New Blog, New Link, Same Person...

Hey guys!
I know, it's been a loooong time! I have been working like crazy, both at work and on a new project.

Matter of fact, that is what this post is about.

First, been working, moving, helping my kids and grandkids out and just in general, busy.

Second, I'm working on a new project called Legacy Scribes Collaborative, and that has kept me extra busy!

Third, I'm moving my blog from here, over to our Legacy blog, here. I find it difficult to maintain two blogs. I've tried before and failed, even with the scheduling features. I focus better when there is one, so please, drop by and follow me there!

Legacy also has a website up now, which has a blog page, but I've decided to use the scheduling feature of Blogger and then update the website blog for those who don't use Blogger.

We're about to have another book signing event and all of those details are on the website, here.

I've also linked to Insecure Writer's Support Group and hope to get back into participating in that, because it's a resource I think all writer's should utilize! I love IWSG and have missed so much, I have to get caught up again.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday coming up, for those that celebrate, and I hope to see you on my new page!

Book Release: "Blood of My Sisters" by Mel Chesley

Hooray! It's here, it's here, it's here!

My book is now available on Amazon as a paperback and a Kindle! I'll leave the links to each below.

I'm so very excited to have my first BREED book out. This has been an amazing process and project. The other authors I work with are so great at brainstorming. I'll share their book links below, too!

I'm so very excited. We'll be having a huge book signing in Airway Heights, WA, Feb. 8th and 9th at Ghost Quarter Games. If you live in the area, please at least drop by!

And watch this space. After the book signing, I won't be so frazzled and will do a giveaway here on the blog.

Okay, okay, on with it! Here are the links to not just my books, but all those currently from The Breed world:

For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

 For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

For Kindle, click here.

For Paperback, click here.

And that's it for now! All of these books will soon be made available in other formats, and as soon as that happens, I will post links. Thanks, everyone, for your support and happy reading!

Don't forget the book signing:

This Is Halloween...

Okay, it's not Halloween yet, BUT it is the month of Halloween.

Hey, if Christmas gets to take over Thanksgiving, Halloween gets its own month!

I'm going to be posting on Twitter the rest of this month until Halloween with three different flash fiction stories from David Rex Bonnewell (@WickedlyWritten), John H Howard (@JHHoward) and Midge Cline (@ClineMidge).

I have a flash fiction piece up as well, but it was something I wrote a few years ago on Writing Dot Com for a contest. So it may be familiar to you. But I am also taking pictures and artwork that I feel relates to The BREED, and writing flash fiction for that as well.

If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, I'm @MLChesley and I am currently posting on the Midian Entertainment @MidianEntertain. I'm still kind of geeking out about all of this. It's amazing to have a great group of people all working together, writing, and creating this world.

I hope you all drop by and see what's going on and get to know us if it is your kind of thing. If not, pass it on to people you know who might like it.

Have a great rest of your week!

Cover Reveal: Shadow Blades by Midge Cline...

Hey gang!

I have yet another cover reveal for another book coming out from Midian Entertainment as part of The BREED.

Before I get into the cover reveal, though, I want to let you all know that starting today, there will be some flash fiction tweets on Twitter. John H. Howard, Midge Cline and David Rex Bonnewell have all written some short pieces to be sent over the Twitter feed from today until Halloween!

If you'd like to follow the stories, follow @MidianEntertain on Twitter!

I will also be posting pictures that I feel represent The BREED with bits of flash fiction as well, so you can begin to get to know the world. I'm so very excited we can start telling people about what's happening!

Okay, so on to the cover reveal!

This is Shadow Blades, by Midge Cline, cover art by Noie.

Tada!

All right, hope you all have a great rest of your week and I will see you soon!

Cover Reveal: Deadeye...

Hey all!

Well, as promised, here is the cover reveal for David Rex Bonnewell's book, Deadeye! Artwork was done by Carlos Villas. You can find more of his art here.

To follow all things Deadeye and get to know Dave's character, you can find the page for it here, on Facebook.

So the coolest thing about this is, Dave has written a three part series. Each cover will go together and become a panoramic scene! But this one right here, with the Razorback, I think he wants to jump off the cover and kill me. Lol!

Tell me what you think about the cover in the comments below! And don't forget to check out more artwork by Carlos Villas!

More Life...

My intentions to get back to blogging were solid. But then, I learned how difficult it is to get internet to my house! My goodness. I love my house and won't give it up for anything... except maybe internet!

Just kidding. But I am doing what I can with what I have between now and then. I hope you all enjoyed my guest post yesterday from Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc. (I love her name! LOL!)

Things are moving along around here where Midian Entertainment is concerned. I have one novel that won't make it for the January release, but lucky for me, I had another waiting in the wings.

I did a cover reveal on Twitter for my fellow author, David Rex Bonnewell, and I will be sharing that cover here on Friday! So watch this space! I have a couple more covers that will be coming out soon.

We'll be setting up pre-orders for all books in December. It's getting so close and we're all getting so excited. There's been very few details we've been allowed to share due to our NDA. But soon... Soon we'll be able to share with the world!

