Windows Birthday Part I

Windows Birthday

 She was too frail to carry her pregnancy to term, and the doctors had warned her that to give birth to the child growing in her womb would surely end her own life. What the doctors had not counted on was a stubbornness that ran counter to the frailty of her physical being. She was determined to have this child, no matter what, and William, who had pledged his fidelity to this child queen stood behind her every decision.

She had once been royalty, before the world they all knew ended, and she had used what resources she had at her disposal to bring them to this desolate place. Far from the danger that now stalked the remnants of a civilization that teetered upon the brink of extinction. Surrounded by dense forest and mountainous ridges that served as a natural barrier against any but the most determined foe. They had come to what was once a summer home but now served as a refuge from those who would do them harm.

The ladies screams filled the short hallway and William turned from the window he’d been gazing out of, watching the forest for anything that might threaten his charge. Doctor Forester was hurrying down the hallway towards him, the blue smock he wore pressed tight against his wide girth.

“You must speak with her William,” Doctor Forester said as he struggled to catch his breath, “she can’t go through with this, and I don’t have the facilities to save her if she does.”

“It was her choice, you know as well as I do how stubborn she is, besides it’s not our place to question her.” William returned to watching the forest.

“Is that all you have to say?” Another scream punctuated the doctor’s words.

“You better go to her, she’s going to need you,” William said without turning away from the window. It was the way of the world, fate was not as set in stone as many believed it to be. There was another reason they had come to this place. To follow a path the lady felt had been laid out for her.

He listened to the doctor’s footsteps retreating down the hall as another set approached. These were much more stealthy than the doctor’s had been, and in the window next to his head he spotted the reflection of a man dressed in camouflage clothing.

“Sir, the outlooks have spotted a group of riders approaching.”

“How long do we have?”

“About an hour.”

William nodded, dismissing the man as another scream cam from the room at the end of the hall, this one more primal than the others before, more terrified, and the sound tore at his heart. Though he may have been her personal bodyguard, nothing more than a well trained servant, he harbored a deep love for his charge. A love that would compel him to give his own life if needed to spare hers.

It wouldn’t be long now, and as her last scream faded to silence, another cry replaced it. That of a child, crying out for its first time as it took its first breath. Turning from the window William quickly strode down the hallway to the room at the far end.

Inside he found her, lying motionless in the massive four poster bed that dwarfed her small figure. Her eyes were closed, her hands folded over her chest, dark hair framing a delicate face. Doctor Morrison was pulling the blankets up to cover her head when William entered the room. He stopped him and knelt beside the bed, taking one of the lady’s hands into his own as his emotions surged at the sight of her dead body. Sorrow and anger battled for dominance as he bowed his head and placed her cold hand against his forehead.

I’m sorry. He thought to himself as he warmed her dead flesh with his own body heat. Then he stood, ready to do as she had asked.

“There isn’t much time,” William said, “give me the child.”

A nurse handed over a swaddled bundle and he looked down into a wrinkled face. From outside a shot rang out, followed by another.

“I thought you said we had time,” Doctor Forrester said.

“Obviously I was wrong,” William said as he turned to leave the room.

“What are you going to do with the child? What about her? What about us?”

“It’s now every man for himself, but remember your oath to her, just because she’s no longer with us doesn’t mean you’ve been released from your obligation. As for the child, that’s really none of your concern. The less you know the better.” With that he turned and raced down the hallway as the sound of booted feet came from the main entrance.

“Give us the child,” a familiar voice shouted as gunfire erupted in the entrance.

William raced down the rear steps, the bundled child held close to his chest as he fled through the house and onto the rear deck. Gathering up the reins of the horse he’d stationed there he pulled himself into the saddle as the sound of booted feet came from the deck above his.,

Hunkered down low he held the baby close to his chest as he jabbed the horse in its flanks with his heels, and sent it racing across the open ground towards the distant tree line.

If he made it to the forest he could lose his pursuers among the trees. A bullet whickered over his head as he neared the tree line. It was obvious they didn’t care if they hit the child, confirming his worst suspicions.

Then he was in the trees, darting to and fro to avoid the slender trunks as the sound of bullets pelted the leaves around him like a lethal rain shower.

Follow Windows adventures as he explores a post apocalyptic world with his three friends. 

 

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 '

Available exclusively at Amazon 

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Get it here!

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Monday Motivational: Writing as Obsession

When you step back and think about all the work involved in creating a three hundred page book, from thin air we build characters, worlds, and the interactions that bring them all to life, one begins to realize there has to be a degree of obsessiveness in each of us. It's what drives us every day to the key board, note pad, or typewriter.

But sometimes we let that obsession rule our lives.

A comment made by Christopher Matson in his Fridays 5 interview got me to thinking about the obsessive nature of writers, artists, and athletes, anyone really who works in the public eye who creates or performs.

"There is, after all a delicate balance between dedication and obsession. Isn’t there?"

-Christopher Matson..

Thomas, one of my regular visitors, a writer himself, responded with a comment that quoted Isaac Asimov.

Someone once told Isaac Asimov it must take enormous discipline to sit at the typewriter for long periods of time. To which he responded (paraphrased) "Nonsense. If I had any discipline, I would move away from the typewriter once in a while."

This from the same writer who once said: "I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't I would die."

Sort of a ying and yang look at the two faces of a writer. The compulsion needed to create the work, balanced with the understanding that one must always be disciplined enough to step away from the keyboard.

