Jeffrey Caston's Blog, page 2
January 1, 2023
Food 3: Mise en Place released
Hello everyone and Happy New Year!
I have finally released the fourth novella/short story in my Food series, which I titled Food: Mise en Place. It's a dark, dark, DARK dystopian series set in a grim future gripping the Pacific Northwest. This new novella takes place on the same day that Jesse has a really rough day and Garren starts to question his role in the Kingdom of Pacifica. This story will take you to new places in the palace, introduce you to some new characters (including new potential heroes and some deplorable baddies), and also incorporate some new elements that connect the Food series to elements of the Horrific Northwest.
Food: Mise en Place
For those of you who have read and enjoyed this series, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
For anyone who hasn't delved into this series of novellas and short stories, I am starting a promotion wherein I have the prequel story, Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _ free for three days, effective midnight, January 2, 2023, running to January 4, 2023. If you take a look at these I would love to hear what you think. But PLEASE heed the warning in the book's description.
Happy reading everyone!
Jeffrey Caston
I have finally released the fourth novella/short story in my Food series, which I titled Food: Mise en Place. It's a dark, dark, DARK dystopian series set in a grim future gripping the Pacific Northwest. This new novella takes place on the same day that Jesse has a really rough day and Garren starts to question his role in the Kingdom of Pacifica. This story will take you to new places in the palace, introduce you to some new characters (including new potential heroes and some deplorable baddies), and also incorporate some new elements that connect the Food series to elements of the Horrific Northwest.
Food: Mise en Place
For those of you who have read and enjoyed this series, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
For anyone who hasn't delved into this series of novellas and short stories, I am starting a promotion wherein I have the prequel story, Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _ free for three days, effective midnight, January 2, 2023, running to January 4, 2023. If you take a look at these I would love to hear what you think. But PLEASE heed the warning in the book's description.
Happy reading everyone!
Jeffrey Caston
October 16, 2022
Food 3 is off to the editor
Hello everyone!
I have a short writing update. Food 3: Mise En Place is off to the editor!
This story is quite a bit longer than all the others since it weaves several story lines together. For that reason, along with a few others, it has consequently, taken me a bit longer (okay actually a lot longer if I'm being honest) getting it to the point where I felt comfortable handing it off to an editor.
But now it is and its release will be within the near future.
Food 3: Mise En Place will include new characters, including more deliciously evil villains propping up the King and Queen, royal intrigue and conflict, along with a few people just trying to get by in the Kingdom of Pacifica. There will also be some sources of hope to end the horrendous monarchy that holds the old Pacific Northwest in a ravenous grip.
And since I've already started Food 4: All Hate the King, I'll have a sneak peek where the reader finally meets the King. Spoiler alert: he's a bad, bad, BAD guy!
To everyone who's read and enjoyed these stories thank you for your support and your patience. I hope to reward it soon!
Jeffrey Caston
I have a short writing update. Food 3: Mise En Place is off to the editor!
This story is quite a bit longer than all the others since it weaves several story lines together. For that reason, along with a few others, it has consequently, taken me a bit longer (okay actually a lot longer if I'm being honest) getting it to the point where I felt comfortable handing it off to an editor.
But now it is and its release will be within the near future.
Food 3: Mise En Place will include new characters, including more deliciously evil villains propping up the King and Queen, royal intrigue and conflict, along with a few people just trying to get by in the Kingdom of Pacifica. There will also be some sources of hope to end the horrendous monarchy that holds the old Pacific Northwest in a ravenous grip.
And since I've already started Food 4: All Hate the King, I'll have a sneak peek where the reader finally meets the King. Spoiler alert: he's a bad, bad, BAD guy!
To everyone who's read and enjoyed these stories thank you for your support and your patience. I hope to reward it soon!
Jeffrey Caston
September 23, 2022
Thank you all for a 60th Rating!
I've reached my 60th rating and 30th review for Food, a short story I put out a while back! I'm so honored to be part of the Goodreads community and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read any of my stories. From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate all of you and all your feedback.
