Amanda M. Lyons's Blog: Inner Voices, page 5

Inner Voices: Queer Sci-Fi Holiday Blog Hop

​​Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by my blog, please feel free to have a look around and see what I have to offer! Today's blog is to showcase some great LGBT titles as part of the Holiday Blog Hop for Queer Scifi, a great group of authors you can find on Facebook, all well worth checking into! You can find these titles listed below.  Please also consider  checking into a charity anthology author Susan Simone and I worked on called For Love of Leelah: An Anthology About Souls which benefits LGBT Youth through donations to The Trevor Project. For Love of Leelah was written and put together in memory of Leelah Alcorn and the many other transgender men and women we've lost in the hope that we could help save many other lives through the programs of the Trevor Project and by helping both kids and adults to see they are a part of humanity's narrative. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the many books you'll find posted here today :)  QueerSciFi is running our first ever holiday blog hop. Our members will be sharing a number of our great holiday-themed titles on their blogs - it's a great way to find speculative-fiction themed LGBT holiday books! We've included buy links for each of the books below - books are listed in alphabetical order by title. Happy Holidays! Candle in the Dark Anthology Author: Various Price: $5.00 eBook / $10.00 Paperback Summary: In almost all traditions, winter has been a time to huddle around the fire and be thankful for those the fire is shared with. The holidays grew out of a need to celebrate that time, from Christmas to Chanukah to Solstice. The longest night of the year has always held some special mystery, and we’re proud to present you with several stories of how those mysteries bear fruit. In the first story, Patrick receives a mysterious invitation to dine at the most exclusive restaurant for men. His server, Gio, encourages him to Savor the experience... Buy Links:

PUBLISHER | AMAZON | ALL ROMANCE

A Christmas Cactus for the General Author: Angel Martinez Price: $3.99 eBook Summary: Exiled to Earth for perhaps the worst failure in Irasolan history, General Teer must assimilate or die. Earth is too warm, too wet, too foreign, but he does the best he can even though human males are loud, childish louts whom he can't imitate successfully. When a grieving seaplane pilot strikes up a strange and uneasy friendship with him, he finds he may have been too quick to judge human males. They are strange to look at, but perhaps not as unbearable as he thought. Buy Links:

PUBLISHER | AMAZON | ALL ROMANCE | APPLE | KOBO

The Darkest Midnight in December Author: Jana Denardo Price: $3.99 eBook Summary: The year is 1930, and something is hunting infants and young couples in Economy Village, PA. When a local priest begins to suspect a demon may be the culprit, the sheriff calls in a team of Soldiers of the Sun. Caleb, Agni, Temple, and Li specialize in demon hunting, but they can’t rule out an old religious sect as the true culprit. Prejudice, distraught parents, and angry townspeople don’t make the team’s job any easier. And if something goes wrong, their own their own, because by the time their backup arrives, it will be too late. Buy Links:

PUBLISHER | AMAZON | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Fruitcakes Author: Renee George Price: $1.99 eBook Summary: Losing your boyfriend because you see monsters...not good. Getting locked up in the local mental hospital because you accused your boss of being an actual ogre…also not good. Falling for your crazy roommate, who thinks he’s one of Santa's elves…so not good! Or is it? Come along for a sexy ride as Donner and Bran try to escape the locked ward before Christmas Eve so Bran doesn't lose the only job important to him. USA Today Bestselling author Renee George pens a laugh-out-loud MM Fairytale Christmas…Nuts included! Buy Links:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | APPLE | KOBO

Holiday Lights Author: Jana Denardo Price: Free Summary: Aaron asks Rhys for some help with putting up the tree and finalizing their holiday plans, even though he knows Rhys will have something to say about all of Aaron's geeky ornaments. Rhys puts his own special touches on the holiday decorating as only a fae could. Buy Links:

LIVE JOURNAL

Ilya and the Wolf Author: Rory Ni Coileain Price: $1.99 eBook Summary: Ilya, the youngest son of a Moscow oligarch, is so deep in the closet he’d find Narnia if that weren’t a decadent Western story. On Christmas Eve, his brothers lure him into the forest, intending to murder him and erase the shame he inflicts on their family by existing. However, the attempt is interrupted by Volyk, a wolf who carries the blood of the ancient oboroten’ —shapeshifters. Ilya never imagined a Christmas gift like the handsome wolf, but accepting what Volyk offers will have consequences that change both of their lives forever. Buy Links:

PUBLISHER | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Lion's Hero Author: Alexis Woods Price: $.99 eBook Summary: Eight nights to fall in love. Ari has a mission: meet and fall in love with a man chosen for him by God. The catch: he only has eight nights to complete it—the eight nights of Chanukah Gabriel has a test of faith. Reaching out to a young man, he finds himself confronted with the unbelievable. Believe, and the Festival of Lights may herald a miracle. Buy Links:

AMAZON | ALL ROMANCE | BARNES & NOBLE

Loving Blitz Author: Charlie Cochet Price: $3.99 eBook Summary: From North Pole City to Winter Wonderland, preparations are underway after a royal announcement sweeps everyone into a frenzy of festivity. At the heart of the celebration are the city’s most beloved elf pilots, the Rein Dears. Once the Big Flight is behind them, the pilots prepare for the royal event. Assigned a special task of finding an Elska rose, Cupid and Blitzen are unaware of how their friendship is about to change forever. Yet not all that glitters is gold. The sweet, angelic Cupid hides a dark secret, one that threatens to destroy his Rein Dear status, his friends, and the elf who’s captured his heart. It’s up to Blitzen to help Cupid see the light in the darkness and show him that together they can mend broken hearts. Buy Links:

PUBLISHER

The Magic of Christmas Author: Pelaam Price: $2.99 eBook Summary: Jared joins his four best friends on an early Christmas holiday in a beautiful winter wonderland. He's been in love with the talented and extroverted Casey for years, but lacked the courage to say anything. Casey loves Jared, but despite his gregarious exterior, inside lurks someone shy and insecure and so he's never spoken up. Both men are about to experience real Christmas magic. Buy Links:

MLR BOOKS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | APPLE | KOBO

Nicolas Author: Dianne Hartsock Price: $6.99 eBook / $14.99 Paperback Summary: Betrayed by a lover, Jamie rents an isolated cabin on Lake Huron, wanting only to be left alone. Instead, he is pulled from his solitary existence as an artist and tumbles headlong into the legend of Saint Nicolas. As a young man, Nicolas accidentally killed a man intent on murdering three children, only to have the man's malicious spirit rise up against him. Fleeing through the centuries from the Krampus, the evil troll-like creature that dogs his steps, Nico finds refuge with the young artist who takes him into his home and bed. But Jamie has questions. Who is Nicolas, and why does the Krampus want to destroy him? Buy Links:

PUBLISHER EBOOK | PUBLISHER PAPERBACK

No One to Greet the Season Author: Elizabeth Barrette Price: Free (poem) Summary: Victor Frankenstein and Igor have a queerplatonic relationship and a constructed son. Igor's deformed back causes him more trouble in cold weather, which makes Christmas more of a challenge. Victor helps him through it. Gothic fluff, holiday hurt/comfort. Buy Links:

LIVE JOURNAL

Scrudge & Barley, Inc Author: John Inman Price: $6.99 eBook / $14.99 Paperback Summary: A classic tale takes off in sexy new directions! Poor Mr. Dickens must be twirling in his grave. When E.B. Scrudge, putz extraordinaire and all-around numbnuts, is visited by his dead ex on Christmas Eve, he can’t imagine how his life could sink any lower. But the three ghostly spirits that come along after are even worse! Good lord, a dyke, a drag queen, and rounding out the trio, a big, hunky bear with nipple rings and a butt plug! What’s next? What’s next is a good deal of soul-searching and some hard lessons learned with a dash of redemption thrown in for good measure. Buy Links:

PUBLISHER EBOOK | PUBLISHER PAPERBACK ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Silver/Steel Author: Belinda McBride Price: $6.99 eBook Summary: When dream hunter Dylan Ryve spots a beautiful shapeshifter raising hell in a bar, he knows he wants the wild young man. But Travis Feris is more to Dylan than a few hot minutes outside in the snow; he's the assassin's ticket into the magical town of Arcada. He didn't plan to rescue the kid, but when he found the shifter being attacked, the opportunity to play hero was too good to pass up. Through the solitude of a long winter night, Dylan walks in Travis's fevered dreams, learning about Arcada and the pack, and showing the shifter the man he'd been so very long ago. Buy Links:

