Hello
Posted by Kiran in Bedevil, News, Uncategorized on 2011/08/23
Hi! My name is Kiran Hunter and I write dark fiction. My debut short story, Bedevil, has just been released by Etopia Press. There will be more tales to come that are pure escapism as well as others that say a little more about us as human beings.
This site is still new – so drop in again to find interviews and writing news.
I hope you enjoy reading …
Thanks for stopping by.
K
Author Interview – Josh Lanyon
Posted by Kiran in Authors, Interviews on 2012/04/13
It was my love of ghost stories and tales of the supernatural that led me to find A Ghost of a Chance by Josh Lanyon… and I’m very happy to have the author in my clutches today (I will be gentle)!
Hello Josh, and many thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions.
Josh: Hi there, Kiran! Thanks very much for inviting me to your blog.
Kiran: As I said, I was drawn to A Ghost of a Chance because of my love of ghost stories. One of the things that inspired me to write Bedevil was a wonderfully spooky house that was buried behind shrubbery for years. Where did you get your inspiration to write A Ghost of a Chance?
Josh: I love ghost stories. I’d like to do more ghost stories to be honest. And of course at the heart of most ghost stories is a mystery — and I love mysteries even more than ghost stories.
Kiran: I have a real-life creepy tale or two to tell, and I’d love to sit down and have a chat with Rhys Davies about them. (I wouldn’t mind meeting Sam Devlin either 
)What are your views on parapsychology and ‘ghost-hunting’? Have you ever seen a ghost?
Josh: I’m open-minded. I believe there are all kinds of things we can’t know for sure, and what happens after death is one of them. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a ghost, but I’ve certainly had a few experiences I can’t explain.
Kiran: I gather you are taking a sabbatical from writing at the moment but… if an idea creeps up on you in the middle of the night will you be able to resist the temptation to write it?
Josh: I’m all in favour of jotting down notes as ideas occur to me. And I’m happy to say I don’t have a shortage of ideas so far.
Kiran: What kind of a writer are you normally? Impulsive or a planner?
Josh: A mix of both. I like to plan out longer works. Short stories and a lot of novellas mostly write themselves. In a manner of speaking. Granted, I’ve been doing this for a while now. I used to outline more.
Kiran: What made you start writing in the first place?
Josh: I’ve been writing since I was a kid, so I’m not exactly sure. Like everyone, I started out writing simply for my own pleasure — so maybe I started writing because our fantasies and dreams are more detailed and so feel more real when we put them onto paper.
Kiran: Can you remember how you felt when your first book was released? Were you excited or petrified?
Josh: I was just out of college. I remember riding a bus to work and sort of hugging the thought to myself, thinking I was probably the only published writer — a real author! — on board. Now days half the bus could be packed with writers.
Kiran: How do you feel now when a story is published? Does it get less nerve-wracking?
Josh: I’ve been doing this too long to find it nerve-wracking, but a new release is always exciting. It always feels like…score! At the same time there’s always an uncertainty as to how readers will respond to any given story. You just don’t know until you start hearing from readers. But the thing is, I give every story my best shot and so there’s a certain amount of comfort in that. Regardless of what people think of the work, you can’t do better than your best.
Available from Amazon
Kiran: A lot of emphasis is put on reviews these days (or so it seems). How big a part do you think a book’s rating plays in how well it sells?
Josh: I think the reviews matter, not the ratings. Just getting your work out there and talked about is what sells books. I don’t think readers even remember ratings unless they’re really extreme and/or the author has hysterics over them. But a reviewer writing enthusiastically about what she loved about a book, yes, that’s effective — just like if a friend tells you there’s a wonderful book you’ve got to read.
Kiran: Do you think we should write what we love and hope that readers who share that love will find us – or should we write for a specific market to be successful?
