K.M. Alexander's Blog, page 77

Old Broken Road Trade Paperbacks Now Available From Barnes & Noble

If you haven’t gotten your copy of the gorgeous Old Broken Road paperback your options as to where you can purchase it has increased. It’s now available from Barnes & Noble and should be available in other bookstores as well. (If you can’t find it they can probably order it.) If you do you book buying online, you can now get copies from any of the links below:

Barnes & Noble • Amazon • My Store

One benefit for buying online: if you choose to buy from ones of the big store it’s currently on sale for less than twelve dollars. It’s normally fourteen bucks. So that’s a savings of sixteen percent! While I cannot compete on pricing or shipping for my own store, copies bought directly from me come signed, and include an Old Broken Road swag pack, and you get a digital DRM-free ePub emailed on the same day.

If you finished reading, please do me a favor and leave a review! Goodreads is always a great choice, or you can leave a review from where you bought your copy. A quick review takes very little time and goes a long way in helping me out and you’re helping out other readers as well.

Thanks again for all the support! I hope you all enjoy your trip down the Old Broken Road. There’s a lot more to come.

Filed under: old broken road Tagged: Barnes & Noble, goodreads, Reviews, Trade Paperbacks

Friday Link Pack – 11/07/14

Hellooooooo Friday! It’s time to share a few links I’ve found over the last few days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Let me know! All right, let’s get to it.

Writing:

Author Interview: K. M. Alexander

Hey, it’s me! Check out this interview I did with Wendy VanCamp for her writing blog No Wasted Ink. (Follow her, she posts great stuff.) We talk about writing, messages within my books, The Stars Were Right, cover design, and more. Big thanks to Wendy. I had a lot of fun.

David Farland’s Kick In The Pants—Taking Criticism

Criticism. If you do anything public you’re going to face criticism. Sometimes a lot of it. Dave Farland discusses how we as writers can accept and work through it.

Finding Marlowe

In this brilliantly written piece for the LA Times. Daniel Miller explore the story of Samuel Marlowe, the black Private Investigator who influenced and advised noir greats like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.

Bad Year In Bear Lake

It’s an old man story generator, and it is amazing. (Hit refresh) Thanks to Steve for submitting this.

33 Thoughts On Reading (A Manifesto Of Sorts.)

Yes. Yes to all of these.

Art:

LAX/SFO

Last weekend Kari-Lise and I descended upon San Francisco in a quick whirlwind of a trip to celebrate the opening of the LAX/SFO group show. The works was astounding as you can see. You can see Kari-Lise’s piece Ophelia here.

Kris Kuksi’s Antiquity in the Faux

There’s always something engaging in Kuksi’s assemblages. The level of detail and tone is never anything short of amazing. His new series opening November 15th in Los Angeles is no exception.

Random:

How Sleeping Beauty Is Accidentally The Most Feminist Animated Movie Disney Ever Made

Leigh Butler makes the case, and I found myself coming away from the article agreeing with her. Who’d have thunk it right?

The Definitive List Of Lovecraftian-Themed Video Game

If you’re in the mood to play a game that includes some spine tingling cosmic horror, then the Lovecraft eZine assembled an immense list of titles. My recommendation from this list: The Last Door. It’s so good.

The Three Breakthroughs That Have Finally Unleashed AI On The World

We’re witnessing the dawn of artificial intelligence, and the Wired explores three big advancements in the field that is ushering in a new age of technology.

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

In The Vault

George Birch, an undertaker in a sleepy New England town, finds himself trapped in the vault where coffins are stored for spring burial.

Gif of the Week:

Filed under: Link Pack Tagged: artificial intelligence, criticism, feminism, Interview, Kari-Lise, kris kuksi, LAX/SFO, lovecraft, noir, sleeping beauty

Permission To Suck

Whether you’re participating in NaNoWriMo or not this year. This 2009 video from John Green is a good one chock-full of encouragement and should be watched.

Keep at it writers! You’re certainly not alone in this and don’t stress too much. The journey is a part of the fun.

Filed under: writing Tagged: drafts, john green, NaNoWriMo

Visual Inspiration: Jordan Grimmer

A few days ago, my friend Michael pointed me in the direction of concept artist and illustrator Jordan Grimmer. He mentioned that a few of his pieces reminded him of Lovat, the city that is the central setting of my book, The Stars Were Right, so my interest was piqued. After seeing the work I can’t say I disagree. It’s pretty spectacular stuff and instantly got me in the mood to brainstorm, I knew I had to share his work.

There’s a lot to love here. Grimmer has a wide range of work ranging from the fantastical to the grounded. I love the moods he’s able to capture. Trains billow clouds of white smoke as they rush through cities, airships drift above titanic walls like fat clouds, and neon reflects off the wet streets of a buried neighborhood. It’s great stuff. Click on any of the images below to see them larger:

“Train City” by Jordan Grimmer
“Tyr City Walls” by Jordan Grimmer
“Train Graveyard” by Jordan Grimmer

I especially liked these two pieces.

