Steve Stred's Blog, page 30

3Q’s – Lucy Leitner and the great baking debacle!

I’m a huge fan of trying to feature authors from all over the various social media platforms. It’s interesting to me how we’ll have some authors who get a FB following or IG or Twitter or Tik Tok and readers find them there, but they are not on one or more of the other platforms and some readers don’t find them. So, it was a goal to try and cast as wide of a net as I could when inviting folks to do these 3Q’s. Case in point – today’s guest is someone who I connected with on FB and on Tik Tok, before finding her on IG. Love these odd paths we take to meeting up!

Please do welcome the awesome Lucy Leitner!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

LL: Hah! Sometimes my “writing time” is thinking through a scene as I’m on the verge of sleep. That’s usually when I get my best ideas. After a couple weeks of thinking, I’ll start scribbling in my notebook. Or typing phrases and ideas into the Notes app on my laptop while I’m working. Or typing phrases and ideas into the Notes app on my phone while I’m walking. After the initial draft is complete, I’ll usually edit earlier in the evening or during the day when I need a break from other work obligations.

And as for a word count, no. Sometimes I’ll have a burst of creativity and write pages and pages. Sometimes it’s just a sentence. Forcing myself to hit some arbitrary word count so I can feel productive puts unnecessary pressure on myself and ruins what should be a fun activity.

If I’m not in the mood to write and the words aren’t flowing, what I write will be drivel. And I’ll have to rewrite it anyway, which will take me longer than just having done it right the first time. I’m a writer by profession, so I apply the same strategy to my other work. If I’m not in the mood to write a video script, say, I’ll do an Instagram post instead. That way, I always get something done.

So, yes, to me, word counts are counterproductive. I work by getting into a flow state and maximizing productivity when I’m in such a zone. 

Steve: You end up at an estate sale and discover an unpublished manuscript from an author you love. Do you keep it just for yourself or do you share it with the world?

LL: I would share it with my friends and family first. Then with the world. Also, in this fantasy it is a long-lost John Kennedy Toole novel about the continuing adventures of Ignatius J. Reilly and his valve.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

LL: My latest release, Bad Vibrations, is a 140-page, fast-paced horror thriller about a retreat at a wellness cult compound in the middle of unfriendly territory in rural Pennsylvania. Valerie arrives for what she thinks will be a weekend of detoxifying raw vegetables, screaming trampoline hula hoop yoga, and sharing shots of blood to achieve the highest vibrational energy. But, things don’t go as planned.

One thing you should know about me as a writer is I don’t take myself too seriously. I don’t try to take this insane premise and make it dour and bleak. Sure, I have a lot of elements of the darkness of the world in this book, but it’s not dwelled on. I like to find the humor in these situations. The premise of a wellness cult is funny. Many of the characters are funny. This book, like everything else I write is, above all, fun. I want readers to enjoy their time with this short book.

Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your superpower?

LL: I’m not sure about my superpower, but it would be acquired during some sort of baking accident. A leavening gone awry.

Haha, that’s great! Thank you again for doing this! To find more of her work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lucy-Leitner/author/B08WJC5FLK

Website: LucyLeitner.com

Instagram: @lucy.leitner

TikTok: @lucy.leitner

3Q’s – Coy Hall is too shy, hush-hush!

Big super blast-o-rama of a 3Q’s today! Coy Hall has quickly become a go-to author for folklore based fiction and with his latest he’s now delved into the Western Horror world as well!

I’m excited to have Coy join me today for a new 3Q’s!

Welcome Coy!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Coy: It draws dirty looks when I say it, but I’m a morning person. Since all my energy is there, I write from 5am-7am each day. My wife is asleep, my dog is asleep, it’s quiet, night is against the window, ambient light in the office gives the right mood, the fresh coffee lands, and I get the writing out of the way before the work day begins.

I don’t do a word count. It’s not good for my mental health. If it’s flowing, I may write 2000 words. If it’s not, I may write 200. A for effort, regardless.

