The Tarishe Curse... Continued

Halloween Again.

Honestly, it's not my favorite holiday.  The gory masks and haunted houses meant to cause alarming nightmares and the unsettling eeriness that does nothing but disturb my peaceful spirit—these things have never gone over big with me.  But I will admit that I really do like the idea of dressing up to pretend for a day while hording a jack-o-lantern stuffed full of free candy from neighbors who will never ever realize that I live only two houses down from them. 

This year I’ve discovered something I seriously want to own—a GIANT spider that jumps out with raised front legs, nearly scaring the ghost out of anyone who crosses its path.  A great big smile for the person who invented that Halloween gizmo!  Never ceases to creep me out.  (I hate spiders.)

You might be wondering why exactly I write on ongoing Hallows Eve suspense horrorish-thriller if it’s not my….uh, cup of witch’s brew?  The answer is, because I happen to know the actual Queen of Halloween; she’s a friend who truly does possess a spooky love for the holiday.  It was her obsession with witches and warlocks conjuring up midnight spells under a full moon where werewolves howl in the distant background and vampire bats flit above monstrous gargoyles as they come to life on cemetery grounds housing dead pirates whose ghoulish spirits rise from their plots on this one night a year.  It was my curious fascination with her obsession that helped me think up The Tarishe Curse.  Then someone suggested that I expand on the original story.  Upon further consideration I accepted the challenge, and now it has become my trick-or-treat tradition to write a new chapter every year, posted on my author blog for anyone who wishes a little free Halloween reading treat.

And so, without further goblin gibberish meant to stall, I present for your Hallows Eve entertainment pleasure the next chapter in the life of Duvalla, Queen of Werefolk.  And once again I dedicate this story to Cathie Hunt, the lady obsessed with Halloween. 

(In case you’re wondering—yes, you can expect another chapter next year about this same time.  I’ve already begun….)   

Vengeance, retaliation, retribution, revenge are deceitful brothers;

vile, beguiling demons promising justifiable compensation

to a pained soul for his losses.

Yet in truth they craftily fester away all else of worth remaining.
~ Richelle E. Goodrich

Copyright 2013 Richelle E. Goodrich

Prepare for Another Halloween Treat!

Last Halloween I had the itch to write a short story appropriate for the Hallows Eve season.  I posted it on my author blog as a holiday treat under the title, The Tarishe Curse, and proceeded to introduce the Queen of Werefolk and her mate, Duvalla and Kresh.  The tale of a wicked witch’s hatred for werewolves and Duvalla’s continual struggle with a curse that blinds her mind was meant as a simple lesson in the destructive energy that vengeance wields.  It was not an elaborate story.  Complete within a few pages.  I had no intention of ever returning to Duvalla and Kresh.  

But then I was asked a crazy question.

“Are you going to write another chapter about the werewolves for next Halloween?”

“Uh….”  The thought truly hadn’t crossed my mind.  “Do you think I should?”

The answer was an eager, "yes!" 

Hmmmm, what to write?

I spent my waking hours thinking and pondering and walking in daydreams with Duvalla over possible roads she might wander in an extended tale.  The more I delved into her world of fearsome Halloween creatures, the more excited I became of making this ongoing story a Hallows Eve tradition.  How long could I extend Duvalla’s tale?  Well, let's see.....how long do werewolves live? 

I’ve completed the next chapter of her story for this upcoming Halloween, which I’m itching like the worst case of chicken pox in medical history to share with all my readers.  But first, I would ask you to refresh your memory and reread the beginning of Duvalla and Kresh’s story, and if you haven't had the pleasure already, please read if for the first time.  Enjoy last year’s chapter of The Tarishe Curse and don’t bite your nails off…..the next will be posted in a few more days.  But beware!  There's no turning back once you start.

Parents Want For Their Children

I was sitting with my family in a crowded restaurant when the subject of conversation turned to monetary issues—things of ample cost like cars and homes and technological gadgets and fancy eating establishments.  I couldn't help but chuckle at some of the extravagant 'wants' voiced aloud at the table.

That's when my youngest son piped up, "I'm going to be rich when I grow up and buy all those things that I want. You'll be proud of me!"

My husband murmured something about having a lot to learn.  I thought for a moment, wanting to be sure that all of my sons understood why I, as their mother, would look upon them proudly.  So I spoke up.

"It isn't wealth or riches that good parents are concerned with.  When it comes to being proud of their children, what parents truly care about is whether or not they grow up to be..."

But before I could voice what I would've deemed the obvious answer, a string of responses were tossed out from people sitting around me.
"...a hard worker," someone finished.
"...self-sufficient," replied another.
"...a responsible adult."  
"...a college graduate."  
"...a happy individual."  
"...a capable and dependable contributor."

