A.F. Stewart's Blog, page 106

Poetry in Emotions: A Review of "A Black Girl's Poetry for the World"

My Book Review of A Black Girl's Poetry for the World:



A Black Girl's Poetry for the World by Kimberly LaRocca is a thoroughly enjoyable book.  The poetry in the book is emotive and expressive, delving into tangled subjects and the author has separated her verse into two themed sections, Love and Life.



The poems in the first half, Love, are a diverse, frank and raw examination of affection, sex, commitment, and love gone sour and they run a gamut of emotional depth. The author doesn't shy away from a candid message in her poetry, while still delivering visceral, authentic beauty in verse.



The second part, Life, is a mix of some lovely faith based poetry, shining insight on the power and shape of belief, with affecting musings on emotional pain, tragic circumstance, inner strength, the complexity of relationships and the meaning in life.



The book is full of intriguing poems and some of my favourites are Thanks to You, Terminal Love and The Long Road Home, all rich in depth and word craft. A Black Girl's Poetry for the World is a wonderful volume of poetry both communal and personal, an intimate glimpse into a poet's soul.

A Slightly Crazy Memoir: A Book Review of In My Mind's Eye

My Review of In My Mind's Eye by Justin Marciano:





In My Mind's Eye by Justin Marciano is an irreverent, tongue-in-cheek memoir that is amusing, emotional, while at the same time might make you flinch and wonder at the folly of people.



The book is a collection of anecdotes culled from the author's rather disordered childhood, reminisces of his family and his boyhood/teenage tomfoolery. It is a wonderful hodgepodge of dysfunctional family dynamic and dodgy shenanigans that somehow comes across as congenial and affectionate, despite the eyebrow-raising antics depicted.



The author's style is informal, irreverent at times and very engaging. The book bounces through random and pivotal events in his life, using comparison stories and flashbacks to interrupt the narrative flow, but still manages to weave it all together into an entertaining delight. The narrative does get a bit maze-like at times, lacking a little in the where and when department of the events described, but if you go with the flow it's a great read.



I wholly recommend In My Mind's Eye.





In My Mind's Eye available on:  Smashwords and Amazon.

An interview with author Terra Harmony

Today on the blog I'm doing another guest interview, this time with fantasy writer, Terra Harmony.



An Interview with Terra Harmony



1. Why don't you begin by sharing a little about yourself.



I am a Colorado native, where I lived through high school. Since then I have lived in California, Texas, Utah, and North Carolina thanks in part to my days in the Marine Corps. Right now I reside in Virginia, in the suburbs of DC. I love to write, read, play piano and snowboard – all of which I have very little time for. Oh – and I have three kids running around here somewhere.





2. Can you tell us about your book, Water.



Water is a contemporary eco-fantasy. Not to throw too many buzz words at you, but it does have a little paranormal romance mixed in. The main character, Kaitlyn, finds herself involuntarily introduced to a life of magic. After she learns of her powers to control natural elements, an organization hell-bent on saving the earth discovers her. She falls in love with the man in charge, Micah, before she even knows if she can trust him. Micah's best friend and partner goes rogue and kidnaps Kaitly, and the most terrifying man the human race has to offer now stands between her and Earth's survival.





3. You describe Water as a contemporary eco-fantasy. Could you elaborate on that?



It's the 'eco' part that caught your attention, isn't it? Don't worry, my book isn't one big long lecture about how to do the planet good. It is above all a fantasy novel, with just a few short lectures on how to do the planet good sprinkled throughout. I hope eco-fantasy becomes a thing, or at least a bigger thing. I have petitioned Goodreads and Amazon to add the genre to their lists. It is not totally self-serving. I like our planet; and I like fantasy books. I'm assuming Amazon does too?





