One of the problems ā or, perhaps, the best things ā about Gothic Horror is that it does tend to be sad. Usually, there are at least one or two characters who donāt deserve whatever is happening to them, or who have done something which is being punished in a way which does not in any way fit the crime. M.R. Jamesās writing is perhaps a constant reiteration of the old proverb, ācuriosity killed the catā, but curiosity in itself isnāt a bad thing; while Jonathan Harker in Bram Stokerās Dracula finds himself in the initial dangerous situation through no fault of his own. Perhaps the saddest story in this anthology is The Lady Who Dances in the Ashes , which was first published by Sley House in Tales of Sley House 2022 . Here is the story of a man who is facing professional and financial ruin as a result of suggesting that mental health patients can be treated in the community rather than institutionalised. He is one of the most sympathetic narrators you will find in the book, but he bad...
Our fourth Indie Hero is well deserving of the title. Not only is he a successful author in his own right, he also spends much of his time helping other authors on the Writing Community Chat Show. I have often seen authors asking for publicity and yet not giving back in return. Not Christopher! His Community Chat Show is a perfect way to give back to the #WritingCommunity
Thanks, Christopher!
1.From the reviews of āDeep: The Climb of Truthā, it seems you can grab the reader with the first few lines. Do you have any tips for authors on how to achieve this?
Hi. Thank you for having me. Itās a pleasure. Grabbing a readers attention early on for me depends on a few factors. Firstly I like to see an uncomplicated start but it needs to ask questions. I struggle to get into stories that involve multiple characters and dialogue from the start. Keep it simple yet intriguing.
Thanks, Christopher!
Deep: the Climb of Truth
Blurb
"It was hard to imagine my father as anything other than that to me, I couldn't think of him as a killer"
A young woman named Dee steps into a world of discovery and fear. Having been brought up isolated from civilisation she is separated from her father and her so-called home. She sets out on a journey through a world of danger and mystery; risking everything to stay alive and reunite with her father Eli. Eli who leads a secret life, entwined in dark and dangerous military experiments that threaten human existence.
"This book had me gripped from the beginning to the very end. I can't wait to read the next book 5*"
"I read the first few lines I was gripped! Thrilling and leaving you anticipating what on earth was going to happen next. Couldn't wait to read the following chapters."
"Really enjoyed this book. A real page-turner with twists and turns and unexpected surprises aplenty! Looking forward to more from this author 5 *"
Interview
1.From the reviews of āDeep: The Climb of Truthā, it seems you can grab the reader with the first few lines. Do you have any tips for authors on how to achieve this?
Hi. Thank you for having me. Itās a pleasure. Grabbing a readers attention early on for me depends on a few factors. Firstly I like to see an uncomplicated start but it needs to ask questions. I struggle to get into stories that involve multiple characters and dialogue from the start. Keep it simple yet intriguing.
2.People have praised your ability to create well rounded and enjoyable characters. How do you create your characters? Eg. Do you make a character profile at the start of a new writing project? Do you model your characters on real peopleā¦?
Character creation for me is simply bonkers
. Iāve heard of people plotting and planning - Story boards etc. I am completely the opposite. I have an idea of a story and I start typing. No prep. I start typing and the characters develop in the story and I let them lead me. I love writing that way. It makes it enjoyable for be. Itās like Iām reading it as Iām writing it. I guess that brings me closer to the readers perspective.
Character creation for me is simply bonkers
3.If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
Iād have to say grey. At times I like stormy seas and strong winds. Moody weather. Iām into thrillers and zombies. However if you were to break open the grey crayon inside would be bright.
4.When can we expect to see āDeep: The Embers of Lifeā on the shelves? What stage of writing are you at with it?
Deep: The Embers of Life if just waiting for its final edit. The cover is in its early stages of its creation and Iām very excited about it. Once I receive some feedback from Beta readers I will be finalising the book. In these uncertain times I donāt know exactly when releasing a book would be best. I would like to say the later months of summer.
Deep: The Embers of Life if just waiting for its final edit. The cover is in its early stages of its creation and Iām very excited about it. Once I receive some feedback from Beta readers I will be finalising the book. In these uncertain times I donāt know exactly when releasing a book would be best. I would like to say the later months of summer.
5.Zombies are a popular source for entertainment ā ranging from brain-eating monsters to unlikely heroes. What kind of zombies do you enjoy writing/reading/watching? Incidentally, Iām terrified of zombies and once had a zombie stone, given to me by my sister, which no zombie could come without 100 miles of. Looking back, I think it was actually a piece of quartz.
I much prefer 28 days later style zombies. As much as I appreciate Romeroās zombies they donāt give time the tenseness that fast ones do. Just like the walking dead. Iām a massive fan of the show but often the zombies are not the threat factor but then again I guess in an apocalypse humans would most definitely be a big threat. If you read my book you will find the zombies are a factor of military testing and creation. Super soldiers gone wrong. So they have the ability to enhance their human strength and senses. I donāt want to give anything away but in the sequel a certain character get involved with these chemicals and the results are awesome 
6.I think a podcast sounds like an excellent idea, but a lot of work! Do you have any tips for other authors about creating a podcast?
We are in the early stages of the podcast. Itās first show dropped Friday the 3rd. We had a lot of fun marking it and it came very naturally to the group. We have good chemistry and experience between us. Thatās very important. But also we had a drama with the recording/editing software. We tried twitch, discord and many others before settling with Anchor. Itās a very good simple app you can use strait from your phone. The show we uploaded un edited. As the shows producer this hurt! But it still sounds great. There are some overlap issues but one day we will look back at it and use it as a reminder how far weāve come. I already know this Fridays show will be a lot better. It can be found on Spotify. Just search the writing community chat show. They can also follow Writer_show on twitter for updates and links etc.
7.What gave you the idea for the Writing Community Chat Show, and the #WritingCommunityBedtimeStory?
The Writing community on twitter is a fantastic and amazing community. I spent a lot of my time using it, and still do, to help when it comes to being an author. There is an endless pool of advise, talent and experience there. But there is so much. So I thought about the podcast show. How good it would be to have a show to listen to where the discussions are focused on aspects of the community. How to write, style, publishing and marketing. All the whole being interactive and bringing the community together. I reached out to co hosts Chris Hooley and Soul. I met them through the community too. They were instantly interested. We havenāt looked back since. The Writing community bedtime challenge came from Chris Hooley. He did a reading and uploaded it, tagging myself in the challenge. It is helping peopleās mental health and promoting their work too. Itās an amazing challenge and is currently over 4 thousand views! Anyone can do it and we encourage them to do so. Itās great to step out of your comfort zone. Some have even read each otherās books. The feedback is amazing for the challenge. There is so much love for the videos posted. Be sure to check them out.
Well, thank you very much Christopher Aggett for that brilliant interview! I loved reading your answers, and hearing more about your books, and the podcast.
Please check out the links below for more information!
Crowvus is currently looking for a blogger who would like to do a cover reveal for Virginia Crow's new thriller "Among These Dark Satanic Mills". The book is being published in September, so a reveal in June would be perfect.
Blurb
Kevin gripped Jilly's coat and his voice became little more than a whisper.
"I'm cursed, Jilly. Everyone who looks after me dies in a fire, or someone they love does. I don't know how to stop it."
When Rev. Alistair Roberts adopts Kevin Alderman, he dismisses any reference to the boy's curse. But as the pair spend more time in one another's company, it becomes apparent that Kevin is not the only one with a bitter past.
If you're interested in being the only blog to do this cover reveal (yes, that's exclusive, folks!) then please get in touch by emailing the_team@crowvus.com
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