Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 6

Kit Sora made a splash at the 2020 Frosty Festival!

“Tonight. Was. Wonderful

Winner: “To Tire of Rest” by Matthew Daniels | Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest

After much deliberation, Engen Books is proud to announce the winner of the December 2019 Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest: Matthew Daniels with the story, To Tire of Rest!

Daniels has been in every From the Rock book thus far. His story ‘Healer’s Hoards’ appeared in 2016’s Sci-Fi from the Rock, ‘Living and Learning’ in 2017’s Fantasy from the Rock, ‘Grow Gold Together’ in 2018’s Chillers from the Rock, ‘Eggshell Revolution’ in 2019’s Dystopia from the Rock, and ‘Rooftop Statistics’ in Flights from the Rock.

In December 2019 he was named a member of the Engen Books Board of Directors.

His first novel, Diary of Knives, is set for a November 2020 release from Engen Books.

We had three judges for this collection:

[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.

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Born and raised in the St. John’s /Mount Pearl area, Melissa Bishop is a newcomer to the genre fiction scene in Atlantic Canada whose fantastic prose has taken the provinces community by storm. Her work won two Kit Sora awards in 2019: July 2019 ‘Cycles’ and September 2019 ‘Huntress of the Woods,’ and has placed numerous other times.

Bishop describes herself as a loyal Tolkien fan and high school teacher, teaching at the same high school she attended in her youth. She started writing when she was very young and honed her skills in High School, when she started a pen pal friendship that has lasted for over 17 years, writing stories back and forth to each other.

She was recently announced as being one of the author to be featured in 2020’s Pulp Science Fiction from the Rock anthology with her her short story ‘The Photograph.’

[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 My Sister’s Soul by Teigon Bond, and Accidentally He Gives Her Dreams by Colleen Anderson.

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

 

Ethuil | Kit Sora’s Storytime

This weeks snap was particularly fun, and it’s the first week in ages I feel like I have a truly exciting day to break down for you!

First off, the snap was based entirely around the fact that I picked up this INCREDIBLE witchy hat from The Realm of Fates Boutique at Sci-Fi, and it absolutely needed to be captured as soon as I physically could. The detail in it is exquisite, and while you can’t see it from the snaps because I always face the wrong direction, there’s a real wasps nest delicately attached to the hat, among other magical pieces. There will definitely be another shoot with this beauty, if nothing else to showcase the detail & magic that it possesses! I should also note that the necklace that I am wearing is also from the boutique, despite it not always being visible. Basically, go see them for any magical/witchy/fairy/elven/earthy request you may have!

The cauldron I borrowed from Tara & Noel because they’re awesome and had a cauldron! Dress came from the depths of the closet (literally took me taking out EVERY DRESS to find it), and cape was a random online find last fall!

I don’t often share my foundation ideas for photos, I like letting people come up with their own ideas and stories, but it’s a little funny this week! The plan was to head out into my magical woods, and find a nice mossy spot (because the moss is growing green again up there!), and I was going to be a springtime witch, creating a spring spell! I had a bag of flowers, a million vines, and of course my magical lil wand. The goal was to have vines draped over the sides of the cauldron, have smoke bellowing up from inside, and have a light inside as well, catching the smoke and giving off a magical glow! I’d have vines and flowers in my hand and wrapped around me as well for extra effect!… however.

Well, as I’m sure most of you know, we woke up that morning to a fresh blanket of snow, so I had to semi alter my train of thought! I wouldn’t get my green mossy patches, but bringing flowers and green in with the snow around actually worked out, so I figured I’d make it work!

By the time I was ready to shoot, looking out my window, the snow was completely gone, and I was back to my original idea!.. until we got to my magical woods which sits at a higher elevation, and realized there was more snow up there than where we were originally- and it was dreamy! I will admit, I’m completely ready for warm weather, tiny flowers, green moss, and being able to run barefoot through the woods without risking death, but driving up to the spot and getting out of the car, and peering down the untouched trail with snow piled up on the tiniest branches without a breath of wind had me re-excited for snow and the magic winter brings. It was a sweet little surprise, that I clearly needed

Once we dragged everything to our location, I set up a smoke machine inside the cauldron, and had it connected to a generator (which I’m sat on/in front of for most of the shots). We let that heat up, and Drew set up our ‘strainer/flower’ base for the cauldron to sit on, because we realized that morning that I didn’t have a plan for ‘fire’ under the cauldron. Oops! Conveniently, I had a bag of flowers begging to be burned, and we have far too much kerosene for any sane couple, so it worked out! I set up the tripod/camera/trigger combo, hopped into position and did a few test shots to make sure I was lined up. Drew started drowning the flowers in kerosene, and I got the remote all set.

Drew- Are you ready?

Kit- Ready!

Drew- *drops fire starting thing and ducks*

Fire- EXPLODES AND ENGULFS EVERY VINE/FLOWER/HAIR IN CLOSE RANGE

We very quickly realized that less kerosene was the key! The fire melted my precious draping vines in a matter of seconds, and I was lucky to not catch the dress on fire(oops!). Once the fire died down a bit, I settled in. I hit the remote to generate some fog from the smoke machine (had the light inside also ready to hit the fog and light it up), ONLY TO HAVE IT SCREAM AT ME, and let out a teeny fizzle of smoke.. Low and behold, I had taken the wrong machine.. We have 3 smoke machines kicking around in my dress closet, and I took the only one that doesn’t like to work, but instead lets out a death curdling scream. There goes that idea.

