Grimm Mistresses Releases Soon!!

So I just realized I haven't blogged anything about the upcoming release of Grimm Mistresses.WTF, me? For those of you who haven't been bombarded with it on my Facebook or Twitter, Grimm Mistresses is a collection of five novellas retelling Grimm Fairy Tales. The novellas are all by female authors, hence the name. I'm super pleased to have my novella, "The Night Air," included. The collection releases on Monday, February 23rd. Here's the synopsis:

Remember the Grimm Brothers?Those dark fairy tales that made you leave the light on long before Disney went and sanitized them? Well, we do! Now the MISTRESSES GRIMM take back the night,five female authors who will leave you shuddering deliciously. Get ready to leave the lights on again with four pieces of short fiction bringing the Grimm Brother’s tales into the present. Be advised: these aren't your children’s fairy tales!

 And here is the amazing cover art:

Honestly, I couldn't be more excited. And the best part? I got to hang out and work with four amazing ladies, each one a super talented author. Our stories are all different: different writing styles, different approaches to the work, different visions for the theme. And yet, they all blend together into a collection that offers something for everyone. 

CW LaSart's story, "Hazing Cinderella," is hardcore horror. Fans of extreme horror will love it. 

SR Cambridge's story, "The Leopard's Pelt, is an enchanting retelling of the Grimm Brother's "Bearskin." Safe for non horror fans. 

Mercedes M. Yardley's "Little Dead Red" explores the lengths a mother will go to in order to avenge her daughter's death. Lyrically written, but still dark and grim.

Allison M. Dickson's story, "Nectar," is a sci-fi/horror blend that brings new life to "Hansel & Gretel." Scary, sexy, and thought provoking all at the same time.

And my story? Well, I hope "The Night Air" hits the mark of subtly creeping dread. Also relatively safe for non horror fans. 

I hope you'll check the book out. May you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it.

It will be available in eBook form at Amazon and other retailers on Monday, March 23rd. But if you have a hankering for a signed, limited edition copy, you can order those here:

www.ragnarokpub.com

♥Stacey

Meet Wendy Webb

I stumbled on to Wendy Webb's writing quite by accident, but it was a happy accident to be sure. I thoroughly enjoyed her book The Vanishing so much that I immediately bought her other two novels as well. Something she said in the back of The Vanishing prompted me to contact her and set up this interview. It was a philosophy I share. She said, "That's really what it's all about for me. With my novels, I'm not trying to define a generation, right any great wrongs, or change the way you think about the world or your places in it. I just want to craft a good story that will delight you, entertain you, grab you and not let go, and send some shivers up your spine along the way." Mission accomplished, Mrs. Webb.

If you'd like to read my review of The Vanishing, head over to See Spot Read. Go ahead, I'll wait. Back? Awesome. Without further ado, I give you Wendy Webb--

1. How old were you when you first knew you were a writer?

Very young. Two books influenced me in a powerful way when I was growing up, setting me on my path. My grandmother read “Little Women” to me when I was about eight years old. It was absolutely clear to me that I was, in fact, Jo March, the dark-haired, headstrong sister. I identified with her so strongly that, since Jo loved writing, apparently I did, too. That’s really how I looked at it. I started excelling in writing at school and got more and more praise for my essays, and I never had a moment of doubt about the fact that I’d be an author someday. Jo got her book published. So would I. I don’t know what I’d be doing with my life if Louisa May Alcott hadn’t written “Little Women,” but it probably wouldn’t be this. Last fall, I visited her home, Orchard House, and when I saw the desk by the window where Louisa dreamed up the book that would chart the course of my life, I burst into tears. Everyone else on the tour thought I was insane. But the guide didn’t. “You must be an author,” she said. “We get that a lot.”

The other book that turned my young mind toward writing was “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeline L’Engle. A librarian recommended it to me when I was thirteen. The story didn’t have anything to do with writing — I already knew I was going to be a writer. I just didn’t know what I wanted to write about, until I read that book. It was magical and real and scary all at the same time, and when I finished reading it, I knew I wanted to write books like that one.

2. I know you are currently the editor of the Duluth-Superior magazine. How do you balance your editorial duties with fiction writing and a family?

Actually, the magazine closed last spring, but it was indeed a juggling act balancing my magazine responsibilities and a book tour. I was traveling all over the country for six months after “The Vanishing” came out, and I still had the same deadlines. The Internet made everything easier, though. I could get everything done on the road, but it was hectic at times.  I don’t write fiction when I’m on tour — too many distractions.

3. I think of your books as “modern gothic.” They include all the elements of the classic gothic genre (woman in peril; large, often isolated house; ghosts or some element of the supernatural; a romantic interest; an older woman; a villain of the piece; and a mystery), but they’re set in modern times. What genre do you consider your work and why?

When I wrote my first book, “The Tale of Halcyon Crane,” I didn’t think at all about genre. I just wrote the book that I wanted to read. It turns out it’s gothic, and “modern gothic” is a good fit. Reviewers have started calling me the Queen of the Northern Gothic, saying I invented a genre, because most gothics are set in England or down South. Again, I didn’t set out to do that, I just wrote a story set in the place that I know best.

4. Animals always seem to play a part in your stories, mostly dogs. Why?

The dogs in my stories are actually my dogs, Tika, Tundra and Molly, all giant Alaskan Malamutes. They never knew each other in life (one 130-pound dog in the house is enough!) but it has been really fun for me to put them together in my books, especially all three of them in “The Vanishing.” I’ve always walked through the world with a dog at my side and I can’t imagine life without them, so when I’m dreaming up my stories, it’s natural to feature animals as characters.