AMAZON | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Spindrift Gifts Author: Aidee Ladnier Price: $TBD Summary: Scars and a tattoo may be the only physical reminders from his years as a slave, but when Jimenez suffers a setback in his medical treatment, the only option is a therapy that will wipe away his all memories of the past including his time with Teo. Teo, torn between supporting his lover's decisions and the good intentions of his family, sets out to teach Jimenez about Spindrift Gifts and how memories are celebrated on Celos even when they are painful. Can Teo and Jimenez weather the storm to find their happily-ever-after on Celos? Buy Links:

PUBLISHER | APPLE

| KOBO

| ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Tempted from the Oak Author: Rory Ni Coileain Price: $5.60 eBook Summary: With his blue eyes and heart-melting smile, Gavin could have been made-to-order to entice Tearlach, a lonely tree spirit. But the human is the one who’s been enticed—stolen from snow-buried Minneapolis to the Scottish Highlands by Tearlach’s darag, the ancient oak tree of which he is the living spirit. Tearlach is trapped within the darag by the terrible memory of his own death—hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago, but as recent to him as his last heartbeat. And if desire for the handsome human fails to tempt him out, spirit and oak are both doomed. Buy Links:

PUBLISHER | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Interview with William Bove

Bio: Andy (William) Bove lives in St.Charles, Missouri in the Midwest. He uses his middle name as what he goes by and his first name is his penname. Interests include literature, poetry, writing, theater, acting, singing, drawing, philosophy, the occult and paranormal, traveling, and chess. He has not yet been out of the country for travel but seeks to and his favorite place is New Orleans, La. A great lover of horror and vampires. The main subject of his writing is in fact vampires and the style of his writing is gothic horror and gothic romance. Andy lives with family and has one cat named “Mac”


Links: 


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author...
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/William-Bove/e/...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Barnes and Noble: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...





 We actually did an interview about this time last year focusing on your first novella Once Upon A Grave, what've you been up to since then?

I have been submitting to several anthologies through JEA and to the horror zine “Purgatory”.


When might we expect to see the sequels to Once Upon a Grave? What events take place in them?

I am hoping very soon for the sequels to be out for Once Upon A Grave. As for what events take place in them I cannot reveal too much. I will say there is a vampire speakeasy.


Autumn Burning contained a story from you about a grandmother's warning to be safe about lights on Halloween, it was a uniquely atmospheric tale and started the anthology. What inspired the story?


I have always liked the idea of an old creepy folk-tale and there is just something about said tale being delivered by a trusted elder of the family. This horrific or scary tale coming from the kind ole lady one has come to love and cherish. It gives a little extra spice to the tone of the whole story I think.


Urban Legends: Emergence of Fear was another antho you have out, it focuses on new urban legends created by the authors. What did you come up with for the anthology?


I came up with a story called The Naperton Well and it has a very gruesome supernatural feel and quality to it. I always like to have some kind of element of the supernatural in a story. It is just a lot of fun to do.


Do you think it could become a real urban legend?

I would very much hope that something like that would not become a real urban legend. If it did though it would fit in nicely with some urban legends that come from some other states.


Fearotica came out in October, your story leads this one too. How did this one start as an idea?


I was looking for ways that the sensation of fear could take on physical form to pleasure a person. While baring in mind they would be gripped with terror at the same time.


What other anthologies have you been able to take part in?


I am in another anthology called JEApers Creepers which is an anthology of children’s horror. It is the first children’s horror story I have ever written and it is entitled Molly Meeps.


 Any favorite stories among your accepted stories? Tell us a little about it/them.


I do not have a favorite among them persay, but I enjoy them all pretty much equally. Each one has it’s own resonance that speaks to me on different levels. I do enjoy how each of them are different.


What other projects do you have going right now?


I am working on the last two books of the Once Upon A Grave trilogy of course and have several more anthologies lined up as well. I am also going to be submitting to many side projects to see what comes of that. I have been kicking around an idea about a horror story involving cats. I have found out that a group of cats is called a glaring and I thought it would be cool to turn that into a horror story. The name in and of itself I think would be cause to unnerve some people.

Interview with Tiffany Apan Author/Singer/Songwriter/Actress

Bio: Tiffany Apan is a singer/songwriter/actress/author of dark fiction and award winning producer/writer from Pennsylvania in the United States.
She grew up among the thick forests of the Appalachian Mountains in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It was there she began honing artistic abilities and received much of her creative inspiration. Having been exposed to music since she was a child, she learned the guitar, violin, and accordian from her musician grandparents before taking up classical piano at age 9.
A misfit among her peers (she was the only one in her fifth grade writing class obsessed enough with Vikings and Norwegian mythology to write poems about them), Tiffany was highly active in the artistic community in Wilkes-Barre, PA, involving herself in all music, theater, visual arts, and writing. She began formal classical vocal training at age 12 and appeared in numerous musical theater and operatic productions. Eventually, she settled quite comfortably into a role as “that artsy kid in black” who sits in a coffee shop, drinking endless amounts of coffee and tea while writing furiously in a journal or sketchpad.
After graduating high school, she left the Northeastern PA ghosts for the Southeastern PA zombies (Pittsburgh). Upon the move, Tiffany became involved with the indie film scene, landing supporting roles in a couple films. Her real turning point as a vocalist, however, was being given the opportunity to portray the role of a Free Style Jazz Singer in the world premiere of Marta Effinger’s “Whispers Want to Holler." During rehearsals, she was coached by Billy Harper who wrote the musical score for the production. Projects such as this also gave way to the release of her music with partner in crime, Jason English. Since then, she has gone on to act in several films and theater productions with starring and supporting roles, release music to critical acclaim, and receive accolades for her writing and producing.
Her 2008 debut album, Poet, is an eclectic blend of rock music (combining classical, folk, world, gothic, metal, and touches of pop). It received enthusiastic responses from music fans and also garnered some critical acclaim. Music from the album was featured on several compilation albums and in 2009, she was an American Finalist in The Best New Song in the World Contest with her acapella song, “Lost Little Girl." Her songs have also been featured in films, and the music video for the adaptation of "Scarborough Fair" won in the Open Music Video Category at the 2010 International Indie Gathering Film Festival. In 2012, her screenplay, "Driving Nowhere" also won for Best Horror Short Script at the same festival.
While Tiffany enjoys the Pittsburgh area, Northeastern Pennsylvania is the place she considers “home”, and frequently travels up there for inspiration. The Appalachian Mountains serve as a backdrop for many of her stories, including "The Cemetery by the Lake" and "The Birthrite Series." 
Among other projects, she is currently working on her follow up to Poet. It will be released one song at a time and titled The Antiquity Project.


AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:
-American Finalist in the Best New Song in the World Competition for song, "Lost Little Girl"
- 2010 International Indie Gathering Award for Best Music Video in the Open Category for Tiffany Apan's "Scarborough Fair" Music Video
- 2012 International Indie Gathering Award for Best Horror Short Script for Screenplay, "Driving Nowhere"
- Currently Nominated for a 2015 Shorty Award in the Blogger Category

​


You're a woman who wears many hats, how do you feel about having so many ways to express your creativity? Any projects that speak the most to you?


Well first, thank you for having me here!
Now to answer your question, I will begin by saying that I have always had a pretty active imagination and it never truly went away. My brain seems to constantly be active, which I do consider to be a good thing (better to have an overactive mind then one that gets absolutely no use, right?). I also consider myself to be a great learner, especially of history, other times and places. And when I learn something new, I automatically want to integrate it into an art form of some kind, be it writing, music, filming, or all of the above. So in that sense, I do love having so many creative outlets. :) However, I will also say that sometimes having so many options can be overwhelming. Therefore it is sometimes necessary to reign it in a little and maybe - for a time being - just put a focus on one outlet. But as time continues, I learn of different fun and cool ways to integrate it all together.
 
As for the project that speaks to me the most, I am not sure if there is only one project, because every project - in its own way - speaks. But as far as outlets are concerned, I would say writing is my preference. Why? Because to me, writing can easily encompass more than one art form, including music and film. Writing and plotting a story - be it for a novel, a song, a poem, or a screenplay - is at the root of many creations and therefore crucial in bringing a story to life.
 
 
 
​
Tell us a bit about your songwriting and work as a musician. Do you feel that it goes hand in hand with your written work? How are they different?


