Ho, Ho, Holy Crap It's almost Christmas (#IWSG December 2022)

It's holiday time! Are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writer goals?

I don't do much writing over the holidays. Lots leading up to it, yes, but once my "Christmas Book" (the book I write every year for the kids/family) goes off to the printer, I'm pretty much done with writing until the new year. To many lousy movies to watch, cookies to eat, and Lego to build. 

Despite starting to write it over a year ago, I was a week later than usual getting the book out this year. I hope it gets printed and back to me in time; I had to pay extra for rush shipping.

 This one had ALOT of illustrations. I don't know why I keep making illustrated books. I'm not a good artist, I'm slow, and I'm never happy with how they turn out. And yet I put 100+ drawings in the latest book. 

In case you can't tell from the covers, each book gets progressively more excessive.

Yes, it's a Canadian-themed Pokemon series about my kids and nieces. Yes, it has Pokemon like "Apologeese," "Loony" and "About" (it's a boot, get it it?). Yes, it's absolutely ridiculous. Yes, the latest (and likely last) book is nearly 300-pages long. Do I regret it? Remains to be seen.

But anyway, I'm way burnt out on writing now. The most creative thing I will likely do over the holidays is (hopefully) paint a few miniatures. I was having a lot of fun with that before Halloween before getting distracted with the book. I will have to get back to Gale Harbour Book 3 early in the new year.

Happy Holidays, everyone. 

Hugs & Kisses,

-CDGK

P.S. If anyone sees my kids/nieces, don't mention the book. It's a surprise. :-)

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/.

November? No way. Lies, I tell you. (#IWSG November 2022)

NaNoWriMo time!

Not for me, though. I don't NaNo. November's always a busy writing month for me already, but it's usually finishing/editing Christmas presents. I don't have time to write 50,000 new words on something. Fortunately I already have a first draft of this year's story, so I only have to finish the many (many) illustrations that need to go along with it.

October was crazy. The whole family came down with Covid, so that really threw us for a loop. Fortunately none of us were hit too hard, but the effects certainly do linger. The fatigue and mind fog are certainly real, and I hope there are no further long-term effects.

Didn't get much writing done in October, but there was lots of other creative stuff. The big thing was the annual haunted house that we did for the kids in the family. It took weeks to plan, involved painting the entire basement black, and then four more days to set everything up - but in the end we locked our kids and nieces in the basement and gave them 90 minutes solve an escape room and get out.

It was a lot of work but the kids had a ton of fun. I set up a camera so the adults could watch them, and I think we had even more fun than the kids! The story of the escape room was that a disgraced toymaker was luring children into his workshop to help him build toys, which were unfortunately murderous and the children rarely survived. They had to solve puzzles, decode riddles, cut open stuffed animals to find keys and clues, objects hidden in the ventilations ducts, plus a few creepy surprises hidden to give them a fright or two. There was also secret messages written on the walls in invisible ink, and a UV flashlight used to find them. It was all INCREDIBLY involved, and my wife and I swore again we won't do it again next year, but who knows...

I also took up painting gaming miniatures again. Tiny little figurines about an inch or so tall that requires a lot of attention to detail and a steady hand. Funny it was much easier when I was 25 years old... and didn't have Covid... But I do really enjoy it and have already spent too much money on paint and models and may have put a lot of research into getting a 3D Printer...

The Stormtrooper on the right was painted while I had Covid, the one of the left was done after I got better. I don't know if you can see the difference in the picture, but it's substantial...

And of course I made the kids' Halloween costumes... and may have already booked myself to make my niece's costume for her next year...

Writing? What's that?

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/.

The Genre Debate (#IWSG October 2022)

I am the shadow on the moon at night

Filling your dreams to the brim with fright

Happy Halloween month, everyone!

