Red Tash's Blog, page 264
October 11, 2011
There are five days left in the Trick or Treat Bash, and I am...
There are five days left in the Trick or Treat Bash, and I am one tired cat. This has been an excellent promotion, but also the longest party I've ever hosted. LOL! Next week I'll be on vacation, for sure, recovering. Have you entered to win a new Kindle yet?
This weekend I'll probably go out and scare up some pumpkins to carve. How about you? Have you done that yet, for the year? My minions tell me it's time to start decorating the yard. We don't want the Great Pumpkin to pass us by, afterall, do we? Not one minute of doubt, right? Something like that!
Nothing I love more than watching my minions enjoy the same shows I did, as a young monster, myself.
But enough of that! I'll ruin my rep. ;)
Time enough next week to stop and smell the pumpkins.
For now, off to promote the Red Tash Trick or Treat Bash, off to visit all my wonderful author friends taking part in the Grand Prize package giveaway (by donating a story or novel, each), and off to tally your entries!
Reviews have been trickling in for This Brilliant Darkness, and I thank you ever so much.
So, Greachin is somewhat bat-like, right? He's reached...
So, Greachin is somewhat bat-like, right? He's reached into the deep, dark recesses of Christine's mind and pulled out assorted imagery that she personally fears the most. Part bat, part bird (because, let's face it—birds are creepy), part gorilla-man, he grows a personalized monster form from a stolen human host, and stalks her from a nearby tree top physically, while his ruah (another beast, entirely) circles her on the spiritual plane.
Miles away in rural Trappist, Kentucky, the UnNamed awakens in the night from bad dreams, only to find the local bat population merrily whizzing round the bug feast provided by the security light outside his window. A bat crashes into his window, and he cuts his hand, investigating. Is this symbolic? Probably. Am I going to tell you why? No.
My point is, bats-as-baddie is a bit of a subtheme in the book, and while I really don't have it out for bats, in general (loving you, Bruce Wayne), the truth is, I once had a bad experience with a bat. Maybe I'll tell you about that another time.
I will tell you that while reading a passage from This Brilliant Darkness aloud, author Marian Allen listened attentively and then expressed her support by sharing that she was sure a "birdbath man" would, indeed, be most frightening.
And, so, an icon was born:
Read Marian's cocktail recipe in celebration of the Flying Birdbath's maiden flight, here. Then, have a drink on me. (Or in honor of my silliness, would you?)
Someday I will have a wrought-iron sign in the shape of that logo to hang outside my pub.
October 10, 2011
Sometime this week, I'm going to post a news story I wrote...
Sometime this week, I'm going to post a news story I wrote three years ago for my local paper. It was a two day feature that ran on 10/30 & 10/31 for Halloween. You know those "Reporter goes into a haunted house, comes out with creepy video" kind of stories?
Yeah, well, I was the reporter, and it was a true story, and the building has been a known haunt for generations. I even interviewed the surviving grandson of the alleged ghost.
At one time, I had mp3s of ghostly voices (what are those called? Electronic Voice Phenomenon? I've forgotten), and I still have a very bad youtube video of one alleged apparition.
I had forgotten about these completely (because ghosts have a way of sneaking up on you, as well as *out* of your mind), but remembered them recently when I was thinking of something to submit to a fellow Basher's blog. I think the story's going to be a bit too long for her taste (and possibly too newsy), so I'll just post it here this week, with a few photos and that video.
Redneck Indiana ghost-huntin' journalism at it's finest, y'all, from an award-nominated yuck yuck reporter, like me.
*Le sigh*
But, hey. It was fun.
Stay tuned.
October 9, 2011
Some crunchy breakfast serial to go along with your Sample...
Some crunchy breakfast serial to go along with your Sample Sunday coffee?
October 8, 2011
This Sample Sunday I'm sharing a Halloweeny chapter from...
This Sample Sunday I'm sharing a Halloweeny chapter from This Brilliant Darkness, so cuddle up with a hot, frothy Jack Skellington mug o' Joe (which Christine would love), and have a sneak peek:
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Seaduds
Dudley pulled a costume off the rack, the metal hanger making an antique squeak. He held it at arm's length. The thin plastic veneer of the ancient garment bag billowed around it.
"Two angels, Richie?"
