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Reviews, Interviews, Guest Posts and Contests at The Cult of Me blog
We have a delight for horror fans in this week's Tuesday Tease, especially those who like their horror set in Victorian times and enjoy a fresh take on the Dracula story. Stephen Curran provides an excerpt from his novel 'Visitor in Lunacy', I've already read this and can tell you that it's an excellent read, take a look at the tease here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
There's only two weeks left to enter June's short fiction contest. This month we have a rather abstract science fiction image for inspiration, although the story can be of any genre. The contest is open to anyone and unlike many similar contests it's free to enter. To take part you just have to write a story of no more than 500 words based on this month's picture and then submit it through the form provided on the competition page here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
The winning entry will win a £50 Amazon gift card or a £50 PayPal payment, there are prizes for second and third places as well.
If you haven't read the winning stories from May's short fiction contest then you have a treat waitting for you here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
If you're looking for more great stories to read then come and join the Facebook group I've set up to showcase short and flash fiction:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/short...
To wind up this fine Sunday I have a guest post and a book shout out for Jan Sikes' book 'Flowers and Stone':
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Rodney Carlson, author of 'Misaligned' joins me for today's guest author interview. You can find out more about him and his writing here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
We have a fresh treat for horror fans in this week's Tuesday Tease. C. Robert Cales provides a preface for his novel 'The Bookseller', you can read it here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
HL Carpenter provides a guest post entitled 'Hopping Down the Blogging Trail', a useful read for authors. They also provide an excerpt from their novel 'Taxing Pecksniffery':http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
This is the last week to enter June's short fiction contest here on The Cult of Me blog. The rules have changed this month so if you win you can receive the prize as either an Amazon gift card or a PayPal payment. The top prize is worth £50 and it's free for anyone to enter!To enter all you need to do is write a story of no more than 500 words based on this month's rather unusual image. When the story is done you submit it through the form provided on the contest page. You'll also find the rules for the competition there:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
If you haven't read the winning stories from May's contest yet then you're missing out on three excellent stories. You can find them here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
And if you're appetite for short stories or flash fiction isn't sated then come and join the Facebook group dedicated to those forms:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/short...
For this week's Tuesday Tease we have an excerpt from Jaron Lee Knuth's excellent sci-fi/cyber adventure 'Level Zero':
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
July's short fiction contest on The Cult of Me blog has started. This month's image has a post apocalyptic feel and as always I'm looking forward to reading the stories you all write inspired by the picture.
You have until July 20th to enter a story of no more than 500 words and submit it through the form provided on the competition page. The prizes for the winning story are now available as either an Amazon gift card or a PayPal payment and unlike many similar contests there's no entry fee.
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
So get writing and please share the link for this contest wherever you can - thanks!
For this week's Tuesday Tease Christopher Mannino provides the first chapter of his novel 'School of Deaths'. You can read the excerpt here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Welcome to the start of a new feature on The Cult of Me blog. Poetry is a form of writing that I have sadly neglected over the years. I've read many of classics, indeed John Milton's 'Paradise Lost' is my favourite story ever written. So in an attempt to remedy this I am starting the Friday Poem feature.
Each week I post an excerpt either from a poem I have enjoyed, or has been provided by another writer. I know there are more than a few poets that follow my blog so this is an opportunity for you to show off your work! If you want to get involved then just drop me a line and we can take it from there.
We start the feature with an excerpt from book I of 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
The winning stories for June's short fiction contest have been announced!
First prize (£50 value) goes to Lee Tonks for his story 'The Last Mother'
Second prize (£20 value) goes to John Moralee for his story 'Dream Baby'
Third prize (£10 value) goes to Michael D Brooks for his story 'Making Change'
Congratulations to the winners and please share this link so more people can enjoy these excellent stories.
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
The Tuesday Tease is a fun feature for me as it often adds new books to my TBR list! That was the case with this week's tease as the excerpt from Conrad Jones collection of horror stories 'The Book of Abominations' encouraged me to pick this up immediately. Have a read for yourself and see if it does the same for you:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
My Friday Poem feature is a day late but I'll make up for that by featuring one of my favourite poems - 'The Raven' by Edgar Alan Poe:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
This week's Sunday Story is another excellent entry from June's Short Fiction Contest - 'Deities for Dummies' by Nav Logan:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
We're half way through July's short fiction contest which means that you only have two weeks to enter the contest. There's a bit of a post-apocalyptic feel to this month's image, although you shouldn't feel restricted by genre. As long as the story relates to the image then you can submit it. The story should be no more than 500 words and you then submit it through the contest page here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
There's no entry fee and the winning story will win a £50 Amazon gift card or PayPal payment. There's prizes for second and third place stories as well.
