A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 189
July 21, 2014
Book Review: Mad Shadows: The Weird Tales of Dorgo The Dowser by Joe Bonadonna
This is on my to be read list but what I have seen and heard so far looks great.
Originally posted on J.P. Wilder:
What can I say about Dorgo? He is the Mike Hammer of the Fantasy World?
I love this guy.
I was going to spout something poetic about this book, but I decided that wouldn’t match up with the hard boiled noir style of this fantastic read.
So here goes nothing….
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July 20, 2014
Author Interview Number Fifty Five – Simon Williams revisited
I’d like to welcome back author Simon Williams, who was the first author I interviewed a year or so ago. What has changed for Simon? What is his news?
Please recap briefly about your books: My main works are the Aona series of dark fantasy novels, of which the first three books have been published.
What has changed since you last visited? Tell us your news! I’ve been working on two main projects, both of which should be released shortly. “The Spiral Heart” is the fourth Aona book, and my other work at the moment is “Summer’s Dark Waters” which is a supernatural / sci-fi kind of story mainly for kids between 10 and 12 although older kids and adults should also enjoy it. It’s the first book for children that I’ve written, and I have no idea how well it will be received- it’s really an experiment and it all came into being originally because of an idea that my niece had. It’s changed quite a bit since then but a few elements remain the same.
Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; solid plot; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…) They’re pretty much already in order. I always say it’s the characters that make a decent book. Technical perfection, on the other hand, adds nothing to the soul of a work of fiction, and I’m not aware of many books that are technically 100% perfect (and if they are then their authors don’t seem to be shouting about it)
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited? I go over it again and again so I have several drafts, and when I’m happy with the general gist of what I’ve written I get it proof-read. I do my own editing and changes as at least then if there are any issues or things readers might not like, it’s all down to me rather than someone I employed who suggested adding something or removing something.
I also feel that if I let someone else hack my work apart or add their own ideas and pieces, it’s no longer 100% my own. That aside, I certainly don’t have the money to employ someone to do the job for me!
Do you read work by self-published authors? I read at least as many self-published authors as I do traditionally published ones, and if they’re good then I like to tell people about them.
When buying a book do you read the reviews? I generally do read the reviews if it’s by an author I haven’t heard of or read before, but I tend to read the reviews to find out what kind of work it is rather than seeing how many points or stars it’s got. If it sounds like my kind of thing then I might pick it up anyway even if it hasn’t got the best ratings.
Looking back what do you wish you’d known when you started writing? I started writing when I was about five, so I’m not sure any advice from my future self would have been heeded. However one thing I would have said to my teenage self would have been “Don’t bother with the career”… I could have saved myself quite a few wasted years if I’d listened to such advice.
Do you have any unpublished novels under the bed/in a folder anywhere which you thought were awesome at the time, but now will never see the light of day? Oh yes. Actually I’m not entirely sure if I still have the manuscripts, which is probably a good thing. I wrote an epic fantasy called “White Morning” back in the early 90s, which was such a derivative piece of poo that it reduced me to tears of laughter when I re-read part of it (while clearing out) about ten years later. My excuse is that I was too young to know what the hell I was doing.
How have you progressed as a writer since you started? Well I’ve ditched the crayons, so I would hope so. Seriously though, at least I’ve found a style that I’m entirely comfortable with, a voice that works for me, and although it took a while it’s always less of a struggle when you know how you want your work to sound and feel.
Do you have a favourite movie? Blade Runner is the greatest film of all time in my opinion- a perfect chronicle of what it means to be (or not to be) human. Although my Aona books weren’t consciously influenced by any other books as such, as it turned out they were influenced (if only a little) by some of my favourite films. Anyone who’s read as far as the end of Book 3 will begin to see what I’m getting at hopefully.
What are your plans for the future? When will we see your next book? Tell us about it. Summer’s Dark Waters should be out next month. I’ll be publicising the launch date in due course. This is the book for “all ages 10+” I mentioned earlier. As I say I have no idea how well it will be received, but I hope it sells loads of copies- because all of the royalties from it will be going to local charities (not just half as I originally put on my website). I figured I might as well give it all away- I’m not going to make a fortune from it so it might as well go somewhere where it can be of real benefit.
If you had to pick five books to have on an island which five would you pick? Most of my favourite books are all parts of series, so I’m going to blatantly cheat and pick some series along with single books:
Cecilia Dart-Thornton’s Bitterbynde Trilogy
C.J Cherryh’s “Fortress” books, at least Fortress In The Eye Of Time
Clive Barker’s “Weaveworld”
Ian Irvine’s Geomancer books
And just for something a bit different, anything by my favourite non-fantasy author- John Irving
How do you think fantasy is portrayed in the media? I think it’s actually portrayed more positively these days, a lot which has to do with the success of franchises such as Lord Of The Rings and Game of Thrones. Before then it seemed that fantasy was almost universally considered (by the “mainstream”) to be the domain of unhealthy, light-avoiding outcasts whose weapon of choice is poor personal hygiene, but I think the general public are more accepting of it these days. I think there will always be people who avoid it because of one prejudice or another.