It was then that the truth struck me in a way I had not fully realized before.  Of course I knew that we as humans vary on the subject of values, but I guess it never hit me that the range was so broad until that moment.  We all hold within our cupped hands something valued most—something we protect and cherish.  But what each person esteems of greatest worth is not at all the same as that of another.  My treasure is truly not yours.

As I wrapped my mind around these diverse answers to the simple comment I had begun, by youngest son leaned in to ask me, "What were you going to say, Mom?  What do you want me to grow up to be?"

I smiled and told him.  "A good person."
"Oh."

“You will realize one day that all the money in the world cannot buy you happiness. Nor can it make you a person of good character. ” ― Richelle E. Goodrich

Dear Dad

Father's Day 2013

Dear Dad,


You probably don't remember how once when I was a young woman you gave me a letter. It was written in black ink on a folded up piece of lined paper, your own angled penmanship. It wasn't a long note, taking up only one side of the page, but it lacked nothing.

I still have that letter, Dad.

Why have I kept it all these years, you ask? Because the sentiments contained in those handwritten words forged a treasure I'd long chased after. It was a pearl you handed me, and to this day its worth remains as great.

Perhaps it is the same with others, perhaps not, but it seems to me that as children we crave from our mother her love most of all—absolute comfort, affection, and acceptance. But from our father it is his approval so desperately sought after—honest praise, acknowledgement, and affirmation. We run crying to our mother when things go wrong, 'Mommy, Oh Mommy!', trusting that she will do everything in her power to make it all better. However, when things go right—when we seek affirmation for a job well done—it is our father we look to. 'Do you like it, Daddy?' 'Are you well pleased?'

That stamp of approval is not always easy to come by. It is something to be earned. Maybe that is why, like a pearl, it is a treasure to cherish.

And so, Dad, I do carry that letter with me even years after raining tears of joy over the initial reading. It empowered me then, and it empowers me still today when I read those words of acknowledgement and approval...and love.

Thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for being proud of me.
Thank you for bolstering me.
And especially, thank you for taking a moment to compose that rare but invaluable letter and letting me know. It still means the world to me.

I thought you should know.
Happy Father's Day, Dad.

A Tormented Writer

" I long for a writer's soul

sealed in ink on the page."

— Richelle E. Goodrich

Someone described a writer's world as tormented, and I had to laugh. A tormented writer? I wouldn't have put those two words together.

Emotions have the power to torment a soul, yes, I agree to that. But writers, through the formation of our characters, delve so often into the depths of a vast range of emotions that we earn the advantage. For we've examined every little thrumming, fracture, spark, pang, and darkening of the heart to a point that we recognize and appreciate the necessity and strength of emotions as well as the cause and effects manipulating them.

We anticipate.
We envision.
We understand.

Our knowledge is power over the torment of emotional ignorance.
I would suggest that those truly tormented are the readers of our works because those poor souls shall never know with such clarity and sentiment all the tiny details that make our characters breath, move, and live before our very eyes.

Perhaps, if torment does lurk among writers, it comes simply through knowing more about an imagined friend than can ever be adequately expressed in words.

"There is nothing to writing.

All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

— Ernest Hemingway

Author Spotlight: Sonny Goten

This month, I would like to introduce a mysterious writer who has produced a number of books ranging in genre--from horror/thriller to fantasy to poetry.  Whether working on her own or in collaboration with other writers, Sonny Goten is enthusiastic about her work.  Read on!

Hi, Sonny!  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?  Where were you born and raised?   

Ah, that’s the first question always being asked. Unfortunately, I’m writing under a pseudonym for a reason, so I apologize but I won’t reveal too much about my identity. Besides that, there is also the question of what is there that I can say that could be of interest.

I’m in my early twenties and at the moment I’m studying Social Sciences. Also, I was raised bilingual, but English was not one of the languages I grew up with, even though my books are all written in this language. No, my journey towards acquiring English was most perilous. I was, of course, taught English at school, but I mainly learned from the TV by watching lots and lots of English dubbed anime (mainly Dragonball Z) with subtitles as a child. So, you see, my first English words were not “How are you?” or “My name is so-and-so.” No, the first things I learned were more akin to “You‘re dead, Kakarot!” and “His power levels are over nine-thousand!” I can almost imagine what my teacher at school must have thought, haha!

As you can see, my life cannot be called in any way extraordinary. In fact, its mundane course might probably have been one of the main reasons why I started writing in the first place.

How did you get involved in writing?  Has it been a life-long passion or is it a more recently developed talent?

I started to write when I learned of fan fiction actually. I came across Fanfiction.net about ten years ago, read some fics, decided that I liked them and started writing my own. Since then, I have mostly pulled away from writing fan fiction, because I wished to broaden my horizon and create my own characters. My old fics can still be found on the internet somewhere, but I’d rather you didn’t look for them, because I wrote them a long time ago when I was young and my command over the English language was… well, quite frankly, atrocious does not begin to describe it.