There are no easy answers, no real cure, if you will, for the writers gift (curse). I use curse in the same context as gift because it is a gift that comes with its own set of problems. Is it the desire for fame and riches that push us onward, like compulsion that drives the lottery ticket buyer to purchase the same number every week, in the hope of one day hitting it big.

Are we kidding ourselves?

What do you think?

What drives you to the keyboard every day?

Fridays 5 with Christopher Matson

C.B. Matson is the author of the historical action novel, "Broken Sky" along with the upcoming sequels, "Cloven Earth," and "Moonlight and Darkness." Former incarnations have included mining geologist, commercial fisherman, civil engineer, mess-hall cook, surveyor and international port consultant.

He has lived much of his life in Colorado, California and Virginia, but he has also spent considerable time in Moscow, Bogota, Nagasaki and Dakar. When he is not writing, he enjoys walking, tinkering, and "... simply messing about in boats." C.B. Matson and his wife live on the water in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Visit C.B. Matson's web page, http://www.cbmatson.com for story synopses and upcoming releases. You can also follow him on twitter at @cbmatson or contact him at write@cbmatson.com.

1.) When did you first get serious about writing?

When? I could say always. That is, always serious about writing, about using it as a tool in my career and as a creative outlet in my life. My mother wrote, and my great aunt was a published author; I guess they just expected me to follow their lead. Of course, I didn’t. Rebellious child that I was, I became an engineer (and about a jillion other things) instead. But Richard, the foregoing dances around what I think you really want me to spill; that is:

When did I first believe I could publish creative fiction worth reading? Easy answer: 2013.
Longer answer: The key word is publish, that is write stories, and find readers; perhaps even fans. It was 2013 that I discovered the Mongoliad series of historical fiction by Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, Mark Teppo and others. I also discovered Amazon’s Kindle Worlds, a self-publishing platform that encourages fiction related to plots and characters created by well-known authors. That is, fan-fic with one huge improvement; Kindle Worlds publications pay royalties and generate feedback, just like any other e-publication platform.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?

Easy. Back to Question 1, publishing. The hardest part about writing for any new author is getting published; getting read and discovered and enjoyed. Writing for one of the Kindle Worlds gets me promoted to those Amazon readers who are searching out the “host” series authors. My personal objective is to build some readership and find out what works and what doesn’t. To do that, I know I must give my readers the best I’ve got. After all, it’s their eight, ten, twelve hours of precious reading time that they are giving to me.

Click on cover for more info or to order!

Synopsis: It is the year 1227; Chinggis Khan, Scourge of the East lies cooling in his grave... His sons ride for Karakorum at the heart of the Mongol empire where they will vie for the succession. Yet beyond the knowledge of any in Karakorum an unwanted child of war is driven from her people and forced to take up a new life as the half-breed niece of a Mongol Khan. When young Cnán is branded a witch and condemned to death by her adopted tribe, she must capture the heart of a young warrior if she is to survive.

Far to the west, Raef of Livonia faces a difficult choice between his values and his desire for vengeance. In a world turned upside down, Raef joins a secret brethren of warrior priests. He must take on their fight to defend what remains of civilization against a rising wave of greed and lawlessness. The ensuing turmoil sweeps Raef from his home and drags him into a world of old gods, warring factions, and sudden death.

Between these disparate cultures, the esoteric league of Binders pursue their own objectives. They know that the Mongol nation will soon move against the weakened Empire of Rome and they fear a world in flames if nothing is done. Through their shadowy intelligence web, the Binders hear of a legendary Red Messenger, destined to stem the Mongol invasion. Somehow, the Binders must contrive to bring the Livonian boy together with the half-breed Mongol girl -- for only together can they summon the Red Messenger.

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

Ha, I was so excited. The shy peeks at my manuscript, the loving touches; then, in that final moment of consummation: premature e-publication. What a let-down; the verbs were all passive, the prose was all stale, the typos triumfed, the run-on sentences ran rampant, and the adverbs prevailed valiantly. I’ve published two subsequent edits and have just finished another full comb-through of my first novel prior to issuing my second book in the series. However, having written and published (and re-written and re-published), I feel challenged to do it again and do it better. I’ve received great responses to my stories and requests for more (working on it, working on it…). All I can say is that good or bad, nothing can compare with the experience of that first novel hitting the street.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?

Gotta be character. If the readers can’t identify with at least one character in your novel, they just won’t care what happens in your story. Love Gillian Flynn’s plot construction, fascinating; but in Gone Girl, her protagonists were exactly the kind of people I’ve spent my life avoiding. I finished the book and celebrated its dark conclusion, but didn’t really enjoy it. In comparison, I far preferred her Sharp Objects with its more vulnerable and sympathetic main character. I didn’t mean that as a criticism or endorsement of either book (and your opinions may differ). Rather, I mention it as an example of how character can engage some readers and alienate others.

Sympathetic characters are the most essential component of any Historical novel. The author must develop a team of protagonists who have a contemporary appeal, then place them in some fantastical setting of the past. Currently, I am writing about Medieval Asia Minor, where Mongol tribes clashed with the Egyptian Caliphate and secret societies were all that protected the civilized world. Add a bit of sorcery, a little dark religion, a few old gods, and then let loose the protagonists. Voilà, stuff happens… Oh, and what grand stuff; Historical has all of the wonder-factor found in Fantasy, but it comes with real artifacts and places one can actually visit. At the same time, Historical can provide many opportunities for plot action. If the story doesn’t move, then the characters will not develop and the all-important transformation of the characters cannot take place. Some books are “filled with sound and fury,” and that carries them along quite well, even if the protagonists remain static. I personally like plot-action and jam in as much as I can. However, before the end, the prots have just gotta step up and fight Dempsey or carry the ring to Mordor or somehow become astonishing if the story is to have any meaning.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?

