From Karen Koehler:

BOOKS FOR BALZER is being hosted by S.D. Hintz, co-publisher of Skullvines Press and K. H. Koehler, publisher of Black Death Books. This auction contains an amazing collection of books, all signed/limited and hard-to-find titles donated by the authors themselves.

S.D. and I put this auction together to help Jerrod Balzer and his wife Robin with the costs of their recent and unexpected medical needs and Jerrod’s stay at the hospital. He’s facing some staggering medical bills and we want to help him out.

(Michele’s Note: Jerrod is also the primary caretaker of his mentally disabled wife so these kinds of bills are almost impossible for them to pay for.)

Please note that 100% of the funds raised in this auction are going to Jarrod and Robin. Neither S.D. nor I are taking any payment. This is entirely volunteer work on our part. I’m hosting the auction on my Black Death Books Ebay account and S.D. is in possession of the books and will be shipping them from his location. So if you have questions about these books (which, have I mentioned, are simply amazing?) I will take the questions either at Ebay or you can contact me at blackdeathbooks(at)yahoo(dot)com and I will pass your question onto S.D. He will then send me the info you requested and I will pass that info onto you, or, alternately, he will contact you himself to address your question or concern.

(Details below the cut)

I want to take a moment to thank all the authors who rushed to get books to us over the past few weeks as we arranged this (and, also, for not telling Jerrod!):

Michele Lee, Brian Keene, Ray Garton, Bryan Smith, Mark McLaughlin, Carlton Mellick III, Michael McCarty, Peter Straub, David Dunwoody, Robert Dunbar, Louise Bohmer, Kim Paffenroth, Steve Vernon, Jake Burrows, and Tim Deal. Seriously, these guys busted serious ass to donate books to us. I think I speak for S.D. when I say I’m very grateful to you guys for doing this.

Now for the auction listings:

Book Lot #1 – Bryan Smith, Carton Mellick III and more…

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160435675931&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

1. Bryan Smith – Depraved – ISBN: 978-0-8439-6292-5 – Signed paperback
2. Bryan Smith – Soultaker – ISBN: 978-0-8439-6193-5 – Signed paperback
3. Mark McLaughlin – Raising Demons for Fun and Profit – ISBN: 978-09821068-1-5 – Signed paperback
4. Mark McLaughlin – Twisted Tales for Sick Puppies – No ISBN – Signed paperback
5. Mark McLaughlin & Michael McCarty – Attack of the Two-Headed Poetry Monster – ISBN: 978-0-9799673-2-0 – Signed by both authors
6. Carlton Mellick III – Cancer-Cutie – No ISBN – Limited – Not For Sale Anywhere – Signed paperback

Book Lot #2 – Peter Straub, David Dunwoody and more…

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160435681662&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_1240wt_930

1. Robert Dunbar – The Shore – ISBN: 978-0-8439-6166-9 – Signed paperback
2. Peter Straub – If You Could See Me Now – ISBN: 978-1-933618-45-6 – Hardcover Limited Edition #33 of 300 – Signed by Peter Straub, J.K. Potter, & Thomas Tessier
3. Louise Bohmer – The Black Act – ISBN: 978-1449511197 – Signed paperback
4. David Dunwoody – Empire – ISBN: 978-1-934861-02-8 – Signed paperback
5. Kim Paffenroth – Dying To Live: Life Sentence – ISBN: 978-1-934861-11-0 – Signed paperback
6. Steve Vernon – Long Horn, Big Shaggy – 0-9747680-9-X – Signed paperback

Book Lot #3 – Ray Garton, Brian Keene and more…

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160435685437&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_1222wt_930