Links
Website and blog: http://www.simonwilliamsauthor.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Simon-Williams/167649143291810
Meet My Character Blog Hop: Silas Vendine
Here’s another great Character Spotlight on the Meet My Character Blog Hop
Originally posted on Welcome To My Worlds:
Welcome to the Meet My Character Blog Hop! First I want to thank Maron Anrow and Shari Sakurai for inviting me to participate this week.
Maron Anrow grew up in California, came of age in the Midwest, and is now passing time in New Jersey. She lives with her husband, stepdaughter, and three awesome cats. Maron has a Ph.D. in social psychology and has published (under her real name) over 20 scientific articles since 2008. Laika in Lisan is her first novel, and it details the journey of Laika, a private tutor who is invited to study in the mysterious country of Lisan. While in Lisan, Laika struggles with moral ambiguity and a life-changing ethical dilemma.
Meet My Character Blog Hop post | Website | Facebook | Goodreads
Shari Sakurai was born in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom. After completing secondary school she moved away from further education to work…
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A Day in Hell with William Shakespeare
Hell week was such a lot of fun I decided to linger. Here’s an interview with William Shakespeare, the greatest playwrite of them all.
Welcome to the Hell Interview Channel, brought to you infernally hour after hour.
Name (s): William Shakespeare; Bard of Avon.
Age (before death and after you ended up in HSM’s domain): Born in April, 1564, I died at age 52 on April 23, 1616, at Stratford-upon-Avon, and woke here, where I languish, ‘not of an age,’ as Ben Johnson said of my work, ‘but for all time’.
Please tell us a little about yourself. I’m a poet, a playwright, sometimes an actor, oft a lover; less oft a villain; always a fool for love and a dupe for words.
Who were you in life? I became an actor in 1585, married Anne Hathaway when I was eighteen; two days after I died I was buried in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church, so ’tis said. I don’t know the truth of this; I’d left earthly life behind before then: the body is not the man; in the soul is where the quintessence of a man doth reside, not in his dust. I learned that the hard way.
How do you think you ended up in Hell? How did I end in hell? The infernal bailiff came and battered down my soul’s flimsy doors, brought me here. For my crimes, my excesses, my lies and conceits; for my pride, for strutting and fretting my hour upon that stage – for all those quirks which make a man be me and not thee. For ’twere I thee, I’d not be damned, nor be in Hell. But I am damned, and in Hell. Since Satan loves the devilish man, all those geniuses like me are here. My sins of overweening creativity and guile lay without number on the path that brought me to perdition, where feuds never end and hatreds grow like weeds upon eternity’s boggy riverbank. Pray, why think you that I’m in hell? For Kit Marlowe’s sake? For my earthly debts of connivance and inaction? For leaving Anne Hathaway my “second best bed”? That bed lay cold too much; until Marley died, and too long after. ‘Cold comfort,’ Kit would say of that. How, you want to know? Why, is the more burning question, speeding on a sword’s point toward my pigeon-breasted soul. For loving Christopher Marlowe better than any woman? Could be, since Satan so tries to turn my pretty head until I’m daft as a loon at midday. For purchasing the gatehouse of the Blackfriars priory? For becoming a rich man when riches so corrupt? For constructing the Globe Theatre, home to every sort of player and much jollity and debauch? Or for playing Hamlet’s father every time we staged it? Being a ghost did suit me in life, and so now it suits me well in afterlife: what ye sow, ye reap in measures fit to your crimes. Here in Hell I have infernity to answer for my evildoing. Or not.
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less. Receding forehead, spade-nosed, chin mostly beard, earring’d and round-shouldered.
Where do you live in Hell? Tell us about your residence and area. Live in Hell, you say? None lives in hell. Rather we do languish. Kit Marlowe and I have a dozen beds now – I’d have left him my best one, but he preceded me here and set up our house and all the horrors in it. Since Satan, fair-fledged fiend of my acquaintance, became the patron of my art, we divide our time between New Hell’s Old Rogue Theatre and the Pandemonium Theatre, where the Great Deceiver doth keep a box. Now there’s a talent in that devil to put a plot together so you squirm, and weep, and beg for mercy, be you in the audience or among the doomed players. I die nightly in one of Satan’s plays, and wrote the part myself, and fell into the trap he set for me, of writing it as he’d like it… So, wherever Kit is, I make a home; wherever that is, Satan is, and he invades it and inveigles what he will from us lowly playwrights.
Do you have a moral code? If so what is it? Is your moral code the same as it was in life? A moral code? Make ’em laugh, make ’em cry, tell ’em truth and by the by commit this literature or that tragedy, while the comedy of afterlife underscores it all. Hold your loved ones to your breast: only love outlasts eternity.
