Title: The Devil’s Mountain

Author: Jack Harding

Release date: April 25, 2022

Since the time when I started watching documentaries and later discovering more and more about history on the internet (I didn’t get internet until Grade 10 or so, 1996ish), I’ve always been fascinated with Hitler and the Nazi’s scope concerning both the sheer volume of buildings and bases they built, but also their supposed occult leanings. I don’t want to go down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole here, but I know I’m not the only one out there who sees an old, abandoned base covered in vines and let’s their brain wander to what could be lurking down there and what the Nazi’s might’ve conjured from somewhere else.

Which brings me to Harding’s ‘The Devil’s Mountain.’ This actually just came on my radar the other day, when Kev Harrison shared one of those ‘newsletter-sign-up-and-get-free-books’ posts. I clicked the link, scrolled through the listings and grabbed a couple, one being this one.

What I liked: The story follows Dylan and Nikki, recent love birds, who are travelling through Germany and visiting some historical sites. One such site is Teufelsberg, a former CIA station that was built on top of a former Nazi training site.

Harding does a great job of capturing the two in that amazing, beginning of a relationship state, flirting, joking and bantering frequently. Both Dylan and Nikki are likeable characters and the lead up to them arriving at the location was fun.

Once at the site, things grow ominous and claustrophobic, Harding doing a great job of keeping us on our toes as well as confused and second guessing everything.

The ending was a nice bit of fun, tying things together while still leaving enough unanswered to let our minds wander.

What I didn’t like: Two things stuck out for me. The first was, I felt like for the length of the story, it took far too long to actually get to the location and then the events at the location itself felt rushed. I would’ve loved it to be maybe 20% getting there, 70% there, 10% wrap up. Instead it was closer to 75% getting there, 20% there and 5% wrap up, so the events came off as really rushed.

Secondly, I wasn’t a huge fan of some of the overly descriptive moments. When the wind is described as ‘insinuating’ it felt like it was reaching for something that it never fully arrived at.

Why you should buy this: If you snagged this as a freebie, definitely get on it. Other wise, this is a quick, single sitting read that will have you hyperventilating. This was your classic 90 minute movie where a single frame isn’t wasted and the action comes fast and furious.

And PS – it looks like at the time of writing this (Friday, June 17, 2022) the ebook is free on Amazon!

3.5/5

Hello! And welcome again! I’m loving these 3Q’s, as I get to learn about each writer but also get to share with those following along some phenomenal reads.

Today’s is no different. Kev Harrison is a fantastic supporter of so many and his writing is always great!

Welcome, Kev!

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?

Kev: My writing time has taken a big hit since the pandemic kicked in. As for a lot of people working in education, admin has increased and hours have expanded, too. At the moment, I get about 2 hours, 3 times a week, but that includes promotion, social media, etc. I’m putting things in motion to get to a five days a week writing plan in the autumn, so I’m hopeful my productivity will be up to pre-pandemic levels then.

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

Kev: In my next novel (currently out on submission), there’s a central character called Diniz. She’s a Turkish scripture expert, which sounds boring as hell, but she’s hilarious, determined as hell, and I really hope people are going to love her as much as I do.

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

Kev: Below has just been re-released through Brigids Gate Press. It’s a subterranean story which aims to provide the scares through suspense, with epistolary elements feeding the reader and the characters with titbits of the dark history of the location. It’s got scares, action, and one of my favourite folkloric monsters at its heart.

Steve: Hey, thanks so much for doing this! Oh-oh! I see you didn’t submit an answer to my bonus question! Ah jeez! Well then, seeing as the bonus question was if you had a fav wrestler growing up – I’ll pick one for you!

You kind of resemble a wrestler known as Daniel Bryan. I’m not familiar with him – just googled WWE wrestlers with beards, to be fair – and here we are!

Alright! Enough kidding around – if you want to find more about Kev;

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kev-Harrison/e/B06ZZDY6G3/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisboetaIngles

Website: kevharrisonfiction.com

Welcome to another 3Q’s and for today’s fun blast, we have an author who actually lives in the same city as myself – and yet, we’ve never gotten our act together to meet up!

Please welcome, Konn Lavery!

