TopShelf January 2023

CONTENTS MASTHEAD

Contents

Interviews

Philip Fracassi

Virginia Fox...................................................................................... 15 Craig DiLouie

Articles

Guest Audio Book Review - What Lies in The Woods by Kate Alice Marshal. ............................................................................................. 8

Industry Spotlight - House of Mystery Radio Show ....................... 9

Story Story - Luck's Embrace .........................................................12

Industry Spotlight - Palladium Anthologies 17 Industry Spotlight - Beyond DEF 21 Guest Post - Best and Worst Audiobook Reads of 2022 22

Reviews

Publisher:

Aimee Ravichandran Mickey Mikkelson

Magazine Content Creator: Deena Rae; eBookBuilders

Literally Christmas

24 Red Chaos........................................................................................ 24

Blood Mark 25 Last of the Gifted 25 Blood Ties 26 No Rain in the Desert

26 The Black Ice................................................................................... 27 Master of the Game

Interviews: Danielle Urban Book Reviews: Scribblesworth Scribblesworth Reviews Team: Seraphia B. The Book Trollop The Reviewbler Khanani Daniella Tripti Kandari Poetic Monologues Julio Carlos

eBookBuilders Review Team: Deena Rae

Witchnapped in Westerham

28 Sacred Sins 28

VISCERAL HORROR

PHILIP FRACASSI

Exclusive Interview

Philip Fracassi is the Bram Stokernominated author of the story collections Behold the Void (named “Collection of the Year” from This Is Horror ) and Beneath a Pale Sky (named “Collection of the Year” by Rue Morgue Magazine ). His novels include A Child Alone with Strangers , Gothic , and Boys in the Valley.

Philip’s work has been translated into multiple languages, and his stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best Horror of the Year , Nightmare Magazine , and Black Static .

The New York Times calls his work “terrifically scary.”

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Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOUR NEW BOOK, A CHILD ALONE WITH STRANGERS?

Although I’d written a few novels prior to A Child Alone with Strangers, this was my first genre novel. Specifically, my first attempt at a full-length (and then some) horror novel. I knew going into it that I wanted to pay my respects to all the great tropes I grew up with, having read healthy (unhealthy?) doses of King, Straub, Barker, and Koontz. I wanted the telepathic kid. I wanted the monster in the woods. I wanted the creepy house. But I also wanted to bring a large dose of humanity to the old tropes, to reimagine how characters would respond to supernatural elements. And I knew I wanted to dig into themes of loss and suffering, of bravery and resilience. So although this is a genre novel through-and-through, it’s cemented in characters that live and breathe, that hurt and feel, which I think gives the book a layer many readers don’t expect when picking up a horror book.

Q: USING ONLY THREE WORDS, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WRITING STYLE?

Emotional. Visceral. Aggressive.

Q: DO YOU OUTLINE YOUR BOOKS OR DO YOU JUST DIVE STRAIGHT INTO WRITING THEM?

When it comes to novels, I’m a big outliner. I like to know exactly where a story is going before I begin putting down the prose. I don’t want to be thinking about “what comes next” as it pertains to plot when I’m writing. I want to focus on the prose, the dialogue, the descriptions, the characters. If I’m doing all that and wondering what will be happening in the next chapter I’m doing myself a disservice.

Obviously, outlines will change as the story evolves, or characters develop differently (or act out, as is often the case) during the writing process. But it’s much easier to shift over to the outline and rework plot points than it is to do it all in my head.

Additionally, when writing thrillers or mysteries, it’s important to know the ending, to add misdirection and red herrings to throw off the reader, to drop little hints along the way, breadcrumbs to draw the reader deeper into the dark forest.

When it comes to short stories, I usually have the hook, the ending, and a character to root things in. Once that’s setup in my

head, I just write. No outlining for the short work.

Q: WHAT THEMES WILL READERS FIND IN YOUR NEW NOVEL?

As mentioned above, A Child Alone with Strangers explores themes of loss and trauma. Primarily from a child’s perspective but also from the perspective of many of the adult characters – both good and bad. How loss and personal trauma shape us into the people we become, how different people respond in different ways –sometimes making them stronger, sometimes weaker. But there’s also a lot of hope infused within that exploration, so I’d like to think it’s a positive, exhilarating journey though the lives of these characters.

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Q: Who are the main characters in your book?

Child has a large cast, but the primary character is a little boy –nine-year-old Henry Thorne. The majority of the book is spent with Henry and his many trials. There are a few other primary characters – some human, some not, some villains, some heroes – but Henry is the focus of the novel. It’s his world and everyone else is just living in it.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO ASPIRING WRITERS IN YOUR GENRE?

The number one piece of advice I give to any writer is to persevere. Writing is not easy. You deal with countless rejections from editors, publishers, readers, agents... and then of course you get a lot of people telling you – quite publicly – what they think of your work. Sometimes this can be thrilling, and sometimes heartbreaking. But the only way to truly succeed in publishing is to persevere, to put on the blinders, put your nose to the grindstone and push through all the hard times. You can’t get too high and you can’t get too low, or you’ll go mad with the rollercoaster of being a working writer. But if you persevere, if you keep at it, you’ll find a way.

About Philip Fracassi

Philip Fracassi is the author of the award-winning story collection, Behold the Void, which won “Best Collection of the Year” from This Is Horror and Strange Aeons Magazine.

His newest collection, Beneath a Pale Sky, was published in 2021 by Lethe Press. It received a starred review from Library Journal, was named “Best Collection of the Year” by Rue Morgue Magazine, and was nominated for a Bram Stoker award.

His novels include A Child Alone with Strangers, Gothic, and Boys in the Valley

Philip’s books have been translated into multiple languages and his stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best Horror of the Year, Nightmare Magazine, Black Static, Dark Discoveries, and Cemetery Dance

The New York Times calls his work “terrifically scary.”

As a screenwriter, his feature films have been distributed by Disney Entertainment and Lifetime Television. He currently has several stories under option for film/tv adaption.

