Showing posts with label horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label horror. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
The Recipient - Sneak Preview
The following is an exclusive sneak peek from my forthcoming psychological thriller "The Recipient" which is due to hit bookshelves around the world on October 25th 2015.
In this scene, the protagonist Casey Schillinge, is trapped in a nightmare that has visited her over and over again in the 3 years since her life saving heart transplant.
I hope you enjoy it. I'd love to hear what you think...
It is happening...
Her body is grasped by a force unseen. It brings her into an upright position, then she feels herself descending.
The heart beats faster, louder.
Her naked skin twitches and shivers. Biting cold replaces the serene warmth. Clothing coalesces over her body: harsh denim that scratches her skin. A cotton, starched singlet that quickly becomes sopping. The wet clothing clings to her cold skin, and looking up, she realises it is raining.
Her bare feet touch onto a hard surface and she looks down, seeing bitumen all around her. She is standing on a road, a lonely outback road in some desolate wasteland that is unfamiliar. She looks around her, searching for a landmark, something familiar that will identify her surroundings. Another disembodied flash lights up the sky nearby and thunder rumbles across the thickening clouds. In that moment, she sees a road sign—not on the road before her, but in her mind’s eye. The lightning reflects off it so brightly, the lettering is too difficult to interpret. Squinting in the fading light, she tries to see.
‘Laster…’, is all she can make out before darkness swallows the image.
Searching around her, she tries to find the sign as it exists in her immediate environment. But it is nowhere to be seen.
Eruptions of light flash from within the cloud mass above. Rain falls harder, denser. It splashes against her skin and runs sticky, viscous like honey.
Dread seeps into her.
The thunder rumbles towards her again, carrying with it a deep, guttural moan that vibrates through her. Her breath quickens. For the first time, she is compelled to move.
She turns, stretches her legs, tries to run. But gravity bears down, making movements incredibly heavy.
A flash of light erupts and in the moment of disorientation that follows, she witnesses something: a scene from her mind plays out in front of her.
A lone figure, shrouded in shadow, stands there—an evil presence. Unnaturally tall, masculine but unidentifiable in the dissipating flash.
The low moan approaches, gaining in volume and pitch. It is filled with torment and pain.
FLASH!
The shrouded figure steps forward and slaps her with an outstretched hand. She crashes heavily to the road, opening wounds in her shoulder and legs. She cries out, but it is a silent cry. She tries to get to her feet but slips on the slick bitumen that streams with the falling rain.
The figure pounces, pinning her body to the road. She feels her hands being lifted above her head in the grip of the stranger who remains shrouded in darkness. Again, she cries out in pain as her hands are shoved against the road.
The figure sits back on its heels. With its free hand, it reaches out and hovers over them both for a moment. Then, balling it into a fist, the figure smashes it down, striking her chest with all the force it can muster.
FLASH!
She screams in horror as pain blossoms through her entire body.
The thunder and the moan meld into what is clearly a female voice. It cries out in terror. Is it her own voice?
The hands disappear into the cavity in her chest. Her fractured mind is inexplicably curious, despite her terror. She struggles against the grip of the figure. The bitumen tears at her skin as she flails impotently. The hands of the figure squelch about inside her. The moans grow more shrill now. They are wails. They are screams.
The viscous rain turns a deep, ruby red and she tastes the metallic flavour of blood. She lifts her head skywards. The sky is bleeding.
The screams become unbearable and in that moment, she realises that, it is she who is screaming.
The hand retracts from her chest and hovers above it. The assailant leans forward to show her the contents within. A disembodied cackle rips through the air, swallowing the horrified screams. Rivulets of crimson course down over a masculine jaw.
She is consumed by terror. Drenched in blood; too paralysed to move.
Then, suddenly, she is free.
She is now standing a few feet away from the figure, yet it is still straddling someone underneath.
She looks at her hands, blinking at them incomprehensibly. She cannot understand. She wants to turn and run but the figure’s silent magnetism holds her in thrall. The figure turns its face towards her, but the darkness shrouds its features.
The figure beckons with what is held in its hands.
She leans forward to see.