Thanks for doing this, Konn!

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?

Konn: My writing habit varies drastically depending on the time of year and juggling contract graphic design work deadlines. Most days I do get up earlier to focus on writing, then at the end of the day I focus on marketing. In the early AM the writing goals will mutate from “edit these two chapters,” or “write one new chapter,” or “write a first draft short story.”

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

Konn: That’s a tough one. I’ve got a soft spot for a few of them. The most fun, and flexible to write has been Malpherities. He’s a spectral cheshire cat type of character, who shows up in multiple series. He’s appeared in three books in my dark fantasy Mental Damnation series and my short story collection Into the Macrocosm, and the upcoming sequel choose your own path Beyond the Macrocosm.

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

Konn: The last new novel release was Rave, back in May 2021. It’s a Canadian horror slasher with punks, ravers, and attitude. If you enjoy rejects and dirty survival stories out in the woods with a mystery killer, check it out.

As mentioned my choose your own path short story collection Beyond the Macrocosm is coming out next, aiming for summer.

Steve: Bonus Question! What is your favorite album?

Konn: Another tough one! I’d have to go with KMFDM Symbols for a good mix of industrial, rock, and techno. I’ve got the icons tattooed on my arm, so one would presume I dig it.

Awesome! Thank you so much for doing this Konn!

Discover more about Konn here;

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Konn-Lavery/e/B008VL8HQE/

Website: https://konnlavery.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/konnl

Title: ZOO: Eight Tales of Animal Horror

Author: Joe Scipione

Release date: April 27, 2022

It’s funny, because I keep telling myself that I’m completely exhausted reading collections and anthologies, burned out by devouring so many over the last few years, yet, every time I start reading a few books, I need to get a collection started, so that I can bounce between longer reads and shorter reads. I don’t know what to say? Could be some sort of medical condition!

Which brings us to ‘ZOO: Eight Tales of Animal Horror.’ Hilariously, I started this feature called 3Q’s, where I get various authors to answer three questions (and a fun fourth). I started it with the hopes that folks who follow along with me, might discover some new-to-them authors or reads. Guess what? In the few weeks of me scheduling these features, I’ve bought about a dozen ebooks. Insert face palm emoji. That’s right. Spoiler alert – Joe will be a featured 3Q’s author coming up, but when I was putting his together, I read more about ‘ZOO…’ and well, here we are!

What I liked: The collection is exactly what the title says – eight stories of animal horror. But, the title is also a bit misleading, as this isn’t specifically set in a zoo, nor is it limited to what zoo animals might pop into your head. I have to say – I loved all of the stories and enjoyed the novella at the end.

Highlights for me were;

‘Well and Unbitten’ – this was an anxiety inducing story that I just happened to read while camping. The story revolved around the world being overrun and taken over by mosquitos and a families fight to survive. Nothing like reading this while trying not to itch mosquito bites.

‘Hunting with Pepper’ – this story was one of the most exhilarating and original pieces I’ve read in sometime. After a divorce, a man searches for a hobby. Deciding to enjoy nature and take up falconry, he goes hunting rabbits with his falcon, Pepper. Only problem is, this time, Pepper takes down something that isn’t a rabbit. Horrifyingly amazing.

‘Goal Hike’ – look, we all know I’m a sucker for a story set in the woods. This one follows a recovering alcoholic who decides that the way for them to stay away from alcohol is to go on a hike every week. And now, here they are, week 52, hike 52. They’ve waited to do this hike, the hardest hike, until the last one as a celebration. But on the way down, a menacing bear is waiting for them and then it becomes a tale of survival.

Throughout, Joe has a deft way of ramping up the tension and keeping you on the edge of your seat. Case in point – the story ‘Obsession’ starts off simply enough but then over the course of a few pages, you can feel the energy lift and flow, growing to a crescendo. It is really well done and engaging.

What I didn’t like: I wasn’t riveted by the final novella, even though the story had some high points. I think it was more the animal chosen, as for me, I’m not a huge fan of that animal in general. As with all collections, readers will find some stick with them more and others won’t, but I have to say, Joe does a great job of making it tough for you to not want to finish each story!