Happy reading everyone!
Happy reading everyone!
May 1, 2022
All Titles back on KU and Food 3: Mise en Place Update
I’m getting my beta reader comments back and I’m hard at work “cooking” up a revised draft for Food 3: Mise en Place. [It’s okay to groan at my bad joke…] I’ll put another blogpost up when it is off to the editor.
One thing that has made this one interesting is that I decided to create a tie-in with the rest of the Horrific Northwest stories I previously put out. So I spent some time making sure everything was consistent and adding a few little details to Immunity and the two Raven stories, How the Raven Met the Angel and The Raven and the Eye. I’m writing these all up so that a reader can read the Food series independently of the other works, and one should be able to read Immunity and the Raven stories independently and in any order one might desire.
So all those other works had a hiatus from KU while I did all that, but everything is back on KU for anyone who uses that system.
More later!
Jeffrey Caston
One thing that has made this one interesting is that I decided to create a tie-in with the rest of the Horrific Northwest stories I previously put out. So I spent some time making sure everything was consistent and adding a few little details to Immunity and the two Raven stories, How the Raven Met the Angel and The Raven and the Eye. I’m writing these all up so that a reader can read the Food series independently of the other works, and one should be able to read Immunity and the Raven stories independently and in any order one might desire.
So all those other works had a hiatus from KU while I did all that, but everything is back on KU for anyone who uses that system.
More later!
Jeffrey Caston
October 17, 2021
Food prelude free promotion and Food series update...
First a bit of an update...
I've finished a first draft of my current novella in the Food series. These stories are getting longer, and more complex as I keep building the desperate dystopian world of Pacifica and the unfortunate souls that populate it. This current project, titled Food: Chef de Cuisine, will take you into the palace's Royal Kitchen and give you a glimpse of the people who feed Pacifica's despotically evil monarch's.
Oh, and at the end, I'm going to give you a sneak peak at the next planned volume, which will give you a little "taste" of what the King is like. I want to give some of my good friends here a glimpse of the King. (Spoilers -- he's a bad, BAD man! )
It'll be a bit before I release this because I want to give people the best possible story I can. But I'm working very hard on it and hope to have it out ASAP.
Which brings me to a FREE promotion...
I recently released a prelude novella, Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _. While the rest of the Food stories follow a tightly connected sequence of events, I set F: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _ many years before the main series. The prelude will give you a sense of how the world went awry and how Pacifica came about. Since I've finished a draft, as a way to celebrate that milestone, I decided to offer a free promotion for the prelude, running from this Monday (10/18/21) to Friday (10/22/21).
If you try it out, I'd love to hear what you think. But just so you know, it's a pretty brutal horror story. I strongly encourage anyone thinking of delving into this series to heed the warnings.
Happy reading everyone!
Jeffrey Caston
I've finished a first draft of my current novella in the Food series. These stories are getting longer, and more complex as I keep building the desperate dystopian world of Pacifica and the unfortunate souls that populate it. This current project, titled Food: Chef de Cuisine, will take you into the palace's Royal Kitchen and give you a glimpse of the people who feed Pacifica's despotically evil monarch's.
Oh, and at the end, I'm going to give you a sneak peak at the next planned volume, which will give you a little "taste" of what the King is like. I want to give some of my good friends here a glimpse of the King. (Spoilers -- he's a bad, BAD man! )
It'll be a bit before I release this because I want to give people the best possible story I can. But I'm working very hard on it and hope to have it out ASAP.
Which brings me to a FREE promotion...
I recently released a prelude novella, Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _. While the rest of the Food stories follow a tightly connected sequence of events, I set F: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _ many years before the main series. The prelude will give you a sense of how the world went awry and how Pacifica came about. Since I've finished a draft, as a way to celebrate that milestone, I decided to offer a free promotion for the prelude, running from this Monday (10/18/21) to Friday (10/22/21).
If you try it out, I'd love to hear what you think. But just so you know, it's a pretty brutal horror story. I strongly encourage anyone thinking of delving into this series to heed the warnings.
