Hello! In the past we’ve had a few authors who also did cover design. For today’s guest, we have an author who is also a publisher! Please welcome, Tim!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Tim: I learned years ago that if I didn’t establish an official writing schedule, then my output was very hit and miss. Nowadays, Wednesday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings are official writing times. I either go someplace to write, or I shut the door on my home office. At this point, the family knows what those days represent and what I’m doing. Additionally, I can usually pepper in time to write here and there throughout the week. Which seems to be more often now that the kids are grown and no longer need (nor want) my attention. As for word count, I gave up on tracking that years ago. I get in what I can and try to be happy with the progress.

Steve: Out of all your releases, do you have a favorite character you’ve written?

Tim: I have two. Both are supporting characters who may get the main protagonist treatment at some point. One would be Dallas Tipsword from Blackened. He’s the teenage protag’s boss and friend, a sixty-two-year-old Vietnam vet with a salt and pepper ponytail and beard to match with an affinity for tie-dye t-shirts and flipflops. He’s got a cutting sense of humor and a heart of gold. The second would be Claudia Forrester from The Opening. She’s one half of a husband-and-wife paranormal investigative team. She’s sharp, witty, and sarcastic. She likes to play up the goth look while working, but enjoys lounging in sweats and an oversized t-shirt just as well.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

Tim: The Opening is my latest, a paranormal novel that takes place in an old theater. Due to financial reasons, the original owner has lost the property and proceeds to torch himself on the theater’s front steps. Now the new owner has renovated the place, yet the aura of tragedy continues to hang over the theater. Add strange phenomena to the mix, keeping customers even further at bay, and the new owner must call in a husband-and-wife paranormal investigative team. Together, the three of them with the help of a local journalist, start digging into the happenings at the theater. But can anything prepare them for the dark secrets they discover? Fans of the paranormal and interesting characters should read this book.

Steve: Bonus Question! What is your favorite album?

Tim: Asking a music lover to choose their ONE favorite album is like asking them to tell their life story using only one word. It’s not possible. I’ve picked up a favorite at different stages of my life and have been carrying them all with me. There isn’t one I’d want to go to a desert island without. At most, I can narrow it down to five: Shout at the Devil by Motley Crue, Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers, LOVE LUST FAITH + DREAMS by Thirty Seconds To Mars, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles, and the score to Legends of the Fall by James Horner. I could easily expand this list, but I’ve already cheated enough, so…

Thank you so much, Tim!

To find more awesome work from Tim, check the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tim-McWhorter/e/B00J22DF9K/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tim_McWhorter

Website: timmcwhorter.com

Another 3Q’s – another great author!

Today, we welcome Zachary Ashford, all the way from Australia!

Welcome, Zachary!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Zachary: My writing time largely varies according to my lifestyle and my workload as a teacher. Towards the ends of terms/semesters, it’s pretty much negligible. In holidays, though, I usually manage to get some solid chunks in – and when I’m closer to finishing something, or in the zone with an idea, I’ll capitalize on that time and prioritize writing for myself.

Otherwise, it becomes something I’ll try to sneak an hour or two a night. I don’t have a word count I’m aiming for, although I’ll often be stoked/disappointed when I reach certain numbers. What I am a fan of, though, is setting a stopwatch and embarking on a writing sprint. I find that if I have a regular routine of these one or two hour sprints, I can push thousands of words out in a week.

Steve: Out of all your releases, do you have a favorite character you’ve written?

Zachary: I’ve never really thought about this before. The first that comes to mind is probably December from the Sole Survivor books. I think that Cora in Cicadas is quite possibly more of a badass, but December is the one who was perhaps least expectant of her situation, and she’s become pretty tough and resilient by the end of the second book. So, yeah, maybe I’d go for her.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

Zachary: At this moment, my latest release is When the Cicadas Stop Singing. It’s an atmospheric post-apocalyptic tale set in the foothills of an outback mountain/forest. It’s full of action and trauma, but most importantly, it’s a tale that explores what it means to move on when the things that hold us back become too much to bear. I was thrilled that it was nominated for the Aurealis Award this year.

As for why people should read it, I think it’s a tonne of fun. It’s gripping. It’s lean and powerful, but also, I think it’s a weighty ride for its length.

Steve: Bonus Question! What is your favorite album?

