Tuesday, September 30, 2014

In Creeps the Night Book Release!



Author S. R. Karfelt



In Creeps the Night An Anthology of fifty Flash Fiction tales released this week!


During a phone conversation awhile back, my publisher asked if I had a horror story in me. They encouraged me to submit a story to J. A. Mes Press if I did. J. A. Mes Press publishes anthologies where all the proceeds go to charity, and the Flash Fiction Anthology In Creeps the Night will donate all royalties to Mothers Without Borders. How worthy is that? Of course I was in. I can do horror writer, although my tongue in cheek may show through my story just a tad.


The Flash Fiction I wrote is called Golden Years, and I was thrilled when it got accepted into the anthology. When the editor returned it to me after working her magic, she said, “It’s good. There’s something wrong with you.” Which is exactly what Stephen King’s editors say to him—okay, maybe I’m making that part up, but I betcha. You know they do, because that’s what the readers say!


So enjoy my glittery foray into the Horror genre. I sure did, and it’s for a good cause. I've read several of the authors and you will be In Creeps the Nighted for sure. You might want to curl up in a cozy chair and pull on a pair of sparkly slippers in preparation. That’s what I do.


Don’t have sparkly slippers? How about a sparkly slipper giveaway then?! We haven't had a giveaway here at The Glitter Globe in ages!



The Glitter Globe Sparkly Slipper Giveaway
You need a pair. Or your honey does. 


If you share this anthology release around the metaverse this week (as in Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest, your blog, what have you) and leave a comment below telling me what you did, and where, I’ll put your name into a drawing for a pair. You might even get to pick the color! You get two entries into the drawing for leaving a comment below and two for each share wherever you go! So the more you share, the better your chances. Remember to let me know below, so I can give you full credit!

And as of this moment In Creeps the Night is in the #2 selling spot on Amazon for Horror Anthologies, which is some kind of wonderful. If it hits #1 we're going to have to go for more than one pair of slippers, aren't we? In order to give you plenty of time, the drawing will be Monday, 10-6-14. 


S. R. Karfelt in The Glitter Globe
Remember ALL proceeds go to Mothers Without Borders, and you can pick up your copy of In Creeps the Night at Amazon by clicking right HERE

My name is S. R. Karfelt. I’m a reader, writer, wanderer, sparkly slipper wearer, and today I’m sparkling in blue. In an emergency these could double as a disco ball. And my feet aren’t nearly as big as they look in this picture. Okay, fine, they are, but wanderers need big feet.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Audio Awesome - LaDonna Cole's Audiobook Release!







What?! An Audiobook! LaDonna Cole's book, The Torn, is now available on Audiobook for those of you who prefer to be read to! How cool is that?







Are you a fan of Audiobooks? Did you know that Amazon has a new program called Amazon Unlimited? You can get unlimited ebooks for $9.99 a month? If you sign up they also have a program for Audiobooks. It looks like a sweet deal. I don’t mean to advertise for the Big A, but sheesh, that is a good deal. I just signed up for the unlimited books program last week. There was a pricey non-fiction book I really wanted, and I realized that I since I do spend more than $10 a month on books it would be smart to make the leap. After uploading a pile of my favorite books onto my Kindle, and several non-fiction ones, I felt like a Dachshund when the doorbell rings, gotta share this news with the world. 


Now onto the scoop about LaDonna Cole’s brand spanking new audiobook. This book is Young Adult with some quantum physics thrown in. In my words it’s about a group of kids at a Detention Home who learn about themselves and the world as they travel through quantum spheres into other worlds. Now let’s get the scoop in the publisher’s words.


Abducted to exotic worlds, Kate and a team of teen misfits confront inner monsters brought to life. Dragons, creatures, tornados, and natives terrorize them as they fight to survive in alternate realities and overcome emotional turmoil. Torn between sizzling passion or loyal stability, between self-loathing or independence, Kate must choose to live with horrifying consequences or kill the monster who loves her.




