Kerry Alan Denney isThe Reality Bender

Writers Stop Doing This! 4 Things Your Readers Already Know

1/18/2021

Stop doing what, you say? Let’s skip the standard preamble and get right down to it, shall we?

1) She nodded her head.

Well of course it was her head she nodded. She can’t nod her elbows, earlobes, or eyelids, can she? So delete that “her head” part with extreme prejudice, and stop using that redundant and unnecessary (see what I did there?) clarifier. Saying “she nodded her head” is the equivalent of saying “he spoke with his mouth.” Readers will never mistakenly assume it was her newly-painted toenails that she nodded. So just write "She nodded."

2) He blinked his eyes.

Shew! Thanks so much for clarifying that it was his eyes he blinked. Otherwise your readers may be so confused, mistakenly visualizing him blinking his kneecaps, lips, or butt cheeks. That’s not a very comforting visual, is it?

Delete that “his eyes” part like an executioner chopping off the head of a condemned man . . . and for crying out loud, please stop using it as a clarifier. Your readers will thank you because—lo and behold—they already figured it out. So just write "He blinked."

As with #2 above …

3) She squinted her eyes.

Yeah, everybody knows she didn’t squint her tongue, new hairdo, or belly button. Boot that “her eyes” part out of your narrative like an NFL kicker aiming for the game-winning field goal, and teach your fingaz to stop typing it. It’s the best way to keep your readers from . . . umm . . . rolling their eyes at you.

No writer wants that, right? So just write "She squinted."

4) He shrugged his shoulders.

Well, duh. He sure as hell didn’t shrug his hands, feet, beer belly, or villainous Snidely Whiplash moustache. Snidely may be able to do it, but your readers aren’t visualizing him when they’re reading about your characters, are they?

Crikey, I hope not. Otherwise you’re engaging in the use of a tired old stereotype, and that’s another huge no-no that we’ll discuss in a future post.

So just write "He shrugged."

It’s too bad we don’t have a single-word antonym for “nodded” (or do we?), and have to use “she shook her head” to show our readers that physical action. But . . . we do have a multitude of words to describe facial express-ions. Use them instead of those dreadful and cringe-worthy “-ly” adverbs. Using those facial expression words instead of using lazy-writer “-ly” adverbs is showing versus telling, which we’ll likely discuss in another blog post one fine day.

Readers are intelligent. Smart people read. Dumb people don’t. That is not to insinuate that all people who don’t read are dumb, because that would be . . . well, dumb. Although assuming is not advisable, I think it’s a safe and winning bet to go ahead and assume that your readers are pretty darn smart.

So don’t tell your readers what they already know. That’s insulting, and we certainly do NOT want to insult our readers, do we? Adding clarifiers that are already painfully obvious—even if only subconsciously—is jolting to a reader, and more likely than not rips them right out of your story and back into the real world. They’ll get back there soon enough, so don’t help them find their way back—keep them engrossed in the world of your story.

A vitally important part of a writer’s job is to make the words disappear. So don’t make words appear that don’t need to be there in the first place from the get-go. (I did it again!)

Do you have other examples of ridonkulous redundancies that you’ve seen writers (and editors) use? We’re happy to hear them! Please share them in the comments section below.

Happy writing to all!

Check out the works of Kerry Alan Denney aka The Reality Bender on Amazon HERE

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5 Reasons Some Indie Authors Are Giving Other Indie Authors A Bad Reputation

1/9/2019

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5 Reasons Some Indie Authors Are Giving Other Indie Authors
A Bad Reputation

From writers both new and well-established to agents, editors, publishers, and booksellers, everyone involved in the literary industry knows it’s a tough business in which to gain even the most precarious toehold. Tougher than getting a politician to tell the truth. Tougher than teaching a teenager personal respon- sibility. Tougher than brushing a lion’s teeth, than making friends with a tank full of hungry sharks, than walking away from a box full of puppies without petting them.

It’s far tougher than writing that groundbreaking novel in the first place. Catching a big break in the literary industry requires a level of patience, persistence, and perseverance that would make an attorney start practicing law based entirely on moral and ethical principles.

Which brings me to my point: How and why are so many writers making it even harder than it has to be? More importantly, how are some writers giving indie authors such a bad rap?

Here are five of the primary reasons, among several others.

1. BY MISTAKENLY BELIEVING A FIRST DRAFT
IS A COMPLETED MANUSCRIPT

Sorry folks, but the truth is often painful: A first draft is never anything but a rough draft. There are NO exceptions to this rule, no matter how many novels a writer may have published or how many copies they sold.

It’s fine to be proud about finishing that novel. I believe it’s even necessary. Finishing a novel is an accomplishment worthy of a major celebration. Hell yes, throw a party and invite friends and family. It doesn’t matter that they have no clue how hard we toiled day and night and sweated blood over that precious manuscript. Just don’t make the fatal mistake of believing that first draft is anything close to a finished manuscript, because it isn’t. Ever.

Ernest Hemingway is famous for many reasons, including his quote “The first draft of anything is shit.” He was partially right. But it’s not total shit, so be happy and proud! At best, the first draft is a diamond in the rough. That’s part of the reason it’s called a rough draft.

It’s fine and even advisable to walk away from that first draft for a while. Set it aside for a week or two, or even a month. Don’t be in a hurry to kick that fledgling bird out of the nest and show the world how well your new baby flies. New babies poop and barf a lot, and so does that new manuscript. They both need to be cleaned up and dressed before the world sees them. Leave that rough first draft alone for a while. Start a new novel. Write a short story about another great idea you have.

I absolutely guarantee that during the time you’ve temporarily set the new manuscript aside, you will suddenly start thinking of great ideas that can make it even better, because it’s stuck in your head. It’s your child, so of course you’re constantly thinking about it. You’ll even start seeing clearly the plot holes that need to be corrected, the clunky transitions that need to be smoothed out, the ways your characters need to be more fully developed, and you’ll even have Eureka! moments that will make that rough diamond shine brilliantly once you’ve made the necessary revisions.

2. BY MISTAKENLY BELIEVING THAT FINISHED MANUSCRIPT DOESN’T NEED THOROUGH EDITING

Yes, this is similar to reason #1, but it cannot be stated emphatically enough. This bears repeating—and often.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Michelangelo spent four years painting the Sistine Chapel. In a similar vein, that first draft needs major refining—not necessarily years, or even a whole year, but it needs your loving and undivided attention. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars hiring a professional editor. You can even do most of the editing yourself, but ONLY IF you’re able to achieve an objective perspective on your manuscript.

We writers must be able to leave our egos behind when editing our works. When I’m editing my novels, I kick Kerry out the door and lock it. Leave his impatient ass out in the cold and rain and don’t let him back in until I’ve cleaned up his mess.

No need to despair: Endless excellent resources exist to help you in this process. One of my favorite go-to resources is Renni Browne and Dave King’s Self-Editing For Fiction Writers. I highly recommend it for all writers, both established and novice. It’s written in easy-to-comprehend language that will help you make your work shine and sing. Many writers swear by Stephen King’s On Writing, and the second half has lots of great advice.

Another must-have writer’s resource is Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style. And just about anything by Noah Lukeman is packed full of priceless writer’s advice. If you know of some good resources, whether books or links or blogs, please share them in the comments section below, and thank you in advance for doing so. One of the best things we writers can do for other writers is to Pay It Forward.

