4/28/26

My thumb is healed enough that I can type again, so today is going to be a busy day, spent playing catch-up for the writing time I missed Sunday and yesterday.

Somebody asked why I needed my left thumb to type, which seemed like an odd question. I guess most people don’t know, because it’s not something that ever occurred to me to talk about, but I never learned to type traditionally. I use the middle finger, index finger, and thumb on each hand — not exactly a two fingered typist, but certainly not the “official” way to type. I tested years ago for this method, and I scored 90 - 100 WPM, so i guess I’m doing okay. For years, I had to look at the keyboard while I did it, and then there was a good decade or so where I didn’t have to — I’d learned the key placement just by repetition. These days, with the cognitive decline that comes with age and a life spent on the edge, I find that I have to look at the keyboard again, or else I end up with a ton of typos.

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Izzy Von’s Died is out today in paperback. You can order it direct from her here. Folks, I’m telling you — this is a game-changer for zombie novels. Possibly more so than my own THE RISING. Don’t sleep on it.

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Forgot to mention yesterday, that Sunday’s newsletter went out on schedule. If it’s not in your inbox, you can read it here.

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Women In Horror Year: Day 24

Dear Laura by Gemma Amor

Paperback - eBook - Audiobook - Signed Paperback

Every year, on her birthday, Laura gets a letter from a stranger. That stranger claims to know the whereabouts of her missing friend Bobby, but there's a catch: he'll only tell her what he knows in exchange for something . . . personal.

So begins Laura's sordid relationship with her new penpal, built on a foundation of quid pro quo. Her quest for closure will push her to bizarre acts of humiliation and harm, yet no matter how hard she tries, she cannot escape her correspondent's demands. The letters keep coming, and as time passes, they have a profound effect on Laura.

From the author of Cruel Works of Nature comes a dark and twisted tale about obsession, guilt, and how far a person will go to put her ghosts to bed.

Contains mature themes.

Let’s start off by talking about the structure of this fantastic novella. It’s not quite epistolary, but letters and other forms of communication are woven through the narrative and text. The finished result makes for a frighteningly effective read that keeps the reader off balance and guessing while consistently ramping up their unease. Masterfully done, and particularly notable since this is one of Gemma’s earlier works. And even though it’s an earlier work, Gemma’s skill at depicting trauma and grief in a believable, unflinching manner, subtly sandwiched between beautiful, poetic prose is already on full display. A great introductory read if you haven’t yet tried her. Dear Laura is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. And you can get signed paperbacks as well.