Happy Endings - They're Not For Everyone

I recently read a blog post by Tim Sunderland about happy endings, or at least hopeful endings. He'd written what he thought was the perfect story. Although he knew it was the perfect story he wrote an alternate ending that wasn't as dark as the original. He read the story to the writing group that he is a part of and they loved the story. They didn't really like the ending, which was bleak. He read them the alternate ending and they loved it.

http://whatifyoucouldnotfail.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/giving-the-reader-a-ray-of-sunshine-even-if-your-ending-is-bleak.html



There is little doubt in my mind that Tim wrote a compelling drama, and I'm equally sure that it's a great story no matter which ending he decides to use. I disagree with Tim and the group that fueled the opinion that all stories must leave a ray of hope. I think I'd enjoy the darker version. Those are the kind of stories I write. Those are the kind of stories I enjoy reading and I am not alone.

When you read a book you escape to another world. The people who read stories where the endings are dark; those people want to know that someone has it as bad or worse than they do. People love conflict and conflict drives these kind of stories. The drug addicted, gambling addict, non child support paying father doesn't have to turn it around. The story could still be good.

People who read horror are rarely looking for a happy ending. It's not just horror fans that expect darker endings. The story that Tim wrote is about a couple trying to save their marriage while dealing with a drug addicted teenager. That does not have to end on the bright side, because 90% of the time it doesn't. The reader can only expect that situation to go one way...bad!

Have We Had Help? Researching a Story

Have We Had Help?: Researching a Story: To borrow a quote from a fellow writer and friend, David Toft – easy reading is damned hard writing. *** Do you love to read? Hav...

The Saw is Back: Texas Chainsaw in 3D

In 1974 Sally Hardesty survived the cannibalistic family from Texas. After a night of hell she was still alive. When her brother Franklin and three others were massacred, her demise seemed all but certain. Sally was tortured in ways that today's films could accurately portray.


That's where the new Chainsaw Massacre movie picks up. Not after part 2, or part three, or the next generation. It doesn't pick up where the newest movies took us in the 2000's. This is the part that excites me: It picks up right where the '74 movie left off.

I have been anxiously awaiting the remake of Carrie, which I hope follows its original storyline. The Chainsaw Massacre isn't a remake of the 74 movie like I originally thought. The fact that it is a continuation of the original movie sells it for me.


The odds are pretty good that I will like this film. I loved the original, and I thought both the remake and the prequel were awesome. The fact that the story seems like it could be real, and the characters seem as though they're people you might know. It drives this story and gets miles out of it too.



http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/170461-texas-chainsaw-3d-set-report-the-massacre-continues-over-three-decades-later

October is Here...Halloween and Horror

Since it's October, a month when we typically think of ghosts and goblins, monsters and demons. I figured that we'd discuss some of the best movies and books that scare us. I'm going to list a few that I find scary or creepy, and I want you to feel free to add your favorites in a comment below.

Movies 

1. The Last House on the Left
2.  Wolf Creek
3.  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
4. The Devil's Rejects
5.  The Exorcist 
6. The Omen 
7.  Rosemary's Baby
8.  Psycho
9.  Halloween
10.   The Shining

My top 10 list of movies either scared me, or left me with a lasting memory. Some movies you'll watch but not long after you'll have forgotten them. None of these movies are like that to me.


Books

1.  The Shining
2. The Girl Next Door
3. The Haunting of Hill House

4. Off Season

5.   Pet Sematary
6.   Fever Dreams and Disturbing Visions
7.   Misery
8.  Salem's Lot
9.   Ghost Story
10.   Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter #1)  

 These are all books that I have read and enjoyed. I found them to be either scary or creepy in some way. There are are four Stephen King books on the list, because he's pretty damn good. This is not a list of my favorite books, but these were some of the scarier reads.


Books II

1.  Teen Spirit
2.  The Keepers
3. Murder Machine

 These are my three books. There are two short stories and one novella. If you're looking for a scare, well then one of these books should take care of you.

Let's Take a Ride in the Murder Machine

The wait is over...


  I have finally completed my third book (Murder Machine). My previous two releases have been short fiction, but this time the story is longer and more intense. Based from actual events; this story will distort the lines between fiction and reality. Because sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. 


