Tonight's guest is a writer that I actually got to know through blogging. He runs a great blog (link below) that I follow weekly. It's informative for both writers and readers, but more than anything, this dude could write a pamphlet on how to clean grease and grime off your bathroom tiles and he would somehow manage to make it interesting and quirky.

Make sure to take a look at both his blog and his books :-)
  
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Chazz is a former newspaper and magazine journalist who runs Ex Parte Press. Though he writes crime novels, horror and dark fantasy, he thinks the term “suspense novelist” best describes his place in Earth’s ecosystem, next door to the Rhesus monkeys. 

Social Media Links

Email | The Plague Of Days | Chazz Writes | Twitter | 

All That Chazz | Cool People Podcast | Decision To Change |

What do you do when you’re not writing about the end of days or things that go bump in the night?

I’m a voracious reader, but I live in Canada, so mostly I shovel snow when I’m not writing. When there’s time, my hobby is depression, but I subvert almost all the rage with jokes.

You write a really great blog, which yes I follow, and yes, be sure to include a link to it…but my question is this… are there any other blogs that you highly recommend? Ones that you read and follow regularly.

Ah. ChazzWrites.com, the place for…oh, who am I kidding? Blogs are dead things. I always watch for thepassivevoice.com updates and I agree with Chuck Wendig often but not always. Podcasts are where it’s at, though. There are lots of great publishing podcasts. There aren’t enough great podcasts about the craft of writing though.

Tell me about your latest book, something unusual if possible.

My latest book is a collaboration with Holly Pop called The Haunting Lessons. It’s the first in the Ghosts & Demons Series and I think this series will go on a long time. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now think how much you miss Buffy. Think hard. Aches, doesn’t it? Okay, now that your brain is sweaty, go get The Haunting Lessons.

Anything in particular that you want to say about it? Where did you draw the inspiration from? Favourite characters?

After I wrote This Plague of Days, I got a lot of positive feedback. I’d written my criminal autobiography (Intense Violence, Bizarre Themes) in the meantime, but I needed to get back to the slow apocalypse that’s unfolding right now. The hitch was, This Plague of Days is an epic saga and it’s finished. It’s a great trilogy but I won’t add to it in hopes of cashing in more. That wouldn’t serve the reader or the story. 

I wanted to do something new in a similar vein, but with a much lighter tone. The new series is really fun with lots of laughs and action. Instead of a grim apocalyptic landscape, I found a way to enjoy the end of the world. (Hint: more jokes, swordplay and lattes compared to This Plague of Days.) 

                             Book Blurb & Cover For The Haunting Lessons

What are you working on next and when can we expect it?

The second book in the Ghosts & Demons Series hits at the end of April. As Donald Trump says, “It’s going to be huge.” I just quoted Donald Trump. I feel shame.

But go to AllThatChazz.com for podcasts and updates and deals and whatnot. I have a lot of whatnot in stock.


Are you a prepper with an apocalypse plan in place, or are you just going to wing it?

The apocalypse in real life is not much fun. No wifi? Unacceptable. There aren’t enough wet wipes in the world to get through the real thing without wanting to kill yourself. Where are you going to get a good bagel? Forget it. When the time comes, I’ll just seek vengeance on all my enemies in a bloody rampage. Then I’ll lie among the grateful dead. Better than to be among the ungrateful living.  

What’s your apocalypse/horror song?

Smile by Charlie Chaplin. It’s brilliant. Listen to it and you can smile and cry at the same time. Second choice would be Skillet’s Monster. (I identify in a happy way.)

All writers know that reviews are our gold, but are there any reviews—both good and bad—that have stuck with you?

I have an eidetic memory. Every review, good and evil, stays with me. I do not sleep. The worst review would be from my mom. She said in a careless moment that I probably wouldn’t amount to anything. She’s not wrong yet, but I have written sixteen books or so and um…. Is it dark in here? It feels dark in here.

Happy reading my little book whores!

Claire XXX

Tonight's #MiHM guest is a man called Blaze McRob.

Not only does he have a totally badass name, but for a man who writes such gruesome and scary tales, he's one of the sweetest people you could know.

He's been around the business for a long time under many different guises, but he's finally decided to come out and write as Blaze. And I for one am supremely excited about it.

Let me hand you over to him now :-)

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Blaze McRob has penned many titles under different names. It is time for him to come out and play as Blaze.

In addition to inclusions in numerous anthologies, he has written many novels, short stories, flash fiction pieces, and even poetry. Most of his offerings are Dark. However dark they might be, there is always an underlying message contained within. 

Join him as he explores the Dark Side. You know you want to.