 
Most of my songwriting as been done for my own musical projects (my albums, EPs, singles), but I have also contributed to film soundtracks. In fact, I am currently writing one with my partner in crime for a Ghost Walk Films documentary. Regarding my musical style, I tend to write within the gothic/folk/world genres with just the right amount of rock for good measure.
I do feel that my songwriting and written work definitely work hand in hand, because a lot of what inspires my stories also inspires the music I write. In fact, all the historical research I've been doing for my book series, The Birthrite, very influenced the direction I'm taking my second full length album in.
Of course there are differences in the way a song is written and constructed, versus how a short story or novel is constructed. But both seek to tell a story. They just tell the story in different fashions. :)



 
Tell us a bit about The Birthrite Series. What makes it unique and who do you think will be most interested in reading it? 


 
Certainly. The Birthrite Series is a five book novel series that also has a couple spin-off novelettes, novellas, and short stories. It is quite an epic tale, far more than I originally tended for it to be (but I'm sure you know how stories do tend to take on a life of their own once you get them started). It is a paranormal story set in (for the most part) a historical backdrop. I would categorize it as Gothic Romantic/Dark Fantasy/Historical.
Now for what makes it unique. I think that some potential readers tend to look at the ages of the characters (many of the main characters are between 18 and 21) and think that it is another 'teen angst paranormal series.' And it isn't that at all. Yes, many of the main characters are younger and do go through their growing pains, but I took care to write them with rather complex histories and layers. And there are also some 40+-year-olds that I would also consider main characters. So it's far from being about angsty teen vampires and werewolves.
I think all my characters are quite unique in their own way. To me, these are living, breathing people and at times I do wonder if these people I write of actually existed or do exist in another time and place. And I'm simply telling a version of their stories. I also feel that the historical events mentioned in the series - as well as some historical figures - are ones that for one reason or another, hardly ever get mentioned, if they ever do at all. For instance, my research into the Romani race also unturned many stones, as their history and culture is far different than what I refer to as "Hollywood Gypsies." So I also hope that in reading my series, readers might be inspired to maybe research those events or individuals further.
I believe that anyone who enjoys being taken on a journey into another world with many twists and turns and delving deep into the unknown will enjoy reading it. I have had a few readers tell me of how they liked how unpredictable it is (there were actually some things that surprised even me as I wrote it!). And as far as the darker elements of the books are concerned (yes the books do contain some violent scenes and sexual content), I often tell people that if they can handle Stephen King, then they can very likely handle The Birthrite Series.
 
For those interested, here is the blurb/synopsis:
 
Visions of infant twin boys, clouds, a young woman taking her own life, and a collision of space, time, and realms...
On the eve of Summer Solstice in 1844, four men in different areas of the world share an experience that impacts not only their own lives, but those of the future generations. The first is Nicolae Ganoush, a young Romany fugitive from a slave village in Wallachia. The second is Jonathan Blake, an eighteen-year-old Irishman in the American Midwest who finds himself falling in love with a young woman from a nearby Sioux village. The third is James Livingston, a prominent figure in Colonial America. The fourth is Hector de Fuentes, a sixteen-year-old from Tuxpan, Mexico with special gifts and visions enhanced by a mysterious and wondrous cave. Each man carries his own inner battle, unbelievable ancient truths deep within their lineages, and demons that are much closer to home than any of them would like.

Later in 1931, seventeen-year-old Dorothy Blake, a descendant of Jonathan and his Sioux wife, is living in Plains, New York, the town founded by James Livingston. The notorious Fleming Orphanage has long fallen into disuse but kept by the town as a landmark. The buildings loom high on a hill, overlooking the town, taunting the townsfolk with its lore. On Halloween night, Dorothy ventures up with friends, and the group of six expects nothing more than a good time along with a few laughs. But they fall into a dark, brutal evil; one that extends beyond the orphanage and town of Plains, far back into history. Their descent is only the beginning…
The Birthrite Series is an epic journey into the vast unknown, plunging deep into the dark crevices of the mind, begging the question of what sanity really is and if the insane truly are. Are we really shown the whole truth of what surrounds us or is it an illusion? It also tells of deep-rooted love, planted centuries ago and a story of family, forgiveness, and redemption.
 
I will also add that from now and until November 5, I am giving away a signed paperback copy of Descent over at my blog:
http://tiffanyapanwritingproject.blogspot.com


 
Descent has some strong gothic overtones, tell us where you came up with the first book in the series and a bit about the main characters affected by the prophetic dream in it.


 
Back in late 2011/early 2012, I had a rather vivid dream that stayed with me long after. The dream entailed me in deep conversation with a person that would go on to become a key character in The Birthrite Series (not going to say who just yet). As I said earlier, the story pretty much took on a life of its own, eventually. What was originally supposed to be a more fun and adventerous time travel romance under the working title Through Time, ended up morphing in to something that was a far cry from a whimsical romance. In fact, none of the main characters from the first book in the series even appeared in the original draft and concept. But as I wrote Through Time, something was off. It just didn't feel right. Yes, the general idea was there but something was definitely missing.
At the time, I was also reading Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. In one passage, he compares writing a story to discovering a small fossil, and then continuing to dig until you uncover the entire dinosaur. And sometimes it will seem as though you are shoveling nothing but crap. But eventually you will make the great discovery that will uncover the entire dinosaur. And that is exactly how writing The Birthrite was!
As time went on, more characters seemed to literally just "walk on," and characters I thought were just going to have minor roles ended up becoming major key characters. The story seemed to build upon itself as I did more research and created the world in which the people of the story inhabit. Thus, the story goes from being a fun adventurous romance one to one that was still fun, adventurous and romantic, but darker and having a lot more mystery to it. Add to that my passion for history, reasearch, and delving into the unknown.
Of course, the working title had to change due to the story's new direction. Bloodlines was the new working title (which I knew would eventually be changed since there already are so many projects out there with that very title).
Then in early 2013 as I was fleshing out what would be the official first draft of Descent, I started posting chapters and excerpts of my unedited work onto what is now my official blog in order to gain a perspective of how much interest there might be in the story. Well, the interest seemed to be there, so in the midst of that little experiment, I started revising it for an official release.
Finally in I believe that in early 2014 (or late 2013), I settled on the official series title, The Birthrite and decided to call book one Descent. Then I decided to also release a spin off novelette titled Sacred Atonement: A Novelette (The Birthrite Series, #1.5). As of December 2014, the beginning of the series has been officially available both in digital and paperback form. More installments are set for release in 2016.
As far as the prophetic dream at the beginning of the book is concerned (and the book begins in the year 1844), the four characters that are immediately affected by it are Nicolae Ganoush, a young Romany slave in Wallachia, Jonathan Blake, a young Irish immigrant who came over to America with his family when he was just a small child and eventually settled with them near the border of Illinois and what - at the time - was known as the Iowa Territory. He is eighteen at the time the story opens and he is seeking out a young woman from a nearby Sioux village that he has fallen for.
The other two are James Livingston and Hector de Fuentes. While James Livingston himself is a fictional character, the family he descends from - the Livingston clan - was among the first in American aristocracy. He is, however, a bit of a rebel in his own right. Hector is a sixteen-year-old young man who is drawn to a mysterious cave at the shores of Tuxpan, Mexico. A cave that is far more than what it seems to be and one that Hector can only seem to find.
As different as each of these individuals are, they are also deeply connected to one another. And you have to read the book to find out how. ;)
 
As a side note, I also do work for the Depreciation Lands Museum. It is a historical museum dedicated to bringing the 18th century to life. With all the intense research I did for Descent and Sacred Atonement, working for this museum has given me even more access to sources that allow for deeper research. Those running the museum also take care to immerse the workers in all things 18th century, including offering training in period tasks such as cooking over a campfire and hearth oven to spinning on the spinning wheel. Since The Birthrite Series delves deeper into history as the series continues (half of the first book, Descent, takes place in the mid 1800s and the latter half in the year 1931), I feel this will add new layers to the story and my writing in general.
The more I research and uncover new information, the more I am fascinated with how distorted many events and eras have become over time. Combine that with my love for Tolkien, Stephen King, Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, the Brontes, and romantic stories, and you pretty much have my inspiration for the series.
 
 
Sacred Atonement is a novella set between Descent and Kindred and Saturn Sun is a novella set after Kindred. Tell us a bit about why you chose to write these side tales and how they affect the overall outlook of the series for readers. 
 
