Sunday Funnies: Oh, So It's Guilt?!

All I Want for Christmas Is... Reader Reviews!

Hey, readers! I know that Amazon can be a bit weird about leaving reviews if you didn't buy the books on Amazon (ie, bought them at a con or directly online), so here are the links to leave reviews on either Goodreads or StoryGraph. 

And once again, I thank you for your honest reviews. 

Show Me a Hero

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208714410-show-me-a-hero

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/00979f0a-1ca2-4d16-a2c2-bb8111f9ba4b

A Crowd in Babylon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208912563-a-crowd-in-babylon-and-other-dark-tales

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/4154e3c6-6ec2-4247-bbd1-5a2fa096fef1

When We Had No Flag

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/229012706-when-we-had-no-flag

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/2036e912-17ae-4abb-b60c-b274c1b22c93

Sin and Error Pining

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37653895-sin-and-error-pining

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/c39724f2-b7a6-4e3d-a41b-3a42b52bedae

Warts and All

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219488375-warts-and-all

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6588cf30-bfcd-4721-b694-dc863fe0abb2

The Corpse Delivers the Eulogy

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208457858-the-corpse-delivers-the-eulogy-and-other-works

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/fbcd9461-89d9-4064-8073-64a524c5195d

Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/229011184-bad-girls-good-guys-and-two-fisted-action

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/46da2240-503f-4f3b-bf24-aff028b3a5ba

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTION PRESENTS THE PERSONA – VOL. 3 SILVER SKIN

Novelty king, Michael Mansford, aka the Persona, takes a business trip to Brazil with his fiancé, Stacey Standish. However, on their way, a strange phenomenon occurs over the rain forest, which pulls their plane into a mysterious realm, which is occupied by hostile, flesh-feasting natives and a silver-skinned alien who intends to redesign the landscape to his liking.  

With his mystical powers limited, Mansford must find the means to thwart the alien fiend before a rescue team arrives and is captured by it. Will Mansford and his bold companions succeed in time, or will Earth morph into something that no human can survive? 

Once again writer Michael Housel pits his master of occult powers against the forces of alien evil obsessed with the destruction of our world. This third adventure is illustrated by artist Aiden Belcher with a cover by Michael Youngblood.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTION – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

Available now from Amazon in paperback and soon on Kindle.

Holiday-Themed Writing Prompts

 If you find yourself needing a little push or a little help getting started, try some of these prompts for Season-Themed tales:

https://minds-in-bloom.com/20-christmas-writing-prompts/

http://www.build-creative-writing-ideas.com/christmas-writing-prompts.html

Movie Reviews for Writers: The Norliss Tapes

I can't believe I only recently discovered this flick. 

Considering just how big a Kolchak the Night Stalker fan I am, you'd think I would have seen it way earlier. 

Oh well. 

Coming into this movie, all I knew was that it was very similar to both the Kolchak movies and the series, and that it was produced by the same guy (Dan Curtis, also of Dark Shadows fame).

David Norliss is a writer working on a book debunking supernatural events. It's a book he pitched to his publisher. It's a book he has been paid a large advance for. Only, after almost a year, not a word is written.

Sanford: Hello, David. Been a while. How's the book coming?

Norliss: Sanford, I've gotta talk to you.

Sanford: I know, you're gonna tell me it's only half-written, and we're gonna have to delay our-

Norliss: Half-written, hell. I don't have a word on paper.

Sanford: It's been almost a year.

Norliss: I know how long it's been, Sanford. But I, uh... I can't write it. I'm afraid to write it. You're not making sense.

Sanford: We gave you a sizeable advance to write a book debunking the supernatural, which was your idea not ours. And now you tell me, a year later, you haven't even started it.

Now, before you chalk David's problem up to what is typically called Writer's Block, it's not that. It's much deeper. He's not distracted. He's not "blocked." He's terrified. 

A free gift to you! "The Little Match Girl" read by me!

  

Folks, this is my favorite seasonal tale, and I'm happy to share it with you here. 

Motivational Monday: What You Have To Say

Sunday Funnies: MacGuffins 'R' Us

[Link] How To Write Like HP Lovecraft – 5 Best Tips

by Eugene Doak

Lovecraft might not be a household name like Stephen King, but his stories and the mythos behind them have a cult following. His unique style of cosmic horror has inspired countless authors, films, musicians, and games. So, even if you haven’t sat down and read The Call of Cthulhu, you’re probably familiar with some “Lovecraftian” inspired horror, which is the topic of today’s article – What is Lovecraftian Horror and how to write like HP Lovecraft.

