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 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

It's time to Coffin Hop!

Yep, it's that time of year again. Time to put on your Coffin Hopping duds and dance your way through some graveyard posts. Or, you know, visit a bunch of blogs and win free prizes, if you want to be normal about it. There are lots of great folks signed up for the Coffin Hop and they are all offering some fabulous prizes. You should visit them here.
 

And what am I offering? Well, free books of course! Leave a comment on every post and you'll be entered to win a free print copy of Fading Light: An Anthology of the Monstrous, signed by Gene O'Neill, Gord Rollo, Tim Marquitz, and me! If you can't stop by every day, you can still win a prize. For every comment you leave, I'll give you one entry in the hat to win a free eBook of your choice from any of the Angelic Knight Press' library of titles. I'll announce the winners on the Friday after Halloween!

Come back tomorrow for an interview with Patrick C. Greene, the author of Progeny, just released by Hobbes End Publishing!

I'll also have other author interviews and some book reviews for your blog reading pleasure all during the Coffin Hop. And don't forget to visit the Angelic Knight Press blog. We're offering some really great one-of-a-kind prizes there too!

♥Stacey

Meet Belinda Frisch

I met Belinda Frisch, oh well, you know where I met her, it's the same place I meet most authors--Facebook. Does anyone ever meet elsewhere now days? I'm not even sure I'd know how to go about meeting someone in real life. (Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration as, much to my kid's dismay, I still talk to strangers all the time.) But I digress. Belinda and I have discussed writing, editing, techniques, frustrations, what have you, so when she asked if I wanted to read and review her new zombie novel,  Cure, I was thrilled. Now as often as I talk about zombies, you'd think I read a lot of zombie fiction. Not true. Good zombie fiction is hard to find. And a new concept in zombie fiction, even more of a rarity. But I'm happy to say that Belinda nailed it. You can read my review over at See Spot Read. Go on, we'll wait. Now on with the interview!


1.     How long have you been writing? About twenty years, give or take.

2.     What's the first thing you had published? Poetry, back in the 90’s, in a collected works as a result of a contest followed shortly thereafter by a short story in a compilation called Deadly Dolls.

3.     Do you write full time or do you have a day job? I write FT now. I stopped doing any significant work as a medical coder back in February.

4.     What is your writing routine? I get up in the morning, do my social media time including interviews/guest posts, and tend to my blog. That gets me going until the coffee kicks in. I’m back in rough draft mode with Cure’s sequel, Afterbirth, so I put my index cards all in order and pull the scene card for the day. I review related chapters before writing chapter of the day. Since I’m a hybrid plotter/pantser, I work on extending the outline during each writing session.


5.     Have you always been a fan of the Horror genre? Absolutely always. Horror movies, magazines, and novels since I was eight-years-old.


6.     What scares you? Any silly phobias? I’m kind of anxious, so I probably have a lot of silly phobias, but my main fears are fire and drowning. Whenever I see someone burning or drowning in a movie, it makes me feel panicky.

7.     What other writers do you admire? There are so many great ones and so many different reasons to admire a writer. Do you base it on talent? Success? I admire Kealan Patrick Burke’s skill, Amanda Hocking’s success, and Charlie Huston’s originality. Others include Martha O’Connor (The Bitch Posse), Dennis Lehane (Gone Baby Gone), and Anne Rice (The Witching Hour). The list is long. I could be at this all day.

8.     What is your favorite thing about the indie movement? Abbreviated timelines. My biggest frustration with traditional publishing is how long it takes to do anything. Much like my “writers I admire” list, this one could be long-winded. There is a lot to love about the indie movement and I read so many great books I know would otherwise not fit the mold.

9.     Best writing advice you've ever been given? Allow yourself to write crap. I know, it doesn’t seem like this is good advice, but hear me out. When I was writing my debut, Dead Spell, I toiled. I wasted so much time revising words I ended up cutting. It took way longer to finish that book than it should have and the process felt very much like work. A lot of days, I couldn’t even write. I wanted every word to be perfect. Allow the first draft to be sloppy. Editing comes later.

10.  What advice would you give any newbies out there? Don’t rush. I’d actually give this advice to any writer. The best thing about the indie movement, fast turn-around, is a double-edged sword. You can put out a book in no time. Most often, you shouldn’t. There’s still a process to respect that includes editing (content, development, and line editing), beta reading, and perfecting. Strive to put out the most perfect product every time. So many days I wanted to pull the trigger and upload Cure, but I was patient and I believe that really paid off. Out of several betas, each had a different list of minor glitches my editor and I missed. I promised myself, after Dead Spell, that I would do everything I could to not have to upload a corrected ms. Give your readers your best, every time.

Bio:

Belinda Frisch's fiction has appeared in Shroud Magazine,Dabblestone Horror, and Tales of
Zombie War. She is an honorable mention winner in the Writer's Digest 76th Annual Writing
Competition and the author of DEAD SPELL, CRISIS HOSPITAL, TALES FROM THE
WORLD, THE WARD, AND THE BEDSIDE and CURE, the first in the Strandville Zombie
Series.

Links:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/belinda.frisch
Twitter: @B_Frisch
Blog: http://belindaf.blogspot.com/
Her Amazon author page includes links to all of her available works.

♥Stacey

The thing I hate about reviews is...

Not my reviews of course. I mean, I'd have to actually publish  something to get a review. I started doing book reviews on See Spot Read not long ago. I decided I would only do reviews of indie books and I would post author interviews on the same day. I'd been doing those on What Passes For Sane On a Crazy Day, but will be moving them over here to essentially separate the two parts of my life. And the ones I've done? Loved the books (and getting books for free is not a bad gig let me tell you), loved the author interviews and have made a few friends and clients. Sounds good right? Then there's the down side.

The down side being that I don't actually like every book I'm given for review. Unfortunately you can't please all the people all of the time. And sometimes, I'm the one who's not pleased. Sometimes it's a matter of bad writing (in my humble opinion of course). Sometimes its just too many errors in the copy. Sometimes I think the person would have benefited from a good editor. Whatever the reason, the fact is, there are some books I just can't recommend. And so I send the author an email letting them know that I won't be able to do the review or interview. I send the politest most apologetic letter I possibly can. I know what it must be like to receive that letter. But I'd far rather get it in an email than to have a bad review. And since I started the reviews/interviews with the intention of promoting indie authors and self-pubbers and pointing out the good books that are out there, I refuse to put up a bad review. And that is why you will never see one on my site. I sincerely hope I'm not making enemies, but I feel honesty is always the best policy.

I do tell each and every writer that I send that email to that I am NOT a professional critic or editor. I only know what I like and consider to be good. I also tell them to take my opinion with a grain of salt because that's what it is- an opinion. And we all know that everyone has one.

That said...do check out the reviews on See Spot Read, do spend the dollar or two for the ebook, do support indie authors. I may one day be one.

♥Spot (also known as Stacey)