The Fall season is always a busy time for me (when isn't it?) First we have back to school in September, then comes October, which in our household involves more prep work than Christmas. Starting two years ago, we've been hosting highly-involved Haunted Houses for the kids in the family. The first time was due to Halloween being cancelled due to Covid, but the kids have insisted we keep it going. This year I may be painting the entire basement black. This may or may not be a good idea.

Next month is November, which is a crazy writing time as I prepare the family books for Christmas presents, followed by December which is of course always a write-off in terms of being productive.

I'll get back to finishing Gale Harbour Book 3 eventually...

October Question

What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?

Oh, this is a rant I've been meaning to go on for awhile, so this is a perfect opportunity to do so.

My gut reaction to "what is your favourite genre" is for me to say "comedy," but comedy isn't really a genre. It's a style of writing that can be added to any other genre (and should be, IMHO). So that means that my favourite genre is probably fantasy or sci-fi. Except...

FANTASY AND SCI-FI AREN'T GENRES.

"Robots" by itself is not a genre. "Robot-erotica," on the other hand...

I will admit, I got this idea from Shawn Coyne's The Story Grid, but I completely agree with it. A "genre" describes the plot of a story - genres are meant to include specific plot points, in order to let their readers know what to expect. A mystery has to have an inciting crime, a villain's MacGuffin and the exposure of the criminal. A romance has triangles, secrets and lovers split-up/reuniting. There is a little more to it than that, and there are always exceptions, but the framework is the key and very specific. That's what makes a genre. 

How do you define "Fantasy" and "Sci-Fi"? Fantasy generally takes place in a secondary world (or our world with different rules), and includes some system of magic. Sci-Fi takes place in a "futuristic" world and includes technology that seems potentially possible (magic based in science). None of these things describe the actual story, they describe the setting where your story takes place.

Fantasy and Sci-Fi aren't genres, they're SETTINGS.

You can have a fantasy action story (Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson), or a fantasy mystery (anything by Jim Butcher or Charlaine Harris). You can have a sci-fi horror story (the original Terminator or Alien) or a sci-fi romance (pretty much any anime or manga from the last 30 years). Fantasy and Sci-Fi says nothing about the plot by themselves. You can't have a fantasy or sci-fi story without a plot (well you can, but it would be terrible). You have to layer a genre on top of it. 

Come at me.

Huge & 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/

Pack it up, Summer's Over (#IWSG September 2022)

All last week I kept telling myself, "IWSG is coming up, you should write a post," and I kept putting it off. I got up yesterday, it was the kids first day back to school, so I was determined to finally write it. Then we got a call from the animal rescue we work with, saying they had two new dogs that needed to be picked up. One of them had been bitten in the face by another dog and lost an eye. So needless to say, that has taken priority.

But I digress. Writing continues, though unfortunately not on Gale Harbour Book 3. It is well underway, it just got shuffled aside temporarily while I work on side projects. I hope to be back onto it really soon. I've also been reading about writing - finally got through Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody and The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne (it's very, very good and analytical, but probably a bit overly complicated). I've also been working on some marketing-related tasks. I can tell you that BookSirens is good for getting a few low-cost reviews, and Voracious Readers Only has been a great help to get my mailing list started (for free, no less!)

Those are not affiliate links, by the way. 

But maybe I should get some, to make a few extra bucks fractions of a penny.

September IWSG Question - What genre would be the worst one for you to tackle and why?

I'm pretty open to try anything, but there are plenty of obscure subgenres that I would probably struggle with (simply because I haven't read them). Like, if you asked me to write an Amish Romance or Middle-Grade Dystopian Chick-Lit tomorrow, I don't think I could write you anything worthwhile. It might be hilarious, but I doubt actual fans of the genres would appreciate it.

That being said, the hardest thing for me to write would be anything serious.

How was YOUR summer?

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/

Unoriginal IWSG Post August 2022

Holy crap, I almost missed the IWSG post two months in a row! Please don't take me off the list, Alex!

Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys has been available now for three months. I had several stories about its launch I wanted to share, but the summer has been crazy. I've been travelling, and I'm actually writing this post from a hotel room on my phone to make sure I get it posted before Wednesday is over.

