Archive
The Writing Machine
I haven’t blogged much as I should have recently. I’ll make no promises that I’ll step it up to a few posts a week in the immediate future either. My dayjob has been kicking me between the legs so much lately it’s becoming repetitive. I hope I get used to it and build up a tolerance. Although I hate to imagine having callouses “down there!”
Anyhow, in spite of the day to day burdens of life at a tier 1 auto supplier, the write must go on. I try to squeeze some writing in on lunch since I never leave the day job except to go home at the end of the day, but even that’s been denied to me this week. The answer? headphones.
One of my wife’s favorite shows (perhaps her current favorite altogether) just started back up, “The Voice.” I admit, it’s kind of catchy at times and I do enjoy the train wreck that is Christina Aguilara’s outfits. The problem is it comes on when the kids go to bed and that’s prime writing time. Enter the headphones. I fire up a selection of music I’ve loaded for inspiring creative genius and go to town. Sure, there are still some distractions with the Voice in the background and my wife occasionally laughing or talking to me (I keep the volume low enough to hear what’s going on around me).
In spite of the distractions the music helps keep me more focused, even if it only serves as white noise. Monday night, for example, I cranked out 2000 words on my current work in progress (Child of Fate, a fantasy novel beginning a new series). Last night I shocked myself by managing over 3000 words in an even shorter time frame. With Child of Fate I’m shooting for an average of 3000 words per chapter and I’m some in the early to mid 20′s for chapter count. Two more to go and I expect the book will be finished.
So what’s next after Child of Fate? I’m tempted to launch into book two right away, but I’m considering my options. I may branch out and try something completely different from my usual fair, but I remain undecided. Whatever it is I’ll keep plugging away like the writing machine that I am. That much is certain.
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.
Insert Snazzy Headline Here
I pondered for quite some time on a topic for this blog post. I thought about trying to capitalize on current events in some way, but whether Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes get a divorce or not has no bearing on me. Similarly, I have no opinion or interest in whether Anderson Cooper is publicly coming out. So that left me with a whole lot of nothing catchy to use as Twitter-bait. Instead I decided to let the readers create their own subject. It seemed like a good idea at the time…
So what’s the purpose of this post? To share current events as they apply to me and anybody who’s interested in what those events may be. I’m referring to localized current events – for example after years of hearing about it and even sampling other people’s streams, I’ve never noticed or cared about Pandora. Until today. I fired it up since I don’t have my iTunes library loaded on my laptop and holy crap, this thing is awesome! I can now burrow away and work for hours without any awareness of the passing of time! How cool is that?
In other news, the edited copy of Voidhawk – Lost Soul hit my desk last night. I’ve been working on it and, so far, I’m four chapters through it. My editor, Lisa Shalek, rocks! She’s the kind of editor that wants a story to make sense and pushes me to add details where they’re needed (or eliminate them). She also slips in entertaining comments throughout that leave me greatly amused. It took a few books to thicken my skin but now that I’m there, I’ve also grown to the point where even the first drafts aren’t in need of as much work. Now I think she just enjoys poking me with sharp sticks for fun instead of because I deserve it.
Bound, a stand alone novel that happens to take place in my Dark Earth setting, has been sent to Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. I’ll fire off another post when it’s ready – probably tomorrow, complete with links and cover art. It’s a great one, but it departs slightly from my typical style. This one is almost pure romance, and by romance I mean adult romance. Yeah, it could probably earn an NC-17 or maybe even a little higher rating for a few scenes that take place in it. I’m trying to broaden my offerings a little and reach out to more people that don’t realize they can enjoy different styles of books. Cross-genre is how I roll…
And here’s what a lot of people want to hear – I spent a lot of hours in the car over the weekend (driving to Michigan and back, not just because it’s fun to go sit in the car in my garage). All that time driving caused me to do a lot of thinking. Somehow, in spite of all that time I still don’t care that Anderson Cooper is gay. I did come up with a lot of great ideas to add into Black Widow, my current project (The Lost Girls series, book 4). I had some neat new ideas for a book I’ll be working with my wife on at some point (hopefully in the near to mid future) – that one will be a stand alone novel (action / adventure, thriller, romance, etc.). And last but far from least, I also stumbled across some great ideas for the next Vitalis book. And yes, I mean book, damn it. I’m planning on having this one is going to be the longest one yet, aside from the omnibus. Right now the working title is ‘Resurrection’.
So stay tuned, I’ll have release news for Bound very soon! And hopefully I can get Voidhawk – Lost Soul out in a week or two. Of course that means I have to work harder and faster on Black Widow, but that’s okay, I’m loving how this one is trying to write itself for me.
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.
