Citywide Blackout

It’s a world of daemons and magic in Alison Levy’s new book

I’ve been a longtime fantasy fan, and so it was a real pleasure to speak with Alison Levy’s new book, “Blue Flame,” part two of the Daemon Collecting series, out on Oct. 11 through SparkPress. The new book continues the adventures of Rachel Wilde, who comes from a dimension adjacent to ours. The people there have structured their society around daemon collecting: they locate, catch, and repair malfunctioning daemons (creatures out of phase with our world that tempt people to do good or evil).

 

While introducing Leda Morley, last of an ancient line of gatekeepers, to the ins and outs of her daemon-collecting work, Rachel Wilde encounters something far more dangerous than any daemon: a young boy who stands alone against an unseen yet terrifying enemy that has invaded his home—an inhuman creature who, hellbent on revenge for a minor slight, intends to harm the boy’s oblivious family. Meanwhile, Leda’s brother, Simon, is feeling left out of his maternal family legacy but is coping partly by helping Rachel’s friend Bach—a previously homeless man with unusual mental abilities—get his life back on track.

 

In the midst of all of this, Bach unintentionally but serendipitously makes contact with a capable otherworldly being who, with great reluctance, agrees to help Bach and his friends take on the dangerous creature that’s just become their problem to solve. Together, this group of unlikely allies must put aside their differences to save an innocent child, and his family, from a monster—before it’s too late.

 

Alison and I dive into the worldbuilding that went into this book and the new characters that we meet. She talks about the daemons and the system of magic she created and how it all works. We look at how writing this book compared to her first novel, “Gatekeeper,” and her plans for the release of “Blue Flame.” Along with being a writer, Alison is also a mental health advocate, and we go into how writing the new book helped and how it can be a platform to help others.

Kevin Lucia talks about the new arm of Cemetery Dance Publications

As we close on Halloween, it makes perfect sense to welcome back one of my favorite horror authors, Kevin Lucia. This time, we're diving into the small press industry with a look at his role as e-book and trade paperback editor at Cemetery Dance Publications. It's a significant change for the press and one that's upped their status in a big way.

 

In this episode, we talk about what this means for the company and the work that made it happen. Kevin addresses the publisher's past issues with making deadlines and the complete turnaround that he's witnessed.

 

But that's not all! Kevin has some new projects in the works, including “The Horror at Pleasant Brook,” out this Halloween. Along with a look at the story, we talk about the kill factor in horror books and some of his best methods to end a character. Hey, it's a horror episode, what did you expect?

Jeff Seitzer’s memoir shares a story of unconditional love and an unbreakable bond

Ethan Seitzer was only 9 years old when he passed away, but in that short time he impacted countless lives. Whether it was through his easygoing nature, the way he accepted people, or his unique artwork and poetry, Ethan brought so much to this world, all of which is chronicled in “The Fun Master,” written by his father, Jeff Seitzer.

 

In the book, Jeff talks about parenting a child with special needs while dealing with his own medical issues. He holds nothing back, talking about Ethan's passing, the decision to write this book, and how the experience helped him cope with the grief. Jeff shares what his life was like prior to being a parent and what he expected it to be—and how very different it turned out. No doubt this was a difficult journey, but amidst the challenges are many wonderful memories.

The story of WW II Pilot Richard Eager covers time in and out of the cockpit

The life story of U.S. Air Force veteran Richard Earnest Evans is certainly filled with amazing tales—such as how he became the B-17 "Flying Fortress" pilot for Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery, Commander of the British 8th Army.

But this is just one of several stories compiled and self-published by his daughter, Barbara Kinnear as “Richard Eager: A Pilot’s Story from Tennessee Eagle Scouts to General Montgomery’s “Flying Fortress.” Better known as Richard Eager, Evans began working on this book after his service, but passed away before the book was completed.

In this episode, Kinnear talks about her father’s time with the Air Force and all the things she learned through his stories. The book also looks at Richard’s time growing up and we talk about life back then.

Kinnear talks about the fire that claimed their home and—she thought at the time—the entire collection her father had worked on, only to make a welcome discovery later. She shares the experience of growing up in the armed forces and the perspective on her father’s service through a child’s eyes.

Joseph Falank writes on family relations and coping with Alzheimer’s in “Renewal”

Author Joseph Falank's new novel, “Renewal” (Sept. 13 through BHC Press) is a powerfully written and incredibly honest story of a family coming to grips with the reality that their patriarch is afflicted with Alzheimer's. Here's the synopsis of the story:

 

It's been two years since aspiring novelist and English teacher Malcolm Aton has had any contact with his family. Ever since his divorce and the loss of his mother to cancer, his relationship with his father has been strained.

 

When he receives an urgent text from his brother, he learns the devastating news that their father's memory issues have progressed. He's now violent and at the end stages of Alzheimer's disease.

 

Although confrontation with his father is imminent, Malcolm reluctantly agrees to return home for the weekend and take on the mantle of caregiver while they contend with the difficult decision of how to care for their father. As is the case with everything involving his family, nothing goes as expected.

 

Joseph and I talk about the relationship that Malcolm and his father has and what it is like to reconnect after two years. He sheds light on how Malcolm adjusts to being his father's caregiver and the impact of their roles being reversed. We also talk about the affect Alzheimer's can have on the patient's loved ones and the new challenges they will have to overcome.

