Weldon Burge's Blog, page 8
May 10, 2012
An Interview With Horror Writer Kealan Patrick Burke
Kealan Patrick Burke is a man of many talents�a skilled and promising horror writer, editor, artist, and actor. Born and raised in Dungarvan, Ireland, he came to the United States in 2001 to find his fortune in writing. During the intervening years, his work has garnered critical acclaim and awards, and he has been called �a newcomer worth watching� by Publishers Weekly and �one of the most original authors in contemporary horror� by Booklist.
Kealan�s stories have appeared in many publications, including Cemetery Dance, Corpse Blossoms, Horror World, Grave Tales, and a number of anthologies. His work also includes novels (KIN, Currency of Souls, Master of the Moors, The Hides), novellas (The Turtle Boy, Vessels, Midlisters, Thirty Miles South of Dry County), and collections (Ravenous Ghosts, Theater Macabre, The Number 121 to Pennsylvania).
The man truly is busy! Yet, when I asked Kealan to talk with us concerning his experiences, he kindly agreed to the following interview.
Weldon Burge (WB): Born in Ireland, coming to America--what was the hardest part, as a writer, of acclimating to the U.S.?
Kealan Patrick Burke (KPB): The hardest part of coming here, as a person, not solely as a writer, was leaving everything I knew behind: family, friends, the culture, and basically starting from scratch in a place I�d never seen outside of TV. It was a daunting task, and pretty terrifying for a guy who had scarcely been outside of his own country for twenty one years. But that same task provided ample fodder for my writing, broadening my horizons and widening my perspective to an infinite degree. More importantly, relocating here afforded me the opportunity to write uninterrupted for two years, an opportunity I hadn�t had up to that point, and in that space of time, I wrote and sold my fiction like a madman. So if I hadn�t made the move, it�s quite likely I�d never have seen my work in print, or have ended up pursuing writing as a full-time career.
WB: Do you work from an outline, or do you pretty much improvise?
KPB: Generally I don�t work from an outline because I like to be surprised by where a story takes me, and plotting out every detail, every twist and turn, seems to suck all the fun out of it and runs the risk of sapping my enthusiasm for the project. Instead I�ll keep a notebook by the computer into which I�ll scribble plot points, twists and revelations, character traits and phrases I like as they come to me. The current novel, Nemesis, for example, while not fully outlined, has roughly fifty pages of notes that wouldn�t make much sense to anyone else if they looked at them. To me, those notes are like an extended movie trailer. There�s just enough to know what the story�s about, but not enough to spoil it. If I ever tackle a book as big as Lonesome Dove, or The Stand, however, it may become necessary to outline just to keep things on track. We�ll see.
WB: What is your biggest challenge when writing a novel?
KPB: Overcoming doubt. No matter how many novels I write, there always comes a point in the process where I wonder why I�m bothering with it, when the story whispers insidiously that it�s a pile of crap and we both know it, that I�m a fraud and should quit, that what I think is good will pale in comparison to the greats, that the idea has been written about before by better writers, that everyone will hate the book. It passes of course, usually a day or so afterward, because the compulsion to write is stronger than the doubt, but it�s a bitch when it happens.
WB: You�re a prolific writer. What is�and how do you maintain�your working schedule?
KPB: My schedule is so all over the place, it�s a wonder I get anything done at all. Life and all its intrusions (like moving house recently, which took the better part of two months) have left me with a schedule no more complicated than: Write when you can; mull over the story when you can�t. It can be frustrating, but ultimately I find that by the time I do get to the computer, the words are ready and waiting like a dam about to break and I may end up putting in sixteen hour days for a few weeks. So even though it�s not as organized as I�d like, the work still gets done.
WB: What, in your opinion, is the best way to market your work?
KPB: If I had a definitive answer to that, I�d be a lot better known. Obviously in this day and age of social networking, that�s probably the most viable way to raise awareness of your work, but that, and all marketing really, will only be effective if the work itself is good. Write a solid novel and worry about the marketing later. If the book has legs, it�ll learn to walk eventually.
WB: In one sentence, what is the future of publishing?
KPB: Digital.
WB: If you could start your writing career over, what would you do differently?
KPB: I�d be a little less na�ve about the publishing industry. When I first started writing for publication, if a publisher showed interest in my work, that was enough for me. I didn�t do any research into their track records, guidelines, reputation etc., and ended up being ripped off more than once. It was a good lesson to learn, but I�d rather have learned it some other way.
WB: If you could collaborate with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you write?
KPB: King, definitely. And I�d love to co-write a sequel to one of his classic works, like Salem�s Lot.