You Can’t Fight Crazy
In addition to my day job and writing I also own Novel Concept Publishing with J.E. Taylor. Jane is primarily the editor and person who determines the thumbs up or thumbs down on submissions, but she defers to me when it comes to science fiction and fantasy stories. Thus far we haven’t had a lot of stories in those genres submitted to us, but one early one came from Marc Hamlet and I jumped at the chance to help him out and publish The Capable Man. Great sales on it thus far have reinforced my decision. But that’s just filler and an attempt to drive a little more traffic Marc’s way. Now onto the crazy…
The nature of the game is that for every one title that is accepted, there are a greater number that get turned away. It’s not out of spite and it’s not because we’re afraid to take on the work. It’s because the manuscript just won’t work or it is need of so much editing that we don’t feel we can take it on. In some cases that disappoints me, because I see some potential in a story but I know it’s going to take too much work to bring it out and make it shine. Between my schedule and Jane’s we wouldn’t be able to devote the attention it requires. I had one of those just recently, in fact, and I’m hoping that writer takes the feedback I gave him to heart and acts on it.
Then there’s other submissions that won’t work because they read like a plate of spaghetti. Nothing makes sense, there’s no proper flow to it, the sentences are jumbled, and perhaps even accepted formatting standards are blatantly ignored. I had that recently too. My first thought was to suggest the author try writing it in a version of English I might understand, but I realized that might sound inappropriate. After all, writing a novel is a lot of work and putting that much effort into something deserves a degree of respect, even if it does read like a randomly generated spam comment.
So I sent a respectful rejection letter. There’s no such thing in NCP’s library as a form letter, everything we do is hand written and tailored to each person. We want to help out even those who aren’t ready yet, such as this case. I offered some feedback and suggestions, even a direction I thought the writer should take. At no point was I rude or belittling. The almost immediate response I received from the writer was:
“Piss off and get lost!!!!!“
My reaction? A moment of shock, a moment of sadness, and then laughter. What else can you do? I shared it with my wife, who went through the same emotional process I did, then I shared it with Jane. Her response turned into the title of this blog.
The lesson for writers everywhere is to keep an open mind. Take feedback in every form and use it to improve yourself. Equally importantly, act professional. Burning bridges and flying off the handle doesn’t get you far in the world. Unless this particular would-be writer can open their mind and learn to accept feedback, they’ll forever remain a would-be.
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.
Writing Outside of the Box
I had somebody ask me a while back on this very blog if it was suicide for a writer to write in more than one genre. My feelings are that it should be quite the opposite, and here’s why.
I’m a science fiction writer, but my second most successful series is a fantasy series called Voidhawk. Granted, Voidhawk is a space fantasy, but I assure you there is little to no science to be found in it. I’ve also dabbled in a few other genres, including romance. Only once so far, but it was a fun experience and I may very well revisit it in the future. So with that said I clearly have no qualms about jumping genres. In fact many of my titles cross genres. I’m reckless like that. I’ve been known to let my veggies cross the line on my plate to mingle with my steak as well.
I believe in a story, whether its mine or not. The story, if it’s good, determines how enjoyable a read it is, not the genre or length. So you’ve got astronauts landing on a derelict space ship, neat. They stumble into a locked vault that hasn’t been opened in centuries? Cool. Their are giants entombed in the hold with the bodies of horses? Rock on! They just woke up and sank their fangs into the human astronauts, sucking out their blood and turning them into vampires? Um…sure, why not?
My stories aren’t quite that exotic. If I could find a way to make it work I wouldn’t be opposed to giving it a shot. I do have a series that starts with urban fantasy and jumps heavily into paranormal (Dark Earth). From there it continues to blend in science fiction and more paranormal (The Lost Girls, Voices), and also introduce a heavy dose of mystery / hard boiled detective (The Lost Girls, upcoming release of Traitor).
Readers are smart people. They know what they like and when they find it, they’ll read it. In most cases they’re not going to view a writer who strayed from their chosen genre as a traitor. In fact, it’s far more likely that they’re probably going to be more likely to step out of their own comfort zone and try something out of the ordinary because of it. I have a few readers who have told me that they’ve strayed into unfamiliar waters because they liked my writing style. The end result was them being excited at being introduced to a new genre.
Now if you’ve got a genre where you’re consistently nailing best sellers with each release it might be prudent to stick with it. Otherwise expand your horizons and branch out. Try something new, you’ll grow from it and more than likely grow your reader pool, rather than decrease it!
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.
A Rare Quiet Moment With J.E. Taylor
I cornered Jane recently and forced her to answer the questions. It wasn’t really under duress but then again, history is written by the conquerors… Of particular note I have personally read her book, Vengeance, and it was a very captivating read. I highly recommend it (and her others).
Tell us about your books – share some of your misery with other would-be writers to give them hope.
