T. Strange's Blog, page 4

Important Announcement

As some of you may be aware, my publisher, Torquere Press, is closing. I am currently waiting to get my rights back, so I can republish my current works and continue publishing new ones.
If you were planning on purchasing any of my writing, I would ask that you wait until this change is complete—don’t worry, there’ll be an announcement!
My current plan is to self-publish the two existing Undead Canadian novels (and the upcoming one, My Zombie Wedding. I’ve almost gotten the first draft finished, guys!). I’ll be releasing the two Undead Canadian short stories—My Zombie Mixup and My Zombie Cat—along with two previously unpublished shorts as a small collection. Amber, Crossed Wires, and Lock and Key will be republished as stand-alone novelettes. Char, Lighthouse, and Delphinos will be published as a collection.
I’m also branching out—or maybe going back to my roots, to use another plant-based expression. Beginning with Belladonna, I will be publishing M/M erotica under the pen name Lee Fisher, so look for spicy reads coming at you.
I’m now offering freelance proofreading services—find out more here.
As for the other new projects I’m working on…we’ll just have to see where life takes me, and them.
Thank you for your patience, and thanks to all of you who’ve supported me and enjoyed my writing over the years. This isn’t an ending; it’s a new beginning.

I’ve just started a newsletter! Sign up here if you’d like to keep track of new releases, receive exclusive coupons and giveaways, and get sneak peeks of what I'm working on. 

A Place of Permanence by Angora Shade

Jesse hates the still monotony of his small town existence. With the encouragement of his lover Antonio, Jesse sets out to “taste life” through joining the military. His service takes him across the world far longer than he intends, and he loses contact with family and friends. Years later, Jesse returns to a changed world, but with love still in his heart. Will Antonio be waiting?


Buy on Smashwords



Author Social Media:

Blog: angorashade.blogspot.com
Twitter: twitter.com/angorashade
Facebook: www.facebook.com/angorashadeauthor
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/angorashade

Fanfic - You Don't Owe Me Comments

I've seen a lot of people lately with the attitude that, because they wrote fanfiction, they're owed praise from readers. Each and every single reader. As someone who has written (and read) fanfic for more than a decade, I completely disagree.Do I leave feedback on every single fanfic I read? Honestly? No. Do I expect every single person who reads my fic to leave feedback? Hell no!Do I try to leave at least a short comment? Do I love every single comment I get? Yes!I don't bestow my fanfic upon the world and expect to be showered with gratitude. I write what I'm going to write, and oh happy day, at least a few people usually like it, and some of those people let me know they like it! And that's awesome—that's the way it should be. The great thing about fanfic is...it's free. It's free to write, and it's free to read. This makes it an excellent way for authors (myself included) to hone their skills and get feedback. This attitude of "Oh, I wrote something, and you're getting it for free, so you'd better APPRECIATE it!" turns fanfic into a bizarre economy: writing is paid for and created by praise, which in turn means that the authors are striving for that payment, rather than creating what they want and sharing it, and it means that authors owe their readers for giving them that praise. EVERY reader MUST comment, and the author MUST reply to every comment, and then it just spirals down into a big guilt trippy hell, with readers dictating what they want written, and authors complying to get praise—and readers being guilt tripped into commenting to keep the fanfic factory flowing. It's not fair to anyone—readers or writers. If someone gives me something for free, I don't expect there to be an obligation. When I give someone something for free, they don't owe me anything for it. That's, y'know, what free means. Ok. Come in really close now. Let me tell you something. I'm 28 now and I've been writing fanfic since I was 14 (holy shit half my life nerrrrrd!) I've been a published author for 3 years. And here's the thing—I don't write for my readers. *gasp!* I don't write for money, or praise. I write because I have to, because if I don't I'll literally explode. That wouldn't change if I burned what I wrote the second it was written, or if I was a best selling author (I'm not). Don't get me wrong—I LOVE my readers. I love them to pieces. I love hearing when people love my writing. Of course I do; I'm human, we're social animals, and getting rewarded by the group is a Good Thing. Validation feels good, and it's supposed to. It's a human need. I love getting paid for my writing. Yes I do. But that's not why I do it. And I believe that forcing someone to praise me cheapens it. I don't want to be a praise highwayman—stand or I won't deliver! I want to be a busker. I'm going to keep playing whether you acknowledge me or not, whether you tell me you like my playing, or throw some money in my hat. I'm not going to play more or better for the people who give me money, and I'm not going to stop playing and stare at people until they pay me. (I'm also not going to put my hat away because, hey, if you want to give me money, I'm not going to say no!)I would rather get one comment that's really specific to my story, where the person really GETS what I was going for, than 10 generic comments. Not that there's anything wrong with generic comments! They're still valid and valuable, and I’m thankful for all of them. I'm personally not very good at leaving feedback/reviews, even on stories or books I loved. I also have a really shitty memory and I read a ton, so if I don’t take notes or write a review right away, I probably won’t remember enough detail to write one later. That’s why I don’t (always) comment. That’s my reason, and there are hundreds, and all of them are valid. Fanfic is fun, reading or writing.  It’s what I do to relax, or when I can’t sleep, or I have a few extra minutes waiting around for something. It’s not a commitment. I repeat—fanfic is not a commitment. And it shouldn’t be. I don’t have a commitment to fanfic authors. People who read my fanfic don’t have a commitment to me, and I don’t have a commitment to them (as you can tell by all my unfinished stories shhhh...)I have made some amazing connections and friendships through my years in various fandoms and...guess what? Not one of them started because I felt forced to comment, or because I pressured someone into commenting with the threat "If you don't, I'll stop writing!"Is it frustrating when I write something I think is amazing, only to get very little response when I post it? Of course it is! But that doesn't give me the right to chase down and bully people into responding. TL;DR it's great to get kudos and it's awesome to get comments, but I don't comment on every fic I read, I'm not going to stop writing because people don't praise me, and I'd really like my fellow authors to stop pressuring readers.