4. What appeals to you most about writing in the fantasy genre?



The creation part of it. With fantasy, anything goes. For example, I am currently writing the sequel to 'Water'. After a four month-long separation, Micah meets Kaitlyn coming off a plane. She had just been airsick, and has vomit on her shirt. Next to them, the fuel truck is gassing up the plane and another truck is emptying the bathrooms. You can imagine what the air smells like around them. I thought, 'what would shock Kaitlyn the most right now'? So Micah proposes to her. When I started the chapter, or even the book, I hadn't planned it. But it felt perfect in a not so perfect way – if you know what I mean, so I went with it. I just hope everyone else loves these creations as much as I do.





5. Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?



Well, it's November. Which means NaNoWriMo time. I have a full time job and three kids, so currently my writing schedule consists of an hour before the kids wake up and an hour after they go to bed. I can get about 2,000 words per day done. This is do-able; I just might be able to keep this up on a permanent basis. That is, until I make enough money off my books to quit my day job.





6. As an indie author, what challenges have you faced in publishing your work?



Indie authors have to be so much more than just writers. They have to be salesmen, technology geeks, creative marketers, and the list goes on and on. Each day, I learn something new about how to self-publish and market books all on my own. But the community has been great; everyone is so willing to share their tips, tricks, and hints for everything that has or hasn't worked.





7. Do you write exclusively in the fantasy genre or have you branched out into other areas? And if so why?



Just fantasy for now. I love the genre. However, I do have ideas running around my head in the form of a biography about my dad who has dementia, and also a new blog about the 'motherhood' portion of my life (this would be an outlet that allows me to keep 'cute things my kids said' separate from my publishing career). But those will all come much, much later. For now, I am working hard on finishing all five books in the Akasha Series and all five short stories in the Kindred Curse Anthology.





8. What advice would you give to other writers?



Build a support system; fellow writers, motivators, editors, cover artists, critiquers (ßand case in point, grammar/spelling experts). You can't go it alone, and neither can your spell check.





9. Who has been the biggest inspiration to you as an author?



The 1% - I want to be one of them. Just kidding, just kidding. As far as other authors go, it has to be Diana Gabaldon. Her historical romances are so well written, planned, and researched; I am in awe every time I go back to another one of her books.





10. What's next for you?



An ice cream sandwich. And then maybe just a few more hundred words before bedtime…





You can find Terra on:

Facebook- www.facebook.com/terraharmony

Her Blog- http://www.twainwannabe.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @harmonygirlit



You can find her book, Water, on: Amazon, Smashwords, and B&N.





A Remembrance Day Poem

In honour of Remembrance Day, one of my poems:





Soldier Boy

Play me a tune for Death;he has passed this way.A sad lament, for thosewho shed their final bloodon this forlorn battlefield.

Play a song of sorrowfor your fallen friends.Each and every soulwho shall never graceagain, this vibrant earth.

Interview with author Irene Pynn

Interview with Irene Pynn:



1. Why don't you begin by sharing a little about yourself.



When I read and write in the same day, I have extremely vivid dreams. Some of these dreams I use in my plots. I've been called "aDORKable" by several people who were likely just being nice about how nerdy I really am. My husband and I live in Florida, where we spend way too much of our free time playing our PS3 and Xbox next to each other, or watching Doctor Who.





2. Can you tell us about your latest book?



I originally had the idea for From Light to Dark when I went to a Cirque du Soleil performance of Varekai. That is a fantastic show. It begins with an Icarus-like fall, but, instead of dying, the Icarus character ends up in a magical world below where he encounters strange creatures. My idea was to blend this new journey of Icarus with a Romeo and Juliet theme, and so I created the star-crossed Eref and Caer in From Light to Dark.





3. How did you come to write in the YA fantasy genre?



Young adult offers a great range of potential when it comes to plots. For some reason, teen and early adult readers seem to be quite open to stories of magic and technological advancements. This is not to say, of course, that older readers can't enjoy the same thing, but YA is a very fertile ground for speculative ideas. I love YA, and it makes up a good percentage of my free-time reading.





4. What is your greatest challenge in writing for the Young Adult market?



There are many amazing authors who have set the bar so high! It's a great inspiration and challenge to read the best of today's YA and to aim for the kind of connection that these writers are able to create with their readers.





5. Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate?