“Wall Market” by Jordan Grimmer
“Quick Photo Bash” by Jordan Grimmer

These images are just a fraction of Grimmer’s impressive body of work. See more on his portfolio site at http://www.jordangrimmer.co.uk, he’s also active on deviantART as well. What’s your favorite piece?

Filed under: Art, Inspiration Tagged: Concept Art, deviantART, Illustrations, jordan grimmer

Friday Link Pack – Halloween

It’s Halloween and it’s Friday! That means it’s time to share a few spooooky links I’ve found over the last few days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Let me know! All right, let’s get to it.

Writing:

The Biggest Little-Known Influence On H. P. Lovecraft

Lovecraft has influenced numerous horror/thriller/fantasy writers for generations, but who influenced him? The Airship looks into the writer M. R. James.

On Writing Horror And Avoiding Cliches

Writing horror isn’t easy, so Chris Freese has put together this article to help you craft proper scares for your readers.

How To Write A Modern Ghost Story

The Guardian asks, how does one write for an audience that is cynical, yet still wishes to be terrified? It’s a good question and one of the biggest challenges for the modern horror writer.

The Top 20 Greatest Horror Writers of All-Time

Who was the best of the scare? Mania pulls together a list and there’s a lot of big names on it. I’m pretty please to see who came in as number one.

Art:

The Art Of Bruce Pennington

I’m a big fan of 70s cover art. There’s something earnest about it. If you want to see some of the best check out the work of Bruce Pennington. He’s created a wide range of covers from macabre to the futuristic visions of science fiction.

The Bus by Paul Kirchner

I absolutely love this series of comics about a man and a bus. They’re more surreal than scary but they have that sort of Twilight Zone weirdness that makes them perfect for this time of year.

Mayokero Music Video

This music video by Israeli artist Roy Kafri takes classic album covers and brings them to life. It’s not really spooky, but it’s downright cool.

Random:

A Graphic Guide To Cemetery Symbolism

Great infographic from the fine folks over at Atlas Obscura explaining the meaning of common gravestone designs.

10 Scientific Explanations For Ghostly Phenomena

For the skeptics. Listverse explores 10 perfectly rational explanations for the spooky behavior people witness.

When The Stars Are Right…

A site attempting to set a definitive time line to the events portrayed in the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. Mythos fans will love it.

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

The Thing On The Doorstep

A man makes a case why he’s not a murderer despite sending six-bullets through the head of his friend. His bizarre reasoning won’t be what you think.

Gif of the Week:

Have a happy Halloween everyone!

Filed under: Link Pack Tagged: bruce pennington, cthulhu mythos, ghosts, gravestones, h.p. lovecraft, Horror, roy kafri, writing

Old Broken Road, 1 Week Old

Well, Old Broken Road has been out for one whole week! I’ve seen a few reviews crop up and that is always exciting. I hope everyone is enjoying the book. If you’ve finished, help me out by leaving an honest review either where you purchased the book or on Goodreads. (Or both!) Reviews help. A lot.

Those of you waiting for the Nook edition, fret not, the Nook version is out now. Yay! Eventually you’ll be able to buy the paperback from Barnes & Noble. It takes time though.

If you missed it yesterday, I now have Bell Caravan patches in my store. They’re  so incredibly awesome, you should get one for your jean jacket or bag or whatever. Check ‘em out.

If you need a refresher on the places and people of the Territories universe you might want to consider hitting up the Fan Art board on Pinterest. A lot of amazing artists have taken the time to illustrate their vision of the world. (If you have your own art, send it to me!) Likewise check out the inspiration board I put together for Old Broken Road, it’ll give you a glimpse into the imagery I was inspired by as I wrote the book.

Finally, if you haven’t picked up your copy there’s a bunch of ways to do so! See the list at oldbrokenroad.com. Just click the button for your favorite eBook platform, or order a paperback. Paperbacks ordered through Amazon and on my store also include the eBook version for FREE, that way you don’t have to wait for the book to arrive to start reading.

I really appreciate you showing me so much support and I hope you are enjoying the book! Thanks for taking the time to take a trip down the Old Broken Road. There’s a whole lot more to come.

Filed under: News, old broken road Tagged: Bell Caravans, Fan Art, goodreads, Nook, patches, Pinterest, Reviews, Swag

Bell Caravan Patches Are Now Available

Show your loyalty to the company with this three-inch black and white Bell Caravans patch. Put it on your jacket, your bag, your keff, or whatever you want! Patches are only $5.00 and are available in my store. Get yours today!

 

The logo was based on a concept by Ray Frenden and illustrated by the talented Sean Cumiskey. Long time readers will remember that Sean did some amazing fan art for The Stars Were Right last year. After I saw it, I contacted him and asked if I could use the logo above the door for a Russel & Sons bookmark and he agreed. I loved his work so much that I hired him to work up the Bell Caravans logo. He hit the ball out of the park and the result is this incredible patch.