I decided to write Sacred Atonement when it turned out that two of the characters featured in the said novelette had a part of their story that needed told before the rest of the story could continue. However, trying to fit in that story into the end of Descent (or even at the beginning of Kindred) would have made the book rather clunky and frankly, just wouldn't have worked. But I also don't believe in confining a story, especially when certain characters have a story that does tie in with future events in the series. I feel that in doing these spinoff tales, readers can not only be given new insight to certain characters, but in making them their own books, I can tell the story properly instead of trying to just 'squeeze it in somewhere' within the novels.


Kindred is due out in January, tell us a bit about it and what we can expect to find in it versus Descent. What is the significance of the date of release in relation to the series?



 
I've decided that the best way to describe Kindred is to call it the "growing pains" book of the series. Descent, and even Sacred Atonement: A Novelette and Made In Heaven: A Birthrite Series Short, set the foundation for the story and now it's time to start growing up. Therefore plot definitely thickens and the characters experience a melange of joys and sorrows as they continue their journies. Also, characters that had more of a cameo appearance in Descent take center stage more in Kindred.
The synopsis is as follows:                                                                                                                 
 
It is the summer of 1933 and nearly two years since that fateful Halloween night in Plains, New York.
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, eighteen-year-old Cletus Blake spends his days working to help his family through the massive economic recession spreading throughout the United States and many other areas of the world. As society struggles to accept that the economic surge of the 1920s are long gone, Cletus also clings to the memory of his last phone conversation with his cousin Dorothy. Having formed and maintained a relationship with two of her close friends - the recently married Reginald and Gail Carr Johnson - the three find solace in regular communication with one another.
Like Dorothy, Cletus possesses supernatural abilities inherited through his bloodline. His vivid dreams and visions - including ones of a beautiful young Romani woman and twin baby boys - continue to increase in strength. Meanwhile, Reginald and Gail begin falling prey to dark adversaries that have been lying in wait.
Evil surrounds at every turn, old friends race to help, and ancient evil re-emerges. A war between worlds brews beneath the surface, threatening to rip the protective seams that keep the portals sealed.
Then in the midst of it all, Cletus happens upon a caravan traveling through his Ohio town. The very familiar Romanichal family's history ties not only to his own past, but to all the kin of the four men that experienced worlds outside of their own on that summer solstice in 1844. All are linked to a future that will reunite the Blakes and the Livingstons, two families that at one time, shared a very unlikely friendship.
Kindred is the second full-length novel in The Birthrite Series. Picking up from where Descent and Sacred Atonement: A Novelette left off, the story continues to challenge all that is known about light and dark, good and evil. Passion, intrigue, and secrets abound as history unravels. Revelations uncovered in previous installments are given new perspectives, taking the reader on a thrilling ride into a world where nothing is ever what it appears to be.
And as for the significance of the January 1 release date, that is the day on which two individuals that will go on to be key characters are born. And they are born toward the end of Kindred.


 
The Birthrite series isn't your only written work, tell us a bit about some of your other work. Which of these are your favorites and why?
 


My other works include my short story series, called Stories from Colony Drive. The series is named after the street I grew up on. The tales range from dark and rather macabre to romantic to humerous, though all have rather gothic undertones. The stories are influenced by my childhood love for The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Trilogy, but the Colony Drive stories are geared toward adults. What I love about the Scary Stories trilogy was that most of the stories do not end happily, which I think is an important life lesson to learn pretty early on. And that is exactly how I approach my writing. I don't write with the intent of having all my characters 'likeable' or having a happy ending everytime. Because that isn't how life is. But I do write with an attempt to understand the human behavior.
With that said, the Colony Drive series is currently on a hiatus, though I plan to continue with it in the new year once I get the newer installments in The Birthrite Series out.
My work also includes involvement in the One Emma Way short series with four other authors.
As for my favorite, I would say that The Cemetery by the Lake is, because it was the first story I release to the public and then for which I received positive response from the reading public. Plus I like the story and the characters!


 
You also have some experience as a producer and actress, tell us a bit about your film projects and your part in their production.
 


My more recent projects include a film called The Downfall of Mr. Difford which is soon to be released to DVD. I like to call it a cross between Silence of the Lambs, Dexter, and just a hint of American Psycho. I play the character Jane and that's all I will say for now. ;)
I'm also involved with acting in Midnight Massacre which is currently in production.
As for being a producer, I did produce the music video of my adaptation of "Scarborough Fair" which was on my debut album, Poet. The video won first place in the Open Music Video category at the 2010 International Indie Gathering Film Festival in Cleveland, OH.
Then in 2012 at the same festival, my screenplay, Driving Nowhere won for Best Horror Short Script. I am also currently producing, directing, and acting in the screen adaptation of the film through my production company, Poets Labyrinth Productions. I don't have release date for it yet, though check in soon. :)


 
What other things can we expect to see from you in the next few years? What do you hope to be completing by this time next year? 
 


There is much coming up! Look for three more installments in The Birthrite Series and more from Stories from Colony Drive. I have a few more films I'm involved with being released and my second full length album, Antiquity is also being worked on. And of course, I will continuing my work with the Depreciation Lands Museum.





If you would like to check out my work, you may do so at the following links:


Official Website (where you can also sign up for my free monthly newsletter): http://tiffanyapan.com
Official Blog (where I also have the giveaway for Descent taking place and an interview with the lovely Amanda Lyons today): http://tiffanyapanwritingproject.blogspot.com
My new online magazine dedicated to all things historical and paranormal: http://partingofveilswebzine.blogspot.com
Learn more about my work at the Depreciation Lands Museum: http://depreciationlandsmuseum.org
Facebook Artist Page: http://facebook.com/tiffanyapanfanpage
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TIFFANYAPAN
YouTube: http://youtube.com/TiffanyApan
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tiffanyapan
Authorgraph (where I give digital autographs!): http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/TIFFANYAPAN
Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/tiffanyapan
As for my books, you can get them at the following retailers:
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tiffanyapan
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/tiffanyapan







Jump and hop from blog to blog with some awesome authors…with this Halloween Blog Hop. 
http://francishpowellauthor.weebly.com/halloween-blog-hop.html

Interview with Roma Gray Author of Gray Shadows Under A Harvest Moon

Bio: Roma Gray is a huge fan of Halloween and has been writing horror, sci-fi, thrillers, and mysteries since she was eight years old. When she was 13 she wrote her first novel (unpublished, but that may change.) She currently lives in Oregon in a haunted house with a ghost cat (no, seriously), and three furry "living" friends, Nicky, Roanoke, and Cricket. Her ghost friend is named Koko.
As with most writers, Roma has a day job. She is a project manager in the IT field, working in various industries. She has a BS in Electronic Engineering, MBA in Technology Management and a Masters in Project Management.
Her book, Gray Shadows Under a Harvest Moon , an anthology of six trick-or-treat thrillers, is available on Amazon and most other book sellers. Her cat Nicky is featured in one of the stories. She has recently completed her novel, The Hunted Tribe: Declaration of War, which will be published by J. Ellington Ashton in Spring 2016 (estimated.)
She co-coordinates with friend Kat Gracey an online Book Club, "Authors Meeting Readers," where readers review a new group of books every three weeks and get to meet and interact with the authors who wrote the books.
 
Website: http://trickortreatthrillers.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/authorsmeetreaders/
Twitter: @romagraybooks13


 
Tell us a bit about Gray Shadows Under a Harvest Moon

Gray Shadows is an anthology of six complete Halloween-style short stories, that are also each part of upcoming novels or novel series. The collection also includes interviews with the characters in which they discuss their upcoming novels. The purpose of Gray Shadows is to give the reader the same thrill, the same frightening rush, that I experienced on Halloween as a child.
A synopsis of the stories:Feast on Fat Tuesday: During Mardi Gras, a vampire realizes he has become the prey.And Then Everything Changed: The discovery of Atlantis changes the world in ways no one could have ever anticipated...or wanted.Summer Vacation: A teenager discovers that not only is black magic real, it’s also very unpredictable.The Invisible Carrier: A deadly plague is spreading throughout the Pacific Northwest, but no one can figure out how.Unnatural Disasters: Governments are isolating disaster sites from the rest of the world. What are they trying to hide?Will the Real Monster Please Stand Up? It turns into a very strange night when archeologist Alistair Black encounters a rampaging mummy, two insane cats, and a secret government agency.           



These are also an introduction to some of your longer works that you hope to see out in the future, tell us a bit about what made you decide to do this collection, both as a teaser for those novels and on their own merits. 



