Eric Butler's Blog, page 38

The reviews are coming in but I can still use your help

The reviews are starting to come in and so far people are enjoying the book. This really helps because new readers have nothing to base a book on when they check out a new writer. You can sample some chapters, or maybe follow a serial but without the feedback from people who have checked out the book, they're never quite sure. So I want to say thanks if you left a review, and encourage those that haven't finished the book yet, to leave one when you do. If for some reason you don't want to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads but want to tell me something positive or negative about the book, please do. You can leave it on one of the posts, hit me up on Facebook, or email me. I would love to hear from you. Also if you are reading Ephraim Godwin and The Sins of the Past, let me know. Tell me what you like or hate. Drop me a note letting me know what needs work on. If you like it, share it with others you think might be interested. It all helps me grow as a writer and improve my craft. If you are interested in The Shadow Within but haven't made the plunge yet here are some of the reviews popping up on Amazon, Goodreads, and from the independent book review to help you decide. "What a fabulous new horror debut from this author!
Well written plot and story line that had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Twists and turns keep the suspense through the whole story.
The characters have been well written and were believeable.
Good world building helps enhance all that is happening within the story.
Can't wait to see what he brings us next now!!!
Recommend reading." "...this was a gripping, well written, book with strong characters. The beginning of the book had me invested in the characters and completely unprepared for the twists to come. Although cliche, it is true I was unable to put this book down. Definitely a book for those interested in something new and innovative in writing styles." "The ending was a total WOW... I had to know what happened next." "This book did not disappoint. From the beginning, I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next." "This book was great!! I loved the main character Jill."

