M.R. Gott! and Where the Dead Fear to Tread!

Where The Dead Fear To Tread

http://www.amazon.com/Where-Dead-Fear-Tread-ebook/dp/B005LRY0LC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332983302&sr=8-1

“The world of William Chandler starts out dark and grim and M.R. Gott is not afraid to make it darker and grimmer with every page.”
Dana Fredsti author of Plague Town

“…a combination old time detective pulp story, a revenge story and a good old fashioned horror story.”
Famous Monsters of Film Land

“Where the Dead Fear to Tread is an immensely enjoyable read; jam-packed with great action sequences and wonderfully horrific monsters that will chill you to the bone.”
Dark Rivers Press

“Four and a Half Stars…with enough of a horror element to keep you cringing and maybe looking around for a set of eyes watching your every move.”
Double Shot Reviews

“The book starts out fast and violent, and ratchets up the intensity and carnage from there.”
Literary Mayhem

A police officer and a serial killer search separately for a missing child while running a malevolent labyrinth populated by creatures they never knew existed.

Former prosecutor William Chandler, disgusted with his past inaction, spills the blood of those who victimize children to correct the ills he sees in the world. A self-admitted serial killer and uncomfortable with his actions, Chandler attends the funerals of those whose lives he has taken in an effort to retain a true understanding of the nature of violence.

The carnage left in his wake is investigated by Detective Kate Broadband, who becomes progressively more comfortable with the corpses left by Chandler. Envying the power she sees in him, she pursues Chandler as each search for Maria Verde, a missing eight-year-old girl.

As Chandler and Broadband draw closer to discovering what happened to Maria they are forced to confront The Devourer, an unnatural being trafficking in stolen children.

Where the Dead Fear to Tread is a tale of hard-boiled macabre, bridging numerous genres to reveal a story of horror, crime and revenge.

Available from the Untreed Reads Store and most major e-book retailers for $4.99

Author Bio
M.R. Gott is the author of the novel Where the Dead fear to Tread and the forthcoming sequel Where the Damned Seek Closure. You can visit M.R. at his website Cutis Anserina at http://wherethedeadfeartotread.blogspot.com. Aside from contacting M.R. you will find his book and film reviews, as well as a collection of author interviews from established genre masters and up and comers. M.R. lives contentedly in central New Hampshire with his wife, and their three pets. Aside from writing M.R. enjoys dark coffee, dark beer and fading light

What is the scariest experience you've ever had in your life? (It can be anything)

I don't know what I'd consider as the most frightening experience of my life. Having severe panic attacks is definitely high on the list; so is flying in airplanes. So were some of the dreams of Hell I had when I was more into religion as a teen. I don't think I have a specific experience that made me almost crap myself and die of fright. But I will say that fear plays a great factor in the way I live and in the way I think and feel. It is also why I love to write the things I write.

So, what I want to know is what in your life terrified the pants off YOU....

Q and A with Author Jonathan Maberry

TROY McCOMBS: When did you start writing and why?

JONATHAN MABERRY: I’ve always written. Actually, let me rephrase that –I’ve always been a storyteller. Even before I could write I was telling stories with toys. All through school I wrote for school papers and journals. I began selling magazine articles while I was in college, then began writing nonfiction books (mainly on martial arts and self-defense), and then in 2000 I wrote a nonfic book on the folklore of vampires and other monsters. That book, THE VAMPIRE SLAYERS FIELD GUIDE TO THE UNDEAD was the only thing I ever wrote under a pen-name (Shane MacDougall).

Then in 2005 I wrote my first novel, GHOST ROAD BLUES, which won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. That gave me a taste for fiction. I did five more nonfiction books, VAMPIRE UNIVERSE (2006), THE CRYPTOPEDIA (2007, winner of the Bram Stoker Award for Best Nonfiction), ZOMBIE CSU (2008), THEY BITE (2009) and WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE (2010). Nowadays I concentrate on novels, short stories and comics.



