Today's Authtoberfest featured author is R. E. Carr!

1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them.
R. E. Carr says: Well, I’d have to start with George R.R. Martin because I want to be really nice to him before trying to outrun him in the zombie apocalypse. It’s only fair. Then I would have to select Rick Gualtieri, because Halloween with two comedic vampire writers with a love for practical jokes is too good an offer to pass up. I predict that we would have an awesome time glitter bombing every sexy vampire costume we pass and playing with our kaiju toys while hopped up on sugar. Lastly, I would grab fellow Kindle Press author T.J. Zalecki because I think she looks taller than me and it’s a lot easier to paint if you have someone who can reach the high places without a ladder. Also while she’s not looking Rick and I can have our vampires bite her sirens and we will have a full-on mermaid apocalypse!
Meredith Says: I can't wait to read about the vampire mermaid apocalypse!I love the cover art ;)

2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it?
R. E. Carr says: I, um, may have an adult-sized Belle costume stashed away for purely innocent reasons… I mean, she’s a smart, bookish Disney heroine with brown eyes and brown hair who gets to take home a ferocious Beast… yeah, I’m going to quit while I’m behind.



3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husband’s dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why.
R. E. Carr says: I’ll go for the teeth, after all I never know when I’ll get around to starting that cloning facility I always dreamed of and every bit of DNA helps.



4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read?
R. E. Carr says: My first experience with a horror novel was actually a Dean Koontz novel. I saw Phantoms at the supermarket checkout like as a little girl and told my mom “ooh, pretty, I want that!” and she being my mom of course didn’t read the back, she just say the butterfly on the cover and put it in the cart. Yeah, I was a little surprised (at age eight) what I got myself into this time. I became terrified of any and all oil slicks on the pavement until I was about twenty and became completely obsessed with all missing cultures throughout history. When I went to Chichin Itza this year I may have even done one pass looking around corners for any mysterious holes.



5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you and why?
R. E. Carr says: I am the fierce and mighty were— Who am I kidding? Everyone knows I turn into big fluffy bear and hibernate and am only moderately savage while waking up. Also, I’m slightly obsessed with honey.



6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have.
R. E. Carr says: The scariest book I have on my shelves has to be the Vegetarian’s Complete Quinoa Cookbook. I mean, imagine 208 complete pages with no bacon and they expect you to cook these recipes and SURVIVE!!!



7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood?
R. E. Carr says: I like to drink between 40 and 60 ounces of tea and then write late at night (because I won’t be sleeping anyway). My apartment is old and creaky and creepy and there are all sorts of weird reflections so it’s very easy to get in the mood. Also, the sheer amount of stimulants in the system guarantee that at least my heart will be racing.



8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph
R. E. Carr says: I tend to get crippling stage fright when meeting my idols and I feel physical pain asking for anything, so I would probably conduct a séance. If my mother actually clawed out of her grave and brought me The Stand to get signed I think I would be stunned into enough courage to finally approach.



9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars
R. E. Carr says: Oh, the neighborhood kids are totally getting hooked up with British and Japanese candies. Every child should be shown the wonder of Crunchie Bars, Cadbury Flake, Meltykisses and green tea flavored Kit Kats.



10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them?
R. E. Carr says: I will give them the very same advice that was given to me when I tried to give up a few years back:
“Go ahead, give up, be a quitty quiterton who quits. It’s not like it was dream or you really wanted to do this, right? I’m sure you’ll love sharing the story with your grandkids how you had a talent and then threw it away because it got tough at some point.”
Yeah, I tend to respond to sarcastic motivation, but it’s true. If you start getting angry over quitting something, then you probably can take that rage and channel it back into your work.

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R. E. Carr likes to split her time between the alien (well, resident alien) she married, her two adorable offspring and the vast army of characters who constantly argue in her brain. She uses her past life as a video game reviewer to remind herself just how awesome it is to be writing novels now.

Rachel writes because she knows so many people and places that never quite made it into this version of the universe. It's her duty to let them out. Writing also gives her mind a certain peace and calm rarely felt in this multi-tasking, wired world.

Today's Authtoberfest featured author is Pete Kahle!

1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them.
Pete says: Just 3? Okay, that’s a bit tough to narrow it down, but I accept your challenge, and I’m not going to cheese out by stating the obvious (Stephen King). Hopefully I won’t hurt any feelings.

     Cody Goodfellow – I met him for about 15 minutes at NecronomiCon in Providence a few weeks ago. His novels Radiant Dawn and Ravenous Dusk have been favorites of mine since I first read them. We exchanged books and he signed a few that I already owned. In the time we chatted, I immediately knew that I wanted to hang with him someday. I can’t even begin to describe him accurately enough to evoke the vibe he exudes. Cody is a whirlwind of hilarious stories, cosmic philosophy and stream-of-consciousness tangential thoughts that all connect in rollercoaster of topics. Read his books and you will begin to understand a small bit of the genius that resides in the skull beneath his mad scientist hair.

