Charlie Morgan's Blog, page 9
August 14, 2012
David Moody returns with the re-issue of Trust!
Hey, folks! David Moody has an awesome new book out. It's a re-release of one of his early books and Trust me, this thing is AWESOME!
For U.S. Shoppers:
http://www.amazon.com/Trust-ebook/dp/...
http://www.amazon.com/Trust-ebook/dp/...
For UK Shoppers:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trust-ebook/d...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trust-David-M...
For ALL Shoppers:
http://www.infectedbooks.co.uk/limite...
http://www.infectedbooks.co.uk/Signed...
August 9, 2012
Ghosts of Memory - a poem
Violent flashes of my screamsOf the demons ripping from my dreamsI will not hold backIt's time to go To face the ghosts of long ago
Twenty three days awaiting meComing forth to try and take awayAll that I've done and all I'll ever be
The road winds on like a serpent in coilIt's venom eating at my soulI try to forget but it returns ten foldEveryday I wait for the bell to toll
It's time to stand upand face my fate alone
Violent flashes of my screamsOf the demons ripping from my dreamsI will not hold backIt's time to show the ghosts I'm not a broken soul
The dreams, they come like a thief in the nightRaging from the past and looking for a fightStand or fall, I'll give it all my might
Violent flashes of what's lostOf the light that was takenIt was the costI will not hold back these tearsThey fallThese Ghosts of MemoryShow me all there is to see
I condemn you for what you causedGoddamn you for all that I sawYou took my life and fled awayI hereby command that you will not win this day
Welcome to the Land of the DeadWhere no prayer can save your headCome and collect what is duein the Hell that I have made for you
August 6, 2012
5 am Surprise
I can honestly say that I was floored this morning. It had been a long night without any sign of sleep. I busied myself with my usual round of insomnia fueled adventures (browsing YouTube for new music, lessons on how to play instruments that I don't even own, pranks, fart jokes, etc). Then it was on to Facebook to see what was going on in the world of my friends... then I saw something.
If you look at the top, left portion of this page, you will see a banner of an angry looking chap by the name of David Moody. Clicking on this picture will take you to a Facebook group called Moody's Survivors. Within this group are fans and authors. Many of the authors are up-and-comers while many are also some of today's heavy hitters of the horror genre. This all boils down to an event called “The Survivor Awards.” As I checked the results to see how my picks did, I saw my name on the list. Best Horror Novella: Sticks And Stones by Charlie Morgan. I had to check and make damn sure that I wasn't asleep.
This means a great deal to me because of what I said earlier. The group is filled with fans and authors. Many of the authors are part of the reason that I write these things to begin with. Sticks And Stones was voted on by the readers. The very people that I do this for. And that, my friends, makes it all worth it.
In closing, let me just say this to the fine folks at Moody's, thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it and helped me turn a very dark portion of my life into something positive.
You can view all of the results by clicking HERE.
August 2, 2012
Lakewood, North Carolina: Fun Facts
The setting of the sleepy village of Lakewood appears in most of my stories. I figured I'd take the time to point some fun stuff out.
First and foremost, Lakewood is a real place... well, sort of. I live in a little inkblot on the map called Tuxedo, North Carolina. It's right on the state line with South Carolina and is bordered by the Greenville Watershed. Originally, Tuxedo was called Lakewood. I really liked the name and figured it would be the ideal setting for the horrors that have played out in my stories. Lake Summit rests in the center (I also took it's original name -Lake Edith- and used it as well). Like when you have a dream. When familiar locations pop up in a dream, you know exactly where it is and all the details even though the dreamworld tends to take on different forms. Lakewood is the Tuxedo of my nightmares... and I have plenty of those.
The Lowe Road is real too and is pretty much exactly how it sounds in the stories. It's mostly a long, winding, dirt road and has many old buildings scattered about. Now it's mostly paved and housing developments are filling space. The actual name of the road is Pinnacle Mountain Road. I renamed it Lowe Road after the character Rev. Lester Lowe from Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf.
Birthday Wish was written for my little buddy. My nephew Dakota. I don't have children and he was pretty much the closest I've ever had. My wife and I pretty much raised him for the first two years of his life. He's a sweet boy and all around goofball (just like uncle Charlie). We spoiled the shit out of him. Sadly, I don't see him much since the split.
Just In Sight came about during a trip to town during a snowstorm. We were on a, somewhat, isolated road and I began wondering what would happen if we hit the ditch. That story was also inspired by my wife at the time and was dedicated to her and my nephew Dakota.
Later on, she would again inspire another story... Sticks and Stones. It was during the beginning of our separation and I had a lot of frustrations to let out (and believe me... I let 'em out to play!). The story would later become my first Best-Seller. So in an odd way, I suppose I should thank her for that one.