TROY McCOMBS: Can you tell us a little about your book?

JONATHAN MABERRY: My latest novel is DEAD OF NIGHT, a standalone thriller about the outbreak of a new kind of zombie plague. A prison doctor injects a condemned serial killer with a formula designed to keep his consciousness awake while his body rots in the grave.  But all drugs have unforeseen side-effects.  Before he could be buried, the killer wakes up.  Hungry.  Infected.  Contagious.  Small town cop Dez Fox and her partner JT are caught in a wave of murder as everyone they know and love die...only to rise again as the ravenous living dead. If Dez and JT can’t contain the plague inside the town limits, the infection will spread beyond all control. This is the way the world ends.  Not with a bang…but a bite.

TROY McCOMBS: Care to share a brief excerpt or line from your book?

JONATHAN MABERRY: Here’s a link to read the opening of DEAD OF NIGHT
http://us.macmillan.com/deadofnight/JonathanMaberry

TROY McCOMBS: How many books have you written/published? Are currently working on any new ones now?

JONATHAN MABERRY: So far I’ve written over twenty nonfiction books, ranging from college textbooks, martial arts handbooks, karate school training manuals, and several books about monster beliefs around the world and throughout history. I’m currently writing my thirteenth novel.

TROY McCOMBS: Why did you pick the genre that you currently write in, and have you/are you ever going to try another genre?

JONATHAN MABERRY: I write in a lot of different genres –horror (GHOST ROAD BLUES, DEAD MAN’S SONG and BAD MOON RISING), thrillers (PATIENT ZERO, THE DRAGON FACTORY, THE KING OF PLAGUES, and the forthcoming ASSASSIN’S CODE), movie tie-ins (THE WOLFMAN), young adult post-apocalyptic thrillers (ROT & RUIN, DUST & DECAY, and the forthcoming FLESH & BONE), and zombie horror (DEAD OF NIGHT). I love edgy stuff, and I love the strange and weird.

I have projects in development in other genres as well, including Steampunk, mainstream thriller, urban fantasy and others. I’ll try anything that sounds fun.

TROY McCOMBS: Who is your favorite writer, and why?

JONATHAN MABERRY: My favorite writer of all time is probably John D. MacDonald, author of the brilliant Travis McGee mystery series. My favorite living author is James Lee Burke. His novels are a nice blend of brilliant writing, deeply insightful character development and great storytelling.

TROY McCOMBS: Do you have a favorite book? If so, what is it?


JONATHAN MABERRY: My favorite novel of all time is I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson. It was the first true blend of science fiction and horror. None of the movie adaptations come close to capturing what that story is all about.


TROY McCOMBS: Tell us a little about your creative process…

JONATHAN MABERRY: Most of my stories start with a quirky idea that pops into my head. Sometimes it’s a line, sometimes a character will start speaking in my head, or sometimes a scene will just appear. When the idea has some real pop to it, I’ll sit down and write an outline. I always outline my novels.

I write for a living, so I have a routine that works for me. I usually write in a coffeehouse in the mornings –I wander from Starbucks to Starbucks. Then I head home to write in the afternoons. When I’m not facing a tight deadline I’ll work on one project in the morning and a different one in the afternoon.

I also teach writing classes and go on extensive book tours which includes guest appearances at writers conferences and genre conventions. It’s a busy life but a very happy one.

TROY McCOMBS: Where can readers find you or your books online?

JONATHAN MABERRY: My books are available everywhere online, at Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, and at any bookseller.

TROY McCOMBS: What’s the best and worst experiences you’ve had as a writer?

JONATHAN MABERRY: My worst experience as a writer was getting involved in a business arrangement without a contract. That was a disaster that did a lot of damage, although it taught me some good lessons about the business. As a result I’ve become quite a successful businessman within the publishing world.