Have a great rest of your week, and I'll see you tomorrow with Dave's cover!

I Did A Thing...

Hey guys!

Hope you all like the little update I did to my blog. It's starting to get there.

So I did a thing last week. I signed up for Patreon. I'll have my own personal page over there, but I will also be launching one for Midian Entertainment.

I think it will be fun. At the very least, interesting.

It's not like I don't have a million other projects to do. Half finished house, production manager for Midian, writing 3 novels at once. ( I know, right?!?)

Crazy.

Anyway, I'd love for you to drop by. If you are on Patreon, let me know in the comments below. I'll follow you until I'm able to become a Patron. I know some pretty talented people in this world!

Also, feel free to tell me how you feel about Patreon.

Have a great week! I look forward to seeing your comments!

Switching Gears...

Hello everyone!

It's kind of fun to get back in the blogging business. I've missed it. I miss the community, the feedback, the discussions.

I'm trying to get around to reading posts again and visiting you all soon. Things are hectic!

So I'm looking for a bit of advice. I've switched my focus from the fantasy genre to horror/supernatural/paranormal. It has been a blast, except for when I creeped myself out late at night. Yeah. ::Blushes::

I am not giving up on fantasy, by any means. I learned a LOT from that experience and the ones that followed. My writing has improved, I've got formatting down to a science, I've made a lot more connections with cover artists and editors. It's great.

But, I do find it hard to switch gears. I'm glad I wrote fantasy first. It does help to fill in those fictional gaps when needed.

I've also toyed around with the idea of using a pen name, but I don't think I have the time or energy to maintain and alternate persona. I think the only difference will be "M. L. Chesley" for fantasy and "Mel Chesley" for my current genre.

Have you switched genres? How well did it work for you? What do you find most difficult? Easiest? How do you maintain an alternate persona?

5 Books That Left A Mark...

As writers, we hope that our books will make someone's top 5 or top 10 list of books that made a lasting impression. As readers, though, we have our own list. I'll be posting each week, my top 5 books that left a lasting impression on me.

I might cheat a bit... lots of the books that inspired me were in a series.

So on that note, we're going to start with #5 right off the bat!

Book Title: Pet Sematary

Author: Stephen King

Why this left a lasting impression on me:

Stephen King, without a doubt, was one of my go-to authors when it came to horror way back when. Up until I read Pet Sematary, I had read "Christine" and "Carrie". Sure, those were great creepfests, but they didn't impact me like Pet Sematary did.

I could NOT sleep!!! It scared the ever loving beejeezus out of me. Seriously. I was nineteen when I read the book. When I was through, not only was I thoroughly freaked out, but I was inspired. I wanted to write a horror story!

I did attempt to write one, but gave up. I thought, I'll never be as spooky as Stephen King. However, I think that is about to change! I've lately been dipping my toe... ok, my whole right leg, into the horror pool.

So thank you, Mr. King, for giving me inspiration, nightmares and a genuine love for horror!

Leave me a comment and tell me one of the books that left a lasting impression.

What To Expect When You're Expecting Breed...

I'm going to attempt to give a little insight into the world of The Breed, today.

This world was designed and created by two friends, Charles and Ray, about 20 years ago. We all know how life can move fast, things get put on the back burner and then, all of a sudden, BOOM!!! You're going, "Hey, whatever happened to all that?"

But what happens when you're not exactly a writer?

That's where I came in. I've known Ray for some time. We were old gaming buddies back when gaming was a MuD. (Legends of Cosrin). Ray and I reconnected on Facebook and I got to talking about my writing. At the time, I was working on Adversarius and had just released Veritas.

I'm going to be honest.  I really felt as if I failed as a writer. Of course I self published after being burned a couple times. But honestly, that was my fault for not researching and taking the time to go through proper channels. Oh, the things I learned. I will be finishing the trilogy soon, but in the meantime, I have found a love for supernatural, paranormal, horror stories. And you know what? I'm pretty dang good at scaring the beejeesus out of people.

I know. Vain!

Anyway, Ray and I got to talking about his idea and he directed me to Charles. That was five years ago. I have taken the ideas Charles had and I've worked them into decent stories. I began inviting other authors into this world, getting their take on things. We have a pretty solid core group. All in all, about 6 other authors, not including myself.

*Artwork by Ramses Melendez on ArtStation. NOT associated with Midian Entertainment

At the moment, we're sitting on four full length novels, a short story trilogy and at least two screenplays, with three other stories waiting in the wings. Plus, a super special series that will only be available to members who sign up for the newsletter. We have a myriad of artists who will be doing original artwork for covers and work on graphic novels.

Huzzah!

I hope this has piqued your interest. I'm on pins and needles, myself.

Questions? Comments? You know I love to hear from you! I also have a board on Pinterest dedicated to BREED. If you'd like to check it out, let me know!

Needing My Fix...

The one thing I hate most about moving, is when all of my creative stuff is packed away. I haven't crafted anything in almost a month, now. My computer is packed away. All I have out is my cute little tablet.