Social Media Links

Website | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Facebook Author Page |

Facebook | Pen Of The Damned | Visionary Press |

What do you do when you’re not writing about the end of days or things that go bump in the night?

1. I edit and market for my co-owned Collaborative Press, Visionary Press Collaborative. Also, I spread the word about my author friends and other Press friends. And, I write more stories. Many more.


Tell me about your latest book, something unusual if possible.
Anything in particular that you want to say about it? Where did you draw the inspiration from? Favourite characters?

2. My latest book is a short story. I would rather talk about my upcoming novel. The edits are completed. I had two editors working on it, Quinn Cullen and Rebecca Boucher, and I merely need to sign off on them and have it published. It will be out in April. The title is '68 Buick. This novel is unlike any other Grim Reaper novel ever written. 

Believe it or not, a lot of real-life stuff zapped the gray matter and the tale just roared. The favorite characters are my children, who play a part, past lovers, a Voodoo Queen, Satan, and me. I am one of the heroes in this tale. I am the Grim Reaper. I love writing myself into my stories. It becomes personal between me and everything going on around me. 

This novel is non-stop action from the word go. Every chapter ends in a cliff-hanger, and the next one starts off blazing.

Book Blurb & Cover

What are you working on next and when can we expect it? 

3. My Ghoul novella Destiny Changed, should be out in a month or so. My novels Mists Of Papoose Pond, Ghost No More, and Quarter Moon Haunts will hopefully all be out before Halloween. They are all benefit novels and I don't want to waste precious time in which money could be raised. 100% of the proceeds go to charity. Two others go to charity, as well. All of these have sequels.

I am also writing another series based on Agent Orange. True psychological horror.

Also, I started a WWIII novel which takes place because of a lack of food.

Zack Kullis and I are hammering out a collection of short stories for Club Blaze. This collection is hard-core all the way. This will be true novel length. Zack is a great author. I am enjoying working with him immensely.

Did I mention my hundreds of short stories coming out as stand alones and in collections?

Are you a prepper with an apocalypse plan in place, or are you just going to wing it?

4. I'll wing it. I'm bad-ass all the way and am always prepared.

What’s your apocalypse/horror song?

5. I'll Be Damned by Cardinal. Their youtube video is fantastic.

What aspects of writing do you find the hardest?

6. Nothing about writing is hard. It's merely one word after the next. Put a picture in your head and write about it. The first draft doesn't have to be perfect. Go for the flow, the feel, the story. Polish it later.

Happy reading my little book whores!

Claire XXX

Aaah, Frank. Frank, Frank, Frank, *taps chin thoughtfully*
What can I say about Frank J. Edler that you can't garner yourself from his author photo?

Well, he runs a cool blog called Books, Beer and Blogshit. (no, that wasn't a typo) he likes, beer, books, blogs and sh.. woah, hang on a minute, let me just move this right along to his interview, I don't want to give you a misguided impression of him in any way.


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Frank J. Edler is a man. At least he likes to think so. When he’s not busy existentially examining his masculinity, he writes. He has short stories published in various anthologies including Strange Versus Lovecraft, Dying Days: Still Dying 2, Strange Fucking Stories as well as three instalments of the State of Horror anthology series. He has also published SCARED SILLY five frightening stories to tickle your funny bone. Frank resides in New Jersey and is desperately seeking a home for his first novel, BRATS IN HELL.


Social Media Links

Frank J. Edler on Facebook
Frank J. Edler on Twitter 
Frank J. Edler on Amazon
Frank J. Edler on Barnes and Noble
Frank J. Edler on GoodReads

What do you do when you’re not writing about the end of days or things that go bump in the night?

Ahh, the alter ego of the writer. I could embellish and say that during the day I am a mild mannered person of semi-importance, responsible for the health and well being of agricultural and green products not only on the eastern coast of the United States but also on a vast global scale. But, that’s boring.

Instead I will attempt to convince you that by day, I am the evil mastermind behind such things as Internet memes, click-bait news articles and trending hash tag topics on Twitter on a daily basis. I am responsible for everything that puts a bee in your social media bonnet on a daily basis. You’re Welcome.

You bang on quite a bit about writing something new and original in regards to horror, but do you not find that really, it’s all been done before anyway?

You had me at I bang.  (Of course I did! haha)

Yes, it’s all been done before. The trick is to twist what has been done before and fool the readers into thinking they are reading something fresh and new. And when you can’t fool ‘em you should at least try to lead them into believing they are reading a clever homage to such and such a movie, book, artwork, 60’s pornographic social statement, etc. etc.

Tell me a bout your latest book.
   
