Douglas Ford is the author of the recent collection of weird fiction, Ape in the Ring. His short stories have appeared in such venues as Dark Moon Digest, Tales to Terrify, Weird City, as well as The Best Hardcore Horror, Volumes 3 and 4.
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Check out HIs book below!
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APE IN THE RING – From the author of The Reattachment comes a frightening and twisted collection of stories that demonstrates Douglas Ford’s imagination at its best.
In these stories, a woman uncovers the buried memory of how she once disappeared inside the house of a murderer; a father waits and waits for his son to come out of a playground structure, unprepared for what finally does emerge; a group of foster children play an unconventional form of divination while protecting a secret together; the closet of a hotel room hides an unspeakable voyeur; and in the title story, a carnival offers ritualized combat with something that may or not be an ape.
Douglas Ford wields language like a sinister surgeon with a night-black scalpel. These stories cut down to the bone, exposing the darkness that lies just beneath the surface of our everyday world. This collection is a midnight carnival of dark wonders, terrifying and fascinating in equal measure. –Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author, Tim Waggoner
Ape in the Ring and Other Tales of the Macabre and Uncanny is a must have collection for every horror library. Douglas Ford crafts stories that are disturbing, dripping with atmosphere, and claustrophobically frightening. You will be thinking about this book long after you have set it down. -Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author, Owl Goingback
WORKING TITLE: Everdal
GENRE: YA/NA Fantasy
Status: Writing First Draft
Days in current Status: 8
Current Word Count: 18,670 (Average of 2,333.75 words per day)
Current Chapter Count Complete: 11
NEXT STEPS: Complete first draft - Estimated completion date: 3/31/2021
Celeste, Sydney, and Ellah have been best friends since 3rd grade. Boys have never come between them, but can their friendship remain when they are pulled worlds apart?
Guest Post by Author @authorKristinP (Kristin Ping)
This one is always fun, and hopefully, new and aspiring authors could take something from my experience.
I started to write in 2009. I was 29 years old and thought I would become the next J.K Rowling. I’m honest as can come, and let’s face it, every new author who gets an idea thinks their book will be the next Harry Potter.
Newsflash, and it is a big wake up call, your book won’t be the next Harry Potter unless you really have something gold in your hands.
So yes, that is my number 1. Your book won’t be the next Harry Potter.
Number 2: Reviews.
If I knew reviews could be that harsh, I probably would never have started to write. The funny part is, it’s like 5% of my reviews are so negative, I wanted to sit in a corner and cry. The other 95% struggle to actually wait for my next book.
Authors quit writing because of their reviews. They can be brutal, and less than a percent of those reviews are actually helpful. You get negative reviews that you learn from, and those readers I treasure as they tell you what they find wrong with your book. The other part likes to tell you what trash your book is, and we call those reviewers, Trolls. They are known as trolls as they do not know how to write a review that helps authors and actually trash their writing dreams. It’s one of the reasons I do not read my reviews anymore as I always concentrate on those 5% negative reviews and forget about the 95% that actually loved it.
Number 3. Marketing.
If I knew that I would spend so much time on marketing, I would probably choose a different career. But I love the first part so much, it’s like breathing that marketing is just something I have to do.
Number 4. Writing the book.
My first book took three years to write, and I thought it was the most challenging part I’d ever done. Writing the book is the easiest part. I wish I knew that before I published.
Number 5. Wattpad.
I wish I knew about Wattpad before I started. Wattpad is a beautiful site if you are starting out, trying to build your fan base. It’s a bit harder if you are an established author using Wattpad and then developing your career.
Number 6. Publishers.
I was with a publisher first before I stepped out on my own. Publishers can really make things sound so sparkling and pretty. Giving you the idea that all you are going to do is write the book. It’s not the truth. If you are not a prominent name author, you will work your tush off for a crazy small amount of the percentage when it comes to royalties. You are lucky if publishers give you half, but most provide you with anything from 12 to 25% of the cut. So be careful when it comes to publishers. They have their strong points in getting your book out there, but you can also step in a ditch and struggle to get out.