     James Newman, author of Midnight Rain, Animosity, Ugly as Sin and numerous others. – Many people call him “the nicest guy in horror” and for good reason. I first corresponded with James about five years ago as a fanboy/aspiring writer via Facebook, and he was amazingly helpful. I sincerely doubt The Specimen would ever have been completed if not for his encouragement. Later on, I helped coordinate Widowmakers, a gigantic benefit anthology to help him during a health crisis. He’s invited along because I want to finally meet him in person, and he seems like the exact type of guy I’d want to share a few beers with.

     Sarah Pinborough – another great author who I only know through Facebook. She is astonishingly prolific and her latest novel, The Death House, is both heartbreaking and horrific. From what I’ve gleaned of her life over the past few years via Facebook, Sarah enjoys tipping back a few with her fellow writers in the genre, and she would add a needed calming influence to the festivities… or perhaps she would just add to the mayhem. Either way, it wouldn’t surprise me if she ended up as the last one standing at the end of our bar crawl.



2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it
Pete says: Though I’ve been told that I bear a remarkable resemblance to Buzz Lightyear, I would want to go all out and transform myself Faceoff-style into Brundlefly from David Cronenberg’s stupendous version of The Fly or perhaps a resident of Innsmoth who is undergoing an evolution into a minion of Dagon.

Creature horror has always been my favorite subgenre, from Kafka’s The Metamorphosis to one of my favorites from the 90s, Brian Hodges’ Nightlife. Its influence can be found in all my fiction. Another favorite genre of mine is science fiction. Jack L. Chalker, in my mind a sci-fi giant, explored change in race, gender, psyche and sexuality in his writing. He passed away back in 2005, and I was genuinely depressed for days. When I learned that Chalker had requested that some of his ashes be spread on the grave of H.P. Lovecraft, I decided to finally remedy the fact that I had yet to read any of his work (sacrilege, I know).

I believe that, in their hearts, everyone wants to experience what it would be like to transform into something else, whether it be simply walking in someone else’s shoes for a day, or mutating into a superhero after a chance encounter with a secret government project, or sprouting hair and fangs when the moon becomes full.
I know I want to.



3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husband’s dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why.
Pete says: I would probably choose her husband’s old dentures. Recently, I read a short story by Joe R. Lansdale titled “Chompers”. A set of false teeth played a major part in the story and it has stuck in my head in the month or so since. Maybe I could get him to sign them if we ever meet.



4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read?
Pete says: As you can imagine, since I write horror and constantly think about it, very few books reach the level of creeping me out. More often, a specific scene in a book will spook me. One scene that has stuck with me for over 30 years is Gage running down the hill in Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. As a parent, that will never fail to fill me with dread. Song of Kali by Dan Simmons and Survivor by J.F. Gonzalez also rank up there, but out of all the stories I’ve read, a short story by Chuck Palahniuk called “Guts” is absolutely the most frightening tale I’ve ever had the fortune to read. It literally makes me clench my buttcheeks every time I think about it.



5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin, you sack of bones) What are you and why?
Pete says: I’m a big fan of lycanthropes – and I’m talking about the real deal here, sprouting fangs and hair, cartilage popping, bones cracking, skin ripping and splitting as the body stretches and twists – so I would most likely be a werewolf or maybe a werebear (one of my idea nuggets for a novel involves Viking werebears in Montana battling with an extreme right wing separatist militia). None of that romantic lycan crap from Twilight or the werewolf porn of the day. I would be something that needed to eat raw meat.



6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have.
Pete says: I’m sure you get this answer a lot, but I truly can’t name just one, so I’ll just have to give you a list (in no particular order) of the ones that I always recommend whenever I’m asked that question:
· Floating Dragon by Peter Straub – one of my standbys when I need a book to kick start me out of a reading funk. It’s the perfect alignment of supernatural horror and scientific horror.
· The Trickster by Muriel Gray – Why has she only written three novels? And none since 2000? Read her novels and you will agree that it is a tragedy that she hasn’t put out more.
· The Necroscope series by Brian Lumley – Vile and monstrous vampires from another dimension like you have never read before. I never get tired of this series.
· Tie - Swan Song by Robert McCammon or The Stand by Stephen King. If you’re a fan of apocalyptic fiction and you haven’t read these two mammoth novels, you should have your library card torn in half.
· Tie – Midnight Rain by James Newman and Boy’s Life by McCammon (again). The same thing goes for fans of the coming of age sub-genre of horror if they have not read these two books.



7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood?
Pete says: I’m an extremely slow writer, mainly because I can be easily distracted. In order to prepare myself, I wear headphones to drown out the sounds of the television, and occasionally, my children and wife screaming at each other. I don’t listen to music, however. The soundtrack to my writing is generally composed of various YouTube video with the sounds of rain on a loop. If I want something especially foreboding, I have a favorite recording of a thunderstorm in a cathedral. The echoes and rumble of the thunder perfectly sets the tone.