Richard, I guess those days I consider typical, are pretty dull: get up, jog (‘n think about next chapter), eat, commute, day job, commute, kiss dog and hug wife (or vice versa), dinner… and then write (yeah, I’m almost done with this chapter, Hon) write… (about another ten minutes, Hon) write… (okay, I’m saving and shutting it down now) snerxxx… In all truth, my family is very supportive of my madness, I just couldn’t manage without that. There is, after all a delicate balance between dedication and obsession. Isn’t there?

The Reaping Excerpt#5

  Coming June 24, 2016

Reserve your copy today.

Amazon

Upon the release of THE REAPING, book two in the Dreadland Chronicles, the first book in the series ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR, will be free the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26. Grab a copy and leave an honest  review before August 20,2016, and you will be entered into a drawing where one lucky person will receive this one of a kind 22oz sealed lid candy jar. I'll even sweeten the deal by throwing in the first 10 oz bag of your favorite candy.

The three images are of one jar as the design wraps halfway around the jar. 

Sandblasting designs on glass is one of my hobbies and I made this especially for this giveaway. 

I will ship the candy jar to the winner anywhere in the world, but the review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR must be on Amazon.com, and must go live by midnight August 20, 2016 . Based on customs I may not be able to include candy. Sorry, that's the breaks. As an added bonus everyone in the lower forty eight states of the U.S (sorry I have to restrict this part, I just don't have the money for international shipping on everything) who leaves an honest review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR on Amazon will receive an autographed bookmark.

You will find the particulars at the end of this post. So without further delay let's get on with this post.

The Reaping Synopsis

Man is no longer alone at the top of the food chain.

From the East a new threat to a struggling civilization emerges, spreading across the land like a cancerous stain, leaving in its wake the shattered remnants of a species teetering on the brink of extinction.

After the dead walked and society crumbled, mankind struggled back from the brink of extinction. Having fled the cities the survivors lead a more pastoral lifestyle, while the cities to the east stand as silent monuments to the former progress of man.

But they are not empty.

Not only did mankind leave behind the trappings of his progress, but the creatures of the night that once fed along the shadowy edges of a well lit world. Inhabiting that twilight space between day and night, between what is real and imagined, between dreams and nightmares. 

In Bryn Mawr Window is infected when he is bitten by a Reaper. As he struggles against the rising bloodlust, viewing his friends as a potential meal, they set out to the East in the search of a cure.

Along the way they learn more about the nature of the world they inhabit, their own past, and the part they each play in a potential future. Crossing paths with a shadowy figure who leaves small tokens from each of their own history. Little objects that carry powerful emotions linked to major changes in their past lives.

In the nations former capitol they are confronted by the master who reveals the cold truth about the cosmos as he prepares his own army of the undead to enslave what remains of mankind.


Excerpt:
 
The day that had started out cool quickly became hot as they reached what remained of Interstate ninety five. Around them the debris of the past lay buried beneath mounds of the mile-a-minute vine. Saplings had sprouted up though the cracked macadam, creating a young forest that followed the gentle curve of the interstate.

Four hundred yards ahead stood one of the many overpasses that crossed the interstate. It offered a brief respite from the relentless heat of the sun that beat down upon them from a cloudless blue sky.

“I’m gonna need to take a break up ahead,” Window said as he trudged forward, his head down to protect his face from the sun, his hands stuffed into his pockets. A tall fence ran the length of the overpass, its intent to keep people from dropping things onto the interstate below. Something in the past someone had attached tarps to the fence to provide shelter. The tarps were torn and tattered, their shredded parts hanging lifelessly in the still air. From the forest that bordered the side of the interstate came the incessant call of cicadas welcoming the noon day sun.

As they neared the overpass, a bullet ricocheted from a vehicle on Meats left followed closely by the booming sound of a rifle firing. Instantly the four boys vanished behind cover as a shout came from the overpass.

“Damn, you missed, Leroy.”

The shout was followed by a volley of gunfire, bullets slamming into the pavement around them, ricocheting from the vehicles they hid behind.

“Where are they?” Meat said as he peered around a corner, pulling his head back at the last moment as several round converged on the space it once occupied, ricocheting harmlessly into the day.

“They’re on the bridge,” Billie-Bob said as he pulled his rifle around, sighting through the scope from beneath a tangle of weeds. He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then released it as he squeezed the trigger and the rifle bucked in his hand. Someone on the bridge screamed in response and a heavy volley of gunfire pushed Billie-Bob back into cover.

“We can’t move, what are we going to do?” Einstein shouted as he hunkered down behind a car. Bullets slammed into unyielding steel, whickering off into the distance like lethal bees zooming in on their target.

Window looked from Meat to Billie-Bob as an old rage blossomed in the pit of his stomach. That which he had so long fought to keep at bay embraced the anger growing within him.

How dare they! The thought raged through his mind as he stood and looked up at the overpass. A bullet slammed into his shoulder, pushing him back a step as he glanced at the bloody flower blossoming on his coat.


End Excerpt!

How to enter:



On the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26 download a free copy of ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR from  AMAZON .

By midnight August 20,2016, leave your honest review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR and send an email with the link to me at rschiver@gmail.com. The names will be placed in a hat, or jar, or bowl depending on how many I get and my wife will draw the winner. I will contact the winner on August 21st and will announce the name here.

