Matthew Ledrew's Blog, page 8
January 4, 2020
Winner: “Bubble” by N. Phoenix Bowman | Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest
After much deliberation, Engen Books is proud to announce the winner of the October 2019 Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest: N. Phoenix Bowman with the story, Bubble!
N. Phoenix Bowman was born of the rich red earth in a rural Nova Scotia fishing village during the 1980s. She is the author of the Outer Worlders series. These days, when not writing, she create tattoos for clients in a New Minas, Nova Scotia, tattoo shop.
We had two 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.
[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 Bubble by Penny Rideout, and Bubble by Paul Carberry.
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
January 3, 2020
C. S. Woodburn announced as a Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock author!
One of our greatest pleasures is bringing new talent to the forefront with our From the Rock collections! With that in mind, we’re proud to announce that C. S. Woodburn joins us for Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock!
Woodburn was born in Vancouver and currently lives on the West Coast. She has worked as an office cleaner, tea server, sales associate, and office assistant. Her only previous writing credit is ‘Sardines’ from the short story collection The Body Book.
She brings with her ‘Green,’ a sombre look at the future that might have some reliving memories of Dystopia from the Rock.
Twenty other authors will be joining 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.
December 31, 2019
Steve Power announced as the first Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock Author!
It’s a new year with new rules, and we thought there would be no better way to ring in 2020 with the first announcement of one of our most anticipated releases: Steve Power joins us as the first author announced for Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock!
Steve was born on a frozen rock in the North Atlantic and currently lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He loves cats, cars, history, and politics. Steve’s creative inspirations include the Stephen King, Ridley Scott, William Gibson, and Robert E. Howard. He’s a reverent fan of Lord of the Rings, Conan the Barbarian, & the ’80s GI Joe.
Though he currently has six works in progress, he brings with him his first published work: ‘For the Crown,’ a seductive, slow-building story with a sudden science-fiction impact that took our editors’ breath away!
“Pretty excited about it for a few reasons,” said Power. “I really appreciate the validation, if nothing else it tells me that someone holds value in something I’ve created. That’s huge for me. Even a short story in an anthology means, for me, “hey, someone liked it enough, or saw some kind of intrinsic value enough to stand by me.” So that’s cool.”
Twenty-One other authors will be joining 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.
December 20, 2019
Looking Ahead: Engen 2020
2019 was an amazing year with a plethora of new titles from Newfoundland’s fastest growing publisher, culminating in the release of our first Young Readers book, The Last Tree. It’s been an incredible year, but we’re here to let you know: 2020 is going to be even crazier.
We have a metric ton of titles coming out, a great deal of which we can’t even tell you about yet. But there are 15 that we can tell you about, and they’re gonna be nuts.
For the Love of Summer
Author: Sarah Thompson
Genre: LGBTQ+ Romance
Our first book of 2020 is a bold new romance from Sarah Thompson, following Summer and her journey through young adulthood to find herself, and realize that the person she’s been searching for has been her best friend all along. Check it out in January 2020!
[image error]The Lightbulb Forest
Author: Ali House
Genre: Short Fiction
Ali House is one of the top minds in short fiction to come out of Atlantic Canada in the last ten years, and finally her work has been collected into one spectacular volume of short fiction. Collecting 40 tales, this book covers science-fiction, fantasy, dystopia, comedy, horror, and lit fiction stories. Something for everyone in this spectacular volume. Coming February 2020!
Pulp Sci-Fi from the Rock
Authors: Top Secret!
Genre: Science-Fiction, Short Fiction
Our yearly From The Rock series continues with its sixth straight volume, focusing on tales inspired by the Pulp Sci-Fi era of storytelling! Featuring 22 amazing authors from Atlantic Canada, this collection is sure to add to the growing list of bestsellers on the From the Rock list! Not to be missed! Edited by Ellen Curtis and Erin Vance, coming April 2020!
Fate’s Shadow
Author: Matthew LeDrew
Genre: Crime Thriller
The follow-up to the explosive Family Values finds Xander Drew in a state of obsessed depression, as he attempts to find the villainous Celena. He is pulled out of his quest though when one old friend returns from the past — and another meets an untimely fate. Can Xander figure out the truth behind this mystery before its too late? Find out in April 2020!
Pedestal
Author: Gareth Mitton
Genre: Hard Science-Fiction
Answering the call for more science fiction comes Gareth Mitton, a prominent and cerebral author from the United Kingdom! Gareth brings with him an incredible story that questions our very view of reality in this incredible instant classic! Not to be missed by fans of Arthur C Clarke, Robert Heinlein, and Scott Bartlett! Coming May 2020!
Ashes
Author: Lauralana Dunne
Genre: YA Fantasy
A YA Fantasy perfect for fans of Harry Potter and His Dark Materials! The story follows Phoenix, a young girl acclimating to life in a strange fantasy world embroiled in a decades-long conflict between men and gargoyles. She must discover who she is and who she can trust if she hopes to unravel the schemes and machinations that threaten to take down her kingdom. Sure to be one of the top books of 2020, don’t miss this debut from our next superstar author Lauralana Dunne in June 2020!