Now, onto another reader favorite. Carcass is actually based on a true story of sorts. During the 1960's, at the very farm I am sitting at now, my great-grandfather came home and found his family in fear of something that had been lurking around outside. It made strange sounds and had frightened them to the very core. He laughed at them. To prove his point, that there was nothing to fear, he walked outside into the night without a gun and tried to find what had startled them. He made it to an old apple tree where he sat and listened to something moving around the field. He could hear the sounds and, according to him, it sounded as if it had been circling him. He made it back to the house and apologized for making fun of the family. It turns out, there were other people who lived around here who had spoke of similar incidents that occurred around the same time. To my knowledge, nobody has ever figured out what it was that had passed through that night. I will say that it wasn't the last time it happened. It comes through every year.
All of these stories can be found in my newest paperback collection. You can get your copy by clicking HERE. Also be sure to have a look at the "Letters from the Author" section in the back of the book for a piece called "The Legend of the Mountain Devils" for more details on the real-life spooky events that inspired some of these tales.
I hope you've enjoyed this and come back soon. Tell your friends, enemies, pets and victims to swing by as well.
First and foremost, Lakewood is a real place... well, sort of. I live in a little inkblot on the map called Tuxedo, North Carolina. It's right on the state line with South Carolina and is bordered by the Greenville Watershed. Originally, Tuxedo was called Lakewood. I really liked the name and figured it would be the ideal setting for the horrors that have played out in my stories. Lake Summit rests in the center (I also took it's original name -Lake Edith- and used it as well). Like when you have a dream. When familiar locations pop up in a dream, you know exactly where it is and all the details even though the dreamworld tends to take on different forms. Lakewood is the Tuxedo of my nightmares... and I have plenty of those.
The Lowe Road is real too and is pretty much exactly how it sounds in the stories. It's mostly a long, winding, dirt road and has many old buildings scattered about. Now it's mostly paved and housing developments are filling space. The actual name of the road is Pinnacle Mountain Road. I renamed it Lowe Road after the character Rev. Lester Lowe from Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf.
Birthday Wish was written for my little buddy. My nephew Dakota. I don't have children and he was pretty much the closest I've ever had. My wife and I pretty much raised him for the first two years of his life. He's a sweet boy and all around goofball (just like uncle Charlie). We spoiled the shit out of him. Sadly, I don't see him much since the split.
Just In Sight came about during a trip to town during a snowstorm. We were on a, somewhat, isolated road and I began wondering what would happen if we hit the ditch. That story was also inspired by my wife at the time and was dedicated to her and my nephew Dakota.
Later on, she would again inspire another story... Sticks and Stones. It was during the beginning of our separation and I had a lot of frustrations to let out (and believe me... I let 'em out to play!). The story would later become my first Best-Seller. So in an odd way, I suppose I should thank her for that one.
Now, onto another reader favorite. Carcass is actually based on a true story of sorts. During the 1960's, at the very farm I am sitting at now, my great-grandfather came home and found his family in fear of something that had been lurking around outside. It made strange sounds and had frightened them to the very core. He laughed at them. To prove his point, that there was nothing to fear, he walked outside into the night without a gun and tried to find what had startled them. He made it to an old apple tree where he sat and listened to something moving around the field. He could hear the sounds and, according to him, it sounded as if it had been circling him. He made it back to the house and apologized for making fun of the family. It turns out, there were other people who lived around here who had spoke of similar incidents that occurred around the same time. To my knowledge, nobody has ever figured out what it was that had passed through that night. I will say that it wasn't the last time it happened. It comes through every year.
All of these stories can be found in my newest paperback collection. You can get your copy by clicking HERE. Also be sure to have a look at the "Letters from the Author" section in the back of the book for a piece called "The Legend of the Mountain Devils" for more details on the real-life spooky events that inspired some of these tales.
I hope you've enjoyed this and come back soon. Tell your friends, enemies, pets and victims to swing by as well.
July 27, 2012
My First Paperback Collection Is Now Available!
Vampires, deranged killers, ancient creatures and more await within the pages of CAMPFIRES; a collection of tales from Amazon.com Best-Selling Author, Charlie Morgan.
Includes Sticks And Stones and other tales that see print for the first time ever. Sit down, relax and hold your machete tight. It's gonna be a Hell of a night!"Sticks and Stones is slick Gothic pulp that is fun and goes down smooth. It plays a little like an episode of "Tales From The Crypt". Charlie Morgan is someone you should keep your eye on. His prose is clear, vivid and he captures the drudgery of small town life quite nicely. The violence, while brief, is savage and fitting. I look forward to more of Charlie's stuff."- Chip Fehd BuyZombie.com review of STICKS AND STONES"If Eric Brown and Brian Keene had a baby with Richard Laymons face on it!"
