Ethan Nahté's Blog
November 30, 2020
Coping with the Holidays Through Reading or Writing
The holidays are here, for all that is worth in this strange and painful year. Many folks are still cooped up and isolating. Many more should be doing the same. Granted, some people are fortunate enough to still have a job, possibly even one where they can work remotely from home. Others have to go out and risk getting ill or making others ill.
The holidays are a time of happiness for many. For others, it can be quite depressing. With COVID-19 threatening the world and possibly someone close to you, it will make this season a little more difficult to cope with for several people. Some may throw caution to the wind and visit across the country, traveling by mass transit, risking lives because they can't handle cabin fever.
Many have probably binge-watched everything in their collection or anything they can stream on the various services available.
But how about all of those books on your To-Read shelf? How many of those have you sat down and read?
Not to mention, how about starting that novel, memoir, how-to book, or even a short story? So many people come up to myself and other authors, or even during writing panels, and say they want to write. NANOWRIMO is over, but that doesn't mean you have to stop writing if you've started. If you haven't started, now's your chance.
Why? Because writing and reading are relaxing and therapeutic. Granted, there are moments in the creative process that can be stressful, but overall, it's a great outlet to withdraw from everything else going on around you and be creative if you're writing. It's a chance to escape to another world, even if you're reading a literary novel set in modern times.
So take time out from the virus, holiday shopping, the post-election insanity, and a break from job hunting if you're in that unfortunate situation, and let yourself go by reading or writing a book.
Meanwhile, if you're seeking something old and new to entertain you, the new anthology Island Terrors & Sea Horrors (ITSH) is available with over 300 pages (printed version) containing 36 stories & poems along with 24 B/W & color illustrations and photos.
To hear more about the book, listen free to the After Rot podcast I did with host/author William Snider and author Larry Atchley Jr.
We discuss everything from pirates to beer, Iron Maiden to nautical history, vicious penguins to voracious amphipods, dragons to Moby Dick, and artists such as Bob Eggleton, Gustav Doré, and David J. Martinez, photographer Ian Keattch, authors Robert E. Howard, Edgar Allan Poe, Larry Atchley Jr, and more.
Now, time to get to my own writing. So many new stories came to mind as I edited the ITSH anthology. In addition, time to finish up the next MG Weird Tales Mysteries book and the origin novel of The Savage Cat, the prequel to The Savage Caged.
But first, recording the narration to my poem "Rose & Thorns" for the publication Love Letters to Poe, due out Jan. 21, 2021. Then, on to writing a treatment for a new pulp hero novel to submit to a publisher.
The holidays are a time of happiness for many. For others, it can be quite depressing. With COVID-19 threatening the world and possibly someone close to you, it will make this season a little more difficult to cope with for several people. Some may throw caution to the wind and visit across the country, traveling by mass transit, risking lives because they can't handle cabin fever.
Many have probably binge-watched everything in their collection or anything they can stream on the various services available.
But how about all of those books on your To-Read shelf? How many of those have you sat down and read?
Not to mention, how about starting that novel, memoir, how-to book, or even a short story? So many people come up to myself and other authors, or even during writing panels, and say they want to write. NANOWRIMO is over, but that doesn't mean you have to stop writing if you've started. If you haven't started, now's your chance.
Why? Because writing and reading are relaxing and therapeutic. Granted, there are moments in the creative process that can be stressful, but overall, it's a great outlet to withdraw from everything else going on around you and be creative if you're writing. It's a chance to escape to another world, even if you're reading a literary novel set in modern times.
So take time out from the virus, holiday shopping, the post-election insanity, and a break from job hunting if you're in that unfortunate situation, and let yourself go by reading or writing a book.
Meanwhile, if you're seeking something old and new to entertain you, the new anthology Island Terrors & Sea Horrors (ITSH) is available with over 300 pages (printed version) containing 36 stories & poems along with 24 B/W & color illustrations and photos.
To hear more about the book, listen free to the After Rot podcast I did with host/author William Snider and author Larry Atchley Jr.
We discuss everything from pirates to beer, Iron Maiden to nautical history, vicious penguins to voracious amphipods, dragons to Moby Dick, and artists such as Bob Eggleton, Gustav Doré, and David J. Martinez, photographer Ian Keattch, authors Robert E. Howard, Edgar Allan Poe, Larry Atchley Jr, and more.
Now, time to get to my own writing. So many new stories came to mind as I edited the ITSH anthology. In addition, time to finish up the next MG Weird Tales Mysteries book and the origin novel of The Savage Cat, the prequel to The Savage Caged.
But first, recording the narration to my poem "Rose & Thorns" for the publication Love Letters to Poe, due out Jan. 21, 2021. Then, on to writing a treatment for a new pulp hero novel to submit to a publisher.