Ephraim Godwin and the Sins of the Past Part II

Chapter Four A match flared and illuminated Livingstone's face as Ephraim eyes opened. He quickly lit all the candles on the table. Ephraim struggled to rise. "Careful, you've suffered a nasty fall," Livingstone said as he reached down to help Ephraim sit up. The room spun a bit as he fought off nausea and finally made his way to his feet. He wiped at his face and was surprised to find blood running from his nose. He dug a handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it against his face. The bleeding stopped after a moment. Ephraim reached over and picked up the closest candle before moving to inspect the room. Zona lay on top of her brother, her body shaking while she wept. Ephraim placed his hand on her shoulder as he squatted next to her. She calmed at his touch and after a moment glanced over. His heart broke at the despair visible on her face; a mirror image of the despair that snuck up on him in the middle of the night without warning, forcing him to drown his feelings in the closest bottle. "Godwin," Livingstone said as he stumbled over to them. "Chattoway is unconscious and the others are gone. Whitlock..." "What do you mean gone? How long was I out?" "A few minutes at most," Livingstone replied as he helped Zona to her feet before guiding her to a chair. Ephraim squatted next to Zachariah and studied the man. Blood stained the front of his shirt and jacket. The man showed no sign of taking breath and after checking his pulse, Ephraim stood and motioned for Livingstone to come over. "Have you examined the body?" Ephraim asked in a hushed tone. He glanced towards Zona, but she sat staring blankly at the wall. "No more than to observe the man is dead," Livingstone replied. "A bullet in the chest has that effect more times than not." Ephraim nodded and stepped to Zona. She glanced up, a sad smile on her lips, and Ephraim's heart ached for her loss. However, he needed to discern the truth before the police arrived. "Was this all a ruse?" he asked, wincing at the harshness in his voice. "A ruse?" Zona snarled as she stood so her glare was on equal footing. Ephraim took a step back, but she followed, driving her finger into his chest at each word. "You sir, may go to hell. My brother is dead because the spirits failed to protect him from whatever madness you all have become mixed up in." Ephraim stopped moving away from her only because his back met the wall. He gazed into her eyes and saw anger, sadness, and most importantly, the truth. He nodded and held his hands up in surrender. "My dear lady, I beg your pardon, but this whole nights has been a series of events too fantastic to believe." Her mouth opened but before she could offer a retort, he held up a finger and spoke first, "But I sense I am wrong, and while fantastic...it must be true." Zona offered a sharp nod and spun to Livingstone. He was bent over the body, moving his hands to different parts. He glanced up with a shocked look. "Dear God, he's still alive, but barely," Livingstone said as he stood. "I'll be honest, it's been an age since I practiced surgical medicine but I know of a Doctor who might be able to save your brother's life. We will need to send for him, Doctor William Bent on Garden Street." Ephraim rushed out of the house and flagged down a coach dropping off an older couple. "How quickly can you get to Garden Street?" "Garden Street? This time of night, it might take a bit." "Here are two shillings. Find Doctor William Bent. Tell him David Livingstone requests his immediate attention and don't take no for an answer. I'll have another two waiting on your return," Ephraim said as he pointed back to the house. The driver took the coins, tipping his cap before snapping his whip and speeding off. Chapter Five When Ephraim returned to the house, Zona was sitting on the floor by her brother holding his hand. Livingstone knelt over Mrs. Chattoway's unconscious body. He looked up and followed Ephraim as he stalked to the hosts. "So even if I relent and declare this to be truth," he said motioning around the room," we still need to discover what exactly is going on." "Yes, I was thinking the same thing," Livingstone added as he slid next to Ephraim. "If you think I am going to discuss this with you while you two tower over me, you have another thing coming," she snapped, pointing to the table. "You may sit over there and once my brother is tended to, I will speak with you." Ephraim and Livingstone shared a glance. Livingstone shrugged and shuffled to an open chair at the table. Ephraim stared at Zona a moment longer before sighing and following Livingstone's example. The woman was exasperating. "Nice if Ms. Blair was still here to offer refreshments," Livingstone mumbled as he surveyed the room. He let loose a cry of triumph when he found a serving tray and rose to retrieve the last remaining glasses. He paused at Zona's side and held out a small glass of sherry. She eyed it, as one might a viper, before taking it with a slight nod of her head. "Thank you, Doctor," she said, draining the glass in one long gulp. Her attention returned to her brother, the glass slipping to the floor with a clank. "Interesting woman," Livingstone said as he slipped back in his chair and placed the last two glasses on the table. He gestured to Ephraim who responded by shaking his head. "No thank you, Dr. Livingstone. I've had enough tonight," Ephraim said fighting the urge to lick his lips. The truth was actually far from that, but Ephraim needed a clear head to try to decipher what exactly just happened. The last thing he wanted to do was lose himself in the bottle, the only place that first drink would lead. "More for me than," Livingstone said as he gulped the first one down and picked up the last one to sip. "So if Ms. Whitlock is unwilling to speak to us about this fiasco forthwith, let us discuss what we might know." Livingstone finished the second drink and grimaced, "Yes, I guess we should. Did you recognize anyone here tonight...besides myself?" Ephraim shook his head, "You?" Livingstone's mouth opened a sliver but nothing came out. He stared at the wall, and after a moment Ephraim decided it wasn't the wall the doctor was looking at but something far away. He waited patiently, knowing that if rushed the man may lose not only the words to this story but the will to tell it. "Did you know one of the first times I went to Africa I was attacked by a lion? Right in the middle of a village, as if the beast owned it...and in a way it did. It owned the right to do as it pleased, to simply exist, but we Brits always know better. Don't we?" Ephraim nodded but kept quiet. He glanced at Zona who was studying them while holding her brother's hand. "We were there to explore and more importantly to expose the natives to God." "Noble actions." Ephraim's response appeared to amuse Zona as a quick bark of a laugh slipped out before she turned her attention back to her brother, becoming somber again. Both men ignored the interruption. "Yes, well...the young lady is closer with her reaction," Livingstone said, his face a mask of misery. "God works in mysterious ways, and I believe the lion's attack was one such event. It got me out of there, but for a price. Hell, I can't raise this arm higher than my shoulder." He demonstrated but winched and stopped once his left arm was equal to his chest. "Is that why you came? To see if the lion is waiting for you?" Ephraim asked. "What? Oh, heaven's no. When my Mary died, the witch doctor did a reading. The bones told him I was cursed," Livingstone said before pausing and then shaking his head. "That's not right; he said I was touched by a curse. Almost like a shadow of bad luck was following me. He said it was the reason my wife fell ill." "So you understand what that voice was talking about?" Ephraim asked fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the question, suddenly well aware he still thought it all a trick. That will have to wait until Doctor Bent arrives. "I wouldn't have," Livingstone replied, "Except I knew William Devitt when he was Billy Devitt, a soldier commissioned to guard a group of missionaries in Africa. And that means I most likely met his partner, Stanbury, and whoever they claim was blackmailing them." "Do you know what happened?" Livingstone's face grew tired. Ephraim thought the man appeared to age ten years with the question. He waited, holding his tongue, confident the doctor would speak in a moment. Livingstone wrung his hands and his gaze went blank. They sat in the quiet for a few minutes before Livingstone nodded. "I heard the rumors, and they were horrifying. The man in charge of the missionaries was a liar and a thief. He used Christ as a shield to allow him to do terrible things to the Africans. That lion shortened my efforts to dissuade the others to turn on the man. But years later, there were stories of butchery and debauchery that made my blood grow cold. Those men, weren't after converts, they were after conquest and treasure." Chapter Six A bell sounded and Zona's blank gaze focused. The bell rang again and Zona stood, letting her brother's hand fall to his chest. "Your friend is here," she said, gesturing towards Livingstone and disappeared towards the front of the house. Ephraim could hear voices but nothing clear. He stood and after a moment, Livingstone followed his example. A smallish man burst into the room with Zona on his heels. She was pointing to her brother, but only a blind man could miss who needed the doctor in the room. "David," the man said as he slipped to his knees next to Zachariah," what