Rebecca Besser's Blog, page 67

Mark Malatesta - WHO?!

Yesterday I told you about a former book agent that’s now helping me get my work out there, so I can get a top agent, publisher, and book deal. But I didn’t tell you about his background.
 
You’re going to love this…

The only reason that Mark became an agent was to learn how to get his own books published. That’s why he calls his author consulting company Literary Agent Undercover. As the former President & Owner of New Brand Agency Group, Mark helped many authors launch their publishing careers, including: thriller author Jim Brown (24/7, Random House), award-winning young adult author Carol Plum-Ucci (The Body of Christopher Creed, Harcourt), nonfiction self-help author Aggie Jordan (The Marriage Plan, Doubleday-Broadway), and best-selling gift book author Harry Harrison (Father to Daughter, Workman).
 
Other publishers Mark has secured contracts with include Simon & Schuster, St. Martin’s, Hyperion, Prentice-Hall, Workman, Andrews-McMeel, Entrepreneur, Barron’s, Amacom, and many more… resulting in millions of books being sold, as well as works being picked up for TV, stage, and feature film (with companies like Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks). Authors that Mark Malatesta has worked with have gotten 6-figure advances, been on the NY Times bestseller list, been licensed in more than 30 countries, and won countless national and international awards and honors.
 
Mark is also a former member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR). Less than one third of all active publishing agents are members, because you have to qualify to apply. Mark also spent several years as Marketing & Licensing Manager of Blue Mountain Arts (the book and gift publisher that invented e-greetings, and then sold their e-card division for close to $1 billion at the height of the dot com bubble). Mark has been invited to write feature articles for publications like The Guide to Literary Agents, a column for WritersDigest.com, and he’s delivered keynote addresses and seminars at some of the most prominent writers’ conferences in the United States and abroad.

If you haven’t already done so, check out this special page on this website that he just posted for my friends and followers: http://literary-agents.com/becca
 
When you click on the link above you’ll get instant access to Mark’s:

• Complete article library (tons of great information and it’s often entertaining)
 
• Audio/mp3 library (make sure you listen to his main mp3 about 7 insider secrets)
 
• Directory of Literary Agents (the best book agent directory anywhere)
 
• Webpage where you can ask questions about literary agents and publishing (make sure you post questions because Mark will be answering some of them right here on my blog – I’ll be asking Mark some questions as well).
 
Here’s the link one more time: http://literary-agents.com/becca
 

 

Got A Book? - Want An Agent?

As you guys know, or should know by now, I take care of my writer folk and let them know if there's information that will benefit them floating around out in the abyss of the internet. So, guess what?! I have some great information for those of you who are interested in getting an agent, like I am!

If you have a book - or book idea - that you’d like to see published by a traditional publisher (like Random House or Simon & Schuster), I have something special for you. I've talked to a former NY Times bestselling literary agent recently and he has a great website that you need to check out. His name is Mark Malatesta and he’s now an author consultant/book marketing coach.

It’s been nice chatting with Mark, getting to know him while gleaning from his insights (he has a lot of them). He’s a truly genuine, up front, and honest person and those are the people I adore most in this world. That’s why I’m going to be working with Mark 1-on-1 to pitch one of my books to agents. That’s also why I told Mark that I’d be happy to share his website with you. So he just set up a special webpage on his website for you at http://literary-agents.com/becca

When you click on the link above you’ll get instant access to Mark’s:

• Complete article library (tons of great information and it’s often entertaining - he's HILARIOUS!)
 
• Audio/mp3 library (make sure you listen to his main mp3 about 7 insider secrets)
 
• Directory of Literary Agents (the best book agent directory anywhere)
 
• Webpage where you can ask questions about literary agents and publishing (make sure you post questions because Mark will be answering some of them right here on my blog – I’ll be asking Mark some questions as well).

Here’s the link again: http://literary-agents.com/becca
 
If you’re an author (or aspiring author) who wants to get a real publisher (they pay you instead of you paying them), make sure you go to Mark’s site. You have nothing to lose and a LOT of information to gain.

 

 

Indie VS Self-Pub - Differences

I've been promising for a while that I would do a post looking at the differences between going with an Indie Press (small press that you don't pay to publish your book) versus Self-Publishing. So...here goes!

The benefits of going with an Indie Press are that you have help with editing (they often edit your work for no fee), so you have the benefit of someone else who probably has more editing experience than you reading over your work before it is sent out into the world. Also, they provide the cover art and pay for the publishing of the book. With all this you're getting a professional (usually, if the small press is good) presentation of your work that you receive royalties from.

You also benefit with a small press if they attend conferences and take books with them to sell. This gets you more exposure. Although, even with an Indie Press most of the marketing falls to you because they're low budget and can't afford to put ads up everywhere.