Steve: You’re riding an elevator and BAM! It gets stuck. What two authors (one living and one dead) would you happen to find yourself stuck with?

Coy: To my left is M.R. James. He’s my idol, he died half a century before I was born, so I’m taking full advantage of this. To my right is another idol, Ramsey Campbell. Since this is my fantasy, Campbell asks James questions and I listen. In this fantasy, none of us are claustrophobic, and we trust we’ll be rescued without having someone rappel down the elevator shaft.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

Coy: My latest novel is The Hangman Feeds the Jackal: A Gothic Western. It released in June from Nosetouch Press, and I’m proud of the attention it’s received. The novel mixes gothic horror with the traditional western. As a historian, I wanted to take on the mythology of the Old West, and this novel is the antidote. If the Classic Western emphasizes newness, gain, growth, and the triumph of Good, then my Gothic Western has decay, loss, withering humanity, and the banality of Evil at its heart. It’s not all heavy, though. My favorite remarks from reviews so far are those that call the novel a page turner. That makes me happy.

Steve: Bonus Question! If you were transported back in time, which Pop Band/Hit Band would you hope to find yourself a member of?

Coy: I want Kajagoogoo in 1983, so I can rock “Too Shy” unironically like it deserves. Hand me my keytar, Steve.

Great choice! I can see you rocking the keytar with them now!

Thanks again Coy!

To find more of his work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Coy-Hall/e/B01CC9IL5M

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoyHallBooks

Website: https://www.coyhall.com/

Book Review: The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher

Title: The Christmasaurus

Author: Tom Fletcher

Release date: October 6th, 2016

One thing I absolutely love about the various social media platforms is how inevitably you’ll end up discovering a book that you’ll kick yourself you’d never heard of before. Case in point, Tom Fletcher’s ‘The Christmasaurus.’ Now, this may not seem like the typical book that I’d read – that is if you’ve followed ONLY my reviews – BUT, I do have a rabidly dino-obsessed six year old son. One whom I’ve been reading too since he was born. I’d say we’ve probably read close to 2,000 books by now, if not more, but all of these have been Little Golden Books, Step Into Reading Books or Five Minute Story collections, etc. Nothing of any length at one go. Sure, the Five Minute Story collections are often two hundred pages or so, but each story is only five minutes and then you move on. No, this, The Christmasaurus, is one singular story, told over 365 pages, which made it all that more special that we read it and he was kept captivated the entire time.

We have tried to read ‘The Neverending Story’ where we got his name from, but I think we need a bit more time until we get into that one. But you combine dinosaur with Christmas and that got him amped. I only came across this book because my Instagram pal @the.horror.reader had posted it on their stories and I immediately messaged them and was like “WHAT IS THIS?!” I ordered it that day and it arrived the following day and Auryn and I dove in. We did have a break over Christmas, as he also got other books, which we had to read, but once done those, we returned!

What I liked: The story follows a young kid by the name of William. He lives with his dad, who is obsessed with Christmas. William’s mother passed away many years ago (we don’t find out how), and so the two of them live in a small house and go about their lives. William also happens to be in a Wheelchair, something that he doesn’t let hold him back or limit what he can do. William is obsessed with dinosaurs and desperately wants one for Christmas.

From here, Fletcher weaves a story that will make you laugh, get mad and cry. It hit a lot of great notes throughout and had my son and I desperately wanting to keep flipping the pages. We get a devilish villain, the character known as The Hunter who wants to shoot one of Santa’s reindeer so he can hang its head on his trophy wall. We get a bully, who has a really great character arc with Brenda Payne and we get to see William develop the most unlikely of friendships with The Christmasaurus.

The story itself is a really nice look at wanting to below, making friends no matter your differences and never giving up hope. My son and I both loved the comedic elements and the silliness that happens throughout, which made it that much more exciting while reading it.

The ending was really nice and even though there are two more books following this one, does wrap things up and can be considered a stand alone.

