Nine Questions with… Jeffrey Kosh

Today I am joined by the delightful Jeffrey Kosh, author of many titles and creator of so much more. Welcome Jeffrey, take a moment and please introduce yourself to the captive audience that you now have before you.

Howdy y’all. I’d like to thank Julianne for this great opportunity to present myself to her audience. I’m a writer, cover artist, part-time actor, and… a digital nomad.

What? You don’t know what that is? Well, a digital nomad is someone who decided that he or she didn’t need to set roots to work or enjoy life. All that I need is a portable computer and an Internet connection. As a writer or cover artist I don’t need an office, so I can travel from place to place and keep on working. Plus, I try to round up the monthly income with local jobs, such as acting as an extra on movies shot on location. I’m currently living in South East Asia, making my base in Ao Nang (Thailand) but I often make trips to Malaysia and I’m planning to move to Laos and Vietnam next year. Am I sure about that? Nope. My life is like that; no certainties, no fixed path. And I love it.

I do not define myself an ‘author’, but rather a ‘Shamanic Storyteller’. I believe that stories are already out there, all I have to do is to listen to their song and put them on paper – or on Word.

I’ve published 10 books till now, all in the horror genre except one; an erotic thriller.

I tend to be rather eclectic in my writing, being an experimenter I wrote modern gritty stories full of gore, classic literary horror, and adventurous dark tales. Horror is my favorite element, but this doesn’t mean I will not write in other genres, as I clearly demonstrated with my erotica novelette.

So now that readers know what it is that you do, tell us about your writing process?

Hard to explain.

First, a story or a character must get inside my mind. Out of the blue.

It happened with almost all of them; they just got inside and refused to let me go until I had written them. Some are weak, and I’m able to shake them off, but others… Well, others will pester me for days, walking back and forth inside my head, banging on walls, and generally making my fun life miserable. I remember writing my first erotica (the only story I planned) and this undead cardinal showed up inside my brain talking in a Lovecraftian way about owls and immortality. I had to quit ‘Thrill of the Hunt’ for some time to get rid of this monster. The same is happening now with a guy named Arthur Dale.

Hmmm an undead cardinal talking about owls and immortality in a Lovecraftian way? That sounds utterly fascinating! Is there a genre, other than the one you currently write in, that you wish you could break into?

Absolutely. My dream is writing a hard science fiction story and a comedy. But those darn stories out there won’t allow me.

Tell us about the 5 books that have influenced you the most, and why?

Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. The book of my life. I often compare the creation of my first novel Feeding the Urge to the unholy efforts of Shelley’s scientist. It was an obsession; I had to give life to my creature and did not rest till it was out walking on its own legs.

Headhunter and Primal Scream by Michael Slade. I’m a Sladist, a fan of this great Canadian author (actually a group of writers under a collective pen name) and his detailed description are closer to my writing style.

Sphere by Michael Crichton. I adore Crichton’s writing style, but do not like all of his books. Sphere has an excellent plot and some interesting twists. This is how I like Sci-Fi; dark, brooding, and full of marvels.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. I admit having read only the first of this charming series for I’m a fan of the TV show. And they differ quite a lot in characterization. However, Lindsay’s style is modern, direct, and humorous, something that influenced the second half of my first novel. I’ve found many similarities between my character of Axel J. Hyde and Dexter Morgan, but Lindsay’s character is more ‘human’ than mine.

Great choices Jeffrey! If you could cast one of your works, who would you choose to play your main characters?

Antonio Banderas is the inspiration for the main protagonist of a piratical novel I’m writing. Penelope Cruz is breathing life into the female heroine, and Michael Mando projected is handsome, but crazy face, into Caliban, the main villain.

As for my published stories, Ian McShane would be a perfect Lodovico Strigidi in ‘Stryx’ and Brian Austin Green would look great in Axel’s role.

What is the first thing you would do if you woke up one morning to find one of your books on the NY Times Bestsellers List?

Wake up my wife and half of Thailand.

So Jeffrey, do you have any vices that you turn to while you are writing?

I drink a lot of coffee and smoke. Yeah, a bad habit, but can’t help.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Hiking, Kayaking, lot of photography, and … sex. *Laughs*

Please share with us the first nine lines of your current work-in-progress.

What would you do if you knew you are going to die?

Oh, I’m not meaning in the traditional way; we are all bound to die now or then. I’m talking about knowing the exact hour and day of your departure, and how you’re going to buy the farm.

