Creepfest Winners!

Obviously, commenting on every post wasn't too hard, as I only wrote two. I gave my excuses on my other blog. Basically, though, it all boils down to the fact that this is the last Christmas that I know my kids will be home for. My youngest son is leaving for the Marines soon, and my son-in-law is leaving for the Air Force. No idea where either will be stationed next year. So I didn't want to miss a minute of this year. No one says at the end of their life, "Hey, remember that Christmas, the last one we were all together for? Remember how I was always working and missed most of it? Yeah, I should have done that more often." Nope.

But I did have a contest and there are winners!

Nora Peevey wins the copy of Satan's Toybox: Toy Soldiers! Congrats, Nora!

And I will be giving a free copy of Satan's Toybox: Demonic Dolls to Cindy Keen Renyders, Red Tash and Nora.

Thanks to everyone who visited my blog! Hope you all come back!

♥Stacey

Meet Ruth Barrett...

Ruth is the author of the book, Base Spirits, a book I'm looking very forward to reading. Ruth and I met through the "12 Days of Creepfest" blog hop website. And I offered to do an interview, she reciprocated, (read that here) and so here we are. We found through our interview answers and several emails, that we are very much alike. I'm looking forward to getting to know my new friend Ruth, a little better once these crazy holidays are out of the way. But you can get to know something about this amazing lady right here.

1. How long have you been writing?
I've been writing stories since I was a young child. Apparently my Grade 2 teacher called my Mom to ask if she had written a story I handed in because it seemed 'too good'!

2. What's the first thing you had published?
I had a short story 'Family Secrets' published in an anthology "Wordscape 6" back in 2000.

3. Do you write full time or do you have a day job?
My day job is writing descriptive video scripts for TV and film so that visually impaired folks can enjoy a more complete experience of a program. Basically, I fill in the blanks and describe around the existing soundtrack so that they can visualize characters and setting, and understand key action that they'd otherwise miss. So far, fiction doesn't pay enough for me to do that full time. (So far... !)

4. What is your writing routine?
I don't really have a set routine. I tend to noodle ideas for a long time: make notes-- research-- gather bits and pieces. Once I have the ingredients of a project, I let it 'cook' in my mental crock-pot before I start a first real draft. Once I get going full-steam, I can lose whole days writing without feeling the time pass.

5. Have you always been a fan of the Horror genre?
I read a lot of Stephen King, Peter Straub and John Saul from the age of 12. I guess that's what's wrong with me!

6. What scares you? Any silly phobias?
No silly phobias. Heights are scary for a reason: if you fall from a height, it will maim or kill you. I am afraid of major illness. Again, that's not silly: I've had some pretty traumatic life-and-death situations involving hospitalization over the past few years. As for being freaked out by silly things like clowns or mice or spiders, not so much. Although clowns are pretty creepy. I'd rather have spiders in my house than a clown.

7. What other writers do you admire?
I love writers in every genre-- too many to mention. The above are obvious choices for the horror genre, but I adore Ian McEwan, Margaret Atwood, Ian Rankin, Sarah Waters and Emma Donoghue among others. Classics like Shakespeare and Dickens and the Bronte sisters... I've read a bit of everything over the years.

8. What is your favorite thing about the indie movement?
The unwavering support and friendliness of other indie folks. It is NOT a competition. We all seem happy to push each other's stuff and help where we can. It's great to feel a part of a community.

9. Best writing advice you've ever been given?
When you write a first draft, don't give into the temptation to go back over and fiddle with it as you go. Just write it through start to finish and don't worry about inconsistencies or tangents. That is a discovery draft, and it's not meant to be seen by anyone but yourself. If you keep going back over it, all you'll do is second guess yourself to death and re-write the first 40 pages 63 times. That way madness lies: you'll never get it done. Write until it's finished, let it rest for a week, then go back over and start to rewrite and fine tune.

10. What advice would you give any newbies out there?
Hone your craft. Join a writers group or take courses. Read a LOT. Use beta readers (not just your Mom). Don't rush to put your work out before a paying audience until it's the best it can be: half-assed writing just cheats everyone. Have it edited, properly formatted and professionally presented. Just because it's an indie book that doesn't mean it can be substandard.


You can stalk, I mean follow, Ruth here: Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/LadyCalverley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spirited-Words-Book-Co/101014656667433
Blog: http://ruth-barrett-spiritedwords.blogspot.com/

You can find her book, Base Spirits, here: Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Base-Spirits-ebook/dp/B005L38G8E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1315163319&sr=1-1
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/84640
For a chilling ghostly read with a historical twist, Base Spirits is available as a paperback through Fanfare Books fanfare@cyg.net or Callan Books jcallan@orc.ca Ruth will personally inscribe them upon request before shipping.


Don't forget the contests: To win a copy of Toy Soldiers (when released), please leave a comment on every post between now and December 24th. To win a copy of Demonic Dolls, simply ask for one and promise to review it!

Don't forget to visit the other great blogs in this blog hop and win more prizes!!

♥Stacey

12 (now 11) days of Creepfest...

So the "Twelve Days of Creepfest" started yesterday and I'm a day late. What? None of you are surprised? Rude. I don't know why I put up with you people...

What, you're now asking, is a Creepfest? It's a blog hop of course. I know, I know, now you're wondering what a blog hop is, aren't you? Well, so did I. It appears that it's a very good chance to check out other horror writer's (in this case) blogs and also to win prizes. For free. Did I mention that there were prizes to be won?

So, when you're finished here...hey! Come back, we aren't finished! You should check out all the other lovely (scary?) blogs that are listed at the bottom. Maybe you'll find some new blogs to read. Maybe you'll win some prizes. It's not like you're doing anything else right now...

So what kind of prize am I offering? Well, I think I'm going to run two contests and give away two prizes. Why? Because I'm feeling immensely relieved right now that I've just sent "Satan's Toybox: Toy Soldiers" to the formatter. I'm finished with the editing and compiling, and can finally come up for air. Want to know a secret? It's good. I mean, really good. Don't get me wrong, "Satan's Toybox: Demonic Dolls" is good. But I think I like Toy Soldiers even better. But to be fair (can't go playing favorites), I'm going to give away a free eBook of both. The winners will receive Smashwords coupons so that they can download in any format their little heart desires.

What do you have to do to win? Easy-peasy. To win a brand new, hot off the presses copy of "Satan's Toybox: Toy Soldiers", which releases on Monday, the 19th, you must leave a comment on every blog post between now and December 24th. The contest will end on December 24th and I will pick a winner, randomly, out of a hat, and announce said winner on the Christmas Eve blog post.

To win a copy of "Satan's Toybox: Demonic Dolls" you merely have to ask for one. And promise a review on either Amazon, Smashwords, Goodreads, or, of course, all three, if you're feeling generous. It would be way cool if you reviewed it on your blog, but I won't get too picky. Just leave a comment on any blog post between now and December 24th and I'll draw names out of a hat again.  The winner will be announced on the Christmas Eve blog post.

