Jon Dobbin's Blog, page 2

Cover Reveal: The Starving

[image error]Engen Books is proud to announce and unveil the cover for The Starving, the first novel from award-winning author Jon Dobbin, in stores in May 2019.

This stunning, evocative piece of art embraces the horror at atmosphere of Dobbin’s Western horror was crafted with care by the amazing Jud Haynes.

Haynes is one of, if not the, most talented graphic designers working in the province at this time. His work has enhanced many an amazing project, including album covers, tourism campaigns, and novel covers. To find out more about his work, visit his website.

Dobbin’s novel follows the story of Bill Weston hunting the man known as Faraway Sue.

From the back cover: “Something evil grows in the heart of Colorado.

Bill Weston was a man of the West. He knew it – its land, its people, its stories. It was where he plied his trade, hunting men for money. His life wasn’t easy, but it was predictable. That all changed when he captured Faraway Sue and he was led on a trip through the Colorado forests.

In those unknown wilds Weston was confronted by an ancient evil, bent and twisted by time and hunger. It would take everything in him to make it out alive, but what can a man do when faced with a creature out of myth and legend?

Find a way to survive, or be changed forever.”

“The Starving is an incredible, transcendent work. A return to — and at the same time, reexamination of — both the Western and Horror genres. It is a stunning first novel, of the type that only come along rarely.” — Matthew LeDrew, founder of Engen Books.

Pickup The Starving, available this May from Engen Books, as well as Dobbin’s contributions to Chillers from the Rock and Dystopia from the Rock, available now.

 

Livin’ on the Edge: Engen’s Dystopia from the Rock | Jon Dobbin’s Blog

“There’s somethin’ wrong with the world today/ I don’t know what it is” crooned Steven Tyler of Aerosmith in the band’s seminal 90’s hit Livin’ on the Edge. Those opening lines, a cry against the changing and harsh world, are as true today as they were in that almost 30 year gone decade. Turning on the news, reading a Facebook article, or, perhaps, tuning into the Twitterverse will tell you “somethin’ ain’t right.” And while that’s concerning, even downright scary, the art that is produced in these times of hardship is often beautiful, uplifting, and a call-to-action. It tells us to make a change or else. The writers and editors of Engen’s collection of short stories, Dystopia From the Rock, have certainly embodied this movement.

Like fables or parables, dystopian fiction often aims to teach a lesson or to convey a moral. These stories often wag their fingers at readers and say, “if we don’t change, we could end up just like this.” Dystopia From the Rock has tales that attempt to teach us that lesson. Notably are Samuel Bauer’s “In the Rising Flame” and Matthew LeDrew’s “Young Republicans.” In both stories, the authors speak to societal trends that we see today.  Bauer tackles the possible aftermath of a nuclear war, the segregation of class, and the drug trade. LeDrew also challenges segregation of class, focusing on the dangers of ignoring and denying these issues. In both cases, a lesson can be learned, a warning presented and a challenge made to make a change.

A dystopia is said to be the opposite of utopia. That’s to say, it is a story about when things have gone wrong. In Dystopia From the Rock stories such as David Rimmington’s “The Ninth Wonder” and Ali House’s “Game Plan” give us a glimpse into a future where wrong outweighs the right. Rimmington’s tale paints the picture of a colonized planet in which an unyielding machine continues to run, to work, with horrible efficiency. House, on the other hand, gives us a glimpse into a world where a dictator has gained control but is faced with the problem of a growing resistance. These stories are truly the opposite of Utopia. In both cases, perhaps the world was moving towards some sort of positive future, but something caused it to take a wrong turn that ended in a disaster.

Disaster breeds art. Beauty grows from ruin. Dystopia From the Rock showcases this many times over.  Two glowing examples are Michelle Churchill’s “Candles in the Tree” and Nicole Little’s “The Last One Standing.” Beautifully written, each story delivers a different tone and message that plays on the reader’s emotions. In Churchill’s story, the first of the collection, we are faced with the gut-wrenching consequences of a terrible accident that leaves the reader teary-eyed, and frightened. In contrast, Little’s story, the final of the collection, gives us back the breath that Churchill stole from us.  A sigh of relief and the possibility of a happy ending that leaves us with a sense of hope and, perhaps, even a smile.

