Brave members of the troop, we’re happy to announce that we have a cover for my upcoming release, A Scout is Loyal:
In 1963, thirteen-year-old Bud Castillo and his friend Aubrey Marsh thwarted a conspiracy to unleash ancient horrors from beneath Devil’s Reef in Innsmouth, Massachusetts.
Six years later, still mourning Aubrey’s sacrifice, he finds that serving in Vietnam aboard a Swift Boat feels uncomfortably familiar: a battle of deranged true believers trying to get their hands on something ancient and hungry. This time, Bud will need more than a Scout’s sense of duty to survive it…especially when a ghost from Innsmouth challenges his loyalties.
“Intense… The unusual blend of war story and Lovecraftian horror leads to a shocking finale… a horror story that gets to a deeper truth.”
—Publishers Weekly
Yes, I’ll take questions at this time.
What do YOU know about the Vietnam War?
Just what my middle-aged white guy research has told me, which still puts me ahead of Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara!
What if I haven’t read the first book?
This would be a wonderful opportunity to do so, as the book is still available in a variety of formats. That said, if you insist on not reading it, the story in A Scout is Loyal can stand on its own, though you’ll miss some significant emotional impact.
Is this book violent or scary?
Well, I mean, it takes place during the Vietnam War, but I haven’t gone out of my way to imbue that conflict with additional horror just for a genre audience. There’s eeriness and unease and the occasional burst of confusing violence, just like the real war.
Is this book ‘woke’?
In it, I take the controversial position that we had no idea what the fuck we were doing in Vietnam and that our idealistic American confidence did us no favors. We acted on the world as we wanted it to be, not how it was.
Are you writing books for all twelve tenets of the Scout Law?
Jesus, I hope not. There’s a third one in progress and a small but vocal group agitating for more after that, but I can’t imagine getting to all twelve. Who wants to read A Scout is Courteous or A Scout is Thrifty?
I’m a reviewer, blogger, or podcaster interested in reviewing this book. Where can I get an advance copy?
Reach out to my contact form and I’ll be happy to get you one! It’ll be a relief to receive something other than an AI-generated pitch from a book promoter.
When and where can I get my Deep One claws on this book?
I thought you’d never ask. The book will surge from the misted jungles of the Mekong Delta in mid November, but keep watch for announcements of the official launch and some other surprises.
If you’d like to join up now with a preorder, click below!