Anywhere. If you say something odd or send me a crazy headline, that's likely to spark some idea in my head. It may amount to nothing, but I'll give it a shot in a story. Sometimes I begin with a theme. Other times I have an opening line. And other stories begin with a character I'd like to get to know. I just keep exploring the ideas to see whether they're taking me somewhere interesting. If they are, I plot them out and tell the whole story!





6. You've stated you like to "throw your characters into alternate worlds". What appeals to you about alternate world fantasy and sci-fi?



I've always been this kind of reader. If the back of the book doesn't promise me something "off" about the world, then I'm not likely to keep reading. Tell me we're working with magic or something supernatural or another planet or some interesting twist on technology, however, and I'm so there. It's just my favorite flavor.





7. You write both fantasy and science fiction. Which speculative genre do you enjoy writing most?



It really depends on my mood. Right now I'm working on a play about androids and a mid-grade novel about zombies. Lately I've been reading science fiction, though. My favorite books of recent months have been a dystopian YA, a time travel novel, and… another time travel novel. I blame Doctor Who.





8. You have written a variety of novels, plays, etc. Do you have a favourite written work?



It was a lot of fun to work on the Creepy Luny Inn Radio Adventure Show. That was a radio play that explored the world of From Light to Dark prior to the events of the book.





9. Who has inspired you as an author?



My parents. They're both writers – my mother is a romance novelist, and my father is a journalist. Growing up with them taught me the value of clear, interesting communication. Other writers I truly admire include Neil Gaiman, Mervyn Peake, Charlaine Harris, JK Rowling, and, of course, Billy Shakespeare.





10. What's next for you?



NaNoWriMo! I'm currently telling the story of a young boy and his hunt for zombie brains. Warms the heart.



 

You can find out more about this author and her books at her website:  http://www.irenelpynn.com/

or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/irenelpynnwriter

 

Author Bio:

Irene writes fantasy and light science fiction for adults, young adults, and children. Her work spans novels, plays, transmedia events, and more. Most of her work focuses on internal conflicts told through speculative metaphors: From Light to Dark is a high fantasy that features a Romeo and Juliet theme. For the most part, Irene writes what she likes to read, which are character-driven stories of alternate realities. She likes to throw her characters into alternate worlds to see how they live their "normal" lives in the midst of magical or technological changes.



From Light to Dark:

Eref is about to die. He sits at the End of Light World, accepting his stoning execution one rock at a time, until the impossible happens: the ground opens up beneath him, and he drops down into the unknown. There, he meets Caer, a kind-hearted girl from Dark World who saves his life. Together, the pair forms an unlikely and illegal bond that not even the strongest hatred can break. But can their connection bring down the evil institution that has kept Light World and Dark World at odds for hundreds of years?

Excerpt:



Getting stoned to death wasn't the worst thing that could happen—or so Eref told himself when the first rock cracked over his head.

But it hurt. Blood trickled down his forehead and into his eyes, blocking the sharp rays of the sun overhead.

All around him, forty or fifty men dressed in long tunics shouted curses and flung stones at his naked body.

"Blasphemer!"

"Devil!"

"Treasoner!"

The bright power of the Governors' Moonstone from its hidden place in Light World made certain each rock hit its target.

So many people had come to this hidden corner to watch him die. Far from the rigid roads of Light World's city, each face glared at him. Each mouth snarled. Eref blinked the blood away. He thought for a minute that he saw Balor among the crowd. No…it couldn't be. But it was true. His best friend pushed his way to the front, holding several large stones in his fist.

Coffin Hop Contests Winners!

Halloween is over and the Coffin Hop Web Tour has ended, so it is time to announce the winners of my contests:



The Winners of a Three Ebook Prize Pack (Ruined City, Killers and Demons, Once Upon a Dark and Eerie...) are:

Carole Gill

Paul Dail

Red Tash



The Winner of an Ebook of Once Upon a Dark and Eerie...

Kim Koning



The awarding of the prize of the Amazon gift card is being handled by Gordon Kessler and Goddess Fish Tours, (as the prize was part of his blog tour) so any notifications of winners are pending.

