"A Journey of Words" Blog Tour, Day 4: David Williams, "Get Your Kicks on Route 66"

Today marks the release of "A Journey of Words!" ( scoutmediabooksmusic.com )

Today is also the day we profile author David Williams and his story, "Get Your Kicks on Route 66."

 

David Williams

Author Name: David Williams

Title of your AJOW story: Get Your Kicks on Route 66 

Post a brief synopsis of your AJOW story: A man, recently diagnosed with lung cancer, decides to travel Route 66 as his last hurrah.

What inspired you to write this story? My dad did Route 66 a few years ago and decided to do it again this year. It was around the time he decided to go again that I had the idea for the story.

How long have you been writing? Since around 2013, had an idea while in the shower, which I am working on as my first novel.

What genre do you usually write in and why? The novel I am working on is a Crime Thriller, which I hope will be the beginning of a series.

What else are you working on writing at the moment? My novel needs some attention after a hiatus to write Get Your Kicks ... and I am developing ideas for A Haunting of Words.

What advice do you have to give to new writers? Write as often as you can and never give up. Join a writing group of fellow writers to learn from such as Fiction Writing on Facebook.

How can people discover more about you and your work? Find me on facebook at David Williams - Author and my blog/website atwww.davidwbooks.com

 

"A Journey of Words" Blog Tour, Day 3: M.R. Ward - "The Open Road"

Today's featured author is M.R. Ward. 

Sometimes it's all about the anticipation. When "A Journey of Words" was still in the proofreading process, all I kept about was M.R. Ward's story, "The Open Road," and how absolutely terrifying it was for those who had read it. I can't wait to read it, myself. 

M.R. Ward

Author Name: M.R. Ward

Title of your AJOW story: The Open Road

Post a brief synopsis of your AJOW story: A weekend trip turns into a nightmare as four friends find themselves on a collision course with the supernatural.

What inspired you to write this story? I wanted to tell a scary story, one that would stick with the reader long after the last line. 

How long have you been writing? A year, or twenty-five, depending on your view. At thirteen, I spent a year writing stories, but lacked life experience and technical knowledge. Twenty years later I began writing a novel, but quit after a few months due to self-doubt. I never stopped creating stories in my head, though, so in 2015 I decided it was "now or never" and have remained consistent. 

What genre do you usually write in and why? Horror. I find it entertaining.

What else are you working on writing at the moment? I’m working on a short story that’s more along the lines of a paranormal love story. I’m also continuing the novel I started five years ago.

What advice do you have to give to new writers? You have to take a chance and really give your best effort, but that means putting in the time and doing the work. No one can write your story for you. 

How can people discover more about you and your work? (Link to your blog/Facebook/etc.) 
www.facebook.com/mrwardauthor/ 
Instragram: www.instagram.com/m.r.ward_author/

Remember: "A Journey of Words" will be released September 1. 

Paperback is available for pre-order at scoutmediabooksmusic.com

Kindle version available for pre-order at Amazon.com

 

"A Journey of Words" Blog Tour, Day 2: Brian Paone, "The Whaler's Dues"

It's day two of the "A Journey of Words" blog tour. Today we feature author Brian Paone, and his story, "The Whaler's Dues." Brian is also the owner of Scout Media, and the man responsible for curating both "A Journey of Words," and a previous anthology, "A Matter of Words."

Brian Paone

Author Name: Brian Paone

Title of your AJOW story:  The Whaler’s Dues 

Post a brief synopsis of your AJOW story: An unquenchable love for an unobtainable stripper. A stolen mandolin. The rattlesnake trail. A journey on a whaleboat. Heavy water. A secret infinite world of cursed islands. An ancient legend. A changing of the guard. Strange avenues … the whaler’s dues. 

What inspired you to write this story?  Jethro Tull’s “Rock Island” album

How long have you been writing?  I wrote my first short story in 7th grade in 1988. My first published work was a novel in 2007.

What genre do you usually write in and why?  I write exclusively in a genre called rock fiction, which is a sub-genre of musical fiction, when a single song, an entire album, or the span of a band/artists complete work is turned into fiction, using the literal lyrics to directly create the plotline and story arc, and usually the title of the book/story is taken directly from the song/album that the work is an adaptation of.

What else are you working on writing at the moment?  A short story for the 2017 anthology, “A Haunting of Words,” which will be an adaptation of Porcupine Tree’s album, “Fear of a Blank Planet.” And my next novel that I am currently writing is about the eight months my wife was deployed to Djibouti, Africa, and left me home alone with two toddlers. Every night I would send her an email, usually quoting song lyrics from our favorite bands at the end. I am compiling all those songs, and will use those specific lyrics to drive the story forward.

