KENT HOLLOWAY ONLINE

Big news for Seven Realms! Jeremy Robinson is joining our ranks!

2012-01-24T19:15:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to post a quick note to announce some big news for Seven Realms Publishing. Jeremy Robinson has just signed on with us to let us publish his next Jack Sigler/Chess Team Adventure...Ragnarok. This time around, he'll be teaming up with the brilliant Kane Kilmour. This is personally huge news for me as I've been a fan of Jeremy's from before Seven Realms even existed. As a matter of fact, his early career provided the inspiration and motivation for me to proceed as both an author and a publisher. Heck, his own publishing company that he started (which is now part of Variance Publishing) was the model for Seven Realms. So, yeah...I'm super excited about this and wanted to share. Here is the formal announcement:

7R is proud to announce the signing of Jeremy Robinson and his next Jack Sigler/Chess Team adventure!

Seven Realms Publishing is proud to announce the signing of Jeremy Robinson’s next Jack Sigler thriller…RAGNAROK. We can’t express enough just how excited we are about this great news. We’ve been a fan of Jeremy Robinson for quite some time now and it’s an absolute thrill to add him to the growing list of exciting authors gracing the halls of Seven Realms.

But this time, we’re getting two birds with one stone as Jeremy isn’t coming to us alone. He’s teaming up with the extremely talented up-and-comer Kane Gilmour for perhaps the most intense Chess Team adventure yet.

Seven Realms will be handling the print release of this fantastic thriller due out on October 23, 2012.

Here’s the synopsis of RAGNAROK:

It starts with a thunderous crack and a flash of light. Screams come next. Then the hunters. With a staccato flicker, light disappears and everything within a hundred yard radius goes with it. All that remains is a massive crater where a chunk of the world has gone missing.

As the deadly phenomenon repeats and expands amidst the world’s most densely populated cities—carving apartment buildings in half, scooping away entire city blocks, and claiming thousands of lives—Jack Sigler, Callsign: King and his black ops team take action. But the team is broken, spread across the globe and vulnerable. Scrambling to make sense of the violent disappearances and fighting to reunite, the team comes face-to-face with an otherworldly enemy capable of making the fearless…terrified.

Taking the battle to the ends of the Earth—and beyond—the team combats a savage enemy whose centuries old plan for mankind has nearly reached fruition. If they fail, the planet will become little more than a fully stocked food cache, and the human race will walk willingly to their doom with smiles on their faces.

Here’s a brief bio of both authors:

JEREMY ROBINSON is the author of numerous novels including PULSE, INSTINCT, and THRESHOLD the first three books in his exciting Jack Sigler series, which is also the focus of and expanding series of co-authored novellas deemed the Chesspocalypse. His next hardcover novel, SECONDWORLD comes out on May 22. Robinson also known as the #1 Amazon.com horror writer, Jeremy Bishop, author of THE SENTINEL and the controversial novel, TORMENT. His novels have been translated into ten languages. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children.

KANE GILMOUR has visited over 40 countries around the world. When he hasn't been pounding the keys until his fingers bleed, he has been rock climbing in Arizona, mountain biking in the Midwest, exploring ancient cities in Sri Lanka, hiking in the mountains of Western China, ice-climbing in Scotland, and exploring abandoned buildings in Eastern India. His first action/adventure thriller, RESURRECT, is available now, as is CALLSIGN: DEEP BLUE, a Chess Team novella co-authored with Jeremy Robinson. He currently lives in Vermont with his wife and son.

Please join us in welcoming Jeremy and Kane to Seven Realms. And on a strictly personal level, if you’ve never read any of their books…we highly encourage you to do so. You just can’t go wrong with a Jeremy Robinson story!
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I hope you're as excited as I am about this big news...or at least, I hope you will be. I've featured Jeremy a number of times on this blog (as a matter of fact, he was my very first featured author). But if you've never read any of his books, I can't encourage you enough to so. The first Chess Team novel (the series is officially called the Jack Sigler Thrillers, but I just prefer it's original series title, Chess Team) is called Pulse. It was then followed by Instinct and Threshold. The first Jeremy Robinson novel I ever read was a creature feature called Kronos and it was an absolutely fun read!

As for Kane, he's just getting started. His debut novel is currently in my Kindle and when I get some time, I'm going to start reading it...but from what I hear, he's definitely an author to be looking out for. I have a feeling, he's going places!

Week of the Annoying Dead (Classes, Computers, and Clenched Teeth): A Writer's Apology

2012-01-22T04:52:00.026-05:00

Okay. So it's been a while since I last posted. And I'm rather upset about this as I really do try to maintain a weekly blog...a blog that you, as my friends and readers, can always depend on to have something fresh and new. But, I hope that you know that sometimes, life just happens. Or, in the my case (as far as the past couple of weeks are concerned anyway), death happens.

Oh, before you start freaking out and offering your condolences, let me explain. No one in my life...well, at least no one I have a relationship with or care about anyway...has died. The reason I entitled this week's post "Week of the Living Dead" is because that's been the biggest theme in my life for the past two weeks or so. You see, on January 7, I flew out to St. Louis, MO for a special class on forensic death investigations (for those who don't know, I work as a forensic death investigator for my day job). Anyway, when I get there, I check into my hotel room, turn on my computer and after about thirty minutes of work, my computer just...well, dies. Total flatline. Dead as a doornail (though I've often wondered how dead a doornail can possibly be).

This was one depressing event for me, let me tell you. First of all, I knew this death investigator class was going to be intense. For five days straight, we were going to be meeting at the SLU from 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM...talking nothing but death. Oh, sure...I knew we'd talk about some really cool aspects of the stuff...identification of injuries such as gunshot wounds, lacerations, incised wounds, etc; blood spatter interpretation; and even (my favorite) insects and their effectiveness in an investigation. Cool stuff, right? Well, I also knew that once class was over, I'd have tons of free time. My plan was to write. I was going to write a lot. I was going to finish my current work in progress: The Djinn. I was going to start work on my serialized novel entitled The Kringle Chronicles. And I was hoping to even finish (if I had time) the third ENIGMA Directive book.

But there I was...on the first day of my trip and no computer at all to write with. Even worse, I had publisher duties to deal with too. Seven Realms Publishing was currently working on the release of Sean Ellis' newest THE ADVENTURES OF DODGE DALTON ON THE HIGH ROAD TO OBLIVION. (Check out the links below to get your copies of his awesome addition to the Dodge Dalton series). Fortunately, I had already sent the files to the printers...but there was no way I'd be able to get the ebook done in time for the print version's release (or so I thought at the time).

To make matters worse, I was stuck. There was nothing I could do to "resurrect" my deceased computer. I had no idea if my harddrive was wiped. Had no idea if all the files (including my works in progress) were gone for good. Had no way of knowing if all was doomed. Um, yeah...I was a nervous wreck for the next five days.

Unfortunately, getting home didn't help. None of tricks I use when I have computer problems worked. My laptop (an amazing little piece of equipment that had served me very well for more than four years...Acer Aspire. I'm a life long fan because of how awesome it was.), was gone. Dead. The good news was that I'd backed up the harddrive on an external drive about the end of November, so I knew all was not lost. But the good news was not without its own problems. I had written a LOT in December. I had almost finished with the Djinn. And unfortunately, everything that I had written during the Yultide month is gone forever. But still, it was an acceptable loss considering how bad it could have been.

I was still at a loss on what to do. I still had a publishing company to run. I still had books to write. And I still had no computer. Frustrating to be sure. It was even more maddening because my friend, artist Christian Guldager, had sent me the brand new cover art for the re-release of my book PRIMAL THIRST (oh yeah, that's right...I'll be re-releasing PRIMAL THIRST with a brand new cover (in both print and ebook formats) and SIRENS' SONG will soon join it) and there was nothing I could do. It was just a picture. It wasn't a cover until I designed the layout and provided the typeface. I wanted to show that cover off so bad...but I was completely powerless.

So many things going on in my life as a writer and a publisher...and without a computer, I was unable to share any of them. I couldn't tell you guys about the re-release of The ENIGMA Directive. I couldn't tell you about the new release of Dodge Dalton. I couldn't share with you about upcoming releases like Rick Nichols' next John Logan thriller entitled THE SHELTERING TREE (due out around March). Even more frustrating...I couldn't update you guys on our recent audiobooks that were just released (or the ones currently in publication).

That's right! We (Seven Realms Publishing) currently have two books already available as audiobooks on both www.audible.com and www.amazon.com. THE ADVENTURES OF DODGE DALTON IN THE SHADOW OF FALCON'S WINGS by Sean Ellis (and narrated by the extremely talented Jesse Keim) and my own THE CURSE OF ONE-EYED JACK, narrated by the lovely and talented Katherine Taylor (she does a fine job with those Appalachian accents!). And by the way, I just heard the first fiften minutes of PRIMAL THIRST, narrated by Second City actor Kiff Vandenheuval...and all I have to say about that is...WOW!!! Even if you've read the book, you're going to want to download the PRIMAL THIRST audiobook. It's like a whole other experience...sound effects, music, and Kiff captures the voices of Jack and the gang like you wouldn't believe. I'm hoping to offer a sneak peek of the audiobook soon (once I figure out how to imbed it on blogger anyway).

But yeah...the dead have REALLY been getting on my nerves lately. A class about dead people that took so much of my time and which led to the death of my own a computer. A dead computer that caused me to irretrievably lose valuable data (i.e. dead data), as well as hindered me from proceeding with my writing or publishing...and by the way, plum near gave me a nervous breakdown (I'm usually very even keeled...don't get frusrated or anxious easily...so you know things must have been tough for me to feel the way I did.). To be honest, I was beginning to get the feeling that the Dead were out to get me. I semi-started looking over my shoulder, half-expecting to see some shambling ghoul with a silly straw making a beeline for my brains. But fortunately, things have sort of fallen back into order. A new computer purchased. Sofware re-installed. I'm back in business finally.

So then, what's this whole blog post about? (I mean other than attempting to be a clever means of shameless self-promotion). Well, it's two-fold really. The first purpose of today's post is simply to apologize. I'm truly sorry it's been as long as it has since my last post and that I haven't been as regular about it as I should be. In the last month or two, this blog has increased in numbers like you wouldn't believe. At the beginning of January, we'd achieved over 15,000 pageviews in it's life time. That's amazing to me...especially when you consider the fact that, as of about September 2011, we'd only had about 6,000 pageviews. Our pageviews have more than doubled in the last three months!! And honestly, I want to honor you guys for that by providing quality interviews, author features, etc. for you to read on a regular basis. So I am truly sorry for missing the self-imposed deadlines I've given myself for this blog.

Which leads me to the second reason I'm posting today...a promise. I'm making a promise to you right now. I will do better in the future. If you continue checking my page out and sharing the link on your social site of choice or telling your friends about it...I promise to be more regular. I promise to provide some of the best interviews with the coolest authors and celebrities around. I've already got three or four fantastic interviews lined up (including another interview with Destination Truth's Erin Ryder!). So for now, just bear with me. Be patient. Continue spreading the word about me (I'm hoping to have 30,000 page views by April). And I'll strive to entertain you and introduce you to the best books, authors, and celebrities imaginable.

Deal?

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Oh, and as for those links, here they are:

http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Dodge-Dalton-Oblivion-ebook/dp/B006ZFE1SG/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_3

http://www.amazon.com/Curse-One-Eyed-Jack-Hollows-Mystery/dp/B006YCMZ5Q/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1327225884&sr=1-1

A (sorta) Review of Tim Powers' ON STRANGER TIDES

2012-01-05T00:10:00.003-05:00

I don't know about you, but I loved the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. All of them. Granted, there were some I liked more than others. But for the most part, they just excited that kid inside me who always wanted to be Errol Flynn, swashbuckling my way to adventure. And it recently struck me as odd that there just aren't that many pirate books available to read. Oh, I'd read Captain Blood back when I was in high school and loved it. Also read Michael Crichton's PIRATE LATITUDES...and WOW, if you've not read it, I can't recommend it enough. But to my knowledge, that was just about it when it came to great pirate novels. And, just as I had done with my own novel PRIMAL THIRST (for those who don't know how Primal Thirst came into existence, it started one night after watching an episode of Destination Truth. I thought to myself that someone should write a book similar to that show and when I realized no one had, I decided to write one myself), I'd practically decided to write my own pirate adventure novel. Then I stumbled upon Tim Powers' ON STRANGER TIDES and all my delusions of being able to write a great pirate book flew out the window. After all, why bother? Honestly, I don't think anyone could ever write a pirate novel to rival it.

But wait, you might be saying...wasn't one of the Pirate's of the Caribbean movies subtitled "On Stranger Tides"? And I would respond, "Why yes, my astute reader...yes, it was." And it's not by accident either. You see, someone at Disney had apparently read this awesome book and was wise enough to jump on the movie rights. Unfortunately, another no-to-so wise visionary at Disney decided, "Hey, we've already got a series of pirate movies...why not just throw in the On Stranger Tides movie rights into a script for a Depp movie? Don't get me wrong...while many were disappointed with the fourth installment of the movie series, I enjoyed it. However, upon reading the book...well, let's just say I'm not much of a fan of that particular movie any more. Let me share why.

First, here's the product description of the book:

Aboard the Vociferous Carmichael puppeteer John Chandagnac is sailing toward Jamaica to claim his stolen birthright from an unscrupulous uncle when the vessel is captured . . . by pirates! Offered a choice by Captain Phil Davies to join their seafaring band or die, Chandagnac assumes the name John Shandy and a new life as a brigand. But more than swashbuckling sea battles and fabulous plunder await the novice buccaneer on the roiling Caribbean waters—for treachery and powerful vodun sorcery are coins of the realm in this dark new world. And for the love of beautiful, magically imperiled Beth Hurwood, Shandy will set sail on even stranger tides, following the savage, ghost-infested pirate king Blackbeard and a motley crew of the living and the dead to the cursed nightmare banks of the fabled Fountain of Youth.

Sounds amazing, right? Perhaps some similarities with ALL the Pirates of the Caribbean (POTC) movies? [There's a reason for this, which I'll explain shortly.] Well, there's a great deal of differences between this book and the POTC of the same name. First of all, it's just so much better. Ha! How do I even begin to express the differences in awesomeness here?

Well, let me start by getting a little more specific on the plot of the book. Basically, this crazy Oxford professor has been driven insane by the death of his wife...so what does he do? He travels to the New World...to a place where magic still exists...to discover a means to bring his love back to life. While there, he makes a pact with a certain infamous pirate with a thick, black beard (and smoking tinder matches in it) and they devise a plan to set out to find the Fountain of Youth. But this fountain doesn't grant the drinker the ability to stop aging...it's a place where the dead and the living come together.

Along the way, a young French lad with a hard to pronounce name is traveling to the islands in search of revenge against an uncle who had swindled his father. He doesn't exactly make it there right away as the ship on which he is a passenger, is attacked by a blood-thirsty group of pirates. Long story short, the hard-to-pronounce Frenchman's name is changed to an easy John Shandy, and he is forced to join the merry band of buccaneers! The crazy professor, Blackbeard, and Shandy's group of pirates end up going to the Florida coast to search for the Fountain (a place where Blackbeard has been once before...which caused him to become infested by ghosts) and the adventure really takes off.

One of things that I loved about this book was Powers' use of magic...or vodun (voodoo). It plays a very major role in the story and is handled beautifully. Everyone...from the ghost-infested Blackbeard to the lowliest of cabin boys...practices it. They have to...in order to survive.

Now, as a fan of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files I can tell you that there is nothing more important when writing about some sort of magic than having very specific guidelines and laws in which those magicks actually work. Powers does a masterful job of showing how vodun works...and it's connection with spirit beings, iron, blood, and sea water (which by the way, is amazingly creative!!). He ties all this together to make a very believable method in which his pirates can: A) control the minds of their enemies, B) burn the pants off of a pirate who ogles your wife, or C) (my personal favorite) zombifying some undead pirates to crew your ghostly ship.

That's right...you heard me. We're talking full, dead-on (heh heh...pun not intended, but funny nonetheless) zombie pirate crews. And I'm not talking AMC's The Walking Dead zombies either...I'm talking the more traditional voodoo-type zombies...stitched up mouths and clothes, non-flesh-eating, automatons. But spooky as all get out if you actually saw them.

There's so much more to tell about why this book is pure, unadulterated awesome...but where do I even begin? The great sea battles? The ghost pirate ships that are raised from the depths? The romance between Shandy and his lady love? Sword fights? Zombies? Sheesh...I could go on and on.

So instead, let me get back to my statement of why there may not be as much of a coincidence as one might think in regards to the Tim Powers' masterpiece of piratey literature and the entire POTC movie franchise as a whole. The connection? Simple...the single most awesome computer game to ever sail the Seven Seas. I am, of course, talking about the classic point-and-click 90s adventure game of hilariousness...THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND.

Don't know it? Well, it all starts with a young lad by the name of Guybrush Threepwood (um, yeah...he gets ridiculed for that name as often as you might expect throughout the game series). Young Guybrush sums up the entire plot of the series with the very first words he utters: "I want to be a pirate." Now in order to see his dreams fulfilled, young Guybrush has to brave the Caribbean islands in a showdown against the dreaded Ghost Pirate LeChuck...in order to save the love of his life, the beautiful governor of Melee Island.

Um, but what does this game have to do with either the book or the movie series? Simple. The creator of the game was a HUGE fan of Tim Powers' book. As a matter of fact, the game itself was inspired by On Stranger Tides. Many of the game's themes and story lines come straight from the book. Well, at some point, someone decided they wanted to turn The Secret of Monkey Island into a movie, so a script was written. A few years go by and the movie is eventually dropped. But the script writer for Monkey Island goes on to pen the script for...you guessed it, the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. And he openly admits to using portions of his Monkey Island script for POTC. So there you have it...the connection and why they're all so similar.

And you now also know why I entitled this blog post "A (SORTA) Review..." In a nutshell, if you love pirates or swashbuckling or adventure...or even the POTC movies, you owe it to yourself to read this book. It far exceeds anything ever put on film and really far exceeds even my own vast imagination. Truth be told, I wish I'd written it....but an even more difficult truth to admit is, I never could have. It's just too amazing for my own meager talents. Kudos to Tim Powers. This is probably one of my all time favorite books...plain and simple.

A Review of Lincoln Child's TERMINAL FREEZE

2011-12-20T16:18:00.002-05:00

Okay. So it's not a shocker that I'm a huge Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child fan. I talk about them all the time on this blog. But I'm much more of a FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast fan than anything. The enigmatic investigator has all the essential qualities I look for in an awesome protagonist. So, I'll admit...it's been difficult to branch out and read the Preston and Child books (both their co-authored and solo books) that don't have him in them.

But I'm happy to say it's becoming much easier as I slowly make my way through their backlists of books though. As a matter of fact, I've not read a single of one of their books sans Pendergast that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. A few months ago, I shared a review of Lincoln Child's DEEP STORM and told you how much I loved it and that was the beginning of my marathon readfest of all their books (a marathon I'm still working on...hey, I'm a publisher and a writer too...I don't have a lot of time to read!). Well, today's review is probably--in my humble opinion--the BEST solo written thriller of all them. I am, as the title states, talking about Lincoln Child's TERMINAL FREEZE.

To start, let me just post the book's back cover blurb so you'll get a feel for what the book's about and so I don't have to re-invent the wheel:

A breathtaking discovery at the top of the world… A terrifying collision of modern science and Native American legend… The electrifying new thriller from bestselling author Lincoln Child.

Alaska's Federal Wildlife Zone is one of the most dangerous and inhospitable places on Earth. For paleoecologist Evan Marshall, an expedition to the Zone offers an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study the mounting effects of climate change. But once there Marshall and his intrepid team make an astonishing discovery: an enormous prehistoric animal encased in solid ice. Despite repeated warnings from the local village, and the Marshall's own mounting concern, the expedition sponsors want the creature cut from the ice, thawed, and revealed on a live television spectacular…But then the creature disappears and an ancient horror is unleashed.

I don't think, for anyone familiar with either Preston or Child, that it will come as a major spoiler for me to say that the creature cut from the ice is a monster and that it begins to systematically kill everyone on the expedition. Essentially, some type of evolutionary aberration was flash frozen millions of years ago. The perfect timing plus the perfect environment plus the perfect weather equals the perfect killing machine that awakens to wreak terror on those who disturb its slumber.

That's pretty much par the course for these kind of books. And as a matter of fact, TERMINAL FREEZE is, as has been lamented in several of the reader reviews on Amazon, startling similarities with the original Preston/Child monster book...RELIC. But Child doesn't even attempt to conceal these similarities. On the contrary...he embraces it. I know this because he goes to great lengths to explain the Callisto Effect...a theory postulated by Dr. Frock in RELIC that states that every so often along the evolutionary ladder, an aberration is created to thin out the herd (so to speak). The creature from RELIC was supposed to be one such mutation. And so, is the creature from TERMINAL FREEZE.

Now, as you might imagine, some people find this to be unimaginative and unoriginal. Some (so-called) fans, according to their reviews on Amazon, find it deplorable. I, personally, couldn't disagree with their opinions more. First of all, if you forget that such a book as RELIC exists, you've got yourself one rip-roaring awesome read in its own right. But including the RELIC universe in this book just makes things even better. And I'll be honest with you here...while reading TERMINAL FREEZE, I couldn't help getting the impression that Child had remembered all the little "weak spots" of RELIC and corrected them in this book. In my opinion, it has everything that was good about RELIC (minus Aloysius Pendergast, of course) and none of its weaknesses. I'll be very frank with you here...there were times when I would set the book down from a period of reading where my muscles were literally sore from being so tense. There were scenes in it that I would merely shake my head, smile, and say, "Wow. That really was amazing."

Truth be told...I find myself increasingly jealous with Lincoln Child. I wish I'd thought of this idea. Wish my execution of a story was as brilliant as this. Look, here it is in a nutshell....whether you're a long time fan or just looking for something exciting and fun to read, you should definitely pick this book up. If you're not hyper-critical of the similarities with other works within the Preston/Child universe, I promise you'll love it. It's a strong, tight story. The research appears to be top notch (as usual). And you will literally be on the edge of your seat while reading it (images of the ice road trucking scenes come to mind as I write this).

Oh, and the inclusion of Child's own enigmatic paranormal researcher Jeremy Logan is an added plus. I honestly can't wait to read more stories about Logan. He definitely as some fantastic potential!

Anyway, this Christmas season, let your mind drift up to the Yukon, take in the blood red northern lights, and try not to be eaten by a monster with the grin of a Cheshire cat.

Here's a link for ya!

A Christian Author's Identity Crisis: To Write Christian Fiction or Not…

2011-12-17T03:07:00.002-05:00

[NOTE: Be sure to read all the way to the end to discover a way to receive a free e-copy of one of my books.]

The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is probably the single most influential piece of literature to have shaped me as both a person and an author. And what many people may not know about Tolkien is that he was a very devout Christian. As a matter of fact, he and C.S. Lewis would spend hours at their local pub, not only discussing their latest literary masterpieces, but theology as well.

Lewis went on to write one of the most amazing (and critically acclaimed) pieces of Christian fiction with his Chronicles of Narnia…an unapologetic allegory of the major tenets of Christianity with Aslan the Lion representing Christ in no uncertain terms. Tolkien, on the other hand, became famous for his epic fantasy series made even more popular in recent years by Peter Jackson's film franchise (as if its popularity needed to any assistance). But where Lewis made no bones about his work being Christian in nature, Tolkien adamantly denied any intentional use of Christian allegory in his own work.

If you think about it, that's rather hard to believe. I mean, take a few minutes to consider the over-arching story of The Lord of the Rings. I could list reason after reason why LOTR is Christian (Heck, the title of the third book of the series says it all: The Return of the King…is the event that Christians everywhere have been waiting for since the resurrection of Christ). But I'm not going to try to prove the Christian allegories of The Lord of the Rings simply because the author himself denies that they are even there. If Tolkien says he didn't write a Christian allegory with his series, then who am I to contradict it? Besides, that's not what this blog post is all about.

I write all this to segue into the actual topic I wanted to talk about this week…one of identity. Especially the identity of an author, who happens to be a Christian. And hopefully, a very devout one. I am, of course, talking about myself and my own journey as an author and the continuing search for my Writer's Identity with the context of my own faith.

But first, a little background about myself. It should come as no great surprise for anyone who follows my blog on a regular basis that I'm unashamedly a Christian…a staunch follower of Jesus Christ. I've been a Christian since I was seven years old and have been active in church regularly since my mom brought me home from the hospital (this is not to say that I've blindly accepted my faith. On the contrary, as an adult, I've carefully considered my beliefs and the tenets of other religions, and found the reality of Christ to be true). Eventually, I felt led to go into full-time Christian ministry. So, I went to seminary and received my Master's Degree in Biblical Studies.

But after seminary, I ran into a problem. What the heck was my ministry supposed to be? Growing up, I was led to believe that there were only three types of ministries a person could do and make a living at it: pastor, youth minister, and music minister. I'm a gifted teacher. My preaching is engaging. But to be honest, I knew I would make a very poor pastor or youth minister (I'm not the most sympathetic person in the world). And I can't sing a lick, so music ministry was out. Eventually, I did find my place in evangelistic ministry…teaching other Christians how to disciple people. But even that never felt like God's ultimate mission for my life. I kept searching…searching for that ministry God had for me. The very purpose for my life.

And then, I discovered my passion for writing. I soon began pursuing the dream of becoming a professional author. But there was just one problem. One dilemma that I couldn't quite get a handle on…

You see, during my twenties and thirties, I read voraciously. But my selection of books were rather exclusive. For the most part, I had read nothing but what is considered to be Christian Fiction. Authors such as Jerry Jenkins, Frank Peretti, and Ted Dekker had become my staple. To me, just like in ministry, there were only two types of writers…Christian or secular. It never occurred to me (at the time) that an author could be either or neither. And so, as I decided I wanted to pursue my writing dream, I had to decide whether it would be part of my "ministry" or whether it would be a more secular avenue of expression.

To be honest, I almost felt horribly guilty for even considering the possibility of not writing Christian literature. After all, I had gone to seminary. I was called to full time Christian ministry. And I discovered a passion and a talent that no doubt came from God Himself. So was it even right for me to even consider not writing Christian fiction? Don't get me wrong…my guilt did not come from God. I had the distinct impression from the very beginning that He wouldn't mind either way as long as I did everything I could to give Him the glory. No, the guilt came from my associations…my fellow Christians…my brothers and sisters in Christ. For some reason, I just felt like I would be really letting them down if I pursued a secular writing career.

And so, I set out to write my first piece of Christian literature. A tale about a wisecracking cryptozoologist who travels the world hunting monsters. Really? A Christian adventure novel? With monsters? It made no sense to me. I mean, there's nothing wrong with a good Christian adventure, but as the story progressed, something just didn't feel right. I was straining to find the Christian "message" as my fingers blazed over the keyboard with a fun, energetic story. I struggled to teach deep theological truths as Jack was being chased by a bunch of blood-feeding monsters. I had difficulty, not because this subject matter was necessarily contradictory to Christian theology, but rather because…I simply wanted to tell a fun, simple story that would make people laugh and cringe and stay up late at night.

It was then that I understood Tolkien's dilemma. A story must remain true to itself. A story is a story for its own sake and not for any message that could be implanted within its words.

Strangely, one of the so-called Christian authors I mentioned above--Ted Dekker--helped me to figure that out. You see, Dekker is a Christian author who specializes in knuckle-whitening thrillers that leave you tense and sweating and afraid to look outside of your covers at night. With books containing deranged serial killers, sadistic hit men, and evil personified, his stuff can be dark. Definitely suspenseful. And very very rarely do his books ever have any mention of Christ or the Bible or anything typically Christian in them. But what everyone of his books have in common is the age old struggle of good versus evil...with good always overcoming in the end.

Through Dekker's influence, as well as my own reflections on the topic, I came to realize an important truth about ministry and being both a Christian and a writer. None of those things have to be mutually exclusive, yet they also do not necessarily have to co-exist either. By this, I mean, I'm a Christian. And I'm an author. And I do consider my writing career to be part of my ministry. But it doesn't mean that my books necessarily have to always be filled with biblical truth or Christian messages.

Some of you may have noticed my evolution as an author within my three currently-released novels. Primal Thirst, as is noted by more than a few reviews, definitely contained a stronger Christian message than Sirens' Song (though I'm proud to say that even the more negative all agree that it wasn't "too preachy"). The Curse of One-Eyed Jack had even less than Siren's Song. But some people may be caught off guard when they read my upcoming THE DJINN, because it will probably have the strongest Christian influence of all.

So, which is it? Is Kent Holloway trying to brand himself as a Christian author or as an author who just happens to be a Christian?

The answer to this is easy, but definitely not simple…yes. In recent months, I've discovered that there should not be a distinction. When writing a story, my first obligation is to my convictions (meaning, I can never write something that uplifts a tenet my belief system says is wrong) and my second obligation is to the story itself. "Ministry" follows after story. Which means that my Christian worldview will always be present in my stories (i.e. no foul language; no explicit sex scenes; and I will never uphold the theory of evolution (FYI, I believe cryptozoology, as mentioned in my stories, better serves to establish the fallacy of evolution…but that's another blog post entirely)), but my stories may or may not be Christian, in and of themselves.

In short, the stories themselves dictate whether they are "Christian" or not. For instance, The Djinn almost has to deal with Christianity by its very nature simply because it takes place in Jerusalem during the Crusades. The question of religion of God versus relationship with God is vital to any discussion of the darkest times in Christian history. The role of the Church in the people's lives or the potential for deceit that comes when the Bible isn't readily available for the people to read would be integral in that discussion as well. But don't worry…even when the story itself lends itself to a deeper theological dialogue, I must still remain true to the story. And The Djinn story is first and foremost a swashbuckling adventure in the tradition of such tales as The Shadow or Batman. It's full of pulpy goodness…not depressing social commentary (another characteristic of my writing…I'll always lean to pulpy goodness over social commentary any day of the week).

So, to sum up…though some may always find elements of my faith within my stories, each tale will dictate on how "Christian" it is. I don't identify myself as a Christian author, but rather an adventure-mystery author (who happens to be Christian). It will always be my greatest priority to thrill and chill my readers with fun, adrenaline-pounding stories rather than disguising a sermon around a mediocre tale.

So, that being said…what's this about receiving free ebooks? Well, it occurred to me that some of you may have never read one of my books before. Perhaps you've seen some of the reviews about the "Christianity" involved (though there hasn't really been that many complaints). Or perhaps you've just never had a good enough reason to give one of my books a try. Well, here's your chance!!!

I'm giving away ten free copies of your choice of PRIMAL THIRST, SIRENS' SONG, or THE CURSE OF ONE-EYED JACK. This offer is for the ebook editions only. To win, simply email me at kholloway@sevenrealmspublishing.com with the subject heading "Blog Contest" and include your book of choice. I will send you a code to Smashwords for a free ecopy of the book you've chosen. This will be a first come, first serve contest. Enjoy!
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Coming Soon!
Oh, and FYI, be on the lookout for TWO new book reviews coming up in the next week or so. I'll be doing a book review on Lincoln Child's TERMINAL FREEZE, as well as Tim Powers' ON STRANGER TIDES. These are two books that I definitely think you should become familiar with...so I want to tell you why.

The Story of Christmas...A SHEPHERD'S TALE

2011-12-06T02:00:00.002-05:00

I look at Him…I look at my King...

I sit on the side of the hill and watch as they prepare His body for proper Jewish burial. One of His followers has asked for permission to bury the body in his very own tomb. I watch as they anoint His horribly tattered body with spices and perfumes, then quickly begin wrapping Him tight with a linen cloth. Then, as they somberly carry His body away, I remember another time and realize…that’s twice I’ve seen that man swaddled like that.

The first time was…oh, thirty-odd years ago or so…I was only a hired hand at the time…a shepherd in name only. Just a young kid really. An orphan. Angry at the world. I had no future and really didn’t care either. My entire existence consisted pretty much of doing as little work possible, making as much money as I could, and blowing every dime I made on whatever pleasures I could afford.

That was the life of a hired shepherd. That was my life. Hope was a foreign word to me…but then, except for the traditions of my Jewish ancestry…so was God.

I was working in Bethlehem at the time…Bethlehem is where He was born. Why Bethlehem? I would often ask myself years afterwards…why? It made no since for Him to be born there.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen Bethlehem…if you blinked as you walked by, you just might miss it. It’s only about 5 miles south of here. Just a tiny insignificant village compared to the splendor of this great city where they are laying Him to rest.

Its name, by the way, means “House of Bread”. If you’ve heard any of His teachings, you might have heard Him say something that I’ve always found ironic…"I am the Bread of Life," He’d say.

Bethlehem was also the birthplace of our greatest King…David. As a young man, he had been a shepherd…just like me. Only, he had a lot more hope than I ever did. Of course, he lived his life to serve God…while I, on the other hand, only lived to serve myself.

What I’m about to tell you is going to seem daft. Insane, in fact. You probably won’t believe me. Frankly, if you don’t, my feelings won’t be hurt…what matters is that I know it’s true. You'll either accept what I’m about to tell you…or you won’t. If you choose not to believe…well, I’ll just pray that you do. It’s that important. Deciding whether you believe me or not will be the most important decision you will ever make in your life...because depending on how you feel about this story will determine how you respond to what’s going to happen next.

The other shepherds and I were finishing our watch. It was late September and the season for herding was almost finished. Heh heh…I can remember my friend, Jacob, talking about how he couldn’t wait to get our flock penned so we could head into town for a night on the town. It’s funny how our plans never seem to work out where God is concerned.

Anyway, we were just preparing to head back to the pens when the most remarkable thing happened. A light exploded in the sky…so blinding…so pure. All I could think about was how filthy I appeared to be in that light. Every speck of dirt on my body seemed to shine. I felt embarrassed…which is strange ‘cause shepherds weren’t known as the cleanest people in Judea anyway. But the light seemed deeper…it seemed to penetrate the very core of my soul…revealing the filth of my heart. I felt naked…stark naked before the Most High and I was utterly ashamed!

The light subsided somewhat and out of that light walked a man…well, he wasn’t a man actually. We could tell that right from the start. But it's hard to say exactly what it was. But it was big…I mean really BIG. Its robes were the whitest white I’ve ever seen and its face shown like a bronze fire. Muscles and sinews rippled under the robe…its hands grasped the hilt of a huge broad sword at its side. Its eyes blazed with fire illuminating a face that was as beautiful as the dawn. I knew at that moment what I was looking at…it was a messenger from the Most High! It was an angel.

Not a single one of us could contain our fear. Like a vast tidal wave, the fear knocked us to the ground, trembling in terror like little children afraid of the dark. Covering our faces, we tried to cry out for the creature to leave us alone…but our words wouldn’t come. The only sound from my mouth was the whimpering of terror.

And with the sweetest sounding voice I’ve ever heard and a small grin curling upon its lips, the angel spoke. Heh heh…I’ll never forget what it said as long as I live.

First of all, it tells us not to be afraid…it had something to tell us. Can you imagine? This heavenly messenger from the Most High…standing before a bunch of cowering shepherds…and saying basically, Relax! Needless to say, the angel's exhortations not to be afraid didn’t have much sway over us.

It continued speaking and the strangest thing happened. As the angel spoke its message to us, a great peace swept through my very being. I no longer felt afraid as I listened to its intoxicating voice…on the contrary, the more it spoke, the more joy filled my heart! Joy, as I had never felt in my whole life. It was as if every fear…every doubt…every failure I had experienced in my life simply vanished. Soon, I was able to concentrate on its words.

This is what the angel said to us: “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

Then, the night exploded with light once more and literally thousands upon thousands of angels filled the night’s sky. The Shakina Glory of God permeated every inch of sky with its light and with one voice, the angels praised the Most High with the sweetest sound I have ever heard. Not exactly singing. Not exactly speaking. Not exactly music at all, really...but something beyond. Something grander. Something much more magnificent.

And just as suddenly as they had appeared…they were gone. Night had turned to day and then back into night again. We were alone…our limbs still shaking. Our minds racing. We were completely alone again to ponder this strange and wonderful news. We all sat there in silence. Still stunned at what just happened. We had all heard the stories of the heroes of the Torah being visited by such beings…but honestly, who ever believed that they were true?

After several long moments, the stunned silence gave way to whispers from the other shepherds. “What does this mean?” someone asked. We all knew the prophecies. We, like most Israelites, had all known the legends of the Messiah…but just as with the angels, we had begun to believe it was only the tales of old wives. After all, it had been nearly 500 years since God had sent a prophet to our people. I, for one, had practically given up on God and resigned to the belief in no God at all.

But now…now what? Did this mean that the Messiah had been born? And why here? Why in Bethlehem? It made no sense at all.

Still, our curiosity got the better of us. We hurriedly placed the sheep in the pens and ran into the city. We began our frantic search for this phantom child in the heart of the town, but no matter where we looked, we couldn’t find Him. Our hearts began racing. Our pace quickened as the realization of what all this implied began playing out in our minds!

The King had come! That meant that God would soon establish His kingdom upon the earth! The Romans would be expelled from Israel and His children would be the rulers over all the earth!

This was what kept going through my mind as I raced through the city.

But something wasn’t right. If the Messiah had been born, we expected the streets to be packed with people…praising God, hailing the King, and smothering His family with tribute and praise…but nothing out of the ordinary was seen.

We began asking everyone we met if they knew where the King was. No one had any idea what we were talking about. No matter who we asked…we received the same answer. It was as if we were the only people who knew!

But that made no sense! Why would we be the only ones that God chose to tell? Why not those much more important than us? The priests? Or the Pharisees? Where was the pomp? Where was the fuss?

Soon, after scouring the town and not finding the child, we began to wonder if it had all been some wild joke played on us by…God only knew who.

After searching for more than three hours, we had pretty much given up the dim light of hope that had snuck into our hearts. Hanging our head in dejection, we began to make our way out of the town and back to our homes.

As we trudged toward the gates of the city, we stopped in our tracks as we heard a muffled cry. A cry of an infant it sounded to us…but where had it come from? It sounded as if it had come from a small cave used by merchants and travelers to house their beasts. Why would a child be in there?

Still, our curiosity got the best of us. Slowly, we inched our way to the entrance of the cave…and there, near a small fire, sat a young girl (she couldn’t have been older than 15) and a man a bit older. The girl was looking at something lying inside a feeding trough. I watched in silence and then jumped slightly as I noticed the “something in the trough” move! It was a child! “You will find Him, lying in a manger…” I remembered. This was He who we’d come searching for!

I looked from the child and to the mother again. The stable was dark, but for the light of the fire, but unless my eyes played tricks on me, the mother was wearing the wrong clothes! She was wearing the royal blue tunic worn by virgins in waiting…not the typical garb of a nursing mother!

That made no sense to me either…but then, the more I discovered about the whole episode, the more questions came to my mind.

Suddenly, the mother looked up at us with a start. She must have heard one of our gasps. The girl and man sat in silence at our intrusion. They showed no fear of us…yet, seemed beside themselves as to what to make of our presence. She looked back at her child with eyes full of love and wonder…then back at us. And as if suddenly knowing why we were there, she motioned for us to come in and see the child.

I couldn’t move. All of a sudden, my limbs were frozen in place and I shook…tears poured from eyes that had been dry for too long. Long, hard sobs escaped my throat as I looked at that child…my King!

The feeling I had when I felt so exposed in the light of God was the same as when I stood in this Child’s presence. I wasn’t worthy to stand before this child. My soul was so putrid…decomposing...compared to the purity of this baby! Every sin I had ever committed raced through my mind and once again, I felt ashamed. But something was different in this experience. In this child’s presence, despite the obviousness of my filth, I felt safe…I felt at peace…like everything was going to be alright.

Something inside me changed instantly at that moment. I no longer cared about my future. No longer did I care about the future of Israel or concerned myself with whether this child would one day rule all the earth! No longer did I care about my meager problems at all. No…I remember distinctly thinking that this child was the most important thing in all of creation…not because of what He would do for me…for us…but for the very nature of Who He was.

All of my life, I had lived without hope. All my life, I had lived for myself. All my life, I had felt that God had abandoned me. And with one glimpse of that baby…it all vanished. Now, the only thing inside me was joy like I had never felt before.

After spending some time there, praising God and worshiping, the other shepherds and I left…but only for a little while. Our joy threatened to explode inside us unless we released some of it into the world! We began running through the streets shouting that the King had been born! We began telling everyone we saw that the Messiah was among us! We laughed as giddy little girls as we ran up and down the streets, shouting and proclaiming this wonderful news to anyone who’d listen!

Unfortunately, no one believed us. Some claimed that we had consumed too much wine or that we'd simply spent too much time in the desert sun. Most simply called us liars or feared that we were up to some kind of con.

In all fairness, these opinions of us were all quite understandable…

Hired shepherds were NOT the most respectable people in the world. I’ll be honest…we deserved our extremely foul reputation. We were dishonest by nature…we were scoundrels, brawlers, gamblers, drunkards…and anything else negative you could imagine.

The people naturally asked the same questions that we, ourselves, had been pondering since first being visited by the angels…why us?

Then, I realized something. This revelation couldn’t have possibly come from anyone but God…but I knew exactly WHY He had chosen to reveal to us the birth of the King and no one else!

We were exactly the kind of people that the Messiah had come into the world for! The downtrodden. The unseemly. The destitute, wicked, and sad. It was for me and those like me that He had come! So in that light, who else would He have chosen to reveal the good news to? After all, does a physician present himself to the healthy or the sick?

I beamed from ear to ear with this epiphany. Oh, how wonderful and sweet it tasted on my lips as I began running back to the stable to be with my King! How marvelous the joy that pumped through my veins.

The Latter Years

The rest of the shepherds and I attended to our King’s and His family’s needs for a little over a year. Every chance we got, we’d leave our flock to spend time with Him…providing whatever services we could afford them.

Then, one day, they were visited by several viziers and philosophers from some far off land to the east. These men had seen a glorious star in the heavens and had followed it to the house my Lord's family were renting by that time. Like us, these...these wise men knew. They knew exactly who this child was and like us, they bowed down and worshiped him. It was a glorious few nights as we all broke bread and basked in this child's glory. But the morning after these nobles left my King, my brothers and I arrived at their home to find it empty. Abandoned.

Soon after that, Herod, in jealousy and fear, had all the young boys who were two-years-old or younger…killed. Slaughtered. I'll never forget that cold dark day, nor the cries of anguish that filled the air. On that day, blood ran through the streets and the wails of mothers throughout Bethlehem is said to have been heard all the way to Jerusalem.

It was then that I realized my King was taken somewhere far away to keep Him safe.

I didn’t see my King again until about three years ago. I had always wondered what had become of Him and every year, I expected news of His kingdom…but that news never came.

Then, I began hearing tales of a prophet like no other wandering the towns of Judea and Galilee. He was said to be able to cure the worst of illnesses! He gave sight to the blind. He gave hearing to the deaf. And in some cases, He even gave LIFE to the dead.

I knew immediately who it was and I quickly sold the few sheep I had accumulated over the years and raced to find Him yet again!

I found Him in a small fishing village of Capernaum. As soon as He saw me, He smiled and motioned me forward. It was as if He remembered me…although I have no idea how. He even called me by name!

From that moment on, I became one of about seventy disciples that traveled with Him and learned from Him so much. You wouldn’t believe the things that I’ve seen Him do. But even more so, you couldn’t imagine the joy and peace that came from just being in His presence.

"So, what now?" you might ask. You’re wondering what I’ll do now that my King is gone. No one really knows for sure. Only God knows His own business, but…heh heh…I believe the others have it so wrong. He told us what was to come…but they, being so young, never really listened. They didn’t hear what He told them about this very day. But I did.

Everyone thinks the Romans forced the Messiah upon that cross. People think they’re the ones who drove those nails into His wrists and feet. But I’ve got news for them. The only reason the King was on that cross was because that’s exactly where He came to earth to be. It was His intended destination from that very first, glorious day!

The others have forgotten the Prophet…they have forgotten what the Prophet said about our King…but I haven’t:

He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 53:2-11 (NIV)

Sound familiar? It should. You had a part in its fulfillment …we all did.

And did you catch that last part of the prophecy? “After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied…” Heh heh…No, if you asked me what I’m going to do now, my answer may surprise you. Now, I think I’ll wait for my King…this I know more than anything I’ve ever known before…you mark my words…you haven’t heard the LAST of the man called Jesus of Nazareth.

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I wrote this with one thing in mind...as we celebrate this wonderful time of year...as we enjoy each other's company and exchange wonderful gifts, just remember that that small child laying in that rickety old manger was God in the flesh. Infinite God in the wrapping paper of a delicate, finite infant. The prelude to the ultimate gift. The gift of salvation. Of forgiveness. Given to us in LOVE. There is nothing greater. When that small child entered into our world, it was for one purpose and one purpose alone...to hang upon that old rugged cross...for me...and for you. And thank God for that!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Author Paul Byers asks "Where do they come from?" [And a contest!]

2011-12-05T17:18:00.002-05:00

This week will be kind of busy on the ol' blog...I'll be posting at least two posts this week. The first one (today) will feature a guest spot from author Paul Byers which also includes a contest for free ebooks! The second post will be finished later on in the week and will be a special Christmas edition of Kent Holloway Online! I'm definitely excited about it and I'm really hoping you'll enjoy it as much as I have in preparing it.

That being said, let's move on to the main event on today's post! I've featured Paul Byers before on this blog. He's an exceptionally talented author and hope you'll give him a warm welcome to our blog here as he throws out some fantastic bits of insight into the origin of...well, tell you what...I'll let Paul take over from here. Enjoy! [Oh, and be sure to read to the end where Paul tells you how you can win some free ebooks!]

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WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?
(and no, we’re not talking about babies)

Rather than make this a technical “How to…” post about writing, editing or marketing, this will be a little more general and laid back. So grab your cup of coffee (there’s a Starbucks on every corner here in Washington) and prepare to go inside the mind of a madman and see how he thinks; but remember, you’ve been warned!

Probably the number one question I get asked is “Where do you get all your story ideas from?” The answer to that question is as varied as the people who ask it. As a thriller writer, with my roots in sci-fi, I am always keeping my eyes and ears open for that little spark that will jump start my imagination.

An idea can come from many different places and can be used to fit many genres. I’ll give you a couple of examples. I read a newspaper article about how scientists discovered unexplained red algae underneath a melting glacier. Well the sci-fi part of my brain jumped all over that. Mars is called the red planet, so maybe the algae under the glacier was the same stuff that’s on Mars and now that it’s been freed from its ice prison, it will start to take over the planet like it did on Mars. Will it turn the earth red, coving it with a strange vegetation that will choke out everything, including us?

A simple phrase can also spark the imagination; take the term, Dream Catcher. We’ve all seen these intricately woven Native American pieces of art that are designed to work in the spirit world and keep nightmares away. But what if they were real? What if someone had unlocked their secrets and could use them to catch good dreams? He could then sell the good dreams to make people happy, but on the flip side, he could catch the bad dreams and sell them to those who wanted to terrorize their enemies.

Suppose a mad scientist (why are they always mad anyway?) discovered a way to manipulate someone’s dreams so that person couldn’t tell if they were awake or asleep? Does the movie The Matrix or Inception sound a little familiar here? Who knows, are we living in our reality or in someone else’s?

There’s a little exercise I use when I give lectures at the high school for their Creative Writing class. I hold up a picture of a spaceship that’s orbiting above the Earth. I then ask the kids what they see. It’s an exercise not to test what their eyes see, but to test what their mind sees.

Is the ship just arriving or about to leave? Who built it? Is it from an alien race here to help us or to invade us? If we built the ship, is it man’s greatest achievement, ready to explore brave new worlds and to boldly go where no man has gone before? Or is it a warship ready to conquer a neighboring planet? The possibilities are endless!

Though I primarily write action / thrillers, like I said earlier, almost any story idea can be used for different genres, take for example the idea I used above about the Dream Catcher. Yes it would make a great thriller, but how about a love story? A man is obsessed with the loss of his wife and is capturing the dreams of everyone who knew her to make a “living dream album” from them. Touching, but what if we throw in a twist, maybe the process is killing the donors. It could be turned into a paranormal / horror thriller if the bad guy uses it to bring out evil dreams or spirits and he wants to unleash them on the world for revenge for the loss of his wife.

Same thing with the spaceship example. Instead of a military or action adventure, a rich gazillionare builds the ship to go after his wife who was abducted by aliens and...poof, instant love story. If done right, and it can be done, maybe the ship is full of space vampires who are here to take over the earth and make slaves of both us and the earth vampires. (look out Bella) Maybe humans and earth vampires must make a truce to fight the space vampires; maybe a human and vampire are boyfriend-girlfriend and must make the ultimate sacrifice to stop the space suckers.

So there you have it, and as you see, ideas can come from anywhere, you just have to keep your mind open to them. I also told you the mind of a writer is a scary place. And what is even scarier is that there are a lot of us out there, writers that is, watching waiting, listening for that next great story idea. And what is the most frightening of all is that while some of you are sitting there reading this, you are feeling a knot beginning to form in the pit of your stomach (and no it’s not because of that fifth slice of pizza with the anchovies that you ate last night, shame on you) it’s the sudden and frightening realization that you might be one of us! That you finally realize that you too can do this and become a writer.

Remember, you were warned.

Paul is the author of the WWII spy thriller, Catalyst and the action adventure thriller, Arctic Fire plus he has a new compilation of short stories title, Act of God, coming out in ebook this December. All his books are available through Amazon, B&N, Nook, Kindle, Smashwords and other retailers.

To learn more about Paul and his books please visit his website at www.paulbyersonline.com

If you would like to contact Paul directly, you can at. Info.paulbyersonline@yahoo.com

CONTEST!

I’m running a contest for the launch of my latest, Act of God, a collection of short stores. Be sure to stop by my website and check out the book and enter to win lots of fabulous prizes. As a special thanks to Kent and to you, his followers, I’m running a side promotion in addition to the regular contest. For the first 6 entries I receive that has “Kent’s Contest’ in the subject box, I’ll send you a free e-copy of Act of God, plus at the end of the contest, I’ll draw two more “Kent’s Contest” entries at random for free books.

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Thanks Paul! And readers, be sure to check out Paul's site (and his books!!!). You'll be glad you did!

Wired for Sound...a Look at Audiobooks and their Awesomeness

2011-11-30T00:41:00.003-05:00


Audiobook available mid-December

For those who don't know, I'm a writer. I'm also a publisher. A book cover designer. A businessman. An editor. And a forensic death investigator (my day job). On top of that, I'm very active in church and ministry and I do try to have a social life from time to time. I'm also an avid reader. Even if I wasn't, as a writer, it's essential that I constantly read in order to improve my craft. So how in the world, with all of those activities taking up my time, do I have time to read books?

One word...um, maybe two depending on how you write it (lol)...AUDIOBOOKS.

Egads! You may be saying. To many, audiobooks are more anathema than ebooks. After all, you're not actually reading a book. You're listening to someone tell you the book. It's not really reading is it? It's sort of like...cheating. Right? Surely audiobooks can't be good. Can't be considered actual reading.

Okay. So maybe I'm exaggerating some people's reactions to the word. But you know, as well as I do, there are people out there who have those feelings. Heck...you may even be one of them. I'd say you're not alone. If there is such a vehement aversion to reading an electronic book...if the need to "feel" or "smell" or "hold" a book is so visceral as to cause people to run screaming from ebooks (that have actual words printed out to be read), I can only imagine what those same people think about audiobooks.

But I have good news! Audiobooks are okay to read. As a matter of fact, they're much more than okay...they're awesome! Honestly, after days of reading submission manuscripts or editing upcoming 7R novels, I definitely need to take a break and "read for pleasure" from time to time. But I seriously wouldn't have the time if not for them. With my day job, I do a lot of driving. I mean a lot. My most remote region of the district I cover is close to two hours away. So my audiobooks keep me entertained on the long drive there and on the long drive back again.

And trust me, you still need an imagination to "read" these books too. It's not a movie. More like an old fashioned radio drama really...though typically, there is only one actor playing all the roles and usually there are no sound effects. But oh...if you have a top notch story and a narrator that really captures the feel of the characters and story....if you find that, you've got something really special on your hands.

HOW IT WORKS

My current audiobook I'm listening to...AWESOME!

Like so many things in the ever changing world of publishing, there are plenty of misconceptions about audiobooks. So I thought I would take a minute to explain how audiobooks have been in the past and what they're evolving into now.

Audiobooks are essentially where a narrator (preferably a trained actor with a range for different voices and accents) reads a book out loud and records it. In the past, audiobook media have been cassette tapes (my first audiobook was on Cassette and was Elmore Leonard's GET SHORTY! I loved that book!!). Later, they moved to CD (which actually my preferred medium as I can easily insert it into my car's stereo and listen to it while I drove).

But the new model of audiobooks has gone the way of the music industry! Meaning, most audiobooks are downloadble as MP3 type files to be played on your electronic handheld devices of your choice (whether your phone, iPad, or even your Kindle/Nook). This is fantastic because it allows readers/listeners to listen to their audiobooks virtually anywhere (or burn them to CDs and listen to them in their car). And because there's not a physical product involved, it can be generally cheaper in cost (and probably better for the environment).

NARRATORS

Now for my next point in this discussion...narrators. This can honestly be the downfall of a particular audiobook. When you read a book in text, you only have one real criteria to worry about...is this a well-written, well-edited, well-crafted story (Okay, maybe that's three things). With an audiobook, you not only have to consider the strength of the story itself, you also are going to be rating the narrator. You see, you can have one of the best stories in the world, but if you don't have the right narrator...well, you're not going to be happy with the story.

Case in point, as you all know Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are my favorite authors ever. I've listened to ALL of their Pendergast books on audio and have especially enjoyed Rene Auberjonois' narration of those books. I know many prefer Scott Brick's narration of the same books, but I always felt that Auberjonois captured the feel of Pendergast better. That's not to say that I don't like Scott Brick too. He's an amazing narrator and love his narration of Preston and Child's non-Pendergast titles. That's why I was sorely disappointed when I discovered that the audiobook of their newest series Gideon's Sword was narrated by Lionel Luthor (from Smallville) himself...John Glover. I'm sorry...the man is extremely articulate and well-spoken, but he's just not a very good actor and he's an even worse audiobook narrator. In my opinion, he completely ruined Gideon's Sword for me. His voice just wasn't right.

So imagine my horror when I discovered that Glover was slated to narrate Jim Butcher's latest Dresden Files book Ghost Story! Oh my goodness! Could they have ever picked the wrong guy for the role. Prior to Ghost Story, the Dresden File audiobooks had all been narrated by Spike himself...James Marsters. Talk about the PERFECT person to voice Harry Dresden. Snarky. Witty. Youthful. Unlike Glover's thick, distinguished voice. He just didn't fit.

And that's what I'm talking about when I say that the one hazard to watch out for in audiobooks is the narration. It's the one pitfall. The one thing that could totally ruin an amazing experience. But if it's the right narrator...if it's the perfect voice to go with the story...wow! You have no idea what kind of an amazing experience you're about to have. Rene Auberjonois and Scott Brick offer that experience every time. So do so many others. You just have to listen and find out for yourself!

AUDIOBOOKS BY ME AND MY FRIENDS

Available mid-February 2012

So, I say all this to segue into some great news! My books will soon be available in audiobook via www.audible.com. The first audiobook that will be released will be THE CURSE OF ONE-EYED JACK (A Dark Hollows Mystery) and will be available sometime in mid-December. The narrator for this book is just amazing. She is Katherine Joan Taylor and is an accomplished actress who has roles on TV shows such as Sons of Anarchy and a number of narration gigs. I chose a female for the narrator because the primary point of view character is Kili, a female FBI Crime Analyst. Just wait until you hear how well she captures everyone's voices (including Ezekiel Crane)!

My next book to be released as an audiobook will be PRIMAL THIRST (the first book in The ENIGMA Directive series). I was extremely fortunate enough to contract Kiff VanderHeuvel to narrate. Kiff has a fantastic comic voice (he's also part of the Second City network) and is an amazing narrator, comedian, and impersonator. PRIMAL THIRST will be available in mid-February 2012.

After that, the sky's the limit. SIRENS' SONG and THE DJINN will all be contracted as audiobooks in time, as will a number of other Seven Realms titles including THE SUPERNATURALS (to be narrated by the incredibly talented Jeffrey Kafer), The Adventures of Dodge Dalton in the Shadow of Falcon's Wings, Survivor's Affair, etc.

OTHER AUDIOBOOKS

But as it just so happens, a number of my author friends (people who have been featured right here on this blog) either have audiobooks available right now or coming soon and I wanted to take a few minutes to make sure you were aware of them.

DAVID WOOD and Gryphonwood Publishing

Dave and the authors over at Gryphonwood are a staple with this blog and I would be remiss if I didn't let you know about their audiobooks. They always have fantastic stories over there, so I can only imagine their audiobooks are equally as exciting. As a matter of fact, I've recently downloaded David Wood's latest audiobook...QUEST.

Check it out here: http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B0062CWYJU&qid=1322623342&sr=1-1

Other Gryphonwood authors with audiobooks soon to be available are:

Alan Baxter's REALMSHIFT...coming soon. (check out the book here: http://www.amazon.com/RealmShift-Alan-Baxter/dp/0982508743/ref=cm_cmu_pg__header)

John E. Baylor's DEATH DEALT THE HAND...coming soon. (check out the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Dealt-Hand-John-Bailor/dp/0979573890/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322623513&sr=8-1).

And Dave has told me that all of the Gryphonwood books have deals to be made into audiobooks...so if you love their books, you're definitely in luck!

RICK CHESLER AND WIRED KINGDOM: Of course, our friend Rick Chesler has his amazing techno-thriller WIRED KINGDOM now available as an audiobook as well (Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer). You can download a copy here: http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_36?asin=B006BBGDOY&qid=1322000655&sr=1-36

Rick's sequel to WIRED KINGDOM, called KiDNApped will be available as an audiobook Spring 2012.

JIM BERNHEIMER and his CONFESSIONS OF A D-LIST SUPERVILLAIN! Jim sent me the book, but I've already downloaded this audiobook because I don't have time to read it. Can't wait to take a listen...it just seems like a fantastic and fun concept! You can download your copy here: http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B005HJK43M&qid=1322624410&sr=1-1.

And if audiobooks of the old fashioned pulpy and/or serials is more your cup of tea...have I got news for you. If you go to http://www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com/ you can find all kinds of old fashioned (and new) pulp titles available in audiobook format. Tommy Hancock, my official source for all things pulp, said of this site: "This is where our first issues of FANTASY AND FEAR, MASKED GUN MYSTERY, and PECULIAR ADVENTURES audio books done with Broken Sea Audio are and the print ones can be bought." So if pulp audiobooks are your cup of tea, you've got a fantastic resource right there.
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So...audiobooks. What do you think? What are your feelings about audiobooks? Like them? Have you ever tried them? Share with us here. Tell us your thoughts and experiences. I love hearing from you, so talk to me! :)

And once again, thank you for supporting me, my friends, and this blog.

Let Me Introduce You To...The Top Shelf

2011-11-23T03:58:00.001-05:00

One of Misty Rayburn's Top 10 Books of the year!

For this week's blog post, I'm handing the reins over to Misty Rayburn, founder of The Top Shelf website (http://www.the-top-shelf.com/) that delves into all things books! This month, authors everywhere are celebrating The Top Shelf's very first birthday and it's amazing how fast they grow up. What started out as a simple Facebook page with several loyal followers soon became a thriving website dedicated to bringing readers reviews of some of the best books you've never heard of (and several that you have). Not only does this great site review books, it features fantastic interviews, book trailers, great deals on books, and almost anything else you can think of. But what I truly appreciate about Misty and the website is her dedication to indie authors everywhere. Sure, they do focus on some big name authors out there...but The Top Shelf has done a great deal to help spread the word about authors like me, who may not be household names, but who have fun reads they want to share with the world. So, if you love books, I highly encourage you guys to check out this site on a regular basis!

Now, without further ado...I'll hand over the blog to Misty. When she asked me what she should write about for my blog, I told her that I could think of nothing more appropriate than to highlight a few of her favorite books she's featured on her blog. So, in response, she's given me her top 10 favorite books she's read this year (out of more than 50 books). So these, I'm sure, are the cream of the crop and definitely deserving of your attention! Enjoy!

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A surprise impromptu blog post from me! I’m in two places at once today while I’m hopping around on a blog tour to celebrate The Top Shelf’s birthday! Kent said it would be cool to highlight some of the favorite books I’ve reviewed in the first year of TTS’ existence. I decided to make it a top ten as I’ve read a lot of amazing books this year and if I list them all, well you’ll have the review list of The Top Shelf!

Here goes!

Beyond Justice

by Joshua Graham

The first book I reviewed at TTS and it’s a spiritual / legal thriller! The spiritual undertones didn’t bother me at all because it’s a thriller to the core. The story was amazing and you won’t want to put it down. I don’t think I’m the only person who has said that either!

Boomerang

by Alan Hutcheson

Wow, I don’t think to this date I have seen characters put in a more messed up situation than in this book. In order to save his pawned guitar, Ted Hogwood accepts an assignment from a branch of the government that isn’t even official. His partner on this assignment is Jerry Kwiatkowsky and their mission is to steal a boomerang that contains secrets that should have died with J. Edgar Hoover. That’s all great right? Well standing in their path is a crossbow wielding assassin, two unemployed Australian women, the director of Central Intelligence and an ex-cheerleader.

The Gift of Joy

by Valerie Maarten

I was a little wary of romances before I read The Gift of Joy. This book made me give them a try again. Now I’m a fan!

Expectations / What Money Can’t Buy

by Liz Borino

M/M Contemporary Romance. Two books in a series that I decided to read because I was looking for books out of my “comfort zone”. I hadn’t had much experience with M/M books let alone romances at this point. I love Liz’s books though. Amazing story!

Anathema / Oubliette

by Megg Jensen

AMAZING! This is a YA fantasy that will just leave you wanting more! Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! The newest book Severed is out now and I can’t wait to read it.

Anathema

by KA Tucker

Met this author through Megg Jensen when they both found out their books had the same name. Dark YA fantasy.

Faustine

by Imogen Rose

I had a headache the day I started this book. I got so lost in Imogen’s awesome storytelling that I actually forgot I had a headache!

The King’s Envoy: Artesans of Albia

by Cas Peace

I still say I should have only gave Cas four stars because this book ends on a cliffhanger and I have to wait a YEAR to find out what happens next.

Witch Song

by Amber Argyle

Awesome awesome storytelling! One of those books that definitely make you wanna stay up past your bedtime.

Fins / Fathom by Ashley Knight – Before you start this amazing mermaid series, tell your friends you’re reading it. If you don’t, your friends will send search parties when you don’t show up on the computer. Mine did!

If you want to know more about these books, check out my official reviews at http://www.the-top-shelf.com/?page_id=123

There are so many more books I could add to this list, some I’ve read but haven’t written reviews for yet. Some are already up there. I would highly recommend you check out Vincent Zandri, Michelle Argyle, Ian Alexander, Miriam Minger, and Douglas Brown. If I listed every amazing read I’ve read, I’d miss Kent’s deadline for this blog! It has truly been an amazing year for this little blog. It’s not really that little anymore!

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Misty Rayburn

Thanks Misty! And thanks everyone for reading. I can't emphasize enough...if you love books, you'll definitely want to make The Top Shelf one of your frequently visited websites. There's always something new there for you to sink your teeth into and I can tell you right now...Misty works hard at making sure her readers are very well taken care of. So head on over there...http://www.the-top-shelf.com/...and take a look around. You'll be glad you did!

Let Me Introduce You To...Simon Wood

2011-11-09T22:22:00.001-05:00

So, we're back in the swing of things and for the next few weeks, we'll be doing what this blog does best...introducing you to some of the best authors you may or may not have ever heard of (but they're ALL authors you should definitely get to know). And as we're fast approaching Christmas and the release of Amazon's latest line of Kindles, the need to discover new authors and what they're all about has never been more needed.

And I can't think of a better person to introduce you to on this latest run of author profiles that the very prolific Simon Wood. Basically, if you enjoy edgy crime fiction or dark horror, I think you will definitely want to get to know Simon.

Here's a little background on Simon taken from his Amazon author page (http://www.amazon.com/Simon-Wood/e/B0028OMCMK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1):

Simon Wood is a California transplant from England. He's a former competitive racecar driver, a licensed pilot and an occasional PI. He shares his world with his American wife, Julie. Their lives are dominated by a longhaired dachshund and four cats. He's the Anthony Award winning author of Working Stiffs, Accidents Waiting to Happen, Paying the Piper, Terminated, Asking For Trouble and We All Fall Down. His latest thrillers are The Fall Guy and Did Not Finish. He also writes horror under the pen name of Simon Janus.

So that, should give you a little insight into Simon's world. But it really doesn't tell you much about his books. Well, he has so many, I decided to focus on one in particular...THE FALL GUY. I'll admit, the title caught my eye because I was a huge fan of Lee Majors growing up and well, I used to love the TV show The Fall Guy, so I took at gander at this book to see what it was about. And I have to tell you...it is now high up on the "To Be Read" list on my Kindle!

Here's the product description for the book:

When you're down on your luck, life never wants to cut you a break. Todd Collins has failed in every job he's ever undertaken, but that all changes when he backs his jalopy into a shiny, new Porsche belonging to a drug dealer. When the police stop the drug dealer for a broken taillight that Todd has caused and discover a cocaine shipment, a West Coast kingpin holds Todd responsible. On the run from organized crime, Todd discovers his true calling when he fights back.

Doesn't that sound like a great concept? A down-on-his-luck loser finds his true calling when the mob starts chasing him. Love it and cannot wait to read it!

The next of his books that is on my "to be read" list is PAYING THE PIPER (which he mentions later on in our interview). The plot for this one just sends chills down my spine. Take a look:

The Piper is the Bay Area’s infamous child kidnapper. When the Piper selected crime reporter, Scott Fleetwood, to report on his latest child kidnapping, Scott thought he had the world in his grasp, but he held nothing. Scott had been duped by a wannabe. By the time the FBI exposed the hoaxer, time had run out, leaving the real Piper only one course of action—to kill the child. With a murder added to his résumé, the Piper vanished leaving Scott to take blame from the public and the investigating FBI agent, Tom Sheils. But now, eight years later, the Piper’s back, with very specific targets in mind—Scott’s young children. Scott can have his children back as long as he can pay the ransom. The hard part is that ransom isn’t measured in dollars, but in blood.

Some debts can’t be repaid...

See what I mean? The thing I notice about Simon's body of work is his ability to place the average man in an extraordinary situation and then let us, the readers, observe whether that average man will break. We can see if they will resort to their basest animal nature or rise above it. That's what seems so appealing about Simon's writing.

Luckily, I recently had a chance to talk to Simon about his books, writing in general, and plans for his future. Here's what he had to say:

1) This month, you've been promoting your novel THE FALL GUY...a crime caper that definitely has me intrigued (it's on currently on my Kindle right now and just waiting to be read!). In your own words, tell us about it.

It’s the story of Todd Collins, a guy who has yet to succeed in life. He’s a down on his luck and luck kicks him again when he backs his jalopy in a shiny, new Porsche. His insurance won’t cover the damage done to the Porsche, so he leaves a bogus note. Little does Todd know that the Porsche belongs to a drug dealer and when the police stop the drug dealer for a broken taillight that Todd has caused and discover a cocaine shipment, a West Coast kingpin holds Todd responsible. The mobster tells Todd he can make amends by working off his debt. Todd discovers way too late that he's been setup and goes on the run from organized crime but discovers his true calling when he fights back.

2) An interesting concept...having just your average guy who pretty much fails at everything suddenly finding his "calling" when the mob starts chasing him. How did you get the idea for this story?

The book is based on a couple of incidents that occurred in college. We’d hit the town for lunch and when we returned, my friend driving the car backed into the car next to him in the lot. Instead of leaving his details, he did a runner and parked off campus. The “crime of the century” lasted about two hours when the cops arrived in class to pick him up. Fast forward a year, the reverse happens. We come out and find someone has driven into his car. Under the windshield is a note saying, “everyone things I’m leaving my details. I’m not. Sorry.” Karma is mean, I suppose.

Personally, I have a talent for becoming embroiled in seemingly small things that escalate into something much bigger. So I just got thinking about the idea of leaving a bogus note at the scene of a fender bender and tossed in the idea that your victim might be well connected with the ability to track you down and make you pay.

3) Now you're known to write horror and crime fiction a bit on the darker side. Tell us a little bit about your style. Any authors out there that you have been compared to that might help my readers identify with you a bit?

I’m not one for comparing myself to others, because I’m English and boasting about oneself just isn’t cricket. However, I’ll share some comparisons others have made about my work. My crime novels have been compared to Donald Westlake, Elmore Leonard, Dick Francis, Jason Starr, Barbara Vine, Hitchcock and The Sopranos. My horror fiction has been liked to Richard Matheson, Robert Bloch, James Herbert and Stephen King. My short fiction has been compared to Roald Dahl and the Twilight Zone. Ken Bruen once said he’d like to be reincarnated as me. I’ll just say I’m flattered to be likened to any and all these people. I’m not sure they feel the same way. :-)

4) What is it about exploring the dark side of things that appeals to you as a writer? Why do you think it appeals to readers?

For me, I’m fascinated my human frailty. Everybody says they would never ever do anything illegal or corrupt, etc. If that were true, there would be no crime. I think we’re all capable of anything. Life just has to catch us on our worst day. An unforgiving cocktail of bad timing, bad luck and no options and we stumble from the straight and narrow. So for me, my stories and books focus on something small that we probably doesn’t give a second thought to will come back to haunt the characters and they’ll have to do more than a penance to save themselves.

5) I've already highlighted several of your stories before we came to the interview and we've discussed The Fall Guy. If you could talk about only ONE of your stories (besides The Fall Guy), what would it be? What would you want to say about it?

I hope everyone will read all my books, but one book I’m getting the word out about is PAYING THE PIPER. A number of my books have gone on to be very successful, but this one kind of fell through the cracks, which is sad, because I still think it’s one of the best things I’ve written. It’s a thriller dealing with an infamous kidnapper who surfaces after eight years to prey upon a crime reporter whose interference resulted in a death. The Piper is back, but he doesn’t want money. He wants a pound of flesh. It’s a story about guilt and redemption. It went out of print about eighteen months ago and I’ve resurrected it as an eBook. I really want people to go out discover it. They won’t be sorry. :-)

6) Any projects in the works? What can people be looking for in the future of Simon Wood?

My next hardback novel is HOT SEAT. That comes out in the UK next April and in the US next summer. It’s the follow up DID NOT FINISH, which is a series of mysteries set in the world of motorsport. NO SHOW will also be out next year. That will be available as an ebook only. That’s the first in a new series of books featuring an Englishman who because a county sheriff in California. There's a couple of other things that I can’t mention at the moment, so 2012 should be an interesting year.

7) If you could offer only one piece of advice for aspiring writers, what would it be?

Forget about social networking, agents, publishers, building a platform and focus on writing the best book you can first. Focus on the craft and good critique partners. The business of publishing is immaterial until that manuscript is finished. A good book will always get published. Gimmicks won’t.

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Excellent advice, Simon. Thank you and thank you for taking the time to share with us today.

Readers, if you're interested in learning more about Simon Wood, I would say the place to start would be his website at: www.simonwood.net.

In the meantime, here are a few links to his books on Amazon:

And of course, you can look at his website or Amazon author page for more links to his books.

Upcoming releases and secret plans of J. Kent Holloway

2011-11-02T01:48:00.001-04:00

Awesome artwork by Christian Guldager

So, it's been a while since I last posted on here. The last post was part two of telling you all about the house I grew up in. I thought about continuing on and talking about possible theories regarding ghosts and hauntings, etc., but to be honest...because no one really responded to those posts, I wasn't sure how interested you guys were so I decided to move on [I really do read your comments, so when no one leaves one, I don't know what you think or what you want me to focus on. Comments really do help me adapt this blog to best serve you]. That being said, I have had several emails lately wondering when my next ENIGMA Directive book is coming out. So, I thought I'd take this week's blog post to tell you what I have coming up...and what I'm planning to write in the foreseeable future. And yes, I'd love to hear your thoughts on all this. :)

Well, to my ENIGMA Directive fans, you may be disappointed in this next bit of news, but there's been a delay in the third book currently entitled DEVIL'S CHILD. I'll get to the progress in that book in a bit (as well as why there's a delay and the expected release date). For now, let me tell you about my next scheduled release.

THE DJINN

In early 2012, I will be releasing my next thriller entitled THE DJINN. This historical adventure is actually the first novel I ever attempted to write. Way back in 2005, when I decided to try my hand at professional writing, this was the book I wrote. And like so many first attempts, I was just never satisfied with it.

That is...until I was struck with an idea for the story a few months ago that would totally make this one of my favorite books I've ever written. What can I say? I was struck in the head by my muse and I had to return to it...had to revise it...had to finish this great tale. And that is the reason for the delay of DEVIL'S CHILD.

So, what is THE DJINN about? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Set in the last years of the second Crusade in Jerusalem, Baron Gregory L'Ombre is seeking two relics of unimaginable power...two objects that would imbue the ambitious baron with the ability to know the very thoughts of his greatest enemies. Two biblical artifacts that would give him complete omniscience.

And that's not the worst of it. The discovery of these objects would also bring about the destruction of thousands of innocent people.

But Gregory's quest is not without problems. He and his men are being hunted...perhaps haunted...by a creature of smoke and shadow. A being straight from Saracen myth and legend. A spirit of vengeance for those who are evil and an angel of protection for those who are powerless. A creature the locals call the Djinn.

This tale of high adventure is a tip of the hat to pulp icons such as the Shadow, Zorro, and even Batman. A hero that uses the psychology of fear, science, and intellect to do what must be done.

So, if this sounds interesting to you...be on the lookout for it early 2012!

Not actual cover. Just a concept cover.

DEVIL'S CHILD

But for the fans of the wisecracking cryptozoologist Dr. Obadiah "Jack" Jackson and The ENIGMA Directive series...have no fear! This is where I tell you what's going on with DEVIL'S CHILD. The third book in the series is almost halfway finished. And between you and me, it's by far the best book in the series. Trust me on this...I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed.

And when you read it, I truly hope you will think it was well worth the wait. But here's the reason behind attacking THE DJINN before completing DEVIL'S CHILD...it's all about the muse. Since becoming serious about writing, I've learned one or two things about the profession. One of those things is: don't tick off your muse! If she storms off, there's no telling when she'll be back! Haha! So when my muse hit with how I can fix the problems I was having with the first novel I had ever written, I knew I absolutely had to go back to it. To deny those ideas might jeopardize both books. After all, if my heart was yearning to tackle THE DJINN, I would struggle to write DEVIL'S CHILD...and neither book would turn out the way I hoped.

But as I've already stated...the good news is that I'm more than halfway finished with this book. And it's so much fun!!! In DEVIL'S CHILD, Jack is contacted by a childhood pal who had been commissioned to hunt a horrendous beast stalking the skyline of New York City. Jack's friend, one of the best big game hunters in the world, is horribly attacked and mauled by a creature that he can only describe as "the devil himself." Other witnesses have described the creature as something like a giant bat or a gargoyle come to life from one of the Gothic buildings in Manhatten. But Jack has heard these stories before. He begins to suspect the creature is none other than the Jersey Devil.

He and his team begin investigating...scouring the concrete jungle of New York...in an attempt to discover why the beast, who typically lives peacefully in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, is stalking the Big Apple and leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. The answers they discover trace all the way back to the colonial era and may very well shake the foundation of everything Jack believes in.

Sound good? Excited about it? Well, have no fear. I don't anticipate delaying this release very long. DEVIL'S CHILD should be available around late spring or early summer 2012.

THE DIRGE OF BRIARSNARE MARSH (A DARK HOLLOWS MYSTERY)


Cover for book 1 of the Dark Hollows series

Though many have yet to discover THE CURSE OF ONE-EYED JACK, book one of the Dark Hollows series, those who have read it tell me it's my best writing to date with the most interesting characters I've ever developed. I tend to agree with them. To be honest...I absolutely love Ezekiel Crane and his dark, mysterious Appalachian world. I love the dichotomy between mountain magic and science. I adore the "Little People" who may or may not reside just on the periphery of the community of Boone Creek, Kentucky. And quite frankly, I love the fact that you're just not quite sure what Crane is up to. He's a bit like Pendergast in that way, which makes him doubly intriguing.

You might be thinking, "Wow. This guy is full of himself. He's really praising his own work!" But the fact is, I have no qualms at all about talking so highly about this book because it truly is the type of paranormal mystery that I love. It's why I wrote it, after all. Well, that and because of my muse. Let me go on record as saying this: Anything that is good about ONE-EYED JACK is because of my muse. Anything that stinks about it is because of me. Sound a bit more modest? Well, it's absolutely true.

And the good news is that my muse has definitely been working on overdrive to provide the story for book 2 of the Dark Hollows series...a book that I'll be calling THE DIRGE OF BRIARSNARE MARSH. It's a story that I've been concocting since before the first book was written actually...the first series that I've truly planned out in advance (to some degree). One of the major complaints I've heard about ONE-EYED JACK was the abrupt way in which the book ended (with so many loose ends that remained untied at the close of the last page). Well, to those critics, please understand...it was completely intentional.

You see, the Dark Hollows Mysteries is truly not a series of separate books with separate mysteries, but rather one continuous mystery that will unravel through the course of the series. Granted, each book will have its own unique mystery to solve, but it's all related to the major conundrum plaguing our intrepid seventh son of a seventh son.

To prove my point, THE DIRGE OF BRIARSNARE MARSH actually takes place only a week after the events of THE CURSE OF ONE-EYED JACK. Kili is still there, recovering from her ordeal. The missing people are still missing. And now, even worse, bodies have begun disappearing from the local morgue and cemetery...only to be seen on occasion by loved ones...walking around of their own accord. But everyone knows there ain't no such thing as zombies. So Ezekiel Crane and Kili begin investigating what's going on and the journey leads them down the dark path of Crane's own past. The question is: are either of them prepared for what they'll discover?

So that's the premise behind the second Dark Hollows novel. As in the first book, nothing is as it seems. If you think you know what's going to happen, don't get too excited. It'll probably go in a whole different direction. I haven't even started on this one yet. I'm hoping to shoot for a late 2012/early 2013 release for this book. But I'll definitely keep you posted.

Anyway, those are my plans. I actually have a lot more up my sleeve, but for now, I think that'll do. Just sort of gave you a taste as to what's going on with my book plans and that's what I set out to do. So for now, let me get back to writing and you get back to reading. But before I leave, I have a personal favor to ask you...if you have read and enjoyed any of my books and have not left a review on Amazon, I truly would appreciate you doing so. You have no idea how much those reviews...even the simplest and shortest...can help.

And once again, thank you so much for your continued support. I truly can't express how much you guys mean to me.

Let Me Introduce You To...My Childhood Haunted House Part 2

2011-10-17T18:19:00.001-04:00

A house can't be scary in the snow, can it?

When I last left you, faithful readers, I was telling you about my boyhood home in Kentucky, Southwood Manor. A Victorian home with a strange, dark past and an uncertain future. A place that was, without a doubt, haunted in no uncertain terms. My sister and I knew it. Our neighbors knew it. And though they wouldn't admit this until I was well into my adult life, my parents knew it as well. This was the house in which I grew up. It's the home that, for better or worse, shaped me and made me into the person I am today.

To recap my last post, I told you why Southwood Manor was originally built and the strange occupants that lived in it prior to my own family moving in in 1977. I told you about the creepy old bathtub in which a lady had died and I was forced to regular take baths in myself (ahem...child abuse, anyone? By the way, the picture to the left shows the very same tub with my adorable puppy getting a bath, so I guess that's pet abuse too!) I told you of Mr. Todd, who led a mysterious, if not sinister life practicing black magic and possibly even more nefarious activities that I'd rather not discuss in this forum. Then, of course, I described the rather common bits of paranormal activity that I experienced on a regular basis in that house. The activity my friends would experience as well. All, of course, was rather innocuous. It seemed harmless. Almost fun. But then, my family was also convinced there were at least two spirits dwelling in Southwood Manor with us. One was playful and fun (especially to a young boy between 7 and 12 years of age). But there was another thing that stalked those ancient halls at night. Something much more frightful. Something equally as playful as the first, but in a much more malicious way.

The best way to introduce this darker element of my childhood haunting is with a specific story. One that has stuck in the psyche of my entire family since that threatening day. And I use the word "threatening" on purpose. I can't say it was terrifying. Or even scary. Creepy would definitely work, but it wouldn't convey the full implications of the event and so I choose the word "threatening."

My sister is five years older than me (she has been since I've known her. haha!). At the time of this story, she had a rather impressive collection of dolls. Now these dolls were not mere Barbies or even baby dolls. These were the female equivalent of action figures. Within these collection were the likenesses of the Charlies Angels, the Bionic Woman, Farrah Fawcett, Donnie and Marie Osmond, and even Sonny and Cher. These were celebrity dolls and they had a very special place in my sister's room...a wicker bookshelf dedicate exclusively to them. By this point, my sister was too old to play with them, but she displayed them proudly on this bookshelf in the finest of doll attire. The Charlie's Angels were decked out in multi-colored jumpsuits. Donnie and Marie sported these horrendously realized purple pant suits. And Cher looked ready for the Oscars in her sequin gown and long feather boa. I tell you all this in such detail to paint the picture of what happened one day when we returned home from school.

You see, we returned home...my mom, my sister, and I...from a long, exhausting day of school (and I suppose, work for my mom). Everything appeared fine. Nothing seemed amiss, but when my sister walked into her bedroom, the house suddenly erupted in startling shouts of "Mother! Mother! Come quick!" Immediately, we bolted up the steps, rounded the curve of the upstairs sitting room, and ran into my sister's bedroom. My sister stood next to her bed, pointing at a disturbing tableau resting ominously on the bedspread. It was my sister's Cher doll. The feather boa wrapped tight around its plastic neck like a noose. I should pause here to tell you that the doors and windows of the house were all secured when we came home. There were no signs of a break in. And nothing was missing. I should also point out that this display bookshelf was on the far side of the room and probably fifteen feet from where my sister's bed was located. There was no way that this doll could have simply fallen from the shelf onto the bed. It would have had to be picked up and moved there by someone. And the noose-like boa was too well wrapped to be anything but intentional.

Guest bedroom, not my sister's room

Now at first, one might chalk this little episode up to a human culprit. Someone might very well have broken into our house during the day and played with my sister's doll and nothing else. But things did not stop there. From that point on, my sister was plagued by nocturnal visits. She would awaken in the middle of the night to see the shadow figure of a man hovering over the foot of her bed. These visits even carried over into her college years when she'd return home to visit. The shadow man would do nothing. Say nothing. But would simply stand there...its presence a constant threat.

But my sister wasn't the only one that felt threatened. I told you last week about laying in bed at night and counting the footsteps coming up our front stairs...13 creaky footsteps up 13 creaky stairs...every night. I didn't, however, tell you the other part of it...the voices. To be honest, I don't like telling people about the voices I would hear at night. It just makes me sound too darn schizophrenic. But now, knowing more about things like EVPs (electronic voice phenomena), I know that things that go bump in the night often do try to verbally communicate with the living occupants of a haunted dwelling. And what they have to say isn't always pleasant. The fact that I never heard the voices after moving away from the house gives credence that I wasn't in fact crazy, after all...well, at least, not THAT kind of crazy. But the voices I would often hear at night were simply terrifying. Their whispered threats would send me trembling with fear into my parent's bedroom where I would hide under their bed until morning. I won't say what these audible messages said, however. That's my own burden to bear. But needless to say, it was plumb scary for a young kid. (FYI, it's also one of the reasons my faith in Christ is so much stronger today than it could have been...I'll explain that in an upcoming post).

I'm not sparkly, am I?

I spent almost seven years in that house. There are just too many stories to share. Some terrifying and some quite amusing. I could tell you stories about things that happened to my friends (like one seeing a little girl walking up the steps one night), but those are stories that they should tell if they feel so inclined. But I never set out to give you a run down of every paranormal experience I had in the house. I just wanted to give you a taste. And I think I've done that. But I would be remiss if I failed to share my final experiences with Southwood Manor and that's how I will end my tale.

In 1985, my dad got a job with the railroad, requiring us to move to Alabama. But as you could imagine, selling the house was no easy feat. There were too many stories about that old house. Too many rumors. My poor parents had a heck of a time getting rid of it and for a couple of years, they were forced to merely rent it. Then, one day, they got the call they'd been waiting for. They had a buyer. And we were asked to come up and finalize the deal. Now there are two things I have to tell about this last visit to Southwood.

The first involves my very last interaction with the house. My parents were staying in town at a hotel. I had decided to spend the night with my best friend and next door neighbor. We were all set to meet at the house to sign the papers early on Saturday morning. So, bright and early, I get up, get dressed and run over to the house. I noticed a car in the driveway and assumed it belonged to the new owners and that they must already be inside. I wanted an opportunity to say "goodbye" to the old place before my parents arrived, so my friend and I went to the door and knocked. There was no answer, so I knocked a second time. This time, a female voice on the other side of the door asked, "Who is it?" I responded, "It's Kent Holloway. I'm the son of the people you're buying the house from. I was hoping to have a chance to come in and take one last look around, if that's okay." There was no response to this. I thought it was strange, but thought maybe she hadn't heard me, so I knocked again. Still no response. I looked at my friend. He'd heard the person too and her silence now was a bit baffling. But since no one opened the door, all we could do was wait. Ten minutes later, the new owners of the house pulled up in the driveway. They had two cars and had been out when I had knocked on the door. No one was home. No one could have spoken on the other side of the door. Yet, they had.

The second account is a story told to us by the real estate agent. Apparently, as she was preparing the house for its new owners, she hired a local pest control operator to go and take care of any nasty little critters they might happen to find. Of course, I guess pest control people aren't really qualified to take care of critters of a spectral kind because when the real estate agent drove by the house to check on their progress, she found them outside in the front yard and in a state of near panic. The owner of the company told the real estate agent that he simply would not go into the house and that she would need to find someone else to do it. You see, like I said before, it was a locally owned company and the owner had lived in that town for years. He knew several of the occupants of that house before my family moved in. When asked why he wouldn't do the job, his response was simple: As we approached the house, we saw Mr. Todd looking at us from the upstairs front windows. The same windows, I should tell you, that belonged to my own bedroom.

Now, nearly 25 years later, I miss that house something fierce. I always tell people that my dream is to one day return and buy Southwood Manor again, fix it up (yes, it's fallen into disrepair yet again), and enjoy my remaining days in that grand ol' manor house. Ghosts and all.

But see, I no longer fear ghosts. Living there for as long as I did saw to that. As I mentioned before, it built my faith in Christ to the point where I know there is nothing truly to fear from them. But many will be asking, how can a Christian believe in such things? Doesn't the Bible discount the notion that ghosts are real? Well, in an upcoming post, I will share with you my many theories about ghosts and hauntings. We'll talk about spirits...both human and non-human. We'll discuss theoretical physics and time distortions. I'll share with you exactly what the Bible says about ghosts as well. You see, as a Christian, I think it's essential that the Church has answers to these questions. If we truly believe the Bible and believe our faith is true, then we have nothing to fear from the apparent contradiction that the dilemma of ghosts provide. Instead of sticking our head in the sand and hoping the phenomena goes away, we should be attacking the questions the same phenomena presents and developing answers to all those questions! And that's what I hope to accomplish in the coming weeks as we approach Halloween.

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But now, I'd be remiss if I didn't share with you news about BOOKS! After all, that's what this blog primarily is supposed to deal with, right? Well, tomorrow marks the official release of NY Times bestselling author David L. Golemon's THE SUPERNATURALS (A Ghost Story). It is a paranormal investigation adventure at its finest! If you love a good ghost story or horror novel, then this book should definitely not be missed. It's currently available in ebook form everywhere, but tomorrow (Oct. 18, 2011), it will be officially available in print as well.

In the next week, I'll have an exclusive interview with David about The Supernaturals too. You won't want to miss it. But in the meantime, show some love by purchasing your copy today at The Supernaturals! And let me know what you think about it. I'm really proud of this book. I hope you will be too.

Let Me Introduce You To...My Childhood Haunted House!

2011-10-07T01:56:00.007-04:00

Southwood Manor, Burnside, KY (before my parent's renovation)

So, it's that time of year again. The leaves are turning (well, at least for anyone not living in Florida). There's sharp crispness to the air. And the little tykes are dragging mom and dad through the aisles of the local Walmart to pick out what superhero/princess/robot/ninja turtle they want to dress up as on the 31st. And most importantly, awesome ghost stories to share with friends and family. It was this thought in mind that I decided to do something a little different on my blog this year [last year, I shared an original zombie-awesome short story I wrote starring Ash from the Evil Dead movies]...this year, we're going to talk about ghosts and haunted houses for the better part of the month. I'll be sharing stories from people all over the world of their own paranormal experiences and providing theories that might just explain what these encounters really are. But tonight...I thought I'd start closer to home. Tonight, I thought I'd share with you the legends of Southwood Manor, the home in which I grew up in Burnside, Kentucky. A house shrouded in death and mystery...of dark magic and curses...and yes, perhaps even a few ghosts.

What I saw when I was 5 years old.

My parents bought Southwood Manor back in 1976. I would have been five years old at the time. I'll never forget the first time my eyes looked at that rundown old house. I'll never forget the rhythm of my heartbeat as my Zips-clad foot stepped into the foyer for the very first time. I'll never forget the feeling of dread and exhilaration as I explored the numerous rooms inside the house. And that was only the beginning...

I lived there for about seven years and during that time, I can't even begin to count the number of weird occurrences that happened. Simple things like noises and voices in the night were the most common. Occasionally, a brief apparition was seen by friends, family, and pest control people. And on more than one occasion, objects would be moved in the house when we returned home from school or work...objects arranged in the most sinister of patterns (I'll share more about this in a bit). But before I go into detail about the spooky things that walked up those creaky stairs at night, I should first tell you a little bit about the history about the house (or perhaps legend. I'm not really sure).

It was built in the late 1800s by Mr. Charles Southwood. In the way that legends often work, he is said to have built the house for the love of his life...the woman he intended to marry. So what happens next, you may be asking? Come on...do you really need to ask? Of course, the story goes that the woman eventually refuses to marry him. Breaks his heart and [no, to my knowledge, he doesn't die there or anything] he simply sells the place off. The house is passed on through a few different hands. Details on these other owners are fuzzy, but we know of at least one mysterious death...of a woman...in an old fashioned claw foot tub. The same tub my parents used to have me take baths in, I might add [Is there a statute of limitations on ghostly child abuse? Ha!]. Then, in the early 60s, the house came into the ownership of.... Mr. Todd.

I honestly do shudder every time I think of that man. From the stories I've heard, there is probably not a more sinister human being to ever walk on God's green earth...of course, once again, distinguishing legend from history is the tricky part, right? Anyway, Mr. Todd. Where do I begin with him? How about the part where he practiced black magic? Or perhaps the police raid of his house where they found a casket in the parlor where he is said to sleep from time to time...or the shrunken heads that hung from the ceiling in what would one day become our formal dining room? How about the stories of curses placed on locals that crossed the old man? Or the marijuana crop he was growing upstairs in a room lined with tin foil? How about the rumors of inappropriate contact with children in the neighborhood? So many things to share about Mr. Todd. But remember those shrunken heads? Guess how Mr. Todd died. That's right. He was in a car crash...and when they pulled his remains from the crumpled heap of scrap metal they discovered that he had been beheaded. Rather ironic, wouldn't you say?

Anyway, soon after the death of Mr. Todd, the house was put up for sale once more. My parents purchased it for an amazingly low price (around $6000 total) and we had moved in by 1977. Of course, it took about two or three years for my parents, grandparents, and their friends to whip the place into the beautiful home it would eventually become. And during that time, some of the strangest things began happening.

Southwood Manor as it looked after my parent's renovations

Objects would move unseen. For instance, a wooden barrel filled with nails mysteriously moved from one corner of a particular room to another. This happened after my dad and his friend had left the room for only a few minutes. No one had entered. No one was around to move the barrel (it would have actually taken two strong people to move this barrel from what I was told). This, I believe, was the beginning of the series of strange events that we would encounter over the years. Strange black lights of unknown origin would flash in certain sections of the house was common occurrence. These lights could actually be seen from the exterior windows from the street and often, neighbors would inquire about what the lights were. We, having been in the house at the time of the lights, would have seen nothing.

Another common occurrence were the footsteps up the front stairs. At Southwood, there were two sets of stairs...front and back. My bedroom was located right across from the front stairs. There were thirteen steps in all...a strange number given the superstitious times in which the house was built, to be sure. Often, at night, when I lay in bed trying to fall asleep, I would listen to the silence. The deafening silence. And then...I would hear them. The footsteps coming up the stairs. I would lay there, knowing everyone else in the house was in bed, and I would count each step up those rickety steps. It was so clear. So vivid. And when I garnered enough courage to peer over my own bedsheets to look out the door of my bedroom toward the stairs...there would be no one there. Often, these footsteps would be accompanied by voices...muffled voices, that sounded eerily like that of a little girl (a girl my parents would eventually come to call Angel). If it wasn't for the fact that others who stayed in the house heard those voices too, I would think it was the mindgames of an over-imaginative child. But sure enough...others heard those voices too. And the footsteps.

But those aren't the strangest occurrences at the old Southwood house. There were much darker, sinister things afoot. Warnings, perhaps. Messages. And a great deal of fear. But unfortunately, these things will have to wait until my next post. Next week, I will continue the saga of Southwood Manor...the first haunted house I was ever exposed to. Trust me...you won't want to miss it.

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However! In the meantime, if you're hankering for a really awesome (and very scary) read this Halloween, have I got news for you!! New York Times bestselling author David L. Golemon's latest thriller THE SUPERNATURALS (A Ghost Story) is finally out in ebook format!!! You can pick up the Kindle version by clicking the link below. It's also available for the Nook, as well as other ebook formats (at Smashwords.com). For you guys who don't have ebook readers, have no fear! The print edition will be available by October 18 via Amazon (and your local bookstore). Seriously, if you're looking for a great Halloween scarefest...THE SUPERNATURALS is for you!

In the meantime, if you enjoyed today's post...please come back next week to learn more about my very first paranormal experience (as well as a future post where I discuss possible explanations for such encounters). You won't want to miss it!

Let Me Introduce You To...Jeremy Robinson and His Great Kindle Giveaway!

2011-10-03T17:58:00.001-04:00

Hey gang! One of my favorite authors (and actually one of my great inspirations as a thriller author) is this guy named Jeremy Robinson. I've talked about him a few times here on my blog. Well, he recently came to me and asked if I'd help him out by posting a special guest blog...AND his Great Kindle Giveaway for his Blog Tour. So, how could I possibly say no? (But have no fear...he couldn't do it without me hurling at least a few questions at him!) So, without further ado, I give you my good friend, Jeremy Robinson.

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Welcome to Jeremy Robinson’s Great Kindle Giveaway and Blog Tour.

“Hurray for free Kindles!” you say, but who the hell is Jeremy Robinson? Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the author of eleven mixed genre novels, published in ten languages, including the popular fantasy YA series, THE LAST HUNTER, and the fast-paced Jack Sigler series (also known as Chess Team—not nearly as nerdy as it sounds), PULSE, INSTINCT and THRESHOLD from Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press. I’m the co-author of an expanding series novellas deemed the Chesspocalypse, which take place in the Chess Team universe. If that doesn’t wet your whistle, I’m also known as Jeremy Bishop, the #1 Amazon.com horror author of THE SENTINEL and the controversial novel, TORMENT. For more about me, or my books, visit www.jeremyrobinsononline.com.

I have watched for years as my fellow authors held online events called blog tours. Some would visit ten blogs. Others, as many as ninety. And every day they would bring something different, waxing eloquent about a multitude of topics. When I finally decided to have a blog tour of my own, and settled on doing each and every weekday in October, my first thought was, “This will be cool,” which was immediately followed up by, “Holy crap, I can’t think of something interesting to say twenty times in one month!” I can barely think of something worthwhile for my own blog just once a month. The solution is what follows; each blog participating in the tour could ask me ANY three questions. That means, if the subject matter bores you, I’m not to blame! Huzzah!

But fear not. There are other rewards for sloughing through the questions and answers. I’ll be giving away two Kindles to two randomly selected readers who sign up for my newsletter. Details on the giveaway can be found below. On to the Q&A!

1) Your books deal a lot with monsters and scientific research gone horribly wrong. Since Mary Shelley, these two things have touched something visceral in us. We crave these kinds of stories. What do you think drives us to devour these kind of stories? What is it about monsters and science that hits that special cord in us as readers?

I think there is actually a very simple answer to this: when people develop new technology, the first thing we do with it is figure out how it can kill other people. Most of the technology we enjoy today was originally developed by or for the military and used, directly or indirectly, to kill other human beings. Often what benefits us, will be used to harm someone else. So when the science I use in my books kill people, from a military perspective, it’s scientific research gone horribly right. It just happens to be in the wrong hands, or out of control. I tend to focus on stranger examples of this—monsters—but if you replace my creatures with, say, a nuke, then you’ve got a very real scenario. I think that’s why is hits a cord with readers. Whether we want to admit it or not, it’s not that far from reality, and we subconsciously need to see people overcoming those things. Helps us sleep at night.

2) Who are some of your favorite authors that you enjoy reading simply for pleasure sake? Which authors do you think you gain the most inspiration from? Why?

I read a lot of books in my genre. James Rollins, Steve Alten, Douglas Preston—you know, all the guys whose sales I hope to match some day. I’m also reading a lot of books by my peers (who are all friends now)—guys my age who first got published within a few years of each other: Scott Sigler, Chris Kuzneski, Boyd Morrison. I’ve also recently discovered a slew of kindle authors whose books are amazing and often more original than mainstream books. David McAfee, David Wood, Ethan Hunt, Edward G. Talbot and Sean Ellis are among the best...which is why I chose them as co-authors for my Chesspocalypse novella series! In terms of inspiration, I’ve always sighted Jeff Long’s novel THE DESCENT as my all-time favorite novel. When I read it, I knew I wanted to immerse my readers in my worlds the way Jeff did with his. The subtitle of THE LAST HUNTER – DESCENT is, in part, a tribute to his influence on my writing. I’m still waiting for the third book in Jeff’s DESCENT series. I’ll be the first person to pick it up when it comes out.

3) What is in store for the future of Jeremy Robinson fans? What can we be looking forward to in the months and years to come?

Egad, this is a can of worms. I have an enormous amount of books coming out in the next year, so many that it might be best to just bullet list them!

OCTOBER

• CALLSIGN: KNIGHT

• CALLSIGN: BISHOP

• THE LAST HUNTER – DESCENT (Audiobook)

• RAISING THE PAST (Audiobook)

NOVEMBER

• THE NINJA’S PATH – INSPIRATIONAL SAYINGS FOR THE SILENT ASSASSIN by Kutyuso Deep

• THE LAST HUNTER – ASCENT (Book 3 of the Antarktos Saga)

• THE LAST HUNTER – PURSUIT (Audiobook)

DECEMBER

• CALLSIGN: DEEP BLUE

• CALLSIGN: KING – UNDERWORLD

And then, so sum up all of 2012…

• THRESHOLD (mass market)

• SECONDWORLD (hard cover)

• RAGNAROK (4th Jack Sigler/Chess Team novel)

• THE LAST HUNTER (books 4 and 5)

• The 3rd Jeremy Bishop novel

• And maybe 5 – 6 more Chesspocalypse novellas…and more audiobooks…

You asked!  Wait, you said YEARS to come. I don’t think you really want me to answer that. When I’m done I could probably sell it on Amazon as a novel. Hmmm.

Hope that was as good for you as it was for me. Now how about that kindle giveaway?

Here’s the deal: to be entered to win one of two free kindles all you have to do is visit my website—www.jeremyrobinsononline.com—and sign up for the newsletter. That’s it. The first kindle will go to a randomly chosen newsletter signup on October 31. For the second kindle, there’s a catch. The second giveaway will only be triggered if one of my kindle books hits the Amazon.com bestseller list (top 100). So pick up some books (most are just $2.99 a pop) and spread the word! If one of the books squeaks up to #100 for just a single hour, the second kindle will be given away to another randomly chosen newsletter sign up on October 31.

*When you sign up for the newsletter, be sure to include the name of the blog that referred you in the field provided. I’ll be giving away two $50 Amazon.com gift certificates to the blog that refers the most sign-ups and another to the blog who referred the first kindle winner.

** I will announce winners via Twitter, Facebook, my blog, and newsletter (which you will be signed up for!) but I’ll also e-mail the winners directly—I’ll need to know where to ship those kindles!

Thanks for spending some time with me today. Hope you enjoyed the Q&A, and good luck with the kindle giveaway!

-- Jeremy Robinson

Let Me Introduce You To...Rob MacGregor

2011-09-27T23:11:00.001-04:00

For those who came here looking for the next segment of Tripping Over Your Corpse: A Writer's Guide to Forensic Death Investigation, don't worry...it'll be up in a few days. For now though, I had the urge to introduce you guys to amazingly talented author. A well known author of a series of books featuring an even better known hero. I am, of course, talking about Rob MacGregor, New York Times bestselling author of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, as well as a slew of other Indy novels. Oh, I sense a few ears perking up now! After all, everybody loves Indiana Jones. And if they don't...well, it is the opinion of this writer that they should have their heads thoroughly examined. Then re-examined just to be sure.

Ah, but I digress. As I was saying, I definitely wanted to introduce you guys to Rob and to tell you about his brand new book DOUBLE HEART (A Will Lansa Mystery), a young adult paranormal mystery that is as fun to read for adults as it is for teens (probably more so!). Hmmm...how to describe Double Heart? Well, perhaps the best way is to let the book's back cover blurb do all the talking:

A Heart Divided….

Will Lansa figured that spending his senior year in Arizona, on the reservation with his Hopi police chief father, far away from Aspen and his friends—and his wealthy white mother—would be like living in a monastery. Boring, yes, but also a time for cleansing and reflection; a time to experience the culture of his father and grandfather, and reconcile his own divided nature.

Who is Double Heart?

Will’s decision to write about Hopi witches for a high school term paper sets off a chain reaction of violence and murder. A legendary sorcerer, with the power to enslave the minds of others and even transform into a wolf, now seeks to destroy Will, body and soul.

Haunted by visions of tribal Kachina spirits, surrounded by betrayal and death, Will races headlong toward a final confrontation with the malevolent force that has controlled his destiny…a powerful witch, known as…

DOUBLE HEART

Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Well, I can tell you. It is. I don't always read the books I feature on this blog, but this one I have and it's definitely a fun and intriguing story full of twists and paranormal puzzles (almost had a Freudian slip and wrote "muzzles" instead of puzzles...probably because there are wolf-like shapeshifters in this book too!). Basically, if you're intrigued by mysteries and Native American culture, this book is for you. And as I said, it was written with teenagers in mind (Amazon has the wrong age group listed on the product page, by the way...it's not for "Ages 9-12". More like for ages 12 and up really.

By the way, Double Heart is the third book in the Will Lansa series. Prophecy Rock, the first in the series, one an Edgar Award for best mystery, by the way. Oh, but don't worry, you don't have to read these books in order. Each book is it's own story so you can pick up any of the books and not feel left behind.

Anyway, recently, I had a chance to talk with Rob about Double Heart, Indiana Jones, writing, and a whole lot more. Here's what he had to say:

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1) In your own words, tell us a little about Double Heart and the characters we will meet when you read the book.

Double Heart features Will Lansa, who has moved from a privileged life in Aspen to the Hopi reservation where his father is chief of police. When Will decides to write his senior thesis on Hopi witchcraft, he’s warned against pursuing the subject. That makes it even more enticing to him, especially when he uncovers a long-running feud between the Sun Kachina cult and a coven of Hopi witches. The stakes quickly escalate with murders and a kidnapping and Will finds himself the target of a deadly shapeshifter intent on destroying him.

2) How did the idea for Will Lansa come about? What was his inspiration? What are your plans for Will in the future?

I’ve had a long-time interest in the Hopi because of their mystical traditions and have made several trips to the reservation. I wanted to create a realistic character, one who is both outsider and insider. I was influenced by my own experience as an outsider on the inside. During my twenties, I spent four years as an editor of a community newspaper on an urban Indian reservation – Little Earth of the United Tribes – and from that experience I was able to create Will. Sometimes, though, it seems that Will is an independent entity, one who keeps pushing me to tell his story.

Double Heart is the third installment of the Will Lansa story – following Prophecy Rock and Hawk Moon. After this one, Will graduates not only from high school but from the realm of young adult fiction. In the next novel, Time Catcher, Will is a young anthropology professor, who is called back to the rez by his aging grandmother, Vina, who launches him on another adventure into Hopi mystical reality. Time Catcher also comes out this fall.

3) Now, you're well known for writing officially licensed Indiana Jones books, which are pure adventure fiction. The Will Lansa stories do have adventure in them, but they are more mystery with a paranormal edge to them. You've also written tons of non-fiction as well. As far as genres go, do you have a favorite? Why or why not?

I find writing fiction a bit like brain surgery. It’s difficult and has gotten harder as I’ve moved more and more into plots involving magical reality. That’s what interests me. I also write non-fiction self-help books, some with my wife, Trish. Subjects have included: synchronicity, dream interpretation, astrology, yoga, meditation and psychic development.

Non-fiction is less like brain surgery, but still challenging in different ways. Finding a unique approach to a subject is essential. Of course, so is finding a publisher!

4) Speaking of Indiana Jones, can you share a little about your experience authoring several of his books? What is the process like? How does one get a gig writing books for one of the most beloved adventure heroes in the world?

When I wrote seven Indiana Jones novels, I must’ve been in a trance most of the time. I wrote each one in four months. When I finished one, the next was due four months later. George Lucas insisted that the stories involve real legends and actual sacred artifact. So there was considerable research involved – and no Internet at the time. Indy is also a world traveler, requiring more research, but my background as a travel writer in the 1980s helped out.

I was contracted to write the Indiana Jones novels because I was in the right place at the right time. I had just finished two novels based on scripts for an editor at Ballantine Books. One was written under a tight deadline because another novelist had abandoned the project. As a result, I was rewarded with an offer to write a novel based on the script of an upcoming movie called, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. When the novel hit the Times bestseller's list, I was asked to write a series of original Indiana Jones novels.

Interestingly, neither the editor at Ballantine nor the folks at LucasFilm knew that I had studied anthropology in college and taken several journeys to archaeological sites in Europe, North Africa, and Latin America.

5) In fiction, who are some authors who have had the greatest influence on your writing? Who does Rob MacGregor like to read for pleasure and escape?

Although they are not categorized as fiction, the stories from my youth that greatly influenced my perspective and writing were the first four books by Carlos Castenada. There are many others, of course, but that’s what pops into my mind at this moment. As far as reading fiction for pleasure, that’s a challenge because I’m always analyzing stories. It’s pleasure, but it’s also work. I recently enjoyed the Stieg Larsson novels. Lisbeth Salander is one of the most memorable characters I’ve ever encountered in fiction. I’m currently reading The Hunger Games novels, a 3-part YA series, mostly out of curiosity about how a novelist makes more than $20 million in one year. I haven’t found the answer yet.

6) Besides writing, what else do you do? Hobbies and interests?

I teach three or four yoga classes a week. I also teach a six-week meditation course several times a year. I also enjoy working out in the gym, trail riding on my mountain bike…and a good cup of coffee.

7) If you could only provide ONE piece of advice for aspiring writers, what would it be?

The cynical response would be to keep your day job. However, a better response: write because you enjoy creating a story or writing about a subject. The rest will follow.

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Thanks Rob, for such a great interview and for writing some really amazing books! And friends, let's show Rob some love by going to Amazon and purchasing his new book today (or at least sharing the link with your friends). Here's the link for Double Heart:

And links to the other Will Lansa novels:

And some Indy novels for your consideration!

Tripping Over Your Corpse: A Writer's Guide to Forensic Death Investigations (Part 1)

2011-09-20T20:33:00.001-04:00

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! As many of you know, I am a forensic death investigator for a local Medical Examiner's Office in Florida by profession. I've been doing this kind of work for about ten years now and, as you might figure, I get a lot of authors asking me questions about forensics all the time. So, I decided one day, I'd do something to try to help my writer friends out and that is what this (and future) blog posts is all about. For the next few weeks, I'm going to write a "How-to" guide for writers...but don't freak out! You don't have to be a writer to enjoy this book. If you're a fan of forensics or CSI or NCIS or anything similar, you should enjoy these blog posts too. After all, I'll be sharing inside tips of forensic death investigations for all to see...and hopefully doing it in an entertaining and fun way. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the writing process [And um, if you'd like, feel free to share these posts with your friends!]

Oh, and one more thing. Keep in mind that these posts will be just the first draft of the book. Sentences will be clunky. I'll have typos. Points and arguments might only be halfway expressed. The actual book will be much more detailed and informative.

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NYPD Detective Dirk Squarejaw whipped off his sunglasses and crouched down for a better look at the body. "What have we got?" he asked Medical Examiner Dr. Rip M. Upp.

Upp pulled off his latex gloves, stuffing them in the pockets of his lab coat and shrugged. "Looks like a close contact gunshot wound to the head. A through and through."

"What kind of ammo was used?"

The coroner shook his head. "Don't know yet. Bullet is still lodged in the victim's head. We won't know until we do the autopsy."

Squarejaw stood, stretching his legs. "What about time of death?"

Upp smiled. "That is something I can definitely help you with. From the rigor and lividity present in the body, I'd say he died around 8:12 p.m. last night."

The detective smiled at this. "Excellent, Doc! That's something to work with." Then, he turned and looked over at Ivy Dripp, the police department's crime scene investigator as she took the last of her photos. "What about you? Find anything interesting?"

"Some shell casings from bullets from a 12 gauge shotgun," she said, pulling out the casing from its plastic bag and showing it to the detective. "I won't be able to run ballistics on it for a while. I have to interrogate a suspect first, then run fingerprints that I found near the body, and construct a criminal profile. After that, I'll get the ballistics and can hopefully find a matching gun to go with it. I should have something back to you in about forty-five minutes or so."

"Darn it, Ivy!" Dirk shouted. "That's too long! I need something now. I can't let the killer get away again. Not this time." He scowled at the body as he whipped his sunglasses once more onto the bridge of his nose, then glanced menacingly at the camera that wasn't there. "Not ever again."

* * * *

Ha ha! Sound familiar? It should. It's a parody of just about every crime scene investigation show on TV today. And besides the over the top drama, it actually sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Authentic? With me throwing words and phrases like: "through and through" gunshot wound, "running ballistics", "We won't know more until after the autopsy", etc. Yeah...those definitely sound good, right?

Well, here's a bit of news for you. I'm not sure if there was a single sentence in that little parody that was accurate. As a matter of fact, I went to great pains to make sure that almost every sentence contradicted itself as the erstwhile crime scene gurus did their thing.

Okay, heck. Let's play a little game. Let's see how many mistakes you can catch in the above scenario. Go ahead. I'll wait for you. Go back up, read the story again, and see how many mistakes and/or faux pas you can catch. Who knows? You might even discover more mistakes than I did. So go ahead, figure it out, and I'll be right here when you get back.

Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmhmmmmm. Hmmm.

Oh, you're back! Excellent. So? How did you do? How many problems did you find? Really? That many? Okay...let's see. We're going to go through them one at a time and I'll explain why they're mistakes. Then, I'll explain the whole point behind this inane little exercise.

Okay, first of all, don't get me started on TV actors whipping off their sunglasses and looking cool at crime scenes. That's not what this book is about, so I'll refrain from commenting on the silliness of that. But the story starts with Detective Squarejaw crouching over the body to take a look. This is fine. As long as the detective is careful, a closer examination of the body at a crime scene is important for the investigator. However, I will say this...if the detective had tried to touch the body, there would have been major problems. Touching the body without Medical Examiner authorization is a major no-no. At least, in the state of Florida. It can possibly contaminate the evidence that might be present. But once again, our detective made no such mistake here. So, where is our first mistake?

Well, that's easy. It's the Medical Examiner's answer to the Squarejaw's question of "What have we got?" How did Dr. Upp respond? By stating that the gunshot wound is a close contact, through and through injury. Now, I didn't give enough information to determine whether it was a close contact wound (meaning, the barrel of the weapon is placed within a very close range to the victim when fired), so we can't say for sure that's the mistake. However, the use of the phrase "through and through" is a major issue. A definite mistake. Why? Excellent, my dear Watson! Because later, he tells the detective that he can't identify the bullet because it's still "lodged in his head." So what's wrong with that? Easy! By definition, a "through and through" is a projectile that enters and then exits the victim. Through and through is cop-speak for "in and out". Therefore, if the bullet is still inside the head, it didn't exit and therefore, is not a through and through. Make sense?

Okay. What other mistakes did you find? Well, let's now quicken the pace a bit and just outline the problems:

Medical Examiner vs. Coroner - When I first introduce Dr. Upp, I state that he is a Medical Examiner. Then, a few lines down, I call him a coroner. Now, contrary to popular belief, the two terms are not synonymous. They are actually two very different things and should not be confused for each other in your stories. I'll go into the specific differences in next week's post!

Time of Death - In our story, when the M.E. is unable to determine the type weapon used in the through and through gunshot wound that still held the projectile, Detective Squarejaw asks our worthy doctor a relatively simple question...when did the victim die? And like a good supporting cast character, he gives a very precise answer. Okay. I'll admit it. This is probably one of my biggest pet peeves of all detective fiction or television shows. The M.E. is asked time of death and they give it to within five to ten minutes. The reason this is a major pet peeve for me is...well, because people see this on TV and expect real Medical Examiners to be able to do the same thing. So I get the phone calls from irate family members who don't understand why I can't tell them when their loved ones die. You want to know the most accurate way to determine the time frame of someone's death? I'll give you the super scientific formula for it right here: Time last seen alive + Time person was found = Person died between those two times. I'm not joking. That's the most accurate time frame of death any legitimate Medical Examiner can give. Granted, there are definitely telltale signs to help narrow it down a bit...but those signs aren't accurate. Later in the book, I'll share with you what those signs are and why they're not the best indicators for time of death.

Bullet vs. Shot vs. Projectile - Now in the same line where I call Dr. Upp a coroner, I mention the fact that he can't identify the "bullet". But later, the crime scene investigator mentions that the shell casing found at the scene was from a 12 gauge shotgun (as a matter of fact, Ms. Dripp calls it a bullet too!). But that's a problem because shotguns don't use bullets. They use shotgun shells containing numerous pellets. Some times, they do use slugs which are similar to bullets, but they are distinctly different. So, in the field, it is best to use the term "projectile" until the bullet, slug, or shot can be identified. Now granted, this is an over simplification. But it works to illustrate the need to be careful when describing the projectiles used in your stories.

Ballistics and shotgun shells - Okay, if the weapon is, in fact, a shotgun...then a ballistics match is impossible. Like I said, most shotgun shells shoot a bunch of small round pellets that have been compressed into a plastic container known as a shell. The way ballistics work is by examining the striations (or grooves) cut into a lead bullet fired from a handgun or rifle. You see, most handguns and rifles have spiralling grooves inside their barrels that act to help propel the projectile and keep it steady in flight. These spirals are all different and individual to each weapon because they change over time with use. A ballistics examiner can compare the grooves cut into a projectile to the spirals in the barrel of a gun and connect a bullet with a particular weapon. Of course, another issue with this is that the police have to have a weapon to compare the bullet to...or they're out of luck. But see, you don't get those grooves forming on the pellets fired from a shotgun, so there would be no way ballistics would help.

Specialization vs. the One-Man Army - Then, you have my all time favorite mistake! Ignoring the beauty of specialization. The TV show CSI is notorious for this. On CSI, you have essentially a crime scene technician (who is rarely sworn law enforcement these days) who carry guns, chase down bad guys, get in shoot outs, interrogate suspects, conduct experiments, know the chemical compositions of Windex glass cleaner, can fix their neighbor's air conditioning unit with a paperclip and bubblegum, do ballistics examinations, fingerprint examinations, eat dinner, go shopping, write their dissertation, compare car tire tracks......and solve the crime all in less than an hour and all by themselves. In reality, like any other profession, we have specialties. A crime scene tech is a very specialized field. What do they do? They scour a crime scene and collect any evidence that they, or the detectives, discover that might be used to solve the crime (and get a conviction on the suspect). That's it. For the most part, they don't do interrogations. They collect the evidence and then transport that evidence to their local law enforcement office where that evidence is then processed by specialists in various fields. Yes, there are people who specialize in ballistics. Specialize in fingerprint analysis. Specialize in profiling. Heck, there are even some people who specialize in interrogation techniques. But it's a team effort. The task of catching bad guys is passed on to many different people who are experts at what they do. So don't make the mistake that Ivey Dripp did...break up the task of solving crimes to the people who truly know what they're doing. After all, which is better when trying to catch a killer...a single detective who knows a little about everything or numerous people who are exceptionally knowledgeable in their specialized field?

There might be a few more little mistakes I threw into the narrative for good measure, but I think I've proven my point with this little exercise. There are a lot of mistakes that can be made when writing a scene involving a...well, a crime scene. It would be to any author's best interest to make sure they have at least the major aspects of an investigation portrayed correctly. Does your crime scene have to be one hundred percent accurate to true life?

Heck no! After all, the beauty of a great cozy mystery is that they often forgo procedural forensics for the sake of atmosphere. How boring would it be to find out that Colonel Mustard killed Mr. Body in the library with a candlestick if told from a clinically detached, Joe Friday-type narrative. Sometimes, "Just the facts" just doesn't work. But a decent understanding of forensic death investigations in broad strokes (as will be demonstrated in this book) can go a very long way.

Case in point, in my book The Curse of One-Eyed Jack, I merged certain aspects of forensic science with Appalachian folklore and folk magic. Ezekiel Crane and his companion are scouring the woods in search of a dead body. Crane stumbles upon an ant, picks it up, says something, then puts the ant back down on the ground. Kili, his companion, thinks he's nuts. She thinks he's talking to bugs. But as we find out, he's actually using a discipline of forensics known as entomology...or the study of insects...to track down the location of the dead body. Yes, I absolutely exaggerated the "science" of that scene...but that's okay. It fit with the overall atmosphere of the book. But it was knowledge of entomology that allowed me to utilize it so effectively and make it almost seem like magic.

So, in this first part of Tripping Over Your Corpse: A Writer's Guide to Forensic Death Investigation, I hope I've shown you the need to become more familiar with the various aspects of the field. I hope I've convinced you that a little knowledge can go a long way. And keep in mind, the knowledge I'll be presenting in this book will be very very broad. I won't get too specific here about things so that I can cover as many aspects of the field as possible.

I hope you will join me in this great adventure as we explore the fascinating world of forensics together. And I hope you are able to use the information I've put together in this volume to make your own writing even better and more authentic.

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Tune in next week as we examine the differences between Medical Examiner and Coroner, as well as their roles in death investigation. We will also examine the various other careers attached to the field such as Medical Examiner Investigator, toxicologists, autopsy techs, etc. We'll also look at what states use Medical Examiners vs. Coroners...and a whole lot more!

Ghosts, Monsters, and Looking into the Future

2011-09-09T00:35:00.001-04:00

So, I've been a tad busy lately. Haven't had a great deal of time to post anything new on the blog this week. But now, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Syracuse, NY (I'll fill you in on why in a sec) and realized I had some time to check in and share with you some really cool things that are happening with me and my publishing company, Seven Realms.

So why am I in Syracuse? Well, for the Scare-a-cuse convention, that's why. Scare-a-cuse is the first annual paranormal, sci-fi, and horror convention hosted by the Ghosthunter's very own TAPS para-magazine. That's right, the guys from TAPS (SyFy channel's Ghosthunters). TAPS founder Jason Hawes and TAPS team member Britt Griffith are going to be there, as well as a slew of other celebrities from sci-fi and horror movies through the years (including the still very lovely Adrienne Barbeau). Other celebrities such as Walter Koenig (Chekov from Star Trek), Chaske Spenser from the Twilight movies (have no idea who he is, but since Twilight's a big deal, I figure that is too), Ron Chaney (the legendary Lon Chaney's great grandson), and a whole bunch of others will be there.

But I'm not going to be there as a fanboy. Oh no! I'm going to be there as a publisher and author. Seven Realms is a sponsor and vendor of the convention and we're going to have an amazing time there! NY Times best selling author David L. Golemon will be there to sign pre-released copies of his upcoming 7R supernatural thriller The Supernaturals! That's right! BEFORE the book is officially released, we're offering print edition copies of the book for attendees to the convention. Plus, David will be there to sign the copies (or copies of his bestselling EVENT series if you're so inclined).

But David won't be the only one there this weekend...oh no! The awesome R.P. Steeves, author of the Misty Johnson paranormal detective series will be there too. And yes, he'll have copies of Misty Johnson, Supernatural Dick in Capitol Hell there to sign for his fans.

And yes, I'll have copies of Primal Thirst, Sirens' Song, and The Curse of One-Eyed Jack there as well. And will be more than happy to sign them for you too...though I still haven't quite figured out why on earth anyone would want my autograph anyway. But I'll do it if you want....'cause that's just the kind of guy I am.

All of these festivities will be taking place this weekend, September 9-11, at the OnCenter Convention Center. You can find out more about it here: www.scare-a-cuse.net.

But wait...the title of this post is Ghosts, Monsters, AND Looking into the Future. You're probably saying, "I can understand the ghost thing...that's TAPS and DLG's The Supernaturals promo. I can even understand Monsters...that's Kent's cryptozoological adventure series. But what about seeing into the future?" Well, I'm glad you asked...'cause I wanted to use the second part of this post to share some AWESOME things on the horizon for lovers of all things books!!!

First of all, it's September! Do you have any clue what that means? No? Well, let me give you a hint. It means that Seven Realms will be releasing the newest young adult mystery adventure by NY Times best selling author Rob MacGregor. That's right...on September 27, we'll be releasing Double Heart (A Will Lansa Mystery). This is the third book in the Will Lansa series (though you don't have to have read the first two books...it is it's own separate adventure!) and follows what happens when a teenage kid from two different worlds (a wealthy socialite white mom and a Native American father who is a cop on a Hopi Indian reservation) takes a research project on Native American witchcraft too far...and the tribe's resident (and secret) witch doesn't like it one bit. This fast paced tale combines the supernatural, folklore, and murder mystery for one awesome read for readers of all ages.

But that's not all that's going on. Wow. Where do I begin? Well, first of all, I just received the full manuscript for the next Dodge Dalton tale by Sean Ellis. Right now, tentatively titles The Adventures of Dodge Dalton and the High Road to Oblivion finds Dodge in his more exciting and fun adventure yet. At least, from what I've seen so far. I only started reading today...but so far...WOW!!!! I can't wait to share more with you about this great book. Oh, and for fans of Dodge Dalton, here's a bit of news you might not know. He will soon be released in mass market paperback!! I'll keep you posted on that one.

What else? Well, we recently signed a deal with David Sakmyster (author of the Pharos Objective and the upcoming Mongol Objective) for an awesome psychological (and a bit paranormal) thriller entitled Blindspots!

Here's what the story's about:

Promotional image only. Not the book cover.

Imagine living in a world where you can’t see or recognize peoples’ faces. Instead of the woman walking toward you with the long brown hair, freckles and blue eyes, all you see is a blur of features, indistinguishable from the other blurred faces that walk past you. This is what individuals with Prosopagnosia (“face blindness”) experience every day – the inability to distinguish facial features.

In BLINDSPOTS, six individuals have lived with the challenges of face blindness their entire lives. Being unable to recognize mothers and husbands, lovers and enemies, except through the details – a ring worn on a particular finger, shoes, a distinct voice. It can be a lonely and dangerous existence…but then one day the six strangers afflicted with Prosopagnosia, discover they are somehow suddenly able to see each other. And it’s almost as if they know each other…but they have no memory of ever meeting before or previously being able to see a face, let alone five others. But before they can figure out the phenomenon, they are targeted by a preternaturally-gifted killer who has been waiting, more than one lifetime, for them to trigger a series of events. Snow-bound in a secluded Vermont hospital, the six must fight to figure out the truth as well as survive.

So, yeah...some REALLY exciting things happening for me and for Seven Realms Publishing. But for those wondering when all these awesome books are scheduled to be released, that's the final "Look" into the future I'm going to provide you. The following is the tentative release schedule for 7R from now until the end of 2012. Take a look and mark your calendars. I know you won't want to miss a single book that we're about to release. I promise you that!

2011

September 2011 – Double Heart by Rob MacGregor
October 2011 – The Supernaturals by David L. Golemon
November 2011 –
December 2011 – The Concordances of the Red Serpent by William Meikle

2012

January 2012 – Devil's Child (The ENIGMA Directive Book 3) by J. Kent Holloway
February 2011 – Dodge Dalton 3 by Sean Ellis
March 2012 – Sons of God/Daughters of Men by Nicholas Tanguma
April 2012 – Next John Logan book by Rick Nichols
May 2012 – Rally ‘Round the Corpse by Hy Conrad
June 2012 – Nick Kismet 3 by Sean Ellis
July 2012 – Buried Lie by Kerry Frey
August 2012 – Murder Most Vexing anthology (first half of August) AND Misty Johnson 2 by R.P. Steeves (second half of August)
September 2012 – Blindspots by David Sakmyster
October 2012 – Jack of Hearts by Candace Bowen Early
November 2012 –
December 2012 --

Let Me Introduce You To...Jack Scott

2011-08-25T03:55:00.002-04:00

I think it's safe to say that most people who read this blog knows that I'm not usually big on non-fiction or "true stories". It's not that there's anything wrong with it. It's just that true stories typically have to do with someone overcoming something. Or coming to terms with something. Or basically, just dealing with some uber depressing obstacle we all face. You know...real life stuff. But when I read, I want to escape "real life". I want to go where the impossible happens. I want to explore undiscovered countries, battle terrific beasts, and hear someone shout, "Here, there be monsters!" That's what I look for in a good book. So when I heard that an author in my own home town of St. Augustine, Florida had written a novel based on a true story, I was just a tad skeptical that I'd be interested. After all, true stories are boring right?

Well, after reading about Jack Scott and his novel "Cayman Cross", I realized that I just couldn't be more wrong! This story, based on actual events that took place in the Caribbean in 1922 has just about everything I look for in a good novel: swashbuckling adventure, murder on the high seas, and...PIRATES!!! That's right, I said pirates. So, I ask you...how in the world could I NOT love a book that has pirates in it? Especially pirates that existed in a time when we typically don't expect pirates to exist...the early 20th century. Needless to say, this book is now on my "To Be Read" list and I couldn't wait to tell you guys about it so you could experience this great story right along with me.

Here's the product description for the book:

On October 30, 1922, the Cuban Trading Schooner Juana Mercedes embarked on a journey that would lead her into treachery, piracy and multiple murders.

CAYMAN CROSS is a novel based on the true story of the piracy of the Cuban trading schooner "Juana Mercedes" off the coast of the Cayman Islands. It is a story of conspiracy, multiple murders, mystery and adventure on and in the islands of the Caribbean Sea.

Sounds awesome, right?! A true story, yes...but with action and adventure. And, like I said, pirates. How could you go wrong?

Photo taken from www.caymancross.com

Here's a brief bio on the author:

The author of CAYMAN CROSS, Allen "Jack" Scott, is a Caymanian-American who claims his heritage from a long line of Cayman Islands sea captains. He is an attorney and legal mediator by profession, but is also an avid sailor and hunter with a lifelong love of adventure and writing. He is a graduate of Jacksonville University (B.A.) and the University of Florida (J.D.) and resides with his wife and family in St. Augustine, Florida.

Recently, I had an opportunity to talk to Jack about the real pirates of the Caribbean (ca. 1922 anyway), writing in general, and a few things in between. Here's what he had to say:

1) I've already posted the book's back cover copy on my blog, but one thing I always like to ask authors is to describe their book in their own words. What's it about? Who are some of the characters we'll get to know when we read it?

It is easy enough to say that Cayman Cross is a historical novel about the actual piracy of a Cuban trading schooner that took place in 1922. But that doesn't begin to tell the story. This is one of those unusual instances where the true story is more interesting than just fiction. Cayman Cross is not just another hacknied, swaggering, sword swinging parrot of pirate legend. It is essentially the story of a handful of sailors and two young deck boys who fell into a tragedy of conspiracy and multiple murders on the high seas. The players in this drama are more or less ordinary people who encounter extraordinary circumstances through which only a few survived. Almost as interesting as the story itself, I believe, is the spectacularly beautiful turn of the century Caribbean islands of Cuba, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, where the story played out. You can get a really good picture of the life and times that I portray by going to my website, http://www.caymancross.com/.

2) This book is based on a true story. What inspired you to write a book about this relatively modern day pirate attack?

Photo taken from http://www.caymancross.com/

My entire Scott family line dates back several centuries in the Cayman Islands. My father was born in Cayman Brac and I have dual citizenship. One day a number of years ago I was reading a Cayman Islands history book and happened upon just a few lines about "the last piracy" in the Cayman Islands. Right then and there I knew I had to research the incident and write about it--the story was just that captivating. Countless hours of historical research and a fair dash of imagination later, the Cayman Cross piracy turned into a historical novel. It became my personal contribution to my Cayman heritage.

3) Sounds like a great adventure story. Any adventure on the high seas highlights you might want to share with my readers? Something to whet their appetites?

How about this:

The deafening explosion of gunshots in the small cabin had so shocked and surprised Evans Rivers that he stumbled backwards and dropped the old Navy Colt from his hand. It clattered loudly on the cabin sole, adding to the noise and confusion.

Eyes wide, Rivers shouted out at the Spaniard: "Pablo! Mother of God, Pablo! You have killed him! What are you doing!"

The Spaniard turned slowly then toward Rivers, his pistol still in his right hand.

"Shut up Rivers! Shut up!" he shouted back, raising his pistol as if he intended to shoot Rivers as well.

Photo taken from http://www.caymancross.com/

Evans Rivers cowered back into the corner, and then slumped down into a sitting position on the bunk behind him. He lowered his eyes again to see a pool of dark blood now forming under the body before him, some mixing with the seawater sloshing around on the cabin sole. He sunk his face in his hands and slowly shook his head.

4) Now, you're from the Cayman Islands yourself, right? How has growing up in the Caribbean prepared you to write this book?

No, I'm actually the first born American son in a long line of Caymanians. I actually grew up in northeast Florida and now reside with my wife and family in St. Augustine. But believe me, I grew up the son of a sea captain in a long line of sea captains, so my youth was steeped in great old stories and legends of seafaring and adventure on the sea. My Grandfather obviously enjoyed many hours of my wide-eyed attention as he related stories of our pirate ancestors when I was a boy. Now I almost regret that my family geneology work has proven that although Grandaddy was a great storyteller, he wasn't much burdened by truth, God rest his salty soul. Also, I should add that I have family in the Caymans and I have spent a great deal of time there and in many places around the Caribbean. I love it there, and I think you'll see that in my novel.

5) I know you just recently released Cayman Cross, but any plans for new books in the future? What projects might you be considering for the future?

I've recently developed a real interest in the practice of piracy during American Prohibition. Most people don't know it (I didn't), but piracy off the American coast was rampant during Prohibition. You could almost liken it to the modern day Mexican drug wars. Since liquor was illegal during Prohibition, smuggling and rumrunning became instantly popular occupations. At the same time, a lot of folks figured out that there were lots of ships full of liquor and money off our coasts that were ripe for picking. Even better--American law enforcement didn't care if pirates were robbing and killing rumrunners--after all, the rumrunners were criminals too. Anyway, my research is now moving me in that direction.

6) Besides writing, what else do you do? Interests? Hobbies?

Photo taken from http://www.caymancross.com/

You probably noticed from my book cover that I'm an attorney. Actually I have been a lawyer for many years, but I'm also now a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. That long handle simply means that I work as a court designated "neutral" to conduct pretrial meetings (mediations) with the parties to a lawsuit and their attorneys in an effort to help achieve a mutually acceptable settlement without the necessity of trial. I have to say that after years of being an advocate, fighting for my clients, it has been a really rewarding change to serve as a neutral mediator trying to bring all the parties and their attorneys to a voluntary settlement short of trial. As for other interests and hobbies, I've always been an outdoorsman. I love hunting, fishing and watersports of all kinds. But most of all, as you will see when you read Cayman Cross, I love sailing.

7) One question I ask of every author who is featured on my blog is this: If you could only offer one piece of advice for aspiring writers, what would it be?

As you know, Cayman Cross is my first novel, so I hardly feel qualified to give reliable advice to aspiring writers. What I can say is that I never could have completed Cayman Cross had I not been completely enthralled by the subject matter. At times, I actually enjoyed the historical research more than the task of writing. Personally, I have to believe that absolute dedication to and interest in your subject matter is the key.

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Thank you, Jack, for an amazing interview! We wish you the very best. And friends and readers, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of this book. You can do so by going to Jack Scott's website: http://www.caymancross.com/ or by clicking on the link below.

Let Me Introduce You To...Paul Byers

2011-08-16T22:54:00.004-04:00

So, THE GAME anthology is live and available everywhere (in all kinds of formats: print, Kindle, Nook, Sony, iStore), so the time of introducing you to The Game's authors is now over. So what do I have in store for my loyal blog readers in the upcoming weeks? Well, for the next couple of weeks, I'll be introducing you to a few brand new authors that I really think you should get to know. Then, in a few weeks, I have a very special surprise in store...I will be writing a book online, chapter by chapter for all to see. But this won't be just any old piece of fiction. I will actually be writing a How-to book for authors entitled "Tripping Over Your Corpses: A Writer's Guide to Forensic Death Investigation". Don't worry, it will be a relatively short book...but very instructive and I think everyone will enjoy it (whether you're a writer or not). Simply put...even if you're just a fan of mysteries or CSI, you'll definitely want to read this book. But, like I said, that's a few weeks away still.

There's much to share before then...and how better to get started than by introducing you to a fantastic thriller author that I think you'll really enjoy. Let me introduce you to Paul Byers, author of ARCTIC FIRE and CATALYST.

ARCTIC FIRE is Byers' newest thriller and features an "Everyman" hero going up against a wealthy megalomaniac bent on world domination...using an iceberg on its way to New York City. Intrigued? You should be! It's an amazingly fun concept. Here's the product description for the book:

Wealthy entrepreneur Nigel Cain has devised an efficient new way to bring the earth's most precious resource - clean water - to the masses by transporting massive man-made icebergs from the frigid arctic and delivering them literally to the doorsteps of millions.

Gabriel Pike works in a small engineering firm that has been handed the chance of a lifetime - they have been chosen to give the final safety approval to pilot the gigantic block of ice into New York harbor. A consummate showman, Cain has built a fabulous 5-Star hotel and casino high atop the iceberg so his celebrity guests and media elite can cover this news-breaking event from beginning to the end. Pike is whisked away and dumped in the lap of luxury where he is expected by all too simply rubber-stamp his inspection.

A brutal winter storms ravages the iceberg and only through Pike's quick thinking are they able to survive. But the storm reveals more than Pike's ability to think on his feet, he makes some disturbing discoveries and has serious doubts about the safety or the real intentions of the project. A grisly double homicide on the ice puts the inspections on the back burner and Pike's life is suddenly spiraling out of control as he is accused of being the jealous murderer in a lover's triangle.

But Pike soon discovers that there is far more than just his life on the line. He uncovers a conspiracy more heinous than anything he could have imagined - a plot that will level a city, change the political face of America and whose shockwaves will be felt around the world. Now, if only he can only survive long enough to stop it.

PRAISE OF ARCTIC FIRE:

"A new twist on a classic battlefield ploy finds an iceberg controlled by a megalomaniac on a collision course with NYC. A provocative blend of fact and fiction that explores issues surrounding a critical natural resource, fresh water, Arctic Fire is bound to leave readers thirsty for more." - Rick Chesler, author of kiDNApped and WIRED KINGDOM.

"Audacious and ambitious, Arctic Fire burns with action, and chills with the possibilities of what the future may hold. A thriller not to be missed!" - Sean Ellis, author of INTO the BLACK.

"A madman's insatiable quest for power could level a major Ameri-can city and kill thousands, ushering in a New World Order. Arctic Fire is a thrill-ride that will leave you breathless." - Jeremy Robinson, bestselling author of INSTINCT and THRESHOLD.

See? Told you it sounded amazing! But I'll let Paul tell you more about it in a minute or two, as well as let him tell you about his other book, a WWII thriller called CATALYST (which I personally can't wait to sink my teeth into!). Here's what he had to say:
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1) Your newest book Arctic Fire is such a cool concept. It sounds part action/adventure, part sci-fi, and part murder mystery. Where did the inspiration for this story come from? What was the stories genesis and how did it develop?

First of all I just want to say thank you to you, Kent for having me on and to you the readers, for taking the time to stop by and have a look.

Don’t laugh at this but the genesis, the original concept for Arctic Fire and sequels came from a Warner Brothers cartoon in the 1990’s called Pinky and the Brain. It was about two genetically altered lab mice who tried to take over the world. The opening credits were always the same:

Pinky: "Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?"

The Brain: "The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!"

The threat of nuclear holocaust, invasion from aliens and bio terrorism, while done right is exciting and action packed, has been done over and over again. Like the Brain, I was looking for new and creative ways to take over the world. I wanted to take ideas that at first sound totally out there, and with science based facts and a little imagination, create an exciting story that will leave the reader wondering where the facts end and the imagination begins. To prove my point, take a look at the example below. Does this story idea sound like it’s a little farfetched?

A spaceship travels back in time to capture two whales that are now extinct and brings them to the future where they can talk to an alien probe that is destroying the earth.

Sound a little crazy? A little familiar? This is the basic plot for Star Trek IV, The Voyage Home. It sounds crazy on paper but it made a good movie. That’s why my ideas may sound crazy on paper but after reading the book you’ll nod your head and say “Yeah, I can see that happening.” I can’t say too much more about my story without giving things away, but let’s just say that the Brain would approve of the plot and there is real science behind it. For this specific end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it story, I got the idea from a program on The History Channel.

I also wanted to create a series with the same believable hero and recurring characters that are thrust into situations they could not have imagined. I plan to start the sequel to Arctic Fire early next year where Pike is once again flying by the seat of his pants and saving the world again.

2) Can you tell us about a few of the characters in the story? Who are they? What are they?

Our hero is Gabriel Pike and I wanted him to be the “everyman hero.” He isn’t ex-military, a Kung fu master or a super hero; he is an ordinary man put into extraordinary circumstances. He is not a wimp by any mean as he flies a Korean War vintage F-86 Sabre jet. Pike is an engineer so he sees thing just a little bit differently than the rest of us and even though he’s used to running out structural calculations to five decimal points, he lives by the simple motto that there are few things in life that can’t be fixed with a bigger hammer or a roll of duct tape!

Our villain in the story is, Nigel Cain. Cain is a self-made man and is one of the wealthiest men on the planet. And being wealthy, the press thinks he is prone to being eccentric with his latest stunt, but there is method to his madness. His passion, devotion and his vision of the future are his greatest assets… but our greatest threat.

3) Now you have another book, Catalyst...which sounds like a fantastic read! (I honestly have it on my Kindle awaiting to be read and can't wait to read it). For people who don't know, tell us a little about Catalyst. Describe it in your own words.

Catalyst is WWII spy thriller inspired by true events; the fact that the Germans were formulating a plan to bomb New York. Catalyst is not alternate history, just my take on how things might have happened, and as the cover suggests, there’s a lot of action with twists and turns. All the aircraft and gadgets used in the book are real, even the flying wing on the cover. I created a companion website, www.catalystwwiifacts.com that has some interesting facts about the planes from the book and WWII in general.

One little teaser I’ll throw in. In the book, our hero, Captain Griff Avery works for the OSS (the forerunner to today’s CIA) and he is picking up some money to send to his resistance cell. What they do in the book is what they did in real life to age the money so as not to give the agent using it away to the ever lurking Gestapo. Strange but true.

4) What is it about Nazis, do you think, that make such fantastic villains (I mean, besides the obvious)? Frankly, I see a story where Nazis are the villains and I automatically get excited to read the story. Even after all these years, why do you think they hit such a cord with us?

I think there are several reasons why we love to hate the Nazis. In WWII and for that generation, the Nazi Swastika personified evil. When a Nazi SS officer walked into the room with his black uniform, you knew you were in trouble. Today, the lines are more blurred between good and evil, there is no clear face of the enemy like there was with the Nazis.

For those who aren’t history buffs let me compare them in a more modern day setting, and work with me on this one. The Nazis were like the Borg from Star Trek. They were cold, calculating, methodical and just kept on coming. They took everything, your way of life, belongings, your home, your very life at times, but often they took who you were and changed it forever. That is why we hate them and that is why we love to see them beaten.

I also want to make a quick note here. In writing a story about WWII and Germany, I try not to vilify the German people or the German army in general. Most were just doing their duty like we were. It was the Nazi party and SS who were the true evil and not only did we suffer from it, but the German people did as well.

5) Besides writing, what other things to you enjoy doing? Hobbies, etc?

You mean there is something besides writing? When I’m not pounding on the keyboard, I’m pounding the enemy into submission over the skies of Europe or the Pacific. I enjoy playing a WWII flight simulator (Warbirds) that I’ve been playing online for over 10 years now. I also enjoy building model planes and ships, never got into model cars though. Nothing terribly exciting like one author I know who practices throwing tomahawks, and she’s good at it.

6) What authors out there are some of your biggest inspirations? Who would you say you most emulate in your writing style? Who would you like to be compared to? Why?

One of my biggest inspirations is Jeremy Robinson. Not so much in his writing style--don’t get me wrong, he has some great books that are fun and exciting to read--but because of what he has done after he’s written them. In Arctic Fire, Cain is the consummate showman. In reality, Jeremy is the consummate marketer.
He has broken new ground in marketing with video campaigns, contests and just plain hard work. It has taken him about 10 years to become an overnight sensation. I’ve got 4 years in, so I’m well on my way!

As for writing styles, I don’t have one author that I can point to that I like to copy, so to speak. I like Clancy and again Robinson for their shorter chapters that are mini cliffhangers that keep the reader interested and Dean Koontz for his descriptive writing. There are, of course, other writers I’ve read and tried to take the good from to make myself a better writer, but if I had to name one overall, I’d have to say that I want to be like Mike! Some of you will get that reference.

Michael Crichton has written so many great books with fantastic storylines that there are just too many to mention. He’s clever and imaginative and bases his stories in facts with equal amounts of imagination, something that I am striving to do with my books. I have some big shoes to fill and a ways to go, but I’m up to it!

7) I ask this question of all my guests, but always enjoy the answer. If you could offer only one piece of advice for aspiring writers, what would that one piece of advice be?

The number one thing I can pass on and would hope to instill in anyone who wants to write is simple; just do it! Wherever I go, I run into people who say they’ve always wanted to write a book but never got around to it. I always try to encourage people to write, telling them that I am the perfect example of just getting down and writing. I was published at the young age of 50!

It took me about three and a half years to finish Catalyst and two for Arctic Fire. A long time yes, but I finished it. If I can do it, so can you; whether it’s the great American novel, poetry or just dear diary. Getting it down on paper, or in this day and age, into a computer file, is the first and most important step; everything else will come later.

Just do it and keep at it! A writer writes!!

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Thanks Paul, for the great interview!!

And readers, I highly encourage you to check out Paul's books. Here are links to Amazon to make the search easier for you:

THE GAME preview: A word from author David Wood...

2011-08-04T21:51:00.002-04:00

For the last few weeks, I've been sharing with you the writing talents that comprise Seven Realms Publishing's newest book: THE GAME, an anthology of short stories inspired by Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game. Well, the good news is that now we're no longer PREVIEWING this awesome book!! It's now available in both ebook and print. I'll have links to where you can pick them up at the end of tonight's post. But for now...I wanted to let author David Wood talk to you a bit about his contribution to The Game, as well as his own books and what he has in store for the future.

If you're unfamiliar with Dave (Egads! I pity you if you are and highly recommend you go pick his books up as soon as possible), he has a written a series of treasure hunting adventure novels featuring Dane Maddock and his Native American partner Bones. Together, they have hunted some major cool treasures and got themselves into a ton of fine messes...all with a certain flare that is the hallmark of a fantastic thriller.

Besides, his own writing career (in which he has just recently started doing full time!!! (Every author's dream)), he also is the co-host of ThrillerCast...a podcast dedicated to talking about all the facets that make up the very broad genre we call "thrillers". It's honestly one of my favorite "radio" shows and I rarely miss an episode when I can. You can take a listen to it here (http://thrillerpodcast.blogspot.com/).

So anyway, without further ado, I'll let David Wood talk to you for the rest of the post. :)

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A WORD FROM DAVID WOOD...

My first encounter with The Most Dangerous Game was in high school English. I remember being stunned, not only by the story itself, but by the fact that my school actually required us to read something cool! The concept of man hunting man touches us on so many levels. For some, it represents the ultimate test of strength, skill, and cunning, while others will view it as the highest-stakes chess match in which a person could engage. For many, it will conjure up dark images from history, or stir up or deepest fears. Regardless of what one brings to the table when sitting down to read such a story, the premise is certain to elicit a strong response in the reader.

When I was asked to immerse my signature characters, Dane Maddock and "Bones" Bonebrake, in this scenario, I leapt at the opportunity. I figured if Rutger Hauer and Ice T couldn't mess the story up, neither could I. But by whom should my characters be hunted? I reflected on their personal histories, reviewed their bios, and there it was! Bones is a Native American who grew up in the south and had his share of bad experiences with people from the shallow end of the gene pool. Or, to put it like Eric Cartman, he hates rednecks. Once I chose the antagonists, I first considered a Deliverance-type scenario, but felt that would not pose enough of a challenge for a pair of former SEALS. Instead, I decided to drop them into unfamiliar terrain, unarmed, against skilled hunters, and see where it went from there. The result is my contribution to The Game, a short story titled "Dark Entry."

I can't tell you what an exciting summer it's been for me as I have made the transition to full-time author, and The Game is just one of the many highlights. Quest, the latest Dane Maddock adventure, has gotten off to a terrific start and is currently sitting at #1 on Amazon's "Hot New Releases" chart in the Men's Adventure category. I've also released my first young adult book, a dark humor-laden zombie novella called The Zombie-Driven Life. I'm also wrapping up Callsign: Queen, a novella I'm co-authoring with Jeremy Robinson in his Jack Sigler/Chess Team universe. If that's not enough to get you good and tired of me, listen to me and my evil henchman, author Alan Baxter, on our ThrillerCast podcast. (No, it's not about Michael Jackson- it's about reading, writing, and publishing in the thriller genre.) Also, please visit me on the web at www.davidwoodweb.com, stop by my blog, or connect with me on Twitter and Facebook.

I'm grateful to Kent and the Seven Realms family for including me in this truly top-notch anthology.
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Thanks David. And we wish you the very best of luck! If you want to be one of the cool kids and be up to date on this exciting up-and-coming author, here are a few links for you to pick up copies of his books:

And while you're in a book buyin' kind of of mood...remember to pick up a copy of THE GAME anthology!!! Here's the link to the Kindle version of the book:

And for whatever reason, Amazon hasn't listed the print version yet....so here's a link to both the print and Nook version through Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-game-sean-ellis/1104527754

If you buy the print version now, you can pick it up for only $7.93! Regular price is $12.99, so that's a bargain!

THE GAME preview: A word from author R.P. Steeves

2011-07-27T21:58:00.001-04:00

When I first started Seven Realms Publishing, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to see happen with it. I knew, for instance, that it would lean heavily into the action/adventure realm of fiction simply because that's the kind of stuff that I like to write. I knew that, for the most part, I would want it to be comprised of relatively family friendly fiction (with a few exceptions to the rule possibly in extreme circumstances). And I pretty much had a vision of exploding out of the gate and accomplishing amazing things with the first couple of years. Well, I'm proud to say that those things have happened.

But of course, I wanted more. My literary tastes don't simply end with the adventure thriller. Oh no! If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you'll know I have a soft spot for mysteries (though I'm not fond of procedurals very much...perhaps because it hits too close to home in regards to my "day job") and have featured, on a number of occasions, books about Special Agent Pendergast by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. But perhaps the genre I've raved about the most during my time as a glamorous Internet blogger is...Urban Fantasy. I've talked about Jim Butcher and his immensely entertaining (and often, believe it or not inspiring) wizard detective Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. I've talked non-stop about Anton Strout's psychometric detective Simon Canderous and his vampire/zombie slaying Department of Extraordinary Affairs. I say all this simply to help you understand this...when I started Seven Realms Publishing, I had my eyes wide open for the next great urban fantasy hero. And I found it in a woman with a silly nom du jour and an even more ludicrous career title. I'm talking, of course, about Misty Johnson...scourge of the Washington D.C. Underworld Underworld and tough as nails "Supernatural Dick".

When R.P. Steeves manuscript came across my desk, I was simply beside myself with excitement and devoured it rather quickly. A few weeks later, Rich had signed the contract to publish his very first book and the rest, as they say is history. Well, Rich is bringing his paranormal detective into the realm of short fiction in Seven Realm's upcoming anthology THE GAME. So I've asked him to talk to you guys a bit about what he has coming up in the near future. So without further ado...here's Rich!

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A WORD FROM R.P. STEEVES...

It’s always a pleasure to guest blog on the site of my friend and mentor, J. Kent Holloway. And, to be given an opportunity to talk about myself? Well, I never pass that up!

First off, I am thrilled to be a part of the upcoming anthology THE GAME from Seven Realms. The story that inspired the collection, “The Most Dangerous Game,” has always been a favorite of mine, and getting a chance to drop my character, Misty Johnson, into an adventure inspired by that tale has been a blast. And the story itself was a great opportunity for me. Since Misty has been wandering the earth for hundreds of years, well, it’s a chance to fill in some gaps.

If you’ve read the first Misty Johnson book, Capitol Hell, then you’ll surely recognize several characters who appear in the story. You might not recognize Misty at first though, as she is in a very different mental state from how she appears in 2010. And, if you are thinking of picking up the second Misty Johnson mystery, subtitled The National Maul, then you’ll be getting a preview of some of the antagonists and ideas that will be popping up in that tome. Plus, it’s fun to see what Misty was up to in the early 30’s.

And, if you are interested in what Misty Johnson was up to in the later 30’s, you will want to check out an upcoming crime anthology from Ravenwood Press. In that book, we’ll learn a little bit about what Misty Johnson was up to in an earlier stint as a Paranormal Investigator. She hangs up her shingle in California in the mid-thirties and investigates “The Case of the Chinese Phoenix.” If you like noir—including fedoras, pistols, femme fatales and succubi, then this is the story for you. It’s due out in early 2012!

Also due out in 2012 is that second Misty Johnson novel: The National Maul. It picks up a month or so after the events of Capitol Hell, following Misty’s latest case, the new addition to her investigative team, and the burning mystery that readers were left with at the end of her previous adventure. In addition to the return of some of her most stalwart allies and deadliest enemies, the book will feature rival werewolf packs, zombie masters, manipulation of space-time, customizable card games, moon rocks, mysterious toilets, clay golems, shy vampires and lots and lots of fire.

Another project I have in the works is an exciting project with the folks at New Pulp. I am writing a chapter in PARIAH AND THE PURPLE PRINCE, a collaborative novel which boasts over 20 of the greatest pulp writers of today. In addition, proceeds from this work will go to the Stan Lee Foundation, an exciting charity founded by the Generalissimo himself! For more info, check out http://www.newpulpfiction.com/

Finally, I have a few of my own projects in the works. I am finishing up a science fiction manuscript whose idea came to me over a decade ago. It’s been a long time coming, but it is shaping out to be a strong work, with plenty of Shakespearean inspired madness. Look for more details to come on that. In addition, I am finishing up two brand new short stories to fill out my first self-published short story collection, including several of my previously published works.

Thinking long term, I am working on a few ideas for comic book scripts, as well as a film project and a possible sitcom pilot. I also have a pulp mystery novella kicking around in my brain that needs to see the light of day soon. I also write about technology issues in my day job for TMCnet.com More information on my writing projects can be found at my blog: http://richsteeves.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading! See you in the funny pages!
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Thanks Rich, for a great post! For those who haven't read Misty Johnson's first adventure/mystery, you should totally check it out! Here's a link to Amazon! (It's also available in all the major ebook formats)

Oh...and big news! THE GAME anthology NOW has a PRE-ORDER page on Barnes and Noble's website! If you act now, you can pre-order the book for a substantial discount on the cover price. I promise, this is one of those books you'll want to have on your bookshelf for years to come...so pre-order your copy today. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-game-sean-ellis/1032274720 Oh, if you'd like to help spread the word, simply click on the "Like" button and it will show up on your Facebook page!

Here's the back cover synopsis:

“I wanted the ideal animal to hunt," explained the general. "So I said, `What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?' And the answer was, of course, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason.'"

"But no animal can reason," objected Rainsford.

"My dear fellow," said the general, "there is one that can."

In 1924, Richard Connell’s THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, captivated readers with the tale of one man hunting another man for sport. It became an instant classic.

Now, witness the next evolution of hunt, with twelve all new tales of cunning and survival.

THE GAME is on!

THE GAME preview: A word from author David Sakmyster...

2011-07-19T22:49:00.002-04:00

For the last two years, I've been what they call "networking" like crazy and getting to know a lot of amazing authors. It's not only great for the writing/publishing career and educational, but an absolute blast as well. Well, some time last year, I ran across this crazy character named David Sakmyster (to this day, I still have difficulty typing his name without an uncontrollable urge to add a "Y" to the end...after all, how cool would it be to be an author with "mystery" as part of your surname?). Anyway, I got to know Dave and through several conversations about writing, publishing, and a few chats delving into the more "Fortean" of subjects, we've become pretty good friends.

But when you're friends with so many writers (and you own your own publishing company to boot), it can be awfully difficult to take time out to read your friends' books to give them your opinion. After all, you have your own books you're trying to deal with...plus reading manuscript after manuscript. But when I heard about the premise for Dave's MORPHEUS INITIATIVE series (starting with the book THE PHAROS OBJECTIVE)...well, I just had to make an exception. And I'm certainly glad I did. Imagine...Indiana Jones with clairvoyant abilities...an archaeologist with the ability to see directly into the past. The classic treasure hunting adventure on steroids!

When Seven Realms decided to put together an anthology of short stories inspired by Richard Connell's classic THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, I knew I wanted Dave to be part of it. And trust me...his contribution (it's own stand alone Morpheus Initiative tale), met my every expectation.

So, as part of this series of blog posts featuring the various authors contributing to THE GAME anthology, I asked David to write a little bit about his upcoming projects. Here's what he had to say:

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First off, a great big nod of thanks to Kent for having me back on the blog! It's always a pleasure. And while I'm eagerly awaiting the release of THE GAME, excited to be included in an anthology with a great concept and a packed cast of awesome authors, I'm also counting the days until the release of THE MONGOL OBJECTIVE.

From Variance Publishing, MONGOL is the sequel to last year's debut of The Morpheus Initiative series, THE PHAROS OBJECTIVE. The concept is simple but intriguing: psychic archaeologists hunting some of the biggest historical mysteries out there. In Book 1, the team sought out the lost treasure of Alexander the Great, rumored to be hidden under the marvelous Pharos Lighthouse in Egypt - and they wound up finding something far more extraordinary, not only the truth about the past, but about themselves!

In THE MONGOL OBJECTIVE, a renegade member of the Initiative steals a powerful artifact and the chase is on – for the key to using the ancient device lies buried with the greatest conqueror the world has ever known – Genghis Khan. And his resting place is one of the greatest mysteries out there.

This one was a blast to research, and to write. There are so many theories, so many legends about where Genghis Khan was laid to rest – including fanciful tales of the wholesale slaughter of thousands of his entourage who worked on constructing his tomb so that no one could ever find it again. And of course, it's believed that he was interred with the spoils of so many plundered cities. In following the research, I came across many exciting possibilities – including that his followers excelled at the art of misdirection, leaving behind a host of false clues that have frustrated archaeologists and tomb raiders for centuries. (But of course, none of those adventurers were psychic.)

I've felt some pressure to get this out soon, as I know there are archaeological teams from many countries and universities on the hunt across China and Mongolia, utilizing satellite imagery and ground-penetrating sonar, narrowing in on his location (despite resistance from the faithful who still revere him and want his rest undisturbed).

Next up after Mongol – I'm juggling a dozen projects, some I can talk about, some I can't just yet. But Book 3 in the Morpheus Initiative is close to being finished – no spoilers there, but let's say they turn their remote-viewing sights toward a direction you'd never expect…

And venturing into my other love, screenwriting – I might have some positive news here soon, as I've got a producer interested in a low-budget horror script (think 'Paranormal Activity' set in a trailer park). And I'm writing three different high concept screenplays with my writing partner, screenwriter and actor, Brian M. Logan.

More to come, but in the meantime, set your sights on THE MONGOL OBJECTIVE. And read the standalone story about one of the Initiative members in my contribution to THE GAME.

And for a free 'teaser' story, check out The Smithsonian Objective here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/56598

Or other freebies and news on my website: www.sakmyster.com

And a cool, short blog on remote-viewing here: http://whatwouldyouview.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Dave

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And thank you, Dave, for a great post. Friends, I hope you'll check out all of David's books. Here's a link to his author page on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_tc_2_0?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3ADavid+Sakmyster&keywords=David+Sakmyster&ie=UTF8&qid=1311129734&sr=8-2-ent&field-contributor_id=B003WC1KE8

And here's a direct link to THE PHAROS OBJECTIVE:

And remember...be on the lookout for THE GAME coming out in August 2011!!! Here's the back cover blurb for your reading pleasure:

“I wanted the ideal animal to hunt," explained the general. "So I said, `What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?' And the answer was, of course, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason."'

"But no animal can reason," objected Rainsford.

"My dear fellow," said the general, "there is one that can."

In 1924, Richard Connell’s THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, captivated readers with the tale of one man hunting another man for sport. It became an instant classic.

Now, witness the next evolution of hunt, with twelve all new tales of cunning and survival.

THE GAME is on!

THE GAME preview: A word from author Rick Nichols

2011-07-12T22:04:00.001-04:00

Well, if you've been keeping track the last few weeks, you know that I've been running down (in alphabetical order, mind you) the authors involved in THE GAME anthology (a collection of short stories inspired by the classic short story The Most Dangerous Game). So far, we've introduced you to Aussie author Alan Baxter and reacquainted you with Nichols Boving, Rick Chesler, and William Meikle. Um, I've skipped myself ('cause I can talk about me any time, right?) and Sean Ellis, who is acting editor in the anthology (we'll get to him a bit later). So, who's next, you might ask? Well, none other than Seven Realms Publishing's resident hardboiled thriller author, Rick Nichols.

Now Rick is a relatively new author, but he's been writing for a lot of years. He's fantastic at spinning the first person gumshoe yarn and well worth paying attention to. He'll go places. Now wouldn't be neat if, when he's big and famous, you can say, "I read him back when..."? I would go into detail about what Rick rights, but I know he's anxious to do that himself. So, without further ado...I now hand the proverbial "mic" over to Rick!

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AND NOW, A WORD FROM RICK NICHOLS...

First of all, Kent, thanks for having me back. It’s good to be here.

For those of you who are not familiar with my work, let me take a moment and catch you up on what I’ve done and what I plan on doing in the near future.

First of all, I am thrilled to be featured in The Game. Due out in August 2011 the book is an anthology of stories from many fine authors with each story inspired by Richard Connell’s classic story The Most Dangerous Game.

At first I was reluctant to do a short story. I don’t fancy myself a short story writer and I wanted to put a spin on the theme that had never been done. I decided to take it to outer space and my story The Andromeda Solution, tells of a soldier in a future war alone on a small ship in an asteroid belt being hunted by the enemy—a race of aliens that have possibly created the ultimate weapon.

My first novel, entitled Survivor’s Affair was released last year and introduced the characters of John Logan, former Green Beret and covert operative now turned private eye. Set in the city of Coral Bay, Florida, Logan is a widower and is still recuperating from the loss of his wife Shikira almost a year before. Logan gets a phone call from the daughter of his old mentor. She is accused of killing the city’s most prominent millionaire. Feeling honor bound, Logan must work to clear her name. In doing so, he uncovers secret facts about the millionaire and the trail will lead him to even more painful revelations about his wife’s death.

My second novel, entitled The Affairs of Men comes out June 26, 2011, and finds Logan being hired by a beautiful architect to find out if her successful CPA husband is cheating. In addition, he finds a member of his old unit whom he thought was dead, alive in Coral Bay with a gorgeous call girl on his arm and a truckload of Russian hit men on his tail. As events begin to unfold, Logan realizes that both cases are connected and could endanger the whole city. In order to stay alive, Logan must revisit those dark places of his heart; places he’d not visited since the death of his wife.

Logan gets help in his adventures from Teri Johnson, once a member of Logan’s black-ops team and Logan’s current love interest, and the enigmatic and taciturn Mason Killian, ex-Green Beret and Logan’s best friend.

I’m currently working on a third Logan novel where you might learn a little more about Killian. As far as the future goes, I have plans for a murder mystery set in a small WV town. Being from WV originally, I’ve always wanted to do a story set in my home state. It has a rich history, a proud people, and it is a chance to leave the sunshine of Florida and set a book in the wintry chill of the north.

Also down the road, I’m working on an idea for a fantasy novel featuring a wandering hero from a distant land who gets caught up in the fight against dark forces.

And as always, there will be more John Logan books to come.

All of my books are published through Seven Realms Publishing and are available at all online book retailers.

Thanks, again, Kent for letting me babble today.
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Trust me on this...you want to get to know Rick and his John Logan. I highly recommend checking both his books out. Right now, the ebook version of SURVIVOR'S AFFAIR is only $0.99 (Kindle, Nook, and all the rest (at Smashwords)). Here is the link to the Kindle version (you, of course, can always purchase the print version too!).

And, as of today, the sequel THE AFFAIRS OF MEN is actually available!!! Um, but it's only available in ebook format at the moment. The print version should be available within the week, but if you're in a hurry...here you go!

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And remember to be keeping your eyes out next month for the release of THE GAME!!! You guys will be blown away by the imaginative stories inspired by The Most Dangerous Game. From Rick's space opera short to my short story featuring Jack (from The ENIGMA Directive series) being chased by a pack of crazy cryptids in FREAKSHOW to out and out sequels to the classic story, you'll not want to miss a single thrilling moment. But don't worry...as you know, Ill keep you posted so you won't miss out! :)

THE GAME preview: A word from author William Meikle

2011-07-05T23:42:00.002-04:00

I have interviewed this week's author, William Meikle, before. As a matter of fact, I probably have gushed over him on this blog I love his stories so much. It started with a nudge from author Sean Ellis. The conversation went something like this:

"You're a fan of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, aren't you?" he asked.

"You know it!" I replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that I think you try out an author I know...Willie Meikle," my friend continued. "He has a series of hardboiled detective novels with a paranormal edge to them. I really think you'd enjoy them."

And the rest, as they say, is history. Meikle's "hardboiled P.I. with a paranormal edge turned out to be his MIDNIGHT EYE FILES series...and the paranormal edge was more like a Lovecraftian bite! With big sharp pointy teeth. From other dimensions with tentacles, no less. Oh yeah...Willie writes about some really creepy fun stuff. And he doesn't just write about H.P. Lovecraft-type monsters. He also writes about vikings fighting yetis. He writes about haunted islands and the call of mermaids. His works range from B-movie style horror to Hitchcockian suspense.

Plus...he's Scottish! So you know he's got a way cool accent (and I could swear it comes out in his prose from time to time. Ha!).

What's even more cool is the fact that my publishing company, Seven Realms, is going to get to publish him. Twice, in fact!! We'll be publishing his "The Concordances of the Red Serpent" (a Hitchcock-like suspense thriller with the touch of the paranormal) in print only around Christmas time. But before that, Willie is contributing a short story for our upcoming anthology THE GAME, inspired by the classic Richard Connell short "The Most Dangerous Game." And let me tell you...Willie's contribution is nothing like what you might expect. But tell you what...let me let HIM to tell you about it...along with something that's really gotten him excited. The release of his first hardcover novel "The Creeping Kelp"!

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MY FIRST HARDCOVER...

by William Meikle

I love the feel of hardcovers, always have since I was a boy. I still have an early Twentieth Century edition of Treaure Island that just -feels- like a book. That's something you don't get with ebooks

I've always loved being published in print. I've had numerous stories in anthologies, and my earlier novels are also available in POD paperbacks -- I drool over the shelf on the bookcase. And I expect to do a whole lot more drooling over THE CREEPING KELP, which will be my first hardcover novel. Can you tell I'm just a wee bit excited? It's coming later this summer, and I can't wait.

As for what's inside the covers.... It's kelp. It creeps. :-)

It's a cautionary tale of what man is doing to the environment. A WW2 experiment resurfaces; a Shoggoth fragment meets some bits of jellyfish and some seaweed and together they decide they like plastic. They like it so much that they start to seek it out, and grow, and spread... and build.

It's a homage to several things. There's more than a touch of Lovecraft obviously, given that I've appropriated the Shoggoths, but there's also a lot of John Whyndham in there. I wanted to do a big-scale, Britain-in-peril novel for a while. The title came to me one day and I knew immediately that there was a story to be told there. There's also a bit of QUATERMASS in there too -- the old "British scientists screw up" genre has been with me for a long time and it's also something else I've always wanted to do. Here it is.

I started my fandom of the disaster genre young and at first it was from a Science Fiction perspective. The British ones from the '50s and 60's got my attention, in particular John Wyndham's DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS and THE CHRYSALIDS. Them, and A CANTICLE FOR LIEBOWITZ were my earliest introductions to the form. After that came tales of cosmic disaster, mainly Lieber's THE WANDERER and Niven and Pournelle's LUCIFER'S HAMMER. My interest was further piqued by Terry Nation's TV show THE SURVIVORS, and Stephen King's THE STAND, the first to being real horror to the genre IMHO. But my favorite in the genre is by Robert Macammon. His SWAN SONG is a roller coaster blockbuster which eschew's King's religious trappings for non-stop action and gritty realism mixed with a slug of the supernatural. My kind of tale.

I grew up on a West of Scotland council estate in a town where you were either unemployed or working in the steelworks, and sometimes both. Many of the townspeople led hard, miserable lifes of quiet, and sometimes not so quiet desperation. I was relatively lucky in that both my parents worked, but they were both on shifts that rarely coincided, and I spent a lot of time alone or at my grandparent's house.

My Granddad was housebound, and a voracious reader. I got the habit from him, and through him I discovered the Pan Books of Horror and Lovecraft, but I also discovered westerns, science fiction, war novels and the likes of Mickey Spillane, Ed McBain, Alistair MacLean, Dennis Wheatley, Nigel Tranter, Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov. When you mix all that together with DC Comics, Tarzan, Gerry Anderson and Dr Who then, later on, Hammer and Universal movies on the BBC, you can see how the pulp became embedded in my psyche.

I think you have to have grown up with pulp to -get- it. A lot of writers have been told that pulp=bad plotting and that you have to have deep psychological insight in your work for it to be valid. They've also been told that pulp=bad writing, and they believe it. Whereas I remember the joy I got from early Moorcock, from Mickey Spillane and further back, A E Merritt and H Rider Haggard. I'd love to have a chance to write a Tarzan, John Carter, Allan Quartermain, Mike Hammer or Conan novel, whereas a lot of writers I know would sniff and turn their noses up at the very thought of it.

If I had to describe my writing style in five words, it would be these: Entertaining, pulpy, fast-paced, old-school fun.

The kick-ass cover Wayne Miller did echoes all those sentiments. http://www.williammeikle.com/TheCreepingKelp.jpg

Order it in hardcover now, or I'll send the Shoggoths round.

Read a free chapter here:

http://www.darkregions.com/template/samples/The_Creeping_Kelp_Free_Chapter.pdf

And order the signed limited edition hardcover here:
http://www.darkregions.com/products/The-Creeping-Kelp-by-William-Meikle.html

If you'd like to pick up some of William Meikle's books, here are a couple of links to try:

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And don't forget to check out William's contribution to THE GAME anthology...due out in August!!

By the way, here's what Willie said about his contribution to the anthology entitled "The Toughest Mile":

My story THE TOUGHEST MILE is based on a chase and as I wrote it I came to realize that its antecedent wasn't literary so much as cinematic, and an amalgam of several early movie experiences of mine. There's some of THE NAKED PREY in there, especially in the early part where the chasers are waiting to go at proscribed, almost ritualized intervals. In the fights that follow there's more than a bit of SPARTACUS, with baying crowds and blood in the sand. And in the final confrontation with the Witch Queen, Kirk Douglas is there again, snarling and chewing the scenery. It runs in my head like a ''60s movie, and that;s how it felt in the writing of it.

THE GAME preview: A word from author Rick Chesler

2011-06-21T00:50:00.001-04:00

For many of you, tonight's author needs no introduction. I've had him on my blog twice already. But he's also one of the authors contributing to Seven Realms Publishing's THE GAME anthology (I'll let Rick tell you more in his post), so I asked him to come on board to tell us a bit about his writing, what he has coming down the horizon, as well as his contribution to THE GAME.

But before I let him speak, I just wanted to tell you...Rick is an absolutely fascinating guy. In my opinion, he lives a lifestyle that is, in many ways, parallel to the people we often see in thrillers. With a degree in Marine Biology, Rick is often navigating the oceans, scuba diving off of pristine reefs, and encountering marine life of all kinds. He's actually living my dream! (I always secretly wanted to be a marine biologist!!) But I think his experiences in the field have really been cemented into his thrillers. But don't take my word for it...pick up a copy of his two books and see for yourself (I'll post the links at the end of the blog).

Now, I'll pass the mic off to Rick and let him have the floor!

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As always, Kent, it’s a pleasure appearing on your blog—thanks for having me back!

I’d like to mention a couple of writing projects I’m working on now, as well as discuss my published novels for new readers who might not know of my work yet (yes, I know there are plenty of you!) Let’s start with what I already have out there:

Two books have been published in my Tara Shores thriller series. Tara is an FBI agent with a fear of water who solves cases involving the ocean. As a crime-solving character, she is sort of a cross between Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs) and Lara Croft (Tomb Raider). The first book in the series, WIRED KINGDOM (May 2010), is about a whale tagged with a web-cam that broadcasts a murder at sea. The second, kiDNApped (March 2011), centers around a geneticist supposedly lost at sea who begins sending S.O.S. messages encoded within the DNA of living bacteria.

Some readers call the Tara Shores novels technothrillers or science thrillers, while others identify with the mystery, action-adventure and crime elements of the stories. When I create them I keep certain things in mind: the story opens with a serious crime at sea. Tara Shores is assigned to the case. Each plot centers around a different area of science or technology, and each story takes place in a different geographic location. So if you enjoy intrigue, action and mystery in exotic settings with cutting edge science and technology, then the Tara Shores series is for you.

So where is Tara Shores heading next? The third novel in the series will be titled SOLAR ISLAND, coming in 2012. Here’s a brief description:

A madman uses a floating energy production platform as an opportunity to establish his own rogue nation. After the FBI receives an alarming call for help originating from the artificial island, Special Agent Tara Shores goes undercover as a reporter in the South Pacific.

The novel, besides being a rip-roaring hell-raiser of an action-thriller, will explore the current science of alternative energy, as well as the little-known concept of seasteading--creating permanent dwellings at sea, outside territories claimed by the governments of any existing nation.

In the meantime, besides working on SOLAR ISLAND (keep your eyes peeled for an excerpt later this year), I’m pleased to announce a new project I’m involved with that will be published this August: Seven Realms Publishing is putting together a collection of short stories based on “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell. In that classic, you may recall, a big game hunter is himself hunted for sport on a remote island by another (human) hunter. The anthology is called THE GAME, and will feature a story by yours truly.

Readers will definitely want to check this one out, because each talented author will have their own unique take on this riveting story. For my own interpretation of it, I wanted to stay true to the original with one major twist: rather than the prey being forced or tricked into playing the “game,” I chose to portray a situation where willing participants actually vie for the chance to compete. As a backdrop for this setup, I turn once again to the world of reality TV (as I did for my debut thriller, Wired Kingdom). There is also some real life basis for this inspiration, as I recently enjoyed watching episodes of the new Science Channel cable TV series, Mantracker (http://science.discovery.com/tv/mantracker/). But in my story to appear in THE GAME, the stakes are much higher and the action takes things to a level that will never be seen on any television series!

Will the story feature Tara Shores? Alas no, this will not be your chance to see her hunted for sport on an island (perhaps Solar Island will be your cup of tea). But THE GAME will introduce you to a new character-- shrewd, resourceful and as ruthless as he needs to be: Justin Fixe, M.D., J.D. All I can say is, keep your eyes peeled for this character in the future.

That’s all for now. As always—thanks for reading! Feel free to drop me a line around the web:
http://RickChesler.com
http://www.twitter.com/RickChesler
Facebook author page

P.S.: For a chance to win a signed copy of my latest thriller, kiDNApped, don’t forget to enter on Goodreads.com for the Summer Beach Read kiDNApped giveaway on July 4th: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/11377-kidnapped

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Thanks Rick! Once again, we wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. And I know there's a lot of people that can't wait to read your contribution to THE GAME! But in the meantime, if you're itching to get started on Rick Chesler's thrillers, here are a couple of links you should definitely check out!

And remember to be looking out for THE GAME in August 2011!! I'll be sure to make you aware when it's out though. Ha!

THE GAME preview: A word from author Nicholas Boving...

2011-06-14T21:55:00.002-04:00

Last week, I introduced you to Alan Baxter and his dark fantasy delights. I explained that for the next few weeks, we'll be talking about the various authors involved in the upcoming anthology based on Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" short story entitled THE GAME. Alan is one of those authors. Tonight's author is Nicholas Boving (yes, I'm going in alphabetical order. lol). I've introduced you to him and his two-fisted secret agent hero Maxim Gunn here before. But for you who are knew...or for those who forgot...I thought it would be great to invite him back here and let him just talk to you in his own words.

Nicholas is one of those guys who has pretty much been everywhere. His books are so rich with local detail quite simply because he's probably been to every place he's written about. He's lived the life of an adventurer in many ways. A real interesting man and I'm as excited as I can be to introduce you to him again.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with his pulpy secret agent with an X-Files twist....well, I guess Nicholas is better suited to share all that with you. So, without further ado...welcome Nicholas Boving to Kent Holloway Online!

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MAXIM GUNN – OLD AND NEW, AND OTHER THOUGHTS

Maxim Gunn started 20 years ago as a spoof. Then he got sort of serious. And now he’s morphing into something a bit darker. It’s just a progression as he takes over and I write what I’m told. You all know what I mean. Everyone who writes a series about this one guy, or girl, sooner or later finds out that the character takes over.

Anyway, there are six Gunn stories posted as e-books on Smashwords.com and also a raft of other e-book sites like Kobo and Sony. There are a couple more in the final editing stage (I work painfully slowly and get sidetracked easily) and I’ve just started the ninth. There is no end in sight.

There are a couple of spin-offs to boot. One is about a feisty young woman called Frances West. As her bio says: she’s beautiful, clever, tough and resourceful, with a nose for trouble and a way of dealing with it that’ll leave you breathless. She gets herself in and out of danger like she’s in a revolving door, and leaves behind a trail of antagonists wondering what the hell hit them. Want to meet her? “Castle Dark” is also posted on Smashwords.

Take a look at all of them and do a trial ride at http://bit.ly/bOZy6p And right now one of them, “The Serpent Force” won’t cost you a dime.

The other series getting mulled over is also about characters also spun off from a Maxim Gunn story. Fancy meeting this trio: an itinerant warrior monk, a Zulu warrior, and a spiky haired punk hitwoman? Quite what they get up to is something I haven’t worked out, but it should be fun. I feel Lovecraft’s Cthulu lurking.

A bit about Maxim Gunn.

When Maxim Gunn quit the British Secret Service, those who knew him doubted his life would be peaceful. They were right. A man with his reputation wasn’t likely to be left alone. Gunn is the quiet stranger who rides into town and lands in the middle of a firefight. He never asks for trouble. Trouble asks for him, by name. However the stories are not a litany of mindless violence, not every scene is a hail of bullets and action. Maxim Gunn thinks and feels. He is a human being, not a mindless robot programmed with an itchy trigger finger. And, Maxim Gunn has a twist. Not always arch criminals, but a computer controlled demon, survivors from Atlantis, hostile aliens, and even the infamous Leopard Men are all in a day’s work for this suave and elegant ex-agent.

But don’t expect bleak, gritty violence. The Gunn stories are light hearted in the same vein as the earlier Saint adventures. There’s also a touch of throwback to the more romantic times and they are a little evocative of the style of John Buchan and H. Rider Haggard. Think of “The Thirty-nine Steps”, and “King Solomon’s Mines”. These are not hard-bitten stories, but entertainments. Sure, people die and there are some nasty things happening, but they had it coming and what would an adventure be without something nasty in the woodshed?

As for me, I now live in Toronto. I was formerly a mining engineer and travelled the world widely.

Tiring of the mining industry (my unalterable conviction being that mining in 40 degrees in the shade was a vastly overrated pastime) and wanting to experience more of the world firsthand, I also worked from time to time as a docker, fruit inspector and forester. My books and screenplays draw on these experiences to provide characters, backgrounds and scenes.

Apart from the Maxim Gunn series I have also written several other novels: dramas and thrillers, and screenplays, which follow the central character to countries and places where the forces of nature as much as people provide the conflict. You might want to take a quick tour of my website http://www.tauruspub.net and get an idea.

People occasionally ask me where inspiration comes from. Good question. Frankly, ideas are a dime a dozen: the problem is finding time to write them. I never really believed in inspiration as if it was some ethereal being looking over my shoulder. You read something, hear something, see something, and bingo, you’ve got a title or a first line. The rest is up to you, a keyboard and a wild imagination.

However, among the many things I don’t understand is how Kent finds the time to do all the things he does: the man must be a human dynamo, or maybe if we opened him up we’d find wires and servo mechanisms. Hmmm.

A final thought. Someone said: All writers are mad, but the best ones use it instead of it using them. Let’s face it; you’ve got to be a little nuts to think you can make a living at this game. My attitude is, enjoy it for its own sake, and if someone likes what you do enough to pay good money, then that’s just great.
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Thanks so much Nick, for sharing with us about Maxim Gunn! We look forward to many more of his adventures. But readers, you don't have to wait long! Maxim will be making a guest appearance in one of the featured stories of THE GAME! Going toe to toe with an old enemy who wants nothing more than to have Gunn's head hanging from a plaque on his wall.

So just in case you want to know what you're in for, as far as Maxim Gunn's appearance in the anthology is concerned, here are a few links to Smashwords to pick up copies of his ebooks. Check them out and, as always, help support the authors that take the time to share their thoughts with us. You'll be glad you did.

Maxim Gunn and the Serpent Force (FREE!!!)
Maxim Gunn and the Chaos Project
Maxim Gunn and the Demon Plan
Castle Dark

THE GAME Preview...An introduction to author Alan Baxter

2011-06-08T02:19:00.002-04:00

As you guys may have figured out having read my blogs for the past year or so, we writer-types are a pretty tight knit bunch. You may not know this, but both The Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia were both written, thanks in large part, to the weekly outtings to the local pub by J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. And that same camaraderie is still just as true today among writers as it was back then...though a bit more difficult to pop down the pub when your author friends live an entire world away. But it was this close community that I'm talking about that led me and several other fantastic authors to come together for a very special anthology that Seven Realms is releasing in October...THE GAME. I'll tell you more about THE GAME toward the end of this post, but the important thing is that I wanted to be sure to tell you about each author that is contributing to this great anthology. And it hit me...one author involved has never been featured on my blog at all! Trust me...I'd definitely be remiss if I left him out. You guys wouldn't forgive me for years to come...trust me. So, all that being said, it's time to introduce you to my Aussie author friend, Alan Baxter.

Now it's no secret that I really love urban fantasy. Jim Butcher. Anton Strout. R.P. Steeves. You name it...if it's urban fantasy, I love it. So when I found out about Alan and his books, I definitely knew I had to get to know him. You see, Alan Baxter is the author of two dark fantasy novels filled with murder, magic, gods, demons, and all sorts of unsavory things. REALMSHIFT is the first in the series, followed by MAGESIGN.

Here is a product description for REALMSHIFT:

Isiah is having a tough time. The Devil is making his job very difficult. Samuel Harrigan is a murdering low-life who used ancient black magic to escape a deal with the Devil. Now he's on the trail of a crystal skull that he believes will complete his effots to evade Lucifer. But Lucifer wants Samuel's soul for eternity and refuses to wait a second longer for it. Now Isiah must protect Samuel and keep the Devil at bay, because Isiah needs Samuel's search for the skull to continue...

...not for Samuel's sake, but for the sake of all humankind. RealmShift is an engrossing dark fantasy thriller; a fascinating exploration of the nature of belief and its effect on the world. Magic, action, and intrigue, from dank city streets to the depths of hell and beyond.

Sounds REALLY cool, right? Well, it gets even better! 'Cause check out what MAGESIGN is all about:

Three years have passed since Isiah’s run in with Samuel Harrigan and the Devil. He has some time on his hands - a perfect opportunity to track down the evil Sorcerer, Harrigan’s mentor. It should have been a simple enough task, but the Sorcerer has more followers than Isiah ever imagined, and a plan bigger than anyone could have dreamed. With the help of some powerful new friends Isiah desperately tries to track down the Sorcerer and his cult of blood before they manage to change the world forever. In this long-awaited sequel to the highly acclaimed RealmShift, Baxter once again keeps a breathless pace and blistering intensity with gods, demons and humans entangled in magic and conflict. This is dark fantasy at its best.

So yeah, if you love fantasy...the darker the better...then I know you'll want to go pick up copies of these books! So, here are some links for you to check them out on Amazon!

Well, recently I had a chance to chat with Alan and ask him a few questions about his books, writing, and future projects. Here's what he had to say:

1. I've already shared a little about your books RealmShift and MageSign...but I always enjoy hearing what the author has to say about their own books in their own words. Tell us a little about this series. What are they about for those who might be uninitiated?

RealmShift and MageSign are a duology of dark fantasy thrillers. Essentially they're fast paced thriller novels, packed with gods and demons, monsters, mayhem and action. They fundamentally explore the nature of belief and how the things people believe can affect the world around them. I love to play around with religious mythologies and weave an exciting yarn around characters in our world and time, along with all kinds of less than human characters. There's a lot of the supernatural, magic and intrigue along the way.

The first book, RealmShift, follows Isiah as he struggles to get a low down murderer, Samuel Harrigan, to the right place at the right time, while evading the Devil himself. Isiah really doesn't want to be harbouring Harrigan, a Satanic murderer and blood mage, but the safety of humanity is at stake.

In the sequel, MageSign, Isiah decides to take some time out on his own and track down the man who taught Samuel Harrigan his blood magic, a man known only as The Sorcerer. Isiah hopes to prevent any more like Harrigan being created. But he discovers that the Sorcerer has a group far bigger and more powerful than he ever anticipated, with a plan more audacious and dangerous than anyone could have imagined.

2. Tell us a little bit about your character Isiah. Who or what is he? What is his primary motivation behind what he does?

Isiah is a powerful immortal. He was originally a normal human man, but he was taken by a powerful force known as the Balance and turned into an Agent of Balance. His job is to guide humans when necessary to keep a certain balance of faith in the world. If any one faith, therefore any one god, became too powerful, humanity would lose their free will. Isiah's job is to protect all gods as much as possible and keep as much balance as possible in the world. This often means doing unsavoury things, but that's his job. Over many centuries Isiah has become a very powerful man, far removed from the mortal human he once was.

3. Who are some of your favorite authors? How have they influenced your own writing?

I have so many favourites! Certainly among the top influences on my work would be the great fantasists and horror writers like Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Clive Barker, Garth Ennis, Alan Moore, H P Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe... and so many more! I love writers who explore mythology and mysticism and use that exploration to expose the human spirit and analyse it. In my own writing I try to do similar things - I want to mainly spin an exciting, engrossing story, but it's nice to get people's brains ticking over too.

4. Now you and David Wood host your own podcast radio show called ThrillerCast (I never miss an episode!). Care to share a little about it? What people can expect when they tune in to listen?

Glad to hear you listen in! ThrillerCast is a lot of fun. It grew initially from the love of thrillers that David and I share, but it encompasses all thrilling writing, including genre fiction. So if it's a thriller, a fantasy, science fiction, horror, action-adventure, we love them all. If it's thrilling, we talk about it. On the podcast we review books, talk about the craft of writing and being an author, the nature of publishing and so on. We regularly have guests on - recently we had Jeremy Robinson on for a chat, and Trent Jamieson, Sean Ellis and others. We should be having a chat with Adam Christopher soon. So tune in and have a listen - it's about a half hour or so every couple of weeks. All the info at thrillerpodcast.com.

5. Besides writing, what are some of your favorite things to do? Hobbies? Interests?

My "day job " is as a martial arts instructor, and I run the Illawarra Kung Fu Academy. Other than writing, martial arts has been the main focus of my activities since I was a kid. I'm also a keen amateur photographer and big fan of music. I used to play in a band, but there's not enough time for everything these days. I'm also a keen motorcyclist and enjoy a good bike ride - I find it's an excellent way to let stories percolate. I go out for a ride and think up plots!

6. Care to share any upcoming projects you might have coming up? Any other books my readers might should know about?

Well, RealmShift and MageSign are out now in print and Kindle, and all kinds of other formats at Smashwords - you can track them down through Amazon or follow links from my site or Gryphonwood Press.

I've got a third novel in the works at the moment that I'm currently hunting down a publisher for, so I hope that'll be out before too long.

I've written a writer's How-To book, called Write The Fight Right, which helps writers understand the nature of fighting to make the fight scenes in their fiction more realistic - you can find out about that at http://www.alanbaxteronline.com/write-fight

And then there's my short fiction. I've got a novella out, a noir sci-fi thriller called Ghost Of The Black, and I've had nearly thirty short stories published in a variety of places. Again, check out my website for details - check the Books page or there's a Bibliography link on the About page at www.alanbaxteronline.com

7. Now you're contributing to Seven Realms upcoming anthology entitled THE GAME...a collection of short stories inspired by the classic tale "The Most Dangerous Game". I've already share a little about this anthology in general, but I was wondering if you'd like to share a bit about your own contribution. Without giving too much of the story away, what can you tell us about it?

Well, the exciting about this one was the request that we write a short story inspired by The Most Dangerous Game using characters from our published work. So I got to write another Isiah short story (Wily Writers published an Isiah short a couple of years ago). I decided to make Isiah a secondary character helping out a young fellow who finds himself hunted by a very unusual pack. If you've ever heard of The Wild Hunt you'll have a clue what's going on!

8. Finally, the question I always ask my featured authors (and I'm honestly always intrigued by their answers)...if you could offer only one piece of advice for aspiring writers, what would it be?

Write, write, write, read, read, read - repeat! All aspiring writers should read voraciously, all kinds of things from all kinds of genres, to really learn how it works for other writers. And they need to continually write and improve their own craft. You don't have to write every day or hold any particularly strict regime, but to make it as a writer you need to read and write all the time and never give up!

Thanks Alan! We wish you the very best of luck. And as always, I encourage all your blog readers to support Alan by picking up one (or more or all) of his books! Remember, you can find out more about Alan at his website: www.alanbaxteronline.com. And be sure to check out his radio show at www.thrillerpodcast.com.

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Now, to share a little something about this anthology I was talking about. THE GAME is a collection of short stories inspired by Richard Connell's classic story "The Most Dangerous Game." We have an awesome gathering of some of the best indie authors out there today including: David Wood, Rick Chesler, David Sakmyster, Sean Ellis, R.P. Steeves, Nicholas Boving, William Meikle, Alan Baxter, and yes...me too! :) As we draw closer to the release date, I'll reveal more about the book and will be featuring these authors in upcoming posts, so be sure to keep checking in every week! You never know if there might be a really amazing contest or something waiting for you. :)

And now, a word from author Sean Sweeney/John Fitch V

2011-05-31T22:54:00.002-04:00

Well, I've been doing this blog now for well over a year. I've introduced you all to some fantastic authors during that time, I think. But authors never stand still. They're always moving. Always writing. Always producing more great books to dive into and lose yourself among the rich tapestry of their pages. So because of that, I think it's always a great thing to go back and revisit some of the authors I've talked about in the past...just so you guys can know what's new with them. In my last post (sorry it's been two weeks since my last post...Internet problems and work can put such a dent in my social networking!), I had author Sean Ellis share some of his upcoming projects with you. This week, I wanted to reacquaint you with the very prolific and multi-talented Sean Sweeney! Well, you guys actually may remember him by his former pen name...John Fitch V. By either name, Sean/John has some really cool books I know you'll want to check out. So that being said, I asked him to write you guys a quick note to let you know what's been happening in his crazy, twisted writer's world.

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Since Kent last had me here nearly 13 months ago, my writing life has been one wild ride.

I had one huge month – July – that saw my baseball time travel novel TURNING BACK THE CLOCK hit the Amazon Movers & Shakers list for a day. Not bad for a tall, skinny kid from The Patch, if I do say so myself. Sales of my John Fitch V novels stayed on the brisk side, save September and November. Still other than July, I hadn’t broken 100 sales per month. I didn’t know what to do as the calendar turned from 2010 to 2011. I released a couple of short stories in October, but those sold a handful of copies. I even released a thriller novella, THE MASTERMIND, for free for a few months, just to stir the pot a bit.

Three days into the new year, I did something I didn’t want to do. I lowered the digital price of A GALAXY AT WAR from $2.99 to 99 cents.

BOOM.

That one move helped get my year off to a great start following a sad end to 2010 (my grandfather, who I had helped take care of last year, passed away on Dec. 17). I had to do it in order to breathe life into that particular title. Looking back, it was the right move to make. Then, in February, I released a book that has accomplished everything I wanted to do with my first six novels. Of course, having my real name on the book cover instead of the pseudonym really helped.

Enter MODEL AGENT.

This is perhaps my best work to date. MODEL AGENT takes place in Boston and is a thriller that many readers have not been able to put down: One reader, after finishing it, could not drink bottled water or Gatorade for a few days. Seriously. I had made her paranoid.

A funny thing happened on the way to publishing, though. MODEL AGENT was the second AGENT novel I wrote. I never intended for Jaclyn Johnson, the series protagonist, to make her way into the consciousness of hundreds of Kindle and Nook readers this early. No, I intended for her to stay hidden, not to appear until I thought she was ready. I originally intended for Jaclyn to debut in ROGUE AGENT, a book that, ironically, I’m set to release within the next 48-96 hours, if everything goes the way I hope it does. In the middle of August, I contemplated my next full-length book, something I would write during the 2010 edition of NaNoWriMo. Except this time, I wouldn’t stop a shade over 50,000 words. I wanted something a little deeper in scope, and I wanted to open Jaclyn’s adventures in a city I love.

Of course, sometimes stories don’t evolve properly right from the beginning. At first, Jaclyn wasn’t even in the first set of notes that I sketched out (I just pulled them out to check). I also came up with an anti-terrorist group that I called R.O.C.K.E.T. – Ruthless Organization of Crooks and Killers Eliminating Terrorism. I thought it was a gas, but it didn’t fly and I left it out. It may, however, find its way into another story in the future. However, I modified a few things and included Jaclyn in the story – Jaclyn was originally intended to be an antagonist for a while, too – and made the originally intended protagonist a secondary character. Funny the way things turn out.

I had a vision in my head when I awake from a deep slumber that night – damn you, muse – of a gun battle in a Boston office building. I immediately thought of 111 Huntington Avenue, a rather new building on the same street as the Prudential Center (it overlooks Fenway Park). As I thought about it some more, I put Jaclyn in areas that I knew, and I even traveled into Boston a couple of days later in order to do on-the-spot research – I had read that Michael Connolly had done this in Los Angeles; I figured that if it was something Connolly does, I should do it, too. I also went down to Worcester, Mass. for a few minutes of research at Union Station, as there were scenes there that I needed. That’s one thing the readers have loved about MA: the detail. I love detail, and readers have said they walk along with Jaclyn while she goes about her duties. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Kent for helping me out when it came to the postmortem scene. Yeah, there's never a cop around when you need one, but there's always a freaking M.E.

Quick aside: ROGUE AGENT is set in London, England, around the 2012 Summer Olympics. I didn’t fly to the Old Country to do research. As far as you know. I just finished the rough draft of the third AGENT novel this week, tentatively titled DOUBLE AGENT and is set in Las Vegas. I hope to start writing that in a few weeks after the high school baseball season ends, and I hope to release it early next year. And as it happens, I haven’t even started writing the actual manuscript to DA, and I’m already thinking about the FOURTH AGENT novel. One thing at a time, Sean…

After releasing MODEL AGENT, I released two more books – three total – in the span of six weeks, including the first prequel novel in my Obloeron fantasy series (I went back in time, taking the George Lucas route), before I released ROYAL SWITCH, the indirect follow-up to TURNING BACK THE CLOCK. The release of THE RISE OF THE DARK FALCON has been huge in helping not only my sales numbers, but also has revived interest in the original trilogy, the first three books I ever wrote. I hope to release the second prequel novel THE SHADOW LOOMS around Christmastime, depending on the schedule of my cover artist. Which I should check on, now that I think about it.

Oh, and how can I forget this? A week before my birthday (May 3, and if you didn’t get me anything, well shame on you), I signed a contract with Bucks County Publishing for my YA zombie novel ZOMBIE SHOWDOWN, which is set in Tombstone. It looks like that’s coming out in about 2-3 months from now, so I’m very excited about this. I also have a few – read: a half dozen – projects in my mind that I’d like to write over the course of the next year or so. If you’re worried that I’ll run out of material, don’t worry. I won’t be running out of ideas any time soon.

All in all, it’s been a great year. If you’ve bought one of my books, thank you. If you’ve told someone about them, thank you again. If you haven’t, are you waiting for an engraved invitation?

Consider this your invite. Thanks for reading!

Check out Sean’s website at johnfitchv.com, and you can get in touch with him at johnfitchv@yahoo.com.

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Thanks Sean! And we wish you the very best of luck in your writing pursuits!

Just as a side note everyone, I have to tell you...Sean is probably one of the hardest working authors I know.

He is constantly writing. Constantly marketing. Constantly improving his craft! I know a lot of writers out there, but I don't think I know anyone more determined than Sean. I think his hard work should be rewarded, don't you?

...So if you'd like to check out Sean's books, here are a few links (the one's posted here are for the Amazon Kindle, but they are also available for the Nook, as well as various other ebook formats (through Smashwords).

And now, a word from author Sean Ellis...

2011-05-16T23:06:00.001-04:00


Awesome cover art by Christian Guldager!

If you've been keeping tabs on my blog, today's author really needs no introduction. I've featured him two or three times and honestly believe he's one of the best new authors on the market today. I'm serious. I truly believe that. It's why I've published a number of his books as a matter of fact...because I believe he will one day be a household name. At the very least, he's become one of my personal favorite authors and I've become a huge fan in the year and a half that I've been reading and publishing his books. Who am I talking about? Well, none other than Sean Ellis...the author of three Seven Realms novels and one novella (and hopefully many more to come!). But since I've already introduced you to Sean and interviewed him a couple of times, I thought today, I'd let Sean speak for himself. I wanted him to reach out to you, my friends, and introduce himself. I wanted him to share with you what he has going on...what's new and what's in his future.

But before we get to that, I would like to make sure you guys are aware that Sean's latest book, THE ADVENTURES OF DODGE DALTON AT THE OUTPOST OF FATE, the second book in the Dodge Dalton series, is now available! I'm telling you...it was the first Dodge Dalton book that convinced me that Sean was an author to look out for. His latest excursion into the world of 1930s pulp action has cemented that belief. It's that good. If you love adventure in its purest form, you have got to read Dodge Dalton. Here's the book trailer for your consideration:

And here's a link to Amazon (it's also available on the Kindle and Nook, as well as various other ebook formats):

Now, here's Sean to share with you what's going on in his life and the world of action/adventure thrillers:

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As Stan Lee might say, Greetings, True Believers!

In the past, I’ve used this as a forum to introduce some of the characters that populate my novels, and more generally to talk about the novels themselves, so chances are at least some of you already have at least a passing familiarity with my work. Rather than plow the same field again, I thought I might take this opportunity to update everyone on what’s coming down the pike.

Of course, I’m very excited about the release of The Adventures of Dodge Dalton at the Outpost of Fate. This is the second of Dodge’s adventures, and takes our intrepid hero back to the Outpost he discovered in the first book. Dodge and friends will take on a new villain and tangle with some old enemies, and much will be revealed. I’m extremely proud of this novel, and based on early reviews, it may very well be my best book to date. The next story in the series, tentatively titled The Adventures of Dodge Dalton on the High Road to Oblivion, is already a work in progress, and hopefully I’ll be able to keep to the established schedule of a new Dodge adventure every summer.

I say hopefully because there’s a lot on my plate right now. I’m presently working on the third Nick Kismet novel (still wrestling with a title for that one) but I can reveal that it will take Kismet into territory that’s currently being explored by Capt. Jack Sparrow—yep, the Fountain of Youth. Just a coincidence, I assure you. I’ve been working on this one quite a while, and all I can really say is that my take on the legend won’t be anywhere near as fanciful. I can also promise that there will be revelations about the Prometheus group and their mysterious agenda.

When, you may be asking, will this book be available? No promises, but I’m shooting for late spring, early summer 2012.

But fear not, there will be a lot happening in the interim. First, let me reveal a little about Dark Trinity: Ascendant. I’ve teased this one before, but here’s the straight scoop.

Dark Trinity: Ascendant will feature a precognitive former spy turned treasure hunter named Mira Raiden. Mira, has the psychic ability to anticipate things that are about to happen—think Spidey-sense. It’s not an infallible gift and it certainly doesn’t grant her omniscience, but it does allow her to get out of sticky situations and to find things that most people can’t. One of the things she finds is a supernatural artifact called the Trinity.

I won’t reveal too much about the Trinity—you’ll have to read the book for that—but I can tell you that her discovery sets off a treasure hunt that will take her around the world, and put her into quite a few of the aforementioned sticky situations. She’ll have to deal with her fair share of Indiana Jones/Lara Croft situations—temples, tombs, traps—and she’ll tangle with undead Nazis and even a cryptid or two. I pretty much throw everything at her except the kitchen sink…actually, I’d better check the manuscript, I might have done that, too.

Look for Dark Trinity: Ascendant from Variance Publishing, early 2012 (maybe sooner). That’s too long to wait? Then here’s something even better. News from Chess Team!

Come back here. I’m not talking about a clique of introverts obsessed with the classic strategy game. Chess Team is the name of an ultra-secret, ultra-lethal military black ops team, created by author Jeremy Robinson, and the subject of three novels (Pulse, Instinct, Threshold). The members of Chess Team use radio call-signs taken from chess pieces: King, Queen, Knight and so forth. And despite being rooted in the military thriller genre, Chess Team adventures typically go into stranger territory—my kind of territory.

That’s why I was blown away when Jeremy approached me to pen a tie-in novella focusing on one of the Chess Team characters. There will in fact be five separate novellas, bridging the gap between Threshold and the next Chess Team novel, and each featuring a different “piece.” Jeremy has enlisted some of the biggest names in indie published thrillers—David Wood; David McAfee; Ethan Cross; and Edward G. Talbot—and I’m honored to be counted among their ranks.

I can tell you this much about my contribution. I’ll be writing about King, a.k.a Jack Sigler, the team leader, along with his girlfriend, Sara Fogg, a CDC disease investigator introduced in Instinct. The adventure will mostly take place in Africa’s Great Rift Valley, and revolve around the mythic Elephant Graveyard.
There’s no firm date on the release, but look for it late summer/early fall. The title will be simply King: One.
Will there be a King: Two? Bet on it. Will I be writing it? We shall see, but I definitely hope to keep my association with Jeremy, and if he asks, I’d have to think about it…YES!!!

The last bit of news doesn’t involve a new book, but it might be a book that you haven’t heard me talk about much, Magic Mirror. Magic Mirror was my first novel, and like all my “kids” a book I’m very proud of. Unfortunately, it didn’t get the love it deserved. The publisher priced the book out of reach, made it almost impossible to buy from retailers, and never embraced the potential of the digital marketplace. The good news is that my contract with the original publisher has lapsed, and Magic Mirror is mine again. I’ve entered into negotiations with a new publisher, and very soon, you should be able to read Magic Mirror on your favorite ebook reading device.

Magic Mirror is a standalone novel focusing on an investigation into the death of a Silicon Valley executive, who disappeared in the late 1980’s. The discovery of his remains, in a lake hundreds of miles from where he vanished, is tied to a present day bioweapons plot, and a high-tech (and possibly very dangerous) maglev orbital launch facility called Magic Mirror. The book is more of a mystery thriller than some of my more recent work, but there’s plenty of violence and mayhem. As I say in the book description: “It begins with a mysterious disappearance....it will end with a world on the edge of destruction.”

So that’s the latest news from the front lines. As you can see, I’ve got my work cut out for me. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Dodge’s latest romp. Keep checking http://seanellisthrillers.webs.com for updates, and don’t be a stranger. I’d love to hear from you!

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Thank you Sean for sharing with us. We wish you the very best of luck with your writing career. And readers, help support Sean any way you can. Buy his books! You'll be glad you did. And if they're not really your cup of tea, then share his books with your friends and family. I know you know someone who'd love them. Tell your friends about Sean. Help make this author one of the biggest indie authors out there on the market today!

Let Me Introduce You To...Raven Bower

2011-05-04T21:37:00.002-04:00

I've known Raven Bower for about a year now and have to tell you...very rarely does a writer come along that you just know is going to be huge one day. Raven is just such an author. She is someone that I know will one day become a household name. Her writing is just that good. So, when she announced the release of her newest book in her "Apparitions" series entitled WENDIGO, I knew that now was the perfect time to introduce you guys to her.

Raven Bower is an author of contemporary paranormal (some might say horror) and fantasy. She has a crisp, descriptive writing style that will leave you riveted in your seat.

Here's a brief bio:

Raven Bower, along with her husband Lain are a wife and husband team of writers. They are avid role-players and love to design mythical and diabolical creatures, characters and fantastic worlds together. They are co-creators of Farath, a new epic fantasy world in the works.

They currently live in Northern Michigan with their four kids and hell hound.

Raven's most recent excursion into the world of dark fiction is a book called WENDIGO (book 2 of the Apparitions series). I'll let Raven explain the series in a bit more detail later, but for now, just know that the series follows the dark journey of Bailey Khane as she faces a number of supernatural nasties while trying to discover the truth about herself. The first book in the series is called APPARITIONS.

Here's the product description for APPARITIONS:

Hunted by a killer who knows no mercy. Stalked by the vengeful dead. Caught between reality and visions...Bailey fights to piece the puzzle together before it crashes down on her. Is the man staying in her boathouse friend... or foe? And what part does he have to play in the macabre game unfolding around her? Under the shadow of the murder's blade Bailey strives to discover the truth using faith and arcane knowledge. While at the same time the fury of the scorned dead creeps ever closer...

Here are what other authors are saying about APPARITIONS:

"First-time novelist Raven Bower has written a genuine horror story, filled with twists and turns and enough chills to keep readers turning the pages... that is, until the sun sets." -- Steve Alten, N.Y. Times best-selling author of MEG & The LOCH.

"With 'Apparitions', author Raven Bower manages to weave a suspenseful crime story with paranormal elements into a chilling read. She reaches deep down into the razor-sharp wire of her imagination and cuts a tale of stark terror. Definitely a writer to watch!" -- Darren Franz--author of Jack Frost & Ghost Train.

"Raven Bower's work shows an intimate awareness of the dark things and the malevolent side of human nature. Unsettling scenes abound in APPARITIONS, and there's not a doubt in my mind that we'll be seeing much more of Ms. Bower in the future. A writer with great promise!" --Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of CURRENCY OF SOULS, THE TURTLE BOY, and THE HIDES.

You can get a copy of APPARITIONS at Amazon here:

Here is the product description for her second book WENDIGO:

Shunned by the man she loves Bailey Khane seeks solitude in the wilds to mend her heart. But her vacation is disrupted when an evil entity is mistakenly released by an ancient spell. As it gorges itself on the citizens of Whisper, Bailey struggles to find the knowledge and courage to defeat it before she too ends up on the menu.

Sounds great, right? At the moment, you can only get WENDIGO here in ebook: https://estore.genreconnections.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=UTM12026e. It will soon be available at Amazon for the Kindle and Barnes and Noble for the Nook (in about two or three weeks). The print edition will be released around July.

Recently, I had a chance to talk to Raven about writing, fantasy, horror, and everything in between. Here's what she had to say:

1) I've already shared a bit about your newest book, Wendigo. But I'm always interested in having the author share in their own words what their books are about. So, tell us...what is Wendigo all about?

At its core Wendigo is a story about the struggles we all face. It's about the challenge of not just finding love but, perhaps harder still, keeping it. It's a story about acceptance of not just of ourselves and the gifts we're blessed with, but also accepting others and the reality of the world around us. It's about the heroine Bailey Khane who bravely faces demons inside of her and outside, not without fear but in spite of it.

2) Now I'm pretty familiar with the Wendigo legend, but many of my readers aren't. What exactly is the Wendigo and what inspired you to use the legend for your latest novel?

Oooh love this question! The Wendigo is a Native American legend which, interestingly, splits into several different forms. Some tribes attribute the Wendigo as creatures of a supernatural sort (rather like a malevolent Big Foot and indeed some Cryptid researchers claim it may be an insane/evil Big Foot) that live in the forests. They are said to be tall, thin and ghostly and survived off the flesh of man - snatching the unwary travelers.

Yet other tribes link the Wendigo to demonic spirits that possess people causing them to become violent cannibals that prey off their fellow tribesmen.

What intrigued me were the differences yet also threads of similarities within the old stories. Are these tribes speaking of the same being? Are they different beings - one mistaken for the other? If a Wendigo existed in modern times what would it be like? What would it do? Why would it be there? And by everything gracious how would one stop it? That last question turned out to be a fun dilemma for me as an author.

From there the story took root and honored both of the Wendigo veins.

3) Wendigo is part of your Apparitions series (with the book "Apparitions" being the first in the series). What can you tell us about Apparitions (both the first novel and the series as a whole)?

In Apparitions Bailey is visited by the apparitions of dead women -- slain by the same ruthless killer. When she renounces her gift of supernatural sight, the enraged spirits seek vengeance on her, their only means of justice. When the killer targets her as his next victim will she have what it takes to survive?

Throughout Apparitions, Wendigo and Rags Beneath (2012) Bailey encounters various supernatural entities and obstacles along her path to discovering what and who she really is.

In a new development that is not yet officially announced the series is going to film! Dead Mouse Productions has purchased the series and the entire team is working together to put together a stellar crew and cast. The official announcements will be out soon and I'll keep everyone updated as things progress!

4) You are becoming known for your paranormal suspense novels. You tend to write about some pretty dark things. I'm curious...what do you think is the appeal for horror fiction among readers? Why do we like scaring ourselves silly with stories of ghosts and things that go bump in the night?

For every light in this world there's darkness. A yin and yang. I think it's natural and healthy for us to seek answers about the dark sides not only of the world and others, but within ourselves as well. Horror, supernatural suspense and fantasy have the capacity to zero in on these questions and explore the answers. We can safely get a closer look at the dark side and walk away with a greater understanding of our world and ourselves.

Entering into a story to be scared acts as a catharsis. The strong emotions linked to the fear experienced by a reader helps to expunge our everyday fears and stress. Suddenly, in the shadow of the knife sneaking up behind the heroine we forget deadlines, angry bosses, the jerky co-worker, the mortgage payment or if the car's latest malfunction will break the bank.

5) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Can you share a little of your journey as an author?

I realized I wanted to be a writer when I read my first Stephen King book. Was it Carrie? Or Christine? Hm. Either way I was in 3rd grade and have been writing ever since - on and off. But it wasn't until my grandmother died and mortality hit me in the face that I got serious. After all, I'd die one day too and what a shame if my dream died with me. Ignoring the naysayers and people who generally thought I was way off kilter, I wrote Apparitions.

While trying to sell Apparitions I wrote a fantasy novel which, although the story is solid the world was not. 20/20 hindsight is great for picking up flaws like that. Eventually I might rewrite it in my current fantasy world.

When Apparitions was picked up I wrote Wendigo and then Rags Beneath - keeping the ball rolling! Then wrote the script to Apparitions - which just sold as said above!

Currently I'm working on a fantasy series in tandem with the Apparitions movie and another project or two on the burner.

6) Besides writing, what are some of your other interests? What do you do for hobbies or your spare time?

What is this mythical spare time of which you speak?

Oh goodness…I'm interested in almost everything. Bad habit. But tend to gravitate to studying - love learning about the supernatural, religions, cultures, crime (as in criminal cases and mentality - not committing them!), nifty critters and the like. Love reading - I'll read darn near anything fiction or non. Watching movies of all sorts the good, bad and just plain ugly, doesn't matter, I'll watch it. I like playing RPGs but wish they'd go back to the good old days of Balder's Gate. Fantastic game! I enjoy target shooting with firearms and bow, hanging out by bonfires in the deep country night. The water is one of my favorite things - watching it, swimming in it, floating in it - such beauty, especially when the moon glimmers over the waves.

7) As a writer, who or what would you cite as some of your biggest influences (whether other authors, books, movies, real life events, etc)? As far as authors go, who would be some of your favorites?

My grandparents were a large factor. They taught me that anything is possible and no dream is too far fetched, really wish I'd have listened to them sooner and ousted the negative influences. Every artist I've had the pleasure of viewing their art has influenced me in some way and I'm grateful to every one of them - writers, musicians, directors, actors and painters alike. The author who influenced me the most though is Les Edgerton who taught me that it's okay to be me and to write like me. My husband Lain is also a big influence - never letting me slack or do less than I'm capable of.

Favorite authors…that's a tough one! James Rollins, Steve Alten, RA Salvatore, Richard Machowicz, Les Edgerton, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Ian Irvine, CE Lawrence, Linda Godfrey, and many more.

8) Now, if you could offer only one piece of advice to aspiring writers out there, what would you tell them?

Never give up the dream.

Thank you, Raven, for the awesome interview! And good luck to you on the movie front. Keep putting out those bone-chilling fantasies for us!

And if you'd like to learn more about Raven, you can check out her website here: www.ravenbower.com.

Book Review: RELIC by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

2011-04-25T17:09:00.001-04:00

So, as you all may have figured out, I've been on a Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child kick lately. After interviewing Preston a few months ago (and having never really read any of their books prior to that interview), I thought it was high time I delve deep into their rich, crisp world of crime and the macabre...specifically, concentrating on the fantastic FBI Agent Aloysius X.L. Pendergast series. And I'll admit, I'm thoroughly hooked! I'll also freely admit that I haven't really read the series in order (not that you necessarily have to). There are definitely certain sub-series that helps to read consecutively (i.e. the Diogenes series), but it really isn't that big a deal if you don't. Well, now, I'm down to only three Pendergast novels that I haven't read. Oddly, the very last book I read was the very first in the series...a novel simply entitled "RELIC" (1995). I have one word to describe it...WOW!

Okay, first of all, let me start by saying...if you saw the movie based on this book from a few years back, don't even give it a second thought. I've never seen the movie (and gladly so), but I've heard enough about it to tell you it was a complete travesty of justice as far as the book is concerned. Once again, Hollywood completely ripped a fantastic story to shreds in their attempt to make it more palatable for a two hour romp inside a dark theater...and apparently, they weren't even smart enough to keep the best character in the book! That's right, they totally deleted Pendergast from the movie! How could they possibly do that? Granted, in RELIC, Pendergast is a supporting character (though an intrinsically necessary one).

But enough about the movie. Needless to say, if you've seen it, forget about it. If you haven't seen it, you're not missing anything. Just read the book. You'll be glad you did.

Essentially, the book takes place with the fictionalized equivalent to New York City's American Museum of Natural History, where curators are getting ready for a huge extravaganza...the Superstition exhibition. As the exhibit title implies, it is designed to feature the world's superstition. Among the artifacts on display in the exhibit is a relic discovered in the wilds of an Amazonian rainforest...a relic depicting a strange creature that resembles something between a human, a monkey, and a lizard (my interpretation anyway). The relic is clouded in mystery and disaster...bringing with it rumors of a horrible curse that resulted in the death of everyone in he expedition that discovered it. Now, just a week before the big exhibit opening, people are being brutally attacked and murdered in the nether-regions of the museum. Museum officials just wants it all to go away (murder can be such a bother some times), but FBI Special Agent Pendergast, NYPD Police Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta, Ph.D. candidate Margo Green, and intrepid journalist William Smithback, Jr. are determined to get to the bottom of the grizzly killings.

Originally thinking the murders were being committed by a deranged mad man (Pendergast has followed the killer all the way from New Orleans after a series of similar killings), their investigation leads them to discover that the culprit might not be exactly human after all. DNA sequencing from a claw discovered on one of the bodies reveals that their quarry is something altogether different with a taste for the hypothalamus in the human brain.

Okay...enough of the plot. I don't want to spoil it all for you. Let's just say that of the Pendergast novels, I have a few absolutely favorites: Cabinet of Curiosities, Still Life with Crows, and the recent Fever Dream (I will probably review these soon as well). But RELIC, while very different from what has become known as the Pendergast series is an absolutely fantastic read! It doesn't have the same "feel" as the others and Pendergast is definitely under-developed from what I've become used to (one of the hazards of reading a series out of order, I guess), but it's an absolutely MUST-READ for anyone who loves a good monster story. In several of the book reviews written by readers of my own ENIGMA Directive series, my books have often been compared to the early works of Preston and Child. In the past, I wasn't exactly sure what they meant by that. After all, the Pendergast novels I had read up until recently very rarely had any cryptozoological monsters lurking in the shadows as does Primal Thirst and Sirens' Song. But now, having read RELIC, I completely understand the similarities (even before I knew, I wasn't complaining...to be compared to these guys is a HUGE honor!).

But even if you don't like reading about monsters...if you just love a great edge-of-your seat thrill ride...if you just love holding your breath as certain death looms in the shadows surrounding your hero, you will want to read this book. If you just enjoy a great techno-thriller filled with detailed research and authentic scientific details, you will want to read this book. If you enjoy stories that make you ask the question "what if?", you will want to read this book. Essentially, it is my assessment that if you enjoy reading anything, this is one that every avid reader should jump into. It should be in every personal library and should be ranked up there as one of the great contemporary classics of our times.

Let Me Introduce You To...Erin Ryder of Destination Truth!

2011-04-12T16:35:00.002-04:00

Annie Oakley. Lara Croft. Alice from Resident Evil. Dian Fossey of Gorillas in the Mist fame. Whether in fiction or non-fiction, there have been a few hard-hitting, tough as nails females over the years. Women you just wouldn't want to mess with. Women who could give just as much as they could take. Women to look up to, respect, and admire. Well, today, I submit to you one more in the pantheon of kick-butt chicks in the non-fiction category...Erin Ryder (usually just referred to as Ryder) of SyFy's reality adventure show DESTINATION TRUTH.

She'll probably blush when she sees that I said this about her, but it's one hundred percent true. You don't have to watch too many episodes to see for yourself just how tough Ryder really is.

I mean let's face it...Ryder has hunted some of the scariest monsters to ever hide in the shadows of our imagination...from yetis to goat-sucking vampiric cryptids. She's explored some of the most remote ruins the world has ever seen to hunt gigantic ghosts in Thailand, mischievous elves in Iceland, and a forest in Asia where hundreds of people have gone to die by their own hands. She white-water rafts like she was born with oars in her hands. Repels down sheer cliff faces like a spider on a web. And hikes through some of the deadliest jungles the world has to offer like it’s a stroll in the park. I've known Navy SEALS with a far less impressive resumes. And she does it all with a rakish grin on her face and a wisecrack on the tip of her tongue. Ready, in any situation, to make Destination Truth viewers laugh out loud.

But wait, before I continue, there might be one or two people in the world who doesn't know about my love of this TV show. May be one or two more who has never watched Destination Truth and has absolutely no idea what it's about. Well for you guys, let me just say…you're missing out on so much fun! Destination Truth is a travel adventure show on SyFy Channel that follows the real-life adventures of host Josh Gates and his team as they travel the world investigating some of the most astounding legends, myths, monsters, and ghosts imaginable. It's not exactly a ghost hunting show. Not exactly a cryptozoology show either…though there is plenty of both for the most avid of paranormal junkies out there. But no…it's so much more than that. It is basically a "What if Indiana Jones was a real person and had his own team to explore the mysteries of the world" kind of show. It concentrates on the cultures, the food, the myths that surround the various cultures of the world and then allows us to watch as they investigate the truth behind those legends. The Truth is what they're really after…not ghosts. Not monsters. And they do it with such style and humor that I guarantee you'll be hooked after watching just one episode. [And yes, I love the show so much, it inspired my series of books called the ENIGMA Directive!]

And Erin Ryder has been along for the ride for a large majority of the time the show has been on the air. And let me tell you…she can hold her own in the toughest of times. She's fallen off the Great Wall of China (still attached to her repelling gear, thank goodness). She's downed a motorcycle requiring numerous stitches. She's fallen through the floors of some of the oldest ruins around. And what does she do after she's done these things? Wipes herself off and cracks some of the best one-liners you'll ever hear! No, Ryder has quickly become a hero of mine. Someone to respect and admire…and I am thankful to be able to list her among my recent friends.

So now, I'd like to introduce you to her. I'd like to have you get to know her a little bit. Recently, I talked with Erin about Destination Truth and her life in general. She was so gracious and forthright that I couldn't wait to share with you what she had to say.

1) Can you tell us a little bit about how you became involved with the show?

In 2008 Executive Producer Casey Brumels came to me and said I have a unique opportunity that I think you would be perfect for. He explained that I would travel and produce an adventure show and that I would also be on camera. Unable to turn down travel and adventure intertwined with what I love to do, producing, I said why not! I met with Josh, we clicked instantly and the rest as they say is history. I’ve been lucky to be a part of the last 3 seasons and happy to say I’ll be on the road again for the upcoming 5th season.

What background or experience did you have to help you get the position?
I joke that I’ve been training to do Destination Truth since I was a little girl. I grew up in upstate NY so the outdoors was, and still is, a big part of my life. I love hiking, climbing, exploring, camping, basically if it involves getting dirty I’ll like it. I’ve always been an athlete and adventurer. I’ve played nearly every sport out there, and I’m constantly looking to check things off my adventure bucket list. And of course travel has always been a true passion of mine. There’s no better way to learn about this beautiful world of ours than by engulfing yourself in new cultures, meeting new people, and tasting new foods.

And how would you describe your role on Destination Truth to someone who may not be familiar?
Currently I am a Co-Executive Producer so I help research the stories we’ll investigate, the places we’ll travel to, the people we’ll interview, and yes the cars that we’ll break down in. On camera I guess you could say I’m Josh’s sidekick. Our job is to not only investigate these claims but to also give the audience at home a small glimpse into these unique cultures.

2) Now there's a common joke on the show with you regarding a pattern of "falling down" or injuries or just a general Murphy's Law effect when it comes to you. Can you share some of your more harrowing experiences? Some of your injuries? And do you think it's fair that you get this reputation when Mr. Gates seems to have just as much ground time as you?

Ahh yes, I am one accident prone individual! It’s amazing how coordinated I am in sports and yet a safety hazard in life. Let’s see…I’ve fallen off of The Great Wall of China, off of motorcycles and ATVs, and I’ve tumbled down mountains and cliffs in nearly every country. I’ve broken toes and fingers, have had bruises the size of basketballs, and an assortment of gashes, scrapes and cuts. Though my biggest injury was this past season with that fall off the bike in Thailand. I fractured my elbow, strained my rotator cuff and received 8 stitches. The truth of it is we aren’t exactly taking the easy way so there are going to be accidents and falls. I just happen to keep Rex a lot busier than the rest of the crew.

3) You guys have hunted lots of cryptids over the years. Of the cryptids you have personally investigated on the show, which ones, from the evidence and your own experiences, do you believe is the most probable that it exists, if any? Why do you think that?

I have my suspicions about the Orang Pendek of Sumatra. There’s still so much unknown about the jungles there that I feel a species of small primate could potentially go undiscovered.

There is something about meeting these eyewitnesses face to face. Once you see real fear in their eyes you know that have truly experienced something. And every year 100’s of new species are discovered, that tells us how little we still know about the world. Think about it, the ocean covers almost 75% of the earth and we’ve only explored about 10% of it. Do I think massive cryptids can go undiscovered for this long? I’m not sure, but I will say nature never runs out of surprises!

4) What was your favorite country/location to investigate? Why?

Antarctica. I am so thrilled for you all to see our hour-long arctic adventure. It truly was a continent of wonder, I was in awe the entire time. The ice caps, glaciers, seals and penguins, it feels so naturally beautiful and untouched. It’s as close as I’ll ever get to walking on what I would say is another planet.

5) You guys have had a lot of crazy and scary experiences over the years. Which cases stand out as the scariest of your time on the show? Explain.

For me it has to be the Suicide Woods in Japan. From the moment I entered those woods I had an eerie feeling fill me up. It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before. There’s a reason that in the past 60 years over 500 people have chosen this spot to end their lives.

6) Recently, you guys have been doing a lot of paranormal investigations along with your cryptid investigations. Which do you personally prefer to investigate? Cryptids or ghosts? Why?

I really don’t prefer one over the other to me its all about the legend and myth behind the investigation. Whether it’s a cryptid or a ghost one thing is the same, people sharing encounters and telling their stories. I think its kind of neat that no matter where you are from we’re all a little scared of the unknown!

7) Have you ever seen a cryptid outside of your time on the show? A ghost? Any paranormal experiences you'd like to share from outside of the show?

I consider myself a “skeliever.” I fall somewhere in between a skeptic and a believer. I question the validity of each claim that comes our way but that’s just the investigator in me wanting to know the answers. But a good researcher and scientist is open-minded. You cant be objective if you already know the answer is ghosts don’t exist. Personally I’ve had quite a few experiences I can’t explain and I’m happy to say I’m always out looking for more!

8) Recently, I interviewed Rex who's "day job" is a paramedic. I think a lot of people would be interested to know what Erin Ryder typically does when she's not traveling the world in search of monsters, ghosts, and myths?

My day job is as a producer. I go out in the field and work to capture interesting stories and then work in edit figuring out the best way to visually tell them. I’ve worked in sports like the Athens Olympics and the X-Games. I’ve done reality TV, kids shows, stunt shows, you name it. If it’s fun and interesting I want to produce it.

9) Of all the cryptids, myths, and legends that are floating around all over the world...can you think of one that you would definitely like to investigate, but haven't had the opportunity yet? If not, is there a particular locale you would love to explore?

I’m up for anything. There’s no cryptid to creepy, no ghost too ghoulish. I would just love to continue traveling to new and different places. The more frequent flier miles and passport stamps the better!

10) Finally, if you could give some advice to the aspiring globetrotting adventurers of the world, what would you say?

It sounds corny but, “If you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” No it’s not “the secret.” I’m not saying wish for a car and you’ll get a car. I’m saying if you work really hard, and don’t take no as an answer you will really be happy with the outcome. Did I always dream of being a TV producer/adventurer? No, I dreamed of being an astronaut or a vet like most kids. But I knew when I grew up I wanted to enjoy what I did and not work in a cubicle. So I worked my ass off and here I am. Though I absolutely do not consider myself a grownup…yet!

If you'd like to learn more about Erin Ryder, you can join her fanpage on Facebook here. She is awesome about answering people's comments and sharing news about what's going on in her life and Destination Truth: https://www.facebook.com/erinryderdt .

She's also available on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/#!/erinRyderDT.

Thank you Erin for a great interview! And thank you so much for producing a fantastic show for so many adoring fans.

And for you readers out there who've never watched it, check it out on Tuesdays at 9 PM on SyFy Channel (check your local listings!). By the way, next Tuesday is the season finale...but not one you'll want to miss!!! They'll be investigating in Antarctica...probably the most remote paranormal investigation ever.