Introducing you to .... Katrina Emgard

In our latest post introducing you to our Night Shade Volume I authors, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to Katrina Emgard, author of the fascinating and sinister short story 'A Fairytale Ending'. Not only is Katrina an incredibly talented writer, but she is also a very talented graphic artist. It was our absolute privilege working with her and her various art forms. Be sure to check out her beautiful website to discover a whole host of interesting and innovative projects. 

Biography:

I’ve always had many stories to tell. They’ve been expressed in different ways but writing gave me the chance to place the characters of my imagination in the same room and let them tell me their stories – that’s how writing came into my life and why it stuck. Because it gave me time, time to get to know the characters and time to tell the vivid tales.

One of those stories grew until it expanded beyond the format of a comic or a short story, which I’ve usually written, and became a full scale novel -“In the realm of dreams – Walkers.”

In a near future, in a bankrupt city, a worldwide corporation has gained the ability to manufacture and control people’s dreams.  Kia, a young woman, struggling with reoccurring nightmares and the effect this has on her psyche is searching for a way out of her own personal hell. A journey through the darkest corners of her subconscious, where some people help her and many more try to put an end to it.

More at www.emgaard.com

Interview:

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

A: As the fog lifts in the morning it reveals: acres of fields, the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean, a bit of forest and in the middle of it all a sturdy, yellow, old house. If you peak through one of the gritty windows you’ll find me writing stories, drinking coffee and occasionally petting my constantly attention seeking dog.

Q:  When did you start writing seriously

A: About 5 years ago I started studying Creative Writing and writing a comic. I soon came to learn that I needed more space for my lyrics than the speech bubbles could offer, and so I moved on to short stories and now I’m working on a novel.

Q: What is the favourite thing you’ve ever written?

A: My next piece is my favorite thing. It’s always like that, lots of new ideas and stories pop up when you’re working. And you can’t wait to get started with them, and as soon as you have, it’s the same thing all over again.

Q:  Tell us a little about your book

A: The book takes place in a near future, in a bankrupt city, a worldwide corporation has gained the ability to manufacture and control people’s dreams.  Kia, a young woman, struggling with reoccurring nightmares and the effect this has on her psyche is searching for a way out of her own personal hell. A journey through the darkest corners of her subconscious, where some people help her and many more try to put an end to it.

The book is currently in the making, check out www.emgaard.com for more updates.

Q: Who’s you inspiration?

A: Joss Whedon for his ability to write dialogue driven action. Jon Aijvide Lindquist for his bizarre imagination and of course Neil Gaiman, for his fairy tale-like, earthy atmosphere.

Q: What are your hopes and ambitions?

A: I want to write, to keep the characters in my head alive and well and hopefully reach out to people with my stories.

Q: What would be you advise to aspiring writers?

A: Don’t wait for inspiration to come to you. Keep writing and work on your stories. No matter what you think of them, just get them out, get them down on paper and finish them. Remember there is something great about every story.

Introducing you to ... Petra Pavlikova

LBPH is really excited to announce  that the paperback edition of the 'Night Shade' anthology is now available in paperback and what better way to celebrate than by introducing you to the rest of the Night Shade authors.

Today it is our great pleasure to introduce you to Petra Pavlikova and her story 'Dark Saviour', a tale of twisted and sinister obsession that is so powerful it breaks all natural orders.

About ...

Petra Pavlíková is a Czech writer, student, and translator. Člověk Sofie v pustině (pub. 2010) is a collection of three pieces she wrote while studying creative writing at Josef Škvorecký Literary Academy in Prague.

“Dark Saviour” is her first story in English. She is currently working on another, an urban fantasy trilogy Hazel the Witch, which is set in Bath, England, but is inspired by folklore of many cultures. She is also rewriting and translating her gothic tale Tangerine from Czech into English.

In 2009 she attended International Summer School at the University of Cambridge. In 2011 she graduated from Anglo-American University in Prague with BA in Humanities, Society and Culture. She studies Romanticism (MA Romantic Studies) at Birkbeck, University of London.

Interview ...

