Jeffrey Caston's Blog, page 4
June 2, 2020
Release of the Raven and the Eye & a few Comments About the Raven – a not so heroic superhero
I am pleased to be releasing my first Raven short story.
The Raven and the Eye
It is a standalone story in what will become my Ravensbrood series. The Ravensbrood stories will be loosely connected to the Horrific Northwest. In fact, The Raven and the Eye has a few characters from my first novel, Immunity.
In this short story, the Raven has to battle a vicious, murderous monster. But it should be okay for him. Because he’s kind of a vicious, murderous vigilante.
Which brings me to a short introduction about what the Raven is all about. The Raven is a vigilante based in the Seattle area. He’s tough. He’s resourceful. He’s brilliant with technology (he is in Seattle after all). He’s a stellar hand to hand fighter. And he’s got all kinds of cool gadgets he has at his disposal.
But here’s the thing. He’s also bats%$@ crazy. And mean. And he’s not altogether heroic. He’ll stomp on an innocent if that is what it takes to bring down the bad guys. So think of a superhero with Batman’s skillset, the Joker’s insanity, Lex Luthor’s resources, and Tony Stark’s technical genius.
So if you are a fan of superheroes, horror, or Lovecraftian beasties, this story is for you.
It’s available on Kindle and KU.
The Raven and the Eye: A Ravensbrood Short Story
The Raven and the Eye
It is a standalone story in what will become my Ravensbrood series. The Ravensbrood stories will be loosely connected to the Horrific Northwest. In fact, The Raven and the Eye has a few characters from my first novel, Immunity.
In this short story, the Raven has to battle a vicious, murderous monster. But it should be okay for him. Because he’s kind of a vicious, murderous vigilante.
Which brings me to a short introduction about what the Raven is all about. The Raven is a vigilante based in the Seattle area. He’s tough. He’s resourceful. He’s brilliant with technology (he is in Seattle after all). He’s a stellar hand to hand fighter. And he’s got all kinds of cool gadgets he has at his disposal.
But here’s the thing. He’s also bats%$@ crazy. And mean. And he’s not altogether heroic. He’ll stomp on an innocent if that is what it takes to bring down the bad guys. So think of a superhero with Batman’s skillset, the Joker’s insanity, Lex Luthor’s resources, and Tony Stark’s technical genius.
So if you are a fan of superheroes, horror, or Lovecraftian beasties, this story is for you.
It’s available on Kindle and KU.
The Raven and the Eye: A Ravensbrood Short Story
May 28, 2020
Two Upcoming Shortstories
I am close to getting two short stories published. Just needs a few little fine tuning issues and covers and I'll be ready to go.
Food is a short story set in the somewhat distant future of my Horrific Northwest setting that I introduced with Immunity. It's going to address the point to which humanity will go to explore new "cuisine." Bon Appetite. Sort of.
Then, in The Raven and the Eye I am excited to be writing a short story about the Raven, a crazed vigilante based in Seattle. This short story will be be a stand-alone story that is part of the Ravensbrood series but also ties in with characters from the Horrific Northwest. (Immunity: A Novel of the Horrific Northwest) If you love horror and Lovecraftian beasties, you'll love this one. More on this (and the Raven in general) later.
Food is a short story set in the somewhat distant future of my Horrific Northwest setting that I introduced with Immunity. It's going to address the point to which humanity will go to explore new "cuisine." Bon Appetite. Sort of.
Then, in The Raven and the Eye I am excited to be writing a short story about the Raven, a crazed vigilante based in Seattle. This short story will be be a stand-alone story that is part of the Ravensbrood series but also ties in with characters from the Horrific Northwest. (Immunity: A Novel of the Horrific Northwest) If you love horror and Lovecraftian beasties, you'll love this one. More on this (and the Raven in general) later.
April 16, 2020
The Horrific Northwest
I know some authors and readers (okay maybe a lot of authors and readers) enjoy distinct series. I'm no different.
