Category: Articles

Epeolatry Book Review: Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror, ed. Kenneth W. Cain & Tim Meyer

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror
Author: Various, ed. Kenneth W. Cain and Tim Meyer
Publisher:Crystal Lake Publishing
Genre: Horror
Release date: 8th September, 2023

Synopsis: Where do we go when we dream?
Since the beginning of time, people have argued the meaning of dreams. Are they symbolic visions that hold great meaning and personal significance? Are they portals into other worlds? Or are they just a series of random events our mind shows us when we fall asleep? Whatever the case, this much is true—the mind can be a scary place to venture, even for a few hours.
NEVER WAKE is an anthology of dream horror, bringing you several mind-bending tales of nightmares, hallucinations, and phantasmagoria from some of the hottest talent in horror fiction. But don’t worry—when you (wake up screaming) flip the last page, just remember to tell yourself, “It was only just a story…”
Unless it wasn’t.
Featuring an introduction from Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann and stories from: Cynthia Pelayo, Philip Fracassi, Gwendolyn Kiste, Eric LaRocca, Lee Murray, Todd Keisling, Laurel Hightower, and many more!

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5 Ways Fiction Authors Can Make Money Writing Nonfiction

5 Ways Fiction Authors Can Make Money Writing Nonfiction

Today, we’re going to talk about a dirty idea for the creative process – making money. Only, we’re not going to be talking about it by the traditional means of just releasing a novel to the world and hoping for some coffee money here or there, or, for those of us who are extremely talented or lucky, a full time job.

It’s a curious thing – the realm of fiction writers. They paint pictures with words, crafting universes that exist solely in imagination. But, what happens when these architects of dreams steer their ship towards the shores of reality? Is it possible for someone who weaves tales to also stitch together threads of factual prose? Absolutely.

We often compartmentalize. We put ourselves into neatly labeled boxes: fiction writer, nonfiction writer, fantasy author, historian. But creation knows no boundaries. The skills acquired while spinning stories aren’t limited to imaginary worlds. They can be, and should be, applied everywhere.

In the intersection of fiction and nonfiction, there’s a land of opportunity, a niche waiting to be explored. It’s not about abandoning the tales we tell but about enriching them and the world around us with deeper insights, guides, and truths.

Let’s embark on this journey together and discover how fiction authors can not only venture into the nonfiction space but thrive in it. After all, as the adage goes, truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. So why not blend the two?

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Indie Bookshelf Releases 08/25/2023

Got a book to launch, an event to promote, a kickstarter or seeking extra work/support as a result of being hit economically by Covid or life in general?

Get in touch and we’ll promote you here. The post is prepared each Thursday for publication on Friday. Contact us via Horror Tree’s contact address or connect via Twitter or Facebook.

Click on the book covers for more information. Remember to scroll down to the bottom of the page – there’s all sorts lurking in the deep.

 

Before you scroll down through the books however, please could you consider checking out the ‘Creatives in Crisis’ section. This has been added to help those who need additional support at this time. Thank you!

 

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Epeolatry Book Review: The Water Outlaws by S. L. Huang

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: The Water Outlaws
Author: S. L. Huang
Publisher: Tordotcom
Genre: Fantasy, Martial Arts
Release Date: 22nd August, 2023

Synopsis: In the jianghu, you break the law to make it your own.

 

Lin Chong is an expert arms instructor, training the Emperor’s soldiers in sword and truncheon, battle axe and spear, lance and crossbow. Unlike bolder friends who flirt with challenging the unequal hierarchies and values of Imperial society, she believes in keeping her head down and doing her job.

 

Until a powerful man with a vendetta rips that carefully-built life away.

 

Disgraced, tattooed as a criminal, and on the run from an Imperial Marshall who will stop at nothing to see her dead, Lin Chong is recruited by the Bandits of Liangshan. Mountain outlaws on the margins of society, the Liangshan Bandits proclaim a belief in justice—for women, for the downtrodden, for progressive thinkers a corrupt Empire would imprison or destroy. They’re also murderers, thieves, smugglers, and cutthroats.

 

Apart, they love like demons and fight like tigers. Together, they could bring down an empire.

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David Steffen. His Diabolical Plots & Submission Grinder

David Steffen. His Diabolical Plots & Submission Grinder

By Angelique Fawns

 

The Submission Grinder is THE source for finding open markets in the speculative short story world, and Diabolical Plots is one of the most desired magazines to score a sale.

