It appears that Knight Chills is a double recipient of The Versatile Blogger Award. Last year I was fortunate enough to receive this award and this year two gifted writers sent it my way. So before I follow the rules that come with acceptance of this privilege, I want to honor them.
First up, Carole Gill who contributed with her amazing story, Memoir, which happens to rank 10th as of this writing, has graced me with this award. Carole Gill is an amazing writer of Gothic Romance. She creates characters that dazzle and frighten the reader with style and grace. You can honor me by visiting her blog: Carole Gill Official Author Blog.
And the other author who selected me is the great Blaze McRob. Blaze is one of my favorite horror writers. He dazzles us with characters that will give you the creeps and stay with you long after you've read the story. Look for Blaze in his blog Blaze McRob's Tales of Horror.
Now for the rules that bind the next recipients of this award. They are: thank and recognize the presenter of the award, reveal seven facts about yourself, and then pass the award on to up to 15 other bloggers whom you would like to recognize.
Alright, here are seven facts people might not know about me.
1. I've literally had run-ins with some famous celebrities. My most memorable encounter was when I accidentally knocked Bo Derek to the ground on a New York City Street. Don't worry, I helped her up. The woman has the most amazing eyes.
2. I used to be a die hard Mets fan and one winter wore only a team jacket for the month of December. I guess I had brain freeze.
3. When I'm alone I sing (badly). I love music.
4. I coached little league baseball when I was just 15 years old. I sure enjoyed making the umpires look silly. I'd sound smart and quote bogus rule numbers to win my arguments.
5. Sometimes when I'm teaching I speak real loud just for the fun of it. (Did it today and now my throat is sore).
6. I coached boys and girls basketball. Coached women in Puerto Rico's pro league. That was fun!
7. My first home-run as a little leaguer stunned everyone especially me, since I had my eyes closed.
Here are my choices for the award.
Lisa McCourt Hollar and her amazing blog, Jezri's Nightmares. She's a wonderful horror writer who always pens interesting articles and stories. Don't miss out on her blog. Check it out here.
Linda S. Prather features Indie authors, is an excellent writer who also has great guest bloggers providing impressive articles. And she's also a real life Paranormal Investigator. With Linda, what's not to like? Check out her blog here.
Michelle Shaw is a talented writer and poet who informs and entertains with the best of them. She shares her gift by providing a glimpse into her world and is a master at creating titles that stand out from the crowd. Read her blog here.
Nicole Ducleroir is a beautiful and talented writer who puts the "V" in versatile. Stop by her blog and I promise you won't be disappointed. Check it out here.
I urge you to look up these great writers as well. Poppet, Biola Olatunde, Alex Morgan, and M Pax.
Spotlight: 5 New Horror Writers That Will Scare Your Socks
Off
Hello my friends.
Tonight I want to salute some of my favorite horror bloggers. Their websites are filled with plenty of
exciting pictures, creepy crawly prose, and insane imagery that will drive you
into hiding.
First up: the fabulous Blaze McRob and his site, Blaze McRob’s
Tales of Terror. This horror writer always entertains all the while making sure
the reader’s spine tingles with what I call the
creepy crawlies. His tales tend to
leave a lasting impression. Here’s the link to his website.
Next: Draven Ames at Another Slightly Scary Story. Draven is
a wiz at conjuring up tension and best of all, he features other talented
writers. What a great guy! Check out his
website here.
Next up: the amazingly gifted writer of gothic horror,
Carole Gill and her fantastic website called, Bloody Good Vampires. Don’t expect to see any sweet vamps
there. Do expect to be spellbound by her
incredible gift for storytelling. Visit
her here.
If you want to get the lowdown on horror movies, the place
to visit is Dr. Blood’s Video Vault.
Always in the know, Dr. Blood won’t lead you astray into a dark corner
to suck your blood. Um, well, perhaps he’ll
do that too, but if you survive, think what fun you’ll have perusing through
the many movie clips. Visit his website here.
And rounding out this short list is Lisa McCourt Hollar and
her website, Jezri’s Nightmares. This
gifted writer loves to scare and entertain with exciting short stories. She writes about cannibals, scary clowns,
psychos and of course, vampires. Do pay
her a visit here. You won’t regret
it.
Stay tuned next week when I’ll feature some more of my
friends. And do have a safe and fun
filled Halloween.