It's that simple, get a free book, leave a review, and maybe you'll win. For those of you in the continuous U.S I'll also send a personally autographed bookmark, pictured below, just for your trouble. I know it's not much, but I'd just like to say thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Monday Motivational: Cheerleader?

Do you have cheerleaders?

Is there someone in your life, a significant other, a friend, a lover who understands what it is you do?

Who encourages you just by their presence to sit down at the keyboard every day and open that vein?

Someone whose shoulder you can lean on when the rejections pile up, or the sales go flat. When it seems nothing is going right, and the words refuse to flow, that special someone is at your side supporting you through it all.

Sure writing is a solitary endeavor, we writers live most of our lives alone in a mind populated by all sorts of characters, good, bad, and indifferent. Even when we're with the one we love we can at times wander off into a story idea that suddenly pops into our mind. Yet we still need that human contact, someone who helps to keep our feet planted firmly upon the ground, while our minds soar to the clouds.

My cheerleader is my wife. We've been together for over twenty five years. She is my anchor in a often times volatile world. She keeps my feet planted firmly on the ground while my mind wanders among the clouds.

We should surround ourselves with those who believe in us. You can go it alone, but it always helps to have that one special person who supports us no matter what.

Who is your cheerleader?

Fridays 5 with Kannan

Kannan was born in a Tamil migrant family from Palakkad, Kerala. Born and brought up in Kanigiri, Andhra Pradesh, he spent his childhood climbing the mountain formed from single rock and swimming in the wells used for agriculture.

He became an engineer and is employed by an Aluminum manufacturer. He lives in Mumbai with his wife and son and leads a regular and boring life - which is why he started writing fiction.

A person with strong opinions but no expectations from life, he became a spiritual atheist after witnessing the aftermath of the Latur earthquake.

He spends his time mostly listening to music and playing chess online.

He can be reached at rkpthegod@gmail.com

1.) When did you first get serious about writing?

A.) Though I started and stopped at least five books in the last nine years, it was last year I sat to write continuously - so that I can write a book, in real. Before that , all these five books were written about fifty pages or so, when I was in airport lounges or in guest houses – as I was traveling a lot in the last five years.

It was in my sister's house and my father was operated (angioplasty) over and was bedridden. I visited my sister's place to be with him, before taking him to live with me, after the ten days rest advised by the doctor.

We both were alone in the house through out the day as my sister and her family went to work or school. My father was on the bed and there I was, thinking all nonsense that one can think of. It was on the second day, I decided to write lest I'd become depressed in those ten days. And then I spent the next week or so, as if I am preparing a technical evaluation, which I do normally, while on job. By the time I moved with my father to my place, about three fourths of the book was written.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?

A.) The hardest part came after I moved to my place and was going to office. It was mostly midnight, when I started to write the last chapters. After the day's work, and to plan the climax – given the book is a thriller, it was hard for me to finish the last chapters. In fact, I delete what I'd written on the previous day, and it took more than a month to complete the book.

Click on cover for more info or to order!

Synopsis:
"Peace and Violence complement one another and both are undermined without the presence of the other. Insecurity inspired by violence and devastation provides a business opportunity to those who live by selling killing machinery. When the war of thousand cuts could not bring India to the negotiating table, let alone concede defeat, Pakistan's ISI immediately grabs the opportunity to nuke India. However, the common legacy shared by both countries had many Indians in Pakistan who played a vital role in its establishment. How various nations respond to the purported nuclear attack intended to destabilise South Asia? At the centre of the plot is the defamed Qadar Khan—""Father of Pak Nukes""—who was a Muhajir. Will he try to nuke India, the country in which he was born, so that he can reclaim lost respect in Pakistan, his adopted country? What happens to the flamboyant general of Pakistan, Syed Ashraf Pasha, when his own Government denies any plot that he was executing through Qadar? Under international pressure from dollar donor countries, his family was arrested. Pasha, the man projected as future Army Chief, was labelled traitor. What would the patriotic army officer do in such circumstances? Who actually detonates the device? What happens in the aftermath?"

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

A.) Answering this question is probably tougher than writing the book itself. It was a feeling beyond expression. I was exhilarated – I guess that is the word that can describe the feeling.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?

A.) Being a technical guy, it is easy for me to answer this question. It is always the character that was important – at least to me. Story revolves on the character. The story consists the thoughts, reasons and actions of the character/s. Yes, characters are generated from the story plot, but it is the character that lends character to the story itself.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?

A.) Getting up in the morning. Drop my son at school after coffee. Leave for office at about eight thirty and return by seven thirty or eight in the evening. Have dinner and play chess with my son or online. Read a book or watch a movie. A regular and boring life.

Author Links

http://rkpthegod.wix.com/fizz

https://web.facebook.com/Fizz.Kannan

Twitter handle: @rkpthegod

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14244390.Kannan

The Reaping Excerpt #4

Coming June 24, 2016

Reserve your copy today.

Amazon

Upon the release of THE REAPING, book two in the Dreadland Chronicles, the first book in the series ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR, will be free the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26. Grab a copy and leave an honest  review before the end of July, and you will be entered into a drawing where one lucky person will receive this one of a kind 22oz sealed lid candy jar. I'll even sweeten the deal by throwing in the first 10 oz bag of your favorite candy.

The three images are of one jar as the design wraps halfway around the jar.

Sandblasting is one of my hobbies and I shot this design myself. 