8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph
Pete says: Definitely C. If I had to list someone as my idol, he is that person. When I first published The Specimen, I naively sent a signed copy to his business office in Bangor, hoping it would be passed along to him. In retrospect, I highly doubt that I was the first person to think of doing this, and it probably was donated to the local library.



9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars
Pete says: I’m not the biggest fan of full-size Hershey bars, but it would definitely be something in that vein. My personal favorites are Payday bars and the dark chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Yes, Pete likes peanut butter. I make no secret of that.



10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them?
Pete says: Frankly, I would tell them that they were probably making the right choice. If writing stresses them out and puts them under a lot of pressure, then it probably wasn’t the right career for them in the first place. I write because I enjoy it… because it provides me an outlet to release my stress. If I ever lose the feeling I get when I’m putting my words down in a file, I would quit. It’s probably not the most popular thing to say, but people should do what they do because they feel fulfilled in some way from their activities, not for any other reason. I’ve enjoyed the journey so much that I recently started my own small press, Bloodshot Books, and we plan to put out a couple of novels and anthologies each year. Money is certainly nice, even if it is only to supplement the author’s main income, but it is definitely not the main reason to write. I teach full time. I write because I need to.

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Pete Kahle has been dreaming about writing novels since his teens, but after flirting with the idea in college, he spent 25 years working in a variety of careers before he finally stopped talking about it and started writing.
He has lived in New York, Arizona and Spain, but now he resides in Massachusetts with his beautiful wife Noemi, his two amazing children Zoe and Eli, one dog, two hamsters, two guinea pigs and two frogs.
Pete is a voracious reader of horror, thrillers and science fiction novels and he writes in the same vein. He is also an insane fan of the New York Jets, despite living deep in the heart of enemy territory near Gillette Stadium.
THE SPECIMEN is his first novel, but it certainly will not be his last. He is currently working on BLOOD MOTHER, a stand-alone vampiric novel - without vampires - due out in the spring of 2015. On the horizon is THE ABOMINATION, Book 2 in the Riders Saga, and most likely a 3rd book in the series with the tentative title of THE HORSEMEN.
Pete most recently organized and edited WIDOWMAKERS, an anthology of dark fiction and poetry to help fellow author James Newman in a time of need.
Now that the dark closet in his subconscious has been opened, the monsters are clamoring to come out for a visit.

Today's Authtoberfest featured author is Angela Henry!

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Angela says: Wow, that’s a hard one. I’d have to say Joss Whedon, JK Rowling and Lee Child because they’ve created such smart, brave, kick-ass, and clever characters and we’d need all of that to survive.



2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Angela says: Sorry, Stephen! But it would be JK. I’m a huge fan and still hold out hope she will revisit Harry’s world one day and gives us a new book, featuring another character.



3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Angela says: I just finished Aliette de Bodard’s HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, which was awesome! And I’m about to start reading Deanna Raybourn’s A COURIOUS BEGINNING.



4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Angela says: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE. I can read the part when Lucy goes into the wardrobe and comes out in snowy Narnia over and over again.



5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Angela says: It would be a tie between Ben Aaronovitch’s fourth Peter Grant novel, BROKEN HOMES and THE CUCKOO’S CALLING by Robert Galbraith aka JK Rowling.



6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Angela says: Hands down THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN by Paula Hawkins. It’s one of those slow burner novels. Before you know it, it grabs you by the throat and drags you in.



7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Angela says: One of my favorite anime’s series is called READ OR DIE! It’s about female agents for a special division of the British Library who can magically control and manipulate paper. That would be my superpower.



8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Angela says: I have a corner in my bedroom set up for writing. But I can write anyplace I have access to a computer.



9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book KNIGHT’S FALL.
Angela says: It would probably be the opening scene describing my main Character Xavier Knight’s fall from heaven and what happens to him after he lands in a back alley in New Orleans.



10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Angela says: There’s a one eyed, redheaded, mini skirt wearing, compulsive gambling librarian in KNIGHT’S FALL but I’m not going to say which of her traits she got from me.



11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Angela says:
1. A Flat by Black Violin
2. Love Never Felt So Good by Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake
3. The Show by Doug E. Fresh
4. Rock The Casbah by The Clash
5. Firestarter by The Prodigy



12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Angela says: Write the kinds of books you would enjoy reading yourself.

Get your copy of KNIGHT’S FALL: A Xavier Knight Novel

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Angela Henry was once told that her past life careers included spy, researcher, and investigator. She stuck with what she knew because today she's a mystery writing library reference specialist, who loves to people watch and eavesdrop on conversations. She's the author of five mysteries featuring equally nosy amateur sleuth Kendra Clayton, as well as the thriller The Paris Secret. When she's not working, writing, or practicing her stealth, she loves to travel, is connoisseur of B horror movies, and an admitted anime addict. She lives in Ohio and is currently hard at work trying to meet her next deadline.