Sometimes a writer discovers an idea in the strangest places. A couple of different things come together and the next story is created. In this case I discovered a pair of serial killers who were too perfect of pass up. Generally I know if it scares me, then it will scare you. I know there are exceptions, but this isn't one of those times. This book is very real and even more scary. 



Based on a true story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Bittaker_and_Roy_Norris


Some stories, books and movies, claim to be based on actual events, but in the end the true story is hard to find. In the Murder Machine you will be able to see pieces of the real story throughout my twisted tale of murder and torture. In this case the truth was stranger than fiction. This is not a story about Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris, but they were the grotesque inspiration for "Murder Machine"


                                     Available on 8/27/12

Synopsis: Two inmates meet while serving time in the Alabama State Prison System. One is a sociopath and the other a pedophile. In the loneliest time of their lives, the two of them devise a plan to rape, torture, and kill young girls. The plan might not have evolved, but upon Norton's release he finds himself alone with nothing. He had the number his old prison mate had given him. The number was good and it started one of the most twisted crime sprees in American history.



All my work is available at the Amazon link below.
http://www.amazon.com/John-Reeves/e/B0051JURJO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Response to "Creepy Thoughts: Is Horror Dead?"

   

       

There are reasons to believe that horror might be dying, but I assure you it isn't. There was a wave of remakes in the early 2000's. Some people say it was because Hollywood ran out of ideas. I tend to believe it was because they could do more with those good or great stories today.

B Jr said, "The horror genre is redefining itself." and "Hollywood is throwing things out there to see what sticks."

It sounds to me like they're running out of ideas, but again, I assure you the horror industry is not dying. People have a built in need to feel scared. It makes them feel like as bad as their life is, it could be worse. Horror is the escape from reality. If Hollywood is running out of ideas, then that will benefit writers like me. 

I predict a wave of horror adaptions from books to the big screen. I know a lot of writers who write in the genre. The ideas aren't exactly new, but it's my opinion that a story doesn't have to be original to be a great tale. Most writers strive to be original, but when that fails they just want to tell a good story. 

In the 1970's the horror movies were truly born. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Last House on the Left, The Exorcist, and Halloween all broke barriers that hadn't been crossed before. People were horrified in ways that only the print form of horror could do. The horror books began to get more scary in the 70's. Stephen King would get started in that decade, although he would become more recognized in the 1980's.

The 80's brought on icons of the Freddy and Jason, but it brought on a bunch of ridiculous horror too. The industry had exploded. People were buying it trying to find that next great scare. Carrie and The Shining had found box office success, and Stephen King's books became a well they continued to go to for the next best thing. Not every one of them worked out, but more did than didn't. 

The 90's found Jason and Freddy used up, just like many other 80's follow-up movies, Halloween H20, The Bride of Chucky, The Amityville Dollhouse. Stephen King adaptions were not making the big screen as much as they were made-for-tv-movies. In fact it was King's non-horror stories that had success in the 90's. The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. The original Scream saved the decade from being a total loss. 

The early 2000's were fueled by remakes, and pretty good ones in my opinion. Now though it seems the genre is headed for the next big thing. Whatever that might be, I can assure you horror isn't dead or dying. 

http://www.amazon.com/John-Reeves/e/B0051JURJO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Reeves/307335199322905 

https://twitter.com/war34eagle 

 http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard

Rick's Indie Publishing & Free Contests Blog: Amazon Caught in Two Lies Over Review Removals

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My Introduction to Horror

I must have had the coolest mother in the world. It was the mid-1980's and Freddy and Jason were the biggest faces in horror. My mom allowed me to rent these horror movies from the local movie rental, and it was not the big chain type. There were pool tables and arcade games in the back. Years later we'd play the hell of Mortal Kombat. As a youngster though, I was introduced to the world of horror and there were no restrictions or limits to my exposure.


The first movie that truly scared me was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Six years after seeing it my parents moved me north of Houston. The based on a true story part of that scared the hell out of me, and I had no idea that it didn't really happen in Texas. In most of the horror movies there were funny parts or non-scary parts to lull your mind away from the killer. Not the case with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - That movie opens up with the scariest intro I've ever seen.

