New Release: Void by Anthony Avina

Available October 1, 2015

Author Anthony Avina brings to life his first ever romantic/drama story in his new novella, VOID.

VOID follows six friends living in Los Angeles, CA. Each of these friends finds themselves struggling with some personal issues of some sort.
This novella is written as a contemporary romance drama mixed in with a play setup, taking place over the course of three acts that delivers character build-up and drama. Exploring themes such as sexual identity, loss, marriage, parenting, abuse and more, VOID is a modern tale of pain and despair, and the steps one group of friends will take to overcome that despair and get to a place of hope and love.

Through their experiences, these friends will find love. Their friendships will be tested, with some becoming stronger, and others falling short. Touching on very real experiences and problems in life, VOID is the perfect read for both romantics and those interested in reading about the human condition.

http://www.amazon.com/VOID-Anthony-Avina-ebook/dp/B010VUR5QK/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

About the Author: 

Author Anthony Avina is the fusion of intense and visual-inducing horror, optimism and hopeful enthusiasm. As an indie author who has spent the last four years creating unique and original horror stories that highlight the fact that both good and evil can reside in anyone or anything, the creative horror writer hopes to craft entertaining tales that take the reader into unimaginable worlds.

With three successful series and a string of popular stand-alone novels and novellas, author Anthony Avina is a must watch indie author that is always working on the next great story to share with the world. Anthony Avina’s latest novella, VOID, follows six friends who each must overcome an overwhelming problem. This novella is a romance/drama, and focuses on themes such as love, friendship, sexuality, marriage, abuse, romance and more. It is now available for preorder on Amazon Kindle formats, and can be found on Amazon now! Anthony Avina is currently in the process of editing his next great novel, tentatively titled Identity, as well as a work in progress novel/novella called Odd Discoveries, the first in a planned science fiction/horror series.

           

Anthony can be reached at the following links

Email: authoranthonyavina@gmail.com

www.youtube.com/GunslingerPimp

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003ACFI2U


Tomorrow kicks off my annual Halloween Horror Author Countdown. Come join us as we explore the realms of small press and indie horror, you never know you might find your next great read, or you could win a horror library guaranteed to make any rabid fan envious. 

Fridays 5 with Gabriel Boutros

Gabriel Boutros has written two full-length novels, The Guilty and Face/Mask, a novella and several short stories. He spent 24 years working as a criminal attorney in Montreal, where he lives with his wife and two sons. As he is a rabid fan of the Montreal Canadians hockey team, he could not imagine living anywhere else.





1.) When did you first get serious about writing?
A.) I’ve been writing as long as I can remember, but I became serious about 15 years ago.  Until then I was mostly a doodler, writing snatches of ideas here and there. Then I was inspired by the life of a friend to write a short story and, to my surprise, had it accepted for publication by a literary review. Since then I’ve developed the discipline to spend the months and months necessary to write a full-length novel twice.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?
A.) Maintaining that very discipline that I just mentioned. There are so many other distractions out there, from family and friends to my day job. It becomes very easy to put writing off for another day. Especially when I start a new novel, knowing how long a journey I have ahead of me, I tend to delay and procrastinate.

Click on cover for more info or to order

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?
A.) It’s hard to describe how excited I was. I kept running around like a little kid, telling everybody I knew that some strangers actually wanted to pay for something I wrote.  A truly proud moment.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?
A.) Although I have a general story idea in mind when I start, my characters are what drive my stories. They develop certain personality traits and sometimes I’ve had to adjust my story idea according to what my characters would or would not do. But the stories are always better when they flow honestly from the characters’ traits.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?
A.)  Go to work; help my youngest son with his homework; read a good book; binge watch whatever is hot on Netflix. Somewhere in there I try to find a few minutes to write. Often I don’t, but when I do, the minutes will stretch to hours and everything else will be ignored.

Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Gabriel-Boutros/e/B0095LPZGE

http://storiesbygabrielboutros.weebly.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Storiesbygabrielboutros/1402214230076839?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6237518.Gabriel_Boutros


Don't forget to check back at the beginning of October for my annual Halloween Horror Author Countdown. It's shaping up to be one hell of a month with a growing library of horror for one lucky winner. Stay tuned for more details.  