Today's Authtoberfest featured author is HEATH STALLCUP

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Heath says: Mark Tufo, Ted Nulty and John O’Brien.
Mark would keep us laughing while we decimated the dead. John is ex-military as is Ted, but Ted also has police training. It’s all about survival.



2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Heath says: Probably Stephen King. Once I saved him I would constantly remind him that he owes me a life debt and my book sales were seriously lagging. ;-)



3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Heath says: Brad Thor. I’ve been going through a lot of Vince Flynn, Brad Thor and Tom Clancy lately. I call it research…



4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Heath says: A million times? I was going to say that it hasn’t been written yet, but that isn’t true. Probably the ONLY book I could read over and over with and not get ‘bored’ would have to be the Bible. Whether reading for pleasure or study, there’s always something new that jumps out at me.



5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Heath says: Hmm…now that’s a tough one. I want to say Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy. It’s the first one to pop to mind when I think about it.



6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Heath says: Again, a tough one. I’d have to say it’s a toss up between Ted Bell’s TSAR and John O’Brien’s A New World: Taken.



7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Heath says: Just one?? Aww man…I would have to say flying. The idea of just flying wherever I want at any given time? No stopping for gas? Awesome!



8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Heath says: I won’t say that it’s my favorite place, but it’s really the ONLY place…the dining table.
I started the Monster Squad at this table and although we moved and I thought I could convert the den into an office and have a bit of privacy to actually sit and do my thing, my youngest son had other ideas. He decided he didn’t like the idea of ‘moving out’ for college. He shoved a futon in the den and took it over as a bedroom.



9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book Caldera.
Heath says: Ooh, that’s tough. To be honest, I didn’t care for the story at all, but my wife loved it. She is the reason I decided to write a sequel. However, if I had to choose one scene, it would probably be when the infected are reacting to the sonic pacifier. The survivors who initially spot them think it’s over until they realize that they aren’t attacking.



10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Heath says: I wish I could say Mitch was most like me, but I think Hatcher has more of my qualities rolled into him. He’s just an average guy that’s trying to make sense of the world going to heck around him.



11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Heath says:Van Halen collection, Enya, Epic Movie Music, Boston’s Greatest Hits and Fever Ray. That’s just a few of the sounds I use to put me in the mood.



12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Heath says: Write what interests you.
Seriously, if you try to ‘write to the crowds’ you will never be happy with what you create. If you write for yourself, others will pick up on it and enjoy the story more. I believe that readers cover a wide gambit of subject matter. While they may be a ‘zombie’ reader, they also dig military stories. Which crosses over with political thrillers. Which can cross with historical romance. Which can cross with… You see, a good story has a touch of everything. A little humor, a little romance, action, trepidation, you name it. By introducing new characters from different backgrounds, you find a way to connect with readers with varying experiences. Just stay true to your vision and they will come.

Get your copy of Caldera

Connect with Heath!

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(Heath suspiciously resembles a bulldog...)

About the author:

Heath Stallcup was born in Salinas, California and relocated to Tupelo, Oklahoma in his tween years. He joined the US Navy and was stationed in Charleston, SC and Bangor, WA shortly after junior college. After his second tour he attended East Central University where he obtained BS degrees in Biology and Chemistry. He then served ten years with the State of Oklahoma as a Compliance and Enforcement Officer while moonlighting nights and weekends with his local Sheriff's Office. He still lives in the small township of Tupelo, Oklahoma with his wife and three of his seven children. He steals time to write between household duties, going to ballgames, being a grandfather to five and being the pet of numerous animals that have taken over his home. Visit him on Facebook.com or heathstallcup.com for news of his upcoming releases.

Today's Authtoberfest featured author is JON FRATER

1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them.
Jon says: Daniel Arthur Smith and Stefan Boltz are both NY writers who I've come to respect and like a great deal. I missed a chance to hang out with them some time ago and am hoping we can fix that at some point. I think that Neil Gaiman would make an interesting add to the NYC Halloween experience.



2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it?
Jon says: Phil Coulson from SHIELD. My wife tells me I sort of look like him, and in a real sense, Coulson held the first phase of the MCU together.



3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husbands dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why.
Jon says: I take the pennies, arrange them artistically,frame them and put a placard under the frame that says "NICKEL BUILDING KIT." I think it's all about presentation.



4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read?
Jon says: IT by Stephen King, scared me silly when I first read it 20+ years ago. The story is about violence, and specifically deals with bullying. I had lots of memories of being bullied as a kid and never properly dealt with them. King helped me do that.



5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you and why?
Jon says: Werewolves rock. Next question.



6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have.
Jon says: Well, IT, by King, as I said, and What Dreams Will Come, by Richard Matheson. Matheson's afterword said that the story and characters were fictitious but the events were not. The idea that we really do drag our bad decisions with us into an afterlife should scare anyone.



