Steve Stred's Blog, page 45

3Q’s – Wesley Southard just wants to be one of The Boys!

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

Today’s 3Q’s guest is a new father, an award-winning author and all-around conjurer or dark, brutality!

Please, do welcome, Wesley Southard!!

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?

Wesley: Oh, man, these days my writing time is as dead as disco. My wife and I had our first baby last December, and since then I haven’t been able to get any meaningful time to actually write. Not that I’m necessarily complaining. I’ve always wanted to be a father and the experience has been even better than I could have imagined. When I was able to write, I usually preferred to get my work done at night before bed. Maybe two hours or so and, if I could get on a roll, I could probably knock out 1,500 to 2,000 words or so. I never seemed to get much work done on the weekends, but weeknights were always my best time to write. Hopefully, I can jump back on the train and get back to grinding the words out here soon.

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?

Wesley: That’s such a hard question. I read between 50-75 books a year, give or take, and I lose track of how many times I think, “Man, this would make a killer film.” It would probably be something by Bentley Little. After being told for years to check out his stuff, I finally tried him out a few years ago and ended up falling head-over-heels in love with his work. He’s an absolute master of the craft. I think an adaptation of The Association or The Bank would be fantastic. If that wasn’t possible, I would absolutely finance a film adaptation of Simon Clark’s Vampyrrhic. I adore that book and think it would make a stellar film.

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

Wesley: I’ve only had one release this year so far and that’s a book called Try Again. It’s a novella I was fortunately able to crank out while my wife was on maternity leave and allowed me the time to get it finished so I could have it ready for AuthorCon. Try Again is about a woman named Robin who’s absolutely fed up with the way the world treats her. Once a fairly large girl, she became a gym rat and bulked up quite significantly, but that hasn’t stopped the constant criticism. One night, after getting into a verbal altercation at the gym, she drives home to the house she shares with her father and discovers several armed men inside, holding her father at gunpoint. The problem is every time she tries to enter the house, she suddenly finds herself right back in her car, driving home, thinking about that jerk at the gym. By the time she realizes the house won’t let her inside and she’s caught in a loop, she sets out to find the one and only way into and through the house to save her father before the men inside lose all patience. I’m really proud of how this little book came out, and the response to it so far has been very gratifying.

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

Wesley: I would love to be on the set of The Boys. I just love that show so much. I think being around all of that would be fascinating to witness. I would especially love to watch Antony Starr act. Homelander is such an unnerving character to watch, and to see that up close would be quite interesting.

Most excellent!

Thank you again, Wesley!

To find more of his work;

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wesley-Southard/e/B005HFH8JY/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WesSouthard

Website: https://wesleysouthard.com/

3Q’s – Todd Keisling delivers a Haunted Heart!

I’ve said it previously, and I’ll say it again for this 3Q’s – but I always love having guests on here who are not only super nice, but also are super talented – in this case – multi-talented. Todd Keisling is an author, developer of Patreon content and cover designer. It’s been awesome seeing some of his creations arrive in the world, so I was super excited when Todd agreed to do a 3Q!

Welcome, Todd!

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?

Todd: My writing times vary day to day, but on average, I usually write from noon to 3pm, and then again at night from 10pm to 2am. I do try to aim for the same time(s) every day, but it doesn’t always work out like that due to other commitments/chores. I also allow myself a day off here and there. Writing every day works for some folks, but I’m not one of them. That said, when I do write, I try to aim for five hundred words. Sometimes it’s way less than that, and sometimes it’s a lot more. Lately, I seem to average about 500-750 a day.

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

Todd: I wouldn’t. I’d rather sketch out the outline of the next book(s) and release that to people. I considered doing this with the final Monochrome novel several years ago when I was struggling to finish it. Fortunately, I was able to work through the issues I had with it. Anyway, I guess if I had a gun to my head and had to pick an author to finish my work, it would probably be either Bob Ford or Anthony Rapino.