Josh: I think it depends on what you want from your writing career. A lot of writers aren’t honest with themselves. They say they don’t care about sales or popularity, but then they’re frustrated because no one is buying their books. I think for most of us we have to find a balance between what we want to write and what’s going to sell. We write for ourselves; we publish for others.
Kiran: Out of all of the books/stories you have written is there one character you relate to more than any other?
Josh: Probably Adrien English of the Adrien English series. That will come as no surprise to most people!
Kiran: What do you like to read? Are there any new authors grabbing your attention?
Josh: I’m reading a lot of non-fiction right now and I’m watching a lot of documentaries. I do have a ginormous TBR pile so I’m surprised I’m not reading more fiction right now. But maybe it makes sense that non fiction is more relaxing. When I read fiction, I do a lot of mental rewriting.
Kiran: What advice would you give someone like me, just starting out?
Josh: There is always, always going to room for another good writer. So take your time and make every book count. Don’t ever turn out anything less than your very best work. I hear a lot of people saying that the only important thing right now is to build a backlist as fast as possible, but that only works if you write books people want to read. You basically get one chance with a new reader. You don’t want that reader to pick up one of your weaker efforts and write off your entire backlist.
Thanks again for spending some time with me, Josh
Click to view trailer
Josh’s latest release is Green Glass Beads - Josh joins award-winning fantasy authors Ginn Hale, Nicole Kimberling and Astrid Amara for The Irregulars, an anthology of stories about a unique and secret international law enforcement agency.
To find out more about Josh Lanyon and discover more of his wonderful books, check out his website: www.joshlanyon.com
Twitter: @JoshLanyon
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M/M Author Interview – Elin Gregory
Posted by Kiran in Authors, Interviews on 2012/03/23
Today I’d like to introduce fellow Etopia Press author Elin Gregory. Elin’s historical novella Alike as Two Bees was released earlier this month.
Hello, Kiran. Thank you very much for inviting me to your blog today. Also for the interesting questions you have asked. Some of them have been quite tricky to answer.
Kiran: Tell me what made you want to be a writer. Why did you choose the genre you write?
Elin: I don’t think I ever made a conscious choice to be a writer. I’ve told stories all my life and started writing them down for the fun of it when I was small. It’s something I’ve always done. The BIG thing is that I’ve finally got a bit braver about showing the stories to other people. As for the genre, I’ve always written heroes rather than heroines and generally the hero had close and loving male friend with whom he had adventures. Finding work by people like Erastes, Alex Beecroft, Charlie Cochrane and Josh Lanyon was a huge inspiration.
Kiran: What do your friends and family think of your writing?
Elin: As long as shirts are ironed and food is cooked the family doesn’t mind it. The one friend I told about it was baffled and said that surely it was more interesting writing about women. But my friends online have been brilliant. Without their support and encouragement I would never have considered submitting a story anywhere.
Kiran: I’d love to know what inspired your latest release, Alike as Two Bees.
Elin: This was my inspiration:
I thought it might be fun to write about the person who might make something similar, about his problems and who might spark his interest.
Since the horses are so beautifully depicted I decided that the other protagonist should be a horseman. I like writing about men who have specific skills and I know a lot about Philon and Hilarion that I didn’t put into the story. I’m very fond of them both.
Kiran: How do you approach writing sex scenes? Do you find it difficult to keep them fresh?
Elin: I approach writing sex scenes with extreme trepidation. It’s not something I find easy and I know I’m not good at it so I avoid writing sex unless there’s some way in which it will enhance the plot or develop the characters. Even then I tend not to be very explicit. Sadly, anything with an M/M label is automatically classed as erotica whether there’s any sexual content or not, which puts one in the position of having to add at least a bit. Keeping it fresh is a huge issue because there’s only so many ways one can phrase the act. But I’m not worrying too much about it yet. I’m hoping that as the situation arises the differences in the characters involved will ring the changes.
Kiran: Do you have any plans to try your hand at writing in a completely different genre?
