Showing posts with label news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news. Show all posts

News and special discounted books promotion

Hi Folks

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posts lately - some of you may know that I recently began my Masters in English Lit. program and it is proving to be the inevitable time-guzzler that I thought it would be! So, less fiction, more academic writing . . . Grrrrrr. Despite the time consuming factor, I am learning a lot as I go and it's valuable information which will hopefully benefit my writing. The topic of my thesis is: American Postmodern Serial Killer Fiction, and I'm analyzing the following select works - Jim Thompson’s The Killer Inside Me, James Ellroy’s Killer on the Road, Brett Easton Ellis’s American Psycho, Poppy Z. Brite’s Exquisite Corpse and Joyce Carol Oates’s Zombie. Here's a slice of the intro - as you will notice, the style is not my usual pared-down prose. Bear in mind that this is the first draft, but you get the idea:

"The vast body of published texts, which constitute the genre of serial killer fiction, reveal common narrative technique and tropes that signal a prevalence of clichéd formulaic novels representing the majority of works within this genre. However, amongst this stylistic and thematic majority, works exist that extend the boundaries of serial killer fiction through the import of different genre concerns and attributes. This thesis considers the impact and importance of these works and how they have influenced the stylistic and thematic direction of the genre as a whole. Focussing on twentieth century American post-war serial killer fiction, this study examines select works to exemplify aspects of the narratives that directly, or indirectly, transform, challenge and critique the genre conventions in which they are written. Of primary concern is the charting of the trajectory of the genre as a postmodern phenomenon, the evolution and expansion of the genre in terms of its popularity with the reading public in line with the growth of media interest in factual representations of serial killers, and the growing interest in the genre and its possibilities by those authors who usually write outside of it."

Right, now my excuse is out of the way we can get down to the good stuff. I have recently discounted a few of my titles so I thought I'd share it with you here before the price goes up again. Here are the bargains:



Discounted to only $0.99 for a limited time - grab your copy now! (U.S & U.K. links below) - Dreams of Thanatos: Collected Macabre Tales. (250 pgs)

Supernatural demons, murderers and ghosts roam these pages although the most horrifying aspect Cook describes, is the dark soul of humanity. Whether writing about the psychological horrors of modern life, or things that go ‘bump in the night,’ Cook’s writing is always “intense” and often “visceral” in his portrayal of the macabre. Included in this collection of fifteen stories is a novelette (Dead and Buried) and the origin story (Legacy: The Eternal Now and Thereafter) behind the novel, Blood Related.

Recommended for adult readers only. Contains scenes of psychological and supernatural horror


This book is also available FREE to all new subscribers of this website - if you are not already subscribed, why not grab a free copy here instead?

The second discounted title is the popular collection I edited, Fresh Fear: An Anthology of Macabre Horror. I have reduced the price and the kindle version is $2.99 for a limited time. 


https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Fear-Anthology-Macabre-Horror-ebook/dp/B01HYASBBI/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8#nav-subnav

News and FREE EBOOK giveaways

Hi All - it's been a while I know, so as a way of thanking you for sticking around I've got some free books for you! Things have been really busy lately with research for my Masters thesis well underway. The title of my dissertation is 'The Evolution of a Genre: the Rise and Rise of Serial killer Fiction. As you can imagine, the research and writing on this topic fits well within the scope of my fictional work as well, so it should be an interesting and engaging ride. Let's just hope that my supervisor likes the subject as much as readers of my books do! Other current projects include continued work on the sequel to 'Blood Related' (a novel titled 'Blood Loss'), the second volume of 'Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors' as well as an omnibus edition that collates both volumes (1 and 2) plus additional material. 

In other news, I have recently been interviewed. If you're interested in reading these you can view them respectively, here and here.

The last item I have today is a REQUEST FOR REVIEWS! Sorry for shouting, just wanted to make sure everybody heard (wink, wink). If you have read any of my books, please take a minute to drop a short review on Amazon (author page link) and/or Goodreads. If you'd like to become part of my review team, please send me an email and I'll gift you a review copy of your choice. 


Reviews are what drives new readers to my books and to all the other indie authors out there struggling to make a name for themselves. Believe me when I say that without your help, I am nothing. Sure, I would keep writing nonetheless (without reviews) because it is my passion and I can't seem not to write, but a fair review is what helps me as an author improve and to see what readers actually want to read more of. So thank you to those of you who have read my work and reviewed it and to those of you who will (hopefully) leave a short review after reading this. You rock!!!

Anyway, here they are - today's freebies just for you. Just click on the image or the link beneath to download your free copy/s (U.S. + U.K. Links included)


DEAD AND BURIED

Ever been bullied? Ever been dead and buried? Ever been a ghost?
Donny is sick of everything, at home and at school. Most of all, he hates the bullies who have made his life a living hell. Strange things have been happening in the Cox household – Donny’s mother has mysteriously disappeared and his drunken father has been acting more strangely than usual. Donny’s little brother Max is relying on him to find their mother and to protect him from all the things little kids need protecting from. The local gang of thugs is intent on making Donny and Max’s lives as miserable as possible. They will resort to almost anything to make the Cox brothers’ suffer. What the bullies don’t consider, is the possibility that their cruel actions will have consequences far beyond their realms of imagination.





