Christopher C. Payne's Blog, page 12

Cemetery Club

Cemetery Club

By:  JG Faherty

ISBN:  9781936564231

Expected Publication:  March 16, 2012

Available Format:  Paperback, Hardback, ebook

My Rating:  ★★★★★

Four rebellious (completely normal) teens find themselves bonding over booze and joints in an old cemetery mausoleum in the little town of Rocky Point. They eventually become known as the Cemetery Club. One night, Todd shows up with a box of pilfered snacks and none other than a Quija board game.  That fateful night the four mistakenly awake an evil that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Twenty years later, after they were sure it had been destroyed, the evil has returned and is torturing their town once again.  They must quickly learn exactly what it is they awoke in order to stop it, this time for good.

It's no secret I'm a Faherty fan, and he did not disappoint this time around either.  When I was told it was a "zombie" book, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was thinking moaning, emotionless undead rising and multiplying and taking over the town.  Well, in a way, that is what happens, but there's so much more to it than that.  Rather than a lot of looting for supplies and blowing out zombie brains, there really is a substantial story underneath it all.  And, are these things even zombies at all anyway?

One thing I love about this book is that Faherty gives us little clues, little pieces of the puzzle that slowly and seamlessly come together in the end with a definite impact.  We get to know each of the characters, their past, thoughts and feelings; then we get to see them all come back together, rebuild relationships, and bond again over something that is frighteningly all too familiar to each of them.

There's a perfect amount of creepiness mixed with emotion, even a tiny bit of romance, and yes, some pretty gruesome death scenes.  All the different elements fit together perfectly, and the reader remains fully entertained right through the very end.  Another favorite horror novel in my growing list…

So what exactly is taking over the town?  Is it ghosts, zombies, demons, aliens?  You'll just have to read and find out for yourself!

Review by Cassie McCown

90 Minutes to Live – Interview – Jeffrey Wilson by Brett J. Talley

90 Minutes to Live is an anthology dedicated to Rocky Wood.  Rocky, the current president of the HWA, was diagnosed with ALS and the proceeds from this book will be donated to help him purchase much needed medical equipment.  If you are interested in purchasing the book please follow this link to Amazon and know you will be supporting a great cause.

Jeffrey Wilson, "The Writer", is one of the short stories included in 90 Minutes to Live and Brett J. Talley, author of That Which Should Not Be was kind enough to conduct the interview.

So sit back, relax and get to know what makes Jeffrey Wilson tick and how he came about writing horror.

Brett:  Tell us a little bit about yourself.  Where are you from?  What do you do for a living when you aren't writing?

Jeff:  Hey, Brett. I'm a Virginia boy, mostly, though I moved around a lot and spent much of my childhood in Berlin, back when the wall was still up. I live in Tampa now with my family. When not writing I still work with the Navy and also work as a Vascular and Trauma surgeon. Of all the things I do, writing is by far my favorite.

Brett:  What made you decide to submit your story, "The Writer," to the 90 Minutes to Live Anthology?

Jeff:  Well, like you and JG Faherty, I have a great relationship with the publisher and was very excited to be a part of a project to raise money for Rocky Wood, the HWA president and a terrific writer, to help him with his fight against ALS. I liked last year's anthology and was pleased to be in this one, especially for such a great cause.

Brett:  I found "The Writer" to be an excellent story, maybe because it preys upon that secret fear that all writers have—what if somehow, some way, the things I wrote actually came to pass?  Do you ever have that fear?

Jeff:  I guess that as a fear, it might be somewhat unique to writers of our genre, right? I mean, most people would be okay if their story about the cure for cancer bringing about world peace came to pass, but horror– no real upside there. I'm not sure I have the fear of my writing coming to pass. Maybe it's more the other way around. Maybe I have some fears already and let them come to life in my writing. This story was just kind of a fun muse, I think, but once I started writing, it kind of took on a life of its own.

Brett:  What scares you?

Jeff:  That shouldn't be a hard question, but it is… I'm scared of situations where you have no control over the outcome. Not like will you get a raise or win the lottery, but situations where the outcome could be deadly but you don't have control. That's horror to me, and really most horror stories can be boiled down in some way to that loss of control. I used to be a pilot and I hate not being in the pilot's seat. However it turns out, I would rather be in control of my destiny.

Oh, and clowns. God, I'm terrified of clowns.

Brett:  You spent time in the military (special forces, if I remember correctly).  How does that experience affect your writing, particularly your novel, Traiteur's Ring?

Jeff:  The Traiteur's Ring , more than my other works, was inspired by my experiences working with the Navy SEALs overseas. It was the greatest honor of my life to serve beside these men and those experiences affected a lot of aspects of that book. My deployments showed me a lot about evil, the real life evil that exists in the world. In my books, that evil is usually an outside force, wreaking havoc and begging to be defeated. In war you see a more terrifying evil, a real evil that can exist inside man. I think you can write more comfortably about fictitious evil when you have experienced the consequences of real evil first hand. Another way my experience took on life in my book was in the characters of The Traiteur's Ring. The book is about a small team of Navy SEALs, especially the team's sniper and medic, who discover both an evil force while on deployment in Africa and also amazing powers that the main character inherits from a primitive village elder. I tried to write those characters, not as the super hero, larger than life characters we frequently see SEALs depicted as in film and books, but as the real people I know from that fraternity. They are fathers, husbands, friends, and sons–everyday guys doing extraordinary things. They have incredible skills and courage, but at their core they're Shakespeare's everyman, but  with an impossible job that they do, with little fanfare, and then come home to their families. That is the men I know and the characters I tried to create for The Traiteur's Ring.