It contains all of my Kindle stories and a few others.You can get it now by clicking HERE
July 24, 2012
World Premiere Movie: The Un-Godly!
Hahahaaaa!
I was digging through some old DVDs today and came across something I haven't seen since we made it. It remained unedited and raw for all this time. Myself and a few friends got together and decided to make a movie. We even went as far as bringing in a professional actress named Michelle Lamelza (PS Michelle, I'm sorry this flopped! You are a fantastic actress and I'm sorry we made you come all the way up here for this.)
Anyway, the idea was to send the completed "film" to a festival. That didn't happen. The sound was terrible. The lighting was terrible. The acting (with some exceptions) was terrible... But just for fun, here's the completed film; viewed for the first time ever by a willing audience. It's Insane, It's Bloody, It's Un-Godly. It sucks! Haha!
I was digging through some old DVDs today and came across something I haven't seen since we made it. It remained unedited and raw for all this time. Myself and a few friends got together and decided to make a movie. We even went as far as bringing in a professional actress named Michelle Lamelza (PS Michelle, I'm sorry this flopped! You are a fantastic actress and I'm sorry we made you come all the way up here for this.)
Anyway, the idea was to send the completed "film" to a festival. That didn't happen. The sound was terrible. The lighting was terrible. The acting (with some exceptions) was terrible... But just for fun, here's the completed film; viewed for the first time ever by a willing audience. It's Insane, It's Bloody, It's Un-Godly. It sucks! Haha!
July 22, 2012
Them Or Us by David Moody Review
It's all there; the paranoia, the suspense, the destruction and the violence. Everything that made the Hater trilogy the powerhouse that it's became. I finished this book at 3 am this morning; determined to see how it all ended. It all boils down to a thrilling and fitting climax with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Hater was my introduction to the works of David Moody. I learned of it from a promising review from Fangoria magazine. Since then, so much has happened. I became a member of the Facebook group "Moody's Survivors", a group of authors and fans who gather to discuss Moody's work and anything else (if you enjoy David's work, please feel free to drop by). Strange how a series of hate and taking sides can bring so many people close together.
I have to say that I was saddened as I closed the book that last time, as Danny McCoyne's journey came to it's end. I highly recommend this book and anything else by Mr. Moody. I can't wait to see what he cooks up next.
Check out the series now!
Hater
Dog Blood Hater book 2
Them Or Us Hater book 3
Also be sure to have a look at his zombie apocalypse series Autumn!
Autumn
Autumn: The City book 2
Autumn: Purification book 3
Autumn: Disintegration book 4
Autumn: Aftermath book 5
Also be sure to check out his latest effort TRUST. See an alien invasion through the eyes of this master.
July 7, 2012
Carcass II: Bloodstorm Sample
SAMPLE
Thunder tore apart the heavens with increasing fury as the rain fell and the earth blackened. Another boom and the ground quaked as if a mighty giant sought freedom from it's subterranean bonds. It seemed that God himself were trying to destroy the world ahead of schedule. That would be a much more merciful fate than the one Ervin Dennison hunted.
The only constant light belonged to the village of Oakdale as it was consumed by flames in the distance. Screams were carried along the wind but were snuffed out by the growing storm. It didn't matter; by the time the cries reached Ervin's ears, the source was already dead.
It had only been two days since the creatures made their presence known. Two days since one had slaughtered his wife and abducted his daughter.
A hint of smoke drifted past and crept into his nostril. Diluted as it was, he could still detect the scent of charred flesh. Ervin tightened his grip on the sharpened chair leg. It seemed to be the only useful weapon he carried. Bury the wooden spike into their chest and they go down. Bullets only angered them. Still, Ervin pressed on with a rifle hanging over his shoulder; a single shell resting in the chamber.
Tik-tik
Ervin stopped in his tracks and waited, half hoping to hear the sound again. It was hard to tell in the rain. His eyes and ears had been playing tricks on him for quite a while. Every tree bore their abominal faces and every sound, that horrid noise.
Tik-tik
A flash of lightning revealed the beast. It squatted on the outstretched limb of a Black Walnut tree; eating the throat out of a young man. It was the first time Ervin had seen one since that first night. It was almost exactly as he remembered. On the second flash, the creature lifted it's head and sniffed at the air; it's long, stringy hair hiding it's face. A third flash, it's hollow eyes were locked onto Ervin's.
The Power of Music - Random Rant #?
