Patrick Rutigliano's Blog, page 19

Another (Rather Important) Article Up

I hate it when stereotypes slip into fiction, and female characters suffer for it more often than most. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: common sense.

http://patrickrutigliano.wordpress.com/articles/some-words-on-women/

Bestiary Chapter Three

Is now up in the Free Fiction section!

New Article Up!

I just posted a new article on balancing excess in fiction. I highly recommend all my horror brothers and sisters give it a read.

http://patrickrutigliano.wordpress.com/articles/balancing-excess/

My First Full-Time Year

It was just about one year ago when I put in my two weeks notice at work. Saying I was elated would be an understatement, and twelve months later, I still love what I do.

That said, it’s been a rocky transition. I’ve learned a number of things along the way, so I figured it would be a nice gesture to share them with anyone reading here:

1. Yes, you can learn how to format ebooks. This is the easiest expense to cut from producing your own work.

2. Professional cover art and editing really are worth the money.

3. Budget carefully for the above.

4. The trials of beta reading, editing, and formatting are trivial difficulties compared to trying to market a book (I’m still trying to get a handle on what actually works because it seems to vary wildly from person to person).

5. Being original and not relying on a familiar subject (zombies, vampires, or werewolves for horror writers) or a trend (zombies again) makes selling a book even harder.

6. Reviews are very tough to come by. Arrange as many as possible, preferably as far before the release date as you can because…

7. …most reviewers take a very long time to get back to you (and many never do).

And to anyone who has happened to read the excerpts I post on this blog or actually bought one of my books, a thousand thanks. I can only hope you’ll be kind enough to drop a review or just put a good word in for my work with your friends. If not, I still appreciate you just letting my words twist in your brain for awhile.

Bestiary Chapter Two

Is now up in the Free Fiction section!

A Little (More) About Me: My Horror Inspirations

Just in case anyone is curious as to who influences my work. And because I like to give credit where credit is due. So, without further ado, here are my top ten inspirations in my genre:

1. Clive Barker-My favorite writer at the moment. His imagery ranges from the repulsive to the sublime, all wrapped in stories merging mythic storytelling with the poetic.

2. H.P. Lovecraft-Valid criticisms of his prose style aside, the ramifications of the mythos he created are still chilling. The sheer scope of the horrors he conceived was completely unprecedented, as was mankind’s total lack of consequence to them.

4. John Carpenter-While he hasn’t made a great movie in years, I can’t forget just how amazing Carpenter’s work used to be. The Thing is perhaps the finest horror movie ever made (the practical special effects make the prequel’s CG look like a cheap joke), and I still break out Halloween every year when the leaves start to turn.

5. Joe Hill-I’ll admit I’m a bit late to the party. I have yet to read any of his novels (although I have a few waiting on my shelf), but 20th Century Ghosts blew me away. Easily the best short story collection I’ve ever read.

6. Stephen King-While I do have issues with some of his longer works (a self-diagnosed case of “literary elephantiasis” as he puts it), he has dozens of exceptional short stories under his belt and some damn fine novels as well. It’s impossible to be a horror writer or fan without having been touched by his work in some way.

7.  Rod Serling/Richard Matheson-A dual credit here even though both of these men is hugely talented in his own right. The Twilight Zone is what I most remember them for (outside of I am Legend), and the humanity and craft they put into those scripts sticks with me today.

8. Algernon Blackwood-A criminally overlooked master of the weird tale. The man was a master of mood, able to wring unease out of mere silence. He penned Lovecraft’s favorite story. That should tell you something.

9. Guillermo Del Toro-My favorite director working today. Pan’s Labyrinth, Cronos, and The Devil’s Backbone are the best kinds of dark fairy tales. Even his pulpier efforts (Hellboy, Pacific Rim) are damn fun to watch because his love for the material always shines through.

10. John Bellairs-Kids today grow up on J.K. Rowling. I grew up with John Bellairs. I probably read over a dozen of his books as a child, never feeling as though I was being talked down to or that the child protagonists were useless. The awesome artwork Edward Gorey created for the book covers didn’t hurt either.

A Little About Me

I know have my list of credits and bio up, but I think it would be a good  idea to get a little better acquainted. So, here’s ten random facts about me:

1. I have a criminal justice degree (sadly, I became too disillusioned with the system to ever make use of it after graduation).

2. I have a larger number of horror books crammed into my bedroom than most stores have available (somewhere around 500 last I checked).

3.  In addition to books, I am a big old nerd for comic books and animation.

4. I have worked a number of menial jobs, ranging from janitor to cart monkey.

5. I love to cook (particularly Asian and Italian food).

6. I am an animal lover (one of my cats is from a litter of ferals I tamed/homed, while the other is a stray who showed up at my door).

7. I’ve had insomnia for nearly all my life.

8. I dig classic metal and punk rock.

9. I have a horrendous sense of direction, almost to the point of it being debilitating (driving is my personal hell).

10. My taste buds do not let me tolerate any kind of alcohol (only in a sauce, etc.).

The Schedule

Just thought I’d give you all a quick breakdown of how updates are going to work from here on in. A status update or article will be posted every Sunday and a new chapter of Bestiary will be posted every Tuesday until there are only two chapters left (the final ones will be put up after the book is published). There may also be a few impromptu posts here and there outside of the schedule.

And a shout-out to you folks who have already followed this page/liked the posts. I’m finding WordPress a very welcoming place so far. Thanks for reading!

Bestiary Chapter One

Is now up! But don’t forget to read the prologue first.

http://patrickrutigliano.wordpress.com/free-fiction/bestiary/chapter-1-2/

Everything’s Up!

All the content from my old homepage has now been uploaded. You can find plenty of information on yours truly in the pages above, as well as free articles and free fiction.  The Untimely Deaths of Daryl Handy is up in its entirety, and Bestiary will be updated weekly.

Enjoy!