I have some fun things planned for the next few posts, including some author interviews (who are also doing give-aways), some fiction, and some rambling. So come back soon. Oh, and don't forget to go visit the other participants! You never know what you want to win- until you see it! I've posted the linked blogs at the bottom of this post. Have fun! Win big!

♥Stacey

Meet Andrew Van Wey...

I met Andrew through email. He asked if I'd like to review his book, and of course I said "yes" because it's a book. A horror book. For free. I'll never turn those down. Ever.

The book turned out to be really creepy, really scary and an all around good read. You can find my review of it over at See Spot Read. Go on, take a gander, I'll wait. *taps toe, whistles to self, fidgets nervously* Oh good! You're back.

Without further ado- I'm going to let Andrew answer some questions-


How long have you been writing?

More or less since I figured out how to hold a pencil and construct a sentence.  Some of my earliest memories are of reading a story I wrote to whatever family member would listen, or having the teacher make me stand up and assault my classmates imagination with some silly thing I’d written for Creative Writing Week or whatever.  This process continued more or less throughout college and beyond and tends to slow down only during times of great frustration or the occasional hand cramp.

Is this your first published novel?

Yes, but it’s not my first written novel.  I don’t think anyone should ever see that atrocity. It lurks in a drawer like some ill born monster made of too many adverbs and swollen chapters, like some literary version of the little monster from the movie Basket Case.

Do you write full time or do you have a day job?

I’ve had so many different jobs I can hardly remember them all.  I’ve worked for tech start ups, as a truck dispatcher, in retail stores, book stores, even for Apple and Google.  For the past several years I’ve lived and taught abroad, a job I find great satisfaction and enjoyment in.  Still, during all those jobs I maintained as close to a regular writing schedule as my finances, sanity, and social life allowed.  Writing is just something I do, a part of my day, and I always try to end it with more words written than when it started.

What is your writing routine?

I wish I had something that resembled a routine, but really it’s all chaos, or at least it feels that way in my head.  I have to be really sold on the idea, the plot, the characters, the whole package, and that takes a lot of time. Years in some cases.  There’s a lot of self loathing and second guessing during that time, a lot of half empty pages, note cards, and journals on the path to breaking the story.

Once the idea’s solid, the plot’s laid out, and I’m committed to the characters I suppose it’s a matter of isolation and pressure.  I prefer to write at night, when the world’s a little more quiet and distractions are limited.  I tend to binge write, and am perhaps a rather cranky fellow during those times, but that’s also when I’m the most productive.  I wish the image were more romantic, some cafe in Paris with a Moleskine and a sheet of paper and nothing but my genius spilling out.  Instead it’s usually me in a comfy pair of pajama pants, my music blasting, my ass in a chair, and some vague grin on my face as I mash the keys and bite my tongue like a caveman. 

What made you decide to go the indie route?

I suppose it’s because I don’t have to wait for the approval of others.  If the paradigm were different, or the time frame faster, I would still be sending off query letters, but the truth is there are millions of readers with Kindles, iPads, computers that I can reach directly.  I like that relationship.  Plus, the number of eReaders are increasing, the price is decreasing, some countries are even going paperless with their school curriculums in the coming two years.  Anyone with any foresight can see that members of the generation growing up will have a different relationship with books than most generations before.  I love paper books, but a lot of people are indifferent or even happier with their Kindle or Nook or iPad.  Being able to instantly reach even a fraction of that growing audience of early adopters is fascinating, and, frankly, a privilege.  To pass it up would, to me, be silly.

Forsaken is very dark, very scary, with some delicious twists. How did you come up with the idea?

Wow, thanks!

Haunted objects have always interested me, haunted art especially.  And the story of how some objects became haunted is equally fascinating.  A painting felt like a natural medium that could simultaneously evolve and visually change, while at the same time providing a back story for research.  Paintings and their interpretations are subjective to the viewer and the information the viewer has about the artist, and that relationship offers some tremendous opportunity of psychological transference.  Is the painting driving the viewer insane, or is the viewer bringing an underlying madness to his interpretation of the art?  What if both are correct?

Have you always been a fan of the horror genre?

Ever since I read Pet Semetary and saw Re-Animator I got a double barrel blast of terror at a very early age.  I was that kid at the video store who’d instantly go to the horror section.  My sleepover contributions were movies like Evil Dead, Shocker, A Nightmare on Elm Street, or Dawn of the Dead. 

I was lucky in that my parents never restricted my reading, not once, and let me read more or less anything I showed interest in, which was most often horror.  I think far too many parents get worried about what their kids are reading when the truth of it is what’s on the news and what kids are discussing at schools are far darker than what’s in most books.  I’m always amused when some family member proudly says they won’t let their child read Stephen King and I’m like: “Have you seen your kids Facebook page?  Cause it’s not all PG stuff going on there.”

What scares you personally? Do you have any silly phobias?

Enough to write a book.  I absolutely hate airplanes, which is ironic because I love traveling.  I’ve been to close to thirty countries and every single time the airplane takes off I’m sure it’s going to be my last.  My girlfriend says I look like a cat right before a bath.  I’m not sure how airplanes stay up but I’m sure it involves some witchcraft.

I’m also endlessly fascinated and frightened by memory, the human mind, and how our reality is essentially a fragile soft circuit board of electrical impulses and hormones held behind a bit of bone.  I’m absolutely terrified I’ll bump my head, scramble some synapses, and end out seeing flying meatballs in place of clouds.

Ultimately what truly scares me and keeps me up is generally reflected in my writing.  I’m fascinated by the intersection between the psychological and the supernatural.  I enjoy splatter horror and the occasional masked murderer chasing campers through the woods, but I prefer the lingering fear of the psychological married to the unexplainable.  That dark place Lovecraft described as the Fear of the Unknown, where the real becomes the surreal, whether it’s due to madness or the paranormal or both.

What authors do you admire?

Oh so many.  I admire J.K. Rowling not just as a storyteller but what her books did for literacy, encouraging a whole generation to read.  Stephen King, of course, due mostly to his early works, his struggle, and how prolific he is.  Bret Easton Ellis for his voice and utterly terrible characters that are fascinating to follow.  Ambrose Bierce, John Bellairs, Clive Barker, George RR Martin, too many to count.  But if I could choose only one it’d be early Stephen King.  The Shining, Pet Semetary, ‘Salem’s Lot, It, those books gave me the fascination with fear that I carry today.

What advice do you have for newbies out there?

That's tough.  I’m a newbie myself so my advice is simple: keep writing.  It took quite a few failed first drafts to break a story I felt worthy of sharing.  My other bit of advice would be: embrace technology and don’t be afraid that the printed word is changing.  Books will always be around, but looking back at CDs vs MP3s of the late 90’s, I think we’re entering a similar shift for storytelling.  There will always be people who prefer paper to digital, real ink to e-ink, just as there were people who prefered CDs better than MP3s and vinyl better than all of it, but the truth is you don’t see a lot of Walkman's and record players these days.  Embrace change, don’t be afraid of it, and at the end of the day do your best to tell a damn good story however you can.



