Natasha Ewendt's Blog, page 2
August 12, 2014
HorrorAddicts This Freshest Hell review
A great review for This Freshest Hell by David Watson at the very addictive HorrorAddicts http://horroraddicts.wordpress.com/ta...
Most people know what its like to feel like an outcast at some point in their life. Lily knows all to well what its like to not fit in but all of that changes when she’s getting harassed by bullies and Maggie the new girl in town comes to her rescue. Now Lily finally has someone to relate to and is no longer alone in the world. Together they struggle against bullies, rebel against society’s rules and reject anything normal.
Also they share a love of alternative music, have psychic abilities and have both been scarred by a traumatic past. One of them wants revenge on the person that tormented her and One night the two girls perform a sinister spell that will bring them the power to get revenge on anyone that has harmed them. Their desires are fulfilled and they become vampires with an unstoppable blood lust.
This Freshest Hell by Natasha Ewendt is like two books in one. The first part covers about 12 years in Maggie and Lily’s life and the second part is their life as vampires. I enjoyed how this book is set up, I related to Maggie and Lily and didn’t mind that there wasn’t much action right away because I was so into their story. I enjoyed hearing the girls philosophy on life and how they try to find peace of mind. I can’t say they are trying to find happiness because only one of them seems to be looking for it. One sad part of the book had one of the characters in an abusive relationship saying that she thought she could be normal but it wasn’t possible. Another favorite scene in the book was when Maggie witnesses a bully tormenting an autistic child. She runs to his rescue, kicks the bully to the ground ,as the bully starts to rise she stares him down while the autistic child runs away. Despite these girls being looked at as freaks by society they are compassionate to others and I found myself rooting for them.
Because the first part of the book made you care so much about these characters it made the part where they became vampires that much better. The two of them change personalities, learn to hunt humans and you see their relationship dissolve as they become creatures of the night. Lily’s first kill was chilling as you see her try to keep her humanity and not give in to her blood lust. Another one was when Maggie gives one of her victims the most gruesome death imaginable. I also loved the description of the mansion the vampires live in which is on an island out in the ocean.
My only complaint about this book was that I would have liked more information on the three ancient vampires that Lily and Maggie live with. What we hear about them is intriguing but I would have liked to learn more. I also thought more time should have been spent on the creature that created the vampires. I think the main idea for this book though wasn’t that this is a vampire novel but instead it was a book about two girls finding their way in life and Natasha Ewendt did a good job of getting the point across. This Freshest Kill shows that books about vampires will never get old as long as they can make you care about the characters.
Most people know what its like to feel like an outcast at some point in their life. Lily knows all to well what its like to not fit in but all of that changes when she’s getting harassed by bullies and Maggie the new girl in town comes to her rescue. Now Lily finally has someone to relate to and is no longer alone in the world. Together they struggle against bullies, rebel against society’s rules and reject anything normal.
Also they share a love of alternative music, have psychic abilities and have both been scarred by a traumatic past. One of them wants revenge on the person that tormented her and One night the two girls perform a sinister spell that will bring them the power to get revenge on anyone that has harmed them. Their desires are fulfilled and they become vampires with an unstoppable blood lust.
This Freshest Hell by Natasha Ewendt is like two books in one. The first part covers about 12 years in Maggie and Lily’s life and the second part is their life as vampires. I enjoyed how this book is set up, I related to Maggie and Lily and didn’t mind that there wasn’t much action right away because I was so into their story. I enjoyed hearing the girls philosophy on life and how they try to find peace of mind. I can’t say they are trying to find happiness because only one of them seems to be looking for it. One sad part of the book had one of the characters in an abusive relationship saying that she thought she could be normal but it wasn’t possible. Another favorite scene in the book was when Maggie witnesses a bully tormenting an autistic child. She runs to his rescue, kicks the bully to the ground ,as the bully starts to rise she stares him down while the autistic child runs away. Despite these girls being looked at as freaks by society they are compassionate to others and I found myself rooting for them.
Because the first part of the book made you care so much about these characters it made the part where they became vampires that much better. The two of them change personalities, learn to hunt humans and you see their relationship dissolve as they become creatures of the night. Lily’s first kill was chilling as you see her try to keep her humanity and not give in to her blood lust. Another one was when Maggie gives one of her victims the most gruesome death imaginable. I also loved the description of the mansion the vampires live in which is on an island out in the ocean.
My only complaint about this book was that I would have liked more information on the three ancient vampires that Lily and Maggie live with. What we hear about them is intriguing but I would have liked to learn more. I also thought more time should have been spent on the creature that created the vampires. I think the main idea for this book though wasn’t that this is a vampire novel but instead it was a book about two girls finding their way in life and Natasha Ewendt did a good job of getting the point across. This Freshest Kill shows that books about vampires will never get old as long as they can make you care about the characters.
June 25, 2014
Dark delights with The Darkling
Here's my review of RB Chesterton's (aka Carolyn Haines') The Darkling: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
See more on RB Chesterton at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
The Darkling is haunting, unique and beautifully told. With edge-of-your-seat tension, a shocking twist about the main characters Mimi and Annie, and a surprise ending, it has all the twists and turns a great horror should have. The book touches on questions of sanity and the unseen, keeping the reader in constant suspense. Nothing is as it seems and the nefarious undercurrent will keep the hair on the back of your neck on high alert.
It’s hard not to love the Alabama setting, rich history and fabulous characterisation. Steeped in Southern traditions and ghostly descriptions, the book is charming as well as chilling. The ‘70s setting and the description of the estate really took me into a different time and place. The scene-setting was flourished with food descriptions that made me yearn for the South.
Carolyn Haines, who wrote this book under the pen name RB Chesterton, is an expert wordsmith with shades of Daphne du Maurier in her writing style. It’s easy to see how Carolyn has published 67 books and won awards for her writing. From the first words I was swept away by the mesmerising turn of phrase and exquisite storytelling. Haines instantly cocoons you in the story and makes you feel as though you’re really there. The use of first-person narration, a style of writing that is hard to do well, for Mimi is engaging and draws you further into the story. The book hits emotional notes where it should and gives the reader just the right amount of downtime to get to know the characters and let the story and creepiness absorb right in.
I was thrilled to find this modern gothic tale. Some writers use a break-neck pace to throw you off the scent of a poorly written book or to distract you from gaping holes in the storyline. It’s such a pleasure to read an author who knows how to weave a horror tale properly without having to resort to this or to other gimmicks. In today’s world where constant exhausting action is given precedence above the essential elements of story, depth and writing ability, it was fantastic to sink into a book that reflects all the qualities literature was once (and should still be) valued for. If more people wrote like Haines there would be less need for readers such as myself to have to plunder our already disintegrating-from-overuse Victorian gothic horror stocks for the 50th time in order to get a satisfying read.
For readers over the age of thirty who roll their eyes at the horror market’s laser focus on high action and constant gore at the expense of story and substance, this book is a breath of fresh air. Some younger readers seeking instant gratification and high action may find the delightful subtleties and wonderful prose are lost on them, but I’d encourage anyone who likes a good scare to give it a read. If you love classic gothic horror, enjoy a damn good ghost story and appreciate exceptional writing, this book creates a world you won’t want to leave – however scary it may be.
See more on RB Chesterton at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
The Darkling is haunting, unique and beautifully told. With edge-of-your-seat tension, a shocking twist about the main characters Mimi and Annie, and a surprise ending, it has all the twists and turns a great horror should have. The book touches on questions of sanity and the unseen, keeping the reader in constant suspense. Nothing is as it seems and the nefarious undercurrent will keep the hair on the back of your neck on high alert.
