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The Mysterious and Generous MT Hart

When you’re in full-blown book launch frenzy, you tend to steamroll through your social media contacts in a hurry. One person who constantly shows up on my Twitter/X/Elon’s Vanity Project feed is MT Hart. Besides being a prolific author he’s constantly helping others promote their work. I figured the least I could do is return the favor.

He (and I originally thought he was female, my bad) is so mysterious, in fact, he won’t give me a picture of his smiling face. This meme should pretty much tell you what she’s about, though.

So, that aside, what should we know about you?

Hello, My name is MT Hart and I am a horror and erotica author. That’s really about it. I write, I promote myself, and I write again. You can find me anywhere under #nobubblegumvampiresallowed. I am not a fan of the Twilight-style vampires, hence the hashtag.

My third book, The Formal, is about a game of reverse Russian Roullete. Contestants stand in a circle and point a revolver at the person in front of them and pull the trigger when instructed. This game is surrounded by the wealthy and elite who bet ridiculous amounts of money on the outcome of every round. My next novel, entitled “Blood Contract” takes us back to the game with different characters and stories.

I’ve read some of your early work. Can you explain the “MT Hart-verse” to newbies?

My books all take place in the same vampire universe, with my main character being Lydia Hansen. Lydia started out as a mortal vampire, in other words, she was just like me or you, but she liked blood. As the books move on she became much much more! Then the books branched out into other stories and characters each with their own tale!

You’re a little focused on bloodsuckers. What’s that about?

Vampires are my thing. All of my books, stories etc are about the characters I have created in different circumstances, but of course the same vampire world.

Who was your gateway drug?

Anne Rice (RIP) is and always will be my favorite. Her books captivated me from the start with “The Vampire Lestat”. I really started out with Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and others. I remember reading The Exorcist at a very young age. Classic horror movies also played a big role in influencing my writing. But Anne rice remains in my heart.

You’re not hard to find on Socials. Where can people find you?

twitter.com/MTHart12 Twitter

instagram.com/mthart13/ Instagram

facebook.com/MThart13/ FB Profile

facebook.com/groups/coffinsofhorror Hart’s Coffins of Horror

amazon.com/~/e/B08LSBK9V3 Amazon Author Page

If you hate starting series that aren’t complete, consider starting the Johnny Lycan: Werewolf PI series. The grand finale, Johnny Lycan & the Last Witchfinder is available now on Amazon and from Black Rose Writing.

“I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning, and while I’m slightly devastated that this is the end of it, I LOVED The Last Witchfinder.” S G Tasz

This final installment in Johnny’s saga is perhaps the weirdest, most baffling of all… Author Jill Hand

Thursday, May 2 is Launch Day for Johnny Lycan & the Last Witchfinder. Join me on Facebook Live.

Thursday, May 2, is the end of the road for Johnny Lycan and his friends. To celebrate, we’re having a Facebook Live Event from 5 PM to 6 Pacific Time. You can join from anywhere in the world by clicking here https://fb.me/e/5g9U9R5Lt

The book is available for Preorder from Black Rose Writing or on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback. The Audiobook is coming soon!

If you can’t make it Thursday evening (and what the @#$%$ is wrong with you?) pop by Copper Cat Books in Henderson, NV on Saturday, May 4 from 12-3 for books, prizes and fun stuff.

A Really Good Werewolf Series by Richard Parry

There are a lot of takes on the werewolf legend these days. I asked, “What if a noir detective type was a werewolf?” Et voila, Johnny Lycan. Well Richard Parry has a terrific series of stories about a sad alcoholic who gets bitten and… well, I’ll let him explain.

Okay, Richard. What’s your deal?

Greetings, fellow organics. And the machine overlords scraping this page, of course: you guys are great. Please don’t kill me when you take over.

My hero’s journey started like many others: I was born. This was hard for everyone involved. Most people never believe this, and that’s possibly because I’m a professional liar, but I was born in the Philippines before migrating to the US. The family moved to New Zealand when I was young enough to know true hate for how much higher the cost of living is over here.