I will ship this to the winner anywhere in the world, but the review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR must be on Amazon.com, and must go live by midnight July 31, 2016 . Based on customs I may not be able to include the candy. Sorry, that's the breaks. As an added bonus everyone in the continuous U.S who leaves an honest review will receive an autographed bookmark.(sorry I have to restrict this part, I just don't have the money for international shipping on everything)

You will find the particulars at the end of this post. So without further delay let's get on with this week's excerpt

Man is no longer alone at the top of the food chain.

From the East a new threat to a struggling civilization emerges, spreading across the land like a cancerous stain, leaving in its wake the shattered remnants of a species teetering on the brink of extinction.

After the dead walked and society crumbled, mankind struggled back from the brink of extinction. Having fled the cities the survivors lead a more pastoral lifestyle, while the cities to the east stand as silent monuments to the former progress of man.

But they are not empty.

Not only did mankind leave behind the trappings of his progress, but the creatures of the night that once fed along the shadowy edges of a well lit world. Inhabiting that twilight space between day and night, between what is real and imagined, between dreams and nightmares. 

In Bryn Mawr Window is infected when he is bitten by a Reaper. As he struggles against the rising blood lust, viewing his friends as a potential meal, they set out to the East in the search of a cure.

Along the way they learn more about the nature of the world they inhabit, their own past, and the part they each play in a potential future. Crossing paths with a shadowy figure who leaves small tokens from each of their own history. Little objects that carry powerful emotions linked to major changes in their past lives.

In the nations former capitol they are confronted by the master who reveals the cold truth about the cosmos as he prepares his own army of the undead to enslave what remains of mankind.

Excerpt:

With the memories came knowledge of things that so far had remained a mystery to him. The reality of their world was no longer as firm as it had once seemed. A tenuous fabric that could be easily shredded at will, exposing the inner workings of their world beneath it, and the existence of other realities that were but a few short steps away, for someone with his unique abilities.

They were realities that bore little semblance to anything he knew. With his mind’s eye he had seen worlds where the natural laws that governed their own had been turned upon their head. Worlds where nightmare creatures roamed at will, where the night battled the day, and the shadows breathed with a life of their own.

He stood in a shadowy corner of the barn, away from the weak sunlight that burned his exposed flesh with a fevered touch. With his hand he moved aside the fabric of the world in which they lived. He giggled as his fingers slid behind the image of the wooden wall, a chill caressing his fingertips as they vanished from view.

“Are you all right down there?” Billie-Bob called from the loft above.

“Right as rain,” Window replied with a lilt in his voice. Closing his hand his fingertips bled through the surface of the wall as he giggled again with a strangeness that disturbed him. He heard Billie-Bob’s footsteps behind him as he came down the ladder from the loft.

Turning around it was easy to spot Billie-Bob as he approached through the shadows. No longer was the night capable of hiding things from him. He could see as easily in the dark as he could during the day. It was another of the strange developments that had occurred since he’d been bitten.

“Meat and Einstein went out to catch whoever's following us,” Billie-Bob said as he stepped closer to Window, “are you sure you’re okay?”

“Never been better,” Window replied. From Billie-Bob came a faint sound that had always been there, a familiar sound, one he had known his entire life, the strong steady beating of a young heart. Only now it was accompanied by the thrumming sound of blood being pumped through the arteries. Placing his hand on his chest he felt his own heartbeat thumping in time with Billie-Bob’s. 

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Billie-Bob said, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat suddenly stepping up a notch.

“Like what?”

“Like I’m a piece of meat and you’re a starving dog.”
 
End Excerpt

I hope this helps to whet your appetite.

How to enter:

On the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26 download a free copy of ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR from  AMAZON .

Before the end of July leave your honest review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR and send an email with the link to me at rschiver@gmail.com. The names will be placed in a hat, or jar, or bowl depending on how many I get and my wife will draw the winner. I will contact the winner on August 1st and will announce the name here.

It's that simple, get a free book, leave a review, and maybe you'll win. For those of you in the continuous U.S I'll also send an autographed bookmark, pictured below, just for your trouble. I know it's not much, but I'd just like to say thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Monday Motivational: Busy, busy, busy

I've been swamped with getting the files ready for my upcoming release of THE REAPING, due out on June 24, 2016. My plan is to have both kindle and print available at the same time. As such I've been so busy that Monday has snuck up on me, don't you just hate sneaky Mondays, you're hanging out over the weekend enjoying yourself when, BAM! it's Monday.

Today I give you these three quotes from the masters.

Fridays 5 with Faye Hall

Faye Hall's passion driven, mystery filled books are set in small townships of North Queensland, Australia during the late 1800's.

Each of her novels bring something symbolically Australian to her readers, from Aboriginal herbal remedies, to certain gemstones naturally only found in this part of the world.

Each of her books tell of a passionate connection between the hero and heroine, surrounded and threatened by deceit, scandal, theft and sometimes even murder.

These romances swerve from the traditional romances as Faye aims to give her readers so much more intrigue, whilst also revealing the hidden histories of rural townships of North Queensland.

Faye finds her inspiration from the histories of not only the township she grew up in, but the many surrounding it. She also bases most of her characters on people she has met in her life.

Faye was able to live her own passion driven romance, marrying the love of her life after a whirlwind romance in 2013. Together they are raising their 9 children in a remote country town in northern Queensland, Australia.

1.) When did you first get serious about writing?

A.) Towards the end of high school.  That was when I wrote my first novel.  Took me about a week in English classes instead of doing school work.  It's also my newest release from Red Sage Publishing.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?

A.) Honestly is finding the time to write more than a few hundred words in one sitting.  And writing a synopsis - hate writing them.

Click on cover for more info or to order!