It’s hard not to love the Alabama setting, rich history and fabulous characterisation. Steeped in Southern traditions and ghostly descriptions, the book is charming as well as chilling. The ‘70s setting and the description of the estate really took me into a different time and place. The scene-setting was flourished with food descriptions that made me yearn for the South.
Carolyn Haines, who wrote this book under the pen name RB Chesterton, is an expert wordsmith with shades of Daphne du Maurier in her writing style. It’s easy to see how Carolyn has published 67 books and won awards for her writing. From the first words I was swept away by the mesmerising turn of phrase and exquisite storytelling. Haines instantly cocoons you in the story and makes you feel as though you’re really there. The use of first-person narration, a style of writing that is hard to do well, for Mimi is engaging and draws you further into the story. The book hits emotional notes where it should and gives the reader just the right amount of downtime to get to know the characters and let the story and creepiness absorb right in.
I was thrilled to find this modern gothic tale. Some writers use a break-neck pace to throw you off the scent of a poorly written book or to distract you from gaping holes in the storyline. It’s such a pleasure to read an author who knows how to weave a horror tale properly without having to resort to this or to other gimmicks. In today’s world where constant exhausting action is given precedence above the essential elements of story, depth and writing ability, it was fantastic to sink into a book that reflects all the qualities literature was once (and should still be) valued for. If more people wrote like Haines there would be less need for readers such as myself to have to plunder our already disintegrating-from-overuse Victorian gothic horror stocks for the 50th time in order to get a satisfying read.
For readers over the age of thirty who roll their eyes at the horror market’s laser focus on high action and constant gore at the expense of story and substance, this book is a breath of fresh air. Some younger readers seeking instant gratification and high action may find the delightful subtleties and wonderful prose are lost on them, but I’d encourage anyone who likes a good scare to give it a read. If you love classic gothic horror, enjoy a damn good ghost story and appreciate exceptional writing, this book creates a world you won’t want to leave – however scary it may be.
June 18, 2014
Tomb-y goodness: This Freshest Hell featured in the Tomb of Dark Delights
Great to see my book This Freshest Hell reviewed by Judy Comeau in the Tomb of Dark Delights. It’s an honour to be part of “Count Gore De Vol’s” library. Horror, sci-fi and fantasy fans should check out the fab books featured including Stephen King’s Shining sequel. Do you dare to enter the Tomb...?
http://www.countgore.com/Tomb.htm
THIS FRESHEST HELL by Natasha Ewendt
This is the author’s debut novel, a Young Adult tale of black magic and vampirism about the new girl in town, Maggie, a Goth teen who is drawn to misfit teen Lily. Both Maggie and Lily are disaffected young women who have nothing but contempt for societal norms. The girls’ anger and resentment toward all those whom they believe have made their lives intolerable grows exponentially as they feed off of one another’s anger. Together Maggie and Lily develop an interest in black magic and dabble with dark spells, one of which opens a portal into the demonic world that disdains all of the cultural rules that Maggie and Lily have been rebelling against. When they transform into vampires, Maggie and Lily begin to understand the true nature of dark desires and the longing for revenge and evil. And as often happens, the darkness pits them not only against their perceived enemies…but against each other as well. Soon the demon world begins to seem as intolerable as the normal world they found so unbearable. How will they resolve their new problems? THIS FRESHEST HELL is perfect reading for alienated teens with a taste for horror fiction.
http://www.countgore.com/Tomb.htm
THIS FRESHEST HELL by Natasha Ewendt
This is the author’s debut novel, a Young Adult tale of black magic and vampirism about the new girl in town, Maggie, a Goth teen who is drawn to misfit teen Lily. Both Maggie and Lily are disaffected young women who have nothing but contempt for societal norms. The girls’ anger and resentment toward all those whom they believe have made their lives intolerable grows exponentially as they feed off of one another’s anger. Together Maggie and Lily develop an interest in black magic and dabble with dark spells, one of which opens a portal into the demonic world that disdains all of the cultural rules that Maggie and Lily have been rebelling against. When they transform into vampires, Maggie and Lily begin to understand the true nature of dark desires and the longing for revenge and evil. And as often happens, the darkness pits them not only against their perceived enemies…but against each other as well. Soon the demon world begins to seem as intolerable as the normal world they found so unbearable. How will they resolve their new problems? THIS FRESHEST HELL is perfect reading for alienated teens with a taste for horror fiction.
Chester the snail and other tales: Author Spotlight on Bram Stoker Award winner Rena Mason
Discover more about super-talented Bram Stoker Award winning author Rena Mason in today’s Author Spotlight interview.
1. If a movie was made of your life, what would be the title and why?
THE ONE JOY LUCK CLUB, because my mom is all the moms in the story rolled into one.
2. If you had a snail that could grant magic wishes what would you call it and why?
Chester, because the name is cute, and I associate it with the word jester, which makes me giggle.
3. If you could have a super hero for a partner, who would it be and why?
I do have a super hero for a partner, because this person can roll with my punches and jabs.
4. What is the meaning of life? (And you can't say 42!)
TRY to do what makes you happy within the confines of laws and mores, and don't let others who for one reason or another get to you.
5. Tell us a bit about your latest/upcoming release.
I possibly have two short stories coming out this year that I know of so far, hopefully, it will end up being three...fingers crossed. One is "Ruminations" in Qualia Nous edited by Michael Bailey and published by Written Backwards. It is a sci-fi/horror story about a young woman whose "other" from a parallel universe visits her through dreams. The next short story is "Sky is Falling" in Madhouse, a shared world anthology edited by Benjamin Kane Ethridge and Brad C. Hodson published by Dark Regions Press. It's a twist on an old, psych nursing, wives' tale the clinical professors would tell during psych rotations in nursing school.
6. What genre/s do you write in and why?
I write in all genres, but every story ends up having horror in it one way or another.
7. Do you have a secret to overcoming writer’s block?
If I get stuck on something, I'll move to whatever else I'm working on (other short stories, novel edits, rewrites, articles, even interviews, or I'll read) until it figures itself out in my head. It usually doesn't take too long because the story is churning in my subconscious while I'm doing the other things.
8. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There's always a message that some readers get and some readers don't. I prefer not to list any so that people don't have expectations and become disappointed if they didn't get "my personal message" out of the story. It's different for everyone, which is a part of what's so wonderful about creating stories.
9. Do you have any advice for other writers or aspiring authors?
It helps me to talk with other authors. Whether it's at conventions, via emails, or in writers groups, meetings, etc. I find it motivates me, gives me encouragement, and allows me to bounce around ideas I've had and sometimes even complete the story as I'm retelling the idea. When I'm not talking with others, I'm writing, rewriting, editing, etc.
10. What is the best link for people to buy your book from? http://www.amazon.com/Rena-Mason/e/B0...
Rena Mason is the Bram Stoker Award® winning author of The Evolutionist and East End Girls whose main focus is on horror/dark fiction in genre mashups. She lives in Sin City and is a slave to her Pugs whether or not she's writing.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist and copyeditor, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
1. If a movie was made of your life, what would be the title and why?
THE ONE JOY LUCK CLUB, because my mom is all the moms in the story rolled into one.
2. If you had a snail that could grant magic wishes what would you call it and why?
Chester, because the name is cute, and I associate it with the word jester, which makes me giggle.
3. If you could have a super hero for a partner, who would it be and why?
I do have a super hero for a partner, because this person can roll with my punches and jabs.