 

This is Joseph's fifth book and we discuss the subjects of “The Painted Lady,” “Disconnected,” and others and the inspirations which led to them. Personally, I cannot wait to read “Disconnected.” He also shares some of his ideas for future works.

Dog-lovers unite! Victoria Schade provides a powerful story with “Dog Friendly”

Fans of our four-legged friends won't want to miss this one! Author and dog trainer Victoria Schade recently released her sixth book, “Dog Friendly” a story with amazing depth and thoughtful characters. Here's a look at the summary:

 

Exhausted veterinarian Morgan Pearce is feeling overworked and under-thanked, so when two favorite clients ask her to watch their special needs senior dog in their Nantucket home, she jumps at the chance for a summer break. She hopes her time on the island will be a reset from the stress of her everyday life, but her chill vacation vibe takes a hit when she gets roped into fostering a challenging, anxious dog and helping plan the local rescue group’s glittery annual fundraiser.

Her trip starts to feel more like a vacation when Morgan begins falling for Nathan Keating, an irresistible entrepreneur who thinks every problem can be solved on a surfboard. Just as the summer is shaping up to be the magical refresh she needs, thanks to a fling that feels like the beginning of something real and Hudson, the foster dog who reminds her how much she loves her job, a visit from her estranged brother and the discovery of who Nathan really is changes everything. Morgan finds herself at a crossroads, trying to determine if mistakes from the past must define the future, or if she should forgive, forget, and grab hold of a chance to finally rescue herself.

 

This book required a lot of research into the lives of veterinarians, and Victoria shares what she learned, including a condition related to those who get burned out over the years. She's even heard from the experts and talks about that feedback.

 

Victoria's books have run the gamut from animal care to fiction, and we talk about that transition and what it was like. We look at the sources of the ideas for her various fiction stories and how they're developed from concept to finished work.

Douglas Knight of Cross Eye Comics dives into his soon-to-be released series

I love a good comic, as you all know, so this episode is one I am very happy to share. Douglas Knight, founder of Cross Eye Comics, joins me to talk about his new series, CHIASM (kai-ahz-em). It's the story of his life.....sort of. He talks all about the main character Desmond Phillips, who undergoes an operation to implant an alien molecule in his optic chiasm to combat and eliminate the cancer in his head. It's got a strong real-life connection and Doug and I look at how it influenced the story.

 

There's currently a Kickstarter going for the series and it runs until Aug. 28. The cool thing is that it's already well past the goal (you should support it anyway!) and Doug talks about what it means to have such support from the fans and readers.

 

We also look at how Doug got his start in comics and the different titles that inspired him along the way. He talks about working as a comic artist while being legally blind and how he's developed his very cool and unique style.

Keddrain Bowen shares his journey to success with new biography

We all have a dream for our lives, but it's getting there that takes work. In this episode, entrepreneur Keddrain Bowen details how he started his journey from the trunk of his car at 23 years old to being the founder and president of Fanatics 101. We talk about that journey and it's different twists and turns, and what led him to chronicling this in his book, “The Dream Is Free: The Journey to Success is Sold Separately.”

 

Keddrain and I talk about his leadership style, how he helps his employee overcome their challenges, and keeping a growth mindset. He looks at his definition of success and how his own codes and morals influence his choices. We also look at his plans for the future and how he'll achieve his goals.

Faith Pierce’s horror debut brings a real nightmare to life

Author Faith Pierce never wanted to work in horror. But after experiencing a recurring nightmare that she couldn’t get out of her head, she decided to turn it into a short story. That story evolved over the years into “The Face You Wear,” her debut novel, set to be released on Aug. 12 through Crystal Lake Publishing. Here's a look at what's in store:

 

Jana overcame a bleak, poverty-stricken childhood to achieve her version of the American dream. She has her own home, a successful career, and a new husband who offers everything she hoped for in a normal life.

Her tight grasp on stability however begins to slip with disturbing dreams about her husband Michael. A figure in the bedroom doorway watching her sleep, night-time conversations Michael claims never happened, someone lying beside her at night when Michael later says he wasn't there.

Old anxieties and paranoia begin to surface as Jana becomes increasingly desperate to discover if the true threat is her mind, her husband…or something darker.

 

Pretty terrifying, isn't it? Faith and I spend time with the nightmare itself and how she built on this to become a complete story. We look at Jana and Michael, how the two play off one another and the ways they react to the building tension. We talk editing and how this changed the story and the all-important question—will there be more?

Diving into blended styles and cross-country moves with Joseph Mossbridge

This episode takes us into the musical world of Joseph Mossbridge, currently in Boston and soon to be moving to Los Angeles. We take a look at how his career kicked off and the fanbase he's built from his debut album, “Take My Time.” Much of the music on this album takes a page from what he experienced during the pandemic, including having to leave LA, where he was working when March 2020 happened.

 

Joseph's music blends all sorts of styles, including rap, EDM, and pop. We look at how these different sounds come together and what he's hoping to try out in future releases. We also shine the spotlight on the many people he's worked with to bring “Take My Time” and other songs to life.

 

Afterward, enjoy “Goodbye,” from Joseph's debut album, a look at the major move he had to make.