Would you spend your shortening time with your family? Taking care of things—and affections—you took for granted? Making love to your wife every darn day, instead of the usual Saturday night quickie; listening to the rants of your love-struck daughter, and making peace with your ungrateful sister that kicked you out of the family house so many years ago?

Would you spend it by dating as many chicks as possible, one or more a night, or wrecking away your liver with so much alcohol you could fuel all cars in Detroit for a whole year?

Or would you retire to a monastic life, praying every day to repent your sins and for peace in the world? Amen.

Me?

I’m doing nothing special. I’m just wearing my best dress, after shaving myself clean, combing my hair in front of my three thousand dollar mirror, and looking at my tanned reflection.

For I KNOW I’m going to die today.

That was a great introduction to your new story! Make sure that you come back when you release it – please! Thank you Jeffrey for taking the time to answer my questions.

If you would like to connect with Jeffrey, you can find him on his website, his Amazon Author Page, Smashwords, or Goodreads and reminds readers that by searching his name will lead you on many an interesting journey. He works as a cover artist and you can find his samples for authors such as Billie Sue Mosiman, Armand Rosamilia, Suzi M, and Jaime Johnesee here and his official cover art website here. You can also connect with him on Facebook, on both his Author and Personal pages, and on Twitter.

Want a look of some of Jeffrey’s work? Let’s take a sneak peek at Feeding the Urge and Tales from the Dead…

With his job as Assistant Medical Examiner for the County Morgue, Dr. Axel J. Hyde has all the right tools at his disposal to feed his Rider’s urge. Traumatized at the age of ten by a pedophile, his soul has developed a hate for rapists, stalkers, and other people who ‘live on other’s fear’. Yet, it is the urging spirit a real creature from the Beyond, or it is just a mental construct of his subconscious? The novel tells his story, of the compromises he had to deal with to keep living among people he doesn’t really understand. Unable to feel, or even to grasp normal human behavior, Axel simulates it.

Cheri Ridge had to be dead by now. Assaulted by a band of ruthless criminals, the young Cherokee dancer had no other choice but to accept a pact with an ancient spirit of Native American legends. She survived at the cost of her own soul. Now, she lives only for revenge; hunting down and killing all those responsible for her ‘death’. 

The paths of these two disturbed individuals are going to merge when Cheri comes hunting her tormentors inside Hyde’s killing ground.

***

DEAD MEN TELL TALES

Dead men do tell tales in this unique collection of Jeffrey Kosh’s best dark stories. For the first time, gathered in a single volume, undying necromancers, vengeful dead, relentless Confederate soldiers, and unliving pirates crowd the same decks.

DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, BLACK BRIG, THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN, REVENANT, and STRYX

They are all here.

Thanks again to Jeffrey and as a FYI to my readers, clicking on the covers will take you directly to the Amazon page for its respective book.

Don’t forget to join my next week when my guest will be Lydia Peever.

Nine Questions with… Colin F. Barnes

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Colin F. Barnes for an interview. Welcome Colin, why don’t you take a moment to introduce yourself to the captive audience that you now have before you.

I’m a 30 something guy from the UK, who has always had a fascination and love for books, and genre. Growing up, writing stories, and seeking new books to read was a primary focus. That, and watching films. Between those two, I’ve had plenty of exposure to horror, science-fiction, and fantasy, and for the last decade or so I’ve sought to take that concoction of influences and write my own stories.

Tell us, what is your writing process?

I’m always a little nervous with these questions, because it changes so much. All I can really say is how I write now. And that’s usually sporadically, and often in periods of intense focus followed by barren spells where I spend days upon days making notes and dreaming up ideas. In terms of the technical aspect, I write on a Mac in Scrivener for the most part, but I’ve always got a notebook and pen at hand to note down things as and when they come up. I’m a plotter then a pantser, and I don’t necessarily believe in letting my characters ‘do what they want’. I’m the story teller, and they do what I say. I’m a little bit of a control freak like that I suppose.

I write in Scrivener as well and I love it. It makes the absolute panster in me truly shine. You mentioned earlier that you are a fan of genre; tell me, is there a genre, other than the one you currently write in, that you wish you could break into?

Not really. I write in a number of genres currently, and most of my stories tend to blur the lines so I’m never strictly in one genre. In a purely greedy/selfish way, I suppose I’d like to write best-selling thriller books so I can retire to an island somewhere.

Wouldn’t we all? What are the 5 books that have influenced you the most, and why?

