Notorious News, Freaky Features,
Creepy Commentary, and Macabre Mayhem
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Straight From the Dark and Bizarre World of Joe Townsel ...
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part fiction/part memoir
hell and wellness
now available
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NEWS
November 15, 2023
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Hell and Wellness is an all-encompassing yet intimate novel, accompanied by one short story and three poems. All five works are related, and tell the horrifying ... and yet, life affirming ... Trials, Tribulations and Tests of Faith as experienced by a man, his mother, other family, and caregivers after his Taste of Hell and subsequent Road to Recovery.
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and still,
i await your return
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FEATURE
From Hell and Wellness
November 1, 2023
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You left us when we were unprepared
Your love and kindness remain treasures for which we yearn,
We miss the wisdom and humor you shared
And still, I await your return.
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The profound loss of you is universal
The fires of our love for you will forever burn,
To be reunited with you is a hope that springs eternal
So still, I await your return.
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JUST IN TIME FOR THE
HORRORDAYS
GIVE THE ENTIRE
JOE TOWNSEL LIBRARY
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FEATURE
November 1, 2023
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Knocking your head against the wall, perplexed as to what would make the perfect gift for yourself or your fellow horror buffs? Wonder no more, dear reader! My entire library of horror and science fiction novels and collections are available in all major e-book formats and trade paperback! Wow, talk about your scary stocking stuffers!
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BUY: HELL AND WELLNESS | MATE TO ORDER | FURY DUTY
THE UNFRIEND ZONE | ANTICIPATION
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While you're here, enjoy my always "up-to-the-minute" news and features on joetownsel.com!
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Home page, with video book trailers and social media links.
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New News, Features and Commentaries section.
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New weekly posts to my Webcast appearances.
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Easier ordering of your favorite Joe Townsel books.
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Enjoy your visit to JOETOWNSEL.COM
your guide to the
joe townsel multiverse
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NEWS
Updated November 1, 2023
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Multiverses are all the rage these days, and the Dark and Bizarre Works of Joe Townsel are no exception! Beginning with the publication of Anticipation in 2016, the groundwork was laid for an all-encompassing epic with interconnecting tales of horrific world(s) building. Get up to speed now, and check back here with each new published (and broadcast) story to see how it all comes together. Stay tuned faithful readers (and listeners)!
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FOLLOW APPEARANCES OF JOE TOWNSEL ONLINE WITH NEW WEBCASTS PAGE
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NEWS
March 9, 2022
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Your favorite Dark and Bizarre Author is now making regular appearances as guest/commentator/cut-up on some great, entertaining and compelling webcasts! There's several to enjoy now, and more to look forward to in the weeks ahead! Join us, won't you?
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The end of smiles
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FEATURE
From Hell and Wellness
October 19, 2020
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Endangered.
Is it humankind itself, or the capacity to live?
Her soul and compassion are shielded from view.
His strength and humor are not to be seen.
For how long? Is it up to us?
Shrouded.
The mask hides another mask, lying beneath, less superficial.
The mask hides the malice of some, the kindness of others.
The mask is our savior. The mask is our jailer.
It is all of these things. It is none of these things.
THE REVIEWS ARE IN ... AGAIN
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NEWS
March 13, 2020
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Writers Digest is the premiere periodical and website for aspiring and professional authors. Part of the services the editors provide to writers is to enter competitions in a variety of categories and genres. Through the process, the writer gets valuable comments from the judges on his or her work.
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Last year, I published Fury Duty, which I entered into the 27th Annual Writers Digest Self-Published Hardcopy Book and Ebook Awards. These are two distinct competitions with different judges. I'm happy to share the critique the judges from these prestigious competitions.
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THE REVIEWS ARE IN
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NEWS
March 3, 2019
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Writers Digest is the premiere periodical and website for aspiring and professional authors. Part of the services the editors provide to writers is to enter competitions in a variety of categories and genres. Through the process, the writer gets valuable comments from the judges on his or her work.
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Last year, I published The Unfriend Zone, which I entered into two Writers Digest competitions. I'm happy to share the critiques from the two judges.
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The visitor at the door
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FEATURE
From Hell and Wellness and Fury Duty
May 30, 2017
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My drowning pool is but the size of a grave,
Its waters engulf me, the killing tides cascade,
As I struggle against death, I wonder if I’m worthy to save,
But beyond the pool, as if on a distant shore,
I see the visitor at the door.
Beyond the drowning pool, there is a beckoning light,
My reach is gone, my arms paralyzed, adding to my fright,
I sink deeper into the dark unknown, permanent night,
But he remains with me, this man I cannot ignore,
He gives me strength, the visitor at the door.
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THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE DAY - READ BY THE AUTHOR
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FEATURE
From Anticipation
April 30, 2017
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Just a little bedtime story to keep you nervous about what might be lurking in the closet!
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"Things That Go Bump in the Day" is one of my stories in Anticipation. I hope you are terrified and delighted after listening to this reading by the author.
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Enjoy! And sweet dreams, little ones.
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defending the dead
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COMMENTARY
April 20, 2017
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Season Seven of "The Walking Dead" is a wrap, but it remains a hot topic of discussion on the fanboy sites. Probably because it's been, by far, the most controversial season of the hit series (even before it got started).
Surprisingly, many of the plot points and characters of the TV show that have divided fans (extreme and casual alike) are based on the most popular era from the source material: the comics.
Frankly, I don't get it why Season Seven has gotten (and continues to get) such a bad rap. Maybe I'll understand it better if I address some of the more common criticisms head on:
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the four r's
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REMAKES AND REBOOTS AND REHASHES AND REVIVALS ... OH MY
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COMMENTARY
April 10, 2017
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REMAKES ... AD NAUSEUM
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Is Hollywood really running out of ideas? Maybe. But why should Hollywood be any different than this year's presidential candidates? (Just kidding. Sort of.)
Or maybe Hollywood is not running out of ideas. At least in terms of repackaging and rebranding.
Maybe it depends on the medium. If we're talking television, many viewers consider this to be a new golden age of the good ol' boob tube. However, if we're talking movies, it seems (especially in summer blockbuster season), that a lot of stuff playing on the silver screen is creatively bankrupt.
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OFF THE GRIDIRON
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COMMENTARY
February 5, 2017
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Happy Super Bowl Sunday, everyone!
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Today, it's all about the big game. But after the last post-game show is over, and Super Bowl LI highlights run their course on the 11:00 news, we can all still find post-season thrills in the many football-themed movies from the last several decades. Many football classics are also all about the big game. Classic football movies that lead up to the exciting climax of the big game? Far too many to list here.
Others give us inspiration as we follow the journeys of the players off the gridiron. In this blog entry, I'll concentrate on the latter category. Here a few of my personal favorites.
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