1. Ray Garton – Night Life – ISBN: 1-59606-014-X – Signed hardcover
2. K.H. Koehler – Raiju – No ISBN – Limited #14 of 100 – Signed hardcover
3. Jake Burrows – Hiram Grange & the Village of the Damned – ISBN: 978-0981989457 – Signed paperback
4. Michele Lee – Rot – No ISBN – Signed paperback
5. Brian Keene – Dead of Night (Devilslayer comic book #1-4) – ISBN: 978-0-7851-3281-3 – Signed comics
6. Brian Keene – The Ties That Bind – Limited DVD #25 of 300 – Signed DVD by Brian Keene & Jeff Heimbuch

Book Lot #4 – Ramsey Campbell, Tim Deal and more…

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160435688946&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_1218wt_930

1. Edited by Tim Deal – Beneath the Surface – ISBN: 978-0-9801870-0-7 – Paperback Signed by Tim Deal
2. Edited by Tim Deal – Abominations – ISBN: 978-0-9801870-1-4 – Paperback Signed by Tim Deal
3. Edited by Tim Deal – Northern Haunts – ISBN: 978-0-9801870-7-6 – Hardcover Signed by Tim Deal
4.Edited by Tim Deal – Shroud Magazine – Issues 6 and 7 – Not signed
5. Shroud Book Bag (not pictured)
6. Ramsey Cambell & Michele Lee – Read by Dawn, Volume I – ISBN: 0-9549476-7-3 – Paperback Signed by Michele Lee – book has some minor shelfware

Please bid and bid often. However, if you personally don’t want to bid but you still want to help out, consider posting these auction details on your personal blog and passing on the information. We would really appreciate it!

Thanks so much!

This is the PRELIMINARY ballot. The FINAL BALLOT will be announced in a few weeks. Congratulations to all!!

Here’s the full ballot:

Superior Achievement in a Novel

AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT by Michael Louis Calvillo (Bad Moon Books)
SACRIFICE by John Everson (Leisure)
ETERNAL VIGILANCE II: DEATH OF ILLUSIONS by Gabrielle Faust (Immanion Press)
TWISTED LADDER by Rhodi Hawk (Tor/Forge)
VORACIOUS by Alice Henderson (Jove)
THE BONE FACTORY by Nate Kenyon (Leisure)AUDREY’S DOOR by Sarah Langan (Harper)
PATIENT ZERO by Jonathan Maberry (St. Martin’s Griffin)
QUARANTINED by Joe McKinney (Lachesis Publishing)
CURSED by Jeremy Shipp (Raw Dog Screaming Press)

Superior Achievement in a First Novel
DAMNABLE by Hank Schwaeble (Jove)
THE BLACK ACT by Louise Bohmer (Library of Horror)
SLAUGHTER by Marcus Griffin (Alexandrian Archives Publishing)
BREATHERS by S. G. Browne (Broadway Books)
THE LITTLE SLEEP by Paul Tremblay (Henry Holt)
SOLOMON’S GRAVE by Daniel G. Keohane (Dragon Moon Press)
DISMEMBER by Daniel Pyle (Wild Child)
SLIGHTS by Kaaron Warren (Angry Robot)
THE DEAD PATH by Stephen M. Irwin (Hachette Australia)
THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan (Delacorte Press/Random House)

Superior Achievement in Long Fiction,
MAMA FISH by Rio Youers (Shroud Publishing)
HUNGER OF EMPTY VESSELS by Scott Edelman (Bad Moon Books)
DIANA AND THE GOONG-SI by Lisa Morton (MIDNIGHT WALK)
DOC GOOD’S TRAVELING SHOW by Gene O’Neill (Bad Moon Books)
THE GRAY ZONE by John R. Little (Bad Moon Books)
THE LUCID DREAMING by Lisa Morton (Bad Moon Books)
DREAMING ROBOT MONSTER by Mort Castle (MIGHTY UNCLEAN)
LITTLE GRAVEYARD ON THE PRAIRIE by Steven E. Wedel (Bad Moon Books)
ROT by Michelle Lee (Skullvines Press)
BLACK BUTTERFLIES by Kurt Newton (Sideshow Press)