Sully Erna (Godsmack) once wrote, "Music is truly a miracle. It is one of the great wonders of life that has been gifted to us by the universe. The fact is, music enhances our good times and helps us through our bad times and it never asks anything of us in return."
I couldn't possibly agree more. I will, however, go a bit further and say that music is a very simple yet extremely potent form of magic.
Why?
Well, it's because music is much more than background noise. The right song, at the right moment can do so much to a person on many levels. Think about a time when you've been feeling down and just sat down and listened to something that completely blew you away. It hit the right spots and danced on the right nerves and left you feeling better, perhaps even empowered. Many soldiers have said that before going into battle that they will listen to something to get the blood flowing and to keep them cool under pressure. It helps with their focus.
Now, you may be wondering just what the hell this has to do with a horror fiction blog. The answer is, quite a bit. Think about the characters you are writing. The setting. Music can serve in making the scenes much more powerful and help you focus on the emotions you're trying to express.
Now, I know some people don't like to listen to anything while they write. To each their own. Perhaps try a little before you begin your session. Maybe take a five minute break and see what happens. If the lyrics are getting in the way then some instrumentals may do the trick.
During the time I was writing Carcass, I had Sully's Avalon album playing. For Sticks And Stones, it was Disturbed's The Lost Children. Birthday Wish was anything Type O Negative etc.
Lately, I've been listening to Nightwish... a lot. It's really bringing some thing to life!
What do you have playing when you write? If anything at all. Feel free to comment here or on Facebook.
I couldn't possibly agree more. I will, however, go a bit further and say that music is a very simple yet extremely potent form of magic.
Why?
Well, it's because music is much more than background noise. The right song, at the right moment can do so much to a person on many levels. Think about a time when you've been feeling down and just sat down and listened to something that completely blew you away. It hit the right spots and danced on the right nerves and left you feeling better, perhaps even empowered. Many soldiers have said that before going into battle that they will listen to something to get the blood flowing and to keep them cool under pressure. It helps with their focus.
Now, you may be wondering just what the hell this has to do with a horror fiction blog. The answer is, quite a bit. Think about the characters you are writing. The setting. Music can serve in making the scenes much more powerful and help you focus on the emotions you're trying to express.
Now, I know some people don't like to listen to anything while they write. To each their own. Perhaps try a little before you begin your session. Maybe take a five minute break and see what happens. If the lyrics are getting in the way then some instrumentals may do the trick.
During the time I was writing Carcass, I had Sully's Avalon album playing. For Sticks And Stones, it was Disturbed's The Lost Children. Birthday Wish was anything Type O Negative etc.
Lately, I've been listening to Nightwish... a lot. It's really bringing some thing to life!
What do you have playing when you write? If anything at all. Feel free to comment here or on Facebook.
July 3, 2012
The Long Road to Carcass 2
It's been over a year since my vampire story Carcass was published. Since then there have been plans for a sequel and none of them seemed to take off. There have been several attempts at bringing Ervin Dennison back to the page and continue his search for his daughter. But they just didn't feel right. The characters were there and some scares but the feel was wrong. It just didn't seem to fit as a companion to the original.
I didn't want to rattle off just another story to finish things off. I wanted this one to be done right and surpass the original. My idea with the first outing was to make vampires scary again and give people nightmares. I wanted part two to do all of that and much more.
Finally, after all of this time, it's coming very soon. The characters, the monsters, the scares and all things that make the old school vampires wicked as hell. No sparkles!
Loosely based on the Aswang creature of the Philippines, Carcass: Bloodstorm picks up two days after the siege of Ervin Dennison's farm. As he continues to search for his missing child, he discovers the origin of the beasts and something much more dangerous than he ever expected.
An illustration of the Aswang
The book trailer
I'll have a free sample up soon. Until then, if you haven't read the original yet, you can get it HERE. For the time being, it's FREE. But hurry, July 4, 2012 is the last day!
I didn't want to rattle off just another story to finish things off. I wanted this one to be done right and surpass the original. My idea with the first outing was to make vampires scary again and give people nightmares. I wanted part two to do all of that and much more.
Finally, after all of this time, it's coming very soon. The characters, the monsters, the scares and all things that make the old school vampires wicked as hell. No sparkles!
Loosely based on the Aswang creature of the Philippines, Carcass: Bloodstorm picks up two days after the siege of Ervin Dennison's farm. As he continues to search for his missing child, he discovers the origin of the beasts and something much more dangerous than he ever expected.
An illustration of the AswangThe book trailer
I'll have a free sample up soon. Until then, if you haven't read the original yet, you can get it HERE. For the time being, it's FREE. But hurry, July 4, 2012 is the last day!