The contest isn't just for writers though! The competition attracts some incredible stories. If you haven't read the winners from June's contest yet then you should do so and see what I mean. Yoiu can find June's winning stories:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
This week's Sunday Story is another fantastic entry to June's short fiction contest:In Utero, In Universum by Star A Prufrock
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Today we have a guest post entitled 'Who we are' written by Alanna Sharpe, one of the characters in Don A Martinez's latest release 'Eden Inviolate' (part of the Phantom Squadron series):
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
We have something special for horror fans in this week's Tuesday Tease! This has been languishing in my TBR list for too long and this week's excerpt is encouraging me to bring further up the reading list :-) Have a read for yourself and see if it invites you to do the same:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Today we have a guest from Harold Titus about teaching students to write visual imagery. If you're looking for a historical thriller to read then check out the details for his novel 'Crossing the River at the end of the post:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
This week's Friday Poem is 'Hurt' by Jazmen Bishop:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
If you have a poem that you'd like featured then get in touch and I'll take a look!
Mark Matthews provides a guest post talking about the wonder of horror in children's literature. You also have the chance to discover his own writing at the end of the post
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
We are entering the final week for you to enter July's short fiction contest. This month has proved to be one of the most popular so far with 40 entries already! I have been busy promoting the contest and even putting my money where my mouth is by purchasing some ads in various places. However the real secret to the success remains the writers that continue to enter the contest every month and to everyone who supports the contest by sharing the links. Your help is much appreciated and please continue to share the links and tell everyone you can.If you haven't entered the contest yet then it's quite easy to do so. You first write a story of no more than 500 words based on this month's image. When the story is ready you can submit it through the contest page here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
There's no entry fee and you could win a £50 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize. There's second and third prizes as well. I'll also feature outstanding entries that don't make the final three on my blog.
The contest isn't just for writers, it's for readers too. The standard of the entries is very high which makes the winning stories a joy to read. If you don't believe me then take a look for yourself with June's winners:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
For this week's Sunday Story we revisit January's short fiction contest and the winning story for that month called 'The Playground' by Darren Grey. You can read it here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Sam Kates provides an excerpt from his excellent post-apocalyptic novel 'The Cleansing' for this week's Tuesday Tease:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Charlotte Aninion-De Guzman provides this week's Friday Poem and it is entitled 'In the Kitchen of the Absurd'. She also describes why she wrote the poem at the end of the post. Read more here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.com/2014/...
If you've written a poem that you want to see featured then drop me a line and I'll take a look!
For this week's Sunday Story we return to October of last year and Kath Middleton's second place winning story 'The Tree'. Enjoy the story here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
August's short fiction contest has started. This month's image is provided by the talented Tom Long. I'm sure you'll agree it's a deliciously dark image and a fine inspiration for this month's contest.
Remember that the prizes have now changed, if you win the prizes are available as an Amazon gift card or PayPal payment.
First prize is a £50 Amazon gift card or PayPal payment
Second prize is a £20 Amazon gift card or PayPal payment
Thirds prize is a £10 Amazon gift card or PayPal payment
Entry to the contest remains free.
As always a big thanks to everyone who has entered or supported the contest. Please continue to share the link to the contest wherever you can - your help is much appreciated.
July's contest was the busiest one so far and I have over 80 stories to read! I will announce the winners next week.
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
As part of his blog tour supporting the release of the latest book in his 'Cybersp@ce' series Jeff W Horton has provided a guest post highlighting some of the key plot points and related facts they're derived from. I have to say I like the idea of the series and have just bought the first book. Read more about the latest book here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
'The Martian' is one of my favourite reads of the year so far and yesterday the author Andy Weir joined us for a guest author interview. In an ideal world it would be enough for me to say that this is a superb read and that you should rush out and buy this book right now, but I understand you may need more convincing :-) With that in mind in this week's Tuesday Tease we have the opening of this book, read more below:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
In a change from my usual programming (don't worry the ABC Drabbles of Death will be back!) we have a guest post about the limitless boundaries of creation by Simon Andrew Stubbs. He is also the author of the horror novel 'Jackson Hope' details of which you can find at the end of the post:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
This week's Friday Poem is 'The Meaning' provided by Casey Chaplin, author of 'Lizzy' which is currently in my TBR list and I'm looking forward to it! Enjoy the poem and discover what it meant to him in his own words below:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
If you'd like to submit a poem for consideration then drop me a line and I'll take a look.
The latest drabble in the Tales of the Imp series has been posted in the Indie book Bargains newsletter (visit www.indie-book-bargains to sign up for a daily drabble and Kindle bargains). If you've not read the other drabbles in the series then you can find them all here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/t...
And if you want to read the Imp's origin story then you'll find it in in the Off the KUF Volume One anthology, check it out on Amazon here:
http://amzn.to/1fbJHXv
And now what has the diminutive devil been up too...
The Morning After the Night Before
I floated on cloud nine. Naturally I felt exhausted, but in a good way. It wasn’t my first time, but I’d never been much of a ladies man. For the first time I’d made love rather than simply having sex.
