RA for All Road Show Visits a Library IN PERSON

Today I am venturing down I-55 to present the afternoon portion of the staff day for Three Rivers Public Library District. 

I will begin with my Flip the Script and Think Like a Reader which follows my 10 Rules of Basic RA Service. This program is geared toward an entire staff to not only teach the basics of RA Service but to get everyone working together to deliver that service. Plus it is fun. Everyone is going to get to think about a favorite book and share it with each other. 

Then, after an ice cream break, across the parking lot from here we are meeting, I will present my version of Actively Anti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers [slides] and answer questions for at least 30 minutes afterward. 

I am nervous and excited about venturing back in person. For example, which of my clothes look better in person than on Zoom? I don't think I remember. Also, I can give away door prizes again. Stickers for everyone!!!!

I should note to all my readers, I am only entertaining requests to appear in person for libraries who are local to me for the rest of 2021. 2022 I am playing by ear still. I am in conversation with people in places I have to travel to for personal reasons, but if you want me to come to you in 2022, reach out and ask. 

What I'm Reading: The August Issue of Booklist

The August issue of Booklist is the annual Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Spotlight and I have 3 reviews in the issue: a STAR to an anthology edited by a legend, a STAR to a second novel that has very wide appeal, and a glowing review of an ambitious and very promising debut.

I also have more original content in this issue but I will post that next week. As usual, here are my draft reviews with bonus appeal comments, extra readalikes, and my "three words." These reviews can be used anytime for you to booktalk the titles to potential readers. All three of these titles are MUST adds to your collections.

Body Shocks: Tales of Extreme Body Horror
by Ellen Datlow

Oct. 2021. 384p. illus. Tachyon, paper, $17.95  (9781616963606). 
First published August 2021 (Booklist).

The emergence of Body Horror from a gross-out trope into a thought-provoking subgenre is one of Horror’s biggest trends. Multiple award-winner Datlow has worked her way backward, through previously published stories from across the dark fiction landscape, uncovering the breadth of these horrific tales of the human body being taken over and transformed into something unsettling at best and grotesque at worst, stories that were often hidden under a different designation, but are now proudly displayed in this standard setting anthology. The 29 stories ultimately chosen, represent moments across the spectrum, from violent and visceral to uncomfortable and quiet: alien rape, a person who can change their skin, parents who use their kid for blood, an uncontrollable fungus. These tales borrow under the skin, leaving a lasting impression like the back-to-back punch of “Natural Skin” by Alyssa Wong, a psychological, gut-punch about the commodification of young women’s bodies and “The Lake” by Tananarive Due, a tale of physical transformation that is both terrifying and freeing. Marked by a diverse table of contents and illustrations that enhance the conflicting emotions of unease and wonder that lie at the heart of the appeal of Body Horror, this is an anthology that readers will inhabit, and when they ask for more offer The Rust Maidens by Kiste, Tender is the Flesh by Bazterrica, or The Cipher by Koja.

Further Appeal: The review is mostly appeal above because there is no way I would write about every tale in my 200 word limit. However, one thing I want to highlight is that Datlow's work as an editor is what stands out here. She did a lot of work combing through previously published stories, many of which were not ever tagged as "body horror" before, but her work putting them together under this umbrella will help us all, readers and library workers alike. As more and more patrons come in mentioning they want "body horror," this is a great place for you to start them.

In my new book, "Body Horror" gets its own chapter. I have an essay about the genre, its evolution over time [from Frankenstein to zombies to today], and why it is so interesting to readers right now. In a few weeks you can use that to learn more of the appeal.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Visceral, Unsettling, Thought Provoking

Readalikes: The three titles above all appear in my new book-- there are 12 titles in total in the new Body Horror chapter. There is also this list of bonus titles from that chapter that were cut from the book but now live on the horror blog. [Click here for the archive of all bonus material from the new book, organized by chapter.]

For more options, NoveList uses "Body Horror" as a searchable theme. I also suggest using this link to access book readers have tagged "Body Horror" on Goodreads to find more suggestions. 

Reprieve

By James Han Mattson

Oct. 2021. 416p. Morrow, $27.99 (9780063079915). 
First published August 2021 (Booklist).

