prequel

7th Son: 7 Days - Episode 7 by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the final episode of 7th Son: 7 Days, a free audio prequel anthology to J.C.'s thriller novel, 7th Son: Descent.

Today's episode features Father Thomas, a Catholic priest based in Oklahoma. Rattled by the past week's events, Thomas shares his thoughts with his congregation, and what he believes they need in these trying times.

Set two weeks before Descent's extraordinary events, these seven 7th Son: 7 Days stories stars a unique "John Michael Smith." Learn more about the anthology here.

7th Son: 7 Days' anthem is "UltraNumb" by Blue Stahli. Learn more about the artist at BlueStahli.com.

Like what you hear? Tell a friend, and give a shout in the comments!

7th Son: 7 Days - Episode 6 by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the penultimate episode of 7th Son: 7 Days, a free audio prequel anthology to J.C.'s thriller novel, 7th Son: Descent.

Today's episode features Jay, a field agent for the United Nations. When his helicopter is shot down in Colombia, can Jay and his friend survive the threat of predators in the rain forest -- particularly since those predators are human?

Set two weeks before Descent's extraordinary events, these seven 7th Son: 7 Days stories stars a unique "John Michael Smith." Learn more about the anthology here.

After the story, J.C. chats about the "giving it away is okay" philosophy, and his collaboration with St. Martin's Press.

  • Learn more about J.C.'s upcoming 7th Son: Descent novel release
  • Order 7th Son: Descent
  • Call the Clone Line and get on the show: 435-55-HUTCH (435-554-8824)
  • Episode intro provided by Neil Illing (nilling on Twitter)
  • BIG thanks to Rob Suarez for his help with the pronunciations of the Spanish words heard in this story!!
  • Promo: Purgatory
  • Promo: Second Floor Lounge
  • Promo: The Jen and DAVe Show

7th Son: 7 Days' anthem is "UltraNumb" by Blue Stahli. Learn more about the artist at BlueStahli.com.

Like what you hear? Tell a friend, and give a shout in the comments!

7th Son: 7 Days - Episode 5 by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the fifth episode of 7th Son: 7 Days, a free audio prequel anthology to J.C.'s thriller novel, 7th Son: Descent.

Today's story stars Michael, a Marine Corps captain. Michael and an elite team of soldiers embark on a dangerous black ops mission in the Middle East ... but are they prepared for what lurks within the facility they're investigating?

Set two weeks before Descent's extraordinary events, these seven 7th Son: 7 Days stories stars a unique "John Michael Smith." Learn more about the anthology here.

After the story, J.C. plays three Clone Line calls ... and unleashes the WORLD PREMIERE for the promo of Phil Rossi's Harvey!

  • Learn more about J.C.'s upcoming 7th Son: Descent novel release
  • Order 7th Son: Descent
  • Call the Clone Line and get on the show: 435-55-HUTCH (435-554-8824)
  • Episode intro provided by John Merlin (of JRMerlin.com)
  • Promo: Harvey
  • Promo: Quarter Share
  • Promo: ARG Netcast

7th Son: 7 Days' anthem is "UltraNumb" by Blue Stahli. Learn more about the artist at BlueStahli.com.

Like what you hear? Tell a friend, and give a shout in the comments!

7th Son: 7 Days - Episode 4 by J.C. Hutchins

7S7D_cover.jpg

Welcome to the fourth episode of 7th Son: 7 Days, a free audio prequel anthology to J.C.'s thriller novel, 7th Son: Descent.

Today's story features Dr. Mike, a criminal profiler in Los Angeles. A brilliant criminalist, Dr. Mike may have met his match on his most recent case: a brilliant serial killer who defies law enforcement at every turn.

Set two weeks before Descent's extraordinary events, these seven 7th Son: 7 Days stories stars a unique "John Michael Smith." Learn more about the anthology here.

After the story, J.C. shares some of the creative inspiration behind today's story, and plays a few Clone Line calls.

7th Son: 7 Days' anthem is "UltraNumb" by Blue Stahli. Learn more about the artist at BlueStahli.com.

Like what you hear? Tell a friend, and give a shout in the comments!

7th Son: 7 Days - Episode 3 by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the third episode of 7th Son: 7 Days, a free audio prequel anthology to J.C.'s thriller novel, 7th Son: Descent.

Today's story stars Kilroy2.0, a deranged Washington DC-based computer hacker. Incensed by recent federal scrutiny, Kilroy2.0 declares to his followers that today is a day of ... ruination.

Set two weeks before Descent's extraordinary events, these seven 7th Son: 7 Days stories stars a unique "John Michael Smith." Learn more about the anthology here.

After the story, J.C. plays a few Clone Line calls and shares his impressions of the finished book of his novel 7th Son: Descent, which arrived minutes before he recorded the chatter for this episode.

Download the CTCCD wallpaper mentioned in the story:

  • Learn more about J.C.'s upcoming 7th Son: Descent novel release
  • Order 7th Son: Descent
  • Call the Clone Line and get on the show: 435-55-HUTCH (435-554-8824)
  • Episode intro provided by Lejon A. Johnson (of Touching the Monolith)

7th Son: 7 Days' anthem is "UltraNumb" by Blue Stahli. Learn more about the artist at BlueStahli.com.

Like what you hear? Tell a friend, and give a shout in the comments!

7th Son: 7 Days - Episode 2 by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the second episode of 7th Son: 7 Days, a free audio prequel anthology to J.C.'s thriller novel, 7th Son: Descent.

Today's story features John Smith, a carpenter and bartender. Recently inspired by his girlfriend Sarah, John aims to make good on a promise he made to himself long ago.

Set two weeks before Descent's extraordinary events, these seven 7th Son: 7 Days stories stars a unique "John Michael Smith." Learn more about the anthology here.

After the story, J.C. serves up some additional details about what you'll hear in John's story. The killer content keeps on comin'. J.C. also flubs by saying he'll play three Clone Line calls, but only plays two. This is because two calls were from the same person; Hutch axed one of these calls for this reason. :)

  • Learn more about J.C.'s upcoming 7th Son: Descent novel release
  • Order 7th Son: Descent
  • Call the Clone Line and get on the show: 435-55-HUTCH (435-554-8824)
  • Episode intro provided by Tanya Swan (of PluckyBlond.com)
  • Showing the Brad Meltzer love
  • Promo: Geek Acres
  • Promo: Borrowed Time
  • Promo: The Signal

7th Son: 7 Days' anthem is "UltraNumb" by Blue Stahli. Learn more about the artist at BlueStahli.com.

Like what you hear? Tell a friend, and give a shout in the comments!

7th Son: 7 Days - Episode 1 by J.C. Hutchins

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Welcome to the first episode of 7th Son: 7 Days, a free audio prequel anthology to J.C.'s thriller novel, 7th Son: Descent. Set two weeks before Descent's extraordinary events, these seven stories stars a unique "John Michael Smith." Learn more about the anthology here.

Today's story features Jack Smith, an Arizona-based geneticist. Emerging from a lousy past month in his personal life, Jack had hoped November would be better. The universe -- and a local cult leader -- have other plans for the family man.

After the story, J.C. delivers some spiffy news about this anthology, and the upcoming release of 7th Son: Descent.

7th Son: 7 Days' anthem is "UltraNumb" by Blue Stahli. Learn more about the artist at BlueStahli.com.

Like what you hear? Tell a friend, and give a shout in the comments!

Sneak Peak: "Personal Effects: Sword of Blood" prequel by J.C. Hutchins

As you know, my print debut -- the supernatural thriller Personal Effects: Dark Art -- will be in bookstores this June. (Be one of the first to own a copy by pre-ordering here.) While there are no current plans to release Dark Art as a podcast novel, I am crafting two novella-length, podcast-exclusive works to celebrate its release.

In a "first-ever in publishing" innovative twist, these complementary stories are prequel tales. The first to see release, Personal Effects: Sword of Blood, will debut in May. Chronologically, this novella takes place in late October 2008, a week before the events seen in Dark Art.

Sword of Blood follows the adventures of Brinkvale Psychiatric art therapist Zach Taylor as he pursues a deadly secret concerning Gertrude "Spindle" Spindler, a relentlessly cheerful elderly woman with a dark past. Confined to Brinkvale for life, Spindle has crafted what she calls "the grand design of nine," and invites young Zach to unwind its meaning. Zach soon descends into a world of mystery, psychics and hidden subcultures...

Below is a sneak peek of Personal Effects: Sword of Blood, an unedited excerpt that describes the horrific setting for the Personal Effects series: the subterranean Brinkvale Psychiatric hospital, strangely known by locals as "The Brink." You'll soon learn why, as you take a tour of one of the facility's most disturbed levels...

Chapter Three

The rest of the afternoon was spent scanning patient artwork, posting it to the “special programs” section at Brinkvale’s website, and making my rounds in the deepest patient level in The Brink. Somewhere along the past century, this eighth sub-floor of Brinkvale acquired the nickname Golgotha, after the place where Jesus Christ was killed. Rumor has it that a priest who once worked here named it so because Golgotha was a place that sparked eventual rebirth.

The priest was also apparently addicted to self-administered electroshock therapy, so I take that interpretation with a proverbial grain of salt.

This level of The Brink was reserved for the violent, mind-shattered lifers that no other New York institution wanted. They rarely had family. They never had visitors. When Freddy Krueger has nightmares, these are the people he dreams of.

My heart breaks when I come here. From a therapist’s perspective, It’s exhausting work. A great many of these people are too sick to understand that they’re sick. Others never unlearned their predatory, destructive proclivities, and never wanted to. A handful had made breakthroughs years ago, and were now trapped here, wracked and wailing with guilt, damned for the rest of their days.

In this criminally underfunded and understaffed facility, Golgotha was the floor that received the fewest resources. If you want to step a century into the past and see what living in a madhouse was like, just hit the “8” button on Brinkvale’s elevator. The screams alone will make your skin crawl right off your bones...

--J.C.

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