can you tell me?" "Nothing you can't see for yourself. This man was shot in the chest. He's still alive and my skills are no longer as sharp as they once were. I recommended you as this man's best chance at life." Doctor Bent popped open Zachariah's jacket, vest, and finally his blood soaked shirt. Zona gasped and turned quickly, finding herself in Ephraim's arms. She buried her face into his shoulder and her tears soaked into his jacket. He held her stiffly for a moment before focusing on the cause of her distress. Her brother's chest was a bloody mess. Ephraim relaxed a bit, tightening his hold on Zona. No one could survive such devastation and Dr. Bent confirmed this by covering the wound and standing up. "I'm sorry," he said as he moved to Livingstone. "The damage was too extensive for anyone to help this poor man. I can have him moved to the morgue." Livingstone placed his hand on Bent's shoulders, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "That would be most helpful, but we have one more patient for you to inspect. This one should be easier to help." He led the doctor to Mrs. Chattoway's prone body. Ephraim continued to hold Zona while she wept. He noted the doctor's smile as he knelt beside his new patient. With shocking familiarity he moved his hands from place to place before digging into his bag. "Dr. Bent," Ephraim called out, "Be careful she is with child." "That I already know, my good man. I am the one who diagnosed her," Dr. Bent said as he produced a bottle. He removed the top and moved the bottle back and forth under her nose. Mrs. Chattoway choked a bit before coughing and then opening her eyes. "Dr. Bent, what on earth are you doing here?" Mrs. Chattoway asked with genuine confusion on her face. He offered her a smile and patted her shoulder, "It is okay...everything is okay. David can you get Olive here some water?" Livingstone stood still a moment before realizing the request was directed at him and sprang to the serving tray at the back of the room. He poured a glass of water and after a slight hesitation, poured a second one. The first he handed to Mrs. Chattoway, and then held the other glass out towards Ephraim and Zona. "Ms. Whitlock," Ephraim said softly as he pushed her to arms length, "Dr. Livingstone has some water for you." She stared at Ephraim with bloodshot eyes and a look of sadness so pure that Ephraim thought his heart would break if it had not already done so years ago. He fished out a handkerchief and offered it to her. She nodded and offered a smile of thanks before turning towards Livingstone. "Thank you...for everything," she said, her voice quivering at the end. She drank the water down and handed the glass back before wiping her eyes and nose with the handkerchief. "My pleasure, and I am so sorry for your loss." Zona nodded and turned back to Ephraim. She stared at him a full minute, and he started to become self-conscious. He fidgeted with his collar and sighed. Ephraim would play her game if that's what it took to get some answers. He locked his gaze to hers, and they stood in the middle of the room, a few feet apart staring at each other. Ephraim noticed the lack of sound first, followed quickly by his peripheral vision disappearing leaving only Zona in his sight. All he experienced was an intense feeling in his chest; a tingle that moved slowly, snaking its way through his torso and to his limbs and only ending once they came to his toes and fingertips. The sensation hummed throughout his body for a count of five before rushing back into his chest with the force of a cannon ball strike. He stumbled backwards and tripped over one of the knocked over chairs. "Goodness," Livingstone said rushing to Ephraim, "Are you all right?" Ephraim rubbed his chest and stared at Zona, "Honestly, I have no idea? Maybe our spiritualist can offer some answers?" "Gentlemen, if you are finished with whatever this was," Dr. Bent said with Mrs. Chattoway on his arm, "I will make sure Mrs. Chattoway returns home safe and sound. I will send a driver to alert the police and the morgue." Ephraim and Zona both nodded their goodbyes, but Livingstone walked them to the door and returned with an alarmed look on his face. "Don't worry Doctor, now that the witnesses are gone we can get down to business," Ephraim said, leading Zona to the table and sitting her down. Chapter Seven Ephraim stood a few steps from Zona waiting for her response. Dr. Livingstone slipped into the closest chair to the others and closed his eyes with a sigh. The quiet was oppressive but Ephraim refused to fill it until Zona spoke. Her blue eyes stared through him and a chill ran down his back. The tingle sensation started again but stopped after a few seconds. Ephraim hoped he simply imagined it. Not something I want to feel again. Zona glanced away with a huff, and studied Livingstone for a moment. "You are well aware, my brother just died," she said finally turning her attention back to Ephraim. "You could be more understanding...more polite." Her teeth came together on the last syllable with a click, and she baring them in some sort of hostile smile. "I feel the time for politeness left when I was pushed across the room by some unseen force," he replied while arching his eyebrow. She waived her left hand in a dismissive gesture, "Oh pish posh, that was nothing. I was simply connecting our spirit in case something came back before I was ready." Livingstone opened his eyes a slit inspecting Zona a moment before speaking, "What in good heavens did that mean?" Ephraim nodded, running his hand through his hair, "My thoughts exactly." His stomach rumbled and his head suddenly ached. He stumbled to the closest chair and slung himself down. "My brother is dead, gentlemen, " Zona said, exasperation dripping from the words. "He was my link to this plane, and I his. Without a tether, one can accidentally get lost if not careful. I had no choice as Ephraim...excuse me Mr. Godwin was closest." Ephraim shook his head, attempting to clear it but instead increasing the pounding. Livingstone shifted to the end of his chair and studied Ephraim for a moment. He frowned, stood and moved to the water to fill a third glass. He stepped to Ephraim and held it out. "You look like you need something stronger, but let's start with this," Livingstone said offering a smile that only touched his lips. Ephraim nodded his thanks and gulped down the slightly cool liquid. "But that's not important," Zona said, looking at each man directly before continuing. "What is important, something made it over. Something dangerous, and we need to find it and stop it." Ephraim stared at the woman. How could a madwoman be so beautiful? The glass slipped from his fingers, crashing to the ground as darkness visited him once again. *** "Bloody hell," Livingstone exclaimed as the glass shattered on the floor. He hurried to Ephraim and rested his fingers to his throat. "Well, he's still alive but that didn't end up the truth on the last man I checked." Livingstone's cheeks flushed, and he grumbled an apology as Zona stared at him. The bell ringing pulled her attention away from Livingstone to his great relief. The woman had him off balanced, and he desperately wished Ephraim would wake up. He seemed to know how to handle her...unless that's why she bewitched him. The thought shook Livingstone to his core, and he spun around to accuse her of that very idea. "Dr. Livingstone, this is Inspector Kimbell," Zona said trailing a rather tiny man in what appeared to be a hand-me-down suit. The inspector came to a stop and surveyed the room. He hummed as he took in the scene, only stopping for a moment when his eyes fell on Zachariah's body. "And this is the victim?" he asked no one in particular. Standing behind the man, Zona raised an eyebrow and offered Livingstone a wide-eyed look. "Yes sir, my brother was shot less than an hour ago." "Suspect?" "Not exactly," Livingstone said, "You see the lights went out and there was terrible confusion for a moment. The gun shot sounded and by the time we relit the candles, this poor man was on the ground. He survived a little while longer, but couldn't hold out for Dr. Bent to help him." Inspector Kimbell nodded, and turned his attention to Ephraim, "And this gentleman? Is he dead as well?" Livingstone squinted at the man for a moment to see if he was missing something, as it was obvious to everyone else in the room that Ephraim was quite alive. "He just fainted," Zona said placing her hand on the Inspector's arm. "With some rest he will be right as rain." The Inspector glanced at her hand and grunted. "I think I have everything I need. I'll keep you informed as I learn more." He motioned to the men from the morgue, and they lifted Zachariah's body and removed it from the house. "Well that was...strange," Livingstone said shaking his head and moving to check on Ephraim one more time. "He can stay here, Doctor. I will make sure the staff takes care of him. Let's meet at the café closest to the police station...say nine tomorrow morning?" Livingstone nodded his agreement and moved to the front of the house. He hadn't been aware there was any staff other than poor Ms. Blair but maybe they knew better than to show themselves during a séance. He stepped from the house as Zona closed and locked the door behind him. Livingstone stared at the house. He had come to this place for answers and left with more questions than ever before. Hope I'm doing the right thing leaving Ephraim. The thought lingered a moment, then Livingstone gave a sharp nod and disappeared into the night. © 2020 Naked Cat Press. All Rights Reserved

