It’s here! DOG MEAT (Plus 10 reasons why you should buy my book even if you don’t read horror.)

I’m excited to announce the publication of my debut novella, Dog Meat!

Kalb Ward slaughters dogs for the Colony, a closed, dystopian society where resources are tight, free speech is nonexistent, and those in power have eyes and ears everywhere. Ward desperately wants to quit his grisly job, but he knows he’ll be arrested, or worse, if he tries.

In the Colony, a citizen’s future is determined by a placement exam. Score high, and you’re set for life. Score low, and you end up living a nightmare–like Ward.

Li Ling, the love of Ward’s youth, scored high, and she’s a local celebrity now, far out of his reach. Meanwhile, his neighbor’s son is making a series of disastrous decisions as his own exam rapidly approaches.

Can Ward bridge the social divide and win back Li Ling? Can he help the neighbor’s son avoid a future as grim as his own? Can he escape the Colony’s oppressive rule and, if he’s very lucky, bring down the whole horrific system in the process?

You know what they say: Every dog has his day.

And Ward’s day is coming.

But what if you don’t read horror? I got ya covered. Here are 10 reasons to give Dog Meat a chance even if you’re not a horror reader:

1. Because book critic Criminolly said Dog Meat isn’t really horror. It’s a literary story about an intellectual man trapped in an oppressive society. (Criminolly’s YouTube review here.)

2. Shh! No one has to know. You can buy my book to support an indie author but not actually read the book.

3. Because you want to learn about the real-life dog meat trade. According to Humane Society International, approximately 30 million dogs die each year in the brutal trade that operates in nine countries.

4. Because of that cousin who played a mean trick on you last year. Buy him this book and tell him it’s “a sweet little story about puppies.”

5. Because you want to stick-it to the Big River and support a small press by buying directly from Potter’s Grove Press.

6. Most of the violent events are implied or off the page. Read to a place where your comfort level starts to get stressed. Then close the book, and imagine an ending that goes the way you want it to. (I do this with whodunits when a character I like ends up being the perpetrator!)

7. Because my mother thinks I’m a good writer, and even though I’m a grownup, it’s still kinda cool when she’s proud of me.

8. Because it’s election day in the States, and Dog Meat will get your mind off the noise of politics for awhile.

9. Because I hope my book lifts up the people trying to put an end to the horrific dog meat industry.

10. Because I hope my book honors the dogs caught in this nightmare.

Universal Amazon link: Dog Meat.

Thanks, everybody!

And in other news…