Zachary: This is the hardest question of the lot. I’m often inclined to opt for Fear Factory’s Demanufacture album, but I have to go with Everblack by the Black Dahlia Murder. I love that album to bits, and it means so much to me on a personal level and the ways it has been involved with key moments in my life.

Awesome! Thank you so much!

To find more goodies, follow the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Zachary-Ashford/e/B087LV2SQP/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ashford_zachary

Would you look at this! Yet another writer joining us for the 3Q’s series who also happens to design book covers! How cool!

Please join me in welcoming Matt Wildasin! Welcome, Matt!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Matt: I usually try to get my writing in before and after work. I wake up around 6am, take the dog for a walk and then plop down to write. After I finish up work for the day, I lift some weights, have dinner and then write some more. My word goal each day is 1k. Most days I make that goal, some days I don’t. Still, even three hundred words is better than zero.

Steve: Out of all your releases, do you have a character you could write about forever?

Matt: I have a character I created for my Horrors Untold short story volumes. His name is Major Mark Sunderland. Mark is the head of the CAPS (Contain, Analyse, Protect, Secure.) A secret sector of the government meant to handle strange anomalies on our planet. So far, Mark has cataloged strange staircases in the woods around the world, Yeti’s, A portal leading to a kaiju dominated future, Jason Voorhees and so on. Someday I hope to write a series of books based around this character.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

Matt: My most recent release is Horrors Untold Vol 5. As the title suggests, this is the fifth entry in the series and, in my opinion, it’s some of my best work yet. I had a blast writing these stories and the book has a great variety of tales in it that is sure to please most readers. You can find it on Amazon in eBook, paperback and Kindle Unlimited.

Steve: Bonus Question! Did you have a favorite wrestler as a kid?

Matt: I did! Now this was more when I was in my teens, but when Sting started doing his silent gimmick and was coming out to the ring dressed as The Crow, that shit was the best! I remember waiting for the match between him and the NWO’s Hollywood Hulk Hogan.

Very cool!

To find out more about Matt, check out the links!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Wildasin/e/B09RQYGBZD

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Matt_Wildasin

Title: Black Mouth

Author: Ronald Malfi

Release date: July 19, 2022

First – huge thanks to Netgalley, Titan Books and Ronald for approving me for a digital ARC of this one!

I’m admittingly late to the Malfi game. I discovered his work through his novella ‘Mr. Cables,’ (which if you’ve not read you need to immediately) and then last years phenomenal ‘Come With Me,’ (which if you’ve not read you need to immediately). I’m stick shaking my head in disbelief that ‘Come With Me’ was nominated for a Stoker  – and yes this is coming from the guy whose book was on the prelim ballot. I don’t understand the how’s or the why’s but I was in utter shock when my novel was there and his wasn’t.

Malfi is a sublime writer. People often talk about how Stephen King has a writing voice that immediately transports you into their writing, but I’ve found my favorite author (cough… cough… Andrew Pyper) and Malfi have two of the strongest writing voices out there. You instantly leap into their worlds and with Malfi, those are often times worlds you’ll wish you didn’t inhabit.

What I liked: The story follows a group of three friends and an older brother, who have an experience together in the area referred to as Black Mouth. Years later, they are beckoned back to their hometown and they’re forced to confront what happened, all those years ago.

Yes, this is an idea as old as time in dark fiction. Yes, other authors have done it and yes, King has a massive tome out there that has something like this, but the reality is, this is ALWAYS a plot that will survive and ALWAYS a plot that is engaging and has so, so, so much potential. And Malfi grabs that potential and runs with it.

The main character here, Jamie Warren, SUCKS. He’s a guy you’ll dislike and each reader will have to determine if they will root for him or not. BUT. It’s a key aspect to the story and Malfi handles him with nerves of steel. Jamie is a coward, an alcoholic and a selfish jerk. When his mother dies and he returns (after a phone call about his brother, who has significant cognitive issues), Malfi begins the wheel of Jamie attempting to flee. Of him not wanting to confront the horrors of life (whether real or supernatural) and, as so often is true, is only able to continue on with the help of his friends.

This is a key narrative throughout and I think the strongest aspect of the book. There’s a few moments in here that will punch you so hard in the gut.

What I did enjoy was how a moment we are led to believe will be the “climax” of the story occurs further in than expected, which elevated what happens after even more. It was as though we got an extended epilogue. I often wish books would tell us more about what happens after the big events and was really happy to discover that Malfi did just that here, making sure we get to see how the characters cope and live once the ‘big event’ has happened.