5. I’ve read that, for you, the setting inspires the story. How do you pick your settings?

I stumble across them. “Halcyon Crane” was inspired by a trip I took to Mackinac Island in Michigan, which a very haunted place, and a particular house you can see from the ferry on your way there. The plot of “The Fate of Mercy Alban” came to me when I was on a tour of Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota. I started thinking of how great it would be to have a summer party on Glensheen’s magnificent veranda, and then I thought: “Ooo. What if somebody winds up dead at that party?” And I was on my way.

6. The spiritualism age plays a part in The Vanishing. Have you always been interested in spiritualism or did you have to research it for the book? Either way, what do you find the most interesting part of it?

I’ve always been interested in it but I did research before I started writing. There were a lot of charlatans at that time, but I believe there were, and are, mediums and psychics who can indeed talk to the dead. I absolutely believe there are spirits among us. I’ve traveled all over this country for readings, and every single time, somebody tells me a ghost story that happened to them.

7. And, on a more personal note, what scares you? Any silly phobias? Do you work your own fears into your fiction?

What scares me most is not a spirit floating around the house late at night, but an actual intruder in the house late at night. That said, though, I am also afraid of the dark side of the occult. In “The Vanishing,” I have a Devil’s Toy Box that unleashes a whole lot of bad stuff at Havenwood. I actually got one of those for my birthday the year before I started writing that book. It was a really pretty box, handmade by my brother, but before bringing it into my house, I called a friend of mine who is an expert in the occult. She told me that it was very dangerous and to destroy it. I did. Similarly, Ouija boards. Never use one. You won’t be talking to who you think you’re talking to. I’m researching demonology right now for an upcoming book, and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to write it. That’s some scary, scary stuff.

8. What authors would you consider the biggest influences on your writing?

You already know about Louisa May Alcott and Madeline L’Engle, but modern authors who influence me are M.J. Rose and Carol Goodman, both of whom write beautiful, magical tales, and both of whom I’m proud to call friends.

9. Five favorite books?

Oh, boy. This is a hard one.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

The Shell Seekers and its sequel, September by Rosamund Pilcher (people are always surprised when I say that, but I love those books.)

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

10. And last but not least, best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

When I wrote my first manuscript (which didn’t end up getting published) my agent kept saying: “Show, don’t tell.” I couldn’t get the concept. I’d been a journalist my whole career and we tell stories. Then another author let me in on her trick. She said: “When you’re writing a scene, imagine that you’re the director of a movie. Visualize everything in that scene — where it’s happening, what the people are wearing, what they’re doing. Hear what they’re saying. In a movie, if a character is angry, you wouldn’t hear some narrator’s voice saying: “Jane is angry!” You’d see Jane throw her coffee cup across the table and stomp out of the room, and you’d know Jane was angry. Authors need to do the same thing with words. That’s showing, not telling.”

Wendy's Bio:

Wendy Webb is the author of The Tale of Halcyon Crane, a gothic mystery set on an island in the Great Lakes. Her first novel, Halcyon was selected as an IndieNext Pick by IndieBound, the Independent Booksellers Association of America; as a Midwest Connections Pick by the Midwest Booksellers Association; and as a Great Lakes Great Reads Pick by the Great Lakes Booksellers Association.

Wendy is also a career journalist. She is at work on her next novel.

You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon: 
www.wendykwebb.com
Twitter: @wendykwebb
Facebook: WendyWebbAuthor

Wendy's Novels:

♥Stacey

Meet Lisa Hinsley

Yes, yes I did meet Lisa on Facebook. But oddly enough, not until quite a while after I'd read a few of her novels and a short story collection. To be honest, I don't remember how I came across her UK bestseller, Plague. I do know it was before Simon & Schuster picked it up. But somehow it ended up on my kindle and I read it. And I loved it. It made me cry, and it horrified me. That's sort of a tough combo. But I highly recommend the read.

Then, a couple of years later, I "met" Lisa through a women horror writer's group. And was lucky enough to get a free copy of her latest novella, Sacrifice. It wasn't in exchange for a review, but after I read it, I asked Lisa if I could interview her and review the novella. Mostly because I think writers I enjoy should get more attention. And it's my blog, so there. So, you can head on over to See Spot Read to read a review of the novella, (first in a series) Sacrifice, or you can stay here and read an interview. Or you can do both, because I'm all about free will.

1.     How long have you been writing?

I wrote my first poem around the age of five, so I guess that would mean a really long time ago as I am early forties now! By the time I was ten I was writing short stories and wrote my first novella at thirteen – it was an awful angst-ridden teen production where I destroyed the world in a great flood. Thirty years later, and I’m still regularly destroying the world in my books.

2.     What's the first thing you had published?   

I was first published in a school magazine when I must have been nine. It was a poem about autumn. I remember my mum being really proud as the magazine usually only took submissions from girls in the senior school.

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

Until recently I worked a day job, as a carer for elderly people. But I am now lucky enough to be a full time writer.

 4.     What is your writing routine?    Where do you write?

I used to write anywhere in the house where there was a free spot and I could sit down with my laptop. Usually this would be the living room or the dining room depending on where the kids were (I can’t write with noise and distractions!). This summer one of my children moved out and into her own place, and I am now converting her bedroom into my study. It feels like a real luxury having a space in the house that is all mine!