Crossed Wires is Visiting Mary's Ménage Reviews!

Thanks so much to Mary's Ménage Reviews for hosting Crossed Wires! Check out the post and comment for a chance to win an ebook copy.


Crossed Wires: Rory isn’t expecting much more than clowns and elephant poop when he agrees to take his niece and nephew to the circus, but he finds himself entranced by the trapeze performers. Returning to the circus another night, he meets Lev and Tanner after the show and finds himself just as interested in the men themselves. They take him back to their hotel room for a night of steamy sex. After the circus leaves, Rory can’t stop thinking about the duo, though they never call him. He enrolls in a trapeze class as a distraction, and is astonished to find out who’s teaching the course.
Genres: M/M, Contemporary

Length: 13,500 words  (Novelette)

Read an Excerpt

My Zombie Fiancé Countdown - Day 1 - Advance Reviews

With only one day left until My Zombie Fiancé's release, it's time to find out what reviewers have to say about the book!


From Laura Nelson: "So anyone that knows me, knows that I wouldn’t stop raving about My Zombie Boyfriend after I had read it. As a result, I couldn’t wait to get my grabby hands on a copy of My Zombie Fiancé. I think I love Edward and Kit even more after reading it. What more can you ask for? PNR, m/m, horror and comedy all in one!" (continue reading)

From Christine Payne: "I really enjoyed this book. It's a great read. I would recommend it to my friends and others who asked about it. It is a book I would read again. This is a series I would love to continue reading. I like T. Strange's twist on zombies in this series. I think that's part of what makes it. I really like Kit and Edward's relationship and the entire plot of the book as well." (link to review)


From Books to Curl Up With: "I fell in love with Edward and Kit from the first book and they made me fall in love with them even more in book 2. Edward is still the geeky nerdy medical student but he is getting stronger and stronger as he goes through book two. He is put through the wringer in this book. The author took him on a roller coaster this time. Kit is the calming effect on Edward and for a zombie Kit is pretty fricken hot." (continue reading)


From Lindsay Crook: "This is the first T. Strange novel I've ever read and let me just tell you she's 100% gained a new fan. I loved everything about this story. Edward and Kit are fantastic together and who doesn't want a zombie cat called Boo? This was unlike any zombie book I've read but I guess that's what kept me turning pages. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves the supernatural. 5 undead stars." (link to review)






I’d love to see you at the Facebook release party tomorrow!


