Immortal Ink Publishing

WARNING: READING MAY LEAD TO SEVERE HEARTBREAK AND MADNESS

Carole Lanham — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:43:27 +0000

What if a person’s love of reading grew to be such a desperate, all-consuming obsession, it literally became life-threatening? When I sat down to write The Reading Lessons, it was this one wiggly little thought that got me tapping away at my keyboard.

Parents, teachers, the fine people at Goodreads–they all tell us that reading is a wonderful thing. But what if it wasn’t a wonderful thing? What if the soul-enriching effects of true blue book-love pushed beyond the point where the experience was a thing of beauty and transformed it instead into something monstrous and altogether volatile? Is it possible to love books too hard?

It is in Hadley and Lucinda’s world.

Before I envisioned it as a novel, The Reading Lessons was a five thousand word short story that I was fortunate to have published in Son and Foe Magazine. It’s early life was big fun as people seemed to enjoy the story and/or be greatly disturbed by it. The experience taught me many important writing and reading lessons, and the story ended up on the preliminary ballot for a Bram Stoker Award.

Around this same time, several different novel concepts started bumping and banging into each other on the inside of my over-cluttered skull, yet I found myself returning again and again to the idea of a romance with books gone wrong. The short story touches briefly on the relationship between a young household servant and the rich girl who lives in the bedroom upstairs.

Set in the South during the 1920s, the hours spent in reading lessons gradually begin to breach social barriers as Hadley and Lucinda act out stories in anxious whispers behind closed doors. But as the pair age, they become more and more frustrated with their inability to take the relationship outside the family library, and these stolen afternoons develop into something much more dangerous. Soon, lynching isn’t the only thing to be feared.

Alas, when I decided to turn the short story into a novel, these reckless risky reading lessons became a torrid life-long affair. Swept up by the idea of books providing a unifying force strong enough to close the gap between race and class, I wanted to see where this frenzied search for forbidden literary passion would lead.

To make a proper start of it, I dove head first into a great and dusty pile of banned books. I love research! Imagine a world where kids have to sneak around to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It is in this repressed, pre-Victoria Secret catalog place in time that I decided to set my story.

Being a lover of naughty books, Lucinda introduces Hadley to a book club called READERS OF VIOLENT INDEFENSIBLE LUST AND EVIL, code name V.I.L.E. Banned or no, the books they find so lusty and evil are really pretty tame stuff, in the beginning. As time goes on, however, they become fixated on less savory tales, and these tales grow all the more unsavory when serving as a substitute for a love that must not be.

It’s the must not be part that really interested me. Books are just about my favorite thing in the world, so I would never wish to imply that they’re evil. Rather, it was my hope to use books as a basis for exploring the evils of prejudice. Everything that is sad or terrifying or wicked in this story stems from that.

The novel spans sixty years and endeavors to look at some of the changing and unchanging ways of prejudice throughout the century. I returned to my research and took a long look at everything from the Harlem Renaissance to the outsourcing of the servant class by the electric toaster.

In The Reading Lessons, there are two separate and distinct realities, the one that society creates, and the one that is of Hadley and Lucinda’s own making. Both of them have the potential to be deadly.

That said, I hope I haven’t completely scared you away from reading. Immortal Ink Publishing will be randomly choosing one person to receive a free copy of The Reading Lessons from the Release Notification sign-up list. Please consider signing up today.

Happy reading!

http://www.immortalinkpublishing.com/books.php?id=21

In addition to The Reading Lessons, Carole Lanham is the author of The Whisper Jar, Cleopatra’s Needle, and twenty-four short stories. Visit her at carolelanham.com & horrorhomemaker.com

After the Fear Blog Tour Sign Up! ($10 prize for Bloggers!)

Shana — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 14:23:52 +0000

Immoral Ink Publishing author Rosanne Rivers is taking her debut young adult dystopian novel After the Fear on tour. To make this blog tour more fun for our potential bloggers, we’ll be awarding a $10 Amazon Gift Card to the reviewing blogger who gets the most e-book giveaway entries (each giveaway will run 1 week, and we will provide the rafflecopters to ensure fair entry opportunities). Read more about the book & author or scroll down to the bottom to sign up.

After the Fear

You have not attended a Demonstration this month.

