The Qwillery

Interview with E.B. Hudspeth, author of The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black - May 21, 2013

2013-05-21T07:24:00.000-04:00

Please welcome E.B. Hudspeth to The Qwillery as part of the 2013 Debut Author Challenge Interviews. The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black is published today.

TQ: Welcome to The Qwillery.

E.B. Hudspeth: Thank you for having me.

TQ: When and why did you start writing?

E.B. Hudspeth: I started writing in my late teens. I enjoyed telling a story, it was a different kind of communication than art, both were important to me. I also liked how inexpensive writing was, there were many months or years when I couldn’t afford to paint or sculpt so I would write instead.

TQ: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

E.B. Hudspeth: I don’t know if other writers do this or not, but I can listen to the same few songs hundreds of times in a loop. It’s like it moderates a specific mood so regardless of what is going on in my real life, when I sit down to write, the song helps me pick up where I left off. Selecting the right music can take some time though.

TQ: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

E.B. Hudspeth: I am a pantser. I try to use an outline, I appreciate the structure and the planning and I would love to be able to outline an entire story, but I never stick to it. I change too many things as I move through the story, which is good, but I end up at dead ends or I get stuck. With an outline, I feel like I miss out on some nice creative directions the story might have taken. For me, I don’t know the characters very well until I write them, so I try to stay flexible.

TQ: What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?

E.B. Hudspeth: Other than writing itself, it’s probably sticking to the project. I drift in and out of multiple projects which doesn’t do any good; it only frustrates me.

TQ: Describe The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black in 140 characters or less.

E.B. Hudspeth: A Victorian era scientist believes that humankind evolved from mythological animals in a macabre story with 100 detailed anatomy drawings.

TQ: What inspired you to write The Resurrectionist?

E.B. Hudspeth: The art inspired the story. It started out as an anatomy project regarding the anatomy of an angel. I wanted to try and justify the musculature for the wings. I liked the results so much I drew more. Eventually the story grew out of it. I knew it was going to be a nineteenth century doctor because of the hand-drawn anatomy diagrams. I knew I wanted it to be creepy and I knew I wanted it to be brief and to feel like we just don’t have all the pieces. I think the rest of the story came together from researching what medical practice looked like at that time; there’s a lot to build on.

TQ: What sort of research did you do for The Resurrectionist?

E.B. Hudspeth: I read the books that I thought were similar like Frankenstein and The Island of Dr. Moreau. I didn’t want to mistakenly go down the same roads. I tried to give as much legitimacy to the time period as I could. I read a lot of medical works from well known doctors at the time: Osler, Halsted, and Cushing are good examples. I read about mythology, taxonomy, circuses, freaks shows, teratology, anatomy, biology and so on. I have a fun collection of books now for Halloween.

TQ: Who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?

E.B. Hudspeth: Dr. Holace was the easiest, he became a bit of a jerk with no accountability. Sadly, that was easy to write. Dr. Black was the hardest. I enjoyed him a lot and I looked forward to the challenge but trying to write within a time period and very high level of education (a brilliant surgeon) was difficult.

TQ: Without giving anything away, what is/are your favorite scene(s) in The Resurrectionist?

E.B. Hudspeth: One of my favorite scenes is during a debate when Dr. Black hurls a glass through a window, attempting to illustrate that God does not intend for man to fly, but man alone intends it.

TQ: What's next?

E.B. Hudspeth: I am working on the second book. There will be a lot of artwork but it’s going to be different. I hope to add a new flavor to the story and go further into the world of the Black family.

TQ: Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

About The Resurrectionist

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black
Quirk Books, May 21, 2013
Hardcover and eBook, 208 pages

Philadelphia. The late 1870s. A city of cobblestone sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages. Home to the famous anatomist and surgeon Dr. Spencer Black. The son of a “resurrectionist” (aka grave robber), Dr. Black studied at Philadelphia’s esteemed Academy of Medicine, where he develops an unconventional hypothesis: What if the world’s most celebrated mythological beasts—mermaids, minotaurs, and satyrs—were in fact the evolutionary ancestors of humankind?