It is a heart. A beating and bloody heart, crawling with maggots so numerous that she can hear them squelching over the muscular tissue. A black slick oozes from the severed arteries and veins that feed into the disembodied organ and drip over the hands that hold it...
DFA.
In this scene, the protagonist Casey Schillinge, is trapped in a nightmare that has visited her over and over again in the 3 years since her life saving heart transplant.
I hope you enjoy it. I'd love to hear what you think...
It is happening...
Her body is grasped by a force unseen. It brings her into an upright position, then she feels herself descending.
The heart beats faster, louder.
Her naked skin twitches and shivers. Biting cold replaces the serene warmth. Clothing coalesces over her body: harsh denim that scratches her skin. A cotton, starched singlet that quickly becomes sopping. The wet clothing clings to her cold skin, and looking up, she realises it is raining.
Her bare feet touch onto a hard surface and she looks down, seeing bitumen all around her. She is standing on a road, a lonely outback road in some desolate wasteland that is unfamiliar. She looks around her, searching for a landmark, something familiar that will identify her surroundings. Another disembodied flash lights up the sky nearby and thunder rumbles across the thickening clouds. In that moment, she sees a road sign—not on the road before her, but in her mind’s eye. The lightning reflects off it so brightly, the lettering is too difficult to interpret. Squinting in the fading light, she tries to see.
‘Laster…’, is all she can make out before darkness swallows the image.
Searching around her, she tries to find the sign as it exists in her immediate environment. But it is nowhere to be seen.
Eruptions of light flash from within the cloud mass above. Rain falls harder, denser. It splashes against her skin and runs sticky, viscous like honey.
Dread seeps into her.
The thunder rumbles towards her again, carrying with it a deep, guttural moan that vibrates through her. Her breath quickens. For the first time, she is compelled to move.
She turns, stretches her legs, tries to run. But gravity bears down, making movements incredibly heavy.
A flash of light erupts and in the moment of disorientation that follows, she witnesses something: a scene from her mind plays out in front of her.
A lone figure, shrouded in shadow, stands there—an evil presence. Unnaturally tall, masculine but unidentifiable in the dissipating flash.
The low moan approaches, gaining in volume and pitch. It is filled with torment and pain.
FLASH!
The shrouded figure steps forward and slaps her with an outstretched hand. She crashes heavily to the road, opening wounds in her shoulder and legs. She cries out, but it is a silent cry. She tries to get to her feet but slips on the slick bitumen that streams with the falling rain.
The figure pounces, pinning her body to the road. She feels her hands being lifted above her head in the grip of the stranger who remains shrouded in darkness. Again, she cries out in pain as her hands are shoved against the road.
The figure sits back on its heels. With its free hand, it reaches out and hovers over them both for a moment. Then, balling it into a fist, the figure smashes it down, striking her chest with all the force it can muster.
FLASH!
She screams in horror as pain blossoms through her entire body.
The thunder and the moan meld into what is clearly a female voice. It cries out in terror. Is it her own voice?
The hands disappear into the cavity in her chest. Her fractured mind is inexplicably curious, despite her terror. She struggles against the grip of the figure. The bitumen tears at her skin as she flails impotently. The hands of the figure squelch about inside her. The moans grow more shrill now. They are wails. They are screams.
The viscous rain turns a deep, ruby red and she tastes the metallic flavour of blood. She lifts her head skywards. The sky is bleeding.
The screams become unbearable and in that moment, she realises that, it is she who is screaming.
The hand retracts from her chest and hovers above it. The assailant leans forward to show her the contents within. A disembodied cackle rips through the air, swallowing the horrified screams. Rivulets of crimson course down over a masculine jaw.
She is consumed by terror. Drenched in blood; too paralysed to move.
Then, suddenly, she is free.
She is now standing a few feet away from the figure, yet it is still straddling someone underneath.
She looks at her hands, blinking at them incomprehensibly. She cannot understand. She wants to turn and run but the figure’s silent magnetism holds her in thrall. The figure turns its face towards her, but the darkness shrouds its features.
The figure beckons with what is held in its hands.
She leans forward to see.
It is a heart. A beating and bloody heart, crawling with maggots so numerous that she can hear them squelching over the muscular tissue. A black slick oozes from the severed arteries and veins that feed into the disembodied organ and drip over the hands that hold it...
