Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 21

New Year’s Resolution: Go With the Flow

Recently, I’ve become fascinated with the concept of the “flow state”; a frame of mind where you become lost in a task. Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi  described flow as “being so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one…Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”

To be sure, it’s certainly not a new or novel concept. Throughout history, people like Newton and Michelangelo would become so engrossed in a project that they’d forget to eat, bathe, or even sleep. That might be a little extreme, but I’m sure I speak for a lot of you when I say that I’d like to be a little more focused when I sit down to write. I can’t tell you how many times a writing session has been derailed by the many distractions of the internet.

When I was writing my Master’s thesis, it got to the point that I’d write a sentence, check the word count, save file, then go on Reddit. After three hours I might have written 500 words. It was torture.

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The good news is that you don’t have to be a mathematical genius or a ninja turtle to achieve this level of focus. Ordinary people can hack flow. The important thing to keep in mind is that flow isn’t a binary state. We tend to have this idea that you’re either in the zone or out of the zone. But flow is actually a continuum and there are four stages:

The first stage is the struggle stage. You’re loading your brain with information. This is usually unpleasant.
The second stage is release, where you wanna take your mind off the problem. This gives your subconscious a chance to work out the problem. Maybe take a long walk etc. However, one thing you can’t do during this stage is watch TV because it’ll change your brain chemistry.
The third stage is finally flow. This is when the magic happens.
Finally, the fourth stage is recovery. This is also an unpleasant stage because all the feel-good chemicals that were released during the flow stage have burned off and you’re left feeling depleted.

Therefore, as Steve Kotler observes, if you want to master flow you have to learn to struggle and recover better. The struggle stage requires a lot of discipline. You gotta hang in there and stick with it. This is when most of us wanna check our phone for that little fix, but this will disrupt the neurochemical processes at work. Then, you have to develop a self-care routine to replenish your mind and body after that intense work.

Interestingly, the personality types that are best suited for consistently achieving flow tend to score high in extroversion and conscientiousness and low in neuroticism and agreeableness. For me, the last point fits into the stereotype of the “cantankerous creative,” which makes sense because if you want to achieve flow then you must be willing to ruthlessly defend your writing time in order to avoid distraction.

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When I started to get serious about hacking my flow state, I discovered that my focus had withered. I struggled to go ten minutes without checking my phone. It was a pretty depressing realization. I started researching techniques to bolster my focus and came across something called the pomodoro technique. Basically, the idea is to break down work into intervals, usually twenty-five minutes of focused work followed by a five minute break, and then repeat. (It’s called “pomodoro” because Francesco Cirillo, the guy who created it, used a tomato kitchen timer and the Italian word for tomato is pomodoro.)

I must say, the pomodoro technique has worked wonders for me. The first two sessions can be a little difficult, but I eventually become absorbed in my work and stretch the work sessions beyond twenty-five minutes.

Moving forward in 2019, I’m hoping to improve upon my focus and learn to consistently achieve the flow state. In order to do this, I’m gonna have to fully embrace my inner “cantankerous creative” and defend my writing time like Gandalf on the Bridge of Khazad-dum.

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Cheers,

-b

Ali House, author of The Six Elemental, to write for ‘Dystopia from the Rock’

[image error]Engen Books is proud to announce that Ali House, author of 2016’s The Six Elemental, is returning to the From the Rock collection this year in Dystopia from the Rock with two all-new short stories, “Authentic New Island Experience” and “Untitled.”

Ali’s 2016 collection entry, “Twenty-One,” was heralded as one of the gems of the collection and led to a novel based on the concept and characters later that same year.

Her 2017 book of short fiction, Unexpected Stories (coauthored with Amanda Labonté), is available for free with signup to the Fantasy Files newsletter.

“Kit Tyler is brought to life quite vividly and her journey through the fantastical, dystopian world filled with magical super-humans delves into subjects that run parallel to issues faced by young adults in our own world.”

Christopher Walsh, author of The Gold & Steel Saga

A native Newfoundlander, Ali is a graduate of the Fine Arts program at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College (MUN), and past recipient of the Golden Crescent Wrench Award. She currently resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she works in arts administration and spends more time than a person should in and around theaters. She is the only person to have short fiction published in all of Engen’s open-call short story compilations, including Sci-Fi from the Rock, Fantasy from the Rock, Chillers from the Rock, Bluenose Paradox, and Kit Sora: The Artobiography.

