8 Books You Might Like & My E-Book Opinion

I'm not the kind of person that can do a "Year's Best" novel list. Years and years of teaching fiction writing leave me with the clear sense that story preference is just that: preference. It's based upon taste and is subjective, as long as the story is well written, of course (a lot aren't--some writers seem to think the idea alone can carry the story, and they leave craft and language control out for the trash burning). I do think--because I love the form--that I'd be confident enough to do "best" list with short stories, but that might be another day . . .

This said, here're some novels I read in 2012 that I reckon are worth recommending. They may or may not be on my mental "best" list. Not all of 'em were published in 2012. They're just some that I read. My main focus in putting this together is to skip the books I read by well-known or best-selling authors (King, McCammon, etc.) and promote some good writers that some of y'all may not have heard of. And, yes, a few of them might be my friends--but they're not on here because of that; they are on here because they did the work, talked the talk, and walked the walk, and produced a book. Specifically, a book that I enjoyed reading. One that might not be making as much money as it should. And, I'm a writer. I have a lot of writer friends.

One final thing before I give you the list. Out of the 35 or so books I read last year (I remember being able to read 90-100 before I was a writing teacher--sigh), about half of them were e-books. I still love my paperbacks and hardbacks and my favorite reading chair, but being able to read books on my phone (or laptop, etc.) on the spur of a moment has given me a little bit more reading time. I like the luxury. But I still like paper books better. I'm hoping and willing to bet that there is room for both of them for a good long while.

So, give these a look, and see what you think. If it sounds good, help these good folks out a little by grabbing a copy or buying the e-book:

Bad Apple, by Kristi Petersen Schoonover. A dark, surreal tale about a teen named Scree and her unusual family circumstances. Psychological horror at its best. The author has a great sense of voice.

This Dark Earth, by John Hornor Jacobs (though John may be on the verge of being well known, if he isn't already--I just guess that some of y'all might not have read him yet). I love zombie novels, and this is one of the best. Character driven, claustrophobic, unique, and to top it off, the author has real style, a wonderful gift with language.

Fear, by Ronald Kelly. Young Jeb has to deal with a dark legend, that of a part-snake and part-demon flesheater in the backwoods of Tennessee. (Kelly was a force to be reckoned with in the horror genre, and now he is up and at it again.)

Blood and Bullets, by James R. Tuck. Deacon Chalk, bounty hunter. This is not your subtle, blossoming-magic urban fantasy. Tough and action packed. Plenty of supernatural and monster carnage.

The Black Death of Babylon, Edward J. McFadden III. Adventure, mystery, horror, and science fiction . . . this book goes everywhere. A lovers' triangle, secret chambers, a disgusting disease, conspiracies . . .

Overkill, Steven Shrewsbury. Gory, darkly funny, philosophical sword and sorcery fiction about Gorias La Gaul, one tough barbarian. The raw and brutal prose fits the story.

Rabbits in the Garden, Jessica McHugh. Psychological suspense. Asylum fiction, as I call it--I love this setting for stories, and this book doesn't disappoint and goes to some dark and crazy places.

Haunting Obsession, by RJ Sullivan. A good ghost story about how being too obsessed with a dead celebrity can have problematic effects on your life. Daryl Beasley collects all things Maxine Marie and learns this the hard way.

I know I might have forgotten some that deserve to be here, too, but without thumbing through my journal where I log my reading, these came to mind. There were lots of great collections, anthologies, and stories, too, but this list is limited to novels. I hope you'll give some of 'em a read.

Books don't read. People with books read. So, get to it.

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GUNS & CHILDREN (or "Why I Didn't Finish My Story")

Well, it's the holidays, and I was supposed to have finished writing "Santa's Sweet Slay Ride" by now--after all, there are five friends and readers who were expecting to die a comically gruesome death in that story, a sequel to "There Goes the Neighborhood (Holiday Version/Extended Cutting)."

I couldn't finish writing the story. That never happens to me--I may quit because I've lost interest, but in this case, I just couldn't. It was seriously fucking with me on a deeply emotional level. Most of the time, that's reason to keep going--I'd reckon an honest story is going to come out of that psychological shit.

But this one was making a grown man weep. I kept picturing the deaths of my children.