November 3, 2020
New Horror Anthology has Launched!
Autumn is here! Halloween has passed, unfortunately! The weather is pretty sweet, overall! I've gotten out to walk most days to get away from the computer screen and get a little exercise while enjoying mostly clear skies and full moons while keeping an eye on Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter.
Otherwise, I've been chained to the desk working on Beagle Mountain Press's new chilling anthology Island Terrors & Sea Horrors (ITSH). The title is pretty self-explanatory. The 300-page anthology features 36 short stories & poems plus 24 illustrations & photographs, some in color.
ITSH includes several works from Edgar Allan Poe. Other authors include H.G. Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson, H.P. Lovecraft, William Shakespeare, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Washington Irving, Larry Atchley Jr., myself, and more.
The monstrous cover illustration is by David J. Martinez. Interior art and photos are from Doré, W.J. Orr, Ian Keattch, Winslow Homer, Edvard Munch, to name a few.
Collecting and editing the anthology required a tremendous amount of research and many long hours, but it's complete and looks gorgeous. Currently, the book is available through Amazon for Kindle, but will soon be available in print. More than likely, by this time next week. It will make a great gift for one's self or someone you know who loves classic horror and needs something to tide them over when they don't want to get out into the holiday shopping crowds.
Meanwhile, and despite the pandemic, I will be one of the authors appearing at Chapters on Main this coming Saturday. See the details here. I will have an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of ITSH available for perusal. I'll have five other titles available for sale at the store. If you've never been there, it's across from the train depot in old downtown Van Buren.
If it weren't for promoting the new book, I probably would've passed on the event. I'll be there from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. wearing a mask. I hope you'll come to visit and be wearing a mask, as well.
Next up is getting back to working on the second Weird Tales Investigators novella and the novel-length origin of The Savage Cat .
The Weird Tales Investigators #2 is a Bigfoot story. It should be available by early 2021.
The Savage Cat will be out hopefully sometime around the end of spring or beginning of summer.
With any luck, the pandemic will be over, and we can get back to conventions next year, but I have serious doubts. As an author, I'm fine with the solitude and locking myself away. As a publisher, promotion sometimes requires getting out and doing things such as signing events. I'll keep my fingers crossed, my mask on, and my hand sanitizer handy. Until next time...
Otherwise, I've been chained to the desk working on Beagle Mountain Press's new chilling anthology Island Terrors & Sea Horrors (ITSH). The title is pretty self-explanatory. The 300-page anthology features 36 short stories & poems plus 24 illustrations & photographs, some in color.
ITSH includes several works from Edgar Allan Poe. Other authors include H.G. Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson, H.P. Lovecraft, William Shakespeare, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Washington Irving, Larry Atchley Jr., myself, and more.
The monstrous cover illustration is by David J. Martinez. Interior art and photos are from Doré, W.J. Orr, Ian Keattch, Winslow Homer, Edvard Munch, to name a few.
Collecting and editing the anthology required a tremendous amount of research and many long hours, but it's complete and looks gorgeous. Currently, the book is available through Amazon for Kindle, but will soon be available in print. More than likely, by this time next week. It will make a great gift for one's self or someone you know who loves classic horror and needs something to tide them over when they don't want to get out into the holiday shopping crowds.
Meanwhile, and despite the pandemic, I will be one of the authors appearing at Chapters on Main this coming Saturday. See the details here. I will have an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of ITSH available for perusal. I'll have five other titles available for sale at the store. If you've never been there, it's across from the train depot in old downtown Van Buren.
If it weren't for promoting the new book, I probably would've passed on the event. I'll be there from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. wearing a mask. I hope you'll come to visit and be wearing a mask, as well.
Next up is getting back to working on the second Weird Tales Investigators novella and the novel-length origin of The Savage Cat .
The Weird Tales Investigators #2 is a Bigfoot story. It should be available by early 2021.
The Savage Cat will be out hopefully sometime around the end of spring or beginning of summer.
With any luck, the pandemic will be over, and we can get back to conventions next year, but I have serious doubts. As an author, I'm fine with the solitude and locking myself away. As a publisher, promotion sometimes requires getting out and doing things such as signing events. I'll keep my fingers crossed, my mask on, and my hand sanitizer handy. Until next time...
August 27, 2020
Rebirth
Hello friends and fans. I've got some Meet & Greet/Book Signing news, but first, let me recap:
It's been approximately nine months since I last wrote a blog. This is something of a rebirth, in which I obtained a new job right before 2020 began with a newspaper in a new town 100 miles from my previous location. All seemed well to begin with, although trying to pack and move with what little time I had available and the distance, not to mention all my crap, took about two months to complete. That was with a lot of help from others.
