Saturday Edition – In Troubled Times, Write

In this article, Jamie (@suddenlyjamie) discusses the role of writers during troubled times in the world. For example, Jamie notes that:

“As a writer, the act of writing helps us break free of the paralyzing forces of fear and doubt. Though the state of affairs in the world may leave us feeling helpless, putting words down helps us understand our feelings and – if we share our stories – helps others understand, too. Through writing, you can transform the pain and fear. Through the alchemy of story, you can turn the darkness of conflict, tragedy, sorrow, and anger into forces for good.”

And:

“Ultimately, stories – even the ones that reveal and teach – offer a momentary escape from the weight of the world. And, sometimes, this temporary reprieve from one’s problems is the greatest gift a story can give. The space created by a story gives us the chance to step back and take a broader view, to hear ourselves think, to connect the dots. Stories bring perspective and inspire us to think about our choices and actions in a different light. Whether we are writing them or reading them, stories help us step more fully into who we truly are.”

I highly recommend that you read the full article, it addresses concerns relevant to all of us, and is truly inspiring. ~ Flynn

Live to Write - Write to Live

On Existential Dilemmas and the Creative Act:

When things get stormy, writing brings a light into the darkness.

I’ve been struggling with something lately. Though I intentionally minimize my news consumption (and try to restrict myself to the least sensationalist sources), I can’t help but notice that the world has gone a little mad. It’s scary out there. It’s as if the cruel and ridiculous worlds of satirical novelists like Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams have come to life; and suddenly the jokes aren’t so funny anymore. Global warming, economic collapse, war, terrorism, political corruption, religious intolerance, discrimination of all kinds – these are the living nightmares that keep so many of us up at night. These are Big Problems – global issues that affect all of humanity and very fate of this fragile planet.

My struggle is knowing what to do in the face of all this insanity.

··• )o( •··

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Review: Collapse by John F Leonard

Title: Collapse

Sub-title: An Apocalyptic Horror Novel (Ferine Apocalypse Book 1) 

Collapse is the compelling story of individuals caught up in a terrifying series of events, as the complete demise of human civilisation arrives within the space of just a few days.

The horror is visceral and immediate, as a small band of people unaffected by the virus struggles to survive and find a safe haven from the hordes of vicious, predatory creatures that used to be the rest of humanity.

The first time we meet each of the fascinating cast of characters, it is a quick introduction primarily for scene-setting purposes, giving us a hint of each character’s personality, along with a glimpse of the violent and incomprehensible world that they have found themselves thrown into. Initially, the changes in point of view with each chapter is a little disorienting and fractured, just like the impossible new reality that the characters find themselves inhabiting.

As the story develops, however, it is the characters that keep the pages turning faster as you get to know each one and become invested in their fates. As their paths begin to cross in their quest for survival, and their stories intertwine, the book becomes impossible to put down.
I read the last 250 pages in one sitting, unable to stop turning the pages.

Collapse is fast paced and filled with action and suspense. A creeping sense of dread pervades the pages, as potential disaster lurks around every corner. Tales of heroism and sacrifice are interspersed with those of selfishness and cruelty, and sometimes our characters discover that some of the remaining humans in their midst are far more dangerous than the predatory creatures that hunt them incessantly.

Overall, Collapse is a roller coaster thrill ride with a satisfying and poignant ending. The monsters are truly monstrous, the violence is gory and there is plenty of it, and the characters are flawed and human, and therefore all the more sympathetic and relatable.

There’s a 0.99¢ / 0.99p Kindle Countdown Deal running until 30/03/16 after which it’s $3.43 and £2.35. 

Kindle Dowload Links: 
Kindle US – http://amzn.to/22tPGDc

Kindle UK – http://amzn.to/22tPHH2 

Blurb:

The sweeping sickness, a global pandemic.

Billions lie fallen, gripped by an unknown affliction.

Hope is all the few survivors have. Hope that the collapsed will recover and wake again.