Return to the Depths
Author: Amanda Labonté
Genre: YA Fantasy
The thrilling conclusion to the story of the Newfoundland merrow started in Call of the Sea and Drawn to the Tides! July 2020!
Garden of the 8th Circle
Authors: Ellen Curtis & Matthew LeDrew
Genre: Sci-Fi Crime Thriller
The long-awaited fourth volume in the Infinity series from Curtis and LeDrew sees the team deal with the unexpected loss of a teammate at the end of Exodus of Angels, as a new threat from Victor’s past rears its ugly head: a cult of sick youth that may have formed as a result of one of his terrible, terrible mistakes. Includes massive hints to the larger epic story of the Engen Universe, this one is a must-read for fans! August 2020!
The Gut
Author: Brad Dunne
Genre: Noir Thriller
The second novel from the acclaimed author of After Dark Vapours follows a new hero through a dark fantasy noir tale. Details are slim, but mark your calendars for September 2020!
Crachodon
Author: Paul Carberry
Genre: Horror
The fourth novel from bestseller Paul Carberry takes us away from the zombies on the land and brings us to threats in the ocean’s depths, and the incredibly massive sharks named Crachodon! Coming October 2020!
Exposure
Author: Erin Vance
Genre: Action Comedy
The first novel from Engen’s editor-in-chief, following a pair of new unlikely heroes through the Engen Universe as they learn the ins and outs of this strange world! Celebrate the amazing editor behind the From the Rock series bringing her story to fruition! Coming October 2020!
Terror Nova
Authors: Top Secret!
Genre: Horror Short Fiction
Helmed by Newfoundland’s preeminent horror showman Mike Hickey (Filmmaker, Designer, Host of Fright Hype) and horror master Matthew LeDrew. It will feature new stories by Newfoundland’s most promising talent, curated specifically for the task of bringing Newfoundland’s terrifying mythology to life! Coming October 2020!
Diary of Knives
Author: Matthew Daniels
Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller
Nick, Kelly, and Tash — first introduced in The Tourniquet Reprisal — must navigate their way through incredible danger as they are discovered by an evil organization conducting tests on powered people! The first full length novel from one of the stars of every From the Rock novel, Matthew Daniels! Not to be missed in November 2020!
The Broken Spire
Author: Jon Dobbin
Genre: Fantasy
An amazing fantasy novel featuring an adventurer who thinks he’s seen it all: until the day a he’s hired to find a mystical floating castle and — to his amazement — discovers that it is real. Filled with wit and amazing prose, this book continues the tradition of Dobbin’s incredible writing and is not to be missed! Coming December 2020!
The most ridiculous thing: that’s not even all of it! Stay tuned for more giant 2020 announcements!
December 18, 2019
New Year’s Resolutions (For Writers) | House Blog
I resolve to finish at least one project I start. (I have twelve months ahead of me, which should be more than enough time to get a working draft done of something. And although I may leave a hundred unfinished projects in my wake, I will finish that one thing. …Unless it gets too hard, then I’ll switch projects to something else that I’m sure to finish. But I’ll definitely finish that project.) (Probably.)
I resolve to never be without a pen. (I will continue to buy more pens than I could ever possibly need, and to be very particular about which pens I buy because some are definitely better than others and ink consistency matters very much.)
I resolve to continue buying books even though I have piles of unread books around my home. (I’d resolve to stop doing that, but it would probably be broken within minutes.)
I resolve to review more books. (Considering how often I read reviews to get an idea of what a book’s like, I should be writing more of them.)
I resolve to finish editing that 300,000 word behemoth of a story. (I can achieve that in twelve months… Right?)
I resolve to be more confident about my work. (Baby steps…)
I resolve not to let bad reviews get me down. (Well, not too much.)
I resolve not to let good reviews give me a swollen ego. (Well, not too much 
December 6, 2019
Top 9 of 2018 | Kit Sora’s Storytime
My top 9 photos of 2018!
[image error]
2018 was an incredible year. I try not to set expectations for the new year, and like to just let it happen! I’ve had so many wonderful opportunities to share my photography with everyone, most recently in book form- which is insane! I’m so grateful for these amazing chances to share my passion, and this year has been wonderful for it!
My favourite moment this year of course has to be when my precious boy, my soul sister, and her precious boy and I adventured to my favourite waterfall, and they all tricked me into a mini photo shoot, when Drew so sneakily got down on one knee and asked me to be his forever- it doesn’t get much better than that 
While I share my favourite moments and accomplishments, please know it hasn’t all been perfect, and I don’t claim to be! My brain plays dark tricks on me often, and there have been many days I can’t pull myself off the couch. I just choose to focus on the positive, and the happy moments!
Having a mental illness doesn’t mean you are any less deserving or capable of wonderful things. Those days you get out of bed are so worth celebrating, and the plans you don’t cancel are extra special! You made it through 2018, and that’s amazing.
I’m not one for resolutions, so I’ll just say I wish everyone a kind and magical new year, and I encourage whoever reads this to share something below that you are proud of, or excited about, or even something simple you did that brought you joy in 2018, so I can read all about it and be excited with you!
