David M. Burnham's Blog, page 2

The Third Degree – Tom Leins

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Today, after a long absence, I’m pleased to bring you another edition of “The Third Degree” where I subject authors to a grueling interrogation to discover more about their published work and writing techniques.

This time around, English author Tom Leins – author of “Boneyard Dogs” – has agreed to be my latest victim guest in the hot seat. So, without further ado, the chair is ready, the spotlight is on, let the grilling commence. Enjoy the interview!

*Please note I’ve left the interview as it was received and not changed the English spelling of certain words to the American spelling.

Hi Tom. Thank you for your time. Would you like to tell us about yourself?

Hi Dave, thanks for having me! My name is Tom Leins and I live in Paignton, England. Over the years I have worked as a deckchair attendant, an agony uncle, and a DVD reviewer. I currently work as a telecoms analyst and journalist, but I’m (hopefully) best known for my ongoing series of Paignton Noir books and stories.

How would you describe your writing style?

The Paignton Noir stories are a mash-up of noir, mystery, pulp, trash, and hardboiled fiction. I sprinkle a handful of horror on top, give it a quick stir and crank it up until it reaches boiling point!

Describe Paignton Noir for those who haven’t read any of your work.

The Paignton Noir books detail the exploits of an unlicensed private investigator called Joe Rey. Rey is a hard man, who stumbled into investigative work as an offshoot of his muscle-for-hire activities. He is neither particularly talented, nor particularly tormented, but his moral code hardens as his client list expands – forcing him to confront some unsavoury incidents in his family’s past.

I’ve read all of your work and need to ask, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Ha! I get that a lot! Believe it or not, I never set out to make the stories as dark as they end up. Too many crime writers pull their punches and produce weirdly bloodless fiction. That approach holds little appeal to me, and I make sure I follow these grisly scenarios through to their natural conclusion. That said, I always appreciate it when readers pick up on the vein of dark humour that runs through the stories. I work hard on the jokes!

Congrats on the release of “Boneyard Dogs.” How did it come about?

Thanks! To cut a long story short, I started writing ‘Boneyard Dogs’ around a decade ago, for a ‘first novel’ competition that I had no hope of winning. I revisited it a number of times, but it never quite clicked. After Close To The Bone published “Meat Bubbles & Other Stories” last year I dusted down the manuscript, and reworked “Boneyard Dogs” as a direct sequel to that book. This new sense of context helped me to iron out the glitches and I’m really pleased with the end product – a book that almost never happened.

Let’s talk about your central character, Joe Rey. How did he develop?

Rey first appeared many years ago (2007, I think) in a story called – appropriately enough – “Paignton Noir.” (It was published by a Canadian literary magazine called Front & Centre, and will never be reprinted!). He started out as a cynical tough guy who did favours for friends, and slowly evolved into a private investigator, which suited the crime-driven stories I started telling in subsequent years.

It was only really when I published “Skull Meat,” and some people expressed confusion over his status, that I realized I had to hammer out his back story and character arc.

“Repetition Kills You” delved into certain aspects of his past (his unhinged uncle and his ex-wife, for example), and ‘Spine Farm’ explores others, but “Boneyard Dogs” is where his background is properly fleshed out.

It was also important for me to use this book to establish his credentials. The private investigator is the most American of professions, and I wanted to explore how someone could do this job in a town like Paignton. His PI status arguably started out as an affectation, and that was something I was keen to address in a meaningful way.

Likewise, how do you develop your grim-and-grimy plots and characters?

I seem to go from one extreme to the other. For many years, I would stitch together stories from loose scenes and shards of dialogue, but I am increasingly finding that my synopses emerge fully formed, and I write to that blueprint. I basically pitch myself a series of plot ideas and go for the strongest one. There is nothing worse than clumsily applying a clunky synopsis onto a book long after it has been written!

Characters are a different kettle of fish. A lot of the supporting characters are based on people I have encountered in real life – given a hellish tweak – like everything else in the Paignton Noirscape. The more lurid antagonists are generally created to suit the storylines. I’ve got a lot of the more extreme characters out of my system, but there are some impressive maniacs on their way in future books.

How do you go about writing the violence?

Dialogue and character sketches can be written at any time, but I have to fully immerse myself in the character of Joe Rey before writing the violent scenes – particularly the climactic showdowns. He endures a lot of physical and mental trauma in these books and his subsequent actions are raw and unfiltered. The final act of “Spine Farm” is a particularly good example of this! I always look forward to outdoing myself with future fight scenes, and there are some unhinged ones coming up.

