It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Writing Time (#IWSG December 2020)

Mother of god, is this year still going on?

I wrote a lot for the optional December question, so I'm just going to go with that.

December IWSG Question:

Are there months or times of the year that you are more productive with your writing than other months, and why?

Heck, yeah. November and December are usually my busiest writing months. Why? Because I nearly always write a book/story to give as a present to some of my friends/family.

This is one of my favourites. It's Book 3 in a 5-book series, though, so it doesn't make a lot of sense by itself.

I started this tradition back in 2004 when I wrote a book for my wife as a Christmas gift. I wrote something like 60,000 words in 17 days. I was not used to being crouched over my computer so long (I'm a champ at it now) and I ended up needing to get physio on my shoulder in the New Year. I kept it up, with either novels or stories nearly every Christmas since. In 16 years I've written I believe 8 novels, 12 short stories and 3 children's books (the children's books are the biggest pain because they're illustrated). This does not include any other homemade projects I make as gifts (I'm also known for board games and repaints of Christmas village houses as whorehouses), or any other writing I'm doing at the time. So on top of regular life, work and holiday responsibilities, Christmas is usually a crazy stressful time for me.

Sometimes I need a reminder to wear pants, too.

The best part, and the reason I don't know if I can call this writing "productive," is that NONE of those books or stories have been released publicly. A couple of them I've re-worked with the intention of hopefully sharing/selling, but so far only my closest family members and a handful of friends have actually read them. It is very much a labour of love for a very small audience. Most of my relatives have no idea how much work goes into them. My kids don't get it all, which is hilarious. I think they assume everyone's fathers write books. In Grade 1, my son brought one of my kids books to class for show & tell. His teacher loved it and asked if she could get a copy, but my son said he only had one so I would have to write her another one. 

It was the bath water book, by the way.

Yesterday I sent off this year's books to the printers (unsolicited plug - Lulu.com is great for this) and it felt like a large weight was lifted of my shoulders. One thing of my list. Now I just have to wait to see if the other presents I ordered actually come in on time. 

This was last year's book, for my kids and nieces. It was the second-most-time-consuming book I've ever written. Only surpassed by this year's book.  

So anyway, that's my rant(?) about what I do at Christmas time. How about you? When do you write a lot? Or what fun(?) stuff do you do for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/(Insert Holiday of Choice)?

Happy Holidays to all! 

Hugs & Kisses,

-CDGK

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/.

New Release: Happy Ghoulidays by Shannon Lawrence

Happy Ghoulidays!

Friend of the Blog, Shannon Lawrence, has a new book coming out in just a few short days, and it looks like a doozy. It's a collection of spooky tales for the holidays, which is the best kind of holiday stories.

She also asked me to share some of my family's weird holiday traditions, which I originally jumped at, then realized my family's traditions aren't that weird. Odd, maybe, but not that weird.

🎄My paternal grandmother always served salt fish and raisin bread for dinner on Christmas Eve. I don't really know why; fish and raisin bread doesn't exactly scream "Christmas." I suspect it started because they had a big family and it was inexpensive, but she kept doing it, and inviting all the family over, every Christmas Eve until she passed away. My parents have since taken over the tradition, so if you're on the West Coast of Newfoundland and have a hankering for salt fish and raisin toast on December 24th, I've got a hook-up for you.

🎄We try to do a Secret Santa Gift exchange every year with my in-laws (my wife's parents, sister & husband). I say "try" because we usually do some sort of theme, and my wife's parents seem to have trouble grasping this. One year we were doing funny "gag" gifts and my mother-in-law brought a generic Santa Claus decoration, which was neither funny nor any kind of joke. Then there was the time we were supposed to buy our own favourite book to share with someone else, and they bought new books they knew each other wanted to read.

So, yeah. Kind of a disappointment. But you know what isn't a disappointment? Shannon Lawrence's new book! 

HAPPY GHOULIDAYS by Shannon Lawrence

The holidays can be a stressful time, as we all know, but I'm hoping to lighten up this winter season with a little holiday horror.

Maybe "lighten up" isn't the right term.

