Tag Archives: monster

Book Launch Success )O(

Greetings darklings:

Today I want to post about my book launch. So grab a cup of coffee or tea and let’s dive right in!

I rehearsed the section I wanted to read aloud over and over. I found a video on YouTube that helped me to do a much better reading. The effort paid off. The weather was great. I do believe the gods wanted me to have the book launch because the temperature was so warm it felt like spring. 

I wore my spider web lace dress with my black overdress, my spider web lace shawl and black lace gloves. I wore a pair of black boots, leggings and lots of jewelry, including a spider choker. I polished the spider choker the day before. I did my makeup really nice. I felt great. I arrived at the cafe with my man and my Mom. We found a table to sit at and enjoyed a coffee. I was so nervous. The cafe bustled with people. 

Eventually the music was turned off. I arranged the copies of my book on the table. I also set up two spider figurines with the books. The owner of the cafe introduced me and gave the audience my bio. Then it was time for me to do the reading. Yes I totally broke out in a sweat and my face was several shades of fire engine red. But to my own shock, I did it! I even enjoyed it. 

The audience was so quiet. That made me more nervous. I threw myself into it. It was over before I knew it. Then it was time for the question and answer period followed by the book signing. I answered their questions and signed books. I had hoped that more friends would show up for the launch. However my friends did come which made the night amazing. I felt so good answering their questions and signing the book copies for them. I felt like all that hard work paid off. If I got to this point, dear readers, then you can too. I wish I could have signed and sold more copies but that does not have to be the last launch for this book I do. I signed the six copies ahead of time that we left at Trident. I hope those sell too. 

After that, I packed up my spiders and my spidery books. We all chatted with each other for a while and then left. I was treated to a nice dinner. I was so tired afterwards. A rushing train would not have woken me. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was so tired that I even got emotional. 

That’s because……

I am so grateful for all the support I received from my online friends and my local friends, from everyone. The amount of support that I was shown has blown my mind. I could not have done it without that support. I never suspected and I do believe that I shall let them know how much I appreciate it. Wow. Thank you to everyone. 

We dropped my Mom off at home. Then it was time for home and a more casual outfit. I barely even remember falling asleep. I was so tired after all the anticipation. 

The book launch was a smashing success. I am blown away by all the kind support I received. I hope to host another book launch in the future and put myself through all that torture- kidding!, all over again. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch

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Monsters in the Modern World

Merry meet all,

Today’s post will be about monsters in the modern world. Or, rather, in our stories. We are all familiar with vampires, werewolves, and flesh-eating zombies. The most common tropes in horror movies and fiction have grown rather staid. Readers and audiences have seen everything under the pale blue moon. It is more important to reinvent horror tropes. In fact, it is not just necessary, it is absolutely vital. Creating your own monsters or breathing new life into the monsters that are too common today is the best way to get published. 

I created a new monster for my novella Cult of the Spider People. One way to reinvent a horror trope is to take something very mundane and make it weird. I know many people are scared of spiders but I made spiders my own way for my novella. I gave the spider creatures- the smaller ones – human head on their shoulders. See how I did that? Then once the mortal characters are held captive in the realm of Arachnall, they encounter more spider creatures that are part human, part spider but they are one hundred percent my own creation. 

Be original in your efforts and it will get noticed. We all know that Freddy Kreuger lurks in our nightmares and that other ominous serial killers lurk in shadowy alleys just waiting for an unwary prey. What if one of these monsters gave something instead of taking something away- what if someone was begging to die and was forced to be kept alive then they encounter one of those serial killers who grants them their wish? Or makes them omnipotent. 

Another suggestion is the current state of the world. War, genocide and environmental degradation are rich with material to fill the pages of a novel. The idea of nature turning on us while frightening is not new but maybe you could find a way to put your own spin on it. There are reference books that can help you figure out how to reinvent the horror tropes. 

One good book to refer to is The Horror Trope Thesaurus by Jennifer Hilt. Here is what Amazon had to say about this amazing book:

“Join me as we examine:

1). What is horror? What’s a trope? Some applicable definitions and examples. How to avoid stereotypes and cliches.
2). An extensive look at how the amnesia trope in horror.
3). Fifty plus trope entries with definitions and examples in current horror movies and series.
4). Practice using goal, motivation, and conflict in conjunction with tropes to create unique horror-centric characters. By analyzing tropes in various horror subgenres, you will learn how to identify tropes.

The horror genre is the study of our relationships with monsters. Personally, I can’t think of a better thing to study! Join me as we figure out what goes bump in the night.

From the USA Today Bestselling Author of The Trope Thesaurus comes a unique approach to crafting horror stories.

The Trope Thesaurus has over 200 Amazon reviews. Here is one sample review:

A Customer
Fuel for thought Jan 1, 2022
Forget everything you think you know about tropes. The author does a fantastic job of illustrating that not only do the obvious tropes exist in entertainment media, but if you dig deeper, you see a fast treasure trove of tropes bubbling beneath the surface.

