Double Dose Weekend - The Authors Speak Live!

March is giving way to April.  April is givng way to the warm, summer season.  That means beach reading is near. 

If you've always wanted to discover new writers, their works, and fill your bookshelf with quality, you're in for a treat.  We want to introduce you to some great talent.  If you've not yet checked us out on our weekly podcast, please do.  This weekend we'll bring you a double dose of talent - Saturday and Sunday!  Visit us at www.blogtalkradio.com/theauthorsspeakcom

Saturday 12pm - Kristin Hannah

Kristin is a talent in the fiction world.  This NY Times bestseller is a masterful writer, who excels at targeting the emotions and carrying the reader through the challenges and drama that affect us all.  Her work is real, raw.   Her latest book, NIGHT ROAD, is available now, and it's worthy of your hard-earned money.
http://www.kristinhannah.com/

Sunday 12pm - Kat Martin

A SONG FOR MY MOTHER may have been an odd choice for my reading tastes.  It certainly garnered some odd looks as I held it proudly on the treadmill.  I've got thick skin, though.  I'm not ashamed.  It's an absolutely outstanding read from another talented, real writer.
http://www.katmartin.com/

A Song For My Mother

Chalk one up for the female writers out there.

Yesterday, we discussed Kristin Hannah's newest release - Night Road.  Today, we turn our attention to another book that begs to be read.  Meet Kat Martin's latest release - A Song For My Mother.

Typically, this is not the book I'm lured to in the bookstore.  So oft is the case that we judge a book by its cover, and this is not one to be judged.  Sadly, one factor of our life we cannot control is our family.  But, what we do with our family we can control.  It's easy to forget to "check-in", to remind our loved ones that they are important.  It's harder still to accept that nothing, or no one, lasts forever.  Time is slipping every single day, and if we're not careful with our decisions, we will miss out.  Welcome to the themes at play here.

A Song For My Mother returns Martin's fanbase to Dreyerville - the setting of her book The Christmas Clock.  Regardless of your familiarity with the town, you'll feel the tug as the setting draws you in and take ahold.  Something about Dreyerville will echo in your  memory, whether you grew up in rural or urban settings.  There's something to the place that smells of chocolate chip cookies, hot dogs, and family.  It's odd, really.

At the surface, there's a significant "coming home" story, as Marly Hanson returns to Dreyerville after years of being away.  But there's more to this little novella than the surface, like an iceberg.  Returning home brings about three generations of an estranged and strained family life...and what it's like to deal with shotgun change and the inevitability of loss.

At around the 200 page mark, the book is much too short.  Still, the message is loud and clear and never once preachy.  It's a solid writing in the highest.  The title makes perfect sense, as you can't have a song without singing.  So is the case with family - you can't leave the pent up frustrations of the past and the true love you harbor left unsung.

An encouraging read from one of the most talented writers writing today.

5 out of 5

For more on Kat Martin, visit her on the web at http://www.katmartin.com/.  To order the book, which Amazon currently as under ten bucks, follow the link below.

Two Must-Reads (on Opposite Ends of the Spectrum)

Last week I was suffering a bit, so my sincerest apologies for a light week.  That said, I plowed through some amazing books and wished my reviews had coincided with their release last Tuesday (3/22).  Both are available now - just click the links below, and you'll know what to do - and both are rather odd choices, in that they sit on totally opposite ends of the stratosphere.  That's the true magic of books, though, right?

Night Road by Kristin Hannah

I'm very much looking forward to pow-wowing with Kristin this Saturday on the Authors Speak Live (more on that as the week progresses).  Typically, this is no my type of read.  Oddly, I harbor so much rspect for Jodi Picoult (find the interview in our archives), Kristin Hannah, and the like.  My respect comes from their "hanging with the long-dominated boys club", and consistently putting out quality works that end up, rightfully so, on the NY Times Bestsellers list.  That said, I'm not always a fan of the works they're putting out there.  Most rely on mood and a same-tragedy-different-day vibe. 

As we've mentioned more than once, there are no new ideas out there.  Conventions are the same across the board.  Which means, forget the originality, forget the new concepts, just inject the retread with new energy.  Give us something that we've not seen.  Night Road is definitely that.

At first the book reads like it's watered in melodramatic ooze.  The emotions are second-rate, the complexities are predictable, and there is an oh-so-After-School-Special vibe cranking.  We're introduced to Jude Farraday, loyal mother, overly protective, and intent to keep her two children - Zach and Mia - on the straight and narrow until they're ready for the real world.  The conflict occurs when Lexi, a foster child living with her aunt, enters the picture.  Lexi is a rehased character from a Greek tragedy - she's the lost daughter of a mother who died of a heroin overdose, and she's kind of got her own set of issues.  Needless to say, Lexi becomes fond of both Zach and Mia as they share the same neighborhood.  The influence is not part of Jude's plans.

All of this leads to a HUGE development.  Bad decisions are made, bad things happen, and those that endure have to live with the repercussions. 

I mentioned the predictability of the story, so without reading the book, you can probably already guess what tragedy befalls the Farradays.  And if the story had been just that, I'd not be mentioning it it here.  But, as stated before, this is different.  This is where Kristen Hannah steps her game up and separates herself from the rest of the herd.

Following the tragedy, the reader is introduced to real emotion, real pain, real path-to-forgiveness insight.  It's hard to explain, but it was like reading in 3-D - emotions popping from the page right into your soul.  Without this emotional chord with the reader, the book would be just another cliched hardback cluttering the bookshelves.  This is Kristin Hannah's strongest suit as a storyteller.  What shouldn't have worked, works smashingly well, all due to her skill as a storyteller (and I'm going to add a psychiatrist, 'cause she gets in your head).  By the end of it all, you understand that Kristin didn't want to just tell this story.  She NEEDED to tell this story.

