Where Nightmares Come From - The Art of Storytelling in the Horror Genre, edited by Joe Mynhardt and Eugene Johnson

Release date: November 17, 2017

Subgenre: Non-fiction anthology, Writing advice

About Where Nightmares Come From - The Art of Storytelling in the Horror Genre: 

WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM

THE ART OF STORYTELLING IN THE HORROR GENRE

Book one in Crystal Lake Publishing’s The Dream Weaver series, Where Nightmares Come From focuses on the art of storytelling in the Horror genre, taking an idea from conception to reality—whether you prefer short stories, novels, films, or comics.

Featuring in-depth articles and interviews by Joe R. Lansdale (Hap & Leonard series), Clive Barker (Books of Blood), John Connolly (Charlie Parker series), Ramsey Campbell, Stephen King (IT), Christopher Golden (Ararat), Charlaine Harris (Midnight, Texas), Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger series), Kevin J. Anderson (Tales of Dune), Craig Engler (Z Nation), and many more.

The full non-fiction anthology lineup includes:

• Introduction by William F. Nolan
• IT’S THE STORY TELLER by Joe R. Lansdale
• A-Z OF HORROR of Clive Barker
• WHY HORROR? by Mark Alan Miller
• PIXELATED SHADOWS by Michael Paul Gonzalez
• LIKE CURSES by Ray Garton
• HOW TO GET YOUR SCARE ON by S.G. Browne
• STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES by Richard Thomas
• HORROR IS A STATE OF MIND by Tim Waggoner
• BRINGING AN IDEA TO LIFE by Mercedes M. Yardley
• THE PROCESS OF A TALE by Ramsey Campbell
• GREAT HORROR IS SOMETHING ALIEN by Michael Bailey
• A HORRIFICALLY HAPPY MEDIUM by Taylor Grant
• INTERVIEW WITH JOHN CONNOLLY by Marie O’Regan
• THE STORY OF A STORY by Mort Castle
• WRITING ROUNDTABLE INTERVIEW with Christopher Golden, Kevin J. Anderson, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• HOW I SPENT MY CHILDHOOD LOOKING FOR MONSTERS AND FOUND POETRY INSTEAD by Stephanie M. Wytovich
• BITS AND PIECES INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN MABERRY by Eugene Johnson
• THE REEL CREEPS by Lisa Morton
• THE MONSTER SQUAD by Jess Landry
• WHAT SCARES YOU by Marv Wolfman
• PLAYING IN SOMEONE ELSE’S HAUNTED HOUSE by Elizabeth Massie
• CREATING MAGIC FROM A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER: Del Howison interviews Tom Holland, Amber Benson, Fred Dekker, and Kevin Tenney
• Z NATION: HOW SYFY’S HIT SHOW CAME TO LIFE by Craig Engler
• LIFE IMITATING ART IMITATING LIFE: FILM AND ITS INFLUENCE ON REALITY by Jason V Brock
• WHERE NIGHTMARES COME FROM by Paul Moore
• STEPHEN KING AND RICHARD CHIZMAR DISCUSS COLLABORATING by Bev Vincent
• CHARLAINE HARRIS DISCUSSES STORYTELLING by Eugene Johnson
• WHAT NOW? by John Palisano

This collection is perfect for…

• writers of all genres
• authors looking for motivation and/or inspiration
• authors seeking guidance
• struggling authors searching for career advice
• authors interested in improving their craft
• writers interested in comics
• authors looking into screenwriting and films
• horror fans in general
• those looking to better understand the different story formats
• authors planning on infiltrating a different field in horror writing
• artists trying to establish a name brand
• authors looking to get published

Come listen to the legends…

Cover design by Luke Spooner. Edited by Joe Mynhardt & Eugene Johnson.

Brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

 

Excerpt:

 

INTRODUCTION

The Spooky Arts

William F. Nolan

Dip into any section of this book and you will learn something.

