Steve Stred's Blog, page 36
December 19, 2022
X-MAS BOOK DEALS!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
At least for many it is! And, as I’ve seen, many authors are doing some sales for the Christmas Season!
With this being a wonderful time to show people how much they love each other – many will do so in the form of an Amazon Gift Card! And those who get those cards LOVE getting ebooks!
So, instead of me bombarding you with a ton of links (I hate self-promo, really do), I decided to do a wrap-up so that you have all of my books in one spot with their pricing shown and easy to buy links! Organized by price (lowest to highest), I’ll include the elevator pitch synopsis, Amazon US link (with cover) and Universal Link to buy!
If you’d rather not scroll through this long post – you can always hop over to my author page and start browsing now at the Universal Link below!
NINETY NINE CENT BOOKS! ($0.99)
So, let’s start with the next one, shall we?
Churn the Soil
Out Feb 17, 2023 – this one is about a pact with some creatures and the ramifications when that pact is broken!
Preorder is open for ebooks for only 99cents!
UNIVERSAL LINK:
An Endless Darkness: The Novellas
Like Churn, this features artwork from Greg Chapman! Featuring four novellas and two novelettes, this has something for everyone!
UNIVERSAL LINK:
Of Witches…
Oh boy! Who likes collections? This one features 8 short stories, 15 stunning illustrations/photographs from my friend Miranda Crites (who also provides a foreword) and all of it is based around WITCHES!
UNIVERSAL LINK
Ritual (Father of Lies Book #1)
This is the first book in my trilogy (the full series will arrive later on). But if you are looking for extreme, look no further. This novella is part one, based on my experience joining a real cult on the dark web for research.
UNIVERSAL LINK:
Piece of Me (Sermons of Sorrow Book 1)
When her husband and son leave on a hunt, Kari remains. After ten years, she still remains, holding out hope that one day, they’ll return. Even as creatures infect the darkness. Then, one day, a stranger arrives and tells her they still live.
This is for fans of dark fantasy and cold, winter settings.
UNIVERSAL LINK:
The Future in the Sky (The Empyrean Saga Book 1)
A sci-fi novella that begins the journey, teens are forced to jump from the ship in the hopes of finding their future in the orbs.
Fast-paced and for fans of The 100, The Hunger Games and Alice in Wonderland.
Books two and three are also out now and also only 99 cents!
UNIVERSAL LINK:
The Stranger
A horrible father, an annual camping trip, a creature waiting within the woods. This one tackles some tough topics, but also relates to my novel Mastodon.
UNIVERSAL LINK:
ONE DOLLAR BOOKS! ($1.00)
Wagon Buddy
A bullied kid. An imaginary friend. But just how imaginary are they? So beings Scott’s story, one that still captures readers imaginations.
UNIVERSAL LINK:
The Window in the Ground
On the outskirts of town, a secret exists. One that the adults protect and the kids don’t know about. That is, until gramps spills the beans and the dominos fall.
UNIVERSAL LINK:
TWO DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENT BOOKS! ($2.99)
Mastodon
A plane crash. A son searching for his father. Things in the Rocky Mountains that shouldn’t be discovered. Easily my most popular book, this one still is captivating readers!
UNIVERSAL LINK:
The Navajo Nightmare – Co-written with David Sodergren
A torn man. A curse bestowed. Vengeance awaits. This is a horror-western novel that was a ton of fun to write and an honor to create something with David!
UNIVERSAL LINK:
The Girl Who Hid in the Trees
McConnell’s forest collects kids. It’s haunted and cursed and when it claims Jason’s brother, he needs to find out the truth for himself. Coming-of-age set in a haunted forest!
UNIVERSAL LINK:
Incarnate
Late ’70s. A family decides to stay in a rental home. Their son wants to stay in a haunted house. Little do they know, evil awaits.
UNIVERSAL LINK:
Frostbitten: 12 Hymns of Misery
I have a few collections out, but this one is the base, the place to start and has some of my all-time classic stories such as ‘For Balder Walks,’ ‘The Fence,’ ‘Time Out Noose,’ ‘Old Man,’ and Edge of the Woods.’
