The Month in Reading - Spooky Books for Fall

I love Halloween! It's my absolute favorite holiday, which is why I always reference it in my books :)

Here's me with my brother one Halloween. I'm Minnie Mouse. 

Growing up, I regularly dressed up my pumpkins and named them.
Meet Ernie and Fred. Lol.

There is certainly something about fall that makes me want to curl up with a good book - especially one that's dark and brooding.

If you're looking for something to read, here are some of fall favorites:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

 

Dracula by Bram Stoker

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice

Ghost Stories by M.R. James

What are you reading this fall? Share below.

BookWorks Thrills & Chills" Recommended Reading for October

 

If you're anything like me, then you enjoy reading creepy books in October. Lovecraft, anyone?

Good news! BookWorks just released their October "Thrills & Chills" Recommended Reading List. 

 

Did I mention that they included The Nightmare Birds under Magic & Mayhem? 

Muhahaha...and happy reading :)

Don't Be Afraid to Experiment - My Interview with Ingrid Foster

What's my advice for struggling authors? 

How did my background in environmental studies influence my writing? 

Find out the answers to these questions, and more, in my interview with Ingrid Foster.

While you're there, be sure to check out Ingrid's books. I just finished reading My Father's Magic and was stunned! I didn’t know what to expect with this book, especially since it’s labeled as ‘suspense’, which is something I haven’t read much of, but I can tell you I was very pleasantly surprised.

I felt like Alice falling further and further down the rabbit hole of magic and mystery. Whenever I thought I was starting to figure out where the story was going, it would take an unexpected twist. As the story unfolded, it became darker and more haunting, and I found myself thinking about the story even when I wasn’t reading it. I especially liked the character Esme. Her charisma, stamina, and flaws made her likeable and relatable. She was painted so vividly that I felt like I was watching her in a movie. Ingrid is a talented author. Her writing is succinct and thoughtful, accentuating this fantastical suspense story.

Five Books You Need to Read for Halloween

Looking for some spooky stories? You’ve come to the right place. :) I recently shared my horror movie recommendations, and this week I’m sharing my favorite scary books. Before you start reading, here's what you need:

• A nightlight
• Funny show or movie queued up on Netflix to watch after 
• A good cup of tea (preferably chamomile) to help you sleep

Here we go…

In a Glass Darkly: I don’t know how this one slipped my radar for so many years, especially since it’s considered a classic, but now that I’ve picked it up, I can’t put it down! Although a bit slow at first, this book has developed into an extraordinarily creepy tale about a metaphysical doctor’s experiences with the supernatural. Each story creates an atmosphere of mystery and dare I say anxiety. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say that I’ll never look at a monkey the same way again. This is easily one of my favorite books of all time. This quote pretty much sums up what to expect:

“My memory rejects the picture with incredulity and horror. Yet I know it is true. It is the story of the process of a poison, a poison which excited the reciprocal action of spirit and nerve, and paralyses the tissue that separates those cognate functions of the senses, the external and the interior. Thus we find strange bedfellows, and the mortal and immortal prematurely makes acquaintance.”

Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children: I read this book before it became a sensation (and a movie). It’s an interesting concept and I love the creepy vintage photographs that accompany the story. The one with those twins in the white outfits on the back cover takes the cake for the scariest picture. For a brief time, I started collecting creepy Victorian pics too, but they freaked me out so much I had to get rid of them. Although I didn’t really care for the ending, it’s still worth a read if you’re looking for spine-tingling fantasy.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone: This was a random buy, primarily chosen for its beautiful cover. The description about a devil’s shop of human teeth was equally as intriguing. This story is incredibly imaginative and descriptive, although at times, so descriptive that I felt a bit nauseous.

M.R. James Collected Ghost Stories: Considered to be the most terrifying writer in English, his classic supernatural tales draw on the terrors of the everyday, in which objects unleash terrible forces. Muhahaha.

H.P. Lovecraft’s Book of Horror: I know what you’re thinking. She’s recommending another thing of H.P. Lovecraft. Yes and no. This books is actually a collection of works that inspired Lovecraft. There are stories by Charles Dickens, Robert Luis Stevenson, and Edgar Allen Poe to name a few. I chose to include this book because it's an excellent collection of the masters of horror.

Have a scary book you're reading at the moment? Give me a shout below. I love recommendations. :)

Five Star Review From Josephine's Library!

 
There was a very pleasant surprise waiting for me this morning. A stellar review of The Nightmare Birds from Josephine's Library! Here's a preview of the five star review:

"When I read Strange Luck, it was unlike anything I'd ever read before. It was an amazing mixture of mystery and fantasy...And with The Nightmare Birds Ms. Winters has succeeded in leaving me mesmerized all over again...With a dazzling array of characters and a vibrant plot, it's no wonder this book is near impossible to put down."