She does a fantastic job of breaking down the bigger genres into their tropes, proving that, honestly, all genres share the same story beneath the trappings of the genre. It’s about characters and tropes and GMC.

With humor and a deft touch, she explains how to find tropes, twist them, wiggle them, jig them to work for you in a story, and, most importantly, that not all tropes are All Important. Many secondary tropes can do some heavy lifting, too, to create compelling stories that readers will lap up like sugar.

This book is going into my writer toolkit.” (Amazon.ca)

Here is the link to the book: https://www.amazon.ca/Horror-Trope-Thesaurus-Jennifer-Hilt/dp/B0BF336ZV8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HIFYCKOE345W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WWmWB5-vK26z4NNpXiXxoQDFUKR2LGRi4-PC38CZCM9i3rUPhueIxaifj38nKFc6s9kj5lgosq5M99taH1n7CjIjQF1o_7ztLmWAyaCBmAtGBobl27zYrUw00p5mQd7S_SzO9j4EEEXWpLRR7j1EOtZr-dJAioaEM9cWquhUFOqXSW3mWPNZ8uNT3fjmbTqm3TWwB_6Y0aFH0STLCdwmi-lStvfGcNS4QWtdGi_tCyTgFoTFDuZctwRwKIRIjdaTZN3reD0WZZ-IMv0YJ6lf0e9P812U2_aDiPHjJWZ7sxc.ySGBNZ-N9OZgU0mEH6TCdfuhDOO-binNLJb7l-DBl8k&dib_tag=se&keywords=horror+tropes&qid=1718126727&sprefix=horror+tropes%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1

I am sure there are other reference books to use while brainstorming a new monster into your fiction. That book is just a start. It is hugely important to create your own tales that only you can tell. That is what makes your fiction stand out from the slush pile. 

The character from the movie Jurassic Park said that creation was an act of sheer will. Let your act of creation be uniquely yours! You may just see your book selling on Amazon and keeping readers awake late at night. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

#horror #horrortropes #horrormonsters #monsters #horrormovies #horrorstories #werewolves #vampires #zombies

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Flash of the Undead Anthology

 

Merry meet all,

Today’s cold and rainy. It is hardly summer weather at all. However, on this bleak day, I still have cause for celebration. My flash fiction story, Undead, published by Wicked Shadow Press. The theme of the anthology is the undead. I love the cover of the book. My copy of the anthology arrived the other day. I read a few stories and they were so cleverly written!  I have read a few of the stories and they are not for the squeamish!

Another cool thing about this anthology is that some of the authors who are also published by Unveiling Nightmares appear in this anthology as well. 

“Welcome to the macabre world of the zombies, vampires, mummies and more with “Flash of the UnDead”, an electrifying collection of horror flash fictions from Wicked Shadow Press. This anthology, meticulously curated by the dynamic compiler of dark tales, Parth Sarathi Chakraborty, features 70 flash horror stories that will haunt your dreams and make you do a double take the next time you see hunger on a fellow human’s face.
Prepare to savour the sinister horror of zombies, the seductive malice of vampires, and the ancient terror of mummies as each story plunges you into a realm where death is just the beginning. Encounter draugrs rising from their icy graves, experience Frankenstein-inspired nightmares, and witness the grotesque transformation of the human condition that blurs the line between the living and the undead.
With contributions from both seasoned masters of horror and rising stars, “Flash of the UnDead” offers a kaleidoscope of fear that will grip you from the first page to the last. Prepare yourself for a journey into darkness where every flicker of hope is but a fleeting illusion and survival is the ultimate horror.
FLASH OF THE UNDEAD FEATURES WORKS BY THE FOLLOWING AUTHORS: Andrew Kurtz, Barlow Crassmont, Bissme S, BW Bloodlust, Chad Anctil, Daniel DiQuinzio, David Luquer, David O’Mahony, Dawn Colclasure, Del Gibson, Desiree Horton, Diane Arrelle, Don Money, Donald Glass, Elizabeth Suggs, F. Malanoche, Fernando E. Silva, Garry Engkent, Hayden Robinson, Heddy Johannesen, Ian Gielen, Irina Tall, J. Rocky Colavito, Jacek Wilkos, Jason Kristopher, Jason Lairamore, JB Corso, Jessica Gleason, John A. DeLaughter, John Affleck, John Lloyd, Jonah Jones, Jonathan Reddoch, Joseph E. Arechavala, Joshua Vise, Justin Eells, Kain S. Bishop, Kathleen Halecki, Kay Vance, Keith B Walters, L.W. Young, LaVern Spencer McCarthy, LF Mills, Liam Kerry, Linda M. Crate, Lolly Sparrow, Lorraine Sharma Nelson, Martin Eastland, Max Christmas, Nelly Shulman, Norbert Góra, Patrick Winters, Paul O’Neill, Phoenix Mendoza, Ricardo D. Rebelo, Robert Pope, Sarah Das Gupta, Shaun Avery, Sheri White, Stephen A. Roddewig, Summer Bosley, T.L. Beeding, Terry Alexander, Tony Earnshaw, Val Roberts, William J. Connell