As far as my best experience as a writer? Selling my first novel was an incredible high point. But there have been so many high points since: winning the Bram Stoker Award (twice), seeing my novels hit the New York Times best-seller list, getting scouted to write for Marvel Comics, and so many others. I’m having a tremendous amount of fun!

TROY McCOMBS: What’s your ultimate goal as a writer?


JONATHAN MABERRY: I hope to see my books and stories transfer to TV and film in the near future. That’s the next goal.

***********************

Jonathan Maberry is a NY Times bestselling author, multiple Bram Stoker Award winner, and Marvel Comics writer. He’s the author of many novels including Assassin’s Code, Dead of Night, Patient Zero and Rot & Ruin. His nonfiction books on topics ranging from martial arts to zombie pop-culture. Since 1978 he has sold more than 1200 magazine feature articles, 3000 columns, two plays, greeting cards, song lyrics, poetry, and textbooks. Jonathan continues to teach the celebrated Experimental Writing for Teens class, which he created. He founded the Writers Coffeehouse and co-founded The Liars Club; and is a frequent speaker at schools and libraries, as well as a keynote speaker and guest of honor at major writers and genre conferences. Jonathan lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with his wife, Sara and their son, Sam. Visit him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com and on Twitter (@jonathanmaberry) and Facebook.

******************

Praise for DEAD OF NIGHT:

“Jonathan Maberry is the top gun when it comes to zombies, and with DEAD OF NIGHT, he's at the top of his game. Frankly, I'm shocked by how effortlessly he moves between the lofty intellectual heights of T.S. Eliot's poetry and the savage carnality of the kill. DEAD OF NIGHT develops with the fevered pace of a manhunt, and yet still manages to hit all the right notes. Strap in, because Maberry's latest is one hell of a wild ride. I loved it.” - Joe McKinney, author of Dead City and FLESH EATERS

“Jonathan Maberry has created an homage to death itself and an homage to the undead that is as poetic as it is terrifying. It's a brand new and intriguingly fresh slant on the zombie genre that we all love!” -John A. Russo co-screenwriter of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

“Maberry is a master at writing scenes that surge and hum with tension. The pacing is relentless. He presses the accelerator to the floor and never lets up, taking you on a ride that leaves your heart pounding. It’s almost impossible to put this book down. Dead of Night is an excellent read.” —S.G. Browne, author of BREATHERS

"It would be enough to say that Jonathan Maberry had topped himself yet again with an epic zombie novel that is as much fun as it is terrifying.  But that he has also created a story of such tremendous heart and social relevance only further cements his place as a master of the genre.  It also doesn't hurt that in DEAD OF NIGHT he has created one of the most compelling heroines I've read in years.  Dead of Night blew me away!" --Ryan Brown - Author of PLAY DEAD

“Once again, Jonathan Maberry does what he does best; Take proven science, synthesize it and create something truly terrifying. In DEAD OF NIGHT, Maberry lays the groundwork for a Bioweapon that could very well create zombies in the real world. Combining great characters (I fell in love with Dez Fox from the moment she was introduced) and taut, blindingly fast action, DEAD OF NIGHT, is a runaway bullet train of a ride. This is Jonathan Maberry's best writing yet.” –Greg Schauer, owner Between Books, Claymont, DE

“Dead of Night stands drooped head and lurching shoulders above most zombie novels. The nightmare increases exponentially - from minor outbreak to major crisis with unstoppable speed, building to a heart-stopping climax you won't be able to put down.” --David Moody, author of the HATER and AUTUMN books

Q and A with Author Eric Johnston

1. When did you start writing and why?


I have been writing my whole life. I wrote my first story when I was ten years old. It was about a group of kids in a haunted house. I was really into scary stories and completely obsessed with the horror genre—in fact, I would read nothing else.

I took a more ambitious approach to storytelling when I was in 8th grade when I wrote a story about a group of teenagers who were mourning the death of their favorite super model. They went to the cemetery where her body was laid to rest, held a séance, and did what they could to conjure up her spirit with hopes of seducing her.

