In 2010 I am unveiling Dark Crucible Publishing, which will publish Young Adult Horror fiction in both paperback and eBook formats. The first book in line to be published by Dark Crucible will obviously be Falling Star, but I do hope to inspire other aspiring writers of the genre to want to publish with me.
Following Falling Star, all my other Young Adult Horror novels, including The Ramton Gallow Mysteries series, will be under Dark Crucible, though other books I write, such as Killing Time, will not be.
I feel that the Young Adult Horror genre is lacking some new blood and heart stopping fear, and I want to see if I can re-address the balance.
What I hope to do with Dark Crucible is to work with talented authors in giving them a fresh eye over their work to bring out the best in it, help and encouragement in developing their writing, and using the resources of the internet to promote their books as much as possible, relieving the pressure of doing it all alone.
It does seem like a big task, but I am relishing what is to come.
Friday, 27 November 2009
Monday, 23 November 2009
The Dark Man
I first wrote about the 'Dark Man' in my 2004 novel, Killing Time, and as with all good horror 'bad guys', this one won't stay dead. In looking for some kind of creature to inhabit Falling Star, the concept of the 'Dark Man' stalking his victim(s) has come back from the deep recess that I left him in.
It is also not the same 'Dark Man' who was stalking the life of Nicole Hutton, the heroine of Killing Time, but another one of his kind. This brought to me the idea that in the world of my ficton there is not just one 'Dark Man' roaming the earth, but many 'Dark Men' all around us, hidden from our natural senses though can be seen by those with the gift, or curse, of a connection to something beyond. Who they are and why they are here is part of their mystery, and really adds to the fear that they can generate.
In Killing Time, the 'Dark Man' was trapped inside a mantle clock, until Nicole unwittingly releases him to torment her life and kill those around her. This is not the case in Falling Star, where he came from and why he is after Star is something that drives the plot as I'm writing it, and adds more dimension to the story.
By working on both books at the same time, (writing the first draft of Falling Star while revising Killing Time for its second edition), it is really giving me more of a feeling for the character of the 'Dark Man' as it develops, and gives the possibility of new stories for 'Dark Men' to appear.
The 'Dark Men' are everything you fear. You know those things you see out of the corner of your eye or hiding in the shadows, the voices you can hear in empty rooms, the chill that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end? They are all 'Dark Men', watching you, and waiting...
It is also not the same 'Dark Man' who was stalking the life of Nicole Hutton, the heroine of Killing Time, but another one of his kind. This brought to me the idea that in the world of my ficton there is not just one 'Dark Man' roaming the earth, but many 'Dark Men' all around us, hidden from our natural senses though can be seen by those with the gift, or curse, of a connection to something beyond. Who they are and why they are here is part of their mystery, and really adds to the fear that they can generate.
In Killing Time, the 'Dark Man' was trapped inside a mantle clock, until Nicole unwittingly releases him to torment her life and kill those around her. This is not the case in Falling Star, where he came from and why he is after Star is something that drives the plot as I'm writing it, and adds more dimension to the story.
By working on both books at the same time, (writing the first draft of Falling Star while revising Killing Time for its second edition), it is really giving me more of a feeling for the character of the 'Dark Man' as it develops, and gives the possibility of new stories for 'Dark Men' to appear.
The 'Dark Men' are everything you fear. You know those things you see out of the corner of your eye or hiding in the shadows, the voices you can hear in empty rooms, the chill that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end? They are all 'Dark Men', watching you, and waiting...
Monday, 9 November 2009
2010 and beyond for C J Wright Books
With Ritual of Blood now out, and The Witch of Primrose Hill with a new cover, I'm now concentrating on the new writing projects I've got on the horizon, as well as trying to promote myself and my work as best I can.
As far as writing goes I have that pretty much planned out, though getting it done does seem to be troublesome at the moment. I've had Falling Star badger me to be written ever since I came up with the basic plot idea, which was actually around the development of the character, Star. She seemed to have a story to tell, but it wasn't going to be her doing the telling, it was going to be Katie, as she discovers increasing more disturbing things about this girl who she has befriended. The format for Falling Star is also something new to me, numerous short chapters instead of less, longer ones. From the moment this book began to form in my mind I knew that it could be the best novel I've done to date, and I hope it will live up to the expectations I have for it.
The revised 2nd edition of Killing Time has also starting knocking on my creative door. Most of the people I have spoken to who have read this book really enjoyed it, and find it pretty scary. My editor when it was first published in 2004 said that the first chapter was the most intense one she had ever read, and wondered what the rest of the book was going to bring, and as she read through it, the pay off at the end really warranted such an opening.
I'm looking forward to going through it again, I haven't read it since it was published, and improving it where I can as I did for Ritual of Blood.
I am also going to be writing some more short stories from Ramton Gallow in between, and offering them free on my website (in PDF format), as well as posting them on my Authors Den page. The second Ramton Gallow short story - The Trunk Under the Stairs - will by ready in a couple of weeks time.
Once Falling Star and Killing Time are done, I shall be working on the second Ramton Gallow Mysteries novel. With the series running to five so far, though it will probably be more, I have a lot ahead of me, which part of me is looking forward to, and another part of me is dreading.
Roll on 2010.
As far as writing goes I have that pretty much planned out, though getting it done does seem to be troublesome at the moment. I've had Falling Star badger me to be written ever since I came up with the basic plot idea, which was actually around the development of the character, Star. She seemed to have a story to tell, but it wasn't going to be her doing the telling, it was going to be Katie, as she discovers increasing more disturbing things about this girl who she has befriended. The format for Falling Star is also something new to me, numerous short chapters instead of less, longer ones. From the moment this book began to form in my mind I knew that it could be the best novel I've done to date, and I hope it will live up to the expectations I have for it.
The revised 2nd edition of Killing Time has also starting knocking on my creative door. Most of the people I have spoken to who have read this book really enjoyed it, and find it pretty scary. My editor when it was first published in 2004 said that the first chapter was the most intense one she had ever read, and wondered what the rest of the book was going to bring, and as she read through it, the pay off at the end really warranted such an opening.
I'm looking forward to going through it again, I haven't read it since it was published, and improving it where I can as I did for Ritual of Blood.
I am also going to be writing some more short stories from Ramton Gallow in between, and offering them free on my website (in PDF format), as well as posting them on my Authors Den page. The second Ramton Gallow short story - The Trunk Under the Stairs - will by ready in a couple of weeks time.
Once Falling Star and Killing Time are done, I shall be working on the second Ramton Gallow Mysteries novel. With the series running to five so far, though it will probably be more, I have a lot ahead of me, which part of me is looking forward to, and another part of me is dreading.
Roll on 2010.
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