And in so many different positions as well.
I grinned with joy and later I hoped to return for another evening of delightful discovery. My love had finally found its physical counterpart. This was really it and she most definitely the only woman for me.
“Nice work!” The Imp wore a smile of his own. “And now onto the next.”
This week's Tuesday Tease is provided by Elizabeth Watasin from her her novel 'The Dark Victorian: Risen'. I read this a while back and enjoyed it, and it's something fans of Victorian era horror/dark fantasy with a dash of steampunk will enjoy:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Loving the site. Please consider my latest and greatest.My new novel "The Dude Who Did Dictionaries" is now available on Amazon via Kindle Direct as a KDP Selection - www.amazon.com/dp/B00M0DUI8Y
Josh wrote: "Loving the site. Please consider my latest and greatest.My new novel "The Dude Who Did Dictionaries" is now available on Amazon via Kindle Direct as a KDP Selection - www.amazon.com/dp/B00M0DUI8Y"
I'm always looking for guest posts if that interests you?
In this week's Friday Poem we travel back to Jim Vuksic's youth with his his poem 'Hope to Make it Through Today':http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
If you'd like a poem featured then get in touch with me and I'll take a look.
I would definitely be interested in a guest post. Let me know what you have in mind. I have a few poems in the arsenal or maybe an excerpt.mitchmitchell24@gmail.com
Josh wrote: "I would definitely be interested in a guest post. Let me know what you have in mind. I have a few poems in the arsenal or maybe an excerpt.mitchmitchell24@gmail.com"
Send me a private message and we'll take it from there.
This week's Sunday Story is one of the many excellent entries for July's short fiction contest Garage Days by Scott Christian Carr:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
M. R. Forbes provides an excerpt from his novel 'Balance' for this week's Tuesday Tease. I read this book a while back and enjoyed it, maybe you will too:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
This week's Friday Poem is a moving poem called 'In the Jewel Box' by Kimolisa Mings:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
If you have a poem which you would like featured then drop me a line and I'll take a look!
It's time to get those creative juices flowing because there's only two weeks left to enter August's short fiction contest! This month's image is a rather sinister fellow and it's already inspired 20 gruesome entries - but I need more. The rules are simple. You write a story of no more than 500 words based on this month's image and submit it through the competition page here:http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
There's no entry fee and you could win a £50 Amazon gift card or PayPal prize.
The contest isn't just for writers. Each month I am pleased by the quality of the entries, you can see for yourself by reading last month's winners:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
As part of his blog tour promoting the release of 'The Betelgeuse Oracle' Joseph Macchiusi has provided a guest post about the end of the world. Discover more here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
In this week's Tuesday Tease we feature an excerpt from Kath Middleton's second novel 'Message in a Bottle'. Coincidentally this also the next book in my TBR list:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
J S Watts provides this week's Friday Poem entitled 'Musing on Mushrooms'. You can discover the poem and why she wrote it below. If you have a poem that would like featured then get in touch with me and I'll take a look!
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Thanks to an extremely busy (but fun!) weekend I'm a little late posting this final reminder for August's short fiction contest - I hope you'll all forgive me! To make up for that I'll close the form on Monday rather than Sunday so you have until Monday August 25th to enter the contest.And entering the contest couldn't be easier. The hard part is writing a story of no more than 500 words inspired by this month's rather creepy image. Once you've finished the story make sure to give it a re-read and correct any mistakes and then submit it through the form provided on the contest page here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
I'll post the winning stories by the end of the month and the three winners will each receive an Amazon gift card or PayPal prize. For those of you with blogs or websites this is a great way to add new content although you can't post your story until the winning stories have been posted.
If you haven't read the winning stories from July's contest yet then you can read them all here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
There are three fantastic stories for you to enjoy there!
Not only is Alex Roddie a talented editor (he recently edited the second edition of The Cult of Me for me), he also writes mountaineering fiction. Now I'll admit that as a genre it's not one that interested me, however I took the plunge with one of Alex's earlier books The Only Genuine Jones and discovered a fascinating adventure with some excellent characters. This later release is on my TBR list and I'm looking forward to reading it - take a look and see if it tickles your fancy:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
September's short fiction contest has now started. This month I've moved away from scary faces and decided to use a scary book instead! Your story doesn't have to be scary though - it just needs to be 500 words or less and inspired by this month's picture.
Entry to the contest remains free and you could win one of three Amazon gift card or PayPal prizes. So get writing and enter your story via the form on the contest page here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...
Feel free to share the link with anyone you think would be interested!
Making Connections
Books mentioned in this topic
The Hangman's Daughter (other topics)Chronicles of Drenyon: The Golden Sword (other topics)
Chaste: A Tale from Perilisc (other topics)
Dark Intelligence (other topics)
Emanation (other topics)
More...
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...