Nerine Dorman's Blog, page 60
August 4, 2014
Full Moon Mayhem with Louise Herring-Jones
Today's visitor is Louise Herring-Jones, whose short story "Gooji" appears in Luna’s Children: Full Moon Mayhem, edited by D. Alan Lewis (Dark Oak Press 2014).
She says: "Several trips to a remote island in Southeastern Alaska inspired me to write a contemporary werewolf story set in some of the last of North America’s wilderness areas. 'Gooji' means 'man-eating wolf' in Tlingit, a native language of SE Alaska. What starts as a joke becomes harsh reality when Gooji, Jake’s hybrid wolf-dog, defends her human from an attack by Skinner, a disreputable sled-dog trainer turned were.'
Excerpt:
Pick your copy of Luna's Children: Full Moon Mayhem here .
She says: "Several trips to a remote island in Southeastern Alaska inspired me to write a contemporary werewolf story set in some of the last of North America’s wilderness areas. 'Gooji' means 'man-eating wolf' in Tlingit, a native language of SE Alaska. What starts as a joke becomes harsh reality when Gooji, Jake’s hybrid wolf-dog, defends her human from an attack by Skinner, a disreputable sled-dog trainer turned were.'
Excerpt:
Gooji growled and placed her body between Jake and Skinner. The ruff rose on her neck and her tail whipped back and forth in ferocious imitation of her normal happy wag. Skinner, now transformed into a giant yellow wolf, leapt off the porch and charged into Gooji’s chest. The werewolf and wolf-dog met in midair as Gooji jumped away from Jake, her jaws locking with Skinner’s fanged maw.
The pair wrestled, twisting and biting as they rolled over the cleared area in front of the cabin. Jake grabbed a thick branch fallen from a mountain hemlock and jerked from one side of the fight to the other, straining for an opportunity to hit Skinner without hurting Gooji. More yellow than gray brindled fur stood out for an instant. Jake attacked, striking at Skinner’s back with the heavy branch.
The werewolf yelped, releasing Gooji, but sprang at the makeshift weapon. He bit into the branch and held when Jake tried to shake him away. When he finally succeeded, he realized he had made a mistake. Abandoning the branch, Skinner bit deeply into the meat of Jake’s forearm. Jake screamed and tried to loosen the grip, but the fangs locked on, stapled into muscle.
Pick your copy of Luna's Children: Full Moon Mayhem here .
July 31, 2014
Luna's Children: a moment with JM Perkins
For countless centuries, mankind has watched as the sun goes down knowing that Luna will rise in its place, to rain her brilliant shards of light upon the Earth. But for the cursed and afflicted, that silvery orb brings horror and death.
Luna's Children Stranger Worlds and Full Moon Mayhem will offer a range of tales featuring the werewolf, a perennial favourite. Today's guest is contributor JM Perkins.
Excerpt from "The Sponsor"
JM Perkins is a San Diego-based genre fiction writer and former survivalist with over a dozen of his short stories sold, published, printed and adapted: on the web, in print anthologies, and on Public Radio International. He used a successful kickstarter campaign to publish his first novel, and cohosts the podcast 'John vs Patrick.'
This story was inspired by the Serenity prayer and the concept that Werewolf was mythologically inspired by ancient reactions to PTSD.
Learn more at www.jmperkins.com
Luna's Children Stranger Worlds and Full Moon Mayhem will offer a range of tales featuring the werewolf, a perennial favourite. Today's guest is contributor JM Perkins.
Excerpt from "The Sponsor"
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,Courage to change the things I can,And wisdom to know the difference.A haggard, tired-looking man stood center in a ring of battered metal folding chairs filled with people. The sitters looked up at him, expectant. James hesitated before speaking.
"Hello. My name is James and I'm a... we... wer. God I can't even say it."
Susan nodded, encouraging him.
"My name is James and I'm a werewolf."
"Hi James," said the group.
JM Perkins is a San Diego-based genre fiction writer and former survivalist with over a dozen of his short stories sold, published, printed and adapted: on the web, in print anthologies, and on Public Radio International. He used a successful kickstarter campaign to publish his first novel, and cohosts the podcast 'John vs Patrick.'
This story was inspired by the Serenity prayer and the concept that Werewolf was mythologically inspired by ancient reactions to PTSD.
Learn more at www.jmperkins.com
July 30, 2014
The Mouth by Lux Zakari
Title:
The Mouth
Author: Lux Zakari
Publisher: Smashwords edition, 2013
Two words best describe this story: “short” and “wicked”. Lux Zakari writes intelligent erotic romance that will appeal to those who enjoy stories that are sexually charged yet have a little more bite to them than the average romance fare.
The premise for The Mouth is simple: A group of young women begin to obsess about a socially uncool guy who surprises them with an unexpected talent – what he can do with his mouth – but I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.
The underlying theme follows on how we tend to objectify the opposite sex, but for me to say more will ruin this story.
Zakari is in top form with this piece, which totally made me sit back with a stupid grin on my face by the time I was done. Nicely done, lady. Very nicely done.
PS: If you’re looking for a sample of Zakari’s fiction then this one’s ideal – you can read it in less than 10 minutes.
Note: Amazon might have charges for those outside of the US, but you can download it for FREE off Smashwords.
Author: Lux Zakari
Publisher: Smashwords edition, 2013
Two words best describe this story: “short” and “wicked”. Lux Zakari writes intelligent erotic romance that will appeal to those who enjoy stories that are sexually charged yet have a little more bite to them than the average romance fare.The premise for The Mouth is simple: A group of young women begin to obsess about a socially uncool guy who surprises them with an unexpected talent – what he can do with his mouth – but I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.
The underlying theme follows on how we tend to objectify the opposite sex, but for me to say more will ruin this story.
Zakari is in top form with this piece, which totally made me sit back with a stupid grin on my face by the time I was done. Nicely done, lady. Very nicely done.
PS: If you’re looking for a sample of Zakari’s fiction then this one’s ideal – you can read it in less than 10 minutes.
Note: Amazon might have charges for those outside of the US, but you can download it for FREE off Smashwords.
July 29, 2014
To Err is Human with RA Meenan
Today I welcome Luna's Children author RA Meenan and hand over my blog to her for a short guest post. You can pick up the corresponding Stranger Worlds and Full Moon Mayhem over at Amazon.
Werewolves are extremely popular these days and they’ve opened the floodgates for all kinds of werecreatures. There’s werecats, werecoyotes, wereeagles, and even werepenguins.
