William Cook's Blog, page 14

Hi everyone. Well it's been a while but many things have ...

Hi everyone. Well it's been a while but many things have been underway - hence the MIA status. Recently, I was featured on the talented Jerry McKinney's website as one of his 'Featured Friends' and rated a mention on a recent radio talk-back show with host Jeff Mudgett who was interviewing another writer buddy of mine, True Crime author RJ Parker.

RJ was talking about his research into Serial Killers when a caller rang in and revealed that her sister was a Serial Killer!!! Quite an interesting show if you have a spare hour. I am co-authoring two separate books with RJ titled 'Women Who Kill - International' and 'Unsolved Serial Killings - International'. These books are extensions of his previous work and the first volumes in what will hopefully be an ongoing project, I will also be designing the covers and both are due out by Christmas.

I have a new ebook due out by the end of September titled 'Macabre: A Collection of Short Fiction'. As the name suggests, it is a short-story collection of twelve macabre stories that readers will hopefully enjoy. I will make sure to post a link as soon as it goes live. And, finally, Black Bed Sheet Books are re-releasing 'Blood Related' on Halloween and I have also signed a deal with them for the sequel - tentatively titled 'Blood Trail' and halfway to completion. I would expect this to be finished just before or after Christmas and ready for release sometime before midyear 2013. So, a busy second-half for 2012 - if the calendar ticks over into 2013 I suspect next year will be even busier. Hope everyone is well and healthy out there in NetWorld - take care and keep doing what you love.
Will.

Well, things are happening with Blood Related. My contrac...

Well, things are happening with Blood Related. My contract is nearly finished with Angelic Knight Press, consequently I have been thinking a lot about where this novel is going and where it has been. For it is not a stand-alone novel in a sense, as I have always planned it to be the central story in a trilogy that would span 3 generations of the characters therein. After accepting the initial publishing offer from AKP a year ago, I also received a couple of other offers a few days after I had signed with them. I stuck with AKP because they gave me my big break as a first-time novelist and for that I am eternally greatful. We haven’t always had the same vision for the book but that hasn’t been a problem as the suggestions offered by AKP were such that they only served to enhance the work. I feel a little bit sad about leaving AKP after a year but I have had another offer from the good folks at Black Bed Sheet Books – one of the inital publishers who wanted to publish BR a year ago.
Sooooo, I have decided to make the leap and relaunch Blood Related with BBSB, who have also offered to publish the sequel when it’s finished. It was a difficult decision to make and I thought long and hard about it. I didn’t expect to make a lot of money from my book in the short term and feel that is a pretty unrealistic expectation for any debut Indie author, but I have big plans for the complete saga and feel that positioning the work with BBSB will best serve this purpose. That is, not to make money but to grow as a series with an increased focus on the Horror of it all (and hopefully make a few dollars on the way).
Nicholas Grabowsky has been an unflinching ally since I approached him over a year ago about Blood Related – the timing wasn’t right then, but the stars have aligned so to speak and i’m very happy to be on board (post August 1) with Captain Grabowsky at the helm. Amongst many other things, Nicholas is the author of Halloween IV and The Everborn, and has a long pedigree of involvement in the Indie and Pro Horror markets. As a result of his tireless work within the Horror industry he has attracted an impressive stable of authors to BBSB. Black Hamster TV is another wing of BBSB’s diverse media presence online and real world: you may have heard of ‘Francy & Friends Radio‘, Hacker’s Source, or Shot in the Dark Comics, all affiliates of BBSB.
This is taken from the BBSB where Mr Grabowsky talks about his publishing/production company and values:
“In October 2008, I set into motion what it takes to establish a bona-fide publishing company out of my garage and two other offices inside my home.  If this venture proves to be an extremely successful one, I’ll still be operating out of my garage and home, but perhaps in larger ones.  Even if it doesn’t go that far, I’ve submerged a great many years of my life into not only the art of writing as a profession, fiction as well as non, but into the entire process of taking something creative from typed manuscripts to computer documents to something scribbled on grocery store paper bags or napkins, packaging them into a bookstore-quality products and presenting them to the world…..my own works, as well as works of others, since 2002 under the name of Diverse Media.  I decided that the time had come to take my publishing pursuits to the next level and to establish Black Bed Sheet Books as a credible, reputable, and successful publishing venture.  Since my reputation and focus is built upon the genre of horror literature, that is what BBS specializes in.  I will not limit myself nor BBS to this genre, and all avenues are open, hence the byline “fine publishers of exemplary literature, fiction and non.”
In the past, I’ve invested my writing career into publishers and agents that fell short of even minimal expectations.  As a result, I’ve become fiercely independent.  I’ve been working for myself and as a result brought myself farther into my career, and I have the will and means to do the same for you.My objective is to be the ideal publisher I as a writer always wanted to have, and I intend to carry out that mission to the fullest.  I will work with each one of my authors to meet the highest quality publishing standards, and release each title to the broadest marketing and selling potential utilizing all the tools and resources available to me.”

