Both Water Like Crimson Sorrow: Shades of Midnight Book 2 and Autumn Burning: Dreadtime Stories for the Wicked Soul will be out in October Thanks to Michael Fish Fisher and Dave McGlumphy for the great covers! Autumn Burning has been coming along quite nicely and I think Sam Gregory , who came up with this great antho, agrees that we're going to have a great book to put out there in October. Keep an eye out for it! Water Like Crimson Sorrow is the gorier, more brutal half of the original ELBF book. I'll be submitting the 3rd book very soon.
Both Water Like Crimson Sorrow: Shades of Midnight Book 2 and Autumn Burning: Dreadtime Stories for the Wicked Soul will be out in October Thanks to Michael Fish Fisher and Dave McGlumphy for the great covers! Autumn Burning has been coming along quite nicely and I think Sam Gregory , who came up with this great antho, agrees that we're going to have a great book to put out there in October. Keep an eye out for it! Water Like Crimson Sorrow is the gorier, more brutal half of the original ELBF book. I'll be submitting the 3rd book very soon.
0 Comments
I'm just over halfway into ELBF's edits now and something had occurred to me. If you enjoyed the book when I published it originally you might be wondering if it will be worth picking up a copy of the JEA release. Well, the answer is yes. While the indie print of Eyes Like Blue Fire was a solid one it, like many indie books out there, needed just a bit more polish and refinement to make it the book it always deserved to be. It was also a pretty good sized novel in it's own right and in many ways the events that take place in the first half make up a story worthy of being on it's own, separate from the later half, which stood well on it's own too.
As a result the editors at JEA and I felt it would benefit from being divided into two separate books, ELBF and Water Like Crimson Sorrow. So there will be two books coming out from that one original manuscript and as a result there will be some areas of both chunks that will be getting a well-deserved fleshing out and polishing up before they come out. Why? Well there are some clear points where it needed some refining and others where I could have done more to make the story stronger in that first release. I've enjoyed polishing ELBF these last few months because I was able to see the gems hidden in the rougher bits and make those rougher bits a lot more like the gems. I really think even the fans of that first release are going to enjoy reading this new ELBF and getting a clearer version of the story they love so well. It also means that I'll be able to really focus on that world and get the next book out that much sooner. If you're a big fan of literary horror and you really enjoyed Wendy Won't Go I'm sure you'll enjoy the new collector's edition coming out very soon from JEA! What makes it so special? While WWG got an ebook release in December of last year it was not released in paperback to the disappointment of some of my readers. Well now it will be out in paperback and it comes with both Mark Woods' enormously successful Time of Tides and a bonus story called Love Like Blood which I've always seen as another side of the coin or sister story to WWG. Time of Tides will also be getting a special Collector's Edition with WWG and a bonus story called Dairy of the Dead to make his edition just as collectible for horror fans! New to paperback for $9.99 and in a special collector's edition for ebook for $2.99 starting tomorrow :) Great literary horror stories from two of JEAs great authors! Keep a look out for the release and links tomorrow!
Attention Authors!!! J Ellington Ashton Press Seeking Your Most Brutal Twisted, Out There Horror!6/11/2014 J Ellington Ashton is breaking the rules this summer. Authors (currently with JEA or not ) are welcome to submit to this scary,wicked, gooey, raunchy, depraved, disgusting, fun anthology. 5K-10K. We feel the cover says it all. We want the stories that have been rejected, or should be rejected. Grind House-Machete-horror-oozng creature-pukey zombies-you get the idea. The ones you have no home for and are kind of embarrassed you wrote. Info will be on www.jellingtosnashton.com but are basic. Shoot us an intent email byJuly 1 so we know you are writing something or have something. 5K-10K due July 31. We will accept the best of the ??worst??. Come on...get REJECTED! [email protected] Interview with Chenoa and Keith Egawa Illustrators and Author of Tani's Search for the Heart5/6/2014 Bio: Keith and Chenoa Egawa are a brother and sister writing and illustrating team of Lummi and S'Klallam Indian ancestry. Keith is a published novelist with experience in education reform and social work. His extensive work with families has provided him with both inspiration and insight into his subject matter. In addition to literary readings for adult audiences, Keith has conducted writing workshops for Native youth throughout the US. Chenoa has worked as a professional illustrator, international indigenous human rights advocate, actor, and is a traditional ceremonial leader, storyteller and singer. She was a fellowship recipient from the Institute of Current World Affairs, and traveled throughout Central and South America facilitating communication between indigenous peoples to protect and preserve traditions, languages, and homelands. Chenoa has also worked in the public school system to create programs that teach Native American culture and history, empowering Native youth, and inspiring a broader appreciation for the wealth of traditional knowledge from the First Peoples, to benefit all people of today’s world. Links: website: http://tanissearchfortheheart.