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m from Czech Republic, but now I live and study in England. I love animals and own way too many books. No, that’s not true, there’s no such thing as too many books.

When did you start writing ‘seriously’?

I think it started with studying creative writing at the Josef Škvorecký Literary Academy in Prague.

What is the favourite thing you have ever written? Tell us a little about it.

Tangerine. It’s a gothic tale with a family curse and a little bit of romance. But it also explores the way people follow (or not follow) their dreams and passions. Giving up on what we really want and conforming to society and its expectations can make us numb. But following our truth without thinking it through might be fatal as well.

I’m very lucky, because one of our family friends is an amazing Czech director, musician, and also writer, and he read it and suggested what I could change and what I could improve. It helped me a lot. It’s written in Czech, but now I’m reworking and rewriting it into English.

Tell us a little about your book / series?

“Dark Saviour” is a Victorian ghost story and also the first piece in English I’ve ever written. The characters cross lines which shouldn’t be crossed and show us the darker side of humanity. I enjoy reading stories like that. I think it’s important for us to read about the dark side of human soul, it helps us to acknowledge and deal with our own darkness. Yes, I like Jung a lot. J

Who is your inspiration?

There are many people I admire for different reasons: Carl Jung, Jane Austen, Anton Chekhov, Daphne du Maurier, J. K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman etc. But I also love mythology, folklore, and fairy-tales. I love literature and music. All these things are my inspiration. And to look around yourself and pay attention to what you see and not see is a great thing as well. J

What are your hopes and ambitions for the future?

I want to write in English more. It’s a challenge, but challenges are good for you.

Also, I want to do yoga more regularly.

What would be your advise to aspiring writers?

Read, write, and read. Believe in your dream. And brace yourself, because there are going to be many rejections. And learn to accept criticism.

Introducing you to .... Laurie Lyons.

It's launch week for Night Shade Volume One, and the LBPH are so proud of the first Night Shade Volume. It has some really fabulous stories written by some genuinely talented writers. Today it is our pleasure to introduce you to Laurie Lyons. Well actually, it might be more accurate to say, 're-introduce' you, as we had the great pleasure of hosting Laurie's work in 'Dark Heart Volume One.'

Laurie's story

Laurie's contribution to 'Night Shade' is the seriously creepy and sad story of 'The Gatherers'. Set in the close knit community of the Fire Fighter's families, 'The Gatherers' is the tale of the newly widowed Emily and her daughter Ava. Fire was a part of their families life, and it seems tragically that it is now defining their deaths. In a tale that blends traditional ghost elements with more contemporary paranormal. you're sure to find yourself doing a double check of the fire-alarm.

About

Laurie Lyons wrote her first story at the age of 8 and hasn’t really stopped since. She lives in Calgary Alberta, Canada with her husband Trevor and their two clever children. She loves writing, reading and spending time with her brilliant friends. One of which is her friend Scott Walker who played a huge part in clarifying a great deal of the Firefighter facts for this story. ‘The Gatherers’ is her second story with Little Bird Publishing House. Laurie is the author of The Feather Trilogy with Ring of Fire Publishing. 


Interview

Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in Calgary Alberta Canada. I have a terribly handsome husband and two crazy, clever children that love roller coasters. When I am not writing, I am a teaching assistant at a local preschool and visit local school to talk about being a writer. I do yoga most days and drink wine on the others. I also have Celiac Disease and write a foul-mouthed blog about my adventures. Favorite things include, reading, writing, chocolate and my snake-skin pumps.

When did you start writing ‘seriously’?

About four years ago. I have always written short stories, have started a few novels but never got too far. I got the idea for FEATHER and wrote it down in notebooks over six weeks. I knew I had something special, I knew that this was what I should be focusing my time on.

What is the favourite thing you have ever written? Tell us a little about it.

My newest book FAITH is coming out soon and its final chapter is one of my favorites. It took me weeks to craft every sentence. It was so important that the trilogy ended perfectly. I wanted the reader to feel like the story was complete and yet that they had gone through the ringer to get there. I wanted the journey to feel worth it. Its beautiful and I am so proud of it.