The new job kept me pretty busy, so much so that I really either had no time to write my fiction or I wasn't up to it just due to the lupus complications. That was frustrating, but at least I was writing and getting paid for it. By March, I had insurance for the first time in years. I got to use it once for a miserable trip to an ER where I will never go again, even though they are only two blocks from where I currently live. Either I had some unknown virus or food poisoning. They couldn't pinpoint what it was, but they sure as hell itemized a $15,000 bill fine and dandy. This was the day before it was announced that COVID-19 was found in a patient in Arkansas.
So, I worked from home for the most part. Journalists/media types were provided a letter and press pass. It allowed me to be out and about if a curfew was ever instilled (never was) so I could risk my life being around potentially sick people so I could gather the news. WooHoo!
Most of the people I worked with were nice, and I got along with those people pretty well. I really liked the editor, John Lovett. We had some related interests and he was a cool guy. When COVID-19 hit, it was difficult to try and maintain only 40 hours/week because there was plenty of news. There just weren't plenty of businesses open, meaning a lot less advertising. A couple of dozen writers and other staff lost their jobs on May 1.
So much for the health insurance I never got to use for regular reasons or even finding a primary care physician in the area since doctor's offices and hospitals were closed down. As you probably know, visits were off-limits to everyone unless it was an emergency or possibly COVID-19. But hey, I got to piss away some money on life insurance and other benefits that did me no good, not to mention, once again, a 401K that I had nowhere to roll over, so I got a nice penalty for more money pissed away.
Come early July I wasn't feeling well at all. So, I did a drive-thru COVID-19 test. Took them a week to respond, and that was after I finally called them and they were like, "Oh yeah, sorry." (same shitty hospital system - different location). And despite what the governor said about there being little to no cost if you didn't have insurance, they just keep billing me. I pay a bill then they find something else to bill me for. So far, the COVID-19 test has come up to more than $600, but they're discounting it for me. I'm only having to pay $400 in addition to the ER trip because that's what my unemployment is for...to pay idiots that can't remember to call or tell me what's wrong.
Of course, all of the conventions I had planned on attending as a panelist and a seller have been canceled. But, this Saturday, Aug. 29, from Noon-2 p.m., I'll be one of the authors signing at Chapters On Main in Van Buren, Ark. for Independent Book Store Day. So, if you're in the area, the store will be doing all kinds of stuff with authors, food, and games all day. Come on by. I'll be the curly-haired guy sitting at a table wearing a mask and gloves signing books.
Although I don't want to really be in a crowd, I figure the book store couldn't be any worse than Walmart or the grocery store. Half the people in those large crowds don't wear their masks properly, assuming they wear one at all despite the mandate. No one gets onto them because they don't want to hurt their business. How about the fact you might be turning away customers who don't want to shop with you any longer because you care more about a buck than my health?
I realize 2020 has sucked for everyone. The rebirth has been very much like a breech birth. I'm seeing how many kicks to the ass I can take before I get out and breathe. But, while job hunting, which is a 40 hour/week job in itself, I have been writing or revising a lot of material. I'm going to be getting back to finishing The Savage Cat prequel soon.
I've also had a few short stories published or accepted for publication, so at least I haven't been stagnant. A lot of those links can be found on my new Twitter account @EthanNaht1.
I also managed to get the Nahte Words store back up and working through Square. The original Wordpress is in the middle of being revamped to promote Beagle Mountain Press in general. And, of course, the LIVE 'N' LOUD site is still up and running. I have been doing some updates on it when I can.
Speaking of Beagle Mountain Press, the current project is a collection of horror stories & poetry with the working title Island Terrors & Sea Horrors. It will include the works of Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells, H.P. Lovecraft, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Wilhelm Hauff, Sir Thomas Moore, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Washington Irving alongside some new stories & poems from myself and Larry Atchley Jr. David J. Martinez, creator of The Savage Cat, is working on the cover. There will be other illustrations throughout the book, including some Gustav Doré and a few other artists. I'm hoping to have the book out in time for Halloween. It should be a fun & haunting read for All Hallow's Eve and into the bleakness of winter when the wind chills the bones and the landscape is bleak and gray unto the horizon.
It's been approximately nine months since I last wrote a blog. This is something of a rebirth, in which I obtained a new job right before 2020 began with a newspaper in a new town 100 miles from my previous location. All seemed well to begin with, although trying to pack and move with what little time I had available and the distance, not to mention all my crap, took about two months to complete. That was with a lot of help from others.