Synopsis:
Murder, lies, deception, and love set in the outback under the Australian sun.

A past of stolen gold, lies, and murder joined their families together. It was a past that Devon Munroy and Lotte Higgins knew nothing about. All they knew was the passion they felt for each other. When Lotte is shot and dies in Devon's arms, his world is destroyed.

Four years later Devon has married the person his father handpicked for him, but he's still grieving for the woman he lost. He's a mere shell of the man he once was, his life having become a drunken haze without meaning. Then he meets a woman who reminds him so much of his lost love it makes his heart ache.

Lotte has been in hiding for years, but when more bodies began turning up around town, all brutally murdered, she knows it's time to bring down the person who tried to kill her. And Lotte knows who is was—the woman Devon is now married to. Changing her looks in order to keep her true identity hidden, Lotte takes a job in their home, hoping to find some proof of the woman's crimes. But can she resist Devon when she's so close to him? And when the truth comes out will Devon be able to forgive her deception?

Content Warning: contains sex, strong language, and some violence

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

A.) I literally jumped for joy and squealed out loud.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?

A.) I tend to concentrate on the story more, especially because I try to tie in other story lines other than just the main romantic theme.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?

A.)  Wake up about 5:30 am, do a bit of promo, make school lunches for the 6 children living with us, wake up the 7 (of 9) kids that live with us and get them to schpp; before returning home and trying to get a bit of writing in around school commitments and our 2 years old and my husband's shift work schedule.

The Reaping: Excerpt #3

Coming June 24, 2016

Reserve your copy today.

Amazon

Upon the release of THE REAPING, the first book in the Dreadland Chronicles ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR, will be free the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26. Grab a copy and leave an honest  review before the end of July, and you will be entered into a drawing where one lucky person will receive this one of a kind 22oz sealed lid candy jar. I'll even sweeten the deal by throwing in the first 10 oz bag of your favorite candy.

The three images are of one jar as the design wraps halfway around the jar.  

I will ship this to the winner anywhere in the world, but the review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR must be on Amazon.com, and must go live by midnight July 31, 2016 . Based on customs I may not be able to include candy. Sorry, that's the breaks. As an added bonus everyone in the U.S (sorry I have to restrict this part, I just don't have the money for international shipping on everything) who leaves an honest review will receive an autographed bookmark.

You will find the particulars at the end of this post. So without further delay let's get on with this post.

Man is no longer alone at the top of the food chain.

From the East a new threat to a struggling civilization emerges, spreading across the land like a cancerous stain, leaving in its wake the shattered remnants of a species teetering on the brink of extinction.

In Bryn Mawr Window is bitten by a Vampire and becomes infected. He struggles against the rising blood lust, viewing each of his friends as a potential meal. They set out to the East in search of a cure.

Along the way they learn more about the nature of the world they inhabit, their own past, and the part they each play in a potential future. They cross paths with a shadowy figure who leaves small tokens from each of their own history. Little objects that carry powerful emotions linked to a major change in their past lives.

Arriving in Washington D.C they are confronted by the vampire master who reveals the cold truth about the cosmos. 

Excerpt:


The rustling in the back stopped, replaced by the sound of footsteps coming towards them. They raised their pistols, aiming at the spot they anticipated the one approaching would appear.

A small child stepped into the light, the front of her moldy dress covered by a black stain, the once blonde ringlets of hair on her head lay lifeless and dead against her scalp. Her eyes burned with an internal red light that resembled the color of freshly spilled blood.

Meat backed into window who fired into the basement, the muzzle flash momentarily blinding them. In the afterimage that was imprinted upon their retinas, and would become burned into their memories for the rest of their lives, that shadowy section of the basement the young girl had emerged from was exposed. It was like a snapshot from the lowest levels of hell. Corpses had been hung by their ankles from the rafters above, their blood draining into a varied assortment of pots and pans.

Several of the corpses had been eviscerated, the ropy strands of their intestines lying on the blood stained floor. Two had been skinned, the meat of their exposed muscles appeared to have the texture of dried meat, and here and there it was obvious something had been at the flesh, gnawing at the meat. All of this they saw in an instant, with the full details only emerging later when they had time to reflect upon the horrors they had witnessed.

“Stop!” Meat shouted at the girl who continued to approach them, her glowing red eyes seeming to float in the shadows.

“I mean it, I will shoot.” Meat said, the gun wavering in his hand as he appeared to be having an internal battle with himself. Shooting a child was the most difficult thing any of them had ever faced.

She continued to approach.

“Please stop,” he said in voice that had lost its earlier power, the comment more a request than a command. Yet she continued to walk towards them.

When she was less than ten feet away Meat fired, the roar of his .45 caliber pistol reverberating from the block walls around them. Legendary for its stopping power the .45 caliber slug slammed into the little girl’s chest, knocking her off her feet as the soft nosed slug mushroomed on impact with flesh and bone, tearing through the little girl’s body to emerge from her back, carrying with it most of her right lung and a good portion of her heart.

But the dead had no use for these things.

The undead even less.

End Excerpt


How to enter:

On the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26 download a free copy of ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR from  AMAZON . Before the end of July leave your honest review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR and send an email with the link to me at rschiver@gmail.com. The names will be placed in a hat, or jar, or bowl depending on how many I get and my wife will draw the winner. I will contact the winner on August 1st and will announce the name here.

It's that simple, get a free book, leave a review, and maybe you'll win. For those of you in the U.S I'll also send an autographed bookmark, pictured below, just for your trouble. I know it's not much, but I'd just like to say thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Monday Motivational: 5 Steps to Being a Happy Writer

1.) Take the long view!: Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint.I know from experience that this is a lot easier said than done. 


