Contest Winner

Tara won the free kindle books! :) Thanks to everyone who entered here and on Facebook. I'll have another contest later this month.

Load Your Kindle with Gothic Romance...on Me!

Hi, all. Whew. September is flying by! I've been busy, but it's a good kind of busy. Sorry I haven't been reviewing many books and the like lately. I have one or two on the burner to get to in the next couple weeks. For now, though, I'll run another contest. This contest will be for one or more Kindle gothic romances/romantic suspenses of your choice to total $10 or less!

All you have to do to enter is tell me what you're reading this month, how you're liking it, etc.

You can comment here to enter, and I'll also count likes and shares on or for the Gothicked Blog facebook page as entries! Hope your autumn is nice and spooky so far.

I'm going to be curling up with Tana French's latest release later tonight, Broken Harbor. The Gothic elements were noted by reviewers, and I can't wait to get to them! I'm a huge fan of French's work as modern Gothic, especially The Likeness. It's a sort of rewriting of Donna Tartt's The Secret History, and oh, my! It's a delicious Gothic/police procedural/mystery.

Anyway, that's it for tonight. The contest ends on October 5th, so enter now! There are more giveaways to come before Halloween. Thanks for reading. :)

Winner of the Gothicked Contest

The winner of the Gothicked Giveaway is Michelle! Please send me an email lisalgreer at yahoo dot com and I'll get your books to you.

We'll have another contest soon. Thanks to all who entered!

I Can't Wait for Autumn Giveaway

Hi, folks! It's been a bit since I've blogged. School is back in here, and I'm getting my fall and winter schedule fixed up. My mind always turns to gothic romance (it's usually there but my imagination is stirred even more this time of year) in autumn with Halloween on the way and the bleak days of winter coming, too.

So, I think it's the perfect time for a random paperback gothic romance giveaway. I have a few lying around that I think you'll enjoy. I'll send them your way if you win! Just leave a comment (here or on the Facebook Gothicked page under the link) about how fall and winter are the season of Gothic and gothic romance (or if you disagree, tell me why!), and you'll be entered to win. The contest ends August 24th at 12pm CST. I'll draw a winner from those who comment.

Thanks, and get ready to cozy up to some shiver worthy reads. ;)

(This image is a book cover by MayArt, Inc., soon to grace a novel from yours truly. ;)

Welcome Author of Classic Gothic Romantic Suspense: Janis Flores

I am so thrilled to have Janis Flores here today at Gothicked. She is an author of classic gothic romances, and she's going to talk a bit about her work and the genre as well as her new novel.

First: thank you, Lisa, for giving me this opportunity to write about one of my favorite genres.

The first book I wrote was a Gothic romantic suspense called HAWKSHEAD. I wrote it because I was really into Gothics at the time and thought: I could do this! So I started writing and couldn’t stop. HAWKSHEAD was the result. 

Gothics—those set in the late 1880s—are still my favorites. I love that time period—beautiful women in long dresses (although I wouldn’t want to live then—just the thought of tight corsets and all those petticoats, not to mention the dozens of buttons on both dresses and shoes—makes me shudder), with the men in top hats and dinner jackets, or jodhpurs and polished boots. Oh, so romantic! 

I also love the idea of fancy carriages and high-stepping, matched horses. And the manners! No matter what was going on inside or underneath, people were so polite to each other. (Well, the “upper crust” was; those who had to work for a living didn’t have the time or energy to watch their manners).

No matter in which genre I write, my heroes are always tall and handsome, with lean bodies and strong jaws, and of course those smoldering eyes hiding dark secrets—including how they got that facial scar that makes them even more mysterious! They’re always the brooding type, so well-dressed, with those impeccable manners.

And my heroines are always “feisty” (although I dislike that particular word and prefer “fiery”), their tempers matching their long auburn hair and their green eyes flashing when they’re angry—until the hero tips her head up to kiss her.

Another reason I like that time period is that heroes and heroines waited for intimacy. I believe that a stolen kiss, a touch, a whispered word heightens the anticipation for both them and the reader. And when the time comes—usually off stage, or even beyond the end of the book, they don’t have sex, they make love.

I haven’t written Gothics for a while. I left that genre for historical romance, then family saga, and finally for contemporary mainstream, which I write now. The pace of the contemporary story is faster because our real lives are faster. At some point maybe I’ll go back to writing Gothics—at least one or two. Like the characters and the time period, I can slow down a little and luxuriate in writing a story that has clouds covering the moon, and dark shapes that whisper in the night, and a heroine—always a heroine—roaming the shadowed castle while carrying a candle whose light blows out just when the villain is about to be revealed. What fun!

I can’t leave without mentioning my newest book—an ebook called Sweeter Than Wine, published by Musa Publishing, Sweeter Than Wine

It’s not a Gothic, although Jake is the brooding type, haunted by a past he can’t forget as he throws himself into dangerous search and rescues with his gallant search dog, Mano. And Terra is feisty, haunted by a past she can’t remember as she tries to rescue her family’s nearly 100-year-old winery from bankruptcy. The two come together when it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want her to succeed. Someone with… murder in mind. 

