Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "supernatural"
Meet author James Everington and enter to win an ebook!
Today I am very excited to be introducing you to a new author James Everington, who I am sure will be a famous writer one day.
I met James online recently after I read and reviewed Oblivious by Neil Schiller. James is also a friend of Neil's and a fan of his work. I was intrigued by the title and cover of James's collection of short stories: The Other Room. The short descriptions of the tales made me want to read the book. I'm glad I did. It's a very original collection full of surprising and well-crafted tales.
James very kindly agreed to answer a few questions and he is also giving away 2 ebook copies of The Other Room to readers of my blog! If you'd like to enter the contest, just 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below. Winners will be chosen on the 13th August 2011.
Here are James's replies to my interview questions:
Are the stories in ‘The Other Room’ a collection of stories you wrote over a number of years, or did you write them specifically for the collection?
They were written over a number of years (a scary number of years now I think of it) although all of have been revised pretty recently. I spent quite a few hours trying to figure out which stories to put in, and in which order. I saved a few stories back I consider some of my best for the next collection - I didn't want to be like one of those bands with a great first album, and then a patchy follow-up because they obviously didn't get any time to write some decent new songs...
Your collection contains horror, paranormal, thrillers, ghost stories, and what has been called ‘weird fiction’; what is your favourite genre to read?
I read a huge variety of things - I think it's pretty important for a writer to read widely, even if what style they write is pretty limited. Which it is for me. I guess it's only in the last few years I've worked out that despite the fact that I read science-fiction, the classics, poetry, popular science, modern literature and so on, I can't write those books. I can just do my own little thing: scary surreal stories with a bit of pretension basically.
In one of your stories, there is a writer who is trying to write a story, but the ‘words wouldn’t reveal themselves’. I thought that was an interesting way to look at writing. I’m always intrigued at how other writers view the writing process. Is that your view of how a writer finds a story, that in a way the words reveal themselves as we write rather than us writing the words?
I'm not sure; that attitude to writing just suited the character of the story and fitted the themes. I think as a writer you have to be flexible about these things. Sometimes the words will just come to you, and it's like uncovering buried treasure. Other times you have to work hard at it, really forcing yourself to get the right sentences. You have to be prepared for both.
In another one of your stories, the character is reading a book and listening to music in the background, and not just an instrumental track but a song. I wondered whether you listen to music when you read, and also whether you listen to music when you write.
Yeah all the time; I love music almost as much as I love books. I guess listening to music as I write comes from living in halls of residence at university - there was always some music blaring through the walls. So the only choice was write to someone else's music, or to my own. I don't find it distracting at all. The only time I wouldn't listen to music is when I'm doing the final edits to a story - I like to read the prose aloud then.
The story 'When The Walls Bend' in this collection was named after a line from a Radiohead song; the title for 'Feed The Enemy' (which is available separately) was poached from a title of a song by the post-punk band Magazine.
I liked all the stories in the collection, but I think my favourite is ‘Red Route’, I just loved the ending because it all came together and is quite awe-inspiring. Do you have a favourite story from the collection, and if so, why is it your favourite?
It's funny, everyone who's picked a favourite so far has picked a different one; I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing...
I'm not sure writers are the best judges of their own work, buy my favourite to write was 'The Other Room' itself. It just about wrote itself. There's a lot of little details in that story that all seem to work together, but I didn't plan any of them. I mentioned writing is sometimes like finding buried treasure above; for 'The Other Room' the treasure just seemed to be lying around on the surface.
Of course the next story I wrote after that was a right difficult sod.
On your website you run a series of guest blogs in defence of short stories. What gave you idea for this, and if you could say one thing in defence of short stories what would that be?
Well, I'd no idea until recently how poorly short fiction sold compared to novels. And that some people, who seem so sane and so well-read, could spout such drivel about the form - really vitriolic stuff! So it came from that really; and I've had some great writers contribute, for which I'm very grateful. It's partly selfish on my part; I only really write short stories so I'm buggered if they keep declining in popularity...
What would I say to people? Just... don't judge short stories by the standards of novels. They're a separate art-form; there's a whole separate world you're missing out on if you don't read short stories. They're not truncated novels, they're something else.
