Bookhound's Den

Where Have I Been?

2012-01-27T11:55:00.001-05:00

Working! That, in a nutshell, is what I've been doing for the past month and a half. So if I've agreed to review your book, it'll happen eventually. I just don't know when. I basically bit off more than I can chew when it comes to reviewing. All of my reading time has been devoted to editing, so I haven't spent any time reading for review.

Along those lines, I don't think I'll be taking on any new books for review for the foreseeable future. In fact, this site has pretty much been dormant for the last six months or so, and I'll probably use it just to share any books that I read in my spare time. As much as I love reviewing books, I just don't have the extra time to devote to it regularly. But there are plenty of awesome book reviewers out there, so I have no worries that you will find spots to learn about awesome books.

General Update and Freebies from Nicholson and Others

2011-12-29T12:19:00.000-05:00

I usually like to do an end-of-year top-ten reads list, but since most of my reading this years was for copyediting and proofreading I think I'm going to skip any sort of lists. Don't get me wrong. There were a number of good books that I read, but I just don't feel right putting them on any sort of best-of list. I will, however, try to do some sort of wrap-up and look forward, but it may not be until the new year when I post it.

There is one thing I want to make sure you Kindle owners are aware of. Right now there are a ton of freebies being offered to Kindle owners. In fact, my favorite author is offering a number of free e-books through Amazon. I remember when I first discovered Scott Nicholson. Somehow I happened upon a copy of The Red Church a few years back. I thoroughly enjoyed Nicholson's writing and wanted to read more. The only problem was that I had to hunt down his books online because most of them were out-of-print. I ended up getting all of his print titles after some work. Now fast-forward to the Kindle age, and he's giving away e-copies of his books. Talk about easy. Here's a link to all of the books he's giving away: http://hauntedcomputer.blogspot.com/.

Another freebie is from author Brenda Wallace. Brenda's a great person and talented new author. Her debut novel, Brilliant Prey, is currently free at Amazon for a limited time. Grab it while you can! Click here to go the the Amazon page.

If you own a Kindle, make sure you're checking out book clubs and freebie sites to get the latest information about available free books. It seems as though Santa's bag burst open after Christmas! Some authors that have had freebies or currently have promotions running include J. A. Konrath, Blake Crouch, J. R. Rain, and Aiden James.

If I don't talk to you before the new year, happy new year!

New Release from Author Andrew E. Kaufman

2011-12-07T10:18:00.001-05:00

Yesterday marked the release date for Andrew E. Kaufman's new book, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted. Kaufman's first book, While the Savage Sleeps, was a runaway success. The expectations are high for his newest release. Here's a brief synopsis:

Sheonly stepped outside for a minute...

But aminute was all it took to turn Jean Kingsley's world upside down—a minute she'dregret for the rest of her life.       

Steppinginto her worst nightmare   

Becausewhen she returned, she found an open bedroom window and her three-year-old son,Nathan, gone. The boy would never be seen again.      

Anightmare that only got worse.   

A tip leadsdetectives to the killer, a repeat sex offender, and inside his apartment, agruesome discovery. A slam-dunk trial sends him off to death row, then severalyears later, to the electric chair.       

Caseclosed. Justice served...or was it?

Now, morethan thirty years later, Patrick Bannister unwittingly stumbles across evidenceamong his dead mother's belongings. It paints his mother as the killer and herbrother, a wealthy and powerful senator, as the one pulling the strings. 

Whatreally happened to Nathan Kingsley?   

There's a holein the case a mile wide, and Patrick is determined to close it. But what hedoesn't know is that the closer he moves toward the truth, the more he'sputting his life on the line, that he’s become the hunted. Someone's hiding adark secret and will stop at nothing to keep it that way.

The clock is ticking, the walls are closing, and the stakes aregetting higher as he races to find a killer—one who's hot on his trail. Onewho's out for his blood.  

Make sure to grab your copy during the holiday season!

AndrewE. Kaufman is a freelance writer and author living in Southern California,along with his six Labrador Retrievers, three horses, and a very bossy JackRussell Terrier (who, incidentally, thinks she owns the place). His new novel,While the Savage Sleeps, a forensic paranormal mystery, takes place in thefictitious town of Faith, New Mexico.

KING DEATH by Paul Finch

2011-12-05T18:01:00.001-05:00

When I found out the setting of the latest chapbook fromSpectral Press, I was a bit excited. Okay, I was a lot excited. I absolutelylove stories set in medieval times. Throw in the Black Death, and I couldn’twait to feast my eyes on King Deathby Paul Finch.

From the back cover of the book:

In 1348, England isstricken by the Black Death. The worst pandemic in human history has reachedthe kingdom of the warlike Edward III, a monarch who in battle against human adversariescannot imagine defeat.

Two thirds of hissubjects now perish. Woods become wild again, farmland goes to rack and ruin,villages, towns and castles are left empty, inhabited only by ghosts.

Little wonder thatfear of the supernatural reaches an all-time high. Little wonder stories igniteabout witches and demons spreading the plague, about ‘King Death’, an awesomeharbinger of doom from whom there is no protection.

Cynical opportunistRodric doesn’t believe any of these. With reckless indifference, he sets out toenrich himself.…

I was totally enthralled by this story. The setting isspot-on, making me feel as though I was standing in plague-strickenEngland. Rodric’s character is an interesting look at how greed and opportunismtake advantage of perilous situations. However, even though it appears theworld has changed to his advantage, Rodric is about to find out what it meansto come face-to-face with King Death.

I’mbeginning to feel like a broken record, but this is yet another gem fromSpectral Press. It is hard to believe that a start-up publisher can put out somany consecutive thought-provoking stories, but somehow Spectral Press has doneso. After reading the amazing works that have been put out in its first year ofexistence, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Spectral Press, atruly unique and welcomed publisher of well-told stories.

IF YOU GO INTO THE WOODS by David Gaughran

2011-10-13T12:10:00.000-04:00

I came across David Gaughran’s name on Twitter a littlewhile back, and I started reading his blog shortly thereafter. I figured anyguy who includes “resolute defender of the Oxford comma” in his Twitterdescription is okay in my book. When looking for a quick read last week, Inoticed that Gaughran had a couple of short e-books available. I decided togive one a try, and I can say that I’m sure glad I did.

If You Go into theWoods is an e-book that contains two short stories, the title story and “TheReset Button.” In “If You Go into the Woods,” an eight-year-old boy has apenchant for mischief. This attraction draws him to the edge of the woods,where he can hear the birds repeating their calls in the dark canopy. As helistens to their calls, he becomes intrigued to the point that he must takeaction. But he soon learns that things are not as they sound.

In “The Reset Button,” a man is down on his luck and can’tseem to catch a break. He’s going through a difficult divorce and struggles tobe the dad that his son needs. The more he tries to make things right, the morethings spiral out of control. As he seeks respite from the storm of life in abar, things only become more complicated for him.

Thequality of writing in these two stories is simply amazing. The writing ismature, compelling, and enthralling. Both stories invite the reader in to participatewith the characters, to become part of their lives. There’s a subtle tensionthat runs throughout Gaughran’s writing, pulling the reader along. My favoriteof the two is the Philip K. Dickesque “The Reset Button.” Don’t miss thistalented storyteller.

TMI?

2011-09-21T11:46:00.000-04:00

Endless streams of random thoughts, self-promotions, and RTs bombard us on Twitter. So we stop by and check in at Facebook. If we can figure out how to navigate the newest changes, we’re bombarded by all kinds of information about our friends that we may or may not care about. Throw in a bunch of targeted ads and a moment-by-moment feed of every action our friends make on Facebook and our brain may start hurting. Now it’s time to check our e-mail, and we end up spending an hour communicating with folks we may or may not see on Facebook and Twitter. Then we try to figure out this newfangled Google+ . . .

Is it TMI (too much information)? I don’t know. In my opening paragraph, I only mentioned the major social-media outlets. I didn’t even bring up reading blogs, shopping, and checking the news and weather online. Don’t get me wrong, I make use of all of the things I’ve listed. But I can’t seem to shake the feeling that we’re on the verge of information overload. I mean, if I really spent the time to keep up with everything I’m interested in, there wouldn’t be any time left over for me to do what I need to do.

And to bring this around to something that’s related to writing, how do new authors get their books in front of readers amid all of this chaos? Heck, how do seasoned authors get their book in front of readers? Six months ago, blog tours and book reviewers were possibly the best ways to find an audience for an author. But now, everyone’s doing a blog tour and I see an increasing number of book reviewers saying time-out. And giving books away seems next to impossible. Marking them down to ninety-nine cents doesn’t seem to do much, because everyone else is doing the same thing. How does someone stand out in that near-endless stream of RTs, self-promotions, and status updates?

Don’t get me wrong. I believe that the market will find equilibrium. But I’m beginning to wonder if we’re reaching the point when the pendulum starts swinging in the opposite direction. What do you think? Are we getting to that swing-back point? Or is it that I just can’t keep up on the information superhighway? I'm interested in your thoughts about this topic, so please, by all means, share them with me.

New Review Posted at Novella Reviews

2011-09-16T12:30:00.000-04:00

Posts have been scarce around here recently, but I thought I'd let you know that I do have a new review posted over at Novella Reviews. I review Paul Salvette's novelette, America Goes On. Stop by and check it out.

Also, since I don't have a lot of new reviews planned for here in the near future, I'll be posting some of the reviews I've done elsewhere during this past year. That way I'll have all my reviews consolidated in one place.

I hope you're doing well and reading something great!

Labor Day Weekend Indie Book Blowout

2011-09-02T11:46:00.000-04:00

Alas, we have reached the end of summer and fall is upon us. If you're like a lot of Americans, you may have long weekend to gear up for the fall. What's more relaxing than reading a good book or two? My friend R.E. McDermott told me about the Labor Day Weekend Indie Book Blowout, and I stopped by the site earlier today and saw a number of quality Indie reads for only ninety-nine cents this weekend. If you're like me, money may be a bit tight, and this is a perfect opportunity to get a few entertaining reads with very little strain on your wallet. Take a moment and peruse the different categories; I'm sure you'll find something to enjoy.

Here's the link: http://www.indiebookblowout.com/Indie_Book_Blowout/Indie_Blow_Out_Out_Day_One.html

Have a great holiday weekend and enjoy a good book!

NOWHERE HALL by Cate Gardner

2011-08-30T14:25:00.000-04:00

Nowhere Hall by Cate Gardner is the latest volume of Spectral Press’s chapbooks, and like previous books, it continues the tradition of high-quality, thought-provoking stories. This was the first of Cate Gardner’s work that I’ve had the privilege to enjoy, and if this chapbook is a good representation of her work, she is an up-and-comer to keep your eye on.

Here’s the description from the back cover of the book:

In the ballroom, wallflower mannequins stretch their fingers towards Ron. He can’t ask them to dance. He’s already waltzing with other ghosts.

Someone stole the world while Ron contemplated death. They packed it in a briefcase and dumped him in the halls of the ruined hotel—The Vestibule.

After reading this story, I felt like I had just returned from a visit to a creepy, otherworldly realm of existence. Intensely haunting and mind-bending at times, Gardner’s tale stuck with me long after the words The End. This small book challenges the reader’s notions of reality and life, and as you turn the pages, you feel like you’re chasing something that’s always just out of your grasp. Nowhere Hall is an emotion-packed ride into another world . . . or is it really a different world?

I’ve reached the point that I now look forward to each new volume of Spectral Press’s chapbooks. While each story in the line is unique, it’s a guarantee that I’ll walk away every time in introspection. It’s like holding a mirror in front of me and taking a deep, long look. Sometimes I like what I see. Other times I don’t. Bottom line, I can’t ask for any more from a book, much less an entire line of books.

An Interview with Author R.E. McDermott

2011-08-23T15:13:00.002-04:00

Thriller writer R.E. McDermott recently published his first book, Deadly Straits. He was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions about himself and his book for Bookhound's Den. Mr. McDermott was also generous enough to offer a FREE e-copy of his new book to everyone who leaves a comment before 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 26, 2011. Make sure to leave an e-mail address to recieve your copy!

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who is R.E. McDermott?

At least partly the sum of my experiences; I’ve been married to my wonderful wife for thirty-six years (probably seems longer to her), and we have two fine sons. I’ve worked multiple jobs and started different businesses, failing miserably at some and succeeding beyond expectations at others. I grew up on the Texas coast and attended the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York. I’ve been around the sea and ships all my life. I’ve traveled widely, and lived in Brazil for a year in my 20s. We lived in Singapore and China for most of the last decade. I’ve done things I never dreamed possible, including climbing the Great Wall and snorkeling on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. I like different cultures, and I try to learn a little of the language where ever I go. I invariably screw it up, but just trying earns you friends. I always wanted to write, but earning a living got in the way. I’ve finally reached a point where I can devote time to writing.

What inspired you to write Deadly Straits?

We lived in Singapore, oblivious to the threat, when the towers came down. 9/11 was a wakeup call, especially to those of us who traveled often. Increased airport security was a constant reminder. Tankers were always a big portion of my marine business, and I began to speculate on what form a tanker-based terrorist plot might take. I did my first blog post on the evolution of the idea and how the plot of Deadly Straits closely parallels current events. If readers want a bit more information, the post is up on my site.

Why did you go Indie, and how would you describe your journey?

Reluctant, at least at first. I was querying agents last year while I haunted the internet to learn about publishing. Form rejections were the bulk of my responses, but some agents wrote detailed and encouraging comments. I got a few requests for partials/fulls. Christmas 2010 brought a flood of new Kindle owners (I was one of them), and I watched Indie publishing take off.

I added the blogs of Konrath, D.W. Smith, Scott Nicholson, and other Indie authors to my daily reading list. These guys were amazing, sharing numbers, successes and failures, and experiences in legacy publishing. It slowly dawned on me that life on the traditional mid-list wasn’t all that great. I mean, here were mid-list authors “telling it like it is,” and recommending the Indie route. The logic was unassailable.

So I put down my Kool-Aid and went Indie. But not in haste. I took Konrath’s “don’t write crap,” advice seriously. I hired an editor. I got the book back with tons of comments, all garbage. I put the book down and picked it up ten days later, and somehow those idiotic comments had turned into gold. They were about 95% accurate. (OK, so maybe they were all accurate.) I got on the phone with the editor in New York, followed by some email exchanges. He did such a thorough job explaining the problems, I felt confident taking it on my own from there. I threw out half the book and rearranged what was left and supplemented that with new material.

Then I moved to Konrath’s second dictum, “Get a great cover.” There are many great artists out there, but I really liked Jeroen ten Berge. I had no clue what I wanted, but Jeroen nailed it right out of the gate. I couldn’t ask for anything more perfect.

While Jeroen worked the cover, some guy named Hock in North Carolina (maybe you’ve heard of him) did an incredible job of copyediting and proofreading. When that was finished, Guido (The Formatting King) Henkel formatted the eBooks. He did his usual exceptional job.

Six months after deciding to go Indie, I had a product worthy of readers.

How do you define success?

The conventional answer is making enough to quit your job, but it’s more really. I’m just starting, yet I feel I’ve already succeeded. I’m producing a quality product I believe in. That’s pretty satisfying.

Just being a part of the Indie movement feels like success. The community is amazing. Show up with a good product, and established authors go out of their way to help. Scott Nicholson provided a great blurb and showcased Deadly Straits on his blog. D.B. “Debbie” Henson did the same, and responds to my every email, answering questions patiently and in detail. Michael Wallace gave great advice on getting Amazon reviews. David Gaughran expanded on the finer points of his excellent book. The list is long; people who don’t know me from Adam, yet give freely of their help and advice.

The whole experience is upbeat and hopeful, permeated by a contagious generosity of spirit. Contrast that to the query-go-round. Writing Deadly Straits took years, but I enjoyed it. Querying was the most joyless four months of my life. Even successes were conditional and transient. But now I’m having fun again. And that, my friend, is success.

What projects that you working on currently?

The launch is keeping me busy, but I’m plotting a sequel (working title Deadly Coast), pitting Dugan against Somali Pirates. I’m also working on something different. A humorous short story. I’m not sure where that will go.

How can readers connect with you? Website, Twitter, etc.?

My email and website/blog addresses follow. I’m setting up a Facebook Author’s Page, and hope to have that live in a week or so. I’m still learning Twitter, so that might be a bit longer. I’ll post contact details for both Facebook and Twitter on my website.

Email: rem@remcdermott.com
Website/blog: http://www.remcdermott.com/

Guest Post: Author Brenda Wallace

2011-08-18T00:01:00.002-04:00

It's with great pleasure that I welcome author Brenda Wallace to Bookhound's Den. Brenda recently published her first e-book, Brilliant Prey. I've read a little bit of it, and from what I saw, I can't wait to dig into the whole thing. Brenda is a great person and she's a lot of fun to hang out with on Twitter, and it's truly a treat to have her here today.

Hello, Neal, and fellow Bookhound’s Den fans. I am truly honored to be here and appreciate everyone taking their valuable time to come by and say “hi.” I know that Neal, particularly, is under great time constraints because of his editing service. More importantly, Flavel Sue, his alpha chicken, is due to go into labor at any second.

Brilliant Prey is a somewhat dark mystery thriller with a complicated romance thrown into the mix. Bestselling author Scott Nicholson described it as “A twisting, intense psychological thriller.” The book is now available for only 99 cents at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. I’m hosting a Kindle Giveaway Contest on my blog to celebrate the launch at http://tinyurl.com/3mrkhhb.

I first started writing Brilliant Prey shortly after my dad died. Of course, my father’s death made me realize that it was time to stop daydreaming about writing novels and actually start writing that first book. I made some early stabs at writing lighthearted romantic comedies. Unfortunately, “comedy” normally means that laughter should be involved in there somewhere. I love to laugh and joke a lot, so I was as surprised as anyone that my stories tend to focus on darker issues. I still hope to write a great comedy some day.

As long as my day job requires me to study literally thousands of psychological and psychiatric reports, I’ll probably continue to pour out all that darkness somewhere. Because I’m an optimist by nature, I do attempt to thread light throughout my books and end on the upbeat. I am way too empathetic, so many of the mental health reports I read, as well as all the physical tragedies involved in all those medical records, break my heart. Plus, I’ve run across these same sad issues enough in life, that I understand the profound impact of these events on a soul, so my books speak out as warnings.

I used to think that people are basically “good.” Brilliant Prey speaks, maybe yells, to anyone who still believes that, to watch out. There are evil people out there with no “good” in them who are searching for and will target naive trusting people and their loved ones. I think Brilliant Prey would also resonate with the many people who agree with me on this point. One nice thing I enjoy about writing is that I can make sure that the villain gets what’s coming to them.

What is that earsplitting racket? Sounds like a terrible painful squawking, and I’m talking about a “ten” kind of pain on a scale of one to ten. Oh. It’s time...for Neal to help birth his breakfast. Thanks again for stopping by. It was great fun chatting with y’all. You can visit me at http://www.brendawallace.com/, http://www.brendabwallace.blogspot.com/ and @brendabwallace on Twitter.

Thank You, Philip K. Dick

2011-08-12T11:19:00.001-04:00

I’m one of those folks that need some personal time. I don’t mean to be rude to others; it’s more like time for me to hit reset and power down for a brief time. So last night I needed a little bit of downtime. After I whined to my wife for a while, she told me to get out. No, not for good. But she can tell when I need to reset, and it was obvious to her last night. Reluctantly I hopped into the car and headed down the road.

I’m very much a creature of habit, so when my journey ended, I found myself where I usually find myself when I go out to reset: the used-book store. Normally I just walk around the store, browsing the shelves for anything that tickles my fancy. But last night I realized I was on a mission; I was looking for a specific author: Dick.

See, last week I watched The Adjustment Bureau despite my reservations of seeing it. I had absolutely no desire to watch that movie, yet my wife wanted to see it. Being the good husband that I am, I agreed to watch it. In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and immediately wanted to read the story on which it was based.

After a couple of minutes, I had the original story, “The Adjustment Team” by Philip K. Dick, downloaded and opened on my Kindle. Over the following few nights, I read the short story and was impressed (the story is very different than the movie, but I enjoyed both). I was a bit surprised that I enjoyed the story so much because I’ve never considered myself a sci-fi person.

When I found myself standing among the aisles of used books last night, I knew there was only one reason why I was there. It only took me a couple of minutes to locate the sci-fi section, and it took even less time to spot Philip K. Dick’s books sitting on the shelf. I selected a couple of his short-story collections, paid for them, and found a place to read. In a matter of minutes, I was lost in the City of Lightness, learning about the Roogs, and watching little toy soldiers attempt to take over the world.