 

5.     Have you always been a fan of the Horror genre?  

I discovered Stephen King in 1986 when we moved to NH. I’d already read Dean Koontz and a few other horror writers, but King really hit the horror spot. I was fifteen and discovering a whole new scary world. I’ve been hooked ever since.

6.     What scares you? Any silly phobias? 

What lurks under the bed scares me most. I was in my late thirties before I got to a point where I wasn’t making long jump leaps onto the bed to avoid any evil creatures swiping at my ankles. I solved the fear by packing the under-the-bed space tight with junk. Anything would do, so long as it meant nothing sinister could fit under there. Now I am in my forties and own a dog. He sleeps under the bed and keeps me safe. Mirrors are also creepy. You never know for sure what will be reflected when you take a look into one.

 7.     What other writers do you admire, or have influenced you the most?  

Stephen King is probably the writer that has influenced me the most, but I have read widely and love sci-fi as well. Early sci-fi writers like Ray Bradbury (his many short stories) and Aldous Huxley (Brave New World) have also left their mark on me, as well as Michael Crichton (Sphere) and Clive Barker (Weaveworld). Richard Matheson (I am Legend) and John Wyndham (The Day of the Triffids) are also hugely influential. I could go on, but I’ll stop there. J

 8.     I know most writers hate the “where do you get your ideas” question, but as a writer, I ALWAYS want to know. So, where’d you get the idea?                 

I get a great many of my ideas from the newspapers. An article will spark an idea and I will ask that all important question: but what if…? And then I’m off running with a new story idea. I also get ideas from my conspiratally-minded husband, who often spouts off about something he’s read on one of the odd websites he visits. The idea for my bestselling book, Plague, came after a late night talk about terrorists using viruses and bacterium as a weapon.

 

9.     I didn’t realize that Sacrifice was part of a series when I read it. What made you decide to go with a series of novellas, instead of a stand-alone novel?    

I think novellas will become increasingly popular as time-constrained readers look for books they can consume in a few hours or over several nights. This has driven me to write shorter works, and I have seen other authors doing the same. The idea of producing the series with Sacrifice partly came out of the time scale involved, with years separating each installment, but also because the following novellas will focus mainly on individual characters, with their individual problems coming to the fore. To me, it seemed logical to make each as stand-alone as possible, with the running theme of the storyline keeping the novellas as a series.

 

10.    I first read your work when I read the novel, Plague. I have to admit the book brought me to tears. I couldn’t imagine the horror that these people were facing. And yet, that was all man made horror, with no supernatural leanings. Which type of horror do you think is more terrifying? Which is easier to write?                                                                                              

To be honest the supernatural scares me far more than manmade horrors. I don’t write much supernatural horror, I think partly because it scares me so much even to think about it! I am planning to do a series of books featuring ghosts, but I’m still trying to find the courage to write them. Lately I’ve been reading lots of zombie books, which I find entertaining, but not scary. I’d love to try my hand at one of those, but there are too many authors out there doing a far better job than I would!

 

11.  Best writing advice you've ever been given?  

No1: If you’ve got an idea, just write. Get it out of your head and onto paper.

No2: Pay for an editor! If you want to produce a professional piece of work, you must hire an editor to point out all those plot holes you can’t see and find the errors you skip over as they are invisible to the writer. If you can’t afford to do that, or you are just beginning as a writer, find a critique site to become a member of. These can be an invaluable (and free!) resource. I spent years as a member at a number of various sites and received advice that got me to where I am now.  Here are a few I’ve used over the years (in the order I found them). There are many more out there, find one where you click with some of the other members.

 

www.abctales.com

www.ukauthors.com

www.youwriteon.com

www.authonomy.com

 

12.  What advice would you give any newbies out there? 

Enjoy what you do. I love to write. It’s not a chore, it is a pleasant release. I love to get my ideas out of my head and if one other person reads my story and likes what they’ve read, then I’m happy. I saw a video of a Stephen King talk a couple of months ago which I found very interesting. He compared ideas to sand. If they trickle through your fingers to be lost, then they weren’t worth pursuing. The big ideas that refuse to fall between your fingers (and be forgotten) are the ones to chase and write. I’m not sure I entirely agree with this, and I certainly didn’t when I first heard him say this. I have notebooks of ideas, lines, single words, links to things that have inspired me waiting to be referred to. Most of these ideas are forgotten, they gather dust in the notebooks on my shelf and in the hard drive of my computer. The ideas that tend to get written are the ones that refuse to leave me alone, so maybe the master of modern fiction does indeed have it right.

 

Thank you, Lisa, for answering all of my silly questions! If you'd like to connect with Lisa, you can find her here:

 

Website: www.lisahinsley.weebly.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaHinsley.author
Twitter: @lisachinsley

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-C-Hinsley/e/B003E2VRCG

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lisa-C-Hinsley/e/B003E2VRCG

 

Again, I really recommend Plague, as well as her other books. Thanks for dropping by!

♥Stacey  

 

Meet Allison M. Dickson

I know you're all wondering if I met Allison on Facebook, and the answer is yes, I did. But I met (virtually) her a while back in a group where she didn't post a whole lot. Then, one day, I saw that she'd put some of her short stories up for free on Amazon and I downloaded a few. I'm going to count the next day, when I posted on her Facebook wall about how amazing her stories were, as the day I met her. Oh, she'd been witty and fun the whole time, I just didn't realize it until I read her work. I've reviewed a couple of her stories over on See Spot Read. Take a look-see over there and then come back and meet Allison, who graciously agreed to answer my questions.

