Tag: author interview

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: J.P. Choquette

megHan

Meghan: Hi, J.P. Welcome to Meghan’s House of Books. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

J.P. Choquette: Thanks so much, it’s wonderful to be here. I’m a huge nature-lover, tea drinker, and of course, bibliophile.

Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?

J.P. Choquette: Hmmm, let’s see. I’m eclectic in my music tastes, a huge craver of chocolate in all forms, created a gothic garden that features all white and black flowers/plants, still compose handwritten letters to select people, and have my motorcycle license.

Meghan: What is the first book you remember reading?

J.P. Choquette: There’s a Monster at the End of This Book, a Sesame Street story featuring loveable, furry Grover.

Meghan: What are you reading now?

J.P. Choquette: I just finished, The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons and am still processing it. The most enjoyable book I’ve read in a long time.

Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?

J.P. Choquette: I’ve loved all the books I’ve read by Rosamunde Pilcher, who was an incredible storyteller, though her books fall outside my usual genre.

Meghan: What made you decide you want to write? When did you begin writing?

J.P. Choquette: I know it’s cliché, but I’ve been writing stories since I could hold a pencil. My early “books” were held together with tape or staples. I would say that it’s harder for me to NOT write, than write.

Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?

J.P. Choquette: I usually write at my standing desk in my office. Kinda boring but it works. I like to listen to thunderstorms while writing fiction.

Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?

J.P. Choquette: I’m really a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type, so no, other than making a commitment to write 5 days a week.

Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

J.P. Choquette: Probably balancing everything. I write for a living (nonfiction work for clients) so I have to make it a point to complete my fiction writing first thing which isn’t always easy.

Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?I’d have to say my first novel, Epidemic because it took such a long, long time and I doubted myself so much through the process.

Meghan: What books have most inspired you? Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?

J.P. Choquette: Oh, so many books have inspired me! I love Lisa Unger, Ruth Ware, Jennifer McMahon, and many “vintage” authors like Daphne du Maurier and Mary Roberts Rinehart who mesmerize me with their prose.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

J.P. Choquette: I love a story full of atmosphere, suspense and relatable characters.

Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?

J.P. Choquette: I think characters that are as flawed as myself and people I know in real life. Personally, I’m bored by “perfect” heroines/heroes and can’t relate to them at all.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

J.P. Choquette: The character Sarah Solomon in my second book, Dark Circle, in many ways, because at the time I wrote it, I was anxious, neurotic and doubting myself like she does for most of the book. Luckily, my circumstances weren’t as extreme as hers!

Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?

J.P. Choquette: Yes, I am turned off by a bad cover. I’m very picky about that actually, and have been known to shy away from a book that has a cover that doesn’t impress. I’m involved in my own cover creation to the point of offering suggestions and moods, but leave the rest up to the talented designers I’ve worked with. I wouldn’t work well having someone hovering over my shoulder and basically let the designer work his or her magic.

Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?

J.P. Choquette: So much! I’ve learned a lot about the importance or writing/designing/marketing what the READER wants, not me. I’ve also learned that marketing (or “outreach as I call it), takes as much or more time than writing new things much of the time. Without an audience, why publish more books? I will always write—if for no one but myself—but I wouldn’t continue to publish necessarily if no one were reading.

Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?

J.P. Choquette: Ugh, there have been a lot of these too. Rape scenes—even though told in past-tense—are difficult to write. Certain character’s deaths have been hard. Sometimes the most challenging thing of all is writing my character into a corner and then having to figure how the heck to get them out of there.

Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

J.P. Choquette: My books are an interesting blend of gothic suspense, modern day storylines and lots of flawed characters. There are plenty of twists and turns too, as I don’t know how any of my books will end before I write the ending.

Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?

J.P. Choquette: This is a hard process for me—along with writing the synopsis. I do the best I can, get reader feedback, research other titles in the marketplace and then choose the one that feels best for the book.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

J.P. Choquette: Definitely writing a novel. I’m not a fan of writing short stories. I actually find them more challenging than writing a full-length novel.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

J.P. Choquette: An ongoing message that shows up in my books (unintentionally), is that of hope and of overcoming challenges that the main character(s) feel is completely out of reach. I love that theme. Women make up the majority of my readers, particularly those who like a lot of edge-of-your-seat suspense without a lot of gore/torture/dismemberment, etc.

Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?

J.P. Choquette: Yes, I keep these actually. I have them in a folder called, “Deleted Scenes”—some I may use in the future, others probably not. This likely happens more often because I don’t make a very detailed outline.

Meghan: What is in your “trunk”?

J.P. Choquette: I have a trilogy that I’m hallway through, which is a historical mystery. I’m not sure how/when it will be published, but look forward to that time. I may end up publishing it under a penname because it’s quite different than my usual thrillers.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

J.P. Choquette: I’m about halfway through my current series, Monsters in the Green Mountains, which features a different folk legend from Vermont in each book. After that, I’m not sure. But something else deliciously creepy!

Meghan: Where can we find you?

J.P. Choquette: Thanks for the chance to connect. Feel free to connect with me on:

Website ** YouTube ** Instagram ** Twitter

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview?

J.P. Choquette: Just to thank you again for all the hard work you do to connect readers with authors and vice versa. It’s a wonderful service you take on and much appreciated. Thanks again!

J.P. Choquette is the author of thriller novels set in Vermont. Her books, “turn pages, not stomachs,” and frequently tie in the themes of art, nature and psychology. A lover of Gothic books and movies, J.P. enjoys being in nature with her family, spending time in old cemeteries and visiting junk shops.

Monsters in the Green Mountains 1: Silence in the Woods – Amazon ** Other Digital Readers

In 1917, four friends and photojournalists set out in the woods looking for answers. Why have so many hikers and hunters gone missing in the area of Shiny Creek Trail?The two couples anticipate a great adventure, one they’ll tell their kids about someday. No one imagines the evil lurking in a remote cave. A horrifying discovery leaves one person dead and two others missing.Two months later, Paul, one of the four, returns to the forest to find his wife. But will he find her before someone—or something—finds him?