What I didn’t like: There’s a few bits that I wasn’t overly fond of. An incident with a dog seemed completely unnecessary. Yes, it was there in place to show derangement and how repulsive a specific character was, but I could think of other ways to handle that. And I wasn’t completely sold on the ‘over there’ vs ‘over here’ revelation near the ending. I’ll leave it at that to keep it as close to spoiler free as possible.

Why you should buy this: I preordered this as soon as it was announced, knowing how amazing Malfi is. We’re also in for a second treat this year as he has a collection of novellas arriving near the back end of 2022. This book takes the coming-of-age aspect and pairs it with some heavy topics (most notably alcoholism) and doesn’t pull any punches. Malfi writes like a man possessed throughout and is one of the few authors who will put the pedal to the floor – and still somehow find another gear.

Really great stuff from a master!

5/5

Today’s guest is an exciting one! Eric Raglin has put out some great solo work, as well as some really fantastic anthologies! Welcome, Eric!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Eric: I write four or five days a week, but my schedule is all over the place. My preferred time to write is in the early afternoon. To avoid extra stress, I don’t generally keep track of daily word counts.

Steve: Out of all your releases, do you have a character you could write about forever?

Eric: I mostly write short stories, so the lives of these characters often feel pretty contained. But if I had to choose one character I could explore forever, it would be Remi Rook the Cannibal Cook. How’d he become a cannibal? How’d he come to host the biggest public access cannibal cooking in the tri-county area? These are questions I need to answer at some point.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

Eric: The most recent book I’ve published was Antifa Splatterpunk, an anthology of anti-fascist horror stories. It’s politically engaged, weird, cathartic, and bloody as hell. If you hate Nazis and dig horror, you’ll love this book.

Steve: Bonus Question! Did you have a favorite wrestler as a kid?

Eric: I was a huge fan of Rey Mysterio as a kid. His high-flying athleticism is top notch.

Very cool! Thank you so much, Eric!

Follow the links to find more cool stuff!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-Raglin/e/B08RXWD7G8

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericraglin1992

Website: ericraglin.com

Isn’t it awesome how multi-talented a lot of writers are? Case in point – A.A. Medina, our guest today, is a fantastic author and an amazing cover artist. At some point in 2022, the cover he did for my novel 456 Blatchford Drive will be revealed (this is more me getting my act together and finishing it off!), but he’s constantly sharing new work that he has available!

Welcome, A.A.!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

A.A.: My writing time is extremely sporadic. Sometimes I wake up in the morning ready and willing to grind out some words, and sometimes the motivation doesn’t come until late at night. As much as I’d like to have a disciplined routine when it comes to my writing, I just don’t work that way. I work from home, so when the inspiration or the desire to write comes it’s akin to capturing lightning in a bottle and riding that wave as long as I can. When it comes to word count, I don’t have a set goal in mind each day. Rather, each week I try to at least get 5,000 words down on various projects. If I don’t write one day, I try to write twice as much the next.

Steve: Out of all your releases, do you have a character you could write about forever?

A.A.: Dr. Gary Phillips. Phillips is the protagonist in my debut novella, Siphon. Before I really knew how to write or decided I wanted to be an author, I had the gist of the story floating around in my head for years. In Siphon, I explored some dark corners of his psyche but there is a lot that remains untouched. He will be making a comeback in a future Claybrook County Chronicles installment.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

A.A.: God Forbid: Short Stories is my latest release and is a hodgepodge of previously published and unpublished stories and short screenplays spanning genres from psychological horror to military science fiction. I decided to put it together because I had all these stories that did not fit anywhere but I wanted to release a new collection. So why the hell not?

Steve: Bonus Question! What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?

A.A.: This is a tough one, but I would have to say Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I was born in the late 80’s and a child in the early 90’s during the height of their popularity. That and my father’s name was Rafael, so I had an affinity for Raphael in the cartoon.

Awesome! Thank you so much, A.A.!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/A-A-Medina/e/B0777WP6TK/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/UglyByProxy

Website: https://fabledbeastdesign.wordpress.com/

You ever notice how 99% of author photos is of them looking off in the distance? Odd right? Well, not in the case of today’s guest – one Elford Alley. Why do I say that? He’s looking off in the distance at sasquatch, that’s why!

