The Next Big Thing Blog Tour

Two weeks ago, author Benjamin Kane Ethridge asked me join this chain-letter type blog tour and after several email volleys, I finally "got it" and agreed to do it. So here goes.

1) What is the working title of your next book?  The working title of my next work is East End Girls, and it's a novella.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book?  The idea came a few years ago while I was reading/researching famous historical crimes and thought, what if?

3) What genre does your book fall under?  The genre is Horror/Alternate History.

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?  If I could choose any actors for a film adaptation of my book, I would want Real British ones. Emily Blunt would be my first choice for the main character.

5) A one-sentence synopsis describing my book:  Desperate to follow in her father's footsteps, a young lady crosses paths with Jack the Ripper and discovers the darkness that dwells within a killer.

6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?  It is being published by JournalStone in the "Double Down" series.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?  30 days of NaNoWriMo!

8)  What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?  Stevenson's, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but it's a bit of a stretch.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?  I had originally planned it as a short story but was encouraged by my editor, R.J. Cavender, to write it as a novella or novel. Other than that, it was my love of history that inspired the story.

10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?  It has a historical twist, which I personally enjoy reading.

This blog tour of "The Next Big Thing" continues next Wednesday, December 5th. Keep an eye out for Q & A's with:
Cynthia Vespia, Lou Sylvre, Jerry Wheeler, David-Matthew Barnes, and Derek Johnson.

The Haunted Mansion Writer's Retreat 2012

It was Thursday, September 27th, exactly one week after my birthday, and still recovering from KillerCon Convention in Las Vegas, when I was met at the luggage carousel at SFO by Lisa Morton who was all smiles. Despite all of our reported delays and texting them to one another, we all seemed to land around the same time and didn't have to wait too long for anyone. As soon as I retrieved my luggage, we were off to find Chris Marrs, which thanks to Lisa, who actually reads the signs in airports, we were able to do without taking a shuttle to the other side of the airport. After a harrowing taxi ride we finally made it to the mansion and were met by Weston Ochse. Inside, we had our pictures taken and pinned above the fireplace which reminded me of players in a murder mystery.

 

Our lovely hostess, Rain Graves, showed us to our rooms and gave us a tour of the house. The interior was beautiful. Creaky stairs, dark woodwork, stained glass. Just lovely. During the tour Rain pointed out "hot spots" in the house for paranormal activity. I'll admit I'm not so into that kind of thing. I've always thought along the lines of letting sleeping dogs lie. But when Rain told me that my roommate wasn't coming, I'll be honest, I was a bit nervous about sleeping alone and thankful I brought  Prince Valium to help me out with that.

 

Not long after the tour, we were forced by the wonderful Eunice Magill to take a walk of the grounds. And oh, what a walk that was. If the house didn't give you the creeps, the pathwalk most certainly would. When I saw the old swimming pool, I immediately thought of the "baby bog" from Matheson's, Hell House. There are old twisted trees, stone and stick totems reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project, a cave, a burnt hollowed out tree, and lots of steep steps that led up and up and up. Trying to walk at night without a flashlight would surely result in a broken neck or in the least, a sprained ankle. I took a picture of what to me looked like a wood nymph.

 

Then the dinner bell rang! The food was beyond delicious and we were never left hungry. I can't even list a favorite dish because they were all so tasty.

 

At night we'd sit on the porch and talk. Sometimes three deer would show up then take off when they heard rustling in the trees. Someone talked about mountain lions and after that I stayed close to the house at night. Ghosts are one thing, but an animal attack is well, a whole other animal. (Yeah, cheesy.)

 

The second night, the lovely and talented Fran Friel came down from the very "active" 3rd floor and roomed with me. Definitely the best roommate I've ever had and she never complained that I was in the bigger bed. HA! Gotta love her for that. A real sweetheart. And super bonus, I got a signed copy of Mama's Boy, which I can't wait to start reading.

During the day, many of us hung out in the library and worked on our individual projects. One of which was a rug. LOL! Loren Rhoads. I got a lot done while I was there, so if you think it's all fun and games, it's not. I completed five chapters of rewrites and edited a short story.

S.G. Browne, Weston and Sephera Giron would walk around the house with one of those handheld "ghost reader thingies" and a tape recorder. They came back excited about a recording, but no one believed them because it sounded like Darth Vader taking a breath. But after some cleaning up of the recordings by the very talented William Gilchrist, voices both male and female were heard speaking  clear words. I was sitting next to them as they sorted through the recordings and it made the hairs on my arms and neck stand up. Reminded me of the scene in the movie, The Changeling, (the best ghost story ever,) when George C. Scott's character first heard the haunting child's voice on the recording. C-R-E-E-P-Y. That night I was real glad Fran was with me.

