K.M. Alexander's Blog, page 54

Gifting the Bell Forging Cycle for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is now behind us here in the States, which means we’re in full-on shopping mode. Every year I have people reach out to me asking how they can get my book for their friends and family. There are loads of ways, and hopefully, this post will serve as a helpful aggregate of all the gifting options.

Want Signed or Personalized Books?

I have my own store where I sell and ship signed and personalized books. The deadline to order is December 9th, which is a Friday. Any orders past that won’t get to you in time. I sign everything from my shop, but if you want your books personalized, make sure to leave me a note in the “Notes or Instructions” field during checkout.

Order from My Store →


Ordering Paperbacks From an Online Retailer

The quickest way to get paperback copies delivered would be by ordering through any of the online retailers. The majority of them offer guaranteed delivery by Christmas. (This also gives you a good reason to visit me at a con, where I am always happy to sign your books.)

Order from Amazon→
Order from Barnes & Noble →
Order from Powell’s →
Order from BAM! →


Giving eBooks as Gifts

Did you know you can give eBooks as gifts? It’s true, there are options available at Amazon, Apple, and Barnes and Noble. So if there is an eBook reader in your life, you can still send them into the Territories and save yourself a little money in the process. Details for each store below:

Order for Kindle →

Select the book, then click the “Give as Gift” button
Order for Nook →

Select the book, then click the “Buy as Gift” button
Order for iBooks →

Select the book, then click “Gift this Book” in the dropdown

Sadly, Kobo and GoogleBooks do not have a gifting option. You’ll have to use a gift card and give your Kobo or GoogleBooks the streets of Lovat the old fashioned way. (Check out how Jen Chan gifted The Stars Were Right to a friend.)

The Bell Forging Cycle on Kobo →
The Bell Forging Cycle on GoogleBooks →

I hope that clarifies the gifting options. If you have any questions you can always leave a comment or you are welcome to reach out to me via email: hello@kmalexander.com. Thanks for your excitement in the Bell Forging Cycle and your interest in sharing Wal’s adventures with your friends and family. I hope you have a safe and happy holidays!

Filed under: Shop, The Bell Forging Cycle Tagged: Christmas, ebooks, Gifts, holidays 2016, Old Broken Road, Paperbacks, Red Litten World, signed copies, The Stars Were Right

Defending the Defenseless

Over the last week, America has seen an uptick of hateful intimidation and harassment towards minority people and groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center has reported over two-hundred cases alone, it’s been on the news, Jim C. Hines has a collection of incidents on his site, and activists like Shaun King have been keeping a running tally of reports.

This has become immediately personal to me. It’s happening to my friends. I’ve seen cars vandalized. I’ve heard former coworkers tell stories about being verbally harassed. I’ve seen people get hateful emails and Facebook messages because they happen to be married to someone who isn’t white. It’s appalling.

Sadly, on some level, none of this is too surprising. Racial division has split America for a long time, and it’s not strictly an American problem. Similar harassment happened in the UK aftermath of Brexit (another campaign fueled by anti-immigrant/minority sentiment.) Hateful bigots get empowered by rhetoric, so it’s not shocking to witness it going on here in America. (Disappointing, yes. Surprising, no.) This sort of behavior puts everyone on edge and emotions run hot. But we can stand up to this.

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”

Abraham Lincoln said, “Whatever you are, be a good one,” and I plan on being a good one. There are many things we can do to help defend those who need it most right now. So I figured it’d be handy to present some options for those who are interested in helping.

Donate

Many folks out there won’t witness this sort of activity. (Seriously, consider yourself lucky.) But you’re going to read about it, and you’re going to want to help. Consider giving to organizations that defend those who can’t defend themselves. Here are four good ones.

Donating to the ACLU is a good start. It’s an organization with a long history of protecting equal rights for all Americans.
Donating to the Southern Poverty Law Center is another good option. Their focus is on monitoring hate groups and defending victims of bigotry and discrimination.
Donating to the International Refugee Assistance Project is a reliable third option. Their focus is on offering legal help to refugees.
Donate to the International Rescue Committee and assist refugees fleeing dangerous parts of the world. (More on this later.)