This is actually a good story: one I think might be a help to many would-be authors. I have always wanted to write a book, but like many people, never got around to it. I would come up with ideas for novels, and then email them to myself so I could file them in an email folder marked "writing." The problem was, that's as far as it ever went. Well, one day I noticed a fellow writer had published a book of four short stories and I suddenly decided that I was an idiot. If she could publish four short stories, I had no excuse not to publish at least a small book with a handful of stories. So, before I could change my mind, I decided then and there I would publish a book by Halloween. It was August 13, so it was an extremely aggressive schedule! Again, I didn't want to give myself the chance to chicken out.
My first problem was that I didn't have any short stories. I had a folder full of ideas for a novel. Once again, to prevent myself from getting cold feet, I told myself "then work with what you have!" Suddenly, I realized that if I did it with style and a little humor, I could make this book more than a simple collection of stories. It would be different, fun, and unique. That's what gave me the idea of interviewing the main characters about the short stories and upcoming novels. Sort of a "Reality TV" twist, something completely original and definitely unexpected! I even took one step further and let my readers vote on the order in which I would publish my books. Seventy-six people voted and the short story "Summer Vacation" came out on top, making the book "The Hunted Tribe: Declaration of War" my first book to be published.
I didn't quite make my deadline (published in March), but in the end, that didn't really matter. My book has received favorable reviews, a strong fan base, and I came away with an added benefit. Not only did I force myself to write the first book, I'm now committed to finishing six novels. This was the best thing I've ever done and has completely changed my life for the better. So if you're reading this and you've been putting off publishing, just sit down in your chair and get it done!  




​Which of the 6 stories are your favorites and why?  Are they also some of your favorites in the longer novels? 


That's tough, kind of like picking between your kids. But, if I have to choose, my  favorite is "Feast on Fat Tuesday."  It will always be my favorite, because that one changed my life. I hadn't written anything for several years. For all of you writers out there, you know what a long, hard road it can be. Mine was especially hard because I grew up in a family who absolutely HATED my writing and my friends don't like the horror/sci-fi genre. I really had zero support at the time. I was just pulling my courage together again when I joined this writers' group. Well, they invited me to a Halloween party and I was required to write a short story, the first one I'd written in probably a good five years. I remember getting that first sentence down was so, so hard. I was really terrified!
The day of the party arrived, I read the story and, to my utter shock, they loved it! Better yet, they asked to publish it in their upcoming anthology, "Darkness Brewing." This was my first published story and is now the first chapter of the first novel I ever finished, "The Copper Lining: Red." This book is actually the third book in the "Hunted Tribe" series. 

Tell us about The Hunted Tribe which was recently contracted by JEA.  What inspired it and the planned sequel? Will there be other books in the series? 


The Hunted Tribe: Declaration of War is about Sean Wolf, a sixteen-year-old Native American witch. As a child, he was part of a medical experiment to breed the ultimate witch to defend his tribe, the Dwanake, from an ancient, malevolent spirit, called the Grishla. The Grishla is the animal spirit of a dinosaur who is hunting down and killing members of the tribe because, five hundred years earlier, the Dwanake witches tried to enslave it. Adding to Sean's problems, the experiment made him too powerful, and he can't control his own magic. He is, in many ways, as much of a threat to the tribe as the Grishla. Unfortunately for Sean and the tribe, he is their only hope of freedom from the five-hundred-year curse.
What gave me the idea for the book is that it is actually the prequel to the first book I wrote, "The Copper Lining: Red." I can't say too much or I'll end up giving away the ending to the Hunted Tribe series (a second book follows, The Hunted Tribe: Rockets' Red Glare.)
Regarding whether there will be any sequels, there will be two books in the Hunted Tribe series, which leads into the Copper Lining series. For this series, I am planning on eight novels.


These are horror novels and Gray Shadows Under a Harvest Moon contains stories of that genre too, do you ever write outside of genre or ride the line between them?  Does this help or complicate things as a writer? 
When I was planning Gray Shadows, I gave this a lot of thought. This book, after all, was my introduction to the world, declaring to my potential audience what they could expect from me. The stories pretty much ride the line between spooky, action-thrillers, horror and science fiction. I call them "Trick-or-Treat Thrillers," because it occurred to me that the only common thread is that they all have a Halloween-flavor about them.
In regards to helping or hurting, I think it keeps it open enough for me to remain intellectually challenged, but still simple and fun enough to appease the little kid inside of me. I suppose it would be a problem if I ever wanted to write a story outside of the Halloween theme, but I've never had any interest in writing anything else. As far as I'm concerned, every day should be Halloween.



How do you try and make your writing stand out from others? What makes it more interesting? 


I think I touched on that a bit in my earlier answer. I try to make it interesting enough for an adult (unexpected twists, added complications, occasional emotional tugs on the heart strings), while still trying to satisfy the little kid in all of us (spooky, action, creepy ghouls, etc.)
What makes mine different is that I think people are either sci-fi (space ships/aliens), or they are horror (serial killers/monsters), or murder mystery/thrillers (spies/murderers) but I'm Halloween. This allows me to dip into all of these areas and then add a spooky, haunting flair. I'm also one of the few Halloween writers that is for young adults and adults, not little kids. People love the old Goosebumps books, but once you get to your late teens, those stories are just too young to keep you interested. My books and stories are designed to give both the young adult and adult audience something intelligent and complex to fill that gap.
Another element to keep in mind with my books, is that I love stories that are complex, with layers. That's why you will almost always see a cliff hanger at the end of my stories or books, leading somewhere else. My favorite story is one that takes multiple books to tell. If you love stories that give you plenty to think about and explore, that's my writing.


 
​You've recently started as an anthologies editor at JEA, tell us a bit about the differences between working at a press versus editing for yourself. Any projects you've enjoyed out of both so far? 


I started this position right after editing The Hunted Tribe, so mentally I was in the right place. It's different, though, because my job as an editor for JEA is to correct mistakes, but not to interfere with the author's voice. So, in a way, it's easier, because I'm only doing half the job I did on my book. I can't put my personal stamp on it, which I think is wonderful, because on my book I must have rewritten every line a dozen times!
 It's also great fun reading these stories. I love seeing all of the creativity that's out there. I'm in awe of our writers, they're the best. :)


In the future, what titles and projects can we expect to see you involved in? Would you like to tell us about any of them? 



Wow. I could write a list, but it would terrify you. I currently have 31 books (novels and collections) in my backlog and that doesn't even count the short stories. So, I'll just list what I have planned for the next twelve months.
Novel series: Hunted Tribe: 1&2
 (described earlier)
Novel: The Doomsday Cycle:
In ancient times, Atlantis had a war with an underwater dolphin-like species called the "Threesh" and the two groups annihilated each other with horrific doomsday devices. In modern times, Atlantis was discovered and the Threesh doomsday weapon, a zombie plague, was accidentally released on the world's population. As a result, the surviving humans fled to cities on the bottom of the ocean.
One hundred years later, archeologists have discovered the Threesh city and, once again, have accidentally re-activated the doomsday device that destroyed the city, this time sent down by the people of Atlantis. No one knows the true nature of the Atlantis device, except entire cities are going dark. In the meantime, the zombies on the surface have evolved and adapted and are making their way down to the cities on the bottom of the ocean. The human race must now battle and defeat two doomsday devices from ancient times in order to survive.
Short Story in anthology Jurassic Attacks: A T-Rex for Xmas
A teenage witch brings a T-Rex toy to life to murder her family, told from the eyes of her seven-year-old brother.
Short Story in anthology Twisted Tales Tea Party: Trap Door
Trapped on a small farm during an apocalypse of giant, trap door spiders, can a father give his little girl a happy Christmas?
Short Story in anthology A-Z: Love Letters
Being chased by a homicidal ex-husband, will a pregnant woman find her salvation—or her destruction—in his old love letters?