4 out of 5

Devil Red by Joe Lansdale

On the other end of the spectrum (and as far away from women's fiction as you can get) it's Lansdale's latest Hap and Leonard entry - Devil Red.  Christopher Moore once said: "There's no bullshit to a Lansdale novel".  I agree whole-heartedly.  I'm not sure what it is about the mojo storyteller, but he's got IT.  And, if you've never read the man, you should really pick up one of his Hap and Leonard books (start with Savage Season).  If Lansdale's gonna piss you off, he's not going to wait until you're halfway through it.  He'll do it right from the get-go.

Man alive!  How these two fellows can keep it all going - they're in their fifties and closing in on sixty - and still manage to come out alive is fascinating.  I've followed this series since its beginning.  Each tale tends to up the ante a bit, getting better, funnier, and engaging the fans further.  Devil Red is no exception. 

Vanilla Ride is back, as are several familiar faces, and the action is beyond gonzo.  We've seen Leonard Pine and Hap Collins take out corrupt cops, racist thugs, cold-cased pedophiles and child murderers, even the Mexican mafia types.  This time, though, the action is battered in Lansdale goodness, deep-fried, and served Southern-style with hushpuppies and cole slaw.

When they volunteer to do some private detective work (Leonard complete with a deerstalker), they're plunged into a world of the Dixie Mafia, vampire cults, the usual Texas ilk, Vanilla Ride, and Devil Red - an assassin that may be the last thing Hap will see.

It's short at around 200 pages, but the action starts and ends before you know it.  It's a flashbang grenade of a book and I cannot recommend it enough.

5 out of 5

There and Back Again - A Not So-Hobbit-Journey

Umm...yeah.

The journey for NAKED METAMORPHOSIS is nowhere near the epic adventure that took Bilbo Baggns from the Shire through the ringer.  It is epic in my mind, and it's a nifty little tale, but I make no pretense that it is an immortal classic.  A classic needs decades to breathe, so I have something to look forward to.

It's a slower week for the Authors Speak.  I'm dealing with round two of persistent pain, which is preventing me from writing as much as I'd like to.  This is an easy piece, and next week my commitment is to have the same quality you deserve - the review of Lansdale's "Devil Red", Author Profiles on bestsellers Kat Martin and Kristin Hannah, and a little, itty-bitty rant.  Until then, you've just got to deal with me.

One thing I've missed this year, is reading.  I love to read aloud.  I love to entertain.  I had the idea that this weekend's Authors Speak broadcast would be me reading selections from my book NAKED METAMORPHOSIS.  I hope it will make you chuckle, chortle, even guffaw.  If it does not, I hope that you will not hold it against this website.  I think it'll be fun, though.

Therefore, allow me to take you on an "epic" journey - an origin tale of this most butchered Shakespearean yarn.

We'll fade bck to the nineties.  Arkansas.  College.

I'd written a short story that became a play in three acts entitled "Rotten Somethings in the State of Denmark".  Blatantly, an homage to Stoppard, I told an alternative tale to Hamlet.  In this version, Horatio was the much put-upon protagonist, and Hamlet was a spoiled, crying druggie.  Worried that Shakespeare would tell the world the truth, the duo sets off in a frenzied search for the Bard.  Obviously, this is just a play of convenience; Shakes and Hamlet were miles apart in the timeline.

Flash forward into the new millenium, "Rotten Somethings" went through a little metamorphosis of its own.  I wanted to turn it into a full length novel called "Rotten".  The idea was still the same, but this go-round, Horatio was to have a relationship with Osric, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz played much more prominently, and it offered an "Into the Woods" sort of vibe, as Fortinbras, storming Denmark, would go into various other Shakespearean lanscapes.

Then came Eraserhead Press and a weird little challenge.  It would be writing a book, but with the elements of improvisational comedy tied in.  I'd stick with the same basic story, but tell it in three different styles, then overlap those. 

The first was Kafka.  Shakespeare always played the downer card as a matter of our own personal actions.  Kafka just said actions played no part; you're always going to be shit on.  I thought this contrast was a nice touch to Hamlet.  So it was a natural for the mix.

Then, I went the Burroughs pop-drug culture rout.  I love Burroughs, and I like to think that Shakes would have as well.  Tossing this in added a new flair.

Finally, there was the third style.  Who would it be?  My thought was this: George W. Bush giving a book report on Hamlet.  Kind of weird, but I liked it.

I rewrote the thing four times, in four styles, and then began overlapping them, keeping the goods, scrapping the rest.  The end product is NAKED METAMORPHOSIS.  I love it.  I think you'll like it, too.  Everyhing about it just worked - from the layout to the beautiful artwork by Seth Chenard.  (I'll never forget reaching out to Seth and telling him exactly what I was thinking: a Shakespearean landscape, with a Cockroach in a Hamlet pose, holding a skull that's a bong.  I've never seen an artist so excited.)

The book has since found its way into the brains behind 'Kill Shakespeare', who loved it and took it with them to Stratford - yes, THE Stratford - Shakespeare festival, where I received an email from the artistic director.  It's had a nice little journey.  I'm just not good at promotions where I'm concerned, so if you're just hearing about this...sorry.

I want you to order a copy, sure.  But, more importantly, I'm an entertainer.  As part of the book bail-out, I'm offering you a free electronic copy for nothing more than an Amazon.com review.  That's it.  Just email me and I'll make it happen.

This Saturday, I just long to entertain you with reading selected portions of the book.

www.blogtalkradio.com/theauthorsspeakcom

The Curious Case of the Longevity of the New Flesh

Last week we discussed the book bail-out.

