Blog | R.B. Wood - Writer Of Uncanny & Macabre Thrillers

July 8, 2023 No Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post. There are many reasons, from being too busy with projects to pure laziness on my part.

So why am I finally posting now?

The short answer is that I was diagnosed with cancer. Again.

The longer answer is why I’m posting.

Many of you know about the “Series of Unfortunate Events” that befell me in 2015/16. Inclusive of my first bout with the Big C. A 3 cm tumor was found on my thyroid back then, resulting in a complete thyroidectomy and radiation treatment. Papillary Thyroid Cancer is 90% fatal to men (according to Wikipedia—so take that stat with a grain of salt). But I beat it, and I’ve been clear for seven years.

The other health issues I had back then crippled my ability to do what I had spent 30 years of my life doing for my career. “Fine,” I thought. “Let’s do something else, then. Daytime TV is boring.”

I jumped back into writing, went back for a second Master’s degree (this time in Fine Arts from the most wonderful Emerson College), and wrote my second novel, Bayou Whispers. Since then, I have developed the outline for three additional novels, written 20 short stories, and started a new podcast called The Sudden Fictions Podcast.

During recording sessions for this new show, I noticed a problem.

It was in May of this year (2023) that my voice became hoarse. I initially thought the problem was allergies—something I’ve suffered with in springtime for most of my adult life. None of my usual over-the-counter remedies worked this time, so after a couple of weeks of no change, I went to see my doctor right before a planned trip to Europe.

She was a bit concerned with my medical history, so she sent me to an ENT, who put a scope down my throat to see if anything was going on. It turns out a lot was going on.

A white, irregular mass on my left vocal cord was found to be interfering with my voice. This was discovered a few days before Tina and my first vacation in ten years.

The doctor and I locked eyes, and she said, “Go enjoy you’re your vacation. It will take me a few weeks to organize the biopsy surgery anyway.”

See, the only way to get a sample of this thing was to put me under, intubate me, and go in with a micro laser to cut a bit of the mass off to run some stains on.

I knew from the look she gave me that she already knew what it was. In fairness, I knew there was a serious problem too, but that was more intuitive than education or experience based.

Tina and I followed the doctor’s advice and flew off to Dublin for a few days, then to Italy for three weeks. And we tried not to think about the albatross that followed me.

There is something strange that happens when you are diagnosed with cancer. You lose all faith in your body. The life we have that, in many ways, is taken for granted becomes something darker. Scarier. But even worse than the diminished confidence in your body is how people react to the news when you tell them. You end up being their rock. It’s a weird experience.

The antithesis to that awkward experience was and is my wife. She is an amazing, strong, and brilliant person who immediately put aside her emotions and began to research things while reaching out to the vast network of healthcare professionals she has worked with. She did this quietly, without letting me know—because she wanted me to enjoy our holiday.

I love her so much.

Meanwhile, Tina and I and another couple of dear friends enjoyed the beauty of Capri, Sorento, the Amalfi coast, and finally, Maratea. It was the type of holiday we’ve missed for the last decade or so—sandy beaches, crystal clear water, ancient ruins, boat rides, fantastic food, wat too much to drink, laughter, and memories all combined joyously into the experience of a lifetime.

Only while we were winging our way back to Boston did the sense of dread and foreboding return.

My surgical biopsy was now scheduled for the Friday of my return—and deep in my soul, I knew that what I and my doctor suspected would be borne out.

Spoiler alert: The “suspected” was confirmed. I have Squamous Cell Carcinoma on my left vocal cord.

Here is another weird thing. That sense of dread I was feeling…disappeared.

I know now what I’m up against. While we all hope this has been caught early, I will be going through many tests over the next month or so. Probably surgery and chemo as well, based on whom I’m meeting with on the 13th of July.

Within two days of the confirmatory diagnosis, I was assigned a trifecta of oncology doctors at Dana Farber Cancer Institute—a head/neck specialist, an oncology surgeon, and an oncology chemotherapist. That’s my meeting on the 13th..

I don’t know if it’s just one vocal cord. I don’t know if I will be able to speak when this is all said and done. What I do know is two things:

I’ve never given up a fight in my life and
I have the best personal and professional support system anyone could ask for.

But I’m under no delusions. This is going to be a long, tough fight. I expect to win. I have to win.

To this end, I’ll be cutting back my con attendance for the foreseeable future. No ReaderCon, no NECON, and no Haverhill Halloween Book Festival. I’m also postponing my Writer in Residence program that was to occur in Iceland this fall.