Tell us a little about your book / series?

I have written ‘The Feather Trilogy’. In FEATHER, we meet Lucy, a college student with a fairly normal life except for the fact that she has a photographic memory. On the night of the Spring Equinox, she runs into a man named Nathaniel who at first appears to have amnesia. Lucy feels deeply connected to Nathaniel but soon falls into a spiral of confusion as she discovers that Nathaniel is invisible to everyone but her. Determined to find answers, Lucy seeks answers and ultimately learns that Nathaniel is a fallen Angel. His time on Earth is limited though and Lucy and Nathaniel have to battle Heaven and Hell to stay together.

In GATES, Lucy and Nathaniel are together and at first everything seems perfect. A series of terrifying events leave them wondering if something evil is lurking below the surface. They must find out who, or what is behind the attempts on Lucy’s life. The story builds to a breatheless ending that will leave the reader wanting more.

FAITH, the final installment of The Feather Trilogy, picks up seconds after GATES ends and Lucy is struggling to find a way to save Nathaniel and her friends. Little does she know though, that far more is riding on her decisions. The entire human race is depending on her to do, not necessarily the right thing, but the right thing at the time. FAITH carries the reader through a story of love, heartache and terror that is worthy of Lucy and Nathaniel’s love.

Who is your inspiration?

I am inspired by the authors who fought and perfected their craft over time to make their word read and succeeded.

What are your hopes and ambitions for the future?

I would love to see my books in every book store in the world. However, I get people telling me how much they love my work all the time. Students listen to me speak and want to become a writer. Fans read my work and give me five stars and a rave review. If all that continues to happen for the rest of my life, I will die a happy old lady. My writing has been a great blessing and I just want to be able to keep doing it.

What would be your advise to aspiring writers?

Don’t stop writing, no matter what you do. Keep working because you will get better when you do. Develop your voice, perfect your craft, use the written word to make a difference and you will be happy with the result. No matter what though. Don’t….stop….writing.

Introducing you to .... Axel Howerton

Axel Howerton

Today at LBPH we are combining our Introducing You To... blog series (in which we introduce you to our awesome anthology contributors) with a #CoffinHop 2013 blog post. It is our great pleasure and privilege to share the work of Axel Howerton (A Godfather of the Coffin Hop).

As well as introducing you to Axel and his work, there is a copy of the Coffin Hop 2013 anthology: Death by Drive In, up for grabs at the bottom of the post.

Axel has contributed two of his gorgeous poems, 'Ghosts' & 'Cold Sunrise' to the Dark Heart Volume I anthology, and this is a little more about him.

Axel Howerton is the author of the darkly comic bestselling hardboiled/noir "detective" novel Hot Sinatra, and the zombie novella Living Dead at Zigfreidt & Roy. His stories have recently appeared in Fires on the Plain, Steampunk Originals, A Career Guide To Your Job In Hell, Clones Fairies and Monsters in the Closet and the bestselling holiday anthology Let It Snow: Season’s Readings For A Super-Cool Yule.

Axel is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and the co-creator of the annual Coffin Hop author extravaganza. He lives in the untamed prairies with his two brilliant young sons and a wife who is way out of his league.

ABOUT HOT SINATRA:

Moss cole is a private detective, the kind you thought only existed in old movies and afternoon reruns. He's smart, talented, sometimes even charming. You'd think he could find a better gig tha
n carrying on his grandfather's legacy as a 'Private Dick'. Cole is out of money, out of ideas, and out of his league. That's why he's stuck looking for a stolen Sinatra record ... a record that may just be a figment of an old man's imagination. Of course, if that were true, Moss wouldn't have so many people busting down his door.

GET YOUR HANDS ON A COPY

COFFIN HOP GIVEAWAY

Axel and the Coffin Hop crew have kindly donated an e-book copy of the official Coffin Hop 2013 Anthology: Death by Drive In

To get your hands on a copy all you have to do is,


TWEET Come over and check out #CoffinHop 2013 at www.coffinhop.com Amazing giveaways, free shorts and fabulous authors @Knighttrilogy