This, for instance, was one of the stories I wanted to share.

So those stories will have to wait. Instead, I'll answer this month's question:

When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original or do you try to give readers what they want?

I don't think I've ever set out to make something specifically "original" for the sake of being original. Usually I write stories that I find entertaining, which is often a twist on an existing idea that I myself would like to read. 

I have, on occasion, explicitly strived to give readers "what they want." This is always however for a very specific group of readers. I've mentioned in the past that most Christmases I written a book or story for some of my family members, and they're always tailored to be something that those family members wanted. Some of my other writing projects are currently on hold, to tell the truth, as I work on this year's holiday story. I knew this one was going to be more ambitious than usual, so I started it early. Wish me luck.

Anyway, that's it for today. Hopefully I'll get back on track soon. How is everyone else's summer going?

Hugs & Kisses,

CDGK 

Butt Monkeys are Vengeful, Yo (#IWSG June 2022)

Holy Crap, it's IWSG day? Where did May go?

Actually, May felt a hundred years long. The release of REVENGE OF THE SPACE-SURFING BUTT MONKEYS feels like a lifetime ago. Sales were solid but not spectacular, however there's a been a steady flow of Kindle Unlimited page reads all month, which surprised me. I got more page reads in the last 30 days than I've received since I first signed up for Kindle Unlimited years ago. And not just from Butt Monkeys, either, but for all of my books. So that's an interesting phenomenon. 

Reviews for the series continues to be solid as well:

"CDGK writes immaturity really well and injects a ton of humor into the action."

"Gallant-King handles the teen protagonists with such insight and tenderness."

"Even more so than in PHB, Revenge brings the heavy along with all its quirkiness and humor. "

"If you are looking for a fun read that is part Scooby Doo and part X-Files, and that has you longing for the days of landlines, Blockbuster rentals, and Super Mario World this will definitely be a good title for you."

You can read all the reviews at Goodreads, of course. And you can buy your very own copy at Amazon!

And hey, it topped the new release section in Horror for a couple of days, and made it to NUMBER TWO in its sub-category (Horror/Comedy), which is the highest I've ever reached.

So does this mean I can start putting "Amazon Best-Selling Author" on my bio, or.... What is the criteria for that, anyway?

Thank you again to everyone who helped spread the word of the release. And EXTRA HUGE THANK YOU to anyone who's picked up and/or reviewed a copy!

For those still on the fence, here's the blurb again to help you make up your mind...

Newfoundland, Canada, 1993.

It's been a year since a handful of kids defeated the Psycho Hose Beast in the sleepy town of Gale Harbour, Newfoundland. Our heroes have entered into the era of rollerblades, Super Nintendo and oversized plaid shirts… unless you’re a goth, then it’s the era of Maybelline eyeliner, boots with too many buckles, and infected safety-pin piercings.

Thirteen-year-old Niall O'Neil is navigating a blossoming relationship with his crush, Harper Jeddore. Unfortunately, the power that allowed them to defeat the monster from the deep is still within them, and they are no closer to understanding or controlling it. When just touching your girlfriend can kill innocent bystanders, it complicates the already precarious practice of teenage dating.

But lurking in the backdrop of teenage romance, a sinister power is growing in Gale Harbour, and dangerous people are turning up in the small town with possibly deadly intentions.

Will the kids defeat this new threat? What did the US Air Force leave in the abandoned Hansen Air Force base? What is a space-surfing butt monkey? And most importantly—will anyone get to touch a boob?

BUY IT ON AMAZON

JUNE QUESTION

When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?

This is appropriate because I'm currently slogging through a couple of projects. The simple answer is "just keep putting words down." You can always fix it later, but you can't edit if you don't finish it in the first place. Even if the words are crap, write SOMETHING. It's easier to build momentum with some kind of start, you can't go from 0 to 60 instantly. 