High praise, but a true statement. There are many pieces one can delve into along the way, as this is not simply another “how-to” effort; the contents within range from inspiration and molding concepts, to the way revision impacts the final draft, to the reasons stories are changed for other media. While not an instruction manual per se, this volume does instruct; all one must do is be receptive to different ideas and points-of-view. In fact, any one of these essays or interviews will do the job: teach you how to create or adapt works professionally for print or multimedia, taking you inside the scary business of fashioning memorable tales, with an emphasis on stories of shock and terror. Your guides include, to name just a few of the 30-plus stellar talents in this comprehensive volume, the capable insights of Kevin J. Anderson (as part of a roundtable discussion), Elizabeth Massie (“Playing in Someone Else’s Haunted House”), Tim Waggoner (“Horror is a State of Mind”), and Mort Castle (“The Story of a Story”). Here, in these pages, you are made privy to the expert advice that only seasoned veterans can provide.

Open your mind to what they have to tell you as I lay out some of my personal favorites of the treats in store…

None other than the King himself—Stephen King, interviewed along with noted publisher/editor/writer Richard Chizmar—discusses the always tricky tight-rope act of collaboration. Having personally collaborated with George Clayton Johnson, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Jason V Brock, Charles Beaumont, and Ray Russell, I found the King/Chizmar exchange particularly fascinating.

The redoubtable Joe R. Lansdale talks about dreaming your way through a story in “It’s the Storyteller.” As he points out, it is the dreamer, not the dream, who captures the reader. When Joe is telling you a story you know you’re in Lansdale country. That brash Texas voice is always there, always compelling, often funny (Joe has a great sense of humor). Pure folk art.

And Ramsey Campbell’s on board! The always commanding literary lion of Liverpool weighs in with “The Process of a Tale” to offer you a guided tour through one of his moody pieces. From first sentence to last, he takes the reader through several drafts, giving us an inside look at the mechanics of a Campbell story. Here is a man who is at the keys each morning by six a.m., seven days a week. He loves to write, and it shows: A master sharing the secrets of his mastery. Pay attention!

 

Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook

 

About Joe Mynhardt:

Joe Mynhardt is a two-time Bram Stoker Award nominated South African publisher, non-fiction (and short story) editor, and online-business mentor.

Joe is the owner and CEO of Crystal Lake Publishing, which he founded in August, 2012. Since then he’s published and edited short stories, novellas, interviews and essays by the likes of Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, Jonathan Maberry, Graham Masterton, Adam Nevill, Lisa Morton, Elizabeth Massie, Joe McKinney, Joe R. Lansdale, Edward Lee, Paul Tremblay, Wes Craven, John Carpenter, George A. Romero, Mick Garris, and hundreds more.

Just like Crystal Lake Publishing, which strives to be a platform for launching author careers, Joe believes in reaching out to all authors, new and experienced, and being a beacon of friendship and guidance in the Dark Fiction field.

Joe’s influences stretch from Poe, Doyle, and Lovecraft to King, Connolly, and Gaiman. You can read more about Joe and Crystal Lake Publishing at www.crystallakepub.com or find him on Facebook.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for November 17, 2017

It's time again for our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Trek Discovery, Thor: Ragnarok, Inhumans, Justice League, The Punisher, The Orville, Oathbringer, Artemis, sexual harrassment in the entertainment industry, black speculative fiction, a controversy surrounding Windycon as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding campaigns, science articles and free online fiction. 

Speculative fiction in general:

