Phil Giunta's Blog, page 14
December 9, 2021
About This Writing Stuff…
After a two-month hiatus, About This Writing Stuff is back. What was once a bi-weekly blog post became monthly and now it happens whenever I can get to it. As I’m working on a new novel, blogging has fallen off the radar… mostly. Onward!
This week, the folks at MasterClass provide tips and examples for writing an effective novel synopsis while over at Screencraft, Ken Miyamoto warns against embellishing your screenwriting creds until you have legitimate screenwriting creds.
Speaking of creds, Liza Nash Taylor and Patricia Bradley offer advice on getting your work out there whether submitting or promoting. Hank Phillippi Ryan discusses proper etiquette when requesting a book blurb, Chris Winkle teaches best practices when using foreshadowing, and Joslyn Chase reviews writing techniques in the mystery, suspense, and thriller genres.
All that and a little more. Happy Holidays!
What is a Novel Synopsis? Here are Two Examples by MasterClass Staff
3 Most Common Screenwriter Exaggerations, White Lies, and Embellishments by Ken Miyamoto
How to Tell a Story: The Rule of Three by Anne R. Allen
How to Handle the Blurb Thing by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Getting Your Book Noticed by Patricia Bradley
Foreshadowing Reveals is Easier Than You Think by Chris Winkle
Street Cred: Getting Your Work Noticed by Liza Taylor Nash
Uses for Scrivener Beyond Your Manuscript by Gwen Hernandez
Genre Conventions: How to Satisfy Suspense Readers by Meeting Expectations by Joslyn Chase
How to Use Vivid Verbs to Bring Your Scenes to Life by J.D. Edwin
November 19, 2021
Five Questions for Ezekiel Marrs
In Weldon Burge’s debut suspense novel, Harvester of Sorrow, police detective Ezekiel Marrs takes on drug dealers, ritual murders, and a twisted version of voudon religion in the heart of his hometown, New Warfield.
I had a chance to interview Detective Marrs to discuss this latest case as well as his career in law enforcement and the challenges he faces in balancing work and family life.
Five Questions for Detective Ezekiel Marrs
Detective Marrs, what led you to a career in law enforcement?
Well, I come from a family of first responders. My father was a firefighter, and my mother was an EMT. Several of my uncles were police officers. Being a cop seemed like a natural progression to me. I guess it’s in the genes. I’ve always wanted to be a detective, to be involved with investigations and solving crimes. Nothing against street cops, and I certainly did my stint there. You can’t be an effective detective without first spending time in a patrol car and dealing one-on-one with people on the street and in their neighborhoods. But wearing a shield and being an investigator, that’s where I belong.
What are the most challenging aspects of working as a detective in New Warfield, the town where you were born and raised?
As far as working in my hometown, I wouldn’t have it any other way. My challenge is to be a normal, average citizen, someone with no “police ego” like many people assume cops have. I’m here for the people—my neighbors, the local business owners, all my friends and family. Many I’ve known for years, some even decades. New Warfield is, and always will be, my home. Sure, I’m a police officer. And my neighbor owns a deli. My brother-in-law sells aluminum siding. The lady across the street grooms pets. In truth, we’re no different. I must always keep this is mind, especially when I’m on the job.
Want to know what challenges me the most? The cold cases are the worst and the most frustrating. Like the case I just finished. Even though we cracked the case and took the criminals off the streets, we still haven’t identified—in fact, haven’t found—all the bodies they left behind. You never win a cold case. There will always be residual emotions, usually sorrow and guilt, even after we solve a crime. It never really ends, you know.
You just closed a dangerous case involving the voudon religion and ritual murder. Have you ever worked a case in the past involving religion, spirituality, or the occult? If so, can you tell us about it?
Occult, no. Religion, not so much. And definitely not vodoun. The Edouard LeBorg case was beyond anything I’ve had to face in the past. Drugs, kidnapping, murder, voodoo, and two of the vilest criminals I’ve ever encountered. I’ve never been in a more dangerous situation.