Would you kill for those you love? After all, sending someone to the Undertaker is not very nice! I’m a lover, a plotter, a deviser. Kit’s the fighter. I can wield a stage sword; push a poisoned cup into an actor’s hand – but to kill? For real? I’d thought to be the villain in our play, Hell Bent, but when I stab the breast I love the best and watch Marley die again, I am unmanned. Of all things, I fear that dagger which reappears whenever death comes to take Kit from me. In the manifold hells of creation, we two could lose each other, wander solitary for eons. Death, be not so cruel as to leave us, alone upon your farthest shore. Would I kill, you ask, to preserve a loved one, protect a smile? Of course. Why else would a man take up arms but against outrageous fortune?
Would you die for those you love? Die, being a relative term….I have died for those I love… how many times? I’ve lost count. I die for Kit Marlowe, at his hands, six nights a week and twice on Sadderdays whenever Hell Bent plays at a theatre near you. Dying for any reason but love is the oldest sin, and sinners deserve to be here. And are: I see an audience full o’ them, nightly.
Do you have any phobias? Are you plagued by anything particular in Hell? My phobias in Hell are a poor poet’s tragedy: Satan toys with my foolish heart, but how to resist? One look at this Fallen Angel once God’s greatest creation, and all sense leaves a mortal, whilst infatuation nearly drowns me: a smell like sunshine in a meadow; a voice like water coursing; a touch like every good thing ever felt: how to resist winged temptation, smiling, beckoning? Meanwhile, Kit will stand before me, take a spear in the chest to protect me, risk ending on the Undertaker’s Table to save me from it, again and again. If I’m plagued in Hell, it’s by adoration’s bite.
What do you think Satan’s most creative punishment is here? Me. I write the plays of hell with truth to make these idiot sons of human bellies quake and quaver; I show them their wastrel selves, frittering bit by bit, their own souls away. ’Tis as I’ve always writ, but here … the results are not poetry, but prose. Deaf ears can’t keep out honest words, as Hamlet’s father couldn’t keep poison from seeping from ear to brain, death in every drop.
Who are your friends here?
Discounting lovers? None. The two, too often, are the same.
You propose to count my lovers, do you? Those who use me to their ends? Take you down more paper, for this list will reach to Tartaros and back. There’s Kit, and Burbage, Bacon, DeVere, and … so forth. As I said at least once before, our indiscretions serve us well. I’ve had collaborators in this bed or that, but none to rival Kit, who writes as well as I, or better.
What friends have I? My friends are those who bring a Muse with them when they come. All others are cocks on the walk or hens a-brooding.
Who are your enemies? Now there’s a list to wrap the world in colored paper. All too blunt of wit to read me; all compared as dim lights against me; those who try to be me — and those to whom I owed a toss in the hay or a roll in the mud, or even a farthing or two left unpaid. Not only demons do hate me, but they hate what I’ve written, what effect it’s had. Satan’s daughter called my work ‘humanizing drivel.’ So enemies abound: as on earth, so in hell, the same.
If I recall relationships are… difficult; is this the side of humanity you miss the most? Where fools be, relationships abound. Dupes under a man’s control are those he doth miss: to send one here, to call one there, and be sure the bidden do exactly as you meant – even when it’s the opposite of what you’ve said. All the hells are full of dreamers and schemers and all their tiny hearts are full of plots and schemes and stories. If you’re talking about relationships among the souls who ended here, that is. If you’re alluding to my affair with His Satanic Majesty, leave off.
I commit my heart to none, and this doth save me. Shriveled and whimpering, I keep it in a box, stage right, where it thumps and thuds and beats. And there I bid it stay, until none seek to pierce or rip my soul asunder using it as their prop, as I once used poor Yorick’s skull.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself. An interesting fact? Here’s a fact: no man can enclose his universe if he cannot come to terms with himself.
Author notes:
Author name: Janet Morris and Chris Morris
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links
Lawyers in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Lawyers-Hell-Heroes-Janet-Morris-ebook/dp/B0057Q0OIK/
Rogues in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Rogues-Hell-Heroes-Janet-Morris-ebook/dp/B008JZCFMO/
Dreamers in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Dreamers-Hell-Heroes-Nancy-Asire-ebook/dp/B00DEB1IJE/
Poets in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Hell-Heroes-Book-17-ebook/dp/B00KWKNTTW/
Website/Blog/Author pages etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_in_Hell
https://www.facebook.com/JanetEMorris
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-Morris-author/104040949631579
https://www.facebook.com/heroesinhellseries
https://www.facebook.com/roguesinhellbook
https://www.facebook.com/christophercmorrissings
https://www.facebook.com/JanetMorrisandChrisMorris
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Morris
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Morris_(author)
http://www.theperseidpress.com
http://www.theperseidpress.com/#
July 6, 2014
Editor Interview Number Nine – Laurie Boris
Hi, welcome to the Library of Erana and thank you for talking to us today. Hi! Thanks for the lovely welcome, and thank you for supporting so many authors and editors.
Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about your editing experience. I’m Laurie, but you probably already know that. I’ve been copyediting, proofreading, and doing light developmental editing for about twenty years, back in the days of red pens and stuff. My educational and early professional background is in journalism, advertising, and marketing. I edited and proofed novels on the side, at first informally, for writing colleagues and my own work. About seven years ago, I moved into it professionally. Now, nearly all the authors I edit are indies.
How did you get into this line of work? It’s been an odd, slow climb. My mother went back to school when I was a kid, and by the time I was in junior high, she had me proofreading her papers. Taking advantage of my knack for finding errors, I guess. In college, I studied journalism and advertising—more editing there. Wherever I worked, it seemed, I became the person everyone went to before any writing went out the door. It feels like I evolved into editing and writing on parallel paths, gathering more training as I went along.
Are there genres you refuse, if so why is that? Apologies to the zombie fans, but I don’t need the nightmares.
Are you also a writer? If so do you self-edit or do you use the services of another editor? Yes, I’m the author of four novels and one novella, and my work has been published in several anthologies. I self-edit to the best of my ability, but like so many other writers, I reach a point of saturation and need fresh eyes. After getting input from beta readers, I do hire an editor. It’s so hard to edit your own work thoroughly.
Have you ever refused a manuscript? I’ve never been in that position, although I might if it looked like the author needed to take another spin through the manuscript before editing – either because the story wasn’t well-developed enough or needed so many basic changes that it wouldn’t be cost-effective for the author to pay for several rounds of edits.
Have you ever had an author refuse your suggestions/changes? If so how did you deal with it? Authors ultimately own their stories and can accept or refuse my suggestions. Some have declined, either on grounds of style or artistic license. I’m okay with that. In some cases, I’ve tried to make an argument for accepting a change, but you can’t force someone’s hand, particularly in areas that are subjective. The proper use of a semicolon, yes. Grammar constructs that leave a sentence vague, yes. Using a fragment when appropriate, I’m not going to argue. Breaking a “rule” if it works with the rhythm and tone of your book, ditto. If an author is dinged for grammatical or spelling errors in a review, then perhaps he or she should have taken my suggestions. Or at least have hired a proofreader to look at it before publication.
Editors often receive a bad press in the writing community, what are your thoughts on this? I’ve seen two major arguments in the community. The first, I think, is when authors equate “editor” with “an enemy against creativity who will screw up my book,” either by sterilizing the author’s voice or creating a cookie-cutter story. Ugh. It fills me with such despair to hear those memes. And often it’s because the author is envisioning the type of editor who acquires manuscripts in big publishing houses. Most editors who work with indie authors do not do that. I wouldn’t dream of rewriting someone’s work or tinkering with an author’s voice. If an author is still developing his or her voice, I might make suggestions that a different sentence structure or breaking some habits could make the work stronger. But I’m not out to murder your creativity. The other argument I’ve heard comes from authors who have been burned by editors—either because the communication was poor or the editor didn’t provide what the author needed. Or both.
What is the difference between proofreading and editing? Proofreading used to mean just that – reading the proofed galleys for typos and formatting errors before a book went to press. As it stands today, it’s the last step before publishing – generally a good looking-through to find errors in spelling, punctuation, spacing, homophone choices, and other irritants that might not have been caught in earlier editing. That’s the fine-tuning. Editing can come in a number of levels: developmental editing looks at the big picture, the story arc, and the character development. Depending on who is defining it, line editing or copyediting really gets into the trenches with a story and looks at sentence structure and flow, grammar, consistency, tenses, word choice, rhythm, repetition, and all those small, silly things that keep your work from reading smoothly.
Do you have part of the process you really enjoy? Is there a part you don’t? I love the first read-through of a manuscript, especially when I get a ripping good story from an experienced author. I don’t particularly like giving an author—especially a beginning author who has never been edited before—a marked-up manuscript so full of comments the Word file keeps crashing. I know it’s part of the process, but I empathize with how the author might feel seeing all those suggestions. Especially if it could involve cutting large sections or plot points going awry.
Outside of your work as an editor do you read for pleasure? What genre do you enjoy the most? I adore reading. It’s a daily habit. I like to read a little bit of everything, but I really love to dive into some thick, tasty prose: general fiction, literary fiction, historical…in fact, most genres, as long as they’re well written with good character development.
If so do you find yourself editing the work as you go or are you able to “switch off?” If I’m reading for pleasure, I have to consciously switch off or else I’ll be bothering myself about semicolon usage and word choices.
What advice would you give to someone starting out as an editor? Just as I’d tell a beginning writer, reading and understanding the craft of the English language is your base. Each genre has its own flavor; for instance, if you only read romance, you might not serve a mystery author as well as an editor who knows what a red herring is. Get some training. Buy a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style or subscribe online. If you’re just starting out, offer to do a few jobs for free to build up references and experience. Starting with proofreading jobs can give you a great foundation and experience—proofreaders often move into copyediting. If you’re freelancing, learn about the business side: good communication skills go a long way.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to self-edit? It’s in an author’s best interest to do as much self-editing as possible before submitting a manuscript to a publisher. These days, agents and publishers expect a more polished submission. If you’re publishing independently, a good self-edit can save you time and money when and if you choose to hire a professional editor. Some authors can self-edit well enough to publish without an editor, although I would recommend one. There are a lot of tricks to help with the self-editing, but it’s tough to get perspective when you’ve read the same manuscript seventeen times.