Book Blurb & Cover

From SCARED SILLY (“Old Scrote”)
 I looked at Brad who stared out the window with an astonished expression on his face. Who could blame him for his reaction? It's not every day that you see the half-rotted, reanimated corpse of a clown with a chewed up human scrotum hanging out of its mouth.

"I guess you're looking at Old Scrote?" I ask him with playful amusement.

Brad turned to me confused. "You've seen that one before? How long has it been walking around with balls hanging out of his mouth for?"

What are you working on next and when can we expect it?

I’ve written a few more short stories for submission to various anthologies. The best part is if they don’t find their way into their respective anthologies, they will wind up in my next short story collection.

Also, I’ve been working on my second novel (even though the first has yet to find a publication home.) It’s working title is DEATH GETS A BOOK. This follows the first character/story I had published and takes it to something full length and fun. I had such a big reaction to the character of Death I wrote in my first published story that I felt he was worth exploring more.

There is also a super secret collaboration I’m working on. The project is still in its infancy and I can’t comment on it further than that just yet. But when I can, you’ll be the 551st to know!                                                                                               


Are you a prepper with an apocalypse plan in place, or are you just going to wing it?

I work best on my toes. No plans. If I had to work off of a general outline I would have to say when the dung hits the fan, I will seek out all my fellow Men In Horror Month writer compatriots to form a band of superheroes. Together we will fight the ultimate force of the apocalypse, women!

  Let’s face facts. A woman will be responsible for the apocalypse. The only way to stop the onslaught of estrogen annihilation will be to pool our testosterone fuelled resources. It will be difficult. It will be the ultimate trial of our will and perseverance. I can’t promise anyone we will rise victorious. Those women and their estrogen, that’s some powerful stuff.

But win or lose, we will find one another. We will band as brothers. We will build man caves. There will be beer. There will be porn. There will be beards. Showers will be sporadic and we will consume copious amounts of meat (both raw and cooked.) We will slap metal on things for no other reason than to slap metal on things!

Who’s with me?!?!?!

Wait, what was the question?


What’s your apocalypse/horror song?

For me, the quintessential horror song is Dokken’s “Dream Warriors” from the Nightmare on Elm Street 3 soundtrack. Yes, it’s specific to one movie but damn it gets you going for just about any dark scenario you can throw at it!

All writers know that reviews are our gold, but are there any reviews—both good and bad—that have stuck with you?

I really try not to place much emphasis on reviews. Yes I know they are important to rankings and sales and all that stuff. But I think this culture of shilling for reviews and suggesting that readers owe it to indie writers to give reviews is just overdone.

Instead, I just want to be genuine. I want to write what I write, put it out there. Try to find an audience for the work without being a douche about it. Then, if reviews come in, they will be genuine. Not the result of begging and hounding and you’re grandma feeling bad for you.

As a reader, those are the types of reviews I look for in a sea of mumbo jumbo reviews that are all too prominent in indie book reviews. It’s easy to separate the gratuitous reviews from the ones that are genuine. Why harvest nonsense?

Does your family and friends read your work? (mine don’t hahaha)

They do. I don’t shove it down their throat. Any family or friends are just as aware of what I write as anyone else. I won’t ever place any emphasis on family and friends opinions of what I write because obviously they probably feel obligated to say all the right things.

My wife reads. But, she reads things completely different from what I write. She gets exposed to a lot of my works in progress but what I write just doesn’t ring true with what she likes. And that’s okay. It’s that way with most of my friends and family.

Even if they do like the stuff I write, I am still sceptical.  They are much to close to the project for me to appreciate their feedback. I am fortunate enough to have one friend who does and will give me the straight dope on what I write and tell me when he thinks it’s cheap, or shit or done before. Those types of friends are a treasure to have but still, their opinion doesn’t carry as much weight as a perfect stranger’s.

To me, a stranger’s opinion carries more weight. 

Dude, are you still reading this? Wow, cool. If I’ve grabbed your attention this long, why not check out my short story collection, SCARED SILLY. It’s always available at a dirt cheap price. I’d love a review as much as the next person but I would love it much more if you reached out to me through Facebook, Twitter or Email! Reach out, let’s touch one another!

Happy reading my little book whores!

Claire XXX

Anyone that follows me or my blog will know that I'm a big fan of todays guest. I've had the honour of working with Armand on a couple of projects now - Let's Scare Cancer to Death, Fading Hope & State of Horror Illinois, and I always feel honoured to have my name alongside his.

Not only is he a handsome devil with an awesome beard (or so he keeps telling me!) and loves M&M's and can't imagine a world without them (or at least not one that's worth living in) but he writes like a freaking machine! This man has racked up some serious word counts over the years and if you're serious about your reading and writing, he's someone that you should definitely take notice of.

Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he's not sleeping.

He's written over 100 stories that are currently available, including a few different series:

"Dying Days" extreme zombie series
"Keyport Cthulhu" horror series
"Flagler Beach Fiction Series" contemporary fiction
"Metal Queens" non-fiction music series

He also loves to talk in third person... because he's really that cool. He's a proud Active member of HWA as well. 
You can find him at http://armandrosamilia.com for not only his latest releases but interviews and guest posts with other authors he likes!
and e-mail him to talk about zombies, baseball and Metal: armandrosamilia@gmail.com

Social Media Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

What do you do when you’re not writing about the end of days or things that go bump in the night?

Who has time for anything else? I read a lot of nonfiction, I watch baseball games (go Red Sox!) and I eat way too much. I find myself thinking about food way too much, as well… if I could convert those hours into writing time I’d double my output each day.

 
Tell me about your latest book, something unusual if possible.

Anything in particular that you want to say about it? Where did you draw the inspiration from? Favourite characters?

My latest release is “Hollywood Hellmouth,” a horror comedy of sorts. What’s unique about it? Besides four of us writing it? (Jack Wallen, Brent Abell and Jay Wilburn and I joined forces to put this one together)… I’ve never written anything quite this goofy before, even though I have humor in so many of my stories. This was beyond goofy in parts, and then the horror element was ramped up a few notches. It was fun to write and should be fun to read.

Book Blurb & Cover

Solomon wanted to make the greatest horror movie ever. He was willing to do anything to make this a reality - even unleashing real, apocalyptic evil upon the Earth. Haunted bathrooms, Velvet Elvis gateways to Hell, demonic possession, problem actors, editing issues, social media, and Jimmy will plague his production, but nothing will stop his dreams. 

Horror Humor from one twisted writer is too much… imagine four of them getting together like grade school kids drawing naughty pictures on the bathroom wall… you’ve been warned. 

"After reading this, I can't believe I ever let him touch me." - Brent's wife 

"I couldn't read past the first chapter. What they did with Velvet Elvis is beyond bad taste!" - Armand's Wife 

"Seriously, I'm done. This book turned my husband into something I could no longer sleep with ... at least not without double bagging a hazmat suit. Vile and disgusting.” - Jack's Wife 

"My mother told me that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. And don't marry Jay. He seems off. I've already said too much." - Jay's Wife 

What are you working on next and when can we expect it?

I am working on 7 or 8 different projects right now. Always busy. “Dying Days 5” and “Hell’s Bells: Highway To Hell 2” are in first draft stages… I’m writing another movie adaptation (another zombie film)… the final book in the contemporary fiction “Flagler Beach Fiction Series” is almost done… a secret project with another author… an apocalyptic novella co-written with James Glass… a horror humour novella with Frank Edler… and a few more things.

What makes you want to write about dystopia/the apocalypse and or horror?

It is a metaphor for the world we live in, and I feel that with society at large… nah, writing about zombies and death and the world coming to an end is just really cool to write about.



Are you a prepper with an apocalypse plan in place, or are you just going to wing it?

My hope is to either be Patient Zero or die rather quickly. I am too fat and lazy to try to survive, and a world without M&M’s isn’t a world I want to live in.


What’s your apocalypse/horror song?

“Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t” by Anthrax… thrash metal song about zombies? Perfect together.

All writers know that reviews are our gold, but are there any reviews—both good and bad—that have stuck with you?

Nope. Because I never, ever, ever read reviews. Nothing good can come of it. Everyone has an opinion and if they love it… great. If they hate it? I don’t want to lose sleep over it. 

Happy reading my little book whores!

Claire XXX

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor), as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog), and other horror novels. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets).  She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dyeing her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.  

Social Media Links

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | LinkedIn |

Google+ | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Pinterest | Email |

What do you do when you’re not writing about the end of days or things that go bump in the night?

To relax after writing, I often play video games like Guild Wars 2, or binge watch television shows with my hubby. I also love to catch up with friends, window shop, and travel. I also tend to do a lot of research on the publishing business or for my latest work in progress. When you write full-time, you really never stop working. It drives my husband nuts that he’ll pause a show to get a drink, and I’ll immediately start doing something related to my writing.


Tell me about your latest book, something unusual if possible.

Dead Spots is a huge departure for me because it has nothing to do with traditional monsters. After the first few chapters, the book takes place in the world of dreams and nightmares where the manifestations of your mind become reality. I had a lot of fun researching dreams and chatting with my readers about their nightmares. I was surprised at how mundane a lot of those bad dreams actually are: getting to work late, missing a test, not being able to find your car, etc. My goal was to integrate some of the more dynamic nightmares into the story, and I found a way to get a lot of them into the narrative.

