Tim Meyer's Blog, page 2
September 24, 2016
Upcoming Signings/Appearances
Hello, all!
I've updated the "Upcoming Events" section of my blog, but in case you missed it, here's a brief list of upcoming signings and appearances I'll be doing over the next few months and later next year. There's a chance more could be added soon. Also, things are always subject to change, so check back periodically. I'll do my best to keep everyone in the loop. If you're in the New Jersey area, definitely keep November 4th open on your calendar! The Pinelands Brewery signing is going to be a great time. BOOKS AND BEER!
TM
_______________________________________________
FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP: ASK A HORROR AUTHOR
WHERE: MERCER COUNTY LIBRARY - LAWRENCE BRANCH (LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ)
WHEN: OCTOBER 21st
TIME: 10am-12p
_______________________________
JERSEY DEVIL BOOK SIGNING
W/ HUNTER SHEA & TIM MEYER
BOOKS AND BEER!
WHERE? PINELANDS BREWERY/TUCKERTON, NJ
WHEN? NOVEMBER 4th, 2016
TIME: TBA
___________________________________________________
JULY 21-23, 2017
Scares That Care Weekend
Friday: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Saturday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm | Sunday 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Scares That Care (website) is an approved 501(c)(3) who fights the REAL MONSTERS of childhood illness, burns and breast cancer by helping families that are experiencing these extraordinary hardships cope with the financial burden. This non-profit provides money, toys and other items to help sick children. For a list of celebrity guests, click here. Tim will be selling/signing books in the main vendor room!
Double Tree By Hilton: Williamsburg, VA
I've updated the "Upcoming Events" section of my blog, but in case you missed it, here's a brief list of upcoming signings and appearances I'll be doing over the next few months and later next year. There's a chance more could be added soon. Also, things are always subject to change, so check back periodically. I'll do my best to keep everyone in the loop. If you're in the New Jersey area, definitely keep November 4th open on your calendar! The Pinelands Brewery signing is going to be a great time. BOOKS AND BEER!
TM
_______________________________________________
FICTION WRITING WORKSHOP: ASK A HORROR AUTHOR
WHERE: MERCER COUNTY LIBRARY - LAWRENCE BRANCH (LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ)
WHEN: OCTOBER 21st
TIME: 10am-12p
_______________________________
JERSEY DEVIL BOOK SIGNING
W/ HUNTER SHEA & TIM MEYER
BOOKS AND BEER!
WHERE? PINELANDS BREWERY/TUCKERTON, NJ
WHEN? NOVEMBER 4th, 2016
TIME: TBA
___________________________________________________
JULY 21-23, 2017
Scares That Care Weekend
Friday: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Saturday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm | Sunday 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Scares That Care (website) is an approved 501(c)(3) who fights the REAL MONSTERS of childhood illness, burns and breast cancer by helping families that are experiencing these extraordinary hardships cope with the financial burden. This non-profit provides money, toys and other items to help sick children. For a list of celebrity guests, click here. Tim will be selling/signing books in the main vendor room!
Double Tree By Hilton: Williamsburg, VA
September 4, 2016
Author Interview: Ronald Malfi
[image error] This past week, I had the opportunity to interview author Ronald Malfi, a modern master of dark fiction, a wizard of words, and karaoke rockstar. Not to mention, he’s a heck of a nice guy. At Scares That Care III back in July, I got to spend some time with Mr. Malfi, and he was the coolest. I consider him one of my author heroes and getting a chance to chat and talk book stuff with him was an amazing experience.
His new novel, The Night Parade, is out now through Kensington. I’ll put the Amazon link here, but it’s available wherever books are sold. If you haven’t had the chance to grab it yet, don’t waste another second! It’s a real treat. I’ve enjoyed all of Malfi’s books, but this might be my very favorite.
Okay, enough fanboy rambling! Let the interview begin!
_________________________________________________
Tim Meyer: The Night Parade has made a strong case for my favorite book of 2016. Also, it’s one of my favorite Malfi books of all time! And that’s saying something because every Malfi book is something special. Before we get started, tell us what The Night Parade is all about.