In his second novel, Mattson presents a brilliant hybrid, a thought-provoking look at marginalization and systemic oppression expertly nestled inside a high anxiety, visceral tale about the horror industry itself. Readers enter at the end of the nightmare, in Lincoln Nebraska, 1997 during a trial for a murder that happened in Quigley House, an infamous, full-contact haunted house attraction, as a team of four contestants encountered obstacles and gore in an attempt to win thousands of dollars. After each short interlude of court documents or detailed descriptions of that evening in the house, the story moves to longer character driven chapters, where three of the key players in this large cast-- Kendra, a black teenager who just relocated to Nebraska, Jaidee, a gay Thai man who is a student at UNL, and Leonard, a local hotel manager-- tell their stories, developing their past and specifically, explaining the months leading up to the fateful night. Severely unsettling at every turn, alternating unrelenting tension of “the real world” with the in-your-face terror of the haunt means there is no reprieve from the fear, yet readers will keep turning the pages to see how it all turns out. This is a rare treat of a novel that will be devoured by Pulp Horror fans of titles like The Dark Game by Janz and those who like the juxtaposition of supernatural and real world horrors like in the works of LaValle.

YA: With its focus on systemic oppression, especially through the eyes of teens and new adults and filled with details about how a haunted attraction is run, older teens who enjoy Horror and True Crime will be drawn to this novel, but a large subplot about the sex tourism industry in Thailand is worth noting before you suggest this novel to younger readers.

Further Appeal: As I mention above, the structure of this book is different and unsettling. We start with the crime....a death, possibly a murder. 

I had a running tally of comments while I was reading. I am going to repost them here:

• Should have been a slow burn, but the choice to have the action chapters interspersed with the background build up keeps it moving. You need a break from all the gore in the Quigley House too. But the real life horrors unfolding in the “real world” chapters are just as awful.
• Perfectly paced so readers can enjoy the horror but still be centered enough on the thought provoking issues.
• This narrative style remains throughout, interspersing trail transcripts and a detailed description of what happened as the team went through the House.
• I felt like I was inhabiting the world and the characters he created while reading-- awesome!
• Such technical brilliance and narrative restraint!
• Great characters, large cast but most get fleshed out. 
• Open is clear. We start at the end….a murder of one of the charcaters we are going to get to know. The more details you get about everyone’s past….the more you see them go through the house...the faster you read...the more scared you are.

A final note, the term "haunt" is the industry term for a haunted house attraction.

Three Words That Describe This Book: thought provoking, immersive, high anxiety

Readalikes: I had such a long list but I had to cut it down to 2 for word limits. Here are more:

• Kill Creek by Thomas for the pulp and haunted house angles.
• Zone One by Whitehead, The Only Good Indians by Jones and Tananarive Due for excellent horror that also juxtaposes supernatural monsters with real life horrors. These are books for which you can escape neither unscathed.
• Whisper Down the Lane and The Remaking both by Chapman. Thes books walk the line between novels with a [fictional] True Crime frame and Horror.

And last but not least, a newcomer...

This Thing Between Us

by Gus Moreno

Oct. 2021. 272p. Farrar/MCD, paper, $17 (9780374539238). 
First published August 2021 (Booklist).

Debut author Moreno emphatically plants his flag as an original new voice in Cosmic Horror, an old subgenre that is trending once again. In Cosmic Horror there is a pervasive, evil, force whose power overwhelms humanity. In this instance the nefarious force takes residence in an Alexa type device setup inside the Chicago apartment of newlyweds Thiago and Vera. But this setup is no gimmick. Thiago narrates the entire story as if he is telling it to Vera, who is dead at the start of the novel, in a desperate, confessional tone, both begging for her forgiveness and help as his world and sanity are spiraling out of control, drawing readers in immediately. They will eagerly follow Thiago, his story, and the increasingly weird twists and turns escalating from unsettlingly haunting to uncomfortably creepy, and ultimately settling on mind altering, mortally dangerous terror. From anti-immigration activists, to zombie dogs, and openings into another world, Moreno has melded a thought-provoking novel about mourning that is unapologetically Horror much like the very best of 21st Cosmic Horror such as The Fisherman by Langan or The Hollow Places by Kingfisher.

Further Appeal: I used the term "zombie dog"to denote that there is a dog that dies and comes back to life. Violence to animals happens here. It was shocking and came out of nowhere, but also denoted a tone shift in the entire story too. Either way, please be warned. 

Next, there is a strong undercurrent throughout the text about Thiago and Vera and their different Mexican-American heritage. It did not fit in my review to elaborate. The anti-immigrant comment is part of this. But it is mentioned and discussed multiple times that Thaigo is from a poor, “bad” Mexican clan and Vera from a polished, educated rich Mexican family. It is important in the story, but not to someone's enjoyment or not. And this issue is NOT the only thing that makes the book "thought provoking" but it is part of it.

