Stephanie Jensen's Blog, page 4

Dissecting House Sequel, Screaming Streets, Out on February 4th: Pre-Order ebook!

Screaming Streets Book Cover

I’m happy to announce the Dissecting House sequel, Screaming Streets, will be released on February 4, 2022.

Here is the synopsis:

“I walk the streets now. And I make them scream with every step I take. I leave a blood trail behind me wherever I go.”In the second installment of the Mina Bassey series, Mina continues her reign of onslaught. With the help of her new slave, Mina makes her way around the country and murders everywhere she goes.

The book will be available in digital and print formats on both Amazon and Godless. Pre-order the ebook by clicking here!

Please support indie horror authors!

Dissecting House Sequel, Screaming Streets, Out on February 4th

Screaming Streets Book Cover

I’m happy to announce the Dissecting House sequel, Screaming Streets, will be released on February 4, 2022.

Here is the synopsis:

“I walk the streets now. And I make them scream with every step I take. I leave a blood trail behind me wherever I go.”In the second installment of the Mina Bassey series, Mina continues her reign of onslaught. With the help of her new slave, Mina makes her way around the country and murders everywhere she goes.

The book will be available in digital and print formats on both Amazon and Godless. Please support indie horror authors!

Best Books on Godless

The self-publishing world is tough as an indie horror writer, but especially a new writer. You don’t know how to navigate self-promotion and making connections can be pretty tricky. And when you’re surrounded by other writing heavyweights, well everything can get intimidating. At least that was my experience.

That’s why I’m thankful for a platform like Godless, that makes it easy for horror novelists to publish their books, meet other writers, promote their books, and connect to other horror readers.

They not only support indie writers but also publishers and even those who offer services to indie writers, such as editors and book cover designers. Godless has also created a community of horror writers and readers who can’t get enough of the craziest horror and splatterpunk fiction out there.

So, what is Godless?

Godless is an e-book distribution platform that features and promotes independent horror authors, like me! And yes, yours truly is also featured on Godless.

Pretty much, writers can upload their e-books on Godless and readers can purchase them directly on the platform. Plus, you get extra promotion on this platform. And it’s just another easy way to attract new readers.

Plus, Godless partners with Children of the Night who provides intervention to children who are victims of or are vulnerable to sex trafficking, pornography, and other forms of sexual exploitation.

When you take a quick look on the Godless website, you can see there are numerous amazing authors and books on Godless. While I barely brushed the surface, I’m listing my favorite works on Godless right here.

Okay, boring disclaimer alert. This is an honest review. I was not asked by Godless or their owner/other associates for this review. I also purchased all of these books with my own money. So when I say I truly like these books, I really SERIOUSLY like these books a lot.

A Little Bit Country (Fucking Scumbags Burn in Hell: Book 1) by Drew Stepek

I think it’s only fair to mention the Godless head honcho as the number one on this list. Face it, without Drew, none of this would exist and we writers are forever in his debt.

For this review, I decided to choose the first book from his series Fucking Scumbags Burn in Hell. I personally love this book because I’m interested in other interpretations of Hell, other than the fire-infested land with demons torturing souls and whatever else that Dante Alighieri said.

This is one of those books that start and end completely differently. You meet a deceased man we only know as Country. While in Hell, he’s assigned to turn people from Earth away from God and to the Dark Lord. However, Country, well, seriously fucks up.

As the book continues, you discover that Country is fucked up in the head, which is what landed him in Hell in the first place. I won’t go into more detail, but the book seriously ends on a cliffhanger.

I should also mention this book is completely free, so there’s absolutely no reason for you to skip out on this one.

The City by S.C.Mendes

Oh my goodness, where do I start with this one? Well as you can see from the picture, I bought a physical copy after reading the digital one on Godless. If that tells you how much I loved this book.

The story follows Max Elliot, a former detective with a serious opium problem. After the brutal death of his wife and the disappearance of his daughter, he left the force. But after similar murders occurred, the police know that Max is the only person who can solve this crime.

And solve it he does. At the crime scene, he discovers a mysterious drug. That drug is linked to one place, The City, an underground world that harbors depravity and violence. This world will unlock the reasons behind the murders and the answers to his daughter’s disappearance.

You meet a variety of colorful characters in this book. Max himself is interesting, to say the least. McCloud, another officer who’s desperately trying to work in homicide. Charlie, probably the lowest of the low type of human. Ming, a teenager who teaches Max the ropes of The City. And of course, The Mara, the thousand-year-old reptilian humanoids who run The City.

