Indie Writers Unite

It's been a while since I've posted a rant. There's been lots of talk about the new wave of authors hitting the shelves and most of them are independent. If you're an indie author, you're, in many cases, looked upon as if you've been infected by some hideous plague or just given a dismissive, "oh."

Independent authors aren't real authors. They're just no talent hacks that are flooding the market with garbage. To that, I must say... HORSE SHIT!

Yeah, there's lots of stuff floating around by independents that are pretty bad, on the other hand, there's a vast amount of amazing work being done by some incredible new voices. If you don't have a major publisher on the spine of the book, does that automatically make it sub-par? I hate to be the one to point it out, but major publishers release crap, too. When it comes to awards, indie authors are frequently left out. Why? Would the AMPAS ignore a groundbreaking film and snub it at the Oscars because it was indie? No way.

I believe indie authors deserve a lot more respect than they are getting. Those authors work just as hard as any other writer working today. In fact, I would say they work even harder. They don't have a publishing house backing them and doing all the groundwork. The indie does it all. I've even noticed some big name authors making the transition away from publishers to taking it on alone.

Just because there is, or isn't, a publishing logo on the spine, doesn't add or detract quality. We've always been told, "it's what's inside that counts." One should never judge a book by it's cover or an author by his/her publisher or lack thereof.

Lilly Dean book review

LILLY DEAN: FREAKED OUT SERIES
by
LORI SAFRANEK

Lilly Dean is a snake charmer with an unusual gift. Her talents soon lead her to the Steiner Freakshow - the best show on Earth. After finally finding a place where she feels a sense of belonging, Lilly and her and her act makes quite a mark on the audience and her fellow performers. All is going well until a shadow from her past comes calling.

I picked up this story on a whim. I didn't realize, at first, that it was a later installment of a series. No problem though. The story stands wells on it's own and you're left wanting more from the unique cast of characters. Luckily there's previous installments that delve further into their lives and more stories are still to come. The author did a fantastic job making the characters believable and the reader connects with them almost instantly.

I'm very much looking forward to the other acts at the Steiner Freakshow and will be eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Click HERE to get your copy now

Bones of Willow Lake - book review

BONES OF WILLOW LAKE
by
Rhiannon Mills

I had the pleasure of reading this book about a year ago, long before the initial release. I wasn't sure what to expect as I typically don't read paranormal romance. From the very beginning, I was drawn into the world weaved by Mills and found a tale that was something much more than I had ever expected. Bones of Willow Lake has plenty of eerie atmosphere, genuine tension and even a few laughs to accompany the romance. I highly recommend this book, even if, like me, you're not a reader of this type of book. The storytelling is superb and it will hook you and drag you down into the murky depths of Willow Lake!

Click HERE to get your copy now!

Richard Laymon - A Tribute

Being a writer, I'm often asked the question, "who's your favorite author?" Most of the time, that can't be narrowed down to just one person. For me, that list could go on and on until I've named 80% of the authors I've read. So I decided that I would provide a look at one particular author who holds a place of honor in my abode.

As you pass through the threshold of my little corner of the asylum, to your left sits a tall, cluttered, shelf with a little of this and a whole lot of that (including a little, stuffed Creature From The Black Lagoon who guards the goodies). Mostly, what resides in the shelf are my books, the conquered worlds of so many talents that have helped shape my own stories in some way. The largest contributor in my library, scribe to so many worn, dog-eared, paperbacks, is the late Richard Laymon.

I first heard the name after reading Castaways by Brian Keene. Keene's book had been a tribute to Richard, serving as a sort of spin-off to Laymon's Beast House series. After reading what Keene had to say about the life and work of this man, I had to seek out at least one of his books to see what he was like.

Several months later, I found myself sifting through a used book store in Flat Rock, North Carolina and happened to catch the name "Laymon" emblazoned in gold along the spine of a well thumbed book. What I had found was the novel COME OUT TONIGHT. I devoured the book with an intensity that I had never experienced, finishing it in just a few hours. From that moment on, I was hooked on the literary equivalent of crack, doing whatever I could to find more works from the macabre genius and feed my newfound addiction.

That was probably four or five years ago. Since then, I've found some of the greatest, most thrilling, disturbing, fucked up and fantastic novels I've had the pleasure of reading. The Beast House series, The Traveling Vampire Show, One Rainy Night and The Woods Are Dark are just a few personal favorites.

I still haven't read all of his works. Some are out of print and require a little further snooping, but for me as a reader, that's part of the fun. It becomes a treasure hunt, in many ways and leads to a satisfying end.

In recent years, Richard Laymon has grown in popularity and has gained a whole new generation of ravenous fans, including me. Sadly, he's no longer here to be able to enjoy the newfound success and praise. However, he lives on through the written word and we, as fans, colleagues etc., owe him a great deal of thanks for all the amazing stories that he left behind so we could get our fix as book junkies.

R.I.P., Richard.

P.s. as of this writing, I'm in the middle of reading After Midnight and loving it!

Visit the official Richard Laymon website by clicking http://rlk.stevegerlach.com/

A World of Nightmares

A special hello to all of my fans both in the United States and abroad! You guys are the best in the world!

United States 3117
United Kingdom 609
Russia 367
Argentina 286
Germany 186
France 125
Canada 112
Ukraine 94
Spain 77
Israel 52

Fouke Sequel Cover

For some reason this didn't pop up on the original post.

Fouke Sequel Sample

With the overwhelming success of my short story A COLD NIGHT IN FOUKE, I've been working on the follow-up entitled HALLOWEEN IN FOUKE. Again it will be a young adult book and the fans of the first will get their wish of a longer tale. HALLOWEEN will be at least novelette length. So here's some goodies to tide you over.

HALLOWEEN IN FOUKE
Copyright ©2014

Lori Wolfe literally hit the ground running as she dove from her bedroom window. She could hear the sounds of the creature's fury as it tore through her house, destroying her home with savage ease. Stopping for the briefest of seconds to pull a shard of glass from her arm, Lori turned to look over her shoulder in time to see a hulking silhouette tear her back door from the hinges and charge forward. Lori raced into the damp autumn night, dodging trees and stumbling through thickets that caught and cut at her arms and legs. There was no time to carefully maneuver the dense woods, the creature was gaining. Never had she seen such a beast. It was covered in thick, dark hair like a bear but had the body of a gigantic, disfigured man. It had a stink similar to a dead skunk rotting under the summer sun. Lori cried while she ran. She was no match for the rage-fueled speed of the beast and could already feel it's hot, rancid breath on the back of her neck.