4. What is the meaning of life? (And you can't say 42!)
TRY to do what makes you happy within the confines of laws and mores, and don't let others who for one reason or another get to you.
5. Tell us a bit about your latest/upcoming release.
I possibly have two short stories coming out this year that I know of so far, hopefully, it will end up being three...fingers crossed. One is "Ruminations" in Qualia Nous edited by Michael Bailey and published by Written Backwards. It is a sci-fi/horror story about a young woman whose "other" from a parallel universe visits her through dreams. The next short story is "Sky is Falling" in Madhouse, a shared world anthology edited by Benjamin Kane Ethridge and Brad C. Hodson published by Dark Regions Press. It's a twist on an old, psych nursing, wives' tale the clinical professors would tell during psych rotations in nursing school.
6. What genre/s do you write in and why?
I write in all genres, but every story ends up having horror in it one way or another.
7. Do you have a secret to overcoming writer’s block?
If I get stuck on something, I'll move to whatever else I'm working on (other short stories, novel edits, rewrites, articles, even interviews, or I'll read) until it figures itself out in my head. It usually doesn't take too long because the story is churning in my subconscious while I'm doing the other things.
8. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There's always a message that some readers get and some readers don't. I prefer not to list any so that people don't have expectations and become disappointed if they didn't get "my personal message" out of the story. It's different for everyone, which is a part of what's so wonderful about creating stories.
9. Do you have any advice for other writers or aspiring authors?
It helps me to talk with other authors. Whether it's at conventions, via emails, or in writers groups, meetings, etc. I find it motivates me, gives me encouragement, and allows me to bounce around ideas I've had and sometimes even complete the story as I'm retelling the idea. When I'm not talking with others, I'm writing, rewriting, editing, etc.
10. What is the best link for people to buy your book from? http://www.amazon.com/Rena-Mason/e/B0...
Rena Mason is the Bram Stoker Award® winning author of The Evolutionist and East End Girls whose main focus is on horror/dark fiction in genre mashups. She lives in Sin City and is a slave to her Pugs whether or not she's writing.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist and copyeditor, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
June 10, 2014
Chocolate, champagne and family: Author Spotlight on Julie Proudfoot
Welcome to the new Author Spotlight interview series. The interviews will feature authors from a range of genres. First cab off the rank is Australian author Julie Proudfoot.
1. If a movie was made of your life, what would be the title and why?
Oh, that would have to be , The Stubborn, the Impatient and the Forgiving.
My mother always said I was stubborn and impatient, my husband always says I’m very forgiving of other people.
2. If you had a snail that could grant magic wishes what would you call it and why?
Oh gosh, it would definitely be a female snail, and her name would have to be Pippi. Pippi Longstocking was always a great escape from the horrible world for me when I was a child.
3. If you could have a super hero for a partner, who would it be and why?
Captain What-Are-You-Thinking-Dude. Wouldn’t it be seriously great to know what people were really thinking? What a treat for a writer, just transcribe it all down! And when you don’t want to know, well, just don’t ask Captain-What-Are-You-Thinking-Dude.
4. What is the meaning of life? (And you can't say 42!)
Chocolate, Champagne and Family, or their other names, Indulgence, Celebration and Forgiveness. You have to forgive your family don’t you, how else will you ever get along?
5. Tell us a bit about your latest or upcoming release.
My latest book, The neighbour, which was released on June 2nd (2014) is a Psychological fiction drama about Luke and his family and friends. After a tragic accident in which Luke is implicated he struggles to maintain a grip on reality as his relationships begin to unravel. Let’s just say, bad things happen!!
The book I’m working on now, though, is another psychological/literary fiction book about a man who begins a tryst with a robot to work through his unusual relationship problems. It’s a fun story as well as being an exploration into relationship dynamics and goes along at a pace.
6. What genre/s do you write in and why?
I write Literary/psychological fiction. My background is in psychology, so I have a natural bent toward a study of minds, and literary fiction is a style that allows in depth examination of the relationship between thoughts and actions. I try to keep the plot engaging and fast paced as well. I hope I’ve managed to pull that off.
7. Do you have secret to overcoming writer’s block?
I don’t know if I have a secret, by I have a method of writing that ensures I get something on the page. I think that is the key, not that you get great work down for the first draft, but that you get something down that you can then work on. I note a couple of ideas or thoughts I would like to get across, and even those thoughts don’t have to be grand or exciting, and you just put fingers to keys, or pen to page, and you write the hell out of it. Who cares what a first draft looks like? No one. I never show a first draft to anyone. And when you go over that mess of poo poo that you’ve put on the page, there will be a few nuggets you can work from, (gold nuggets, not poo poo nuggets!) even if it’s only one phrase or thought, or sentence. It’s definitely a step forward.
8. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
A theme that is really important to me in The Neighbour, which may not even be clear to anyone but me, is that we as people are where we are at right now due to a series of events that we could never have planned or foreseen. I’m thinking about over years of time. We are a result of the lives we were born into, and that includes the parents we have, the town or country we grew up in, the schools we went to, and the people who influenced us. We don’t have control over any of that, but those are the things that make us who we are, and if that happens to cause a person to behave in a particular way that we find wrong or unpleasant, well, we have to forgive them a little for that. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t have to accept bad behaviour, but we can understand a person’s predicament.
9. Do you have any advice for other writers or aspiring authors?
Writing is such a personal thing, so I would never presume to advise, but practicing writing goes a long way, as much as you can, daily, and learn the craft, there is always something you can learn about writing.
10. What is the best link for people to buy your book from?
Scroll down a little at this link, but here is good: www.seizureonline.com/books
Julie Proudfoot writes stories, essays and novels. Her latest work is The Neighbour, a literary/psychological fiction novel which won the Seizure Viva la Novella prize 2014. Julie is based in Bendigo, Victoria where she lives with her family. Her favourite things in the world are those miraculous little bags of juice in oranges that you can find if you pull the membrane off an orange segment.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist and copyeditor, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
1. If a movie was made of your life, what would be the title and why?
Oh, that would have to be , The Stubborn, the Impatient and the Forgiving.
My mother always said I was stubborn and impatient, my husband always says I’m very forgiving of other people.
2. If you had a snail that could grant magic wishes what would you call it and why?
Oh gosh, it would definitely be a female snail, and her name would have to be Pippi. Pippi Longstocking was always a great escape from the horrible world for me when I was a child.
3. If you could have a super hero for a partner, who would it be and why?
Captain What-Are-You-Thinking-Dude. Wouldn’t it be seriously great to know what people were really thinking? What a treat for a writer, just transcribe it all down! And when you don’t want to know, well, just don’t ask Captain-What-Are-You-Thinking-Dude.
4. What is the meaning of life? (And you can't say 42!)
Chocolate, Champagne and Family, or their other names, Indulgence, Celebration and Forgiveness. You have to forgive your family don’t you, how else will you ever get along?
5. Tell us a bit about your latest or upcoming release.
My latest book, The neighbour, which was released on June 2nd (2014) is a Psychological fiction drama about Luke and his family and friends. After a tragic accident in which Luke is implicated he struggles to maintain a grip on reality as his relationships begin to unravel. Let’s just say, bad things happen!!
The book I’m working on now, though, is another psychological/literary fiction book about a man who begins a tryst with a robot to work through his unusual relationship problems. It’s a fun story as well as being an exploration into relationship dynamics and goes along at a pace.
