Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 4

Winner: “A Berry for a Soul” by Teigen Bond | Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest

After much deliberation, Engen Books is proud to announce the winner of the January 2020 Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest: Teigen Bond with the story, A Berry for a Soul!

Teigen Bond is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and has been writing for years. She has multiple short stories and poems published by Polar Expressions Publishing, and was selected to present her manuscript at Halifax’s Word On The Street’s Pitch The Publisher 2019. Teigen lives on a small farm in Nova Scotia with a plethora of pets.

We had three judges for this contest:

[image error]Matthew LeDrew has written twenty novels for Engen Books, Black Womb, Transformations in Pain, Smoke and Mirrors, Roulette, Ghosts of the Past, Ignorance is Bliss, Becoming, Inner Child, Gang War, Chains, The Long Road, Cinders, Sinister Intent, Faith, Family Values, Touch Your Nose, Jacobi Street, Infinity, The Tourniquet Reprisal and Exodus of Angels.

[image error]Born in Newfoundland, Canada and raised in France, Lawless came into his own as an author while living near a twelfth century abbey in rural England. Lawless is an attorney by day and a speculative fiction author by night. He draws on his education and professional experience, including at Sciences Po Paris and the French National Assembly, to craft worlds that look ahead to the political, social, and economic challenges that face us all. He draws on his love of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams to ensure his works are full of tongue-in-cheek humor and never take themselves too seriously, even when tackling subjects that could not be more serious. Now living in Atlantic Canada with his beautiful family, Lawless looks forward to sharing his worlds with as many people as possible.

[image error]Kit Sora Photography. Kit Sora is an artist and photographer from St. Johns, Newfoundland. Her photography draws inspiration from fantasy, dystopia, and thrillers to create evocative imagrey that startles, inspires, and excites.Kit signed with Engen Books in 2018 as head photographer, producing the thrilling image for Chillers from the Rock and re-imagining the covers to the entire Black Womb series into the Coral Beach Casefiles series. Drew Power is a currently seated member of the Sci-Fi on the Rock committee. He was recently featured as the model on the cover of the bestselling collection Chillers from the Rock.

Runners up include Spirit of the Woods by Lynne Lumsden Green, Spirit of Spring by Melissa Wong and Tavaril by David Lynch.

The Flash Fiction Photography Contest is sponsored in part by FictionFirst Used Books, which specializes in previously enjoyed Sci-fi & Fantasy Novels, Roleplaying Manuals and Graphic Novels. It is run out of the Annapolis Valley and open by appointment only. Their inventory is currently over 5000 titled strong and they ship within Canada, USA and Europe. You can find them on Facebook, here.

The winning entry will be featured on this website as well as on the Fantasy Files newsletter (click to join!). Both runner-up entries will also be featured.

The first year’s worth of these amazing short stories have been collected in a lovely hardcover edition from Engen Books, featuring photos from the author and flash fiction stories from some of Canada’s top talent! Order your copy today!

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

 

‘From the Rock Stars’ becomes Amazon Bestseller!

This isn’t why we did this by a long shot, but From the Rock Stars just became a Amazon Bestseller on the Amazon CA free titles list.

With COVID-19 in full swing and the world in isolation, we thought of no better time and way to show our thanks than to offer this collection of short fiction for free during the course of the crisis, and at no more than cost for the print book. Please enjoy these stories at no cost, and we hope that the worlds they bring you to are brighter ones.

For years, Engen Books has produced an annual collection of the best genre fiction that Atlantic Canada has to offer: the From the Rock series. It has seen tremendous commercial and critical success and we couldn’t have done that without two groups: our spectacular writers, and our amazing readers. We’ve been looking to find a way to thank both for years.

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From the Rock collections alternate between three main genres: Science-Fiction, Fantasy, and Chillers. This collection contains the best examples of all three, in roughly equal measure. All stories are kept to a PG-13 standard to be as widely accessible as possible.