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tanis-Search-for-the-Heart/165646770257012 The making of Tani’s Search for the Heart: http://vimeo.com/67577618 1) Where did the idea for Tani's Search for the Heart come from? Keith: I was working for a non-profit social services program for urban Native Americans in the 90’s. At the time I was working on my novel Madchild Running. The lead children’s counselor asked if I’d write a short play for the kids in the children’s talking circle to read/perform. The kids were receiving counseling for sexual/physical abuse and neglect. So the original purpose of the story was to instill such messages as: you can heal and get beyond bad things; the importance of disclosing the abuse to an adult you can trust; there are good people in the world that will protect you; finding strengths in friendships, etc. The characteristics of the animals embodied these sentiments. At that time, Chenoa and I decided that we’d like to turn it into a children’s book and adjust the messages to make them more far-reaching and not specific to abuse. I began re-writing and Chenoa began illustrating, but finishing the book fell by the wayside. Then, last year, I finally decided it deserved to be completed and we went to work making the book. The general idea was to show the relevance of traditional values in contemporary life. Such as: honoring one’s gifts; the importance of family and ancestors (the teachings of previous generations); respect for oneself, others and the world around us, e.g. the environment; and doing the right thing for oneself and one’s community, regardless of the challenges. Chenoa: I can remember when I was a little girl. Our family would often go visit our great grandmother who lived on the Lummi reservation. She was born at Jamestown S’Klallam in 1886. During our visits, she would share many wonderful stories with us about her life. There was a lot of magic in these stories that reflected the connection people had to the spirit of the land, elements, plants and animals. When you think about how life has changed in this region, and in most parts of the world over the last 100 plus years, you can imagine how there was definitely another way of seeing, understanding and interacting with the world around you. Much of life was directly connected to nature, especially in indigenous cultures. For Coast Salish people of the Northwest, life was intimately tied to the land and waterways, and still is. Salmon, and other fish, shellfish, deer, roots, plants, etc. made up the primary diet. People knew how to read the signs that are always present in nature and being reflected back to us continuously, if and when we are aware. People understood those signs and lived by them as part of their knowledge base and way of life. The fast paced world we live in today has a whole different array of stresses and strains that come with living in a modern technological reality. In many ways, it inhibits our connection to the natural world that supports our life in each moment. Some children I have worked with have never left the city before. They have never had the chance to walk in the woods or on the beach. For me, as a child I always wished that I could have lived in an earlier time. Not from a place of ignorance, thinking that everything was perfect back then. I know there were many hardships in the past and different challenges to be faced. However, the magic of our great grandmother’s stories stayed with me all these years and allowed me to search my own heart and live in a way that has shown me that all of this magic and deep connection is still very much alive and present for us if we want it. In Tani’s Search for the Heart, we wanted to include important teachings such as our relationship to animals; the support we receive from nature; the way nature listens to us; the guidance that is always there for us from our ancestors; the importance of a loving family and healthy relationships. All these aspects that formed a part of our lives are included in our story. 2) How did you select the animals that Tani meets over the course of the book? Keith: Originally all the characters were animals commonly seen in traditional Native American stories. But as I worked on the story I decided to incorporate creatures that are not typically used – or never used. I’ve studied animals since I was a little kid, so I chose a few that are favorites of mine; specifically the pacific giant salamander, the fisher, pacific spiny lumpsuckers and the stubby squid. These are all regional animals that I’m sure most people aren’t familiar with. So I thought it’d be nice for kids to learn about animals they might otherwise never hear of. Although there are physically powerful and majestic animals in the story, such as eagle and bear, I wanted to show the value of small creatures that people might otherwise wrongly view as insignificant or incapable of playing an important role, such as the stubby squid, spiny lumpsuckers and pacific giant salamander. Chenoa: Keith selected the animals. 