Bio:

Andrew Van Wey was born in Palo Alto, California, spent part of his childhood among the ruins and woods of New England, and currently lives abroad where he doubts his sanity on a daily basis.
When he’s not writing he’s probably hiking, playing video games, or sleeping with the light on.  He considers gelato and pizza to be a perfectly acceptable meal, and shorts to be business casual if paired with a scarf.
His girlfriend describes him as energetic and unfamiliar with brevity.  He describes himself in the third person.

He can be found online at: Twitter: twitter.com/#!/andrewvanwey
Facebook: facebook.com/aavanwey
Web: andrewvanwey.com

Buy Forsaken at Amazon.com, Barnes &Noble or iBooks.com

♥Stacey

Apparently, I can't do it all...

That's right. As much as it pains me to have to admit it- I can't do it all. Something has to give. And I don't want to place any blame here but this is the conversation I had with my husband last night~

Me: I'm sorry I snapped on you earlier, but I just don't see why dinner is always my responsibility. With the exception of the baby, everyone else in this house is an adult and perfectly capable of cooking dinner. Except Molly, who burns soup.

Mike: I don't make the rules, baby. That's just how it is.

Me: Well, Luke works full time, I get that. Molly busts her butt around the house, doing dishes, laundry and keeping it straight. Sean does whatever I ask him too, although he could pitch in more. I work full time, even though it's from home. And you work full time, but I'm not really sure what you do around the house? You used to clean the cat boxes but Molly took that over and you used to do garbage, but Luke does that most of the time. What is your chore again?

Mike: I don't know, but if you think of one, let me know so I can pawn that off on someone else too!

We really did have this conversation. And he really was joking (I think). And the level of household chores/responsibility is seriously skewed in our household. I will take responsibility, they were all babied far too long and its hard to wean them. But family matters aside, business is booming.

Angelic Knight Press has hit the ground running and we have a full release schedule. That means that I'm so busy editing, I can hardly see straight. Then there are other business related tasks to take care of at the press and trying to squeeze out some of my own writing. Its enough to make my head spin. Don't get me wrong- I love it. Absolutely love it! But as I mentioned before, something has to give. So I'm taking down the freelance proofreader/editor shingle. I will no longer be accepting side jobs (with the exception of former customers). I really still feel strongly about everyone needing good editing, I just no longer have the time to do it myself.

I would like to thank all of those who have sought my services. I've met some great people through freelancing and read some amazing books. I've been fortunate enough to have my editing credentials on some fabulous stories. Should things lighten up, I'll hang out my shingle again, but I've got my fingers crossed that they don't and the press stays busy for a long time to come!

♥Stacey

Someone thinks I'm versatile

Thank you to Cindy Keen Reynders for my lovely blogging award, The Versatile Blogger. She writes a wonderful blog about writing that's humorous, sassy and fun. You can find it here. And you can look for her book, The Seven Year Witch, to be put out by Angelic Knight Press in January. I haven't gotten to know Cindy that well yet, but I'm looking forward to working with her as her editor for the book. I can tell you that the book is very funny, a little fantastical and a little romantic. Isn't that a great combination?!

So the rules for the award are that you have to thank the person who gave it to you (see above), list seven things about yourself and pass it to 15 other lucky winners. So seven things about me...

1. I grew up an Air Force brat. My father was in the Air Force for 26 years before he retired. I've lived in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona and North Carolina. I also lived in Okinawa for two years and England for four. I've visited more than half of the 50 states.

2. I met my husband 3 days after I returned to America from England. He was my cousin's best friend. I was 17 and he was 16. We have been inseparable ever since.

3. I love winter. I love snow and storms. Most people want to retire somewhere warm, I want to move north. I hate being hot. You can always put more clothes on, you can only take so many off.

4. If I could have lunch with any writer, living or dead, I would choose Stephen King and Joe Hill. I just want to figure out how their minds work. Besides that, they are kind of goofy and look like they'd be fun to hang with.

5. I read magazines from back to front. They always put the good stuff in the back.

6. I've wanted to write since I learned to read at age 4. But I originally majored in psychology in college. I switched majors to English when I went back to school after having my children.

7. I love to act. I've did a lot of it in high school and even won a few awards at the Speech & Drama festival. I've also done some Community Theatre here. My children caught the acting bug and participated in our Community Theatre's student theatre when they were younger.

Okay, now on to the next participants:

1. Carson Buckingham- if you haven't read Carson's blog, then go there immediately. Do not pass "Go". Do not collect $200. It is sarcastic, humorous and undeniably addicting. Her novel, Home, is also addicting.

2. Lisa McCourt Hollar- Lisa's blog is full of her scary works of fiction. Bite sized little pieces of horror to consume during the day. Be careful they don't torment you at night...

3. Rebecca Treadway- Rebecca is the very talented cover artist for Satan's Toybox: Demonic Dolls. She's also a talented author and does some fantastic interviews and book reviews on her blog.

4. Scott Niven- Scott is the author of three books of short stories that defy labeling. Part sci-fi, part speculative fiction, all fantastic. He also does book reviews, author interviews and blogs about writing and marketing strategies.

5. John Wiswell- John's Bathroom Monologues blog never fails to amaze me. I'm either laughing or thinking when I get done reading his posts. The man is a talented writer and often offers a new perspective on things that I might not have thought of on my own. Visit his blog, you won't be sorry.

6. Lisamarie Lamb- Lisamarie's blog is a mix of her fiction and her life as a writer. I've only recently discovered it, but I'm already a fan.

7. Sam Williams- Sam Williams is another talented author. I worked with him on his book and loved it. His blog features his fiction.

8. Claudia Lefeve- Claudia is another author I've worked with and loved. In fact, I bought her book as a Christmas gift for my sister, whom I know will also share it with my daughter. Claudia's blog is about her life, both as a writer and a person.

9. Jason McKinney- Jason is a good friend. Sometimes on the internet we're lucky enough to meet people and become friends. That's what happened with Jason and his wife Tab. I haven't met them in person, but you can bet that if I'm ever close enough to their house, I'll be stopping by. Jason is also a talented author that I've been lucky enough to work with. His blog features his fiction and his thoughts about writing.

10. Ray Garton- I can't claim that Ray and I are friends, but we are acquaintances and we've had a couple of Facebook conversations. Ray has several published works and has been at this game far longer than I have. I enjoy his books and I really enjoy his blogs. Some are humorous and some offer the story behind the books.

And that, my friends, is that. I know you're supposed to do fifteen, and I probably could, but it takes a long time and I'm short on time today. So give these blogs a try and find some great new reads. And thanks again to Cindy for thinking of me!

Stacey

What I learned about being a writer from being an editor...

I've been a writer much longer than I've been an editor. I've been writing since I could pick up a crayon and form words. Editing, I've only been doing for a short while (in the grand scheme of things). But I've learned a lot about being a writer from my work as an editor.

