Passing Time with Ellie Garratt

Passing Time: Nine Short Tales of the Strange and Macabre

Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.

A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil’s Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.

In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop.

A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth finally be set free in The Letter?

Excerpt from Dining in Hell

I sat down and placed my head in my hands. I didn’t think the situation we’d found ourselves in could get any worse, but I was about to be proved wrong for the second time in one day.

“We should leave,” Callie said. She was staring at me and then at the other patrons of the diner. “They scare me.”

She had not touched the drink she’d been given, and I could see why. The glass may have been clear and shiny once, but now it was worn with age and dirt. It was difficult to see what it contained. It might have been the milk Oleg promised, but whatever the drink, a thin layer of mould floated on top, and it smelt putrefied.

“No,” I said, picking up the glass and placing it at the edge of the table. “We’re going to stay and find out what the hell is going on here because unless I’m very much mistaken these people do know what’s going on. What’s more they had something to do with it.”

“Damn Russians,” Hank declared.

“Okay. This place is like the arse end of a donkey, but I don’t see how these people had anything to do with what started on the other side of America,” Logan said. He was trying to reason and or placate me. It wasn’t working.

“If that is true and they don’t know anything about the plague, why did Oleg laugh at Hank’s questions?” I said.

“No disrespect intended, Hank. But perhaps he thinks we’re a little crazy?” Logan said. “I mean, who’d ever seen a zombie until this week? In a movie, yes, but not for real.”

“Okay. Then tell me why a hand-written message advertising the coming apocalypse is on the restroom wall?”

“A message?” asked Hank.

“Yes.” I recited its contents word for word, and then Hank did something none of us expected – he decided to turn heroic.

About Ellie Garratt
A life-long addiction to reading science fiction and horror, meant writing was the logical outlet for Ellie Garratt’s passions. She is a reader, writer, blogger, Trekkie, and would happily die to be an extra in The Walking Dead. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and online. Passing Time is her first eBook collection and contains nine previously published stories. Her science fiction collection Taking Time will be published later in the year.

Author and Book Links:
Website,
Amazon,
Amazon UK,
Facebook,
Goodreads,
Twitter
 

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Dr. Heath Sommer on Horror and Psychological Thrillers

Horror is worse when it has pigtails.

When one comes home and sees a questionably unsanitary male lurking in the hallway--blood-stained knife, twitching snarl, camo pants, tattoo of El Diabolico covering his face--one is going to be scared, energized. Fight or Flight is going to kick in. But that’s just horror. Terror occurs when one comes home and sees a tiny child draped in a cutesy bear outfit, hair descending beyond her pale white face, motionless, unapologetic, and unexplained, standing in the hallway.

Uh, little girl? Why are you staring at that carpet stain, clutching a tattered Teddy Ruxpin?

That is creepy. But why does that fill us with terror? The answer is because we have no label for it, which makes our arousal (see: terror) climb. This is what old experimental psychologists call “two factor theory.” The idea that arousal leads to a feeling that needs a label, and vice versa.

In the tattooed butcher situation, we get anger, fear, action. Either the hero or the victim’s blood is spilled, the problem is resolved, and we go home and forget it instantly. In the innocent-looking girl situation, we get multimillion-dollar blockbusters like The Ring, Firestarter, Watcher in the Woods, and on and on. Why? Because we have no box in which to put a creepy little girl and still feel safe when our spouse goes to sleep and we are left to ascend the dark stairs alone.

Recently I have turned my hand from psychological thrillers and entered into the world of terror. A fan of all kinds of suspense, terror-based suspense, to me, is the freaky sherbet. Though I love writing psychological thrillers and am close to completing my fourth novel in The Manufactured Identity Series, I have also been developing a YA horror novel called, tentatively, Bull Trout Lake.

Juxtaposing the styles of the two has been interesting, and I find myself using a lot of psychology to try to suit the stories to each market. For instance, in our arousal-label thinking, the arousal (e.g., blood pressure, dry mouth, a tingling spine, shallow breathing) is going to be fairly similar regardless of age. What drives the arousal, however, is profoundly different, and theory can assist a good writer in ruining the reader’s perceived comfort for the next several days.