The transformation of Marvel Comics in the 90s.

This is going to be a short post. Nothing more than a gentle push to relive some Marvel history from the 90s. But I will throw in a little back story before I get to the meat of the post. I am a comic book fan, and more importantly, I was a fan before it was cool. Within the last decade or so, nerd culture has been embraced but there was a time that reading comics was social suicide. The comic world, like the gaming world, was regulated to the geeks and nerds and avoided by the cool kids (at least in public). Some of my favorite issues from the 80s and 90s. Each has a particular reason for being special to me, including the story of why and where I picked that specific issue. Comics to me are more than the stories inside the book. To me comics helped form who I am; they are a timeline to events in my life. Of course, there are always exceptions, and as the 70s rolled into the 80s, comic companies started to take chances on more grown-up or adult stories. Characters that were seen as silly or for children gained an edge. This edge pushed them out into the fringe of the mainstream and allowed people to see that comics might be more serious than they first believed. Even so many people had no idea this was going on, but the fans were taken on an amazing ride. Batman, Spider-man, The X-men, Avengers, Daredevil, and so many other books were given the freedom to stretch out, to test the limits of the comic code and to embrace dirtier and darker stories. Then as the 80s came to the end, people started to see dollar signs. Comics just might be a cash cow if handled correctly. The uncool feeling of comics was being chipped away as Saturday morning cartoons and video games highlighted some of the popular books and introduced them to people who may have avoided the monthly printed adventures. New companies formed to compete with Marvel and DC and more importantly, Marvel became a public entity. It was during this time that comic popularity spiked in the industry as the creative forces behind some of the most beloved books were pushed aside and the bottom line became the driving force behind the top titles. Comics were less about the story and more about fancy covers, crossovers, and #1 issues. This flooded the market with material that initially got lapped up by comic fans and investors alike but like the sports card market, it didn't take long for the crash to come. Another thing that happened to Marvel in the 80s and 90s was the mishandling of their franchises in the realm of Hollywood. They sold most of the rights to their most popular characters away, many times for pennies on the dollar. It was too late before they realized the real cash cow they had would be in their ability to control their franchises within movies and television. And with that the ability to market and expand their characters to the mainstream. Of course, it's different now, Marvel was bought by Disney which turned and bought Fox, and brought back the X-men and Fantastic Four back into the family. They made a deal with Sony to "fix" Spider-man and allow him to interact with their characters. We are in a golden age of Marvel visual entertainment, and the comics are not seen as important as they once were. In fact, many of the DC and Marvel stories you see in the theater and on television are stories from the past. Rarely do you see any new comic stories being used as the starting point to these scripts. So the reason for the post...if you have Amazon Prime you can watch 3 documentaries that will remind you of the comic industry atmosphere in the 90s and the changes that were coming to the industry. All three are very entertaining and have tons of hidden gems. Doomed! The Untold Story of Roger Corman's Fantastic Four This gem highlights the never-released Fantastic Four movie made in 1994. This was a big deal and when it was shelved many fans were upset they weren't going to get to see Marvel's first family on the big screen. Bootleg copies popped up in conventions and it was something to behold, even though it was a copy of a copy on VHS. Watch it here. Chris Claremont's X-Men This documentary tells the story of how Chris became the creative mind behind all the X-men stories and characters you love today. All the main X-men movies are based on stuff he wrote, created, or perfected in the 80s and into the 90s. You can watch it here. The Image Revolution In the 90s a group of artists decided to abandon ship at Marvel to gain more creative control over their work. It gutted the crews of many of Marvel's biggest franchises. This is the story of the creation of Image Comics and the effect it had on Marvel. Watch it here.

