Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Monsters Are Real - We Fool Ourselves


Human Monsters

The late morning sun was warm on my face, with closed eyes I drifted into rest,
Neighborhood dogs were barking, one trying to outdo the other, sounds growing louder.
The caws of birds and some squeaks in flight, then the buzz, of bees
Working diligently, going from one flower to the next,
Gathering the last of the blossom pollen to make their nectar.
We humans are part of this nature –
 
We too gather and toil away by shear instinct, when we allow.
Often we manifest ourselves with our intellect instead,
That part of us, We think, that ranks us above the rest of nature.
We use it to reason, to excuse and create, but sometimes it is the birthplace for the unthinkable.
It is a ruse, a screen, and a place to hide the hideous things we reason inside.
Our darkest thoughts are raised by it, turned into monsters and then we do the unnatural –
 
We hurt, war, kill and maim in the name of humanity.
We bring our rank down below the natural world; we turn ourselves into the devil.
Can we turn our dark to light, and bring thoughts forward to uplift?
Politicians are not the only users of the screen – we all use the words to hide.
So each day you choose your road – intellect or nature…. Do what is natural,
Be part of the earth, uplift each other and keep the monsters in the closets of the other’s mind.
 
Like an animal, watchful of danger, stay away from the human monsters.
Be an example of the goodness that comes when we follow our nature,
True human nature, which thrives on community and the spirit of friendship,
Creation for its own sake, for beauty to be shared,
And where monsters are make-believe, and
Not dreamt up to explain the horrors done, from man onto man.
 
 
 
 
Photography & Poem Created by Elisabeth Zguta ©
 

Keep reading - Keep writing!



Wednesday, October 16, 2013

A Great Scary Story (audio) & thoughts on Audio books

It's getting closer to Halloween! 

My favorite time of year because it's acceptable to wear dark clothing, and it's the seasonal décor to have cobwebs in your house.

No one thinks badly of you for liking horror stories this time of year.  So on with the dark tales.  I was surfing the net and found this wonderful tale.  I wanted to share it - for anyone else out there who appreciates a good tale.

So turn up the volume and listen to this story -   I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

Scary Stories : Don't Look Out The Window


Published on Jun 8, 2012    Scary stories to chill your bones. If you wish to see more of these tales in the future than please comment, rate, and subscribe. Illustrations are by Silvina Rinaldi and it is narrated by Kellie Fitzgerald. Stories are written by yours truly (Legends of Fear).

 

 

After hearing this recorded story it made me think more seriously about researching Audio books.

 
 I began my search with LibriVox (public domain audio books) and  audiobooks.org - both sites offer free books, a good place to begin the journey of getting to know the sound of a good story teller.  Then I went to Amazon's acx platform which offers a way for any publisher to offer their book as audio.  They have some good acx help posts for the newbie (like me).  I think the key to a great audio book would be hiring a great storyteller. 
 
Readers audition  for the part in your book.  They get paid by the job, or sometimes they can be offered a slice of your earnings (of course this works better for more seasoned writers with previous sales to back their offers).  This got me to wonder how these readers are trained, so then I surfed the web again and this  'How to become an Audiobook reader' post from eHow was helpful. (more posts on the side tab too)  As usual too many ideas!
 
It is another avenue to use to help create more markets for your book.  There are so many new roads to wander off from this self-publishing path.  As always, do the research, find what works for you, and make a plan.  It's okay for the plan to change, as long as you still keep on your own path towards your own target.
 
I find myself wandering off sometimes and get discouraged, then I remind myself of what my goals are.  Things take time - most writers are not over night success stories.  Remember the important things.


Keep reading - Keep writing!


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Curses - Haunted By Them - Or Thrilled?

Labor Day is over, school is back in session, and another autumn is upon us.  The cooler fall evenings get me in the mood to cuddle up with a good horror book, or watch one of the old detective or monster films.

That's right - I am that person.  I love the autumn, love Halloween, and love a good scary story.


That's the reason my first novel BREAKING CURSED BONDS was released for this fall.  Usually it is better to wait until January and avoid being plunged in with the fall glutton of new books on the market, but I really think my story belongs in the darker days of autumn.

The main story begins with an ancient book that tells the tale of how an ancient curse befell the De Gourgues family - back in 1565!  A spiritual ceremony went wrong when an evil element was added to the mix.   A curse was created - causing a history of deadly consequences.

If you like the subject of curses and the spiritual realm, then you may like an interesting website  The Mystica   I discovered.  There is a post explaining curses which listed some of the history about how possession, voodoo mystical spells and the paranormal magic and how
they were used in different cultures.  Of course there is a lot more out there for those who dare dabble with the supernatural.

Soon Halloween will be upon us, and we will watch our thrillers and read about witches and spells - but be warned, there are many out there who believe in supernatural with all the revelry.  So be careful and always keep an open mind.


Keep reading - Keep writing!


TOP TEN HORROR FILM TRAILERS FOR 2013 - Which is your favorite?



Some Classic Reads -


  
                                                                Calamity-Town-Ellery Queen eBook

 
And here is my new book -