Day 2
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My Zombie Fiancé Countdown - Day 2 - A Wild Author Appears!

With only two days left on the countdown, I had to whip out something really special!

Ok. I was really really nervous about doing this, but ...I made a video! I'm at the place that inspired the first scene in My Zombie Boyfriend... but you don't have to listen to writing me when you can listen to me me. In the video. The video for you, the video created especially for you, your video.
If anyone was wondering, I made this using iMovie (for the first time!) It took me a few minutes, but once I got the hang of it, the program was very user friendly. I've only done video editing twice before, once in grade eight and once in high school, soooo... I'm pretty pleased with the results, all things considered. (Did I mention that I was nervous?)

Special thanks to my Canon PowerShot A530. It's almost ten years old, it goes through batteries like they're...something you eat really quickly...and it's one of the first purchases I made when I got a "grownup" job out of high school. (Before I realized that having a grownup job doesn't really work for me, leading to you watching this video...)

Anyway, grab your popcorn (to throw at the screen)!





There's still time to enter the preorder giveaway! When you preorder My Zombie Fiancé from Torquere Press, not only do you get 15% off and a free short story, you can also enter to win a fabulous prize pack!

Details here.



Day 3

My Zombie Fiancé Countdown - Day 3 - Excerpt

Whoo hoo, we're on the home stretch now!

To celebrate, how about an excerpt from My Zombie Fiancé?

First, if you haven't read it yet, here's the blurb: Edward Grey is no stranger to the undead; since raising his cat as a zombie when he was a child, he and his mentor Mariel have explored and developed his power as a necromancer. Despite everything he’s learned, as a necromancer and a medical student, he’s never encountered a ghost.


While Mariel is unreachable in Haiti on mysterious business, a ghost wakes Edward in the middle of the night, claiming to be his grandfather. When the ghost offers to teach him about this different form of undeath, Edward has little choice but to trust the spirit.
After receiving a phone call from a young girl claiming her father is possessed, Edward and his Undead Canadian fiancé, Kit, must travel to an acreage in Kingston…Ontario.
The haunting proves far more complicated than Edward could ever have guessed, and he finds himself pitted against an ancient evil determined to engulf everyone on the farm.
Edward’s love and connection to Kit will be tested, and his necromancy stretched to his limits as he has to find—and destroy—a twisted spirit more powerful than anything he’s ever encountered.

