Defining Moments is my award-nominated collection. This book collects a lot of stories written over a lot of years. It was first published by Welsh publisher Sarob Press. Defining Moments was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award as a collection. The story “The Gentle Brush of Wings,” first published in this collection, WON the Bram Stoker Award for short fiction. The collection was originally issued in only limited and lettered states, and is long sold out. Copies go in excess of fifty dollars apiece.
Contents:
All previously published stories have been newly revised by the author for this collection. *Previously Unpublished.
- Preface by David Niall Wilson.
- Defining Moments – First published on Gothic.net – reprinted in this collection.
- The Lost Wisdom of Instinct – First published in DEATHREALM – first time after a reading a woman said she needed a cigarette.
- For These Things I Am Truly Thankful – Published in the Marty Greenberg anthology HAUNTED HOLIDAYS; you will never look at the world the same way, and you’ll hate me for it.
- Cockroach Suckers* – Originally written for an anthology of stories that had to include vampires and cockroaches that was never published – there are no vampires, but…
- More Than Words – Written for one of the Lone Wolf Publication CD Extremes Anthologies – covers something I was told in a past life about the library in Alexandria.
- The Call of Farther Shores – First published in LOST ON THE DARKSIDE – edited by John Pelan – selected for the Prime Books Best New Horror 2005.
- Bloody Knife and Morning Star – First published in a book titled VISION QUESTS – and led to my reading an entire biography of George Armstrong Custer.
- The Gentle Brush of Wings* – Original to this collection and winner of the Bram Stoker Award for short fiction.
- The Death-Sweet Scent of Lilies – Written for the White Wolf anthology CHILDREN OF DRACULA – an alternate telling of how Vlad became the creature we all know and love.
- To Dream of Scheherazade – First published in TERMINAL FRIGHTS (the anthology) where the editor said no vampires and published it anyway. The same publisher publishte my first novel THIS IS MY BLOOD (also with vampires).
- A Taste of Blood and Roses – First Published in the Marty Greenberg anthology WEREWOLVES.
- The Milk of Paradise – First published at Gothic.net. This story was originally written for an anthology of horror stories involving Absinthe.
- ’Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky* – A Tale of Old Mill, North Carolina – original to this collection – I wanted a story involving the crazy crop-duster pilot near my home who I secretly named Leon.