As I settled down for bed last night, I realized that I had experienced the magical moment that all serious readers strive for: I lost myself in the story. I forgot about all the stress, all the demands, everything that needs to be done. For a few precious minutes, I was able to reset. As I turned off the light and crawled into bed, all I could think was Thank you, Philip K. Dick.

Interview with Author Jarrett Rush

2011-08-09T00:01:00.002-04:00

I recently read Jarrett Rush's novella, Chasing Filthy Lucre, and was impressed with the quality of writing and how the story pulled me in (check out my review of it here). I'd tweeted occasionally with Jarrett, and after I read his book, I decided to ask him if he'd be up for a brief interview. Jarrett was kind enough to agree, and I'm happy to share that interview with you today. If you haven't purchased his novella, you can get it for the Kindle or Nook.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who is Jarrett Rush?

I can give you my standard answer that appears on my blog and at the end of all of my online fiction. It goes like this: "Jarrett Rush is a writer who lives in the Dallas area with his wife, Gina, and their overly energetic lab, Molly." If you want more than that, here goes. I'm a guy in my late 30s who has wanted to be a writer nearly all my life. Until this writing thing can pay the bills -- and the hope is that one day it can -- I work for The Dallas Morning News. Baseball and writing have been my two loves since I was a kid, and before I wanted to be a writer I wanted to be a baseball player. I play a little softball to indulge that dream. Not being able to hit a curveball kept me from taking my baseball career past junior high so I had to settle for being a fan. I spent far too much money cheering the Rangers through the playoffs last season. But it was all worth it to be able to be there when the team clinched its first American League pennant.

2. What's your creative process like? Do you have a routine, or do you just wing it?

My process depends on the project. For short stories I wing it. I know the beginning and maybe the ending, but, usually, not much of the middle. With longer pieces, like Chasing Filthy Lucre, I use an outline. It's loose. Not moment-by-moment, but just hitting the action's high points. There are four parts to Chasing Filthy Lucre. In the outline each of those sections was broken into four parts. I knew where the action was supposed to start and I just wrote from one part of the outline to the next part of the outline. It was the first time I'd used something like that and I loved it. I didn't feel like my creativity was stifled, and that was always my worry with using an outline.

As far as the actual writing goes, I try to get behind the keyboard on a daily basis, but I'm not always successful. When I'd I shoot for between 750 and 1,000 words. Not as much as some, but it works for me.

3. Who are some of the influences on writing?

The most important is my wife. She's the person who pushed me to try and make a real go of this, to make my dream come true. That's probably not what you meant though. There's one writer who showed me the power of a good book. It was Matt Christoper and the book was The Kid Who Could Only Hit Homers. That was the first book I read all the way through in one day. I was a kid -- third or fourth grade, I think -- and I remember laying on the couch in our living room just buried in those pages. I couldn't tell you now what the book was about, but the title seems like it gives things away. But I think it says something that the title and the author have stayed with me all these years later. It's that kind of book that I want to write. Something that pulls a reader in and just won't let go.

4. What inspired you to write Chasing Filthy Lucre?

I just loved the story. It was something that came out of a few other ideas I'd been playing with. The idea of data addiction first appeared in something that's still sitting on my hard drive. I fleshed the concept out in a short story. It was there that I created the beginnings of the world where Chasing Filthy Lucre takes place. The opening scene is actually a response to a writing prompt I put together for a writers group I'm part of. I took all of those pieces and let them marinate for a while then started writing. And once I started I didn't want to stop. Even though I knew how it was going to end, I still wanted to see how we got there.

5. Are there any projects that you're currently working on that you can tell us about?

Chasing Filthy Lucre is part of a planned series, so I'm working on Book Two right now. We pick up the story a few months after the end of Book One. Berger and Rexall, our heroes, are in the middle of investigating a kidnapping, looking for missing girl and also trying to stay a few steps ahead of Roma Corp security forces. I've also got a few ideas cooking on the back burner that I'm excited about. I'll keep those to myself, though, because I don't even know when they'll see the light of day. But, trust me, they're cool.

6. How can readers connect with you? Website, Twitter, etc.?

I have all the social networking tools you can think of. You can follow me on Twitter at @JarrettRush. I try to keep the book promotion to a minimum. I also don't Tweet every thought that pops into my head. If you are on Facebook and are in the mood to like an author then head over to http://www.facebook.com/jarrettrushauthor. I can always use more Facebook fans. Like Twitter, I try to keep the book promotion to a minimum. Most of the time I'm sharing links to blogs, mine and others. And, yes, I have a blog. It's a http://jarrettwrites.blogspot.com/. I update it semi-regularly. And if all of that's not enough, readers are always welcome to email me at jarrettrush@yahoo.com.

Review Schedule

2011-08-05T11:34:00.001-04:00

My review for Jarrett Rush's Chasing Filthy Lucre will be posted next Tuesday over at Jenna Anderson's novella-review site. I should also have a treat for you here at Bookhound's Den the same day. And finally, I'll have a review of the newest Spectral Press title posted here sometime next week.

I hope you have a great weekend and you come across some great reads!

Update

2011-08-03T11:21:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's already August! I guess time really does fly when you're having fun. Or maybe I'm just having a difficulty keeping up with time because we're not talking about whether or not Brett Favre will stay retired this year. So, will he or won't he?

Things are quite busy right now. In case you've missed it, I went off the deep end and decided to work full-time for myself. So I've been fairly busy with editing projects and working on pages for my business site, Hock's Editing Services. I do have a couple of things that I'll post here in the next week or so. While on vacation this past week, I read a great novella by Jarrett Rush, Chasing Filthy Lucre. I should have a review of it up by this Friday. I should also have a review of the new Spectral Press novella up in the next week or so.

Things should become a little more lively around here soon. I'll probably be reviewing many more novellas, just because it takes me a while to get through a full-length novel right now. Heck, I may even pull out my soapbox and stand on it a day or two. Who knows? I'll probably fall off of it, though. But at least you'll get a good laugh.

Another One Falls

2011-07-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

Well, in a time period of little less than a year, three of the six brick-and-mortar bookstores in the Raleigh area will have closed. Two are already gone, and the third closing is about to get underway. The recent announcement from Borders sealed the fate of the lone big-box competitor to Barnes & Noble in this area. Now we have three Barnes & Nobles to compete against one another.

I’ll be honest: I haven’t read many articles about the final nail in the Borders coffin. I’m not the least bit surprised by the news because I figured this would happen when they first announced their bankruptcy. If you went into a Borders after that initial bankruptcy announcement, you wouldn’t be surprised either. I was practically tackled by employees and forced to buy a Borders Rewards membership the one time I went to the remaining store in Raleigh. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not blaming the employees. If we have to blame someone, let’s blame the bobbleheads calling the shots who ran the company into the ground.

This isn’t a time to mourn the death of a large retailer that seemed more focused on selling trinkets and other useless items rather than staying at the forefront of the bookselling industry. Yes, I do have to hand it to Borders, at least they had a “Horror” section. But I still couldn’t find the books that I really wanted to read. Instead, I found shelves full of the same few titles. If we’re going to mourn, we should mourn for all those employees who are now thrust into unemployment in this difficult economic period.

As readers, let us instead be excited about the time we are currently in the midst of. We can be hopeful that small, independent bookstores will rise from the ashes left from the demise of the big boys. The e-reader “revolution” allows authors at least a chance to find an audience, where a bookselling industry dominated by the big retailers was gatekeeper of what was put in front of people. I, as a reader, am more excited about this time than any other before. Then again, maybe I’m just strange.

DEADLY STRAITS by R.E. McDermott

2011-07-18T10:53:00.000-04:00

One of the joys of being a freelancer is having the opportunity to read books that I probably never would have otherwise. I try not to make it a habit to review books I’ve proofed or edited here on my blog, but recently I’ve read a number of well-written books by authors who are sharing them with the world for the first time. One such book is Deadly Straits by R.E. McDermott. When I read this book, I was impressed by the quality of writing and how smoothly the story flowed. When the author told me this was his first book, I was utterly amazed.

Rather than summarizing the book myself, here is the summary from the book’s Amazon page:

Consultant and very part-time spook Tom Dugan is a happy man until his CIA handler comes calling. With a hijacking investigation pointing to his long-time client and best friend, London ship owner Alex Kairouz, Dugan is guilty by association and forced to go under cover in Alex’s company to clear his own name.

In attempting to prove Alex’s innocence along with his own, Dugan manages to implicate them both more deeply, and when one of Alex’s tankers is found adrift near Singapore with a dead crew, and another explodes in port, Dugan is framed for the attacks.

When Alex is hospitalized, in critical condition after a suspicious suicide attempt, Dugan finds himself almost out of options. Convinced the attacks are prelude to an even more devastating assault, Dugan follows his last remaining lead to Russia, to be shanghaied as an ‘advisor’ to a Russian Spetsnaz unit and find himself sailing into Deadly Straits.

With his debut novel, McDermott sets the bar high—very high. This ambitious novel will keep you turning the pages to get to the thrilling conclusion. This is a truly impressive first book. I look forward to reading more from him. His writing is polished, and he manages to handle multiple plot lines that cover the world over. If you enjoy action-packed thrillers that make you feel like you’re actually participating in the action, make sure to read Deadly Straits.

Kindle: Nook:

Am I Here?

2011-07-11T14:10:00.001-04:00

The rumors of my demise have not been greatly exaggerated. Okay, okay, maybe demise is a bit too strong. Hibernation, withdrawal, disappearance . . . call it what you will. Bottom line, I haven’t been around much lately. And there’s a good reason. Really, there is. I promise.

I’m at a bit of a crossroads in my life right now. I’m transitioning from the world of “real” work to the world of self-employment. During this transition, I’ve been nonexistent online for the most part. I’ve been working fifty to sixty hours a week with my freelance business while still working at my “real” job. Needless to say, this hasn’t left me with time to do much else.

I’ll be honest: I don’t know how often I’ll add reviews to this blog. I worked hard to build it up, and I love to share my thoughts about the books I read. I’m appreciative that anyone would take the time to read what I have to say about a book. However, I’m simply not reading books for review right now. The last book I read for enjoyment was a couple of months ago, and I don’t foresee any reading for review in the near future.

But never fear. There are a bunch of great sites out there with talented folks reviewing dark fiction. Just a few of them off the top of my head are The Crow’s Caw, Dreadful Tales, The Man Eating Bookworm, and Little Miss Zombie. Make sure to check them out to get your fix for the dark and macabre.

Who knows, maybe once I fully transition to being self-employed I’ll have a little more free time and update this blog a little more regularly. In the meantime, while I’m chasing my dream and working to do something I love, I’ll sporadically post a review here.

So to answer the question asked in the title of this post, yes, I am here. I’m just lurking in the shadows.

AN UNCOMMON FAMILY by Christa Polkinhorn

2011-06-21T12:41:00.002-04:00

Today is the official launch of Christa Polkinhorn’s An Uncommon Family, the first book in the Family Portrait series. While it’s not the “normal” type of book featured here at Bookhound’s Den, I’m a fan of quality writing, and this is quality writing. Polkinhorn creates an intriguing story that will have you riding a roller coaster of emotion as you turn the pages.

This was the first of Polkinhorn's work that I have read, and to say that I was blown away would be an understatement. Polkinhorn weaves a moving, emotion-filled story that invites the reader to become invested in the characters, which are believable and remind you of people you may know. This is a story of love, loss, and the pain that is almost inevitable when one person puts their faith in another. However, this is also a story about rediscovering the ability to put one's faith in another, despite previous letdowns.

Polkinhorn’s writing is top-notch, and the story will leave the reader wanting more. If you enjoy stories that tug at your emotions and draw you in, An Uncommon Family is for you. You'll laugh, be angry, cry, and experience joy throughout the reading of this book. It's a beautiful, high-quality work from an amazingly talented author.

Kindle: Nook:

ABOLISHER OF ROSES by Gary Fry

2011-05-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

I was impressed by the story of the first chapbook published by Spectral Press, What We Hear in the Dark by Gary McMahon. Creepy, moody, thought provoking, and brooding—I love those types of stories. So when I was asked to take a look at the second Spectral Press chapbook, Abolisher of Roses by Gary Fry, I was excited, but I also expected a bit of a letdown because I figured the best story was probably published first. I’m very happy to say that was not the case.

What purpose does art serve? It’s just a waste of time, right? Peter is a businessman, a self-made man. He has always worked hard and likes to enjoy the fruit of his labor: nice clothes, an expensive car, financial stability, and even a mistress. So when he accompanies his wife, Patricia, to a different kind of art exhibit, he feels he’s simply doing his duty of being a good husband. He quickly notices that he doesn’t fit in with the arty types that are attending the “art trail” exhibit, and he begins to wonder if this art “fad” is more than just a fad for his wife. As he begins to question his wife about the use of art and what good it is, he unknowingly starts a journey to a place he won’t like. It’s more than a physical journey along the art trail he takes. . . .

This is a truly creepy story that pulls the reader in deeper as it moves along. Though this is a diminutive story, it packs a powerful punch that will challenge the reader, and it will leave an impression long after reading. Fry's writing is top-notch, and the story is relevant and thought provoking; there is not much more you can ask for. Spectral Press has started something special and, in my opinion, needed: a line of stories that showcases quality writing and causes the reader to think. I’m looking forward to further installments of this line.

Guest Blogger: Author Jeff Bennington

2011-05-04T11:08:00.002-04:00

Bookhound’s Den

Before I begin, I’d like everyone reading this to know that Neal Hock, the Big Dog of Bookhound’s Den, did the final proofread for Reunion. He found the little things, the details hidden inside of that eighty-five thousand word manuscript, which is now receiving five-star reviews. Thanks Neal. You did a great job.

Power at Your Fingertips

By Jeff Bennington

There comes a time in every writer’s life when he or she must decide how they want to use their gift. After producing dozens of short stories, articles and blog entries, you’ve come to a point where you look at what you’ve penned and wonder what it is you are really trying to accomplish. What is your purpose?

If you write novels, you cannot avoid the fact that your work is filled with themes and inner struggles and conflict of all kinds. Many of those ideas spring from your own experiences and wonderings and interests; many are purely fiction. Yet amid the perfectly planned plot and character sketches, there is a deeper meaning, the true intent of your work—the reason for the novel.

My question is, how does the purpose of your novel fit with the purpose of your life. Are you hitching a ride on the indie gravy train, seeking nothing more than profit, or are you writing with passion and intent? What matters to you? What do you care about? Are you writing only to entertain?

Nothing wrong with that, I’m just asking.

I’m asking because I believe authors have the capacity to do more than entertain. We have a magic wand called a pencil and it has the potential to transform! When I think about it, those tiny little keys that we punch every day, hold the power to heal, the power to challenge and the ability to inspire. Perhaps this is a strength that you have never considered to be part of your literary arsenal. Maybe, you’ve only thought of yourself as a storyteller, a humorist or literary creationist. But I’m here to tell you that your readers, like all people, love to be inspired and encouraged through stories both fact and fiction. It is a trait common to all men and women. Those that choose to spend their time reading rejoice when they close the last page of a book feeling inspired, hopeful, motivated or emboldened.

True stories like The King’s Speech and Pursuit of Happiness became blockbuster hits, not because the plot was out of this world, but because they showed us that the most common and flawed personalities could do great things against incredible odds. And who doesn’t like to hear that? I mean, when’s the last time you searched for a book that you knew would bring you down, make you feel stupid, or completely demotivate you? The answer? Probably never.

With that said, have you considered using your gift, your magic wand, your power to be the spark that ignites a fire in the hearts of your readers? If you answered yes, then I applaud you. If you answered no, maybe this blog post could be your inspiration to make something more of your life, to make it worth more than the cost of your tombstone, more than a few bucks.

As an author, you can do so much more than simply tell a terrifying tale. In fact, I never imagined that I’d do anything more than create entertaining books until the day I received an email from a reader who told me that she never reads, that is, until she was encouraged to read Reunion, my supernatural thriller. In her email she told me how much she loved the book and that after reading it, she discovered that she truly enjoys reading, and planned to continue doing so because of my work. Ahhhh, I can’t tell you how good that felt. Hearing that meant so much more than hearing “A great read.”

There are lots of great reads out there, but to be able to actually impact someone’s life, now that’s powerful. Who knows, maybe that lady will continue to read, grow as an individual and be something greater then she imagined because of me. That might be pushing it a bit, but hey, stranger things have happened…you know, like a homeless guy becoming a wealthy entrepreneur and a stammering king learning to deliver some of the most powerful and inspiring words ever recorded.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, use your talents wisely. You never know how much time you have to leave your mark on the world. Will you write about the power of fear, demons, or a lunatic with a bloody ax? Or will you write about the power to overcome and defeat the weaknesses of mortal man? Whatever you choose, it will be a lasting mark, an eternal epitaph of your greater purpose.

If you’re a writer or a reader, I’d love to hear what you think.

-Jeff Bennington

Author of REUNION and the blog, The Writing Bomb.

Thanks for reading. Be sure to follow Bookhound’s Den, comment, and then go get your copy of REUNION and email your receipt to reunion.kindlegiveaway@yahoo.com to win a Kindle on May 15th. Go to jeffbennington.com for details.

Kindle: Print (Amazon):

Nook: Print (B&N):

A Special Guest Reviewer

2011-05-02T11:00:00.000-04:00

I'm thrilled to have a special guest reviewer here today: author Anthony Neil Smith. Smith is the author of Yellow Medicine, Hogdoggin', The Drummer, Choke on Your Lies, and Psychosomatic. Fans of hard-boiled and noir should run and buy his books.

Smith doesn't do many book reviews, so I'm especially honored that he offered his support to help keep the reviews coming while I play catch-up. Here's Smith's two-for-one special, his reviews of two of Danny Hogan's books:

I don't usually do reviews, but I like what the Hound is doing over here, and when he said he wasn't able to fill up the space on this here blog for whatever reasons, I chimed in with some support.

So, Danny Hogan. I'm reading his stuff on Kindle, but as I do, I keep wishing I could line them up as cheap paperbacks alongside my Hamiltons, Prathers, and Hallidays. They feel like they belong on that shelf. And I'm thrilled to see that. One of the best things about the new Kindle publishing explosion is that I'm finding a lot of work by people who, like me, I think, would've been great back in the 50s and 60s cranking out potboilers and exploitation pulps. Danny Hogan is definitely one of those great new finds.

The Windowlicker Maker and Jailbait Justice are tasty pieces of meat and a lot of fun. That's exactly what you want out of pulp. Neither of these are perfect, sure. There are some formatting mistakes and comma errors that, were I his editor, would make me slap the back of his head. But so what? The one word that came to mind while I was reading was “propulsive.” The damned things move.

Windowlicker is really a long short story, and it's in the voice of an old tough guy who had settled down, only to have his life disrupted in a miserable way. So then it becomes a story of revenge. That's one sweet genre, revenge. You know punishment will be doled out, but you don't know how much, how bad, and if the hero will get out alive. But the one surprising thing here was how touching it was. It seemed as if our wronged man might not have the balls to carry through. He's a bit scared, which sold me on the whole thing. Then there's the final straw. You'll have to read it yourself for that one. And to find out what a “Windowlicker Maker” is.

At the end of WM is a short story featuring Jezebel Misery St. Etienne, protagonist of Jailbait Justice, and I've got to say that Hogan packs a wild-assed story into a small package. Jezebel is a small package, too—short, but with a big chest, a crazy three-way mohawk, and a .44 nearly as big as she is. The Austin of Jezebel is postapocalyptic, which means Texas has reverted to what it knows best—wild west lawlessness. Jezebel's got a mouth on her, and it gets her into trouble. It's almost as if she goes looking for it. Lord, does she ever find it. The short story is a bloody, operatic blood sport.

So what can he accomplish in a longer story? A fucking massacre of good taste, that's what.

I don't want to spoil the fun of Jailbait Justice, because it's just packed with insanity. The “Apocalypse as Old West” trope is a fun one, and Hogan's Jezebel is a welcome warrior on the scene. Get it, alright? Just get both of these and be glad we've got Danny Hogan out there making sure the genres—all of them—don't get too respectable.

Links to the books:

The Windowlicker Maker
Jailbait Justice

THE DRUMMER by Anthony Neil Smith

2011-04-28T00:00:00.022-04:00

Sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Toss in some secrets and a man on the run. What more could you ask for from a book? It’s all there in The Drummer by Anthony Neil Smith. Smith is another author that I’ve wanted to read for a long time, but for some reason I’m just getting around to his work. Based on what I’d seen and heard about his work, I had a feeling I would like it. But boy, did I ever enjoy The Drummer.

