Not every monster started as human.

In this anthology of eleven original tales - ten by DFW Writers' Workshop members - the undead are never quite expected. From sinister feline mummies to ravenous zombified cars and any and all things in-between, the living dead have returned from their graves, junkyards, and even the war torn skies to haunt the lands of the living. With stories horrific, funny, and weird, Strange Afterlives has a little something for everyone who has ever wondered what terrible secrets could be lurking in that rotting tree or broken toy.

Edited by former DFWWW board member and "a pretty cool guy (according to his mother)", A. Lee Martinez, STRANGE AFTERLIVES is available on Amazon for $0.99.

Buy it now see firsthand why you should join the workshop, if you haven't already.

Stories included in this anthology:

Mouse Trouble by A. Lee Martinez

After the Invasion by Russell C. Connor

Seated Woman with Child by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Roots by Brooke Fossey

The Late Mrs. Buttons by Sally Hamilton

An Undercover Haunting by Kristi Hutson

GImme Shelter by David C. Whiteman

01001110 by Nik Holman

The Runner by John Bartell

Night Witch by Shawn Scarber

The Scavenger Hunt by John Sanders Jr.

STRANGE AFTERLIVES will terrify and amuse. You may never look at a rusted automobile the same way again.

And be sure to join us any Wednesday night at 7:00 pm at The Simmons Center in Euless to see how DFWWW authors keep producing wonderful stories like the ones in this anthology.

I dialed in the local college radio station the other day as I made my way down a Texas country road. A singer with a twang crooned Baby I’m your man.  For a few beats I sang along, and even allowed for the audacious fantasy of repeating those words in a honky-tonk to a big-haired, big-eyed blonde, then leading her to the dance floor. One hour of boot scooting and then five years later, we’d look back on that night with fond memories, eternally blissful in our newfound relationship.

The reality, of course, is that she’d be much more likely to empty her drink in my face or, worse yet, simply laugh and saunter away. Which is why I don’t generally go around strutting my stuff and puffing out my feathers. But as writers, this is what we need to do. We need to shout Baby I’m your writer from every mountaintop.

For some of us, this comes easy. For others, and I suspect it’s a majority of us, this is not a natural thing to do. It’s important, though. If a novel falls in the woods and nobody is there to catch it, to read it, to dig their feet in the sand, and put the book down because they don’t want it to end just yet, was it ever actually written?

Well, yes, it was written. That’s a stupid question. Of course it was written. Somebody, maybe you, spent months, maybe years, throwing words on paper, taking them off, then putting them back. Crafting a work of art. Moving characters in and out of trouble. But if nobody is ever going to know about it, why bother?

So, write, then write some more, then a little more and once you have something worth reading, get out there, on every street corner, and shout your message. Send out queries. Join a writer’s group, tell people what you’ve written, make contacts, attend conferences, hobnob with agents and editors. Talk to other writers, the ones who’ve made it and those who are still running up that hill. Use social media. Get the word out.

You’ll get knocked down. Many times. But dust yourself off, slip your spurs back on, hop back on that horse of yours, and head off into the woods, shouting Baby I’m your writer. Perseverance, my friend. It will pay off. Just make sure people have heard of you, and what you’ve written.

-- John Bartell, DFWWW Member since 2009

photo credit: alphadesigner

Sanitarium has published yet another DFWWW member, and we couldn't be prouder.

John Bartell hit the virtual newsstands in December for the 4th issue of this literary horror magazine.  His piece is entitled Nothing, but don't let the name fool you.  It's definitely something, and you can purchase it by clicking the cover.  Be sure to check out his biography under "Contributors".  It's classic Bartell.

And it's never too late to patronize the magazine's back issues.  You'll still find Russell Connor's and Kyle White's stories in Issue #2 and #3, respectively.