The Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange

Hiram Five Book Set Available at $10.00 Savings!

2010-09-17T13:20:00.002-04:00

Shroud Publishing is pleased to announce that the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange are now available to order as a five book set, at a $10.00 savings! Place orders HERE.

Welcome to the scandalous misadventures of scurrilous boozer and malcontent, Hiram Grange. Though afflicted with a laundry list of dysfunctions, addictions and odd predilections, Hiram Grange stands toe to toe (and sometimes toe to tentacle) with the black-hearted denizens of the Abyss and dispenses justice with the help of his antiquated Webley revolver and Pritchard bayonet. A five-part series. Cover and illustrations by Malcolm McClinton, and original woodcut prints by Danny Evarts.

With this order, you will receive all five books in Volume 1 of the Hiram Grange Misadventures, including:

Book One: Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned, by Jake Burrows
Book Two: Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers, by Scott Christian Carr
Book Three: Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist, by Robert Davies
Book Four: Hiram Grange and the Chosen One, by Kevin Lucia
Book Five: Hiram Grange and the Nymphs of Krakow, by Richard Wright

All five books at an exceptional bargain! Start the dysfunctional adventure today!

Here's what readers and reviewers are saying about the series:

"Stunning and startlingly original...a must read!" -- Nate Kenyon, author of THE BONE FACTORY and SPARROW ROCK

“Somewhere in the Underworld, Lovecraft is grinning with delight and Hunter S. Thompson is raising his bottle high. You won’t find a darker, more twisted character than Hiram Grange.” -- Greg Hall, author of AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET, and creator of the Funky Werepig Radio Show.

An absolute must read for fans of fast-paced, action-packed occult thrillers."-- Gene O'Neill, Stoker-winning author of JADE and DEATHFLASH

“H.P. Lovecraft meets Ian Fleming – and H.P. Lovecraft wins. Lucia delivers non-stop action and shocks from the get-go, with tentacle very firmly in cheek…” -- Joseph D’Lacey, critically acclaimed author of MEAT and GARBAGE MAN.

"Twisted, shocking and full of pitch-black humor and darkly original twists. One of the best books I've read this year." -- Brian Keene, author of DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN and DEAD SEA

Dirty Sexy Books: Hiram Grange "Damn Close to Perfection"

2010-06-15T10:15:00.001-04:00

This is the book that prompted bestselling author Brian Keene to say, "This is fucking EXCELLENT!" though his official word was:

"Twisted, shocking and full of pitch-black humor and darkly original twists. One of the best books I've read this year." Brian Keene, author of Darkness on the Edge of Town and Dead Sea

Now Rebecca, who runs the Dirty Sexy Books' blog, chimed in with this:

"I just loved this supernatural horror novella, and my only regret is that it went by too damn fast... a wicked good ride through some dark, twisted avenues with a demented savior... This one entertained me beautifully, and it had it all; it was a gritty and sexy balls-to-the-walls adventure. If you’re a fan of dark urban fantasy like me, then you’ll rejoice upon finding this treasure trove...."

Read the full review here.

But that's not all. Steven Savile, the International Bestselling author of Silver, Primeval: Shadow of the Jaguar and Stargate SG-1: The Power Behind the Throne loved the book as well:

"Richard Wright is one of the best kept secrets in horror, which is a crying shame because a guy this good shouldn't be a secret at all. And best of all, he just keeps getting better. Hiram Grange and the Nymphs of Krakow is a good old fashioned rollicking tale of mysticism and mayhem. The pages turn themselves, it's that good."

We're going to open HIRAM GRANGE AND THE NYMPHS OF KRAKOW, by Richard Wright up for pre-orders this week.

hg342 = Hiram Grange Three For Two!

2010-05-04T10:46:00.000-04:00

Get Three Hiram Grange Books for the price of two!

Simply go here to make your selection.

Buy any 2 Hiram Grange books and get the 3rd for free! YOU MUST PUT ALL THREE of your choices in the cart and then apply the coupon code "hg342"

Hiram Grange and the Chosen One Coming soon!

2010-05-03T10:20:00.000-04:00

Hiram Grange doesn’t believe in fate. He makes his own destiny. That’s a good thing, because Queen Mab of Faerie has foreseen the destruction of the world, and as usual… it’s all Hiram’s fault. He must choose: kill an innocent girl and save the universe… or rescue her and watch all else burn. Just another day on the job for Hiram Grange.

In Book Four of the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange, author Kevin Lucia, takes his readers on a wild chase through Belfast's darker boroughs as Hiram Grange faces his toughest--and perhaps most unusual--assignment yet.

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER. Should be available in 1 week.

About Kevin Lucia

Kevin Lucia is a Contributing Editor for Shroud Magazine. His short fiction has appeared in several anthologies. He teaches high school English, and is working on a Creative Writing Masters Degree at Binghamton University. He lives in Castle Creek, New York with his wife and children. He is also currently writing his first full-length novel. Visit Kevin online at www.kevinlucia.net.

What are People Saying?

