I started a writer's critique group online because I kept running into freaking talented horror writers. One particular writer, I spent my spare time writing back and forth while watching Syfy Original Movies as we concocted a dream screenplay scenario we were going to submit to them for the ultimate godawful Syfy original. We were certain that the more preposterous it was, the more they would want it.
Kidding aside, I ran a zombie short story contest that this buddy, Scott, from Anything Horror won. He was already the best written horror movie reviewer I had ever read. Now, his fiction blew me away!
He's talented in a freaking lot of areas in his life. Just look at this hilarious zombie short he did for a zombie-short film challenge he put on his blog:
He's probably going to kill me for putting that up, but it just shows what a fun guy he is. As a writer, he's just freaking ridiculous and I know that we're talking about a future filmmaker. I don't doubt it one bit. He is willing to take horror to gritty levels and do things that are usually uncomfortable for others to even attempt, but he has such finesse while doing it that you don't realize he just freaked the hell out of you until you're getting serious goosebumps.
He's got short stories in two anthologies right now and a zombie book that is truly amazing that will be published soon. The anthologies are Headshots Only (a zombie anthology--holy fuck awesome and chilling!) and Tales of Bigfoot (his story will blow you away and give you a sample of what kind of talent we're dealing with).
Check out his stories in these two collections and tell me he isn't the next big thing. He's got a heart, he's got brains, he's got talent, and he's got an evil cohort inside him that can think up these scenarios. Keep your eye on Scott Shoyer. He will be a big name before you know and you heard about him here.
Yeah, seriously--he's that interesting (above). The dude is the "onion man" and filled with layers you never knew about until you peeled them back. If that isn't interesting enough, he's an instructor at Le Cordon Bleu and has a PhD in Philosophy. Man, can you get any more interesting and talented and fun than that?
Yes, I have a bit of an Autumnforest crush. This happily married man will just have to deal with that like all my other victims, ahem, crushes. He's got a loyal reader for life from me, someone who knows whatever he puts out--it's dead-on freaking over the top and an insane adventure, and you know how much I love adventures! (Almost as much as I love to see really genuinely good and talented people succeed!)
***Tonight, NO Lonely on a Friday Night--I know. It's not what you think. Nope, not a date. It's me going out with a new friend. She's rather interesting in the paranormal world, so perhaps I will interview her. No doubt, I will be lonely next Friday night as every other Friday night for the past...oh, 20 years or so, so expect it to be business as usual next week***