• Jatan Mehta attempts to answer the question why we need science fiction. 
• Jenn Northington talks about parenthood in science fiction and fantasy.
• Tobias Carroll shares five books exploring questions of memory and identity.  
• Jeff Somers shares ten science fiction novels for math geeks. 
• The Tor.com staff share their favourite scientists, inventors and mathematicians in science fiction and fantasy.
• Emily Martin shares nine novels for superhero fans.
• Aliza Polkes shares ten books for fans of The X-Files.
• Andy Weir shares his six favourite science fiction novels. 
• Andy Weir also talks about how he created the lunar city where his latest novel Artemis is set. 
• Adrian Tchaikovsky talks about creating the future world where his latest novel Ironclads is set. 
• Sarah Tolf chronicles Kurt Vonnegut's love-hate relationship with science fiction.
• B.J. Hollars shares their appreciation for Ray Bradbury and his works.
• Kim Huett poders the pseudonym of science fiction author Paul Linebarger a.k.a. Cordwainer Smith.
• Doris V. Sutherland revisits Armageddon 2419 A.D. and Airlords of the Han, the first two Buck Rogers novels by Philip Francis Nowlan, first published in 1928/29.
• Liz Ziemska shares her appreciation for the 1988 novel The Eight by Katherine Neville. 
• Shana DuBois shares her appreciation for Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle.
• Matthew Keeley shares his appreciation for the works of Gene Wolfe.
• Kate Whitehead profiles Ken Liu.
• James Davis Nicoll talks about deliberate choosing to read more science fiction and fantasy by women writers.
• Anna Maria Tremonti explains how black and indigenous artists are using science fiction to imagine a better future.
• Ashley Nkadi shares a guide to science fiction and fantasy written by black people for black people.
• Balogun Oyetade talks about portal fantasy in black speculative fiction. 
• S.A. Chakraborty shares five books that take you on a trip to the medieval Middle East and that are not One Thousand and One Nights.
• Richard Littauer discusses imagined botany in fantasy.
• Doctor Science explains why she requires maps in fantasy novels. 
• Fonda Lee talks about epic fantasy that goes beyond medieval European settings.  
• Janet Webb takes a look at the futuristic technology in J.D. Robb's In Death series and wonder how close it is to reality.
• Eleanor Bley Griffith and Dr. Iean Pearson discuss whether the technical and scientific innovations seen in science fiction shows like Westworld and Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams are possible. 
• Yorgo Lee talks about artificial intelligence in science fiction movies. 
• S.J. Kincaid talks about the portrayel of religion in science fiction television.
• Oren Ashkenazi shares five SFF franchises that violate their own conceits.
• Ben Child wonders whether the failure of Blade Runner 2049 at the box office has killed off the smart science fiction blockbuster. 
• Cynthia Littleton reports that Disney has announced a new Star Wars trilogy helmed by Rian Johnson as well as a live action TV series set in the Star Wars universe.
• Damien Walter wonders whether Disney will remake the lackluster Star Wars prequels.
• Leah Schnelbach revisits Steven Spielberg's 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind for its fortieth anniversary.
• Michael Livingston revisits the 1985 movie Ladyhawke with a particular eye for historical accuracy.
• Natalie Wilson explain what zombie movies say about resisting racism. 
• Margaret Atwood remembers her career as a cartoonist in the 1970s.
• Adi Robertson reports that the legendary science fiction magazine Omni is officially available in print form again.
• Huw Fullerton chronicles all the changes made to the TARDIS for the upcoming season of Doctor Who.
• Bookseller and longtime fan Lou Donato died aged 77.
• Woody Bernardi remembers Lou Donato.
  

Comments on Star Trek Discovery (and The Orville):

• Graeme Virtue asks if Star Trek Discovery has been a voyage worth taking following the mid season finale.
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw declares that Star Trek Discovery gave the viewers a perfect cliffhanger for the mid season finale.
• Katharine Trendacosta calls episode 9 of Star Trek Discovery a great climax to a show we never got.
• Bridget McKinney also declares that episode 9 of Star Trek Discovery was a strong finale for a totally different show than the one we have been watching.
• Emily Asher-Perrin praises how episode 9 of Star Trek Discovery handled the issue of male survivors of sexual assault. 
• Laura Hudson also praises how Star Trek Discovery handles the issue of male survivors of sexual assault.
• Zack Handlen shares his thoughts on episode 9 of Star Trek Discovery.
• Keith De Candido shares his thoughts about episode 9 of Star Trek Discovery. 
• Angel Wilson shares her thoughts on episode 9 of Star Trek Discovery.
• Camestros Felapton shares their thoughts on episode 9 of Star Trek Discovery. 
• Camestros Felapton also attempts to analyse what went wrong with Star Trek Discovery.
• Beth Elderkin wonders about a potential plot hole in the latest episode of Star Trek Discovery. 
• Bridget McKinney calls episode 8 of Star Trek Discovery a bunch of nonsense.
• Ethan Siegler shares his thoughts on episode 8 of Star Trek Discovery.  
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on episode 8 of Star Trek Discovery and suggest some tweaks to the narrative that might have made for a better show. 
• Thomas Ling discusses the philosophical questions Star Trek has tackled over time.
• Meanwhile, Alasdair Stuart praises the other Star Trek inspired show currently on television, The Orville.
  