The Six Elemental‘s long-awaited sequel, The Fifth Queen, will be released in March 2019 from Engen Books.

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Twenty-Nine other authors will be joining Ali House for the 2019 Dystopia on the Rock collection! Who will join them? Stay tuned and Never Look Back!

For exclusive content and FREE books, be sure and check out the Engen Books Patreon.

Winner: “Love in a Bottle” by Tish MacWebber | Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest

After much deliberation, Engen Books is proud to announce the winner of the November 30 2018 Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest: Tish MacWebber with her story, Love in a Bottle!

Tish MacWebber is the author who is Always Thinking… the jewellery designer who is Always Blinging…and the creator of #Tishspiration. She currently lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. She gets her inspiration from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, where her own story began. Tish MacWebber is the author of From Where I am Sitting… A Collection of Cat Tales. She is currently writing her second book,  #Tishspiration: The Art of Surprising Yourself, in which she will explore this concept in depth in the hopes of helping others find their own #Tishspiration in their own lives. You can follow Tish MacWebber on Twitter and Facebook, as well as on her website: tishmacwebber.com

There were three judges for this month of the contest:

[image error]Peter Foote is a Freemason and owner of the FictionFirst Used Bookstore, a bookstore located in Nova Scotia that ships used genre fiction and manuals worldwide. He is from Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia and currently resides in Kings County, Nova Scotia.

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Legends & Tales | Christopher Walsh

Legends & Tales | Christopher Walsh

Four tales of adventure wait within these pages to take the reader into a time before the events of As Fierce as Steel. Join Lady Orangecloak and The Thieves as they stage a daring daylight protest, journey to the far reaches of Gildriad with a team of adventurers as they try to solve the mysteries of the Known World, and enter the heat of battle when the Dwarves of Dhalla are tested by a human menace.

C$25.00

Legends and Tales is the first collection of short stories by Christopher Walsh, writer of The Gold & Steel Saga fantasy series. The four stories collected here paint a stunning portrait of his literary world that is sure to delight anyone who enjoys action packed, adventurous stories, whether you are new to his work or are a regular reader of his series.

For fans of fantasy and adventure, this is the book to buy!

Also includes: Chapter 1 of Volume 2 of Gold & Steel: The Worth of Gold. First time in print!

Download each amazing story individually:

Stealing back Freedom

The City that Hid from Time Itself

In Defence of Our Home Part One

In Defence of Our Home Part Two

Title Information:

ISBN:
978-0994023674


Release Date:
October 2018


Purchase:
Amazon.com

Amazon.CA

Amazon.UK


Price (CAD):
Print: $25 / EBook: $2.99


Page Count:
244



Related Titles



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Reviews

“An amazing continuation and expansion of the world!”

— Matthew LeDrew, Coral Beach Casefiles.

As Fierce as Steel | Christopher Walsh

 

As Fierce as Steel by Christopher Walsh

As Fierce as Steel is the inaugural entry into the world of Gold & Steel, a new fantasy series from Canadian author, Christopher Walsh. It is centered around the lives of two women, those of the Lady Orangecloak and Lady Marigold Tullivan. One is the leader of a brave group of young men and women in open rebellion of their government. The other was born into that patriarchal world and destined for greatness, as a trophy wife, a fate she will do anything to alter.

C$25.00

As Fierce as Steel introduces those characters and that of other men and women of the nation of Illiastra and beyond, who all have aims on seeing a new day dawn in their country. Look into a world on the cusp of its own industrial era, filled with robust characters of all walks of life as they navigate adventures and drama on their road to a new Illiastra.

Title Information:

ISBN:
978-0994023605


Release Date:
February 2016


Purchase:
Amazon.com

Amazon.CA

Amazon.UK


Price (CAD):
Print: $25 / EBook: $2.99


Page Count:
698



Related Titles



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Reviews

“To say that Walsh was influenced solely by RR Martin weakens both. As Fierce as Steel is actually much more than that. It has the tone of George RR Martin (that epic feeling that sends chills whenever the characters enter a battle) along with the imagination of JRR Tolkien (taking disparate aspects from the world around them and melding them into a coherent fantasy universe capable of suspending the reader’s disbelief for 700+ pages) and the aesthetics of Baz Luhrmann… yes, Baz Luhrmann. In that he has the ability to mix modern (ish) weaponry like rifles and modern idioms of speech into a fantastical, medieval setting in such a way that feels neither forced nor contrived, much in the way Luhrmann shifted the weapons in Romeo+Juliet”

— Matthew LeDrew,

author of Coral Beach Casefiles.