Merle Johnson is a man of secrets. Lots of them. Deep, dark secrets that haunt him every day of his life. He wants to be left alone and have a “normal” life. So he moves to New Orleans and buys a former funeral home to live in, attempting to just blend in. But the secrets from his past come roaring back one night when a man from his former life shows up at the same bar Merle's at. Soon, the life Merle has tried so hard to put together begins to crumble right before his eyes. Not only might his secrets be exposed, but people’s lives now hang in the balance. As he tries to hold everything together, Merle is pushed to his breaking point. Can he ever reclaim the quiet life he worked hard to create and so desperately desires?

I loved this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read the book description, but this one sucked me in from the get-go and wouldn’t let go. It’s much more than just a book about rock ’n’ roll; it’s crime, love, and mystery all rolled up in one. An atmospheric story with a grittiness throughout, you'll feel like you're on the run in New Orleans with Merle. Smith describes it as his “love song to New Orleans,” and that’s a very apt description. If you’re a fan of authors such as James Lee Burke and Tom Piccirilli, make sure you read The Drummer. Or if you’re a fan of good stories, read The Drummer. Hell, just go read The Drummer.

Kindle: Nook:

I'm Not Here . . . I'm There

2011-04-27T10:41:00.002-04:00

I'm honored to be a guest blogger over at Grade Z Horror to help celebrate Laymon month. Stop by and check out my post in which I talk about discouragement, smut, and rumps. Hey, I told you it's Laymon month.

Over the next few days I'll have some new reviews posted here. I just finished reading a couple great stories: The Drummer by Anthony Neil Smith and Abolisher of Roses by Gary Fry.

Update

2011-04-18T12:38:00.003-04:00

Howdy fellow book lovers, hope all is well in your world. Just want to let everyone know that I'm still here and I'm not just sitting around watching the grass grow (although that sounds very tempting at times!). Life’s been pretty busy lately, but that’s a good thing.

The main reason you haven’t seen any book reviews here recently is because I haven’t read any books for review. My reading has been dominated by proofreading and copyediting. Since I lost ten days that I hadn’t planned for when I had my surgery last month, I’ve been playing catch-up for the past month. The good news is that I’m almost caught up. So, hopefully, you’ll start seeing some reviews around here in the not-too-distant future.

In other news, I’m working on a new blog that will focus on my proofreading and copyediting services. I think it’s time to separate those things from this blog, because this blog was intended for more of the “fun” stuff, not business. So be on the lookout for that new blog; it will have all the information you’ll need about my services and I’ll blog about some common mistakes I see when I’m proofreading. In the meantime, if you are interested in my services, please see this page for more information. Here’s a sneak peek at the logo that my lovely wife created for me:

I’m pleased to say that I recently teamed up with Stephen James Price at Book Looks to offer Indie authors a one-stop spot for all the services they need to publish their e-book. Stop by and take a look!

Lastly, I am reading a few books for review right now: Ravenmarked by Amy Rose Davis, A View from the Lake by Greg F. Gifune and The Drummer by Anthony Neil Smith. All of them have been a lot of fun so far; I look forward to finishing them up and sharing them with you (or as I tend to say in “real” life, y’all). Oh yeah, and I'm writing a blog entry for Grade Z Horror's Laymon Month celebration.

That’s all for now. Be good and make sure you have a compurgator in your life. You never know when you’ll need one! (Sorry, I learned a new word and think it’s a lot of fun. :-P)

Winners of Free Scotty Stuff

2011-04-04T10:55:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posting the names of the winners; this weekend seemed to get away from me! Thank you to those that entered the drawing to win free Scotty stuff, and also a big thank you to everyone who didn't enter the drawing but still supported Nicholson during his recent book launch for Liquid Fear.

Winner of the first-place prize:

Candy's Creations

Winner of the second-place prize:

Capt. Murdock

Again, thank you to everyone who entered. Winners, please send me your mailing address to bookhound78 (at) live (dot) com. If I don't receive your information by April 12 I will draw a new winner for your prize.

Free Scotty Stuff

2011-03-29T11:54:00.000-04:00

It's been pretty dead around here recently and it's totally my fault. My surgery turned into much more of a predicament than I was expecting and I pretty much lost ten days of reading time, putting me very far behind on my proofreading and review projects.

But in an effort to liven things up and to support my favorite author, I've decided to give away a few books I've been sitting on for a while. If you purchase Scott Nicholson's new e-book, Liquid Fear: A Mystery Thriller, between now and 11:59 p.m. EST on April 1 and leave a comment below letting me know you purchased it, I will enter all the names into a drawing for a couple of "real" Nicholson books. First prize is an autographed copy of Thank You for the Flowers and a mass-market copy of They Hunger. Both of these books are new and unread. Second prize is a lightly read copy of one of my Nicholson favorites, The Farm.

Due to monetary constraints, I have to limit this drawing to US residents only. Even if you don't win a prize in the drawing, you still win because you've bought a great thriller for a super-great price! Make sure you grab Liquid Fear: A Mystery Thriller while it's only 99 cents! Good luck!

Boycott of Dorchester Publishing

2011-03-24T15:31:00.001-04:00

I’m not normally a big fan of boycotts of companies, but when it comes to the Dorchester Publishing situation I can’t help but agree with the calls coming from authors and former authors of the company. Spearheaded by horror heavyweight, Brian Keene, there is now a call for a boycott of Dorchester due to their selling of e-books that they don’t have the rights to. I’ve seen this firsthand at Amazon, as I came across Brian Keene’s The Rising for sell about a month ago—long after the rights had reverted back to him.

I support this boycott because I’ve seen firsthand how hard most authors work and how little they are compensated for their work. I’m a passionate reader and I’m a big fan of certain authors; and many of these authors have been screwed by unfair practices at Dorchester. I encourage you to explore the issue and consider showing your support for authors by not giving support to Dorchester Publishing.

For a much more in-depth look at the issue see Brian Keene’s post about it at his site.

An Interview with Author Lincoln Crisler

2011-03-14T15:53:00.001-04:00

It is with great pleasure that I welcome author Lincoln Crisler to Bookhound's Den as part of his blog tour. I hope you enjoy this interview with Lincoln, and make sure you say "Hi" to him.

So who exactly is Lincoln Crisler?

Most importantly, I'm a married father of three. I'm also a staff sergeant in the US Army and an instructor at the US Army Signal Center of Excellence, Fort Gordon, Georgia. In addition, I'm the author of two short story collections and one novella. If you had to sum me up in one word, it'd be "BUSY." I always have a few irons in the fire. It's a great way to live life!

I couldn't help but notice you're a combat veteran. First off, thank you for your service. How has your military experience affected your writing?

You're welcome! My military service has, essentially, sponsored my writing. I've been a writer since birth, except the first five years of my military career, but I wasn't serious about it until I deployed to Afghanistan. It was my second tour in the Middle East, and I was a newlywed, and we wanted to make the year count instead of treading water for twelve months. She got a degree and I wrote most of what eventually became my first short story collection. I'd say the plan worked!

Do you have a "typical" writing routine? Or do you just write when you're able?

It's easier to establish a writing routine when I'm deployed than when I'm home. When I'm deployed and off work, I don't really have any obligations...go to the gym and do college work, maybe. But at home, I help my wife run her business and we have a toddler and a teenager together. Most writers with day jobs either get up early or stay up late to write, but I'm already getting up at 4AM to play GI Joe. So, no regrets, but writing at home is a slow climb rather than the nice, mostly steady pace it is when I'm overseas! Lately, I've been taking my laptop with me to work and writing after physical training and on my lunch break. That doesn't seem to work out too bad.

Tell us a little bit about your new novella, Wild. What inspired it? Who would it appeal to?

WILD is a detective-western with bonus! zombies and magic. If you like cowboys, you should like WILD. If you like zombies, you should like it. And I've gotten great response from readers that have never seen a zombie-western before.

Do you have any projects that you're working on now you can let us know about?

I have two collaborative projects that I hope to have published before the end of the year; one is brand-new and another is an overhaul of something fans of my work may have read before. I have a secret comics project in the works (just waiting for my artist to free up some time) and of course, like many writers, there are a couple of novels that I work on when the mood takes me.

One last thing before you leave. Your bio says you like to cook. What's your favorite dish to prepare?

There's a recipe I created a few years ago for my wife's birthday that I call Shrimp Consuela. It's sauteed shrimp and garlic in a bleu-cheese cream sauce, over bowties. I don't think I've ever made it for anyone but Connie and the kids. It's freakin' awesome. If we hadn't already been married, I'm pretty sure she'd have dragged me to the courthouse by the short hairs the very next day.

Credit for author photo to Clark Fox

Guest Post: Author Lee Thompson

2011-03-05T23:21:00.004-05:00

It is with great pleasure that I welcome author Lee Thompson back to Bookhound's Den. Lee is the author of the forthcoming Nursery Rhymes 4 Dead Children from Delirium Books (which is, by the way, the first limited edition I've ever purchased!). Lee is a tremendously talented author that I suggest everyone read, whether or not you're a horror/dark fiction fan; Lee's writing is sure to stir something deep within. Without any more of my blather, I present to you Lee's guest post.

“On Knowing What You Want” by Lee Thompson

I'm listening to the late and great Danny Gatton as I write this. The man knew what he wanted. He worked at it and was incredible. Sadly, like a ton of gifted, hardworking bastards, he killed himself in a small and lonely apartment even though fans adored him and his presence humbled other musicians. Like Danny, a lot of my other heroes knew what they wanted—Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bruce Lee, Thomas Edison, etc.—and they devoted their lives to their calling.

They were not dabblers.

Their work consumed them.

They used their passions and unique visions to leave their mark.

That's something I want. I'll strive for it whether it's reachable or not.

When I was a boy I wanted my dad to love me and my mom, to show it consistently. I also wanted to be a ninja.

When I was a teen I wanted my dad to teach me because I had no fucking idea how to be a man. (I also wanted to be ninja and a little bodybuilder.)

In my twenties I wanted to be a badass guitarist with unique phrasing and tone and masterful chops—like Brian Setzer, Hendrix, Vaughn, Gatton, as well as a ton of classical players. And I was pretty proficient in all of those things because I worked at them hours every day. From a young age I admired the dedication it took and I failed to understand how some people could be so fearful, bland and lazy. Now I think their perspective of life just gets them down, they give up their dreams, they realize to be still and commonplace is far easier than bearing a heavy workload and stretching their minds and bodies' imaginations.

When I knew I wanted to be a writer (I mean really dedicated to doing my absolute best) I'd already written four junk novels. So, the natural thing for me, once I'd said, “This is it. I'm giving a hundred percent to writing and learning whether my days be fun-filled dancing or suffocatingly bleak,” was to study my heroes. People like Tom Piccirilli, Greg Gifune, Douglas Clegg, Jack Cady, Peter Straub, Ray Bradbury, and Jack Ketchum. They had things to teach me. Markets they'd published in, wisdom in interviews, the beat of scenes, the craft of character.

I hand copied things to learn, just like when I'd studied various martial arts or guitar phrases to develop precision and efficiency. I'm also a firm believer in lists. LOL. And I wrote what I wanted for my writing career and luckily I'm on my way in what seems a short time span.

Here's my list. Even though I've had people tell me what I should do, this is what I've stuck by and for me it's paying off:

I want to focus on writing stories that set a tone right away, where I can mine the mysteries, joys and sorrows of childhood. I want to keep pride from tripping me, be open-minded and continually learning (though I have learned that letting it steep for a bit is always good). I want to give back with things I've learned, to publishers who've put their faith in me, to friends who have helped me. I want to be an approachable author because it means a lot to me that readers spend their time and money on my work. I want to mix my favorite genres because I love them all and each has something special about them (and I couldn't pick just one anyway.) I want my world and imagination to be an open range, not a small bedroom. I want to pay my dues. I want to sell to markets I enjoy and respect and to have my name alongside my heroes through Delirium Books, Bad Moon Books, Shock Totem, Dark Discoveries, Apex, Weird Tales, etc.. Places where the publishers care about the writer and reader. Where the products are incredible. I want a solid career, and to keep pushing myself and learning.

I don't think generalizations like “I want to be the next Stephen King,” or “I want to sell ten stories to pro mags a year,” works for me. I want specifics, concrete goals and the robust satisfaction that comes when reaching them!

In NURSERY RHYMES 4 DEAD CHILDREN my characters know what they want. John McDonnell wants to solve the mystery of four girls' brutal deaths, but he doesn't want his dad's friends to go to prison. Mike Johnston wants to see his mother die peacefully, but first he wants truth and her apology so he can forgive her. Wylie Wright wants the sheriff's wife even though she doesn't know what she wants, and it goes against the morals he's always upheld until passion flared between them. And my characters want to know who Angela Forte is and why she's intruding on their lives with black magic.

-Lee Thompson
http://alongthispathsodarkly.blogspot.com/

"Crooked Stick Figures" by Lee Thompson

2011-03-01T11:03:00.001-05:00

I have no problem admitting it: I get excited when I'm able to get something for free. Especially when it comes to stories and books. So when I found out that Darkside Digital was giving away a free e-copy of Lee Thompson's short story, "Crooked Stick Figures," I nearly tripped over my Web browser to get my copy. If you've read any of Thompson’s work, you know why I would run to get this.

John McDonnell works for Child Protective Services. He's seen his share of pain and ugliness. When he answers a call to a lonely house, everything inside him screams for him to just turn and walk away. The little girl that greets him at the door becomes his guide...into madness.

If you haven't read any of Thompson's work, here's your chance to experience his unique, emotion-packed writing—for free! This is a powerful little story that will leave you yearning for more of Thompson’s work. Don't miss out on this quick, creepy read.

Get your free e-copy (EPUB, MOBI, PDF) for a limited time here.

PAGES OF PROMISES by Stephen James Price

2011-02-25T11:49:00.002-05:00

Pages of Promises is the first of Stephen James Price’s work that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Price is also the author of 2:27 A.M. He publishes other independent authors' work through his publishing company, Generation Next Publications.

Pages of Promises is a collection of short stories that cover a wide range of subjects. The title story is about the pull and attraction of a unique book—one that requires blood. There is a story about a grandmother who has issues controlling her rage. Ever wonder about some of the seedy restaurants you see along lonely stretches of highways when you’re travelling? Price has that covered too. Stephen King’s influence, a pet cat you wouldn’t want to hold, psychotic killers, angels, and even Santa and his reindeer—it’s all in here. There is little that Price doesn’t touch on in this collection.

To say I was impressed by this collection would be an understatement. It doesn’t take long for the reader to discover that Stephen James Price is a natural storyteller. There wasn’t a single story that I just didn’t like in this collection. A couple of them left me scratching my head a bit, but the overwhelming majority of them had me wanting more. A few of my favorites are the title story (about the pull of a malevolent book), “Family Obligations” (about a grandmother gone wild), “Damn, I Hate Stephen King” (where King’s influence goes a little too far), “The Final Chapter” (about an artist who uses a macabre medium), “Pretty Kitty” (ever wonder what to get that special someone in your life?), “One Man’s Angel” (explores the bad side of someone’s good luck), and “Man’s Best Friend” (about a dog that just won’t die).

If you take Stephen King’s engaging storytelling and Bentley Little’s ability to create something terrifying from the mundane and mix them together, you’d have Stephen James Price. I don’t like to make comparisons to other authors, but while I was reading this collection I couldn’t help but think of King and Little. If you want to read something that will have you turning the pages late into the night and will cause you to never look at your pet cat the same again, make sure you check out this collection of twisted tales from the mind of Price. It's a steal, priced at only $0.99 right now.

My Take on Our Local Borders' Closing

2011-02-19T22:37:00.000-05:00

A number of months ago the only Books-A-Million in Raleigh, NC closed. It was a rather sudden thing and occurred without much fanfare. Today signaled the demise of yet another of the big booksellers here in Raleigh, as one of the two Borders here started its closing sale today. Unlike the BAM closing, there was much fanfare surrounding this closing.

I stopped by there earlier today to take a look around and see what sort of sale they were having. I was amazed to see the crowd that was there and the lines for checkout. I literally have never seen that many people in a bookstore at one time. And the most surprising thing to me was the sale wasn’t really that good; at only twenty percent off, you could have saved more with the coupons Borders sent to Rewards members or find the books you wanted cheaper online.

When I was at the store today, I didn’t buy a single book for myself. It didn’t make sense to me when I could find what I wanted elsewhere for cheaper. Besides, I’d done my part to help the big chain bookstores—just ask my wife. The biggest thing I learned by stopping by the closing sale today was how much I’ve changed over the last year. It used to be nothing for me to go on a book-buying spree and drop $40 or $50 at a time. I used to love to go to the stores and browse the shelves and spend time there to relax. But when I was standing in Borders today, the only sorrow I felt was for the employees losing their jobs; I had no pangs of sorrow about the fact that the store itself is closing. I no longer have an attachment to the physical stores themselves; heck, I could count on one hand the number of times I’ve been to one in the last few months.

I’ve seen comments out there tonight that folks regretted buying an e-reader and should have supported their local bookstore more. But you know what? I don’t regret buying a Kindle. Not for one second. Why should I? I didn’t regret getting a CD player or Blu-Ray player when they came along. What’s so different about this?

Bottom line is times are changing. They seem to be changing faster than I expected them to, but I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing. Sure, you are going to have folks that are nostalgic and are upset that they’re losing an outlet to buy paper books. But the fate of Borders is the same fate of corporations that fail to adapt to change and are content to sit on their laurels. They won’t survive. They can’t survive. It’s just not possible. If you’re trying to execute a business model that people don’t want, you won’t be in business long.

I think I’ve said about enough on this topic for one night. I think I’m going to go browse some titles for my Kindle now.

Hit the Pause Button

2011-02-15T11:10:00.003-05:00

I know I haven’t posted much here in the past few weeks. I’m a bit frustrated with my lack of output because I worked hard on this blog the last few months and tried to be consistent each week. However, recently consistency has been a major challenge. I want to let you know what I’m working on right now and ask for your patience as I continue to try to find a happy balance for this site.

There will be reviews coming from me in the not-too-distant future. I’m currently reading The Ascent by Ronald Malfi for review at The Crow’s Caw. I also have some very exciting books in my review queue that I’ll be getting to shortly: Pages of Promises by Stephen James Price, Ravenmarked by Amy Rose Davis, and Choke on Your Lies by Anthony Neil Smith. There are others in line after these and I’m excited about the books I have to read for review. Also, there are some guest blog posts from authors scheduled for March.

My proofreading service is doing well and I’m keeping fairly busy with it. I plan on adding a page here with more information for those who may be interested in my service. This is exciting because this is also something I’ve been working hard at the past few months.

This is just a little insight into what’s going on with me. Due to the number of books I have in my review queue and the number of works I’m proofing, I am going to temporarily halt the acceptance of any new review books. I hate to do this so soon after I really got this blog going, but the response has been far better than I expected for both reviews and proofing. Proofing gigs come first because they are paid, and my review queue is longer than my arm at the moment. Please know that I’m still open to new proofing jobs, so if you are interested you can still contact me via e-mail for more info.

Bottom line, I’m pretty busy at the moment. Which is a good thing. I believe suspending acceptance of new review books for a time will help me to not stretch myself so thin that I go past the point of no return. I’m truly grateful for everyone that’s stopped by here to check out one of my reviews. Please know that more are coming but they may be a little more sporadic for the next little while. But make sure you stop by to check out my recommended reads that you will find on that fun carousel on the left side of my page that I’ll update weekly. I’ll include the books that I’m currently reading and throw in a few others that I recommend.

Thanks for your patience and support!

THE HAUNTING OF ESTHER COX by William Meikle

2011-02-10T02:09:00.001-05:00

I had a notion again the other night for a quick, fun read, and somehow I again ended up with one of William Meikle’s novelettes on my Kindle. The Haunting of Esther Cox sounded intriguing and exactly what I was in the mood for. So, like I did with Meikle’s Abominable, I downloaded it and read it in one sitting.

Esther Cox isn’t a bad girl. Really, she’s not. However, after a day with her suitor goes terribly wrong, things begin to take a turn for the worse for her. Her suitor disappears, she can’t sleep, and she begins to sense things are just not right in her home. Soon, things escalate from Esther feeling that something is wrong to Esther experiencing things, such as the sound of walking and voices. When the malevolent force that’s oppressing Esther starts to affect the lives of those around her, they seek help for her. But the more help offered to Esther, the worse the results.