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

Todd: My latest short story release is called “Annie’s Heart is a Haunted House,” which readers can find in THE HIDEOUS BOOK OF HIDDEN HORRORS, edited by Doug Murano and published by Bad Hand Books. It’s a dark tale about a group of teenagers who wake up in a mansion full of traps. They don’t know how they got there. And there’s something living inside the walls that wants to kill them. I pitched it to Doug as “The Breakfast Club meets Harlan Ellison.” As for longer works, my latest novel is called NONENTITY, the final book of the Monochrome Trilogy, which caps off a journey I began 16 years ago. I’m really happy with how it turned out, and relieved that it’s finally finished. You can find the whole trilogy over on Amazon.

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

Todd: Ah, man, I’m bad at this. Let’s see… Maybe Edward Norton for adult Todd. Teenage Todd would have to be Adrian Greensmith.

Great choice!

Thank you so much, Todd!

Find more of his work below!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Todd-Keisling/e/B002RDT0T0

Twitter: https://twitter.com/todd_keisling

Website: https://www.toddkeisling.com/

Book Review: The Stone Serpent by Nicholas Kaufmann

Title: The Stone Serpent (Dr. Laura Powell #2)

Author: Nicholas Kaufmann

Release date: November 29th, 2022

Firstly, huge thanks to David at Crossroads Press and Nicholas for sending me a digital ARC of this one.

This is a sequel to 2021’s ‘The Hungry Earth’ which I read and really enjoyed earlier this year, and while it is a ‘sequel’ in the sense it continues on with Dr. Laura Powell and the aftermath of what happened, it has moved onto a different plotline. So, if you’ve not read ‘The Hungry Earth’ you’ll be good to dive in here, although you will miss a bit of some of what they discuss surrounding those who didn’t survive book one.

I was curious to see where Kaufmann went with this one. I knew it involved the discovery of a strange, petrified person, but that was about it. So, I dove in head first, not completely sure how deep the water was.

What I liked: Funny enough, it wasn’t until I started this one, that I really understood how enjoyable a character Laura is. She was the star of book one and now, with book two, her and her boyfriend, Booker, become a solid and dependable team, especially after the opening sequence where a young man dies and when his body is found it is solid as a rock.

The story within here is a told at break-neck pacing and Kaufmann does a great job of leaving a few potential possibilities lingering that give us a trail and then diverted as needed. Unlike book one, where we know it’s this crazy fungus infecting everyone, we are not 100% certain of what is going on until finally the reveal occurs and the book shifts into yet another gear.

Much like book one, ‘The Stone Serpent’ has a ton of really intriguing and fantastic research crammed in, with so much of it forcing you to put down the book and head to Google. I guarantee that will happen when you hear the true story of a dog and a discovery involving petrification. Kaufmann has really made sure he’s done his due diligence and the reader is all the better for it.

As for the characters within, we get some really solid new ones, some vile despicable ones and it all works to keep the plot moving along until we get to the bonkers, everything thrown at us ending.

What I didn’t like:  There’s two subplots that push the reader regarding the ‘what is going on’ aspect of the story. I actually found the religious storyline to be fairly formulaic at times – crazy leader, someone challenging them, faith is tested, etc etc. There was the underlying bit about biotech and big company that had me far more intrigued, so I wish we would’ve gotten more in that realm than the religious realm, although it was necessary for the family backstory aspect for Laura.

Why you should buy this: I actually loved this one, while I only liked the first one. Both are great, but if I had to choose, this one would win. We get crazy people, insane attacks and a slithery creature-feature aspect that also leaves the door open for things to continue on in a book three. I for one would love to see more of what Dr. Laura Powell and Booker get up to!

This was a blast!

5/5

3Q’s – Joseph Sale – a mind beyond your wildest imagination!

Joseph Sale should be an international, bestselling author who doesn’t reply to my emails or DM’s.

I’m just going to lay that out there before we get going. I think he’s such a splendid author, a mind like no other and a truly talented editor as well. His work always provokes, pushes the reader and stays strong to its emotionally grounded core. Yet – I find he’s criminally overlooked.

So, I am truly excited for Joseph to join us today and I hope those who’ve not read his work yet, discover him and dive into the phenomenal worlds he has conjured.