Elin: No plans for anything radically different in future. I expect I’ll stick with gay relationships, but I’ve tried a bit of everything over the years. Paranormals, westerns, fantasy. Even het romance, though that was a parody of Georgette Heyer. I haven’t tried sci fi because I’m not scientifically minded and I haven’t tried horror because I don’t like being scared. All the things I’m working on at present are historical but I do have ideas for a couple of contemporary stories. Basically, if I write one story to completion after another I think I have enough stories planned or partly written to last me ten years and more plot bunnies arrive every week. My mother would LOVE it if I wrote a story about a lovely old lady. Maybe Senior Citizen Romance is a genre I should try? I’m almost there myself.
Kiran: Who is your all-time favourite gay fiction author? Are there any new authors who have grabbed your interest?
Elin: Over the past month I’ve been delighted or moved or kept up late by Erastes, Josh Lanyon, R J Scott, Charlie Cochrane and J L Merrow. And that’s the problem. There are so many fabulous established authors that it’s taking me a while to catch up with the brand new ones. The new [to me] author I’m planning to read next is Charlie Cochet, who is writing noir mysteries. I love that whole feel – the mean streets down which a man must walk – and when the man has a secret about his sexuality so much the better! I love stories with a strong plot so tend to go for mysteries or historicals rather than romances where the difficulties involved in a relationship is the whole of the plot. I’m anticipating a really good read in “The Amethyst Cat Caper”!
Kiran: What can we expect from Elin Gregory in the future?
Elin: Pirates! Eventually. I work in a museum and in 2010 I researched and mounted an exhibition about Welsh pirates and buccaneers. I decided not to let the work go to waste once the exhibition was over. Now I’ve got 95K words of a story set in the Leewards Islands in 1718 about a disgraced naval Lieutenant who falls into bad company. It’s been done a million times before but I don’t care. I’ve been having great fun with it. But I’ve got a mass of other things in the pipeline. Celts vs Saxons in 7th century Northumbria. A spy caper set in 1928 London. A WW2 story about Dunkirk, the battle of Britain and the shepherding year. I’m doing a lot of background reading J
Thank you very much for having me on your site, Kiran, and for asking such interesting questions.
It’s been a pleasure getting to know about you and your writing, Elin.
And here is Elin Gregory’s novella, Alike as Two Bees released by Etopia Press:
Horses, love, and the tang of thyme and honey…
In Classical Greece, apprentice sculptor Philon has chosen the ideal horse to model for his masterpiece. Sadly, the rider falls well short of the ideal of beauty, but scarred and tattered Hilarion, with his brilliant, imperfect smile, draws Philon in a way that mere perfection cannot.
After years of living among the free and easy tribes of the north, Hilarion has no patience with Athenian formality. He knows what he wants—and what he wants is Philon. Society, friends and family threaten their growing relationship, but perhaps a scarred soldier and a lover of beauty are more alike than they appear.
ISBN # 9781937976194
Word Count: 19,664
Heat Index: mildly spiced – korma rather than vindaloo
Alike As Two Bees is available from:
Amazon US, Amazon UK, All Romance, B&N, Kobo
Elin also has stories in these books (click on the images to find out more):
You can find out more about Elin Gregory herself here:
http://elingregory.blogspot.com
http://elin-gregory.livejournal.com
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003403011749&sk=wall
And on Twitter as @ElinGregory
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M/M Author Interview – Dianne Hartsock
Posted by Kiran in Authors, Interviews on 2012/03/14
This week I’m delighted to introduce a new acquaintance – Dianne Hartsock. Dianne’s MM Fantasy novella, Nathaniel, was released by Etopia Press earlier this month. I was delighted when she said she’d let me interrogate her So let’s find out more about Dianne and Nathaniel!
Kiran: What you made you want to be a writer. Why did you choose the genre you write?