For an adult, terror can sizzle when it is connected to the developmental crisis the adult is experiencing at the time, but because we play different roles in our 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond, that is really, really hard to do. We are just too abstract and cognizant to make many things believable fears. On the other hand, an adolescent, who is still unsure how a metaphysical presence pushing on the floorboards differs from age-related decline in lumber, is perhaps more likely scared when the fear object is simple and personally relevant.

The word here is egocentricity. YA fiction has to be centered on the adolescent. The teen’s life is in danger. Her protectors (whose job it is to potentially die while saving her) are not home. She pulls the sheet up to protect herself, and it doesn’t matter who is coming to get her or why they are there. She is in danger...period!

Good, pervasively frightening adult terror often has to have larger implications. Has to grab you in the darkness of your soul and whisper that you are not strong enough to make it through what you are about to see, hear, smell, and touch. The fear might not be death (anyone raising kids can appreciate the escape that death might bring!) but preserving life. It might be about being big enough and strong enough to help the helpless, to save the vulnerable.

Speaking of fear, I think many writers are afraid of dabbling in this domain because it can be hard to perfect the language of terror. Start with the plot and velocity of the story first, comforting yourself with Salvador Dali’s reminder that we should “have no fear of perfection--we’ll never reach it.” Once you have yourself nice and freaked out, then go back and add the décor of nuance of prose, grammar, and presentation, and you’re ready to scream. Add a five-year-old and Teddy Ruxpin staring back at you vacantly in the hall, and your friends will never invite you to a dinner party again.

About Dr. Heath Sommer:

Author Heath Sommer’s debut novel, The Manufactured Identity, surprised critics with its plot twists and psychologically rich characters in 2009, and books two and three of the suspense series have met with similar acclaim since their publication in early and late 2010. Heath is currently writing book four of the series, crafting a tale of forensic psychology and, of course, murder. He is also drafting his first YA thriller, a forest mystery set to ruin camping for all his children.

A native of Sacramento, California, Heath earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology with an additional degree in the family sciences. He is a regular public speaker, adjunct professor of psychology, and CEO of Seasons of Hope. Currently an Idahoan, he spends his time with a mixture of metropolitan intensity and country living, presiding over a clan of junior novelists who are never fully impressed.

The Manufactured Identity at Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.
Visit Dr. Sommer's website.
Also catch him on Twitter. 

Sunday Surfing

Should You Eliminate "Was" From Your Writing? Why Sometimes "the Rules" are Wrong.

Nags Head, North Carolina at dusk 2012

5 Must Read Blogs for Indie Authors

Rejection pt1: Unpacking Criticism

How to End a Chapter

When to Add a Scene Break 

AuthorsDen.com

PubMatch  (I haven't joined this site.  Anyone have experience here?)

The Quest for Story #3 (I'll probably link to this entire series once it's complete. #3 is on voice.)

4 Soul-Crushing Realities Indie Writers Must Learn to Face

It’s a Trap! Admiral Ackbar’s 6 Indie Author Traps to Avoid  (yeah, that makes two links to Sean.)

Five more awesome days of August remain!  Be sure you stop by and visit these awesome people!  All guests this month are linked under the Inteviews / Guests tab near the top of the page.

Awesome People

Over time, a blog takes on a personality.  That personality is usually an aspect or extension of the blogger's personality.  The personality may not be easily pegged or defined, but it's there none-the-less, just as unique as its author.

And because each blog is unique it offers its readers something no other blog can offer: a glimpse into the heart, mind and soul of its author.  And what I've found is that behind every awesome blog is an even more awesome individual.

So I've set myself on a mission.

I'm huntin' awesome people! 

But some of you awesome people like hiding, being elusive and playing hard to find.  You want me to work, dig, crawl, climb and wedge myself into the various nooks and crannies of cyberspace in order to catch you.

But catch you I will.