The story really enticed me, but I especially love S.C. Mendes’ writing. He reminds me of a more twisted Graham Masterton, which says a lot because I love Master of Lies. Mendes has that same air of mystery and weaves in noir-like crime fiction with enough fantasy elements to make the book unique.

Overall, your nose will be stuck in this book until the very end. This is the type of book where I felt sad that the book was over. I wanted to be stuck in The City with Max surrounded by Mara forever. I even had a dream of The Mara! Fortunately, Mendes is writing a sequel, so we won’t have to wait too long to discover what happens next.

No Escape – E.B. Lunsford

I actually just finished this book today and it’s fresh in my mind.

The book centers around two stories: Tom and Nicole. Tom is a serial killer/rapist/snuff filmmaker. He has that typical narcissism that you see with serial killers, though he lived a screwed-up life where he was sexually abused by his foster mother.

Nicole is a high school senior who has experienced nothing but tragedy in her young life. Not only did her mom die at a young age but also her boyfriend.

Now that she’s graduating, she and her friends want to have the last high school party out of town in a cabin. Unfortunately for them, this is the same area where Tom lives. And he just so happens to be looking for new “stars” in his next snuff film.

E.B. Lunsford unleashes many twists and turns in this book. I love the campiness of it; the kids partying, oblivious to the world, unaware that they’re being stalked by a ruthless killer.

The only I will say is the book starts slowly at first. But that’s necessary; we have to be annoyed by the teenagers before we get to the good stuff. But once they arrive at the cabin, you won’t be able to put this book down.

I have to say, Lunsford has excellent characterization. In classic horror sense, Nicole makes the perfect “final girl.” Her friends were too dumb and reckless to survive. Nicole has lots of fight in her and a keen ability to never give up.

But trust me when I say this book isn’t for the faint of heart. First off, there’s lots and lots and lots of rape here. I know for some, sexual abuse is a big no-no, even in horror, so this book definitely has a big trigger warning.

Lunsford also doesn’t hold back on the detail. If Tom is torturing a victim, you’ll know how bad it hurts. If they’re restrained, you’ll know how it affects their body and mind. She doesn’t hold back when killing her characters and makes them die the most brutal deaths imaginable.

A Gift of Death by Daniel J. Volpe

This book definitely hit a soft spot of mine: the metal scene.

I’ve been a longtime metal fan, as long as I’ve been a horror fan, and I’ve been a music journalist for nearly 10 years. I was actually recommended Daniel J. Volpe’s work long before Godless emerged. When I saw that Volpe was on Godless, I had to read his work.

The book opens up at a concert. One girl is watching the show when a mysterious thrash metal band called A Gift of Death enters the stage. The first victim, Trina, is enticed by them.

She meets up with the band after the show, thinking she’s going to have some fun lesbian action with the two female members of the band. Instead, she’s brutally murdered by them. That’s because they’re vampires.

The book not only focuses on the band but also two other stories. Cameron, a loner high school boy who loves the band so much, he’s willing to become one of them. And two private detectives who are secret vampire hunters.

I love this book for many reasons other than the metal band aspect. It’s a unique idea and one that left me amused for the duration of the book.

Volpe also writes in a way that’s brutal but you also feel for the characters. For this book, you especially sympathize with Cameron, whose constant bullying and crappy home life make him think that death is his only option.

Cucumbers and Comforters by Nikki Noir

I think out of all of the books on this list, Cucumbers and Comforters is the most fun. The book centers around a teenage girl, Jen, and her missing friend. Turns out, there’s more to her missing friend than monsters in the lake.

Nikki Noir truly proves she’s one of the most imaginative horror writers today with this book. If you would ever tell me that lake monsters would be so brutal, then I would look more into the Nessie theories.

There’s also a larger mystery here at play. Even though it’s a short story, Noir covers a ton of details here. If you’re in the mood for a short and fun yet brutal read, then definitely pick up this book.

Love Stumped by Lindsay Crook

Man, such a short read yet so fucked up. I know there are some weird fetishes out there, but a fetish of amputated limbs? Yikes. Well, that’s what you get when you read Love Stumped.

As you can tell, this story revolves around a psychopath named Dirk who kidnaps women and cuts off their limbs for his sexual gratification. However, he’s not ready for what his next “victim,” a woman named Wren, has to offer him.