But waking is when the real nightmare begins…

A mystery illness sweeps the globe. Swifter and more virulent than anything ever recorded, enfolding the earth like a savage hand snatching a child’s marble.

The City Flu in Britain.

The Sweeping Sickness in America.

Misnomers, semantics, swirls of the matador’s cloak, the names don’t matter. There isn’t time for that. Normal life is slipping its gears, sliding into unknown territory. The illness is never properly classified, identified or studied. The descent into disaster is too fast, the effects so debilitating that the impact is already catastrophic. Put simply, vast numbers of people become too ill to work and so things stop working.

Horror is here, and greater horror lies ahead.

Because the collapsed aren’t just unconscious, they’re changing.

About the Author:

John was born in England and grew up in the industrial midlands, where he learned to love the sound of scrapyard dogs and the rattle and clank of passing trains.

He studied English, Art and History and has, at different times, been a sculptor, odd-job man and office worker. He enjoys horror and comedy (not necessarily together).

He is currently working on a number of projects, one of which is a new book set in the ever evolving post-apocalyptic world of Collapse.

Check out his website: http://www.johnfleonard.com

13 Ways Writers are Mistaken for Serial Killers

“Writers, if you are NOT on a government watch list? You’re doing it wrong.” – This post from Kristen Lamb just made my day, and I had to share it. Enjoy. ~ Flynn

Kristen Lamb's Blog

Image via Creepy Freaky House of Horror (Facebook)

I love being a writer. It’s a world like no other and it’s interesting how non-writers are simultaneously fascinated and terrified of us. While on the surface, people seem to think that what we do is easy, deep down? There is a part that knows they’re wrong. That being a writer, a good writer, is a very dark place most fear to tread.

In fact, I think somewhere at the BAU, there’s a caveat somewhere. If you think you profiled a serial killer, double check to make sure you didn’t just find an author.

Hint: Check for empty Starbuck’s cups.

Writers, if you are NOT on a government watch list? You’re doing it wrong.

Seriously. I took out my knee last week (ergo the sudden dropping off the face of the blogosphere) which just left me a lot of free time to…

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Review: Dreaming at the Top of My Lungs by Israel Finn

Creepy, imaginative, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Dreaming at the Top of My Lungs by Israel Finn is just the kind of horror that I most enjoy. Plenty of thrills, lots of chills, sometimes a little bit on the visceral blood-soaked horror side, but all over great entertainment that makes you occasionally cackle out loud in malicious glee (or maybe that’s just me).

Some of the stories are a little (or a lot) darker, such as a disturbing tale of domestic violence that leads to horrifying vengeance from beyond the grave, while others are poignant reflections of our society and potential dystopian futures. Many contain relevant messages or themes that make them more than just a quick bit of forgettable entertainment.

All ten stories are engaging, wonderfully crafted and well written, and the book (I read the Kindle version) is professionally presented. I couldn’t really find much not to like about this book, other than wishing it was longer.

My personal favourite story is “No Such Thing As Monsters”.

I would highly recommend this book to any other horror fans out there. Overall, I would rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

You can find the author online:

Twitter: @Israel_Finn

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IsraelFinn

Website: http://www.IsraelFinn.com

  

5 Essential Websites and Blogs For Writers

  

There are many great writing websites and blogs out there, so many that it is impossible to keep track of them all. Here is a list of some of my favourites, the websites and blogs that I find essential for the wealth of valuable and accessible information that they contain for writers. 

1.      http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com

K. M. Weiland’s website features numerous free resources for writers, including a comprehensive story structure database, a blog full of great tips, infographics, and much more. This link will take you straight to all of the website’s valuable writer resources: http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/10-writing-resources-youre-missing-out-on/

2.      http://www.warriorwriters.wordpress.com

Kristen Lamb’s blog Warrior Writers is a source of invaluable advice on writing, how the publishing industry works, and building a social media platform. Kristen is an inspiring advocate for writers, along with being a source of great information.