Note: This is just a small list focusing on a subset of groups. There are so many other charities and activist organizations that need you help. The important thing is to give. Most organizations have options to do monthly or one-time payments. Any amount helps. Give what you can.

Act

If you see harassment happen, get involved. Don’t wait for the victim to turn to you and ask for help. Alert the authorities if you see vandalism. Step in if you witness abuse. I posted an excellent quote from Desmond Tutu last week about the danger of remaining neutral during situations of injustice. Go read it.

The illustrator and artist Maeril put together a handy comic on how to diffuse a harassment situation and how you can help. The comic focuses on Islamophobia, but it serves as an excellent guide to stopping most harassers. Again, if this doesn’t work, alert the authorities.

Engage Locally

Take a stand against hate. Look for local ways to help out minority communities in your neighborhood. Volunteer at or donate to your local homeless shelter. Many churches have groups that offer help to the needy and work to welcome immigrants into communities. Work with your local food bank. Get involved in groups that welcome refugees and work with minorities.

For example, during the upcoming holidays, Kari-Lise and I are working with the International Rescue Committee to sponsor a local refugee family and provide them Christmas presents. We want them to feel welcome in our city, and little acts of kindness like this can go a long way to making an immigrant family feel welcome.

Hate groups are empowered right now, so don’t expect this sort of behavior to go away. (They’ve been on the rise all year.) Even if it lessens over the next few weeks, it’s clear that the animosity is there, bubbling under the surface. We have a long way to go before America, and humanity in general, is past its deep-set racism, bigotry, and hate.

Despair isn’t how you defeat evil. Action is.

Filed under: News Tagged: america, harassment, injustice, oppression, prejudice, racism, social justice

Situations of Injustice

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

—Desmond Tutu

My friend Jim shared this on Twitter last night. In the aftermath of the Presidential Election, as I watched my friends—American citizens, who now fear for the loss of their rights and their personal safety—take to the streets, I couldn’t get it out of my head. This belongs here.

Filed under: Quotes Tagged: desmond tutu, injustice, oppression, prejudice, social justice

Americans: Go Vote

It’s November 8th here in the United States. The day we cast our ballots for the next President of our country. While I have readers all over the world, I’m going to take a moment to talk to those who are American.

Go vote. Please vote. Please. Every race is important. From your school board to local offices to your state and city elections; not just our national election.

We do mail-in voting here in Washington, so I already voted weeks ago. I’m not going to tell you which way to vote. (Although, over the last few weeks I haven’t been exactly silent on my support.) What am I am going to do is encourage you to do it. It’s important.

For some places, casting your vote will be easy. In many others, thanks to voter suppression movements, it’ll be much more challenging. As I posted yesterday on Facebook as an American citizen, no one has the right to stop you from voting, if you’re in line to vote when the polls close THEY ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO ALLOW YOU TO VOTE. Remember that. Same goes for your employer with a few caveats depending on your state. [Details Here]

If you’re intimidated at polls or have problems voting, keep these numbers handy:

866-Our-Vote (English)
866-Ve-Y-Vota (Spanish)
866-API-Vote (Asian Languages)

Find out more information at: 866ourvote.org

It’s a big day for our country. Go vote and let your voice be heard.

Filed under: Random Tagged: america, president, united states, vote, Washington State

It’s Cosmic Horror’s 100th Birthday

In November of 1916, Howard Phillips Lovecraft published his first short story, The Alchemist, in the United Amateur Press Association. While his commercial work would come later, there is an argument to be made that November should be considered the birth month of cosmic horror as a genre.

Lovecraft wasn’t the first to write weird fiction; even Lovecraft had his influences. Writers like Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, Lord Dunsany, Robert Chambers, and Edgar Allen Poe were all writing of the strange and macabre before ol’ Howie. Most cosmic horror fans will acknowledge their impact, but I think we’d all agree that it was Lovecraft’s writing that became the definitive work of the genre. Lovecraft’s mythos has gone on to influence a myriad of people; it was his stories that encouraged others to delve into writing and working within the genre. His writing helped forge the genre into the beast it is today.