1. How long have you been writing?

I was an early reader and always had my face buried in a book. I remember being about six or seven and practicing my words on a sheet of paper and telling my mom that I’d like to write books one day. She said that sounded like a great idea. For most of my life, up until I went to college, that was my dream, even though I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to write. I did a lot of short stories and worshiped Stephen King, and that was what I really wanted to do. But at some point I switched tracks to journalism, because I wasn’t sure I had it in me to write novels, and I was convinced that journalism was the only way to get a paycheck as a writer. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I actually decided to stop with that nonsense and return to fiction and try to make my dreams a reality, with the full support of my husband who understood that doing this would mean he would be the sole breadwinner for the foreseeable future. I was already a stay-at-home mom at that point, so it wasn’t a huge shock to our lifestyle or anything. I’ve been writing, in earnest as a fiction author, since about 2007 or so, and it’s finally starting to pay off in the literal sense.

2. What's the first thing you had published?

My short story, “Aria,” which was accepted into a horror anthology in ’08. It was the first short I’d written since I was about 16, and it read in many ways like I was still 16, but that antho editor liked it, so I was thrilled. I eventually put it up for sale in my Amazon store (after some considerable editing), and for the most part, it has been well-received. Though I still consider it the red-headed stepchild in my collection, I credit that story for making me believe that others might just like what I write and that I should keep going.

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

I do typically write full time. For the last few years, I have done seasonal employment in order to help bring in some extra money, but I’m not sure I’ll need to do that anymore now that the writing is starting to take off.

4. What is your writing routine? Where do you write?

My routine is to try and write as much as I can in the daytime hours when the kids are at school and my husband is at work, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Some of my writer friends say they envy that I don’t have a day job interfering with my writing (and I know what they mean, because I’ve worked a day job as a writer, and it’s hard), but a household doesn’t run itself. Cooking, cleaning, taking sick kids to the doctor, grocery shopping, paying bills, etc always have to take priority. That means a lot of time, like any other daytime worker, my writing happens late at night, after everyone’s gone to bed and there isn’t a whole lot else calling for my attention.

 Up until recently, I always wrote in my living room on the couch with my laptop, because we lived in a very small house. But we just moved into a larger place and I will now have dedicated office space. This thrills me more than you can know.

 

5. Have you always been a fan of the Horror genre?

Absolutely. I was the little kid watching Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13^th and then sitting up half the night with horrible nightmares. For some reason, though, the nightmares never kept me away. Part of me liked being afraid. I remember every Saturday night watching shows like Monsters and Tales from the Dark Side, which to this day kind of mirrors the type of short work I like to do. Stephen King was also a huge part of my life from age eleven on. I did and still sometimes do mingle with other horror authors like Robert McCammon, Richard Matheson, Peter Straub, John Saul, and Anne Rice (hold the Dean Koontz please), but King still remains my greatest literary muse. However, science fiction has become a big part of my life as well, and that influences a lot of what I do. As does mainstream fiction.

6. What scares you? Any silly phobias?

Nothing too silly. You’ll never find me on some daytime talk show screaming bloody murder at a handful of cotton balls or anything. Okay, I take that back. I’m a wee bit phobic of gummy worms and those Styrofoam shipping pellets. But I’m truly afraid of being lost and of falling down. Terrified of plane crashes and of the ocean. So the idea of a plane crash happening in an ocean is perhaps one of my greatest fears. You know that plane crash scene in Castaway? It was extracted directly from my worst nightmare. Well done, Robert Zemeckis.

7. What other writers do you admire, or have influenced you the most?

Other than those I mentioned above, I would say Robert Heinlein has been a big influence, as well as Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Dennis Lehane, and Gillian Flynn. Also the writers I know personally. Ian Thomas Healy is one of my dearest friends and one of the most dedicated writers I know. If it wasn’t for his help in those early days, I probably wouldn’t be writing this, or much of anything for that matter. His drive and work ethic and ability to construct a plot are constant inspirations to me. Anyone who likes superheroes should check out his Just Cause books. Gae Polisner writes gorgeous young adult literature (everyone go buy The Pull of Gravity, now on paperback!), but she is also a wonderful person who brightens the days of anyone who knows her, and she reminds me of the importance of humor and whimsy in daily life. Writers need these things, otherwise we get our heads lodged too far up our own asses. Vincent Hobbes is equal parts friend and mentor. His discovery of my work on Amazon pretty much changed my life, as it led to my relationship with my current publisher, Hobbes End Publishing, with whom I’ve now signed two novel and two short story contracts. I look forward to a long and bright future with them.

8. I know most writers hate the “where do you get your ideas” question, but as a writer, I ALWAYS want to know. I noticed that you include a brief message in the back of your books that often answers the question. What made you decide to do so?

The literal answer to “where” I get my ideas is usually when I’m driving or dreaming, but often I get most of my ideas through conversing with other people.  A certain point or turn of phrase will get caught in the little idea filter in my brain, and then I’m off and running. I write those little author notes, because I actually do love to answer that question. I’m always the person going directly for the “trivia” section for movies on IMDB.com, or who spends far more time on Wikipedia than is healthy. I also love to listen to the director’s commentary on DVDs. That kind of stuff fascinates me. Like you, I want to know where creative people get their inspiration, and in many ways I still feel like a voracious reader pretending to be a writer, so I want to do those things that I as a fan would want other writers to do.  I pull inspiration from infinite places. Sometimes I still feel like a little kid, easily awed and amused by the littlest things, and I think that’s what makes me the kind of writer I am.  Even though I write a lot of dark fiction, I can’t be too cynical. It stifles my creativity in a pretty big way..