I squirmed and thrashed, slapping at the hands that held me down and tried to stick a needle in my side, protesting that I didn’t need stitches. I woke up, gasping with the intensity of my dream, and realized the pain in my side remained. I tried to roll, to see what was hurting me, but I couldn’t move. Kit’s arms were wrapped around me, holding me so tightly it was almost painful. It was his nails I’d felt, digging into my side just above my hip. He was making a soft keening sound that was no less horrible for being quiet. “Kit.” I twitched my shoulders, trying to wake him, about all the movement his arms and body would allow me. He shook, violently, almost pitching both of us off the bed. He was breathing, deep, panting sobs that shuddered through his chest and into mine. His teeth were grinding, clicking together as though he were biting something, his lips still closed.“Kit!” I was shouting now, fighting to be heard over the sounds of his struggles and his nightmare. He woke with a scream that went on for a few seconds before he realized where he was. I lay still, not wanting to startle him. He quieted, his hands unclenching, nails slowly withdrawing from my skin.I winced, trying not to let him see it. He always felt guilty after these nightmares, even when he hadn’t unintentionally hurt me. He’d elbowed me in the face once, and I’d woken to a bloody nose and a black eye that lasted a week. He wouldn’t let me touch him, and he wouldn’t touch me, as though afraid any contact with him would damage me. He hadn’t slept that week, out of fear of the nightmares and being intimate with me. The nightmares were, gradually, becoming less frequent, but they were still intense. “Edward,” he asked, voice harsh and raspy. He cleared his throat and tried again, “Edward?”“I’m here, Kit.” I shifted so my head was on the pillow beside his, and my groping hand found his hair and began to idly stroke it.
“Did I...oh, God, Edward, I’m sorry.” “It’s all right. I’m fine.” I surreptitiously felt my side with my other hand, and it came away dry. He hadn’t scratched me badly enough that I was bleeding, and I’d do my best to make sure he didn’t know he’d hurt me at all.He grabbed my wrist, not making a sound when he dragged my hand loose from his hair, though it had to hurt, and pulled it down so I was cupping his jaw. He was shaking with silent, impotent sobs—the dead can’t weep. “Kit....”He gripped my wrist tighter, not hurting, just needing something solid to hold onto while he rode out the nightmare. He was saying something over and over, so softly that I couldn’t hear him even though our heads were right beside each other. I could feel his breath on my wrist. “What?” I asked, gently. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry,” and he kept saying it. He didn’t seem able to stop.I twisted until I could kiss him, pressing our lips together as though I could seal in the words. “It’s all right,” I murmured against his mouth, a spell to ward off his guilt. “Tell me?”He shook his head, hard, tearing our lips apart. “Was it the same as the others?” He would, occasionally, tell me about his dreams. They were all basically the same—blood, fear, rage—the night and day he’d avenged his own death. And the nightmares always held the guilt he hadn’t felt at the time. He had scrunched down into a long-limbed ball, and I felt him nod against my sternum. I gathered him up as best I could, trying to hold every part of him against some part of me. He bumped the fresh scratches on my side and I forced myself to stay still and silent, biting my lip.
He was perfectly still in my arms, limp and exhausted with the emotion and terror of his dreams.





There's still time to enter the preorder giveaway! When you preorder My Zombie Fiancé from Torquere Press, not only do you get 15% off and a free short story, you can also enter to win a fabulous prize pack!

Details here.



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My Zombie Fiancé Countdown - Day 4 - Character Quiz

I don't know about you guys, but I'm addicted to personality quizzes!

After spending the last two days getting to know the characters from My Zombie Fiancé, it's time to find out...which one you are: serious, studious Edward; fashionable, sassy Kit; wise and mysterious Mariel; or enigmatic and morbid Bone?

Feel free to post your results and how accurate you think they are—I'd love to hear from you!





There's still time to enter the preorder giveaway! When you preorder My Zombie Fiancé from Torquere Press, not only do you get 15% off and a free short story, you can also enter to win a fabulous prize pack!

Details here.



Day 5

My Zombie Fiancé Countdown - Day 5 - Pinterest

Yesterday I introduced the characters of My Zombie Fiancé through music, and today I'm going to tackle a different sense!

Much like the playlists from yesterday, I created Pinterest boards for Edward, Kit, Mariel, and Bone for My Zombie Boyfriend's release. I've added to them in the last year and a half.

I've also created a general My Zombie Fiancé board based on different locations and characters (besides the four I mentioned) in the book.

Most of My Zombie Fiancé takes place in Kingston, Ontario, and I've included images of several important places Kit and Edward visit: the library, the Prince George Hotel, and Fort Henry.

Edward is called to a farm near Kingston, Ontario, owned by Jim Robinson. I've included a model image for him and his daughter Sarah, and models for their farmhouse, and historical photographs of farming in Ontario.

Another important location is Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, and I've included images of people and places from there, as well as historical photographs of Mohawk individuals and ceremonial tools.

Who is Mister Jenkins? Why are there runes on this board? You'll just have to read My Zombie Fiancé to find out!




Edward's Pinterest board - (main character) 19th century curio cabinet, full of oddities and specimens.

Kit's Pinterest board  - (undead Canadian, Edward's Fiancé) expect lots of duckies, cats and other soft animals, along with recipes, motivational sayings, and preppy fashion advice.

Bone's Pinterest board  - (Edward's ex boyfriend, undertaker) creepy, dark and strangely full of goats. Everything is just a little bit...off.