“Beautifully written, this book is built with vivid images of an astounding fantasy world that is well built with diverse people of both race and sex. It’s clear that this intricate world was carefully planned out through its political point of views and many little details that build its complex and large range of character.”

— Simple Pleasures

Thank you all for a successful launch! | Storytime with Kit Sora

Click to view slideshow.

Holy Honey Hams!

I don’t even know where to start with any of this! About a year ago, an amazing local publishing company called Engen Books reached out to me for a coffee date to discuss ‘ideas’ they had! Upon collecting the perfect hot chocolate, they started throwing out ideas of grandeur like purchasing some of my pieces for books, shooting book covers, and then creating a book of my own. Of course at the time it seemed more like a pipe dream, but now, just about a year later, after copious amounts of Tim’s, meetings, online discussions, and chilly shoots, I’m writing this post my first ever book launch.

Matthew & Ellen, I cannot thank you & the team of Engen Books enough for making all of this possible! I always shot what I did for myself because I enjoyed, it, and shared it with my small portion of the world just for fun, but I never in a million years would have thought that so many people would be interested in half of what I was putting out there, and I’m honoured and forever grateful you picked me and made that connection and believed in me from the get go. You’re making my dreams come true

Ian & Renee, my darling parents! Your unending support and love all these years through my bright ideas and less bright ideas is so crucial to how far I’ve come, and I love you both so much for it! From letting me borrow the SUV to transport a giant door around to set on fire, to smiling and nodding when I pitched a crazy photo idea, to simply dropping in a ‘We’re so proud of you’ in casual conversation. From the bottom (all the way to the top) of my heart, Thank you! I love you both beyond measure!

Drew, Droodles, my precious Fiancé. You are incredible. The things you do, sacrifice, create, put up with, and support are beyond words. I know I’m a super difficult person to be with even without my insane ideas and projects. You have been there since the get go, supporting my weekly antics in all capacities. I’ve never had a more loving, loyal, supportive & amazing prop builder, practical thinker, hugger, problem solver, and all around partner, and I am so thankful & so in love with you for it. If it wasn’t for you always pushing me forward just that little bit, even on the dark, uninspiring buttsy days, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish all that I have right now. I love you oodles and oodles

And of course to anyone and everyone who has followed me through my journey, reacted to an image, commented on their favourite post, helped with a shoot, given ideas for projects to come, attended my show, purchased a book, and/or attended last night! I started out just creating for myself because I needed a creative outlet, and self portraiture just made sense. It’s been many many years of trial and error, loving and hating my work, meeting and missing deadlines I set for myself, and growing as an artist. I’m so truly humbled and excited to get to share it all with you, and I’m beyond blown away with how many of you have been following the strange things I put out weekly! My beloved friends, thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!!

To all the amazingly talented writers who had stories and poems in the book- you’re all fantastic, and I truly hope you keep it up and we can work together in the future!! To anyone who has written a story for the book and didn’t get in this time, keep at it! We read through each and every entry, and there are so so many close calls! Keep doing the things, & Thank-you for trying!!

GAH this is insane!!! I need to learn new ways to say THANK YOU!!

— Kit

Kit Sora: The Artobiography

A stunning, hundred-plus page hardcover collection of over 80 of Kit Sora’s most ambitious photographs, paired with short fiction inspired by the art by Canada’s best authorial talents. Includes stories by USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Sparkes, USA Today Bestselling Author Victoria Barbour, and Bestselling Author Amanda Labonté.

C$75.00

4 Ways to Beat the Winter Writing Blahs | House Blog

I don’t know if it’s the darker days or the colder weather, but there’s something about winter that makes me want to crawl under a pile of warm blankets and not emerge until June.