9. Best writing advice you've ever been given?

On Writing by Stephen King changed my life.  I sometimes like to pull it down and re-read it when I’m feeling a little discouraged. It’s chock-full of amazing passages and quotes, but here is one of my favorites:

“You can approach the act of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness, or even despair--the sense that you can never completely put on the page what's in your mind and heart. You can come to the act with your fists clenched and your eyes narrowed, ready to kick ass and take down names. You can come to it because you want a girl to marry you or because you want to change the world. Come to it any way but lightly. Let me say it again: you must not come lightly to the blank page.”

 

10.                  What advice would you give any newbies out there?

Writing is about 10% magic and 90% work. If you want to be a writer, you can’t just think up neat ideas and take a few notes and then procrastinate for about five years, growing more and more bitter that some fairy didn’t descend from the heavens to sprinkle you with magical time-giving dust. No, to be a writer, you have to actually write the story. And then you have to finish that story and start the next one. You have to be willing to bleed and maybe even cry a little when it comes time for the big edit. You may even have to sacrifice a good bit of your social life and be comfortable in solitude. But most importantly, you have to treat it like it’s your main job and give the craft the weight and respect it deserves. A writer, a real writer, doesn’t think of what they do as a fun little distraction when they aren’t doing their “real jobs,” or that thing they would love to do if they “had time for fun little hobbies.” No, the writing is the real job. That other thing you might have to do to keep the lights on and bread on the table is a paycheck that allows you to survive so that you can do what really makes you live. Once you make those little adjustments to your priorities, you’ll be well on your way.

 

Bio:

Allison M. Dickson lives in southwest Ohio and has been writing since she could hold pencil to paper. It's only in recent years that she started treating the craft as a career. After earning a few small publishing credits, she started selling her stories online, where she gained a decent following with such dark tales as "Dust" and "Vermin." She soon caught the attention of author and visionary Vincent Hobbes, and her relationship with Hobbes End Publishing solidified with her two contributions to the second volume of The Endlands, and finally with their recent acceptance of her upcoming science-fiction novel, The Last Supper. Her other obsessions include food, movies, cracking bad jokes with her family over dinner, taking pictures of her giant cat, and harboring secret fantasies of being a Bond girl/sword-wielding martial arts master.

You can read more about her life through her blog at http://www.allisonmdickson.com
Twitter : http://twitter.com/msallied
Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/authorallisonmdickson

And you folks are so lucky! Several of Allison's works are free right now on Amazon! Go to her Amazon Author page and go down the list of works. You won't be sorry. Pinky swear.

♥Stacey

Coffin Hop Winners!

Sadly, the Coffin Hop has come to an end. Sad, because I probably will not keep up this level of blogging activity. I'll try, but well, you know. But on a happier note it's time to announce the winners of my Coffin Hop prizes. Drum roll please...

For the movie time game, I had three people who accurately guessed all the movies. And because I'm a good sport and slightly crazy, I'm sending them all a signed copy of Fading Light: An Anthology of the Monstrous. So, would wordplaythursday, wwe11, and JeanetteJ please send me your home adresses? I will get those out to you this week.

And the winner of their choice of titles from the AKP library is Anne Michaud. All I need from Anne is an email address and the title of her choice.

This has been fun. Thank you all for playing and I sincerely hope you enjoyed the interviews as much as I did. Be sure to check back occasionally, in case I get ambitious!


♥Stacey

Meet Kate Monroe

This post was supposed to come out on the 29th of October, but things went screwy. So officially, the Coffin Hop is over, but since I'm late with this one, I'm going to extend it for my blog. Comments on this post will still get you an entry to win my prizes.

I met Kate when I accepted her story, "Lullaby" for inclusion in Satan's Toybox: Demonic Dolls. It's one of my favorite stories in the anthology. So when I was approached about helping her out with a blog tour for her new book, The Falcon's Chase, I was thrilled. So, I'm interviewing her today. Stay put after the interview and I'll give you all the info about the book!

How long has writing been your passion?

Ever since I was a child I’ve been creating stories. I used to make up stories for my little brother when we went to bed, and then at the age of six I painstakingly wrote and bound my first book; a twenty page wonder about the adventures of a budgie named Snowy. Since then my passion for all things literary has grown exponentially. The more I read, the more I wanted to write, and I finally took the plunge two years ago to take up writing as a career.

What was the first thing you ever had published?

The short story ‘Lullaby’ in the Angelic Knight Press anthology, Satan’s Toybox: Demonic Dolls. When Stacey and Blaze accepted it for publication, it was a massive validation that other people saw value in what I was writing and that I’d made the right choice in sharing my work with others. I will forever be grateful to them for giving me what was at the time a much-needed confidence boost!

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

I’m fortunate enough that I can now write full-time, but in the past I’ve squeezed my writing time in around all sorts of jobs, from waitressing to music photography and everything in between. These days the only other demand on my time is my three-year-old daughter, but some days it feels like she’s a full-time job in herself!

What is your writing routine like?