Meanwhile, I wish you good reading whatever type of book you choose.

Day of Demons: A Review by Author T. James

DAY OF DEMONS: A REVIEW BY T. JAMES

 

A note on impartiality: wearing my reviewer’s hat, I feel it is only fair to state upfront that the editor of Day Of Demons, Colin F. Barnes, is a friend of mine, as is Krista Walsh, author of Serpent’s Kiss. I will leave you, the reader, to decide whether I am guilty of vapid gooey-eyed adulation or whether I maintain an acceptable level of dispassion and therefore credibility in the review below.

THE BOOK: DAY OF DEMONS

This is a collection of nine short stories by male and female authors. The title may give the impression that the stories are very similar—in common they do have a dark tone and, obviously, demons—but the synopsis is accurate and there is a refreshing range of genre, theme and writing style to be found.

THE SYNOPSIS (taken from the Anachron Press Website*)

“Day of Demons is a collection of powerful stories featuring the conflict of demons and humans over the course of a day.

Read how one woman’s inner-self awakens to unexpected and frightening consequences, or how a charismatic half-breed thief is forced to strike a deal with a pen-stealing imp. Read about a mother as she struggles to cope with a deadly, satanic bargain, and a sword-wielding anti-hero as he returns out of exile to face his demonic fate.

Nine stories, nine demons, nine authors. From fantasy, to horror, to contemporary fiction, this anthology will fright, delight and grip you with tales of daring-do, danger and of course — demons.”

THE REVIEW

Deal, by Karen Davies

The anthology starts with a light fantasy action / adventure feel. A thief takes refuge from his pursuer in some ancient ruins, but he finds he isn’t the only being inside—he meets an imp who is a tormentor of scribes and a collector of quills. This short has some good characterisation and snappy dialogue that held my interest. The twist at the end is well executed.

Inheritance, by Phil Hickes

Stark and atmospheric; a son returns to his families’ mouldering estate after reading his deceased grandfather’s letter. Posthumously, his grandfather fills him in on the history of the estate and the onerous duty that comes with it. There is an effective dialogue between the dead man, via the letter, and the grandson as he reads it—the clash of mystical olde-worlde values and self-assured new world cynicism works well. There are two likely endings, but the execution of the last scenes keeps the one the author chose feeling fresh.

Serpent’s Kiss, by Krista Walsh

This is the hottest of the demon stories, with a believable chemistry between the two ‘romantic’ protagonists. It is well written with an economic fluid style, and the sexual tension is built with enough skill that the writing doesn’t need to be explicit to hold the reader’s interest—an effective and enjoyable update of the succubus myth.

Sam & The Spear, by Gary Bonn

This one stands out from the others as its style is very different. A boy, into role-playing, finds himself thrown into a situation where he must play the hero for real. A strange mix of dreamscape coupled with an almost YA style of writing—it is imaginative, but for me, not as well executed as some of the other stories. The simplicity of the writing and the ending lends charm—still an enjoyable read.

Numen, by V. Đ. Griesdoorn

Imaginative, but I found the writing style difficult in places—the piece is sprinkled with, what were for me, awkwardly phrased sentences:

“Stacey switched on the overhead kerosene lamp with a switch near the door.”

The story is stronger—a child grown to adulthood returning to discover a parental legacy—her deceased father had a gift for making things. How she pieces together the mystery is quite intriguing, although some of the physics and the ending are a little woolly. The midsection works well though—there is pace there, and engaging ideas throughout.

City of Light and Stone, by Laura Diamond

One of the most involving protagonists of the anthology can be found here. An anti-hero tortured and in thrall to his master, he must murder to escape his damnation. For a story of this length it is very well characterised and well written. The premise is imaginative, although I was left feeling a little unclear as to how the underlying theology works—but that may be due to the twisted perceptions of the main character. The theme, that we have more to do with our own damnation than any entity, is nicely handled—almost an adult Grimm morality tale. A good read.

Cost of Glory, by Edward Drake

A well-written classic fantasy anti-hero returns home story. If you could distil any modern fantasy epic by taking out the travelling and stir in a little Conan, you would end up with something like Cost of Glory. The ending wasn’t especially surprising, but the characters, setting, pace and action are all well handled.

A Mother’s Love, by James M. Mazzaro

One of the strongest stories of the nine, it packs an impressive number of twists into its short length. It is great to read about a female hero who is intelligent and believable. Willing to pay any price for a child, she decides to play a demon at his own game. Convincing and well put together.

The Devil and Mrs Milton, by Sarah Anne Langton

Possibly the most haunting and memorable, and not just because it is the last. Sarah Anne Langton demonstrates real artistry as a writer—she isn’t afraid to go off the beaten track in terms of story or style. We spend most of the time reminiscing with an old woman, but it is written with enough skill and flair the experience is engaging, not boring. As the story closes, with an unavoidable and unwelcome visitor, there is a genuine sense of tension and concern for the fate of the main character.