Spirituality, though? That impacts many criminal cases. I often wonder about the spiritual aspects of my job. I know that sounds odd coming from a cop, right? But as a police officer, you often see things that make you question your beliefs. When you see the body of a child, naked and left to the elements, deep in the forest of a state park, you wonder if there is a God. How could a supreme being permit such an abomination, such cruelty? But, at other times, you see someone saved from a deadly situation, a situation that should have led to the person’s death. I can only explain it as a miracle. Some things are inexplicable, but they hint at a balance in the universe. At least, that’s what I believe.
Are you working on any difficult cases now, high-profile or otherwise, that you are allowed to discuss?
I don’t generally deal with arson cases, but there seems to be a serial arsonist in the city and there are suspicious deaths involved. I haven’t been pulled into the investigation yet. Police detectives rarely get involved in arson cases unless criminal intent is suspected, but it appears the recent fires may be more than mere arson. I don’t know yet. Right now, I’m focusing on the paperwork after the LeBorg case.
As a husband and father, how do you strike a balance between work and home life? How successful are you at shielding your wife and children from the often harsh and grisly aspects of your work?
Separating the job from home life always presents a challenge. You must leave the job at the door. But, of course, Nikki, my wife, worries endlessly and always wants to know everything I do. I never lie to her about my work, but I also try not to go into much detail. I intentionally leave things out when talking with her. She doesn’t need to know the horrifying situations I often face.
For my two girls, they’re so young that I don’t think they really know what Daddy does. I focus on the positives of police work—and there are many positives when I help people, which happens far more often than the negative things. They like to hear me tell them stories about where the good guys win. But, like my last case dealing with the kidnapping and murders of children? I just had to push that out of my mind when I was with my girls. And now I have a baby son, the essence of innocence. I will protect him from the uglier side of my work as well.
Harvester of Sorrow (An Ezekiel Marrs Thriller: #1)
Weldon Burge
Paperback and Digital Release $15.95/$4.99
(ISBN: 978-0-578-95444-8)
November 16, 2021
A whirlwind of tragic, terrifying events …
A vodoun priest is brutally slain in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
On American soil, a man stands atop his car—naked from the waist down—and suddenly succumbs to a mysterious death.
Within the silence of a state park, an abducted child is found dead, yet another in a series of similar slayings.
In the small city of New Warfield, ODs have skyrocketed from the use of cocaine laced with an undetermined substance.
Detective Ezekiel Marrs may just have the wealth of strength and skills needed to fight these dark forces, to uncover the facts behind these hideous cases and how they relate to one another. With his team, Ezekiel takes on the immense task of putting the pieces together, making the connections that will hopefully solve this puzzle and stop the seemingly endless death and destruction.
But when Ezekiel and his fellow police officers find themselves facing two of the most vicious adversaries they’ve ever encountered, more lives hang in the balance as they battle to survive a deadly, inevitable confrontation with unimaginable evil.