The benefits of going Self-Published are that you have complete control over your work. I know there are a lot of writers out there who want everything to be just the way they want it. They don't want some random person getting into their work and editing it (which only hurts the product in the long run, and also gives self-publishing a bad name). Those who do want their work polished, have to pay for an editor and they have to find one that will do a good job - most aren't worth what you pay them. Then, after your book is ready to see the light of day, you have to find cover art and have someone format the cover for you. Then you either have to have someone format your book for you, or do it yourself. After that, you either pay whatever place you're going through to publish it, or you get it out in the world for free, paying a nominal cut of royalties or a flat fee.

All in all, self-publishing isn't bad if you know how to do most of these things yourself. Otherwise, you could be paying hundreds of dollars just to have someone else get everything ready for you.

A plus (the major plus) is that you control the pricing of your book, where it is published, and you get to keep more of your royalties. But keep in mind ALL of the marketing is up to you. If you don't get your book out there in the public eye, no one will. You're going it COMPLETELY alone.

There are many places to showcase your work (Indie Presses and Self-Publishing), so you're not stuck with one choice or the other. *shrug* You can try both. But, I have to warn you that both are lacking in different ways.

Indie Press: You have to wait on their publishing schedule, you have no control over pricing or running sales to promote your book, you have to trust that they'll do your book justice (editing and presentation), and you have to wait for royalties which you share a percentage of with the press.

Self-Publishing: You still have to wait on royalties (the timing and amounts depend on what venue you use to publish), you have a harder time marketing because no one cares about your book except you, and you're putting more money into your book than you'll probably ever get back in sales.

With either option, you still have to market like crazy to get noticed, but at least you have someone else on your team if you go with a press of any size.

These are just some things to think about whatever route you decide to take. Heck, have fun and experiment with both (like I did) to see if everything works the way the hype says.

I've tried both and I'm going to be seeking an agent in the future, but I know that even then most of the marketing will be left to me.

Know your options, learn to market and promote yourself, and try everything to see what's the best fit for you. Good luck!

Free Brand of Horror Weekend - Hall of Twelve by Rebecca Besser

I originally wrote Hall of Twelve as a flash fiction story (1000 words or less) for a contest on the Collaboration of the Dead forum. Although I didn’t win, myself and a few others were in love with the concept of the story – beings for an alternate realm that had flesh craving monster pets.These Beings captured those who didn’t serve as immediate meals for the pets and took them to the Hall of Twelve, where each captive was given the chance to win their freedom by a roll of dice.
 
This version – the short story version – is much expanded past the original one that didn’t even reach 1K, and I plan to expand Hall of Twelve into a full length novel sometime in the future.
 
The short story in ebook form usually sells on Kindle for $.99, but I have decided to give Hall of Twelve away for free March 15-17th (2013) so you can “taste” my brand of horror. I hope you enjoy the story and look up more of my writing. You can find out more about me by visiting my website: www.rebeccabesser.com or by searching my name on Amazon to find more of my work. (I recently released a novel entitled, “Nurse Blood,” for Kindle.)

 
To “wet” your appetite for Hall of Twelve, enjoy this brief excerpt!

Excerpt from Hall of Twelve by Rebecca Besser:

“Lying on the bottom step was his daughter’s tennis shoe with a bloody bone protruding out of it, pointing into the corner. Blood dripped from the leg to the step and onto the tile of the foyer; strips of muscle and skin hung loosely from the bone, slouching limply against the red, saturated carpet.
 
Jack bent over as he lost the contents of his stomach, adding color and acidity to the already wet floor. He fell to his knees, and that’s when he saw Regan’s head; it was sitting in the potted fern by the door.
 
Her eyes were gone, leaving dark hollows where the windows to her soul had once been, and all the flesh was missing from her face. Her cheekbones were still pinkish red from the blood that was trickling down over her small, exposed white teeth to drip into the dark soil beneath her jawbone, which hung at a drunken angle.
 
Slowly, he crawled over to her, envisioning her beautiful face and her bright smile. Held in his vision of the girl he loved so much, he lifted his hand to caress her hair, but when his hand came in contact with slick, rough skull, he knew the carnage was indeed reality. He cupped the head of his daughter in his hand and drew it close into the crook of his arm – his mind and body were numb with shock and grief.
 
Jack’s hand absently caressed the top of the bloody skull and his fingers became entangled in the few scraps of scalp and clinging hair that still remained on the bone. With disgust he shook them off, and as they landed in the blood and vomit mixture with a plop, he noticed for the first time that there was a hole in the back and the brains were missing. Around the hole were deep groves that looked like they’d been made with something long and sharp. The only thing his brain could come up with was tooth marks, but he couldn’t think of anything that large with teeth that big. Now curious, he looked over at the leg bone laying a few feet from him; he could clearly see similar grooves on it.