But what about werehumans? A “reverse werewolf?” What would happen if a wolf turned into a human?
A traditional werewolf, when changed, loses his mind and morals and becomes a raving monster. But what would happen if a wolf turned human and GAINED human morals? Wolves rely on killing to survive, but humans consider killing immoral. So how would a wolf cope with this conflict of interests?
This is what I intended to explore in my story.
Originally I wanted to write the story through the perspective of the wolf, but the more I tried writing it, the harder it got. So I invented Deckard, a somewhat single minded wolf expert living the hermit life among a huge problem of illegal camping and man-eating wolves.
And he was exactly what the story needed. He has it in his head that wolves always fall into the same patterns, so when the pack he’s observing behaves differently than his expectations, he doesn’t know how to react.
A small sample…
Werewolves are extremely popular these days and they’ve opened the floodgates for all kinds of werecreatures. There’s werecats, werecoyotes, wereeagles, and even werepenguins.
But what about werehumans? A “reverse werewolf?” What would happen if a wolf turned into a human?
A traditional werewolf, when changed, loses his mind and morals and becomes a raving monster. But what would happen if a wolf turned human and GAINED human morals? Wolves rely on killing to survive, but humans consider killing immoral. So how would a wolf cope with this conflict of interests?This is what I intended to explore in my story.
Originally I wanted to write the story through the perspective of the wolf, but the more I tried writing it, the harder it got. So I invented Deckard, a somewhat single minded wolf expert living the hermit life among a huge problem of illegal camping and man-eating wolves.
And he was exactly what the story needed. He has it in his head that wolves always fall into the same patterns, so when the pack he’s observing behaves differently than his expectations, he doesn’t know how to react.
A small sample…
The wolf smell had dissipated by now. Maybe it’d be safe to call for survivors.See RA Meenan's website.
“Anyone alive out there?” Deckard called as loud as he dared. He cupped his hand over his ear. Nothing. “Anyone at all? I want to help you!” Nothing. Not that he expected anything. He kicked loose dirt over the warm ashes and turned to leave.
Then he heard the whimpering.
He cupped his ear again. More whimpering. Down by the river. He edged toward the bank and found the source.
A young man, barely seventeen, sat huddled and naked at the bank of the river. Specks of blood covered his body and face. Bloody streaks outlined his mouth. Sticks and leaves stuck out of his long black hair. He looked up at Deckard with unnatural fear.
Deckard bit his lip. This would be an interesting one.
July 28, 2014
The Book of the Dead edited by Jared Shurin #review
Title:
The Book of the Dead
Edited by: Jared Shurin
Illustrated by: Garen Ewing
Publisher: Jurassic London, 2013
I apologise for taking so long to read this book because it’s the sort of anthology that I suspect was written specifically with someone as Egypt-obsessed as I am (so I totally rationed out the stories). When Jared Shurin puts together an anthology, it will be something special, no doubt about it. This one was something a little extra special, not only due to its star-studded cast of authors, but also the really nice touch of illustrations by the very talented Garen Ewing. And of course the subject matter.
The Book of the Dead promises and delivers an eclectic ride filled with mummies, mysteries and more (alliteration intended), and filled me with tremendous happiness. As can be expected with all projects of this nature, I liked some stories more than others, but all gathered here are masterful works in their own right, and I hope that at some point Shurin puts another anthology of this nature together.
“Ramesses on the Frontier” by Paul Cornell is a delightfully quirky excursion into the Egyptian conception of the afterlife. Instead of the expected arrival for judgment, Ramesses finds himself haunting a museum, and the journey that follows is most unconventional.
“Escape from the Mummy’s Tomb” by Jesse Bullington is a humorous yet poignant love triangle that superimposes the metaphors of classic horror cinema over contemporary London teenagers.
“Old Souls” by David Thomas Moore hits me hard – eerily similar in premise to my novel Inkarna, in which ancient Egyptian souls keep returning. Moore certainly plays with all the emotional trauma of eternal life, loss and love.
“Her Heartbeat, an Echo” by Lou Morgan tells us about the curious relationship of a night watchman and an enigmatic princess, who is part of an exhibition touring museums. This one’s absolutely sweet, sorrowful and touching.
“Mysterium Tremendum” by Molly Tanzer introduces us to Marjorie, who isn’t a bad sort, and during an era when most women will opt for marriage, she’s looking to build a career at the library where she works – and her life is about to become a great deal more interesting once she crosses paths with a mysterious stage magician whose show might be a little more authentic than expected.
“Tollund” by Adam Roberts turns my preconceptions on their heads. In a glimpse of an alternative history, Egypt and its Islamic culture has thrived while Europe remains in the dark ages. A group of Egyptian scientists travel north to uncover bog mummies… with catastrophic consequences. A lovely reversal and a big thumbs up from me.
“All is Dust” by Den Patrick tells the story of Darren Butler, who finds himself meeting up with old friends, but it’s that usual schpiel of how people have drifted apart over the years and try to force the friendship – and as can be expected of most stories in this anthology, the gathering takes a turn for the super weird.
“The Curious Case of the Werewolf that wasn’t, the Mummy that was, and the Cat in the Jar” by Gail Carriger – Mr Tarabotti, accompanied by his valet, Floate, is a rather dapper secret agent in a Victorian setting where the English have embraced the concept of the supernatural. Werewolves and vampires are real, but Tarabotti is in Egypt, ostensibly to have his aged aunt’s cat mummified… But there’s rather more to this story than meets the eye.
“The Cats of Beni-Hassan” by Jenni Hill is another delightfully creepy tale told by cats to a dog – that’s about all that needs to be said on the matter. :-) Just read the story already.
“Inner Goddess” by Michael West is the ultimate in women’s revenge stories. Elizabeth Wilson might be a downtrodden student in an abusive relationship with her professor, but with a little divine intervention, the results, though predictable, are no less satisfying. Oh, and extra Nerine points to West for tapping into one of my greatest phobias related to cling film. More than that I won’t say.
“Cerulean Memories” by Maurice Broaddus is a story about death and memories. A man is a collector of objects related to the way people died, and a young boy wanting to sell his deceased brother’s skateboard is privy to more than he bargained for. This is a poignant and evocative tale, with some lovely unsettling imagery.
“The Roof of the World” by Sarah Newton was a story that I wasn’t quite sure what to make of. It has all the hallmarks of a classic gothic horror in the vein of Frankenstein but in the end I felt that I was waiting for it to deliver a more solid punch. However, I suspect the fault may lie with the reader on this point.
