Chantal Boudreau's Blog, page 23
February 2, 2014
Women in Horror – Today’s Spotlight: Michele Garber
The Grotesquerie has gone live! In honour of the talented ladies that have contributed to this spooky anthology, I’ll be starting my women in horror spotlights with one on Michele Garber, whose short story “Vegan” opens the anthology.
Michele is a well-educated lady with a penchant for psychology and a dark eye on potential frightening futures. So far, her published works include poems and a couple of short stories released in anthologies from Grey Matter Press and Northern Frights Publishing, but one look through her blog tells me we can expect much more to come. She has a passion for the written word and the skills to match it.
You can find her official website, Dark Reflections, at http://michelegarber.com/ and find her Amazon author page here.
February 1, 2014
Women in Horror – Things in Store for February
After a prolonged break from my blog due to NaNoWriMo, the holidays and some family issues, I’ve decided to make an earnest effort to return to blogging. Women in Horror month gives me a good excuse along with three anthologies containing some of my work with anticipated February release dates. In addition to posting release information for the anthologies, I’ll be posting spotlights on a variety of my female horror-writing cohorts as well as some of my long-time favourites in the genre.
Several of the women in my spotlight posts are participants in The Grotesquerie, an all woman writer horror anthology, being released this month from Mocha Memoirs Press. I’ve shared pages with a few of these ladies before, such as Rie Sheridan Rose and Lisamarie Lamb, and the anthology has given me an opportunity to meet some other kindred spirits. It will be my third stint in an all female writer anthology, along with Hell Hath no Fury and Mistresses of the Macabre.
Another of the anthologies due for release isn’t horror but it is being released in February from Seventh Star Press in paired volume of dark and light. As opposed to what folks might expect, my tale is appearing in the light volume, A Chimerical World: Tales of the Seelie Court, although it’s actually a rather sad tale. I’m absolutely in love with the matching covers to the two volumes and I can’t wait to hold a copy in my hand.
The last anticipated February release will be the next charity anthology to contain one of my stories, Let’s Scare Cancer to Death from May December Press. I wrote up a zombie story for the book, in honour of Barb McQueen.
So that’s what’s in store for February. I look forward to showcasing a number of great women in horror over the next few weeks.
January 30, 2014
Even the Strong...
Reblogged from Guild Of Dreams:
I'm sure I've addressed this in my blog before but I still think it's important enough for ongoing attention. In my opinion, the possibility of having to deal with mental illness or disability doesn't arise enough in genre fiction storylines, fantasy included – at least not as much as a proper attempt at realism would demand. Sure, you'll see psychotic villains with a range of mental illnesses, it's acceptable for the bad guy to be "crazy," or a less than admirable anti-hero displaying some disorder or another as an explanation for deviance or unethical ways, but you aren't nearly as likely to see it in heroes or secondary characters.
January 20, 2014
Trying Times
I’ve been trying to write this post for days…
My blog has been quiet for some time as I was struggling to prepare the last installment of my Snowy Barrens Trilogy for print. I had a thank you post in mind along with an opportunity to share a little about a few post-Christmas events, a post that I was planning for Friday past. I had a picture to share of a gift I had made my mother along with a few thoughts on the year to come (this picture here.) And as I finally reached the end of my editing challenge, tragedy struck my family and my ability to organize my thoughts changed in an instant. That’s why this post was delayed. And I’m still not quite on track so forgive me if this doesn’t stay on point.
I did plan on discussing a couple of new books, but that will have to wait. I’ll offer my thoughts on those when I can think straight again.
I’m not going to share the bad news. Those who know my family well enough know what happened and I’m not inclined to go into detail for those who don’t know us as well. I don’t like dwelling on unpleasant things or discussing them with others. I have a hard enough time talking to people as is. Just ask my husband – he complains about it all the time, and he’s someone I love and trust. So you can imagine how much worse it is with those who aren’t as close to me. Spoken words don’t come easily to me. They never have. I don’t share other family members’ gift of the gab. That’s why writing is such a great outlet for me.
It’s not just a matter of being shy, either – I’m not. You could ask my first game-master if she were still around to tell you. While most people just role-play orally, I would send her a novel’s worth of written notes for the game. It sounds silly, but that’s just who I am. Writing has been my communication medium of choice for most of my life. I’m not about to change now.
When something bad happens to most people, they want someone to talk to. They feel better if they can share their feelings and get it out of their system. Other than with anger – I need to vent like most people – I’m not like that. I babble a little when I get overly excited, but in general, I tend to clam up when things go awry. At times like this, I just want to curl in on myself and sit there being numb, processing everything at whatever pace feels natural to me. I don’t want to talk. Talking just adds extra discomfort on top of the original distress. But that’s what everybody else wants me to do. They don’t get it, because it’s different for them.