In Sola’s city, everyone obeys the rules. Stay away from the trigger cameras and regularly update your Debtbook, and you just might survive. But having to watch the way criminals are dealt with—murdered by Demonstrators in the Stadium—is a law Sola tries to avoid. When a charming Demonstrator kisses her at a party, however, she’s thrust into the Stadium and forced into the very role she despises.

Armed with only natural resourcefulness and a caring nature, Sola narrowly survives her first bout. Her small success means she’s whisked off to a training camp, where she discovers a world beyond the trigger cameras and monitoring—a world where falling in love with a killer doesn’t seem so terrible.

Yet life as a Demonstrator has no peace. Sola must train her way through twenty-five more Demonstrations before she can return home to her father. At the end of each battle, only one survivor remains.

Sola could face anyone in the Stadium . . . even a loved one.

About Rosanne Rivers

Rosanne lives in Birmingham, UK and considers it one of her favourite cities, second only to Rome. She delights in writing for children and young adults and hopes to bring readers to an unfamiliar yet alluring setting. Rosanne was inspired to write when she read the Harry Potter books, and at age fourteen, she wrote romance fanfiction on just about every pairing you could dream up from the HP series. She currently lives with her partner and two bunny rabbits and is working on a post-apocalyptic adventure book for middle grade readers.

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Immortal Ink Publishing now looking for Blog Tour Hosts

Sarah Montee — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:47:41 +0000

Immoral Ink Publishing author Will Millar is taking his debut horror novel Infernal Machines on tour. Read more about the book & author or scroll down to the bottom to sign up.

Infernal Machines

Paulie and Stoner aren’t bad seeds; they’re just a little too smart for their own good. They stole their first car in kindergarten, and as for the homemade rocket launcher in Stoner’s garage … well, it’s best just not to ask.

With 9th grade just around the corner, Paulie and Stoner find themselves on the wrong side of some real bad kids, an older band of white supremacists that go by the name of “Twisted Cross.” When a rumble at a high school keg party turns fatal, it sets off a chain of events that test the limits of Paulie and Stoner’s friendship, and their very sanity.

Welcome to Chapel Harbor, a town where everybody buries their secrets deep, and nobody is quite who they seem. A town where the ghost of a serial killer known as The Junkman is rumored to stalk the woods at night, and where an unassuming magic shop and its mysterious proprietor, Arthur Cardiff, may possess the key to an ancient and terrible evil.

Packed with hairpin turns and twists that will keep you guessing until the very last page, Infernal Machines is a blood drenched, adrenaline fueled, roller-coaster of a horror story that’s at once a paean to the Pulp Horror classics of the early 80’s and a meditation on the enduring power of friendship.

About Will Millar

Will Millar was raised in Commack, a quiet and unassuming town close to the northern shore of Long Island. As a kid, his primary passions were horror and hell-raising. As he tended to cultivate the latter to a greater extent than the former, by the time he was 17 years old, the whole town decided they’d had quite enough of his antics, and would he please just take his act on the road, thank you very much.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps, where his penchant for fire, explosions and general mayhem were tolerated, if not somewhat approved. At this point, Will also discovered the writers of the Beat Generation and began to write more consistently, submitting his less profane poems to underground ‘zines and belting out the more terrible stuff to unsuspecting audiences at various open mike nights throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Throughout the last 15 years, Will has worked as a writer in various mediums, though horror continues to remain his favorite. He sometimes contributes articles to Cracked.com, and his short stories are available in several different anthologies. Infernal Machines is his first novel.

At the present, Will lives in Phoenix AZ. He is a father of four, owns two dogs and has a wonderfully understanding girlfriend, all of whom somehow manage to put up with all of his crap.

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Will Millar on “The Writing Process”

admin — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 22:58:03 +0000

It’s sometime around eleven o’clock on a Sunday morning and my girlfriend is trying to be patient with me. A few minutes ago, she handed me a sheaf of wadded papers and asked:

“Is any of this stuff important?”

I told her I wasn’t sure and now I’ve got them spread out all across the bedroom, which she just spent an hour or two cleaning. Various, cryptic messages are scrawled across each one – Some are several paragraphs long, while others are mere sentences, or fragments of sentences. Some are just plain nonsense. I’ve zeroed in on the papers that fit the latter category first, as they are the easiest to sort through, and now I’m holding each one up to the light and squinting at them with exaggerated caution.