Those who read the series regularly will notice that there are some names that show up again and again. These individuals are known as Rockers: authors who have been included in at least three different collections, and who have proven themselves excellent at each of the main three genres we’ve challenged them with. They are Ali House, Chantal Boudreau, Jeff Slade, Jon Dobbin, Matthew Daniels, Nicole Little, Paul Carberry, Peter J Foote, Sam Bauer, and Shannon K Green. Collectively known as the best in genre fiction storytelling in Atlantic Canada.

Or, colloquially, as the Rock Stars.

Engen Books would like to that its board and these fine authors for bringing this book together so quickly. Free eBook copies and at-cost print copies are available HERE.

Luine – Kit Sora’s Storytime

Storytime!

There are more snaps from thus adventure that will get added later, but for now, some of Drew’s phone bits! Started with the lil pink sketch, followed by an evening of cutting out a million butterflies (thanks L), hot gluing said butterflies to my dear Harriett, and then getting fancy in the woods!

As we were laying Harriett in her spot, we heard a strange buzzing, and looked up to see a drone heading overhead- Oh to be in the room when they reviewed that footage xD

Super thanks to my darling husband & my precious roomie for lending hands, dressing and undressing skeletons, directing the line up of shots, and carrying my strange array of things through the woods.

‘Pulp Science-Fiction from the Rock’ becomes Amazon Bestseller!

[image error]Pulp Science-Fiction from the Rock, the sixth volume in the modern From the Rock series, hit #1 Bestseller on March 31, 2020 at 1:14 PM Newfoundland Standard Time.

The eBook is being released ahead of schedule due to shifts in schedule surrounding COVID-19. Purchasers will have it delivered on April 3, 2020.

It reached #1 in the category of ‘Science Fiction Short Stories (Books). As of this writing it has held that #1 spot for nearly 24 hours, and topped out at #522 on the overall paid Amazon ca charts.

A century ago, pulp magazines brought the fresh ideas of science-fiction and exploration to the masses with its rough, inexpensive format, and lit the imaginations of a generation on fire. Those inspired became the greatest storytellers of their time, producing stories that would shock, awe, and inspire. That legacy of the new, the different, and the strange lives on today in the minds and pens of genre writers all over the world.

Pulp Science-Fiction from the Rock seeks to honour that legacy with twenty-two short stories highlighting the best of the modern interpretations of Pulp Science-Fiction, from minds like Ali House (The Segment Delta Archives), Jon Dobbin (The Starving), and Sherry D. Ramsey (Beyond the Sentinel Stars)! With introduction from sci-fi legend Kenneth Tam!

Engen Books would like to congratulate editors Ellen Curtis, & Erin Vance on this achievement, and thank its fans and peers who helps make this possible. We also extend gratitude an congratulations to authors and contributors: Peter Foote, Ali House, Matthew Daniels, Nicole Little, Sherry D. Ramsey, Jeff Slade, Chantal Boudreau, Shannon Green, Jennifer Shelby, Jon Dobbin, Melissa Bishop, Brad Dunne, Corinne Lewandowski, JRH Lawless, Lisa Daly, Andrew Pike, Julie Aubut Gaudet, Daniel Windeler, Alissa Hickox, Andrew McDonald, CS Woodburn and Steve Power!

Reviews and Recommendations from Author Sarah Thompson

The Love of Summer author Sarah Thompson sat down this week to give her thoughts, reviews, and recommendations on some fellow indie and small press titles.

[image error]Black Womb

Dark and tormented with a number of twists and turns to pull the reader in and set up a story that could go on for a lifetime. Xander’s torment reflects the teen angst felt by so many, but with a sci-fi reasoning. A must read for any horror lover.

Transformations in Pain

A fun follow-up for fans of horror with a darker, heavier theme than the first that shows the growth of the author from the writing of the original story. The story draws some great parallels to the world of Marvel’s Venom but in a much more haunted and horrific story.

Smoke and Mirrors

The return of the villain from the first novel brings readers full circle in a story they began in book one. All loose ends are tied up and it feels as though a chapter has finally ended in the lives of Mike, Cathy and Xander to complete a trilogy of horror like no other.