Thank goodness it has a keyboard!! Otherwise, posting would be an autocorrect nightmare.

The other good thing, is I'm able to continue writing. Gotta love having the MS Word app.

I'm getting excited for the release of BREED. I'm still looking for a countdown banner to put up here. In the meantime, I can share the link to the website at the very least!.

I'll share that link at the end of this post.

One of our authors will be debuting with a series based on the Fae. In August, she'll be releasing her very first self-pubbed MG ghost story. I will host a giveaway at that time, so be sure to check back here often!

Hope you are all having a great Monday and had a good weekend!

BREED Website

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Author Interviews ~ Jenna Miller

It's November 1st. Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2017 is now available! So today, I have an interview with the creator of the anthology, Jenna Miller. Not only is she the one responsible for this wonderful, creepy collaboration of chills and thrills, she's also a contributor as well. Let's get on with the interview! Her answers will be in green.

What inspired Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror? 

Way back in 2007, just after I’d published my first fantasy novel, I was invited to contribute to a horror anthology (Concrete Blood: Dark Tales of the City) – it was so much fun and I wanted to do my own anthology. We were also just starting Word Weavers (a writer’s group) at the time, and doing anthologies through there … I wanted one that was just for women, and more importantly, just for women in horror. When I approached people about it, I got mixed responses. A lot of women didn’t want to do it. I got a lot of flak about exploiting women and how it wasn’t “positive.” I also had a few guys who joked about not having a men only anthology.

So I decided to do both, a Ladies and a Gents, and a combined.

How often have you contributed to the anthology? 

I contributed in 2008, 2013 and 2016.
What are the titles of the stories you’ve contributed? 

Addiction, Bitch and Slither (respectively).

What was one of the hardest scenes you’ve ever had to write? 

The rape/cannibal scene at the beginning of Addiction.

How does your family feel about the production of the anthology? 

They’re encouraging, but hate that they essentially lose me for the few months I work on it.

Why do the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society? 

The anthology doesn’t make enough money to pay each contributor much at all, so in 2013 the group decided that donating the profits to charity would be best. As a group we chose breast cancer, but finding a charity that actually puts your donations towards the cause is hard, and that’s why, after much research, we chose the ACS.

I’ve asked all the authors, now I’ll ask you, too. Do you Google yourself? 

Sometimes, and while I have one of the most common names ever in the history of ever, I’m always in the top ten or so. Which is scary.

What is your preferred genre for writing? 

Horror, though I do love the occasional dabble into fantasy and sci-fi.

How do these contributors make you feel? 

I love my contributors. Each and every one has taught me something and helped both me and the anthology grow. I’ve developed long lasting friendships and also learned a few hard lessons working with people from all over the world over the last nearly ten years.

Has the success of the anthology grown over the years? 

Yes. Bit by bit, I see its popularity growing. Even now I’m booked up for the next two years in both the fantasy and the horror—which is hard to fathom, considering as I used to have to sell my soul, and seduce or otherwise entice people in order to get contributors.

How does one contribute to the anthology? 

By sending a query of interest (details can be found in the “notes” on our websites (Queries or Submission Queries) or on the FB pages ( Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror or Ladies and Gentlemen of Fantasy ) or to Email (horror) or Email (fantasy).

*~*~*

Thanks so much for your time, Jenna! I wish you much success with these anthologies as time goes on.

Don't forget, you can purchase your copy of the anthologies now!

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Artist Interview

Hey everyone! Today is going to be a different sort of interview, but not the final one, I can promise you that!

I'd like to introduce you to John Sowder, the artist behind the cover art for the Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2017 anthology.

His answers will be in purple:

How long have you been doing art?

When I was young my mother put a pencil in my hand and challenged me to draw anything I see. So it's been a pretty long time! 

Do you have a preferred media?

I like traditional Western comic books, so I like to work with pen and ink. 

What drew you to the Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror?

Jennifer Miller contacted me, No doubt through my work with writer Rick Powell. I don't recall off hand but I'm certain that was our connection. 

What inspires your art? 

A lot of the same things that inspired me when I was a kid: Universal and Hammer horror films, Japanese monsters, Corman Poe movies, DC and Marvel comics from the 70s. But mainly other artist or other creative folks who share an enthusiasm with the things that are close to my heart. 

Can you describe a time when you first realized that creating was something that you absolutely had to do? 

Yes, taking it back to my childhood once again … in grade school I couldn't help but draw during class. It's something I did so often that my teachers just decided to leave me alone and let me doodle. . 

What's your favorite thing you've ever created?

I'm usually not happy with my work in general. Basically the stuff I've done for the LOVECRAFT E-ZINE looks good and my cover art for Rick Powell's story TRUE NATURE actually reflected what I was going for: part Jack Davis/ classic E.C. horror comic and part Charles Burn. And I like the covers I created for Divine Authority Comic's MIDNIGHT WARRIORS annual 1 and Drew Edward's HALLOWEEN MAN: AMERICAN NIGHTMARE. I like to think my best work is before me still. I hope it is anyway. 

Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven't yet? 

Film making, which I have dabbled with in the past. But also writing for audio dramas. I'm a fan of old time radio shows like NIGHTFALL and QUIET PLEASE and this type of format has made a comeback with podcasts like WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE and PSEUDOPOD.

I've asked authors, so I'll ask you too. Do you Google yourself? 

I haven't done that in maybe ten years or so! I used to dominate the google search. Not anymore though.

What's the hardest thing about being an artist? 

Lots of things actually! Not having the time to do everything you want to do. Wanting to make comics or draw full time, but realizing whatever money I make doesn't equal my bi-monthly check from my real job. Not being able to keep up with digital technology as it relates to art. Like I said, lots of things! 

Please tell us where we can find more of your work? 

You can check out Drew Edward's comic HALLOWEEN MAN on comixology, and Midnight Warriors or Divine Authority Presents though Indy Planet. You can find various Rick Powell stories I did cover art for on either Amazon or lulu. And, of course, there is the LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF HORROR 2017 edition, which I'm looking forward to checking out simply for the pleasure of reading it.

*~*~*

Thank you so much for your time, John! I look forward to this year's anthology. Have a Happy Halloween, everyone! Stay safe and have a great rest of your week!

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Author Interviews ~ Rick Powell

Welcome to another Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2017 author interview session. Today, I'd like to introduce you to Rick Powell! You'll find his answers in red. Enjoy!

1) Is this your first year participating in the LgoH? 

Nope. This is my second run and I could not be happier.

2) If so, tell us what drew you to this anthology. 

I was introduced to this anthology through the mutual friend, and past contributor, Hydra M. Star.

3) If you’ve written for previous LGoH anthologies, list the story titles and years. 

The Ladies & Gentlemen of Horror 2014 with my story Friends Like These.

4) What is your preferred genre? 

Horror, erotic horror, anything along the lines of the strange and the unusual.

5) What other titles do you have published? 

I have been in numerous publications throughout the years, but I have been a pretty consistent contributor to Infernal Ink Magazine (edited and compiled by Hydra M. Star), and have two books of poetry titled My Soul Stained, My Seed Sour and More Regrets Than Glories. I also have a collection of short stories titled A Vault of Whispers.

6) Where do you get your ideas? 

Anywhere and everywhere. A good number of my poems are inspired by either songs I have heard, personal experiences, or stories I have read. My ideas for stories just pop out of the blue. I have been a lover of the horror genre going on 40 years, so I guess you can say that this is a way of “giving back” to the genre that I love so much.

7) Does writing energize or exhaust you? 

Both. There is a point when you are writing a story or poem when you get “in the zone” and everything is flowing with a life of its own. The rush you get when everything is clicking, is something that is hard to describe. It is feeding you and draining you at the same time, and when you are done, it gives you a feeling of accomplishment that cannot be put into words.

8) Do you write for yourself or your audience? 

Oh, I write for myself. I tend to write something that I would like reading. My poems, stories, and such are like my family. They are my own little world I concocted and reading some of them now, I see a little of myself in each and every one.

9) What other authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer? 

Hydra M. Star has been a friend and like a sister to me for more years than I could remember, and I would not be on this fabulous journey if not for her. She has been there to give me support, advice, or that regular kick in the ass when I needed it. And I will be indebted to her forever. Jennifer Miller (the driving force of The Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror) has been an inspiration to me with all she does with her amazing anthology. What she does with the proceeds of TLAGOH--where they all go to The American Cancer Society—prompted me to do the same with my first collection of poetry, My Soul Stained, My Seed Sour. All the proceeds of that go to The American Heart Association dedicated to my late wife.

10) What was the hardest scene to write? 

There are a few. A couple I cannot name here because of the graphic depiction and nature of the subject, but one that does come to mind would be in my story Winston. It involves a scene where a step-father does something unnameable in the middle of the night. I left that scene ambiguous, and left the events be imagined in the mind of the reader, but it still unnerved me nonetheless.

11) Do you Google yourself? 

Oh, heck no. I am afraid of what I may find. Haha

12) Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? 

In my story True Nature, I placed names and references to classic werewolf films all throughout the story. No one has picked up on them yet, but it was fun to place them in there.

13) Do you have any little known facts you’d care to reveal to us now? 

One that I always make reference to is that when I was 2 years old, I was lost near the haunted Bachelor’s Grove woods near my childhood home in Illinois. My story The Grove is based on the legend of those woods. I still have the article from my mother when it was in the Chicago Tribune at that time. I was lost for almost 6 hours I believe. I always tell people that “ I got lost in the woods as a kid, and have been there ever since”. Haha

*~*~*

Rick Powell lives in Oak Forest, Illinois. He is a lover of horror and dark fiction and his poetry and stories have appeared in numerous publications, Don't Look Back: 13 Terrifying Tales of Urban Folklore, The Ladies & Gentlemen of Horror 2014, Infernal Ink Magazine, and the forthcoming cannibal anthology Bon Appetit: Stories and Recipes for Human Consumption.