Suddenly, his brain cleared a bit and he remembered his wife. He’d been so shocked at finding the severed pieces of his daughter, he’d forgotten all about her.

“Maggie,” he whispered, and looked around frantically, but he didn’t see any of her laying in the entrance way of their home.”

Get your copy from Amazon (Free March 15-17, 2013):

Amazon US link: www.amazon.com/Hall-of-Twelve-ebook/dp/B00B14OLD6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1363272451&sr=1-1&keywords=hall+of+twelve+rebecca+besser

Amazon UK link: www.amazon.co.uk/Hall-of-Twelve-ebook/dp/B00B14OLD6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363273042&sr=8-1

(Also available on other Amazon sites. Look up your local one to get it there.)


 

Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2010-2013. All rights reserved.

Horror Writing - Housing Demons

    We all have darkness inside us. We all have demons spawned from scars on our souls. While most people run from the evidence of brokenness, damage, and pain, horror writers face it. We’ll sit and talk to our demons, daring our minds to push against that barrier inside – that once breached – would lead to our own personal insanity.
 
    But, you have to keep in mind, to have darkness you also have to have light. There are no shadows to hide in if there is not first that light to cast them in their grotesque glory.
 
    Follow my mind and thoughts for a moment… Light casts shadows using objects. The shadows sometimes show the shape of the innocent object, but other times, the shadows are twisted and warped to the point of not being recognizable. That’s where our demons – the ones inside we talk to – want to live. We have to make them a home so we can stay sane for a while longer. 

    A horror writer is the light, searching for just the right angle to produce the warped and twisted shadows to make you think and wonder. The objects can be anything from people we encounter on a day to day basis or just random thoughts or things we run across. 

    A horror writer’s job is to face the demons inside and look for the shadows they want to live in. We give them a life outside ourselves in stories – the shadows we create. We give them somewhere to live and breathe so they’ll leave us alone for a time. 

    That’s what we do…we create the horror and unleash the demons.

 

Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2013. All rights reserved.

Bigfoot Terror Tales Vol. 2 - Now Available!

 Bigfoot Terror Tales Vol. 2 from Coscom Entertainment is now available for Kindle and in paperback on Amazon, and Nook and paperback on Barnes & Noble!

Bigfoot Terror Tales Vol. 2:

The Big Hairy Beast is Back! 16 authors bring you 16 terrifying tales of the Sasquatch and bring new meaning and fright to this mysterious hairy giant that lurks in the woods. From Bigfoot battles to trying to outrun the muscular monster, to being caught by the creature and simply living in a world where these beasts exist, this second volume of Bigfoot Terror Tales is sure to fuel your imagination and make you reconsider the furry creature that has spooked so many and has inspired haunting treks into the woods where some have emerged with incredible stories and a new fear and respect for this ancient beast.

Featuring stories by: Larry Berreth, Rebecca Besser, A.M. Burns, Jason Rodimus Fowler, Paul A. Freeman, Keith Gouveia, Bryan Hall, Jack Hessey, Bowie V., S. Nycole Laff, Kevin Millikin, Greg Mitchell, Bruce L. Priddy, J.W. Schnarr, D.G. Sutter, and Sheri White, Bigfoot Terror Tales Volume 2 is a must-have read for your Sasquatch horror collection.


Excerpt from Fresh Meat by Rebecca Besser (me):

    "Josh was just drifting off when he heard Mrs. Crowley—the bus driver—scream at the top of her lungs. He felt a thump like the bus had hit something, and then the bus swayed as it swerved back and forth on the narrow township road. 
    He flew out of his seat sideways. 
    “What the heck?” he exclaimed and tried to get up off the floor. He was finally able to stand when the bus came to a sudden, screeching halt. “What happened? What’d you hit?” 
    Mrs. Crowley had stopped screaming and was now staring, mouth agape, at a cow who peered in at her from the hood. 
    Josh walked up the aisle to the front of the bus. “Holy cow!” he said with a half-smirk at his pun. 
    Sitting on the hood of the bright yellow school bus was the decapitated head of a tanish-brown cow. Blood ran in red rivers down both sides of the bus, dripping off the fenders and onto the blacktop road. 
    “Sweet,” he said. “Where did that come from?” 
    Mrs. Crowley didn’t answer, but stared at the head on the hood, gripping the steering wheel for dear life. 
    Josh reached forward and opened the bus’ door and started down the stairs, but only made it to the second one; something large slammed into the back of the bus hard enough to rock it. Mrs. Crowley cried out, but her eyes remained transfixed on the severed bovine head. He stepped back up into the bus and peered down the rows of seats and out the back window, expecting to see a car or truck that had rear-ended the bus, but there was no vehicle. With a shrug he faced the stairs again and moved to descend when suddenly a huge, hairy arm reached in and grabbed his ankle, yanking it out from under him. He fell back onto the hard, black, rubber-matted floor of the bus with a loud, painful thud."