First of all, I want to keep this somewaht short. Second, this is not a political post--I'm so sick of far right-wing and left-wing bullshit that . . . Forget it--like I said, this is not a political post.

Third, I rarely write personal things for an audience, so if I seem to skip over some things, that is why--my personal life and family are not an open book. But, personally (ha!) and as a proponent of U.S. gun ownership, I was sickened and heartbroken by what happened in Newtown, Connecticut recently. It twisted my guts in a knot, and made my eyes red for days.

Here goes, and this is not an essay and not a research paper--it's just a list of my thoughts, if you will, and I do reckon I'm a fairly middle-ground individual:

• We have a gun problem in the U.S. Fact: 22 children were stabbed in an assault in China around the same time as the Newtown shootings. None of them, as far as I know, died. My guess: had this been a stabbing incident in Newtown, there would have been far fewer deaths. Guns are instruments designed for killing. That's common sense.
• Criminals use all manner of firearms. Common citizens (like myself and many friends I know) who are mentally well enough and responsible enough to own firearms have a right to own any type of firearm that a criminal could get his hands on. This makes it "fair" when it comes to protecting a home. That includes what some folks are calling "assault" guns. That's common sense. Fair is fair in self defense.
• The NRA needs new spoksepeople. The fool who spoke after the shootings was out of touch. As a friend of mine, Bill, said, he could have at least used a more current video game reference than Mortal Combat. He displayed very little common sense.
• Video games and film violence do not cause shootings, etc., but there is evidence that things like than can act as accelerants for folks that are already "disturbed." So, it's a mental health issue, too.
• If there is new legislation, it should focus on background checks that consider the history and mental wellness of folks wanting to purchase guns. But any folks who are free and clear of issues should be able to purchase whatever firearm they damn well choose. Much bigger than the gun issue is the mental wellness issue.
• There needs to be a bigger focus on illegal weapons sales. And strict penalties. No pussy stuff. Life in prison. And gunshow loopholes need to be addressed, too.
• Any "solution" or improvement to the situation is longterm. Laws (which largely will not help) would be, as would security.
• It is not a "police state" to have school security. If security knows their priority is protecting students, it can help somewhat. It is better to have prepared security in place than to have to wait for police. Resistance shooters on site are far more effective than waiting for other law enforcement. However, if this is longterm, my friend James has a good idea in saying that police stations need to be moved next door to or across from public schools (private schools have to make their own choices).
• We have the right to bear arms in case our goverment tries to become too controlling. Look at world history here. And to say our country is all lovey-dovey and for the people, well, things are sometimes not as they appear. I am no gun nut (I honestly do not even hunt, though most of my friends did and do--and neither am I against hunting responsibly and for food . . . though the "for sport" can get to me, as can senseless killing of wolves, etc.) and no conspiracy theorist, but I do practice a "be ready just in case" philosophy. I am a middle-ground guy on most issues.
• We have become too much of a gun culture to just try and make the purchase of a gun next to impossible. In theory, it's great and Utopian and peaceful, but with our culture it is unrealistic. We are not Europe here in the U.S., obviously, nor should we try to be.
• Responsible gun owners are not playing "cowboy."
• When children are slain so senselessly, something has to be addressed.

Again, these are just thoughts. It's an issue I care about and one on which I think I am more objective than most. There is a logical balance here, folks. There is a way to make gun violence, especially involving children, decrease. But it will take some middle ground and some common sense. And some respect for folks with differing but intelligent views. Calling each other dumbasses doesn't work. (And that's essentially what our goverment does now, too.)

I couldn't write my story because of this. There are children in it. There are guns. I will finish it someday, but I do not know how it will play out.

Those who know me well know that despite being a bit aloof and not great socially, I care for my daughters, 14 and 4, very deeply, to the point of crying more sometimes when I think of harm to children than might be "manly." But I'll kick your ass if you make fun of me (;  I care, too, for my stepchildren from a previous marriage, I care for my niece and nephew, and I care for your children. And I cried for those children in Newtown.

I think you'll understand why the story needs to sit for a while. As do many parents, I think first of my own children everytime I see something horrible on the news that involves kids. And I was thinking of them too much in trying to write my next free story.

But, for those of you--you five--who were looking to die in my tale, don't fret. I'm working it into another one that will be done very soon.

