Free Books!

Hey everyone, I wanted to alert you to a couple promos I’m participating in where you can get FREE books!

The first is the Summer Speculative Fiction Promo, which I’m hosting. There are over 140 free science-fiction, fantasy, and horror novels to choose from. There are short stories, sample chapters, and full-length novels. Want something new to read? Check it out! Click the image for more info.

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The other promo I’m participating in is the Summer is Coming Fantasy promo. This is all fantasy, all the time! There are a ton of great books available. Find out more by clicking the image.

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That’s it for today. Please check out the promos and share this post so others can learn of the free goodness available. Thanks!

 

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – PC3

Today’s author you should know is PC3.

Author PC3 (Patrick Harrison III) is a super talented author of horror. His work is gripping and realistic, even when dealing with the dark side of fiction.

I was made familiar with PC3’s work when we were both in the Hellbound Books anthology Shopping List Vol. 2. Once I read his story, I was hooked! I’m currently reading his novel Inferno Bound and the Hell Hounds and I cannot recommend it enough for those into horror. It’s bloody, dark, and perfect for an escape from our reality.

Since I came across his work, we’ve been in several Facebook groups together and I’m slowly learning more about this amazing writer. He’s crazy talented and definitely worth your hard earned cash. Go buy his books!

From his Amazon page:

Patrick C. Harrison III (PC3) is a writer of horror, bizarro, splatterpunk, and dark erotica. He lives with his wife and children on the outskirts of Greenville, Texas. He is a scary person.

To find all the books available from PC3, check out his Amazon page or his website.

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Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – Thomas S. Gunther

Today’s author you should know is Thomas S. Gunther.

Thomas is an absolutely brilliant horror writer. I’ve read several of his short stories and loved them all. He writes excellent tales of dark and dread and they are so entertaining. You really need to try his work!

I met Thomas through Twitter where he’d comment on a few posts of mine and I’d do the same with his posts. I was able to read one of his stories and his talent blew me away! On top of that, he has been a big advocate of my work for which I’m super appreciative of. We’ve both had short stories published in Hellbound Books anthologies with Thomas’ stories finding homes in their collections The Big Book of Bootleg Horror Vol.2 and The Big Book of Bootleg Horror Vol.4.

Thomas’ bio from his Smashwords page:

Thomas S. Gunther enjoys reading and writing fiction of all kinds, though he is partial to horror. Like the original American horror writer, Edger Allen Poe, he favors the short story over longer works, though he is currently working on a novel (or two), as well. He is employed as an aquatic transfer engineer on a tree farm but also works as a writer/editor for occasional private clients. While his parents had hoped he would pursue his artistic talents, he chose to draw with words instead, having been inspired by various writers, including but not limited to, Jack London, Harlan Ellison, Stephen King, and Clive Barker. In turn, his work may be described as being a mix of brutality, dark humor, and the macabre. The stories showcased here are just a sampling of the many he has written. Three of his short stories have recently made it into print within the pages of three separate anthologies with another publisher (whose initials are HBB). While not stabbing at his novel(s), Thomas works diligently on a collection–long overdue–of short stories entitled, “Mumbling Darkly,” (sharing the same name as his WordPress page), which he hopes to publish soon, possibly 2019). He has one son from a previous relationship (very handsome and much brighter than his father), and two older kids, and several grandchildren via his second marriage. When not working or writing, Thomas S. Gunther spends his days helping his beautiful wife around their home in Kalamazoo, MI, making sure the dog doesn’t eat the youngest grandson, eat the flowers, or dig up the cats buried in the backyard.

You can find more of Thomas’ short stories on Smashwords or check out his blog for more about this super-talented writer!

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Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!

Jason’s Authors You Need to Know – Pamela Morris

Today’s author you need to know is Pamela Morris.

If you’ve been a long time reader (and you are, aren’t you?) of my blog, Pamela’s name is no surprise. She’s an absolutely amazing author writing mostly horror and dark fiction. Her writing is infused with realism and down-right excellent talent. When I want a great horror fix (or opinions on my own horror writing) I do not hesitate to pick up her books or share my work with her. She’s super-crazy-talented and someone you really want to try if you like dark, wonderfully written novels.

I’ve interviewed her on the blog and I’ve reviewed her book Dark Hollow Road.

Here’s her bio from her Amazon page:

Raised in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, but forever longing for the white sands of New Mexico, Pamela has always loved mysteries and the macabre. Combining the two in her own writing, along with her love for historical research and genealogy, came naturally. Hours spent watching ‘Monster Movie Matinee’, ‘Twilight Zone’, a myriad of Hammer Films, and devouring books by Stephen King, Tanith Lee, and Anne Rice probably helped, too.

Outside of her work as a novelist, Pamela has written numerous historic articles for the Tioga County Courier, an Owego, NY newspaper. She has done genealogy research for family and friends and was a Civil War reenactor for close to ten years. In 2014 Pamela joined the ranks of writers for the online magazine, The Good Men Project. She also enjoys scrapbooking, bad B-Movies, road trips with her husband, and feeding the crows that frequent their back yard.

Seriously go check out her books. If you’re a fan of horror, you won’t be disappointed. Find out more on her website pamelamorrisbooks.com.

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Come back tomorrow for another author you need to know!

