Ambrosia Blog Tour: Interview With Author Stephanie Ayers

Today, I'm am pleased to be part of the blog tour for the poetry collection, Ambrosia: An OWS Ink Anthology. For this stop on the tour, I bring you a delightful interview with one of the anthology's authors, Stephanie Ayers. As well, the proceeds from this book are being donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, so I encourage you to check out the book. You'll find a blurb and an Amazon link at the end of the post.

Interview with Stephanie Ayers

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

Hello! I am Stephanie Ayers, an author of horror and fantasy. Most of my writings are short stories involving the supernatural, paranormal, and bringing inanimate objects to life. I also own half of a publishing company that debuted in November 2016 and claims 7 books under its imprint, the most recent one our annual poetry anthology, Ambrosia. I’m working at establishing myself as a graphic designer doing book covers and graphics needed to help author build their platforms. When I am not doing any of these things, I am a football, soccer, and basketball mom who avoids housework, growing up, and zombies though not necessarily in that order.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

Sept 16 launches our latest book, Ambrosia: An OWS Ink Anthology. It is a collection of poetry from 9 different writers, each with their own unique take on life. The idea behind the title is that poetry is the nectar of the gods (called Ambrosia) and the words within celebrate this feast with an incredible blend of heartache, longing, inspiration, desperation, fantasy, and more.

How long have you been writing, and how many books have you published to date?

I have been writing since 4^th grade. I wrote a lot during my school years, and then switched to poetry in my mid-teens, and then to song writing in my 20s. I have one romantic horror novella of my own, along with 5 short stories published in anthologies, and 17 poems published in Ambrosia. In October, my short story collection, The 13: Tales of Illusory, will also be released.

Why did you decide to write poetry?

I’m not really sure why I started to write poetry. At first it was a challenge to write something different from the fiction I usually wrote, plus I sought fame. Everything I saw at 17 and 18 revolved around poetry, so that’s where I went, too. As I grew older, it became a method of release for me. There’s just something about weaving your tears and broken thoughts into a poetic form that makes you feel better.

You write in several genres. Do you have a favourite? And if so, why?

Fantasy is my favorite, though horror seems to be what I write most of. Fantasy is my favorite genre to read as well. I mean, you know unicorns. Elves. Fairies. Dragons. New worlds. I can create my own little world to escape to. Hopefully a few of you come with me.

What is your greatest challenge as a writer?

My greatest challenge as a writer is turning my stories into full length novels. I’m so accustomed to writing short stories that it has become a challenge to write something longer than 15,000-20,000 words and even that seems excessive to me.

Do you have a favourite author, or writing inspiration?

My bookshelf is full of everything, but I can’t pass a Stephen King book without picking it up. I would have to say that he is my favorite and has had a lot of influence on my writing style. I’m also a huge fan of James Patterson and Kristin Hannah. I’ve heard there’s a little Patterson in my writing as well.

What advice would you give beginning writers?

Oh gosh, where do I start? I know… I’ll just drop two of my personal quotes here: “One single letter cures the blank page.”
“The more you doubt your talent and strive to improve, the better the writer.”




What’s your next project? Any upcoming book secrets you care to reveal?

The 13: Tales of Illusory is set for release October 1. This is a collection of my short horror stories and contain villains from many different parts of life, and range from the supernatural to paranormal and most anything in between. My favorite story in the book is a ghostly tale titled Say Say Oh Playmate. Mere is the lone survivor of a playground shooting and grows up haunted by the incident. Things get quite hairy for her when the game the children were playing when they were slaughtered starts playing on a loop in her head. Is Meredith going crazy or is someone playing a trick on her? This was an absolute treat to write.

A published author with a knack for twisted tales, Stephanie Ayers is the Executive Creative Director of OWS Ink, LLC, a community for writers and readers alike. She loves a good thriller, fairies, things that go bump in the night, and sappy stories. When she is not writing, she can be found in Creative Cloud designing book covers and promotional graphics for authors.

Website  Facebook  Amazon

You can check out Ambrosia: An OWS Ink Anthology on Amazon

Available for Pre-order

Delight in the nectar of the gods. Feed your mind with Ambrosia

Whispers to the gods are like honey from a poet's lips. When several poets raise their voices together, it's a sacred feast of memories and dreams. Poetry is divine food for the soul, full of emotional and celestial feeling. Join us in our longing, our pain and passion, heartache, logic and insanity, fear, faith, confusion, hope, unity, solitude, daily life, political strife, and more.

From the creative minds of Eric Keizer, A.L. Mabry, Sam DeLoach, Alyssa Trivett, Mello Sakia, Stacy Overby, Phillip Matthew Roberts, Veronica Falletta and Stephanie Ayers.

The Poets of this project have partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and all royalties will be donated to this charity.

