Vanessa Morgan Talks About Scary Monsters/Giveaway

Today, I welcome Vanessa Morgan to Immortyl Revolution!  She will tell us about the monsters that scare her the most!

Giveaway:  Vanessa is offering a giveaway of two supernatural thrillers. Leave her a comment at the end of the post about your favorite monsters and she will choose one lucky winner to receive ebooks of A Good Man and GPS With Benefits. Deadline to enter is 10/31/12 at 11 p.m. EST.  Winner will be chosen by random drawing. 

Make sure you go back and enter all the other giveaways from the beginning of October, because all drawings are active until the end of the month!

MONSTERS THAT SCARE ME THE MOST

Thank you for having me on the blog today. I'm truly honored to be here with all of you! With the day of the dead approaching fast, let's have a look at some of the scariest movie monsters ever.

DOPPELGÄNGERS

A doppelgänger is a person's physical double. Seeing one's own doppelgänger often heralds death or serious illness. Paranormal investigators believe that the doppelgänger is an individual's past or future self. In some traditions, the double has no shadow or reflection.

Here are two seriously creepy horror movies about doppelgängers...

The Broken (2009): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBbVSlVUiio

Dream Lover (1986): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMa9s-gYxyc

EVIL KIDS

There's something undeniably scary about children gone evil whether it's through vampirism ("Salem's Lot"), radioactivity ("The Children Of Ravensback"), aliens ("Village Of The Damned") or just plain insanity ("Devil Times Five", "We Need To Talk About Kevin”, "The Good Son").

The following are my favorite evil kids movies...

The Children Of Ravensback (1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8aJDLCFzo8

Bloody Birthday (1981): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpiELzyx-Xc

¿Quien puede matar a un niño? (aka Who Can Kill A Child?, aka Island Of The Damned)(1976): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-GQThxd3DE&feature=related

THE UNDEAD

As Jud Crandall says in Pet Sematary: « Sometimes dead is better. » Many close friends and family members have seen recently deceased people in their homes, but somehow these real-life encounters with the undead are never as scary as in the movies.

Ringu (1998): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbj-Ihy3ncQ

Let's Scare Jessica To Death (1971): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX4eZD3GiL0

The Shining (1980): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cb3ik6zP2I&feature=related

What are your favorite monsters?

***

About the author

Vanessa Morgan is known as the 'female version of Stephen King'. Her screenplays, A GOOD MAN and GPS WITH BENEFITS, are currently being turned into movies. She is also the author of the books DROWNED SORROW and THE STRANGERS OUTSIDE. If she's not working on her latest supernatural thriller, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, blogging, digging through flea markets or indulging in her unhealthy obsession to her cat. She writes in English, Dutch and French. You can cyberstalk her at http://vanessa-morgan.blogspot.com (blog) or https://www.amazon.com/author/vanessamorgan (Amazon).

About her latest releases:

A Good Man

Louis Caron is a good man: a vegetarian who feeds the homeless, takes care of animals and is concerned with the ecological future of the planet. But his altruism has a sinister edge – he's a vampire – and local detective Taglioni is becoming increasingly suspicious. Louis' attempt to escape the police will take him on a journey into his own private hell where he is not only forced to confront his worst fears, but also to destroy the lives of those he cares about most.

A GOOD MAN is out NOW at:

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/A-Good-Man-ebook/dp/B007U253J4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1350122277&sr=1-1&keywords=a+good+man+vanessa+morgan

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Good-Man-ebook/dp/B007U253J4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1350122389&sr=1-1

GPS With Benefits

In GPS WITH BENEFITS  a womanizer purchases a new GPS device, not knowing it's one with a mind of 'her' own.

GPS WITH BENEFITS will be released November 1, 2012

Roy Hudson

Today I welcome Roy Hudson to Immortyl Revolution! He's the author of a new thriller, Relic.  Roy has graciously offered to sponsor a giveaway and share a Halloween experience and a short tale.

Giveaway: Leave a comment and contact email and you will be entered to win an ebook of of Roy's Halloween Tales!  Deadline to enter is 10/31/12 at 11 p.m. EST.  Winner will be chosen by random drawing.  

'Halloween is my favorite time of year and always has been. I guess it's because horror is my genre of choice. It may also help that my sister is Wiccan and I lived in a haunted house for years.