Why you should buy this: If you’re like me, short story collections can be a great job of breaking up the longer reads you may have on the go. At the moment, the two other books I’m reading are both right around 400 pages, so it’s great to read each of those for a bit then, break it up with a short one or two. Scipione’s collection starts out high and stays that way and I think fans looking for a collection that features non-typical antagonists will eat this one up!

4/5

I don’t know who I would suggest you read first between Alyson Faye and Stephanie Ellis, but between these two they’ve released some outstanding stuff and collaborated together.

Now, after we got to visit with Alyson, we get to visit with Stephanie and I’ve so excited to have her here!

Welcome, Stephanie!

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?

Stephanie: My schedule as such was all over the place no matter what I tried. Then I spoke to Joe Lansdale on the Darkfusion podcast and he told me he writes for 3 hours every morning and that’s it, always stopping at a point when he wants to carry on. I tried it and it works! The routine creates the right mindset whilst getting rid of the tyranny of the word count. I’m actually finishing more and getting on with things because of this. I will say this is for the creative side of things – not the admin or all the other stuff which I tend to do in the afternoon.

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

Stephanie: Not actually one, but three characters, they come as a job lot! Tommy, Betty and Fiddler from The Five Turns of the Wheel and Reborn (due out October via Brigids Gate Press). They are wonderfully animalistic and grotesque. I love them.

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

Stephanie: Paused is my newest release. It came out earlier this year via Silver Shamrock for a few months and then was on hold when the company closed. Brigids Gate Press have taken it on and should be out very soon complete with new cover (I am literally just waiting for them to announce the links to buy)! It’s a fast-paced biological horror playing ‘what if’ the human race all developed ‘locked-in’ syndrome, ie you suddenly freeze, cannot respond in any way but are completely aware of what’s going on around you. The few who managed to read it before it went off the shelves have all praised it which has been very reassuring! Hopefully Paused will be taken off pause soon!

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

Stephanie: Hmm. Wrestling was always on the telly on Saturday afternoons when I was a kid – this was the 70s! The pub would be shut for a few hours in the afternoon and Mum and Dad would fall asleep to it. The main event always seemed to be Giant Haystacks v Big Daddy. I tended to root for the latter – he was the good guy!

Very cool! Thank you, Stephanie!

As always – check the links below!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Ellis/e/B06XSNSGXS/

Website: stephanieellis.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/el_stevie

Week two of 3Q’s and we get to start it off with a BANG!

Join me in welcoming author, S.H. Cooper aka – the WORLD CHAMPION of How to Write a Man!

Welcome, S.H.!

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?

S.H.: Writing time is whenever I can squeeze it in! I don’t really have a set time to sit and write, I prefer to let the words come to me instead of trying to chase them down. I don’t even write every day, only most of them (I know, I know, for shame!). I try to keep my minimum word count to 500 and hit it more often than not, but I’ve learned not to beat myself up if I don’t. The most important thing is getting any words down at all.

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

S.H. I really love all my characters, but I think if I had to pick one, it’d probably be Eudora Fellowes from Inheriting Her Ghosts. I feel the most kinship with her and just love her personality. She’s strong-willed and sharp-tongued and just a lot of fun to spend time with. Not to mention it means I get to write about her dogs, Black Shuck and Cerberus, too, who are just the goodest of boys. I still hear her quite loudly, so who knows; maybe her story isn’t quite done yet (though it was meant to be, even if she refuses to accept that).

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

S.H.: My newest solo release was the aforementioned Inheriting Her Ghosts (Sleepless Sanctuary Publishing), a Victorian gothic novella. People should read because it features a strong, middle-aged leading lady (which I think we definitely need more of) squaring off against both ghosts and society as a whole with two of the bestest boys at her side. A haunted cliff-side manor, a half-century of secrets, a bitter legacy that refuses to rest. What’s not to love?

I also co-edited the feminist horror anthology, A Woman Built By Man (Cemetery Gates Media), which is an absolute powerhouse of feminine voices coming together to rally against all the ways women are built up and broken down by a patriarchal society. From the brutally realistic to the fantastic, our authors covered a lot of ground that I think is very important when it comes to understanding the female/female-identifying experience.