My Guest for a Coffin Hop Halloween: Author Gordon A Kessler

Today is Halloween and the last day of the Coffin Hop Web Tour.  For an extra special treat, author Gordon A Kessler joins the blog as the last stop on the blog tour for his new horror thriller, Jezebel.  He'll be talking about writing horror and giving us a sneak peek at Jezebel.  In addition, there is a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card, so be sure to leave a comment!



First a look at Jezebel:



Sleep lightly tonight…



A madman has come to town seeking a diabolical revenge and large dogs begin attacking their masters for no apparent reason and with heinous results.Animal Control Director Tony Parker must find out why and stop the murderous attacks. Meanwhile, Jezebel, a huge black Great Dane has killed her master and is loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Parker and his family. Parker and Sarah Hill, his beautiful and seductive young assistant, attempt to unravel the mystery and stop the terrible carnage while dealing with their own demons and lusty desires.The attacks must be stopped. Jezebel must be found-and soon, you see--there is one other complication. Parker seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it's not one of those irritating summer colds. It's certain death.She's a murderess, huge and black as a hell-bound night.

Beware. Jezebel is on the loose!





[image error] Quick Excerpt from Jezebel:



In the grayish soup, a dark vision appeared. Floating down the middle of the street, it slowly formed into a recognizable shape.



An animal. A large black animal. A huge Great Dane. It walked with confidence. Long, thin legs. Mouth closed, head and eyes fixed straight ahead. Occasionally, its feet splashed one of the pools. Light from the streetlights caused a sparkle from underneath its neck with every step of its left forefoot. A large diamond, set on a gold tag, captured the light and shot it out like a laser. The dog maintained its pace for what seemed like minutes.

Finally, it stopped. With its body still pointing down the street, it slowly turned its head to the right and looked up a sidewalk leading to the front door of a house. It stared, still emotionless, at the door. At Tony Parker's door.



Here's how to find out more about his thriller novels Jezebel, Brainstorm and Dead Reckoning:

The book trailers on YouTube for Jezebel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zHD9pmHOzk&feature=related

And Brainstorm at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eDjWJFbRdI





Now introducing my guest, Gordon A Kessler...





On Writing Horror

You've probably heard that writing horror is a lot like humor; to really work, the horrific or "scare" scenes have to be set up. One way to set up a horror scene entails placing or "planting" information early on that will be used later. This set up can be made by mentioning a quirk that will be revisited, a door that hasn't been opened for twenty years, a scary house or a dark and frightening alley that must be passed. Perhaps that alley is passed every night without incident, until that faithful night when…. The plant can even be a radio report that a murderer is loose (or a huge, black Great Dane—like in Jezebel).

 

After the setup, suspense is key to a successful scare. The most common mistake many beginning writers make is to rush through the "boo"—taking the wind out of any good fright. Suspense must be drawn out to be successful in creating and building the maximum amount of tension and fear in a story. The doorknob must be turned slowly, the creaking outside the room should start and stop, then start again. The face outside the window must not appear just as the heroine glances out, but pop up when she draws closer to better see what is caught on the tree limb outside and blowing in the wind.



Another key to a high score on the scare meter is that the reader needs to somehow identify with the character(s) in jeopardy. If the reader in some way relates to the character, and especially if she sees that the soon-to-be victim(s) is sympathetic at least in some way to the world around them, the reader will begin to feel the same fear of danger, will actually empathize with the character(s) in jeopardy.



One last concern for a good horror writer is body count. Depending on the audience, a high body count—especially of characters that the reader identifies with or feels for—may be important to keep the reader on the edge of her seat. That said, with some horror sub genres, especially with young audiences, perhaps a story with no body count will work just fine. In these stories, the suspense is created just by the fear the character(s) have and the knowledge that the risk they are involved with is extremely high.



I think Jezebel is the perfect Halloween novel—and there's actually a Halloween scene in it that I think will give readers a chill up their spine and a pause to consider.