All the proceeds from his first book of poetry, 'My Soul Stained, My Seed Sour', will go to The American Heart Association.

His other books include his other poetry collection More Regrets Than Glories and his first book of short stories A Vault of Whispers.

He could be found on Goodreads, Facebook, or his Amazon page.

Rick, thanks so much for your participation! I think I am going to have to check out "True Nature" and see what films you've placed in there! Everyone, have a great rest of your week! 

And don't forget, tomorrow, October 31, 2017, the Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror Anthologies will be available!

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Author Interviews ~ John H. Howard

Welcome to another Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror author interview! I'm a little biased about today's author, as I've been working with him on my BREED project as well. Today, I introduce to you, John H. Howard! His answers will be in purple.

1) Is this your first year participating in the LGoH?

No, my story “Effigy” appeared in the LGoH 2015 and I was asked to provide the foreword for the LGoH 2016.

2) If so, tell us what drew you to this anthology.

My mother was a 17-year breast cancer survivor until she finally lost her battle to that beast in September 2016. Because all proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society, there’s no way I would ever say no to contributing to that cause. Plus, the anthology has gained quite a following and a reputation over the years, so there’s a certain amount of prestige in being asked to contribute.

3) If you’ve written for previous LGoH anthologies, list the story titles and years.

See #1.

4) What is your preferred genre?

I used to think it was fantasy, but it seems my mind tends to be drawn more toward horror anymore. It’s a great way to explore the human psyche and our collective inner demons.

5) What other titles do you have published?

“Cry of the Banshee” in the Tome of Distant Realms, 2008; “Mrs. Culling’s Reformatorium for Wayward Children” in Isabelle Rose’s Twisted Fairy Tales, 2009; “The Goblin Lantern” and “Obsidian” in Ladies and Gentlemen of Fantasy, 2014; “Moonville” in The Horror Society Presents: Forgotten Places, 2015; “Mrs. Culling’s Reformatorium for Wayward Children” (reprint) in Fiction Foundry Presents: One, 2015; “Effigy” in Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2015; and finally, I recently released a novella entitled “Ordinary Heroes,” which is available in print and Kindle formats on Amazon.

6) Where do you get your ideas?

From everyday life, ordinary situations. I think the key to having great story ideas is just to keep an open, active mind. I’m constantly asking myself what would make any given situation more interesting or creepy or horrific, or if I were a character in a story in that moment, what could happen next.

7) Does writing energize or exhaust you?

A good writing session will energize me for hours. A bad one will exhaust me.

8) Do you write for yourself or your audience?

I write for myself, but edit for an audience.

9) What other authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer?

Jennifer L. Miller, who was the first person to publish one of my stories back in 2008 (“Cry of the Banshee”). She has been a constant source of encouragement through the years and every time she asks me to contribute to something, I try to make each story better than the last.

Julia Press Simmons, one of the most badass self-made women you’ll ever meet. Not only is she an author, but she’s currently in the process of building her own multimedia pop culture empire. If not for her, “Ordinary Heroes” wouldn’t exist in its current form. I had originally drafted it as a short story for submission to a super hero-themed anthology and she asked me why I was wasting my time submitting to anthologies like that when she felt I could do well self-publishing. She told me to add 10,000 words to the story and that she would help me put it out there. I did and she did. I’m very grateful for her time, advice, and mentorship.

Also, there’s the Fiction Foundry Freaky Fridays peer review group: Jennifer Caress, Carolyn Kay, Klara Gomez, Robbie Knight, and Sarah Walker. We’ve been critiquing each others’ work for more than two years now and do our best to strengthen each others’ writing. It’s great because everyone brings something different to the table. I have learned and grown so much over that time period, I don’t even think I’m the same writer I was two years ago.

10) What was the hardest scene to write?

Not so much a scene, but an entire story: “Effigy,” which appeared in LGoH 2015. In it, a young woman awakens tied naked to a tree with no memory of how she got there or even who she is. Throughout the story, other people do horrible things to her. I almost didn’t submit it because it was so rough (and I was slightly worried about being labeled a misogynist), but I tentatively sent it to Jenna Miller. She loved it and printed it. It got a really nice review on Amazon, too. Now, it’s one of the stories I’m most proud of because it pushed a lot of boundaries, both as a story and also for me as a writer.

11) Do you Google yourself?

I did once and learned that the former Prime Minister of Australia had the same name as me. But otherwise, no.

12) Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

In my fantasy stories I almost always reference wights of some kind, usually mist wights, but you’ll also see fire wights, water wights, and occasionally the elusive shadow wight. In my fiction, they’re not so much spirits or ghosts, but closer to elementals. It’s something I came up with way back in my twenties and I liked the idea, so I’ve tried to continue it.

13) Do you have any little known facts you’d care to reveal to us now?

I hate coconut, but I love German chocolate cake. Weird, I know.

*~*~*

Thank you so much for participating, John! And congratulations on getting "Ordinary Heroes" out there! Have a great rest of your week, everyone!