Details

Publication Date
May 29, 2024
Language
English
ISBN
9788197231018
Category
Fiction
Copyright
All Rights Reserved – Standard Copyright License
Contributors
Edited by: Parth Sarathi Chakraborty

Specifications

Pages
247
Binding
Perfect Bound
Interior Color
Black & White
Dimensions
US Trade (6 x 9 in / 152 x 229 mm)
Here is how you can buy a copy for yourself and friends – and support their efforts to help street animals in India 

This anthology would make a great gift for a loved one or for the holidays. Please share and like this post. Revel in the stories of the undead and enjoy a coffee while you read if you dare!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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The Outer Realm of the Paranormal

Merry meet all,

I have really enjoyed listening to the podcast The Outer Realm hosted by Michelle DesRochers and Amelia Pisano. I can’t get enough of their podcast. I am even a convert to Folgers Coffee. I have subscribed to their podcast and I am quickly becoming a loyal listener. The podcast is so amazing that I can’t imagine missing a single podcast. 

I love podcasts, more than movies. They provide entertainment in a way that movies don’t and the podcasts are in line with my passions and interests. I have learned a lot since listening to her podcast. Yes I do love podcasts and I love her podcast – it is all about the paranormal: ETs, alien encounters and some other topics. The other topics have ranged from ghosts, animal empaths and historical horror novels like Dracula.

Michele and Amelia are intelligent, down to earth and compassionate. They are super nice and they are great listeners. Maybe I can be on their podcast some day. I would love that. 

I just bought a fascinating magazine titled Ghosts and Hauntings: Spectres, Spooks & Restless Spirits. The magazine was produced by Fortean Times: The World of Strange phenomena. I have to finish reading the book The Witch’s Guide to the Paranormal. I started reading it and I haven’t finished it but I will soon. I want to actually write the book on ghosts and other things that go bump in the night. I will likely do a lot of research for my book. I have started writing it and I am really excited. I have been blogging on the paranormal for years. I have completed under a thousand posts. It is my passion and life. I am quite excited and it feels good to be writing something new. I also want to read a book I bought titled Deathbed Visions. I bet that will be a good book! The book was written by Sir William Barrett. 

I doubt I will self-publish the book. I can get the book traditionally published, I am sure and I can’t afford to cover the costs involved with self-publishing. Maybe this is the right time for to write this book on ghosts and clairvoyance. I had to have a bit of life experience before I could write it. I mean, the paranormal is my life and I hope that readers can feel my passion as they read. 

I bought a small bird house and a bottle of brown acrylic paint from Dollarama today. I plan to paint the birdhouse brown and make it a bat house. The green and white bookcase that I assembled where I store most of my paranormal books is for horror titles. A bat house will be a welcome spooky addition to the bookcase. It will hang from a hook and the bats are welcome to inhabit the little house and hang out there. 

Tonight I listened to Lights out Podcast. I am now listening to The Paranormal 60 hosted by Dave Schrader. His guest is discussing the phenomena about black eyed kids. I have never seen a black eyed kid myself but many people have claimed to have seen them. They sound eerie and unsettling. I am not exactly holding my breath waiting for an encounter with them. 

There is so much to learn about the paranormal and all the strange beings that come with it. Aliens, angels, demons, skin walkers, black eyed kids, grey aliens, wendigos, Bigfoot, etc. I think it is important to maintain a balanced, open mind about it. There is way more talk about the paranormal than ever before. I know we have the benefit of unprecedented ease of global communication. I think that is part of it but I also think that something like a portal opened. Now, this portal is open and it was done in such a way that some beings crossed over. Whatever has opened the portal or inter dimensional portal doesn’t want to seal it and doesn’t care about the human race. It could have been aliens, a person or something. Now that something has opened like a portal, a portly? lol, I don’t think there is any closing it. It’s like a Pandora’s box. 

We may see weirder things in the future, which scares me. The earth is suffering from the fact that her resources are being so wantonly wasted, climate change, war, crime and poverty. These are just a handful of the issues we are facing today. On a paranormal level, it may become common to see black eyed kids, aliens and other cryptid creatures. The future is so uncertain and fascinating at the same time. We can at least have an open mind and still protect ourselves- or you just may have an experience yourself!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

Links: 

https://www.youtube.com/@TheParanormal60

https://www.youtube.com/@Michelle-TheOuterRealmRadio

 

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