The other answer is to keep in mind your goal, what you want to accomplish with this writing. "Just finishing" is fine, but it's better to be more specific. I want this to be better than the last book, to fix some of the mistakes I made last time. I want to prove (to myself and others) I can finish a series. I want to write a story that my kids will enjoy. I want to implement some of the new writing skills I've recently learned about. These are all goals I have on my current projects, and it helps me have a reason to get going when the story bogs me down.

So how was YOUR month?

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/

GUEST POST: A Quick Death by Patricia Lynne RELEASE DAY

Today I'm helping spread the word about Patricia Josephine/Lynne's latest release A QUICK DEATH. Patricia is long time friend of the blog and a wonderful writer, so it's always exciting when she has a new release. I've picked up my copy. Have YOU?

Blurb

Death
Murder
The Afterlife

These things fascinate our imagination. Delve into a collection of tales that explore death and murder. Each story is told in exactly 200 words and designed to give you a quick thrill no matter how busy your day is.

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE END? 

Buy Links

Amazon: http://mybook.to/aquickdeath
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/aquickdeath
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60756786-a-quick-death

About 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. 

Social Media Links:

Website: - https://www.patriciajosephine.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/pjlauthor
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pjlauthor
Newsletter - https://bit.ly/3i9dkzq

Patricia Josephine:

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13460894.Patricia_Josephine
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00UH7GAK0

Patricia Lynne:
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/635444.Patricia_Lynne
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B01EM6YLAW

Excerpt

DEATH DIDN’T COME TODAY. Night had fallen, and the lure of sleep tugged on me. I dragged myself to my feet and dumped the now cold tea.

Maybe tomorrow, I told myself as I brushed my teeth.

I ignored the little voice that whispered it wasn’t normal to wish for Death. I understood that, but normal was boring. Normal didn’t take you on adventures around the world.

Normal didn’t introduce you to Death.

I remembered the first time we met. It had been an autumn day in New Zealand. I was waiting for the tour to start. I was finally seeing where The Hobbit had been filmed. My excitement was palatable. An older man collapsed and the medics were called. Their attempts to revive him were fruitless. That was when I saw Death.

No one else seemed aware of him. I watched him weave through the crowd. He was reaching for the body when our eyes met. Confusion flitted across his pale face. Later that night, I saw him again. He didn’t understand why I saw him. It wasn’t my time.

When, I asked.

He shrugged. One day. Then he was gone. I have been waiting for him ever since. 

GIVEAWAY

If all that wasn't enough to encourage you to pick up A Quick Death, Patricia is also holding a giveaway for great prizes. Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE FINE PRINT: Giveaway is US only. (Sorry, but the packages I've sent international have vanished in transit.) Entries only valid for new subscribers and followers. Contest ends May 18th.

Beware of Low-Flying Butt Monkeys (#IWSG May 2022)

I have a new book out this week so I'll keep this brief(er than usual?). 

First off, THANK YOU to everyone who's helping spread the word with posts on their blogs this week about Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys. Your support is tremendously appreciated.

Secondly: BUY MY BOOK. Seriously, it's out now. It's part 2 in the Gale Harbour series, so buy book 1 while you're at it.

Title of Publication: Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book 2)

Date of Publication: May 3, 2022
Available: Kindle, Paperback
No. of Pages: 321
Novel Summary/Blurb:

Newfoundland, Canada, 1993.

It's been a year since a handful of kids defeated the Psycho Hose Beast in the sleepy town of Gale Harbour, Newfoundland. Our heroes have entered into the era of rollerblades, Super Nintendo and oversized plaid shirts… unless you’re a goth, then it’s the era of Maybelline eyeliner, boots with too many buckles, and infected safety-pin piercings.

Thirteen-year-old Niall O'Neil is navigating a blossoming relationship with his crush, Harper Jeddore. Unfortunately, the power that allowed them to defeat the monster from the deep is still within them, and they are no closer to understanding or controlling it. When just touching your girlfriend can kill innocent bystanders, it complicates the already precarious practice of teenage dating.