The first story begins the winter holidays with Thanksgiving, with stories representing Christmas, Hanukah, Hogmanay (the New Year), Yule, Groundhog Day, and, finally, Valentine's Day. From serious horror to tongue-in-cheek. Read them all at once or save them for their holidays. Or both! 

Release day is November 20, which also happens to be my birthday! Just in time for Thanksgiving week. You can pre-order the Kindle version, with other versions, including paperback, available on release day.

Family time can lead to murder and mayhem, especially during the holidays. A turkey with a tale to tell, elves under attack, sorority sisters putting on a killer party, a woman's desperation to save her family, and a stranger ringing in the New Year. These and other tales of woe await you beneath the mistletoe.

Be careful who you offer a kiss. It may be your last.

Amazon pre-order link:

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MDZR9K5

A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes in her dungeon when her minions allow, often accompanied by her familiars. She writes primarily horror and fantasy. Her stories can be found in several anthologies and magazines, and her collections, Blue Sludge Blues & Other Abominations and Bruised Souls & Other Torments, are available in stores. You can also find her as a co-host of the podcast “Mysteries, Monsters, & Mayhem.” When she's not writing, she's hiking through the wilds of Colorado and photographing her magnificent surroundings. Though she often misses the Oregon coast, the majestic and rugged Rockies are a sight she could never part with. Besides, in Colorado there's always a place to hide a body or birth a monster. What more could she ask for? 

Find her:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Instagram

The Hose Beast Continues to Rumble On (#IWSG November 2020)

Psycho Hose Beast From Outer Space has been live for just over a month. I am pleased to say that it has been pretty successful so far.

Last month I probably seemed a little disappointed with the sales, but that was a premature. While Hose Beast didn't take off to be a massive success like we all secretly hope our books will be, it did stay very consistent all through the month. So much so that it has already surpassed what my last book, Hell Comes to Hogtown, sold in its entire first year. It's also rapidly approaching what my debut, Ten Thousand Days, did was well.

There's been other successes as well. The book peaked at #4 on the Amazon Canada Horror Comedy/Parody Bestseller list, climbing ahead of books by Chuck Palahniuk, Christopher Moore, David Wong and Joe Hill. It has officially gotten more reviews on Amazon than any of my previous books (which is only 10, but still). It is also now available for purchase at 2 different book stores in my home town. 

This may not seem like a big deal for some of you big time book slingers, but I thought it was pretty neat.

Speaking of my home town, I have to give a shout-out to my mom. She has been a HUGE cheerleader and sales rep for the new book. She never seemed super-enthusiastic about the previous books (probably because off all the sex, cuss words and violence), but she has jumped into this one gung-ho. She's the one who brought them down to the local bookstores without me even asking, and she's been going through everyone she knows bugging them to buy a copy. I don't have an exact count from here yet, but I suspect if I add her numbers to my total I will have already surpassed Ten Thousand Days. She's already gone through the first box of books I sent her and has already sold half the next one even before it arrived.

So what do I have to be insecure about? Well, beside the looming threat of societal collapse and civil war in the country next door? I have to write another goddamn book. I actually got a message from my uncle yesterday, someone who I haven't spoken to in years, telling me he loved the book and asked when the sequel was coming out. The last book only came out a month ago! It took me four years! (well, not exactly, but it has been four years since my last release) Now I already need to be thinking about the next one???

Go ahead. BUY THE BOOK and then bug me to write another one. You know you want to.

These are good problems to have, I know. And I am working on it. Progress has been slow with back-to-school and other projects getting in the way, but I will get there. I figure I have a year, right? I haven't committed to anything (I have timelines in my head, but there's no way in hell I'm admitting to them). 

And yes, I know the world is insane right now. I'm keeping busy with writing and book promotion to keep me from losing my mind. How was your October?

Hugs & Kisses,

-CDGK

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/.

There's A Hose Beast On the Loose (#IWSG October 2020)

PSYCHO HOSE BEAST FROM OUTER SPACE has been live for just over a week. It's my third full-length, self-published novel, and the first one I've put out in over four years. I had the release built up a lot in my head, and I put a lot of work into the pre-launch, a lot more than I've put into previous books. So how is it going?