What genre and audience do you typically write for?  Or does that vary by project?

I must confess, I do not write for an audience, I write mainly for my own pleasure. Of course, any writer who decides to publish his or her work , whether for sale or for free, seeks acknowledgement of some sort, and I am really no different in this respect. But I don’t adapt my style to suit a certain type of reader’s taste. Nor do I confine myself to a single genre. So, yes, I suppose my writings do vary by project, but it depends on my mood as well.

There is one thing that each of the books I published on Amazon and Smashwords (the two places where I put my works up for sale) have in common, however. None of them have a clearly defined HEA. The stories are ambiguous and end either tragically or ‘happy from a certain point of view’ depending on characters‘ perspective and/or reader’s interpretation.

Could you give us a list of your books and a short description of each?

A Game of Keys: This novella is a horror/thriller with certain sci-fi overtones and my very first published project. Similar to the movie ‘Saw’ my main character Connor has been locked up in a room (which is where almost the entire story takes place) and needs to find a way out. In my story, the kidnapper threatens to rape Connor if he can’t find a way out after a certain amount of time. Connor, however, does not give up easily and tries to figure out his kidnapper’s identity, but things get strange quickly from there…

Letters to an Imaginary Friend: This novella is a collection of poetry. The epistolary poems together form a dark story of three friends sliding off into the wrong direction when love and jealousy comes into the picture. The story begins when things have already gone wrong and M., one of the friends, denounces God as an imaginary friend in the first poem, hence the title of the novella.

Cross: This is actually a collection of three very short horror stories that are also included in the updated paperback edition (January 7, 2013) of ‘Letters to an Imaginary Friend’. The main point of Cross is actually to simply convey a certain type of mood. The first story, also titled ‘Cross’, is about a girl taking revenge on her sworn enemy, who is very close to her. The second story ‘Brother Joshua’ is about a monk finding love in a most disturbing way. The third story ’Key’ is about a woman finding another world.

The Fire of Mars: This novel is a collaboration between myself and several other writers. The story actually started off as a round-robin RPG of a sorts on Fanfiction.net which I revised and edited into a novel. The novel is set in 29 AD in Jerusalem but takes great liberty with the historical facts and is peppered with fantasy elements in order to suit the supernatural side that is at play in the story. The story is about the entwined fates of an orphan girl named Hexia, a priest’s daughter called Rachel, a terrorist who calls himself Wrath, and a sex slave who’s named Mau-Iwiw when they struggle for  the power of the Fire Staff.

Where can these titles be found for purchase?

As I said before, I publish my e-books via Amazon and through Smashwords. Smashwords also distributes to other major e-book sellers, such as Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Apple iBookstore, etc. (Well, just take a look at their website to see for yourself!)

The Fire of Mars is not available at Smashwords yet, I’m still busy editing that edition in order for it to pass through the meat grinder and it will take a while.

Also, all the paperbacks are available at CreateSpace where I publish them. CreateSpace is a daughter company of Amazon, so all the paperbacks are of course also available at Amazon.

What’s been the most rewarding occurrence since you’ve put your work out there for others to read and enjoy?

Hmm… it’s the feedback from readers, really. It allows me to know whether people liked it or not, and what could perhaps have improved where. Feedback is so important to a writer, I think, because it’s the only way we can know if we did it right or not. Without feedback how can a writer learn? How can (s)he and grow? So, I enjoy the reviews and the emails I’ve gotten from my readers. Even if it’s just a one-word-comment, it’s still a form of interaction, which makes every one of them precious and worth the effort!

Who would you cite as an influence on your writing style?  Any favorite authors?  Do you have a most-loved novel?

There are many great authors and great novels out there, so it’s hard to pick The One. However, lately I’ve been really getting into a fellow self-publisher. Her penname is S. U. Pacat and she’s published two volumes from her Captive Prince trilogy through Amazon not so long ago, her second volume ending with a major cliff hanger, so I’ve been getting really hyped up over this story again, because I’m so curious about how it will continue and how it will end!

I stumbled upon Captive Prince when it was still a free online fic, and I really loved it. I especially loved how Pacat wrote her character called Laurent, the way the political machinations are woven into this world, and how the characters lie and speak with double meanings so easily and convincingly. Reading all the carefully crafted motives behind every character’s action  really did influence me and made me look at my own writings in a different light.

 What projects do you have planned for the near future?  Anything you can share to perk our interest?

There are plans on the table for a sequel to The Fire of Mars which will take place around 50 years later. Our RPG team has written out a lot of material that can be used, and I’m really enthusiastic about this story, but I‘m not in the habit of making promises, so nothing is definite until the book is published.

