BLAZING OWL PRESS NEWSLETTER: NUMBER FOUR

 

This newsletter comes a bit late. Hurricane Helene decided to pay a visit to my town. The horrific winds and rain uprooted many huge trees in the area and did significant damage to homes, businesses, and roads. Needless to say, the power and internet were down for some time.  

Don't take this as a whining post. It's not. My wife and I certainly had some annoying moments, but we came through it just fine. We learned a few things from our experience and want to pass them on.

First of all, we are preppers. Not fringe type ones. Simply people who like to be ready in case stuff happens. We had plenty of canned goods on hand to eat and some freeze-dried food which we never had to touch. Some of the food in our freezer and fridge was edible. Yes, we lost some, but not a lot. The fact that we had a butane camp stove was invaluable. Not only for food. I was able to have my two mugs of coffee in the morning. Plus, we were able to read in the dark with our clip-on reading lights. That gave us the opportunity to catch up on some reading and writing. 

We had flashlights and batteries to help us get around in the dark. The only thing we didn't have was battery powered fans. As soon as the power returned, we ordered and received some. It was rather hot in the apartment. 

So, I would suggest that to weather out a storm, so to speak, that a few commonsense things be done. Keep a ready source of food, canned and freeze-dried on hand. Have battery operated fans and heaters, if it's cold. Make sure you have radios on hand. Butane camp stoves are great to have. Stock up on your medication. Stay off roads whenever possible: not only to avoid dangerous driving conditions but to stay out of the way of emergency vehicles. Have a good supply of bottled water on hand. You'll need it. Read a few preppers magazines and books. 

If the emergency alert people tell you to leave the area, do it. Keep a bug-out bag handy in your car. You might just need it. 

Another big plus is to restock your emergency equipment after an event. Add in things you wished you had along the last time (such as the battery-operated fans I mentioned before). The way the weather patterns are changing, no area is completely safe anymore. Be as prepared as you can. Think ahead.

Blaze

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My Woman In Horror post this week is for Suzie Lockhart. It's from a few years back. I'll be posting some new postings for her soon. She's still an active lady.

Here's the link;

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4527027449764294729/4052035503536380394

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https://www.amazon.com/Space-Crazy-Dars-Adventures-Book-ebook/dp/B006Q9M6CE/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Take a look at the book review I did a while back for Space Crazy, by K. Rowe. I love this fantastic novel!

Blaze McRob

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Book description:

     The Ontarrin Galaxy is a rough and tumble place. Young Dar Meltom knows this for fact. As the half breed offspring of an incredibly unlikely joining between an Earthling male and a Satiren female, he knows what fighting is all about. Having spent his childhood on Erotis 3 getting into fights because he was different, Dar’s only solace comes from watching the stars. He’s crazy about them. He dreams about them, and secretly wishes he could be among them.

     His mother, Denrika, knows her son is at a disadvantage. Living in a purebred society, his chances for getting a job after he graduates school are slim. Until one day, a large alien strolls into the general store where she works. His name is Gwog, and he’s captain of the space freighter Cunik. Little does he know, Denrika will convince him that he needs another crew member—a seventeen-year-old half breed with his head in the stars.

     Dar joins the crew of the Cunik and quickly learns that space life isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. After being on board only a few days, he’s stricken with Skrinnian fever and nearly dies. Gwog and Karnis nurse him back to health, and then he learns more important lessons about death, pirates, love, and the value of the friends he’s made. Until such time as he’s on his own, Dar absorbs everything Gwog teaches him. Then, one night, a game of Sirrixian poker changes his life forever…

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5 out of 5 stars

Space Crazy Rocks!

By Robert C. Nelson on January 21, 2012

Format: Kindle Edition

K. Rowe is my FAVORITE writer of sci-fi! Wham! The lady knows how to spin an in and out of this world tale that is funny, sexy, intriguing, and filled with suspense and battle scenes. Dar Melton, the hero in this tale, is a young man who has been picked on because of the fact he is different: half earthling and half Satiren. Even in the outer reaches of the universe, bullies exist, and they pick on people just because they're not the same as them.

But Dar's mother hopes to change all of that and give her son a chance in an unfair world. At the young age of 17, he joins up with the crew of a space freighter and becomes a man; and a proud warrior.

That's all I can say without ruining the story for you, but if you love a great action-packed sci-fi tale, grab this story and the ones to come in the series.

Oh, yeah! It doesn't get any better than this!

P.S.

This Robert Nelson guy is actually me.

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HSNB6YJ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

Hearse Full of Verse, by Blaze McRob, is now available for your reading pleasure. This book is dedicated to aficionados of offbeat poetry. There is nothing in this collection that might be considered mainstream. After all, I must maintain my rather crusty image. 

The book description below is quite apt for the occasion:

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Rhymes will take you into Hell

Blazin' Bard McRob do tell

Many's the night we'll lie awake

After verse hearse ride we take.

Come along for horror trip

Blaze pledges screams from you he'll rip.

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I must thank Terri DelCampo for the most scintillating cover art. I find the black and yellow to create just the right ambiance.

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Happy reading!

Blaze McRob

BLAZING OWL PRESS NEWSLETTER: NUMBER THREE

 

Another week. Another newsletter. This time around, I'll start out by adding to my last post. 

I've discovered another hitch that occurs when an author goes with a publisher, large or small. Sometimes, the publisher will remove either the paper version or the eBook from the market. Sometimes both. If a writer is counting on receiving paper books to sell at book signings and they no longer exist, they're up the creek without a paddle. Not having an eBook copy for sale is also troubling. You lose either way. This has happened to many authors I know. Heck, it's happened to me. At one time I sold a lot of books in bars using my buy a book and receive a free beer routine. I sold a lot of books that way. Of course, I got my books at a reduced price, thus I was able to pass the savings to my customers. It was a win/win for everyone. Of course, the books have to be on hand. This is simply another thing that writers need to consider. Don't get screwed. 

With all the merging going on with the so-called big boys, nothing is safe there. Once again, I speak from experience. I'll never publish with them anymore. Nor will I go with smaller presses. I've mentioned this before. This is up to every author, of course. 

Another possibility exists with online books available to be read by patrons of libraries. I've sold some like that. However, sometimes one can wind up in an area where books in certain genres are not readily accepted. I've moved to an area like that. I live in Bible Belt Georgia. There aren't as many horror fans here as I encountered in Wyoming. However, I do write in many genres and intend to explore the possibilities. My library uses Overdrive which is one of the bigger purveyors of eBooks. And yes, one can get money for this. I'm going to a local author book signing on Saturday and I'll ask some authors I know if they take advantage of this. I'll let you know if I come up with anything to pass on.