Interview with Frances H. Powell Author of Flight of Destiny

Bio: What better way to put all my angst into short stories. Born in a commuter belt city called Reading and like many a middle or upper class child of such times I was shunted off to an all-male boarding school aged eight, away from my parents for periods of up to twelve weeks at a time, until I was 17. While at my first Art college through a friend I met a writer called Rupert Thomson, who was at the time in the process of writing his first book “Dreams of leaving”. He was a bit older than myself, me being fresh out of school, but his personality and wit resonated, despite losing contact with him.  I had a stint living in Austria,  where I began writing.  It wasn’t until I moved to Paris, that my writing began to truly evolve.  I discovered a  magazine called  Rat Mort (dead rat) I sent off a short story, in the hope it would match the seemingly dark world the magazine seemed to embroiled in. I got no answer. Not put off I sent two more stories. Finally I got an answer. It seemed the magazine editor was a busy man, a man prone to travelling. It seemed my first story really hit the right note with him. His name was Alan Clark.  I began writing more and more short stories, some published on the internet. A bit later my anthology Flight of Destiny slowly evolved,  published April 2015, by Savant publishing.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flightofdestinyshortstories
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00WSWYVNK
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Dreamheadz
 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/powellfrancisvi/
 GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/42445377-francis-powell
 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwNl0F6095Q


Your book, Flight of Destiny, is a collection of short stories. Could you tell us a bit about it?
 
Flight of Destiny is a book of 22 short stories with illustrations for each short story.  They are dark surreal stories,  which  start with a strong opening sentence  aimed to grab the reader’s attention. For example Black Widow begins with “Mercedes Schwartz had just had the most incredible orgasm, but her pleasure was still incomplete. While the man on top of her was still pumping away, she stretched an arm over to her bedside table and grasped the small sharp-pointed hat-pin she kept there. Rather than let him reach fulfillment, she plunged the pin into his back and killed him”). The stories equally end with a dramatic twist. 
 
The stories are often filled with freaks, oddballs and outsiders.  There are often also despicable characters, tyrants, pious preachers. There is a circus owner who is forced to sell his daughter on account of the debts his circus has accumulated.  His name is Maggot and he is an oaf, as well as violent man.  The final story is “Cast from Hell” the story is about a reject from Hell, who returns down to earth to wreak havoc. 
 
 
What are some of your favorite stories from Flight of Destiny? What makes them so?
 
I suppose I will admit to having a few favorites. “Flawless” is a favorite, for sentimental reasons, because it was the first story I wrote which got published in a small literary magazine called Rat Mort (Dead Rat. It set me on the way to write other short stories. It is about a man who is proposing to the woman of his dreams, when suddenly a colorful insects arrives and he is forced to swallow it. He develops a terrible inexplicable skin disease and his life goes in a downward spiral. His fiancé soon deserts him for his younger brother, leaving him bitter and betrayed. Totally out of character he decides to take his revenge, on the day of his brother’s wedding. As he is about to enact his revenge, the insect suddenly exits and his skin is back to normal. Other favorites include “Bugeyes” (a story about a man with oversized eyes) “Opium” (about a preacher sent to rid a town of sin and opium) and “Maggot” a circus owner sells his daughter to a tyrant, to pay off his circus’ debts).
 
Do fans seem to have favorite stories? Do they prefer different ones than you do?
 
Different people seem to pick up on different stories.
 
This is a collection of eerie twisting tales, some of them humorous, was it difficult writing them? What made you choose humor with some of them and seriousness with others?
 
I think the humor comes naturally. As you start to see a story take shape you sense there is room for humor. It is not something I am conscious of immediately. I suppose it also depends on the types of characters that are in the story. Some characters can be a bit “cartoon-like”. I tend to make fun of the British aristocracy “hunting shooting fishing types”.  
 
What would you say are your strengths as a writer?  Things you'd like to see yourself improving on as you go along?
 
I think my strengths are my big impact first sentences. My ability to describe people or places. My crazy, outlandish plots. I think I have quite a rich vocabulary. I like to play around with the reader, keep them guessing and build up to dramatic twist at the end of the story. I like to make each sentence powerful  and relevant. I would like to keep on improving my craft as a writer, widen my range in subject matter.
 
What can we expect to see from you in the future? Any works in progress you'd like to share with us?
 
I would like at least two more follow ups to Flight of Destiny and then a book with longer stories.


​
Reviewers  Comments

"Francis H. Powell is a masterful storyteller. He successfully kept me on the edge of my seat as I paged through from one story to the next in FLIGHT OF DESTINY—a fantastic collection of 22 short stories. Here he weaves humor, surrealism, and contradictions into tales that reveal errors in commonly accepted definitions. Each story is uniquely different with twisting endings and story plots that challenge commonly accepted concepts. The characters are true and undeniably out-of-the-ordinary. Such stories as DUKE and FLAWLESS will bring into question all you thought you knew about people and the universe —I know they did me. These stories kept me guessing until the last page."

"As with all great literature, these tales provide excellent food for thought. There is a bitter sweetness to humanity, in terms of what man is capable of doing to one another. In FLIGHT OF DESTINY this paradox is magnified, examined, and spit out in artful, literary way that is brilliantly captivating."
 
"I love the dark tone of the short stories and how the underlying theme of each is this sense of shock over what humans would be capable of if there were no reality based limits. While the stories do not tie together, the tone of the work connects them all and makes it easy to flow from one story to the next. 
I enjoyed these tales as they gave me a fantastic break from my daily routine and I enjoyed remembering them and day dreaming about them afterwards. They're a little Ray Bradbury, a little Stephen King, but with Powell's own unique twists. Very interesting read. "
 

Freelancer Spotlight: Cover Artist Michael Fisher

This will be the first of these. In addition to the author interviews I plan to put out at least 1 of these spotlights a month to show off great freelance artists and editors in the industry , both to help them get the word out and help  the authors who could gain from their services to hear about them 

Bio: Michael Fisher, Fish to his friends and family, has worn many hats in his long life including US Navy Hospital Corpsman, club DJ, security specialist, psychiatric technician, painter, and currently, father, Mason, author and tattooer, not necessarily in that order. He has a love of ugly Hawaiian shirts (XXL & XXXL, if you want to send some, the uglier the better). He also bears a passing resemblance to Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski.

His work includes short stories in Midnight Remains, Rejected for Content: Splattergore, Floppy Shoes Apocalpse, the collaborative novel Feral Hearts, his first novel DC's Dead, as well as the upcoming volumes Rejected for Content 2, Axes of Evil II, Under the Bridge: A Troll Anthology, and Urban Legends: Emergence of Fear in 2015.

Michael is an award-winning author, artist, and editor. Awards include Honorable Mention for Short Story of the Year 2013 for the Return of the Devil Fly in Midnight Remains, as well as Top Ten Artist and Top Ten Editor from Critters Workshop Annual Preditors & Editors 2014 Awards.

Michael is on staff at J. Ellington Ashton Press as an author, editor, and cover designer.




Costs for Mr. Fisher's covers: 

Ebook cover only $100

 Full wraparound including separate ebook cover $200 

Inquiries about book covers can be addressed to revfish@gmail.com

Testimonials: 

Fish did the cover for my upcoming first novel, Misty Hill Reckoning. I was very pleased with his work ethic and attention to detail. He made my vision for my cover come to life.

                                                                                                     - Buddy Tetro Author of Misty Hill Reckoning


I've had the privledge of working with Mr. Fisher several times now between anthologies I've edited and my Shades of Midnight titles, every cover has been a blessing. He's able to take the ideas you have in mind and make them happen, often exceeding expectations with imagery, theme, and quality

                                     - Amanda M. Lyons Author of Cool Green Waters and Editor J. Ellington Ashton Press

Michael Fish Fisher's cover art blows me away. He's one of the best artists I've seen to illustrate cover jackets, and he's always innovative with his concepts. Michael was the first editor for my debut novel, Carolina Daemonic: Confederate Shadows. When he showed me the cover he made for my book, my mouth dropped open. I was in awe and shock, not only because the cover was so good, but because I didn't even ask Michael to make a cover for me. He made the cover from the goodness of his heart. Not only did he put such time and focus on making my novel read better, but he made the first presentation of Carolina Daemonic, the cover, amazing as well! Covers are so important. They reel a reader in, before they even read the first paragraph of a book. Michael's covers take a hold of you, and they don't let go. He's the embodiment of what an artist should be, and how an artist makes literature better. 

                                                                           -Brian Barr Author of Carolina Daemonic: Confederate Shadows

Michael Fisher's cover designs captivate the reader from afar, providing a glimpse of the tale within, immersing them into the content at first sight. 
                                 
                                                                           - Essel Pratt, Author of  and Editor at J. Ellington Ashton Press


"Several times I was wrong about what might make a good cover and Fish did some mock-ups that made me see my covers in an entirely new way. He is able to pick out the more subtle nuances of my horror and make then bold and really shocking. His attention to details that I miss are what make him a wonderful artist. He is one of the best in the business because he knows what grabs attention."