Tell us a silly fact about yourself. Okay, this is weird, but I collect nineteenth-century etiquette books. Sometimes I can find them in small antique or used bookstores. They’re not that expensive—the last one I found was seven bucks—and they’re amusing, from a cultural perspective. One of my favorite passages involves how to help a lady down from a horse.
Please add any links to your blog/website etc. Thank you for letting me visit. I’d love to hear from you.
Website: http://laurieboris.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laurie.boris....
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LaurieBoris
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon/author/laurieboris
Writing Process Blog Tour 2014
Writing process blog tour from Travis Ludvigson
Originally posted on The Northern Scribe:
First and foremost, I want to thank author J.P. Wilder (http://jpwilder.net) for inviting me to join this blog tour. Following my responses are the next authors who are participating in the tour, so be sure to check out their sites.
1. What am I working on?
I recently submitted a short story for a heroic fantasy anthology to be released in early 2015.
I am spending this summer working on a novella based on the Native American legend of the Wendigo, a deadly creature said to lurk within the woods of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada. This will be an Urban Fantasy piece (although the majority takes place in the woods of northern Wisconsin rather than a city).
I am also doing research for the third book in the Nephilim Chronicles, which will take place during the reign of the Emperor Constantine. This book will have gladiators, pagan rituals, demons, nephilim and…
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July 2, 2014
A Week in Hell – Day Seven – Yelle Hughes/Dionysius
So my week in hell is almost over. It has been an enlightening experience.
Today I welcome Yelle Hughes.
Synopsis for Red Tails
The war on Heaven’s gates ended in defeat. The souls returned to their
normal existence, if you can call torture and agony normal. Erra and is
band of Seven decided there wasn’t enough pain. So, opens the poetry hall,
Red Tail’s Corner, overseen by the bored and calculating god of wine and
madness, Dionysus. Where a shot of Hellfire Triple Six won’t inebriate
you…it will burn you.
Author Bio: Yelle Hughes, mum of three and now a proud grandparent, is an avid reader as well as author. She enjoys canoeing, studying the Greek myths, watching action and western movies, and is an unpaid movie critic. Her work is written from the heart and from the people who have passed through her life, just as the seasons pass each year.
How did you end up writing for Heroes in Hell? I had just started out on Facebook, meeting authors and trying to learn more about self-publishing. I posted some information about my Greek characters in a Like for Life campaign when a Tempus Thales wrote a message. I don’t remember the exact words but he said, I like what you’re doing and I want you to write for me.
It’s funny, I had never heard of Tempus Thales, until I joined Heroes in Hell and found out to my surprise, Tempus was good friends with Janet Morris, and I had heard of her as an author. I was in awe!
She gave me a slew of information on the Hell universe, characters, location…I was a bit overwhelmed and I told her so. Janet didn’t coddle me or give me pretty words, she gave it to me straight. “How do you know if you can’t do it, if you don’t even try. It’s all up to you, let me know when you’re ready.
I was determined because I felt I would let her down if I didn’t, so I did it. I wrote my first Hell story “Essence Helliance” and have been a Hellion ever since and proud of it.
How do you deal with writing in a shared universe? Janet runs a pretty orderly ship and along with the help of our Muse of Hell, Sarah Gray Hulcy, I incorporated myself in nicely. When a Hellion writes a story, they have to make sure their character isn’t being used by another. Our Muse keeps a list of all the authors and what characters they use. A topic and synopsis is given to us Hellions and we write our stories around it. It’s very simple. The hard part is writing something interesting, compelling, possibly gory and scary, but also entertaining.
Why did you choose the characters you are using?
If you check out my self-published works and my website, you will find I’m all about Greek Mythology. I write in almost every genre, except western, but you know what? Now that I think about it, that would be a really cool thing to do. Just think, Zeus whipping around on a golden stallion with his six-shooter and rescuing the damsel off the train tracks. (lol I try to be funny sometimes, don’t mind me)
Back to the question, I find it a challenge (I love a good challenge) to place my Greek characters in hell. I try to keep their personalities within either their real life scenario or their mythical one.
Welcome to the Hell Interview Channel, brought to you infernally hour after hour.
Name(s): Dionysius, Baccus, Drunkard, Lover of all the ladies and Eleutherios (“the liberator”).
Age (before death and after you ended up in HSM’s domain):I am ageless. I was born, that’s all that matters
Please tell us a little about yourself. As you know, I love to party and I love for my followers to party with me. As of late, Olympus has been quite boring. My dear, Lucifer, has been so gracious to let me come to his several hells to play
Who were you in life? I am the god of wine and harvest
How do you think you ended up in Hell? As I said, the immortal world had become tedious and I needed something to preoccupy myself.