I tend to put off a lot of things during the winter – getting groceries, cleaning, socializing, and sometimes even writing. So, if you’re like me, here are some tips on how to stay productive during those dark and dreary winter months!

 

1. Get cozy! Blankets, while warm and fuzzy, can impede your writing. Instead of wrapping yourself up like a mummy, choose a fleecy housecoat or festive woolen sweater. Not only will you be toasty and cozy, your arms will be free to write!

Bonus Tip: Might as well get those toes warm, too, with some hand-knitted socks! Don’t worry if there aren’t any treads on them – you’ll be too busy writing to actually go anywhere!

 

2.  Nothing like a warm cuppa! If you’re like me, the more typing you do, the colder your fingers get. The solution? Make yourself a warm cup of something to hold. Get wintery with a spiced coffee or tea, or a creamy hot chocolate. Plus, you’ll look extra writer-ly as you hold a warm cup in your hands while contemplating what to write next.

Bonus Tip: Don’t feel like drinking anything? Make a cup of hot water. Not only do you not waste precious caffeine, you still get the experience of holding a warm cup!

 

3. Write by candlelight! We’ve all got that romantic notion of writing by candlelight, like all the old greats, so find yourself a big ol’ candle and light it while you write (but keep some other lights on, to help avoid eye strain—nobody needs eye strain).

Bonus Tip: Think of the flames as warming up your creativity and burning away all those negative thoughts. You can do it! You can write this! You are the Master of Fire*!

 

4. Adapt an Advent Calendar! Advent calendars give people something to look forward to in the build-up to Dec 25th, so why not make one doubly useful! Set yourself a daily word limit and resolve not to open that day’s door until you’ve hit your word count. Remember that winter’s tough enough as it is, so it should be an easy goal to achieve.

Bonus Tip: Save the calendar and fill it back up with treats to use in future months. Bribe yourself year-round!

 

And remember, winter will eventually end. Eventually.

Do you have any tips for beating the winter blahs?

_____

*Maintain your Master of Fire title by making sure you don’t burn anything down. Just like your manuscript, you should always keep a close eye on fire, lest it spirals out of control.

Looking ahead to 2019 | Engen Books

2018 was a banner year for Engen Books, but 2019 has all the potential to surpass it: in spades! Those looking for a sneak peak into just some of our upcoming projects are in the right place! From returning entries in favorite series, remastered bestsellers, and brand new talent breaking for the first time: Engen Books is the thing to follow in 2019!

Coral Beach Casefiles

[image error]The ten book Black Womb series started it all for Engen Books, starting the Engen Universe by mixing its unique blend of intense scares, compelling characters, and YA aesthetic to make something truly unlike any experience in fiction.

In 2019 we’re repositioning that series with the marketing knowledge we’ve gained after ten years in the industry, with a snazzy new title in Coral Beach Casefiles and bold, innovative new covers from Canada’s most astonishing photographic talent, Kit Sora.

We’re hoping to new branding will break the series into the mainstream with its flare for adult-driven takes on the themes and ideas that took root in narratives like Scream, Scooby-Doo, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If you’ve been wanting to check out the series but hadn’t known how to start, 2019 is the year to get on board.

Supernatural Causes – Season 2

Amanda Labonté’s fun-filled medical mystery about a hospital that caters to vampires, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night went bestseller in 2018, and now it’s back with a new season, new rules, and new complications in the life of Liesel Andrews!

The Fifth Queen

The sequel to the dystopian fantasy epic The Six Elemental, The Fifth Queen brings us back into the world with a bold new twist! Kendra Chen thought she knew the direction her life was taking, but when her Uncle reveals a secret about her family, she finds herself on a new path, one that seems to be headed straight for the legendary Six-Elemental.

Look for a cover reveal soon!

The Starving

Jon Dobbin’s inaugural novel, The Starving, is a weird-west tale mixing science-fiction and western elements. The story has already won acclaim, winning the 2017 48 Hour Novel Writing Marathon in an early draft. Dobbin’s style is laconic and literary, with a dry wit that doesn’t take away from the intense action housed within. The Starving will not disappoint!

[image error] Zombies on the Rock: The Republic of Newfoundland

Paul Carberry’s bestselling horror series returns this year, and promises more thrills and chills as the team — desperate to outrun the zombies that have infested the island — makes their way towards the Avalon Peninsula and St. John’s in a desperate attempt at survival. If you haven’t checked out this series yet, now’s the time!