You have only published your short stories as an ebook. Is there a reason why you haven’t made it available in paperback, and do you have plans to do this in the future?
No reason, I'm just new to all this. I wasn't really aware of self-publishing or ebooks at all this time last year; I was going the traditional route of submitting stories to small-press magazines (which I still do). I had one non-horror story called 'Feed The Enemy' which I didn't know what to do with, and then I saw a call for submissions for someone electronically publishing. So I sent it off, not even knowing what it was really. Then rather than rejecting it they sent me a scary looking contract...
So I started to look into ebooks when I knew I'd have a story available in that format, and stumbled across some great writers and helpful people like Neil Schiller and Dan Holloway who were already doing it for themselves. So I jumped in too.
I'd like to do a physical book sometime too, but I've no actual plans at the moment. I'm just seeing how things pan out.
Do you have any tips for someone who is considering self-publishing their own book?
Without wanting to sound too much like a Nike advert, just do it. Provided, that is, that the book is already written. If it's not, then concentrate on writing the best book you can for now; don't even think about how you're going to publish it until afterwards.
Who are your favourite authors and what is it about their writing that you like?
Probably too many to mention, but some I think have been particularly influential on my writing are Ramsey Campbell,Franz Kafka, and Shirley Jackson.
They all have certain things in common, in that they write strange, somewhat surreal fiction, but in an intelligent, literary way. (I think of Kafka as being very much part of the tradition that includes the best 'horror' writers.) And they all have done some of their best work in short story form. 'The Companion', 'The Metamorphosis' and 'The Lottery' - hard to think of better trio of short stories than those.
Is there a book you own that you’ve read more than once?
God I think I've read most of them more than once; what's the point in owning books otherwise? Ones I've definitely read at least three times include: The Lord of the Rings,Mrs. Dalloway,The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Girlfriend in a Coma. Plus books by the authors above, of course.
What was the last book you read?
I tend to read more than one book at a time, so there's a few: Cold Hand in Mine; Loisaida -- A New York Story;and 'The Magical Maze', a book about maths and fractals and other fascinating stuff.
Are you reading a book at the moment?
Of course! Again, more than one: The War of the Worlds, and Ice Age - a great collection of weird, surreal horror tales. Oh, and a book about Bob Dylan too.
How important are reviews for you as a writer?
Very important; not so much the content or the rating, although that is important, but just knowing that someone took time out of their busy day to put some words down about my book. That's a good feeling. Of course I've been lucky that I've not had a bad review yet, so my attitude could change! I've probably just jinxed myself by saying that too.
I must say that the title and cover of your book really caught my eye and I just knew that I wanted to read it. How did you go about choosing the cover for your book?
Funny you should ask, because the photo it's based on was taken by someone I know you know - Neil Schiller. I liked his covers for Oblivious and The Haiku Diary so I asked him how he created them, and he was generous enough to let me use one of his photos. His covers are arty black and white; I messed about with mine and put a filter on to make it appropriately spooky.
What are you working on now?
A novella called The Shelter. It's a story I wrote when I was about seventeen, and recently I found the battered manuscript and read it again - it was dreadful obviously. Clichéd and stilted. But it struck me the plot itself was pretty good, and seemed far more commercial and straight forward than the stuff I write nowadays. I was just discovering writers like Stephen King and Dan Simmons then.
So I've decided to rewrite it completely from scratch - hopefully I can combine the youthful ideas and energy with the strengths I have now - namely knowing a dreadful sentence when I write one, which I obviously didn't then. We shall see if it works...
Where can people buy your book?
You can get The Other Room in these places:
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Other-Roo...
Amazon US: www.amazon.com/The-Other-Room/dp/B004...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
Oh and I blog and talk general rubbish at: http://www.jameseverington.blogspot.com/
Thanks for being a very entertaining guest, James!
You might also like to check out James's other books:
Feed the Enemy
The Psyche Corrupted
I know I will be! :)
Remember, if you'd like to enter to win a copy of The Other Room, just 'like' this blog post or leave a comment below. Good luck!
My favourite books - April pick
As regular followers of my blog will know, I am running a series this year where each month I will recommend one of my all time favourite indie books (self-published or small press). These are books that I think are amazing and deserve to be bestsellers.