                                                            -catt dahman Author of Time of Grace and CEO J. Ellington Ashton Press

Interview with Michael S. Walker Author of The Vampire Henry 

​Bio--Michael S. Walker is writer/artist/musician living in Columbus Ohio. He has a BA in English and has seen his poetry and stories published in a number of small magazines. His first boo," will be released through Horrified Press (a UK press) on Oct. 8th, 2015. Besides his creative pursuits, Mike likes to watch movies, read, and listen to music. (Mostly on vinyl records.)










Website-  http://intents2000.wix.com/author-blog

 Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/groups/999524573433452/

Twitter- Michael Walker (@intents2000) | Twitter




Your novel The Vampire Henry will be out October 8th, tell us a little about it and why you wrote it.
 
I have always loved the vampire genre, and I hated HATED what Stephenie Meyer did with it in Twilight. (Really? Vampires who sparkle and strut around in the daylight?) So, I wanted to write a vampire book that was, in essence, the antithesis of that.  I wanted to create a bloodsucker who was as un-Twilight as it gets. And then the idea of making Charles Bukowski, the misanthropic poet/writer, my main character came to mind. I don't know if your readers know who he is, but he was a writer associated largely with the Beats, who became famous after a long life of alcoholism and working-class jobs. (He worked for a stretch in the post office.) So, I basically gave Bukowski fangs, and was off and running. I must add that Henry is based very loosely on Bukowski. A lot of the scenes in the book come from my own life.
 
Henry is not your average dime a dozen sparkler, 6 packer, or brutal nasty of a vampire, how is he different? What are his character strengths and weaknesses? 
 
Henry is an artist. A writer. That is his primary reason for going on--he wants to create. The fact that he is a vampire, with all that entails, is kind of incidental. Just one more thing to write about. That is probably the most noble thing about him. What is his primary weakness? The fact that he is unable to compromise, to come to terms with the gray corporate madness that he sees all around him. I don't know if that is a weakness or a strength, really. At heart, buried under layers and layers of cynicism, is a very human heart that yearns for love and beauty. If that is a weakness, then heaven help us.
 
Are there any other major characters you'd like to mention? How do they affect Henry? What do you like and/or dislike about them? 
 
Sarah. Sarah is another vampire who Henry becomes involved with romantically. She is a young woman with a bi-polar disorder who really hates being a vampire, truth be told. I like Sarah, because I think she is a great foil for Henry: the Ying to his Yang. My one problem with her, I think, is that I wish I had spent more time creating her backstory--letting readers in on how she became a vampire. I think at that point in the narrative I resorted to telling rather than showing and that all came out a bit too rushed.
 
You've compared Henry to Charles Bukowski, how is this so? What made you want to tell Henry's story and make him the vampire he is? 
 
I think this all goes back to your first question. I wanted, like I said, to create a vampire character who was the total antithesis of the vamps in Twilight. And the most unglamorous person who came to mind was Bukowski. I wanted a vampire narrator who could comment on the mundane, ugly aspects of this life, in the same way that Bukowski did in his novels and poetry. And the idea of addiction is there like it was in Bukowski's work--only this time instead of alchohol, it's blood.
 
Will there be other books about Henry? If yes, what will happen? If no, why not? 
 
 No. I was tempted to write a sequel to Henry, because I think the ending is kind of open for something like that, but no. Right now, I am working on a third book about a rock band in a small town. After that, who knows?
 
You have a YA science fiction novel out as well, called 7-22. Could you tell us a bit about it and what makes it unique? 
 
Sure. 7-22 is just a bit of whimsy. A lark. It is really indebted to Lewis Carroll and the kind of absurd logic he created in his Alice books. It also has a lot of the same absurdist logic you find in quantum mechanics. I was reading a lot about that when I wrote 7-22--stuff like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. And that all became part of my crazy narrative.
 
 
Lee Drison is facing a very strange scenario which the blurb compares to alternate reality stories like Alice in Wonderland and humorous sci-fi likeThe Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, how does he cope? Do you think you might react the same way?
 
Lee is rather indifferent to what is going on. I don't know why that is, and if I was to go back I think I might write his reaction to all the crazy events rather differently. I think the thing is, the events that are happening to him have, in one way or another, happened before and at this point in the narrative he is kind of over it all.
 
 
You also have several poems and stories in magazines, tell us a bit about some of your favorites of these and what you usually enjoy writing in shorter works.
 
I have published a few short stories that are, ostensibly, horror stories. Really they are more surreal than anything, Kafkaesque (as much as I hate applying that adjective.) There was a story called "Fingernails" that was published online, in which a man on a subway train encounters a woman with inordinately long fingernails, and then begins to obsess about her. That was a good story. And then there was another short, published in a UK anthology called Dark Lane, that was pretty good. It was about this guy, going for a job interview, who gets trapped forever in this weird Mid-western industrial park. That is the kind of horror that appeals to me I guess. Weird ambiguous shit without a hint of ghost or zombie.
 
Humor, satire, and a sense of the surrealism of life seem to be themes in your work, would you say any one genre speaks to you or do you write a story more for exploring an idea rather than suiting the typical aspects of genre?
 
More for exploring an idea. I love horror, and I have many friends who are horror writers. Henry is ostensibly a horror novel, but it is more a literary novel than anything. I have used the genre to comment on capitalism, and the various other forms of vampirism that exist in our society. I am currently working on a novel about a rock band in a small town--it is largely autobiographical. It is literary fiction again--close to Kerouac or Hunter S. Thompson. Nothing genre about it.
 
What do you hope people will get from reading your work? What did your writing offer you as an author that you don't feel you find in other writers' work? 
 
Just the truth. What it is like to live in this country, at this time, with all the crazy horrible things we have to deal with. And all the beauty that remains...
 
Do you have any other work in progress? If so, tell us a bit about it. 
 
The rock n' roll book. And poetry. Always writing poetry...

 

Author Intervie with Kendra Spencer Author of Playing Games

 Bio:Kendra Spencer also known affectionately as Prince was born September 12, 1989 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her childhood consisted of vast amounts of hours spent on reading and carrying duffel bags full of books to and from the public library. Stepping into her teenaged years she began to notice the books she was reading while very creative did not depict the environment around thus a writer was born. The nickname Prince came about from class mates due to Zane being very popular around the time and dubbed the Queen of erotica with Zane's steamy stories was skyrocketing through their classmates and Kendra Spencer at the tender age of fourteen also writing vivid sex scenes Prince came forth. While the nickname is derived from a young adults standpoint Kendra Spencer still strives to be known one day as major heavy hitter in the erotic fiction genre. When Prince is not reading or writing you can find her working with individuals that have developmental disabilities or engaged in a semi professional womens football game where she is a proud athlete #33 of the Cincinnati Sizzle.

Links: 
Website: www.zoneprince.yolasite.com
Email: flair4writing@yahoo.com
Facebook: Author Kendra Spencer (fan page)
Twitter: PrinceDat1Stud
instagram: PrinceDaMVP
Goodreads: Kendra Spencer


Playing Games is a lesbian erotica novel featuring a love triangle, tell us a bit about it and how you came up with the idea. 

Playing Games is a lesbian love triangle in which Ronnie, a stud, is caught between love and lust. On one hand she has a young feisty fem by the name of Kenni. On the other hand lust from a beautiful older woman is throwing itself at her in the most provocative way. What's a young stud to do but play the game and see who wins?

I can remember the exact moment Playing Games was wrote into life. I was flipping through a Black Expressions, I think that was the name, catalog and I read a description of this book about two gay men in an abusive relationship. I was like, ooh I'm going to flip this. I will make it about lesbians and have the fem as the aggressor. Well, a few pages into writing that the characters took over and started a plot of their own.


Tell us a bit about Ronnie, what makes her such a compelling lead character? What are her flaws and strengths? 

Ronnie is such a compelling character because she is rough around the edges but at the same time fiercely loyal and can be sweet. She's a product of her environment and upbringing. Her mother was an abusive alcoholic which led to her being a hustler and a hothead that makes rash decisions. Ronnie and her friends own a club together but Ronnie still wants to make her own way on her own. I think Ronnie is so come simply because my readers has either had a friend that was rough around the edges and to others may have seemed harsh but you knew differently or you were that person.

Why do you feel she has such a hard time deciding between Kenni and the older woman? is it all about playing the field or does she find some element of her self worth with both? 

It's not that Ronnie has a hard time deciding between the two women. It's more so a defensive mechanism or you can call it playing the field. She loves Kenni, no doubt, however, she also doesn't want to be hurt or be vulnerable. So, the best way to get over one is to get under another.

