Steph Post's Blog, page 33
July 14, 2015
July Read of the Month
In case you missed it, A Tree Born Crooked was named the July Read of the Month by the Southern Literary Review. July has always been my favorite month (birthday, summer, etc.) so here's one more reason to love it. Cheers and many thanks to Phil Jason for the nomination and review.
July 6, 2015
Podcast Interview on Writer's Bone
Today I'm talking to some of my favorite lit folks over at Writer's Bone (a fantastic hub where you can find author interviews, book playlists and all things upcoming on the literary scene). We're talking literary influences, growing up in Florida and writing A Tree Born Crooked in bars. Have a listen to the podcast and then be sure to check out the many other podcasts and articles on up the site. Cheers!
July 5, 2015
4th of July Noir
There's a great list of noir and crime fiction releases from independent presses over on Hardboiled Wonderland. A Tree Born Crooked is graciously mentioned, I should add... Check it out and add some of these to your own to-be-read list (I know I will). Happy 4th!
June 29, 2015
True Detective Season 2: Barrelhouse TV Workshop- Episode 1
While you're still processing the shocking (not so shocking? we're already debating it...) ending of last night's True Detective episode, take a moment to hope on over to Barrelhouse Magazine and check out our writer's television workshop. This go round we're breaking down Season 2 of True Detective and the conversation is already heating up. This is a must-read workshop for writers and fans of the show. Enjoy!
June 23, 2015
That Easy, That Hard and Writing
Neil Gaiman has a saying about writing that's been running through my mind the last few weeks.
It's summer and I'm writing every day. Not killing myself (that comes with editing), but writing consistently, trying to keep it steady, trying to get this goddamn first draft done because it's going to swallow me whole otherwise. And Gaiman's description of the writing process is keeping me going.
Sometimes, I can see the whole story in my head, playing out in all of it's big screen drama (when I write, I write as if I'm watching a film...) and it's fantastic and glorious and so beautiful that it can hurt.
And then I look down at the cursor blinking. Waiting. Writing is about dreaming, yes, but it's also about the work. It's about sitting down in a chair and putting your fingers on the keys and forcing the words to come out, one after another into phrases and sentences and paragraphs and pages. It's about the hours, or the word count or the page count- however you measure out your dedication to the story. It can be fun, yes, but it can also be hell and sometimes I'd rather do anything, just about anything, than sit down in the chair and put one word after another in the hopes that eventually a reader will see in their own mind what I am seeing in mine.
That's what writing is. It's that easy, word after word, and just that hard.
It's summer and I'm writing every day. Not killing myself (that comes with editing), but writing consistently, trying to keep it steady, trying to get this goddamn first draft done because it's going to swallow me whole otherwise. And Gaiman's description of the writing process is keeping me going.
Sometimes, I can see the whole story in my head, playing out in all of it's big screen drama (when I write, I write as if I'm watching a film...) and it's fantastic and glorious and so beautiful that it can hurt.
And then I look down at the cursor blinking. Waiting. Writing is about dreaming, yes, but it's also about the work. It's about sitting down in a chair and putting your fingers on the keys and forcing the words to come out, one after another into phrases and sentences and paragraphs and pages. It's about the hours, or the word count or the page count- however you measure out your dedication to the story. It can be fun, yes, but it can also be hell and sometimes I'd rather do anything, just about anything, than sit down in the chair and put one word after another in the hopes that eventually a reader will see in their own mind what I am seeing in mine.
That's what writing is. It's that easy, word after word, and just that hard.
June 21, 2015
Childhood Books and Writing
So, I've been thinking about books a lot lately.... (Okay, that's lame- I think about books everyday, sometimes all day. Reading books, reviewing books, how my book is doing with sales, how my other book is doing with editors, how my third book is coming along, friends' books, books, books, etc.)
But I've been thinking in particular about the books I read as a kid. The books that really stuck with me, that even now I can remember everything about. Maybe this is because we're getting ready to tackle bookcase cleaning tomorrow (Yes, this is monumental. Like, Olympic sport monumental. We have literally thousands of books...- there's going to be a blog post on this event, I promise), or maybe it's just the nostalgia of summer setting in. Either way, childhood books have been on my mind.
I read a lot as a kid. A LOT. But here I'm thinking of the books that changed me. That I can remember not only the story of, but the actual experience of reading the book. Where I was. What I felt. Who I thought I was at the time. Those books that I read over and over from the age of seven to ten or so, when I was really coming into my own as a reader, and as a dreamer who would one day become a writer. Books like The Call of the Wild and Where the Red Fern Grows. Bridge to Terabithia and Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hatchet. You know, THOSE books.
