Hello everyone. It's spring! Well, not quite, but almost. It's coming, I swear. The groundhog living near me said it wouldn't be much longer, so I'm hanging all my hopes on that. I'm seriously at that point where I NEED the snow to be gone, so I can get back to the lake. ;)
I hope all of your winters have been good, overall. Mine has been a bit on the tough side, in truth. There were a lot of ups and downs over the past several months, and I've been quite stuck in a writing funk, too, so, I can't say I was nearly as productive as I wanted to be when it came to my own writing. I've been slowly editing a couple of novels I wrote last year, though, and I have a grand plan to work on some more children's books in 2025. I don't have anything quite ready to hit “publish” on yet, but hopefully by the end of the year I will. Wish me luck!
I DID get a lot of very exciting work done on the publishing front. So, via my tiny indie press, Page Turn Press, we actually just released a shiny new, and very hilarious multi-author themed anthology titled “Forgetting Something?” The overall theme for this book was funny aliens. Yep, that means comical, satirical, heartfelt, and reliably quirky sci-fi, folks. It was SO much fun to put together and work on, and the authors involved are all so talented. It's definitely worth checking out, for sure. I'll drop a little blurb and a link below for you, in case you're curious.
HERE'S A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY
Have you ever wondered how secretaries in the 1950s typed so gosh darn fast, or what really happened to Jimmy Hoffa? What about how to deal with a clingy ET who just won't take no for an answer? I bet you didn't know how badly aliens yearn to find the ever-elusive Waldo. Seriously, it’s next-level, out of this world yearning. Maybe aliens are just stuck like humans in the daily grind, each day herding their flocks or trying their best to get through that next full moon abduction. Or perhaps they’re angling to snag Earth's coffee stashes (caffeine addiction is a universal problem).
If you adore the thrilling mystery space has to offer and don't take life too seriously, this is very likely an intersteller (see what I did there?) book for you. If you crave laughter, appreciate oddities, and—most importantly—can fathom that aliens might be as clueless or bumbling as we are, then yup, this is definitely your next read! Within the pages of this anthology are fourteen sometimes satirical, frequently silly, and more-often-than-you’d-expect thought-provoking sci-fi tales from some of the genre’s most talented wordsmiths. With a foreword written by Ai Jiang, and stories by Nora Fry, Corrie Haldane, Jeff Seeman, James Dorr, Ryan Douglas Roth, Katie Ess, MM Schreier, Andrew Ferrell, Shane Porteous, Mary Jo Rabe, Gustavo Bondoni, Anthony D. Herrera, Lisa Fox, and R.A. Clarke.
Curiosity piqued? If so, you can get your copies here: https://www.amazon.ca/Forgetting-Something-Humorous-Tales-Aliens/dp/1778182127/
Or if you're local to the Portage la Prairie, MB area, message via the contact page on www.pageturnpress.com to order paperbacks directly (hand delivered & can be signed).
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT... IT IS AUTHOR INTERVIEW TIME
The other thing I wanted to talk about today, well—to share today—is an author interview! A while back, I decided to try my hand at interviewing. Nothing super lengthy or life altering, but to ask a few fun questions that would offer another creator like myself a chance to be seen and heard. It can be very hard for indie authors to get their work out there and be truly visible… so, with this interview, I just want to try and help others out in my own little way.
That said, it was an honour to do the following interview with this wonderful wordsmith that I am privileged to know. This person has written several horror books, including Come Join the Murder and Easton Falls Massacre, and is also very active in the horror writing community.
But, you know, rather than me blabbing on and on, I'll just let you read below and find out more about her life and writing for yourself. Without further ado, I present Holly Rae Garcia.
1. Why don't you tell us a few fun facts about yourself, and, when you first started to write?
Hi! I’m usually writing, reading, playing poker, or spending time with the family. My husband and I recently filled our “empty nest” with three birds so I’m enjoying bonding with them and teaching them tricks. We also have four large dogs so while there aren’t any children at the house anymore, it’s definitely full. I’m a photographer for my day job and I once photographed the (then) president of Argentina!
I first started writing in 2019, and quickly became addicted. I started off with short stories as part of a competition called “NYC Midnight”. After joining a group of writers who were also participating in that, I quickly made friends (including you!) there and that early support was so critical.
2. Name three of your favourite books.
Favorites seem to change depending on my mood or what’s going on in my life at that moment. For today, I’d have to say the following:
The Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean M. Auel
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
I am Legend by Richard Matheson
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
I know I’m cheating by listing four, but The Metamorphosis is short so I’m going to slide it in there.
3. What or who most inspires you to write stories/books?
Reading other stories and books often inspires me. Same with watching movies or listening to people as I go about my day-to-day life. Sometimes it’s a phrase that inspires me to write an entire book. Other times it’s a method or mood I want to use. I’m currently working on something that was partly inspired by a news article, a local flood, and a local prison.
4. What is your favourite piece of writing to date and why?
I’d have to say my first book (Come Join the Murder) is still my favorite. I put a lot of my own fears into that one and the process was both grueling and insightful. It isn’t my most popular book, but that’s okay with me.
5. How do you approach character creation? Do you infuse parts of yourself into characters you write?
It depends on the book/story. For Parachute, I modeled the characters after my own friends from high school. Sometimes I’ll pull a character from a movie that I like, or someone I’ve run into at a grocery store or at work. I know a lot of authors have full workups on their characters including back stories, favorite bands, etc. that never make it into the story, but help round out the character in their own head. I’ve never done that but I can see how it would be helpful. I like to find out more about the characters as I go. Sometimes I don’t know how they would respond to a situation until I put them in that situation.
6. Do you have a new book out, or one you plan to publish in the future? Tell us about it.
I’m still in the first-draft stage of my newest, so I’ll share one that came out last year. Flesh Communion and Other Stories includes twenty-six short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. Most were previously published except for “Step by Step” and “Octosquatch”. While I primarily write horror now, this collection includes several from earlier on in my writing career before I chose that path. There are detective comedies, literary, science-fiction, fantasy, and of course horror stories.
Autographed copies can be purchased in my shop: https://hollyraegarcia.bigcartel.com/product/flesh-communion-and-other-stories-autographed-paperback
It is also enrolled in Kindle Unlimited so free to read for those subscribers here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPB9BY3N
7. Where can readers or other authors find and follow you on social media/website?
I’m @HollyRaeGarcia on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, and Threads. On Tik Tok I can be found @Holly_Rae_Garcia. My website is https://www.hollyraegarcia.com/
Well, there you have it. Make sure you show the wonderful Holly Rae Garcia some love and give her a follow on social media. Sending out a big thank you to her for participating in my interview (loved it!). And thank you for popping by, and for checking things out. Stop by again!
Happy spring and happy reading. :)
Rachael Clarke
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