S.C. Green's Blog, page 19

post-scriptum: Carrion Flowers and Leaf Houses

Photo by Rodrigo Hidalgo

In my ears: Chelsea Wolfe’s Abyss. Can’t stop thrashing this because it is made of amazing.

Reading: 1/3 of the way through House of Leaves. Ob-Sessed. I am getting sucked in to all the online discussions about the hidden puzzles and secret things dwelling within this book. I discovered this awesome website the other day called The Weird Fiction Review, which I think might be where I head for all book recommendations from now on. They have a really great article on DMZ called The Weirdness in House of Leaves.

Writing: Currently flat-out working on a collaboration with author Alana Hart. You’ll hear more about that as we approach Halloween. Oh, if you hadn’t seen, I’ve released a new romance book, and The Gauge War is available for pre-order. Get on it.

Watching: Blackadder. “Baldrick, does it have to be this way? Our valued friendship ending with me cutting you up into strips and telling the prince that you walked over a very sharp cattle grid in an extremely heavy hat?” This show is genius.

Also, finally broke down and watched 50 Shades of Grey. There’s 2 hours of my life I’ll never get back. I could’ve made a pie or something.

On the Farm: It’s not so much ‘on the farm’ as ‘on the house’, because the house is happening! We’ve started work on our extension and already the blocks are laid up to floor level. It’s hard to believe how fast it’s happening. Also, we planted some new trees – oak, ash, and Australian flame – which was awesome, except that we also planted a stake right through our phone cable. So that was fun.

Loving: Seeing our house come together and dreaming about living in it and throwing extravagant parties \m/ marrying Lexi and Toni, two wonderful friends who are perfect for each other. So excited for the two of you and your future! \m/ new Black Milk \m/ Seeing my friend Shane during his Auckland adventure \m/ The discovery that the local Turkish restaurant does raki cocktails … and that they don’t taste like paint stripper \m/ getting a stern talking-to from my chiropractor after an evening spent headbanging to After Forever down at Ding Dong Lounge with my friend John \m/ meeting some awesome new folk at aforesaid Lounge \m/ Spending the evening drinking gin, eating the most delicious risotto, and talking #granddesigns with Amy, Tony, Dave & Jeanie. \m/ Double-date to an astrophysics lecture tonight! We sure know how to party \m/ My husband … I don’t mention enough how rad he is, but he is quite rad. Quite. It’s our seven-year wedding anniversary this month, which I can hardly bloody believe. It’s been seven years of awesome so far, and I’m envisioning it remaining so. \m/ having weird dreams about what happened when you were drunk and waking up to discover THEY DIDN’T HAPPEN. Such relief. \m/ Seeing friends and other wonderful people bursting with happiness because their lives are filled with good things \m/ meetings with publishers that have us all giddy with excitement.

Photo by Rodrigo Hidalgo

One more Blackadder quote, and then I’m out.

“I’ve no desire to hang around with a bunch of upper-class delinquents, do 20 minutes’ work and then spend the rest of the day loafing about in Paris drinking gallons of champagne and having dozens of moist, pink, highly experienced French peasant girls galloping up and down my – hang on…”

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

Be the first to grab a copy of my new book, The Gauge War, when it comes out in October – Sign up for the mailing list.

Pre-Order your copy of The Gauge War for just $2.99

IN THE HEART OF LONDON LIES THE ENGINE WARD, WHERE ONE MAN RULES THE COUNTRY WITH A HEART OF IRON.

Now that the Sunken have been defeated, Isambard Kingdom Brunel can begin the task of making the British Empire great once more. All that stands in his way are the French forces closing in on the country, and rival engineer Robert Stephenson, who seeks to undermine Brunel’s power by disobeying his orders at every turn.

Nicholas Thorne once again finds himself caught in the middle of a war he does not believe in. Only now, Nicholas is assailed every waking hour by terrible voices – animals in excruciating pain pound against his skull, begging for release. Can Nicholas fight through the pain and retain control of his mind to protect the people he loves?

Not content to lay idle while his empire is attacked and civil war looms, Brunel has one last great innovation to unveil. This new machine could be the salvation of England, or the destruction of them all.

***

After a year of toil and heartache, I have finally waded through the behemoth that is the second book in the Engine Ward series, and The Gauge War will be unleashed upon the world on the 31st October.

You can currently pre-order your copy now, and grab it for just $2.99. After launch, the price is going up, so now’s your chance to snag a deal.

This book – and the whole series, in fact – has been a real labour of love. So many eyes have looked over it and given their feedback and worked their asses off to make this book better than I could have dreamed. Thanks have to go out to my husband CDH, Mother Metal, and my amazing editorial team for all your helpful comments and critiques. To V for doing a wicked job on the cover, as usual. For all the friends who put up with my Facebook posts about word counts and post-modern poetry. To everyone who believed in me and everyone who didn’t, thank you!

I am really excited about delving back into Engine Ward again, and I hope you’re going to enjoy what I’ve come up with.