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I see a lot of authors who go the Amazon Kindle Unlimited route. I tried it for a very short time and didn't like it. Going wide is the way to go in my estimation. Putting all your eggs in one basket isn't smart. For example, in Canada Kobo books are big. Just saying.

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Since my last newsletter, I've stopped posting on X/Twitter. Why? There's too much garbage being passed around there. Yes, I stayed out of the arguments and all, but there are a lot of things I just can't condone there anymore. I know it will kill me as far as the algorithms go, but I feel I don't want my conscience to be sullied by a billionaire's ravings. Enough said about that.

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My Woman In horror this week is Cindy Keen Reynders. Go to

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4527027449764294729/7306249698646264836

and read the post there. She writes great horror and detective tales. You don't want to miss out on her great offerings.

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https://www.amazon.com/Even-Hell-Has-Standards-Pride-ebook/dp/B00JI9OH6M/ref=cm_rdp_product_img

I have a book review I wrote a while back for Even Hell Has Standards: Pride, written by Chantal Noordeloos. Chantal has a wonderful way with words. She brings you into her stories in a most delightful way. Make sure you check out this great book as well as her other tales of horror. They are all great.

Blaze McRob

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Book description:

Sometimes life brings out the worst in a person, but Adolf Zakerny was born for evil. After a life of torment and murder, all in the name of Hell, it’s time for Zakerny to take his place amongst the demons. Will the blood he spilled appease the charismatic Lord of Hell, or will Zakerny’s Pride come to a fall?

‘Pride’ is the first of seven short stories in the ‘Even Hell Has Standards’ series, where Chantal Noordeloos takes the reader through the darker side of human nature, and it’s road to redemption. This is Hell as you’ve never seen it before.

Robert C. Nelson

5.0 out of 5 starsDon't Believe In Hell? You Will Now!

April 24, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Chantal Noordeloos has come up with the perfect tale for those who do not believe in Hell. Her story is filled with plenty of gore and sadism, but it is the psychological horror which comes to the fore-front. Take one truly evil human, Adolf - even her choice of a name for the antagonist in this romp through the worst of what an entity could possibly foist upon his fellow humans is perfect - add pride which exceeds no known limits, mix well, and wham! We are blessed with a story which will most likely have theologians shaking their heads, wagging fingers, and spouting venom when perhaps they might see that maybe, just maybe, Chantal has hit upon something . . . something which could possibly be.

Am I saying the Gospel According To Chantal Noordeloos is true? Of course not. This is a fiction tale of horror, and the author is not bandying about any new dogma. What she does do, as any great author does, is open the reader's mind to the possibility of truth within the story. By creating a story line which appears to be reasonable, the reader is drawn into its intricate meanderings of what is to happen next to this man Adolf, a man who fears no one and is truly not repentant for his sins.

Does Adolf win? Does Satan win? Or does God win? Oh, me lads and lassies, that is not for me to say. Read this great story and get carried away within conceptual beliefs you may have never heard before. This book pushes the limits, but in the most delightful of ways.

Are you tired of fluff? Do you wish to read a thinking person's story, yet one filled with a telling and hypnotic spell? Chantal Noordeloos has written what you are looking for. Embrace the words of a master at her craft.

Even Hell Has Standards: Pride, will not let you down!

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The art piece for this week is the cover art for That Bobbie Kid, a gritty book I wrote a while back. Terri DelCampo's artwork explains what the book is about. This is her number one book for positive comments for cover art.

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JUST WRITE

I posted this on my website a while back. It's still good advice I believe. In this post, I added what Terri DelCampo has to say about the subject. I hope you pick up a few pointers.                                                 

Do you want to be an author? Just write. Easy peasy. You don't have the time? Horseshit. We all have time. I worked at many jobs at the same time, not having a day off for nine years. I still wrote. I wanted to, so I did it. In twenty-something years, I wrote and had some seventy-five ghostwritten novels published.

There are many moments you can use as writing time. Get up early and write. Do you work at a desk job? Write at lunch while you're eating. Carry a little notebook or tape recorder and take notes. Put the notes together and you'll have a story. Write at the end of the day when the kids are asleep. I think you can see a pattern here.

Why am I writing this now? Simple. Some folks have been bombarding me about how they want to be a writer but can't find the time. Writing takes no time. If you want to get published and sell some books, that's a different matter. This quickie post is not about that. More to come about that later, as with other articles I have written about it in the past.

Prioritize. If you don't want to be a writer, then don't write. If you do: write.

If you're still reading my discourse, and you want to be a writer, you're in luck. I'm finished. Time for you to write. I want to see your books bandied about so I can tell the world about them.

Happy writing.

Blaze McRob

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 I love this scene from Finding Forrester. Excellent movie for aspiring writers, or even writers who need a motivation nudge.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLBEFvMkQCo This scene epitomizes how I feel about writing. If you're a writer, you write. Simple as that. I never go anywhere without paper and pen. Period. Don't even need a computer or typewriter. Pen and paper. Simple. In the house, in the car, on the beach, anywhere. From the time I was eleven. No matter what was going on in my life, I wrote. Because I am and always have been a writer.

Reasons that people give you for not writing are bullshit. I got up at 4:30 in the morning when my kids were very little and wrote 6 screenplays that way. Later when I worked for my husband's plumbing business and still had kids to raise, I stayed up until midnight and one in the morning. Wrote my first two novels that way. Then I worked full-time after my separation and divorce and wrote my third novel by not flopping on the sofa and watching TV when I got home from work.

After my car accident and being rendered disabled, I began self-publishing my magazine Owl's Eye View online, and last year I self-published my seven novels, three novellas, multiple short story collections, and Best Of collections from the magazine columns on Kindle (some 30 books). There's time. Carpe Diem, people. Or Carpe Noctem. Just don't carpe bullshit excuses. Just write!

Terri DelCampo

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That's it for this week! Hope you enjoyed this newsletter.

Blaze

BLAZING OWL PRESS NEWSLETTER: NUMBER TWO

We're back again for our second newsletter. This week I'll start out with a question.

I've noticed that a large number of writers I engaged with over the years are no longer around. I realize that much has changed in the publishing business, but many people have seemingly just given up. Did they simply lose interest in writing? Some authors told me they simply got tired of the wonky website crap. I eased off on certain posts of mine because it seemed to me that a lot of people were in attack mode and got downright nasty. My reaction was to simply ignore them and stick to sharing stuff about fellow authors. Even at that, I'd get some people telling me on my own posts that I was wrong. Idiocy. After a while, I realized I didn't have to respond back to them. For the most part, that did the trick. I don't think there's any one solution to handling this. It is what it is. Some people are like that. Others aren't.

Unfortunately, others were ponied up to a press which went under and didn't get their rights back so they could republish their books. Of course, this would leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth. Read the fine print on your contract when you sign on the dotted line. Make sure the rights belong to you. I always have, and I'm certainly happy I followed my instincts. The position I'm in now is a good one. I write what I want to write, when I want to write it. I like being in charge of my work.