 

Comments on Thor Ragnarok:

• Shaun Duke calls Thor Ragnarok the amazing Technicolor Marvel universe.  
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw explains why Thor Ragnarok is more political than it seems on the surface. 
• Talynn Kel wonders whether Thor Ragnarok is a subversive takedown of white supremacy. 
• Briana L. Urena-Ravelo views Thor Ragnarok through a postcolonial lens.
• James Whitbrook declares that the fact that a scene confirming Valkyrie's bisexuality was cut from Thor Ragnarok shows that superhero movies still have a long way to go with regards to LGBT representation.
• Nicole Sobon reports that the first Thor film was Marvel's biggest challenge to date according to director Kenneth Branagh and producer Kevin Feige.
  

Comments on Inhumans:

• Justin Carter declares that the much maligned Marvel superhero show Inhumans was actually better than it got credit for.
• Renaldo Matadeen declares that Inhumans' biggest failure was that it lacked a true sense of family.
• James Whitbrook shares everything that happened in Inhumans for those whose stopped watching early.
• Anthony Cuoto reports that Inhumans' rating were so low that they even affected the popular program 20/20, which aired directly afterwards.
  

Comments on Justice League:

• Germain Lussier claims that Justice League is not great, but sets up things to come. 
• Manohla Dargis points out that Justice League is at least better than Batman versus Superman: Dawn of Justice.
• Chris Nashawaty points out that Justice League is not nearly as good as Wonder Woman either.
• Owen Gleiberman calls Justice League an act of franchise penance. 
• Eric Kohn calls Justice League an Avengers wannabe.
• Pete Hammond declares that Justice League proves that more superheroes does not necessarily mean a better film.
• Katie Walsh declares that the protagonists of Justice League are not so much superheroes but superzeroes.
• Peter Bradshaw calls Justice League boring and dull.
• Todd McCarthy calls Justice League a chore to sit through.
• Alyssa Rosenberg declares that everybody involved in Justice League and everybody who watches it deserves better. 
• Scott Meslow declares that Justice League's greatest sin is that it wastes its actors. 
• Justin Carter declares that Justice League needs to prove that Cyborg is an A-list hero.
• Jacob Hill wonders how much of Justice League is Joss Whedon's work. 
• An in-depth look at the cinematography of Justice League.
• Tom Bondurant explains the significance of the red sky in parts of Justice League. 
• Beth Elderkin reports how difficult filming Justice League while pregnant was for actress Gal Gadot, who plays Wonder Woman.
• Ashley Boucher reports about a controversy surrounding the costume design for the Amazons in Justice League compared to Wonder Woman.
  

Comments on The Punisher:

• David Betancourt declares that The Punisher finally gets the character right.
• Kevin Melrose declares that The Punisher is not about violence, but about loss.
• Darren Franish calls The Punisher sensitive, thoughtful and boring.
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw calls The Punisher dull and politically flawed.
• Liz Shannon Miller declares that The Punisher fails to find a spark.
• Nick Venable calls The Punisher Marvel's best TV show yet. 
• Merrill Barr agrees that The Punisher is Marvel's best show yet. 
• Alan Sepinwall calls The Punisher the wrong show at the wrong time.
• Sonia Saraiya declares that Jon Bernthal is perfectly cast as Frank Castle a.k.a. The Punisher.
• Chris Cabin praises the performance of Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle a.k.a. The Punisher.
  