Oh, of course I've learned the basic things you would expect, I edit my own work far more critically now than I ever did before. I'm extra careful to look for repetitive words, grammar errors and verb tense confusion. Oh and speech tags! Let's not forget those pesky speech tags. But beyond the expected benefits of honing my skills via editing others, I've learned to take rejection far less painfully.

I had been told (in pep talk format) that you couldn't take rejection personally. But, and I know you're all nodding your heads, that's far easier said than done. I was told that sometimes a story just didn't fit the publisher's needs. Or maybe they had other similiar stories. I never believed what I was told and imagined the editors I had submitted to as harsh, souless characters who only wanted stories from successful (ie: published) writers.

Then, enter my joining the ranks of "editor". I am not a harsh souless character who only wants published authors. Don't get me wrong, I won't turn down a published author, provided the story is good. See, that's the thing, I'm looking for good stories, regardless of the author. I read every submission that comes to us. Some we accept, some I have to turn down.

And obviously, if the story is too reminiscient of another story I've read, if it just isn't good, if its going to take far too much editing, or the writing is well, bad; I'm going to have to reject it. But what they say is absolutely true. Sometimes, no matter how great I think a story is, it just doesn't fit with anything we're publishing at that time. And sometimes, we receive two stories with the same plot lines. I have to take the best one and regardless of how well written the other one is- it gets passed over. And sometimes? It just doesn't grab me. It might be a well written piece, I just don't feel it. Editing is subjective and just because I don't like it, doesn't mean another editor won't snap it up.

And so, recently when I received a pass on a story I'd submitted to an anthology, I shrugged. Yep, shrugged. I found myself completely okay with the rejection. I know that I'll find a home for that story someday. Today, this anthology, just wasn't the right place or time. And that's ok.

So when you receive those inevitable (we all get them) rejection letters, try not to take it so personally. If the editor has been kind enough to send a personal letter and any recommendations, pay attention, they are doing you a favor. And believe the reasons they give you for their rejection. We don't make this shit up.

Happy submitting,
Stacey

PS- for the love of Bob, read submission guidelines. Nothing irritates me more than to receive a submission that makes it clear the sender did NOT read my guidelines. Its incredibly rude and will not endear you to me.

Meet Carson Buckingham

I met Carson through email, but have been lucky enough to become friends. I was delighted when she asked me to read and review her novella, Home. You can read my review over at See Spot Read. If you haven't- you really should. Then you should scramble to purchase your copy of Home.

Carson is a very interesting lady. She not only writes horror, she writes humorous fiction as well, and I can certainly attest that it is humorous. I frequently giggle-snort (my highest form of compliment) over her blogs. So without further ado, the interview:


1. How long have you been writing?
Since age five, when I created picture books with homemade construction paper covers and sold them to discerning family members as “great literature.”

2. Do you write full time? If not, what is your day job?
I do not yet write full time, though this is what I am striving for.  I decline to discuss my “day” job.

3. Is this your first published novel?
Yes it is, though it was the second long work that I created.  I have been in a handful of anthologies, am I am presently shopping the first novel I wrote, entitled, GOTHIC REVIVAL.

4. What do you find is the hardest thing about writing a novel?
Absolutely nothing.  The hard part, for me, is promoting it.

5.What scares you personally? Do you have any silly phobias?
No phobia is “silly.”  To those unfortunates plagued with phobias, they are very real, and I have nothing but sympathy for the sufferers.  Though I do not have phobias, Alzheimer’s and blindness do worry me.

6. What is your writing routine?
Sit down, turn on the computer and write.

7. Have you always been a fan of horror?
Actually, as a child, I was unable to read horror stories or view horror films because I found them deeply disturbing—even “Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein.”  I was easily frightened as a child---even the Wicked Witch of the West scared the crap out of me!  But now I find that I am very difficult to frighten by books or movies.  F. Paul Wilson’s THE KEEP was the first horror novel I ever read, so that got me started.  Ray Bradbury’s work made me want to become a writer—the beautiful and terrible things he could do with the mere arrangement of words.  Such intelligent power truly inspired awe in me, and a strong desire toward emulation.

8. What other authors inspire you?
Bradbury, Poe, T.M.Wright, Charles L. Grant, Bentley Little, and Maeve Binchy.

9. I know you had a hard road with Home. After your experience, what advice would you give to other writers when looking for a publisher?
Do a little research.  Find out how long your prospective publisher has been around.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  If the publisher is reticent to answer them, run!   Ask for a list of authors they have published, and contact them to find out if they had a good experience working with the publisher you're considering.  Make use of the Preditors & Editors site—you can save yourself some heartache that way, too.

10. What advice would you give to newbie writers out there?
Just stay with it. Find time to write every day. Read every book about the craft of writing that you can find.  Read voraciously in general.  You cannot become a writer if you are not first a reader. Be observant and cultivate your memory.  A writer is someone who knows a little about a lot.

Bio:

Carson Buckingham knew from childhood that she wanted to be a writer, and began, at age six, by writing books of her own, hand-drawing covers, and selling them to any family member
who would pay (usually a dime) for what she referred to as “classic literature.” When she ran out of relatives, she came to the conclusion that there was no real money to be made in self publishing,
so she studied writing and read voraciously for the next eighteen years, while simultaneously collecting enough rejection slips to re-paper her living room…twice.
When her landlord chucked her out for, in his words, “making the apartment into one hell of a downer,” she redoubled her efforts, and collected four times the rejection slips in half the
time, single-handedly causing the first paper shortage in U.S. history. But she persevered, improved greatly over the years, and here we are.

Carson Buckingham has been a professional proofreader, editor, newspaper reporter, copywriter, technical writer, and comedy writer. Besides writing, she loves to read, garden, and collect
autographed photographs of comedians she loves, as well as life masks of horror movie icons. She lives in Arizona with her wonderful husband in a house full of books, orchid plants, and pets.

Carson Buckingham--Author of HOMESample or purchase HOME (EBOOK): http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/97889
Sample or purchase HOME (PAPERBACK): http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=home++by+carson+buckingham
Carson Buckingham's Smashwords Author Profile: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/carsonbuckingham
Blog: http://carsonbuckingham.blogspot.com/


♥Stacey

Meet Glen Krisch

I met Glen through email. He'd read a review I wrote for Ania Ahlborn's book, Seed, and liked the review. You can read that review here in case you missed it. Glen asked if I'd like to review his book, Where Darkness Dwells, and you know me and free books, so of course I said yes. It wasn't until after that, that I learned what a well established author Glen actually was. You can read my review of Where Darkness Dwells over at See Spot Read. Then come on back and chat with Glen.

1.) How long have you been writing novels?

I started my first novel in high school, but wrote about 100 pages before I lost momentum. In college I created an independent study for novel writing. I was able to work on a novel while getting college credit. How cool is that? After college, I honed my skills on short stories for a few years before diving back into novels.