What I didn’t like: Honestly, I enjoyed this one from start to finish. The only thing I think I found a bit much might’ve been some of the ruthless bullying tactics that Brenda Payne does towards William. I did have to explain a couple of these to my son and the why these were so harsh.

Why you should buy this: If you like Christmas or Dinosaurs – no brainer, get on this. If you have a young reader in the house and want a book that will have them laugh and get sucked into the pages, look no further. And, if you’re an older reader and just want something that will remind you of how magical Christmas is when you’re little, this one is a perfect book to fit that bill. The illustrations were phenomenal and the relationship between William and The Christmasaurus is worth checking it out just for that.

5/5

3Q’s Special: Tamika Thompson shares her time travel desires!

Really fun 3Q’s today! My guest came onto my radar in 2022 with her really dark ‘Salamander Justice’ novella. Now, with her newest collection about to drop, I was so happy that she was able to visit for a Special 3Q’s!

Please welcome Tamika!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Tamika: My background is in journalism, so the transition from working for television and web to working for myself was pretty seamless once I made up my mind to do so. I created a writing practice with a dedicated workspace in my home. But I also have kids! So, I write and revise daily, yet almost never at the same time. When they are at school, I write without interruption. When they are on break, I write at the beginning and end of the day. I ensure that my works-in-progress are also accessible on my phone so I can write and revise on the go. I don’t keep a word count goal, but I do ensure that I complete the creative process on every piece I start. That means write, revise, revise, revise, workshop, revise, workshop, revise, polish, submit.

Steve: You win the lottery, and the only condition is that you need to fund another author’s book to be made into a movie. What book would you choose to be filmed?

Tamika: The entire time I read Tananarive Due’s My Soul to Keep, and, honestly, her entire African Immortals Series, I kept picturing it on the big screen. The imagery is precise and cinematic, and the love story is made for Hollywood. Reading Due’s work and eventually getting lucky enough to participate in one of her workshops gave me the courage to write speculative fiction.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release and why someone should read it!

Tamika: Unshod, Cackling, and Naked is a collection of speculative fiction stories with transgressive characters who often violently break free of the labels, constraints, and boxes that family, society, and country have placed on and around them. The book couldn’t have come at a better time for the United States, when we are facing myriad political shifts, social upheavals, and health and safety catastrophes – the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, mass shootings and rampant gun violence, the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, the climate crisis, the global coronavirus pandemic, and the ongoing oppressive forces of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia. I hope readers will not only recognize the pressures many of the characters face, but also get angry with them, and gasp (and sometimes laugh) at their responses to those pressures.

Steve: Bonus Question! If you could be an extra on any TV show, which one would it have been and why?

Tamika: If I could time travel, I’d return to the 1980s to be a background performer on any suspenseful episode of Tales from the Darkside. When I was a kid, I’d watch Monsters, Tales from the Darkside, and Friday the 13th: The Series, and Tales was my favorite. Those shows are a big part of the reason I love reading (and writing) speculative fiction now.

Oh, great choices!

Thank you so much, Tamika! And best of luck with your book launch!

To find more of her work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tamika-Thompson/author/B07XFFMRNP

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tamikathompson

Website: https://www.tamikathompson.com/

3Q’s – Brian Berry and the quest for infinite cheesecake!

Super fun one today (but ain’t they all?)!

Today’s guest is churning out extreme dark fiction that has his fans absolutely elated and eagerly awaiting each and every release. Brian Berry has quickly developed a devoted following and I’m super happy to have him here today as my 3Q’s guest!

Welcome, Brian!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Brian: I generally write during the night; around nine or past that. But if I get any free time before then, I like to scratch out what’s boiling in the ole noggin.

Steve: You end up at an estate sale and discover an unpublished manuscript from an author you love. Do you keep it just for yourself or do you share it with the world?