My publishing journey has been a bumpy rollercoaster ride to say the least. I started writing in 2007 and by this, I mean every waking moment when I wasn’t at my day job or attempting to feed my kids and get them to their activities – I wrote. For eighteen months, I plunged head down into this alternate world of fiction, fantasy, sex, violence and crime.
When I submerged from my writing stint, I had eight novels – eight full-length novels. Of course, those first drafts sucked. But I didn’t know that – I thought they were the next best selling phenomenon – the best thing since sliced bread, you know – I thought they rocked. Wrong! So very wrong!
I also didn’t know the first thing about querying agents. So, by the time I had figured out the right way to approach the query-go-round, I had burned the bridges of my “most wanted agents” list and I just wanted to hide under the dining room table in embarrassment.
After a litany of rejections and some shrewd advice from a wonderful writing group I joined, I took some writing and editing courses and honed my craft, applying what I learned to my manuscripts. Then I started searching for a home.
The first three books I wrote were not mainstream. Nope, they were edgy erotic thrillers. A serious blend of steamy scenes and violence along with a paranormal twist that no one expects. The first book in the series – Survival Games – either people LOVE it or they can’t get through it. There’s no middle ground on this one and I was floored when I got a publishing contract from a small erotic press and Survival Games went on to get great reviews and even a Grade A Select rating from Romance At Heart.
So my next hurdle focused on getting my FBI thriller series out the door. The first in this series had the original title of Mirror Lake and I attempted the agent route again, getting a couple full manuscript requests that really didn’t lead anywhere outside of some decent feedback. I took what those agents said to heart and dove in with new edits. I also rebranded it under the title Dark Reckoning. So with the re-tooling of both the book and the blurb, and re-branding under a more appropriate title that fit more readily with the other two in the series, I started getting more read requests from agents. But by this time, my erotic publisher announced the opening of a sister company that would focus on mainstream fiction. I veered from the agent search and jumped at the opportunity – and Dark Reckoning – the first in the Steve Williams series – found a home.
Why self-publishing?
Well, after going through the publication process for the Games Series as well as Dark Reckoning and Vengeance, and working for my publisher formatting and uploading to distribution sites as well as editing manuscripts for the better part of a year, I decided to step out on my own for Hunting Season. About that same time, my publisher announced she was reverting to a co-op, which meant they’d still collect a cut off the top – but offer no other services. The author’s were on their own for cover art, editing, formatting and uploading as well as requesting reviews. I didn’t see an upside to this and I had enough experience under my belt, so I opted out and pulled my books with me.
About that same time, another author under the same publishing umbrella approached me about a venture – starting our own publishing house. Novel Concept Publishing, LLC was born and you guessed it – my partner in crime is none other than Jason Halstead (Editors note: Jason Halstead is a great guy).
And my latest release through our publishing house is the fourth book in the Steve Williams series: Georgia Reign.
What advice can you give to other writers trying to be published?
Here’s a check list that may help you before you begin the submission process:
- Do you have too much back-story in the beginning?
- Back-story dumps can slow the pace and bore the reader, so make sure your back-story is limited to what the reader NEEDS to know. You as the author should know far more about your character – but limit the information to a need to know basis. If it does nothing to move the story forward, kill it.
- Do you have a consistent point of view?
- If you head hop – it will dilute the impact of the story and create an emotional abyss between your characters and your reader. They won’t connect and will likely put the book down. Think of Point of View this way – what can you see, hear, feel and think? – you’re not seeing things behind you – unless you’re an alien with eyes on both sides of your head – so your characters shouldn’t be able to see someone rolling their eyes or approaching them from behind. Sounds of someone approaching – yes, but sight – no. Unless your character is a mind reader – he can’t know for certain what anyone else is thinking – but he can deduce it from the other character’s body language, which means showing the reader the body language too.
- Do you show your readers your character’s physical reactions to stimulus?
- Visceral reactions – someone jumps from behind a tree and yells boo – do you tell the reader that your character is startled? Or do you show them the sudden jar to the heart, the gulp of breath – or yelp that escapes, the step back – or in some cases, stumbling fall back and then the startled expression or the shift in emotional state when they realize it’s someone they know just trying to scare them. If you don’t show the reactions – go back and fix this – especially in the scenes that are pivotal in your story where emotional hits make or break the scene.
- Have you gone through every sentence, paragraph and scene and validated that it moves the story forward or gives the character more depth?
- If it does not add to the story, take the sentence, paragraph or scene out. Objectivity is one of the hardest things to come by with your own work – but it is a necessary evil. Do the right thing and trim the fat.
- Do you have a great hook/blurb/pitch?