6. What genre/s do you write in and why?
I write Literary/psychological fiction. My background is in psychology, so I have a natural bent toward a study of minds, and literary fiction is a style that allows in depth examination of the relationship between thoughts and actions. I try to keep the plot engaging and fast paced as well. I hope I’ve managed to pull that off.
7. Do you have secret to overcoming writer’s block?
I don’t know if I have a secret, by I have a method of writing that ensures I get something on the page. I think that is the key, not that you get great work down for the first draft, but that you get something down that you can then work on. I note a couple of ideas or thoughts I would like to get across, and even those thoughts don’t have to be grand or exciting, and you just put fingers to keys, or pen to page, and you write the hell out of it. Who cares what a first draft looks like? No one. I never show a first draft to anyone. And when you go over that mess of poo poo that you’ve put on the page, there will be a few nuggets you can work from, (gold nuggets, not poo poo nuggets!) even if it’s only one phrase or thought, or sentence. It’s definitely a step forward.
8. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
A theme that is really important to me in The Neighbour, which may not even be clear to anyone but me, is that we as people are where we are at right now due to a series of events that we could never have planned or foreseen. I’m thinking about over years of time. We are a result of the lives we were born into, and that includes the parents we have, the town or country we grew up in, the schools we went to, and the people who influenced us. We don’t have control over any of that, but those are the things that make us who we are, and if that happens to cause a person to behave in a particular way that we find wrong or unpleasant, well, we have to forgive them a little for that. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t have to accept bad behaviour, but we can understand a person’s predicament.
9. Do you have any advice for other writers or aspiring authors?
Writing is such a personal thing, so I would never presume to advise, but practicing writing goes a long way, as much as you can, daily, and learn the craft, there is always something you can learn about writing.
10. What is the best link for people to buy your book from?
Scroll down a little at this link, but here is good: www.seizureonline.com/books
Julie Proudfoot writes stories, essays and novels. Her latest work is The Neighbour, a literary/psychological fiction novel which won the Seizure Viva la Novella prize 2014. Julie is based in Bendigo, Victoria where she lives with her family. Her favourite things in the world are those miraculous little bags of juice in oranges that you can find if you pull the membrane off an orange segment.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist and copyeditor, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
May 21, 2014
Author Showcase Guest Post: Dionie McNair - 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration - the reality of being a writer
This is the latest in a series of Author Showcase guest posts by authors around the world, sharing their tips and thoughts on the writing craft.
Today’s post is by Adelaide author Dionie McNair, on what it really takes to become a published author.
What does it take to be a published author?
They say anyone can be a writer. You don’t need any special qualifications although some do have degrees or PhDs. Does it help? Who knows – I don’t think any data has been collected on this as yet. So assuming you don’t have that gold edged piece of paper and you still want to be a writer, what do you need to succeed?
Well the most important thing is a level of literacy of course. You will need to have a working or better grasp of grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax. Of course you have the spell-check on the computer but that can be next to useless in picking up the difference between their and there. A good dictionary is essential and a thesaurus and unless you are an expert, a book on grammar is always useful.
You also need an indulged desire to read, to get to know your market but also to learn from those more qualified.
What do they say: ‘It is 10 percent inspiration and 90% perspiration’? Well it’s true. If you intend to become a published author you must work regularly and steadily not just when the muse moves you. If you want to succeed your writing needs to be treated like a job. Determine a time, a place and an amount of words and stick to it. You can never get published unless you write. Get those words on the paper, a 1st draft. It doesn’t matter how rough it is because you will re-write, cut, add and edit. Finally you will polish. At least if the words are on the page you have something to work with.
The ambition and the desire to write must come naturally. To be a writer is not easy. It can be a lonely job, a dedicated job that takes time away from other pursuits. Be prepared for sacrifices. But then if you are destined to be a writer it is no sacrifice to spend time writing. If it is a hardship then perhaps you should try something else.
Ideas, creativity, imagination and the ability to do research are essential skills. Life experience is also a valuable asset. If your book is fiction then you need to be able to spin out your story for however many pages. It has to be believable, credible and entertaining.
Tenacity and perseverance will hold you in good stead. Very few writers achieve success overnight. Even a small success can take many years of apprenticeship paved with rejection, frustration, and criticism. Even when you are published you will still be subject not only to your readers, but reviewers and bloggers. The reviews may not always be good. So toughen up if you want to survive.
The ability to be critical of your own work and be able to take constructive criticism is essential. You cannot be precious about your words. We all know it is your ‘baby’, but the need to be ruthless is essential. Listen to constructive criticism. Take it on board. See it as a chance to learn to make your work better. Don’t reject what is said out of hand because you are protective of your work. You can’t afford to be. The editor assessing your book won’t be gentle. Even if you are given a contract the editor will expect changes, tweaking or downright heavy re-writes. Be thick skinned to take multiple rejection of your precious work.
And you need a good grasp of the internet because you will need a website, a blog, Twitter and Facebook.
Be brave for no matter how private you are you will reveal yourself in your writing. Even if your story is an out of this world fantasy you will still need to draw on your own emotions to express your characters’ emotions. And no matter how good you are at fiction your cultural values and principles will shine through. Be prepared for your readers to get to know you through your words.
So you still want to be a writer? Then go for it. Write, write and write.
Dionie McNair’s first book a young adult novel The Scorpions Heart was published as an ebook in August 2013 followed quickly by Wear Orange to Conquer Demons. See her YA books at: dionie-mcnair.com or find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dionie...
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist at the Port Lincoln Times and the director of Port Lincoln Copywriting Services, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
Today’s post is by Adelaide author Dionie McNair, on what it really takes to become a published author.
What does it take to be a published author?
They say anyone can be a writer. You don’t need any special qualifications although some do have degrees or PhDs. Does it help? Who knows – I don’t think any data has been collected on this as yet. So assuming you don’t have that gold edged piece of paper and you still want to be a writer, what do you need to succeed?
Well the most important thing is a level of literacy of course. You will need to have a working or better grasp of grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax. Of course you have the spell-check on the computer but that can be next to useless in picking up the difference between their and there. A good dictionary is essential and a thesaurus and unless you are an expert, a book on grammar is always useful.
You also need an indulged desire to read, to get to know your market but also to learn from those more qualified.
What do they say: ‘It is 10 percent inspiration and 90% perspiration’? Well it’s true. If you intend to become a published author you must work regularly and steadily not just when the muse moves you. If you want to succeed your writing needs to be treated like a job. Determine a time, a place and an amount of words and stick to it. You can never get published unless you write. Get those words on the paper, a 1st draft. It doesn’t matter how rough it is because you will re-write, cut, add and edit. Finally you will polish. At least if the words are on the page you have something to work with.
The ambition and the desire to write must come naturally. To be a writer is not easy. It can be a lonely job, a dedicated job that takes time away from other pursuits. Be prepared for sacrifices. But then if you are destined to be a writer it is no sacrifice to spend time writing. If it is a hardship then perhaps you should try something else.
Ideas, creativity, imagination and the ability to do research are essential skills. Life experience is also a valuable asset. If your book is fiction then you need to be able to spin out your story for however many pages. It has to be believable, credible and entertaining.
Tenacity and perseverance will hold you in good stead. Very few writers achieve success overnight. Even a small success can take many years of apprenticeship paved with rejection, frustration, and criticism. Even when you are published you will still be subject not only to your readers, but reviewers and bloggers. The reviews may not always be good. So toughen up if you want to survive.