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Edmund Stone

megHan

Meghan: Hi, Edmund. Thanks for coming here today. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Edmund Stone: My name is Edmund Stone and I’m a Horror writer, artist, poet but not necessarily in that order. I love all things out of the ordinary and take inspiration from odd occurrences and people. I’m constantly seeking out characters who I think would fit well in my books. You can find strange individuals everywhere you look but the state I live in, Kentucky, has an abundance of them. My current WIP novel has many of those same people and I feel readers will enjoy reading about them when the time is right.

Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?

Edmund Stone: I work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant during the day and I’m a grandpa x3; we start young here. I’m an amateur artist and I drew my own book cover for my ebook. I have other concepts ready for future books I may use or let a graphic artist fix up. By drawing out my characters it gives me a way to see them in a physical form before writing them, making for a richer, more rounded character. I would love to develop my skills as a graphic artist further. I play guitar and have for years. It helps me to relax and get my mind open for writing.

Meghan: What is the first book you remember reading?

Edmund Stone: I read lots of comics before I started reading short stories and novels. The first horror I remember reading was Clive Barker’s Books of Blood (I have the whole collection) and the Unabridged Works of Edgar Allan Poe. I spent lots of time and nightmares on that one!

Meghan: What are you reading now?

Edmund Stone: In the last few years I’ve been concentrating on the master. I’ve read several King books, in audio and paperback/ebook format. I read his On Writing book when I first decided to become a writer and I love his mind set and passion for writing. I had read his short stories in the past and watched all the movies. He’s an inspiration to me, as he is to other writers. If you want to be a writer, it’s best to emulate the best. I’m in the middle of Justin Cronin’s The Passage and I’m reading Cujo. I just read In the Tall Grass by King and Joe Hill, craziest thing I’ve read in awhile! I also read Indie writers on my Kindle. I recently read Trespass by Chris Miller. He’s really good and you would owe yourself a favor to check him out.

Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?

Edmund Stone: I would think Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card or maybe Yancey’s The Fifth Wave. I love Sci-fi, especially the kind that has a horror element to it. The Fifth Wave probably has more of it than the first but either novel is worth reading. I’ve read romance as well. Some stories by Nicholas Sparks and the Indie author Michelle Dalton. I helped her beta read her Epona novel via my writer’s group, The Write Practice. She’s a good author in the romance genre.

Meghan: What made you decide you want to write? When did you begin writing?

Edmund Stone: I began to write when I was ten years old. I also began to draw. I loved both but wasn’t sure which one I would concentrate on the most. I’ve written poetry for the last Thirty-five years. I wooed many a fair maiden with it back in the day and caught my wife in the snare of my poetry web (we’ve been together for 28 years). I only started writing short stories and novels since 2016. I’ve always wanted to expand my writing endeavors but never thought I could. It takes lots of reading and practice, practice, practice. But I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend my time!

Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?

Edmund Stone: I have an office converted from my daughters old bedroom that I do most of my work in. It helps to get away from everything in the house for awhile. I have my computer there, as well as an artist’s easel and my guitar. Sometimes I go from one to the other but art has many expressions and as long as I’m working on something, I feel productive.

Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?

Edmund Stone: I drink a cup or two of coffee to get myself ready to write my novels and short stories. I drink a glass of wine or beer to write poetry and Drabbles. My mind has a way of wandering if I drink too much, so I try to take it slow. I have a wooden sculpture I call my muse, looking over me as I write. I always talked about my muse but never had a tangible object to call such. She showed up one day in a box of items and she’s been on my desk ever since. I’m a terrible procrastinator and will do the dishes, mow the yard, or whatever needs to be done to get out of writing sometimes. Sometimes the words just aren’t coming so I work to get them there.

Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

Edmund Stone: Yes, finding the time to balance writing with family time and keeping up with the day job and all the responsibilities of being a husband. It’s not easy making it all work but as any author would probably tell you, the challenge is what makes you better. You put forth your best work when you’re under stress. I feel when deadlines and my time are pulling me in all directions, I come up with some inspiration to keep going. I love to write and create. It makes me the author I want to be.

Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?

Edmund Stone: Probably the Tent Revival series and the Rebecca mythos. I have a novel in the works called Tent Revival that I hope to release soon. It started as as synopsis of my hometown but has turned into a whole universe of characters. It has even spawned a sci-fi horror novella that takes the reader to another planet. I’m also very satisfied with my first self-published book, Hush my Little Baby. It’s a collection of short stories and poems. I’ve had a bunch of people wanting a copy. It was a challenge but fun too, to do that. I will continue to pursue the traditional publishing route but may have some more self-pubbed titles down the road unless I sign a contract and can no longer do so.

Meghan: What books have most inspired you?

Edmund Stone: If I were to pick one, I would say the works of Poe. I cut my horror teeth on his stuff. The Tell-Tale Heart is still one of my favorite horror stories.

Meghan: Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?

Edmund Stone: Stephen King, Clive Barker, even some Dean Koontz, but not as much as the first two. I try to read as many other authors as I can for better reference. I’ve read the classic authors such as Stoker, Lovecraft, Matheson. They all inspired the modern authors of horror so I’m keeping in good company.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

Edmund Stone: Great characters and natural dialogue. A story that keeps the action going; a real page turner. I like there to be some humor to lighten things up occasionally. King is good at that.

Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?

Edmund Stone: I love all my characters, especially the ones in my novels, probably because I spend so much time with them. I like to get in their heads and think like they do. Most of the time they’re trying to get away from something or causing something to happen; horrible things.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Edmund Stone: Probably Sy Sutton in Tent Revival. He’s and older empty nester kind of guy who’s son has gone into a coma and he can’t figure out why. He has a feeling something he did in his past is responsible. So, he kidnaps his boy from the hospital to try and help him, because he feels guilty and thinks the doctors and nurses are unable to heal him. Although, unbeknownst to him, an evil is brewing from somewhere within the town they live in and his son and several others are taken in by it. I feel his desperation as a father and know I would do the same for my kids if needed.

Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?