Book One: Outbreak

Book Two: The Viking Trail

 

The Last Tree

[image error]Unfinished Sample Art by Ariel Marsh

The first in a Young Reader’s fantasy series written by the astonishingly talented Michelle Churchill, The Last Tree tells the story of Gus, a young boy struggling to find his place in a world of fantasy, fairies, pirates, mermaids and magic!

With art by the legendarily talented Ariel Marsh (Super Galactic Space Explorers, Emma Awesome), The Last Tree is going to be an adventure for young and old alike to enjoy!

The story is already getting rave reviews from those inside the industry. Churchill’s short fiction had been prominently featured in Chillers from the Rock and Kit Sora: The Artobiography, but now she prepares to take center stage and bring her masterpiece to the world!

Wow! And would you believe… that’s not even half of our 2019 roster of titles?!? Stay tuned to Engen Books here and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram this year for more stunning announcements! Visit the Engen Patreon to learn how to follow for as little as $1 a month and get exclusive contests.

Otaku ’bout It: Why Horror Is Having a Moment

If you have any kind of feel for the zeitgeist then you’ve noticed that the horror genre is having quite the moment nowadays. There have always been successful horror movies like Paranormal Activity or Saw that spawn lucrative imitators, etc. but presently there are releases that are also enjoying heaps of critical praise like Get Out, Hereditary, and The Witch. Some critics have labelled these “elevated” horror, but I think that’s a condescending and unnecessary classification. Any horror fan will tell you that the genre has always enjoyed a wealth of sophisticated material, despite being unappreciated by mainstream critics. Nevertheless, it’s hard to deny the quantity of quality in addition to the box office remuneration.

I would argue that horror as a genre is in a unique position to take advantage of the present media landscape, particularly the way media is currently consumed and disseminated.

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I don’t have to tell you that the internet has massively disrupted various industries, particularly film. One of the interesting ways the internet has changed the game is how it’s fragmented attention. To appreciate this point we have to look at the diffusion of innovation, which is shown in the chart below.

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The “innovators” and “early adopters” are the connoisseurs, the obsessed. They’re the ones who will wait in line opening night, who know all the imdb credits of their favourite directors, the fanatics. The ones at the end, the “laggards,” they’re the ones who only watch movies when they come on TBS in the middle of the afternoon. In the middle are the average viewers, the “early” and “late” majority. They like to go see movies, but they’re not fanatics. Traditionally, marketers went after them, because they were the biggest number. Simple math, right? Make an ad on TV that gets the biggest number of eyeballs. Wanna advertise Batman v Superman? Put it on the Superbowl. The downside though is that the market is pushed into focusing on the lowest common denominator. Hence, Batman v Superman.

However, with the internet disrupting traditional media, it’s hard to target these people. Moreover, as marketing guru Seth Godin explains, consumers now are inundated with choice but, due to the fast pace of modern life, have less time. Consequently, they’re less likely to take chances and will stick with what’s familiar. Hence why the MCU is so successful right now, and why so many studios are trying to imitate it.

So, the challenge/opportunity here is: How do we introduce something new in this landscape? Godin argues we must go after the connoisseurs. That is to say, instead of marketing to the hoi polloi, target the fanatics. If you can hook them, they’ll bring their normie friends along. That line between the “early adopters” and “early majority” is the tipping point. We all have that one friend who’s obsessed with something to whom we consult. If I’m in the market for a new phone, I’ll ask my techie buddy who’s into that kinda stuff. Likewise, if my friends are looking for a book to read, they’ll ask for my opinion.

Godin emphasizes the Japanese term “otaku,” which is kinda hard to translate into English, but is pretty similar to geek or nerd. In Japan it’s mostly used for people obsessed with anime or manga. But I think we can also apply to it to, say, ramen. There is a real Japanese subculture of ramen nerds. They’ll travel all over the country and wait in line for hours to try the hot new ramen spot. Godin makes the point that some commodities have otaku and some don’t. In the West, for example, hot sauce has otaku but mustard doesn’t. How many flavours of hot sauce do you see in the grocery store vs mustard? Or even ketchup for that matter.