To get back to the part about civility, here's a post I wrote a while back about it.

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I tend to get highly agitated by some people. I don’t mind folks having a difference of opinion from mine. That’s their right. But for them to get rude is an entirely different thing.

There are a lot of inconsiderate people popping up in the various groups on Facebook and elsewhere lately. I'm concerned mainly with writers groups. As an example, one author posted her book cover of a soon to be published novel. This should have been a happy time for her, right? It wasn't. Some guy blasted her over it saying it was horrible. I remembered him posting other things of the like in the past. He's rather opinioned, rude, and it seems he sells book covers. Hmm. I checked his credentials and didn't think his covers were all that good. My opinion, of course. Other authors said the same thing. Their covers were also not worth bragging about in my eyes. They were not horrible, but not great either. One guy liked the cover the woman had. Me? I also liked the cover. Obviously, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Unless you just wish to bring someone down, that is.

The same thing can be found with people finding flaws with formatting, editing, and much more. People come out of the woodwork to attack their peers. Wow! Why? No one is perfect. Remember that. As a rule of thumb, read the free sample on Amazon for a book and base your decision on that.

I am an editor as well as an author. As such, I see some great work and some that is lacking. Thank goodness I don't have to tell individuals when their work is not up to par. Another person handles that part. When I review a book for someone, I only give 5Star or 4Star reviews. If the work doesn't warrant such, I don't bother to leave a review. If the author knows I've read the book and asks me about it, I'll tell her/him in private. Yes, I get some authors who tell me I'm wrong, but I don't care. They asked, and I told them.

Another thing that irritates me are people with high noses who have won many awards and try to lord it over the authors they consider to be beneath them. Sorry, people. I read for the content and not the celebrity. In fact, there are many authors who people love that I just can't get into. Their tastes; my tastes. No one is right or wrong. Also, there is still some stigma attached to self-published authors and their books. There shouldn't be. A good book is a good book. Plain and simple. We don't need gatekeepers anymore. Those days are over.

I suggest that if you want to say something to help out a fellow author that you do it in private and do it in a constructive manner. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut. There's too much negativity in this world today.

One of my author friends was attacked by about one hundred people who objected to the cover of her book and said some vile things online. I won’t mention the author or explain the cover, but these retards stepped over the line with their threats and insults. This was from supposedly God-fearing people on some agenda. We don’t need attacks from these self-righteous clowns.

Another thing that came to my attention was a major attack on a large Facebook group. This is supposedly a responsible group which is not tolerant of writers being slammed because of color, sexual preference, for being anti or pro religion, or gender equality. You get the idea. Everyone appeared to be after everyone else. It got to be quite infantile before it was over. And, for a writers group, there were many illiterate people. That’s another thing I get angry with. If an author posts something, they should put up one with no incorrect words or misspellings. I look at that and never bother to buy their books.

Thank you for reading this.

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My artist this week is Peggy Szasz. She is a master with quilt art. Because Facebook and I don't play nice with each other when it comes to sharing pictures, I'm sending you a link to her Facebook page where you can see some of her stupendous quilts. You'll love them!

https://www.facebook.com/peggy.szasz 

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My Woman In Horror Post this week is a very interesting one where I interviewed JD Phillips. Take a read. I'm sure you'll enjoy what this lady has to say.

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4527027449764294729/5501000319026198085

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Romantic Shadows is this week's pick of books published by Blazing owl Press. It's a special book for Terri Delcampo and me.

https://books2read.com/u/31rapl

Romantic Shadows, by Terri DelCampo and Blaze McRob, is a collection published by Blazing Owl Press on our wedding anniversary back in 2016. We eased up a bit on our usual horror fare and wrote some romance-themed short stories and poems. Yes, there are certainly elements of horror contained within, but that is not all we present in this tome. Lovers are reunited in magical ways, the Dance Of Love soothes yearning hearts, and much more.

We hope you enjoy the softer side of horror we share with you here.

Blaze McRob

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True love drowned by stormy seas?

Nun and lover brought to knees.

Wig transforms a broken girl.

Lady killed by shrapnel hurled.

Lambada's passion warms the soul.

Tears in heaven are wrath's toll.

Like seeks like when soulmates meet.

Poe's adoring shadow greets.

Will child be mother's resurrection?

Powwow lovers pose for perfection.

Artists' souls joined with paint eternal.

Chilesa's life raft is infernal.

Moon beams and lovers dream – forever

All in this tome – a dark romance endeavor.

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Cover art and poem above done by Terri DelCampo

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https://www.amazon.com/Gothic-Revival-Carson-Buckingham/dp/0692219412?ref_=ast_author_dp&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.g7RgD5C-EZJ8aqF7vyPxcHsbVYaY8CVEHGDG9fG6UwEr8PUpS7Vxk0DMMO9F-Yun9VFwwxRv81Sw9aRXtt85-A0C6CVUU0yGu9PBwbkgRvAJ5IZvu0Phl_1UbXOBqZ0hFOylA6zgcfeavDJCZ6PCn-FSgHGr53Iwx0WaozAgsggW7g5UDtULmZLroaz11Fiu15t0hY830535Ig7-wzA_JU6pQw7Njqg-oEBb_cySME8.LH5aW2defAAzsk1Q6h9gmjZA5HNo3kU-5vJNSvRg_BU&dib_tag=AUTHOR

Here's my book review for Gothic Revival, by Carson Buckingham. This is a great novel!

Blaze McRob

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Book description:

Alex and Leo Renfield are a husband and wife contractor team who’ve recently moved to the village of Woodhaven, Connecticut to escape the chaos of life in New York. Pretty close to broke, they meet Theodora Hamilton, a somewhat unsavory and odd individual, who offers them an astronomical amount of money to repaint the first floor of her family home.

But along with the huge paycheck comes a set of unsettling rules that must be followed explicitly if they are to accept the offer; one of which is they must reside on the property having no direct contact with the outside world until the job is complete.

Is Theodora Hamilton just an eccentric woman with a peculiar way of doing things, or is there a more sinister agenda that Alex and Leo are unaware of? What exactly does she have in store for this down-on-their-luck couple who have no choice but to accept the offer and the strange requirements that come along with it?

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5.0 out of 5 stars Gothic Revival Is Carson Buckingham's Masterpiece!,

By Robert C. Nelson

Edit Review

Delete Review

Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Gothic Revival (Kindle Edition)

Gothic Revival, by Carson Buckingham, is the author's best work to date. One would think a 536 page novel would have some slow, drawn-out sections, but not for Carson. She is a master at Gothic story-telling and knows how to keep the story moving.