As you can see, the appeal of having someone like Nicholas in your corner, is quite an advantage and a privilege. So it is with a touch of sadness that I bid farewell to AKP and thank them for taking a chance on me and my work and wish them continued growth and success, but it is with a glad heart that I cross the threshold and enter the DownWarden world of Black Bed Sheet Books and all it has to offer.
It is hard for an indie writer to get ahead and unfortunately one must make difficult decisions to do so; life is short but the road is long – the journey twists and turns, climbs and falls, and as long as the way is forward, the horizon looks a bit brighter with every mile forged ahead.  Thankyou to everyone for your past and continued support. More treasures in store for you shortly, I promise.
http://twitter.com/blackbedsheethttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Bed-Sheet-Books/49733235679http://downwarden.com/homepage.htmhttp://www.downwarden.com/blackbedsheet/
Check out the original post here.

Well, things are happening with Blood Related. My contrac...

Well, things are happening with Blood Related. My contract is nearly finished with Angelic Knight Press, consequently I have been thinking a lot about where this novel is going and where it has been. For it is not a stand-alone novel in a sense, as I have always planned it to be the central story in a trilogy that would span 3 generations of the characters therein. After accepting the initial publishing offer from AKP a year ago, I also received a couple of other offers a few days after I had signed with them. I stuck with AKP because they gave me my big break as a first-time novelist and for that I am eternally greatful. We haven’t always had the same vision for the book but that hasn’t been a problem as the suggestions offered by AKP were such that they only served to enhance the work. I feel a little bit sad about leaving AKP after a year but I have had another offer from the good folks at Black Bed Sheet Books – one of the inital publishers who wanted to publish BR a year ago.
Sooooo, I have decided to make the leap and relaunch Blood Related with BBSB, who have also offered to publish the sequel when it’s finished. It was a difficult decision to make and I thought long and hard about it. I didn’t expect to make a lot of money from my book in the short term and feel that is a pretty unrealistic expectation for any debut Indie author, but I have big plans for the complete saga and feel that positioning the work with BBSB will best serve this purpose. That is, not to make money but to grow as a series with an increased focus on the Horror of it all (and hopefully make a few dollars on the way).
Nicholas Grabowsky has been an unflinching ally since I approached him over a year ago about Blood Related – the timing wasn’t right then, but the stars have aligned so to speak and i’m very happy to be on board (post August 1) with Captain Grabowsky at the helm. Amongst many other things, Nicholas is the author of Halloween IV and The Everborn, and has a long pedigree of involvement in the Indie and Pro Horror markets. As a result of his tireless work within the Horror industry he has attracted an impressive stable of authors to BBSB. Black Hamster TV is another wing of BBSB’s diverse media presence online and real world: you may have heard of ‘Francy & Friends Radio‘, Hacker’s Source, or Shot in the Dark Comics, all affiliates of BBSB.
This is taken from the BBSB where Mr Grabowsky talks about his publishing/production company and values:
“In October 2008, I set into motion what it takes to establish a bona-fide publishing company out of my garage and two other offices inside my home.  If this venture proves to be an extremely successful one, I’ll still be operating out of my garage and home, but perhaps in larger ones.  Even if it doesn’t go that far, I’ve submerged a great many years of my life into not only the art of writing as a profession, fiction as well as non, but into the entire process of taking something creative from typed manuscripts to computer documents to something scribbled on grocery store paper bags or napkins, packaging them into a bookstore-quality products and presenting them to the world…..my own works, as well as works of others, since 2002 under the name of Diverse Media.  I decided that the time had come to take my publishing pursuits to the next level and to establish Black Bed Sheet Books as a credible, reputable, and successful publishing venture.  Since my reputation and focus is built upon the genre of horror literature, that is what BBS specializes in.  I will not limit myself nor BBS to this genre, and all avenues are open, hence the byline “fine publishers of exemplary literature, fiction and non.”
In the past, I’ve invested my writing career into publishers and agents that fell short of even minimal expectations.  As a result, I’ve become fiercely independent.  I’ve been working for myself and as a result brought myself farther into my career, and I have the will and means to do the same for you.My objective is to be the ideal publisher I as a writer always wanted to have, and I intend to carry out that mission to the fullest.  I will work with each one of my authors to meet the highest quality publishing standards, and release each title to the broadest marketing and selling potential utilizing all the tools and resources available to me.”