I'll catch you because your awesomeness demands that you be caught.  It begs to be paraded for all to see.  And I intend to put it on display next month.

I'm planning an Awesome August by introducing awesome people to other awesome people.  I've already caught some of you, but not all.  And if I don't catch you, it won't be for a lack of my upper middle-aged legs trying.

So, be vewy, vewy quiet.  I'm huntin' awesome people!

To Woo and Shoo

Being sentient humans, we all have views.  Being individuals, the whole of our views are quite likely unique.  Being writers, we can (and should) explore those views.  But being authors, we should carefully weigh the costs of expressing our views outside of our fiction.

I not only expect a politician to spout their beliefs at every opportunity, I want them to do so.  How can I make an informed decision about which candidates best represent my views otherwise?  I want candidates to fully and plainly lay out for me what they believe and why.  I neither need nor want to know the political views of others.

I want to watch athletes run, pass, dribble, swing and score.  I want to hear musicians play.  I want to behold the artistry of dancers.  I want to appreciate the beauty painters and sculptors create.  I want to laugh with comics, cry with actors and be riveted by authors' skill.

Basically, I want to be entertained, not educated or persuaded, by entertainers.  I don't want them to woo me or shoo me.  Society is already replete with experts in religion, science, sociology, politics, philosophy, ethics, environmentalism, human rights, animal rights and pretty much anything else you can imagine. 

It's not necessarily a good thing that I know your views on things like politics, religion or philosophy--even if I agree with them.  Why?  Because if I agree with you then someone else doesn't.  And while I may be able to separate the art from the artist, there are many who can't--or won't!

Remember Sinéad O'Connor ripping that picture of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live?  Did she believe in what she was doing?  Undoubtedly.  Did she pay a heavy price for it?  Definitely.

How about the Dixie Chicks lamenting the fact that then President Bush was from Texas?  Can you say "career killer" in as few words?

What about Jane Fonda?  Till the day he died, my father remembered her only as Hanoi Jane.  And he never watched 9 to 5 because she starred in it.

I have as many viewpoints on as many topics as anyone else.  I'm quite passionate about a few of them too.  And yes, I do express them, but in the right place at the right time and in the right way.  (Or so I hope.)  I don't do it here.  This is a blog about writing, about becoming an author, and about finding success in that pursuit.

What I mean to say is that holding views--even being passionate about those views--is fine.  It's normal.  It's good!  But when your goal is to market and promote your product or yourself to the general public, do your best to separate your views from your brand.

There are already plenty of reasons people won't buy or read what you write.  Why add more to the list?

My name is Jeff.  And I approved this message.

Tell me your thoughts.  Flip side?  Can your brand be too pure?

Interview with Jaq D. Hawkins, Author of The Goblin Series

Jaq is one busy soul with many irons in many fires.  She's published a number of books and dropped by to tell us a little about herself, her books and offer a few words of advice to writers seeking publication.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Jaq D. Hawkins

I've always been a writer. It became a serious life goal in high school, when I was 14. I started learning about the writing business then, but I had a fairly mobile life that has had me living in more than one country so I spent many of my 'practice' years having adventures that would eventually add to my experiences to draw on for my fiction.

When were you first published?
I settled down and started serious writing in the late 1980's. I started with articles for occult magazines as an editor asked me to write something specific, then had my first book ready for publication in 1994. It would be two more years before I found the right publisher for it. After that I churned out several more books including the Spirits of the Elements series which formed much of my early reputation. Then the first goblin novel assaulted me and demanded to be written in 2004, which distracted me from my other writing. I've been writing fiction ever since, with a small hiatus for filmmaking which I blame on the goblins.

You’ve produced a fair number of books over the years.  Do you find yourself gravitating to any particular themes in your books?
Somehow Alchemy has a way of getting into my books as well as film scripts. There are few exceptions, it didn't get into my first Steampunk book, although it may well sneak into the sequel.