Cosmicism: The Philosophy of Insignificance

At the heart of Lovecraft’s style is Cosmicism, the philosophical idea that human life is meaningless in the face of the vast, indifferent universe. His stories are not about good versus evil, but about frail, limited humans stumbling upon truths that their minds are simply not equipped to handle. The horror comes from the revelation that there are ancient, powerful, and utterly alien beings for whom humanity is less than an afterthought.

The Fear of the Unknown

Lovecraft rarely showed his monsters in full detail. Instead, he relied on suggestive prose and vague descriptions to build suspense. He would use words like “cyclopean,” “non-Euclidean,” and “squamous” to describe his creations, forcing the reader’s imagination to fill in the terrifying blanks. The horror isn’t just in the monster itself, but in the inability of the human mind to fully comprehend it.

Pastiche and Pseudobibliographia

Lovecraft created a shared literary universe by having his characters reference the same fictional grimoires and texts, most famously The Necronomicon. This technique, known as pseudobibliographia, made his stories feel more real and connected, as if they were all part of a larger, horrifying history. He also used a style of writing that mimicked 18th-century antiquarians, giving his prose a scholarly, archaic feel that lent credibility to the terrifying events he described.

How To Write Like HP Lovecraft

If you want to try writing like H.P. Lovecraft, you should focus on a few key elements that define his unique style. It’s less about imitating his exact word choice and more about capturing the atmosphere and philosophical core of his work.

Read the full article: https://livingwriter.com/blog/how-to-write-like-hp-lovecraft-5-best-tips/

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTION PRESENTS BOOH HUNTERS VOL. 3 - SENIORS

Upon their arrival at the Long Household, Book Hunter Master Zhi Wenku and her companion, Master Shen Wei, discover all the aftermath of a horrific event. Foreign agents had descended on the family and somehow vaporized all the adults. But when seeking the children, who had gone into hiding, these attackers were then defeated by a young mud-covered boy named Gan Xuan. He who claims to have devoured the bad men. 

Thus Zhi, Shen and their student apprentices, Qing and Xinglu, begin their most intriguing and complex adventure ever. It will take them into different realms of magic and confrontations with truly fantastical beings. Once again writer Barbara Moran spins a tale of Chinese wonder rich with amazing and memorable characters, both evil and heroic.

Artist Gary Kato provides the interior illustrations with Guy Davis turning in his colorful cover piece.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTION – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

Available now from Amazon in paperback and soon on Kindle.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As you ponder your holiday gift-giving...

thetaylorverse.com

taylorversebooks.com

Motivational Monday: For a Reason

Sunday Funnies: Maybe Not That Much Fun

[Link] Forever Faithful To a Single Story: An Ode to Monogamous Writing

“It was never about setting out to write a book—the point all along was to write this book.”

by Amy Gallo Ryan

There seems to be a single answer to every predicament in which a writer might find herself; reached an impasse in your manuscript? Start something new. Need a distraction when you’re out on sub? Start something new. In a lull after your project sold? Oh, here’s an idea; start. something. new. 

Yet as each of those occasions arrived, I did no such thing. For the past decade, rather than splinter my attention, accumulating second and third manuscripts in a drawer somewhere, I’ve had eyes for only one. That book hits shelves this week and given the many moments of stillness throughout the process of writing, querying, submitting, rewriting, tweaking and revising, it strikes me now as quite remarkable that I’ve managed to permanently avoid starting something new.

Each time I refused to redirect my gaze, I gained a greater understanding of my commitment, my tenacity, the wholeness of my belief in what this story should be.

I’m certainly aware of the advantages of being a writer with a drawer full of projects. More manuscripts mean improved odds for publication, to say nothing of the allure of distraction; when you’re stuck or bored or striking out, what could be more illuminating or productive than redirecting your attention, dazzling your brain with an entirely new set of words and ideas. I have a screenwriter friend whose head is full of such abundance. She concocts story after story, and then, perhaps even more impressively, actually writes them into existence. When we exchange updates on our work I have to qualify my questions, saying things like, “what’s happening with the one about…” and “which actress is reading the one where…” I have such deep admiration for her and for everyone whose drawers are stuffed with pages; mine contain stray batteries and Forever stamps.

I was told in a lecture once that the quality distinguishing a writer from an editor was that a writer couldn’t help but write. Putting pen to paper was a fact of existence, a matter of necessity. Who among us had a little pad on our nightstand, a stack of swollen notebooks beneath our bed, pages puffy with scrawl? The distinction has lived rent free in my mind ever since, just the lifetime supply of fuel my imposter syndrome needed.

Because the truth is that for ten whole years my writing has consisted of a solitary project.

Read the full article: https://lithub.com/forever-faithful-to-a-single-story-an-ode-to-monogamous-writing/

Valhalla Books unleashes Dante's Rebirth!