Philip lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Services. For more information, visit his website at www.pfracassi.com. He also has active profiles on Facebook, Instagram (pfracassi) and Twitter (@philipfracassi).

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AUDIO BOOK REVIEW

WHAT LIES IN

I have a lot of feelings about this audiobook. First, it was beautifully narrated by the amazing Karissa Vacker, whom I have enjoyed in other books. Great job, superb voice acting.

That aside, the book earns a rough three stars from me, falling short of the five it could have been. We are thrust into the life of Naomi, who, as a child, survived a brutal attack as she and her two best friends played in the woods. They succeeded in putting a serial killer in prison, who died twenty-something years later, and brought these three women back together.

The issue is they all lied, and Naomi, who has spotty memories of the events due to her traumatic injuries and scars, is bothered by the pieces that just don’t quite fit together.

My issue is partly with the writing style, which is likely just my personal preference. We don’t go a sentence (or so it seems) without a simile. I love a good simile, but it gets tiresome in the writing and feels more like she’s being poetic with descriptions and feelings, which pulled me out of the character’s head rather than pulling me deeper. Now, I could not connect with the main character. She’s honestly just an awful person, and frankly, trying to solve a murder and figure out the truth behind something that happened twenty years ago didn’t make her likable.

There were almost no likable characters in this book. Everyone is just a bad person; there is no one to connect with as a reader. I think the author was going for PTSD, but it was inconsistent. She came across as a bad person rather than someone dealing with post-

WOODS : KATE ALICE MARSHALL

THE

by Rachael Tamayo

traumatic stress. And man, talk about jumping from one conclusion to another- geez.

This book would have earned more stars if it had been better executed. The bones of this story are great, the idea is solid, and the story itself works. But the way it was done didn’t sit right with me, so I was not too fond of this one and likely won’t return to this author.

This book is available for preorder and will release on January 17, 2023. I received an advanced copy thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.

About The Guest Reviewer

Rachael Tamayo is the bestselling author of the award-winning Deadly Sins Series and awardwinning thriller Crazy Love, among several other titles.  Before she started her writing career, she was a highly awarded 911 emergency services dispatcher with twelve years of experience and many commendations under her belt.   Upon exiting law enforcement, she focused her writing career on the dark, suspenseful, and psychological after beginning as a romance author.  Now Rachael uses her dark thriller as a sort of self-therapy after all those years answering 911 calls and working all that she knows and was exposed to into the frighteningly realistic and layered characters her readers know and love her for.  Rachael lives on the Texas Gulf Coast in Houston, Texas, with her husband and their two children.

You can also read Rachael’s book reviews on her website at www.RachaelTamayowrites.com, Bookbub, and Goodreads.

HOUSE OF MYSTERY RADIO SHOW

House of Mystery Radio Show began in 2013 as a once-aweek radio show from producer and author Alan R. Warren on KKNW 1150 A.M. in Seattle/Tacoma. Over the next five years, it would grow to be on several independent radio stations in many major markets, such as KFNX 1000 A.M. Phoenix, KYAH 540 A.M. Salt Lake City, and more. In 2017, NBC radio 106.5 F.M. KCAA in Los Angeles, 102.5 F.M. San Bernadino, and 1050 A.M. Palm Springs added the show to its prime time evening market, running it Mondays to Fridays at 9 P.M. There, it has grown from a 1.1 market share to a 3.3 market share (396,000 listeners per week, 79,200 per episode) and is the Number 3-rated talk show in the Los Angeles Metro area. The show's podcast version is now found on most major podcast platforms and has had 2.7 million downloads in 2022 so far.

Warren envisioned a show for creative people such as writers, documentary filmmakers, actors, singers, and more, where we can have honest, open, and real conversations about our craft and exchange ideas freely in a fun atmosphere.

"I know that discussing art and writing can sound boring if it goes on too long, so I want to have a few laughs during the program. Whether it's finding out about the guest's strangest date to the weirdest place they like to write, we will do it! I want the listeners to hear things they

will not hear elsewhere!"

The show has attracted some of the biggest names in writing from all genres, including Dean Koontz, Robert Kennedy Jr., Joe Lansdale, Chris Hansen, S.A. Cosby, Josh Malerman, Marcia Clark, Simon Gervais, Nancy Grace, Dan Abrams, Brian Freeman, Richard Chizmar, Dacre Stoker, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Lee Goldberg, Tod Goldberg, Alma Katsu, James Patterson, Wanda Morris, Tara Moss, Robert Crais, Hank Schwaeble, and Jess Lourey, to name a few. Warren also prides himself on getting brand-new talent on the show at least twice a week.

Another unique aspect of the House of Mystery Radio Show is that Warren has found all of his cohosts and contributors through social media.

writing, doing podcasts, and radio, so finding qualified hosts

'The Best' or 'The

"I find myself searching social media on the lookout for new writers without agents or big publishers behind them who are promoting their work that I think looks great to get them on the show! Don't panic if you get a friend request from me because I'm probably thinking of asking you to be on the show!"

"There are a lot of talented people out there

isn't too hard. They don't have to be

Most popular,' but I want something more from the hosts. I want them to actually care about what they do, including the guests, other hosts, and people in general. Quite often, I meet or interview a person, and I like their way on air, plus they are good at writing in their genre. It's important that they are just good people."

Warren is on the spectrum and has always felt communicating with others and being in public to be a challenge as long as he can remember.

"This is another crucial aspect in my choosing cohosts. We all have weaknesses and challenges to face in our lives and job, and I know what mine is, and I know what I need to help me get through it and do a good radio show, and they help me. The hosts not only become friends, but they also become family, and I'll do anything I can to help them succeed in what they want to accomplish."

David North-Martino is the author of Wolves of Vengeance and the forthcoming Year of the Demon. His short fiction has appeared in numerous fiction venues, including The Horror Zine's Book of Werewolf Stories (HellBound Books), Epitaphs: The Journal of the New England Horror Writers (Shroud Publishing), and Daughters of Icarus: New Feminist Science Fiction and Fantasy (Pink Narcissus Press). A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, he holds a BLA in English and psychology. When he's not writing, David enjoys studying and teaching martial arts. He lives with his very supportive wife in a small town in Massachusetts.