For publicity information, please contact John Raab at editor@suspensemagazine.com
“Burge’s debut thriller kicks down the door and comes at you with both barrels blasting.” — Ronald Malfi, award-winning author of Come With Me and December Park
“Harvester of Sorrow is an impressive debut novel from Weldon Burge, and an exciting first installment in what will undoubtedly be a successful series featuring Detective Ezekiel Marrs. Assured, gritty, expertly paced, and sleek as a bullet, Burge’s eerie and intense tale of grizzled detectives frantically searching for a ritual killer who may be far more than he seems is not to be missed. I could not put it down!” — Greg F. Gifune, best-selling author of The Bleeding Season and Midnight Solitaire
“Rich in description and tension, with a colorful cast of characters, Harvester of Sorrow starts with a bang and never lets up. Weldon Burge has done a masterful job of creating an exciting, entertaining tale. Highly recommended.” — Joseph Badal, Award winning author of The Carnevale Conspiracy
“Welcome, Ezekiel Marrs, to the hall of great detective heroes. In HARVESTER OF SORROW, we get a front-row seat as Marrs confronts a sadistic, unforgettable killer with a rare and terrifying background: the bloody, dark arts of voodoo. It’s a no-holds-barred run to the explosive climax where it’s not a sure thing that Marrs will even survive. Grab a drink and find a comfortable chair to enjoy this new thriller from Weldon Burge … but leave the light on until you finish.” — Matthew Iden, best-selling author of the Marty Singer detective series
“This story drew me in and built speed with plenty of twists and turns. A great ride!” — J. Gregory Smith, author of Final Price, Quick Fix, and Short Cut
“Harvester of Sorrow is one hell of a ride. Great pacing, well-drawn characters that positively jump off the pages! Move over, Stephen King!” — Carson Buckingham, author of Gothic Revival, Noble Rot, and Home
“Burge has successfully brokered an unlikely—and happy—marriage between police procedural and supernaturally tinged thriller that will keep you turning pages ‘til the end.” — Dana King, two-time Shamus Award nominee and author of the Penns River procedurals
WELDON BURGE
Author of the Ezekiel Marrs thriller, HARVESTER OF SORROW
Weldon Burge, a native of Delaware, is the debut author of the thriller Harvester of Sorrow, the first in the Ezekiel Marrs series published by Suspense Publishing. He is also a publisher and full-time editor. Weldon’s short fiction has appeared in many publications, including various magazines and anthologies (such as Crimeucopia, The Best of the Horror Society 2013, Pellucid Lunacy: An Anthology of Psychological Horror, Ghosts and Demons, Beach Pulp, and Scary Stuff, just to name a few). His stories have been adapted for podcast presentation by Drabblecast. Weldon is also a frequent writer for Suspense Magazine, often writing author interviews.
On November 16, 2021, Suspense Publishing will release Weldon’s debut thriller, Harvester of Sorrow, the first in the Ezekiel Marrs series. He is also currently writing a paranormal suspense novel that may also be the start of another series (but he hasn’t determined that yet). He intends to stay on the novel-writing rollercoaster for the future.
In 2012, Weldon and his wife, Cindy, founded Smart Rhino Publications, an indie publishing company focusing primarily on horror and suspense/thriller books, many of them anthologies. To date, the company has published 15 books, including Zippered Flesh: Tales of Body Enhancements Gone Bad, Insidious Assassins, Asinine Assassins, A Plague of Shadows, The Box Jumper, Broken: Stories of Damaged Psyches, and Green Tsunami.
Contact Information
Weldon Burge – contact@weldonburge.com
Website: http://www.weldonburge.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Weldon-Burge/e/B001KIVSDY
Bookbub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/weldon-burge
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/321854.Weldon_Burge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weldon.burge
Twitter: https://twitter.com/weldonburge
November 13, 2021
The Secret is Out!
The secret is out and my copies arrived this week!
Beach Secrets
is the ninth annual anthology comprised of winning stories from the Rehoboth Beach Reads short story contest sponsored by
Cat & Mouse Press
and
Browseabout Books
.Beach Secrets includes my story, “Where Do I Begin?” dedicated to my friend Jessica Headlee who lost her yearlong battle with cancer in June at the age of 25.
After a series of tragedies, a middle-aged man moves to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to start a new life. While on his way to a date with a woman he met online, the man is plagued by hostile voices that threaten to undermine his plans—until one voice reminds him that it’s never too late to find happiness.
November 12, 2021
Harvester of Sorrow by Weldon Burge
Harvester of Sorrow (An Ezekiel Marrs Thriller: #1)
Weldon Burge
Paperback and Digital Release $15.95/$4.99
(ISBN: 978-0-578-95444-8)
November 16, 2021
A whirlwind of tragic, terrifying events …
A vodoun priest is brutally slain in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
On American soil, a man stands atop his car—naked from the waist down—and suddenly succumbs to a mysterious death.