Ronald Malfi: Thanks for the kind words, man. So glad you enjoyed it. The book is about a father, David, and his eight-year-old daughter, Ellie, on the run from the government during the final stages of a disease outbreak that has decimated the world. Ellie is special, and she just might be the key to the cure for the disease, Wanderer’s Folly.
TM: Wanderer’s Folly is an original, wish-I-had-thought-of-it-first take on an apocalyptic plague. Was there any particular event or story that sparked the notion, or did you wake up one morning in a cold sweat and shout, “IDEA!”?
RM: The concept sort of creeped up on me. The original concept was to have the children of the world become hosts to a disease that would kill their parents. I knew I wanted to tell a story about the relationship between a parent and their child when the child is toxic to the parent, and how that relationship progresses. But there were complications with that original idea, and things about that I didn’t like, so it sort of morphed into the version of Wanderer’s Folly in the book. Ellie is such a pragmatic, adult-like child, and I thought the symptoms of the Folly—the daydreams, hallucinations, ultimate madness—were a nice juxtaposition to her practical nature. Plus, the disease itself afforded a lot of opportunity to have some fun with it, and to illustrate its effects in some creepy scenes.
the night paradeTM: David Arlen, our main protagonist, has a lot of bad things happen to him. One of your many strengths is your ability to hurl multiple obstacles at your characters in a way that’s natural to the story. It makes for great characterization. Do you plot these conflicts before you begin writing, or do they come organically as you go?
RM: I’m not a plot-oriented writer. I very rarely plot, opting instead for the more organic, seat-of-my-pants approach. If I plot a story, I get quickly bored with it and ultimately never write it. With this novel, and the particular structure of it, I was lucky to have the opening scene jump into my head and a very rough idea of where I thought the story should go, and I just sat down and started writing it. The things that happen to David in the novel occur out of an organic extension of the scenes and the storyline themselves. Some of them even surprised me as I was writing.
TM: Do you normally outline or wing it? Why do you prefer one method over the other?
RM: I wing it. There was only one novel that I plotted out, a crime drama called Shamrock Alley. The story required it, since it was based loosely on a true story—an investigation my father conducted while with the Secret Service. We sort of wrote it together—I’d write a few chapters and have him go over them for accuracy and to legitimize some of the dialogue—so an outline was necessary. But it’s a tedious process and, for me, makes it difficult to really immerse myself in the writing of a novel. I felt like I was constantly being driven instead of doing the driving.
TM: One of my favorite scenes in The Night Parade is the ice cream man scene. I’m not sure if the atmosphere or the way it was written was responsible, but it worked. What are the main ingredients for crafting a memorable scene?
RM: In truth, I think sometimes you just lucky. So many people have commented on that ice cream man scene that I can confirm its effect on some readers, which is great. But the scene wasn’t necessarily written in any specific way that was different from the rest of the book, or from anything else I write. In The Night Parade, I use a lot of ordinary things and skew them a bit to make them unsettling, which served the disease and how the disease progresses throughout society. The ice cream man, and the paper plates, too—the masks worn by some of the people throughout the book. Simple items that, taken slightly out of context, are suddenly eerie and unsettling.
TM: I know asking you to choose a favorite book or character is like asking you to choose your favorite kid, but is there one character or novel more personal than the rest, and why?
RM: Every time I complete a novel, I think it’s my best work. Maybe that is because it is, or maybe just because it’s still so fresh and ingrained in me so that it seems so authentic and true. David and Ellie Arlen from The Night Parade are among some of my favorites. Others would be Travis Glasgow from Floating Staircase and Angie Mazzone from December Park—Angie in particular. December Park was probably my most autobiographical novel, and Angie is a fairly unmasked version of myself. Those are probably my personal favorites.
TM: In addition to being a phenomenal writer, you’re also a musician. Which sounds better – Author Ronald Malfi or Ronald Malfi, Rock God?
RM: Why do I have to choose? Let me be both!
TM: Has performing music helped you as a writer in any way? Has writing helped you as a musician?
RM: I think it probably all comes from the same wellspring. I have found that playing music lately has helped alleviate any pressure—and any writer’s block—I might have been suffering with my writing. I’ve never been the type of person to just have one creative outlet. I’ve always loved music, writing, filmmaking, drawing—all that stuff. I think they each tend to inform and compliment the others.