There certainly is a lot of "buzz." I've gotten lots of positive comments and feedback on social media, including thousands of views for my cheesy little video promo (big thanks to 80s Summer Camp for the help spreading that!):

Probably the best sign of success is that I've already received a bunch of reviews on Goodreads and Amazon (check it out!), all of which are glowing and positive. That's the result of many emails sent to many, many people in the pre-release period. There's still a few more I hope to see in the coming weeks, too.

Thank you SO MUCH to anyone reading this who has already taken the time to write a review. Your help and support is amazing.

Sales have been... okay. Better than HELL COMES TO HOGTOWN, but no where near as good as my first book, TEN THOUSAND DAYS, and certainly not commensurate to the amount of work and money I put into marketing (did I mention Amazon and Facebook ads? Because I did those too). I am still convinced that when I released my first book, I had a ton of friends and family jump on the bandwagon to support, only to discover that first book wasn't very good. Now I've burned all those readers and I'm having a heck of a time winning them back, even though I've improved tremendously since then (not to mention I've completely re-written and revised that first book, too!)

So it's been a roller coaster ride, for sure. I'm still constantly contacting people, looking for reviews. I'm planning and tweaking advertising, looking at some local bookstores back home to see if they'll carry the book, etc. I've been so busy I've had to put writing book two on hold for now, but that will come soon enough. Not to mention all the "real life" stuff going on, like getting the kids used to online school, and the day job, and the ever-present threat of the world falling apart at any moment. But hey, we still gotta sell books, right?

So how was your month?

Hugs & kisses,

-CDGK

Goodreads reviews for PSYCHO HOSE BEAST FROM OUTER SPACE

Reviews from Goodreads.com

Like what you see? You can pick up PSYCHO HOSE BEAST FROM OUTER SPACE on Amazon!

BUY IT NOW

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/.

GUEST POST: Frozen Crimes by Chrys Fey

Hi y'all!

Today I'm helping friend of the blog CHRYS FEY share her brand new book, FROZEN CRIMES, the latest volume in the Disaster Crimes series. Chrys always has a fun prompt to go with her blog hops, so read my answer below and then check out her latest awesome offering!

Frozen Crimes Blog Hop Prompt: Whom would you want to be stuck with during a blizzard, and what would you do?

My Answer: Definitely my parents. Not because I want to spend time with them or anything (which I supposed I also do), but because they have the most well-stocked freezer and pantry of anyone I know. When the pandemic hit earlier this year and getting food and supplies was difficult, they literally just said "What odds?" and put their feet up and relaxed. They always have enough canned goods, preserves, frozen meat and toilet paper to last them for MONTHS. Not to mention my dad makes his own wine and usually has I think it's just a by-product of growing up in Newfoundland - a blizzard or storm is a possibility at any time, so you always need to be prepared.

Hop around to the other participants to read their answers: Frozen Crimes Blog Hop

   

When disasters strike around every corner, is it possible to have a happily-ever-after?

BLURB: Beth and Donovan are expecting their first child. Life couldn’t get any better…until a stalker makes his presence known. This person sends disturbing messages and unsettling items, but it isn’t long before his menacing goes too far.

Hoping for a peaceful Christmas, Donovan takes Beth to Michigan. Days into their trip, a winter storm named Nemesis moves in with the goal of burying the state. Snowdrifts surround their house, and the temperature drops below freezing.

Except, the storm isn’t the only nemesis they must face. Everyone’s lives are at stake—especially that of their unborn child. Will they survive, or will they become a frozen crime?

BUY LINKS: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iTunes

 

EXCERPT:

The crunch of the shovel pounding into the snow and ice filled his ears. It was all he could hear. The rest of the street was silent beneath its wintry blanket. Breathing was difficult with the icy air clogging his lungs. His nose burned. His throat was dry and on fire. But he ignored it, focusing on his task.

Crack, crack, crack.

He jabbed the shovel into a hunk of snow. On the third hit, it shattered into several pieces. He scooped them up and flung them to the side. He surveyed what remained. There was one big ball in the middle of the path that needed to be dealt with next. He moved over to it and struck it. That one impact had it severing in two. He was about to hit it again when something crashed into the back of his head.