Check out more of Sean’s work at his website. He is available for freelance projects, and is open to commissions, so seriously consider hiring him if you’re looking for an illustrator on your own projects. I cannot recommend him enough.

Filed under: old broken road, swag Tagged: Bell Caravans, Illustration, patch, Ray Frenden, Russel & Sons, Sean Cumiskey

Friday Link Pack 10/17/2014

Old Broken Road launch week draws to a close. That means it’s time to share a few interesting links I’ve found over the last few days. Some of these I mention on Twitter, if you’re not already following me there, please do! Have a link I should feature in the upcoming link pack? Let me know! All right, let’s get to it.

Old Broken Road:

Old Broken Road is out now!

Both eBook and trade paperbacks are available now! You should go buy it. :D

Traveling The Broken Road: An Author Interview With K. M. Alexander

Thomas Fowler and I discuss Old Broken Road, advertising, design, book marketing, indie publishing, and more.

Listen to my Dungeon Crawler Radio Interview

Last night I was interviewed by the guys over at Dungeon Crawlers Radio. I had a lot of fun and recommend giving it a listen.

Writing:

Here’s Why H.P. Lovecraft Matters More Than Ever

The Wall Street Journal talks Lovecraft, his racism, his views on science, and his resonating effect on popular culture.

Study Reveals: A Trip To The Library Feels The Same As A $2,282 Pay Raise

Well, there you go. Clearly we all need to go to the library more.

5 Things Beta Readers Should Know Before They Agree To The Task

Great post by Lauren Sapala on beta reading, what it takes, and how we as readers can maximize the help we provide. (This would be a good one to send to any new beta readers you are working with. hint. hint.)

Got Workflow? Step by Step To Better Books

J. W. Manus gives some practical advice for laying out and formatting your manuscript for publication. I see a lot of new writers completely ignore layout and it’s incredibly important.

Thing You Should Know When Writing About Guns

Good advice from Wendig about how guns work, what parts of guns are called, and how to use them effectively and realistically in your own work. (This isn’t a post about legality, it’s about using weapons in fiction.)

Art:

Nine Eyes

Strange and often surreal images found on Google street view. You can see a lot more at 9-eyes.com. (Thanks to Sky for this submission.)

Gloam

An amazing short film. Wandering a dark forest, a solitary creature encounters something unknown with only curiosity to lead the way.

Random:

The Crazy Bi-Level Buses Of The North Coast Lines

A photo essay on a very particular kind of bi-level bus that was produced in the Pacific Northwest during the 1920s. Some awesome stuff. It was strangely inspiring for me.

The World’s Biggest Submarine

A photo essay of the Typhoon/Shark class of Russian subs. I knew these things were big, but I didn’t realize they were this big. Makes me want to go watch The Hunt for Red October. “One ping only.”

Film Psychology: The Shining, Spatial Awareness & Set Design

Nice little doco on how Stanley Kubrick used spatial awareness on the set of the Shining. Make sure to watch Part 2 as well.

Equal Population Mapper

How many counties of the midwest does it take to equal the population squeezed into New York? LA? The coasts? This fascinating interactive map allows you to compare density across the US.

Lovecraft Story of the Week:

The Lurking Fear

Strange things are afoot in the Catskill mountains.

Gif of the Week:

Filed under: Link Pack, old broken road Tagged: beta readers, Dungeon Crawlers Radio, h.p. lovecraft, interviews, Lauren Sapala, nine eyes, North Coast Lines, Stanley Kubrick, The Hunt for Red October, The Lurking Fear

The Stars Were Right, $2.99—Permanently!

The fun of Old Broken Road launch week continues! I strive to make my books as accessible to as many readers as possible so in honor of the launch I’ve decided to permanently lower the price of The Stars Were Right ebooks to $2.99! Get it at any of the following links:

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

Make sure to tune into my interview on Dungeon Crawler Radio tonight. Also expect a few more fun announcements to happen over the next few weeks. Hope everyone is enjoying Old Broken Road. If you haven’t picked it up yet, it’s available pretty much everywhere.

Filed under: News, old broken road, the stars were right Tagged: eBook, Old Broken Road Launch Week, price drop

I’m Going To Be On Dungeon Crawler Radio!

Tomorrow, October 16th, I will be appearing on Dungeon Crawler Radio… LIVE. The show starts at 6pm MT and you can listen live here. I should be showing up around 6:15pm MT. I’m excited. Looking forward to talking Old Broken Road, The Stars Were Right, Lovat, the Territories, the Aligning, and whatever else comes up.

You can find out more on Dungeon Crawler’s website and make sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Filed under: News, old broken road, the stars were right Tagged: appearance, Interview, radio