Richard gazed appraisingly at his overweight middle-aged friend. He imagined Dudley in angel wings, with a tinsel halo.
"I don't think so, Dudders."
Richard backed away from the costume rack and watched the street traffic outside.
Across the street, a band of pro-life protesters was taking an ice cream break. It was a gorgeous day, and Richard had wanted to spend it rollerblading with Christine and Tom, but he had promised Dudley to attend the faculty costume ball with him. The University President had obviously taken the promise quite seriously.
"Oh, I've got it!" Dudley cried out with too much delight for Richard to ignore. "How about two members of The Grenadier Guard?"
Dudley placed the bushy black trademark hat atop his round face.
Richard cracked a smile despite himself. "That is the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard."
"Worse than flying monkey-men, or birdbaths, or whatever it is?"
"Maybe not that bad."
"Come on now, admit it, you like it," Dudley said.
"I suppose it beats Austin Powers."
"Oh, Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery, why didn't I think of that?" Dudley turned and creaked through the thick rack of costumes again.
Richard stopped him. "No, no, Dudley, that'll do. What good is it, being two stranded British fops in the heart of America, if we don't announce it on Halloween by wearing enormous fuzzy hats for the purpose of our own humiliation?"
"That's the spirit," said Dudley. "Are you quite sure you've no desire to head a major university?"
Dudley's cell phone rang, and he paled as he examined the caller ID. He pulled his wallet from his inner jacket pocket and handed it to Richard. "Will you take care of these, Richie?" Dudley left the shop and took his call on the sidewalk, while Richard jostled two oversized Grenadier uniforms to the check-out.
A smiling young woman took the uniforms gently from him, straightening them and examining the tags. A very long metallic one-piece suit hung on the wall behind her. A pair of old-fashioned rollerskates hung with it, and a long blonde wig.
"Is that an alien outfit?" Richard asked.
"I suppose it could be, if you wanted—but I've got it paired up with a rainbow terry short set for a Boogie Nights look."
"What are the roller skates about?"
"Have you seen Boogie Nights?" the young lady asked.
"No."
"Oh, it's a classic. When you rent it tonight, keep in mind that these costumes are for the Roller Girl look, okay? You'll get it. The silver one's for a male Roller Girl."
"A male roller girl." Richard repeated. "Aren't those the women who beat one another up on roller skates? The Bleeding Heartland, or something?"
The clerk took a deep breath and patiently explained the difference to the old codger. Finally, Richard and the clerk simultaneously abandoned hope.
"It'll be $86.56 for the two guard costumes. Would you like the rollergirl suit, as well?"
"Of course," Richard said. Just because he didn't get the joke didn't mean it wasn't funny.
The door opened, its copper bells jingling on their string. Dudley was half-in, half-out of the shop, still on the phone.
"I don't care who you have to get up there, we will put a stop to this!" Dudley shouted, before pivoting and returning to the sidewalk.
The protestors were filing by now on this side of the street. They swerved to avoid Dudley, who was gesticulating seemingly for the benefit of whoever heard his bellowing.
"I wanted this cleared up before fall semester started and I don't want to hear another word about it!" Dudley's voice was softened by the glass, but the girl behind the counter flinched at the intensity.
"Your friend's getting pee-oh'd, huh?" she said.
"Tell you what, ring that silver suit up separately." Richard handed her his debit card, setting it atop the mountain of fur that Dudley had chosen as his hat.
Dudley pried open the door, made a final remark, and slammed the phone closed.
"Some rubbish about a Sasquatch hanging around the Sample Gates." Dudley glared at Richard the salesgirl. "A cross-dressing Wookie or something—how much pot are people smoking in this town?"
The clerk dissolved into giggles and disappeared into the back room. They took their costumes and left.
"What do you say we grab a pint at CeeDub's?" Richard asked.
"Seaduds?" Dudley asked. "I don't know of it."
"No, no, CW-4U. 'CeeDub's,' get it?"
"I'll give it a go," Dudley said. "You will show up to the party in costume, won't you?"
"Unless I get a better offer, I swear on it," Richard said.
Please, God, let me get a better offer.
"See, that is exactly why you have no social life, Richie." Dudley smiled. "I wish a bit of your charm would rub off on me, is all."
"I could give you lessons," Richard suggested.