In a word, erratic! I take any and every chance to write that I can get; sometimes I’ll be sat at the computer at 7am with a steaming cup of coffee, making the most of the early morning peace, and then other times I’ll stay awake until 4am writing until my head is finally empty enough to sleep. The only constant in my routine is that I have to write something every day, no matter where I am. If I don’t it’s impossible to sleep, so wherever I go I carry a notebook and pen with me to scribble things down as and when they come to me.

Where did the idea for this novel come from?

It actually evolved from a single sentence that I wrote for another novel entirely; the first of a trilogy that’s still under wraps. The sentence I wrote didn’t fit the character I originally drafted it for, but as my finger hovered over the delete button it grew wings all of its own and, within the space of an hour, The Falcon’s Chase was born. It was by far the easiest story I’ve ever written, as it seemed to spring fully-formed from that one sentence.

What drew you to this particular genre?

For a long time now I’ve had a lot of love for steampunk and all its sub genres. It’s a very liberating genre to write in, for there are very few strict rules; steampunk is all about letting your imagination take you on a journey into an alternative history. Add in a twist of tantalisingly anachronistic technology like the nanobots in The Falcon’s Chase and you’ve got a genre that’s utterly compelling. It’s no wonder that it’s taken off so spectacularly in the last few years.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book when they finish it?

I’d be delighted if it inspired them to look further into the steampunk genre. There’s something there for everyone, especially sci-fi and fantasy fans; William Gibson’s The Difference Engine is probably the definitive starting place, and from there it’s really just a question of personal taste as to where to go next.

Who are some authors that you admire?

I devoured the classics when I was younger, but the one book I returned to time and time again was Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The way that he defined an entire genre with one novel is staggering; every vampire novel written since has aspired to match that, and Dracula will forever be the standard to which other vampires are compared. From current authors, the undeniable stand-out to me is Neil Gaiman. The sheer scale and ambitious depth of the stories he writes never fail to impress me, and he even wrote an episode of Doctor Who last year that won a Hugo award. His portrayal of Idris in that episode was incredible, and his characterization is an absolute inspiration.

What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

To improve your writing, read. It’s frightening how many authors think that it’s not necessary to read anything beside their own work, for in my opinion it’s crucial if you’re ever to improve.

What advice would you give to aspiring or new authors?

Write for yourself, no-one else. If you’re not writing what you genuinely want to, then what you produce won’t be as good as it could possibly be. Writing to fill a niche in the market or simply to publish in a genre that sells well shouldn’t be the driving aspiration for a new author; write because you have a tale to tell, and stay true to it. Only by doing so will you truly connect with your prose, and then the words will flow.

Kate's Bio:

My name is Katherine Seren Monroe – but when call me, you can call me Kate. I’m a redheaded author and editor who lives in a quiet and inspirational corner of southern England. I have penchants for the colour black, horror and loud guitars, and a fatal weakness for red wine.

I suppose I’m what you would call a geek. I love Doctor Who and Star Trek (Tom Baker will forever be my Doctor, and Patrick Stewart my captain). Gary Oldman’s turn as Dracula fostered a lifelong passion for Victoriana and the world of steampunk, but despite the fact that I specialised in history and literature, my one great love is for science. Nothing entrances me quite as much as theorising on all the mysteries our world has yet to reveal.

My interests in writing range from horror to erotica, taking in historical romance, steampunk and tales of the paranormal on the way; whatever I dreamed about the night before is liable to find its way onto the page in some form or another…

You can find Kate's blog here. Kate can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

The Book:


Captain Reuben Costello is just hours away from facing his execution when the unlikeliest of rescuers storms into his cell. Lady Arianne Dalton needs the assistance of the infamous Black Swan to flee England and all its constraints. He finds himself more than willing to help the fiercely independent Ari in exchange for his freedom.

However, when they come to find their fates inextricably tangled in a plot that threatens the very foundations of British society, they are swept away on a chase that puts not only their lives, but their hearts at risk - and neither of them can defy the wild and stormy ride they find upon the Falcon.

Author: Kate Monroe

Publisher: Pink Pepper Press

Number of Pages: 298 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0615695662
ISBN-10: 0615695663

Release Date: October 5, 2012

You can find The Falcon's Chase on Amazon and CreateSpace.

♥Stacey

Meet Fran Friel

I met Fran Friel at KillerCon in Vegas this year. I was instantly a Fran fan. Not only is she perhaps one of the nicest people I've ever met, she's one of those individuals who instantly make you feel at home in their presence, as though you'd known them forever. We went to dinner with some other fine folks (Gene O'Neill, Gord Rollo, Danielle Day, Bob Meracle, and Bill Gagliani) and had one of the best conversations about writing that I've ever had the great fortune to take part in. I'm happy to call all of them my friends.

I attended a reading that Fran did at the convention for her short story collection, Mama's Boy. And I was blown away. Here's this super nice, super caring lady talking about dead babies falling from the sky. Yep. You read that right. Dead babies. Talk about blown away. So naturally, I had to buy the book. And Fran was kind enough to sign it personally for me. You can read my review of her book over at See Spot Read. Go ahead, you now you want to...