My main character, Mackenzie is completely devastated after the stillbirth of her son and the dissolution of her marriage, so her fears are especially horrific. There were a few times when I had to get up from my desk and shake the story off my shoulders for a few minutes. At times, the story would get really, really intense, and my imagination can be an evil thing.




Book Blurb & Cover

In the dead spots, dreams become reality, terror knows your name, and nightmares can kill you.

After a tragic stillbirth and a devastating divorce, Mackenzie has no choice but to start her life over. What should be a routine drive across Texas to her mother’s home becomes much more when a near-accident causes Mackenzie to stumble into a dead spot. Dead spots link the world of the living to the one of nightmares and dreams, where people are besieged by monsters and by situations born of highly personal fears.

Grant, her newfound companion, keeps her from spiraling into madness—he has survived decades in the dead spots’ dreadful landscape and vows that together they will find a way to escape.

With Grant’s guidance, Mac uses her will and life spark to restore abandoned buildings to their former glory, creating sanctuary for a night, or a day, or a few hours. But there is little respite in the dead spots. Horrible, unnatural birds snatch at Mackenzie’s few, precious reminders of her dead son. Graves open beneath her feet, attempting to swallow her whole. A killer clown lurks in the forest, eager for new prey.

Worse, death is not final in the dead spots. Even if a monster tears her apart, Mackenzie is doomed to return.

Friction between Mackenzie and Grant blooms when he cautions her against befriending others trapped in this nightmarish realm, yet she cannot ignore those who desperately need her help. As she learns more about the world, Mac starts to question who she can trust—and worse, to wonder who is real.

To escape the dead spots, Mackenzie will have to take a stand against her worst fears and fight to liberate herself and the survivors she’s come to care about.

What are you working on next and when can we expect it?

I’m wrapping up the last instalments of my supernatural serial, In Darkness We Must Abide. I’m finally bringing it to an end, and I’m very excited. I hope to have the finale available by the end of February. After that, I hope to finish The Lament of the Vampire Bride, the last book in my gothic horror trilogy set in the early 1800’s in Eastern Europe.

What makes you want to write about dystopia/the apocalypse and or horror?

My muse has sharp teeth and claws.

I really have no clue why these stories are born in my imagination while I sleep. They just show up in the brain matter. When I was very young, I had a great love of mysteries and wanted to be Agatha Christie. My muse had other designs.

I do like delving into an examination of the human condition under extreme circumstances. It is a much “safer” way to delve into difficult themes and concepts, but still have “fun” in the process.

Are you a prepper with an apocalypse plan in place, or are you just going to wing it?

I’m in Texas. We’re set. And honestly, if I was a prepper, I’d have the bad luck to be elsewhere when it all went down. Also, I’m not going to let fear rule over my life. I want to enjoy what the world has to offer and not worry about venturing far from home. If any sort of apocalypse happens, I just hope to be with my loved ones.

What’s your apocalypse/horror song?

I’ve never thought about it, honestly. How about “I’m Only Happy When It Rains” by Garbage. That works!

I believe that the horror genre is way more accepting of female horror writers now, what’s your take on it.

When I started off in 2005 writing my zombie story that would become the As The World Dies trilogy (The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege) and posting it online, there was a lot of pushback because of my gender and my two female protagonists. It was really rough at first. Some of the more respected male authors on the site really gave me hell. They went out of their way to make me feel unwelcome. They were the minority, but it hurt. Later, one of them apologized and admitted he’d tried to tear me down because he feared I was a better writer than him.

When I first self-published The First Days in 2008, again, there really weren’t many women writing about zombies. We were few and far between. Also, if there was even a whiff of romance or sex in our books, we were labelled Harlequin romances with zombies. It was very infuriating. Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead is full of sex, romantic betrayals, and love triangles, but no one would ever day say that about him. I wasn’t too sure if it was an issue with the zombie subgenre, or with the horror genre as a whole, but it could be really disheartening.

There is a rich legacy of women writing horror from Mary Shelley to Shirley Jackson to Ann Rice, so it’s odd that there’s any sort of prejudice against females in the genre. I do occasionally see it directed at me in offhanded comments from both men and women that are along the lines of, “Oh, I didn’t expect such a scary story from a woman. It was really good.”

Now there are so many women in the zombie subgenre, I do think the mockery from some elements of the readership has significantly died down.  But overall, we probably have a little ways to go before a female name on the cover doesn’t give certain people pause.

Happy reading my little book whores!

Claire XXX