In celebration, I figured it’d be fun to explore the current universe of cosmic horror and look at some of my primary sources for Lovecraftian fiction on the market today. This will be just a tiny sample of the ever expanding universe of weird fiction. If you have recommendations of your own, leave a comment!

The Bell Forging Cycle

Why not start with my books? (Buy ’em here.) Don your keff, lace up your boots, and enter my dystopian genre-bending vision of the Territories. A world where humanity is no longer alone and strange creatures inhabit vast multi-leveled megalopolises built upon the backs of drowned cities. A place of violence, where killers stalk narrow streets, and shadowy cults work ancient rituals to awaken forgotten elder gods. Standing in their way is one soul, a road-weary caravan master armed with an antique revolver, a droll wit, and a hardened resolve. Read an excerpt at any of the links below.

The Stars Were Right • Old Broken Road • Red Litten World

Cosmic Horror Small Presses

Weird fiction is still alive and well, recently Penguin re-released a limited edition paperback, and a quick search for “Lovecraft” will usher forth all sorts of collections. However, some of the most exciting work in cosmic horror can be found among the small presses.

Word Horde

Publisher of original novels, substantial collections, and some great anthologies, Word Horde, is one of my favorite small presses. The quality of their end product is great, Ross Lockhart and the team there does an excellent job in seeking out new talent and releasing it into the world.

Lovecraft eZine Press

Born from one of the titans of the weird fiction community, the Lovecraft eZine, this cosmic horror press publishes modern mythos and releases some solid anthologies.  Very much worth checking out.

Dark Regions Press

Specializing in horror and dark fiction since 1985, this indie publishing house serves up all manners of terrors from some fairly big names. If you want something collectible, make sure to check out their special hardcover editions.

Hippocampus Press

This small press focuses on collected works from cosmic horrors greats, men like Ramsey Campbell, Lovecraft himself and Clark Ashton Smith. They also delve into nonfiction as well, featuring work from scholars like S. T. Joshi.

Cosmic Horror Podcasts

Some of my favorite podcasts focusing on Lovecraft and cosmic horror.

Miskatonic Musings

While Lovecraftian fiction is often at the center of discussion, this podcast covers a wide variety of horror in general as well as other strange and often weird tangents.

People’s Guide to the Cthulhu Mythos

This podcasts focuses on deeper dives into specific categories within the Cthulhu Mythos and cosmic horror.

Northwest Horror

While not specific to Lovecraftian literature, the crew at NWH does excellent work exploring the ever expanding world of horror. (They also occasionally host a trivia night in Portland, OR. So if you’re ever in the area, check ’em out.)

The H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast

Chris and Chad take on a new story each week and get into the nitty gritty details. They also have some excellent readings available on their site.

The Black Tapes

This serialized docu-drama follows Alex Reagan and Dr. Strand as they investigate a series of strange recordings, the titular Black Tapes.

Limetown

Ten years ago, over three hundred men, women, and children disappeared from a small town in Tennessee, never to be heard from again. What happened to Limetown?

Cosmic Horror Novelists

This list could get long, so I will keep it to novelists of whom I have read and who’s books I’ve enjoyed. If there’s someone I missed (highly likely) or a writer that you’d like to recommend (also highly likely,) leave a comment! Links attached to the author’s name will go to their website or blog; book links will go to Amazon. (But you should buy from your local indie shop.) Also, don’t forget to leave a review!

Anne M. Pillsworth

Where to start: Summoned (Redemption’s Heir)

What is it: Harry Potter meets cosmic horror.

Brian Keene

Where to start: Darkness on the Edge of Town

What is it: Small town terrors on the edge of the void.

Charles Stross

Where to start: The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files, Book 1)

What is it: Spycraft and Lovecraft.

Cherie Priest

Where to start: Maplecroft (The Borden Dispatches, Book 1)

What is it: Alt-history with an infamous protagonist battling Lovecraftian critters.

China Miéville

Where to start: Perdido Street Station (New Crobuzon, Book 1)

What is it: Slipstream weirdness. Read this first, but then jump into The Scar.