I am particularly impressed by the fact there is no elaborate over-description involved. To me, that is boring. Give me some action; some psychological horror. Carson gives the reader all the description she/he needs without describing every useless tid-bit a reader doesn't want to know.

How does she do this? Through her skillful use of dialogue. Too many authors are totally without dialogue skills. Carson could write a non-fiction book on the subject. But then again, anyone who reads Gothic Revival will see what I'm talking about. Her dialogue is written the way people actually talk. Fancy the concept! She has hit upon a secret so simple that it eludes far too many authors.

Now I come to a part of Carson's writing that I really enjoy. Her sense of humor. What, you ask, humor in Gothic horror? You betcha. Once more, Master Carson Buckingham comes riding along on her trusty steed and delivers the right amount of humor at the perfect time. Superb!

Take dialogue unmatched by any author past or present, add in humor, suspense, romance, and a foreboding creepy feeling polishing it all off, and you have Carson Buckingham.

You will notice my review does not tell you the details of the story. Yikes! Why do that? Read the description and the free sample for that. I'm here to tell you about the author's skills. Of that, Carson has many. Besides, I wanted to blurt out some goodies, but that would have been a spoiler. Not my style.

Gothic Revival is a masterpiece!

 

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That's it for this week! I hope everyone got something out of this newsletter.

Blaze McRob

BLAZING OWL PRESS NEWSLETTER: NUMBER ONE

 

This is the first newsletter for Blazing Owl Press. We'll be running it weekly on our press website and on Patreon. It won't be only exclusive to books and articles by Terri DelCampo and Blaze McRob. We'll be sharing the great stuff that many other great authors, artists, and more are doing. Also, we're not limiting the newsletter to the horror genre only. I hope you'll find some fantastic people to add to your must-follow list.

I want everyone to know right off the bat that this is not a newsletter that will delve into politics or religion. Maybe, just maybe, some of what we believe may be in some of our writings. Or not. Fiction can be a tricky mother.

This newsletter will be divided into many segments. The past, present, and future. Here it comes.

Blaze 

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Many authors believe that Amazon is the only game in town. It's not. While they're the big boys of the publishing industry, they're not the only ones. Neither do I believe that the Big Five is the way to go. I've had books published by big name publishers before, and I'll never do it again. An author loses control of their work with them, I believe. Also, if you're an indie author, you get a bigger piece of the pie. A novel author friend of mine was only getting 7&1/2 % for each book sold. That's crap.

Me? All my new writing is being done on Patreon now. That's the way it will be for the remainder of 2024. Perhaps longer. My account there is https://www.patreon.com/Blaze_McRob

Draft2Digital is another good option if you wish to go wide. https://www.draft2digital.com/

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Here's a link to a Woman In Horror post I wrote for Dona Fox a while back. She is a superb master of the craft.

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4527027449764294729/5072061380251534006

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Terri DelCampo has been doing some great artwork, not only for our book covers, but for Fine Art America and local places in the city we live in. Here is one of her many pieces.

https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4527027449764294729/1566935780010902067

These are some cute critters!

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Peg the Egg: An Introductory Resource to Allergens, Allergies & Anaphylaxis

by Amy L Marley

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=amy+marley&i=stripbooks&crid=22GAP4XP43CGU&sprefix=amy+marley%2Cstripbooks%2C90&ref=nb_sb_noss

Peg the Egg is an introductory resource for kids of all ages to read with their parents, families, teachers, carers or specialists.

Information is presented with photographic illustrations to ensure there is no room for "make-believe".

A clear reminder that allergies are REAL. Reactions are REAL 

Each of us is at different stages and plays various roles along the allergy journey, a journey nobody processes in precisely the same way. With that in mind, Pete the Peanut is a resource that is designed to dip in and out of as opportunities along their unique relationship living with allergies are presented. 

While there is no one size fits all approach, the most important thing we can do is to educate our children with as much information as we possibly can. Bearing in mind each child's individual readiness to absorb and use while navigating their worlds and their lives. Expanding their understanding and assessing their personal risks as they experience, grow and learn, not only for themselves but for others around them too. 

We can't allergy-proof the world but we can use our voices and share information as a powerful way to expand the awareness of allergies. In doing so, we empower children living with allergies to self-advocate in a world filled with distractions. 

You'll love reading this cute book written about a serious matter. Amy does a great job explaining about food allergies. It is a must read!

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LIVING GREEN: WHY SILENT SPRING, BY RACHEL CARSON, IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT BOOK TO READ: BY BLAZE MCROB

Painting by Vi Huntley-Franck

Today, I’m going to suggest a great book to read for those of you concerned with pollution, climate change, and being a responsible human. I’ll be adding in more as my Living Green series continues.

I’ll start with the book that started it all off for environmentalists everywhere. Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson.

https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Spring-Rachel-Carson-ebook/dp/B004H1UELS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3PR4AL4QSG5CZ&keywords=silent+spring+rachel+carson&qid=1644716283&s=books&sprefix=silent%2Cstripbooks%2C95&sr=1-1

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was first published in three serialized excerpts in the New Yorker in June of 1962. The book appeared in September of that year and the outcry that followed its publication forced the banning of DDT and spurred revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. Carson’s passionate concern for the future of our planet reverberated powerfully throughout the world, and her eloquent book was instrumental in launching the environmental movement. It is without question one of the landmark books of the twentieth century. 

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Silent Spring, released in 1962, offered the first shattering look at widespread ecological degradation and touched off an environmental awareness that still exists. Rachel Carson's book focused on the poisons from insecticides, weed killers, and other common products as well as the use of sprays in agriculture, a practice that led to dangerous chemicals to the food source. Carson argued that those chemicals were more dangerous than radiation and that for the first time in history, humans were exposed to chemicals that stayed in their systems from birth to death. Presented with thorough documentation, the book opened more than a few eyes about the dangers of the modern world and stands today as a landmark work. --This text refers to an alternate kindle edition edition.

First published by Houghton Mifflin in 1962, Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of indiscriminate use of pesticides, spurring revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. “Silent Spring became a runaway bestseller, with international reverberations . . . [It is] well crafted, fearless and succinct . . . Even if she had not inspired a generation of activists, Carson would prevail as one of the greatest nature writers in American letters” (Peter Matthiessen, for Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Century).

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This is a great book which should be read by every person on the planet. We must not allow giant industries to pollute at will, solely for the purpose of making money. When Rachel Carson wrote this book, she was attacked mercilessly by the killer barons who couldn't care less if untold numbers of people died because of their greed. She fought these people to the grave. Read her book and learn what true dedication to a cause is all about.

Blaze McRob 

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Here's a post I did a while back. I believe it's still relevant today.

WRITING IS EASY

Writing Is Easy! What, you ask? How can writing possibly be easy? Writing is one word after another. That's it. There's nothing difficult about that.