Like any Gen Xer, I didn’t study hard enough, partied too hard, and disappointed my parents. I never actually thought I’d be a writer; my first story was 100% a rip of Knight Rider, and after a … robust round of feedback I thought I should move on from that. But my parents didn’t raise no quitter: as a teenager I was gifted with an extraordinarily indulgent English teacher, who praised my hokey works (here’s an example).

Becoming an author is actually my brother’s fault; he shoved me head-first into a creative writing course, so you should all blame him when you’re coming up with those 1-star reviews. Because I suck at thinking I’m good at anything, I passed on the writing thing until he force-fed it to me. I’d sifted through an IT/tech career and got kinda good at it. It allowed me to salt away a few coins, so I took a couple of years off and wrote … like, 20 books?

I’m now bouncing between tech contracting, while writing and narrating.

Also, I’m a huge liar, so any and all of the above might be a total fabrication.

Duly noted. Grains of salt are standing by. What’s this series about?

Night’s Favor, and the Night’s Champion series, is a story about an alcoholic who’s bitten by a werewolf, then saves the world, all while falling for the girl he doesn’t think he’s good enough for. It’s part police procedural, part supernatural thriller, with a lot of action and humour. You might call it an urban fantasy, and that wouldn’t be wrong either.

The Big Deal™ about the book is that while Val (the hero) is a werewolf, all the other people on Team Angry are just normal humans like you and me. The story is about how good we can be, when things are really bad, and what it means to have a Pack (or a found family).

Did I mention the werewolves? There are … three of those in there, mixed among the paramilitary soldiers, bar staff, fitness instructors, Big Pharma, and at least one insane megalomaniac. Because who doesn’t love a good overlord?

They’re sick of hearing Johnny’s origin story. What’s the root of your story and why werewolves?

I’ve read a lot of fantasy in my time, whether it’s epic/dark, or urban. I guess the thing that got to me was how formulaic most of it was. It took Mark Lawrence to get me back into fantasy for real, and before that I was taking a break from things fantastical.

The same was true for werewolves, vampires, and the rest. I always liked the idea of supernatural creatures, whether they were villains or heroes, but I was a little tired of the tropes. I really wanted to explore a non-typical origin story and wondered a lot about the dual nature of lycanthrope. In some stories, the werewolf / person is self-aware of both states of being, and they seem to be the most popular.

So, what would happen if you weren’t self-aware of the other half of you? But let’s also say you were an alcoholic (…Val is an alcoholic) who got black-out drunk. What would the world look like if you woke up the next day, and the news said 16 people were murdered in a bar? You might or might not have been there – can’t remember, right? – and I thought that was such an interesting idea to play with.

Also, I definitely went for werewolves because they’re cool, man.

Preach, brother. Who did this to you? Who are the authors you enjoy?

I love these questions. There are so many people who’ve told the stories that stuffed my imagination I want to give ‘em all credit.

Let’s start with my fave: Richard K. Morgan. He’s the author I want to be when I grow up. He’s amazingly talented, able to switch between sci-fi and fantasy, but what makes him my best is that he dares us to love monsters. Each of his heroes is a tarnished coin, but sticks the landing (…eventually). He’s good at dialogue and action in equal measure. Love his stuff.

I’ve given a shout-out to Mark Lawrence above, and no dark/epic fantasy shelf should be without his Ancestor trilogy, or Jay Kristoff’s Nevernight Chronicles. Both of these guys kick ass for the Lord.

Earlier on I was raised on Eddings and Feist. I loved me some Niven and Barnes (Dream Park is superb, although the sequels IMO get progressively more average). At the moment I have a bit of a fan crush on Martha Wells, not just because of Murderbot (which I was into before it was cool), but her Witch King is excellent.

Dan Simmons. Jerry Pournelle. Adrian Tchaikovsky. John Scalzi. Lev Grossman. Alistair Reynolds. Cassandra Clare. Naomi Novik. I’d better stop, we’ll run out of ink.

Pixels are cheap, but I get your point. Where can we learn more about you and your work?

