I get asked a lot of questions. One of the them is, ”What do I look for in an author?” I mean really as a reader, what are the things that draw you to pick up an author’s material and become a fan, stand by them time after time, and just proclaim your loyalty for eternity? Here are some of my thoughts, the yardstick by which I measure the authors, size them up, and just say hit me, I can’t wait till I get that read of yours in my hand:

-A really cool name, something that just sticks…

The monthly series Trestle Press has been putting out has been a perfect place for this plotline. Lisa Taylor has put together a great heroine in Shana Black. The storylines have been fun, energetic, resourceful, and overall just a joy to read. The installments are just the right size for a digital short story, and when I am done I am always ready for the next one. I have enjoyed the detail she has imbued the narrative with, the realism, and the fact that the action and suspense has the…

Here is low down on what you can expect from this new horror series hosted by Trestle Press:

  Volume One of THE MAN OF SHADOWS:

“The Mouth of Babes,” is a visceral tale of streetwalkers and addicts, morbid voyeurs, cannibalistic tattoos, and witchcraft. Jimmy only wants another photograph for his online Death Images website. But when his good friend, Steve calls him down to the morgue to see a body with a strange tattoo of a mouth on her abdomen, he learns that sometimes the…

Trestle Press is pleased to announce the birth of a new Imprint under its umbrella, “DARK PAGES PRESS”!  DARK PAGES PRESS will be housing all of the Trestle Press Noir/Hard-Boiled titles.

Authors such as Paul D. Brazill, B.R. Stateham, Jochem Vandersteen, Darren Sant , Benjamin Sobieck, Nigel Bird, Thad Brown, Julia Madeleine, Heath Lowrance, Michael Tabman, Lawrence…

On Sunday, October 30, @ 12.30 pm EST  I will have the pleasure and honor to interview two great authors, Nigel Bird and Davis Bunn. Here is the Q&A I have for Davis Bunn. Look for Nigel Bird’s soon.

  Q & A with Davis Bunn                

Though you have published two dozen novels, Lion of Babylon seems to be a seminal work for you. Tell us where the idea began and how all the complexities of the story came together.

While crafting Lion of Babylon, I was…

Virgil Flowers is one of my favorite characters and I love what he does in this , the fifth, stand alone. He is very much Virgil, but a different side of him, more introspective, a bit deeper, more thought out , and definitely a ton of fun. The backdrop to all this is something most readers can appreciate: the angst behind a huge mega store coming in and crushing a community and its businesses. Using that, John Sandford again hits all the right notes and takes us the reader on…

When was the last time you read a kicka$% western? I mean seriously, one that just grabbed you by the collar and smacked you in the face? This is just such a story. I have become a fan of Heath Lowrance very quickly after reading this digital short story. The character he has created is incredible and hopefully this series will continue. Very few authors have his ability to craft such rich content, stylish prose, and evoke such intense emotions in a reader.

Whatever category or genre…

What happens when you put together two insanely talented authors? One that is a juggernaut on Amazon UK Darren Sant, and the other an emerging author in the horror genre, Sam Lang (Sam really is one sick puppy). I am going to have to guess a read like Severed because that is what they did. I enjoyed the blend on the two voices, one being British and the other not. It brought a dimension and flavor to the story that I found refreshing even in a horror piece. Both authors have a…

Are you looking for a read that is really going to tug at your heart strings, inspire you, and possibly even bring you to tears? Okay here you go, “Son of Mine” is the novella to do just that. This is a work of fiction but it born from first hand life experience by the author, but then again many times that is the way it is for an author. Life speaks to them and then they mold it, shape it, and put the spin on it so we the reader have an emotional experience.