What I loved is that it is simultaneously a book about intense mourning [how it is physically

damaging, not just mentally] AND about a nefarious presence from another dimension, one that doesn't care about humanity at all.

I want to stress that I toyed with giving this novel a star, but, like a lot of debuts, the ending fizzled a bit. Very solid, but in comparison to Reprieve, which I read at the same time, this novel fell a bit short of STAR. I am very excited to see more by Moreno though [and not just because of the setting, a neighborhood I am in often and I even know exactly the Benny's pizza place that is being referred to]. He is a talent on the rise.

Three Words That Describe This Book: original, Cosmic Horror, escalating terror

Readalikes: I realize the comp titles in the review above are award-winning and critical darlings. This is not hyperbole. This book is a great read for fans of those titles.

This novel also reminded me of the way Stephen Graham Jones writes, especially in the way that every detail matters. While reading I made this note: "SGJ in training?" And then I saw Moreno thank him in the acknowledgements. So, I was not imagining this.

The emotions revolving around loss also reminded me of two other recent Horror novels: Crossroads by Hightower and f The Taxidermist’s Lover by Hall. 

Finally, it is important to note that this is a MCDxFSG title. I have not read a book from this imprint that I did not love and I have read most of them. I consider this imprint a readalike for itself. These titles are hard to classify in traditional genres but all are reliably unsettling, weird, and haunting. High quality of writing with original storylines too. Click here to see the imprint. You can look up specific titles here on the blog for more info.

RA for All Virtual Roadshow Visits PCI for RA Secrets!

Today I will be presenting a newer RA program. It is part of my RA Basics Renovated series that first saw the light of day with Autumn Friedli as part of a NoveList day of learning back in February of 2020.

Over the past few months I have turned this into a different sort of RA 101 training, one that tries to break down the principles of RA as it is today into 4 general philosophies with a focus on tangible examples.

While my Flip the Script and Think Like A Reader program is best suited for an entire staff to do together and is focused on exercises and interactivity, this RA Secrets program is more over an overview meant to spark conversation. 

Flip the Script and Think Like a Reader works best with a minimum of 90 minutes and has activities we do together and homework for you to keep the learning going into the future. While this RA Secrets program I am offering today can be easily presented in under an hour with plenty of information for people to return to afterwards in order to learn even more, but it is self paced and less structured.

I realize the differences here may be confusing, but that's okay because it is not your job to figure out which program is better for you. I am always willing to talk through your needs and constraints so that we can figure out what type of training program will work best for your team. And as always, even before 2020, all of these programs are available in virtual formats. Contact me for more information. 

Click here to access today's slides or click on the screen shot below. 

Resource Alert: Reading Pathways by Book Riot

One of the secrets to providing stellar RA Service is to know where to look for information about specific authors and their appeal. This is VERY different from understanding the genre or even specific plots of their books.

Understanding WHY not WHAT is the key. I have this longer post explaining how to focus on why someone likes an author and not what they write here. 

To that end I have a great resources from Book Riot-- Reading Pathways,  a regular Book Riot feature in which they suggest a three-book reading sequence for becoming acquainted with certain authors. 

Their current entry is on Mary Roach, just in time for her latest title to drop in September. Roach is also the perfect example of an author whose appeal is best understood using the WHY not WHAT philosophy of helping readers. 

Let me explain. On the surface her nonfiction books are about things like space travel, dead bodies, or sex. The "what" is very easy to state; however, these topics are not why readers enjoy Roach. What readers like about Roach is that she uses strong research, blending current science and history, and then crafts her nonfiction from a more quirky angle, looking at her topic from an inquisitive and fun perspective. She takes readers on a journey that they never expected to begin, let alone finish feeling like they had a great time and learned something.

The Reading Pathway for March Roach, just like any in the series, introduces you to her style and then breaks down 3 titles you could try to get a sense of how she writes. This is but one example of the dozens of Reading Pathways that are available in this archive. And don't forget, Book Riot serves all ages of readers, so there are middle grade and teen options too.