WB: You do far more than write. For example, you won Best Actor at the PollyGrind Film Festival for your role in Slime City Massacre. Is this something you'd do again? How has acting improved your writing?
KPB: I think writing is acting. Essentially you spend your days in the minds of your characters assuming their roles, so to me, the only difference between that and acting on film is that other people are watching you do it on a film set. I did Slime City Massacre just for kicks and it was an amazing experience. And yes I would do it again. I�m actually signed up for another film project this summer, even though I don�t consider myself a serious actor, and have no illusions of fame or fortune. I just find it hard to say no to creative pursuits, no matter how off the wall they might be.
WB: If I looked at your bookshelf at home, which authors would I find?
KPB: If I listed them here, the magazine would have to expand this issue to a three-volume hardcover set (I have more books than the public library), so instead I�ll just tell you the authors who take up the most space on my shelves here in the office: Stephen King, Larry McMurtry, Dean Koontz, Bentley Little, Robert R.. McCammon, John Connolly, Dennis Lehane, Peter Straub, Charles L. Grant, Cormac McCarthy, Norman Partridge, Dan Simmons, Graham Masterton, F. Paul Wilson, Jeffrey Deaver, Michael Marshall Smith, and Jack Ketchum.
WB: What are you reading now?
KPB: The Intruders by Michael Marshall Smith.
WB: Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn is coming out soon. What can you tell us about that?
KPB: Nemesis is the fifth and final book in the Timmy Quinn series, which started eight years ago with the publication of The Turtle Boy (available for free as a digital download on Amazon, B&N etc.). The books were previously only available as expensive hardcover limited editions on the secondary market, so I�m thrilled that they�re so widely available now.
In Nemesis, the veil that separates the realms of the living and the dead has come down and now the ghosts of murder victims are free to walk the earth without needing Timmy to facilitate their vengeance. With his girlfriend infected by something inhuman, and the world in chaos, Timmy must find the enigmatic and elusive Peregrine, the man responsible for the sundering of The Curtain, and destroy him before the revenants destroy us all.
WB: What�s upcoming for Kealan Patrick Burke in the next year?
KPB: This year will see the release, in both hardcover (from Thunderstorm Books) and digital, of the aforementioned final volume in the Timmy Quinn saga, Nemesis. In addition, Cemetery Dance Publications will release my novella Jack & Jill, and I will be making it available digitally at the same time. Cemetery Dance will also be releasing a few anthologies featuring my work: Smoke & Mirrors, The Crane House, and Shocklines: Fresh Voice in Terror. And as always, there are deals in the pipeline I can�t discuss just yet!
WB: One last question, just for fun: Who is your favorite superhero and why?
KPB: I�ve always liked Batman�s struggles with his inner demons, and the villains they gave him as reflections of those demons. And I absolutely love Christopher Nolan�s treatment of the character in the two films so far (though I liked Tim Burton�s efforts too, for different reasons.) So, Batman. Or is it The Batman?
WB: The Batman is probably correct�but The Batman and Robin sounds odd. Oh well �
Thanks for a great interview, Kealan. And we wish you all the best with your future work.
For more on Kealan Patrick Burke, visit his Web site, his blog, and his Amazon.com Author Page. To sign up for his newsletter, just send an e-mail to elderlemon2010@aol.com with �Newsletter� in the subject line.
(A version of this review was also published in the May 2012 issue of Suspense Magazine.)
Great Review for Zippered Flesh in Fangoria Magazine
Finally got the May issue of Fangoria and read the review of Zippered Flesh that folks had told me about. The reviewer, Christine Hadden, did a great job capturing the flavor of the anthology. She said "this compendium of depravity" has "something for everyone to be disturbed by," and that the stories "are hardcore studies of shocking monstrosities that will enthrall and entice even the most hardened horror fan." Doesn't get better than that!
Kealan�s stories have appeared in many publications, including Cemetery Dance, Corpse Blossoms, Horror World, Grave Tales, and a number of anthologies. His work also includes novels (KIN, Currency of Souls, Master of the Moors, The Hides), novellas (The Turtle Boy, Vessels, Midlisters, Thirty Miles South of Dry County), and collections (Ravenous Ghosts, Theater Macabre, The Number 121 to Pennsylvania).
The man truly is busy! Yet, when I asked Kealan to talk with us concerning his experiences, he kindly agreed to the following interview.
Weldon Burge (WB): Born in Ireland, coming to America--what was the hardest part, as a writer, of acclimating to the U.S.?
