Heath Stallcup's Blog, page 10

Do Zombies Eat Turkey?

Maybe viral zombies do.  How about we find out?

My debut into the world of zombies, Caldera, is due out right around Thanksgiving.  For those of you who are ‘friends’ of mine on Facebook, that may not be news. For those of you who don’t necessarily follow me on social media, now you know.

Why go with viral rage zombies rather than the slow moving, classical Romero zombies?  A number of reasons really. The biggest being, they seem to be the most likely to happen in real life. With all of the biological weapons being produced, the new designer ‘drugs’ hitting the streets or even Mother Nature herself culling the herd, what would prevent scores of people, maddened with fever to the point of absolute rage, from hitting the streets to enact random acts of violence? It would soon become pandemic.

One look at how easily ebola crossed the Atlantic and entered our borders and you can see that it wouldn’t take much for something that was fast acting to quickly get out of control. How easily could you pull the trigger on someone who wasn’t technically ‘dead’? If they were infected with a virus and there was any hope of a cure? Besides, slow moving zombies gives fat, out of shape people like myself HOPE that we might be able to survive by our wits. Fast moving viral zombies?  Oh heck no…I’d be the guy clutching his chest as I fell to my knees…a veritable human smorgasbord for the starving, angry masses while others escaped.

Besides, my girls absolutely LOVE zombie books, but other than John O’Brien’s NightRunners…they haven’t really experienced any other ‘viral’ zombies.  So, let’s take away the one big weakness from his nightmare inducing monsters and give the crowd another reason to remember Rule #1…Cardio!

So allow me to invite you to spend your Thanksgiving weekend curled up with a good book.  And if you can’t find a good book, read mine instead. If nothing else, it may give you ideas on what else you should toss into your bugout bag should the Z hit the fan. ;-)

NaNoWriMo 2014

For those unfamiliar with the whole ‘NaNoWriMo’, it is the National Novel Writing Month, shortened as NaNoWriMo. It is an annual internet-based creative writing project that takes place during the month of November. The main goal is to write 50,000 words of a novel during the month.

NaNoWriMo focuses on the number of words put down rather than the quality of those words. The program encourages writers to finish their first draft so that it can later be cleaned up and polished as time allows. The main goal is to encourage creativity and bring attention to the written word, encouraging reading.

So, you may ask, why am I mentioning this? For the past couple of years, I didn’t really take part in the program.  I always wrote at my own pace, when I could, as I could. I usually write at night when the house is more quiet and I won’t be disturbed for lengths at a time. My only companion is Boo who keeps me supplied with loud snorts and plenty of methane should my oxygen levels raise too high. Thank God for scented candles…

Some nights I may only be able to focus long enough to write a few hundred words, some nights I can pound out a chapter.  My all time record was a day/night binge when the kids were gone and I was trying to finish a story…I put down twelve thousand words in that sitting. Not something I’d recommend as the quality obviously suffered. My wife tells me I’m a freak. Does that mean that NaNoWriMo will be a ‘challenge’? I have no idea. I’ve never looked at a daily, weekly or monthly output.  But I do know that with seven current projects, using NaNoWriMo as an excuse to step away from distractions like Facebook? It is a perfect opportunity to actually FINISH some of those projects.

Who knows? Maybe if 2014’s NaNoWriMo is a success, I’ll try to top that output next year.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to put on TSO, open MS7 and see if I can’t finish this one so I can jump right into MS8. Then there’s a serial killer story I’d like to work on, a political thriller, a sequel to Corson, a young adult series I’d like to start and a follow-up to Caldera. Plenty of projects…just not enough time.

 

Hallowed Horror

Just in time for Halloween. Pre-order your copy today!

We’ve put together an entirely new box set just for you, the fans.  The supernatural comes to life in this limited edition box set. Featuring some of the best names in horror and working with some amazing new talent, this collection is full of terror and suspense.

This set includes 10 paranormal stories of ghosts, demons, vampires, shifters, and witches. Grab your copy today. Any paranormal occult fan will love the creatures crawling within Hallowed Horror.