The Resurrectionist offers two extraordinary books in one. The first is a fictional biography of Dr. Spencer Black, from his humble beginnings to the mysterious disappearance at the end of his life. The second book is Black’s magnum opus: The Codex Extinct Animalia, a Gray’s Anatomy for mythological beasts—dragons, centaurs, Pegasus, Cerberus—all rendered in meticulously detailed black-and-white anatomical illustrations. You need only look at these images to realize they are the work of a madman. The Resurrectionist tells his story.

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About E.B. Hudspeth

E. B. HUDSPETH is an artist and author living in New Jersey. The Resurrectionist is his first book.

Website ~ Facebook

Interview with Michael Logan, author of Apocalypse Cow - May 20, 2013

2013-05-20T09:45:00.002-04:00

Please welcome Michael Logan to The Qwillery as part of the 2013 Debut Author Challenge Interviews. Apocalypse Cow, Michael's debut, will be published tomorrow, May 21, 2013. You may read Michael's fantastic Guest Blog - On the Feasibility of Zombie Cows - here.

TQ: Welcome to The Qwillery.

Michael: Thank you for having me. It’s always a pleasure to be allowed to waffle about writing.

TQ: When and why did you start writing?

Michael: I believe I wrote my first short story when I was nine. It was called My Push-Button World and essentially revolved around me being able to call up whatever I wanted, such as a full-size football field complete with 21 robotic players to accompany me, at the push of a button. My mum still has it on a wrinkled piece of A4 paper somewhere, and says it proves I must have been a lonely child. I’m pretty sure I had real friends as well, though.

Since then then I’ve always written, at varying degrees of intensity, to provide an outlet for my over-active imagination. With an underdeveloped brain-to-mouth filter, I have a tendency to blurt out whatever odd idea pops up in my head. Without writing this would be a lot worse, and I would draw a lot more odd looks than I already do.

TQ: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Michael: I’m not sure I have any quirks. I know that some writers have very set processes, such as only being able to write in their wife’s underwear, but I tend to be able to write anywhere at any time in whatever clothes I happen to be wearing. Then again, years of journalism have taught me to do most of my writing in my head, so I keep a voice recorder at hand to capture the ideas I have while in the car, the bath or in bed. Then, when I sit down at the computer, it’s usually ready to come out – at least at the early stages.

TQ: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Michael: I’m a bit of both. I always draw up an initial plot outline, usually on flip-chart paper, with timelines, character arcs, key scenes, etc. However, this changes as I go and I can never summon up enough energy to go back and modify. So, I will always start out with a plan but then let the story go where it has to go. I am a compulsive editor, though, and every story goes through countless drafts. I always want to change something, and even when I’ve hit ‘send’ I have to force myself not to go back and tinker some more.

TQ: What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?

Michael: Two things: deciding which particular story to develop and finding the time. I currently have a list of 17 novels and as many short stories, all of which are clamouring for my attention. I have a dreadful habit of flip-flopping between several projects at once and it can take me a long time to settle on one. Even then, I always want to zip off to something else. I’ve had to teach myself to stick with a project once it’s started, even if I am bogged down and tempted to go to another project that is at an easier stage.

In terms of time, I have a full-time job, two young children, a wife I very much enjoy spending time with, a hectic social life, a serious reading habit, a sporadic addiction to exercise and love of playing and listening to music. When I am in a project, I will usually get up at the crack of dawn and get an hour in before work. Then I will snatch a quick lunch and do some more. When I can, I will grab an evening. The problem with this is that I often find I am have to stop writing when I want to keep going for hours, and it can be challenge to keep the flow with such fragmentation.

TQ: Describe Apocalypse Cow in 140 characters or less.

Michael: Social and political satire through the scandalously neglected medium of zombie cows.

TQ: What inspired you to write Apocalypse Cow?