Welcome, Elford!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

Elford: It changes! When the kids were babies, I timed writing during naps and very early/very late in the evening/morning. Now, they’re older, but active, and I work full time, so I steal whatever time I can and don’t have a set schedule. I try to write at least 3-5 times a week. But this summer I hope to have more time and to finally finish a novella I’ve been working on for far too long. As far as word count, I feel accomplished if I hit 1000 words a session. Now that doesn’t always happen. I recently wrote 100 words on a short story and labored over each individual word. You never know!

Steve: Out of all your releases, do you have a character you could write about forever?

Elford: In Apartment 239, a novel I’m re-releasing this summer, there is a character named Rick. He’s a devious, sinister monster who thinks he’s the hero. I brought him back for the second book because he is so fun to write. Hell, I might bring him back for the third book. Not how I’ll pull that off… He’s also fun because I based him on an actor friend of mine. So when I write, I try to think of the weirdest, strangest things I can have my friend say or do in the event this is adapted and he gets the role.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

Elford: My most recent will be the Velox Books edition of my collection Ash and Bone, out June 13th. I feel like this collection is my darkest, and definitely a fun read for people interested in the magical world of Elford Alley Horror®, a world of trailer parks and weird small town nonsense. No one gets out alive!

Steve: Bonus Question! Did you have a favorite wrestler as a kid?

Elford: Jake the Snake! Have I ever watched him wrestle? No. But I got a toy of him as a kid and it came with a snake, which I really liked. I think I altered Jake the Snake figure with paint and clay to be a Venom action figure later on. I sent a picture to Toyfare (aging myself right now) because they would feature people’s homemade action figures, but I have no idea if it ever appeared.

Awesome stuff! Thank you, Elford!

Check out the links below!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Elford-Alley/e/B01HK4S6GI/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElfordAlley

Website: elfordalley.com

Title: Woodhaven

Author: L.J. Dougherty

Release date: July 30, 2022

Huge thanks to L.J. for sending me an advance copy of ‘Woodhaven’ to read. He sent it along with a message in the email saying ‘read when you can, no rush.’ LOL. Oh, Dougherty, you dear sweet sweet man. I would’ve read this in a single sitting when it arrived, if I wasn’t also trying to finish off a short story collection as well.

I’ve previously read Dougherty’s two Espionage Cryptid thrilles – ‘Beasts of the Caliber Lodge’ and ‘Primal Reserve.’ Both were excellent, but I was really intrigued to see what he would do with a novella. Those previous two were sprawling, cinematic pieces with multiple locations and numerous characters. This one was set in a single spot with a few characters and a quarter of the page count. Could he deliver the goods?

You betcha.

What I liked: Following the events that led to the government being overthrown and the military asserting martial law, Joy and her dad, Warren flee to the cabin in the mountains that her grandpa built. Here, Warren has been prepping for just this sort of event and they go about a mundane existence, ever vigilant and on edge, but existing.

The story picks up when a stranger forces his way into the cabin, by holding Joy and Warren’s friend at gunpoint and we begin to learn the horrible truths about the outside world as well as how this people are still surviving.

Dougherty does a great job of making this one feel timeless but also topical and I think that strength will draw in the readers well. You can read this and enjoy it as an escape, or you can read this as a ‘potential’ for what could happen in the world and how we’d each respond. We also get a great subplot about trust and what it means to the individual and how sometimes we need to work together, no matter the differences to survive.

The ending is heartbreaking, poignant and perfect. I absolutely loved it and know it will cause anguish and anger in many, many readers.

What I didn’t like: For me, the minimalism worked. If you’ve read some of my own work, you’ll know I frequently strive for a less is more approach and Dougherty applies that in spades here. So, for those who love that, you’ll be all over this. For those who want more and more and more, you’ll be disappointed.

Why you should buy this: This book is essentially the love child of ‘Armageddon House’ by Michael Griffin and ‘The Cabin at the End of the World’ by Paul Tremblay. We get just enough to keep pulling us along while knowing full well that there is a lot left out and a lot we could learn, but we most likely never will.

I really loved this one a ton and I think it showcases Dougherty’s writing in a way that gets lost in the Summer Blockbuster style Espionage releases he’s put out so far.

This one was great and had everything I look for in a story. Well done.

5/5

Title: Book Review: Next Door: A Collection of Twelve Tales and One True Story

Author: Kimberly Davis Basso

Release date: October 13th, 2021

Firstly, huge thanks to Erin Al-Mehairi for sending me a copy of this release to read!