What advice do you have to give to new writers?  Beware the procrastination demons.

How can people discover more about you and your work? 
www.BrianPaone.com
www.Facebook.com/BrianPaonesNovels

 

"A Journey of Words" Blog-Tour Day 1: Jacklynn M Desmond, "Six Miles to Suring"

Jacklynn M Desmond

Author Name: Jacklynn M Desmond

Title of story in "A Journey of Words": Six Miles to Suring

Synopsis: A young woman fleeing an abusive relationship with her baby runs into some supernatural troubles.

What inspired you to write this story? A sudden, paranoia inducing episode of Deja vu while driving home from my parent's cabin "Up North". For about thirty seconds I was absolutely convinced I was going in circles. 'What if?' took over from there.

How long have you been writing?
Fourth grade. Mrs. Law's class. I got bored.

What genre do you write in? 
I have no idea. All over the board, really. I seem to like dead people.

What else are you writing at the moment? 
I'm working on the next "of Words" submission, an erotica piece for an anthology, a sequel to my novella "Sixteen" and have some back burner projects. Because ADD is real.

How can people discover more of your work? https://www.facebook.com/Jacklynn-M-Desmond-248333411971713/?fref=ts

"A Journey of Words" is available for pre-order at: scoutmediabooksmusic.com

The Rock Star is Dead; Vanilla and Beard Shall Reign

  I'll keep this one somewhat short.

  Last night, December 31, 2015, Motley Crue played their final show ever. They are done, having signed a Cessation of Touring agreement to seal the deal. No more will rock fans be able to see their brand of loud, explosive performance full of volume, scantily clad dancer/backing singers, spinning drum sets, and fiery overload.

  On Monday, December 28, 2015, the great Lemmy Kilmister passed away. Neck and neck with Keith Richards as rock star most likely to outlive the earth itself, his death from cancer shows that even our seemingly bulletproof icons can die. And sadly, someday, so will Keith Richards.

 

  Our rock stars are dying, retiring, fading into the dusty sunset. There will be no more. The era is ending.

  In this new age of internet and social media, there really can't be rock stars. The attention span of the new millennial generation is such that as soon as a song is danced to enough times, it is discarded to the wind like so much detritus. Dirt washed from our hands. 

  One could argue for the Jack Whites, the Black Keys, and others who enjoy popularity these days, but from what I've been able to see, these acts couldn't care any less about giving their fans their money's worth. Shoe-gazers extraordinaire, they'll be happy to charge you $75 - $90 to come watch them stand in one spot and look at the ground while they play their fare. I don't dispute their talent, only their level of giving a fuck.

  

  The Stones are old, The Who and Black Sabbath are currently on their final tours. In the next ten years we can expect a mass die-off of our original rock heroes. Current rock stars will fade away; the Foo Fighters have now been around over twenty years. Rob Zombie is fifty. Soon, they too will take their walk into the days of what was. 

  

  I hope that someday a handful of bands will appear that not only play loud, scary Rock 'n' Roll, but will make parents hide their daughters from their world conquering loins. Who will put on concerts worth talking about for many years after. Who will give fans their money's worth, Goddamn it!!

 

  Until the appearance of those new rock messiahs, enjoy your vanilla and beard.

Ma Muse, Ma Maitresse

  For a couple of months I've been scared that my novel-in-progress has been slipping away from me. It started in the spring when I decided to contribute to the story comp, A Matter of Words. I set the novel aside to do rewrites of my short story and it has been extremely difficult to come back. 

  Sometimes I would write a page or two and it would slip away again. My heart still felt for it, BURNED for it; but my mind just couldn't find anyplace to get a good grip. This has been the sum of the last three months. Reading the last few pages written over and over again. Staring at that last sentence and not knowing at all what comes next. 

  I didn't stop writing altogether. A couple of short stories have been written; stuff of which I am proud. Still, I wanted my story back! I was having so much fun with those guys. Where did they go? 

  

  Yesterday I watched a documentary on Amazon Prime about the early days of the Los Angeles hard rock scene, 1975-1981. It told of the bands that made it big: Van Halen,Motley Crüe, Ratt, and W.A.S.P. Also told were the stories of the bands that didn't make it. Those that fell apart, its members splitting off to form other bands, and those that were left unsigned to fade into obscurity. And the majority of the interviews were with those guys, the ones left behind.

  A story was told in that documentary that remained with me this morning, a story of a collection of amplifiers loaned from band to band. That story then whispered a bit of inspiration into MY story.