Brett:  How is writing a short story different than writing a novel?

Jeff:  In a lot of ways, for me at least, it's a lot harder. When you have a 100,000 words or so in which to tell your tale, you can kind of relax and let the plot develop and unfold comfortably (I have been accused by some of taking a bit too much advantage of that). In a short story, you have to be concise, tell the story with a lot more economy, but somehow still develop your plot and characters in a way that brings them to life. I find it a lot more challenging, to be honest, and have a world of respect for folks that do it consistently well.

Brett:  Who is your favorite author?  Favorite book?

Jeff:  I grew up loving King, Koontz, Straub– the greats of our genre, but also loved the thriller writers like the old Ludlum books and John Le Carre. I still love King and actually find his later works even better than his older stuff. I've become a fan of Joe Hill and particularly liked HORNS. My favorite fiction book so far is King's BAG OF BONES and my first pick non-fiction was Marc Luttrell's LONE SURVIVOR.

Sorry, you just wanted one of each, didn't you?

Brett:  What's the most disappointing book you have ever read?

Jeff:  Truthfully, I never read a disappointing book far enough to really be disappointed. If I don't care about what's happening pretty early on I tend to put it down and move on.

Brett:  What influences you the most when picking something to read?  Cost?  Word of mouth?  Cover art?

Jeff:  That's tough. A lot of books I pick because I know I like the author or have heard from friends that a book really rocked. If it's an author I don't know, cover art is important– it gets you to pick the damn thing up, but then the summary has to grab me.

Brett:  What is it about horror that attracts you?  Why not write books about ponies?

Jeff:  Ponies? Really? You know I think you tend to write what you love to read. I've always had pretty eclectic reading taste, but my favorite has always been horror or thrillers with at least a supernatural twist. I'm not really a gore fest kind of guy, but I love an exciting, character driven story where the writer makes me feel like I know his characters well enough to really care what happens to them when he or she places them in some terrifying situation. You get to ride along through such an incredible range of emotions when you read a well written book like that. Also, like most everyone who reads the genre, I LIKE that heart pounding exhilaration of being scared out of my wits. When you write horror you remove a lot of boundaries for how you develop your characters and what sides of them you can really show.

Brett:  Obviously the electronic book is on the rise.  What do you think about that?  Greatest thing ever?  Or creeping Communist subversion?

Jeff:  Wow, you live in a black and white world of real absolutes, don't you Brett? I think the rise of eBooks is a great thing. It gives readers greater, easier access to books at a lower cost. It gives writers and publishers easy access to potential readers. Now having said that, I'm still one of those love-to-hold-a book-in-my-hands kind of guys. I've read a ton of eBooks on my device, but when a book is released that I'm really excited about, I am definitely more likely to buy it in print. One things for sure, though– like it or hate it the eBook market is sure to stay and likely to continue to grow. No way around it, and no real downside to that fact from a writer's point of view.

Brett:  What are your opinions on self-publishing vs. the more traditional publishing route?

Jeff:  I remember when self publishing was completely taboo, but a lot has changed over the last few years. I still feel that a new author will have a great deal of difficulty finding true success by starting off in that realm. My writing and editing skills have improved dramatically as a result of working with professional publishers and editors in the traditional publishing world, though I know there are some notable exceptions to this. I think that self publishing is fast becoming an attractive alternative for established authors, who bring with them a good sized fan base. There are a lot of big name authors enjoying better creative control and financial independence by going to self publishing back list and even new titles. For a new author, though, I still don't think it represents a real route to success, at least not yet.

Brett:  What book is next on your list to read?

Jeff:  I am about 50 pages into Richard Godwin's first novel APOSTLE RISING and I really am captivated by both the story and the writing. I already highly recommend it. I just finished King's newest book 11/22/63 and I loved it.

Brett:  If you could give one piece of advice to new writers, what would it be?

Jeff:  Write 'cause you love it and stick with it. If you don't love the process it will really be tough to make it, because the road to publication is long and full of painful rejection, often by people who never read your stuff. If you love the writing process itself, you can keep going because the writing becomes its own reward. I was at a lunch where Tom Clancey told the group that he hated every minute of writing and that if he could find another way to make the same living he would do it in a second. I remember at the time thinking that had to be bullshit, because how could you possibly write any length story if you didn't enjoy the writing? Maybe it's true for him, and if so he is way more disciplined and committed than I am.  I love to create a story and if I didn't I could never do this.

Brett:  What is your next big project?

Jeff:  Well, like I've said in other interviews I'm weird about talking about unfinished work. The book I'm finishing up now involves a little boy with a supernatural gift that terrifies him, a Dad with a secret past, the ghost of a murdered little girl, a collection of long dead pirates with evil intent, a sailboat, and the family sailing vacation from hell. There is also a mallet, but I've already said too much.