Kealan Patrick Burke (KPB): The hardest part of coming here, as a person, not solely as a writer, was leaving everything I knew behind: family, friends, the culture, and basically starting from scratch in a place I�d never seen outside of TV. It was a daunting task, and pretty terrifying for a guy who had scarcely been outside of his own country for twenty one years. But that same task provided ample fodder for my writing, broadening my horizons and widening my perspective to an infinite degree. More importantly, relocating here afforded me the opportunity to write uninterrupted for two years, an opportunity I hadn�t had up to that point, and in that space of time, I wrote and sold my fiction like a madman. So if I hadn�t made the move, it�s quite likely I�d never have seen my work in print, or have ended up pursuing writing as a full-time career.
WB: Do you work from an outline, or do you pretty much improvise?
KPB: Generally I don�t work from an outline because I like to be surprised by where a story takes me, and plotting out every detail, every twist and turn, seems to suck all the fun out of it and runs the risk of sapping my enthusiasm for the project. Instead I�ll keep a notebook by the computer into which I�ll scribble plot points, twists and revelations, character traits and phrases I like as they come to me. The current novel, Nemesis, for example, while not fully outlined, has roughly fifty pages of notes that wouldn�t make much sense to anyone else if they looked at them. To me, those notes are like an extended movie trailer. There�s just enough to know what the story�s about, but not enough to spoil it. If I ever tackle a book as big as Lonesome Dove, or The Stand, however, it may become necessary to outline just to keep things on track. We�ll see.
WB: What is your biggest challenge when writing a novel?
KPB: Overcoming doubt. No matter how many novels I write, there always comes a point in the process where I wonder why I�m bothering with it, when the story whispers insidiously that it�s a pile of crap and we both know it, that I�m a fraud and should quit, that what I think is good will pale in comparison to the greats, that the idea has been written about before by better writers, that everyone will hate the book. It passes of course, usually a day or so afterward, because the compulsion to write is stronger than the doubt, but it�s a bitch when it happens.
WB: You�re a prolific writer. What is�and how do you maintain�your working schedule?
KPB: My schedule is so all over the place, it�s a wonder I get anything done at all. Life and all its intrusions (like moving house recently, which took the better part of two months) have left me with a schedule no more complicated than: Write when you can; mull over the story when you can�t. It can be frustrating, but ultimately I find that by the time I do get to the computer, the words are ready and waiting like a dam about to break and I may end up putting in sixteen hour days for a few weeks. So even though it�s not as organized as I�d like, the work still gets done.
WB: What, in your opinion, is the best way to market your work?
KPB: If I had a definitive answer to that, I�d be a lot better known. Obviously in this day and age of social networking, that�s probably the most viable way to raise awareness of your work, but that, and all marketing really, will only be effective if the work itself is good. Write a solid novel and worry about the marketing later. If the book has legs, it�ll learn to walk eventually.
WB: In one sentence, what is the future of publishing?
KPB: Digital.
WB: If you could start your writing career over, what would you do differently?
KPB: I�d be a little less na�ve about the publishing industry. When I first started writing for publication, if a publisher showed interest in my work, that was enough for me. I didn�t do any research into their track records, guidelines, reputation etc., and ended up being ripped off more than once. It was a good lesson to learn, but I�d rather have learned it some other way.
WB: If you could collaborate with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you write?
KPB: King, definitely. And I�d love to co-write a sequel to one of his classic works, like Salem�s Lot.
WB: You do far more than write. For example, you won Best Actor at the PollyGrind Film Festival for your role in Slime City Massacre. Is this something you'd do again? How has acting improved your writing?
KPB: I think writing is acting. Essentially you spend your days in the minds of your characters assuming their roles, so to me, the only difference between that and acting on film is that other people are watching you do it on a film set. I did Slime City Massacre just for kicks and it was an amazing experience. And yes I would do it again. I�m actually signed up for another film project this summer, even though I don�t consider myself a serious actor, and have no illusions of fame or fortune. I just find it hard to say no to creative pursuits, no matter how off the wall they might be.
WB: If I looked at your bookshelf at home, which authors would I find?
KPB: If I listed them here, the magazine would have to expand this issue to a three-volume hardcover set (I have more books than the public library), so instead I�ll just tell you the authors who take up the most space on my shelves here in the office: Stephen King, Larry McMurtry, Dean Koontz, Bentley Little, Robert R.. McCammon, John Connolly, Dennis Lehane, Peter Straub, Charles L. Grant, Cormac McCarthy, Norman Partridge, Dan Simmons, Graham Masterton, F. Paul Wilson, Jeffrey Deaver, Michael Marshall Smith, and Jack Ketchum.
WB: What are you reading now?
KPB: The Intruders by Michael Marshall Smith.
WB: Nemesis: The Death of Timmy Quinn is coming out soon. What can you tell us about that?
