Tag Archives: The Imaginings

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 →

→ 15 Comments

Posted in Reviews

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

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 →

→ 22 Comments

Posted in Story excerpts & Friday Flash

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

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 →

→ 15 Comments

Posted in Paul's thoughts

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

End of the World Stories We Hate to Love, Part 1 (The Bible through Y2K)

Posted on 02/03/2012 | 37 Comments

What’s news?

Some pretty big news, actually.  The picture I’ve included here is a shot of the newest addition to soon join the Dail family (trust me, there’s a baby there somewhere :) ).  Having gone through IVF for our daughter, we are referring to this new one as our little Festivus miracle (Seinfeld anyone?)

On top of that good news, my daughter’s second birthday is this month.  While some days it seems like much longer than that, mostly I can’t believe she’s almost two.

So in honor of my children (and in hopes of a bright future provided to them by their writer father), I am putting The Imaginings on sale for 99 cents for the month of February.  Help me spread the word.

And if you feel so inclined, you might enjoy my post, Slowing Down: On the birth of my daughter.

What does the future hold?

Next Friday, I will finish what I start this week (wow, that sounds so final).  “End of the World Stories We Hate to Love, Part II (Oryx and Crake through Zombie stories)

But without further ado…

If you haven’t read my first ever blog post (Why do I like to write horror stories?)… well, I can’t blame you.  Coming in at about 1800 words, it was posted before I heard bloggers were supposed to be a little more brief. Continue reading →

→ 37 Comments

Posted in Paul's thoughts

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

The God and the Devil in the Details- My life shortlist

Posted on 01/27/2012 | 33 Comments

What’s news?

Not too much news on the writing/blogging front (besides the normal writing and blogging), but I thought in these recent days of so many free-books (fre-e-books?), I think it’s important that readers remember the wise words in this post by Glen Krisch.    “Amazon Select: My own reader’s guidelines.”  Check it out, then spread the word.

What does the future hold?

If you follow my blog, you’ll note that this isn’t the post I had originally planned for this week, but circumstance didn’t allow me the time I wanted to work on my intended piece.  But rest assured, next Friday, I’ll be posting “End of the World Stories We Hate to Love, Part I (The Bible through Y2K).”

But without further ado…

A few years ago, a friend informed me that she had started a running list of things that she liked and didn’t like.  And she wasn’t kidding.  She pulled out a small notebook that she carried with her, and already several pages were filled with short details of things that struck her on a daily basis as being either “good” or “bad.”

* not the actual notebook, but you get the idea

Continue reading →

→ 33 Comments

Posted in Paul's thoughts

Tagged , , , , , ,

Interview- Seven Questions with Author Jeff Mariotte

Posted on 01/20/2012 | 18 Comments

What’s news?

Sci-fi/horror writer/blogger Julie Jansen left the following kind comments at Amazon in review of my novel, The Imaginings:

“I read this in an afternoon. The demon is like a horrific version of the baggage we all carry through life. I liked how the author made the demon emerge like a surge of emotion we’ve all experienced at one point or other. The book is well done and an enjoyable read.”

Thanks, Julie.  Wish I could say that I wrote it in an afternoon :)

For the rest of you, I would hope you pay a visit to Julie’s blog when you get a chance.  Click here.

What does the future hold?

Next Friday, my post will be entitled, “End of the World Stories We Hate to Love.”  (perhaps Part I of II.  We’ll see how long I ramble.)  There are a handful that popped into mind when I was trying to think of why we love apocalyptic stories so much, but I look forward to hearing your input, as well.

But without further ado… Continue reading →

→ 18 Comments

Posted in Guest posts & Author Interviews

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Of Mushroom, RV’s, and Ancient Evil: A Review of Jeff Mariotte’s “The Slab”

Posted on 01/13/2012 | 9 Comments

What’s news?

- I wanted to take a moment to thank Marie Loughlin for her review of my novel, The Imaginings.

To see Marie’s review at my Amazon page, click here.