A few other ghostly moments went down, and I actually did feel changes in the house that made me uncomfortable at times, but overall, I never felt like anything bad was out to get me. Then again, I choose to ignore things like I said before - let sleeping dogs lie.

It was a great experience and the camraderie couldn't be beat. I tend to feel a little awkward in large groups, but The Haunted Mansion Writer's Retreat 2014 will be something I look forward to in the future. For those of you who might be thinking about it. Do it. Book early, you won't regret it.

KillerCon 4 - Las Vegas 2012

This was my third KillerCon and by far one of the most attended and busiest. It started off with the t-shirt printing company spelling Jack Ketchum's name wrong. In the craziness that ensued to fix this error, a lot of sleep was lost and I spent the rest of the time trying to catch up, and it never happened. Then YAY! They were able to fix it. Then BOO, one of the other volunteers, (Mason Bundschuh, thanks a lot Mason ;) mentioned that Kelley Armstrong's name was also spelled wrong, and then I was done after that, but apologized to her for the error. She was very cool about it too. The GOH's at KillerCon are so awesome! Needless to say, next year's t-shirts will be done by a different company and at least one or two weeks in advance. The proofs will also go around to several volunteers for approval.

 

KillerCon kicked off on my birthday this year! And I could think of no better way to make up for the for the t-shirt debacle than having a cake rolled out for me, and Dallas, (Jack Ketchum,) front and center, singing happy birthday. It was all kinds of awesome! I'd like to thank everybody that was involved behind the sneaky maneuver. It was a great surprise I'll always remember and cherish. Then it was off to zipline down Fremont Street! I gathered up a small group including Christie White, Mark Scioneaux (co-owner of Nightscape Press,) and his lovely wife, Jessica. My childhood bestie, Mindy Morgan, and her wife, Stacy Scranton, the official KillerCon photographer, also came along. And we had a BLAST! It was great flying down the street with old and new friends. I was ready for a drink after that.

 

The next few days were spent in the dirty martini hangover haze that I associate with KillerCon. However, compounded with my lack of sleep, I only became more exhausted and would end the nights early.

Friday evening was an important dinner I had set up in advance at the famous Golden Steer Steakhouse. It is a nostalgic Las Vegas restaurant frequented by many famous and infamous celebrities and mobsters. For those of you who like to see "old" Vegas, it's a must. After making several changes to the reservations and trying to "herd cats" as R.J. Cavender would say, it turned out to be a fabulous dining experience with many great people. Deals go down in Vegas. This city makes things happen, and one of the things that happened for me was a publishing contract. I will post this information when it is officially released. What I can say is that a dear friend and colleague is also a part of the deal, and gave me a thumbs up when someone had asked about my writing. Yeah - KillerCon - don't miss out. After dinner, I had to apologize for having to eat and run, but I was planning on entering the erotica contest that was only an hour away, and it was worth it because I won 3rd place. I don't usually like to read at conventions, but I wanted opinions on an excerpt from my next novel and the win gave me the thumbs up I needed.

 

Saturday was a busy day. Zombie make-up artists Michael McCarty and Emmy winner, Carey Jones dolled up two brave volunteers.  Patricia MacEwen did an alien autopsy, and I attended a self-editing workshop hosted by editor, R.J. Cavender. There were also a bunch of great readings and panels I wanted to attend. Gene O'Neill gave up his reading time to let everyone make announcements about their own up and coming work. What a class act! When he got to me, I wasn't prepared and couldn't think of my one sentence pitch for The Evolutionist, due out January 2013 by Nightscape Press, so I kind of rambled on about it and felt like an idiot later. It was a run around day for sure, but I was able to grab a quick bite to eat at Roxy's Diner in the late afternoon with R.J. Cavender, Jason Reinhardt, (who walked away with first prize at the Gross-Out Contest later that night,) my childhood bestie, Mindy, and we were later joined by author and all-around great guy, Eric Jackson. It was great, but we were all tired and decided we would try and nap before the later events and parties.

 

The Gross-Out contest was awesome and congratulations to Jason. Cutting Block Press's party was a huge success and I'm glad I volunteered to help out. I thought my table decorations turned out great and the sandwiches were yummy. It was great chatting with Sunni Brock and to later see that she used one of the vampire fang cocktail napkins in her Facebook photo.