You can read the full review HERE. If you'd like to check out her review of Strange Luck, you can find that HERE.

I'm so happy that the sequel is being so well received. Phew! I poured so much of my heart and soul into this story and have made it my mission to create something unique, mysterious, and imaginative, so reviews like this seriously make my week! Thank you so much. :D

If you've read my book(s), I'd love to hear what you think. Shoot me an email, post in the comments below, or send me a link to your review. Readers, like you, have the power to make or break a book, and every bit of feedback is appreciated.

 

National Book Lovers Day - Recommended Reads

It's National Book Lovers Day! Observed each year on August 9, (and sometimes on the first Saturday in November) bibliophiles everywhere are celebrating. So, find your favorite reading place, a good book (whether it be fiction or non-fiction), and read the day away. Need some suggestions? Here's what I've been reading lately:

Only Human by J.D. Estrada is a delightfully clever read full of imaginative, high-concept YA and Fantasy elements. As the description states, ‘this isn’t your typical book.’ The originality of this story, its many twists and turns, and the seamless weaving of real moments in history definitely mark this book as out-of-the-ordinary.

Through the main character, Nathaniel, we get to meet vampires, angels, demons, therians, plant people, and other supernatural beings, as well as learn some interesting insights about “humans”. Nathaniel’s quips were always entertaining and the subtle philosophical components were also a nice touch. There were many quotable lines in this story, but my favorite was: “He who wins the battle defines history.”

At first the story reminded me of The Man in the High Castle meets 12 Monkeys, then it took a completely unexpected and clever direction that no longer became definable. Estrada has written a fresh and original story that is sure to delight any reader. I can’t wait to read the next book in the Human Cycle series and see what’s in store.

The House of Seven Gables was recently recommended to me and I was lucky enough to find a copy at my local library book sale. Score! Set in the mid-19th century, the story follows a peculiar, gloomy, New England mansion, which has been haunted since its construction by fraudulent dealings, accusations of witchcraft, and sudden death. Muhahaha! I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm loving this haunting Gothic tale.

It's no surprise that I'm reading another H.P. Lovecraft book. He's my favorite author of all time and his writing never ceases to amaze (and scare) me. Lovecraft's Dreams of Terror and Death short stories are haunting and compelling. Each one is more frightening than the next. Some of his stories are 2-3 pages long, others are 30+ pages. I wanted to share my favorite stories, but simply couldn't narrow it down. If you're a fan of horror, you'll love this book! 

What are you reading for National Book Lovers Day?

How to Write Historical Fiction Without Really Trying - Guest Post by Christie Stratos

I'm very pleased to have met Christie Stratos. We actually met serendipitously after I posted one of my very first #TBTWriter stories (Confessions of a Sugarholic). She reached out to me and was eager to participate. Since then, she's shared a bunch of her writing throwbacks, complete with funny pics. You can check them out here.  I'm told that she'll also be posting one this Thursday. Yay! 

I eventually picked up Christie's book, Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, and couldn't put it down. I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started to read it because I had never been a big fan of Victorian-era or historical books in general. I always suspected that they were boring and dry, but after having read Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, I can tell you that myth is bunk! I was absolutely and totally addicted to this book from the very first sentence. Whenever I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it and dying to know what was going to happen. As the story unfolded, it became darker and even more haunting (my favorite!). Now that I know that Victorian/historical books can be enjoyable, I seem to be reading them all the time now.

After that, we partnered on a few projects, including the GoIndieNow: Women in Publishing/Exhibiting Strong Leadership panel, and the editing of my latest book, The Nightmare Birds via her editing business, Proof Positive. So, as you can see...I'm very pleased to have met Christie and I'm excited to share her guest post about writing historical fiction with you today. Enjoy :)

 
How to Write Historical Fiction Without Really Trying

I never thought I would write historical fiction. In fact I specifically thought while reading a Sharon Kay Penman book, “I could never write historical fiction. It’s way too hard.”

Then I sat down to write Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, my debut novel that takes place during the Victorian Era: 1840-1861.

“I’ll just write the book for now and do the research later,” I thought. That was my plan so that I didn’t get bogged down in basic research and slow my creativity. Note the phrase “basic research”. I really wasn’t planning to include enough Victorian-specific objects or traditions to need to do much research at all.

Wrong again!

I found that I couldn’t more forward through some parts of the manuscript without checking to see if something was possible, whether it existed, or if it was believable for that time period. And when I did pigheadedly plow ahead prior to doing research, I heavily regretted it later because I had to do massive rewrites to make that section fit into the Victorian period (for example, using candles for nighttime lighting in a home instead of the time period appropriate oil lamps), and sometimes the consequences of that lack of research spread their tentacles farther through the book than I’d anticipated. I then had to clean up and sometimes drastically alter multiple parts of the book.

