Nightmare Noir is now available at Amazon. In celebration of this, we are giving away another free copy of the book to the first person who posts what famous album cover the cover art of the book was inspired by. Here's an excerpt from the book to tease you: I hate reading modern detective stories that relate everything that happens to the movies. Rarely does this crap ever mimic the atrocities that some call cinematic experiences; more like celluloid extortion. Vampires don’t look like models or teen heartthrobs, Frankenstein’s creation, who isn’t called Frankenstein, is not a brainless oaf but more articulate than most Ivy League graduates, and zombies don’t eat brains, they feed on the souls of the newly dead to delay their own decay. But damn it, once in a while Hollywood gets it right; werewolves killed by silver, check. And that damned Book of the dead, yeah it’s real, too.
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The second part of my (Gwen Mayo's) interview with Detective James S. Peckman. Alex Azar, his biographer, is sharing several cases he finds memorable in a new book titled Nightmare Noir, which will be available on Amazon on Monday. Which of the cases in the collection had the most impact on your life, and why? That may be the easiest and most difficult question to answer. 'Control', which accounts the first time Thaddeus and I took on the returning Ibn'Roth. It still weighs heavy on my heart thinking about that first trip to Chicago, and the lives we lost on that case. We may have thwarted this god's return, but I can't count it as a victory. Too often loss seems to be the driving force for the things I did, and for so much after that case was because of those losses. I noticed that your first solo case took you from New Jersey to Kansas; for a Jersey boy that must have been like visiting another planet. How did you feel about the vast open fields and near absence of trees? It was the noise, or lack of, that hit me first. Newark is very much the sister city of New York, and we share that constant hum of life through sound that the Big Apple has. You could hear your own heart beat in the quiet fields of Kansas. I will say, I do remember stealing a moment during all that craziness to admire the night sky and all the stars that the city's light pollution steal from the view. Could you tell us a little about the reasons for naming your weapons? Every occupation has its own superstitions and detectives, both paranormal and normal, have their own; it is bad luck to go on a case with an unnamed weapon. As if to prove the point, during the aforementioned 'Under the Hood of Winter' I lost a favorite of mine that I hadn't named. Why “Stacy” and “Gwen?” (No, readers, Gwen was not named for me; that is pure coincidence) We're going back a while now. You're too young to remember a show called Two Faces West, but it was about these twin brothers both played by Charles Bateman. One was a physician seeking to heal the western town through its citizens, while his more violent brother, the sheriff, was quick with his gun. I was really drawn to the duality Charles brought to the show, something I think is in all of us. But I digress, Stacy was the name of the character played by the beautiful Joyce Meadows. Something I haven't shared with many people, Gwen was my daughter's middle name. More than a dedication to her, I feel she's now protecting me. Have you trained others to continue your work? If not, what do you foresee happening if you retire (now that you've been retired for some time)? I hadn't trained anyone to take continue for me. I wouldn't want to encourage anyone to lead the life I lived during that time. The fact I'm here alive able to talk to you now, is a miracle I thank God for. I know too many good men and women that can't say the same. Unfortunately, the nature of this world that most people don't see means there's always more James Peckmans being brought into the life through similar tragedies I went through all those years ago. But we should all be thankful there are people standing up to the darkness, so we don't have to. Today I (Gwen Mayo) am welcoming Detective James Peckman and asking him to tell us a little about his extraordinary career. I first met Mr. Peckman when he shared one of his cases with us in Undead of Winter, a case he refers to as “Under the Hood of Winter.” Alex Azar, his biographer, is sharing that story, along with several cases he finds memorable in a new book titled Nightmare Noir. Welcome, sir. I know you don't usually go in for interviews, but our readers would like to know a little more about you. For instance, I noticed that Mr. Azar chose stories from very different stages of your career. What are your feelings about having only a small sampling of your cases included in the book? You're right, this is only a small sampling of the various cases I've had over the years, but if I'm being honest my memory isn't what it used to be, and these are just the first stories I was able to recall for Alex. If demand calls for it, I'm sure he could fill more volumes to fill in some of the blanks I left out. There is nothing in the book about your years as a police officer. Could you tell us a little about why you chose law enforcement as a career? Looking back at it now, I'm fairly confident I didn't have a choice. My father was a detective for the NYPD, as was his father before him. I was bred for this, at least it seemed like I was until I lost my family. You mention the deaths of your wife and daughter as driving forces behind leaving law enforcement. Can you explain why that made you choose to be a private detective, rather than having the force of the police behind your work? I would have loved to have the Newark Police Department aiding me. Unfortunately soon after Talia and Sophia's deaths, I learned if I was going to avenge them, I had to work in shadows the police couldn't follow. Becoming a private paranormal detective afforded me the resources I lacked when I first entered that world. Can you tell me a little about the “old world values” you hold dear? For instance, are they cultural, ethnic, or religious in nature? How did they influence your work? Most readers may be surprised that religion played a large part of who I was when I was on the job, both as a detective for the police, and in the private sector. I don't have many memories, in general at this point, heh, but of my grandmother in particular. The one thing that really stood out about her, was her devotion to her religion. Seeing the comfort it gave her in the most trying of times actually relaxed me, even at a young age. So it was something I grew up with, then I entered this world of alien gods, and vampires, and I just knew there had to be force looking out for us. That's why, to this day, I keep my rosary beads handy. Next: Part II.