Endorsements for The Torn 

"...LaDonna Cole weaves a coming of age story into a soul-searching experience novel, with the adventure of these quantum jumps. An amazing mix of story lines and ideas to keep everyone interested. ...Each jump for each person is a wonderful lesson for the reader. The characters all deal with things that the everyday teen will be facing and so the whole book is inspirational and encouraging. LaDonna Cole gives the reader romance, adventure, fantasy, and at the same time answers to deal with some of the most pressing problems of youth today. The feelings of worthlessness, self-hatred, parental divorce, abandonment, being unlovable, and so much more. Parents and adults will find it a warming read, and even may find information to help them talk to young people dealing with these issues." Reviewed By Michelle Randall for Readers' Favorite Five Stars 
LaDonna Cole, Author

It’s a rare thing when a storyteller manages to weave together a fascinating tale, intriguing characters and brilliant craftsmanship into a truly breathtaking adventure. But that’s exactly what LaDonna Cole has accomplished with The Torn. Wildly imaginative and infinitely entertaining, The Torn moves at the speed of thought, and as much as it quickens your pulse, it also tugs at your heart with characters who stay with you long after the last page. Thankfully, The Torn is only the first in the “Holding Kate Trilogy”; with nightmare monsters, all-too-real villains and didn't-see-them-coming twists, I can’t wait to continue this ride! Robert Liparulo, author of the Dreamhouse Kings, The 13th Tribe and The Judgment Stone 

A fast-paced psychological ride that will have readers guessing from the first page to the last." Heather Burch, bestselling author of The Halflings series.





Friday, September 26, 2014

Through the Portal





S. R. Karfelt


My fellow bloggers over at Read Write Muse asked me to be part of an anthology to raise money for cancer charity. They said, “The theme is portals, would you be willing to write a story for it, and donate the profit?” As soon as I heard the word portal I was in. But I played hard to get. “If I can title my story Portal Potty, I will,” said I. There was a moment of silence, and I suspect some head shaking, but they’re the best of the best and they said, “Sure, Stephanie.”

They humor me a lot, but that’s not why I love them so much. I love them because they’re my Scenius, my peeps, and both my circus and my monkeys. And I’m kinda jazzed and proud of our first collaborative effort. You will be surprised when you read Portal Potty too. While the title is glib, and a bit tongue in cheek, it’s actually a serious story, with absolutely nothing fantastical. It’s a story about epiphanies reached in the loo.

Through the Portal
An Anthology by the Writers of Read Write Muse
Release Date: 10-7-2014

The portal experts at Read Write Muse invite you to escape into imagination through this portal story collection.

Jump through time to new worlds, indulge in pizza, chocolate, and romance. Fight evil villains, transport with innocent souls, and glimpse into that final portal awaiting us all.

Authors, bloggers, song writers and poets collaborate to bring you stories sprinkled with ethereal prose, whimsical humor, and heart pounding thrills. Through the Portal beckons you to unlock the adventure.

Including the works of Annie Adams, Andrea Asay, J.S. Bailey, LaDonna Cole, Katie
S. R. Karfelt
Cross, Laura Custodio, Rob Holliday, S. R. Karfelt, Kelsey Keating, D. M. Kilgore, Emily Ogle, Natalie J. Pierson, and Kimberly Robertson.


Read Write Muse will donate $1 per book sale to a cancer related charity for one year. (And you cannot imagine the logistical quagmire it is for a group of writers to donate book proceeds! If any of us go missing, check for us in a marshy moor of mucky paperwork. Whew!)


Thursday, September 25, 2014

Shane O'Neill's Dracula -- This Historical Fiction is both Timeless and Epic




SHANE KP O’NEILL – THE DRACULA CHRONICLES.
Once read, never forgotten.



Shane O'Neill
EXPERIENCE THE ULTIMATE BATTLE OF GOOD VERSUS EVIL. THE BATTLE FOR SOULS HAS BEGUN.


The Dracula Chronicles is a new and exciting series adding a fresh dimension to the Dracula legend, which combines the real historical Vlad Dracula with a new and different version of Dracula the vampire. The series has been released in two arcs, one that follows Dracula the man and the other following Dracula the vampire. It is written in a style that is both literary and cinematic, that places you there in the thick of the action always.