3. BY MISTAKENLY BELIEVING THAT BETA READERS ARE A WASTE OF VALUABLE TIME AND EFFORT

I would be as helpless as an elephant in a leaky rubber raft in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean without my beta readers. So thank you all who have been beta readers for my works in the past, you are a priceless treasure to me! Your invaluable advice, sugges- tions, and tips have helped me make my manuscripts the very best they can be.

Family members don’t make good beta readers, nor do good friends. Why not? Because they love or at least care about you, and want to support you, and don’t want to hurt your feelings. All writers need brutally honest beta readers who never pull punches when it comes to critiquing manuscripts. Beta readers are how we find and correct plot holes, correct character inconsistencies and make our characters more realistic, and make impossible (or implausible) scenes possible and believable.

Spend the time and make the effort cultivating valuable contacts via social media. Find readers who enjoy reading your genre(s), and work to accumulate valuable associates in the literary industry such as fellow authors, editors, proofreaders, and discerning readers who don’t hesitate to be painfully frank in pointing out areas that don’t work for them in the novels and stories they read. Join established writer groups. If possible, join writer critique groups.

As you make these contacts, pick several you want to ask to be beta readers, and ask them, BUT . . . fishing for compliments is a waste of valuable time, so make sure they understand that you genuinely want them to be harshly frank, honest, and sincere as well as thorough and discerning in their reviews and critiques of your work. Not only will you be creating a group of treasured associates who will encourage and support you throughout your writing career, but you will also be working on building your author’s platform and reading audience in the process.

4. BY MISTAKENLY BELIEVING QUANTITY IS AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTE FOR QUALITY

The words, sentences, paragraphs, and chapters are pouring out of you. You can’t stop, you’re in the zone, you have the flow! That’s fine, even wonderful. The more musicians practice, the more skilled they become. Likewise, the more we writers write, the more skilled writers we become. Writing is a craft, and as with all crafts, practice makes . . . well, not perfect, but it improves our skills. Just don’t make the fatal mistake of thinking all those numerous stories don’t need revising and editing and perfecting, because they DO—without exception.

Spend at least half of your writing time learning HOW to write well. Use writer’s resources. A multitude of valuable advice can be easily found in libraries, bookstores, and on the Internet. Listen to and utilize the advice from established and published writers, and remember to thank them for it.

Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of thinking that being a prolific writer is equivalent to being a talented one, because it isn’t. Not for anyone. Ever. More isn’t always better. Golden retrievers are wonderful, loving, affectionate dogs and excellent companions, but is cleaning up the fur they shed, their dirty paw prints on the carpet, and the poop in your yard from a few hundred golden retrievers really an improvement?

A well-trained, obedient dog is far preferable to a rambunctious mutt that won’t stop chewing on the furniture and jumping all over your friends and visitors—especially when muddy paws and sharp claws ruin expensive clothing. Likewise, a well-edited manuscript is far preferable to a manuscript full of typos, errors, and plot holes big enough to dump a train full of elephants into.

HEY, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH ALL THE
ELEPHANT METAPHORS?!?!

5. BY MISTAKENLY BELIEVING THAT BOOK COVER ISN’T A CRUCIAL SELLING POINT

We’ve all heard the wise old adage. But despite the fact that it’s sage advice, we all do it, at least to some small extent: We judge books by their covers.

I love bookstores, especially individually owned “Mom & Pop” secondhand bookstores, which are now unfortunately becoming quickly-vanishing cultural icons. The feel, the smell, the atmosphere, and the look of used bookstores all speak of treasured stories and worlds and cherished fictional friends as well as of volumes containing valuable advice about the real world in which I occasionally exist. I can easily get happily lost in the aisles for hours. But ever since the advent of the Internet, online book sales have trumped bookstore sales in the never-ending battle for readers’ attention—and their patronage. Ebooks and audiobooks have taken the literary world by storm, pardon the cliché.

Nowadays, that book cover thumbnail is the primary and most crucial selling point for books. It’s the first and most important “eye-catcher” for authors across this ever-shrinking globe. If our tiny book cover thumbnail doesn’t catch the prospective readers’ interest, our works are usually passed over for more enticing stories, often without that vital synopsis—the second most important draw for potential readers—ever being read.

In my experience, many indie book covers are far more creative, imaginative, eye-catching, and inspiring than the covers designed by the “professionals.” For decades, the top publishing companies have consistently created dull and even terrible covers for their authors. Their primary selling points are their reputations and slapping those bestselling authors’ names on the covers. Who needs great art when you have a dazzling and respected author name emblazoned on that cover?

Nevertheless, many indie authors hire (or enlist) graphic artists who are friends or associates to design their book covers. Don’t get me wrong: Some of them are mega-talented, and design spectacular covers. But too many of them create covers that are too “busy” for a thumbnail, or just end up having an amateurish look that doesn’t do some excellent novels the justice they deserve. This is nothing personal against some otherwise very talented graphic artists; they just don’t understand the vital importance of making a piece of art “sing & zing” in what, out of necessity, must become in the end product a miniature thumbnail whose singular purpose is to engage readers’ interest.

So don’t “be that guy” (or gal). Spend the money, time, and effort in finding graphic designers who are experienced at designing irresistible book covers. You’ll end up being glad you did, your readers will thank you for it in their reviews, and your sales will eventually reflect that effort.

So my endless thanks to Nicolle “Nikki” Brown, Dean Samed, Christian Bentulan, and Loraine Van Tonder for your magnificent covers, you’re all amazing!

In conclusion, readers are smart. Tasty icing on a dry, crusty cake doesn’t fool a gourmet, nor do flowery language and an excess of adjectives and adverbs fool a discerning reader. Write smart and learn how to thoroughly and accurately edit your works and your readers will love you for it—and want to read more of your future works, even be eager for more.

We writers who work tirelessly to produce clean, sensible, error-free manuscripts that flow smoothly would like to ask those who do not to please follow these important guidelines to becoming better writers. My works may not be loved by all who read them, but they are 99% error free. Every novel I’ve published has gone through at least THIRTY meticulous edits. Yours should receive that same loving attention before you publish it—or before you shop for an agent or publisher.

In numerous online polls, the complaints readers and reviewers most often cite about indie novels are seeing too many typos, punctuation errors, misused words, massive plot holes, convoluted or awkward or just plain clunky phraseology, and bad or unnatural dialogue. We’ll discuss how to improve some of these areas in a future post, but in the meantime, don’t be that writer. You don’t want that irreversible stigma following you throughout your writing career, because an elephant never forgets.

We heartily welcome your comments, positive or negative, and by all means, if you have more reasons you would like to add to this list, please share them in the comments below.

Happy writing (and reading) to all!

Holly Jolly the book-loving professional Therapy Dog

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Is insanity contagious?!?! Award-winning short story: "SOMETHING IN THE AIR"

11/24/2017

5 Comments

Celebrating the upcoming December 23 release of BEYOND THE VALE, my new novel: A Holiday Gift for YOU

SOMETHING IN THE AIR

Is insanity contagious?

One disturbed man discovers the terrifying truth the hard way.

Awarded "Honorable Mention" in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, 2nd Quarter 2013

Published online in SNM Horror Magazine's "December Diseases - Issue #61" December 2013

SOMETHING IN THE AIR

I’ve been having the visions for two weeks now, but told no one about them, especially not Terri. I think she’s . . . well, nuts about me. It’s been a long time since that happened with any woman, longer than I care to admit.

