#OctoberFrights: The Scariest Thing an Author Will Do

Welcome to Day Four of the the annual October Frights Blog Hop, organized by Clarissa Johal.

Each year, all styles of dark writers get together to rattle their cages and talk about what makes them howl. It's October, after all. This is the time of year we can get away with it...

It's a chance to talk about the scary things. So far on this tour, I've visited many of the other blogs and found witches, zombies, lurchers (sounds scary but dang it, if they ain't loveable!) and every dark chunk of human nature you can imagine.

I adore monsters. They don't scare me. They make me grin and say things like, "Aw, that's sweet. Look at those fangs!" It's not my fault. It's probably a psychological defense mechanism.

In fact, if anything scare me, it's psychological horror. The idea that something very real and very scary exists. It worms its way into my head and digs and digs and digs--  

Oooh. That was an actual shiver.

I did something very scary today, something that any author no matter their genre would agree is the scariest part of our life. I hit the "publish" button.

Doesn't sound like a big deal to a lot of people, I know. But it's the build up to the button that makes it a breath-holding moment.

It all started with an email...

Earlier this year, I completed the contract on the third book in one of my trilogies and I asked for my rights back on my series. That was a little scary in itself--this was my first publisher, my first contract. I've been with this press longer than anyone else, and they've been wonderful. However, my ideas and plans for this trilogy were far more complex than a backlist status could muster. I decided to take the reins. Big, scary moment.

The Publishing Feels

The last three months were full of cover designs, formatting for print and ebooks, and the edits--lots of tension when Photoshop or Word decided not to cooperate. As the closer I got to the circled date on my calendar, the more tense and scary things got.

I think I tweaked those files more times in the last 48 hours than I have in 48 days. And when I woke up this morning, and saw that I had no more days to X off on my calendar...

I could almost hear the shrieking violins and the dun-it-dun-it-dun-it and that "Publish Now" button just seemed to pulse under my hovering finger.

What if I made a mistake? What if Kindle doofs up my files and my reviews don't transfer? What if the new covers aren't as great as people assured me they were (and I asked everyone. Even complete strangers. A/B testing should never be reserved for only the nearest and dearest.)

WHAT IF? WHAT IF? WHAT IF?

I ask that question all the time. I'm a spec fic writer so it's kind of an occupational hazard. So, I did the logical thing. I put myself out of misery. I hit the LAUNCH button.

Hmm. That wasn't so bad, I thought, and went to pour a fresh cup of tea, waiting for my pulse to return to normal...

But it's only until the next scene in this psychological thriller...The Reviewers! *shrieking violins*

Tell me, folks...what is the scariest real life thing you do, the thing that leaves you clutching your chest, gasping for breath, amazed you survived?

Leave a comment and one of you will win something grand.

But for now, it's time to get back to work on my Amazon files. I've got book listings to write! Wish us both luck...

If this is your first time joining us, catch up with this list of the links for the week...
Day One: Intro
Day Two: Author Spotlight and Review, AF Stewart
Day Three: Putting the Ick in Magick

Enter my October Frights giveaway here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See who else is playing in the dark...

click on the link below to get hopping!

An InLinkz Link-up

And don't miss the other giveaways you'll find when you click on the October Giveaways tab up above or click here for a handy shortcut :)

Bad Love, Undying Love: Bloody Valentine Horror Hop 2016 #giveaway

Glad you stopped by my stop on the 2016 Bloody Valentine Horror Hop! I hope everyone has their fill of chocolates and roses and sweet sappy love things. I'm going to help keep you from going into sugar shock :^)

While I am a great fan of almost all things romantic, I also love playing in the shadows. Don't dark sides make the light sides shine brighter? Isn't the dark night merely an omen of the coming dawn? And aren't monsters the most interesting people?

If you like your love stories to have a darker twist, then I hope you enjoy this story... "The Downside of Undying Love" first appeared in Jersey Devil Press. Great mag... check them out for more of the strange and beautiful.

