It is sad that summer is now mostly in the rear-view mirror. When I was a child summers seemed to last forever. We played in the woods, went swimming down at the pool, and watched tv till the wee hours of the night. Now, I remember blinking. Now summer is over. And goodness the world is picking up pace.

September is booked for me. My fourth story, The Life and Times of Lewis Agnew, has been turned into ink. The anthology follows a town on the brink of global annihilation. A meteorite was found on its way to earth. The government figures this might be a planet killer. A small town in Tennessee has a plan. They have an old salt mine that they are going to use as a sanctuary. With the hopes that they will be safe underground from the coming apocalypse. There is just one problem. The mine isn’t big enough for the whole town. There will be people that don’t make it in.
My story follows along Lous Agnew, the local department store manager. He transfers the store inventory to the mine: food, clothes, cots, everything. Then he finds out he isn’t included, just the store inventory.
If you click on the link below, you’ll be forwarded to the publisher where you can order your own copy. Or if you contact me directly, I’ll send you a signed copy.

More about the Collection

Click Here To Order From The Publisher

Like many authors, my mom is my biggest fan. She gets almost as excited as I do when she sees my name in ink. Heck, as I’m writing this she is looking for a magnet strong enough to hold the anthologies to her fridge. This all came to a crashing stop with my story Christmas Lasagna. This is a horror/thriller about a family that helps at the local homeless shelter for the holidays. I’m very proud of this story, because this was the first time a publisher accepted me I didn’t know beforehand. There was a stranger I never met that liked my story.
Sidebar, writers are very insecure about our stories. (Well, I am.) I struggle A LOT from self-doubt. Yes, Biker, Writer, Legend – self doubt issues, let’s move on.
So when, The Shadow Over Deathlehem, came out I sent my Mom the first copy. As I’m sure you guessed from the title, this anthology was a little different. A collection of Christmas themed Horror Stories. I was at church with my pastor by my side when she finished reading my story and called me with her review.
SPOILER ALERT: The following may give away some story, but I bet you saw the movie Titanic. Over two hours into the movie and the ship still sank. Still a good movie.
ANYWAY, I’m sitting by my pastor at church. My phone rings, and I see it is from my Mom. When my family calls, I answer that is just who I am. I’m a little hard of hearing so I answer with the speaker phone. That is when my mother screams out… Remember I’m at church, my pastor sitting beside me. We were all just chit-chatting. My Mother screams out.
“YOU KILLED THE LITTLE BOY!”
All the talking in the room stopped and went deathly quiet. I looked at my paster, who was now starring at me slack-jawed. “I need to take this, I’ll be right back,” and hustled out to the hall way.
“Mom, I’m at church can I call you back?”
“NO! You need to stop writing these horrible stories. Why did you kill the little boy?”
“I didn’t just kill the little boy, I killed everyone, they all died.” Wait, that didn’t come out right.
“Why can’t you write happy stories?”
“Because, I had a traumatic childhood?” I was making a joke, but she didn’t get it.
“You did not! We all loved you.”
“Why are you using past tense Mom?”
I walked the halls of the church for an hour as I calmed her down and promised her I’d try to write something happy next time.
Well, I finished a submission to “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” Perhaps they will like me too and then my Mom will put another of my stories on the fridge.

So I’m visiting Dayton Ohio.  Hiding out at my home town library.   (My the place has changed over the years.)  — A year ago I dropped off a copy of “Potters’s Field 6.”

So I was chatting with the librarians.  I mentioned the book I dropped off and asked if it was on a shelf.   I wanted to see my work on the shelf where I spent so many hours.

“Sorry, it’s not here.”

“That is what I figured.  I didn’t really think it was going on the shelf.”  I stomped my foot and marched off like a child throwing a tantrum.

“It’s not here because it is checked out.”  The librarian called out.

I came crawling back.   Can I get a picture?  — In the image above you’ll see 0 of 1 available.  Someone is reading my story?!?!

Have no fear Dayton, I dropped off Elmwood & Deathlehem.   Keep reading my friends, I’ll make more.

—  Reminder I’m in the Dayton Ohio area for a few more days.  Contact me to get a signed copy of my stories.

I’m leaving tonight to spend a week in Dayton, Ohio.   If you haven’t picked up all my stories, now is the time to hit me up for a signed copies:

Potters Field

Strangers and paupers, the homeless and derelict, murder victims and victims of wrecks and crashes in seas and trackless wilderness, soldiers and plague victims heaped in mass graves. All have tales untold. Their families and friends, their classmates and neighbors think of them from time to time, sometimes wondering if they are alive or dead. Their fates are guessed, surmised, possibly correctly.

Featuring my story – Road Trip to Lynchburg

My first short story.   This was about a fellow who jumped on his motorcycle and road out to Lynchburg TN, home of Jack Daniels whisky.  Along the way he stumbles into the middle of a real ghost story

Elmwood: Stories to Die for

A Malice in Memphis collection.

The amazing storytellers of Malice in Memphis specialize in taking historical locations and fictionally embellishing them with new characters, mysteries, and murder. They have now taken on Memphis’ finest and oldest active burial ground, the famous Elmwood Cemetery.

