Vicious Whispers with Mark Tullius

Just finished up Try Not to Die: Back at Grandma's House and will have that up on Kindle Vella before the end of the year.

I was honored to be a guest speaker at La Serna High School's Horror Club. I think it's awesome the club exists and wish I had something like that when I was in school. I had a blast talking about what makes a "quality" horror book. Also had fun killing them off with a series of TNTD questions.

A reminder that Untold Mayhem is currently free on Kindle. Grab yours here: https://geni.us/Untold

(16:30) Includes the short horror story "Out There" off of Twisted Reunion narrated by Tee Quillin.

My wife and I both took off work on Wednesday and went with our kids to Universal Studios. It was a long day with a lot of walking, but we all enjoyed it. But if I don't make it back there ever again, I won't lose any sleep over it.

This week was a lot of tedious business-type work balanced with creativity. A lot of progress was made at TNTD: Back at Grandma's House and I hope to release that soon.

25 Perfect Days: Plus 5 More is trying out a new cover and is free from 12-8 to 12-12. You can download it free from Amazon. - https://geni.us/B3AS0

I also discuss what a failure I am for not releasing anything in 2022, storing it all up for a massive 2023.

(13:50) The short horror story "The Infidel's Prayer" taken from Twisted Reunion and narrated by Tee Quillin.

Thanks to my son staying home from school I was able to teach him a lesson on gratefulness and generosity. I have some incredible super readers and like making them feel appreciated.

Also talking a bit about mental/brain health and things I do to cope including using cannabis.

(11:15) The short horror story "Mommy's Big Boy" off of Twisted Reunion and narrated by Tee Quillin.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Keeping this episode short and focused on gratefulness.

Also a chance to share the short story "Stuffed" which is off the Morsels of Mayhem audiobook and narrated by Gabriel Michael

Get Morsels of Mayhem ebook free by signing up for my newsletter at MarkTullius.com 

It has been a rougher week than usual with our new kitten waking me around 4 o'clock every morning. I've kept positive about it and have been getting in a good amount of work, time in the sauna, a quick dip in the cold pool, and a yoga workout in before the kids wake.

I also just reinjured my back thanks to not keeping up with my chiropractic treatment.

I've been having a lot of fun pouring over Duncan Ralston's Ghostland to figure out death scenes for Try Not to Die: At Ghostland.

Reminder that Try Not to Die: In the Pandemic is free on kindle through 11-21 Pick it up here https://geni.us/PandemicBook

Includes the short horror stories "No One's Here" and "Glory" taken from the Twisted Reunion audiobook narrated by Tee Quillin.

This week was different from the norm. We added a fourth cat to our household with Leo the cuddly little kitten. The other cats aren't fond of him, but they're just haters and will surely get over it.

The other big thing this week was going to visit old friends instead of staying home to write. It wasn't an easy choice to make but I'm glad my son guided me to that decision. It's easy to forget what's important in life and how the answer to that question isn't writing 100 books.

I go over all the sales going on:

Brightside is permanently free.

Try Not to Die: In Brightside is free on Amazon Nov 11-17 

Ain't No Messiah is $0.99 through Nov 21.

Unlocking the Cage is $0.99 through Nov 21

Includes the short horror story "Twisted Memory" taken from Twisted Reunion and narrated by Tee Quillin.

Why I made my psychological thriller Brightside permanently free - https://books2read.com/u/47lN07

And Try Not to Die: At Grandma's is free Nov 3-7 on Kindle - https://geni.us/GrandmasHouse

My goal is to bring in new readers through free and discounted books. There is a huge audience craving free books and they are a million times more likely to leave a review, rating, or tell a friend than if they never heard about the book because I felt I deserved full price for the book.

I've also significantly reduced my audiobooks for Brightside and 25 Perfect Days, setting them at 6.99 for libraries and retail.

(14:50) Includes the horror story "Woodshop After Math" taken from Twisted Reunion and narrated by Tee Quillin.

This week my guest is Biily Graves of Slasher Sports Cinema podcast.

He stops by to talk about what drew him into horror, what the SSC podcast is all about, and give us some lesser-known Halloween horror film suggestions.

To find out more about Billy and Slasher Sports Cinema: https://linktr.ee/slashersports

(40:30) The short horror story "Wrong Side Tavern" taken from Twisted Reunion and narrated by Tee Quillin.

It's a short episode as I discuss my Duoling addiction and need to be the best.

How I'm going to focus the time I would spend on the app into my book marketing and growing my career, something I always put last.

I had a realization that I left out a very important group of friends when I was bragging about how many I have last week in my newsletter.

I also discuss Duncan Ralston's Try Not to Die: At Ghostland and where I'm at with Dethfest.

I share the short horror story "Each Dawn I Die" from Twisted Reunion. (10:00)

My guest, RJ, was a top defensive player in the country as a linebacker at Oregon State University in the 90's. I connected with RJ in the Facebook support group CTE & Brain Injury Global Support - https://www.facebook.com/groups/164998687455984

In this interview, RJ discusses his numerous concussions, unsafe training practices, and the desire to play through any pain or medical problem. It was over two decades later that his TBI/CTE symptoms reared their head, a cascade of awful symptoms that were kicked off by a very stressful moment in his life.

Fortunately, RJ was proactive and began doing anything he could that might help. He volunteered for a study at the University of Utah TBI and Concussion Center, with 49 other football players where they used photobiomodulation, a type of light therapy. This treatment turned RJ's life around and although he will never be the person he once was, he is in such a better place and making a difference helping others with their struggles.

We talk about the importance of not fighting CTE or any struggle on your own and how important it is to be part of a supportive group.

He also has put together the non-proft 4CTE by CTE which is in its early stages.

Includes the short story "Going Dark" taken from Somber Stroll and narrated by Tee Quillin.

Here is an article on the Light study - https://www.concussionalliance.org/blog/2022/1/25/light-therapy-study-at-the-university-of-utah