I have to throw in my own curious questions; Do you have a favorite quote?  Color?  Character from any book? 

Character from any book? Do you really want me to rant more about Laurent?

Color? Blue, I guess? All my jeans are blue. And Laurent’s eyes too…

Let’s not do the quotes, before my current obsession becomes too apparent here. Hahaha!

Thanks so much for your time, Sonny, and best of luck with your writing endeavours.  Is there a way for any interested parties to keep informed about your accomplishments as an author?  Do you maintain a website or blog?

 You can find me here:

http://sonnygoten.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/SonnyGoten

https://twitter.com/sonnygoten (I use my twitter to rant, so not everything I post there will be about my books, nor will it all be in English.)

 Is there anything else you would like to share?

I must confess I used to be a major slash/yaoi fan, so even though it’s not something that I focus on, you may see streaks of that back into my work. Also, I’m an anime fan (the whole part in this interview dedicated to Dragonball Z might have given that one away…).

My Mother, My Heartbeat

The first thing you heard in this life (though memory fails you) was the steady, mortal heartbeat of the woman who would give birth to you. Before sight or mental comprehension developed, your mother's heartbeat sang sweet comfort to your soul. You were formed inside a borrowed womb—a nourishing safe haven for months—then delivered through painful effort and sacrifice.

This woman was willing to give you the precious gift of life. That truth alone deserves your gratitude and respect.

But motherhood does not end there. While birth is a miracle—bestowing this amazing thing called life to another soul—the greater miracle by far lies within the intense emotional bond attached to the experience. There exists no decent description to convey the profound magnitude of a mother's love. To truly be understood it must be experienced.

Mothers

observe all, absorb all,

give all, forgive all,

offer all, suffer all,

feel all, heal all,

hope for all, pray for all.

But most of all,

Mothers

love always.

What is more powerful than the love of a mother?

What possesses more strength than her humbly whispered prayers?

Perhaps only God's hand in answering those earnest pleadings on your behalf.

A woman's heart is changed forever when she becomes a mother. Like the caterpillar turned butterfly, there is no reversing this divine transformation.

That heartbeat that welcomed your precious little spirit into this mortal world—that steady, dependable, comforting rhythm—for as long as it continues will beat for you.

From the beginning your mother was your heartbeat; your source of nourishment; your protector; your provider; your first looking glass into the world. And the day her heartbeat ceases, yours will forever be affected.

You are, for the most part, who you are because of your mother.


Love you, Mom.

"Mothers give us life, love, and the heartfelt inclination to cry, 'I want my mommy,' no matter  how old we get." 

~Richelle E. Goodrich

Never Say Never

Life is a fairytale.

At least that's the way I see it. Each day we create and compile chapters—some short and simple, some extensive and involved, either humorous or dramatic or sweet or eerie or heartbreaking—all adding to our very own book of tales. Daily occurrences have the capacity to be retold in story form. And most of them, I have found, are naturally oozing with morals.

Take the other day for example...

It was a morning like any other, neither brightly sunny nor gray and stormy but somewhere dull and in between. Regardless of the weather, I was hoping for the day to prove momentous on a personal level. For, you see, I was down to writing the very last chapter of my latest book. Being so near my goal, I felt eager to actually complete the ending. I foresaw it as a huge personal accomplishment, one I could not wait to check off my mental list of achievements.

However, as I often tell my three boys, "responsibilities come first." And so I set out to my part-time day job, antsy and bubbling on the inside in anticipation of a free afternoon of writing.

This would be the day I finished writing a book! That is not an easy task, people.

I drove my youngest son to school and dropped him off with a kiss and an "I love you." Then I drove to the little ma-and-pa shop where I work. Though I tried and tried to avoid the clock, my eyes flickered in its direction nearly every minute. My job is not intellectually engaging to begin with, not like the science of creating new worlds or anything, so time naturally ambled along. I managed to keep my anxiousness contained even though I swear time was dragging its feet on purpose. 

I answered phone calls as cordially as possible.

I took things apart.

I put things back together.

I tormented the gentlemen who work with me.

And then... finally... the clock struck 12:00! (No not midnight. This isn't Cinderella's story.)

Out the front door I disappeared in a blur. I rushed to my car and turned the key in the ignition, all fired up anticipating my completion of those final crowning paragraphs that would complete my latest book! My heart pounded in my chest, overly anxious for two reasons. First, this was going to be my day of great accomplishment. Second, though I fancy myself to be a good person, I do believe that... well, how shall I put this?

I'm cursed.

Don't laugh.

Trust me.

