September/October Updates

HALLOWED OBLIVION

a novelette from THE WILD DARK

A couple weeks ago, I released my latest work! Hallowed Oblivion is a novelette (about 52 pages) that takes place before the events of THE WILD DARK. It’s part campfire/hiking horror, part Halloween story. This is the first time I’ve written and released a story just for the season and I may make this a continuing theme based on how great the response has been so far!

Here’s a little more about the book:

On Halloween Night, Forest Ranger Hank Feld is called out to the White Mountain National Forest to search for a group of lost hikers. Crushed at not being able to spend the evening with his daughter, Hank sets off into the cold, misty mountains alongside volunteer, Gerard Castle.

But they are not the only things in the woods that night. When they come upon a massacred camping site, they realize there’s something hunting them: a malevolent creature that hungers for the souls of the lost.

A novelette from The Wild Oblivion universe, readers follow one of THE WILD DARK’s characters into the woods for a ghastly adventure, one that might eventually alter the world as we know it…

You can download an ebook copy from my website or order a paperback here

Advertisement

Backstreet Bloodbath: Part I

“God, how late do you think they put their kids to bed?” Darlene shouted across the parlor as she swished a mop back and forth.

Jess slapped down a wet dish rag on the counter and didn’t respond. Just a few more minutes until closing time. You got this, girl.

Darlene shrugged and kept filling the silence. “I mean, who gets their kids ice cream at nine-thirty? The little shits should be in bed. Now they’ll be up for another three hours!”

“That’s not for us to worry about,” Jess answered, pushing through the kitchen doors to wash out the dish rag. “Let’s just get this place cleaned up so we can go home.”

The last ten minutes had afforded the girls an uninterrupted span of time to get Daisy’s Sweet Tooth ready for closing. Usually, they saw no customers after nine and were able to close early and skip out ahead of the usual ten o’clock closing time. In fact, over the last couple weeks, Daisy’s had seen fewer and fewer patrons past sunset. Tonight had been an oddity.

October Update (Yes…I know…I’m a lazy bum)

I know. Oh, believe me, I know.

It’s been months since the last update. I was thinking (hoping) I’d be on a more regular schedule following my move but it’s been harder than ever to stick to one. I’ve barely had time to write (a sentence I hope I never have to utter again) during these last several weeks. The house has required a butt-load of attention. I’ve been doing lots of painting, yard work, and decorating to make it feel more homey. It’s coming along. It won’t be done this year. It probably won’t be done next year. But at this point, I have a few rooms completed or nearly completed.

Halloween Readings Galore!

Hello! Long time no see, right? Yes, I’ll admit that I’ve been away from the blog for quite some time… and that I said I wasn’t going to do that. That being said, I’m really going to try my hardest to get back into a routine of blogging, starting with a little about what’s been happening that last couple weeks.

Last Saturday, we kicked off our 2nd Annual Mid-coast Halloween Readings with a reading in Portland at Slainte Wine Bar and Lounge! The dark atmosphere is cozy and dark, perfect for us to settle in and tell some frightening stories for the evening. And did I mention there’s some wonderful Shipyard Pumpkinhead on tap for a little liquid courage. Indulging in a glass of that was perfect and made me feel a little less nervous about getting up on stage and introducing everyone. I was joined by fellow authors Kate Cone and E.J. Fechenda, who have their own reading series that they hold at Slainte, Darcy Scott, and April Hawks. The evening was a major success! We had a bunch of people come and listen to us as well as win prizes from our free raffle. The pictures below (featuring E.J., Darcy, and Kate), while grainy and from cellphone cameras, are the best that I have to catalog the evening. Being so dark in there, it was tough to get very good resolution.

Surfacing for Air

So… it’s been a while since I posted anything. Fall always unleashes a creative surge in me that I find it hard to quell. Last year, that creative urge was all about cooking and writing blog posts. This year, I’ve been channeling it into my writing, which has been excellent, but…it leaves you guys wanting. I apologize for that. September has been a month of thought, trying to work out what I’d like to change in order to help benefit my career as an author. Several positive things have happened this year, things that I’m grateful for. I’ve had several book-signings, met some talented and wonderful writers, got a pretty fancy literary nomination, and, in less than two months, I’ll be self-publishing my third book, Night Time, Dotted Line.

But, I haven’t been able to focus on the actual marketing of any of my books and that, as we all know, is kind of important. I’m not going to lie; it’s been tough this year keeping up my self-esteem when it comes to my writing. I’ve constantly felt as though I haven’t had enough time on my hands to get things done and when I do, I am exhausted. I know I’m not the only one who has ever dealt with this feeling; it plagues many other writers or really anyone creative. We want to be able to come home from a long day and relax before we go absolutely bonkers. And, in allowing myself some time to relax, I’ve neglected this blog, for which I feel sorry for.

