Happy Friday friends! This is gonna be a longer blog post, as I’m going over a few things! So hang in there!
This is blog #1 of how things are gonna be ran around here! If you don’t like it… uh… sorry? 🙂
From now on I’m gonna try and personalize the blog a bit more. So to that end, each Friday (when I try to make sure I release something here) will include a bit about what I’m currently working on (or my WIP), what I’m reading, what I’m listening too and any recent reviews I’ve released. I’ll also share a little bit more about my personal life. If you follow me on the socials (that’s what they call em right?) I’ve always shared most of that anyways, but for those folks and friends/family who don’t, well here you go!
But first things first! This blog here;
https://stevestredauthor.wordpress.com/2019/01/21/please-share-this-blog/
We ain’t stopping. Please take a read and share that blog. My good friend Justin M. Woodward got some shit news. Horrible news. His mom needs help and we’re gonna help. So as I stated, all proceeds from pre-orders are going to her and the go fund me! So please share and if you haven’t please pre-order or donate directly. I am so over joyed with the response. I am immensely proud of this new release, I think it’s one of the best things I’ve done and the feedback so far for The Girl Who Hid in the Trees has stunned and humbled me. To find out book details;
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43255766-the-girl-who-hid-in-the-trees
Now for the new stuff!
Works in Progress:
- The Stranger. This is my next novel that will be out summer of this year. I’m currently going through draft #3 and touching up stuff adding stuff. Very excited for this. I don’t want to give away too much yet, but it’s (like a lot of my stuff) a wilderness based horror tale about survival. It also answers a bunch of questions about our friend the tall, skinny man in the expensive suit, as well as touches on a bit of where the Creator and Jane came from, from my Jane: the 816 Chronicles.
- Ritual. This will be my second novella of the year. I’m going through draft #2 at a snails pace. This is trending towards a Halloween release. I’ll keep you posted!
- Wound Upon Wound. That’s a title reveal right there. This will be my first release of 2020 and it’s a glorious piece. Coming-of-age tale. I’ll give you a teaser here; it’s set in the small town’s I grew up in. Burton and Nakusp. It’s very much in the same vein as Invisible, Jim, To the Moon – Joy, Wagon Buddy. Horror but not ripping your face off. I write 95% of my stuff at work and this one’s been tough because a lot of it is nearly making me cry. I’d say I’m 25% done.
What I’m Reading:
- Will Haunt You – Brian Kirk. Loving this crazy tale! It’s like the movies The Cell, 31 and The Game all rolled into one.
- A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World – C.A. Fletcher. This is a different tale. The narration/diary style of writing is a neat change.
- Who Goes There? – John W. Campbell. This is the novella that inspired the movie The Thing. I’ve never read it and its great. I did a kickstarter this year for a newly unearthed full length novel that Campbell wrote that became Who Goes There? So I wanted to read this first!
- Ararat – Christopher Golden. What a tale! Two explorers find the wreckage of a long lost boat on Mount Ararat. Believing it to be the remains of Noah’s Ark they get a crew together to investigate and survey the site. Just stunning writing.
- Occasional Beasts: Tales – John Claude Smith. I always try to have a short story collection on the go to intersperse between my longer reads. I read a lot and read fast, so short stories can break up any stalling I run into in other books! The stories have been fantastic so far!
Recent Reviews:
You can find a complete listing of all the reviews that have been hosted on Kendall Reviews on my main menu under Kendall Reviews!
Bleed Away the Sky – Brian Fatah Steele (3.5/5)
http://kendallreviews.com/bleed-away-the-sky-brian-fatah-steele-kendall-review/
Dead Leaves – Kealan Patrick Burke (4.5/5)
Dead of Winter – Kealan Patrick Burke (5/5)
http://kendallreviews.com/dead-of-winter-kealan-patrick-burke-kendall-review/
What I’m Listening to:
I’ve been listening to a wide range of stuff, as per normal, but here’s a few tracks that have really been on high rotation lately!
Time’s Speeding Up – The Trews. The Trews are one of my fav bands and their new album came out recently. This song’s fantastic and they always have a way of bringing a smile to my face.
Roll With the Spirits – Sam Roberts Band. Another of my favs. Love the rhythm of this song.
The Suburbs – Arcade Fire. Another fantastic song. This ones from a few albums ago, but this is another tune that’s heavily influencing my next release, Wound Upon Wound.
Wester Vespertine – Cradle of Filth. I don’t know why but the latest Cradle of Filth album took me forever to get into, but once I did, it’s stunning. This song was very influential on The Girl Who Hid in the Trees, but also on Wound Upon Wound.
Lastly for this week, here’s a tune I haven’t stopped listening to since it came out.
Hornet’s Nest – Power Trip. So fun, so thrash. Love the lyrics.
What I’m up to in real life:
I recently had a longer work trip to Peace River, Alberta for one of our regional clinics. My wife and son went to my mother and father in laws for the week, and that was a looooong week. Missed them a ton!
I picked them up last Sunday, which was also Auryn’s first day of Little Kickers. He had a blast and seemed to really enjoy it! This Sunday will be his second session and I think he’ll be super excited when he sees us get his uniform out!
So thanks for hanging in there until the end!
Let me know if you like this new format/information!
Cheers!
Steve
Steve Stred - The Official Website 
So much excitement!
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