Steve Stred's Blog, page 36
December 21, 2022
3Q’s – Johann Thorsson is here to convince you!
Awesome one today friends!
You may know him from his fantastic short fiction, or from his debut novel ‘Whitesands.’ Or – you may know him from his really cool photos around his home over in Iceland! Either way, Johann is a fantastic guy and a big supporter of so many!
Please, welcome Johann!
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?
Johann: When I am actually productive my writing time is from 5:30 to about 7:20 in the morning. Then the world wakes up and my private writing sanctum is penetrated by my kids getting up and me realizing that I should get ready for work.
Even better is when I manage to put in a stretch, about three weeks or more. I have gone through a heap of productivity-maximizing attempts and the ideal scenario is as follows:
100-word goal pre day. Anything above that is a welcome bonus.
Reward when I sit down. In my case it is a cup of bulletproof coffee.
An accountability buddy or group.
Track daily progress.
This system eventually got Whitesands written, though a week’s residency in Exeter in the U.K. was the clincher.
Steve: You end up at an estate sale and discover an unpublished manuscript from an author you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?
Johann: This is a ghost novel by Michael Ondaatje. I immediately share it with the world. I think every good book is an advertisement for every other book that exists. So a ghost/horror novel by Michael Ondaatje would be a worldwide bestseller and the world would be thirsty for more.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should
read it!
Johann: I have a story in PROFESSOR CHARLATAN BARDOT’S TRAVEL ANTHOLOGY TO THE MOST (FICTIONAL) HAUNTED BUILDINGS IN THE WEIRD, WILD WORLD.
It’s now a Shirley Jackson Award nominee, in addition to being a World Fantasy Award nominee. You should read it because it is full of great little stories by authors far more talented than me.
Seriously, it’s a fun book.
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your superpower?
Johann: Convincer-man! I am like the most likeable and immediately trustworthy politician ever. Anyone who listens to me speak is moved to agree with me permanently. Like, Obama with superpowers.
(I don’t know why this popped into my head, it’s early and I haven’t had coffee). Anyway, I would travel the world holding rallies and TV appearances and not just tell people about global warming and nuclear disarmament but actually convince those who hear me speak to change their ways with the goal of making the world a better place for all.
Of course, my arch-nemesis would be Donald Trump, the most self-serving of all hemorrhoidal polyps, and he is also traveling and convincing crowds of the opposite viewpoint. We eventually meet in a televised debate that the whole world watches.
Hahaha! Oh, that’s great and might actually make for a really fun comic!
Thank you again, Johann!
To find more of his work, check the links!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johannthors
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Johann-Thorsson/e/B0946221DC
Website: https://jthorsson.wordpress.com/
December 20, 2022
3Q’s Special – K.P. Kulski transforms into Bloodroot!
Can you believe it, that after almost 200 3Q’s/Specials, today marks a first! A FIRST! Today’s guest is the phenomenally talented and super supportive K.P. Kulski. And while I’m super happy to have K.P. stop by – I never expected that her daughter would actually draw her fictional character for the Bonus Question!!??!! How friggin’ cool is that!
Please, do welcome K.P.!
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?
KP: I’ve been homeschooling my son for over a year and my daughter more recently, it’s wonderful to have them at home and to go on educational adventures together, but it’s been difficult to get writing time in. With that said, I’ve managed to implement a schedule that works for us all. The wonderful Donyae Coles gave me some good advice on balancing homeschooling and writing that’s helping me restructure my time. I’m only a couple weeks in and already it’s made a huge difference. (Thank you, Donyae!)
She told me to first identify what time was my optimal writing time, then structure our homeschool day around that time. I work best afternoon until evening, so 3-4 times a week, we start with interactive homeschool lessons around 9am, have lunch and a break, then I go to my office to start writing by 1pm. The kids work on independent projects then. If I’m having one of those coveted “on a roll” days where the words are flowing and the muses are singing, my husband takes the helm in the evening so I can continue to work. I’ve also been using Saturday as a full writing day lately.
I don’t usually try to hit word counts, instead I focus on goals… like get a scene written, or fix a plot inconsistency, etc. I’m also a pantser and find mood is an important part of my writing. If I’m having an off day I focus on brainstorming and indulging in things that inspire me… music, art, books, etc. I believe it’s an important part of writing, letting our minds marinate in things that fill our well.
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?
KP: Can I do both? Hahaha. I think I’d read it first, just to have that feeling of amazingness, covet it a little and then share it with the world. But I would also see if I could get in contact with the family involved with the estate sale to be sure they didn’t accidently or unknowingly sell such a gem.