Founded in 1852, it is the final resting place of over 75,000 residents. From the common to the infamous, from the powerful to the famous, they are all here. The tapestry of life and death in the Mid-South is laid out in a beautiful garden cemetery with sweeping vistas, massive ancient trees, and spectacular monuments from the Victorian age to modern sculptures.

Malice in Memphis is now adding their special touch to the myriad of stories drifting among the mausoleums.

Featuring my story – Date Night

My first love story follows,  A couple in love sharing their 20th anniversary.  A special pick-nick lunch in the park.  However, nothing goes as it should in Memphis. This is a short story that will touch your heart.

The Shadow over Deathlehem

An anthology of Christmas Horror Stories

O little town of Deathlehem, Within you death doth lie! Beneath thy deep and rutted streets Tormented souls do cry. Yet in your dark streets shineth A cold and ghostly light. The fears and tears of all the years Are met in thee tonight. Well, here we are again, folks — Deathlehem … … where Krampus isn’t the only creature to fear when the holiday draws near… … where holiday treats aren’t safe to eat … … where not even the apocalypse will keep people from celebrating the holiday … … where even Chanukah isn’t safe to celebrate … Twenty-five more tales of holiday horror to benefit The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

This anthology features my Short story – Christmas Lasagna

An Italian immigrant family spends the holidays serving at a homeless shelter.  Unfortunately, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Also included is my first published poem – Left in a Manger

Something very few people know about me.  I flunked poetry class in school.  I offer you this fun little escape, and let you make your own judgments.

I LOVE being a writer. I meet a lot of cool people, and then murder them. In my stories. Frank is the exception to that rule. Frank is a villain just waiting for the story to happen.
I was hanging out at my local comic book store, and I saw frank working pen & ink on a thick journal, plotting out his elements for an upcoming story. Since then we have both been building crazy adventures. For me they are just stories, for Frank… Well he lives them.
A quick bio. Along with writer, Frank is an armature Memphis wrestler, following in the foot steps of Jerry the King Lawler. He has his own production team. He has put together some commercials and a few short films. He has a YouTube channel discussing local entertainment & his love of comic books. He is an artist, and over the years he became my friend.
A couple weeks ago my local Comic Sore had their grand reopening while I had planned on just stopping buy to catch up with my comic friends. Frank asked me to sit in for an interview to re-launch his YouTube channel. What follows is that interview.

Frank Crime & Larry Hoy (the interview)

Also Links to:
Frank Crime Productions

Frank Crime – The Writer

Frank Crime – The Wrestler (adult language warning)

The MadCap report – Frank & Fury (local entertainment channel)

Jupiter Comics 2.0

What a wonderful time!  I hope you were there but just in case you weren’t….

You missed a fantastic time.  This was my first time being a guest, and working in the dealer’s room.  (with Memphis Writers Group)

I participated in three different panels:  It’s Written NOW WHAT? – Strength in Numbers – Finding your Muse (Story Inspirations).  In all panels I was taking notes from the other panelists, and members of the audience.  I learned so much from you all.  Thank-you.

Then as I sat on Pro-row something strange happened.  People stopped by to talk about my writing and to buy my stories!!  There was even one person who stopped by, who had read an early copy of my next story “Grave digger”.  This WONDERFUL person told me that this story reminded them of Edgar Allan POE!  My all-time favorite superhero of writing.  (Note:  the anthology comes out soon)

I even got to chit chat with Mike Carlin.  He was one of the men responsible for killing Superman.

As the event neared a close I got another treat.  I was brought up to participate in…  “It was a dark and stormy night…”

I wish my story ended there.  A terrific event, lots of fun but I do write horror.  There are very few happy endings in real life.

After I got home and unpacked my car…  We relied that somewhere over the weekend, I lost my Camera.

I pouted and kicked myself for an hour.  But then I remembered, someone  said my writing reminded them of Poe.

Well he had struggles too.

Has been posted!!!   Yea!!!  (MidSouthCon Schedule – click here)

Some of the events you just DON’T want to miss.

Saturday March 10 11:am – There is a great panel that works to answer the tough question of:   It’s Written – Now What?

Saturday March 10 12:noon – I’m getting matched up with a collection of artistic types to discuss Discussing local groups and the benefits of working and socializing with other creators and creative types.

Sunday March 11 10:am – I ‘ll be trying to figure out —  Finding your Muse:  Story Inspirations.

I also have spots on Pro Row Saturday & Sunday at 1:pm

And if you can’t find me at any of those…  I’ll be helping out with the Memphis Writers Booth / Malice in Memphis Booth, and hitting as many panels as I can get into.

I”M STOKED – See you there!!

When not at work, Larry can be found on the back of his motorcycle. Trips have taken him through three countries and maybe a third of the states. Over those years he has collected an endless supply of stories. Now, on days when he isn’t thundering down backroads, he has been spotted putting some of his stories down on paper.

Other high water marks in his life include his wife and daughters. Together they have shared many adventures and somehow come out safe on the other side. The family also trains in Kempo-Karate, where they earned enough belts so they can all hold up their pants.

If you are fortunate enough to see him out and about, please wave him down and tell him how much you loved the story. He gets off on stuff like that.