I am also waist deep in edits (my least favorite part of writing) for my novel THE DONORS, which will be released this summer by JournalStone Publishing. It's sort of a horror meets medical thriller book:

A powerful and evil force is at work in the Hospital where little Nathan is recovering from injuries at the hands of his Mom's abusive ex-boyfriend. Demonic looking men with pale faces and glowing eyes lurk in the shadows and, worse, it appears that someone is harvesting skin and organs from living– and awake– donors against their will. In his dreams, little Nathan can see these demons in their true form– evil creatures who feed on the fear and hatred they help create in their victims. Nathan's only ally is the young Doctor who cares for him. Bound together by their shared legacy of abuse, they also seem to share the ability to see the creatures for what they are. Together they must find a way to destroy the demons before their own loved ones become the next victims and the evil creatures grow too powerful to stop.

Brett:  Where can we follow you and your career on the web?

Jeff:  My website is updated frequently with information about current and upcoming works and also has a link to send in comments and questions. Find me at  www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com . You can also find stuff about all the JournalStone authors and books at http://journalstone.com

This interview was conducted by Brett J. Talley, author of That Which Should Not Be.

90 Minutes to Live – Interview – JG Faherty by Brett J. Talley

90 Minutes to Live is an anthology dedicated to Rocky Wood.  Rocky, the current president of the HWA, was diagnosed with ALS and the proceeds from this book will be donated to help him purchase much needed medical equipment.  If you are interested in purchasing the book please follow this link to Amazon and know you will be supporting a great cause.

JG Faherty's Univited, is one of the short stories included in 90 Minutes to Live and Brett J. Talley, author of That Which Should Not Be was kind enough to conduct the interview.

So sit back, relax and get to know what makes JG Faherty tick and how he came about writing adult and young adult horror.

Brett:  Before we get into your writing, why don't you introduce yourself?  Where do you live?  What do you do for a living when you aren't writing?

Faherty:  Hi, Brett! Well, let's see. I live in a small town in Rockland County, NY, about 40 minutes north of Manhattan. When I'm not writing, I'm writing – my business is writing resumes and other employment search documents. I also do the occasional newspaper article, plus some proofreading and editing. So, basically, I'm at the keyboard all day long.

Brett:  What made you decide to submit your story, "Uninvited," to the 90 Minutes to Live Anthology?

Faherty:  Well, there were a few. First, it's for a great cause. Rocky Wood, the current president of the Horror Writers Association, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), and proceeds will be going to help him buy some much needed medical equipment. On top of that, it's being put out by people who besides being professional associates, I also consider friends. And it was a chance to appear in a book with some excellent new and established writers.***

Brett:  Uninvited tells the story of a couple kids who build a transporter in their basement capable of bringing alien lifeforms into our world.  Where'd you find your inspiration for the story?

Faherty:  Ideas come to me in funny ways. This one was one of those, 'hmmmm, what if' moments. As in, all these kids movies about aliens always show the alien as a basically nice guy. What if two kids accidentally brought a real bastard of a life form to Earth?

Brett:  You know, "Uninvited" reminded me of that television show The Outer Limits.  Did you ever watch that?

Faherty:  I take that as a real compliment. As a kid, I loved reruns of Outer Limits and Twilight Zone. My father introduced them to me.

Brett:  You're also the author of critically acclaimed young adult novel, Ghosts of Coronado Bay.  Tell us a little bit about that novel and your inspiration for it.

Faherty:  That was another 'what if.' This time, it was, what if the Ghost Whisperer was a young girl, and instead of just talking to ghosts, she could make them real? From there, the story just took off. Naturally, her powers get her into trouble with some bad ghosts.

Brett:  Both "Uninvited" and Ghosts of Coronado Bay are young adult stories.  What draws you to that style of writing?

Faherty:  Actually, nothing, which I guess isn't the answer you were expecting! For me, the story writes itself. I get the idea, and it's either an adult story or one for teens. There really isn't much difference, anymore, except you cut back a little on the violence and sex for the teen books.

Brett:  C.S. Lewis once said, "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest."  Do you agree with that statement?

Faherty:  Absolutely. I still read YA books – Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, the Wendy Ward series. Those stories are just as good – sometimes better – than adult books.

Brett:  Given that both adults and young adults can enjoy them, what do you think is the real difference between young adult novels and other novels?

Faherty:  Well, as I said earlier, a little less overt sex and violence. Of course, it depends on the age group. Just think TV. If you're writing for the pre-teen group, your book should be the equivalent of a Nickelodeon show. A little older, and you can go with regular night time TV. Once you're writing for the over-15 crowd, then it's basically HBO R-rated movies. Ghosts of Coronado Bay is the equivalent of network TV. Only a few curse words, no sex scenes. But virginity is discussed, and a ghost tries to assault the heroine of the story. And people die.

Brett:  What's your writing process?  Do you outline or just dive right in?

Faherty:  Both. I start with a basic premise, maybe a paragraph or two summary. Then I write the first couple of chapters. Then I usually get stuck and start forgetting stuff, so I have to create an outline summarizing each chapter in 1 paragraph. Then I do the actual writing, and usually I stick to that outline about 75%. I did write my first novel, Carnival of Fear, without any outline or summary. It all came right from my head, after I had a dream about it. But I haven't been able to create like that again, at least in the novel format.