As you can see, the appeal of having someone like Nicholas in your corner, is quite an advantage and a privilege. So it is with a touch of sadness that I bid farewell to AKP and thank them for taking a chance on me and my work and wish them continued growth and success, but it is with a glad heart that I cross the threshold and enter the DownWarden world of Black Bed Sheet Books and all it has to offer.
It is hard for an indie writer to get ahead and unfortunately one must make difficult decisions to do so; life is short but the road is long – the journey twists and turns, climbs and falls, and as long as the way is forward, the horizon looks a bit brighter with every mile forged ahead.  Thankyou to everyone for your past and continued support. More treasures in store for you shortly, I promise.
http://twitter.com/blackbedsheethttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Bed-Sheet-Books/49733235679http://downwarden.com/homepage.htmhttp://www.downwarden.com/blackbedsheet/
Check out the original post here.

Carole Gill Official Author Blog: Horror Author and Artist, William Cook Guest Posts...

Carole Gill Official Author Blog: Horror Author and Artist, William Cook Guest Posts...: I live in Wellington – the small wind-blown capital city of New Zealand. I have been writing weird stories ever since I was a kid. My firs...

Carole Gill Official Author Blog: Horror Author and Artist, William Cook Guest Posts...

Carole Gill Official Author Blog: Horror Author and Artist, William Cook Guest Posts...: I live in Wellington – the small wind-blown capital city of New Zealand. I have been writing weird stories ever since I was a kid. My firs...

Introducing Katie Dirge - Owner/Publisher of 'Black Sunday Zine'

Hi everyone, recently I had the pleasure of meeting and working with the fabulous Katie Dirge. Ms Dirge produces the publication, 'Black Sunday Zine. Katie was kind enough to publish some of my work and in turn I would like to introduce you to her and what she does. She is a very interesting lady with a penchant for the dark macabre and I recommend you check out all the links at the bottom of the page. 
  Katie Dirge – from ‘The House of Dirge’ website introduction:

“Katie is my real name, Dirge isn’t. My love of the Victorian era and its death customs inspired me to take a name that reflects my love and interest. A dirge is commonly known as a song that is played at a funeral or a mournful poem or other literary work. The latter is the true reflection of both myself and my writing. This is not to say I do not like my birth name, I just like to keep my family life and my work separate.

I began writing at an early age, I begun as a poet and then moved into writing fiction. As the years went on I was published in a national magazine on a regular basis and then I started up my own publication in the form of a zine. Black Sunday Zine gives me the chance to write some interesting pieces and interview artists and writers. In the past it has featured pieces on cemeteries, satanists, hearses, horror films, zombies… the list goes on.

I am heavily tattooed and I only dress in black. I have been called “eccentric” and “different” which I can only take as a compliment. I have a fake stuffed crow called One Eyed Eric, I collect candles, I dry roses, enjoy draping everything in red velvet, I buy weird art, I love drinking copious amounts of tea, I love self-published works, I like taking photographs, I collect notebooks and I love religious imagery.”

Black Sunday Zine is Katie’s baby (slightly macabre baby at that!).

Black Sunday was born out of a lack of dark zines that covered the morbid, the macabre and heavy metal - all in one publication. So I wrote some pieces and then decided to get some really interesting and talented people involved like Loren Rhoads; writer and editor of the magazine Morbid Curiosity, artist Chuck Hodi, writer and artist William Cook and various others. No subject goes untouched. I have featured pieces on graveyards, satanists, zombies, hearses, horror films and lots more. As much as I enjoy writing the content I am always open to suggestions in the form of weird tales (both fiction and non-fiction), macabre features and poetry.
Heavy metal is my kind of music and is pretty much my soundtrack for life so it only felt right to include this. I openly invite unsigned bands to feature and I review new and old CD’s as a way of promotion and hopefully introducing readers to an album they have yet to discover! The House of Dirge is my emporium that quite literally houses Black Sunday Zine and soon there will be other items available that will include dark prints and chapbooks. You can get yourself a copy at http://thehouseofdirge.com and follow the links to the shop and the blog.
Main website for BSZ and Katie Dirge: http://www.thehouseofdirge.com/
Purchase Black Sunday Zine here: http://thehouseofdirge.bigcartel.com/ 
Personal Blog: http://thehouseofdirge.blogspot.co.nz/
Black Sunday Zine: http://thehouseofdirge.blogspot.co.nz/p/black-sunday-zine.html
Katie’s writing: http://www.scribd.com/doc/79679494/Black-Dominion-Novella-Sample-Chapter
 

