Stuart Keane's Blog, page 3

Dark Chapter Press – Competitions, Releases and Incoming

Hello All

Today, I want to speak about Dark Chapter Press, an exciting new publishing press based in the North of England (Alnwick, near Newcastle – to be exact).

Dark Chapter Press, as a company, is about discovering new talent. A few months ago, Rob McEwan approached me and offered me a position as an Editor for the press, a huge achievement and a proud moment for me. I’ve worked closely with Rob on several projects in the past and his work ethic is second to none. His passion for all thing...

I’m Back…It’s Been A While

Hello All

Welcome back! It’s been a while since I posted, June was the last occasion if I remember rightly, but I’ve had a lot going on in my personal life, some good and some bad (mostly good) and as a result, I’ve been neglecting the website. Apologies for this, it won’t happen again. Now things have settled and I have a routine organised, I can blog once or twice a week quite easily.

During this time away, I have managed to secure a position as an intern with Inquisitr, a news website that...

Kill For A Copy – Kickstarter Campaign 2

Hey all

It’s been a busy month. I’m currently working on Kids for Dark Chapter Press, which is now a two volume anthology. Featuring stories from Chantal Noordeloos, Mark Parker, Matt Hickman, Matty Bob Cash, Andrew Lennon, and many more, this anthology is shaping into something special. I’m also finishing off Under the Bridge for J Ellington Ashton Press. The cover was unveiled this week…it will feature in the next blog. In between this, I’ve been working on several short stories and one ver...

Kill For A Copy – Kickstarter Campaign

Hello everyone

A few months ago, I discovered that my short story, ‘Bon Appetit’ would feature in Kill For A Copy, the first horror anthology from Dark Chapter Press. As always, I was stoked by this news. Dark Chapter Press is an up and coming horror press with a bright, promising future and being involved with them is a pleasure.

Now, this week, I was surprised by the news that the foreword for this anthology is being composed by none other than Shaun Hutson, one of my all-time favourite hor...

CD Review: The Parkas – In Stereocolour

For me, music is personal. It quite literally is the soundtrack to my life. For those who don’t know me, since my early teens, I’ve always carried a Walkman/CD Player/iPod with me. I dread to think of the batteries I have consumed in my lifetime, but I digress. Early on, I clearly obtained my taste in music from my father. His influence moulded my music taste with mix tapes and wise, occasional purchases from Our Price and MVC, not to mention a huge collection of vinyl. Dad’s personal taste f...

Book Review: Sheer Fear – Geoffrey David West

As an author, there’s a certain fear that sits in my mind, huddled down in a corner, waiting for the moment to strike – the fear that, one day, my ideas might stop generating. I hope, personally, that this never happens to me and I like to think my brain can keep creating stories that people want to read. However, I don’t think I’m the only author who shares this thought. When you write books, every book released and appreciated is another step in the right direction. When using a reoccurring...

Book Review: Doppelganger – Geoffrey David West

I love a good book series. For me, the key thing about a book is having something to look forward to. Once I finish the most recent in a series, the next one can’t come along fast enough. Before I started reading horror, I cut my teeth on mysteries like The Three Investigators and The Secret Seven, not to mention the Famous Five, Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes. At a young age, the thrill of such work got my nerves going and really immersed me in the mystery laden pages. However, I had their...

Book Review: The Big Blue – Matt Shaw

Sometimes, the simplicity of a story has the ability to enhance the reading experience. Many writers use a lot of detail, exposition, character development, and background to bring their story to life. Where most readers enjoy novels of this type, I like to flit between such books. For every It, there is a twenty page novella that is one thousand pages shorter, but still packs a similar punch. This is the beauty of the written word. Occasionally, you will find a story that is, for want of a...

Book Review: Aftertaste – Kyle M. Scott

Nostalgia. It’s a funny word, one that has resonant meaning to me. It brings about fond memories of many an evening, tucked up in bed, sipping a cold Pepsi and reading a good book. My reading taste has varied over the years, from the obvious Laymon, King and Hutson, to the more secretive aspect of my reading library in Enid Blyton, The Three Investigators and Sherlock Holmes. Where these aren’t a surprise to a few – hello, Mum – they helped shape my book taste to this very day. True, I love...

Book Review: Coyote: The Outlander – Chantal Noordeloos

So, my first review in several months. It’s been a busy start to 2015. However, I have managed to fit the odd book in, here and there. I have a glut of reviews to post this week, so let’s begin with a story that goes outside of my normal ‘preferred’ genres. For me, one of the trickiest genres to produce creative material for is the Western. Films are usually hit and miss, TV shows very rarely attempt it and writing? Well, it takes some skill to pull it off. When Coyote: The Outlander came ac...