Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 50
February 2, 2017
Introducing Katie Little, author for Fantasy from the Rock!
[image error]Engen Books is proud to announce an amazing new talent alongside Heather Reilly, Dave Reynolds, Ali House, and Ellen Curtis: Katie Little!
Katie Little is a writer and artist from St. John’s, Newfoundland. While her story for Fantasy from the Rock, ‘Sage and Salt,’ is her first published original work, she’s been writing for fun ever since she was old enough to hold a crayon. Katie has been a guest reader at various literary events in the area over the past several years; she also sells her artwork at local conventions and festivals as part of the art group Wormwood Tuesday.
Katie is currently focused on combining writing with visual art. Her active projects include a visual novel based on Greek mythology, an interactive fiction game about a dwarven mushroom farmer, and an illustrated zine of horoscopes for a zombie apocalypse. You can find her on Tumblr, Twitter, WordPress, Snapchat, and Instagram under the username owleesi.
February 1, 2017
Erin Vance returns to write for Fantasy from the Rock!
After making her fiction writing debut in the April 2016 collection Sci-Fi from the Rock with her short story Cast, Clutter, Pack, Murder, Engen Books’s own senior editor Erin Vance returns with an all-new story for this year’s collection.
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Erin Vance, Editor
Erin Vance is an editor and a graduate of the Memorial University of Newfoundland English Honors Program.
Erin wrote her Honors thesis paper, The Song of the Mockingjay, explored 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 an editor for Engen Books on a work-for-hire basis and is currently accepting proposals from more editing work in both copy and content from authors of all backgrounds and skill sets, subject to right-to-refusal and prices to be negotiated based on the amount of time each project is estimated to take. Potential authors wishing to work with Erin should write erinvance@engenbooks.com and allow up to four weeks for a response.
Since Sci-Fi from the Rock was published, Vance has continued advancing her career as a force to be reckoned with in Newfoundland genre and fantasy fiction, editing the urban fantasy thriller The Six Elemental, getting her thesis published under the Engen Academia line, and becoming the editor for Newfoundland author Christopher Walsh’s epic fantasy series, The Gold and Steel Saga.
January 31, 2017
“Making Family” author Jennifer White joins the Fantasy from the Rock cast!
[image error]Opportunities in Atlantic Canada bring out the best in all fields, as one of Newfoundland’s most talented new contemporary fiction authors of 2016, Jennifer White, joins genre staples such as Heather Reilly, Ali House, and Ellen Curtis!
Jennifer White has been writing since elementary school, winning many awards for her fiction. She is currently a school principal in North West River, Newfoundland.
She is married, has three children, and tries not to get too cold in the very long, Labrador winters.
Her debut novel, Making Family, is currently available through iTunes and Kobo.
She brings with her her short story Quiet Cove, which brings fantasy to a small town Newfoundland setting she writes so well.
January 30, 2017
Ellen Curtis writes for Fantasy from the Rock!
[image error]After co-helming two of Engen’s most successful endeavors in 2016, Sci-Fi from the Rock and Exodus of Angels, Ellen Curtis returns to her short-fiction writing roots with her new story, ‘Winter’s Loch.’
Ellen Curtis is a writer and web TV personality born and raised in St. Johns, Newfoundland; whose aptitude for the written word began at a young age, when she began writing short stories, poetry, lyrics and novellas.
She was ‘discovered’ at a Sci-Fi on the Rock II writing panel in 2008, and her first collection of stories, Compendium, was published just over a year later in October 2009.
Since then she has risen to become one of Engen’s lead authors, working of high-profile projects such as the Infinity series of adventure novels, become the editor of the From the Rock anthology series, and continuing in her own endeavors.
In her spare time she enjoys reading, art, music and spending time near the ocean.
For more information, visit the authors blog.
Ellen Curtis is the author of 7 works published through Engen Books and its partners, including novels and short-form stories.
Novels
Infinity by Ellen Louise Curtis and Matthew LeDrew
Series: Infinity, #1
The Pitch: Faced with a destiny he’s uncertain of, the enigmatic Victor must bring together four unique people with very special abilities… or face the tasks ahead alone. Guaranteed to excite!
The Tourniquet Reprisal by Ellen Louise Curtis and Matthew LeDrew
Series: Infinity, #2
The Pitch: There is a man living in Atlanta Georgia that people don’t talk about, but everyone knows he’s there. He arrived a year ago and turned a gaggle of uneducated and uninterested youth into a force to be reckoned with; something to fear more than any demon or violent act: something new.
Exodus of Angels by Ellen Louise Curtis and Matthew LeDrew
Series: Infinity, #3
The Pitch: Theo returns to the mental institution called Black Springs to help a young girl who has been trapped there while at the same time hunting for a cure for the beleaguered Leigh Blackheart. At the same time, Victor and Jaycee Victor and Jaycee venture to a palliative care unit in Los Angeles which holds a dark secret. Exploring themes of responsibility, the bounds of friendship, and assisted suicide, this installment is not be be missed.
