Postcards From the Falls: Issue 035, January 2025
The newsletter for all things Brennan LaFaro - That's a wrap for 2024. Accomplishments, favorites, and things to come.
Happy New Year to those reading this through hangover haze, stayed-up-til-midnight exhaustion, or just plain it’s-the-2020’s exhaustion. It feels like lately, we offer a deep exhale and commiserate surviving the old year while holding onto cautious optimism about the upcoming year. Even with that reflection, 2024 was tough, all kinds of ups and down. Mental health battles, physical health battles, publishing battles, hitting walls headfirst, but with the cons, come the pros. In an ongoing effort to find some kind of control, I took charge of my health, losing about 40 pounds (and counting) while also putting alcohol aside. 6 months now. A big part of that is wanting to be there for my kids, now 14 and 11 and taking on new and exciting challenges. The other part is wanting to do what I can to ensure I’ve got time to transfer stories from brain to page.
If you’ll indulge me, a recap:
In March, Crossroad Press released the audiobook for Slattery Falls, brought to life by Nikolai Hill.
In April, I published The Demon of Devil’s Cavern, follow-up to Noose. I am of the very biased opinion this book is even better than the original, which is, of course, dear to my heart. Rain Corbyn returned for the audio book and, once again, turned in a brilliant job.
In June, Crossroad Press was kind enough to put out a trade paperback version of I Will Always Find You: The Complete Slattery Falls, all three books in the series in one volume with a new novella, introduction by Ronald Kelly, a new afterword, and the Thunderstorm cover art by Francois Vaillancourt.
In July, I was privileged to work with Thunderstorm Books a second time for a Screaming Cacti edition of my collection, Illusions of Isolation, signed by me and Jonathan Janz.
July also saw the complete collapse of DarkLit Press, with a few months of run-up. I’ve talked plenty about that despite a disappointing lack of resolution. The whole situation left several of my books without a home. Thankfully, Heather and Steve at Brigids Gate Press agreed to take on the Buzzard’s Edge series, immediately rereleasing Noose and The Demon of Devil’s Cavern, and signing the next two books in the series, as well. A tremendous commitment, and they’ve been a pleasure to work with.
In August, the We Are Providence writing group released Monsters in the Mills, featuring my story, “Under the Frozen Sky” - a coming-of-age ghost-ish story set to the tune of Howard Blake’s “Walking in the Air”.
In December, Brigids Gate released Where the Daybreak Ends: Stories From Buzzard’s Edge, a story collection that also sort-of functions as a novel. Early receptions say it works as a follow-up to the other books in the series, or a standalone, which is everything I hoped.
2025 has me in a strange spot, because there’s a lot in flux, and a couple things I can’t talk about yet. So, some solids, some teases, and some hopes and dreams:
Song Dogs, the third Rory and Alice book is due to release in December. I’ll be starting it in the next couple weeks, as soon as I finished the third draft of a novel and complete a short story. Not much to share about this one yet, but it will see Rory and Alice going up against Alexander Farrell, a character who features in several stories from Where the Daybreak Ends.
Only one release in a calendar year? I haven’t done that since 2021. Luckily, I’ve got something up my sleeve for a potential surprise summer release.
In March, Truborn Press is releasing Horror Goes Punk, featuring “Dying in New Brunswick”, my Thursday horror homage to basement mosh pits. It’s creepy, fun, and I hope, surprising.
I wrote something outside my wheelhouse this past summer, and as of this writing, edits are completely done and artwork is in process, and it is going to blow your minds. The artist I’m teamed up with understands the assignment, as the kids say, and fits the project like a glove. No release date yet, but more info here when I can share.
As mentioned, I’m finishing up a story for an anthology invite. It’s a late-70s/early 80s mix of ghost story and creature feature, and the anthology should be out in the first half of 2025.
I’ve just finished the second draft of Chamber the Round and I’m in love with this supernatural crime story. Another pass, then it goes to beta readers. After that, we go agent fishing again.
While it won’t be out in 2025, I may have some news to share soon about my Cackle meets Dawn of the Dead novel, The Denizens. Stay tuned.
Keep an eye out later in the year, as well, for another limited hardcover (or two).
Longtime newsletterers will know I’m not a big movie/tv person except when it comes to watching the Patriots and the Red Sox lose, so my best of 2024 is pretty much books, and is more a list of things I read during the year, not necessarily things that came out. Semantics. Check out these books if you haven’t already:
Night of the Long Knives by Tyler Jones - limited Earthling release. True crime obsession is barely the tip of the iceberg here.
The Haunting of Velkwood by Gwendolyn Kiste - Haunted. Neighborhood.
The Third Rule of Time Travel by Philip Fracassi - Not out until next March, but preorder immediately. Tight, smart, and fun.
Knock Knock, Open Wide by Neil Sharpson - Mystery and myth.
The Shoemaker’s Magician by Cynthia Pelayo - follow-up to Children of Chicago and even better, magical book.
The Deluge by Stephen Markley - You want anxiety? This is how you get anxiety.
This Appearing House by Ally Malinenko - Fearless writing that respects its readers.
The Bedmakers by John Boden and Chad Lutzke - Each writer brings their A game, and all of the feels.
The Saga of Dead-Eye, Book Three: Man-Eaters, Mummies, & Murderous Maniacs by Ronald Kelly - The next installment of an unmissable horror western series.
Smoke Kings by Jahmal Mayfield - Ocean’s 11 meets Blood Meridian.
You Like It Darker by Stephen King - King’s best story collection in some time.
Pay the Piper by Daniel Kraus and George Romero - Damp, sweaty, and scary, just like the bayou it lives in.
Letters to the Purple Satin Killer by Joshua Chaplinsky - Incisive, what-the-fuck-ish, and funny.
Joe Coughlin Trilogy by Dennis Lehane - A reread, but maybe the best writing I read all year. Nobody does it like Lehane.
The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlautin - Immensely human, it’ll dig into your bones.
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison - If Harrison writes a book, it’s bound to end up on my Best of list. Maybe the strongest voice currently writing horror.
Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy - Insane, but poignant.
Beneath the Poet’s House by Christa Carmen - Historical horror in Providence, sign me up.
Landlocked in Foreign Skin by Drew Huff - Sci-fi horror with a kick.
Billy Summers by Stephen King - Another reread, but storytelling fire. Better than I remember and an easy addition to his post-2000 best.
Here’s to another year survived and another twelve months of opportunity ahead. May your books entertain and enlighten and your words flow and, well, not suck. Love to you all.