Got questions? I’ve got answers. Here’s a little FAQ about The Gauge War and the Engine Ward series:

Does The Gauge War stand alone, or do I need to have read The Sunken first?

Really, you need to have read The Sunken first, because The Gauge War picks up the story from where the first book leaves off. But you’ve still got a month before The Gauge War comes out, so plenty of time to finish reading The Sunken!

Is The Gauge War available as a paperback?

It will be! I’m working with my awesome designer on a paperback version right now, which will be ready for release day. You’ll be able to order this from Amazon and other online retailers, or request a copy through your local bookshop.

Will I have to wait another year for the third instalment?

No! In fact, you’ll hardly have to wait any time at all. The third book in the series, Thorn, will be coming out in December 2015, so you’ll be able to have your copy for the holiday season. That’s the power of indie publishing, baby. I can release things as soon as they’re done, and Thorn – which was the book I wrote first – has been practically done for 3 years.

Why has it taken you so long to get the next book out!

Originally, The Sunken and The Gauge War were one (very crappy) book. When I split them, I had to add a ton of plot and detail to each book in order for the story to work. The simple fact was that when I finished The Sunken, I had made some significant changes to the overall plot, and that meant I had to make significant changes to The Gauge War so that it matched up. Those changes were simply more substantial than I thought, and it also meant the editing phase of the novel took longer than anticipated.

I LOVE THIS BOOK. How can I help spread the word?

Arrrr, yay, thank you! I am so humbled and amazed by all the people who’ve written to me about how much they love the series and the characters. Seriously, it means the world to me. If you enjoyed the series, here are some things you can do that can help me find new readers:

1. Tell people! Lend your book out to someone. Give a copy away at Christmas. Get this series in the hands of anyone you think will enjoy it. If you tell five people about it, and one person loves it, then you have done more for me than you could ever know.

2. Leave me a review on the book’s Amazon or Goodreads page. Reviews are vital in helping other readers decide to take a chance on my book. Also, as an indie author, I can’t use a lot of the same promotional websites as other authors. The sites I can use often require a minimum number of reviews (usually more than 30). So help me get to that number!

Is the ebook available at other vendors besides Amazon?

No. In oder to be part of their Kindle Unlimited program, Amazon requires indie authors to sell their ebooks exclusively on their platform. If you read on another platform, then please email me at steff@steffmetal.com, and I will help you get a file that works for you.

What are you waiting for, pre-order your copy of The Gauge War now.

Steff Reviews: Ghost, Meliora

It’s been a while since I wrote an album review. Quite frankly, I’m enjoying the hiatus. I’m listening to a ton of new music and enjoying the fact that I don’t have to write about it and dissect its intricacies. But I had to come back to say a few words about one of my favourite albums of the year so far.

I adore Ghost. I have loved everything they’ve done, from their first EP, to the jaw-droopingly awesome debut Opus Eponymous, and the more laid-back, satanic-pop Infestissumam. But like many others, I’ve been apprehensive about Infestissumam’s follow-up. Could Ghost pull off something that showed they were more than just a gimmick band with a few good tunes? Was the untimely death of Papa Emeritus II just a distraction from a lacklustre third release?

I should have kept the faith. I’m back to worshipping at the altar of Ghost.

Meliora (Latin for “better” – which is both a mark of the album’s quality and the name of the Dirigire city in my Engine Ward series) is the band’s best album to date. It’s everything a Ghost record should be; dark, 60s riffs, layered keyboards, loud ritualistic drumming, and vocals dripping with saccharine charm. There are more lyrics that are both clever and fun, and a heavy dose of satanic atmosphere. Ghost are the Blue Oyster Cult if their parents had never hugged them.

After the classically keyboard-rich opener, “Spirit”, the band launch into “From the Pinnacle to the Pit”, the best song they’ve written to date. It is a behemoth, dripping with dark, catchy choruses and soaring guitar hooks. I also love “He Is”, “Cirice”, and the thundering closer, “Deus In Absentia”. But there isn’t a single weak song on this album, so don’t go skipping around or you’ll risk missing the awesome riffs of “Mummy Dust”, or the chilling melody of “Absolution.”

Every song sticks in your head. You’ll find yourself playing this album on constant repeat. It is so addictive. Why? The perfect combination of mood, riff, atmosphere, and melody. Ghost may have a satanic schtick, but they pull it off only because they are superb songwriters and consummate performers.

My one and only complaint about Meliora is that it is far too short. Clocking in at just over 40 minutes, this album just seems to be over way too soon. I demand more Satanic ditties and Blue Oyster Cult riffage, thank you!

Grab your copy of Meliora now, and follow Ghost on their Facebook page.

My latest dark paranormal romance, Witch Hunter, is now available. Grab your copy today!

Want to stay up-to-date with the latest paranormal romance books? Then sign up to my Steffanie Holmes mailing list.

 

RELEASE DAY: Grab Your Copy of Witch Hunter!

Today is one of my favourite types of day – the day when a new novel gets released on the world. If you’ve been following along on the blog, you’ll know that as well as my science fiction books I write paranormal romance under the pen name Steffanie Holmes. Today my latest romance novel, Witch Hunter, is released!