TM: A few writers, classic or contemporary, who have influenced you?
RM: I have to say Stephen King, right? But it’s true. I wrote my first “story” when I was a kid, after reading his novel Eyes of the Dragon, and never stopped. The books he wrote in the early part of his career are just breathtaking. As I got older, I fell in love with Peter Straub’s work. And Ernest Hemingway, too. I know people either hate or love Hemingway, and I think he’s fantastic. My favorite novel is probably The Sun Also Rises, and I’ve read it maybe six times.
TM: Have you read anything lately that’s blown your socks off?!?!
RM: I’m halfway through Paul Tremblay’s Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, and enjoying it quite a bit. I loved his novel A Head Full of Ghosts last year. A few weeks ago I was a guest author at the Scares That Care Weekend in Gettysburg, a wonderful event with a good cause, and I grabbed a bunch of books from fellow authors. I was particularly impressed with John Urbancik’s InkStains project. Also, I’ve recently read a few novellas by Philip Fracassi, Altar and Mother, and thought they were both wonderful.
TM: What’s next for Author Ronald Malfi? Thrillers? Horror novels? Dinosaur Erotica?
RM: I’m currently touring in support of The Night Parade, and I owe a few short stories to anthologies, which I fear I am already delinquent in turning in. There may be some film news to a pass along, maybe in the early part of next year, but nothing more I can say about that. Otherwise, I’ve already turned in my newest manuscript to my editor and will take some time to think about what I’d like to do next.
TM: Thanks for your time, man. Good luck and keep giving us quality reads to put in our brains!
His new novel, The Night Parade, is out now through Kensington. I’ll put the Amazon link here, but it’s available wherever books are sold. If you haven’t had the chance to grab it yet, don’t waste another second! It’s a real treat. I’ve enjoyed all of Malfi’s books, but this might be my very favorite.
Okay, enough fanboy rambling! Let the interview begin!
_________________________________________________
Tim Meyer: The Night Parade has made a strong case for my favorite book of 2016. Also, it’s one of my favorite Malfi books of all time! And that’s saying something because every Malfi book is something special. Before we get started, tell us what The Night Parade is all about.
Ronald Malfi: Thanks for the kind words, man. So glad you enjoyed it. The book is about a father, David, and his eight-year-old daughter, Ellie, on the run from the government during the final stages of a disease outbreak that has decimated the world. Ellie is special, and she just might be the key to the cure for the disease, Wanderer’s Folly.
TM: Wanderer’s Folly is an original, wish-I-had-thought-of-it-first take on an apocalyptic plague. Was there any particular event or story that sparked the notion, or did you wake up one morning in a cold sweat and shout, “IDEA!”?
RM: The concept sort of creeped up on me. The original concept was to have the children of the world become hosts to a disease that would kill their parents. I knew I wanted to tell a story about the relationship between a parent and their child when the child is toxic to the parent, and how that relationship progresses. But there were complications with that original idea, and things about that I didn’t like, so it sort of morphed into the version of Wanderer’s Folly in the book. Ellie is such a pragmatic, adult-like child, and I thought the symptoms of the Folly—the daydreams, hallucinations, ultimate madness—were a nice juxtaposition to her practical nature. Plus, the disease itself afforded a lot of opportunity to have some fun with it, and to illustrate its effects in some creepy scenes.
the night paradeTM: David Arlen, our main protagonist, has a lot of bad things happen to him. One of your many strengths is your ability to hurl multiple obstacles at your characters in a way that’s natural to the story. It makes for great characterization. Do you plot these conflicts before you begin writing, or do they come organically as you go?
RM: I’m not a plot-oriented writer. I very rarely plot, opting instead for the more organic, seat-of-my-pants approach. If I plot a story, I get quickly bored with it and ultimately never write it. With this novel, and the particular structure of it, I was lucky to have the opening scene jump into my head and a very rough idea of where I thought the story should go, and I just sat down and started writing it. The things that happen to David in the novel occur out of an organic extension of the scenes and the storyline themselves. Some of them even surprised me as I was writing.
TM: Do you normally outline or wing it? Why do you prefer one method over the other?