Besides, if I share it with anyone I know, they might think it’s high time the smiling empty-eyed men in white coats toss me in the cage with all the other babbling psychos recently filling the asylums beyond capacity. My friend Eddie is the third guy I know personally who succumbed to the . . . delusions is all I can call them. To call it madness is to risk peering into that abyss, and have it gaze back at me—and maybe hear it call my name next.

I consider calling Terri and pleading some nonexistent illness to cancel our date. We can reschedule sometime when the haunting phantoms aren’t dancing merrily in the darkened corners of my new little imaginary world. I even grab my cell, my shaking fingers ready to punch in her number. But a behavioral aberration involving hallucin- ations can’t be contagious. No way I’m letting a sudden attack of the heebie-jeebies ruin my chance of taking our relationship to the next level.

If Terri sees the fear hovering behind my eyes, I might end up losing her too. Besides, the lonely silence of isolation is no longer solitary or quiet. And the assorted bizarre company that comes with solitude lately isn’t looking to make friends.

Is something in the air affecting us all? Or something in the water we drink? Maybe some invisible alien race spiked the countless beers I’ve recently been pouring down my gullet in vain hope of wiping out the increasingly terrifying visions. Or is every breath we take sucking a pervasive contagion into our lungs, to journey through our bodies and eventually poison and ravage our already fragile minds? Particles in the atmosphere, contaminated with motes of infectious insanity.

I shudder and toss my cell on the bed, dreading a dinner date that already tastes like mushy rotten fruit in my mouth. I dress in clothes that will hopefully hide the ripples of unknown monsters crawling beneath my flesh. Then I leave to pick up Terri and take her to our favorite Chinese restaurant with invisible spiders skittering up and down my spine, their venomous pincers poised to strike and fill me with deadly poison.

* * * * *

“So why don’t you tell me what’s wrong, baby?” Terri asks.

We sit across from each other over plates of steaming food that should taste like heaven. Instead, my Mongolian Beef feels like scuttling cockroaches squishing around in my mouth. The sour-and-bitter odor rising from my plate smells like pus-dripping lesions on rotting vermin. I want to projectile-hurl what little I managed to choke down.

Terri touches my hand, stroking it as she flaunts her irresistible dimples and radiant grin. It’s a shame her gleaming canines look like serpent fangs in the dim lighting that’s theoretically supposed to be aesthetic and set a mood.

It’s putting me in a mood, all right.

“Come on, Jack.” Her soft touch should feel like velvet or silk. Instead, it’s cold and slimy, a scaly reptile’s slithering caress. “You know you can’t hide it from me. Something’s bothering you.”

The tears almost come then. I barely rein them in, struggling just to breathe. I twirl my fork around the beef noodles, unable to erase an image of squirming maggots waiting to ride my fork up to my mouth and poison me. The looming shadows cavort in my peripheral vision, waving gleefully at me as if encouraging me to join in their unfettered ribaldry.

“Jack! Are you even listening to me? Hello?” She waves a hand in front of my face, but it’s even wispier than the dancing shadows, almost transparent. She forces a quavering laugh that sounds like chunks of masonry grinding together.

I finally tear my eyes from the wriggling larva on my plate and raise them to meet hers, knowing she’ll see and know, certain I’m going to lose her. I struggle to speak, afraid of spewing out either nonsense or partially digested dinner, or both.

She pulls her hand away from mine, and though it feels alive with crawling insects, I miss her touch instantly. But instead of running away screaming and tearing at her hair, she gets up and slides in the booth beside me. All the concern, care, and love any man could ever ask or hope for shines in her hypnotizing eyes. She squeezes my leg with one hand and gently brushes my sweaty brown curls over my ear with the other.

“Jack, you know you can tell me anything. Don’t bottle it up inside, whatever it is. I promise I’ll understand. Remember? No secrets.”

I nod, struggling to hold down the broiling contents of my queasy stomach. Bile burns in my throat, and I finally choke out an answer.

“I know. I’m . . . gimme a minute, okay?”

“God, baby, you’re creeping me out. Talk to me. I’m right here.”

I moan. “I’m creeping myself out, Terri.”

Did the chefs actually kill the beasts we devoured before cooking them? They feel like they’re alive, desperate to escape my innards and be reborn into a world that will gleefully slaughter and serve them all over again.

My head spins. Terri recedes as my surroundings close in around me, like forced perspective technique in film- making. It’s vertigo with a cruel Machiavellian twist. I swallow bile as my mind drifts out of my body, begging for release from its torture. Every screak of the jinghu in the background Chinese music is a rusty saw cutting off my head, screeching violins in a Hitchcock movie soundtrack. Every pluck of a sanxian string is another one of my teeth being yanked out by a demented sadistic dentist.

Is this how Eddie felt before they came to take him away, how he feels every waking moment, maybe in every nightmare? If so, it’s no wonder those deemed mad by “normal” society often turn to suicide for release.

“Jack? You’re scaring me, baby.”

I shake my head, and the tears come. I’m going to lose her for sure. No woman wants anything to do with a man who can’t control his emotions, especially in public. The vision of her receding from me is a cruel precursor to the day—and it’s coming soon, if not this very night—that she runs away from me screaming.

“I gotta . . . get out of here, Terri. I can’t . . .”

To my intense relief, Terri doesn’t argue or try to make an issue of my unexplainable behavior. She just gets up, helps me stand, and holds onto me every step of the way out. She props me up against my car, then runs back inside to pay the bill.

Someday perhaps she’ll find a man truly deserving of her special kind of love—unless she finally breathes in too much of the invisible poison, and the visions start plaguing her too. If she does find him, he’d better treat her like the goddess she is, or I’ll emerge from the abyss and gleefully tear him to pieces limb by limb—starting with his tongue, saving his eyes for last so he can watch me rip him apart.

I figure she’s already lost to me.

She surprises me again, smiling and asking for the keys. I gratefully hand them over, because I’m not quite ready to drive into a concrete abutment at terminal velocity just to make the visions and voices stop. And I’m not so selfish that I’m willing to take whoever is along for the ride down with me.

Yet.

She drives me home and walks me to my door, and somehow knows better than to ask if I want her to come inside. She even kisses me goodnight, and surprise of all surprises, tells me she can’t wait to see me again, and help me with whatever problem I’m having. She’s just so much stronger than I am. She pulls my door key off the key ring and hands it to me, promising to bring my car back in the morning. She’s unaware that I don’t need it anymore.

My lips tingle, the taste of sweet intoxicating blood and bitter venom lingering as she heads toward my car. Then, with a hopeful wave and a cheerful smile, she leaves.

Shuddering with a mix of dread and anticipation, I turn and go inside to face the spectral grinning demons and listen to the frolicking shadows scream at me some more.

I don’t turn on the interior lights. Why make it easier to see the phantoms capering all around me? I sit in the recliner in front of my blank wallscreen. I don’t turn it on either. It no longer provides the intense vivid level of entertainment that my persistent new companions bring, in colorful 3-D and ear-shattering surround sound.

I flinch and cringe when the landline rings. Its mundane jangle is unfamiliar and incongruous amid the ominous whispers, menacing screeches, and agony-filled shrieks. I don’t check to see who it is.

Why bother checking? Everyone I know is a stranger now.

A human voice blares out of my speaker system, and I leap out of the recliner. I forgot that I left the answering service on real-time playback.