Introducing Katie Dirge - Owner/Publisher of 'Black Sunday Zine'

Hi everyone, recently I had the pleasure of meeting and working with the fabulous Katie Dirge. Ms Dirge produces the publication, 'Black Sunday Zine. Katie was kind enough to publish some of my work and in turn I would like to introduce you to her and what she does. She is a very interesting lady with a penchant for the dark macabre and I recommend you check out all the links at the bottom of the page. 
  Katie Dirge – from 'The House of Dirge' website introduction:

"Katie is my real name, Dirge isn't. My love of the Victorian era and its death customs inspired me to take a name that reflects my love and interest. A dirge is commonly known as a song that is played at a funeral or a mournful poem or other literary work. The latter is the true reflection of both myself and my writing. This is not to say I do not like my birth name, I just like to keep my family life and my work separate.

I began writing at an early age, I begun as a poet and then moved into writing fiction. As the years went on I was published in a national magazine on a regular basis and then I started up my own publication in the form of a zine. Black Sunday Zine gives me the chance to write some interesting pieces and interview artists and writers. In the past it has featured pieces on cemeteries, satanists, hearses, horror films, zombies… the list goes on.

I am heavily tattooed and I only dress in black. I have been called "eccentric" and "different" which I can only take as a compliment. I have a fake stuffed crow called One Eyed Eric, I collect candles, I dry roses, enjoy draping everything in red velvet, I buy weird art, I love drinking copious amounts of tea, I love self-published works, I like taking photographs, I collect notebooks and I love religious imagery."

Black Sunday Zine is Katie's baby (slightly macabre baby at that!).

Black Sunday was born out of a lack of dark zines that covered the morbid, the macabre and heavy metal - all in one publication. So I wrote some pieces and then decided to get some really interesting and talented people involved like Loren Rhoads; writer and editor of the magazine Morbid Curiosity, artist Chuck Hodi, writer and artist William Cook and various others. No subject goes untouched. I have featured pieces on graveyards, satanists, zombies, hearses, horror films and lots more. As much as I enjoy writing the content I am always open to suggestions in the form of weird tales (both fiction and non-fiction), macabre features and poetry.
Heavy metal is my kind of music and is pretty much my soundtrack for life so it only felt right to include this. I openly invite unsigned bands to feature and I review new and old CD's as a way of promotion and hopefully introducing readers to an album they have yet to discover! The House of Dirge is my emporium that quite literally houses Black Sunday Zine and soon there will be other items available that will include dark prints and chapbooks. You can get yourself a copy at http://thehouseofdirge.com and follow the links to the shop and the blog.
Main website for BSZ and Katie Dirge: http://www.thehouseofdirge.com/
Purchase Black Sunday Zine here: http://thehouseofdirge.bigcartel.com/ 
Personal Blog: http://thehouseofdirge.blogspot.co.nz/
Black Sunday Zine: http://thehouseofdirge.blogspot.co.nz/p/black-sunday-zine.html
Katie's writing: http://www.scribd.com/doc/79679494/Black-Dominion-Novella-Sample-Chapter
 

RJ Parker – True Crime Author – Interview

[image error] RJ Parker
RJ Parker resides in Canada where he spends his time doing what he loves best, reading and writing. However, writing is relatively new since becoming disabled with Anklyosing Spondylitis. He spent 30 years in various facets of management and has a professional designation and is a proud single parent of two teenage girls, as well as twin sons who are 26. RJ Parker has written 7 True Crime books that deal with all manner of criminals and their heinous crimes. His books are all in the genre of True Crime yet deal with such diverse subjects as Spree Killers, top FBI cases, Serial Killers - solved and unsolved, Female Serial Killers, School Shootings and murderous Doctors, including #1 Best Sellers - 'Women Who Kill' & 'Unsolved Serial Killings.'