From start to finish, Dystopia From the Rock is a great read for those who enjoy speculative fiction. There are so many remarkable authors in the collection that those I mentioned above are only the tip of the talented iceberg. So, pick it up. Read, enjoy, post a review. As Steven Tyler sang, “something right with the world today/ And everybody knows it’s wrong/ But we can tell ‘em no or we could let it go/ But I’d rather be a hangin’ on”. Read, write, resist. Keep hangin’ on.

Jon Dobbin’s first novel, The Starving, is to be released this May from Engen Books. Check out Dystopia from the Rock, on sale now from Engen!

What If? Do the Mash, do the Genre Mash | Jon Dobbin’s Blog

Listen, okay, writing isn’t easy. Right now, I’m sitting in an uncomfortable chair, balancing a laptop and generous sized tea all the while trying to churn out words that make some semblance of sense. Not easy. Sometimes I feel like Tobey Maguire in that scene from Spider-Man when he grabbed all of MJ’s lunch on the tray before it splattered to the cafeteria floor (not CGI or special effects by the way. Tobey Maguire is just really method). As I was saying, writing isn’t easy. Perhaps the hardest part of writing, besides balancing laptops and hot beverages, is coming up with original ideas, because… there are none. Not really, not anymore. Don’t lose hope though, you’re ideas are still valid, they still work. You are still a writer. It just takes a little tweaking. Every writer has their own way of doing this, and I’m going to tell you about mine.

Ask yourself: What if? That’s it. Simple.

Okay, more words. “What if” is a question that a lot of us writer types ask ourselves when trying to come up with ideas. It doesn’t have to be anything too crazy, it’s just one of many things you can do to get those creative juices flowing. It’s all about the juxtaposition of things. You throw things off balance, and your imaginative writer’s mind will work away at making the answer to the “What if” question work.

Let’s look at some examples. As you read through them, think about how you would answer these questions:

What if Arnold Schwarzenegger hadn’t been a bodybuilder? How would he have made his way to fame and fortune?
What if people weren’t scared of the dark, but were scared of the light?
What if Dracula didn’t die at the end of Bram Stoker’s Dracula? (The answer is: Anno Dracula by Kim Newman).

Fun, huh? I always think so. But you can take it so much further. In my case, when I ask “What ifs”, it often involves some sort of genre crossover or mash-up. You see, as a kid I was always fascinated by unexpected crossovers. For instance, I thought it was pretty cool when Steve Urkel of Family Matters guest starred on Step-by-Step on the best family-friendly television line-up ever created: TGIF on ABC.

Perhaps another example. Oh, I know! When Marvel and DC did a brief crossover event in the ‘90s that created Amalgam Comics. Man, I thought that was bananas. They made Wolverine into Batman?! Epic! (Pro-tip: don’t look this up. It was decidedly not epic). Whatever the case, young Jon was drawn to these strange, often bad, mash-ups, so much so that, like a nefarious weed, genre mash-ups had taken root in my psyche and helped me produce multiple genre-bending stories all on my own, including my upcoming novel: The Starving.

So, what would some genre fluid “What ifs” look like? Let’s take a look at some that have already been done:

What if Hamlet took place in a modern-day American Biker gang? (Sons of Anarchy by Kurt Sutter).
What if there were zombies in Pride and Prejudice? (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith).
What if the kids from Scooby-Doo actually ran up against real, existential, H.P. Lovecraft-style mythos kind of evil? (Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero).

Really the possibilities are only limited to what your mind can come up with.  The best thing to remember is that your mind, your imagination, is your biggest asset. No two people will answer the questions posed here in the same way. That’s why it works.

Ideas spring from some unexpected places, but sometimes you just have to massage them along. What works for me is to ask myself “What if” and see where my imagination takes me. What works for you may be different, but if you’re stuck, why not give the “What if” question a shot? Now, what if I had a writing space with a dedicated desk and comfy chair? Ah, that would be magnificent.