Ephraim Godwin and the Sins of the Past

The title is a work in progress. I usually don't have the title right away but I know I want something like the old mysteries I read as a child. Maybe I'll post a survey where everyone gets to vote on the title they like best. So this will be the beginning of the first novel I share this way. Every Wednesday, I will post 2-4 chapters until the story is complete. If you see an issue or have something to say, you can email or state it in the comment section. I will admit now I am a terrible editor. Some mistakes may slip by but I will work extra hard to catch them first. If not any help is appreciated. Please sign up to my email list so you can be informed when I post a new article, short story, or the latest installment of this tale. I hope you enjoy and if it doesn't grab you right away, please give it a week or two. Now let's see where this story takes us... Chapter 1-3 : 3465 words Chapter One Ephraim Godwin sat in silence, studying the room. This was his fourth séance this week, but the first by private invitation. Ephraim found that slightly unnerving as he had proven the other three to be frauds. Why would an individual invite me here unless they found the idea of being caught simply impossible? The last woman believed that until Ephraim pulled the sheet off the table to expose a midget shining light into a crystal ball. Ephraim smiled as he remembered the shock on the little man's face before he decided to continue with his façade. It took a few whacks of Ephraim's cane to get him to break character. And now he sat in a soft cushioned high backed chair sipping on a glass of sherry offered by a nervous servant, flitting about the room. Ephraim suspected he knew the reason for her distress and soon the whole room would as well. Although rare, it was possible she was in on the scam. He made a mental note to speak with her between now and the event. "So the great Ephraim Godwin is in the house," a gruff voice said behind him. Ephraim rose and turned, extending his hand. Almost dropping his wine glass, Ephraim's eyes widened as he said, "Dr. Livingstone, the honor is mine." The men shook and Livingstone motioned for Ephraim to sit. He took the seat opposite and waived the servant over. Taking a glass of sherry, he drained it in one gulp and handed it back before she scurried away. "Are you well sir?" Ephraim asked concern visible on his face. As he studied the man across from him, he grew more worried. Dr. Livingstone's bloodshot eyes had large dark half-circles under them and his skin appeared pale. Ephraim read just yesterday that Dr. Livingstone recently returned from Africa. He should be as dark as the natives. "Just my nerves old boy," he said before pausing and shaking his head. "Forgive me; I am trying to mislead you. No. No, I am not well. I am not ill but there has been a tragedy that I am aiming to make right but I no longer am confident I will." Ephraim nodded slowly. He thought he understood for he also was trying to right a wrong; a wrong that haunted his many sleepless nights. He hoped a clue could be found with those that commune with the dead but so far he discovered only tricksters and charlatans. Maybe tonight will be different. Ephraim opened his mouth to inquire further but a gong sounded. All eyes moved to the center of the room. A young woman stood holding a small hammer and the gong. She offered a smile to each person in the room before motioning them to follow her. Livingstone stood and waited as Ephraim finished his drink and placed it on the end table. They followed the others from the room and entered a long hallway. The woman held aloft a candle and the light led them to an enormous circular room in the center of the house. Ephraim glanced around the room, taking in the smooth walls and lack of additional furniture. A grand circular table sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by seven chairs. Two candles burned in their holder approximately two feet apart on the diameter, the rest of the light came from gas lights spaced around the room. He stepped away from the group and ran his hands on the wall as he circled the table. The woman's eyes never left him as she motioned to the others to take a seat. Ephraim observed no one was specifically told where to sit, which he found strange. Every other séance had been very specific seating arrangements as each reading was set up to mark out exactly who they planned to target. As Ephraim made his way to where he began, the woman laughed. The sounds of bells filled his ears, and he turned to study her more clearly. She was tall, even without heels, but tonight with them on she was equal to Ephraim's six feet. Her dress, a light blue trimmed with black lace, flowed to the floor flaring out to make a perfect circle around her. A sizable sapphire sat in the middle of a thick silver choker designed to appear as a butterfly. Her dark hair, naturally curly, was pulled back and secured in a pony-tail with a sapphire butterfly. Ephraim had never seen hair styled in such a way, and he found it charming. She stepped closer and placed her hand on his arm. "Mr. Godwin as much as I am enjoying your attention, it is time to begin," she said, her voice soft and soothing. The woman motioned to one of three available chairs. He paused a moment, desperately wanting to ask her name and question her on the performance she was about to begin, but he could see from the other's faces his delay was unwelcome. Ephraim nodded and moved to sit next to Livingstone. He glanced around and studied each face. He recognized no one, but he also didn't run in their circles either. From the clothing, hairstyles, and jewelry they wore, Ephraim was confident he was sitting with the upper class and newly rich. How did I get invited to this? "Each of you were invited because you are important to one another in a way you do not yet understand," the woman said as she stood between the two empty seats. "Five people needing answers. Answers we hope to provide you tonight. But understand this will not be an easy journey. It will be difficult and dangerous. I am here to alleviate that danger but once we begin, no one is allowed to leave...not the house or the room. Do you understand?" She gazed at each person, moving her attention only when they nodded. After the last nod, from Ephraim himself, she cleared her throat. "I am Zona Whitlock," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Tonight we will make contact and find out the truth to those questions burning in your hearts and souls." A gust of wind unexpectedly flowed through the room, making the lights flicker and extinguishing the candles on the table. A pair of hands clapped twice and the candles relighted. Ephraim smiled. So far so good, she was much better than the other three he exposed. Livingstone gasped and pointed. The other people at the table joined him in his disbelief as they stared at the tallest man Ephraim had ever seen. He stood close to seven feet tall but his arms and legs were so thin and long he appeared taller. His long face was pale and his golden hair was pulled back and secured with black ribbon. He wore a black suit with white lace around the cuffs and neck. Ephraim leaned forward hoping to catch any small details. The man's eyes were black holes seemingly drawing all the light to them. Ephraim sat back with a shiver. "This is my brother, Zachariah Whitlock," Zona said as she took her seat. "He is the one you came to see." Ephraim blinked in astonishment. The séance was never conducted by a man. Were they not even trying to disguise their subterfuge? "You doubt me," Zachariah said, his voice like crunching leaves. "Is that not true Mr. Godwin?" "I am sorry," Ephraim said, "but yes I have come with a doubting mind." The others exchanged looks and Ephraim wondered if they finally began to suspect this all might be a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. He had met many who swore by the powers of these so-called diviners. He, on the other hand, saw only swindlers and thieves. "We are much more than that," Zachariah said as he slipped into his chair. "True diviners touch the other side but it comes at a price." Ephraim gasped before shaking his head in disbelief. A lucky guess, anyone with a brain knows what I was thinking. He glanced at Livingstone and offered a weak smile. "Including my sister and myself, I see our number is short. I dare not touch the other side with an empty chair in our circle so if you will permit it, we will have Ms. Ellie Blair join us." The nervous servant issued a squeak from the back of the room. Zona stood and motioned her towards the table. "Please child, no harm will come to you. You will merely be helping us protect the others. An even number will stop an uninvited guest from joining our circle." "An uninvited guest?" Ms. Blair said in a pitch Ephraim found annoying. He always marveled at how a woman's voice could go in the right circumstances. Joining a circle of madmen trying to speak to the dead must be one of those times. Her cold hand slipped into Ephraim's, and he gave it a reassuring squeeze. She glanced and offered a timid smile. In the candlelight, Ephraim decided she was quite lovely, surprised he failed to notice it before. Zona sat down and took Ms. Blair's free hand. "Thank you, my dear," Zachariah's said. "Now we can begin. We have seven souls in the circle and five answers needed. I will begin shortly but first a few rules." Zona once again cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention to her, “Once my brother starts, there is no stopping until it is over. The circle must not be broken, but if for any reason it is...do whatever you must to seal the break. Each person will get an opportunity to ask their question. We are all here for delicate matters, and we have all agreed to keep this night private. If you break this vow, I nor my brother can help you in this life or the next, and we will do all