The new job kept me pretty busy, so much so that I really either had no time to write my fiction or I wasn't up to it just due to the lupus complications. That was frustrating, but at least I was writing and getting paid for it. By March, I had insurance for the first time in years. I got to use it once for a miserable trip to an ER where I will never go again, even though they are only two blocks from where I currently live. Either I had some unknown virus or food poisoning. They couldn't pinpoint what it was, but they sure as hell itemized a $15,000 bill fine and dandy. This was the day before it was announced that COVID-19 was found in a patient in Arkansas.
So, I worked from home for the most part. Journalists/media types were provided a letter and press pass. It allowed me to be out and about if a curfew was ever instilled (never was) so I could risk my life being around potentially sick people so I could gather the news. WooHoo!
Most of the people I worked with were nice, and I got along with those people pretty well. I really liked the editor, John Lovett. We had some related interests and he was a cool guy. When COVID-19 hit, it was difficult to try and maintain only 40 hours/week because there was plenty of news. There just weren't plenty of businesses open, meaning a lot less advertising. A couple of dozen writers and other staff lost their jobs on May 1.
So much for the health insurance I never got to use for regular reasons or even finding a primary care physician in the area since doctor's offices and hospitals were closed down. As you probably know, visits were off-limits to everyone unless it was an emergency or possibly COVID-19. But hey, I got to piss away some money on life insurance and other benefits that did me no good, not to mention, once again, a 401K that I had nowhere to roll over, so I got a nice penalty for more money pissed away.
Come early July I wasn't feeling well at all. So, I did a drive-thru COVID-19 test. Took them a week to respond, and that was after I finally called them and they were like, "Oh yeah, sorry." (same shitty hospital system - different location). And despite what the governor said about there being little to no cost if you didn't have insurance, they just keep billing me. I pay a bill then they find something else to bill me for. So far, the COVID-19 test has come up to more than $600, but they're discounting it for me. I'm only having to pay $400 in addition to the ER trip because that's what my unemployment is for...to pay idiots that can't remember to call or tell me what's wrong.
Of course, all of the conventions I had planned on attending as a panelist and a seller have been canceled. But, this Saturday, Aug. 29, from Noon-2 p.m., I'll be one of the authors signing at Chapters On Main in Van Buren, Ark. for Independent Book Store Day. So, if you're in the area, the store will be doing all kinds of stuff with authors, food, and games all day. Come on by. I'll be the curly-haired guy sitting at a table wearing a mask and gloves signing books.
Although I don't want to really be in a crowd, I figure the book store couldn't be any worse than Walmart or the grocery store. Half the people in those large crowds don't wear their masks properly, assuming they wear one at all despite the mandate. No one gets onto them because they don't want to hurt their business. How about the fact you might be turning away customers who don't want to shop with you any longer because you care more about a buck than my health?
I realize 2020 has sucked for everyone. The rebirth has been very much like a breech birth. I'm seeing how many kicks to the ass I can take before I get out and breathe. But, while job hunting, which is a 40 hour/week job in itself, I have been writing or revising a lot of material. I'm going to be getting back to finishing The Savage Cat prequel soon.
I've also had a few short stories published or accepted for publication, so at least I haven't been stagnant. A lot of those links can be found on my new Twitter account @EthanNaht1.
I also managed to get the Nahte Words store back up and working through Square. The original Wordpress is in the middle of being revamped to promote Beagle Mountain Press in general. And, of course, the LIVE 'N' LOUD site is still up and running. I have been doing some updates on it when I can.
Speaking of Beagle Mountain Press, the current project is a collection of horror stories & poetry with the working title Island Terrors & Sea Horrors. It will include the works of Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells, H.P. Lovecraft, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Wilhelm Hauff, Sir Thomas Moore, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Washington Irving alongside some new stories & poems from myself and Larry Atchley Jr. David J. Martinez, creator of The Savage Cat, is working on the cover. There will be other illustrations throughout the book, including some Gustav Doré and a few other artists. I'm hoping to have the book out in time for Halloween. It should be a fun & haunting read for All Hallow's Eve and into the bleakness of winter when the wind chills the bones and the landscape is bleak and gray unto the horizon.
November 23, 2019
Contest! Contest! Holiday Sale!
Thanksgiving is approaching and all the 2019 writing events requiring travel are at an end for me. But, that doesn't mean writing events are over for the season!
My flash fiction story "Glowing Soil" is a finalist in the current Crystal Lake Publishing competition Graveyard theme. They release a story/day for readers to vote on, but to read it, one has to subscribe to their $5 level on patreon. That being said, if you are a subscriber or want to be, my story is lucky #13 and should be on their site Sunday, December 1. Vote for "Glowing Soil" by Ethan Nahté
It seems that, once again, I have had a story make it to the Honorable Mention level for the 4th quarter for the Writers of the Future competition. I'm not certain when they will post the winners. This is a planetary story about a heist gone wrong in "The Zetecol Switch." Unfortunately, Honorable Mention stories don't get published, so time to search the galaxy for a new home for the galactic tale.