Dobbin’s work has appeared in the Chillers from the Rock, Dystopia from the Rock, and Kit Sora: The Artobiography collections. His first standalone novel, The Starving, hits shelves in 2019.

Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash. Words © 2019 Jon Dobbin.

‘Dystopia from the Rock’ becomes Amazon Bestseller in multiple categories!

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Dystopia from the Rock, the fourth volume in the modern From the Rock series, hit #1 Bestseller on February 21, 2019 at 8:22 AM Newfoundland Standard Time: a full month before its release. It reached #1 in the category of ‘Science Fiction Short Stories,’ and ‘Cyberpunk.’ As of this writing it has reached #1086 on the overall paid Amazon ca charts, #7 in Cyberpunk Science-Fiction, and #10 in Genetic Engineering Science-Fiction.

Dystopia from the Rock features thirty-two short stories written by a diverse mix of some of the best speculative fiction and thriller authors in Canada, including both award-winners, veterans of their craft, and brand new talent.

Edited by Erin Vance and accomplished genre author Ellen Curtis, this collection features the thrilling, creatively charged, astonishing fiction that showcases the talent, imagination, and prestige that Canada — both in the Atlantic region and beyond — has to offer.

Featuring the work of Lauralana Dunne (Ashes), Jon Dobbin (The Starving), Matthew LeDrew (Coral Beach Casefiles, Infinity, Xander Drew), Jed MacKay (Edge of Spider-Geddon, Daredevil: Man Without Fear), an introduction by Brad Dunne, & much more!

Engen Books would like to congratulate editors Curtis & Vance on this achievement, and thank its fans and peers who helps make this possible. We also extend gratitude an congratulations to authors and contributors: Jed MacKay, Corrine Lewandowski, Katie Little, Sam Bauer, Andrew Pike, Jon Haas, Matthew Daniels, Matthew LeDrew, Lauralana Dunne, Diane Lynn McGyver, David Wright, Erin Vance, Jon Dobbin, Elizabeth Whitten, Peter Foote, Chantal Boudreau, Ellen Curtis, Finnan Beaton, Christopher Walsh, Lisa Daly, Jeff Slade, Michelle Churchill, Ryan Belbin, Nicole Little, Brad Dunne, David Rimmington, Heather Nolan, Gareth Mitton, Shannon Green, JJ King, and Ali House!

7:50PM Update: Dystopia from the Rock has ranked thusly in the following categories:

Named a ‘Hot New Release’ by Amazon dot CA in both Science Fiction and SciFi Fantasy

#1 in Science Fiction Short Stories and Anthologies

#1 in Cyberpunk

#74 overall for paid books in Canada

#2 in Genetic Engineering

#10 in all of Science Fiction & Fantasy

#7 in all of Science Fiction

#3 in Space Marine Science Fiction

#4 in Military Science-Fiction

#2 in Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction

#92 in all eBooks

9:45PM update:

#1 Short Story Collection in all of Canada

#25 in all of Literature & Fiction in Canada

Dystopia from the Rock held its #1 Bestseller status in Science-Fiction Short Stories from Feb 21 – 25 2019

Award-Winning Author Jon Dobbin announced as a ‘Dystopia from the Rock’ author!

Engen Books is proud to announce one of the authors that will be returning in 2019’s Dystopia from the Rock collection: Jon Dobbin!

A native to the St. John’s metro region, Dobbin tied for first place in the 2017 48-Hour Writing Marathon, sponsored by THE Creative Learning, Thrive, and Engen Books. He placed second during the WANL Nightmare on Water Street event in October 2018. He describes himself as “the father of three, the husband to an amazing wife, an educator, and a tattoo and beard enthusiast.”

Dobbin made his publishing debut in Chillers from the Rock with two entries: Man of Fire and The Chosen, and since then has had a banner first year as a published author. His Flash Fiction was featured in Kit Sora: The Artobiography, and his first novel, The Starving, was announced for a 2019 release.