The Downside to Undying Love
By Ash Krafton

We don’t talk much. I suppose not having functioning vocal cords is a big part of that but, honey, I don't blame you for our lack of communication. I just wish our relationship was a little different.
Even if you blinked once in a while to make me feel like we were connecting. Some tiny affirmation that you know I'm here.  I love you to the point of incineration, to the point where I can't breathe because the conflagration steals the oxygen from my lungs. It's why I did this all for you.
Stealing your body was no easy feat. You know I'm a good person, wouldn't hurt a fly (never mind commit a felony) but I did it. I had to. You lived a stony life, chasing death and begging for release but I know you didn't want to die. Not permanently--
So hiring a zombie priest wasn't as big a deal as I might have once thought. It was no different than finding a lawyer or a mechanic or some other necessary evil.
Maybe if I knew you were going to die, I could have interviewed a couple zombie raisers. You know, look into their portfolio, ask about their zombie philosophy, their success rate and refund policies. Stuff like that. Maybe I could have found someone capable of actually putting some animation in the animating. But I was in a bit of a rush and had a limited window of opportunity. It had to be done while you were still fresh. Not that I'm complaining--
Because you're here. I really do like that suit on you and you look so handsome with your hair combed like that. Today we'll do all your favorite things--we'll go for a drive and we'll sit on the front porch and we'll go for a slow walk in the moonlight. I'll even put in that Three Stooges DVD I found in your coffin.
That way you won't mind so much when I change your embalming fluid and scrape the mold from the back of your neck. Curly makes you laugh. I think it's laughing, anyway, that long hollow rasp like a splintering tree. You make that sound whenever the Stooges slap each other. I don't know why that sound upsets the dog so much because laughter is such a beautiful thing in and of itself--

We don't talk much. But I suppose that's still better than not being able to talk at all.

**~**~**

Feeling lucky? Comment to win a copy of
The Scent of His Feathers!

 

Glad you stopped by! A lucky commenter will receive a signed proof copy of The Scent of His Feathers: a collection of dark verses (US only; INT winner will receive ebook copy).

 

Tell me... do you have a favorite monster love story? And the term "love" is way open to interpretation. :) Share your darkest dreams with us! 

October Frights Blog Hop (VII): Halloween Costumes

 

(Just joining the hop? Check out this post for prizes, how to enter, and who else is haunting!)

 

Blind Alleys: A Collection of Dead Ends
Free on Kindle through October 8th!

 

Today's Spotlight is on...
Words That Bind
(paranormal romance)

Social worker Tam Kerish can’t keep her cool professionalism when steamy client Mr. Burns kindles a desire for more than a client-therapist relationship—so she drops him. However, they discover she’s the talisman to which Burns, an immortal djinn, has been bound since the days of King Solomon…and that makes it difficult.

Ethical guidelines are unequivocal when it comes to personal relationships with clients. However, the djinn has a thawing effect on the usually non-emotive Tam, who begins to feel true emotion whenever he is near. Tam has to make a difficult choice: to stay on the outside, forever looking in…or to turn her back on her entire world, just for the chance to finally experience what it means to fall in love.

 

 

Glad you're back for another October Frights Blog Hop post! Hope you're getting your entries in...it's easy, too: just comment on each post for an entry in the big giveaway!

 

Today's spotlight book is Words That Bind, a love story about a genie and his therapist.

 

Mr. Burns, an ancient djinn, spends his time wearing one of a variety of guises. Sometimes, he's Burns, a man who even the normally cool-as-a-cucumber Tam Kerish must admit is attractive. Sometimes, he's a twist of smokeless fire or a screaming whirlwind.

 

And sometimes, he's a complete animal. 

 

WORDS THAT BIND Excerpt:

“So. You’ve destroyed a stereotype for me. A genie who lives in a library. Different.”

“When in Rome, no?” He stirred his cup before setting down the spoon with a light clink against the saucer. “Or, I suppose it is more accurate to say when in human form. When I am Burns, I prefer here.”

