Joe Mynhardt - Crystal Lake CEO

11/04/2025

Dark Tide book 19 is out Today!
What Swallows the Light: Alien Horror Novellas is now available on Kindle, , paperback, and hardcover: https://geni.us/DarkTide19

Three stories. One terrifying truth: we are not alone!

Suffocating Skies by John Durgin:
Working Thanksgiving was supposed to be an escape for Carrie Richardson—a shift at Sinclair Pharmaceuticals meant avoiding her abusive boyfriend. But when the sky darkens and the office goes silent, escape becomes a trap. Whispers slither through the air, colleagues freeze in eerie trances, and something hungry moves unseen in the halls. As reality unravels and terror closes in, Carrie must uncover the truth hidden within Sinclair’s walls—before it suffocates her.

We Were Who We Were by Gage Greenwood:
Sometimes it looks like an accident, until you discover who is really pulling the strings.

When Tess visits the man who killed her brother in a drunk driving accident, she discovers the facts were not as they appeared to be, and someone else may have been involved. Her investigation brings her down a path of horror, lies, secrets, and a mysterious figure who haunted her brother for years.

Dark Matter Dreams by Andrew Van Wey:
An alien vessel powered by dreams. A human nightmare on board.

For millennia, the Grays have visited earth, seeing humans as simple and safe. They were wrong.

Aboard their living, star-spanning vessel, a forgotten horror awakens. Born of primal fear, stalking humanity since the dawn of time. Watching and waiting. Hungry to twist our desires against us.

As reality warps and crew members succumb, researcher Jin'qua-33 must forge an unlikely alliance with those he once abducted. Because there is something worse in the darkness than the aliens looking down. There is an unrelenting nightmare that will fill the cosmos with screams.

Explore the unknown: https://geni.us/DarkTide19

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive! (join the Crystal Lake journey for bonus content, special offers, in-depth articles from our authors, giveaways, and quite a few free eBooks: http://eepurl.com/xfuKP)

03/04/2025

It's been three years to the day since we lost my dad. It'll take a book to sum up his character and what he meant to so many. Until that day, here's a song he loved very much that I can't get out of my head today:

Elstree,Studios 1977

21/03/2025

Coming soon to Crystal Lake Kids! Yip, I wasn't kidding when I said we're starting to work with more and more celebs this year.

Claudia Christian has been in the film and television business as a performer for over 40 years. She has starred in over 50 films and hundreds of hours of television. Currently, Claudia has a recurring role on the Fox series 911 playing the Captain of the LAPD and stars in the Netflix series’ “Blood of Zeus” and “DOTA”. Sci Fi fans remember her as “Ivanova “from the Emmy/Hugo award winning TV show, “Babylon 5”.
Claudia lends her distinctive voice to some of the biggest games in the world including SkyRim, Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Call of Duty, Halo, Final Fantasy and Fallout 4. She starred in Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire and has played the title role in the Anne Manx series of audio dramas for over 25 years.
She is the author of two autobiographical books: “My Life with Freaks and Geeks” and “Babylon Confidential” and the novel “Wolf’s Empire”, the cookbook “Snack Hacks” and the thriller, “Original”.
Claudia is the most globally recognized advocate of The Sinclair Method (TSM), a treatment for alcohol use disorder. In 2013 she started her non-profit, Options Save lives, to help raise awareness of the treatment. Her award-winning documentary about TSM, “One Little Pill”, has saved countless lives and her TEDx talk has been seen by millions.
Claudia teaches master classes on stage presentation, most recently at Chigiana school of music in Siena, Italy and at UCLA to graduate students. She is a passionate chef and traveler and resides in California, England and Italy.

Chris McAuley is a writer of prose novels, magazine short stories, video and tabletop games and audio dramas. Together with Bram Stoker’s Great-Grand nephew Dacre Stoker, he has created the StokerVerse franchise. He has written the sequel to Dracula which will be released by Scar comics later this year. He has also created a science fiction universe with Babylon 5 actress Claudia Christian. This is coming to fruition in a series of games, novels and comic books. In addition to this he has worked on Doctor Who, Star Wars and most recently the Terminator franchise. Chris has been given the Reggie Bannister award for excellence in Horror writing and is nominated for a similar award in science fiction. He has greatly enjoyed the experience of working with Jeff and Dan, this is his first foray into the world of Lovecraftian poetry.

