Please Note: If you're looking for the new serial, "Frostbite", click here. Thanks!

Hello, Everyone.

"Thirteen Bullets" is over, having run its course. I've never been so sad to end one of these before--this was probably the most fun I've had serializing a book. It's also been the best book I've ever written, by far. I'd like to think I achieved not just an action horror story with lots of action, but one with a little real horror in it as well.

As usual, I have a lot of people to thank. I couldn't have done this without Alex, the brains in this outfit (I'm the brawn). My wife Elisabeth was instrumental--not only did she give me an alternate ending to the book, but she also went above and beyond the call of duty at the World Horror Convention.

I'd like to thank John Oakes, my publisher, and Peter Barrett, my publicist, who made it possible for me to get the print version of "Monster Island" off the ground even while I was writing this one.

I would very much like to thank everyone who emailed me or left encouraging comments here or on the forums. Obviously Adrian Padden comes to mind, as well as (in no particular order) Alnjo, Rakie, briangc, Monsterboy, Mendoza, Zombie Hobbit, Mobtek, Donny D, Don across the hall, sunrise089, Marbotty, Geoff, Elsa Neal, Carlos, davidkaye929, Laura M, Digbeta, and so many others. I can't begin to thank you all enough for sticking around. It has really made all the difference.

I will of course keep writing, and I will keep serializing. Laura Caxton will return... but not right away. My next project will be a story about werewolves, and I plan to begin serialization on Monday, July 31st (technical glitches and other problems notwithstanding). If you want to be notified when the first chapter is up please don't hesitate to sign up for email updates. I don't spam, I promise.

If you are on the email notification list currently, but do not wish to receive any future notifications, please send an email to contactmonster AT hotmail DOT com with "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.

If you're jonesing for something to read in the meantime, and if you haven't done so yet, I do urge you to pick up a copy of "Monster Island" in print form. It's fully revised with an additional chapter, so even if you read it online you'll find something new. Plus, if you buy it, email me at contactmonster AT hotmail DOT com and request your free eBook of short stories and illustrations by Joel Carroll. Everyone, everywhere, who ever bought a copy of "Monster Island" (the print version) is eligible, so if you already own it but didn't get the eBook, please drop me a line and tell me so.

Starting in September, "Monster Nation" will be available in print as well. Again, it's been fully revised and the ending has been beefed up significantly. If you haven't seen the cover art yet it's available for viewing in the forum. If you're interested, please, pre-order it now on Amazon--the more pre-orders I get the more excited you make my publisher (which is a good thing for everybody). There will be another chapbook, with more illustrations--same deal, if you buy a print copy of "Monster Nation" you get the free eBook, regardless of how you bought it, when you bought it, or how much you paid for it.

Alright, enough shameless self-promotion. Thanks, everybody, really. This has been the best year of my life in many ways. I went from being some shlub on the internet to being a successful author. That's been my dream for as long as I can remember, and all of you made it possible. So until July 31st, this is Dave signing out, with the biggest, goofiest grin plastered across my face.