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

GUEST POST: Bubba and Squirt's Mayan Adventure Release Day!

Sherry Ellis has a new book out today from Dancing Lemur Press, so I'm sharing my blog to help spread the word! Check out all the details below: 

Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure

by Sherry Ellis

An ancient Mayan civilization!

That's what Bubba and Squirt find when they travel through the mysterious vortex for another wild adventure. There they meet archeologists who are unearthing priceless artifacts.

But someone is stealing them. And an encounter with the Tate Duende awakens magic within Bubba. Throw in the mysterious Alux and a new discovery and things get sticky.

Will Bubba and Squirt solve the mystery, or will they be stuck forever in the jungles of Belize?

Release date - September 15, 2020

$7.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 96 pages

Juvenile Fiction - Action Adventure (JUV001000)/Legends, Myths, Fables-Caribbean & Latin American(JUV012070)/Fantasy & Magic(JUV037000)

Print ISBN 9781939844705 / EBook ISBN 9781939844712

$3.99 EBook available in all formats

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis lives in Atlanta, Georgia.  

https://www.sherryellis.org/

https://www.bubbaandsquirt.org/ 

https://www.facebook.com/sherryellisbooksandmusic

https://twitter.com/513sherrye

Sherry Ellis’ Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China won the Reader’s Favorites Silver Medal for the Children's Grades 4-6 category.

Links:

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083S1VQ14

ITunes - https://books.apple.com/ca/book/bubba-and-squirts-mayan-adventure/id1495108829

Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bubba-and-squirts-mayan-adventure-sherry-ellis/1136013293?ean=9781939844705

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bubba-and-squirt-s-mayan-adventure

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50624942-bubba-and-squirt-s-mayan-adventure

Oh God I Made Eye Contact (#IWSG September 2020)

This is it! Less than a month left until the release of Psycho Hose Beast From Outer Space. It's been four years since I launched a full-length novel and did a full-scale release, so needless to say this is a bit nerve-wracking. It's been going pretty well so far. I've already got a handful of (very good!) pre-reviews up on Goodreads, and I've got a bunch more ARCs out there, so I'm hoping for at least a few more reviews by launch time. I've received some pre-orders, too, which is encouraging. I've got a blog tour lined up for the release and I'm busy writing guest posts and interviews. So far, everything is going as planned.

Of course, on top of that I decided to submit not one, not two, but three short stories this month. Plus I'm still juggling working my regular job from home while having the kids underfoot all the time. Plus my wife's health has been up-and-down as usual. Our family doctor is sending her back to see the surgeon, which is never a good sign. Plus we have the Damoclesian Sword of school hanging over our heads - we're keeping the kids home for remote learning but we still don't even know when classes start or what it will look like (or if it's even possible to teach a 5 year-old-from home!). We've been buying supplies and moving things around the house to try and make it more "school-like." Plus my father's birthday was this weekend and we didn't get home to visit again this year, nor do I know when we will be able to with the current situation in the world. It's yet another reminder that I don't know how many chances I (or my children) have left to see my parents. Plus our cat, who has been with us for 19 years, is sick and it's no longer a decision of if we'll have to put him down but when. 

So yeah, I haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately.

There are good things happening, to counteract the bad. My father-in-law, who lives just down the street and is obviously much closer to my kids, has officially been in remission for one year after being diagnosed with stage IV cancer almost three years ago. Because I can work from home, we've been in a much better position financially than a lot of people. Not to mention safer, as I don't envy the people who have to go into dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations they never signed up for (ie, teachers). I have to be grateful for that. And hey, I finally got a medication that worked to clear up that gross eczema/skin infection on my hand (yeah, I'm sure you wanted to hear about that). 

So life isn't all bad, but it's a lot. Trying to write and publish books with everything else going on is hard, and exhausting. But I also know that I go through cycles and pretty soon I'm going to hit a wall. If I don't get the most out of the productivity while I can, then I'm going to feel even worse in a couple of months when I can't bring myself to write anything. 