If you want more all my works, my site’s a good launchpad: https://www.parrydox.com/

If you want to get right to the werewolves, you can check out Night’s Favor here: https://www.books2read.com/NightsFavor

The socials? Threads and Bluesky are probably best.

Johnny Lycan & the Vegas Berserker Audio Book is Here!

If you are an audio book fan, there’s good news. Books 1 and 2 of the Werewolf PI Series are now out on Audible.

Johnny Lycan & the Anubis Disk came out in February, and now Johnny Lycan & the Vegas Berserker is released. Both are narrated by the talented Michael Bradley. If you are very good, and promise to review, I have a limited number of promo codes.

Join in the Johnny Lycan 3 Book Launch Week!

“Like methadone for Dresden fans. You’ll love this series.”
Indie Horror Review

Thursday, May 2 is the official launch of the conclusion of the Werewolf PI Series: Johnny Lycan & the Last Witchfinder. No matter where you are in the world, you’ll be able to do something fun to celebrate.

Wednesday, May 1: (Online event) Join me for a Facebook Live book launch event. I will read, answer questions, and have prizes for those who drop by.

https://fb.me/e/1mwZh0gT3 Join us at 5 PM Pacific time. https://fb.me/e/1mwZh0gT3

UPDATE Thursday, May 9 (In-person event) I will be reading at the Sin City Writers, “Do-it at Brew-it Event,” 6 PM 601 E Bridger Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101

Saturday, May 4, 12-3 PM (In-person event) The Copper Cat Bookstore, 1570 W Horizon Ridge Pkwy STE 170, Henderson, NV 89012

Sunday, May 5 (online event) 2PM Pacific Time. I’ll be reading and answering questions with other writers at the Henderson Writer’s Group Dime Grinds event.

Meanwhile, the book is now available for pre-order in paperback or Kindle on Amazon or at Black Rose Writing

A YA Novel from a Buddy… RH Bird

I have loved being in a writer’s group here in Las Vegas. Sin City Writers has introduced me to a lot of excellent writers. We support each other, especially when their work gets out in the world. That brings me to my buddy… well the name doesn’t matter because his first book is out under his nom de plum R H Bird. He writes YA fiction, which is usually anathema to me. But his stuff is funny and worth checking out.

We talked about his novel, Promposal. Don’t let the cover fool you, it’s not just about a girl who wants to go to prom, although it is. The main character is a male wrestler who’s trying to navigate high school in the late 80s. It’s hysterical.

So, RH (ahem) tell us about yourself.

After graduating with a degree in Business Administration from Oswego State, I did what every college graduate in the New York area did, I tried getting a job in Manhattan. I had three offers, a construction supplies firm, a transportation company, and one as a stockbroker. The movie Wall Street came out when I was in college, and that career sounded the most fun and exciting.

After a few years, my firm promoted me to Branch Manager of the Honolulu office, luckily, my wife and I were already big scuba divers. Later, they brought me back to New York as a senior executive. I arrived in my Aloha shirt during a blizzard that shut the City down for days. My lifestyle went from 82-degree weather to 28-degrees.

The cover is a bit misleading. What’s Promposal about?

Promposal, combines timeless teenage angst with the eternal drama surrounding senior prom, and adds a ticking clock to the mix to create a fast-paced and relatable story of high school romance, regret, and redemption. In morning detention, high school wrestling star, Luca Esposito is horrified to discover that his ex-girlfriend, Piper Kraft, is about to voluntarily relinquish her chance of attending John Marshall High School’s senior prom of 1990 solely because he’s an idiot. A big idiot. Huge idiot. But self-berating can wait until later, because he only has six class periods to fix things and give Piper the senior prom of her dreams. Sounds simple, but to achieve his goal, Luca must navigate through a fight during lunch with the school’s star quarterback, a trip to the principal’s office, an attempted apology (his!) that spectacularly backfires, and find his ex-girlfriend that’s better at avoiding him than Ferris Bueller is at avoiding Principal Rooney; not to mention getting egged by ski mask-wearing jerks on the way to prom, and a ride-or-die brawl between the wrestlers and football players in the parking lot at prom. Yeah, Luca is having one of those days for sure, but hopefully a day he’ll always remember – if he can just survive it. The fast pace, fully developed characters, and genuine emotions presented makes Promposal one of the most exciting and satisfying YA novels of the year.

