You’ve seen all the movies.  You know those scary horror films where the innocent couple with two.3 kids buys the beautiful American dream style house in the middle of no where for cheap and think they’ve just gotten a great deal.  Only two weeks later strange things start happening; first to the family dog and then a few bumps or cuts that can be mysterious but also explained and then caboom!  Junior is sitting on the front porch asking if he can have another squirrel to offer up to Satan while his sister is in the kitchen sharpening the cleaver, dad has taken to wild eyed chain saw running and mom’s face is peeling off as she hyterically laughs at the absence of her refection in the mirror.  All of this is preverbial “punishment” when they refused after that first week to “get out” as the house had howled for them to do (bleeding walls optional).

    So, when I wanted to write a new short story for my friend for his birthday, I thought to myself, what would happen if the house was the opposite?  What if the house didn’t want the family to leave?  What if it LOVED the family?  Could a house become a child with separation anxiety or better yet, an estranged lover?  Could a house be haunted by spirits who threw a fit when they saw a for sale sign go up or boxes being packed?  Such is the subject of a new short simply called “House”. 

    For all you people out there who are in foreclosure, in a shortsale, or simply selling off the house you grew up in, this one’s for you and for my friend.  Happy Birthday!  The audio version will be available in a few weeks.  Look for “House” on the Something Wicked This Way Strums anthology on itunes as well as the RSS feed here.

It’s been since April roughly, since I’ve posted here.  Let me bring you up to date.

In April, I was told that my rental house of six months was now being short saled and I had to find some new diggs.  Then, my son moved out to go to college and get a place of his own.  In May, I wrote a short for www.horroraddicts.net but did not post here because my laptop stopped connecting to any wireless device.

If anyone is interested, the “Something Wicked This Way Strums” anthology on itunes and here in the Michele Roger RSS feed has a new twist on an old story.  Look for “Hyde”.  I’m seriously considering making it into a novel down the road but for now lets hope it suffices as a good short. 

Dark Matter is in print and I did a few book signings whilst I looked for a new place to live.  I decided that while the author life of living in a low income neighborhood is the kind of thing that many people speak of as noble when it comes to dedication to the craft.  But if I can’t write because I’m too afraid the lap top will get stolen when I’m broken into, then there is a problem.  Thanks to Lulu the dog polar bear for stopping the two attempted break ins!

I now have a new place but it meant sending my best friend, confidant, baby and shrink all wrapped into a thick, soft coat of fur back to the breeder.  Her drool was too much for the new place and so was her 100 pounds of pure dog.  I miss her more than I miss my own children.  That is to say, teenagers who fly the nest will say hurtful things abd break your heart in the natural process of cutting the apron strings.  But Lulu was “true blue”; always there with a hug, a slobbery kiss, a happy leap and a protective stance whenever I needed her.  Giving her up was the hardest thing I’ve had to do to date.  I am told that she is doing well, riding in the golf cart at the farm and headed for motherhood of her own.  So with two kids headed to college and lives of their own and my third “child” off on her own on a farm in Indiana, there are two options: lay in bed and watch Cornonation Street in a fit of tears looking for the wisdom of the soap opera writers…or….take out my frustrations by creating the monsters readers seem to love and vent by way of horror.  I’m jumping into option two.

Looking ahead, I am presently working on a book tour in the Chicago area in November.  With any luck, The Conservatory will be finished and in hand along with the revised version of Dark Matter.  I am hoping to release The Conservatory by Halloween.  Please consider buying a copy either in print, on Amazon’s Kindle or coming soon, on the iPad thanks to smashwords.com. 

Next in week, you will hear another chapter (maybe two) as we reach the climax and conclusion of Conservatory.  As a side note, I am looking for an artist who might like to submit some drawings of monsters for t-shirts.  If you are a Conservatory fan and can draw or know someone who can, please send samples to me asap.  Profits will be sent to the artist based on sales and initial investment by me.  Artist must agree that all work can be used for promotional material for the book.

Thats right!  It only took a few months (okay 6) but Conservatory is back in business and has a new free podcast chapter locked and loaded.  More on the way!  It’s already had some great feedback from the UK.  Be sure to add your 2 cents in the comments section below!

A new collaborative work will be previewed on HorrorAddicts.net next month.  It’s my new play, “Hyde”.  This play will be podcast and the first chapter will be introduced to everyone next month.  Please keep checking back for more information. 

Also, if you hadn’t caught it in the Feed, a new chapter of the Conservatory was posted on itunes last week.  All of you who wrote me asking for a fix, well, now you have it.  More to come!  Get ready to get your monster back on as I come to the climax and end of my latest Michigan based hack and slash.

Thanks to the folks at the Triple Goddess Bookstore in Okemos, Michigan near my old stomping grounds at MSU.  It was a really nice turn out!  Here is a pic from that night.

Kick off for Dark Matter held in Okemos, Michigan

This past year, I learned forst hand that writing can become “intellectual property” in a legal case.  In doing some research, I found that many writers have discovered this the hard way, much like I did.

Thank you to those who wrote me and complained about wanting thier “fix” as it were for the rest of “Conservatory” as well as “Dark Matter” news and shorts for “Something Wicked This Way Strums” (all which can be found here under podcasts or on itunes.com).  The complaining meant that folks hadn’t forgotten me and my work.  It gave me incentive to keep writing.  So here is an update.

Both Dark Matter and Conservatory are mine now as far as rights.  From that, I was able to get Dark Matter published and in print.  Go to www.amazon.com and type in “Dark Matter by Michele Roger” to get your copy.

Conservatory has its next chapter written and I’m recording it now.  You should be listening to the next nail biter just after Easter if all goes well.

As for shorts, I’ll release my new twist on the classic “Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde” in May when I talk with Emerian on HorrorAddicts.net.  She graciously invites me on to the show each season and I’ve worked hard to make this new short a really good one.  More info to come on that !

Please join me this Saturday, April 3rd at 7pm for a signing of Dark Matter at the Triple Goddess Bookstore in Okemos.  I’ll read some from the book and then anyone interested can buy a copy and have it signed.  This will be a special night for me as it’s my old stomping grounds from my university days.

Triple Goddess Bookstore is located just off the Okemos exit, heading north when you turn off of I96.  Email me at michele@brittanygirl.com ahead of time if you definately plan to come.  The more, the merrier!  Seating will be limited,