Within the silence of a state park, an abducted child is found dead, yet another in a series of similar slayings.
In the small city of New Warfield, ODs have skyrocketed from the use of cocaine laced with an undetermined substance.
Detective Ezekiel Marrs may just have the wealth of strength and skills needed to fight these dark forces, to uncover the facts behind these hideous cases and how they relate to one another. With his team, Ezekiel takes on the immense task of putting the pieces together, making the connections that will hopefully solve this puzzle and stop the seemingly endless death and destruction.
But when Ezekiel and his fellow police officers find themselves facing two of the most vicious adversaries they’ve ever encountered, more lives hang in the balance as they battle to survive a deadly, inevitable confrontation with unimaginable evil.
For publicity information, please contact John Raab at editor@suspensemagazine.com
“Burge’s debut thriller kicks down the door and comes at you with both barrels blasting.” — Ronald Malfi, award-winning author of Come With Me and December Park
“Harvester of Sorrow is an impressive debut novel from Weldon Burge, and an exciting first installment in what will undoubtedly be a successful series featuring Detective Ezekiel Marrs. Assured, gritty, expertly paced, and sleek as a bullet, Burge’s eerie and intense tale of grizzled detectives frantically searching for a ritual killer who may be far more than he seems is not to be missed. I could not put it down!” — Greg F. Gifune, best-selling author of The Bleeding Season and Midnight Solitaire
“Rich in description and tension, with a colorful cast of characters, Harvester of Sorrow starts with a bang and never lets up. Weldon Burge has done a masterful job of creating an exciting, entertaining tale. Highly recommended.” — Joseph Badal, Award winning author of The Carnevale Conspiracy
“Welcome, Ezekiel Marrs, to the hall of great detective heroes. In HARVESTER OF SORROW, we get a front-row seat as Marrs confronts a sadistic, unforgettable killer with a rare and terrifying background: the bloody, dark arts of voodoo. It’s a no-holds-barred run to the explosive climax where it’s not a sure thing that Marrs will even survive. Grab a drink and find a comfortable chair to enjoy this new thriller from Weldon Burge … but leave the light on until you finish.” — Matthew Iden, best-selling author of the Marty Singer detective series
“This story drew me in and built speed with plenty of twists and turns. A great ride!” — J. Gregory Smith, author of Final Price, Quick Fix, and Short Cut
“Harvester of Sorrow is one hell of a ride. Great pacing, well-drawn characters that positively jump off the pages! Move over, Stephen King!” — Carson Buckingham, author of Gothic Revival, Noble Rot, and Home
“Burge has successfully brokered an unlikely—and happy—marriage between police procedural and supernaturally tinged thriller that will keep you turning pages ‘til the end.” — Dana King, two-time Shamus Award nominee and author of the Penns River procedurals
WELDON BURGE
Author of the Ezekiel Marrs thriller, HARVESTER OF SORROW
Weldon Burge, a native of Delaware, is the debut author of the thriller Harvester of Sorrow, the first in the Ezekiel Marrs series published by Suspense Publishing. He is also a publisher and full-time editor. Weldon’s short fiction has appeared in many publications, including various magazines and anthologies (such as Crimeucopia, The Best of the Horror Society 2013, Pellucid Lunacy: An Anthology of Psychological Horror, Ghosts and Demons, Beach Pulp, and Scary Stuff, just to name a few). His stories have been adapted for podcast presentation by Drabblecast. Weldon is also a frequent writer for Suspense Magazine, often writing author interviews.
On November 16, 2021, Suspense Publishing will release Weldon’s debut thriller, Harvester of Sorrow, the first in the Ezekiel Marrs series. He is also currently writing a paranormal suspense novel that may also be the start of another series (but he hasn’t determined that yet). He intends to stay on the novel-writing rollercoaster for the future.
