Happy Birthday To Craig...A True Renaissance Man

It's strange how we meet people, how we get to know others, especially when we don't live in the same neighborhood or work together. Back when I began writing and attending conferences, a name kept coming up, and inevitably, people would say, "Yeah, you've got to meet Craig--he's amazing."

The more I heard about him, the more I wanted to meet him because the man was not one-dimensional--not that any of us are, but it's rare when you find a person who excels in so many different areas.

I first heard of Craig, the writer. That makes sense since I heard this from other writers at writing conventions. I've read several of his books--my favorite, Dead Girl. I definitely recommend it!

 I then heard about Craig, the musician. A lot of writers I know play instruments, but few are in rock bands that perform regularly. 

Then, I found out Craig was one of the main people involved in the Gangrene Film and Comedy Festival. So, he's also an event organizer. I'd heard of the Gangrene festivals over the years--they're held just up the road from me.

Craig works in advertising. My first degree was advertising/PR--another difficult thing to master. 

And finally, the man creates board games. He's got several brands out now and his company is always coming up with more. A few years ago, they opened up a game store in the basement of their building. My daughter worked there for a season to earn money for college.

Each one of these disciplines takes time, energy, creativity, and hard work. It's rarer still when someone can, not only do all these things, but do them all at an elevated level. Craig has and does.

Eventually we met at a writing conference. He and I attended the same high school and our siblings attended at the same time, though he and I didn't. Too bad--he'd have been a blast to hang out with. Over the years I've gotten to know Craig better. He's been nice enough to give me a ride home from Salt Lake Comic Con and FanX several times. He didn't have to, but he did. 

Today is Craig's birthday. I hope he had a good one.

Tomorrow, I could hear that the man was ditching it all and moving his family to Alaska to raise caribou. It wouldn't surprise me (okay, maybe it would a little...). But I know if he decided to do that, he'd be great at that, too.

Happy birthday, Craig--I'm honored to call you my friend.

Craig Nybo's "Dead Girl"...Worth Revisiting

I saw a post on social media today about Craig Nybo's Dead Girl. The cover was new so I thought maybe that's why I was seeing the notice. When you have many author friends, books seems to be launched every week. I knew this was not a new book, however. Craig and I have talked several times since he released Dead Girl a few years ago.

My first impression was, I love the new cover! The old cover was cool, too, but I think I like this one better. I clicked on the book's Amazon page and I noticed the cover wasn't the only thing different. The book is now being published by Immortal Works Press.

How cool is that?

Answer--pretty cool!

Over the years I've read many books by people I know. It makes the reading experience that much better. Some stories, I'm a little ashamed to say, have not stayed with me. I remember the general plot, but not much else. I can say that Dead Girl is a story I still recall. I remember the main character, the small town in which he investigates the death of a girl decades earlier, and I remember the tone--very Darren McGavin's Kolchak: The Night Stalker-esk. Craig said that's the feel he was going for and he hit it out of the park.

I blogged about Dead Girl on October 2, 2016. If you're interested, you can read my review: HERE. I still feel the same about the story. Craig self-published his story. I'm not knocking self-publishing, but I always wished this book got the exposure it deserves. I know Immortal Works isn't the largest publisher, but hopefully this will be a decision that helps both sides. Craig can get some exposure and Immortal Works gets another fantastic title to push.

If you want to order the book, click: HERE. From where I sit, I can see my copy of Dead Girl on my bookshelf. If I can get through all my reading obligations, I might just pull it off the shelf and read it again.

Craig Nybo's "Dead Girl"...A Book Review

Craig Nybo, author, musician, advertising genius, and all-around great guy released a book last month. It's called, Dead Girl and it's an almost perfect combination of mystery, horror, and paranormal writing as any I've ever read.

Having read two other Craig Nybo joints, Allied Zombies for Peace, and Small Town Monsters, I thought I knew what to expect when I began Dead Girl. It's not that I was wrong, necessarily, but what I got from this book was so much more.

Block Vang is a reporter, a reporter for two publications--one legitimate, and one not so much. Block gets a tip on a story in Northern Utah so he climbs inside his 1974 Grand Fury, fires up the engine, and drives right inside a decade's-old mystery. And because of Block's sassy mouth and a propensity to act before he fully thinks, finding the truth behind the mystery will cost him more than the gas that gets him from Salt Lake City to Bridgewater, Utah.

Block finds himself learning about a group of four teenagers from Bridgewater back in 1962. An accident where a girl died is the epicenter of strange activities beginning then and continuing until the present day. Each year, on the anniversary of the girl's death, teenagers gather at the scene of the grizzly accident. This year, however, the last of the four boys (they called themselves, "The Big Four") died leaving none of those involved in the crash alive. No one knows what will happen. Block has an idea, but even he couldn't predict just how bad it's going to be.

Will the girl who died, Sarah Chase, return? Will another accident happen just like it did all those years ago? Will Block survive long enough to write his story?

Nybo creates a wonderful voice that moves the story along, never allowing it to lull. The noir-type Block understands perhaps better than anyone in the town just how dangerous a spirit bent on revenge can be. Throw in witches, teenage love, spells, and a possessed 1962 Bubble Top Impala, and you've everything you need for a top-notch yarn worthy of a Carl Kolchak investigation.

I really enjoyed this book! If you'd like to order it, you can do so: HERE. Reading Dead Girl makes me realize that Nybo has upped his game. Then again, knowing him, I shouldn't have expected anything less.