And be sure to check out the rest of the tour: Ambrosia Blog Tour

Book Spotlight: Anarchy - Strange Tales of Outsiders

Today I have a horror spotlight for the short story collection Anarchy - Strange Tales of Outsiders by David Sharp. Enjoy.

Anarchy - Strange Tales of Outsiders by David Sharp

Anarchy - Strange Tales of Outsiders is a compendium of stories following queer, punk, outsiders in worlds of chaos crossing genres of queer fiction, horror, and dark fantasy. Experience The Carny Cage, a prison story, with Dirk, whose life is like the carnival ride The Zipper locked up and spinning out of control. Follow Dean on his journey, Where the Road Roams, to find his brother and piece together the past in a fragmented and cut-up tale. Break taboos with a mysterious hitcher in, The Deadfall, as he takes a ride with a van full of coeds into the wilderness where they descend into terror beyond the limits. Witness the Death Tarp. Daniel goes beyond death to return as his shroud, a panel of the AIDS quilt, in a supernatural tale of disease and revenge. Invoke the Dark with a goth youth and his companions as he opens the gates of hell with dark rites. Discover the secret of Under the Moonbow through intense therapy sessions as Maleki, tattooed with the story of his past, schemes to be free of Ponoko Asylum and the covenant with his captor, Dr. West. All of this and more await you inside Anarchy.

Anarchy - Strange Tales of Outsiders is available on Amazon

Excerpt from the short story “Dark" included in Anarchy: 

Surely this was a sign, enough of its own.

The third pine was away in the distance, but the triangle shape it formed with the others was there as powerful as the pyramids. The church sat quietly behind him watching something older than the Christian rites held inside unfold on its doorstep. The dark blue sky called out, stars seemed bright, and small wispy clouds sleekly flew by the full solemn moon. The craters and crevices were more visible than ever like they were magnified. Damon looked at his hands. He was still a boy, but the change into a man had begun.

This is it…all that is past will be forgotten. I will have a clean slate. I will do right by you this time.

Placing his hands together in a kneeling position, he closed his eyes to his shame. Darkness engulfed. Thoughts floated to the surface trying to distract with trivial worries.

No…no…got to remain clear.

A deep breath went out of him.

This is the time.

Damon cracked his neck and started counting.

One…

A tingling sensation traveled from the solid earth into his lower body.

Two…

A head rush hit him more so than the first time he got high or even huffed Freon.

Three…

Fear rose.

Is someone watching? Was that a light of a car…a police car?

Four…

Fighting panic he willed it away.

Five…

Sexual confusion came in waves of sex and shame intertwined.

Six…

The wind chilled him forcibly blowing his hair and clothes.

Seven…

The cross vibrated in his palm that clasped it almost burning, but that is impossible. Damon opened his eyes and the world was — different. Space unfolded in clarity. He was uncertain if it was really changed or if he was actually seeing it without distraction. A shooting star sparked across the deep blue sky with other shades and swirls above.

Surely this is a sign.

Damon rose meeting the wind. In the moment, he pulled the cross free from his neck to push it to the bleeding bark of the stricken pine. Sap flowed freely and thick to hold the cross firm in its grasp. In amazement, he watched as his grandmother’s heirloom was covered.

No going back — it is done. Are the demons really gone?

Damon took a tentative step forward not wanting to leave the site of a possible miracle without more concrete proof. Proud, but tinged with slight doubt haunting the back of his mind, he walked away not daring to look back lest it find him again. Another star shot across the heavens as the wind gusted.

This is really it?

Resigned yet uncertain, Damon sighed softly and spoke in a whisper, “There is always the next time…”

Damon walked the lonely path home. The solitary, haunting sound of a far away train followed him back into the dark to wait some more.

Author Bio:

David Sharp is a writer of creative fiction. A dreamer, he grew up identifying with the outsider from his teenage punk years on. His stories are filled with characters on the fringe of society, from troubled youth and thrill seekers to hardened gunslingers and mysterious loners. Each one is on a journey to find themselves and pursue their desires across exciting and sometimes dangerous landscapes. A Texan by birth, he currently lives in Chicago with his partner Bo. 

Anarchy - Strange Tales of Outsiders is his first self-published book now that he has the rights to his past works. He is an affiliate member of the Horror Writer’s Association and you can follow him at davidsharpwriter.com and FB @Writer.DavidSharp.

Book Spotlight: Tales of a Receding Hairline

Today I have a poetry spotlight for the prolific songwriter and poet K.W. Peery and his new book, Tales of a Receding Hairline. Plus, I have a little excerpt from the book. Enjoy...