- This is necessary to get an agent or publisher to look at your work – this is your foot in the door and without boiling your book down to a marketable slogan, you’ll continue to have a hard time selling your manuscript. This takes practice and some feedback, so find a writers group like the Backspace forum or a Yahoo group in your genre that offers feedback and put the blurb you have up for comment.
I think that’s enough of a start for those writers trying to publish.
Ebooks vs. print books, your preference for writing AND reading?
E-books lately, especially when I’m at the beach.
Kindle, Nook, or something else altogether?
Kindle – and loving it.
How do you find your readers and how do you interact / relate with them?
The main places where I’ve connected with readers are my networking sites: facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Kindle Boards to name a few. I also have a website and people are free to contact me on any of these platforms to let me know what they thought of my books or to say hi in general.
I know you’re a busy girl, what’s your near to mid future road map look like?
Publish. Publish. Publish. J Not just my novels, but those of authors that we’ve taken under the Novel Concept Publishing wing.
Finally – share a little dirt. I know you figured out a way to balance family, day job, editing, and writing, so what’s your kryptonite?
5 Hour energy drink. Not kidding.
Actually, I haven’t figured out a practical way to juggle all my obligations. Something always has to give. In the past, it has been the family. Sure I’m sitting in the family room with the lap desk – in the middle of the action, but I’m not really here – and this year, the kids have given me a little grief about it. Balance is key – and I’m still searching for the perfect balance of business and family life.
Where can anxious readers find you on the web?
Website: www.JETaylor75.com
Blog: http://jetaylor75.blogspot.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/JETaylor/190872939774
Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/#!/JETaylor75
Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153969.J_E_Taylor
Kindleboards Page: http://www.kindleboards.com/book/?asin=B004WOY07E&sample=N
Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003FER8M6
Smashwords Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JETaylor75
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.
Overcoming Random Writing Pitfalls
It occurred to me that I’ve been blogging for a while now and the value of my blogs to my fellow writers might not have been as helpful as it has been in the past. Oh sure, I’m trying to share what I learn as I fight my way into the industry, but I’m contacted fairly regularly by people who are at the beginning phases and are desperate for help in trying to achieve their dreams.
First a disclaimer: I’m still reaching for my dreams, I’m not there yet. What are my dreams? Making writing my day job. I know some people who have reached that point though, and without exception they are stand up people that I’d be happy to spend time with. I’m working on it though and to that point I’ve made my way up to over 150 books sold a month, including some wonderful people in Europe. So take my advice as my opinions only. These tricks and tips work for me, but maybe the won’t for you. Even if they don’t I encourage you to read them with an open mind and see if maybe they might spawn some out of the box idea that will help you when you’re in a bind. With that said, on to the questions:
I want to write a book about such-and-such, but I don’t know how to start it!
This is an easy one for me. Make yourself the main character. Sure, it can be a little awkward if the main character is significantly different from yourself, but I’m not suggesting you dress like the character or anything. Just put yourself in that character’s shoes. Once you’ve accomplished that, figure out what the character is going to be doing at any given point and then start writing about it. Ideally your story should start with an explosion. Not necessarily a literal one, but some event or scene with instant excitement that has the reader hooked as quickly as possible. As an example, a book I’m editing right now (Traitor, the sequel to The Lost Girls) starts with my main character out shopping with a friend when she spots a suspicious couple. She trails them, convinced that the girl is under duress and the guy is going to do something particularly nasty to her. This is confirmed when she discovers they’ve slipped into a restricted section of the mall behind a locked door. Out comes the badge and the gun – my main character’s in her prime now, this is what she lives for.
I’ve been working on a story but I’m stuck!
This happens to me too. I deal with it in different ways. Some times I need to shelve the book for a little bit and work on something else. My subconscious keeps working on it though and at some point it forces its way back into the foreground and says, “Since you can’t figure this out, I did it for you – now write this!”
Other times I need to reread it and revise it. My original plans for Wanted involved a lot more happening in that first book. There was supposed to be one character running away from the others who then got “rescued” by a scary group of people. Convinced he needed to win their trust he’d try to become one of them and betray his former companions, all the while that former group would be searching for him. I got stuck though – it didn’t make sense and I couldn’t figure out a way around it. Rather than load it full of BS that I wouldn’t buy I took a step back and then realized I had the perfect solution. It required me blowing away over 8,000 words of the story, then rewriting it so that it ended a lot sooner than I’d first planned. It was a much better story at that point though. Readers agree – Wanted outsells every other book I have by at least a ratio of 4:1 and I regularly get feedback praising the book. In fact, I got so much positive feedback I was compelled to write a sequel called Ice Princess.
So my advice for this is to make sure you’re not forcing something that doesn’t work. Rather than trying to pound that square peg in a round hole see if maybe you should change things so that it fits better. It might not be what you wanted, but if you keep an open mind you’ll probably be a lot happier with the finished product.
