Jason J. Nugent's Blog, page 5

Jason’s Authors You Need to Know – Ray Wenck

[image error]Today’s author you need to know is Ray Wenck.

Ray is a talented writer of thrillers. He’s got a whole slew of thrillers to choose from: [image error]post-apocalyptic, zombie apocalyptic, and more. One of his latest creations is his “Pick-a-Path Apocalypse” books similar to those old “Choose your own adventure” books you remember as a kid. Ray is a prolific writer and has a thriller for just about everyone. I’ve read his book Random Survival and thoroughly enjoyed the fast paced tale.

[image error]I first met Ray at an event in St. Louis called Contamination back in 2016. We had a fun time on our row with Ray, Vince Churchill, Eric Asher, and Amy Hale. I’ve learned a lot from Ray since then and he introduced me to my editor Jodi who does an amazing job of making my words make sense. He’s been kind enough to share a table with me at the St. Louis Wizard World Comic Con for two years and has offered to share at other cities as well though I’ve yet to be able to take advantage of the offers.

From his Amazon page:

Ray Wenck is a retired teacher and prior owner of DeSimone’s Italian restaurant. He is the author of the Danny Roth thriller series and the highly acclaimed, post-apocalyptic series, Random Survival.

The Danny Roth series includes Teammates, Teamwork, Home Team and Stealing Home and Group Therapy.

The Random Survival series includes The Long Search For Home, The Endless Hunt and Hanging On.

Also published are the humorous YA adventure, Warriors of the Court, the paranormal thriller, Ghost of a Chance. the suspense thriller, Live To Die Again and the Zombie thrillers, Tower of the Dead and Island of the Dead. His latest release is Pick-A-Path: Apocalypse, a choose your own adventure for adults.

When not writing Ray hikes, cooks and plays harmonica with whatever band will let him sit in.

To find out more about Ray, visit his website raywenck.com or his Amazon author page for a list of his books.

Come back tomorrow for another author you need to know!

Jason’s Authors You Need to Know – Pamela Morris

[image error]Today’s author you need to know is Pamela Morris.

If you’ve been a long time reader (and you are, aren’t you?) of my blog, Pamela’s name is no surprise. She’s an absolutely amazing author writing mostly horror and dark fiction. Her writing is infused with realism and down-right excellent talent. When I want a great [image error]horror fix (or opinions on my own horror writing) I do not hesitate to pick up her books or share my work with her. She’s super-crazy-talented and someone you really want to try if you like dark, wonderfully written novels.

I’ve interviewed her on the blog and I’ve reviewed her book Dark Hollow Road.

Here’s her bio from her Amazon page:

Raised in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, but forever longing for the white sands of New Mexico, Pamela has always loved mysteries and the macabre. Combining the two in her own writing, along with her love for historical research and genealogy, came naturally. Hours spent watching ‘Monster Movie Matinee’, ‘Twilight Zone’, a myriad of Hammer Films, and devouring books by Stephen King, Tanith Lee, and Anne Rice probably helped, too.

Outside of her work as a novelist, Pamela has written numerous historic articles for the Tioga County Courier, an Owego, NY newspaper. She has done genealogy research for family and friends and was a Civil War reenactor for close to ten years. In 2014 Pamela joined the ranks of writers for the online magazine, The Good Men Project. She also enjoys scrapbooking, bad B-Movies, road trips with her husband, and feeding the crows that frequent their back yard.

Seriously go check out her books. If you’re a fan of horror, you won’t be disappointed. Find out more on her website pamelamorrisbooks.com.

Come back tomorrow for another author you need to know!

 

Jason’s Authors You Need to Know – M.D. Parker

[image error]Today’s author you need to know is M.D. Parker.

I first met M.D. Parker through mutual Facebook friends and was soon introduced to his writing. I read his collection The Ghosts Between and loved it! They are dark short stories (which I love!) and I knew I found a new author to follow. Not long after, I was invited to participate in the Trumpland charity anthology and we’ve stayed in touch ever since.

I can say that M.D. Parker is a tireless writer, always working on a new project and [image error]looking to release a horror novel in the future. He’s an advocate for other indie writers and his storytelling ability is top notch. If you like dark short stories, check out his collection The Ghosts Between or if you want to try some alternate future dystopian tales, check out the Trumpland anthology helmed by M.D. Parker.

From his Amazon page:

I am originally from the Oregon Coast but am currently living and writing full time on the road. My lovely wife and I (and our two furry companions) are writers, bloggers, and vagabonds. Currently, we share the crazy, and often confusing ride, that is our life on Twitter and Facebook. You can find my writing, in the form of short stories in various online magazines and my first published collection, “The Ghosts Between” was made available on Amazon. I am also a proud contributor and organizer of the multi-author charity project, “Trumpland: An Alternative History Of The Future.”