2.) Do you write full time? If not, what is your day job?

It would be a dream come true if I could write and edit full time. Some day, Stacey, some day! In mean time, I work a menial warehouse job. It pays the bills and allows time for my mind time to wander.


3.) Is this your first published novel?

Where Darkness Dwells is my second novel. My first novel, The Nightmare Within, is also available in all ebook formats.

4.) What made you decide to go the Indie route?

After losing three years to what I thought was a publishing deal, I decided to publish The Nightmare Within on my own. I'd been a longtime fan of JA Konrath and Scott Nicholson (both their novels and blogs), so it just made sense. I went into much longer detail in a blog entry of my own. If anyone wishes to read about the beginnings of my indie journey, that entry is here.

5.) How did you come up with the idea for Where Darkness Dwells?

About five years ago, even though the economy was clicking on all cylinders, I had the wild idea that it would soon go down the toilet (imagine that!). I became fascinated with the Great Depression, and so I started researching the topic. Once I opened that can of worms, I came across other topics that pulled me in: hobos, the civil war and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1851, old mining towns and small family farms, etc. The more I investigated, the more layers I added to my burgeoning plot. Somehow it all came together. At least that's what readers have told me so far.

6.) What scares you personally? Do you have any silly phobias?

The only thing that really scares me these days is the death of a loved one. I tend to try to control everything in my life, but that's something that is totally out of my hands.


I wouldn't call it exactly agoraphobia, but I tend to be rather antisocial. Weeks or months can go by without me realizing I haven't been out in public except for going to work and the grocery store. I'm uncomfortable around people in general, even family and friends. I guess being a hermit works well with my chosen profession.

7.) What is your writing routine?

My day job takes me away from writing three days of the week. The other four days, I try to get in a long stretch at the keyboard after I drop off our two oldest kids at school. We have a two-month old at home, so if the baby says I can't write at a given time, I pretty much have to listen to his whims.

8.) Have you always been a fan of horror?

I'm a horror fan, but not necessarily a fan of typical horror tropes. I like to read and write dark fiction that reveals the frailty of humanity that is in us all. Even the most innocent person has shades of gray. If there are zombies or the apocalypse in a story, fine, but the characters better be strong, life-like creations or I'll pass. There are too many good books to allow myself to get bogged down in a thin plot with cardboard characters.

9.) What other authors inspire you?

This list is long and always changing and expanding, but these names are entrenched in my list of favorite authors:
Stephen King
Tim Lebbon
Gary Braunbeck
Dan Simmons
Tom Piccirilli
Joe Lansdale
Cormac McCarthy
Greg Gifune
Robert McCammon

10.) What advice would you give to newbie writers out there?

Learn what makes a good sentence and then string a bunch of them together. If you can't make your words sing, or at least get them to hum in tune for a bar or two, perhaps writing isn't your destiny. To make them sing, study other writers who make it work. Read, write, edit. Repeat as often as humanly possible.

BIO:

I have written three novels: The Nightmare Within, Where Darkness Dwells, and Nothing Lasting. My short fiction has appeared in publications across three continents for the last decade. Dog Horn Publishing (U.K.) will publish my story collection debut in 2011. I am also an editor for Morrigan Books. As a freelance editor, I have worked on books by Tim Lebbon and Lawrence Block, among others.


I enjoy speaking with other readers & writers. Feel free to drop by:
http://glenkrisch.wordpress.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4525598.Glen_Krisch
http://www.facebook.com/glen.krisch

I hope you all enjoyed my chat with Glen as much as I did.
♥Stacey

Zombies. 'Nuff said.

We have some wicked outlandish conversations at my house. Its pretty much the norm, as a matter of fact. Well, while my husband was in the hospital, my son, Sean, came to visit every day. As hubby slept a lot, I was glad of the company. While we were watching what passes for TV there, an advertisement for a documentary on the zombie phenomenon in pop culture came on. And this conversation ensued~

Me: I hope we're home by then, because I totally want to watch that.

Sean: Me too. Just to laugh at your generation's ideas about zombies.

Me: 'Scuse me?

Sean: You know, now that my generation has actual fact to support zombies. We were raised with enough knowledge of DNA, genomes and molecular mutation (I must admit that at this point all I heard was blah, blah, blah) that we understand how zombies could happen and why they aren't really dead.

Me: I'm not really sure what you just said, but I think you're full of sh*t.

Sean: I'm not full of sh*t. I'm just smarter than you.

Me: I'll give you that you have a higher IQ, but that means nothing when it comes to zombies, because I'm like a freakin expert here. And zombies are too dead. They're the walking dead. Duh. Everyone knows that. They travel in hordes.

Sean: No they aren't. Zombies are live people who blah blah blah (sometimes he gets really technical and I kind of zone out).

Me: (Somehow, my brain has jumped the track and I'm off course) OMG. Do you think sharks could become zombies? I mean if dogs and cats can become zombies, then sharks could right? That's freakin scary. Or alligators! What's scarier than a freakin zombie alligator?!

Sean: Um. Sharks and alligators already attack people so I'm not sure they'd be any scarier as zombies than they already are.

Me: Oh. Well then let's pick something that doesn't already eat people. What about Giraffes? Pretty non-scary to begin with but all of a sudden, wham!! Scary!!

Sean: Giraffes are herbivores, they eat leaves and grass. So they'd just go around attacking trees. Not scary. Extremely goofy.

Me: It doesn't matter what you eat before you become a zombie. The mutation that causes zombiefication would cause a craving for flesh. Therefore, anything that became a zombie would eat flesh.

Sean: Their digestive systems couldn't handle flesh. They'd still eat leaves.

Me: They're dead! Do you think vegan zombies are going to go around eating beans? No! They're going to eat people.

Sean: But human digestive systems are equipped to eat meat. It's not a matter of evolution, its a matter of preference. Giraffes don't prefer leaves, they're genetically programmed to eat them.

Me: (jumping the track once more because its how I roll, peeps) Wait! Do you think if Giraffes "accidentally" ate flesh, they'd develop a craving for it? (I did do air quotes on the "accidentally")

Sean: Zombie giraffes or regular giraffes?

Me: Oh regular. Not zombie, live giraffes.

Sean: How is a giraffe going to "accidentally" ingest flesh?! I think you'd have to practically force feed it to them.

Me: Okay, so say a serial killer works at a zoo and he wants to dispose of a body so he cuts it up and mixes it with the giraffe's food.

Sean: I think if a serial killer worked at the zoo, there are far more likely animals to feed a body to. You know, like Lions or Tigers.

Me: Okay okay, so say he just accidentally gets some in the giraffe's food. Taste for flesh, or no?

Sean: I think it would get very sick, so no.

Me: Whatever. Man eating Giraffes. I think they're scary.

Sean: Nope. Just goofy.

Me: I hope it eats you while you're busy laughing at it.