I wrote a book, but it’s unpublished and I don’t know what to do with it!
It used to be that was the case of a lot of people with good stories to tell. These days publishing is changing. A lot. I’ve been trying to get people to read my stuff via the Internet since the early 90s – unfortunately I didn’t know how to write back then so it was a crap shoot at best for me. These days I’m a much better writer and there are all sorts of opportunities for people who are willing to publish both digitally and via print. A few print on demand companies exist that are affordable, if you feel you must see your book in print (Createspace, Lightning Source, Lulu, and others). I use Createspace myself, though I often get angry when doing so for a variety of reasons I won’t go into. To be honest, those reasons are likely to be my own quirks as much as they are problems with the company. Worth mentioning is that I only get the print version of the books for either giveaways or for gifts to those who aren’t interested in an e-reader.
Ebooks, on the other hand, are the way of the future. Print books will never go away, but they have been showing steady declines in sales compared to their digital counterparts. Likewise using a POD service will most likely not get you through the doors and into major bookstore retailers. With an ebook that is not the case! Amazon and Barnes and Nobles both have massive online presence catering to their ereaders. I prefer the Kindle myself, but that’s only because I haven’t played with the Nook. I have friends who prefer the Nook from Barnes and Noble. In either case, as a writer you can self-publish your work via Amazon’s KDP site or the Barnes and Noble PubIt website. Alternatively there’s Smashwords, another great epublishing site that will also reach out to both Amazon and Barnes and Nobles, as well as many other distribution channels. Only problem with Smashwords is the delay in getting royalties from the downstream e-tailers.
That’s all there is to it – just self-publish and watch the success come rolling in!
Or wait, maybe it’s not so simple. What about cover art for the book? Editing? Marketing and promotion? Yeah, it’s a lot more complicated than I’d ever realized. That’s one of the backbones of my blog, my exploration into the trials of publishing. It can be done on your own and it can be done at very low cost. Or if you want some help you can try to find one of the many publishing companies that have sprung up recently. I’ve got one too that I co-own with a friend and fellow writer. She’s also a wickedly good editor, with added emphasis on the “wicked”. She wields that red pen like a scythe some days. Anyhow, if you think you’ve got a good enough book and want to send it our way, stop by our website at http://www.novelconceptpublishing.com and click on submissions. We focus on filling in the holes we experienced with other publishers – bad communication, poor business intelligence info, infrequent royalty payments, and a lack of marketing / promotion to say the least. Oh, and the author keeps 70% – 75% of the royalties. We’re here to help each other out, not to get rich off of someone else’s hard work.
Those are the three big questions I see the most – at least among questions not centered around me or my own work. And since this isn’t about me, there’s no reason to bother anyone with that Q & A. I’m happy to field more questions though! If you’ve got them post them as a comment or send me an email (jason@booksbyjason.com). I love helping other writers out – it helps me out just as much.
To learn more about Jason Halstead, visit his website to learn about him, his books, sign up for his newsletter, or check out some free samples of his books at http://www.booksbyjason.com.
Hidden Evil, by Bob Stewart
No, it’s not a review it’s a press-release of sorts. Novel Concept Publishing has just released a new book – and this time it’s by Bob Stewart.
Novel Concept Publishing, LLC announces the release of HIDDEN EVIL by Bob Stewart.
HIDDEN EVIL is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords.
In an upcoming interview, Bob shared what prompted him to write HIDDEN EVIL…
“Reared in Texas I had heard rumblings of occult power, but generally it was the superstition generated by well-meaning people who want to insure good health, happiness or wealth; a rather benign practice that involves candles, herbs or ritual. It wasn’t until People Magazine assigned me to report on the sacrifice/murder of a college student on Spring Break on the South Texas border that I came into contact with the evil side of the occult. I had never heard the words Santeria or Palo Mayombe, until then. As I stood amid a number of fly-covered graves, when I visited the death shack on a desolate rancho in Mexico, I discovered an evil as ancient as any practice during Biblical times. Hidden Evil is my way of drawing attention to this culture flourishing in the halls of the rich and the powerful as well as humble adobe shacks. While it is fiction, many of the incidents and rituals used in the book are based on fact.”
The rest of J.E. Taylor’s interview with Bob Stewart will be available on Halloween. In the meantime, here’s a first look at HIDDEN EVIL:
Hidden Evil, by Bob Stewart
HIDDEN EVIL by Bob Stewart
After a drug-addled teenager turns the annual Battle of Flowers Parade into a bloodbath, Majorette Cindi Neff – photographed blood covered and screaming beside the body of a dead classmate – becomes the media symbol of the tragedy, and the object of cult leader Juan Otero’s obsession.