RM: I wing it. There was only one novel that I plotted out, a crime drama called Shamrock Alley. The story required it, since it was based loosely on a true story—an investigation my father conducted while with the Secret Service. We sort of wrote it together—I’d write a few chapters and have him go over them for accuracy and to legitimize some of the dialogue—so an outline was necessary. But it’s a tedious process and, for me, makes it difficult to really immerse myself in the writing of a novel. I felt like I was constantly being driven instead of doing the driving.
TM: One of my favorite scenes in The Night Parade is the ice cream man scene. I’m not sure if the atmosphere or the way it was written was responsible, but it worked. What are the main ingredients for crafting a memorable scene?
RM: In truth, I think sometimes you just lucky. So many people have commented on that ice cream man scene that I can confirm its effect on some readers, which is great. But the scene wasn’t necessarily written in any specific way that was different from the rest of the book, or from anything else I write. In The Night Parade, I use a lot of ordinary things and skew them a bit to make them unsettling, which served the disease and how the disease progresses throughout society. The ice cream man, and the paper plates, too—the masks worn by some of the people throughout the book. Simple items that, taken slightly out of context, are suddenly eerie and unsettling.
TM: I know asking you to choose a favorite book or character is like asking you to choose your favorite kid, but is there one character or novel more personal than the rest, and why?
RM: Every time I complete a novel, I think it’s my best work. Maybe that is because it is, or maybe just because it’s still so fresh and ingrained in me so that it seems so authentic and true. David and Ellie Arlen from The Night Parade are among some of my favorites. Others would be Travis Glasgow from Floating Staircase and Angie Mazzone from December Park—Angie in particular. December Park was probably my most autobiographical novel, and Angie is a fairly unmasked version of myself. Those are probably my personal favorites.
TM: In addition to being a phenomenal writer, you’re also a musician. Which sounds better – Author Ronald Malfi or Ronald Malfi, Rock God?
RM: Why do I have to choose? Let me be both!
TM: Has performing music helped you as a writer in any way? Has writing helped you as a musician?
RM: I think it probably all comes from the same wellspring. I have found that playing music lately has helped alleviate any pressure—and any writer’s block—I might have been suffering with my writing. I’ve never been the type of person to just have one creative outlet. I’ve always loved music, writing, filmmaking, drawing—all that stuff. I think they each tend to inform and compliment the others.
TM: A few writers, classic or contemporary, who have influenced you?
RM: I have to say Stephen King, right? But it’s true. I wrote my first “story” when I was a kid, after reading his novel Eyes of the Dragon, and never stopped. The books he wrote in the early part of his career are just breathtaking. As I got older, I fell in love with Peter Straub’s work. And Ernest Hemingway, too. I know people either hate or love Hemingway, and I think he’s fantastic. My favorite novel is probably The Sun Also Rises, and I’ve read it maybe six times.
TM: Have you read anything lately that’s blown your socks off?!?!
RM: I’m halfway through Paul Tremblay’s Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, and enjoying it quite a bit. I loved his novel A Head Full of Ghosts last year. A few weeks ago I was a guest author at the Scares That Care Weekend in Gettysburg, a wonderful event with a good cause, and I grabbed a bunch of books from fellow authors. I was particularly impressed with John Urbancik’s InkStains project. Also, I’ve recently read a few novellas by Philip Fracassi, Altar and Mother, and thought they were both wonderful.
TM: What’s next for Author Ronald Malfi? Thrillers? Horror novels? Dinosaur Erotica?
RM: I’m currently touring in support of The Night Parade, and I owe a few short stories to anthologies, which I fear I am already delinquent in turning in. There may be some film news to a pass along, maybe in the early part of next year, but nothing more I can say about that. Otherwise, I’ve already turned in my newest manuscript to my editor and will take some time to think about what I’d like to do next.
TM: Thanks for your time, man. Good luck and keep giving us quality reads to put in our brains!
July 29, 2016
BOOK SALE!