Dianne: I’ve been captivated by stories from as far back as I can remember. It started with the stories my older sister would tell us at bedtime. From the moment I learned to read, I became an avid bookworm. Then, when I was fourteen years old I discovered Ray Bradbury. His stories changed the way I perceived the world. They’re filled with the wonder and magic and terror of childhood. His science fiction opened my mind to new possibilities. I decided then that I wanted to write like him when I grew up. I began then, penning short stories in all genres, trying to capture his feeling in my own work. It took a while, but I finally discovered my own style and have enjoyed writing ever since.
As for picking a genre, I haven’t, really. I’ve written a paranormal thriller, fantasy adventure and m/m erotic contemporary and fantasy stories. But the one thing in common all my stories share is that I focus almost solely on the emotions driving the characters. I love to delve into their minds and discover their motivations.
Kiran: What do your friends and family think of your writing?
Dianne: They’ve been so supportive! I’ve been writing for most of my life, and they’re very happy to see me finally fulfilling my dream of being a published author. Of course, there are times when I’m distracted with working out a scene in my mind and not being there with them. Also, my husband sometimes frowns when I become lost in the bed sheets with my men. But I tell him it’s okay. The men in my stories don’t like girls that way.
Kiran: Tell me what inspired your latest release, Nathaniel.
Dianne: I’ve written several fantasy novels where a reader can become lost in my world, leave reality and enter the realm of fantasy and adventure and romance. It’s a world very much like our own, with a touch of magic and awe that lifts you out of your every day life and sets you in the midst of a battle between free will and destiny.
With Nathaniel, I wanted to take this world one step further. Sure, there’s magic, but I wanted my hero, Taden, to be completely enchanted by my magic user. Nathaniel is beautiful and sensual and possesses powers far beyond anything Taden has encountered before. Taden is bewildered and captivated by him, falling hopelessly in love despite his better judgment. The story focuses on their love affair, weaving Nathaniel’s magic throughout the pages until Taden surrenders to his charms
Kiran: How do you approach writing sex scenes? Do you find it difficult to keep them fresh?
Dianne: The sex definitely has to be realistic and hot! But I have to love and sympathize with my characters. If they can make me laugh and cry and be happy for them, then I know I’ve written something worthwhile. There’s just something so sensual and arousing in reading and writing about men in love. I can’t explain it, but I have so much fun writing the love scenes between my beautiful men. I approach the sex scenes slowly, letting the characters lead me through each touch, from the first caress to the very last tender kiss. I suppose I keep them fresh by having them in new settings and in different stages of their relationships.
Kiran: Do you have a favourite character from your own stories? If so, tell us who it is and why.
Dianne: I have several fantasy adventure novels that I’m working on, and it’s the second book in this series that I like the most. It’s an exciting tale with lots of action and some very sexy, powerful heroes. My favourite character is from this book, a rogue named Korel. He’s lovely and smart, with a shock of copper hair and brilliant blue eyes full of mischief. He enjoys good food and wine and lovely objects. He’s also an incorrigible tease. If there’s any trouble around, you’re sure to find Korel in the middle of it.
Kiran: Who do you imagine is your ideal reader? What do you want them to take away from your writing?
Dianne: I suppose they would be someone who loves the adventure and otherworldliness and magic of fantasy, but also the eroticism and thrill of gay romance. I hope they’d close the book with a smile on their face from a well told, exciting story.
Kiran: Do you have any plans to try your hand at writing in a completely different genre?
Dianne: I’ve been working on a scifi story for some time now, but I’m having trouble with the science part! The story has to be at least plausible or the readers will tear me to shreds. But the story’s plotted out. Now it’s time to get serious and do some research. I’m terrified, though, that my story will get bogged down and boring with too much explanation. You see! I still have a long way to go with this one. But I do like the challenge of stepping outside my comfort zone.
Kiran: Who is your all-time favourite gay fiction author? Are there any new authors who have grabbed your interest?
Dianne: My very favourite author has to be Poppy Z. Brite. Her novel ‘Lost Souls’ was the first book I’d read where two men’s love was handled delicately and sweetly. I was moved by their friendship and the care they took of each other. I decided then that I wanted to write my own love story, using this same feeling of compassion and fondness.
