YOU LOVE ME, by Caroline Kepnes

If you loved YOU by Caroline Kepnes, you will love You Love Me.

The universe of Joe Goldberg has grown in complexity, and this book was my favorite in the series.
It felt like Kepnes has been sharpening her skills with each of these works, and it is on full display here. Reminded me of a fantastic guitar solo where you marvel at the talent and think "no way can it keep up this energy" but instead it does. The second person point of view, the tiny nuances of thoughts, the unique Joe 'self-talk', and the infusion of pop culture and literary references, where social media is not just an app on your phone but part of our psyche.

What makes these works so damn powerful is this character who is a litany of cluster B personality disorder traits, certainly anti-social and narcissistic—I want a 'Kepnesian scholar' to list Joe's Top Narcissistic moments, because there are some choice moments inside here—but he is certainly not 'just a narcissist'. There is, imbedded in his view of the world, a kindness and consideration, where in his reality it is empathy (you're gonna love spending time at the Empathy Bordello) we hear him constantly deciding what is best for everyone around him, and inside those decisions is an intent for kindness, twisted and selfish, of course, but he only judges himself by his intent, not his actions. Every relationship Joe has is completely transactional for finding love (is he capable of Love? God, ya gotta read this). Every new character that comes into his world is a puppet without strings, but Joe finds the invisible strings to pull that a sane human never sees, and he decides what to pull and how.

So creepy and insidious, but at the end in the aftermath of Joe's manipulation there is real life victims, where RIP is not just one of the authors brilliant witticisms, but true trauma and hurt that he leaves behind in his wake.

The title is so perfect.. is this Joe telling his victims that he is certain of his words as he tells whoever his object is at the time that "you love me?" —or is it the author saying this to her readers, that even though we are sickened by Joe, we can't and won't look away, so she accuses us of some sort of addictive voyeurism into his world as she says to us "You Love Me"? A 4th book has been promised, and I stand accused and I confess to both. I do love you Joe.

THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS is now available

It's release day! Yay!

 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐆𝐎𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒 is now available at: 

Click for: 

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

IndieBound

$12.99 Paperback

 $4.99 Kindle 

*Available on #KindleUnlimited

Paperback Giveaway on Goodreads: Win One of Five Signed Copies

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds

by Mark Matthews

Giveaway ends January 28, 2021.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds Publication Date, and Giveaways, Giveaways, Giveaways.

 I’m happy to announce that the release date of The Hobgoblin of Little Minds has been moved up. Rather than February, it is now Thursday, January 28th, 2021

This is the first full moon of the year, also known as the Wolf Moon—the night when villagers can hear wolves in the distance howling the loudest, aching with hunger, hunting for prey during the coldest of nights. 

*Ahh-Whooo! The Werewolves are coming*

What better time to unleash this book. This novel rewrites the Werewolf mythos, (though it never uses the “W” word) and perhaps more importantly, shines a light on those living with mental illness. It’s based on my 20+ years working in the field of behavioral health. It takes place in the very real setting of an abandoned psychiatric facility near my house in metro Detroit.

Reception has been wonderful so far. This early review has perhaps captured it best:  “As a new take on the werewolf story, it is a fascinating read, but as a deep dive into the realities of mental illness, the book is an absolute triumph." ~IndieMuse.com

To celebrate the launch, it's giveaway time!

Anyone who makes a purchase, in any format, prior to 2/1/21 and emails proof of purchase by 2/10/21 to WickedRunPress@gmail.com  with ‘giveaway in the subject line is eligible to win 1 of these 3 books below. For friends who live outside the US, and for a ‘no purchase necessary’ entry see below.

Here’s what I got:

1. 
   A Hardcover Limited Edition of Lullabies for Suffering: Tales of Addiction Horror* published by Thunderstorm Books, featuring stories and signed by: 

Caroline Kepnes, Gabino Iglesias, Kealan Patrick
Burke, John FD Taff, Mark Matthews, & Mercedes M Yardley
These were selling at $99 and there's less than 50 of these in the world, I
have 3 copies, and an unread book is a bit of a tragedy, so I want someone else to
have this great looking piece on their shelf. Cover art by Vincent Sammy.

2. A copy of Vincent Chong’s children’s book The Girl Who Builds Monsters published by Cemetery Dance. This illustrated children’s book puts his award-winning art and creativity on full display. The touching story was written by Brian Freeman. I loved it, my 14-year-old loved it, and it’s a treat for all ages. 

Vincent did the stunning cover art for The Hobgoblin of Little Minds.

3. A hardcover copy of: Nightmare Factories: The Asylum in the American Imagination written by Professor of History, Troy Rondinone, Ph.D. This is a fascinating account of the depiction of asylums in art, with references to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Shudder Island, Halloween, American Horror Story, as well as classics like Frankenstein, Dracula and works by Poe. This is the kind of book you can read cover to cover, or just pick up at any page and you’ll find intriguing and unique insights. It’s intelligent, lively, and engaging. Dr. Rondinone read The Hobgoblin of Little Minds and called it “A shocking new asylum mythos.” The two books make perfect companions.    
   