Find links below to connect with John H. Howard:

Facebook Author Page

Fiction Foundry

Amazon Author Page

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Author Interviews ~ Grigori T. Cross

Welcome to another Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror Author Interview. Today, I'll be featuring Grigori T. Cross!
For the rest of October and in to November I will be interviewing the authors who contributed to the 2017 Horror Anthology created by Jenna Miller. The anthologies will be coming out Oct. 31st and all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. So get scared for a good cause!
All right, let's get to the interview! Grigori's answers will be in teal.

1) Is this your first year participating in the LGoH?

This is my first year participating in the LGoH, and I’m happy to say it won’t be my last.

2) If so, tell us what drew you to this anthology.

Jennifer L. Miller, the mastermind behind the anthology, has a sterling reputation for being professional and accommodating among those friends of mine who have participated in previous years. When the opportunity to trust her with my work presented itself, I was very pleased to seize it.

3) What is your preferred genre?

The genre of film I prefer is drama and film noir, but the only thing I really prefer in what I read is good writing. The truly great works of any genre are filled with inspiration and fantasy, and I like to indulge in healthy doses of both.

4) What other titles do you have published?

Before appearing in LGoH, a short story of mine was published in an e-zine that is sadly no longer active. That story, “The Duels at Midnight,” is set to be re-published in this year’s anthology, though, so there’s no need to do any electronic grave-robbing.

5) Where do you get your ideas?

Anything I experience or think about experiencing has the potential to give me an idea for a story. I’ve written poetry based on nothing more than the humming of electrical power lines. A novel I’ve just begun writing is partly inspired by works of philosophy I’ve read. It’s even a fun challenge to see how I might make something worth reading out of something totally dull and uninspiring.
6) Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Pinpointing the words that most aesthetically complement each other while accurately reflecting what it is I want them to say can be a severe drain on time and energy. I usually save that process for second drafts, during which any given piece can end up twice the length it was when I first wrote/typed it out. Still, none of that negates how enervating it is to see the words spill from my fingers when I’m in the throes of writer’s flow.

7) Do you write for yourself or your audience?

I’ll only ever write for myself. Should it ever come to pass that I’ve allowed myself to be less than proud of the quality of my work because I’m catering to my audience, I’ll know that my integrity as a creator has been compromised. I’ve no problem allowing creative parameters to help inspire me, but nothing creatively fulfilling can come out of me if I’m pandering.

8) What other authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer?

I'm fortunate to count such authors as Rick Powell, Evelyn Eve, and Hydra M. Star among my friends. However, we talk so rarely about our respective writing processes that the way they help me most is by encouraging me to keep writing. Being worthy competition doesn't hurt, either.

9) What was the hardest scene to write?

When I’m asked which scene was hardest to write, I end up thinking about the scenes I’ve written that have been the most violent, or perhaps the most heartbreaking, because that’s where I think the question is leading, but the truth is that those scenes are usually full of passion. Passion is not the most difficult to write. For me, what’s seriously hard is when I’m in the middle of a second draft, realizing that the story has changed along the way to the point that the next scene doesn’t make any sense with the rest of the story. Granted, that’s what revisions are for, but trying to reconfigure plot and story structure can be totally disorienting.

10) Do you Google yourself?

I’m a millennial cliché, so yes, but not often.

11) Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Hiding Easter Eggs in creative work is just what creative people do, whether intentional or not. In my case, it’s always intentional. How to correctly interpret those Easter Eggs is a different matter entirely.

*~*~*

Thanks so much for participating in my interview, Grigori! It's nice to learn about authors and what inspires them, or compels them, to write. I also have to agree, trying to reconfigure your story after it's taken a turn is definitely difficult!

If you'd like to connect with Grigori, please check the link below! And have a great rest of your week, everyone!

A link to my Facebook, where people can follow me.

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Author Interviews ~ Henry Snider

Welcome to another Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror author interview! These anthologies will be available October 31, 2017. I thought it would be nice to let you all get to know them a little better. Also, proceeds from this anthology go towards the American Cancer Society, so it's for a good cause as well as a good scare.

On that note, please meet Henry Snider! His answers will be in gold.

1) Is this your first year participating in the LGoH? 

Yes, actually. I only found out about it last year.

2) If so, tell us what drew you to this anthology. 

A friend who's a member of our writing critique group, John Howard, told me about the anthology and what a good cause it was for.

3) If you’ve written for previous LGoH anthologies, list the story titles and years. 

This is my first go around with Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror.

4) What is your preferred genre? 

Horror for the most part, but I have to admit recently dipping my toes into the fantasy realm.

5) What other titles do you have published? 

Several stories in different anthologies over the years. I spent most of my time teaching and running writing groups until recently. Short fiction is being sent out regularly while my first novel is currently under review with an agent.

6) Where do you get your ideas? 