Be well, all.

Brady
29 December 2012

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THE NEXT BIG THING blog "tour"

A number of writers asked me to join them with THE NEXT BIG THING blog experience, where writers answer questions about their work in progress. I think I’m kind of doing it wrong, which is likely the norm for me, but I want to mention all of the folks who invited me. You can link to their blogs and see what they’re working on, too!

So, check out the sites for these writers, all of whom I’m happy to be friends with: Cynthia Pelayo, Thomas A. Erb, Darren Gallagher, and Dean Harrison.

I'm also supposed to hook you up with links to blogs of a few other writers, all of whom I'll ask to answer THE NEXT BIG THING questions within a week. It's up to them if they do or not, but I want to promote them, either way. So, check out Rebecca Besser, C. Bryan Brown, James R. Tuck, and D.A. Adams.

As for me, my short story collection Back Roads & Frontal Lobes is available now. But one of the big projects I'm working on at the moment is a novel rewrite . . .

What is the working title of your book?

The Disharmony of Frogs and Toads

Where did the idea come from for the book?

A very personal event in my life that put me in a place where I had frequent nightmares about my daughter disappearing. At least the emotional core of it did. The rest of it is fully imagined.

What genre does your book fall under?

Dark fantasy/horror and, to some extent, surrealism.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Little-known actors who’d be considered character actors, maybe. Or someone like Michael Pitt from Boardwalk Empire for Bard—he’d need to be able to pull off some toughness but have psychological and emotional range, too. For his daughter? Maybe that little girl Addy miller, the first zombie in The Walking Dead TV series. (:

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Bard just wants to find his daughter or come to terms with her disappearance, but the Hooligans haunt him and send him on a horrific journey through the surreal world of Disharmony. (I suck at these.)

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Definitely not self-published. Beyond that, we’ll have to see!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The first draft took 1-2 years. But it sucked and was misguided. It had a character in it who did not belong in there at all. I left it in a drawer for 6-7 years and finally got around to a complete rewrite the last few months. It’s 90% different now.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Not sure. Can’t really think of any.  I reckon it’s got that feel of being grounded in realism while also being way out there, like work from Piccirilli (before he moved mostly to crime), or McCammon, or Lansdale, or Kiernan, or Straub, or King does. I’m certainly not comparing myself to them, but it has that tone and structure.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Again, a very personal event. A fear and anxiety that I had some time back.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Frogs, toads, a road trip and bizarre off-the-main-road characters and places. Portals to other places, and a surreal and dangerous city full of temptations. Truck stops, small towns, monsters, a blizzard, and a sinister gang of party freaks who just won’t let up. Plus, you know, sex and violence, and some purdy language and stylistic stuff.

 

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"Die in My Story" Winners

Well, y'all . . . my littlest little-un drew names for the giveaway. If you didn't win something, hey, I still dig you, and you can't fault a little-un. If you do, I reckon I'll kill you anyhow. (;

CURT JARRELL won a free, signed copy of Back Roads & Frontal Lobes. Curt has been an inspiration and a kind, kindred soul.

Five people are destined to die a macabre and/or darkly comical death is my sequel to the FREE short story "There Goes the Neighborhood (Extended Cutting/Holiday Version)." The sequel is called (working title) "Santa's Sweet Slay Ride." It's coming in mid December!

These five (un)fortunate folks are . . .

-Mandy DeGeit, free-spirited, balls-out writer . . .
-Bill Bicknell, awesome teacher, writer, and juror versus the dangerous, duck-billed platypus . . .
-Mindy Wells Hoffbauer, tech-writerly genius and humorist/writer . . .
-Kim Curley, writer and HUGE supporter of writers . . .
-and Sharon B. Browning, reviewer, columnist, and writer.

Keep checking back. These fictional news-worthy deaths are being plotted.

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New Drawing and Prize Giveaway

Another Facebook-only prize giveaway. No purchase necessary, and you don't even have to own my short story collection Back Roads & Frontal Lobes (or pose behind it for a photo)!

ENTRY DEADLINE: the Sunday after Thanksgiving (November 25th), roughly midnight.