I majored in History and English at University of Michigan, which really improved my writing and research skills. I have a broad knowledge base in American Literature and American History, which inspires my current writing projects.

In 2009, I began work on a novel with my friend Andrew Utley. This novel is not yet published, but it should be coming out sometime in 2012. It is titled Harvester: Ascension, and is a science fiction novel inspired by the inflammatory political rhetoric of the past few years.

I began my new novel, The Twins of Noremway Parish, shortly after completing Harvester. And I had a blast writing it.


2. Can you tell us a little about your book?

The Twins of Noremway Parish is a novel that takes place in the distant future. The world is run-down; the land is dry, parched, and dead, and there are only a few human settlements left in the world. There was a war with beings collectively known as the Darkness. They have one goal: bring chaos to the world. In the beginning, there is mention of a goddess named Moria who had departed Earth for reasons lost to history. This is a direct reference to Harvester: Ascension. When Moria left, it opened the door for the Darkness to come to Earth and destroy it.

There is one being from a group of god-like entities that had survived since the beginning of existence that attempts to restore order to this chaos. He is a Story Teller. These Story Tellers spin tales, making sense of all the disparate things around them, developing a cohesive narrative that has a certain elegance, a pristine order.

The Twins of Noremway Parish begins with the Story Teller narration, but he is soon captured by the Darkness who seek to use his powers to tell another story, one that will tear apart the fabric of the universe. The story changes, becoming dark, evil.

The Twins of Noremway Parish deals a lot with tradition and injustice. These people have their own religion, one that I made up, but it is an off-shoot of Christianity and Catholicism. I have borrowed phrases, titles, roles, and religious edicts from a variety of places to create something unique, yet familiar.

The story itself really follows the parish Friar, Decon Mangler, often referred to as “Brother Decon” and the Parochial Vicar, Teret Finley, known as “Sister Teret.” They are the male and female religious leaders of the parish, and being such must keep a certain innocence about them. When a pair of infant conjoined twins are found in the cathedral, they decide it would be best for the twins if they raised them as mother and father themsevles. This leads to a social uproar as it becomes clear that, to some within the parish, tradition, even a tradition that makes no sense, is more important than thinking about the actual well-being of these children.

3. Care to share a brief excerpt or line from your book?

We have our own story to tell.

—The Chaos of the Outer Dark

4. How many books have you written/published? Are currently working on any new ones now?

This is my first published novel, but I have written two others. Harvester: Ascension, which I listed above, the one I co-authored with Andrew Utley. I have also written the sequel to The Twins of Noremway Parish. That book is titled The Book of Ragas, and takes place eighteen years later when the twins are adults.

I am currently working on three novels. One is a science fiction story that explores the fundamentals of time itself. That one is called Temporal Winter. I am also working on one that explores the concept of the afterlife, called Orchard Hills. And I am currently working with Andrew Utley on the sequel to Harvester: Ascension, Harvester: Evolution.

5. Why did you pick the genre that you currently write in, and have you/are you ever going to try another genre?

I write science fiction, fantasy, and horror. These are the genres I’m most familiar with. It’s what I read, and quite frankly, it’s probably the only thing I can write.

I am going to try some young adult fiction. I started a young adult story a few years ago to try to jump into the Vampire-craze market. It’s about Santa Claus becoming a vampire. And, as we all know, a vampire cannot enter your home without first being invited in. This fact makes delivering presents on Christmas Eve very frustrating when no one will wake up and answer their doors to let him in.

6. Who is your favorite writer, and why?

I absolutely love Stephen King. I think he has written some of the most brilliant material in the past forty years. Especially his Dark Tower series. I also really enjoy Chuck Paulaniuk, Jeff Lindsay, Ray Bradbury, Anne Rice, and Peter Straub.

On the non-fiction end of things, I really enjoy Joseph Ellis and David McCullough, two of the greatest wordsmiths of today.