These books are unapologetically violent, and the most recent one (“Dirty Bullion”) is possibly the most brutal one yet. A lot of the fight scenes in that book were directly inspired by watching an early UFC DVD. This was way before UFC became a slick spectacle, and this event basically consisted of brutish-looking men with moustaches fracturing each other’s skulls in a sweaty Puerto Rican auditorium, while horrified boxing commentators struggled to describe the action. That really struck a chord with me!

If any of your stories became movies, who would you like to see play Joe Rey?

To bring Rey to life, I would pick the English actor James Norton – based on his performance as Tommy Lee Royce in the cracking UK crime drama “Happy Valley.” The intensity that Norton brought to the role was hugely impressive, and he stood out in a great ensemble cast. While he was involved in some breathtakingly callous scenes, he was also a master manipulator who displayed a real toxic charm. I could see him doing a great job as Rey.

Does the Paignton Tourist Board know about your work or are you persona non grata where they’re concerned?

My little corner of Devon is a cultural vacuum, where creative endeavours are neither welcomed nor encouraged. Suffice to say, I don’t have too many readers in this neck of the woods, and I’m well and truly under everyone’s radar!

To be honest – based on my e-book sales – barely anyone in the UK buys my books at all. Sales in the US are far healthier, and I understand that, as my style is quite jarring compared to the kind of books most UK crime writers produce. I crank up the impenetrable British references, and graft them onto unashamedly Americanised narratives – making everyone uncomfortable in some way!

Who or what inspires you? Where do you get your ideas?

On the one hand: living in a poverty-stricken, drug-ravaged, under-resourced seaside town. On the other hand: spending my free time reading great US crime fiction from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. The two congeal in my overactive mind, and Paignton Noir is the unpleasant result!

Who are your favorite authors? What are you reading now?

The authors who have had the biggest influence on me are all US writers, namely: Elmore Leonard, Richard Stark, George Pelecanos, Joe Lansdale, James Lee Burke, Andrew Vachss, Dennis Lehane and James Sallis.

The book I’m currently reading is a British police procedural: “The Birdwatcher” by William Shaw. I’m halfway through, and it’s excellent so far. For many years, I avoided anything that was situated anywhere near the mainstream, but I have realized that I was tarring too many good authors with the wrong brush!

While my inclination is still to gravitate towards short, violent books published by independent presses (All Due Respect, Close To The Bone, Shotgun Honey), I need a well-rendered location to make a book truly satisfying. ‘The Birdwatcher’ is set on the Kent coast, and the level of local detail sucked me in straight away. Great stuff.

What’s next for Tom Leins? What other projects are you working on?

In December All Due Respect will be publishing my wrestling noir collection, “The Good Book.” Some of the stories appeared online a few years ago and received a better response than anything else I have ever written, so I hope that people enjoy the finished article!

In the meantime, I’m working on a collection of three interlinked Paignton Noir novelettes, tentatively titled “Sharp Knives & Loud Guns.” To give you a brief teaser, the opening story will be “Slug Bait.” so anyone who is wondering where the dangling narrative thread at the end leads can expect a violent resolution soon. Real soon!

Thank you so much, Tom. I appreciate your time and hope “The Third Degree” wasn’t too painful. I’m looking forward to reading “Dirty Bullion” and “The Good Book.”

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Tom Leins is a disgraced ex-film critic from Paignton, UK. He is the author of the Paignton Noir mysteries “Skull Meat,” “Snuff Racket,” “Spine Farm,” “Slug Bait,” and “Boneyard Dogs” and the short story collections “Meat Bubbles & Other Stories” and “Repetition Kills You.” “Dirty Bullion” – a collaboration with Benedict J. Jones, author of the Charlie Bars series – was published in August 2019 and “The Good Book,” a collection of wrestling noir will be published by All Due Respect in December 2019.

Suggested Paignton Noir reading order:

1. Skull Meat

2. Meat Bubbles & Other Stories (includes Snuff Racket)

3. Spine Farm

4. Boneyard Dogs

5. Repetition Kills You

6. Slug Bait

7. Dirty Bullion (co-written with Benedict J. Jones)

Where Can Readers Find Out More About Tom Leins?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/tomleins1

Website: https://thingstodoindevonwhenyouredead.wordpress.com/

Blog: https://dirtybooksblog.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tom.leins

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/tom-leins

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Book Review – Boneyard Dogs by Tom Leins

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I first encountered Tom Leins’ work in November, 2018 when I bought a Kindle copy of “Slug Bait.” In my Haunted Pen review, I stated “Reading it made me feel so dirty, I needed a shower.” I want to revise that thought for “Boneyard Dogs.” This book should come with a bottle of shower gel and shampoo.