"Claudia and Chris have also teamed up to create the smash-hit franchise Dark Legacies, which has achieved widespread success. Claudia’s illustrious career, along with the impact of Dark Legacies, earned her induction into the London Comic Book Hall of Fame. Expanding their creative ventures into tabletop gaming, they launched another successful franchise, Three Musketeers vs. Cthulhu. Their work on the RPG in the series earned them both a prestigious Ennie Award nomination for Best Writer."

21/03/2025

Happy book launch day to John Ward! The Crystal Lake version of his 2nd Scareville title is now live: HOW TO CREATE A MONSTER.

Over the next few months we'll re-release all the books in this middle grade series, with a brand new installment coming around September. ;-)

18/03/2025

Check out my latest interview on Writers After Dark, where we chat about Crystal Lake and my Shadows & Ink books and workshops:

Crystal Lake Publishing’s Joe Mynhardt talks about their new Shadows & Ink series, and their efforts to nurture current and future horror writers.

14/03/2025

News From the Lake:

News From the Lake - March 14th, 2025Partum by EV Knight: https://geni.us/PartumCracker Jack by Asher Ellis: https://geni.us/CrackerJackDark Tide 19 - pre-or...

05/03/2025

Here are Tom Deady’s flash contest finalists and the order in which the stories will be posted on the Crystal Lake Publishing Patreon page:
“The Heartbeat Games” by A.K. McCarthy
“Wolf's Clothing” by Chris Phelon
“Deadhead” by Larry Hinkle
“Heart Eaters” by Alyson Faye
“The Revenge of the Wives” by A.M. Symes
”Sugar and Spite” by Marinda Kotze
“Blood Money” by Grant Butler
“Bypass” by D.W. Nielsen
“Hell Within” by Michael Lawrence
“SMOKES” by Carson Buckingham and Philip St. James
“The Ghost of Bypasses Past” by Rikki Goodwin
“Halls of the Horrid Heart” by Michael Porter
“Crush” by Pixie Bruner
“A Heart So Full” by Andrew Najberg
“Tattoo” by Ricardo D Rebelo

These stories will be posted on our $5 and higher tiers on Patreon. Voting will open once all the stories have been posted. Join today. ;-)

28/02/2025

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

John Ward's The Scareville Army is officially here!

Are you ready to join the ranks and become part of something bigger than just a book series?

By joining the brand-new Patreon page, you’ll get exclusive perks, behind-the-scenes access, early book reveals, and even a shot at seeing your name in a future Scareville book!

Choose your rank: Private, Corporal, Sergeant, or Sergeant Major
Grab your official Scareville Army merch
Get early access to books, exclusive content, and more!
Be a part of a growing fan club and series
Receive pins, stickers, keychains, and even limited edition print runs.

This is YOUR chance to be part of Scareville from the ground up. Who knows? If we make enough noise, we might just see these stories come to life on screen!

Join the Scareville Army today: www.patreon.com/TheScarevilleArmy

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!

20/02/2025

The Crystal Lake TikTok channel is on fire. Just look at those views. Be sure to follow if you're a BookTokker. ;-)

13/02/2025

Here's the latest, and youngest hire at Crystal Lake to date. It's time we bring in some younger readers. :-)

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/CrystalLakePublishingNewsletter: http://eepurl.com/xfuKPCrystal Lake Academy Linktree for authors: https://linktr.ee/CrystalLakeA...

05/02/2025

Signups for the 4th Author's Journey workshop are open!

Basically, you'll be part of a group of about 60 authors writing a novella or novel over the course of 13 weeks (all online). There will be at least 5 editors involved, and I'll cover story coaching and marketing. We have a massive success rate, and four of last year's authors have already received publishing contracts for their books.

Sign up now: https://www.crystallakepub.com/product/the-authors-journey-2/

01/02/2025

Issue 2 of Crystal Lake's Memento Mori Ink Magazine is out now, available as a physical and digital magazine (Kindle; more options coming soon): https://getbook.at/MementoMori2

The Winter Edition of Memento Mori Ink Magazine: Issue 2 is a raw, unfiltered plunge into the underground, where art and storytelling collide with the darker side of the human experience. This issue is not for the faint of heart—it's an unapologetic exploration of the gritty, the grim, and the obscure.

Michael Uslan, the renowned producer behind the Batman film franchise, provides exclusive insights into his groundbreaking work in cinema and comics. His career offers a fascinating glimpse into how a young man with a dream made an empire in the center of Gotham.
Thomas Jane, known for his roles in films such as The Punisher and The Mist, opens up about his career within film and TV, touching on his unique and blunt approach to acting and other creative projects.
Joe Lansdale a master of horror and suspense, takes us into his world of dark fiction and thrilling storytelling, sharing his experiences writing for both print and film and the influences behind his works.
Wolfpack Visual Media is featured for their unique contributions to independent cinema and media, showcasing their creative and innovative productions.
Maxwell Ian Gold breathes life into poetry, bringing it back to the forefront with cosmic flare.
Nick_EverAfter TikTok and Instagram creator who tells us what it's like to climb to the top while staying grounded.