2.) Don't compare yourself to others!: Not everyone can be (insert your favorite writer here!) Just imagine how boring the world would be if they were.

3.) Live your life!: Yes, I know, writing is a way of life, but a happy writer is a productive writer, so get out there and live, don't let yourself become a prisoner of the keyboard. This was one of the hardest things for me, when I first started out I was always afraid that if I wasn't writing, I wasn't doing it right. Set aside a set amount of time each day for writing and follow it. And don't forget, writing just one thousand words a day will give you a novel in three months. Writing five hundred words a day will create a novel in six months. How long does it take you to write 500 words?

4.) Don't be afraid to fail!: Get out there and just do it, don't let the fear of failure slow you down. Remember, all criticism is just another individuals opinion. and we all know how common opinions are. Just remember to look at each piece of criticism with an objective eye. You can then choose to follow it or not.

5.) Always remember, there is no right way!: What works for one writer may not work for another. We all have our own unique way of approaching the work. Our own unique voice, even when we're starting out by emulating others, there is still a small spark of who we are in the words we write.

I'm a nobody from nowhere, one of these days total strangers may know my name, but for the time being I embrace my anonymity. I've been writing on and off for fifteen years now (has it really been that long?) so I've picked up a couple of things along the way. Hopefully I can impart some of what I've learned.

How about you? 

What piece of advice would you share with other writers?

Fridays 5 with Anthony Avina

Anthony Avina, (Born March 1990), is an author, a journalist, and a YouTuber. Born in Southern California, he has battled through injuries, disabilities, moves back and forth across the country, and more, yet still maintains a creative voice that he hopes to use not only to entertain but to inspire hope in even the darkest situations.

He writes short stories and novels in the horror genre, and is also a seasoned journalist for the online magazine, On Request Magazine. Having grown up reading the books of Dean Koontz and Stephen King, they inspired him to write new and exciting stories that delved into the minds of richly developed characters. He constantly tries to write stories that have never been told before, and to paint a picture in your mind while you are reading the book, as if you could see every scene of the book as if it were a movie you were watching. His stories will get your imaginations working, and will also show that in spite of the most despairing and horrific situations, hope is never out of reach. He am always writing, and so there will never be a shortage of new stories for your reading pleasure.

He's also a certified partner on YouTube, making daily vlogs, as well as scheduled videos, such as The Writer's Corner series on Wednesdays, Random Friday videos, and an official podcast called The Writer's Corner, available on Soundcloud, YouTube and iTunes!

www.youtube.com/GunslingerPimp

1.) When did you first get serious about writing?
A.) I first started getting serious about writing when I was twenty years old. I had been writing since 16, but mostly for either my creative writing classes in high school or for my own personal writing enjoyment. However I first began publishing my work at the age of 20, back in 2010.

2.) What is the hardest part for you about writing?
A.) The hardest part of my writing is slowing down enough to get all of my thoughts onto paper. Often times I'll get these creative sparks of inspiration that makes me have this need to write, and when I do I often get so into the story and what I'm writing that I'll hit a key on the computer I didn't mean to or I'll type something that was meant to be typed two paragraphs ahead of the one I'm working on, so I'll have to take a breath and slow down long enough to say exactly what I wanted to say.

Click on cover for more info or to order!

Synopsis: Hope and Despair are often intertwined in our lives. In author Anthony Avina's debut novella in the romance/drama genre, six friends living in Los Angeles, CA, will discover that the only way to overcome despair and tragedy in their lives is through hope and love.

VOID explores the lives of six friends, each dealing with personal struggles that are difficult to overcome. This novella is written almost like a modern play. The story is set up in three acts, taking the reader through an emotional roller coaster ride through the lives of these six characters.

VOID explores a lot of themes that reflect the lives being led throughout the world now. Sexual identity, marriage, loss, abuse and more themes are showcased in this novella. Through their tragedy, these six friends will learn the true meaning of family, friendship and love.

3.) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?
A.) The first time I published an eBook was so refreshing. It was amazing to me that I had produced some work of art that people could buy. However, I will say that I got a bit emotional the first time I held a physical copy of my book in my hands, and was able to feel the paper turn as I went through the pages. There's something so satisfying and powerfully emotional about holding your own book that you spent so much time on in your hands.

4.) What is more important to you, story, or character? Why?
A.) Although the story is such a powerful part of the writing process, I've always felt character is more important. Not only is it important that the audience cares one way or another for each character in the story, but without these characters the story might remain stale, and uninteresting. Often times new creative avenues for telling the story or new additions to the story are made upon the creation of a truly awesome character. Plus, the story has no purpose without your characters to populate it.

5.) What is a typical day like in your world?
A.)  A typical day consists of getting up, getting ready for the day, taking my Yorkie Sammy outside to do his business and get a bit of exercise for both him and myself by taking a walk. Then we'll come in, both get some breakfast, then I'll make some coffee and sit down to the computer. There'll I'll check to see if I have any new assignments for my work, and then when that's finished, I'll sign in to my social media, check out the latest notifications and emails, and then I'll open up my latest project, (whether it's a short story, book, novella, poem, blog post, etc), and I'll work until I have to take care of my pets once more, and then from there it's on to dinner, watching a bit of television, and then working some more before bed.

Throwback Thursday: The Creature From the Black Lagoon

Who doesn't remember this one?