Michael: Back in 2006, I was writing a lot of literary short fiction and trying to find the headspace to work on a very serious novel that had stalled. I decided I needed to do something that would be outright fun, for me at least, so I could look forward to writing after a long day at work. I had always loved zombies, and knew that I wanted to do something a little different. After a night of imbibing wine with some friends, we came up with a list of zombie angles that hadn’t been pursued. I did think of writing a book in which only pre-pubescent children were infected, forcing parents to kill their progeny, but that seemed just too horrific. Zombie animals, on the other hand, gave plenty of opportunity for silliness. I never actually expected it to be published, particularly since I started this way before the zombie craze got back into full swing.

TQ: What sort of research did you do for Apocalypse Cow?

Michael: It is set in my hometown of Glasgow, so locations weren’t a problem. I did, however, watch a lot of videos of abattoirs to really understand how it all works, read up on the UK’s planned responses to terror attacks and/or viral outbreaks, and researched how viruses works. My job as a journalist meant I’d had a lot of experience of chaotic situations, such as riots and refugee camps, so that helped a lot when it came to certain scenes.

TQ: Who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?

Michael: Geldof was probably the easiest, since I was also a ginger geek with a crush on my maths teacher as a teenager. I wouldn’t say any of them were particularly hard, but perhaps Terry was the most difficult as I gave him rather an odd hang-up, which I had to present without making it too obvious where it came from.

TQ: Without giving anything away, what is/are your favorite scene(s) in Apocalypse Cow?

Michael: I am very fond of Geldof being stuck in the middle of the first interaction between Fanny, his vegan mother, and David, his meat-obsessed neighbour, in chapter two. There is also a scene that satirizes UK minister John Selwyn Gummer’s disgusting PR stunt in which he fed his daughter a burger on TV during the height of the BSE (Mad Cow Disease) crisis. Quite a few readers found this scene disturbing, as they should. I suspect the reference may pass many people by, as it happened in the UK over 20 years ago.

TQ: What's next?

Michael: My second novel, Wannabes, is now complete. It’s darker and more ambitious, and revolves around Heaven and Hell tussling for humanity’s soul through music. I am now writing the follow-up to Apocalypse Cow, entitled Cruel Britannia. I don’t want to say too much about it at the moment, but Geldof will definitely be making a return, as will another character from the first book that may surprise the reader.

TQ: Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

Michael: You’re very welcome.

About Apocalypse Cow

Apocalypse Cow
St. Martin's Griffin, May 21, 2013
Trade Paperback and eBook, 352 pages
(US Debut)

If you think you've seen it all -- WORLD WAR Z, THE WALKING DEAD-- you haven't seen anything like this. From the twisted brain of Michael Logan comes Apocalypse Cow, a story about three unlikely heroes who must save Britain . . . from a rampaging horde of ZOMBIE COWS!

Forget the cud. They want blood.

It began with a cow that just wouldn't die. It would become an epidemic that transformed Britain's livestock into sneezing, slavering, flesh-craving four-legged zombies.

And if that wasn't bad enough, the fate of the nation seems to rest on the shoulders of three unlikely heroes: an abattoir worker whose love life is non-existent thanks to the stench of death that clings to him, a teenage vegan with eczema and a weird crush on his maths teacher, and an inept journalist who wouldn't recognize a scoop if she tripped over one.

As the nation descends into chaos, can they pool their resources, unlock a cure, and save the world?

Three losers.
Overwhelming odds.
One outcome . . .

Yup, we're screwed.

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About Michael

Michael Logan is a Scottish journalist, whose career has taken him across the globe. He left Scotland in 2003 at the age of 32, has lived in Bosnia, Hungary, Switzerland and Kenya, and reported from many other countries. His experience of riots, refugee camps and other turbulent situations helps fuel his writing.

Apocalypse Cow is his first novel. His short fiction has appeared in literary journals and newspapers such as Chapman and The Telegraph, and his piece We Will Go On Ahead and Wait for You won Fish Publishing’s 2008 international One-Page Fiction Prize.

He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya and is married with a young daughter and son.

