As writers, one of the most constant pieces of advice we receive is: write what you know. It’s well-meaning advice, given to help writers share stories from places of experience. It’s meant to help your writing connect with readers in a way that’s relatable and enjoyable.
Read MoreIf you like a bit of a fun cozy little scary read, I highly recommend Mouse Trap by Caryn Larrinaga. On the surface, it’s about the haunting of an ordinary house (or an ordinary family really), but it’s really about loss, grief, guilt, and anxiety.
The author does a brilliant job creating a mood of uneasiness, which builds the tension more and more. Larrinaga does a great job implanting dark imagery, setting up a little mystery, and providing just enough foreshadowing to keep you guessing.
Read MoreThere are many ways to write a good villain. Sometimes, their evil doings are out in the open, ready for the reader to…
Read MorePeople react to stressors differently, and so should your characters. Knowing the psychology behind stress response can help make your character’s responses more believable and diverse. Understanding the Fight, Flight, Freeze, Flop, or Fawn theory is…
Read MoreWriting a book is an exciting and nerve-wracking journey. As an editor, I talk to authors all the time about how hard it is to decide on the best way to get your story from thought to paper. You may know what to write, but how do you make sure it aligns with the expectations of that genre while still allowing you full creative freedom?
Read MoreIt's Friday night. And I am in revision hell.
There is a child on my couch playing Minecraft. Loudly. There is a husband snoozing on my shoulder. And a show about the happenings at Skinwalker Ranch on the TV in the background.
I am not succeeding at edits.
Why, you ask?
Read MoreIt doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned writer or someone who has just finished their first story, writing groups can seem intimidating and possibly like an unnecessary activity. But here’s the thing, the right writing group can provide you with benefits you wouldn’t achieve any other way.
Read MoreMost writers out there have an urge to commit the story in their heads to paper (or a hard drive, given the times). I want everyone to get those thoughts and images into words. I want you to get that story finished in the timeframe you desire and in a configuration that will please you.
While writing pace is something that can be altered by your schedule, focus, and typing speeds, we can always improve our craft. There’s more: you’ve probably already had several important lessons in high school, and all you need to do is reactivate them in your brain. Here are a few quick tips and tricks to unlock all that potential!
Read MoreFairy Tale Retellings, or Modern Fairy Tales as they’re called, have become exorbitantly popular over the last few years. I have edited and read many of them, and if you type the title into a Google search bar, you will be sure to find access to literally lists of recommended reads. In essence, a fairy tale retelling is exactly as it sounds-it draws from a fairy tale or lends itself to the fairy tale trope.
Read MoreLast fall Collective Tales Publishing hosted a flash fiction horror contest. The theme was “lessons were learned.” And we received some great entries! You can read the three winners. But we enjoyed all the entries so much that we wanted to publish them in a new book.
Read MoreAnother bone-chilling February morning brought the village before the annual spectacle. They encircled the creature emerging from its subterranean lair. First, a colossal snout sniffed the dry air. Then massive paws widened the tunnel entrance. Finally, it hurled itself upon the surface with a thud.
Read MoreStruggling to find your next horror read? I get it; readers these days are spoiled for choice! And horror is such a broad genre that it actually includes countless subgenres—everything from gothic horror to horror-comedy. The good news is, whether you prefer a lighthearted adrenaline rush or true psychological terror, horror has something
Read MoreWe are excited to announce the three winners of our horror flash fiction contest! Darkness 101: Lessons Were Learned.
Read MoreOur co-writing journey began almost by accident—a joint story written for a school assignment over a decade ago that morphed into an entire series of collaboratively written novels. While co-authoring might not work for everyone, we are here to tell you that the experience can be rewarding, productive, and even make you a better writer. Here are our tips for writing a collaborative novel.
Read MoreA year ago, if you had told me that I would be starting a podcast where I interview strangers about their writing processes, I would have laughed at you.
If you know me on a personal level at all, you probably know that having to talk to strangers is my worst nightmare. I’ve lost count of the number of times making a simple phone call to cancel a doctor’s appointment has sent me into a cold sweat.
Read MoreFall is here! It’s back to school time! And the start of Spooky Season!
We’re also celebrating the release of Deluxe Darkness in September! Be sure to check it out and order your own copy today: three horror books in one: the Amazon bestselling Collective Darkness, Little Darkness, and the brand new book The Darkness Between.
Read MoreI feel it is only fitting, as I have been professing my love for the MCU and LOTR on our podcast, that I tell the origin story of Unsettling Reads and how Hope Screams Eternal came to be. So gather round, and I will tell the tale from its beginning.
Before the great pandemic struck in early 2020, Dair and I were gathered at a local bean roasting establishment, writing and planning. Always looking for a worthy quest, Dair proposed the idea of starting a podcast to not only aid our reading interests, but to be able to network with fellow writers. We also had a deep burn inside of ourselves to promote others like us, other up-and-coming authors battling in the trenches to make names for themselves.
Read MoreWhy did we found our fledgling publishing company Collective Tales Publishing? It certainly wasn’t for our health!
How about for the prestige, power, and glory? Well, yes, obviously that. But we also started CTP because we love working with each other and other writers! We thrive on collaboration. We believe that collaboration cultivates creativity.
Read MoreJonathan Reddoch and Elizabeth Suggs interviewed Sophie Queen, author of Riley's Excellent and Not-At-All Fake Exorcism Service series and short story in The Darkness Between “The Green Window.”
Read MoreWe were lucky enough to receive two brand-new premium notebooks from LeStallion Notebooks! We’ve used these notebooks in the past, and they are really great! Some of our favorite features are the high-quality covers and the ribbon markers.
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