We've drawn the two winners for the cover reveal giveaway. One is in NJ, the other is in IL. Thanks for visiting all those blogs!
Monday, there will be more giveaways to celebrate the book launch. In the meantime, the Goodreads giveaway is still going on. Drop by to register in the April 30th drawing! Goodreads Book GiveawayEnter to Win
We are proud to present our second single-artist collection, Nightmare Noir by Alex Azar. Alex's work previously appeared in Strangely Funny and The Undead of Winter. Detective James S. Peckman was introduced to our readers in Undead; fans will be pleased by this casebook of his investigations. Nightmare Noir is now available for preorder (domestic only).
The cover was done by TJ Halvorsen, a talented artist in St. Petersburg. He has worked for many of the major comic companies as a penciler, inker and background artist. TJ attended the Joe Kubert School for Cartoon and Graphic Design and earned his Associate's Degree in Graphic Design from the University of Colorado. The artwork is based on a much older piece of art that wasn't for a book. Can you guess which one? Alex Azar is an author born and raised in New Jersey. He made the courageous decision to leave the glamorous life of an electrical engineer student behind and concentrate full time on his life long passion of writing. He is now a happily struggling author. This is his first full length publication. And now for the giveaways!
We're giving away one book on Goodreads, but we're also giving away two other copies to readers who comment on our blog and the other pages participating in the reveal. This list may change over the weekend, so check back. Each comment on a new blog is another entry for the drawings!
Alex Azar http://www.azarrising.com https://www.facebook.com/azarrising https://www.facebook.com/alex.azar.509 Geekade http://www.geekade.com/the-think-tank/2015/3/31/judging-by-covers The Sinister Scribblings of Sarah E. Glenn http://saraheglenn.blogspot.com/ T J Halvorsen https://www.facebook.com/tjhaltattoos?fref=nf Time Warriors http://www.thetimewarriors.co.uk/blog/?p=34236 The Writings of Gwen Mayo http://gwenmayo.blogspot.com/ Marc Sorondo https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marc-Sorondo/470345476415859 WittyLibrarian and the Book With the Blue Cover http://wittylibrarian.blogspot.com/ Goodreads Book GiveawayEnter to win
Cari Dubiel is a librarian and writer in Northeast Ohio. She serves as Library Liaison to the National board of Sisters in Crime. Her fiction and essays appear around the Web, and she is the co-host of The ABC Book Reviews podcast. Find Cari at www.caridubiel.com and www.abcbookreview.com. Part of the reason I found Cari's story, "Life Sentence", especially striking was due to its sensory qualities, especially scent. I felt like I was really in Victorian London while reading the tale, because I've often suspected the city stunk more than mentioned in the average cozy. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Mystery, Oh My? The germ of the story came at our local drive-in hot dog place. I was watching an older couple sitting in a car across from us. There was an eerie synchrony to everything they did: ordering, eating, paying the check. I wondered what it would be like to be married for that long, and what would happen if one of them died. Then, I started wondering what else could happen in that scenario, and what other conflicts could arise if I put that couple into Victorian London. I hope they didn’t notice me watching them! Do you have a favorite historical period you enjoy reading or writing about? My husband can watch the History Channel for hours, but I tend to get bored with straight history. I am more interested in context. How were people different in different eras? What were their personal challenges? With those questions, I can immerse myself in any historical period. I love English settings as well, hence my interest in my story’s setting. Do you have some special education that helps you write historical fiction, or do you deal with history in your profession? I’m a librarian, and in 2010, I spent the year writing the Centennial keepsake book for my library. I spent a lot of time searching through primary sources and working with the library’s Centennial committee. That led me to start writing historical mystery plays for the library as well, and we’ve performed three of them so far. Now I manage the computer lab, so I don’t have as much time for reference librarianship, but I try to keep my skills as sharp as possible. We have to find the right balance between honoring the past and trying to predict the future, while helping our patrons navigate through a constantly shifting present. What are you working on now? I am primarily writing short stories right now. One of my latest works features Violet, my protagonist for this story, again. I also have a few contemporary mysteries and science fiction shorts in the works. Okay, so you're an author. What do you enjoy reading? Like many librarians, I read widely. Mysteries, of course – all kinds. My favorite are puzzle thrillers with lots of twists and turns. I also enjoy science fiction and fantasy, urban fantasy, YA, women’s fiction, the occasional romance, literary fiction, and nonfiction. So, pretty much anything. Edith Maxwell writes the Lauren Rousseau mysteries under the pseudonym Tace Baker, in which Quaker linguistics professor Lauren