Killion Slade's Blog, page 3
October 4, 2014
Unabridged Blog Tour Book – Author Interview and Review
Today I was asked to be a part of book release blog tour for Melinda de Ross. Even though romance isn’t my first go-to genre, this was a fun, cute read at a second chance relationship. I had a chance to interview Melinda as well as feature a drop in from her main character. If you love romance books, check out the rafflecopter entry to enter your chance at 12 ebooks and swag pack.
Author Interview with Melinda de Ross
I see you have several publications now available on Amazon. Which character is your favorite among them and do you have plans to bring them back to the limelight in another story?
I love all of my characters, of course, but I must admit that my favorite is Giovanni Coriola from ‘Dante’s Amulet’. He is the breathtaking combination of all the things I want and admire in a man, and I think he’s the dream man of every woman. I also love the character of Sonia Galsworthy, his lover, a twenty-nine-year-old target shooting trainer. She has a lot of me in her, and I got inspiration for her career choice from my own status of professional target shooter, in the ten years I practiced this wonderful sport. She’s the tough badass I always wanted to be when I grow up! 
Unfortunately, other than the fact that I often reread their story myself and enjoy it immensely, I don’t have future plans for them. Some things just lose their charm if you dilute them too much.
Here a couple of silly questions to bring out the human side of your life –
a) If you were a dessert, what would you be and how would people eat you?
I think I would be dark chocolate. Not all people like it, but it’s an exquisite dessert for those who like to savor it slowly and lick their fingers after.
b) If you were a toy, what would you be and how would people play with you?
I’d love to be G. I. Jane Barbie! And to have kids dress me in camouflage clothes, paint my face and make up missions in the jungle for me.
What is something about yourself that most of your readers don’t know?
Hmmm…. That I was a professional target shooter for ten years, and that I am a graphic designer and make book covers under the brand Classy Designs (classydesignsbycoly.wordpress.com).
Since I am more of a paranormal, horror-romance type of writer I have to ask you: what is your deepest and worst fear? How do you cope with this fear or prepare to handle such a fear?
I am very afraid of heights. It all started rather weird with my dreaming I was out on the balcony and a sudden powerful wind tries to blow me away. Most of the times I managed to cling to the balustrade until I woke up, but other times I just fall… I’m just happy that these dreams don’t occur too often. In real life, I avoid looking down from tall windows or stairs. If I’m inside a tall building, I have no problem, as long as I stay far from the windows and open spaces.
What’s on deck for Melinda in 2015?
Right now I’m working on a Suspense Romance/Thriller with Gothic elements. Think of a dark, deserted castle, torture chambers, blood and murder. On the other hand, there’s the intense sensual tension between the hero and heroine, and the infinite possibilities that present themselves when the two are stuck together, alone in the castle… I’m enjoying tremendously writing this book and I’m pretty sure I’ll feel sorry when I finish it, as I do with all of my books. After that, the sky is the limit!
Join the Giveaway!
Unabridged Book Review
I particularly enjoyed, and associated with, the answer an author gave during an interview with an author. The question was “What inspires you to write?”
Her answer was “Life, of course. There’s no greater inspiration for fiction that real life, real persons, real dreams, fantasies, nightmares. We all have our little oddities, and that is something I like to exploit.”
While romance is not my main genre, I do like to expand my horizons, and Unabridged has certainly done so. The premise leads to many possible adventures, many of which could have been fleshed out a bit more to fully realize the plot potential.
Clues and hints were given about a co-worker who had possible feelings toward the protagonist, yet when nothing came to fruition I was left wondering why this character had been mentioned, besides being a possible red herring. Normally, a red herring will out itself in a different reveal, but we didn’t get that closure. I waited for the part of boy loses girl once again, but it didn’t come. The overall tension in this HEA story could have upped the angst on the emotional scale to threaten that newly re-found relationship in order to fully enjoy the happily ever after. As it is, you don’t get the feeling that their coupling is ever in danger of not proceeding.
Want to Learn More about Melinda?
You can check out Melinda’s Amazon Author Page Here –
Author Bio ~Not long ago, to my surprised delight, somebody described me as being “charming, witty, supremely talented and dangerously fun”. I don’t know how accurate this description is, but I’m curious if the readers will find some of these features reflected in my writing. Speaking of my writing, I must mention that living in Romania – which is considered a projection of the enigmatic and much controversial Shambala, the supposed spiritual center of the Earth – is quite a source of inspiration. I have a native inclination to the occult and paranormal, to mystery and philosophy. The woman in me is a romantic and sensual creature. All these considered, I could describe my writing as being captivating, intriguing, sensual in places and, on the whole, a surreal experience. Enjoy!
The post Unabridged Blog Tour Book – Author Interview and Review appeared first on Killion Slade.
July 20, 2014
Exsanguinate Audiobook Sneak Peek & Listen
We are incredibly excited to announce the Exsanguinate audiobook is officially in production. Scheduled to release in Winter 2014, please be our guest in listening to a sneaky peak from Exsanguinate with the podcast player below. No need to download – just click and enjoy
Please Welcome Our Talented Narrator ~ Carolyn Johnson!
We are blessed to have an amazingly talented actress, Carolyn Johnson, as our narrator for the World of Blood series. Take a listen and we hope you’ll agree how much Carolyn truly brings our characters to life ~ straight off the pages as we envisioned them!
Carolyn Johnson is a professional actress, singer and director with more than 25 years of experience, mostly onstage. When not performing, she teaches dialects, voice and acting, both privately and guiding the entire casts of professional stage productions.
She is one of the coaches working with the dialect learning website, AccentHelp.com. Carolyn currently makes her home in Houston, Texas.
Sit back and enjoy our Prologue and Chapter One of the Exsanguinate Audiobook!
Click the forward arrow on the player below to begin the audio book sneak peek. Best heard with earphones or ear buds!
Read Exsanguinate for FREE as Kindle Unlimited Subscriber or Borrow for Free as an Amazon Prime Member!
Let us know what you think in the comments below or share with your favorite social community!