Currently finalizing a soon to be published sci-fi novella and working on my first full-length horror novel.

Check out more at his website writeontheroad.com.

Come back tomorrow for another author you need to know!

Jason’s Authors You Need to Know – Brent A. Harris

[image error]Today’s author you need to know is Brent A. Harris.

Brent is an amazing author of science fiction and alternate [image error]history. He’s extremely talented and well worth a chance. I’ve read several of his short stories through Inklings Press and his novel A Time of Need (you can see my video review of it here). I’ve been impressed with everything I’ve read so far.

I don’t recall when or exactly how I met Brent, but I do know it was over Twitter. Most likely it was through Inklings Press. He’s been a big advocate of my work and a great sounding board when I’ve asked. I can’t say enough positive things about Brent as a fellow author and friend.

From his Amazon page:

Brent A Harris is a Sidewise Award nominated author of alternate history. He also writes science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Previously published works can be found through Insomnia Publishing, Rivenstone Press, Rhetoric Askew, and Inklings Press, the latter having published his short story, Twilight of the Mesozoic Moon, which reaped the Sidewise Award nomination.

He is the author of A Time of Need, an alternate history of the American Revolution, which sees a world where George Washington fights alongside the British against American forces marshaled under a power-hungry Benedict Arnold.

Brent resides in Southern California, where he’s become convinced that Joshua trees are in fact, real trees. When not writing, he focuses on his family, shuttling children around as a stay-at-home dad.

Check out all his short stories and his novel A Time of Need on Amazon and give this talented author a try.

Come back tomorrow for another author you need to know!

Jason’s Authors You Need to Know – F. Kenneth Taylor

[image error]Today’s author you need to know is F. Kenneth Taylor.

Ken is a freelance writer, scifi author, and small business owner from St. Louis, MO. My connection to Ken goes back to his magazine Some’n Unique Magazine. Sometime in 2016, he came across my blog and contacted me to see if I wanted [image error]to write for his magazine. I gladly accepted and wrote many articles. I no longer write for Ken, but we stay in touch. I will always be indebted to him for organizing my very first book signing at the Book House in St. Louis.

Ken writes scifi and urban drama along with actively supporting local indie authors through events and his magazine.

From his Amazon page:

F. Kenneth Taylor has pursued writing since 2001 and has served brief writing stints with 2 online magazines. As a Freelance Writer; he has written 100s of articles discussing an array of topics. F. Kenneth Taylor writes in multiple styles and genres to enhance his credibility, worth, and audience.

Check out more of Ken’s work on Amazon or Some’n Unique Magazine.

Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – Simon Bleaken

[image error]Today’s author you should know is Simon Bleaken.

Simon is a prolific short story writer who writes primarily [image error]horror and science fiction. I was first acquainted with Simon while working with Schreyer Ink Publishing with their Twilight Madhouse short story collections. I was in Vol. 1 and Simon’s work appeared in Vol. 2. I got a chance to read the collection ahead of publication and his story was one of my favorites. I’ve since read more of his excellent work, most notably his own short story collection A Touch of Silence and Other Tales.

From his Amazon page:

Simon Bleaken lives in Wiltshire in the United Kingdom where he writes short stories, mostly in the horror, fantasy and Sci-Fi genres.

Outside of writing, his interests include Egyptology and ancient history. He is a keen supporter of environmental causes.

He is also a member of The Pagan Federation, OBOD (The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids), The Druid Network, and The Friends of the Boscastle Museum of Witchcraft. He also supports the Stonewall charity and Greenpeace.

His work has appeared in magazines and book anthologies in Britain, the USA and Japan.

[image error]I can’t say enough about Simon’s talent and generosity when it comes to his fellow writers and human beings. He’s an exceptional writer and someone you ought to check out.

Here’s a guest post he offered for the blog back in February which also includes an excerpt of his writing.

Go to his Amazon page to learn more and find many of the collections featuring his short stories.

Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – RJ Batla

Today’s author you should know is RJ Batla.[image error]

RJ is an excellent author of fast paced, action-filled scifi and fantasy adventure. I know, it sound like a lot but RJ writes some fantastic books!

I met him through a Facebook group I belong to over a year ago and since then, we’ve Beta read each others works and he’s been supportive of me especially when I doubt what I’m doing. He’s a genuinely good guy on top of being an excellent writer.

From his Amazon page:

R.J. Batla is a fantasy author and fan of the genre. He’s working on series in both epic and urban fantasy, and likes to write fast paced books that take the reader on an adventure that they can see in their mind. His books reflect influences from novels, comic books, manga, and other cartoons/media, and he joys in blending in these elements in his books.

Author, Christian, Husband, and Father, R.J. Batla enjoys everything outdoors and takes as much time as he can with his family. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him outside (thinking about writing), working out (and thinking about writing) or various other places (all while thinking about writing).