What do you like about co-hosting The House of Mystery Radio Show on NBC?

“I enjoy working with our talented team of hosts, co-hosts, and contributors and learning from our fascinating guests.”

Eric Shapiro is a writer and filmmaker. Winner of a 2020 California Journalism Award, Shapiro is also the author of seven critically acclaimed fiction books, among them the novella It's Only Temporary (2005), which appeared on Nightmare Magazine's list of the Top 100 Horror Books, and numerous short stories published in anthologies alongside work by Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, Chuck Palahniuk, and many others. As of 2020, he's co-hosted the show House of Mystery on NBC News Radio.

"Being able to co-host "House of Mystery" has been a highlight of my career. I really see it as a chance to just hang out with Al and the guests. And I've also gotten a chance to help interview cool people like Dean Koontz, Josh Malerman, and Shawn A. Cosby. But the main benefit is Al's sense of humor. He's one FUNNY goddamn maniac! I'm looking for a way to keep him in a cage in my living room so he can entertain me and my family, but I'm concerned about breaking the law..."

John Copenhaver - Copenhaver's historical crime novel, Dodging and Burning (Pegasus) won the 2019 Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel, and his second novel, The Savage Kind, won the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for Best LGBTQ Mystery.

"I love that Al is open to interviewing writers at different places in their careers. The conversation with a debut author versus an established author, or a mid-list author versus a best-selling author, is very different, which makes co-hosting unpredictable. I get to peek in at the lives of other writers and see the variety and nuance of their career paths. It's been instructive and inspirational."

Joe Goldberg is the best-selling and award-winning author of Secret Wars: An Espionage Story (2014), The Spy Devils (2021), and Rebellious Son: A Spy Devils Thriller (2022). His next book, Devils Own Day: A Spy Devils Thriller is expected during 2023. He is also working on a screenplay based on The Spy Devils series.

His work at the CIA garnered three Exceptional Performance Awards. In the private sector, as leader of Corporate Intelligence at Motorola, Joe received the Meritorious Award recognizing a single individual who has made significant contributions to the intelligence profession.

He began as a guest host on The House of Mystery Radio Show on NBC in 2022. He specializes in action, thriller, and spy authors, although he has guest-hosted authors in other genres.

"I appreciate Al asking me to join the show. He is a fantastic mentor and insightful host. For me, it is a great learning experience and networking opportunity.

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As a writer myself, I ask questions seeking to discover new insight—questions I think the listeners have as well. I find I take lots of notes during each show."

Michael Butterfield is a writer and a recognized expert on the unsolved "Zodiac" murders in Northern California. He has served as a media source and consultant for news articles, television documentaries, the History channel series The Hunt for the Zodiac Killer, and director David Fincher's major motion picture, Zodiac.

"Some years ago, Al Warren invited me to be a guest on his radio show to discuss developments in the Zodiac case. Then he periodically asked me to return to comment on various news reports and to interview guests who claimed they had identified the Zodiac killer. We got along really well, and I think we had a good rapport which added some humor to help alleviate the usually-depressing true-crime subject matter. The show gives me a chance to explore many different stories, and I learn a lot from the guests."

The  House of Mystery Radio show has been on the air for ten years, broadcasting in over a dozen cities in the U.S. It started as a way to interview guests knowledgeable in many of the world’s mysteries involving crime, science, religion, history, paranormal, conspiracies, etc.  Voices of True Crime series is a curated collection of interviews from the show. Each volume focuses on an actual criminal case, or several, providing the background and reproducing the main points discussed in the interviews. This series is an excellent reference for researchers and a good overview for those unfamiliar with the case.

The House of Mystery Interview Series is a series of books that contain transcriptions of the very best interviews we’ve had on several topics. So far, seven books have been published covering the Jack the Ripper case, the JFK assassination, the Zodiac Killer, mysterious celebrity deaths, conspiracy theories, paranormal and the occult, and the D.B. Cooper hijacking. You will find the books in the “Also in  The House of Mystery Interviews Series” section of this book and on my website.

A substantial number of our radio show’s interviews revolve around true crime. So, we created this subseries,  Voices of True Crime.  Like the other Interviews series, we review the most accepted explanation of the case. Then, we follow up with each theory presented during our interviews with the person or people reporting them. Each book lays out the case details and then follows up with what we’ve learned from each guest.

Like the others in the House of Mystery Radio Show Interviews Series, this book does not attempt to solve the case but only reviews it. There will be no committed answer at the end of the book. We aim to concisely review the extraordinary things we learned during the show’s interviews. It is an excellent reference for researchers and a good overview for people who don’t know the topic well. Similar to the other volumes in this series, only the highlights of each interview will be included. All these interviews and more are available to listen to on my website: www. alanrwarren.com/hom-podcast-episodes.

LUCK'S EMBRACE

by Aphonso P. Spain

Apolice cruiser drove down the street, its siren lights flashing red and blue and its high-pitched whine piercing through the nighttime silence. Two police officers sat in the front – the sheriff, a portly man with a thick brown mustache sitting behind the wheel, and his partner, a thin young man with a clean shaven face and short blond hair. The young deputy turned in his seat and looked towards the prisoner in the back.

The prisoner sitting in the back seat looked as though he couldn’t pass for a criminal. He looked about the same age as the young deputy, around 18 or 20, but his hair was a dark brown, like the driver’s. His skin was lightly tanned, but

it looked pale in contrast to his black sweater. His baggy denim jeans were worn down at the ankles, and his white shoes were tinged with a coat of dust. His head was held low, and when the deputy listened in, he could only make out, “…need to know…did she…her answer…”

“So, uh,” the deputy started, turning to the sheriff. “What did this guy do, exactly?”

The sheriff shifted his eyes to his young partner, still facing the road, before he let out a sigh and answered, “He murdered his mother.”