 

Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Coscom Entertainment, 2013.
All rights reserved.

WiHM Event Close - Q and A with Rebecca Besser

As you know, I've been hosting a Women in Horror Month event on my blog for Feb! Today is the last day, and to wrap things up, I've let all the women who've participated in my event ask me questions, since I asked them all questions. LOL Here are the questions and my answers:

Mariah Deitrich: Do you make up characters based on people you know?
 
Bec: Yes and no. I’ll take some traits from someone I know and hint at them in some way, but the characters I use are never entirely based on real people.
 
Joy Killar: If you could be published by any company, which would it be and why?
 
Bec: Random House. They literally have so many imprints they’re into everything, and they’ve been around long enough you know they aren’t going away anytime soon.
 
Amongst all of your work, what piece of writing were you happiest with when it was completed? Why?

Bec: I was pretty happy about how Nurse Blood turned out. I wrote a chapter a week and had it as an online serial. When it was done and I read it, it all came together well and moved at a steady/fast pace. I couldn’t have done it better if I’d planned it that way. LOL

Describe in detail who your favorite author of Zombie novels is:
 
Bec: Zombie novel/s author? I’ve read a few… LOL I guess it would be someone who is hunched over a key board, writing for days and days with no rest or sleep, so they themselves become the zombies in their stories. (Not the answer you expected? Well… ) So they themselves know what it is to have the tireless job of seeking what they really want… Braaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiinnnnnnnnns! (Of course they want them in a different way. They want people to read their story, which in a way is seeking out brains, right?!)

Which author in the horror genre do you feel you emulate?
 
Bec: No one really. I just want to be me. But, I have so many friends who write horror that I’ve bonded with over the genre who are good in their own ways. They would be: Mark Taylor, Shawn Riddle, Kelly Hudson, Jim Bronyaur, Dale Eldon, Brady Allen, Kim Sofia, Jessica Weiss, Suzanne Robb, Kim Curley (but not JUST in horror), Courtney Rene, Charles Day, Mark Scineaux, Jaime Johnesee, Jeffrey Kosh, Matt Nord, Michael Gardner, Patrick D’Orazio, Eric Dimbleby, Eric Brown, Rhiannon Mills, Daniel I. Russell, Justin T. Coons, Monique Snyman, all the women who have participated in my WiHM event (that I haven’t mentioned by name)… I could go on and on! There are so many awesome people in horror!

What was the one thing which drew you to the horror genre?

Bec: No limits and lots of action and emotion.

Maria Kelly: How many bodies do you have, at last count, in your basement? Because I know you must have a fair few. No, I understand you might not want to answer that one. I know I wouldn't…so, what do you enjoy most about world-building or creature-building within the horror genre?
 
Bec: First off, I don’t have a basement, soooo…where, oh, where could those bodies be? He he he! As far as world/creature building, I like the challenge of trying to think up something new or different, or putting an original spin on something that has already been done.

Is there a process you follow for characterization…do monsters just teem from your head?

Bec: Oh, it’s pretty random. I’ll just get an idea and go nuts until I get a chance to at least write the idea down.

Zombies or serial killers?

Bec: Both! Duel to the death! *evil giggle*
 
Butcher knife or buzz saw?

Bec: I’ll go with butcher knife because it’s quieter and there will be less mess to clean up (I hate cleaning most of the time).

Does real life ever have any influence on how you create a monster, a killer, or the way you kill characters off?

Bec: Only if something random gives me a new idea on how to kill someone or something!
 
Kim Curley: Your first love was poetry before you really dug into writing short stories and novellas. Have you written any particularly gruesome poetry I can check out?
 
Bec: Other than “My Turn to Deal,” which appeared in the fall/winter issue of The Stray Branch and is now posted on my blog, I haven’t written anything “poetry” that’s been hardcore lately.

Until the 'Alien' movies came around, our culture seemed bent and determined to put women in the 'oh-woe-is-me-save-me-from-the-ax-wielding-bad-guy-I'm-weak-and-helpless' category. Do you feel compelled to write women in as a strong female lead in your horror stories, just to prove women aren't as defenseless as we appear?
 
Bec: I don’t see women as being defenseless unless they CHOOSE to be that way. Women can be just as strong, if not stronger, than men character wise. Characters can be anything we make them to be. I write strong females most of the time because I’m a strong female and hate whiny women. But, I can’t say I wouldn’t write a weak, whiny woman if that character was suited to a role in the story. I try not to judge my characters, but to let them tell their story in whatever voice suits them best (I might tend to want to kill the whiners off first though, IF they get on my nerves. )

Which voice do you feel strongest writing in: male, or female?
 