KPB: Nemesis is the fifth and final book in the Timmy Quinn series, which started eight years ago with the publication of The Turtle Boy (available for free as a digital download on Amazon, B&N etc.). The books were previously only available as expensive hardcover limited editions on the secondary market, so I�m thrilled that they�re so widely available now.
In Nemesis, the veil that separates the realms of the living and the dead has come down and now the ghosts of murder victims are free to walk the earth without needing Timmy to facilitate their vengeance. With his girlfriend infected by something inhuman, and the world in chaos, Timmy must find the enigmatic and elusive Peregrine, the man responsible for the sundering of The Curtain, and destroy him before the revenants destroy us all.
WB: What�s upcoming for Kealan Patrick Burke in the next year?
KPB: This year will see the release, in both hardcover (from Thunderstorm Books) and digital, of the aforementioned final volume in the Timmy Quinn saga, Nemesis. In addition, Cemetery Dance Publications will release my novella Jack & Jill, and I will be making it available digitally at the same time. Cemetery Dance will also be releasing a few anthologies featuring my work: Smoke & Mirrors, The Crane House, and Shocklines: Fresh Voice in Terror. And as always, there are deals in the pipeline I can�t discuss just yet!
WB: One last question, just for fun: Who is your favorite superhero and why?
KPB: I�ve always liked Batman�s struggles with his inner demons, and the villains they gave him as reflections of those demons. And I absolutely love Christopher Nolan�s treatment of the character in the two films so far (though I liked Tim Burton�s efforts too, for different reasons.) So, Batman. Or is it The Batman?
WB: The Batman is probably correct�but The Batman and Robin sounds odd. Oh well �
Thanks for a great interview, Kealan. And we wish you all the best with your future work.
For more on Kealan Patrick Burke, visit his Web site, his blog, and his Amazon.com Author Page. To sign up for his newsletter, just send an e-mail to elderlemon2010@aol.com with �Newsletter� in the subject line.
(A version of this review was also published in the May 2012 issue of Suspense Magazine.)
Great Review for Zippered Flesh in Fangoria Magazine
Finally got the May issue of Fangoria and read the review of Zippered Flesh that folks had told me about. The reviewer, Christine Hadden, did a great job capturing the flavor of the anthology. She said "this compendium of depravity" has "something for everyone to be disturbed by," and that the stories "are hardcore studies of shocking monstrosities that will enthrall and entice even the most hardened horror fan." Doesn't get better than that!
October 29, 2011
Infusing Music Into Writing
I attended the 2011 Delaware Regional Writers Conference last month, and one of the workshops I attended was "Infusing Rhythm and Music into Writing and Performance." The workshop leader, Holly Bass, is a writer, poet, performer, and director, and was a founding member of the DC Writers Corps. Although the workshop was geared more toward poets, I was fascinated with the aspect of using music and rhythm in fiction writing.
Holly engaged the workshop participants in a number of group activities aimed at "freeing the voice." She introduced us to hip-hip poetry--first having us read written versions of the poetry, and then having us listen to recordings of the writers performing their own work. Of course, our readings of the poems were vastly different from the "real thing."
As an exercise, Holly asked us to write a poem using sound to provide descriptions. I'm not much of a poet, but here's what I came up with:
Slapping sand, water churns
Surf crashes
Echoes on the undulating dunes
Cries of gulls, swooping birds
Chatter and squawk and scream and talk
Over a sole french fry in the sand
Lightning to the east, electrifying, diving
Thunder rolling, booming, moving, drumming, drumming
The sea is black, angry, locomotive-chugging
Storming the beach
OK, I'm no Sandburg. But, not bad, right?
Thank you, Holly, for an enlightening workshop!
Holly engaged the workshop participants in a number of group activities aimed at "freeing the voice." She introduced us to hip-hip poetry--first having us read written versions of the poetry, and then having us listen to recordings of the writers performing their own work. Of course, our readings of the poems were vastly different from the "real thing."
As an exercise, Holly asked us to write a poem using sound to provide descriptions. I'm not much of a poet, but here's what I came up with:
Slapping sand, water churns
Surf crashes
Echoes on the undulating dunes
Cries of gulls, swooping birds
Chatter and squawk and scream and talk
Over a sole french fry in the sand
Lightning to the east, electrifying, diving
Thunder rolling, booming, moving, drumming, drumming
The sea is black, angry, locomotive-chugging
Storming the beach
OK, I'm no Sandburg. But, not bad, right?
Thank you, Holly, for an enlightening workshop!
September 17, 2011
An Interview with Thriller Novelist Stephen England
When you think of counterterrorism political thrillers, perhaps Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, and Brad Meltzer come to mind. Soon, you may be adding Stephen England to that venerable list. His new novel,
Pandora�s Grave
, the debut novel of his Shadow Warriors series, is an action-filled espionage/military thriller sure to impress many readers and rightfully garner him many fans. (Read my review!) And, at the age of 21, he has many years of writing ahead of him!