Unfortunately, I also find it hard to write creatively when things go terribly wrong, and this past year has been an exceptionally bad one. I lost a best friend and now my nephew. It feels like the universe is conspiring against me and these things have sucked the creative spirit right out of me. I’m hoping life will get better, but there are no guarantees. I just have to keep being thankful for what I still have. Everything you value in life may be fleeting…absolutely everything.
I do appreciate the words of support from the folks who have been kind and understanding when my family really needs it. I think we all feel very wounded and exposed right now. Knowing that people care doesn’t fix the situation, but it certainly makes it easier to bear.
So to all of you who have been there when we needed you, in these trying times – thank you.
January 4, 2014
Distractions - Argh!
Reblogged from Guild Of Dreams:
by Chantal Boudreau
Trying to write this, I find myself facing many of the diversions that usually distract me from my fiction writing, fantasy or otherwise. I thought I'd mention just the top three of many, to give you an idea of the kind of challenges I face, aside from the necessary time consumers like my day job. Just watch and see how quickly these very distractions will side-track me even with this.
December 31, 2013
2013 – Ack! – A Year in Review
Don’t get me wrong because of this post’s title. The year wasn’t a total write-off. The kind of trials and tribulations I faced this year help put things in better perspective. Tragedy can spawn gratitude, amongst other things. When you lose something or someone very precious to you, you learn to better appreciate the other special people, keepsakes and opportunities in your life. You also learn to better value happiness and a sense of well-being because those things can be fleeting.
As a co-worker and I discussed, you never want to say “How could things get worse?” because they could, and if you dare ask that, the powers that be just might show you how. I would never tempt fate that way. Nevertheless, this was one of the worst years I ever remember, ranking up there with the year we confirmed my son had autism and long before that, my first serious heartbreak. The troubles of 2013 weren’t limited to my immediate surroundings but extended to family members suffering through unpleasant events and friends going through terrible times as well. Not good.
All that being said, there were definitely some positive aspects to the year – some writing firsts for me. My first acceptance, and appearance, in a Canadian anthology, now up to two with a third in the works. My first opportunity to buy a book containing my writing at a local bookstore. My first novel solicitation from a Canadian publisher. My best short story sale to date, compensation-wise. My first appearance in a Christmas anthology – the recently released O Little Town of Deathlehem (all proceeds go to charity.)Sure – I still have many goals unmet, but I have to enjoy the victories.
And the new year ahead? Well, what better to do when you are feeling a little broken than to work at fixing things? So that’s the plan. Rather than focussing my energies on building anything new, I plan on shaking things up and revamping what I already have – things that could use some care and polish. Make things better.
So there you have it. No whining about how life isn’t fair. No succumbing to frustration and despair. Just taking things in stride and stepping back a bit to reorganize, with the hope that things will be better in 2014.
Have a happy new year!
December 30, 2013
The Blurb on other People’s Words – An Old Favourite
What started with a hiatus for NaNoWriMo and turned into a long holiday break is over, and now I have to get back to work. I can’t think of a better way back to it than to present the latest offering from a favourite of mine, Bruce Blake. His work ethic puts me to shame. He’s a busy bee while I’m dragging my feet on the last book in my trilogy (almost done, just updating my cast of characters for this generation.) Anyway, here’s what he sneakily released over the holidays:
When shadows fall, the darkness comes…
A disgraced Goddess Mother wanders blind and alone, praying for her agony to end. When a helpful apostle finds her, could it truly by salvation, or does worse torment lie ahead?
A sister struggles to understand a prophecy that may not be meant for her while her brother fights for his life. If the firstborn child of the rightful king dies, will it spell the end for everyone?
Darkness and shadow creep across the land in the form of a fierce clay golem animated by its sculptor’s blood. It seeks a mythical creature who’s sacrifice portends the return of ancient evil banished from the world long ago. With its return will come the fall of man.
As the game unfolds, the Small Gods watch from the sky, waiting for their time to come and their chance to rise again. They wait for the fall of shadows, the coming of the darkness.
They wait for night to descend.
And that’s not all – he has been so kind to allow me to include this excerpt for your enjoyment…
Am I ready to kill?
A cloud of swirling mist sighed out between Kuneprius’ lips, rising into the night to smear the glow of the winter moon. He watched it dissipate, then exhaled another long plume, blowing it out the way he’d seen the Brothers do when they smoked their pipes filled with sweetweed. Instead of swirling the wreaths he’d watched them create, his breath came out a ragged column.