UNIVERSAL LINK:
mybook.to/frostbittencollection
FOUR DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENTS! ($4.99)
Father of Lies: The Complete Series
Yes, it’s my most expensive release, but it features all three novellas in the Father of Lies series, as well as a bonus fourth novelette, writing/researching the series, a great foreword from Sonora Taylor and input from Mason McDonald about creating the covers! Book three – Sacrament – was nominated for a Splatterpunk Award!
UNIVERSAL LINK:
There we go! I hope if you’re interested in my work, you’ll find something here, and for a really nice price point!
All the best to you and yours!
3Q’s Special – Gaby Triana and the Literally Dead!
Super fun one today fellow 3Q’s readers! Today’s guest is a prolific, fantastic, super-supportive writer who continues to deliver the dark fiction goods!
Please, do welcome Gaby Triana!
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?
Gaby: I don’t write every day unless I’m actively working on a book, and when I am, I usually don’t start writing until well after 2-3 PM. Mornings don’t work for me. My brain and imagination haven’t woken up yet, but I will use mornings to edit or do some marketing for other books. If I do happen to be working on a book, I’ll write about 5 days a week and try to hit 2,500-2,800 minimum. That’s the average length of my chapters, so a chapter a day. If I’m on a tight schedule, I might go for 2 chapters a day.
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?
Gaby: I share it with the world. That story wasn’t written with me in mind. The author undoubtedly wrote it with his/her readers in mind and fans deserve to read it.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Gaby: My newest release is the ghost anthology I edited, LITERALLY DEAD: Tales of Halloween Hauntings. From the moment I laid eyes on Lynne Hansen’s pre-made cover with the trick-or-treating pal ghostie, I knew I had to have it. The collection contains 19 short ghost stories written by masters of dark fiction: Jonathan Maberry, Tim Waggoner, Lisa Morton, Lee Murray, Jeff Strand, Catherine Cavendish, Steve Rasnic Tem, Gwendolyn Kiste, Sara Tantlinger, and more and is already being hailed as a must-add volume to any annual Halloween reading list. If you love ghost stories, vintage Halloween feels, and superb writing, this book is for you.
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your superpower?
Gaby: Enid from Ghost World. She doesn’t quite belong in the world she’s living, she’s too weird for the mainstream, too mainstream for the weird, and she’s lightyears ahead of her time. Her superpower is being witty, judgmental, and endearing all at once.
Oh wow, what a great answer! And I haven’t thought of that movie in forever!
Thank you for doing this, Gaby!
To find more of her work, check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gaby-Triana/e/B0045B9682
Website: https://www.gabytriana.com/
3Q’s – Kenzie Jennings is here to wreck you!
Huge excitement here today for this 3Q’s. Kenzie Jennings has continued to deliver some truly dark reads for us horror fans and it looks like the future will be bringing us even more darkness!
Please do welcome the talented Kenzie Jennings!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Any daily goals?
Kenzie: I’d like to be one of those writers who’s great at setting and sticking with word counts. My ideal writing time would be in the evenings with word count goals probably set at 5000 words minimum for the week, which isn’t a lot. However, my brain is exhausted after work, and as a result, I’m lucky if I can get around 1500 per week, if any at all. I simply don’t have the mental energy to be creative after working at my “day” job (I teach English at a college).
Steve: If you started a series and for some reason was unable to finish it, who would you want to finish it for you?
Kenzie: If I started a series and needed another author to finish it, my choice in author would largely depend on the series and its subgenres and/or themes. Certain authors handle certain subgenres and themes so well. A few examples: If it were a humorous series, I’d definitely want Jeff Strand to continue it. A splatter western series, someone like Lucy Taylor or Christine Morgan could take the reins. Suburban horror, Somer Canon or Ania Ahlborn would handle it well. Body horror with a revenge theme, I’d trust Bridgett Nelson. ’80s throwback horror, most assuredly, Janine Pipe could take it on. And so on… So many choices!
Steve: Tell us about the newest release or story you have out there and why should we snag it?
