April Author News

Greetings from my writing desk,

The end of April arrived quicker than expected but it’s been another exciting month with new awards and news about upcoming releases to share. Many times I had stop work on my current project and proofread stories as they head toward publication. Here’s what’s been happening:

New award for Memories Don’t Lie

The 2024 American Legacy Book Awards were announced last week and I was thrilled to learn that my novel, Memories Don’t Lie was awarded finalist in the Science Fiction – General category.

These awards attract thousands of entries from mainstream, independent, and self-published titles, so to be on the winners/finalists list is a huge accomplishment. A big shoutout to my publisher Black Hare Press who are as thrilled as I am. You can read the full winners/finalist list in the press release here:

https://americanlegacyawards.com/2024pressrelease.html

I’ve had some wonderful reviews for Memories Don’t Lie, the latest from Literary Titan. Read their review HERE.

Memories Don’t Lie has also been released on Apple Audio. Find all the links HERE.

Upcoming Anthology Releases

Stygian Lepus (Edition 3) – The Styg

The Stygian Lepus magazine is a small publication produced by The Styg and edited by the fabulous Black Hare Press editors Dean Shawker, Kara Hawkers, and Jodie Christensen. The Styg’s aim is to provide a platform for authors to showcase their stories, poetry,  and writing craft articles. Originally in digital format, each edition is now published in a full-colour magazine and the proof looks fantastic. Edition 3 features my poem, “Reluctantly Kindred” and releases on April 30^th. Grab your copy HERE.

Shards – A Mental Health Charity Anthology – Ravens Quoth Press

This poetry anthology aims to bring awareness to mental health issues and their far-reaching effects with the hope it leaves the reader with a deeper appreciation and empathy for the frailties and complexities that make us human.

Featuring my poem, “Soften The Eggshells Beneath Your Feet”, the proceeds from this anthology will be split between Black Dog Institute and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Shards will release on 15^th May, 2024. Your support is appreciated and you can find purchase details HERE.

Spawn 2: More Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth, and Babies

Following on from the award-winning anthology Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, Spawn 2 is the second installment in the series. Edited by Deborah Sheldon and published by IFWG Publishing, Spawn 2 features my story “The Tenth Life”, the weirdest story I’ve ever written. Print copies are done and the global release is 24^th November. Learn more about Spawn 2 HERE.

Author Spotlight Series

At the end of March, I started my Author Spotlight series where I interview authors to learn more about the person behind the writer and peek into their writing world. So far I’ve featured authors including Laurie Bell – science fiction, Karen Bayly – steampunk and science fiction, Tabatha Wood – horror and speculative fiction, Matt Tighe – horror and speculative fiction, Tracie McBride – horror, and Elena Hartwell Taylor – crime and mystery. Click on their names to read their interviews and learn about their books and writing life.

I also thought it would be fun to have them ask me a question. Here’s a selection of what they asked:

From Laurie Bell:

Question: Now that it has been a little while since your fabulous book Memories Don’t Lie came out… What would you say is the most important thing you have learned since the release?

My answer:

Keep calm and carry on!

Before publication, when you’re working on your WIP, you have complete control. You decide when your work is ready, when to query, your publishing path etc. If you go with a publisher, you hand over some of that control. But once your book hits the market, you and/or your publisher have little to no control over anything. Your book is now in the bookseller’s hands and anything can and will happen, in most cases stressful. This is where you need to keep calm and carry on, solving one issue at a time until you can sleep well at night again.   

The second most important thing to remember is that you’ve published a book. That alone is an epic achievement (1% of writers if the stats are correct) so congratulate yourself every day.

From Karyn Bayly

Question: Where do you plan to go with your author career?

My answer:

This is a great question and one I don’t have a definitive answer for. My stories range from 6 words to 96,000 words, but it’s the sense of completion I need, thus why I write more short stories than novels. In saying that, though, I have fallen in love with novellas. They are short enough to complete quickly and long enough to create more depth in plot and character, so expect to see more of those from me. I also have two collections on my radar, and aim to finish my novel series. A non-fiction piece is also on the cards, but that’s in its infancy and I’m not sure how long it will take to grow. And poetry is right up there. I’m teaching myself about different styles. Sometimes they work, sometimes not. Poetry needs a certain headspace and I don’t always tap into it. But when I do…

I’m also enjoying my Author Spotlight series, my pet side project. I love learning more about the writers I’ve followed online for years. I also think many writers struggle to be seen, especially with how fractured social media has become. This is my way of supporting writers, as I’ve been supported during my writing career. Because when there are billions books on the shelf, sometimes it just takes one person to point at a book to make it stand out.

Reading News: I won a book!

Another exciting thing that happened in April was that I won a book in a promotional giveaway. Soon to arrive in my mailbox is a signed paperback of “The Corner Of Her Eye”, a debut novel by JJ Carpenter. It releases in May, 2024, and I’m so excited to read it. Find out more about the author and her book HERE.

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That brings me to the end of April and I look forward to resuming writing. Until next time, happy reading.