in our power to make sure you suffer the consequences as soon as possible." She stopped speaking and looked each member in the eye, moving to the next as soon as she was satisfied. Ephraim stared back at her, trying to peer past her eyes and truly perceive what she might be hiding. He witnessed nothing but concern and a slight warmth that made his heart jump a beat. He scowled, more at himself than anything Zona had done. You know better than to let a pretty face distract you from your main purpose. Ephraim had firsthand knowledge of that trick. The second séance used just that tactic to confuse him, as the dark-eyed beauty did all she could to befuddle his senses. They had almost succeeded in fooling him that night, and he swore not to let his vulnerability to the weaker sex confuse him again in a setting such as this. Seemingly satisfied, Zona turned to her brother and nodded. Chapter Two "And so we begin," Zachariah said, his voice somehow sounding even drier than before. Ephraim studied the man as he began to speak. Softly at first, but building in volume. A pattern emerged quickly, as Ephraim determined Zachariah's voice was louder on every seventh word. Yet, Ephraim understood nothing said. Whatever language being spoken was nothing he recognized; Points for originality. Ms. Blair's hand trembled in his grip, and he worried she might try to break the circle. Ephraim glanced at her and offered her a calming smile, but she stared at Zachariah with a look of terror. The candles flickered again and Ephraim detected a stiff breeze blowing around the room. He wanted to search for the source, but he found it difficult to look away from Zachariah. The light from the candles appeared to stretch the man further. His eyes shined with moisture while his face darkened. The chanting abruptly stopped. "Olive Chattoway, you come seeking guidance," Zachariah said in a voice no longer his. "Yes," she said, embarrassment tingeing her voice. "But honestly I am hesitant to voice my question to a room of strangers, promises made or not." A loud thunderclap shook the table, as Zachariah's eyes flashed red. "You were given assurances by the vessel, were you not? Then do not waste our time. We are not here to amuse you with cheap parlor tricks." Ephraim struggled to keep his hold on Ms. Blair's hand as she wiggled and pulled. Truth be told, he wanted to join her but cold icy fear traveled up his spine, freezing him in place. Ms. Blair whimpered as Mrs. Chattoway began. "Yes...sorry. I am with child. It is not my husband's, who is quite unable to provide in that way. Only a few are aware of his condition but if it got out it could ruin him. I would not want that but I so desperately want the child." "Your husband will fall either way but the child will be special. It is up to you to convince him the child needs to be born and that the sacrifice he makes will pay off in time. If you choose to abort the child it will mean both his fall and your death." The room was quiet for a moment. Mrs. Chattoway held off as long as possible before beginning to cry softly. Ephraim wished he could offer some comfort and hoped the two men by her sides were attempting to do just that. The room grew cold and the candles blew out. Ms. Blair let loose a screech that took Ephraim by surprise causing him to loosen his grip. He cursed under his breath as he scrambled to pull her hand back before she was able to break the circle. "Calm yourself, Ms. Blair," Zona said, her voice soothing while each word seemed to caress Ephraim's ears. He prayed it had the same effect on the woman. "William Devitt...speak," the voice commanded as the flames flashed back. Zachariah's face was darker than before but his eyes suddenly became white with no noticeable irises showing. "A man my partner and I thought dead has returned," Devitt said without pause. Ephraim gritted his teeth in frustration. He failed to introduce himself to the man while they waited for the event to begin. Although it most likely mattered not, Ephraim prided himself on his thoroughness. Devitt continued, "He was a scoundrel, and we sacrificed him to save the rest of the men. He should have died, if not in battle than as a captive. To our dismay, he didn't and showed up threatening us. Said we should pay to keep him quiet and that he had a way of making sure our secret got out if anything happened to him. Many depend on our business so before my partner and I decide what to do, we need to know...does he have a way or will it end with him?" The question hung in the air as Zachariah stared at the man. His face lightened a bit before he opened his mouth, and a black shadow poured out. Dr. Livingstone gasped as he watched the shadow form into the face of a man. Ms. Blair began the Lord's Prayer, repeating it again and again hardly pausing for breath. "You bloody bastards," the shadow said floating in the middle of the table. Ephraim studied Zachariah but his lips stayed still as his mouth was frozen open. "It appears I have your answer, but I swore I'd have my revenge when you left me behind and I mean to follow through." "What!" Devitt cried out, "No, we have made no decision. I promise you. This is a mistake...a mix-up; I swear we planned nothing more than speaking with Mr. Whitlock." A dry laugh filled the room as the shadow dissipated. Before completely disappearing, the laughter turned to words. "One last chance at redemption...give the payment to my son. You know where to find him." The candlelight went out a third time. Chapter Three Ephraim shivered. He wasn't sure how it was being done and for the first time, he wondered if he finally found the real deal. The room was quiet save for the heavy breathing of Devitt and Ms. Blair's prayer. The candle flame returned. "Who wishes to go next?" the voice asked. Ephraim glanced at Dr. Livingstone who shrugged. "I guess I will," Ephraim said with a steady voice. "But you seem to know everything so why don't you tell me why I am here and what guidance I seek." He wanted to sound arrogant, enough was enough. No matter how much he wanted it to be real, these two could not speak to the dead, and they could offer no help. So far they had allowed the others to lead them where they wanted to go and offer advice. Well mostly, the shadow face seemed real enough. Ephraim shook his head. "You wish closure...to learn if your family is dead," the voice replied as a hush fell over the room. Ephraim could feel the eyes of the others studying his face. He struggled to show no reaction to the statement. "Ephraim, my love," a woman's voice said clear as a bell. Ephraim froze, staring at Zachariah and then shifting his gaze to Zona as the voice continued. "You must stop blaming yourself. You were right to go. Avoiding the war would not have stopped what occurred that day. I'm tired and must go but I will always love you. " Tears escaped from Ephraim's eyes as his wife's voice faded from the room. He wished his son had spoken but to hear her one last time was a gift. A gift he found unbelievable. He fought the urge to stand and search for a device or a person that could mimic his wife's voice. Ephraim wanted to rage against these two who so cavalierly rubbed his grief and loss in his face. Did they think he was blind or a fool? He would show the world they were charlatans like the others. "Poor Ephraim, you so wanted confirmation...to acquire the truth, and now what do you do? You think of ways to discredit us, to punish us for succeeding where you thought no one could," Zachariah spoke but the voice was still not his. "If her words were not enough, then understand this; you were on the right path that day." The room stayed quiet for a moment before the voice spoke again, "and now Doctor Livingstone, what do you seek?" "Do I go back to Africa?" Livingstone asked so quietly Ephraim wondered if he heard correctly. "You know the answer," the voice replied. "That is not why you are here." Livingstone took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "No...no, I guess not. I need to know if that witch-doctor was correct when he read the bones after Mary died." Ephraim frowned. He forgot Livingstone's wife had passed on their last trip to Africa. Would this be the thing that leads Zachariah to slip up? Secretly he hoped all this to be true, but Ephraim knew it couldn't be. It was against the laws of God and science. "Was the death of your wife not proof enough? You may not have been there at the end but I hold you as responsible as Roberts. Step foot back in Africa or stay here, your fate is sealed. You had a chance to stop this, but you failed. " Ephraim straightened up. The voice sounded different; deeper, courser, and filled with anger. He glanced around and found each person staring at Zachariah, even his sister. She wore a look of consternation and moved to pull her hand free. Ephraim's eyes widened in alarm; if she's willing to break the circle then it must be bad. "What is going on?" Livingstone demanded as he leaned forward, glaring at Zachariah's face. "I swore before I was finished, I would destroy everything you lot loved. Death won't stop me...nothing can stop my vengeance." "We must end this," Zona screamed to be heard over the growing wind howling through the room. Ephraim wondered exactly how they were going to accomplish that as the table began to shake and spin. Everyone seemed to be frozen in place until Mrs. Chattoway broke free and stood. She produced a small revolver and aimed it at Zachariah. "Do you hear the whispers?" she asked with a blank smile on her lips. "They promise me a way out of all this and all I have to do is pull the trigger." "NO," Ephraim shouted as the wind stopped as suddenly as it began. The candles' light went out for a final time. As the room plunged into darkness, Ms. Blair slipped from his grasp as Livingstone let go of his other hand. The gun fired; Ephraim's head exploded in pain and his world went black. © 2020 Naked Cat Press. All Rights Reserved