Edmund Stone: I am. I think the cover should grab your attention. If it sucks I think readers won’t take a chance on it. I’ve bought books based on the cover. Sometimes it pays off and other times it doesn’t but it’s the first impression when a reader buys a book, so it should be good. I spent a lot of time on mine. The ebook version anyway. Not so much on the paperback. I ended up liking it the best though. It was simple. A black background with eerie letters. I thought they both turned out great but I’m partial to the paperback. I’m an amateur artist and drew many concepts, one of which is in the book. The ebook cover is also featured within the paperback. I drew a collage of characters found in the stories within the book to give credence to them. I think it turned out well. I spent countless hours drawing and redrawing concepts I thought would go on the cover. It was a lot of work but well worth it. They turned out well when put on the printed page.

Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?

Edmund Stone: How hard and how easy it is. Getting the Amazon account and setting up all the details was pretty easy. The hard part was formatting. I use Scrivener, so it takes out a lot of the guesswork and compiles things in easy to use formats. I liked that. I didn’t put page numbers or chapter references in my book. I did place the stories in order as they appear in the book. If I do it again, I’ll pay more attention to those details.

Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?

Edmund Stone: Probably love scenes. I write them well but feel I want to go to the dark side rather quickly. I think my characters take me there. I write them the way they want to be written and it can consume me. I feel like I may be going too far sometimes but then think I want my writing to be genuine. Sometimes it’s better to let the muse win. Actually, I think it’s always better to let her win.

Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

Edmund Stone: I don’t know. Maybe the intimacy of my characters. I try to make them front and center, as I think a story should have strong characters, or at least someone you feel for, or are rooting for. The only problem is, my stories usually don’t have happy endings. I will probably try to emulate King quite a bit, or attempt to while writing, but no one author has the same style. I’ve noticed my style is developing more every day. I started by trying to write like my favorite authors but feel I’m becoming more comfortable in my own skin.

Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?

Edmund Stone: Mine wrote itself. It’s named for the first story in the book, coincidentally the first short story I ever had accepted for publication. Really, no coincidence at all. ‘Hush my Little Baby’ meant something to me. It’s all about a girl out on her own, trying to make it after a relationship gone bad. My daughter was going through a similar situation and it gave me inspiration to write it. She still won’t read it, as it scares her too much.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

Edmund Stone: I love both but the novel has to be the most fulfilling. When I finished the rough draft to my first novel, I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven. It was such a difficult thing to get it down, and even though it needs a bunch of work, I can still say I did it. Short stories are my go between. My distraction from the edits needed to finish my novel. I have a novella closer to being ready than my novel and it was satisfying to get it completed as well. But until the novel is ready, I’ll always feel as though there is a hole in my life. Rewrites and revisions are coming soon. It will probably take me into the beginning of next year before it’s ready to send out to publishers.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

Edmund Stone: My target audience is usually older teens to adults. My writing is not always for everyone and it does deal with some controversial things. Of course, they also have a good dose of horror and creepiness in them as well. I want my readers to be , first and foremost, scared to turn the lights off. But I also want them to feel as though my characters could be them or someone they know.

Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?

Edmund Stone: I really don’t delete too much. Only if the wording sucks or something along those lines. I may put a disclaimer out there if I feel the work may be read by a younger audience, but I make no apologies for a scene that may be deemed too controversial or racy. Writing is all about expression, as any art form is. I know my readers would think me disingenuous if I were to hold back in any way. My novel has some pretty crazy stuff in it, I hope it will be well received, we’ll see.

Meghan: What is in your “trunk”?

Edmund Stone: Mine is my rough draft novel, Tent Revival and Lost Hope, my novella. I’ve also been writing Drabbles lately, which is something I didn’t think I had the discipline to do. It’s funny, it’s easier to write the long stuff than the short stuff, for me anyway. I would like to develop my artwork, especially the graphic art. I’ve dabbled with computer generated stuff but haven’t been able to nail it down. I think I need some classes.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

Edmund Stone: A novel for starters. It’s the next step in this process and the one that scares me the most. But I’m ready for the challenge. I actually have, at present, two novels in rough draft and a novella. So, it’s a matter of getting busy more than anything. Another area I’ve been interested in, is children’s literature, or maybe YA. I have a story in mind, an old draft of a novel I started but never finished called the Boldman’s Prophecy. Once I have the other projects finished, I may revisit that one. My grandchildren will be in the age range for reading YA sooner than I expect and I would love to have something out there they could get into. I’ll continue to do Drabbles and poetry as my practice and distraction between novel writing, so expect to see more of those, maybe even on my website as giveaways.

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Edmund Stone: My website is a great way to find me and get an idea of some of the things I’m doing. I’m also on Twitter, Instagram, or on Facebook. There’s a link on my webpage for my book also.

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview?

Edmund Stone: I’m thankful for all the people who’ve read my stories and I hope to keep you coming. Expect some bigger things coming from me in the near future. My first little collection has been an intimate undertaking and I’m quite pleased with Hush my Little Baby. I can’t wait until my next book is out and I hope to have you all along for the journey. Thank you for the support and thanks for reading.

Edmund Stone is a writer and poet of horror and fantasy living in a quaint river town in the Ohio Valley. He writes at night, spinning tales of strange worlds and horrifying encounters with the unknown. He lives with his wife, a son, four dogs and a group of mischievous cats. He also has two wonderful daughters, and three granddaughters, who he likes to tell scary stories, then send them home to their parents.

Edmund is an active member of The Write Practice, a member only writer’s forum, where he served as a judge for their Summer contest 2018. Edmund’s poetry is featured in the Horror Zine, Summer 2017 issue and in issue #6 of Jitter by Jitter Press. He has two poems in issue 39, one poem in issue 41, and a story in issue 42, of Siren’s Call ezine. He also has three short stories in separate anthologies, See Through My Eyes by Fantasia Divinity, Year’s Best Body Horror anthology 2017 by Gehenna & Hinnom, and Hell’s Talisman anthology by Schreyer Ink Publishing. Most of these stories can also be read in Hush my Little Baby: A Collection by Edmund Stone.

Website ** Email ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Instagram

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Matthew C. Woodruff

megHan

Meghan: Hi, Matthew. Welcome to my annual Halloween Extravaganza. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Matthew C. Woodruff: I’m pretty average, I think. I work, I write, I play with my cats. I’m always dieting, LOL.

Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Five things? I don’t know if I’m all that mysterious. I worked for several years as the Conductor on the Polar Express. About 25 years ago I travelled by train through Northern Europe, Scandinavia and Russia for six weeks. I owned an ice cream shop for a few years (thus the need to diet). I have a large collection of stuffed animal friends. Well, that’s four. I can’t think of another one.

Meghan: What is the first book you remember reading?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Finally, an easy question! When I was seven my older brother gave me a Brains Benton mystery and I was forever hooked on reading.

Meghan: What are you reading now?

Matthew C. Woodruff: A couple of things, I am re-reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. This will be the 18th re-read. Plus I’m reading something by David Weber.

Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?

Matthew C. Woodruff: The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

Meghan: What made you decide you want to write?

Matthew C. Woodruff: I had stories I needed to expel from my brain, LOL.

Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?

Matthew C. Woodruff: If you promise not to tell – I do most of my writing at work… it’s the only place I can be undisturbed.

Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Like most writers I think, I have to be careful not to think about my writing unless I am sitting in front of a keyboard, otherwise the whole story pours into my mind and then I forget it all. I wrote one of the stories in my 26 Absurdities on my phone while walking across campus one evening, because I was compelled to.

Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Mainly just putting the words together so they make sense. I tend to build my sentences backwards for some reason.

Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?

Matthew C. Woodruff: My debut collection of short stories 26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions was inspired by the illustrations of Edward Gorey, I have always been fascinated with his macabre drawings and am thrilled to have completed this work of dark humor based on his alphabetized poem in The Gashlycrumb Tinies. The fact that it was selected as a finalist in the American Fiction Awards was also very satisfying.

Meghan: What books have most inspired you? Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Certainly Robert Jordan’s style of character development has inspired me.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

Matthew C. Woodruff: I think realism is vitally important to a story. I don’t mean to say it can’t be made up Sci-Fi or Fantasy, but the plot and characters need to react and develop in a realistic way. For a negative example, I remember seeing a movie a few years ago where the main character’s girlfriend found out a villain was after him and then went home and took a nap or something. The writer wanted to reveal something to us, but the girlfriend character’s reaction was totally unrealistic. It ruined the whole movie for me. Along with the realism theme of this over-winded answer, research is important. Get the facts right. The internet is a great resource for basic facts.

Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?

Matthew C. Woodruff: I believe no one is one thing or the other. People are a mix of good and bad, good decisions and bad decisions, honesty and dishonesty. Characters also should be enigmas to some extent.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Several of the events that my characters experience in 26 Absurdities are taken directly from my childhood. The stories of Hector, James, Titus, Victor, Winnie, Xerxes and Yorick all have elements of my childhood in them. I’ll leave it to the reader to figure out which.

Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?

Matthew C. Woodruff: I consider myself something of a graphic designer as well, so I do create my own covers and I am particularly proud of the cover on my upcoming book Tales from the Aether. This book also has a secret – I have included an illustration for each of the stories.

Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Muse is a harsh mistress.

Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?

Matthew C. Woodruff: There is a slightly romantic theme between a man and a woman in one of my new stories that I found hard to write from the woman’s point of view.

Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Obviously, they are the best thing ever written! Dark humor and dark fiction/horror can be difficult to combine, but I think I do a pretty good job.

Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?

Matthew C. Woodruff: The title is vitally important, as is the cover. A writer has 10 seconds to hook a reader and the cover and title are the bait. The title 26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions is a play on words – the book is about the unusual deaths of 26 children, thus the word ‘proportions’ is meant to highlight the fact that it was all little kids involved in the tragedies.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

Matthew C. Woodruff: I can only write short stories. I do not have the discipline or the will to become involved in writing something that takes years. I need instant gratification that only writing a short story can give me.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

Matthew C. Woodruff: I hate to say it, but some of the dark humor in my stories require some intelligence to understand. People either love them or hate them. In fact, there has been research that shows that people who enjoy dark humor are more intelligent. I’m just lucky I understand any of it, LOL.

Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?

Matthew C. Woodruff: That is an interesting question, my stories are complete from the start to finish with very little editing involved. As the stories flood into my mind and I transcribe them, they are complete. “Take away one word, and the sentence fails, take away one sentence and the paragraph fails, take away one paragraph and the whole work fails.” – misquoted Salieri in Amadeus. In other words, I can’t abide removing any part of my story, LOL.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

Matthew C. Woodruff: My newest collection of short stories, Tales from the Aether, will be out later this year (December 1, 2019). After that, who knows? Depends on my inspiration.

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Matthew C. Woodruff: Website ** Facebook ** Twitter

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview?

Matthew C. Woodruff: I am an Indie writer by choice. I turned down a publishing offer for 26 Absurdities. I don’t agree with the whole publishing culture of querying (begging) for representation then giving over the bulk of the profits from our work to a bunch of middle-men. Give Indie writers, musicians, artists, etc. a chance. We are better than you may think. And to my newbie writer friends: write for yourself not for the marketing people. If you are moved and inspired by a story you’ve created, so will others be.

Matthew grew up in upstate New York surrounded by books (and snow). After founding what became the most widely distributed alternative arts and entertainment magazine in upstate NY (based in Albany), Matthew moved to Greenville, FL where he accepted a position on staff at the University of Florida.

His first book, 26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions, was inspired by his love of the macabre illustrations by artists like Edward Gorey. Selected as a finalist in the American Fiction Awards, 26 Absurdities may be the most unique collection of short stories ever written.

Matthew’s second book, Tales from the Aether, continues in the Dark Humor/Dark Fiction genre and is scheduled to be released November 1, 2019.

Matthew loves to be contacted by fellow authors and readers and can be found on Twitter or Facebook.

26 Absurdities of Tragic Proportions: Unusual & Enjoyable Tales

Awarded Finalist Prize in the 2019 American Fiction Awards ‘Short Stories’ Category by American Book Fest. 