There's some comparisons to stories like Romeo and Juliet, do you like hearing those references for Playing Games? How would you say they compare and contrast?

Honestly, it's a really nice gesture, but I really don't like it. There is only one comparison between the two with the rest in contrast.

Tell us a little about the upcoming sequel, Player's Ball, how have things turned out after the events of the first book? 

Players Ball is the fan demanded sequel of Playing Games. It's chocked full of tantalizing sexual prowess and comedic drama with a release date of 9-12-15. The ebook is available for preorder.

Life is short and T saw first-hand how playing games can be hazardous to one's health. However, a charming, polished, witty, and not to mention handsome stud such as T has always juggled a team of women to handle her any and every sexual desire. So, what could one woman honestly do for a player that multiple can't?

What other books do you think we can expect to see from you in the next couple years? 

As of right now definitely expect another book in this series. There may be more because the characters are all clamoring to tell their own story. Other than that I have over fifty books started and more ideas coming every day. Expect me to be a genre chameleon with time. I will not be defined only as a lesbian erotic author. Erotic yes but I will definitely add more tags.

You've also got a lot going on in your regular life, working with the developmentally disabled and playing semi-professional football with the Cincinnati Sizzle, do you ever draw some of your writing from your everyday life? 

Yes, a lot of inspiration comes from my everyday life. F.O.E. is an acronym I crowned for my family of friends meaning family over everything. Foe, family doesn't always mean you're blood related. Your foe is the people you know you can count on without a doubt and they will do everything in their power to help you. This acronym is introduced in Players Ball.

What drew you into writing erotica? What do you love about the genre and the themes you've used for your books so far? Which readers do you hope will enjoy your books the most?

Nothing really drew me into writing erotica. I love everything about sex from doing it, to talking, reading, writing about it. No, I take that back, when I read Zane's Sex Chronicles I was like yes, I can do that too. I love the creative wordplay that is necessary when you write erotica. You can't use the same old boring words. You have to get the right word to fit in the sentence, make sense, and convey meaning/intention even if it's a uncommon word used the right way sexually comprehension will dawn. Themes? The list is endless within erotica, I love it especially the S&M. In my novels I've been scratching the lesbian surface. Ronnie was a touch me not or butcher stud in Playing Games. In Players Ball, T is an all around freak.

Interview with Andrew Peloquin Author of Blade of the Destroyer

Bio: Andy Peloquin--a third culture kid to the core--has loved to read since before he could remember. Sherlock Holmes, the Phantom of the Opera, and Father Brown are just a few of the books that ensnared his imagination as a child.

When he discovered science fiction and fantasy through the pages of writers like Edgar Rice Burroughs, J.R.R Tolkien, and Orson Scott Card, he was immediately hooked and hasn't looked back since.

Andy's first attempt at writing produced In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent. He has learned from the mistakes he made and used the experience to produce Blade of the Destroyer, a book of which he is very proud.

Reading—and now writing—is his favorite escape, and it provides him an outlet for his innate creativity. He is an artist; words are his palette.

His website (http://www.andypeloquin.com) is a second home for him, a place where he can post his thoughts and feelings--along with reviews of books he finds laying around the internet.

He can also be found on his social media pages, such as:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndyPeloquin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andyqpeloquin

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/andypeloquin/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/100885994638914122147/about 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/andypeloquin  
 


Blade of the Destroyer  is due out very soon from JEA, is this your first publication? How do you feel about getting it out there? -- I'm SO excited! It's not my first novel (I had a self-published title before--called In the Days: A Tale of the Forgotten Continent), but this is a project I'm particularly proud of. I'm so stoked to hold the physical copy in my hands and see my name printed across the cover!

Can you tell us a bit about it and how you came up with the world it’s set in? -- Simply put, this is a story that looks at the darkness that resides within each and every one of us. The main character is a half-demon, but he shares similarities with everyone in the world. We all have that "inner voice" that tempts us to do terrible things.

The creation of the world came about naturally. I love the freedom fantasy offers, and world-building is something I'm terribly fond of! I wanted to create a world where magic is almost non-existent. Though the Hunter has his "accursed" dagger and there are traces of magic left in the world, magic as a whole plays a fairly small role in this story.

This is very much a novel of dark fantasy and one very strong anti-hero, do you think that he came from any one influence or idea? Did it take a great deal to figure him out as a character? -- You know what, I still haven't gotten him all figured out. The development of the character changed A LOT between rough draft and publication. The cold, cruel traits of this character remains, but he has had a much more human side added. It provides a much better balance. But I'm discovering new things about him with every book.

 The Hunter knows very little about his past or origins, only that he wields a very important blade and that it in turn serves to offer him life in return for its use. Did you always know his origin story and did it change much in the process of writing Blade of the Destroyer? -- Actually, I still don't know his full origin story. There's a lot about him that he/I have yet to discover. I find that makes the character a whole lot more intriguing, and it helps me to look forward to the writing process.

When I sat down to write Blade of the Destroyer, I had a very vague idea of what I wanted for him. I didn't know he would be half-demon until mid-way through the writing process. From there, it evolved--and continues to evolve--to make him the character he is. His relationship with the blade and his demonic heritage are very much central themes of all of the books.

His origin plays a large role in his development as a character. As he discovers more about his past, his actions, and the people in his former lives, it will push him to examine his current self and decide if that's who he wants to be or not. The fact that he can't remember much of his past gives him a chance to create his own future, perhaps selecting the best bits of the pasts he discovers.

   Blade of the Destroyer  is the first in a series called The Last Bucelarii, did you always know it would be a series?

 I absolutely did. I thought perhaps a trilogy, but this story has grown to a much larger scope than I thought possible. I have enough for at least five books, but it may stretch out to six. I have to see where the story takes me. I want to do the character justice, give him enough development to end the story in a satisfying way. I'm not saying that it's going to be a "happy" ending, but it will be one that will leave readers thinking, "That's a good way to end it with that character".

 What other books do you have in progress and what can we expect to see in this series in the coming years? Do you have any other projects in the works? -- I plan to have all five or six books in the series published and the story of The Hunter completed. I won't dismiss the idea of a prequel or sequel series, but I feel that those five or six will be enough to tell the Hunter's primary story arc properly. I'm also working on a secret side project--a trilogy that I plan to publish all at once after completing The Last Bucelarii.

Blade of the Destroyer Review 

5 of 5 stars

The Hunter is neither man nor monster and yet is both at once. He knows no life before this and cannot remember a great deal of the time that has passed since he began hunting. He does not let these things trouble him, living each day with his many masks, some cruel, some kind, slaying some while he saves others. He is true neutral and about to discover there is more to the life he lives whether he wants to or not.
I liked this book, we find ourselves pulled into the world of an anti-hero who wields a blade he does not fully understand or like but which offers him protection from death and serious injury. He does a great deal of killing with it, and make no mistake, it is something he enjoys, but he is also offering help to many people in need where he lives. It's a life he is satisfied with, if a little frustrated when it comes to memories he can't quite place, that is until he begins to pulled into the goings on of two major groups that overshadow Voramis. It is in these two groups that he begins to uncover answers about himself and the life he has been living, unfortunately, it also costs him a great deal and he is left with many decisions, decisions he absolutely does not want to make.
This will definitely appeal to Weeks fans, but I think will also be appealing to fans of Mark Lawrence, who does The Broken Empire books which features another antihero with a sense of humor and lack of interest in being just what everyone expects. Definitely of interest to readers who like the darker side of fantasy and characters who ride the line between good and evil.

Werewolves, Vampires and Zombies on Wicked Little Things Podcast 7:30 CST SEPT 4th!

Catch me, Michelle Garza and some other lovely folks on tomorrow night's Wicked Little Things! 


7:30 CST 9/3/2015


http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wickedli...


#vampires #zombies #werewolves #Monsters #horror #WickedLittleThings #horrorhags #SistersofSlaughter #Cautilli #Goforth #DcsDead #ShapeShifters #Lyons #Garza #Lason #RejectedForContent #TheWalkingDead #FemalesinHorror #writers #Oz #Australia #Arizona


Werewolves: Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason are known as the Sisters of Slaughter.Author Jim Goforth shouts out to WLT
Zombie talk re: females on The Walking Dead, writing Zs
Shout out from horror writer Michael Fisher to WLT
Vampires: Amanda M. Lyons