In the course of the week, though, I’ve not seen too many author brethrens step up to this challenge, though. This saddens me, as I was hoping it would rekindle my intent to hold this site up. We’ll have to see how long I can sustain.

Perhaps it comes down to the cost of the printed word. Are books too expensive? Sure, they’re pricey, but unlike gas, produce, and seafood, though, they’re not on the rise. They’re pretty stable.

If it is a monetary situation, then you need to find free outlets (like the libraries or book exchanges, which is something we referenced). Try out The New Flesh – http://newfleshmagazine.blogspot.com/.

For nearly two years, the New Flesh has been cranking out flash fiction by some amazing artists – we’re not talking just newbies. Kevin Shamel, Jordan Krall, and loads of others have been providing free fiction to the masses. And, now, the New Flesh, I’m proud to announce, has upped their game. The New Flesh is going to the printers! And they’re seeking longer short fiction (not flash) to be included. So, this is exciting news for writers, readers, book connoisseurs the world over. Like the Cronenberg film this site pays homage to, I think we can all say: “Long Live the New Flesh.”

But what’s this all about?

Allow me to let William Pauley III tell you in his own words. (William Pauley III is the author of the books The Doom Magnetic and The Brothers Crunk.)

Humble Origins of the New Flesh, in the words of the esteemed WP3

THE NEW FLESH has been around for nearly two years now. I published the first story on August 11th, 2009. It was a story of mine called THE LUMP. It was about a paraplegic man who one day discovers that he can move during thunderstorms. I sent invites to every writer I knew, which at the time was not very many at all, and submissions started rolling in. TNF took off immediately, so much so that I had to hire a second editor, Mrs. Suzie Bradshaw, to help me out with submissions.


About 6 months or so after TNF opened for business, Suzie and I were struggling to get submissions. The well dried up and we had no idea what to do other than to beg our close writer friends to let us post some reprints of theirs. There were several moments when I felt like hanging up my hat and closing the site down for good, but something in me wouldn't allow it. I knew there was a market for weird fiction, but I was struggling to find that audience and enough writers to support it. A few months later, Suzie decided to leave TNF to pursue other interests outside of writing. I immediately asked my friend and co-editor of the TOE TAGS anthologies, Mr. Brian Barnett, if he would be interested in the co-editor position and he gladly accepted. This was right before TNF's one year anniversary.


I remember discussing several ideas with Brian about how to generate more submissions and one of those ideas was to make a free ebook of our favorite TNF stories over our first year. We called the book LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH: YEAR ONE, got permission to republish the stories from the authors, and made it available for download on the site the day of our anniversary. This idea was truly genius and I don't think either Brian or I really knew initially how successful it was going to be... but it was incredibly successful. Altogether we had around 500 or so downloads in just the first month! This was shocking to us, because we felt at the time that we were just barely keeping our heads above the water, but man, we were wrong. We had a dedicated following, I just wasn't making the website as user-friendly as it should have been. I added several ways for readers to subscribe to the site, to alert them when new posts were made, and that made all the difference in the world. We now have hundreds of subscribers and thousands of dedicated readers. We also have a large group of dedicated writers producing great material for TNF. Writers from all over the world. We've actually been so busy for the last year that we had to close to submissions for the first time since we opened! It's amazing to see how much it's grown in such a short amount of time.


About a month or so ago, I was approached by Mr. Jonathan Moon about possibly publishing some sort of anthology for The Library of Bizarro Horror. I called him up one day, we discussed our many ideas and decided to bring TNF to the world of print. It's pretty insane to think about, but TNF desrves it. It's been publishing the best in weird/bizarro fiction for a long time now. I'm glad it's finally getting the attention it deserves. Christ! It's like one of my children, man! It's growing up right in fornt of my eyes! It's goddamn beautiful...

So, I'm not sure I need to tell you much more than that.  Joe Lansdale and the New Flesh Magazine - providing free fiction for all those readers out there.  Enjoy it.  And, if you're a writer, you should think about submitting.

Until next time, keep reading...

The Authors Speak: Kirk Jones

Who is this college kid, this smart, tweedy sort of fellow known as Kirk Jones?  Sadly, not much is known about Mr. Jones.  You'll just have to join us on Saturday (3/19 @ 12pm EST) to hear him sizzle like BBQ on a grill.  Until then, I'll toss you a few highlights on this most interesting, but deeply mysterious, writer.

Actually, I jest.  Kirk's a good kid, with a magnificent brain, and a devious sense of humor.  Currently, he's juggling so many things (working towards his PhD, reminding all the rest of us how much we suck) and one of those many, many awesome things is his book - Uncle Sam's Carnival of Copulating Inanimals.  If you're intrigued by the title, you should be.  This, however, is a book that you can judge by more than the cover.  It's yummy.  I think you'll like it.

A few things on this book: Firstly, it's part of the New Bizarro Authors Series (an imprint of Eraserhead Press, whose aim is to introduce readers to new writers); Secondly, this is a wonderful bizarro read!  If you've worn tired of the incessant bodily functions, the gratuitous bodily appendages, and the weird just 'cause factor, this is a welcome shift.  And, lastly, it's very smart.

Make no bones about it, this is a weird, bizarro book.  The main character - Gary Olstrom - should be called lucky.  Misfortune seems to follow him around like a lost puppy dog.  Finally, though, Gary finds piece of mind at Uncle Sam's Carnival of Copulating Inanimals.  What's an inanimal?  Well, it's exactly what it sounds like - something that's not animal.  In this case, it's furniture.  Gary is tasked with the job of training furniture to copulate in front of a captive audience.  But, sometimes people disappear, die, or just change whenever they're around the carnival.

Are you still reading?  Good.