“H.P. Lovecraft meets Ian Fleming – and H.P. Lovecraft wins. Lucia delivers non-stop action and shocks from the get-go, with tentacle very firmly in cheek…”

- Joseph D’Lacey, critically acclaimed author of MEAT and GARBAGE MAN.

“In the mood for a wild ride of a book? Something smart and scary and exciting? Kevin Lucia’s HIRAM GRANGE & THE CHOSEN ONE fits the bill to perfection. It teems with monsters and demons, with arcane lore, black magic and narrow escapes. Even the hero is edgy and obsessed. What could be more delicious? Long live Hiram Grange!”

- Robert Dunbar, Bram Stoker Nominated author of THE SHORE and MARTYRS & MONSTERS

"Kevin Lucia's writing is both scary and smart--a lethal cocktail that makes for mesmerizing storytelling."

- Tosca Lee, critically acclaimed author of DEMON: A MEMOIR

"Packed with high octane dark adventure and brimming with humor, Kevin Lucia’s HIRAM GRANGE & THE CHOSEN ONE thunders across the pages like a herd of wild horses. This is what cult fiction is all about!"

- J. L. Comeau, Count Gore's Creature Feature

“Fans of Kevin Lucia’s short story work have long awaited his first novella. And his book in the Hiram Grange series is the perfect vehicle for Lucia to not only please his old fans, but to show new ones just how damn good he is.”

- Gregory Hall- author of AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET and host of the Funky Werepig

"Hiram Grange and The Chosen One is one of those stories you simply lose yourself in, and hate to have end. From the opening to the final scenes it never lets up with over-the-top action and plenty of dark laughs. I loved it! And want more Hiram Grange, please!"

- Bram Stoker-Nominated author of SOLOMON'S GRAVE, Dan Keohane

2010-04-29T14:02:00.001-04:00

Robotic Chimp Heads... Yes, that's what I said...

2010-04-29T13:54:00.001-04:00

From its global headquarters in Boston, the mysterious Occlusionist Movement is preparing to control the world with its Digital Eucharist, while in the serpentine bowels of the city an ancient demon is unleashed, eager for revenge against the man who imprisoned it years ago--Hiram Grange! On the heels of the release of Hiram Grange & the Twelve Little Hitlers, Rob Davies' intelligent and uproarious novella, Hiram Grange & the Digital Eucharist, has challenged the boundaries of adventure horror fiction. Eucharist is the third installment in the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange series. About Rob Davies:

ROBERT DAVIES writes stories about lobster girls and laser beams. Mimetic fiction is for wimps. Raised on a steady diet of weird paperbacks, Infocom games, and comic books, Rob has always wanted to be a writer (Well, actually, he first wanted to be a dinosaur, but that didn’t work out so well). When not writing, Rob likes to travel around the world, searching for the ideal pint and the perfect bookstore. He lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with his wife Sara and two cats, Lilith and Tiamat. His favorite Horseman is Pestilence.

Visit Rob online at www.robertedavies.com. Cover Art and illustrations by Malcolm McClintonLayout, design, copyediting, and woodcut embellishments by Danny Evarts

What are People Saying?

"Join Hiram Grange as he negotiates with a little voodoo help an unfamiliar and scary Boston. Along the way he struggles with Black Magic rituals, creatures summoned from the Abyss, his own inner demons, and the mysterious enslaving power of the Digital Eucharist. At stake: Saving the world from the Occlusionist Movement. The writing is consistently authentic and compelling. An absolute must read for fans of fast-paced, action-packed occult thrillers."

--Gene O'Neill, Stoker-winning author of JADE and DEATHFLASH

"The Digital Eucharist is a trip in every sense of the word...dark, funny, humanistic, and surreal. While others are producing stories and characters in a familiar cookie-cutter format, the minds behind Hiram Grange are blazing a trail as unique and wonderful as the world they are working within. Hiram Grange is Absinthe for the fastidious horror reader."

-- Michael Knost, Bram Stoker Award-winner of WRITERS WORKSHOP OF HORROR

"Vivid, engaging, and darkly humorous – Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist is another spectacular entry in the Hiram Grange series that you can't afford to miss."

-- Jason M. Tucker – Author of MEAT CITY & OTHER STORIES

"This isn't just a series of books; it's a force to be reckoned with..."

2010-03-25T08:34:00.000-04:00

Anton Cancre over at Horror News, had glowing praise for Scott Christian Carr's, Hiram Grange and the 12 Little Hitlers:

"What I am coming to adore about Hiram is his fragility, the simple realization that this is the last person anyone would want to depend on for their salvation. It makes him more human, more real to me. Within these pages, Scott shows us Hiram at his most vulnerable. An incredibly weak, insecure and utterly shattered person upon whom a practically unbearable weight is placed and he simply cannot face it all. So he dives face first into any drug he can get into himself, begging for the oblivion his mother chased and eventually found staring down the barrel of his Webley.

In anyone else's hands the pathetic fallacy in which Hiram mental state is regularly reflected in the music playing wherever he went could very well come across as a cheap, clumsy and ineffective trick, but he handles it with such grace and subtlety that it is nothing less than magic."