“Jack, it’s Lisa.” Sobbing, whimpering, echoing the voices of the damned playing like a looping horror movie soundtrack in my head. “It’s . . . about Kirk. He . . .” More wrenching sobs. “I’m sorry to call so late, but . . . Jack, they came and got Kirk. He was threatening the girls, saying all kinds of crazy shit, scary shit, and I . . . I had to call them.” A bleating cry. “I didn’t know what else to do. Please, Jack, I need you right now. The girls need you. I can’t . . .”

I vaguely remember Kirk. Brother-in-law. Husband to my sister Lisa, father of my two nieces. Nice house, good home, just fifteen minutes away. We were all close once, at least until I breathed in too much of the pervasive contagion.

Has it really only been two weeks? Seems like a succession of eternities.

Good thing I left the wallscreen off, so I can’t be swayed by the tears in Lisa’s eyes, the anguish on her face. She blubbers some more. When she finally shuts up and ends the call, I say, “Delete message.” Then I fall in the recliner, lean back, close my eyes, and let the party begin.

Maybe I’ll visit Kirk and Eddie when the light of day finally returns and pushes back the shadows for a while, but what’s the point? If I don’t find the courage to slit my wrists soon, I’ll be seeing them every day on the ward—from the inside.

A funny thought strikes me, and I start laughing, knowing that if anyone were here with me they would call it a mad cackle. I can’t stop laughing, might never stop.

What’s so funny, you ask? Let me put it this way: try not to breathe too deeply. I think there’s something in the air.

Who knows? Maybe whoever reads this, my final journal entry, is next.

Maybe you’re next.

Thanks for reading!

As always, I and the multitude of fellow inmates in my head heartily welcome your comments below.

NEW! Coming from Kerry Alan Denney aka
The Reality Bender and Burning Willow Press December 23, 2017

BEYOND THE VALE

An afterlife fantasy/ adventure

Join us for an online party for lots of
GIVEAWAYS, CONTESTS, & PRIZES!

BEYOND THE VALE Book Release Party

WHERE: Online at Facebook
WHEN: Saturday, December 16
2 - 5 p.m. EST
1 - 4 p.m. CST
12 noon - 3 p.m. MST
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. PST

Enter the Grand Prize Contest
for YOUR chance to WIN!

LINK TO THE PARTY

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BEYOND THE VALE Cover Reveal

10/11/2017

1 Comment

Halloween means it’s time for a
bodacious Cover Reveal!

BEYOND THE VALE

A brand new fantasy / adventure coming from
Kerry Alan Denney aka The Reality Bender
and Burning Willow Press
December 23, 2017

Cover design by Loraine Van Tonder

BEYOND THE VALE will be available for pre-order in ebook and paperback on Amazon, Goodreads, and other online book vendors the week of December 11, 2017 . . .

. . . just in time for the Holidays, and it makes the perfect
Kindle "stocking stuffer"!

Read a FREE Sneak Preview
of the first 3 chapters HERE now

CONTESTS & PRIZES!

Join us online on Facebook for the
BEYOND THE VALE Book Release Party!

Lots of contests, prizes, and more fun than may be legal in some states.

Saturday December 16
2 p.m. - 5 p.m. EST
1 p.m. - 4 p.m. CST
12 noon - 3 p.m. MST
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. PST

Everyone is welcome, invite your friends!

LINK TO THE PARTY

https://www.facebook.com/events/838692599626242

What is BEYOND THE VALE about?

There’s no rest for the weary in the afterlife: We all must earn our passage to the next world—or pay the ultimate price.

Logan Leonard comes to his senses with his memory full of holes, and a half-familiar woman asks him if he remembers how and why he died. She tells him he must earn his passage to the next level, leads him through doorways to impossible places with surreal landscapes and bizarre inhabitants, and sends him into pictures that are portals to his past. Logan meets his spirit guide in the form of a friendly dog, finds and then loses the woman of his dreams, and battles a madman who has enslaved the entire populace of the afterlife world.

Then shadows come to claim Logan, and suddenly the stakes are his own immortal soul—and the souls of everyone he loves. All he has to do to earn his passage is rescue the woman of his dreams, defeat the shadows and their master, and correct the mistakes he made that ruined his life. If he fails, everyone will burn.

Because the punishment for failure is a one-way ticket to Hell.

Full paperback spread - design by Loraine Van Tonder

Full of hope, heart, humor, and romance,
BEYOND THE VALE is a reality-bending fantasy with ultimate triumph and redemption as the grand finale.

Advance Praise for BEYOND THE VALE:

“An enlightening journey through the afterlife, filled with adventure. This enigmatic tale kept me on the edge of my seat full of laughter and overwhelming emotions. A true bending of reality by the master himself.” – S.L. Perrine, bestselling author of The Crawford Witch Chronicles and The Blood Rites Trilogy

“Pure, uncut genius. Mind-blowing literature from the wicked mind of a master.” – L. Bachman, award-winning author of The Blasphemer series

“Kerry Alan Denney twists time and reality to bring us a compelling story of regret, forgiveness, and redemption. Rarely have I seen this type of depth offered in such a fast-paced, action-packed book. Throw in a healthy sprinkling of Denney’s wit and some shadow creatures and spirit guides, and you have the perfect ingredients for a tale that will satisfy even the greatest of literary appetites. Eat up!” – Mark Reefe, author of The Road to Jericho and El Sendero

“Right from the start, when Logan, the main character in Beyond the Vale, finds himself in an afterlife scenario, I felt this fantastical thriller inhaling, sucking me in. And it didn’t let loose its breath until the very last word. Author Kerry Alan Denney’s brain is magnificent. The intriguing interplay of characters (including animal characters – yay!) and their connections to each other are so complex, I was certain there would be a misstep. Not so. Absolutely perfect presentation of intensely emotional ideas regarding life and death, righting of wrongs, trust, hope, and the potential to ‘rise up’ that exists in all of us. Highly recommended.” – Janet Fix, editor-in-chief, thewordverve.com

“Every time I begin a Kerry Alan Denney book, I’m reminded that I’m entering the mind of a master of his craft. Beyond the Vale takes the reader on an odyssey almost as epic as Homer.” – James Master, author of The Book of Roland

“Beyond the Vale gave me all of the ‘feels’! In an esoteric yet surprisingly modern tale of one man’s unbelievable journey, I felt myself grow right along with the main character. This book makes me want to be a better person (and also to hug my dog). As with Denney’s other amazing works, this one is ripe with imagery, fraught with peril, and deeply affecting. I finished it flattened . . . so full of love I didn’t know what to do with myself, yet still feeling like a good cleansing cry was needed. When all of the pieces finally make sense, it’s wondrous—for both the characters and the reader. Beautiful and terrifying!” – Elizabeth Robbins, Lazy Days Library Reviews and freelance editor

Pick up your copy this December, and discover why readers and reviewers rave about
Kerry Alan Denney aka The Reality Bender!

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"CAROUSEL" - a poem by Kerry Alan Denney

9/21/2017

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Some friends (and loyal readers of mine) have asked me to republish my poem, "Carousel."

It was originally published in "Stormcloud Poets" in 2014 by Thunderune Publishing, edited by E.S. Wynn.

Here it is now for all my friends and readers to read for FREE.

I hope you enjoy it, and as always, I encourage you to leave a comment below. I love hearing from you all!