The ability to be critical of your own work and be able to take constructive criticism is essential. You cannot be precious about your words. We all know it is your ‘baby’, but the need to be ruthless is essential. Listen to constructive criticism. Take it on board. See it as a chance to learn to make your work better. Don’t reject what is said out of hand because you are protective of your work. You can’t afford to be. The editor assessing your book won’t be gentle. Even if you are given a contract the editor will expect changes, tweaking or downright heavy re-writes. Be thick skinned to take multiple rejection of your precious work.
And you need a good grasp of the internet because you will need a website, a blog, Twitter and Facebook.
Be brave for no matter how private you are you will reveal yourself in your writing. Even if your story is an out of this world fantasy you will still need to draw on your own emotions to express your characters’ emotions. And no matter how good you are at fiction your cultural values and principles will shine through. Be prepared for your readers to get to know you through your words.
So you still want to be a writer? Then go for it. Write, write and write.
Dionie McNair’s first book a young adult novel The Scorpions Heart was published as an ebook in August 2013 followed quickly by Wear Orange to Conquer Demons. See her YA books at: dionie-mcnair.com or find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dionie...
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist at the Port Lincoln Times and the director of Port Lincoln Copywriting Services, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
March 17, 2014
Author Showcase Guest Post: Dionie McNair – Don't be so precious, writers
Author Showcase features authors sharing their wisdom a range of writing-related topics. Today’s post is by Adelaide young adult author Dionie McNair, on how Eyre Writers helped her become less precious about her words so she could at last become a published author.
Don’t be so precious and you just might get published
I remember with angst and embarrassment my first effort at a long story. It was in year nine high school when I wrote a 32 page story about an undersea world inhabited by mermen and mermaids and how they ruled the oceans. It was an illustrated story with chapters.
On presenting it to my English teacher she promptly told me that such things just did not happen and my story was too long and go away and write something more suitable for the assignment she had set. I was devastated and from then on kept my stories hidden.
I never showed my writing to anybody for more than twelve years but then I had the good fortune to join a community writing group called Eyre Writers.
By then I had my first manuscript in hand - a 100,000 word family saga based on my family history. It was my baby. I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread and I just knew it would get published and become a best seller, making me rich.
Since my first crushing rejection I had been a closet writer, but now in the esteemed company of other writers I began to reveal my project. I even sent it away to a publisher and then came the rude awakening. A short blunt rejection letter. I tried again and again until this manuscript had enough rejection letters to wall paper my desk.
By now I had been in Eyre Writers’ company for a while. Finally as I grieved the death of my bestseller dream I began to listen to the wisdom being shared at the meetings. How hard it was, how to take rejection, what editing and re-writing really meant. I pounced on the opportunity to do workshops with those touting more rejection letters than I had and perhaps a contract or two.
I absorbed the wisdom, the hints and the criticism, squashing down my pride and my ego. I re-wrote, edited and re-wrote. I began new projects, I got more ruthless and less precious about my words. If they had to go they had to go.
Come what may I wanted to be a writer. I wrote, I re-wrote, I edited and I crafted my words. Finally there was a glimmer of hope. My words were concise, the characters well rounded, the story rich with action and emotion. Now I was writing.
Even then rejection came calling. Each time I took it as feedback so I assessed my work, edited ruthlessly, polished and tweaked. I persisted and persisted until finally that precious contract came – at last I was an author.
Find my YA books at http://www.dionie-mcnair.com/ or
fb: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dionie...
Dionie McNair’s first book a young adult novel The Scorpions Heart was published as an ebook by Silver Stream Press in August 2013 followed quickly by Wear Orange to Conquer Demons. She lives in Adelaide with her mother, three cats and a dog and at times two adorable grandchildren.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist at the Port Lincoln Times and the director of Port Lincoln Copywriting Services, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
Don’t be so precious and you just might get published
I remember with angst and embarrassment my first effort at a long story. It was in year nine high school when I wrote a 32 page story about an undersea world inhabited by mermen and mermaids and how they ruled the oceans. It was an illustrated story with chapters.
On presenting it to my English teacher she promptly told me that such things just did not happen and my story was too long and go away and write something more suitable for the assignment she had set. I was devastated and from then on kept my stories hidden.
I never showed my writing to anybody for more than twelve years but then I had the good fortune to join a community writing group called Eyre Writers.
By then I had my first manuscript in hand - a 100,000 word family saga based on my family history. It was my baby. I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread and I just knew it would get published and become a best seller, making me rich.
Since my first crushing rejection I had been a closet writer, but now in the esteemed company of other writers I began to reveal my project. I even sent it away to a publisher and then came the rude awakening. A short blunt rejection letter. I tried again and again until this manuscript had enough rejection letters to wall paper my desk.
By now I had been in Eyre Writers’ company for a while. Finally as I grieved the death of my bestseller dream I began to listen to the wisdom being shared at the meetings. How hard it was, how to take rejection, what editing and re-writing really meant. I pounced on the opportunity to do workshops with those touting more rejection letters than I had and perhaps a contract or two.
I absorbed the wisdom, the hints and the criticism, squashing down my pride and my ego. I re-wrote, edited and re-wrote. I began new projects, I got more ruthless and less precious about my words. If they had to go they had to go.
Come what may I wanted to be a writer. I wrote, I re-wrote, I edited and I crafted my words. Finally there was a glimmer of hope. My words were concise, the characters well rounded, the story rich with action and emotion. Now I was writing.
Even then rejection came calling. Each time I took it as feedback so I assessed my work, edited ruthlessly, polished and tweaked. I persisted and persisted until finally that precious contract came – at last I was an author.
Find my YA books at http://www.dionie-mcnair.com/ or
fb: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dionie...
Dionie McNair’s first book a young adult novel The Scorpions Heart was published as an ebook by Silver Stream Press in August 2013 followed quickly by Wear Orange to Conquer Demons. She lives in Adelaide with her mother, three cats and a dog and at times two adorable grandchildren.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist at the Port Lincoln Times and the director of Port Lincoln Copywriting Services, she is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
March 4, 2014
Author Showcase: Rowena Holloway – To swear or not to swear?
Author Showcase now resumes its mix of genre authors after being dedicated to Women in Horror Month during February. Today’s post is by Adelaide crime author Rowena Holloway, on the use of swearing in literature.
Feeling blue
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about swearing – not doing it, but writing it.
Recently, I read a book in which the uber baddies never swore, not once. They threatened, bashed and slaughtered, yet never did a swear word pass their grim lips. Another offering had the romantic heroine drop the f-word for no apparently good reason. The first left me cold, the second stung like a slap. Both pulled me out of the story. They left me wondering if bad guys who don’t swear are believable, and conversely, is a heroine who drops f-bombs at every opportunity likeable?
Context plays a large part. Eliza Doolittle yelling ‘move your bloomin’ arse’ while at Ascot is used to show that the Coventry flower seller still lurks beneath the polish, that a designer dress and rounded vowels can’t disguise her true nature. Only when she completely embraces her new self (for love, naturally) do the habits of the streets leave her. She chooses Professor Higgins and in so doing leaves her guttersnipe ways behind. And what of Gordon Gecko, protagonist of the hit film Wall Street? Corporate Raider, shallow, selfish, and eventually imprisoned for insider trading, Gordon rarely, if ever, swears. If he had, it is unlikely he could have so smoothly conducted his fraudulent activities.
In my latest work-in-progress, Pieces of a Lie, I’ve had to confront this issue of context. My baddie is a grifter from way over the wrong side of the tracks. Born into disadvantage he has clawed his way into society. His morality is warped by greed and burning resentment at ‘those who have’, and the only thing he has retained from his past is a mouth to match the sewer he scraped off his shoes. That context is ripe for a character who swears. A lot. Likewise, my lower-middle class heroine has fallen on bad times. She also has burning resentments and has as large a blue vocabulary as her antagonist. But should she use it?