Embracing Your Inner Writer

A question that comes up often for writers is "Why do you write?"

Replies may run from "I don't know," to "because I must."

“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” (Virginia Woolf)


Occasionally you'll run across a writer who will tell you honestly that writing allows them to play on playground in their mind. It is after all, what we as writers do best. Stephen King summed it up in his book On Writing when he said “When I’m writing, it’s all the playground…”

“I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” (James A. Michener)

By the same token writers can be quite bashful about sharing what they do, especially new writers who are just setting foot upon that path. Embracing the writer within generally goes against standard convention. By many we are viewed as adults trapped within a child's imagination for as children we are encouraged to embrace our creativity, to explore our imagination to the fullest. Yet when we become adults we are then told we must give up childish things.

“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.” (Ray Bradbury)

Even the bible tells us: "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways."
1 Corinthians 13:11

“You can make ANYTHING by writing.” (C.S. Lewis)
Writer's on the other hand have consciously chosen not to put away their childish things. They continue to explore the unfathomable depths of their imagination as they create whole worlds from the very fabric of their thoughts. They refuse to quit playing in the playground of their mind. Many may view their dedication as proof that they have yet to grow up. Their own families may not approve of their desire to write, telling them what they really need to do is find a good job and settle down. To put away their childish things and grow up.

When I hear any of this I recall the words of C.S Lewis who said in part: "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up."

Embrace your inner child, and the writer that exists within us all, explore the unfathomable depths of your imagination without shame. It's their problem if they can't accept you as you are, not yours.

Don't forget, October 1 will signal the start of my annual Halloween Horror Author Countdown, that's 30 authors in 30 days and I've got one hell of a line up coming your way. 

Fridays 5 with Eric Ponvelle

Eric grew up in the deep swamps of Louisiana where sugar cane factories rained black ash and a light rain meant possible flood damage. That environment heavily influenced his writing as did his lucid dreams. Living in a world of limitless potential, he would create deep stories within a complex universe. "I like to bring reality to my stories, doing as much research as possible into even the most mundane details." Eric's influences range from Sci-Fi writers like Douglas Adams to horror writers like F. Paul Wilson and HP Lovecraft.




 1.) When did you first get serious about writing?
A.) I wrote my first short story in college during a creative writing class. The story was a narrator teaching their method of achieving the perfect shave while relating the aspects of each step to their personal life. In this class, we used pseudonyms, and our stories were read aloud by anyone in class. The reaction to the story was overwhelmingly positive, and I was hooked after that.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?
A.) Taming the ideas. I never have truly had writer's block, so much as I have had macro ideas that couldn't be told in one single story. I wanted every bit of detail to be expanded on and included.

Click on cover for more info or to order.

 

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?
A.) My first piece that I was really proud of was a horror story about sentient insects that was accepted to Weird Tales Magazine. Being a fan of Lovecraft, I always aspired to write in that magazine, and it finally happened! Then, I was told it wouldn't be published for a year, and that doubt monster that lurks in the shadows became thrilled. I had succeeded, but it was a meager success. I had to keep pushing. It's been a solid 3 years, and Weird Tales hasn't released an issue since then, so I am back to pitching it. I have published a few stuff online, as well as a novel, and that is all different for me. I am in control of what is released, and I am selling it to my audience directly. It's a terrifying amount of freedom.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?
A.) There truly cannot be one without the other, but I am a big lore fan. I love the reasonings behind the scenes to why something is so important and impressive. In horror, this is even more important because that part of the story the reader doesn't know is the most terrifying. With characters, I like to write as normal people as possible to provide a point of connection to my audience. They may be augmented a bit, but they are living people with flaws, strengths, and fears. Then, the story is the vehicle they get into, and the reader experiences it with them.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?
A.)  I am an instructional designer for a software company in Atlanta, so a lot of my day is thinking of ways of interacting with individuals who use our software. When I am heads down and working, I am listening to podcasts, of which I have too many to stay totally up to date on. When I come home, I read a lot online and on my Kindle, and I write a bit every day, be it on a story I am working on, or on Reddit's /r/WritingPrompts sub.