 

David Steffen had a hand in creating and running both.

 

Diabolical Plots has been around since 2008 and is one of the highest-paying pro markets at ten cents a word. I’ve never made a sale there (yet) but I never miss a chance to submit, including hitting the window that was open for two weeks in July and closed on the 31st

 

The Submission Grinder is a tool that not only finds markets but also tracks submissions for writers and analyses response times. It’s free to sign up, and a rather large addiction for many writers I know. 

 

I sat down with David to learn more about his projects and viewpoints on the industry.

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Epeolatry Book Review: Christmas and Other Horrors Edited by Ellen Datlow

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: Christmas and Other Horrors: An Anthology of Solstice Horror

Editor: Ellen Datlow

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Publisher: Titan Books

Release date: October 24, 2023

Synopsis: Hugo Award winning editor, and horror legend, Ellen Datlow presents a terrifying and chilling horror anthology of original short stories exploring the endless terrors of winter solstice traditions across the globe, featuring chillers by Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu and many more.

The winter solstice is celebrated as a time of joy around the world—yet the long nights also conjure a darker tradition of ghouls, hauntings, and visitations. This anthology of all-new stories invites you to huddle around the fire and revel in the unholy, the dangerous, the horrific aspects of a
time when families and friends come
together—for better and for worse.

From the eerie Austrian Schnabelperchten to the skeletal Welsh Mari Lwyd, by way of ravenous golems, uncanny neighbors, and unwelcome visitors, Christmas and Other Horrors captures the heart and horror of the festive season.

Because the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is hungry…

Featuring stories from: 

Nadia Bulkin
Terry Dowling
Tananarive Due
Jeffrey Ford
Christopher Golden
Stephen Graham Jones
Glen Hirshberg
Richard Kadrey
Alma Katsu
Cassandra Khaw
John Langan
Josh Malerman
Nick Mamatas
Garth Nix
Benjamin Percy
M. Rickert
Kaaron Warren

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Epeolatry Book Review: Stealing God and Other Stories by Bruce McAllister

Disclosure:

Our reviews may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the links in this article we may receive a small commission or referral fee. This happens without any additional cost to you.

Title: Stealing God And Other Stories​
Author: Bruce McAllister
Publisher: Aeon Press
Genre: Science Fiction
Release Date: 17th June, 2022

Synopsis: Stealing God And Other Stories: A young woman in an abandoned house brings ruin to every man she meets. A wise-cracking hitman is recruited by an angel of God to kill the oldest vampire on Earth. A son travels into the past to find the mother he lost. In these and other tales, Hugo and Nebula nominee Bruce McAllister invites you into a universe where nothing is more important than what it means to be human.

The eighteen stories here will fascinate and intrigue, and some of them will break your heart.

-Ellen Datlow, multi-award winning editor and anthologist.

In these wide-ranging and beautiful short stories, readers will feel the characters’ emotions as their own.

-Sheila Williams, editor, Asimov’s Science Fiction.

These stories are love letters… and ransom notes from half-remembered dreams… and sometimes both.

-Trevor Quachri, editor, Analog Science Fiction and Fact.

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Cozy Murder Mysteries: Balancing Lightheartedness and Intrigue

Cozy Murder Mysteries: Balancing Lightheartedness and Intrigue

In the vast tapestry of crime fiction, there lies a unique, almost paradoxical strand—a realm where murder meets mirth, danger dances with charm, and intrigue intertwines with the mundane. Welcome to the world of cozy mysteries. These narratives, often set against the backdrop of quaint towns and tight-knit communities, create a peculiar blend. The darkness of crime contrasts starkly with the lightheartedness of daily life, resulting in tales that are as comforting as they are captivating.

Such stories often beguile readers with their curious amalgamation of warmth and whodunit. It’s a dance, one where the steps of suspense are artfully paired with moments of levity, where peril is presented, but not in a way that shadows the soul. Instead, the very essence of cozy mysteries is to make one feel at home, even as the plot thickens and intrigue deepens.

Yet, how does a writer strike such a fine balance? How does one craft a narrative that, on one hand, unravels a mystery, and on the other, feels as comforting as a cup of tea on a rainy day? For those inquisitive souls eager to dive deeper into this charming genre, and perhaps even to pick up a few tantalizing titles to read, I’d highly recommend perusing “30 Page-Turning Murder Mystery Books That’ll Hook You From The Start“. This world, after all, is a delightful paradox waiting to be explored.

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