7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood?
Jon says: I go back to Clive Barker's Tapping the Vein series of graphic novels. Brilliant, creepy story telling.



8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph
Jon says: I've seen King's house. It is surrounded by a cast iron grate that's guarded by a three headed dragon. If that's closed, they're not taking requests. If it's open, I'd bluster through it, ring the doorbell, hold out a bag, and see what happens.



9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars
Jon says: Full size Hershey bars, of course. Good fortune needs to be shared.



10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them?
Jon says: If they can't take the pressure, then they're giving up on publishing, not writing. These days, with the growing indy author crowd, all the pressure is self-imposed. That bears repeating every now and then.

Connect with Jon!

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About Jon:

A gaming industry stalwart dating back to the 1980s, Jonathan Frater is the co-author of roleplaying game books Robotech: Return of the Masters, and Robotech Adventures: Lancer's Rockers, both for Palladium Books. Jonathan also wrote a column on writing and game design called The Tome in Gateways magazine. He's currently a librarian at Metropolitan College of New York. Article 9, the first in his ambitious Blockade Trilogy, is Jonathan's first full-length novel.

Today's Authtoberfest featured author is Jeff Seymour!

1. It’s Halloween, pick 3 of your favorite writers to paint the town red with and tell us why you chose them.
Jeff Says: Neil Gaiman: The Graveyard Book is probably my favorite Halloween book. Spooky but not terrifying, full of ghosts and ghouls, and a fun and easy read.
Stephen King: The master, obviously. You really can't go wrong with his stuff.
Gris Grimly: Okay, so he's an artist. But his illustrated Frankenstein is an amazing Halloween read.



2. You’re ready to head out with your pillowcase to collect loads of confections on All Hallows’ Eve, what’s your costume and why did you choose it?
Jeff Says: Vash the Stampede, from the anime Trigun. Such a great character. Such a cool costume. Someday I'll actually make one.



3. Old Mrs. Robinson opens her door and you’re holding open your pillowcase patiently waiting. “Oh deary,” she says in her frail, little old-lady voice. “I forgot it was Halloween. Don’t know why you kids go begging anyways. Let me go find something to give you.” She shuffles off and finally returns three and a half minutes later with 5 pennies, 2 peppermint candies that look like they went through the dryer, and her deceased husbands dentures. “Take what you like,” she offers, squinting at you.
What do you choose and why.
Jeff Says: The pennies. There's nothing quite like snapping them at your friends all unexpected-like.



4. I really love reading Dean Koontz but some of his stuff scares the bejesus out of me. What’s the spookiest book you’ve ever read?
Jeff Says: Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King. Couldn't finish it. Supernatural horror I can handle, but the real stuff---where the situations are completely realistic and the horror comes from the depravity of unhinged human minds---is positively gutwrenching.
Meredith says: I read it, was thoroughly disturbed.


5. You’re a writer by day and supernatural creature by night. (Shed that human skin you sack of bones) What are you and why?
Jeff Says: I suppose I'd be a troll---the old Norse kind. I think living in the mountains, rumbling around them at night, and then sleeping inside them during the day sounds like a pretty nice existence.



6. Every author has a bookshelf filled with his or her favorite reads. Run on over to yours and tell us the scariest book you have.
Jeff Says: Full Dark, No Stars again. Someday I'll go back and finish it.



7. We don’t all write horror but there comes a time when you’ve got to surprise your readers and make sure their hearts are still beating. How do you prepare yourself to get in the spooky writing mood?
Jeff Says:The first paragraph. Horror is all about voice and atmosphere to me. Once I've set it, the rest flows naturally.



8. Stephen King’s front porch light is on but there are no Halloween decorations.
Do you:
a) trick-or-treat and cross your fingers that he’s handing out the good stuff
b) run screaming
c) call your mom to bring your favorite King paperback and beg for an autograph
Jeff Says: a) I wouldn't like to bother him, but I'd still knock on his door if I had a decent excuse to. Besides, I'd like to know how he approaches Halloween.



9. Congratulations, you just won the literary lottery and sold a million books at full price! The royalty check clears on October 28th. What are you buying for the neighborhood kids?
a) an assortment of mini candybars
b) an assortment of cheap, hard candies
c) full size Hershey bars
Jeff Says: c) There was a dentist in my neighborhood growing up who gave out full-size candy bars (suspicious, now that I think about it...). That feeling of hitting the jackpot is one I'd love to pass on.



10. Your writer friend calls you with some frightening news. They’re giving up on writing, can’t take the pressure any longer. What do you tell them?
Jeff Says: Call it a break. It's important to take care of yourself and set a pace you can handle, but there's no reason to say you're giving up forever. Forever is a long time.