Happy reading everyone!
Jeffrey Caston
July 11, 2021
Food Prelude Story is Out!
After quite a while, some rewriting, advice and nput from beta readers (thanks Bridgett!) and really good editing and advice from my buddy, Mort, I have release my Food prelude story, Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _. I wanted to get the ending right and help build the Pacifica and Horrific Northwest settings.
This one tells the story of some people desperately trying to feed their families during mounting food shortages that are ravaging the planet in the not too distant future.
Sharren Menter is one of those people. She's presented with the opportunity to win -- in a TV game show no less -- a prize of immeasurable value: A year's supply of food for her and her three kids. All too soon she sees the cutthroat competition takes a very heavy toll.
This dark dystopian story takes place shortly before the Downfall and the events that lead to the creation of the Kingdom of Pacifica.
I hope you enjoy.
Jeffrey Caston
This one tells the story of some people desperately trying to feed their families during mounting food shortages that are ravaging the planet in the not too distant future.
Sharren Menter is one of those people. She's presented with the opportunity to win -- in a TV game show no less -- a prize of immeasurable value: A year's supply of food for her and her three kids. All too soon she sees the cutthroat competition takes a very heavy toll.
This dark dystopian story takes place shortly before the Downfall and the events that lead to the creation of the Kingdom of Pacifica.
I hope you enjoy.
Jeffrey Caston
May 24, 2021
Food promotion -- First Story Free Through Friday 5/28
Since I am closing in on releasing a prequel story to my "Food" extreme horror short story series set in the grim dystopia of Pacifica, I am running a promotion offering the first story, Food,
FREE through Friday.
Food drops you into the world of Pacifica, a grim world set in the far future of the Pacific Northwest where the formerly lush, green lands and friendly people have been replaced by shortages, hardship and a, well let's just call it, a demanding monarchy. And the second short story, Food: The MVP Room, is still 99 cents. Plus, they are both available on KU.
This series is a pretty violent look at what can happen where human need is great, but the available resources--not so much.
Thank you for all the support on this site and "happy" reading!
Jeffrey Caston
Food drops you into the world of Pacifica, a grim world set in the far future of the Pacific Northwest where the formerly lush, green lands and friendly people have been replaced by shortages, hardship and a, well let's just call it, a demanding monarchy. And the second short story, Food: The MVP Room, is still 99 cents. Plus, they are both available on KU.
This series is a pretty violent look at what can happen where human need is great, but the available resources--not so much.
Thank you for all the support on this site and "happy" reading!
Jeffrey Caston
April 14, 2021
Food Stories Update 4-14-21
I am closing in on releasing a Food/Pacifica prelude story and I'm pretty excited about it.
I've titled this one Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _ . Yup. Gonna be brutal, but I hope people find it interesting. I'm hoping to have it out by maybe the end of the month, but might be in the first part of May. I'm always going to want to put out the most polished product I can. I'm in a final editing phase now. The cover is conceived but not put together yet.
Anyway, this prelude will take place several years before world-wide societal collapse, an event I am calling the Downfall in the Pacifica setting. It will go through a few key events that lead to a monarchy in what is left of the PNW. (And you'll get a brief glimpse of Garren's ancestors!)
I'm also adding some more ties between these Food/Pacifica stories to the overall Horrific Northwest setting I'm just loving writing about.
I'll blog again once I get the cover done, which will hopefully be pretty soon.
Oh, and I am taking some of the prior comments to heart and really trying to flesh out this brutal, brutal world. The original story was based on a nightmare and then whiskey fueled rant that I cranked out at like 3 in the morning one night after bolting awake. That one was 2,500 words. MVP Room was about 5,500 words. This prelude story is easily going to get to 15,000 words.
I look forward to anyone giving their thoughts on it and in the meantime, I still have Food and Food: The MVP Room for the Kindle and on KU.
Thanks!