A weekly adventure

Starting this Wednesday, 1/8/2020, I will be posting 2 to 3 chapters of an ongoing story. The story will be a Victorian supernatural tale that follows a group of characters to a conclusion. I will package the serial at completion as a full novel, so you can choose to read it in installments or as a total package. The serial will focus on Ephraim Godwin, a retired British soldier from the Crimean War. Having returned from the war he discovers his wife and son are gone. All evidence suggests foul play but there is nothing definitive. This story picks up a few years later, Ephraim is known in certain circles for his zeal in debunking spiritualists while searching for any information about his family in the physical or spiritual world. The idea came as a result of a short story competition that required some form of spiritualism to be involved in the tale. After I began the story, I saw a thread that would take it way past the word restriction of the contest but would hopefully give a more satisfying journey to the characters. As I am writing the serial, I will also be completing my 2nd novel and outlining a series for the Red Riding Hood character featured in this story I wrote last year. The plan is every Wednesday before noon, a new installment of the serial will be available. Any feedback is appreciated as the story moves forward.

You can help!

That's right, you can help a little self-published novel from the comfort of your home, office, or anywhere you have internet access. I have three ways you can help, The Shadow Within gain some traction without spending a dime. Although I'm a fan of the fourth way, buy the book, and the fifth way, leave a review on Amazon. However, let's focus on steps 1, 2, 3... You can help by going to Allauthors.com and voting for The Shadow Within cover in their monthly cover of the month contest. The book needs to be one of the top 100 to move to the next round which ends on the 7th. Click here to vote! Next, you can go to an interview I did on profilecritics.com with insights about the book and future projects. The more people who visit, the longer the book stays in their rotation. I also get kudos if you select on anything else on the page as long as you got there initially from my link. Worst case, you just click on the cover of The Shadow Within and that should be enough. Click here to get to the interview. Finally please share this page on your social platforms. I have quick links to share on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn on every post. I also have a link you can copy if you want to share another way.

Cover up

I thought I'd write today about one of the most important aspects of a book, the cover. Since I'm not a graphic designer, I can only speak to what I like and what I've learned as I got my first novel ready for print. Author's note - Now there's a guy in a Facebook group I recently joined who despises self-publishers and has made it his goal to attack everyone who thinks of publishing their books. I have a feeling he has no idea how difficult it is putting together a really good book that looks professional. He thinks all self-publishers are just slapping stuff together and sending it out to die on the internet...some are but many are trying to put out quality work. As I neared the end of my final edit (which of course wasn't the final edit but that's another story), I needed to get a cover ready. I needed something that captured the feel of the novel and let people know what type of book they were getting at a glance. I also had a limited budget as most self-publishers do. So looking at everything I decided I would do the cover myself. One positive with self-publishing is there is a large online community that loves to help. I found some sites that offered artwork for a reasonable price and then I simply had to design the cover I wanted...piece of cake. For the most part, this picture had everything I wanted; girl - check, ax - check, forest - not really but at least she's outside. Although all I needed to add was a title and my name to complete the cover, I knew I wanted to add eyes to get the proper final image. When I started there was a charge for the picture but it was minuscule. So I mocked up a cover and downloaded it to check it out. However, as I dug deeper into cover design, and the science of covers I started to have doubts. The main issue was this was fine for a Kindle cover, but a paperback would require spine and back cover art. I had no idea how to produce that in a way it matched the front. I dug deeper, hoping that it was common to have a Kindle cover and a paperback cover. It is not...I was told in no uncertain terms not to do that. So I started to play around with some programs and worked up a few different cover ideas. As you can see, I was beginning to figure out how to combine images but not smoothly. The only one I was able to combine with any sense of design was the first cover, the girl and the eyes(and only because they had a program on their site to manipulate their images). It was around this time I stumbled onto Derek Murphy and his videos on self-publishing. He helped me with how-to design the interior of the book and while he had how to videos on designing covers, I quickly decided that I needed some professional help. So there are a few different ways to get a cover for self-published works. The first places I checked involved pre-made covers. Designers make hundreds of covers, covering different genres, and once you select one the designer removes it so no one else will ever have the same cover art. You then tell them what to put for the title, author, and anything else you might want on the cover. They range from $50-100, but they are for Kindle only and if you need the rest you have to pay more. Of course, I would remiss if I didn't include a line about the high-end cover makers. I found quite a few places that charged anywhere from $300 for just a Kindle cover to $999 for a few covers and some marketing extras. Since this was outside my price range I usually just left without investigating. I ended up on Fiverr. I searched through their cover designers and found a few I liked. They, of course, will post past covers on their page. I emailed a few and picked one who had the best package. She had 3 levels for services and each offered more selections of photos and revisions to use toward the cover. I chose the one which gave me unlimited art and most importantly unlimited revisions. It also included both Kindle and Paperback. So after making my selection of art, I sent her some covers I liked and gave her an idea of the book. After a day she sent me back some choices... So first off, pretty cool right? I mean she took the images I found and made 3 covers I liked. Now when you design the interior of a print book, many suggest using the same font for the chapter headers as the cover font. So I looked into the fonts she selected and found out two needed to be purchased and the other was not allowed for commercial production without permission - something the owner made clear wasn't going to happen. So I had to send new fonts to her for selection and I removed cover 3 from the running. I like it more today than I did when I started but I still think I made the correct choice in removing it. I also decided I liked the girl from cover 1 more than any of the other ones I selected. She happily reworked it and sent me the following... So after this, I was leaning towards the blueish covers. Not sure why but I liked them. However after a day or so all the feedback was negative on the blueish covers so I asked her to redo cover one with the new fonts. Author's note - When you send open-ended requests that don't specify what you want exactly you might get something else. This is what happened here since between requesting cover art I had sent the text for the back of the paperback cover and included a new font. She did exactly what I asked and sent me this... I realized my mistake and had her design one more cover. This artwork but with the font on blue three. Resulting in this... So now I had the final cover and needed to decide on the font. I was torn because I liked both fonts but the second font felt more like horror than the first font. Now up to this point, I had sent a message that started with "Sorry to do this" after every single message when I had said we were done. Author's note - I am the same guy who spent over an hour selecting his first G.I. Joe as a child in the PX while my mother shopped for groceries in the commissary. So it's safe to say I have a history of being slow to make up my mind. This font issue was really bugging me. Everyone I showed it to but 1 person voted for the cleaner font, version 1. When I showed it to my teenage son he acted like I was insane for thinking about using #2, so I thought okay I guess it's #1. I sent off the email to the designer happy to have the decision made so I could move on to the next step in self-publishing. Now time for funny story indecision time. I was speaking about the covers with my mother an hour after sending in the final okay. She was one of the few who had read an early version of the book. She said she didn't like version #2 because it reminded her of the Friday the 13th movies. I almost swerved into oncoming traffic in disbelief. The font I didn't select made her think of an 80's horror franchise that is super popular and mirrors my book in some ways. "You've read the book," I said trying to keep my cool (I was talking with my mother), "Friday the 13th is a pretty good comp." Her response, "Is it? I've never seen the movies, just the posters." So while I fought the urge to scream into the phone, I finished the conversation with my mom and went grocery shopping, deciding to just leave it alone. Although who knows, if I sent another "Sorry to do this" email to the designer and switched fonts maybe Sean Cunningham would have called looking to make the movie version of The Shadow Within. There's always a chance for a second print...