“Henry” by Glen Mehn blends ancient Egyptian funerary practices with modern computer programming in a way that you’d not expect. Not quite a murder mystery, but definitely a mystery well worth the read.
“The Dedication of Sweetheart Abbey” by David Bryher is another story I’m not quite sure how I feel about. There isn’t much of ancient Egypt about it save for the mummification of a particular individual, but there’s certainly enough weirdness following in a SF vein. The entire story left me with a bit of a WTF, but it was pleasing to read, nonetheless.
“Bit-U-Men” by Maria Dahvana Headley is a heady mix of literary (and literal) sweetness and obsession, and by far one of my favourites in this anthology for its sadness and magical surrealism.
“Egyptian Death and the Afterlife: Mummies (Rooms 62-3)” by Jonathan Green is a short, haunting evocative piece – essentially a vignette – as told by a faithful servant remembering his mistress.
“Akhenaten Goes to Paris” by Louis Greenberg is definitely a signature piece for the author. This story features a gleefully macabre cabal of mummies who contend with long-distance relationships in the present era, and as the name of the story suggest, Paris specifically. Louis knows how much I adore his writing, so I’m going to stop gushing. Just go read his novels. (And specifically his Darkside series that he writes with Sarah Lotz as SL Grey.)
“The Thing of Wrath” by Roger Luckhurst is a ghoulish murder mystery in the Victorian era as the narrator sets out to uncover the link between stelae depicting the ancient Egyptian deity Thoth, and peculiar deaths by strangulation.
“Three Memories of Death” by Will Hill is my clear favourite of the lot, and I can see why Jared saved this for last. I was on the verge of tears by the time I reached the end of this story in which a priest and a pharaoh discuss the nature of death and farewells, throughout the years. Beautiful and poignant, and I want to squish the author and tell him how much I need to frame this piece of writing so I can read it again when I need to.
Edited by: Jared Shurin
Illustrated by: Garen Ewing
Publisher: Jurassic London, 2013
I apologise for taking so long to read this book because it’s the sort of anthology that I suspect was written specifically with someone as Egypt-obsessed as I am (so I totally rationed out the stories). When Jared Shurin puts together an anthology, it will be something special, no doubt about it. This one was something a little extra special, not only due to its star-studded cast of authors, but also the really nice touch of illustrations by the very talented Garen Ewing. And of course the subject matter.The Book of the Dead promises and delivers an eclectic ride filled with mummies, mysteries and more (alliteration intended), and filled me with tremendous happiness. As can be expected with all projects of this nature, I liked some stories more than others, but all gathered here are masterful works in their own right, and I hope that at some point Shurin puts another anthology of this nature together.
“Ramesses on the Frontier” by Paul Cornell is a delightfully quirky excursion into the Egyptian conception of the afterlife. Instead of the expected arrival for judgment, Ramesses finds himself haunting a museum, and the journey that follows is most unconventional.
“Escape from the Mummy’s Tomb” by Jesse Bullington is a humorous yet poignant love triangle that superimposes the metaphors of classic horror cinema over contemporary London teenagers.
“Old Souls” by David Thomas Moore hits me hard – eerily similar in premise to my novel Inkarna, in which ancient Egyptian souls keep returning. Moore certainly plays with all the emotional trauma of eternal life, loss and love.
“Her Heartbeat, an Echo” by Lou Morgan tells us about the curious relationship of a night watchman and an enigmatic princess, who is part of an exhibition touring museums. This one’s absolutely sweet, sorrowful and touching.
“Mysterium Tremendum” by Molly Tanzer introduces us to Marjorie, who isn’t a bad sort, and during an era when most women will opt for marriage, she’s looking to build a career at the library where she works – and her life is about to become a great deal more interesting once she crosses paths with a mysterious stage magician whose show might be a little more authentic than expected.
“Tollund” by Adam Roberts turns my preconceptions on their heads. In a glimpse of an alternative history, Egypt and its Islamic culture has thrived while Europe remains in the dark ages. A group of Egyptian scientists travel north to uncover bog mummies… with catastrophic consequences. A lovely reversal and a big thumbs up from me.
“All is Dust” by Den Patrick tells the story of Darren Butler, who finds himself meeting up with old friends, but it’s that usual schpiel of how people have drifted apart over the years and try to force the friendship – and as can be expected of most stories in this anthology, the gathering takes a turn for the super weird.
“The Curious Case of the Werewolf that wasn’t, the Mummy that was, and the Cat in the Jar” by Gail Carriger – Mr Tarabotti, accompanied by his valet, Floate, is a rather dapper secret agent in a Victorian setting where the English have embraced the concept of the supernatural. Werewolves and vampires are real, but Tarabotti is in Egypt, ostensibly to have his aged aunt’s cat mummified… But there’s rather more to this story than meets the eye.
“The Cats of Beni-Hassan” by Jenni Hill is another delightfully creepy tale told by cats to a dog – that’s about all that needs to be said on the matter. :-) Just read the story already.
“Inner Goddess” by Michael West is the ultimate in women’s revenge stories. Elizabeth Wilson might be a downtrodden student in an abusive relationship with her professor, but with a little divine intervention, the results, though predictable, are no less satisfying. Oh, and extra Nerine points to West for tapping into one of my greatest phobias related to cling film. More than that I won’t say.
“Cerulean Memories” by Maurice Broaddus is a story about death and memories. A man is a collector of objects related to the way people died, and a young boy wanting to sell his deceased brother’s skateboard is privy to more than he bargained for. This is a poignant and evocative tale, with some lovely unsettling imagery.
“The Roof of the World” by Sarah Newton was a story that I wasn’t quite sure what to make of. It has all the hallmarks of a classic gothic horror in the vein of Frankenstein but in the end I felt that I was waiting for it to deliver a more solid punch. However, I suspect the fault may lie with the reader on this point.
“Henry” by Glen Mehn blends ancient Egyptian funerary practices with modern computer programming in a way that you’d not expect. Not quite a murder mystery, but definitely a mystery well worth the read.
“The Dedication of Sweetheart Abbey” by David Bryher is another story I’m not quite sure how I feel about. There isn’t much of ancient Egypt about it save for the mummification of a particular individual, but there’s certainly enough weirdness following in a SF vein. The entire story left me with a bit of a WTF, but it was pleasing to read, nonetheless.