Here's the list of my picks so far:
January: The Day the Flowers Died
February: Caviar Dreams
March: Horse Latitudes
This month, I would like to recommend Into The Light by Darcia Helle
To be honest, I could have chosen any one of Darcia Helle's books as my favourite. I've read, Hit List, The Cutting Edge, Quiet Fury: An Anthology of Suspense, The First Kill and Enemies and Playmates. I thoroughly enjoyed all of those books. She is a very talented author with a talent for suspenseful writing. She also has a fabulous sense of humour that comes across in her writing.
Here's my review of 'Into The Light':
This is a wonderful story on so many levels. It contains humour, romance, and an element of mystery. It's a supernatural tale about a ghost, Max, who refuses to go `into the light' until his killer can be brought to justice.
Max, in life, was a very ordinary man, in fact he died feeling like a failure and as if his life had been in vain.
What Helle's book teaches us is that there are many things we do on a daily basis that have an effect on other people's lives, for good or bad. Max is forced to confront issues from his past when he dies, and this multi-layered story perfectly highlights the fact that we are often unaware of other people's thoughts and feelings and that makes all the difference when looking at the effects of things we do. Many readers will be able to relate to Max, and also the private investigator, Joe, who is roped in to help Max find his killer. Their relationship is an odd one, but they each learn something from the other as they both try to come to terms with their problems.
The book deals with the subjects of divorce, regret, relationships, insecurity, and miscommunication, among other things. It's a fun and often comical read, but also contains very deep thinking on human behaviour and relationships.
The underlying message appears to be that when we die we leave behind an imprint based on everything we have done, thought, and said... it's definitely food for thought.
Look out for my next selection in May!
Here's the list of my picks so far:
January: The Day the Flowers Died
February: Caviar Dreams
March: Horse Latitudes
This month, I would like to recommend Into The Light by Darcia Helle
To be honest, I could have chosen any one of Darcia Helle's books as my favourite. I've read, Hit List, The Cutting Edge, Quiet Fury: An Anthology of Suspense, The First Kill and Enemies and Playmates. I thoroughly enjoyed all of those books. She is a very talented author with a talent for suspenseful writing. She also has a fabulous sense of humour that comes across in her writing.
Here's my review of 'Into The Light':
This is a wonderful story on so many levels. It contains humour, romance, and an element of mystery. It's a supernatural tale about a ghost, Max, who refuses to go `into the light' until his killer can be brought to justice.
Max, in life, was a very ordinary man, in fact he died feeling like a failure and as if his life had been in vain.
What Helle's book teaches us is that there are many things we do on a daily basis that have an effect on other people's lives, for good or bad. Max is forced to confront issues from his past when he dies, and this multi-layered story perfectly highlights the fact that we are often unaware of other people's thoughts and feelings and that makes all the difference when looking at the effects of things we do. Many readers will be able to relate to Max, and also the private investigator, Joe, who is roped in to help Max find his killer. Their relationship is an odd one, but they each learn something from the other as they both try to come to terms with their problems.
The book deals with the subjects of divorce, regret, relationships, insecurity, and miscommunication, among other things. It's a fun and often comical read, but also contains very deep thinking on human behaviour and relationships.
The underlying message appears to be that when we die we leave behind an imprint based on everything we have done, thought, and said... it's definitely food for thought.
Look out for my next selection in May!
New Release: Eli's Coming, by Darcia Helle
My good friend and fellow author, Darcia Helle has just released a new novel. Eli's Coming is the first in a brand new series.
I was lucky enough to be able to read a pre-release copy.
Here's my review:
Eli's Coming by Darcia HelleMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm a big fan of Darcia Helle's writing. This author really knows how to write books that keep you turning the pages. I have yet to read something by this author that has disappointed me and I think the key to that is that she always keeps surprising the reader with new and exciting ideas. With this book she surprised me again because it was not what I was expecting at all. It's a supernatural thriller with elements of fantasy and suspense. Even though she has written something that deviates from her usual fiction it still has all her hallmarks: suspense, thrills, humour, and believable characters that we can all relate to.