As a release week special, you can grab your copy of Witch Hunter for just $0.99c in ebook, or you can read the entire thing for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. There are also paperbacks available for those of you who like to keep it old school.

Here’s the blurb:

Europe – 1351. Centuries ago a curse was placed on Ada’s family; every seven days a woman from her line must sleep with a man – any man – or the entire coven will lose their powers forever. As a fledgling witch, it is Ada’s turn to continue the seven-day cycle, but with the plague wiping out more men every day, who will she find to take into her bed? BBW Ada goes to a sacred grove to perform a ritual to bring a man to her, and a man appears. But he is as dangerous as he is handsome … 

Ulrich of Donau-Ries is a battle-scarred witch hunter, tired of the stranglehold the church has over his destiny. His heart hardened by violence and the woman who betrayed him, Ulrich is determined to never again fall in love. But that all changes when he finds Ada, naked and waiting for him. She is the first woman to loosen the chains around his black heart. 

When Ada is accused of witchcraft, Ulrich seizes his chance to be close to her once more. In Ulrich’s dungeon, they find solace in each other, and innocent Ada learns to embrace her lover’s dark fantasies. But will Ulrich’s heart thaw in time to save Ada from being burned alive at the stake?

Witch Hunter is a full-length novel with a cliffhanger ending, part 1 of the 3-part Witches of the Woods series exploring Ada and Ulrich’s forbidden love. The story contains elements of BDSM and dungeon play. And I warn you, it’s pretty explicit. If you like dark, brooding heroes, magical forces, and fearless heroines who know what they want, then this novel will have you shivering all over.

Grab your copy today!

Want to stay up-to-date with the latest paranormal romance books? Then sign up to my Steffanie Holmes mailing list.

Macabre Fashion, Space Exploration & Tour Shenanigans: 5 Badass Instagram Feeds I Follow

Instagram is my latest obsession (apart from ). Mostly I follow fashion brands, because I like pretty, pretty clothes, and friends, because I like to see what they’re up to, and cats, because I like cat pictures. There is pretty much an instagram feed out there for any topic imaginable, and you’ll be surprised at who’s lurking on there, posting images from their everyday life.

Here are five instagram feeds I particularly enjoy:

Chelsea Wolfe @cheleaswolfe

With the release of Abyss earlier this year, Chelsea Wolfe has moved up to being one of my favourite artists ever. She’s also one of my favourite instagrammers. I love her grainy, lo-fi shots from the road, and this chick has wicked-good fashion sense. Through her pics I’ve discovered a ton of great bands and indie designers.

Jeremy Hush @jeremyhush

I found Jeremy’s feed through @sophireaptress, whose clothes are awesome, BTW. Jeremy is a Philly-based artist, archer, and adventurer. His work is incredibly complex, involving detailed studies of animals, mixed with dark elements in a traditional illustrative style. Jeremy posts viewings, and details of his current WIPs. When my new house is finished, one of his pieces are definitely going on the wall.

Samantha Macabre @samanthamacabre

The main wench behind Haute Macabre – which is basically the best fashion blog for the darkly-inclined – Samantha Macabre is a New Orleans goth / ex-suicide girl with a passion for books, cats, and the occult. Her fashion sense is incredible, her bookshelves are drool-worthy, and her two adorable hairless cats are little bundles of gremlin-happiness.

Christopher Bowes @hyperchrisz

Yes, the lead singer of Alestorm and Gloryhammer has an instagram feed, and it’s just as zany as you’d expect. Christopher’s feed is always filled with tour shenanigans, strange observations and general skullduggery. You can also follow some of Christopher’s associated hashtags, #ladsontour and #hookstagram. Hilarity abounds, often and especially in the comments.

CDR Kelly @stationcdrkelly

My recent obsession with astronomy has led me to follow a range of awesome space-related instagram accounts. My current favourite is definitely astronaut Scott Kelly – he’s currently conducting an experiment on the long-term impact of space on the human body. Usually, an astronaut will only spend 3-6 months on the International Space Station, but Kelly is there for a year. And he’s sending back astoundingly beautiful images via his hashtag #yearinspace.

I follow a ton more interesting people, and I’m always looking for new feeds. Let me know your favourites!

You can follow me on instagram – I’m steffmetal there, as I am everywhere else. Mostly I post pictures of my cats, travels, books, and house-building. Come join the fun!

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

Be the first to grab a copy of my new book, The Gauge War, when it comes out in October – Sign up for the mailing list.

Steff’s Incan Adventure – Part 4: The Amazon Rainforest, Peru

Slowly but surely, I am writing about all the different things I saw and experienced on my recent trip through South America. Right now you can read about La Chascona in Santiago, The Witches Market in Bolivia, and Amantani Island on Lake Titicaca. Today is the fourth instalment, and is about an excursion that was another highlight of the trip – two nights and three days in the Amazon jungle.