7. Do you have a favorite book? If so, what is it?

I’m going to cheat here and go with an entire series. The Dark Tower by Stephen King. It is an amazing series that explores a world that has moved on. The eerie connection with other worlds, one of them being ours, is staggering especially as the series progresses. It touches on many of other King works. For example, in The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass, you find the characters at one point walking down a highway in a world wiped out by a flu referred to as “Captain Trips,” a direct reference to his novel The Stand. Also, King’s experimentation with meta-fiction in the last few books is top-notch.

8. Tell us a little about your creative process…

I usually think of a basic idea for a story and begin writing right away, focusing on creating characters that I want to take this journey with. If I don’t like my characters, I stop and work on something else, possibly never coming back to that particular story again. But if I fall in love with these people I create, I hand them the reigns to the story and let them tell it to me. I become the medium through which they tell their tale.

9. Where can readers find you or your books online?

They can find them on amazon.com or at worldcastlepublishing.com


10. What’s the best and worst experiences you’ve had as a writer?

The Best

Writing The Twins of Noremway Parish was the best time I have ever had writing something creatively. I love the characters so much. Every time I sat down to write, it was like I was visiting my friends. Like I was stepping back into their world and they were there waiting to tell me what they’d been doing while I was gone.

The Worst

Co-authoring a novel has to have been the most frustrating thing ever. I was laid off in the summer of 2010 when most of Harvester: Ascension was written, but Andy was working full-time. Having to sit on my hands, waiting to get the material back from him because he was working a lot, drove me nuts. We would just wrote what we felt, and let the story takes its own course with no clear outline, but in many cases, I ended up overshadowing his writing, because I just wrote much more. We got in many arguments about it, which has led to us using a different approach for the writing of Harvester: Evolution, in which we have the whole thing completely outlined, and we each have our assigned parts of the outline.


11. What’s your ultimate goal as a writer?

I want to change the world.

Time Travel day--March 14th

INTERNATIONAL TIME TRAVEL DAY is March 14th!

By no coincidence, it is also the birthday of Albert Einstein, author of the “space and time bend" theory.

Join ten Time Travel Authors across North America as they celebrate International Time Travel Day with great giveaways!

Visit the following blogs/websites on March 14, and leave a comment on each for your chance to win free books/ebooks that celebrate time travel in all its guises:

Funny or scary….sexy or sweet…rollicking adventure stories…

ESCAPE WITH TIME TRAVEL!

Participating Authors:

Madeline Baker  http://www.madelinebaker.net/
Melodie Campbell http://www.funnygirlmelodie.blogspot.com/
Pauline B. Jones http://www.paulinebjones.com/
Chris Karlsen http://www.chriskarlsen.com/
Laura Martello http://www.la-mitchell.blogspot.com/
Troy McCombs http://www.tmhorror.blogspot.com/
Theresa Regan http://www.theresaragan.com/
Terry Spear http://terry-spear.blogspot.com/
Lizzie Starr http://starrwords.blogspot.com/
Cheryl Kaye Tardif http://www.cherylktardif.com/

DISCUSSION OF THE DAY--Are ghosts REAL?

Ghosts... there are tons of movies about them, and television shows. Some people believe. Some don't. Some are torn between belief and disbelief. What do YOU think? And why? What obscure world within this one do they belong... that is, if they exist at all? Have you ever seen one? Would you want to? If you did, would you be afraid?

Feel free to discuss. Speak your mind. Above all, have a good time!! Simply post a comment below to engage :)

Sweeping Me horror/thriller reading challenge!

Well, I joined this reading challenge. Thought it was a killer idea. Now I've got to get to reading! :) Anyone who wants to join, go ahead.

http://sweepingme.com/2012/01/2012-reading-challenge-horrorthriller/

My reviews will be linked to Goodreads. The reviewer will say 'Troy's review of'. I've already reviewed The Gunslinger. Many more to come!