I asked Stephen to talk with us about his experiences during the creation, editing, and self-publication of Pandora�s Grave, among other things. He kindly agreed to the following interview.
Weldon Burge (WB): Pandora�s Grave includes many Christian, Jewish, and Muslim characters. Did you write character profiles before starting the novel, to keep things straight?
Stephen England (SE): Not really. I learned so many things about my characters through the course of the novel�I�m afraid it would have been a very boring book if I had attempted to lock them away at the start. To give an example�about half-way through Pandora�s Grave I realized that the character of Bernard Kranemeyer, the Director of the Clandestine Service, was really little more than another faceless bureaucrat. A major problem considering the major role he plays in the story. But then it occurred to me one day�what if? What if he was a retired Delta Force operative, an amputee who had lost his leg in an IED attack? It was quite literally as though someone had turned a light on for me�it�s those type of revelations that make writing so rewarding for me�those moments when you turn a corner and something fits so perfectly�I can�t imagine Kranemeyer any other way now. That�s who he is.
I asked Stephen to talk with us about his experiences during the creation, editing, and self-publication of Pandora�s Grave, among other things. He kindly agreed to the following interview.
Weldon Burge (WB): Pandora�s Grave includes many Christian, Jewish, and Muslim characters. Did you write character profiles before starting the novel, to keep things straight?
Stephen England (SE): Not really. I learned so many things about my characters through the course of the novel�I�m afraid it would have been a very boring book if I had attempted to lock them away at the start. To give an example�about half-way through Pandora�s Grave I realized that the character of Bernard Kranemeyer, the Director of the Clandestine Service, was really little more than another faceless bureaucrat. A major problem considering the major role he plays in the story. But then it occurred to me one day�what if? What if he was a retired Delta Force operative, an amputee who had lost his leg in an IED attack? It was quite literally as though someone had turned a light on for me�it�s those type of revelations that make writing so rewarding for me�those moments when you turn a corner and something fits so perfectly�I can�t imagine Kranemeyer any other way now. That�s who he is.
September 7, 2011
Book Review: PANDORA'S GRAVE by Stephen England
An archaeological team, including a number of Americans, disappears high in the Alborz Mountains of northwestern Iran. Days later, imagery from U.S. spy satellites reveals detachments of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps converging on the area. With the presidential election only months away, President Roger Hancock authorizes a covert CIA mission into the mountains of Iran to rescue the archaeologists. Little do the rescuers know of the ancient evil they must face, or that the events could lead to the next world war�or even the apocalypse.
So begins Stephen England�s thrilling counterterrorism novel, Pandora�s Grave , the first in his Shadow Warriors series.
The lead character, Harry Nichols, is a church-going Christian, but also a highly skilled paramilitary operations officer who leads his team into dangerous regions of the Middle East, often on what seem like suicide missions. He faces moral dilemmas in his profession and is forced to make hard decisions, and this makes his character deeper and richer as the novel progresses. All the characters are well developed and thoroughly believable.
There is machismo and brutal violence aplenty, but England tempers this with a sensitivity and humanity rarely exhibited in espionage/action stories. There is little �black and white� here�the villains and the heroes are not always clearly discernible, adding to the overall suspense.
I was most impressed with England�s ability to maintain objectivity as he developed his Muslim, Jewish, and Christian characters throughout the novel, displaying a keen insight for character motivation based upon religious conviction, political ideology, and personal moral (and often amoral) predilections. There were many opportunities where the writer may have started to �preach,� but England deftly held his hand and created a balanced narrative, leading to a wholly satisfying conclusion (and, of course, a taunting taste of the sequel to come).
(A version of this review was also published in the September 2011 issue of Suspense Magazine.)
So begins Stephen England�s thrilling counterterrorism novel, Pandora�s Grave , the first in his Shadow Warriors series.
The lead character, Harry Nichols, is a church-going Christian, but also a highly skilled paramilitary operations officer who leads his team into dangerous regions of the Middle East, often on what seem like suicide missions. He faces moral dilemmas in his profession and is forced to make hard decisions, and this makes his character deeper and richer as the novel progresses. All the characters are well developed and thoroughly believable.
There is machismo and brutal violence aplenty, but England tempers this with a sensitivity and humanity rarely exhibited in espionage/action stories. There is little �black and white� here�the villains and the heroes are not always clearly discernible, adding to the overall suspense.