Bec: That depends on the story. It depends on which voice is stronger in my head and wants to tell the story to me.
 
Nicole Zoltack: What is your favorite horror novel?
 
Bec: Why do I have to have a favorite? *pout* Can’t I like them all?!
 
Your favorite horror movie:

Bec: I’m going to go with “Fire in the Sky.” It’s about a dude getting abducted by aliens. The thought of getting abducted by REAL aliens scares the crap out of me. I mean, really, a human would be screwed at that point!

Favorite horror monster?
 
Bec: I don’t really have a favorite. I do like to make up my own monsters, though! That’s a fun challenge.

What do you love most about writing horror? And how do you come up with ideas for scaring your readers?

Bec: There aren’t any limits to horror – you can write whatever you want and it’s still acceptable within the genre as long as someone would find the content scary. As far as ideas… I get ideas from everywhere: people who piss me off; objects that make me think of how painful it would be to be tortured or killed with it; or just the basic messed up stuff human beings do. There’s a lot of things to prompt ideas if you’re open to them.

Author Suzi M: What is your favorite kind of writing to do, in what genre, and why? (This can range from short stories, horror to comedy romance horror, etc. go nuts!)
 
Bec: I actually like to write all genres. I’ve been published in many, ranging from children’s articles and poetry to adult scifi and horror. Mostly, what I write depends on who I’m writing it for (age group), and why I want to write it. I get an idea and then I decide how and who to right it for. Anything can be fun and appealing with the right voice and target audience!

What is your favorite work, be it yours or someone else's, and why?
 
Bec: My most recent fav read was “Please Let Me Go” by Eric Dimbleby; it was intense and didn’t end the way I thought it might, which is hard to pull off. I also love The Dark Tower series by Stephen King, because it’s just brilliant – there’s so much underlying complexity that ties it all together. There’s this other series, The Reluctant Demon Diaries by Linda Rios Brook, that I’m COMPLETELY in love with (Christian fiction series); it just opens my mind up and makes me think about things on a spiritual level.

When you're writing, what is your routine? (from the time you get up, to getting into writing mode, etc.)

Bec: I really don’t have a routine since I don’t have a steady schedule EVER! I write when I can and slam as much word count down as possible.

Anything else you'd like to add?
 
Bec: I write erotica under a pen name. Shhh! Don’t tell!

Monique-Cherie Snyman: 1.) What's your favorite scary movie? (I can add on a Sidney at the end for you?)
 
Bec: Nicole Zoltack asked this too, and I already answered (scroll up to read the answer – it was about aliens *shudder*)

If you were allowed to change one thing about the horror genre, what would you change?
 
Bec: That people who have never read horror wouldn’t run scared without trying it. There’s something in the genre (being as vast as it is) that could and should appeal to anyone.

Did horror change your life? Why?
 
Bec: I’d have to say yes, because apparently it’s my “niche,” and every writer needs to find that for themselves. Once you find it, you have a better chance of enjoying what you write and have more success with like-minded people to support you.

Chantal Noordeloos: What is the worst death you have ever given one of your characters?

Bec: In Hall of Twelve, I made a girl strangle herself with barbed wire in a fit of panic. That would truly suck.
 
Do you like your horror gory or spooky?
 
Bec: Depends on my mood. I actually enjoy both.
 
Which of your characters do you like most and why?
 
Bec: I LOVE Sonya Garret from Nurse Blood. She just doesn’t care about much and does whatever she wants. She goes by her moral compass and no one else’s – it’s too bad it’s WAY off! LOL

Crystal Connor: As a submissions editor do you force yourself to finish and accept stories that are well written but you didn't really enjoy?
 
Bec: Oh, now you want to get me into serious trouble! LOL The answer, honestly, is no. If the writing sucks so bad that I can’t make it through the first couple paragraphs, I know I’m not going to take the story so I stop wasting my time and move on to other submissions. I mean, shouldn’t a submission actually be readable?! On another note, if I’m reviewing something, I do force myself to read it even if it’s a total suck-fest.

Coke or Pepsi?

Bec: 100% Coke lover over here!

If you could 'live' through any horror book or movie, which would it be and what if anything would you do differently to change the course of the story?

Bec: My all-time fav book series is The Earth’s Children series by Jean M. Auel. It’s ice age kind of stuff, and I think I would have rocked life back then – hunting and making everything myself (I love to make stuff!). So, I’d have to go with that. I don’t know that I would change anything in the actual stories, but would rather just “be” in that time period. Things weren’t as complicated and there was nothing wrong with being human.
 
Kim Sofia: Is there someone in your life that wishes you wrote something other than gory horror, and what do they offer as a suggestion?
 
