Kevin A. Ranson's Blog, page 14
May 15, 2013
“Save Yourself” – The Matriarch Soundtrack (Music to Write By)
I use music – often an entire playlist – to create a mindset and mood when I construct a scene.
The boyfriend/best friend often pops up in stories where the female main character is struggling and may need support. Sometimes they step up and sometimes they drop the ball, but the most they can hope for is to help in only a small way because, frankly, it isn’t their story. That said:
I know your life is empty
And you hate to face this world alone
So you’re searching for an angel
Someone who can make you whole
I can not save you
I can’t even save myself
So just save yourself
Stabbing Westward’s “Save Yourself” is a great step-up-and-believe-in-yourself anthem because help isn’t coming. Is it ironic that this is my supporting character’s favorite song or am I just being cruel?
Read more about The Matriarch…
Filed under: Creativity, Existentialism, Literarian Tagged: Music to Write By, save yourself, Soundtrack, Stabbing Westward, the matriarch
May 14, 2013
“Fly On the Wall” – The Matriarch Soundtrack (Music to Write By)
I use music – often an entire playlist – to create a mindset and mood when I construct a scene.
The opening chapter to The Matriarch was actually one of the last I wrote into the first draft. “Fly On the Wall” by Thousand Foot Krutch was what I was thinking of as I wrote about a solitary old man who took it upon himself to do the only thing he still could: exactly what he was told.
If I could just see it all, Just like a fly on the wall
Would I be able to accept what I can’t control?
And would I share what I saw? Or just sit back and ignore
Like nothing never happened, I haven’t seen you before?
To me, the song suggests a struggle between standing against something wrong or living with the regret of deciding to do nothing about it. How would you feel knowing something terrible happened because you didn’t act? And before anyone points it out, yes, that’s Spider-Man’s back story and not Batman’s, and no, you don’t get to become a superhero as a result.
Read more about the upcoming novel, The Matriarch…
Filed under: Creativity, Existentialism, Literarian Tagged: Fly On the Wall, Music to Write By, Soundtrack, the matriarch, Thousand Foot Krutch
15 Stars on Amazon! Sure, you have to add all 3 reviews together, but…
5.0 out of 5 stars The Matriarch April 26, 2013
By Shells
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Nice twist on the vampire story. Well thought out and detailed. Not quite what I expected from reading the synopsis but was pleasantly surprised. It’s a story that will appeal to teens and adults. Will also appeal to guys and gals.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book April 29, 2013
By aanandi
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Loved it a must read for vampire lovers. A can’t put it down page turner. Can’t wait for the next one.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read! April 26, 2013
By Drexell W. King II
Format:Kindle Edition
I knew this book involved Glenville, WV, but I didn’t know what the plot would be. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Kevin has me begging for a sequel. He knows how to spin a great vampire story. The way he portrays how vampires use their powers, with a little bit of twist on their weaknesses, will keep you glued to each page.
Filed under: Existentialism Tagged: 5 stars, amazon, kindle, reviews, the matriarch
May 7, 2013
Freshly Cut and Inked Dead Trees
First printing of The Matriarch books arrive.
Filed under: Cemetery, Creativity, Literarian Tagged: books, printing, the matriarch
May 1, 2013
The Matriarch – Now in Kindle and Paperback!
Supernatural horror thriller, mature content.
A present-day college student becomes the target of an immortal, a killer linked to a century-old ghost story.
278 pages. Published April 2013. ISBN: 9780615803449
Availability: Kindle – $3.99 and Paperback – $12.95
“In The Matriarch, Kevin Ranson interweaves real and fictional horror into a tale that is part mystery, part supernatural – and entirely hypnotic. Full of rich characterizations and settings, Ranson draws an original picture of the vampire – one that reveals its secrets as it plays on your senses and sympathies.”
Vampires don’t believe in ghosts.
Every October, the freshmen at Glenville State College are told stories about Sis Linn, the local ghost who haunts Clark Hall and the graveyard where she’s buried. Murdered in 1919, she was beaten beyond recognition, the target of a brutal killer who was never caught.
Present-day student Janiss Connelly is about to find out that the stories are wrong – and that there are greater things to fear in life and in death than ghosts.