The deputy raised an eyebrow at that before turning back to the apprehended criminal. ‘Murder?’ he thought. ‘Petty robbery, maybe, but he doesn’t look like a killer.’ Aside from the fact

that he was mumbling to himself, he would’ve passed as, well, perfectly sane.

“I know he don’t look like much,” the sheriff continued, almost reading his partner’s mind. The deputy turned back to the sheriff as he continued, “To tell you the truth, he didn’t show the signs of a serial killer, or any kind of criminal for that matter. He was a good boy, went to school, did his homework, and followed the rules. Hell, his mother pretty much came out of a fairy tale, so he didn’t feel unloved or anything.”

The sheriff pulled the cop car to a stop at a red light and turned in his seat to face the young man in cuffs. “Lord knows what caused a good boy to go bad.”

As if on cue, the young man lifted his head up to face the cops in front. “Do you…” he started, his voice quiet. His green eyes were asking, no, begging, as he finished, “Do you have a… quarter?”

The sheriff and deputy were confused; it’s not every day that a delinquent asks for something as simple as a quarter. Normally, they would demand a lawyer or try to convince the cops that they were innocent. Still, it was a simple request. The deputy reached into his pocket and pulled out the coin before sliding it through the metal mesh, where it fell into the young man’s awaiting hand.

The young man took the quarter and, under his breath, asked seemingly to himself, “Will you help me in my time of greatest need, milady?” He then flipped the coin into the

air and caught it with his closed fist. He opened his hand, and the coin had come up as heads.

The young man smiled, and the light turned green.

The cop car started forward, but was suddenly thrown to the side as an 18-wheeler tanker truck plowed into the side of the car.

ABOUT ALPHONSO P SPAIN

Alphonso P. Spain grew up all over the state of Texas—small towns, cities and sprawling metropolises. At the age of 3 he was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and through his own determination and the help of fantastic teachers and therapists he was able to develop into a fully functioning and adjusted young man.

A gifted child in spite of his “disability” Alphonso learned the alphabet at 18-months, was reading at 2 ½ years of age and taught himself sign language at the age of 3.

At 4 his mother disconnected his computer and removed it from his desk for bad behavior. He simply went into the closet and hooked it up himself, away from his mother’s eyes. While most children were eating mud-pies, he was immersed in books for readers twice his age. As a first grade student, teachers for a sixth grade class asked him to help teach older student how to read.

When Alphonso’s family welcomed a younger brother into the household, he would read him bedtime stories and instill a love of the written word in his brother that continues to this day.

While attending charter college prep middle and high schools in Houston, his teachers helped him focus his writing, encouraging him to release his literary creativity. He was accepted into the prestigious Creative Writing program at University of Houston. He published Escape Hatch, a collection of short stories in 2012 before graduating from high school.

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VIRGINIA FOX

Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE YOUR NOVEL, ROCKY MOUNTAIN YOGA?

When I finished my debut trilogy (The Dragon Sisters is book 1, available in British English), I wanted to try out a new genre: romance suspense. While the dragon books are set in Switzerland and adjoining France, I wanted to set the new series in the United States. This was also from an economic point of view since romances from the States sell very well on the German market. What could be more natural than to choose the region I’ve spent a very formative year as an exchange student, the Colorado Rocky Mountains? So that’s what I did.

Q: WHO ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN YOUR BOOK?

Every book centers around a new couple (yes, a happy end is guaranteed). Usually you have met the new main characters already in the book before. Additionally you will find a couple of quirky, funny

main protagonists that will turn up in every book like the Disney Sisters who own the diner in Independence Junction, the mayor Mr. Wilkinson, a couple of older and very influential women as well as some of the store owners and the members of the local biker club, the True Warriors.

tough they have each others backs.

Q: HOW MANY BOOKS WILL BE IN THIS NEW SERIES?

Well, the original German series already counts 31 books. If the English edition Rocky Mountain Romances finds as many fans as the original German counterpart, all of the books will be translated.

Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING WRITERS IN YOUR GENRE?

Q: WHAT THEMES WILL READERS FIND IN YOUR NOVEL?

Empowering women to find their dreams, to find that they can have it all, a career, a dog, love, wealth, a loving community, the path to all of that, the importance of community, friendship, but also the laid back attitude of live and let live, a non-judgemental approach to living in a tight knit community, where bickering and even dislike happens as it happens everywhere but when the going gets

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Let go of the what if’s (what if nobody likes it, what if nobody will want to read it) and write what you yourself would like to read. Of course doing a bit of market research first, meaning looking up the bestsellers in the genre to find out what’s selling at the moment is not wrong either. But don’t let it hinder you from starting to write.

Q: DO YOU OUTLINE YOUR NOVEL OR JUST DIVE STRAIGHT INTO WRITING IT?

I have a vague notion of the story outline and a clear picture of the two protagonists and there strengths and weaknesses. Then I send them out on paper and let them do their thing. I’ve long since given up to make my protagonists follow a plan of mine. It never works.

Q: WHERE CAN READERS FIND YOU AND YOUR NOVEL ONLINE?

You can find my books as an e-book on Amazon (also available in KU) or in print everywhere. Connect with me on bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/ authors/virginia-fox https://facebook. com/booksvirginiafox.com or https:// instagram.com/fox_virginia or visit my

website: https:// virginiafox.com

ABOUT VIRGINIA FOX

From an early age, Virginia Fox, born in 1978, has been fascinated with written texts in any shape or form. After soaking up countless books and writing various essays and short

stories, she launched The Dragon Sisters Trilogy in German, a set of real life stories from Switzerland (with the addition of some not-so-real characters, the dragons). Soon the start of the bestselling Rocky Mountain Series (Romance; German) followed. 30 Books later the Series is translated into English and the Rocky Mountain Romances made their debut in the English speaking market.

Virginia lives together with her family, an Australian Cattle Dog and a moody tomcat on a small ranch spread near Zurich. Whenever she is not writing her books, she is busy living her second passion: training horses.

Spotlight on Palladium Multi-Genre Anthologies

eBookBuilders is starting a new publishing/media imprint whose main objective will be to release multi-genre anthologies quarterly. Each anthology is open to all fiction authors with more than one book already available. While the stories within the collection are not intertwined or connected, each will have a central theme, location, event, etc., in common.