Please, do welcome, Joseph!

Steve: Question 1 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?
Sale: The answer to this question has changed quite a bit over the years, so I hope you don’t mind a long-winded reply!
I personally believe that writing at its best is not an act of output, but paradoxically of input. In other words, not speaking but listening to the inner voice. My best writing feels like someone else wrote it, and I think in one sense this is literally true. The Greeks referred to this as the Daemon. We also have the term “Muse”.
In addition, as authors (or Artists if we want to go that far), we are constantly evolving and changing due to new experiences, and the creation of each new project is therefore a process of self-discovery and initiation. As a result, I find it very difficult to replicate any previous creative process and re-use it. I couldn’t, for example, just sit down and write another novel like Beyond The Black Gate. That book came from a very specific place in time, from specific feelings, and was channelled in a very specific way. If I tried to replicate it, the result would be something inferior to the original, a pale imitation of myself. Some writers do seem able to write very consistently in one genre and with one aesthetic to their work, but I find my writing has to change with each new concept.
This doesn’t mean, of course, that I just sit down and wait for inspiration however! That way lies stagnation and procrastination. What I tend to do is try to gently invoke and invite the creative fire, whether this is through meditative practices, illustration, painting, listening to or composing music, or journalling. Usually, with a combination of these practices, I find the kernel of an idea. I then will likely experiment with some writing to see if the idea captures the imagination and is sustainable. With prose I normally aim for 2,000 words in a day. With poetry, I will content myself with one stanza, because poetry is far more creatively demanding and distilled.
I abandon many, many projects because they are simply not good enough (I once abandoned a novel 50,000 words in). Maybe they have a great setting but the characters aren’t right. Or maybe the characters and setting are strong but there simply isn’t a story I can conjure out of them that will capture the reader’s attention. I used to feel bad about these “lost projects” but now I really come to see them as a natural part of the creative process (one of the few parts that does remain a constant, actually). Usually the idea I end up running with long term has some elements from all the abandoned ideas, a kind of Frankenstein’s monster of hodgepodge parts!
In terms of timing, I used to write a lot in the mornings, but now I generally find I’ve become an afternoon writer. I have no idea why this change has occurred! Maybe it’s due to me shifting to self-employment. I no longer have to get the words out before the commute.
If anyone reading this is interested in learning more about my creative process, I actually have a book coming out August 11th entitled The Divine: unlocking the magical creator within which is a book on writing craft and channeling creative inspiration.

Steve: If you could write a story for another author’s fictional world/series, which would it be and why?
Sale: This is an awesome question! There are so many great worlds to choose from. What I think is interesting, though, is that sometimes the best worlds are not the ones you want to write in, because they’re already so perfect. For example, I would never dream of trying to write in Middle Earth; what could I possibly add to Tolkien’s world?
Lovecraft’s universe is always an interesting choice, of course—those cosmic gods were so influential on me—but much of his world is freely available to use anyway, so I won’t choose him. The same goes for Carcosa, which is another fictional world that fascinates me (if you haven’t already, you should definitely read the original Robert W. Chambers stories, and the contemporary short story collection by Brian Barr—his reinvention of Chambers’ work is ingenious and enthralling).
I would probably therefore have to pick Quiddity, which is the secret world of the dream-sea in Clive Barker’s amazing but unfinished Art series (currently composed of The Great and Secret Show and Everville). It is such a fascinating world and even after two books we only really get glimpses of its strangeness. There is so much unexplored territory and that is what makes it interesting to contemplate as a guest in its vast splendour.
I am almost ashamed to admit I once had a dream in which Barker had passed away and his ghost came to me and demanded I write the third and final book of the Art series. I woke up distraught with grief and had to check the news—relieved nothing had happened and it was just my overactive imagination (though it felt disturbingly real).
I hope people will not interpret this dream as ego (I was quite panicked and horrified by the prospect of taking on something so important). I love Barker’s world so much, and the characters within it are so fascinating, but I know I am not on his level, not even in the same stratosphere, and the only person who can finish that series is the genius Barker himself.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Sale: Very kind of you! My most recent release is actually the third book of The Illuminad trilogy: The Tower Outside of Time. It is probably a book best enjoyed having read the first two books in the sequence. Book 1, Dark Hilarity, is currently only 0.99c on Amazon, if you are at all curious.
The Illuminad series is about friendship, friendships which will be put to the ultimate test in a dark fantasy world… It features four female leads, a serial killer rockstar, a Laughing God, and scenes of pure horror. Funnily enough several authors have compared it to Barker’s work in terms of its feel and genre, so if you like horror mixed with dark fantasy, it might well be your cup of tea!