There are so many new authors out there with great books I couldn’t name them all, but here are a few of my favourites:
Vivien Dean http://vivien-dean.blogspot.com/
Gem Sivad http://www.gemsivad.com/blog/
Alix Cameron http://romancingalix.wordpress.com/
Marie Dees http://mariedees.com/
Lee Brazil http://leebrazilauthor.blogspot.com/?zx=afceeb645da3822a
Kiran: What can we expect from Dianne Hartsock in the future?
Dianne: Lots of stories, I hope! At the moment I’m working on a stand alone fantasy story involving gargoyles and witches. I also have the outline plotted for a sequel to Nathaniel, which will be my next project. I hadn’t planned on doing a sequel, but now that Nathaniel is out, I miss him and Taden, Miranda and the gorgeous, deadly Corin.
Thank you so much, Kiran, for having me here today!
And many thanks to you, Dianne, for taking time out to answer my questions! And now to find out more about the book…
Nathaniel:
From the moment Taden rescues Nathaniel from the Sutherlin soldiers’ torture, he finds himself caught in the gaze of the most beautiful eyes he’s ever seen; amazing eyes that hold him thrilled and confused. The Sutherlins are planning to invade the beautiful Tahon Valley, but as Taden secrets Nathaniel from their reach, he finds himself drawn to the young man. Not only does he feel the urge to protect him, but he feels an ache he hasn’t felt in many long years.
Nathaniel claims to be a traveler from a distant continent, saying he comes in peace. True or not, the youth has powers beyond anything Taden has seen—control over men and animals and the very weather. Taden falls hard for the strange traveler, protecting him not only from the Sutherlins but from his own mistrustful people, who don’t understand Nathaniel’s powers and accuse him of being a witch…
You can purchase Nathaniel from:
and find out more about Dianne Hartsock here:
Blog: http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/
FB: http://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/diannehartsock
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4850270.Dianne_Hartsock
Chatting with Morgen Bailey
Posted by Kiran in Interviews on 2012/02/12
I was recently interviewed by the wonderful Morgen Bailey – writer and blogger. To find out more about me, Morgen herself and a whole host of other wonderful writers, pop over to Morgen Bailey’s Writing Blog!
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Queer Me Up Interview
Posted by Kiran in Bedevil, Interviews, News on 2011/12/08
This week I was interviewed by the readers of Queer Me Up about writing my short story Bedevil. If you’d like to see what I had to say click below!
Kiran.
M/M Author Interview – Brien Michaels
Posted by Kiran in Authors, Interviews on 2011/12/05
I’m pleased to introduce you today to my fellow Etopia Press author Brien Michaels.
Kiran: What made 
you decide to start writing?
Brien: Honestly I’m not even sure. I was bored in class one day and just picked up a pen and started writing and never really stopped. Back then it was just something to do, but now it’s almost like I have to do it or my head will explode.
Kiran: Tell us a little about the stories you’ve had published so far.
Brien: Well, Sparks Fly is this really dark post-apocalyptic story inspired by this vacation I took. I had a really bad time on a cruise and, by the time I got off the boat, Eduardo and Lincoln and their journey to meet the last woman on Earth were strong in my mind. It’s one of those stories that’s totally weird in that it doesn’t have a clear genre. It’s a little bit of mystery, a little erotica, a little horror, all rolled into one.
Can’t Make You Love Me, on the other hand, is a largely contemporary piece all about falling in love with your best friend. Sean and Dylan have known each other since they were in second grade their relationship is suddenly moving to this new level and Dylan doesn’t really know how to cope with it. So, at its core, it’s a love story, but beyond that, it’s more about learning how to cope with feelings and emotions you don’t necessarily know how to deal with.