Brett:  How is your process different when you are writing a short story instead of a full length novel?

Faherty:  I don't outline, for one. I go right from that initial summary paragraph to the story. And I write short stories fast, whereas books often take me a long time.

Brett:  Who are your favorite authors?  Novels?

Faherty:  That's a tough question. Growing up it was Stephen King, Peter Straub, Dean Koontz, Robert McCammon, Alan Dean Foster, F. Paul Wilson, Roger Zelazny, and several others. Nowdays, it's Michael McBride, Shaun Jeffrey, Brian Keene, Greg Lamberson, and probably still Stephen King. No one does a better short story than Jack Ketchum or Stephen King. Also, Manly Wade Wellman and Karl Edward Wagner were great short story writers. God, there are so many good writers out there, and then there are the new writers who are making big noise – you should know, you and I are a couple of them, ha ha!

Brett:  If you could quit your day job and write full time (and still eat) would you do it?

Faherty:  Maybe. It depends. I hate deadlines. I don't do well with them. I could never be one of those writers like Brian Keene who pitches a book and then agrees to have it done in four months. I like to write when I want and what I want. Now, if each book made me a few hundred grand, and I could do one every two years, then yes, I'd do it full time. But if I had that pressure looming over me every month that if I didn't finish something on time I couldn't pay the mortgage, then no, I wouldn't. Because I think that pressure would take the fun out of it for me, make me less creative. Sometimes when you go from a hobby to a job, you lose something. The passion. It becomes 'work' instead of 'fun,' and then the next thing you know you're complaining about the time you spend in front of the computer, instead of looking forward to it. 

Brett:  What are you working on now?

Faherty:  A sequel to Ghosts of Coronado Bay. A new adult horror novel. And 3 or 4 short stories. My usual schizo work pattern. Each day I sit down and work on whichever project excites me at that moment. 

Brett:  What do you think about the growing trend toward e-readers, like the kindle or nook?

Faherty:  Initially, I wasn't a fan. Much like Capt. Kirk, I believe that there's no replacing the feel of holding a book in your hands, smelling the paper, seeing the cover art. But then I bought a Kindle, and I'm hooked. It's totally great. You can go on vacation and have a whole library with you, instead of lugging 6 books in your suitcase. You can buy books for a lot cheaper than $30. And from a writer's point of view, it's opened a whole new revenue stream, which is always good. Reading will never go away, even if books become the 8-tracks of the reading world. But I don't think they will. They'll be more like vinyl albums, respected and cared for by collectors and forgotten by the teens. Which is okay, as long as those teens are reading something, even if it's digital. Hell, I don't care if they're beaming the words into their brains – we writers still have to write the stories. 

Brett:  Where can people follow your writing career?

Faherty:  My website is www.jgfaherty.com. On twitter I'm www.twitter.com/jgfaherty.  And on facebook I'm www.facebook.com/jgfaherty.

This interview was conducted by Brett J. Talley, author of That Which Should Not Be.

90 Minutes to Live, an interview with Rocky Wood and Joel Kirkpatrick

Interview – Rocky Wood & Joel Kirkpatrick – to help promote JournalStone's 2011 Warped Words:  90 Minutes to Live anthology.  The proceeds from this anthology are being donated to Rocky Wood to help pay for much needed medical equipment.  Rocky has been diagnosed with ALS.

90 Minutes to Live – Purchase on Amazon

Rocky Wood's Bio:  Rocky Wood is the author of an acclaimed series of books about the works of Stephen King, including the Bram Stoker Award nominated 'Stephen King: Uncollected, Unpublished', 'Stephen King: The Non-Fiction', and 'Stephen King: A Literary Companion'. He also writes graphic novels, including 'Horrors! Great Stories of Fear and Their Creators' and the upcoming 'Witch Hunts!' A publisher writer since the 1970s, he lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Joel Kirkpatrick's Bio:  Joel Kirkpatrick lives with his lovely wife and their two boys in Southwestern Colorado. He has authored four novels and is currently working to complete his fifth book. Not content with any one genre, he is attempting his first Alternative History, with very real characters. The research is driving him mad.

Rocky:

Cassie:  I have to say I am a little star struck!  I don't think I've ever interviewed anyone with their own Wiki J.  So, here's what I've learned about you this week:

You live in Melbourne and probably have (my favorite) an Australian accent.
You are the president of the Horror Writers Association.
You have won the Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Non-fiction, among other awards.
You are THE Stephen King expert (my husband loves you already).
You have been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).

Is there anything else you'd like to add to all that?

Rocky:  Well, actually I have not won the Bram Stoker Award – I have been nominated twice, for Stephen King: Uncollected, Unpublished and for Stephen King: The Non-Fiction.

I am originally a Kiwi (New Zealander) and have dual citizenship. My accent has morphed to largely Australian after 30 years, but I have also lived in Belgium and England and travelled extensively, so the accent is a bit confused to the ear of some! I admit to being a leading expert on the work of Stephen King (guilty, as charged).

Cassie:  What was your reaction when you were told that JournalStone would be dedicating 90 Minutes to Live to you? 