Website ~ Blog ~ Twitter @MichaelLogan

Amanda Carlson's Jessica McClain Ultimate Swag Giveaway - May 20, 2013

2013-05-20T09:45:00.001-04:00

Amanda Carlson is at it again - giving awesome stuff away! We're celebrating the recent publication of Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain 2) on

You can enter to win The Jessica McClain Ultimate Swag Giveaway by using the Rafflecopter below.

And what will you get if you are the lucky winner?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Jessica McClain series

Note: You may read my review of Blooded (a prequel eNovella) here, of Full Blooded here, of Hot Blooded here, and read an interview with Amanda here.

Blooded
Jessica McClain Novella
Orbit, April 11, 2012
eNovella, ~61 pages

Jessica McClain was born the only female in an all male race. The only problem is-she's no wolf. Called a curse, a witch and the Daughter of Evil by the superstitious wolves, Jessica decides to fight for her freedom, at age nineteen, the only way she can-in the ring.

When she's brutally attacked right after her fight, is it enough to finally earn her freedom off Compound, or will she be forced to endure the hatred even longer . . .

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Kobo

Full Blooded

Jessica McClain 1
Orbit, September 11, 2012
Trade Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

After living in hiding for the last twenty-six years, Jessica wakes up to find she's become a full-blooded werewolf -- claws, fangs, fur, everything. It was never supposed to happen: female werewolves don't exist.

When a mercenary killer comes looking for her, her Pack finds themselves caught in the middle of a war. They must rise up to protect her, but no one knows if she's means the end of their race-or just a new beginning.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Hot Blooded
Jessica McClain 2
Orbit, April 23, 2013
Trade Paperback and eBook, 336 pages

It hasn't been the best week for Jessica McClain.

Her newly found mate has been kidnapped by a Goddess hell-bent on revenge, and Jessica is positive she can save him.

But being the only female werewolf in town comes with its own set of rules and powers... if only she understood them.

Aided by two vamps, two loyal Pack members, and one very reluctant human, Jessica must rescue her man while coming to terms with what being a wolf really means.

The second novel in the Jessica McClain series is a full on action adventure featuring one angry Goddess and plenty of monsters, demons, and a few newly risen beasties...

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Upcoming in the Jessica McClain series:

Cold Blooded

Jessica McClain3
Orbit, October 8, 2013
Trade Paperback and eBook, 320 pages

Jessica arrives back in town to find her best friend missing and the most powerful witch in the country is blaming her for it. But before they can move to save her, the group is attacked.

On the run, Jessica and Rourke head to the mountains. Several surprises await them, but in order to save her father they are forced to leave for New Orleans early.

Arriving on the Vampire Queen’s doorstep unexpectedly, and bringing trouble on their heels, the Sects are thrown into an all out war. The vicious skirmish ends up forcing the vamps and Jessica to fight on the same team.

The Vamp Queen ends up owing Jessica, but what Jessica doesn’t realize is just how soon she’ll have to cash it in.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

The View From Monday - May 20, 2013

2013-05-20T09:12:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! It's another relatively light release week.

I got very little reading down this weekend, but did see Star Trek Into Darkness with my kids. I really enjoyed the movie. I managed to avoid any spoilers whatsoever so audibly gasped at one point. (You can confirm that with my kids.) It was a great surprise. Star Trek Into Darkness was fun, campy at times, full of action, and it had an interesting plot. I watched the original Star Trek when it was broadcast on TV (yes, I'm that old). I'm enjoying the reboot immensely.

I also watched the Series 7 finale of Doctor Who several times. I'm not going to say much about it other than it ends on a huge cliffhanger. *shakes fist at Moffat* At least I don't believe that there will be a regeneration as it has been reported that Matt Smith will return for Series 8. But really, who knows?

Back to books... there are 3 debuts out tomorrow!

The Garden of Stones (Echoes of Empire 1) by Mark T. Barnes

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth

and

Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan (a US Debut).

Finally, from the 2012 Debut Author Challenge, Rhiannon Held's second novel, Tarnished, is out tomorrow.