[image error]I’ve read several of his books including Fire Eyes Awakened and enjoyed the thrilling pace (See my review here). If you like fantasy or scifi with a bit of wit and wise-cracks, you gotta try his books!

Find out more and get a free sample of his writing at rjbatla.com.

Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – Mark Pannebecker

[image error]Today’s author you should know is Mark Pannebecker.

I first met Mark at the St. Louis Indie Book Fair. I came across the event not long after I released my first book (Almost) Average Anthology and I decided to try it out. It was the first time I ever sold copies of my book in person. I was seated next to this tall, skinny guy and I soon found out it was Mark, the organizer of the event![image error]

Not long after, I picked up a copy of Mark’s book Fraternity of Fractures and discovered an amazingly talented writer! Mark is passionate about his work and it shows through the prose.

From his Amazon author page:

Mark Pannebecker is an author of literary fiction and the founder of the St. Louis Indie Book Fair, an annual event created to foster authors of fiction and nonfiction. He started out as a filmmaker but soon fell in love with the creative writing process and shifted his focus from producing and directing films to that of writing screenplays, which then led to writing in other narrative forms. Mark writes screenplays, stage plays, novels, novellas, short stories, and is currently writing a series of novelettes. Mark believes in letting function (the story) dictate form. Mark published a collection of poetry titled Motorcycle Boy Lives and a collection of short stories titled Godsfood (both BookLocker, 2015). His first novel Fraternity of Fractures (AuthorHouse, 2016) was written originally as a screenplay.

Mark is always processing storylines for new work. The idea that’s moved to the front of the line–insisting, really, for many years now to be written–is A Fool’s Journey, a 21-part series of novelettes inspired by the Major Arcana of the Tarot. Each of the twenty-one parts will launch as eBook only, starting in 2017 with Book I, The Magician. He hopes you enjoy A Fool’s Journey, a postmodern bildungsroman.

I encourage you to check out his work and try him out!

On top of writing, Mark is also super supportive of other authors and his event the Indie Book Fair will be looking to go on the road in 2019. Find out more at his website markpannebecker.com.

Come back tomorrow for another author you need to know!

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – S.A. Gibson

[image error]Today’s author you should know is S.A. Gibson.

I’ve known Author S.A Gibson for probably over a year now. We were both members of a larger Facebook group for SciFi writers and through our interactions there, have come together with many other wonderful authors to organize and publish the excellent boxed set of SciFi/Fantasy novels called On the Horizon (though in all honesty, he was the driving force behind the project and deserves most of the credit for all the good that’s come from it!)

Author S.A. Gibson tends to write SciFi and and Post-Apocalyptic books with little advanced technology, focusing more on the human element. From his Amazon page:

Published author of academic articles and book chapters and post-apocalyptic “woodpunk” fiction, S.A. Gibson turns passions for learning, artificial intelligence, and human communication into accessible worlds of wonder and fascination. Author of fiction books and stories set in a future without advanced technology, which all interrelate in time and space. Living with a beautiful spouse and their beloved Dachshund-Chihuahua in Southern California, the writing continues.

He’s an amazing writer and tireless advocate for his fellow authors. If you’re looking for[image error] something different and engaging, check out his books! For more info about him and what he’s up to, you can visit his website. From there you’ll find all the social media channels to connect with him.

Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!

 

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – Brian K. Morris

[image error]Today’s author you should know is Brian K. Morris.

Brian is a man of many talents. According to his website:

BRIAN K. MORRIS has been a comic shop manager/owner, on-air talent for his local PBS station, manager of the print division of his local Big Box office supply store, a stage/film actor, paperwork pusher for a local utility, and an assistant mortician.

Since 2012, Brian has been the publisher and “chief set of hands” at Freelance Words and Rising Tide, his independent publishing businesses as well as a popular freelance writer.

In addition, Brian is the Editor-in-Chief at Silver Phoenix Entertainment of Oak Park, Illinois, the Midwest’s largest publisher of horror, public service, and Roller Derby comics.

A popular guest at conventions and book signings, Brian lives in Central Indiana with his wife, no children, no pets, and too many comic books.

Let me start by saying Brian is a great guy. He’s full of energy and is amazing to watch him work a crowd.

I first met him last year at the Eclipse Comic Con in Carbondale, IL. He moderated a [image error]panel of writers for the Con which I was a participant of. I hadn’t met him before the Con but he treated me like we were old friends. Since then, I’ve come to know more about him and even helped Beta read one of his books. You couldn’t ask for a better advocate on your behalf than Brian.

He writes comics and recently published a collection of horror short stories, The Haunting Scripts of Bachelors Grove. You should take a moment and visit his website and check out his books. He’s an excellent writer and well worth taking a chance on.

Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!