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less. I can look like anything. Satyrs, a bull, even a centaur. Right now, I’m tall, handsome with dark curly hair. I’m wearing a white t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up and folded towel is laying on my shoulder. I’m sporting dark jeans that are a little, too tight.
Where do you live in Hell? Tell us about your residence and area. Right now, I’m living at my bar, Red Tail’s corner. I have a home on Olympus and second one on Mt. Pramnos on the isle of Ikaria.
Do you have a moral code? If so what is it? Is your moral code the same as it was in life? My moral code, never be bored. I’ll do anything to keep it from happening. Tricking mortals to condemn their souls is very exciting.
Would you kill for those you love? After all sending someone to the Undertaker is not very nice!
The only person that I would kill for, is my mother, Semele. With her being dead already, I’ll annihilate anyone. The Undertaker make’s my day.
Would you die for those you love? Die, being a relative term….Uhm…no. I’m a Greek god and that’s just nutty and unheard of.
Do you have any phobias? Are you plagued by anything particular in Hell? I really dislike, when I’m interrupted when I’m speaking with HSM. Souls have been popping up out of nowhere lately and it gets pretty annoying.
What do you think Satan’s most creative punishment is here? Although I wasn’t there to witness, Sisyphus comes to mind. I thought it was the most creative, cruel and hilarious punishment known to man.
Who are your friends here? Alas, I have no friends. I wouldn’t dare call Lucifer one. The person I am closest to in Hell is my lovely Sphinx. I’d love to call her a friend, however, I have to set her on fire every night.
Who are your enemies? My enemy is that damn Ariadne of Crete. I worked her well and tricked the shy girl to condemn her soul. Yet she’s so darn innocent and looks at you with those puppy dog eyes, you can’t help but feel sorry for her. I hate her for how she makes me feel.
If I recall relationships are… difficult, is this the side of humanity you miss the most? When I’m in hell, I miss the fact that I can’t get drunk. Some rule Satan passed. I love it down here and if I can chug a little hooch, it would be even better.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself. Okay, this will be between you and me…Sphinx and I was dating before I had to fry her to a crisp.
Author notes:
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links:
Dreamer’s in Hell-Essence Helliance
Poet’s in Hell-Red Tail’s Corner
Author name
Yelle Hughes
Website/Blog/Author pages etc.
Website: http://yellehughes.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/YelleHughes?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/YelleHughes
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11825146-yelle
Poets in Hell: Chris Morris Reads “I am Diomedes.”
A great excerpt from Poets in Hell.
Originally posted on J.P. Wilder:
Chris Morris reads his work in Poets in Hell. His gravelly, angry voice drags you into the darkness, takes you deep into the story where you wonder if you can ever return. Almost without pity, he grips you from the beginning of this reading and takes you for a long, dark ride to the heart of Perdition. One I know you will enjoy.
Take a listen, if you dare:
And when you are done, stop by Amazon and pick up the book:
I think you will find it awesome! There are some great authors and some great stories within these pages! If you like it dark, take a read!
I’ll keep the lantern lit.
July 1, 2014
A Week in Hell – Day 6 pdmac
Today is the sixth day I’ve spent in Hell. Should I be worried that I am quite enjoying myself….
Anyway please welcome pdmac.
Here’s his bio: pdmac spent a career in the military before transitioning to education as a university Academic Dean. He has a MA in Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in Theology and is a member of the Georgia Writers Association. He writes across the spectrum having published numerous poems as well as a poetry book titled In the Kansas City Museum. His recent short stories appear in Short Story America (Volume 3) and the newly released Poets in Hell. More short stories are scheduled to appear in the fall issues of The Mulberry Fork Review and Short Story America (Volume 4). His epic science fiction novel, Wolf 359, is now available on Amazon. He will be a guest author at the upcoming LibertyCon 27 in Chattanooga, TN. More information about the author may be found at pdmactheauthor.com.
The short story Grand Slam appears in the recently released Poets in Hell, now available on Amazon. In Grand Slam, poets Li Po and Anne Sexton, along with philosophers Camus and Sartre, are called upon to judge a poetry slam. Believing themselves to have been chosen for their literary and intellectual genius, the four are agonizingly disappointed right from the start, quickly realizing there is more than physical pain in Hell.
Welcome to the Hell Interview Channel, brought to you infernally hour after hour.
How did you end up writing for Heroes in Hell? I have the good fortune of knowing both Janet & Chris Morris.
How do you deal with writing in a shared universe? There’s actually a great deal of latitude, as long as one remains connected to the theme and environment.
Why did you choose the characters you are using? I’ve had a long fascination with Li Po – China’s greatest poet and a very outlandish individual who made living in exile a way of life. The other three characters were Anne Sexton, Camus, and Sartre. I chose Sexton because I like her work. I chose two existentialist philosophers because I thought it would be fun to have two brilliant atheists trying to make sense of their eternity.