In 2012, Weldon and his wife, Cindy, founded Smart Rhino Publications, an indie publishing company focusing primarily on horror and suspense/thriller books, many of them anthologies. To date, the company has published 15 books, including Zippered Flesh: Tales of Body Enhancements Gone Bad, Insidious Assassins, Asinine Assassins, A Plague of Shadows, The Box Jumper, Broken: Stories of Damaged Psyches, and Green Tsunami.
Contact Information
Weldon Burge – contact@weldonburge.com
Website: http://www.weldonburge.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Weldon-Burge/e/B001KIVSDY
Bookbub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/weldon-burge
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/321854.Weldon_Burge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weldon.burge
Twitter: https://twitter.com/weldonburge
November 3, 2021
Can’t Suppress These Shivers!
They’re heeere…Thrilled to receive my copies today of Fae Shivers, published by Fae Corps Publishing! This two-volume large print horror anthology will be available in hardback, paperback, and ebook on November 15.The set consists of Forgotten Horrors and Remembered Nightmares. The latter features my story, “Break and Enter.” After a fugitive breaks into an old country chapel, the pastor learns that he’s running from something far more terrifying than the death penalty.It’s an honor to be included among this august group of writers and artists! Check out some of the interior illustrations below by Vonnie Winslow Crist and Patricia Harris.Both books are available for pre-order on
Amazon
and
Barnes and Noble
.
October 19, 2021
Mindful Writers Retreat Recap
To the disappointment of some of my fellow attendees at the Mindful Writers Retreat last week, summer weather made a final, triumphant return. Daytime temperatures hovered between 73F and 79F with abundant sunshine in bucolic Ligonier, PA. Unlike last year, when the foliage was resplendent in autumn colors, most of the trees this time were only beginning to show signs of the season.
This was my third Mindful Writers Retreat since 2018 and I hope to see it become an annual autumn tradition for me. There are also winter and spring retreats in February and March, respectively, but I have conflicting events at those times of year.
The Ligonier Camp and Conference center, nestled in the Laurel Highlands region of the Allegheny Mountains, is the perfect location for hours of quiet, uninterrupted writing sessions, rejuvenating walks in the woods to stir the creative juices, and enjoying delicious meals and evening socials with a coterie of talented fellow writers.
This year’s retreat delivered the added bonus of a brief paranormal experience. It was shortly after 3AM on Tuesday, October 12 when, during a restless sleep, I heard the door to my room creak open and what sounded like a hand sliding along the vinyl covering on one of the neighboring bunk bed mattresses. It wasn’t entirely dark in the room as I had left a low wattage light on. Unable to move at first, I opened my eyes with great difficulty, but there was no one to be seen… except for the owls.
That could have been a simple case of sleep paralysis, but Ligonier has a rich history dating back to the Revolutionary War. Fort Ligonier is only minutes away from the lodge and just down the street is the Wilpen Rail Trail where, on July 5, 1912, a horrible train wreck occurred claiming 24 lives and injuring 38 others.
All told, it was a productive week for me as I finished the outline and first two chapters for what I hope will be my fourth paranormal mystery novel. I also submitted a short story to Space Opera Digest, a prestigious science fiction anthology, and made a few tweaks to my short story intended for next year’s Mindful Writers anthology.
I’ve so far contributed to two of the Mindful Writers charity anthologies beginning in September 2019 with Over the River and Through the Woods and in January 2021 with Love on the Edge. Their first book, Into the Woods, was published in spring of 2018, a few months before I arrived on the scene. New editions of all three anthologies were released in June 2021.
The anthologies are made possible through the efforts of retreat co-organizer Kathie Shoop and editor/publisher Demi Stevens of Year of the Book Press. Larry Schardt, a fellow member of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, is the other half of the retreat coordination team with Kathie.
Speaking of Kathie, she took time out of the retreat to interview each author about their published books and what they enjoy most about the retreats.
As usual, the week flew by much too quickly, but I left with memories I’ll cherish forever, including an early morning walk in the fog. Already looking forward to next October!
