Let's Catch Up, Shall We?
Been a while since I sent a 'normal newsletter,' so if you've been missing that, here you go :).
Hey readers and listeners,
How we all doing out there? Been a while…been a while…
Thanks, as always, for being here in the CVF community. Things are starting to pick up steam. Momentum is being gained. And after long last, due largely to your unwavering support, this undertaking I’ve been on for the past five years is really starting to look like it’s going to work out. This truly is my career now, and it’s ACTUALLY starting to feel sustainable. I still can’t believe that’s a true sentence that I get to type in this newsletter.
Seriously. THANK YOU ALL for making this a reality.
All that being said, I feel I owe you all a check-in that’s a bit overdue. Lots happened this spring, most of which you were apprised of beforehand, but now that the Crypticon Seattle convention, the drafting of The Monsters We Make (current name for that film script I was working on with Itchy Rodent Films), the finalizing of the new Crevasse manuscript for Dark Forest Press, and the finishing of the Rain Shadows manuscript (more on that later), I finally have a little more time to breathe.
So, let’s get into some updates!
Writing Updates
Three big things here.
#1. Crevasse is scheduled for its re-release with Dark Forest on June 17th.
For those who’ve already read this book, the story is largely the same. Mostly we cleaned up some semantic/grammatical inconsistencies, some timeline confusion stuff, and a bit of representation regarding military veterans (based on some feedback I received). That said, grabbing a pre-order is a fantastic way to continue supporting both me and Dark Forest, which is a wonderful, indie press here in Washington and the new cover is SICK. I mean… just look at that thing… tell me you don’t want that baby on your shelf. Lucky for you, it’s easy to realize that dream. Simply ORDER HERE :)
#2. While we’re talking releases, let’s talk about Rain Shadows: Dark Tales from Washington State.
This short horror story collection is easily the project I’m most proud of since finishing Crevasse in 2022. The work in here is a product of my improvement and deep delve into everything horror over the past five years and in many ways this anthology is a culmination of three separate things: My collaboration with Tamara Kaye Sellman in creating our own imprint (more on that in a future newsletter), my ambition to merge podcasting and writing into a great, hybrid form of publication/promotion/creation, and my ability to write chilling horror set in the Pacific Northwest.
Sporting 12 short stories (six by me and six by 30-year veteran of the writing and publishing industries Tamara Kaye Sellman) this collection features stories that span all across the state of Washington, the horror landscape, and the scope of the horror genre in terms of themes, character-types, and other such window dressings of the genre. Not to mention… it too has an absolutely pestilent cover by the talented Matt Seff Barnes:
In case that cover and a general fandom of me isn’t enough to convince you to pre-order this thing, here’s a more in-depth write up on the project’s history and what the book entails/includes.
RAIN SHADOWS WRITEUP
Podcaster and horror writer Clay Vermulm approached speculative author Tamara Kaye Sellman in late 2023 about the possibility of making a podcast in which both authors would challenge each other with prompts, meeting monthly to explore the experience of writing to the prompts and taking part in a story critique. They agreed and titled it Beneath the Rain Shadow in reference to the weather anomaly that occurs in the upper Olympic Peninsula, in which world record rain dumps in the rain forest, leaving behind a dry climate beyond in the landscape known as a “rain shadow.”
Tamara and Clay determined the prompts to be threefold: one, a common horror trope; two, a regional setting; and three, a quirk of the Pacific Northwest.
The collection, Rain Shadows, is the culmination of those twelve stories prompted and produced by way of the first season of the podcast in 2024.
A second season of Beneath the Rain Shadow is slated for 2026.
Finally, consider the fact that the absolute best way to support your favorite local/independent authors is to PREORDER THEIR BOOKS. Why? Because it helps us with the all-powerful algorithm. You see, when a book sells lots of copies all at once, the internet sees that and thinks ‘Say, people suddenly care a lot about that book, let’s push it to the top of the pile in it’s categories.’ Once you’re at the top of a pile, you get more visibility and theoretically, more sales, which can keep you on top of said pile for a bit longer. If you get enough sales, you can even make best-seller lists and other such bullshit that doesn’t matter to me much on a vanity level, but would be very nice for my ability to keep doing this forever.
So please, if supernatural/psychological horror set across Washington State sounds as badass to you as it did to us, please consider PRE-ORDERING Rain Shadows, today! I’ll also be doing some book tours in both Washington and Montana, so it’d be cool to have a book in hand if I come through your area!
If you want to get your hands on an early copy of Rain Shadows, PREORDER YOUR COPY HERE!
#3. A long-awaited announcement for all you who’ve followed a while…Book Two of the Voices from the Cold Trilogy officially has a release date, title, and (almost) a manuscript!
That’s right, the sequel to Crevasse (formerly titled Voices from the Cold) will officially be released this December, on my birthday! That’s December 27th, for those who don’t know.