But lurking in the backdrop of teenage romance, a sinister power is growing in Gale Harbour, and dangerous people are turning up in the small town with possibly deadly intentions.

Will the kids defeat this new threat? What did the US Air Force leave in the abandoned Hansen Air Force base? What is a space-surfing butt monkey? And most importantly—will anyone get to touch a boob?

BUY NOW!

AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CA | AMAZON.CO.UK

"...an entertaining story peppered with dashes of nineties nostalgia, snappy one liners and perfectly captured teenage angst..."

-Damien Larkin, author of "Big Red"

"Gallant-King does a good job capturing the voices of the teens as they deal with the usual pressures of growing up, as well as the supernatural threats. [...] The kids dialogue is authentic, the side characters are great."

- Patrick LeClerc, author of "Out of Nowhere"

"...this hilarious tale of adventure, horror, aliens, and friendship was a delight from start to finish. Gallant-King handles the teen protagonists with such insight and tenderness."

- Sadira Stone, author of "Through the Red Door"

"The thing that stood out for me in this book and the previous one, is that even though it is very fantasy and very sci-if, it still feels very real and conceivable."

-Books By Your Bedside Reviews

"This book was a blast and a worthy sequel to Psycho Hose Beast. Another chance for CDGK to show off his ability to get inside the heads and hearts of proper weirdos and create some massively entertaining and unique POVs. The story was page-turning fun as usual."

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

So how am I feeling? Tired, excited, hoping desperately that this doesn't flop. I have some interesting publications stories but honestly I don't have any juice left so I'll save them for next month. 

So for now, I'm just going to say Happy IWSG Day, and how was everyone else's month?

Hugs & Kisses,

-CDGK

P.S. BUY MY BOOK

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/

BUTT MONKEYS RELEASE DAY

"...an entertaining story peppered with dashes of nineties nostalgia, snappy one liners and perfectly captured teenage angst..."

-Damien Larkin, author of "Big Red"

"Gallant-King does a good job capturing the voices of the teens as they deal with the usual pressures of growing up, as well as the supernatural threats. [...] The kids dialogue is authentic, the side characters are great."

- Patrick LeClerc, author of "Out of Nowhere"

"...this hilarious tale of adventure, horror, aliens, and friendship was a delight from start to finish. Gallant-King handles the teen protagonists with such insight and tenderness."

- Sadira Stone, author of "Through the Red Door"

"The thing that stood out for me in this book and the previous one, is that even though it is very fantasy and very sci-if, it still feels very real and conceivable."

-Books By Your Bedside Reviews

"This book was a blast and a worthy sequel to Psycho Hose Beast. Another chance for CDGK to show off his ability to get inside the heads and hearts of proper weirdos and create some massively entertaining and unique POVs. The story was page-turning fun as usual."

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

BUY NOW!

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

Today's the day!

REVENGE OF THE SPACE-SURFING BUTT MONKEYS is now available to purchase from Amazon. This is my first-ever novel-length sequel, so I'm pretty excited to see how it goes.

We return to the small Newfoundland town of Gale Harbour in the 1990s. Grunge reigns supreme, but hip hop, techno dance music and goth counterculture are creeping in around the edges. Our band of underage misfits - now thirteen-years-old - are back to their old shenanigans (as well as new shenanigans). With the first book, I joked that it was sort of "Stranger Things" meets "Degrassi," and on this one I really amped up the "Degrassi" side. There's more awkward teenage dating, family troubles, underage drinking - lots of angst and drama. But of course, that's not what you're here for is it? You want the shadowy government agents, blood magic, monsters from another world and the looming threat of destruction to the whole town. 

No? You just want the funny stuff? Well, we've got Skidmark on rollerblades. You're welcome.