Rocky:  I was honored of course. I have a lot of respect for JournalStone, which has published tremendous work in its short history. Genre fiction always needs dedicated new publishing outlets, and horror has a great tradition of them – to me JS is adding to that tradition. And by honoring me, JournalStone also draws attention to a disease not many know about – ALS (Motor Neurone Disease, or ALS here in Australia), sometimes known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. This is an awful disease, 100% fatal, that medical science has made very little progress in combating over the last 70 odd years. The more people know about it, the more likely it is they might donate to medical research on ALS, or to one of the community groups that support sufferers and their families. The disease is a great burden on all, as it slowly removes one's ability to speak, walk and finally to move at all (except eye movement). Obviously, we who suffer bear a high burden, but I wonder if that is not a lesser burden than that carried by our caregivers – family, friends and professionals who have to give up some of their lives to care for us and who have to watch their loved ones suffer.

Cassie:  My heart truly goes out to you and your family and friends.  I cannot imagine the range of emotions that you all must deal with every day.  I commend you for being such a strong voice for the ALS community, and I pray that one day there WILL be a cure! 

Cassie:  Do you have a favorite story from the anthology?

Rocky:  Not really a favorite. What I like about the anthology is that it straddles a wide variety of strong new fiction, showcasing some exciting talent.

Cassie:  What have you been working on most recently?  Anything new we have to look forward to?

Rocky:  Two things – one is a King project that I can't talk about yet as it hasn't been announced. The second is a graphic novel – my second such book, titled 'Witch Hunts – A Graphic History of the Burning Times'. I co-authored this with Bram Stoker Award winner Lisa Morton and it's illustrated by the rapidly up and coming author/illustrator Greg Chapman (an Aussie). It was very interesting conducting the research and understanding what drove the witch-persecution craze of the Middle Ages – greed, lust, misogyny, politics, religious schism; and to see the full circle the Christian church went through – from not believing in witches about 1150 through to not believing in them again by about 1650! In the meantime, thousands of women, and men, were tortured horribly and died ghastly deaths. We document the whole crazy episode and call out some of the men who were most responsible. McFarland (who also published my first graphic novel, Horrors!, will release the book about April.

Cassie:  I'm keeping an eye out for that King project.  It'll make a great gift for my husband!

Cassie:  Do you enjoy gummy bears?

Rocky:  Not me!

Cassie:  I'm not a huge fan, either, but don't tell Joel! J

Joel:

Cassie:  Who decided on the theme for this year's anthology?

Joel:  That was a committee choice. We created a list of a few dozen ideas, and finally moved them all aside for 90 minutes to live, and a lock of hair. At first, there were quite a few questions whether we desired both themes or just one of them. The authors must have liked both, because nearly every entry had them woven into the narrative.

Cassie:  How did the decision to dedicate 90 Minutes to Live to Rocky come about?

Joel:  That is a question for Chris, as I learned the good news when the dedication was made.

Chris says:  I wanted the anthology to be about a cause and Rocky Wood is somebody I hold a tremendous amount of respect for.  I wanted to do something specifically for him so I decided to dedicate this year's anthology to Rocky Wood.  He is an incredible man.

 I just decided it was the right thing to do. 

Cassie:  How many stories were submitted?

Joel:  Close to sixty. We required a certain minimum number of words, and there were a few too short to include in the judging. I still read every one of them though. 

Cassie:  Which genre received the most entries?

Joel:  That was surprisingly even. Horror had the most, by just a very few. To my pleasure, we had a very strong showing in YA submissions and Fantasy as well.

Cassie:  How were the winning stories chosen?

Joel:  That was less work than it might seem, even for a single judge with sixty entries to read. I had a perfect foundation from our 2011 Horror Competition, which awarded Brett J. Talley with his well-earned prize. We developed scoring sheets and tracking tools for that contest, and I just repeated the process. I could easily read several entries each day in the judging phase, as they were nearly all under 10,000 words.

I first began to read and score by the guidelines. That separated the top tier from the rest. I then began to look at them in terms of how they used the themes, and whether the story had any special qualities I really enjoyed as a reader. I was quickly in dire straits; they were all so very good.

Cassie:  I think I'd really enjoy judging short stories.  I think it would be easier to score and compare them.

Cassie:  Do you have a favorite?

Joel:  Yes, I certainly do. It would not be fair to name it. Did it actually turn out to be the contest winner? No—because it really was too short to meet our minimum word count. It is a sublime little story though. A fairer question might be: did any of them surprise me? There was at least one in each category, which really turned me on my head as a reader. I found a couple of them shocking, too. We were thrilled to have that happen. But, readers will soon learn when they open the book; there are a gazillion ways to frighten people. Half of those will be shocking and in-your-face, and the other half will creep under your skin and give you nightmares a couple of days later…. You will find several in 90 Minutes to Live that are terrifying from any angle.

Cassie:  What's next on the agenda for JournalStone?

Joel:  We've barely put the ink to the pages of 90 Minutes to Live and are already in motion with our next Horror Novel Competition. 2012 will award another $2000 Grand Prize, and Brett J. Talley is on the panel to judge the entries. If you have been watching the catalog of published titles as it grew this year, you will have noticed a wide range of authors and themes are represented. We constantly seek and request submissions in Horror and Sci-Fi, our foundations, but are thrilled to receive so many good works in YA and Fantasy. We promise to publish the next outstanding book that we discover…

Cassie:  I can't wait to read some of the horror competition entries! 