So if you’ve been waiting to see what happens to the remaining cast of Book One, what the Ancient One is up to next, and where this crazy trilogy is heading, you’re in luck. I’m due to submit the next draft of the manuscript by early August and we will pick up editing from there. The book is now titled Cairn and I’m so thrilled to share it with you all. More on that after Rain Shadows’ press tour is finished :).
In the meantime, here’s a mood board I submitted to the cover artist. You can use this and the new Crevasse cover to imagine what the cover for Cairn might entail. Or you can look at it… say ‘that’s pretty neat’ and carry on reading. Totally up to you.
For context, the following mood board inspired the new Crevasse cover, so that gives you an idea of where this might be headed…
Podcast Updates
Gonna breeze over this one, as you’re all apprised of my Fermented Fiction antics (you get those releases periodically, so you know what’s up).
What I will update you on is my other podcast, Sinister Soup where I narrate scary stories submitted to us through an open call at Grendel Press. These stories are TONS of fun, super dark, and I put lots of effort into them (there are sound effects, soundtracks, all that good stuff).
Despite my best efforts, the Sinister Soup episodes are not getting many views, so I’d love it if you all headed over to give it a listen. If you want to hear me narrate some spooky horror fiction and interview the authors after each story, Sinister Soup is the place for you! It’s totally free and we release new episodes every month.
Personal Updates
Life off of the author front is somewhat scarce, as I’m a very work-centric person, but living out here on the Olympic Peninsula has done wonders for my personal life and mental health. Most importantly, it’s been great for cultivating a more active lifestyle and getting me outside daily. It certainly helps when you literally live directly on the Olympic Discovery Trail and can walk along that paved trail from Port Townsend to Forks (over 75 miles) if you wanted to.
Out here, we have immediate access to the mountains and the salt water alike, and I’ve been spending lots of time getting more into surfing. Surfing, in fact, has pretty much become my new go-to sport. I still love climbing, but you usually need a partner to climb. With surfing, now that I live here, I can just throw my board on the car, drive out to the beach (about 25 minutes), and hit the waves for a few hours before work as long as the swell is good. It’s been AMAZING. I’m also super fortunate to have some great friends who, despite our distance apart now, have been consistent in hanging out for visits to our place and by making time for me whenever I’m in the city for work.
Most recently, we hosted three of my best friends Conrad, Cameron,( for their birthday weekend) and Rachel, for a trip for surfing trip out to Hockinson Beach near Neah Bay, Washington. This area is my absolute favorite for surfing in Washington because, like Westport (probably the most well-known surf spot in WA), it is on the Pacific Ocean, not in the Strait of Juan De Fuca, which means it always has waves. Unlike Westport, it’s REALLY far away from every major city, and it’s always a lot less crowded than the more popular spots like Westport or Ocean Shores or even La Push.
Aside from surfing, I’ve just been enjoying life with Deanna. She’s truly the greatest blessing in my life, and I’m utterly humbled and thankful every day for the love, companionship, and joy that she brings into our house and into my life. We’ve been enjoying watching our beautiful yard as it enters the spring bloom and setting up bird feeders around our yard for Ellie (our cat, if you’re new) to scream at through the invisible forcefield that keeps them from her salivating fangs.
We even got a Bird Buddy, which, if you’re a bird person, I HIGHLY recommend. If you don’t know, it’s a little bird feeder with a game-cam in it. It alerts you whenever birds land at the feeder and automatically records videos and pictures of them. It’s a ton of fun, and you get a cool, close-up glimpse of those avian neighbors sharing in the bounty of your property.
This little guy was our first guest and remains our most steadfast Buddy. His name is Nutcrunch, Slayer of Mirrors - so named for his propensity to attack our car windows and mirrors of we leave them uncovered overnight… he’s a little asshole to be honest, but he’s cut and he’s orange, so obviously I love him deeply.
I’ve also recently joined the Bainbridge Island Filmmaker Group and that’s led to the inside track on some really cool local shows. We recently went to The Shape of the Night which was a live, interactive theater show at the Georgetown Steamplant, and it was incredible! Unfortunately, it’s over now, but here is the site. If these cats every come back to town, make sure to get your tickets and attend a show. They really know how to put on a show!
We also recently watched an excellent, locally produced feature film starring and written by Rachel James-Noll titled Inheritance. This was an incredibly produced and cultivated film with some truly moving performances and a strong story to back it all up. I cannot recommend it any higher. It will be streaming soon for all to see, so be sure to keep your eyes open for that!
Alrighty folks, hopefully that’s slaked your thirst for information about my personal life. I’m honored to have you all here sharing in this journey with me. I love to hear from you all, so if you have any questions or comments on anything I’ve discussed here, if you want to know something I’ve failed to elaborate on, or if you simply want to ask me something, please don’t hesitate to reply to this newsletter. I’ll be sure to get back to you.
Thank you so much for being here. See you next time.
In profound appreciation,
-Clay
Yay! I’m sending all the good mojo for this to be more and more sustainable for you.
It’s great to see all the good stuff coming your way! I’m looking forward to seeing how the Voices from the Cold books have changed over the past couple of years.