This story is brutal and crazy, probably one of the goriest I ever read. But you won’t regret reading this one.

Mukbang Princess by Rayne Havok

Speaking of short yet fucked up reads, everyone should add Rayne Havok’s Mukbang Princess to this list. Don’t let the pretty pink cover fool you. This is probably one of the most deranged, graphic, and disgusting books I’ve ever read. And I loved every second of it.

The story centers around two girls who are trying to make money on social media. They come across mukbang, which are those weird videos of people eating (I seriously don’t know why people watch them).

Anyway, the girls find Mukbang Princess and she charges a steep price to watch her videos. The girls buy one to see what it’s about. However, they could never prepare themselves for the horrors that will unfold.

Mukbang Princess is a splatterpunk story for the modern audience. Social media and weird internet trends are the perfect setting for a horror story, and this short proves it.

But Havok goes even deeper, bringing out the nightmarish qualities of these types of videos. You may not wanna go online after reading this story. I know I didn’t.

Death Metal by Armand Rosamilia

Another book inspired by the metal scene! But this is another book that totally surprised me.

Let’s go into the basic premise of the book. It centers around Daniel Cahill, who most know as a young adult writer. What most don’t know is his secret identity as an extreme metal musician.

After years of making music, Daniel would rather focus on writing books. Unfortunately, some of his craziest fans don’t like that idea and will go as far as to harm his family if he doesn’t continue releasing albums.

Again, this book has many surprises that will leave you at the edge of your seat. It’s only 130 pages long, but it’s also so in-depth with a complex backstory and a twist ending. I finished this book in a day, I couldn’t put it down.

Gob & Nob by Simon McHardy

Man, where do I start? I mean, you’ll never truly read another book like Gob & Nob. If you want to read a book that doesn’t hold back on the bloodshed, then definitely pick up this one.

And that’s not all this book features. One of its main characters is, well, a talking penis. Yes, I said that right. A talking penis. As you can see, it’s a fun and short read. Definitely one I knocked out quickly, perfect if you want several good laughs.

FYI, this is another book that features rape. Again, I know there are even brutal horror fans sensitive to that, so figured a trigger warning was necessary.

Dolls by K.J. Moore

If you like your horror kinky, then definitely check out this book!

The book centers around Gabe and his female companion as they travel to various countries to solve the murder of their friend, Ben. But in order to get there, they have to endure a dominatrix, various gimp masks, and the worst crime ever within the boundaries of Thailand.

I definitely lost myself in this book. K.J. Moore has a way of not only maintaining the intensity but also building it perfectly. The sexual and kinky themes added an extra edge to the book.

The only thing I have to say is the two main characters are American, yet they’re speaking in British slang. Not a huge deal, just thought it was kind of funny. Otherwise, I recommend this book if you want a unique horror story with a healthy dose of fetishism!

Why We Should Let a Good Story Be a Story

It’s amazing when you read a book and gain insight into writing and the reason why you write.

I had this premonition while reading Stephen King’s It. In this scene, it shows Bill Denbrough as a university student in one of his writing classes. They’re discussing a vignette they were assigned to read. One of the students claims the vignette was making a socio-political statement, and the rest of the class (including the instructor) agrees. However, Bill has other thoughts.

“Why does a story have to be socio-anything? Politics…culture…history…aren’t those natural ingredients in any story, if it’s told well?”

He goes onto continue: “…can’t you guys just let a story be a story?”

With that one quote, Stephen King makes one of the most important claims in all of fiction (and maybe even nonfiction) writing: why a good story is simply a story.

Do Stories Need to Have Underlying Meaning?

Hey, if your story has underlying meaning, then more power to you. Some of the best works of literature have so much depth, you can’t help but appreciate the author’s geniusness.

Let’s take one of my favorite stories as an example: “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. I was assigned to read that story in the Women’s Literature class I took in college, and we dissected the story like a frog.

The PDF I attached is a mere nine pages long, but Oates crams so much hidden meaning in that story it’s unbelievable. References from the Bible, Satanism, vampirism, pop culture, and other general sexual themes. I personally love this story because it’s a keen example of one of the most difficult writing techniques: write a violent, good story without actually showing violence.

However, the average reader wouldn’t look into the story with that much depth. Instead, they will read a troubling and dramatic story.