An utterly fascinating collection of short tales inspired by Edward Gorey’s alphabetical illustrations in “The Gashlycrumb Tinies.” These tales capture the essence of dark humor and satire with one tale for each child depicted in Gorey’s most famous illustrations. These tales are all about human behavior, characteristics, chance and choice, and life and death. From mystery to sci-fi from drama to fairy tale and from adventure to gothic, this book has something for everyone.

Tales from the Aether: Extraordinary Tales of Dark Fiction, Dark Humor, & Horror

In this extraordinary collection of ‘dark’ short stories, Matthew C. Woodruff explores the timeless questions of Joy, Fear, Love, Loss, Foreboding and Incomprehension. All set around particular holidays, the characters in these twelve stories experience things we can only imagine. These stories will make the reader stop to wonder if anyone ever really knows those closest to them or even the world around them.

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Steven Heumann

megHan

Meghan: Welcome to Meghan’s House of Books, Steven. It’s a pleasure to have you here today. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Steven Heumann: I love comics and books, good movies and thoughtful prose. I worked in television for 15 years writing and producing for an outdoor adventure show in the Intermountain West called At Your Leisure. That experience sent me around the world, climbing frozen waterfalls, jumping out of airplanes, and filming some of the most beautiful spots on Earth. I directed films, won screenplay awards, and had six kids. It was a good time that prepared me for what I was always supposed to do in the first place: tell my own stories.

Meghan: What are five things most people don’t know about you?

Steven Heumann:

  • I have an EPIC action figure collection.
  • I hate avocados.
  • Talking on the phone is one of my least favorite things to do.
  • I grew up in Chino, California and lived for two years in Sao Paulo, Brazil (two locations featured prominently in my new book because I thought it would be awesome to revisit them in my mind).
  • As a toddler, my older brothers and sisters put me in the dryer and turned it on to see what would happen.

Meghan: What is the first book you remember reading?

Steven Heumann: Charlotte’s Web

Meghan: What are you reading now?

Steven Heumann: Ranger’s Apprentice and a lot of Superman comics.

Meghan: What’s a book you really enjoyed that others wouldn’t expect you to have liked?

Steven Heumann: The Scarlet Letter

Meghan: What made you decide you want to write? When did you begin writing?

Steven Heumann: As a kid I would make up stories and record them on tape. Once I became an adult, I started writing scripts but found that novels appealed to me because I got to create every aspect of the world. I started writing my first book in the fall of 2016 and started writing as a full-time author in October 2018.

Meghan: Do you have a special place you like to write?

Steven Heumann: My office. I have my action figures to keep me company.

Meghan: Do you have any quirks or processes that you go through when you write?

Steven Heumann: Not really. I plot everything out, so I have an idea where a story is going and then allow the story to flow where it needs to as I write. Generally, by the last chapter the story has taken me to places I never would have thought when I did my original outline.

Meghan: Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

Steven Heumann: Knowing when to pull back a narrative. Pacing is so important and sometimes a single paragraph can throw things off.

Meghan: What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve written so far?

Steven Heumann: The Gavin Baller series. I’ve fallen in love with the main character and I love how he responds to things. Knowing that character inside and out is extremely fulfilling.

Meghan: What books have most inspired you? Who are some authors that have inspired your writing style?

Steven Heumann: I love old-school science fiction. Thoughtful works always appeal to me, so I love Huxley, Dick, and Asimov.

Meghan: What do you think makes a good story?

Steven Heumann: Character, character, character. There are no new stories. They’ve been told to death. You throw in a great character though and suddenly everything is new. If you love the protagonist of a book, you’ll likely love where the character takes you.

Meghan: What does it take for you to love a character? How do you utilize that when creating your characters?

Steven Heumann: They have to be flawed and understandable, just like the rest of us. Even characters we look up to need to be relatable, so we know how they think and why they act the way they do. Once you’ve developed a great character the readers should see every choice they make as natural and convincing.

Meghan: Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Steven Heumann: Stewart from Paper Heroes. He’s trying to do the best he can in an extreme situation and just making everything worse. He sees the world similarly to how I do, with a lot of optimism seasoned with a dash of cynicism.

Meghan: Are you turned off by a bad cover? To what degree were you involved in creating your book covers?

Steven Heumann: I created all of my covers. For me writing and drawing always went together (thus my love of comics). I did graphic design for years while working in TV. I love simple covers that convey movement or action. Bad or unprofessional cover art will hurt any book no matter how well written.

Meghan: What have you learned creating your books?

Steven Heumann: So much goes into creating a worthwhile novel. Without editors and beta readers you can’t create good books (or at least I can’t), and so you need to listen to feedback. When I finished the first draft of Paper Heroes, I thought it was a masterpiece. I learned quickly that wasn’t the case, and only by listening and learning did I eventually become a better writer. Even now every novel improves, and I’m sure that will continue for the rest of my life.

Meghan: What has been the hardest scene for you to write so far?

Steven Heumann: Whatever scene comes next. I always worry what I write tomorrow won’t be as good as what I wrote yesterday. It’s a pretty common problem with writers, and I can’t seem to escape it.

Meghan: What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

Steven Heumann: I love thoughtful sci-fi, but I REALLY love when it’s balanced with fun characters and action. I’m a popcorn movie guy, and I’ve found that when you tell stories that people actually enjoy it’s a lot easier to get them to think about bigger things. If you want someone to question their existence or the society they live in, it’s better to make them laugh first. That’s what my books do.

Meghan: How important is the book title, how hard is it to choose the best one, and how did you choose yours (of course, with no spoilers)?

Steven Heumann: The title has to follow the feel of the book. If it’s a fun novel, your title has to encapsulate that. When someone reads the title of my books, I want them to be intrigued. In the case of Hunt for the Hollywood Clone I want them to smile at its playfulness and then wonder who the clone may be. With its sequel, Empty Universe, I want readers to get a sense for things getting deeper and more dangerous. By the third instalment I went with Galactic Kingpin, again a title that conveys a sense of fun, but also foreboding.

Meghan: What makes you feel more fulfilled: Writing a novel or writing a short story?

Steven Heumann: Writing a novel. I don’t know if it’s the size or the depth you can get into, but for me finishing a novel is the greatest. I do love short stories because it forces me to create worlds and character in a tight space but being able to go deep and explore as a writer is very fulfilling.