Joseph S. Pulver Sr.

Where to start: Nightmare’s Disciple: A Lovecraftian Crime Novel

What is it: Hardboiled mythos.

Laird Barron

Where to start: The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All

What is it: Atmospheric American Gothic.

Logan L. Masterson (RIP)

Where to start: Ravencroft Springs

What is it: Mysteries in a small town nestled in the oldest mountains in the world.

Matt Ruff

Where to start: Lovecraft Country: A Novel

What is it: A sharp examination of Jim Crow era America set against the backdrop of  the Cthulhu Mythos.

Peter Rawlik

Where to start: Reanimators

What is it: Historical horror centered on rival scientists.

Victor LaValle

Where to start: The Ballad of Black Tom

What is it: A subversion of “The Horror at Redhook” set during the Jazz Age.

This has been just a tiny sampling of the world of cosmic horror as it exists today. The genre hasn’t gone away. If anything, we see its influence grow more and more in all forms of popular culture. It has reached beyond books and into movies, table-top games, toys, comic books, television shows, and video games. The fundamental terror brought by the fear of the unknown and the creatures that lurk in spaces beyond is something that draws readers even today. So join me in wishing Cosmic Horror a lovely one-hundredth birthday! It’s been a great one hundred years, and here’s to a hundred more!

Did I miss something? Have a favorite writer, podcast, or small press house that I missed?Leave a comment and let us know!

Filed under: Lore & Mythos, News, writing Tagged: cosmic horror, lovecraft, novelists, Podcast, small press, The Alchemist, weird fiction

This Green Sunrise Shore

“Sbosctt smf botgtowfr lmfmkp aals gvyomcowf spiht.

Dndndss umxfoon fw fkhlnyp saw obh ktnlsal.

Lodsdlwszzs kmx tzuiv lbu evsiqc ll avdpom.

Tsszo tr bztve cactocb suwvsh tei yoa oazvlcuun.

Zkszed dtutl bbsvoru.”

Look west, dear roaders.

Filed under: The Bell Forging Cycle Tagged: look west, roaders

Last Day – Red Litten World eBook Only 99¢

I mentioned this on Twitter (follow me!) but I wanted to write a quick update for everyone else. Last week, my novel Red Litten World turned one. To celebrate for the last seven days eBook copies have been on sale for only 99¢ (a savings of five whole dollars!) Today is the final day to nab it at that price from any of the following stores:

Kindle • Kobo • iBooks • Nook • GooglePlay • My Store

After tonight prices will start reverting to the regular price of $5.99. So buy a copy, tell your friends, and please leave a review.

Filed under: Red Litten World Tagged: 99¢, anniversary, reviews, sale, the bell forging cycle

It’s Red Litten World’s First Birthday

Today is the first birthday of Red Litten World, the third installment in my Lovecraftian urban fantasy series, The Bell Forging Cycle. It has been a fantastic launch, and I’ve loved hearing from readers who have enjoyed the book. I’m proud of it. Since it’s been a full year, I felt it was important to celebrate the occasion.

It’s Sale Time

For the next week, Red Litten World is available on eBook for only 99¢! So, if you haven’t read the most recent adventure of Waldo Bell, now is the most affordable time to check it out. Buy five copies! Give them to your family, share ’em with your friends. Hell, send them to your enemies. Hit any of the links below to grab a copy on the cheap.

Kindle • Kobo • iBooks • Nook • GooglePlay • My Store

The discounted sale price will only be available for a week. So, take advantage while you can.

Let’s Talk Reviews

As with most series, there was a significant drop-off in reviews of Red Litten World. Review fatigue is very common for books in a series, but that doesn’t make them any less valuable. Reviews are not only helpful for other readers; they also allow authors to take advantage of mailing lists, promotional newsletters, and review sites. So if you haven’t had a chance to leave a review of Red Litten World, please, please, please take a few moments and drop one on Amazon and Goodreads. It’d help me out considerably.