Anton also recognized the work of the artistic team that lent their talent to give the Hiram books their unique look and feel:

"The marvelous cover and interior artwork by Malcolm McClinton that has become, in my mind, inseparable from H.G., is once again present. This time out, the images are slightly skewed, twisted and stretched in a way that reflects Hiram's state of mind quite nicely. I should also mention the often unremarked upon woodblock illustrations of Mr. Danny Evarts, something ubiquitous with Shroud publications. Slight and unobtrusive, as they should be, but always placed in a way that adds to the writer's work without drawing attention to themselves."

Malcolm McClinton Unveils Digital Eucharist Art

2010-03-04T09:21:00.001-05:00

When we joined forces with Malcolm McClinton to put a face on Hiram Grange we were pretty sure that we had already hit the jackpot. Malcolm had brought years of professional illustration experience with him, and his unique style dovetailed nicely with the whole Hiram concept.

However, as Malcolm created each new piece of art for the Hiram series, we quickly realized that he was an integral part of the creative team and his talented art significantly helped us cement the image of Hiram and his associates in our mind.

In his latest work, Malcolm has created a series of horrific masterpieces that transcend the amazing work he has done for the character to-date. Shroud Publishing is very proud to share samples of Malcolm's illustrations and cover for Rob Davies' book, Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist.

Horror News: Hiram is "powerful, moving and freaky..."

2010-02-17T11:34:00.000-05:00

Anton Cancre from Horror News, just posted an in-depth review of Jake Burrows' Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned (get it on Amazon now).

Here are a few things he had to say:

"This is someone who sees the hilarity, horror and tragedy in the absurd. Someone who knows that paralyzing, gut-busting laughter isn't that far removed from gibbering and chuckling, curled into an empty-eyed ball in the corner of a padded cell. This knowledge elevates the tale into a powerful, moving and freaky ass piece of art."

"Jake Burrows has given a potential caricature depth and an accessible emotional center that I did not expect..."

"...One of the more tense and taught openings to a horror novel I have read in a long time..."

"Come the bright, unwavering light of dawn, H.G. and the VotD made for a damn fine and totally entertaining read that moved me in unexpected ways. I can't wait to find out what lies in store for our intrepid anti-hero once he washes the puke out of his hair."

Then there is praise for Malclom McClinton's original artwork:

"Then there is the cover art and interior paintings by Malcolm McClinton. In these stark, simple images, he manages to perfectly capture the frailty and pathos that drives Hiram in the face of the utter insanity of the moment. The addition of illustrations like these is what has put Shroud to the forefront of my mind when it comes to small press releases, second only to some of the better releases by Necro. Art like this makes it much easier to justify the added cost that comes with any small press purchase."

Read the entire insightful review here.

Dark Recesses: Hiram Grange a "kinetic tour de force."

2010-02-17T11:21:00.000-05:00

Nancy Greene from Dark Recesses recently reviewed Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers:

"Scott Christian Carr’s Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers is a kinetic tour de force of drug-addled adventure..."

"I can’t say enough about the writing style in this book. It’s descriptive and poetic, hard-hitting and emotional..."

"Overall this is a riveting book, and I have a feeling that the Hiram Grange series is sure to become a cult classic."

Please read the entire review here.

Get Hiram on Amazon and get it by tomorrow!

The Many Faces of Hiram Grange

2010-01-27T11:16:00.002-05:00

There is a singular joy as a writer in the experience of having a talented artist bring a face to your character. The authors of the Hiram Grange books were ecstatic to work with Malcolm McClinton, who was able to depict Grange's nuanced persona in a variety of subtle (and not so subtle) facial expressions.

These are the faces of Hiram Grange:

Get Introduced: 50% off of Hiram Grange!

2010-01-11T14:52:00.004-05:00

I think you'll dig Hiram Grange. So much so that I'll give you 50% off of the two first Hiram Grange novellas and/or the Hiram Grange issue of Shroud for the next two days. Coupon code: "Hiram50"

Remember, that's two days only from Shroudmagazine.com.

THANK YOU -- PROMO HAS COMPLETED.

Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers Shipping Now!

2010-01-04T13:04:00.001-05:00

Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers is available now, and shipping from Amazon!

On the heels of the release of Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned (B&N, Amazon, SP), Scott Christian Carr's wildly original novella, Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers, has already begun to create some excitement among readers. Hitlers is the second installment in the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange series.

One of those readers is none other than Lloyd Kaufman, President of Troma Entertainment and Creator of the Toxic Avenger. Kaufman read Hitlers, and said it was:

"more fun than a barrel full of Hitlers... The best novel since Don Quixote!"

Greg Hall, the master of ceremonies over at the Funky Werepig radio show was equally impressed:

“Somewhere in the Underworld, Lovecraft is grinning with delight and Hunter S. Thompson is raising his bottle high. You won’t find a darker, more twisted character than Hiram Grange.”

But the lavish praise and adoration doesn't stop there! Renowned sci-fi author Patricia Anthony, who wrote Cold Allies, Brother Termite, Conscience of the Beagle, Happy Policeman, Cradle of Splendor, God's Fires, Flanders, and Eating Memories said this about Hitlers:

"Scott Christian Carr is one of the most insightful writers I know. He's also one of the funniest. Reading 'Twelve Little Hitlers' never fails put you under an intellectual pleasure-dome, which is great in and of itself --- The unexpected surprise is, you'll also laugh your ass off!"