Leins’ work will never be described as the safest or most comfortable read you’ll ever have, but that’s the hook that drags you in. It doesn’t matter where you go in the world, there will be characters like the ones portrayed in “Boneyard Dogs” – the lowest of the low, the scum of the earth – lurking in the shadows, dwelling in the darkest, seediest parts of town.

[image error]Since “Slug Bait,” I’ve read just about all I can find by Leins, and I have to admit I’m a big fan. I previously described his main protagonist, Joe Rey, as “the illegitimate love child of Sam Spade and “The Purge.” I was wrong. I think I did Rey and Leins a disservice. Joe Rey is the illegitimate love child of a seedy, back-alley ménage à trois between Sam Spade, “The Purge,” and “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.” Writer/director Guy Ritchie would think all his birthdays and Christmases had come at once if he read “Boneyard Dogs,” and would be on the phone to Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones, and Alan Ford.

Here’s the Goodreads / Amazon blurb:

“If I can’t find her within seven days, she’s probably dead.”

If you are desperate enough to hire Paignton private investigator Joe Rey, things have already gone from bad to worse – and a happy ending is highly unlikely.

Hired to track down the missing teenage daughter of a demented local lounge singer, Rey’s investigation spirals bloodily out of control, and he finds himself surrounded by the ruined corpses of dead people traffickers. The police are determined to pin the murders on the hapless PI, but as his search unfolds it becomes apparent that the culprit may actually be a man he knows all too well…

The story is typical of the author’s gritty, engaging and down-to-earth noir style of writing. It highlights his skill at bringing the characters to life on the page (or tablet screen in my case). We follow Rey into his sleazy, violent world as he searches for a missing teenage girl. He’s not in the business of taking sh*t from anyone and does whatever it takes to get results.

Along the way, he encounters a selection of grim-and-grimy characters – two-bit gangsters, dealers, and pimps – bareknuckle fighting and sickening revelations. Most of the time, it’s not a read for the faint of heart given the sickos Rey interacts with. But despite his cold-blooded ways – vital for survival, whatever the cost – you instinctively know Joe Rey is one of the good guys and find yourself rooting for him.

“Boneyard Dogs” is never going to be a cozy mystery to be made into a Hallmark movie. The story keeps the punches coming to the very end. And the ending will leave you shaking your head! Enough blather from me. Read this book. It’s action-packed noir fiction filled with the violence and strong language meters cranked up to 12. I loved it!

The Haunted Pen Rating:

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The Mask That Always Smiles…

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Here’s a cool factoid for you. The longest biggest word in any of the major English-language dictionaries is ‘pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.’ It comes in at a whopping forty-five letters and refers to a lung disease contracted by the inhalation of ultra-fine silica particles, specifically from a volcano.

However, I disagree with all those learned journals. I think the biggest word in the English language has just four letters – hate. According to Wikipedia “Hatred, or hate, is an emotion. Hatred could invoke feelings of animosity, anger, or resentment, which can be directed against certain individuals, groups, entities, objects, behaviors, concepts, or ideas. Hatred is often associated with feelings of anger, disgust and a disposition towards the source of hostility.”

So, where’s all this going I hear you ask. Pull up a chair and get comfy, because I’m going to tell you. I hate, abhor, despise, detest, and loathe clowns. I always have and always will. As far as I’m concerned, clowns serve one purpose (along with cheerleaders, but that’s for another rant, another day), and one purpose only, and that’s as antagonists in horror stories and movies. I don’t suffer from coulrophobia, but when you were scarred at the age of eight-years-old by a clown, the cuts run deep, real deep.

Way back in 1965 or 1966, my school had a visit from “Coco the Clown” (who was probably the local milkman or resident pervert in makeup for all I know), and I was randomly selected for a ‘blowing-up-a-balloon race.’ Hell yeah, my time to shine, my time to impress the hitherto unobtainable females in my class. Once they got to see my balloon-inflating prowess, they’d be swarming after me in droves.