“Bit-U-Men” by Maria Dahvana Headley is a heady mix of literary (and literal) sweetness and obsession, and by far one of my favourites in this anthology for its sadness and magical surrealism.
“Egyptian Death and the Afterlife: Mummies (Rooms 62-3)” by Jonathan Green is a short, haunting evocative piece – essentially a vignette – as told by a faithful servant remembering his mistress.
“Akhenaten Goes to Paris” by Louis Greenberg is definitely a signature piece for the author. This story features a gleefully macabre cabal of mummies who contend with long-distance relationships in the present era, and as the name of the story suggest, Paris specifically. Louis knows how much I adore his writing, so I’m going to stop gushing. Just go read his novels. (And specifically his Darkside series that he writes with Sarah Lotz as SL Grey.)
“The Thing of Wrath” by Roger Luckhurst is a ghoulish murder mystery in the Victorian era as the narrator sets out to uncover the link between stelae depicting the ancient Egyptian deity Thoth, and peculiar deaths by strangulation.
“Three Memories of Death” by Will Hill is my clear favourite of the lot, and I can see why Jared saved this for last. I was on the verge of tears by the time I reached the end of this story in which a priest and a pharaoh discuss the nature of death and farewells, throughout the years. Beautiful and poignant, and I want to squish the author and tell him how much I need to frame this piece of writing so I can read it again when I need to.
July 23, 2014
The Legacy: Melissa Delport
I can't describe how incredibly happy it makes me to see South African authors getting out there and making splashes in the publishing pool, and today I'm excited to introduce Melissa Delport, who's all the way from KwaZulu-Natal on our East Coast. Welcome, Melissa!
You've got exactly 30 seconds to tell someone who's never heard about you enough to make them buy your novel.
If you crossed The Hunger Games with I am Number Four, and threw in a love triangle for good measure, the result would be The Legacy. It is fast paced, action-packed, and has something for everyone.
What provided the story seed for your trilogy? Give us a little background for how the books grew from that initial spark.
I have always been fascinated by the idea of apocalypse and how we would survive, if at all, and the concept of man’s “fight” or “flight” reflex. When there is nowhere left to run, dystopia is at its best. The Legacy came to me in a typical “light bulb” moment and I knew that I was on to something. I spent a day or two plotting the story and then I sat down to write.
What sets your books apart from other dystopian settings that seem to have become so popular of late?
I find that most of the dystopian books I have read are along the same vein: youngsters surviving against all odds. The Legacy breaks that mould, in that the characters are adults; exceptional individuals equipped with skills that allow them to not only survive but excel. They make a conscious choice to go to war against the tyranny that has seized control, they are not unwillingly foisted into this role. That choice is key to the story. There is also the opulence of the New United States, which is a pre-war environment, with none of the desolate ruin that characterizes most dystopian fiction. The “fight” of my characters is more against political oppression than the typical turmoil of an apocalyptic catastrophe.
What do you love the most about your characters? Can you tell us more about them? What are some of the conflict points they need to resolve?
I love the Legacy characters because I have invested so much into them and I know them so well. I am currently working on the final book in the trilogy, and I’ll admit it is bittersweet. Rebecca is the fiery protagonist, a woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goal, at great personal sacrifice. She is determined and headstrong, the ultimate weapon for the Resistance. Reed, her equal, allows me to bring in a bit of humour - he is sarcastic and brash, but remains Rebecca’s greatest asset. The conflict arises in the character Aidan, who is Rebecca’s childhood friend and sweetheart, and who doesn’t understand her obsession with defeating her enemy. All of the characters in this series have obstacles to overcome and personal conflicts that they need to resolve but, ultimately, they are all working towards a common goal, and their lives are intertwined through that fact.
What do you enjoy most about being a storyteller? What do stories mean to you?
I love the escapism that stories offer, and being able to give that to someone else is both humbling and terrifically rewarding.
How do you approach the creative process? Can you share a little more on what goes into creating your novels?
First, I split the wheat from the chaff. As a writer, your imagination is always in hyper-drive, but it is essential that you only focus on those projects that are, to your mind, exceptional. Once a story has taken hold, I plot a very basic outline, my main characters and a few key scenes. Subplot and secondary characters evolve as I go along. I find that if I over-think it, the story doesn’t flow. A story has a life of its own, and I like to let it take me where it wants to go.
EXCERPT – The Legacy by Melissa Delport
Bio:Wife and mother of 3, Melissa Delport is the author of The Legacy Trilogy and the stand-alone self-published ebooks Rainfall and The Traveler.
She graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bachelor’s Degree in English in 2000
At the age of twenty-four Melissa started a logistics company (Transmax) from the spare room of her flat and built it up to two fully operational depots in Durban and Johannesburg. Now, 10 years later, she has sold her business in order to write full time.
Melissa lives with her husband and three children in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The Legacy (book 1 of The Legacy Trilogy) and The Legion (book 2) are available now and the final book, The Legend, will be released early 2015.
An avid reader herself, Melissa finally decided to stop ‘watching from the sidelines’ and to do what is her passion.
The Legacy at Amazon, Kobo, Nook, Kalahari, Takealot
Melissa on Twitter
You've got exactly 30 seconds to tell someone who's never heard about you enough to make them buy your novel.If you crossed The Hunger Games with I am Number Four, and threw in a love triangle for good measure, the result would be The Legacy. It is fast paced, action-packed, and has something for everyone.
What provided the story seed for your trilogy? Give us a little background for how the books grew from that initial spark.
I have always been fascinated by the idea of apocalypse and how we would survive, if at all, and the concept of man’s “fight” or “flight” reflex. When there is nowhere left to run, dystopia is at its best. The Legacy came to me in a typical “light bulb” moment and I knew that I was on to something. I spent a day or two plotting the story and then I sat down to write.
What sets your books apart from other dystopian settings that seem to have become so popular of late?
I find that most of the dystopian books I have read are along the same vein: youngsters surviving against all odds. The Legacy breaks that mould, in that the characters are adults; exceptional individuals equipped with skills that allow them to not only survive but excel. They make a conscious choice to go to war against the tyranny that has seized control, they are not unwillingly foisted into this role. That choice is key to the story. There is also the opulence of the New United States, which is a pre-war environment, with none of the desolate ruin that characterizes most dystopian fiction. The “fight” of my characters is more against political oppression than the typical turmoil of an apocalyptic catastrophe.