I've been playing catch-up on trying to find homes for stories rejected over the past six months. There are a few stories that have been short-listed for some sites and publications, so perhaps those will be accepted soon.
There are still two or three stories that have been accepted and I have no idea when publication will be. My newest story for Alban Lake Publishing's Dream Realms of Cthulu anthology, entitled "The Bridge of Terror" takes place in the '60s during the Space Race, The Beatles, and Timothy Leary's LSD experiments. So what are a couple of Miskatonic University students to do? Perhaps attempt to figure out a way to possibly become with the universe with the help of a talking cat. Keep an eye here or on the ALP site for release date details.
Speaking of music and space, Wings of Mercury has both, as well as classic cars and a death race. Get your signed paperback copy or a signed paperback copy for someone else for the holidays.
PLUS! If you order either The Savage Caged or The Mansion on Champagnolle (paperback copies only) with your copy of Wings of Mercury, you'll get free shipping (U.S. addresses only).
This offer is good by ordering directly from me by Cyber Monday, December 2, 2019, and not through any other site or location.
Private message me with your order requests or questions.
Or, you can visit my author page Ethan Nahté on Goodreads and link to either most of the anthologies I am in or my books and order at costs online or as e-books.
That's it for the moment
My flash fiction story "Glowing Soil" is a finalist in the current Crystal Lake Publishing competition Graveyard theme. They release a story/day for readers to vote on, but to read it, one has to subscribe to their $5 level on patreon. That being said, if you are a subscriber or want to be, my story is lucky #13 and should be on their site Sunday, December 1. Vote for "Glowing Soil" by Ethan Nahté
It seems that, once again, I have had a story make it to the Honorable Mention level for the 4th quarter for the Writers of the Future competition. I'm not certain when they will post the winners. This is a planetary story about a heist gone wrong in "The Zetecol Switch." Unfortunately, Honorable Mention stories don't get published, so time to search the galaxy for a new home for the galactic tale.
I've been playing catch-up on trying to find homes for stories rejected over the past six months. There are a few stories that have been short-listed for some sites and publications, so perhaps those will be accepted soon.
There are still two or three stories that have been accepted and I have no idea when publication will be. My newest story for Alban Lake Publishing's Dream Realms of Cthulu anthology, entitled "The Bridge of Terror" takes place in the '60s during the Space Race, The Beatles, and Timothy Leary's LSD experiments. So what are a couple of Miskatonic University students to do? Perhaps attempt to figure out a way to possibly become with the universe with the help of a talking cat. Keep an eye here or on the ALP site for release date details.
Speaking of music and space, Wings of Mercury has both, as well as classic cars and a death race. Get your signed paperback copy or a signed paperback copy for someone else for the holidays.
PLUS! If you order either The Savage Caged or The Mansion on Champagnolle (paperback copies only) with your copy of Wings of Mercury, you'll get free shipping (U.S. addresses only).
This offer is good by ordering directly from me by Cyber Monday, December 2, 2019, and not through any other site or location.
Private message me with your order requests or questions.
Or, you can visit my author page Ethan Nahté on Goodreads and link to either most of the anthologies I am in or my books and order at costs online or as e-books.
That's it for the moment
November 13, 2019
NaNoWriMo Month
As I have gone from book signings to conventions through October and November, it's been interesting to see which published writers are participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and those who aren't, as well as those who are doing something different and they're focusing on writing short stories or essays versus a full length novel, but aiming for the same word count of 50,000 or more. For those who aren't writing or aiming for a goal, such as me, it seems to be people who are either taking a break or trying to get caught up on all the things they are behind on.
In my case, I was so busy throughout spring and summer, as well as most of the fall, I have written next-to-nothing over the past seven months. So, instead of aiming for a word count, I've been busy going through all my work that has been rejected and reading/revising the work and tracking down other places to submit. The next goal is to finalize some stories I was in the middle of writing, as well as finish working on the Savage Cat novel (follow-up to the novella The Savage Caged that I am only half through with writing. I hope to have the first draft finished before the end of the year. Why? Just to unload the millstone around my neck (and brain) and to have the stories finished and out of my head.
Hopefully, you other writers (even those of you unpublished) are trying to accomplish something, whether it's the NaNoWriMo challenge or you're trying to finish works in progress.