There are some aspects that are off. For example, the perpetrator, Friend, reading off the numbers randomly (“Now, these numbers are a secret code, honey,” Arnold Friend explained. He read off the numbers 33, 19, 17 and raised his eyebrows at her to see what she thought of that, but she didn’t think much of it”).

Many people are confused by this part, and you can’t help but dig a little to understand the meaning of the numbers. This can be interpreted in many ways and Oates largely left this part up to interpretation. My professor told us that these were Bible verses but I also heard another interesting take: the first number is the age of Friend and the other two numbers represent the ages of his first victims.

Otherwise, the average reader would naturally not look much further for hidden clues and underlying meaning. Sure, they may feel uneasy because of the dark themes the story conveys, but overall it’s an enjoyable read.

Do Most Stories Have Socio-Political Elements?

Even if a writer doesn’t mean to include socio-political elements in their good story, it naturally comes out anyway.

There’s a simple explanation to that: real life naturally inspires our stories.

Think about it. How often do you set a story in your hometown? If you recently suffered unemployment and are taking this time to focus on your writing, maybe one or some of your characters are also unemployed. These are just examples, but it goes to show that our stories are similar to our lives and we may not even know it.

Because of this, I will always say true life is the best fiction inspiration ever. We all live different lives and that’s what truly makes a story unique.

In addition, I assume all of us pay attention to worldly events, whether or not they pertain to us, and we naturally base our stories off the current or past socio-political climates.

Let’s take Dissecting House as an example. Did I intend for this to be a feminist novel? No. But are there elements of feminist theory in my book? Absolutely. That not only comes from my background studying feminism in an academic setting but also with my own experiences as a woman, mainly how I was taught to fear men and men aren’t given the same warnings about women. That was largely the inspiration behind Dissecting House.

Why Stories Should Be Stories?

Even though most stories have socio-political elements, the most important aspect of writing is writing a good story. When your readers get lost in the pages of your book, your references to pop culture, the Bible, or what you learned in your 10th grade history class won’t matter.

That’s because your readers aren’t thinking about these hidden elements. They want to entertain themselves with a good story. And let’s face it, isn’t that the real reason why we all love reading?

Featured image credit: Image by bluebird6

The Howling of the Dead Out NOW

My newest horror book, The Howling of the Dead, was released early, in digital and paperback formats, on Amazon. You can buy it here.

You can also buy The Howling of the Dead on Godless. It should be available tomorrow, but I will update this if anything changes.

Here’s the synopsis:

Brayden and his girlfriend, Kylee, decide to move into the cabin that he inherited from his recently deceased aunt. However, the couple soon discovers that pure evil lives in this house. Brayden’s sleep paralysis now seems too realistic and the spirits become torturous. As things worsen, they find themselves asking the same questions: what menacing force lives within the walls of this cabin, and what does Brayden’s aunt have to do with it?

Thank you for all of your support and please continue supporting indie authors!

The Final Gate Review – Read-by-Read Updates

So I was sent The Final Gate by Wesley Southard and Lucas Mangum. Rather than reading the book and reviewing it after, I decided to post consistent updates of my review as I read the book. Enjoy! And always support indie authors!

Also, spoiler alerts will be here. Before reading this review, make sure you buy The Final Gate before reading my take, especially if you want to read an occult horror book.

Seas of Darkness, Gates to Hell – Page 32

My boyfriend and I have been busy for the past couple of days. We were preparing to stay overnight at a chalet, so I didn’t read as much as I wanted. But I got a little reading time in before we left.

The book starts with “Seas of Darkness, Gates to Hell” which is an ode to iconic Italian director Lucio Fulci. Southard and Mangum highlight Fulci’s best films and his overall status as the Godfather of Gore.

It’s crazy watching a movie versus reading a book. It could be me, but gory scenes are more intense when reading them versus watching them. Sure, I remember the eye impalement scene in Zombi, the woman’s face melted by acid in The Beyond, the brutal beating in Don’t Torture a Duckling, and so on. But reading these scenes in the detail that Southard and Mangum conveyed sent shivers down my spine. And it’s also making me want to watch some Fulci films.

The classic Italian horror films are some of my favorites, and Fulci is arguably one of the best directors. Both his giallo and crazy gore films are genius. That’s why I’m excited to see Southard and Mangum are taking a Fulci-inspired route to writing horror. While the introductory is an essential read, it’s still pretty brief. I usually get bored of introductory parts like this one, but reading this made me even more excited about what was to come.

