It is with sadness that I write about the unexpected death of my friend and fellow Maine writer, Howard Hopkins, gone too young at 50. He was a prolific author of more than 60 books, including horror, Westerns (under his own name and the pen-name Lance Howard), YA, and so much more. He was also a highly respected editor of a number of anthologies, a couple of which he kindly invited me to contribute to. I was excited to be able to reciprocate–his story in the forthcoming Beat to a Pulp: Round 2 will be a high-point of the book.
If you’re curious about Howard’s work–you can’t go wrong with any of his books–I recommend the upcoming The Lone Ranger: Vendetta. I was fortunate enough to read an early draft and it is one of the best-written, action-packed novels I’ve ever read. He was justifiably proud of it and excited about its upcoming release.
I only wish I was able to know Howard for years to come. He was a kind man, encouraging, humorous, and freely giving of his time. He will be missed–but thankfully his words will be around for a long time for us all to enjoy.