In October of 2000, I decided to talk to the spirits residing in our home by use of a Ouija board, and since nobody was around who wanted to help, I planned to do so alone. Everyone warned against this, but I was determined.

Halloween arrived, and I went to the laundry room to get some clean clothes... only to discover that the room was flooded. I blamed the ghosts immediately. We called a plumber, who had to dig a hole in the front yard to snake the drain.

The plumber left without covering the hole, and so small children who came into our yard for tricks or treats kept falling in. It was nice to see that, even though I was scared out of my solo Ouija discussion, the ghosts had a sense of humor.

I have a collection of Halloween-related shorts and poems, some scary, some not, available now on Smashwords.com for 99 cents. Below is a very short story from the collection.

"Halloween Prop: A 5x5 Short Story," by Roy Hudson

The truck was dragging something. It looked like human corpses. I yelled, “Great Halloween props!” And then it hit me. I was the next “prop.”

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/96714

Also available now, through Firefly & Wisp Publishing, is my Halloween-related novel Relic. Get it for Kindle for only $2.99!

Relic

Genre film actor R.L. Simmons is finally getting the acclaim he has worked for, with an award nomination and spots on talk shows to promote his new mainstream film; but when an accident disfigures him, he feels his life is over. Things turn around for him when he falls in love with actress Julie Hawkes at a Hollywood Halloween party, and things seem fine... until a stalker with a score to settle comes to spoil their happiness. Can Julie's love heal the actor's mental and emotional scars?

You can find Roy Hudson online at his website:

http://authorroyhudson.weebly.com/

On Facebook:

http://www.facebook/royhudsonauthor

Or on Twitter:

@RoyHudsonI'

Author interview with John Podgursky

Today I'm pleased to welcome John Podgursky to Immortyl Revolution! John is on tour promoting his book, The One Percenters.

John, toward what age group is your work geared?


It's definitely not for anyone under 16, not only because of the violence and language, but because the theme is really for someone more world-weary.

Into which genre would you say your work falls and why?

It's a psychological thriller. Much of the conflict occurs in the protagonist's head.


Who is your favorite character in your book and why?


There's no doubt it is Edward. He's part me, part psychotic ax murderer, part naive child. He means well until he doesn't. Or the other way around. He's everything and nothing I want to be.


What other writers would you say have influenced your work and why? What are some of your favorite books in your genre?


Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin & Hobbes. His fearlessness of being himself and, in my opinion, extreme intelligence concerning the world around us. The mixture of passion and cynicism he displays through his characters reminds me of myself. A boatload of King books didn't hurt either. I enjoyed The Wasp Factory and Lord of the Flies.


What is your writing process like? Do you do a lot of background research? Do you plot every detail or do you prefer the characters to move the story in new directions, or a combination of both? Do you belong to a critique group and do you find this helpful?

I prepare the skeleton beforehand, and then flesh out the details as I write. I write in a stream of consciousness, and then go back to do the research and filler later. I don't like my writing time to be start-and-stop, so this method works best for me.

Do you have any advice for young or beginning writers?


I don't think I'm experienced enough at this time to be handing out advice.
Who is your publisher, and where are your books available? Are there e-books and hard copies available?

My publisher is Damnation Books. As you might expect, they deal in dark fiction. You can get an e-copy at their site, damnationbooks.com. A paperback can be obtained at amazon.

What is your website and/or blog where readers can learn more? Can they friend you on facebook or other sites?

Unfortunately, I am a bit of a luddite and don't have a website. However, I welcome questions via e-mail at flyinthewater@gmail.com.  I'm on Facebook as well, so stop on by!


Are there any upcoming signings or appearances you’d like to mention?


No, but I do hope to have another novel published by the end of '12, so if you enjoy The One Percenters, keep me in mind!

Thanks for joining me today, John and good luck with your book!

David Fingerman on Do's & Don'ts at Book Fairs

Today I welcome David Fingerman, another author published by L&L Dreamspell.  David offers some advice on ettiquette and selling tips for authors working a Bookfair.