Brian: I read it first, then I disperse its contents to the world.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

Brian: My newest release is Night Weaver. It’s generally a cosmic spider horror tale in the style of the old horror comics of the golden age. It’s brutal, cosmic, creepy, and full of the crawling things that most folks hate. I would recommend this title only because it’s my newest and I feel I’m finally at a very comfortable spot in my writing.

Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your superpower?

Brian: RoboBerry, and my superpower? I can eat all the cheesecake I want without concern for my body.

That is fantastic and honestly, I think I mind need to steal your superpower!

Thanks again, so much, Brian!

To find more of his work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Brian-Berry/e/B08M413RDW/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Error59452156

3Q’s – Gordon B. White is de-aged and CGI’d!

Super fun one today in the 3Q’s world! Gordon B. White continues to create some stunning thought-provoking fiction that fans eat up and devour, only to ponder the darker, deeper meanings that Gordon has layered throughout. Everything I’ve read from him has been fantastic and I’m super happy to have his as the 3Q’s guest today!

Welcome Gordon!

 

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try to write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

GBW: I’ve gone through a variety of writing schedules depending on the demands of work and other commitments, but lately it’s been catch-as-catch-can.  When I find myself in slumps like these, I find it really helpful to set very, very, very modest goals.  I’ve been at this long enough to recognize that my productivity and energy levels comes in waves, so when I’m at low energy, I set a goal of — literally — one sentence per day.

One sentence can be something as short as “Cabot nodded,” but often times getting over that hurdle of just starting is enough to get the momentum for two sentences, maybe three.  Maybe a whole paragraph or a page or more!  But the key is that I don’t have to write more.  One sentence is a success, and one sentence per day adds up over time.  There’s also something incredibly valuable about keeping my brain in that creative, generative mindset — even if only for a minute a day.  It never lets the writing fall completely away and keeps the story boiling away just beneath the surface, until it develops enough energy to erupt into extended writing periods. 

In fact, that’s how I wrote my novella ROOKFIELD.  The first day was 75 words, and some days it was nothing more than a five-word bit of one character nodding to another, but the last burst was several thousand in one afternoon because it had been bubbling up every day for many weeks. 

While I would never say a writer has to write every day, I do think it’s worth trying — you just have to be reasonable about how much writing you’re going to do. 

 

Steve: If you started a series and for some reason had to have another author finish it, who would you choose?

GBW: That’s a tough one!  To answer with a non-answer, there was a time when my wife and I went down an ethical and philosophical rabbit hole as to whether or not we would (if we could) clone our dog, Saucy.  There are all sorts of considerations, but in the end, my landing point was that it wouldn’t be fair to either the Original Saucy or Saucy Mk. II.  The memory and love of the Original could only be diminished by having the clone — who despite the same genetics and certain inherited physical and even perhaps temperamental similarities, wouldn’t have grown up the same and so wouldn’t be the same — as a constant comparison point diluting her uniqueness.  It also wouldn’t be fair to Mk. II, who would never get the chance to be her own dog. 

A similar-sized dog?  Another mutt mix?  Sure, totally.  But a clone?  No. We would always know the difference and the little dissimilarities would ruin both of them for us.

Which is all to say, that I would want someone whose style was similar enough that fans could follow the transition, but also someone who couldn’t help but take it in their own personal direction.  So, to that end, let’s say … Joe Hill.  I mean, I also have to consider that this would drive up the sales of my back catalog.

 

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

GBW: My most recent release is a short story in the November 2022 issue of Nightmare Magazine, titled “Devil Take Me.” It was part of a series of voice-heavy, narratively discursive stories I wrote during the pandemic. I’d spent a long time working on trimming my prose down, making it lean and mean … and this is the opposite.  Something about being locked down and not seeing or talking to people on a regular basis made me desperate to hear someone else’s voice, and so I started writing these long, first-person confessional-type stories.  It was very cathartic and “Devil Take Me” is probably my favorite of the batch.  It’s also an exploration of how tragedy is interpreted and processed, including the lingering effects of banally traumatic experiences.  Plus, it’s creepy!