Then something strange happened. I got excited about inserting exact descriptions of real things that existed in that time period as well as only using accurate terms and words that were used then. It became one of the most exciting parts of writing the book. I changed words like “rug” to “floor cloth”, found out how Victorians cleaned a wood floor, researched exactly what kind of materials were used to make wallpaper and far more. While these things sound trivial, they’re part of what makes the book authentic, realistic, and visually accurate. And now the same excitement has spread into writing the rest of the four books and three short stories in the Dark Victoriana Collection.

And so without meaning to love writing historical fiction – or rather without meaning to write anything more than fiction that was generally accurate for the time period – I ended up with a 10-year publishing plan that revolves around historical fiction in different time periods. Because getting those details right so that you feel you’re really in the time period is more than just satisfying – it’s fulfilling.

~~~

Awesome post, Christie. Writing historical fiction is something I'm definitely interested in, so this certainly gives me hope. I can't wait to read your upcoming book - Locke and Keye!

~~~

      

Bio: 

Christie Stratos is an award-winning writer and editor who holds a degree in English Literature. She is the author of Anatomy of a Darkened Heart, the first book of five in the Dark Victoriana Collection. Christie has had short stories and poetry published in Ginosko Literary Journal, Andromedae Review, 99Fiction, and various anthologies. An avid reader of all genres and world literature, Christie reads everything from bestsellers to classics to indies. 

Book links:

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes and Noble

Createspace

Or buy the paperback directly from the author for the same price as Amazon, but signed and with a personalized note! http://christiestratos.com

Social Media Links:

Author website

Editing website

Amazon author page

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Goodreads

Pinterest

Google+

Linz the Bookworm's Review of Strange Luck

"This book managed to take me from going "Oh this is a cute adventure" to "Wow, this is kind of dark" in a very short amount of time. I'm actually kind of impressed by that. Most of the story felt really upbeat, and then in the crucial parts it got pretty dark. It was a nice change of tone to set the scene...I didn't feel there was a dull moment in the story."

I'm so thrilled that Linz the Bookworm enjoyed reading Strange Luck. I love it when people tell me that they read my book in a day or two because they couldn't put it down. Best feeling ever! :D

Linz will also be reading The Nightmare Birds, so be on the lookout for that review. I'm ecstatic that she chose The Nightmare Birds as her first ever cover reveal on her blog. Check it out here! 

Read what else Linz the Bookworm had to say in her awesome review of Strange Luck.

Disney Meets The Devil - What's on My Nightstand

Random. The only word to describe how I select books to read and the order in which I read them. I do it because it’s, well…fun. If you’re looking to read some totally random (good) books, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what I’ve been reading (in this order):

1) The Lurker at the Threshold By: H.P. Lovecraft: The more books I read, the more I realize that Lovecraft is my favorite author of all time. He was not only a genius with creating a complex pantheon of gods, but his style of writing has a way of getting in your head. Lovecraft never really tells or shows you anything to evoke fear; instead, it subtly creeps into the story on its own. The Lurker at the Threshold is one of the very few actual books he wrote—the rest are all short stories—and it does not disappoint. This horror story not only had me clinging to every masterfully written word, there were a few moments when I didn’t want to read it alone. I’m so sad that it’s over now :(

2. Anne of Green Gables By: L.M. Montgomery: I watched the movie and show growing up, but for some reason never read this beloved classic until now. It’s filled with wholesome, Disney-style antics and plenty of heart-warming moments, and I liked that every chapter had a different adventure. Montgomery’s descriptions of Prince Edward Island are absolutely breathtaking.

3. Meditations By: Marcus Aurelius: I always like having a non-fiction book to read, and I usually pick one that’s philosophical in nature. I’ve been obsessed with Stoicism for a few years now and have read many of Aurelius' insightful passages, so I’ve been really enjoying reading his complete insights in Meditations.

4) Lost Souls By: Poppy Z. Brite: Billy Martin, professionally known as Poppy Z. Brite is a trans man and prefers male pronouns and terms, which I will do so here. Much of his work features openly bisexual and gay characters in dark, gothic scenarios. Years and years ago, I read Exquisite Corpse and LOVED it. Then I tried reading one of his newer books, Liquor, and really didn't like it. I had completely forgotten about him until my hubby recently let me borrow Lost Souls from his library, and I’m so glad that he did. This book has me completely and totally hooked! The essence of New Orleans is effortlessly captured. Dark, twisted, and unbelievably addicting, this is the real McCoy of vampires books!

What are you reading at the moment?  Have a recommendation for me? Post your comments below. I’d love to hear from you.