The post Exsanguinate Audiobook Sneak Peek & Listen appeared first on Killion Slade.
June 23, 2014
Jane the Hippie Vampire by Leigh M Lane
Take a ride of the wild side with a soul-sucking incubus, gun-toting gangbangers, redneck werewolves, and blood withdrawals in Leigh M Lane’s latest release – Jane the Hippie Vampire ~ Love Beads!
That Which Doesn’t Kill YouJane’s a pretty laid back gal considering all she’s gone through in the last fifty years. She’s dodged death more times than she can count. Just to name a few of her close calls, she’s survived a soul-sucking incubus, gun-toting gangbangers, redneck werewolves, blood withdrawals, possession by ghosts suffering from body envy, zombies with a particular taste for vampire flesh, and getting dosed at a club. That’s not counting all of the would-be vampire hunters who’ve trailed her across the country and back.
Of course, each of these encounters has its own novella, and I’m sorry to say only one of them is currently available. I can say, though, that I have more than one episode finished and plan to release a new one every month or two. Jane has so many adventures to share, and with those adventures comes the kinds of horror, heartache, and redemption you’ll find in her first episode, Love Beads. How long her saga lasts will be up to you, the readers, and some might even change from where they currently stand on the drawing board depending upon the feedback you share in reviews and letters. Who knows—maybe Jane will make a pit stop through your town before all is said and done.
Hopefully, she’ll survive whatever evils lurk in the shadows of your streets….
About Love Beads:
She’s broke and homeless. She’s a vegan. She’s undead.
Jane has had one hell of a time ever since she bumped into the wrong guy during the Summer of Love, but she’s taken it all in stride. Wandering from town to town, she seeks out the needy and the broken in hopes of breaking the curse that’s left her bloodthirsty and forever seventeen.
In Love Beads, Jane crosses paths with a middle-aged man who’s encountered her kind before—but he seems happy just to have the company. Of course, appearances can be deceiving, and his secret might just prove to be the end of her.
Love Beads is the first novella in the Jane the Hippie Vampire series.
Jane the Hippie Vampire – Excerpt from Love Beads:
THE LATE AFTERNOON SUN negated any relief the light breeze might have offered, and the mottled shadow cast by the massive oak tree stretching overhead wasn’t much more helpful. Jane slumped on a park bench, dozing on and off, a wide-brimmed hat and boxy sunglasses obscuring her face. Her backpack sat beside her, one arm threaded through the shoulder straps to deter potential thieves, and she crossed her legs at the ankles. She wore a ragged pair of blue jeans and a Doobie Brothers tee shirt so old the applique had cracked and faded beyond recognition. Her bare feet were calloused and in desperate need of a good scrub.
She’d find a decent place to crash soon. There was at least one Good Samaritan in every town, and they were usually easy enough to spot. Patience was the key. That—and a practical sense of when the local heat had decided she’d overstayed her welcome. Hanging around anywhere long enough to be recognized was a bad thing. Recognition led to suspicion, which led to a slippery slope that began with harassment and ended with the gas chamber. She’d seen it happen before, and it was a pretty hellish fate for those on the difficult side of killing. There was no respectable place left in this world for vampires, not at least that she’d found, and it was not at all hospitable to a burned-out flower child who couldn’t seem to pull her head out of the sixties.
A handful of adolescents infiltrated the park, putting an end to the peaceful quiet she’d been fortunate enough to have enjoyed for the last couple of hours. The disruption had been inevitable, and she took it in stride despite her exhaustion. She sat upright, watched the kids play flag football for a few minutes, and then donned her backpack and made her way to the sidewalk. It was a sunny day, not at all comfortable, and the heat instilled an aching desire to curl up on the side of the street and slip quietly into a coma. Such extended exposure would undoubtedly do just that—before it reduced her hide to burnt leather—so she moved as quickly as her sluggish legs would take her to the shady overhangs of the buildings across the street.
The town she’d found herself in was small and quaint, with boutiques and small shops packed within a tiny radius. The smell of fried food permeated from a nearby greasy spoon. She considered going in, but she only had a few bucks and some change on her. Moreover, a diner was far from ideal for mingling with the locals. Mingling was the objective; luxuries like food—“people food”—were secondary.
Not like food wasn’t a necessity in its own right, just like water and doobage. A girl could only go so long without her doobage. Life was mundane enough as it was. A little variety, beyond blood type, was all that stood between her and insanity.
About Leigh M Lane~
Leigh M. Lane has been writing for over twenty years. She has ten published novels and twelve published short stories divided among different genre-specific pseudonyms. She is married to editor Thomas B. Lane, Jr. and currently resides in the hot and dusty outskirts of Sin City. Her traditional Gothic horror novel, Finding Poe, was a finalist in the 2013 EPIC Awards in horror.
Her other novels include World-Mart—a tribute to Orwell, Serling, and Vonnegut—and the dark allegorical tale, Myths of Gods. Visit Leigh’s Amazon’s Author Page to learn so much more!
For more information about Leigh M. Lane and her writing, visit her website at http://www.cerebralwriter.com.
Love Beads is available on Kindle for .99: http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Hippie-Vampire-Love-Beads-ebook/dp/B00L0J8ROQ
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May 25, 2014
Exsanguinate – FREE This Weekend!
Our gift to you and yours – Exsanguinate, World of Blood Book 1 is FREE this weekend. If you haven’t had a chance to stop by and grabbed yourself a copy – here’s your chance! It’ll be available through Monday – please share our gift to those who love a good ‘ole vampire, werewolf, and dragon tromp mixed into a contemporary modern gaming reality!
We hope you have a wonderful weekend remembering and experiencing family and friends Take Care!
Love & Hugs! Killion
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Amazon.com Widgets
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April 6, 2014
Author Interview: Solomon Archer for Inseperable
Today we interviewed the truly psychotic and creepy Solomon Archer. A pseudonym to protect his identity from the years of being a clinical psychologist, Solomon gives voice to those who have shared their stories in a truly skin crawling account. Today he shares with us his inspiration on his short story titled Inseperable, featured in Sekhmet Press Wrapped in White anthology. Let’s read on …
Insperable was a psychological horror thriller from the get go! Where did the inspiration come for this story?