October 17, 2021
The Crossroads by James Gallahan
You’ve come to a place where ghost stories, whodunits, and tales of vengeance and suspense meet in new and terrifying ways.
In this unique collection of short stories in English and Spanish by James Gallahan, the reader is taken on a journey to the crossroads of good and evil, life and death.
If you enjoy tales with twists and unexpected endings that make you want to sleep with the light on, then this nail-biting collection is for you.
Ready to take on the unknown? Prepare yourself for The Crossroads premiering October 24!
While you’re at it, check out James Gallahan’s debut novel, Dead Man’s Cave.
A crew of pirates and a famed treasure ship. Can a gifted captain steal a fortune, and then keep it against impossible odds?
It is 1695, and a fleet of pirate ships led by Henry Avery captures the Emperor of India’s treasure ship, plundering it of a fortune in money and jewels. This amazing heist makes Avery the richest pirate in the world.
The emperor’s soldiers will do anything to reclaim the treasure, and now Avery is a man on the run. He is chased up one coast and down another, ending up in New York fighting against great odds to keep his ill-gotten fortune.
A sinister enemy with wide underground connections is poised to attack and destroy Avery and everything he cares about. Plus, the cave where Avery attempts to hide his loot is protected by fierce creatures the indigenous people call Mhuwe.
Dead Man’s Cave is filled with astonishing twists and captivating action. If you like reading adventure stories, tales of horror set in dark caves, and endings you didn’t see coming, then you’ll love James Gallahan’s debut novel.
Get Dead Man’s Cave today and be swept away on the adventure of your life.
October 3, 2021
About This Writing Stuff…
This week’s lineup bring us several “how-to” articles including writing diverse and developed characters, marketing your book without social media, and outlining your novel (or not).
Is writing for TV better than writing feature films? Ken Miyamoto discusses. Confused about when and how to use a Framing Device in your story? Britton Perelman explains.
Jennie Nash explores the importance of asking yourself why you feel compelled to write that story that’s been bouncing around in your head. Over at Sidebar Saturdays, Matt Knight delves into estate planning for writers while at the Kill Zone, James Scott Bell argues on behalf of going exclusive with KDP and Kindle Unlimited.
All that and a little more. Enjoy!
Elevator Pitching: How to Grab Someone’s Attention in 30 Seconds or Less by David Young
How to Write Diverse Characters (And, Also, Are You Qualified?) by Joiya Morrison-Efemini
How to Create Characters by Kristen Overman
Why Writing TV is Better than Writing Feature Films (and Why it’s Not) by Ken Miyamoto
Everything You Need to Know About Framing Devices by Britton Perelman
Sequencing and Layering: Advanced Techniques That Will Improve Your Writing by Kevin Nelson
Why Write This Book? by Jennie Nash via Jane Friedman
How to Market Your Book Without Social Media by Carol J. Michel
Warning to Writers: You Won’t See This New Publishing Scam Coming by Anne R. Allen
How to Outline Your Novel. Or Not by Hank Phillippi Ryan
On Going Exclusive by James Scott Bell
Estate Planning for Writers by Matt Knight
Estate Planning for Writers Part II – Transferring Intellectual Property to a Corporate Entity by Matt Knight
World-Building Through Architecture by Dave King
September 28, 2021
It’s Hip to be Square!
September 25, 2021
Givin’ Ya the Shivers!
Coming November 15,
Fae Corps Publishing
‘s two-volume horror anthology, Fae Shivers, includes Forgotten Horrors and Remembered Nightmares. 
My demonic possession story, “Break and Enter,” will be featured in Remembered Nightmares. After a fugitive breaks into an old country chapel, the pastor learns that he’s running from something far more terrifying than the death penalty. 
Available in paperback in November.
Pre-order on Kindle here...
or on Nook here.
Check out
Remembered Nightmares
on Books 2 Read.
