"The Final Days of Jesse and James" placed 3rd in the 2005 Fright Fest. Details will eventually updated here: http://lazylionbooks.com/shortstorywinners.htm

I've reduced my book buying these days (I have a few books I'd really like to have but they're hard to get or out of print), and didn't see anything that bowled me over, so they were kind enough to let me use my gift certificate on a jar of honey. I'm very bad and have forgotten the brand or I'd link it. Needless to say, it's wonderful stuff, and local as well. And rare this year, too, since beetles got three of his hives. :<

Fright Fest went well this year, but there was a large event in downtown Fuquay-Varina that took most of the interest elsewhere. How are horror authors supposed to compete with a chili cookoff, a car show, and incessant country music from (unfortunately) live bands?

Favorite quote of the day was from a man whose son wanted to look inside the hearse that Lazy Lion had borrowed for the Fright Fest: "C'mon, son, that's for dead people."

So only dead people are interested in hearses. Good to know. I can see them shuffling around the window, peering in, checking the shocks, etc. to see if it's what they want.

Someday, someone should collect the silly things people say to their kids. I think it'd be better than "kids say the darndest things". Other good ones from this year include: "I'm ignoring you for a *reason*, honey" and "(name removed), nobody *loves* you". (The last was in response to a ten year old who thought that she'd found true love, and her mother was trying to tell her that elementary school boys don't seriously fall in love, but the response was a bit harsh sounding.)