Crystal Lake is proud to announce the signing of authors Cindy O’Quinn and Nzondi.
Their poetry collection, Dark Reservoir, will be released later this year.
Cindy O’Quinn is a Bram Stoker Award®-winning writer. Author of “Quondam,” from The Nightmare Never Ends, “Lydia,” from the Shirley Jackson Award-winning anthology, The Twisted Book of Shadows, “The Thing I Found Along a Dirt Patch Road,” “A Gathering on the Mountain,” and “One and Done.”
Her poetry has been nominated for the Elgin, Dwarf Star, and Rhysling Awards. She is an Appalachian writer from the beautiful mountains of West Virginia, which makes for the ideal backdrop for writing scary stories and dark poetry.
Her work has been published in Crimson Bones, A Quaint and Curious Volume of Gothic Tales, The Bad Book, HWA Poetry Showcase Vol V, Under Her Skin, Weirdbook, Chiral Mad 5, as well as magazines, anthologies, and podcasts.
Follow Cindy for updates: Facebook – Cindy O’Quinn, @CindyOQuinnWrites, X @COQuinnWrites, Instagram cindy.oquinn, Threads cindy.oquinn threads.net, and Bluesky @cindyoquinn.bsky.social
Nzondi (also known as Ace Antonio-Hall) is an award-winning science fiction/horror author, a music producer and songwriter. Named after King Acemandese from Kemet, Africa, Nzondi (a.k.a. Ace Antonio-Hall) was born Acemandese Nzondi Hall in Queens, New York on July 4th.
In 2013, his debut novel, Confessions of Sylva Slasher, was published by Montag Press. His science fiction/horror work, Oware Mosaic is the 2019 Bram Stoker Awards® Winner for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel, making him the first African American to win the prestigious award in a novel category. His zombie novel, Lipstick Asylum, was published by Omnium Gatherum Media, 2021. Crossroad Press reprinted his novel Oware Mosaic in 2023.
Beyond the written page, Nzondi has become one of indie rock’s rising artists, known for weaving alternative rock, nu-metal, and country rock influences into his music. His catalog includes collaborations with Fredro Starr of the legendary hip-hop group Onyx and Dave Moreno, drummer of Puddle of Mudd on “Teenage RockStarr”, showcasing his dynamic range as a songwriter. His debut album, Eclectic Euphoria, features standout covers including Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita”, Local H’s alt-rock classic “Bound for the Floor” and a country rock track “Eaton Canyon Falls, Come Back Home”, merging emotional storytelling with the gritty authenticity of American rock, Americana, and folk-inspired songwriting.
A former Director of Education for NYC Schools and Sylvan Learning Center, Nzondi is earned a BFA from Long Island University. He currently resides in Los Angeles.
More from Nzondi: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Books2Read.