It was inspired by some of the truly horrible, inexplicable events I had encountered when interviewing folks in my line of work. The main character was an amalgam of patients who all had similar experiences that made me question where exactly we are supposed to draw the line between life and death. The absolute conviction with which they described what they had seen, heard, and felt – with details so painful and harrowing – made it increasingly difficult to dismiss or ignore what they claimed to have experienced. I felt the need to write about it for really no other reason than to try to communicate their very real plight to anyone who has not been through what they have.
What are three of your favorite books/series? Do you feel they influenced your writing?
There are two books that have stuck with me ever since my memory was developed enough to appreciate reading. “A Wrinkle In Time” by Madeleine L’Engle is my all-time favorite, followed closely by Roger Zelazny’s “Roadmarks.” These two books sparked a longing for other worlds in me that has followed me my entire life. The authors’ ability to so convincingly paint alternate selves, histories, and futures offered not only an escape, but also hope and inspiration. The words in those books planted something in my imagination that grew over the years.
How do you spend your time when you aren’t writing? Tell us something most people don’t know about Solomon.
Given that Solomon Archer is a pseudonym, I imagine there is a great deal that people don’t know about him, including myself! But I can tell you a couple of things about the author behind the name. I used to be a distance walker. I didn’t have a car until I was 24 so I used to walk everywhere. The longest I walked at one time was over 60 miles – I actually had my brother and my best friend drop me off 62 miles from my home so I wouldn’t have any choice but to walk back. I turned 20 on that walk! I still love to walk and hike whenever my plantar fasciitis isn’t reminding me of how I have not escaped the aging process simply by adopting a pen name. I also love to cook and although I seem to scare the hell out of most of the women I meet, I have faith that when I can find one that doesn’t immediately run for the door (or has particularly trouble freeing herself from the duct tape) she will really enjoy my three-cheese stuffed manicotti or lemon-pepper and basil-pesto chicken tacos. My middle name is Solomon and I was a competitive archer in college for a time.
Do you have a specific music playlist you listen to while you’re writing? Do you find different types of music can help or hinder tapping into a specific mood?
Music is so critical in helping me to cut out the distractions of the outside world and focus my thoughts in more productive directions. I am partial to instrumental music because the absence of lyrics allows my imagination to swim a little deeper without having to remember to breathe, if that makes any sense. Vangelis, Boards of Canada, Hammock, and Sigur Ros are at the top of my list of must-have artists in the wake of an apocalypse.
Here a couple of silly questions to bring out the human side of your life -
a) If you were a dessert, what would you be and how would people eat you?
I would be a 45-gallon Dairy Queen Blizzard made up of Snickers, Butterfingers, Gummi Bears, Ring Pops, and snack-size packets of Skittles stuffed inside a piñata depicting a family of honey badgers eating a Kraken.
Do you find inspiration for your stories while washing dishes, driving, or taking a shower?
Inspiration can come from anywhere, really, which is why it’s so important to give your inner observer free reign during your waking life. For instance, walking through a grocery store and seeing a five-year-old boy talking to another child might inspire the idea for a story about human trafficking that uses children to lure potential victims. Or perhaps driving to the bank and passing a man begging for change on the street sparks the idea for a story about the government exploiting the potential of an untapped reservoir of expendable soldiers culled from the ranks of the homeless by offering them a place to live, debt forgiveness, a generous stipend, and a new shot at life for signing away what’s left of their lives to fight in covert wars that go completely unnoticed by the country. But most of my ideas come from my dreams. I have been very fortunate to have a job that involves a fair amount of discussion and interpretation of dreams, which I believe has primed the pump for me to live more fully in my sleep. For better or worse, our most powerful emotions fuel our dreams and we ignore what they are trying to tell us at our peril. For me, dreams and writing are inextricably intertwined in that both require us to let go of the rational and expected for a while and allow our inner guides step out of the shadows and show us the way. I think all good writers are able to tap into those parts of ourselves that we may be too enmeshed with( or in denial of) to see clearly.
What’s on deck for Solomon in 2014? Any new releases we can look forward to?
Sekhmet Press picked up my book “PsyKu” and will be releasing it in fall of 2014. PsyKu is a collection of forensic haikus that focus on crime and mental illness. And whereas traditional haiku typically centers on seasonal themes and uses imagery that is characteristic of a particular time of year, the themes in PsyKu relate to different phases of the criminal career:
Summer: Crime
Fall: Arrest and Prosecution
Winter: Incarceration
Spring: Release
Because of its heavy focus on abnormality and psychopathology, PsyKu has an additional theme that is inextricably intertwined with all of these phases:
Perennial: Mental Illness
There are short stories with each of the seasons as well as artwork from the darkly talented Andrew Wood. Some of his artwork is featured on the PsyKu website and if you want to get a look at some terrific illustrations depicting the themes of criminal behavior and mental illness, you should definitely check him out.
Finally, since we are all lovers of the horror genre – what is your deepest and worst fear? How do you cope with this fear or prepare to handle such a fear?
I have a bit of OCD still left in me from my youth and one of the frightening remnants of that condition is my lingering belief that giving voice to my fears will make them come true. Most of them focused on the torture of my family and loved ones and the sense of dread that would overtake me when those thoughts popped into my head was often so overwhelming that my rituals would sometimes last for hours before either the fears backed off or until I was just too exhausted to do them anymore. Maybe that’s a long-winded way of saying I’m not going to tell you what my deepest and worst fear is. Or maybe in a more succinct way, I just did.
Archer’s Bio
Solomon Archer is a pseudonym created for protective purposes. The author of PsyKu is an actual criminal psychologist. He received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin with a focus on behavior pathology. He completed his forensic internship in Ohio where he specialized in working with low-functioning sex offenders and treatment with probationed and paroled offenders.
His work with the mentally ill criminal population continued through his forensic post-doctoral fellowship in North Carolina with a focus on competency and sanity evaluations.