The Spirit Clearing – Mark Tufo

All the Little Children – Christine Sutton

Fangs in Vain – Scott Nicholson

The Unsaintly – Lisa Vasquez

Generation Evil – Eric A Shelman

Pride – Chantal Noordeloos

Whispers – Heath Stallcup

Shifters – Jaime Johnesee

Tool Shed – Armand Rosamilia

Dust to Dust – Eden Crowne

Hallowed Horror

Monster Squad Emporium is Now OPEN!

Sounds kind of official, doesn’t it?  Well, it sort of is.  As most of you know, I’ve been on a constant search for a supplier of wholesale t-shirts, coffee mugs, pens…well, most anything that sounds ‘fun’ and can be used as a promotional item.  Since my brain is stuck in the 80’s and today’s prices just seem outrageous, I’ve only ordered what you might call samples.  A few shirts here and there.  A couple dozen coffee cups.  A few custom made pens, notebooks, etc.  Everything has either fallen short of what I was looking for or was too cost prohibitive.

Enter cafepress.  A friend turned me on to them and while they may not be the end-all answer I was searching for, they create on demand AND they offer shirt sizes above and beyond what most other online shirt places offer.  Yes, I can even find some in MY size. I’ve ordered a couple of t-shirts and a couple of travel mugs just to check out the quality.  They offer discount codes at checkout and it makes it just a wee bit more affordable.

I still intend to keep my eyes open for better deals so that I can offer them to my readers as either prizes or as a ‘thank you’ for all that they do to help keep my name in front of new readers.  Until something more solid comes along though, this sounded like a good idea. I know that I’ve gotten emails and PMs from people asking if items like this were available. Until now, they simply weren’t…and while this might not be my preferred way to go, at least it gives readers a chance to pick up their style of clothing or gift items with the logo they love emblazoned across the front of it.

So, just in time for the holidays (I’ve always hated it when people said that…) here’s the link to the new Monster Squad Emporium!

http://www.cafepress.com/MonsterSquadEmporium

D-Day, T-Minus 24 Hours and Counting

So here I sit.  It is now officially October 2nd.  Softball playoffs are in full swing.  My twin girls are in Regionals and it’s raining cats and dogs. I tell ya, it’s a welcome distraction. Right now I have many irons in the fire and the first installment of the new Monster Squad saga is just a day away. To say that I’m a bit nervous would be an understatement. I can’t help but wonder if the new storyline will hold to people’s expectations. I’m hoping that they’ll exceed them, but you never really can tell.

Things have evolved a bit for the squads.  Unlike the previous saga that takes place back to back, this new story takes place six months down the road.  The dust has settled, things have calmed down and of course, things happened during that time that set the tone for this new storyline.

Questions that went unanswered in MS4 will slowly start being addressed. People have asked what happened with Mitchell and the blonde haired girl?  Why would Laura so suddenly act like she can’t wait to get away? Why…well…you know what?  Not everything will get answered in MS5, so I’m not going to start here.  Some won’t be addressed until 6.  Or 7.  Or…at all? Yes, I read a lot of the reviews and the constructive criticisms I took to heart and have tried to apply to my writing.  I’ve also tried to apply all of the lessons that my editor has taught me.  I know I have a lot more to learn. Heck, I still consider myself ‘the new guy’ so I am always looking to learn.  Anything that can help me hone my craft and provide you, the reader, with a better experience, I intend to employ.

This last quarter will be a hectic one. MS3 coming out on the 3rd.  Whispers being repackaged and coming out in an exciting new box set in time for Halloween. Forneus Corson coming out in November.

MS6 was originally slated for March, but it looks like it’s being bumped to New Years and Caldera (originally slated for New Years) will most likely come out some time between now and January. Early December maybe? I’ll leave that up to Todd. All in all, very exciting and a very busy time of year.

For those of you who follow my Facebook page, you noticed we had to rework Caldera’s cover.  Although I really liked the original artwork, while the story was on hold, somebody else came out with another book with an almost identical cover. It happens. Sometimes more often than we’d like. But rather than cause confusion (both authors run in the same circles), I felt it best to just have a new cover created. Enter Jeffrey Kosh to save the day.  I gave him a brief overview of the story and he put his creative genius to work.  I got a brand new cover that captures the story even better than the original.

Now, I’ll admit, at first I was pretty upset and needed to vent.  My inner five-year-old needed to throw a hissy fit. So, I did what any grown man who tends to behave like a toddler does… I went to my room (a Facebook group that I belong to) and threw a tantrum. Once I got it out of my system, I was feeling much better. I actually woke up today intending to delete the thread and call it done.  But who should stumble upon it? Yeah… the other author. He took it all in good fun though. Luckily, he’s a better person than I am and didn’t take offense.

So, there you have it.  What’s been happening lately, what’s in the works and what’s planned for the near future.  For those keeping score, MS7 is nearing the halfway mark and I try to do as much as I can every night.  Whether it’s a single line or a complete chapter.  But, as we all know by now, things in this business can be very fluid and I’ve learned to go with the flow.  Things happen and they can happen quickly. So these plans are all tentative. I still like to share them as we make them to give you something to look forward to.  Meanwhile, I need to get ready to head back to the ballfield…and get back to writing.  As of now…I’ve got little to nothing to fall back on.  All of my reserves will be out there.  Which, in some ways, is  a good thing.  In others…it’s a bit scary.  No time to dilly dally…nose to the grindstone and all that.

Until tomorrow my monsters…until tomorrow. ;-)

 

 

 

Mark Your Calendar!

MS5 Homecoming has been pushed back a week.  Yes, I know.  I’ve been saying ‘end of September’ for months now.  All I can do is apologize and explain that this process is sort of fluid.  Things happen.  Things pop up that interfere and get in the way. Things that are beyond your control.  Besides, we’re talking a week here.  Just hang on, it’s coming.

So, mark your calendars! October 3rd! Spread the word. Set aside that weekend.  Get ready to unplug your television, get some reading snacks ready and make sure your most comfy ‘reading shirt’ is washed and standing by.  Have your favorite comforter ready and be prepared to step into the newest saga of the Monster Squad.

Voices In Your Head?

I dunno if you hear voices in your head.  Some people do.  Some go so far as to argue with those voices. Do they realize they’re arguing with themselves? Or are they?

Here’s your chance to have a whole new voice in your head. The voice of Jack Voorhies from Falcon Sound. He’s the talent behind the audible version of the Monster Squad and if you weren’t aware, Full Moon Rising has been released and is ready to continue the story for all of you audiophiles!

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Full-Moon-Rising-Audiobook/B00NFVRLQW/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srImg?qid=1411443999&sr=1-1

That’s right, Monster Squad 2, Full Moon Rising is one click away from transporting you back to your favorite characters either through Amazon or Audible…but wait! If you act now, we’ll also include…you may have seen this one coming.  I’m going to offer a lucky few of you a free download of Full Moon Rising. There’s a couple ways you could get these ten luscious hours of full on entertainment.  You could pony up the $19.95 like most folks. You could take Audible up on their trial membership and get it for free. OR, if you would be so kind as to leave an HONEST review, I can give you a download code and you can get it free, no strings attached. And believe me, when I say ‘honest review’, I mean just that. I’m not looking for a string of 5 stars and simple one liners like ‘great story, you’ll love it’. I’d like to hear what you liked and what you didn’t like about the story.  Jack and I are big boys and we have thick skin. Besides, how else can we improve on the product if we can’t get honest feedback?

So there’s the offer folks.  Limited number of these freebies so feel free to hit me up here or on Facebook or email me at heathstallcup@gmail.com. If I don’t respond in a reasonable amount of time, please, hit me up again. There is the odd chance that your message gets sent to spam.

And for those few of you who have never listened to an audio book before and aren’t sure if you want to jump into the middle of a series…hit me up.  I’ll see what I can do about getting you a download code for Phoenix as well.  We may as well start you at the beginning.

http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Return-of-the-Phoenix-Audiobook/B00KXCG068/ref=a_search_c4_1_3_srImg?qid=1411443999&sr=1-3

For those of you who think this is a great deal, but it’s just not your cup of tea, I want to personally ask you a favor.  Please spread the word about this offer.  If you have a friend or relative that you think might enjoy an audio book…someone whose eyesight is failing, someone who drives a lot (like a trucker or someone with a long commute), or maybe someone who just doesn’t read well but loves a good story, pass this offer on to them. You never know who might pick up on it. You may just open up a whole new world to somebody who didn’t realize what was available to them.