What's not to like about this one? Julie Adams in a one piece, and a guy running around in a rubber suit. There was a campy feel about it that appealed to our juvenile tastes. Not to mention the long legs of Julie Adams who spent much of the movie in a swimsuit. While it will always remain a classic in  horror movies, and rightfully so, with its underwater scenes, there's no denying there was a degree of corniness about it.

And while we're on the subject, how about Abbott and Costello meet The Creature From the Black Lagoon.

Abott & Costello meet the Creature From the Black Lagoon" Original broadcast date: 1954. The boys run into some famous monsters in this comedy bit from The Colgate Comedy Hour". with Norman Abbott, Glenn Strange as "The Frankenstein Monster" and Ben Chapman as "The Creature"  

(Quoted from YouTube)

The Reaping: Excerpt #2

Coming June 24, 2016

Reserve your copy today.

Amazon

Upon the release of THE REAPING, the first book in the Dreadland Chronicles ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR, will be free the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26. Grab a copy and leave an honest  review before the end of July, and you will be entered into a drawing where one lucky person will receive this one of a kind 22oz sealed lid candy jar. I'll even sweeten the deal by throwing in the first 10 oz bag of your favorite candy. 

The three images are of one jar as the design wraps halfway around the jar.  

I will ship this to the winner anywhere in the world, but the review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR must be on Amazon.com, and must go live by midnight July 31, 2016 . Based on customs I may not be able to include candy. Sorry, that's the breaks. As an added bonus everyone in the U.S (sorry I have to restrict this part, I just don't have the money for international shipping on everything) who leaves an honest review will receive an autographed bookmark.

You will find the particulars at the end of this post. So without further delay let's get on with this post. 

Man is no longer alone at the top of the food chain.

From the East a new threat to a struggling civilization emerges, spreading across the land like a cancerous stain, leaving in its wake the shattered remnants of a species teetering on the brink of extinction.

In Bryn Mawr Window is bitten by a Vampire and becomes infected. He struggles against the rising blood lust, viewing each of his friends as a potential meal. They set out to the East in search of a cure.

Along the way they learn more about the nature of the world they inhabit, their own past, and the part they each play in a potential future. They cross paths with a shadowy figure who leaves small tokens from each of their own history. Little objects that carry powerful emotions linked to a major change in their past lives.

Arriving in Washington D.C they are confronted by the vampire master who reveals the cold truth about the cosmos. 

Excerpt:

“Yes mamma,” Lenny said before running off to retrieve the body. The old woman watched him go, her hand on the handle of her knife as she turned her attention back on her captives. Billie-Bob stirred, groaning as he groggily sat up and rubbed the back of his head.

“Where am I?” Billie-Bob said.

“Don’t you worry none about that,” the old woman said as she stepped closer to the bars.

“Who are you? Why am I in this cage? What’s going on?” Billie-Bob said, pushing himself up to his knees and wrapping his hands around the rusted bars.

“You’ll find out soon enough, and if you’re good, maybe we’ll let you live.”

Billie-Bob sat back, still groggy, his confusion mounting as he looked to each of the captives who refused to meet his gaze, keeping their eyes downcast as Lenny returned with Caleb’s body draped over his shoulder. The old woman had turned away to watch as Lenny approached and Billie-Bob slipped a pistol from his boot.

They had learned their lessons well in Richmond.

“Where should I put him, Mamma?”

“In the cage with the others, they can keep him company till we get home.”

Lenny opened the door and dropped Caleb’s lifeless body inside, when he looked up he was staring down the barrel of Billie-Bob’s revolver. His eyes widened as he took a step back, turning his head as he cried out for his mamma with an inarticulate grunt. Billie-Bob squeezed off a shot, the report sharp and harsh, surprising the old woman who spun around just as the back of Lenny’s head exploded, spraying her face with blood, brains, and bits of bone.

The old woman ducked to the right as Lenny dropped to the ground, racing around the cart towards the front where Billie-Bob’s rifle lay. She cried out in anguished rage as Billie-Bob climbed down from the back of the wagon and followed her. Stepping around the corner he came face to face with the old woman who held his rifle at her shoulder, her finger curled around the trigger.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Billie-Bob said as he held his hand out in a defensive manner. The end of the barrel was packed with earth from where it had obviously been jammed into the ground.

“Don’t tell me what to do boy,” she said with a sneer as her finger tightened on the trigger.  

Billie-Bob ducked and covered his head as the sound of the barrel exploding was followed by a high pitched whine of agony. The old woman lay on the ground on her back, squirming in agony with her hands pressed over her face. Dark red blood gushed from between her fingers as her feet scrabbled at the ground, causing the hem of her skirt to ride up her fat, and hairy legs.

Billie-Bob left her as he returned to the back of the cart where the two women and children waited. Helping them out one of the women turned to him and said. “Aren’t you going to do anything for her?”

“What did she do for you?” Billie-Bob replied, holding the woman’s stare for a moment before turning from the cart and the screaming woman.

End Excerpt

How to enter:

On the weekend of June 24, 25, and 26 download a free copy of ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR from  AMAZON . Before the end of July leave your honest review for ALL ROADS LEAD TO TERROR and send an email with the link to me at rschiver@gmail.com. The names will be placed in a hat, or jar, or bowl depending on how many I get and my wife will draw the winner. I will contact the winner on August 1st and will announce the name here.

It's that simple, get a free book, leave a review, and maybe you'll win. For those of you in the U.S I'll also send an autographed bookmark, pictured below, just for your trouble. I know it's not much, but I'd just like to say thanks for taking the time to help me out.