Jezebel is my only horror novel. But with my thrillers Brainstorm and Dead Reckoning, setting up the suspense and drawing it out is critical. A good thriller is packed with not only action, but suspense as well.



Bloggers, how about giving me your comments; what makes a good scare for you?



Thanks again for hosting me on your wonderful blog! I hope you and all your bloggers have a really frightening but fun Halloween!





[image error] Author Bio:

Gordon A Kessler is a former US Marine parachutist, recon scout, and Super Squad team leader, with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. He is a Master Instructor for Johnson County Community College, National Academy of Railroad Sciences, and the BNSF Railway. He has taught novel writing for Butler County Community College, English Composition for Hutchinson Junior College and has previously indie-published the thriller novels Brainstorm and Dead Reckoning, and a book about the novel-writing craft, Novel Writing Made Simple.

He is a founder and current president of the Kansas Writers Association and tries to stay connected to writers and the writing industry by doing speaking engagements at writers conferences and for writers organizations, and does his own "The Storyteller" seminar in Wichita, Lincoln (Nebraska), Kansas City, and other Midwestern cities based on his Novel Writing Made Simple book.

His websites, http://www.writersmatrix.com/ and http://www.indiewritersalliance.com/ are landing pages for writers to help them in their writing endeavors. His author website is http://www.gordonkessler.com/

Other links:

http://www.readersmatrix.com/

http://www.Twitter.com/GordonKessler

http://www.Facebook.com/GordonKessler1

http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/GordonKessler

http://www.wmxblog.com/



You can find his books at any online bookstore, including Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Nook, etc. All three of his thrillers are currently on sale in eBook formats for only $.99.  You can also find them in traditional paperback and hardcover at reasonable prices. His book, Novel Writing Made Simple is an excellent resource for both the beginning and seasoned novelist and you can find the spiral bound and paperback on Amazon, or the ebook version from iBooks.



Check out the rest of the stops on Gordon's book tour here:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/09/virtual-book-tour-jezebel-by-gordon.html



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Coffin Hop Book Review: Symphony of Blood

Today for Coffin Hop I offer up a delcious book review of the dark and deadly...





My Review of Symphony of Blood: A Hank Mondale Supernatural Case



The novel Symphony of Blood by Adam Pepper is a fascinating mix of hard-boiled detective novel and paranormal thriller. It melds two genres in an excellent fast paced style that keeps you turning the page.



Hank Mondale is a down-on-his-luck private investigator who drinks too much and gambles too much. In need of some quick cash he takes a new case where the rich client has an unusual problem: a monster is trying to kill his daughter. Hank doesn't believe in monsters, but takes the case anyway, only to find the facts leading him into the unknown.



Symphony of Blood was a chilling delight to read. The book is basically divided into three parts, with parts one and three telling the story from Hank's point of view. These sections are an old school, hard-boiled mystery story, unfolding Hank's investigation slowly, and playing out the tension before we return to his voice for the conclusion. Both parts are well told, have nice flow with gritty atmosphere and substance, engaging characters, and I enjoyed what I read. But it was the second part of the novel that truly excelled for me, when the author unexpectedly switched points of view and told the story through the killer/monster's eyes. Here, the story is woven from an alien perspective and draws the reader in with fascination, repulsion and even sympathy. Secrets hinted at are now revealed and the subtle contrasts and truths give depth to the plot. I adored this section of the novel and the sudden change between characters was seamless.



I did have some small disappointment with the ending, though. It wasn't that it was badly written or a cheat, and it wrapped up all the threads conclusively, but it just felt a bit detached to me. I think I would have liked something a bit less restrained. Still, I can happily recommend Symphony of Blood as a great book.



Where you can find Symphony of Blood:

Smashwords

Kindle

Coffin Hop Part Three: Halloween in Prose and Poetry

[image error]

To start off the hauntingly good weekend leading into Halloween (and for another excuse to post for Coffin Hop) I'm sharing a few dark Halloween themed poems and a short excerpt from my Gothic horror mishmash WIP, Gothic Cavalcade.