The books are historical novels of Gothic horror; religious corruption; political intrigue; tragedy; war; dark paranormal fantasy; and deep romance. The premise is built around Creation and the divide in Heaven that results from Lucifer's jealousy of the creation of man. This leads to the First Great War of the Angels and Lucifer's eventual expulsion from Heaven with all those who sided with him. The annihilation of the angels continues, but rather than destroy Lucifer, God agrees to a truce. By its terms, Lucifer can contest the soul of every living being as long as he does not interfere with their free will. Should he control more souls than God at any time, he can ascend again to Heaven and cast God and the angels out. He would then have a free hand to destroy all mankind.


Lucifer turns man against God with ease. God responds by sending his prophets one after another to bring man back to the path of righteousness. It seems to be merely delaying the inevitable and in one last effort to thwart Lucifer, God sends his son made man. In giving his life on the Cross, Jesus wipes away man's sins. This leaves Lucifer back to where he was at the beginning and means he has to start again. The Catholic Church is born on that fateful day in Jerusalem as Christ's church on the earth. Lucifer then believes if he can destroy this great icon of God, he can turn man against God once more. He searches for over a millennium for the one who can lead his assault on God. The Crusades give him renewed hope, and he is sure the conflict between Christian and Moslem will provide the one he seeks. When this does not materialise, he turns his attention to the Balkan region where this conflict is renewed with Ottoman expansion into eastern Europe. He finally identifies the second son of Vlad Dracul as the one he can manipulate into achieving his ends. God has prepared for this event, and in the very moment that Vlad Dracula draws his first breath, so does another child sired by Dracul, though born to a gypsy woman. This child, Andrei, is blessed by the angels and bestowed with great powers as a balance to the evil about to be unleashed upon the world.


THE VLAD DRACULA ARC.

The Vlad Dracula arc.. Books #1 to #5. Set in the 15th Century Balkans, this arc brings to life in its entirety the world in which the real historical Vlad Dracula lived. It follows his loves; his triumphs; his many great tragedies; the betrayals he endures; and his great struggle to survive his many perils and secure the autonomy of his sovereign nation, Wallachia, which is sandwiched between the mighty Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires. The books introduce you to all the great players of the period, their political machinations, and their great conflicts set within the battle between Christianity and Islam. They follow Lucifer and his schemes to manipulate the young Vlad Dracula into seeing through his great plan. Replete with references that are Biblical and drawn from the writings of the Kabbalah, The Dracula Chronicles also introduce a new vision of Hell and take you on a journey you will never forget.


THE BOUND BY BLOOD ARC.

The Bound By Blood arc.. Books #6 to #10. This arc begins with Dracula’s last great battle at Snagov in 1476. Despite winning yet another great victory, his enemies mortally wound him with arrows. He orders his men to take him to the chapel at the nearby monastery so he can die on holy ground. To his great chagrin, it is Lucifer who comes to claim his soul. The Dark One speaks of his great vision, and of how he has chosen Dracula as his instrument to bring down the Catholic Church. He bites into Dracula’s neck and then gives him his own blood to drink. In doing so, he creates a monster, superhuman and immortal, who can live through the ages and help him win the battle for souls.

Into the 16th Century, wherever the Catholic Church is harmed or loses its influence, Dracula is there behind the scenes to propagate it all. He involves himself with Machiavelli; Martin Luther; in the Italian wars between France and Spain; the Borgias; Henry VIII and the Tudor dynasty; and many more.

At the same time his brother, Andrei, takes up the fight against him and arms the Church with the knowledge of how to counter him. In resurrecting Dracula’s legitimate brother, Radu, from the dead so as to exact retribution against him, Dracula and Lucifer have unleashed a powerful enemy who has joined the battle against them.



PREQUEL – THE LAMB OF GOD.




This is a prequel to For Whom The Bell Tolls and the entire The Dracula Chronicles series. It offers a taste of what is to come, giving the background of the concept, the Crucifixion, and the night of the births of Vlad and Andrei.
If you subscribe to my blog, link below, I will send you a free download of this prequel. You can also hear an audio version, narrated by myself, on my website and on my YouTube channel.