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

S.H.: Yes, actually. It wasn’t The Undertaker or Stone Cold Steve Austin or even The Rock, though! It was the 4-foot-tall teddy bear my brother would practice The People’s Elbow on in our backyard. He was a good sport, never complained.

Thank you so much for doing this!

To find more awesomeness from S.H.;

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/S-H-Cooper/e/B01MY17287/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsPippinacious

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16210891.S_H_Cooper

Week two of 3Q’s begins with a bang! When I launched this feature, I actually had several people DM me in shock that today’s guest wasn’t the very first guest of this feature. Truth is – while I bother him and tag him relentlessly week in and week out, I get super nervous asking him anything that encroaches on his time (except signing books for me!).

But, alas, I broke down and asked and he accepted! So, please welcome, Andrew Pyper!

Welcome, Andrew!

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?

Andrew: When I’m working on a draft, I try to keep it Monday to Friday, starting first thing in the morning after the coffee and kids’ lunches are made. I tend to fade as the hours go on, so by noon I’m typically at 50% power (or less!). Hopefully by that time I’ve hit my word count, which varies the deeper I go into a project. At the outset, it could be as little as 600 words, but toward the end I’m often up to double that.

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

Andrew: There’s a few different ways to evaluate “favourite,” from “the character I’d like most to hang out with,” to “the character I feel best realized in prose.” But splitting the difference, I think Ellen O’Brien from The Demonologist came to life in a way I was most pleased with.

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

Andrew: My most recently released project is Oracle 2: The Dreamland Murders, the audio drama sequel to my audiobook, Oracle. It’s an entertaining way to consume a story: the voices and sound effects of a radio play, with terrific performances from Joshua Jackson and supporting cast.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Oracle-The-Dreamland-Murders-Podcast/B09CLMJPJ4

Steve: Bonus Question! Do you have a cherished book?

Andrew: I have a few very special volumes, but I think my signed copy of Dance of the Happy Shades, Alice Munro’s first collection, is the most valued prize.

Whoa! How amazing!

Thank you, once again, Andrew!

To find more awesome books by Andrew, check the links!

Website: andrewpyper.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewpyper

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Pyper/e/B001HD0266/

Archives: https://theandrewpyperarchives.ca/

The end of the first week of 3Q’s! Thank you so much everyone who has read these, shared them and supported them! It’s been a blast!

For today’s, I bring you one, Mr. Mason McDonald! Mason and I connected a number of years back and he’s done a bunch of covers for my own releases. Now, with his recent debut collection out and about, it’s been great seeing people discover how awesome of a writer he is!

Mason hails from Eastern Canada, but don’t let that deter you from enjoying his work!

Welcome Mason!

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?

Mason: I have a day job that has fluctuating hours so it makes sticking to a routine very difficult. However, I’ve always gravitated towards working in the evening. I used to aim for 2k words a day but eventually got burnt out. So nowadays I set small, easily accessible goals – usually 3 to 4 pages of prose, or 2 pages of a screenplay. Having smaller goals makes staying motivated much easier.

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

Mason: This is such a fun question! If I had to pick a single character, I would say the unnamed protagonist of my story ‘I, Defile.’ He’s an awful, narcistic nihilist with a horrid taste in food, but his story is incredibly interesting. I expect to follow him through many more stories (if he survives them, that is…).

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

Mason: My debut collection is scheduled (at the time of writing this) to be released tomorrow on June 1st 2022. It is an eclectic collection with stories ranging from cosmic horror to folk, to sci-fi crime and everywhere in between. Folks should read it because I heard a rumor that if you do, you actually legally become a certified badass. I don’t know for certain that the rumor is true, but I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity if I was you.

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

Mason: I grew up in the 00s, so my favorite wrestler was John Cena. Trust me, I live with regrets about it.

Thanks so much, Mason!

If you wanna find more info about Mason;

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17721994.Mason_McDonald

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mas0nMcD0nald

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mason-McDonald/e/B075FF3WLZ/

Title: Black Bloom: A Story of Survival

Author: Felix I.D. Dimaro

Release date: April 22, 2022

As somebody who reads a ton of books, I always love when your TBR aligns and you find yourself reading several books close to each other that all seem to share a commonality between them.