Where are you from and where do you live now? I’m originally from New England, but we moved quite a bit – Ohio, Wisconsin, and New York. I’ve lived in Texas, Arizona, Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. I now live in Georgia.
Please tell us a little about your writing – for example genre, title, etc. I write across the spectrum – fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. My latest release is an epic science fiction novel series called Wolf 359 (available on Amazon). I also have literary short stories in Short Story America and The Mulberry Fork Review.
Where do you find inspiration? I’m not really sure how to answer this, in that I am compelled to write. For me, if I waited for inspiration, I’d never get anything written.
Do you have a character you dislike? If so why? Yes. There are many characters that I dislike, but despite that, they are human, and occasionally they do something nice.
Have you ever used a person you don’t/didn’t like as a character then killed them off? No. A person dies when it is necessary – whether they are good or bad.
Research can be important in world-building, how much do you need to do for your books? Do you enjoy this aspect of creating a novel and what are your favourite resources? Research is time consuming. For Wolf 359, I wanted to make sure the science aspect of the book was correct, so I spent many, many hours researching star formation, life support environment, etc.
Is there a message conveyed within your writing? Do you feel this is important in a book? There’s nothing like a good story. I want to entertain first – though usually a message works its way into the story line. I have no problems with and underlying message – I just don’t like being preached at.
Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; solid plot; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…) Great characters; solid plot; great world-building; technically perfect. Characters make the story, followed by the plot. If no one cares about either your characters or plot, it doesn’t matter how “pretty” you write – no one will care. And great characters and great plot can often counter-balance a less than stellar edited work.
In what formats are your books available? (E-books, print, large print audio) Are you intending to expand these and if not, what is the reason? Wolf 359 is available in both e-book and print. I hope to eventually expand to audio.
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited? I do both – self-edit and use editors. That way I have many eyes reviewing my work. Still, errors do happen – even in professionally edited works.
Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be? Though this is still a problem, I think this is finally beginning to change, despite the battle with the traditional publishers. I think writers are starting to realize that having a traditional publisher doesn’t necessarily translate into sales
What are your opinions about authors commenting on reviews? How important are reviews? I read reviews for what they say and how they’re written. Unfortunately, I’ve read far too many 1-star reviews completely unrelated to the work itself – e.g. the book wasn’t delivered on time, et al. I believe reviews are very important – the more (valid reviews) the better.
What are your reviews on authors reviewing other authors? This can be a slippery slope as some authors might not want competition. Still, I tend to add value to an experienced writer’s opinion.
What three pieces of advice would you give to new writers? Write, rewrite, get criticism. Repeat.
What are your best marketing/networking tips? What are your worst? Book signings – be personable and don’t hide behind the table.
Most authors like to read, what have you recently finished reading? Did you enjoy it? I tend to read 5-6 books simultaneously (it’s the ADD in me…). My wife and I will be spending a vacation in Crete in September so I have been reading a number of works on Crete, especially the resistance during WWII. I’m also currently reading the Memoirs of Field Marshall Montgomery.
Can you name your favourite traditionally published author? And your favourite indie/self-published author? I don’t have one favourite because I enjoy many genres. One I will point out is Michael Jecks, a British author of medieval murder mysteries. I find his writing well researched and entertaining.
What are your views on authors offering free books? I think it’s a great idea.
Do you have a favourite movie? Again – I have lots of “favourites.” I tend to prefer action films, though I like good thought provoking films.
Do you have any pets? No. My wife and I have a very active lifestyle – we race mountain bikes, kayak, hike, etc., so we don’t spend a lot of free time at home.
Can you name your worst job? Do you think you learned anything from the position that you now use in your writing? My “worst” job was a “pot-licker” – washing the large pots and pans in my college’s kitchen. I spent most Sunday mornings and early afternoons scrubbing pots and pans. What I learned that I use in my writing is that people are fascinating regardless of position or job. All one has to do is watch and listen.
Book links, website/blog and author links:
Author link: pdmactheauthor.com
June 30, 2014
A Week in Hell – Day 5 – Marlowe
Welcome to the Hell Interview Channel, brought to you infernally hour after hour. Today we are joined by one of the Pit’s most talented poets…. Over to you Kit…
Name (s) Christopher Marlowe Kit Marlowe, Marley, Morley.
Age (before death and after you ended up in HSM’s domain). I was twenty-nine when murdered. I’ve been in Hell since 1593 A.D. How many years is that? Time in hell is impossible to gauge. I was killed on a Wednesday, May 30, supposedly for my heretical beliefs, but more for my spying. A man had to make a living in those days.
Please tell us a little about yourself. I was a good friend of William Shakespeare, and still am. We wrote plays and more together, and still do. I was killed at the behest of a woman jealous of her husband’s regard for me, but the reason given was my ‘vile heretical concepts,’ although the wittol who stabbed me in the eye could barely read. I was then in Sir Francis Walsingham’s intelligence service, and called to answer questions by Privy Council. Someone didn’t want to hear the answers.