I can’t narrow it down to 5 specific ones, but I’d say most of Stephen King’s early books, Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series, anything by Ray Bradbury, and of course almost anything by HP Lovecraft. The reason why they influence me the most is simply because I think each of those authors are the absolute best at what they do. They all create their own worlds and have very distinctive styles. I like the individuality and honesty they each convey in their works.

If you could cast one of your works, who would you choose to play your main characters?

I’d like to cast my current book: The Techxorcist (a cyberpunk serialised novel), and I would love to see a punky/snarky Mila Kunis play my hacker girl ‘Petal.’

Great choice! Now tell me, what is the first thing you would do if you woke up one morning to find one of your books on the NY Times Bestsellers List?

Have a cup of tea and settle down to write the next one.

Do you have any vices you turn to while you’re writing?

Procrastination. Pringles. Pizza.

Ahh, the three P’s – you can never fail when you have them at your fingertips! What do you do when you’re not writing?

Work the day job, work on building my publishing business ‘Anachron Press’, read books, and watch films. I always like to be stocked up on ideas and when there’s not much work to be done, or writing is finished for the day, a good book or film is always my go-to thing to do.

Now it’s time for the truly fun part! Please share with us the first nine lines of your current work-in-progress.

In 2153 the lottery didn’t just change lives; it ended them, and Gerry Cardle’s numbers were up.

Saturday morning and Gerry should have been at home with his family. Instead, in a mood that cast its own shadow, he walked through the ten-metre high archway to Cemprom, the largest company in City Earth, and his employer.

Being at work at the weekend never seemed right. It still had a low-level hum of productivity as hundreds of drone-men and women rode glass escalators and busied themselves with etiquette, but the ferocious capitalism of a weekday was stymied by the ephemeral qualities of a Saturday. They weren’t really trying; as if the day on the calendar signalled a different mind-set; gave them a reason to divert from their usual routine, albeit in minuscule ways.

I would like to thank Colin for taking the time to answer my questions. As luck would have it, Colin has just released the first of a trilogy based in the cyperpunk tech world of The Techxoricst! The first novel is called Artificial Evil and you can buy it now! But stay here for a moment, ‘cuz I’m going to give you a sneak peek!

2153. Post-cataclysm. The last city exists beneath a dome where the mysterious benefactors ‘The Family’ tightly control the population with a death lottery and a semi-autonomous network. 

All is well until the day family man Gerry Cardle, head of the death lottery, inexplicably finds himself the no.1 target of a malicious Artificial Intelligence. Gerry’s numbers are up, and he has just 7 days to save himself, find the source of the AI, and keep the last stronghold of humanity safe.

Gerry finds help in the shadows of the city from two rogue hackers: Petal – a teenage girl with a penchant for violence, hacking systems and general anarchy, and: Gabriel – a burnt-out programmer-turned-priest with highly augmented cybernetics.

With his new team, Gerry discovers there is more beyond the dome than The Family had let on, and his journey to find the source of the AI leads him through a world of violence, danger, and startling revelations. 

Everything is not as it seems. 
Gerry is not who he thinks he is. 
Evil can be coded…. 
Can Gerry and his friends stop it before it destroys humanity?

So now that you have read the gripping synopsis and you cannot wait to buy it, click on the cover and you’ll get whisked away to Amazon. It is available in more than one format, so you can check out Anachron Press for more details. If you’d like to connect with Colin, make sure you check out his blog, or stalk him on Twitter.

Join me next week for my exciting interview with Jeffrey Kosh!

Carnage: After the End Has Been Unleashed!

From Sirens Call Publications comes two tomes of Post-Apocalyptic Horror Tales – and I’ve got a story Volume 1! Make sure you check out ‘Scents of Danger’ and the rest of the stories! You’re not going to be disappointed!

via Carnage: After the End Has Been Unleashed!.

Nine Questions with… Kealan Patrick Burke

This lovely Wednesday, I am joined by Kealan Patrick Burke – an author whose stories tend to scare and make me think all at the same time. Welcome Kealan, why don’t you introduce yourself to the captive audience that you now have before you.

I am perhaps best known as the author of The Turtle Boy and Kin, both stories from wildly different ends of the horror spectrum. The former won the Bram Stoker Award back in the day. I’ve written four novels, dozens of novellas, and hundreds of short stories. I’ve also edited a few anthologies, acted in a B-movie splatter flick, and I’m from Ireland.

Tell us about your writing process?