His career path subsequently branched out to the prison system, where he has worked for well over a decade. The author is currently the Chief Psychologist of a state prison. He spends much of his time working with serious and dangerously mentally ill offenders, some of whom are not so disorganized that they couldn’t figure out a way to free themselves from their restraints and stab him in the head with an altered food tray. (Incidentally, the going rate for shanking a psychologist is two pounds of coffee and three bags of Top tobacco. You know, just in case you were curious).
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April 5, 2014
Author Interview: Patrick O’Neill for The Other One
Today on our 10th day of the Wrapped in White Anthology tour from Sekhmet Press, we welcome Patrick O’Neill who says if he were a toy it would be a Mr. Potato head disassembled, and reassembled Frankenstyle! Patrick gives us the inspiration behind his short story titled, The Other One, inspired by true haunted accounts of his childhood. Let’s read on …
I loved the idea of Wrapped in White because I love ghost stories. Few publishers out there specifically request ghost story submissions and so when I came across this, I knew it was for me. Ghost stories are where I feel most at home. Ghost stories are the way forward.
The Other One had an interesting twist a reader wouldn’t expect. I truly felt sorry for the family by the time it all unraveled. Where did the inspiration come for this story?
As a small child I lived in the village of Morton, depicted in the story, and always felt there was something creepy about the place. Even the house I lived in was haunted. I always had to sleep with the light on and would scream if I woke in darkness, which often happened as my mother would come in and turn it off once I was asleep. In my recurring dream I woke to find my bed swaying back and forth on a black, oily sea. Years later I discovered that a child had died in that room, shortly before we had moved in.
What are three of your favorite books/series? Do you feel they influenced your writing?
The Secret History by Donna Tart. I love this novel. I can’t ever remember caring about characters so much in a book. Great plot and beautifully written. A fascinating and terrifying interlace between ancient mythology and reality and a mesmerizing study of guilt and redemption.
The Girl on the Landing by Paul Torday. This book was brilliant because I couldn’t categorize it. It’s like nothing I’ve read before. Very creepy and builds effectively to a horrifying conclusion.
Collected Ghost Stories by M.R. James. Every time I dip into this I am taken on spine-tingling journeys through haunted graveyards and churches, ancient libraries and forgotten places. James is the master of the ghost story.
M.R. James is a major influence.
How do you spend your time when you aren’t writing? Tell us something most people don’t know about Patrick.
I like walking and finding remote churches and ruins in the countryside. I watch horror movies and take photographs.
Do you have a specific music playlist you listen to while you’re writing? Do you find different types of music can help or hinder tapping into a specific mood?
No Specific playlist but I love Mozart and Verdi, Metallica and Zeppelin. Music definitely helps, not whilst I’m writing, but whilst I’m thinking and mulling about what to write.
Here a couple of silly questions to bring out the human side of your life -
a) If you were a toy, what would you be and how would people play with you?
Mr Potato Head. Pull off my arms and legs and ears and put me back together again: Frankenstyle.
Do you find inspiration for your stories while washing dishes or taking a shower?
I find inspiration in the strangest and least likely of places: in a park, in a shop, standing at a bus stop. It normally happens when I’m really tired.
What’s on deck for Patrick in 2014? Any new releases we can look forward to?
I’m currently working on my debut novel, No Contrition, a story following one man’s quest to discover why his wife and foster child were murdered. My book of short stories, The Darkest Eyes, is now complete and once all rights revert to me, I’ll be seeking out a willing publisher. I’ve also been asked by a brilliant, Random House author to co-write a Victorian novel, and we continue to plot this story out. I’m taking photographs for a new book that has been commissioned – it’s all about the history of daffodils! It’s a great project.
This year I’m looking forward to appearing in Villipede’s new anthology, Darkness ad Infinitum, with my story, The Westhoff Version; Dark Continent’s, The Sea Anthology, with my story, The Setting Sea; Siren Call’s, Voices from the Gloom 2 Anthology, with my story, The Last Assignment; Fringework’s, Dead Men’s Tales Anthology, with my story, Aye for an Eye; and Dark Quest’s, Trust and Treachery Anthology, with my story, The House on the Lake.
Finally, since we are all lovers of the horror genre – what is your deepest and worst fear? How do you cope with this fear or prepare to handle such a fear?
I have a fear of walking through woodland in the middle of the night, with only the sounds of animals snapping at twigs and rustling through undergrowth. Sometimes I have to do it though, just to feel the fear and try to overcome it. It never works.
Where can we learn more about Patrick?
Patrick O’Neill is a rising talent in the world of horror fiction and resides in Dorset with wife, Nikki, and son, Benedict. His dark and unsettling tales have featured in numerous anthologies and he is currently working on his debut novel, No Contrition. Patrick can be contacted at padzoneill [at] hotmail.com
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Patrick-ONeill/e/B00B1S3FDY
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April 4, 2014
Author Interview: Michael Williams for His Shrine to Santa Muerte
Working with Sekhmet Press is one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had as a writer. The support and encouragement and enthusiasm we receive make it such a pleasure to write and to be considered. Jennifer is a very skilled publisher but she is also someone who really deeply values stories and authors. So, on a purely selfish level, I submitted because it’s such a unique joy to work with Jennifer and to be considered alongside the incredible talent of the other writers whose work she accepted. Beyond that, the notion of a book of ghost stories in which there is room for the unconventional was tremendously appealing. I knew this would be an opportunity zero in on why ghost stories are compelling and try to examine that appeal from some new or more original angle and I knew Sekhmet Press would value that over easy tropes.
Burning candles made from human fat, a dark creepy library full of dead people, and uniquely odd characters truly made this an interesting story to read. Where did you find the inspiration for His Shrine to Santa Muerte?
