Here you can keep up to date with my books, my short stories, my appearances, and new developments in my life and career (if there aren't any, I'll make some up, just to keep things interesting).
Next—A Guest Spot on True Blood?
In a recent blog entry, Charlaine Harris (creator of the Sookie Stackhouse character now featured on HBO's True Blood), had this to say about a recenlty published novel:
"I really enjoyed Justin Gustainis's Black Magic Woman, so I was pleased to get a copy of Evil Ways. Here's the thing—I think Evil Ways is much better, and Black Magic Woman was a good book. (I've got to comment that I think the cover is silly, but that's just me.) Once again, investigator Quincey Morris teams with witch Libby Chastain to track down the killer of several white witches. The trail leads right to Walter Grobius, a billionaire (no one's content to be a millionaire any more) who's very unwisely hired a black witch to prolong his miserable life. The black witch, in turn, unwisely believes he can handle the powers he's raising.
Morris and Chastain are lucky to have killer Hannah Widmark on their side. They're also lucky that greed overwhelms good sense. This is a fast-paced book full of adventure, some of it very unpleasant and genuinely frightening."
Attack of the Pod People
I was recently interviewed for Dragon Page, an Internet radio station that is also broadcast on several radio stations in the Southwest. We talked about Evil Ways and what a cool guy Quincey Morris is. You can find a link to the podcast on the Dragon Page website.
The Streets of Scranton Are Haunted Now
I've just signed with Angry Robot Books, a new imprint of HarperCollins, to write a series of occult detective novels set in an "alternate" Scranton, PA. They're commiting to three books for now, and then we'll see.
For more info about this FREAKIN' INCREDIBLE news, see "In the Works."
Hope the Czech Doesn't Bounce
Christian Dunn at Solaris tells me that translation rights to the first two Quincey/Libby books, Black Magic Woman and Evil Ways, have been purchased by a publisher in the Czech Republic.
You know what this means, right? I'm gonna be huge in Prague.
"Please allow me to introduce myself... I'm a man of wealth and taste"
The third book in the Quincey Morris/Libby Chastain series will be called Sympathy for the Devil. In the unlikely event you don't recognize the reference, go here: youtube.clip
In this one, Quincey and Libby have to contend with a major party Presidential candidate who is possessed by a demon, as a part of Hell's plan to take over the world. Any resemblance to actual Presidents (or Vice Presidents), living or dead, is purely concidental. No, really.
Check this out, will you?
An item on Evil Ways appeared in Sci Fi Wire, the Sci Fi Channel's news service: scifiwire.com news clip (just scroll down a ways). And, within twelve hours, it had been picked up by four other online news services: 42 Blips, Celebrifi, Newstin.com, ShowMeSciFi.com, and at least two blogs.
I asked a friend if this meant that I had now "gone viral." He said, "Afraid not, dude. But you've at least reached the status of a bad head cold."
Switching to High-Octane
Look what Lilith Saintcrow, author of the "Dante Valentine" series (that began with Working for the Devil) and the "Jill Kismet" series (Night Shift, Hunter's Prayer), among others had to say about Evil Ways:
"If you're looking for a great urban fantasy read with enough in-jokes and high-octane action (not to mention good solid research and some damn fine writing and plotting) to make any sane reader scream with joy...look, I can't make it any plainer, just read Evil Ways. Yet another book from Gustainis that I wish I'd written!"
Is she a sweetheart, or what?
Trading Papers
Evil Ways premiered in trade paper on December 30th (in the US, anyway; a week later in Canada, the UK and elsewhere). You can find an extensive excerpt (pretty much a whole chapter) posted here bookspotcentral link.
Getting into the Mushrooms, again
I'm glad to say that Evil Ways has received mostly good reviews, such as this one at "Literary Escapism" and this, at "Merry Genre Go Round".
There was one blogger who seemed to be of the opinion that I was a degenerate, but if you think I'm giving you the link to that one, you've been eating the wrong kind of mushrooms, bunkie.
Anyway, degenerates are people, too.
No Blog Jam Here
I've also done some guest blogging (yes, good friends—I have committed "blog"). It's hard to write with your tongue in your cheek, but I managed to do just that for this little essay on "The Future of Urban Fantasy" at Jeri Smith-Ready's place.
Then I expounded (tongue still firmly in place) on the characteristics of urban fantasy over at "Bitten by Books".
Finally, Amberkatze, who was one of my first (and still biggest) European fans, let me discuss why it's no sweat coming up with villains in urban fantasy. As I wrote there, "Evil Makes It Easy".
Wired with a Six-Shooter
I even did some interviews, which also allowed fans to make comments and ask questions of my humble self. And I am so pleased to report that not once was I asked "Where do you get your ideas?" If you've read this far, you're probably a glutton for punishment anyway, so subject yourself to my Q-and-As at Marta Acost's "Vampire Wire" and if you still haven't had enough, check out a short one at "Urban Fantasy Fans".