Someone in the back is shaking their head, thinking that I'm an idiot. No problem with that. That's his right. He can even leave the room and I won't care.

Ah, you ask. "What are the words?" Again: simple. Put a picture in your head of the story you want to write. Write about that picture. If you have no story in your mind, forget about writing. Writing is easy, but only if you have a tale to spin. I get one simple thought in my brain, many times a sentence, or even a single word. Wham! Go from there.

As an example: in an upcoming novel, I think about my garage. I sleep in the garage because my wife is a bitch. The start of the picture in the gray matter is forming. Other senses come into play. Mice pitter-patter around and they make me think of rats from 'Nam. A presence forms, cutting off my air supply; a moldy stench surrounds it. This is not the first time this has happened, but this time . . . this time something is different. What? It talks to me this time. It never has before.

See what I mean? One word, garage, got into my mind and horror surrounds me. No build up needed. Pure action from the beginning.

Some people will rebel against what I'm saying next. Do not outline! It kills the flow of your story.

Let your tale roll unfettered and free. I never know how my stories will end. That's the fun of writing. Let your story people determine the outcome.

Do not worry about perfection in your first draft. Just write a story that flows. Don't worry about anything else. Hemingway said the first draft of anything is shit. He was right. So concentrate on the story first, and then polish in your next drafts.

Now, your story is done, and a grand tale it is. Except for one thing. It sucks! The story itself is great, but it needs some serious editing. Comma splices abound. There's not enough white space. You have over-used words; you are redundant. Mark in chapter one is Matthew in chapter ten.

Now what? You work on your edits first. Don't annoy your friends and ask them to be beta readers. Do the job yourself. Read your story out loud as you edit. That will help with your commas. Over and over again, do your edits. When you are satisfied you have a good story, send it to an editor. An author is too close to her/his own story to do it justice in the final edits.

Okay, I'm sure many of you have heard the old beta reader thing over and over again from friends. They are not editors. Hire an editor. There are many good ones out there and they will not all gouge you. Many have great rates.

If you are going to self-publish, get a great cover artist. Don't go half-ass here. It is very important. Also, consider doing books with interior art scattered about. It is impressive, and a lot of Publishers are doing it.

Have someone who knows what they are doing, do your formatting. Make certain you check everything out before you publish your tale.

Happy writing to everyone!

Blaze

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Next week I'll add in more of the great authors I know, more articles, and more art. Let me know what else you want me to write. 

Thank you for reading.

Blaze McRob

  

THURSDAY DELIGHT: BOOK REVIEW FOR - MEET ME IN MAINE - BY SUSANNE LEIST

 

https://www.amazon.com/Meet-Me-Maine-Book-Harbor-ebook/dp/B0972C155B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=TWB6FLYR3Q5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JlXMSdoLxxPC1YxIN6E52EVOwVlsLez_WjeoJeTOre1G-aLz7OrUfgt9kl0zPDe5g1kPZASsKqsZb7gWbrEMHToHRpDa1L-OALfMXVI9MafNn_sqmnkeEUCzezHUWNVfya4sISpbNfs1D0_NiZd0sF3GOqCQmGtrbqb6kkQdpMLdxFw6tr7DQ_p8rC6Zu5InZGdaSEtGfsX740G1P6E5BA.NcCQfsNPue4yrmgApHaYSrqgAppnuZmBG1Ik8FIEYgg&dib_tag=se&keywords=meet+me+in+maine&qid=1721329492&s=books&sprefix=meet+me+in+maine%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-1

This is my book review for Meet Me In Maine: Book One of The Blue Harbor Series, by Susanne Leist.

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Book description:

Elizabeth Reading and Scarlett Harding travel to Blue Harbor, Maine, hoping to find a bed-and-breakfast to buy and a peaceful town. What they discover instead is much more sinister…

When they visit the local ice cream parlor, a man rushes through the doorway, clutching his throat and dying in a pool of blood. Chief Lively and two men, David Hunt and Logan Rayne, interrogate Elizabeth and Scarlett. Elizabeth stares at the dashing, blue-eyed David, stunned she agreed to a date with him just hours ago.

Elizabeth wants to pack her bags and visit other harbor towns, but Scarlett insists on keeping their appointment. They fall in love with the quaint bed-and-breakfast and sign the papers a few days later.

Once they settle into the inn, strange incidents plague Blue Harbor. At Scarlett’s date with Jonathan Hale, the charming ice cream parlor owner, a woman’s head explodes at the next table. A suspicious explosion rocks the harbor, destroying boats and part of the dock. Their fears mount as an intruder breaks into the inn.

The curse placed by the Penobscot Indians on the original settlers and descendants of Blue Harbor has returned with a violent twist.

Have Elizabeth and Scarlett put their lives in danger by dating two of Blue Harbor’s descendants? Should they sell the inn or stay and fight the curse alongside David, Logan, and Jonathan?

*****

Five stars from Blaze McRob!

I love the state of Maine, and I'm fascinated with Penobscot Indian lore, so it was quite a natural thing for me to purchase Meet Me In Maine. The more I read, the more I was pulled into the story. Blue Harbor, the locale where the story unfurls, is a charming little town, but is also a cursed town filled with many mysteries. I very much enjoyed the fast-paced action that Susanne Leist brought into this novel. From start to finish, chaos reigned. My kind of story!

Elizabeth and Scarlett have to battle back against murders, explosions, a wonky police chief who constantly gets in the way of solving crimes, and much more. I don't want to get too explicit with my descriptions because they will take away from your reading enjoyment. There are many what the hell moments in this novel. Just when you think you have everything figured out, you find out you're wrong again. 

Anything can and does happen in this tome, so don't start reading with the idea you'll chip away at any clues that might line your reading pathway. I certainly never expected to read most of what was spread out before me.

If you like fast-paced, suspense, horror, mystery, and paranormal tales, with romance thrown in for good measure, you'll be sure to enjoy Meet Me In Maine. 

******

From Susanne Leist:

A career in writing has been an enormous leap for me. Accustomed to the number-crunching field of budgeting and the hectic commodity markets, I left my first career and M.B.A. in Finance behind to pursue my dream. However, I do not regret my foray into literature for one moment. I write every day and have even tried my hand at poetry. So don’t let anyone tell you it’s too late in life to try something different. It is never too late to follow your heart.

THE DEAD GAME SERIES brings fantasy and surrealism to the classic murder mystery with dead bodies, suspects, and clues. In addition, it offers vampires and a touch of romance to spice the motley mix.

MEET ME IN MAINE, the first book in THE BLUE HARBOR SERIES, provides the backdrop for murder, mystery, and romance in a seaside town. Love falters and flourishes as the residents fight the persistent evil plaguing their small-town lives.

Sit back, put up your feet, and let me bring mystery and romance to your lives.