Other than the “secret project” I’ve been working on for the past nine months and some writing (for my own sanity)–my focus now is on beating cancer for the second time.

I have three novels outlined and ready for me to write. But now, I want to write them for me—to help me push through this new medical speed bump and push through toward my literary finish line. It’s funny. You would have thought I’d have realized the writing was for me during the first battle.

I’ll post here occasionally during this process. But for now, I love you all.

Chat soon. And fuck cancer.

RBW

“DF tx 1 -200 to PTV_6600”

August 1, 2023 No Comments

What the hell does that mean? I’ll get to that in a minute.

The two weeks from my last posting regarding my cancer “police action” until the first treatment went by faster than the speed of summer vacation from the perspective of a school-aged child. I’ve been a pin cushion for phlebotomists and had a special radiation mask created that will—when bolted to the table—hold my head in place so they can blast my tumor with Oppenheimer rays of glorious DNA rearranging poison.

My Oncologist originally told me (rather emphatically, I might add) that my six and a half weeks of daily radiation must begin on a Monday—which meant that I should have started yesterday (31 July). But I’m starting on Tuesday the 1^st of August. Why?

Well…T and I, along with friends Rachel and Joel, had P!nk tickets at Fenway Park last night. They were on the field right in front of the stage. And Pat Benatar was one of her opening acts.

“Postpone??!! But you have cancer!” you might say, aghast.

“So fucking what?” I would reply in my best New York accent.

A day won’t make a difference in my treatment parameters, and the day gave me another bit of joy in the life I share with my soul mate.

Yeah. This is my second bout of cancer. Boo-hoo. That sort of thinking is so incredibly boring.

All the diagnosis does is make me realize how limited our time is here on our giant rock hurtling through space. I might as well enjoy the time I have left—and as long as my enjoyment doesn’t hurt anyone, I’ll repeat: so fucking what?

The concert last night was a blast. This old body of mine hasn’t danced so much in a long time. P!nk was amazing—how the hell she can do all those acrobatics while singing is beyond me. She is a kind, goofy, and amazingly talented performer—and Tina and I had an amazing time at her show.

I love her music—it’s fun, political, feminist, and a delight to behold—and her backup singers, band, and dancers all hit their marks. But what sold me on the field-level seats wasn’t just P!nk.

A three-time grandmother whom I haven’t seen in concert since the 80’s was up first. Rock-n-roll hall of famer Pat Benatar hit the stage before P!nk. I’ve said before that my first crush was Olivia Newton-John. My first fantasy girl, though, was Pat Benatar.

Let me tell you…that 70-year-old rocker still has it. And while my vocal cords no longer allowed me to sing, I could still remember every word to every song she performed.

In my mind, I was transported to the early ’80s…hell, I could almost smell the pungent, ozone-destroying scent of hair spray again.

It was a night I’ll never forget, in the company of good friends, amazing music, laughter, and a giddy happiness that was worth postponing my treatment for a day.

So. Back to the title of this blog post: DF tx 1 -200 to PTV_6600

That popped up on my phone as we were heading home from the concert at about midnight last night. It stands for “Dana-Farber treatment number 1 with my proton radiation dosing /absorption in centigrays.” In other words, my iPhone was reminding me of the start of my six-and-a-half weeks of hell.

I’m ready. As P!nk says: “Let’s get this part started.”

I have a lot more life to live.

Peace, love, and hair grease. -RBW

The Long Road Ahead

July 16, 2023 No Comments

The emotional whiplash I’ve been experiencing since my cancer diagnosis culminated in my kick-off meeting at Dana-Faber with a trifecta of top specialists in chemotherapy, cancer surgery, and radiation treatments.

This meeting—not to be overly dramatic—would determine the course of my life.

So, let’s get the great news out of the way first.

The experts agreed that laryngeal cancer was self-contained and in a very early stage. I’m scheduled for a CAT scan next week to confirm that opinion and to 3-D map the tumor on my left vocal cord.

Based on what they know so far, I’ve been given a 90+ percent chance of survival. “Relief” doesn’t come close to covering my feelings on that statement.

The Chemotherapist said because my tumor is small and not impacting other organs or systems, as far as he can tell, Chemo is not the way to go for me. He will monitor the additional tests to ensure my cancer’s staging stays at a “one.” As he explained, Chemo is for the later stages with multiple organ involvement.

Next, I spoke with the surgeon. While he was confident that he could excise the tumor completely, it would mean the removal of one vocal cord and potential issues with aspirating food and drink. Not to mention a significant impact on my voice and my ability to teach, perform readings, and continue to record my podcast.