Bec: My eight-year-old son told me he didn’t like that I wrote scary stuff and wanted me to stop. LOL I didn’t, because I don’t think he really understands. Besides, when he gets a little older I’ll be the coolest mom in the world for what I write!

My hub and his cousin thinks it’s hilarious that I took a writing course to write for children and ended up writing mostly adult horror, though. They support me and love my writing, they just think it’s amusing.
 
Tonia Brown: If you could put the memory everything you ever remembered that was super awesome, fun or just really pleasant, what would you label the box so you wouldn't lose it among your other memory boxes?
 
Bec: Awesome Fucking Stuff! (Fucking because there would be some of that in the box. *snicker/giggle*)
 
Aside from vegetable oil or fossil fuel, what would you think would be the most interesting thing for cars to run off of?

Bec: Toenail clippings.
 
If a chicken and a half could lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, how long would it take a one legged grasshopper to kick all of the seeds out of a dill pickle.
 
Bec: Oh, well, let’s see… One and a half by one and a half by one and a half, plus a dill pickle, minus one legs, equals 1.3521637 weeks. But that’s only if it’s sunny on Tuesday and rains on Sunday. Otherwise, I’ll have to refigure.
 
Rhiannon Mills: Do movies influence you and your writing?

Bec: No, not really. Most movies have a BUNCH of plot whole and I get disappointed with them. I’ve learned just to focus on the positives (like action and badassness) to get me through to the ends.
 
If so, which movies are favorites and why?
 
Bec: I watch a lot of comedies, because I love to laugh. It’s hard to be disappointed in a movie when you laughed hysterically through the entire thing!

Rebecca Snow: If you could be one of the characters in any of your stories, who would it be and why?
 
Bec: Pfft! One? I’m all the characters in all my stories, silly! Sometimes I don’t want to be, but I have to be to make them come alive… *leans in close to whisper…* Some of them are really evil and sick!
 
You find a locked and battered wooden box on the side of the road. What's in it?
 
Bec: Well, assuming the key fits the lock on the box…. Chocolate. But then, you have to decide if it’s safe to eat, because you have to wonder: Was it locked up because its super yummy, or because its poison? At that point, you give a piece/bite to a friend, you know, because you’re generous like that. If they live you know it’s okay to eat!
 
Christine Sutton: Do you find it difficult to write men?
 
Bec: Not really. Men are people too, and they make good characters to mess with.
 
Do you find in your writing that there is an automatic assumption that your work will not be scary because you're a woman?

Bec: Sometimes, but only by people who haven’t read anything by me yet. Once they do though, I think they come to expect a certain level of scary/twisted from me.
 
Author Kizzy Lee: What genre did you favor to read as a child?
 
Bec: Hmmm… I guess it would have been drama. I don’t know what The Box Car Children would fall into. Never really thought about it as a child.
 
What genre do you favor to read as an adult?
 
Bec: I read a lot of romance, fantasy, scifi, and horror.
 
Which authors do you favor the most?
 
Bec: My fav authors are Jean M. Auel and Linda Rios Brook.
 
Jaime Johnesee: Do you feel like it's rough for women to make it in the horror genre?
 
Bec: No rougher than anyone else. It all comes down to the stories and the readers. What’s in the writer’s pants doesn’t much matter if the writer can deliver the story.
 
Do you have any advice for new authors?

Bec: READ and pay attention to punctuation in and around dialogue. This is a point most author struggle with.
 
Who are some of your favorite female horror authors?
 
Bec: Courtney Rene writes some good stuff – I LOVE all her books I’ve read. Gosh, there are so many! I listed some of my fav author friends above in Joy Killar’s questions. There are some awesome female writers in there!
 
What inspired you to become an author?
 
Bec: The stories that are always running through my head and my talent with words. (The skills God gave me, basically.)
 
Author, editor, wife, mother, employee; how do you do it all so gracefully?
 
Bec: Apparently you don’t see me on the days where I break down and bawl because I feel like an utter failure, so we’ll pretend they don’t happen. I’ll go with skill. How’s that?
 
Courtney Rene: What do you think of the zombie resurgence?

Bec: I think it’s cool, because the interpretations of what a zombie can be and mean a vast and can change from person to person – it’s something everyone can relate to.

Are you a fan of the zombie story line?
 
Bec: Yes and no. It can be too predictable sometimes, but when someone finds a way to change it up a bit, it’s fun again.
 
Do you believe in the possibilities of the paranormal?

Bec: Yes, very much.
 
What scares you the most in life?
 
Bec: In life? How about LIFE?! Life is like a living entity that seems to just wait for the worst moments possible to screw you over and everyone is the victim.
 
Berenice Wakefield: Does any other genre spark your creativity and interest, or just horror? Why?
 
Bec: I’ve said above that I write all genres because I like the challenge, and different moods suit different types of writing. Horror, scifi, and fantasy are my fav to write.
 