Steve: Bonus Question! Do you have a cherished book?
Sale: I have so many! This is a positively cruel question, haha!

However, I would probably have to say my copy of Grady Hendrix’s Satan Loves You, signed and personalized by the author himself, would have to take the biscuit. I will never forget my meeting with Grady Hendrix and how insanely kind and generous he was. When I brought him this book at the book-signing he was genuinely shocked and surprised to see it in the wild, and I think quite humbled to realize how long I had been a fan of his and collecting his books (I had all of his books except one with me, a total of seven in all). Satan Loves You is not my favorite Grady Hendrix book (that award goes to My Best Friend’s Exorcism) but there is something totemic and magical about that book—perhaps it’s simply that I connect overmuch with the main character of Satan?—and this has only been amplified by its rarity.

A good book can be a friend in hardship, speaking to you on not just a surface level, but a subconscious and spiritual one. Sometimes the narratives contained in books can help us re-write our own. That’s the power but also responsibility we hold as authors!

Thanks so much for having me!

That is amazing!

Thank you so much, Joseph!

To find out more of his work – check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Sale/e/B00MEHVY5W

Twitter: https://twitter.com/josephwordsmith

Website: http://themindflayer.com/

3Q’s Special – Laird Barron is Uncoiling

I’m not gonna lie – I send out a ton of invites for these 3Q’s and honestly only expect a handful of people to reply and say yes. The response so far has been so amazing and so humbling, but also nerve-wracking. Case in point – today’s guest is one of the most accomplished and lauded authors out there. When he agreed to do one, I was over the moon. I sent him the questions – and then I thought – “Shit, I just sent Laird Barron these goofy questions.” (Actually, I think that each and every time I send these out, hoping people will have fun with them and 99% of them have!)

That’s right, today, we have the phenomenal Laird Barron!

Welcome Laird!

(Photo credit: Jessica M.)

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?
Laird: I live in the shadow of the grinding wheel. Rise, shake off the cobwebs and work, seven days a week, no holidays. I tend to break the day into three or four blocks; the blocks are about two hours a shot. Unless a deadline looms, I don’t subscribe to quotas. Consistent progress is the goal—be it a thousand words or a measly sentence. Every couple of years, I pause and take stock. So long as I write routinely, the rest takes care of itself.

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?
Laird: John Langan as we drink the same scotch anyway. Paul Tremblay’s a mensch. Stephen Graham Jones. Stephen is the rare genius who’s also socially adept. No question in my mind that these guys would be cool heads when the murders begin. Also, we’d solve the murder mystery in short order because I’m confident Stephen started them.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Laird: Try “Uncoiling” in the January, 2022 issue of Cosmic Horror Monthly. This story follows a pair of over-the-hill mercenaries as they seek to eradicate a nest of brigands while fending off the cursed attentions of an ancient mountain spirit. If you enjoy Gene Wolfe, Karl Edward Wagner, Roger Zelazny, and dark fantasy, this might be your cup of tea.

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?

Laird: I suspect that Dr. Frankenstein is a wonderful conversationalist. However, his practical interest in my body parts might be problematic. I’d definitely be sweating whether the absinthe was dosed with a sedative.
Count Dracula would be fine company, regaling guests with his romantic forays and adventures abroad. More physically dangerous than Dr. F, but I’ve heard if one stays in one’s room after curfew, no harm will befall them. Besides, garlic, crucifixes, and sharp stakes are in ready supply.
So, I’ll be in Harker’s old room if you need me.