Today we take a peak inside the sizzling anthology brought to you by the Masters of Horror: Damned If You Don't. Today's featured authors are Ryan Willox, Keith Gouveia, and the Knight Chills readers favorite: Carole Gill. Enjoy and be on the lookout for the book which comes out in e-book form later this month. The paper back version comes out May 1, 2011 and for those hard cover lovers, you'll be able to get your hands on your copy too.
Having lived in Las Vegas for many years, I’d seen the lure of gambling seduce and destroy many normally decent people first-hand. In an effort to appeal to their logic, I’d tell them: “Look at the Strip. There’s a Castle, there’s a Pyramid, there are replicas of New York and Paris. Do you think they built those by GIVING MONEY AWAY?” When you hear the expression “Easy Money”, do yourself a favor and entertain the notion there may be no such thing.
Now, observe as Ryan Willox takes the phenomenon to another level altogether.
A Kiss for the Damned
By Ryan Willox
Martin had been running for the past fifteen minutes and his legs were tiring. If he stopped for a single breath they would be on him. He had evaded them for too long to simply let them overrun him, so he struggled on.
His legs felt heavier by the second and urged him to give up but if he looked back he would succumb because seeing them again, whatever they were, would break his resolve.
As Martin raced down King Street he recalled his last sighting of his hunters only minutes before and how inconspicuous they had looked in their bland, pale colored T-shirts and nerdy shorts.
A casual observer would have thought nothing of them, but then a casual observer wouldn’t have realized they weren’t—right. He hoped that his recent glance back at them would be the last time he would see them - the terror that it wouldn’t be kept him going.
Freewheeling down another steep gradient, distancing himself still further, he then leapt up the steps of the Central Station railway bridge in the heart of the town, taking then two at a time in order to finish this agonizing pursuit.
While running on the bridge, he looked up at the sky and saw one of the most beautiful sunsets he had ever witnessed. The sun was a brilliant blood red and the almost cloudless sky around it was an explosion of purples, deep crimson, and oranges all merging together.
As he ran, with his paisley tie flapping wildly and his white shirt sticking to him through perspiration, he supposed that, if this was to be the last sunset he would ever see, it would be the finest.
Soon the bridge was out of sight and he was running towards home. Despite a deep centered reservation about doing so, Martin glanced over his shoulder and was more relieved than he could ever hope to express when he didn’t see anyone giving chase.
After a chase that seemed endless, he got to the apartment block he called home.
Standing with his back to the door so that he could keep watch, he searched frantically in his pockets for his keys. He discovered them in the front left pocket of his trousers and, within seconds, he fell inside and lay on the cold stone hallway. Despite his aching limbs he forced himself to get up and go to his apartment because he would only be safe when he was inside. Battling exhaustion, Martin crawled up the stairs to his front door.
After kicking the door shut he lay in the cooling dark. His exhaustion was all- consuming and he found he had neither the will, nor the strength to get up; therefore he made only a cursory attempt at resistance as he slipped into unconsciousness on the floor.
Normally, Halfway Houses and Rehabilitation Centers start out rough—’kicking cold’, scrubbing toilets, re-learning ‘people skills’, baring your soul to addicts even scarier than yourself—and then get better.
Not in Carole Gill’s world, though.
Big House
By Carole Gill
Addicts ‘r us, messed up losers—you know the kind: cokeheads, overeaters, serious self harmers, suicide groupies, sex addicts—each of them so completely fucked up they finally end up in a kind of terminal rehab center--which is what this place was.
Yes, the Big House gave such places free reign to run themselves as they saw fit. They were, after all, evaluation centers to review the clients’ varying addictions and to best access what the next step was. That was what Executive Management said; what they did, however, was another matter.
Joe knew. He had taken the job happily, ages ago…but now he found his second thoughts had third, fourth and fifth thoughts.
But there was worse, there always is.
Joe sighed. He was Director, Houseman, whatever anyone wanted to call it—that was okay with him. In truth, he ran the place—this waystation, recovery home, haven, care facility.
Actually, he thought of it as ‘losers ‘r us.’ The place where the lost, the hopeless, the monumentally fucked up finally end up—in short it was the repository for addicts. He ran the men’s section.
He saw the new batch arrive in the van nicknamed Pegasus. Someone with a misplaced sense of humor named it that because if that horse flew, these poor bastards were now to be grounded for an indeterminate time (to say the least).
As always, Joe welcomed them: “We are going to sort you out--to evaluate you and send you on your way. It’s not so bad…you’ll see.”