I knew I wanted to use the Book People but I wasn’t sure what would get them into a ghost story. They appear in The Withrow Chronicles, a series of vampire novels I’m writing, and I just love them to death. It was easy to imagine them encountering a ghost in their ritual pursuits but I had trouble answering the question of why, if they encountered something terrible, wouldn’t they simply leave? Figuring out the answer to that made everything fall together. I had also been reading off and on about the phenomenon of Santa Muerte veneration among Catholic populations in Mexico and the United States and had been looking for an excuse to use that in a story. It’s a genuinely fascinating practice with deep, complex motivations driven by the core fears of and dangers to people whose lives are on the fringe in some way. Santa Muerte worship is, like any good ghost story, about fear and risk and our attempts to cope with the discomfort of facing our own mortality by personifying it in an abstract, Other-ized form.
Truth told, I in fact do believe in ghosts and I believe I have encountered one. The events of His Shrine to Santa Muerte are in part inspired by that experience and by the tremendous sorrow I felt it directed at me to communicate something of its state.
What is something about yourself that most of your readers don’t know?
Withrow and his cousin Roderick, who are the main characters of The Withrow Chronicles, started out as characters in a tabletop roleplaying game. I get lots of my characters from gaming, actually, because that provides an opportunity to test how they react and let their personalities develop a little before I have to start putting them down on the page. Roleplaying is like cross-training for writers: it uses some of the same mental muscle groups but in very different ways, at a different pace, and as such it helps me stay mentally limber and flexible.
How do you spend your time when you aren’t writing?
I have more hobbies than I have time to pursue them. Heavens. I’ve been playing roleplaying games with the same people for nearly twenty years: D&D, Vampire: the Masquerade, Pathfinder, Trinity, Call of Cthulhu, you name it. I read books of all kinds but have a strong preference for sci fi over fantasy. I’m a distance runner and cyclist. I’m about 95% vegetarian but I can’t give up sushi or pork barbecue. I published Perishables (Withrow Chronicles #1) while doing a postbaccalaureate program in information security. I’m a member of the community watch patrol for the public trail system where I run and cycle. I’m a non-partisan elections judge for my county. I can play the trumpet, French horn and clarinet. I was, once upon a time, the choir director for a little country church. I describe myself as a technopagan. I’m an avid baker.
Do you have a specific music playlist you listen to while you’re writing? Do you find different types of music can help or hinder tapping into a specific mood?
I have no specific playlist I use universally. There is a definite power in choosing the right music for the story. When writing “His Shrine to Santa Muerte” I had to listen to near-wordless electronica and lots of melodic soundtracks with more ambience than lyrics: Angelo Badalamenti and his soundtrack for Twin Peaks, for instance, and the album 81:03 by Antarctica were both in heavy rotation. So was Philip Glass’ 1000 Airplanes on the Roof. I needed music that sounded like something disembodied calling out to me across some vast distance and with great urgency.
Who is your all-time favorite book character? Has that character influenced your writing?
Philip Marlowe, from Raymond Chandler’s novels. Hands down. Marlowe’s language and the way he refuses to let people take themselves seriously are major influences on me. I wish I could say I write like Chandler, but c’mon, nobody writes like Chandler. Many authors might imitate him but no one can make that same mix of clever and smart wash across the page like he did. I have definitely been influenced to try to create characters who refuse to be brought down by the horrors around them, though. That’s what really makes me love Marlowe: he is in fact not so calm and collected no one can ruffle his feathers (that’s more true of Hammett’s or MacDonald’s detectives than it is of Chandler’s). Rather, Marlowe gets ruffled but he recovers and, time and again, finds the truth by knowing the difference between someone hiding from what they’ve done and someone who can’t stop wallowing in what is ultimately unimportant. Marlowe cuts through others’ bullshit. That’s a talent I wish I had in greater supply and I try to imbue my characters with it so they can stay active, engaged and interesting instead of turning into whiners and prima donnas.
Here a couple of silly questions to bring out the human side of your life -
a) If you could be an alcoholic drink, what would you be and how would drink you?
I’d be a Manhattan. That happens to be my favorite cocktail, so I guess I would drink it. Heh. I pick that one in particular, though, because it is an acquired taste, complex and capable of seeming classy while it gets a very messy job done.
Have you ever put something metal in a microwave to see what it would do?
No, but that’s because it’s always been someone else’s microwave. I definitely respect the hacker mentality. I recall an occasion a number of years ago when I was on the security team for a major telecommunications corporation. As part of some disaster recovery testing, a mobile generator had been parked out by the back door of our building. It had a huge red button that said DO NOT PRESS. Every time I walked by it I saw one or another of my coworkers standing there staring at it, hunger in their eyes. I might have been caught doing the same thing a time or two. So, no, I’ve never put tin foil in the microwave to see what would happen but I will say this: Sparks? Pretty.
What’s on deck for Michael in 2014? Any new releases we can look forward to? Where can we find more?
I just published Deal with the Devil, the third book in The Withrow Chronicles. I’m currently writing the first draft of Attempted Immortality, the fourth book, which should be out later this year. In the meantime, I’ve been placing short stories in anthologies such as WRAPPED IN WHITE and have a sci fi story in an upcoming shared-world anthology from HDWP Books titled Theme-Thology: Reality Breaks.
With the Withrow Chronicles, I’ve tried tackling a different genre in each book:
Perishables is a zombie story; Tooth & Nail is a more traditional vampire novel; Deal with the Devil is a superhero novel; Attempted Immortality is a spy thriller; and Nobody Gets Out Alive is a war novel. While they all, taken together, tell the story of a particular set of experiences in Withrow’s life, they also each have a unique flavor and each gives me the opportunity to play with a different set of tropes and narrative tinker toys.
In meatspace news, I’ll be appearing at a couple of conventions this spring: OutlantaCon (Atlanta, GA) and ConCarolinas (Charlotte, NC) in May and possibly others if things work out.
Way over on the back burner are a semi-sci-fi Pathfinder setting a friend and I are gradually developing together and a new series of post-post-apocalyptic books I’m writing based on a world created with my gaming group across two sessions of the fantastic world-building game Microscope. The first book will probably be titled Autumn Turns and it will be about a private eye and his android client in a flying city so far in the future they think of us as pre-history.
Finally, since we are all lovers of the horror genre – what is your deepest and worst fear? How do you cope with this fear or prepare to handle such a fear?
