What better way to usher in October (and the Halloween season) than enjoying some eerie tales while sipping a delicious craft beer?

On Wed October 2, 2024, horror author Mark Leslie will be launching his short story collection One Hand Screaming: 20 Haunting Years at Counterpoint Brewing in Kitchener, Ontario, alongside a brand-new beer created in the book’s honor. (See link for more details)

One Hop Screaming is a craft-brewed IPA collaboration brewed by Counterpoint and Stark Publishing. Owner/Brewer Graeme Kobayashi and Waterloo author Mark Leslie joined forces to create a special celebratory Citra hop beer. The beer (which will be available on tap as well as in cans at Counterpoint – as well as available for order online), checks off a major bucket-list item for Leslie who describes himself as a book and craft beer nerd.

“I’ve been a book lover ever since I was a young child,” Leslie says. “And I was into craft beer long before the more modern craft beer movement that we’ve seen growing in the past ten years. So being able to have a beer that’s branded in honor of a book that means so much to me is beyond thrilling. When I am standing there with a glass of One Hop Screaming in one hand and my new story collection One Hand Screaming in the other, it’ll be one of those ‘please don’t pinch me’ moments.”

Leslie’s book is a special 20th Anniversary release of the very first book he ever published. The original version of One Hand Screaming was released in October 2004. It collected 23 of his horror stories and dark poems. The new 2024 edition, which is twice the size, contains all the original pieces with all-new introductions, plus 26 additional stories and poems, 11 of which have never before been published. It also includes detailed and insightful “behind-the-scenes” stories in which Leslie reveals the inspiration and back-story for the creation of each piece in this collection as well as 9 custom created full-page spreads of original dark art.

“I love that the 2004 cover is a close-up of my eye with a skull super-imposed into it,” the author says. “And that the new edition is the same eye, 20 years later, with a different skull and a bit of blood splatter for enhanced macabre effect.” Both my original cover designer, Steve Gaydos, and my new cover designer, Juan Padron, truly out-did themselves in helping me present my book in the best possible light.

“But more than that,” Leslie continues, “having a delicious IPA to celebrate the book’s release is something I’ll be toasting throughout the entire month of October.”