Anyway, Butt Monkeys is available right now on Amazon Kindle ($3.99 USD) and paperback ($13.99 USD). Please go grab a copy! And if you haven't read it up yet, don't forget to pick up Gale Harbour Book One, PSYCHO HOSE BEAST FROM OUTER SPACE!

Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have to go take a nap.

Hugs & Kisses,
-CDGK

P.S. Buy my book.

Title of Publication: Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book 2)

Date of Publication: May 3, 2022

Available: Kindle, Paperback

No. of Pages: 321

Novel Summary/Blurb:

Newfoundland, Canada, 1993.

It's been a year since a handful of kids defeated the Psycho Hose Beast in the sleepy town of Gale Harbour, Newfoundland. Our heroes have entered into the era of rollerblades, Super Nintendo and oversized plaid shirts… unless you’re a goth, then it’s the era of Maybelline eyeliner, boots with too many buckles, and infected safety-pin piercings.

Thirteen-year-old Niall O'Neil is navigating a blossoming relationship with his crush, Harper Jeddore. Unfortunately, the power that allowed them to defeat the monster from the deep is still within them, and they are no closer to understanding or controlling it. When just touching your girlfriend can kill innocent bystanders, it complicates the already precarious practice of teenage dating.

But lurking in the backdrop of teenage romance, a sinister power is growing in Gale Harbour, and dangerous people are turning up in the small town with possibly deadly intentions.

Will the kids defeat this new threat? What did the US Air Force leave in the abandoned Hansen Air Force base? What is a space-surfing butt monkey? And most importantly—will anyone get to touch a boob?

BUY NOW!

AMAZON.COM | AMAZON.CA | AMAZON.CO.UK

Surfing with the Butt Monkeys (#IWSG April 2022)

Happy IWSG Day? What's happening!?!

• Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book 2) comes out in less than a month! I've been working my butt off, contacting people for reviews, arranging promos and guest blogs, running ads and putting some finishing touches on some formatting for the books and covers. 

• Speaking of guest posts, thank you to everyone who signed up to help with the launch! Material will be coming out very soon. If anyone else is interesting in helping to promote the launch of Butt Monkeys, please sign up below.

• Psycho Hose Beast From Outer Space (Gale Harbour Book 1) was one of the March picks for the IWSG book club on Goodreads. If you haven't already, you should join the group and jump into the discussion.

• Psycho Hose Beast is now officially my best-reviewed book, and it's only a few copies away from surpassing Hell Comes to Hogtown as my best-selling book. Despite Hogtown doing well in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off, it seems that writing a series (and doing a shit-ton of marketing legwork) really does pay off.

• I ran a promotion for Psycho Hose Beast with HelloBooks.com last weekend. It cost $30USD to promote it to their supposedly-large reader base, and I sold exactly 3 copies. The investment did not, as they say, pay off. I think it just didn't fit well into their readership. For one thing, it got put into the Young Adult category (which alot of people have been doing actually), even though I really never intended it to be YA. I'm sure some of the themes and characters speak to that audience, but some of the actual content is probably a bit mature for those who prefer books for younger sensibilities. 

• I've received a number of reviews in the past few weeks, but one of them I really had to share. It's an amazingly in-depth analysis of Psycho Hose Beast. Honestly I think the guy put more thought into the book than I did. Here's a snippet:

Gallant-King’s Gale Harbour is beautifully constructed. Somewhat isolated, near the water, with underground tunnel systems, and an old Air Force Base, it begs for paranormal happenings. And the cops and Fish and Wildlife folks are just small town enough to be sharp but not too sharp—so they take a journey all their own. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police—aka the Pros—are there, but in the background. 

Further bringing the town, the characters, and the decade to life are abundant references to video games, movies, TV shows, music, commercials, and other early nineties staples. A highlight is Skidmark’s rapping Snow’s “Informer.” It’s probably an ear worm for you now. You’re welcome. 