Cassie:  When you eat a gummy bear, do you start with the head or the tail?  Which color is your favorite? J

Joel:  Brilliant question! I've heard there are different flavors in the little buggers and I don't believe it. No sane person eats a gummy bear; they eat gummy bears. Six to ten in a mouthful and perhaps a Mountain Dew chaser… Never stop until the bag is empty, then go get another bag. J

Cassie:  I think my teeth don't like Gummy Bears, but I do enjoy a good, cold Mountain Dew!  Thanks guys!  This was so much fun and an incredible honor…

 

You can find Rocky and his work at:

http://www.horror.org/wiki/index.php?title=Rocky_Wood

http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Wood/e/B001K8V99W/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rocky-Wood/104103519625535

You can find Joel and his work at:

http://www.thetaleisthething.blogspot.com/

http://brownbrushbooks.com/

Interview by Cassie McCown – http://www.gatheringleavesreviews.blo...

Writing Tips – Editing

We began these discussions with two somewhat touchy subjects for authors: editing, and criticism.  Those two elements involve interaction with readers; our next subject, not so much. This bit of work is really yours alone: Your willingness to act on suggestions. Your attitude about reworking your book will be a major factor in the success of the project.

Editing is about mechanics. Criticism is about content. When either of these monsters raise their head, a writer should never run and hide. The entire effort to write the book will have been in vain, if the writer cannot agree to make changes when they are pointed out as necessary.

A first book is a major achievement for anyone. The list of authors who published that first book, sold several million copies, who never wrote anything else… Well, that's a tiny list. A first book is a foundation. If done well, that first book will lead to the second, and readers will be waiting. Readers also hope, and fairly demand the second book be better than the first. That is not going to happen if the author refuses to learn from the first work. Writers must be open-minded to the feedback they receive.

They should also be willing, when all the feedback agrees—to accept that the first novel may not be ready for publication after all. Try and make a list of authors who only had a third, fourth or fifth book published at last; there are several hundreds of those fine writers to list.

The key to making a good book better is the willingness to keep writing, even in that first book. The best editing, as mentioned in our earlier discussions, is the spare, subtle editing. The best revisions to make are those that bring great improvement with just a small adjustment to the story. Yet, sometimes an entire chapter is the problem. Perhaps a whole character is completely out of place in the story. Several very famous authors have admitted in fawning interviews that they removed things that weren't really fitting into the story. Bestselling authors everywhere have tackled the monsters of ego and pride, and put the book first.

Poetry is one of the few written expressions that an author can create, and then say, "That's what I said. Live with it." Songwriting is another—sometimes. Book publishing is undergoing a revolution this very minute because of technology. Millions of writers are writing. However, a published novel is a committee creation. That reality will never change.

The entire publishing industry is about making the best product possible. The mathematics applied to the business of books is as extreme as anything NASA uses. Every person who handles the text before publication is charged with making the book better. Even in small publishing houses, like JournalStone, each team member has a duty to improve the book. The large publishing houses have an army of frontline workers who weed out the poor stories, the mediocre stories, and the unskilled writers. They also screen out writers who are difficult to work with…. The number of book submissions is too vast to count. An author has won a great victory to get so much as a request for a first chapter from any agent. Every door of opportunity will suddenly close, if an author refuses to accept the work of altering their book to improve it.

All this work is applied so that first book will please readers. Everyone involved hopes the second book will be praised. The goal is to have a third book ready; to keep feeding readers, to keep creating sales. Those rewards only ever come to authors who apply all their skill to their work, even to admit they must change what they have written because the committee agrees it should be done.

Within that effort, may lay a tremendous amount of room for the committee to argue and hash out any points of contention. An author, who gets their way with a publisher, is a lucky writer. Readers have been going mad recently about vampires that sparkle. Just imagine the committee arguments about that theme in the book.

What a perfect segue to our next subject for this discussion: Surprises. Authors, who can surprise their readers, will always sell books.

90 Minutes to Live

90 Minutes to Live

Compiled by Joel Kirkpatrick

ISBN:  9781936564330

Published December 2011 by JournalStone Publishing

Available Format: Paperback

My Rating:  ★★★★★

90 Minutes to Live is the 2011 edition of JournalStone's annual short story anthology.  This year, the competing authors were given two themes that must be included in the stories:  a timed demise and a lock of hair.  From horror and science fiction to paranormal, fantasy and young adult, readers will find thirteen stunning tales sure to entertain.  You're certain to find a favorite while you answer the question:  who will survive?

JournalStone has managed to find another group of extremely talented authors for this year's anthology!  I'm sure they had to turn away a few as well.  I say, why not make several anthologies?!?  Alas, there is only one, and it is an amazing compilation, as always.  The majority of stories fall under the horror and sci-fi categories, but there are some notable fantasy, paranormal, and young adult submissions as well.  Some stories will completely creep you out while others leave you guessing; some will make you cry and some will give you a case of the giggles.  Either way, there is definitely something for everyone to love.

Grab yourself a copy of this fantastic anthology and finish out 2011 in a great way!