Mariel's Pinterest board - (Edward's mentor, Vodou priestess) colour and light, tea and skulls. Flowers growing from skeletons; death giving way to new life.

Boo (Edward's zombie cat) - pretty much what you'd expect; pictures of black, fluffy cats.

Winston (Kit's blue British Shorthair) - adorable cats and kittens with delightful jowls




You can still enter the preorder giveaway!
All you have to do is preorder My Zombie Fiancé from Torquere Press (15% off) and post a comment here with proof of purchase (ie: order number). 






Day 6 ~~~ Day 4

My Zombie Fiancé Countdown - Day 6 - Music

One of the things I shared for My Zombie Boyfriend's release last year were playlists for each of the main characters.

For My Zombie Fiancé, I've added to and updated those playlists, and I'd like to go into a little more detail about them, and why I chose those particular songs (in general, I'm not going to go through each and every song!) for that character.

I think the music someone listens to says a lot about that person, and the same is true for characters, so let me show you a little window into their heads!

The most difficult playlists for me to create were Mariel and Kit's, for similar reasons. Kit favours popular music, and I'm just not cool enough to keep up with his musical tastes! I've added a few songs to Kit's playlist for My Zombie Fiancé. "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore is on my personal playlist, and while listening to it the other day, it struck me how perfect the lyrics are for Kit, as someone raised from the dead who can literally be controlled by Edward (not that Edward would!)


You don't own meI'm not just one of your many toys...And don't tell me what to do
Don't tell me what to say
...
I'm young and I love to be young
I'm free and I love to be free
To live


Did I just break your heart a little? I know how you feel!

Also new to Kit's playlist is a little more Florence + The Machine, both because her songs work really well for Kit and they're a group he'd listen to. In fact, My Zombie Fiancé sees Kit and a reluctant Edward at a F+TM concert!

Kit's playlist on Spotify

While I don't know Mariel's exact age, she's much older than me—and much older than she looks, so it's difficult for me to know her musical tastes and find songs she would listen to, rather than songs that make me think of her—I removed several songs that fell into the latter category.


New to Mariel's playlist is some more Tracy Chapman and Nina Simone, as well as contemporary Haitian music and a little Rihanna and Beyoncé.

Mariel's playlist on Spotify


Edward and I share a trait when it comes to selecting music: we only like music we've already heard. It sounds strange, but it's true. It's very rare for me to be able to sit down and listen to new music for the express purpose of listening to new music. I have to either hear it while I'm doing something else, like working or out and about. I'll hear a song and think, hey, I like that, and I'll add it to my playlist. But if someone sits me down to play a song they think I'll like...nope. Chances are I won't like it—until I hear it by accident.

Edward's musical taste is similar. You'll notice that most of the songs on his playlist are, uh, a few years out of date. That's because (like Dean from Supernatural) the vast majority of Edward's music is actually his dad's. This was an intentional choice by me, because it suits Edward, and it was inspired by something in my life.

I have a stepsister who's a month and six days little older than me. When we were teenagers, her dad sent her a box of CDs, music from when he was a teenager. We both really ended up liking a lot of the music.

I haven't added much to Edward's playlist, because his musical tastes change glacially slow, but I added a few more of his dad's Edward's favourite songs.

Edward's playlist on Spotify


Ah, Bone. I never would have predicted what a fan favourite he'd become! 
My musical tastes overlap a great deal with my wife's, but her music is definitely...Bonier. Closer to Bone's? Anyway. I let her take over this playlist, and she added so many songs I really had to pick and choose which to include in the official, final playlist. 
I think my favourite new addition to Bone's playlist is "Freak of the Week" by Freak Kitchen. 
Bone's playlist on Spotify


Thanks for joining me for Day 6 of the countdown, and stop by tomorrow for more from My Zombie Fiancé!
Make sure to enter the preorder giveaway—if you preorder My Zombie Fiancé from Torquere Press you get: 
- 15% off- free short story- enter to win prize pack








Also, I'd love to see you at the Facebook release party on July 13th!








Day 7 ~~~ Day 5