 

I left early Sunday morning and was unable to say goodbye to so many people, but I promise to make up for it next year. It was a wonderful time and so good to see old friends and make new acquaintances. I also had the pleasure of meeting fellow Nightscape Press authors, Peter Dudar and L.L. Soares. Great guys and awesome authors. I picked up several books that are on the Stoker® reading list and will review them in the upcoming months. Best wishes to everyone. Nice to see John Palisano, Benjamin Kane Ethridge and his lovely wife, Irma. Brad C. Hodson, Eric Guignard, Robert and Jennifer Wilson (other half of Nightscape Press.) Jen is recovering from seizures after a bout of exhaustion, so please, let's keep her in our thoughts. Eunice Magill, Angel McCoy, Chris Marrs, Shane Mackenzie and his lovely wife, Melinda. Adam Cesare, Taylor Grant, Christopher Payne, Fran Friel, Aaron French, Theresa Dillon, Cynthia Vespia, Monica O'Rourke, Darryl Dawson Brown, Scott Magner, Edmund Colell, Tim Marquitz, Damien Grintalis, and so many, many more. All of the volunteers, and a special shout out to Wrath, Christie, Bailey, Boyd, and R.J. I apologize for leaving anyone out. I will post a more complete photo album on my website renamasonwrites.com in the next week or so.

KILLERCON Las Vegas 2012

It's that KillerCon Convention time of year again and there's no better way to kick it off than on my birthday! For those of you who are attending, there are a few things you should know. The daytime temperatures have been averaging in the upper 90's, but don't let this fool you. Most of the time you will be indoors and casino temperatures average in the mid 60's. This is to help keep the patrons awake so they can continue gambling. Wouldn't want anyone getting too warm and cozy then wanting to go to sleep. Rest is forbidden, so it's a good idea to bring along your favorite sweater, sweatjacket, or a light blazer.
This is the desert. It's very dry here and higher in altitude than a lot of people think. Many visitors (and locals) suffer from headaches because they don't drink enough water. You should be drinking at least 10 glasses a day, and even more if you are drinking alcohol.

If you are renting a car, BE CAREFUL! The drivers in Vegas are notoriously horrible in their own right, but add a bunch of tourists and the roads around the strip become a free-for-all. There have been more pedestrians hit here since January then all of last year combined. You also have to keep a lookout for drunk drivers. Since this is a 24hr nonstop city, they're driving around at ALL times of the day. Yesterday, a drunk driver hit a bus stop killing four people and sent eight others to the hospital. It was horrific.

Another important issue are shoes. Everybody likes to dress up in Vegas and it's perfectly fine to wear those five-inch spiked heels for a couple of hours, but during the day, during the convention, you'll want your most comfortable pair of shoes. A lot of walking is involved. These hotel/casinos are huge. For the ladies, it's time to pack that dress that's a little too short, a little too tight and way too revealing. And if it sparkles, all the better! It's Vegas! You will blend in with all the librarians from Iowa and accountants from Arkansas who come here to PLAY! I look forward to seeing everyone.

This morning, I had my first ever phone interview on blogspotradio with Frankie Hernandez and David-Matthew Barnes. Please tune in and give it a listen. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pysk/2012/09/14/people-you-should-know-1
Yeah, I mention The Lovely Bones, but many of my lady friends read it who otherwise wouldn't have read anything that was considered "horror." I actually thought it was good too, until about halfway through when it "jumped the shark."

I've read a lot since my last post which was a while ago - Gord Rollo's, The Dark Side of Heaven, was a great read. About a third of the way through it really picked up and I couldn't put it down. I finished Enter Night, by Michael Rowe which was also an excellent read. Laird Barron's, The Croning, which was a take on tales with a twist, I enjoyed. I've also been doing some research on Jack the Ripper and have read a few books on the history of the Whitechapel murders. I'm currently reading, American Idol, by S.C. Hayden which is a religious satire and a little bit out of the norm from what I normally read, but with what's been going on in world news lately, I'm finding it very poignant and enjoying it. I finished Gene O'Neill's, Blue Heron. More mystery and espionage, it was a great read. One of the books I really enjoyed was A Requiem for Dead Flies, by Peter Dudar about a haunted farmhouse and a crazy grandma. I highly recommend it, which brings me to my next bit.

Nightscape Press is offering its recent releases on Kindle this weekend for FREE! You'd be crazy not to jump on the offer. Click the books below to go to Amazon and get your FREE Kindle downloads.