My Only Wish (This Year) is my latest release, a sexy little Christmas story all about what people are willing to do for love. I’m really proud of it and may never look at a North Pole setup the same way again. 
Kiran: Where do you find the inspiration for your writing?
Brien: All over the place. Inspiration comes from music, my friends, people at my job, my family, things that happen on a daily basis… But mostly from music. A lot of my stories actually share titles with my favourite songs.
Kiran: Do you have any writers’ quirks?
Brien: I don’t think so. I’m a perfectionist, but that’s about it. I reread everything about a dozen times before I even send it out to beta readers.
Kiran: What do your friends and family think of your writing?
Brien: My friends love it. They always push me to do more and when I bounce story ideas off them, if they like it enough they actually force me to write it! That’s kind of how Can’t Make You Love Me got written at fast as it did. I had people at work wanting to know why I was downstairs actually doing my job instead of writing.
My family is really supportive. My dad is one of those people who has no idea what the title of the book is or what it’s even about, but he’ll still go out into the world and promote the hell out of it. When I got my first contract, I told my mom and she sent an email to the entire praise team at our church and then calls me and asks in a really timid voice, “Is this the erotica one?” It was really funny, but it was quite an adventure explaining to said praise team members that it was M/M erotica.
Kiran: Do you have a favourite character from your own stories? If so, tell us who it is and why.
Brien: It’s got to be Tyler Mack. Tyler is actually Dylan’s older brother and you get to meet him briefly in Can’t Make You Love Me, but you’ll really get to know him early next year when Last Friday Night comes out. Tyler is this big hulking kind of guy who if you saw him on the street and he looked at you the wrong way you’d probably drop dead of fright. But on the inside he’s really gentle and damaged and fiercely protective of the people he loves. The way he thinks and the things he says always make me laugh. I really love writing Tyler and I’m seriously looking forward to working on his next story, which is tentatively titled Bound To You.
Kiran: Who do you imagine is your ideal reader?
Brien: Honestly, I have no idea. It still blows my mind that I’m getting paid to do something I love and people are actually buying and reading and taking the time to tell me that they enjoy these stories. So, any reader at all is my ideal reader. I’m an entertainer at heart, so anytime anyone is entertained by one of my books, I feel accomplished.
Kiran: Do you have any plans to try your hand at writing in a completely different genre?
Brien: Well, I tend to alternate between horror, paranormal, and contemporary, so there’s that. There’s a ménage idea that’s tumbling around in my noggin, so that’ll be something different from anything I’ve written to date. I’ve done m/m and m/f within stories, but I’ve never tried to do more than two people in any given sex scene, so that’ll be interesting.
Kiran: Who is your favourite gay fiction author? Are there any new authors who have grabbed your interest?
Brien: It’s actually a tie between Cat Grant and Evangeline Anderson. I think there may be more books from Cat on my Kindle than any other author. I can’t really describe it, but there’s something about her books I find irresistible. On top of the fact that she’s totally amazing. And Evangeline is the only author I’ve stayed up until the wee hours of the morning reading. Once I start one of her books, all productivity ceases. Also of note is Cara McKenna. All of her books are incredible, but her m/m stories really stick with me. She needs to write more of them more often. You hear that, Cara?? *Poke poke* But if you’re into SMOKING hot sex scenes, definitely give Daisy Harris m/m a try.
As far as new authors go, I’ve got my eye on Damon Suede. I really liked Hot Head and I’m eager to see what his latest is going to be like.
Kiran: What should we expect next from Brien Michaels?
Brien: Well there’s Last Friday Night, which will hopefully be out in early February. I also have quite a few other pieces in varying stages of completion. Completed, there’s a paranormal called Anything But Ordinary, and an erotic horror story called The House on Shadowbird Lane. The others, don’t really want to say too much about in case I don’t finish them… Minor details of them are up on my website, though.
Thanks for reading, everyone, and thanks for having me, Kiran. You can find me online at http://www.brienmichaels.com. I’m also on Twitter and Facebook as Brien Michaels.