I write as much as I can, whenever I can. I don’t outline very much. I prefer the more organic process of letting the work lead me rather than the other way around. I self-edit during the writing process to an infuriating degree, something I wish I could moderate.

I’m very much a panster myself and there are times when I’ll think a story is going in a specific direction while it’s in my head, only to have it take a left turn on me at some point. Is there a genre, other than the one you currently write in, that you wish you could break into?

I don’t really think in those terms. If I wrote a good western or crime novel or a science fiction novel, then of course I’d like for it to be appreciated by fans of those genres, but as it stands, I already incorporate the genres I love into the books I write, so the short answer would be: no. I’m quite happy where I am.

I’d have to say that most of your fans are happy where you are as well. Tell me about the 5 books that have influenced you the most, and why?

Ghost Story by Peter Straub

The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Boy’s Life by Robert R. McCammon

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The same answer applies to all of the above: They taught me things about writing, about style, about storytelling that I might otherwise never have known, and that I never forgot. Each one of them made me want to be a better writer.

All great choices! If you could cast one of your works, who would you choose to play your main characters?

I’ve been asked this question quite a lot, and I never have a good answer. Honestly, anyone good. There are way too many subpar horror movies out there these days, so it’d be nice, if one was made of mine (and that’s looking likely with a few of them, I’m pleased to say), that they’d get good actors, whether known or unknown.

That’s a very fair answer – good actors and a good director are what I would be most concerned about. The best way to get your story noticed by those movie producers types is to get it on a best-sellers list. What is the first thing you would do if you woke up one morning to find one of your books on the NY Times Bestsellers List?

I’d be delighted, do a fist-pump perhaps, and then get back to work. Can’t afford to linger on such things for very long. An inflated ego makes my hands too pudgy to type properly.

Do you have any vices that you turn to while you are writing?

I smoke, and wish I didn’t, and smoke more when I write. Helps me think. When I find something that’s an adequate substitute, I’ll gladly make the change, but until then… (cough, cough, splutter).

What do you do when you’re not writing, Kealan?

I read, of course, voraciously. I watch a lot of movies, play XBox. I like to take photographs, go to museums and art galleries, travel. Nothing staggeringly abnormal or interesting I’m sorry to say.

Now it’s time for the fun part! Please share with us the first nine lines of your current work-in-progress.

This is from the new novel, Night Falls on Memory Lane. It’s an extremely rough, just out of the gate first chapter, so don’t judge me too harshly on the strength of it:

Insomnia. Sleepwalking through a house of broken glass, is how I once heard it put. Every time you think you’re getting somewhere your foot comes down, a shard pierces your skin and brings you rudely back to yourself. But you keep trying because instinct says you must, and your body demands the rest, and so off you go, stumbling through the soporific veils until the glass teeth puncture your flesh again and leave you gasping right back where you started.

For me, this is business as usual. But rather than seeing images of glass bejeweled floors, whenever I came close to drifting off I am quickly slapped back to consciousness by images of the man in the red raincoat, his hand spasming as he is kicked to death on the street outside his house, or of the old woman bludgeoned beneath the clothes line, her gray hair like a bird’s nest empty but for a cracked and leaking red egg, or the two children in the bath tub, their lifeless smiles a trick of the water still shifting from their final struggles, or…or…or…

Worse things, in other words, than metaphorical houses with unswept floors.

Awesome excerpt Kealan – thank you! I cannot wait to read this one!! For those of you unfamiliar with Kealan’s work, here’s a quick look at Kin and The Turtle Boy (Don’t forget that clicking on the cover will take you straight to Amazon!)…

On a scorching hot summer day in Elkwood, Alabama, Claire Lambert staggers naked, wounded, and half-blind away from the scene of an atrocity. She is the sole survivor of a nightmare that claimed her friends, and even as she prays for rescue, the killers — a family of cannibalistic lunatics — are closing in.

A soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder returns from Iraq to the news that his brother is among the murdered in Elkwood.

In snowbound Detroit, a waitress trapped in an abusive relationship gets an unexpected visit that will lead to bloodshed and send her back on the road to a past she has spent years trying to outrun.

And Claire, the only survivor of the Elkwood Massacre, haunted by her dead friends, dreams of vengeance… a dream which will be realized as grief and rage turn good people into cold-blooded murderers and force alliances among strangers.

It’s time to return to Elkwood.

In the spirit of such iconic horror classics as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Deliverance, Kin begins at the end and studies the possible aftermath for the survivors of such traumas upon their return to the real world — the guilt, the grief, the thirst for revenge — and sets them on an unthinkable journey… back into the heart of darkness.