Short Form – Single Author
Compendium by Ellen Louise Curtis
Series: Infinity (prologue), Compendium, #1
The Pitch: Delve deeper into the world of Engen Books than ever before with Compendium, the breakout novel by all-star author Ellen Curtis.
Featuring The Tourniquet Revival, Falling into Fire and At Midnight, The Dawn; plus a new introduction by the author!
Editor
Sci-Fi from the Rock by Ellen Louise Curtis and Erin Vance
Series: From the Rock, #2016
The Pitch: Nineteen short stories written by an eclectic mix of some of the best science-fiction and fantasy authors in Atlantic Canada, some of them award-winning veterans and some of them new to the craft for the first time. Edited by Erin Vance and veteran science-fiction author Ellen Louise Curtis, this collection features the heartfelt, creatively charged, astonishing fiction that showcases the talent and charm Atlantic Canada has to offer. Featuring the work of Kenneth Tam, Scott Bartlett, Jay Paulin, Alison House, & many more!
Click for more information and purchase options
Short Form – Anthology
Light-Dark by Ellen Louise Curtis
Series: Infinity (prologue), Black Womb (prologue),
The Pitch: Eight new stories from within the Engen Universe, featuring the talents of Jay Paulin, Andrea Edwards, Matthew LeDrew, Sarah Thompson & Ellen Curtis!
What the Wild Things Read by Jay Paulin
Series: Ink’d Well Charity Books, #1
The Pitch: Local creators collaborate in the name of charity to show how kids see the world in their clever, truthful, warped and unique way. Net proceeds benefit Free the Children. Great for all ages, and fans of Looney Tunes.
January 29, 2017
Matt Daniels returns in Fantasy from the Rock!
Returning to the From the Rock team is the incredibly talented Matthew Daniels, whose story Healer’s Hoards was one of the many fantasy entries in last year’s Sci-Fi from the Rock that inspired this year’s volume and alerted Engen Books to the talent for fantasy writing in this province!
“The treatment of the classic “dragon with a horde” is cool, and I enjoyed the writing style thoroughly. I hope to read more by Mr. Daniels in the future.” — Sam Bauer, author of ‘The Locket.’
Matt Daniels first caught the attention of Engen Books at the open-source book launch for Scott Bartlett’s Finished with Life But Unable to Die, where his work was noticed by senior partners Matthew LeDrew and Ellen Curtis for its vivid imagery and exceptional execution. He was asked to pen for the 2016 Sci-Fi from the Rock collection on the spot.Matthew Daniels was hatched in St. John’s, and spent many years stretching his wings between there and Labrador. Once old enough to hunt on his own, he ventured into the realm of the nerd, where he encountered such delights as Sci Fi on the Rock, Magic: The Gathering, and cake pops shaped like piranha plants set in cupcakes coloured like warp pipes. Though he cannot yet breathe fire, he did join the illustrious Sandbox Gaming. Check them out at http://www.sandboxgaming.org.
Matthew brings with him his new short story, Living and Learning.
January 28, 2017
Candace Hillier introduced as Fantasy from the Rock author!
[image error]The next author we announce is both an established talent and a new name! How is that possible? Through the magic of pseudonyms!
Candace Hillier was born in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Since then she have lived all over North America, and continue the journey now as a part of a military family. She attended the Memorial University of Newfoundland where she received a degree in Archaeology with a minor in Folklore, and continued her studies to gain a diploma in Heritage Studies.
Hillier went on to enjoy over a decade of archaeological work in both government and private sectors, being involved in sites such as the secret tunnels of Parliament Hill to a 5000 year old cemetery in Nova Scotia. She now home-schools her two sons, rides horses, and writes.
Hillier’s first novel, The Demons Within Us, was published under a pen name and received numerous awards. She brings with her her new short story, “Blood of the Sea Chronicles.”
January 27, 2017
Cover Design Unveiled: Fantasy from the Rock!
Amid the flurry of announcements regarding the ever-expanding lineup of terrific talent in the April 2017 Fantasy from the Rock, it’s easy to forget that a great collection of authors needs a great cover to unify all those great stories under one banner! Last year we got some stellar mixed-medium work from Kyle Callahan of Kyle Callahan Photography, and this year he’s returned with a piece that emphasizes the Celtic fairy origins of fantasy storytelling in Atlantic Canada.
This beautiful piece combining multiple mediums was crafted by Kyle Callahan of Kyle Callahan Photography. It incorporates stunning photography with stylized computer-generated art to bring the themes of the natural wonder of fantasy into the heart of St. John’s Newfoundland, where the photo was taken. It also features design and sculpture work by Ellen Curtis, who designed the fairy model that was used in the photography.
“Kyle and Ellen worked together during a photo-shoot in the fall. The results are simply magical and show what Atlantic Canadian talent can do when we work together towards a common goal. ” said Matthew LeDrew, founder of Engen Books. “We’re exceptionally pleased with this.”