DEATH QUARTET

DEATH QUARTET (A Selection of Short Horror Fiction & Verse) is an eclectic miscellany of psychological horror stories, poems, and ephemera, wherein the subject matter relates to the study of homicide and the aesthetic portrayal of such an act. In other words, themes of death and murder abound in this horrific collection brought to you by William Cook, author of macabre fiction and the novel ‘Blood Related.’ 





CREEP

Be careful who you get into a car with, even if that car is a taxi!
A dark story of a young girl's date with death. CREEP is a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the gripping climax which is unexpected and will leave the reader cheering for more. Serial Killers don't always get away with murder, no matter how hard they try.





ONE WAY TICKET

Fast Train To Hell . . .
From the belly of the swamp issues forth a visit in the middle of the night, from a force as dark and unimaginable as hell itself. Poor pig-farmer Abel Laroux, must battle the demons of his past as well as the nightmarish reality of the present, as he confronts a devilish visitor who has come to collect on an outstanding debt. Grab your ticket now for this horrifying journey into a hellish nightmare!





Hope you enjoy these free reads (download 'em quick - two days to go!). Best wishes and please remember to subscribe (click on image below) for the next post/s and another free book. Have a great day.

 

 

#freebooks, Interview, news, william cook, Dead and Buried, Death Quartet, One Way Ticket, CREEP, Lee Murray, Roadie Notes, Book Review Request, #reviews, 

News and #FREE book

 Hi there - well it's been a while since my last post as things have been very busy on the home front. I have nearly finished the final edits on my latest book - 'Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors,' and have been working on a couple of other projects (novel, collection etc). SOBSSPA is a non-fiction collection of interviews that appeared first here on my site/blog - (you can find all the interviews via this link) along with an analysis of the main interview points and a couple of essays on Growth Hacking for authors and Self-Publishing by yours truly. All things going well, this interesting little book should be ready pre-Christmas along with a collection of essays and a new collection of short fiction. Meanwhile, here is a freebie for you guys - hope you enjoy it.


http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Buried-Ghost-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B00IJMI8T6/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447366729&sr=1-14&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I

#FREE Now! (3 Days only - 12-15/11) Dead and Buried - A Ghost Story (Please share/ #RT) - (U.S. & U.K. links below)

Ever been bullied? Ever been dead and buried? Ever been a ghost?

 
Donny is sick of everything, at home and at school. Most of all, he hates the bullies who have made his life a living hell. Strange things have been happening in the Cox household – Donny’s mother has mysteriously disappeared and his drunken father has been acting more strangely than usual. Donny’s little brother Max is relying on him to find their mother and to protect him from all the things little kids need protecting from. The local gang of thugs is intent on making Donny and Max’s lives as miserable as possible. They will resort to almost anything to make the Cox brothers’ suffer. What the bullies don’t consider, is the possibility that their cruel actions will have consequences far beyond their realms of imagination.

A supernatural coming-of-age ghost story that deals with the consequences of bullying.

Contains scenes of violence and low-level supernatural horror.

“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days

#Ghosts #Ghost #Supernatural #Horror #Paranormal #Mystery #Suspense

AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Buried-Ghost-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B00IJMI8T6/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447286047&sr=1-14&refinements=p_82%3AB003PA513I

AMAZON U.K. - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Buried-Ghost-William-Cook-ebook/dp/B00IJMI8T6/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447286187&sr=1-13

REVIEWS, NEWS & VIEWS

Some days, you wake up thinking the day will be much the same as the previous one  . . . and then you see that someone has liked one of your books enough to leave a positive review on Amazon or Goodreads et al. These days I live for. Not so much for the kudos and a back-pat (although, undeniably, an ego massage never goes amiss, when you're wondering if anyone is actually reading the stuff you've slaved over) but for the fact that someone has read something you wrote and enjoyed it. Bringing pleasure to my readers, even if it is a macabre fear-filled type of pleasure, is why I continue to write and I thank you for it. Yes, you - the reader. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patronage and time and I hope that I can continue to surprise and satisfy you with my words.

Here is the review in question that I woke up to today:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Thanatos-Collected-Macabre-Collection-ebook/dp/B00IINDTVI/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421710458&sr=1-4
 
"5.0 out of 5 stars A Book You'll Read More Than Once!  
January 18, 2015 by Mary Genevieve Fortier
Format:Paperback
 
Dreams of Thanatos: Before we open the cover let us explore the title and the origin of the name. In Greek mythology Thanatos was the demon personification of death. Latin translates the name simply as Thanatos. In Greek mythological poetry, Thanatos is the son of Night and Darkness, and had a twin- Sleep.