Review by Cassie McCown

 

Clara Claus – Alexandra Lanc

Published Date: October 7th 2011
Available editions: Paperback, Kindle
ASIN: B005UQHSHC

Language : English












Clara Claus by Alexandra Lanc



What is the true meaning of Christmas? 
"The world was given the greatest gift, and that's what started Christmas." 

Jack Frost has done it again! He's tried to destroy Christmas, and now he's going to loose his job–for good. And the only thing that can save him is something he doesn't want…to fall in love with a human before sunrise on Christmas morn.

As Christmas draws nearer and Jack's time ticks by, Santa's granddaughter Clara arrives in the North Pole. Playing the role of "tour guide", Jack feels drawn to the snow obsessed girl, who sees things as no one else does.

But when faced with the chance to leave the past behind, will the prince of winter choose to look towards the future? Will Jack's new plan to destroy Christmas prove fatal for the North Pole and its holiday, or can Clara finally melt his icy heart?

In this fantastical Holiday novel, author Alexandra Lanc explores the wonder of Christmas and reveals the truth about hope.

What else could be more perfect than to spark your Christmas mood with a romantic story of actual Christmas characters?

Quote from the Author's note: Even though it's called Clara Claus, the story is truly about Jack Frost.

Christmas has been my favourite holiday in the year, and I enjoyed everything related to Christmas. I've eaten turkey, I've opened presents, I've watched Jim Carrey as Scrooge, but Clara Claus was as good as all the other movies I've watched (perhaps better) and I was completely smittened by the story.

Though the book was titled Clara Claus, the story centered around Jack Frost (do you know the 'blue' man in Christmas shows? But Jack was not blue here though ~grins~), who was one of Santa's employee that hated Christmas and tried to destroy this festive day in numeral occasions. He was going to be banished from the North Pole if he did not find 'love' in one week. Having being bitter and cold for the past few years because of a horrific tragedy that happened because of Christmas, Jack thought the task was absurd and tried to come up yet with another plan to destroy Christmas. Until he was given an even more ridiculous task, he was appointed to be Santa's granddaughter's tour guide, in short, Clara's babysitter. The horror! But Jack had figured that he could use Clara for his own ends, he would change her mind on Christmas (and Santa) and make her carry out his masterplan. The question is, did Jack changed Clara or did Clara changed Jack….

I just have to praise Alexandra for coming up with this brilliant story plot! I never came across a Jack Frost's story (not to mention I have not read any Christmas-related book) and was actually amazed that Alexandra decided to dedicate her first book to a not-so-recognized character in Christmas tradition. If I were to ask my friends who Jack Frost was, they would probably answer 'Isn't he the snow man?' Close, but still…Frost and snow are two completely different things aren't they?

Clara Claus was a touching, humorous and satisfying read, and often I found myself to be biting my lips and trying to quench the ache I felt when reading the bitter story that happened to both Clara and Jack. Often I was overwhelmed with the deisre to give them a huge hug!

Jack was probably my favourite character in the story (not trying to be cliche for falling in love with the main character ). At first, he was hot tempered and full of anger and was extremely 'Frosty', but I always laughed at his overreaction and outburst, despite being such a/an (adorable) kid, I find him funny. Yet throughout the book, I had watched him mature and accept love, although love had been something he could not comprehend. I love reading abouthis journey of discovering love and discovering the true meaning of Christmas.

I am always picky with the girl characters I read about in stories, but there was nothing I would complain about with Clara, she might have just faced a tragedy and was controlled by her Cinderella-stepmother, but she was strong, and she wouldn't let that define her. I respected her because she has such a good heart and she was not easiy detered from getting to know Jack.

Of course, the beautiful snowy and Christmas-ish setting also painted a graphic image in my mind (I was a click away from booking myself a ticket to North Pole) and the story would not be the same if we don't have Santa and St.Nick (TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PEOPLE!) and other characters that made the story alive! Furthermore, this story was creative because (I try to give as little spoilers as possible):

1. Who would have thought of Santa's 'business' has a company-like system?

2. Santa's people were actually immortals!

3. That Santa's employees don't only make toys but actually has cool superpowers as well? Like Jack Frost who created Frost, North who is responsible for the North Wind, and, oh you get the idea….

A Christmas story with a fairytale and romantic twist retold in a moden adaptation just for everyone! Perfect way to welcome Christmas, even if you don't celebrate it!

Reviewed by,

Natasha Anne

 

The Demon of Renaissance Drive

The Demon of Renaissance Drive

By:  Elizabeth Reuter

ISBN:  9781936564255

Published November 18, 2011 by JournalStone

Available Format:  Hardcover, Paperback, ebook

My Rating:  ★★★★★

The Demon of Renaissance Drive secured fourth place in JournalStone's 2011 Horror contest.