“What do you mean, ‘we’? I just see you, man.”
Ah, trouble right away…and in the shape of a skinny little kid with attitude.
Scott, recent jailbird and dull-eyed wonder at 19, was not impressed. “This place sucks!”
“But you just got here! Give us time!”
Scott let loose a stream of abuse but Joe wasn’t bothered. “Your nose is bleeding, Scott.”
“How do you know my name?”
“We get briefed.”
“Yeah, so what does that make me?”
It was always the same. “It makes you putty in the system’s hands, kid, better get used to it.”
“Look, the judge told me he was sending me here, and that was it.”
“Which judge was that, Scott?”
“I don’t know—Judge Minos or something…the one I just saw. What’s it to you anyway?”
A murmur of laughter from the other losers and Scott looks proud of himself.
No one says anything. The only reaction is from Albert who deliberately lets one monumental fart rip as a kind of comment.
“That’s disgusting!” This they nearly all respond to—waving their hands in front of their faces. “Christ almighty!”
Albert didn’t laugh—he was the most seriously disturbed. He wore bracelets on both his wrists these were the white dressings that covered his most recent suicide attempt: even his scars had scars. Poor Al.
Joe knew. He had the notes. Predestination came into it. In Al’s case he had a crazy mother who tried to drown him when he was ten.
“Why did you do that, Mrs. Fugle?”
“The voices told me, your honor. Blame them!”
Unlike most quasi- illegal substances, steroids have helped people; they’re prescribed for several different medical conditions—in fact they’re one of the only methods of alleviating them, at present—and they do enable athletes and bodybuilders to attain nearly superhuman levels of achievement. I’m personally baffled by the attitudes sports authorities have towards steroid use: “They used STEROIDS to hit those thousand home runs!” I think, “Aren’t you PAYING them these endless millions to HIT a thousand home runs? Hell, GIVE them steroids, let ‘em use them all they want!”
As long as they’re prepared to ‘pay the piper’, of course. And when that piper is my man Keith Gouveia…LOOK OUT.
Taper
By Keith Gouveia
Let me start by taking a moment to apologize to the world. I feel as though the cataclysmic events that have unfolded in the last couple of weeks are my fault.
Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself. I just watched another news broadcast stating that there is pandemonium in the streets of Hartford, Connecticut. The infestation is spreading and, as their numbers increase, our chances of survival diminish.
I am locked away inside my home in Fall River, Massachusetts. I thought I was safe, until my confines were reduced to my master bedroom. At least I still have the bathroom. A 13-inch television is my only link to the outside world. Fortunately, I had enough time to grab some canned goods and other rations.
But they won’t last.
My dresser secures the door and the windows are boarded, but recently the bangs against the door have increased in frequency and intensity. I know in my heart that it is only a matter of time before our government has the situation under control, but I fear I will not live to see that day. That is why I write this now.
My name is Adam Kelly, and this is my punishment.
My friend Will and I were enjoying a day together. It had been so long since the two of us could just hang out as we did in the old days, what with me getting engaged and all. Our day started at the gym, where I learned the stupid bastard was taking steroids. Of course, I chewed his ass out for it. I worked in the pharmaceutical business and knew of all sorts of horror stories about their effects on the human body. But did he listen? NO! I dropped the subject.
After our workout, the two of us headed to my house to change clothes.
The plan was to try the new sushi bar that opened downtown. Since Will lived in Rhode Island, I reluctantly agreed to let him borrow some of my clothes. Once we were ready, we headed over to the restaurant. It was there this nightmare began. Why couldn’t we have just gone out for steak?
The place was crowded and we should have walked out right then and there, but instead, we waited.
“I have no idea what any of this stuff is,” I said as we looked over the menu.
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll ask the waiter what he recommends,” Will replied and put down his menu. He too had no idea what he was looking at.
“Can I start you off with something to drink?” asked the waiter.
“Yeah, I’ll have whatever is on tap.”
“Me, too,” I added.
“Do you need a few more moments to decide on your meals?”
“What do you recommend? Neither one of us has ever had sushi before,” Will told the waiter.
“Well, we have the popular California rolls, along with a soft shell crab roll. But I would recommend the Maki Sushi.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It is a sweet soy bean curd sushi. If you don’t like it, then chances are sushi in general isn’t for you.”
