Elizabeth Bell's Blog, page 3
August 21, 2019
Horror
I get it when people say they don't like horror. Horror has a profound effect on people who immerse themselves in it. It has the power to wake you screaming or moaning from your peaceful slumber and cause you to hesitate at a dark doorway.
One of my favorite movies to watch when I need my daily dose of gore is the remake of ' The Hills Have Eyes'.
I get asked a lot why this subpar movie? That's easy, I watch it for the antagonist Doug. You know the nerdy cell phones man? He takes on a whole town of hungry mutants. But I don't watch it for that.
I watch it to see Doug get the ever-loving shit kicked out of him. Yea. I watch it to see him nearly die several times. I watch it to see him begging and pleading for his life. I eagerly lean forward to see his fingers chopped off. I'm breathless when I watch him go head to head with Lizard who is probably the baddest mutant in the whole damn town.
So why do I watch him? Maybe I'm a sick person. Maybe I enjoy seeing good people hurt.
Or maybe I know that could be me but without actually winning at the end.
Yeah, you heard right. If I had to take on a town of hungry mutants I would not turn into a badass who suddenly knows Kung Fu. In fact, trying to do a back kick is enough to force me to lay down on the couch with either an icepack or a heating pad on my back.
I don't know how to shoot a gun. The last one I ever held was when my dad took me hunting where I just tripped around with my slingshot. I remember holding a shotgun for him while he fixed something or he could've been taking a leak.
I'm not sexy in any way. No, really the years have not been kind to me. So the odds I can somehow seduce a killer into being clumsy so I can take the weapon from them or grab a weapon that somehow managed to be both sharp and heavy...well might as well laugh and kiss my ass goodbye.
So yea I would not do better than Doug even though I would take on a whole town to save my sons no matter how much they annoy me sometimes. I would gladly ( and probably would ) give up my life for them.
But Doug wins. Sure he looks like he got put through a wood chipper and he's minus some fingers and let's be honest...if it wasn't for the little girl sacrificing herself Doug would have kicked the bucket. Yet he didn't.
And that makes me feel good. I relate to him. That is the thing I strive to write a story that if I can't get you to relate to the main character will at least send chills down your spine and if I can't manage that I hope I gross you out to summerize something King once said.
That being the case ' The Oni' is my grand attempt to capture that essence. I hope it does more than that I hope it moves you, somehow.
The release is tentatively scheduled for the end of October. I hope to see you all reading and maybe consider mine to read to ^_^
One of my favorite movies to watch when I need my daily dose of gore is the remake of ' The Hills Have Eyes'.
I get asked a lot why this subpar movie? That's easy, I watch it for the antagonist Doug. You know the nerdy cell phones man? He takes on a whole town of hungry mutants. But I don't watch it for that.
I watch it to see Doug get the ever-loving shit kicked out of him. Yea. I watch it to see him nearly die several times. I watch it to see him begging and pleading for his life. I eagerly lean forward to see his fingers chopped off. I'm breathless when I watch him go head to head with Lizard who is probably the baddest mutant in the whole damn town.
So why do I watch him? Maybe I'm a sick person. Maybe I enjoy seeing good people hurt.
Or maybe I know that could be me but without actually winning at the end.
Yeah, you heard right. If I had to take on a town of hungry mutants I would not turn into a badass who suddenly knows Kung Fu. In fact, trying to do a back kick is enough to force me to lay down on the couch with either an icepack or a heating pad on my back.
I don't know how to shoot a gun. The last one I ever held was when my dad took me hunting where I just tripped around with my slingshot. I remember holding a shotgun for him while he fixed something or he could've been taking a leak.
I'm not sexy in any way. No, really the years have not been kind to me. So the odds I can somehow seduce a killer into being clumsy so I can take the weapon from them or grab a weapon that somehow managed to be both sharp and heavy...well might as well laugh and kiss my ass goodbye.
