Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer's Blog
July 31, 2022
May 4, 2022
Ctrl Alt Del: Drabbles 2 (Revelations)
Ctrl Alt Del has just been released by Black Ink Fiction, featuring a "Foreword" by me and three of my short drabbles, “R.I.P. Grandpop”, “Overrun”, and “EMP Free”.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XRTWP6W/
April 4, 2022
Fools for Love, available April 2022
I am thrilled to announce my story "The Reaper's Jest" is featured in Paramour Ink's Fools for Love anthology, set in the fictional paranormal town of "Bones Hollow". This is a shared world and I feel honoured to be able to cooperate with other authors to contribute.
https://www.amazon.com/Fools-Love-Paranormal-Romance-Anthology-ebook/dp/B09PKRRD3G/
March 7, 2022
Australian Fairy Tale Society "Writers" page
As a member of the Australian Fairy Tale Society, I was invited to have my works featured on the Australian Fairy Tale Society "Writers" page.
In terms of fairy tale writing, I highlighted "The Princess of the Trees" in an anthology by Black Hare Press, and "The Land of Meow" which is a children's story I've just released.
Mystic Evermore is also a Young Adult fantasy, which might also qualify.
https://australianfairytalesociety.org/afts-writers/
February 14, 2022
Black Ink Fiction "Women in Horror Month" Listing.
The lovely ladies at Black Ink Fiction have put together a feature on emerging women in horror.
All the female authors: https://womenofhorror.square.site/women-in-horror
I found filling out the questionnaire was a revealing process. The first question challenged me to name a woman horror writer who had influenced me. To be honest, I COULDN'T! All the horror writers that had influenced me big time were male. Stephen King, Bram Stoker, James Herbert, Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft.
The other writers that came to mind were Ira Levin (who wrote Rosemarie's Baby) and when I looked him up, he was also a man, and if I had reached back into the past of the Gothic tradition, Ann Radcliffe who wrote The Mysteries of Udolpho. Female fantasy writers who include a good balance of darker elements did come to mind, and if you check my interview, you will read about them.
Upon reading interviews by fellow women writers I notice some identified Agatha Christy as an influence (I was a huge fan, but classed her as a murder mystery writer), and Shirley Jackson, author of The Haunting of Hill House. A couple of authors referred to Mary Shelley, but she is usually classed as the "mother of science-fiction" and it is often necessary to point out that Dr. Frankenstien is the inventor NOT the monster! The movies have had such a contrary influence on the plot.
I was surprised that nobody else traced their love of horror back to fairy-stories. The modern Disney stories have been sanitised and filmed with cheery music, bright costumes & falsely happy endings. I would encourage the younger reader to seek out original Hans Andersen, Brother's Grimm and Arabian Nights volumes. There will be some surprises.
Of course, it is quite okay to class writers in multiple genres and garner influences where one wants. The first lesson I learned filling out the questionnaire is that men have perhaps dominated the horror scene during certain eras. The second lesson I learned reading other interviews is how diverse women writers really were. Two excellent lessons!
My interview: https://womenofhorror.square.site/cecilia-hopkins-drewer
January 1, 2022
New Year Release of Illustrated Children's Fantasy
THE LAND OF MEOW
I have celebrated New Year 2020 by releasing an illustrated children's book.
The human/animal urban fantasy is suited to emergent and independent readers 8-10 years of age (if I have judged correctly) with the inclusion of a few more challenging words that expand the vocabulary.
Knowing that children's literature requires illustration to succeed has held me back for many years, but I finally created cartoon-like illustrations to make it appeal to the age group. I was emboldened by the fact that illustrations in primary readers are often line drawings, watercolors, cartoons & other rough images which I felt I might just manage to match with the aid of computer drawing packages.
I meant to make it free on Amazon, but have discovered that is not possible. (I'm still investigating other options, including putting a PDF on Academia.com because the story was born out of a pitch I had to develop as part of a university subject ENCO310: Children’s Literature: Picture Books and Fantasy completed at the University of New England in 2009).
The lecturer suggested our assignment book proposals could be developed into full-length books, but I was never inspired to fill out the whole 20,000 words I proposed. Instead, around 2009 I released five mini-adventures as serials on Watt Pad. Although that site is primarily designed for Young Adult readers, the tale reached number 23 in #Primary and attracted a few comments.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PJ8R5J7
The ebook is ideal for loading into children's electronic devices as a reader. However, there will be a paperback version released for parents who prefer to give their children reading matter in print. The other book in the series will follow, as soon as my hand has recovered from the cramp of illustrating this one and is able to illustrate the next. This story has been replaced by a placeholder message on Watt Pad. However, the sequels are still available to read online until each is illustrated, given a final edit, and released officially.
October 20, 2021
2021 News: Festival of Fear
https://www.blackinkfiction.com/festival-of-fear
Festival of Fear from Black Ink Fiction is also available now! This is my adventure with an exciting new small press. A horror anthology that incorporates some dark humor.
Penumbra #2 is out now!
The volume contains my inaugural essay on Lord Dunsany: ““The Quest of Iranon” and Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley: Two Exercises in the Picaresque.” Penumbra, (Edited by S.T. Joshi)
Here is what fellow reviewer and poet Leigh Blackmore had to say.
PLAY by Black Hare Press has also been released.
This book contains what I consider my darkest horror story ever.
I don't think I will ever write a darker tale - because I like to use psychological fantasy and even a bit of weird humour. Since writing "The Soul Doll" I have been facing the challenge of writing black comedy & of course, the probability this will lead to more rejection as humour appears to be a tricky market. So serious horror fans can enjoy "The Soul Doll" as my last dark opus...
2021 News
Penumbra #2 is out now!
The volume contains my inaugural essay on Lord Dunsany: ““The Quest of Iranon” and Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley: Two Exercises in the Picaresque.” Penumbra, (Edited by S.T. Joshi)
Here is what fellow reviewer and poet Leigh Blackmore had to say.
PLAY by Black Hare Press has also been released.
This book contains what I consider my darkest horror story ever.
I don't think I will ever write a darker tale - because I like to use psychological fantasy and even a bit of weird humour. Since writing "The Soul Doll" I have been facing the challenge of writing black comedy & of course, the probability this will lead to more rejection as humour appears to be a tricky market. So serious horror fans can enjoy "The Soul Doll" as my last dark opus...