When we meet Eli he is at a kind of crossroads in his life because he has found love but there is a dark secret that he is keeping and something that could threaten his new love and also his own life. The secret is slowly and steadily revealed as the story unfolds and his past comes back to find him.
I really enjoyed Eli's Coming. The dark fantasy element is fascinating. I'm pleased that this is the first in the series and am looking forward to the next book!
You can get a copy on Amazon and Barnes and Noble at the links below:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Elis-Coming-Cha...
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elis-Coming-C...
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elis-...
Favourite reads of 2015, so far...
It's already June. Oh well, they say time flies when you're having fun, so I must have been having a lot of fun :)
I thought I would take the opportunity for a mid-year look back at some of my favourite reads of 2015.
In no particular order, here are a few I'd recommend if you're currently searching for your next read.
Eli's Coming by Darcia Helle
Excerpt from my review: "...a supernatural thriller with elements of fantasy and suspense. [...] When we meet Eli he is at a kind of crossroads in his life because he has found love but there is a dark secret that he is keeping and something that could threaten his new love and also his own life. The secret is slowly and steadily revealed as the story unfolds and his past comes back to find him.
I really enjoyed Eli's Coming. The dark fantasy element is fascinating. I'm pleased that this is the first in the series and am looking forward to the next book!"
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/Elis-Coming-Cha...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elis-Coming-C...
Living the Dream by Tim Baker
Excerpt from my review: "This book had me hooked from the start and kept me interested throughout. It's a fun and fast-paced read with lots of surprising twists and turns. [...] The book revolves around a series of strange recurring dreams that many of the characters have been having. [...] It's a complex tale involving many different characters and the author did a fantastic job with it. This would make a great movie!"
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/Living-Dream-Ti...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Dream-...
Easy Target by Jenny Hilborne
Excerpt from my review: "This is book two in a series, but I had not read book one and still enjoyed it immensely. I like the fast-paced style of the author's writing. [...] In this novel, Lucinda Fitchett or "Fitch" as she is known, has no recollection of events one evening after waking up in her own flat not sure how she got there after a night out. She has a very troubled past and is wary when contacted by someone who says he knows what happened to her. Fitch is determined to find out the truth [...] an action packed crime thriller that will keep you guessing until the end."
Amazon links:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Easy-Target-I...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Target-Ins...
Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity Missive One
Excerpt from my review: "First in a series, in this 'weird' story, we're introduced to Henry Darling and follow him on his first adventure. [...] It kept me hooked from the start and it's wonderfully imaginative. Henry has been through an experience that changed him and now he collects oddities. His wife and his unlikely friend Brett are his companions and helpers. This is a truly unique story from a talented writer. [...] If you haven't read any of this author's work, 'Weird' would be a great place to start."
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
The Cestus Concern by Mat Nastos
Excerpt from my review: "This is a fantastic book. It kept me hooked from the start. I loved the humourous interaction between Mal and his best friend Zuz.
Mal wakes up to find he's a cyborg and has no memory of the past 11 months of his life. In his quest to find out the truth he has to battle many government agents and man-made adversaries. It's a rollercoaster ride from page 1 with scene after scene of action packed adventure."
Amazon links:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Cestus-Co...
US: http://www.amazon.com/The-Cestus-Conc...
Dreams of a Calico Mouse: The Poems of Dorien Grey
Excerpt from my review: "Dorien Grey's "Dreams of a Calico Mouse" is the perfect example of the type of modern poetry that I enjoy. It's almost storytelling but in verse, and it contains heartfelt messages. The themes in this collection include: love, old age, regret, and dreams. A couple of the poems made me chuckle, and then there were a couple of them that nearly made me cry. All of them kept me interested and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book. This is an accomplished collection of all types of poetry including some haiku."
Amazon links:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J...
Odin's Eye
Excerpt from my review: "Maria Haskins' writing definitely fits into the literary fiction genre. These are stories that are to be savoured. There is a depth to the tales that can only be fully appreciated by taking time to really read and digest every sentence, every nuance. Each sentence is skillfully crafted. [...] All the stories are science fiction and are set in the near or distant future. They are set on different planets, different worlds. The characters are so well depicted and seem like real people telling their tale. We see things through their eyes, we feel their fear and sense their concerns. [...] The stand out story for me was 'Lost and Found', a tale about an astronaut, who is the only survivor after a crash, waiting to be rescued. That one is just perfect, in my opinion. It would make a great movie or short film."
