By KEVIN HOOVER
For all the misconceptions the mainstream harbors about the horror faithful, we know that our creepy community is the most loyal and committed fanbase of any around. As much as we like to argue among ourselves about our favorite directors, who-was-the-best-whoever behind the mask, and what sequel was the strongest of any respective franchise, at the end of the day, we stand fervently united in a sea of black t-shirts.
Arizona’s Marc Ciccarone represents the best of us. A schoolteacher by trade, he’s also an accomplished author (under the pen name S.C. Mendes) and the owner of indie publishing house Blood Bound Books. While varied subsets of genre fiction carry the Blood Bound Books branding, it’s their focus on splatterpunk and extreme horror that has firmly situated them at the front of the pack for those who prefer a touch of the hard stuff. Titles such as Kristopher Triana’s Body Art (along with accompanying coloring book) and Wrath James White’s 400 Days of Oppression has garnered the company a steadfast fellowship of readers but has also distinguished them as a grail of sorts for authors whose stories may have a difficult time finding a distribution channel elsewhere due to their content. Those unaware of Blood Bound’s history, the company behind series like D.O.A. and Night Terrors, will likely find it unusual that Ciccarone’s publishing arm is producing a new anthology with charitable intent. But anyone familiar with the year-round goodwill spread through Marc’s commitment not only to horror but to his fellow man, will attest that there is no one better positioned to do it. Streeting April 30th, Blood Bank: A Charitable Anthology is a collection of stories from some of the most recognizable names in the writing biz today, with profits being divided between a pair of organizations.
Says Marc, “In all that we do, Blood Bound Books has a singular mission: Spreading Hope through Dark Fiction. We do that by stocking underfunded classrooms with age-appropriate books and by giving free digital books to anyone that donates blood. This year we have teamed up with Neil Gaiman, Jeremy Robert Johnson, Jo Kaplan, Kealan Patrick Burke, Livia Llewellyn, Max Booth III, and more, to publish Blood Bank: A Charitable Anthology. For the next five years, sales of this anthology will be donated to two charitable organizations. Blood Bound Books will donate to Read Better Be Better, an Arizona-based organization that envisions a society where all children master the foundational skills necessary to become independent learners. And Mark Scioneaux, another contributing editor, will be donating his portion to Hagar’s House, a sanctuary for women, children, and gender non-conforming folks that provides an open and empowering residential community, resource coordination, and a safe space to transition into sustainable housing. The anthology will release on April 30th, but you don’t need to wait to support the project. We have horror goodies available on our website and more being added every week.”
Currently, Blood Bound Books is selling limited edition items through its website to raise funds for the publication of Blood Bank: A Charitable Anthology. There’s something available in all price ranges, making it easy and affordable for anyone with the means and motivation to help cover some of the upfront costs of book production. And, as is always the case with indie creators, word of mouth goes a long way in increasing awareness. Shares, likes, and tweets are free, quick, and an effective way to help ensure that Marc Ciccarone and Blood Bound Books can reach – and benefit – as many people as possible.
For more information about Blood Bound Books and Blood Bank: A Charitable Anthology, visit their website here.
