Happy 1st Book Birthday, ‘Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark!’

Hello, friends!

Exactly one year ago today (that’s Sept. 3, if you’re still keeping track), my book, Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark: A Guide To Summoning Spirits, Divining The Future, And Invoking The Supernatural, arrived on shelves, put there by the good folks at Chronicle Books and just waiting to draw you into its dark and shadowy little embrace. And since it is now officially spooky season (pumpkin spice season started in August, don’t @ me), now seems like a good time to remind you all that a) it exists, b) it is still available for purchase/possibly available for borrowing through your local library, and c) it is excellent reading for this time of year!

As a refresher, Dangerous Games is about all those spooky, ritual-based urban legends and stories that so many of you seem to enjoy — the kinds of things we cover in our Most Dangerous Games section here at TGIMM. Its official publisher description is as follows:

“What begins as a test of bravery or a sleepover activity — chanting in front of a mirror, riding an elevator alone, taking pictures in the dark — can become something . . . dangerous. This compendium collects the most spine-chilling games based on urban legends from around the world. Centuries–old games such as Bloody Mary and Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board are detailed alongside new games from the internet age, like The Answer Man, a sinister voice that whispers secrets to whomever manages to contact him with a cellphone. With step-by-step instructions, historical context, and the stakes for each game, this black handbook is the ideal gift for anyone looking for a late-night thrill — but beware who, or what, may come out to play.”

I’m also thrilled to announce that the book received a German translation, which was released earlier this year. So, if you would like to get a hold of Dangerous Games: Das Spielebuch mit abenteuerlichen Mutproben, mysteriösen Ritualen und düsteren Horrorspielen, you can make that happen now, too!

Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark is available at a wide variety of retailers in both hardcover and e-book form; the German translation, meanwhile, is available in paperback and as an e-book. Purchase options include, but are not limited to:

Major retailers:

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Chronicle Books (our dear publisher)
• Powell’s
• Waterstones
• Foyles
• And more;

Independent booksellers:

• Bookshop.org
• And Indiebound (both these sites will tell you what independent sellers near you have the book);

To highlight a few specific places I am just tickled have carry Dangerous Games:

• Modcloth (I have so much Modcloth in my wardrobe it’s not even funny)
• L. Delaney (the glorious New Orleans-based miniaturist behind Grimm Gables)
• And the Strand (I lived in New York for a decade, the Strand is An Institution for New Yorkers, and it will always loom large in my consciousness);

For the German edition:

• Riva (the German edition’s dear publisher)
• Barns & Noble (NOOK edition only)
• And Amazon (Kindle and paperback)

Both editions can also be found on Goodreads, if you want to know what other people think about them.

If you’re not up for buying a copy, but still want to check it out, check your local library! If it’s there, great; if it’s not, put in a request for it and see if they’ll get a copy to add to the collection. Most public library systems have a place on their websites you can submit requests for materials you’d like them to add, so poke around and you should be able to find yours.

AND FINALLY: In honor of Dangerous Games’ first birthday, let’s do a giveaway! I have a signed, hardcover copy of the book (the original English edition) to give to one lucky winner. If you want to throw your hat in the ring, enter using the widget below. The entry period runs from Sept. 3 at 12am ET through 12am ET on Sept. 18; a winner will be chosen at random from eligible and complete entries after the entry period closes.

[UPDATE: The giveaway has concluded and a winner has been chosen! Thank you all for entering!]

The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only; additionally, you must be 18 years of age to enter. The winner will be contacted by email, so make sure that you enter using an email account you check regularly.

Good luck, have fun, and stay spooky!

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