Now let’s get to the actual story — The Final Gate. Southard and Mangum cut right to the chase, describing a terrifying scene of zombies invading a foster home. I can definitely see some of these zombies in a Fulci film. Sallow skin, covered in blood, vomiting up goo. Ah, you gotta love horror.

But this section is more than blood, guts, and scares. You see a glimpse of some of the kids in this foster home, reading about the heartbreaking reality of living without parents. The first character we meet is Bryce, one of the boys living in the foster home. He is first telling us about his friend Jake who was adopted. While all kids in this situation want to be adopted, Bryce saw Jake as his brother and his adoption hurt him. We will meet Bryce’s real brother shortly in the book, though.

This is a smart move as a writer, introducing enough about a character to where you know about them but Southard and Mangum don’t go into too much detail. Only enough to where we feel bad when the characters actually die. Especially someone as young as Bryce. Like I said, spoiler alerts. You also have to think of this scene from Bryce’s perspective. He’s a young kid, pretty much alone in this world. And now he’s forced to fight for his life. Pretty sad.

Next we meet Robert. He’s the handyman for the foster home, but we discover he grew up in a foster home, too. Otherwise, Robert is still a bit of a mystery. Nonetheless, the reader quickly sympathizes with Robert, but it doesn’t take long to put the pieces together on why he’s there and what will come next. While he’s outside, he hears Bryce screaming, and makes his way inside the house.

Southard and Mangum shift to the perspectives from a child to an adult effortlessly. When reading from Bryce’s POV, we see this scenario played out from the eyes of a scared little boy crying for his mommy. I was wondering if what was going on was even real or from the imagination of a little boy. But with Robert, it was all too real. While Southard and Mangum use the perfect amount of detail to convey Robert’s feelings, he’s still brave enough to enter the home and attempt to rescue as many people as he can. Robert puts on a brave face, since he loves the kids and knows what it’s like to be one of them. And any adult with a big enough heart would do the same. Unfortunately, Robert dies, too, and isn’t able to save anyone.

Next we meet Brandon and his girlfriend Jillian. Brandon is an ex-con who discovers his brother, Bryce, was recently adopted. We first meet him as he’s drinking. Even though he’s a recovering alcoholic, he’s upset that he can’t be the one to care for his brother (his past prison history is the reason why). His girlfriend, Jillian, is a soft and caring person. You can’t help but wonder why she’s with him. I have a feeling we’ll be learning more about the two of them as we go farther into the book.

Jillian suggests calling her ex, who’s a private detective. He’s a very unprofessional, surfer-type douche who clearly still has the hots for Jillian.

At this point, I’m thinking I put the pieces together. Bryce’s friend Jake was adopted, and turned into a zombie. Now that Bryce is adopted, he dies. To me, it seems like something sketchy is happening at this foster home.

This is where I left off, so I will update this when I get a chance to read! I will try and do some more reading in the next couple of days.

The Howling of the Dead Out August 23

I’m happy to announce my new book, The Howling of the Dead, will be released on August 23.

*This is not the sequel to Dissecting House. I repeat, THIS IS NOT THE SEQUEL TO DISSECTING HOUSE! This is a brand new book.

Here’s the synopsis:

Brayden and his girlfriend, Kylee, decide to move into the cabin that he inherited from his recently deceased aunt. However, the couple soon discovers that pure evil lives in this house. Brayden’s sleep paralysis now seems too realistic and the spirits become torturous. As things worsen, they find themselves asking the same questions: what menacing force lives within the walls of this cabin, and what does Brayden’s aunt have to do with it?

The Howling of the Dead will be available in e-book and print on Amazon and Godless (e-book only).

Review of Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite: Pride Month Feature

For Pride Month, I want to write a review of a book I read recently — the Exquisite Corpse book by Poppy Z. Brite. The book centers around two serial killers: Andrew Compton and Jay Byrne. The two cross paths and immediately fall in love. And they need to kill. After killing a sickly junkie, they turn their attention to one young man named Tran. But little do they know, his ex-boyfriend, Luke, is still crazy in love with Tran — and is crazy enough to get in-between the killers’ plan.

Since this is a special review for Pride Month, I should discuss Poppy Z. Brite a little bit more. Brite is a transgender writer whose characters are either gay or bisexual. He also considers himself a gay man who was born in a female’s body.