This is the impact that Leatherface had on me 25 years later.(Halloween 2011)



Horror had become an addiction for me. Once you've gone as far as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, then you have to turn to the best to get that scare. That is how I found Stephen King. He might not have scared me out of my wits every time, but the creep-out factor was always high enough to give me my fix. I watched the movie Christine, and then read the book at the age of ten. I was captivated by the movie's storyline, and completely shocked at how much better Stephen King told it.

This is when I figured out that I wanted to be a writer. One man could fill your horror needs. I was sure there were other great writers, but I didn't know who they were, nor did the masses that could easily recall a great Stephen King movie. The way he mixed reality and fiction was incredible. That is what made his unbelievable supernatural horror work so well. Stephen King knows people and it shows in his characters. He was the best horror dealer in town. 


King's books would continue to be made into movies, because he was so descriptive that it was a ready made screen play. I still read him today to feed my appetite for horror. These days I try to scare people with my stories,  Teen Spirit and The Keepers. He'd proven to me that one man can deliver the scares, and I hope that people are properly horrified after reading my stories.

 I don't usually write supernatural horror. There is so much real horror in the world today that it's not really necessary to use vampires and crap like that to scare you. The real horror is on your local news. What I do is show you things that will remind you of these kinds of stories, and I'll tell you a story that shows you things that you might not have noticed. You say things like, who'd do something like that? I want to show you who'd do it, and help you understand how and why.

 I hope to scare you in the near future!

https://twitter.com/war34eagle

Paula Shene of IAN Interviews John Reeves

John is one of my longest held friends from BookRix and I've enjoyed his stories from the start, and watched his growth in whipping his stories into publisher ready copies.



What inspired you to write?

I was inspired to write after reading the novel Christine by Stephen King. The storytelling was incredible. He took fiction and reality and meshed them together perfectly.



Do you have anyone you show manuscripts to and get advice from or are you a loner doing it all yourself?

I have friends, and I think everyone in this business should make at least one close friend, to talk things over with. You truly can't do it alone.



What genre do you normally write in? Also, is there a genre you've always wanted to write in, but don't feel you could pull it off?

I usually write horror or splatterpunk. There is no other genre I'd rather write in, but I have experimented in other genres such as...Romance and Westerns. I'm currently working on a sci-fi novella, and that has been tough at times.



Do you ever base your characters on people you know?

I have created characters from people I know. Sometimes they evolve into someone they weren't meant to be. I think the most believable characters come from our study of real subjects.



What advice would you give to someone who was just starting off in writing?

Read and read some more. I think reading is the most crucial aspect of writing well.



Do your stories tend to have morals, or special messages, included within them?

There is usually something you can take from my stories. There are lessons to be learned from them, but like most horror stories, their message is bleak and grim.




This question was posed by a fellow author, and I loved it so much I decided to throw it into the mix ~

Oh no! One of your characters has escaped. Luckily, I have caught them! I will interrogate them with the help of a lie detector.

Welcome!Take a seat, make yourself comfortable. You will be returning to your book once this is over. What's your name, where are you from and what is your role in the book?

I'm Brian Cordero from Teen Spirit.

My parents always gave me what I needed, and in most cases what I wanted too. It was my own demons, jealousy, and fears that created a real problem for me. My parents trusted me while they went out of town. I had been telling them for a long time that the trust was warranted. In the end, the deviant part of my inner-consciousness took over and ruined my life. My deceased grandfather's voice spoke to me from within, although I had no idea where it came from at the time. I thought grandpa was inside the walls of my bedroom. Somewhere along the way a level of rage consumed me, and it was then that I found two victims who'd be tortured for my own satisfaction.


Tell us why we would enjoy reading your books?

The reason one person would read my stories would vary from the next. I think my stories remind you that whatever you're dealing with...It could certainly be worse. I'd like to think you learn a lot about people by reading my work.


Links for books and/or sites:

http://www.amazon.com/John-Reeves/e/B0051JURJO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

http://bookrite.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/#!/War34Eagle


https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Reeves/307335199322905



Thanks Paula, I enjoyed answering those questions.

Thank you, John, for coming and be sure to keep us updated on your new releases

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Teen Spirit - by: John Reeves

Teen Spirit will be free until May 1st. Download a free copy and enjoy!


http://www.amazon.com/Teen-Spirit-ebook/dp/B00513TLGK/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

Loan this book to anyone you choose.

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The Keepers

The Keepers is free from April 20 to April 25. Check it out and enjoy!