DFA.
"The Recipient" Copyright © 2015 Central Avenue Publishing & Hambledown Road Imprints.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Bringing Life To The Undead - Conversations With Stephen Ormsby.
In the past year, I have been encouraged by the emerging ground swell of Australian indie authors onto the publishing land scape. When my novel The Hambledown Dream was first released in 2010, I have to admit that I simply was not aware of my fellow country men and women and I tended to market to a North American audience with a dash of European thrown in. It feels as though the tide has only really shifted in the past six or seven months and I have begun to interact with a whole lot more really talented Australian authors.
Of all the people who have helped me to connect to this vibrant and growing band of story tellers, I count Victorian author Stephen Ormsby as the most important gate keeper in terms of connecting.
I featured Stephen back in December, when he was doing the rounds for his novel "Long Lost Song" which has become a sleeper hit and has established Stephen as a stylish scribe whose ability to occupy multiple genres is considerable. Whether through scenes of full throttle action, moments of quiet introspection and reflection or words of tenderness and romance, Stephen Ormsby can step into those spaces, live and breathe them and deliver prose in a voice that completely suits that narrative. And indeed, people are sitting up and taking notice of Stephen's talents.
With the launch of his much anticipated new release "Pendant: The Undead Hunters (Book One)" Stephen Ormsby enters into a realm that combines both medieval and modern day action, horror and romance into an incendiary mix.
The guff on Pendant is thus;
Varnok the Great Wizard wants revenge against the people who burnt him at the stake for murder three hundred years before. He has waited patiently in Hell for his opportunity.
Now, the Pendant has come together, and the time to make the pay for their actions against him is here. He will release his power upon Earth.
Maggie finds half a pendant in a sea-side market and Logan is given up his by family, forcing the two into a horrific world they had never imagined, and running for their lives.
Will they learn the secret of the Pendant before it is too late?
Will there new-found love be strong enough to stop Varnok, a three hundred year old Wizard from the pits of Hell?
Pendant is the first book in The Undead Hunters series.
I took time out with Stephen this past weekend to discuss Pendant and I started by asking him what was the inspiration for the story and the motivation for entering the genre.
S.O. - After writing Long Lost Song, I wanted to challenge myself with something new (as you do). My first targets were two loves for me – a horror novel and a fantasy novel. Horror has been abused lately with sparkly vampires and other not-so-scary creatures. I wanted to write a horror story that reminded me of the great old horror authors I loved to read in the 80’s and 90’s. It needed to be scary and have a protagonist you would not want to meet in a dark alley. In fact, I even used that concept in the book.
D.F.A. - You've introduced into this story, an protagonist/antagonist in Conrad that is a delectable mix of evil and charisma. Where did the seeds for Conrad germinate?
S.O. - Conrad is one bad-ass mother fucker that rides me to death and back – quite literally. When I wrote that book, I was the nastiest piece of shit that I could be. He was always there, demanding, prompting, poking at me. I have never been so glad to kill a character as I was when I reached the end of that book. As I was writing Pendant, I knew how he had come to me that way, and felt that I needed to write that story as well.
D.F.A - Yes indeed! The prequel novella "The Road To Hell" sets up the character of Conrad/Varnok, explaining just how Conrad becomes Varnok. The prequel idea works very well as a accompanying piece but it also served in drawing audiences to the world of The Undead Hunters. You display a phenomenal work rate in both these pieces. Just how intense was the writing process for Pendant and Road To Hell?
S.O. - This book was FAST – yes, with capitals! I wrote the first draft of 72,000 words in 22 days flat. It burst from me, as did the alien from John Hurt’s stomach in Alien. I could not slow it down, not that I wanted to really. Writing that fast, whilst knowing that bad things are coming for everybody, adds an intensity that I enjoyed in the writing. I think, though, some of it was due to the fact that I wanted to be rid of Varnok.
D.F.A. - The world you've created in dense both in scope and texture and nuance. Was there a research curve involved in bringing life to this world?
S.O. - Would you believe none! This was the first book I've written that required or needed no research. The continuing journeys of Varnok, Logan and Maggie will require a lot more research though, given where they are going next.