The one book that stands out the most for me was actually one that I read in school in the 4th grade. Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World. I read it for class and then I read it again. And again. And again. This was my gateway to every other Dahl book that I immediately scoured the library for- James and the Giant Peach, The B.F.G., The Witches and so on- but I always came back to Danny. It was a book that contained such magic for me and made me fall in love with the art of storytelling.
I haven't done this in a while, but I'm opening up the floor here and would love for you to share: what books from your childhood can you distinctly remember? What books made you fall in love with writing or reading or just reminded you that a story is a world that you can carry around you? What books have you or will you pass on to your own children? And why?
Happy reading!
But I've been thinking in particular about the books I read as a kid. The books that really stuck with me, that even now I can remember everything about. Maybe this is because we're getting ready to tackle bookcase cleaning tomorrow (Yes, this is monumental. Like, Olympic sport monumental. We have literally thousands of books...- there's going to be a blog post on this event, I promise), or maybe it's just the nostalgia of summer setting in. Either way, childhood books have been on my mind.
I read a lot as a kid. A LOT. But here I'm thinking of the books that changed me. That I can remember not only the story of, but the actual experience of reading the book. Where I was. What I felt. Who I thought I was at the time. Those books that I read over and over from the age of seven to ten or so, when I was really coming into my own as a reader, and as a dreamer who would one day become a writer. Books like The Call of the Wild and Where the Red Fern Grows. Bridge to Terabithia and Island of the Blue Dolphins. Hatchet. You know, THOSE books.
The one book that stands out the most for me was actually one that I read in school in the 4th grade. Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World. I read it for class and then I read it again. And again. And again. This was my gateway to every other Dahl book that I immediately scoured the library for- James and the Giant Peach, The B.F.G., The Witches and so on- but I always came back to Danny. It was a book that contained such magic for me and made me fall in love with the art of storytelling.
I haven't done this in a while, but I'm opening up the floor here and would love for you to share: what books from your childhood can you distinctly remember? What books made you fall in love with writing or reading or just reminded you that a story is a world that you can carry around you? What books have you or will you pass on to your own children? And why?
Happy reading!
June 20, 2015
Novel Notes: The First 10 Pages
Laura Ellen Scott does a great job of noting the importance of focused simplicity in the opening scene of a novel. Her post is well worth a read and hey, uses the opening page of
A Tree Born Crooked
as an example. (double bonus- she uses Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes as well) This is a definite read for any writers struggling over those "crucial" first few pages.
June 19, 2015
The King in Yellow
Who knew I could write horror?
This week I'm proud to announce that I have a short story titled "The Pallid Mask" in NonBinary Review's 5th collection- The King in Yellow. All of the pieces (including art work) are inspired by Robert Chambers' bizarre horror collection and will both dazzle you and chill you. Journey to the land of Carcosa where the blue star rises, the yellow sign emerges and a mysterious play will turn any of its readers mad. Fans of True Detective will certainly recognize many of the references appropriated by Nic Pizzolatto, but there is much, much more to discover.
You'll need to download the Lithomobilus app (free) to view the anthology, but it's well worth it. Both for The King in Yellow issue and the others as well. Are you ready to put on the pallid mask and step through the gates to Carcosa......?
This week I'm proud to announce that I have a short story titled "The Pallid Mask" in NonBinary Review's 5th collection- The King in Yellow. All of the pieces (including art work) are inspired by Robert Chambers' bizarre horror collection and will both dazzle you and chill you. Journey to the land of Carcosa where the blue star rises, the yellow sign emerges and a mysterious play will turn any of its readers mad. Fans of True Detective will certainly recognize many of the references appropriated by Nic Pizzolatto, but there is much, much more to discover.
You'll need to download the Lithomobilus app (free) to view the anthology, but it's well worth it. Both for The King in Yellow issue and the others as well. Are you ready to put on the pallid mask and step through the gates to Carcosa......?
June 18, 2015
Breznican Interview 2.0
In case you missed it, I had a chance to interview Brutal Youth author Anthony Breznican this past weekend. The piece is up at Writer's Bone and Breznican not only discusses debut release emotions and fan reactions, but delivers some sage advice for new and established writer's alike. This is an interview that you don't want to miss...
June 17, 2015
Wordier Than Thou 6/16
Many thanks to everyone who came out to the Wordier Than Thou Storytelling and Prose event at the Studio 620 in downtown St. Pete last night! It was a great time and I was thrilled not only to be the featured author, but to meet and talk with some new readers, writers and creative folk. Good times all around- cheers!