At what point in writing a novel do you know that it’s a stand-alone story never to be revisited versus a book that will have sequels?
Within the first two chapters. When I started writing Dance of the Goblins, I had no specific plan. Then I started taking notes for the sequels, and by chapter four I knew it had to become a film. The Wake of the Dragon (Steampunk) demanded just one sequel. The Chase For Choronzon which is an unfinished Fantasy book will be stand alone. Technically all my books are stand alone as each provides a full story that can be read individually, but the sequels start their stories at some time after previous books in the series and use some of the same characters.

What do you find is your primary motivation for writing?  Is it different than your motivation for publishing? 
As I said, I've always been a writer. I started my first autobiography on notepaper with a pencil when I was six. It's just part of who I am. Publishing is a two-fold motivation. I like to share my stories, and I would like to make at least a meagre living from it so that I don't have to interrupt my writing time with a day job.

When writing a novel, what comes easiest to you and what is the most difficult?
Until recently, fight scenes were a bit of a struggle. I seem to have cracked that with the battle in Demoniac Dance (first sequel to Dance of the Goblins). The rest is fairly easy. I sit down to write in the morning and the next part of the story just comes.

How long, on average, does it take for you to go from idea to completed manuscript and what is the process like for you?
It varies. Dance of the Goblins took me over and I kept adding to it every morning before work and every afternoon when I got home for four months, then it was done. Wake of the Dragon was similar although it fit into the once a day writing slot I've established. Demoniac Dance and Chase For Choronzon were both about six chapters in when something else required my attention, then I went back to finish them. I would say four to six months active writing time goes into each book.

What is the highest praise you could hear from one of your readers?
Simply that they enjoyed it enough to want more. I love going back to my goblin world. Like Count Anton, I'd love to be able to stay there, but we cannot. 

Is there a book you’d love to write, but know you never will?
Not really, I take notes when ideas occur and keep writing, even if filmmaking slows the process.

What’s next on your plate?
Having just finished Demoniac Dance, I'll be putting some serious time into film editing which is needed but I will be slowly working on a book of short stories related to the Goblin Series which I can use for freebies and introducing new readers to that world. I will also make slow progress of The Chase for Choronzon for a while as the third goblin book nags at me. Eventually it will win.

Can we expect anything more from you this year or next?
Demoniac Dance will be available in April, the publisher is only waiting for the cover art now. Wake of the Dragon should also be out within the next couple of months. Meat for the Storytelling, a book of short stories related to the Goblin Series will be finished and released by August and The Chase For Choronzon should be out by the end of the year. Power of the Dance and the sequel to Wake of the Dragon are still in early stages, but I would certainly expect them to be finished and released by sometime in 2013.

Who has had the biggest influence on your writing?
The two authors most responsible for my need to have a Fantasy world of my own are Marion Zimmer Bradley because of her Darkover books and Roger Zelazny, author of the Amber series. Anne McCaffrey added to that with her Dragonriders books.

Can you reveal a "secret" about yourself that almost no one else knows?
I'm a Scorpio, I don't give away my secrets any more than the goblins do. ;)

Favorites:

• Color: Deep wine red
• Number: 11
• Season: Autumn
• Food and/or beverage: Mexican!
• Song: I have broad musical tastes, but I'll choose "Airship Pirates" by Abney Park as that inspired my Steampunk novel.
• Movie: Yellow Submarine
• Book: Besides my own? ;) David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Do you have any recommendations or advice for writers who aspire to be published?
Study the business side of writing and develop a thick skin. Most of all though, make sure you've got a perfect manuscript format and edit out all those typos and other anomalies. Get someone else to read specifically for them. If you're lazy, get another job, this isn't an easy ride.

Where can we find your books?
The easy way is to go to my own website but current outlet links are:
Smashwords
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
Hard copy


For my Mind, Body Spirit books:
Chaos Magic Series
Spirits of the Elements Series

There will be some new links soon as Paganarchy Press is about to re-issue Dance of the Goblins and will release Demoniac Dance in both hard copy and electronic formats, but the Smashwords link above will lead to the E-books and any other information will appear on my website.

How can we follow you?
Author Website
My Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Thank-you Jaq for stopping by and chatting!