Superior Achievement in a Short Fiction
IN THE PORCHES OF MY EARS by Norman Prentiss (PS Publishing)
BLANKET OF WHITE by Amy Grech (BLANKET OF WHITE)
KEEPING WATCH by Nate Kenyon (MONSTROUS: 20 TALES OF GIANT CREATURE TERROR)
ONE MORE DAY by Brian Freeman (SHIVERS V)
THE CROSSING OF ALDO RAY by Weston Ochse (THE DEAD THAT WALK)
WHERE SUNLIGHT SLEEPS by Brian Freeman (Horror Drive-in)
THE NIGHT NURSE by Harry Shannon (Horror Drive-in)
PLAGUE DOGS by Joe McKinney (POTTERS FIELD 3)
THE OUTLAWS OF HILL COUNTY by John Palisano (Harvest Hill)
NUB HUT by Kurt Dinan (Chizine)

Superior Achievement in a Anthology,
MIDNIGHT WALK edited by Lisa Morton (Dark House)
POE edited by Ellen Datlow (Solaris)
HARLAN COUNTY HORRORS edited by Mari Adkins (Apex Publications)
HE IS LEGEND: AN ANTHOLOGY CELEBRATING RICHARD MATHESON edited by Christopher Conlon (Gauntlet Press)
LOVECRAFT UNBOUND edited by Ellen Datlow (Dark Horse Books)
DARK DELICACIES 3: HAUNTED edited by Del Howison and Jeff Gelb (Running Press)
BUTCHER SHOP QUARTET 2 edited by Frank J. Hutton (Cutting Block Press)
GRANTS PASS edited by Amanda Pillar and Jennifer Brozek (Morrigan Books)
MIGHTY UNCLEAN edited by Bill Breedlove (Dark Arts Books)
BRITISH INVASION by Chris Golden, Tim Lebbon and James Moore (Cemetery Dance Publications)

Superior Achievement in a Collection,
A TASTE OF TENDERLOIN by Gene O’Neill (Apex Book Company)
SHADES OF BLOOD AND SHADOW by Angeline Hawkes (Dark Regions Press)
MARTYRS AND MONSTERS by Robert Dunbar (DarkHart Press)
IN THE CLOSET, UNDER THE BED by Lee Thomas (Dark Scribe Press)
A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FIENDS by Michael McCarty (Sam’s Dot)
GOT TO KILL THEM ALL AND OTHER STORIES by Dennis Etchison (Cemetery Dance)
DARK ENTITIES by David Dunwoody (Dark Regions)
SHARDS by Shane Jiraiya Cummings (Brimstone Press)
UNHAPPY ENDINGS by Brian Keene (Delirium Books)
YOU MIGHT SLEEP… by Nick Mamatas (Prime)

Superior Achievement in a Nonfiction
WRITERS WORKSHOP OF HORROR by Michael Knost (Woodland Press)
STEPHEN KING: THE NON-FICTION by Rocky Wood and Justin Brook (Cemetery Dance)
CINEMA KNIFE FIGHT by L. L. Soares and Michael Arruda (Fearzone)
ESOTERIA-LAND by Michael McCarty (BearManor Media)
MORBID CURIOSITY CURES THE BLUES edited by Loren Rhoads (Simon & Schuster)
THE STEPHEN KING ILLUSTRATED COMPANION by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press)

Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection
CHIMERIC MACHINES by Lucy A. Snyder (Creative Guy Publishing)
MORTICIAN’S TEA by G. O. Clark (Sam’s Dot)
DOUBLE VISIONS by Bruce Boston (Dark Regions)
VOICES FROM THE DARK by Gary William Crawford (Dark Regions)
BARFODDER by Rain Graves (Cemetery Dance)
STARKWEATHER DREAMS by Christopher Conlon (Creative Guy Publishing)
TOWARD ABSOLUTE ZERO by Karen L. Newman (Sam’s Dot)
NORTH LEFT OF EARTH by Bruce Boston (Sam’s Dot)
GRAVE BITS by Todd Hanks (Skullvines Press)