My greatest fear is of having no options available to me: nowhere to go, nowhere to hide and no way to fight back. When the last survivors realize the zombies are breaking through the boarded up windows, for instance, or when Ripley realizes she is trapped in deep space with an alien who is hunting her? Gods. Gods. The notion that there are horrors we cannot beat and cannot escape just scares the hell out of me.
I haven’t got the first clue how I would cope with that fear or prepare for it. I always assume I’ve got some other options available to me. The realization I’m in a situation for which there is no “fix” – say, the death of a loved one – has always felt like a great weight settling in the middle of my chest. I can’t breathe. Why bother breathing? It’s all over at that point. Hopelessness in the face of certain defeat is what scares me because it’s what I know has a very good chance to win.
Where can we learn more about Michael?
Perishables (Withrow #1): www.amazon.com/dp/B008DIZC90
Tooth & Nail (Withrow #2): www.amazon.com/dp/B00CFC1V2M
Deal with the Devil (Withrow #3): www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLXV4KY
Wrapped in Red (“Daddy Used to Drink Too Much”): www.amazon.com/dp/B00G8KCRLG
Theme-Thology: Invasion (“The Several Monsters of Sainte-Sara-La-Noire”):
www.amazon.com/dp/B00FG1DF9Q
“COMPLICATIONS” (stand-alone short story): www.amazon.com/dp/B00AYHCSAE
Michael G. Williams is a native of the mountains of western North Carolina. He is a brother in St. Anthony Hall and Mu Beta Psi and believes strongly in the power of found families. Michael lives in Durham with his partner, two cats and more and better friends than he probably deserves.
Michael earned a BA in Performance Studies at UNC Chapel Hill and works as an engineer. He has been a successful participant in National Novel Writing Month for many years and encourages anyone interested in writing to jump headlong into the deep end of insanity for thirty days. More information can be found at www.nanowrimo.org.
Details about Michael’s open-source publishing and marketing efforts can be found at www.theperishablesproject.com.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/perishables.novel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/PerishablesBook (writing-only)
www.twitter.com/mcmanlypants (my personal feed, writing and otherwise)
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6429992.Michael_G_Williams
Blog: www.theperishablesproject.com
Thank you for this opportunity to interview you and I truly enjoyed your story in Wrapped in White. Congratulations on the publication!
Thank you so much! This interview was a real pleasure!
The post Author Interview: Michael Williams for His Shrine to Santa Muerte appeared first on KillionSlade.com.
April 3, 2014
Author Interview: Bryan Alaspa for The Witness
It’s an honor to have Bryan Alaspa featured today on the website. We interviewed Bryan for his short story, The Witness, that he wrote for Sekhmet Press’ Wrapped in White Anthology. The Witness is an origin story for one of his main characters in two novels he has published!
I truly enjoy ghost stories where only one person can see the ghost and finds a way to ultimately build a friendship or they help one another. The setting of your story grabbed me. I believe most folks can identify with the creepy old house in town. Where did you find your inspiration for Clara and what had happened to her?
Well, the truth is that the story I contributed to this takes place in a fictional town I created for two other novels (The Dead Phone and Sapphire) called Knorr, PA. It is based, very, very loosely, on the town of Knox, PA, a very quiet and peaceful town in western Pennsylvania. My wife’s family lives out there and we visit often and there’s just something about the place that inspires me. I just started to wonder what if this place were haunted – or if it were a place where strange and supernatural things happened all the time? Then, once, while driving around Knox, we came across this giant house that was like everyone’s image of a haunted house. I took photos of it and knew, right then and there, it would feature in a future Knorr story about a haunted house. That’s how the story came about. The character of Tabitha, who tells the tale, is featured in both The Dead Phone and Sapphire and is the town’s newspaper editor and town historian and just felt that this was the “origin” story for her. This was how and why she became obsessed with knowing all about Knorr.
What is something about yourself that most of your readers don’t know?
Hmmm – that I am a big scaredy-cat. I write thrillers and horror and suspense, but I am totally Shaggy from the Scooby gang in real life. I suffer from astraphobia, which is a fear of thunderstorms, for example. They have terrified me since I was a kid.
How do you spend your time when you aren’t writing?
Working! Actually, I am a working writer who writes website content and social media content for a marketing company. I also love going to the movies. I love movies and I write about those, too, for an online publication. I watch way too much TV and my wife and I now binge-watch shows from places like HBO, AMC and Netflix.
Do you have a specific music playlist you listen to while you’re writing? Do you find different types of music can help or hinder tapping into a specific mood?
I simply cannot write without music playing. I have to have music playing. My playlist is very diverse, but I tend to like more classic rock type stuff than pop music. I generally listen to my Tune-In app on my phone, with my phone plugged into a speaker. My favorite radio station is WTTS out of Indianapolis. They basically play what would be my playlist. Certain songs are associated with works of mine. Sometimes I have to listen to a particular song before writing.
You have quite a few books under your belt. Who is your favorite character and are there any plans to evolve that character into another story?
Wow. How can you ask me this? It’s like asking a parent to choose a favorite child! I guess that one of my favorites is my hard-boiled detective character – Deklan Falls. His first adventure was in the novel One Against Many and, as I write this, I am hard at work on the second novel in his series. Yes, I do plan to evolve him and create an entire series of novels featuring Deklan.
Here a couple of silly questions to bring out the human side of your life -
a) If you could be a toy, what would you be and how would people play with you?
Hmm, I guess I’d be an action figure. In real life, I am not an action figure, but if I could be a toy, I’d want to be like a GI Joe figure that some kid would have awesome adventures with.
Has anyone ever caught you doing something naughty? What did you do?
Hah…Probably, but I have blocked this out of my mind and it’s probably too naughty for a family publication.
What’s on deck for Bryan in 2014? Any new releases we can look forward to? Where can we find more?
I am always writing. I plan to release the second Deklan Falls mystery, Fracktured, in 2014. Also, the first in a four-novel YA series known as the Elementals Series (The Lightning Weaver) is due out this spring from Sekhmet Press. I will probably start writing the second novel in that series during the fall of 2014. I may take a stab at writing a story for the Veronica Mars Kindle World since I am such a fan of the show. I also have a novel called The Race currently under consideration from two publishers and if they pass, I plan on publishing it myself in a series from my website. So, all kinds of things are planned.