Chanse Hart, an accomplished artist, presents The Haddest Matter, a project that reflects not only his chaotic style but The Hat Cult which became a community resource for artists needing help not only as creators but also as a haven in their personal lives. Chanse shares the hardship of his journey and guides us down the rabbit hole between dark themes, surrealism, and powerful emotion.

Memento Mori Ink is the underground bible for the broken, and the fearless—crafted with a fierce, female-driven vision. We are unapologetic, rebellious, and ready to tear through the glossy, mainstream nonsense. If you're a fan of SPIN, RUE, and Rolling Stone, this is your next obsession.

Order now: https://getbook.at/MementoMori2

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!

31/01/2025

In publishing news this week...

I've promised you imprints, and here's the first announcement for the year. Crystal Lake will launch our very own YA imprint very soon, titled Crystal Cove Press. That means a few more folks on staff, new artists, etc.

We've already secretly acquired a few titles for this year, and will open for submissions later this year to fill 2026. We will publish novels/novellas from a wide variety of genres, including Fantasy, Horror, Thrillers, Suspense, Mystery, and everything in-between. I will help launch this imprint, but we'll announce who's officially running it at a later date. Social media pages etc. coming soon. ;-)

01/11/2024

31/10/2024

Here are the results for Crystal Lake's latest flash fiction writing contest:
1st: “The Lady in Granite” by Jyl Glenn
2nd: “Play With Me!” by Denver Wheeler
3rd: “A Mother’s Heart” by Mel Kitching

The next theme will be announced in a few days. ;-)

30/10/2024

Great news! Del Howison’s upcoming collection with Crystal Lake, WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS, will be part of a Book Box subscription from Pandi Press early next year. Click here to subscribe for your PandiPack: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pandipress/pandi-press-book-box?ref=cyvjfr

30/10/2024

Cover Reveal for my brand new series of horror anthologies: HOTEL MACABRE VOL.1: TALES OF HORROR - out December 13th on paperback and eBook (special hardcover edition coming in 2025)

Here's the line-up, which includes short stories, poetry, flash fiction, a play, an exclusive link to a dramatic reading (by the highly entertaining Jasper Bark), a novella, and even two comic book sections. This is where horror meets innovation:
The Cage by Alessandro Manzetti
For Beth by Derek Odom
Anatomy of a Killer by Wil Dalton
Scritch, Scritch, Scritch by A.K. McCarthy
Night of Fevers by John Claude Smith
Room 636 by Bridgett Nelson
Summer People by Tom Deady
Wendigo Hunter by Colleen Anderson
Chain Smoking at Bus Stops by Devin M. Anderson
The Birdcage by Michael Lawrence
The Empath by John Palisano
Do Not Tempt Her with Apples by Diana Olney
The Lingering Taste of Your Last Supper by Matthew R. Davis
The Fear of Missing Out by Dylan Wells
Day Tripper by John Meachen
This Was Not the End We Were Promised by Maxwell Ian Gold
—in case the chloroform wears off by Jennifer Osborn
A Message from the Past, A Message from the Future by Jonathan Gensler
Burial Day by Stephanie M. Wytovich
Saving Face by Sean Eads and Josh Viola
Nothing Funny About a Clown After Midnight by Mark Allan Gunnells
Suspension by Brandon Wills
Hello by Karen Bayly
Philly’s Little Boy by Linda D Addison
A dramatic video reading of “Taking the Piss” by Jasper Bark
Ashes in Wood by Jonathan Winn
All We Endure by Grant Longstaff
On a Swing by Patrick Malka
Hell Come Home by Amanda M. Blake
A Clown at Midnight by Mia Dalia
Growing Gardens by Nick Roberts and Chrissy Winters
Unsolicited Advice from a Witch Who’s Been There by Diana Olney
Batsquatch Lives! by Larry Hinkle
The Red Tent by Chris Phelon
All the Children are Inside by Jamal Hodge
Smile by Robin Brown
Goodbeak by Gregg Stewart
Vultures by Naching T. Kassa
The Hug by Gary McMahon
The Dullahan’s Reckoning by Claire Davon
The Little Thief by Esteban Vargas
Check-In/Check-out by Pixie Bruner

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake—Where Stories Come Alive!