Keepers on your Kindle in under a minute. Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.

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http://www.amazon.com/The-Keepers-ebook/dp/B005FU4APG/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

The Undiscovered Talent

The Undiscovered Talent 

By: John Reeves



There has never been a better or worse time to be a writer. The evolution of self-publishing has created an opening for anyone to put there work out there. It could be the next Great American Masterpiece or it could be just another Piece of Garbage. The truth is the reader is not going to know. You can read the blurb, but is it really going to tell you whether you'll enjoy the book's contents? (NO)

The endorsement or promotional description will vary from book to book. If you've written the perfect novel you want to hook the reader with a good blurb, and you can give them a couple of paragraphs of the things that drive your story. If you have written the perfect short story you want the reader to take interest, but a long or excessive blurb could give away too much.

"Never judge a book by its cover." We have all heard that, and in some cases we might even apply that saying to our lives, but I assure you if you're selling books it matters a great deal. Imagine trying to sell anything without a picture. Ebay, Amazon, Craigslist, and any other site gives you something visual to see when deciding to buy. Your cover might not sell a copy of your book, but if you don't have a cover or have a bad one it most definitely won't sell a copy of your book.

My goal as an author has always been to be read, but if I didn't want to be a bestseller then all my stories would be free, which some are at Bookrix, but now that I've been read I want to be a mentioned among the bestselling horror authors. I'm not being arrogant, however if I'm a bestselling author it means the public is turning to me for their horror needs/addiction. 


http://www.bookrix.com/-tigerpride

http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard

http://www.amazon.com/John-Reeves/e/B0051JURJO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

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Murder by Moonlight - By: John Reeves

   This short story is only 10 pages long. Enjoy!    

Blurb:

Within us all there is a beast. A monster ready to take control. In this case the beast isn't just a metaphor it's real and can't, nor will it be removed.

Fall of the Republic HQ full length version

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Rick's Indie Publishing & Free Contests Blog: More Bad news for Bookrix.com: More Bad news for Bookrix.com Today it was revealed that bookrix has plagiarized material on it's site.  This was revealed by a member...

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Rick's Indie Publishing & Free Contests Blog: Bookrix violates it's own privacy policy and spons...: Bookrix violates it's own privacy policy and sponsors another rigged contest. Mar. 16, 2012 The latest events at bookrix.com really make...

Phospheindz - By: Rick Carufel

Phospheindz [Kindle Edition]

Rick Carufel

Read the book description

 While performing research for a master's thesis at Brown University, Brian Metcalf finds more than darkness behind closed eyelids. Astral realms intent upon unleashing unspeakable evil attempt to use him as a pawn in their struggle to open a portal to this world. It's happened before to others. Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you. Whoever battles monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster." Novella 18049 words

 

 (2 customer reviews)

 

 

 

 

Submission Guidelines

We are accepting rolling submissions! We’re now using SubMishMash instead of email, so if you’d like to send us something, please submit here.



 http://www.fictionbrigade.com/submission-guidelines/

Why Do You Write?

 What Makes You Write?

If you are a writer, then there is something that made you want to do it. I think the Twilight series made young females want to write. I have seen it on Bookrix. I'm not even talking about the fan fiction it created. There were probably girls still in school who thought: I'm still in high school, and I think I could write this better than her.


Which brings about the question:

Did you want to write because you thought you could do better than someone who's published?

The first novel I ever read was Christine by Stephen King. I didn't think I could write it better, but it did inspire me to give storytelling a try. I had an imagination that could have controlled me, but I didn't let it. Instead of creating a world with toys, at ten years old I knew I wanted to write. I didn't think I could do it better, however I figured that I could also tell an interesting tale.


So if you didn't think you could do it better, then there must be another reason you wanted to write.

Some people want to write because they can write. They've went to school to write and they write for news papers, magazines, or television programs, movies, various large companies. Some of these people write novels, and most of the time it's not fiction. Just because you can write doesn't mean you have an imagination for fiction. That's why people always ask writers where they get their ideas.

So if you didn't write because you majored in English or journalism, then there must be another reason you wanted to write.

I truly believe everyone has at least one novel in them. Whether it be fiction or non-fiction, I believe everyone has the content inside their head for one novel, and most have more than that. You might have wanted to write because you know there are stories in your head that should be told.