So yea I would not do better than Doug even though I would take on a whole town to save my sons no matter how much they annoy me sometimes. I would gladly ( and probably would ) give up my life for them.
But Doug wins. Sure he looks like he got put through a wood chipper and he's minus some fingers and let's be honest...if it wasn't for the little girl sacrificing herself Doug would have kicked the bucket. Yet he didn't.
And that makes me feel good. I relate to him. That is the thing I strive to write a story that if I can't get you to relate to the main character will at least send chills down your spine and if I can't manage that I hope I gross you out to summerize something King once said.
That being the case ' The Oni' is my grand attempt to capture that essence. I hope it does more than that I hope it moves you, somehow.
The release is tentatively scheduled for the end of October. I hope to see you all reading and maybe consider mine to read to ^_^
August 17, 2019
Future
Hopefully the Oni will be out in OctoberI'm currently putting together a cover and some ads that I can share on Facebook to drum up interest.
The hostage has just about reached it's limited. It has been corrected and a new cover done to replace the drab gray cover that it had before.
Sadly Ty's heart the underwater romance fell apart plot-wise and has to be put back on the shelf until another day.
To take its place I'll be working on a thriller/romance Razorback Hollow and a horror called Falcon Ridge.
The year is rapidly coming up on us and I'm looking forward to what the new year brings!
The hostage has just about reached it's limited. It has been corrected and a new cover done to replace the drab gray cover that it had before.
Sadly Ty's heart the underwater romance fell apart plot-wise and has to be put back on the shelf until another day.
To take its place I'll be working on a thriller/romance Razorback Hollow and a horror called Falcon Ridge.
The year is rapidly coming up on us and I'm looking forward to what the new year brings!
July 20, 2019
Another book ready
The Oni, who's controversial items have gotten me banned from a writer's group due to a lot of misunderstanding is finished grammar wise and spell check! Working on the cover now and final edits ( well 3covers I haven't decided which one I want to use )
I may have a contest and put up all three and let my readers and fellow authors decide.
On top of that good news, I may have a model for my third cover for AKA Johnny Elf! It's rare we get that perfect model for a cover and I feel blessed I may have mine!
I hope everyone is doing well!
I may have a contest and put up all three and let my readers and fellow authors decide.
On top of that good news, I may have a model for my third cover for AKA Johnny Elf! It's rare we get that perfect model for a cover and I feel blessed I may have mine!
I hope everyone is doing well!
July 7, 2019
O no!!
Alas the file for -The Hostage ' was uploaded with the corrections undone!!
Such a bummer and so embarrassing! I'm going to relaunch not just my pesky errors but a new cover. Hopefully now that I know more about what I'm doing my books on the way will go much much smoother! I'd love to hear from everyone on thier thoughts for writers!
Such a bummer and so embarrassing! I'm going to relaunch not just my pesky errors but a new cover. Hopefully now that I know more about what I'm doing my books on the way will go much much smoother! I'd love to hear from everyone on thier thoughts for writers!
June 8, 2019
Free Ebook!
Great news everyone you can now go to Amazon and download the entire novel ' The Hostage '!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DXDKW4L
This link will take you to Amazon Ebook to collect this novel. 6 out of 7 5 stars! Some of my reviews;
' The story line held my interest right up to the surprising end. '
' Get ready for one hell of a rollercoaster ride!!!! '
' Right in the beginning, you feel the weirdness, then you get caught up with characters and action, but the time you get o the end your mind is blown.'
Once you've read the hostage a review on what you thought of it would be greatly appreciated! Much love!
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DXDKW4L
This link will take you to Amazon Ebook to collect this novel. 6 out of 7 5 stars! Some of my reviews;
' The story line held my interest right up to the surprising end. '
' Get ready for one hell of a rollercoaster ride!!!! '
' Right in the beginning, you feel the weirdness, then you get caught up with characters and action, but the time you get o the end your mind is blown.'