One reviewer compared this book to Gilliam's last effort, "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus".  I get that vibe as well.   That's not a bad thing.  The main difference in feelinf between the two, is Jones fleshes this story out, amps up the weird, and by the time we're done, we're warily eyeballing our own living room settings.

Kirk will join us for the Authors Speak Live this Saturday - www.blogtalkradio.com/theauthorsspeakcom - where we'll discuss the developments of this story, the elements of bizarro, and the ins and outs of furniture copulation (what music do they prefer, for instance).  After that, we'll actually attempt to work a computer desk and a futon into carnal lust.  LIVE!

For more on Mr. Jones, visit his website - http://www.bizarrojones.com/ - which reminds me of the movie Osmosis Jones.

For more on Uncle Sam's Carnival of Copulating Inanimals follow the link below:

Must Read of the Week: Electric Barracuda

Tim Dorsey is a mad man.  I write that declaration with all the love I can muster.

About a decade-and-a-half ago I snagged a copy of FLORIDA ROADKILL.  The description was just zany enough to capture by voracius reading interests (Florida caper, Hiaasen-esque) that I wasted no moment considering the purchase.  I sat down to read it and after working through the epic prologue I placed the book on the bookshelf and kicked myself firmly in the ass.  Great, I thought, another wasted seven bucks.

Dorsey's career didn't suffer from my lack of interest, though.  Within a year, Hammerhead Ranch popped out.  Another year passed and Orange Crush hit bookstands.  Then it was Triggerfish Twist.  I was on vacation in Florida and kept seeing the man's paperbacks and figured it was time to revisit the series I'd long abandoned. 

This time, I got past the prologue and dove, head-first, into the book...

...and loved every second of it.

See, the thing is, you've got to get used to Dorsey's style.  It's not easy, but once you've  grabbed it, it grabs you and carries you on a wild, topsy-turvy ride filled with obscure Floridian trivia, colorful characters, and amazingly catastrophic events.  Oh, yeah, and there's some creative ways to kill people included (my personal favorite of the series involves forcing a man to swallow bullets and then loading him into an MRI machine).

Electric Barracuda is another amazing chapter in the Serge A. Storms capers.  Personally, I hope Dorsey nevr tires of this guy.  Serge's mania kicks into gear from page three and hits octane on page thirty-nine. From there, it's one thing after another until the end of the book.  Reading time on this one: twenty-six hours.

There has always been a serious need to suspend disbelief when reading about Serge A. Storms.  I mean, it's hard to read about a serial killer (albeit, a knowledgeable savant who has served in politics, thwarted mischievous magicians, instigated hostile mob takeovers) who has seemingly never once come close to having handcuffs slapped on him.  This time the police are on the trail.  And they're there from the beginning.

The book opens, in typical Dorseyian fashion, in the middle of the action.  Serge is indulging in his latest travel idea - the Fugitive Tours of Florida.  This is the latest in his manic, hairried ideas (after consistent travel sites have ordered him to stop posting suggestions, like which hookers you can trust).  The idea behind the Fugitive series apparently came into his thought process while watching Total Recall.  Anyway, at the hideout spot, the SWAT, FBI, fan-favorite Agent Mahoney, and a bounty hunter known as the Doberman are all closing in fast.  Thus, the action is struck.

The cat-and-mouse game is played out with gusto - Serge and Coleman indulge in Floridian oddities (including an old Capone hideaway) while unwittingly averting capture at every bend.  The cops are fools, as is the norm, and Agent Mahoney insists on indulging in payphones rather than cellular technology (a hang-up to his noir-loving persona).

I enjoyed Nuclear Jellyfish and Gator A Go-Go, but both were  subpar in relation to the entire series.  This one strikes the homer.  By far the best in the series since Triggerfish Twist (my opinion, of course).  The most brilliant thing about the series, though, is that Tim Dorsey consistently finds new rocks to turnover, inventive new facts, gonzo-style action, and always keeps it fresh.  If that's the case, I cannot wait to see what awaits Serge in the next foray.

5 out of 5

The Book Bail-Out

This weekend we chatted with author, book promo guru, and funnyman Greg Hall.  You can find that available as a podcast by checking us out on Blog Talk Radio - www.blogtalkradio.com/theauthorsspeakcom.  It was an enlightening conversation (the last time he was on, it was just goofy fun.  This time it was really thought-inspiring).  One thing that we discussed was a Bail-Out related to authors, books, literacy, et al.  The basic thought was how to we stay the publishing course in a time when, as Lansdale declares, a horrid plague of illiteracy threatens to strangle the world in its grip.  I think it begins with the authors and publishing houses putting out books.

Thus, I introduce you to the Book Bail-Out.  Now, I'm not promising a federal check for $250 to all of my author brethern.  I wish I could do such a thing, but I've got enough problems holding on to my own $250.  What I introduce you to, though, is a way that we can keep vitality - hopefully - amongst the literate set...basically those reading this, reading books, reading subtitles.  Just for those reading, really.

Phase One: I implore you to mention a book you haven't discussed in some time to your facebook friends.  You're on facebook every day.  I see posts on movies that were recently watched, or last night's television, or sports stats.  I get it.  You're jacked into the 'net and sharing your thoughts.  Guess what, though?  That book you raved about this time last year, it's still available (hopefully).  You might "bring it back" and mention it amongst your peeps. 

This time last year, some of those friends may have missed the post.  You may have added friends since.  Heck, some of your friends may have not learned to read last year and have just now discovered the joy of reading a book. 

Point is, mention it again.  In fact, compose a list of five books that you've read in the past year that you've not discussed.  It's a challenge.  But I think you can do it.