[image error]Roulette

A brand new twist on the story of Xander Drew and friends as we move away from some of the science fiction elements in the original stories and into an adventure that becomes more than the group bargained for. Some new twists keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you longing for more.

Ghosts of the Past

Trigger alert. If you have been impacted by sexual assault or abuse in any manner, this book may not be for you. Going to a darker and deeper place than any other book thus far in the series, it touches on themes that may be difficult for many, but it is handled in a true to life way. Because of their experiences, the characters grow and become different people by the end of the story and you know they have more adventures ahead of them.

[image error]Small Town Queer

Small Town Queer is an impassioned telling of the true stories of people in the LGBTQ community who survived growing up in small town Newfoundland. It tells tales of first love, coming out, how their lives were changed by moving to larger cities and even the feeling of returning home later in life. There are moments that will pull at your heartstrings, whether or not you are a member of the community. It will touch you if you are a parent with young children, a parent of children in the community, or if you have anyone in your life that identifies as queer. These true stories can teach that love is love, is love, no matter what form it takes and that as much as the queer community can feel excluded, there are also stigmas and exclusions that exist within the LGBTQ. Grab your tissues, put on some soft music and take an hour to read through the beauty of the stories that may change everything about how you think about queer people.

March Fiction Recs | House Blog

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a shelf full of books you’ve been meaning to read (or two shelves). And, well, now seems like a good time to start making a dent in that.

On January 1st I posted two lists on my facebook page – a list of my favourite books read in 2019 and books I’m looking forward to reading in 2020. Currently, I’ve finished two of the books and am half-way through another. (I’d have put “The Lightbulb Forest” on that list, but seeing as how I wrote all those stories, I think they count as Read.)

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However, if you’ve been doing a lot of reading lately and you’d rather listen to something instead, here are some of my favourite fiction podcasts: (Please note, these podcasts tend to be dark, because I like twisted things)

Limetown . I haven’t listened to Season 2 or watched the series, and when I read the book I really only liked half of it, but I’ve listened to Season 1 over and over and over. A chilling and thrilling story about someone trying to figure out what happened to a town that disappeared.
The Message . Another that I’ve listened to multiple times. A team of cryptographers try to decode a message from space, but what might that message contain? [There’s a “sequel” to The Message called LifeAfter (quotations because it’s related, but not a direct sequel). I liked that one as well, although I liked The Message more. It’s about Ross, who spends most of his time listening to recordings of his late wife, but what happens when she begins speaking back to him?]
Palimpsest . I’ve only listened to Season 1 (Annabelle), and while it was a bit of a slow burn, it paid off in the end. A ghostly tale about memory and the past and what we perceive as reality. (Also, you can download the scripts, which might help a person if, say, they were thinking about maybe writing a podcast of their own…?)
Welcome to Night Vale . My OG podcast. I’ve only made it as far as chapter 20, but I love the weird, strange world that has been created. Also, Cecil’s voice is so calming to listen to.

 

If you have any recs for books or podcasts, let me know in the comments below!

Your ‘Pulp Science-Fiction from the Rock’ Staff!

Engen Books is proud to formally announce the team behind 2020’s Pulp Science-Fiction from the Rock: Erin Vance, Ellen Curtis, and Ariel Marsh!

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Erin Vance is an editor and a graduate of the Memorial University of Newfoundland English Honors Program. She won the Arts and Letters competition when she was just 14 years old in 2007 with her short story, “Something White.” She is featured in the Nelson Literacy 7 Homegrown (Newfoundland Edition) with her poem “Rough Draft.”

Erin wrote her Honors thesis paper, Song of the Mockingjay on exploring the nature of Katniss Everdeen’s agency in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series. She is creative, spiritual, and loves reading, writing, and anything to do with words.

Erin is the co-editor of the From the Rock anthology series, which highlights Newfoundland talent in genre writing, and is the editor-in-chief for Engen Books.

Ellen Curtis was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Her aptitude for the written word began at a young age, when she began filling paper with stories and other scribbles. Those scribbles eventually began to make more sense, and in 2008 she published her first collection of short stories. Since then, she has gone on to co-author the Infinity series with Matthew LeDrew, among her other literary endeavors.