 

Jason’s Authors You Should Know – Simon Bleaken

Today’s author you should know is Simon Bleaken.

Simon is a prolific short story writer who writes primarily horror and science fiction. I was first acquainted with Simon while working with Schreyer Ink Publishing with their Twilight Madhouse short story collections. I was in Vol. 1 and Simon’s work appeared in Vol. 2. I got a chance to read the collection ahead of publication and his story was one of my favorites. I’ve since read more of his excellent work, most notably his own short story collection A Touch of Silence and Other Tales.

From his Amazon page:

Simon Bleaken lives in Wiltshire in the United Kingdom where he writes short stories, mostly in the horror, fantasy and Sci-Fi genres.

Outside of writing, his interests include Egyptology and ancient history. He is a keen supporter of environmental causes.

He is also a member of The Pagan Federation, OBOD (The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids), The Druid Network, and The Friends of the Boscastle Museum of Witchcraft. He also supports the Stonewall charity and Greenpeace.

His work has appeared in magazines and book anthologies in Britain, the USA and Japan.

I can’t say enough about Simon’s talent and generosity when it comes to his fellow writers and human beings. He’s an exceptional writer and someone you ought to check out.

Here’s a guest post he offered for the blog back in February which also includes an excerpt of his writing.

Go to his Amazon page to learn more and find many of the collections featuring his short stories.

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Come back tomorrow for another author you should know!

Book Review: Dark Hollow Road

I was so excited to get my hands on the newest novel from Pamela Morris. Want to know what I thought? Read on for my review!

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Pamela Morris’ latest novel Dark Hollow Road is a psychological horror story that grips you from the start.

The novel follows Mary Alice Brown who we’re introduced to early on as the oldest of four children. They live with their abusive and alcoholic father Clay Brown in rural Pennsylvania. The poor family lives far away from outsiders and sticks to their own.

When we first meet Mary, we find she’s the victim of abuse at the hands of her father and this sets the dark, eerie tone for the entire novel. Mary comes across as both victim and monster (as the story progresses) and it’s not hard to sympathize with her plight. I loathed her while wanting to help her. Mary fights for everything she has and wants nothing more than to have her family whole. This passion drives her to do what she does though the madness consumes her.

We’re also introduced to a family that moves in next door. Renee, her son Brandon, and her partner Samantha find a house near the old Brown house and soon experience weird situations, culminating with a visit from the Sugar Lady. Contrary to her sweet name, the Sugar Lady is not someone you want to meet.

One of the unique aspects of Dark Hollow Road is the alternating view points. The chapters from Mary’s point of view are in first person and the chapters dealing with Renee’s son Brandon are in third person. Pamela handles this back and forth with great skill and the chapters are fluid and entertaining.

The overall tone of the novel is dark and foreboding. The abuse Mary suffers early in life dominates everything she does. She’s so wrapped up in preserving her family she doesn’t realize how she’s destroying it herself.

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were well crafted and believable. The setting was perfect for the story. The tone and pace were spot on. Do yourself a favor, if you like creepy psychological horror that makes you squirm, try Dark Hollow Road by Pamela Morris.

NaNoWriMo Novel 2017: “Soul Windows”

As NaNoWriMo quickly approaches, I want to share a bit more about the novel I plan to write.

The title is “Soul Windows.” It’s a reference to the term “Eyes are the windows to the soul.” This should be a true horror novel, if it all goes to plan. Of course, the beauty of NaNo is that it often doesn’t go according to plan!

The story follows a twenty something man as he and his girlfriend encounter a horrific series of murders in the small town of Brownsville. If you’ve read any of my writing, you may recognize the town. It’s one I set many stories in, kinda like Stephen King. The town is based loosely on where I live. Back in the 1840’s, the county seat of Jackson County, IL (where I live) was in Brownsville. It was about 3 1/2 miles west of Murphysboro. It burned to the ground and the town was relocated to Murphysboro which is now the current county seat. I like that the ghost town doesn’t exist, yet can be a pseudonym for Murphysboro. It’s the perfect place to create all kinds of creepy and scary stuff.

The couple, and the town, must deal with a series of murders that occur on the full moon of every month. The victims are discovered with one eye removed and the eye is never found. The story takes place from August through November of the year of the story. I’m not sure if I want to actually use a year, like 2017, or leave that up to the reader to decide. I’m leaning toward not using an actual year.

Other than that, my loose outline is just that: loose. I’m going with more discovery writing versus planning the entire story out. I’ve already created character sketches for three main characters. I have the town and setting ready to go. I’ve mulled over motives and reasons why the crazed murderer does what they do.

I intend to shoot for 60,000 – 70,000 words. I’ve done it before. Several years back I wrote a horror/thriller novel that clocked in at 75,000 words, so I know it’s possible for me. That means if I break it down by the numbers, I need to average at least 2,000 words per day. Doable, but I’ll need to focus and make sure to dedicate my writing time solely to this while at the same time revising my latest novel set to release in January!

I’ve created a private Facebook group for fellow writers doing NaNo this year. It’s a small group and fairly quiet now, however I hope it’s a place to encourage one another and share experiences as we go through November. If you’d like to join, click here and I’ll add you to the group.

Good luck to all you other Wrimos! If you’re doing it this year, feel free to add a comment below. What kind of story are you writing? Are you a pantser or plotter? Just remember, you got this!