My books are for sale on the Etopia website, and on Kindle , Nook and from All Romance Ebooks
Many thanks to Brien for taking the time to answer my questions!
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Bullies, Thugs, Statesmen and Lovers
It’s been a while since I’ve looked forward to reading a book as much as I’ve looked forward to reading The Hun and The General. And finally it is here! Not only do I get to immerse myself in a story of passion between two powerful men, but I also get the chance to grab Tristram La Roche and make him talk (not that he needs much persuading!). I’ll shut up and let Tristram tell you a little about the history behind the story, and give you a taste of what’s to come…. Read the rest of this entry »
Feature on Queer Me Up
Posted by Kiran in Authors, Bedevil, Interviews, News on 2011/11/26
I was delighted to be invited for a feature profile and interview by QueerMeUp.com. Click on the banner below to take you to the feature - and to find instructions for YOU to ask ME questions about being a writer. The interview will follow shortly.
Many thanks to Gus at Queer Me Up for this opportunity!
K
Meet Paranormal Author Catherine Cavendish
Posted by Kiran in Authors, Interviews, Uncategorized on 2011/11/18
I’m currently enjoying getting to know some of my fellow Etopia Press authors. I recently interviewed gay fiction writer Tristram La Roche, and this week I’m turning to the paranormal. Catherine Cavendish kindly let me ask her a few questions about her writing life.
Kiran: What made you decide to start writing?
Catherine: I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t writing. Even as a child, I would make up stories and write them in a notebook. Then, when I got my first typewriter, I would produce little magazines, with stories and feature articles. It grew from there.
Kiran: Have you always wanted to be published?
Catherine: Yes. I cringe now when I think of how unprofessional my first efforts must have looked! Over the years, I managed to come very close to mainstream publication on a number of occasions but it just wasn’t to be, until this year.
Kiran: How did it feel to sign your first publishing contract?
Catherine: As if my feet were off the ground and my head was floating in the clouds. Wonderful!
Kiran: Where did you find the inspiration for Cold Revenge?
Catherine: It all came from a conversation with my husband. I can’t remember the exact context now but I mentioned the saying ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’ and then it suddenly hit me. What if it really was a cold dish? The rest, as they say, is history
Kiran: Do you have any writers’ quirks?
Catherine: Probably! I do work best where there are no distractions which is why my workstation is in a quiet, windowless room. I hate being interrupted when I’m in full flow and never have music playing, although I know a lot of writers find it helps them.
Kiran: What do your friends and family think of your writing?
Catherine: My husband and my mother are highly supportive. One cousin can’t read paranormal stories because she gets too scared! Close friends have also been very encouraging. My cat is in direct competition with me for use of the keyboard. I wouldn’t mind but she keeps winning.
Kiran: Do you have a favourite character from your own stories? If so, tell us who it is and why.
Catherine: I’ve grown very fond of Marnie, a character from my latest work in progress (currently titled, ‘The Devil Inside Her’). She is a wonderful friend to the main character and it takes a big heart and a lot of guts to go through what she experiences.
Kiran: You write paranormal fiction. Do you have any plans to try your hand at writing in a completely different genre?
Catherine: Gypsy Shadow (who published my light-hearted ghost story, ‘Say A Little Prayer’) will be publishing ‘The Dust Storm’ which is a futuristic story set in the 24th century, when much of Europe is a dust bowl and society has descended into a lawless wilderness.
Kiran: Who is your favourite author? Are there any new authors who have grabbed your interest?
Catherine: It’s so hard to pick just one! Stephen King is a great favourite but I also love Anne Rice and Barbara Erskine. From an earlier generation, Dennis Wheatley still chills. Away from the horror genre, I adore anything by Armistead Maupin. There are some stunning new authors out there in my genre. Deborah Harkness (‘A Discovery of Witches’), Michelle Paver (‘Dark Matter’), Julia Kavan (‘Dreaming Not Sleeping’), Steve Emmett (‘Diavolino’), Peter Giglio (‘A Spark In The Darkness’) are just some who immediately spring to mind. Out of my genre, Tristram La Roche (‘Fixed’) is my guilty pleasure!