Don’t let the title fool you into thinking this is fluff. All throughout the book, the themes of age, memory, and history are woven through on multiple levels, from one end of the character continuum to the other. Niall’s grandmother—suffering from dementia—is put into a nursing home early on. The town itself has bad memories of the storm of ’29, and everyone has something with which they struggle; something to overcome. From the kid who lives in a fantasy world of video store rentals his parents would flip out about if they knew that he was watching, to the adults who have something in their past they are trying to make right or make their peace with.

You can read the whole review on Goodreads or the reviewer's website, Newmystics.com.

Wanna buy it? Click right here!

So this is all pretty exciting stuff, right? I should be super happy, right? Then why am I not enjoying this?

It's not that I'm particularly worried or anxious about the book launch, I'm just tried and burnt out. I don't know what I was thinking, setting a book launch right in the middle of the busiest time of year at my regular job. I sign in at 7:00 in the morning and I'm often still working at 11:00 at night. On top of that my wife has been sick, my kids are having problems at school, the dog is developing dementia and losing the use of her legs (she's very old). It's just so much going on at the same time. There's no time for anything and nothing is fun right now. 

I'm trying to look forward to nicer weather and quieter times in the near future. It's got to happen, eventually right? 

The question for the month is something about audiobooks, which is just making me depressed because I would love to do an audiobook, but there is definitely no time for that on the schedule. 

Anyway, how was your month?

Hugs & Kisses,

-CDGK

Title of Publication: Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book 2)
Date of Publication: May 3, 2022
Available: Kindle, ePub, Paperback
No. of Pages: 321
Genre: Sci-fi/Horror/Comedy
Novel Summary/Blurb:

Newfoundland, Canada, 1993.

It's been a year since a handful of kids defeated the Psycho Hose Beast in the sleepy town of Gale Harbour, Newfoundland. Our heroes have entered into the era of rollerblades, Super Nintendo and oversized plaid shirts… unless you’re a goth, then it’s the era of Maybelline eyeliner, boots with too many buckles, and infected safety-pin piercings.

Thirteen-year-old Niall O'Neil is navigating a blossoming relationship with his crush, Harper Jeddore. Unfortunately, the power that allowed them to defeat the monster from the deep is still within them, and they are no closer to understanding or controlling it. When just touching your girlfriend can kill innocent bystanders, it complicates the already precarious practice of teenage dating.

But lurking in the backdrop of teenage romance, a sinister power is growing in Gale Harbour, and dangerous people are turning up in the small town with possibly deadly intentions.

Will the kids defeat this new threat? What did the US Air Force leave in the abandoned Hansen Air Force base? What is a space-surfing butt monkey? And most importantly—will anyone get to touch a boob?

PRE-ORDER IT NOW FOR JUST 99 CENTS!

###

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: CASSADARK by Alex J. Cavanaugh RELEASE DAY

Hey all! Our fearless Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh of IWSG fame, has a brand new book coming out this week! Please check it out!

CassaDark
By Alex J. Cavanaugh

His world is unraveling…

Bassan’s father is stepping down from command. His best friend almost dies when Bassan freezes. Now, he’s being sent across the galaxy to speak at an important conference. Despite saving the eleven races years ago, he’s paralyzed by fear and doubt. Could things get any worse?

Once there, new acquaintance Zendar convinces Bassan to visit his planet for a humanitarian mission. Bassan’s special connection to ancient technology is the key to saving Zendar’s people. One problem though—it’s a prisoner planet.

On Ugar, he discovers things aren’t so straightforward. As each secret reveals itself, the situation grows more desperate. If he can’t find the right answers, he might die along with Zendar’s people. Can Bassan summon the courage to be a hero again?

Science fiction - Adventure / Space Opera / Space Exploration

Print ISBN 9781939844842 $16.95

eBook ISBN 9781939844859 $4.99

“Cavanaugh returns to the world of his Cassa Series…for a fourth inventive space opera.” – Publisher’s Weekly

Alex J. Cavanaugh works in web design and graphics. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is known as Ninja Captain Alex and is founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

http://alexjcavanaugh.com 

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

Links:

iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1574189874
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0982FL3SH
Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940164947033
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844859
Scribed – https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844859&language=0
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58461762-cassadark

I read the first book in the series awhile ago and really enjoyed it. I'm going to have to go back to it to see where the story goes!