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
November 18, 2019
What Happens to Forgotten Ideas? | House Blog
I had a great idea for a blog post, but then I forgot it.
I can’t remember anything about it, only the vague feeling of ‘Oh, this’ll make a great blog entry’. The rest, my friends, is darkness. It felt like the kind of idea that I would have written an entire post about, instead of doing my usual thing, which is:
get an idea
write two paragraphs
get stuck
wonder why I thought this would be a good idea in the first place
think of something else
repeat steps 2-5 many more times before losing your mind (once you’re officially insane, move on to step 7)
magically discover an idea that’ll fill a whole blog post
panic because it’s already the 18th and you’re behind schedule!
write the post
[Full Disclosure: I did steps 1-5 before that idea hit me, but I’m sure it would have made me go straight to step 7 instead of step 6. Fuller Disclosure: I only wrote one paragraph before I got stuck.]
Anyways, the point is that the idea left me. Utterly and completely left me. I was sitting at my computer, trying to think of something to write when suddenly I had a brilliant revelation. But instead of writing it down I got distracted by something and by the time I went back to it, the idea was long gone.
This happens most often when I’m trying to get to sleep. I’ll be thinking of how lovely it would be to drift away to dreamland instead of lying here awake when suddenly I’ll think of a new idea or scene or a way to fix a plot point that’s been bothering me. However, the thought of getting up and turning on the light, finding pen and paper and writing it all down can seem like a lot of work. So instead of doing that, I’ll tell my brain that I’d better remember this when I wake up or I’ll be pissed. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Which leaves me with the question I asked about three hundred and fifty-three words ago: what happens to a forgotten idea?
Is it waiting patiently for me to remember it one day? It it hovering in the background somewhere, hoping and wishing that one day I’ll suddenly have a light-bulb moment and it can spring forth?
Did it get lost in the ether, swirling in idea-purgatory forever? Hoping that it’ll stay above water and won’t get dragged down into the depths from whence it’ll never come back, buried underneath all the other forgotten ideas?
Or did it move on to someone else, finding satisfaction in being acted upon by a person who didn’t forget it? Have all my forgotten ideas shuffled off to someone else? Is someone else writing the stories that I didn’t?
I’d like to think that those ideas don’t ever leave me, that they get stored away somewhere in the back of my mind, waiting for the right time. And some point in the future something will happen and it’ll appear, ready. Maybe it’ll seem familiar or maybe not, but it’ll be there, and that’s all that matters*.
_________
*And hopefully this time I’ll be smart enough to write it down the instant I think of it.
November 12, 2019
Winner: “Huntress of the Woods” by Melissa Bishop | Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest
After much deliberation, Engen Books is proud to announce the winner of the October 2019 Kit Sora Flash Fiction Photography Contest: Melissa Bishop with the story, Huntress of the Woods!
Melissa Bishop lives in St. John’s but spends a lot of time at her cabin in Georgetown, where inspiration is often discovered on woodland walks. She likes finding the magic in everyday, mostly through reading, writing, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
We had two 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.
[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 One Such As Me by Teigen Bond, Bow and Error by Andrew Pike, and The Last Stand by Melissa Bishop.
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
November 6, 2019
Head in the Clouds | Kit Sora’s Storytime
This weeks was slightly rushed, as I had to make / shoot it on Saturday evening because Sunday was a heckin busy day! I think I actually sketched it earlier that day too!
So this was sort of a mash between ‘head in the clouds’, ‘look to the stars’, ‘light on the other side’ etc. I needed something I could create relatively fast, and with stuff already in the house. I found a sheet of cardboard (large), and literally plopped my face onto the cardboard in my living room to trace my face (both Drew and Tim were napping at this point). Once traced, I just cut out my face hole, and then glued down both lights and fluff. In the end, the lights didn’t work out quite how I had envisioned, but they’re cute enough for the one shot with Mulan 
I had planned to have my hands pulling back the clouds for me to peer my head through, however it looked suuuuuper ridiculous having fingers and a hand popping through right next to my face, despite my desperate attempt at dainty hands. I felt more like a giant spider, so gave up!
While I had the sketch for reference, I still wasn’t sure on what angle I needed/wanted to shoot from, so I used my darling boy for a few test shots!.. in the evening.. in front of our giant bay window on the main road.. with the curtains open.. He totally didn’t lock eyes with a poor passer by 
November 2, 2019
Announcing: Terror Nova, a new anthology of chilling Newfoundland tales!
Engen Books is proud to announce to addition of Terror Nova, an anthology of Newfoundland thriller fiction, to its Fall 2020 lineup of titles!
The title will be helmed by Newfoundland’s preeminent horror showman Mike Hickey (Filmmaker, Designer, Host of Fright Hype) and horror master Matthew LeDrew. It will feature new stories by Newfoundland’s most promising talent, curated specifically for the task of bringing Newfoundland’s terrifying mythology to life!
Stay tuned to Engen Books social media for announcements on the writers selected for this incredible project, and look for Terror Nova during Halloween 2020!