From Puno, we took a 4-hour bus journey through the mountains to Cusco. The bus was one of the comfiest I’ve ever travelled on, and I ended up with a seat on the upper floor directly in front of the TV and the huge window looking out over the scenery. So it was pretty awesome, actually, even though I was getting tired of so much travelling. We arrived in the beautiful colonial city of Cusco, and spent the night in a hotel there, before getting up at an ungodly hour to take our taxi out to the airport. Our plane didn’t actually leave till 10am, but the whole city was going into lockdown because of a national protest, so we had to leave the hotel before 6am or we would not make our flight.

I ended up with a window seat on the plane, so I could stare out at the tributaries of the Amazon as they wound their way through the dense jungle like giant, gleaming blue snakes. At the airport we met a Canadian guy named Tom who was in Peru for only a few days and changed his flight at the last minute so he could get to the Amazon. Tom didn’t have any idea what hotel to stay in or trip to take, so we suggested he tag along with us.

We set off in an open-sided bus through the jungle town of Puerto Maldonado, with a stop on the way to buy snacks. Along the road we passed hundreds of people on motorcycles. Most people in the town own motorcycles instead of vehicles, and there are even motorcycle taxis (you can spot them because the passengers wear yellow helmets).

Puerto Maldonado

We arrived at a little jetty where we climbed into long wooden canoes. The ride out to our lodge was a bit over an hour down the Madre de Dios River (a tributary of the Amazon), and from our boat we could see birds swooping over the water and strange and wild plantlife growing on the edges of the water.

We arrived at our home for the next two days – an ecological lodge built completely from materials sustainably harvested from the jungle itself – in time for an amazing lunch of quinoa (of course), and chicken and olives cooked in banana leaves. Dessert was platters of delicious, rich fruits, some of which we couldn’t recognise. While we ate, large colourful birds sang to us from the rafters. It was quite magical.

The lodge is completely off-the-grid, a lifestyle I’m pretty used to. Lights only come on at night, and most of the lodge is lit by oil lamps, rather than electricity. There is only power for a couple of hours a day supplied by a generator. The cabins don’t have hot water (although it’s so muggy you don’t even miss it). Every cabin has an outer door and inner door and mesh covering all the openings to prevent insects getting in.

That afternoon we put on some waders (because despite it “technically” being dry season, it rained heavily the previous day. They don’t call it the “rainforest” for nothing) and went off to explore Monkey Island. I went into the jungle thinking I might not see any animals, and that was perfectly OK. I was sure I’d still have an interesting time. But that all changed when we arrived at Monkey Island.

Our guide had some treats for the monkeys and used those to entice them out of the trees. Soon, we were surrounded by gibbering  ‘maquisapa’ and black and white ‘Martins’, their inquisitive faces peeking down at us. They swung and dived from the trees to grab the food. One cheeky monkey even climbed up onto my mum’s back! He knocked off her hat and proceeded to eat several bananas while my poor mum stood there petrified with terror!

That night we had another delicious dinner, then mum and I played some pool, before going out on the water in the pitch blackness to look for caimans. The group saw two caimans, although I couldn’t see them myself, but it was OK because just floating on the water listening to the sounds of the jungle and watching the stars above was pretty amazing.

The next day I was woken by the sound of Howler Monkeys. It’s such a weird sound, like some deep, ominous creature coming closer and closer. After another delicious breakfast, we took a hike through the jungle.

Along the way, our guide showed us lots of interesting flora and fauna. This is a Shihuauku tree – an Iron Tree. It’s the oldest tree in the jungle (this one is more than 200 years old) and is extremely strong. The local populations use the tree to make support beams for their houses.

This is my tarantula friend. She is so beautiful. It was an absolute honour to see a creature like this so close up.

The area around this tree is completely dead. Nothing living grows there. That is because this tree trunk is hollow, and filled with fire ants.

The juice of this fruit is a black colour, and it will stain your skin for about three weeks. Local teens use it to make “tattoos” for special celebrations. I got a tattoo of my own – mine was a flower.

Near the end of our hike we reached the edge of the river again, and clambered up this 5-storey platform to watch birds over the water. The platform swayed precariously every time we moved, and when I looked down, I noticed this:

Now that’s reassuring.

However, the view was spectacular! I couldn’t see as many of the birds as other people, but I could definitely see these guys chilling in the trees. Others saw a huge variety of parrots, guacamayos, toucans, camungos, shanshos, herons, and caiman.

Next, we got in a canoe and took a trip through the river back to camp. Maik had to hold the canoe steady so we could all climb on. No one wanted to fall off!

Two bats sleeping under a shade.

After the hike, we returned for a late lunch. Mmmmm, jungle food.

All around the lodge are beautiful gardens filled with parrots and other birds, and butterflies fluttering everywhere. Maik even spotted a capybara!

We were meant to go out on the lake in the afternoon to look at more caimans, but I’d had enough of searching the trees for things I couldn’t see, and the hammocks looked mighty inviting, so I parked my ass in one with a bottle of Peruvian Red Wine (it didn’t even have a name, which is probably a bad sign, as it tasted a bit like monkey piss but did do the job), and we chatted and read and chilled out for the afternoon.