There’s:

Dog dump tea kettle whistle

And:

Aliens observe roller disco mating rituals

And:

Leprechaun CSI: Sex Crimes Division

This last piece I hand back over to her with great reluctance. “I’m pretty sure I don’t need this one anymore.”

___ ___ ___

Here’s a mental exercise for you: Imagine the contents of every blog on the Internet as components of a series of paperback books. For every twenty some-odd lines of type, that would be a single page. With most paperbacks utilizing both sides of a sheet of paper that would be forty lines – are you with me so far? Good.

Now, visualize theses forty-type lines filling stacks of paper until you have 300 sheets, and then bind them in some colorful cardboard until you have one book, then go on filling up the next book and so on, and so forth…

It is my belief that if you were to restrict this exercise to folks who blog about their own approach to “the writing process” you’d be able to completely fill every Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise in the Continental United States with these imaginary paperback books.

(Note: I have no actual scientific base for this belief)

(Supplementary note: I also believe in the Loch Ness monster, so use that as your base of reference for how seriously you should ever take me.)

For my own part, I’ve tended to shy away as much as possible about “the writing process” for a number of reasons, the most important one being that I’m still not a hundred percent sure how the whole process works. However, in the interest of keeping any sort of vaguely worded threats from my publishers at bay, I’ve agreed to keep any blogging I do here limited to the subject of writing itself. With that in mind, here’s a list of five things I have managed to figure out about putting thoughts into semi-coherent print.

#1 – You have to work at it every day.

Okay, seriously I wasn’t even going to touch this one because it’s been said so many times it should just be common fucking sense, like telling somebody “Don’t look directly into the sun,” or “Take your hand out of your pants.” (Really dude, you’re freaking out everybody else on the bus right now. Be cool.)

But it bears repeating, if for no other reason than it’s the most important part of actually getting a book written. Now, assuming that you’ve read Stephen King’s excellent treatise On Writing, and you’re following his mandate of 2,000 words a day, allow me to put my own spin on the Master’s edict…

#2 – Most of what you write is going to be pretty crappy the 1st time through.

Or at least: Most of what I write is pretty crappy the 1st time through. I’m at a place in my life where I spend about 4 hours a day working on this stuff, and usually at first glance, it’s not a pretty sight. I’ve churned out stories that were so bad I won’t even let my own family look at them, to say nothing of the ones that I went ahead and submitted, only to have editor after editor look at them, chuckle ruefully, and say: “Nice try.”

The stories that are somewhat good were not good the first time I wrote them. Nor were they much better the second time through. And a lot of the time, the finished product is something far, far removed from its original intent. The best thing you can do is work on something until it reaches its natural conclusion, and to let it evolve on its own, naturally. When the changes come, don’t fight them. Welcome each new transformation and allow the newer stuff to refine the earlier attempts. And remember Rule #1.

#3 – Make friends with poetry.

The written word has a flow to it, just as surely as its spoken brethren. Be it iamb or trochee, spondee, dactyl or anapest, each word is gifted with a given rhythm. Poets (at least, the good ones) have an innate understanding of this and use it to their advantage when crafting their product.

Also, poetry by its very nature seeks to express the same clarity as prose with fewer words. As a writer, find some work that resonates with you and internalize that stuff, man.

#4 – Research, research, research…

…And then research some more. The thing about fictional stories is, well, they’re made up. Telling a tale is basically sculpting a well-crafted pile of bullshit, and the best lies are the ones that are made up of mostly truths. So if you’re setting a story in Dogpatch, Texas, then you’ll lend a lot of credence to that story by virtue of knowing everything there is to know about Dogpatch, Texas. If Dogpatch is a made up place, then figure out where it would be on a map and get to know the surrounding areas as well as any local historian.

Likewise, if your main character is a cop or a gynecologist or a truck driver, then your best bet is to learn all you can about that respective profession. A good rule of thumb is if you could trick a group of strangers at a cocktail party into believing you are your protagonist’s profession, then you sir, are well on your way (don’t do this).

And finally…

#5 – Write what you love.

This might even be as important as Rule #1, on account of a couple things:
First off – if you’re batshit crazy enough to seriously undertake writing a book in the first place, congratulations. You’ve signed on to at least 2 years where every waking minute of your free time has now been accounted for. If you don’t absolutely love your subject matter, you’re going to have a lot of bald, bloody patches where your hair used to be. (Actually, that’s probably going to happen regardless.)