Tales of a Receding Hairline by K.W. Peery


Tales of a Receding Hairline is a collection of poetry. In the book, K.W. Peery writes about his personal life experiences. As he grapples with morality and mortality, the unvarnished truth is breathtakingly obvious. His unapologetic vulnerability is neatly embedded within each work. He has an innate ability to dig up his past and offer it to the reader as if they were sitting across the table having a conversation with him.  

You can find Tales of a Receding Hairline at:

Amazon

(Kindle available February 5th, 2016)

Or check out more at GenZPublishing.org

Poetry excerpt from Tales of a Receding Hairline: 

DAYBREAK

Before the gold of daybreak

Where sunlight warms your face

You feel a hint of sorrow

From the sins you can't erase

A long walk through the timber

For a soul that can't let go

Before the gold of daybreak

Carryin’ secrets ya never show

Before the gold of daybreak

Only truth left in your glass

Staring down both barrels

Praying the buzz will last

Trouble somehow finds you

As the depth of darkness leaves

Before the gold of daybreak

The only witnesses are the trees

Before the gold of daybreak

When your eyes are playing games

Ya swear you see her silhouette

Beyond the lighters flame

You hear a horned owl beckon

To the liar in your heart

Before the gold of daybreak

When your nerves just fall apart 

Before the gold of daybreak

When hope bleeds in the air

You strangle your inner voice

After tying him to his chair

Troubled, torn and tragic

A victim of self-defeat

Before the gold of daybreak

Long after your guilt’s asleep 

Author Bio: 

K.W. Peery is a prolific Americana songwriter and poet. He is most well known as a founding member of the Marshall/Peery Project. This collaboration produced four critically acclaimed studio album from 2005 to present. The Marshall/Peery Project frequently appear on the Roots Music Report and Americana Charts. Peery is also credited as a lyricist and producer for more than a dozen studio albums over the past decade.

Book Spotlight: The Lights Went Out and Other Stories

Today I have a book spotlight, on the story collection, The Lights Went Out and Other Stories by Fiona Cooke Hogan, an eclectic mix of supernatural, humorous, poignant and eerie tales. I also have a tantalizing excerpt from one of the stories in the collection, The Welcoming Committee. Enjoy.

The Lights Went Out and Other Stories by Fiona Cooke Hogan 

An eclectic mix of flash fiction, short and longer stories. At times humorous, eerie and poignant; a mother burdened by financial troubles shares her problem with a stranger, a young couples' journey to the the airport takes a strange turn, a wedding anniversary in Dingle goes from bad to worse, a small dog is forced to change his ways and a vampire hiding out in suburbia just wants to be left alone. Dip your toes into this quirky collection and find your favourite.

You can find The Lights Went Out and Other Stories on Amazon

Story Excerpt:

The Welcoming Committee

There was no moon the night the vampire moved into the Close.  
As the Mercedes pulled into the driveway of Number Five a thick fog rolled down the street like a hungry wave. It poured across the tarmac, swirling and eddying about the walls of the slumbering houses before moving through the alleyways to cover swings and climbing frames. Under cover of the muted street lamps’ glare, a figure exited the driver’s side moving swiftly round the front of the car to the passenger’s door where an elongated form peeled itself from the seat and slipped out to join the shadows in the front doorway.  A rattle of keys and the hallway was illuminated briefly before the door was pulled shut and the house returned to darkness. The sedan slipped silently from the driveway, its blackened windows glinting like the eyes of a large beetle.
Well past the witching hour, the mock Tudor houses in the cul-de-sac sat silently, their inhabitants tucked up in their king sized beds. House alarms had been set and appliances switched off.  No dog barked. No cat slinked along the dividing walls of the properties. The fog held The Close in its grey laced fingers. All were under its spell. 
Save one, a curtain twitched at Number Seven, and a pair of eyes peeped out and watched as the strange and silent car moved into the drive way opposite. The curtain twitched again and then closed. A light went on in the bedroom. 

The new occupant of Number Five lay in his sarcophagus in the basement and brooded. The house disappointed him; it was just too…modern, a mere fifty years old. Where was the sense of history? He realised that he hadn’t given his people much time to organise the move. But really, a cul-de- sac? He sighed.  Circumstances beyond his control; a century long feud with his neighbours had escalated (a silly misunderstanding about drinking on their boundaries) had necessitated a swift leave of absence. A brief sojourn in the UK was deemed prudent (he had business to conclude) and his staff needed time to ready the New York house, where he hoped to pass out the next hundred years or so until it was safe to return to the family pile. 
He travelled from Budapest to Edinburgh by private jet where a car waited to bring him to a secluded hotel in the Highlands; the ancestral home of an old friend.  Hardly touched in over a hundred and fifty years, the building reminded him of better times when the world was younger. The staff were polite and discreet. He ordered take away and two working girls arrived from the nearest town. They left the next morning tired, pale and a few thousand pounds richer believing they had spent the night partying with a wealthy recluse. 
From Scotland he journeyed down the length of the country under the cover of night to this anonymous town and non descript house where he now resigned himself to quietly wait until it was time to travel across the Atlantic. 