I'm pretty sure there's a story in there somewhere. And you all might want to look a little closer next time you go to the zoo. Giraffes have really big teeth. Also, to this new generation, who thinks Zombies aren't dead- *blows raspberry*

And now, my writing horror makes total sense, doesn't it?
Stacey

Meet Robert Shane Wilson

I met Robert through a horror writer's group, yes it was Masters of Horror, how did you guess? When he asked me to review Shining in Crimson, I was thrilled. I had recently won a contest on his blog (I'm a serial contest enterer), and as the winner I had gotten a signed print copy of his novella, The Quiet. I enjoyed the novella very much, especially since I drive through Indy frequently and recognized all the highways. I think horror is that much more effective when there's something of the familiar thrown in.

You can read my review of his novel, Shining in Crimson, the first in the Empire of Blood series, over at See Spot Read. Go on, check it out.

And here's a little more about Robert:

1.) How long have you been writing?

9 years. But I’ve only been writing seriously for about 4. 

2.) Do you write full time? If not, what is your day job?

I’m working toward a goal of writing full time. Right now, me and my wife are in the process of starting a book preparation company that would provide editing, proofreading, and book/ebook formatting individually or all in one.

3.) Is this your fist published novel?

It is my first published full novel, however The Quiet: A Novella was my first published book.
4.) What made you decide to go the Indie route?

Honestly, I’ve been watching the publishing industry pretty closely for a couple of years now and learning all I can. When I started writing Shining in Crimson, my plan was to make it the best novel submission I could and by the time I was nearing the completion of it, the industry had changed so much that it seemed it would be in my best interest to self publish for many reasons. First and foremost the drop in quality that the industry has sustained as well as the continuous bad choices the larger publishing companies are making. There’s so much greed in the industry and so little is dropping down the ladder to the ones who made the industry possible in the first place: the writers.

5.) What scares you personally? Do you have any silly phobias?

I used to have a major phobia of storms, tornadoes particularly. Now a days, my biggest fear is for something to happen to one of my children.

6.) What is your writing routine?

Ha! Sporadic at best. At least, right now. I’ve gone and involved myself in so many projects that it’s really hard to make consistent time. But I’m working on that. I plan on finding time to get 50k of the sequel to Shining in Crimson done as my Nanowrimo this November even with all I have going on.

7.) Have you always been a fan of horror?

I have in one form or another, definitely. I find it interesting that it took writing a horror book to realize just how much of a fan I really am. I had tried to write pure fantasy and pure sci-fi before and none of those ideas stuck enough for me to really finish them. But then came the idea for Empire of Blood and I fell madly in love with it. I relish each new idea that goes into the story and fits like a puzzle piece that was meant to be. That’s hard for me to say, being a rigid skeptic. I don’t really believe in fate of any kind but I do believe in this story.

8.) What other authors inspire you?

Goodness, I could write a short novel worth of names. I’ll go with the short short list though: Stephen King’s work was my first love, so there’s no doubt there. Richard Matheson, Peter Watts, Philip K. Dick, Joe Hill--okay, it’s not going to keep being a short list if I keep going.

9.) What advice would you give to newbie writers out there?

Don’t quit. Unless you want to. In which case you would no longer be a writer.

10.) Tell us a little bit about your charity anthology, Horror for Good.

I’m co-editor alongside Mark Scioneaux, so I wouldn’t call it mine so much as ours. The whole thing really just started from an FB post that he put up wanting to start an anthology and snowballed into this huge project for charity. We let the followers of our FB page vote on what charity we will be giving to and they chose amfAR an international AIDS research organization. It really is a great cause. 

But I think another awesome aspect of this anthology is that we wanted to show that horror writers aren’t just a bunch of crazies who only think about blood and gore and darkness. We have big hearts too, and not just in jars on our writing desks. And I think the amount of response from established and unknown horror authors, as well as readers of the genre, really shows that. 

To top all this off, RJ Cavender of Cutting Block Press has just signed on as our publishing consultant! Everyday a new and exciting development comes our way and makes me that much more proud to be a part of the horror community.

I hope that you will all take the time to check out the FaceBook page about the Horror for Good


Bio:

Robert S. Wilson was born in Bloomington, Indiana during the blizzard of '78. His first taste for horror came from watching episodes of The Twilight Zone and the stories his mother told him of a supposedly haunted house his family once lived in. He is the author of Shining in Crimson, book one of his dystopian vampire series: Empire of Blood. His novella, The Quiet, appeared in the anthology Not in the Brochure: Stories of a Disappointing Apocalypse. He is currently working on book two of the Empire of Blood series and is co-editing the anthology, Horror for Good: A Charitable Anthology.

His free audio serial of Shining in Crimson includes music by himself and many other up and coming dark underground artists. His monthly free audio short story showcase titled Dead Audio: Dark Tales of Fiction begins October 2011 and features a story from a different author each month. The first story, Flies, is a unique and gruesome tale written by J.T. Warren.
Robert lives in Middle Tennessee with his wife and two kids and spends most of his time wondering where all the time went. Samples of his work as well as the free audio serial for Shining in Crimson can be found on his blog at http://shiningincrimson.blogspot.com and Dead Audio: Dark Tales of Fiction can be found at http://deadaudio.blogspot.com you can also find him and Shining in Crimson on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/robertswilsonauthor and http://www.facebook.com/shiningincrimson

Hope you enjoyed meeting Robert Wilson as much as I did,
Stacey

Are you a pantser or a plotter? I'm a planster...

I see a lot of discussion on whether or not writers are "plotters" or "pantsers", whether they write with full outlines and note cards and know each character by heart before they've written a word, or whether they just sit down and go with the flow. Me? I'm somewhere in between, in "planster" land.

I don't do note cards. I never have an outline written down. It just seems like a whole lot of work. But I do know a lot about my characters before I start writing. I get the initial story idea in my head and then I keep thinking about the character. How are they going to react? Why are they going to react this way? I work on that in my head, though. I don't write it down. Then I start writing.

And this may be where I differ from others. I don't sit down and write as much as I can at one time. I write one scene at a time.Why? Two reasons. The first is because the story plays out in my head as a movie. I see my characters, I see the scene. Then I write it down as best I can to help you, the reader, see it too. And I like to give myself time to see the next scene. And second, I've also found that the story changes somewhat if I give my brain extra time to process it. So basically, I'm a slow worker. But for longer stories, its what works best for me. And it's not that I never write two scenes in a day, sometimes I come back and do another scene in the afternoon. And maybe even one more before bed. I just don't do them all at once.

I'm also thinking about the story and the characters all the time in the back of my mind. My best ideas or plot points or even endings come to me in the shower. Weird, huh? I think it's one of the few places where I'm just relaxing and my mind is sort of blank. Then I get all excited and start plotting. (Note to self: no matter how excited you get, do not jump up and down in the shower. The resulting fall is painful.) So in that way, I do plot out a rough, unwritten outline. And it helps me to have a direction to go in with the next scene.

