“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” - Maya Angelou

Hi. I’m Lucas Mangum and this is the second issue of Less Than Pulp, a newsletter for fans of my work. You can check out the previous issue here.

The other weekend, I went to an 80s-themed party. Because I was born in ‘84, I will forever think of that decade in dreamlike terms, the way I imagine most people remember their early childhoods. I can only recall impressions of events and feelings for which I don’t have the right words.

In ‘88, we got our first dog by driving from San Diego to a town in the mountains called Julian, but other than the fact that we changed his name from Bumper to Kody, my mind’s blank on the trip itself. Every night back then, I went to bed scared, but I couldn’t tell you what I was afraid would happen or why I felt this way. My mom tucking me in always made me feel better.

I remember the movies and the music, but I didn’t experience them until some years after they came out. Practical effects peaked back then with movies like THE THING, THE FLY, and THE BLOB (all remakes, weirdly). The music was fun, too, but I’m more of a 90s guy in that department.

Here’s a bathroom selfie of me in my outfit from the 80s party. I’ll probably wear the shirt again. Maybe not the shorts.

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve signed a contract with D&T Publishing for my book SNOW ANGELS. As mentioned in the previous issue, it’s a horror novel about undead convicts attacking a small town during a blizzard. If that plot sounds somewhat familiar, that’s because John Carpenter’s THE FOG is one of my favorite movies, and I wanted to do something as isolated and classical as that landmark film. You’ll find out next year if I pulled it off.

There’s still some work to do on the manuscript. I’d like to add a few story beats and complications, as well as some background information to make the piece feel more textured.

For the newest episode of MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST, we watched the true crime documentary BAZAAR BIZARRE. The folks at LAST PODCAST ON THE LEFT said it’s the trashiest true crime documentary ever made, and they’re not wrong. But we also loved it. You can check our episode on it here, or by watching the video below.

I’m reading an advanced copy of FOR THE SAKE OF 2 by Judith Sonnet who, like Carver Pike, is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes extreme horror with impeccable attention to detail and a refreshing sense of playfulness. She’s also a fan of mine. God bless her.

You can check out her books on Amazon.

That’s it for this week. See you next Monday.