So, maybe hell really isn't all that bad…if you are a demon king or succubus! The Demon of Renaissance Drive tells the tale of Annabelle, a succubus that is thoroughly fed up with her life in hell. She is tired of being used to populate her world with more and more demon spawn. She is tired of the politics. She is tired of it all. One day, on her way back from a trip to Earth with her friend Samantha, Annabelle sees a glimmer of hope in one of the tortured souls of the underworld. She makes an impulsive decision to snatch the soul and take him back to her home. Naming her new pet 'Harry,' she begins working to rehabilitate his tortured mind. She knows she can't keep him locked away in her bedroom forever, so she begins making deals with other demons to secure passage for her and Harry to have a 'normal' life on Earth. Life on the surface cannot possibly be easy for a royal succubus and her stolen poltergeist. Will they be able to rehabilitate Harry? What dangerous secrets will they uncover about his previous life? How far will Annabelle go to keep him safe?

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

This novel is comfortably paced, charming and funny, and peppered with a little Dante.  The imagination and creativity that went into creating this story is fantastic.  Who would have thought I would be reading about hell and actually enjoy it?  The different characters of both hell and earth are all humanly flawed yet highly entertaining, and Reuter does a great job writing each and every one of them.  Annabelle is one kickass chick, and you know I always love a strong heroine in the story.  Harry undergoes a dramatic transformation, and I think Jimmy is probably one of the most relatable and funny characters I have read in a while.

The last chapter was my absolute favorite. I won't give away the ending, but this last chapter absolutely pulled the entire book together, the way it should have. Of course, we're left hanging a bit, which hopefully means Reuter will give us a sequel. I can't wait to read more about Annabelle and Harry!

You simply must get yourself a copy of The Demon of Renaissance Drive and check it out for yourself…

Review by Cassie McCown

Parallels: The Black Eyed Susan

 

Title: Parallels The Black Eyed Susan

Author: JA Clement

ISBN: None

Format: Ebook

 

The Black Eyed Susan serves as a prequel to On Dark Shores and takes place ten years before. The Captain of the ship goes to see Copeland about getting more time to pay off his loan.

If you have read On Dark Shores, then "Parallels, The Black Eyed Susan" is definitely a must read.

JA gives you a little glimpse of what exactly called some of the events to take place and offers up the motive of reason for one character in On Dark Shores who is seemingly about to strike against the dastardly Copeland!

She also gives you a look see at Blakely when he seemed to enjoy doing Copeland's dirty work for him.

I truly enjoyed reading this story and honestly was surprised at the ending as it answered a HUGE question for me. JA Clement gives you more of the dastardly Copeland, a character that you really love to hate. I can NOT wait for her to finish this series because I am just DYING to see Copeland get what he deserves.

The question is this: will he actually get it?

Definitely looking forward to more great work from this author!

 

Review written by: Jenn P.

 

 

Masquerade

Title: Masquerade

Author: Cambria Hebert

Format: Ebook and paperback – Publication date: Dec 18

Publisher: OtherWorld Publications

 

One night while coming home from the library, Heven is viciously attacked and left for dead. Heven wakes up in the hospital with the left side of her face horribly scarred and no memories of the horrid event. She is even begins to wonder if she did it herself.

Like anyone who would have gone through such an atrocious ordeal, Heven becomes a recluse. Dressing in baggy clothes, using her hair to hide her face and doing anything to avoid bringing any attention to herself is how she now lives her life as opposed to her once outgoing and lifestyle Before.

Feeling alone and scared all the time, watching the shadows, Heven lives in a constant state of panic and fear. No one can comfort her or make her feel normal again, not even her best friends.

All that is about to change when a new hottie student named Sam arrives out of nowhere.

The attraction to him is immediate for her and she can't fathom why he seems to feel the same for her. Heven doesn't see her inner beauty as Sam does, or does he? Is Sam really JUST a new student? Or, is there another reason why he is there and trying desperately to win her affection.

And what REALLY happened that fateful night at the library?

One person knows the answers to all of her questions about that night, the question is, who is it and can she trust them?

Masquerade begins shrouded in mystery and quickly catapults to suspense. Just when one question is answered, another one is thrown at you and I love it! Cambria Hebert is a masterful storyteller in the way that she sets the scenes for the reader. With her descriptions of the characters, I can envision them clearly in my mind.

The way she wrote the story, what Heven has gone through and the emotions she experienced, I can feel the pain and sadness myself. And the fight scenes, those are EPIC! With so much detail, and yet, without going overboard, I can see it all so clearly and makes me not want to run into Hebert in a dark alley!

Masquerade is also told from several viewpoints of different characters to give you the inside look of each characters thought process. This technique is not easily done, however, Hebert writes it in such a way that it is easy for the reader to follow and gives you more insight to the characters, making it a much more entertaining and enjoyable read.

I love the fact that Cambria Hebert has given us a flawed heroine to read about. So many stories today give you a perfect beauty as the main character or a plain Jane with potential. Not Hebert—she gives you a heroine with a tragic injury, leaving the character full of self-doubt without sounding whiny.

You find yourself empathizing for Heven instead of secretly hating her. You are willing her to win and cheer when she finally accepts who she is. To be quite honest, I was about to give up on reading any and all YA paranormal books due to the fact that they all seem to be about the same thing with just a different title.

I am so glad that I gave this book a chance!

Cambria Hebert breathes new life into the genre, giving me hope for its future.

In short, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for a fresh new take on YA or just looking to read an amazing book in general.

I eagerly await the next installment to see what the rest of Heven's journey holds and to also follow Hebert of her own amazing journey of what's sure to be the next "Big Thing!"

 

Review By: Jenn P.