Latest books from Equus

Posted by equus on Feb 8, 2024 in Blog

It’e been a while since I myself wrote anything of consequence. My latest effusions (that sounds better than emissions) are Quantum Marlowe and Jihad Bubba. I actually wrote another novel before I wrote those, titled The Glow.

This is a sci-fi horror novel about a young man who must keep the same coins in each pocket otherwise he will burst into flames. He’s okay with that, but there is another angle to his problem–his Glow is contagious. If he touches anyone, or if they are stupid enough to ignore his warnings and touch him, then they contract the Glow and if they don’t learn real quick how to control their new illness, then they will burst into flames. And if they touch anyone else, the Glow will spread like an epidemic. IOW this is a horror novel about spontaneous human combustion, except it’s not really spontaneous, but extends from this eccentric young man with his strange affliction.

Although several years old, The Glow is making the rounds of agents and publishers, but so far no bites mainly because a white male wrote it. That’s the unfortunate state of modern America. Being on the inside of publishing, I am occasionally contacted by writers who tell me the difficulties they are having with mainstream publishers due to the one fact that they are white males. New York City publishers (that’s almost a redundant phrase) don’t like white male authors. Thank goodness for the amazing tools that have appeared which allow places like Equus to put their talents and ideas before the public without the intercession of hostile enemies bent on silencing white males. In the words of Elon Musk, “They can go fuck themselves.”

Still, The Glow is a mainstream Stephen King-like horror tale which should find appeal with a cellophane corporate publisher that has the bucks to promote it, unlike Yours Truly who has zero dollars to put into advertising. I publish my truly strange books with Equus, but mainstream works like The Glow should ideally find a home elsewhere.

My new novella of 34,000 words, completed last spring, titled ‘Temple of the Double Sun’, is also making the rounds. No bites yet there either. It’s too long for sci-fi mags and too short for sci-fi books, but maybe it will eventually find a place.