Do's & Don'ts at the Book Fair

For a loner who shuns the public whenever possible, I guiltily admit that I enjoy participating in book fairs even though it's definitely out of my comfort zone. I'm forced to interact with the public, which I suppose is a good thing (especially if I want to sell any books). I have to compete with a myriad of authors, but at least don't have to worry about constantly being the center of attention (although, I do notice some authors strive for that). But for me, I can sit (and/or stand) for hours and observe people. I love observing.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of participating in the Northwoods Art Festival and Book Fair. It took place in Hackensack, MN, population a tad above 300. What's wrong with this picture? As it turned out ~ absolutely nothing. Always unpredictable, this year the weather couldn't have been better. Mostly sunny with the temperature in the 70s. The artists had it great. For us authors, weather wasn't a big deal because we were indoors (but had it been raining I'm sure that would've driven down the attendance). As it was, I think the entire town showed up, along with neighboring towns, and tourists. There were only about twenty or so of us authors, so – less competition.

Another plus was I got to observe the book fair as a whole while staying behind my table. Unlike the huge book fairs that cater to thousands of people, the atmosphere here was laid back and I could actually converse with people without having to raise my voice above the din. And like all book fairs, I got to observe a lot of do's and don'ts.

Setting up a nice table is key. Grab the reader's attention. Gimmicks are good. For my novel, "Spyder" I had little rub-on spider tattoos scattered around the book (kids love 'em and drag their parents to my table). Behind me, a woman who had a couple of adventure books about her pup, had a dog dish with candy and had set up other pet paraphernalia. Down the row another author had copies of her book stacked on the table and that was all. I have no idea if she made any sales, but I did notice people glance at her table and keep moving. As an author she also did nothing to attract them. She didn't engage them in conversation, and didn't even smile (at least that I saw).

That brings me to the author. First off, dress appropriate. Unless it's a theme fair, I suggest smart-casual. If you have the personality for it, maybe over-the-top might be a good ploy to get more attention. But a tee shirt, shorts, and flip-flops definitely sends a message of why should I care.

Don't leave your table unattended. Most book fairs have staff that will gladly sit in if you need a bathroom break. At the very least ask the author at the next table to keep an eye on your books. I noticed one table that sat vacant for over half-an-hour. I'm guessing that the author wanted to check out the art festival. But while he was out a number of people stopped, thumbed through his book, saw no one, then wandered to the next table.

Another don't, and this is a pisser. Don't try to drag a potential customer from another author to your table. I only saw this once a couple of years ago. While one author was chatting with a reader, the guy at the next table interrupted and started pimping his own book. It went beyond rude. I don't know if it was staff or the author, but someone said something and he only did it that once. Show your fellow authors respect!

I'd like to wrap up by talking a little about the mystery writer who sat across from me. While my sales were adequate, this woman raked up. She did everything right. It was obvious she had invested a lot of herself and a lot of money into her writing as a business. She radiated confidence, was outgoing, but not to the point of being obnoxious. It seemed to come natural for her (I hate people like that – mostly because I'm jealous). She dressed professional, her table was well set up, and her two novels had a number of award stickers plastered onto them. I had never heard of most of the awards, but they definitely caught my curiosity and suspicions.

When I got home I logged onto my computer and checked a few of them out. A couple of the contests the sticker said she was a finalist in had about a dozen finalists in just about every category imaginable. Whether it be true or false, I got the feeling that if you didn't win, at least you were a finalist. I also noticed that some of the contest entrance fees were quite expensive. One contest could cost up to $190. In other words, you're buying award stickers.

Yes, there are many good contests out there, just as there are many that I would question their legitimacy. As an author, I had to roll my eyes at buying an award sticker. But as an entrepreneur, I thought it was genius. This writer made a lot of sales because people want to read award winners. And who but other authors are actually going to check out contest awards?

So there you have it. I'm not going to go into the morals of buying award stickers. If you feel comfortable, and have the money – it works, I saw that firsthand. If it feels dishonest then don't do it – best to feel good about yourself. As for the rest of it, I think I can narrow it down to two words ~ be professional.

You can learn more about David at his website. 

During the summer months when the sun is shining and birds singing, I'm perfectly content to sit in my office, with blinds drawn, typing away at my computer. My favorite day of the year is the first day I pull a flannel shirt out of the closet. After 24 years of working in the court system, I walked away to write full time. "Edging past Reality" is my first book of short stories. "Silent Kill" is my first novel, a suspense/thriller. My second novel, "Spyder" is more of an urban adventure. "Playing the Hand She's Dealt" a sequel to"Silent Kill" will be released soon.