I'll always do the things I ask you to do, so here are five books that we read last year that were not discussed on the Authors Speak.  All five are worthy of your hard earned dollars (and I now every cent is hard earned):

1.) Spare Key by R. Frederick Hamilton - a wonderful psychological horror tale that grips the reader from start to finish.  Plus, there's more.  Did you ever get to the end of that book and you just wanted more from that author?  Well, Hamilton includes two short pieces - the Filmakers and Writer's Block - at the back of this book.  Grab it.

2.) Blanket of White by Amy Grech - Amy Grech is a talented horror writer.  She's visceral, blunt, and vivid in her terror and description.  It's a collection that contains 14 dark tales that deserve attention.  The entire thing is kicked off right with an intro by the esteemed Mr. Mike McCarty.

3.) Hell by Robert Olen Butler - When Hatcher McCord finds himself in Hell, he finds himself not the only one cofused.  His neighbors include William Shakespeare, Humphrey Bogart, Pope Boniface VIII, Richard Nixon and a load of others.  Now living in the afterlife with Anne Boleyn, Robert Olen Butler keeps the humor up, and offers some interesting commentary for the Sisyphean life a lot of us find ourselves in.

4.) Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor - Not a release last year, but one I discovered last year.  This is the first in a series of YA books that play around with the Alice in Wonderland tale.  And it works.  I was a little wary when I saw that Alyce's bodyguard was Hatter Madigan - groan-inducing - but the entire tale plays it well.  I loved it!

5.) Trolls in the Hamptons by Celia Jerome - A welcome entry into the urban fntasy genre.  Though, Celia will tell you it is straight fantasy.  The main character, Willow Tate, is a graphic novelist and illustrator, who unwittingly unleashes her latest creation - a troll, as you may have guessed.  It's not great, but it's better than most of the stuff littering the bookshelves.  More importantly, I'm eager to see where this series is headed.

Phase Two: Need a bail-out yourself?  Why not start your own side business.  I consistently hear that people have no money for books.  I know I find myself in the same quandry.  Here's a way that you can score new books, perhaps make a little cash, and still keep the literacy rates up.

First, take a look at your bookshelves.  I'm sure you'll see several books that you've read and re-read, but you know that you'll never revisit them.  What are you going to do with them?  Why not go online and see if someone is interested in them.

Surely there's someone willing to pay you $1 for a used book (that's cheaper than most Kindle editions).  You could make a buck amongst your friends...or better yet, score freebies. 

Here's the deal - make a list of book you'll no longer re-read.  Send it out to all your facebook or Twitter fans along with a list of the books that you want to read but cannot afford.  Surely there will be some crossover titles, thereby infusing your collection with new titles.  See?  Not so hard. 

Once you do this, you have new books to discuss...so see Phase One.


Phase Three: WRITERS UNITE!  As someone who works on book promotion, I have authors crawling out of the woodwork to inquire about coming onto the show.  Every author should have a healthy ego, but a lot of them have no control on this.  Look, I'm happy you wrote that new zombie book, I am, but you're way down on my list.  I'll read your book, promote it if I like it, but you've also got to help me out.  Learn about the Authors Speak, help spread the word.

Writers, I implore you to turn to a lesser-known writer out there and promote them for one single week.  By default, if we all did this, yours would come around as well.  If the promos work, they sell books, the publishing stay healthy, and you have added a few years onto your writing career.  It seems plausible.

So there you have it, the Book Bail-Out.  We don't have a ton of followers, fans on facebook, but we'll be watching you.  Think about what we could do in just one week.

If you missed it this weekend, a great book to start with is Greg Hall's AT THE END OF CHURCH STREET.  Follow the links below.  I've also included links to the 5 books I mentioned.

The Authors Speak: Greg Hall

In passing, someone asked me why on earth I was having Greg Hall on with the Authors Speak.  Surely the man has been a staple in the writing community (specifically horror) for nearly five years, but as the Funky Werepig - a.k.a: book pimp. 

While it's true that Hall is better known for his alterego - the Werepig - the man is a brilliant writer.  And, I'm hopeful that he'll garner some respect as such, since he's been promoting other writers for so long.  I think street cred, as the kids say, is on the way.  His book At The End of Church Street just made the prelim list for the Bram Stoker Awards.  (And I realize that we're just talking about the prelims, but c'mon, it's always an honor to find out people liked your work)

If you've not read At The End of Church Street, you're doing yourself a disservice.  So, follow the link below and score a copy.  I, particularly, enjoyed Hall's take on vampires - a cross between The Lost Boys, Peter Pan, and Cirque du Freak (okay, that's a joke).  As I've been saying all year, there are no new ideas, only new ways of playing with those conventions.  This one's chocked full of originality.

Which is why I'm quite looking forward to the remainder of this year.  When we chatted with David Dunwoody, I made the point that horror was scarier when there were no cell phones of Internet.  Running from something, in search of the ominous pay phone booth - that was tension building.  If you'll recall, he referenced a collection entitled Old School.  Hall's a part of this one and I, personally, cannot wait to get my sweaty palms on that bad boy.  It's going to be great!

Also upcoming, Hall will be releasing "Dracula's Winkie".  This is another one that I've been looking forward to. I heard Hall read parts of this at Horrorfind this year, and it killed.  Basically the book attacks the idea of vampires as romantic, Gothic Fabios, because, well, they don't have blood rushing to their...you know.  It's hilarious.  Had I known it was slated to come out this year, it would have most definitely been on my most anticipated of 2011 list.