That being said, I will be appearing at Ozark Book Authority president Brooke Johnson. (I really like their mission statement.) I met Brooke at the first Ozark Book Con last weekend. Although the crowd could've been a bit larger and the weather a slight warmer, the event went well and the Guests of Honor were interesting. Not to mention, the great way that Brooke and the other volunteers ran the show (and I mean ran because they were very busy making sure everything went right and were bouncing from one room to the other non-stop).
Brooke and I are just a pair of the authors Dog Ear Books has invited this month to talk to writers and those who want to write about NaNoWriMo and writing in general. Plus, we'll have our books available for purchase and signing if you are looking to start your holiday shopping before Black Friday (wink. wink). [CLICK on ...invited this month... for details.]
The following Friday, I'll be giving the last Creative Writing Workshop for 2019 at Books & Stuf in Mena. Feel free to bring a story of 3,000 words or less for the group to critique, along with something to take notes on as I assist in helping writers improve their work or the ins-and-outs of getting published.
That's all for now. If it's too cold to get outside, then stay in and write...or read!
In my case, I was so busy throughout spring and summer, as well as most of the fall, I have written next-to-nothing over the past seven months. So, instead of aiming for a word count, I've been busy going through all my work that has been rejected and reading/revising the work and tracking down other places to submit. The next goal is to finalize some stories I was in the middle of writing, as well as finish working on the Savage Cat novel (follow-up to the novella The Savage Caged that I am only half through with writing. I hope to have the first draft finished before the end of the year. Why? Just to unload the millstone around my neck (and brain) and to have the stories finished and out of my head.
Hopefully, you other writers (even those of you unpublished) are trying to accomplish something, whether it's the NaNoWriMo challenge or you're trying to finish works in progress.
That being said, I will be appearing at Ozark Book Authority president Brooke Johnson. (I really like their mission statement.) I met Brooke at the first Ozark Book Con last weekend. Although the crowd could've been a bit larger and the weather a slight warmer, the event went well and the Guests of Honor were interesting. Not to mention, the great way that Brooke and the other volunteers ran the show (and I mean ran because they were very busy making sure everything went right and were bouncing from one room to the other non-stop).
Brooke and I are just a pair of the authors Dog Ear Books has invited this month to talk to writers and those who want to write about NaNoWriMo and writing in general. Plus, we'll have our books available for purchase and signing if you are looking to start your holiday shopping before Black Friday (wink. wink). [CLICK on ...invited this month... for details.]
The following Friday, I'll be giving the last Creative Writing Workshop for 2019 at Books & Stuf in Mena. Feel free to bring a story of 3,000 words or less for the group to critique, along with something to take notes on as I assist in helping writers improve their work or the ins-and-outs of getting published.
That's all for now. If it's too cold to get outside, then stay in and write...or read!
October 20, 2019
October/November 2019 Appearances Update
Stealing away for a few minutes to get this post up after a bust and hectic September and early October. FenCon (Dallas) went pretty well as far as panels go. Archon (St. Louis) actually went better this year than the previous couple of years in regards to panels and to sells.
As usual, if you need rain, just send me to a convention. It rained to and from Dallas. It rained even heavier on the way back from St. Louis. If you needed rain, you're welcome. If you were already flooding, sorry about that.
I should be appearing this coming Saturday, October 26, 2019 at Dog Ear Books from 3-5 for a signing. I'm not seeing my name on the site or FB page at the moment, but fingers crossed and we'll see what happens. I'll have my horror material there, including my latest Middle Grade paranormal story The Mansion on Champagnolle . You can get a signed copy at the store.
FYI: the NahteWords.com site is still down and I'm going round and round with a variety of web entities trying to see who can take responsibility to get it up and going again since the Hosting seems to be up in the air. I'm about ready to start from scratch.
I am also going to be appearing at Dog Ear Books in mid-November (TBA) as part of a series for a NaNoWriMo event the store is putting on with various authors answering questions about writing and NaNoWriMo.
I will also be one of the panelists at the Ozark Book Con in Springdale, AR on November 9, 2019. This will be my first time appearing at this event. I'm not sure what to expect and I just found out this weekend I was going to be a panelist. It's a one-day event, so if you're in the Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers/Bentonville area and like books and literature, come on by!
This week, contracts were signed for my latest Lovecraftian piece to be accepted for another anthology (Alban Lake Publishing) Eldritch Dream Realms. I'm not certain of the release date, but it'll be another in the series from Herika R. Raymer and H. David Blalock
If you missed it on my last blog entry, and you need a laugh, or the potential for a pint (or gallon) of laughter, then check out my e-story "A Jersey to Oz" (Alban Lake Publishing) store. If you have read the story, please leave a review on their page.
The same goes for the second story I signed a contract on this week. Not sure of the release date, but its a Romantic Horror Anthology for Hellbound Books. I loved reading the Hot Blood series when I was younger. I'm assuming, based off the strange subject matter my story for Hellbound Books is all about, this anthology will have some bizarre material similar to the Hot Blood anthologies.