But, well, a lot of times my brain just isn't that linear. I've dreamed up stories and characters that have lived inside my head like friend for so long. I've conceptualized certain series and certain characters as having their own distinct worlds.
But then recently I realized that a lot of them had overlapping challenges and interactions.
Enter the Horrific Northwest, the literary "stage" or multiverse I am creating with my writing. I am really excited to be giving this life.
I'm going to be writing primarily horror. And I have always loved the northwest. The Horrific Northwest is going to be a sort of over-arcing setting that many of the novels I had outlined in my head as far back as high school are going to be set in. If you're familiar with D&D, it is sort of like the various campaign settings players can use. Or more likely, people are familiar with the Marvel or the DC superhero movies. The Horrific Northwest is going to be a sort of literary equivalent to that.
I started it with my debut novel, Immunity.
Immunity sets the stage for a lot of my intended future work. It introduces some of the larger characters and organizations, such as the evil Penwall Corporation and its owner, Horace Stant. It introduces other characters, such as Colin Wohl, Susan Stewart, Jennie Ransom, and others who will also have their own series and books down the line. There will be references to events and people in other stories.
Doing it like this will allow me to write some books in a sequential series, while having other stories and books appear at different times.
For example, Susan Stewart will have adventures and endure agonies long before readers discover her as Stant's secretary in Immunity, which takes place in 2018.
The Horrific Northwest will encompass various series and standalone stories:
The series I am currently writing about people who possess amazing abilities but must face nightmarish obstacles and enemies.
The Ravensbrood -- a series of books and short stories about a Seattle vigilante who is semi-possessed by spirits. I hope to come out with a short-story, The Raven and the Eye soon.
Food, a dystopian short-story set in the future.
The Paralearth -- a sci-fi/horror mashup series featuring aliens created by an alternative world created in another dimension.
But my intent is that a reader of any book in my Horrific Northwest novels or short stories will be able to enjoy any story as a standalone novel or a series. I will write them so that you will not have to read everything if a topic or a character doesn't appeal to a reader. But overall I think people who do read the Horrific Northwest books will have a larger, richer reading experience. I think I can -- no -- I KNOW I can make this work. I just hope people will like it.
Jeffrey Caston
But, well, a lot of times my brain just isn't that linear. I've dreamed up stories and characters that have lived inside my head like friend for so long. I've conceptualized certain series and certain characters as having their own distinct worlds.
But then recently I realized that a lot of them had overlapping challenges and interactions.
Enter the Horrific Northwest, the literary "stage" or multiverse I am creating with my writing. I am really excited to be giving this life.
I'm going to be writing primarily horror. And I have always loved the northwest. The Horrific Northwest is going to be a sort of over-arcing setting that many of the novels I had outlined in my head as far back as high school are going to be set in. If you're familiar with D&D, it is sort of like the various campaign settings players can use. Or more likely, people are familiar with the Marvel or the DC superhero movies. The Horrific Northwest is going to be a sort of literary equivalent to that.
I started it with my debut novel, Immunity.
Immunity sets the stage for a lot of my intended future work. It introduces some of the larger characters and organizations, such as the evil Penwall Corporation and its owner, Horace Stant. It introduces other characters, such as Colin Wohl, Susan Stewart, Jennie Ransom, and others who will also have their own series and books down the line. There will be references to events and people in other stories.
Doing it like this will allow me to write some books in a sequential series, while having other stories and books appear at different times.
For example, Susan Stewart will have adventures and endure agonies long before readers discover her as Stant's secretary in Immunity, which takes place in 2018.
The Horrific Northwest will encompass various series and standalone stories:
The series I am currently writing about people who possess amazing abilities but must face nightmarish obstacles and enemies.
The Ravensbrood -- a series of books and short stories about a Seattle vigilante who is semi-possessed by spirits. I hope to come out with a short-story, The Raven and the Eye soon.
Food, a dystopian short-story set in the future.