Soon after his burial, the gravesite of Cindi’s dead classmate is violated and Deputy Sheriff Nancy Neff, an expert in Afro-Caribbean religions, is called to the scene. Minister Luke Oeding, a representative for the bereaved family, joins Nancy in the investigation into this unimaginable crime.
In a deadly chess match of good versus evil, they plunge into the world of the South Texas drug cult and come face to face with Palo Mayombe, the darkest of the hidden religions. When Cindi Neff is kidnapped, Nancy and Luke race to save her from the clutches of the malevolent cult before she is sacrificed in an Easter Sunday Palo Mayombe ritual.
“Bob Stewart’s new novel, HIDDEN EVIL, is ripped directly from today’s headlines about drug smuggling on the Texas border. This puts a face to the horrors that we seem to see daily on the evening news. Deeply-disturbed characters, facing what they see as a black future, turn to drugs and the occult and what follows…human sacrifice. It’s a tale that begins with a Columbine-style massacre and ends on Easter Sunday in a classic battle between good and evil. I don’t read vampire or werewolf novels simply because I don’t believe they exist and it’s a bit difficult to conjure up any kind of delicious fear by pretend monsters, but these folks are real and quite possibly living on my block… so, yeah… it pushed my fear button. After I read it, I slept with the nightlight on for a week. Get this book. It’s truly scary and it’s damned fine writing and story-telling.” Les Edgerton Author of Hooked, Just Like That, The Bitch, The Rapist and others.
Excerpt from HIDDEN EVIL:
Book One-Chapter One
A mixed blessing. That’s how Nancy Neff viewed chaperone duty. Within a few minutes she would join a dozen other band parents, all loaded with water and supplies. But, only one of them would be carrying a gun, tucked away in a fanny bag, under a backpack filled with white shoe polish, Band-Aids, water, and Gatorade.
Her only regret when she volunteered for this duty was that she could not watch Cindi strut her stuff as lead majorette. She felt foolish at the thought. Andy had never seen his daughter twirl a baton or heard the appreciative applause in a packed football stadium, never looked into her emerald green eyes, the same color as his, or taught her how to dance or gave her first date grief.
“She’s not going to be allowed to date until she’s 45, and then when the ol’ boy shows up it’d better be with three tickets,” he said one night while feeling the child kick in her bloated belly.
She gave her standard reply. “I’m sure she’ll want you to go with them.”
This bit of nonsense had become a ritual on the rare nights he was home.
“Better yet. When he shows up I’ll be cleaning my service revolver. No. Better yet. I’ll get my shotgun and be putting shells in it when she escorts him into the living room to meet me. Maybe I’ll be wearing my uniform and badge and pistol.”
They laughed at the vivid image of a nervous teen before an armed stern officer of the law before Nancy said, “No. You won’t do that.”
“Yes I will. Just you wait and see.”
On the day Cindi was born, he was denied the joys of parenthood, except for one brief moment, and then he saw only the blue eyes that all babies are born with. Sometimes the guilt overwhelmed her. Why had she been allowed the privilege of the child and Andy had been denied?
The regret was compounded by sixteen years of guilt and longing for what might have been, never for what could be. How could she exist in any other reality? Her love remained in the past. Cindi was all that made life bearable. Cindi was her happiness and her future. She rarely dated, and these men quickly discovered that there was no room for anyone else; just the ghost of the past and the reality of the present.
“You would think after sixteen years I could start over,” she muttered aloud, taking the Broadway exit off Interstate 35 near downtown San Antonio. “Maybe even resurrect my life, or what’s left of it.”
* * * *
Luke Oeding looked around. The Harringtons were late. No surprise there. He came early to hold a place for them so they’d have a good view of their tuba-totting son after they helped the band with last-minute details. Luke claimed a good spot along the curb at an intersection in front of The San Antonio Light, and across the street from the WRW-TV platform.
He breathed in the ambiance of the parade. Cotton candy, hot dogs, sausage on a stick, and fajitas mingled with the sharp odor of spilled beer and body odor. Music, laughter, crying children, and vendors hawking everything from food to fiesta folderol wrapped him in a festive buzz.
Sun sparked golden diamonds off bass horns and baritones and French horns as students paraded down the street in a calliope of colors, red and blue, black and yellow, green and brown, all accented by thousands of freshly polished white shoes.
Again, he looked around for the Harringtons, and checked his watch.
The cool fall morning was already giving way to a sweltering heat that would soon wilt the students in woolen uniforms.
“Mommy, I can’t see. That man’s in the way.”
From the mouth of a child.
“Hush.” It was a serious whisper.
Luke turned to look down at a woman holding a tiny child, delicate and blonde. Bittersweet memories washed his soul as he stepped back and gestured toward the space in front of him. “Why don’t you step in front of me, then the child can see.”