***

School is out and summer has begun. For eleven year old Timmy Quinn and his best friend Pete Marshall, the dreary town of Delaware Ohio becomes a place of magic, hidden treasure and discovery.

But on the day they encounter a strange young boy sitting on the bank of Myers Pond, a pond playground rumor says may hide turtles the size of Buicks, everything changes.

For it soon becomes apparent that dark secrets abound in the little community, secrets which come cupped in the hands of the dead, and in a heartbeat, Timmy and Pete’s summer of wonder becomes a season of terror, betrayal and murder.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me today Kealan. If you’re interested in connecting with Kealan, you can find him at his website, his blog, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

Join me next week when I interview Colin F. Barnes.

Nine Questions with… William Butler

Today I’m joined by fellow author and friend William Butler. Welcome William, introduce yourself to the captive audience that you now have before you.

My name is William Butler. I am the author of The House of Balestrom series, the crime trilogy Bang and Time of the Season. I am currently working on my next novel entitled Nine to Dine. I write mystery/suspense novels with dramatic and crazy twists. If I can fool you with my writing and still tell a great story then I am satisfied. I’ve been writing since I can remember and loved telling my stories to an audience.

What is your writing process?

I outline all my novels. Write down major plot points and then minor ones. Then I write.

Very organized – I have to admit that for the most part I’m the complete opposite. I’ve tried to plan and then the story develops in another direction once it starts growing on paper. Tell us, is there a genre, other than the one you currently write in, that you wish you could break into?

I may try my hand at sci-fi. We will see. I have an idea for something apocalyptic.

Oohh Apocalyptic!! One of my personal favourites!! I’ll need updates on that one for sure!! What are the 5 books that have influenced you the most, and why?

Misery by Stephen King- This was the first book of his I read. Loved it. Love the King.

Peyton Place by Grace Metalious – Um all I can say is wow. Drama. Murder. Sex. It’s a great book!

Valley of The Dolls by Jacqueline Susann – What can I say this is a guilty pleasure. Scandalous at the time it came out. Still stirs the pot if you ask me.

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk– You can’t go wrong with this guy! Hilarious situations with crazy characters.

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell– I do not know about you but this is an epic novel. It’s a big book with everything in it.

Great choices!! If you could cast one of your works, who would you choose to play your main characters?

Natalie Portman would play Sara from my House of Balestrom series.

So William, what is the first thing you would do if you woke up one morning to find one of your books on the NY Times Bestsellers List?

Be thankful I made it to that point and then check it over and over again to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

Speaking of hallucinations… Do you have any vices that you turn to while you are writing?

Music and Meditation

Hmm, not the expose I was looking for… What do you do when you’re not writing William?

I think about writing. I can’t seem to escape it.

Time for the fun stuff! Please share with us the first nine lines of your current work-in-progress.

From NINE TO DINE:

A gloom settled over Bellview Manor for some years. A gloom embraced by a dark history. One that, to this day, still lingered like an old wound. Its history forever enveloping its occupants with a dark grip.

Bellview Manor stood strong. Unlike most manors in the area, it was an impenetrable fortress tucked away into a mountainside. With walls that stretched seventeen feet high. Nothing human was capable of entering or leaving its stronghold without a struggle. The manor itself was pieced together from old stone brought down from the mountain that dominated its skyline.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions William. If you’re looking to connect with William you can find him on his website, on Facebook, on Twitter at @Will34us.

Interested in partaking in some of William’s works? Take a gander at The House of Balestrom and Bang. Don’t forget that clicking on the covers will take you directly to Amazon!

A tragic death. Two sisters…one who marries for love…the other marries into THE HOUSE OF BALESTROM. When Susan’s husband, Victor Balestrom, dies in a mysterious and tragic accident, Susan is suspected of murdering him. With the Balestrom family, manipulated by Camille Balestrom, pointing fingers. Susan calls on her sister, Sara and her husband David to come to the private island owned by the Balestrom family to be by her side during this tragic moment in her life. But Sara and David’s visit become twisted and manipulated by someone in the family, who not only want Susan to pay for her crimes, but want revenge as well. Will Sara discover who is behind everything before it is too late? Who is the mysterious man roaming the island grounds–the man who terrorizes Sara at every turn? Secrets are abound and will be revealed all the way to its tragic end.