The Radiologist was next. He said my team agreed that targeted radiation would give me the best chance at an acceptable quality of life. While my voice would be permanently raspy, eventually, my throat would heal enough the avoid choking on my breakfast every morning.

However, he said. The next few months would be rough, and he needed to prepare me for what was coming.

They need to give me six and a half weeks of targeted radiation treatments—33 sessions in total- to eradicate the tumor. First, they would map my head in order to 3-D print a mask that would bolt to the treatment table to hold my head in position for the targeted proton radiation bursts.

My head will be bolted to a table. In a mask. Dumas would be proud. As would Sir Anthony Hopkins.

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This radiation procedure would be done every workday for a month and a half—maybe longer based on examination of the tumor. Side effects were expected to be exhaustion, burning of the skin and throat (“you will have the worst sore throat of your life”), and difficulty eating and drinking. Oh, and I will not be able to speak above a whisper at the end of treatment for a month or two.

Yeah, it’s going to be a tough few months. But the team at Dana-Farber is confident of curing me of this cancer. That’s the endgame I wanted.

The long-term news is fantastic. But I’m going to have to go through hell first. But I’ve done that a few times, so I know the path.

I have the fitting for my mask on Monday, 7/17/23, at 7:30 AM. I’m ready.

I wonder if they will serve fava beans and a nice chianti that early.

The Sudden Fictions Podcast Schedule for March (and Prompt for April)!

March 1, 2023 No Comments

Podcast Schedule March 2023

1 MAR: Post this schedule and prompt for MARCH (Submissions re-opened)

The Prompt for APRIL is: STORM

3 MAR: Episode 9 – Eden Bailey “Life in the Air”

10 MAR: Episode 10 – Kristi Petersen Schoonover “It Can’t Rain All the Time”

17 MAR: Episode 11 – ****SPECIAL GUEST****

24 MAR: Episode 12 – Jason McIntyre “Train Car Six”

31 MAR: Episode 13 – Andrew Butters “The Prophecy”

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Stories are to be YOUR work of original, not-previously-published flash fiction of between 750-1000 words FIRM
Once the prompt for the month is released (on the 1st of the previous month) You will have either 30 days or until the number of accepted stories for the month has been reached.
Submissions are to be in MANUSCRIPT FORMAT (if you aren’t sure, here is the wiki page on standard manuscript formatting)
Submissions are to be e-mailed to submissions <at> suddenfictions <dot> com
Once your story has been selected, you will be asked for a bio, photo and PAYPAL E-MAIL address. Right now we are paying $25.00 USD per accepted story.
NO stories about rape or child abuse will be accepted. I have a hard time with violence agains women/children/minorities in general. Don’t test me.
These guidelines will be posted each month under “Events.” The latest post has the latest version of the guidelines

Upcoming Sudden Fiction podcast Events

February 1, 2023 No Comments

Podcast Schedule February 2023

1 FEB: Post this schedule and prompt for MARCH (Submissions re-opened)

The Prompt for MARCH (With apologies to Billy Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar) is: PROPHECY

3 FEB: Episode 5 – Maria Haskins “Marta’s Smile”

10 FEB: Episode 6 – Cindy O’Quinn & Nathan McCullough “I’ll See You in Forever”

17 FEB: Episode 7 – Kerry E. B. Black “Beloved by Shadows”

24 Feb: Episode 8 – Jason McIntyre “Keys”

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Stories are to be YOUR work of original, not-previously-published flash fiction of between 750-1000 words FIRM
Once the prompt for the month is released (on the 1st of the previous month) You will have either 30 days or until the number of accepted stories for the month has been reached.
Submissions are to be in MANUSCRIPT FORMAT (if you aren’t sure, here is the wiki page on standard manuscript formatting)
Submissions are to be e-mailed to submissions <at> suddenfictions <dot> com
Once your story has been selected, you will be asked for a bio, photo and PAYPAL E-MAIL address. Right now we are paying $25.00 USD per accepted story.
NO stories about rape or child abuse will be accepted. I have a hard time with violence agains women/children/minorities in general. Don’t test me.
These guidelines will be posted each month under “Events.” The latest post has the latest version of the guidelines

Star Wars Storytelling Matures with ANDOR

January 23, 2023 No Comments

NOTE: This post originally appeared in issue #69 of Journey Planet

There is no doubt that Disney’s stewardship of the Star Wars franchise has suffered from growing pains. Fan and critic reactions to the final two films of the Skywalker saga and the move away from Star Wars feature films are a clear testament to that fact. The one bright spot for Disney in the cinematic space was the one true “war film” of the franchise – Rogue One.