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Author, writer, and editor Jeff Seymour has been creating speculative fiction since he was a teenager. He is the author of the magical realist short story collection Three Dances and the epic fantasy series Soulwoven, which has netted him over a million reads and 14,000 followers online. Jeff has also edited sci-fi and fantasy on a freelance basis for clients including Harlequin's digital-first imprint Carina Press and the Nelson Literary Agency Digital Liaison Platform. In his free time, he blogs about his writing and editing, pretends he knows anything about raising an energetic kitten, and dreams.

Amy Wolf author of THE MISSES BRONTË'S ESTABLISHMENT

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Amy says:
1. Charlotte Brontë. Even though she had a life filled with tragedy, her ambition and perseverance tell me she could kick some serious butt.
2. Emily Bronte. Emily proved that she could kick butt: she once cauterized her own wound after having been bitten by a dog.
3. J.K. Rowling. I think she’d be fun to be around, and she has such a great imagination I believe she could outsmart those zombies.



2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why ;)
Amy says: J. K.! I am a huge Potterhead and don’t care much for horror. I also think that J.K. could offer a more substantial reward. And invite me to live with her in her castle. (Can you say “wish fulfillment”?)



3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Amy says: A fun book interviewing comics of all stripes, Poking a Dead Frog by Mike Sacks. Also finished an excerpt from The Girl With Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeonseo Lee. Next up: A People’s History of the Great Recession by Arthur Delaney and The Second Intellient Species by Marshall Brain. You know, just some light “beach” reading with Fabio on the cover! :>



4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Amy says:Pride and Prejudice, baby!



5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?

Amy says: Sideways 3: Chile by my friend Rex Pickett.



6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Amy says: The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos by Brian Greene



7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Amy says: In fact, I’m a software developer by day and a writer by night. So my superpower is working two full-time jobs concurrently!



8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Amy says: My dining room nook. Yes, it’s uncomfortable, and yes, it gives me lower back pain, but I have a nice view of lovely Northwest scenery.



9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book The Misses Brontes Establihsment.
Amy says: It’s the scene where the young heroine, Maria, pretends to be Emily Brontë on the sisters’ fabled trip to London to prove they were three different authors. In reality, Emily refused to go, but Maria does a bang-up impersonation laden with subtle comedy.



9. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Amy says: Charlotte Brontë. Like her, I’m hypersensitive, thin-skinned, and appreciate truth in Art, but I also have her ambition, never-say-die attitude, and nun-like dedication to her craft.



10. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Amy says: NONE! I can’t concentrate with music in the background. I am however fond of Guns N’ Roses, Marilyn Manson, and Ting Ting.



11. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Amy says: DON’T! (kidding). Be prepared for the long haul. The arts ain’t easy, and they never have been. This is a tough game, so toughen up and be prepared to go the distance. I prepared by working for 15 years in the film industry. Do I win something?

Get your copy of The Misses Brontë’s Establishment

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Amy Wolf is a Kindle Scout winner for her novel THE MISSES BRONTES ESTABLISHMENT, which launched on August 11, 2015.
She has published 38 short stories in the fantasy/sf press, including REALMS OF FANTASY (2) and INTERZONE (U.K.). She is a graduate of the Clarion West Writer's program and has an honors English degree from The University of London.
She started her career working for the major Hollywood studios, especially 20th Century Fox.
One of three natives out of 10 million, Amy was forced from L.A. and now lives in Seattle (where it rains). She has one adult daughter currently terrorizing L.A., 2 horses, 2 dogs, and a bunny.
Check out her blog on http://www.missesbrontes.com

*The promo below is not affiliated with Secret Life of a Townie book blog or M. R. Pritchard*

Please welcome KindleScout winning author T. L. Zalecki!

1. It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them. 

T. L. Says: Great question! I love imagining what I would do in the zombie apocalypse. Neil Gaiman (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) because, man, he can come up with some crazy characters. Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games) because she knows a million ways to kill someone. E.L. James (Fifty Shades of Grey) because ... well, the Red Room.



2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why ;) 

T. L. Says: J.K. because Stephen scares the hell out of me. I can’t walk by a gutter without seeing that snaggle-toothed clown.
Meredith says: Sweet lord, I just choked on my coffee.


3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading? 

T. L. Says: I am currently reading two very different but enjoyable books. One is Fiona Quinn’s Weakest Lynx about a badass psychic girl and her quest to find and destroy her stalker. It’s keeping me on the edge of my seat. Another is a deep cut, a cult classic within the fantasy genre called The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I’d seen the movie as a child, then recently stumbled across the book and had to read it, especially since I’m writing within the genre.



4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with? 

T. L. Says: Charles Dickens books, because once you get to the end, you have already forgotten the beginning. But seriously, I love Great Expectations. It is so epic and full of brutal, yet beautiful, life lessons. Some authors are great writers, some are great storytellers and some, like Dickens, are both.



5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014? 

