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