Rousseau solves small-town murders (Barking Rain Press). The second book in the series, Bluffing is Murder, released in November, 2014. Edith holds a doctorate in linguistics and is a long-time member of Amesbury Friends Meeting. When did you know you wanted to become a writer? I've been writing my whole life. Short fiction as a child, then journalism, academic articles, more journalism, and technical writing in the software industry, and now mysteries. Writing fiction makes me the happiest. How did you pick the genre/setting/era you (usually) write in? I love reading traditional mysteries, so it made sense to try my hand at writing them. Three of my series are set north of Boston where I live, and one is set in southern Indiana near where I earned a PhD long ago. Three (not the same three) are contemporary mysteries, two are cozies, and the historical is an amateur sleuth traditional. I chose 1888 to start that series when I read an article in our local newspaper about a fire that burned down much of the world-renowned carriage industry in the town of Amesbury, Massachusetts, where I live. I decided for the first book in the series that my sleuth, Quaker midwife Rose Carroll, would solve the (fictional) mystery of who set the fire and a couple of murders, too. John Greenleaf Whittier was alive at that time, there was a thriving mill industry, and it was an era of great change, with electricity and plumbing coming along, germ theory becoming known and practiced, and women gaining more independence. It was also not that long after the Civil War, and Amesbury was a stop on the Underground Railroad and Quakers were instrumental in that work. It seemed like a perfect era to set stories in. You write mysteries. Does your inspiration begin with the crime, the detective, the setting, or some other place? My characters lead me along, but sometimes a story or a book will be sparked by the crime, and the setting is always important. It's all intertwined. I write about an organic farm, so that sometimes governs what kinds of crimes are committed, and in the Country Store Mysteries, the southern feel of Brown County, Indiana, definitely affects the characters. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Mystery, Oh My? I love Rose, my protagonist in the Carriagetown Mysteries series, and her quirky independent friend, postmistress Bertie Winslow, so I wanted to use them in a short story. In the late 1800s, police stayed out of domestic violence cases and, as Rose is a midwife, she sees sometimes sees bruises and marks on her clients' bodies. And then, because it's fiction, I added a fun twist at the end. Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? I've done a lot of research the period surrounding 1888, but I also live in the town where I set these stories and I attend Quaker Meeting in the same meetinghouse where Rose worshipped alongside Whittier. I love walking the streets of my historic city, studying the maps, reading about that era. I haven't yet been able to determine whether modest houses in Rose's neighborhood had indoor plumbing in 1888, but I'm working on it. Do you have some special education that helps you write historical fiction, or do you deal with history in your profession? Neither. I'm an amateur historian. What are you working on now? I'm writing my second Country Store mystery, out from Kensington Publishing in June 2016, tentatively titled Grilled for Murder. Okay, so you're an author. What do you enjoy reading? Mysteries, of course! Mostly cozies and primarily stories written by women with a female protagonist. But I'm also reading Ruth Goodman's How to be a Victorian: A Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Victorian Life in preparation for writing the second Carriagetown Mystery, which is next up on my schedule. It's a fascinating look into all the details of personal life, from teeth brushing to hair pomades to cooking to underwear. And which of your books comes out next? Farmed and Dangerous, the third Local Foods mystery, will be out in late May, and it's available for preorder at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Also, my short story, "A Fire in Carriagetown," featuring Rose's niece Faith Baily has been reissued as an ebook on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. DJ Tyrer is the person behind Atlantean Publishing and has been widely published in anthologies and magazines in the UK, USA and elsewhere, most recently in Steampunk Cthulhu (Chaosium), Tales of the Dark Arts (Hazardous Press), and State of Horror: Illinois (Charon Coin Press), as well as in Strangely Funny II and Undead of Winter (both with our press). He also has a strong interest in The King In Yellow and is involved in The Yellow Site wikia. How did you come up with the idea for your story in History and Horror, Oh My? I had the core idea some time ago while watching the 2011 BBC adaptation of Great Expectations. It sat around unused, but always agitating to be used, until the call for submissions to History and Mystery, Oh My! and I had the idea of combining it with what could have been the hook for a more traditional ghost story. Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? No. All the elements involved were once I'd previously done research on, so I was able to draw upon that. It helps to write about things that interest you - that way the research is mostly done and never seems like work! Do you have a favorite historical period you enjoy reading or writing about? I love learning about all periods of history and like to vary the eras and locations I write about. However, I do tend to gravitate particularly towards ancient and Biblical History, Celtic History (ancient to modern), Arthurian research, the Wars of the Roses, the Tudors, the Victorian and Edwardian periods and the Roaring Twenties. Historical linguistics is a field of particular interest to me. Do you have some special education that helps you write historical fiction, or do you deal with history in your profession? I have a BA in History and Welsh History from Aberystwyth. Sadly, I didn't get to pursue it further, but I have written a few historical articles. What are you working on now? I'm currently working on several short stories aimed at forthcoming anthologies, a couple of booklets that I'll releasing through my own press, Atlantean Publishing, and a pitch for a new project from April Moon Books. In the longer term, I need to make time to work on a couple of novel ideas (one of which is an alternate police procedural and the other steampunk) and plan to release some short story anthologies. On the history side of things, I have a longstanding project involving Biblical history that I would like to actually bring to fruition. Okay, so you're an author. What do you enjoy reading? I like to read widely and will have a go at anything, fiction or non-fiction that takes my attention, but I do like James Patterson and Clive Cussler for escapism, and, because I write a lot of related fiction, I frequently reread the stories of HP Lovecraft, Robert W. Chambers, Clark Ashton Smith and Arthur Machen. The Brontes are an obsession of mine, so I reread their work and books about them frequently. Currently, for research, I am reading books about Napoleon III and the Prussian siege of Paris. I was first drawn to Georgia Ruth's story, “Dead Man Hanging”, by the location. My father's family has deep roots in western North Carolina, especially Asheville (which gets a mention). As I read it, though, I also became impressed with her ability to create a sense of the era and the people who lived then and there. I could really picture Main Street in Marion, NC, in 1916. Why did you choose a historical genre for a mystery that could be put into any setting? I now live in the foothills of North Carolina where my neighbors describe location based on the history of a building. As some of these folks trace their roots back to Wales in 1100 AD, the glimpses of past lives have given my life a new perspective. I am comfortable hanging out with ghosts. How did you come up with the idea for “Dead Man Hanging?” First I was overwhelmed by the devastation of the flood of 1916. Then I researched oral accounts of its effect on local lives in Marion of McDowell County, and I saw photographs of sections of railroad buried in mudslides. During that time I attended a neighborhood gathering where ghost stories were told, and I learned that the junior high school was haunted. My curiosity also picked up a rumor of a hanging decades ago in the downtown Eagle Hotel where today the current coffee shop owner often hears strange noises. My reaction was why? What causes so much stress? But it wasn’t until a year later that these experiences came together when I put pen to paper. I am an organic writer and start without an outline. Somehow Daniel Kanipe became part of my story, probably because I weekly pass by and admire his beautiful historic home. He was a survivor of the Little Big Horn, but I put words in his mouth and gave him another life as a detective in this story. Did you encounter any obstacles in researching the setting? The haunted junior high was built on the site of a real orphanage, where I imagined a private graveyard. In all probability, everyone was buried in the city cemetery on the next hill. After I wrote the story, I drove through town to test my possibility of “what if?” I drove the streets now surrounding the school, and there on a knoll overlooking the junior high I glimpsed a few broken tombstones in a tangle of weeds. I didn’t knock at the door of the old house nearby because the grave was part of my mystery not the history. To myself I proved it could have happened. Are you working on other historical stories? My blog at http://www.georgiaruthwrites.us is almost always about the fascinating history of my neighbors. On other projects, I am looking for a home for my fiction story “A Simple Life” about descendants of a survivor of a legendary Indian attack on Fort Pleasant Gardens. In March, I have a speculative story “The Mountain Top” coming out in a Sisters in Crime anthology Fish or Cut Bait. History that hasn’t happened yet! I predict that stories in History and Mystery, Oh My! will be enjoyed by readers of all genres. I am pleased to be included in this anthology. Read "Dead Man Hanging" and see Georgia's work for yourself in History and Mystery, Oh My!, now available in print, ebook, and Kindle formats from online retailers. You can also see more of Georgia Ruth's work now in That Mysterious Woman, the fourth mystery anthology in the Shaker of Margaritas series. |
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Mystery and Horror, LLC, is an indie press interested in what the name suggests. Contact us at: mysteryandhorrorllc@gmail.com
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