As a reference there are a few ways to use these articles in our daily work with readers:

• To teach yourself about an author you are not as familiar with: Go through the archive and see what authors are there, that you don't recognize. If Book Riot wrote a pathway about them, you should probably know at least a little about that author. Why? Because Book Riot is a for profit company that wants to attract the clicks of readers. They have more time and money to focus on this than we do. Trust them to be on top of what is worth your attention. They are doing the leg work for us.
• To prepare for major authors who will have a new book coming out soon: The Roach example is one of many here. Her new book is coming, you should know a bit more about her because trust me, people will be asking. This article will remind you that there will be a run on her books soon. Make sure your copies of her backlist titles are on the shelf and in good shape. You still have time to order replacements.
• To cross post on your digital platforms: Reading Pathways are excellent and targeted content for you to use everywhere.  Not only does Book Riot support and employ librarians as part of their team, I can speak from experience that they work well with libraries [see Summer Scares]. You can cross post ANY of their articles on your website or social media as long as you cite them and link to the original article. Why reinvent the wheel? Is Mary Roach popular at your library? [The answer is yes, by the way]. Make a social media post announcing that you are taking holds for the new book and post the Reading Pathway to get people excited. This is excellent Passive Readers Advisory and only will take you a few minutes, but will make you look like a genius in the eyes of your patrons.
• To create displays: Any of the authors who have a Reading Pathway would make a good mini display, especially those from further back in the archive. The authors from a year or more ago will probably have books on the shelf. And, if Book Riot took the time to pay someone to write about said author, you can be confident they will  have a wide, general appeal. Get those hidden gems out of the shadows and into the spotlight. If you have a small space to fill [like at a service desk or at the end of a range] just pull the three books on the Pathway but if you have a larger space, you can use the author as a starting point and then find readalike authors using NoveList of Goodreads to fill it out.

Finally, consider using the Book Riot Reading Pathways series to create your own similar posts on authors, audio book narrators, or even movie directors whose items are popular and your library. 

Ongoing Display Idea: Incredible but Unknown

During my [virtual] travels with Robin Bradford doing Anti-Racist Collection Development and Readers' Advisory training with libraries all over the country, we receive a lot of honest and challenging questions from library workers. 

We have them watch our recorded programs at least 1 month before we will appear live for 90 minutes to take questions. We ask them to send in questions ahead of time [to me or some libraries create an anonymous Google Form] so we have something to start the conversation with. This method has lead to much better questions than simply having people pose them live in front of all of their coworkers. Some of these questions could be interpreted as bordering on racist, but Robin and I agree that the fact that they are being asked means people really want to do better.

This did not surprise either of us, but one thing that has been surprising is that often, the library staff have the answer right in front of them, but they need us to help them see the answer.

Today I want to share one of these examples because it triggered an easily replicable display idea, one that allows you to highlight marginalized voices in a different way and encourages all staff to participate in your displays and all of this was contained within the initial question itself. First the question [bolded parts are added by me].

We are discovering many more nonfiction titles that include experiences and stories of marginalized voices which we are adding to our collection. The challenging part is that when we add biographies of unknown people, who have an incredible story to tell, it only seems to generate interest if we write a staff review about the book. Other than specific targeted displays and staff reviews, what suggestions can you give us to promote these nonfiction titles?

My answer to this was contained in the bolded words that the questioner provided. Their library found that a display of "Incredible but Unknown" people was very popular. This does not only have to be a display about marginalized voices, nor does it need to be only nonfiction. What I told this library to do was to create an ongoing, prominently showcased display that was always filled with titles that any and all staff members could contribute to and call it "Incredible but Unknown."

The procedure to nominate titles should be simple: all staff, no matter where they work in the building or where they fall on the organizational chart, should be allowed to nominate a title. Some type of shared, cloud document where all staff can add titles and then one group of staff can manage the queue to keep the title suggestions flowing and the display stocked. 

The parameters of the books to include is simply that the staff member thinks it is incredible but unknown. You should be checking the circulation statistics for all nominated titles though, to make sure the book is truly "unknown."

The key here is to begin by focusing on titles by marginalized voices that are not circulating well but if only given a little extra promotion would be enjoyed by patrons. The exact books the questioner was referring to. Instead of buying the books and shelving them within the larger mass of the stacks and then claiming no one wants to read "those" books unless we work very hard, try the oldest trick in the book for increasing circulation of any title....the display!

In general, the goal of a display is to highlight titles that people would not find on their own. Since it is less daunting for patrons to browse displays than the vast stacks, you do not need to write up staff reviews for "these" titles. Just putting any book on display provides a huge boost. Patrons can handle them, read the back, and decide. The display itself is a staff recommendation. No reviews or extra work needed.

And add into the mix the compelling title of "Incredible but Unknown" and you will have a very popular display. 