Thank you.

Special on iBooks! Epic Apocalypse Box Set!

Out of the numerous box sets offered up to iBooks for inclusion in their special promotion, only 100 were selected.  Of that 100, our Epic Apocalypse Box Set was one of the chosen few! Many thanks to iBooks for this opportunity as this will not only give tons of readers a chance at a truly fantastic box set for only 99 cents, but it will also give us exposure to a global audience that we previously wouldn’t have had.

From September 18th to October 14th the epic Apocalypse Box Set will be offered across the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia and those fine folks will be exposed to the fantastic writings of Mark Tufo, James Cook, Shawn Chesser, John O’Brien, Armand Rosamilia and myself. It’s still sinking in just how fortunate we are to be included in this promotion and I simply can’t thank the folks at iBooks enough for this.

For those of you with an Apple product who want to take advantage of this, here’s the link:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/epic-apocalypse-apocalyptic/id911643350?mt=11

If you have the new operating system iOS8, then you have the iBook app already installed.  Why not take advantage of it and get an awesome set of horror fiction in time to set the tone for the season?

Picking at Mark Tufo’s Brain

Welcome back dear readers. Today I have a refreshing take for you. A short interview with none other than horror author extraordinaire, Mark Tufo! He’s taken on a whole new genre with his latest release, Dystance: Winter’s Rising, and today we get to find out a little bit more about why he decided to go there.  So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

If you’ve been living under a rock and have never heard of him, Mark Tufo was born in Boston Massachusetts. He attended UMASS Amherst where he obtained a BA and later joined the US Marine Corp. He was stationed in Parris Island SC, Twenty Nine Palms CA and Kaneohe Bay Hawaii. After his tour he went into the Human Resources field with a worldwide financial institution and has gone back to college at CTU to complete his masters.

He has written the Indian Hill trilogy with the first Indian Hill – Encounters being published for the Amazon Kindle in July 2009. He has since written the Zombie Fallout series and is working on a new zombie book.

He lives in Maine with his wife, three kids and two English bulldogs.

Well, now that the introductions are over, let’s get this shindig kicked off!

Me: What is the title of your latest release?

Mark: Dystance: Winter’s Rising

Dystance: Winter's Rising

FREE!! And If You Act Now, We’ll Include…

Did the title grab your attention?  It’s supposed to.  Everybody likes free. Don’t they? I do.  Usually. Unless it’s herpes. Nobody wants herpes, even if it’s free.

But no, I’m not offering anything like that.  What I am offering is a handful of free download codes for the audible version of Whispers! You can save your $24.95 and get it absolutely free…with a slight catch.  Aha! There it is! You knew there would be a catch, didn’t you? Yeah, there always is.  No, I don’t want you to sign up for some revolving charge on your credit card or force you to donate a kidney to the ice water challenge.  No, all I ask in return is an HONEST review once you’ve finished.

There it is.  That’s it.  An honest review.  A high price, I know, but still…

I’m only going to start with a small handful of freebies.  Say…five? Depending on the response, I may add more.  BUT, the first five to take me up on the offer will have the option of getting codes for Monster Squad 1 and the soon to be released Monster Squad 2.  And yes…future releases. Consider yourselves to be the ‘core’ reviewers, if you will. You can get my audible books as fast as I get the codes for the sky high price of an honest review.  And by ‘honest’ I mean just that.  I’m not looking for 5 stars on all aspects…I mean HONEST. If something about the story doesn’t measure up, report it.  If something about the narrator grates…say so.

That’s it. That’s the offer.

And of the first five to take me up on the offer…who knows?  There may be an internal contest of sorts in the near future. Maybe a drawing or…who knows. So there ya go.  The offer is made. If you want to take part in it, feel free to contact me.  You can reach me at Facebook or just email me.  As always, it’s heathstallcup@gmail.com and I look forward to seeing who may be interested.

Until next time…