The following is an interview I did with RJ Parker recently.

RJ Parker, true crime author, talks with William Cook

WC: How did you get into writing about True Crime?

RJP: I have been an avid reader for over 30 years and really enjoyed fictional stories that included serial murders. I also read all of John Douglas books, who is my FBI hero, and he coined much of the terminology used today when talking about serial killers. I don't have much of an imagination so I never attempted fiction, and I wanted to write after reading thousands of books, so I decided to write on what I know best, serial killers.

WC: What draws you to a certain subject? That is, what are the essential things that you look for in determining what will make a good/valid True Crime story or book?

RJP: There have been many serial killers in our history, it's not hard to pick certain individuals, there's an endless list. In my first book, Unsolved Serial Killings, I focused on the ones that got away which really intrigued me. SK's then could literally get away with murder because law enforcement lacked technical skills, not like today with DNA and Behavioral Science, Profiling etc. I also picked the topic of women because they are the least likely to become a serial killer, however, there have been many. People want to read about serial killers who killed many. They are not interested in the ones who only have 3 kills..they like 30 better. It makes for a better read, which is sad, but true. People are fascinated with true crime in numbers.

WC: As a True Crime author you deal with a lot of disturbing subject matter in your work, has this impacted on your own life in any way? If so, how do you distance yourself from the more negative aspects of life as a True Crime author?

RJP: William, when I was writing No Killing in the Hallways, I was an emotional wreck. Being a parent of two teenage girls in school, and to research and write about what happened at V. Tech and Columbine, was draining. My daughters haven't read the book and I don't want them to. They actually only read parts of FBI and Unsolved. My most memorable time was writing about Dahmer. The following is an excerpt from Case Closed: Serial Killers Captured and it broke my heart to write it:

"In the wee hours of May 27th, 1991, Konerak Sinthasomphone, fourteen, was discovered wandering naked on the street, heavily drugged and bleeding from his rectum. Two young women from the neighborhood found the confused young boy and called 911. Dahmer chased after the boy to take him back to his apartment, but the women stopped him. When the police arrived, Dahmer told them that Sinthasomphone was his nineteen-year-old boyfriend, and they'd had an argument while drinking. The two women were not pleased and protested, but the two police officers turned the boy over to Dahmer. The police later reported a strange smell inside Dahmer's apartment, but did not investigate it. The smell was the body of Tony Hughes, Dahmer's previous victim, decomposing in the bedroom. The two policemen did not try to verify the boy's age and also failed to run the background check that would have revealed Dahmer as a convicted child molester, registered sex offender, and still on probation. Later that night, Dahmer killed and dismembered the young lad, keeping his skull as a souvenir. Author Note: Officers Joseph P. Gabrish and John A. Balcerzak were fired after this incident but appealed and were re-instated."

WC: How do you choose your subject/s when it seems as though there are so many accounts of the same crimes available, especially the more notorious cases involving Serial Killers and high profile crimes? That is, how do you make your books stand out from the rest?

RJP: Many books are written about 'a' serial killer, but mine are compilations of serial killers or spree killers. If someone wants to read all about Bundy, they will buy a Bundy book. If they want to read about 15 or 20 summary files of various serial killers, I have good choices for them; Women, Unsolved, Children, Doctors etc., then if a person finds one or two that they would like to read more about, there's books out there on individual cases.

WC: Do you plan to, or have you ever, interviewed any of the more infamous/bizarre criminals in your books? In terms of reliable source material, is it best as a True Crime author to stick to validated accounts like court transcripts and previously published materials?

RJP: I would love to interview a serial killer some day but I haven't yet. The dregs of society I wrote about so far I think are all dead: either killed in prison, death sentence or old age. As for spree killers, they most always kill themselves. It is better to stick with Court documents, FBI archieves etc., that are released under the Freedom of Information Act, unless, one gets the rare opportunity to interview a killer such as John Douglas has. He really wrote the book on SK's and has interviewed and analyzed the minds of dozens of them.

WC: Where do you gather your source material from and what is the process you use when researching your subject before drafting your work?

RJP: I've contacted the FBI and have been given quite a bit of information, as well from their archieves. Some things get blacked out however. The FBI policy on extracting information is that you have to rephrase or edit every paragraph, or, every 40 words. If the perp is captured and sentenced, than court documentation is a great source and very explicit in detail. If someone is interested in writing, those are two avenues plus, contacting the local police station that investigated the crime and if the case is closed, they will give you a summary of the crime but not crime scene pictures unfortunately.