What do you love the most about your characters? Can you tell us more about them? What are some of the conflict points they need to resolve?
I love the Legacy characters because I have invested so much into them and I know them so well. I am currently working on the final book in the trilogy, and I’ll admit it is bittersweet. Rebecca is the fiery protagonist, a woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goal, at great personal sacrifice. She is determined and headstrong, the ultimate weapon for the Resistance. Reed, her equal, allows me to bring in a bit of humour - he is sarcastic and brash, but remains Rebecca’s greatest asset. The conflict arises in the character Aidan, who is Rebecca’s childhood friend and sweetheart, and who doesn’t understand her obsession with defeating her enemy. All of the characters in this series have obstacles to overcome and personal conflicts that they need to resolve but, ultimately, they are all working towards a common goal, and their lives are intertwined through that fact.
What do you enjoy most about being a storyteller? What do stories mean to you? I love the escapism that stories offer, and being able to give that to someone else is both humbling and terrifically rewarding.
How do you approach the creative process? Can you share a little more on what goes into creating your novels?
First, I split the wheat from the chaff. As a writer, your imagination is always in hyper-drive, but it is essential that you only focus on those projects that are, to your mind, exceptional. Once a story has taken hold, I plot a very basic outline, my main characters and a few key scenes. Subplot and secondary characters evolve as I go along. I find that if I over-think it, the story doesn’t flow. A story has a life of its own, and I like to let it take me where it wants to go.
EXCERPT – The Legacy by Melissa Delport
Chapter 25
“We’re not going back, Tiny,” Reed’s voice comes out of the blue and I turn to him.
“Um, yes, we are, Cowboy.” I force myself to smile at him. “This is Aidan we’re talking about; I have to find him before he gets himself into real trouble.”
“He already has.” He sounds exhausted when he says this, like it is literally draining him. My father does not contradict him and I frown in confusion.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, panic starting to override my determined calm.
My dad reaches into his pocket and pulls out my cellphone.
“Sorry, Bex, I took it from your bag just after you arrived.” He slides it across the table.
I do nothing but stare at the phone for a while, I don’t know if I want to see what they are talking about.
“Rebecca,” Reed starts, but I don’t let him finish. I snatch up the phone and flip open the cover.
My hand flies to my open mouth and a stifled yelp escapes me. The photograph on the screen shows Aidan sitting in a chair, bound by his wrists and ankles. Both of his eyes are blackened and there is blood trickling from his nose.
I slam my fist down on the table, denting the metal.
“Motherfucker!” I scream, fury rising up inside me like an unleashed animal. I kick the table over and, running at the door, I kick it right off its hinges so that it slams into the passage wall.
“Becca!” My dad is beside me in an instant. “Calm down!”
I don’t acknowledge him; I put my fist into my mouth and bite down on it for a second. Then I raise my head, flip open my phone, hit dial and bring it to my ear.
“You son of a bitch!” My voice is so low it is a wonder he can hear me.
“Well, if it isn’t my errant wife.” Eric’s voice is light, but the underlying tremor reveals how angry he is.
“Where is he?” I don’t have time to play games with Eric. I ignore my father, who is frantically waving his arms trying to get my attention.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Where is he, Eric?” I growl.
“Why would you possibly think that I would tell you that, Rebecca?” he snaps back, all pretences abandoned.
“Because I’m going to find you, Eric, one way or another, and if you make it easier for me I might just let you live.”
He laughs harshly into the phone.
“Really?” he calls my bluff.
“No, not really,” I answer. “I’ll probably kill you anyway, but if you tell me where Aidan is, I’ll do you a favour and make it quick. And slightly less painful.”
“Such fire, Rebecca! My, my, what a brilliant little actress you are. I never suspected. Not once. Not your abilities, not your betrayal, and certainly not your boyfriend.” My blood runs cold and I realise why Reed and my dad have been trying to get my attention. In reacting so emotionally I’ve played into Eric’s hands; I’ve just confirmed how important Aidan is to me.
Dammit!
He will not tell me where they are. He wants to torture me.
“I’ll see you soon, Eric,” I say slowly and clearly into the mouthpiece. “I’ll find you.” There’s an arrogant chuckle on the other end.
“Not if I find you first, love.”
Bio:Wife and mother of 3, Melissa Delport is the author of The Legacy Trilogy and the stand-alone self-published ebooks Rainfall and The Traveler.
She graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bachelor’s Degree in English in 2000
At the age of twenty-four Melissa started a logistics company (Transmax) from the spare room of her flat and built it up to two fully operational depots in Durban and Johannesburg. Now, 10 years later, she has sold her business in order to write full time.
Melissa lives with her husband and three children in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The Legacy (book 1 of The Legacy Trilogy) and The Legion (book 2) are available now and the final book, The Legend, will be released early 2015.
An avid reader herself, Melissa finally decided to stop ‘watching from the sidelines’ and to do what is her passion.
The Legacy at Amazon, Kobo, Nook, Kalahari, Takealot
Melissa on Twitter
July 22, 2014
Luna's Children: Introducing MR Williamson
Today's visitor is one of my fellow Luna's Children authors, MR Williamson, who shares that his love for days past most influenced his story in the anthology.
He says: "My father, Russell Tandy Williamson, was raised in Drummonds. The river, and its 'Landings' have a great history there.
"Being a good part Native American (Eastern Shoshone), I like just about any story of American Indians. One of the best, in my opinion, is 'Last of the Dog Men'. If you notice this part of the opening story, the young boy (from 'The Dog Men') kicked it off pretty well."
Here's an extract from MR's story...
Ray started the Chevy, eased off on the clutch, and the old car lurched forward. Two more gears and they were lumbering east on the Richardson Landing Road and away from the paddle wheeler. They had barely turned south on Old Drummonds Road when Gabby quickly sat up.
"Slow down a bit, Ray,” he requested as he pushed his black, horn-rimmed glasses closer to his nose. “There’s somethin’ up ahead a ways. I saw its eyes shine in the lights.”
Just as Ray pressed the bright light button on the floorboard, something darted from the scrub on the left and ran through the beams of their lights.
“Geeeze!” exclaimed Ray as he slammed on the brakes, bringing the Chevy to a sliding stop. “What the devil was that?” he added excitedly.
Gabby, pushing himself away from the dash, exclaimed, “I don’t believe my eyes.” Quickly opening the door, the old riverboat man got out, looked up ahead in the lights, and then back to the hogweed just right of the Chevy. “This one don’t belong to the eyes I saw, Ray. What we almost hit was a young boy, and a naked one to boot.”
