Breaking the Silence

Cattarina Watching Poe

OK, yes I have been suspiciously absent. I would normally lament my lack of inspiration, wax long on the toils of everyday life, but I would be lying.

Truth of the matter is, my muse has been more talkative than a five year old after the Halloween spoils have been sorted. It is on a sugar high or extreme caffeine buzz. Whichever the case, far be it for me to complain.

My only gripe is that my muse isn’t focusing on one story. It is, instead, flinging tasty morsels from all my stories. Three Ships for Three Kings, Appetites, Echoes and a new collaborative story that is building faster than a brush fire in August. Tentatively titled Left Behind. It’s a Sci-Fi, apocalyptic, dystopian quest. But that is all I can say about it other than that I am working with three other incredibly imaginative writers that also fall under the spell of intuitive writing. Which means, essentially, four brains working as one. Exciting.

Reading As Writers:The Feedback on Feedback

I’d like to say that M.E. Girard over at the WCDR’s Reading As Writers (RAW) website approached me and on bended knee pleaded, nay, begged me to write a guest post for the site. I’d also like to say that I advised her that my people would contact her people and set up a meeting.

Bad News, Good News?

When I first started my second novel, Appetites, I knew it would be controversial so I shopped the idea to my immediate writing community. The feedback was exactly what I thought. Yes it was controversial, in that the main character was the source of the controversy, not the story itself. I’m not one to shy away from a challenge. In fact, it is what defines my writing style. I want to push the limits. Like training for a sport, the more you push your limits the better you are, I feel it makes me a better writer. The resounding response was, “if you can somehow make us sympathize with the main character, makes us want to read more about him, people will see past his past.”

Trend Masters or Servants?

Inspired by a blog shared on Facebook by a fellow writer in my writing community, (how’s that for electronic media connections?), I got to thinking about the whole industry that I am a part of.

The blog, 25 Hard Truths About Writing and Publishing by Chuck Wendig, sheds light on the process that leads up to your favorite book. Some of the stuff is hard to swallow and can be downright disheartening to aspiring writers, but I believe they are all legitimate points. Even if we don’t agree one hundred percent with them, they have to be acknowledged. We have to approach this industry with our eyes open to reality.

Dear McDonald’s Flavour Assasins

Let me start off by saying, I am, or more accurately, used to be, a McDonalds fan. I have partaken of their culinary… uniqueness on many occasion. From the Big Mac, to the Double QuarterPounder even the McPizza.

Women in Horror Month

Welcome to Women in Horror Recognition Month!

When Diane Dooley approached me about guesting on her blog, I initially jumped on the idea. I am a huge fan of Mary Shelley and love any opportunity to talk about her time period. Essentially to flaunt the knowledge I gleaned doing all that research. Sue me, I’m a big ham.

I then paused as the weight of the request sank in. Women actually have a hard time getting recognized in the horror genre? They are advised by agents and publishers to put only their initials on their books? Diane, herself, has run into this. I was shocked.

I’m ashamed to say I was totally oblivious to this. I had no idea women had such a hard time breaking into the horror market. As a reader I’ve always chosen my books based on the cover and the blurb on the back. Word of mouth also plays a big part.

Grey Cup Madness

I know what you are thinking, “Man is he late to the party. The Grey Cup was months ago.” Yes, I realize that but after watching the Superbowl, I got to thinking about how the CFL was seems to be held up as the NFL’s poor cousin. I wrote this piece the day after the Grey Cup and then lost it in Cyberspace- space… space… space where no one can here you scream. Sure everyone can read about your scream and see hundreds of pictures of your feet along with those of your besties, but I digress.