BOOK #1 – FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS.




“A war rages on around us every day. The struggle to save all mankind. The ultimate evil.”

All is well in Heaven until God creates man. Lucifer’s jealousy leads to the First Great War of the Angels. Hundreds of thousands of years on, the feud simmers beneath the surface. It plots the course of history as we know it today. Both sides manipulate the major players through the centuries to seek an advantage over the other.

The battle for souls has raged since the truce that followed the First Great War. God has struck the ultimate blow and sacrifice to gain the advantage, and defeat Lucifer. As Lucifer stands at the foot of the Cross that drains the last ounce of life from Christ and eradicates man’s sins, he realises that his work must begin anew.

The Catholic Church breathed life on that fateful day in Jerusalem. In time, Lucifer comes to understand his only chance to win this battle will be to destroy the institution of the Catholic Church, to turn man against God. He searches for more than a millennium for the candidate to see his plan through to an end, and finally discovers the one that can cast that final blow.

On a cold night in December, 1431 in Sighisoara, an old gypsy woman delivers a prophecy to the great Vlad Dracul. She tells him he is about to sire two sons, one an angel and the other a devil.

He returns to his fortress just as his wife bears him a son, whom he names Vlad. In the very same moment across the country on the border between Transylvania and Hungary, a gypsy girl gives birth to another son, Andrei. The die is cast. The twin souls are born. The young Vlad Dracula becomes the instrument of the forces of Darkness. To balance this, the baby Andrei is blessed by the angels and bestowed with awesome powers.

This is their story.


AMAZON REVIEWS – FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS.

“I never thought a man could be capable of writing with such sensitivity and emotion.”

"Beautifully written with great story lines, the author does not hold back in his descriptions of many brutal acts of violence (save for a very long and tastefully done sex scene)."

"The relationships between father and son, the son and his captors and the individual characterisations are way beyond what a fantasy/paranormal book might offer. The writing is of literary class."

"FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS differs from Shane K.P. O’Neill’s BOUND BY BLOOD sagas in that it takes place years prior to Dracula’s vampiric existence, but this in no way diminishes the power and intensity of its read. Events unfold with the depth of a historical epic."


BOOK #2 – THE PATH TO DECAY.  (Release date March 20, 2014).





“The path we walk, is the path to decay. The only way to live, is to die.”

The great Vlad Dracul is dead, fallen in battle, and his throne gone. His son, the young Vlad Dracula, is consumed with grief and a need for revenge. All alone in the world, he keeps his promise and returns to Anatolia. There, he takes a commission in the Ottoman army. On the fields outside Kosovo Polje in Serbia, he is handed his first opportunity to strike back against the men who killed his father.

He has grown into the ultimate fighting machine, and is feared by one and all. This path to decay, as described by his father, is the one he chooses to follow. Lucifer guides and watches over Dracula, but also deepens his hold over him. As time passes, though, his enemies build in every quarter, and they strive to bring him down.

With nowhere left to turn, how will Dracula avenge his family? How can he hope to win back his throne? As he faces one tragedy after another, these events mould him into the man who will be spoken of for centuries to come. A man who lets nothing stand in his way in his pursuit for revenge, and the throne that was his father’s.

Trailer for FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS and THE PATH TO DECAY




PREQUEL – BIRTH OF THE MONSTER.




This is the prequel to Bound By Blood, and the vampire arc. It takes you to Dracula’s last triumph on the battlefield, and his last moments as a mortal man. While he lies dying in the chapel of the monastery at Snagov, Lucifer comes to claim his soul. The Dark One speaks of his vision in destroying the Catholic Church in his quest to win the battle for souls, and creates Dracula the vampire.



BOOK #6 – BOUND BY BLOOD.





A new edition of this and the next book is currently with my copy editors, and will be released and re-launched with new covers in the summer.

“Experience the ultimate battle of Good versus Evil. The battle for souls has begun.”