Please visit Marie’s blog and check out her recent novel, Valknut: The Binding, which brings Norse mythology into a modern hobo subculture.  Intriqued?  For Marie’s blog, click here.

What does the future hold?

As a follow up to this week’s review of The Slab, next week, I will be posting my interview with the author, “Seven Questions with Author Jeff Mariotte.”

But without further ado…

From Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore:

In the grim days following 9/11/2001 three veterans of different wars, whose lives have been intersected by magic, find themselves thrown together in California’s cruel desert – while a group of serial killers ply their deadly trade, and an ancient evil grows beneath them.

Overall, The Slab appealed to me on multiple levels. Continue reading →

→ 9 Comments

Posted in Reviews

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

al-Qaeda and Zombies: Is there a connection? Guest post by Dr. Kyle Bishop

Posted on 01/06/2012 | 25 Comments

What does the future hold?

Given this week’s topic, it seems fitting that next week I review The Slab by Jeff Marriotte.  If you’ve read The Slab, you’ll understand the connection.  If not, I’ll tell you next Friday (but it’s not zombies).  And the Friday following (1/20), I’ll be posing my Seven Questions to Jeff.

But without further ado…

As I responded in the comments section of last week’s post, if you would’ve told me twenty-some-odd years ago when I was in high school with Kyle Bishop that I would be featuring an excerpt on my blog from his academic text on zombie films in popular culture, well, my first response would’ve been, “What’s a blog?”

But there would’ve been several other questions that would’ve followed.  For one, I had no idea that Kyle was another horror movie fan.  And for another, at that point in my life, even though I loved writing stories, I was getting ready to major in Biology.  Continue reading →

→ 25 Comments

Posted in Guest posts & Author Interviews

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Terrible Old Mr. Roogs: Conclusion of a two-part Christmas ghost story

Posted on 12/23/2011 | 15 Comments

What’s news?

- Two more writer/blogger reviews of The Imaginings!  I realize I won’t be able to post every review I get for my novel (or at least I hope it will get to that point where I can’t keep up :) ) but until then, The Imaginings was reviewed at Jonathan D. Allen’s Shaggin’ the Muse and Jill-Elizabeth’s All Things Jill-Elizabeth.

Thanks so much to Jonathan and Jill.

- Speaking of thanks, I have to say thanks to Rainy over at Rainy of the Dark.  She just put out the second installment of her YouTube project, 100 Worlds Book Covers.  In her words, “… a series to depict 100 worlds via fantasy, sci-fi, horror, paranormal, or thriller book covers.”  The Imaginings (with a short tagline) is one of the featured covers in this installment.

What does the future hold?

Just before we ring in the New Year, I thought it fitting to post an interview Continue reading →

→ 15 Comments

Posted in Story excerpts & Friday Flash

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

The Terrible Old Mr. Roogs- Part One of a two-part Christmas ghost story

Posted on 12/16/2011 | 25 Comments

What’s news?

- My first blog review for The Imaginings appeared last Saturday at the site of blogger/“the happy horror writer” Aniko Carmean.  Hope you’ll check it out.  She had some great comments and an interesting bit of food for thought for me about the ending (don’t worry, she gives a spoiler alert).  To read the review, click here.

- On the same day, I was also interviewed at Jonathan D. Allen’s Shaggin the Muse.  Jonathan had some great questions for me, and as always, he has provided some great visuals to accompany my responses.  To read the interview, click here.

What does the future hold?

If you think you know how this one is going to end up, you might be surprised.  Next Friday, I’ll be posting Part Two of The Terrible Old Mr. Roogs, A Two-Part Christmas Ghost Story.

But without further ado…

For any of you who don’t know, in addition to writing, I’m also a part-time Language Arts teacher.  I’m not Mr. Roogs (in fact, I’m pretty popular with the kids if I do say so myself :) , but there are definitely some days… Continue reading →

→ 25 Comments

Posted in Story excerpts & Friday Flash

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,