Secondly, no matter what sort of genre you aim for, be it Horror, YA, Chick-Lit, Steam-Punk, Zom-Rom-Com or whatever the fuck flavor you choose… Guess what – it’s already full to the point of busting with other writers who are clamoring for a paid gig in that particular slot. If you don’t love it (and I mean full-blown, to the point that you’re a little weird about it), then you better be one talented cow-puncher, or your insincerity will stick out like beard-stubble on a cross-dressing hooker.

On the flip side, thirdly (I know… that doesn’t make much sense, just bear with me – we’re almost there) everybody has something that they are just completely insane over. We all do; that’s just part of what makes people who they are. So, if you can take that one thing, and spend a couple years telling its story, and you do the work, and you do the refinement and the research and you make that motherfucker sing, then that’s truth, man. And it works – it’s the reason people like Jonathan Franzen can make a story like The Corrections, where a whole bunch of depressing shit happens to some superficially unremarkable characters, or Stephen King will introduce you to an entire town like Derry and then level the friggin’ place, and a bajillion people will go nuts over these events that didn’t even happen, and for good reason. Because really good writing, at its heart, is an act of love.

And I truly believe that it’s something anybody can do, once they decide that they can.

The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar BOOK TOUR

Shana — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:01:14 +0000

Welcome to book tour for the Portrait of Alatiel Salazar, Steven Katriel’s debut novella! The reviews on this one have been stellar, and we hope you will enjoy the read as well. For only $0.99, it’s almost free already, but today is your first chance to win a free e-book edition. But if you don’t win today, don’t fret! Check back here throughout the month and visit the links after the giveaway for more chances to win! If you just can’t until then, you can visit all the purchase options HERE!

About The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar

When Gabriel Holland’s beloved Helena vanishes from his life, he journeys to the home of disgraced artist Cristian Salazar, the man he holds responsible for her disappearance and the death of several friends. Once in Carliton, Gabriel finds malice and mystery in the tales told by the few brave enough to speak ill of Salazar and the sinister Cousin Beatriz. And within shadows, in the guise of night, walks Alatiel, the creature Helena has become.

Where to Purchase

About the Author

Steven Katriel writes Gothic Horror, Paranormal Fantasy, and Literary Fiction. He has lived in Wales, UK all his life. In recent years, he wrote history articles for a community magazine. Steve’s literary heroes and heroines range from Oscar Wilde to Hilary Mantel. He has a passion for past times and this is reflected in his writing.

Contact: sjensen65[AT]gmail.com Twitter: @StevenKatriel

The Giveaway

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The Tour Dates

August 6, 2012
Immortal Ink Publishing
Giveaway & Blog Tour Landing Page

August 7, 2012
The Ginger Nutcase
Character Interview + Giveaway

August 8, 2012
Bookish Things and More
Review & Giveaway

August 9, 2012
SM Boyce
Guest Post & Giveaway

August 10, 2012
A Life Among the Pages
Author Interview & Giveaway

August 13, 2012
CJ Listro
Review & Giveaway

August 14, 2012
Blood Skies
Excerpt & Giveaway

August ?, 2012

Wren Doloro
Author Interview & Giveaway

August 17, 2012
The Peasants Revolt
Review & Giveaway

August 20, 2012
NR Wick
Review & Giveaway

August 21, 2012
Rainy of the Dark
Author vs. Villain Interview

August 22, 2012
Anna Allegra Books
Review & Giveaway

August 23, 2012
Paranormal Lounge
Character Interview & Giveaway

August 24, 2012
Gecko Gomez Blog
Review & Giveaway

August 27, 2012
RoxyKade
Review & Giveaway

August 28, 2012
Masquerade Crew
Guest Blog & Giveaway

August 29, 2012
KittyB78
Review & Giveaway

August 30, 2012
Leo Godin
Guest Blog & Giveaway

August 31, 2012
Redefining Perfect
Review & Giveaway

Thanks for stopping by, and we hope you enjoy the tour!

An Interview with Will Millar

pretorios — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 02:30:51 +0000

I’m very pleased to introduce Will Millar, whose INFERNAL MACHINES we will be publishing in August. You can see Will’s profile here or read about INFERNAL MACHINES here (and you can even sign up to be notified when the book is released).