WC: What are some of the issues involved with writing True Crime accounts? For example, are there copyright requirements involved in quoting news/source materials and using images etc?

RJP: If you obtain information from the FOIA FBI archieves, you don't have to source it. If you obtain bits and pieces from a newspaper article for instance, you have to source it. As for images, I only use images that are public domain. When you click on an image, it will state whether it's copyright protected. If not, it's public domain and free for the using.

WC: Do you ever worry that the people/criminals you write about revel in their notoriety and the infamy generated by media interest?

RJP: At this point, no, because anyone I've written about so far is already dead. Unless it's an unsolved serial killer which I would have no idea how they feel about their notoriety. Most serial killers do like their moment in the media and enjoyed being coined a name, such as the Green River Killer or the BTK.

WC: I notice in most of your books, you always acknowledge the victims of the crimes you analyse. Most, if not all, of the crimes dealt with in your various case studies are crimes against others, ie. they all leave a trail of victims behind. How do you deal with the victimology of these cases? It must be hard to represent the victims in these cases while being impartial when outlining the crimes themselves, how do you find the 'middle ground,' so to speak?

RJP: Good question. I grew up in a Christian home, my father has been a pastoral minister for 57 years. I feel for each and every one of those victims. Yes I write about the killers and the killings because it's a fact, I wish it wasn't, but it did happen. However, they will not get the glory from me. At the end of each case file, I list the victim, their age, and sometimes a little info about them with a prayer for their souls. By way of this interview, I am announcing for the first time, that I have been in contact with the Canadian Resouce Center for Victims of Crime and I am pledging 10% of all my royalties.

WC: Have you ever had any mentoring or formal training as a True Crime author? There seems to be a certain type of instinct, or investigative style, needed to be effective as a writer in this genre – can anyone be a True Crime author?

RJP: Sure, I guess anyone can be a writer, but it takes a different person to write about true crime. Not a harder person without feelings, because that's not the case with us TC writers. To be able to separate yourself emotionally from the criminals and the victims is tough, but essential. There isn't any training for a TC writer really. If you have good organizational skills and can put your own spin on things, you can do it. I have two professional designations in management so I'm very organized. I guess those skills helped me in writing these books.

WC: Who do you look up to or admire as a True Crime author? Can you recommend any other authors/specialists in your field, and any other books, that stand out to you as exemplars of the genre?

RJP: First and foremost, John Douglas is my favorite. Since I was a young boy, I always wanted to be an FBI Agent from watching the show at the time, The FBI starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. (who is 93 years young). I found out in my early teens that I couldn't be with the FBI because I was Canadian...what a disappointment, I still remember it. Getting back to John Douglas, I really enjoyed his books: Mind Hunters, Inside the Mind of BTK, Obsession, and The Cases that Haunt Us. He has other books, but those were my favorite and inspiration to write. Other great authors are: Gary King, Brian King, Ann Rule and Jack Olsen, just to name a few.

WC: What are you working on currently and do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

RJP: I am working on a couple of new books. One is about cops who turned serial killer, and the other is about children who killed their parents. I am also going to write volume 2 of Unsolved Serial Killings but with more international content.

WC: Finally, what advice would you give for anyone thinking of writing True Crime and publishing in today's market place? Is self-publishing the way to go, what would you recommend?
  RJP: I wrote my books over many years and had no intentions of self-publishing. I was holding out for a publisher and the book was going to be about 500 pages, called, Playpen to Prison. However, a friend and famous NY best selling author of over 80 books convinced me to self publish in November. I tell you, it's been a learning curve because I no sooner had the books up on other markets, when I retracted them all after Amazon announced the Select Program. It's been interesting and I have mixed views on this program. Self-publishing is definately the way to go. Why spread the royalties around with agents and publishers? Like newspapers being replaced with the internet; paperbacks and hardcopies are being replaced by digital format and it has only just begun. So I say, if you have a book to publish, get it edited and hop on the E-Book train. I also suggest not to put all your eggs in one basket. There are many venues out there and if you want more exposure, spread the book around. Currently, only people who own a kindle can buy my books, which as I said earlier, is a learning experience, er, mistake.

Personal message from RJ Parker:

"The author will gift his books FREE from the Kindle Store to Canadian, U.S., UK or Allied Soldiers, Police Officers, Firefighters, EMT's, Correctional Officers, etc., who are actively serving or retired. Please send a message to the email address below telling the author who you are, and the book(s) you would like to read. It is a privilege and honor to give back in kindness to the brave men and women who sacrifice so much to help keep us safe. Blessings to you all."