3) Can you tell us a little bit more about the Stick Indian and his legend? Keith: I actually haven’t heard traditional legends and stories with the stick Indian in them. There probably are actual stories that include the stick Indian, but my knowledge of him is from accounts of sightings, as opposed to fictional legends. Kind of like Bigfoot in this regard. For example, Chenoa and I did a presentation for grade school kids at the Muckleshoot reservation, and we asked the kids if they’ve ever heard of the Stick Indian. About 75% of the class raised their hands, and then proceeded to talk about seeing a stick Indian, hearing one outside their windows at night, or telling stories their parents told them about encountering one. From what I gather, the stick Indian isn’t described as good or bad. He is just another part of the natural, or spiritual, world. My sense is that he’s used to keep kids from disobeying their parents, particularly in regard to going out alone at night – similar to the legend of the Wild Man of the Woods or Basket Woman (who collects and eats children). In Tani’s story the Stick Indian plays an active, or more involved, positive role because, like the animals in the story, he recognizes the special gift within Tani. He knows the role she will play in the preservation of the wilds (his world). So he makes his presence known in a non-typical way. Chenoa: The Stick Indian is a well-known part of the story of Coast Salish people. There is an awareness of his existence and a respect for him as well. The Stick Indian is part of the natural world. A spirit, a being of the forest. I love the way he is integrated into our story. Despite our differences, or OUR unique ways of living, we all need to work together to preserve and protect the sacredness, health and well-being of all life. As humans we have a voice, but even those who communicate in different ways can conspire to work together on behalf of what is right and true. Every culture on the earth has their stories, languages and teachings. I think they are all important. They remind us of how much knowledge, wisdom and experience every culture has, and how those parts are important to the whole. 4)The art style is wonderful! How did you choose the tone and style you used for your book? Keith: Chenoa may have more to say about this. For me the choice of illustrations is kind of like the process of writing, in that I don’t put a lot of forethought or outlining into it. Not a lot of planning. The illustrations I did were more the result of feelings. Meaning, as I wrote the story I’d naturally envision a particular image within the text and start drawing. Chenoa and I neglected to sign our respective illustrations in the book, but we each did about half of them. Chenoa: I, like Keith, ‘see’ the images as the story is told. All good stories give the reader the ability to see, feel and be a part of the story. It was really fun to work on all the illustrations and one by one share them together as the story opened up. Keith and I get along so well that it was easy to simply trust each other, talk about ideas and then just sit down and let the images come in. Very fun! There are actually two phases of drawings. The pencil drawings are from the earlier story Keith began years ago. I drew the pencil drawings for that one early on. Some of the animal characters were the same in the original story, and the little girl of course was the main character, being guided and advised by the animals, as those were the friends in her life she could completely trust. As we picked up the story again to create Tani’s Search for the Heart,” we both started a new round of colored pencil and pastel drawings. As Keith said, we each contributed half of the illustrations. Bringing in the color was great. For myself, I know that my style with the color was much more free, and it represents the growth and change I have gone through in my own life to let go of being a perfectionist and trust myself as opening to what wants to be created through me. 5) Are there any authors or books that inspire you today that you read as children? Keith: That question’s always a tough one for me. There are many stories/books that I’ve liked and been affected by, but I have a hard time deciding when/if a particular book actually served as an inspiration. Sorry – I think my answer to that one is always kind of disappointing. My mom told me that I loved Where the Wild Things Are as a little kid. The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings (decades before the movies) are my first memory of being really affected by books. Chenoa: I remember Where the Wild Things Are too. One of my memories about it, funny as it is, was the introduction to the word, ‘companion.’ I think they spoke of the ‘traveling companions!’ I had never heard that word before! I liked all the books that had magical characters, and books about children with special gifts that could hear and see the unseen. One story I loved was Children of Morrow. That was one of my favorites when I was probably in the 3rd or 4th grade. I loved Charlotte's Web and actually got to help my 4th grade teacher read it to the class. I liked A Bargain for Francis and read that one to Keith when he was a little guy. My brother, sister and I loved many of the Hans Christian Anderson Fairytales too. I don’t remember having any Native children’s books as a child. I don’t think many were available at that time. It is definitely a good thing to have many stories from different cultures available for all children today. 6) What other projects do you think you will work on together and individually? Tell us a little about where you'd like to go from here. Keith: We’ve been talking through a couple ideas. We realize that Tani’s Search is a long story with a lot of text. But I felt strongly about it being as long and full as it is, in order to tell the story I set out to tell. We believe Tani’s Search has messages that are now more important than ever for young people to be aware of and think about. So I envisioned this book being read to kids by adults. So that the themes could then be discussed, e.g. environmental degradation and the fact that human beings have no choice but to change the direction we’re headed, in terms of pollution, loss of natural resources, exponential extinction of species, etc. However, we plan on doing a much shorter picture book that’s accessible to younger children. A more typical type children’s book with a couple sentences accompanying the illustrations on each page. We also have an idea for a book based on a dream our older sister (her name is Tani) had about her