Number 7. Editing, editing, editing.
English isn’t my first language, and I can’t tell how important it is to get an editor that can actually edit a book. I had many, many people telling me that they are brilliant at editing. Then I trust them and guess what, when my book gets released, plenty of reviews streamed in about my book being riddled with mistakes. It’s hard to find an editor, and I wished that I actually took an editor’s course before writing.
Number 8. You are going to work your butt off.
If you are not prepared to work your butt off (not meaning literally as you sit on a chair), then don’t do this. I never worked this hard at any of my jobs. So be prepared to work your butt off.
Number 9. Funnel sites.
Ever heard of Book funnel, Prolific, and StoryOrigin. Yip, I wish that I knew about them when I started. They are excellent sites that help you gain newsletter subscribers that love books. You need those to make a success from your writing career.
Number 10: Networking.
You need authors to help you make a success in this career. I started late in life when it comes to this, but glad that I discovered it eventually. This industry is not a competition. The sun is big enough for all of us, and you need author buddies to help with pushing and cross-promoting. It’s like one hand washes the other. Bloggers. Bloggers are gold. Treasure them, and work on your blogger list as you grow.
And that is my ten top list of things I wish I knew before I published my book. If you have anything to add, leave it in the comments. I might not even know about it.
Kristin resides in South Africa, East side of Johannesburg with her husband and two beautiful little girls. Writing has always been a passion of hers and she’s living the dream, being able to write every day. ” I love life, cherish every special second of it and live my dream.” She has recently started her own Publishing company – Fire Quill Publishing in South Africa – http://www.firequillpublishing.com/
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Kelly Marsden is a Yorkshire author who writes fantasy stories. Her first book, The Shadow Rises (Witch-Hunter #1), was published in January 2013 and she now has several successful series under her belt.
Check out our interview on YouTube:
Check out KELLY’s book below!
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(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
With Midwinter just around the corner, Mark’s Nanna decides that it is time he learnt more about his family heritage. Learning witchcraft shouldn’t be too difficult, right? Balancing school, magic, and the distractions of the gorgeous new guy, should make this a very interesting winter.
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve recently finished The Beast Within, an interactive urban fantasy novel. The eBook is currently available for pre-order on amazon and both the eBook and the paperback versions will be released on April 1, 2021. I could not be more thrilled to share Austin’s story with all of my readers. But, that isn’t the new adventure I am excited to tell you about today.
Today I embark on another new adventure, one into the realm of a modern day fantasy. I won’t say to much, or give anything away… not just yet. However, my goal with this story is to blog at least once a week to give you an update on the progress. I’ve never really blogged my writing process from start to finish, but I’ve decided to do it this time as a way to hold myself accountable. I hope that you will join me in this adventure and hold me accountable as well.
My challenge to you is this – Reach out – comment – ask questions – and get engaged! The more excited you are the more motivated I will be to finish this story. And trust me, right now, I am motivated!!!
Update #1 January 26, 2021
WORKING TITLE: Everdal
GENRE: YA/NA Fantasy
STATUS: Character descriptions started
Chapter outline complete
NEXT STEPS: Begin the writing adventure!
Meet Celeste Stevenson, a normal high school student studying for exams and getting ready to celebrate her 17th birthday. She has the perfect boyfriend, the kindest parents, and her whole life ahead of her… or does she?
Meet Liane Carmen, author of the Investigation Duo Series. Like most authors, Liane hopes that her readers will vouch for her if her Google search history ever comes into question!
LIKE – SUBSCRIBE – AND COMMENT BELOW TO BE ENTERED FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ‘WHERE THE TRUTH HIDES’ BY LIANE CARMEN!!!
Check out our interview on YouTube:
Check out LIANE’S bookS below!
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Buried secrets can be deadly.
Becky Morgan has a life most women would envy until a car accident lands her in the hospital. She insists she’s fine, but it quickly becomes clear she’s changed. She’s forgetful, paranoid, short-tempered. Her husband wants to write off her change in personality to the IVF hormones she’s taking in an attempt to get pregnant.
