Ken Magee's Blog

I’ve just published Dying to Live, my first 18+ novel. It’s totally different from my fantasy series but I think some of you will recognize the writing style.

Originally the adventure had been called Bangkok Rotter, but this is a new sparklier version which I think is much better.

I hope some of you have the time to give it a go!

Here’s the blurb:

Dave Murray is rotting in a Bangkok prison cell, terrified he’s going to be sentenced to death. A few weeks earlier, he had been a bored office worker with a booze problem until a disastrous relationship triggered a series of events which led him to Thailand and destroyed his life.

Can anyone save him? Does anyone want to?

WARNING: This story contains adult themes and graphic language.

Available on Amazon.

I am so delighted with the support which the guys at my publisher, Typewriter Pub, have given my book, Dark Tidings. They have professionally edited the original publication so it is now, trust me, so much better. If you haven’t read the new version, please do!

They have also commissioned a narrator to create the audiobook. I’ve heard him read a chapter and I feel he captures the excitement of the story. I am so excited! I can’t wait to hear a professional read the whole book to me… and, hopefully, you.

But, I hear you say, why this post? Well, Typewriter Pub has now produced a trailer for Dark Tidings and, in my opinion, it’s fantastic! I wonder what you think. I guess there’s only one way to find out, so here it is…

To complete the picture, here’s the back-cover blurb and the not-to-be-forgotten Amazon link!

Thanks for looking. I hope it inspires some of you who haven’t read the adventure to give it a go. And maybe it’ll inspire all of you who loved the adventure to leave a review (please).
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A thousand years ago, Tung, a young thief, awaits his execution. Alone in the cold dark dungeon, all hope is gone… until Madrick, the disgraced royal wizard, is thrown into the dungeon with him.

Madrick reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell, a spell which helps them escape their prison cell, and eventually their century.

As strangers lost in today’s modern world, the great spell is the only thing which keeps them alive. They think they are finally safe, until the fateful day when they meet Michael, a computer hacker who plans to destroy the world’s largest bank.

What happens when ancient magic meets the internet, and what if the horrors from a thousand years ago are waiting for the time-travellers in the present day?

Okay, that may sound like your favorite president but it is, in fact, me talking. I think I’ve hit the biggest moment (so far) of my authoring career. Dark Tidings has been shortlisted for a Typewriter Pub (Blvnp) Award… and you can help me win.

How can you help me win? Well, by voting for Dark Tidings at https://agents27.wixsite.com/tpawards2019/sci-fi-fantasy . Thank you!!!!

As well as votes, the
sales and reviews will be counted, so if you haven’t already grabbed yourself a
copy of the sparkly new version of the book, you can get it at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RZM9B4H, You can leave reviews there as well!

Thank you so much for your
support.

Dark Tidings Blurb

A thousand years ago, Tung, a young thief, awaits his execution. Alone in a cold dark dungeon, all hope is gone… until Madrick, the disgraced royal wizard, is thrown into the dungeon with him.

Madrick reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell, a spell which helps them escape their prison cell, and eventually their century.

As strangers lost in today’s modern world, the great spell is the only thing which keeps them alive. They think they are finally safe, until the fateful day when they meet Michael, a computer hacker who plans to destroy the world’s largest bank.

What happens when ancient magic meets the internet, and what if the horrors from a thousand years ago are waiting for the time-travellers in the present day? One thing is certain, with ancient magic brought from the past, modern life will never be the same again.

I’m excited! Of course I am! The new and sparkly Dark Tidings has just been released on Amazon.

Everything
is new. Dark Tidings has a new publisher, BLVNP. Also, the book has been
revised and re-edited and, because of the hard work by the BLVNP editor, the
story is the best it’s ever been! And it’s got a brand new cover, which I love.
It’s even got a new blurb which I’ve included below.

Now,
I’d like to ask you for a favour. If you’ve read the book, please consider
popping over to Amazon and
leaving a review (you could also grab a copy of the new version so your
collection is complete!!). If you haven’t read the book, now is the perfect
time! Please give up a coffee on the way to work and buy a copy.

The more activity there is around the launch week, the more impact there’ll be on the various Amazon lists. If it features on their lists, it has a chance of getting noticed in the big wide world… and I would be so grateful. 