I was most impressed with England�s ability to maintain objectivity as he developed his Muslim, Jewish, and Christian characters throughout the novel, displaying a keen insight for character motivation based upon religious conviction, political ideology, and personal moral (and often amoral) predilections. There were many opportunities where the writer may have started to �preach,� but England deftly held his hand and created a balanced narrative, leading to a wholly satisfying conclusion (and, of course, a taunting taste of the sequel to come).
(A version of this review was also published in the September 2011 issue of Suspense Magazine.)
August 9, 2011
Book Review: FEAR ME by Tim Curran
Tim Curran is a revered horror writer, the author of the novels Hive, Skin Medicine, Dead Sea, The Devil Next Door, Resurrection, and Biohazard. His latest novel,
Fear Me
, has just been published by Delirium Books.
The short novel is set in Shaddock Prison, a maximum security facility housing some of the most vicious, hardened criminals in the country, including the protagonist, Romero. When Romero gets a new cellmate, Danny Palmquist, he assumes the scrawny blonde kid won�t last in the hell that is Shaddock�but, he doesn�t know Danny�s dark secret and his own brand of �hell�. Whenever Danny is hassled or harmed, Danny�s brother takes bloody revenge on his oppressors. Despite the bars and walls, there is no escape from the horror unleashed every night as Danny sleeps. And the deaths are supremely gruesome.
Curran steers clear of prison clich�s here, yet successfully immerses the reader in the rigors and inhumanity of prison life. As the lead character, Romero is a believable, complex character, but he is far from the convict with the heart of gold. He intercedes in defense of Danny, although it is likely to mean his own death, even before he discovers Danny�s true nature. But, even then, Romero�s motives are largely self-serving and more out of a sense of fairness than any real concern for Danny�s well-being. In Curran�s deft hands, the characters are well-defined, and the plot�while outlandish and horrifying�is ultimately thrilling and satisfying.
Many of Curran�s stories, while not Cthulhu Mythos pastiches, often contain Lovecraftian undertones. Fear Me is no exception, and is certainly not for the faint of heart�the novel is filled with brutal violence, gore, slime, and ever-heightening suspense until the incredible climactic scenes. This is a must for Curran fans�or anyone who loves a fast-paced horror yarn!
(A version of this review was also published in the August 2011 issue of Suspense Magazine.)
The short novel is set in Shaddock Prison, a maximum security facility housing some of the most vicious, hardened criminals in the country, including the protagonist, Romero. When Romero gets a new cellmate, Danny Palmquist, he assumes the scrawny blonde kid won�t last in the hell that is Shaddock�but, he doesn�t know Danny�s dark secret and his own brand of �hell�. Whenever Danny is hassled or harmed, Danny�s brother takes bloody revenge on his oppressors. Despite the bars and walls, there is no escape from the horror unleashed every night as Danny sleeps. And the deaths are supremely gruesome.
Curran steers clear of prison clich�s here, yet successfully immerses the reader in the rigors and inhumanity of prison life. As the lead character, Romero is a believable, complex character, but he is far from the convict with the heart of gold. He intercedes in defense of Danny, although it is likely to mean his own death, even before he discovers Danny�s true nature. But, even then, Romero�s motives are largely self-serving and more out of a sense of fairness than any real concern for Danny�s well-being. In Curran�s deft hands, the characters are well-defined, and the plot�while outlandish and horrifying�is ultimately thrilling and satisfying.
Many of Curran�s stories, while not Cthulhu Mythos pastiches, often contain Lovecraftian undertones. Fear Me is no exception, and is certainly not for the faint of heart�the novel is filled with brutal violence, gore, slime, and ever-heightening suspense until the incredible climactic scenes. This is a must for Curran fans�or anyone who loves a fast-paced horror yarn!
(A version of this review was also published in the August 2011 issue of Suspense Magazine.)
August 5, 2011
Watch Out Janet Evanovich�Here Comes Starr Reina!
Besides being an accomplished author of suspense novels and thriller stories (mostly dealing with crime, with a sly mix of humor), Starr Reina is also an Executive Editor for Suspense Magazine. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Los Angeles Chapter and nationally. Starr has won three �Best Speaker� awards as well as �Best Evaluator� at the Voice Ambassadors chapter of Toastmasters. She was a co-chair and main coordinator for the West Coast Author Premiere, a weekend long event. She is represented by the Cliffhanger Literary Agency.
Reina has appeared in a blaze and made her mark on the literary world with her Ivanovich series. The first is In the Name of Revenge and the second, Deadly Decisions. A third in the series is being penned as you read this. Reina is also the author of the young adult novella Cruel Whispers and its sequel novel Cruel Past.
Despite Starr�s busy schedule, she was happy to grant me the following interview. Enjoy!