There's been a lot of debate about this recently, and I wondered what's your opinion/ experience with gore in horror? Do you think it's part and parcel of the genre, or do you think it can sometimes take away from the atmosphere?
 
Bec: I really don’t see why there is a debate on this. Gore is part of horror whether everyone likes it or uses it or not. You see blood and you know there’s something horrific going on. There’s no denying it. I’m not saying gore has to be in every story, I’m just staying it’s a vital part of recognition to the horror genre in general.
 
Jessica Weiss: Now Bec. You’ve had your chance to question me. I think it’s my turn, don’t you?

Bec: Yes. Interrogate me! *evil giggle*
 
First, what made you decide to send your creepy creations out into the world? (I speak from experience from reading many of your works)
 
Bec: It was never a question of “if” for me, it was “how.” When I started my writing course I learned how to do cover letters AND find markets. I was sending out submission before I sent in my first writing course assignment! I don’t really have any issues when it comes to submissions. All they can say is no, and I know the answer is no if I never send it.
 
Secondly, does your family support your writing career and do you let your child read your work?
 
Bec: My family doesn’t really understand all the “writing career” stuff, but yes, I get a lot of support. No, I don’t let my son read most of what I’ve written – he’s too young right now. When he’s older he can read as much of it as he wants!
 
Lastly, what is your most recent project that you’re proud of working on?

Bec: As far as proud… Earth’s End (scifi/apoc antho) I edited and have a story in just won Book of the Year in the Scifi category from Turning Pages Books! I’m pretty darn proud to be an award willing editor and author! I’m also extremely proud of all the authors in that antho! We all put a lot of hard work into it – I’m glad it paid off!


If you'd like to find out more about the ladies who questioned me, please visit the cache of interviews/posts for the WiHM event here: http://blog.rebeccabesser.com/categories/263/wihm-2013.aspx

Meet Tonia Brown - WiHM

Bec: Welcome to my blog, and thank you for participating in WiHM 2013! Please start out by telling everyone a little bit about yourself…

Tonia: My name is Tonia Brown and I write death and sex, sex with death, sexy death and deadly sex. I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue, which I can also waggle provocatively. My tongue, not the cherry stem. I do not have any kids, but I do have cats and a husband, which take up enough of my motherly instinct and time. Sometimes I like to pretend the floor is lava, so the carpet is melted away and I don’t have to vacuum.

Bec: What do you absolutely love about creating in the horror genre? Why?
 
Tonia: I like scaring the crap out of folks. I love to hear that someone had to stop reading something of mine because they needed a mental break from the terror of it. That, and writing gore is so much fun!

Bec: What’s your favorite horror creature? Why?
 
Tonia: I love werewolves, because they are just like us, only hairier. Oh, and hungrier. So, they are often just like my hairy hungry husband. Maybe that’s why I love them so much?

Bec: Blood splatter or smears?

Tonia: Smears. With a smear there is the insinuation that whatever made the splatter is still up moving about.

Bec: Have you been received well in the horror community?
 
Tonia: I haven’t gotten my eviction notice yet, so I guess there is that. Seriously though, I never have had a problem being a woman that writes horror. I tend to write from the male POV, and I get the occasional email from a guy telling me that I write like a man, which I always find amusing.

Bec: What do you create to infest the world with horror?

Tonia: I used to write a lot of zombie stuff, but mine are always nontraditional. Now I prefer to write psychological scares. Stuff of nightmares as opposed to tangible monsters. Bad people doing bad things because they are either possessed of an evil entity or just really want to be bad.

Bec: What inspires your creativity?
 
Tonia: My friends and family. Mostly my husband. He brings out both the crazy and the love in me.

Bec: Is there anything I haven’t asked you about that you would like to share?
 
Tonia: If you rest a wooden spoon in your pot of pinto beans while it cooks, it will keep your guests from getting gassy after the meal. This is because all of the farts run up the spoon and jump off. True story.

BIO: Tonia Brown is a southern author with a penchant for Victorian dead things. She lives in the backwoods of North Carolina with her genius husband and an ever fluctuating number of cats. She likes fudgesicles and coffee, though not always together. When not writing she raises unicorns and fights crime with her husband under the code names Dr. Weird and his sexy sidekick Butternut. You can learn more about her at: www.thebackseatwriter.com and find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/backseatwriter

 

Meet Maria Kelly - WiHM

 

Bec: Welcome to my blog, and thank you for participating in WiHM 2013! Please start out by telling everyone a little bit about yourself…

Maria: I write speculative fiction. Science fiction, fantasy, and horror. No matter what I write, I try to incorporate scary into it. Science fiction presents the unknown, and the unknown can be terrifying. The Alien movies, for example. I'm also am publisher and editor of the bimonthly eZine The Were-Traveler, which has been publishing a lot of horror.