I’d argue that horror has a strong otaku. There are tons of horror geeks out there. Fans who collect obscure DVDs and memorabilia. It is therefore primed to take advantage of this present internet media landscape. Small independent studios making eccentric horror don’t have to worry about marketing to the hoi polloi. They can go right to the nerds who will then bring the normies along. The market conditions have never been better for visionary horror creators.

I realize this can all come across as a little cynical or exploitative, but I think it should be inspiring to those of us who wanna make interesting content, be it horror or something else. You don’t have to feel like you’re relegated to the margins, or that you have to dumb your stuff down to appeal to the masses. Go after that small group of people who’ll really get and appreciate what you’re doing and let word of mouth do the rest of the work.

The catch, of course, is that you have to do great work.

Cheers,

-b

2018 | Year in Review

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First of all, thank you everyone for an amazing year. I know it’s not quite over yet, but we just surpassed a milestone: we doubled our web traffic from last year today, as we have every year the last four years, so I wanted to take the moment and say THANK YOU.

This has been an intense year. It’s our first year full-time devoted to Engen Books. We’ve opened our new office space, started the Kit Sora Flash Fiction Contest, and in general been a big part of the genre community, which we’re very happy and grateful for.

Here’s what you helped us do in 2018!

 

 

Kit Sora: The Artobiography

A stunning, hundred-plus page hardcover collection of over 80 of Kit Sora’s most ambitious photographs, paired with short fiction inspired by the art by Canada’s best authorial talents. Includes stories by USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Sparkes, USA Today Bestselling Author Victoria Barbour, and Bestselling Author Amanda Labonté.

C$60.00

So many people took part in the Kit Sora Flash Fiction contest that we couldn’t help but honor the pictures that inspired them in this lovely collection. It’s proving to be a huge success for us this year and looks like it will continue to be into 2019, and we cannot thank you all enough for your continued support on this project.

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Touch Your Nose

This is a personal victory for me, as it’s a story I’d been wanting to tell for some time. I’m blessed to have a board and editor that allows me to not only be a businessman but also an artist, and I get to follow my passions to strange places every now and again. This one was definitely strange — the reviews bear that out — but I love it all the same.

[image error]Drawn to the Tides by Amanda Labonté

Series: Call of the Sea, #2

The Pitch: With the start of senior year approaching, Alex and Lia struggle to find their place in an ever-changing reality.

As Lia develops a new appreciation for human culture and norms, Alex learns more about what it means to be a human in the merrow colony. But integrating into a new world is not without its pitfalls. In his search to understand his place, Alex will come face to face with hidden truths about his past that could drastically affect his future.

Thoughts: we were so happy to take on Call of the Sea the previous year, and continuing it with the next chapter was a dream come true.

The Gold and Steel Saga

[image error]As Fierce as Steel by Christopher Walsh

The Pitch: As Fierce as Steel is the inaugural entry into the world of Gold & Steel, a new fantasy series from Canadian author, Christopher Walsh. It is centered around the lives of two women, those of the Lady Orangecloak and Lady Marigold Tullivan. One is the leader of a brave group of young men and women in open rebellion of their government. The other was born into that patriarchal world and destined for greatness, as a trophy wife, a fate she will do anything to alter.

As Fierce as Steel introduces those characters and that of other men and women of the nation of Illiastra and beyond, who all have aims on seeing a new day dawn in their country. Look into a world on the cusp of its own industrial era, filled with robust characters of all walks of life as they navigate adventures and drama on their road to a new Illiastra.

Thoughts: Absolutely thrilled to have Chris Walsh’s Epic Fantasy as a part of our roster. With Legends and Tales Volume One added this year the series is already expanding and we’re all waiting eagerly to see what Chris does next.

Supernatural Causes

[image error]The Complete First Season by Amanda Labonté

Series: Supernatural Causes Season One

The Pitch: College freshmen Liesel Andrews spends her days studying pre-med and her nights stitching up werewolf bites. As a human who has the rare capacity to see the vampires, werewolves and witches who live in the shadows, Liesel pays her tuition by moonlighting as a medical intern at St. Benedict’s Hospital for the Underworld. She figures she’s doing a decent job of balancing her two lives until Jax Halloran walks into the ER. Not only is he tall, dark and obnoxious, he’s also a high-ranking vampire who needs her help. A virus is threatening the vampire community and Liesel may be their only hope at finding a cure.

