It is a two-vampire-story year, with a short story following hot on the heels of my novella, Cruel Nights.

Sounds like a good reason for a party! Friday the 13th? Even better!

Nosferatu Unbound invites an international cast of writers to revisit the world of its namesake, the marvellous 1922 film.

As it happens, co-editor Steven Paulsen, illustrator Dillon Naylor and a certain Kirstyn McDermott are all fellow Ballaratians (or perhaps more fittingly, Ballarodents), hence: party!

Nosferatu Unbound will be celebrated at a release party, part of Collins Booksellers’ After Dark series, on 13 September at Collins Booksellers in Bridge St Mall, Ballarat, kicking off at 6.30pm. Also on the table will be Cruel Nights, still waiting for its official raising of the glass since its May release. There will be minimal official words, mocktails with a vampiric flavour, and books to buy, get signed, and chat about: as well as the anthology and Cruel Nights, Dillon’s fabulous vampire yarn Batrisha, and more dark tales from the four contributors.

There is a Facebook event to indicate your interest for catering purposes, or drop me or the bookstore a line.

As a further local connection, my story, ‘The Late Stage’, ships the undead off to Ballarat during the gold rush – not all gold diggers are after money, are they?

Kirstyn, meanwhile, has a familiar character of her own hot on the trail of the movie itself. Ooh!

Nosferatu Unbound is officially released on 16 September – keep an eye on the publisher’s website for purchase options.