There are spoilers ahead for many of the Star Wars properties. You’ve been warned.

Rogue One follows the exploits of Jyn Erso, a strong-willed woman with a checkered past (and daughter of the lead architect of the original Death Star project) who leaves her history behind to fight the Empire. During her onscreen journey, we are introduced to a cast of marvelous characters, including rebel spy Cassian Andor.

Rogue One ends as one would expect a war movie prequel to end for all the characters never mentioned in any other properties. The beauty of the storytelling in Rogue One is that, as a seasoned and obsessive fan of Star Wars, I knew how the movie was likely to end for the characters we meet in in the movie – yet the writing was so good, their foregone conclusion did not take away from the enchantment one bit.

Maintaining story tension for two hours for a tale where the audience already knows the outcome is no mean feat – see the Star Wars prequels for an example of a missed opportunity.

The (in my not-so-humble opinion) mediocrity of the prequels was the reason I was nonplussed when it was announced that Disney would be producing a prequel series to Rogue One called Andor. Would they ruin a spectacular film with another missed opportunity prequel story?

The short answer is that the House of Mouse got it right.

Disney brought in the writer for Rogue One, Tony Gilroy (whose credits include Beirut, Proof of Life, and The Devil’s Advocate, to name a few), as showrunner. The result is a story unlike any other told in the vast Star Wars universe: a slow-burn, character-driven show with superb acting, poignant writing, and political intrigue. It showcased the absolute horror of a fascist regime and the sacrifices those who revolt against such a government must make to eventually win.

Andor takes place five years before Rogue One and follows the returning Diego Luna’s titular character for his own journey from rogue to freedom fighter. But this fight is not a solo endeavor, as we also are reintroduced to the eventual political leader of the rebellion, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), and the expert in subterfuge and antiquities, Luthen Rael (played by the brilliant Stellan Skarsgård). Through their eyes and actions, we witness the birth of multiple insurgencies that, as we know, eventually come together to form the Alliance of Leia, Luke, and Han.

But Andor is not a black-and-white story of good versus evil. This is a gritty story of sacrifice, lies, and murder – more often than not carried out by the heroes of the story. While Cassian Andor’s journey is like that of Rogue One’s Jyn Erso, it is the interaction of the characters that drive this story. Tony Gilroy takes his time to properly set up the pieces on his chess board, an act done with great care. Oh, there are still explosions and Star Destroyers, but they are used sporadically and only when a necessary part of the story.

Andor is telling a story about regular beings in a complex universe who are facing extraordinary and deadly choices within the framework of a tyrannical government exerting its power and control to obliterate individualism and freedom. The scenes within the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) – analogous to the German Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS) or the Soviet Union’s Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti (KGB) – show the Empire’s attempt to quell the movements of Mon Mothma, Luthen Rael, and others. As the twelve-part series unfolds, we are shown that both sides of the galactic conflict break the rules of basic morality and law to achieve their goals. There are no white and black hats – green versus red lightsabers – to be seen. All hands are dirty, and Tony Gilroy shows it with great finesse. There are brilliant speeches and monologues to underpin the passion that the various factions feel about their chosen paths (Fiona Shaw’s speech as Maarva Andor will make the viewer shed a tear). But the triumph of Andor is taking a story with a known ending and making it both entertaining and relevant for the times we live in.

While telling a poignant Star Wars tale with nary a lightsaber to be seen, I cannot wait to see where Andor goes in season two.

REVIEW: Slow Horses (Seasons 1 &2) streaming on Apple+

January 11, 2023 No Comments

4.5 out of 5

Based on Mick Herron’s “Slough House” book series.

Rated: TV-MA

Starring: Gary Oldman (Jackson Lamb), Jack Lowden (River Cartwright), Kristen Scot Thomas (Second Desk Diana Taverner), Saskia Reeves (Catherine Standish) and an additional cast of delicious characters.

I’ve heard that Mick Herron has been equated to a modern-day Ian Fleming, comparing the latter’s James Bond books to the former’s series of MI-5 misfits. If anything, the series is the antithesis of James Bond—and the stories and characters are richer for the experience.

The Apple Plus series is a visual masterpiece and the pacing more than makes up for the books tendency to become bogged down in details that, in my not-so-humble-opinion aren’t needed.