My First Book Club

 Hi All!

Just wanted to pop in and tell everyone that for the first time ever (as far as I know), one of my books has been chosen as the book-of-the-month for a book club!

It's like employee of the month, but for dead trees and glue!

Psycho Hose Beast From Outer Space is one of the March choices for the Insecure Writers Support Group book club on Goodreads. Go check it out here, and join the group if you want to take part in the discussion.

The chat is set to start March 24, but the discussion thread hadn't been opened yet as I write this, so be sure to check back! I will probably also mention it again on next month's IWSG post.

Anyway, I just thought it was really cool that not only was someone reading my book, but they're actually going to talk about it?! Weird, right?

Hugs & Kisses,
-CDGK

Don't forget, the sequel to Psycho Hose Beast, REVENGE OF THE SPACE-SURFING BUTT MONKEYS, is available for pre-order right now for just 99 cents!

Check it out on Amazon right here!

Beware of Butt Monkeys (#IWSG March 2022)

Release day for Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys is just two months away. Is it time to get anxious and insecure yet?

In case you missed it, I had a panic attack last week about the cover. I was never really happy with the old one. I had a vision of something I wanted it to be, but I was not able to pull it off. The new one is not exactly what I wanted either, but it's overall much nicer. Covers have always been a problem for me (Psycho Hose Beast is on the third one now). Such is the juggling between being creative, having little skill, and even less budget.

But hey, I got the cover for Book One updated at the same time, too, and I really like this one.

Cover aside, there's still the uncertainty of how the book will be received. I've been hustling to get reviews, even signed up for some review websites, like Booksprout, BookSirens, and Voracious Readers Only. I also got a spot coming up with HelloBooks (it's like a smaller scale version of BookBub - I'll be sure to let you know how that goes), and that's not to mention all the dozens of people I contact directly for reviews and guest posts. Of course, none of that automatically generates reviews or sales, and even if I do get reviews, there's no guarantees they'll be good.

My kids love this song for some reason.... 

As of writing this, I still don't have any official reviews. The best feedback I have is still from a beta reader:

If you're interested in helping me spread the word about Butt Monkeys, PLEASE feel free to sign up for my blog tour coming up in May. I will take all the help I can get...

And in case anyone is interested in reviewing an ARC of the new book, please hit me up! Here's the details to refresh your memory:

Title of Publication: Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book 2)
Date of Publication: May 3, 2022
Available: Kindle, ePub, Paperback
No. of Pages: 321
Genre: Sci-fi/Horror/Comedy
Novel Summary/Blurb:

Newfoundland, Canada, 1993.

It's been a year since a handful of kids defeated the Psycho Hose Beast in the sleepy town of Gale Harbour, Newfoundland. Our heroes have entered into the era of rollerblades, Super Nintendo and oversized plaid shirts… unless you’re a goth, then it’s the era of Maybelline eyeliner, boots with too many buckles, and infected safety-pin piercings.

Thirteen-year-old Niall O'Neil is navigating a blossoming relationship with his crush, Harper Jeddore. Unfortunately, the power that allowed them to defeat the monster from the deep is still within them, and they are no closer to understanding or controlling it. When just touching your girlfriend can kill innocent bystanders, it complicates the already precarious practice of teenage dating.

But lurking in the backdrop of teenage romance, a sinister power is growing in Gale Harbour, and dangerous people are turning up in the small town with possibly deadly intentions.

Will the kids defeat this new threat? What did the US Air Force leave in the abandoned Hansen Air Force base? What is a space-surfing butt monkey? And most importantly—will anyone get to touch a boob?

How was your month?

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/