The Paralearth -- a sci-fi/horror mashup series featuring aliens created by an alternative world created in another dimension.
But my intent is that a reader of any book in my Horrific Northwest novels or short stories will be able to enjoy any story as a standalone novel or a series. I will write them so that you will not have to read everything if a topic or a character doesn't appeal to a reader. But overall I think people who do read the Horrific Northwest books will have a larger, richer reading experience. I think I can -- no -- I KNOW I can make this work. I just hope people will like it.
Jeffrey Caston
Writing Life and Being Grateful to be an indie author
I have been writing and imagining stories almost as long as I can remember. Modern indie publishing has been instrumental in giving a voice to aspiring writers like me. And for that I will always be grateful.
But here's a new writing experience for me...blogging. Never done this before, so I am just looking at this as another creative opportunity to do the thing I have loved since I could form a rational sentence. (Okay, maybe some of those early sentences weren't all that rational, but I'm going to give myself the benefit of the doubt).
Enter Sarah Vinson and "Immunity"...
I had first written Sarah's story several years ago. Over the years, when I had a fresh inspiration and aspiration to bring it closer to publication, I would give it a fresh re-write, updating, improving, making it scarier. Then it would sit again, unrealized, unread, and that left me unfulfilled as a writer and my creative aspirations.
Then a co-worker (whose code-name shall henceforth be "the homie") introduced me to GR and indie authors. I read it. At first I thought it was a bit rough. It was one of the earlier indie authors and books. It had a pretty substantial number of grammatical errors and I didn't have a kindle so I paid the hefty price to get a print on demand copy. But right away I saw two things. One, that the writer had a great imagination and that with the advent of indie publishing, he could get it out there. Two, I realized, maybe, just maybe, I could finally get my own work out there. So then I took up Immunity again. And as you will see from my next blog post, Immunity became the springboard for the "Horrific Northwest" literary mutliverse I intend to create.
So a lot of late nights, patience, hard work and support of my loving wife, the homie and some GR friends (like Marie and Angel), I was FINALLY able to bring Immunity to life. Oh and coffee and alcohol played in there too.
Immunity is a story (now eerily timely) about a young woman with a perfect immune system who was also capable of psionically transmitting diseases to people.
But just as I am always grateful to be able to have writing as a creative outlet, I will be even more grateful to be able to see my stories in print thanks to indie publishing.
But here's a new writing experience for me...blogging. Never done this before, so I am just looking at this as another creative opportunity to do the thing I have loved since I could form a rational sentence. (Okay, maybe some of those early sentences weren't all that rational, but I'm going to give myself the benefit of the doubt).
Enter Sarah Vinson and "Immunity"...
I had first written Sarah's story several years ago. Over the years, when I had a fresh inspiration and aspiration to bring it closer to publication, I would give it a fresh re-write, updating, improving, making it scarier. Then it would sit again, unrealized, unread, and that left me unfulfilled as a writer and my creative aspirations.
Then a co-worker (whose code-name shall henceforth be "the homie") introduced me to GR and indie authors. I read it. At first I thought it was a bit rough. It was one of the earlier indie authors and books. It had a pretty substantial number of grammatical errors and I didn't have a kindle so I paid the hefty price to get a print on demand copy. But right away I saw two things. One, that the writer had a great imagination and that with the advent of indie publishing, he could get it out there. Two, I realized, maybe, just maybe, I could finally get my own work out there. So then I took up Immunity again. And as you will see from my next blog post, Immunity became the springboard for the "Horrific Northwest" literary mutliverse I intend to create.
So a lot of late nights, patience, hard work and support of my loving wife, the homie and some GR friends (like Marie and Angel), I was FINALLY able to bring Immunity to life. Oh and coffee and alcohol played in there too.
Immunity is a story (now eerily timely) about a young woman with a perfect immune system who was also capable of psionically transmitting diseases to people.
But just as I am always grateful to be able to have writing as a creative outlet, I will be even more grateful to be able to see my stories in print thanks to indie publishing.
