Writing Process Blog Tour

A friend and writer whom I recently reviewed The Crusader: JP Wilder asked me about doing a writing process blog tour and so here it is!

Answer these four questions about your writing process. Answers can be as long or short as you wish. 1) What am I working on? 
I just released a new novella Fangs of the Dragon - a Porter Rockwell weird western - this was previously published in Monsters and Mormons and just recently in Weird Tales of Horror - so this is one of my experiments teasers - with a fantastic cover by the amazing Matt Page! I have several projects I'm trying to wrap up in the short term - collections of my previously published short stories, one will be a weird western collection and the other is a Sword & Sorcery fantasy collection - each will collect my published (or not) short stories. Feels good to have enough nowadays to actually fill their own antho's  After that, I need to hit on a historical fantasy sequel to my first novel Blood of Our Fathers and then I have big plans for a fantasy series titled Gods & Robbers.

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre? 
I mix up all my influences and life experience into my stories, which mine like yours is completely individual. I remix history books and stories I love with Rock N Roll and then throw in things that come from dreams, sometimes a favorite (or disliked) story that I would have done differently. All of us filter things differently so it all comes out different in the work.

3) Why do I write what I do? 4) How does my writing process work?
It has to come out! I have so many ideas bubbling to the surface and writing is a cathartic release for all those things running through my mind. I might go crazy if there wasn't a vent for the many characters talking and doing things in my head, so many tales to tell and adventures to be had.

4) How does my writing process work?
I usually ponder some ideas, jot down illegible notes, drive and think about story's I'd like to read,  then sit down and start running with it. I rarely use outlines, but I do refine my drafts quite a few times. Sometimes its hard to let things go. My large output for 2014 has been a long time coming of everything I've worked on for the last 4 odd years.

Thanks to J.P. Wilder for inviting me on this - I need motivation to post better this last year! 
and in continuing these writing process blogs I've connected with my friend and amazing writer Charles Gramlich  who writes whatever interests him, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, His fiction is primarily horror or fantasy: his non-fiction deals mostly with science or with writing or writers.

I gotta plug that I loved his Swords of Talera series and his Bitter Steel collection of heroic fantasy.

Birthday Book Bomb! Weird Tales of Horror

June 22nd was my birthday, on behalf of that, I am releasing my collection of short strange tales collectively entitled Weird Tales of Horror for .99 cents just for today!

I would sincerely appreciate your getting a copy and eventually leaving me a scathing review.

Among those who have had some kind words are the talented Wilum Pugmire and Bruce Durham

"With these tales of many lands and many peoples, David J. West combines an excellent prose style with a brilliant imagination to give us a solid collection of wonderful stories. This is a refreshingly original gathering of weird fiction." --W. H. Pugmire 

"David J. West, author of 'Heroes of the Fallen', is a strong voice in the field of Sword & Sorcery. His work is evocative, featuring deftly drawn characters, exotic locales and energetic tale spinning." -- Bruce Durham

Westercon 67!

I'll be at Westercon 67 in Salt Lake City over the weekend of July 3-6. Sitting on a few panels and signing books - including my soon to be released Weird Tales of Horror along with all the rest.

I haven't made it to a Con in a couple years so this will be a good time. I love rubbing shoulders with fellow writers, fans and new friends.

It's going to be held at the Marriott Hotel Downtown at City Creek at 75 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 and directly across the street in the Salt Palace is Fantasycon - the beauty here is - they aren't in competition. A membership to either one, gets you into the other. (I'd like to see if I can get a signed Conan print by Brom - Paul!) So all told this gonna equal ONE BIG CON.

I've already made arrangements to be sitting next to D.J. Butler for the dealers room and ipso facto that will also put me next to Peter Beagle, so I've got to dig out a copy of Last Unicorn.

I'll put up a schedule when I can - its still getting ironed out. But I'm excited.

Read Lately: The Crusader by JP Wilder

The Crusader, by JP Wilder

“Honor is a thing not defined by your actions, but by your survival. If you survive and— praise to The God—emerge victorious, you may set the standards of Honor yourself” 

---Aaron the Savior. From The Crusader 

This is a great dark fantasy read. We are thrust into the tale of Aaron a hedgeknight who becomes part of an elite team known as the Darkmen, fighting a holy war versus the heathens. Now this isn't a historical, though it has resonance with those "Crusades" and Wilder does a fantastic job of characterization and granting the feelings of chaos men in war are bombarded with.

I was lucky enough to have lunch with Mr. Wilder, the other day - since I'm still in LA and he lives nearby and it was fun to visit and talk writing and inspirations. Very cool to hear about some of his characters and how they were influenced. I was enchanted by harsh deadly Raph and the sorceress too, as well as the twists with Aaron our protagonist. The Crusader had me from start to finish.

Only downside for me was how short this was, its really kind of a chapbook - but the benefit is a tight story and the sequels are coming on its heels very soon. Blue Eyes at Night! really looking forward to it. Highly recomended for all my S&S friends and readers.

And talk about fabulous covers! These are gritty and eye catching! Grab a copy here