Archive for the ‘audio’ Category

April news – book promo, appearances, free short stories and more

Posted: April 3, 2023 in Announcement, anthology, audio, author interview, books, horror, Melinda West, podcast, science fiction, short stories, submissions, Tips, Weird West, writing
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Happy April! I’m excited to share new book promos, interviews, events and more.

Limited time: popular Weird West books available in special promo for readers at StoryBundle

For a limited time, my supernatural western MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER (Brigids Gate Press) will be available in a “storybundle” together with some of the biggest fantasy and horror western titles available right now. 

StoryBundle offers a jaw-dropping deal for readers: for only $5, you’ll receive the four featured digital books:

There is also an upgraded bundle where you can get all 11 weird west stories shown for a deeper discount. This is a fabulous option if you’re looking for new books and want to explore more of the “weird west” (these are westerns with speculative elements, usually combined with fantasy and horror).

Get the bundle, or learn more about it, here: https://storybundle.com/weird. And consider signing up for Storybundle notifications for future scifi, fantasy and horror-themed book deal bundles.

Recent appearances

I was delighted to join the excellent Sley House Presents podcast to talk books, X-Men, short stories, serial adventure and more. Ways to listen:

I spoke with the Let Fear Bounce last month. Tune in to hear tidbits on imposter syndrome, writing as a side gig, and more. Make sure to check out the other episodes for more uplifting stories about #writing and #publishing: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/PQ9Pk5RHbyb

I was also delighted to be a guest on D.C. Gomez’s The Book Corner Amazon show to talk about MELINDA WEST: MONSTER GUNSLINGER. You can watch a recording of the live show here.

Upcoming events and appearances

Events:

  • Book Signing: LAT Festival of Books – Sat, April 22, 1-3pm
  • Panels: Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Nebula Conference – May 13 & 14
  • Book Signing and Discussion: Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore – Sat, May 20, 3pm
  • Book Signing: Warwick’s Books – Sun, May 21, 12pm
  • Book Reading and Interview (VIRTUAL): Space Cowboy Books – June 13, 6pm PT Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/547947083477

    Podcast interviews:
  • A Podcast Without A Name
  • Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality
  • Grim and Bloody Podcast
  • The Con Hour Podcast
  • E-Reads Podcast
  • Inside the Minds of Authors Amazon Podcast

For details on appearances, please visit https://scifiwri.com/appearances/.

Book sightings!

This last month I’ve visited several local bookstores to sign copies of Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger and On social media the book as popped up in bookstore locations ranging Ontario to Kentucky to South Dakota. The book also made its first con appearance (Wondercon), with hopefully many more to come!

Guest articles

You can read my article “How to Create Compelling Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories” in Authority Magazine. This piece includes 5 critical tips for new writers in the genres.

For Women in Horror Month 2023, I shared supernatural western book recommendations from some of my favorite fellow weird western authors. Read more at The Horror Tree: https://horrortree.com/wihm-2023-saddle-up-5-supernatural-westerns-by-women-for-your-tbr/

Bonus article: Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger was featured in a piece for The Line-Up’s celebration of Women in Horror month. 

“Welcome to the Weird West” covers an introduction to the genre and why I love to write in it. You can read it for free at the March/April issue of Uncaged Magazine: https://issuu.com/cyreneolson/docs/uncaged_book_reviews-_marchapril23-final/100.

For your reading pleasure: two recent free short stories

If you’re looking for a quick hit of monster fiction, I’ve had 2 short stories out in the last month that you can read for free:

“Just Another Apocalypse” at Two Thousand Word Terrors (Rooster Republic Press) https://roosterrepublicpress.com/just-another-apocalypse-by-kc-grifant/

“The Sighting” at Stupefying Stories: https://stupefyingstories.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-sighting-by-kc-grifant.html

To receive monthly email updates, sign up here and, as always, happy reading!

2018: Year in review

Posted: December 31, 2018 in anthology, audio, author interview, short stories, writing
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2018 Year in Review

The road to writing and publishing is paved with a whole lot of self-doubt and countless rejections. Writers need to celebrate any accomplishment, big or small, to help fuel motivation and bade away the naysayers (internal and external). New Year’s Eve is a good opportunity to pause and take stock of accomplishments of the past year and reflect on upcoming goals.

Personally it’s been a year of firsts, with some accomplishments of note:

International: This year I broke into the Australian (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine, COLP, and Things in the Well series); Canadian (Renaissance Book Publisher); and British (Tales to Terrify podcast) marketplaces.

Cover feature: My Weird Western tale “Dusty Arrival” was the cover story for the award-winning Andromeda Spaceways Magazine (March 2018 issue). This was a particular thrill: it never gets old to see how talented illustrators interpret your work. 

Audio: Another big highlight was a foray into audio storytelling with the acceptance of my reprint story “The Peerlings” for the Tales to Terrify podcast. Much like when an artist visually manifests your story, it is surreal and gratifying to hear a talented voice actor interpret your tale.

In summary, I’ve had 6 publications and 1 author interview this year:

I am incredibly grateful for the writing and editing community, particularly in the areas of genre fiction, which often are misunderstood (e.g., horror = slasher). I am also indebted to friends and family who provide support in this tough craft. I hope the coming year leads to new stories that provide respite, intrigue or food for thought. Happy 2019!

Free audio scifi horror story in TALES TO TERRIFY

Posted: December 27, 2018 in Announcement, audio, horror, podcast, science fiction, short stories
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tales-to-terrify-itunes-logo

My short scifi horror story “The Peerlings” appears in the terrific British podcast series Tales to Terrify, episode 354.

“The Peerlings” was first published in Beyond the Infinite – Tales from the Outer Reaches (Things in the Well series), edited by Steve Dillon. In the story, members of an off-world colony begin to vanish once elusive creatures–who can only safely be heard, not seen–descend upon their home. The mayor must figure out how to protect her citizens while warding off mass hysteria and a brewing rebellion.

The story begins at 00:21:21 and is read by Amy Paonessa (Twitter), host of The Bloodlust horror review website. She does an amazing job bringing the characters to life and conveying a sense of desolation and isolation throughout the piece.

Funny enough, a few people have mentioned that Netflix’s recently released Bird Box (based on the 2014 British novel) reminded them of “The Peerlings.” Check it out on Tales to Terrify and decide for yourself!