You’re a middle-aged straight dude. Where’d the idea for a YA romance come from?

The idea for the story came about during a writing retreat, called the Ink Drop Space. The prompt the writing coach gave us was – For the next ten minutes write about something you accidentally overheard.

We must have been discussing high school because detention came to mind. I imagined a junior overhearing in first period detention that his ex-girlfriend, who’s a senior, is selling her tickets to that night’s senior prom. They broke up ten months ago and haven’t spoken since. He spends the rest of the period agonizing about what to do. The breakup was his fault, and she can’t stand him for it. He’d love to take her, but is afraid of being rejected. He’s not sure he has the courage to face her in the hallway.

Even if he can convince her to go, tonight’s the prom. How could they possibly find a dress, rent a tux, buy flowers, get her hair and makeup done, and hire a limo in a few short hours?

I read that to the group and moved onto the next prompt, not giving it much more thought. After the session was over, a friend of mine at the retreat named Lauren Tallman, emailed and said she thought I had an idea for a novel, and she’d like to hear how the story progresses.

I said, “Really?”

She answered, “Yeah, I think you have something there.”

When I sat at the computer, she was right, and the words flowed out of me. It was one of those things where the story wrote itself. Later, when I brought scenes to be critiqued at the Sin City Writer’s Group, the feedback I received was so positive, I felt like Lauren might be correct, and that I had a shot at a book.

Who do you read? Who inspires you?

J.K. Rowling is one of my favorites. Every now and then I have to go back to Hogwarts. I even read it in reverse order once. As for my writing style, Ernest Hemingway has the biggest influence. Margaret Mitchell with Gone With the Wind is great. F. Scott Fitzgerald with The Great Gatsby is great. Mark Twain too.

James Patterson, Stephen King, Wayne Turmel, and Vince Flynn to name a few modern authors. ( EDITORS NOTE Quit sucking up, you have the interview already.)

Of course, the greatest superhero of all time is William Shakespeare. I’ve probably read more of his works than any other.

Where can we find you and learn more?

On Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook, I’m @rhbirdauthor

My website is RHBird.com

My Amazon link is https://www.amazon.com/stores/R.H.-Bird/author/B0CV5ZD97S

Did George RR Martin scar you forever and make you afraid to buy a series of books until they’re done? Guess what?

The third (and final) book in the Werewolf PI Series is now available for Pre-Order. Buy it from my publisher and get a 15% discount. Just use the promo code PREORDER2023. You can also order the whole Werewolf PI series on Amazon. Use the form on the left side to get on my newsletter and learn more.

Are you an Audiobook fan? Johnny Lycan & the Anubis Disk is here for your listening pleasure!

Lately, people have been asking if any of my books are available in audiobook format. I don’t listen to Audiobooks myself, but at long last the first book in the Werewolf PI series, Johnny Lycan and the Anubis Disk is available on Audible.

Thanks to the team at my publisher, Black Rose Writing, The book is now available. Book 2, Johnny Lycan & the Vegas Berserker is in production, just in time to welcome book 3 in May.

Sure, the Long Distance Leader, Teammate, and Team books are available and have been for a while. I’m proud of my work for the day job, but to hear one of my stories…

Thanks to the talented Michael T Bradley for taking on the task.

If you review audio books, I have a very limited number of promo codes available. If you’d like to take a listen, drop me a line.

Vengeance and Alien Bugs with Kurt D Springs

Full transparency, I’m not much of a pure Sci-fi fan. But give me a young man out to kill the giant insects that took out his parents? Sign me up.

Kurt D Springs has a new series, The Dreamscape Warriors, out with my publisher Black Rose Writing. The first book in that series, Price of Vengeance, debuts February 1.