son (our nephew). The book will be about a little boy who’s brought into the world by whales. On a related topic, I’m on the home stretch of another novel for adults called Last Screams of Tabitha. The book reflects the state of modern society (or aspects of it), and people who are formed by childhoods of injustice and forced to live in survival mode from an early age on. As my fiction for adults is very dark and focuses on things adults have done wrong to each other and the planet, Tani’s Search, and future children’s books, is an opportunity to explore the more hopeful side – the opportunities children have to correct the mistakes of adults. Chenoa: Yes, we have some ideas for other children’s books as Keith mentioned. I love focusing on messages of cultural diversity and teachings, hope, positive mindset, working together, acceptance, tolerance, appreciation, gratitude, overcoming obstacles, recognizing the beauty of life, letting each child know they are special, and that their unique gifts are important to express and feel good about. I’m excited about the coming book on the child of the whales!! The book based on my sister’s dream will tie in the significance of names, oral tradition, extended family and of course lots of magic! It is a story that lives in our hearts through our family and is just waiting to be shared! 7) You're both very involved in helping kids to grow and have opportunities. What would you like to tell children both as aspiring storytellers and explorers of the world around us? Keith: I’d tell them some depressing and frightening things, along with a genuine – and maybe a little desperate -- attempt to be encouraging. We can’t avoid the fact that kids of today will face challenges that none of the adult generations have faced, specifically in regard to the manifestations of human greed, over-consumption, and the irreversible effects our behavior has had on the world. When I was a kid people talked about large-scale catastrophes we might face in the future, if we didn’t change. Now they are a very obvious reality. When I was a kid they talked about how some day we may only see polar bears in zoos or in books (among many other animals). Now that will likely be true within the next 20 years. When I was a kid, people talked about the hazards of clear-cutting, the burning of fossil fuels and what it would do to the atmosphere, etc. etc. But now we’ve actually reached the point at which people will not have a choice as to whether or not we make the necessary sacrifices. The world we knew will simply not be there anymore. We’ve literally devastated some of the most numerous species of fish in the ocean. The scientific community has concluded that if we don’t phase out the burning of coal within the next couple of decades, the atmospheric damage will be catastrophic. But our use of coal has actually increased since the global community of scientists calculated and announced this terrifying conclusion. I realize that this may not be exactly how I’d communicate these subjects to little kids, but the reality is they will have to face these truths, regardless of how upsetting it may be. Because they will be living it. The message, or advice, I’d offer is that they need to think for themselves. Learn what they can from adults, but apply what they know to be right and wrong to everything they learn and do. In other words, be true to ones’ self and be aware of the impact your life and behavior has on the world and others. Do not be directed by irrelevant values such as accumulating material wealth as the sole reason for existence. Specific to storytelling, I would encourage children to experience people and the world, and to represent the truth of what they see within their writing/storytelling. I would tell them to share their unique views and their truth in a manner that will teach others, creating awareness of important realities that others may otherwise not be aware of. One of the ever present mantras adults have repeated over the generations is that children are the future. But collectively adults have not lived in a way that truly ensures a positive future for children. Young people will need to do this for themselves. Upcoming generations must find the courage to choose a more difficult road when they know it’s the right thing to do. Chenoa: Children come in to the world open, curious and excited to learn and discover. They want to know about everything and everyone. They know what is right and wrong, because they feel it in their heart. They are not born with prejudice and judgment. They are authentic and say what they feel from a place of honesty and fearlessness. We learn about prejudice, judgment and fear too quickly the first time someone mistreats us or when we are in danger. Then begins the process of blocking off the heart to protect it from others, from the hardships in life. I like to encourage children and all people to remember their true nature, that we are all storytellers and that we all have stories to tell and that all stories are important. I also like to encourage children to embrace their uniqueness, to stay open to the miracles of life in each and every moment, to explore, to stay curious, to follow their hearts and what makes them happy. I want them to feel good about themselves, to learn about happiness, to be kind and respectful. I like to talk with them about things they might not be aware of and how much there is to discover in their lives. And I always let them know to follow their heart, to trust themselves and their feelings. I want them to appreciate the differences we each have from person to person and from culture to culture so that they can begin to understand that diversity is wealth and beauty. 