***

Tim Jones had everything planned out. He was going to tell his wife, Shelley, that he still loved her. He didn’t care if she cheated on him with his best friend, Frank. He wanted Shelley back and was ready to move on. That was until someone shot him…

***

Don’t forget to join me next week when my guest will be Kealan Patrick Burke.

Special Edition: Nine Questions with… Joshua Skye

Today we have a special edition of Nine Questions with… and my guest is author Joshua Skye. I’m hosting him today as a part of his blog tour for The Angels of Autumn. Welcome Josh, why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Joshua Skye. I am 38 years old. I have been with my partner Ray since 1996. Our first dates included seeing such films as Scream and Evita, which should tell you how eclectic my tastes are. We have an eight-year-old son named Syrian. I am extremely passionate about my work, which could probably best be described as gay themed, genre-defying fantasy/horror. It is strange, it is unusual, and it is very unique. I am so thrilled that my novel The Angels of Autumn has found a fantastic home with Pink Pepper Press. Aside from my books The Singing Wind, The Grigori, Midnight Rainbows, and the forthcoming Once Upon A Midnight Evil, The Argento, and Matilda & Dusti, my work can be found in anthologies from Sirens Call Publications, JMS Books, Knightwatch Press, and Rainstorm Press as well as periodicals like Blood and Lullabies. I love writing and am so excited that my work is getting out there.

Tell us about your writing process?

Honestly, it depends. Sometimes I write outlines and sometimes I don’t. My best work, like The Angels of Autumn, seems to stem from a combination of both extensive preparation and a willingness to deviate from prepared paths. I like to believe that I am fearless; I will always go where the story takes me.

Is there a genre, other than the one you currently write in, that you wish you could break into?

I am fascinated by steampunk, high fantasy, and pure romance. I love blending genres and will always do so, but I’d love to take a crack as those.

Bending the genres is great Josh, I think many readers respond to a mixture of them in a story. Heck it can even be a great way to introduce readers to books that why may never have thought to try otherwise. Speaking of books, what are the 5 books that have influenced you the most, and why?

Shirley MacLaine’s Out on a Limb is an absolutely fascinating read. It is my very favourite book; I’ve read it more than any other. I absolutely believe in the paranormal, that there is more to life than what meets the eye, and this phenomenal and courageous revelation of spiritual exploration proves that my personal experiences aren’t a rarity.

Stephen King’s Night Shift is my favourite anthology. It is a glorious journey into horror. I don’t think I have ever read anything quite so scary.

Our Name is Melancholy by Leilah Wendell is beyond anything I’ve ever read, utterly amazing. Whether fact or fiction, the tale is mesmerizing. I’ve read it a few times with my jaw in my lap. There is no way to read it and not have a very profound reaction.

Clive Barker’s Weaveworld is a flight of imagination that can’t be touched by anyone. Barker’s ability to conjure horror, fantasy, and grotesquery is astounding. I am in awe of this man’s imagination. There’s no one like him.

Communion by Whitley Strieber is perhaps one of the most terrifying books I have ever read. I was so profoundly affected by it that after reading it, I couldn’t bear to close my eyes at night for over a month.

What a great list of eclectic choices! If you could cast one of your works, who would you choose to play your main characters?

I’ve thought about The Angels of Autumn being made into a movie for a long time and I’ve pictured Chad Allen playing my lead character from day one. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. He’s not only handsome, but an extraordinary actor.

We all know the best way to get your book made into a movie is to get on a best-sellers list of some kind. What do you think is the first thing you would do if you woke up one morning to find one of your books on the NY Times Bestsellers List?

Throw a party! Seriously, it would be a blast, an absolute dream come true.

So Josh, do you have any vices that you turn to while you are writing?

I pace and stare at the walls a lot, they’re not exactly vices but they seem to be a large part of my method. Caffeine and chocolate help, too.

Tell us about what you do when you’re not writing?

I’m a dad, nothing is more important. When my son is at school and I have an abundance of time to myself, I sleep. I read. I watch movies. I’m pretty boring.

Now it’s time for the fun part (aside from catching a good nap!). Please share with us the first nine lines of your current work-in-progress.

Josiah Crompton delivered one last vicious blow to his wife’s face. Her nose flattened, her top lip split open and there was a crimson splash. Her eyes rolled up as her head wobbled for a moment. Her arms reached out to each side, fingers grasping for nothing, and then she stumbled backwards into the wall. It was a hard hit, her head bounced before she crumpled into a heap on the floor.