Despite the fire eating my spring items, and the fog machine literally screaming no, we made it work and had a laugh! I set up my phone flashlight inside the cauldron balanced on a set of gloves so as to not get too hot from the fire below, and we only swapped out the flowers from beneath the cauldron once for a new set. It was cozy by the fire, despite sitting in the snow, and having no wind was truly wonderful!

We thankfully didn’t encounter anyone on the trail, until we were loading up the car- Which of course is when I come barrelling out of the woods in my witchy garb, carrying a cauldron that weighs as much as I do. I tossed it into the trunk, and smiled at the two poor fellows who were unloading a skidoo who happened upon us. We piled into the car and drove off to Tim’s for a hot beverage

It felt good to be back in the groove of it all, so now I’m hopeful for the weeks to come!!

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

Rising Star Melissa Bishop announced as a Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock author!

Engen Books is proud to foster new, exceptional talent in it’s bestselling From the Rock anthology of short fiction. To that end, we are pleased to announce the inclusion of Melissa Bishop in 2020’s Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock.

Born and raised in the St. John’s /Mount Pearl area, Bishop is a newcomer to the genre fiction scene in Atlantic Canada whose fantastic prose has taken the provinces community by storm. Her work won two Kit Sora awards in 2019: July 2019 ‘Cycles’ and September 2019 ‘Huntress of the Woods,’ and has placed numerous other times.

Bishop describes herself as a loyal Tolkien fan and high school teacher, teaching at the same high school she attended in her youth. She started writing when she was very young and honed her skills in High School, when she started a pen pal friendship that has lasted for over 17 years, writing stories back and forth to each other.

She brings with her her short story ‘The Photograph.’

“The inspiration for “The Photograph” came from a discussion I had with a dear friend of mine,” says Bishop. “When talking about what would be a cool superpower, my friend wanted to be able to touch a photograph and travel back to that moment. I thought that was a really cool idea.”

Keep your eyes on this talent!

Ten other authors will be joining 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! We have established authors, award-winners, bestsellers, and returning From the Rock alumni left to announce! 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.

Slipstreamers Author Announcement | Spotlight on Peter J Foote

There are very few authors who have grown and excelled as much, while helping grown and expand the genre community in Atlantic Canada, as Peter J Foote. He has been featured in all the open-call anthologies of short fiction from Engen Books to date, and as every year the competition gets harder and harder, Foote’s skills grow and grow.

Engen Books is proud to reveal the first author announced as writing for the new Slipstreamers line of novellas, Peter J Foote!

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.

Foote is an amazing author and a true supporter of the genre arts in Atlantic Canada. He has become a mainstay with not only Engen Books, but with several publishers worldwide. A small selection of his work is listed below, and we hope you’re excited to look for his first novella as part of the Slipstreamers series in 2020.

[image error]The Artobiography by Kit Sora

Series: Kit Sora Photography, #1

The Pitch: 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.

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

Series: From the Rock, 2019B

The Pitch: This collection showcases the talent, imagination, and prestige that Canada has to offer. From steampunk stories to alternate histories, this collection has it all!

Featuring the work of Ali House (The Six Elemental, The Fifth Queen), Carolyn R Parsons (The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott), Sherry D. Ramsey (One’s Aspect to the Sun), and more.

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

Series: From the Rock, 2019A

The Pitch: This collection showcases the talent, imagination, and prestige that Canada has to offer. From stories of censorship gone awry to sentient buses, global warming to corporate-branded culture, this collection has it all!

Featuring the work of Jed MacKay (Daredevil: Man Without Fear, Edge of Spider-Geddon), Ali House (The Six Elemental, The Fifth Queen), Jon Dobbin (The Starving), and more.

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

Series: From the Rock, 2018

The Pitch: 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!

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

Series: From the Rock, #2017

The Pitch: This collection features the heartfelt, creatively charged, astonishing fiction that showcases the talent and charm Atlantic Canada has to offer. Featuring the work of Nick Morine, Christopher Walsh, Shannon Green, Heather Reilly, Ali House, Amanda Labonté, Paul Carberry & many more!

Sci-Fi from the Rock by Erin Vance & Ellen Curtis

Series: From the Rock, #2016

The Pitch: 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!

Engen thanks Kelly Rose

[image error]We love all our fans here at Engen, but every so often we think its a good idea to highlight a fan in a special way, because really: they keep things going over here. If there wasn’t anyone reading our books, we’d have no reason to keep writing them. With that in mind, we’d like to thank a longtime fan of our work: Kelly!

Kelly has been a longtime supporter of Engen Books, as evidenced by this photo from the longago times, when the local science-fiction convention was held at the Holiday Inn! She’s been there ever since the early, tiny, black-and-white cover books, reading, commenting, and reviewing. And just plain being awesome!