Okay, Kurt. What should we know about you?The author bio on my book tells you I have advanced degrees in anthropology and archaeology, and I teach as an adjunct at local colleges in New Hampshire. I’ve enjoyed science fiction and fantasy since I was a kid, starting with Robert A. Heinlein’s Starship Troopers. In college, I became entranced with Andre Norton’s Forerunner series. Andre Norton includes ESP powers in much of her science fiction. She inspired mainly the paranormal end of my stories. While I’ve read many military science fiction books, the HALO video games inspired the military end of my writing. I like to tell people that the Dreamscape Warriors series results from Andre Norton’s Forerunner and HALO breeding. (Author note: not a pretty visual, but I digress.) I live in New Hampshire and take care of my elderly mother. Family is something else I find important in my writing.What’s the story about?

At the core of the story sits the topic of “paying the price of vengeance.” Liam becomes an orphan at the age of two when giant insects kill his parents. High Councilor Marcus and his wife take him in and raise him alongside their son, Randolf. As an adult, he becomes a soldier charged with defending the defensive outposts of New Olympia, the last remaining city on the planet Etrusci.

When a sabotaged weapon leaves Liam injured and cut off from the city, he learns that an alien intelligence controls the insects and realizes he must learn to use the powers he’s only scratched the surface of. Upon entering the overrun city, Liam discovers that the traitor responsible for his parents’ deaths had his foster parents murdered. The quest for revenge takes Liam down a dark path.

I’m not a real sci-fi kind of guy but a good story’s a good story, and this book is compelling. What are the roots of Price of Vengeance?

I always find action-adventure stories exciting. As I said, I am a huge fan of the late Andre Norton. I thought I could combine the action-adventure element of military science fiction and the ESP of Andre Norton’s works and, perhaps, get the best of both words.

I first conceived of the story on a walk from the National University of Ireland in Galway to my flat in the sub-townland of Mincloon on the city of Galway’s outskirts. At the time, I wasn’t sure if it would be fantasy or science fiction.

Who are the authors you really enjoy (especially some we might not know)?

Obviously, my favorite author is Andre Norton. I am also a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien. I a enjoy Mark Bordner’s Mighty First series. There is also a British author, by the name of Phillip Richards, who writes the Union series. That’s military science fiction from a British point of view.

Where can we learn more about you and your work?

I’m at Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter

Did George RR Martin scar you forever and make you afraid to buy a series of books until they’re done? Guess what?

COVER REVEAL- Johnny Lycan & the Last Witchfinder

For me, The Last Witchfinder was the most entertaining and compelling installment of the Johnny Lycan franchise, which is why I’m all the more sad that it’s going away. Maybe a revival or a spin-off down the road? If it happens, I’d be there for it.
SG Tasz

The time has come. The third and final (probably. Mostly. I’m pretty sure) installment of the Johnny Lycan: Werewolf PI series is almost ready for the world. The official date is May 2, but since it’s available for preorder it’s time for the big cover reveal:

TA DA!!!

This time our boy is facing a cult leader claiming to be a 400-year-old witchfinder and has it out for Chicago’s occult community. Not only that, but his boss has been kidnapped, and- oh yeah- an obnoxious blogger is threatening to reveal Johnny’s big, hairy secret.

“Turmel’s latest is full of the punchy, fast paced prose I’ve come to expect from him. It’s delightfully gritty from beginning to end, and Johnny Lycan is that sort of old school of PI Urban Fantasy hero that’s grown increasingly rare these days. My only complaint is that this book wraps up the trilogy, meaning I’ll just have to reread them to get more Johnny.”
– Bob McGough author of the Jubal County Saga

If George RR Martin has scarred you for life and you are no longer buying any series until it’s finished, good news. You can order the whole set of ebooks on Amazon, or get the paperback directly from Black Rose Writing for a 15% discount. Just use the Promo code PREORDER2023.

Mountain Search and Rescue Adventures – Cam Torrens

One of the cool things about having a publisher such as Black Rose Writing is you come across a metric butt-ton of exciting indie writers. They ain’t all winners, to be sure, but the ones that are worth reading are really solid and I’ve shared a number of them with you in the past. I recently came across Cam Torrens. His work revolves around Tyler Zahn and his work as part of a search and rescue team in the mountains of Colorado.

Let’s start at the beginning. Who are ya?