"Yes, I'm quite sure," said Dudley. "Lesson one: take one stick and shove it up one's arse sideways. Lesson two: sit on it and spin."
Richard was quite taken by surprise. "Dudley Rollins!"
"What, you think you're the only one with a sense of humor around here?"
"No, not at all, I'm just—where do you get these things?"
"Blame it on the Miracle Star, Lord Richard. Everything is backward from how it should be, since that thing got started." They arrived at the bar, and went inside. "Wasn't this the place a monk supposedly had an 'episode' recently?"
"I'm not sure," Richard said. "Trying to focus on my research."
"I thought your research included paranormal events these days," Dudley said. He found a booth, and sat down. "Or is that all rumor?"
"You're wanting an official update on my research?" Richard asked. He stuffed the costumes into his side of the booth.
"Sometime before the party, at least. I need to be in the know before everyone else. I'm sure the board will be pumping you for information, and I'd rather know before them."
"If I don't get a better offer," Richard said.
The aura around Dudley shrunk, and Richard was surprised to realize he could see it. He looked around the restaurant. Everyone had a haze around them, glowing white and golden.
All but one young man, who glowed so brightly golden that Richard could barely make him out.
"Do you know that young man?" he asked Dudley.
"Mmm. Familiar-looking. Has a backpack, he's probably a student," Dudley said.
The young man approached Richard.
"She trusts you," he said.
"Is that right?" Richard said.
"When it happens, go with it. It will be alright," the young man said again.
"Are you the waiter?" Dudley asked. "I'd like the twelve piece appetizer to start, and a Guiness."
Tristan reached out for Richard's forehead, and rubbed his thumb in the sign of the cross upon it. "Do this in memory of her," he said. He left them, shapes of wings and ribbons of light behind him.
"Did you hear that, Dudley?" Richard asked, too stunned to follow the young man.
"What was that? The waiter? No. Did you know him?"
"I—" Richard struggled to remember what he was going to say. Dudley would think him mad. "I'm—hungry."
By the time the waitress came to take their orders, Richard had no memory of Tristan at all.
—-
Buy This Brilliant Darkness on Amazon, or elsewhere.
While you're here, enter my Kindle giveaway! It ends in a week, so you should enter daily.
I think even after Halloween, I'll just keep the Trick or...
I think even after Halloween, I'll just keep the Trick or Treat Bash theme going. What do you say? I keep finding these freaking ADORABLE Halloween goodies and I really want to eat post them all.
(Sorry, I have been informed by management that I am only permitted to give away one Kindle this year, so I guess the Trick or Treat Bash really will be ending a week from tomorrow. If you are saying to yourself "What the hell is the Trick or Treat Bash, and why is Red giving away a Kindle?" then please proceed immediately to the information presented in an aesthetically pleasing format, here.)
Gah, these cakes are cute.
Speaking of goodies, I made homemade Twix bars tonight. Started with a recipe and then sorta freestyled it because I have a knack for things like that (except when I don't, but luckily for us, tonight I did), and the result equals about six extra pounds of flesh on my backside, fer sure. (That is just an estimate. Scales are mean, evil little creatures, and they were banished from my home years ago.)
But that doesn't mean I didn't save room for cakes, my love. Do I have green icing in my teeth? How about now? How about now? ;)
Have a great night. Come see me tomorrow for Sample Sunday. Oh, hell. I'll just post it. See me tonight & pretend it's tomorrow—it's tomorrow somewhere.
Sample Sunday post, coming right up.
Got a great review today from Brent Nichols. It's fair,...
Got a great review today from Brent Nichols. It's fair, and it's honest. It even has a section that begins with "Some things I didn't like."
But it ends with "If you're tired of the same old paranormal cliches, this will knock your socks off."
Who could ask for anything more?
What a great idea!
Eh, maybe next year.
This year I'm...
What a great idea!
Eh, maybe next year.
This year I'm going this way:
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And my companions, one, you've already seen in these photos, then others…
That is, if the little ones will go along with it. We shall see. I keep hearing rebellion in the ranks.
SPEAKING OF DRESSING UP FOR HALLOWEEN, have you entered the Trick or Treat Bash yet? If you like winning things, you should. If you like discovering scary stories, you should. If you like new authors, you should. Read about my Kindle giveaway.