Jeffrey Caston
I've titled this one Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken _ _ _ _ . Yup. Gonna be brutal, but I hope people find it interesting. I'm hoping to have it out by maybe the end of the month, but might be in the first part of May. I'm always going to want to put out the most polished product I can. I'm in a final editing phase now. The cover is conceived but not put together yet.
Anyway, this prelude will take place several years before world-wide societal collapse, an event I am calling the Downfall in the Pacifica setting. It will go through a few key events that lead to a monarchy in what is left of the PNW. (And you'll get a brief glimpse of Garren's ancestors!)
I'm also adding some more ties between these Food/Pacifica stories to the overall Horrific Northwest setting I'm just loving writing about.
I'll blog again once I get the cover done, which will hopefully be pretty soon.
Oh, and I am taking some of the prior comments to heart and really trying to flesh out this brutal, brutal world. The original story was based on a nightmare and then whiskey fueled rant that I cranked out at like 3 in the morning one night after bolting awake. That one was 2,500 words. MVP Room was about 5,500 words. This prelude story is easily going to get to 15,000 words.
I look forward to anyone giving their thoughts on it and in the meantime, I still have Food and Food: The MVP Room for the Kindle and on KU.
Thanks!
Jeffrey Caston
February 23, 2021
Food Stories Update 2-23-21
A few updates on my Food stories.
I released the second story, Food: The MVP Room on Kindle Unlimited.
I've still got a prequel planned. It'll taste like chicken. Well... sorta. That one will take place a long while before Food, but it will help explain a bit how Pacifica came into being. Spoiler alert ... it ain't pretty.
But I also have a second sequel to the main story about 60% drafted. I've given it the title Food: Chef de Cuisine. It will introduce you to the kitchen staff and a few more monstrously brutal cooking techniques to feed the King and Queen. And I'll be introducing (finally, I suppose) a protagonist I hope you can root for. I haven't quite figured out what I want to do for a cover concept, but it'll come to me.
And the last of this little series will be Food: All Hate the King. It's conceptualized plot-wise in my head. I just gotta get those fingers tapping those keys and get it written.
But I promise these won't be the only literary forays and visits to Pacifica.
I released the second story, Food: The MVP Room on Kindle Unlimited.
I've still got a prequel planned. It'll taste like chicken. Well... sorta. That one will take place a long while before Food, but it will help explain a bit how Pacifica came into being. Spoiler alert ... it ain't pretty.
But I also have a second sequel to the main story about 60% drafted. I've given it the title Food: Chef de Cuisine. It will introduce you to the kitchen staff and a few more monstrously brutal cooking techniques to feed the King and Queen. And I'll be introducing (finally, I suppose) a protagonist I hope you can root for. I haven't quite figured out what I want to do for a cover concept, but it'll come to me.
And the last of this little series will be Food: All Hate the King. It's conceptualized plot-wise in my head. I just gotta get those fingers tapping those keys and get it written.
But I promise these won't be the only literary forays and visits to Pacifica.
December 18, 2020
Food stories update...
I have two more short stories now in the editing phase and shaping up nicely. They are both going to be in the Food series. This series is in the Pacifica story-line, a horror-dystopia set in the future and the remnants of Washington, Oregon, northern California, and slivers of British Columbia and Idaho.
The first one is Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken_ _ _ _. That one takes place several years before society's "Downfall," which separates people into two classes: (1) those who make the hard "choices" to restore order; and (2) the unfortunate souls who have to live with those choices. This one is a prelude to Food.
The second one is Food: The MVP Room. This one takes place immediately after the original short story. It will tell you more about the Kingdom of Pacifica and what life is like for the royal servants.
Jeffrey Caston
The first one is Food: Winner, Winner, Chicken_ _ _ _. That one takes place several years before society's "Downfall," which separates people into two classes: (1) those who make the hard "choices" to restore order; and (2) the unfortunate souls who have to live with those choices. This one is a prelude to Food.
The second one is Food: The MVP Room. This one takes place immediately after the original short story. It will tell you more about the Kingdom of Pacifica and what life is like for the royal servants.
Jeffrey Caston