Tell readers a bit about Infernal Machines
Oddly enough, I started out writing a story about a mall that eats people and ended up with something entirely different. The process from starting a book to its completion I think is different for every person, for every individual project they do. Infernal Machines is actually the 2nd book I’ve written, and when I set out to do it, I had a very simple idea about kids vs. “evil”, in whatever form it chooses to manifest itself. I currently live in Phoenix, but my oldest son lives in Western Washington, where this story takes place. On the outset of working on this book, it was originally set in a small Arizona town, but something about the whole story felt off. When I was visiting my son a couple of years ago, I got to reconnecting with my old stomping grounds, and then on the day I was leaving, while I was waiting at Seatac airport, in fact, I got an idea for changing the story setting from AZ to WA. From that point on, it was like getting hit by a lightning bolt. I got rid of the mall angle and worked on creating an entire sea-side tourist trap, and instead of this evil real estate developer I’d been building up, I came up with a set of more ambiguous characters in the forms of Markheim and Arthur Cardiff. One of my favorite literary characters in the world is Treasure Island’s Long John Silver. I loved the fact that you could never quite tell if he was actually a decent guy until almost the very end of the story, and I really wanted to do something like that with this story, as well.

Your novel is set in the 1980′s, and, appropriately, it feels like a book that belongs in the booming horror era of the ’80′s. What do you think about the health of traditional horror right now?
I think there’s some really great stuff going on out there – but a lot of it’s happening away from the mainstream, which is nothing new for a genre that’s always been a bit countercultural. Take the new e-publishing phenomena. It’s allowing a whole crop of writers to get their stuff out in a way that was impossible 10 years ago. Guys like David Moody, Rebecca Hamilton, Dave Wellington, Jason Pargin (AKA David Wong) and many others have put out amazing works of fiction that have reached millions of people without going through a publishing house. It kind of reminds me of how in the early 70’s you had Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper create horror movies that have gone on to become legendary, while basically shooting in their backyards on a shoe string budget.

You alone on an island–name your book, CD, movie, meal, and adult beverage.
Damn – I only get one book? If I only get one it would have to be Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, although that’s really a tough one to call. The CD would be something by Clutch, either Blast Tyrant or one of their live albums. My one movie would be Vertigo. The food/beverage thing is pretty easy, I already just about live on a diet of flank steak and Boddington’s Ale, I honestly don’t know I’d even notice if that’s all I got to eat from now on.

According to your bio, you raised some hell in your youth. Do you see Paulie or Stoner (characters in IM) as a reflection of who you were back then, and, assuming the statute of limitations has run out, what kind of hell did you raise?
(Laughs) I definitely see writing this story as a kind of way of saying to my kids “When I was your age…”, only taken to a ridiculous level. Commack, NY, the town I grew up in, is in a lot of ways similar to Chapel Harbor, minus the serial killer/supernatural stuff. It was heavily wooded; there were hundreds of acres of woods literally right behind my back yards that belonged to the Long Island Lighting Co., and all of these dirt bike trails, sumps, and even a couple of abandoned cemeteries that must have been a hundred years old. As for the hell-raising bit–yeah, I did my fair share. I was kind of a misfit, and a lot of the stuff described in the book; building a gun that shoots potatoes and homemade bombs and stuff, well let’s just say that I had a pretty substantial working knowledge going into the book and just leave it there.

What makes the horror genre unique is the prevalence of horror on film (we don’t see that as much in, say, fantasy). What affect, if any, do you think horror films have had on your work
Huge – I’d have to say you could make a fair argument for a 50/50 split between films and books, influence-wise. I think one horror film in particular has been the greatest influence on not only my work, but my psyche as well, and that would be Tobe Hooper’s 1979 made for TV version of Salem’s Lot. I saw it when I was probably 5 or 6 years old, and the fucking thing warped my tender child-brain. I remember doing things like taping crucifixes made out of straw to my bedroom window, and I had this 4’ long stuffed animal snake that I used to wrap around my neck before I went to sleep as some kind of vampire fang-shield. It’s a miracle I didn’t strangle myself. Anyway, once I saw that I was done for. I knew pretty much from then on I was going to try to scare the crap out of people when I grew up, and hopefully with Infernal Machines, I’ll succeed.