The baddie’s language doesn’t bother me so much, but my heroine has given me a lot of trouble. By being true to her voice, I worry that readers will turn away. After all, I closed the book on Detective Harry Bosche because of the copious use of the f-word within the first chapter. They were well within context, but I didn’t want to be assaulted by them. I wanted to be transported, thrilled, on the edge of my seat as Harry solved the gruesome murder and maybe this time got some kind of closure on what happened to his mother.
It is said we should write what we know. I grew up near a port filled with hardened men and colourful language. While our home was an expletive-free zone, punishable by missed dinners, no TV and early bedtimes, my contemporaries knew a bunch of exotic words guaranteed to make a parent red-faced and speechless, and these were made more exciting by being taboo. As I acquired a Doolittle-like polish I cleaned up my language, but around me were people for whom swearing peppered every sentence like bird shot. Among some (admittedly older) acquaintances, a string of expletives accompanied by a smile and a shake of the head was a term of endearment.
Since I decided to embrace my past and bring those experiences to my writing, the words have flowed. I’ve found it easier to fall into my characters. It’s refreshing and fun and indulgent. And a surprising number of swear words have appeared on the page. It may be real, but is it readable? I don’t want to assault readers. I don’t want to lose them before they fall into my story and become transported.
Now my concern is how to balance reader sensibility and stay true to those characters. So I’ve come up with a few rules for myself.
1. No swearing until I’ve hooked the reader.
2. Where possible, use a lesser word (as long as that is still true to my character)
3. Only swear when it is a) true to the character, and b) adds to the scene
4. No matter the character, save the heavy hitters (those four letter words that carry all the weight) for those moments when they’ll have the most impact.
5. Consider your audience and the genre conventions (but don’t be a slave to them)
6. Above all, do what’s right for the story
Now that I’ve listed some ‘rules’, I should state that these days, after kowtowing to rules for far too long, I strongly attest to the adage, ‘The only rule is there are no rules’. Ultimately, a writer must embrace the character in all his/her flawed, multi-faceted glory and let their journeys unfold.
Rowena Holloway is an Adelaide-based writer of novels and short stories. Her first novel, Out of the Abyss, was a semi-finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Her short stories have been included in the Stringybark anthology, Yellow Pearl, and the 2011 anthology of Award Wining Australian Writing.
See more on Rowena at www.rowenaholloway.com
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist at the Port Lincoln Times and the director of Port Lincoln Copywriting Services, she is often (rightfully) compared to Daria of the eponymous animation and is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
Feeling blue
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about swearing – not doing it, but writing it.
Recently, I read a book in which the uber baddies never swore, not once. They threatened, bashed and slaughtered, yet never did a swear word pass their grim lips. Another offering had the romantic heroine drop the f-word for no apparently good reason. The first left me cold, the second stung like a slap. Both pulled me out of the story. They left me wondering if bad guys who don’t swear are believable, and conversely, is a heroine who drops f-bombs at every opportunity likeable?
Context plays a large part. Eliza Doolittle yelling ‘move your bloomin’ arse’ while at Ascot is used to show that the Coventry flower seller still lurks beneath the polish, that a designer dress and rounded vowels can’t disguise her true nature. Only when she completely embraces her new self (for love, naturally) do the habits of the streets leave her. She chooses Professor Higgins and in so doing leaves her guttersnipe ways behind. And what of Gordon Gecko, protagonist of the hit film Wall Street? Corporate Raider, shallow, selfish, and eventually imprisoned for insider trading, Gordon rarely, if ever, swears. If he had, it is unlikely he could have so smoothly conducted his fraudulent activities.
In my latest work-in-progress, Pieces of a Lie, I’ve had to confront this issue of context. My baddie is a grifter from way over the wrong side of the tracks. Born into disadvantage he has clawed his way into society. His morality is warped by greed and burning resentment at ‘those who have’, and the only thing he has retained from his past is a mouth to match the sewer he scraped off his shoes. That context is ripe for a character who swears. A lot. Likewise, my lower-middle class heroine has fallen on bad times. She also has burning resentments and has as large a blue vocabulary as her antagonist. But should she use it?
The baddie’s language doesn’t bother me so much, but my heroine has given me a lot of trouble. By being true to her voice, I worry that readers will turn away. After all, I closed the book on Detective Harry Bosche because of the copious use of the f-word within the first chapter. They were well within context, but I didn’t want to be assaulted by them. I wanted to be transported, thrilled, on the edge of my seat as Harry solved the gruesome murder and maybe this time got some kind of closure on what happened to his mother.
It is said we should write what we know. I grew up near a port filled with hardened men and colourful language. While our home was an expletive-free zone, punishable by missed dinners, no TV and early bedtimes, my contemporaries knew a bunch of exotic words guaranteed to make a parent red-faced and speechless, and these were made more exciting by being taboo. As I acquired a Doolittle-like polish I cleaned up my language, but around me were people for whom swearing peppered every sentence like bird shot. Among some (admittedly older) acquaintances, a string of expletives accompanied by a smile and a shake of the head was a term of endearment.
Since I decided to embrace my past and bring those experiences to my writing, the words have flowed. I’ve found it easier to fall into my characters. It’s refreshing and fun and indulgent. And a surprising number of swear words have appeared on the page. It may be real, but is it readable? I don’t want to assault readers. I don’t want to lose them before they fall into my story and become transported.
Now my concern is how to balance reader sensibility and stay true to those characters. So I’ve come up with a few rules for myself.
1. No swearing until I’ve hooked the reader.
2. Where possible, use a lesser word (as long as that is still true to my character)
3. Only swear when it is a) true to the character, and b) adds to the scene
4. No matter the character, save the heavy hitters (those four letter words that carry all the weight) for those moments when they’ll have the most impact.
5. Consider your audience and the genre conventions (but don’t be a slave to them)
6. Above all, do what’s right for the story
Now that I’ve listed some ‘rules’, I should state that these days, after kowtowing to rules for far too long, I strongly attest to the adage, ‘The only rule is there are no rules’. Ultimately, a writer must embrace the character in all his/her flawed, multi-faceted glory and let their journeys unfold.
Rowena Holloway is an Adelaide-based writer of novels and short stories. Her first novel, Out of the Abyss, was a semi-finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. Her short stories have been included in the Stringybark anthology, Yellow Pearl, and the 2011 anthology of Award Wining Australian Writing.
See more on Rowena at www.rowenaholloway.com
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a vampire novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Also a journalist at the Port Lincoln Times and the director of Port Lincoln Copywriting Services, she is often (rightfully) compared to Daria of the eponymous animation and is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
March 3, 2014
Interview with Author Kay Glass
Thanks to author Kay Glass for my Women in Horror Month interview on her blog
http://kayglassauthor.wordpress.com/2...
To continue with this month’s theme, and introduce you to women who write books in the horror realm, I’d like to introduce you to Natasha Ewendt!
1. What genre are your books?
Well, so far I’ve only had the one published, but I write mostly in the realm of the macabre. My first novel This Freshest Hell is a paranormal horror, as will be the sequel and the third book (both WIPs), though the second and third books are very different to the first and to each other, with a few more sci-fi elements thrown in. I’m working on several other dark fiction projects, and strangely enough, a romance – a doomed romance, of course.