Once you've read the hostage a review on what you thought of it would be greatly appreciated! Much love!
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June 6, 2019
Oni
The Oni is stuttering along mainly because of the cover. I can't afford to pay for a cover design so I'm stuck doing them myself so I try to keep the pics simple.
In this case I have a demon on a rampage. My boyfriend feels that I can just use a bloody mouth with the tongue licking the lips clean.
Bloody mouth = Vampires.
He doesn't agree but feels instead that since it's no fangs it would solve my problems. I suppose I can do a forked tongue to denote demon. What would you use or what do you think would say DEMON on the cover of a book??
I also get to start doing the final draft. Now that I have the corrected book back I'm going to correct/rewrite 3 chapters a day. Once done I am going to self publish. I hope to get some readers who don't mind the gore and harsh aspects of the book.
After a that's done it's time to work on AKA Johnny Elf and get corrections done on that while I work on finishing up Ty's Heart. I have a long list of writing projects so from there it's up in the air.
Much love to all of you who support me!
In this case I have a demon on a rampage. My boyfriend feels that I can just use a bloody mouth with the tongue licking the lips clean.
Bloody mouth = Vampires.
He doesn't agree but feels instead that since it's no fangs it would solve my problems. I suppose I can do a forked tongue to denote demon. What would you use or what do you think would say DEMON on the cover of a book??
I also get to start doing the final draft. Now that I have the corrected book back I'm going to correct/rewrite 3 chapters a day. Once done I am going to self publish. I hope to get some readers who don't mind the gore and harsh aspects of the book.
After a that's done it's time to work on AKA Johnny Elf and get corrections done on that while I work on finishing up Ty's Heart. I have a long list of writing projects so from there it's up in the air.
Much love to all of you who support me!
May 30, 2019
Demons from other countries
Well I'm about done with marketing of ' The Hostage' I think it went well and I hope the updated keywords and categories make it easier to find on Amazon. Over the next couple of months I should have some new reviews ( Hopefully good ) to help it along.
Now I need to research and set up an automated system to acquire emails from readers who want to see more of my stuff. It's not a new idea but it was an idea I hadn't heard of until I listened to one of Nick Stevens webinars for 10k. While I don't think I'll get 10k readers anytime soon I do hope to start building my name up enough to get a few loyal readers who honestly read my sometimes controversial books.
Like my next book ' The Oni' This book is about a demon and a woman who wields it. It is a horror story thus alot of disturbing death scenes/rape described in detail/torture and so on.
The book is done with it's final editing and I've come to decision I need to scrap the words ' Oni" from the book and title. Oni does indeed mean demon, however it is the Japanese version of a demon. My character is Vietnamese on her mother's side and her father is a Voo Doo Bocor from the Caribbeans.
So now another round of research needs to be made and if I have too I will take liberties and call the demon by a name I've made up to go with it. I may also place her mother in a different area of Vietnam closer to an area that is more isolated thus more primitive in their beliefs again something I may need to take liberties with.
On the concept of Demons my beloved cat, Lord Godfrey, snuck up on me and made himself at home practically under the pillow I was leaning against on the couch. I was watching ' Pet Cemetery ' the original which a very much enjoyed. However the part where the demonic Church leaps out at the good doctor my own scheming feline slapped my face with his very long bushy tail. I can tell you i think my heart burned a few thousand calories in that one moment.
I hope to get working on Johnny Elf now that I am done with first full edit of the book and do any rewrites I need to do to move it along to the final editing stage.
I am part way finished with another short story which will be available in my book of short stories as a freebie for customers that sign up for my newsletter. The cover is gorgeous but still under a little construction.
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I am still looking forward to Horrified press which will be coming out soon and have two more of my short stories in their anthologies. So fun times!