Sadly, my opponent wasn’t the school’s resident wheezy asthmatic who always had a letter from his parents excusing him from any physical activities – my opponent, whose name has been forgotten in my advancing years, had lungs that could inflate a kid’s paddling pool in one mighty exhale, or so it seemed. I had to damned near bust a lung to ensure a hard-fought, MVP-worthy victory so I could hold my head high among my pre-pubescent peers.

To the victor went the spoils. What did I win? I’ll tell you. It was a pencil…all my sweaty-faced effort led to one solitary freaking pencil that the face-painted creep probably stole from the school stockroom. Thanks, Coco, ya tight bastard. You’ll never know the damage you caused that day.

Despite the following years of anguish and mental torture, I’m a huge fan of movies like “IT”, “Stitches,” and “Clowntown,” and I’m eagerly awaiting the release of Stephen King’s “IT, Chapter Two” in theaters.

I’m pleased to say the mental anguish didn’t scar me enough to not write a story featuring clowns, though. Having laid it all out there for you, allow me to present “The Mask That Always Smiles…”

This short story features clowns doing all the evil stuff clowns should do in horror stories. They belong to a “smorgasbord of sin” known as “The Circus of the Night.” The two clowns – Misery and Anguish – have a penchant for chainsaws and Bowie knives. Suffice to say, this pair of bad-asses are not your stereotypical circus entertainers. The story also introduces a character by the name of Absinthe Dark, the ringmaster of this motley crew.

Influences for the story include one of my all-time favorite female professional wrestlers (see if you can guess who it is) and some awesome desktop wallpaper artwork I found while scouring the Internet for inspiration.

It was a fun writing project. The subject matter is a lot gorier than I usually write and I enjoyed visiting my “dark side.” I hope to be going there again very soon. As I wrote the first draft, I was Pennywise, Twisty and Stitches rolled into one, but in reality, I’m more like Tucker from “Tucker and Dale vs Evil.”

After I finished the first draft, I put out an appeal on Twitter for a beta reader. My request was answered by award-winning Australian screenwriter Dene Stark. Dene not only gave me some great feedback, but also turned my story into a screenplay. Yay me.

So (cue the Big Top music), without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, roll up, roll up and welcome to “The Mask That Always Smiles…” Sorry, no refunds.

Click here to read “The Mask That Always Smiles…”

The Mask That Always Smiles…

“Colby McCain zeroed in on the radio broadcast as he lowered another basket of fries into the fryer. By day, the cocky, sometimes arrogant 23-year-old was studying for a degree in engineering. By night, he worked in the kitchen and bussed tables at the diner. His mind wandered as he placed more beef patties on the grill, watching the meat steam and sizzle.

“This is the 11 o’clock news and I’m Tori Faithe. Tonight’s headline story comes from Devil’s Lake. Police are responding to another suspicious clown sighting in the wooded, inner-city area of Moreland Park. The clown is at least seven-feet tall and clutching a large bouquet of black balloons. Reports state the clown is acting in a threatening manner toward pedestrians and motorists. Currently, no information is available if the person is dangerous or carrying a weapon. Police are asking the public to avoid the area…”

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Book Review – The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

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When Dallas William Mayr (Jack Ketchum) died of cancer on January 24, 2018, in New York City at the age of 71, the Internet was ablaze with tributes to a man considered to be one of the all-time great horror fiction writers. Throughout his writing career, Ketchum was the recipient of four Bram Stoker Awards and three further nominations. He received the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award for outstanding contribution to the horror genre in 2011.

As I read the numerous eulogies, I realized I’d never read a single word penned by the man Stephen King once described as “Probably the scariest guy in America.” Not only had I not read a word, but I also didn’t have any of his titles on my to-be-read shelf…that being said, the next time I was within sniffing distance of a Barnes & Noble I made sure I remedied that deficiency and bought the only book they had in stock, “The Girl Next Door.”

Here’s the Goodreads and Amazon blurb –

Suburbia. Shady, tree-lined streets, well-tended lawns, and cozy homes. A nice, quiet place to grow up. Unless you are teenage Meg or her crippled sister, Susan. On a dead-end street, in the dark, damp basement of the Chandler house, Meg and Susan are left captive to the savage whims and rages of a distant aunt who is rapidly descending into madness. It is a madness that infects all three of her sons and finally the entire neighborhood. Only one troubled boy stands hesitantly between Meg and Susan and their cruel, torturous deaths. A boy with a very adult decision to make.

I should have done a little homework on what to read first, but I didn’t, so here’s my take on what’s probably the most thought-provoking, disturbing, and haunting book I’ve ever read. As I edit this piece I’m asking myself “Is this a book review or an angry rant?”