Steve: Fantastic choice! Thank you so much for doing this, Laird!

To find more of his work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Laird-Barron/e/B0034Q4PH6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LairdBarron

Website: https://lairdbarron.wordpress.com/

3Q’s – James Newman shares his Ride or Die!

Today’s 3Q’s guest has written some truly remarkable and emotionally devastating books. Always one to rattle the chains of the readers, Newman’s work will find away under your skin one way or another.

I’m so honored to have James Newman join us today for 3Q’s!

Welcome, James!

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?

James: I don’t have any set schedule. I’m notoriously lazy and a world-class procrastinator. I write only when an idea grips me and refuses to let go, which sadly doesn’t happen often. I wish I had a better answer for you, but I gotta be honest!

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?

James: Easiest question I’ve ever been asked. I didn’t even have to think about this one for a second . . .

BOY’S LIFE, by Robert R. McCammon. It’s my favorite novel of all time, the only book that ever made me cry. Man, what a great movie it could be in the right hands. Although it might work better as a mini-series. I wouldn’t even ask to direct — I would ask to co-write the screenplay with Mr. McCammon, then give all the money to someone like Jim Mickle to take the directing reins.

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

James: My latest release is a novella called RIDE OR DIE. It’s about fifteen-year-old Amelia Fletcher, who recently discovered that her dad has been cheating on her mom. With the help of her two BFF’s, she decides to get a little revenge one night on the homewrecker — decorating her house with toilet paper, vulgar graffiti on the walls, stuff like that.

This is a horror story, though, so things take a dark and violent turn.

I think fans of non-supernatural horror, the kind of stuff Jack Ketchum used to write, would really dig this one. It starts out like another coming-of-age tale (my readers seem to love those), almost a YA book according to some reviewers . . . and before you know it our heroines are in Hell.

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

James: I would love to sit in Judge Judy’s courtroom for a day. I’m addicted to that show, can’t get enough of her disdain for stupid people. I’m terrified yet at the same time inexplicably aroused by her wrath. If she ever yelled at me I’m not sure whether I would curl into a fetal position or squeal with delight. Maybe both.

Oh my god, this might be the best answer I’ve had for this question yet! Judge Judy and People’s Court are amazing and I used to watch them everyday during University!!

Thank you so much, James!

To discover all of his wonderful work;

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/James-Newman/e/B0082Z5L18/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/newmanjam

Book Review: The Warrior Retreat by John Lynch

Title: The Warrior Retreat

Author: John Lynch

Release date: November 11th, 2022

I connected with John some time back, when he was a full-time reviewer, and it’s been great seeing how he slowly began to the writing journey. I remember beta-reading a short story a few years ago (that ultimately got published) and was stoked to see how he’d progressed and how he was finding homes for his short fiction. That all lead up to the inevitable – the debut novel. So, when he announced this, I’ll admit, I was tentatively excited.

Excited for John to have created something longer than a short and was packaging it and getting it out there, but also tentative because of the subject matter. I’m not an overly ‘war-centric’ reader. Nor do I watch much war-based movies/shows. The PTSD aspect though, and how the synopsis reads still had me keen. When John reached out I happily agreed to give this one ago and see what we find when these guys arrive in the woods.

What I liked: The story follows a group of soldiers stationed together who get rocked by an unseen explosive device. Each suffers various injuries – mentally and physically – and each are changed forever from this event.

Lynch does a great job of bringing us to that place, based off of his own time serving in the military, and the characters are fleshed out and (while frustratingly at times sophomoric) feel like guys you’ve met before.

We do open with a unique sleep paralysis moment, which gives us a mildly touching character moment that will steer you in one direction.

When we do get to the cabin, the events that occur are horrific and (while all too-brief) showed their survival instincts and their ability to pull from deep within, no matter how many years it’s been since the deployment ended.

Lynch did a stellar job of showing how much the deployment took a toll on each one of the characters and how horribly it affected them.