The new Dark Tidings is now available as an eBook or in paperback
from Amazon. Here’s the
blurb…

“We shattered the door and burst into their sleeping chamber. They
were there, and then they were gone. And gone with them was the scroll.”

 A
thousand years ago, Tung, a young thief, awaits his execution. Alone in a cold
dark dungeon, all hope is gone… until Madrick, the disgraced royal wizard, is
thrown into the dungeon with him.

Madrick
reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell, a spell which helps them
escape their prison cell, and eventually their century.

As strangers lost in today’s modern world, the great spell is the
only thing which keeps them alive. They think they are finally safe, until the
fateful day when they meet Michael, a computer hacker who plans to destroy the
world’s largest bank. 

What
happens when ancient magic meets the internet, and what if the horrors from a
thousand years ago are waiting for the time-travelers in the present day? One
thing is certain, with ancient magic brought from the past, modern life will
never be the same again.

Dark Tidings is going to be published
by BLVNP on 23rd May 2019. Exciting or what?

Right now, they are running a poll to choose the cover. Please nip over to my new blog and click on the Cover Poll tab. Then vote for your favorite!

And while you’re there, pop in your email address and they’ll give you a bonus mini-book for free. Does anyone remember the Chicken Incident in Dark Tidings? Well, the bonus book, Drogo Haylock, will solve the mystery of the chicken who didn’t end up in the stew!

I hope I can count on you guys to continue supporting me. It’s your help that has made my astonishing publishing adventure possible.

Thanks to you all.

I was delighted to get an email from Caroline at wiki.ezvid.com telling me that Dark Tidings was being featured in their 9 Fantasy Books With A Great Sense of Humor list. Please nip over there and have a look, it’s a great site and well worth bookmarking.

Here’s how they introduce the list: Fantasy novels don’t have to be serious melodramas full of deep metaphors and dry heroes. With a good sense of humor, the genre can let the author’s personality through, making for an infinitely more entertaining read. The nine books listed here blend the magic and fantastical with witty dialog and funny situations that are sure to make you smile.

I love that description and feel privileged that Dark Tidings made the cut!

Thank you again wiki.ezvid.com.

In the first few paragraphs of Dark Tidings, I tried to set the scene for one of the threads of the adventure. Tung, one of the main protagonists, finds himself awaiting execution in a medieval dungeon and I wanted to create the sense of utter despair and hopelessness which he felt.

I think it works well as a scene-setter but I often wonder whether there’s enough in it to hook potential readers. Using Amazon’s ‘Look Inside’ feature, many people check out the first few pages so grabbing the attention is vital.

The other attention-grabber is the blurb and I’ve included what I use for Dark Tidings below. Again, I wonder if it contains enough hooks to make people want to read more i.e. buy the book.

What do you think?

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Way back in the medieval mists of time, long before most people counted which century was which, Tung shivered violently on the ice-cold stone floor of the executioner’s dungeon.

Dark, dank and putrid were the words an unscrupulous property merchant might have used to glamorise this miserable dungeon, no words were hideous or nauseating enough to describe the true horror of this dreadful place. To be fair though, it wasn’t all bad, at least the green slime, which oozed like pus from small cracks in the walls, added some colour to the drab greyness.

Tung huddled in the darkest corner of the freezing granite cell wishing he was dead. He wouldn’t have to wait long for his wish to come true because he was due to be tortured to death the very next day. Roll on death, it couldn’t come a moment too soon. He was soaking wet, bruised, starving and parched with thirst. Yes, roll on death.

All he could do was pray for the merciful nothingness of sleep before the excruciating morning. He tossed and turned like an agitated foetus. How could anyone sleep in this frightful place? Hands over ears, he tried to shut out the sounds of torturers’ hammers smashing bones, the metallic clunk of ratchets on the racks and the anguished screams which echoed forlornly down stone corridors. Rank stenches crept under the door to assault his nostrils, the acrid stink of flesh seared by white-hot branding irons overwhelming the other odours of human sweat, urine and excrement. Wails of despair reverberated inside his head. Did these evil tormentors never rest?