T. L. Says: Are you making me pick one??? Ok, fine. I would say Archetype by M.D. Waters. It is a lovely, intimate sci-fi story about a woman who is a newly minted clone and must unravel the mystery of her new, unfamiliar life. The story addresses the science of cloning in a personal and believable way without being too techie.



6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015? 

T. L. Says: Atlantia by Ally Condie. I held off on reading any mermaid or siren books until I was finished writing book one and two of SIRENS, and then sifted through a ton until I chose hers. It reminded me of Hunger Games a bit – dystopian, fast paced and dark.



7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower? 

T. L. Says: I can breathe underwater.



8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write? 

T. L. Says: With two toddlers and an inability to write after 8pm due to exhaustion, I have to write literally wherever I can... usually a place where I can hide inside my house. Sometimes there are only 5-minute chunks!



9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book SIRENS, Rising Tide. 

T. L. Says: This is easy for me. When I close my eyes I am there: a sixteen-year-old Mello standing on the outer shore of Rodinia for a ceremony in which he begins a journey across the ocean. Sirens surround him, singing in ethereal voices, and the sand is peppered with rose petals. He closes his eyes, walks into the crashing waves, and finds the courage to let the open ocean swallow him for the first time in his life.



10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you? 

T. L. Says: Mello­—by far the most flawed of my characters—has a place in my heart. I relate so closely to him that deep down I must be writing myself. Though I would never torture myself the way I torture that poor guy. Nor do I have the power to start a revolution ... or do I?



11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist. 

T. L. Says: I created a SIRENS playlist to share with my readers. The songs all inspired me at some point during the creation of SIRENS and each one reminds me of a specific scene or character. I’ll choose five from it, but the full playlist can be found on my website.
1. M83 – We Own the Sky
2. Vance Joy – Riptide
3. The Knife – Heartbeats
4. Arcade Fire – Sprawl II
5. M83 – Midnight City



12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say? 

T. L. Says: Let a story develop and marinate in your mind until you can’t stop yourself from telling it to the world. That is how to avoid writer’s block. Some of my best ideas come to me during idle times. I don’t sit down to write until I know what I am going to say—and am bursting at the seams to say it!

Get your copy of Rising Tide (SIRENS, Book 1)

Nominate Lost World (SIRENS, Book 2) on Kindle Scout until 9/25. 

(If this book is selected for publication you get a free copy for nominating!)

Connect with T. L.

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T.L. spent several years in the corporate world working with global "megacorps" before moving on to her most important job, raising her two children. During naptime, she created a world to escape to in SIRENS. She enjoys using science to create fantastical fiction, packing sophisticated, sometimes controversial, themes into stories of adventure, and twisting ordinary legends. Book 1 Rising Tide will be followed by Book 2, Lost World. She lives with her family and some tropical fish in Washington, DC.

Welcome Jake Lingwall author of Freelancer

Let's see what Jake had to say about reading, writing and Zombies!

1.It’s the zombie apocalypse and writers have got to stick together to survive. Pick 3 authors to be on your zombie apocalypse killing team and tell us why you’d choose them.
Jake Says: Brandon Sanderson – He always has a creative magic system and good endings. Those are two things that could prove helpful when you’re trying to survive.
J.K. Rowling – She’s brilliant and rich (so hopefully she has lots of supplies). I’m not sure if a Patronus can chase off zombies, but I’m hopeful.
Ernest Cline – My strategy for survival would be to just hunker down somewhere and wait for the zombie apocalypse to sort itself out. No better way to pass the time than playing some games with Ernest Cline and debating if Kari (from Freelancer) could beat Wade at video games.
Meredith says:  Nice picks. Have you read World War Z? There's a scene where survivors go after the rich folk because of their gated homes and stockpiled supplies. I'm betting on a Patronus! I like that idea.
Jake Says: Saw the movie, but I don't remember any supply raiding in the film. Just lots of Brad Pitt and sick people. Guess that's another example of how watching the movie just isn't the same thing.



2. If Stephen King and J. K. Rowling were drowning in a river, who would you save first? And now you have to tell us why.
Jake Says: Since J. K. Rowling is on my zombie survival team I better save her first. Otherwise, I’d have to replace her with Stephen King and that would make me uneasy.
Meredith says: Lol!


3. We authors are voracious readers. My TBR list is approximately 8 miles long. What are you currently reading?
Jake Says: I’m actually reading a few things at once right now. There’s so much I want to read that it’s hard not to start a few books at once.
Armada by Ernest Cline. Ready Player One was epic and the top selling novel in the “cyberpunk” category that my book is in, so I had to check out Cline’s next book.
Hooked: How to Build Habit Forming Products by Nir Eyal. I’m a front-end web developer for work so I try to keep up on my trade when I’m not writing. This is a great book about building products that users want to keep using. I actually find it has many great parallels for writing as well.
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. My wife is currently battling Leukemia and this book was a recommendation by her Oncologist.
I see you are one of those readers who reads more than one book at once.
Meredith says: My father battled Leukemia. Prayers to your wife.
Jake Says: Thanks, I really appreciate that. We're doing pretty well right now all things considered.