Weldon Burge (WB): What do you find the most challenging as Executive Editor for Suspense Magazine? The most rewarding?
Starr Reina (SR): The most challenging I would have to say is poorly edited stories before they're submitted to us. I don't mean the paltry punctuation errors, but blatant misspelled words, misappropriate usages, and terrible formatting. The most rewarding? Well, I'd have to say everything else. I'm able to read the reviews, interviews, articles and stories first! The #1 reward is being part of such a fabulous magazine with a great team.
WB: You not only cohosted Suspense Radio Live with John Raab, but you were interviewed. What did you learn from these experiences?
SR: Both experiences were a lot of fun. I was able to speak with some great authors. I learned many things from various persons, such as how they write (style), their marketing endeavors, and much more. During my interviews, I was able to share some of the same information and it was a good feeling. Not to mention how my training from being in Toastmasters really helped.
WB: Coffee or tea or hot cocoa?
SR: Anyone who knows me can answer this question. Coffee, most definitely�but I do enjoy the occasional hot tea (or iced) and hot cocoa in front of a roaring fire in the winter in Big Bear.
WB: In your novels, In the Name of Revenge and Deadly Decisions, the first two books in your Ivanovich series, we have Pavel Ivanovich, a Russian heavy, and Italian mobster Carlo Mancini. How did you research to develop these two characters?
June 21, 2011
Moving From Anthologies to Novels: Interview with Weldon Burge by Suspense Magazine
The following was published in the June 2011 issue of Suspense Magazine. I enjoyed the interview. Thanks to Shannon Raab for the great questions!
Being best known for his gardening articles hasn't stopped Weldon Burge from trying all sorts of things, literary-wise. He does freelance writing for many nonfiction and fiction publications. His nonfiction has appeared in Organic Gardening, Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Gardening How-To, Birds & Blooms, Flower & Garden, National Gardening, Delaware Today, Country Discoveries, Grit, Back Home, The Almanac for Farmers & City Folk, and other national magazines.
His fiction has been showcased in Suspense Magazine, Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, Grim Graffitti, The Edge: Tales of Suspense, Alienskin, Glassfire Magazine, and Out & About (a Delaware magazine). His stories have also been adapted for podcast presentation by Drabblecast, and have been accepted for the anthologies Don't Tread on Me: Tales of Revenge and Retribution, Pellucid Lunacy: An Anthology of Psychological Horror, Ghosts and Demons, and Something at the Door: A Haunted Anthology. Weldon had several projects brewing, including a police procedural novel and an illustrated chidlren's book. He is also one of Suspense Magazine's book reviewers.
Currently, Weldon is a full-time editor for Independent School Management, which provides a wide range of products and services for private schools. He's been the editor of Ideas & Perspectives, the company's flagship publication, since 1993. He created, posted, and maintained ISM's initial Web site starting in 1995, and is still involved in its development and content. He is also highly involved in the production of the company's other publications.
This month, we showcase our own Weldon Burge. He is always ready to do whatever we ask, and we are so honored to bring him to the forefront in Suspense Magazine's Contributor's Corner for the month of June. Enjoy!
Suspense Magazine (S. Mag.): Fiction, nonfiction, blogging, full-time job, and a family. How do you juggle it all?
Weldon Burge (WB): I do most of my writing around 2 a.m. on Saturdays.
Just kidding�but not entirely. I write wherever and whenever I can find the time: during my lunch break at work, in the evenings after dinner, or even at 2 a.m. on Saturdays. I live a life of deadlines (I�m a full-time editor), and I learned long ago how to prioritize my time. Family comes first. Everything else shakes out from there. So, I set deadlines for myself, but often find that I certainly can�t find time for everything�and that�s when prioritizing comes into play. The projects I deem the most important are the ones that get done. I have an extensive, ever-growing to-do list.
S.MAG.: You�re active in your local writing group, what is the biggest personal benefit of that association?
Being best known for his gardening articles hasn't stopped Weldon Burge from trying all sorts of things, literary-wise. He does freelance writing for many nonfiction and fiction publications. His nonfiction has appeared in Organic Gardening, Horticulture, Fine Gardening, Gardening How-To, Birds & Blooms, Flower & Garden, National Gardening, Delaware Today, Country Discoveries, Grit, Back Home, The Almanac for Farmers & City Folk, and other national magazines.
His fiction has been showcased in Suspense Magazine, Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, Grim Graffitti, The Edge: Tales of Suspense, Alienskin, Glassfire Magazine, and Out & About (a Delaware magazine). His stories have also been adapted for podcast presentation by Drabblecast, and have been accepted for the anthologies Don't Tread on Me: Tales of Revenge and Retribution, Pellucid Lunacy: An Anthology of Psychological Horror, Ghosts and Demons, and Something at the Door: A Haunted Anthology. Weldon had several projects brewing, including a police procedural novel and an illustrated chidlren's book. He is also one of Suspense Magazine's book reviewers.