Explosions of white light danced over his vision. Pain enveloped his skull. 

The shovel slipped from his fingers. Blackness cloaked his mind, coaxing him into its depths.

Beth. Her name was a whisper in his head, as if his thoughts were being sucked into a wormhole.

His legs collapsed under his weight.

Cold. It seeped into him, consuming him. And then his consciousness fled down that same void that ate his thoughts.

 

***HUGE DISASTER CRIMES GIVEAWAY*** 

 

Prizes: 4 eBooks (Disaster Crimes 1-4: Hurricane Crimes, Seismic Crimes, Tsunami Crimes, Flaming Crimes) + Girl Boss Magnets (4), Inflatable Cup Holder (1), Adventure Fuel To-Go Cups (2), Anchor Fashion Scarf (1), Mermaid Nail Clippers (2), Citrus and Sea Salt Scented Candle (1), Snowflake Handmade Bookmark (1), Insulated Cooler Bag (1)

Eligibility: International

Number of Winners: One

Giveaway Ends: October 30, 2020 12:00am EST

LINK: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/76132e0221/? 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***FREE EXCLUSIVE EBOOK***

To get the exclusive prequel to the Disaster Crimes series, sign up for Chrys’ newsletter. By signing up, you agree to receive Chrys Fey’s newsletter. After you confirm subscription, you will receive an email (so check your inbox and spam folder) with directions on where to snag your eBook copy of THE CRIME BEFORE THE STORM.

Click here to sign up and get The Crime Before the Storm FREE!

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

Author Links:

Website / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon

PSYCHO HOSE BEAST RELEASE DAY

Today is the day!

At long last, today is the day I officially release PSYCHO HOSE BEAST FROM OUTER SPACE onto the world. This is my first full length novel release in four years, so needless to say I'm pretty excited.

PSYCHO HOSE BEAST is set in a small Newfoundland town in the early 1990s, a town very similar to the one I grew up in. In that way it's a personal story for me, though I admit I never fought a murderous monster from beyond the stars. Many of the locations and even some of the people might seem familiar if you grew up in that time and place, and I've had a few early readers comment on how they enjoyed the nostalgia.

An even more common compliment I've received is that the young main characters seem very believable and reminded the readers of themselves and their own friends at that age, no matter where and when they grew up. I really appreciated this, as I've sometimes struggled to make characters that were relatable and that the readers cared about. Turns out all I had to do was channel my inner 12-year-old boy.

I would really appreciate it if you checked out PSYCHO HOSE BEAST on Amazon, or read some of the great early reviews on Goodreads. It's available today for Kindle and paperback.

Enjoy the book!

Hugs & Kisses,

-CDGK

Newfoundland, Canada, 1992.

Gale Harbour hasn’t seen any excitement since the military abandoned the base there thirty years ago, unless you count the Tuesday night 2-for-1 video rentals at Jerry's Video Shack. So when a dead body turns up floating in the town water supply, all evidence seems to point to a boring accident.

Niall, Pius and Harper are dealing with pre-teen awkwardness in the last days of summer before the start of high school. The same night the body is found, the three of them witness unusual lights in the sky over the bay.

Is it a coincidence? Are the lights connected to the rapidly-increasing string of mysterious deaths? And what does the creepy old lady at the nursing home have to do with it?

There is an evil older than time hidden deep beneath the waters of the North Atlantic. It is hungry, and vengeful, and it has its sights set on Gale Harbour to begin its path of destruction. All that stands in its way are a group of kids who would rather be playing Street Fighter II...

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT PSYCHO HOSE BEAST FROM OUTER SPACE:

"The great strength of the book is the voice, the way Gallant-King really gets into the minds of his characters. The kids feel authentic, with all the baggage or adolescence as well as supernatural horror bearing down on them."

-Patrick LeClerc, author of "Out of Nowhere"

"I found the humour to be excellent [...] The author has done a fantastic job of crafting the main characters into believable, real life pre-teens wrapped up in their own worlds but willing to do what it takes to protect their community."

