Blackstone Publishing, in partnership with actor and New York Times bestselling author Norman Reedus and his production company, bigbaldhead, acquire AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME by Bram Stoker Award-nominated and Splatterpunk Award-winning author, Eric LaRocca, on sale January 28th, 2025. Hand selected by Reedus, LaRocca's will be the second novel published by the imprint. Norman Reedus and bigbaldhead productions have also optioned LaRocca's forthcoming work.
ASHLAND, Ore., April 11, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Blackstone Publishing continues to expand literary offerings through its partnership with actor and New York Times bestselling author Norman Reedus and his production company, bigbaldhead, through their eponymous imprint. The next title under this banner will be AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME by Bram Stoker Award-nominated and Splatterpunk Award-winning author, Eric LaRocca, on sale January 28th, 2025, hand selected by Reedus as the second novel to be published by the imprint. Norman Reedus and bigbaldhead productions have also optioned LaRocca's forthcoming work.
A grim, intense, and horrifying—yet hopeful—tale of death, trauma, and love, At Dark, I Become Loathsome follows Ashley Lutin, a man who has suffered the tragic loss of his wife and disappearance of his young son. Struggling to overcome his own endless grief, Ashley has constructed a peculiar ritual for those whose desire to die is at war with their yearning to live a better life. One night Ashley finds connection with Jinx—a potential candidate for Ashley's next ritual—who spins a tale both revolting and fascinating. Thus begins a relationship that traps the two men in an ever-tightening spiral of painful revelations, where long-hidden secrets are dragged, kicking and screaming, into the light.
On the book, Reedus says, "One of the things I like best about Eric's work is the dark poetry and Hitchcockian vibe. I don't think there is a writer doing quite what Eric is doing, and from the moment I read it, I knew I wanted him as the debut work in the imprint. Ultimately, I can see that translating incredibly well to the screen, but really can't wait for folks to read it."
"It has been an immense honor to partner with Norman Reedus and Blackstone Publishing to craft the inaugural title for Norman's new imprint," says LaRocca. "The grim world of AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME has been gestating in my mind for several years now and I'm so eager to share this story with readers. This book is centered around themes such as trauma, sorrow, and obsession, so I'm especially excited that such a strange, bleak novel found such a loving home at Norman's imprint."
LaRocca's agent, Priya Doraswamy of Lotus Lane Literary, "Eric LaRocca is brilliant and compassionate. His writings are proof of his deep understanding of the human pathos and devastatingly so. I'm thrilled that Norman Reedus has picked Eric's novel to debut his imprint at Blackstone Publishing."
In addition to AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME, the bigbaldhead imprint will include new books from authors hand-picked and acquired by Norman Reedus, in addition to the actor's own forthcoming novels. "Amplifying innovative voices in storytelling is a great privilege and I really connect with the world bending narratives of elevated pulp, which is artful but not artsy, and transcends the genres of sci-fi, horror, speculative fiction and suspense. Stories with big voices and rich characters. That's the good stuff," says Reedus. His New York Times bestselling novel, THE RAVAGED, was the first release from this imprint in 2022.
Eric LaRocca (he/they) is a Bram Stoker Award finalist and Splatterpunk Award winner for Things Have Gotten Worse Since Last We Spoke, which was named one of the "50 Best Horror Books of All Time" by Esquire. His other works include Everything the Darkness Eats, Fanged Dandelion, They Were Here Before Us, The Trees Grew Because I Bled There, We Can Never Leave This Place, and You've Lost a Lot of Blood. A prolific writer of horror and dark fiction, LaRocca often seeks inspiration by wandering the streets of Boston—especially after the sun sets.
About Blackstone Publishing
Founded in 1987, Blackstone continues to pioneer new and creative ways to bring stories to life. With multiple New York Times Best Sellers, Grammy award-winning audio productions, and three books placed on the New York Times Best Books of the Year list, Blackstone has firmly positioned itself as one of America's fastest growing and respected publishing houses. A true independent, privately owned publisher, with offices on both coasts, Blackstone is home to a vibrant and eclectic community of storytellers and story lovers, offering hundreds of new titles each month to its catalog of 19,000+ books. The authors published are as varied as the books themselves, with works by some of the biggest names in literature including Gabriel García Márquez, Ayn Rand, Ian Fleming, George Orwell, Robert Heinlein, James Clavell, as well as more contemporary authors like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Karin Slaughter, Don Winslow, Robert Downey Jr., Jeneva Rose, Norman Reedus, R.L. Stine, and many more.
About bigbaldhead
Founded in 2019, bigbaldhead is a television and film production company from The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus. At bigbaldhead, we are dedicated to quality storytelling at the highest level, with a strong emphasis on shining a light where others don't. We recognize the role of pop culture in fostering progressive change and are deeply committed to making art that makes a difference.
Media Contact
Sarah Bonamino, Blackstone Publishing, 800-378-1304, [email protected], https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/
SOURCE Blackstone Publishing
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