[image error]“The Girl Next Door” is based on the true story of the horrendous abuse, torture and eventual murder of 16-year-old Sylvia Likens in Indianapolis, Indiana during October 1965. I think it’s fair to say Stephen King summed it up perfectly when he said: “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”

First of all, I’m not going to fill you in on the Sylvia Likens story. That’s what Google’s for. Once you’ve done that for a little background information, you need to ask yourself “Are you ready for this book?”

By ready I don’t mean are you sitting comfortably in your favorite chair with a nice drink by your side. I mean are you mentally ready? Be brutally honest, because no matter what you think, you won’t be. Why? Because this book should have a health warning attached to it. I mean it. Read it at your own risk because it’s going to be one hell of a bumpy, emotional ride. Your stomach will turn and you’re going to be pissed off, really pissed off, smashing your fist into a brick wall pissed off.

As my regular readers knows, when I write book reviews, I try to refrain from giving away too much of the plot. There’s plenty of review sites that do that already. If you need any more background, read Ketchum’s note at the back of the book saying even he was disgusted by what happened.

The book delves into the ugliest possible face of humanity, child abuse and what happens when a supposed “good” person does jack shit to help someone in dire need of assistance. In the early pages, it felt like a coming of age horror, parts of it reminded of Paul Tremblay’s “Disappearance at Devil’s Rock.” But then the darkness fell like an all-enveloping black cloak. It became increasingly more uncomfortable to read because of Ketchum’s skill at describing the horrors going on in the story

This is where it gets tricky.Ketchum’s choice of subject matter is where I have the problem. Yes, Ketchum was a true wordsmith, there’s no denying that fact. His words pull you into the story, a story where you’re a helpless spectator watching horrors inflicted on someone truly innocent. The weirdest thing is that while it’s one of the most well-written stories I’ve ever read, I don’t have the courage to recommend it to anyone, because those well-written words will change you. Only you can decide if you’re ready to take that leap of faith because this is a brutal story of abuse, torture, and helplessness. It will be the most depraved thing you’ve ever read because the bad guys in this story are mostly children. Some things can never be un-read.

“The Girl Next Door” is not your typical “blood and gore” story. There isn’t much blood and gore at all in fact, but this book will leave a mental scar that’ll never heal. The words will turn your stomach, make your blood boil, and yank at your heart before taking residence in the deepest corner of your mind, right next to the other things you want to desperately forget. There were times when I wanted to scream out loud, as my frustration increased. It made me feel powerless, made me wish I had the ability to do something. It’s a brutal read that will stay in your head for the rest of your life and not in a good way.

If I was asked to describe “The Girl Next Door” in one word it would be “traumatizing.” Yes, Ketchum writes well and I may read more of his work in the future, but at this moment in time, I think this title has scared me away. In retrospect, this is a hard book to rate. I probably shouldn’t have even tried to review it, but Meg’s plight hurt me so deeply I had to.

The quality of Ketchum’s storytelling is superb. He did what every writer hopes to achieve. He dragged me, kicking and screaming, into that basement, made me angry, made me sad, made me feel helpless. And the real horror is things like this still happen today…

Knowing this was based on a true story, my heart aches for Sylvia Likens and all the other victims of child abuse we never hear about. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the spirits of these poor children. I believe there’s a special place in hell for people who torture children. Oh, by the way, when I offer my thoughts and prayers, I genuinely mean thoughts and prayers, not the empty gestures bandied around by celebrities and politicians who think that by saying it to a camera or tweeting it to the world before moving on to the next photo op, it actually carries some meaning or depth.

I recommend “The Girl Next Door” to nobody and everybody. Unless you’re a sick twisted bastard, no-one will enjoy it. There will be numerous readers who won’t finish the book. It’s filled with sick, sick things, sick things that once happened and are still happening in one shape or form, which makes it all the more painful to read.

I don’t know how to rate this book. Do I give it one skull or five? Is it a great book or is it garbage? All I know is it’s a book I’m never going to forget.

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The Dread Files – Pyrophobia

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What Is Pyrophobia?

One of the most common phobias is pyrophobia, a persistent and unwarranted fear of fire. Any phobia can be considered irrational if beyond what is considered normal. Pyrophobia is ancient and primordial, perhaps since mankind’s discovery of fire. The origin of the word Pyro is Latin (meaning fire) and phobia is Greek (meaning fear). Pyrophobia is also known as Arsonphobia. Whatever the identity one calls this concern by, its symptoms during panic assaults are the same.