Becky’s best friend, Jules Dalton, is a gorgeous, single woman, with a habit of sabotaging relationships. When Jules loses the man who could have been “the one,” she confronts the realization that being adopted at birth is contributing to her trust issues. She’s obsessed with finding out why she was given up and turns to DNA testing in hopes her matches will lead to her birth parents.
As Jules dives into her DNA results, Becky’s life soon becomes one she doesn’t recognize. Those closest to her are accusing her of things she simply can’t explain or remember. She’s terrified of losing everything: her career, her marriage, and her dream of becoming a mother.
Desperate to put the pieces of her shattered life back together, Becky needs her best friend more than ever. What she doesn’t realize is that Jules knows something that could explain everything away.
Becky has a dark past she’s unaware of. A darkness that’s coming for her.
It could also get her killed.
As a young girl, Donna Thomas tragically lost her mother and sibling. Her wealthy father has been emotionally absent ever since. As an adult, he refused to help, insisting she had to find her own way in life. When he dies, Donna’s convinced this is her chance to get what she deserves. After all, there is no other family.
But then his will deals her an unexpected blow. The estate is to be shared, not only with a mysterious stranger, but also a half-sister Donna didn’t know existed. It’s bad enough she has to share her father’s money, but his last words stipulate she doesn’t get a penny of her inheritance until she locates her half-sister.
Angry and bitter, Donna turns to Becky and Jules who’ve just opened the doors of their new detective agency. Having solved family mysteries of their own, they’re now ready to help others. As they follow the trail Donna’s father left behind, it becomes clear someone else is on the hunt as well. One accidental death in their path could be coincidental, but when it looks like the mystery beneficiary has been murdered, they don’t know who to trust.
As Becky and Jules scramble to find the connection behind Donna’s father and the murdered stranger, they worry time is running out. If they want to find Donna’s half-sister alive, they had better find her fast, because someone else seems to be one sinister step ahead of them—they want what’s theirs, and they’re prepared to kill anyone who gets in their way.
Meet author Valerie Evans; Valerie is a modern fantasy addict living in Georgia. She finally took the plunge, after 7 years, to self-publish her debut novel! In her free time, she likes to read all genres with a focus on fantasy, entertain her very clingy dog, and collect Funko POPS bobbleheads and journals!
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
OF SPELLS AND FUR – As the only known survivor of a horrific massacre years earlier, Molly Hastings has rebuilt her life as a dedicated member of the Anberlin sentries. It’s her job to protect and police the supernatural citizens who call the town home, but the discovery of several bodies has put everyone on edge with no suspect in sight.
Further complicating matters are a call from the home she left behind and the sudden arrival of a werewolf motorcycle club with ties to her past. An unexpected ally is found in Parker Hayes, a hunter facing down his own demons and searching for a future not based in bloodshed, who inspires feelings she hasn’t felt in years.
Amidst the clash between her past and present, Molly finds herself questioning everything she knows about not only those she’s meant to protect but the Sentries themselves. Could everything she’s been taught be a lie, and if it is, can she protect those she cares about?
Although this story takes place in the Anberlin world of my first trilogy, it can be read as a stand-alone novel.
Follow her on Social Media here:
Valerie Evans (@thevalerieevansauthor) • Instagram photos and videos
Meet author Starr Z. Davies; while pursuing her Creative Writing degree, Starr gained a reputation as the “Character Assassin” because she had a habit of utterly destroying her characters emotionally and physically.
ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF ORDINARY BY STARR DAVIES BY COMMENTING BELOW!!!
Check out STARR’s books below!
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(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
When I self-published my first book, I was sure there was an audience for a Greek/English bilingual collection of short stories. There are huge Greek-American communities all across the country and thousands of students young and old trooping off to church for Greek School every week. Surely, I thought, some of them would be interested in quality stories to supplement their language learning! I was sort of right. I sold more books than might be expected for such a niche genre debut from an unknown author, but it wasn’t nearly enough to cover the costs I’d incurred by using a professional translator. I don’t regret it—my Greek definitely isn’t up to that level, and it was worth it for my family in Greece to be able to read my work—but I definitely learned from the experience. When the time came to publish my first novel, I ran a pre-order campaign through Kickstarter to make sure that my audience was at least big enough to cover my publishing costs. To my delight, my Kickstarter was successfully funded, and I was able to publish without putting myself further in the red.