May 20, 2013

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Drowned World (ri)	J. G. Ballard	SF
Hello America (ri)	J. G. Ballard	SF
The Unlimited Dream Company (ri)	J. G. Ballard	SF
Journey of Dominion	Shawna Thomas	SF - Triune Stones 2

May 21, 2013

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Garden of Stones (D)	Mark T. Barnes	F - Echoes of Empire 1
Dark Flight	Cassi Carver	SFR - Shadow Slayers 3
Blood and Bone	Ian C. Esslemont	F - Malazan Empire 5
Wicked Business (h2tp)	Janet Evanovich	M w/ PE - Lizzy and Diesel 2
Star Trek Into Darkness	Alan Dean Foster	SF - Star Trek Movie Tie-In
Midnight's Kiss: Part 2 (e)	Donna Grant	PNR - Dark Warriors
The Asylum	John Harwood	Go/Th
Tarnished	Rhiannon Held	UF - Silver 2
The Clandestine Circle (e)	Mary H. Herbert	F - Dragonlance: Crossroads
The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black (D)	E. B. Hudspeth	F
Noble V: Greylancer	Hideyuki Kikuchi	H
Apocalypse Cow (US D)	Michael Logan	H
The War of Horus and Set	David McIntee	F - Myths and Legends
Samantha Moon Rising	J.R. Rain	UF - Vampire for Hire (Books 5, 6 and 7)
Drop Dead Beauty (e)	Wendy Roberts	PCM - Ghost Dusters Mystery 5
The Red Plague Affair	Lilith Saintcrow	SPM - Bannon and Claire Case 2

May 22, 2013

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Super Bass: A Tor.Com Original	Kai Ashante Wilson	F

D - Debut
e - eBook
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
ri - reprint or reissue

F - Fantasy
Go - Gothic
M - Mystery
PCM - Paranormal Cozy Mystery
PE - Paranormal Elements
PNR - Paranormal Romance
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SPM - Steampunk Mystery
Th - Thriller
UF - Urban Fantasy

Melanie's Week in Review - 19 May 2012

2013-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

So this was a rather 'middling' week for me on the reading front. I read a few, bought a few. I didn't really feel like I accomplished that much....until of course, I started to write this post. On reflection I didn't do too bad after all.

I actually got back to reading The Scrivener's Tale by Fiona McIntosh. I haven't finished it as I wanted to but I have made good progress. Fingers crossed for next week.

I did finish The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton. It was Ok. It was 'quaint' and very young YA. I don't regret reading it but don't think I will continue on with the series. It was just a bit too predictable and the heroine a bit too perfect for a poor orphan girl living on the streets of London.

Once I finished this book I went back to those handy Kindle recommendations. I downloaded Double Blood by Connie Suttle. I had read her Blood Destiny series and thought by book 11 that I had read too many. I read the first book of the High Demon series and thought it was too much of a re-hash of the original series. Drawn by the low price and the fact that my Kindle recommendations have been pretty spot on recently I decided to download it. I was very disappointed as this new book was very similar to the others. In fact almost virtually the same plot.

Another disappointment in my reading week was Rising Darkness by Thea Harrison. I have read some of her other books and although there was quite a bit of action in this one I still found it a bit dull. I don't think I really gelled with the lead characters. Another series I don't think I will continue.

One book I did really enjoy was The Sword Edge Blond by Alex Bledsoe. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this book, especially as the cover was a bit 1970's looking. Eddie LaCrosse, the hero of this series is a great one....hero that is. Damaged by a tragedy in his teens has shaped his life as a sword for hire. He is gruff and rough and totally heroic. I think Eddie is going to end up on my top ten fictional

boyfriend list soon. The added bonus was that it was so quick to read that I finished it by the time I got home from work. I liked it so much that I immediately bought Burn Me Deadly which I am partway through now. Eddie is even better in book two so far. If you like a medieval/fantasy murder mystery than I suggest you start this fantastic series.