Many of you have asked me where can I get copies of your books? I always say Amazon or Barnes and Noble because that’s where most people shop books, but the truth is, I have my own private inventory taking up space in my living room. Most of them are leftovers from Scares That Care III. So if you’re one of those people who want a signed book, missed me at Scares That Care, or if you’ve somehow stumbled on this blog and are reading this post thinking, I need more books! then email me at tfmeyer3 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I’ll hook you up. Each book will be $10 (cheaper than any online retailer), and that includes shipping to anywhere in the United States. If you reside outside the US, email me anyway and we’ll figure something out.
My wife says if I don’t sell these books soon and get them out of the living room, I’ll be taking up space in the living room. Permanently.
Cheers!
TM
My wife says if I don’t sell these books soon and get them out of the living room, I’ll be taking up space in the living room. Permanently.
Cheers!
TM
July 2, 2016
Interview with Horror Author Jonathan Janz!
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to interview one of my favorite newer horror authors, Jonathan Janz. I totally forgot to post the link here. my link text I'll be holding monthly interviews with some of the most talented authors out there, so be sure to keep checking back. Let me know what you think!
May 25, 2016
Worlds Between My Teeth Available for PRE-ORDER!
2016 has been a pretty busy writing year for me. It follows a lackluster 2015 where I only released one novella. This year, we’ve seen SUNFALL: Season Two and DEMON SQUASH: A One Hour Special (Car Nex, Book 6) hit the market. Next up is my short story collection WORLDS BETWEEN MY TEETH, which will be available in e-Book and paperback on Amazon on June 10th. You can pre-order the e-book version for an introductory price of $0.99. Here's the the link - https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Between...
I’m quite proud of this collection. Some of these stories I wrote a number of years ago, before I started publishing novels. Some I had buried, six feet under, with no intention of returning them to the surface. Some would agree they should remain there, however, I found a few I couldn’t let go. I had to resurrect them and give them new life. Some of the stories included in WORLDS were previously published in magazines, e-zines, anthologies, or on the Interweb. Some of them are brand new. WORLDS is a good mix, each story representing a different period of my writing life. It’s fascinating to see how my style has developed over the years. For me, this is one of my favorite aspects of writing – these little moments of self-discovery.
The collection was edited by Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi. She did a phenomenal job helping me organize this beast. She’s given the misfits a real chance to shine, while still polishing the more refined works, elevating them to another level. I can’t recommend her services enough. Check out her website Oh, for the HOOK of a BOOK! where she offers a variety of publishing services.
That’s all for today. Some big things are on the horizon. Future blog posts will include talk of a potential new podcast, SUNFALL: Season Three, and the Scares That Care Weekend taking place in July.
Later, gators.
I’m quite proud of this collection. Some of these stories I wrote a number of years ago, before I started publishing novels. Some I had buried, six feet under, with no intention of returning them to the surface. Some would agree they should remain there, however, I found a few I couldn’t let go. I had to resurrect them and give them new life. Some of the stories included in WORLDS were previously published in magazines, e-zines, anthologies, or on the Interweb. Some of them are brand new. WORLDS is a good mix, each story representing a different period of my writing life. It’s fascinating to see how my style has developed over the years. For me, this is one of my favorite aspects of writing – these little moments of self-discovery.
The collection was edited by Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi. She did a phenomenal job helping me organize this beast. She’s given the misfits a real chance to shine, while still polishing the more refined works, elevating them to another level. I can’t recommend her services enough. Check out her website Oh, for the HOOK of a BOOK! where she offers a variety of publishing services.
That’s all for today. Some big things are on the horizon. Future blog posts will include talk of a potential new podcast, SUNFALL: Season Three, and the Scares That Care Weekend taking place in July.
Later, gators.
May 2, 2016
A Month in Review (April 2016)
Wow. Time is just flying along. I can’t believe it’s May already. I wish the weather would get its ass in gear here in the Northeast. It’s May and I STILL HAVE THE HEAT ON! I guess that’s not too surprising, but whatever. I’m ready to trade in my sweatshirts and jeans for basketball shorts and T-shirts.
Anyway, I thought it’d be cool to post monthly updates on what’s going on in my writing and reading life. That way you can stay in the loop about what’s going with current WIP (SUNFALL fans will find this particularly useful) and also, see what I’ve been reading. I’ll even give a brief review or two, something I hope to do more of on here anyway.
Let’s get started!