Who were you in life? A famous poet, a playwright, a spy, a rakehell, a lover of pleasure, boys and girls, men and women, and the sound of words in my ears. And still am all of those.
How do you think you ended up in Hell? ’Tis said I am in hell for writing these lines in my Dr. Faustus: “Hell is just a frame of mind.” Or so Satan tells me.
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less. I look as I looked when I died: young, fetching.
Where do you live in Hell? Tell us about your residence and area. I live wherever Will Shakespeare lives, these days, in New Hell or Pandemonium, behind the Devil’s own theatre, if we’re not playing at the Old Rogue Theatre in new Hell. When in New Hell I have as many beds as I have fingers, but since Will I leave them cold and lonely.
Do you have a moral code? If so what is it? Is your moral code the same as it was in life? A moral code? In Hell and life, Don’t get caught. In literature: Honor is purchased by the deeds we do; honor is not won until some honorable deed is done. Virtue is the fount whence honor springs…
… and so sprang I, full formed from Satan’s breast like all the rest of these souls come home to roost.
Would you kill for those you love? After all sending someone to the Undertaker is not very nice! I’ve killed for less. I’d kill for Will Shakespeare, for that soul above all others whom I love. In life I cared for nothing but my writing and my pleasure… and a bit of ‘who’s your father’ wherever I could find it.
Would you die for those you love? Die, being a relative term….Death in hell, like death on earth, is overrated. I’d die a thousand deaths to save Will, or any other so unfortunate to have me as a lover. But I’d die first for my work, for my honor, for my heart – and did, in life.
Do you have any phobias? Are you plagued by anything particular in Hell? Phobias? My heart is fixed on one soul alone, and that soul is my gravest weakness. I don’t want to lose track of Will Shakespeare, now that I’ve found him again. To protect that tender soul from Satan is worth more to m now than protecting all of England from her foes was when I breathed a poet’s air in life.
What do you think Satan’s most creative punishment is here? Ah, the Deceiver is clever. He holds out blandishments to the souls he wants to torture, and twists them here and leads them there, offers all and takes it back again between two heartbeats. He’s got the right job, that devil. Everything I thought became the devil best in Faustus only forshadowed Satan’s wiles.
Who are your friends here? You want a friend in hell, you say? Get a dog, if you can find one that’s not deathly rabid. Byron did – and says it’s really his dog Boatswain, not rabid now, never mind that this dog’s coal black and that in life his Boatswain was black and white. Will Shakespeare is my closest friend, a bosom friend, you’d say. Then Byron, who drags along behind us now and again. But friends in Hell are boils to be pricked and burst forth poison. They don’t last long. I have Will, but for the nonce, I fear. And without him, Hell will be without its single light of grace.
Who are your enemies? My enemies? Abounding. Jealous louts, foolish intelligencers of Satan’s will; now add that whole crew from the Iliad, because we used a few skins of theirs in our plays. And Satan, I dare say, is my worst enemy of all, but so sly: the worst enemies are always those who pretend to be your friend. Every overreaching protagonist in my plays has his like in Hell, and I’m faced by every one of them.
If I recall relationships are… difficult. Is this the side of humanity you miss the most? Once I said, and still believe, “All they that love not tobacco and boys are fools.” But in Hell, as I’ve been known to say, ‘boys are few and tobacco tainted.’ So I make do with whatever comes my way that’s an untainted slip for my boat.
Making love in hell is a fool’s errand, leading straight to death and the Undertaker’s table. Harboring love in Hell is my greatest weakness now, as it is the downfall of any honest soul. But love I do, that mad and delicate Will Shakespeare, whom the Devil will pry away from me for pure amusement. That I know the truth makes living this farce it not one whit less dire.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself. Will Shakespeare and I were born on the same day. While I lived, I raised blank verse to an art form; too bad my imitators couldn’t keep it there. I earned my way through school engaging in ‘matters touching on the benefit of my country.’ I wanted most of all to be an atheist, but that didn’t keep me from ending here. I got to hell by grabbing Ingram Frizer’s dagger whilst he was threatening me that day in Deptford at Eleanor Bull’s house. We struggled. The rest is a history much disputed. I didn’t die immediately after Frizer stabbed me in the eye, for I recall it well enough. And it hurt like very hell. Pick any story about me you wish. They’re all likely to be partly true.
Author notes:
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links
Lawyers in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Lawyers-Hell-Heroes-Janet-Morris-ebook/dp/B0057Q0OIK/
Rogues in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Rogues-Hell-Heroes-Janet-Morris-ebook/dp/B008JZCFMO/
Dreamers in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Dreamers-Hell-Heroes-Nancy-Asire-ebook/dp/B00DEB1IJE/
Poets in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Hell-Heroes-Book-17-ebook/dp/B00KWKNTTW/
Author name
Chris Morris (Christopher Crosby Morris)
Website/Blog/Author pages etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Mo...
https://www.facebook.com/JanetMorrisandChrisMorris
https://www.facebook.com/christophercmorrissings
http://www.theperseidpress.com/#