But for this blog, I interviewed Fran so the rest of you could get to know more about her. And you'll see by her answers what a wonderful conversationalist she is. Without further ado~

1. How long have you been taking your writing seriously?

 I know that many of us have been writing since we could hold a crayon, but when did you have that subtle mental shift that says, “I am a writer?” I’ve always known, Stacey. Dr. Seuss and Green Eggs and Ham sent me down that slippery slope at a very early age. I was writing poetry for the community newsletter when I was six. My Aunt Helen was the publisher, and her deadlines were so demanding, I wilted under the pressure and gave up writing until I was “discovered” in high school. But I’m plagued (or gifted…depends on the day) with a Gemini’s heart, so there was also art. I spent an inordinate number of hours staring at flowers and trying to draw them. Then there was my Norman Rockwell phase. I recreated his portfolio with colored pencils, and I suspect Norman is still rolling over in his grave. Hmm…I think there’s a story there, but I digress. Then there was music (I told you I’m a Gemini!). I played the Bassoon, which is a big double-reed instrument in the oboe family. It’s a fairly rare instrument, so I was fortunate to get a full scholarship to a wonderful college prep school, and also to a university conservatory. So, music took front stage for many years, and my writing stayed in the shadows. Finally, in my thirties, I started feeling the pull again, but it wasn’t until 2005 when my dear husband made the suggestion that I get serious about it, that I finally jumped in with both feet. Good husband, huh?

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

Well, I’m the keeper of the castle here at Chateau Friel, and that keeps me busier than I’d like to be. I’m financier, bookkeeper, housekeeper, animal wrangler, repair woman, mechanic, gardener, personal shopper, and personal assistant to Mr. Friel (he works a minimum of 14 hours a day and when he’s not working, he’s mostly sleeping…poor guy). I retired from my private practice as a holistic therapist back in 2005 to pursue writing, but I still see clients part-time. So, I continue to pursue that magical balance between the demands of normal life and writing life. I’m not there yet, but I can smell it. It’s close.

   3. What is your writing routine like? Any special rituals you must complete to get you “in the mood?”

Being the keeper of the castle and being a Gemini makes setting a routine a challenging thing, consequently, I’m usually flying by the seat of my pants. I wish I could offer some wisdom on the subject, but my goal at this time of my life and my career is to keep writing and to maintain my love of the process. I have had the tendency to make writing a laborious chore, weighting it in my mind as something akin to doing brain surgery in a war zone combined with spreading hot tar on the roof of a sweltering city apartment building. This, as you can imagine, is not an inspiring scenario. Hence, my change of heart—I’m keeping it light, and my muse and I love it! Fortunately, when I’m not castle keeping, I have a very quiet house in which to work. When I write, I don’t listen to music (unless I’m in a public place, then the headphones come out and I crank up some ambient tunes to block out the noise!). I don’t have the television on. I like it completely quiet (I’m a little ADD, so sound is distracting to me). Writing for me is like a meditation. I’m going someplace deep and far away. I find interruptions almost painful—like being dragged up from the depths back into the glaring world of real life. Ugh.

4. Pantser or Plotter?

I used to be a very careful plotter. I wasn’t comfortable writing until I knew most of the details and plot points and how I was going to get were I was go. It felt like writing with a connect-the-dots approach. Then I started to notice that I was losing the juice. By outlining with so much detail, I often felt like I’d already written the story, so the creative energy seemed somehow spent before I did the actual writing. So with my need to keep loving the process, sans the roof tarring misery, I decided to start writing blind. I’m a firm believer in the magic of the creative process, so I challenged myself to take an inspiration and just run with it. An inspiration usually comes in the form of a scene, or maybe just a snapshot of a scene—a mystery for me to solve. What is this scene about? Who is in it? What is the significance of the objects I’m seeing or the feelings this image is engendering in me? It’s kind of like stepping into the scene of a movie, or stepping onto a set where everyone is frozen in place. What’s happening? I’ll sit with those questions for a while and daydream until the answers start to get clearer. Then I just start writing—drilling down. So far this process has never failed me. The story begins to reveal itself, and I just follow along. When I get stuck, I pose a question to my psyche about whatever the problem is, then I take a break. Sometimes I take a nap, or sleep on it. Inevitably, the muse and the secret writer in my brain’s private office, they sort it out and bring me the answer. This is my version of the elves who make the shoes while the cobbler sleeps. I’ll make notes about a story when an idea hits me, but I don’t plot anymore. I may make a scene list that can be juggled into place and repositioned for continuity and arc, but for me, that’s part of the editing process. I fast draft the first draft with minimal editing, so as not to stifle the creative process, then I put on my editors hat. I’m merciless in the editing process, which is much easier to do when I take off the hat of the artsy fartsy writer—she’s much too sensitive about “killing her darlings.”

5. Have you always been a fan of the horror genre?

Not really. Like many folks, I read Stephen King and Dean Koontz before I became a writer, but my first love has always been Science Fiction. I fell into writing horror kind of by accident. I was eager to get my first publication credit, and a friend told me that the Horror Library was holding a contest. Winning included publication, so I gave it shot. To my surprise, I won. I seemed to have a bit of a knack for twisted tales (which I attribute to having older brothers—read my story, “Mashed,” and you’ll see what I mean).

6. “Fine Print” was one of my favorite stories in your collection, Mama’s Boy. The society and the idea of the dreamers was very detailed. How did you come up with the idea?

I’m so glad you enjoyed the story, Stacy. When I wrote it, I was worried that the pacing was too slow for most readers, but I made an executive decision to slow it down and follow wherever it wanted to take me. That’s how the details of the Society of Dreamers emerged. I’ve been a long-time student of The Monroe Institute, where I’ve studied the subject of expanded consciousness and things like the out-of-body experience, life after death, and near death experiences. The esoteric and the mystical have fascinated me for most of my life, so I guess the concepts just bubbled up out of my psyche. There was very little thinking and planning on the subject—the details just revealed themselves piece by piece.