I honestly loved how the book centered around gay characters. Many genres, but especially horror, are heteronormative. I’m a straight cisgender female, so I loved diving into this world of sex, love, drugs, and violence in the New Orleans gay community. It took me out of my own world and into someone else’s. The book also discussed many issues that the gay community faces, such as ostracization, marginalization, discrimination (specifically in Tran’s case, when his father kicked out him due to strict Vietnamese customs), and the HIV/AIDS virus that has corrupted the gay community and more for decades. That’s why I knew this was the perfect book to feature for Pride Month.

Exquisite Corpse Highlights

So I’ll try and not give away spoilers in this section.

The book starts off with Andrew Compton in jail. He recently discovered he’s HIV-positive and knows he will live out the rest of his mundane existence in his jail cell. That is until he’s able to play dead. Literally. He slows his pulse, heartbeat, and breathing until it’s no longer there. When the prison staff discovers his body, they transfer him to the mortuary. It’s here, while Andrew is about to go through an autopsy, is when he kills the mortuary staff and escapes.

From here, he’s outside of the hospital in London. He steals one of the staff member’s cars and escapes. He visits a pub, meets an American tourist, and kills him in a random bathroom. From here, Andrew steals his money and ID and buys a ticket to the US.

It’s here that we meet Tran and Jay. Jay buys drugs off of Tran and invites him to take some photos (yeah that doesn’t sound sketchy at all). Tran declines and says he’s going to a rave, but then explains that he is interested in Jay. After the characters part ways, we learn more about them.

Tran explains he was born in Vietnam but his parents fled to the US when he was young. There, he explains he has two lives: his family life and his other life in the French Quarter of New Orleans. We don’t learn too much about his family life, since his father kicked him out after discovering notes between him and Luke. It’s here we also learn about Luke, Tran’s ex-boyfriend who’s HIV-positive and a very dangerous man. At first, Luke was kind of a secondary character. But he emerges more and more throughout the book, from memories with Tran to his alter ago Lush Rimbaud, a radio show host where he complains about the “breeders” (heterosexual people) and other political topics.

Then we learn more about Jay. Soon after he buys LSD off of Tran, Jay meets a young man we only know as “Fido.” It didn’t take long for the boy to end up dead in his shower.

Fast forward to Andrew meeting Jay. They meet in a bar after Andrew shows up in New Orleans. Jay takes Andrew back to his house. After handcuffing him to the chair, Andrew proved how much more dangerous he is when he trapped Jay with his legs and held a corkscrew to his throat. It didn’t take long for the pair to realize they were meant to be together.

Andrew met Tran at a bar. He wanted Tran to be their victim, but Jay refused because he was a local. Instead, they picked up some homeless junkie. After killing him, they cut him open and notice he was diseased. They discarded his body and Jay agreed to pursue Tran.

And this is where the highlights end.

My Take on Exquisite Corpse

I have to say, I absolutely fell in love with this book. You know when the book is about to end and you don’t want it to? That’s what happened with me and this book. I’ll never forget when I read the ending. I was sitting in a sushi restaurant, reading as I was eating. I was on the last page and finished what I was eating to brace myself for the book’s ending. Except I was ecstatic when I saw there’s an epilogue!

Why did I love this book so much? From a writer’s standpoint, Brite has the most beautiful yet sinister way of writing. Even the most brutal scenes were written so poetically. He also knows the fine line between descriptive writing and getting to the point. Gosh, I envy him; I tend to simply get to the point, being as little descriptive as possible. I may use Exquisite Corpse as my guide to improving that aspect of my writing.

Not only that, but the reader develops a deep and complex connection with all of the characters. You’re rooting for Andrew and Jay, who want their victim so terribly bad. At the same time, you hope Tran gets away. And then there’s Luke; I felt wary about him at first, but I warmed up to him around the end of the book.

Exquisite Corpse also showcases an assortment of other depravities — a slew of characters have HIV, Luke witnesses a man killing himself and his corpse getting eaten by gators, Tran getting kicked out of his home after his father discovers his sexuality, and just how absolutely heartless Jay and Andrew are.

If you’re interested in reading some more Poppy Z. Brite books, he’s also known for Lost Souls and Drawing Blood. You can buy these books and more on his Amazon page. I personally read Exquisite Corpse on Apple Books.