Discussions of sexual harrassment in the entertainment industry:

• Actress Ellen Page reports how director Brett Ratner subjected her to verbal homophobic abuse on the set of X-Men: The Last Stand, when Page was 18 years old, and also discusses other instances of sexual harrassment she endured.
• Actress Anna Paquin corroborates Ellen Page's statement that she was harrassed by Brett Ratner. 
• Whitney Kimball reports that Gal Gadot has refused to play Wonder Woman again unless Warner Brothers cuts ties with director Brett Ratner. 
• Laura Bradley reports that Brett Ratner has been removed from the Wonder Woman sequel.
• Model and actor Scott R. Brunton has accused George Takei of sexual harrassment.
• George Takei denies the allegations of Scott R. Brunton.
• Andrew Kreisberg, producer and showrunner of the DC superhero shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl, has been suspended over allegations of sexual harrassment. 
• Actresses Melissa Benoist from Supergirl and Emily Bett Rickards from Arrow respond to the allegations against Andrew Kreisberg.
• Actor Stephen Amell from Arrow responds to the allegations against Andrew Kreisberg.  
• Actor Grant Gustin from The Flash responds to the allegations against Andrew Kreisberg.
• Whitney Kimball reports that actress Allison Mack, best known for her role in Smallville, has been recruiting members for the slave sex cult DOS. 
• Jessica Testa, Tyler Kingkade and Jay Edidin report about sexual harrassment allegations against DC Comics editor Eddie Berganza. 
• Jessica Testa and Tyler Kingkade report that DC Comics has fired Eddie Berganza.
• The Bookseller reports that sexual harrassment is widespread in the publishing industry.

 Awards:

• The winners of the 2017 Nommo Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2017 Prix de l'Uchronie have been announced.
• The final round nominees of the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards have been announced. 
• Nominations are open for the 2017 Nebula Awards.
• Nominations are open for the 2018 Dragon Awards.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Srinivas Rao explains why you should always carry a notebook. 
• Wendy Van Camp shares three steps of intuitive writing. 
• David Safford shares three reasons why you shouldn't quite NaNoWriMo. 
• Louise Foerster shares some tips for growing a story. 
• Louise Foerster also advises writers to write the end before the beginning.
• Bre Miche talks about writing in deep POV. 
• Django Wexler explains why killing your protagonists is overrated.
• Emily Littlejohn explains how to use the weather to enhance your setting. 
• Chris Winkle shares some tips for streamlining your story.
• Fonda Lee explains that there is more to worldbuilding than creating magic systems.
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch reminds writers that no one reads the book they think they have written.
• Chris Lough and Leah Schnelbach remind writers that there is life and publication after 30 and that many extremely well known writers started in their 30s, 40s or even 50s.
  

Interviews:

• Lisa O'Kelly interviews Philip Pullman. 
• Katharine Trendacosta interviews Tamora Pierce.
• Liz Bourke interviews Vivian Shaw.
• Andrea Johnson interviews S.B. Divya. 
• Lady Business interviews S.A. Chakraborty.
• Alex Puncekar interviews Ashok K. Banker. 
• Julia Rios and Paul Weimer interview Ken Liu.
• Aidan Moher interviews Brandon Sanderson.
• Scott Simon interviews Andy Weir. 
• The Qwillery interviews Tracy Townsend. 
• Marion Deeds also interviews Tracy Townsend.
• Farid Ul-Haq interviews Louise S. Thomas.
• Robert Siegel interviews Henry Gates Jr. and Maria Tatar.
  