“Human form.” It didn’t sound right. Who said things like that, and meant it? “Can you change into anything you want? Any shape at all?”

He stretched out his legs and cocked his head, sliding his gaze up and away. “I suppose I could. I’m getting old and set in my ways. There’s this…” He swept his hands down the line of his body.

Her eyes were unable to keep from following, not even when he lingered over his midsection. Even lounging, his shirt was tightly tucked into his beltline. No belly fat there.

He tilted his head and gave her an upper-teeth smile, nibbling gently at his lower lip. “And apparently this form is pleasing to the eye, so I wear it often. But there are others. Tiger, a favorite. Savage and regal and the colors of flames in the night. Fearsome to behold, but very useful when dealing with physical conditions in which a human form may be outmatched. Plus, I can lash my tail.”

His voice took a teasing, conspirator’s tone. “I love my tail. You’d love it too, if you saw it.”

She trained her eyes firmly upon his. No way would she give him the pleasure of checking out his tail.

 

If you couldn't tell, Burns really loves the way he looks. I always imagined genies would lean toward the cocky side. Part of the fun in writing that book was describing him in all his various forms of glory.

 

Maybe that's also why I love Halloween--the excuse to dress up. Wear a costume. Step out of my normal limits and assume the guise of someone else. (Usually, my costumes involve a black cape. And I'm not talking Batman, folks. I dressed like a vampire long before I'd even starting reading Anne Rice. I suppose it was all that parochial schooling that did it to me.)

 

So that brings us to today's comment-to-enter the giveaway...

If you could change form--be a shape shifter--what form would you choose? And would you want it to be limited, like a Halloween costume for a party? Or would it be something you'd like to slip into every now and then? Tell us in a comment and you're entered into the grand prize giveaway.

 

And today you can get a bonus entry...if you post your favorite Halloween costume on your social media (or find one you love online) POST A LINK TO THE PICTURE in a separate comment! (Optional: tag me if you'd like in your sosh meeds post and I'll share it along! Use #octoberfrights2015 Twitter @ashkrafton or Instagram @ash_krafton)   

Commented? Got your free book? Get back to the hop...pick your next lucky stop:



Two Ebooks FREE in all formats!

As a writer, I admit that there's been many times when I sat at the keyboard, waiting for the words to arrive. And they didn't.

I've checked and re-checked my email, waiting to hear back from agents and editors to send me heaps of acceptances. And they didn't.

I've sprawled in bed, staring at a dark ceiling, searching the corners of my brain for ideas, waiting for the muses to whisper their secrets to me. And they didn't.

Thankfully, this is not one of those days weeks months. :)

So much going on...working on pre-launch activities for BLOOD RUSH (Demimonde #2) including a huge GOODREADS contest...lookee here! I also heard from my lord editor Rose Mambert of Pink Narcissus Press, who let me know my ARCs are on the way. Huzzah! It'll be red pen time soon...

Final edits are underway on a longish short story about soldiers and wizards and gods. (Potent combination.)  I'm thinking about using KDP for this one so that means I'll be formatting and getting a cover done--I've discussed the possibility with Silvia from Dark World Books already. I love her designs...and you will, too.

Best of all, a new story is cooking up in my brain--and on paper. It's a haunting tale of life and death and time as seen by the gods. I'm really excited about this story and am very eager to get to work on it.

All this wonderful going on--so much that I'm unsure what to do first. So, I'll do what I always do when I can't decide...

A GIVEAWAY!

You can pick up my short story collections for FREE on Smashwords. They are available in all ebook formats so download your choice!

These are my short story collections...a third, RESET BUTTON, is in the works. (More stuff on the TO-DO list)

 

They are regularly priced at $2.99 each but you can get them for FREE right now!

 

And, if you are the GOODREADS type, I'd love it if you added them to your bookshelf and dropped a few stars for me. (See DOORWAYS and BLIND ALLEYS)

 

I'm always eager to see your thoughts and I check GR as ferociously as I check my email these days...

Enjoy and can't wait to get the new stuff out there.