What Are The Causes?

The most common cause of the phobia is that fire poses a potential danger, such as house fire, wildfire, and being set alight. Some people who are intensely pyrophobic cannot get close to or tolerate even a small controlled fire, such as fireplace, bonfire or lit candle. In many cases a bad childhood experience with fire may have triggered the condition.

What Are The Symptoms?

Pyrophobia can have devastating effects on a person’s daily life. The smell of smoke or a burning smell can trigger an anxiety attack. Phobics may constantly check the stove, boiler and heating elements of their homes. In severe cases, the phobia can lead to obsessive-compulsive personality disorders.

Someone with pyrophobia may be unable to tolerate candles or campfires. They may develop obsessive-compulsive rituals such as constantly checking the batteries in smoke detectors or checking to ensure that the oven is off.

As with any type of phobia, the symptoms vary depending on the by person’s level of fear. If a pyrophobe sees fire, the person may sweat and suffer dizziness or upset stomach, extreme anxiety, dread and anything associated with panic such as shortness of breath, rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, inability to articulate words or sentences, dread, feeling trapped, and may tremble or faint.

Panic attacks may not happen when seeing actual fire; there are lots of people who experience panic attacks simply by taking a look at fire and flames in theaters or on the television. Pyrophobia is usually started by the unconscious mind that tends to guard itself from recollections of some event linking with hearth or flames with regard to emotional trauma. A negative or traumatic experience with fire, such as having to escape a house fire, can trigger pyrophobia in a person. This occasion is kind of a catalyst for pyrophobia, and whenever the sufferer sees any fire or flames, the same event involves mind and the same fear that he or she had experienced then manifests itself.

How Is It Treated

The most common way to treat pyrophobia is exposure therapy. This method involves showing patients fires in order of increasing size, from a lit cigarette up to a stove or grill flame. Another method of treatment is talk therapy, in which a patient tells a therapist about the cause of this fear, which can calm the patient to make them less afraid of controlled fire. People can also relieve pyrophobia by interacting with other pyrophobes to share their experiences that caused fear. Alternatively, pyrophobia can be treated using hypnosis.

Medicine can be prescribed, but please note that these medications can have side effects and/or withdrawal systems that can be severe. It is also important to note that medicines do not cure phobias; at best they only temporarily suppress the symptoms.

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Book Review – Crafting Fiction Volume 1: Hard-Boiled Outlines by William Miller

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I picked up a Kindle copy of this title because I’m a great believer in the old adage “you never stop learning,” and when it comes to writing fiction, it definitely applies. I’ve bought a few books on outlining over the years. I never finished reading any of them as I began to lose the will to live halfway through due to over-explanation and less-than-interesting writing. These comments don’t apply to William Miller’s book.

When I write I try to see my story unfold in my head cinematically. Miller studies the three-act structure by using well-known movies (“Back to the Future” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”) as examples using only the information a writer needs. Perfect.

[image error]The book explains in basic terms how to outline your novel. The author breaks the story process into thirteen ‘beats’ and gives each beat concise descriptions in plain, easy-to-follow language. His examples are short and to the point. Miller’s focus is on content, not style. He talks about the content needed to produce an outline and backs it up by telling the reader why it’s important. He also points out which beats he considers to be essential and which ones are optional.

I would say to anyone who buys this book, whether in print or for Kindle, I suggest you read it with a notebook and pencil next to you. I spent a very enlightening couple of hours at the Cape Cod Mall Barnes & Noble reading and taking notes I know I’ll be referring to frequently. If you’re a fan of the classic pulp stories you may see similarities between Miller’s beats and Lester Dent’s “Pulp Fiction Master Plot Formula.”

On a side note, I’ve just purchased “Noble Man,” Miller’s first Jake Noble thriller so I can see how the author puts theory into practice.

“Crafting Fiction Volume 1: Hard-Boiled Outlines” is a joy to read. It’s one of the most straightforward, and entertaining books about the craft that I’ve purchased and read (and will read again numerous times). It’s well written in a format that doesn’t waste the reader’s time by letting you overthink the writing process. “Read this and start writing” is the message, unlike other weighty tomes on the subject that shout “read this and waste hour after hour of valuable writing time.”

If you’re searching for a no-nonsense guide to writing commercially popular fiction, this is the one. Do yourself a favor, buy this book. You won’t regret it.