Stephen Ormsby's writing talent is considerable, as we've clearly established, but another strength of the overall package is the amazing cover art that Stephen commissioned for the project. Stephen's wife Marieke designed the striking artwork for both the novella and the novel. I asked Stephen what he was looking for in the cover design.
S.O. - For Road to Hell, I had a real idea of what I wanted. The pyre both opens and closes the short, so I thought it was the only image that would really work. Finding such an image is a tougher job! Marieke puts in a huge amount of work on all of my covers. Each one adds another element to the story I feel.
For Pendant, I had a different design in mind for Pendant - and for the pendant itself. It evolved into a much plainer pendant really. Marieke took off with my concept and came back with the cover you see. I had to work my way through the book to add details about the pedant after that. Still, the result is brilliant and captures my head snapshot perfectly.
D.F.A. - It's clear to me that you and Marieke work closely together. Can you describe the process in designing the cover art?
S.O. - Marieke and I discuss the elements we want on each cover. We see this part of the book creation process as integral to the overall package. She works with my words and concept, and has always came back with something that has blown me away. So far, I don’t think that we have disagreed to a cover. I know Marieke has changed a couple with added details, but the initial concept and thoughts we had have always remained.
With the release of Pendant, Stephen has embarked on a marketing campaign that has seen him invited to the Australian Pop Culture Expo "Supanova". Through these events, Stephen has tapped into a readership that is enthusiastic for the genre he explores with the novella and the main novel. I asked Stephen how this wonderful opportunity came about.
S.O. - I was discovered by the Dymocks organiser, Sandra W. Out of the blue, she asked if I’d liked to be involved. (my wife) Marieke had to keep me from falling off my chair. When I could talk again, I quickly agreed to Melbourne, which was the first. Soon enough, she asked me if I’d like to do the rest. Such opportunities don’t come often, so I jumped on the bandwagon very quickly.
D.F.A. - And what was the experience like?
S.O. - Supanova is massive!! It is incredibly weird to be on the other side of the desk, being stared at instead of staring. The people that have passed and asked questions about my book just blow me away. They buy and then ask ever so nicely if I’ll sign it too. I sold a huge number in the first two conventions and it bolsters the ego to know and find your audience.
It’s a huge thrill to also meet so many other great authors, such as Hugh Howey, Tad Williams, Kylie Chan, Marianne de Pierres, K J Taylor, Jay Kristoff, Michael Pryor and I can’t forget good friends Colin Taber and Jason Fischer.
Once you get in and start talking to these people, you feel so validated as a writer. They have all been through the same thing and they are so generous with their time. I am already looking forward to Sydney and Perth with a new stack of books to sign and sell.
Stephen Ormsby has quickly established himself as an author whose work offers much. His clear love for the craft is evident in every word he writes and his enthusiasm shines best when he challenges himself to explore different genres and in many cases combine them.
He's kind of like a mad scientist who struck genius rather than blew up the lab. With "Road To Hell" and "Pendant", Stephen Ormsby weaves a thrilling, horrific and mind bending tome that screams success.
Visit Stephen Ormsby officially here.
Purchase "The Road To Hell (An Undead Hunters Novella)" here and "Pendant: The Undead Hunters (Book One)" here.
Connect with Stephen Ormsby here.
Tweet with Stephen Ormsby here.
DFA.
Of all the people who have helped me to connect to this vibrant and growing band of story tellers, I count Victorian author Stephen Ormsby as the most important gate keeper in terms of connecting.
I featured Stephen back in December, when he was doing the rounds for his novel "Long Lost Song" which has become a sleeper hit and has established Stephen as a stylish scribe whose ability to occupy multiple genres is considerable. Whether through scenes of full throttle action, moments of quiet introspection and reflection or words of tenderness and romance, Stephen Ormsby can step into those spaces, live and breathe them and deliver prose in a voice that completely suits that narrative. And indeed, people are sitting up and taking notice of Stephen's talents.
With the launch of his much anticipated new release "Pendant: The Undead Hunters (Book One)" Stephen Ormsby enters into a realm that combines both medieval and modern day action, horror and romance into an incendiary mix.