The cover itself wraps around, showing an enchanted forest that looks to be directly lifted from the fantasy world of JRR Tolkien — but is actually in the heart of St. Johns Newfoundland! We can’t show the back cover because there are still several important authors yet to be released, but so far these authors include Ali House, Heather Reilly, Dave Reynolds, Sam Bauer, and Shannon Green! More announcements to come in the weeks leading up to our April 1 2016 release!
Edited by Erin Vance and Ellen Curtis, the collection promises to delight fans of fantasy from anywhere!
Thanks again to Kyle Callahan for this amazing cover! Anyone needing any sort of photography work done should check out his website, and stay tuned to EngenBooks dot com as we bring more and more insights into the cover creation process and author news in the coming weeks!
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January 26, 2017
‘The Six Elemental’ author Ali House returns for Fantasy from the Rock!
[image error]Ali House, whose first novel The Six Elemental started Engen’s spectacular tenth year anniversary in October 2016, is returning to the From the Rock collection series in Fantasy from the Rock with two all-new short stories, “The Invisible Boy” and “Honor.”
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.
“Some good Young Adult fiction is set up here, with something that pulls at my personal heartstrings. [The Six Elemental] is another book I must pick up when it comes out.” — Sam Bauer, author of ‘The Locket.’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 is the author of The Six Elemental, and has had short stories published in Sci-Fi From the Rock and Bluenose Paradox. 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.
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January 25, 2017
Blog of the Dead | Paul Carberry
Why do we love zombies? Or is it that we love to hate zombies? I mean how many of us root for zombies when we watch our favorite movies. I admit sometimes it’s satisfying watching a zombie tear into the flesh of the more annoying characters but more often than I would like they take away our beloved heroes.
Zombies to me will always be relevant because they can represent whatever you need them too. They can be the unholy punishment passed on to us by an angry God who has had enough of our sinful ways. They can represent corporate or even government greed in its most ruthless form. They can be the failed experiment of scientist trying to play God or a mad scientists secret weapon. Sometimes they need no explanation, it’s just fun to watch them eat a bunch of people and then watch us get revenge against the dead.
Zombies can be so much more than just the stereotypical brain hungry demon that we see. They are often the root cause of something much more evil. They often bring out the both the heroic saviors of mankind and the most diabolical villains among us. They change what is tolerable and acceptable behavior after the world has been overrun by the zombie apocalypse. It’s hard to find another situation where it becomes common practice for the “good guy” to kill other human beings and we still root for them to win. We all remember when Rick bit that guys neck at the end of season five and we loved him for it.
Zombies just won’t stay dead. They’ve been around since the Haitians started using the word “nzambi” in the early eight century. Since that time they have “evolved” and transformed into several different variations of the undying monster. The act of putting gravestones on top of had apparently come from the fear that the dead might come back to life. It started by placing rocks over a fresh graves, keeping the dead from coming back out of the ground. Some zombies talk, some run, some have super human strength while other crave brains and others crave flesh. They have been in countless movies, tv shows, books and video games.
So why are we so obsessed with these evil creatures? I’d love to know what everyone has to say about zombies. Feel free to tell me why you love or hate zombies if you see me out around. If you want to know how I feel about zombies keep following my blog of the dead.
Blog of the Dead
Why do we love zombies? Or is it that we love to hate zombies? I mean how many of us root for zombies when we watch our favorite movies. I admit sometimes it’s satisfying watching a zombie tear into the flesh of the more annoying characters but more often than I would like they take away our beloved heroes.
Zombies to me will always be relevant because they can represent whatever you need them too. They can be the unholy punishment passed on to us by an angry God who has had enough of our sinful ways. They can represent corporate or even government greed in its most ruthless form. They can be the failed experiment of scientist trying to play God or a mad scientists secret weapon. Sometimes they need no explanation, it’s just fun to watch them eat a bunch of people and then watch us get revenge against the dead.
Zombies can be so much more than just the stereotypical brain hungry demon that we see. They are often the root cause of something much more evil. They often bring out the both the heroic saviors of mankind and the most diabolical villains among us. They change what is tolerable and acceptable behavior after the world has been overrun by the zombie apocalypse. It’s hard to find another situation where it becomes common practice for the “good guy” to kill other human beings and we still root for them to win. We all remember when Rick bit that guys neck at the end of season five and we loved him for it.
Zombies just won’t stay dead. They’ve been around since the Haitians started using the word “nzambi” in the early eight century. Since that time they have “evolved” and transformed into several different variations of the undying monster. The act of putting gravestones on top of had apparently come from the fear that the dead might come back to life. It started by placing rocks over a fresh graves, keeping the dead from coming back out of the ground. Some zombies talk, some run, some have super human strength while other crave brains and others crave flesh. They have been in countless movies, tv shows, books and video games.
So why are we so obsessed with these evil creatures? I’d love to know what everyone has to say about zombies. Feel free to tell me why you love or hate zombies if you see me out around. If you want to know how I feel about zombies keep following my blog of the dead.
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