Now you know, this is the one question that all authors hate. We fantasize about all the terrible things we could do to people who ask us this question. You know, like tying the interviewer to a chair and force them to suffer reruns of The Brady Bunch until madness sets in. Seriously though, I'm afraid my answer isn't all that different from everyone else's - I get my ideas from everywhere. I wake up and see a bird fly by the window, it becomes a crow with a nefarious agenda (you'll have to read A MURDER OF CROWS in this year's LGoH to know what it is), or a little kid refusing to take a creepy clown mask off (THE CLOWN - Best of the Horror Society 2015). Even a boring drive across Wyoming can give birth to something (SANDCASTLES - Canopic Jars). Letting an author sit quietly isn't punishment, it's opening the door to an amazing playground.

7) Does writing energize or exhaust you? 

It actually depends on the scene I'm writing. If I'm building to a climactic point then it's energizing and I just don't want to quit. Of course if I've just written the scene I'm left exhausted, both emotionally - and in some cases physically - spent.

8) Do you write for yourself or your audience? 

Early on I was writing what I thought others wanted to read. It wasn't very good. Then I focused on only working on things that filled my daydreams...and sometimes my night terrors. I've stayed on that side of the fence ever since.

9) What other authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer? 

Not a fair list. Beyond the normal list, my wife who's a fellow author and editor, everyone in my writing group, Fiction Foundry - we really are just one big dysfunctional family. They make me twitchy, but usually in a good way. But - for the record, they've made me have a drink or two, too.

10) What was the hardest scene to write? 

So far a sex scene in my novel because my protagonist is a woman. I wanted to make sure I got the physical /and/ emotional aspects right. Again, my wife, along with the other women in my critique group were fantastic at guiding me through the scene with no teasing (smell that? that's sarcasm, readers - they teased the out of me).

11) Do you Google yourself? 

Once in a great while. It's entertaining to see how dead I am in different parts of the country. Boring obituaries, though. Not one rustler, car thief, or drunken pilot in the bunch.

12)  Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? 

Yes, all the time. A fun one is the abandoned drive-in my novel takes place at. In reality, it's based on an old drive-in theater that was on Broadway in Richmond, VA. In the summer of 1979 I was still eight years old and my parents took me to the drive-in. The double-bill was Fantastic Planet (freshly released here in the states in English) followed by Phantasm. They thought "Oh, a cartoon for him to watch and he'll go to bed." They sat through it mortified at what they'd taken me to. Then came Phantasm. No sleep for me - I fell in love with the silver sphere, demented jawa zombies (let's face it, that's what they are), and - of course - the Tall Man. I told you all of this to pass on that the summer of 1998 - almost twenty years later - I was introducing my wife and nearly two year old son to family back in Richmond and got the grand idea to see if the drive-in still existed. Hollie was in for a movie and off we went. While in line I commented about how high the pines were so no one could even see the screens. She noted that there only appeared to be men and one other couple sitting in line. Yes folks, this is going where you think it is. The old drive in had become - you guessed it - a porno drive-in. And there we are, me with a shocked expression on my face, a wife who's laughing so hard she nearly shot soda out her nose (totally the /wrong/ way to do Coke, by the way) and an infant seat in the back - all three of us lined up innocently to see a skin flick. We left, with me more than a little embarrassed. I didn't hear the end of it until...hell, I think she mentioned it last month. That brings me to my novel which takes place at an abandoned drive-in theater whose history oddly mimics the actual place. The short answer's, "Yes, I do put secret things in my writing," but it's not nearly as fun.

13) Do you have any little known facts you’d care to reveal to us now? 

I don't know - I tried out to be an extra in the original Red Dawn and discovered why my parents always caught me in lies - I can't act. I had a hard time keeping clothes on until I was in my mid-twenties (mooning, streaking, skinny-dipping - let's just say Calvin and Hobbes has the right idea). I have little-to-no shame when it comes to a good laugh. Be warned.

~*~*~

Thanks so much for your interview! And yeah, sorry about question number six. But you know, all readers want to know! Plus, I get my ideas from very strange sources. I'll have to tell everyone some day. 

Here is another link from Henry for all you readers to visit. It's amazing!:

Ghost Town Writers Retreat

Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror: Author Interviews ~ Jeff Brown

This pic is from the 2016 Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror Contributors.

Hello, everyone! Allow me to introduce the Gentleman who wrote the Foreward for this year's Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror Anthology: A. J. Brown! His answers will appear in red.


1) Is this your first year participating in the LGoH?

No. This is actually my second. I was in the 2016 as one of the Gentlemen of Horror and I had the pleasure of writing the forward for LGoH.

2) If so, tell us what drew you to this anthology.

That’s easy. Jennifer Miller drew me to it. Originally, I was supposed to appear in one of the editions a few years ago—2010, I believe. Things kind of fell through and I really wanted to give it another shot. I followed Jennifer’s post on social media and we talked from time to time, just about stuff, in general, and writing. Then I asked her if there were any available slots in any of the upcoming releases. Turns out, there was a spot in the 2016 version and I jumped on it. It was a wonderful experience. A lot of work, but it was so much fun putting working on it.