I enjoyed reading The Haunting of Esther Cox. Meikle’s writing is smooth and I was quickly pulled into the story. It’s fast paced and spans over a year’s time (in the late 1800s) in just a novelette-length work. Was it groundbreaking? No. But I became lost in the story and I forgot about everything else around me for about an hour. That’s exactly what I wanted at the time I read this, and to me that’s what a good story is all about. If you like ghost/poltergeist stories and are looking for a quick read with some creepy moments, this one’s for you.

KILLERCON by William Ollie

2011-02-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

William Ollie is an author that’s been on my “Authors To Read” list (yes, I literally keep a list) for a long time. So when the opportunity to read his upcoming book, Killercon, for review arose, I naturally said “Yes.” William Ollie’s works include The Damned, Sideshow, and the recently released Lord of the Mountain.

Horrorcon is THE convention for horror aficionados; it’s literally a who’s who of the horror industry. With Horrorcon quickly approaching, all of the heavy hitters of horror writing are getting ready for it. However, half the battle is making it to Horrorcon alive. Those attending this year’s Horrorcon include Bryan Kenney, the up-and-coming author who can’t seem to avoid trouble. Also coming is Graham Greystone, the accomplished author who’s trying to reclaim his life after health problems. Rick Greaton is a talented author who can’t seem to catch a break. Damien Crabtree is a young author breathing new life into the genre. And Red33 is a wannabe writer who has an ax to grind with all of the above. If Red33 has it his way, heads will roll at Horrorcon—literally.

This book grabbed me from the opening scene and didn’t let up until the last word. There’s a psycho killer, a bar fight, and a car chase—in the first twenty percent of the book! The story focuses on a real-life situation that happens regularly—an Internet message board flame war. Except one of the parties involved in this flame war doesn’t stop at insulting others anonymously via an Internet message board.

Ollie’s prose is solid and the dialogue throughout the book flows naturally. Full of balls-to-the-wall action, this book is a must-read for horror fans; especially those of Richard Laymon. I’m not sure if Ollie meant Killercon as an homage to the late, great Mr. Laymon, but to me that’s exactly what it turned out to be.

This book is going to be a limited edition put out by Thunderstorm Books. For the real-life inspiration for this book, check out Ollie’s blog post about it. To order the book, go here.

PAGES TORN FROM A TRAVEL JOURNAL by Edward Lee

2011-01-31T11:18:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of reading a few of Edward Lee’s books this past year, but I had not read any of his Lovecraftian books until I read Pages Torn from a Travel Journal. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this one, but based on other books I’ve read by Edward Lee, I had a feeling there would be plenty of sex, violence, and quality writing. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

It’s a hot summer day in the mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression. A bus travelling through the area breaks down and all the passengers disembark. Soon they learn they are stranded in this remote backwoods area for the night. Some decide to go stay at an over-priced hotel. Some decide to sleep on the bus. But three—Howard, Nate the mechanic, and the bus driver—have the good fortune to attend the nearby O’Slaughnassey’s Travelling Show. Approaching the carnival with eager expectations, the night quickly descends into madness, mayhem, and the macabre. Howard’s fantastical writings have not prepared him for the weirdness he is about to encounter this night.

The book is written as journal entries from the main character’s point of view. While the main character is only identified as “Howard,” there is no doubt he is none other than H.P. Lovecraft. Written in a style similar to the real-life Lovecraft, this book had me turning the pages late into the night. While Lee’s books are definitely not for everyone, this book is a treat for his fans. The description on the product page is spot-on: “A novella of the most debauched, degenerate evil.” This one is full of sex, violence, and the weird. I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Pages Torn from a Travel Journal is a limited edition release of 300 signed and number copies from Bloodletting Press. It’s a must-have for any Edward Lee fan.

Winner of THE GREEN DAWN

2011-01-30T14:32:00.000-05:00

I don't have much time today, so I'm just going to cut to the chase. The winner of an e-copy of The Green Dawn by Justice and Wilbanks is...

Darkeva!!!

You have five days to contact me to claim your prize, at which time if it's unclaimed I will draw a new winner. Send me an e-mail to bookhound78 (at) live (dot) com and state which format (Kindle, Nook, etc.) you prefer.

Thanks to everyone for their comments and thanks to David for doing the interview!

An Interview with David T. Wilbanks

2011-01-27T00:01:00.001-05:00

I’m proud to have author David T. Wilbanks as guest here at Bookhound’s Den. David is a published genre author who lives in the currently-frozen state of Minnesota. He is the co-author of the Dead Earth series with Mark Justice and is co-editor with Craig Clarke of the recently released e-book Living After Midnight. David also runs a book review blog, Page Horrific, and publishes other people’s work with Acid Grave Press.

I’ve read the first book in the Dead Earth series (my review of The Green Dawn) and I can’t recommend it highly enough. I enjoyed it so much that I’m going to give away an e-copy to one lucky person who leaves a comment below by noon on Sunday, January 30th.

Here’s my interview with David…

BH: So who exactly is David T. Wilbanks?

DTW: I’m a dude from Minnesota who makes up stories and sends them out into the world, hoping they’ll find a home—in your brain!

BH: What does the T stand for? Triumphant? Tex?

DTW: I’m named after a city in ancient Turkey apparently. Something to do with a wooden horse.

BH: Who are some of the influences on your writing?

DTW: In some way, all these authors influenced me, for better or worse: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Michael Moorcock, Gene Wolfe, Stephen King and Thomas Ligotti. And hell, let’s throw in Kurt Vonnegut and Philip K. Dick while we’re at it.

BH: It seems like music is a big part of your life. You’re about to be exiled to Siberia; what five albums are you taking with you?

DTW:   Devo: Q: Are We Not Men?
            Beatles: Rubber Soul
            Judas Priest: Screaming for Vengeance
           Claudio Arrau: Chopin Nocturnes
          Gunter Wand/NDR-Sinfonieorchester: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony

BH: What’s it like living in Minnesota? How the hell do you deal with the cold? Do you hibernate?

DTW: Yeah, it gets cold here in the winter but I’ve gotten to where I don’t notice weather much. Dressing for it is half the battle.

BH: How did the Dead Earth series come into existence? Why more zombies?

DTW: I say, why not more zombies? Lots of people who don’t know better like to draw a line in time and say this zombie thing is over as of now, but I don’t see it happening yet. Besides, Dead Earth is so much more than zombies and will be expanding into new territory as the series grows.

BH: Seems like you’re a pretty busy guy. What projects do you have going on now?

DTW: Folks can head on over to their favorite online book store and pick up the first two Dead Earth books: The Green Dawn and The Vengeance Road. There’s also an e-book anthology called Living After Midnight which I co-edited and snuck a story into; I’m a bad boy. Mark Justice and I are working on the third Dead Earth book and I always have new ideas popping into my skull. I’m going to turn those ideas into books.

*********************

Many thanks again to David for taking the time to do this interview! Now, go buy his books and make him a happy guy…

THE SUMMONER by Layton Green

2011-01-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Summoner by Layton Green is the first book in the Dominic Grey series. Green was a practicing attorney for nearly a decade and has traveled the world over. He also has a lifelong interest in religions and cults and fifteen years of Japanese Jujitsu training. Combine all of these things together and you have the birth of the character Dominic Grey.

Life in modern-day Zimbabwe is more than difficult. Corrupt politicians, poor government, thugs, and superstitious religious beliefs are just some of the problems. When a former U.S. diplomat goes missing, Dominic Grey is given the task to investigate the disappearance. However, the deeper Grey digs the more mystery he finds shrouding the disappearance. As the questions pile up, Grey and his government-assigned chaperone find themselves spiraling down into the world of an obscure religious cult whose roots date back thousands of years. Soon, Grey finds himself in a race against time in a matter of life and death.

This book was a bit different than my usual reading material. It didn’t take long to see that Green is a competent and more-than-capable writer from a technical standpoint. For the first third of the book I didn’t really connect with the characters; however, after that point it seems Green begins to come into his own and he not only nails the technical aspects of writing, he also gets the reader feeling for his characters. Dominic Grey is an interesting protagonist who turns out to be much more complex than he first seems.

The book was nicely formatted with very few minor errors. Green clearly has spent a large amount of time learning the intricacies of the political and religious systems in Zimbabwe. This thriller calls to mind such series as Jason Bourne and Indiana Jones, with supernatural/religious overtones thrown in. I recommend The Summoner to anyone looking for a suspense-filled journey into a unique—and at times, terrifying—culture that’ll keep you guessing. Personally, I look forward to reading about more of Dominic Grey’s adventures.

William Meikle's Blog Crawl: An Interview

2011-01-21T00:01:00.007-05:00

I'm honored that Bookhound's Den is a stop on William Meikle's Blog Crawl. Meikle is a prolific author, having ten novels published and over 130 stories published in twelve countries and eight languages. Meikle's writing is fun and imaginative, and while he is coined as a "pulp" writer, don't let that fool you. The man knows how to write and how to tell an intriguing story. I recently read and reviewed his novelette, Abominable, and loved it. I can't wait to tackle more from his immense collection of e-books he's had published. For more information about William Meikle, stop by his site.

Make sure you read to the end of the interview to enter for your chance to win Kindle—yes, I said a Kindle—filled with Meikle's e-books.

Question: Your work is less concerned with street and corporate crime than most other Scottish crime fiction. Have the recent boom years of police procedural, forensic science and Noir novels affected you as a writer of darker stories?

Answer: Only to the extent that everything is grist to the mill. I do read widely, both in the crime and horror genres, but my crime fiction in particular keeps returning to older, pulpier, bases. My series character, Glasgow PI Derek Adams, is a Bogart and Chandler fan, and it is the movies and Americana of the '40s that I find a lot of my inspiration for him, rather than in the modern procedural. Paradoxically, forensics and noir have affected my horror fiction more than my crime fiction, helped along by my background in Biological Science.

Question: In your work it is the atmosphere of danger as an impersonal presence that creates suspense. Is that harder to maintain than giving it a human form and having a detective investigate psychological motivation as a means of creating order from chaos?

Answer: I believe the opposite is true. A monster is often just that - monstrous, unknown and unknowable. Maintaining a distance from what people understand as real life is the hard bit, but no harder than trying to make readers understand a criminal/murderer whose thought patterns are far away from their own. As I said, a dark unknown is sometimes easier, as everyone has their own fears and phobias that they can project onto an unseen, impersonal presence.

Question: Your Watchers trilogy is written in the tradition of the Arthurian legend and your three books about Glasgow PI Derek Adams could be read as a tribute to Raymond Chandler. Ever since the opening scene of The Big Sleep Philip Marlowe and his disciples have been seen as latter day knights in shining armour. Seen in that light, is your genre transition less surprising than it might seem to some readers of traditional crime fiction?

Answer: It's all about the struggle of the dark against the light. The time and place, and the way it plays out is in some ways secondary to that. And when you're dealing with archetypes, there's only so many to go around, and it's not surprising that the same concepts of death and betrayal, love and loss, turn up wherever, and whenever, the story is placed.

Plus, there are antecedents - occult detectives who may seem to use the trappings of crime solvers, but get involved in the supernatural. William Hjortsberg's Falling Angel (the book that led to the movie Angel Heart) is a fine example, an expert blending of gumshoe and deviltry that is one of my favorite books. Likewise, in the movies, we have cops facing a demon in Denzel Washington's Fallen that plays like a police procedural taken to a very dark place.

And even further back, in the "gentleman detective" era, we have seekers of truth in occult cases in John Silence and Carnacki. Even Holmes himself came close to supernatural conclusions at times.

I've recently explored this for myself, in the Midnight Eye Files stories, in a series of Carnacki stories, and I even got a chance to have Holmes fight a Necromancer in Edinburgh in an anthology appearance in Gaslight Grotesque. It seems there is quite a market for this kind of merging of crime and supernatural, and I intend to write a lot more of it.

Question: Though the theme of darkness comes in strange and shifting shapes, the notion of a complex personality with one or more dark sides is comfortably at home in Scottish Gothic literature. Are you inspired by the works of James Hogg and Robert Louis Stevenson?

Answer: Stevenson in particular is a big influence. He is a master of plotting, and of putting innocents into situations far out of their usual comfort zones while still maintaining a grounding in their previous, calmer, reality. His way with a loveable rogue in Treasure Island and Kidnapped in particular is also a big influence. Other Scottish writers who have influenced me include John Buchan, Iain Banks and, more in my youth than now, Alistair MacLean and Nigel Tranter. From them I learned how to use the scope of both the Scottish landscape and its history while still keeping the characters alive.

Question: You have had over 130 stories published in eight languages and your fiction seems to sell abroad as well as at home. As for the success of your fellow Scottish crime writers, the reasons for their internationally acclaimed work might be a contemporary setting and local flavour. Where does your work find its widest audience?

Answer: I'd love to be better known in Scotland, but the sad truth is that the big markets are in the States, and that's where I find most of my readers. My readership is generally in the fantasy and horror fields, not really known as a big draw in Scotland. That said, I've sold several short crime stories to The Weekly News which is still widely read. My Grannies would have been proud of me.

Question: A writer with a shared interest in fantasy and horror fiction is Stephen King. After many experiments in various genres he seems to have most fun where his imagination finds the least number of formal restrictions. Is that the genre's appeal for you, too?

Answer: It's pulp fiction that interests me, and I find that it crosses many genres almost seamlessly. I rarely think about "genre" anyway. I write what I want to write and leave marketing labels to the publishers. That said, there -is- indeed a freedom in writing about the supernatural where, instead of having a man come in with a gun to get the scene moving, you can have any manner of things going on as long as you can explain them away to the reader's satisfaction. The verisimilitude matters though -- the reader has to -believe-, and that can be difficult to pull off.

************************

To enter for a chance to win a Kindle filled with William Meikle's e-books, simply leave a comment below. At the end of February Mr. Meikle will have a drawing from all eligible entries from his Blog Crawl (of which this post is one stop along the way). For more details, see Mr. Meikle's blog.

Winner of AS I EMBRACE MY JAGGED EDGES

2011-01-20T12:19:00.001-05:00

First off, I want to thank Lee for being a great sport and writing a guest post for my blog. I really appreciate it! He's a great guy; make sure you check out his work! And second, thank you to everyone that stopped by and read/commented on Lee's post. I hope you'll come back later and find something useful around here.

Now, according to my count there were 12 comments eligible for a copy of Lee's e-book. I went to Random.org to generate a number for the winner. And that winner is...

Bec!!!

Contact me with your e-mail address you would like me to send the book to. If I don't hear anything within five days, I'll draw another name.

Make sure you stop by and check out tomorrow's guest...you'll be in for a treat!

ABOMINABLE by William Meikle

2011-01-19T10:36:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I was looking for something quick and fun to read. Something of my choosing that I wanted to simply enjoy and not have to worry about writing a review for (and yes, this is a review, but one of my choice, not because I was asked to read the book) or proofing for errors. So as I was browsing Amazon to find something to fit the bill I came across William Meikle’s novelette, Abominable. After reading the description and glancing at the reviews, I quickly started to read it. And boy, am I glad I decided on this one!

Abominable recounts the doomed ascent of Mount Everest by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. Set in the 1920s, one man’s desire to be the first to ascend Mount Everest drives him to push himself and his team to the brink. However, as they near their destination, they begin to discover signs that indicate they are not alone in this remote, desolate region of the world. Fear overcomes the camp, and soon they will encounter something that is simply…abominable.

I’m not going to lie: I flat out had fun reading this story. Meikle’s writing is smooth and the story flows nicely throughout. I was sucked in from the first couple of pages and couldn’t stop reading. While Meikle is known as a writer of “pulp,” don’t be fooled. He is a very talented wordsmith and a most-capable storyteller. The formatting was nice in this e-book, with no real issues that I came across. My biggest complaint is the story is too short! It’s the type of story you don’t want to see end and Meikle’s writing keeps the reader wanting more.

At the end of the year last year I said Meikle is the author I most look forward to reading more of in this new year. This book simply solidifies my desire.

Guest Blogger: Author Lee Thompson

2011-01-17T00:10:00.001-05:00

It is with tremendous pleasure I present to you the first-ever guest blogger here at Bookhound's Den: author Lee Thompson. Lee started selling his work last year and recently his novelette, As I Embrace My Jagged Edges, was published as an e-book and should be available as a deluxe hardcover in February. I recently reviewed this startlingly powerful work and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to read a well-told story. Make sure you watch out for Lee's work in the future because I expect a lot of good things from him.

And now, here's Lee:

Big thanks to Neal for allowing me to spray dribble on his blog. I’ll try to avoid being tedious.
I’m happier than I can express that readers are enjoying the hell out of AS I EMBRACE MY JAGGED EDGES. (http://sideshowpressonline.com/?page_id=4&category=7&product_id=26)

That story has been through a number of frustrating drafts. When I’d first written it, the timing wasn’t right. I wasn’t right, or ready. I’m a firm believer that authors can try to tell stories too soon and the consequences are cruel. It’s hard not to rush, hell, with anything. We want people to read our latest work Right Now.

Finding others who love a well-crafted tale always thrills me—whether they’re in it solely for entertainment/as an escape from the sad monotony of everyday life, or if they want fiction to enlighten them and make them think, or both. When something moves us and our brains taste some small amount of magic, we end up wanting to share it with others in hope that they’ll experience that feeling as well. It’s a wonderful thing to see—one of my favorite parts of human nature and an example of really connecting with others.

I think I write weird. I’m definitely NOT big on being linear, or easy to understand. But looking at the WHY, I see it. I’ve been walking into writing from a different direction; a realization I’ve had recently and one I’ve come to appreciate.

Life Experience bleeds into The Work. A hell of a lot of it. Over the past year, as I’ve started finding my voice, I see how many things that are separate from writing, which came long before it for me, influence how I approach stories.

I’ve played guitar for a number of years (classical, blues, rock, rockabilly, folk, progressive) and when I sit down to create a story my brain automatically jumps to rhythm, harmony, phrasing, hooks, structure, and progressions. It’s been a revelation. And with martial arts (Jeet Kune Do) I embrace Bruce Lee’s philosophy to take from everything: the boxing arts, the kicking arts, the grappling arts, to be better-rounded and one step ahead of the opponent; to use rudiments until they’re second nature, to parry and attack simultaneously, to condition, feint, stop-hit, misdirect, use combinations, and sidestep.

This is how I write. I take from what I know, what I’ve been passionate about, and find ways to use the ideas in composing something new. On the surface I really have no idea what I’m doing when I approach a story. A lot of it is pure subconscious and training in music and martial arts that has wired my brain a certain way. What a revelation.

I imagine a lot of ‘creative types’ will read this. Find out what influences you, and your creations—what came long before the latest project. Hell, before the first project.

Even if you’re not creative, you can look back over your life, and learn what you’re good at.

Once you’re aware of them, use those strengths.

Blog: http://alongthispathsodarkly.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lee-Thompsons-Scary-and-Slightly-Sad-Stories/113352152049331

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LeeThompson

**************

Please leave a comment by 12:00 p.m. January 20th to be entered for a chance to win an e-book copy of Lee's As I Embrace My Jagged Edges. I'll draw one lucky winner from those who leave a comment. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.

In All Seriousness

2011-01-14T21:51:00.000-05:00

The post below was a bit of fun for me and hopefully gave one or two of you a small laugh. Or maybe it's just me that has an unhealthy fascination with woodchucks.

Anyway, I want to give you quick look ahead of what I've got coming up next week since it'll be quiet around here this weekend due to me travelling. I'll have two book reviews that I'll be posting, The Summoner by Layton Green (not yet finished) and Abominable by William Meikle (just finished it and loved it). I'll also have two guest blog posts next week from authors and along with each of the guest posts I'll be giving away an e-copy of one of the author's books. So make sure you tune in next week for your chance to win a free e-book!

Interview with Woody

2011-01-14T17:14:00.002-05:00

I’m pleased to offer you the first-ever interview for Bookhound’s Den—okay, maybe pleased is a bit of an overstatement. Oh, who am I kidding? The interview is crap. I’ve never conducted an interview and I don’t seem to possess the natural ability that Misty Baker does. And I’ll be honest: my interviewee was not the best choice. But I really dug the commercial he was in and thought he’d be interesting to talk with. Turns out he’s pretty much a prick. Hindsight’s 20-20, I guess. I wouldn’t post it, but I don’t have anything else to post and I don’t want to leave you hanging over the weekend since I’ll be out of town.

Without further ado, I give you my interview with Woody the woodchuck:

Me: It’s nice to have this opportunity to talk with you. I love your work!

Woody: Yeah, that’s nice. Can we hurry up and get this over? I’ve got some important things to do.

Me: Oh, yeah, sure. Sorry. So, tell me a little about yourself.

Woody: I’m a woodchuck. What the hell am I supposed to tell you? I play in the water and I chuck wood.

