Follow The Chupacabra got a mention over at PJ Media in their Book Plug Friday post, so I need to tip the hat in thanks to Sarah Hoyt and Charlie Martin for including it. If you’re searching for new indie books, its a good place to check out on Fridays.
In other Chupacabra news, the e-book is now also available in the Kobo store, which seems the preferred destination for many Australian readers. If any Down Under readers discover the Chupacabra on their Kobo, I’d like to hear about it (almost as much as I like saying that).
O happy day. Typing “new release” never gets old for a writer. This time I write it with special satisfaction. My new novel is Follow the Chupacabra, and I think (hope) that the legions of readers of fantasy fiction out there will find this to be a unique addition to the genre. It’s a wild ride, I promise.
Some background: I wanted to write a contemporary fantasy story, but was determined to create something fresh. I challenged myself to dive into the fantasy genre without relying on vampires, elves, werewolves, fairies or zombie fairy elves. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just didn’t know what I could add that hasn’t already been done. (Memo to self: investigate zombie fairy elf idea further).
I enjoy fantasy stories that incorporate mythical creatures and wanted to include that aspect of fantasy into the book. I just didn’t want to populate the story with the usual creatures of legend. So I’ve recruited the shadowy myths of my home base, the American Southwest. We’ve got a well-stocked pantry of rich folklore in these sunny climes, from the terrifying to the ridiculous—chupacabras, jackalopes, malevolent twisters, giant insects that sting so hard you’ll feel it in your next three lives… you get the picture.
I also love the concept of alternate worlds, those hidden places discovered down pathways that cut through the fabric of reality. Combine these elements, and you’ve got Follow the Chupacabra.
Here’s the pitch:
If you follow the chupacabra, where will it lead you?
Ray Lenstrom is a broken man. His family, the life he knew, and his will to live were all swept away in a series of catastrophic storms. After the swarm of devastating twisters finally receded, no element of his life remained untouched.
He is a man adrift—until the night of the dark visitor, the chupacabra of legend.
When do you allow yourself to believe the unbelievable? When do mythological creature become part of the real world? Ray has to figure out if the chupacabra that has tracked him down and attempted to enlist him in an impossible undertaking is spinning wild lies or simply revealing frightening truths.
Ray has only one place to turn—a mysterious woman cut off from the rest of humanity who may hold the answers. She may also be the key to rebuilding his shattered life.
As Ray embraces the adventure of a lifetime, he’ll discover that the world is larger than he ever dreamed, and forgotten planes of existence lurk at the end of every path. Hidden elemental powers command the shadowlands of Earth, and bizarre creatures of legend travel endless pathways in a multiverse of alternate worlds more terrifying—and more beautiful—than any he has ever known.
Follow the Chupacabra is a contemporary fantasy novel where the vivid legends of the American Southwest come to unforgettable life.
(E-book on Amazon to start—other formats to follow quickly).
Graphic novels long ago secured mainstream acceptance. More than just a way to repackage stale comic books, the graphic novel has evolved into a formidable creative medium of its own. Bookstores devote entire sections to graphic novels just like they devote in-store real-estate to mysteries, science-fiction and cook books by washed-up celebrities. Major best-selling books will have graphic novel versions for sale right alongside the hardback, paperback, e-book and audio editions.
When did the modern graphic novel originate? One of the pioneers in melding the comic book format with a traditional paperback book structure was Gil Kane. A prolific comic book artist in the 1950s and ’60s, Kane penciled such iconic heroes as Green Lantern and Spider Man, along with many others.
Blackmark, 1971
But Kane had higher ambitions. His Blackmark (1971) was a deliberate attempt to break out of the limitations imposed by kid-friendly comic books. A sword-and-sorcery epic set in a brutal and barbaric future, Blackmark was grittier and more violent than the usual comics-code-approved fare. It also broke away from the traditional stacked-boxes layout, using a combination of word balloons, expository captions and full-page illustrations. It’s a well-illustrated, gripping tale that still holds up.
Blackmark was published by Bantam books as a 75-cent mass-market paperback. A second volume was planned and completed but Bantam lost interest after modest sales of the first volume. (It was not until 1979 that the follow-up appeared in the pages of Marvel Preview magazine. A 30th anniversary edition of Blackmark in traditional graphic novel format included both works.)
There were other attempts to create new forms for illustrated stories in the 1970s. Marvel
Doctor Strange, 1978
Comics tried to expand its reach with Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts (1978). Another mass-market paperback, this book collected the first 18 Doctor Strange stories from the pages of Strange Tales comic book. As a proto graphic novel, it works less well than Blackmark. You’d need the unstrained eyes of a healthy teenager to read the fine-print type, as the pages of the original comics were shrunk down to fit the 4.25 x 7-inch format. But at least it was in color, unlike the black-and-white pages of Blackmark.
By then, however, Marvel was not far from finding the sweet spot for graphic novels. In 1982 the company launched a series of trade paperbacks in today’s recognizable graphic novel format. It was the Marvel Graphic Novel series, the first of which was The Death of Captain Marvel. This book, and the fifth in the series, X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, were both smash hits in 1982.
Graphic novels are common today, but they didn’t arrive on the market fully-formed. These two small paperbacks remind us of the early efforts to rise above the confines of the oft-disparaged “funny book.”
My next book is complete! It’s going through editing and revisions now, with beta readers getting their first looks. Title and cover to follow, but this one is a bit different than the Connor Rix books. It’s a contemporary multiverse fantasy incorporating the myths and legends of the American Southwest. I challenged myself to write a modern fantasy employing mythological beings without relying on vampires, fairies, elves, shape-shifters, or other well-used creatures. We’ve got a rich trove of myths and legends in these sun-baked parts, and I hope to use them to bring a fresh perspective to the contemporary fantasy genre. Sound interesting? Look for the book’s release in August.
Looking for some two-fisted summer science-fiction action? The first e-book in my Connor Rix series of SF thrillers, Rules of Force, will be free on Amazon starting June 27 through July 1. Nothin’ better than clicking that “buy” button on a freebie, so hop on over. And if you like it, there’s lots more Connor Rix adventures where that came from.
Update (7/1): Sweet! I hit No. 1 in the (free) superhero subcategory. Thanks to everyone who downloaded!
I’ve had a few recent inquiries about my next book (oh yes, there is one), and now the project is far enough along that I can announce a few details. I’m having a blast with this one. I just passed the 42,000-word mark and plan to release it later this summer. It’s a contemporary fantasy novel where the protagonists travel hidden paths between an infinite variety of alternate Earths—and along the way the legendary creatures of the American Southwest come to life. Shadowlands and chupacabras, baby! Stay tuned for a full synopsis and cover preview in the coming months.
I’ve decided to experiment a bit with one of my books. I’ve entered the first volume in my Connor Rix series of SF thrillers, Rules of Force, in the Kindle Select program. So all you Amazon Prime members out there, you can read my book for free for the next three months. If you haven’t had the chance to dive into Connor Rix’s world of Modified super human rebels and outlaws, here’s your no-risk opportunity. I’ll be trying some other things as the summer progresses and will report back here how it all worked. Get started on that summer reading!
I was interviewed for an article about independent publishing for Tech Page One magazine. It’s a short piece but covers the basic pros and cons. It was written by Eric Searleman, proprietor of the very entertaining Superhero Novels blog.
More future goodness, if this trailer is any indication. And could that be Luke Cage making an appearance? That would be an excellent way to introduce him into the movie Marvel Universe. Again, the inner 11-year-old inside me is happily amazed at what is being done with the comic book characters I grew up with.
Rocket Cars to Mars 