Current Works In Progress: I started writing a novella back in late March. I don’t want to talk too much about it, but it’s definitely one of the strangest, weirdest things I’ve written. The novella, however, kind of got away from me and it’s approaching 50k words, which I guess could technically pass as a novel. So, yay! I’m hoping to shop this around a little when it’s finished. I dunno. I love self-publishing, but the traditional route is looking more and more attractive these days (and less time consuming!). But that’s another blog post for another time.
SUNFALL: SEASON THREE – Chad, Pete, and myself began work in early April. We’ve spent the month plotting and gathering our thoughts. This will probably continue through May. Then, our words will find paper. We’re hoping to get this out early next year (fingers crossed).
WORLDS BETWEEN MY TEETH – My short story collection (with two bonus novellas) is almost done. I’ve gotten it back from my editor, finished formatting it, and now I’m sprinkling some final touches on the afterword. I’m hoping to get this beast out early next month. Definitely before Scares That Care in late July.
WHAT AM I READING? – If you follow me here on Goodreads, then you know what I've been reading. But if not, here’s some stuff I got into this month.
The Drive-In by Joe R. Lansdale – Holy crap, what a story. Joe sure knows how to spin one. I can’t believe I’ve never read this before. Parts II and III are definitely near the top of the TBR.
Abducted by Robert Swartwood – If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller you can devour in one or two sittings, this is it. Swartwood’s thrillers are top notch. I put it up there with another fine book, Man of Wax, as his best to date.
Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig – Book 2 in the Miriam Black series. I LOOOOVED Book 1. I didn’t not like book 2, but 1 was a better offering. The story was better, the characters were more interesting (especially the villains), but 2 was a decent tale that kept me engaged, and Wendig did a good job with Miriam’s character, enough to make me want more. I’m looking forward to picking up the next books in the series, and I hear there’s a TV show in the works, which is also intriguing. I think it’ll do well on the small screen, especially since everyone is going GAGA for the supernatural stuff.
I’ve read more, but those are the highlights. I also started Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s Locke & Key (amazing) and got to Brian Keene’s The Complex (another Keene classic) earlier in the month. Both are solid reads.
I’m about 90% done with Jonathan Janz’s Children of the Dark, which is by far one of my favorite reads this year. I hope to review it when I’m finished! Janz is one of my favorite horror writers to come on the scene and I’m slowly working my way through his catalog. The Nightmare Girl was my favorite read from last year, and I can’t recommend his work enough.
So that’s it! A busy and productive April.
Anyway, I thought it’d be cool to post monthly updates on what’s going on in my writing and reading life. That way you can stay in the loop about what’s going with current WIP (SUNFALL fans will find this particularly useful) and also, see what I’ve been reading. I’ll even give a brief review or two, something I hope to do more of on here anyway.
Let’s get started!
Current Works In Progress: I started writing a novella back in late March. I don’t want to talk too much about it, but it’s definitely one of the strangest, weirdest things I’ve written. The novella, however, kind of got away from me and it’s approaching 50k words, which I guess could technically pass as a novel. So, yay! I’m hoping to shop this around a little when it’s finished. I dunno. I love self-publishing, but the traditional route is looking more and more attractive these days (and less time consuming!). But that’s another blog post for another time.
SUNFALL: SEASON THREE – Chad, Pete, and myself began work in early April. We’ve spent the month plotting and gathering our thoughts. This will probably continue through May. Then, our words will find paper. We’re hoping to get this out early next year (fingers crossed).
WORLDS BETWEEN MY TEETH – My short story collection (with two bonus novellas) is almost done. I’ve gotten it back from my editor, finished formatting it, and now I’m sprinkling some final touches on the afterword. I’m hoping to get this beast out early next month. Definitely before Scares That Care in late July.
WHAT AM I READING? – If you follow me here on Goodreads, then you know what I've been reading. But if not, here’s some stuff I got into this month.
The Drive-In by Joe R. Lansdale – Holy crap, what a story. Joe sure knows how to spin one. I can’t believe I’ve never read this before. Parts II and III are definitely near the top of the TBR.
