Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving




Happy Thanksgiving, I love this pic from the dearly departed The Cimmerian blog. I've been battling a few issues with the move, a computer virus , etc etc but here's to being grateful that things have all worked out and that writing shall commence in earnest very soon. All the best to you and yours.

Monday, November 14, 2011

"Fistful of Tengu" Online

My weird oriental fantasy story "Fistful of Tengu" from the MONK PUNK anthology is posted over at D. Harlan Wilsons The Dream People online journal, current issue #36.

I've been rather pleased that overall, my tale which opens the antho, seems to have been received rather well from most of the reviews I've read. (one didn't mention it-the rest sang the stories praises)

That and my original blog post about the story, something about tengu, the mythological Japanese crow-like creature, is still one of my most visited posts. Seems google must direct a lot of people here who ask what a tengu is.

Good. Kind if like how Marion Jensen still gets lots of the hits on his blog about 'exploding coconuts'.

So lesson for the day-want a  recurring blog post that gets a lot of hits? Post about something rather obscure so that your blog is high on the search list.

Cross posted with the http://mancaveauthors.blogspot.com/

Friday, November 11, 2011

This Goes up to Eleven

 
The party will take place:

10 pm – midnight, eastern

9-11 pm, central

8-10, mountain

7-9, pacific


If you would like to participate and haven't already done so, please "like" the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/monstersandmormons



And if you are on Twitter, but don't follow @motleyvision or @thmazing, but are open to it, do so. That'll make it easier for us to find you. I also am going to try to do something with Google+

more in depth details here

Monday, November 7, 2011

St. Rockwell and the Dragon

This is the illustration of Porter Rockwell by Davin Abegg for my weird western novella "Fangs of the Dragon" in Monsters & Mormons

Here is a snippet~

A mountain of a man stepped forward, creating a hush among the tribe. Thick and strong, he looked down on Porter scrutinizing him. “You are Mormonee?” he asked, bringing his bare chest to Port’s nose.

Amanda said, “This is Big Bear.”

Yeah, I’m Mormonee,” answered Port. “He is probably the second biggest Indian I’ve ever seen.”

Do you wear the sacred robes?” asked the grinning giant.

Yes.”

Show me.”

Port opened his shirt revealing the garments. “Satisfied?”

The woman is Mormonee too?”

Yes.”

She will show me?” He smirked.

Port shoved Big Bear, “That’s enough. Can we talk or not, Many-Buffalo? Or do I have to teach some manners to your boy?”

Amanda shook her head.

Big Bear knocked Port’s hat off.

Tell him! I’m here to take care of things and if they don’t help me, I can’t help them!” shouted Port. “But I’m not here to play games.”

Many-Buffalo stood impassive, then nodded to Big Bear.

The giant lunged, grasping Port in a bear hug, trapping his arms and lifting him off the ground. The gathering laughed as Many-Buffalo shouted in triumph.

Struggling to breath, let alone move, Port asked, “What’d he say?”

He said, if you are the best the Brigham can offer, he doesn’t need help,” cried Amanda over the din.

Big Bear’s laughter boomed into Port’s face.

Wheat! They ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Big Bear’s hug cracked Port’s back and grew tighter, forcing air from his lungs and still the big man laughed.

Looking Big Bear square in the eye, Port winked and then slammed his thick forehead into Big Bear’s nose repeatedly. The huge man, blinded and bloodied, dropped Port, who landed on his feet. Porter slammed Big Bear an uppercut to the chin, dropping the man-mountain. Rounding on Many-Buffalo, Port snarled, “Was he the best you got?”

Amanda translated.

Many-Buffalo frowned, but motioned for Port and Amanda to follow.

Amanda picked up Port’s hat, then handed it to him saying, “You know, might doesn’t always make right.”

Didn’t I just prove that?”