For more info on RJ PArker and his books check out the following links:

Amazon Author's page: http://www.amazon.com/R.J.-Parker/e/B006DJ6AAG
Website: http://authorrjparker.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorRJParker
Email: AuthorRJparker@gmail.com
Twitter: @authorrjparker


Check out my review of RJ Parker's 'Women Who Kill' on Amazon.

Gut Full

"Bigger Fish Eat The Little Ones" By Anton Semenov.

For whatever reason, I was at a party. Vodka was the choice drink for the evening, combined with multifarious concoctions aggressively provided by strange fellow guests. Different colored cocktails passed expectantly, or should I say were thrust, into my unsteady hands. I was drunk as usual, this time however it was a wary state of drunkenness, more like a stoned feeling – that is, paranoia began to guide my perceptions. Nonetheless, I was drunk, stumbling, and borderline belligerent. After a while I realized in my stupor that this wasn't a 'normal' party. The guests looked strange. A lot of them wore outlandish masks and there were as many different nationalities, as there were cocktails. Mainly, scrawny middle-eastern men wearing kaftans and the silent procession of their beautiful wives, hidden beneath black silk burqas. A few Westerners were dressed as Arabs and there was a distinguishable Afghan here, an Indian there, a Turk or Arab over there. The background lost its scenery and darkness framed the scarred features of the many guests who now appeared to be in slow motion. The sound of a crackling album on an old phonograph broadcast shrill trumpets and an echoing bossa-nova beat, the sound of glasses clinking, women's laughter, deep mumblings of the men's alien dialects, all merged into a noise not unlike the booming of waves under a jetty. On the stone steps of an old church I came to, next to someone I didn't recognize. I felt I knew her somehow, something vaguely familiar. She certainly behaved as if we were old friends. She was of European heritage, possibly part Jewish or polish, with a soft clipped English pronunciation. I assumed she was an English teacher like myself, stranded in a strange land. I had still not figured out where the hell I was – the architecture surrounding us looked Spanish or Mediterranean – I thought, maybe, Tangiers or some such place. As we walked I could see that it was a coastal town, the blue ocean meeting with the other blue of the sky on the vast horizon between the buildings. Eventually we made our way to a large faded lime building that looked like a bathhouse, its crumbling plaster façade and Mediterranean style flat roof, gaping arched entrance. I stood on the steps and wondered what the time was, it appeared to be late afternoon and I was still drunk. What had happened at the party? Where had the last hours gone? Who was this person following me around? What was that stench? Where the hell was I? Strangely enough the place reminded me of a place I had been before – an open-air ocean bathhouse set in the surf at Newcastle in Australia. This, however, was definitely not Australia. We left the twilight behind and entered the cavernous entrance – the smell, of chlorine and sweat mingled with urine, pervaded my senses. The foyer opened into a high roofed room lit with yellow light bulbs, dangling starkly from the shadowed heights. The facing grey brick wall was lined with shower faucets, a gaseous vapor emanating from their stained lips.  Taps spaced at regular intervals – where the end one should have been, there was a plastic curtain surrounding the sound of splashing water. Billowing steam smoked its way towards the dark realms of the ceiling. The place stank like a bad place and looked like an opium den! Meanwhile, after trying all the other taps, my elderly companion suggested we shower together and began to disrobe his milk white body, his flesh like molasses dripping from his emaciated frame. He looked up at me as he stepped out of his underpants, dark eyes filled with urgency, his heart visibly beating, a pulsing lump of bloodied gristle, blinking at me from the gaping flap of skin, slapping against the glistening bones of his ribcage. I declined his invitation and, looking for a toilet desperately, excused myself to urinate and pissed a stream of blood that seemed to take an eternity to finish.            The need for fresh air led me back outside to a warm breeze and the sound of the waves gently sieving the white sand. I walked down some steps between two palm trees and pissed against again against a grassy bank that hugged the beach. There were a few people walking around in the dusky light – no one seemed to notice me.  I felt invisible. Then I was drunk again, lying on the soft cold sand, an empty vodka bottle discarded at my side. I rose to my feet and stumbled back toward the bathhouse, feeling in need of a wash and a drink of water. I saw my former companion was still in the shower cubicle, his feet visible under the plastic curtain, buried in flaking pieces of his rank flesh. Ankle deep. I was drunk, feeling grimy and too tired to care about decorum. I opened the curtain and removed my shirt and pants. No sooner had I disrobed, he quickly gathered his belongings and casting me a fleeting glance, his skeletal face looked like he had scrubbed it clean of any last scrap of flesh. Bleached bone made his former ugly face quite presentable now.  A staring glutinous mess, shone out of the depths of his eye-socket as he wildly glanced over his bare-boned shoulder. He hunched forward and scurried from the cubicle like a cockroach.  I didn't care, I wanted the shower to myself and being naked with other males was not normally within my sheltered comfort zones. Besides, I had caught a glimpse of myself in the chromed steel cistern. I had mutated. I turned to step into the shower and saw myself full frontal in the mirror on the wall. I gasped, nearly collapsing.             I stood, white faced, dark circles around my inflamed eyes, every bone in my face visible under parchment thin skin stretched taut.  Bruises covered my ribs and a large cut across my hip. I focused – a bloody smear slick across my top lip, looking closer – flecks of dark blood covered my face, blood still ran across the bridge of my nose and from the cut in my lip.  My eyes were glazed and a dull red color filled the cornea. There were puncture wounds on my neck about 2-3 centimeters in length, the blood coagulated on some, others still fresh. My eyes shifted slowly from the reflection of my face to the gaping wound in my chest. My stomach churned, suddenly aware of a dull pain between my ribs and a terrible empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. There were deep slash marks across my chest and just below my sternum. Near my lower ribs was a central puncture mark bigger than the rest, it must have been deeper for its width was twice that of the others and the caked blood around it was black. I watched in horror as my fingers probed the flaps of skin that hung either side of the wound until both hands could grip the edges and pull back on the inflamed tissue, tearing my own flesh. I could feel my fingers beneath the bones of my lower ribs but felt no pain, just a tension in my biceps as my strong forearms pried apart the bones and skin, revealing what lay beneath slowly, my ribs popped and cracked as they broke, one by one. And then the pain did start to burn inside me.             Something blinked back at me and I simultaneously felt something, not dissimilar to 'The Butterflies'. It was the eyelids brushing my intestines in fact. I stared back at the reflection with difficulty, a red haze beginning slowly to stain my vision. The black eyeball, centered in a perfect white orb, wombed with two engorged crimson eyelids, complete with foot-long eyelashes, looking rather like porcupine quills, blinked back up at me from my bubbling intestines, slowly dripping from my barren pelvis, plopping like fish on the floor as they spilled from my gut, blood pissing everywhere.  Slowly, but deliberately, the glistening bloodshot orb winked up at me and then, and only then, thank Christ, I succumbed to the white light of unconsciousness.