Interesting, huh? Well, my dear readers the title of this book is not all that defines a creative mind at work.

William Cook is an author and poet. At times, his stories however dark they may appear, are quite poetic in flow and form. The words are collected and assembled to create beauty. Cook does so masterfully. As a poet, he produces horror fiction with the finely tuned eloquence of words. His plan appears, to draw you in and do more than scare the hell out of you. No, Cook wants you to sit back and think. With great success, he achieves just that.

So, now that you have an idea of what lives beyond the simple words etched upon the face of this uniquely, artistic book; a glimpse into this superbly imaginative mind, let us delve in. Fifteen stories house this collection of terror; giving you a whole new perspective on death, or shall we say, Thanatos. Each tale reaches the recess of the creative mind, painting a picture of death in ways the average reader couldn’t possibly, ever imagine.

“The Reader”- The story of a man with an insatiable desire to read. We witness as he neglects life, his family and all else, to quench his uncontrollable obsession for the written word. This unreasonable fixation grows without conscious thought. The voracity, as a deep seeded hunger, plagues the character relentlessly. Dare you find yourself engrossed in a great book again, once you discover the horror that awaits, “The Reader.”?

Another tale to lure you beyond the fine line between reality and a waking nightmare;

“The Night Terror”- This story glides as a poetic piece of literature with a horrific twist. An elderly scholar witnesses a nightmarish creature destroy the world around him. Helpless, despite his vast emporium of knowledge, the scholar can only bear witness to the senseless destruction and its terrifying genesis. What do you fear within the dark? This reviewer is certain, the terror that lurks here, is beyond your worst nightmare.

“Dead Memories”- a man’s descent into madness is given rise by the apparition of his former girlfriend. Cook takes us through the glass of time in this disturbing and heart wrenching chronicle of the sour taste of love, when it compels the human psyche to refuse release. Oh, love and madness… the symbiosis created here is unforeseen and startling!

These are but a few spine chilling treats awaiting your final nerve. Each story will draw you deeper- deeper into the creatively, creepy mind of William Cook and Death far more disturbing than your nightmares. “Dreams of Thanatos” is one you’ll read more than once. You’ll have to - it keeps calling…"


This review is from my first collection of horror stories - I have nearly completed the first draft of my second (print) collection which should be ready by late March (this year). If any of you are interested in reading the book mentioned above or any of my other titles, please visit my Amazon Author Page. Also, if you'd like a freebie - my short story 'One Way Ticket' is free on Smashwords in any ebook format you desire.

Anyway, back to the keyboard for me. Once again, if any of you would like to comment or contact me I'd love to hear from you. What's your favorite horror story? What kind of books do you read?  What's your favorite genre? What kind of story would you like me to write next? Always love to chat about books and writing.


Take care.





Hi everyone. Well it's been a while but many things have been underway - hence the MIA status. Recently, I was featured on the talented Jerry McKinney's website as one of his 'Featured Friends' and rated a mention on a recent radio talk-back show with host Jeff Mudgett.

I have a new ebook due out by the end of September titled 'Macabre: A Collection of Short Fiction'. As the name suggests, it is a short-story collection of twelve macabre stories that readers will hopefully enjoy. I will make sure to post a link as soon as it goes live. And, finally, Black Bed Sheet Books are re-releasing 'Blood Related' on Halloween and I have also signed a deal with them for the sequel - tentatively titled 'Blood Trail' and halfway to completion. I would expect this to be finished just before or after Christmas and ready for release sometime before midyear 2013. So, a busy second-half for 2012 - if the calendar ticks over into 2013 I suspect next year will be even busier. Hope everyone is well and healthy out there in NetWorld - take care and keep doing what you love.
Will.



Around Town: local in-depth news straight to you



One of the 'Little Bastards'




The Newtown Council Apartments Building, Block B



Wellington, Newtown. Possums that climb drainpipes at the council flats in Newtown have long been a problem for the residents and more importantly the landlords. Now a possible solution has been found by one of the tenants who live on the thirteenth floor of Apartment block B. Noticing that the drainpipe was made from a conductive material, Arnold B Wingthrop, a retired electrical contractor, unscrewed a lamp from its electrical cord and attached the flex with duct-tape to the drainpipe fixture outside his window. Within days a pile of scorched possums lay stacked at the base of the drainpipe. Local stray dogs have been disposing of the barbequed rodents but there have been a few incidents where some animals have touched the downpipe and fried as a result. Mr Wingthrop stated, “the little bastards got what they deserved. They’ve been shimmying up that bloody drainpipe and pinching things out of my apartment for months now!” Neighbouring residents have complained that the apartment block now ‘looks like a friggin’ radio tower at night’ because the electrified drainpipe glows in the dark. The day after we interviewed Mr Wingthrop, the first of the Autumn rains fell, which upon contact with the electrified down-pipe, resulted in a massive electrical fault that blew out half of the suburb’s power supply, including the local hospital’s. Police are interrogating Mr Wingthrop about the incident.


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