 

Steve: Bonus Question! If they made a movie about your life, what actor or actress would you suggest they get to play you?

GBW: As people who’ve read my Shirley Jackson Award-nominated story “Gordon B. White is creating Haunting Weird Horror” might be able to tell, I really like meta-fiction and playing with forms.  To that end, and also since I am terrible at making decisions, my preference would be to follow the “inspired by the music and many lives of Bob Dylan” style of I’m Not There, in which multiple actors play different facets of my fictional stand-in self at various points in my life.  I think some of them might include Joseph Gordon Levitt; a CGI-de-aged Robert Downey, Jr.; Elliot Page; and Bruce Campbell (as my future self).  Of course, it wouldn’t be complete unless I also got to make a cameo … but as someone else.

Ha! Excellent choice! Here is a CGI’d, de-aged, mash up of all of those folks – PLUS – you doing a cameo! The internet is an amazing place!

Thanks again, Gordon for doing this!

To find more of his work – check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gordon-B-White/e/B00OJVK3EO

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GordonBWhite

Website: https://www.gordonbwhite.com/

Book Review: Bishop by Candace Nola

Title: Bishop

Author: Candace Nola

Release date: April 1st, 2022

If you’ve read enough of my reviews you’ll end up finding a few moments where I’ll sound like a broken record. Today’s review will be one of them. What does Steve like read and write? Forest based creature horror. What will you read when you read ‘Bishop’? Forest based creature horror. Will Steve like reading a novella/short novel about forest based creature horror? You bet your ass I will.

I’ve read a few things from Candace over the last number of years, but I gotta say, this felt like her writing but levelled up. As though when she started writing this she went into a trance-like state and conjured some truly phenomenal scenes set in a remote location that will have her readers shivering and believing they too are about to be eviscerated.

What I liked: Did you read the intro? FOREST BASED CREATURE HORROR. I could legitimately stop there and move on, but I’ll not be a wise ass and give this book its due.

The story follows Troy, who heads to the far North in Alaska to search for his sister and niece. Both are experienced outdoors women, but both have gone missing. Once there, Troy and a guide head into the remote forests to try and find their trail and get them home safely. But what they don’t know, is that an ancient, blood-thirsty creature is wandering the lands.

It’s here the Troy connects with Bishop, a loner who lives off the grid and in the trees, who can navigate the land like no other. He has a gift, which Candace does a phenomenal job of teasing before revealing and once this reveal happens, she turns the volume to eleven and adds in more cow bell, because the story becomes a circle pit of action. We get some truly engaging action sequences and learn the truth about Bishop and just what it is he’s battling.

The ending was really great and does leave the slimmest potential for a sequel (which I think we are getting), but also really shows the bond that Bishop and Troy made while in the woods.

What I didn’t like: If you’ve read my novel ‘Mastodon,’ some people complained (and that’s their prerogative) that a 17 yr old couldn’t survive in the woods alone. The same will most likely come up here, with the niece being an early teen girl. PFFFFTTTTT. If a kid has been exposed to these skills from birth, they could easily survive in the wilderness alone by the age of eight. They’d be able to make fire, make a small shelter and find foot and water. So, if that’s putting you off, forget that, it’s possible.

But, what I would ACTUALLY say may not work for some folks was that one character was named Troy and one was named Tony and there were times I would get them confused and wonder if I missed something, especially near the ending when the climatic events occur.

Why you should buy this: I would’ve read this in a single sitting if I didn’t have a book on the go for a blurb and a book on the go for a foreword (God, that sounds arrogant! Not my intent… sheesh… what an ass… haha!) it is that engaging. Candace has created some truly likeable characters that you want to root for and you want to see survive. Whether they do or not – you’ll need to read it, but if you like FOREST BASED CREATURE HORROR then definitely get on this one! A fantastic read and one that’ll make you seek out more books just like it, it’s that good.

5/5

3Q’s Special – Ronald Malfi joins the Black Devils!