Now I need to research and set up an automated system to acquire emails from readers who want to see more of my stuff. It's not a new idea but it was an idea I hadn't heard of until I listened to one of Nick Stevens webinars for 10k. While I don't think I'll get 10k readers anytime soon I do hope to start building my name up enough to get a few loyal readers who honestly read my sometimes controversial books.
Like my next book ' The Oni' This book is about a demon and a woman who wields it. It is a horror story thus alot of disturbing death scenes/rape described in detail/torture and so on.
The book is done with it's final editing and I've come to decision I need to scrap the words ' Oni" from the book and title. Oni does indeed mean demon, however it is the Japanese version of a demon. My character is Vietnamese on her mother's side and her father is a Voo Doo Bocor from the Caribbeans.
So now another round of research needs to be made and if I have too I will take liberties and call the demon by a name I've made up to go with it. I may also place her mother in a different area of Vietnam closer to an area that is more isolated thus more primitive in their beliefs again something I may need to take liberties with.
On the concept of Demons my beloved cat, Lord Godfrey, snuck up on me and made himself at home practically under the pillow I was leaning against on the couch. I was watching ' Pet Cemetery ' the original which a very much enjoyed. However the part where the demonic Church leaps out at the good doctor my own scheming feline slapped my face with his very long bushy tail. I can tell you i think my heart burned a few thousand calories in that one moment.
I hope to get working on Johnny Elf now that I am done with first full edit of the book and do any rewrites I need to do to move it along to the final editing stage.
I am part way finished with another short story which will be available in my book of short stories as a freebie for customers that sign up for my newsletter. The cover is gorgeous but still under a little construction.
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I am still looking forward to Horrified press which will be coming out soon and have two more of my short stories in their anthologies. So fun times!
May 26, 2019
Imagination through Time
When I think of writing, REALLY think of writing what comes to mind is imagination.
I think back to the days when we lived in caves. I mean it had to start somewhere yes?
Back then writing was merely scratching symbols on cave walls perhaps even writing out directions to the herd of grass eaters in the sand which would not have survived the ravages of time. Telling stories no doubt relied on noises, movements, of the body in a dance.
So did it happen there? Maybe a little boy hungry looked at the drawing of a saber tooth tiger and wondered what it would be like to ride upon it's back.
Perhaps a man told the story of a predator killing Bo See Haha to cover up murder that he committed over whose balls were bigger.
I'm sure women back then lived for children. Was there a time when a woman would pretend she was pregnant to save her life because she was barren? Did a mother dream of her son rising up to lead? Overcoming obstacles that our sharpest soldier couldn't beat?
Maybe they were too simple for that. maybe all they dreamed of was water and food.
So surely there was someone who dreamed of ways to make water. Maybe even claimed they could by laying certain rocks out and making grunting noises like a toad philistine orchestra.
As for food I refuse to believe that at least one hunter didn't look at a herd and find themselves wishing for ways to bring down many. What things did he imagine I wonder?
What they had is something I think we've lost. Most people are fed external stimuli constantly from phones, computers, TV's Netflix and so on. I'm not seeing as many children playing by using their imaginations anymore. Now toys have to be toys from the TV show they watch and they basically play out fan fiction of which they will surely write more and more of as they grow older.
What do we do to keep imagination fresh and alive in today's time? I find If I go for a walk or sit out in the woods it helps me some what but even I'm getting susceptible to what the world tells me things SHOULD look like instead of asking me to imagine it for my self?
What do you think?
I think back to the days when we lived in caves. I mean it had to start somewhere yes?
Back then writing was merely scratching symbols on cave walls perhaps even writing out directions to the herd of grass eaters in the sand which would not have survived the ravages of time. Telling stories no doubt relied on noises, movements, of the body in a dance.
So did it happen there? Maybe a little boy hungry looked at the drawing of a saber tooth tiger and wondered what it would be like to ride upon it's back.
Perhaps a man told the story of a predator killing Bo See Haha to cover up murder that he committed over whose balls were bigger.