7. I’ve met you in person, and you are so fantastically sweet and caring. But some of the stories in this collection, “Special Prayers,” for example are amazingly dark. How do you explain such a dichotomy between your public self and your writing self?

You’re very kind to say that, Stacy, but I’m not really sure. I did spend sixteen years in private practice as a holistic therapist, not to mention, a lot of years of training and private therapy. I’ve gone to very deep places with folks, as well as in my own personal work, so I guess you could say that I’m not afraid to plumb the depths of the human psyche. The psychology of why people do what they do, fascinates me. I believe that for the most part, we’re not born evil. We learn it as a means of survival. That doesn’t justify the darkness they inflict on others, but it sure is an intriguing subject to explore.

8. Who are some of today’s authors that you admire?

These days, I read mostly Science Fiction, and I tend toward British writers, like Peter F. Hamilton and Iain M. Banks, but I love the work of Cat Rambo, Kelly Link, and my old favorites, Jack Vance and Julian May. Some of the horror voices that I really enjoy are Gary Braunbeck, Gene O’Neill, Tom Piccirilli, John R. Little, Kealan Patrick Burke, and John Mantooth, all who write strong character driven stories with a psychological bent.

9. What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

Well, I know you asked for the best, but I’ve gotten a couple. Hard to pick the best.

1. I took a fiction course at Gotham Writers’ Workshop with Terri Brown Davidson. She’s the angel who taught me to use the two hats writing approach of fast drafting with complete abandon, then switching hats and passing the reigns to the ruthless self-editor. It’s very freeing!

2. Stephen King’s, On Writing, changed me as a writer with his simple advice to “Tell the truth.” I’ve never forgotten that. When I get antsy about writing something that’s personally uncomfortable, but completely truth for the character, I put on my big girl pants and tell the truth, just like Master King told me.

3. A few years back I did a writers’ intensive where we did tabletop critiques with seasoned professionals. We went from one instructor’s critiquing circle to the next—kind of like running the gauntlet. One instructor, who knew my work well, literally said, “What is the sh*t? This opening is completely incomprehensible!” Tough skinned, I took my lickin’ and went on to the next instructor. He also knew my work well, and preceded to tell me that the story was the best thing I’d ever written, particularly the opening. That day, I learned that opinions are just that—opinions! I take them all with a grain of salt.

10. What advice would you give to new or aspiring authors?

I would recommend a couple of things:

1. Join a critique group. If you can’t find one, create one. Francis Ford Coppola’s, Zoetrope.com Virtual Studios is where I started. Only about ten to twenty percent of the advice you get in most critique groups will be of value. When multiple people tell you the same thing, then take serious notice. The rest, take under advisement.

2. Volunteer to be a slush reader for a fiction magazine, preferably one in your genre. The experience is invaluable, because you learn quickly what not to do when you see the same errors over and over. You also learn how editors choose stories. It often has nothing to do with the writing; rather it’s a personal preference, duplicate subject matter in an issue, or a story is just not right for that particular month, etc.

3. Go to writing conventions or workshops. Study your craft (particularly the Three Act Play, theme, POV, and voice) and meet people face to face. Introduce yourself and be humble. These friendships and connections can make a huge difference in your career long-term.

4. Write a lot, but let your first drafts sit for at least a couple of weeks before you do your next draft. Waiting will help you see your work with fresh eyes. Avoid rushing to submit. If your writing is good enough for publication, make sure it’s the best work you can produce at the time. Otherwise, you’ll regret it later and wish you could go back and fix all the crap you didn’t notice because you sent the story out too quickly.
  
5. Finally, Fast Draft with wonder and abandon. Edit fearlessly!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to talk with you and your readers. It’s been a real pleasure. Let’s do it again soon!

No. Thank you, Fran, for sharing so much with my readers. (I told you she was a sweetheart, didn't I?)

Fran's Bio:

FRAN FRIEL lives and dreams by the sea in southern New England. She’s a two-time Bram Stoker Award finalist and winner of the Black Quill Award. She writes horror, dark fantasy and science fiction, and like many “respectable” authors, she is currently working on a novel. You'll find Fran’s award winning collection, Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales, at ApexBookCompany.com and other fine book sellers.

Fran’s work has been featured in anthologies such as, Horror Library Vol. 1 (Cutting Block Press), Tiny Terrors 2 (Hadesgate/UK) and Legends of the Mountain State III (Woodland Press), as well as publications online and in print at The Horror Library, Apex Digest, Insidious Reflections, Wicked Karnival, The Lightning Journal, Lamoille Lamentations The Eldritch Gazette, and Dark Recesses Press. Fran’s limited edition debut novella, Mama's Boy, was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award (2006), as was the the follow-up collection, Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales (2008 Stoker Finalist).

You can find Fran on FaceBook, Twitter, and at her blog.

For all you Coffin Hopper's out there, don't forget to leave a comment to win prizes. I'm offering a signed (by Gene O'Neill, Gord Rollo, Tim Marquitz, and me!) print copy of Fading Light: An Anthology of the Monstrous to one lucky winner who leaves a comment every day. For a free eBook of your choice from the AKP library of titles, one comment = one entry. Don't forget to stop by the Angelic Knight Press blog for a chance to win frame quality artwork and a free copy of Satan's Toybox: Terrifying Teddies. You should also visit the other Coffin Hop blogs here for a chance to win other great prizes.

♥Stacey