4. What is the one book that you could read a million times and never get bored with?
Jake Says: I’m a sucker for nostalgia so anything that I read and loved as kid never grows old. I’d probably say that Ender’s Game is the one book that I have read the most times.



5. Last year my favorite read was The Martian by Andy Weir. What was your best read of 2014?
Jake Says: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson was my favorite book of 2014. I’ve been a sucker for anything he writes ever since he finished the Wheel of Time.



6. This year my favorite read has been The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. What’s the best book you’ve read so far in 2015?
Jake Says: I feel like I keep mentioning the same names, but I’d be lying if I said anything but Ready Player One. Although some of the regency romance books I’ve been reading with my wife are closing in ;).
Meredith says: Whoa whoa whoa... you can't just drop a bomb like that. A dude reading regency romance?! I've never come cross a guy who will admit to this. Kudos to reading with your wife - I love discussing books with my husband. Also, have you read Captain and Countess by Alice Gaines - a fellow kindle scout winner? It was a great read.
Jake Says: I haven't had a chance to read any of the Kindle Scout books yet. But there are dozens that I'm going to get to shortly. I'll have to move Captain and the Countess to the top of that list. =)

7. You’re a writer by day and a superhero by night. (Take off those geeky glasses Superman) What’s your superpower?
Jake Says: I’m actually a software engineer during the day and a writer by night, but there’s always time to be a superhero. I’ve always been a big superhero guy so it’s hard for me to choose. I don’t think I’d want anything too powerful that would be too much pressure. So, I think right now I’d go with something simple like Longshot’s power from the X-men. He’s just super lucky. Blind pick some stocks to make some money and do some party tricks to impress people sounds like less stress than always having to save the world like Superman.



8. I have writing spots all over my house: my desk, my couch, the patio, and my bed. Where’s your favorite spot to write?
Jake Says: I bought an old used treadmill that with a few old pieces of wood sitting across the handlebars works pretty well as a treadmill-desk. Feels double productive to write and get a little bit of exercise.
Meredith says: I mean... I've been reading a lot about these fancy treadmill desks and they are pretty pricey. To think you just made one with some old pieces of wood.
Jake Says: Works like a charm too! I lost 15 pounds on a steady diet of writing.


9. We’re supposed to love all of our children equally, but there are some scenes I’ve written that really stick out in my mind. Tell us your favorite scene from your book Freelancer.
Jake Says: I’m not sure I believe the premise of the question, as it’s a generally accepted fact amongst my siblings that I am the 5th most favorite child of my parents. =)
My favorite scenes from Freelancer are when Kari is working on new designs. What inspired me to write this book was dreaming about how programming in the future would be a much more accessible and fluid process than it is now. I think it’s a lot of fun to just freely create whatever the mind can imagine and then use what you came up with to solve problems.

Meredith says: ...having 4 siblings myself, I know you know what I mean ;)


10. Sometimes a little too much of myself slips into my characters. Which one of your characters most resembles you?
Jake Says: I’d say it’s a split between the main characters. Kari is a hacker and a programmer like myself, (although she’s way smarter than I am) and David is a little old school.



11. I’ve always got tunes rocking while I’m writing. Tell us five songs that are on your playlist.
Jake Says:
Firebird – Stravinsky – Love me some classical music. This one is the inspiration for a novel I’m going to start working on soon.
I Wanna Get Better – The Bleachers – Catchy tune with a title that is perfect for when your wife is fighting cancer.
Long Cool Women in a Black Dress – The Hollies. I only listen to the “oldies” station on radio and this one gets played a lot.
Hall of Fame – The Script featuring Will.I.Am. We watch a lot of food network and this song advertises their “Food Network Star” show. I’ve been listening to it ever since the advertisements started a few months ago. =)
Jurassic Park Theme Song – John Williams. John Williams is a genius. I’ve always loved his music, but Jurassic World has landed his work back on my playlists.
Meredith says: Long Cool Woman.... gosh, I forgot how much I loved that song. iTunes thanks you for my recent purchase.
Jake Says: If only they had an affiliate program...


12. If you could tell an aspiring author one tiny tidbit of information, what would you say?
Jake Says: Stop being an aspiring author and be an author. There is nothing stopping you from writing, so do it. You don’t need a certificate, or a license, all you need is a story.

Get your copy of FREELANCER

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(This is Jake - he's working hard and living the dream)

_______________

Jake's Bio: I'm a full time writer (of JavaScript code) during the day, but at night my mind turns to Science Fiction and Fantasy. I'm 25 years old and currently living the American dream with my wife and puppy. Freelancer is my first novel and I hope you find it as special as I do. You can find me at my website JakeNotJacob.com or tweet me @JakeLingwall.