Case in point – recently I read the stunning ‘Helpmeet’ by Naben Ruthnum. This was followed closely by ‘The Hungry Earth’ by Nicholas Kaufmann. And now, along comes ‘Black Bloom.’

All three feature aspects that are the same, yet different, but all three feel like a tonal trilogy of sorts and it is fantastic.

When Dimaro announced ‘Black Bloom’ I was pumped. Look at the cover! Read the synopsis! If you’ve ever read any of Dimaro’s work, you know you’re in for a bleak, sorrow filled affair and this one was no different.

What I liked: The story follows a man, recounting what has occurred in his life since the first black dandelion was reported. It’s a simple set up, but Dimaro leads us through the days as the world falls into chaos, quarantine and ultimately a place with no hope.

Oddly, when I started reading this, a tweet went viral-ish on my timeline. It said something along the lines of; “What if the planet itself is harvesting us and now its had enough and ready to fully consume its children.” Powerful and frightening and with the ongoing and increasing global climate crisis, topical.

That is the idea that Dimaro pushes through this, as the world becomes infected and when we see the horrifying events that take place and what happens to those infected, it’ll leave you shaking with fear. I loved it. Much like Shyamalan tried to showcase in his hit-or-miss movie, ‘The Happening,’ Dimaro shows us just what Mother Nature is capable of.

What I didn’t like: I loved this one, but there was one minor annoyance I had, and that was the continued reliance on using the phrase; “if only I knew what was going to happen,” and then insert bits after. We all know something horrible is happening and we all know things are going to be worse, so for me, personally, I found that phrase lost its suspenseful nature after the second or third time of it popping up.

Why you should buy this: Dimaro writes smart, topical and extremely emotional stories. His characters are flawed, beat down but all possess a humanity that shines through and makes you want to root for them. Even after Eunice becomes infected, we want to see her improve so desperately. That’s on account of Dimaro’s strength as a writer.

This was a great read, and one that I want to say I had fun with, but that word isn’t correct here. This was a well done climate-body horror piece, one that definitely will leave you rattled.

5/5

3Q’s arriving again today and once again, I’m excited to see just what this author gets up to and how they craft their stories! I’ve long been a huge fan of Alyson Faye’s take on the dark and the disturbing!

Alyson resides across the Atlantic and has released some phenomenal stories.

Welcome, Alyson!

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?

Alyson: I write mainly between UK time 22.00 and 02.00. I am an ‘owl’ not a ‘lark’. I also write in bursts, sometimes thousands of words to get a short story drafted and sometimes just the finer detail of a poem and piece of flash fiction. I don’t write every day but I do usually edit, rewrite, submit and network with other writers most days.

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

Alyson: Tough one this, cos I’m fond of a few of my characters, as they’ve lived in my head then on paper for quite some time. My crime novella, set in 1940s Britain, stars an escort girl, Maggie, and is my homage to those femme fatales of the film noirs. Demain published ‘Maggie of my Heart’. Maggie remains a girl I’d like to have a drink with and a laugh.

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

Alyson: I am delighted to have my latest Gothic horror story in the latest issue of ‘Space and Time’ magazine #141 – called ‘The Glass House’. S&T is a cool mag and the staff work very hard (largely unpaid) to produce a top quality publication. My story has been wonderfully illustrated by Anthony R Rhodes. It’s a darkly Gothic tale of a blighted inheritance, a feisty but troubled young heroine, one heck of a scary housekeeper, experiments in the titular glass house and a horror waiting to be unleashed.

I loved writing it.

Steve: Bonus question time! What is your favorite album?

Alyson: Music isn’t my first love, but film is and old movies of the 1930s and 1940s in particular. So I choose :- ‘The Night of the Hunter’ 1955 starring Robert Mitchum and directed by Charles Laughton.

Thanks again, Steve.

Most welcome, Alyson!

If you’d like to discover more of Alyson’s work;

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16452908.Alyson_Faye

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alyson-Faye/e/B01NBYSLRT

The Horror Tree: https://horrortree.com/author/alysonfaye/