Tracking the Confluences...

2010-01-04T10:52:00.000-05:00

We are now making a point to track the events, occurrences, and sightings that may reveal confluential activity.

What is a Confluence?

Well according to The SCANDALOUS MISADVENTURES OF HIRAM GRANGE:

A confluence is, simply put, a crossroads of supernatural activity; an area of spiritual conflict within the greater War of Good Versus Evil. The Earth is spotted with thousands of minor (or roaming) confluences, but only twelve major (or fixed) confluences.

A minor confluence can occur spontaneously whenever spiritual conflict breaks through to the corporeal plane. These usually manifest in unusual supernatural occurrences for a short period of time, including ghost sightings, poltergeist activity, or the appearance of physical omens. A major confluence, however, is firmly tied to a specific geographic area on a seemingly permanent basis.

Track the confluences HERE...

Hiram Grange Five Day Book Trailer Contest- Win $100!

2009-12-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

After Author Kevin Lucia and publisher Neil Jackson both submitted book trailers for Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned, I quickly realized that there is a wealth of creativity and talent out in the Webosphere, just waiting to be discovered

Both Kevin and Neil suggested a BOOK TRAILER CONTEST to see how much excitement people can create with a 30 to 60 second video. I thought it was an inspired idea, and I am willing to pay people for their efforts.

Let's keep the rules simple.

1. You have FIVE DAYS starting from December 24th at 12AM EST, and ending at December 29th 12AM EST, though if you start immediately, we'll never know.

2. Yeah, we know it's Kwanzaa, Chanukah, Christmas, Saturnalia, Solstice, time, but that's the whole point. Make it quick, down and dirty, guerilla filmmaking!

3. No book purchase is necessary. There is enough information on this blog to get you started. We are not worried about 100% accuracy. Be creative, but try to be true to the Hiram Grange "canon" (guffaw).

4. 30 to 60 seconds in length (but don't sweat it if you go over or under)

5. You may borrow images from Shroud, but please do so sparingly and you MUST credit our wonderful artists (such as Malcolm McClinton or Danny Evarts). You may use these images only for the purposes of this contest. But really folks, we'd really dig it if you went outside the box and used brand new content. Naturally do not violate other people's copyright either. If you do, we can't use your video.

6. Post your entry on your own YouTube page, and email us the link from there.

7. Please make sure your video abides with YouTube's submission guidelines. Any discriminatory material, or anything exploitive to kids, marsupials or orangutans will be summarily discarded. We will not be held responsible blah blah blah...

8. I will tap the Hiram Five Authors, Malcolm McClinton (the artist) and Danny Evarts (editor/designer/artist) as judges. Though, they do not know this yet.

Judging Criteria:

Compelling, creative and cool;
Viral Quality;
True to the Hiram Grange "canon."

9. We'll announce finalists on January 2nd, 2010.

10. Those Finalists then have five more days to generate the most user ratings on YouTube. The entry with the most/highest ratings wins!

Prizes:

FIRST PLACE: $100 Shroud Gift Certificate

SECOND PLACE: $30 Shroud Gift Certificate

THIRD PLACE: $10 Shroud Gift Certificate

All Finalists will receive a copy of a Hiram grange book of their choice, and all winners will be mentioned in the Subsequent issue of Shroud Magazine.

Send all questions to us.

ready, set, GO!

Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned Trailer v2

2009-12-23T09:49:00.001-05:00

Neil Jackson from Ghostwriter Publications (UK) was kind enough to put this trailer together for Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned. We'd love to get your feedback!

The Toxic Avenger Loves Hiram Grange--a Blurb from Kaufman!

2009-12-21T16:32:00.003-05:00

On the heels of the release of Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned (B&N, Amazon, SP), Scott Christian Carr's wildly original novella, Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers, has already begun to create some excitement among advance readers. Hitlers is the second installment in the Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange series.

One of those readers is none other than Lloyd Kaufman, President of Troma Entertainment and Creator of the Toxic Avenger. Kaufman read Hitlers, and said it was:

"more fun than a barrel full of Hitlers... The best novel since Don Quixote!"

Greg Hall, the master of ceremonies over at the Funky Werepig radio show was equally impressed:

“Somewhere in the Underworld, Lovecraft is grinning with delight and Hunter S. Thompson is raising his bottle high. You won’t find a darker, more twisted character than Hiram Grange.”

But the lavish praise and adoration doesn't stop there! Renowned sci-fi author Patricia Anthony, who wrote Cold Allies, Brother Termite, Conscience of the Beagle, Happy Policeman, Cradle of Splendor, God's Fires, Flanders, and Eating Memories said this about Hitlers:

"Scott Christian Carr is one of the most insightful writers I know. He's also one of the funniest. Reading 'Twelve Little Hitlers' never fails put you under an intellectual pleasure-dome, which is great in and of itself --- The unexpected surprise is, you'll also laugh your ass off!"

Stay tuned for the January 2010 release of Carr's Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers!

Hiram Grange Reader Chimes in on Killing Zombies

2009-12-21T15:46:00.000-05:00

J. Perry, a retired US Army Infantry Master Sergeant sent an email into Shroud Publishing with a unique analysis on the effectiveness of guns against the undead:

"I'm really starting to enjoy the adventures of Hiram. I like the modern noir-urban ambience off set by the humor, as well as the B-movie horror themes presented with a modern sensibility and edge. The dark tone would other wise be depressing, but becomes hilarious when combined with the caricature nature of the plot and the characters. I've laughed out loud, more then once.

The whole concept very much reminds me of the zombie-apocalypse genre which often combines the fictional (and sometimes presented humorously) zombie resurrection phenomena with actual, real-world settings and survival/disaster preparedness skills. One of the topics that comes up often is the use of melee weapons vs. firearms.

Its painfully obvious that Hiram needs, a sword, or a swordsman, or preferably both. That's the problem with terminal ballistics and zombies. You can't rely on hydrostatic shock and temporal cavity damage to down a zombie. Hiram does well to use the beefy, sub-sonic round that he's using for it's kinetic energy transfer. But he really needs a large surface area, edged weapon to quite literally disable/dismember his threat..."

One of the Hiram authors just may have to include this insight in a future episode of Hiram Grange.

Hiram available NOW!

2009-11-30T14:17:00.000-05:00

You can get Hiram Grange on Amazon TODAY!

Click here to get Hiram right now.

Join the Scandalous Misadventure today!

"With 'Hiram Grange', Jake Burrows has created a weird, disturbed, deeply troubled and darkly funny hero. VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED is quirky and creepy and way too much sick fun. Highly recommended." -Jonathan Maberry, multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE WOLFMAN and THE DRAGON FACTORY

"Stunning and startlingly original...a must read!" --Nate Kenyon, author of THE BONE FACTORY and SPARROW ROCK

Advance Praise for Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned

2009-11-17T08:16:00.004-05:00

The first installment of the Hiram Grange series has begun to receive glowing praise from a number of writers and reviewers in the dark fiction genre.

Due out in late November, 2009, Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned offers readers their first glimpse of the scurrilous boozer and malcontent in 125 pages of darkly-humorous horror fiction. There will be five installments in the first series, each penned by different authors. More information can be found here.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR HIRAM GRANGE

"With 'Hiram Grange', Jake Burrows has created a weird, disturbed, deeply troubled and darkly funny hero. VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED is quirky and creepy and way too much sick fun. Highly recommended." -Jonathan Maberry, multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE WOLFMAN and THE DRAGON FACTORY

"Stunning and startlingly original...a must read!" --Nate Kenyon, author of THE BONE FACTORY and SPARROW ROCK

"Twisted, thrilling, and thoroughly enjoyable. Pure pulp, in the best possible way."-- Matthew Dow Smith, artist for DOCTOR WHO, SUPERNATURAL:ORIGINS, and THE KEEP

"A seamless blend of wickedly dark humour and full-throttle horror, the series begins with great promise." -- Dave Jeffrey, THE RISEN, BEATRICE BEACHAM, and FINDING JERICHO

"There is no methadone for Hiram Grange, it will hook you from the first page and leave you jonesing for your next fix." -- R. Scott McCoy, author of FEAST and publisher of Necrotic Tissue.

"...utterly engrossing opium-laced adventure with just the right amount of dark, disturbing wit and a fascinating history." -- Jessica Lynn Gardner, Dark fiction author/Public Relations Specialist

"This is the most balmy brilliant novella I've read this century and lucky me there is more to come." -- Peter Mark May, the novelblog.com

"Hiram is intelligent but an unlikely hero, his adventure is action packed and unpredictable." -- Tammy Kane, Macabre Cadaver

Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned Advance Reviews....

2009-11-16T15:19:00.002-05:00

The advance reviews for Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned are beginning to come in. This one comes from Dave Jeffreys at bookreview.com:

"Hiram Grange has a flair and originality that has been missing from contemporary horror fiction for some time. A seamless blend of wickedly dark humour and full-throttle horror, the series begins with great promise. Jake Burrows puts in a sterling performance bringing Grange to life, complete with layers of fallibility that makes even the repugnant elements of the character’s personality endearing in a very creepy way. Burrows leaves the reader wondering if Grange is so flawed he’ll never make it through the 125 pages alive, let alone bring events to any kind of resolution. This notion jacks up the suspense as the battered protagonist staggers from one gore-fest to the next."

The series...

2009-04-29T21:58:00.002-04:00

Book 1: Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned, by Jake Burrows

Something wicked walks the streets of the picturesque New Hampshire village of Great Bay--something that has inexplicably risen from the grave to wreak a horrifying vengeance. Only one man can stop it—Hiram Grange--provided he can sober up long enough to answer the call!

JAKE BURROWS the author of more than 100 articles, stories, and essays published in a variety of mediums and publications spanning the globe, under various pen names. He is a former Police Constable from West Clare, Ireland and a former Intelligence Specialist with the Irish Defence Forces Directorate of Intelligence.

Book 2: Hiram Grange and the Twelve Little Hitlers, by Scott Christian Carr

Hitler has escaped. Twelve of them, to be precise, each cloned from the original, and hiding in the bizarre American underground. Hiram Grange has been tasked with hunting them down. The only problem: he's hit rock bottom. His worst binge ever---a mad dance with absinthe, opium and depression...

SCOTT CHRISTIAN CARR lives on a secluded mountaintop deep in New York's Hudson Valley, where he makes a living writing and producing for film and television and spending time with his family. His fiction has appeared in Shroud Magazine, Withersin, GUD, Horror Quarterly, Pulp Eternity, and assorted anthologies. His recent awards include The Hunter S. Thompson Award for Outstanding Journalism, Scriptapalooza TV: 1st Place Best Original Pilot, and a 2009 Bram Stoker Award nomination.

Book 3: Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist, by Rob Davies

From its global headquarters in Boston, the mysterious Occlusionist Movement is preparing to control the world with its Digital Eucharist, while in the serpentine bowels of the city an ancient demon is unleashed, eager for revenge against the man who imprisoned it years ago—Hiram Grange!

ROB DAVIES lives in Somerville, Massachusetts. His stories have appeared in Interzone, Shroud Magazine, and Weird Tales.

Book 4: Hiram Grange and the Chosen One, by Kevin Lucia

Hiram Grange doesn't believe in fate; he makes his own destiny. It's a good thing, because Queen Mab of Faerie has foreseen the world's destruction, and it's all his fault. He must choose: kill an innocent or save the universe. It's just another day on the job for Hiram Grange.

KEVIN LUCIA is a Contributing Editor for Shroud Magazine. His poetry and short fiction has appeared in several anthologies, and he's currently finishing his MA in Creative Writing at Binghamton University. He teaches high school English and lives in Castle Creek, New York with his wife and children. Visit www.kevinlucia.net.

Book 5: Hiram Grange and the Nymphs of Krakow, by Richard Wright

Hiram Grange was already broken when his world was turned upside down by the horrifying revelations of a beautiful and dangerous woman. Faced with the possibility that he’s been a pawn in a diabolical game, he seeks the truth in the snows of Krakow. But the truth is guarded by ancient, winged things—and the truth has teeth...

RICHARD WRIGHT is an author of strange, dark fictions, currently living in India. His stories have been diversely published over the last decade, everywhere from the Doctor Who 'Best Of' anthology Short Trips: Recollections to the Bram Stoker award nominated Beneath the Surface. Find out more at http://www.richardwright.org

Get your Hiram Grange Feed Here!

2009-04-29T07:39:00.001-04:00

http://twitter.com/HiramGrange

Hiram Grange and the 12 Little Hitlers

2009-02-11T15:58:00.001-05:00

Another book trailer from the upcoming Shroud Publishing series: The Scandalous Misadventures of Hiram Grange. This trailer, by Kevin Lucia, previews the 2nd in the series by Scott Christian Carr.

Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned Trailer.

2009-01-19T17:48:00.005-05:00

Many thanks to Kevin Lucia for producing this... and he is hard at work on more! This is COMING SOON!

GET SHROUD'S ENTIRE COLLECTION AT AMAZON.COM

Something wicked walks the streets of the picturesque New Hampshire village of Great Bay--something that has inexplicably risen from the grave to wreak a horrifying vengeance. Only one man can stop it--provided he can sober up long enough to answer the call!

This man is Hiram Grange, a clandestine operative for the Office of Independent Research and Analysis. With an unhealthy predilection for absinthe, opium, and sex, Hiram Grange stumbles his way through one supernatural and scandalous misadventure after another.

The first of a five part series. Cover and illustrations by Malcolm McClinton

Trailer by Kevin Lucia

COMING SOON!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JAKE BURROWS the author of more than 100 articles, stories, and essays published in a variety of mediums and publications spanning the globe, under various pen names. He is a former Police Constable from West Clare, Ireland and a former Intelligence Specialist with the Irish Defence Forces Directorate of Intelligence, also known as G2. In his spare time he enjoys traveling. Jake spends about half of his time in the United States where he owns a small cottage overlooking Great Bay New Hampshire. He is also quite fond of reading, hiking, music, art, history, and single malt whiskeys.

SNEAK PREVIEW! New Hiram Grange Art!

2008-08-13T07:25:00.002-04:00

Here a couple of full color Hiram Grange illustrations for the upcoming series. The artists is the uber talented MALCOLM MCCLINTON!

The Webley MK VI Revolver

2008-07-22T10:57:00.003-04:00

The Webley Revolver (also known as the Webley Break-Top Revolver or Webley Self-Extracting Revolver) was, in variousmarks, the standard issue service pistol for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and the Commonwealth from 1887 until 1963.

The Webley is a top-break revolver with automatic extraction; breaking the revolver open for reloading also operates the extractor, removing the spent cartridges from the cylinder. The Webley Mk I service revolver was adopted in 1887, but it was a later version, the Mk IV, which rose to prominence during the Boer War of 1899–1902. The Mk VI, introduced in 1915 duringWorld War I, is perhaps the best-known model.