If you’ve followed along with my reviewing and supporting others journey, you’ll know I’m a massive fan of discovering new-to-me female authors. I’d not read anything by Kimberly Davis Basso prior to this, and truthfully, I didn’t even really read the synopsis. There’s only so much that a brief summary of a short story collection can do anyways to entice the reader. What I did know, was that if Erin was raving about it like she was, this must be a solid collection and one that I’d like.

Bingo.

What I liked: From start to finish this collection goes from story strength to story strength and each one lives and breathes within its own space so well. It was truly a joy to get continually sucked into each story without any moments of lag or attempting to orient my reading brain. No, Davis (or Basso Davis, apologies if I got that wrong) writes with such a solid writing voice and style that it pushes through even those stories that have plot points that have been done a number of times before. She infuses them with her own charm and that definitely works in this collections advantage.

Case in point – one of the ultimate highlights for me – ‘La Strega Ragna.’ This story did something others often fail to do for me – I’m not a big fan of humor in horror. But this one, telling the story from the POV of the witch that lured Hansel and Gretel into the woods as she struggles to remain living off the grid and alone over hundreds of years was simply phenomenal. Engaging, filled with humorous tongue in cheek moments, I ate this one up.

Other highlights for me were;

‘King of Cape Cod’ – a heartbreaking story of the youngest of four brothers who wants to impress them and go on their little sail boat. He searches the beach for something to show them, but what he finds should’ve been left where it lay.

‘To the Mountaintop’ – all I’ll say is that I love stories set in the woods and this one about going on a hike was a blast.

The other favorite of mine was ‘Drill.’ This was a really grotesque body-horror story about a dental assistant with a unique (and revolting) fetish. I loved this one so much, but I kind of wish it was a lot longer!

Overall, Basso will keep the reader engaged throughout all of these.

What I didn’t like: While I personally loved all of the stories in here, as always I offer the caveat that each reader will experience these stories completely differently than every other reader. I will add – for me it was a bonus – but some may find it a detriment, that this collection didn’t have any overly long stories. Some folks really like a collection to end with a novella but in this case you won’t find that here.

Why you should buy this: Solid from start to finish, I gobbled this one up and that’s saying something because for the last six months or so I’ve been burned out on collections and anthologies. Kimberly’s storytelling prowess was superb and it was really exciting to discover a new author who hit it out of the park with each and every story offered.

Great work!

5/5

Another 3Q’s – another Canuck!

How awesome is this. I’m not sure how many Canadian author’s I’ve featured so far, but it’s been great having them and getting some exposure/recognition. Often times, they can be overlooked in the pantheon of releases.

Today’s guest just recently dropped a phenomenal novel that isn’t being overlooked!

Excited to welcome, C.M. Forest!

Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?

C.M.: My writing schedule is fairly consistent (at least four days a week, anyway). I drop my kids off at school, then whip over to the local library for a couple hours. I could write at home, but my PlayStation will taunt me from the other room until I give in and waste my day killing zombies or something. I always shoot for 1500 words when I sit down to work, but will accept 1000 if it’s rough going.

Steve: Out of all your releases, do you have a character you could write about forever?

C.M.: Hmm, good question. I would have to say Owen from We All Fall Before the Harvest. He isn’t as vulnerable—at least on the surface—as most horror protagonists. Owen’s a hard-ass and he knows it. He’s a real mean SOB at times, which considering I’m a big teddy bear 24/7, it was fun writing him.

Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!

C.M.: My newest book is called Infested. It’s a parasitic horror story with hints of Resident Evil and The Raid. This book has been a labour of love for me. I started working on it years ago, and since then, have heavily re-written it (from scratch in one instance) twice. I wanted to create a fun-house feel with Infested. A continuous stream of scares. Because of that, I pushed the pace of the story. Hopefully, it will be a hard book to put down once begun.

Steve: Bonus Question! Did you have a favorite wrestler as a kid?

C.M.: Jeez…all of them! But, if I must narrow it down, I would say Ultimate Warrior. That dude was so jacked up, it was crazy. I remember watching Warrior pin Hogan at Wrestlemania 6 with my cousins when I was just a wee tyke. We went wild!

Awesome! Thank you, C.M.!

Follow the links to connect!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/C-M-Forest/e/B09X877L3X/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/C_Laforet

Website: christianlaforet.com