If it sounds like I'm a fanboy, it's true.  I am.  But, I have massive respect for the guy.  In passing, I mentioned to Hall that it had been my dream to be a guest on the Funky Werepig show.  The Werepig is a horror authority.  But exploring deeper, Hall is a talent to be reckoned with.  Besides his book, the man is a funny talent capable of working a crowd into a frenzy. (Interestingly, he and I, probably about three-four years apart, tromped around the same improv clubs rocking stripey socks and launching laughter grenades)
He's also been a very strong advocate for fighting Autism (bitch that it is), and was single-handedly responsible for assembling the first Comedy Festival to benefit Autism - a model, I might add, I stole, not knowing Greg Hall at the time (Mine was actually the Improvscars, an Improv Oscar Night for Autism).

Like an onion - and just as smelly - there are many other layers to explore.  Please, please, please, join us this Saturday.  We're going to control the "blogosphere" - I'll be on the Funky Werepig at 11am: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-funky-werepig/2011/03/12/tfw-eric-mays.  Immediatel following, at 12pm, Greg Hall will be on The Authors Speak Live - the featured guest: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theauthorsspeakcom/2011/03/12/the-authors-speak-greg-hall-round-2

You can also find out more about Greg by visiting Choate Road.  Don't have a map?  Don't need it.  Follow the link toland at the infamous Choate Road: http://www.choateroad.com/

And, of course, follow the link to order a must read, indeed, At The End of Church Street

The Authors Speak: Eric S. Brown

In the coming months this thing is going to be so packed with authors, we're squeezing in as much as we possibly can.  Further, I'm actually working on the writer-thing as well, so timing has been critical.  We'll have this interview today, an author profile for the illustrious Gregory Hall on Friday, and we'll visit with the Funky Werepig himself on Saturday's Authors Speak Live (www.blogtalkradio.com/theauthorsspeakcom).

But today, onward and upward with author Eric S. Brown.  If you've stumbled - or shambled - into the online world dedicated to horror fiction, specifically zombies, you've no doubt heard this name.  Eric S. Brown is the author of "The War of the Worlds, Plus Blood, Guts, and Zombies".  This yarn was produced on the coattails of the epically successful Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  As with that piece, this one includes a byline for H.G. Welles, right there next to Brown's.

In many ways I'm delighted that this trend is slowly fizzling.  It wasn't that it wasn't fun to think about.  It's simply a conception.  Concepts, my opinion, rarely turn into something that is epic.  Each of these is an interesting premise, but the joke wears thin pretty rapidly.

Fortunately, there is more to Eric S. Brown than just concepts.  For starters, he's the scribe of Bigfoot books (which, I've seen the big guy making a comeback, which excites me).  He's also dabbling about in various projects through the horror landscape.  So, do not judge a writer, I suppose, by his content alone.

The Authors Speak: It's a pleasure to chat with an Eric. I'm biased in my assertion, but I think it's a pretty groovy name. You spell it the proper way: E-R-I-C. Though you've got to watch out for the Eriks, Ericks, Erichs, and, the loathsome, Aericks. They're trickier than a zombie with a machine gun. Any nuggets you care to toss into, what I'm calling, the Great Eric Debate '11?


Eric S. Brown: I, too, think E-R-I-C is the way to go.

TAS: Zombies. There are a lot of them out there. Personally, I adore zombie fiction, film, and folklore. But in this overabundant time, I see this subgenre getting a little out of hand. Do you see the same thing? Doesn't this surplus tend to force a subgenre to implode?

ESB: I do. It's like the market as been flooded with Z books and films. Some of them are great but a whole lot are just there. As to my own work, I strive to keep it interesting and different as I did back when I first started writing and it was nearly impossible to sale a Z tale because they were a "cult" thing. I think my best Z book of late is The Weaponer. It's like Mad Max combined with Shane surrounded by undead hordes. It reads in every way like a western except for the weapons the characters have though it is a future Z novel. Humanity has fallen and reverted to the Old West style of life while merely trying to stay alive.

TAS: I'll address the elephant in the room: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I felt this was a brilliant concept, but an experiment that utterly failed. Austenites were polarized by it, it seemed. But, moreover, I've heard plenty of hardcore horror fans rabble about the Austen-style prose. It is acquired. Still, this is the one that opened the door for countless other "clones" - Huck Finn and Zombie Jim, the Wizard of Oz with Zombies. You have War of the Worlds, plus blood and guts and zombies. This phenomenon has created yet another subgenre of the fiction. Again, did classic literature deserve the zombie treatment? And, do you fear for this implosion, as well? For every person that likes it, it seems that are three that abhor it.

ESB: I don't know if this will implode anytime soon or not. I would say yes but I think there's a movie coming for Pride that could kick the whole thing off again if it does well. Overall, I think mixing zombies with classics is fun but it's not something I plan on doing again. Both the original publisher and Simon and Schuster came to me for that book and asked me to do it. You don't say no to things like that. Instead, you do it and pray it calls attention to your other works.

TAS: You work with some pretty dynamic publishing houses. How did this holy land show itself to you? In other words, how did you get into the game, and how to you maintain it with the chaos of life tugging at every turn?

ESB: I have been writing for nine years. I started out writing for small press magazine and newspapers and just kind of worked my way up I guess. I got into the game because I had always been a horror and comic book geek and still am. I do this because I love those genres and want to add to them. Writing is not an easy job though many who aren't writers seem to think so. It's a juggling act of being creative, staying ahead of the monthly bills by taking on insane amounts of projects, and trying to keep the faith.

TAS: There are literally hundreds of monsters in the world. Still, zombies and vampires seem deadset (pun intended) on taking over, with weres close behind. Why not spice things up with jackalopes or leprechauns or kappas? I could definitely see (and potentially be more inclined to pick up): Great Expectations - Now new and improved with centaurs.