Kiran: What should we expect next from Catherine Cavendish?
Catherine: I have just signed a contract with Etopia Press for ‘The Demons of Cambian Street’, which is all about an ancient evil residing in a quiet town on the English-Welsh border. ‘The Dust Storm’ will be out later this year, I believe and I am putting the finishing touches to ‘The Devil Inside Her’, which concerns a particularly nasty dream demon.
My website/blog is www.catherinecavendish.com
Thank you, Catherine! I’m looking forward to ‘ The Demons of Cambian Street’ just from the title!
For no apparent reason, Nadine, Maggie, Gary, and Nick are invited to dinner at the lavish home of top fashion writer, Erin Dartford. But why has she invited them? Why doesn’t she want her guests to mingle? And just what is it about the mysterious Erin that makes them want to run for their lives?
Little do they know that as they prepare to eat their first course, an evil as old as mankind is about to be unleashed. And revenge really is a dish best served cold…
‘Cold Revenge’ is available from these ebook stores, in all the usual formats:
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#SampleSunday – “Where the hell are we?”
BEDEVIL
Gareth slammed the car door shut and activated the central locking system. It was later than he’d hoped; the sun was setting, a flock of birds wheeling up into the sky before turning back on itself and settling in the trees surrounding the village church. Almost pretty, he thought, turning on his heels to take in the rest of the scene. Almost, but not quite… Good God. He cleared his throat. Tim wasn’t going to like this. “Well, there it is, I think. Somewhere in there,” he said.
“What? That?” Tim followed Gareth’s gaze across the road. “No! Look at the place!”
The gate squealed in protest, as if it hadn’t been opened for decades. The sun had almost disappeared, the tops of the trees surrounding the house now brushed with a pink glow and the garden beneath consumed by shadow.
“I suppose it could have been beautiful once upon a time. It’s a little overgrown,” Tim said.
“Adds to its charm.” Gareth hoped he sounded convincing.
“Erm, not sure charm is the word you’re after.”
“Let’s take a look. Reserve judgment until we’ve seen inside the place.”
With Tim a footstep behind, Gareth made his way up the path, negotiating crumbling concrete and easing past rampant shrubs. Beside the front door, a plaque was just visible through the ivy clinging on to the building. He pried the stubborn stems away from the wood to read the carved words beneath.
“‘Harbinger House.”
“Well, that’s reassuring, Gareth. Harbinger of doom, and all that.”
“Curious the place isn’t called that on the deeds…just 20 Willow Green.”
Gareth slid the key into the lock and turned it. There was a moment’s hesitation before the catch clicked and the door eased open an inch, as if the house wasn’t quite ready for them. He smiled at Tim and, with a dramatic flourish, gestured for him to enter first. Tim shook his head.
“After you. The place is yours.”
“Ours, Tim. It’s ours.”
The warning cry from the rusting gate ripped his senses awake, but his mind was slow to follow. All Luka was aware of at first was the agony of sound and the warm trickle of blood from his ears. His muscles stretched as he moved, tendons almost tearing from the bone as he unraveled his body from its fetal position. He wailed with the new pain—a feeble echo of the metal against metal outside. His first intake of breath rasped down his throat and burned into his lungs. He clamped his mouth shut and breathed in deeply through his nose. The house was different—the odor of dust and mold and damp was still there, but something else too. The protesting gate had heralded the arrival of new flesh. He could smell it.
A river of cold air flowed across his pain-wracked body, caressing his arms, his chest, his legs—the outside world finding a way through a crack in his prison and reawakening his nerve endings to remind him of what he had been without for so long.
Touch. Skin against skin. Breath on skin…
Queer Me Up
QMO Books
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