Introducing our Newest Acquisitions Editor: S.M. Boyce

Shana — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 18:32:17 +0000

We’re very excited to intro S.M. Boyce to our team! We first met her through reading her amazing epic fantasy novel, Lichgates, and have also had the opportunity to get to know her as an editor. She’d reviewed a couple of our titles (prior to release) in the past and had give fabulous feedback to our authors.

Since then, we’ve fallen in love with her as a person–seeing as to how she has the most fabulous personality!–and so when we determined we needed to expand our team, making an offer to S.M. Boyce seemed like a no brainer. We’re sure her B.A. in Creative Writing and Marketing will bring a lot to our editorial table, and her personality and dedication will be a huge lift to our marketing team.

So, it is with great pleasure that I introduce to your S.M. Boyce. Check out her video entry below!

Four in the Morning Giveaway!

Shana — Sat, 26 May 2012 18:13:03 +0000

It’s EASY to enter to win a PRINT copy of Four in the Morning! The only mandatory action to enter this awesome giveaway is to share that Four in the Morning is now available for sale. This can be done on Facebook or your Blog. AND there are some fast, easy ways to gain extra entries as well. Good luck!

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Grace the Intern’s Review of CHOICE by A.J. Walkley

Shana — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:14:56 +0000

Format: eBook

Source: Bought

Haley Fry and her twin sister, Jamie, have been compared to one another since birth. Haley is the quieter twin, a lover of music who prefers solitude to spending time with multiple friends. A prodigy on the saxophone, she dreams of a career as a musician. Jamie, on the other hand, is the athlete of the family who prides herself on her popularity and how many boys are after her.

The twins’ parents, Larry and Maggie, place more trust in Haley because of her calmer nature. They expect the unexpected from Jamie, but not Haley. When Larry and Maggie learn that sixteen-year-old Haley is pregnant, they are shocked. Surprising everyone, but mostly herself, Haley faces a life-changing decision: Does she abort the baby or become a teenage mother?

“Choice” presents Haley’s dilemma in a unique way. The first half of this novel narrates what happens when Haley chooses an abortion, while the second half reveals Haley’s life when she chooses to keep the baby. Told through the eyes of the entire family, “Choice” illustrates the tough decisions involved in a teen pregnancy.

The parents never expected Haley to be the one to get pregnant. If anything, Jamie was the reckless one. She was the one who did impulsive things while Haley was the quiet one who thought about her future. If anything, she should be the sensible one, right?

The second I read the synopsis, I knew that I wanted it. Being a twin means that nobody else can really understand your relationship with your twin or how it feels to constantly be compared to somebody. It’s tough, but it’s also amazing. My twin, Hannah, and I are best friends, but we have different passions and at other times, we’re so alike that it’s tough to be with each other. People have this constant opinion like we’re the same person, or that we’re two halves of one whole. We’re separate people, and no other relationship is exactly like that of a twin’s.

I really enjoyed A.J Walkley’s take on twins. I don’t know whether she’s a twin or not, but she nailed the feeling almost exactly. It was incredible to read, and by the end of the book, I was both laughing and crying my eyes out. The premise itself was interesting.

It was also a bit sad for me to read because my twin and I are incredibly close. Sometimes we get into arguments and say things we don’t really mean but it still always upsets me to read about twins who have bad relationships. It’s definitely interesting, but still leaves me grateful that Hannah and I have the relationship that we do. I kept comparing myself to Haley and her to Jamie but Haley and Jamie were a bit ostracized from each other. I loved the heavy focus on relationships that A.J. Walkley focused on and the development and effort that she put into each one.

A.J. Walkley’s writing style was different too, especially with this book. What startled me when I first dove in was that A.J. started out with the parents. Not many teen books – or more specifically, books about teenage pregnancy – focus on the parents that much. I really liked that, because it does impact the parents a lot. Their points of view about Haley’s pregnancy were startling. In situations like this, a ton of emotions and decisions are put on the parents but most books and media just focus on the actual teen.

Haley and Jamie’s relationship is dynamic. Haley is quiet, who prefers solitude and her music more than clusters of friends like her sister does. In this way, Haley reminded me of myself and Jamie as my sister. Although Hannah isn’t always trying to drag me places, a lot of the time I prefer my own company to anybody else’s, with the exception of Hannah.

Haley’s narrative definitely reflected this. When she was narrating the sequence of events, her emotions were subtle and she was shyer than Jamie was in her narrative. She was the type to talk more inside her head then with people.