Where Are We Going from Here

It’s October, which is usually the month when I release a new title. (Based on the emails I’ve had to answer, many of you were aware of this.) However, there isn’t a release this year. Last December, I wrote a post called The State of the Cycle, where I went into details about the future of Wal’s tale. I invite you to read it if you haven’t. Don’t worry; his story isn’t over yet. There’s plenty more to come; I’m just taking some time to collect myself before I dive back into the madness.

In Closing

Once again, I need to extend a big thank you to those who have supported me over the years. Thanks to those who have left reviews and told their friends. Thanks everyone who has reached out to me and helped me promote my work. It’s all of you that contribute to making books like Red Litten World possible.

So, today, join me in wishing a happy birthday to Red Litten World. What a gem.

Filed under: Red Litten World Tagged: 99¢, anniversary, goodreads, reviews, sale, the bell forging cycle, writing

#My5: The Bell Forging Cycle

Welcome to #My5, a project that I’ve started, with a few of my fellow authors, across the internet. In this and other posts, we’re going to delve into five things that had influenced our current projects: it could be five people, five books, five songs, five comics or a mixture of some or all—you never know. Why five? It’s an arbitrary limitation, but it’s digestible and prevents these posts from running away from us. If you’re an author and you’re interested in joining us, you can read the introduction post or check out the info at the bottom of this post. So, without further ado, here’s #My 5: The Bell Forging Cycle.

Inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere, and it’s different for each writer. For me, there are key instances that trigger something in my mind that inspired me to create the world of the Territories.

I tend to pitch The Bell Forging Cycle as “Lovecraftian Urban Fantasy,” which is a relatively narrow descriptive. In my article for Fantasy Book Critic, I described the series as a “dark cyberpunk post-post-apocalyptic dystopian weird western cosmic horror urban fantasy adventure,” which, yeah, was a mouthful. Instead of explaining how all that works, I figured it’d be fun to use #My5 in a way that lets me share how all of those pieces come together.

1. The Lovecraft Mythos

This is the obvious one, but it’s important enough that I need to mention it first. I didn’t start reading H.P. Lovecraft until I was in my early twenties and attending college. While Cthulhu, Azathoth, Yog-Sothoth were on my mind, it wasn’t until a conversation in 2007 with my friend, Josh Montreuil, that I had the idea of mixing the mythos with a story like the one I wanted to write.

Longtime readers of the Lovecraftian mythos can see the signs in the world. The books are set in a world rebuilt after Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones returned, caused an apocalypse, and once again faded into myth. Their influence has a fundamental impact on the world. Landmasses have been reshaped, and humanity is no longer alone; exotic species lifted from the mythos now inhabit the world alongside us. Dark cults from stories like The Call of Cthulhu, The Haunter of the Dark, and The Shadow Over Innsmouth have risen to become large organized religions. While a knowledge of the mythos isn’t necessary to enjoy the books, there’s no denying that Lovecraft’s influence is scattered through everything.

2. Kowloon Walled City

It’s probably no secret that I’m a cyberpunk fan. Books like William Gibson’s Neuromancer, Neil Stephenson’s Snowcrash, and movies like Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner are seminal works in my life. Cities of cement and chrome, coupled with the compression of humanity, were a draw for me. In each of those worlds were millions of stories. So, when I discovered a real world example of those strange, stacked cyberpunk cities, I was fascinated.

Kowloon was a densely populated neighborhood that existed in Hong Kong during the middle of the 20th-century. Thirty-three thousand people lived within 6.4 acres of space stacked atop each other up to a height of 140 ft. The result of this mass was an isolated, multileveled community, filled with all manner of individuals, organizations, businesses, schools, and unique cultures. (Check out this fascinating cross section map or this detailed illustration to see how dense it was.) Kowloon’s existence became the spark that eventually became Lovat. It was the real-life example that triggered my concept of the vast megalopolis by the sea.

3. Stephen King’s The Dark Tower

Stephen King’s opus is an early forerunner of genre mixing; an intense blend of western tropes, fantasy locations, and science-fiction problems, mixed with a post-apocalyptic road story starring gunslingers. I started reading the series in high school and quickly devoured what I could until it finally ended in 2004. Up until The Dark Tower series, most of the sci-fi and fantasy I read was fairly conventional.