The guff on Pendant is thus;
Varnok the Great Wizard wants revenge against the people who burnt him at the stake for murder three hundred years before. He has waited patiently in Hell for his opportunity.
Now, the Pendant has come together, and the time to make the pay for their actions against him is here. He will release his power upon Earth.
Maggie finds half a pendant in a sea-side market and Logan is given up his by family, forcing the two into a horrific world they had never imagined, and running for their lives.
Will they learn the secret of the Pendant before it is too late?
Will there new-found love be strong enough to stop Varnok, a three hundred year old Wizard from the pits of Hell?
Pendant is the first book in The Undead Hunters series.
I took time out with Stephen this past weekend to discuss Pendant and I started by asking him what was the inspiration for the story and the motivation for entering the genre.
S.O. - After writing Long Lost Song, I wanted to challenge myself with something new (as you do). My first targets were two loves for me – a horror novel and a fantasy novel. Horror has been abused lately with sparkly vampires and other not-so-scary creatures. I wanted to write a horror story that reminded me of the great old horror authors I loved to read in the 80’s and 90’s. It needed to be scary and have a protagonist you would not want to meet in a dark alley. In fact, I even used that concept in the book.
D.F.A. - You've introduced into this story, an protagonist/antagonist in Conrad that is a delectable mix of evil and charisma. Where did the seeds for Conrad germinate?
S.O. - Conrad is one bad-ass mother fucker that rides me to death and back – quite literally. When I wrote that book, I was the nastiest piece of shit that I could be. He was always there, demanding, prompting, poking at me. I have never been so glad to kill a character as I was when I reached the end of that book. As I was writing Pendant, I knew how he had come to me that way, and felt that I needed to write that story as well.
D.F.A - Yes indeed! The prequel novella "The Road To Hell" sets up the character of Conrad/Varnok, explaining just how Conrad becomes Varnok. The prequel idea works very well as a accompanying piece but it also served in drawing audiences to the world of The Undead Hunters. You display a phenomenal work rate in both these pieces. Just how intense was the writing process for Pendant and Road To Hell?
S.O. - This book was FAST – yes, with capitals! I wrote the first draft of 72,000 words in 22 days flat. It burst from me, as did the alien from John Hurt’s stomach in Alien. I could not slow it down, not that I wanted to really. Writing that fast, whilst knowing that bad things are coming for everybody, adds an intensity that I enjoyed in the writing. I think, though, some of it was due to the fact that I wanted to be rid of Varnok.
D.F.A. - The world you've created in dense both in scope and texture and nuance. Was there a research curve involved in bringing life to this world?
S.O. - Would you believe none! This was the first book I've written that required or needed no research. The continuing journeys of Varnok, Logan and Maggie will require a lot more research though, given where they are going next.
Stephen Ormsby's writing talent is considerable, as we've clearly established, but another strength of the overall package is the amazing cover art that Stephen commissioned for the project. Stephen's wife Marieke designed the striking artwork for both the novella and the novel. I asked Stephen what he was looking for in the cover design.
S.O. - For Road to Hell, I had a real idea of what I wanted. The pyre both opens and closes the short, so I thought it was the only image that would really work. Finding such an image is a tougher job! Marieke puts in a huge amount of work on all of my covers. Each one adds another element to the story I feel.
For Pendant, I had a different design in mind for Pendant - and for the pendant itself. It evolved into a much plainer pendant really. Marieke took off with my concept and came back with the cover you see. I had to work my way through the book to add details about the pedant after that. Still, the result is brilliant and captures my head snapshot perfectly.
D.F.A. - It's clear to me that you and Marieke work closely together. Can you describe the process in designing the cover art?
S.O. - Marieke and I discuss the elements we want on each cover. We see this part of the book creation process as integral to the overall package. She works with my words and concept, and has always came back with something that has blown me away. So far, I don’t think that we have disagreed to a cover. I know Marieke has changed a couple with added details, but the initial concept and thoughts we had have always remained.
