Tag: music

THE INFERNAL ORDER OF CREEPING WRITERS

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There comes a time in every writer’s life where they feel like the process is just going too bloody slow, I mean undead shuffling through the midnight graveyard slow, unless you are Brandon Sanderson. So it is with my dark fantasy novel in progress. I have at least reached the turning of the third act, hopefully I can pull out a fulfilling ending that leads into a second book in a series. As long as this is taking me, you would think I’m writing a Sanderson or King sized tome, but it may end up being not much longer than Shoot the Devil. What can I say, I am a man of brevity, and have always took to heart the adage of skipping the boring parts.

In other writing news, I have returned to writing poetry. I always enjoy writing a haiku now and again, but I am attempting more lengthy poems. I feel it is good exercise for your writing muscles to write poetry; the confines of the medium, the freedom of choosing unexpected word juxtaposition, imagery over technicality, precision of thought. Funny how I’ve discovered that a chorus or refrain keeps finding its way into my poems, perhaps I’m really writing songs for a band that doesn’t exist. For I can play no instrument but the heart, though I would love to learn how to play the theremin.

In music news, I have recently found The Infernal Order of the Black Flame, which is a horror exotica band. I find it great music for writing uncanny poetry to. Their latest album is Gothxotica, check them out if you feel you need more Fifties lounge music with a goth undertone, and really, who doesn’t? The newest Dracula movie soundtrack by Danny Elfman is also a banger. I have been listening to it while writing my novel. I should really try to put together a play list to go along with my novel when I publish it. Is that something of interest to readers? Guess I should do some research on that.

That’s all I have for now. Keep it spooky.

The Pulps and the Mythic

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I have been toying with the idea of publishing my novels in a different format. Currently, I’m using a smaller but still standard paperback size for my two novels Shoot the Devil and Monsterly (a novella). It may be a surprise to some, but I’m not selling many copies of either book. To mix things up and maybe spur some traffic, I may republish them in a mass market paperback size, with new covers that more resemble those of the classic pulps era. I figure I can brand myself this way, as I am a fan of such pulps as The Shadow, Doc Savage, and various horror book covers of that era. It would also be at a cheaper price point, which may sell more copies. Of course, I may change my mind, but its a thought. It also depends on how affordable I find an artist that specializes in that particular style of illustration. It also hinges on if I want to publish my next (in progress) novel in that style or not.

I have also been running a campaign for the new hex crawl role playing game Mythic Bastionland. It’s setting is a mythic Britannia type, with knights, myths, omens, and strangeness. I’m liking it so far. It has just the right amount of prep and seat of your pants play, providing plenty of tools to do both. I added some of my own dark and gothic strangeness as well, because I’ve got a reputation to uphold after all.

On the goth dark wave front, I have found a few new bands that I have added into my usual rotation. Ash Code and Vioflesh are excellent bands, each having that dark, deep, mood vibe of a hidden basement vampire club, which I am fond of for reasons (specially Vioflesh). With a different vibe altogether, I’m also loving the band Night Chill with instrumental songs that cross, rock, surf music, and goth, with the added bonus of a theremin. They have produced several EPs and singles so far, and I eagerly await a full album of their material.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Vandal Moon’s new concept album. Give it a spin if your into a goth, cyberpunk, dance vibe. It’s a bit different then their last two excellent albums, but creative and excellent in its own way as well, you just need to be in the right mood.

That’s all for now ladies and gents. Keep it spooky.

Larkwynn and Ravenblack

On By BrandonLeave a comment

The start of another quarter crept up behind me with the point of a blade to my throat, telling me to complete what I have begun. I do my best to comply. I have reached close to the middle point of the dark fantasy novel I am writing.

I don’t like to talk about what I’m writing during the process, but I will divulge a bit. When I created the world for my story, I came up with the name Atios for it. However, by the time I had reached around the fourth chapter, I found that name had been used by someone else. Searching the web, it was difficult to tell how known Atios was to others, but in my despair, I felt the need to change it anyway. My replacement was the name Larkwynn. This time it is chiseled into stone, no matter what may come.

I received the proofs for my Kairo short story River of the Blue Carmina for Weirdbook Magazine #49. Look for it to be on virtual news stands soon.

Lastly, I recently discovered a murder of goth and goth adjacent bands that are now in heavy listening rotation (lest I give the wrong impression, I’m pretty goth adjacent myself, with a dark leathery wing overlap). The favorite discovery is probably Mono Inc. from Germany. Their album Ravenblack is simply delicious, and they have a new album coming out this year. Sirenia and Ancient Myth are great more metal sounding bands. Rounding out the parade are darkwave bands Feyleux, The Birthday Massacre and Harsh Symmetry.

May your all April showers bring melancholy gray clouds and black eyeliner tears.