3.      http://www.thecreativepenn.com

Extensive resources for writers from Joanna Penn. Features over 1000 articles divided into categories such as writing and editing, publishing, marketing, and making a living from your writing. Also includes hundreds of hours of audio materials.

4.      http://writershelpingwriters.net/

Writers Helping Writers is another site featuring numerous free tools and articles for writers. The extensive “Categories” menu to the right side of the page helps you to find the most relevant articles and resources for your needs.

5.      http://www.ryanlanz.com

A Writer’s Path features a wealth of articles and book reviews by various contributors, along with the Writer’s Toolbox, a list of tools and resources for writers.
 

 Do you have any favourite websites or blogs for writers that you return to over and over again for tips and advice? Let me know in the comments.

Getting in Character—Deep POV Part Two

Kristen Lamb brings us more tips on Deep POV, how to achieve it, and why it improves your writing. ~ Flynn

Kristen Lamb's Blog

Image courtesy of Jules Morgan via Flickr Creative Commons

Yes today is odd. Posting on a Sunday. We are headed into Spring Break and yeah…hard to maintain my usual schedule. Today we’re going to dive deeper into deep POV and then, later in the week, I am going to bring you guys an expert on deep POV 😉 .

Will be fun.

To accomplish “deep POV” yes, there are style changes we can make, like removing as many tags as we can and ditching extraneous sensing and thinking words. But deep POV is more than just tight writing, it’s also strongly tethered to characterization. Good characterization.

It is essential to know our cast if we hope to successfully write “deep POV.”

KNOW Your Cast

There are all kinds of ways to get to know our characters. I often write detailed character backgrounds before starting a story so it doesn’t become a…

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10 Irish Horror and Dark Fantasy Authors You Should be Reading

In Honour of St. Patrick’s Day, here are some great Irish horror and dark fantasy authors you should be reading.

Bram Stoker (1847 – 1912) – Classic gothic horror author.

Best known for: Dracula (1897)

Caitlín R. Kiernan (1964 – ?) – Multi-Award-Winning Author of various horror, dark fantasy, science fiction and weird fiction.

Selected Bibliography:

Novels: Silk (1998), The Drowning Girl: A Memoir (2012), Threshold (2001), The Red Tree (2009)

Short Story Collections: Two Worlds and in Between: The Best of Caitlin R. Kiernan (Volume One) (2011), Tales of Pain and Wonder (2000)

Charles Maturin (1782 – 1824) – Gothic author and playwright

Known for: Melmoth the Wanderer (1820)

Darren Shan (1972 – ?) – very prolific and well known writer of multiple series, including The Cirque du Freak Series (which includes the Vampire Blood Trilogy, the Vampire Rites Trilogy, the Vampire War Trilogy, and the Vampire Destiny Trilogy), The Demonata 10-Book Series, and several other one-off or spin-off books.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) – prolific playwright, poet, novelist, journalist and essayist. Perhaps an unexpected inclusion on this list, as Wilde is not really known as a dark fiction writer, however I feel that The Picture of Dorian Gray definitely falls under the speculative fiction category, with a dark edge.

 

(Joseph) Sheridan Le Fanu (1814 – 1873) – Victorian writer of gothic ghost stories and mysteries.

Best Known For: Uncle Silas (1864), In The Glass Darkly (Short Story Collection, 1872), The House by the Churchyard (1863) , Carmilla, The Rose and the Key (1871)

Mildred Darby (1867 – 1932) – Gothic fiction author, published under the name of Andrew Merry.

Selected works: Paddy-risky (1903), The Hunger (1910)

Derek Landy (1974 – ?) – Best known for the Skulduggery Pleasant series

Novels: Skulduggery Pleasant series (YA Books, 2007-2014), Demon Road series (2015-2016)

David Conway (1963 – ?)

Novels: Tokyo Gothic (2009), Death Disco (2009), Kinky Kabuki (2010), Celebrity Bedlam (2010), Metal Sushi (1998)

Gerald J. Tate (1954 – ?)