Buy Full Moon Mayhem here and Stranger Worlds here.
Bio:
After retiring from ‘Ma Bell’ in the year 1999, I seriously took to the pen. Through E-Bay and various bookstores, my novel collection, The Pragamore Chronicles, eventually reached more than eight countries.
My poetry has won the Editor’s Choice Awards from the International Library of Poetry in 1999, 2000, and 2002. View from the Easley Place, a short story, is on exhibition at Munford Library. My stories are published in such anthologies as Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells (‘Quest for the Dragon Scale-Kerlak), ParAABnormal (‘Spotter’-Sam’s Dot), Stories in the Ether (‘Shelled’-Nevermet), ‘Unlikely Friend’ (Sam’s Dot), and ‘Apprentice’ (Sam’s Dot).
Added short story features for 2013 include, ‘Hell’s Gate’ (Seven Star Press), and ‘Phagan’s Shadow’ (WolfSinger). Coming short stories are ‘Cry Wolf’ with Dark Oak and ‘The Ghost of Queen Anne’s Revenge’ also with Dark Oak. On the front burners for 2014 (and working with the editors) are the novellas, ‘The Moleskin Cap’ with Terri Pray and her Under the Moon Publishing and ‘The Curse of the Monkey’s Paw’ with Tyree Campbell and his Alban Lake Publishing.
In the works are novellas, ‘In the Shadows of the White Owls (Held by Under the Moon), ‘Bedouin’, ‘The Angel of Holloway’, and ‘Ooze’.
The year 2014 promises to be a ‘One-Of-A-Kind’ for me. It starts out with the publishing two, novellas, two large short stories, and then sours from there.
Keep reading and I’ll keep writing. . .
MR Williamson can be emailed at mwilli44@comcast.net. See pragamorechronicles.com or Imagicopter.com
He says: "My father, Russell Tandy Williamson, was raised in Drummonds. The river, and its 'Landings' have a great history there."Being a good part Native American (Eastern Shoshone), I like just about any story of American Indians. One of the best, in my opinion, is 'Last of the Dog Men'. If you notice this part of the opening story, the young boy (from 'The Dog Men') kicked it off pretty well."
Here's an extract from MR's story...
Ray started the Chevy, eased off on the clutch, and the old car lurched forward. Two more gears and they were lumbering east on the Richardson Landing Road and away from the paddle wheeler. They had barely turned south on Old Drummonds Road when Gabby quickly sat up.
"Slow down a bit, Ray,” he requested as he pushed his black, horn-rimmed glasses closer to his nose. “There’s somethin’ up ahead a ways. I saw its eyes shine in the lights.”
Just as Ray pressed the bright light button on the floorboard, something darted from the scrub on the left and ran through the beams of their lights.
“Geeeze!” exclaimed Ray as he slammed on the brakes, bringing the Chevy to a sliding stop. “What the devil was that?” he added excitedly.
Gabby, pushing himself away from the dash, exclaimed, “I don’t believe my eyes.” Quickly opening the door, the old riverboat man got out, looked up ahead in the lights, and then back to the hogweed just right of the Chevy. “This one don’t belong to the eyes I saw, Ray. What we almost hit was a young boy, and a naked one to boot.”
Buy Full Moon Mayhem here and Stranger Worlds here.
Bio:
After retiring from ‘Ma Bell’ in the year 1999, I seriously took to the pen. Through E-Bay and various bookstores, my novel collection, The Pragamore Chronicles, eventually reached more than eight countries.
My poetry has won the Editor’s Choice Awards from the International Library of Poetry in 1999, 2000, and 2002. View from the Easley Place, a short story, is on exhibition at Munford Library. My stories are published in such anthologies as Clockwork Spells and Magical Bells (‘Quest for the Dragon Scale-Kerlak), ParAABnormal (‘Spotter’-Sam’s Dot), Stories in the Ether (‘Shelled’-Nevermet), ‘Unlikely Friend’ (Sam’s Dot), and ‘Apprentice’ (Sam’s Dot).
Added short story features for 2013 include, ‘Hell’s Gate’ (Seven Star Press), and ‘Phagan’s Shadow’ (WolfSinger). Coming short stories are ‘Cry Wolf’ with Dark Oak and ‘The Ghost of Queen Anne’s Revenge’ also with Dark Oak. On the front burners for 2014 (and working with the editors) are the novellas, ‘The Moleskin Cap’ with Terri Pray and her Under the Moon Publishing and ‘The Curse of the Monkey’s Paw’ with Tyree Campbell and his Alban Lake Publishing.
In the works are novellas, ‘In the Shadows of the White Owls (Held by Under the Moon), ‘Bedouin’, ‘The Angel of Holloway’, and ‘Ooze’.
The year 2014 promises to be a ‘One-Of-A-Kind’ for me. It starts out with the publishing two, novellas, two large short stories, and then sours from there.
Keep reading and I’ll keep writing. . .
MR Williamson can be emailed at mwilli44@comcast.net. See pragamorechronicles.com or Imagicopter.com
July 21, 2014
Who Are You Going To Get Rid Of? by Benjamin Dancer
Today I hand over my blog to Benjamin Dancer, author of Patriarch Run. So, a big welcome to Benjamin...
There are too many people. But who are you going to get rid of? I bet you have someone in mind. But you can’t do it, can you? Most of us wouldn’t even try.
It’s not an easy topic to discuss, getting rid of people. Which is why it’s hard to talk about overpopulation. That...and the ever-present issue of denial.
So let’s start in a safe place–with math. It doesn’t matter how low the growth rate of the human population is, if it’s growing, the population will eventually double. Ask yourself this: how many times can the number of people, 7 billion, double before it becomes a problem?
No matter what your answer to that question is there is a coming crisis.
Let’s say you pick a really small number for the growth rate of the human population: 1.14% per year. How long do you suspect it will take to double the number of people on the planet?
Answer: about sixty-one years.
And, yep, you guessed it: 1.14% is the estimated growth rate of the human population today. At the current growth rate, you’ll have 14 billion people in sixty one years.
Does anyone think 14 billion is a good number of people to have? What would it take to feed that many people? And what would be the consequence of that population be to the non-human members of the ecosystem?
Right now, there are 1 million new people added to the ecosystem every five days.