   
   
   So, how do I win?

Simply email proof of purchase, in any format, to WickedRunPress@gmail.com with *Giveaway* in the subject line  and you’re eligible to win. 

Purchases must made prior to February 1st, 2021. This includes all preorders as well as anything purchased after pub date, 1/28/21 but before 2/1/21. 

3. 
   

   Deadline to enter is 2/10/21, Winner Drawn on 2/14/21

   
   

   Click here to order The Hobgoblin of LIttle Minds on Amazon
   
   

   **for a 'No Purchase Necessary' entry—or an additional entry if you do
   both—simply retweet the pinned tweet on my twitter page, *
   https://twitter.com/matthews_mark and send a screen shot in an email to WickedRunPress@gmail
   
   

   Lastly: International folks: 

   This giveaway is open to outside the USA, if you agree to pay for shipping via paypal, should you win one of the prizes. A quote for shipping will be provided. After the quote, if you decide to decline, then another winner will be drawn. 

   
   

   Thanks Folks! When the full Wolf Moon rises in the sky on Jan 28th The Hobgoblin of Little Minds will howl from the pages.   

"This impeccably well-wrought fable proves what many of us have known for quite some time: Mark Matthews is the reigning king of modern psychological horror."
~KEALAN PATRICK BURKE, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Kin

Reviews of The Hobgoblin of Little Minds

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds on Amazon

Check out the initial reviews of my upcoming novel, The Hobgoblins of Little Mind.

 "A wickedly clever take on a well-worn trope, The Hobgoblin of Little Minds explores lycanthropy through the lens of mental illness and shows Matthews at the height of his powers as a cartographer of the many shades of darkness that inhabit human minds. This bleak, Odyssean, and impeccably well-wrought fable proves what many of us have known for quite some time: Mark Matthews is the reigning king of modern psychological horror."

~KEALAN PATRICK BURKE, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Kin
 
"Few new writers today are doing horror with such intensity."
~MICHAEL A ARNZEN, five-time Bram Stoker Award winning author
 
"Matthews writes true reality horror, with supernatural elements that only serve to make his fiction more believable."
~MICHAEL BRADFORD, Executive Producer, Monkey Knuckle Films 
 
"Matthews takes us to the heart of desolation and makes us care."
~J.D. BARKER, international best-selling author of The Fourth Monkey
 
"Matthews is a damn good writer, and make no mistake, he will hurt you."
~JACK KETCHUM, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Girl Next Door
 
"Matthews delivers a shocking new asylum mythos. At Northville Psychiatric Hospital, longstanding literary horrors of tunnels, malign treatments, and twisted minds receive new Frankensteinian life, patched together into a frightful blend of existential dread and family entanglements."
~TROY RONDINONE, PhD, author of Nightmare Factories
 
"A stunningly daring descent into madness. Dank, dark and scary as hell. Brimming with tragic characters and monstrous villains--think Nurse Ratched by way of Dr. Moreau under the direction of Cronenberg. Proves once and for all that reality is often the strongest fuel for the nightmares burning bright. This one is a belter. An absolute beast!"
~JOHN BODEN, author of Spungunion and Walk the Darkness Down

 "Matthews twists pioneering ideas from epigenetics and neuroscience into a classic horror tale, producing a nightmarish adventure that breathes new life into the werewolf legend."
~BILL SULLIVAN, Ph.D, Professor of Pharmacology at Indiana University
 
"As a new take on the werewolf story, it is a fascinating read, but as a deep dive into the realities of mental illness, the book is an absolute triumph."
~IndieMuse.com

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds on Amazon

 

A blurb from a writer I emulate.

Click here to Preorder The Hobgoblin of Little Minds

Cover Reveal and Presale for The Hobgoblin of Little Minds

 Presenting the cover for my new novel 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐛𝐠𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬. Artwork by Vincent Chong. You've seen his art on covers for Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Josh Malerman.

Presale starts now! Click here and save 10% when you preorder

Publication Date: 2/18/21 - just 90 days away

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧—𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝!

The novel rewrites the Werewolf mythos (but never uses the "W" word) and tackles mental illness in a sensitive but stark and (I think) stunning manner. It takes place in the abandoned Northville Psychiatric Hospital near metro Detroit, a true setting that is legendary in the area. The hospital was recently demolished, and the novel's climax occurs during the demolition.

A series of blog posts on the book will be out this week, including —

The depiction of mental illness in horror at Ginger Nuts of Horror
The Werewolf trope over at Divination Hollows 'Asylums' as horror settings at Inkheist
and why Florence +the Machine's Howl offered inspiration at Char's Horror Corner