Eric maintains a blog at http://www.ericponvelle.com

Fisking the HuffPo, because writers need to GET PAID

There's been a great deal of talk lately about the speed at which writers produce. Even Stephen King has weighed in recently with his article in the NY Times: Can a novelist be too productive. What follows is the latest salvo from Larry Correia over at Monster Hunter Nation in response to a Huffington Post article by Lorraine Devon Wilkes titled Dear Self Published author: Do not write Four Books a Year

Without further delay, here's Larry

Oh my hell… You’ve got to be friggin’ kidding me. Here I am, with just a few days between cons trying to get the edits done on a book, and bestselling author Chris Nuttall had to go and post a link a HuffPo article on his Facebook page with the comment “This needs fisking.” That’s like Correia bait. How could I not look?
So I read it, and like most everything else writing related that comes out of HuffPo, Salon, Slate, the Guardian, or other pretentious, snooty, wannabe literati pages the advice is a great way to kill your writing career.
As somebody who makes a good living off of writing books, I’m going to be a little more pragmatic in my take. I don’t write to appease snoots or impress critics. I write to GET PAID. All authors who want to quit their day jobs and make a living as writers need to put GET PAID in their mission statements.
This one got long, but there was just a lot of really bad advice in there. Basically I had to write this because looking back on my career, the single best piece of advice I ever got was be prolific. 

Read the rest at: Monster Hunter Nation

Don't forget there's only 14 days until the countdown begins. 30 authors in 30 days. The 2015  Halloween Horror Author Countdown.

New Release: The Soul Shepher and the Threshold

Now available from M.V. Noerrac

Click on the cover for more info or to order.

Synopsis: 

The soul shepherd Michael, with young man's eyes the color of Crab Nebula, guides the dead to cross the threshold. For over a century, he has discharged this duty with blind obedience. Until he met thirteen-year old Noah. Struck by Noah's horrific fate, Michael makes a choice that sets him on a collision course with the very nature of a soul shepherd. Worse, it has awakened demons from his own past, and has forced him to confront a bitter irony - as a soul shepherd he is forbidden to cross the threshold. 

About the Author:

If you were on a 14-hour non-stop flight from Toronto to Anywhere-City, will you enjoy seating next to me? Let's see :-)

First, let's talk about books. I read an eclectic mix - from Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time", to Bram Stoker's "Dracula", to Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre". Second, TV shows. I can never get enough of The Big Bang Theory; and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Third, food. Breakfast on weekends is my favourite meal - pile of pancake or French toast generously drizzled with maple syrup, peameal bacon, sunny-side-up egg.

What about age? Well, I grew up when Popeye, Road Runner, Tweetie Bird, and Superfriends were Saturday morning staples. When everyone I know, know the answer to, "Who you gonna call?"

Finally, like any self-respecting Torontonian I love the Raptors, Blue Jays, (and okay, The Toronto Maple Leafs).

So, fasten your seatbelt, eh? 

Links: 

Book Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTUO9O9XEYI
Book Preview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FD-7rrSM_M
Chapter 1 Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL3BIEoxbTA

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/The-Soul-Shepherd-and-the-Threshold-943841872341710/timeline/?ref=bookmarks

 

Fridays 5 with Martin Wilsey

Martin Wilsey is a writer, hunter, photographer, rabble rouser, father, friend, marksman, storyteller, frightener of children, carnivore, engineer, fool, philosopher, cook and madman. He and his wife Brenda live in Virginia where, just to keep him off the streets, he works as a research scientist for a government-funded think tank.

1.) When did you first get serious about writing?
A.) Writing a novel was always a life goal for me. It was a classic Bucket List item. I made several attempts over the years, but always got wrapped around the axle and never managed to finish a story. I had a big file of ideas but didn’t know how to get it done. Then suddenly in February of 2012 my brother, Eric Wilsey, died at age 53. The book is dedicated to him. His death made me really look at the things that were important. Combined with that, in that
same spring, I had a spine injury that left me immobile mostly and forced to spend a lot of time in my most comfy chair. TV and Facebook get old real fast so I started writing. I decided to write the kind of story I like to read.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?
A.) For me, the most difficult part of writing is the editing. The outlining and writing the first draft is pure pleasure for me. Cutting, editing, formatting feels more like work. It is necessary and crucial work, but it is still a chore.

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?
A.)  It has been kind of surreal for me. I never expected so many good reviews from strangers. I never expected so many international sales. I have sold more books, in the first month, in Canada than I expected to sell in total. I had no idea what would happen.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?
A.)  That is a tough question for me. Story and character are tightly woven together in the stories I write. If I were forced to pick, I would say, Story. The characters are pieces, critical components, of the larger story.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?
I work full time. I wake early, every day, make coffee and do my blogging in the mornings early. I get home from work about two hours before my wife. Instead of turning on the TV or reading Facebook, I sit down and write. I don’t wait for inspiration, I just do it. I usually write about 7000 words a week.

My motto is: drink coffee, make stuff up!I can’t wait to retire and write full time.

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Wilsey/e/B00VDKLJWE/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartinWilseyAuthor

Blog:  http://wilseymc.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/martin_wilsey

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13730295.Martin_Wilsey

Website:  http://www.baytirus.com/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mcwilsey

Coming soon: Dreadland Chronicles Book 1

The horrors of the past meet the brutality of the present.

Some of you may recognize the cover. Final edits are in progress. Synopsis and marketing materials are being tightened up. Slowly the process unfolds as the date nears for this release. Watch this space for updates. Or sign up to be notified of updates and get a free copy of White Walker. Just click this link. Email Alerts

Ten Ways Writers Sabotage Themselves: Paperback Writer

 Writers, do you see yourself?

1.) . Death by Critique: Your first chapter must be thoroughly critiqued by your best writer friend, your crit group, your mom and her friends, and anyone else you can think of who speaks English and isn't dyslexic; this so you can keep improving the same chapter over and over until you get sick of it and start writing the first chapter of your next story idea; lather, rinse, repeat for the rest of your life.

Solution: finish writing the story before you show it to anyone, even Mom.

3.)  Heart Bookworms: You have been working on one vitally, important-to-you story that is all you can think about, may be your greatest accomplishment, and will take at least another year or two to finish.

Solution: Sadly there is no cure for Book of Your Heart disease, but to prevent your obsession from eating your brain, you can devote one day a week to writing something else -- anything else -- purely for fun.

5.) Me, Myself and My Ex: Every story you write is revenge for your break-up or divorce, cleverly disguised as fiction that features a protagonist who looks exactly like you, and with whom everyone in the book wants to have sex. Everyone.

Solution: The disguise? Not that clever. Separate yourself from the post-divorce vanity gangbangs, and write a story about non-human creatures, like dragons. And don't let anyone have sex with the dragons, okay?

Read the rest at Paperback Writer

Happy Labor Day

For those of you who celebrate this day. Happy Labor Day

Fridays 5 with Kathryn Brettell

 Kathi’s short story Solitaire, was published in The McGuffin magazine in 2006. Her short stories Hot Lips and Runners were both accepted for on-line publications in 2005 and 2009 respectively.  Kathi writes a monthly email letter, currently in distribution in over four countries.  One of those letters, Naked Guy, was published in the Colorado newspaper, The Mountain Connection, in 2013. 

She recently completed a 60,000-word memoir, The Olive Picker, which is now published and available for purchase on Amazon.com and other venues.

Kathi lives in both Gurgaon, India, and Conifer, Colorado, where she retired and is pursuing her lifelong love of writing.

1.) When did you first get serious about writing?
A.) I started writing short stories about 20 years ago, when I joined two online writing groups.   At the time, I wrote only short stories and flash fiction because that was all I had time for.   I was working one full time job and a part-time one as well.  I moved to India two and a half years ago, and retired, so I took advantage of my newly found free time by writing the book, THE OLIVE PICKER.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?
A.) Editing!  Holy cow, I  did multiple edits on my own, got at least 20 beta readers, then hired a professional editor, and STILL found the odd missing quotation mark.  I read my own story so many times it almost makes me gag to read it again.

Amazon

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?
A.) When I held that first copy in my hands…oh man, I felt, validated.  Really validated.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?
A.) Well, you really can’t have one without the other, can you.  Story is everything, but if you have an unlikable character, what’s the point?  And the reverse is true. 

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?
A.)  It’s hot most of the year in India, so my days consist of staying inside under the AC.  I write most days, either my blog, or working on a new novel.  When I do get out I meet up with other expats for coffee or lunch, and we shop.  Tough day, right?