Kenzie: The newest piece I’ll have out later this month is a story in D&T’s upcoming charity anthology, The Avarice. The theme of the collection is the sin of greed. My story “Wreckers” is based on an idea I’ve been mulling over for quite some time that feels as if it could be much larger, like a novella or novel. It centers around a nationwide murder/suicide cult that’s intent on brutally punishing us all for our greed and what it’s done to the world as a result. If you enjoy stories about deadly cults—AND you enjoy violent, apocalyptic stuff—I think you’ll enjoy “Wreckers.” It’s definitely one of my favorites of all that I’ve written.
Steve: Bonus Question time! If they made a movie about your life, who should be cast to play you?
Kenzie: If anyone were to make a movie of my life for some strange reason, I’d want someone like Toni Colette to play me, if anything for the range. She’s fantastic. Who wouldn’t want her in their biopic?
Oh, excellent casting choice!
Thank you so much Kenzie!
To find more of her work – check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kenzie-Jennings/e/B07P686CGD
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kenzieblyjay
Website: https://thisonpurpose.wordpress.com/
December 16, 2022
Book Review: Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger by K.C. Grifant
Title: Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger
Author: K.C. Grifant
Release date: February 2nd, 2023
Truthfully, when K.C. Grifant emailed me, I initially replied that I would love to review it – but – I wouldn’t get to it for a few weeks, as I was deep into reading four other books. Well, then I saw the cover. And read the synopsis. And much like my childhood excitement for cowboys and monsters, I knew that deep within my reading brain, I couldn’t put this off any longer.
What I liked: The reality of this book is that what you see is exactly what you get. This is a western book with monsters. If, you as a reader, are not intrigued by this one or excited by that premise, this isn’t a book for you. For the rest of us – those who love these wacky mashups of giant beasts battling gun-wielding, horse-back riding characters – this is EXACTLY the book for you.
The story follows Melinda West, back in town for only a short time, when they discover its become overrun with monsters and they offer their services to exterminate the creatures. We get a ton of action, a ton of many-legged splattered scenes and throughout, we root for Melinda and her partner, Lance.
Grifant writes with a deft hand, giving us compulsive prose and an easy feeling for her storytelling. I found I was utterly shocked at how much book I was devouring and how quickly – and if you know me, you know I read fast already – such is the way this book is laid out.
The other thing I’ll note – and it’s definitely not a negative – while this is a ‘serious’ book, it doesn’t take itself overly seriously, if that makes sense. We get a number of themes throughout, and a lot of tension and anxiety laid into the narrative, but this one never gets depressive or despondent, which sets it apart from a lot of the current crop of Splatter-Westerns we see on the market.
What I didn’t like: Truly minor, but at the very beginning, the reader is expected to just believe that Melinda is this fierce gunslinger. We learn more about her as we go on, but for a new-to-me character, I think some initial backstory peppered into the opening would’ve showcased her more to the reader and it would’ve been easier to accept how deft she is.
Why you should buy this: Well, as I said, if you get ramped up when you see cowboys and monsters, then there you go. Case closed. Preorder it now and thank me later. If you’re on the fence, a reader kind of intrigued by this subgenre, then just know that Grifant is a powerfully imaginative author who paints cinematic pictures easily with her descriptions and will make you feel the dust and smell the gunpowder time and time again.
Great stuff.
5/5
3Q’s Special: Christa Wojciechowski offers us a Popsicle!
Holy moly am I ever exited to introduce you to today’s 3Q’s Special Guest. In the early days of ole Steve’s writing journey, a few UK folks really embraced me, supported me and encouraged me. Christa Wojciechowski was one of those writers and her support for me hasn’t wavered. Couple that with the phenomenal dark fiction she creates and her ongoing Writers’ Mastermind programs, she’s a force to be reckoned with.
I’m so very happy to have Christa join me today!
Welcome!
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?
Christa: I run a virtual writing group called the Writers’ Mastermind, and we have write-ins on Zoom. These co-writing sessions force me to set aside all the busyness I have piled on my to-do list and commit to writing no matter what. Life always finds a way to commandeer writing time, so it’s important to have accountability. Having a meeting to show up at with fellow writers gives you that. I also try to reserve my Saturday’s for long, intensive writing sessions. I don’t get to write as often as I’d like, so I guard my little writing windows fiercely.
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?