Oh, and you can always find more at my website: http://www.bryanwalaspa.com.
Finally, since we are all lovers of the horror genre – what is your deepest and worst fear? How do you cope with this fear or prepare to handle such a fear?
I guess I already admitted my deepest fear. Thunderstorms and bad storms terrify me beyond reason. I don’t cope well. I am particularly afraid of being outside, say on the highway, during a storm. So, I have changed travel plans and postponed events due to weather. Beyond that, my fears are probably the same as anyone else’s. Fear of the unknown. Fear of death, but those are the same fears we all learn to live with.
Where can we learn more about Bryan?
Bryan W. Alaspa is an author, freelance writer and journalist born and raised in the Chicago area. He is the author of over twenty books in both fiction and non-fiction genres. He is also a forerunner of the indie publishing movement and has published most of his works of fiction for the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook e-readers. He is also a prolific blogger and social media user. He still hopes to, someday, write the definitive book about Chicago.
Website: www.bryanwalspa.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bryanalaspa
Twitter: @bryanalaspa
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+BryanAlaspa
The post Author Interview: Bryan Alaspa for The Witness appeared first on KillionSlade.com.
April 2, 2014
Author Interview: Kelli Wilkins for Thursday Night Bingo
When I heard about Wrapped in White I thought, “I have a ghost story that’s not doing anything, let’s give it a try!” 
Growing up, I read lots of horror anthologies and always dreamed of “one day” seeing my stories in them – and now I have. Most of my horror tales have been published in anthologies and I love being included in them. I think they’re a great way to reach readers and it’s always fun to read the other stories in the collection.
This story was a unique family betrayal story. I love how the dead continue to find new ways they have been wrongly killed. Can you tell us how you were inspired to write Thursday Night Bingo?
This story is based on a real incident. Several years ago, my great aunt was convinced that every night she saw a woman walk down the hallway and go into her linen closet. We didn’t think much of it (maybe she was dreaming…) but she was very insistent. Then she told us that her dog used to bark and scratch at the linen closet, like he was trying to get in there. That got me wondering… What if there really was a ghost (or spirit) wandering around? What if the dog saw something we couldn’t?
Many of my horror stories are based on a conversation, a detail, or something else that most people wouldn’t notice, and then I start to wonder, “What if…?” I put all these thoughts on the backburner for a while, then one day decided to write a story using her “ghostly encounter” for the premise.
I took liberties with a lot of the details, but kept the part about her being in a wheelchair, not taking crap from people, and nobody believing her. (But in real life, her son is nothing like the character in the story!) I let my imagination wander and got creative with how the ghost got there and what she wanted, but kept the son’s motive open-ended. The original title for this story was “The Ghost in the Green Dress.”
What is something about yourself that most of your readers don’t know?
Believe it or not, I write everything in longhand with paper and pen. I think it frees my mind to write whatever I want in a first (and very rough) draft. When I get an idea for a story, I write notes or make a mini-outline, then let the ideas for the characters and plot marinate in my head. When I have a rough idea of what the story is, I go back and start writing.
Of course, my notes/outlines are subject to change and if I get a great new idea, I’ll pursue it. After the first draft is complete, I type the story. At this stage I add more details and edit out parts I’m not crazy about, so by the time I have a typed version it’s almost like a second draft.
How do you spend your time when you aren’t writing?
I like to read, travel, go to creepy/haunted places, visit flea markets (they’re great for story ideas), and garden.
Do you have a specific music playlist you listen to while you’re writing? Do you find different types of music can help or hinder tapping into a specific mood?
I listen to everything from A to Z. Depending on my mood and what stage of a writing project I’m in, I might be listening to New Age instrumental one minute, Rob Zombie the next, and then Dwight Yoakam followed by disco. I have a very diverse music collection and am constantly switching up genres. When I’m writing or proofreading, I tend to listen to quieter music that doesn’t distract me, but if I’m typing up a story, I’ll listen to faster music to keep me moving.
I have discovered your non-fiction books on Amazon – I would have never known you were the author of Hermit Crabs for Dummies and an All About Cats book for Animal Planet. How would you say your non-fiction is different from your fiction? Do you pull in non-fiction elements?
I’ve always said, “I’m a writer, I can write anything.” And I pretty much have. My writings are very diverse. Basically, I was asked to write cat books and the hermit crab book, so I did. I’ve always loved animals and I was once the assistant editor of a reptile and amphibian hobbyist magazine.
In addition to my non-fiction and horror stories, I also write romance! I like to say that one half of my brain writes horror and the other half writes romance. I love switching between the two genres because I can explore different characters, plots, and settings in horror that I could never do in romance.
Once in a while, I combine the two into paranormal romances. Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover is an unusual vampire story written in first-person, and Beauty and the Bigfoot is a paranormal romance/comedy. In that novella, I really let my strange sense of humor loose on the world. I’m also outlining a third paranormal about a ghost.
In one of my romances, (Trust with Hearts) I had the heroine work at a cat rescue organization trying to get cats adopted and raise awareness for homeless shelter cats. That was the closest I’ve come to including any of my non-fiction subjects into a fiction piece.
Here a couple of silly questions to bring out the human side of your life -
a) If you could be a toy, what would you be and how would people play with you?
I’d like to be a kite, so I can fly around and look at things from high in the air. (If kite’s can see, that is.) Or maybe a doll – that way, if my owner was picked on or bothered, I could come to life and scare people! (Now you see why I write horror.)
Has anyone ever caught you singing alone in your car? What did you do?
Yes! Last summer I was busted singing along to “In a Big Country” and I just laughed and waved and kept singing. (I’m probably caught singing more than I realize, but I was having fun, so why not?)
What’s on deck for Kelli in 2014? Any new releases we can look forward to? Where can we find more?
