Upcoming releases from Muzzleland Press - 2024
I've been hard at work on a few things since the publication of Project Vampire Killer, while also balancing significant personal and professional transitions. Since it's the most blessed and hallowed of seasons, I wanted to provide you with an update on upcoming releases I have planned for the year ahead.
The Hillbilly Moonshine Massacre - reissue
Due to popular demand, I am returning The Hillbilly Moonshine Massacre to print, now under the Muzzleland Press banner for the first time. I just approved the final version this morning. It will be available via online retailers as of November 1. An ebook version may follow but with limited time, I am only publishing a print version for now.
I may re-issue The Lesser Swamp Gods of Little Dixie at a future date when I do not have as many other projects on the docket. Freaky Tales From the Force is more complicated as there are other contributing authors. As much as people love Sheriff Kotto, his third outing did not sell well, so that one is much lower on my priority list for a re-issue. As for the good sheriff himself, he has a couple of connections in Project Vampire Killer, so give that one a read if you haven't already.
Vampyrvania RPG
This is a project over a year in the making. Vampyrvania is a tabletop roleplaying game inspired by the classic action-horror platformers of the 8- and 16-bit console eras. Players assume the role of mighty slayers, sneaky scoundrels, arcane magicians, and cursed dhampirs to battle the forces of evil under the command of the dreaded Vampire Lord. With a rules-lite approach, fast-paced combat rules, and player-facing rolls, the game is perfect for those who prefer a "beer and pretzels" style for tabletop RPGs—easy to learn, easy to run, easy to play, but with enough depth to sustain a campaign of 8-10 sessions per run.
I have extensively playtested the game and revised and expanded its content. Featuring original artwork by Peter Lazarski, the core rules booklet will be available as a PDF online and in a limited-run, independently printed edition evocative of the NES/Famicom manuals of yesteryear. I will also publish a System Reference Document of the basic rules here for those who wish to try before they buy.
The core rules will be published in Q1 of 2024, and will be followed by two adventure modules sometime thereafter: The Clock Tower and The Cursed Cloister. If the game does well, I'll continue to publish content for it going forward.
Euroschlock Nightmares
A spiritual sequel to Behold the Undead of Dracula, this new anthology features some of the best horror writers in the business penning stories inspired by the works of Bava, Argento, Fulci, de Ossorio, and more. About half of the stories are in, and so far the result has been nothing short of macabre and depraved. If you like European horror films from the 1960s to the early 1990s, you can't miss this anthology. I plan to release it in August of 2024.
Splatter Zone RPG
Splatter Zone is a fork in the development of Vampyrvania. Based on the same core system but expanded and mutated in strange and interesting ways, this game takes its inspiration from the more violent, colorful, and gonzo horror games and films of the late 80s and early 90s. The first pass of the system is complete, as is the first playtest, but further tinkering and playtesting is required. Vampyrvania will be the primary system I am supporting in 2024, but this game may see a release as a fun side project. I aim to have it out by next Halloween.
The Mausoleum of Gore: A Halloween Slasher Special
Serving as the second entry in a trilogy began in The Crypt of Blood: A Halloween TV Special, The Mausoleum of Gore: A Halloween Slasher Special tells a new but connected tale of seasonal terror. Taking place in a small college town in upstate New York, The Mausoleum of Gore is a non-traditional slasher novella with found-footage and metatextual elements wrapped in pure, unadulterated Halloween atmosphere and surreality. It will see release before the spooky season in either 2024 or 2025, depending on when I get my act together with my own fiction writing.
Other Projects and Final Thoughts
These are the projects I'm prepared to preview and talk about, with more planned for the years ahead. I hope to attend NecronomiCon in Providence, RI next year, and to continue to write and publish short fiction as well, with an eye toward another collection sometime in the next three to five years.
I want to sincerely thank everyone who purchased, shared, recommended, and/or reviewed The Haunting of Camp Winter Falcon and Project Vampire Killer, and who continue to support my work as an independent writer and publisher.
Until next time—Happy Halloween!
-Jonathan