Meghan: Tell us a little bit about your books, your target audience, and what you would like readers to take away from your stories.

Steven Heumann: I love contemporary sci-fi, where the world is more or less ours but you’re able to tweak things to get people to think. That’s where most of my novels inhabit. Far-flung futures are great, but there’s something about looking at our experience today and shifting things enough to get readers to question everything, that’s a lot of fun. I also don’t like rehashing old stories and characters. For me things need to be as fresh as I can make them, particularly when I bring in aliens and stuff in a book. I never want the aliens to feel two-dimensional or like something from an old Star Trek episode. I want them to be new and interesting and as complicated as the rest of us.

Meghan: Can you tell us about some of the deleted scenes/stuff that got left out of your work?

Steven Heumann: In the case of Paper Heroes there was a lot that hit the cutting room floor, mostly because I was just over-telling. It was good stuff but slowed the book down too much; lots of little character moments and backstory the readers didn’t necessarily need. With Gavin Baller it came down to characters I wanted to introduce that I just couldn’t fit in. I had a character I wanted to introduce to the audience that had to be pushed all the way to Book 3 because I just couldn’t make it work. Once I did finally fit them in, they turned out to be so minor it didn’t even matter anymore. That sort of thing happens sometimes. The book dictates what it needs, not the author.

Meghan: What is in your “trunk”?

Steven Heumann: I have a movie we started to film a few years ago where we weren’t able to finalize the finances and thus only shot part of the script. I’d love to go back and finish that in full production. It was a funny heist movie that takes place at a comic convention. I’ll get back to that one eventually.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

Steven Heumann: I’m currently working on a stand-alone whistle-blower story called Transfused about a near future where physical attributes (muscle mass, cancer, etc) can be passed along to other people through technological means. I’ll be sending it to my editor within the next few weeks. From there I’ll do a shared-consciousness thriller called Dreamforgers. Add to that a few short stories and an anthology and the rest of the year is going to be pretty busy, and a crap-ton of fun.

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Steven Heumann: Joining my Reader Group is a good way to keep up with all of my stuff, plus I give group members all of my short stories for free. I’m on Facebook where I post excerpts along with videos and such from many of my adventures over the years. You can find all my novels on Amazon of course as well.

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview?

Steven Heumann: I’m just excited to be a part of this world and get to know sci-fi readers and what they love. This entire journey has been one giant learning process where I’ve met amazing people and learned more than I ever imagined. I can’t wait to share all the craziness inside my brain with readers around the world, and I hope to delve into their stories as well. It’s a wonderful life, that’s for sure.

Ready for a good story?

Steve worked in television running his own outdoor adventure program and left it all behind to become a full-time author. With a wife and six kids.

Seriously.

Sound nuts? Well that’s who we’re dealing with here!

Steven Heumann, founder of Super Heumann Creative graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in broadcasting and immediately put it to good use. He began working as a freelance writer for television production house Chadwick Booth and Company and worked his way up to Senior Producer. Working in this position allowed Steve to oversee the creation of a new half-hour program every week, one of the most demanding workloads in television. This gave him the opportunity to write extensively, edit, film, and even host in front of the camera for many years, honing his craft. There are quite literally over 500 individual episodes that bare his mark, along with a dozen documentaries, government projects, and ad campaigns.

Despite his impressive television pedigree, Steve has spent a good portion of his time as an author, writing the contemporary science fiction novel Paper Heroes, as well as the popular Gavin Baller series, and being published in Immortal Works newest Fairy Tale compilation, Of Fae and Fate. He has directed almost a dozen short films, winning numerous international film awards in the process, including Best Screenplay and Best Director.

Steve always says that without a great script you can’t have a great movie, and so he has worked for over a decade to sharpen his writing craft by penning several full-length scripts and prepping them for production. Between his short feature works, full movie manuscripts, and television writing, Steve has produced over one thousand scripts in the past twelve years, with the vast majority of them going into full production. Whether writing, producing, or directing, Steven Heumann has proven himself a force to be reckoned with in the television and film-making worlds.

Gavin Baller 1: The Hunt for the Hollywood Clone

Gavin Baller is the most famous actor in Hollywood. He’s confident, self-absorbed, and hunted by Aliens!

Before he can figure out whether it’s real or a hoax, he first has to escape.

Terrified, confused, and eventually distracted by a beautiful warrior trying to keep him safe, Gavin must become the hero he always pretended to be. With his freedom and life up for grabs, can Gavin survive and return to his celebrity lifestyle? More importantly, will he even want to?

What’s an egotistical actor to do?

Start this amazing journey today!

Gavin Baller 2: Empty Universe

Gavin is in space… and it sucks.

After a chase that started in the Hollywood Hills, everyone’s favorite Academy Award-winning actor finds himself in the cold universe with nothing to do. All he wants is to rescue his best friend and the woman he loves from the clutches of evil aliens, but when the view outside the window never changes, it’s hard to stay motivated. But when a new danger looms that threatens to put Gavin in an intergalactic zoo, he better find his courage fast! 

In this unexpected and hilarious adventure, Gavin’s out of his depth, out of options, and out for revenge… so long as the other zoo animals don’t eat him first. 

Continuing from where The Hunt for the Hollywood Clone left off, you’ll laugh, think, and be surprised at every turn.

Gavin Baller 3: Galactic Kingpin

War closes in.

Gavin isn’t running away anymore.

The search for Abraxas-Mon and his army gets cut off as the team finds themselves cornered on the oldest planet in the galaxy. What they discover there destroys their very understanding of the Commonwealth and the journey they’ve been on since taking Gavin from Earth.

The Perennials are gone.

Abraxas-Mon may already be dead.

Someone has been pulling the strings and is ten steps ahead. Now it’s up to Gavin to stop them.

A Hollywood actor verses the biggest threat in the universe.

Yeah, this is going to end well.