Each of the first two seasons is named after the first two books in the series (Slow Horses and Dead Lions) and follows the disheveled, alcoholic, chain-smoking, and rather disgusting Jackson Lamb (Oldman) and his Slough House division of MI5 (The British Security Service) misfits.

Season One opens with a very action-oriented scene that sets the stage for the series. We are first introduced to an up-and-coming agent by the name of River Cartwright who…makes a career altering mistake, landing him under the disapproving and abusive eye of Lamb. I would equate Lamb’s character to that of Hugh Laurie’s Gregory House character—but Lamb is worse—way worse than House.

Political intrigue descends upon Slough House as the team of MI5 misfits (this season rounded out by Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazer, Christopher Chung (who plays Roddy perfectly) and Dustin-Demri-Burns step up to solve a kidnapping case with political and international ramifications.

The Second season finds the team again fighting the politics of the MI5 Regent Park HQ along with personal agendas that have dire consequences for some.

The season long stories are tightly scripted. The Characters—especial Oldman, Reeves and Lowden, are brought to life in a way better than I’d imagined when reading the novels, the first time around. Gary Oldman sells Jackson Lamb. Even when the stories ebb a bit (as they do in both seasons occasionally), Oldman’s performance is a delight to behold, and his delivery (and outrageous accent) made me laugh out loud more than once.

A few of the villains of the series are a bit over the top (Freddie Fox’s James ‘Spider’ Webb for one). Samuel West as the conservative right-wing MP (and Home Secretary in season two) was brilliant in the first season, and a smarmy git in the second. I knocked off a half star for those quibbles.

But there is a reason that season’s three and four have been green lit by Apple already. Overall Slow Horses is a well written romp of a spy series. So, if you like your spy thrillers with a side of snark, and with twists that are surprising, I think you should give this one a go. I, for one, can’t wait to see Gary Oldman run more rings around the intelligence establishment in future seasons.

Happy New Year!

January 2, 2023 No Comments

Welcome to the “new and improved” rbwood.com!

The refresh was sorely needed, and while the team is still working on things in the background (the new store, for example) we felt a soft launch was in order, as 2023 is bringing a LOT of news!

On 31 December, just a couple of days ago, I had a paper I wrote on the Disney+ series Andor published in issue 69 of the fanzine Journey Planet. Thanks to Erin Underwood for thinking of me and inviting me to participate.

The year begins on that publication high note, but there is so much more in store!

January sees the release of the first four episodes of my new podcast called Sudden Fictions. It’s a weekly show featuring one piece of flash fiction of between 750-1000 words. These so-called sudden fictions are concise stories that don’t end with a twist or a bang but are suddenly just there, surprising, unpredictable, hilarious, profound, and moving, all in a couple of pages. The first year-long theme is “Seasons,” with January’s monthly theme of “Blizzard.” Bill Kirton, one of my old “irregulars” from my last show, joins me the first week, with original stories from Sheri White, Suzanne Madron, and J. Edwin Buja rounding out the month. I’ll release February’s prompt on 6 JAN, so look for that posting on Twitter, Hive, Facebook, and Instagram. The show will be available in multiple locations, including my website, Spotify, iTunes, and more.

I’m also continuing a secret project I began with a partner last fall. Announcements on that will be forthcoming, but we are building something I truly hope will be magical—especially for those who write, wish to write, and love speculative fiction.

My writing continues; I have three short stories ready for open calls that I’m looking forward to in the first half of 2023. Work on the novel (The Daemon of Flatbush) goes well, and I recently crossed the 50k word mark. I aim to have that wrapped up by June 30, so I can devote my time to the secret project launch.

Have a poke around the new site and drop me a line at me (at) rbwood (dot) com to let me know what you think.

It’s going to be a good year for all of us, I hope!

Peace,

RBW 2 Jan 23

Podcast News! Sudden Fictions Schedule-January 2023

January 2, 2023 No Comments

Podcast Schedule January 2023

6 JAN: Post Feb Prompt and Open for Submissions

6 JAN: Episode 1 – Bill Kirton “Twins?”

13 JAN: Episode 2 – Sheri White “All is Calm, All is Bright”

20 JAN: Episode 3 – Suzanne Madron “Cold Faith”

27 JAN: Episode 4 – J. Edwin Buja “Tight White Smile”

“West of Hell” is born…

September 17, 2022 No Comments

My latest novella called The Trickster of Paradise (There is a link to me reading a 5-minute scene at the end of this article) is out now in a collection of three wonderfully weird westerns by myself and my fellow writers and friends Michael Burke and James A. Moore.