3) If you’ve written for previous LGoH anthologies, list the story titles and years.

2016—Crisps Noise

4) What is your preferred genre?

I write mostly dark stuff, so I’m going to say horror, but with a realistic slant.

5) What other titles do you have published?

Oh man, I’ve had over 175 short stories published over the years, but I have several books out and I’ll see if I can get them in the right order here. Along the Splintered Path (a short story collection), Southern Bones (a short story collection), Cory’s Way (novel), A Stitch of Madness (short story collection), Dredging Up Memories (Novel), Ball Four (a short story collection about baseball), All We See is the End (a collaboration with the immensely talented M.F. Wahl), and The Forgetful Man’s Disease (a novella) Whew!

6) Where do you get your ideas?

Real life. Most of my stories have a realistic slant to it (even the horror ones). I find the best stories are often found all around me. They just need to be told.

7) Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Both. Starting a new story is always energizing and exciting. Finishing the story is also a thrilling feeling. The exhausting part is when a story doesn’t seem to want to end.

8) Do you write for yourself or your audience?

Myself. Stephen King said in his book On Writing, the writer is the story’s first reader. With that in mind, I write every story as if I am going along for the ride. I want to be just as moved as the readers are when they read one of my stories. If I’m not moved in some way, then how do I expect the readers to be moved?

9) What other authors are you friends with and how do they help you become a better writer?

I think I have more author friends than I have other friends. There are a handful that help me when I’m struggling or who have taught me a lot as I have gone along. Fran Friel is at the top of the list. As is Justin Dunne, Lisa Vasquez, M.F. Wahl, and John Miller is the most fascinating author I have ever met.

10) What was the hardest scene to write?

I wrote a scene in a book I have not put out yet where a teenaged boy dies brutally. It was the one scene I have written that almost made me quit writing all together.

11) Do you Google yourself?

I do when I am trying to see if any of my books have been reviewed, but other than that, no.

12) Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Ha! Yes! There are a lot of hidden things in my stories that if a certain person or certain people read them, they would be like, ‘Hey, I know what he is talking about here, or where this could have happened.’

13) Do you have any little known facts you’d care to reveal to us now?

I’m deaf in my left ear, but you probably want something juicy. To that, I can only say, the really good stuff needs to remain a secret!

~*~*~

A. J., thank you so much for allowing me to interview you. It's great getting to know authors!

People can find A. J. Brown at these places:

Facebook

Facebook author page.

Facebook fan page.

Amazon author page.

Blog

Have a great rest of your week, everyone!

Upcoming: Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2017

Hey everyone!

So, this year, like every other year, will see a new Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror anthology. It will be available, as usual, on October 31, 2017. There is an absolutely great line-up of authors this year! And the cover? It is stunning!

All proceeds from purchases of this anthology will go to the American Cancer Society like it does every year. In past years, on average, the anthology has raised around $100. However, they're hoping that as the years go on, that number will continue to grow.

I have here, in my hot little hands, the covers for the Ladies, the Gentlemen, and of course, the Ladies and Gentlemen combined. So you get to choose which anthology you prefer.

I also have the line-up of authors! Ready? Here we go:

There we have it! So look for it Halloween 2017, you won't be sorry! Have a great rest of your week!

What I'm Working On: The BREED

Hey everyone!

So I finally get to tell you a little more about that project I've been working on. It's called The BREED. About two years ago, I was approached by a couple of people to help get a project off the ground. One of these people I have known for some time as we used to game together in that text based RPG I've mentioned way back in the day called Legends of Cosrin. The other person was a complete stranger.

That complete stranger had this idea for a multiverse world full of your usual horror creatures; vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, etc. He wasn't a writer, but still had this idea that he worked on with my gaming friend. His names is Charles and my gaming friend is Ray. Ray knew my writing skills due to lots of posts I had made and role plays I had designed in game. For whatever reason, he felt I was the one who would be able to help get this project off the ground. I'm not only an author on this project now, but I'm the Creative Director as well.

So I was allowed to recruit authors as long as they signed a non disclosure agreement. Let me tell you, that was more difficult than you realize because I couldn't give these authors much information until they signed that NDA. I posted on here looking for people, I scoured my author friends list and I only got a few bites. But let me tell you, those few bites have panned out and we are so close to being able to tell everyone so much more!

In the meantime, all I can say is we have a few stories ready for editing and publication, plus a couple of screenplays. There are about half a dozen more stories in the works. When all is said and done, we're looking at having books, movies, video games, brand merchandise, graphic novels and so much more. It's been a very interesting past couple years!

If you'd like to learn a little more, there is an old article on the Horror Society site here.

You can also check out one of our many pages on Facebook here.

If you think you'd like to be a beta reader, here is the Facebook page for that here.

If you think you'd like to be an author and want more information, contact me here.

More links:

Facebook page for the movie, "Feeding on Fear".

Facebook page for "The Midnight Carnival".

So there it is. That's just the tip of the iceberg of what I can reveal at the moment. I hope it piques your interest enough! Have a good Monday!