I highly recommend Exquisite Corpse. This book has so much depth, more so than I could ever include in this review. But I suggest everyone reads Exquisite Corpse. You’ll never find another book so stunning yet so monstrous.

Rating: 9.5/10

Featured image credit: Amazon

It’s Time to Talk About Writer Discrimination

Okay everyone, let’s have a talk. A talk about discrimination in the writing community. It’s been happening far too long. This includes discrimination against gender, race, English language proficiency, and now I’m hearing my writer colleagues with reading and writing disabilities facing discrimination.

C’mon everyone. This isn’t cool. Let’s discuss this a bit more and how we can find a way to combat this.

Gender Discrimination

Yes, some of the most prominent writers in history have been men. But women have been responsible for some of the greatest literary works in the entire world. Unfortunately, women writers still face discrimination.

Women have obstacles in achieving, well, just about anything they want. 42% of women claim they face gender discrimination in the workplace. Some of these examples include pay-based discrimination, receiving less support from company leaders, small slights from colleagues, isolation, passed over on assignments, being turned down for a job, being turned down from a promotion, and more.

So, what’s the big deal? If notable women, from Jane Austen all the way to J.K. Rowling, are responsible for iconic stories we adore, then why are female writers today still struggling? Well, discrimination is more complex than we think.

First, the hardest part about writing IS writing. This is the golden rule I was taught by my high school writing teacher, and I can see why. After a long day at work (assuming your writing doesn’t cover your livelihood) and other life responsibilities, the last thing you want is to write a chapter of your novel.

This extends to all writers, but especially women. Let’s take one major factor into consideration: motherhood. Women adjust their careers to family life more than men. This may include full career interruptions and reducing the hours they work. My own mother quit her career in law when she became a mom, so I’m sure there are women who give up writing in order to devote more time to the family.

But there are unique challenges that outcast women writers. For example, there are those who believe certain ideas and subjects are specific to women’s writing. I remember a friend of mine saying, “I can tell when I’m reading a female author. The writing is more emotional.” Now, I don’t necessarily think that was a criticism. But I have two thoughts on his judgment: 1. Shouldn’t all writing have some sort of emotional depth? And 2. That’s such an overrated stereotype. Oh yes, I’m going to emotionally describe this brutal murder scene. Seriously?

There are other factors to consider. Examples include women writers who score publishing deals in comparison to men, women who win major writing achievements in comparison to men, etc. Hell, practically 80% of the books reviewed in the New York Review of Books were written by men.

There is no simple solution to gender discrimination in writing. Some of these issues, such as a woman’s pressure to conceive and be a mother, are ingrained so far in human history to where it may not ever be resolved (or I don’t think it will).

As far as the gender stereotypes in writing and the lack of opportunities women have in the writing world, all we can do is acknowledge them and hope readers, agents, publishing houses, and reviewers all get on board.

Racial Discrimination

It’s 2021 and racism still persists. There’s absolutely no excuse for that, and there’s especially no reason why people of color should continue to face discrimination for their works.

Unfortunately, this isn’t an issue strictly subjected to the U.S. Race discrimination in writing is not only prevalent in British writing communities but also in European writing communities. Since this is a global issue, it’s more essential that we understand racial discrimination in writing.

But what does it boil down to? Many suggest it’s just general disdain toward people of color and has nothing to do with their ability to write.

However, there does seem to be a race problem in the writing world. People of color have to jump through hoops to reach an audience. In addition, writers of color aren’t employed by newspapers and other publications nearly as often as white writers.

And yet, with that said, there are so many amazing literary works that cover race. And these works aren’t all recent — many of them date back throughout U.S. history. From the slave trade to the decimation of our Natives, all of these integral topics have been covered in both fiction and nonfiction realms.

Unfortunately, racism is still an issue in our society. Tackling the issue of racism will help achieve equality in all areas of life, not just racism in the writing world. Achieving equality requires many solutions, all of which are complex. This extends from issues we’re currently facing, such as de-ghettoization and tackling police brutality, all the way to ending white supremacy. Rather than discussing some of these methods in-depth, I’ll refer you to this awesome interview with Orlando Patterson, who is the John Cowles Professor of Sociology and a scholar of slavery and issues of race.

Language Discrimination

Guys, this is one that’s starting to get to me the most. Just because this is an issue I see CONSTANTLY, in both the professional and fiction writing realms.