You and buy the eBook, paperback, or hardcover version of “West of Hell” at this link: WEST OF HELL

How did I, an uncanny & macabre thriller writer, end up writing a weird western? Well, my friends, tie up your horse and come sit by the campfire, and I’ll tell you a tale from yesteryear.

I grew up in the 70s on Long Island, New York, wearing a red cowboy hat and toting two silver plastic cap gun “six shooters” strapped to my waist. My imaginary horse was called “Toby,” and he and I went on the most insane adventures a young boy could think up. This was before “Creature Double Feature,” “The Twilight Zone,” and “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” changed my life.

My dad—may he rest in peace—was a western fan all his life. From the books of Zane Grey to those of Louis L’Amour and the movies of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, my dad loved them all.

I remember watching those old movies on WPIX channel 11 in New York. I also loved “The Rifleman” (and always thought I would make a better son to Chuck Connor’s Lucas McCann rather than actor Johnny Crawford). I would wait eagerly for “The Wild, Wild West” to come on (and as an adult, I’ve decided never to discuss the cinematic remake starring Will Smith).

I guess what I’m trying to say is that before the darker speculative fiction that became my passion in my teen years and beyond, westerns were the first stories that tickled my imagination. The sense of adventure. The peril of living “on the frontier.” The simple morality tales at the end of each episode of “Gunsmoke.”

And the singing of Gene Autry.

Westerns were my childhood; so it was only natural that as an adult speculative fiction writer, I would create a weird western story that would combine the supernatural with a “hearty ‘Hi ho Silver, away!’” My novella as a part of “West of Hell” is, in many ways, a tribute to my father as it is a story of revenge and the power of legends, both good and bad.

I hope you enjoy the collection as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. In the meantime, I’m going to grab my red cowboy hat because Toby and I are riding off into the sunset of our next adventure.

And I would be much obliged if you grabbed yourself a copy of “West of Hell” today!

Here is a 5-minute snippet of me reading from The Trickster of Paradise:

It’s Been A While…

September 6, 2022 No Comments

Things are beginning to pick up in the writing world again!

In ten days, Crystal Lake Publishing will release my Novella The Trickster of Paradise. I’m honored to be in a weird western collection with the talents of James A. Moore and Michael Burke. The collection is called “West of Hell,” and it is the second in CLP’s new Dark Tide series. Early reviews have been great, and the prerelease is already climbing the Amazon charts.

A couple more announcements are forthcoming.

Earlier in the summer, I attended my first in-person convention since Covid…it was truly fantastic to get out of the house and see people I haven’t been able to hug in over two years. I Sat down for over ninety minutes with the great joe Landsdale and he was an absolute blast to hang out with and hear his stories. I love being around people in this industry who have a passion for the storytelling arts…and his Jonax Hex comic series may have been an influence on my weird western novella.

I’m looking to work on a new show with the last episode of the Word Count Podcast long since in the can. I’ve been kicking around a few ideas and will hopefully have an update on them in the fall or early winter. In the meantime, there has been some “writer-adjacent” stuff happening in the background that I can’t chat about yet. Maybe soon, if the stars align.

Finally, the next Novel in the Psalms of the Arcana series is taking shape. I’m nearly 30k words in at this point and expect to have it finished by 2023.

There is, as always, a lot going on, and I’ve missed you guys so much! I hope you all are well, and I’m making a renewed effort to post here more often. The spooky season approaches, and I’ll be at the Merrimack Halloween Book Festival in Haverhill, Massachusetts, next month. More on that soon!

Peace, love, and hair grease!

RBW

(Photo by Tony Tremblay)

Bayou Whispers–Early Reviews!

April 14, 2021 No Comments

A few reviews are trickling in from the Advance Release Copies of the novel we sent out. First up, though, the Press Release went live up at PRWeb and is beginning to grab attention:

Thriller writer R. B Wood announces his latest Book Bayou Whispers which tells the story of a strong female lead and survivor…

And a few reviews. One from Sean M. Sanford at Horror DNA:

The bayou. It’s a world within worlds. Some good things; some bad…

And another from Ashley Perkins (Psibabe) at Game Vortex:

Bayou Whispers by R.B. Wood revolves around Jeannine LaRue…

I’ve been recording interviews like crazy and have a fairly booked schedule through May. This experience is so amazing…and I hope you all join me for the OFFICIAL LAUNCH of Bayou Whispers on 29 April at 8 PM Eastern on FaceBook Live!

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