By some miracle, his brain dragged his tortured body into an uneasy slumber. Praise the gods for the gift of sleep, at least he still had this last sanctuary. His nightmares replayed his pathetic life as his subconscious tried to figure out how he’d ended up in this pitiful mess. The work of the devil, no doubt – with a little help from his fiends.

Chapter 1 continues in the book.

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As I said, the blurb is another key part of the challenge to attract readers and it also helps set the scene for the story. Here’s what I use for Dark Tidings:

What happens when ancient magic meets the internet? One thing is certain, modern life will never be the same again.

A thousand years ago, a young thief, Tung, and a disgraced wizard, Madrick, are thrust together in an executioner’s dungeon. In the darkness, Madrick reveals an incredible secret about a legendary spell. The great spell helps them escape their prison cell… and eventually their century.

Catapulted into the present day, their lives collide with Michael, a computer hacker who plans to destroy the world’s largest bank. But sinister people are tracking their every move and they will stop at nothing to steal their spell.

Funny and frightening, Dark Tidings is book one of the spellbinding ‘Ancient Magic Meets the Internet’ trilogy.

What do you think about both the opening of chapter 1 and the blurb? Any constructive comments are always gratefully received.

Dark Tidings is available from Amazon.

This is an extract from a short piece which was written as a ‘guest appearance spot’ for the book Happy Halloween, a collaborative publication by authors A.K. Michaels, C.S. Bailey, Nav Logan and Rick Haynes.

Read the complete story at Party Animals continued…

The fabulous picture represents one of DJ Marilyn Grotesque’s lovely ladies. It was photographed by  Justine Davinia Simone and shows off the amazing fangs which are from Teeth By Dnash.

I made my name in the deejaying world by being bizarre. I mean, even my name, DJ Marilyn Grotesque, offers the punters a clue to the sort of show I put on.

I’ve modelled myself on Marilyn Manson in his Tainted Love video. I stride into ordinary, regular parties and turn them into freak shows. Party hosts who want to shock their guests, love me. I always give them a show they’ll never forget.

Tonight’s booking is my best payday ever, so I’m determined not to disappoint.

My black 1970 Lincoln Continental low-rider scrunches to a halt on the gravel drive at the front of the impressive mansion. Tonight it’s going to be DJ Marilyn’s mansion. My driver hits the pneumatics and the front of the car bounces like a kangaroo on steroids. A low banshee screech emanates from under the hood. I want everyone to know that the main act has arrived. Be scared party guests, be very scared.

I look out through the black tinted windows and smile. People have streamed out of the house to see what the commotion is. They gasp and point as my car goes through its routine of bounces and bumps and grinds. I’m nearly ready. The scene is primed and set for another spectacular entrance.

I slip in my thousand dollar false fangs. They look so real; worth every cent I paid. Mind you, no one will see them until the moment is right. I shove open the car door and glide out onto the steps which lead up to the house. I can feel every pair of eyes on me. Do they think I’m a dead man walking? My white make-up, blue lipstick and black eyeshadow would even fool a qualified pathologist, well at a distance they might. Dressed in black from head to foot, I stride up the steps.

I feel the mood change when my girls emerge from the car; my five beautiful, sexy vamps strut up the steps behind me. Their skimpy black leather outfits look as if they’d be more at home in a brothel rather than this posh person’s party.  The girls have only one job; tease the guests, men and women, and draw them into an intimate web of expectation. Later, when the tension is at its height, and I give the signal, my little darlings will scare the life out of everyone around them with a show of their fangs; not as realistic as my thousand dollar pair, but real enough to freak most normal folk.

Me and my entourage bundle our way through the entrance hall. I’m heading for the little stage which houses my turntables and the controls for the lights, and fog machine, and flash bang maker. As I push my way through the gaping guests, my girls peel off and start seducing their victims. By the time I’ve reached the stage, all my girls are already hard at work, flaunting their leather clad bodies in the faces of their unsuspecting prey.

“Okay people,” I shout into the mike. “I’m DJ Marilyn Grotesque, let’s get this parrrr-teeee started.”

Read the complete story at Party Animals continued…

Okay, so what is Dark Tales and Flash Fun all about? Well, here’s the introduction from the book… I think it explains it pretty well.