After two wonderful days relaxing and enjoying the jungle, we hopped back on a plane to Cusco, to prepare for the Inca Trail. Which is what I’ll be talking about in my next post.

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

Be the first to grab a copy of my new book, The Gauge War, when it comes out in October – Sign up for the mailing list.

Post-scriptum: House of Leaves and House of Mead

I’ve had one of those awesome crazy-productive weeks this week, where pretty much everything on my insane to-do list actually got done. Here are a few of the highlights:

In my ears: I’ve been thrashing the Rotting Christ catalogue because, well, they are awesome. Also, Ghost’s new album, Meliora, which I will review soon but suffice it to say that in this metalhead’s humble opinion it is the best album they’re produced yet.

Writing: This week I finished the edited draft of my upcoming paranormal historical romance, Witch Hunter (which can be pre-ordered now). It’s with the editor right now. I am rather excited about this book, I must say. I am now 13,000 words into my next romance novel – a gothic romance set in the Crookshollow world that will come out in time for Halloween – as well as slogging through edits for The Gauge War, a book I am so thoroughly sick of the sight of I basically want it out in the world so I can forget it ever happened. I’m looking at the end of October on that, too. So writing-wise, I am keeping busy!

Reading: I have taken up an ambitious project and am working my way through House of Leaves. So far, I’m finding the whole concept fascinating, although it’s definitely a slow-read. The author is clearly impressed by his own cleverness, but he did create this whole crazy thing, so I think he has the right to be.

Watching: We finished watching Inspector Morse and are looking to get our hands on some Midsomer Murders episodes. Also, watched Intersteller last night, which I actually watched on the plane to Peru but enjoyed it so much I wanted to see it again. I think it is the best space movie ever created, the story is just amazing and the whole film is pretty intense.

On the Farm: Lots is happening here – our new chickens are only a couple of weeks away from arriving, so this weekend we finished putting together the chicken coop. We had a kitset shed delivered, which is to be CDH’s workshop until we can get an actual garage/workshop space (probably several years away). The council have, in their infinite wisdom, given us permission to start building our extension, so I’m calling contractors and getting quotes on materials and lining things up ready to start next weekend.

And, I laid down a new batch of mead – 30L following the Secret Irish Mead Recipe. This will be ready in time for my husband’s 40th birthday next year.

Loving: Being excited about having a real kitchen \m/ the satisfying bubble of my mead batch \m/ cats being silly \m/ FINALLY getting our sheep to co-operate and go through the fence to their new paddock of fresh, lovely grass. Now our paddocks will have a chance to recover. \m/ my Dad coming up in a week to start our new house! \m/ AetherCon next weekend – I am so excited to dress up funky and meet some awesome readers. I’ve even got a prize draw to win a Kindle and a handmade steampunk kindle cover if you visit my stall \m/ Being inside with warmth and cat and chocolate during epic crazy storms \m/ meeting new babies and seeing friends grow and become amazing parents \m/ planning our next epic metal adventure (hint, it involves a rather large boat!) \m/ catching up with my friend Erin over Yum Cha \m/ planting new trees, which will hopefully grow quickly so instead of looking out on our neighbour’s house, we see green leafy happiness. \m/ mead. mead. MEAD \m/

I am on Periscope – under @steffmetal. So if you’re on the Periscope buzz, add me, because I’m going to do a few of these over the coming weeks.

 

That’s my week, how about yours?

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

Be the first to grab a copy of my new book, The Gauge War, when it comes out in October – Sign up for the mailing list.

Linking Horn: The Links and the Damage Done

If you’re new here, the Linking Horn is a monthly-ish roundup of interesting articles and things I’ve found on the web.

Aucklanders, ahoy! Have I mentioned that I’m going to be at AetherCon: The Steampunk Convention on September 12. You’ll find my stall chock-full of my books (from both S. C. Green and Steffanie Holmes) as well as a draw to win an awesome steampunk Kindle Cover AND a Kindle!

Room to Read in a Digital World: 14 Modern Library Designs. I am designing my library at the moment, although mine is very traditional with dark wood and a ladder and such. These are pretty cool.

From everybody’s favourite metal hatred site, THAT’S NOT METAL, here’s a guide on picking up chicks at a metal show. According to my husband, there is some degree of truth to this. I am in the overkill-shirt-wearing, modestly-tattooed category.

33 Entrepreneurs Share Their Biggest Lessons Learned from Failure.

So many pissed off cats in this Cat Cosplay Tumblr.

11 Books to Read if You Like Haruki Murakami. I want to READ ALL THE THINGS (I haven’t read any of these, but I have seen The Cloud Atlas film. All of them sound amazing).

Unicorns are Jerks: A Colouring Book Exposing the Cold, Hard, Sparkly Truth.

@samuelpepys is on Twitter. And he’s tweeting his diary entries in real time. I love that things like this exist.

8 Creepy Internet Characters that Became Urban Legends. Well, now I don’t want to open any more browser tabs. You never know what might be lurking there.