As his moment of death looms, Dracula suffers the ultimate betrayal. The champion of the Catholic faith in Eastern Europe realises it is Lucifer who is coming to claim him. However, Lucifer does not want his soul.

Instead he bites into Dracula’s neck, and then offers his own blood to drink. Dracula suffers his mortal death, but he re-awakens. Immortalised with Lucifer’s blood coursing through his veins, the two are bound by blood for eternity. Lucifer has groomed him for this day and lays out the task before him.

Dracula is to destroy the institution of that which he has championed for so long. By bringing down the Catholic Church he can undo the Crucifixion and turn man against God once more. If he succeeds then Lucifer will ascend again to Heaven and signal the end for all mankind.

AMAZON REVIEWS - BOUND BY BLOOD.

“This story is a powerful and sweeping epic. The language, the settings, the characters...they all exude Classic.”

“If you are looking for a vampire novel that is rich in detail, with historical facts, legends and folklore weaved in and splashes of gore and a bit of romance, this is for you.”

“This book will stimulate your imagination as it entertains you. Bound By Blood is among the best vampire novels I have read.”





AUTHOR BIO – SHANE KP O’NEILL

Shane KP O’Neill is the writer of The Dracula Chronicles, a new and exciting series adding a fresh dimension to the Dracula legend, which combines the real historical
Vlad Dracula with a new and different version of Dracula the vampire. He has released the series in two arcs, one that follows Dracula the man and the other following Dracula the vampire.

The author developed a fascination with Dracula from an early age. Like many others he was enthralled by Christopher Lee's portrayal of him on the big screen. It was in his late teens that he discovered Dracula the man and the love affair began from there. An avid lover of history, he studied the period in which the real historical Vlad Dracula lived, 15th Century Balkan, for many years. It followed from there then that with his love of writing he would always choose Dracula as his subject. He built a concept and premise where he could accommodate both Dracula the vampire and Dracula the man.

Away from writing, the author has a wide range of interests. He reads a lot of books from a wide variety of authors, though his main interest lies in the horror genre. His love of books is matched only by his love of the countryside and of course, his family. As an added note, he has lived and traveled all over the world. He has a love for all things historical, with a particular fascination for medieval Europe. Anywhere he travels, he likes to search out locations with an historical interest and will always hunt for the ruins of an old castle before heading to the beach.





















Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Suck It Up, Big Boy, and Book Reviews


The Glitter Globe


Always do what you are afraid to do. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


Let’s talk about fear some more. There are plenty of scary things in the world, I’m sure we can all agree on that. My issue with fear is not to let it get in the way of what I want to do in life.

  • Like writing books.
  • And hiking in the woods.
  • Or trying new things that scare me—like riding in an open cockpit plane (about as big as Snoopy’s dog house) or skinny dipping in a lake known to harbor leeches—with Dear Hubby, of course.


Of course I do that thing most people do, which is to worry about what might happen when I get a leech stuck—ah—somewhere. The thing is, I’ll probably survive it, and get a good blog out of it, right?

Do what you fear and fear disappears. ~ David Joseph Schwartz

When it comes to writing books, the number one thing that can slow a writer down is fear. Fear of the candid exposure of telling a story the way it flows onto the page. Fear of responsibility for what you write. Fear of criticism.


Are you afraid of criticism? As an adult you’ve learned to take it and move along. As a writer it can feel a bit more personal. Sometimes your books are like your children. Most of us know better than to criticize someone’s child. Imagine saying your new baby looks a bit amphibious, but your first one had that squirrel thing going on around the mouth. What's that about? Yet writers must encourage readers to tell us what they honestly think about our stories—despite the fact that books usually take far longer than a mere nine months to push out.


No matter how vested you are in your stories, you have to learn to take criticism professionally.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt


Yes, I have both feet firmly planted in that place where I invite criticism into my life.


Seriously, tell me what you think about my ancient immortal warrior who’s been around since the crucifixion! Did you have any trouble believing he’s still a virgin in the Twenty-First Century?

What did you think about the voices in Carole Blank’s head? Did you understand why she thought she was schizophrenic? Was the drinking fountain sex scene too much?