Get ready for a rebirth! Valhalla Books’ Dante’s Rebirth is now available in paperback & ebook  at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLWW9GP3

After the stunning final reckoning that laid waste to Dante, the town begins to rebuild. As life returns to normal in the mining boom town, new arrivals bring fresh opportunities. The Pommel Brothers hit town looking to make their bones, unaware of the danger lurking around every corner of the desert town.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Perth and Heath Moore have started rebuilding their lives and their future together, but a telegram announcing the imminent arrival of Albert Barclay, the owner of The Dante Dispatch brings a sense of dread.

The reopening of the Archibald mine, under new ownership, unleashes a new underground horror with sharp claws and sharper teeth. These creatures are hungry. And Dante’s citizens are on the menu.

If that wasn’t enough, Miss Maddie, Dante’s most mysterious elder, unleashes plans of her own for both Dante and the poor, wretched souls who call it home.

Get ready for an all-new Dante Tall Tale from award-winning author Bobby Nash.

Dante’s Rebirth is the fourth book in the award-winning Dante western/horror series written by Author Bobby Nash. Cover by Jeffrey Hayes. Published by Valhalla Books.

All four Dante ebooks are currently $0.99 for a limited time. You can find them here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BX5QFR5P

Fiction Like White Elephants: Subtext in Your Stories

Let's talk about subtext, you know, that stuff that's hidden subtly in your stories even though it never really leaves a footprint.

Dialog. How important is the stuff your characters don't say or avoid saying to each other in your work?

Terrance Layhew: Creating subtext in conversation is necessary. It immediately gives an inner world to the characters and a larger world at play. What people avoid saying directly or indirectly raises stakes, but done too much makes the story a melodrama.

Elizabeth Donald: If my characters are as close to living, breathing humans as I can make them, the things they don’t say are wildly important - just as they are for us allegedly-real people. When a married couple sits at the dinner table and says nothing but “pass the salt,” that tells us a great deal about their relationship, their thoughts and feelings, the comfort level they have reached (or not) between them. There are many times when we feel spurred to speak and do not, either for fear of social or professional consequences, adherence to behavior norms in society, or our own personal tendencies; a person who is generally conflict-avoidant may remain silent when insulted, even as they are burning to speak - or shout - on the inside. All of these should come to play in our characters, if we are to make them real. The worst thing you can do is an “As you know, Bob…” where a character explains the blatantly obvious to a person who already knows this information. A little subtlety goes a long way.

Sheela Leyh: From my own experiences, the subtext and context both matter. What is said is often just as important as what isn't said. It can and does affect your readers, as well as how your communication is received and does affect meaning.

It is important in mine as I hear dialog early in the writing process, even before the plot unfolds fully. What isn't said is often left for the reader to piece together as part of my thisness layer, as well as to help hold the reader's interest. For context, thisness is an older writing technique that helps make a place more real to a reader without jarring the reader out of the reading experience. The Oxford Writer channel on YouTube does one of the best explanations on the thisness concept that I've seen so far. By trusting the reader to fill in some gaps by leaving out only what needs to be left out, it helps build that relationship with the readers.

Jessica Nettles: Dialog: Silence is a lot like white space on a page. It gives room for the reader to breathe and feel and think thoughts about what ought to happen. With dialog it also give space for things to grow between characters. Kate and Shadow have a LOT of unspoken stuff between them. For instance, neither of them have to say, “I respect you.” They say it in the way they work. There are readers who have picked up something more between them—and maybe it’s there. Shadow certainly won’t say what he feels about Kate, mostly because he isn’t sure what to do with that feeling. He files it under respect, but he would defend her until he faded away. She sees him as her equal, which is once again, never spoken.

Matthew Hand: Neither Tidy Nor Meant To Be

Matthew Hand grew up around the Southeast. He writes stories about people under pressure—moral, spiritual, familial, sometimes all at once. The characters are often trying to make sense of something bigger than them: grief, memory, belief, God, or the silence that follows when none of those things show up the way they expect. But he doesn’t write to explain. He writes to document what happens when there’s no clear rescue and no one left to blame. The stories aren’t tidy. They aren't meant to be.

Tell us a bit about your most recent work.

I just finished a story called Disqualified. It’s a horror narrative that starts like a typical cabin slasher, but the protagonist knows the rules — she knows she’s supposed to die — and goes anyway. It’s really about choice and consequence, turning the genre’s moral code into something theological and personal.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I think most of my work tends to revolve around people confronting their own grief - personal, familial, institutional. That sounds dark and depressing, but I think my approach is cleansing: here’s a mess, let’s organize it.

Motivational Monday: Keep Writing Anyway

Sunday Funnies: Worth a Shot