27 Unforgettable Things All 90s Alt Girls Did. And, speaking of the 90s, Noisey talk to Shirley Manson and Butch Vg about 20 years of Garbage.

Here are the ancient ruins ISIS has destroyed. This article made me cry. I’ve visited many of those sites in Syria back in 2009. You can see my travel article on Palmyra – one of my favourite places in all the Middle East. It is heartbreaking to think of such vital links to the past gone forever.

From Haute Macabre, stunning but macabre photography from The Body Farm by artist Sally Mann. (warning, very graphic).

Have you ever stayed at an AirBNB that didn’t quite live up to the instagram-worthy photographs on the listing? Well, it could be worse. You could stay at one of the listings profiled on You’re Gonna Die Here – a tumblr filled with crappy, creepy and just plain gross AirBNB listings.

Vice interviews a crematory operator.

The Satanic Temple of Detroit Unveil a new Baphomet Statue. There’s a really interesting video about some of the reactions to this.

I found this piece fascinating. How Witchcraft is Empowering Queer and Trans Youth.

Trailer for a film called The Witch. This looks pretty good to me. I am also very excited about The Martian.

NEW IRON MAIDEN SONG. And, of course, the most exciting news, Iron Maiden will be doing a massive world tour in a custom-fitted 757 piloted by Bruce Dickenson. And they are coming to New Zealand in May!

So that’s me. What are your favourite links this week?

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

Be the first to grab a copy of my new book, The Gauge War, when it comes out in October – Sign up for the mailing list.

RIP Wes: 5 Wes Craven horror films to delight and terrify

I was saddened to hear that Wes Craven died earlier this week. Born in 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio, Craven was raised in a strict Baptist family, the surest way to ensure a kid is going to grow up getting into slasher flicks. After gaining a degree in English and Psychology from Wheaton College, and a Masters in Philosophy and Writing from Johns Hopkins, Craven briefly taught English before embracing his true calling – scaring the shit out of people.

Craven’s first job in the movie industry was making hard-core, X-rated pornography, before making his name in the horror genre with the Nightmare on Elm Street series and his character Freddy Krueger. His films tend to focus on exploring reality, often with characters who pass between the world of reality and dreams. Craven often dances dangerously close to breaking the 4th wall, especially in the Krueger film New Nightmare, which he appears in in the role of director, and in the Scream series, where characters often make references to horror films.

Craven’s oeurve includes working on more than 50 films, as well as two books, a comic book series, and numerous cameos and appearances. Here are five of my favourite films that bear his signature.

1. Last House on the Left (1972)

I actually only saw this film recently, because I’m not a huge fan of exploitation-horror (and this – along with I Spit On Your Grave – is probably the classic of the genre), and it’s pretty confronting. Two girls on their way to a concert are kidnapped by a gang of escaped criminals and raped and tortured and killed, and then the parents of one of the unfortunate girls take revenge on the gang. There is a fellatio scene that … well, it will give you nightmares, which is really the point of horror films, is it not? Not for the faint of stomach, and I probably wouldn’t watch again, but it was Craven’s writing and directorial debut and an interesting piece of horror history.

Buy Last House on the Left from Amazon.

2. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Another exploitation-horror and a cult-classic about a family on a road trip who are terrorised by a family of cannibalistic savages. I enjoyed this one much more than Last House on the Left, mainly I think because it serves as inspiration for Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which is one of my favourite horror films. I find the characters a bit more interesting and the horror a bit more visceral and scary. Wes Craven wrote and directed this film, saw well as its sequel, and also produced the 2008 remake, back when studios were remaking all the classic horror flicks.

Buy The Hills Have Eyes from Amazon.

3. Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

One, two, Freddy’s coming for you …

Sure, Freddy Kreuger is a bit camp when you look back on him now, but when I was a wee lass, these films were pure, terrifying fun. I remember my sister and I fiddling with the VCR timer to record these from late-night TV (they used to be on about 2am in the morning) to watch – we had all of them, with adverts and everything. In fact, Nightmare on Elm Street was probably the first horror I ever saw, and it definitely played a huge part in what made me fall in love with the genre. Plus, the appearance by a young Johnny Depp is something to be treasured.

Buy Nightmare on Elm Street from Amazon.

4. Dracula 2000 (2000)

OK, looking at this Craven-produced film empirically, it was a major commercial and critical flop. So why is it on this list? It came out when I was in high school in full goth mode. I’d just seen The Crow films for the first time and was working my way through every gothic novel the library had in stock, so I have a nostalgic attachment to it that overrides its inherent suckiness. The plot follows Bram Stoker’s Dracula resurrected in the year 2000, and mostly serves as a showreel for Gerrard Butler’s hotness. Plus, the soundtrack was pretty awesome (full of 90s nu-metal) and actually was my first introduction to Pantera.

Buy Dracula 2000 from Amazon.