PARLIAMENT - BY TERRI DELCAMPO

 

https://www.amazon.com/Parliament-Terri-DelCampo-ebook/dp/B00OF86A7A/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2GBRW03JE15GA&keywords=terri+delcampo&qid=1641565785&s=books&sprefix=terri+delcampo%2Cstripbooks%2C83&sr=1-6

Terri DelCampo has brought many tales written by her to Blazing Owl Press. I'm sure readers have noticed we have many books here. Most of these are Terri's. I might catch up in time, but, for now, she is the champ. Parliament is one of those books, a frightening novel blending non-fiction with fiction. Sometimes that happens. This story is one of those. There is legend; there is lore; there is horror.

This is one of Terri's best works.

Enjoy.

Blaze McRob

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Book description:

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The battle for good and evil begins,

With Hildeberta and Peter, God knows who wins.

In the Abbey House the legacy starts.

Hexenprozesse broke millions of hearts.

Owl's Nest was waiting the witches knew,

Deep in their souls so away they flew.

******

Terri has a generous free sample on Amazon you can read that will, most certainly, entice you to read the entire novel. I have included a portion of it below.

Happy reading!

******

Samantha Liesel Bauer's in flight to do list only contained two items: Catch up on journal entries and sleep. 

She rarely allowed her journal entries to lapse, but the last couple of days had been so hectic with her birthday, graduation, and passing-the-bar celebrations, she'd had precious little time for sleep, let alone writing.  So she considered the eight hour flight to Germany a gift from the Sandman. 

Before using it to write a word, Sam stared at the pen, half of a solid gold pen and pencil set she'd received from her parents to commemorate her graduation in May from Harvard Law, top of her class, Suma Cum Laude, with job offers out the wazoo including one full partnership, all of which she readily declined in favor of her own agenda. 

That agenda had begun with immediately sitting for the Delaware Bar exam in July and passing it with flying colors, which is why her grad party had been held in late August along with her birthday celebration last week-end. 

"Samantha Liesel Bauer Esquire, PhD" winked up at her from the barrel of the pen, and brought a smile to her lips as she congratulated herself for double-majoring and going for the PhD in comparative religion, which would come in handy considering the brand of law she planned on pursuing.  Civil Rights Law, especially pertaining to the rights of women and children had been close to her heart since her birth eighteen years ago. 

The smile also reflected her joyous memory of the blowout grad/18th birthday party that had lasted the entire three-day holiday week-end at her parents' modest home on Screech Owl Circle in Owl's Nest, Delaware.

She imagined pretty soon she would be able to buy them a mansion, once she finished her business in Germany.  She also imagined that they would not accept.  They loved their little house in Owl's Nest, their hometown, hell, the hometown of all of her ancestors since they'd immigrated to the New World from Germany in the late 1600's. 

They might like a condo on Owl's Lookout, overlooking the Delaware, though, she wrote into her journal, then wrote her reconsideration: probably wouldn't be able to blast them out of the house in which they'd raised her.  The only thing they loved almost as much as Sam was Owl's Nest and all the memories attached to the home they'd made for her. 

Of course her childhood, in the traditional sense had been brief and unique.  When she'd been bored out of her mind already in kindergarten, already reading and fully comprehending at a fourth grade level, her parents decided to home school her with excellent tutors, who were not intimidated by gifted pupils who were smarter than they. 

Unlike her kindergarten teacher who flat out didn't know what to do with Sam's 'disruptive behavior.'  Her parents had collected her and her things from the classroom after a conference in the principal's office one afternoon, only a month into the kindergarten year. 

"Samantha is bright to say the least, extremely precocious.  So bright that she heckles the teacher throughout the day, correcting her grammar, challenging the plots and morals of the stories she reads to the class, creating better endings for them, completing assignments within moments to sit bored waiting for the rest of her classmates to catch up.  We could bump her up a grade, but the first grade curriculum isn't much more advanced than kindergarten's."

So the principal handed Sam and Claudia a piece of paper with a list of tutors and programs that might fit Samantha's needs a lot better than a kindergarten class that she was almost smart enough to teach herself. 

At age ten Samantha had taken a walk through Owl's Nest to the elementary school, found Ms. Willow, the kindergarten teacher, and apologized for having been so rude.  Ms. Willow smiled and laughed.  "That's very nice of you, Samantha, and I guess in all fairness I should apologize right back to you for boring you to pieces."

"Maybe the writers of some of those lame, condescending stories you read should be the ones to apologize," Sam suggested, smiling and Ms. Willow laughed heartily and nodded in agreement. 

"You have a good point; some of them are positively mind-numbing, aren't they?  So any suggestions?  War and Peace? Gatsby? The Shining?" 

Sam's turn to laugh as she'd forged a friendship right then and there with Ms. Willow, who'd attended her graduation party last week-end, a mere eight years after that conversation in the kindergarten room of Owl's Nest Elementary School. 

Sam smiled, scribbling furiously in her journal about that wild-ass party. All of Owl's Nest had been there in one form or another, the whole front and back yards of her parents' house had been full of people (not to mention Owls in the trees that dotted the yard, including those of her ancestral line all the way back to her great, great, great-grandparents Samuel and Liesel, after whom she'd been named.

She pulled Samuel's gold watch out of her pocket, that had been her birthday present from Sam and Liesel (who had presented it to her outside, beneath the elm tree where they perched in Owl form) the night before her party. 

******

Terri DelCampo is the founding editor and writer of Owl's Eye View Magazine, founding partner/writer/editor at Blazing Owl Press, author of 35+ novels, short story collections, children's collections, poetry collections, and multiple individual short stories available right here on Amazon. She pens Broken Old Broad Blogs, is a contributing writer for multiple horror anthologies, freelances poetry as well as non-fiction articles and essays. Terri is an ongoing competitor and winner of NaNoWriMo and Critters/Preditors & Editors Awards.

Terri is married to horror writer Blaze McRob and in 2015 they founded Blazing Owl Press where she is a very hands-on partner. Her duties at BOP include editing, producing book covers, and of course writing.

If you look up write-a-holic in the dictionary, Terri's picture is there.

MEMORIAL DAY IS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

 

Memorial Day is here, along with everything that it entails. No, I’m not talking about the picnics, trips to the mountains to do some fishing or whatever. I’m talking about the reasons the importance of this day was established.

     Okay, I should straighten this out now: I don’t believe Memorial Day is a holiday. It’s a day of remembrance for those who suffered during war; for those who didn’t return. How the hell do you make a holiday out of death? You don’t.

     Every year I go to the cemetery and see tears flowing, vets who can hardly walk, and some with missing limbs. Others have no apparent physical ailments, but one look at their faces tells you a story of inner personal strife: demons trapped inside with no release in sight. They’re remembering; they’re not celebrating.