CAROUSEL

When we finally hop off this carousel
This flashing, whirling, maddeningly twirling
Ghastly beast of dreams
Both crushed and yearning
With all its glitter and promise of glory

When the looming shadows
Can no longer be thwarted
By the glistening glow of your gentle smile
And we prepare
For the final dance together

Oh, mighty steed!
That vibrant valiant stallion that bore you
Wind whistling through your autumn tresses
Carrying your lilting laughter
Back to my longing ears

Round and round the thundering hooves beckon me
To fade into the star-speckled twilight
My curtain call an encore pirouette
Dancing in your dazzling radiance
Forever prancing in your merry eyes

_______________________
© 2014 by Kerry Alan Denney
All rights reserved

Share your thoughts below, and happy reading to all!

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A CLATTER OF HOOVES - a timeless Christmas story by Kerry Alan Denney aka "The Reality Bender"

12/20/2016

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Back by popular demand, my gift to my family, friends, and fans.

Originally published in "A Quilt of Holidays" August 6, 2012 Subsequently published in "Page & Spine" December 20, 2013 and "A Cup of Christmas" November 27, 2014

A CLATTER OF HOOVES

She heard the clatter coming from outside. Although he tried to rein them back and quiet the warning bells, in the silence of the packed drifts of snow glistening in the twinkling starlight even the softest nicker or neigh carried—especially so late.

He was coming back later every year.

She didn’t mind. She loved him so much. No one else could ever give so much of himself and expect and receive so little in return. His rich rewards were the insatiable love for the fantasies he inspired, and the knowledge that there was always great need for his services.

Every year brought more hopeful little dreamers needing him to help make those dreams come true. It was the same every year; it had been that way for as long as she could remember. And though some who came before her may have found the monotony maddening, she drew great comfort from it. His job was exhausting and dangerous, but she loved him more with every year that flew by for his steadfast dedication to it—and to her.

She sighed, threw the afghan off her legs, and stood, her knees popping. She hated to abandon the toasty fire, but this was important. If nothing could stop him from com- pleting his rounds, then by God and all that reigned over creation, nothing was going to stop her from greeting him after his arduous journey and making him comfortable again at home.

She shuffled toward the front door, her legs and feet protesting the cold. It didn’t matter that he would be weary. He would still greet her with his rumbling chuckle, still win her heart with his rosy cheeks when he smiled.

She lived for it.

It didn’t matter if the curse lasted for a thousand years; she would remain by his side, because love withstood time. And she knew he loved her as much as he loved every one of his little charges, as much as they all loved him, too. She loved him more than that, because he had made the ultimate sacrifice with his pledge to her, and to this strenuous duty.

She smiled as she approached the door, knowing the crew was already taking care of the animals and guiding him home through the blankets of sleet and snow, home to her. She heard the soft crunch of hard frost as she touched the doorknob, and her heart fluttered again, just as it always did when he finally returned. Though they were both old and gray, their love kept them youthful and occasionally spry enough to keep the bedroom as warm as their kitchen and their hearts.

She opened the door, and her breath caught in her throat. He staggered toward her and fell into her arms, and she barely kept her footing as she dragged him inside. She leaned him against the door frame and gazed into his twinkling eyes.

He gave her the smile, and though it was weak, it held the promise he’d always kept.

She closed the door, shivering from the frosty breeze that kept worming its way into their bones with the determin- ation of the alpha-to-omega life-cycle that ruled the mor- tals. Soon it would be time to brave the challenge and get back to work, but for now, it was time for comfort, and a reminder of their inseparable bond.

She took a deep breath, wrapped his arm over her shoul- der, and practically carried him over to the chair in which she’d just been sitting, hoping it still bore some of her body heat. It was getting harder each year to warm him up after his trip.

He chuckled as she helped him settle into the chair, and he kissed her on the cheek before she rose.

“Long night, sweetie?” she asked, knowing the night had lasted nearly forever. She turned to the fire, added some hickory logs, and stoked it. The crisp wood caught almost instantly, sending a fragrant blaze of warmth into hearth and home.

“Nothing I can’t handle, my love,” he said, stretching his snow-crusted boots out on the ottoman.

When she got the fire roaring again, she smiled and turned to him and lovingly removed his boots. She set them beside the fire, and when he smiled at her again and held his hands out to her—those rosy damn cheeks just glow- ing—she fell into his merry eyes all over again, and drifted back into his loving arms.

They cuddled, and she rubbed her cheek against his, feel- ing the softness of his snow-white beard and mustache tickle her and send tingles up and down her spine. It was still just like the first time she sat in his lap.

“I think, my dear,” he whispered in her ear, making her tired old immortal heart flutter yet again, “that it’s time to settle in for a long winter’s nap.”

“Yes,” she mumbled. Finally, it was. There would be time enough again, and it would come far too soon, to prepare for next year’s trip. For now, it was their time.

“Would you care to join me, my love?” he asked, and she trembled, remembering every Christmas that came be- fore, and the love that came with it. Nobody else quite knew how to share love like her jolly husband.

“Yes,” she whispered, and kissed him.

She stood and smiled at him, wriggled her fingers, and he took them and stood beside her. They hugged, and it melt- ed the remaining icicles that worry and fear had frozen in her heart.

Apparently it had been another successful trip, because she felt his strong heart beat against hers. She squeezed him, cherishing the feel of his arms around her. He kissed her again, and finally belted out his hearty trademark laugh. She giggled, loving the way his ample belly jiggled just like a bowl full of jelly.

In only another three-hundred-sixty-four-point-two-five days, it would be time to load up the sleigh again. Every- thing would be chaos again, frantic elves scrambling everywhere, trying to meet the deadline.

But for now, the night and the long winter were theirs to share.

All my best wishes to everyone for a safe, joyous, Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday season!

May you all be blessed with the love and company of your family & friends, and may all your most heartfelt dreams come true.

Merry Christmas from Holly Jolly Claus & SuperSanta!

We welcome your comments and seasonal wishes below!

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A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER Book Release Party on Facebook December 11, 2016

11/26/2016

1 Comment

A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER
Book Release Party

EVERYONE is invited to attend the
"A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER Book Release Party" on Facebook Sunday December 11!

Join us for lots of
CONTESTS & PRIZES
including a Grand Prize Contest
for a $25 Amazon Gift Card
...plus more Amazon Gift Cards
and various ebook prizes

WHERE:
On Facebook via your computer, laptop, or handheld Internet-enabled device of your choice

LINK TO THE PARTY
or
https://www.facebook.com/events/1800364810227086/

WHEN:
Sunday, December 11, 2016
3 - 6 p.m. EST
2 - 5 p.m. CST
1 - 4 p.m. MST
12 noon - 3 p.m. PST

ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN!
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!

A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER, the new post-apocalyptic / urban fantasy by
Kerry Alan Denney aka The Reality Bender
on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3JL331
on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32876232-a-mighty-rolling-thunder

See the Official Book Trailer on YouTube:

We hope you'll join us for your chances to win
LOTS OF PRIZES!
See you there!

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A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER: Cover Reveal & Official Book Trailer

11/8/2016

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A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER:

Cover Reveal & Official Book Trailer

The wait is finally over:
A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER,
the new post-apocalyptic / urban fantasy by
Kerry Alan Denney aka "The Reality Bender"
coming from Burning Willow Press December 3, 2016, is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

Click HERE to pre-order your ebook copy now!
Only $3.99, FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Click HERE for the Goodreads link

Click HERE to read a FREE Sneak Preview

Paperback edition will be available
December 3, 2016

Watch the Official Book Trailer on YouTube Below!