Me: Is it true that your species is also referred to as "groundhog" and "whistle pig"?

Woody: Is it true that you're a jackass?

Me: Ah, okay. So…um…you started doing commercials. Do you have any plans to pursue an acting career?

Woody: Acting? Who was acting? That crazy old guy’s wife caught me and my brother chucking his wood with one of those new video-recording gadget thingies. I still haven’t seen a cent from those commercials. I’m thinking about suing that insurance company. But it’s hard to find representation when you walk on four legs and are covered in fur.

Me: So you really go around chucking people’s wood?

Woody: Duh! Of course I do. It’s pretty fun. Everyone needs a hobby. Besides, it pisses the old guy off. We get a kick out of that.

Me: I see. Well, this interview hasn’t gone exactly the way I expected.

Woody: What tipped you off, Einstein?

Me: Okay… Well, do you have anything to do with Woodchuck Cider?

Woody: Are you serious? What’s with you, man? Don’t you do any research?

Me: Sorry, man. Er, I mean woodchuck. I mean…

Woody: Yeah, I get your drift. You’re just like all the other humans. You think we’re at the bottom of the food chain and we’re dumb little critters that are a nuisance. Well, you know what? We are a nuisance! But it’s not because we’re dumb; it’s because we want to make your life a living hell! You better keep an eye on your woodpile this winter; you might just wake up one morning to find it all in the nearest pond. I’m through with this so-called “interview”!

At this point in the interview, Woody the woodchuck hopped off the wood stool he was sitting on and chucked it across the room at me. I’m doing okay now; I only needed 14 stiches. Who knew woodchucks were such ornery creatures?

A Quick Update

2011-01-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

I don’t have a book review ready and it may be a few days before I finish the next book I’m reading for review. But I want to give you a quick update on a couple things going on.

First, today marks the official launch day for Debbi Mack’s new book, Least Wanted. This is the follow-up to her breakout first novel, Identity Crisis. If you enjoy hardboiled crime novels, make sure you check this one out because the heroine in this series will have you coming back for more. And with both of these books priced at $0.99 for a limited time, they’re a steal! For more info on each of these books, check out my review of Least Wanted and my review of Identity Crisis.

Second, Scott Nicholson’s new novella, Crime Beat, is now live at Amazon and is also available for the Nook and at Smashwords. I had the pleasure of proofing this one and it’s a blast to read. Witty and entertaining throughout, it had me staying up late into the night to finish it. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this treat.

I’m not sure if I’ll have a new review up before the weekend; if not, it’ll be sometime next week before one will be up. There’s a nasty rumor going around that it’s my birthday next Monday and my wife has something planned for the weekend that she won’t tell me about. All I know is that we’ll be travelling, so that means I won’t have much time for writing reviews. In the meantime, take care and snag a copy of these great books while they’re cheap!

AS I EMBRACE MY JAGGED EDGES by Lee Thompson

2011-01-10T12:54:00.000-05:00

Lee Thompson* first sold his stories this past year and his work has appeared in a number of places. His novelette, As I Embrace My Jagged Edges from Sideshow Press, is the first of his work that I’ve read. I went into this one not knowing what to expect but came away with my mouth hanging open.

Boaz’s family has a legacy to uphold. They are the latest in a long line of those entrusted to protect a sacred relic: a bronze shard from the fabled Temple of Solomon. Constantly moving around, they never settle in one place for long and are always in danger from those who want to get their hands on the powerful relic. One day Boaz’s uncle, Jack, is found dead with his throat sliced open. Not only have they been discovered, but the one person who understands and accepts Boaz is dead. Now Boaz must face not only his inner turmoil alone, but he also must make a stand against the dark forces seeking the shard.

I was amazed to find that I could be so affected by such a small work of fiction. Thompson’s writing can only be described as beautiful, passionate, and emotional. Though he just recently began selling his work, his writing displays a maturity of a much more seasoned author. He crafted a truly engaging story that left this reader wanting more. Keep an eye on Lee Thompson; he has a bright future and will be an author to be reckoned with.

Reminiscent of Tom Piccirilli’s style, if you enjoy a raw, put-it-all-out-there type of storytelling, As I Embrace My Jagged Edges is for you. Also available from Thompson is Before Leonora Wakes.

*Thompson is a co-reviewer for The Bag and The Crow with me.

Book Reviews Are Now Indexed

2011-01-07T12:53:00.000-05:00

Just want to bring it to your attention that there's now a tab at the top of the page titled "Book Reviews." This is an alphabetical (by the author's last name) index of all my book reviews for this blog. Hopefully this will make older reviews easier to find. As I add reviews, I'll update the index.

Let me know if you find any links that don't work properly.

"Die Already" by Kipp Poe Speicher

2011-01-06T13:01:00.001-05:00

“Die Already” is a short story by Kipp Poe Speicher. It’s about a man with the unique ability to keep things alive—whether he wants to or not. He discovers his remarkable talent as a boy and lives the rest of his life in fear and solitude because he’s afraid of what may happen when he gets too close to other people. However, one day he finds the love of his life and allows himself to open up some—which turns into the biggest mistake of his life.

“Die Already” is a very interesting and creative story. There are a few typos and errors throughout, but nothing that majorly distracts the reader. My biggest complaint about the story is that it’s too short. I was just getting into it and it was over! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and hope to read more from Speicher in the future.

The Kindle edition includes a bonus partial short story by Tom Raimbault and an interview with Mr. Raimbault. Priced at $0.99, I recommend “Die Already” for an interesting, quick read.

TERRORLORD by Guido Henkel

2011-01-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

Terrorlord by Guido Henkel is the first book I’ve read in the Jason Dark: Ghost Hunter series. This is actually the ninth book in the series, but they are written as such that you can pretty much read them as standalone books.

What happens when all Hell breaks loose? Ghost hunter Jason Dark and his friends are about to find out as the Terrorlord attempts to open the Seven Gates of Hell in Victorian England. With the help of his human pawn, the Terrorlord begins to unleash the minions of Hell and initiates his quest to take over the world. Jason Dark starts to put the pieces together, but it may be too late. Not only is he fighting the Terrorlord, but his past and its impact on his future looms over him. Jason can’t do this alone; he needs his friends more than ever, but are they ready for the impending showdown with the Terrorlord?

This novella piqued my interest from the opening pages. The mood of imminent danger is appropriately set and the story wastes no time jumping into the action. Fast-paced and fun, this work of pulp horror is pretty much all that any fan can ask for. I enjoyed the historical setting of the novella, and the scene at Butcher’s Row is gory and fun. This latest installment is more about Jason’s friends, Siu Lin and Herbert, than it is about Jason. My only complaint is that there are some typos throughout the Kindle edition and, at times, they can be distracting (a couple of times the names of minor characters are not consistent).

I’d recommend Terrorlord to anyone who’s interested in pulp horror and wants a quick, fun read.

The End of 2010

2010-12-30T14:54:00.002-05:00

We find ourselves at the end of yet another year. Or on the threshold of a new year. I guess the way you view it depends on whether you’re a glass half full or a glass half empty person. It seems the older I get the more I find myself saying, “Where did that year go?” This year is no exception; seems like it just got started and now it’s over.

2010 was a pretty good year for me. Definitely much better than 2009. From the standpoint of my book obsession it was a stellar year. My book collection grew by leaps and bounds. I met one of my favorite authors, Brian Keene. I was able to get to know another of my favorite authors, Scott Nicholson. I found something I seem to be pretty good at and enjoy doing. I read 80 books, by far the most in a year for me. I was able to get this blog moving some and review a number of books I enjoyed. I met a number of new and interesting people and discovered some talented authors. I purchased a Kindle and moved to reading mostly e-books.

All in all, it was a great year for me in regards to my love for books. And the great part is that 2011 seems even more promising. I’ll be doing book reviews for The Bag and The Crow. I’ll be expanding my proofing service. I hope to read many more books this new year and to grow this blog. I’m not going to make a bunch of resolutions because I tend to set lofty goals and I’m tough on myself; but I do have some cautiously-optimistic goals for this upcoming year.

Below you’ll find some of my opinions of books I read this past year. Feel free to disagree; you know what they say about opinions. :) I look forward to getting to know more of you in this upcoming year and can’t wait to share my reading experience with you.

Top 5 Books Released in 2010
     1. Disintegration by Scott Nicholson
     2. Dweller by Jeff Strand
     3. Nightjack by Tom Piccirilli
     4. Brain Cheese Buffet by Edward Lee
     5. A Gathering of Crows by Brian Keene

Top 10 Books I Read in 2010
     1. Swan Song by Robert McCammon
     2. Child of God by Cormac McCarthy
     3. Terminal by Brian Keene
     4. The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay
     5. First Blood by David Morrell
     6. The Dead Letters by Tom Piccirilli
     7. Disintegration by Scott Nicholson
     8. The Jigsaw Man by Gord Rollo
     9. Identity Crisis by Debbi Mack
     10. Kill Whitey by Brian Keene

Favorite Authors I “Discovered” in 2010
     Gord Rollo, Paul Tremblay, Debbi Mack, Bentley Little, Jeff Strand, Tom Piccirilli

Author I Most Look Forward to Reading in 2011
     William Meikle

LEAST WANTED by Debbi Mack

2010-12-28T15:08:00.001-05:00

Least Wanted by Debbi Mack is the follow-up to her debut novel, Identity Crisis. In Identity Crisis, we were introduced to lawyer Sam McRae. Spunky and sharp, McRae is a character who is “real”; she makes decisions that a real person would when placed in situations in which the answers are not always black and white. In this follow-up, McRae is back at it and we are given the opportunity to learn more about this refreshing, original character.

In Least Wanted, Sam McRae is approached by a single mother seeking representation for her daughter, Tina, who was involved in a purse snatching that turned into an assault on an elderly woman. Tina is a good girl who hasn’t been in much trouble before. At the same time, McRae is working on the case of a man accused of embezzlement. Both cases seem fairly straightforward, but soon things take a turn for the worse and McRae finds herself in the middle of embezzlement, cover-up, sex tapes and murder. Is she in over her head this time? She has previously tangled with the Mob, but these two cases push her to her limit, as she once again faces dire circumstances.

I really enjoyed reading Least Wanted. The writing is solid throughout and the story is interesting. While Identity Crisis is my favorite of the two McRae books so far, Least Wanted is a very good book that gives us a deeper look at who McRae is and some insight into her past. As with her first book, author Debbi Mack explores pertinent—and difficult—issues. I applaud her for that and hope she continues to do so in her future fiction. As I stated in my review of Identity Crisis, if you’re a fan of J.A. Konrath’s Jack Daniels series, this one is for you.

4 out of 5 stars.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T17:18:00.000-05:00

From me and my family to yours, merry Christmas! We hope you have a happy and safe holiday.

WHAT THEY HEAR IN THE DARK by Gary McMahon

2010-12-23T01:59:00.000-05:00

I’d never read anything written by Gary McMahon; in fact, I hadn’t heard of him before I saw this chapbook. However, the cover blurb by Tim Lebbon immediately grabbed my attention since I’m familiar with his work. I can’t really say that I had much in the way of expectations going into this one, but I did hope for a decent read.

Rob and Becky are renovating an old house. Not a home, but a house. Though they live under the same roof, Rob and Becky are worlds apart. Since the loss of their son they seem to have gone their separate ways. During the renovations, they discover a hidden room—the Quiet Room. The room is aptly named, as there is no sound in the room—none at all. But there are other things in there. Things that may bring Rob and Becky back together...or to the brink of madness.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of writing this diminutive book. Weighing in at only 22 pages, it makes for a quick read. It was a good read—not necessarily a fun one—because the author does a tremendous job at capturing the overwhelming sense of loss and despair of Rob and Becky. I recommend What They Hear in the Dark if you want to be introduced to McMahon’s polished, atmospheric writing. Just be careful if you’re reading it on a dreary day, because that’s exactly the mood in this one.

This is the debut chapbook from Spectral Press, whose mission is to “be devoted to presenting single-story chapbooks, in the ghostly/supernatural vein, in a high-quality but very classic format. Each will be in strictly limited quantities of 100 only, signed and numbered by the author.” Based on this initial release, it looks like there are good things to come from them.

4 out of 5 stars.

Those I Missed

2010-12-22T10:45:00.000-05:00

While reviewing my reads from this past year to make my various end-of-the-year lists, I realized there are a number of authors I've been meaning to read but for some reason I haven't taken the chance to yet. Here are some off the top of my head:

1. Simon Wood
2. Joe R. Lansdale
3. David Niall Wilson
4. Dan Simmons
5. Clive Barker
6. Lee Child
7. Guy N. Smith
8. J.F. Gonzalez
9. Jon F. Merz
10. Vicki Tyley
11. Christa Polkinhorn
12. Steve Alten

And I'm sure there are many, many more that I've forgotten. I'm encouraged about my reading during this upcoming year as there a number of very talented authors I'll get to read for the first time. And there's nothing like reading an author for the first time and "discovering" a new favorite.

Who are some authors that you plan to read for the first time in the new year?

MOSTLY HUMAN by Lockley, Meikle, Nicholson, and Savile

2010-12-20T11:42:00.000-05:00

I’ve previously stated that I’m a little wary of collaborations because you never know how writers’ styles will mesh. And I was referring to collaborations between two authors. Throw two more authors into the mix and my wariness level exponentially increases. Such was the case with Mostly Human by Steve Lockley, William Meikle, Scott Nicholson, and Steven Savile. I was intrigued by the premise of the story but was also wary about the number of authors, especially since I hadn’t read anything written by three of them (Lockley, Meikle, and Savile). However, I was curious how a collaboration between four authors in four different countries would work out.

To what extremes will loss drive a person? For Jack Spicer, the answer is not pretty. The small-town detective finds solace at the bottom of a bottle. After losing the love of his life to a brutal killer ten years earlier, Spicer has been in a downward spiral. Depending on alcohol to get through each day, Spicer has become a mere shadow of who he once was and the laughingstock of his department. When a body that has been savagely murdered turns up, Spicer is more than reminded of what happened to his love years before. He must summon the man he once was to track down the killer before more blood spills. What he finds is no normal human—just mostly human.

Mostly Human was an enjoyable, fun read. The writing flowed seamlessly throughout the entire book and it made for fast reading. I really enjoyed the story itself and the writers did a great job describing the gloom, both inside Spicer and that which physically surrounded him. I would gladly read similar collaborations in the future. There are some typos throughout the Kindle edition, but nothing that is a major distraction from the story. It’s definitely a good buy, priced at only $0.99 right now.

4 out of 5 stars.

What's in a Name?

2010-12-17T10:54:00.001-05:00

What’s in a name? Quite a bit, I believe. Usually, a name is the first thing you learn about a person. Legends and belief systems believe that if you’re able to name something, you have power over that thing.

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I recently changed my user name to @bookhound78. One of my reasons for the change is that I felt my previous user name, @Dark_Intruder, was too constraining. I actually adopted it from a Rob Zombie song, and it was geared more towards my love for the horror genre. But as my reading increases I’m branching out into many other genres. Plus, it sounded like I was some stalker who was going to come into your house in the middle of the night.

I also believe my goals for this blog are tied in with my user name, since you are known in the cyber world by your user name. Obviously, I love to read. But I don’t want to just be a book review site. Yes, I enjoy doing them and sharing what I’ve read with others, and I’ll continue to write reviews. I also have an unnatural love for all things horror, but I don’t want to be “locked” into one genre. And finally, I want to focus on offering proofing services in the upcoming year, so a name that’s a little more all-encompassing would be helpful.

So after much thought I’ve decided to use bookhound78. I feel it captures my love for books while not pigeonholing me into one genre or one “type” of blog. I apologize for any confusion and I promise I won’t be changing again any time in the foreseeable future. Be on the lookout for a possible change in the address and title of this blog as I “realign” to better fit my goals.

GRAVEROBBERS WANTED (NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY) by Jeff Strand

2010-12-16T12:51:00.000-05:00

Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) by Jeff Strand was another book high on my “Wanted” list that I finally got around to picking up cheap for Kindle (I believe for only $2.39). And like a few other books I’ve read recently, I had heard a lot of good things about it. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the book, but based on the title and what little I knew about Jeff Strand’s writing style I figured it would be a fun read.

In this first book of the Mayhem series, we are introduced to Andrew Mayhem—devoted husband, loving father, wannabe private eye, and all-around magnet for trouble. If there was ever a poster boy for the slogan “Sh*t Happens,” Andrew is it. In this story, we find Andrew short on money, without a steady job, and owing money for a recent car accident. Enter the beautiful woman with an offer for Andrew and his friend, Roger, they simply cannot refuse. How much trouble can they really get into by digging up a fresh grave? Turns out A LOT. What follows is a wild ride in which the stakes steadily rise.

Strand’s prose is snappy and reads quickly, and his dialogue flows naturally. I don’t normally care much for my comedy and action/horror mixed, but Strand expertly blends them to create a hilarious thrill ride that will keep you turning the pages. Strand’s writing is unique and not quite like anyone else’s I’ve read. The Kindle edition is nicely formatted and there are a very few minor errors/typos. Be forewarned: if you read this book you will want to get the others in the series (Single White Psychopath Seeks Same and Casket For Sale (Only Used Once)).

This was one of the most fun reads I’ve had this past year and I’ll be jumping on the other two books in the series soon. I highly recommend this one to those who enjoy action/horror books. And while there is plenty that is funny in this book, it’s not for the faint-hearted, as the book does get darker throughout and deals with subjects that may be too disturbing for some readers.

5 out of 5 stars.

And the Winners Are...

2010-12-14T12:52:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in my "A Very Scary Christmas" giveaway. Welcome to my new blog followers; I hope you enjoy my posts. I appreciate all the comments here and all of the re-tweets on Twitter. Y'all rock. And without further ado, here are the winners:

Second-place winner of The Regulators by Stephen King:

sharon54220

Winner of the first-place prize pack of five books:

SavageMouse

Sorry I don't have pictures from the drawing; for some reason I can't get them from my phone to my computer. My son drew the name of the first-place winner and my daughter drew the name for second place. Winners, please contact me at darkintruder(at)live(dot)com with your mailing address. You have three days to claim your prize.

Again, thank you to everyone who participated in this giveaway. Look for new giveaways after the first of the year. Hope you have a very scary Christmas!

Kindle Gift Ideas

2010-12-13T12:26:00.001-05:00

Do you know someone who owns a Kindle and want to get them some gift books? Have you received a Kindle or think you might get one from Santa? Well, here are a few book ideas for yourself or that special someone. Just click on the image to go to the purchase page; click on the title to go to my review of the book.

The Pack: Winter Kill by Mike Oliveri. Priced at an affordable $4.99 for the holiday season, this one is a must-read for anyone wanting a story full of action and suspense told at break-neck speed. After the holidays, the price is set to return to $9.99 (at least that was the insinuation when the special price was announced for the holidays).

Identity Crisis by Debbi Mack. This is Mack’s debut novel and she demonstrates her talent in it. It would make a good gift for those interested in crime and hardboiled stories. Priced at a low $0.99, this one is a steal. The sequel, Least Wanted, is slated for release in January.

Nightjack by Tom Piccirilli. For those who love crime and dark fantasy, this story would be a great gift. Reminiscent of Piccirilli’s A Choir of Ill Children, this story lacks none of his trademark raw, emotional style of writing. This original-to-digital book is a must-read for any Piccirilli fan.

Disintegration by Scott Nicholson. Written during a low point of Nicholson’s life, this book is an emotion-packed ride into the depths and depravity of humanity. Showcasing Nicholson’s versatility as a writer, this one will keep you turning the pages. Snag it while it’s still priced at a super-low $0.99.

Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) by Jeff Strand. I don’t normally care for my comedy and action/horror mixed, but Strand expertly blends them to create a hilarious thrill ride that will keep you turning the pages. Strand’s writing is unique and not quite like anyone else’s I’ve read. Priced at an affordable $2.39, this one is well worth it, especially if you’ve never experienced Strand’s writing.

Dead Earth: The Green Dawn by Mark Justice and David T. Wilbanks. Normally, I’m a little hesitant when it comes to collaborations. I worry that styles will clash or the story will be disjointed. But there was no such thing in The Green Dawn. The writing flows wonderfully and the story moves at breakneck speed. This one is the first book in an ongoing series.

I'm not at home right now, but if you would...

2010-12-12T11:18:00.000-05:00

If you get a chance, stop by and check out my guest post at Misty Baker's (Kindle Obsessed) blog today. It's my review of Jeff Strand's Graverobber's Wanted (No Experience Necessary). I'll post it over here in a few days, but in the mean time go check out her awesome site.