He brings his stories “Blood Red Horizon” and “The Other,” and is one of the few authors who got two stories into the collection, along with Ali House, Nicole Little, and two as-yet unnamed authors.

Thirteen other authors will be joining Jon Dobbin, Elizabeth Whitten, Peter Foote, Chantal Boudreau, Ellen Curtis, Finnan Beaton, Christopher Walsh, Lisa Daly, Jeff Slade, Michelle Churchill, Ryan Belbin, Nicole Little, Brad Dunne, David Rimmington, Heather Nolan, Gareth Mitton, Shannon Green and Ali House for the 2019 Dystopia on the Rock collection! We still have award-winning and prolific authors in the genre to announce! Who will join them? Stay tuned and Never Look Back!

For exclusive content and FREE books, be sure and check out the Engen Books Patreon.

Looking ahead to 2019 | Engen Books

2018 was a banner year for Engen Books, but 2019 has all the potential to surpass it: in spades! Those looking for a sneak peak into just some of our upcoming projects are in the right place! From returning entries in favorite series, remastered bestsellers, and brand new talent breaking for the first time: Engen Books is the thing to follow in 2019!

Coral Beach Casefiles

[image error]The ten book Black Womb series started it all for Engen Books, starting the Engen Universe by mixing its unique blend of intense scares, compelling characters, and YA aesthetic to make something truly unlike any experience in fiction.

In 2019 we’re repositioning that series with the marketing knowledge we’ve gained after ten years in the industry, with a snazzy new title in Coral Beach Casefiles and bold, innovative new covers from Canada’s most astonishing photographic talent, Kit Sora.

We’re hoping to new branding will break the series into the mainstream with its flare for adult-driven takes on the themes and ideas that took root in narratives like Scream, Scooby-Doo, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you’ve been wanting to check out the series but hadn’t known how to start, 2019 is the year to get on board.

Supernatural Causes – Season 2

Amanda Labonté’s fun-filled medical mystery about a hospital that caters to vampires, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night went bestseller in 2018, and now it’s back with a new season, new rules, and new complications in the life of Liesel Andrews!

The Fifth Queen

The sequel to the dystopian fantasy epic The Six Elemental, The Fifth Queen brings us back into the world with a bold new twist! Kendra Chen thought she knew the direction her life was taking, but when her Uncle reveals a secret about her family, she finds herself on a new path, one that seems to be headed straight for the legendary Six-Elemental.

Look for a cover reveal soon!

The Starving

Jon Dobbin’s inaugural novel, The Starving, is a weird-west tale mixing science-fiction and western elements. The story has already won acclaim, winning the 2017 48 Hour Novel Writing Marathon in an early draft. Dobbin’s style is laconic and literary, with a dry wit that doesn’t take away from the intense action housed within. The Starving will not disappoint!

[image error] Zombies on the Rock: The Republic of Newfoundland

Paul Carberry’s bestselling horror series returns this year, and promises more thrills and chills as the team — desperate to outrun the zombies that have infested the island — makes their way towards the Avalon Peninsula and St. John’s in a desperate attempt at survival. If you haven’t checked out this series yet, now’s the time!

Book One: Outbreak

Book Two: The Viking Trail

 

The Last Tree

[image error]Unfinished Sample Art by Ariel Marsh

The first in a Young Reader’s fantasy series written by the astonishingly talented Michelle Churchill, The Last Tree tells the story of Gus, a young boy struggling to find his place in a world of fantasy, fairies, pirates, mermaids and magic!

With art by the legendarily talented Ariel Marsh (Super Galactic Space Explorers, Emma Awesome), The Last Tree is going to be an adventure for young and old alike to enjoy!

The story is already getting rave reviews from those inside the industry. Churchill’s short fiction had been prominently featured in Chillers from the Rock and Kit Sora: The Artobiography, but now she prepares to take center stage and bring her masterpiece to the world!

Wow! And would you believe… that’s not even half of our 2019 roster of titles?!? Stay tuned to Engen Books here and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram this year for more stunning announcements! Visit the Engen Patreon to learn how to follow for as little as $1 a month and get exclusive contests.