The Haunted Pen Rating:

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Book Review – The Fearing (Book One – Fire & Rain) by John F.D. Taff

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I’m not a fan of spoiler-ridden book reviews, so I’m going to try to give you my thoughts on this title without giving too much away to detract from your reading pleasure.

First of all, let me say a big “thank you” to Anthony Rivera and Grey Matter Press for the advanced reader copy. I read “The Fearing – Book One – Fire & Rain” by John F.D. Taff over the course of a couple of evenings and loved it. I was hooked from the first word to the last.

I’ve read several of Taff’s titles and enjoy his work, but “The Fearing” takes it to a whole new level of enjoyment. It’s a riveting read and one of that rare breed of books you don’t want to put down.

Here’s the Goodreads/Amazon blurb –

John F.D. Taff’s highly-anticipated epic supernatural thriller, “The Fearing,” begins with ‘Book One: Fire & Rain’ where humanity faces a series of catastrophes spawned by a worldwide event that unleashes all of mankind’s greatest fears.

In the American high desert, vacationers returning from a road trip are thrust into a heart-stopping flight from death as they try to avoid a cataclysmic end. In rural Missouri, the lives of a group of high school students are destroyed after their small town is devastated and they’re forced to confront the end of everything they’ve ever known.

And on the eastern seaboard, there’s someone else. An enigmatic man who thrives on despair and embraces all fear. A man with his own dark and sinister goals. Someone who wants to ensure humanity goes out with the biggest bang possible.

[image error]I’m not normally a fan of this style of apocalyptic horror, but “The Fearing” has changed my point of view. “Fire & Rain” is a tale packed with tension, chaos, and horror. Taff’s writing is vivid and sharp, with no wasted words.

The story grabs you by the throat and never lets up from Chapter One. The pacing is nonstop and I enjoyed the way fear builds and manifests throughout. The dialogue sounds natural and there’s even a little humor. The characters are left in the dark, facing unimaginable horrors in a world where nothing is safe anymore.

The series promises to be an epic read. The author places us into a world that is in chaos. The characters are strong, with plenty of depth, and there are many different subplots I want to see explored.

Grey Matter Press and John F.D. Taff have broken the story into four narratives that will be released from July to November 2019. Here’s the publication schedule:

Book One: Fire & Rain – July 9th
Book Two: Water & Wind – August 20th
Book Three: Air & Dust – October 1st
Book Four: Earth & Ember – November 11th

If I had one complaint about the story it would be three simple words, “To Be Continued…” It’s a story that leaves you breathless and wanting more, itching for the next installment. I’m already ticking off the days until ‘Book Two: Water & Wind’ is released because the concept is so damned epic.

“The Fearing” is good, very good. I already know it’s going to be one of my favorite stories of the year. Do you yourself a BIG favor. Go buy this book ASAP. You won’t regret it. Trust me.

Once again, my sincere thanks to Grey Matter Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Haunted Pen Rating:

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Open Invitation for Guest Blog Posts

The Haunted Pen Wants YOU!

Are you a writer?
Do you have a blog?
Do you have a short story/novella/book you want to promote?
Would you like another stop on your blog tour?
Would you like to increase your author platform?

Why do I ask so many questions? Simple. I’m looking to host guest-written, writing-related blog posts.

I dark fiction and horror, but the subject matter could be anything related to the writing craft, not just my chosen genres, such as:

Character development
Point of view
Writing a bad-ass antagonist
How you organize a manuscript
Tips for promoting a book
Your favorite digital productivity tools
Your self-publishing journey
Research tips
Launching an author website

That’s only nine; there’s a whole lot more out there.

Get in Touch

Contact me, Dave Burnham (The Haunted Pen), via the Contact page or drop me a line via e-mail to davidmburnhamauthor (at) gmail.com – type GUEST POST (all uppercase) in the “Subject” line of the message.

Tell me a little about yourself
Give the title of your proposed post and an outline
Add some links to your website and other posts you’ve written

I’ll reply to everyone who contacts me. If I like your proposal, I’ll get back to you and we’ll find a mutually agreed publication date to suit both our schedules.

Your Guest Post:

Must have an awesome, attention-grabbing title
Must have an introduction that will grab the readers and make them want to continue reading
Must be 300 – 1,500 words long
Must use headings, subheadings, bold font for key content and bulleted lists so it’s easy to read. Nothing is more daunting than big blocks of text on the screen.
Must have a conclusion that ends with a bang to encourage sharing and discussion

Be ready to respond to any comments made on the website about your post. I will notify you when comments are received. Don’t forget to link to the post on YOUR social media platforms. Naturally, I’ll be sharing the post on The Haunted Pen’s Facebook and Twitter pages

What Do I Do Next?