S.O. - I was discovered by the Dymocks organiser, Sandra W. Out of the blue, she asked if I’d liked to be involved. (my wife) Marieke had to keep me from falling off my chair. When I could talk again, I quickly agreed to Melbourne, which was the first. Soon enough, she asked me if I’d like to do the rest. Such opportunities don’t come often, so I jumped on the bandwagon very quickly.
D.F.A. - And what was the experience like?
S.O. - Supanova is massive!! It is incredibly weird to be on the other side of the desk, being stared at instead of staring. The people that have passed and asked questions about my book just blow me away. They buy and then ask ever so nicely if I’ll sign it too. I sold a huge number in the first two conventions and it bolsters the ego to know and find your audience.
It’s a huge thrill to also meet so many other great authors, such as Hugh Howey, Tad Williams, Kylie Chan, Marianne de Pierres, K J Taylor, Jay Kristoff, Michael Pryor and I can’t forget good friends Colin Taber and Jason Fischer.
Once you get in and start talking to these people, you feel so validated as a writer. They have all been through the same thing and they are so generous with their time. I am already looking forward to Sydney and Perth with a new stack of books to sign and sell.
Stephen Ormsby has quickly established himself as an author whose work offers much. His clear love for the craft is evident in every word he writes and his enthusiasm shines best when he challenges himself to explore different genres and in many cases combine them.
He's kind of like a mad scientist who struck genius rather than blew up the lab. With "Road To Hell" and "Pendant", Stephen Ormsby weaves a thrilling, horrific and mind bending tome that screams success.
Visit Stephen Ormsby officially here.
Purchase "The Road To Hell (An Undead Hunters Novella)" here and "Pendant: The Undead Hunters (Book One)" here.
Connect with Stephen Ormsby here.
Tweet with Stephen Ormsby here.
DFA.
The Regenesis Cluster - the stunning new short story by Dean Mayes - Available Now.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Planting The Seed - First Look At "Seed" by Ania Ahlborn.
This week I am particularly buzzed to be presenting Ania Ahlborn, a totally rockin' it indie author from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ania is going to be one of the standout new talents of 2011 - I just have a particular feeling about her. Ania has already established an engaging platform as an author, has garnered a dedicated an loyal following via her blog "21st Century Author" and is about to launch onto the world stage with her debut novel "Seed" - an inventive and refreshingly original horror novel - which hits June 1st across a number of platforms.
So here's the guff on "Seed"
Jack Winter has a secret...he's spent his entire life running from something no one can see.
After two decades, he's sure he's escaped the shadow that haunted his childhood. That is, until his youngest daughter, Charlie, begins to change.
After a sudden highway accident and a flash of soulless eyes, Jack has no choice but to watch his little girl drown in what he's sure is a family curse.
Jack begins to realize that he never outran the darkness. It's just been hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to make a reappearance...
But this time, it hasn't come only for Jack. This time, it wants them all.
Now, I've had the chance, to preview a copy of "Seed" and I have got to say, this is one seriously fine and spine chillingly effective literary work.
Ania has a very visual style of writing - that is to say - I found myself immersing myself in the the imagery and the atmosphere of her story right from the first page. Her hook was sharp, cinematic even and I have to say, from the outset, "Seed" seriously scared the shite out of me - in a totally good way. The novel is resplendent with some good old fashioned psychological tension that will have you closing the doors, making sure they're locked and making that last two...or three checks of the curtains just to make sure the darkness from outside doesn't get inside. "Seed" is described as being in the spirit of Stephen King and Joe Hill but I think there is a freshness Ania brings to the genre that is very original and thus attractive. Make no mistake, Ania Ahlborn is already right the way up there.
In the lead-up to the June 1st release of "Seed", I got to sit down with Ania and talk a little bit about her writing journey, the genesis of Seed and her blog "21st Century Author" where she compels her readers to think outside of the box...and invites some pretty passionate discussions
1. It's a real pleasure to be able to have a chat with you Ania. Tell me a little bit about your writing journey with "Seed"?
4. They are two fascinating characters indeed and I enjoyed observing them in the story Ania. The novel has a taut story line and you have balanced the tension factor brilliantly. What is your "method" for constructing your stories? Are you compelled to have a detailed plan before you write or do you let the story guide you?
So here's the guff on "Seed"
Jack Winter has a secret...he's spent his entire life running from something no one can see.
After two decades, he's sure he's escaped the shadow that haunted his childhood. That is, until his youngest daughter, Charlie, begins to change.
After a sudden highway accident and a flash of soulless eyes, Jack has no choice but to watch his little girl drown in what he's sure is a family curse.
Jack begins to realize that he never outran the darkness. It's just been hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to make a reappearance...
Now, I've had the chance, to preview a copy of "Seed" and I have got to say, this is one seriously fine and spine chillingly effective literary work.
Ania has a very visual style of writing - that is to say - I found myself immersing myself in the the imagery and the atmosphere of her story right from the first page. Her hook was sharp, cinematic even and I have to say, from the outset, "Seed" seriously scared the shite out of me - in a totally good way. The novel is resplendent with some good old fashioned psychological tension that will have you closing the doors, making sure they're locked and making that last two...or three checks of the curtains just to make sure the darkness from outside doesn't get inside. "Seed" is described as being in the spirit of Stephen King and Joe Hill but I think there is a freshness Ania brings to the genre that is very original and thus attractive. Make no mistake, Ania Ahlborn is already right the way up there.
In the lead-up to the June 1st release of "Seed", I got to sit down with Ania and talk a little bit about her writing journey, the genesis of Seed and her blog "21st Century Author" where she compels her readers to think outside of the box...and invites some pretty passionate discussions
1. It's a real pleasure to be able to have a chat with you Ania. Tell me a little bit about your writing journey with "Seed"?
Hi, Dean. First off, thanks for having me. My journey with “Seed”… lets see. I’ve always been fascinated by demonic possession. Does it really exist? Is it just some made-up phenomenon? It’s something that truly scares me. The concept of losing free will, let alone to something that’s less than human… it’s a terrifying concept. Of course, my weird attraction to squirmy little girls led me to watching movie after endless possession movie, and quite frankly, I was disappointed every time. They normally start out great, but quickly spiral into cheesy horror, and that always gets me; it gets me to the point of making me mad. The concept has such potential for terror, but these movies… the books, they all crap out in the end, like they’re afraid to truly explore the ‘what if’ of the situation. What if demons are real? What if they could take over our bodies? Would we honestly think we could beat them with some chanting and a splash of holy water?
With “Seed”, I wanted to explore that what if, but I wanted to push it further. Not everyone believes in Heaven and Hell, but everyone believes in the innocence of children. I took those two concepts and mashed them together… and refused to let a Priest anywhere near it.
2. I certainly can't argue with that. You are described as someone who enjoys the spookier things in life. What kinds of things or experiences have fuelled your penchant for the spooky?
2. I certainly can't argue with that. You are described as someone who enjoys the spookier things in life. What kinds of things or experiences have fuelled your penchant for the spooky?
This is actually kind of funny at how relevant it is to “Seed”. I’ve always been a bit of a ‘weirdo’. One of the houses my parents and I occupied when I was around five or six was a creepy-looking A-frame in Ruidoso , New Mexico
Also creepily relevant: the first time I was truly terrified. I think I was nine or ten, and it was New Years Eve. My parents decided they were going to attend a New Years Eve party, which left me and my cousin (only one year my elder) alone in the house for an entire night. Earlier that day my mom took us to a video rental place. At the time my parents had only been in the States for a handful of years and weren’t fluent in English, nor were they too good at reading and writing; I say this because I highly doubt my mother would have ever approved The Exorcist otherwise. I mean, if the cover had had a picture of a sickly grinning demon girl on it, my mom would have flipped. But it didn’t. It had a silhouette of a Priest walking up some steps. It must be a Bible story, right?
That was the first time, and the last time for about two decades, that I saw The Exorcist. You’d think an experience like that would sway me from having anything to do with horror again. Of course, it didn’t.
3. I still have to peel myself off the ceiling when ever I watch the Exorcist. In "Seed", you have a richly drawn cast of characters. Was there one character in particular you found yourself drawn to specifically/more than the others? Why?
3. I still have to peel myself off the ceiling when ever I watch the Exorcist. In "Seed", you have a richly drawn cast of characters. Was there one character in particular you found yourself drawn to specifically/more than the others? Why?