There are plenty of past extraordinary disappointments in my life to prove it, but I will wait for another time to compose that list. For now, suffice it to say that driving the short distance from work to home while aware of those past frustrations was enough to have me concerned about what could possibly go wrong between point A and point B.

So, being wary, I kept to the speed limit and signaled at every turn, managing not to get pulled over by a traffic cop.

I was an observant, defensive, careful driver, avoiding a car wreck on the way.

I didn't text or call on my cell phone while driving. (Not that I ever do. Okay, next to never.)

I made it down the neighborhood street, onto the highway, through the busy four-way stop, and was cruising at the appropriate speed while keeping an eye out for the occasional deer, skunk, dog, cat, raccoon, varmint, or vampire that occasionally crosses the road nearing our home—fairly common occurrences.

Yes, you heard me; I was nearing home without a single stroke of bad luck!

It was about a hundred yards from my house, the length of a football field, where my heart plummeted to the very bottom of my shoes. Pressing a foot on the brake to bring the car to a stop, I laughed. Not a humorous laugh either. I laughed out loud with incredulity—a crazed cackle to keep from crying.

Like I said—I'm cursed.

No, this is not Dorothy and Toto's story, but like their tale, sitting in the very middle of the road and across both lanes as well as blocking off the only drivable access to my street was... a house. Yes, you heard me right, an actual wretched house.

A HOUSE!

For criminy's sake, who puts an entire house in the middle of a road? And without leaving any room to get around it? Of all the days, times, and places, barring the one and only path that I needed! All I wanted was to get home to my precious laptop and type out those last few paragraphs. That's all I asked! Was that so much? Fate had to put an ENTIRE HOUSE in my way? Really?

I'm cursed. Told you so.

So, I rolled down the window as Mr. Police Officer approached.

"Sorry, ma'am, but you'll have to take the road up the hill to get around."

"But I don't want to get around. I want to turn that corner right there and get to my house."

"Oh."

(Yeah, duh 'oh'.)

"Well, ma'am, I'm sorry, but there's no way around the, um..."

"the house," I assisted in a grumble.

"Yeah."

"So... how do you suggest I get home?"

"You'll have to wait, I guess."

"For how long?"

"The men tell me it'll be two to four hours before they get it moved."

(This is where I roll my eyes and scream silently in my head.)

"Officer, do you realize there will be school buses headed down this road in less than three hours? How are my kids supposed to get home?"

"Huh. I hadn't thought about that. I don't know. Maybe we'll have to escort them to their homes." (Yes, he really said that. And I'm thinking, how are you going to escort them around THE HOUSE?)

Accepting the absolutely uncanny reality of things, I drew in a deep breath and asked, "Is it okay if I pull over to the side of the street here and wait?"

"Oh no, ma'am. We can't have cars blocking the road."

(Seriously?)

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be adaptable. Be patient. Don't ever think it is a sure thing, and vice versa, don't ever think it is impossible. Because life can put a house in the middle of your road if it wants to. Never say never.

This wasn't the actual house (in a state of bewilderment, I failed to take a picture)

but my situation appeared exactly the same.

Author Spotlight: David Burton

Last month I posted an interview with Darren Worrow, self-published author from the UK -- a friendly character with a comical side .  As I stated in the introduction to his interview, I've discovered many talented and hopeful individuals traveling this road of self-publishing, all with unique tried-and-proven experiences. And these ambitious people have come together in numerous groups and forums.  What a joy it’s been to make new friends, to lend a helping hand, and to learn from them! 

Knowing how powerful word-of-mouth is for the self-published, I decided to interview a few of these authors met online. This month, I'd like to introduce a highly-productive writer who has produced a number of darker, mystery/thriller/supernatural books presently available.  

Meet, David Burton.

- Hi, David!  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?  Where were you born and raised?   

I was born in Pittsburgh, lived in a small town about 50 miles away until I was 10. Parents divorced and we moved to Florida for 4 years then 3 different high schools, a party year at college, 2 years in Thailand courtesy of the US Army. Was a mechanic for awhile and did some travelling by motorcycle -Mexico, Alaska - then got into building boats. Built sailboats for myself and others, went sailing – Mexico, Tahiti, Hawaii, through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean.  Was a cabinetmaker in Colorado for 14 years and now I'm back in Southern Cal.

- How did you get involved in writing?  Has it been a life-long passion or is it a more recently developed talent?

In high school I had a stern, no-nonsense, brilliant English teacher. He introduced us to “Literature.” Look Homeward Angel, Winesburg, Ohio, To Kill a Mockingbird, and the like. I was interested in writing, but through youthful scatterbrainedness that one kicks themselves in the butt for once they grow up and begin to figure things out, I didn't pursue it. Some years later I remembered what I wanted and here I am.

- What genre and audience do you typically write for?  Or does that vary by project?