I am ashamed to say I haven't had a chance to read any of my new books from the last two weeks and must get them reading them and stop buying new books! My job for next week I suppose. Until then Happy Reading!

Review: Dangerous Gifts by Gaie Sebold - May 18, 2013

2013-05-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Dangerous Gifts
Author: Gaie Sebold
Series: Babylon Steel
Publisher: Solaris, January 29, 2013
Format: Trade Paperback and eBook, 448 pages
Price: $8.99 (print)
ISBN: 9781781080801 (print)
Review copy: Provided by Publisher

Babylon Steel, former avatar of the goddess of sex and war, currently owner of the Scarlet Lantern, the best brothel on Scalentine, city of portals, has been offered a job; as bodyguard to Enthemmerlee, the latest candidate for the Council of Incandress; and as spy for the Diplomatic Section, the barely-acknowledged government of Scalentine.

She doesn’t want it. Incandress is on the verge of civil war. Enthemmerlee represents the hopes or fears of a large portion of its population and is a prime target for assassination. And on Scalentine racial tensions and economic stresses are boiling up, with Babylon’s lover, Chief Bitternut, trying to keep the lid on.

But circumstances conspire to send her to Incandress. There, what with attempting to turn Enthemmerlee’s useless household guard into a disciplined fighting force, dodging the Moral Statutes, the unwilling presence of a very annoyed member of the Diplomatic Section and the need to keep both herself and her client alive, things become rather too interesting. And that’s before Babylon realises that the situation is far worse than she thought, and is driven to a choice that will have far-reaching consequences…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Melanie's Thoughts:

Dangerous Gifts is the second book in the Babylon Steel series which takes our plucky heroine far away from her home and friends to Incandress in order to guard the new counselor Enthemmerlee. Tensions are mounting at home as humans create discord and shifters are being killed. No matter how much she would like to Babylon, finds she is unable to refuse the job despite wanting to stay at home to protect her friends and be with her boyfriend 'The Chief'. Political intrigues, shoddy soldiers plus a ban on anything sexy are big challenges for the former avatar of a god and owner of the best brothel in town.

Babylon herself, is an interesting character as she has quite the colourful past and an even more colourful job as a part time body guard, prostitute and brothel owner. Her sexual proclivities are quite subtle and it’s almost as if Babylon pops into the office to type a few memos rather than going to ‘service’ a few clients. I liked this about Sebold’s writing style as the book could have veered towards erotica. Instead, sex was almost incidental to the story rather than the focus. I wasn't totally convinced with Sebold's portrayal of Babylon as a protector or body guard but like the sex in the story, action and violence played second fiddle to character interaction. Character development, especially of Babylon appeared to take priority for Sebold in this story although sometimes at the expense of the plot.

The plot was fairly typical with Babylon given the task of protecting Enthemmerlee and figuring out who would want to see her dead. I actually guessed who the ‘baddy’ was quite early on but still enjoyed seeing how the plot would play out. I didn't feel I was stretched either with the plot or with the characters as the story just seemed to glide along.

I hadn't read Babylon Steel, the aptly named first book of the series, when I started Dangerous Gifts. Normally, I always try to read all the books in the series. I however, made two incorrect assumptions: 1) that the Sebold would, as many authors do, recount large parts of the plot of the previous book in the subsequent one 2) by reading reviews I could adequately get a picture of who the main characters were. Instead I was too excited about having a new book with an interesting cover so I dug in and read it. Even though I thought I had quite a good grasp of ‘who was who’ I still was a bit surprised at how much the plot of the first book played a part in the second. In retrospect, I should have put Dangerous Gifts down and and started from the first book. For the first few chapters I felt I was always reading in catch-up mode. There are many different races and species in Babylon’s world. I often lost track who had scales or a tail or who sprouted fur every full moon. I would then go back and re-read a chapter or two in order to figure this out which meant that it took me slightly longer to read than it would have normally. Despite this, Dangerous Gifts was a pretty quick, easy read. I don't think I missed out that much about Babylon or the other main characters not having read book 1.

