The Ghoulish Times | 04.23.25
Hello and welcome to the latest issue of The Ghoulish Times. My name is Max Booth and this is my free spooky newsletter. If you’re new here, this is the newsletter for my own writing, yes, but most importantly it’s the official newsletter for Ghoulish Books, which is both a small publishing company and a bookstore located in Selma, TX (the Greater San Antonio Area). You should come visit us sometime. We’re proof that not all of Texas sucks. Most of it, maybe, but not all.
This has not been the greatest month, to be honest. Lori and I have both been sick with some mysterious stomach illness. I recovered after about a week. Lori is still not 100%, but she broke down and visited a doctor and received some meds to help. The stomach stuff evolved into issues breathing. Related to the stomach stuff, or just an unfortunate one-two hit? No idea! Bronchitis, possibly? They weren’t sure. It’s heading that way if she doesn’t recover soon, at least. Because of this, we are behind on everything in our lives. However, it is probably safe to say we would be behind on everything regardless of our health status. I would apologize to all the people waiting on shit from us but honestly at this point I feel like I’m becoming a broken record. One day I will be caught up on everything and on that day I will be dead.
This Saturday is Indie Bookstore Day and our bookstore’s two-year anniversary. It is also the release party for Ryan C. Bradley’s Say Uncle.
To celebrate this very busy occasion, we will have book discounts all day long (both in person and on the website). Then, at 5:30pm, we will have a roster of talented local horror writers doing readings and signing books. Those writers include: myself, John Baltisberger, Celso Hurtado, Susan Snyder, L.P. Hernandez, Michael Louis Dixon, Johnny Compton, Jess Hagemann, and Ryan C. Bradley. After the readings, we will be screening a top-secret horror movie at the bookstore. Our pre-show is scheduled to kick off around 7:30pm, with showtime at 8:00pm. We never reveal the title of the movie until showtime, but I will say, as a hint, that it stars a “famous horror movie host” and that it was released sometime in the 1980s. I personally love this movie and I never see anybody talking about it, so I’m excited to hopefully introduce it to some new fans this weekend.
By the way, if you can’t make the event and you’d like Ryan C. Bradley to sign and personalize a copy of his new novel Say Uncle, you have until this Friday to secure your pre-order. I’m going to chain him to a table on Saturday and force him to sign all of the current pre-orders before the event officially kicks off. Pre-order the novel HERE.
Here’s a little bit more about the book:
Before you say anything…yes, 2005 technically counts as historical fiction. Do not @ us. We are all very old and are only getting older with every passing second. Huzzah!
If you’re a fan of podcasts, then good news, here’s the latest episode of the GHOULISH podcast for your listening ears:
Ghoulish Episode #205 – Creative Crises with Michael David Wilson!
Michael David Wilson (This is Horror) returns to the GHOULISH podcast to reflect on the various creative crises plaguing his life.
Listen HERE or anywhere else you download podcasts. Pre-order his upcoming novel, Daddy’s Boy, HERE.
It’s a very funny episode, imho. You should give it a shot. Unless you hate funny episodes of podcasts, then AVOID AT ALL COSTS (the cost is $0.00 either way).
I know there are probably other things I should be remembering to post in here, but there are also a thousand other things requiring my attention right now, so I’ll see y’all Saturday (expect another newsletter with info about the webstore sale for Indie Bookstore Day). Ummm…idk if you want me to answer a little Q&A on Saturday, reply to this newsletter with your question(s) and I’ll try to answer them in the next newsletter, too. You can also send them directly to max@ghoulishbooks.com. Please don’t be mean to me, though. Only my friends can be mean to me.
—max