Why as a writer do I invite public criticism in the form of a book review?

Because all book reviews are good ones.

You’re thinking Codswallop, right? They’re not all good. But I mean it.


Despite the fact that book reviews are like grades given by all your former classmates, including the kids you might have cut in front of in the lunch line (What could possibly go wrong?) they’re still good. Reviews increase your exposure and SEO results. So you need them. That’s the bottom line.

And somebody took the time to write them, never forget that part. They gave something back to you, even if it’s just the finger as they drive down the freeway of life.


I read my reviews. It’s a great way to know what readers like, or don’t. While I’m comfortable and fairly confident about my stories, knowing the perception of a reader allows me to understand how well I’m saying what I think I’m saying.


Writing is like giving a speech in some ways—there are a lot of variables, and you have to pay attention to your audience. Just keep a few things in mind:

  • Everybody has an opinion and some aren’t afraid to use them anonymously on-line. Cherish sincere reviews by at least considering their input. If you get a troll, I recommend allowing karma to take care of it if possible. It’s surely not easy being a troll. 
  • You will get conflicting opinions and polar opposite criticisms. In the end—as always—obey the muse. That way you can always blame her.
  • It isn’t personal, it’s business—I hate that quote too, but it is empowering.
  • Knee jerk reactions, rumors, and gossip are espoused like the rainbow sprinkles of our time. Don’t defend, explain, argue, or even react to reviews—it isn’t professional. Just keep writing, writing, writing.
  • If you really want to thank a reviewer, thank them privately if you can—if not, maybe get the next book out faster. As a reader, that’s what I want from my favorite authors!
  • You’re going to get stung now and then by verbal shrapnel, find a support network. Fellow writers will commiserate and inspire you.
  • Do you like/love your own story? You should. That is your best defense. If you enjoyed your own story, use that as a defensive shield. There is no book that everyone loves.
  • Rant to yourself if it makes you feel better. Heck add the reviewer’s name to your fiction list of evil characters who must suffer horrible torture if it helps—you might want to switch it up a bit, so you don’t get in any legal trouble, but it will still feel good. Not that I would ever do that.
  • Check bad reviews for helpful criticism. Is there even an iota of truth in there? I know it sounds like I’m telling you to ignore bad reviews. Nope. I’m saying don’t let them hurt you, or stop you.
  • Remember someone thought that, even if they are obviously stark-raving insane. If you can, glean something useful from all feedback.
  • Get some distance from unpleasant reviews before you change anything. Don’t assume that they’re RIGHT or even wrong (even if they are obviously stupid). My reviewers are all brilliant and sane btw, and I wish them negative-calorie cookies, and excellent karma in return.
  • Walk away. If you’re really upset allow yourself to feel that so you can get over it. But get over it, and just keep writing, writing, writing.



S. R. Karfelt
And that is my philosophy on book reviews and doing scary stuff in general. What is your philosophy on scary stuff? How about book reviews? I'd like to know even if you're not a writer! And do you know where I can get my hands on some negative calorie cookies? My jeans want to know.

By the way if you don't leave book reviews, keep in mind they're better than flowers and chocolate rolled into one for a writer...well, okay, it's a tie. 

Now let's talk book reviews and other scary stuff like my bathroom scale that is a *&@! pathological liar. 

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The Picture Book of Insomnia - The Writer Chronicles





Oh, come on, Guardians of the Galaxy was epic.





This is exactly how it happens. Metaphorically speaking.





Take this part literally.





You can write with brain fog, just don't waste paper.






When Dear Hubby reads these scenes he gives me that Mr. Spock look.
This is how it FEELS, babe. (He might have quit reading my blog.)






Come on, if you're a writer tell me it doesn't feel exactly like this!






Now I don't care what you do for a living, you have got to
relate to this part. Am I right?



Brought to you by Glittercaso. I'm busy this week, researching writing material out in the real world. Sometimes I leap off the hamster wheel and run out of my writing cave. Wouldn't you say I need a break from writing? I mean based on these comics, surely you agree don't you? Dear Hubby thinks so too.