These are NOT, repeat NOT, list-aiming anthologies. These are a good way to get your books and series found by people who normally don’t search you out.

eBookBuilders has been the designer behind several huge anthologies for multiple groups of authors, usually in a specific genre, but wanted to use their technical skills, knowledge and experience to help authors in all genres. Thus the idea of a “Whitman’s Sampler” of books came along.

These anthologies are great if:

* You have a series that needs a novelette or novella “prologue”;

* You have a series planned out for release in the next 18-months;

* You want to attract new readers;

* You want to build your tribe of author friends;

* Or, you need to expand your audience reach.

All for a low buy-in under $100 to cover the cost of the cover,

graphics, print & ebook design/adaptation and marketing.

Each anthology will also have a swag edition that will be available for free and include:

* First chapter of each story;

* Each author’s

• linked book list

• bio/contact links

This is the perfect opportunity to bring new readers to your series, hook readers who do not always purchase books in your genre while introducing your writing to a larger audience.

After anthology is unpublished, each author can then take final file supplied, re-cover and release independently. Minor changes included.

Upcoming themes:

* September 2023 - Autumnal Total Eclipse;

* December 2023 - Under the Christmas tree;

* March 2024 - Leprechaun;

* June 2024 - Beach;

* August 2024 - 500-year comet appearance

More information can be found on the eBookBuilders website.

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IMMERSIVE HORROR

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CRAIG DILOUIE

Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE YOUR NOVEL, EPISODE THIRTEEN?

Episode Thirteen is an epistolary horror novel about a paranormal reality TV show investigation team that explores Foundation House, a derelict mansion in rural Virginia that once housed paranormal research experiments but is now abandoned and reported to be haunted. The team hopes to document real evidence of ghosts and wind up getting way, way more than they bargained for!

The novel had several sources of inspiration. My editor at Hachette and I share a love for really well done foundfootage horror movies, and I wanted to capture their sense of reality and mystery in a true mixed-media novel format that combined the depth of narrative fiction with the titillating variety and urgency of other media such as video transcripts. It was a big challenge and a hell of a lot of fun to write, particularly the research into ghost hunting techniques and equipment, how reality TV shows work, and the science of ghosts. Besides that, I’ve always

wanted to explore the “house within a house” horror trope, which offers so much potential for mystery and literary onion peeling. All these elements went into Episode Thirteen.

I have to add a final big source of inspiration, which was a lot of hours playing  Phasmophobia, a computer game, with my eleven-year-old son Alex, friend Jonathan Correa, and other friends on Steam. That ghost hunting game is a master class in immersion and dread, and it put me right in the mood for my own ghost hunting deep in the world of Episode Thirteen

Q: WHO ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN YOUR BOOK?

The TV show  Fade to Black  has a small crew of Matt, Claire, Jake, Kevin, and Jessica. All have their say, all participate in the fantastic events that occurred at the house, and all of them face a reckoning with what they find there. Matt and his wife Claire are the lead investigators.

Matt is energetic, boyish, and a true believer in the paranormal based on a childhood experience, which he hopes to replicate to provide absolute proof of an afterlife. Claire is his scientifically minded wife who once pursued the paranormal with rigor but after too many debunkings has lost her enthusiasm. Jessica is their high-energy protégé, an actor added to round out the cast. Kevin is an ex-cop who serves as the tech manager but wishes he was investigating again and doing it his way. Finally, we have Jake, the camera operator, who doesn’t believe in anything but like the others will discover his own worst fears at Foundation House.

As the author of their dreams, turmoil, and fate, I really fell in love with these people. I love it when characters come alive on the page and tell me exactly what they’re going to say and do to build the story to an exciting climax.

Q: WHAT THEMES WILL READERS FIND IN EPISODE THIRTEEN?

Thematically, the novel is about the very human obsession to understand a mystery that appears impenetrable, regardless of the cost, even if it includes madness and even bigger personal sacrifice.

Q: USING ONLY THREE WORDS, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WRITING STYLE?

My style changes based on what each work I produce requires, but for Episode Thirteen, I’d characterize it as (and hope readers agree): varied, immersive, titillating.

Q: WHY WRITE HORROR?

Horror is a fascinating genre because fear is such a primal human emotion, and facing death and surviving the experience is so deeply satisfying. It’s the same psychological impulse that gets us on rollercoasters. With certain types of horror such as ghost stories, there is also the thrill of a good mystery, cosmic dread at facing unseen forces that are more powerful than us, and the allure of secret knowledge. With each horror novel I produce, I explore a

popular trope and then subvert it with a twist and the characters’ personal story out front. With Suffer the Children, it was vampires; The Children of Red Peak, cults and the cosmic horror buried in religion; One of Us, the misunderstood monster. I love writing about humans in crisis to see what they’re made of, the excitement of placing ordinary people in extraordinary situations. And hell, it’s even therapeutic, as I get to face my own fears and share them with my readers.

Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING WRITERS IN YOUR GENRE?

This is a tough question, as every writer sets a different standard on what success means, and every writer’s path to their success is so individual and different. I think overall I’d say: be at the right place at the right time with the right book. While this sounds oversimplified, there’s actually a lot that goes into it: whether to get an agent, whether to publish traditionally or self, networking and conventions, the importance of always leveling up in terms of craft, and more.

A critical part of this is to treat a writing career as a long game where success is sometimes achieved in surprise leaps but usually in baby steps. Another critical part is understanding that writing is like a muscle that improves with exercise. Some people can pick up a violin and play it in no time, while others must practice, practice, practice to become the best they can be. With that in mind, always know you’re very likely a better writer than you were last year, and next year you’ll be even better. So to level up, if you’re committed to writing, dig deep for the discipline and time to produce consistently and keep learning.

Q: WHERE CAN READERS FIND YOU AND YOUR BOOK ONLINE?

