Six Hundred Sixty Six Bottles of Blood on the Wall: Happy Halloween! Part 1: The Idea

 

Sooooooooo once again comes the question: Where have I been?  How was Killercon?  How was your reading?  Well, I’m going to try and lay it out for you in a hurry so that I can make way for a little Halloween treat that me and Stu cooked up.

 

A few people have asked me if I’m still writing for HT and what I’ve been up to.  Why I never posted about actually going to Killercon, etc.

 

First off, Killercon was awesome.  I would recommend it to everyone.  Life permitting, I’ll go every year until I’m dead. I met some awesome people and learned some great stuff.  Most importantly I had a lot of fun.  The reading was great.  I read my story “Cigarettes and Murder” in front of about 8 people.  I think one of them was Robert Devereaux.  That’s pretty cool.  I also got a nice compliment from Christine Morgan.  She’s awesome.  Remember her name.

 

Where have I been?

 

The short answer is that I’m insanely busy.  I know this is a cop out and this is what everyone says, but it’s true.  I’m having real trouble finishing stories, editing them and making deadlines.  I have even more trouble telling people no.  I’m getting to the point where people are asking me to read and critique their stories, collaborate, contribute, blog etc.  And I want help everyone and I want to get along with everyone and I have real trouble saying no.  And I’m glad. It’s led to some really cool shit.   But I’ve broken some promises too; blown some stories and opportunities, and I feel bad about that.

 

I’ve also been through some eye opening events in the last couple of months.  I lost my job for a while when the government shutdown.  Nothing like getting blindsided after five days of gambling, drinking, and partying in Vegas and not having a job to come home to.

 

Lesson learned.

 

I wasn’t scared about where my next meal would come from, but had it lasted a little longer, I may have been.  I got absolutely demolished in my bet with Kevin Bufton, penning about 10,000 words instead of the 50,000 we bet on.  I got dumped.  It hurt.  It wasn’t a good month.

 

I spent a lot of September and October recovering and dealing with a lot of this.  I did it through a break from writing.  I do believe writing is therapy, but I also think that some combination of all of these things brought me to a kind of crossroads.   I still don’t have it figured out, but I’m trying to be a little less hard on myself about deadlines, word counts, productivity etc.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not giving myself a license to be lazy, and no way I’m throwing in the towel, but I’m trying to be a little more realistic and I’m no longer going to feel so bad or get down on myself if I play a couple hours of Xbox or watch a movie to recharge myself.

 

This whole thing is a grind, a journey and I love it, EVEN WHEN IT HURTS.  I learn something new at every turn.  I don’t have it figured out and once I do, my plans, perspective, the market, my opportunities, something will change.  It’s evolution, always has been, always will be, and I’m just now starting to realize that.

 

So what does this all mean for me and 666 Bottles of Blood on the Wall?  It means that I’m still going to be here, just not quite so often.  I think I’ve got it worked out with HT to be around monthly, or when I’ve got something to say (which could possibly be often haha) instead of weekly.  Several cool/weird/awkward/interesting things have happened that I’d love to comment on, I just can’t commit to doing it so often at this point.

 

A couple others have joined up with the team, so you’ll still be in good hands.

 

I ain’t going far, not at all, but I want to thank Stu, HT, and everyone who’s read 666BOBOTW.  I’ve met some fantastic people, landed some great gigs, and made some life long friends.  I hope to make many more from this in the future.

 

NOW.  Onto funner things.  Happy Halloween!!! To celebrate I’ve got something special.  Earlier I spoke of evolution in my life, writing process etc.  Well, to drive that point home, I did some digging and found the first “real” story I ever wrote.  I wrote it for Brady Allen’s introduction to short story writing way back in like 2006.  I was like 22, writing for the first time.  Brady actually said it reminded him of Richard Laymon.  I said “who?” and that led to my discovery of my all-time favorite writer.

 

To date this is the only straight up “slasher” story I’ve ever written.  It is also the only Halloween themed story I’ve ever written.  I also think out of everything I’ve written this one would still probably make the best movie.

 

It’s yours.  For free.  I’m not exactly sure what version this is, this is the only one I can find, so it’s not a first draft, but I haven’t touched it up since that class either, at least not that I can remember.

 

My newer stuff is all over the net, just Google me or Amazon me and you’ll find free stuff or stuff worth paying for (mostly due to the other contributors to the anthologies)  Kerry Lipp or Kerry G.S. Lipp.

 

The purpose of this is to show evolution.  Where I started and where I am now.  I’m writing all of this before I’ve even reread the story.  I remember a lot of it, but not everything.  This’ll be fun.  So here it is.  Uncut, unrevised, unedited.  I’m going to read it and I’ll provide some comments at the end.  Hey, maybe it’ll even me less embarrassing than I think… But I doubt it!

 

Let’s go to a haunted house called “The Bloodshed” and see what’s lurking there.

 

For the last time, let me reiterate that this was the FIRST story I EVER wrote in 2006, so give me a break.

 

Enjoy.

 

If you want to contact me, feel free, I’d love it.  Find me on Facebook New World Horror – Kerry G.S. Lipp, twitter @kerrylipp.  Email [email protected] and I’ve never posted this one publicly before, but it’s not that hard to find either, facebook Kerry GiansSquid Lipp.  That’s the GS for those of you late to the party.

Happy Halloween and I’ll see you all around.  Take care of your bad selves.  AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING.

 

Keep reading, keep writing, and keep it real,

KGSL