I'm sure women back then lived for children. Was there a time when a woman would pretend she was pregnant to save her life because she was barren? Did a mother dream of her son rising up to lead? Overcoming obstacles that our sharpest soldier couldn't beat?
Maybe they were too simple for that. maybe all they dreamed of was water and food.
So surely there was someone who dreamed of ways to make water. Maybe even claimed they could by laying certain rocks out and making grunting noises like a toad philistine orchestra.
As for food I refuse to believe that at least one hunter didn't look at a herd and find themselves wishing for ways to bring down many. What things did he imagine I wonder?
What they had is something I think we've lost. Most people are fed external stimuli constantly from phones, computers, TV's Netflix and so on. I'm not seeing as many children playing by using their imaginations anymore. Now toys have to be toys from the TV show they watch and they basically play out fan fiction of which they will surely write more and more of as they grow older.
What do we do to keep imagination fresh and alive in today's time? I find If I go for a walk or sit out in the woods it helps me some what but even I'm getting susceptible to what the world tells me things SHOULD look like instead of asking me to imagine it for my self?
What do you think?
May 25, 2019
Moving along
Personal things have slowed me down. I'm attempting to get help for my sons. One has autism and badly wants to get out and possibly do some work so I'm hoping soon I might have him at least doing volunteer work so he can have a shot at a job.
My youngest son was hit with a blow once we found out that there is no treatment for the AVM in his brain. We are working through this and he is trying to take it one day at a time.
As for me reading and writing have been my getaways when I'm not with my sons or watching horror movies on TV. It's while I there in front of the tube watching someone being skinned alive that I reflect no matter how much worse it could be.
At this moment I am waiting to retrieve my fully edited book ' The Oni ' so I can work on it with a release date of September in mind. I will be trying to work out some picture ads to keep up interest.
' AKA Johnny Elf' is in the final drafts but at this point I'm not sure of it's release date.
After that I have to decide which book and which genre to go from here. So good times and Cap'n Crunch!
My youngest son was hit with a blow once we found out that there is no treatment for the AVM in his brain. We are working through this and he is trying to take it one day at a time.
As for me reading and writing have been my getaways when I'm not with my sons or watching horror movies on TV. It's while I there in front of the tube watching someone being skinned alive that I reflect no matter how much worse it could be.
At this moment I am waiting to retrieve my fully edited book ' The Oni ' so I can work on it with a release date of September in mind. I will be trying to work out some picture ads to keep up interest.
' AKA Johnny Elf' is in the final drafts but at this point I'm not sure of it's release date.
After that I have to decide which book and which genre to go from here. So good times and Cap'n Crunch!
May 23, 2019
Marketing
Wow, I underestimated marketing my work. When it comes to art you can usually go to an art walk and people see your work and if they like it they buy it.
Not so with a book. I have spent the last 4 days brushing up on my marketing for 'The Hostage'. I have sent messages to over 40 Amazon reviewers knowing these messages might or might not be seen. Ive reviewed groups on Facebook as well as groups online that I can submit my work to for a review.
On the plus side of that I pretty much got a new cover nailed down for my short stories. I took Nick Stevens webinar and I fell in love with the idea of offering ' freebies ' to people who hopefully will give me their email address so they can get updates on my books. So now I have a nice big folder of ways to market and what I've already done keeping my fingers crossed!
Wish me luck darlings!
Not so with a book. I have spent the last 4 days brushing up on my marketing for 'The Hostage'. I have sent messages to over 40 Amazon reviewers knowing these messages might or might not be seen. Ive reviewed groups on Facebook as well as groups online that I can submit my work to for a review.
On the plus side of that I pretty much got a new cover nailed down for my short stories. I took Nick Stevens webinar and I fell in love with the idea of offering ' freebies ' to people who hopefully will give me their email address so they can get updates on my books. So now I have a nice big folder of ways to market and what I've already done keeping my fingers crossed!
Wish me luck darlings!
