stories

A Long Love of Hardback Books

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There’s something incredible about seeing your name on a hardback book.

I didn’t think there would be. I thought it would be just as amazing as having my name on a paperback or on an ebook, but it really is completely different. I think it taps into some childish excitement to hold something so strong and sturdy in your hands and to know that the book is filled with your words, your characters, and your story. It’s surprisingly difficult for me to describe it as an author.

It makes me think of being a kid and dragging my fingertips over the hardback covers of my parents’ home library. They are book collectors just like I am, and for as far back as I can remember we had a study in the house which used to be only for bookshelves, books of all shapes and sizes, and encyclopedias (until we got our first computer). Some of the books in there were from when my parents were children, series they just couldn’t bear to part with. When I wasn’t sure what to read next, I liked to browse them and see what I could find. As a kid, I had no worries about how old a story was or how new, how well known the author was or how unknown, all I wanted was a good story. I wanted a book to catch my eye and my interests. I liked the feel of hardback books the most, I liked how the covers had different textures and even smells.

I think that’s why when I first held a hardback copy of my debut novel, Stolen, in my hands, I got a little speechless. I think that’s why I got a little choked up. I never expected it, but moments like that tend to creep up on you, don’t they?

I hope you’ll enjoy watching my unboxing of my hardback copies of Stolen below! They’re now available to purchase at Barnes and Noble.

Too Close to Home

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Each October, horror authors converge on a site to share stories about one of the best holidays of the year: Halloween. We talk about spooky stories, some of them true, some of them not. We share information about our books, and maybe even do a giveaway.

Today I talk about growing up in a haunted town and in a haunted house. This post was more difficult to share than I expected it to be. I’ve been flighty about even admitting this to myself for a very long time, so getting it put up online is a big step.

Drop by and enjoy! Maybe even leave a comment. Halloween Haunts: Too Close to Home

After all, these only come once a year…

Roots in a Dark History

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Some stories come easily. They flow through your fingertips as though the words already exist somewhere and you’re just a wormhole for them to travel through. Other stories take far more work. My novella, The She-Wolf of Kanta, was one of the latter.

Just coming to terms with the story’s inspiration was a struggle. This story had roots in some dark places in history, places that weren’t comfortable to explore. Various Google searches would sometimes stick in my brain late at night with how horrific they were. I’ve got a strong sense of empathy, which can make being a horror author difficult at times.

Today I did a guest post over on the blog: Reading for the Stars and Moon. I talk in more detail about this and why it was so difficult to deal with when writing SWoK. I hope you’ll take a look.

This is Day 1 of my week-long blog tour. Check back here each day for new posts.

The She-Wolf Of Kanta will be released in ebook, audiobook, and paperback copies on April 17, 2018. I cant wait to share Mercy’s journey with you. 👣🌲🐺

The Angry Woman

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Check out the scary ghost story that got posted up for HWA’s Halloween Haunts today! I may or may not have been the author for it, and it may or may not be based on a real experience that my friends and I had in New Orleans years ago.

“The Angry Woman” by Marlena Frank

If you liked this piece, hopefully you’ll consider adding my upcoming YA dark fantasy novella, The She-Wolf of Kanta, to your To-Read list on Goodreads.

Every day in October, blog posts will be posted by horror authors on HWA’s blog. They’ll be showcasing their love for Halloween, maybe with a snippet from their novels or a giveaway or two. So if you dig scary stories, be sure to check back each day!

Happy Hauntings, friends.

Trapped_WilliamsMeigs

“Trapped” by Darion on Flickr

A Spark of Light in the Rain

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I feel like I’ve leveled up, despite the fact that I’m sitting here on the shoulder of I-75 waiting for a police officer to show up. It’s pouring down rain, lightening occasionally streaks across the sky, a long line of brake lights builds to my left, and the people who hit me on this imposing night sit in a darkened vehicle behind me. It’s not exactly the most enjoyable place to be blogging, but honestly I have nothing better to do.

Despite this turn of bad luck, I do believe things are getting better. When I sold my short story, “A Slippery Customer”, to Creepy Campfire Quarterly, I qualified to become an Affiliate member. Hence the new fancy icon on the sidebar over there. I now have access to their resources and their expertise to help me climb the slow and steady writing mountain.

To be honest, I’m still pretty floored about it. A membership like that felt like an impossibility a few years ago, back when small horror presses like Pill Hill Press and Wicked East Press were disappearing. Horror felt like an impossibly tough nut to crack, but now it appears the tides are turning – which is good news to the horror fans out there!

I took a moment earlier today to thank Jennifer Word, the editor of the upcoming anthology, to letting her know that as a writer I really appreciate her work. I think it’s because of small presses like hers that the horror genre is slowly coming back to life.

 

* Note: Most of this was written on the side of the road, but since the police showed up, I had to cut it off mid-draft and finish it the following day.