Luke hushed her protest with a raised palm.
“That’s one of the privileges in being tall. You can see over everyone.”
She hesitated, looking up at him.
“Please. We don’t want the child to miss the parade.”
“Thank you.”
She stepped forward and stood on the lip of the curb in front of the crowd.
“That better?” Luke asked.
“Much. Thank you, again,” she said.
The child looked up showing dimples with a grin. “Thank you.”
Luke felt his gut clinch and the old familiar demon churn when he locked into her innocent eyes. The shy smile reflected a past he fought daily to forget.
With a sigh he closed his eyes, shoving the past back into its God-forsaken realm. He forced a grin, patted her on the head, then looked up to see the Harringtons across the street. Good, they made it in time to see Ron.
Thankful to refocus, he waved.
Pop… pop … pop…
It sounded like a string of firecrackers: sharp reports out of sync with the rhythmic cadence of marching bands parading through downtown San Antonio.
Luke shook his head. Fireworks were outlawed, but kids loved to break rules.
Pop… pop … pop. The woman grabbed her daughter’s hand and began to push backward. He stepped out of her way, offering a smile.
“Don’t worry. It’s just some…”
Pop! Pop! Pop… pop…pop pop-pop-pop
Luke swiveled to see one of the pops rip open the chest of a hefty police officer directing traffic. He pitched backward to lie sprawled, unmoving.
“Pancho!” Another officer bolted into the intersection only to tumble the last few feet, blood gushing from both legs.
Riding the rising crest of chaos a piercing scream spun Luke back to the fear-stricken woman.
* * * *
Nancy heard the frantic words every lawman fears.
“Officer down! Officer down!” The dispatcher guided everyone within radio range to Broadway and Nogolitas, the staging area for high school bands.
Nancy was only a few blocks away, dressed in her band chaperone’s outfit of blue jeans and a new blood-red bowling shirt with the white Rough Rider mascot on the back.
Now she wished she had on her deputy sheriff’s uniform as she slammed the accelerator to the floor and toggled the siren.
* * * *
In blind terror, Cindi tripped over a bass drum. She no sooner hit the hot pavement than a fleeing fellow student kicked her in the stomach. Gasping for breath and fighting nausea, she rolled over to push up only to have her hand crunched by another student. She collapsed head down, her cheek sliding along the searing pavement.
Her good hand flew to the raw flesh. What’s Bill going to think when he sees my face?
Paralyzed by heaving gasps, her hand throbbing, her face now hamburger meat, Cindi felt strong hands behind her, scooping her upward.
“I’ve got you Cindi, nothing’s going to happen to you,” a calm voice whispered in her ears. “God’s watching.”
She recognized Ron Harrington’s distinctive tenor. The husky tuba player used his bulk to block for her as she struggled to stand. Cindi was almost on her feet when she heard the wet smack of lead ripping into flesh. Ron crumpled atop her, shoving her to the pavement; his wounded body now her prison, and her shield.
She could barely breathe from the weight of the big teen as his life-blood oozed out and trickled down her cheek. She spit out the warm, salty taste that dribbled into the corner of her mouth and retched, finding relief in the bitter bile that washed away the coopery taste of human life.
Terror crashed into sensory overload as Cindi struggled to be free of Ron’s bulk and to spot the shooter. Splayed face down on the pavement, and trapped beneath more than two hundred pounds of slack weight, she could only move her head to one side, her vision knee-high. Movement caught her eye. Her lungs nearly exploded with fear. In the distance the killer strolled down the street toward her.
Tommy Alexander!
Through the haze of blood-blurred eyes, Cindi watched Tommy spray the retreating red-and-white clad band members with a machinegun. Then, he turned it onto the stunned crowd.
* * * *
The nervous woman’s scream morphed into a throaty gurgle. Luke caught her before she fell, swung her up snug against his chest, and started to run. A thin shriek stopped him.
“Mommy! Mommy. You hurt my Mommy.” Her voice trilled terror in upper register. He turned to see her standing paralyzed at the sight of him holding her mother like a rag doll.
Luke closed his eyes in disbelief. He forgot the little girl!
“No! No. I didn’t hurt her. Come here, honey,” he coaxed the child toward him, his rumbling bass barely concealing his fear.
He would not mess up this time. This time no one would die. Gunfire continued in the background, a few bullets slapping too close.
The little girl took a halting step forward before retreating at the horrible sight of her mother hanging limp in his arms.
“Pumpkin.” Luke said, then hesitated, the word bittersweet in his mouth. He was stunned that he used the term of endearment. He had not uttered it in years; but, it rolled out easily, subconsciously.
“Pumpkin. You have to come with me,” Luke said softly, gingerly stepping toward the child. He saw blood in her platinum hair.