Novels: Cappawhite (2006, re-released 2009), Beyond the Forest’s Edge (2008), From Sparta (2009)

Short Story Collections: Hot Sand, Cool Sea (2008)

 

Have I missed anyone? Let me know in the comments if your favourite Irish horror/dark fantasy author has been left out.

Having Trouble Getting Started on a Writing Project?

A great article by Deborah Bowman full of valuable advice for writers. ~ Flynn

BowmanAuthor and Writer/Editor

We All Have to Start Somewhere!

Do you have thoughts and dreams you wish to express, but somehow they just get stuck in your mind? The only things that surface when you try to write are overused cliches and tired rhetoric. You’re not alone.

What comes from your brain first are memories and what is constantly repeated by yourself, by others around you, on the TV or Internet, even in your choice of reading material. You want to come up with something original, unique, extraordinary! You want to reach out and touch the hearts and minds of others, write about your feelings, impart information that has never been shared before. Where do you begin?

Over time, communication  has changed drastically. We don’t pick up the phone and talk in person or pen eloquent letters very often anymore … we text, we email, we send canned pictures that demonstrate our feelings…

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A Writer’s Wish List

  

Want to know what the writer in your life really wants? Well, look no further. Admittedly, most of these things may be a little difficult to find in any store, but trust me, this is what every writer ultimately wants:

1. An endless supply of inspiration and ideas.
2. The ability to perfectly transcribe those ideas onto paper.
3. An extensive vocabulary and innate knowledge of all spelling and grammar rules.
4. A gift for flowing, eloquent prose.
5. The ability to tap into universal and timeless themes.
6.  A knack for creating complex (yet deceptively simple) plots that enthral readers and keep them turning the pages.
7. An intuitive knowledge of how to perfectly balance each element of a story – from character, to plot, dialogue, description, etc. 
8. The unerring ability to create realistic and sympathetic characters that readers fall in love with every time.
9. A unique voice.
10. Immunity to the distraction of social media, games, TV shows, movies, shiny objects and – oh look, a squirrel… 
11. A coffee machine that provides an endless supply of perfect coffee. 
12. The ability to edit my own work without missing glaring spelling, grammar and style errors. 
13. A magical app/program/technological thingy that can translate my handwriting and will type up everything I write by hand (because I still prefer to write with pen and paper, and typing it all up afterwards is my least favourite part of the process). 
14. An endless budget to acquire all of the lovely notebooks, pens, highlighters, sketchbooks, and other items I need to satisfy my stationary fetish.  
15. Artistic ability, so I can draw my characters and design my own book cover art. 
16. An endless budget to buy books. Because I need all the books. All of them. And a library. For all the books.  
17. Finally, and most importantly, rave reviews for all of my books, and an adoring legion of fans that camp outside of bookstores for my latest novel and worship me as the literary genius that I clearly am. (Come on, admit it, you’ve thought about this too.) 

What about you, fellow writers? Have I missed something that you would put on your wish list?

Introducing Deep POV—WTH IS It? Can We Buy Some on Amazon?

More great writing tips from Kristen Lamb – this time on writing Deep POV. What is Deep POV, and how can it improve our writing? Kristen provides some great advice and examples in this article. ~ Flynn

Kristen Lamb's Blog

Image via Flickr Creative Commons, courtesy of Mike Licht

If you are a writer who has a goal of selling books it is wise to remember that audiences are not static. They change. Their tastes change with the times and we need to understand what is “trending” if we want to connect and entertain. Many new writers look to the classics for inspiration and there isn’t anything per se wrong with that, but we must reinvent the classics, not regurgitate them.

Even if you look at the fashion trends, sure some styles “come back around” but they are not exact replicas of the past. They are a modernized version. But keep in mind that some fashion styles never come back. They’ve outlived their usefulness and belong in the past. Same with fiction.

Story trends and fashions change along with the audience. For instance, Moby Dick spends an excruciatingly long time…

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