This is also a team building exercise. When all staff participate in your displays not only are they inherently more diverse [because you are pulling form every staff member] but the process also connects everyone to the organization in a fun and collaborative way. There is a sense of ownership when a staff member sees an item they identified on a display-- especially if they don't work in that department or it isn't a part of their normal job. And then if said item gets checked out too....that makes staff even more proud, happy, and excited to be a part of the team.

So consider an "Incredible but Unknown" ongoing display for your library. Get all staff involved. Use it to promote marginalized voices. And then watch those titles fly off the shelves. No longer will you be claiming that "those" titles don't circulate well. And it will not take the extra effort the questioner feared.

The results, an ongoing display that will draw interest from patrons, increased circulation of titles by marginalized voices, and a more engaged staff. Win-win-win!

Resource Alert: LJ Fall Preview 2021-- 133 Titles To Know, Buy, and Suggest to Readers And Editor's Picks

Last week Library Journal released 2 extremely helpful articles for you to help readers navigate the overwhelming Fall publishing season.

The first, Fall Preview 2021: 133 Titles To Know, Buy, and Suggest To Readers breaks down an excellent range of titles with commentary. This article is obviously helpful for ordering purposes, but more importantly, it provides you with context to book talk these titles to potential readers while also alerting you to some of the specifics readers can expect to find between the pages.

And the second, the LJ editors have their Fall 2021 Picks with their reasons why they love these titles here. Remember, these are the editors who have read not only the books, but the reviews of said books. For example, my editor, Stephanie Klose, has her Horror and Romance picks. Her top pick, The Last House on Needless Street, I gave a star review here; a review she edited. She also read the book and we had a long talk about why it was so great. And in this case, not only is the novel well constructed and entertaining, but it also has a very wide appeal, one of the reasons we and recommend it so highly. 

This knowledge and understanding of your job helping readers in your library is duplicated by each editor for their entire list. 

Both links lead you to a plethora of information about books that will have high demand, titles you might not get your hands on for awhile, but those links will give you the information you need to talk to patrons about them and help them find "while you wait" options. These articles will also make you look super knowledgeable in the process, as all good resources should.

RA for All Virtual Roadshow: Peek Behind the Admin Curtain: Trustee Secrets All Library Staff NEED to Know

Today I am presenting a program I developed during the pandemic as I saw communication between library workers and those in charge breaking down badly all over the place. Little did I know that this problem would reach a sad pinnacle right in my own back yard at Niles-Maine Public Library. 

Normally, I would not post a non-RA related program on the blog, but this is a topic that affects all library staff and those of us who do public desk shifts helping people with the leisure reading requests tend to have a fairly open relationship with our patrons. Staff who do any kind of RA work, whether officially from a service point or [especially] circulation desk staff, are the ones who are best positioned to do the most to help improve communication between staff and those in charge.

This program is meant to both empower you, the average library worker no matter your place on the org chart, to act while giving you the road map as to how to do so while "staying in your lane." There is a lot more you can do than you know, and since I have served at all levels in the library [including as a Trustee], I know how to walk the most effective line.

Today's program is for PCI Webinars so it will be seen by staff from many libraries; however, if you cannot access this and you need someone to talk to confidentially, please reach out. I offer mentoring and advice on this topic for FREE. I am also actively training Trustees on their side of this issue, encouraging them to be more open to listening to staff. 

Click here on on the image below to enter the free slides.  

Click here for slide access

Not So Shocking Breaking News: RWA Is Still Racist

Sigh, I asked everyone to behave while I was gone, and alas, a repeat racist offender did not. To provide the historical context here is a link to my post on the RWA meltdown and promise of change from January of 2020.

RWA's Board resigned, the awards were deactivated and renamed, and there were promises of EDI training and a commitment to doing better going forward.

Fast forward to the final days of my vacation and....well, RWA is at it again.

Please see this article from Book Riot entitled, "Romance Writers of America Wards Book With a Genocidal "Hero." Please read this article and then come back here. 

Look RWA cannot stop these racist books from being written. And this title is not even close to the only one. There are A LOT of books where a Nazi becomes the hero too. However, what RWA should be doing, as the awarding organization, is catching these titles in the awards process and NOT allowing them to advance. They received training and are supposed to be more sensitive to EDI considerations, but clearly they are not.