NOLA - Part Deux

This is at the rear of the St. Louis Cathedral in the St. Anthony Garden. Floodlights are projected at night, creating an imposing shadow of Jesus with his arms upraised. The best view is straight down Orleans Street off of Bourbon. Even if you're not religious, it's a captivating sight. And if you happen to be stumbling drunk and look up, it could be a life changer.

Another must foodie stop in the Crescent City I mentioned before is Cafe du Monde. They've got good strong coffee writers live by, and THE best beignets. One bit of advice for the HWA crowd. There is a ton of powdered sugar everywhere. Your coveted black t-shirts will get dusted. It is unavoidable. Bring lots of those hand wipes, and you should be good. Or if you see me there, ask for one, I've always got them.

Jackson Square is a great place to walk around and check out the local flavor in art. You can also get your palm read and listen to live jazz. Two of the coolest things to see are weddings and funeral processions along the "police assisted" closed off streets of The French Quarter. The French Market, is a big open air shopping spot for souvenirs and kitsch and stuff, but it's also a great place to walk around in some shade and people watch. My favorite souvenir shop is Voodoo Blues along Bourbon Street, not too far off Orleans. They have locally made products. Marie Laveau's shop is also great for sage and other hard to find items. You'll know what I mean when you walk through it, and I'm pretty sure they only take cash.
In other fantastic news. I am more than thrilled that my debut novel, The Evolutionist, has been picked up by Nightscape Press with a release date to be announced soon. You can read more about it here. http://www.nightscapepress.com/

If you still haven't got your copy of Horror For Good, please do so. It's for a great cause, and there are a ton of excellent stories in there that are well worth it. It's now available on Amazon too.
http://www.amazon.com/Horror-For-Good-Charitable-Anthology   Kevin Hopson also recently reviewed my story, The Eyes Have It, and gave it four stars. You can read the review here on his website Darkness Abound.

In reading/review news, I recently finished Gene O'Neill's, Rusting Chickens. It's a great story about a man suffering from injuries received on a mission overseas. He comes home and begins having hallucinations that things are moving that shouldn't be. There is a military backstory woven into the present day story of his recovery, but you don't have to be in the military to understand it. This novella is very well done, and in the end - to me - it was a beautiful love story. Go figure. And I'm not a romantic, I assure you. I highly recommend this book. His prose is fun, but concise, and at times quite haunting. I thought I had the story nailed, but he really blew my theory out of the water at the end. http://www.darkregions.com/rusting-chickens-by-gene-oneill/

In hot shopping news. Totes are all the rage. This summer, everyone's come out with a tote for their line. In Vegas though, everything should sparkle to catch all the lights. So my tote choice is this medium sized sequined bag with pastel silk flowers on the front. It's not too large and it comes with a strap in case you'd like to carry it over your shoulder. Jazzy and chic at the same time. Can't beat that!

SASFEST 9.5 NOLA 2012

This year's Saints & Sinners Literary Festival, a literary event co-produced by the NO/AIDS Task Force and the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival was held May 18th - 20th. It was a "mini" because they're getting ready for the big 10 year anniversary celebration which will occur next year in May, 2013. There was an opening cocktail party and readings from the short story contest finalists at The Hotel Monteleone, which was very nice. Jerry Rabushka was the winner, but three of the other finalists were in my workshop the next day - J.R. Greenwell, Jeff Lindemann, and Frank Perez. All fantastic men, and great authors. Saturday, was the Jameson Currier workshop. I submitted one of my short stories for review. There were 10 in all. I got lots of great feedback and advice, and gave some too. I also befriended Eric Andrews-Katz, a great guy who has a couple of novels out with Bold Stroke Books, one of the big sponsors of the festival. During lunch break, my friends, David-Matthew Barnes, and Edward Ortiz  had a meal at The Green Goddess, which is located diagonally across from the hotel. The food was good, but I should've ordered something other than what I did. We sat outside, and the weather was gorgeous this go around. The best it's been since the four years I started annually going to Saints & Sinners in May. In the evening, after the workshop there were several readings held at The Gallery Orange - beautiful place with many pieces I wish I could afford. Faye Jacobs is a wonderful reader with many great stories to tell, and I also enjoyed Jerry Wheeler's story. He was also in my workshop, and I very much enjoy his work. Overall, the mini-convention was a success, and I'd like to send shout-outs to a few of the people that help make it happen. Amie M. Evans, Paul J. Willis, and Greg Herren. The first picture is of the St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square.