“You don’t ever tell me what to fuckin’ do,” he spat at her. He finished off his beer and then threw the can at her. It landed in her lap. Were it not for the blood one might have been able to dismiss her as passed out.

The excerpt is from my newest work called “Vanilla on the Breeze.” It is a southern gothic romance with a few odd twists. It began as a short story, but has taken on a life of its own.

Oh, that sounds intriguing! Where do you find your inspiration for the tales that you weave?

Most of the time, my nightmares and dreams play a big part in inspiring my work. I love the surreal. The Angels of Autumn is full of these wonderfully bizarre moments, and nothing conjures the fantastic like dreams.

Thank you Josh for talking the time to stop by today! For those you interested in The Angels of Autumn, which is heralded as “a profound and powerful gay erotic thriller”, here’s a sneak peek! It’s published by Pink Pepper Press, the new-ish Romance and Erotic Fiction Imprint of Sirens Call Publications.

Kincaid Kingsley returns to the town of his childhood after the death of his twin brother, Xander. Believing the crime to be motivated by hate and prejudice, Kincaid sets out to discover why the police are no longer actively investigating the case and hopefully uncover his brother’s killer in the process.

Things in Wren are not as they seem, however, and the closer that Kincaid gets to an answer, the more danger he encounters. Why are all the townspeople so afraid to share what they know?

As the mystery surrounding Xander’s death unravels, the town becomes increasingly blind to what is actually going on. Can Kincaid discover who killed his brother and save the town from evil?

If you’d like to purchase a copy…

CreateSpace, Smashwords, Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon FR, Amazon IT, and Amazon ES

***

Now I’m going to tantalize you just a little bit with an awesome excerpt!! If comes from Chapter Five and let me tell you it’s gonna make you want to read the rest!!

“How may I help?”

Angelo was a handsome man with typically Italian features. He was dressed in a nice, solemn suit and had his hair combed strictly back. His large hazel eyes fell on his guest and there was an audible sound of shock, a sigh and then a deep intake of air. He said, “Kincaid. Wow, I thought you’d never come back to this place especially when you didn’t attend your brother’s funeral. Everyone thought it was pretty scandalous. So, how’s it going?”

Ignoring the crude judgment, Kincaid detected a genuine surprise in Angelo’s voice. He was the same age and had been in many of the very same classes as the Kingsley twins, he’d even been one of the disapproving assholes who had put them through hell. Angelo had been one of the popular kids, one of the over-exulted Wren Dragons, a dumb jock destined to forever mourn his golden high school days. As an adult, Angelo didn’t seem so intimidating anymore. He was just a man in his late twenties, wasting away in the family business, no longer taut, tan and toned, no longer important, no longer a Dragon…the toast of the town. He had a beer belly which alone made Kincaid happy. “I’m okay,” he replied. “How have you been?”

Angelo’s lips quivered when he forced a smile and answered, “Good. Thank you. How’s your mother?”

“As good as can be expected, I guess.”

Angelo said, “Right. Well, how can I help you?” He was stiff, formal. The fingers of his hands were entwined and resting at his waist. He cocked his head to one side, the sympathy in his eyes was counterfeit, a professional automation.

“I wanted to talk to you about my brother’s funeral, actually.” Kincaid found he couldn’t look at Angelo when he said ‘funeral,’ and so he diverted his gaze across the room to nothing in particular. Everything about the place was so old.

Angelo’s voice got deeper and there was a hint of umbrage to it. “I imagine you would. Your mother expressed her disappointment in your brother’s restoration. We’re very sorry she was so displeased. I assure you we pro-rated our fees accordingly.”

Kincaid slowly brought his attention back to his host and said, “Yeah well, do you do the restoration?”

“No. My mother does.” Angelo’s stance changed, he was getting defensive both vocally and physically.

“May I speak with her, please?”

“Why?”

“I’m not here to cause a scene or anything. I just want to talk to her. That’s all, Angelo. I’m not going to berate your mother.”

The Italian man just stood there for several tedious and silent moments assessing the guest’s intentions. Kincaid refused to look away this time no matter how nerve-racking or unsettling the situation slowly became. He wasn’t in high school anymore, he wasn’t the frightened and belittled teenager who shied away from everyone and Angelo wasn’t the pompous cock-of-the-walk anymore. They were adults and far more equal now than Angelo was probably even aware of.

Kincaid prepared himself for a physical altercation. Being picked on mercilessly had prompted him to take quite a few self-defense classes over the years. Angelo might have been able to beat the shit out of him once, long ago, but his glory days were long over. He was out of shape and didn’t have his buddies around to back him up. Kincaid put on a confident little grin and stated, “I said please.