PRIZES:

• one person can win a signed/personalized copy of my short story collection Back Roads & Frontal Lobes, along with the next prize
• four (so, five--see above) people can win a gruesome and maybe even darkly comical demise (see what this means below)

YES, I'M OFFERING DEATH. Others have done this before me, I know, but I know folks are gonna die in the story I'm writing soon, a sequel to my tale "There Goes the Neighborhood (Holiday Version/Extended Cutting)," so I'd like to name them properly. Folks who liked this first story have suggested that they'd love a sequel, that there's more story to tell. And I've finally agreed--I've got the story in my head and am ready to write it. If you're one of the five prizewinners, I will, with your permission, name a small character in the next story, tentatively titled "Santa's Sweet Slay Ride," after you. You'll die. And it won't be pretty.

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO BE ENTERED:
It's simple.
(1) Tell your Facebook friends that I have a FREE Thanksgiving/Christmas creepy/horror story called "There Goes the Neighborhood (Holiday Version/Extended Cutting)" on my website;
(2) provide this link for them: http://www.bradyallen.com/p/free-fiction.html;
(3) tell them I'm writing a sequel, which will also be FREE (up before Christmas);
(4) copy/tag me in the post, so I know you've done it--OR send me a private message to let me know it's on your page.

That's it. My four-year-old will draw the winners from a hat again.

Elizabeth Massie Visits Wright State University

The English Department Visiting Writers Series

presents

Author and Activist Elizabeth Massie

November 13 and 14, 2012

(Sponsored by the Creative Writing Programs and Visiting Writers Committee, and co-sponsored by Women's Studies, the Women's Center, the GLBTQA Resource Room, and the College of Education and Human Services)

Two events are open to the public:

·         November 13, 12:30-1:50, in 033 Rike Hall:

a “brown bag” lunch (bring your own!) discussion and activity on charity work and bullying activism

·         November 14, 3:35-5:00, in 286 Millett Hall:

a fiction reading and discussion by Elizabeth Massie. Books will be for sale (cash only), and Elizabeth will be happy to sign them!

Elizabeth Massie's bio: A Waynesboro High School graduate of 1971, Elizabeth Massie attended Ferrum Junior College and Madison College (now James Madison University) and earned a degree in elementary education. She taught in public schools in Augusta County, Virginia, from 1975-1994.

Elizabeth's novella, Stephen, was awarded the Bram Stoker Award and was a World Fantasy Award finalist. She has published numerous novels, including the Bram Stoker-winning Sineater, as well as Welcome Back to the Night, Wire Mesh Mothers, Sundown, and Homegrown. She has also had several short story collections published, including Southern Discomfort, Shadow Dreams, and Naked, On the Edge. Some of her Young Adult fiction work includes the Young Founders series and the Daughters of Liberty trilogy.

In addition to teaching (Elizabeth still does workshops in various places) and writing, she is actively involved in various charities and is a hard-working activist. In January 2011 she launched and continues to manage Hand to Hand Vision — Fundraising and Sharing With Others. This project, based on Facebook, auctions off quality hand-made items and then gives the money directly to those who could use some help during these tough economic times. In the same year she started and maintains Circle of Caring — Standing Up and Speaking Out Against Bullying, also on Facebook. This ongoing project brings attention to the problem of bullying by sharing information and encouraging people to be active in standing up and speaking out against it. Members receive free Circle of Caring bracelets that represent their willingness to come to the aid of those who are bullied.

Learn more about her at www.elizabethmassie.com. 

For more information on the events, contact Brady Allen at brady.allen@wright.edu. 

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13 Days of Halloween Blog Tour 2012

I'm honored to be part of the talented and generous author JoLynne Valerie's 13 Days of Halloween Blog Tour this year. JoLynne is a dynamic person and a passionate writer. To learn more about the blog tour and JoLynne, go here. There's been some great stuff so far--there's a schedule of the previous authors at the end of JoLynne's piece!

After taking a look at my offering, a full-length horror story best suited for a mature (hahaha) audience, please look for the next author on the tour, Jessica Subject, tomorrow, Oct. 30, here.

And now, if you're not too easily scared or shaken, you can read my story "There Goes the Neighborhood (Holiday Version/Extended Cutting," which just may give you a creepy feeling that lasts through Thanksgiving, and Christmas, too.