5. People Under the Stairs (1991)

I believe this film was on of Craven’s bigger commercial successes, and with good reason. To me, it’s got all the classic elements of a great horror – a scary house, some less-than-savoury characters, some scary-as-fuck moments, and creepy children. So many creepy children. Fool Williams lives in the ghetto. He’s about to be evicted from his apartment by his landlord, Robinson, so Fool and a couple of friends break into the Robinson’s house while they’re away, and that’s where they meet the people under the stairs … Apparently, Craven was developing a TV series based on the People Under the Stairs for SyFy Channel, but no word what’s happening to that after his death.

Buy People Under the Stairs from Amazon.

Those are my five favourites, but of course, there are many other awesome films, including the Scream films, the Serpent and the Rainbow, and a million others. We’re currently experiencing some massive storms in New Zealand, so it’s the perfect time to curl up with some hot chocolate and a fire and a cat and watch your way through some of these classics. Which Craven films are your favourites?

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

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Steff’s Incan Adventure – Part 3: Amantani Island Homestay, Lake Titicaca, Peru.

Did you know that going on an adventure is a lot more fun than writing about it? Well, it’s true. It is taking me a long time to shrink all my photographs down to blog-posting size and writing about all the things we saw and did while I was in South America, but I’m getting there slowly! If you want to read the other pieces I’ve written about my recent trip, then check out Part 1: La Chascona, Santiago, and Part 2: Witches Market, La Paz.

From Bolivia, we took a bus, and a boat, and then a bus again to Puno, a Peruvian city on the shores of Lake Titicaca. In order to get to Puno, we had to cross the lake at its narrowest point, which meant getting off our double-decker bus, hopping on a tiny boat, and motoring across while our bus went over on a barge that looked as if it was last maintained during the height of the Incan empire.

Most of the day was taken up with the bus journey. In the evening we wandered around the city of Puno, having a look at the exterior of the beautiful cathedral, and eating some delicious food while watching a traditional band. Puno is a colonial town with a lot of Spanish architecture, and much of its economy relies on agriculture (llamas and alpacas), and the black market of goods smuggled cheaply in from Bolivia. The poorer neighbourhoods are located on the mountains to the rear of the city, and the roads and streets are steep and narrow and many can’t be accessed by car.

I love the shape of these Spanish-style churches – short and square as compared to English and French styles with tall spires.

My first course was an avocado stuffed with vegetables, and it was as amazing as it looked. The band was pretty damn awesome, too.

The next day we were greeted at the hotel with tuk tuks, which took us down to the wharf. It was a blast weaving through all the crazy traffic on the front of this little cart! Our poor driver was red-faced and soaked with sweat by the time we arrived.

At the market we met Elvis (his real name), our guide for the next two days. Elvis helped us choose some groceries at the market to bring to our host families. Out on the islands there are no stores, so any food we bring is greatly appreciated. We each filled some bags with rice and flour and chocolate bars and apples. Maik and I also had a bottle of whisky each stashed in our backpacks. (You can buy whisky at the supermarket for $5-7NZ – this is my kind of country!)

Finally, we were out on the water, and it was a glorious day. I raced up to the roof of the boat to get a good look at Lake Titcaca. The lake is the highest in the world (at 3,812 m surface elevation) that can be navigated by commercial craft. I am taking my altitude pills and my hands and feet are tingling like crazy from being so high up.

But before we got to Amantani Island, our home for the night, we had a three hour boat ride, and an excursion to the reed islands or the Uros first. The Uros are a pre-Incan people who used to trade with the Aymara on the mainland, and eventually adopted the Aymara language and lost their own. They moved to the reed islands originally as a defensive mechanism – if they were threatened, they could simply float their homes away. Nowadays, a few hundred families live on 42 floating reed islands, and they have kept some of their old customs (although also adopted modern conveniences, such as solar power).

Look, there’s even a cat!

We stopped off at one of the larger islands, and had a short lecture about how the reed islands are built and the daily lives of the inhabitants. The islands are actually anchored in place, and the inhabitants must lay down fresh totara reeds every few months as the ones on the bottom rot away and the islands sink. Their home and structures are also made from the reeds, and they can also be eaten. What was particularly fun about this lecture was the friend that happened to join us. (This guy is actually a pet on the island).

Walking on the islands is a real crazy experience. Every step you take has you sinking an inch or two into the reeds. Some spots you even sink a little deeper. It feels oddly disorienting to know that all that lies between you and that deep, cold water is reeds and reeds and reeds.

After the lecture, mum and I went off with Mama Rita, who took us to her hut, dressed us up in traditional outfits (Mama Rita made these clothes herself, including spinning all the cloth and making all the embroidery). Different coloured pom-poms mean different things, whether you’re married or unmarried, etc. We took pictures and then went shopping.

Tourism is one of the only ways families on the islands make money, so they sell handicrafts to people like me, and use that money for buying things they can’t grow or produce themselves, or for sending their children to universities on the mainland. Their work is absolutely stunning – I bought three cushion covers depicting various gods and constellations from the Incan culture, and the Incan astrological calendar. It is interesting to see how much work women do on these islands, and how valuable and valued they are within their society.

