This will be a fairly short newsletter but there are some things I want to tell you!

It was the first anniversary of “The Scarecrow Man” this last Tuesday and as a gift to everyone I made it free until next Sunday. At the same time, I’m doing a giveaway for a Proof Copy of the book. You just have to go to this Instagram post and follow the instructions.

Also, don’t forget that even if it is already available on Amazon I’m still running pre-orders for “School’s Night Out”, my new mini-book, and those who go for that option will receive a little bonus!

And now let’s get on with the show!

The last week of August was a very productive one!

Not only did I finish a story I had started some time ago, one that I truly hope the person I wrote it for can do something with, but I also wrote two new short stories, one clocking around 3k words and the other at 1k. The 1k one, which I wrote in Portuguese, was already submitted so fingers crossed. Apart from this I also started a new story that I’m really hyped about.

I’ll leave you with an excerpt from what I wrote:

“They’ll never understand. The dead don’t feel pain; they’re beyond it. But the living—they’re the ones who suffer. They’re the ones I care about. Not in some sentimental way, of course. No, my concern is the scars I can carve into their minds, the damage I can inflict on them. The one that will never truly heal.

Most people think a killer is driven by the thrill of the chase, the rush of power as life slips away in their hands. They’re wrong. At least, that’s not what drives me. The kill is nothing but the beginning. The true satisfaction comes later, when I watch the lives I’ve shattered try to piece themselves back together, knowing they’ll never be whole again. That’s where the real art lies—in the aftermath.”

This is from Project: Scar, something I wrote after I listened to a song and started thinking about a line in the lyrics.

And as a little extra, I’ll leave you with a snippet of the story I wrote in Portuguese, translated of course. The title for this one is “The Last Frame”.

“The neon sign buzzed weakly as rain drummed against the windows of the nearly deserted bowling alley. The place was open, but just barely—only one lane remained lit, casting long shadows across the polished floors. The man, soaked from the downpour, stepped inside, grateful to escape the storm. The air inside was still, heavy with the lingering scent of stale popcorn and shoe polish.

He couldn’t quite say what had led him here. It had been a long, tiring day, filled with the sort of minor misfortunes that added up to a deep, gnawing sense of defeat. His car had sputtered out in the middle of traffic, and he’d received a call that made his heart sink. He couldn’t even remember what the call was about now, only that it left him feeling hollow. He wandered, trying to shake off the melancholy, and found himself drawn to this place, like a moth to a flame.”

Hope you liked this little preview of what I’ve been writing.

Here is the word count for the week in question:

I also, or finally, decided to move forward with another project that has been on my mind for quite some time. I can’t say much for now except that it will be a short horror comic based on a very short story I wrote some time ago. I already sent the script to the artist and received very good feedback.

September will be a busy month, but I mean busy!

Last Sunday I did a signing at Feira do Livro do Porto for the Fábrica do Terror anthology “Os Melhores Contos vol. 1”. I was accompanied by four other writers who also had their stories in the book and we had an amazing time signing books and talking. We were signing for the best part of two hours and I wanted to thank everyone who made the afternoon unforgettable. And also the people from Fábrica do Terror who made it possible!

Since I’m referring Fábrica do Terror, the next event I will attend is the release of the second volume of their new anthology in which I also have a short story. It will be on the 14th, at the MotelX festival in Lisbon. If you are around just come say hi!

I’m planning to attend the 2024 edition of Fórum Fantástico which will take place from September 20 until September 22. I’ll keep you updated as I get more information on this!

New book coming out. Going to events. Writing new stuff. New projects underway.

What’s not to be hyped about?

So this is it for today!

As always I’m waiting for your opinions and to see what you think about what I’ve been doing.

I’ll be back soon with more news.

Until then, let the ink of nightmares flow.

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