“All right, I’ll try that,” I replied and Will ordered the same. I got the biggest kick when the waiter asked us if we wanted chopsticks or if we preferred forks. We both agreed on the forks. The waiter returned shortly with our beer and it wasn’t long after that when the food came out.
“You first,” I said as I hesitated to try the strange dish that was placed before me.
“We’ll go at the same time,” Will answered hesitantly, and I agreed. We took our first bite simultaneously. I remember the look on Will’s face while he was chewing. It was one of surprise and delight.
“Not bad,” I said upon swallowing the morsel.
“No. Not bad at all.”
“I’m impressed.”
“Definitely. So I don’t have to pick up the tab?”
“No. It’ll be my treat,” I said.
“Cool. If I had known that, I would have ordered an imported beer.”
“Don’t push it,” I threatened and we both laughed.
That was the last time we would ever laugh like that again.
It's not often a writer comes along and gets this Knight excited about vampire novels. Let's face it, I'm a huge fan of Anne Rice and Laurell K. Hamilton and since many authors have chosen to soften the sexy predators by making them light walking pretty people with fangs, I tend to lose interest. However, I'm please to announce that anything I pick up that's written by Carole Gill seduces me back to the vampire tales I grew to love. So when Carole agreed to give Knight Chills an interview, I jumped for joy.
This gifted writer as two contributions which have proved to be extremely popular with the Knight Chills readers. When you're done reading this interview you can read her amazing tales, Memoir and The Song, which by the way, was tied for story of the year on Knight Chills in 2010.
Without further ado. I give you the great Carole Gill.
A former Manhattanite, Carole Gill resides in England with her husband and two lunatic Parson Russell Terriers.
In 2000 she was selected by North West Playwrights of England for further development but found she preferred fiction writing.
Carole writes dark horror and sci-fi and is widely published in horror and sci-fi anthologies.
The House on Blackstone Moor is her first book and has just been published by Vamplit Publishing.
It is available from Smashwords now and will be in paperback early in 2011.
Carole is at work on her second novel for Vamplit. The story is a very different vampire love story and is tentatively entitled Passionata.
Tell us about your latest book.
The House on Blackstone Moorpublished by Vamplit Publishing is a tale of vampirism, madness, obsession and devil worship set in 19th century England. Integral to the plot is the taboo subject of the central character Rose’s abusive childhood and how a father's unnatural love for his child changed her life and her fate forever.
Rose Baines, only survivor of the bloody carnage of her family’s murder, perpetrated by her incestuous, suicidal father, survives her imprisonment in an infamous madhouse only to be given a position as governess at Blackstone House, a house built on accursed moorland. Nothing is as it seems and those who make the house on Blackstone Moor their home have hideous secrets, but the most hideous secret of all is kept hidden away in the cellar.
There are demons and fallen angels and a glimpse into hell itself for Rose, but there is also love from one who is damned, however it comes at a terrible cost.
This is not paranormal romance with racy bits. As my publisher, Gaynor Stenson of Vamplit Publishing says, ‘this is gothic romance in its truest form. A novel that even Mrs. Radcliffe might have gasped at whilst reading and that Matthew Lewis could have been shocked by.’
How did you get started as a writer?
There were two phases. The writing surfaced quite unexpectedly when I was 8 years old and wrote about a Martian invasion of earth. I continued to write but then life got in the way as it often does.
My second cycle of writing began in 2000 after a marriage break up and after the death of my mother.
I joined a writer’s workshop under the amazing leadership of Clive Hopwood here in England. Clive is an author and playwright who is devoted to teaching the craft. He encouraged me to try anything which I did.
I was selected by North West Playwrights of England for further development but found I preferred fiction writing.
I remarried and it is because of my husband’s kind support and belief in me that I started sending out stories seriously in 2009.
All but one was accepted and that one was re-submitted and became story of the month for a different publication!
I wrote constantly—whether I submitted or not. It is only in writing that our style and technique matures I believe. Having said that there are highs and lows and great challenges, but why not take up any challenge?
Who knows what can be achieved?
What’s a typical day like for you?
Typical day:husband leaves for work and I take our two dogs out and then write until he comes home.
I have to promote my novel now and it’s tougher than the writing was!
There’s promotion, networking plus writing. I am working on my second novel for Vamplit which is to be released later this year.
To summarize I spend 90 percent of my time writing a day (weekends too) and 10 percent on household chores. I have a very understanding husband!
What do you like most about reading and writing?