Over the years, I’ve written a lot of words. Most of my efforts were focussed on novels but between the books, or at times when ideas were maturing, I penned a number of short stories and quite a few drabbles (stories which are exactly 100 words long). Dark Tales and Flash Fun is a collection of these bits and pieces. There’s no connecting theme other than each work is designed to be entertaining, frightening or intriguing.

In part,I wanted to create an easy way for people to find out a bit about me and my writing without having to dive straight into the trilogy. I also wanted to gather together  a lot of the various bits of my work in one place. If nothing else, that allowed me to tidy up my computer files… now I just need to sort out all the ideas I have in notebooks and on scraps of paper.

I hope some of you get the chance to check out the book. Here’s the blurb:

In this anthology of wonderfully imagined tales we encounter captivating twists and turns, laugh out loud moments and intriguing entertainment from start to finish. The subject matter includes leprechauns and vampires, Hollywood and electric chairs… there’s even a seasick seagull.

Dark Tales and Flash Fun brings together the author’s extensive collection of drabbles (100 word stories) with three of his fascinating and rather disturbing short stories.

Dark Tales and Flash Fiction is available from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble/Nook, Kobo and Scribd.

As a follow on to my introduction post about the ART authors (see footnote re ART), I’d like to give you a bit more of an insight into the writing of Rick Haynes. As you can see from his Amazon Author Page, Rick has published quite a range of work but I’d like to share the blurb and the prologue from book #1 of his Maxilla Tales, Evil Never Dies.

The Blurb

The Maxilla are a peaceful clan but can they survive the latest threat from Myracadonis, the shaman? Tarn is ordered to lead the Maxilla into battle for the first time, but a man with the mark of greatness will always have enemies. Grona hates everyone, including his son, Tarn. Both men are destined to be heroes yet only one can stand before the gates of hell and win.

The gods are always watching, but whose side will they ultimately favour?

The Prologue

The mountains formed after the lands had been covered in fire, lava and ash. Ice had shaped valleys and the wind and rain had scoured the summits into jagged peaks. Immune to any hardship and interference, only the gods lived in such desolate places. From their lofty domain they looked down on the world of man.

On the lower slope of Mount Soar, a vast number of caves ran through the mountain. Deep and gloomy they served as scant protection for the few animals that dared to wander so high and as a refuge for the seldom seen humans.

Two men sat around a blazing fire in one of the upper caves. A copper pot boiled. One stirred the contents, looking hopeful that the meat would soon be cooked. He shivered constantly, his hand automatically stirring faster.

Long dark clothes swathed the other. A wide-brimmed floppy hat obscured his thin bony face, weathered by time. Yet everything about him was illusory, for he could sit naked in a snow drift and be unconcerned, whereas his companion would freeze in an instant without his help.

He loved the entertainment; humans were usually predictable, yet some could still surprise him. But he had learnt that the body of a frail old man always yielded the best results.

“What is your name, human?”

“Ernon … the lame. What should I call you … lord?”

“You, my cold friend … you may call me Titian. So, tell me what you want.”

“I want power, to control them and take my revenge.”

“Really?”

“Yes my lord. I have studied the dark side of magic and can readily proceed with the ten incantations.”

“Yes! Yes! Admittedly, you have a talent for cruelty and minor magic otherwise you would not be sitting here, but are you ready to give up many years of your life to learn the secrets of the dark arts? The teaching never ceases, for as you learn you move on to the next level of understanding. But remember, if you fail, death is inevitable.”

Looking at the frailty of the man stirring a hot stew did not fill Titian with any great confidence, but the mortal’s eager nod swayed him.

“You will endure pain unlike any other as your mind is exposed and altered. Your body will shrink and grow as I deem fit. At some point you will fall on your knees and beg to die. By then, it will be too late. The gods will own you body and soul, and only they, will allow your demise. This is the point of no return, Ernon. Take it … or maybe freeze.”

Exciting stuff, eh? Why not treat yourself and grab a copy of Evil Never Dies?

ART – Authors and Readers Together

ART is a banner under which a group of like-minded authors are working collaboratively with their readers to create stories designed to entertain, enchant and amaze. I’ll be using this logo on all ART related posts so keep your eyes peeled.