The best place to visit my work is at CraigDiLouie.com. All my fiction in multiple genres is there plus plenty more such as interviews, and I have a blog where I informally review books, movies, and shows I watched, most of which are in the speculative genre.

ABOUT CRAIG DILOUIE

Craig DiLouie is an acclaimed AmericanCanadian author of literary dark fantasy and other fiction. Formerly a magazine editor and advertising executive, he also works as a journalist and educator covering the North American lighting industry. His fiction has been nominated for major awards, optioned for screen, and published in multiple languages. He is a member of the Imaginative Fiction Writers Association, International Thriller Writers, and the Horror Writers Association. He lives in Calgary, Canada with his two wonderful children.

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Beyond DEFWoman-Owned Publishing

Ten years ago, a lover of all things literature fell into the book world and made a career for herself. After befriending an author because she loved his work so much, she slowly began making more and more connections with other authors. Several people encouraged her to begin blogging, and she did. She helped authors get their books in front of new readers, and then she began proofreading and, eventually, editing. In 2015, Beyond DEF was born. Many don’t know the meaning of the name without talking to the owner and editor in chief or looking at their website, but DEF is actually an acronym for “Design, Edit, Format.”

Beyond DEF has always strived to do more than just editing, cover design, and interior formatting. What began as a one-stop shop for basic author services has blossomed into a woman-owned company with a team of talented women with over 120 years of experience. They offer editing, cover design, interior formatting, marketing, publishing contracts, website builds and maintenance, and even cartography for fantasy authors. They’ve edited and/or

published everything from romance to sci-fi to poetry and even non-fiction. Recently, Beyond DEF created imprints for authors who wish to join their book family.

Soulspark is for romance, Mooncast encompasses all things fantasy and paranormal, and Illumination is for poetry, memoir, and all non-fiction topics.

The team at Beyond DEF is always ready to help authors—new and seasoned— take their books to the next level and make paper dreams become reality.

You can find out more at www.beyonddeflit.com/

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BEST AND WORST AUDIOBOOK READS OF 2022

by Rachael Tamayo

This year flew by, didn’t it? It’s that time again. Time for me to pour back through my reading list from the last 12 months and decide which books I loved the most and which books I could have done without altogether. So, without further ado, here are my best and worst of 2022

THE GOOD DAUGHTER BY KARIN SLAUGHTER

This book is my number one pick from 2022. I had a love affair with this book while reading it, and now I will buy anything this woman writes without question. I cried, I gasped, and I was horrified. A wonderfully stressful read in the best sense. You won’t be able to put this down if you love thrillers.

FAIRY TALE BY STEPHEN KING

Coming a close second was this one. I loved it. If you want a book that will take you to another world, this one is it. It’s a book that you can’t wait to see

how it comes out, and you feel devastated that you have come to the last page. One that is worth reading over and over.

THE STAND BY STEPHEN KING

Coming in third is another Stephen King title. Are we really surprised, though? It’s just phenomenal how the story progresses, how the characters adapt, and how horrifying this book really is after coming through a pandemic. It’s terrifying because this book was written in the seventies, takes place in the nineties, and could happen.

IT COULD HAPPEN. It’s so true to life that it’s far more frightening than any ghost story.

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET BY CATRIONA WARD

Number four on my list is simply a masterpiece of psychological fiction. It’s brilliantly written and Stunning; the weirdness of it is *chef’s kiss* perfect and adds to the depth of the

madness within. The way it’s written threw me for a loop; the twist at the end and the darkness and heartbreak within make it a can’t-put-it-down top pick for the year.

SOMETIMES I LIE BY ALICE FEENEY

It was hard to pick my favorite Alice Feeney book, but this one rounds out my top five of the year. The development in this book is superb. You think you know what’s coming, but you don’t. I gasped. Audibly. When you go back and realize what the author did, you will realize how simply brilliant it is. It’s the kind of book that makes me dig deeper into my own writing and push myself outside of my comfort zone to try something new.

ALL GOOD PEOPLE HERE BY ASHLEY FLOWERS

This is the first on my list of the least-liked reads of the year. This is a Law and Order ripped from the headlines style of the book, copied verbatim from the JonBenet Ramsey case with small details changed. I found the characters flat, the writing repetitive, and the end was the cherry on top of a book that left me disappointed throughout. I’m sorry to say this is one I wish I had not read.

A FLICKER IN THE DARK BY STACY WILLINGHAM

This one was a contender for number one on my leastfavorite list. Unfortunately, I found the book boring, the lack of research on the police procedural points in the book left me banging my head against the wall. The overly descriptive and inaccuracy, not to mention the fact that nothing is happening but the main character that is having a nonstop pity party.

THE THERAPIST BY BA PARIS

Next on the list is this one. I was eager to read another BA Paris book, having enjoyed some of her other work, but this one fell far short. I found it lackluster and predictable, and the main character was annoyingly dim and lacking in common sense. It was a disappointing, frustrating read.

WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS BY KATE ALICE MARSHALL

The last book I’ve chosen for this list was a disappointment. It was a story that had the potential to be five, even ten stars, but the annoying and unlikable characters throughout and the poetic writing style was a big turn-off for me. I struggled to connect with the characters and the weak attempt at PTSD was insulting, quite frankly.

About The Guest Author

Rachael Tamayo is the bestselling author of the award-winning Deadly Sins Series and award-winning thriller Crazy Love, among several other titles.  Before she started her writing career, she was a highly awarded 911 emergency services dispatcher with twelve years of experience and many commendations under her belt.   Upon exiting law enforcement, she focused her writing career on the dark, suspenseful, and psychological after beginning as a romance author.  Now Rachael uses her dark thriller as a sort of self-therapy after all those years answering 911 calls and working all that she knows and was exposed to into the frighteningly realistic and layered characters her readers know and love her for.  Rachael lives on the Texas Gulf Coast in Houston, Texas, with her husband and their two children.

You can also read Rachael’s book reviews on her website at www.RachaelTamayowrites. com, Bookbub, and Goodreads.

I enjoyed this short story. It took me three or four hours so a good filler in between large emotional or engaging books.