Reviews:

• Liz Bourke reviews Valiant Dust by Richard Baker. 
• Liz Bourke also reviews Beyond the Empire by K.B. Wagers.
• Sam Reader reviews Dark Deeds by Mike Brooks. 
• Deborah Kehoe reviews Rituals by Kelley Armstrong. 
• Natalie Zutter reviews The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera.
• Liz Bourke also reviews An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard.
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Jade City by Fonda Lee.  
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty.
• Mahvesh Murad also reviews The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty. 
• Corrina Lawson reviews the anthology New York Fantastic, edited by Paula Guran. 
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews Akata Warrior by Nnedi Okorafor. 
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant.
• Meghan Harker reviews The Eterna Solution by Leanna Renee Hieber. 
• Matt Mitrovich reviews All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai.
• Mark Yon reviews Artemis by Andy Weir. 
• Niall Alexander reviews Artemis by Andy Weir.
• Ardi Alspach reviews Artemis by Andy Weir. 
• For Winter Nights reviews Artemis by Andy Weir.
• Liz Jensen reviews America City by Chris Beckett.
• Sam Reader reviews The Red Man by Matthew de Abaitua.
• David Cranmer reviews The Savage by Frank Bill.
• Aidan Moher reviews Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson.  
• Martin Cahill reviews Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson. 
• Alice Arneson reviews Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson.
• Tara Lynne reviews The Seventh Decimate by Stephen R. Donaldson.
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Twilight Pariah by Jeffrey Ford.
• Bill Capossere reviews Deadhouse Landing by Ian C. Esslemont.  
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Extinction War by Nicholas Sansbury Smith.
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews Overneath by Peter S. Beagle. 
• Michael Carlisle reviews Mandelbrot the Magnificent by Liz Ziemska. 
• Smart Bitches, Trashy Books reviews Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo. 

Crowdfunding:

• Marc and Elaine Zircee, screenwriters for many science fiction and fantasy TV shows, is looking for funding for his new series Space Command Redemption.
• Scintillation, a new science fiction convention in Montreal, Canada, is looking for funding.
  

Con reports:

• Chris Barkley reports about a controversy caused by an unfortunately worded panel title at Windycon in Lombard, Illinois.
• Mari Brighe shares a statement about the Windycon controversy.
• Jim C. Hines weighs in on the Windycon controversy.
• Daniel Gunderson, chairperson of Windycon, apologises for the unfortunate panel title.
• David Doering reports about the launch party for Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson in Provo, Utah.
• Mark Swed reports about a performance of the opera War of the Worlds by Annie Gosfield, based on the eponymous radio play by Orson Welles based on the novel by H.G. Wells, in Los Angeles, California.
• The Geekiary shares the best cosplay photos from Dragon Con in Atlanta, Georgia.
• James Bacon reports about an exhibition of comic art by Bryan Talbot in London, UK.
  

Science and technology:

• Brandon Weigel talks about terraforming Mars. 
• Loren Grush reports that a potentially habitable Earth-sized planet has been detected in orbit around Proxima Centauri.
• Ross Andersen wonders what will happen if China makes first contact. 
• Paul Rincon reports about a "zombie" star that went supernova and survived.
• Jatan Mehta asks if galactic empires are possible.
• Benjamin Breen wonders what 17th century food tastes like.
  

Free online fiction:

• "An Unexpected Boon" by S.B. Divya in Apex Magazine. 
• "Sunwake, in the Lands of Teeth" by Juliette Wade in Clarkesworld. 
• "A Wound Like an Unplowed Field" by Max Wynne in Lightspeed.
• "The Old Bird" by J.M. Williams at Akashic Books. 
• "Alice and Bob" by Philip Raines and Harvey Wells in Lightspeed.
• "Setting the Record Straight" by Susan Cornford at Akashic Books.
  

Odds and ends: 

• Watch a trailer for The Last Jedi.
• Watch a trailer for The Shape of Water.
• Watch a teaser for Deadpool 2.
• Watch a  trailer for season 5 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Watch another trailer for season 5 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Watch a trailer for Rampage.
• Watch a trailer for The Crimes of Grindelwald. 
• Watch a trailer for Coco.
• Watch a little boy befriend a monster in a cute Christmas commercial for the British department store chain John Lewis.
  