All commenters will have a chance to win an free copy (via Smashwords) of my ebook, Once Upon a Dark and Eerie... 

And don't forget to check out the rest of the hoppers by scrolling down to the List at the end of this blog or popping over to the Author List at the Coffin Hop main page.







The Poems:





[image error] Night of the Hunter's Moon 



They come by the moonlight

off the mountain, from the mist,

riding in the darkened night.

They come by the moonlight,

for their eve of haunting flight.

Hear the horn, by Death be kissed

They come by the moonlight

off the mountain from the mist







Darkness, under a full moon 



Once, under a full moon

a shadow grew.

Just a spot by the yew tree

[image error] where blood soiled the ground.

Where anger ended a soul

and bones still lie unmourned.

The earth fed on flesh and fury,

haunted screams and marrow,

until unholy life was born.



Once, under a full moon

a shadow hated.

From its grave by the yew tree,

it waits, it seethes, it hungers.Drawn from this earth too soon,

it wants to come back, to roam.

To spew its venom and revenge

to shriek its pain and horror,

until blood is spilled for blood.



Once, under a full moon

Darkness,

Death,clawed into the world.





Celestial Season



[image error] Blood Moon, Hunter's Moon.

Ghosts wail to you in the night,

Queen of the Harvest.

The moon of white turns to red

with the coming of the frost.

Through the barren trees

voices beyond call to you,

Sovereign of the Wood.

Luminous fingers entwine

that first and last icy breath.





Halloween

Dark is the night of fear, still of all sound.

This haunted eve, the silver Moon is queen;

in the shadows, the undead ghouls come 'round.

They dance, they play, with souls on Halloween.



You can hear them whisper behind your ear;

shiver when the cold chills run down your spine.

Aren't you thankful it comes but once a year,

this time to hunt, to roam, so they can dine?

Close tight your doors when the goblins do creepand the knocking shall echo through the dim hall.Eerie ghosts stray, know there's plunder to reap,alarming chills, bats, howls and things that crawl.

So fill your bowls high with candy to eatFor those scary children that trick or treat.





Excerpt from Gothic Cavalcade:



Althea stood in the center of the circle. The family surrounded her, those strange denizens of the carnival she trusted in blind faith. The palpitating tin sound of the calliope electrified her skin and pushed through her pores to infest her flesh and bones. The notes snaked their way into her mind, twining around her will until the pulsing rhythm controlled her rational thought.

Her consciousness drifted, suspended in the melodic spell and her body swayed with the tune. She tumbled in mental freefall -a lingering pawn aimless in focus and influence- as her sanity danced with the song of the calliope and a feeling of euphoria engulfed her senses. But somewhere, locked away in a deep recess of her brain, fear crawled.

The music grew louder, more insistent, opposing other sound from reaching her ears. Every vibration of the melody shredded into her body unravelling her being. Althea cried out as the notes of the song coursed through her nerves and pain sang its way through her body to consume the essence of her inner self. She screamed, defiant, as she felt hands touch her, pull at her, the family's voices mingling with the sound of the music...

Coffin Hop Part Two: Interview with Coral Russell

Here's my second post for the week long Coffin Hop Web Tour, an interview with fellow Coffin Hopper and horror author, Coral Russell.  As with the first post all people who comment on the post get a shot at a three ebook prize pack of my books, Once Upon a Dark and Eerie..., Killers and Demons, and Ruined City.

Also when you're done here, to continue the Hop, just scroll down to the Author Linky List at the end of my blog and click on a link or pop over to the Author List on the main Coffin Hop page.





An Interview with Horror Author, Coral Russell.





1. Why don't you begin by sharing a little about yourself.



I always say I'm a nobody. I like to think I'm fairly normal. I'm married to a wonderful husband and have one daughter, three step-children, and three grandbabies. I have a little dynasty going on here. I live in the SW which is a strange place to write horror/paranormal because it is always so freakin' sunny and bright here.





[image error] 2. Could you tell us about your latest book, Amador Lockdown.