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Guest Post by Ty Johnston: 10 reasons to read Ghosts of the Asylum

Fantasy author Ty Johnston is doing a massive blog tour all through November and is going to give us...
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10 reasons to read Ghosts of the Asylum

1.) Ghosts of the Asylum is a sequel novel to my epic fantasy Kobalos Trilogy, which includes the novels City of Rogues, Road to Wrath, and Dark King of the North. Everybody has read my Kobalos Trilogy, right? Good. Thought so.

2.) The price is right. At only $2.99, Ghosts of the Asylum costs less than a Big Mac. And I’m talking just the Big Mac, not including the fries and drink that make up a whole meal. And Ghosts of the Asylum will last longer than a Big Mac, too.

3.) I’m guessing if you’re reading this blog, you likely have an interest in fantasy, possibly epic fantasy. My new novel is epic fantasy. How epic? Well, not only is this novel a sequel to a trilogy, but it’s part of a much larger story that should take up between 40 and 50 novels when finally completed. Is that epic enough for you?

4.) Kron Darkbow. Kron is my main character. Think of him as sort of a Batman in a fantasy world. He fights, he climbs, he picks locks, throws grenados and ... wait, did I say “throws grenados?” Yes, I did. Grenados are Kron’s favorite weapon.

5.) If you purchase and read Ghosts of the Asylum, maybe, just maybe, my wife will get off my back about getting a real job. So, you’d be doing me a big favor.

6.) I believe my stories have something to say. It might not be easy to discern, but there is always a gist of thought in the background of my plots and my characters’ actions.

7.) At the same time, I want to entertain. My novels have their fair share of action and adventure, as well as some intrigue. First I want to entertain myself, of course, but hopefully my interests will intersect enough with readers to also entertain them. At least that’s my goal.

8.) Though Ghosts of the Asylum is part of a much longer saga, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. Aren’t you tired of having to read 10 or more books to get an entire story? Maybe it’s just me.

9.) Speaking of sagas, Ghosts of the Asylum comes in at more than 110,000 words, which means it’s a tad longer than most modern novels, yet it’s a far cry from the huge, one-thousand-pages-plus tomes that seem to dominate epic fantasy today. In other words, you don’t have to set aside a whole month or more to read Ghosts of the Asylum, but it should still keep you reading for more than a few days.

10.) Okay, I’ve run out of ideas. Let me think. Let me think. I mentioned grenados, right? Yeah, I did. What about Kron Darkbow? Oh, you know about him. Hmm. Ah! I’ve got it! Okay, the empirical truth of the matter is this: Ghosts of the Asylum is the best novel you will ever read in your lifetime. Er, was that too much? Too over the top? Well, since this is sort of an advertisement for my novel, I could tell you what all the other advertisements tell you: Buy and read Ghosts of the Asylum, and you will become rich and happy and have lots of sex with beautiful people. Sorry, I don’t have a talking dog or a clown with red hair to sell my novel. Maybe next time.

Fantasy author Ty Johnston’s blog tour 2011 is running from November 1 through November 30. His novels include City of Rogues, Bayne’s Climb and More than Kin, all of which are available for the Kindle, Nook  and online at Smashwords . His latest novel, Ghosts of the Asylum, will be available for e-books on November 21. To find out more, follow him at his blog.

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I have a copy of City of Rogues and will review it-but the move (and life in general) have gotten in the way for the moment and I am way, way behind in my reading. Ty thanks for having patience with me and all the best on the rest of your tour.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Monsters and Mormons

Monsters & Mormons the biggest anthology I have been a part of yet was released last night - 29 tales of science fiction, fantasy, horror, alternate history, action and steampunk. I've only had a chance to read a couple others entries but I'm looking forward to this wide swath of strange tales by a host of great writers and artists-a number of which I feel comfortable calling my friends and enemies.


Fangs of the Dragon: a 16K weird western novella is my biggest release of the year and one of the works I've had the most fun writing ever.



Grab your six-gun, a blessed bowie knife and get an ebook HERE now or pre-order a massive paperback.