I’m Cam and I’m a writer. (All together now: Hi Cam!)That’s my newest mantra and sometimes I feel like I have to repeat it over and over among other writers to make myself believe.

I’ve spent most of my life being other things. I’ve always been a voracious reader and usually read over 100 books a year. 2023 is the first year I’ve cracked 150 and about a third of them are from new authors. This has been one of the unexpected benefits of writing with our publisher—I now have 400 instant friends looking for people to read their work. I usually raise my hand; first, because of my love for reading, and second, because I really find joy in giving feedback to new and seasoned writers.

Thirty years (and one month) of my life belonged to the Air Force. I was a transport and refueling pilot for most of my career with additional jobs as a military diplomat at the US Embassy in Beijing, China, and as the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Virginia Tech.

Now I spend my time writing, volunteering on the board at our local library, and working on our county’s Search & Rescue team. Here in little Buena Vista, Colorado, we have 10 fourteen-thousand-foot peaks within a thirty-minute drive and people do the darnedest things while climbing these mountains. Keeps us busy. My wife is an airline pilot (which helps give me time to write) and we have six kids, four adopted from China and Russia.

What’s your book, Stable, about?

My debut novel, Stable, transports the reader into the Colorado Rockies and introduces them to Chaffee County’s renowned mountain Search & Rescue team. A 911 call sends the team on a search for a missing girl in the Collegiate Peaks. They find a child…but not the one they seek. My protagonist, Tyler Zahn can’t get the missing girl he found—and the one he can’t find—out of his mind. Someone in this mountain valley is collecting children, and Zahn is gradually drawn into the case while still trying to break through to his estranged daughter.

That’s the plot…but really the story of Tyler Zahn came from my leadership experiences as a 30-year pilot and commander in the United States Air Force. When I retired, I wanted to be done with making the big decisions involving potentially life-threatening consequences and just focus on family. I’d had enough drama in the desert. Tyler Zahn feels the same way, but quickly discovers he can’t just stand aside and let bad things happen.

While I follow the thriller arc, I like to think I spend most of my time on controversial and current themes such as integrity, judgment and grace, forgiveness, and combat stress. When my readers meet Tyler Zahn, he’s already overcome so much…the loss of his son, the loss of an aircrew in combat, and years of depression. Now that he’s “back,” he just wants to rekindle a relationship with his daughter and lead a normal life. In Stable, I want to show that you can pull the veteran from the battlefield, but it’s hard to quell his or her desire to continue to serve—and the inherent conflict of service before self or family is still there.

It was an exciting book and had some unexpected twists. The story sounds personal to you.

I covered the emotional roots already, but the setting also has a story. One of the first missions I went on as a new SAR member was for a missing 7-year-old girl in the same area I use in Stable. I took a real mission and fictionalized the participants and the outcome. The real-world mission turned out better than the one in Stable.

Who do you read? Share it with the readers…

I go through phases of favorite authors, but most fall into the category of mystery/suspense/thriller. I’m a huge fan of John Sanford, Lee Child, Louise Penny, CJ Box, and Craig Johnson. I’ll also read anything by Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, Mary Kubica, Riley Sager, Sally Hepworth, or Lianne Moriarty. Michael Koryta is my latest craze. In the last year, I’ve had fun reading AJ McCarthy, Gail Ward Olmsted, and David Shawn Klein. And of course, I loved my first foray into books about a certain werewolf detective.

Aw shucks, thanks. That’s some good company to be in. Where can we learn more about you and your books?

Stable was my debut novel. The second book in the series, False Summit came out last fall. I’ll release #3, Scorched, in August of 2024, and a prequel—Death Spiral–to the series releases in early 2025. I’m working on the fifth novel now. You can follow along with my efforts (and my reading) at www.camtorrens.com . I’m also on Facebook , Goodreads , and Amazon.

Hey, the third (and final) book in the Werewolf PI Series is now available for Pre-Order. Buy it from my publisher and get a 15% discount. Just use the promo code PREORDER2023. It will be available to pre-order on Amazon soon. Use the form on the left side to get on my newsletter and learn more.