It's inspired by a real lockdown at the real Amador Hotel that I went to with my step-son. He and a friend helped with a rap that I used in the book. The pictures in the book trailer are real and were taken at the Amador. It is about a paranormal case gone wrong and also a father who tries to save his son. It has a twist ending that everyone whose read the story so far said they never saw coming.





3. What attracted you to write in the paranormal/horror genre?



It's the one genre that I feel I know pretty darn well and when it came time to start writing, the story just naturally leaned in that direction.





4. What is the hardest part of writing horror fiction?



Nothing. That was the first genre I cut my teeth on as a teenager. Not only in books but also movies. I guess I just like to be scared. Not grossed out mind you. I like the anticipation and tension that you get from a good horror story.





5. You started out writing non-fiction. Was it hard to make the transition to fiction?



Terribly hard! Horribly hard! Fiction is such a different animal. My poor crit partners have been so supportive and patiently corrected every wordy sentence and awkward phrasing that I churn out in a draft. I love them for taking the time to teach and support me. They understand what my background is and I'm learning... Slowly... BUT, I can say that I'm one of those freaks that loves research and I still do a lot of research (physical, books, Internet, movies) for every fiction story that I write because I like how it fleshes out the story and makes it seem 'real'.





6. Where do your ideas originate and what is your greatest challenge as a writer?



I've done a lot of living and I always wondered what I was going to do with all those experiences. I ended up moving back to the Southwest to be closer to family and went to my 25th High School reunion. My friend Chef Ruli at Rulis International Kitchen said that in the end 'our stories' were the only thing we're left with. That made sense to me and I had the idea that I could write those down in the form of fiction. Also I have strong opinions and voicing them through characters seemed like an ideal way to get that out without getting into trouble. My biggest challenges as a writer are those darn passive and awkward sentences I seem to love.





7. Do you have any favourite authors of paranormal or horror fiction, and did they inspire you as a writer?



Stephen King is the grand-daddy of them all and I've read everything by Laurel K. Hamilton as well. I loved Frank Herbert, John Saul, Peter Straub, but the one writer that had a whole section on her website about writing advice was Emma Holly, an erotica writer. That's where I got my first resources about writing fiction. I've learned that writers that selflessly share their information, are the best people on the planet. I try to do that myself in that anything I learn I'm more than happy to pass on to whoever wants to listen about my experience.





8. What advice would you give writers thinking about writing in the paranormal/horror genre?



I took Lawrence Block's advice in that you should know and be very well read in the genre that you chose to write in. I believe that's what has made it so easy for me to start with the horror genre. So take his excellent, expert advice. If you plan to write in a certain genre, read all the books you can in that genre so you know what readers expect.





9. What's next for you?



I thought I would want to take a break after Amador Lockdown, but a detective anthology offer came up. When I went to outline the story, it turned out to be a novella or full-length novel, not a short story, so now I'm excited about working on that for maybe NaNoWriMo. Then I happened across an email and that gave me a great idea for a follow-up story to the Paranormal Posse in Amador Lockdown. I hope to finish both these stories in 2012.





Author Bio:



Coral Russell won the 2003 McCaleb Peace Initiative which produced the non-fiction articles Peace on the Peninsula about South Korean's view on reunification. You can also find various articles written by her on Technorati and BlogCritics. After winning a fiction writing contest (a fluke), she caught the fiction bug. An encounter with something paranormal on a local ghost tour inspired her to start writing the ghost hunter series.

Her titles include Peace on the Peninsula, Twelve Worlds, Playing with Fire, The DIY Guide to Social Media Marketing and eBook Publishing, and Amador Lockdown.

Ms. Russell runs the blog alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com

You can also stalk the author on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Google+



And check out my spotlight of her book Amador Lockdown:  http://afstewartpromotion.blogspot.com/2011/10/book-spotlight-amador-lockdown.html





And be sure to pop back in on Halloween as I welcome a guest, author Gordon A. Kessler, who talks about his new scary thriller, Jezebel and getting that scare right when writing horror.