She’s an awesome reader to have and a true patron of the Genre Arts scene in Newfoundland! We hope to keep earning her and fans like her.

Brad Dunne, author of ‘After Dark Vapours’ announced as writing for ‘Pulp from the Rock’!

[image error]Engen Books is proud to announce that Brad Dunne, author of the 2018 novel After Dark Vapours, will writing for the 2020 anthology collection Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock with his tale ‘The Pale Horse.’

Brad Dunne is a freelance writer and editor from St. John’s, Newfoundland. He began his writing career as an intern at The Walrus magazine and has published journalism and essays in publications such as Maisonneuve, The Canadian Encyclopedia, and Herizons. His short fiction has been featured in In/Words, Acta Victoriana, and The Cuffer Anthology. His debut novel, After Dark Vapours, was released in October 2018 to great critical response, mixing literary sensibilities with genre storytelling.

His second novel, The Gut, is expected in September 2020 from Engen Books.

“Brad Dunne’s first novel is a literary masterpiece. His ability to craft pure terror and suspense is brilliantly fused with heartbreaking emotion and real life feelings leaves the reader turning the page all the way to the end. Brad Dunne is a new, exciting voice in both the horror genre and Newfoundland fiction.”

— Paul Carberry, bestselling author of Zombies on the Rock

“Dunne grabs you by the scruff of the neck in the opening scene and makes you watch as he takes a knife to his characters and peels them like an onion. When he’s done, every dark desire and hidden flaw is exposed and you’re left with nothing but tears in your eyes and an ache in your chest. It is a tale that is switches between time and location as the sins and choices of the past affect those in the here and now. Well researched, and well written, I highly recommend.”

— Peter Foote, bestselling short fiction author

Eleven other authors will be joining 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! We have established authors, award-winners, bestsellers, and returning From the Rock alumni left to announce! 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.

Prize-Winner Corinne Lewandowski announced as a ‘Pulp from the Rock’ author!

[image error]Corinne Lewandowski is an award-winning author and poet from Halifax Nova Scotia, whom we are proud to announce as a contributor to Dystopia from the Rock. She is a recipient of The Joyce Marshall Hsia Memorial Poetry Prize. Her previous work includes poetry, radio dramas, and the short story ‘Family Business’ in Dystopia from the Rock.

She brings with her ‘The Final Invasion,’ a intricate exploration of pulp science-fiction!

Twelve other authors will be joining 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! We have established authors, award-winners, bestsellers, and returning From the Rock alumni left to announce! 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.

Prize-Winner JRH Lawless announced as a Pulp from the Rock author!

Engen Books is proud to announce that JRH Lawless, winner of the February 2019 Kit Sora Flash Fiction Prize, is bringing his story ‘Breaking the Ice’ to the Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock anthology.

J.R.H. Lawless writes Science Fiction full of dark humour and hope, set in a consistent Universe.

Lawless is a multiple award-winning Canadian SF author who blends comedy with political themes — drawing heavily, in both cases, on his experience as a lawyer and as Secretary General of a Parliamentary group at the French National Assembly. A member of SFWA and Codex Writers, his short fiction has been published in professional venues, and most recently in the Third Flatiron Press Terra! Tara! Terror! anthology, to great reviews, placement as 2018 Recommended Reading, and an award for Best Positive Future Story 2018.

Lawless is also a craft article contributor to the SFWA blog, the SFWA Bulletin, and Tor.com.

His first novel, Always Greener, debuts February 18, 2020.

Flights from the Rock

27 short stories celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the first Trans-Atlantic Flight! Stories by wonderful bestselling authors as well as new talent, and edited by Erin Vance, Lisa Daly, and Ellen Curtis!

C$25.00

Thirteen other authors will be joining 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! We have established authors, award-winners, bestsellers, and returning From the Rock alumni left to announce! 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.

 

‘The Love of Summer’ by Sarah Thompson debuts to incredible success

‘The Love of Summer’ by Sarah Thompson of Corner Brook, Newfoundland has debuted to incredible success in its opening 24 hours.

During the title’s preorder phase it attained Bestseller status in its category on Amazon on January 8, 2020. In the 24 hours since its initial release the novel has had nearly 5,000 page views on Kindle Unlimited, an estimated 30 copies read cover to cover at a rate of a copy read per hour.

When asked for comment, Thompson responded: “I’m at a loss for words. I don’t even know how to process this. And we lesbians are real good at processing.”

You can check out The Love of Summer now on Kindle Unlimited, eBook, and physical media by following the link here. Or for Canada, by clicking here.

Engen Books would like to thank the author and her readers on this incredible success, and would love to hear your feedback on the title, either on Amazon, Goodreads, or any venue you choose to express it.

The Love of Summer | A Romance by Sarah Thompson

Kerri Walters had a normal life until she met Summer Donnelly. She had just turned 18 in the small community of Jenkinstown when new neighbours moved in next door, including Summer. The pair become inseparable and it soon becomes clear to Kerri that there is more happening than just a friendship. Will Kerri hide her feelings from her best friend?

What will happen if Summer finds out how Kerri feels?

C$25.00