And I am even more upset because I know EXACTLY how these processes work. I have been a Head Juror for a Bram Stoker Award category for the last 5 years. It is the job of every juror in our Stoker Awards process to make sure racist or problematic titles are held off the ballot. And we have two people who oversee all of the juries and can also step in before things even get to the first round of member voting. I purposely asked my jury to NOT consider a title one year, a title that got a lot of buzz, a title that I think the author was surprised was not nominated, and it was precisely because I was concerned it glamorized sexual grooming of an underage youth and I found it highly misogynistic. I did not forbid the title to be moved forward [which I could have], but I did share my views with our jury and it was agreed that we would not move it forward to the next round. 

So I know what I am talking about. I don't care what their excuses are, they were supposed to be checks, balances, and training to stop this from happening again. Clearly it did not work. But more upsettingly, clearly people ddid not care.

Do better RWA.

And for you, the library worker, please stay abreast of these issues. Think about NOT ordering Romance titles that make a perpetrator of genocide a "hero." If a patron request it, please know you are within your means to tell them you will not buy it. But if you are bound by rules that say you have to buy well reviewed titles that local patrons request, buy it but then don't put it on the new shelf and then weed it as quickly as possible. I talk about this strategy at length in my half of the anti-racist training I do with Robin. Contact me if you need [free] help with this particular issue.

Everyone though, be aware and hold RWA and the entire Romance genre to a bare minimum decency standard.

Back from Vacation and Book News

Starting back to work today and spending most of the day replying to email, but there is a lot of excitement on the horizon here on the blog, especially as the Spooky Season approaches.

Speaking of, this is also the month that my book will be coming out. See the top of this blog for a coupon and click here to pre-order it.

Over on the Horror Blog, my last two posts of bonus book content have gone up while I was on vacation and today.

So while I catch up on emails [a whole lot of you want and need training...yay!], I wanted to remind everyone that the page of bonus annotations to supplement the Third Edition of the Readers' Advisory Guide to Horror is now complete. This is a resource in and of itself, but paired with the new book, it is even better. Click here to access it. But it can also always be found in the right gutter of the Horror Blog under the book's cover.

Your Halloween prep should begin in earnest now. Start checking your collections, ordering books you may have missed, and planning your displays. I would get everything set to run by September 1.

And, the August issue of Booklist is about to drop with the spotlight on Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror with many reviews by me and a feature article I worked on with Susan Maguire. I am the MOST excited about that one as it is fun to read and will help you to help readers immediately.  

Here is the text of that Bonus Content Page below, but clicking here will get you to it also:

Third Edition Bonus Content: More Subgenre Annotations [Updated August 2021]

When I was writing the Third Edition of the Readers' Advisory Guide to Horror, I originally had over 20 annotated choices per subgenre appearing in chapter 4-13. However, for word count sake, I had to reduce each lists to a well packaged dozen. Obviously making the cuts was hard, but I was able to include the tittles of those deleted annotations in an appendix at the end of the book with a promise that the annotations would run here on the blog.

Each list was posted on the blog over a series of weeks to promote the release of the book in the summer of 2021. This page is the official home of those annotated lists so people can find them as they encounter the blog.

In the book, my top three choices in each list are marked to denote Becky's Picks. I will also do that in these lists to give you a place to begin as you suggest. Just like the titles in the print book, every title appearing here is a great options for all public libraries. You can use these lists for collection development, displays, lists, and suggestions. Each subgenre has an essay discussing its history and appeal in the book which you can order here. And if you use the code RGH21 at check out you get $5 off!

• Chapter 4: Ghosts and Haunted Houses
• Chapter 5: Vampire Menace
• Chapter 6: Zombies
• Chapter 7: Witches, Curses, and the Occult
• Chapter 8: Monsters and Ancient Evil
• Chapter 9: Nature Gone Wild
• Chapter 10: Satan and Demonic Possession 
• Chapter 11: Psychological Horror 
• Chapter 12: Lovecraftian and Cosmic Horror 
• Chapter 13: Body Horror

RA for All on Vacation

I will return to regular posts on Tuesday 8/3.

And believe it or not that is when Halloween prep begins in earnest. Plus I have a busy month of training programs, and all of the usual RA for All shenanigans valuable educational and useful content.

While I am gone, stay out of trouble and use the tags in the right gutter to peruse the archives.

Oh and since the book will be coming out in August, a shameless plug reminder:

Get $5 off your pre-order of THE READER'S ADVISORY GUIDE TO HORROR THIRD EDITION. Click here and enter RAGH21 at checkout. Works with your ALA Member Discount also.