Latest Amazon Review for Blood Related

5.0 out of 5 stars The Family That Slays Together Becomes a Legend, January 25, 2012 By Bruce J. Blanchard "Darkenwulf" (Des Moines, IA) -                                                                   This review is from: Blood Related (Kindle Edition) It started off so simple. Dr. Mary Brunswick was the court appointed psychologist to define the state of mind of one Charlie Cunningham. During the course of her talks with Charlie, she meets his twin, Caleb. Caleb consults her later on and tells her a story she will not forget, a story of violence, murder, abuse, mutilation, insanity, abduction, and conspiracy. A story that covers a family background beginning with Grandfather Samael, father Errol, and his two sons Charlie and Caleb. What begins as a subplot and gains an increasing importance is a family feud between the Cunninghams and the Trumans, a family of cops and those who don't mind flying over the dictates of the law. What becomes more disturbing is this: as you read through the book, who are you rooting for - the long length of crimes commited by those in the death house on Artaud Avenue or the less than legal obsession by Ray Truman who will use any means to wipe out the family and their crimes.

The main character is Caleb. He and brother Charlie have been abused by both father Errol and mother Vera. They've been raised in an environment of murder, death, and torture. Throughout the story we identify with Caleb: his actions (mostly despicable), his feelings about his family relations, and a seemingly growing insanity fueled by drugs and alcohol. What remains is a story you can follow with Caleb's entries and excerpts from newspapers and crime books. Blood Related is an awesome and ambitious project in the ways and means of the psychopathic mind. A lot of us are looking for answers as why people kill the others around them and do the inhumane. Blood Related may help you in your quest, though the answers aren't easy ones.
This book is one that should Never be overlooked.

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