Christa: I would most definitely share it with the world, especially if it’s something I love. Even if they requested it not to be published, I would probably go against their wishes. I’m a huge fan of Kafka, and I can’t imagine a world without his work. He entrusted his stories, diaries, and letters to his friend, Max Brod, and his dying wish was that all his writings be burned. Max Brod published them instead. Not the greatest move a friend could make but imagine if Kafka’s legacy was destroyed unseen.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Christa: Popsicle is the most recent release and a standalone novella. It is by far the most bizarre thing I’ve ever written. In it, Andre, a drug-fueled hustler comes to after a blackout and finds himself gnawing on a man’s head in a sewer. He discovers someone has implanted a cybernetic device in his neck that connects him to the internet. Two weeks of Andre’s life are a complete blank, and he has to use the social media posts (accessed inside his head) to figure out what happened.
At its core, Popsicle is about using addiction in all its forms as an escape from ourselves. Andre refuses to acknowledge his feelings from a troubled childhood, and in his drive to obliterate the pain, he destroys the relationships with the only people who love him. It’s also a statement about the frighteningly rapid dominance of the internet in our lives, and how we can either use it to devolve as human beings, or become greater. The choice is ours.
Popsicle is one of five books of mine that came out this year. The others are Oblivion Black and Hierarchy of Needs from The Sculptor Series as week as Afflicted and Disfigured from the new edition of The Sick Series re-released by Raven Tale. I wish I could say I’m a prolific writer, but these are all old projects that have all come to fruition at the same time!
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your superpower?
Christa: I am under-read in the world of comic books, but if I had a superpower, I would like to have a limitless brain that could fully comprehend the immensity and complexity of the universe and consciousness. Not too much to ask, is it?
Ha! What a great answer!
Thank you so much, Christa!
To find more of her work – check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christa-Wojciechowski/e/B015UJZIXE
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristaWojo
Website: https://christawojo.com/
3Q’s – Carver Pike does simple math!
Fun one (as always) today friends! Today’s guest is not only a talented author and a super supportive person, but also the creator of a really fun Youtube Channel.
That’s right, I’m talking about the one and only, Carver Pike!
Welcome Carver!
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?
Carver: Most of my writing now takes place in the morning. I’m lucky that I’m currently working from home so when I don’t have medical appointments or errands to run, I write as soon as I wake up. Then, I’ll also kind of write here and there throughout the day in-between my day job projects. I try to hit at least 2,000 words per day. On an uninterrupted day, I’ll usually pass that. An average good day for me is probably close to 5,000 words. The problem is I do have a lot of appointments. Lots of health stuff going on between my wife and me so I don’t write every day. I try to, but I don’t. I’ve also learned to put all work away by about 5pm, and I don’t work on weekends. That’s wife time. Back in the day, I’d work all day, half the night, and all weekend. I burned myself out. It’s difficult to do, but you have to learn to stop at some point or you will eventually burn out.
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?
Carver: Oh, that’s a good question, Steve. Damn, man. I can approach this a couple of ways. First, is the author alive or dead? I have to ask because the next question I have is why didn’t/hasn’t the author published it? I wouldn’t want to disrespect the author by sharing something with the world he/she didn’t want shared. Let’s say it was Ray Bradbury. I’m a fan of Bradbury’s work. He’s obviously no longer living. So, I’d have to wonder why he never published it. Was it because he passed away before he got the opportunity? If that were the case, then I’d share it with the world if it were in a stage that made sense. Or maybe I’d reach out to whoever is running his estate and see what they have to say about it. Some stuff is meant to be kept close to the vest. Maybe Ray wouldn’t want this particular piece to be shared. You know what I mean? I definitely wouldn’t keep it to myself for selfish reasons. That kind of stuff doesn’t interest me at all. If the author was alive, like maybe I’d stumbled upon something Brian Keene or Bentley Little let slip out, I’d reach out to the author and let them know I had it. I’d probably never be able to get a hold of Little, but I’d try. I’d just hand it to Keene at Scares That Care Authorcon 2 next year.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Carver: Kin of the Fallen is the book I’m working on now. It should be at least available for pre-order, if not released already, by the time this interview goes live. This one is going to be super violent. It’s basically a serial killer VS bikers. You know how there are all these books and movies about the final girl from all the slasher movies? Well, what about all the people who didn’t survive in those slasher situations? Think about them. Now, think about their family members. The parents, the siblings, the aunts and uncles, the cousins, the husbands and wives, the friends… they’re left mourning the loss of their loved ones. Of course, they go to therapy meetings. Well, for some, that’s not enough. In my book, some of those trying to deal with this pain and misery band together and form a motorcycle club hellbent on revenge. The Kin of the Fallen MC. “Grief Breeds Rage & Vengeance.” It’s their creed. Their mission is to hunt killers before they strike again. But Craw, a wild, animalistic psychopath has seen them on the news bragging about their abilities, and he’s ready to call their bluff.