Angelo’s shoulders slouched ever so slightly. He swallowed hard and his eyes turned down as his voice became professional, disengaged. He said, “Of course. If you’ll excuse me I’ll see if she’s available. Please, take a seat.”

“Thank you, Angelo,” Kincaid said lowly.

Angelo nodded and disappeared behind the curtain.

Kincaid turned and meandered into the small, dismal sitting room and over to a stiff, uncomfortable sofa and sat down. A spider crawled over the surface of the weathered coffee table. Not particularly squeamish about such things, Kincaid watched it with a distracting fascination, the way it moved, the legs click, click, clicking along. He frowned as he realized that this spider was malformed. It had nine legs instead of eight and yet the added appendage didn’t seem to impede it in the slightest. He found himself leaning down, close, to get a better view of the little creepy crawly. The spider stopped. Perhaps it was now quite aware of its audience. It was perfectly still, frozen.

“Mr. Kingsley.” The voice was soft.

Kincaid flinched. The spider lurched into motion and scurried over the edge of the table and vanished. Being polite, Kincaid stood and turned his attention to the petite woman standing in the entranceway. She clutched a leather-bound portfolio to her bosom. Her salt and pepper hair was pulled into a tight bun on her head. She had modest make-up on and was dressed in a long, conservative black dress. There was a beautifully crocheted shawl draped over her shoulders perhaps utilized to hide the slight curvature of her upper spine. Kincaid said, “Ms. Lombardi, thank you for seeing me.”

She smiled courtly and entered the room, moved gracefully around the back of the sofa and sat down next to her guest. Kincaid sat down as well. Her eyes were down. He wondered what she was thinking. He imagined she thought he was there to complain. He wanted to reassure her he was not and so he said, “I didn’t come here to…”

Without looking at him, she shoved the portfolio at him. Sheepishly, he accepted it and took a deep breath before opening it. For a moment he expected to see pictures of his dead brother, before and after. It wasn’t something he was even remotely interested in. They were pictures of the dead and indeed they were before and after shots, instamatic snapshots, many of them yellowed with age. The first was an old man whose face had practically been pulled off in some horrible accident. After the restoration he simply appeared as though he were napping. The second was a woman whose forehead had been cleaved open and again the after picture was perfect. On and on the pictures went, each turn of the page revealing flawless transformations.

She said demurely, “My work. As you can see, I am very good at it.”

“It’s immaculate, you’d never know, but my mother said she could…” Kincaid paused as a realization hit him. He turned his eyes away from the Polaroid snapshots in the photo album. The widow Lombardi looked sad and afraid at the same time. His voice was shaky, hesitant. He said, “You did it on purpose.”

Mary Anne nodded and took the album back from him, she closed it and pressed it, embraced it, to her breast. Her eyes moved downward until she stared at the floor and there she focused for a long time, barely breathing, silent and still. She was contemplating something. Kincaid’s mind raced with what those thoughts might be. His heart fluttered nervously. What secret was she about to reveal?

If you need to know the secret as much as I do, scroll back up to the purchase links!!

The Winners of the Coffin Hop 2012

I am super excited to announce the winners from Coffin Hop 2012!!

Each day, anyone that left me a comment on a particular post was put into the draw to win a digital copy of my novel Days with the Undead: Book One. In addition, everyone that posted on any of the posts between October 24th and October 31st was in the running to win the Grand Prize – an autographed print copy of Days with the Undead: Book One and autographed copies of each of the anthologies I have appeared in to date.

In addition, I also won a prize pack of all of the publications to date put forth by Sirens Call Publications which happens to include my book so I’ve asked special permission and I’m allowed to give it away as one of my prizes too!! Super fun huh??

And the winners are…

Daily Prize Winners:

Vince Considine (Day 1)

Penelope Crowe (Day 2)

Jolie du Pre (Day 3)

Laurie G (Day 4)

Heather Powers (Day 5)

Erma Hurtt (Day 6)

liese2 (Day 7)

Brent Abell (technically from Day 2 but no one commented on Day 8… so everyone that did not win got picked from again!)

Sirens Call Publications Prize Pack:

Amy Marshall

Grand Prize Winner:

AJ Brown!!!

If you won a prize, email me – JulianneMSnow(at)gmail(dot)com – so that I can gather the appropriate information from you all! Congratulations to everyone!!