“Shh.”
Kuneprius cocked his head toward the urgent sound, an apology teetering on the tip of his tongue. At the last instant, he remembered himself and said nothing, pressing himself flatter against the side of the hill. Fildrian lay less than ten man-lengths away, but the Brother’s black hood and robe hid him in the darkness; despite his proximity, empty loneliness ached in Kuneprius’ chest.
The lad grasped the short sword’s hilt tighter, testing its uncomfortable weight. Though he’d seen the seasons turn but twelve times, he’d trained with this very sword for six of them. The temple blacksmith formed it with him in mind, the grip molded to the shape of his fingers. Its length and weight had proved too much for him when he first held it, but he’d grown into it, its size ideal for a boy of his age. He shifted minutely, searching for comfort and understanding that the prospect of swinging the weapon to wound rather than in practice caused his unease, not the sword itself.
Will I be able to wield it when the time comes? Can I kill if I need to?
He’d never been sent on a hunt, so the sword’s edge hadn’t tasted blood other than his own when he got clumsy or distracted while sharpening the blade. He shifted his grip on the leather-wrapped hilt, hand slipping with the slickness of the sweat on his palm. For so many seasons, he’d trained for this moment; he knew he’d kill if the need arose.
I hope it doesn’t.
The rattle-clunk of wooden wheels on dirt track rolled along the shallow valley and up the hill to Kuneprius’ ears. Soon, he’d need wonder no more.
The apprentice angled his head to peer down the weed-clogged road, squinting as he attempted to pick out the wagons in the darkness. The lanterns hanging at the front of each, bobbing and swinging with the horses’ gaits, made it easy. He counted them silently.
One, two, three…four?
His heart lurched. Brother Fildrian had said to expect three—two carts and a covered wagon. Kuneprius’ gaze flickered to the spot where he expected to find the expedition leader’s dark shape, but he saw nothing. He glanced back to the track, the horse-drawn vehicles drawing closer and, in the glow of their lanterns, he counted two covered wagons.
This is the sequel to When Shadows Fall, so you should check that out first, if you haven’t already. It is available for 99 cents through Kindle for the next week before it goes back to its regular price of $4.99. Here’s where you can find it:
When Shadows Fall:
Kindle: http://viewBook.at/shadows
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/362347
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-shadows-fall-bruce-blake/1117001229
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/when-shadows-fall-2
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/story/8483067-when-shadows-fall-the-first-book-of-the-small-gods
And links for his newest release are below:
The Darkness Comes:
Kindle: http://viewBook.at/darknesscomes
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/391730
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-darkness-comes-bruce-blake/1117886146
Have a look – this is one writer I highly recommend, one truly dedicated to his craft and who has a real knack for character creation and world-building.
December 12, 2013
In Memory of Divot
Reblogged from Guild Of Dreams:
Writers sometimes end up researching pretty strange things and finding inspiration in the most unusual places as a result. Divot was one of those inspirations and just like many of the things that influence my writing, his presence was fleeting.
I’m assuming it was a him. It could have just as likely been a her, but I’m not exactly an expert of how to tell male and female crows apart from a distance, so I went with my first inclination.
November 16, 2013
All Speakers Great and Small: The Non-Human Narrator
Reblogged from Guild Of Dreams:
Having a central character who is not human is certainly not unheard of in genre novels. I can easily think of a few fantasy tales with creature protagonists. Tad Williams "Tailchaser's Song," and Richard Adams "Watership Down" and "The Plague Dogs" are the first to come to mind. "Sirius" by Olaf Stapledon is another. While having an animal as a protagonist can be difficult at times when writing in third person, it is an even greater challenge if you choose to present the story in first person.
November 8, 2013
NaNoWriMo Progress Report
It’s day 8 and I’m almost at 14,500 words. Not a bad start. Concentrating on NaNo with so much else going on, like Hal-Con this weekend, means I’ve had to take a break from my blog, but I plan on posting the odd progress report, excerpt and maybe on an ambitious day I’ll even share some of my research. I learned a lot about crows while preparing for this novel and I wouldn’t mind preparing a piece on Cascade.
For now, I’m going to focus on getting myself ready for my day at the con tomorrow, including packing away the books I’m bringing with me. I have a couple I’m hoping to get autographed and four copies of my Masters and Renegades novel, Casualties of War. I intend on giving those away to four lucky folks who track me down, dressed in my blacks and purples. I’ll have my daughter with me and at some point I’ll be dropping down to visit the merchant room, where Tyche Books will be selling copies of the Masked Mosaic anthology.
Anyway, back to my preparations and more NaNo writing. I’ll have more to report back after the convention.