The Flying Glass (Fanglewick School of Magic, Book 1) by E.M. Cooper

Release date:  November 16, 2017

Subgenre: Middle Grade Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy

About The Flying Glass: 

 

Marnie Speck arrives at her new foster home in Downfell, Northern England with her crusty social worker, Miss Baxter. Marnie guards a rose-covered case with hidden secrets and the only link to her past and future. A telescope, old glass and a strange librarian unleash the potential of a new and extraordinary life far away at the Fanglewick School of Magic in the Old World. But first Marnie must find a way to cross the demonic halo like aspiring young wizards, witches and elves have for centuries.

In a strange but beautiful landscape inhabited by haughty wizards, ratbag witches and ambitious elves, Marnie fights for a place in Fanglewick, where magic begins and ends. The school sits on the repository of magic and flows through Shining Lake and beyond to the multiverse. Over time, Fanglewick has lured heroes, kings, queens and dark beasts. Wizards, goblins and their dragon-riding armies have waged terrible wars to possess and control its treasure. For now there is peace, yet there are rumblings in the Imporium where scheming wizards and elves work in the magical government and a new presence is lurking in the forests and grounds of Fanglewick.

Excerpt:

 

The cloud room

Marnie Speck looked towards the heavens for a sign but saw instead through a flurry of snowflakes, the eagle beak and whiskery chin of her social worker, Miss Irma Baxter. She urged Marnie to hurry as they strode along the greasy city streets of Downfell against the tide of weary workers rushing home in the wintry gloom. Traffic fumes and city grime left the air thick and heavy, filling Marnie’s lungs. She studied the passing faces, checking compulsively as she always did, but a flicker of light, luminescent and purple, over the buildings to her right distracted her. The strange light fingered over rooftops. Pulsating clouds parted for a few moments while the full moon bulged from the night sky.

‘What was that? Did you see the flash?’

‘Stop your chattering.’ Miss Baxter hugged her coat to her chest. ‘Hurry up.’

‘But the purple light ... didn’t you see it?’

Miss Baxter’s lips drew taut over her dull teeth. ‘In my day, we never contradicted our elders.’

Marnie knew Miss Baxter was thinking of supper and her warm bed and nothing would dissuade her from her mission. She could barely keep up with her stout guardian as she marched with determination, her heels clicking like frenzied chisels on the pavement, grinding the snow to slush.

Monitoring the oncoming walkers, Marnie was astounded to see how strange some of them seemed. Most were ordinary Downfellians, weary and bent, vacant eyes glued to their feet, urged on by the promise of families, dinner and sleep. Amongst the tide, Marnie spotted the odd: a smiling woman with silver eyes, the weird boy with sharp teeth and dreadlocks and the old man in a grey cloak who chuckled at the evening sky. Marnie didn’t miss the scurry of white cats fleeing over the rooftops or the shimmer of iridescent blue butterflies skimming over the snow. Downfell was magnificent and thrilled her to the tips of her frozen fingers and toes.

When they reached the door of number three Hirst Street, Marnie’s anticipation grew at the sight of warmly lit windows and sound of human laughter inside the mansion. Miss Baxter climbed to the top step and adjusted her sensible tweed coat before knocking impatiently. Marnie shivered as the snow swirled around her skinny ankles and up her flimsy dress. Slipping on the step, she fell forwards. To avoid smashing her nose, she clutched at the prickly legs of Miss Baxter, who recoiled, unaccustomed to human contact let alone the simple touch of a young girl.

‘Pull yourself together,’ Miss Baxter said. ‘No one likes a needy child.’

Marnie ducked her head and withdrew her hands. When the door finally opened, she smiled at the rush of warmth and waft of cinnamon.

‘Good evening, Mrs Arnold. I have another girl,’ said Miss Baxter using her nice voice.

