All the news that’s fit to capsulize!

ESQUIRE GETS KINGED
The July issue of Esquire features a new novella by Stephen King. Titled “The Gingerbread Girl,” it’s about a woman who, following the death of their child, literally runs away from her husband one day, and ends up having to run for her life. It’s intense. So is the cover with Angelina Jolie and a very lucky silk sheet.

‘SHOCK’ING NEWS
Online horror-book purveyor Shocklines is calling it quits. Citing personal issues rather than the typical financial troubles, site runner Matt Schwartz is getting out of the bookselling biz. This news doesn’t affect any preorders or any existing inventory; just don’t expect to see anything new added for sale. I’ve blown lots of PayPal money at Shocklines; you should, too.

LINKA-DINKA-DOO
Did you know…
• that David Wellington made a cool short film to promote his vampire novel 13 BULLETS?
• that 80 percent of people who have taken this quiz plugging Matt Richtel’s HOOKED are addicted?
• that big, sad changes are afoot at the Science Fiction Book Club?
• that Amazon now sells groceries?
• that Random House profits 50 cents from every $10 paperback sold?
Were you even aware of it?

SELF-PROMOTION CORNER
The latest multiauthor comics anthology in the GRAPHIC CLASSICS series is now out. GRAPHIC CLASSICS: GOTHIC CLASSICS offers “five great tales of ghosts, vampires, haunted castles and forbidden love” in comic-book format. Among the adapted stories are works from Edgar Allan Poe, Jane Austen, Ann Radcliffe and J. Sheridan Le Fanu, whose lesbian-vampire-rific “Carmilla” was scripted by yours truly, with art from Lisa K. Weber.

COMMENT CONTEST WINNER
Gal Josefsberg of Sunnyvale, CA is our first winner of a free book from BOOKGASM for leaving regular, relevant comments on the site. From the BOOKGASM vault, he wisely chose Corey Redekop’s SHELF MONKEY as his prize. Will you be the next winner? Comment away and see! –Rod Lott

Buy it at Amazon.