Webley service revolvers are among the most powerful top-break revolvers ever produced, firing the .455 Webley cartridge. Although the .455 calibre Webley is no longer in military service, the .38/200 Webley Mk IV variant is still in use as a police sidearm in a number of countries.

On May 24, 1915, the Webley Mk VI was adopted as the standard sidearm for British and Commonwealth troops and remained so for the duration of World War I, being issued to officers, airmen, naval crews, boarding parties, trench raiders, machine-gun teams, and tank crews. The Mk VI proved to be a very reliable and hardy weapon, well suited to the mud and adverse conditions of trench warfare, and several accessories were developed for the Mk VI, including a bayonet (made from a converted French Pritchard bayonet), a speedloader device ("Prideaux Device"), and a stock allowing for the revolver to be converted into a carbine.

The Mission Oak chair...

2008-07-02T22:06:00.005-04:00

Hiram spares a glance at the heavy Mission Oak chair in the corner of his dusty, tobacco-infused study. In it now, a schoolgirl. Bound and gagged, tied securely---she bats her long lashes provocatively at him and screams Do me! Do me! Do me! with her eyes.
Hiram blinks. Another wave of intoxification washes over him and he swigs another gulp of Glenfiddich straight from the bottle, washing the acrid bite of the pills from under his tongue and down his throat, replacing bitterness with fire. He’s headed for a dark place---the roller coaster is nearing the top of its run, and it’s soon to be a
long, hard fall for Hiram Grange… a long fall and loop-de-loop. But he’ll pull out just before hitting rock bottom. He always does. But for now, the Binge.

--Scott Carr, Hiram Grange and the Hitler Gene

Hiram and the homeless thing...

2008-07-02T09:45:00.001-04:00

Pigeons pecked at frozen vomit on the asphalt. The February air burned his skin, each breath a chill razor that made his lungs ache. The asphalt was salted white, but the mounded snowbanks were gray and hard, cold tumors impregnated with shopping carts and the bent, ridiculous spines of umbrellas waiting for late May to give them up in the amniotic thaw. Everything broke free eventually, Hiram Grange knew, feeling the burning clean oblivion of the opium and whiskey fading. Memories, dreams, forgotten beasts--nothing stayed locked up forever.

Grange looked up to see a homeless thing, genderless beneath the grimy layers of a Red Sox jersey and a Member's Only jacket, shuffle toward him, one foot on the sidewalk, one on the street, its head weighted down with a head of gray, filthy, dreadlocked hair that threatened to snap its spine. It paused before the Art Deco church with a vast verdigrised Jesus crowned in thorns of bird shit splayed across a mondrian of opaque, discolored windows, and turned to Hiram Grange, its toothless mouth wide and leering.

"He is coming for you," it said. "He is coming for us all."

-Rob Davies, Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist

Mrs. Bothwell and containment...

2008-07-02T08:13:00.004-04:00

Mrs Bothwell waited politely for the still screaming cinema audience to trample one another onto the street, wondering how much they had seen in the gloom of the auditorium. Hiram had been fast, arresting the beast's attention before it could decide on a victim, and drawing it away. She doubted that any two witnesses would give the same story to the authorities, if any of them could manage a coherent account at all, and that suited her to perfection. Reliable witnesses would need to be attended to carefully, for fear of setting panic free in the streets. Her people called it containment. The world was not ready to know of the shadow things that flitted in and out of it, or the struggles that waged on the edge of a reality for more fragile than most of mankind could accept.

-Richard Wright, Hiram Grange and the Nymphs of Krakow

Hiram needs fire...

2008-07-02T08:08:00.006-04:00

Fortunately for Hiram Grange, the owner of Kinney’s Pub was somewhat of a cheap bastard, and instead of adding public restrooms the right way: with cinder, mortar, and cement, he’d used sheetrock and cheap plywood. If that’d been the case, Hiram might’ve snapped his neck or at the very least broken several bones in his fall. As it was, he’d only been knocked a bit senseless, and he cursed thickly while struggling amidst piles of broken bits of sheetrock and plywood to regain his wits.

A heavy-throated scream filled his ears; at the same time he detected a scent smelling suspiciously like…

“Shit,” he muttered as he found the source of the baritone yowling. He’d apparently crashed through a cheap partition between the men’s and ladies bathrooms, and when he landed he’d torn down a bathroom stall’s wall. The screamer herself was possibly the fattest woman he’d ever seen; jowly face pinched in fear around beady, pin-prick eyes. Seated on the toilet, sweatpants and panties down around her ankles, her ass was right at Hiram’s head level.

Another wave of fecal odor hit Hiram’s nostrils. “Bloody hell, woman,” Hiram growled, “whatever have you been eating?”

The fat woman stared, speechless, and then clutched pudgy hands under an enormous chin and screamed again.

Hiram rolled his eyes, scrambling to free himself. “God hates me,” he muttered, “he really, really does.”