2. Where did the idea for your first book come from?
I remember the start date for writing the book, because it’s pretty hard to forget – Friday the 13th of July, 2007. I had an RDO from work, and rather than watch morning TV as I’d rather papercut my eyeballs, I had music clips playing while I went about my morning routine and AFI’s Miss Murder clip came on. I’m not averse to what most people disparagingly call emo music – like most music and social movements, I think it was highly misunderstood and maligned by the mainstream. Watching the clip I was struck with a creative idea: what if there was some kind of spooky entity you could call on to take your life? I grabbed my pen and notebook, and Lily and Maggie burst into life faster than I could keep up with them.
3. What are you currently working on?
The sequel to This Freshest Hell, as well as the third book in the series, and a few even darker books, novellas and short stories.
4. Where do your book covers come from?
My publisher Linda Nix at Lacuna Publishing designed my book cover and allowed me to have input into the process. I wanted something simple with a single “impact” graphic, possibly something in a classic gothic style like a gargoyle to match the gargoyle statue in the book’s island mansion. During the writing process I’d considered using the picture of Arachne from Greek mythology that features in Gustave Doré’s illustration for Dante’s Purgatorio of the Divine Comedy series, as the Arachine goddess/demon character in This Freshest Hell is loosely based on Arachne. I never told this to my publisher, but then one day during the production process I opened my emails to find a cover draft with that very picture. Pretty cool!
5. Where do you see your writing career five years from now?
Two words: Bestseller list. Two more words: I wish!
6. What is your favorite part of the writing process?
When the idea first hits like a bolt and you’re creating a whole other world inside your own head and translating it onto paper/screen, and you just have to hang on for the ride.
7. What is your least favorite part of the writing process?
Editing. Euchhh. The first edit’s not so bad – maybe because with a first novel, you’re editing it yourself (hopefully) before it’s been accepted and you have time to fiddle, or maybe because you sort of have absolutely no idea what you’re doing and you don’t realise just how much chaff you should be tossing out. The second edit’s getting slightly annoying because you’ve done some more research and you’ve come to realise it’s going to be a much bigger job that you thought to make this thing shine. Then by the third edit, you’ve got your literary machete out and you’re mercilessly chopping left and right, because well, you’re starting to get a little bit sick of reading the same book, even if it is yours. Then comes the fourth and however many other edits you want to do depending on how much of a perfectionist you are. Then, the publisher’s edits, which hopefully shouldn’t be too huge if you’ve already edited yourself harshly and had an editor look at it previously. By the end of it all you have absolutely no recollection of why you thought it would be “fun” to write a book, and you’re pretty sure if you have to read it one more time your eyes will fizz and melt. But, it all becomes worth it when you’re holding it in your hands.
8. How do you write? Outlining, a few short notes that become a book, just sit down and write, etc?
In a word, shambolically. I have to admit my “process” isn’t much of a process and it’s lot like everything else in my life – mostly a system of entropy. When I get an idea, I write it down – then at some stage in the future I smoosh all the bits of scribble together, connect the dots and fill in the blanks. I work as a journalist and copyeditor so I don’t often get the chance to just sit down and write. I have to grab on to the inspiration when it hits (usually around midnight, of course), or make time when I have a particular project or passage I have to finish. I have this lingering ideal, as I suspect many writers do, that someday I’ll have a nice old white house on the beach with a big garden and a sunroom where I can sit and write all day and someone will occasionally bring me tea. Someday…
9. What message do you want your readers to take away from your books?
Good question. Mostly my work is about shining a light on the dark side of human nature, and I don’t know that there’s a terribly positive message in that. If I had to delve, I’d say I wrote This Freshest Hell to give the other misfits out there something to relate to, so they know they’re not alone.
10. What do you want to say, personally, to your readers right now?
Sorry for the nightmares! I’m yet to encounter someone who didn’t have nightmares about the vampires, werewolves, ghosts, skeleton thingy or spider-demon-god-thingy. Also, if you want to discuss the book, get in touch with me on Facebook or Goodreads – happy to answer questions or chat.
http://kayglassauthor.wordpress.com/2...
To continue with this month’s theme, and introduce you to women who write books in the horror realm, I’d like to introduce you to Natasha Ewendt!
1. What genre are your books?
Well, so far I’ve only had the one published, but I write mostly in the realm of the macabre. My first novel This Freshest Hell is a paranormal horror, as will be the sequel and the third book (both WIPs), though the second and third books are very different to the first and to each other, with a few more sci-fi elements thrown in. I’m working on several other dark fiction projects, and strangely enough, a romance – a doomed romance, of course.
2. Where did the idea for your first book come from?
I remember the start date for writing the book, because it’s pretty hard to forget – Friday the 13th of July, 2007. I had an RDO from work, and rather than watch morning TV as I’d rather papercut my eyeballs, I had music clips playing while I went about my morning routine and AFI’s Miss Murder clip came on. I’m not averse to what most people disparagingly call emo music – like most music and social movements, I think it was highly misunderstood and maligned by the mainstream. Watching the clip I was struck with a creative idea: what if there was some kind of spooky entity you could call on to take your life? I grabbed my pen and notebook, and Lily and Maggie burst into life faster than I could keep up with them.
3. What are you currently working on?
The sequel to This Freshest Hell, as well as the third book in the series, and a few even darker books, novellas and short stories.
4. Where do your book covers come from?
My publisher Linda Nix at Lacuna Publishing designed my book cover and allowed me to have input into the process. I wanted something simple with a single “impact” graphic, possibly something in a classic gothic style like a gargoyle to match the gargoyle statue in the book’s island mansion. During the writing process I’d considered using the picture of Arachne from Greek mythology that features in Gustave Doré’s illustration for Dante’s Purgatorio of the Divine Comedy series, as the Arachine goddess/demon character in This Freshest Hell is loosely based on Arachne. I never told this to my publisher, but then one day during the production process I opened my emails to find a cover draft with that very picture. Pretty cool!
5. Where do you see your writing career five years from now?
Two words: Bestseller list. Two more words: I wish!
6. What is your favorite part of the writing process?
When the idea first hits like a bolt and you’re creating a whole other world inside your own head and translating it onto paper/screen, and you just have to hang on for the ride.
7. What is your least favorite part of the writing process?
Editing. Euchhh. The first edit’s not so bad – maybe because with a first novel, you’re editing it yourself (hopefully) before it’s been accepted and you have time to fiddle, or maybe because you sort of have absolutely no idea what you’re doing and you don’t realise just how much chaff you should be tossing out. The second edit’s getting slightly annoying because you’ve done some more research and you’ve come to realise it’s going to be a much bigger job that you thought to make this thing shine. Then by the third edit, you’ve got your literary machete out and you’re mercilessly chopping left and right, because well, you’re starting to get a little bit sick of reading the same book, even if it is yours. Then comes the fourth and however many other edits you want to do depending on how much of a perfectionist you are. Then, the publisher’s edits, which hopefully shouldn’t be too huge if you’ve already edited yourself harshly and had an editor look at it previously. By the end of it all you have absolutely no recollection of why you thought it would be “fun” to write a book, and you’re pretty sure if you have to read it one more time your eyes will fizz and melt. But, it all becomes worth it when you’re holding it in your hands.
