fiction by American author Myna Chang. Set in the unforgiving landscape of the shortgrass prairie, these stories explore youth and mortality, love and yearning, through characters who are stubborn and quirky – and ultimately, filled with hope. Released in February 2023, the collection is now in its second printing. Available from CutBank Books.

publishing, Ramblings, SNAFU, Writing

SNAFU: PUNK’D AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT, MARK RENSHAW

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SNAFU: PUNK’D is just weeks away from publication, and we at Cohesion Press want to heap praise upon our authors and shout their names into the sphere. So… we’re gonna! We’ll be promoting all of our storytellers with an author spotlight that gives insight into their imaginariums (you will never be the same…), a tease of their story, and promotes their other writerly shenanigans as well.

For our second author in this promotional party… MARK RENSHAW, come on down!

Mark is a self-taught writer from a working-class background based in the north-west of the United Kingdom. By day he works in business software development; on weekends, he is a writer of prose, screenplays and produces the occasional short film. 

He has had two short stories, Fear and No Title published in An Eclectic Mix Vol 7, alongside several international competition winners. His sci-fi short story Automatic Drive was published in The Singularity50 anthology, while his short story Ragnarok was included in SNAFU: Resurrection published by Cohesion Press. He is currently working on his debut novel series, a sci-fi comedy trilogy called Cyborn. 

With his screenplay hat on, Mark won Best Short Screenplay at the 2022 Austin Film Festival. He’s also won Euroscript’s Screen Story competition, Shriekfest, and the Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship.  

Mark has written and produced several short films, including The Dollmaker, which has over 24 million views on YouTube, and a mini-series called So Dark. 

For SNAFU: Punk’d, Mark has stitched from both cyberpunk and mythos with his story, BATTLEBORG: A military cyborg who is the last line of resistance makes a final stand against mythical creatures that have enslaved Earth.

You can find Mark online in the links below:

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B0753H1VPV 

Website: www.mark-renshaw.com 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0719825/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/markyrenshaw 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-renshaw-559b8a21b/ 

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mark-renshaw.bsky.social 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m_w_renshaw/