What I didn’t like: While I liked this novel, there were a few things that ground my gears. The first is that the novel sets us up for a retreat in the woods. I kind of expected that to be the majority of the novel, but in actuality it’s only the last 25% or so and that time goes by really fast. I think it would’ve been more powerful if the entire novel would’ve taken place there and we see the events leading up to it in flashback form, but that’s just my thoughts.

The characters are cartoonish at times, and we get a significant amount of juvenile/sophomoric humor and insults. We also get a few random moments of depravity – an encounter in public at a bar and two guys picking up a bartender that didn’t add much to the characters storylines. It could very well be inspired by real convos (I won’t spoil anything from the afterword), but it could very well put a lot of readers off.

Lastly, and this was a big one, the opening sleep paralysis moment definitely makes the reader think this is going somewhere and then it essentially forgotten about, only briefly returning at the end. I really wished this would’ve been more expanded upon and the supernatural aspects heightened.

Why you should buy this: For me, and I’m just one reader, this is a solid debut novel that had a few-missteps. What I didn’t jive with may very well be the parts others love the most. I thought the idea was fantastic and I was really, very excited to get into the crux of all of these damaged soldiers going through group therapy together.

If you like Military-based horror with a side-serving of extreme Splatterpunk, look no further. I think many folks will really dig what Lynch has to offer and I’m very excited to see where he goes from here.

3.5/5

Book Review: Salamander Justice by Tamika Thompson

Title: Salamander Justice

Author: Tamika Thompson

Release date: October 31, 2022

Firstly – huge thanks to Beverly Bambury for reaching out to me to see if I’d take a look at this novella that is launching in a few weeks!

I was immediately intrigued by the title and synopsis of this one. It reminded me of ‘Come Closer’ by Sara Gran mixed with a creature-feature. Veda, this main character, keeps seeing something odd… but does she?

I was excited to dive in, so once it was emailed over, I raced through it, excited to discover what Thompson had created.

What I liked: The story is fast-paced and we dive in immediately with Veda getting ready to head to a social function. While attempting to get ready, she notices something darting around her place. A quick attempt to capture it occurs, but it finds a crack in the wall to hide in.

With that simple set up, we then follow as Veda goes and meets her semi-boyfriend/guy she’s hanging out with at his brother’s surprise birthday party. Thompson does a good job of setting the scene and when Veda meets the brother, sparks fly and feelings get hurt.

The ‘real’ story here is what propelled me along. It kept me guessing and was so very intriguing. I wanted to learn the truth of the dead ex-husband. I wanted to see if Veda was actually seeing something or was it all in her head. And the ending was perfect to cap that off and tie up some loose ends.

What I didn’t like: I honestly didn’t like a single character. Veda annoyed me, Sam and Adam were frustrating and their mother was an odd character. It felt like I was watching a reality TV series where they get the most ridiculous cast together and they all want you to believe they’re better than everyone else.

I will say – this does work perfectly for the dynamics between the characters.

Why you should buy this: I read this easily in a single sitting, maybe around 45 minutes or, so it made for a perfect little snappy shock to fit in. The pacing is fantastic, the ‘thing’ that is stalking the story is well done and overall, you get a solid story that makes you hope for an expanded sequel!

3.5/5

3Q’s Special: Catherine Cavendish and her Dark Observation!

Oh man, do we have a fun one today! Catherine Cavendish is a name that immediately conjures two clashing images; the first would be dark, disturbing and eerie Gothic Horror. The second is that she is one of the most kindest and supportive people out there today! I’m always so excited to see what Catherine is conjuring with each release!

Please, do welcome Catherine!

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?

Catherine: I generally try to write something every day of the week. It doesn’t always pan out like that because life does have an annoying habit of getting in the way but I usually write in the afternoons. If I’m working on a first draft of a new story, I aim to complete a minimum of 2,000 words in one sitting. Sometimes, when I’m on a roll, it can be much more than that.

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?