Thoughts: When an author as good as Amanda Labonté asks if she can do a second series, you don’t even hesitate. This series is a fun romp into the world of urban thrillers from a more fantastical, whimsical slant: it’s exactly the type of thing we were looking for, right when we were looking for it.

 

 

After Dark Vapours

Werewolves and a dark family secret in Northern Labrador!
Growing up without his father, Tyler had no way of knowing the horrible secret that has plagued his family for generations. To free himself and find the cure, he will have to look beyond himself and into his dark history.

C$25.00

Thoughts: After Dark Vapours is exactly the type of book by exactly the type of author I like working with: heady, literary, and with great significance: but unafraid to be entertain first and remember that a book’s primary role is as entertainment. It’s the best of both worlds.

Arcade Rat

[image error]Arcade Rat by Nicholas Morine



The Pitch: In this futuristic VR nightmare-world, Kaine’s only chance to rise above his decrepit surroundings is the suicide cabinet filled with ASCII, Roguelike.

Thoughts: I’d been itching to work with Nicolas Morine since I’d read Kowloon Walled City, 1984. Arcade Rat is a great book. Like Brad Dunne he’s fiercely intelligent and unapologetic in his storytelling. It’s to the point and incredibly rendered, the type of tale I’m proud to have on the shelf.

 

 

London Calling

Olivia Williams used Shakespeare’s timeless words to comfort herself through childhood sexual abuse, disordered eating, and a toxic relationship. She thought a summer studying in London in the legendary Globe theatre would be the healing learning experience she always longed for. Surrounded by new friends, beautiful culture, and budding romance, Olivia knows her life is about to change. She doesn’t expect this, though. Not again.

C$25.00

Thoughts: We added Chelsea Bee to our roster this year and she’s a ball of creative energy that is unmatched, always bringing flare and laughter to meetings. I read a version of this book that was previously published and knew I wanted her on my team, but I didn’t know we’d be lucky enough to get to adopt London Calling as well. Keep an eye out for Bee in the future.

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[image error]Chillers from the Rock by Erin Vance & Ellen Curtis

Series: From the Rock, 2018

The Pitch: Twenty-five short stories written by a diverse mix of some of the best suspense and horror authors in Atlantic Canada, including both award-winners, veterans of their craft, and brand new talent.

Edited by Erin Vance and accomplished genre author Ellen Curtis, this collection features the thrilling, creatively charged, astonishing fiction that showcases the talent, imagination, and prestige that Atlantic Canada has to offer.

Featuring the work of Paul Carberry (Zombies on the Rock), Kelley Power (Winner of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Letters competition), Matthew LeDrew (Coral Beach Casefiles, Infinity, Xander Drew), Ali House (The Six-Elemental), an introduction by Dale Gilbert Jarvis, & much more!

Thoughts: last but not least we have Chillers from the Rock, the brainchild of Erin Vance and Ellen Curtis brought to life by twenty of the best authors in the business right now. This collection was a huge deal for us. It went Bestseller on Amazon before it was even technically released. This, more than anything else, was the introduction of the newer, more serious Engen Books. Fitting that it would be a thriller, like our first title was so many years ago.

There’s miles to go before we sleep and 2019 looks like it’s going to be even bigger. Thank you to all of you for making 2018 our best year yet, and a special thanks again to all of the following:

Kelly Rose, Peter Breau, Matthew Barret, Jennifer Shelby, Jeff Slade, Elizabeth LeDrew, Carolyn R Parsons, Andrew Pike, Peter Foote, Dale Jarvis, Kelley Power, Teresita E. Dziadura, Paul Carberry, Anastacia Hopkins, Jon Dobbin, Bronwynn Erskine, Chelsea Bee, Sam Bauer, Ali House, Shannon Green, Michelle Churchill, Chantal Boudreau, Matthew Daniels, Maggie Carroll, Lynn Reicker, Eryn Heidel, Nick Morine, Kit Sora, Brad Dunne, Christopher Walsh, Amanda Labonté, and the greatest of thanks to Ellen Curtis & Erin Vance!