8. How do you write? Outlining, a few short notes that become a book, just sit down and write, etc?
In a word, shambolically. I have to admit my “process” isn’t much of a process and it’s lot like everything else in my life – mostly a system of entropy. When I get an idea, I write it down – then at some stage in the future I smoosh all the bits of scribble together, connect the dots and fill in the blanks. I work as a journalist and copyeditor so I don’t often get the chance to just sit down and write. I have to grab on to the inspiration when it hits (usually around midnight, of course), or make time when I have a particular project or passage I have to finish. I have this lingering ideal, as I suspect many writers do, that someday I’ll have a nice old white house on the beach with a big garden and a sunroom where I can sit and write all day and someone will occasionally bring me tea. Someday…
9. What message do you want your readers to take away from your books?
Good question. Mostly my work is about shining a light on the dark side of human nature, and I don’t know that there’s a terribly positive message in that. If I had to delve, I’d say I wrote This Freshest Hell to give the other misfits out there something to relate to, so they know they’re not alone.
10. What do you want to say, personally, to your readers right now?
Sorry for the nightmares! I’m yet to encounter someone who didn’t have nightmares about the vampires, werewolves, ghosts, skeleton thingy or spider-demon-god-thingy. Also, if you want to discuss the book, get in touch with me on Facebook or Goodreads – happy to answer questions or chat.
February 25, 2014
Women in Horror Month Author Showcase – Roh Morgon: Influential female writers
Today’s Women in Horror Month Author Showcase is by Roh Morgon, on some of the most influential female horror writers.
Influential women
Thank you, Natasha, for inviting me to participate in your blog series celebrating Women in Horror.
When I started thinking about the women horror writers who have had the most influence on my own work, it was easy to pinpoint them.
I distinctly remember the first book, upon which a popular movie had been based. It was in the mid-1990s and I’d been mesmerized by the movie (okay, well, maybe I was actually mesmerized by Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas as the hottest vampires I’d ever laid eyes on).
The book, needless to say, was Interview with the Vampire, and I embraced Anne Rice’s world with great enthusiasm.
After reading Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, I went on to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s Saint-Germain vampire series, as well as Nancy Baker’s Kiss of the Vampire (aka The Night Inside), Nancy A. Collin’s Sunglasses After Dark featuring kick-ass Sonja Blue, and my favorite, Elaine Bergstrom’s Austra series beginning with Shattered Glass.
Each writer approached vampires differently, but they all endowed their characters with a measure of humanity, or in some cases, at least a trace of something resembling human emotions. The one trait present in each incarnation was the dangerous allure that’s been a part of vampire canon for the last century.
I suppose that’s what attracted me, along with many other fans of vampire fiction. Courting death in the form of a kiss, flirting with immortality, and dancing the final dance with little hope of survival made for a thrilling escape from the drudgeries and pressures of real life.
The Twilight hysteria brought me back to the world of the fanged (yes, I prefer vampires with fangs) and I discovered several other women writers who excel in the genre.
The first was Octavia Butler, known more for her edgy science fiction and fantasy. Her 2005 story Fledgling, about a child vampire, delivered a brilliant twist to the legend.
The other was Suzy McKee Charnas and her 1980 Nebula-winning novella, The Unicorn Tapestry (from The Vampire Tapestry). Her character Weyland haunted me for days afterward.
I’ll be forever grateful to them and all the other women who opened doors to worlds in which I could lose myself for hours.
In 2009, upon waking from a dream, a door to a world of my own was opened by the image of a lonely vampire woman. As I lay there, half-awake, she began showing me her fascinating story and her life unfolded like a movie. I had no choice but to write it down.
I’ve been immersed in her journey since, sharing her joys and heartbreaks as she found and lost love, only to find and lose it again. But like all of us, she continues to strive forward, resilient in her search for peace and hopefully, just a little bit of happiness.
As you finish reading a book, think about what it is that you enjoyed most about it, then make note of whether the author was male or female. Chances are, the stories that strike you the deepest will have been written by a woman.
Roh Morgon’s favorite tales center on the horror of the beast within. She’s best known for her vampire series which begins with Watcher: Book I of The Chosen and includes the historical horror The Last Trace, along with the 2013 novella “The Games Monsters Play” from High Stakes: A Vampire Anthology. Her next novel, Runner: Book II of The Chosen, is scheduled for release later this year. Roh can be found online at www.rohmorgon.com and www.facebook.com/rohmorgon, as well as on Goodreads and Amazon.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a paranormal horror novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Recently included on S.L. Schmitz’s Examiner.com list of the 92 must-read horror authors, Natasha is often compared to Daria of the eponymous animation and is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
Influential women
Thank you, Natasha, for inviting me to participate in your blog series celebrating Women in Horror.When I started thinking about the women horror writers who have had the most influence on my own work, it was easy to pinpoint them.
I distinctly remember the first book, upon which a popular movie had been based. It was in the mid-1990s and I’d been mesmerized by the movie (okay, well, maybe I was actually mesmerized by Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas as the hottest vampires I’d ever laid eyes on).
The book, needless to say, was Interview with the Vampire, and I embraced Anne Rice’s world with great enthusiasm.
After reading Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, I went on to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s Saint-Germain vampire series, as well as Nancy Baker’s Kiss of the Vampire (aka The Night Inside), Nancy A. Collin’s Sunglasses After Dark featuring kick-ass Sonja Blue, and my favorite, Elaine Bergstrom’s Austra series beginning with Shattered Glass.
Each writer approached vampires differently, but they all endowed their characters with a measure of humanity, or in some cases, at least a trace of something resembling human emotions. The one trait present in each incarnation was the dangerous allure that’s been a part of vampire canon for the last century.
I suppose that’s what attracted me, along with many other fans of vampire fiction. Courting death in the form of a kiss, flirting with immortality, and dancing the final dance with little hope of survival made for a thrilling escape from the drudgeries and pressures of real life.
The Twilight hysteria brought me back to the world of the fanged (yes, I prefer vampires with fangs) and I discovered several other women writers who excel in the genre.
The first was Octavia Butler, known more for her edgy science fiction and fantasy. Her 2005 story Fledgling, about a child vampire, delivered a brilliant twist to the legend.
The other was Suzy McKee Charnas and her 1980 Nebula-winning novella, The Unicorn Tapestry (from The Vampire Tapestry). Her character Weyland haunted me for days afterward.
I’ll be forever grateful to them and all the other women who opened doors to worlds in which I could lose myself for hours.
In 2009, upon waking from a dream, a door to a world of my own was opened by the image of a lonely vampire woman. As I lay there, half-awake, she began showing me her fascinating story and her life unfolded like a movie. I had no choice but to write it down.
I’ve been immersed in her journey since, sharing her joys and heartbreaks as she found and lost love, only to find and lose it again. But like all of us, she continues to strive forward, resilient in her search for peace and hopefully, just a little bit of happiness.
As you finish reading a book, think about what it is that you enjoyed most about it, then make note of whether the author was male or female. Chances are, the stories that strike you the deepest will have been written by a woman.
Roh Morgon’s favorite tales center on the horror of the beast within. She’s best known for her vampire series which begins with Watcher: Book I of The Chosen and includes the historical horror The Last Trace, along with the 2013 novella “The Games Monsters Play” from High Stakes: A Vampire Anthology. Her next novel, Runner: Book II of The Chosen, is scheduled for release later this year. Roh can be found online at www.rohmorgon.com and www.facebook.com/rohmorgon, as well as on Goodreads and Amazon.
Natasha Ewendt is the author of This Freshest Hell, a paranormal horror novel released in 2013 by Lacuna Publishing. Recently included on S.L. Schmitz’s Examiner.com list of the 92 must-read horror authors, Natasha is often compared to Daria of the eponymous animation and is reluctantly addicted to coffee and The Walking Dead.