Sharing stories is so important. I mean, that’s what we’re doing, sharing our stories when we publish. It’s the ultimate mind-meld. I’d be horribly sad if a manuscript of a cherished author didn’t sink into the brains of others as well as my own.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
KP: House of Pungsu, released in September from Bizarro Pulp Press. I’m very proud of this little novella, it came from a lot of reflection on my own sense of identity as a woman, the changes in my life… from maiden, to mother, I often think about what cronehood will mean for me and what I want to make it. It’s a look at things that have trapped women in the past as well as today. How these things convince us there are walls.
As I wrote it, I realized how present my own mother was in my thoughts and reflected in the story. My hope is for readers to find the questions to ask about their own identities, to dare to open those doors we’ve been told are locked to us. Ultimately, I hope the journey will give readers perspective and maybe even learn more about themselves.
Steve: Bonus Question! You wake up in a comic book. What is your comic book character and what is your superpower?
KP: I’m a bit of a comic geek. Anyone who knows me knows I love Kelly Sue Deconnick’s Captain Marvel, so if I’m to be an already existing character it would be Carol Danvers.
A character that doesn’t exist though… well, I decided to consult my very creative daughter on this one and for the first time ever, I am unveiling her superhero design made with me in mind.
Meet, Bloodroot. I have the ability to control plants and darkness, move objects through shadows, and can harness the power of the moon. She further states that Bloodroot is both witchy and super cool. I of course, love her design and I’m totally going to have to make myself a Bloodroot costume for next Halloween.
That is seriously awesome and big kudos to your daughter for bringing this vision to life!
Thank you so much, K.P.!
To find more of her work, check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/K-P-Kulski/e/B077ZPZGQH
Twitter: https://twitter.com/garnetonwinter
Website: https://www.garnetonwinter.com/
3Q’s – Todd Love unveils his suffering!
Another fun one today and I think this one will be unique in that it’ll get some eyeballs on a very prolific author, but one that has released the majority of his work over on Godless. Godless seems to be a hit or miss for many out there. Either you know it or you don’t. For those who don’t – consider it an outlet for authors as an alternative to releasing through Amazon. It has become a haven for extreme authors, as they don’t have to worry about Amazon’s strict censorship models, but it can also give a fantastic platform for many authors. Case in point, Todd Love!
Please, do welcome Todd!
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?
Todd: For my short stories, I try to sit down and write the entire story. Then I go back and edit and design a cover.
For my longer stories, I try to write 2k in one sitting, and edit, ending at the end of a chapter. The next day I will do the same and carry on until the story finds its ending.
I write on varied days. I have a full-time job and a family. My life is very busy. I write in my spare time as often as I can. Procrastination does take over from time to time. Bad habits are hard to break.
Steve: You decide to host a writer’s retreat. One weekend in a luxury house on an island. What three other authors do you invite to come along?
Todd: Indie Authors – Ronald Kelly, Carver Pike, Rowland Bercy Jr. Mainstream Authors – Stephen King, Clive Barker, Robert Kirkman.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Todd: Very proud to be included in two new anthologies this year. Planet Bizarro Press – Extremely Bizarre Anthology. With this short story I really tried to push myself beyond anything Bizarre I had ever written before. Pussy Cock was that story. It’s dark and very odd. The story is about bullying and self mutilation, with a twist.
The second anthology is D & T Publishing’s ABC’s of Terror Volume 4. This collection of 26 short stories focusing on neighbours. My take is own two neighbours who turn out to be cut from the same evil clothe as the devil and join forces to take over the neighbourhood.
I have a short story with D.A. Latham coming out on September 29th. It is a continuation of our LOVE series. A Grandfather’s Love will be only available on Godless.
For Godless.com and the 31 Days of October 2 – I have a new short, The Nights Last Cigarette. It is a short story about a killers end of season ritual.
My first novella is almost ready for release. Thresholds of Suffering is a ghost story that spans from a world war to a small town. A solider is haunted by a promise he made 50 years ago to a young girl form a world far away from his own. This promise molds choices that takes a young man on a journey of self discovery, and as an old man that has to face his biggest fear, fulfilling that promise.
https://books2read.com/extremelybizarre
Steve: Bonus Question! You receive an invitation in the mail from one of these two people. The invitation invites you to have dinner and spend the night in their home. Do you accept the invitation from Victor Frankenstein or Dracula and why?
Todd: I would accept the invitation from Dracula in the hope I would be transformed into a vampire. The Lost Boys is one of my all-time favourite movies and I would love to have the chance the be a bad ass vampire like Kiefer Sutherland.
Great choice! Thank you so much Todd!
To find more of his work – check the links!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_toddlove
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/