But I don't always know my characters as well as I think I do. Sometimes they surprise me. I was working on a (soon to be published) story and one of the characters revealed that she was a homosexual. I was a little shocked at first, because I didn't see it coming, but then I shrugged and went with it. Good for her, I thought. To sum it up, here's a conversation I had with my son~

Me: I hate that people don't do what I want. That's why I write.

Sean: So you can make your characters do what you want?

Me: exactly.

Sean: How's that working out for you?

Me: It's not. They don't listen to me either.

Sean: So, the made-up people in your head don't listen to you either?

Me: No one listens to me, Sean. No one.

And the one I had with my daughter~

Me: OMG! Guess what I just found out? Susie is gay!

Mo: Really?!

Me: I know right?! I can't believe I didn't know...

And yes, that was a conversation about a made up person. Thank goodness my children indulge, no, embrace my craziness.

So there you have it. I'm a plantster. What are you?
Stacey

Exciting News!

You are looking at the cover for the upcoming release from Angelic Knight Press. It represents my first anthology as an Editor. See those little words under the title?  "Edited by Stacey Turner". That's me! It was a lot of hard work, but I got to work with some very talented authors. All of them were very professional and I think we established some very good author/editor relationships. I would work with, and hope to, all of them again in the future. I will also have a story, "Soul Collector", included in the anthology.

I also have a story, "Martin", that will be in the upcoming Rymfire Publishing ebook Rymfire Erotica. I know what those of you who aren't a part of the book world are thinking. This is the conversation Mike & I had about this news:

Mike: You wrote Porn?? I've been trying to get you to do that for years...

Me: I did not write porn. There's a fine line between porn and erotica. This is a horror story with a little erotica. Not an erotic story with a little horror. Geez.

But it may not be for everyone, so I understand if you skip that one. And yes, someone has already asked and I readily admit, the erotic parts make me blush while I'm writing. Its not a genre or sub genre I'll probably write a lot of for that reason.

I'm also editing a novel for a private client. And a novel that Angelic Knight will be publishing in November.

We're about to open submissions for our 2nd anthology as well.

And I continue to try to find time to write and submit my own work.

See what I mean? Crazy Busy. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

♥Stacey

The making of a horror writer

I've seen a lot of posts lately on why horror writers write horror. What is it that draws a person to the darker side? Honestly? I have no idea. No easy answers here folks, sorry. Someone suggested that our minds work slightly differently and that may be the case. I do know that my mind works way differently than almost anyone I know. Why? It's probably a little bit nature and a little bit nurture.

As for the nurture part, I'd like to thank my parents for being horror fans. Sure, letting a four year old watch "The Birds" was maybe not the best thing to do, (I have this horrible bird phobia. Seriously, those aviary things at Zoos? Can't get near them.) but that and Twilight Zone, Night Gallery and an endless stream of horror flicks set me up with a life long love of all things paranormal. And I don't consider that a bad thing.

I write horror because I want to scare people. I love that "Omigod, I cannot look behind me right now" feeling that you get when you watch a good scary movie or walk through a haunted prison (Mansfield Penitentiary- Ohio). That wonderful little thrill when you,re walking through the woods at night. That thrilling sensation when you're home alone and hear that inexplicable noise. Love it. If that makes me slightly crazy, so be it. It's how I roll. And I want to share that feeling. I've said before that if I can make one person sleep with the light on after they read my work- I've succeeded. And according to a friend who shall remain nameless, I'm a success. But I won't stop there. I've got more scaring to do.

Recently while blog hopping, I came across a giveaway, and you know I can't resist a giveaway, especially when the prize is a signed copy of a horror novel AND a DVD collection of horror films. It's like Christmas. So the entry is that I have to tell a true supernatural story that actually happened to me. I have several to choose from. But my favorite is also the basis for a novel I've been working on haphazardly for the last two years. So grab a snack & a drink, and give me your full attention.

From the age of 4 to 6 we lived on Okinawa, a small island off the coast of Japan. My father was career Air Force and we were stationed at Kadina Air Base there. I remember some of it, but being so little at the time, not all of it stuck with me. The following story is one my mother tells and my father corroborates. I don't remember much of it.

Around the age of 5, I developed an imaginary friend. I wasn't a loner, I was in school and played with neighborhood friends so my Mom thought it was odd that I'd develop an imaginary person to keep me company. Then again, I was a highly imaginative child, so they dismissed it at first. My mother says that I started spending most of my time playing with the imaginary friend, a little boy I called Manny, instead of other real children. She began to get a little creeped out when I started insisting on a place setting for Manny or cried when someone "shut the door on Manny's arm". But we were headed stateside and she had a million other things to worry about. When we flew back to the US we made the rounds of visiting relatives and ended up at my maternal grandmother's house here in Illinois.

One day I was playing on our suitcases in the upstairs hall outside the bathroom. My dad was taking a bath, but since he's 6'2" and its an old clawfoot tub, he needed my mom to come in and help rinse his hair. My mother told me to stay right where I was. And I did. Unbeknownst to us, my grandfather had come home that afternoon, drunk as a skunk, and was threatening my grandmother with a shotgun in the kitchen below the hall. One thing led to another and the gun went off. Luckily for me, I'd run to the bathroom door split seconds before the shotgun blast came through the floor on the side of the suitcase, where my leg had been just moments before. Of course my father, after assessing the situation, ran downstairs and took charge of the gun rather forcefully.

My mother examined me to make sure I was alright and then rather warily asked me why I'd run to the door. I told her "Manny told me too!" After that day, I never mentioned Manny again.

Do you have goosebumps yet? I don't know what Manny was; ghost, guardian angel, or what. But I do know, that if he hadn't been around, I might not be here at all. And that thought is truly scary.

The link to the contest is here. Go read more entries, vote for your favorites, or join yourself. The more, the scarier. Good luck! And sweet nightmares. I mean dreams. Yeah, of course I did.

♥Stacey

Meet M. H. Mead, aka Margaret Yang and Harry R. Campion

I met Margaret and Harry through email. I'd left a comment on Scott Niven's blog when he reviewed their book and they emailed me to ask if I would also like to review it. Scott had made it sound so good that I immediately said yes, even though it wasn't a genre I usually pick up on my own. I'm very glad to say that I absolutely loved the book. In fact, you can read my glowing review over at See Spot Read. Go on- you know you want to.

Margaret and Harry are a writing duo. This amazes me. I don't think I could write with a partner. Maybe I just don't play well with others. Yep, it's probably just me. But I'll let them explain how it works for them.

1.) How long have you both been writing?

We both majored in creative writing in college, but we were writers before that. Maybe even as far back as elementary school. We’ve been published writers (short stories, articles) for over ten years.

2.) Do either of you write full time? If not, what are your day jobs, so to speak?
Harry teaches High School English and creative writing. He’s also a very involved dad with four kids. Margaret is a stay-at-home mom of two.

3.) Is this your fist published novel?
FATE’S MIRROR is our first published novel. Up to now, it’s all been short stories and novellas.