So yeah, try to be positive, try to keep going. Enjoy the book launch. People do seem to be enjoying Psycho Hose Beast, and this is by far the most buzz I've ever had for a book pre-release. One of the best pieces of feedback I've received, and certainly didn't expect, is that the 12-year-old main characters are very believable. That they feel like real pre-teens with believable thoughts, worries and relationships. I will definitely take that praise, but you know what that means, right? That I totally have the mind of a 12-year old. 

I guess I'm okay with that.

Still young at heart.

Pyscho Hose Beast From Outer Space releases Monday, September 28, 2020. It is available exclusively on Amazon. You can pre-order it on Kindle for just 99 cents, so help a fella out and order it now. You save yourself a couple of bucks and it ensures I get a nice day-one sales boost! 😉 Full details and blurb is below.

Stay safe!

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... 

AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CA | AMAZON.CO.UK

GOODREADS

Special Pre-Sale Price: $0.99

Regular Price: $2.99 

Paperback: $12.99 

(All prices in USD)

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: INFLUENCED by Patricia Josephine NEW RELEASE!

Hey all!

Good friend of the blog, Patricia Josephine, has a new book out this week, called Influenced! I read it and it was awesome, you can check out my full review on Goodreads, but here's a highlight:

It's a testament to Patricia's talent, creativity and ingenuity that she can take a tired old idea and make it into something entertaining and moving. I'm not surprised - she accomplished a similar feat with vampires in books like "Being Human" - I am genuinely awed and delighted that she did it with something as strange and decidedly un-sexy as the old shoulder angel/devil trope.

So yeah, check out Patricia's book and book and pick up a copy! If you need more info, full details are below, as well as a neat quiz to see if you're more attuned to the darkness or the light.

Take it away, Patricia!

There is no Light without Dark.

Influencers are the voices that whisper in our ears. Tiny Angels and Devil sitting on our shoulders and guiding our choices. They are sworn to thwart the other. It is their duty.

Or so they thought…

Nothing is as it seems and questions are piling up. Do Kale and Ariel have the strength to face the truth? Will Antonia and Landon be forced to choose a side? Can Soleil break through to Kemuel? Three tales, three choices: Light. Dark. Or the shades of gray between.

Which one will win?

BUY THE BOOK!

Amazon: http://mybook.to/influenced

THE AUTHOR!

Patricia Josephine is a writer of Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance books. She actually never set out to become a writer, and in fact, she was more interested in art and band in high school and college. Her dreams were of becoming an artist like Picasso. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head for fun. That was the start of her writing journey, and she hasn't regretted a moment. When she's not writing, she's watching Doctor Who or reading about serial killers. She's an avid knitter. One can never have too much yarn. She writes Young Adult Paranormal, Science Fiction, and Fantasy under the name Patricia Lynne.

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. 

THE LINKS!

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

Patreon - http://bit.ly/2sHZ3Vr

Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/pattyauthor07

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

Newsletter - http://bit.ly/2qOsvbm

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13460894.Patricia_Josephine

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00UH7GAK0

 

Guest Post: Are you a Light Influencer or a Dark Influencer?

We all have Influencers who sit on our shoulders and guide us, but have you ever wondered which one you would be? Would you be urging your mortal toward light or enticing them into some devious fun? Find out with these simple questions.

1) What flavor describes you?

a. Vanilla

b. Caramel

2) Which do you prefer?

a. Dog

b. Cat

3) Is cereal a soup?

a. No

b. Yes

4) Does pineapple belong on pizza?

a. No

b. Yes

5) Toilet paper on the roll?

a. Over

b. Under

6) Is a hotdog a sandwich?

a. No

b. Yes

7) Who shot first?

a. Han Solo

b. Greedo

8) What would you teach a parrot to say first?

a. Polly wants a cracker

b. F$@%&$@

If you answered mostly A:

If you answered mostly B:

Which one are you? Did the answer surprise you? Thank you for stopping by and celebrating Influenced release with me. If you want to see the inspiration behind this quiz, you can grab it on Amazon for $1.99 or read it for free on Kindle Unlimited.