Paper Heroes

Hero. Villain. Stewart Mitchell thinks they’re opposites, but he’s about to be pulled into a conspiracy that will turn him into both. What would you do if your wealthy and reclusive boss offered you the chance to be the greatest modern hero, but you knew it was all a lie? It may seem like the ultimate acting job, but once the charade begins to crumble Stewart discovers there are less destructive ways to weather a mid-life crisis. Can he salvage his life, or will his deception bring ruin down on everyone he cares about? Plus with the FBI hot on his tail, he may be unable to save himself, let alone anyone else. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and Stewart has his foot on the gas. 

Paper Heroes is a contemporary sci-fi novel that mixes politics, technology and heroism, asking whether or not the ends truly justify the means.

Conscious in Wonderland

It’s time for a hit from a cognitive crack pipe. 

When Alice joins her boyfriend’s university experiment in shared consciousness, she discovers a world where thoughts are reality and concepts are smells. Her scientific brain is soon overwhelmed by the presence of other people, some dreaming, others hunting. 

Can she escape, or will her desire for knowledge be crushed beneath the drug-rush from a sea of emotions? 

And that’s before her boyfriend throws his mind into the mix.’

Conscious in Wonderland is a short story that will take you down the rabbit hole like never before, leaving you questioning your perceptions of the world.

Halloween Extravaganza: INTERVIEW: Rebekkah Ford

megHan

Meghan: Welcome back, Rebekkah. It’s been awhile since we sat down together. What’s been going on since we last spoke?

Rebekkah Ford: A lot. LOL On the book front I finished writing book 2 in my Legends of Deceit 2-book series. The release date is pending.

Meghan: Who are you outside of writing?

Rebekkah Ford: I’m a wanderer. I love going to different places and explore the area. I’m also a YouTuber. Our channel is called Dare to Live. Freedom is our message/brand, and our channel expresses that in all the things we do and talk about.

Meghan: How do you feel about friends and close relatives reading your work?

Rebekkah Ford: I’m fine with it, but it makes me nervous. LOL

Meghan: Is being a writer a gift or a curse?

Rebekkah Ford: A gift because writers have the ability to create characters and worlds and then transport the reader to those worlds. It’s magic. 😊

Meghan: How has your environment and upbringing colored your writing?

Rebekkah Ford: It has colored it a lot. When my parents were married, they were the directors of the UFO Investigators League. They not only investigated UFO/extraterrestrial sightings, but they also had done some paranormal investigations as well. So, I think the reason why I’m fascinated by the paranormal world and love writing about it is because of the way I grew up.

Meghan: What’s the strangest thing you have ever had to research for your books?

Rebekkah Ford: How psychiatric hospitals use to treat their patients back in the early 1900s.

Meghan: Which do you find the hardest to write: the beginning, the middle, or the end?

Rebekkah Ford: The middle because I have to plan out plot points and make sure the story is flowing correctly and going in the right direction.

Meghan: Do you outline? Do you start with characters or plot? Do you just sit down and start writing? What works best for you?

Rebekkah Ford: I write down the idea of the story I have in mind, then a rough outline, then I write out a character sketch.

Meghan: What do you do when characters don’t follow the outline/plan?

Rebekkah Ford: I follow their lead. My character Ameerah is a lesbian. I didn’t plan her that way, it just happened.

Meghan: What do you do to motivate yourself to sit down and write?

Rebekkah Ford: I think about the story and where it’s leading to, then ideas come to me, and I have to sit down and write about it.

Meghan: Are you an avid reader?

Rebekkah Ford: I am. I love to read.

Meghan: What kind of books do you absolutely love to read?

Rebekkah Ford: Paranormal romance, metaphysical, new age/spirituality, thrillers, fantasy, and dystopian.

Meghan: How do you feel about movies based on books?

Rebekkah Ford: I think the books are better than the movies, however, sometimes Hollywood does a good job turning a book into a movie.

Meghan: Have you ever killed a main character?

Rebekkah Ford: I can’t tell you that.

Meghan: Do you enjoy making your characters suffer?

Rebekkah Ford: No, however, I do enjoy the evil characters getting defeated by the people they caused pain to.

Meghan: What’s the weirdest character concept that you’ve ever come up with?

Rebekkah Ford: Drenths. It’s in my book Tangled Roots.

Meghan: What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received? What’s the worst?

Rebekkah Ford: The best feedback was when my readers told me that Ameerah and my Beyond the Eyes trilogy (she’s a character in the trilogy) would make a great movie. They loved the concept and how I wrote each book. The worst feedback was when a reader wrote on a forum that she didn’t like my book and threw it across the room because it was a waste of her time. I’m thinking it was a troll who said that, but honestly, every writer has received bad reviews. You have to have a thick skin in this business.

Meghan: What do your fans mean to you?

Rebekkah Ford: They mean a lot to me. I appreciate them so much. I haven’t published a book in a couple of years, so their patience and support means the world to me.

Meghan: If you could steal one character from another author and make them yours, who would it be and why?

Rebekkah Ford: Lestat from Interview with the Vampire. He’s a great character.

Meghan: If you could write the next book in a series, which one would it be, and what would you make the book about?

Rebekkah Ford: Well, I plan on extending my Beyond the Eyes trilogy into a series. I wrote the trilogy in such a way to where I could continue writing more books in that world with the same characters without the storyline getting stale or ridiculous.

Meghan: If you could write a collaboration with another author, who would it be and what would you write about?

Rebekkah Ford: Anne Rice. It would be about vampires and witches.

Meghan: What can we expect from you in the future?

Rebekkah Ford: More books. 😉

Meghan: Where can we find you?

Rebekkah Ford: Website ** Blog ** Amazon ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Instagram

Meghan: Do you have any closing words for your fans or anything you’d like to say that we didn’t get to cover in this interview or the last?

Rebekkah Ford: Yes, I do. We all have goals in life, some takes longer than others, but that’s okay. If you continue to work at it, eventually you’ll accomplish your goal(s). It can be writing that novel you always wanted to write, going to school to become a paleontologist, or whatever your heart desires. You can do it! For me, the last two years have been rewriting my entire life which is why I haven’t published a book. It takes a lot of work internally and outwardly to disregard everything you have been taught and told and start over. This includes facing and overcoming the dark part of the psyche. So, once everything gets sorted out, the second book to my 2-book Legends of Deceit series, will be published. I’ll also be writing more books in the future, so stay tuned and thanks for sticking with me. It means a lot to me.