“Son of Mine” is a very…

There are times I am totally enthralled by a read; this is one of them. I really enjoy the rich content, the descriptive ability S.L. Schmitz possesses and the prose are just outstanding. Vampires, werewolves, Steampunk, and the foibles of a young women’s life have never read so well to me. Just so you know, this is a digital short story series. There have been two installments thus far. The Steampunk end of it has been very intriguing and has really drawn me into the series. S.L.…

Trestle Press and Helping Hand Press are pleased and proud to announce the start of a new Amish digital short story series, “Forever Amish”, in November authored by Roger Rhienhiemer and Crystal Linn. Here is a little more about the story and the authors:

“Ava Troyer never really considered the possibility of life outside of the warm, protective Amish community.  Even during her state-mandated schooling through the eighth grade, she would dreamily fantasize about whether any of the…

If you have been following this digital short series, that is your basic stream of consciousness from a very caring human being, you have noticed the size of Open Mic volume 5 is a bit larger, almost twice the size for the same price. To know BDA is to love him; he wears his heart on his sleeve, and this installment is no exception. He was pretty bent back in late August when he was just done writing this and then he lost it to the thieves and gremlins of cyberspace. Since then he has been…

Things are heating up here at The G-ZONE and we have a great line-up of guests coming at you this week. Without further ado, here you go:

Monday ,October 17^th 12.30pm EST –Harry Shannon

Tuesday ,Oct.18^th 4pm EST Les Edgerton

Weds. Oct. 19^th 5pm EST Andrew Smith

Thursday Oct. 20^th 4pm EST – Raymond Doyen/A.J. Scudiere

Friday Oct 21^st 5Pm EST- Alexandrea Weis and Friends. We may have some surprise…

I need to be serious with this one. I usually joke about the Amish and my love for them. I don’t want to take away from what is going on here with this series and just talk about the facts jack. This is the third installment in the “Amish Knitting Circle” Series. The first two are called “Beginnings” and “Wedding Season”. To discuss sales for a moment, I need to say thanks to everyone that has been nice enough to support this series, both volume one and volume two are ranked  extremely high…

I have come to really enjoy the British fiction I have been finding lately. It goes deeper than just my love for Monty Python; it is the way the authors write about life, the manner in which they embrace the struggles, the toughness they exude, and the rawness of their emotions. I find that missing in much of what I read that is produced here in the good old US of A. I know it is there also but the style seems to be, to just gloss over it. The writing I have found of some of Bird’s…

I have to say that when I got this read it in its entirety it really flowed. My exposure to fiction of this type has been minimal. I had thought I had it all covered: digital short stories, novellas ,full length novels, but I had not read anything like “flash fiction” or stories under 2000 words that were complete stories. They are very interesting, breaths of fresh air. I enjoy the quick blast, and when a bunch of them are strung together with a common thread like Liverpool, well then it…

Trestle Press is pleased and proud to announce that it has formed “Helping Hand Press” to be its official imprint for its growing line of Christian/Inspirational titles. Karen Anna Vogel ‘s series, “Amish Knitting Circle” and Mark Miller’s full length work, “Daniel’s Lot” will move over to HHP as soon as the ink is dry. Look for future announcements of new author signings for HHP. Here is the mission statement of Helping Hand Press:

“Our name comes from life experiences of being…

My guest on The G-ZONE tomorrow is Lexis DeRothchild at 11am EST. To whet your appetite for the interview she was nice enough to send me this Q&A. Here bio is after that and here is the link for the interview:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatisscoop/2011/10/15/lexis-derothchild-joins-me-this-morning

 Q: So, Lexis is your pen name. Who are you in real life?

A:…

Trestle Press is proud to continue to find new and interesting novels, novellas and digital short stories in the fantasy genre. “Roland of the High Crags: Evil Arises” and the soon to be released “Roland of the High Crags: Treacherous Brethren” are a few of the other titles Trestle has. Look for “Norrel” to be released in November. Here is a rundown of the new universe created by Evie Vogel:

“Norrel: Princess of Prophecy is set in the time before Earth was made and was the…

I want to go viral. No, there is nothing wrong with me; several things have recently occurred to prompt this urge in me. The main reason is I think that Paul D. Brazill and B.R. Stateham have an awesome idea and I am hoping that word of it reaches its intended targets; in order for that to happen we need some help, a lot of virality.

To recap, Paul and B.R. were asked what exactly is noir and hard –boiled?I mean I get different answers from different people. Is it a matter of…