Author Bio

Fiona Cooke Hogan is a Laois based writer and poet who hails from rural Ireland. This is her first collection of short stories; an eclectic mix of humorous, eerie and poignant tales. She has been writing since childhood and takes inspiration from her everyday life and experiences. Her novel "Martha's Cottage" will shortly be out on Kindle and she is currently working on her second: a horror story as yet untitled.
When not scribbling away she is an avid reader and self confessed addict of Tolkien, Game Of Thrones and The Walking Dead. She dreams of playing one of the undead in a George A Romero production.
Fiona designed the cover for her short stories herself using one of her own photographs; - a beautiful autumnal shot of the ivy covered entrance to a little hall near her family home in Meath, Ireland.

You can find out more about the author on:

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Book Spotlight: Blondes, Books & Bourbon by R. M. Ridley

Today I have another spotlight, this time for the new urban fantasy anthology, Blondes, Books & Bourbon by R. M. Ridley, released today. This post is also to help support the Xchyler Publishing book bomb event for the GiveForward Grauer fund.  All royalties in connection with the debut of his White Dragon Black short story anthology are being generously donated by R. M. Ridley.

Okay, now on with the spotlight.

Blondes, Books & Bourbon by R. M. Ridley

In this collection of short stories, Jonathan Alvey continues to battle the unraveling world of the White Dragon Black.

Interview: A rare sit-down with paranormal private investigator Jonathan Alvey.

The Play’s the Thing: When a blonde woman shows up in Alvey's office, seeking protection, he uncovers more than a murder attempt.

The Cost of Custody: Alvey helps estranged parents rescue their daughter from a terrible fate.

Sins of the Father: A pawn shop owner risks it all by asking Alvey to recover property that is more than meets the eye.

Legerdelivre: There’s nowhere Richard Tomlin can hide when it comes to the controlling powers of a dusty grimoire, but can Alvey truly help him?

What a Nightmare: Little old ladies do deceive, and secretaries come dear, in Jonathan Alvey’s office.

Do As I Say, Not As I Did: Alvey must air a CEO’s dirty laundry before a company ghost destroys too much.

The Ties That Bind: Can Alvey control a poltergeist and maintain his promise to not fall victim to the Dragon Black?

Bindings and Spines: A first chapter sneak peek of the second White Dragon Black novel.

You can find Blondes, Books & Bourbon on Amazon

And check out the Facebook Book Bomb Event happening today, Friday 13th

Author Bio:

R.M. Ridley lives with his wife on a small homestead in Canada, raising a small flock of sheep and a swarm of foul. He has been writing stories, both long and short, for three decades, the themes of which range from the gruesome to the fantastical. As an individual who suffers from severe bipolar disorder, R. M. Ridley is a strong believer in being open about mental health issues because myths should be kept to stories.

Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/R.M.-Ridley/e/B006WS3PM4/

Thrilling Thirteen: A Book Spotlight

Today I'm putting the spotlight on a unique boxed set of thrillers just released for readers, called the Thrilling Thirteen (some of you may remember the teaser I posted a while back, well this is what that post was all about). So here's the cover, a short blurb, and the links to check out this fabulous set:

The Thrilling Thirteen

The Thrilling Thirteen includes ten thrilling novels, two page-flipping novellas and an action-packed short story collection from the minds of today's bestselling and award winning authors. That's nearly 750,000 words for just a buck for a limited time only.

These thrillers have received more than 500 five-stars and over 1,000 reviews.

A Touch of Deceit (Nick Bracco Series) - Gary Ponzo

Russian Hill (Abby Kane FBI Thriller) - Ty Hutchinson

Arctic Wargame (Justin Hall Series) - Ethan Jones

Look For Me (Rachel Scott Adventure) - Traci Hohenstein

The Last Horseman - Frank Zafiro

The Diplomat (Justin Hall Series) - Ethan Jones

The Recruiter (A Thriller) - Dani Amore

Mark Taylor: Genesis (Mark Taylor Series) - M.P. McDonald

In the Shadow of El Paso - Frank Zafiro

Don't Close Your Eyes (Stephanie Chalice Thriller) - Lawrence Kelter

Quicksilver (Forensic Geology Series) - Toni Dwiggins

Least Wanted (Sam McRae Mystery) - Debbi Mack

Absence of Light (Charlie Fox Thriller) - Zoë Sharp

You can find this fabulous book set at:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JUPQVX6/?tag=httpethanjone-20

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/thrilling-thirteen

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thrilling-thirteen-ty-hutchinson/1119284010?ean=2940149605347