Send your post to me as a Word document or paste the text into the body of a new e-mail.

If the post includes images, send them as attachments, indicating where they should be located. Ensure the photographer has been credited and the image has a Creative Commons license or you own the rights. Please don’t feel that you must include images

It’s All About You

Send me a short author bio (maximum 50 words) that I’ll publish at the end of the post. Make it fun, interesting or punchy. Include an author photo and links to your blog or website. If you have a book(s) for sale, please send me the links and I’ll add them as well. Don’t forget to include any social media links.

The Small Print

Please note that I’m not able to pay for content
No proposals from staff writers or freelancers representing other businesses
No proposals from online marketing firms, commercial websites that are not providing services for professional writers, or content farms
No affiliate links to build incoming link SEO for other companies
No proposals from essay/academic paper/online college/research paper-writing businesses

Thanks for your interest in guest posting with The Haunted Pen. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

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Book Review – The Doll by JC Martin

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The Doll is a graphically written creepy short story that packs a big punch into its 30 or so pages and will leave you with a healthy distrust of dolls. In my opinion, JC Martin’s gem is a must-read for any aficionado of horror stories.

While it’s not the most groundbreaking story I’ve ever read – the basic premise has been done before – The Doll is an addicting and haunting tale with a twist. I read it in one sitting (in daylight!) and would definitely read more from this author.

The story opens like a movie scene. Joyce Parker is on vacation with her daughter, Taylor, and one of their stops is “The Island of the Dolls” in Mexico. It’s a strange and eerie tourist destination where hundreds of dolls hang from trees in various stages of decomposition and disarray in tribute to a little girl who drowned on the island.

The tour guide tells the story of the young Salvadora and Don Santana who built the shrine of dolls for her. The guide also warns them not to touch anything on the island – to do so is prohibited and would cause bad luck – before letting the party look around.

[image error]Naturally, a mocking tourist disregards the guide and grabs the dolls to pose for a picture. He later drowns in his swimming pool after returning home from the vacation.

Spooked by the island and the death of the tourist, Joyce is relieved that neither she nor her daughter touched any of the dolls. Or so she thought. She’s in for a big shock after returning home to the States, when a startling discovery is made.

Strange things begin happening, all based around the dolls and the island. Joyce notices a change in Taylor and the appearance of a new imaginary friend, Salvadora. This is also the name of the beautiful but sinister doll that Taylor stole from the island and snuck home.

Joyce digs into the legends surrounding the shrine on the island and doesn’t like what she finds. Terrified by the circumstances and heeding the tour guide’s caution, Joyce decides she has no other option but to return the doll to the island…

The Doll is a story of intrigue and suspense with some seriously dark and ghostly connotations. It’s an expertly woven tale that carries you into the horrifying, but believable, world Martin has created. Isla de las Munecas is an actual place located in the Xochimilco canals, about 28 km south of Mexico City.

The author deserves a lot of credit and respect for the amount of research about Palo Mayombe: The Dark Side of Santeria. She has woven into the story without sounding like a tourist brochure. I liked how the story moved from dark and strange at the start to eerily grim at the end. If you weren’t afraid of dolls before reading, you’ll see dolls in a new light after…

The Doll will haunt you long after you’ve finished reading it. The book has staying power and that’s what lies at the heart of every great read. I recommend it. At the time of writing this review, the book is still free on Amazon and has a four-star rating from 1,600+ reviews. What are you waiting for?

The Haunted Pen Rating:

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The Watcher

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Ice-cold fingers of dread clutched at my heart as his face pressed against the window…watching.

Oily smears trailed onto the glass from his forehead and an evil, psychotic grin manifested across his lips. Emotionless eyes tortured me as his face pressed against the window…watching.

His demented grin increased. The sick bastard was reveling in my torment – my wife was upstairs, resting, and our newborn daughter lay sleeping in a crib beside her. I had to get back inside my house, had to protect my family, but my body was petrified with fear as his face pressed against the window…watching.

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If you’ve enjoyed reading my work, please leave a comment. All comments or reviews, good or bad, are helpful to a writer. By doing so you’re directly helping me to continue my writing journey. Thank you in advance.

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