Abducted by Robert Swartwood – If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller you can devour in one or two sittings, this is it. Swartwood’s thrillers are top notch. I put it up there with another fine book, Man of Wax, as his best to date.
Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig – Book 2 in the Miriam Black series. I LOOOOVED Book 1. I didn’t not like book 2, but 1 was a better offering. The story was better, the characters were more interesting (especially the villains), but 2 was a decent tale that kept me engaged, and Wendig did a good job with Miriam’s character, enough to make me want more. I’m looking forward to picking up the next books in the series, and I hear there’s a TV show in the works, which is also intriguing. I think it’ll do well on the small screen, especially since everyone is going GAGA for the supernatural stuff.
I’ve read more, but those are the highlights. I also started Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s Locke & Key (amazing) and got to Brian Keene’s The Complex (another Keene classic) earlier in the month. Both are solid reads.
I’m about 90% done with Jonathan Janz’s Children of the Dark, which is by far one of my favorite reads this year. I hope to review it when I’m finished! Janz is one of my favorite horror writers to come on the scene and I’m slowly working my way through his catalog. The Nightmare Girl was my favorite read from last year, and I can’t recommend his work enough.
So that’s it! A busy and productive April.
April 27, 2016
Demon Blood Gets a Facelift
I've spent the last few months updating some old covers. The Demon Blood books were next on the list, and I have to say, I'm quite proud of how they turned out. Without further ado, I present to you some new faces for old friends...
February 12, 2016
SUNFALL: Season 2 Release Date/Party!!!
Wow. I can't believe this is my first blog post here, but hey - better late than never, the old saying goes.
Many of you have asked (through email, in person, social media, etc) "when the heck is Sunfall: Season Two coming out?" The response and feedback on Season One was overwhelmingly satisfying, and I was always delighted when asked about Season Two, although I never really knew how to respond. That's because, obviously, I had no idea how long it would take to write. I've said this before, back when I had my other blog, but writing a sequel was the single most difficult task I'd been faced with in my short "career." The second Demon Blood book almost never happened. Sunfall, however, was completely different. I had two of my favorite writer friends to accompany me through the whole process. And let me tell you, Season Two was actually easier to write than Season One. Maybe that's because we matured as writers, or maybe because we improved the process and abandoned the whole "fly by the seat of our pants" mentality that always tripped us up, but this book wrote like a dream and I couldn't be happier with the finished product. The finished product, by the way, will be available March 11th, 2016.
That's right. You heard me. Season Two is almost here.
For Kindle users, the book is available for Pre-order now. Paperback lovers will have to wait until the 11th, but that's okay - it's worth it.
Oh, and if you're not doing anything Sunday, March 13th, I invite you to take part in our live Q&A on YouTube via Google Hangouts, from 8-10pm EST. There will be giveaways and signed books up for grabs. Also horror author Hunter Shea will be dropping by to hang out as well. It's shaping up to be quite the party, and I hope to see you there.
Many of you have asked (through email, in person, social media, etc) "when the heck is Sunfall: Season Two coming out?" The response and feedback on Season One was overwhelmingly satisfying, and I was always delighted when asked about Season Two, although I never really knew how to respond. That's because, obviously, I had no idea how long it would take to write. I've said this before, back when I had my other blog, but writing a sequel was the single most difficult task I'd been faced with in my short "career." The second Demon Blood book almost never happened. Sunfall, however, was completely different. I had two of my favorite writer friends to accompany me through the whole process. And let me tell you, Season Two was actually easier to write than Season One. Maybe that's because we matured as writers, or maybe because we improved the process and abandoned the whole "fly by the seat of our pants" mentality that always tripped us up, but this book wrote like a dream and I couldn't be happier with the finished product. The finished product, by the way, will be available March 11th, 2016.
That's right. You heard me. Season Two is almost here.
For Kindle users, the book is available for Pre-order now. Paperback lovers will have to wait until the 11th, but that's okay - it's worth it.
Oh, and if you're not doing anything Sunday, March 13th, I invite you to take part in our live Q&A on YouTube via Google Hangouts, from 8-10pm EST. There will be giveaways and signed books up for grabs. Also horror author Hunter Shea will be dropping by to hang out as well. It's shaping up to be quite the party, and I hope to see you there.