Rebekkah Ford is an award-winning author who writes paranormal romance and fantasy novels. When her parents were married, they were the directors of the UFO Investigators League, they also had taken on some paranormal cases as well. The way Rebekkah grew up aids her in her paranormal storytelling and probably the reason why she’s fascinated with the unknown.

Rebekkah is also a blogger and freelance writer. She writes versatile and in-depth articles on various topics.

Fun Fact: Rebekkah and her husband converted a cargo van into a camper and plans to travel the U.S. full-time, writing and videotaping their journey as digital nomads. Rebekkah is not only an author, but she’s also an explorer in search of adventure, new discoveries, and to live life minimally and deliberately. She’s a YouTuber (Dare to Live channel) and believes we weren’t born to just pay bills and die. The core message on her and her husband’s channel and website (Exploring Rabbit Holes) is FREEDOM.

Sign-up for Rebekkah’s monthly newsletter. Get updates on Rebekkah’s books, such as new releases, excerpts, giveaways, top secret information and much more! Your information is kept private. Rebekkah doesn’t share, sell, or spam newsletter subscribers.

Beyond the Eyes 1: Beyond the Eyes – FREE on Amazon

Paige knows evil exists in this world, but she never imagined it would want something from her.

In the small town of Astoria, Oregon, surrounded by deep forest and endless mountains, another world thrives . . . a menacing one where dark spirits dwell in soulless humans. Seventeen-year-old Paige Reed lives in this lush, picturesque setting. She’s not your average teen, though she appears to be. Not only is she heartsick, but she’s been receiving cryptic premonitions from a ghostly voice since the age of four. After she hears a haunting message about herself, supernatural occurrences begin to confuse her.

Nathan Caswell seems to peer into Paige’s soul, evoking a magnetic energy between them they cannot deny. They’re connected. But he’s no ordinary guy. He tracks dark spirits and becomes alarmed when they set their sights on Paige. 

When two power-hungry malevolent beings make demands on her, she realizes then the fate of mankind rest in her hands. Her world quickly turns inside out where the impossible becomes possible, and in the end she’s faced with a life changing decision that will not only alter her existence but the world as she knows it.

Can a deeply troubled teen overcome her own demons in order to fight those lurking about? With the past and present colliding, Paige must make the ultimate mortal choice. Will it be the right one?

Beyond the Eyes 2: Dark Spirits

Now immortal, Paige is emotionally and physically stronger than ever. She must find the location of the ancient incantations to prevent mass genocide. But the war against good and evil is spawning another war–a battle between the dark spirits themselves. Paige is saddled in the center of both growing revolutions and is ready to take on the dark forces. But Nathan’s overprotectiveness prevents her from taking action, and he’s hiding things. 

Paige’s personal life gets more complicated when Brayden arrives back in town and offers the equal partnership she desperately craves from Nathan. Then there’s Carrie and Tree, her two best friends and only family she has left. Unfortunate circumstances thrust them into Paige’s dark world, giving her no choice but to allow Nathan to arm them with combat techniques in hope they’ll be able to protect themselves.

Meanwhile, Paige is having visions and discovering abilities she was unaware of. When Anwar comes to visit, his weird behavior alarms her. Could he be turning to the dark side?

Time is running out. Paige not only needs to find the incantations but also to untangle the bands around her heart and make a decision that could leave her with a life worse than death–a life of betrayal from the ones she trusted most.

Beyond the Eyes 3: The Devil’s Third

The Exciting Continuation Of The Beyond the Eyes Trilogy.

If you could have the power to control evil, would you want it?

In a rainy, misty town filled with moss-covered trees and dwarfed by wooded mountains, Astoria, Oregon, holds many secrets and eighteen-year-old Paige Reed is one of them. She’s immortal, has magical abilities she’s discovering, and harbors King Solomon’s power inside her. With his incantations, she can control the dark spirits who lurk among societies in soulless humans.

But her problems are mounting.

Her best friend slips into a coma, and Paige must tap into her newfound powers—powers she’s unsure of—to save her.

Through this ordeal, Bael who once commanded a legion of black souls, forces Paige to make a pact with him, causing her to abandon the ones she loves. When she finds out where Solomon’s spells are and tells Bael, she begins to have second thoughts about her agreement with him.

Will she risk everything to claim the spells that hold the power to control the dark spirits so she can enslave him? Or will her one true love find her before she makes a horrible mistake that could damage her for life?

And most importantly, what does the Devil’s third mean and what is Bael really up to?

Tangled Roots

After eighteen-year-old Carrie Jacobson discovers she was a witch in a previous life, she seeks to reawaken that part of her soul. With the help of an eccentric enchantress and a boy who is more than he seems, Carrie succeeds and is spellbound by the memories of her life in Europe during the 1600s as a powerful witch named Isadora. Carrie reverts to her bewitching, more volatile form and sets out to break a curse she cast long ago on her coven. 

Carrie’s boyfriend Tree cannot help feeling uneasy about the changes he sees in the woman he loves. When Carrie’s past clashes with the present and dark magic intoxicates her once again, Tree must take drastic matters into his own hands and attempt to save Carrie from herself. 

With Tree’s help, will Carrie be able to resist the allure of her new powers? Or will she plunge into the deep end and give into them?

Ameerah

Sometimes even the dead seek salvation.

In 1925, eighteen-year-old Ameerah Arrowood is murdered in an insane asylum. She finds herself transported to a dreary realm that turns out to be a recruiting station for the dark spirits. With animosity in her heart toward humanity, she decides to join them.

For the next ninety years, Ameerah possesses soulless humans, living a hedonistic, mischievous and sometimes vengeful existence, but now she’s seeking salvation so she can crossover and save her lost love who is stuck in the lower world. 

Ameerah enlists the help of her dark spirit friend Derek, who is straddling the line between Heaven and Hell. She tells him how it all began, weaving between historical timelines to now, hoping to gain understanding about why her parents betrayed her and wanting to get rid of the guilt weighing on her heart. In the end, the unexpected unfolds, which changes her forever.