ESB: Actually, I am a big fan of cheesy Bigfoot movies. Always have been. I just did a book called Bigfoot War that is my fanboy love song to that genre. It takes everything you know about Bigfoot and reboots it. My Sasquatch creatures are tougher, faster, and they like to eat people. You know how those Bigfoot movies NEVER really have more than one or two monsters? Well, in Bigfoot War a tribe of around five dozen come out of the woods and pretty much wipe out a little southern town of eight hundred people. Bigfoot War has become the most praised book of my career by both critics and fans. It has its own following and I am currently at work on the sequel entitled Dead in the Woods.

TAS: So, we see classic lit can be improved upon by the addition of zombies. Give me three classic films that would be improved by the introduction of zombies.

ESB: The Alamo, Once upon a Time in the West, and Batman.

TAS: Author David Dunwoody raves about your work, proclaiming you one of the best voices in zombie fiction. Who are some of the authors writing zom-lit that you look up to?

ESB: Jonathan Maberry is a great guy who has helped me a lot in my career. Joe Mckinney is a good friend and an insanely talented writer. The late Z.A. Recht inspired me to keep going years ago when I was on the verge of giving up. However, David Moody is the zombie king as far as I am concerned. His book Autumn remains one of the great Z classics every fan of the genre should read.

TAS: Of all your books, which is the one you want people to remember you for?

ESB: Bigfoot War!! Bigfoot War, Dead in the Woods, and the as yet unwritten 3rd book in that series are original, odd, and totally me. When I picked up the pen, one of the main things I wanted to do with my work was make horror FUN again. Bigfoot War out only redefines a genre (if you will forgive me saying so) but it's a fanboy romp that I think anyone who likes scary and violent films can relate to. Besides, there aren't hardly any Bigfoot horror books out there and there should be.

TAS: Zombies recently invaded a galaxy far away...the Star Wars universe. Death Troopers and Red Harvest, both released by Joe Scrieber, featured Imperials and Sith battling zombies. While conceptually this is very cool (my inner fanboy was a whirlwind of excitement), the end result was pretty poor. With the amount of zombie fiction being released, is quality being sacrificed by quantity?

ESB: Again, I think history is repeating itself and we're seeing the death of the Z genre from overexposure and everyone trying to hope on the trend all over again. I have gone into more cryptozoological horror but I still love zombies and wish the best for them but with so many small publishers just flooding the market with Z books and the overkill they're getting in the mainstream, I fear they may soon be shambling into the shadows once more though I hope I am wrong.

TAS: We spoke with SG Browne a little while back, the author of "Breathers". His favorite zombie film is "Fido", which I proclaim to be as much a work of genius as Romero's 'Dawn of the Dead". What are your favorites?

ESB: Dawn of the Dead, both versions, as well as Dance of the Dead because it made me laugh, Zombie II, come on, it had a shark fighting a zombie, and Night of the Living Dead for starting it all and scaring the crap out of me.

TAS: The obligatory question, Eric: What's next on tap?

ESB: I am currently finishing up my second Bigfoot book entitled Dead in the Woods which will be out very soon from Coscom Entertainment and writing a new apocalyptic tale with monsters of my own creation called "Into the Light". From there, we'll see.

Personally, I'm going to lay some groundwork on adapting the tragedy of the Alamo with zombies.  I always thought shambling undead minions would have benefited General Santa Anna.  That's a stroke of genius.  We'll see where that thing ends up.

Join us Friday for Gregory Hall's author profile...now new and improved with a potential Stoker mention.  Stay tuned.

Until then, keep reading.

Must Reads From the Land Down Under

One question I typically ask myself is: What's the next great thing coming out from LegumeMan Press?  I'm dead serious on that fact.  Since their inception, I'm not sure that the publishing house based in Australia has had a miss.  The Authors Speak has read, to date, all but one of their releases and all are exemplary examples of what a smallish publishing house is capable of.  The writers assembled are of great talent, and the hits just keep on coming.

I wish I was in their ranks.

Take for instance, two of their latest releases, by relative-unknown writers from Australia - Snake Jaw and Tales of Sin and Madness.

We'll start with Andrew Gallacher's noirish mystery, Snake Jaw.  Firstly, it's been a dynamo year for the continent.  The Oscars made that evident in film, sleeper surprises like Red Hill rocked my stripey socks, and now this book adds to the charm.  Snake Jaw is a mystery at its core - a race against time to save, hopefully, a yong woman.  But that's just the core.  That basic tread is enveloped in such rich and icky goodness it is a hard feat not to enjoy. 

Reading the prologue, where we meet Phalanx as a child, you're going to bear witness to your first "icky" moment.  If it's not your thing you'll undoubtedly place the book down and begrudge the Authors Speak for making the suggestion.  If you find the darkest humor amusing, you'll no doubt read on and be rewarded with splendor.  In a "basic" procedural, it is what you do with the material that maks it unique.  This one is truly unique and I want more from Andrew Gallacher.

My only complaint is the length.  At 91 pages it's a read that stats and ends so fast I was left craving more and saddened that the experience was over in a few hours time.  For the length, though, the pacing is perfection.  It layers the dread and holds the reader fast.  That is why I'd love to see what Gallacher can do with a full length novel.

Switching gears into the horror realm, Brett McBean's "Tales of Sin and Madness" is electric.  An anthology of stories, all horror-based, displays the glinting of someone who will be welcomed with open arms amongst the horror fans.

Not so much bizarro (not, at least, as Snake Jaw), Tales of Sin and Madness delves into the more conventional arena.  Each of the stories strikes a chord with the reader.  There are no new ideas; again, it is all in what you do with the retread.  Brett does some creative things here.  Some miss the mark - like, a Question of Belief, which does a very unique historical angle to the zombie lore that I found interesting, but not captivating.  Others knock it out of the league, like Garbage Man, which is an interesting take on the fascination with serial killers.  Hit or miss, though, every single story in the collection entertains, which a book should.