Craw has been a fun villain to write, and I’ve had a blast with each character of the Kin of the Fallen MC. I think people are really going to enjoy this book. It’s fast paced and violent as hell.
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your super power?
Carver: Oh, hands down, Multiplicity Man. I want to be like Michael Keaton in the movie Multiplicity, but with versions of myself that were all good versions. Excellent copies. Not the flawed versions he kept getting in the movie. Man, can you imagine? I have three pen names. I’d be like, “Okay, Me-A, you are going to focus on the romantic suspense biker books under the CM Genovese pen name and handle everything for that name. Me-B, you focus only on tiger shark shifter books under Chris Genovese and other stuff for that name. Me-C, you go ahead and work on the young adult book ideas we’ve been plotting out. Me-D, you just clean the fuckin’ house. Only do house shit. Me-E, you get our website up to par so we can get our signed paperbacks out faster like I want. Me-F, you just worry about medical appointments and any other personal issue. The Real Me will write Carver books and focus on my wife and kids.
That would be my super power. Can we make this happen, please?
Oh, great answer! Not gonna lie though, when this email came back and I scanned the reply, I saw Me-B and thought it said Mel B and Carver wanted to be a Spice Girl! That could be a rad superpower too! Haha!
Thanks again, Carver!
To discover more of his work, check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Carver-Pike/e/B01MPWAO4H
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarverPike
Website: http://carverpike.com/
December 15, 2022
3Q’s Special – Lora Senf and her detrimental musical choice!
Over the last number of years, the magnificent Tony Jones has given me a ton of great book recommendations. One such recommendation I still haven’t got to reading yet. ‘The Clackity’ is the debut novel of today’s Special 3Q’s guest and not only am I super excited to read it (and I just even one a gorgeous copy of it!), but I’m super excited to have Lora Senf stop by today!
Please, welcome Lora!
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?
LS: I so envy writers with processes! I would love to say I have one but I really don’t. I work full time and have third-grade twins, so I write where and when I can. That usually means very early in the morning or late at night. I’m also fortunate to be able to write in the midst of chaos, so I’ve done my fair share of drafting and revising sitting on the couch while the kids watch tv. When I’m actively drafting a story, I usually aim for 500 words every day. It doesn’t always happen (and sometimes I end up with far more) but it’s a reasonable goal for me.
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?
LS: Easy. Ray Bradbury and Neil Gaiman. Both have been so important to me as a reader and a writer. I would love to stand quietly in a corner and listen to them talk story and storytelling.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
LS: Sure! The Clackity is my debut novel and came out about six months ago. In it, twelve-year-old Evie Von Rathe lives in Blight Harbor, the seventh-most haunted town in America (per capita). Her Aunt Desdemona, the local paranormal expert and otherworldly advice columnist, doesn’t have many rules. One absolute, iron-clad rule is to stay out of the abandoned abattoir at the edge of town. Evie obeys – until she doesn’t, following her aunt to the slaughterhouse one bright June day. When her aunt disappears into the abattoir, Evie goes searching for her.
There she meets The Clackity, a creature that lives in the shadows and seams of the slaughterhouse. The Clackity promises to help Evie get Desdemona back in exchange for the ghost of John Jeffrey Pope, a serial killer who stalked Blight Harbor a hundred years earlier, and who has unspeakable ties to the abattoir. To find them both, Evie crosses through the abattoir to a strange neighborhood of seven houses. She must make her way through them, one by one, until she reaches the seventh house, and her aunt. The task sounds simple enough, except these aren’t regular houses, and she’s being followed by a dead man.