First, let me tell you a story. I joined a Facebook group (I think it was a group of female heavy metal fans, but don’t quote me on that). Through the group, I met this young woman. She discovered that I’m a writer and said she was interested in becoming a writer. I gave her some advice and she sent me some of her work to review. She was an outstanding writer! I gave her my honest insight, which was largely positive, and she seemed very grateful for my feedback. Then she was telling me how much she always wanted to write but English isn’t her first language. Because of that fact, she admitted she was very insecure about her grammar, spelling, etc. I don’t remember finding any errors in her writing.

Yet, language discrimination occurs constantly. Most of the writing agencies I see only open their applications to “Native English speakers.” If the role is English-writing specific, why can’t you just require fluency in English?

I think what hurts the most is the lack of support that ESL fiction writers receive. I saw one Twitter thread where someone asked something along the lines of, “should non-native English speakers become writers?” And the ignorant comments were staggering. No wonder the young woman I met a few years back was so insecure about her writing.

I also saw another Twitter thread a while back where a writer (I can’t remember her name) posted a review left on one of her books. The reviewer gave her a one-star review, solely because of the fact that she’s an immigrant.

So, why does this issue bother me? For one, I’m grateful to have tons of friends from around the world. Most of them speak and write English better than native speakers. Second, I’m learning French. Trust me, learning a second language isn’t easy. I have all respect for anyone who can speak a second language (or more).

Not only that, but ESL discrimination seems to exist everywhere. This article states that 70% of the jobs advertised on a specific platform require native speakers. The article was in regard to teaching English, but I’m sure this rings true for a variety of different industries.

In short, if an ESL writer has fluency in English and is a skilled writer, why should they face discrimination? All of this simply sounds like discrimination to me.

Disability Discrimination

Last but not least, let’s go into disability discrimination. I had the thought about this topic after reading a Facebook post from one of my colleagues. His post was about dyslexic writers and if they should be given the same opportunities as writers without disabilities.

In writing, there’s either correct or incorrect grammar. Right? Well, the line can get blurry. Especially when learning disabilities are involved.

The two learning disabilities I’m covering in this section are dysgraphia and dyslexia.

Dysgraphia is a neurological condition that impairs writing ability, written expression, and even the motor skills used when writing. People with dysgraphia often have high IQs and hold excellent reading skills, but struggle with the act of writing and even handwriting. Living with dysgraphia can be a struggle, especially for writers. I found a blog written by a dysgraphic author, whose byline is simply RR. The blog details the struggles he/she has endured throughout their education and career, and it shows the severity behind learning disabilities such as this one. However, the author of the blog went on to write several books!

Dyslexia is a learning disability where the individual has difficulty interpreting words, reading, and struggles to differentiate letters and other symbols. While it’s more of a reading disability, it can also affect the writing ability. This study does show that children with dyslexia struggle with writing.

I also found this interesting article written by a dyslexic writer. The writer, Brittny Pierre, explains the road to success wasn’t easy for her; she would misread assignments, not catch simple grammatical errors, and struggled in other areas. But did that stop her from becoming a successful writer? Not at all. And when I was conducting research for this article, I discover that many famous writers had some sort of disability, and a large percentage of them struggled with dyslexia.

First, let’s start to recognize that dysgraphia, dyslexia, and other similar disabilities exist. And instead of us writers and editors going crazy about small grammatical errors, let’s educate. If we notice a pattern with another writer, let’s help them rather than discriminate.

Time to End Writer Discrimination

I usually end my blogs with a CTA telling the reader to buy my book. But this isn’t a time to promote my own writing. Instead, I will end this blog on this note: writer discrimination is unfair and it’s pissing off me and countless other writers. Everyone should be allowed to write. Nothing should hold them back. Let’s make the writing community more inclusive and accepting so everyone can feel welcome.

Featured image credit: Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Stephanie E. Jensen Featured as Emerging Author on Godless

Godless founder and author Drew Stepek is promoting some of the most badass women on Godless, and Stephanie E. Jensen is among them! Drew promoted Stephanie as the emerging author alongside featured author Rayne Havok and Dawn Shea of D&T Publishing.

You can buy Dissecting House and the works from these women on Godless. All of our work is currently promoted on the homepage, but you can go to the author’s page and also find our work there.

A big thanks to Drew for promoting Stephanie and Dissecting House, as well as the opportunity he created for so many indie horror writers. Definitely check out the other authors on Godless and follow Godless on social media:

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