Supernatural (vampires lately, but adventures in Hell, also), mystery, thriller,  YA/Adult coming-of-age (Ancient Mariners)

- Could you give us a list of your books and a short description of each?  And where can these titles be found for purchase?  (Click on the image to learn more about that book.)

YOUNG ADULT/Coming-of-age

Ancient Mariners – A dark coming-of-age novel for adults and mature young adults. Beth, 14, and her crew mate, Silas, 45, have lost their families to violence. They sail the S Pacific, seeking solace for their grief. But Death has a task for them. When Beth's best friend joins her in Australia, followed by her abusive father, Beth and Silas discover where Death's journey is leading them.

Hell Cop Series – Hell Cops are hired to go into Hell and retrieve souls sent down by Purgatorial error. Indiana Jones has nothing on Getter and Sneaker.

Hell Cop

The Golden Palace

Sneaker

Hell Cop the bundle – all of the above.

MYSTERY/THRILLER

Fear Killer - A cautionary tale, the psychological suspense novel Fear Killer is the story of a beautiful but timid young woman victimized by an abusive, adulterous husband. She surprises herself by fighting off and killing the attacker. Seeing the fear in his dying eyes, something snaps inside her. She has never made anybody afraid before. She is no longer willing to be a victim. Her need to see that fear again soon becomes an obsession, with deadly consequences for some men who come in contact with her.

Police detective Martha Newton, who befriended Emily after the first attack, investigates a series of murders that will eventually lead back to Emily.

Mapping the Glades - Harrison Park is an ex-DEA agent and now a successful writer who has lived in virtual seclusion on the edge of the Everglades for three years since the suspicious death of his wife. Trouble arrives with his step-son, Pauly, who Harrison believes was involved in his wife's death. With Pauly is his girlfriend who has stolen money from a California gangster, Raul Geoshay. Geoshay desperately needs that money back.

VAMPIRES

Blood Justice - About to die during a failed attempt to kill one of the men responsible for her daughter’s death, Justine Kroft is saved by Simone Gireaux, a 350 year old vampire. In order to avenge her daughter's murder Justine persuades Simone to change her into a vampire. They join forces to find and kill the self-anointed Vampire Master involved in her daughter’s death. Ultimately, Justine must choose between having her daughter back or the life of a mortal detective whose love for her has put his life on the block.

        

An Accidental Vampire series – Three stories (more to come) that follow 350 year-old Simone Gireaux (from Blood Justice) as she survives and prospers through history.

An Accidental Vampire

New Blood

Young Blood

All these titles are available as e-books from Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, KOBO and iTunes. Blood Justice is available in print from Amazon and any bookstore.  Or from me if you want an autographed copy. On my website http://dcburtonwriting.wordpress.com all the covers are on the right. Click on the ones your interested in and you'll go to a page with all the links and the first pages.

My occasional What If? Blog is at http://davidburtonwriting.wordpress.com

- What’s been the most rewarding occurrence since you’ve put your work out there for others to read and enjoy?

 Having three books published, by someone else, was a thrill each time. My first book, Manmade for Murder, was picked for an anthology by the Detective Book Club. That was double cool. And the occasional rave review by someone I don't know is always nice.

- Who would you cite as an influence on your writing style?  Any favorite authors?  Do you have a most-loved novel?

I don't know about style. I read a bit of everything and sometimes feel I'm still searching for my own style. Don't know if I have a favorite author. If I'm reading a good book, then that author is my favorite. The same with novels, though Terry Brooks' Running With Demons trilogy, there's actually three trilogies, always come to mind.  They definitely got me interested in Urban Fantasy.

- What projects do you have planned for the near future?  Anything you can share to perk our interest?

How much space do you have? Right now I'm about to finish the second draft of the sequel to my novel Blood Justice. I'm also trying to work on getting Hell Cop ready to submit to Createspace for a print edition. Once I get that all figured out then I want to put out a print edition of all my novels. I'm also updating my first published mystery Manmade for Murder. Another mystery, Passion Street, is ready to publish when I get the time.  Somewhere in there I want to do another An Accidental Vampire story. Is that enough?

- I have to throw in my own curious questions; Do you have a favorite quote?  Color?  Character from any book?

I'm not good with quotes so the only one I can give you is from a screenplay I wrote where one witch tells another, “There's always someone more powerful out there.” So don't get cocky.

Seawater Blue

Characters??? Lisbeth Salander from Girl with the Dragon Tattoo comes to mind. Dave Robichaux  from James Lee Burke's books is another.  My favorite that I've written is Beth from Ancient Mariners. I hope to do more with her in the future.

- Thanks so much for your time, David, and best of luck with your writing endeavors. Is there a way for any interested parties to keep informed about your accomplishments as an author?  Do you maintain a website or blog?

I'm not good at updating, though I have vowed to be better at it. Sometimes there are long stretches when there isn't much to say. My website needs a bit more organization, and I have a Facebook author page, somewhere, but it drives me nuts trying to get it to do what I want it to do. If there are any experts out there who would like to volunteer to put me out of my Facebook misery, let me know.  Getting something done on Goodreads also makes me tear out what little hair I have left.

I occasionally put some tidbit in my blog, but that's way overdue for a new post.

website-- http://dcburtonwriting.wordpress.com

Blog--  http://davidburtonwriting.wordpress.com

- Is there anything else you would like to share?

I've written six feature length screenplays, all, unfortunately, sitting in a drawer waiting to become books. If anybody out there is interested in reading or producing one, let me know.

Author Spotlight: Darren Worrow

Choosing to jump into the wide world of self-publishing is a major leap, one that initially might make a novice feel as if he/she stepped into a mucky lake of quicksand, fated to drown with eyes wide open. Like most things, the steps to writing-publishing-basking in the rays of sweet success sound easy enough in theory. But shifting from theorization (sweet daydreams) to practice (grim reality) unveils just how many steps/options/choices/roadblocks exist for an author’s consideration and handling - all supposedly meant to help get that ‘one-book-among-thousands’ in the hands of numerous readers. The challenge can feel slightly (gruelingly) overwhelming. Did someone just grumble *hell*?

Well, fortunately, this path is not uncharted.

In fact, I’ve discovered a delightful perk to this journey. There happen to be many talented and hopeful individuals traveling the same road, all with unique tried-and-proven experiences in self-publishing. And these ambitious people have come together in numerous groups and forums for the sole purpose of sharing what has worked for them while gaining new ideas and feedback from those who’ve taken diverse forks in the road. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the many kind authors who’ve shared ways to publish and advertise books. I’ve done my best to share in return the things I’ve found useful. What a joy it’s been to make new friends, to lend a helping hand to the self-published, and to learn!

Knowing how powerful word-of-mouth is for the self-published author, I’ve decided to interview a few of the authors I’ve been privileged to meet online. I can say truthfully that even though we range diversely in our preferred book genres, these are some amazing people! I hope that you find their stories as interesting as I have.

*******

I met Darren Worrow when invited to join a Goodreads.com writers forum entitled, ‘Kindle Marketing – Book Grow’.  I discovered right off that he was a friendly and comical character.  Darren has a number of self-published books available including:

The Perminator The Hex Factor

SaffronThe Hargreaves Code

That Night, This Night

All of these books can be found on Goodreads.com.

In his own words, here’s a little history about Darren….

“I started out with a dream of being a cartoonist. I guess at the time the big Peanuts and Garfield popularity was on and I dreamt of moving to America and syndicating a strip; oh how naïve I was! I gradually found the small press and began self-publishing my own comic/zine. It was the mid-1990s and I was a 20 something stuck in the youth culture of rave music. I partied every night away and therefore my cartoons reflected heavy on the psychedelic experience.

“Comics are a strange hybrid between art and literature and as I progressed I came to realize that I was swaying more over to the writing side. The other major contributing factor for the switch was I got married and had children, my life was longer psychedelic and also I had no time in which to draw. This is when I began writing a few comics for others to draw and when the kids were born I had to leave it at that for the time being.

“When I bought a kindle and realized I could self-publish on it I was back off on a new mission of writing humorous eBooks. This was last year, 2012 and it felt like a natural progression and oh, how I missed the love of self-publishing my thoughts. So I got to work, always wanting to try writing a novel I had begun some years ago.

“I wrote a quick book to test the water; a parody of the Da Vinci Code, The Hargreaves Code, is probably my best seller. Given the thought that if Dan Brown can make the masses believe what he did then how ludicrous could I make a conspiracy theory believable? I call it a half-baked parody, being that although it relies heavy on mocking the Dan Brown book it also has its own concept and narrative.

“Since then I have finished the satirical book I was writing prior to finding KPD, "This Night That Night," and from there I have released a quick book of nonsensical poems, a horror satire
surrounding the X-Factor TV show called "The Hex factor," and an outright crazy parody of the Terminator movie, "The Perminator." My latest book is a dark thriller, "Saffron," in which I try for the first time to break away from the humor market. It should be noted that all my books are aimed at adult market and do contain adult themes - I like it this way but also would love to write children's books. I may well give that a go under a different name.

“My self-publishing experience in both books and comics means I am always networking and supporting others works, I believe that this is very important in self-marketing and, well it’s good to make friends with likeminded tendencies! Therefore I write interviews and articles for Self Publisher Magazine.  And that is all about me!”

You can learn more about Darren Worrow and his books by visiting his website at www.darrenworrow.webs.com

Writer's Nightmare

"A daydreamer is a writer 
just waiting for pen and paper."

~ Richelle E. Goodrich

Where do stories come from?  How does an author conjure up new adventures, new characters, and realities that seem to peel off the printed page?  How do they engage the reader's imagination so effectively?  And how is it that so many diverse tales even exist, with more scribbled out daily to add to a truly endless library? 

The fact that billions of unique people enter and leave this world (and perhaps other worlds) is proof that at least that many unique stories are possible.  But how do authors think up these wild tales?  Though this is a frequently asked question, there is no single answer--no perfect process.

Some say that artistic insight is granted by the Muses, and that it can be robbed from a writer by the same beautiful goddess of inspiration.  Others account for creativity by calling it talent--a gift from God that improves with use.  There's also the thought that inspiration is whispered influence from ghosts of past poets and authors.  And still others attribute an unsettled mind or unbridled imagination as the spring of creative writing.  Genius?  Madness?  Delusions?  Dreams?  Or the gift of an enchanted pen?

I believe...  " Artistry exists in everyone.  What makes it blossom is a soul's personal desire to find an outlet for expression." 

~ Richelle E. Goodrich

In the same way that people are not born with identical characteristics, writers are not inspired in the same fashion, nor for the same reasons.  Some require outside stimuli to spark a creative flame, needing environmental immersion in music or softy-whispered poetry.  Some prefer to be surrounded by panoramas of artwork, collectibles, or a library of favorite books where every glance is tied to memories that act as prompts for fresh ideas.  

Many writers read incessantly for inspiration, taking in a wealth of finely-narrated stories, allowing these adventures to swirl and blend in their subconscious until new ideas emerge, borrowed from proven talent.  Still other authors formulate their best stories from everyday experiences; adopting the hobby of 'people watching' in order to develop realistic and colorful characters.  They often write in public settings--at a central table or hidden in a corner--to observe human interactions when not engaged in furious bouts of writing.  Some books are simply the result of adoration for another being's existence.  

Then there are artists, like myself, who work best in the absence of stimuli, craving peace and utter silence.  Perhaps this is because of being easily distracted.  Or because imagination treads as warily and timidly as its mistress, willing to abandon inhibitions only in solitude.  Or, perhaps it is that silence allows the whispers of muses to reach the ear, while stillness invites the gentle hand of divine inspiration.  

"Some build their castles 'mid thunderbolts and fireworks.  

My worlds take shape in silence."

~ Richelle E. Goodrich

And that brings me to another place of serenity where many have been inspired to write.  I speak of the extraordinary realm of dreams.  Whether hypnotized by a vivid daydream or overcome by sleep, raven to the winds of fantasy, the creative process sprouts wings within a disencumbered mind.  Imagination runs wild, as they say, because nothing is absurd or unreal or nonsensical in Dreamland.  Dreams innocently grasp the possibility of anything!  The trick is - during that hazy state between slumber and cognizance - to quickly memorize the performance before it evaporates in the light of reason.

Regardless of the circumstances and means for artistic creativity, all authors will agree that when immersed in the process, writing is a passionate experience.  The hours spent forming a written work can make one obsessive, distracted, compulsive, and neurotic even, especially when it comes to those rare, precious occasions of streaming pure inspiration.  To have a muse moment interrupted - to watch her scuttle back into hiding with unshared insight remaining on the tip of her tongue - is a wicked irritation.  When a writer's eyes glaze over, when she stares off at nothing or appears to be memorizing the lines on a blank page, when she falls asleep at the desk.......tiptoe softly.  For a writer's greatest desire is to receive inspiration; her greatest nightmare, to have tossed to the wind what could've been captured in words.  

WRITER'S NIGHTMARE

By Richelle E. Goodrich

I felt a grip on my arm that shook my body, forcefully pulling me toward a tunnel of darkness. The threat of consciousness stole my steady breath. For a moment I believed myself to be under siege; ripped from the sky in mid flight, my wings useless against the monstrous claws shredding my reality. I struggled to remain, to be left alone, aloft. Reaching with wings that through the power of imagination were suddenly feathered arms, I grabbed at the air. My hands clutched at something solid. Wooden. A desk. My head spun as I held the furniture, suffering the illusion of falling.

"I was flying," I gasped, realizing suddenly that it had all been a dream. "My best fantasy ever."

Lifting my head from its resting spot on the writing desk, I worked mentally to secure the fading images, hoping to capture their essence to memory before they faded away forever. Bitterness tainted my heart against the hand that had jerked me into sensibility. Why was I always so callously awakened while doing my best work? Why not let me dream?

What no (spouse) of a writer can ever understand is 

that a writer is working when he's staring out of the window.  

~Burton Rascoe