This actually narrows in on why I wanted to write. There are stories in my head that I want out. Writing these things gets it out of my head, and makes someone else think about it. Some of the things I write about scare me, some of it grosses me out, and some of it makes me schizophrenic. My imagination has created a different way of thinking, and that comes out in my writing. There are stories in my head, many of them. I don't worry about running out of things to write about, and I know I'll always be able to horrify you. It's just a matter of how I choose to do it.


So...what makes you want to be a writer?






http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Reeves/307335199322905?cropsuccess#

http://www.bookrix.com/_group-en-the-writer-s-block

https://twitter.com/#!/War34Eagle

Barbara McNichol: Expert Editor

 


Barbara McNichol is passionately committed to helping authors achieve accuracy and artistry, clarity and creativity through the written word. Barbara delivers expert editing that puts your book on the pedestal it deserves. She has worked with 200+ amazing authors since she founded Barbara McNichol Editorial in 1994.
She provides expert editing of quality books in business, self-help, health care, how-to, spirituality, and additional nonfiction categories. As founder of Barbara McNichol Editorial, she enthusiastically helps authors put their passion on the page. A long-term member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), she’s active in Colorado and Arizona chapters and is chair of Writers/Publishers Professional Emphasis Group for 2010-2011.
Barbara has given programs to Scottsdale Society of Women Writers, AuthorSmart, National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE), Society of Southwestern Authors (SSA), and TipsProducts International as well as at the National Speakers Association and Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.
Barbara enjoys living in the Sonoran desert in Tucson, Arizona, with her hubby, Byron. Almost newlyweds, they recently celebrated their 20th anniversary.

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• SUBSCRIBE TO BARBARA MCNICHOL'S BLOG BY EMAIL
  
  
  
  
  My Experience : 
  I subscribed to her newsletter and it's very informative. It has taught me things, or just had me look at something differently. I have never used her editorial service, but I assure you she's passed on many useful tips in her blog and newsletter. Below are some of this months links. 
  
  What’s the Link Between Quality and Value in Your Writing?
  Ways to Be Ruthless When Editing Your Own Writing
  Ruthlessly Edit Your Own Writing and Be Gentle With Others

The Gunslinger - Dark Tower 1

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The Shining - By: Stephen King

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Bad Romance: The Story of Norah Pratt

 
                  


John Reeves
The Story of Norah Pratt

True love is hard to find, but even harder to keep. Steve had found the woman of his dreams. He thought it was meant to be. What should have been a dream come true, ended up being a nightmare that would follow him forever.

Top 10 Haunted House Stories

1.  Nightmare House by Douglas Clegg


  2.  The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson


3.  Hell House by Richard Matheson


  4.  Mischief by Douglas Clegg



  5.  The Turn of the Screw (Dover Thrift Editions) by Henry James



  6.  The Hour Before Dark by Douglas Clegg


  
7.  The Shining by Stephen King



8.  Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier


9.  The House by Bentley Little


  10.  The Infinite (Leisure Horror) by Douglas Clegg



 This is a list of the 10 best haunted house stories created by: 

  Douglas Clegg


I have read three of the stories on the list. There are two more I've been looking to read for awhile now. That would make half of the ten stories that either read or want to read, so it wouldn't be hard to believe that I'd like the other five books as well. There is something about haunted house stories that I truly love, and I don't think I'm alone on that. Horror fans love ghosts and haunted houses. I think I back Douglas Clegg's list because he seems to have it right. 


Douglas Clegg has put his own books at number 1,4,6, and 10 on his list. That could be taken as arrogant, however as an unknown writer myself I know it isn't. It's a move that is recommended in several how-to-writer's books. JA Konrath recommends this move in his ebook: A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing. If you have read some of the other books, and you enjoyed them, (Which I did) then you'll probably want to check out some of the others. (Which I definitely will) There's a chance you've read everything except the books by Douglas Clegg. If that's the case, then he probably just sold a few copies of his books.


List provided by Amazon' List Mania and Douglas Clegg.

The 15 Best Apocalyptic Reads

Popular Apocalyptic Books

want to read

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Are these the best apocalyptic stories ever written? I have not read everything on the list, but these are without question the most popular. I don't think I've purposely stayed away from the apocalyptic novel, because I did read The Stand. I probably should check out some of the others and will in the future.