Also, I almost forgot that author Tommy B. Smith sent me a link to his new media production Road Between Worlds: A Horror Author's Chronicle. I was one of several authors Tommy interviewed at his various conventions he attends. I have only seen the trailer linked above, so I don't know much about it beyond that.
I believe that's about everything for now. Once all this whirlwind of events is over, I hope to get back to doing some writing. Many projects need completion.
Later gators!
As usual, if you need rain, just send me to a convention. It rained to and from Dallas. It rained even heavier on the way back from St. Louis. If you needed rain, you're welcome. If you were already flooding, sorry about that.
I should be appearing this coming Saturday, October 26, 2019 at Dog Ear Books from 3-5 for a signing. I'm not seeing my name on the site or FB page at the moment, but fingers crossed and we'll see what happens. I'll have my horror material there, including my latest Middle Grade paranormal story The Mansion on Champagnolle . You can get a signed copy at the store.
FYI: the NahteWords.com site is still down and I'm going round and round with a variety of web entities trying to see who can take responsibility to get it up and going again since the Hosting seems to be up in the air. I'm about ready to start from scratch.
I am also going to be appearing at Dog Ear Books in mid-November (TBA) as part of a series for a NaNoWriMo event the store is putting on with various authors answering questions about writing and NaNoWriMo.
I will also be one of the panelists at the Ozark Book Con in Springdale, AR on November 9, 2019. This will be my first time appearing at this event. I'm not sure what to expect and I just found out this weekend I was going to be a panelist. It's a one-day event, so if you're in the Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers/Bentonville area and like books and literature, come on by!
This week, contracts were signed for my latest Lovecraftian piece to be accepted for another anthology (Alban Lake Publishing) Eldritch Dream Realms. I'm not certain of the release date, but it'll be another in the series from Herika R. Raymer and H. David Blalock
If you missed it on my last blog entry, and you need a laugh, or the potential for a pint (or gallon) of laughter, then check out my e-story "A Jersey to Oz" (Alban Lake Publishing) store. If you have read the story, please leave a review on their page.
The same goes for the second story I signed a contract on this week. Not sure of the release date, but its a Romantic Horror Anthology for Hellbound Books. I loved reading the Hot Blood series when I was younger. I'm assuming, based off the strange subject matter my story for Hellbound Books is all about, this anthology will have some bizarre material similar to the Hot Blood anthologies.
Also, I almost forgot that author Tommy B. Smith sent me a link to his new media production Road Between Worlds: A Horror Author's Chronicle. I was one of several authors Tommy interviewed at his various conventions he attends. I have only seen the trailer linked above, so I don't know much about it beyond that.
I believe that's about everything for now. Once all this whirlwind of events is over, I hope to get back to doing some writing. Many projects need completion.
Later gators!
October 2, 2019
Archon & A Jersey to Oz
As I pack materials for Archon and prepare to head out on a long drive after a long workday tomorrow, I took a moment to look in the Infinite Realms Bookstore (Alban Lake Publishing) and discovered that my short story, "A Jersey to Oz," has been uploaded and made available for purchase for the mere pittance of .99¢ as a digital download. So, if you have a lunch hour to kill...or anything else to kill for that matter, get your Moo on and have some fun.
I'll be set up on Bookseller's Row at Archon and have a few panels and a reading. See my schedule and swing on by.
I'll be set up on Bookseller's Row at Archon and have a few panels and a reading. See my schedule and swing on by.
September 18, 2019
End-of-2019 Appearances
Hey there; Ho there! I realize it's been a few months since my last entry. Life and work has been a bit crazy, to say the least-to the point I have barely done any writing or submitted stories. In an attempt to at least touch base, I wanted to give you folks the 411 on my upcoming events for the final portion of the 2019 convention season.
Coming this weekend, September 20-22, I will be appearing at FenCon once again in the Dallas-Fort Worth area at their new location.
October 4-6 I will be at Archon in the St. Louis area.
There may be a one-day appearance in Arkansas mid-October but that has not been confirmed.
I have a book signing in Russellville, Arkansas at Dog Ear Books the weekend prior to Halloween, October 26 from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. I'll have all of my books, including my new MG/YA novelette The Mansion on Champagnolle , which is new to the River Valley region.
Also, possibly October 18 or 25, I will be conducting another creative writing workshop at Books & Stuf in Mena, Arkansas.
That's about all I have time for at the moment. I have plenty of work to get caught up with and plenty of new stories in mind. Just need another 24 hours in each day to get it all accomplished. C-YA!