I have two historical romances coming out in spring of 2014. Wilderness Bride will be published by Amber Quill Press on April 6, and Medallion Press is releasing Dangerous Indenture in May.
In the horror world, I recently submitted several stories to online publications and I’m waiting to hear back. I’m also writing new horror tales.
All the details about all my writings can be found on my site: www.KelliWilkins.com.
Finally, since we are all lovers of the horror genre – what is your deepest and worst fear? How do you cope with this fear or prepare to handle such a fear?
Aside from being traumatized when I watched The Exorcist at age nine, the only fear I have these days is wasps. Bees I can handle; they have a purpose and they don’t really want to sting you. Wasps can be vicious. I avoid them as much as I can, but if they bother me, I get the spray!
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts. I hope everyone enjoys Wrapped in White. I invite readers to visit my website to learn more about my writings. I have separate sections for my romances and horror stories.
ABOUT KELLI A. WILKINS
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 90 short stories, seventeen romance novels, and four non-fiction books. Her speculative fiction has appeared in The Sun, Weird Tales, Dark Moon Digest, The First Line, and in several anthologies, including: Wrapped in White, Mistresses of the Macabre, Haunted, The Four Horsemen: An Anthology of Conquest, War, Famine & Death, Frightmares: A Fistful of Flash Fiction Horror, What If… and Dark Things II: Cat Crimes: Tales of Feline Mayhem and Murder, The Best of the First Line, and more.
Kelli publishes a blog (http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/) filled with excerpts, interviews, writing prompts, and whatever else pops into her head. She also writes a monthly newsletter, Kelli’s Quill. Kelli invites readers to visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings.
Catch up with Kelli on the Web:
Website: www.KelliWilkins.com
Blog http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/@KWilkinsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelli.wilkins1Thank you for this opportunity to interview you and I truly enjoyed your story in Wrapped in White. Congratulations on the publication! Thanks! It was fun to write & I love being included in anthologies!
The post Author Interview: Kelli Wilkins for Thursday Night Bingo appeared first on KillionSlade.com.
Author Interview: Michael Matula for “You’ll Thank Me by Tomorrow”
Today we interviewed Michael Matula for his scary short story in Wrapped in White by Sekhmet Press. His inspiration was spurred on by a love-hate relationship with technology. Let’s read on …
You’ll Thank Me by Tomorrow was uniquely different. The POV from Liam made this story extremely interesting as we become just as confused with the murders in the same rooms as he experiences them. What was your inspiration for this story?
Technology. I have a love-hate relationship with it. We’re all so reliant on it now, but I also feel like it’s taking something away from us. Instead of being in the moment, we often just stare down at the screens on our phones. In the story, Liam loves his wife more than anything in the world, but even when they’re together physically, he’s not really present. His mind is elsewhere. He’s always in another room, so to speak. The ghost simply makes this a reality.
This is your second story published with Sekhmet Press. Do you have plans in turning any of your characters from these short stories into a novel?
I don’t have any plans for a novel with the characters yet, though I certainly wouldn’t rule it out. I do often like to think about my characters existing in the same universe, though, where their paths could possibly cross, and where events from one might influence the world in another.
How do you spend your time when you aren’t writing?
Usually when I’m not writing, I’m wishing I could write. I’m only partly joking. I recently started going to monthly book readings hosted by a local Chicago restaurant. I was the featured author in February this year, but there’s always an open-mic section where people can read their stories or poems. I try to go back as often as I can, as it’s also fun to take part, and to see other authors read from their work, and there’s always a very supportive and friendly atmosphere.
Do you have a specific music playlist you listen to while you’re writing? Do you find different types of music can help or hinder to tap into a specific mood?
I don’t listen to music very often when I write. I always used to when I was younger, but I find it easier to concentrate without it. Sometimes, when I’m having trouble with a scene, or I find that my energy’s lacking, or when I’m just super bored, I do fire up some music. I don’t have the most varied collection of songs, though, so I can only really tap into “Aggressive” and “Slightly less aggressive” moods when I listen to music. This helps when I’m jogging, but it doesn’t always help when I’m writing.
Here a couple of silly questions to bring out the human side of your life -
a) If you were an alcoholic drink, what would you be and how would people react to you?
A vodka martini. People would probably look at me a bit weird, if I were a walking, talking martini, but at least I’d be delicious.
Do you find inspiration for your stories while washing the car, cooking dinner, running, or taking a shower?
Definitely. Inspiration can strike pretty much anywhere. I’ve always had a very active imagination. As a kid, I always had to make up my own fun, since my sisters had other stuff they wanted to do besides play with their dorky younger brother, and I was rarely able to commandeer the TV. So I’d usually go out and explore, and make up stories as I went.
What’s on deck for Michael D. Matula in 2014? Any new releases we can look forward to? Where can we find more?
My next short story, “Another Exile,” will be appearing in another anthology soon, called NovoPulp. If people enjoy my writing, I’d encourage them to check out my first novel, “Try Not to Burn,” which I’m currently working on the sequel for. I’m quite proud of the book, and I’m often told by readers that they raced through it in a single sitting. It’s not exactly a small book, either, so I think this means I may have done something right.
Finally, since we are all lovers of the horror genre – what is your deepest and worst fear? How do you cope with this fear or prepare to handle such a fear?
I’ve always had a pretty bad fear of heights. I’m not sure I cope with it, exactly, as it seems to have only gotten worse over the years. I mostly just try to avoid ladders and ledges whenever possible.
Where can we learn more about Michael?
Michael Matula is a novelist from the Chicago area, and a member of the Chicago Writers’ Association and the SCBWI. He’s a long-time fan of horror stories and action flicks, a long-suffering fan of the Chicago Cubs, and has fond memories of curling up with a comic book and pretending that people could fly. His first published novel is Try Not to Burn. He’s currently working on the sequel, and has a number of other projects in the works. His short fiction has been published by Sci-Fi Short Story Magazine and DarkFuse, and also appeared in two recent anthologies from Sekhmet Press.
http://michaelmatula.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/michaeldmatula
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6536141.Michael_David_Matula
Thank you very much, Killion!
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