Amazon

About E.M. Cooper:

E.M. Cooper is an Australian author who enjoys writing fantasy for readers from middle grade and up.  She has written the five book fantasy series, Xavier and a paranormal fantasy series for older readers under another pen name.

Website | Twitter

 

Aspiria Rising by Douglas Barton

Release date: November 15, 2017

Subgenre: Dystopian thriller 

About Aspiria Rising: 

 

Persecuted and Forced to Rebel against the Meritocracy

Like most people on his world, Dominy worships the ground scientists walk on. He can't wait to work with the brightest minds in the galaxy at Aspiria, the intellectual capital of civilization. Unfortunately, many of them are disappearing.

Desperate to solve the mystery, Dominy recruits a band of fellow academic trainees. Together they set out on a manic journey through deserted basements, forgotten particle accelerators, and jam-packed futuristic stadiums.

When they uncover a shocking conspiracy, Dominy realizes he may hold the key to keeping civilization alive. With time ticking away, he confronts the capital's leadership only to discover a madman is involved in an unimaginable galactic plot.

Aspiria Rising is a utopian sci-fi thriller for the ages. If you like mystery, heart-pounding suspense, and a touch of quirky romance, then you'll love Douglas Barton's debut novel.

Excerpt:

 

Dominy stood at the edge of the crowd in Sector Four, desperate to compete, desperate to start his new life at Aspiria.

Two moons, the color of polished copper, loomed above the academy's skyline. Like eyes, the orbs seemed to stare at him, measuring him up, assessing his intelligence. He turned around. The planet's fierce sun rested at the horizon. Later it would strike its vengeance. But not now.

It was a perfect morning.

He pushed through the throng of white-robed students and headed for a violet awning, the venue for his first-ever match. Dominy was the rare outsider selected to attend the academy, and he felt special, invincible. But he knew that wasn't true, not at Aspiria. His mother's words rang in his ears: Always exude confidence, regardless of your true feelings. Dominy wasn't so sure. He hadn't mastered that skill.

No time like the present. He stared straight ahead, laser-focused on the task at hand, and strutted along the quadrangle's cushioned surface. Walk tall. Walk tall. Walk tall.

"Hey, Dominy."

He turned to the familiar voice. Nalton. The frail student with a twisted spine was Dominy's assigned escort at Aspiria on this new world, the planet P1.

"Hey, race you to the arena?" Nalton sported a greatest-day-ever grin. The boy couldn't run but instead hobbled on thin legs like an injured bird.

Dominy returned the smile. He raised his fist toward the cobalt sky in salute to his new friend. "Absolutely."

He led Nalton through the crowd and they made their way atop a ten-meter-square competition platform awaiting Dominy's match. Nalton tapped the silver-rimmed stage with his sandal toe. "You ready?"

Dominy inhaled a whiff of ammonia. Nasty. Most likely, it had been used to swab away the sweat after the last match. Maybe he'd use that chemical smell as a trigger to focus during his match. "Sure." I am aren't I?

He pulled his processing notepad from his pocket and retrieved the dataset on his teammate, Shalene. For this match, he was only an assistant—a so-called handler—to Shalene. But he had to be at the top of his game anyway. She could call on him at any time. He glanced back at the leering moons. Assistant or not, leadership would measure his individual performance. For the rest of his life. His notepad flashed. Shalene's test scores and competition data scrolled up. Those mind-warping statistics! He hadn't even met the top-performing genius and he already idolized her.

The sun hung above the horizon, its rays coloring the academy's science laboratories a beautiful magenta. He closed his eyes and pictured himself working with Shalene, as partners, solving the galaxy's greatest problems.

Nalton tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, you sure you're okay, you look like you're dreaming."

At the north end of the arena, two young men approached the platform. "That's him! That's Vernan! He's the one!" Waves of cheers from the spectators greeted Vernan as he and his handler stepped up to the platform.

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About Douglas Barton:

Douglas Barton lives in Northern California where he writes science fiction to escape the mundane business world and express his vision of story worlds. He's married and has two half-human half-aliens (teenage boys). 

 

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