The secret is out...

KG Finfrock interviewed me on her blog Booknook2020. We discuss my love of books and writing, my first novel The Shadow Within, and what my plans are for the future. Go and check out her blog to read more about my journey and to discover other independent authors facing the same challenges and adventures getting their stories in front of readers. You can find it here.

Cats is a train wreck? Who saw that coming? Here are some musicals to raise your spirits

From all I've heard, Grumpy Cat would have hated it more than he usually hated things... So musicals can be hit or miss especially on the big screen and when they decide to adapt a beloved Broadway show...well it doesn't always work out. Now I'm not opposed to a good musical but honestly, my favorites usually are off the beaten path. So here are a few movies where people burst into song and act like it's completely normal than here are a few to get your toes tapping... Since Christmas is a few days away let's start with one to get you in the Christmas mood. Anna and the Apocalypse takes your love of Christmas, musicals, and zombie apocalypse and mushes it together to give you a unique take on the end of the world. You can watch it on Hulu and Amazon Prime. The 2nd selection is Rock & Rule, an apocalyptic world where man no longer exists and animals have mutated. The story focuses on a struggling band and a legendary super rocker, Mok, and his desire to summon a demon from another dimension. Man the 80s were great for coming up with some off the wall movie idea. This one is full of great music by Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Debbie Harry, Cheap Trick, and Earth Wind and Fire. Since the main players are all musicians the musical aspect of the movie isn't as out of place, but they are mutated animals doing it so it still falls under the bizarre banner. Unfortunately, you have to pay to see this one, looks like Amazon is the only place that has it for sale. FYI - there were two versions, an American and a Canadian, so I recommend watching it on Blu-Ray or DVD...Which are out of print so I guess what I'm saying is come over and we can watch mine. The 3rd and final feel-good musical deals with cannibalism. From the creators of South Park, Cannibal! The Musical tells the story of Alfred Packer, the sole survivor of a party of pioneers who got lost in the Rocky Mountains in winter. The trailer doesn't do this movie justice but it's a must-see if you are a fan of South Park, musicals, or low budget horror. Made with a shoestring budget, this was Trey Parker's student movie and it was picked up by Troma - the studio that gave us The Toxic Avenger. Now while you can buy this on DVD and on Amazon, it seems luck is on your side as you can watch this beauty on Tubi - It does have adds but it has a ton of movies you can stream for free.

Self publishing is going to drive me to drink the hard stuff

So I've gone over a little of the process of producing a book. I have a paperback version and a Kindle version. Something I didn't know before starting this journey was both versions must be designed differently. Smart people, who are experienced with book design, will do the kindle version first and then the paperback. The reason for this is the Kindle reader controls the experience. They get to select their favorite font, font size, and direction they want to read the book in. Therefore, it doesn't matter how I want the book to look because there is a 99% chance the reader is going to change it. You also need to design the book in a way that the Chapters can be marked by Kindle to produce a table of contents. To achieve all this you strip all the formatting from your manuscript and then go back and use a limited number of formats to highlight the few things you need to do to make the reading process smooth. The paperback is different and you need to format the manuscript exactly how you want it. Every single detail must be taken into account and formatted so the book looks professional. Luckily I found an amazing writer who spent years designing books and he shared his secrets with the internet on youtube, Derek Murphy was a lifesaver. So if you are still awake after that teaspoon of book design information - trust me there is an ocean of information about it out there and it will put you down if you aren't mainlining Mountain Dew. The reason I am sharing this today is I found an issue with the Kindle version. It wasn't following the proper design. I went through the original manuscript, the uploaded version, and the final Kindle version which I downloaded to my device on Saturday the 14th. Every once in a while it seemed like there was a hard return in the middle of a sentence in the final version, but there was nothing telling it to do that in the original manuscript. Nothing I did worked to fix the issue so I spent hours redoing the entire book. I removed everything and reworked the formatting. Uploaded the book and waited. Amazon responded today to let me know the changes I made were considered minor and they would not send anyone who purchased the book an email with the update. Which of course I find annoying since I think it's a major issue. I want the reader to have the smoothest, easiest read possible. And I want the book to look professional...to look like I put some effort into producing this book. Side note - you might be surprised to know many self-published authors don't care about anything but putting it out there...no editing, no formatting, nothing but a jumbled mess. So if you purchased the book before Dec 16th and think the formatting is jarring or an issue. Here is how to get the updated version. I had to delete the book on my Kindle. (I was told you could select update but my version didn't have the option) - Remember your page because it will reset the book Go to www.amazon.com/gp/digital/fiona/manage Find The Shadow Within and click on actions. It will be the button to the left of the title and have "..." inside A box will open and the first choice is "Deliver to" you can select either your default device or select a device if you have a few choices. Then you can open the book and see the corrected formatting. Enjoy reading The Shadow Within.