     So what do we do? Do we allow the festering inside to cause us to rot away? I’m a vet. I served in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. There was much I saw, much I experienced, much that is beyond comprehension. It was fucking war! You know what? Wars aren’t nice. Wars suck!  As if that wasn’t bad enough, I came back to the states to a country gone mad: long- haired hippies with their signs saying we were baby killers and other shit. Peace signs were everywhere, but these so-called flower children saw fit to attack us with their signs. Some of those who were attacked hobbled along on crutches with only one leg. Others were in wheelchairs. Nice people, these hippies. Okay, I wasn’t in great shape myself, but I was damned if I was going to put up with that shit. I put a number of them down with their own signs before the MP's and cops stopped it all.

     Present day, the country has changed their opinions about the war over there. Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all; maybe we should have been shown some respect. Yeah, make it easier for us to get treated for things at the VA. PTSD is bandied about like these snot-nosed kid doctors in mental health hold all the answers. Put us all on drugs to mellow us out, help us forget about the war. Shut us up.

     Number one: it’s too late for people my age who didn’t serve to say they are sorry for what happened. Fifty years ago was the right time. Not now. It’s like they’re offering us a gift that we should thank them profusely for. What?! They need the medication I threw away. While we endured what we did, they went to college and prepared themselves for a life of wealth and greed. Now the small peace offering arrives to assuage their guilt. Let them be guilty. I want nothing to do with cowards or false “friends.”

     Number two: I don’t want to forget. I want to remember every moment of it. Why do I want to remember the pain and horror? It’s a part of who I am and why I am. We learn from the past. Everything, bad and good, parades before us, warning us that moments are so easy to be recaptured in the worst of ways. A lot of the new crop of politicos on the scene have no knowledge of war. They never experienced any of the traumas associated with it, nor were they given a chance to rise up from the worst of the worst and become a real man or a real woman. In fact, so many schools nowadays are downplaying the teaching of history in schools so that our children will not learn the truth except from those who were there.

     I now bring horror into the horror. Blaze writes horror tales. Guess what? My horror is not all fiction. My soul screams for me to tell the world of true terrors lurking in the real world. And so I do. However, I don’t want to write a story about what happened to Blaze when he served. 

     Yes, there will be some juicy little tidbits scattered around: rats running over bodies half submerged in rice-paddies; bamboo shoots stuck up body orifices never designed for such attacks; dirt floors of single dwelling shacks in prison camps, covered with crawling vermin attracted to the hole in the corner which passes for hygienic toilet facilities. I think you get the picture. These goodies are to be shared with one’s readers in such a way that maybe they think these things actually happened or maybe they didn’t. Personal perception. An author friend of mine, Carole Gill, says the worst horror is non-fiction, and she is so right.

     By instilling these truths into the façade of horror, we say what is without actually saying it is. A paradox of words, dealing with the mind in such a way as to instill truths and fears within the guise of storytelling. We awaken minds, making them receptive to our message. In my way of thinking, we are presenting an honest subliminal message to our dear readers.

     We allow the reader to wonder what if? Yes, maybe it’s horror, but that doesn’t mean it’s all about gore and violence. The novel “1984” is a great example of this. I know I always pondered the possibilities.     

     The novel I just finished and am editing contains scenes of war, as well as other real-life health issues and betrayal I experienced in the past. Is this cheating, digging up moments from my life? I don’t really care. These are my moments; they belong to me; if they are altered to fit the story, so what! I’m writing fiction. Life is grand.   

   We all fight our battles in different ways. I cleanse my soul with the release of my inner demons within the tales I write. Why should I write about fun-filled ditties? Isn’t it better to get rid of the bad and keep the good within?

    Memorial Day. Don’t pity us vets. Respect us for what we did. If you can’t do that then leave us alone: we don’t need you; we don’t want you.                       

   On Memorial Day take some time out and give our Warriors, past, present and future a moment of silence.

Blaze McRob

IT'S KICK-ASS TIME: BY BLAZE MCROB

 https://www.patreon.com/posts/its-kick-ass-one-103433823

https://www.patreon.com/Blaze_McRob

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This May, I started off another novel in my PARANORMAL POSSE series. IT'S KICK-ASS TIME will be the third novel in the series, and as the name implies, it will be kick-ass all the way. As is my norm, it will be serial-style: one chapter at a time.

Terri DelCampo supplied the cover art for the novel. This is only natural, as she is the number one badass in this tale. She was shocked when she saw how the sudden changes popped up at the end of the last novel. She was even more surprised when I told her I wanted her picture to adorn the cover. As far as I'm concerned, it is the right choice. I love Terri's eyes in this baby!

May is known for Mother's Day. Now, it will also be known for PARANORMAL POSSE and Terri DelCampo starring in IT'S KICK-ASS TIME.

I hope to see you here. This novel is exclusive to my Patreon page. You'll find a welcome home there

Blaze 

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Below, I have included a teaser to give you a taste of what is on the way for your reading pleasure:

******

"Wow!" I say to Terri. "It's quite an honor that the President wants you to be his Vice President. What did you tell him?"

"I told him yes," she says. "What else could I say?"

I go to her and give her a big hug. "Nothing else. I'm proud of you. You'll do a great job."

Everyone else congratulates her, and we wait for her to tell us what the President had to say, and, more importantly, how she plans to handle the job.

"The President told me he needs someone strong to handle the job. Pretty much, that was his message. I have carte blanche on how I do it. I told him I have a strong team behind me, and we'll waste no time in kicking ass."

"I'll bet that made him happy," I say.

"As happy as he's going to get with the situation the way it is. That means we can't afford to waste any time. Aikens is either going to make another move real soon, or he's going to go into hiding. My guess is that he can't afford to go into any extended period of hiding."

"Why's that?"

"He might be a big hot-shit number-one alpha type guy right now, but that means if he falls down on the job, there will be a lot of people below him that want to scramble into his place. This move in the Senate building literally put a huge bullseye on his back. He has to finish the job, or he's dead, fucking meat."

"Makes sense," George says. "So, what's your plan, Terri?"

"It's multi-pronged. We need to hold the Senate police accountable for their actions; we kick them out and get in people we trust. It will be necessary to hold the bastards in the slammer for a while and question them thoroughly. While we're interrogating them, Rocky and gang can scour the internet and dig up what we can on them Then, we have to get the pussy-fucktards who refuse to return to the Senate to return. This is no time for cowards. As for Aikens, we close in on him. No more Dodge City tactics from him."

"Who do we use to replace the Senate police?"

"John should be able to come up with a bunch of people."ou can get him to do that?"

"I have carte blanche. The President wants results, and we'll get them for him. Don't forget that all of us have bullseyes on our backs, too. If John is short of men to add to our security, maybe Gary can spring some people loose."

