Ghost in the Machine (Tall Tales for E-Book)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

Bindlegrim Releases New E-Book Digital Edition Horror/Humor Collection:
Tall Tales, Stranger Days

Holiday artist Bindlegrim (aka Robert Aaron Wiley) releases second edition of short story collection On Stranger Winds now in popular e-book formats for Kindle and iPad, following the release of a more traditional printed first edition.

January 19, 2013 - Robert Aaron Wiley (creator of Bindlegrim™) follows up printed collection of spooky stories “On Stranger Winds: Tall Tales for Shorter Days” with new e-book edition. This second edition is released through Amazon Kindle (offering Kindle and iPad formats). Depending on the customers' preferred format and memberships, the availability is very affordable - as free loaner or low purchase cost of $3 USD.

Amazon reader reviews have been positive. “The author has a wonderful ability to set an eerie scene and draw you further into the stories with delightful and/or weird characters.” (Irene Stanton, Amazon). “Time to cozy up in a bed of frosty autumn leaves under a dead oak tree and read through this wonderful book again!” (Dranem, Amazon).



The author admits backlash from at least one critic. The introductory story, The Herbivorous Witch received the following angry review after submission to a un-named magazine: "Quite frankly, I found all of the characters unlikable. The aunt was unintelligent and all the angrier for it, Solace was pretentious and bratty, Ferris was somewhat underdeveloped, and Pearl was as annoying as her mother.” The author counters, ”...the person nailed a surface reading of the characters as written, which makes me grin... The piece drew this person to finish, and was powerful enough to require an outline of offense. In my book, that's a good story!” (facebook.com/bindlegrim). The true audience for this book will get that too.

"On Stranger Winds: Tall Tales for Shorter Days" © 2012 Robert Aaron Wiley is currently available in print and e-book in both U.S. and Europe. Quality paperback, 138 pages, at $7.95 (Amazon print -edition one) and digital e-book download (Amazon Kindle - edition two). Cover art is by David Irvine (The Gnarled Branch) and Foreword by Daniel Boyer of Critical Corner.

About Bindlegrim (aka Robert Aaron Wiley)

The author cites examples like the mysterious kudzu-covered landscapes of an abandoned South as primary influences during youthful studies in fine art; a search for wonder that led him to relocate to Albuquerque and to Seattle, each for their rich support of cultural and artistic diversity. Pursuing fine art media and classical world music, the artist discovered a happier balance through the creation of recent alter ego Bindlegrim - outlet for whimsical exploration of seasonal holidays and their mix of curious imagery with inventive design.

For more information about "On Stranger Winds: Tall Tales for Shorter Days", please visit www.bindlegrim.com or contact Bindlegrim Press at bumble@bindlegrim.com.

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* Press release originally posted to PRLOG: http://www.prlog.org/12062651-bindlegrim-releases-new-book-digital-edition-horrorhumor-collection-tall-tales-stranger-days.html

On Stranger Winds: Tall Tales for Shorter Days

Stay tuned: Offering a story from the book Oct 22nd - 28th on the Bindlegrim blog.

As the weather gets colder... these are the days, the shorter days that is, when ones gets a hot drink and crawls deep into the covers. And just in case your looking to curl up with a good book, may I suggest one specifically written with the season in mind?

If so, the Bindlegrim Library presents for your approval On Stranger Winds: Tall Tales for Shorter Days offering short stories and poetry by Robert Aaron Wiley. And this blog entry is here to offer you a few teasers, as well as introduce one story, a serial story, that will be available here on the blog next week, due to the book's near release date to that celebrated holiday, Halloween.

First of all I would like to thank David Irvine, The Gnarled Branch, for allowing me to use his wonderfully atmospheric re-directed painting "The Traveling Ghost". I was rabid to have this piece on the cover, because not only does it have that great early American romantic feeling to it, (something you might see on a Washington Irving book), but it hints at the mood that I was aiming for in these tales, some of which were actually scenes written to describe vintage postcards.

Secondly, I would like to thank Daniel Boyer, criticalcorner.net, for his jaw-dropping foreword. I was honored that he agreed to write some words for Bindlegrim. I have been a long-time fan for his power as a storyteller (often saying, when I could catch my breath, "You got to write this stuff down!") and of his work over the past few years for both his humorous movie blog and his many  professional reviews seen elsewhere. And when he heard how I was gushing, also thought it wouldn't hurt to mention "that busload of nuns saved from an earthquake in Peru." Anyway, with all of that, somehow he found the time to write a foreword briefly excerpted here:

Robert Aaron Wiley (aka Bindlegrim) will without a doubt take you to a colder place, a world where trees are decorated in gold and orange if not barren, and darkness reigns supreme. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that there is happiness and humor to be found in such corners, when you look close enough, but by all means proceed with caution. 

Wow! I certainly hope the inner content following all of that (cover art and foreword) can live up to it! The work that has been included is listed as follows, and they are a mix of light and dark... (I won't tell you which stories are light, and which dark).

1: The Herbivorous Witch
2: Jitter
3: The Pumpkin Dream (non-illustrated)
4: Watrous and Valmora (Further Tales of Pumpkinheart)
5: The Ballad of Papi Huesos (Early Tales of Pumpkinheart)
6: Let Rains Bring Toads

Of the above, two stories (and the poem), take place on Halloween night. The remainder are spooky tales, but not specifically tied to the traditions of Halloween. And I hope, as the subtitle implies, the stories within can be enjoyed throughout those shorter days of the year. Though, if I may quote the foreword again, Daniel writes, "You might read this book by a fireplace in the dead of winter, or perhaps even by the pool on a summer holiday.  No matter. Robert has October’s heart beating in his chest, and you will be transported accordingly."

So, with October's heart beating in my chest, I had initially hoped to have this collection of Bindlegrim writings published by the beginning of October 2012. However, as a self-published work, taking on many roles, I have found myself in an quagmire of my own undoing - self editing, though nearly complete! 

Although the delay is unfortunate, I thought this would also be a great opportunity to release one story, in its entirety, here on the blog.  A Halloween themed story, of course...

Next seven entries - Watrous & Valmora: Further Tales of Pumpkinheart