Check out the cover by Nicolle Brown Designs:

A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER
Official Book Trailer on YouTube:

Paperback edition cover:

A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER Synopsis:

The end of the world is just the beginning of the terror...

Spring, 2024: Two spirit hordes break through from another dimension, and make half the world’s population vanish. The spirits possess the survivors, dividing them into two groups: those who fight to retain their humanity, and marauders who destroy everything in their paths.

Artist Livi DeSilva is fleeing from possessed killers when she meets Conor McLain, a man suffering from amnesia. Outnumber- ed and outgunned, Livi and Conor team up and fight off homicidal lunatics and ruthless gangs, only to end up cornered by their deadliest foe: billionaire Victor van Danz, a psychopath who commands the new world’s dark forces. Victor craves immortality, and kidnaps Livi. He believes that when he kills Livi in front of her collection of canvases and absorbs her life energy, he will trans- form into a god.

With only Conor, two amazing dogs, and a band of plucky children to aid her, Livi must harness the power of the spirits inside her and use it to defeat Victor—or die in the clutches of a madman.

Just in time for the Holidays,
A MIGHTY ROLLING THUNDER makes the perfect Kindle "stocking stuffer." Get your copy or send it as a gift to your horror, fantasy, and sci-fi loving
family and friends TODAY!

Be sure to check out the critically acclaimed novels by Kerry Alan Denney
(click on the covers for the links):

Feel free to share with your friends,
and happy reading to everyone!

We heartily welcome your comments below!

This blog post has been officially approved by
Holly Jolly the professional Therapy Dog.

***** 5 Sloppy Licks & Enthusiastic Tail Wags

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5 Amazing Things To Do With A Superpower

7/21/2016

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5 Amazing Things To Do With A Superpower

by Kerry Alan Denney aka The Reality Bender,
multiple award-winning author of Marionettes, Dreamweavers, Jagannath, and Soulsnatcher

Originally published on the
Where Darkness Dwells blog, May 29, 2016

What would you do with a superpower? Well, for starters, let’s pick just one... an unusual one, as far as powers and superheroes go.

For the sake of convenience—and shameless self- promotion on my part—let’s choose the power that David Flint has. David is the protagonist and first-person narrator in my new supernatural thriller Marionettes (Juju Mojo Publications – May 31, 2016).

David is resuscitated after drowning in a flood, and returns to the land of the living with an uncanny ability: He can “jump” into other people’s bodies and minds, and control their thoughts and actions. In essence, David “becomes” that person, taking over their every voluntary physical function—and leaving his vacated body vulnerable while he controls that person. He can control anyone within a six mile radius from his own body, basically making anyone he jumps into become his human puppet. Any distance farther than six miles from his temporarily vacated body, David loses control and returns to his own body.

After discovering his new ability, David thinks of himself as the Marionette Man. He reads his human puppets’ minds, knows their every thought, their past experiences, their familiarity with their family, friends, associates, and acquaintances, and is totally in control of their bodies and minds as if he is them until he leaves them and returns to his own body. If he chooses, during the time he’s control- ling them, he can let them know they’re being completely co-opted and manipulated—or he can hide his presence from them, leaving them terrified and wondering why they’re doing and thinking things beyond their influence.

Pretty frightening, huh? To totally lose control of your own body and mind, and know that another has taken over your every physical and mental function. Would some people believe it to be a form of demonic possession? Talk about a waking nightmare!

In DREAMWEAVERS, anything can happen when dreams merge with reality... including murder.

So what could a person do with this awesome power David has? Let’s start with David’s own list of 5 amazing things:

1: Take the Bad Guys Down

With David’s power, you could infiltrate gangs, cartels, and evil corporations without their knowledge or awareness. If you can’t realistically start from the top, gradually work your way into the upper echelon. From a safe distance, perform covert recon- naissance into the group you wish to destroy, “jump” into the body and mind of any flunky at any level of the group, and climb—or rather body-jump—your way to the top. If you wish, kill the ruthless human detritus as you go. If your puppet is attacked, compromised, or killed, jump into the person who’s disabling your puppet and move on up.

With power-mongering corporations—such as big pharmaceutical companies or Big Oil, for just two examples among many—finagle your way into the top dog and force them to reveal their secrets to the whole world. Make them send out bulk emails containing crucial evidence of their illegal activities and unethical or immoral business procedures to the police, FBI, Homeland Security, and any and all applicable law enforcement agencies. Hell, make them send those emails to the general public, so there would be no way that any corrupt officials within those law enforcement agencies could hide it from us—you and me, my friends. Make those corrupt individuals, gang leaders, mob and drug cartel bosses, and wicked executives hold official publicly announced press conferences in which they lay it all out—with indisputable evidence of their wrongdoings—on camera, a method where they can’t take it back after the deed is done and after you’ve returned control of their bodies and minds to them. Make them post videos of the exclusive reveals on YouTube. Talk about giving the evil subhuman scum among us a dose of their own medicine! The internal conflicts alone that would spring from such an invasion would effectively make them crumble into ruin without our further outside interference. Public accountability would eventually become the norm, impossible to avoid or evade.

The only thing David Flint doesn’t know—and is afraid to find out the hard way—is if his mind will die and not be able to return to his body if he’s killed while controlling one of his human marionettes. So extreme caution is advised in life-or-death situations: Be ready to jump into someone else if you think your current marionette is about to take the eternal celestial dirt nap.

2: Level the Political Arena

Whether we all admit it to ourselves, to our families, our friends, our neighbors, our colleagues, and even our enemies—or don’t admit it, and continue to hide in pathetic denial—we all know by now that our political leaders are corrupt across the board. They no longer have the best interests of humanity in mind in their continual struggle to achieve more power, more riches, and yes, more control over the masses over which they preside. Because of them, too much killing has been done in the name of deities, power-mongering, the acquisition of territory, and the despicable and barbaric lust to subjugate the masses. There’s that control factor again. These people are the greatest poison to humanity that could ever be imagined. The time has come to turn the tables against them, in the most drastic fashion.

With the expert assistance of a cadre of benevolent and compassionate Marionette Masters, we could invade the minds of our political leaders—both despots and supposed humani- tarians—and force them to reveal all their secret agendas to the whole world. Such a global exposition of nefarious vendettas would force even the most ignorant of people’s eyes and minds to open. OPEC and their affiliates need to die the horrible death they so richly deserve so that the brilliant scientists of our world can no longer be stifled or stymied under their autocratic authority, and can work together to develop the clean and ever-replenishing power source that heretofore has lain just beyond our grasp because of a small percentage of the world’s tyrants’ desperate and contemptible desire for dominion.

Of course, if our hypothetical Marionette Masters were corrupt, we could be in for a whole new world of calamity. Therein lies the rub: Humanity, in its oh-so-brief geological infancy, is plagued with the barbaric desires of the worst of our kind. An infusion of collective awareness, through the help of those who could invade, read, and share our very thoughts with our fellow humans, could possibly be the best deterrent to such an unmitigated disaster—and could even prevent our extinction.

Okay, I’m hopping off my lofty pedestal now. I’d just like you, my fellow humans, to know that I trust and have faith in the best of us to bring out the best in us.

In JAGANNATH, an intelligent shape-shifting alien reads the minds of the humans it absorbs, and transforms into monsters from our darkest nightmares.

JAGANNATH: #1 Amazon Bestseller July 2015!