Inspiration Through Music: Unusual Horror Music

There are several songs out there that are readily associated with horror: Tubular Bells, the Poltergeist theme, the Jaws theme… and many others. And then, there are those songs that you wouldn’t necessarily consider to be horror themes on their own. But, once you hear them in a scary context, they no longer seem innocent. Your mind has immediately returned to the place where you first heard that song and it immediately fills you with fear. Take the Deliverance theme. On its own, it’s a down-home plucking show-down between a guitar and a banjo. Then… you watch the movie. And you understand. If you ever hear that song somewhere out in the middle of the woods, by yourself, you’d probably run a quarter-mile without ever looking back. Such is the case with this week’s inspiration through music.

I went through a staggering number of songs, picking out the best ones that I feel have a horror touch to them. These songs may seem completely normal but when given a frightening image to accompany them, are no longer safe. Warning: If you see a song you like here, then don’t read beyond that. Because I’m probably going to ruin it for you. If you don’t care, then read on! The following four were the top picks!

Storminess is Happening Here

Hey folks,

So I’m currently in the middle of Hurricane Sandy, where the wind is whipping outside. When it sounds like there’s a werewolf outside my apartment because of how the wind cuts around the building, I know that there is a possibility of losing electricity. So far, so good. But the hurricane isn’t the only thing happening here.

I have the dastardly cold that’s been going around here. And it’s in sync with Hurricane Sandy because it really doesn’t like me today. I feel pretty awful. As a result, I won’t have your Inspiration Through Music up this evening. However, if you missed the previous Inspiration Through Music: Underrated Horror Movie Soundtracks (which I’m guessing you all did because I posted it Friday night) I’d suggest checking that one out to satiate you.

Its only 7:31 here but it feels like it’s much later, and I’m fading very fast. Taking most of the day to sleep and use almost the entire collection of tissues I have, I didn’t think there was much hope for me to get stuff done.

Speaking of which… my Aequitas edits are going slowly. I hit page 100 in the physical proof today but it’s pretty slow going. My hopes for this being out by Halloween are definitely not happening, and I’m thinking to even have it out by this weekend is going to be too much, considering how sick I am. So… I’ll keep you all up to date. In the mean time, if you have a Kindle, and haven’t picked up Aequitas yet, it’s available! Check it out here.

Thanks, y’all. I’ll be doing battle valiantly with this cold. Wish me luck.

~KSilva

Exciting Updates!

Good morning, all!

‘Tis officially October, the pic crafty month. That means fun and exciting things happening here at The Monstrum Chronicles. All month long, we’ll be celebrating the new release of “Aequitas: Book 2 of The Monstrum Chronicles” and of course, Halloween! That entails special things!

Inspiration Through Music blogs will be focused on music that will inspire those writing horror, paranormal, thriller, or mystery stories. We’ve already kicked off the month with a post about Petri Alanko’s music from Alan Wake and next week, we’ll be listening to VAST. Expect some more spooky original score music coming up this month as well as one more band that conjures unexpected spooky images. I’ll prove to you that just about any type of music can work while writing a horror story.

All month long on Cooking Adventures, we’ll be having delectable Halloweeny/Fall treats starting tonight with Apple Crisp. Next week, on Cooking Adventure Co-0p number 3, I’ll be tackling some special cupcakes inspired by ideas found on Pinterest. Want to know more? Tune in tonight for the next Cooking Adventure and find out!

In addition to both of these, each week, I’ll be doing a special Monstrum Craft project from now until the end of the year. Expect to see some fun autumn crafts as soon as next week!

And let’s not forget that my second book also debuts on Kindle this Sunday, the 7th! Fans of the first book, Vox, won’t want to miss this special promotion, as both Vox and Acquolina, the short story to accompany Aequitas, will be free for download on Kindle as well! Pre-orders for paperbacks will also be available at the discounted price of $15.00! Please email me at info@voxthebook.com to get in on this special deal! The paperback will be released October 28th!

Oh, and just because October can’t be crazy enough, I’ve also got two, count ’em TWO readings coming up on the 23rd and 25th with fellow writers Jen Blood, Peter Dudar, Kate Cone, and EJ Fechenda at both the Camden Public and Rockland Public Libraries. This month is going to be ca-razy! But, I like it like that. 🙂

Stay tuned this weekend for more information about the release of Aequitas, and don’t forget to catch Cooking Adventures tonight!

~KSilva

Inspiration Through Music: Alan Wake Soundtrack

Hello October! It’s been so long. I’ve missed you fiercely. Yes, folks, you guessed it. Since October is my favorite month, we’ll be having  a month of Inspiration Through Music blogs that will help to write that horror/supernatural/or mystery novel locked deep inside you. Granted, I’ve already done so many other Inspiration Through Music blogs that relate to that, but… now I have an excuse for it. So, the first in our October series will be from none other than Petri Alanko’s masterful Alan Wake score. For those of you out there whom are under the impression that video games are a complete waste of time, I shake my head at you. Yes, I agree that there are some that have very little contribution to the art world, but the majority of them are brilliantly executed, the stories vivid, and the music fresh and inspiring. Such is the case for Alan Wake.