Bec: What do you absolutely love about creating in the horror genre? Why?

Maria: Monsters. And evil characters. Because both offer a chance to be gloriously creative with description and dialogue, while at the same time scaring the shit out of the reader.

Bec: What’s your favorite horror creature? Why?

Maria: Oh, I have to pick just one? I like 'em all. Oh, all right. If I have to choose, I'm going to go for...dinos. Did I surprise you? As much as I love zombies, dinos are the only monsters to make me have nightmares. T-Rex from Jurassic Park? I dreamed about that f*cker for months after I saw that movie. Dinosaurs, to me, are so terrifying because they are an unknown factor. We've never had to deal with them. Evolution, meteor, something x'ed those SOB's off the species list long before we ventured on the scene. I'm damn glad of that, too.

Bec: Blood splatter or smears?

Maria: Smears. Because smears mean whoever/whatever did the killing did something afterwards to the corpse. Or the victim leaves a partial message in his/her own blood. Either way, creep factor is off the freaking scale.

Bec: Have you been received well in the horror community?

Maria: Pretty well, so far. I think readers of horror are fantastic, they are a lot more willing to suspend belief for something that may seem far-fetched in reality, like zombies or T-Rex's tear-assing around San Fran, if your story is one that sucks them in and keeps them entertained. I'll know more about how well I'm received when I release my short story anthology later this year.

Bec: What do you create to infest the world with horror?

Maria: I write scary stuff in my stories...and I publish an online magazine which publishes a fair bit of horror. Readers can check it out at http://theweretraveler.wordpress.com/. Shameless plug there.

Bec: What inspires your creativity?

Maria: Buckets of coffee and my inner muse. And reading, definitely reading. Real life. There's a lot of scary shit going on in the real world. Stuff that just begs to be written about.

Bec: Is there anything I haven’t asked you about that you would like to share?

Maria: Just if there are any horror writers out there, send me your shit. The Were-Traveler is constantly looking for stories to publish. Go check it out.

 

Meet Rhiannon Mills - WiHM

Bec: Welcome to my blog, and thank you for participating in WiHM 2013! Please start out by telling everyone a little bit about yourself…

Rhiannon: My name is Rhiannon and I write. I write everything that comes to mind, including, but not limited to, horror, paranormal, romance, fantasy…I just write a lot. I also have a life beyond the pen, though. I’m the proud mother of four, I bake a lot, and I’m quite domestic.

Bec: What do you absolutely love about creating in the horror genre? Why?

Rhiannon: I absolutely adore that a horror story can make you want to stab out your eyeballs, but at the same time, make you not want to stop reading. That being said, when I write horror, I try to create situations that involve some of my deepest fears and darkest moments. I like to mix those things together and create horrible monsters and incredible situations that only exist in nightmares because people, including me, love to be scared and feel that extra tingle run up their spines. I love that a writer can make anything on earth scary (or not, depending on what they’re writing) and bring out the best and worst of humanity with just a pen and some paper. What I really enjoy, though, is when I’ve written something dark and creepy and have someone else read it and say, “What on earth is the matter with you?” because when that happens, I know I’ve struck a nerve.

Bec: What’s your favorite horror creature? Why?

Rhiannon: I love vampires and demons the most. I can’t decide between the two. Vampires have incredible immortal lives and can live to be a million, so they get to see everything throughout history and I just love history. Also, I love the gore factor in vampire feeding scenes. There are a million emotions you can play with when you write vampire stories. Demons are alluring to me because they’re sort of a taboo subject. Everyone has their own opinions about them and they are truly terrifying once you’ve researched demonology.
 
Bec: Blood splatter or smears?

Rhiannon: Both! First, it spatters, but then the victim crawls around a bit with a split artery and this sort of smeary smudgy mess happens…

Bec: Have you been received well in the horror community?

Rhiannon: Horror writers and other horror community dwellers are some of the nicest people on the planet! I not only write horror stories, but also other things, but even though I tend to lean into romance a little bit with my books and shorts, I’ve been fully embraced and it’s great.

Bec: What do you create to infest the world with horror?

Rhiannon: I am hoping that The Demon King and its upcoming sequel will leave a good mark on the horror world. The first book was a dark journey into the Underworld, but the second book will involve much more of that same darkness, but with a bloodthirsty edge. The king’s dangerous side will shine much brighter. Or, should I say darker?

Bec: What inspires your creativity?

Rhiannon: Music inspires me the most, but sometimes watching people in everyday situations can inspire me. Also, art work plays a major role in my creative process.

Bec: Is there anything I haven’t asked you about that you would like to share?

Links: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhiannon.author?ref=tn_tnmn

My bloggity blog: http://www.rhiannonwriteson.wordpress.com