Ellen earned her Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2015, and was under the illusion that completing her studies would mean she would have more free time. In reality, it simply means she does more reading, albeit for work. When she actually does find a spare moment, she enjoys spending time near the ocean nursing an espresso and daydreaming about the day she can fill her home with the happy bleating of Pygmy goats.

Ariel Marsh grew up in Moncton, New Brunswick. As a kid, she could always be found drawing or with her face buried in a book or two.

Once Ariel hit junior high, she developed a more serious interest in art, from pottery and sculpture to painting in all sorts of mediums. In college, she took Intro to Animation, and then a 3D Graphics and Design course. After leaving college, she focused on commissions, ranging from pin-ups to murals.

After moving to Nova Scotia in 2007, Ariel started to attend local conventions in the artist alleys. She soon launched her personal brand, Sweet Loots, consisting of original digital and watercolour illustrations, pet portraits, greeting cards, and some pop-culture paintings.

Ariel currently freelances with Engen Books as our resident illustrator and on-call cover designer. She most recently has provided the illustrations for The Last Tree by Michelle Churchill, released in the fall of 2019.

These three helm the amazing writing team of Peter Foote, Ali House, Matthew Daniels, Nicole Little, Sherry D. Ramsey, Jeff Slade, Chantal Boudreau, Shannon Green, Jennifer Shelby, Jon Dobbin, Melissa Bishop, Brad Dunne, Corinne Lewandowski, JRH Lawless, Lisa Daly, Andrew Pike, Julie Aubut Gaudet, Daniel Windeler, Alissa Hickox, Andrew McDonald, CS Woodburn and Steve Power for the 2020 Pulp Science-Fiction on the Rock collection!

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

Jeff Slade’s International Women’s Day Picks

Since today is International Women’s Day, I [Jeff Slade] thought I’d use my voice to promote the voices of female authors who I’ve found both inspiring and entertaining in equal turns.

So I compiled a list of ten books/authors, five non-local and five local, which you’ll find below. Go and check any (or all!) of them out and you won’t be disappointed!

Non-local:

The Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon

I’m not finished this one yet, so it may be kind of cheating, but I’m loving every second of it. I’m just a horribly slow reader, and it’s a long book, but a fantastic one. I like to think I’m savouring it, like a fine meal or wine, and am thoroughly enjoying the consumption of it.

A Darker Shade of Magic – Victoria “V.E.” Schwab

I’d meant to check this out for some time, and finally picked up the trilogy boxset last fall. I’ve only read the first one so far, but I’m hooked. It features a compelling story with two protagonists, a creative magic system, and an interesting premise on alternate worlds/dimensions. Great stuff.

Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell

This is one of the very few books I’ve ever read more than once. It may be the only one, now that I think about it. True, it’s YA, but I fell in love with the characters right from the beginning. It features fanfiction as well, which makes it even more interesting.

The Savior’s Champion – Jenna Moreci

I received an ARC of this, so I may be biased, but this is such a great story. Another interesting magic system, and fantastic characters that grab you from the start. The author is writing another book from one of the other character’s points of view of the same events, but start here for sure.

Solomon’s Seal – Skyla Dawn Cameron

If you’ve ever loved Tomb Raider or Indiana Jones, then you’re going to love the Livi Talbot series. This is the first one, and is a great story on its own. The fact that it launched a number of sequels, which is still ongoing, is just sweet, sweet icing on the cake. Livi is amazing and once you start you’ll be hooked.

Local:

[image error]The Six Elemental – Ali House – Author

Another YA title, and the first of another series, this book introduces us to a whole new world and another awesome magical/power system. The characters jump off the pages as well, and you’ll become immediately invested in Kit and her plight.

 

Operation Vanished – Helen C. Escott

This is the author’s second Operation title, and, while Operation Wormwood was great in its own right, this is my favourite of the two. A great mystery/whodunit style plot with compelling characters that will have you trying to figure out what happened right up until the end.