I’m a high school teacher, and as a graduation requirement each of my students conducts a long-term research project on a global issue of their choice. I’ve been teaching for seventeen years, and I’ve never seen a version of this project that didn’t have the issue we’re now discussing hidden at its root. As a matter of fact, I’d be hard pressed to think of an environmental or social issue that wasn’t a symptom of the same root problem: there are too many people.
And it’s getting worse.
It’s true that the growth rate is going down in some parts of Europe. Some people cite that fact as a dismissal of the overall problem. But it’s the overall problem that we have to face. In other words, it’s the planet-wide growth rate that matters–not a localized subset. Right now, the planet-wide growth rate is pretty low: 1.14%. And that, by any scientific measure, is a crisis for just about every species on the planet, including our own.
So that brings us back to the question: who are you going to get rid of?
Dan Brown, an author you might have heard of, tackled that problem in his novel Inferno. Another author, one you just now learned about (me), tackled the issue in a different way in his novel Patriarch Run . It’s a thriller with a soul. Characters you care about. Issues that matter. It’s a coming-of-age story. A story about fathers. A story about the lengths a mother would go to for her child. In the end, it’s a story about humankind and the fate of our species.
Find out who Jack would get rid of. I promise you this: it’ll be downright entertaining.
Contact me on Facebook, and I’ll send you a copy for free. You can also buy the book at Amazon, Smashwords or Barnes and Noble.
About Benjamin Dancer:
Benjamin is an Advisor at Jefferson Patriarch Run, a coming-of-age story. He also writes about parenting and education.
County Open School where he has made a career out of mentoring young people as they come of age. He wrote the novel
BenjaminDancer.com
Twitter: @BenjaminDancer1
Facebook
There are too many people. But who are you going to get rid of? I bet you have someone in mind. But you can’t do it, can you? Most of us wouldn’t even try.It’s not an easy topic to discuss, getting rid of people. Which is why it’s hard to talk about overpopulation. That...and the ever-present issue of denial.
So let’s start in a safe place–with math. It doesn’t matter how low the growth rate of the human population is, if it’s growing, the population will eventually double. Ask yourself this: how many times can the number of people, 7 billion, double before it becomes a problem?
No matter what your answer to that question is there is a coming crisis.
Let’s say you pick a really small number for the growth rate of the human population: 1.14% per year. How long do you suspect it will take to double the number of people on the planet?
Answer: about sixty-one years.
And, yep, you guessed it: 1.14% is the estimated growth rate of the human population today. At the current growth rate, you’ll have 14 billion people in sixty one years.
Does anyone think 14 billion is a good number of people to have? What would it take to feed that many people? And what would be the consequence of that population be to the non-human members of the ecosystem?
Right now, there are 1 million new people added to the ecosystem every five days.
I’m a high school teacher, and as a graduation requirement each of my students conducts a long-term research project on a global issue of their choice. I’ve been teaching for seventeen years, and I’ve never seen a version of this project that didn’t have the issue we’re now discussing hidden at its root. As a matter of fact, I’d be hard pressed to think of an environmental or social issue that wasn’t a symptom of the same root problem: there are too many people.
And it’s getting worse.
It’s true that the growth rate is going down in some parts of Europe. Some people cite that fact as a dismissal of the overall problem. But it’s the overall problem that we have to face. In other words, it’s the planet-wide growth rate that matters–not a localized subset. Right now, the planet-wide growth rate is pretty low: 1.14%. And that, by any scientific measure, is a crisis for just about every species on the planet, including our own.
So that brings us back to the question: who are you going to get rid of?
Dan Brown, an author you might have heard of, tackled that problem in his novel Inferno. Another author, one you just now learned about (me), tackled the issue in a different way in his novel Patriarch Run . It’s a thriller with a soul. Characters you care about. Issues that matter. It’s a coming-of-age story. A story about fathers. A story about the lengths a mother would go to for her child. In the end, it’s a story about humankind and the fate of our species.
Find out who Jack would get rid of. I promise you this: it’ll be downright entertaining.
Contact me on Facebook, and I’ll send you a copy for free. You can also buy the book at Amazon, Smashwords or Barnes and Noble.
About Benjamin Dancer:
Benjamin is an Advisor at Jefferson Patriarch Run, a coming-of-age story. He also writes about parenting and education.
County Open School where he has made a career out of mentoring young people as they come of age. He wrote the novel
BenjaminDancer.com
Twitter: @BenjaminDancer1
July 17, 2014
Terminatryx: rooted in industry
If CapeTown industrial metal band Terminatryx’s new album, Shadow, can be summed up in one word, it would be “epic”. The heavy, unrelenting guitars and rhythms are contrasted by lead singer Sonja Ruppersberg’s softer vocals, but don’t be fooled – there’s steel beneath her exterior.
And if one thing can be said, the band have had staying power since they first embarked on their sonic assault of the South African music scene since 2002. Consisting of Sonja Ruppersberg (vocals, backing vocals), Paul Blom (bass, programming, guitars, keyboards, backing vocals and production), Ronnie Belcher (drums) and Patrick Davidson (guitar), Terminatryx draws on influences such as Ministry, Fear Factory, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, among others, with a dash of thrash metal thrown in for good measure.
At times the music is true to its industrial roots, with pounding rhythms, yet at other moments (and especially with the album’s gloomily melodic title track, "Shadow"), Ruppersberg’s voice soars above the grinding guitars, eerie, ethereal and unforgettable.
Most of the band members have also been active in the local music scene for years, with Blom having been part of the metal bands VOD (Voice Of Destruction) and K.O.B.U.S!; Davidson, who is currently active with the metal band Mind Assault; and Belcher, whose new rockabilly group The Flaming Devilles is worth keeping an eye out for.
The Terminatryx sound has gained a greater dynamic range with their latest album, which was co-produced by Blom and Theo Crous (Springbok Nude Girls, K.O.B.U.S!), and picks up from where the well-received remix album left off. The broad range of lyrical themes treats the duality in the self – good versus evil; the state of the world and the individual’s inability to deal with it; hypocrisy and political correctness; and emotional despair.
Though the tone is more often than not dark, the album maintains an underlying sense of playfulness and humour, and the music itself carries through with the almost mechanical precision typical of its genre and sweeps listeners along with its energy. Instrumental interludes are suggestive of the cinematic themes that are influenced by Blom’s and Ruppersberg’s continuing involvement in their project The Makabra Ensemble.