As if to prove the point, Hiram’s foot slipped and he fell, head slamming against the back wall, which had been built properly - out of concrete – and hurt like hell, also. A curse on his tongue, he heard the metallic ringing of something rolling. He glanced up just in time to see a thick, long white cylindrical object roll off a medicine shelf mounted on the wall above. It fell and struck him in the forehead with a clang he would’ve found rather amusing, had it been someone else.

“Piss off!” he yelled, more in anger than pain, and grabbed the smooth metal tube, about to throw it away when large black letters caught his gaze.

INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH SANITIZER; CAUTION…

“…aerosol contents highly flammable.”

Fire. Just what he needed.

Hiram glanced up at the heavens, lips curling pure mirth. “Bloody hell. Maybe God doesn’t hate me, after all.”

A huge chunk of plaster - large enough to brain him – fell from the ceiling, missing his head by inches, and he thought perhaps he shouldn’t push the matter.

A shrill scream of true terror came from the pub, snapping up Hiram’s attention. “Damn!” He scrambled to his feet and launched himself towards the hole he’d made in the cheap sheetrock wall. Pausing as he exited the woman’s bathroom, he tossed over his shoulder to the fat woman frozen on the toilet, “Hell’s bells, woman. Next time, lay off the fats and grease, will you?”

With that, Hiram Grange exited rather less than gracefully – but then again, he was Hiram Grange, after all.

-Kevin Lucia, Hiram Grange and the Chosen One

Hiram wakes up above The Crow...

2008-07-01T17:33:00.003-04:00

Hiram awoke inside the guest room above the Crow. He lay on his stomach next to Natalie, the waitress, his trousers and underwear unceremoniously pushed below his bony knees. He had one bleary eye open, watching her toy with a large brown envelope for a good twenty minutes.

He attempted to form words, but fifteen minutes of enthusiastic rutting had left him breathless and slobbering on the pillow. Instead, his open bloodshot eye merely watched as she slowly turned the envelope over and over again.

“I was instructed to give you this.” She said.

He groaned and blinked twice to acknowledge her.

Natalie tossed the envelope on the bed and got up. Her pale freckled skin still bore the bright red welts of violent lovemaking. She wrestled her large breasts into a black bra and Hiram groaned again.

“All told, I guess I am a little underwhelmed. I heard you were a good fuck, but all I got was a couple of good pumps before you went limp.”

Hiram protested fruitlessly through his pillow.

“Mrs. Bothwell hired me--to deliver the envelope, not to fuck you. That was my idea. I’m the new girl in the Field Support Division. Bothwell said you were a charmer, but I think you are a bit of a slob. ‘Be on guard with that one’ she said, ‘he’s a fox in the hen house.’ Who even says that anymore?

Hmmm, you are going to lay there all day?”

Hiram fought his way to a sitting position and pulled his underwear and trousers up. He fished around in his trouser pocket and retrieved a small leather pouch and a pipe. The pipe—a rough briarwood--was his father’s; the pouch contained Presbyterian Mixture laced with high-grade opium. He lit up, smoked up, and sighed heavily.

“That smells funny.”

“Finished?” he replied.

“What? What do you mean?”

“You’ve delivered the envelope, is there something else you need or will I be forced to listen to your incessant blathering all day long?”

- Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned

Hiram Grange, an introduction...

2008-07-01T16:42:00.001-04:00

Over the past month I have been working with a select group of writers and a couple different artists in order to produce, what I believe, to be the one of the most entertaining anti-heroes in modern dark literature.

I had started with a core idea: Hiram Grange, an awkward and gangly unlikely hero who suffers addictions to absinthe, opium, and sex. A man as flawed and complex as he is capable and deadly.

Hiram is a clandestine operative for a secret organization funded and controlled by a sect within the Freemasons.

I solicited input from a group of very talented writers who I had published previously either in the magazine or in one of Shroud's anthologies. From their input we established a detailed set of traits, plot points, and background for Hiram--all of which we stashed away in the Hiram Grange Bible.

Our primary goal was to create a five-novella series for Hiram, each detailing a separate but connected supernatural adventure. In each novella, Hiram investigates areas of confluence--geographic regions that are hotbeds of supernatural activity. In an area of confluence, Hiram may encounter the undead, lycanthropes, vampires, or any number of otherworldly entities.

Based upon our collaboration, we succeeded in coming up with five distinct novella plot lines that are connected by an over-arching thread. Richard Wright, one of our authors, suggested that the five novellas would represent the first "season" of the Hiram Grange Chronicles. We decided that depending upon the success of "Season One" we would continue with Seasons 2+.

Everyone that I have shared Hiram with has found him compelling, exciting, humorous, and complex. I strongly believe that, as readers, you will too.

So, for the first time ever, I am releasing the tentative title selection for first season of the Hiram Grange Chronicles:

Book One: Hiram Grange and the Village of the Damned, Jake Burrows

Book Two: Hiram Grange and the Hitler Gene, Scott Carr

Book Three: Hiram Grange and the Digital Eucharist, Robert Davies

Book Four: Hiram Grange and the Chosen One, Kevin Lucia

Book Five: Hiram Grange and the Nymphs of Krakow, Richard Wright

These will al be illustrated!

THE DYSFUNCTIONAL ADVENTURE BEGINS Summer, 2008!