Now playing at a Wal-Mart near you...
Hey—Black Magic Woman was released in mass market paperback on November 20th. Now playing at drugstores, supermarkets and big box stores everywhere!
xBox Breakdown
A while back, I submitted two stories to the "occult detective" anthology Chicago Raincoat, to be published by Susurrus Press. To my delight, both made the "first cut." I was notified recently that one, "Deal Breaker," had not reached the next level, but the other story "Soul Survivor" had. Only one more level to go, and I'm in. Sounds kinda like a video game, doesn't it?
How do you say, "I couldn't put it down" in Spanish?
The Spanish edition of Black Magic Woman is out. Apparently, the first cover that I saw (on the left) was changed at the last minute (to the version on the right). I don't read Spanish, so if this translation picks up any bad reviews, I'll never know. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss.
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La Maldicion de la Bruja Negra
1st cover |
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2nd cover |
Black Magic Woman Book Description
Occult investigator Quincey Morris and his "consultant", white witch Libby Chastain, are hired to free a family from a deadly curse that appears to date back to the Salem witch trials. Fraught with danger, the trail finds them stalking the mysterious occult underworlds of Boston, San Francisco, New Orleans, and New York, searching out the root of the curse. After surviving a seris of terrifying attempts on their lives, the two find themselves drawn inexorably towards Salem itself—the very heart of darkness.
"Dennis Wheatley meets Kim Newman! Voodoo and Muti and old Salem witches! Shout outs to Jack Crow and Harry D'Amour! I Loved it!
Justin Gustainis is a first class writer. He's smart and he's fun. He moves quickly and he takes corners at speed. Every time you think you know where he's going, he makes a point of going somewhere else. His characters are sharp and vivid, his dialogue crackles with wit and tension, and when it comes to the scarier corners of the magical underworld, he know his stuff.
This is a novel that's packed with story and engaging characters and I can't wait to read the next one."
— SIMON R. GREEN, author of A Walk on the Nightside
"Family vendettas abound in an intriguing tale that pits a descendant of Bram Stoker's Quincey Morris against two kinds of dark magic—an inherited curse and Zulu fetish witchcraft. As much as I enjoy walking in a Wiccan wonderland, stories that explore other witchcraft traditions are a treat. This one's a real page-turner and a solid start to a new paranormal detective series."
— ELAINE CUNNINGHAM, author of Shadow in the Darkness
and Shadows in the Starlight
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Black Magic Woman
Available Now |
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The Hades Project
Available Now |
"...provided a lot of entertainment. A very good book, and I'll look forward to reading another one in the series."
— Charlaine Harris, author of Dead Until Dark and Ice Cold Grave
"Black Magic Woman is a heady witch's brew of extraordinary characters, ruthless spells and take-no-prisoners prose ... Gustainis combines a rogue's gallery of villans (and heroes) with great action and epic storytelling. I couldn't put it down ... and I didn't want it to end."
— Rachel Caine, author of "Weather Warden" and "Morganville Vampires" series
"Black, white, and red all over? That would be a whole mess of magic with a few human sacrifices thrown in for good measure. Black Magic Woman is a fantasy, a mystery, and one helluva compulsive read."
— Rob Thurman, author of Nightlife and Moonshine
"Urban fantasy lovers who enjoy the works of Km Harrison, Tanya Huff and Jim Butcher will thoroughly appreciate Black Magic Woman. Justin Gustainis must own a magic word processor..."
— Harriet Klausner, Speculative Fiction Reviews
"Smart, sexy, and supernatural—Black Magic Woman goes for the throat and doesn't let up until the very last page. I wish I'd written this book; it's a hell of a ride."
— Lilith Saintcrow, author of Working for the Devil and To Hell and Back
"Dracula, voodoo, the Salem Witch Trials—Gustainis mixes all of these into a thrilling, addictive brew. A great way to spend a page-turning night!"
— Chris Marie Green, author of Night Rising and Midnight Reign
"...recalls Mulder and Scully of The X-Files"
— Publisher Weekly
"A taut, well-written thriller."
— Jeanne C. Stein, author of Blood Drive and The Watcher
"Black Magic Woman is probably one of the best books by an author new to the urban/dark fantasy genre that I have read in a long time... Fans of the Dresden Files and early Anita Blake should check this book out."
— Urban Fantasy Reader.com
"Dark and delightfully disturbing. The Hades Project is a story that literally burns through the pages. Highly Recommended."
— M.R. SELLERS, author of the "Rowant Gant Investigations" Series
"As dark, disturbing and dangerous as anything by Koontz, Justin Gustainis' The Hades Project is tightly crafted, explosive and entertaining. You'll read it fast, but it may haunt your dreams forever. One of the best horror novels I have read this year."
— PHILLIP TOMASSO III, author of Adverse Impact and Johnny Blade
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Evil Ways
Available Now |
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Contact author Justin Gustainis
at justingustainis@yahoo.com
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