Save her aunt, escape a dead serial killer, and get them all back to The Clackity before the sun sets. None of it is going to be easy, especially with Evie’s panic attacks, but the strange neighborhood plays by its own set of rules, and some of them might just be in Evie’s favor.
I believe middle grade horror is a safe place for readers to practice being brave, and that’s what I set out to create. I wrote Evie, the main character of The Clackity for scared but brave kids (and those of us who used to be those kids) who deserve to see themselves as heroes. For lots of reasons, I especially hope Evie and The Clackity reach young readers who will benefit from them. But I also set out to write a story for readers of all ages who love story for the sake of story (that makes sense to me and I hope it makes sense to everyone else) – it’s something writers like Bradbury and Gaiman mastered in their own work. And, if nothing else, readers can ignore everything I just said and simply read The Clackity for the spooky adventure it is. Because, at the end of the day, sometimes a monster is just a monster and a scary book is just a scary book.
Steve: Bonus Question! If you were transported back in time, which Pop Band/Hit Band would you hope to find yourself a member of?
LS: I have absolutely no musical ability whatsoever, so I’d be a detriment to any band. That said, probably Ednaswap. They flew under the radar in the 90’s but their lead singer, Anne Preven, was the coolest person I’ve ever been in close-ish proximity to. Being part of that would have been incredible. Now I’m going to go find one of their CDs and listen to it very loudly. You heard me. CDs.
You know what? I don’t believe I’ve ever heard them! I’ll go take a look now and see if I have!
Thank you so much for doing this Lora!
To follow along and find more of her work, check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B09JN39VQV/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lora013
Website: https://lorasenf.com/
3Q’s – Samantha Eaton wants to calm Cobra Chickens!
Today’s guest is a new-to-me author, and while I’m scheduling this on September 30, 2022 (hey from the past!), I do have her upcoming 2023 release already on my Kindle and may have read it by now!
I’m super glad to have Samantha Eaton as my 3Q’s guest today!
Welcome!
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?
Samantha: Lately, my writing time looks a lot like me standing in a checkout line, at the gas pump, or in the middle of the woods mid-hike frantically dumping ideas for my new WIP into Scrivener mobile. When I’m less chaotic, I try writing on my lunch break at work and then for a few hours afterwards before I start my evening wind down routine. Usually I like to shoot for 1,000 words a day, but early in the drafting phase I consider it a win if I write even ten words.
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?
Samantha: I have a hard time keeping things to myself, but if the author was still alive I’d consider reaching out to them and see what they’d prefer I do with it so as to respect their privacy. Plus, it’d really suck to be on the flip side and have some rando sharing an unpublished manuscript of mine with the world. Chances are there’s a reason that thing is unpublished. Of course, I’d read it and probably vague tweet on Twitter for a day, two tops, before getting distracted by some sort of animal in my yard as one does.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Samantha: My debut horror novel, THE INSATIABLE HUNGER OF TREES, comes out on February 21, 2023 and it is about a girl named Cara who’s a bit of an overachiever because you kind of have to be when you want to break the cycle of poverty and intergenerational debt. When her sister, Shelby, who’s been missing for a year, comes back under mysterious circumstances, Cara must reluctantly team up with a local, self-proclaimed monster hunter to figure out what happened to Shelby.
Folks should definitely read it if they like monster horror where the animal characters survive without being harmed. I personally relate to the threads about debt, especially student debt and drew from my own experience as someone with student loans who will likely outlive her. I hope folks can’t relate to Cara and her family’s financial struggle (because I wouldn’t wish it on anyone) but I hope those who need the representation feel seen. If nothing else, read the book for Paisley the menace kitten and go foster a litter with your local shelter to keep you warm while reading!
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your super power?
Samantha: My comic book superpower would be that I am able to soothe and gain the trust of any animals encountered along the comic’s plot—especially geese. Canada geese LOVE me. I would probably have an army of Canada geese who do my bidding against the baddie.
Excellent choice!
Thank you again, Samantha for doing this!
To keep up to date with her work, check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Eaton/e/B0B4Y6X3M7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Samantha_Eaton3
Website: https://www.samanthaeaton.com/
December 14, 2022
3Q’s Special – Kurt Fawver and his New Wave Future!