8) How has it been to work with your sibling on this book? Has it been a learning experience? Keith: Our family is very close. Chenoa and I had a great time working on this together. We conduct presentations to students together, and that has been particularly fun. Chenoa has unique talents and viewpoints that make the experience much more enriching for the kids. It has been a learning experience, in regard to struggling to get the word out about our book. But actually creating the book together was a very natural fit. We spent many hours sitting at a table together drawing and discussing our ideas. We share a similar vision, and having life-experience in common made the process fun and very easy. Chenoa: Keith and I work together so easily. As my brother said, our family is so close, supportive, loyal, encouraging and loving to one another. It is one of the greatest things to create something you are proud of to share with others in a positive way, and to be doing that with someone you love so much. We are looking forward to the next projects! We have been learning a lot about the challenges of self-publishing and marketing. It is definitely a lot of work. I am hoping that the right people come along to recognize the value of the story we have created and want to help support the distribution to all the children who’s lives will be inspired by Tani’s Search for the Heart. Bio: My name is David McGlumphy. I live in East Texas which is a good hot bed for artists, a lot of chances for good pictures and places that I can use as inspiration for my art. I have done two book covers so far and I have a children’s poem book under my belt with Trevor Smith. Right at the time of the release of the poem I was offered full time with JEA and I have not looked back, I love working with the company and I enjoy seeing what the future brings. My style of art is mostly horror related, but I look to expand on that as I get better. I am a beginning artist but I have confidence I can go far with digital art, it’s the medium most art is going to for book covers and illustrations, I am always available for any commissions for covers and or illustrations. Links : Website: http://davidmcglumphy.weebly.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-of-David-McGlumphy/463325813798898 Deviantart: http://dmcglu82.deviantart.com/ 1) What are some of your major inspirations as an artist? Growing up, my older brother was always drawing or sculpting, I took most of my inspirations from him, I also look at other artists work and practice drawing using techniques I see they are using in their works. A huge influence on my work is William Stout he has done production designs for movies such as: Return of the Living Dead and Invaders from Mars. I watched an interview with him and he gave a piece of advice I live by “As an artist if you are doing a work and you can’t give 100% then perhaps art is not for you” I have a lot to learn with art yet, but I take each inspiration I get as a stepping stone for bettering myself. My girlfriend has been my biggest fan and inspiration for my work, she has been the one to keep me focused. 2) How long have you been working with digital art and design? Back in 2005 there was a show called Screen Savers on Tech TV and on occasion they would have Photoshop tutorials to do at home, I would go to the website and follow them, I always had fun with it. Then in 2013 I took a huge interest in digital art. I saw how some very cool pieces of art could be made on the PC, so I looked into what I needed. For my birthday last year my sister bought me my first drawing tablet and I haven’t looked back, I am a beginner learning new things all the time. 3) You started as an intern at J Ellington Ashton Press, has it been a good experience? It has been a great experience, I work with some amazing people, and Susan Simone -its amazing working with her, her knowledge of digital art, and drawing in general is amazing. Working with the authors to get them a solid and amazing cover is a dream, I have to thank Catt Dahman for seeing my art and giving me a chance at this I have always dreamed of working for a company doing art. 4) What sorts of covers have you done as a JEA cover artist? Let see, my first cover I did was for TL Decay for Piecing Undead, a simple looking cover with many aspects to it. I have also done the cover for Lucky Ducks by Trevor Smith it is a children’s poem book, I did all the illustrations inside. I am in the process of working on a cover for Daniel Durrant’s The Preta Pathogen. Making a cover is a fun but stressful process. In the end seeing your art on a book cover is a exciting and sometimes emotional feeling, seeing your name in a book for the first time makes it really sink in that you have done it, made a dream come true. 5) Has it been challenging transitioning from intern to artist? It has a bit, as a intern I made digital images taking people’s photos and making them into zombie or other horror creatures. My first true test- in my mind -was when I did the Piercing Undead cover. I knew that if I failed then my chances of making it were done so I worked hard on that one and the end result is what I think springboarded me into getting the artist tag. 6) What are some of your favorite pieces from your own work? It's hard to pick one. I am not one to say my art is amazing because I see flaws in it every time I look at it, but I would have to say the Zilla I drew, based on Godzilla. I found it on a website and I decided to try to draw it myself- that’s how I better myself if find drawing and try to do it myself. My other favorite is a female punk zombie I drew not too long ago, I have both of them posted on my art page on Facebook and Deviantart. |
Amanda M LyonsMs. Lyons is an author of fantasy, horror, and an avid reader of all genres. Archives
July 2021
Categories
All
|