As a writer yourself, you know as well as I do that there’s a little piece of us in every character we write. I threw the terror I felt that New Years night into Jack, the main character. I put my smart-assed personality into six-year-old Charlie, party for comic relief, partly for creep factor. I was a really quiet kid, so I put that into Charlie’s sister, Abigail. And I’m sure if you ask my husband, I’m a handful to deal with at times, so I put my tendency to overreact in Aimee.
As far as being drawn to a particular character, it’s a close tie between Jack as a kid and Charlie. There’s something about the spirit of those two that I caught that really resonates with me.
4. They are two fascinating characters indeed and I enjoyed observing them in the story Ania. The novel has a taut story line and you have balanced the tension factor brilliantly. What is your "method" for constructing your stories? Are you compelled to have a detailed plan before you write or do you let the story guide you?
I didn’t really have a set plan for “Seed” when I sat down to write it. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted two stories running parallel to one another. I’m a big fan of stories within stories. It keeps the narrative fresh and interesting, and that was my ultimate goal. The second thing I knew I wanted to incorporate was the South. I have a ridiculous love for Louisiana
5. Oh - I could kiss you right now - I love it!! Now, you have really captured my imagination with your blog, 21st Century Author, and you make some fearless observations about the state of the writing/author social network, which I applaud. What drives those observations?
5. Oh - I could kiss you right now - I love it!! Now, you have really captured my imagination with your blog, 21st Century Author, and you make some fearless observations about the state of the writing/author social network, which I applaud. What drives those observations?
My uncontrollable snark.
But seriously… the world is getting weird. People are afraid to say what they mean; they’re self-conscious of their own opinions, and while a level of ‘filtering’ is definitely required, people have gotten scared to speak their mind. I think its bullshit. I mean, hell, if everyone was scared of everyone else and what other people think, I would have never written “Seed”, because who wants to piss off the God-fearing church-goers of the world? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t stir the pot on purpose. It isn’t like I sit at my computer and think ‘well, today I’m going to write an outrageous post that will piss off a lot of people.’ That takes way too much planning and energy. I write my blog posts on the fly. Sometimes they’re decently agreeable. Sometimes I spout off whatever’s on my mind and they become a bit hilarious. Sometimes, yeah, they piss people off… but whatever. Being passionate about what you believe reminds you that you’re alive, and I’m definitely alive.
6. Tou-fricken-che! I say! So, what are your hopes for "Seed"? Do you have in mind some sort of bench mark that you'd like to achieve with the novel or are you taking more of a wait and see approach?
6. Tou-fricken-che! I say! So, what are your hopes for "Seed"? Do you have in mind some sort of bench mark that you'd like to achieve with the novel or are you taking more of a wait and see approach?
Do I have hopes for “Seed”? Absolutely. I shouldn’t be in this game if I don’t. Do I want it to be wildly successful? Yes. Do I want to be in the top 100 Kindle books? Um, yes please. Do I think it’s going to happen overnight? A girl can dream, can’t she; but no. I know these things take time, and I know my patience will be tested. Now, rather than waiting for rejection slips I’ll be waiting for daily sales counts. But I’d rather be waiting on sales counts than for some overstuffed NYC agent to send me a scrap of paper telling me I’m not good enough. In my mind, I’ve already succeeded. I’ve written a book that, personally, I think is damn good. I have a killer cover and I’ve already built a pretty solid platform for myself, even before the book’s release. For a debut novel with nobody but myself to rely on, I think I’ve done a bang-up job. Will that translate into sales? God, I hope so. Will it stop me if it doesn’t? Not a chance. I’m as relentless as I am opinionated. I’ve wanted this to be my career for a long time, and now that I have a chance… I’d be stupid to let it slip through my fingers.
Ania, this has been an absolute blast! Congratulations on the upcoming release of "Seed" and I sincerely hope that we will be seeing more of you in the near future.
So there you have it. "Seed" will hit the shelves this coming June the 1st and I highly recommend you purchase the book and visit Ania's blog to keep abreast of all her happenings in the meantime.
As I said earlier, watch out for this girl - she is definitely one of my #authorsyoushouldknow.
DFA.
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