You ever read a story from an author and just sit back and ponder how someone becomes just that amazing? How, this person’s work makes you question what timeline you’re even living in and if you quietly slipped through a wormhole somewhere along the way?
Every single time I’ve read anything from today’s Special Guest, that’s how I’ve felt.
Kurt Fawver is an award-winning author, a creator of phenomenal fiction, and I’m so truly honored to have him as today’s 3Q’s guest!
Welcome Kurt!
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?
Kurt: I used to have a set time almost every night when I tried to hammer out some words—from midnight to two or three in the morning. I’ve always been a creature of the night; it’s generally when I do my best work. However, with work and family responsibilities mounting over the past year or two, my writing time has been slashed down to half an hour or an hour a day, at best. I try to fit that writing time in wherever I can, which means I’m not working to my strengths, but at least I’m getting something down. Given how slowly I write, I never keep careful count of how many words I’ve written in any given session.
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?
Kurt: I think it would be interesting to be stuck with Cormac McCarthy and Jorge Luis Borges. A gritty ultra-realist mixing it up with a metaphysically-minded fabulist—I’d love to hear their conversation.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Kurt: My newest story is coming very soon in Looming Low Vol. 2 from Dim Shores. It’s called “Radius Unknown.” It’s a low-key apocalyptic tale about an odor that destroys the world—or, at least those who can smell it. You should read it because it’s weird, it’s prescient, and it’s delightfully grim.
https://dimshores.bigcartel.com/product/looming-low-volume-ii-dhc
Steve: Bonus Question! If you were transported back in time, which Pop Band/Hit Band would you hope to find yourself a member of?
Kurt: Pretty much any 80s New Wave band. Keytar forever!
Ha! Excellent choice!
Thank you once again for doing this Kurt!
To find more of his work, check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kurt-Fawver/e/B007A590OU
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KurtFawver
Website: http://kurtfawver.com/
3Q’s – Felix Blackwell is the anti-hero!
It’s interesting to see how online groups and sites can help a book gain exposure and get readers. Such is the case with today’s guest. Felix Blackwell’s ‘Stolen Tongues’ exploded through Reddit/Books of Horror and Tik Tok exposure and has created a ton of fans!
I love seeing how each person comes about finding their readers and Felix definitely found his!
Please, welcome Felix!
(Due to personal reasons, Felix has asked me not to use an ‘official’ author photo. I have respected that request and in place of his grinning mug, will use the cover of his most well known book)
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?
Felix: For me, writing is divided into three distinct phases: my favorite is the first phase, when I just sit down and free-form write a ton of ideas in prose and bullet points in a spiral-bound notebook. I love doing this for several weeks / months in the park near my home, or in the woods. I can always tell whether I’ve got a book or just an idea depending on how quickly and easily that journal fills up. The second phase is organizing all of those notes on the computer. This process is painstaking and requires a lot of meticulous effort. But if I do a good job at that, the third phase – writing the manuscript – is super quick and easy. I don’t have a writing schedule, but I’m a creature of habit and I always find myself writing a few times per week, a few hours at a time. I don’t try to hit word counts; I just stop when I feel I’ve moved the ball forward in a significant way.
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?
Felix: If that author was alive, I’d email that person and ask if I could share the manuscript (or if they wanted it back). If they were dead, and if the surviving family wasn’t concerned, I’d share it with the world!
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Felix: My forthcoming novel (due some time in late 2023) is the prequel to Stolen Tongues. I haven’t announced the title yet, but it takes place on Tiwé and Nathan’s reservation on Pale Peak, long before either of them were born. The story follows their people’s experiences with the dark presence that haunts the mountain, and examines the collisions of their culture and lifeways with unwelcome outsiders. It’s bigger in scope than Stolen Tongues, and will have a ton of surprises. Readers who finished ST with a lot of questions are going to find out if they really wanted to know the answers…
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your super power?
Felix: My comic book character’s name is Deathcult and he is an antihero who sets out to demonstrate to the world how easy it is to masquerade as a prophet and lead the desperate masses astray, only to lose himself in the grip of power and become something truly evil.
Hey that’s great! Thank you again, Felix!
To find more of his work, check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Felix-Blackwell/e/B01MEF1RC7
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felixblackwellbooks/
Website: https://felixblackwell.com/