Seeing this strange new world presented in such a way opened my eyes to what fiction could become. I can still picture walking with the Ka-Tet of Nineteen throughout Mid and Endworld. There is so much to love. The Lobstrosities, Shardik, Blaine the Mono, the city of Lud, the plains of Mejis, the Wolves of Thunderclap, and Devar-Toi are all vivid in my mind, and I continually find myself revisiting the series to this day.

And, if you’re wondering, I absolutely remember the face of my father.

4. China Miéville’s Bas-Lag

I love worldbuilding; I love seeding the potential of new locations and stories throughout prose. If it was King who showed me my first glimpses of weird fiction, China Miéville refined it. Perdido Street Station constructed a world that proved to me that fantasy didn’t have to be elves and dwarves, hobbits and men, orcs and dragons.

His Bas-Lag series—my favorite of which is The Scar—takes those ideas to a whole new level. Strange species crawl through Mieville’s books: bug-headed women, vampires, half-machine hybrids, sentient cacti, tiny gargoyles, disembodied hand-shaped parasites, scabmettlers—the human-like creatures who’s blood congeals to the point that it can become a sort of armor—and that’s just the start. That same approach is applied to everything from governmental structure to economics. Each book opens up new lands and strange new species, and throughout it all, Mieville does it right. He mixes and blends and creates a profound concoction that still stick with me.

5. HellBlazer (In particular M. R. Carey’s run)

One of the granddaddies of urban fantasy, the Vertigo comic series, follows the magician for hire, John Constantine as he drinks and smokes his way through England, America, Hell, and all parts in between. There is something about his wisecracking ways and indifferent attitude that I love. Constantine is relatable; he isn’t some all-powerful superhero; he isn’t some wealthy playboy; he is a working class stiff who is more clever than good and more determined than heroic.

Constantine is relatable. He is Walter White, a man doing bad things for good reasons. While Waldo Bell isn’t Constantine, there is a similarity between the characters. Both are dogged and driven men who would stop at nothing and go to any lengths to defeat what they see as evil. Heroes don’t always need to be golden paragons of humanity. They can and should be flawed.

So those are #My5, my collection of properties that influenced The Bell Forging Cycle. Each has had a profound impact on me creatively. You can check out my series at bellforgingcycle.com or hit up any of the specific books at the links below to read excerpts and learn more about the world of the Territories.

The Stars Were Right – Old Broken Road – Red Litten World

I’m not alone in collecting #My5! Other authors have joined me and written their #My5. You can find their articles by following the links below. Make sure to look for links at the bottom of their posts as well.

Michael Ripplinger’s #My5: The Verdant Revival
Laurie Tom’s #My5: My Five Influences
Eric Lange’s #My5: 30 Second Fantasy

Are you a published (indie or traditional) author who is interested in joining in the #My5 fun? Write your article following the format above (remember, the limit is five), link to your work and others’ posts, and shoot me an email at hello at kmalexander.com, and I’ll add you to the list above and the official #My5 page! You can download the #My5 logo at any of the links below.

600×600 PNGs: White | Black

1200×1200 PNGs: White | Black

(Vector version available upon request.)

Filed under: #My5, Inspiration Tagged: bas-lag, china miéville, cyberpunk, hellblazer, Inspiration, kowloon walled city, lovecraft, m. r. carey, perdido street station, stephen king, the dark tower, the scar, writing

All Writing is Difficult

“All writing is difficult. The most you can hope for is a day when it goes reasonably easily. Plumbers don’t get plumber’s block, and doctors don’t get doctor’s block; why should writers be the only profession that gives a special name to the difficulty of working, and then expects sympathy for it?”

—Philip Pullman

Confession time: the latter half of the summer was slow for me productivity-wise. As difficult as it can be to read a quote like this I always appreciate the solid kick in the ass that it brings. Writer’s block is a myth, an easy excuse for the struggle that comes with the work. No one says writing will be easy. No one says writing will be fun. But when it’s all over there is no denying how rewarding it can be.

Filed under: Quotes Tagged: hard work, philip pullman, writer's block, writing