2.Know your weaknesses!
I’ve always prided myself on my ability to learn new things, but it pays to be realistic about what you can and can’t do (like, say, learn Photoshop in less than a month). I’m not saying not to try new things, but definitely don’t put all your eggs in a basket that might break. Do your homework and try out new skills far in advance of when you’ll actually need them so that you can decide what’s worth a little educational investment and what’s not. Once those decisions are made, you can save up for the tasks that will require a professional.
3.Know your strengths!
Conversely, it also pays—or maybe saves—to know what you can do yourself. For instance, I could have done my own line editing for my first book and saved myself a pretty penny. I know some of you are probably gasping or rolling your eyes at my arrogance, but it’s true. I know this not only because I’ve been teaching grammar for close to ten years but because the editor I hired ended up bringing me on to her own staff as an editor just a few months after working on my collection. For my novel, I relied on my own skills and that of my eagle-eyed grammar nerd of a mother, and I have zero regrets (and a lot more money in the bank). I’m definitely not saying you shouldn’t hire an editor. I’m saying you shouldn’t hire an editor just because all those articles and tweets and posts say you aren’t a credible author if you don’t. Similarly, if you’re a trained artist, why shouldn’t you do your own cover art? If you know you’re a damned good designer, why shouldn’t you design your own cover? Of course, in an ideal world an experienced professional is almost always going to be preferable to even a highly skilled amateur, but we don’t live in an ideal world where everyone has the money to hire professionals for everything. Most of us will have to make choices about where we spend our money, and by being realistic about both our weaknesses and our strengths, we can make those choices wisely.
4.Remember that no one can please everyone, but be prepared to grow!
It makes me proud (and relieved) that not a single reviewer has yet tried to diss my writing or editing technique. Many, in fact, make a point of praising the writing itself…which is how I make it through the reviews that critique everything else. Especially hurtful the ones that crap all over my protagonist. Of course I rail internally against those reviews and vent to my CP’s about how a character can’t show any growth if they’re already perfect and how (shocker) teenagers don’t always react like mature adults and how my precious protagonist is UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE, OKAY?! But then I calm down and remember that, if I’ve done my job, characters are like real people. Just like not everyone is going to like me as a person, not everyone is going to like my characters, and that’s okay. Instead, I pay attention to the reviews that have real critiques to offer. After looking for patterns in reviews across my different books, I have a better understanding of my weaknesses and know what I need to work on in my next book.
5. Come prepared to work, because this sh*t is hard!
Meet Danielle Orsino, author of Birth of Fae: Locked Out of Heaven. Her book delves into the realm of fairies and retells their origins from a completely new perspective.
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.)
Ride on the backs of fire breathing dragons with the Dark Fae and watch the Light Fae play in the shadows of primitive humanity as they build their magical world. Abandoned by their creator, two factions of powerful angels remain on earth after the Great War with Lucifer. They struggle to comprehend their Creator’s plan while their angel wings, a symbol of their angelic lineage, slowly and painfully decay. With no hope of returning to the Shining Kingdom, two groups of angels denounce their angelic lineage and develop into separate factions – the Court of Light, led by Queen Aurora, a former Virtue Angel, and the Court of Dark, ruled by King Jarvok, a former Power Brigade Angel. The two monarchs have opposing views on how to govern their kin, but the one belief they agree on is that human worship equals power.
Birth of the Fae: Locked Out of Heaven is an epic fantasy adventure of heartbreak, rebirth, and hope that examines the bonds of family, friendship, and love. It is a fantastic tale of good vs evil in a beautiful world, where the Light Fae and their potent elemental magick are tested by the raw power of the dragon riding Dark Fae warriors.
Nina Soden 