After our shopping expedition, and the Mamas sang us a farewell song, we were invited to have a boat ride on one of the traditional boats. I am never one to turn down an opportunity to get out on the water, and I was fascinated with how the reed boats were operated, so we paid our little fee and hopped on board.

Unfortunately, just as our Mamas hopped in behind the oars and started rowing, the wind picked up. As hard as they rowed, they couldn’t push the heavy boat in the direction we needed to go. After floundering around for a very pleasant 40 minutes, Mama Rita had had enough. She whipped out her cellphone and called for reinforcements.

And we were back on track.

Safely back on our motorboat once more, we continued our trip out to Amantani island. The weather was absolutely stunning, so we sat out the back of the boat in the sunshine and chatted until the crest of the island came into view.

Amantani island is home to around 3,500 people spread in 10 communities scattered around the perimeter of the island. The people of the island speak Quechua, and live a very off-grid, traditional life. Each community takes turns to host overnight guests – one community per month. And each household within the community will host ten guests in a row, and then their turn will be over and another house will host ten guests. Like the reed islands, tourism is one of the only ways people on Amantani island can make money, so it’s a vital part of their economy.

Looking down on the kitchen and courtyard from our bedrooms. The building in the background is the school, where we had the evening dance.

Maik, Ginny, Mother Metal and I were billeted with Mama Fanny and Papa Reuban. Their adobe house was amazing – Papa Reuban explained that the whole village helped them build it. When someone needs a home, everyone gathers together to mould the adobe bricks and build the walls and roof. With everyone working together a house can be put up in a few days. Reuben hasn’t quite finished some details, such as the railings, because he has to wait his turn for the limited amount of wood that’s supplied to the village.

What Fanny and Reuban do have is a stunning, million-dollar ocean view. Note the lack of railing at the end of this second storey landing. WorkSafe would have something to say about that.

The house was arranged around a central courtyard. The kitchen and utility rooms were on the bottom storey, along with Rueban and Fanny’s family bedrooms. On the top storey were five bedrooms (two unfinished) for hostng guests. Rueban was in the middle of finishing the final two bedrooms – these had “grande” doors, for us tall gringos!

Fanny cooked us a lunch of quinoa soup, fried cheese and papas from their gardens. The diet on Amantani island is mostly vegetarian – they do eat fish occasionally. They farm their own crops, and also raise sheep for wool. Fanny showed us some of her beautifully-crafted hats and socks. We talked to our host family about their lives – we were very lucky that Ginny speaks excellent Spanish, so through her we were able to have a real conversation. Poor Ginny had to find the words to translate all our questions!

I washed down my lunch with a cup of coca tea – coca leaves (yes, those coca leaves) steeped in water. I got a bit addicted to this stuff.

After lunch we went to some lectures about how the people on the island grind flour and do other crafts. Then, we walked up the twin temples that top the two peaks that form the island. The walk is a bit over an hour, and the ritual sites are over 4000 metres above sea level. This is our first taste of what it’s like exerting yourself while at altitude. I was pretty pumped for the challenge and raced ahead of Mum and the rest of the group.

This is the first archaeological site I have visited on the trip so far, so I am pretty excited. The ruins are a mixture of the Tiwanaku and Incan cultures.

Unfortunately, I raced so far ahead that I missed the turnoff the Pachatata’s temple, and ended up at Pachamama’s temple with about 20 other intrepid hikers who’d gone the wrong way. So while I’m waiting for my fellow travellers to arrive, they are on the other peak waiting for me!

You can see the Pachatata temple on top of this hill. That is where I was meant to be!

Sunset was breathtaking (and felt well-earned after the short hike!)

Back down in the village, Fanny cooked up a delicious dinner, and then dressed us in some of her clothing. Maik and I broke out our whisky and we had a few drins with Fanny and Rueban before heading out to the discotecque. Maik and I shared around our whisky and I danced with Papa Reuban and we all had an amazing time. Back at the house, I grabbed my binoculars and had a look at the sky (it’s so weird seeing a different angle of the Milky Way.) Then I went to bed, banging my head on the lintel of my door.

The next day, we woke up to a breakfast of pancakes and jam, said a tearful goodbye to our family, and then went back down to the docks to catch our boat. We were meant to be visiting another island for the day, but the wind had picked up on the lake so badly that most of the boats had been cancelled. We had to get back to Puno before we were stuck out on Lake Titicaca for another night (a concept that we were actually pretty keen on, to be honest).

Lesson 1: Hangovers at altitude are brutal, especially hangovers at altitude while on a boat-ride across a choppy lake. I made it back in one piece, though!

Although I got to do and see some amazing things on this trip, spending the night out on Amantani Island was one of the highlights. Fanny and Rueban welcomed us into their home, and shared with us details about their lives. Even though when comparing their lives to ours it seems they have very little, they are full, active and happy. It was a reminder to me that what’s important in life isn’t how nice your house or car is, or what you do, or even what you achieve, it’s the people you share it with. And it was beautiful to be able to share this adventure with my mum, and my new friends.

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

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