Reading takes me out of myself. It is an adventure to be treasured. Open a book and you step into another world. Reading is the greatest of escapes. It is also of great benefit to writers as they can see how others’ work.
With regard to my writing:
I can write of worlds and people that move me. I enjoy depicting the monsters that dwell among us for there are such beings. And they tend to be quite human. I think sadly my first marriage shaped my writing.
Also, I love history and enjoy stepping back into other worlds and times.
As for contemporary settings, those tend to be depicted in my short stories. Horror and sci-fi are my favorites to write. Sci-fi and horror blend well together because sci-fi has the element of the unknown within it, thus it is natural for horror to be present.
I enjoy depicting good vs. evil. Supernatural and human evil are very interesting to write about as I have done in my novel because in my opinion human evil can give supernatural evil a run for its money anytime!
Which author influenced you the most?
Daphne du Maurier did. I read Rebecca when I was 12 and my best friend and I used to read passages aloud.
It had the greatest influence on me bar none. From the opening line: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..."
Those few words sweep the reader right into the novel because we want to know where this place is and why it was dreamt about. And who is this narrator? What happened and so on.
In short, we are hooked!
And then you have the story of a young woman who becomes wife to the enigmatic Max and goes to live in Manderley but is detested by the evil housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers. We ask why, what is behind that hatred?
We must find out! That, in my opinion, is a book to be devoured!
I love so many of du Maurier’s books, yes they most definitely shaped my writing.
Tell us 3 interesting things about you.
I went to acting school
I’d live in the past if I could.
Worry is my middle name sometimes.
Would you say you write specifically for one genre and if not, what’s your favorite genre to write?
Yes horror and gothic romance is my thing. I want to take gothic romance where it has never gone before. I think for today’s reader it must have darker themes and far bolder storylines while retaining the majesty of the gothic narrative.
Best and worst part of being a writer?
Best is the sense of accomplishment when your work is published or even when it is completed!
The worst aspects are the tremendous ups and down that I know many writers go through, myself among them.
It is a hugely difficult thing to write, you work in utter isolation. Yes there is networking but basically you work alone. You start out with one blank page and even when you fill it, there is the next and the next. The trick is not to ever be intimidated but to extrapolate from your mind your ideas for stories and characters.
And despite the isolation and the various setbacks, you go on because you must, because it’s in you to write.
Advice to writers?
One thing I would advise is not to spend too much time away from your writing. Social networks are fun and they can be great for networking too, but they will be there later when you finish your writing for the day.
Interesting story about writing
An interesting story about writing? Hmmm. Well, truthfully I felt a let-down after I completed my novel! I guess it was because I had worked on it for so long and then it was gone and I had to focus on other things.
I read many authors refer to that as ‘post novel depression’ which I think is not only apt but hysterical. It helps to think of it that way. It made me smile and that helped!
I am full steam ahead now for I have plunged myself into the world of writing to be published and there is no turning back.
The seas are calm and the weather good, but I am ready for any storm and so should any writer be!
Thank you Carole Gill for an inspiring, revealing, and wonderful interview. Best of luck to you and I look forward to reading more of your work. To purchase Carole's book at Smashwords click on the book cover or here. You may visit her blog here.
I know Knight Chills is not just about horror. Our readers may enjoy a good scary tale, a chilling poem, but they also look forward to romance and passion. Thrilling suspense, mystery and a little Science Fiction also make an appearance on this fun blog.
Let's face it, I do my best to entertain and when possible inform my readers. I like to think I keep things simple. That's why my friend and Knight Chills contributor, Carole Gill, surprised me by bestowing this award. Perhaps in the past I used to dress in three piece suits, but now I prefer jeans and a t-shirt. With that said, I'd like to thank Carole for thinking about Knight Chills. As luck would have it, the award comes with strings attached.
Here they are: I must write seven things about myself and I must thank the person who gave it to me.
Also I must nominate ten bloggers to receive the award.
Thank you, Carole. You can find her blog here and here goes:
Seven things about myself:
1. I prefer writing to doing almost anything else.
2. If you were to cut me, I'd probably bleed coffee.
3. My dark Muse has been hit with a romantic bug.
4. I live in the Caribbean yet I hardly spend any time on a beach. Shame on me!
5. Each Knight Chills contributor has inspired me to keep writing.
6. I love interacting with my readers.
7. Hope sustains me, although the coffee would argue that caffeine does it.