“Does your head hurt?”
She shook it side to side.
“Come.” Half command, half plea. “You have to come with me. Your Mommy needs help. We need to take her to the doctor. Right now!”
When the child hesitated, he commanded, “Look at me.” When the tearstained gaze met his, he continued. “I have to get your Mommy to the doctor and I can’t leave you here. It isn’t safe.” He relaxed his grip and extended a long finger for the child to grasp. “Hold my hand and I’ll get you and your mother to where it’s safe.”
The child’s wide eyes clutched at Luke’s heart like a molten vice grip.
“Promise?” she asked.
Luke swallowed deeply. For a moment, he toyed with an assortment of answers. “Yes,” he whispered, offering confidence he did not feel. “Yes. I promise.”
Despite the pandemonium surrounding them, Luke concentrated on her eyes-silently willing her to take his hand. The crowd surged backward, trampling upon itself, leaving Luke and the child exposed.
Chunks of lead slammed into the street sign only a few inches from Luke. He didn’t notice. His deep, bass voice coaxed the child forward as he inched toward her. She took a few tentative steps until she gingerly took his extended finger. Adobe exploded, concrete chunks filled the air, and the child shrieked.
“Don’t let go! Look at me.”
Rocky shrapnel peppered his face with tiny fragments. Ignoring the blood dripping down his face, Luke began to walk backwards, all the while talking to her. He existed in a false island of quiet amid the chaos of death, living in the narrow confines of the moment.
* * * *
It took only a few seconds for Tommy to empty the automatic weapon. He tossed the machinegun aside, and pulled a pistol. Cindi watched him scurry toward her, leaving more death in his wake. He paused over a moaning musician to deliver a coup de grace. The victim’s head dissolved in a spray of pink mist. Two steps and he stood over Ron Harrington, who weakly raised a hand to ward off the pending assassination.
The repercussion from the blast snapped Cindi’s head into the pavement. Blood, bone, and tissue puffed into a frothy crimson ball, its residue settling like a filmy blanket over her head and shoulders.
“Why are you doing this?” she moaned. The two had been innocent sweethearts in the fifth grade. Tommy had always been a good friend. Startled at the sound of her voice, she mentally commanded her quivering body to remain still as she held her breath, and went limp. Tommy rolled Ron’s body from over her, the dead weight of his meaty arm caught hers, pulling her onto her back before his lifeless body was pushed clear. In a vacuum of terror, she lay prone with her eyes closed – playing dead.
Fickle is Lady Luck
For example, you clicked on this expecting to read something inspiring or educational. Ha! Fooled you! This is more of a smorgasbord of current events and thoughts, but to keep it real there is some writing related ramblings to be found.
Case in point: my last post was about Voidhawk hitting a bestseller list on Amazon for a few hours (maybe several hours, I was asleep for most of it). Since I celebrated that I’ve not had a single sale on it. Shame on you, my loyal followers. Yes you, and the guy behind you. Both of you should have rushed out and bought it to help it reach greater heights. That would prove that some random putz like me (and, presumably, you as well) can rise above mediocrity to grasp at greatness.
Of course I am kidding 100% about giving anyone a hard time. I’m not a Catholic priest in the dark ages demanding belief in my books or death by fire on a stake. If you’re not interested or don’t have the time / money, don’t go there. If you do, or feel like being charitable, well that’s a different story…
Okay, enough pandering, back to the randomness. So sales dropped off sharply after that one peak of a day. Not just for Voidhawk, but across the board. Still getting a few trickling in but I’d dared to hope I had somehow climbed to a new tier. No such luck I fear. My fellow struggling writers the moral is this: we will struggle and we will fight tooth and nail for every foot we climb up the hill. And, apparently, we shall slide back a few feet on occasion as well. That’s no reason to not keep on climbing!
Now for a shout out to my wife and her new soy candle business she’s officially launched! We expected to go live with the website on October 1st but I was over-productive in designing it and our testers performed quickly and admirably (and without failures in the code). So it’s alive and well and waiting for you, my loyal readers (yes, both of you again) to head over and check it out. http://www.aflickerintime.com. After all, what better way to enjoy a book (preferably on a Kindle or a Nook) than while burning a soothing scented candle nearby? Fall’s coming on strong and she’s got the seasonal scents wafting through our house. Mmm, pumpkin pie…cinnamon…peppermint…pine trees…. Okay, I’m pandering again. Sorry.
A Flicker in Time - premium soy candle manufacturer / retailer
Finally I just found out the last person on Earth I expected to read my blog is, indeed, reading my blog. Well no, that’s not true. I expect somebody like Mel Brooks or Chaz Bono to be the last people on earth to read this. I digress. The point is: Hi mom!