-Damien Larkin, author of "Big Red"

"Gallant-King’s writing is very easy to read and keeps you engaged in the story the whole way through. I also loved his humour. I enjoyed the setting, it was creepy, dark and imaginative."

-Bookish Equestrian Reviews

"Hot damn, this was a good read."

-Patricia Lynne, author of "Being Human"

"Expertly paced and excellently crafted sci-fi. I enjoyed every moment."

-Paul Carberry, author of "Zombies on the Rock."

"In case you missed the clues the title provides, this book is typical Gallant-King – gutsy, original, and savagely fun. With aggressive pacing and a stable of interesting characters, Psycho Hose Beast From Outer Space is a real page-turner."

-Samuel Gately, author of "The Fire Eye Refugee"

 

BUY THE BOOK!

AMAZON US | AMAZON CANADA | AMAZON UK

Patricia Lynne New Covers Launch!

Friend of the blog and author extraordinaire Patricia Lynne has just released brand-spanking new covers for all of her young adult books. They're the same great stories inside, just with a shiny new coat of paint on the outside!

Below are the new covers and blurbs, as well as the buy links so you can pick them up. I've read a bunch of her stuff and it's all great, particularly Being Human, which is the book my wife read and famously quoted: "You should read this. She's a much better writer than you."

Being Human

Tommy forgot his human life when he became a vampire...but it didn’t forget him.

Like all vampires, Tommy must do one thing: survive. With no memory of his life before death, his only connection to humanity is his twin brother. When Tommy rescues a young girl, he learns not all monsters are undead. After returning her to her family, Tommy struggles to understand why he felt so protective of her when she has no connection to him.

As the years pass, and with his twin’s help, Tommy moves on with his ‘life’ but never forgets the young girl or the monster who hurt her. When she re-enters his life as a teenager, Tommy struggles with his vampire need to survive and his desire to protect her. He will be forced to decide which part of him is stronger: The vampire? Or the human? The answer may destroy him. 

Buy Being Human

Snapshots

Cyclop can see other people’s futures, but his own is clouded by a past he can’t escape and a man he calls Master.

It’s not Cyclop’s albino skin and mismatched eyes that make him stand out, but his ability to see the future and a dark past he escaped. Only those close to him know his secrets, and with their help, he has carved out a normal life. But his past refuses to let him go, and when the man he calls Master finds him, he is forced to return to his old life.

Imprisoned, Cyclop clings to the hope of freedom. To do so, he must break Master’s control over him. Will he find the strength to become the master of his own life? Or is his past destined to be his future?

Buy Snapshots

Leaves of Fall

Armory was raised to hate nature, but not all trees wanted a war.

Armory was born in a world torn apart by the war between man and nature. The threat of another attack looms over Armory and the survivors hidden in the remains of New York City. When Armory is kidnapped, a tree nymph is her unlikely savior. 

Birch claims he can return Armory safely home. Can she trust a tree? If she wants to see her home again, she has no choice. As they travel across the wasteland of America, Armory meets both humans and trees who want the fighting to stop.

But the hatred between man and nature may be too deep of a wound to heal. In a world destroyed by hate, can Armory and Birch’s friendship change minds and forge peace? Birch has a plan to make it happen. He’s just not sure he’ll survive.

Buy Leaves of Fall

THE AUTHOR!

Patricia never set out to become a writer, and in fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. She was more of an art and band geek. Some stories are meant to be told, and now she can't stop writing. Her young adult stories often have a paranormal, fantasy or sci-fi twist.

Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow. She also writes New Adult Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance under the name Patricia Josephine.

THE LINKS!

Website: -http://www.patriciajosephine.com

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/635444.Patricia_Lynne

Amazon Author Pagee – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01EM6YLAW

Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/pattyauthor07

Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/paranormalpeeps/

ALL THE BOOKS!

Being Human – https://www.patriciajosephine.com/being-human.html

Snapshots – https://www.patriciajosephine.com/snapshots.html

Leaves of Fall – https://www.patriciajosephine.com/leaves-of-fall.html

A Quick Bite – https://www.patriciajosephine.com/aquickbite.html