And, remaining with the theme of film, mention must be made of Blom’s and Ruppersberg’s curatorship of annual film festivals such as the South African HorrorFest, the X Fest and Celludroid, events which are among the few in the country that cater for alternative, independent and fringe cinema.
This involvement in visual arts translates directly into how Terminatryx is presented to its fans. In addition to making music videos, such as the much-lauded video for "Virus", which featured extensive special effects, Terminatryx also creates a strong visual element through the medium of photography. These images, created by local visual artist Dr-Benway, have found their way into publications such as De Kat and Playboy.
Though Blom says he’d like to make feature films, cost and time factors have him happy to settle with music videos, and also put a lot of effort into the merchandise for sale at gigs, which all add up to create a lasting legacy in what is an essentially ephemeral industry.
He adds: “Our music is about expression. You have to be overtly commercial to tour South Africa, and ours is not music by numbers. If we had a population here to sustain alternative art full time, we could reach a wider audience. Merchandising, however, is big, and something that many artists neglect.”
Ruppersberg is always touched when fans request that the band sign items after shows, and adds: “I don’t automatically think autographing a CD is a big deal, but people still like that personal touch; it’s amazing and that carries value.”
Staying on track with their current goal to add to their multifaceted offerings, Blom and Ruppersberg are planning on releasing music videos for each song off their latest album, with "Shadow" and "Gone" currently in the final production stages.
Says Ruppersberg, who directed the first video: “'Shadow' is currently the song that’s the most popular and accessible. The idea for the music video is an old-style black-and-white horror, and we used Leon Visser as the cinematographer and editor. With 'Gone', director Johnny Swanepoel came up with a gritty, gothic-style video, with a slight horror theme that was shot in the bowels of the old Castle Brewery.”
See the "Shadow" music video here.
See www.terminatryx.com.
And if one thing can be said, the band have had staying power since they first embarked on their sonic assault of the South African music scene since 2002. Consisting of Sonja Ruppersberg (vocals, backing vocals), Paul Blom (bass, programming, guitars, keyboards, backing vocals and production), Ronnie Belcher (drums) and Patrick Davidson (guitar), Terminatryx draws on influences such as Ministry, Fear Factory, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, among others, with a dash of thrash metal thrown in for good measure.At times the music is true to its industrial roots, with pounding rhythms, yet at other moments (and especially with the album’s gloomily melodic title track, "Shadow"), Ruppersberg’s voice soars above the grinding guitars, eerie, ethereal and unforgettable.
Most of the band members have also been active in the local music scene for years, with Blom having been part of the metal bands VOD (Voice Of Destruction) and K.O.B.U.S!; Davidson, who is currently active with the metal band Mind Assault; and Belcher, whose new rockabilly group The Flaming Devilles is worth keeping an eye out for.
The Terminatryx sound has gained a greater dynamic range with their latest album, which was co-produced by Blom and Theo Crous (Springbok Nude Girls, K.O.B.U.S!), and picks up from where the well-received remix album left off. The broad range of lyrical themes treats the duality in the self – good versus evil; the state of the world and the individual’s inability to deal with it; hypocrisy and political correctness; and emotional despair.
Though the tone is more often than not dark, the album maintains an underlying sense of playfulness and humour, and the music itself carries through with the almost mechanical precision typical of its genre and sweeps listeners along with its energy. Instrumental interludes are suggestive of the cinematic themes that are influenced by Blom’s and Ruppersberg’s continuing involvement in their project The Makabra Ensemble.
And, remaining with the theme of film, mention must be made of Blom’s and Ruppersberg’s curatorship of annual film festivals such as the South African HorrorFest, the X Fest and Celludroid, events which are among the few in the country that cater for alternative, independent and fringe cinema.
This involvement in visual arts translates directly into how Terminatryx is presented to its fans. In addition to making music videos, such as the much-lauded video for "Virus", which featured extensive special effects, Terminatryx also creates a strong visual element through the medium of photography. These images, created by local visual artist Dr-Benway, have found their way into publications such as De Kat and Playboy.
Though Blom says he’d like to make feature films, cost and time factors have him happy to settle with music videos, and also put a lot of effort into the merchandise for sale at gigs, which all add up to create a lasting legacy in what is an essentially ephemeral industry.
He adds: “Our music is about expression. You have to be overtly commercial to tour South Africa, and ours is not music by numbers. If we had a population here to sustain alternative art full time, we could reach a wider audience. Merchandising, however, is big, and something that many artists neglect.”
Ruppersberg is always touched when fans request that the band sign items after shows, and adds: “I don’t automatically think autographing a CD is a big deal, but people still like that personal touch; it’s amazing and that carries value.”
Staying on track with their current goal to add to their multifaceted offerings, Blom and Ruppersberg are planning on releasing music videos for each song off their latest album, with "Shadow" and "Gone" currently in the final production stages.
Says Ruppersberg, who directed the first video: “'Shadow' is currently the song that’s the most popular and accessible. The idea for the music video is an old-style black-and-white horror, and we used Leon Visser as the cinematographer and editor. With 'Gone', director Johnny Swanepoel came up with a gritty, gothic-style video, with a slight horror theme that was shot in the bowels of the old Castle Brewery.”
See the "Shadow" music video here.
See www.terminatryx.com.
July 16, 2014
"The Study Break" Miracle Austin – featured author
Since I'm going to be celebrating with all the Luna's Children contributors, I'll be featuring a few of the authors from the anthology on my blog over the next few weeks. Today's special guest is Miracle Austin, who penned "The Study Break".
Austin writes: "'The Study Break' was inspired by two, young college girls’ boredom one Friday night. They drove into the city to a hot club with fake IDs. They met two older frat boys and decided to hang out a little longer at the frat boys’ apartment. Their Stranger Danger buzzers were broken. Surprisingly, nothing bad happened."So, I started to think about what if something did go horribly wrong, not only for them, but also for other young, reckless girls driving into the city to that same club.
"The rest is the story…
Miracle Austin is employed in the social work world. She’s a new author who enjoys writing diverse, free-verse poetry with mini-stories and short stories. She’s transcending into the novella writing, as well. Horror and suspense are her favorite genres, but she’s not limited to.
She’s been writing ever since first hearing Drive by the Cars in junior high, but is a late bloomer in the publishing world. She completed her first novella, Boundless, a collection of her free-verse poems with mini-stories and short stories. Finally, she resides in Texas with her family while working on her second novella. See www.miracleaustin.com.
Purchase Stranger Worlds and Full Moon Mayhem .