I liked Dangerous Gifts although I am not sure I liked it enough to continue the series. If you like a quirky character in a fantasy setting then I recommend starting at book 1 of the Babylon Steel series.

Tales From Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman and Giveaway - May 17, 2013

2013-05-17T09:53:00.001-04:00

I am a huge fan of H.P. Lovecraft. I started reading his works when I was a preteen. If you're a fan too or just want to read a really entertaining MG series, you should be reading the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman. If you have Middle Schooler (and up) who loves the paranormal and things that are creepy, get these books! They are a lot of fun and the covers change from "normal" to "creepy."

To celebrate the recent publication of Teacher's Pest, Quirk Books is giving away Tales from Lovecraft Middle School 1 - 3 and a poster! You may enter to win below.

Tales from Lovecraft Middle School

Teacher's Pest
Tales from Lovecraft Middle School 3
Quirk Books, May 7, 2013
Hardcover and eBook, 176 pages

DON'T BE FOOLED by his friendly smile, his perfect manners, or his shiny red apple. Student council president Howard Mergler is actually a sinister bug-monster in disguise—and he's summoning swarms of roaches, wasps, fleas, and head lice into the corridors of Lovecraft Middle School! Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur is the only student who can stop him--but he'll need help from his best friends: the school bully, the school ghost, and an extremely courageous two-headed rat.

This third novel in the Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle and The Slither Sisters ended—with more action, more adventure, and more outrageous monsters!

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

The Slither Sisters
Tales from Lovecraft Middle School 2
Quirk Books, January 15, 2013
Hardcover and eBook, 160 pages

This second novel in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series begins right where Professor Gargoyle ended. Seventh-grader Robert Arthur has discovered that two of his classmates are actually sinister snake-women in disguise. Even worse, his new middle school is full of “gates” to a terrifying alternate dimension – a haunted mansion full of strange spirits and monstrous beasts. For Robert to protect his teachers and classmates, he'll need to return to this haunted dimension with his best friends Glenn and Karina. Can they uncover the secrets of Lovecraft Middle School before it's too late?

The Slither Sisters features more bizarre beasts, more strange mysteries, and more adventure. It's perfect for readers ages 10 and up. Best of all, the cover features a state-of-the-art “morphing” photo portrait – so you can personally witness the sisters transforming into their slithering alter egos. You won't believe your eyes!

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Professor Gargoyle
Tales from Lovecraft Middle School 1
Quirk Books, September 25, 2012
Hardcover and eBook, 160 pages

Strange things are happening at Lovecraft Middle School. Rats are leaping from lockers. Students are disappearing. The school library is a labyrinth of secret corridors. And the science teacher is acting very peculiar – in fact, he just might be a monster-in-disguise. Twelve-year-old Robert Arthur knew that seventh grade was going to be weird, but this is ridiculous!

Professor Gargoyle (Volume I in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School series) is full of bizarre beasts, strange mysteries, and nonstop adventure. It's perfect for readers ages 10 and up. Best of all, the cover features a state-of-the-art “morphing” photo portrait – so you can personally witness the professor transforming into a monster. You won't believe your eyes!

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Coming in September 2013

Substitute Creature
Tales from Lovecraft Middle School 4
Quirk Books, September 24, 2013
Hardcover and eBook, 176 pages

When a giant nor’easter dumps a blanket of snow on the village of Dunwich, Massachussetts, Robert Arthur and his friends find themselves marooned inside Lovecraft Middle School. The kids have no choice but to spend the night—while snacking on cafeteria food, sleeping on classroom floors, and facing off against a mysterious substitute teacher who may have a sinister secret.

The latest adventure in the Lovecraft Middle School series features more adventures, more outrageous monsters, and another terrifying lenticular cover!

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Head to the Lovecraft Middle School website for more information about the novels plus games, and more.

The Giveaway

What: One commenter will win Tales from Lovecraft Middle School 1, 2 and 3 plus a poster from Quirk Books. US ONLY

How: Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a US mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59PM US Eastern Time on May 25, 2013. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 13 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway