Tag Archives: supernatural stories

Driving Through the Desert: A travelogue excerpt

Posted on 04/13/2012 | 16 Comments

What’s news?

The Imaginings was reviewed at Jamie O’Connell’s horror book review blog, To the Bone Reviews.  I was pleased with the three stars and his recommendation.  While it’s not as long as a few other blogger reviews, he has been kind enough to continue the dialogue with me via email.  To read the review, click here.

It works on so many levels

What does the future hold?

Speaking of The Imaginings, I recently realized that it was just about a year ago since I got serious about self-publishing.  The official release wasn’t until June of 2011, but I started the research, planning, formatting, designing, etc… last March.

What a year it’s been.  Next Friday, I’m going to talk a little about what I’ve learned and my feelings one year later as I am once again considering traditional (or at least small press) publishing.

But without further ado…

I had an interesting confluence of events in my life recently.  If you recall from last week, I had decided that I wanted (or rather a few readers wanted me) to post something else from my nonfiction writings. Continue reading →

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“Friends,” Foibles, and Festivities: A World Horror Convention recap

Posted on 04/06/2012 | 28 Comments

WHC 2012

What’s news?

My big news comes from the World Horror Convention (hereafter: WHC), and isn’t necessarily big news yet, but I had three publishers who wanted to see either portions or the full manuscript of The Imaginings.

This was one of my main goals.  I know that writers can no longer live in a vacuum, and that we must promote ourselves, but for me, I was looking for an organization that knows the business better (and has more connections) than I do.  Is that a worthwhile tradeoff for percentages?  Too early to tell, but I’d like the option at least to decide, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

What does the future hold?

I had a few people tell me how much they enjoyed my nonfiction pieces (The Sweat Lodge in Ejido Erendira, Mexico), so next Friday, I may dig back into the archives and pull something else out along those lines.

But without further ado…

I have never been to a “Con.”  I’ve been to a writer’s conference, but it wasn’t genre specific, and it was almost seven years ago.

So I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Continue reading →

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To Spread or Not to Spread (a negative review, that is)

Posted on 03/30/2012 | 29 Comments

Bringing the Shadow to Life

What’s news?

Not too much to report at this point.  Still playing around with some freelance work, and I’ve posted the second part of my piece at Suite101.  Writing a Good Bad Guy, Pt. 2: Bringing the Shadow to Life (click here).  It’s more for people who are just starting out in their writing, but maybe some good advice if you are struggling with your antagonist.

 

And I finally had success with getting Amazon to knock the price for my Free Five Flash Fiction down to actually be free.  Funny thing is that before they did it, I actually had a few sales at the 99 price point.  To see Free Five, click here (also available at B&N and Smashwords). It’s the same stories I have here under “FREE FICTION” but I’ve added afterwords to go with each story explaining where the idea came from (some of them almost as long as the flash itself :) )

What does the future hold?

Next Friday, I’ll be giving a recap of the World Horror Convention.  Should be pretty entertaining.

But without further ado…

[Note: This one deals primarily with blogging and writing issues, but if you’re just an avid reader, I want to know your opinion on this, too.  Also, please forgive the spartan nature of this post.  I have a handful of other things I need to be doing for WHC, and something had to get the ax.  Turns out it was finding images to go along with the post.]

There was a recent mildly volcanic “discussion” thread at a group of which I am a part.

Here’s the story (and if you’re in this group, it isn’t a big secret whom I’m referring to):

Just as I do (as well as most bloggers), a book reviewer posted his recent blog post at this group.  The rub was that he was posting a one-star, very curt review of a book. Continue reading →

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Guest Post by Rainy Kaye: “Five Tips for Writing Buddies”

Posted on 03/23/2012 | 44 Comments

What’s news? 

- Fellow Triberr mate, JW Manus was kind enough to put up a little blurb about my short The Golden Parachute at her other blog, Must Love Fiction.  For the blurb (along with several other good ideas for short stories to read), click here.

Jaye also gave me some advice in regards to redesigning my cover for this particular story, which I believe she said originally made her think it was going to be a story about pirates.  This was something of a concern myself, so once I heard it from her, I made the changes.  What do you think?

- Also, I’m dipping my toes into the waters of freelance writing, and I recently posted an article over at Suite 101 entitled “Creating a Good Bad Guy, Pt 1: Why do we often like the villain?”  If you get the time, I hope you stop by.  Just click here.

What does the future hold?

Next Friday, I’m excited to announce that I’ll be entrenched in the World Horror Convention in Salt Lake City, and honestly, I’m not sure what I’m going to be posting.  You’ll just have to check back and see.

But without further ado…

I’m pretty sure I met Rainy Kaye at Book Blogs.  I enjoy her snarkiness (even though I really don’t like the word “snarky” it does a good job conveying a meaning).  She has a blog (www.rainyofthedark.com) where she focuses on a variety of things about the craft of writing, from tips and interviews to publishing and promoting.  Continue reading →

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The Sweat Lodge in Ejido Erendira, Mexico. Part II

Posted on 03/16/2012 | 17 Comments

What’s news?

Had a great Spring Break with the family in Disneyland.  Yeah, it’s commercial, but damn it’s fun.  And my two-year-old loves Winnie the Pooh.  Now, if she starts wanting to be a princess, we might have to reevaluate.

And I came up with two story ideas while I was there.  And voila, tax write off.

If you have three minutes, this slam poetry piece is awesome.  “An Open Letter from the Brothers Grimm to Walt Disney.”

What does the future hold?

Next Friday, I’ll be hosting a guest post from Rainy Kaye from Rainy of the Dark on the topic of “writing buddies.”

But without further ado…

If you haven’t read Part I of this post, you can do that by clicking here.

One thing I forgot to mention in my introduction to Part I which will be important later on is that I was at something of a crossroads in my life.  Continue reading →

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The Sweat Lodge in Ejido Erendira, Mexico. Part I

Posted on 03/09/2012 | 20 Comments

What’s news?

Nothing too new to announce this week.  Still an author.  Still have horror stories for sale.  Hope you check them out.  You know how that works.

Oh, I am getting a chance to break the chain however this coming week to take my family to Disneyland, so I’ll be a little out of the loop, but I’ll still be checking in here when I get a chance.

What does the future hold?

This was a little bit longer of a piece than I remember, so I’ll break it up into two posts.  Next Friday I’ll be concluding The Sweat Lodge in Ejido Erendira, Mexico.

But without further ado…

About ten years ago, I was living in Missoula, Montana.  Actually, I was on my way out of Missoula, Montana.  I had sold everything I owned that wouldn’t fit into the 1974 slide-in camper I bought for my truck. Continue reading →

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Interview- Seven Questions with Author Penelope Crowe

Posted on 03/02/2012 | 25 Comments

What’s news?

This past week I published another of my short stories entitled The Interview.  The short teaser?

Reporter Jay Kipp gets more than he expected from his interview with an old, blind homeless man who goes by the mythological moniker of Phineus, a Phoenician king who was blinded by Zeus

You can find The Interview at the following links: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords.

It’s a little bit of a departure from my normal stuff, but I’d love to hear your thoughts. Also, I must give thanks to fellow writer/blogger/Triberr mate JW Manus. In addition to many great things she has to say, she has put together a couple of concise posts on getting your Word documents formatted for e-conversion.

What does the future hold?

Previous to settling down with my wife, I spent a couple of years on various travels.  From Hawaii to Canada to Mexico (and most of the continental United States).  Granted, not too terribly exotic, but I had some interesting experiences. Next Friday, I’ll share one of those from my time in Mexico.

But without further ado…

If you haven’t read my past last week, a review of Penelope Crowe’s 100 Unfortunate Days, I would hope you would take the time to do so after reading this interview.  Continue reading →

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Review/Discussion of “100 Unfortunate Days” by Penelope Crowe

Posted on 02/24/2012 | 15 Comments

What’s news?

This is the last week for the .99 Sale on The Imaginings.  Average 4.5 stars over 13 reviews.  Hope you check it out, or at least help me spread the word for this final stretch.

What does the future hold?

As a partner to this week’s post, next Friday, I’ll be posting “Seven Questions with Author Penelope Crowe.”  I had originally intended to post them this week, but my review of her book ran a little longer than I thought.

But without further ado…

From Amazon.com: 100 Unfortunate Days is the diary of a woman on the verge of a breakthrough–or breakdown. Her musings are at times surreal and dark, and other times beautiful and dream-like. She allows herself to admit the secret thoughts that cross our minds, but we often censor. She speaks of her abysmal marriage, her regrets of becoming a mother, and wonders if she can kill people with her mind. 100 Unfortunate Days makes us question our sanity, or at least our definition of who is good and who is terrible.

The narrator of 100 Unfortunate Days starts out by telling us, “The pain behind my eye reminds me I have worms in my brain.” Continue reading →

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Waiting for the Train- a short piece by Paul D. Dail

Posted on 02/17/2012 | 22 Comments

What’s news?

I’ve published a short collection of my flash pieces for free as an e-book at Smashwords.  They are the same pieces I’ve featured here, HOWEVER, I’ve included at the end of each piece a brief afterward that explains where the stories came from.  Sort of a glimpse into my life and mind.  It’s free, so what do you have to lose?  (I’m still trying to figure out how to get them free at Amazon and B&N… irritating).

You can find “Free Five” by clicking here.  (Smashwords supports formats for all e-readers)

Also, only about a week and a half left on my .99 sale for The Imaginings.

What does the future hold?

Next Friday, I’m pleased to announce that I will be posting “Seven Questions with Author Penelope Crowe” as well as a short review of her book 100 Unfortunate Days.  A fascinating read.  Hope you stop by to check it out.

But without further ado…

As I mentioned last week, Waiting for the Train holds two distinctions in my writing history.  First, it was the shortest complete story Continue reading →

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End of the World Stories We Hate to Love, Part II (“Oryx and Crake” through Zombie stories)

Posted on 02/10/2012 | 15 Comments

What’s news?

- I have released an extended version of my two part serial featured here on my blog, The Golden Parachute for .99 on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.  I added about 3000 more words of new material and a short afterward explaining where I got the idea which I believe will enhance the story.

- Also, don’t forget the The Imaginings is on sale for only .99 for the month of February.

What does the future hold?

Next Friday, I’ll be posting a story I think I promised to put up a couple months ago.  Waiting for the Train.  Previous to discovering flash fiction, this was the shortest piece I’d ever written.  It’s also the most literary (as opposed to my normal horror genre).

But without further ado…

Does everybody remember last year when the world was supposed to end on May 22nd?  I do, even though I can’t remember the reason.  I think just some fanatic’s mathematical interpretation of the Bible.  Whatever it was, it was all over the place… or at least Facebook. Continue reading →

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