A Very Scary Christmas

2010-12-07T12:24:00.001-05:00

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “Christmas”? I know for me it’s some good, old-fashioned, spine-tingling horror. I mean, what can be more frightening than the holidays? Fighting the crowds to buy some over-priced gift for someone who may or may not like it. An overweight guy in a red suit that knows everything you’re doing, whether you’re being naughty or nice. For goodness’ sake, he knows when you’re sleeping and when you’re awake. I don’t know, but if you ask me, this guy sounds a bit like a Peeping Tom. And let’s not even get started about all the “fun” that is had traveling during the holidays.

So in celebration of all the horror that occurs during this season, I’ve decided to have “A Very Scary Christmas” giveaway here at my blog. I’m not the most creative person when it comes to these contests and giveaways—plus I’m pretty busy during this time of year—so I’m going to make entering this contest a breeze. There are three possible ways for you to enter:

1. Leave a comment on my blog. You can comment on any post here, new or old. It doesn’t have to be anything insightful or profound, just leave a comment. You receive one entry for leaving a comment; feel free to comment as much as you want, but you only get one entry even if you leave 50 comments.

2. Become a follower of my blog. If you click on the little “Follow” button to the right and become a follower of my blog, you receive an entry for the contest. All current followers are automatically entered.

3. Re-tweet one of my tweets on Twitter about this contest. Again, feel free to re-tweet me 50 times, but you only get one entry for the giveaway.

You may get up to three entries for the drawing if you do each of the above things. The contest will be open for one week and will end on Tuesday, December 14th at 12:00 p.m. EST. At that time, all entries will be tallied and a drawing will be held, with my kids drawing names of the winners.

So, you may be asking, what are we drawing for? There will be a first and second place price, which I think you’ll like:

First place: Winner will receive five—yes, five—physical books. And these aren’t just any books; these are books by some of the most talented horror writers out there today: Vampyrrhic by Simon Clark, A Gathering of Crows by Brian Keene, Snow by Ronald Malfi, The Killing Kind by Bryan Smith, and Joyride by Jack Ketchum.

Second place: The second-place winner will receive a physical copy of The Regulators by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman).

All books are brand new and have not been read. Due to shipping costs, this contest is limited to U.S. addresses only. ***Winners will be announced here and via Twitter. You will have three days to claim your prize before another winner is selected.***

Good luck and have a horrible…er…I mean, wonderful holiday season!

IDENTITY CRISIS by Debbi Mack

2010-12-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

I love it when I discover a new author by happenstance. Debbi Mack is one of these happy discoveries. I came across her name following Scott Nicholson’s blog tour. I read a little about her and her books and decided to check out her first novel, Identity Crisis, on my Kindle.

Sam McRae is a Maryland defense lawyer. When unexpected visitors from the FBI and local police department pay her a visit in regards to one of her clients, the groundwork is laid for a thrilling story of action, intrigue, suspense, and mystery. Turns out McRae’s client is MIA—and finding her will be an adventure in and of itself. Finding the truth is much more difficult than McRae expected and as she uncovers the facts, the truth seems less and less clear. Is her client guilty? Has she been set up?

Identity Crisis is a refreshing and enjoyable read, with the spotlight on a relevant topic in this age when information is so easily accessible. Mack’s writing is crisp and she keeps the story flowing well. I never felt bogged down or like I just needed to get through any part of this book. She mixes in just the right amount of action and intrigue to keep the reader interested and guessing. It was also great to have a lead character who is a “real” human—one with flaws, who sometimes does questionable things to discover the truth she is seeking. And while this story’s main character is a lawyer, the reader will not be overwhelmed with legalese.

I gladly recommend this book to folks who enjoy mystery/action types of books. If you like J.A. Konrath’s Jack Daniels series, this is a perfect book for you. The sequel, Least Wanted, is due out in January.

5 out of 5 stars.

'Tis the Season

2010-12-01T10:35:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's actually December now. I'm still trying to figure out where November went. Well, to get into the mood of the Christmas season, I'm going to give away more free stuff. I'm lucky enough to have 10 copies of Scott Nicholson's e-book, The Red Church, for the Kindle to give away this week. I'm going to keep it simple and all you have to do is leave a comment below with your e-mail address. That's it. Don't have to say anything else. For the first ten who leave their contact information, I'll gift you a copy of Scott's most well-known book on Friday, December 3rd, between 1 and 2 P.M.

You don't have to own a Kindle to be able to read the book; you can get the Kindle app for your computer or for a multitude of devices. Click here to get one of the free Kindle apps.

If you want to enter for a chance to win a physical copy of two of Scott's books, The Red Church (autographed) and Thank You for the Flowers, leave a comment to this post.

Happy holidays!

A Sad Day

2010-11-30T14:02:00.004-05:00

I’m a bit sad. One of my daily routines ends today: my daily dose of getting to know the full Scotty. As many of you know, today marks the end of Scott Nicholson’s 90-day Blog Tour. This tour has become as much a part of my daily routine as having my morning coffee. So I’m a little sad to see it come to an end. But, alas, there is that saying, “All good things must come to an end.”

Was Scott’s blog tour a success? I think so. At least it was for me. I got the chance to visit and connect with many blogs and bloggers that I probably never would have otherwise. I was able to find out all kinds of cool and interesting things about one of my favorite authors. And probably the thing I am most excited about, I was introduced to a number of talented indie writers and some awesome books. My TBR pile grew by leaps and bounds.

My most memorable moment from the tour happened pretty early on, when I found out that Scott actually gave away some of his teeth as a promotional stunt for one of his books. I remember thinking, My god, what kind of person does that! That’s probably one of the wildest things I’ve heard someone do to try and attract (repel?) readers.

So in honor of Scott’s successful completion of 90 days of blogging craziness, I’m going to give away two of Scott’s real (paper :P) books, The Red Church (autographed) and Thank You for the Flowers, to one lucky winner. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post stating your favorite Scott moment from the tour. If you didn’t follow the tour, feel free to enter anyway. Just leave some sort of comment, like your favorite food, favorite color, sleeping habits, etc. I’d love for you to have the chance to experience Scott’s work. You have until 11:59 P.M. Friday, December 3rd to enter. At that time, I’ll randomly pick a winner. I'll announce the winner on my blog, but make sure you leave some way for me to contact you. Unfortunately for my international visitors, I can only ship books to U.S. locations. But please feel free to leave a comment.

THE PACK: WINTER KILL by Mike Oliveri

2010-11-29T14:09:00.001-05:00

I’d wanted to get a copy of Mike Oliveri’s The Pack: Winter Kill since last year. At first, it was released in paperback and for one reason or another I didn’t get around to purchasing it. Then it came out for the Kindle, but it was priced at $9.99 and I decided to hold off on getting it. However, when Evileye Books marked it down to $4.99 for the holiday season, I snatched a copy for my Kindle. I had high expectations for this book based on the buzz I had read about it, and I was not disappointed.

Set in the remote wilderness of Minnesota, The Pack: Winter Kill starts out with a weapons deal gone wrong. After things go south, Rod and his crew are stuck in the middle of nowhere and are forced to blend in with the locals. They stumble upon a lodge caught up with Bigfoot fever and decide to stay until they can get things back in order. However, when the FBI arrives, things get tenuous. Determined to finish the deal, Rod pushes forward despite the heat from the authorities—and other things.

The Pack: Winter Kill grabbed me from the beginning and I literally could not put this one down. Oliveri’s writing is tight and fast-paced, hurling the reader along to the climatic ending. He masterfully blends crime and suspense with the supernatural. This is the first book in an on-going series, and I’m eagerly anticipating the next one. There are a few typos throughout the Kindle edition, but they are minor and don’t distract from the story.

Priced at an affordable $4.99 for the holiday season, this one is a must-read for anyone wanting a story full of action and suspense told at break-neck speed.

5 out of 5 stars.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T14:20:00.000-05:00

Just want to wish everyone a happy Turkey Day. Remember to cherish the moments you have with the ones you love.

Please stop by here over the next week or two, as I have some new posts coming and maybe a giveaway or two planned.

FUNGUS OF THE HEART by Jeremy C. Shipp

2010-11-15T11:30:00.000-05:00

A number of months ago Jeremy C. Shipp requested reviewers for his new short story collection, Fungus of the Heart. I had looked at a number of Shipp’s books before but had not had the opportunity to read one. So naturally I jumped at the chance to read this collection.

Fungus of the Heart is an intriguing collection of stories. It’s hard to classify the collection with one category. It has elements of fantasy, the bizarre, horror, crime, and drama. Some of the stories reminded me of fairy tales. There is a wide array of characters throughout: zombie bears, gnomes, clowns, boys in boxes, vampires, and ghosts, to name a few. It’s clear that some of the stories speak to current issues, such as the “moral machine” that exists.

From a personal standpoint, I was disappointed with this collection. It didn’t have much to do with Shipp’s writing ability; it is clear that Shipp is a very talented writer and has a knack for using words sparingly to efficiently tell stories. I was disappointed more with the content. The biggest issue was I simply didn’t care much for the types of stories in the collection. I’m not a huge fan of fantasy and fairy tales. And while I do enjoy some bizzaro writing, the bizarre in this collection is of a different breed than what I like. Also, at times when I was reading a story I would have a feeling of déjà vu, like I had already read it earlier in the collection. The only story that really stuck with me was the first one in the collection, “The Sun Never Rises in the Big City.”

I’m having a hard time separating my personal preferences from the quality of the work itself with this one. Clearly, Shipp is a talented writer. And I’m pretty sure I’ll read more of his work in the future. So if you’re interested in the fantastic and strange, I would recommend you check this one out. If you’re not, you may want to pass on it.

3 out of 5 stars.

Bear With Me

2010-11-10T10:48:00.003-05:00

Hello, everyone! Just wanted to stop by and let you know that I haven't forgotten about my blog here. I've got a few topics I want to cover and some reviews to post over the next couple of weeks, but first I need to focus on a proofing project that is grossly overdue. And unfortunately, my work hours have increased, along with the number of family functions (mainly birthdays). I assume I'll probably be pretty erratic here throughout the holidays with increased work and travel. But please bear with me. :)

Thanks!

DEAD EARTH: THE GREEN DAWN by Mark Justice and David T. Wilbanks

2010-11-04T10:36:00.005-04:00

Zombies. I’m not going to lie; I have a soft spot in my heart for these munchers of the flesh. Ever since I read Joe McKinney’s Dead City a year and a half ago, I’ve had an ongoing love affair with the walking dead. However, in recent months, I haven’t read any books about zombies. In reality, recently I’ve read very little that is pure horror, which is my first love. So when I picked up Dead Earth: The Green Dawn by Mark Justice and David T. Wilbanks, I was a little bit excited because it sounded like something that would be right up my alley. And boy, I was not disappointed in the least.

When I started reading The Green Dawn, it felt like I was slipping into familiar surroundings where I knew I’d be at home. The story focuses on one individual, Deputy Jubal Slate. He’s responsible, alone, for the safety of the small town of Serenity, New Mexico, after many folks have taken ill with a strange virus. Those affected include his mother, the sheriff, and his fellow deputies. But Jubal is not overly concerned, as Serenity is normally a quiet little town that can pretty much take care of itself. However, as the day moves along, Jubal becomes more and more concerned because rumors of tragedy in Nevada begin to spread.

When a mysterious car blazes into town and drops off an extremely ill stranger, things move from the realm of uncertainty to the realm of dire circumstances. To put it kindly, all hell breaks loose in the town of Serenity. And Jubal Slate, the lone remaining vestige of law and order, has to fight for the survival of the town and those he loves.

Normally, I’m a little hesitant when it comes to collaborations. I worry that styles will clash or the story will be disjointed. But there was no such thing in The Green Dawn. The writing flows wonderfully and the story moves at breakneck speed. There is a nice little twist as to the cause of the chaos, and the book leaves you wanting more.

I honestly haven't had this much fun reading a book in a good while. If you want a fast, exciting read then The Green Dawn is for you. This book is the first in a larger series, so don’t expect to get all the answers at the end of it. And beware if you’re squeamish; there is violence, blood, and guts in this book.

5 out of 5 stars.

HUDSON HOUSE by J.T. Warren

2010-11-02T11:51:00.002-04:00

Hudson House by J.T. Warren has the distinction of being the first book I bought when my new Kindle arrived. Based on other reviews, I looked forward to reading this book, hoping for a creepy, interesting story. I was pleased to find that I wasn’t disappointed.

Three young friends enter a forbidden—some would say forsaken—house that has long stood watching over an otherwise quiet neighborhood. This seemingly benign act sets into motion events that will affect the rest of these boys’ lives. Death and tragedy follow and one of the young men, Eric, struggles to find answers and to ultimately put a stop to Hudson House’s reign of terror in his life. However, the deeper Eric digs for the answers he seeks, the more he discovers about his own past. And he doesn’t like what he finds. Can he find the determination and strength to stand up to Hudson House and whatever dwells inside its walls?

Warren is a talented writer and can weave an interesting story. There are some creepy situations throughout this book, and one in particular will probably stick with me for a long time (I won’t give it away, but let’s just say I won’t be carrying around a plastic baggie in my pocket). The story flowed fairly well, with a bit of a lull in the middle of the book. But the last 25% of the book made up for it, as I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to find out what happened. I’ll definitely read other works by Warren as I come across them.

4 out of 5 stars.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T13:11:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween to everyone out there! Hope you have a great day/night and that you stay safe. And please remember, don't feed the zombies.

October Blues

2010-10-29T11:43:00.000-04:00

October has always been my favorite month. I can remember as a child waiting for the calendar to flip from September to October. That signaled when it was okay for me to start decorating my front yard with graves, ghouls, and headless bodies. Yeah, I’ve always had a fascination with the macabre and dark things. As I grew older and reached high school and college age, my “traditions” changed from decorating the yard to having multiple horror-movie marathons throughout the month of October. But, still, it was like some switch went on inside me when the calendar flipped from September to October.

But in the last few years, that excitement I’ve had for the month of October has waned. Sure, I still enjoy the weather (for the most part) and the changing of the leaves, but I don’t seem to have any “traditions” that I hold on to anymore. And it feels as if I’ve missed the entire month of October this year. This bums me out.

I have two young children and I really want to instill in them the excitement I once had for this month. I’m not talking about a love for gory zombies and rotting arms sticking out of the ground—although, I’d happily take that. I’m talking about enjoying a time of year when it’s okay, and even encouraged, to allow your imagination to run wild. A time of year when we can find beauty in death and decay.

I’m going to make sure that next year we slow down just a little bit so when can enjoy this enchanting season. Sure, maybe the kids will decide they want to decorate the yard with unicorns and fairies. But that’s okay. As long as they’re excited and their imagination is flying free, I’m fine with it.

For Sale, For Sale, e-Reader For Sale

2010-10-27T11:36:00.007-04:00

I've come to the conclusion that I don't need two e-readers. I know, I know, I had said that I was not going to do copyediting on my Kindle, but it's turned out to be much easier than I expected and it's become too much effort to bounce back and forth between e-readers. So after some consideration, I'm putting my Sony Reader Touch Edition (PRS-600) on the market. This reader is less than three months old and is in practically new condition. No damage at all to the unit. Included with the e-reader: leather cover, USB cable, A/C adapter, and padded slip-cover. Also included, original boxes and documentation for the e-reader and cover.

Asking price is $80 (includes shipping in the continental U.S.). Preferred payment method is PayPal. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have or with your best offer.

***UPDATE***

Thank you to everyone for their interest. My Sony Reader is now sold and on its way to a new home!

DISINTEGRATION by Scott Nicholson

2010-10-26T13:51:00.008-04:00

Scott Nicholson has a reputation of being a horror author. But if you've read Scott's recent works, you will know that he is more than just a horror author. I honestly believe Scott's thrillers are just as good, if not better, than his horror titles. And his latest release, Disintegration, simply solidifies my opinion, as I believe this is one of his best books yet.

Jacob is no stranger to pain and loss. It has happened in his past, and tragedy is about to strike again. Nicholson explores the depths to which one may fall when nearly everything is taken from him/her. Throw in a shady family history and the pressure to succeed and live up to a father's high standards, and you have a recipe for personal disaster.

This book is an emotional roller coaster and explores the downfall of a man who once seemed to have everything. Nicholson holds nothing back and it's obvious he poured himself into this work. Reminiscent of Tom Piccirilli's emotional style of writing, this book demonstrates that Nicholson is one of the most versatile authors out there. Lacking none of Nicholson's powerful prose, this is a must-read for any Nicholson fan, as well as anyone who wants an emotion-grabbing, powerful read.

The official launch date for this book is November 1st, but it is currently available for download at Amazon.

5 out of 5 stars.

Advice I'm Not Qualified to Give

2010-10-24T21:22:00.002-04:00

I love this new digital age. I get to read some awesome books I would have otherwise probably never had a chance to read. Discover new talented authors. Don’t have to worry if my local bookstore has a copy of a new book I want. Maybe even save a little money, at least in the long run.

I’m also excited for authors. Now, more get to find an audience for their work, without having to fight just to get shelf space at the big bookstores. They get to have more control over the direction of their work, rather than be at the mercy of a publishing company. Authors get to interact with their readers via social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. And they don’t have to embark on grueling publicity tours to drum up sales; instead, they can do crazy things like Scott Nicholson’s 90 Day Blog Tour.

However, I would offer one small caveat to self-publishing authors: make sure you take the time to put out a quality product. Don’t be in such a hurry to get your book out there in front of readers that you skip basic steps in the “publishing” process.

You may be thinking, who does this guy think he is? What gives him any right to say anything to me about the publishing process? And you’d be correct; I don’t have any special qualifications that allow me to dish out advice to others about the publishing process.

But I am a reader; a consumer, if you will. I pay money to buy a product, and I hope that some care and concern were put into the creation of that product. And I am not talking about the story itself, or even the writing style. I know that what may appeal to others may not appeal to me, or vice versa.

However, there is one thing that I think should be fairly standard across the board. Typos, spelling errors, and consistency are things that should be addressed before a book is published. There is nothing that turns me off from a book faster than to find a bunch of errors, especially in just the first few pages.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t expect every error and inconsistency to be fixed before a book is published. That’s unrealistic, and there probably wouldn’t be very many books that would see the light of day if that was expected. However, in this new indie period, while I applaud the empowerment of the author, there is one major thing that most publishers offered the author that’s not there now: copyediting.

There are some simple things authors can do to help address this issue: have Beta readers read your book before publishing, get a copy editor or two look over your work, or get honest relatives or friends to read your book. But the key is having other people review your work. I’ve had the honor to copyedit some books in recent months, and based on my experience, it’s extremely difficult to spot all the errors in your own work. When you read over your own work, you tend to read over some errors because you know what you are trying to say in your own head. Heck, I’ll probably be fixing typos and errors in this blog post all week.

But if you take that little bit of extra time to get feedback about your work, I’ll pretty much guarantee that it will help you sell more books, whether it’s digital or print books. This is an exciting time for authors and readers alike. It would do everyone well to not get caught up in the excitement and rush to get books out there in front of readers, but instead take a little extra time, a couple of weeks or month, and make sure high-quality books are being published, at least from a technical standpoint.

Amazon's Leather Cover with Built-in Light

2010-10-19T10:50:00.006-04:00

I’ve had my Kindle for a week now, and I’m still loving it every bit as much as the first day I received it, if not more. I haven’t come across anything that’s given me pause or concern with it. I had vowed to myself to not use it for copyediting, but that went out the window a couple of days later. But it’s actually pretty easy to use for copyediting; much easier than I anticipated. However, I think I’m going to try to keep using it for copyediting to a minimum, using it instead for pleasure reading. In my mind, I need that type of delineation.

I want to take a moment to discuss the cover I bought for my Kindle. I know this might not interest many folks, but I spent a good amount of time researching my options because the covers are pretty pricey. I went with the leather cover with built-in light from Amazon. It sells for $59.99, and before I spent that amount of money on a cover, I wanted to dig up as much information about it as I could.

The cover is very sturdy and offers great protection to the Kindle. The inside of the cover is a felt-type material that is gentle on the screen of the Kindle and is nice to hold while you read. One of biggest pluses of this cover is that it is a fold-around, allowing the reader to hold the Kindle with one hand while reading. Without this capability, this cover would lose much of its appeal. There is also an elastic band on the outside of the cover to ensure the cover remains closed at all times, which is nice because it offers added protection to the Kindle.