I am SOOOOO excited for today’s special guest! One of THE BEST writers out there today and, a super talented musician, Ronald Malfi has created an ever growing fanbase with his consistently brutal and heart-wrenching stories.

I know there’s a few of you out there who’ve been asking if Ronald would do a 3Q’s and here it is!

Please welcome Ronald!

Steve: What does your process look like once you finish your first draft? Do you immediately dive back into it, or do you take some time away?

Ronald: I tend to edit as I go, so by the time I’ve finished a manuscript, it’s already been hacked at a fair bit. But once I get to that point, yes, I do prefer to set it aside for a bit before combing through it again. It never fails that giving myself that brief time away allows my mind to recalibrate and I truly do look at the manuscript with fresh eyes. On a few occasions, I’ve written a manuscript all the way to the end, and I kind of already know it’s a bit of a mess. My novel Black Mouth is a good example of this—I think that first draft was like 800 pages or so, and went in a completely different direction than the final version of the novel did. I knew when I finished it that it wasn’t going to work, so I stepped back from it for maybe about a week or two before tackling it again.

Steve: Do you believe cryptozoological creatures exist? If so, which one do you think has the best chance of being proven to exist?

Ronald: I don’t, but I love the idea that they might. This country is rich with these legends; it feels like every state has to have their own cryptid mascot—in fact, I think they all do. I don’t have a favorite, but living in Maryland right along the Chesapeake Bay, I’d have to say Chessie—which is the bay’s version of the Loch Ness Monster. And for the record, if they do exist, they’d be smart to keep away from us.

Steve: Of the books or stories you’ve released, which is your personal favorite and why?

Ronald: Tough question. My kneejerk reaction is to say December Park, because it’s my most autobiographical, and much of it is based on growing up with a group of friends in suburban Maryland. Come with Me is a close second because I think I just nailed the tone. Stories are doomed for inferiority the moment you set pen to paper—meaning you can never truly, perfectly capture the tone and feeling of it on the page as it exists in your head—and my books are no exception. The ones that I’m most proud of are the ones where the final product is as close to my initial concept as possible — books like Little Girls and Floating Staircase.

Steve: Bonus Fun Question – What was the best practical joke you’ve ever been involved in?

Ronald: When we were kids, I used to punk my younger sister every Halloween. One year, I put up a bunch of missing cat and dog posters around our neighborhood, then told her I had gotten involved with a gang called the Black Devils, and I was worried they were after me, and that they may have tracked me down to our neighborhood. I told her that whenever she went out, to keep an eye out for missing pet posters, because that’s how they communicated, which meant they were close to finding me. I even got my mom in on the prank, who happened to point out one of these posters to my sister (who was maybe 12 at the time). My sister freaked out when she saw the poster but forgot to tell me about it. Cut to a week or so later, I’m in a terrible car accident, flown to shock trauma in the middle of the night, and my parents are notified. They show up in the ER where I’m laid out, arm in a cast, looking like shit. They’ve got my sister in tow. After they spend a few minutes with me and before the nurses shoo them all away, I call my sister to my bedside, tell her to come closer, and mutter into her ear: “The Black Devils did this.” Well, she started bawling, and said she saw the posters and forgot to tell me about them, and that this was all her fault. I mean, it was a terrible thing to do. Terribly hilarious.

Steve – oh man hahaha! That is hilariously horrible!

Thank you so much for doing this, Ronald!

To find more of his work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Ronald-Malfi/author/B001JRXTJW

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonaldMalfi

Website: https://ronaldmalfi.com/

3Q’s – Morton Leader shares his soft spot for a time and group!

Today’s guest has been one of the most supportive folks over the last five or so years out there. Morton and I connected at some point on Twitter and from there, it’s grown into a long-distance friendship. I’ve loved seeing how Morton has continued to push the envelope with each of his new releases and I’m super excited to have him on as today’s 3Q’s guest!

Please, welcome Morton Leader!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

ML: Writing wise I work shifts finishing at noon, after a power nap I write early afternoon, no targets just what’s in my head, could be 200 words only or 3 chapters. I have a note pad at work which I jot notes/ thoughts on as the day goes on.