Currently, Weldon is a full-time editor for Independent School Management, which provides a wide range of products and services for private schools. He's been the editor of Ideas & Perspectives, the company's flagship publication, since 1993. He created, posted, and maintained ISM's initial Web site starting in 1995, and is still involved in its development and content. He is also highly involved in the production of the company's other publications.
This month, we showcase our own Weldon Burge. He is always ready to do whatever we ask, and we are so honored to bring him to the forefront in Suspense Magazine's Contributor's Corner for the month of June. Enjoy!
Suspense Magazine (S. Mag.): Fiction, nonfiction, blogging, full-time job, and a family. How do you juggle it all?
Weldon Burge (WB): I do most of my writing around 2 a.m. on Saturdays.
Just kidding�but not entirely. I write wherever and whenever I can find the time: during my lunch break at work, in the evenings after dinner, or even at 2 a.m. on Saturdays. I live a life of deadlines (I�m a full-time editor), and I learned long ago how to prioritize my time. Family comes first. Everything else shakes out from there. So, I set deadlines for myself, but often find that I certainly can�t find time for everything�and that�s when prioritizing comes into play. The projects I deem the most important are the ones that get done. I have an extensive, ever-growing to-do list.
S.MAG.: You�re active in your local writing group, what is the biggest personal benefit of that association?
June 8, 2011
Cruelty to Innocents: A Mother-Daughter Suspense Writing Team
What if you were in your car, alone with your small child, and you came upon an emergency scene? Would you stop to help? What if, while you are trying to assist a victim of an accident or mugging, you leave your young child alone in the car, thinking he or she would be safe. What if, instead of help, the call to 911 brought a terrifying, sinister result? Who is the monster that, in the midst of the chaos and confusion of the scene, slips in and steals the innocent children leaving, behind no trace for authorities?
This is the premise of the new suspense novel, Cruelty to Innocents: The 911 Abductions, by CK Webb and DJ Weaver, a mother-daughter writing team. The book is the first in a trilogy. I managed to catch up with the two during their blog tour in promotion of the book, and they were happy to answer the following questions.
Weldon Burge (WB): What inspired you to write Cruelty to Innocents (aside from the obvious wealth and fame)?
CK Webb (CK): LOL!!! Isn't wealth & fame enough? Actually writing has always been a big part of who I am, but I lost sight of that fact for a great many years�took a few, big kicks in the pants to get me straightened out.
DJ Weaver (DJ): CK came to me, told me about this idea she had for a movie, and then gave me the spill. She asked if I wanted to help her write it as a book. Knowing that she is a one-finger pecker, I figured, if I didn't help, she would wear her index finder to a nub. So, I agreed.
WB: Talk about your writing process. Do you discuss a chapter at a time, and then assign one of you to write it? How does this work?
DJ: We sit down together and toss ideas around until we have a good outline.
CK: We always discuss a chapter before diving into it, where it is heading and exactly the outcome we would like to see. Then, I handwrite a few thousand words.
DJ: When she finishes a chapter, she dictates to me while I type. I add things along the way and 'flesh' out the story. We both review the draft until we have a chapter that suits us both.
This is the premise of the new suspense novel, Cruelty to Innocents: The 911 Abductions, by CK Webb and DJ Weaver, a mother-daughter writing team. The book is the first in a trilogy. I managed to catch up with the two during their blog tour in promotion of the book, and they were happy to answer the following questions.
Weldon Burge (WB): What inspired you to write Cruelty to Innocents (aside from the obvious wealth and fame)?
CK Webb (CK): LOL!!! Isn't wealth & fame enough? Actually writing has always been a big part of who I am, but I lost sight of that fact for a great many years�took a few, big kicks in the pants to get me straightened out.
DJ Weaver (DJ): CK came to me, told me about this idea she had for a movie, and then gave me the spill. She asked if I wanted to help her write it as a book. Knowing that she is a one-finger pecker, I figured, if I didn't help, she would wear her index finder to a nub. So, I agreed.
WB: Talk about your writing process. Do you discuss a chapter at a time, and then assign one of you to write it? How does this work?
DJ: We sit down together and toss ideas around until we have a good outline.
CK: We always discuss a chapter before diving into it, where it is heading and exactly the outcome we would like to see. Then, I handwrite a few thousand words.
DJ: When she finishes a chapter, she dictates to me while I type. I add things along the way and 'flesh' out the story. We both review the draft until we have a chapter that suits us both.