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/Odins-Eye-Maria...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Odins-Eye-Mar...
I thought I would take the opportunity for a mid-year look back at some of my favourite reads of 2015.
In no particular order, here are a few I'd recommend if you're currently searching for your next read.
Eli's Coming by Darcia Helle
Excerpt from my review: "...a supernatural thriller with elements of fantasy and suspense. [...] When we meet Eli he is at a kind of crossroads in his life because he has found love but there is a dark secret that he is keeping and something that could threaten his new love and also his own life. The secret is slowly and steadily revealed as the story unfolds and his past comes back to find him.
I really enjoyed Eli's Coming. The dark fantasy element is fascinating. I'm pleased that this is the first in the series and am looking forward to the next book!"
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/Elis-Coming-Cha...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elis-Coming-C...
Living the Dream by Tim Baker
Excerpt from my review: "This book had me hooked from the start and kept me interested throughout. It's a fun and fast-paced read with lots of surprising twists and turns. [...] The book revolves around a series of strange recurring dreams that many of the characters have been having. [...] It's a complex tale involving many different characters and the author did a fantastic job with it. This would make a great movie!"
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/Living-Dream-Ti...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Dream-...
Easy Target by Jenny Hilborne
Excerpt from my review: "This is book two in a series, but I had not read book one and still enjoyed it immensely. I like the fast-paced style of the author's writing. [...] In this novel, Lucinda Fitchett or "Fitch" as she is known, has no recollection of events one evening after waking up in her own flat not sure how she got there after a night out. She has a very troubled past and is wary when contacted by someone who says he knows what happened to her. Fitch is determined to find out the truth [...] an action packed crime thriller that will keep you guessing until the end."
Amazon links:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Easy-Target-I...
US: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Target-Ins...
Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity Missive One
Excerpt from my review: "First in a series, in this 'weird' story, we're introduced to Henry Darling and follow him on his first adventure. [...] It kept me hooked from the start and it's wonderfully imaginative. Henry has been through an experience that changed him and now he collects oddities. His wife and his unlikely friend Brett are his companions and helpers. This is a truly unique story from a talented writer. [...] If you haven't read any of this author's work, 'Weird' would be a great place to start."
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
The Cestus Concern by Mat Nastos
Excerpt from my review: "This is a fantastic book. It kept me hooked from the start. I loved the humourous interaction between Mal and his best friend Zuz.
Mal wakes up to find he's a cyborg and has no memory of the past 11 months of his life. In his quest to find out the truth he has to battle many government agents and man-made adversaries. It's a rollercoaster ride from page 1 with scene after scene of action packed adventure."
Amazon links:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Cestus-Co...
US: http://www.amazon.com/The-Cestus-Conc...
Dreams of a Calico Mouse: The Poems of Dorien Grey
Excerpt from my review: "Dorien Grey's "Dreams of a Calico Mouse" is the perfect example of the type of modern poetry that I enjoy. It's almost storytelling but in verse, and it contains heartfelt messages. The themes in this collection include: love, old age, regret, and dreams. A couple of the poems made me chuckle, and then there were a couple of them that nearly made me cry. All of them kept me interested and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book. This is an accomplished collection of all types of poetry including some haiku."
Amazon links:
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J...
Odin's Eye
Excerpt from my review: "Maria Haskins' writing definitely fits into the literary fiction genre. These are stories that are to be savoured. There is a depth to the tales that can only be fully appreciated by taking time to really read and digest every sentence, every nuance. Each sentence is skillfully crafted. [...] All the stories are science fiction and are set in the near or distant future. They are set on different planets, different worlds. The characters are so well depicted and seem like real people telling their tale. We see things through their eyes, we feel their fear and sense their concerns. [...] The stand out story for me was 'Lost and Found', a tale about an astronaut, who is the only survivor after a crash, waiting to be rescued. That one is just perfect, in my opinion. It would make a great movie or short film."
Amazon links:
US: http://www.amazon.com/Odins-Eye-Maria...
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Odins-Eye-Mar...