4.) What made you decide to go the Indie route?
Science fiction writers love to anticipate the future. Spotting trends before they are trends is something we’re good at. Ebooks and indie books are small now, but very soon will be the norm. With that in mind, it was an easy decision to make. We’d rather do the new thing than the old thing.

5.) What's it like being writing partners? Is it easier or harder than writing on your own? Do you write on your own or strictly as partners?
We love writing together. It’s the most fun either of us has at the keyboard. We’re not kidding when we say we share a brain. We occasionally write short stories alone, but even then, we’re always each other’s first readers. We rely on each other for the unvarnished truth.

6.) What scares each of you personally? Do you have any silly phobias?
Harry hates spiders. He can’t stand to watch that scene in Harry Potter with all the giant spiders. And that one part in The Lord of the Rings? Even worse.

Margaret has no problem with spiders or any other bugs. You know what she finds creepy? Light-up shoes. You know, the ones where the kid’s sneakers light up with every step? Those things are scary.

7.) What is your writing routine, both separately and together?
We live an hour away from each other. So, when we get together, we have all-day writing marathons that double as play dates for our kids. In between marathons, we phone or email almost every day.

8.) Have you always been a fan of the sci-fi genre?
Oh, yes! We worship at the throne of Larry Niven.

9.) What other authors inspire the two of you?
Besides Larry Niven, we love reading Stephen King. He has a natural, easy style that makes us feel like we can do it, too. We also have a soft spot for Neil Gaiman, but who doesn’t?

10.) What advice would you give to newbie writers out there?
Read a lot, write every day, and trust your beta readers.

BIO:

M.H. Mead is the shared pen name of Margaret Yang and Harry R. Campion. Margaret is a parent, reader and writer who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She loves all things shiny and modern, and can’t wait to someday drive a flying car.

Harry R. Campion is a writer, teacher and parent who lives in Harper Woods, Michigan. He loves to camp in the wilderness and explore rivers by canoe.

For more about Margaret and Harry, including links to their published stories, visit their website at www.yangandcampion.com

They recently created a facebook page (look for M.H. Mead) and you can follow Margaret on Twitter @Margaret_Yang

FATE’S MIRROR is available for kindle http://amzn.to/qHl2eF
nook http://bit.ly/qY0cj4
or any other ereader www.smashwords.com/books/view/73204
or as a paperback http://amzn.to/oqU4dL

A one-minute book trailer can be found here http://bit.ly/rlkvqh

♥Stacey

Meet Jeremiah Coe....

I met Jeremiah Coe in the Masters of Horror Facebook group (you're all surprised, right?). He asked me if I wanted to review his e-novella, Vampire's Retribution. Well I love vampires. And I love free books so it was a win/win for me. I put up a review of Vampire's Retribution today at See Spot Read. You can head over there to see what I had to say about the book. But of course, over here, we're all about the author. So without further ado, the interview...

1.) How long have you been writing novels?  I have been writing since I was five years old.  I've always had quite an imagination and was always making up stories, when I was 5 my mom started writing them down for me.  As far as novels are concerned, I wrote The Dead of Space Books One and Two in 2005.  Those were my first actual novels I wrote.

2.) Do you write full time or do you have a day job? What is it?  I would love to say I am a full time writer, but if I did, I'd be lying, even though there are weeks I put in full time hours at my computer.  My day job, even though I don't work during the day ha ha, is at a plastics factory in the finishing department.  I'm not sure how much I can say without getting myself into trouble, so I'll leave it at this, I work on the assembly line building the center console for a really popular line of cars and if you happen to have one of these cars, it is safe to assume my hands built your arm rest.

3.) Is this your fist published work?  Vampire's Retribution is my first published work with Netbound Publishing but it is not the first work I've had published.  My first short story was published in 2007 and my first novels, both The Dead of Space books, were both published in 2010.  There were several short stories published in between my first one getting published and my first novel.  There was also a third novel called Here Comes Santa between the second The Dead of Space book and Vampire's Retribution.

4.) What made you decide to go the Indie route? When I was trying to find a home for The Dead of Space, I sent it to both indie presses and the major publishing houses.  An indie press was the first to bite.

5.) Vampires Retribution is about vampires and is set in the Civil War era. What made you choose that time frame for the setting?  There were a couple of reasons for this actually.  First, I'm kind of a history geek and the Civil War era is one of my favorites because it was a very pivotal time in American history, anything could have happened and American history could have been very different had just a few things happened just slightly differently than they did.  Second, I'm not a cookie cutter writer.  I like to write what hasn't been written before and I'm not aware of any vampire stories that occur during this time period.  My fourth novel, Uncivil Dead, which is being released by Netbound Publishing within the next couple of weeks is a zombie story that occurs during the Civil War.

6.) What scares you personally? Do you have any silly phobias?  I use to be really afraid of needles, very afraid.  When I was a little kid it took a lot of adults to hold me down for a blood test because as far as I was concerned, they weren't sticking that needle in me and I would fight to stop it ha ha.  I got over this fear while studying Medical Assisting.  Where I went to school made us practice on each other and not fake arms for injections and blood draws.  I figured that was as good of time as any to get over my fear of needles and volunteered to get poked as much as I could.  Now, it's no big deal.

7.) What is your writing routine? I don't really have a routine, but I do most of my writing at night when the world is silent and it can just be me and my story.  I can pretend that nothing else exists.

8.) Have you always been a fan of the horror genre? Oh yeah.  I've been hooked on horror ever since I was a little kid and saw Return of the Living Dead for the first time.  Hey, I was young so that was a scary movie back then lol.

9.) What other authors inspire you?  There are really too many authors in too many genres for me to give this question the kind of answer I'd like too.  As strange as it may sound for a horror author to say, my all time favorite author is the historical ficiton writer John Jakes.  My favorite horror author would be the late Richard Laymon.

10.) What advice would you give to newbie writers out there?  Write what you like.  Too many authors sell out and try to copy whatever is currently popular, which right now is Twilight and Tru Blood.  Don't do what everyone else is doing, those are fads.  Try to pioneer new trails for readers to enjoy, write what hasn't been written.

BIO:

Jeremiah Coe is thirty-five years old and lives in Portage, Michigan.  He has been writing since he was five years old and would tell his stories to his mother who would write them down for him.

Jeremiah has written three novels that are currently available.  The Dead of Space Book One: Brave New World and The Dead of Space Book Two: Journey’s End are sci-fi horror novels. His third novel, Here Comes Santa, is about a serial killer that believes he is Santa Claus. All three of his novels can be ordered from Amazon in both, paperback and Kindle formats. His fourth novel, Uncivil Dead, will be available within the next two weeks. 

He also has an e-book novella, Vampire’s Retribution, which is available for the Kindle on Amazon, Smashwords and the Nook at Barnes and Noble.

He is also the author of several short stories that have been published in various magazines and anthologies.

You can find Jeremiah online at his Facebook page and Facebook Author Page.

Check him out!
♥Stacey