3: Cure Terminal Diseases

What an amazing feat it would be for several of our Marionette Masters to hop into the minds of the most accomplished doctors, scientists, and medical research specialists and absorb their vast wealth of knowledge about the human body, diseases, afflictions, and our infinite capacity to heal. Accumulate that knowledge—not just what’s in their journal articles, papers, essays, and other various publications but also their remarkable ability to analyze, diagnose, and prescribe the proper treatment for each affliction, their incredible talent for comprehending biological functions and reactions to various stimuli.

Now gather together all the greatest minds—and the apprentices and trainees too—in various conferences all over the world, and share with each of them, one by one, all that cumulative knowledge. The process would take months, even years, but imagine all the advances possible with such an undertaking. It’s not entirely implausible that many of these specialists, once confronted with such a vast wealth of aggregate knowledge, might have so-called “Eureka!” moments, and discover solutions that were once blocked simply by lacking the awareness of a colleague’s previously unshared expertise.

With a power of this magnitude, working together as a species, who’s to say we wouldn’t eventually cure cancer? Or even better, diminish or even eliminate the effects of aging?

4: Be the Human Truth Machine

Why not? In Marionettes, David’s partner Dana McGee, who has the same uncanny ability as David, points out how the power could be used this way. In criminal trials, jump into the minds of the accused and determine beyond the shadow of a doubt whether he or she is guilty or innocent. Acquire from their minds the elusive evidence that either incriminates or exonerates them. With the assistance of a Marionette Master, detectives could get inside the heads of their suspects. We could even eliminate once and for all the horrible tragedy of prosecuting and punishing innocent defendants!

Psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, and psychologists could examine the minds of the mentally unstable and discover the primary reasons for their distress... and maybe even alleviate their symptoms.

Distrust your neighbors/ colleagues/ employees/ employer? Is your significant other cheating on you? Find out for certain with this amazing power. Just be prepared for the potential devastating truth, and deal with it in a mature and responsible way. We don’t want to start new wars, however limited or significant they may be, do we?

Bottom line is, this incredible power could either be an emotionally crushing burden or an exhilaratingly liberating gift, a means for either salvation or damnation. The end results would all depend on how conscientiously the power is used.

In SOULSNATCHER, children with extraordinary psychic powers are being used as pawns in a deadly supernatural war.

SOULSNATCHER: 2nd Place Winner - 2014 Book of the Year
The Drunken Druid International Book Award

5: Teach Anyone Anything

Yes, this amazing power could be a teaching tool, limited only by the extent of our imaginations. So you want to learn to play the piano? Anyone with this “human marionette” power could just jump into the mind of a piano virtuoso and absorb all their musical knowledge, technical expertise, and cumulative experience and training. Then, armed with all that information, jump into the mind of the eager beginner student and transfer that knowledge to her/ him. Our minds think beyond the speed of light... in fact, our synapses fire at the speed of thought. The brain processes billions of bits of data every moment of every day in nanoseconds, well beyond the capabilities of the most advanced computer humankind has yet created. To be precise, the human mind is the ultimate computer.

Of course, technique, skill, dexterity, and the deft physical application of the acquired knowledge would take time, practice, and self-discipline to learn and perfect. But the basics would all be there for immediate mental retrieval: how to read music, understand music theory, play scales, transpose the written note to the instrument itself, even how to hear a musical composition and determine key, pitch, tempo, and a multitude of other intricate details absorbed from the original virtuoso’s mind.

Want to know everything there is to know about history? Geology? Science? Medicine? How about understand quantum physics? Simple: have the Marionette Master enter the minds of all the experts in each particular field, absorb and accumulate the knowledge from them, and then transfer it to the enthusiastic student.

The potential possibilities are mind-boggling. How many Einsteins-in-the-wing would this astounding ability awaken, how many potential Chopins and Mozarts and Bachs and Teslas and Galileos would discover a propensity for unparalleled excellence? People who might not otherwise ever have the opportunity to learn that all their lives they’ve had an aptitude to excel in a certain discipline, but for whatever reason never got exposed to it, would suddenly arise in an unprecedented worldwide renaissance that could ultimately change our very nature and way of thinking.

You could even jump into a pregnant woman, discover the unique joy and wonder of carrying a developing life inside you, and share it with human males. Who knows? The heretofore unknowable experience could possibly give us all a greater appreciation and love of life, which we (males) couldn’t possibly otherwise fully comprehend.

The sky wouldn’t be the limit; even the stars couldn’t contain the infinite possibilities. A concerted effort of this nature might propel humanity into an evolutionary sea-change that could eventually send us out to galaxies that even the Hubble Telescope hasn’t seen yet, as well as shrink us down to the atomic structure that reveals the nature of existence itself. Time and space would no longer be barriers in our ultimate collective pursuit of knowledge. We could possibly even pierce the veil that separates life and death.

Of course, we all know that knowledge without the application of wisdom can be dangerous, even disastrous. History—as brief as our moments here on this spinning rock hurtling through space have been so far in an astronomical sense—has proven that. As a species, we would either be forced to mature, or devolve into the savage, mindless protoplasmic soup from which we originally emerged. But if we excelled in our efforts, as humans so often do, we could potentially propel ourselves into the next step in our evolution as a species.

I know I’ve always been a Big Dreamer.
But in order to make the Big Dreams come true, as I’ve stated before, we must dream big. I for one intend on never stopping, until I gasp out my last breath... and transcend the portal that lies beyond the realm of death. And if I’m able, I plan on dreaming big there, too.

What astounding uses of this outrageous power occur to you? We heartily welcome all your ideas!

Feel free to share your thoughts in the Comments section below. If anyone comes up with an irresistible idea that I end up using in the sequel to Marionettes (yes, I do plan on writing a sequel), I will list your name in the Acknowledgments page with my thanks for sharing your ideas.

Special thanks to Jason White, Michael Schutz, and Where Darkness Dwells for allowing me to share my unique madness with the whole world on your blog.

Cheers and happy reading to you all!

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Bugs Bunny Interviews Charlene "Charlie" Porter from MARIONETTES, a supernatural thriller

5/23/2016

5 Comments

Bugs Bunny Interviews Charlene "Charlie" Porter from MARIONETTES,
a Supernatural Thriller
coming May 31, 2016

Whoa, talk about Looney Tunes! Today we have two extra-special guests: Charlene “Charlie” Porter from the brand new supernatural thriller MARIONETTES, and that notoriously uber-famous wascally wabbit
Bugs Bunny hizzownself.

I won’t dare step on this one, folks...
I’d likely have a piano fall on my head or an ACME product blow my head off if I did.

So without further ado, take it away Bugs and Charlie!

Bugs: Ehh... what’s up, doc?

Charlie (chuckling): Hi, Bugs. It’s an honor to actually meet you in person. Or rabbit. I’ve been a huge fan of yours since I was just a little girl. I think you’re the greatest.

Bugs: Aww. Flattery will get you everywhere, cutie. But you are a little girl. What year were you born in?

Charlie (in a deep, cartoonish voice): I don’t know. I was pretty young at da time.

Bugs: Hey, dat’s one of my gags! You really are a fan. But seriously, how old are you?

Charlie: I’m ten. But my mom says I’m really mature for my age. She calls me an “old soul.”

Bugs: Hmm. I can see dat. So who’s your furry friend you got witcha?

Charlie (hugging the dog beside her): This is The Mighty Quinn. He’s a Golden Retriever. I just love him so much. He’s such a good boy.