Catherine: A luxury house on an island sounds the perfect venue for a supernatural murder mystery. I would invite Ramsey Campbell because, aside from being a legend in his own lifetime, possessed of a keen sense of humour and a fund of fascinating and hilarious anecdotes, he is a brilliant horror writer with an amazing store of knowledge of all things dark and sinister. And he would also bring along some great wine. I think Gaby Triana and I would bounce some great ideas off each other. She is the Queen of Southern Gothic Horror and I write gothic horror with a British flavour so we have a lot in common. Val McDermid is a Scottish crime writer and I would love to learn some of the tricks of the trade from her. All in all we should have a stimulating, fun weekend.

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

Catherine: My novel, Dark Observation is mainly set during World War II at the height of the London Blitz. Typist Violet Harrington works in the subterranean, top-secret Cabinet War Rooms, where Prime Minister Winston Churchill makes the key decisions that will dictate Britain’s conduct of the war. Above, the people of London go about their daily business, unaware of the life that teems beneath their feet.
Night after night the bombs rain down, yet, in that fateful spring, Violet has far more to fear than air raids.
She and her friend Tilly share a house with the strange and distant Sandrine Maupas di Santiago – a woman who doesn’t belong there; a woman who is hiding something. Where does she go at night – and what secrets lay behind that too-perfect exterior? But when they decide to dig a little deeper, Violet soon discovers some secrets are best left alone.

At home, and in her place of work, she cannot escape from the menace closing in on her. Increasingly isolated by events she cannot control, every day brings fresh fears. A mysterious man and a room that only she can see, memories she can no longer trust, and a best friend who denies their shared past…

Something is targeting her.

Tragedy strikes and little by little the web is unraveled, but the truth is more extraordinary than Violet could ever have imagined…

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?

Catherine: On reflection (something of which, being a vampire, Dracula knows nothing ) I think Frankenstein’s invitation might be the one I’d go for. With energy prices soaring, it would be great to tap into his electricity supply. Given the amount he uses, he wouldn’t even notice, would he? Also, I am not all that keen on the sight of copious amounts of blood – especially mine – and with Dracula I feel there is a much greater chance of that happening. I can’ t see Frankenstein harvesting my body for spare parts. I’m far too old. So, all in all,  I think I would have a much better chance of surviving the night intact at Victor Frankenstein’s house. Plus, I reckon the food will be better. I mean, apart from blood, Dracula doesn’t eat, does he? And I do prefer my meat well done.

Thank you, Steve for a highly entertaining chat.

Thank you, Catherine!

To find more of her work, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Catherine-Cavendish/e/B0059GDROQ/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cat_Cavendish

Website: https://www.catherinecavendish.com/

3Q’s – Israel Finn shares a Secret Song!

Straight to the point today – our guest – one, Israel Finn, has been one of the nicest and most supportive people in the dark fiction community since I started. He’s released some phenomenally brutal pieces and seeing that something is coming down the pipeline has me all kinds of excited!

So, without further wait – please welcome the enormously awesome Israel Finn!

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?

Finn: I try to write every day, but that’s not always possible. Most days, I like to start writing after lunch and continue until dinnertime. I’m happy if I get five-hundred good words written in a day. If I get more, I’m happier. I tend to edit as I go (though I try to curb that impulse when I’m really in the zone) so my actual writing process can be a bit tedious at times. But it appeals to my meticulous nature.

Steve: If you could write a story for another author’s fictional world/series, which would it be and why?

Finn: Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. That series is my “Harry Potter.” It hits all the sweet spots for me: robots, monsters, sorcerers, a gunslinger, a hero’s journey, flawed and fascinating characters, and my favorite element of all—interdimensional travel! I’m a sucker for that stuff.

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

Finn: I wrote a collection called Dreaming at the Top of My Lungs, thirteen short stories of horror and speculative fiction. It has something in it for pretty much everybody. I’ve also got some other short stories out there in submission land at the moment. And I’m writing a novel called The Secret Song, a story about—you guessed it—interdimensional travel. So, watch for that.

Steve: Bonus Question! Do you have a cherished book?

Finn: I do! It’s Time and Again by Jack Finney (author of Invasion of the Body Snatchers). It’s a masterpiece.

Very cool!

Thank you so much, Israel!

Check the links and find more of his work!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Israel-Finn/e/B00H0ILX74

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ifinnfiction

Website: https://israelfinn.com/