OVERALL

This is a disparate collection of short stories, but because of the strong central theme they sit comfortably alongside each other. With anything self-published the question of production quality is often raised—generally I found DoD to be on par with some traditionally published books. There are some typos, but not enough to detract from the reading experience. The quality of the stories varies from fair to excellent, but none are a waste of your time or money. If you love the smell of sulphur in the morning and want something brimming with creativity to put a little fire in your belly, this is probably it.

Recommended: 4 out of 5 stars.

AVAILABILITY

The eBook is currently available on Amazon Kindle.

The print edition is now available from Lulu.

The editor assures me, on pain of his own death, that the epub version should be available for download from mid-end July, 2012. Please see the Anachron Press website for updates.

REVIEWER

T. James (I am now referring to myself in the third person which seems incredibly pretentious, but this is apparently how biographical bits are done) is currently a writer of little renown. While he waits on the sidelines hoping the cool kids will invite him to the party, he is currently exploring a range of writing styles and genres. His works in progress are a YA parody and a satirical writer's guide.

His (more serious) published work can be found here: http://writerandauthor.com,

and his other misadventures are blogged here: http://thewordonthe.net.

He wishes I would like to thank Lisa Greer for giving me some space on her Gothicked blog—may her diaphanous dress remain forever white and her tresses lustrous ’neath the lambent moon.

* All quotes and illustrations are the copyright © of Anachron Press, and are used with permission.

Interview with Gothic Writer Barrymore Tebbs

I'm thrilled to have author Barrymore Tebbs on the blog today. It's always a fun and informative day when he drops by the blog to share his knowledge and experience about all things Gothic. After you read the interview, check his new release out--The Haunting at Blackwood Hall. It's a historical gothic romance, and I think you'll all enjoy it.

Where did your love of Gothic and writing Gothic start?

I’ve been into Gothic since I was a kid. I was about ten-years-old when I first saw Dark Shadows. As a teenager I watched a lot of old horror movies on the weekend Creature Feature shows. Horror movies were more atmospheric in the 1930s-1960s. From there I went on to read both Gothic Romances as well as the Gothic Horror classics like Poe and Lovecraft. I always wanted to write Gothic, but it took thirty years for the stories to start coming out.

What is Psychological Gothic?

For the past ten years or so, most of my pleasure reading has been psychological thrillers. I really enjoy the suspense, the plot twists, and the disturbed individuals who people the novels of writers like John Connolly and Jeffrey Deaver. These are the types of books I want to write, and because I have such a love for the atmosphere and motifs in Gothic fiction and film, I tried combining the two, and they seem to work well together. Defining my stories as Psychological Gothic has helped me carve out a unique niche which falls somewhere between Gothic Romance and Gothic Horror.

Where did you come up with the characters and ideas for The Haunting at Blackwood Hall?

The main characters, the Fenn siblings, the psychic Luna Summerhill, and the governess, were holdovers from a NaNoWriMo project I did a few years ago. When Lisa and I met while finishing the first drafts of our first novels (Magnolian and Night of the Pentagram) we spent a lot of time talking about all things Gothic. She has this master list of tropes on her Gothicked blog, and when I decided to try write a Gothic Romance like the ones popular in the 60s and 70s, I pulled out every trope I wanted to explore and used those existing characters to form the basis of what became The Haunting at Blackwood Hall.

Your books are generally set in the Victorian/Edwardian era or the 1960s. Do you have an affinity for those time periods and why?

The love for the Victorian era goes back to my love for old Gothic horror movies and Dark Shadows, but I’ve also had enough interest in that era throughout my life that when it came time to research, I was like a hog in mud. I have some fun books filled with facts about Victorian life.

As far as the 1960s, I was eleven-years-old in 1970, so I was just coming into consciousness as a young adult and the events of the late 60s have had a lasting effect on me. There seems to be a lot of nostalgia for that era, both through Classic Rock and also with the popularity of the TV show Mad Men which takes viewers on a tour of the fashions, politics, and social mores of the time. I have another Edwardian story and another 1960s set story coming out toward the end of this year.

There is a lot of drug use in your books. Why is that?

Don’t they always tell us to write what we know about? All kidding aside, drug abuse has been around since the dawn of time, and people with deep psychological issues are often driven to addictions of various kinds. The LSD and pot smoking was essential for a story like The Yellow Scarf to be true to the characters and the era, but I think the opium use in The Haunting at Blackwood Hall is one element that takes that story to a level which wasn’t possible in the books published fifty some years ago.

The Haunting at Blackwood Hall has a striking cover. How did you create it and some of your other book covers?

The image on the cover is a rendering of a 3D model I built in a modeling program called Bryce. It’s based on a house called Barrington Court in England, which reminded me of that type of old baronial hall that you see in The Hound of the Baskervilles movies. I made the inverted Hollywood star for the cover of Night of the Pentagram while I was writing the book, and had no idea that I would eventually self-publish and use the cover. I took a community college class in Adobe PhotoShop about fourteen years ago, and know quite a few tricks. It comes in handy, and saves money from having to hire a cover artist!

Thanks for letting me stop by, Lisa. We always have fun shooting the breeze about Gothic in its many forms. Through independently published books, there is a noticeable reemergence of Gothic based fiction. It’s a good time to be a Gothic writer!

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