Bugs: Izzat right? He don’t bite, does he?

Charlie: No way! Well, I mean... uhh, I can’t say. I don’t want to give away any spoilers about the book.

Bugs: What book izzat?

Charlie: Marionettes. It’s a supernatural thriller me and Quinn are in. It’s where we met, through a... mutual friend. Let’s just say that he doesn’t bite anyone who doesn’t deserve to be bitten, and leave it at that.

Bugs: I’ll keep dat in mind. He is a friendly lookin’ dog, but then dat silly duck dat’s always followin’ me around looks friendly. Appearances can be deceiving, ya know?

Charlie: Yeah, they can. But his tail’s wagging pretty fast. I think he likes you.

Bugs: What’s not to like? (nibbles on a carrot) So... tell me a little about dis book, dis Marionettes.

Charlie: Well, it’s a supernatural story about this man I meet, David Flint, in the hospital. He drowned in the flood caused by Hurricane Holly, but some... uhh, nice people saved him. They brought him back to life using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He was resurrected, basically.

Bugs: Wow, you’re a pretty smart kid there, dollface. That’s some pretty big words and concepts for a ten-year-old. How’d you get so smart, huh?

Charlie (grinning): David and my mom say that, too. It’s because I love books and reading so much. My teachers say I read on a tenth-grade level.

Bugs: Wow. Remind me not to get in a battle of wits with you, cutie. So what were you doin’ in da hospital? You look healthy to me.

Charlie: I got hurt in a car accident. Broke my right leg and my left arm, and got all bruised and cut up. My friend Alisha and her mom took me skating for my tenth birthday, and some drunk guy in a van hit us when we were driving home. But I’m all healed up now. Momma says I’m tough as nails. Still, some birthday present, huh?

Bugs: Yikes. I’m glad you’re okay now. Cute little girls as smart as you shouldn’t be all broken and busted up, like a lot of my co-stars get when dey mess with me. So how did you and dis David Flint guy meet?

Charlie: He was in a room in the same hospital as me, down the hall, and he... uhh, jumped into my mind while he was recovering.

Bugs (eyes cartoonishly bugging out): He WHAT?!?!

Charlie (giggling): Wait, let me back up a little. See, when David is revived, he finds out that he came back from... umm, the other side with an amazing superpower: He can sorta “jump” into other people’s bodies and minds, and control their thoughts and actions.

(a cartoonish doinggg! sound rings out)

Bugs: Wowzers, doc. Dat’s stellar, with awesome sauce, as you kids say these days. So what happened when he jumped into your mind? He better not have hurt or scared you, or I’ll de-atomize and disintegrate him with Marvin the Martian’s Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator.

Charlie: Oh, no! David would never hurt or scare me. He only hurts really bad people. I can’t tell you about that; you’ll have to read the book to find out. But David’s a really nice man, and a good friend, even though he’s sad.

Bugs: Sad? With a friend like you and a superpower like that, what’s he got to be sad about?

With a friend like Charlie, David Flint can't stay sad.

Charlie: Well, see, David’s fiancée died right before they were gonna get married. It was very tragic. They were gonna have kids, a big family. With dogs, too. It broke David’s heart. I felt it when he was... in my head. But he’s really strong, and a good man, too. If you read his story, you’ll find out he perseveres, if you know what that means, and in the best possible way.

Bugs: Yeah, I know what dat means. Rabbits are pretty smart. We’re especially good at multiplication, don’tcha know. (Charlie giggles) So... dis guy controls other people. Is dat why the story is called Marionettes, ’cause they’re like his human puppets?

Charlie: Yes! David even starts thinking of himself as the Marionette Man. But he’s got some dangerous surprises coming his way. Some are good, but some are really scary, even deadly. He learns pretty fast that nobody lasts long—and truly wins—in this world without really good friends by their side.

Bugs: Hmm. Looks to me like you’ve learned a lot as well, Charlie. Maybe we can be friends too.

Charlie: I’d like that a lot!

Bugs: Consider it a done deal, sweetheart. But I got a question botherin’ me: Wouldn’t a guy or gal wit dis power start thinkin’ they could get away with just about anything after awhile? I mean, they could mess with lots of people, sorta like dat moroon Elmer Fudd or dat gunslingin’ screwball Yosemite Sam are always messin’ wit me, and they'd never have to suffer da consequences of what they did ’cause nobody’d know they did it except da person they was messin’ with.

Charlie: I was hoping you’d ask that. The book’s not just full of intense action, although there’s plenty of that. It’s also a lot about how David struggles with that concept as he learns how to control his power. He has to learn how to be merciful, and forgiving, and even compassionate sometimes. And considering some of the horrible things he discovers on his journey, it’s a rough ride with sometimes no telling what side he’s gonna end up on: good or bad. But I have faith in David, and I trust him. I have from the minute we met. Like I said, he’s a good man with a big heart, thrown into some awful situations.

Bugs: Yeesh! All dat would be enough to make even a wascally wabbit like me go looney tunes.

Charlie: Me too! In fact, something terrible even happens in the book that makes David go, “Of course you realize dis means war.”

Bugs: Hey, dat’s my line!

Charlie (giggling): I know. You have so many good ones. I don’t wanna give too much away, but what David does to get himself out of those situations is what helps him become a better man. It even helps heal his broken heart.

Bugs: Wow. Dat sounds pretty intense. Maybe I oughta check dis Marionettes out. After all, if you’re in it, it’s gotta be good.

Charlie: Aww, thank you. I always knew you were a softie, under all that mischief and wackiness.

Bugs: Don’t tell anyone, dollface. I got a reputation to uphold and all dat, don’tcha know.

Charlie: It’ll be our secret, I promise.

Bugs: Well, sweetheart, I gotta go. I hear da missus calling, and got lots of hungry little wabbit mouths to feed and all dat. Thanks for letting me do dis interview. It was my pleasure. Give me a hug before I go.

Charlie (grinning and hugging Bugs): Thanks, Bugs! Maybe one day I’ll join you on the big screen.

Bugs: Lemme talk to Warner Brothers about dat, doll. I’ll see what I can do. You take care of yourself and dat furry friend, ya hear?

Charlie: You bet! Bye, Bugs!

Bugs (sashaying off into the sunset with his cottontail wagging): So long, bub!

Pre-order your ebook copy of MARIONETTES now (only $3.99!) & it will be auto-delivered to your Kindle or e-reader on release day Tuesday, May 31!
https://www.amazon.com/Marionettes-Kerry-Alan-Denney-ebook/dp/B01DEEJJF0

Paperback edition available NOW! Only $12.99:
http://www.amazon.com/Marionettes-Mr-Kerry-Alan-Denney/dp/1530328403

Be sure to join Charlie, Kerry Alan Denney aka The Reality Bender, The Mighty Quinn, and awesome hostess Leslie Whitaker for the
MARIONETTES Release Party on Facebook
Sunday June 5 from 3 - 6 p.m. EST (2 - 5 p.m. CST, 1 - 4 p.m. MST, & 12 noon - 3 p.m. PST) for LOTS of fun Contests with tons of great prizes like Amazon Gift Cards, ebooks, and one Grand Prize Contest for a
$20 Amazon Gift Card!

Link to the MARIONETTES Release Party on Facebook

Well, th-th-th-that’s all, folks! Special thanks to the fabulous and classy Warner Brothers Studios for loaning out the incomparable Bugs Bunny to share this fun interview with us.

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Happy reading to you all!

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