"Consider it done, Terri," Gary says. "Between John and me, we'll supply the people to get the job done."

"My army is at your disposal, as well," Rocky says. "The grand fuckening will hit these bad boys hard if they step across any red line the Posse lays down before them."

"Okay, then," Terri says. "It's asses and elbows time. Let's get cracking."

******

Terri and John waste no time in snatching up the Senate police and escorting them to some rather uncomfortable cells. They try to get out of it by screaming that they've been denied their rights, but it's all to no avail. By law, we're allowed to hold them for a certain amount of time, and we aim to do it. Rocky's D.C. computer crew, and that of Gus and Lester back in Georgia, manage to do a deep dive into everyone's history and find technicalities of all kinds that will ensure they'll be behind bars for a while. It appears none of them are pure. They're all tainted in one way or another. The D.C. police try to intervene in the procedure, but Terri tells them to fucking buzz off. This is a federal operation and she's in charge of it.

George and I enlist the help of Al Petrone and his biker buddies in Alabama to help with the cleanup and reconstruction of the Senate Chamber. Once again, we know these guys for who they are. We trust them. From where we stand, trust is huge with us. 

Joe Henderson, at the Washington Gazette, springs into action, writing byline after byline to let the citizens know what we're doing and why we're doing it. He hits a snag when it comes to encouraging political people, as well as anyone else wanting to toss their hat into the ring, that there is a need to replace the Senators killed in D.C., as well as those who quit. As I thought, these jobs don't hold the appeal that they once did. People are afraid to run now.

Terri's at a quandary as to what to do as far as her residence should be in D.C. She's perfectly content staying where we've been living all along, but the official residence for the Vice President is Number One Observatory Circle, also known as the Naval Observatory.

"I think I'd much rather live in the apartment we live in now," she says. "The way things are going now, it would be much easier to maintain stronger security if we remained where we are."

"It would be better," I say. "The Naval Observatory is an unknown factor that hits me wrong. I'm not sure why."

"Let's take a walk over there and scope things out," Rocky says. "We'll bring the gang along and do a quick once-over. The place is empty at the moment. When the Vice President was killed, her family moved out. Can't say as I blame them."

We're within sight of the building when a huge explosion rocks the entire area. Debris flies high into the air and lands close by. Within seconds, the entire building is on fire.

"I guess this makes up my mind for me," Terri says.

******

This novel picks up where PARANORMAL POSSE GOES TO DC left off.

ROMANTIC SHADOWS

 

https://books2read.com/u/31rapl

Romantic Shadows, by Terri DelCampo and Blaze McRob, is a collection published by Blazing Owl Press on our wedding anniversary back in 2016. We eased up a bit on our usual horror fare and wrote some romance-themed short stories and poems. Yes, there are certainly elements of horror contained within, but that is not all we present in this tome. Lovers are reunited in magical ways, the Dance Of Love soothes yearning hearts, and much more.

We hope you enjoy the softer side of horror we share with you here.

Blaze McRob

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True love drowned by stormy seas?

Nun and lover brought to knees.

Wig transforms a broken girl.

Lady killed by shrapnel hurled.

Lambada's passion warms the soul.

Tears in heaven are wrath's toll.

Like seeks like when soulmates meet.

Poe's adoring shadow greets.

Will child be mother's resurrection?

Powwow lovers pose for perfection.

Artists' souls joined with paint eternal.

Chilesa's life raft is infernal.

Moon beams and lovers dream – forever

All in this tome – a dark romance endeavor.

******

Cover art and poem above done by Terri DelCampo.

GILAS SUPREME - BY BLAZE MCROB

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084XVVLGQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i35

https://www.patreon.com/posts/gilas-supreme-42800148

Gilas Supreme, by Blaze McRob, is a tale of Mother Nature unleashing monsters on New Mexico and Texas. How far does she go with her revenge? Read the teaser I have below. and hopefully it will draw you into wondering what lies inside my twisted mind. After all, something like this couldn't really happen. Or could it?

Gilas Supreme is one of my more popular short stories and can be read on Amazon or on my Patreon page. I hope you enjoy it.

*****

The hot desert air barely moves, magnifying the intensity of what mother nature has decided will be the hottest summer on record. How many days of 110-degree heat in a row now? Thirty-four and counting. There has been no rain for many months, and this extreme temperature is set to cause fires over many thousands of acres if even only a single spark is ignited.

Shit! The brush has the consistency of tumble weeds, ones which haven’t seen a drop of water in a year. Flames would spread so fast here a person wouldn’t be able to drive away fast enough to escape them.

I shake my head. What the fuck am I doing here? My life is on the line, and for what? A job? My damned job might be history by the end of the year anyway. Budget cuts are playing nasty with people in my profession. Biologists are finding it difficult to gain any kind of job security anymore. Congress figures we’re an automatic budget cut item. They don’t give a damn what happens to the endangered species out here. Oil is what drives them. “Drill, baby, drill” is what is on the minds of these fat-cat politicians.

No sense in worrying about that now. I still have a job, and I’m getting paid to do it, so I will. Many native species have vanished from this area almost overnight. Owls, rabbits, deer, and more are almost gone. Even the damned snakes have dwindled in numbers. And the evening skies are so quiet one would think there is nothing out here at all other than an aging biologist trying to piece together the parts of the huge puzzle.

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The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright 2021 by Blaze McRob. All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the author constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the author's intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the author directly. Thank you for your support of the author's rights.

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Blaze McRob

NIGHT OPS - BY TERRI DELCAMPO

 

 https://www.amazon.com/NIGHT-OPS-Terri-DelCampo-ebook/dp/B07WKG2K51?ref_=ast_author_dp

NIGHT OPS, by Terri DelCampo is a total mind-fuck of a story. It is pure psychological horror the whole way. This is definitely one of my favorite stories that she has written. She holds nothing back. Just remember: some people are not to be trifled with. There will be consequences.

Read it and find out where Terri's mind roams when the blameless are blamed. There is a generous free sample on Amazon to put you in a frame of mind to read the entire book.

Blaze McRob

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Terri DelCampo is the founding editor and writer of Owl's Eye View Magazine, founding partner/writer/editor at Blazing Owl Press, author of 35+ novels, short story collections, children's collections, poetry collections, and multiple individual short stories available right here on Amazon. She pens Broken Old Broad Blogs, is a contributing writer for multiple horror anthologies, freelances poetry as well as non-fiction articles and essays. Terri is an ongoing competitor and winner of NaNoWriMo and Critters/Preditors & Editors Awards.

Terri is married to horror writer Blaze McRob and in 2015 they founded Blazing Owl Press where she is a very hands-on partner. Her duties at BOP include editing, producing book covers, and of course writing.

If you look up write-a-holic in the dictionary, Terri's picture is there.