[image error]The Love of Summer – Sarah Thompson

This is a very recent title, but a great one nonetheless. I don’t read a lot of romance, the odd Rainbow Rowell novel aside, but this was a very satisfying read. A tale of two young women who find themselves living next door to each other, which follows their relationship from those innocent beginnings to college and well beyond, it’s a real page-turner that’ll leave you wanting more.

Resurrection – Tanith Frost

I have a bias towards urban fantasy, as I’m trying to dabble in it myself, but this finely polished first book of a seven book series set in Newfoundland is a must-read for any fan of the genre, or of great writing in general. The fact that it’s set here is a nice bonus, but it stands on its own merit aside from that.

Rock Paper Sex: The Oldest Profession in Canada’s Oldest City – Kerri Cull

Last but not least, and only last because I just finished reading it this afternoon, is this non-fiction book about the sex trade in St. John’s. It was a real eye opener for me, and a fascinating, unbiased read. I was very impressed by its diversity and how impartial the writer was able to maintain throughout. A very interesting read for sure.

Jeff Slade is a resident of Salmon Cove, Slade is an avid reader who enjoys both making and hearing puns, playing the guitar, and cats. Slade made his publishing debut in Chillers from the Rock with his chilling tale, The Culling, then went on to win the April 2018 Kit Sora Flash Photography Fiction Prize with his story, Extinguished. He returned in 2019’s Dystopia from the Rock with his story, Anchored, and in 2019’s Flights from the Rock collection with Flight of the Puffin.

Returning Rocker: Prize-Winning author Peter J. Foote announced as returning for ‘Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock’!

Engen Books is proud to announce the triumphant return of author Peter J. Foote to this year’s From the Rock collection, Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock.

Peter J. Foote is a bestselling speculative fiction writer from Nova Scotia. Outside of writing, he runs a used bookstore specializing in fantasy & sci-fi, cosplays, and alternates between red wine and coffee as the mood demands.

His short stories can be found in both print and in ebook form, with his story “Sea Monkeys” winning the inaugural “Engen Books/Kit Sora, Flash Fiction/Flash Photography” contest in March of 2018. As the founder of the group “Genre Writers of Atlantic Canada”, Peter believes that the writing community is stronger when it works together.

You can visit him at www.facebook.com/peterjfooteauthor/, and @PeterJFoote1 on Twitter.

Foote’s submissions have gained entry into each of the five modern From the Rock volumes. His story ‘The Silence Between Moons’ appeared in 2016’s Sci-Fi from the Rock, ‘A Troll by Any Other Name…’ in 2017’s Fantasy from the Rock, ‘A Friend in Shadow’ in 2018’s Chillers from the Rock, and ‘Final Edict’ in 2019’s Dystopia from the Rock.He had two stories featured in Flights from the Rock, ‘Lamenting Father’ and ‘Stowaway’s Luck,’both of which had editors raving.

Foote has proven himself to be a renaissance man of genre fiction, capable of rising to the occasion of any challenge thrown his way. As competition over placement in the From the Rock series has improved, so has Foote steadily grown in his authorial abilities.

He brings with his his new short story, ‘Delay on Route.’

Peter Foote joins Ali House, Matthew Daniels, Nicole Little, Sherry D. Ramsey, Jeff Slade, Chantal Boudreau, Shannon Green, Jennifer Shelby, Jon Dobbin, Melissa Bishop, Brad Dunne, Corinne Lewandowski, JRH Lawless, Lisa Daly, Andrew Pike, Julie Aubut Gaudet, Daniel Windeler, Alissa Hickox, Andrew McDonald, CS Woodburn and Steve Power for the 2020 Pulp Sci-Fi on the Rock collection!

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

Nalta | Kit Sora’s Storytime

Keeping it short this week!

The magic was created with a strainer, a cheese grater, and two cell phone flashlights! I balanced them on pillows on the bed, and then did a double exposure in camera for a few extra light bits! I sat in the middle of the cheese grater & the strainer, and it created this magical look!

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