  This morning I completed the scene that had been eluding me for so long. Once again I was surprised by what I had written. The scene did not flow down the path I had intended, the river found it's own path. A minor character is now a major player and I know this is what the muse wanted. My story is back, and writing that shit was fun! Changing rock 'n' roll history, page by page.

  I think what I've learned is that I need to treat the muse as my mistress. She is second only to my living, breathing wife and family. I can't mislead her or force her to travel in directions she does not want to go. This story that I've spent the last year trying to write is now my creative priority. I love this story and it's begging to be told! So I'm going to tell it to its end without interruption from other stories, short or long. Any and all ideas will be written into my idea notebook and there they will have to sit and wait their turn. 

  

  The muse, I believe, will wear many guises in our future. For some stories she may be sweet and kind, for others a strict taskmaster. Maybe someday the muse might be a grizzled old man pulling up in his junk pick-up shouting, "Get in, fucker!"

  At the moment she's a rough and tumble bitch in a broken zipper leather jacket, holey jeans, and a beat up pair of Chuck Taylors. Her mascara runs down her cheeks and her lipstick is smeared clear the fuck across her face. She swears constantly and refuses to wash her hair or wear a bra. She rebels against any push to make her act any other way. So I will be loyal to the muse. In return, I believe she will help me to tell my story to completion and place it in your hands. I can't wait!

Valium, Verismo, Vas Deferens

Verismo 

vuh-riz-moh 

--noun 

 1. The use of everyday life and actions in artistic works: introduced into opera in the early 1900's in reaction to contemporary conventions, which were seen as artificial and untruthful.

  

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a lecture given by author Dennis Lehane, and meeting him after. During his talk, he spoke of the tendency a majority of writers have to write during very specific times of the day. Either in the morning, just after waking, or late at night. 

  During the height of our day, 'real life' tends to consume and rule our minds. We are thinking about our jobs, bills, families; all of the usual things that make up day to day life. A writer can come up with story ideas and little specifics during these busy hours, but the actual process of writing does seem to come easier at these early or late times of the day. The reason for this, Mr. Lehane says, is because one is still in a half dream state after waking. Late at night, a person will be getting tired, their mind groggy. Therefore, the creative process can come to a writer much easier. One is less likely to dwell on life issues and can focus better on their writing with fewer stray thoughts trying to butt in and take over the brain. This is also, he says, probably why so many of our great authors and artists become alcoholics. They drink while creating because they are trying to perpetuate the waking dream state.

  

  I cannot claim to be adverse to this idea. I'd be lying if I were to say I didn't do my best writing late at night or during layovers along my morning bus route. Such creativity seems to peter out the higher the sun gets in the sky. 

  I also hold no opposition to having a drink--a small one--before writing at night. To oil the words, so to speak. However, too much tends to drown the muse, and usually coffee or a caffeinated soda will suffice.

  Over a week ago I developed a wicked bit of pneumonia and was prescribed a codeine cough syrup. On top of that, I needed the antibiotics to work quickly as I had a scheduled vasectomy in three days. The idea for an experiment began to develop. Before a vasectomy can be performed one must attend a pre-op consultation with the physician. During this consultation the doctor said that sometimes some men will bring along a book to read or will play on their phones during the procedure to distract themselves from the current goings on. Also, they prescribe Valium to soothe the nerves of any man nervous about the thought of a scalpel running through his scrotum. My natural(?) thought was, I wonder if anyone has ever ventured to write during such a procedure? And initially, I was determined to try. If anyone was going to be the first to do so, why not be that guy? Even if it was to blog something as simple as, "first they're doing the right nut, now they're doing the left nut." 

  But, alas, it was not to be. I had imagined in my mind being in an upright sitting position, feet in stirrups. Instead they have you flat on your back, and ask you to keep your hands on your chest. Also, I was already thrown by the fact that I had forgotten to do the courtesy pre-op shave, and that job had to be done by a sixty-year-old, humorless, Asian nurse who was not happy about that particular task. Then , the doc arrived with two new docs in training who were there to observe. So with four people now in the room to open up my now smooth, iodine-slathered sack of goodies, writing was the last thing on my mind. Someone else will have to be the first. However, I did manage to get them to hand me my phone, and I read about writing on my Kindle app.

  My next failed attempt was to write while on Valium and codeine. What would writing in that specific altered state be like? For me, impossible, as it turns out. My brain just doesn't work that way. Two attempts, two failures. But at least I know. A clearer mind is the more productive in my case.