The story was so sweet. It had some emotional parts but for the most part it was a happily ever after. Not that this story can't be expanded with other characters.

Literally Christmas is the story of two sisters who were adopted by a man and woman who for a lack of a better description, were unsentimental. These girls grew up never knowing Christmas birthdays, holidays - every day was a normal day. So as the girls grew older, they have some resentment towards their adoptive parents.

Literally Christmas gives some backstory and part of the story is how one main character finds her Christmas spirit when part of her job is to spend a month as a Santa's elf at the local mall.

If you need a little Christmas spirit, think you would enjoy a scene where the heroine wakes up to a true-life representation of the 12 days of Christmas filling her her house and the hilarity that comes with it, be sure to pick up this book.

All I want for Christmas is a hippopotamus and Literally Christmas.

Recommend?

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves or needs a little Christmas spirt wrapped in a short story.

THE CHARACTERS HAD ME HOOKED

Red Chaos by Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman is a high impact novel. It takes me straight into the heart of danger, keeps my heart pounding, and sends me into a guessing game of what will happen next. I love action-packed scenes like this novel. These writers take it to a whole new level. I am not being bogged down with details. Just enough details to see everything that the characters are experiencing. I feel like I was at a movie theater watching another James Bond or Jason Bourne movie. Absolutely, well-done! The writing is phenomenal. It did not feel like just another geopolitical thriller even though that is what it is. On another note, I did not read the other novels in this series. The duo of writers made this book so smoothly that I can keep up and understand all of it. The characters especially, Dan Reilly, had me hooked. Deadly, exciting, and unexpected...yet it is so much fun. If you love fast novels that keep you on the edge and totally intrigued, then this is a must read.

THIS IS A SWEET LITTLE READ!

REVIEWED BY DEENA RAE

REVIEWED BY MICKEY

I HAVE NEVER READ A BOOK LIKE THIS

I have to say, I have been know to read explicit romance, blood guts and gore, non-fiction biographies, epic historically based fiction, and everything in-between. Blood Mark is by far the most unique story I can remember reading.

The story centers on Jane/Joyce, an orphan just shy of her 25th birthday. Jane was born with port wine birthmarks that were on various swaths of her body and the ability to dream of incidents in peoples' lives who she comes into contact with. Similar to premonitions but these deal with events that have happened in the past.

When she starts having dreams of a young woman who had tried to commit suicide she is intrigued when she finds out the woman - Rebecca - had the same ability she (Jane) does.

Because of the dreams and what happens to her when these visions appear, Jane is on a mission to find Rebecca to see if she has learned a way to control them.

Jane does meet a professor of Inca studies who is able to shed light on the birthmarks which are mysteriously disappearing and eventually that the dreams she has been having make her "A Witness".

I don't want to give too much away, but although this book is considered horror or occult it really is suspenseful and full of mystery. There is a love interest and there is implied sex but there is no explicit sex or sex on the page.

Recommend?

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery and is open to the unexplained being part of our world.

HISTORY, MYTHOLOGY & FANTASY MAKE FOR AN ENGROSSING READ

This Omnibus was the compilation of Marie Powell’s books Spirit Sight and Water Sight but don’t let that scare you. It’s pacing will allow the stories to unfold quickly.

I will be honest, I was worried about reading this, I am not a big YA fan but this book took history, mythology, (two of my favorite things) and wove them together with fantasy and magical elements to make a thoroughly enjoyable read.

The author included a cast of characters at the beginning of the book which helped explain all the characters.

In Book One, the main characters Hyw, who can join minds with animals and in one case a man; and his sister Cat, who can see the future in water drops,  try to use the “gifts" that have come from their mother’s side of the family to help the Welsh people repel an English invasion. Such an imaginative story.

In Book Two, Hyw learns more of his gifts power while Cat uses hers to find 3 historical relics to bring the Welsh people together. Both characters have a love story written throughout that slowly expands over the course of both books.

All in all, this omnibus was worth the time to read, it completely entertains weaving real historical places, events and people with fantasy, mythology and Celtic lore.

Recommend?

I do recommend this to lovers of history and YA fantasy.

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REVIEWED BY DEENA RAE

REVIEWED BY DEENA RAE

REVIEWED BY SCRIBBLESWORTH

Have you ever imagined a righteous, clean-mouthed, hardcore gangster? We didn’t either, until reading this book, and it’s great! Not in the way one would imagine it, which is why we love it.

The heaviness of the streets, the harshness, the power and the rage of Oz, and the different perceptions of the same playing fields are shown so well, that one must straighten oneself to digest this book in all of its might.

The main character is so cool! Not the hero type of cool, which is great because there is no cliché in it, but the non-challans kind of cool, and very wise indeed. He knows how to lie, talk about what is needed and not reveal much, and above else, keep his composure. Not only that, but he understands people with an almost super ability! Wow!

LOVE THIS BOOK, not only for the strong stance, especially on racism but also because there is a total fluidity of story in the whole book! It’s engaging, it feels real, the atmosphere is pressurized in so many aspects it doesn’t let go of the pins of anxiety that dig under the reader’s skin!

The author takes so much care into the realness of the characters, the depth of their roles and their interactions, specially in the romantic aspect of this novel. This is some serious work in here and minute detail was put when carving all the little aspects of personality that were shown, not only on Williams’s side but on Tammy, Natasha, Ernestina, and Terri’s daughter, Sharon (not to mention Pops and his Queen). The body cues, the reactions, the way they communicated, miscommunicated, the knee-jerk reactions, the arguing, and all the emotional aspects that you don’t expect to see, laid out here as if it was a photocopy of real life. INCREDIBLE!!!!

REVIEWED BY SCRIBBLESWORTH

In “No rain in the Desert” the author speaks on love, lust, dreams, and socio-political issues, he calls for change and is quick to remind people of who he is. He seeks to encourage and inspire change with his words. These poems touched my heart, and others really made me stop and think.

Like in the last collection by the same author, some poems are short and sweet, while others make you feel the pain in his words and feel the desire to see things be made right. There are poems here that are a little complex and you’ll have to dig a little deeper to truly understand.

