Celebrate the release of Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut, a novel about a state-sponsored gigolo. To enter, visit the official MySpace page of author John Edward Lawson and post a pickup line in his comments section. And remember folks: "Don't hate a player, play a hater."

Rules—Visit www.myspace.com/hellmonger Scroll down to the bottom of the page and post your pickup line in the comments section.-All entries will be compiled into a free downloadable eBook titled How to Be A Gigolo: A Practical Guide, available from www.JohnLawson.org after the winners have been announced.
-Only one entry per person. You just get one chance to make a first impression, so use your best line!
-Submissions will be accepted through February 13. The best Gigolos will be announced on Valentine's Day. Gigolos will be gigolos 24/7.

Prizes—First Place: a signed copy of Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut, a character in the sequel named after them, a signed copy of Bust Down the Door and Eat All The Chickens, and a signed/numbered copy of the out-of-print edition of Jeremy Robert Johnson's Angel Dust Apocalypse.
Second Place: a signed copy of Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut, a character in the sequel named after them, a signed copy of Bust Down the Door and Eat All The Chickens.
Third Place: signed copy of Last Burn in Hell: Director's Cut, a character in the sequel named after them.

Be sure to stop in and check www.myspace.com/hellmonger on February 14 to see if you won!

Here's a taste of Ronald Damien Malfi's novel Via Dolorosa due out at the end of January.

January 4 at 7:00 p.m. EST
D. Harlan Wilson will make an appearance in Second Life (an online 3D digital world) at Verum's Place under the Second Life name of Doctor Yap to discuss the upcoming release of his novel Dr. Identity.

January 15 at 10 p.m. EST
Online book release party for
Last Burn in Hell: Director’s Cut
chat with John Edward Lawson http://lostdamned.com/board/

Bradley Sands was the winner with his short but sweet epitaph: "Hide and Seek Champion." That means issue #10 will be dedicated to him. Look for it near the end of March and in the meantime check out the rest of the great entries on Bare Bone's MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/bareboneantho.

The Troublesome Amputee: Scarred Edition

The Dream People, A Journal of Bizarro Texts, is looking for reviewers. If you are interested in doing reviews contact stanleyashenbach@yahoo.com

Warner's novel Eyes Everywhere was a summer hit for RDSP. We asked him a few questions about the book itself and the readers' response to it.

Can you tell us your inspiration for Eyes Everywhere?
It was a variety of things, but mainly it came from my own experiences as an assistant at a large DC law firm and from some fascinating reading into the symptoms of schizophrenia. As many writers will tell you, a story often doesn’t just come from a single idea but from a confluence of ideas. They continue to come while you’re writing so that the story grows organically.

There are a number of references to 9/11 in the book. How much of an influence was it on the creation of this story?
9/11 had some bearing, but that wasn’t what it was about. Eyes Everywhere takes place during those first couple of years after 9/11, when I felt that the paranoia and tension in DC was especially rampant. The law firm where I worked—the basis of the firm in the book—periodically held “containment” or “stay put” drills in which we were supposed to put on these useless painter’s masks and hide out in a room without any outside ventilation. This, and the red-white-and-blue pen lights they gave us, were supposed to protect us in the event of a chemical weapons attack. When the story begins, Charlie Fields is working in this environment, and the general paranoia of the area eventually rubs off on him personally.

You often speak to children at public schools and libraries. What’s the benefit of talking to children who might be too young to read your book?
There are several benefits—first, I’m passing on my love of reading, which is a great thing for them. Becoming readers is going to enrich these kids’ lives immeasurably. And indirectly, it helps my career because I’m indoctrinating them early; people who love to read love to buy books. Mainly, though, I think I’m discovering that I’m a teacher at heart. I enjoy educating people, especially kids, because it helps make the world a better place.

How have children responded to you?
They loved it, and I have an absence of scars to prove it! During a recent visit to a school in North Carolina, one child, a wheelchair-bound student with cerebral palsy, especially seemed to enjoy my talk because he was giggling and contributing to the discussion, especially when I mentioned his favorite movie, “Monster House.” I found out later that this was somewhat of a breakthrough for him and for the adults who’d been working with him. Hearing that really made the trip worthwhile.

Why is Eyes Everywhere a horror novel, and what is it trying to accomplish?
The purpose of the best horror stories is to illuminate some dark part of your psyche or environment and to empower you to deal with it. It’s my hope through Eyes Everywhere that people might have a greater understanding of and sympathy for people who suffer from mental illness. Aside from that, I hope people will come away a little creeped-out—but that’s always been what’s fun about writing horror. Judging by the book reviews, I think I’ve succeeded.