The really sweet perk of this cover is the built-in light that comes with it. No batteries are needed since the Kindle itself powers the light. This is nice because one of the problems I always seemed to run into was batteries dying in my reading light, especially when I travel. Now I don’t have to worry about that. The light is very bright and directed to fall across the screen. I have no “blind” or “dark” spots at all, as the entire screen is well lit. The upper-right corner, where the light is fixed to the cover, is a bit brighter than the rest of the screen. The battery drain is not excessive; in fact, it’s much less than I expected, and I use the light thirty minutes to an hour each night.

The only gripe I have with this cover—if it can even be called a gripe—is that the light is a bit difficult to pull out from the cover. But this is getting easier the more I use it, so it is—or was—a minor inconvenience. Another concern I had before getting this cover was the weight it would add to the Kindle, but it’s not bad. The weight roughly doubled when the cover was attached, but I can still comfortably hold the Kindle with one hand. I will gladly take the extra weight for the added protection this cover offers.

In the end, I would happily recommend this high-quality cover to those who are serious about protecting their Kindle and want the convenience of always having a light available for reading. Especially if you do a lot of reading at night and/or in bed. It is pricey, but when you figure the cover itself goes for $34.99, $25 for a good quality reading light specifically designed for the Kindle is not outrageous. I saw separate clip-on lights for the Kindle selling for $19.99 and $24.99. If you want protection for your Kindle but are not concerned about the light, Amazon offers the same cover without the light for $34.99. Both cover options come in a variety of colors, so you should be able to find one you like.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this cover has completed my Kindle experience. I can read anywhere, anytime. And I have the protection for my Kindle that I’ve been looking for. Not to mention, it is a very nice looking cover.

For another review of this cover, check out this review.

5 out of 5 stars.

A Little Kindle Gushing

2010-10-12T13:43:00.004-04:00

If you're a die-hard paper book, a.k.a. "real" book, lover, then you might not enjoy this post much. So you may want to stop reading right now.

I had gone back and forth for more than six months about which e-reader to purchase. I had narrowed it down to two in particular, the Sony Reader and the Amazon Kindle. A couple of months ago I got a great deal on a Sony Reader Touch, so I went with that one. And I was pleased with it at the time. And then some events happened recently, and I ended up purchasing an Amazon Kindle.

To say that I was "blown away" when I opened up the packaging and turned on my new Kindle would be an understatment. And today Misty Baker, a.k.a. KindleObsessed, reminded me via Twitter: "Now you are going to have to write an article about your kindle since you were praising your Sony eReader." So here is my obligatory post to renounce any allegiance I may have had to my Sony Reader.

Now I'm not going to toss my Sony Reader into the garbage or donate it to Goodwill, but it will pretty much be relegated to copyediting duties. I don't really see me using it for pleasure reading any longer. Heck, I'm having a difficult time seeing my paper books being used for pleasure reading in the near future.

Every concern I had about the Amazon Kindle has been shattered in the last 24 hours. I literally felt bowled over when I pulled it out of its packaging and turned it on. The e-ink is absolutely amazing. I don't know how they did it, but it is actually easier to read than paper books. Yes, it is much more eye-friendly to me. And anywhere you can read a paper book, you can read the Kindle. Direct sunlight? No problem. Low light? Got it covered.

And Amazon knows what they are doing from a marketing standpoint. It is super-easy to search the Kindle Store and to buy books. And I get them delivered directly to my Kindle in less than 60 seconds. I push a button to buy a book, and bang!, it's there in a minute. May I remind you that I live out in the sticks, in a very rural part of North Carolina. I can sit on my back porch and get books in a very short time. My wife will probably be writing to the folks at Amazon condemning them and wishing them very painful deaths.

I could go on and on about everything I love about my new Kindle. About how I'm going to be reading tons of great indie authors. About how I'll probably increase my reading output. About how I'm going to save a lot of space in our house. But I'll keep it simple. You know how some folks talk about love at first sight? Well, for me, all it took was one look.

The Amazon Kindle is superior to the Sony Reader Touch in every aspect, in my opinion. Other than the Sony has a touch-screen, which is good at times, but can be a hinderance too. Amazon has put out a tremendous product and has streamlined the shopping/delivery process for getting content to the Kindle. I've been intrigued by e-books since I began looking into them a year or so ago, but now I'm totally sold on them, and I'm sold on the Kindle. It's no competition in my book; I wholeheartedly recommend the Kindle as THE e-reader if you're thinking of getting one. And even if you're not thinking of getting one, you should.

Brian James Freeman's THE PAINTED DARKNESS

2010-10-02T21:58:00.003-04:00

I was lucky enough to snag an early review copy of Brian James Freeman’s The Painted Darkness through LibraryThing. I’ve never read anything by Mr. Freeman, but I had heard a buzz about this book and looked forward to digging into it.

The book is not intimidating, the advance review copy weighing in at a mere 173 pages. And Freeman’s writing is very smooth and the story immediately intrigued me. I’m a fairly slow reader, but I made quick work of this enjoyable tale.

Henry is an artist. He paints, not for enjoyment, but more from compulsion. He has had an active and vivid imagination from early childhood. However, Henry’s painting has become a problem in his marriage. But even during this turmoil, Henry must paint. Problem is, right at this moment, he can’t. But eventually, Henry must paint against the darkness.

Throughout the book, Freeman alternates between the present time and the time when the Henry the artist was “born.” I’m usually not a fan of this approach to storytelling, but Freeman makes it work. By the time I finished the book, I had the distinct impression that I had just read a Stephen King work. And I mean that as a compliment to Mr. Freeman.

I’d recommend this atmospheric novel for a good, quick read. Mr. Freeman definitely has a knack for telling an interesting story. He doesn’t get bogged down in unneeded information or mundane details. This is a creepy story that will keep you turning the page to find out what happens.

4 out of 5 stars.

Happenings

2010-09-28T09:31:00.002-04:00

I've got a few things going on right now, so unfortunately my blog is what gets neglected. But never fear, I have a few topics I want to explore in the upcoming weeks. For right now, here's a quick update of what's happening:

1. I'm almost finished proofing a novel. This is one reason I'm a bit behind, albeit because of my self-imposed "deadline." I traveled over the weekend and really didn't get anything done with this, so I'm in catch-up mode right now.

2. Just started reading my review copy of Brian James Freeman's The Painted Darkness. So be expecting a review of it sometime in the next week. So far, it's a really good little book.

3. There will be another giveaway this week. I'm still deciding on which book I'll giveaway, but rest assured, it will be another easy contest. Just stay tuned.

4. I've got my next copy-edit project lined up.

5. I still plan on trying to update the look and feel of this blog. I just need to find a little "extra" (yeah, I know, real funny) time and a halfway reliable internet connection. Hopefully, by next week I'll be able to work on it.

That's about it for now. Please be patient while I adjust to my new work schedule and try to work out some sort of a "regular" (again, I know, real funny) routine.

Scott Nicholson's SPEED DATING WITH THE DEAD

2010-09-23T10:39:00.006-04:00

At last, here is my promised review of Scott Nicholson's Speed Dating with the Dead:

Scott Nicholson's Speed Dating with the Dead will always have a special place in my heart. It has the distinction of being the first e-book I ever read using an e-reader, thus igniting a growing passion for e-books in my heart.

If you have followed me for any amount of time, you will know that Mr. Nicholson is one of my favorite authors. I haven't read anything by him that I haven't enjoyed on some level. That said, I must admit that I didn't know what to expect from this book based on the title. It evoked images of a bunch of 40-somethings jumping from table to table in a hotel lobby trying to meet a future companion. And in my mind they were all zombies. Go figure. I probably read more zombie books than is healthy.

Set in Mr. Nicholson's familiar Appalachian mountains, Speed Dating with the Dead is about a paranormal conference at an old hotel. There is a wide array of characters attending this conference, including your die-hard ghost hunters, clairvoyants, groupies, and skeptics. Probably not much different than real life. As the conference goes on, strange things begin to happen. Before long, Mr. Nicholson has you moving at break-neck speed as an ancient, malignant force makes its presence known at the conference.

Like all things Nicholson, I wasn't disappointed by this offering. I would actually say this book was a little bit edgier than some of his mass-market paper backs, which I liked. Mr. Nicholson weaves a wonderful story with a diverse cast of interesting characters. The book is paced very well, with the last half of the book flying by. Even with all the action, the book stays focused on the story and moving it along. And as with all of Mr. Nicholson's books, this one is atmospheric, making you feel like you're attending the conference with the other guests.

You won't be disappointed by this book. Even if you aren't into the whole ghost-hunting scene, there is plenty in here for you to enjoy. Mr. Nicholson is a story-driven author, and words in his hands turn into a very enjoyable story.

4 out of 5 stars.

Digital, Not Paper, Please

2010-09-20T16:22:00.010-04:00

As we drove away from Books-A-Million for the last time, I turned to my wife and said, "I don't know how many more paper books I'll be buying in the future." My wife and I had a good chuckle at my comment and I didn't give it much more thought for the rest of that day. But in the following days, I reflected on that comment and began to wonder just how true it was.

There are pros and cons for both sides of the argument about digital versus paper. But I'm going to look at this from a purely selfish standpoint right now. I'm not looking at what I can collect, even though I have a collector's heart. I'm not thinking about how impressive my book collection appears, even though I love it when people visit my home and say, "Wow! That's a lot of books." And I'm not going to focus on being able to pass something down to my children, although I want my kids to enjoy the wonderful books I've discovered (I still can do this electronically, I guess).

I'm looking at the pure economics of this. I don't see why I should pay $7.99, $9.99, $12.99, or $15.99 for a physical copy of a book, when I can by the e-book version for anywhere from $2.99 to $5.99. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I'm interested in the story. That's it. Not collecting, not displaying, and not passing on. I just want to read the story. And you might say, "Wait, you have to buy the e-reader first." Yes, I do. But I can pay around $150 for an e-reader or I can spend an extra $300 or more on buying the paper versions. (This is based on an average $3 in savings per e-book for 100 e-books. I've seen some only $1.00 cheaper and I've seen some $10 cheaper.)

So from a purely selfish standpoint, I think I will say, "Digital, not paper, please." Now don't get me wrong, I'll still probably stop by the used bookstore from time to time, and if a paper copy of a new book is cheaper than the e-book, I'll buy it. But for me, right now, it just doesn't make economic sense to choose paper.

Just a quick note about my first "real" book giveaway. If I get 100 followers on Twitter, I'll randomly pick one of my followers and send them a new copy of Jeff Strand's Dweller. See? I told you it would be simple for you to have a chance to win a "real" book. And if you haven't read this one, you're in for a treat.

"Real" Book Goodness

2010-09-16T19:32:00.016-04:00

I just got home from the wake, er, closing sale of Books-A-Million in Raleigh, NC. Bought all kinds of goodies for cheap. It was a little weird pulling away from the store and knowing it would be the last time that I did that. I wasn't sad, really, but I did feel kind of strange. I'm excited about my new-found love for e-books, but I will miss the days that I lounged around in the cafe of BAM spending time reading, drinking coffee and lattes, and surfing the web. Hopefully, there will be some indie places that pop-up around here to serve as a social gathering place for people to share their love and passion for literature.

But something good will come from all this for you. Yes, I said you. I picked up a bunch of books that I'm going to share with you in the upcoming days and weeks, through contests and giveaways. Not sure exactly what I'm going to do yet, but it'll be easy and fairly effortless for you. Just make sure you stayed tuned for your chance to win stuff from authors such as Keene, Ketchum, Smith, Nicholson, Follett, Rand, and others!

My Digital Experience, So Far

2010-09-15T09:58:00.006-04:00

I've got a few ideas for blog topics rattling around my head, but first I want to update this blog's design. And to do that, I need to figure out how to make the changes I want to the design. And that may take a while, because my internet service out here in the sticks is spotty, at best. So, I'm going to save those topics for a later time.

In the meantime, I'll give you a quick update of how my digital experience is faring so far. In case you didn't know, I bought an e-reader a little over a month ago. I purchased a Sony Reader Touch because I got it for fairly cheap. I had been waffling for a number of months between the Sony and Amazon's Kindle. The deal I got on the Sony, and its accompanying accessories, sealed the deal for me. At least, it did at the time.

My biggest gripe with the Kindle was that you could only read Kindle files on it. I guess I'm still a bit wary about that. But, in just the last month, it seems the Kindle train has been gaining speed, and it isn't any longer a matter of "if" the Kindle wins out, it's a matter of "when." There's a number of factors that make me believe this, but that's for another post. Needless to say, you would think I'd be ticked about buying a Sony. But I'm not.

Sure, my Sony has its quirks, but for the price I got it at and the content that's available for it, I'm pretty happy. Some of the file types don't do so great on it, and the one I'm most disappointed about is .pdf. They look fine when you load them, but most of the time the font size is too small to read. And when I zoom in, things get really strange. Indents and line breaks disappear, and the text becomes jumbled together. So now, I avoid .pdf files like the plague. I prefer using .epub, .lrf, and .doc files.

Yes, I did say .doc files. The Sony converts the .doc file to a compatible format when it's downloaded to the reader. And honestly, .doc files have performed the best on the reader. Which is a good thing for me, because the manuscripts I've been copyediting have been .doc files.

And the reason I most enjoy my Sony e-reader is the touch screen. It took me a little while to get used to using it for notes, but now I LOVE using the touch screen. It's made working on copyediting projects much easier, because I don't like reading on a regular computer screen for too long. The reader is easy on the eyes and taking notes is a breeze with the touch screen.

I know I'll end up with a Kindle at some point. Probably in the not-too-distant future. And my wife has decided she wants one too. In the meantime, I've downloaded the Kindle for PC and use it to open the few .mobi files I have. Plus, it gives us a chance to try out the Kindle interface for free.

But I'm not disappointed in the least about my investment in my Sony Reader Touch. It's proved to be a useful tool so far, and as long as it holds up, it should continue to be useful in the future. But unless you plan on doing a lot of note-taking or reading of MS Word documents on your reader, I'd recommend the Kindle to everyone. Eventually, it will win the e-reader "war," just like Blu-Ray beat out HD DVD's.

One thing I'm sure of, though, is that I'm sold on e-books. I didn't know what it would be like reading books on an electronic device, but it's become an absolute pleasure to me. I actually prefer to read my books in e-book format now. There is none of the eye strain that you get from computer screens. Heck, I don't notice any additional eye strain when I read on my e-reader.

I didn't think it would happen so quick, but it has. I'm a born-again e-book believer.

Creation

2010-09-10T08:12:00.009-04:00

Figured I'd go ahead and blog this morning before I get too tired and the kids get up and I remember I need to wash the dishes. I had some ideas yesterday that I wanted to blog about but didn't get around to it, and then I thought about these ideas throughout the night at work. But for some reason, as I'm sitting down to write this post, I'm having a difficult time expressing my thoughts in words. Who knows, maybe I've been working third shift for too long and it's catching up to me. Please bear with me as I try to hash it all out.

I've had a desire to write a book since I was in college. That was about 14 years ago. Now this desire didn't come from some grand epiphany I had. Rather, it grew over the years to a point that last year I started writing short stories. I tried to establish a routine for my writing, but alas, I came up with a million different excuses as to why I couldn't write for that day. I'm tired. The kids kept me busy. I've got too much to do around the house. This movie looks really good. And on and on my excuses went. If any of you need an excuse, let me know and I'll let you have one of mine.

Needless to say, I began to get very frustrated and reached the point that I just stopped writing. It wasn't a conscious decision, it just happened. After a while, I figured I just didn't have the fire inside me to follow through with it. My frustration level grew.

At the time I started writing, my reading increased. After all, I'd read advice from numerous authors saying a good writer reads a lot. In the past, I maybe read five to ten books a year. Last year I read 46 books. This year I've read 58 books, so far. Reading became my passion (or obsession, if you ask my wife). I now almost always have a book within arm's reach of me. And the thing is, I'm a fairly slow reader. Sure, I've improved some over the last couple of years, but it still takes me a while to get through a book. So that number of books I've read indicates a significant amount of time invested on my part. It seems that I'd found my passion, my fire inside. Right?

Well, not exactly. I still had some discontent inside me, a feeling of being unfulfilled somehow. I wanted to do more than just read a book. I wanted to be a part of creating one. The creation of something is important to me. It gives me that warm fuzzy feeling all over. But with my passion for consuming books and my lack of drive for writing them, it didn't seem creating would be in my future. So I resigned myself to being a consumer.

Then one day I came across a blog post by one* of my favorite authors. He was looking for some pre-readers to give some of his books a whirl before he releases them, to help get the bugs out. I jumped on this opportunity because, come on, I would get to read books by a great author before others do. What was not to like? So I sent him an email and he promptly sent me a book he was going to release shortly. He ended his email response by saying, "Be tough."

Be tough? Really? Did he really know what he was telling me? He probably should've talked to my wife before he typed that command to me. See, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I'm my own worst critic. I could probably be described as anal at times. Did he really want me to be tough? Did I have it in me to point out errors in this author's work? After all, he is one of my favorites and I didn't want him hating me. Seemed I had a dilemma.

I didn't know know exactly how I would handle this dilemma, so I did what I do best. I read. As I read, I found a typo here; a misspelling there; a minor inconsistency over yonder. My dilemma became a little tougher. But after a little thinking, I decided to shoot the author an email with the things I found. Besides, he asked for it. After clicking the send button, I anxiously awaited his response. Figured it'd be something along the lines of "Get a life, dude."

But he didn't say that. Instead, he thanked me and said he'd take a look at the suggestions I'd sent him. That wasn't so bad. So as I continued reading, I sent him any other suggestions I had. I guessed that he would tire quickly of me. But one of his emails said something along the lines of "Hey, you're pretty good at this." Hmm. I know he meant it as one, but I didn't know if that was a compliment or not. The ability to find flaws in something is not normally an endearing quality. Most folks can't stand people like that. Heck, I can't stand people like that.

However, the little hamster in my head jumped on its wheel and started running. I'm pretty good at this. I'm helping a person I esteem to make his creation better. Hey, wait a minute. Creation. Create. Hmm.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm creating anything for this author. But I am helping him with his creation, to make it better. I liked that and it gave me a sense of fulfillment. The author mentioned copyediting and told me that with a little practice I might be able to do something with it. Hmm.

Well, I've taken his advice and I am getting some practice. I've proofed three books so far and am working on my fourth. And the crazy thing is, I'm enjoying the heck out of this. Don't know what that says about me, that I enjoy finding flaws. But I don't see it that way; I see it as helping someone make their creation better.

I still would like to try my hand at writing a book one day. One day, just not today. And I don't know how things will work out with copyediting. Who knows, I may tire of being nit-picky after the fifth book I proof. But I don't think so. It seems I'm onto something here. It definitely has kindled something inside me. Time shall tell.

If you've made it this far, I thank you for putting up with my rambling, incoherent thoughts. I know I probably wouldn't have made it this far. I would have probably thought, what is wrong with this guy? He needs to get a life! But this post has been quite helpful to me, so that makes it worthwhile in my mind. And that's all that counts. Right?

*I didn't name the author because I haven't asked his permission to talk about our correspondence.

The First Domino Falls

2010-09-05T19:11:00.007-04:00

I planned on having a relaxing day today, to work on some copyediting projects and spend some time reading. So I decided to go to Borders and hang out in the cafe and work there. I went just after lunchtime, and I was able to find a $30 A/C adapter for my Sony Reader for just $7.50. Needless to say, I was a happy camper and settled down in the cafe to get some work done.

Later in the afternoon, my stomach started grumbling, telling me it was ready for some food. The first inkling of a headache had started, so I figured it was time to grab a bite to eat. After I hit McDonalds, I had an urge to stop at Books-A-Million (BAM) in Raleigh because I hadn't been by in a while. When I pulled up, I found the store windows decorated with bright yellow signs proclaiming "50% off already marked price." I thought, well, that's one heck of a Labor day sale. Glad I stopped today!

After browsing the store for a bit, I reasoned that there was no way everything is 50% off. I stopped a sales clerk that was passing by and asked her if everything was on sale. She assured me that it was, and immediately my mind started calculating ways to "free" up some money so I could score some books. I went after ones that I knew would be cheaper to buy in paper form than ebook form. After all, now that I have and e-reader, I'm all about saving as much money as possible.

I lugged my armful of books to the checkout counter and grinned as the sales clerk rang up my goodies. I asked how long the sale was going to last, sure it was just a one day deal. The clerk looked at me stone-faced and said, "Till the 18th, when we close." I thought I had misheard, so I asked again. Nope, I hadn't misheard. The only Books-A-Million in Raleigh, NC, is closing on September 18th.

At first, I was shocked by this news. BAM was my preferred bookstore to go to until about six months ago. I've always had a BAM near me to go to. Soon, my faithful standby will be gone. Needless to say, I scrambled and grabbed another armful of books to buy.