There are several poems dedicated to lust, love, romance, and dreams. The book’s blurb, gave the impression that there would probably few of these poems, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were more in comparison to the first. “Black Rose“, “Canvas“, “Seeing You“, and “Star Union” are some of my favourites. They speak about the lust, passion love and adoration Robert Stubblefield has for the woman that has captured his heart and attention.

Robert Stubblefield makes a point of identifying the racism that runs rampant in America. How little has changed no matter how much people want to say it has. Or how much we wish that we could say “progress has been made.” But the author also acknowledges that racism isn’t just here, but it is global/worldwide and impacts so many around the world. The poems – “Anti Blackness is Global“, “Back to Those Days“, and “Afrikan in Amerikkka” are just a few of the poems that illustrate the author’s thoughts.

Most of the poems in this book are free-flowing. Only a few have stanzas that actually rhyme together which made them even more enjoyable and definitely interesting.

I encourage you to read the first book, and venture deeper into the author’s words with THIS collection of poetry that will speak to and inspire you.

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THE BLUEPRINT

Again, this book is not like the series. Although the book is not set in our present day, it holds up, the storyline is complex and engrossing.

In The Black Ice, Hieronymus Bosch is back on the job in this second book in the Bosch series by Michael Connelly.

In The Black Ice, it's Christmas Eve and Harry is on call for the Hollywood Homicide desk of the LAPD but when a body is discovered in a flop motel, Harry is left out.

The storyline of The Black Ice deals with narcotics, narcotic undercover officers, dead bodies, and drug smuggling from both Hawaii and Mexico. Harry shows himself to be a bit of a lonely man player, with two lovers. The encounters are not over the top in description with the perfect amount left to the imagination.

Under all that is a dead cop and another cop who decides to pull the pin causing his caseload onto Bosch.

As with The Black Echo, LA is a character, that is not as in-depth as in the first book but Connelly does a good job of describing the border town and Mexican town where part of the story unfolds.

The Black Ice is a good sophomore effort, an excellent story with many moving pieces that the author weaves together seamlessly.

Recommend?

I do recommend reading the Bosch books if you loved the Prime series and even if you didn't. The intricacies and different threads have to be followed to unravel the mystery that is expertly tangled and then followed.

STILL A PAGE TURNER 20+ YEARS LATER

When I was younger, I loved reading Sidney Sheldon's books. Mostly they are quick reads, fast paced and give glimpses of uberwealthy. Of course I had read Master of the Game when it came out in '82, and I have read it multiple times since. It holds up well even if society and social mores have changed, but the main reason I picked it up to re-read was so that I can read the sequel which Mr. Sheldon's estate gave Tilly Bagshawe the right to write.

Because this book spans multiple generations and centuries Mr Sheldon has some problematic verbiage when describing life in the late 1800s and early 1900s but there is nothing overly gratuitous about it.

All in all this is a great story with loveable and hateable characters, lots of "meat", angst and psychopathic undertones. Highly recommend to those who wish to read a right storyline with no unnecessary fluff.

Recommend?

Highly recommend to those who wish to read a right storyline with no unnecessary fluff.

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REVIEWED BY DEENA RAE

REVIEWED BY DEENA RAE

A CUTE COZY MYSTERY - GREAT INTRODUCTION TO THE GENRE

What a wonderful book to introduce new readers to the Cozy Mystery Genre. I have been on a mystery and thriller binge for about the past 6 months but had not read a cozy mystery before.

I was not disappointed!

The story was a page turner. The snappy dialogue and character interactions was spot-on!

I loved the paranormal elements because - WITCHES! The spells were quirky, the interaction between the characters, it was terrific.

The storyline revolves around Lily Bianchi, an Australian photographer who on her 24th birthday experiences her witchpowers abruptly appearing. Some of the involves her trying to master them and finding out what the powers are, all while trying to find her brother - another witch - who has been kidnapped in England.

Lily hops a Qantas plane for the trip the to the UK to help the PIB (Paranormal  Investigation Bureau) unravel the mystery of who has taken her brother and where he is.

Recommend?

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is new to cozy mysteries and wants a little paranormal with their mystery reads.

IT’S THE BLUEPRINT FOR THE PRIME SERIES.

I have been a huge fan of Nora Roberts (as J. D. Robb) In Death series but I had never read any of her romantic suspense as Nora Roberts.

I was not disappointed.

Ms. Roberts does romantic suspense right. Just enough steam to hit the notes with romance readers and more than enough psychological thrills for mytery and thiller readers.

This novel's storyline has Dr. Tess Court, a psychiatrist with ties to government politicians, and Detective Ben Paris pitted against a serial killer named by the press "The Priest".

With twists, turns, romance and mental illness, this storyline delivers what you need to be hooked from the first page.

The characters - main and peripheral - are well developed, the dialogue is believable. All in all, this story does not miss a step.

Recommend?

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone to those who like heat with their crime procedurals. If you love Eve and Roarke, you will connect with Tess and Ben.

REVIEWED BY DEENA RAE

REVIEWED BY DEENA RAE

REVIEWS

BY

The Reviewbler Khanani Daniella Tripti Kandari Poetic Monologues

INTERVIEWS BY DANIELLE URBAN

Danielle Urban lives in North Central Arkansas with her family. She started by blogging about her favorite books, short stories, and writing prompts. Soon her blog became something more than just that. Writers needed more than just reviews. That's how Urban Lit Magazine came to be. It features reviews, interviews, news of new literary agents and more. Her goal was to help readers connect with writers from all over the world.

Danielle has worked as an article writer, editor, journalist, and interned as a senior publisher for romance novels. In addition to that, she started the journalism club at ASUMH and it's very first digital and print publications. From there, she continued her studies in Arkansas and graduated with an M.A. in English. Today, Danielle continues to inspire writers and encourage readers to try something new. When she's not subbing at school, she is busy writing.

Reviews Team:

Seraphia B.

The Book Trollop

Julio Carlos