Steve: You’re riding an elevator and BAM! It gets stuck. What two authors (one living and one dead) would you happen to find yourself stuck with?

ML: I would go for James Herbert , Sepulchre is my favourite book, I like to think my books twists are as good as this books, second Dean R Koontz, grew up on his books, just wish someone would make a good effort on turning them to film.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

ML: Snakes and Ladders is influenced by the films I love, it’s a Dust till Dawn meets from Beyond with a hint of the hammer classic the reptile. I like to think it has my unique and unpredictable style to keep you guessing where it is going.

Steve: Bonus Question! If you were transported back in time, which Pop Band/Hit Band would you hope to find yourself a member of?

ML: It would have to be Sisters of Mercy, I have always had a soft spot for Goth girls and I was just a tad too young at the time but the whole vide and imagery of the mid eighties Goth scene was so cool.

Oh, great choice. As a band they certainly have a solid aesthetic!

Thank you so much Morton for doing this!

To find more of his works, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Morton-R-Leader/e/B086H1T9KF

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeaderMorton

3Q’s Special – Matthew M. Bartlett doesn’t want to test his luck!

It really blows my mind the number of legendary, lauded and revered authors I’ve managed to convince to come and do a 3Q’s. I love how they’ve embraced it, just as much as the readers have. The reality is, I ask two writing questions and two ‘silly’ questions. To people who often tackle very serious and sensitive topics and subjects. And so far (fingers crossed) people have all had fun with it! Today’s guest is no exception. Matthew M. Bartlett is a legendary author who continues to devastate his readers with each new release, while also boasting a back catalog that will make even the most decorated writer long for.

I am so happy and excited that Matthew was able to do one of these!

Welcome Matthew!

Steve: What does your process look like once you finish your first draft? Do you immediately dive back into it, or do you take some time away?

MB: I’m one of those writers who edits as I go. Every time I open a document to work on it, I go back through what I have so far and revise. Sometimes I do so much revising that I don’t end up writing the story further that day. Once the story is “done,” I go back through one final time to try to catch repeated words, inconsistencies, etc. So, I guess there technically is no “first draft.” One reason I work this way is that I rarely know exactly where a story is going, and at some point, I get stuck and pause to work on a different story. On the very rare occasions I have an idea for a story beginning to end, I will produce an entire first draft. Then I’ll take some time away and come back to it fresh. I don’t remember the last time I’ve done that, though.

Steve: What’s the one thing you’d change now if you’d have known it when you started writing?

MB: I started to answer that I wish I’d known there’d be an audience, because I’d have worked faster and tried to get published earlier. But the way things went, I did pretty well, so I’m hesitant to consider messing with the past. One thing of which I was truly ignorant: the contempt some people have for self-publishing. I don’t think I would have benefited from knowing that, though. So, I don’t think there’s anything I’d change.

Steve: Of the books or stories you’ve released, which is your personal favorite and why?

MB: I’m torn. It’s either my debut Gateways to Abomination, written originally as Livejournal posts, when I had an audience of about 10 people and wrote without thinking of publication. Or else it’s The Stay-Awake Men and Other Unstable Entities, which has, I think, some of my best writing. Or it’s my new collection Where Night Cowers, which has work that spans my career so far. Do you like how I’m not answering any of these questions straightforwardly?

Steve: Bonus Fun Question! Would you rather be lost at sea or in the mountains?

MB: A tough choice, but I’ll go with the mountains, because I never get mountain-sick. Plus, there are a lot more resources in the woods. Unless you’re on a fully stocked boat…but once you’ve eaten everything on the boat, you’re kind of out of luck.

Definitely a solid choice!

Thank you so much for doing this, Matthew!

To find more of his work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matthew-M.-Bartlett/author/B00M5HEX5Y

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattmbartlett

Website: http://www.matthewmbartlett.com/