My personal favorite (and I can already hear people decrying that it's a little too similar to "Buried") is the Coffin. 

One of the things I love the most about this collection of short fiction is the inclusion of notes.  After each story McBean describes what he was thinking, where the origins lie, and just musings on the genre, as a whole.  At first I found this a little irritating, but as the book came closer to the end, I embraced it and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy.  One of the questions we writers are asked time and time again is where we derive our ideas.  No need to ask.  Brett tells you.  It creates a nice rapport with the author along the way.  Something we're typically not privy to.

You can order these by following the links (a small portion goes to the Authors Speak, which always helps).

Snake Jaw: 5 of 5; Tales of Sin and Madness: 5 of 5

The Authors Speak: Laurel Saville

Just who is this Laurel Saville I keep referencing?

It was the same question I asked myself when a PR person mentioned her name.  The title of the book is Postmortem, and I'd not bothered to read it.  The ever-growing to be read/reviewed stack didn't want any extra company.  Then, late last year, I was laid up with some medical issues, and I received a parcel in the mail.  Within was a note.  It read:

One of the new authors I mentioned to you in one of our emails.  My favorite book of the fall.

It was Postmortem by Laurel Saville.

Eyeballing the book, I noticed it was one of iUniverse's books.  Typically, I don't read the self published books.  It's not that they're not good.  It's, first and foremost, that I'm sent so many from publishers that I have difficulty squeezing them in.  Well, secondly, it's because of the negative stigma attached to self-publishing.  Don't let that fool you.

This book is absolutely amazing.  Even moreso, I've caught wind that it's been optioned by a bigger publishing house.  So, you have the chance to enjoy it before it "makes the big time".  It really is a one of a kind read, and I had to have Laurel on the show with us as soon as I was done.

What's the Skinny?  This very personal book is basically about accepting life after the murder of a family member.  The story focuses on the Anne Ford - a charming beauty queen, model, and fashionista in Southern California during the '50's.  If I lost you, read on.  Ford wound up penniless, drunk, and was found stabbed and strangeld in a burned-out building in West Hollywood.  Interestingly enough, and what makes the book unique, Anne Ford was Laurel Saville's mother.

Before you bemoan that it's a murder mystery or a memoir of a harrowing relationship, please know that it's a little of both.  Uniquely, Postmortem captures the voice of Laurel from a child growing up in West Hollywood in the '60's and '70's, witnessing changing processes and untangling memories.  It's a very, very good story from a very, very talented writer.

Laurel will join us this weekend for the Authors Speak Live, where we'll discuss the writing process, self-publishing, and, really, the bigger picture of West Hollywood through three distinct decades.

www.blogtalkradio.com/theauthorsspeak

Meet Gideon Crew, the latest protagonist in team Preston/Child universe.

I've been searching the Internets for feedback on this one.  I personally devoured the book, but the fanbase seems to be up in arms about their latest page-turner.  I guess I get it.  It's very challenging for an author to step outside of the world they've created, abandon the character with a following (Pendergast), and hope to strike lightening.  But, I think the negative reviews should be shouldered for a second.

I've read all of Preston and Child's books.  I love their earlier stand-alones more than I ever liked Pendergast.  Pendergast is enigmatic, interesting, and has some dubious tricks up his sleeves, but I was wanting that sense of adventure I got from books like Riptide, Relic, Mount Dragon.  Personally, I think authors should take a lesson here and try new things. 

I totally fell in love with this novel.

The beginning feels a little off, in that there are three, more or less, prologues (53 pages total, which feels like it could have been a chapbook released prior to the book's release).  Each tells a story from Crew's past - one at the age of 12 watching his father gunned down; the second in his twenties at his mother's death bed; and the third a little revenge action.  After you get past that, the action kicks in and the novel improves greatly.

There are no supernatural gimmicks, or creepy antiquities.  In fact, it's as straight-forward as one of their novels can be.  Gideon Crew, who has been watched from a younger age, is offered a fresh new challenge.  It doesn't get any more simple than that?  Well, it is.  But, like Konrath's latest procedural, it's the delivery that propels this thing forward.

What's Good?  Gideon Crew, for starters.  As oddball as Pendergast is, Gideon Crew is far more of a trickster character.  He's a devious little guy, meticulously placing a plan together.  He's a techie.  He's a thief.  He's got a plan in his head, and it's very interesting to watch it play out.

The writing here is much improved, too, from some of the past efforts.  One thing their past books have struggled with was pacing.  While the pace evened out as it went along, I felt cutting one hundred pages could have improved the stories.  At three-hundred-fifty-two pages, this is the shortest of theirs in quite sometime.  And the change pays dividends.

Of course, the dialogue is strong.  The other cast is pretty amazing.  And, the thing reads like a motion picture.

What's Not So Good?  I've heard people reference suspension of disbelief.  I don't know about that so much.  I've always had to suspend disbelief a bit when reading Preston and Child.  In fact, that's one of the reasons I typically come back time and time again.  It's pure escapism.

The suspension of disbelief here, though, holds a few factors that are based on convenience.  I just don't buy those.  Firstly, the entire story is predicated on convenience.  A little bedside chatter between Gideon's parents.  His father just happened to tell his mother a top secret cover-up.  It's a slight convenience point, one that would negate the rest of the story, but I have difficulty accepting that it would have played out like that.  Another, involves an early character violating commands because he feels the need to help.

There are a few others spattered about, but none totally distracted from the yarn.

Final Verdict?  If you don't like Preston/Child, you'll not even care what I've surmised here.  If you do, I suggest you read it.  Just go into it knowing you're not getting a Pendergast story.  It's on the totally opposite end of the Prest-Childoverse.  That, in my opinion, if done properly, is good enough for me.

3.5 out of 5