Aside from trying out The Green Goddess this year, I ventured to my usual "must" haunts in New Orleans, Le Cafe Du Monde, and the Stanley around Jackson Square. I also for the first time tried the famous Muffaletta sandwich. My first one was at Napoleon's, where they make great drinks, and the second time, I went to the original place. Central Grocery Store. I thought of it as an Italian sandwich. The meats are salami, prosciutto ham, stuff like that, with Italian cheese, and this yummy olive "salad" in a large round, sesame covered bread. It was awesome salty goodness. But if you're someone who despises olives, like Ed Kurtz, of Abattoir/Redrum Horror Press, you may not want to try this sandwich, but you're missing out!

I didn't stay at the convention hotel because the blocked rooms were all taken, but they suggested a different hotel only a block away, called The Olivier House. I thought this was a quaint, rustic hotel, but the bed I had was very uncomfortable. I didn't mind or complain about walking up three flights of stairs every time I needed to go anywhere because the elevator is known as "the coffin". The staff was nice, and they have a cute courtyard, but my aging body needs sleep, and I couldn't get it from that mattress. It was reasonably priced however, and said to be haunted, but no ghost would've messed with me when I have a backache.

 

This blog about New Orleans will have to be in two parts. There's just too much to say. But the MOST important thing/tip I can write about is comfortable shoes. Bring them. They will be your life saver. Living in Las Vegas, I have a million pair of flip-flops, but after walking everywhere in New Orleans on uneven cobblestones, I still get blisters. Bring Band-Aids. Four to five usually do the trick. And if you wear shoes with socks, bring extra socks to change throughout the day. It is usually hot, very humid, and nobody wants to smell your stinky feet. I've yet to find flip-flops that are "the most comfortable", but a brand I do like and have several of are Tory Burch. They have funky colors and some that aren't just flat, but have an arch.

On the way there, I finally finished Mesmerized, by David-Matthew Barnes. It's a YA (older teen), coming of age/coming out book, but it was more than that. The MC had to deal with the death of her older brother, which was a hate crime. She had to help her family and friends get through it, while working through it herself. She had to face the criminal that did it. It was a powerful story in a neat little package. I enjoyed it very much. I don't often get to read stories with happy endings, and this one really came full circle for me.

A Horror Mom's Day

First and foremost I have to pimp my first ever published short story, The Eyes Have It, in Horror For Good: A Charitable Anthology. If you haven't yet picked up this fantastic book, I highly recommend it and not just because I'm in it. Some of my favorites that left impressions are: Blood For The American People, by Lisa Morton, The Gift, by Monica O'Rourke, and Baptism by Tracie McBride. Go ladies! I'm so fortunate to be amongst these very talented women. Also enjoyed The Silent Ones by Taylor Grant. It's a mind haunt that creeps into you and takes a while to get over.  Brad C. Hodson's, The Other Patrick, is so fantastic it made me cry. And last but not least, Shiva, Open Your Eye by Laird Barron. All of them excellent reads. Trust me. Click the "BUY ME" text to order your copy today. And all proceeds go to amfAR, the foundation for AIDS research. It's a no lose situation.

BUY ME

My Mother's Day has been greatly accentuated by being a part of this book and meeting some fantastic people in the process, including some of the other authors in the TOC, and editors: Mark C. Scioneaux, Robert S. Wilson, and Jennifer Wilson.

This special day started with a Starbuck's Americano and Krispy Kreme donuts in bed, a call to my mother, who loved her Mother's Day present, and wonderful Mother's Day cards from my boys. Then reality hit, and I had to do some laundry. Went to see The Avengers with my boys, and it was FANTASTIC. Going to have some BBQ for dinner, then watching Game of Thrones. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

As far as Mother's Day gifts go, holidays are year round for me. I've learned to take care of myself, and what does a "cool", horror mom want for Mother's Day besides books? This one---Accessories!!

I received two scarves for Mother's Day. This first one is by Alexander McQueen, may he rest in peace. He was a most awesome designer and did a lot with the "skull" motif. And would I love to have one of his skull minaudiere's? Hell yeah, but four grand is pretty steep for anything.

The other one is a Givenchy, Tarot Card scarf. I've never seen anything like it, and thought it was too cool to pass up. The scarves are very light and can be worn in the summer to jazz up a T-shirt and jean shorts. Scarves can also be used to put up your hair, which is something that I love to do because it's a classic look, and I hate having my hair hanging in my face when it's hot and humid out. Scarves - they're not just for winter ladies! Bring 'em out and accessorize yourself cool.

For men, I prefer the casual look of cargo shorts and a polo shirt for everyday, out and about errands. I'm a big fan of the Pyscho Bunny line, and not just because Cameron Tringale, (the golfer), wears them. They have a ton of different colors, but I chose this one because the logo shows up.