But after I got a coffee and settled down in the cafe, I thought about the whole situation some more. The shock began to wear off after a little while and I came to realize that stuff Scott Nicholson and J. A. Konrath have been talking about is finally coming to fruition. Heck, I had even told my wife when I bought my Sony Reader that I thought traditional bookstores would start closing down in a couple of years. I guess, if anything, the thing that shocks me most about BAM closing is how soon it's occurring, not the fact that it's happening.

I won't be surprised to see other chains start doing the same thing around here. We have three Barnes & Nobles and two Borders here in Raleigh. I think it's just a matter of when, not if, for them. The nostalgic part of me is going to miss them. Especially BAM, since it was always my "go-to" store. But another part of me is excited. And not just because I scored some cheap books today. This is an exciting and turbulent time we are in, and I can't wait to see what changes are coming. I suggest you hold on tight. The winds of change are blowing strong.

Speaking of winds blowing, I'll leave you with a quote, or maybe more of a paraphrase, from the comedian Ron White: "It's not that the wind is blowing, it's what the wind is blowing."

Touching Base

2010-08-25T07:58:00.004-04:00

Just a quick update of what's going on with me. There are a number of things on my "To Do" list, but my time seems to be shrinking awfully fast! But here are a few things that I have planned or that are in the pipeline:

1. I WILL write a review of Scott Nicholson's Speed Dating with the Dead. I finished this ebook (my first one on my new reader) last week, and it was a very enjoyable read. A bit different from Mr. Nicholson's other books I've read. I'd definitely recommend it.

2. I WILL get my "Books Read" section updated on the main page here. I believe it stops at 34 or 35, and as of right now I've finished 54 books this calender year. By far my best year ever for reading.

3. I am currently Beta reading a new Scott Nicholson book, and enjoying the heck out of it. It's the best "worst" novel I've ever read.

4. I plan on posting here more consistently. I know, I know, I've said it before. But I really want to use this blog to share my love for books, and I feel it is a good way for me to practice my writing skills. Just need to find where I placed all my time.

5. This weekend I'm going to a signing with Brian Keene and Mary Sangiovanni in Williamsburg, VA. Needless to say, I'm super stoked about this!

6. I plan on sharing more about my experience with ebooks. I'm a newbie to them, but folks like Scott Nicholson and J. A. Konrath have me really excited about them. Plus, they're doing some cool stuff and there are some awesome books available in ebook form only.

I think that about covers it for now. I'm going to probably start pecking away at this list tomorrow, as I've been up for 28 hours right now, and I'm a bit tired. I'd like to have a clear mind so I can enjoy things!

Continuing Shifts

2010-08-12T14:09:00.004-04:00

As I blogged about last night, Dorchester Publishing is currently in a state of flux. Today, probably their most prominent horror author, Brian Keene, announced he is parting ways with Dorchester. I can't say that I'm really surprised by this decision. It does highlight my gut feeling that things at Dorchester are not good right now. And now, things have gotten even worse with one of their heavyweights leaving.

I believe this is a good move for Brian Keene. He has name recognition and a loyal fanbase, he is tech savvy when it comes to social networking (Twitter, Facebook, blog, etc.), and he has a tremendous amount of drive. I have no doubt that he will find success whatever route he ends up taking. I look at the success that J. A. Konrath has found by handling his own books, and very much believe Brian can do just as well, if not better.

I think we are about to embark upon a time of great upheaval in the publishing industry. We all knew ebooks were something that were going to have to dealt with at some time, but the poor economy has acted as a catalyst to speed up the process. I think we will see some major changes in the next year or two. Do I think print books will disappear? No, not totally. Will ebooks permenantly change the landscape of publishing? Yes, I wholeheartedly believe so. I see a time in the next couple of years when bookstores start closing, ereaders take off in popularity, and ebooks become the norm, instead of luxury items. I don't have a bunch of data upon which to base my opionions. They are exactly that, my opinions. But I do believe the writing is on the wall, er, on the ereader. This next generation has grown up on game consoles, the internet, and iphones. Honestly, the only way a number of them will probably ever enjoy a good novel is through electronic means. I'm as nostalgic as the next person. However, I'm already excited about this new world that is being opened up before me. I can't wait to enjoy the works of authors I would have probably never tried before.

Don't get me wrong. This is going to be a turbulent time ahead. Traditional publishers are not going to go down without a fight. But I think it's inevitable. Change is coming.

The Landscape Shifts

2010-08-11T21:46:00.006-04:00

Recently, Dorchester Publishing announced that it is going ebooks only for the next six to eight months, and then they will be printing trade paperbacks (tpb) instead of mass market paperbacks (mmpb). There seems to be some confusion on their part as to how they are going to execute this shift, as evidenced by this article. Whatever they plan to do, this is a major gamble on Dorchester's part, in my opinion. For one thing, they risk losing current customers by suspending their mmpb line immediately. I haven't seen a clear explanation as to the suddenness of this move and why there is no transition period, so I'm not sure what the logic is behind it. My gut tells me business must have been pretty bad to require such an abrupt shift. But there are relatively few people who own ereaders at this time, so it seems a tremendous gamble to go ebook only for the next few months.

From a personal standpoint, I'm not thrilled by this decision. I am a horror book club member, and one of the things I looked forward to each month was getting my book club books in the mail. I enjoy reading stuff by authors I have never read before, and I've been pleased by the variety of authors in Dorchester's stable. Now I feel bad for many of those authors. The horror genre is not huge, and a number of talented writers seem to be caught in the middle of this mess. One of my favorites, Gord Rollo, just had the carpet pulled from under his feet by discovering his new book, coming out in September, will be one of the first books affected by this change. I'm not lying when I say this is probably the book I most anticipated from Dorchester this year. I anticipated it even more than Brian Keene's A Gathering of Crows (which was excellent, by the way). But now I feel really bad for Gord; who really knows how this will affect his sales? And what can he really do right now? And what options do the other mid-list horror writers have? It's not like there are a lot of publishers jumping up and down for horror books, even if they are written by some very talented people.

I hope this works out for Dorchester. I really do. They have put out some great works, and there are a number of upcoming books that should be really good. I just hope they are better organized and have more a plan than what they have portrayed so far.

On a side note, my personal landscape has shifted. I purchased my first ereader this past week, a Sony Reader Touch. So I am now officially part of the digital age. Despite my previous questions and concerns, I'm enjoying the experience of reading my first ebook on it, Scott Nicholson's Speed Dating with the Dead (and the book itself is pretty darn good). I think I can get used to this ebook stuff. Yes, I still love my paper books and will be reading them for a long time to come. But now I can get my hands on a number of books by a wide variety of authors that I normally probably wouldn't have in the past. So I'm very excited so far; I'll keep you posted on my thoughts on the whole ebook experience.

Yes, I'm still here

2010-05-14T13:43:00.002-04:00

I know I've neglected this poor little blog for quite some time. Heck, it's almost been two months since my last post. This blog doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. It doesn't care that I've been busy at times, because it good and well knows that I've had a few minutes I could've spared. So, I'm without excuse as to why I haven't posted in a while. I just haven't.

I plan on dusting this thing off and using it a bit more than I have. There have been a number of great books I've read in the past couple of months, and all kinds of blog ideas I've had. So please be patient, my ignored sweetie. I promise I'm going to incorporate you in my life again.

A Dying Breed

2010-03-17T18:39:00.000-04:00

I’m known at work as the book guy. I read during break times and lunch. I always have a book sticking out of my lunch bag. In fact, checking to make sure I have a book with me is always one of the first things I do before I leave the house. Not just going to work, but pretty much anytime I leave the house. I can’t fathom having pockets of dead time escaping me when I could be enjoying a good book.

A brief discussion with a coworker a couple of months ago stuck with me, and in recent weeks I’ve been thinking more about it. My coworker asked me how many books a month I read, and at the time I was averaging about four a month. He was astounded by that number and couldn’t believe it when I told him I had read, at the time, about 40 books for the year.

The thing that got my mind going recently was the number of books I’ve read so far this year. To date, I’m averaging over seven books a month, and I am currently reading my 23rd book of the year. And the part that really gets to me is that I could do better. There is still a lot of time that I waste doing a bunch of nothing and watching TV.

Since the conversation with my coworker, I’ve paid attention to those around me when I’m out and about. Very rarely do I see someone reading a book. At work, there is no one to discuss books with. I only know of one coworker who reads occasionally. In this age of TV, movies, game systems, and computers, it almost seems as though those who read for entertainment are a dying breed.

I know I sound like an old fart. Heck, maybe I’m becoming one. But I don’t think I’m at a point where I’ll run around saying the sky is falling. Even though it’s a divisive issue, I think ebooks are here to stay and they may encourage a new generation to take up the written word as a viable form of entertainment. I can totally support that. And I was encouraged just a week ago when I ran into a couple who each had a book with them.

It would be a terrible thing if reading for entertainment is cast to the side. I hope I can instill in my kids, if not love for, at least a respect for the written word. And if reading keeps on losing its luster, heck, I guess that would be a good thing for me. I could pick up more books at the used book stores!

Scott Nicholson's THE SKULL RING

2010-03-02T15:01:00.003-05:00

Scott Nicholson's latest novel, The Skull Ring, is now available for Kindle and at Smashwords. Being a fan of Nicholson, I've anticipated this novel for a while. After the small publisher who was going to publish this book went defunct, it appeared this book would not see the light of day anytime soon. But lo and behold, Mr. Nicholson decided to dive into the waters of ebooks, and now this book is available. I've had the pleasure of reading it and here is a brief review:

Scott Nicholson changes things up a bit in his latest offering, THE SKULL RING. This novel is a suspense story set in the mountains of North Carolina about a young lady named Julia Stone. Julia is searching for clues to her past, who she is, what happened to her, and what happened to her dad. Julia lives in a near constant state of fear and finds it hard to trust others. The one person she does trust is her doctor, Dr. Forrest. As they delve deeper into Julia's past, the more "skeletons" come out of Julia's closet. The closer she comes to the truth, the less sure Julia is that she can handle it. It may come down to a matter of life or death for her.

Nicholson never relents as he takes the reader into Julia Stone's world. There are the feelings of fear, dread, and anxiety throughout this novel. Nicholson's masterly descriptive writing style creates a chilling tale set in a beautiful locale and pulls you into the story. You don't want to miss this one by Nicholson; he demonstrates his ability to branch out into other genres in a tremendous way with this book.

This is a really good read and a change of pace if you are familiar with Mr. Nicholson's horror. However, what is not missing is his high quality writing and ability to connect with the reader. If you're interested, visit Mr. Nicholson at his new enterprise's website http://hauntedcomputerbooks.blogspot.com/ or at his personal site http://www.hauntedcomputer.com/.

Testing 1, 2, 3

2010-02-22T15:22:00.006-05:00

Hello? Is this thing on?

It's been a while since I've blogged (nearly three weeks!), and this won't be much of an entry. Just letting you know that I'm still here. Life's been a little busy lately. A quick rundown of what's been going on:

I completed a short story and submitted it for a magazine contest. Did it more for the practice of writing. I'm currently working on a couple of other stories right now. Time is still the major obstacle to my output. Or, should I say, my time management is the obstacle.
I've read some great books in the past few weeks: The Coldest Mile by Tom Piccirilli, No Sleep Till Wonderland by Paul Tremblay, Cuts by Richard Laymon, The Skull Ring by Scott Nicholson, and The Freakshow by Bryan Smith.
I hope to blog about No Sleep Till Wonderland in the near future. I'll also be blogging about The Skull Ring by next week.
Just started reading a classic: First Blood by David Morrell.

That's just a little of what's be going on. Hopefully, I'll become a little more regular with this blogging gig. In the meantime, if you want some good, fresh blogging, check out Gorebeast at Gore's World.

No sleep for the weary

2010-02-02T09:45:00.017-05:00

Lately, I've been suffering from a bit of insomnia. I go through spells like this from time to time. I'm kind of used to it, but it doesn't make it any better. Insomnia is still a pain in the rear. I hate it, and when it comes around, I tend to dwell on it and get more upset about it, which makes it worse. So when it came around this most recent time, I once again began to wonder what brought it on this time (because something usually triggers it). This morning, I finally figured it out. The book that I have eagerly anticipated (probably my most anticipated, ever) was released today! That book is No Sleep Till Wonderland, by Paul Tremblay. My copy is on its way, and it must be my anticipation for it that is keeping me awake at night. So if you haven't picked up your copy, what are you waiting for??? Do it. Do it now!

Storyteller

2010-01-31T23:45:00.008-05:00

I know I haven't posted in a while, and I just wanted to touch base and let everyone know I'm still here. Things have been a bit hectic in my life, and will probably continue to be so over the next few weeks. I have been doing much better with my writing, becoming more regular (not yet daily, but much closer). I actually have a writing nook in my bedroom now! Actually, it is just a small student desk I picked up at Walmart for $49. But I love it and couldn't be happier! My reading has been going great; I just finished my tenth book for the month of January. And to top everything off, we actually got about six inches of snow here, with another inch of sleet on top. A bit of a late birthday present for me, but I'll take it nonetheless.

What I actually want to briefly focus on is another gem of a writer that I have discovered. As I documented below in my previous post, I've had an amazing run of discovering "new" authors; at least they are new to me. This lastest gem that I've discovered is Gord Rollo. In the past month, I've read his books The Jigsaw Man and Strange Magic (his newest release). Gord is one of those few authors that I've had the pleasure of reading that I would call a storyteller. To me, this is a rare talent and there are not a lot of folks I'd put in that category. The few off the top of my head are Scott Nicholson, Stephen King, and Brian Keene.

A storyteller, at least in my opinion, is someone who knows how to engage the reader, and keep the reader's attention throughout the entire story. Gord demonstrated this to me in the two books I've read by him. He doesn't go for the gross-out to grab the reader's attention (but believe me, there are some gross parts in his writing). Gord invites you to become invested in the characters, and to begin to care for them. He also piques your interest in the story, building up the suspense with each successive page. With both of these books, he had me wanting to turn the page to find out what was going to happen next. And probably my favorite aspect of his storytelling is that he knows how to end a book. I won't ruin it for those of you have not read either of these works, but Gord knows how to deliver in the end, building up to the climax and then delivering a not-so-cookie-cutter ending.

If you have not read his work, I'd suggest you start with The Jigsaw Man. Personally, I have yet to read his work Crimson. Honestly, I don't want to right now because I won't have anything else to read by him until his next work is published! But I would love to see Gord acheive success in his writing endeavors, and I would encourage you to check out my new favorite Canadian author. Eh?

My Inner Fanboy

2010-01-19T11:30:00.010-05:00

Over the past few days I have been looking back at this previous year, specifically in regards to my reading history. And as I take inventory, I can't help but get excited. I've read so many writers for the first time, and my excitement has been very difficult to contain. I read the most books during a one-year span in my entire life. All in all, it has been a wonderful year when it comes to my reading. And this year is off to to a much bigger bang than last year.

Here is a list of writers I read for the first time this past year: Robert B. Parker (may he rest in peace), Bernhard Schlink, Michael Connelly, Scott Nicholson (one of my favorite storytellers), Shirley Jackson, Joe McKinney, Christopher Ransom, Richard Laymon (a master of horror), Gary A. Braunbeck, Jonathan Maberry (extremely talented writer), Dean Koontz, Brian Keene (a writer who gets you emotionally involved in the story), Jack Kilborn (delivers a ton of action), Jack Ketchum (another master), Wrath James White (no one grabs a reader and doesn't let go like him), John Skipp, Cody Goodfellow, Bryan Smith (can tell one sick story), Paul Tremblay (just see my entry below about The Little Sleep), Tom Piccirilli, and Gord Rollo (another of my favorite storytellers, definitely my favorite Canadian storyteller :)), and Bob Ford (no one matches the raw emotional elements in his writing).

Whew! I was getting all worked up just writing that list. I feel foolish when I am finishing my books because I honestly am blown away by the satisfaction level that I keep attaining with each successive book. I feel like such a fanboy! I guess it's because I am!

And the best part is that I have been able to have some level of interaction with many of these writers via message boards or Twitter (I thought it was the stupidest thing ever when it came out, now I have a hard time going without it!). So, if any of the above writers or others that I read for the first time in the future happen across this post, please know I am not trying to be obnoxious or blow smoke up your butt when I compliment you. I sincerely mean it. It's just that my inner fanboy tends to get in the way.

Darkness On The Edge Of Town

2010-01-13T07:48:00.003-05:00

Brian Keene's new book, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, starts to ship today from Amazon. It will not be out in bookstores until February. Brian is one of the leading writers in the horror genre, and if you have not read anything by him, you should check him out. Click here to find out more about his new book: http://www.briankeene.com/?p=3339.

A Must Read

2010-01-05T10:46:00.008-05:00

I want to start off this entry by saying that I don't see myself as witty, nor do I feel I wax eloquent with words. So, when I talk about my "must read", please forgive me if I don't move you with my description of the work. Just take my word for it. This book is a must read.

The book I am referring to is The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay. I finished this book in the wee hours of this morning, and I must say I was blown away. I know, I know, you are probably thinking that I am over-hyping this book and that it can't really be that good. But trust me, it is that good!

In The Little Sleep, we are introduced to Boston Private Investigator, Mark Genevich. However, there is one thing that greatly handicaps him in his line of work: he is a narcoleptic. In this book, we are introduced to one of the most interesting and likeable characters I have ever come across. This novel offers intrigue, wit, humor, and very smooth prose throughout its entirety. It flowed wonderfully, and I could not find any awkward moments or transitions. And just when you think it is all fun and games, the mood turns dark and the story takes an intriguing turn.

Paul Tremblay definitely demonstrates a tremendous talent with this book. I am eagerly anticipating the follow-up to this book, No Sleep Till Wonderland coming out this February. I will also be seeking out Tremblay's earlier works as well. As I stated at the beginning of this post, I feel I lack the words or the eloquence to do this book justice. However, it is one of the best overall works that I have read, and I would recommend it to anyone. Trust me. Just read the book.

Good riddance 2009

2009-12-31T16:27:00.004-05:00

Once again we have a new year before us. In fact, a new decade. As this year draws to a close, I think the title of this post captures my feelings towards it perfectly. 2009 just wasn't a good year for me. I won't get into everything that was wrong with it, but suffice to say it was probably my worst year ever. Don't get me wrong; there were some good things that happened, but all in all it was fairly rotten throughout.

As I embark upon this new year, I am tempted to make a list of resolutions and make all kinds of bold proclamations about how I am going to change all kinds of stuff in my life and this is going to be the best year ever. But I am not big on resolutions, as they usually fall by the wayside by the second week of January. Also, there are so many things that are out of my control, and I would be a fool to proclaim things that may never come to pass. Let's face it, crap happens. And for all I know, 2010 may be an even crappier year than 2009.

However, there are a few things that I am committed to strive to improve upon during this new year, and if they affect the quality of the year, then I can be happy with that. Here are a few of the things of concern to me:

1. Be a better husband and dad. I think this is something I will never be perfect at, but I am sure as hell going to try for improvement. This is what life boils down to for me, and it has to be at the top of my list.

2. Start writing more. This is something that I have a strong desire to do and began to experiment with this past year (one of the few good things from this year). I am tempted to make commitments to a word count per day, a number of days to write per week, etc. However, I don't feel I am in position to make those commitments. Life is busy, especially working and having a family with two small children. However, I am committed to improve my writing skills and to start doing it regularly. This is what has been sorely lacking the past few months. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to be the next Stephen King or Brian Keene, but I don't want to look back 30 years from now and say, "Man, I wish..."

3. Read more. I believe this goes hand-in-hand with writing, and I did make positive strides in this department in 2009. I read 46 books, by far the most in my life. However, I feel this can be greatly improved upon and it will in turn improve my writing. Cutting out wasted time such as watching so much TV would definitely help with both this goal and my writing goal. This is going to be very difficult for me, as I am addicted to a number of different TV shows and I love watching movies. However, for me to improve upon goals that I think will give me much more sastisfaction, it is a thing I will have to give up.

4. Spend money smarter. We live in tough times right now. This has been a very difficult subject for me this past year, and I don't see circumstances changing a lot in the near future. So I need to better control my impulse spending and just be plain smart about my money. If I don't need it, don't buy it!

These are my main areas of focus for this new year. I know, it may sound pretty bland and not seem like a big deal, but these things are a big deal to me. And when it boils down to it, I am committed to pursue happiness for me and my family. And I believe these things will bring some of that to us.

So, 2009, good riddance! And hello 2010!

Happy New Year to everyone, and I wish you and yours a safe, happy, and prosperous new year!