Coming this weekend, September 20-22, I will be appearing at FenCon once again in the Dallas-Fort Worth area at their new location.
October 4-6 I will be at Archon in the St. Louis area.
There may be a one-day appearance in Arkansas mid-October but that has not been confirmed.
I have a book signing in Russellville, Arkansas at Dog Ear Books the weekend prior to Halloween, October 26 from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. I'll have all of my books, including my new MG/YA novelette The Mansion on Champagnolle , which is new to the River Valley region.
Also, possibly October 18 or 25, I will be conducting another creative writing workshop at Books & Stuf in Mena, Arkansas.
That's about all I have time for at the moment. I have plenty of work to get caught up with and plenty of new stories in mind. Just need another 24 hours in each day to get it all accomplished. C-YA!
May 15, 2019
New Novelette & SoonerCon
Howdy, howdy! Well, it's been a little while and life has been extremely busy. Through bouts of allergies and bronchitis while working the day job (sometimes 65 hours per week), I managed to finish the first novelette of The Weird Tales Investigators series entitled The Mansion on Champagnolle. The Kindle version is currently available. The paperback version should be available within the next couple of days. Other versions and formats will be available soon. The cover art was done by my friend David Martinez.
The story features two 10-year-old boys, Bobby and Nate, who accidentally discover a haunted mansion and find their lives endangered. The characters are little bit Hardy Boys and a dash of Encyclopedia Brown thrown into a world fit for the X-Files. The Mansion on Champagnolle
Speaking of The X-Files, one of the authors of a few X-Files titles is Kevin J. Anderson, as well as Star Wars, Dune and many of his own series, will be the Guest of Honor at SoonerCon. There are many other great guests. I will be there as well on some panels, doing a reading and wandering the halls. Due to a foul-up on my end (not SoonerCon), I currently do not have a table. Fingers crossed that one becomes available, but at the moment, you just will have to catch me at panels or out and about to purchase books.
Work progresses on the upcoming novel in The Savage Cat Adventures and a few short stories. That keeps me busy enough. I'll try to post my next blog in early June. Until then, kick back and enjoy a good book (preferably one of mine) with a glass of lemonade before it gets too hot to enjoy the outdoors.
The story features two 10-year-old boys, Bobby and Nate, who accidentally discover a haunted mansion and find their lives endangered. The characters are little bit Hardy Boys and a dash of Encyclopedia Brown thrown into a world fit for the X-Files. The Mansion on Champagnolle
Speaking of The X-Files, one of the authors of a few X-Files titles is Kevin J. Anderson, as well as Star Wars, Dune and many of his own series, will be the Guest of Honor at SoonerCon. There are many other great guests. I will be there as well on some panels, doing a reading and wandering the halls. Due to a foul-up on my end (not SoonerCon), I currently do not have a table. Fingers crossed that one becomes available, but at the moment, you just will have to catch me at panels or out and about to purchase books.
Work progresses on the upcoming novel in The Savage Cat Adventures and a few short stories. That keeps me busy enough. I'll try to post my next blog in early June. Until then, kick back and enjoy a good book (preferably one of mine) with a glass of lemonade before it gets too hot to enjoy the outdoors.
March 12, 2019
Contest Voting Request & Cool Concept
Have you heard of the French company Short Edition? They are posting stories with a one, three, and five minute length to read online for FREE, as well as in dispensers (vending machines). Short Edition has more than 100,000 short stories by 9,000 authors from classic literary short works, such as Shakespeare and Virginia Woolf. You can go up to the dispensers and select a short story. It prints out and you have a quick read while waiting for the bus, awaiting your friend to show up at the restaurant, sitting in a waiting room, or hanging out in the park on a nice spring day for example. Producer/Director Francis Ford Coppola liked the idea so much, he purchased one of the machines to set up at his Cafe Zoetrope.
I entered a short story entitled "Final Destination" in their Button Fiction Contest. The entry has been accepted and my story is available to read for free and to vote on. You can sign up with the site for free or use your Facebook account to sign in. So, please read the story. If you like it, please vote for "Final Destination" and then share the link with your friends. I would deeply appreciate it. If you don't like it, you've only spent a couple of minutes of your day reading my tale.
So, remember to Read, Vote, Share! Chant that mantra and follow through.
I entered a short story entitled "Final Destination" in their Button Fiction Contest. The entry has been accepted and my story is available to read for free and to vote on. You can sign up with the site for free or use your Facebook account to sign in. So, please read the story. If you like it, please vote for "Final Destination" and then share the link with your friends. I would deeply appreciate it. If you don't like it, you've only spent a couple of minutes of your day reading my tale.
So, remember to Read, Vote, Share! Chant that mantra and follow through.