Read more about The Matriarch…
Filed under: Cemetery, Creativity, Existentialism, Literarian Tagged: Clark Hall, ghosts, Glenville State College, graveyard, Sis Linn, the matriarch, vampires
April 30, 2013
The Proof! Of the Paperback Edition is Available!
Get the paperback version on CreateSpace now!
Wanna know what the paperback version of The Matriarch looks like? Got ya covered.
Filed under: Existentialism, Literarian, Paranormal Tagged: Matriarch
April 28, 2013
Kind Words from K.L. Nappier, Author of the Full Wolf Moon Trilogy
“Kevin A. Ranson knows sinister entertainment. Cloaked -literally- in his alter ego Grim D. Reaper, he has made it a labor of dark love and his eerie career for many years via his popular movie review site MovieCrypt.com. Now an author of unique YA/children’s books as well as intriguing mainstream dark fiction, Mr. Ranson brings his prodigious knowledge of what chills and thrills us to the literary world. And the shadowy corners of our book shelves are illumined for the better by the spectral glow of his writing.” ~ K.L. Nappier, author of the Full Wolf Moon Trilogy
Filed under: Acquaintances, Creativity, Literarian Tagged: Full Wolf Moon, K.L. Nappier
April 23, 2013
Why Vampires?
Hasn’t everything been said about vampires already?
Frankly, no.
I love these creatures because they are us and yet they are not us. The most evil forsake their humanity while the noble struggle to retain it, but the idea of becoming the monster – by choice or by fate – and a need to prey on what it once was in order to survive is a very human story: the stuff of legend.
Not to slight any book or movie, but I’ve grown tired of stories about inner city vampire wars against other paranormals that paint the vampire as one among many; they are kings of the night, the ruling class of the darkness. I wanted Dracula-level ubervamps for my own novel, alphas that don’t put up with rivals or need to swear fealty to some Italian governing committee.
A true vampire should be royalty itself and treated as such; I believe this is one of the reasons Bram Stoker’s title character remains so popular today. A modern vampire should be like a Bond super-villain: lairs and minions and secrets and plans. This was the template for my own bloodsuckers, and a castle in the countryside (even if it isn’t recognized as such) is so much cooler than the penthouse of a skyscraper.
Filed under: Cemetery, Creativity, Existentialism, Literarian Tagged: Dracula, monsters, royalty, vampires, why
April 17, 2013
Published! The Matriarch is Available on Kindle at Amazon
WTF Books has published The Matriarch!
Get it now on Amazon Kindle and compatible apps. More options coming soon. Enjoy!
From WTF Books:
“In The Matriarch, Kevin Ranson interweaves real and fictional horror into a tale that is part mystery, part supernatural – and entirely hypnotic. Full of rich characterizations and settings, Ranson draws an original picture of the vampire – one that reveals its secrets as it plays on your senses and sympathies.”
Book Synopsis:
Every October, the freshmen at Glenville State College are told stories about Sis Linn, the local ghost who haunts Clark Hall and the graveyard where she’s buried. Murdered in 1919, she was beaten beyond recognition, the target of a brutal killer who was never caught.
The stories are wrong.
When present-day student Janiss Connelly stumbles upon the truth, she inherits a unique opportunity to end a century of bloodshed… even if it’s already too late for her.
Read more about The Matriarch…
Filed under: Creativity, Literarian, Paranormal Tagged: 2013, amazon, kindle, novel, published, Synopsis, the matriarch, vampire, WTF books
April 10, 2013
The Matriarch to be Published by WTF Books!
WTF Books has accepted The Matriarch for publication in the very near future. “WTF” doesn’t mean what you think it means, so check out their site to find out who they are and what they have to offer!
In the meantime, a little copy from their page:
“In The Matriarch, Kevin Ranson interweaves real and fictional horror into a tale that is part mystery, part supernatural – and entirely hypnotic. Full of rich characterizations and settings, Ranson draws an original picture of the vampire – one that reveals its secrets as it plays on your senses and sympathies.”
Read more about the upcoming novel, The Matriarch…
Filed under: Creativity, Literarian Tagged: 2013, novel, Synopsis, the matriarch, vampire, WTF books