The story is about young love and sisters. That was the theme that I got with most of the book. Haley is finally falling for somebody, and she is completely head over heels. She’s still sensible, but she finally feels like somebody understands her and that she can open up to somebody and be accepted. Her transformation throughout the book was incredible to read about and experience.

I also like how there was a heavy focus on music and New York City. The descriptions of both were like a love letter which I loved. The mood of the book definitely came through with a few choice descriptions from the author.

Jamie tended to be louder and over-the-top, often not stopping to think when she says or does things. Sometimes she hurt Haley and her friends by doing this, but her immediate remorse also said volumes about her character. She always meant the best, although sometimes she did the wrong thing.

This aspect of Jamie was also one that I identified with because she’s the person who wants to do good things, but her actions always end up coming out wrong. She says the wrong thing to the wrong person at the wrong time, and it all ends up coming back to haunt her.

Jamie always wanted to be closer to her sister even when Haley was shutting her out, and it’s at this part that I actually started to feel like the book was changing me personally. Sometimes I feel like I block out Hannah in these ways, and I definitely could apply Jamie and Haley’s relationship to Hannah and I’s. This entire book was one that I used to reflect upon myself, and it also provided an entertaining story.

Perhaps the most unique and distinct part of the story was how it was written. It was written almost like a memoir, skipping around and looping back, and sometimes writing the same actions in a different point of view to show how it was different to everybody. I didn’t exactly love it or hate it, but it was a great way to tell this particular story with these characters.

The character development was excellent. With a book like this, your characters have to change drastically because of the circumstances thrust upon them. I was expecting a complete 180 by the characters but the changes to their characters came slowly, subtly. It was a beautiful way to create the mood of the book and I was able to relax into it and connect to the characters because of how they developed. It was more than a book but an experience. There’s a quote somewhere like the number one thing to do while writing is to connect the reader to your characters because they can’t tear themselves away when they invest in the character. I was majorly invested in the story of Haley and Jamie, not just because they are twins but because of their unique personalities and how the circumstances changed them. With every word, I was tethered closer to them and I cried when the book ended.

The only thing that made me hesitate was that I wish there would have been a smoother transition between the two “realities” that Haley went through. In one scenario, it explores what happens if Haley got an abortion. I wish it would have dealt more with the long term aftermath of her decision but it doesn’t. I would have liked to see it written maybe with a chapter detailing what would have happened to her later in life and how that one decision changed her life. It skips straight to the next reality, in which she keeps her baby. In this one, it did deal with a lot of the long term parts of it and this is where we truly see the characters develop which I really enjoyed.

Overall, I thought that Choice was a stunning book. The emotions and characters had me invested and I cried when I finished the book. There were only a few minor problems which I could ignore for the larger part and it was one of those books where afterwards, I put it down and thought about it for ages. I loved being able to read it and I definitely recommend it to anybody who enjoys good writing, solid character development, or if you are a person with sisters or a twin.

Introducing . . . Steven Katriel, our newest IIP Addition (an interview)

Shana — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:52:45 +0000

We were both already fans of Steve’s work, as luck would have it, when a submission from him blew in through our front door and landed on our desk. His manuscript was practically dusted in gold, beckoning to be read. Our only disappointment is there wasn’t MORE ready for us to immediately devour. Steve is an author of immense skill and an abundance of modesty. We, on the other hand, are not so modest in regards to Steve’s brilliance. Not only will his use of language charm you and his story and characters haunt you, but his story will linger in your mind. This is what Immortal Ink Publishing is all about . . . the stories we believe will live forever.

Now we’d like to introduce you to the man behind the curtain. Don’t hesitate to drop a comment or tweet/facebook/blog about this post for a chance to win a free copy of Steven’s first novella, The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar, an enchanting gothic horror read.

Onto the Interview….

What kind of books do you like?

SK: There’s very few books or genres I don’t care for – I believe a writer can learn from every written work, be it good, bad or average. I mostly read works which touch upon history, as I find my own age to be rather unromantic in comparison to other times. More to the point, a list of some favourite fiction and nonfiction books might present a flavour of my reading:

Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Friedrich Nietzsche

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence - Camille Paglia

The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson

Ghost Story - Peter Straub

Rosebud - David Thomson

The Occult - Colin Wilson

Why are manhole covers round?

SK: It’s a question which has always perplexed historians, isn’t it? Some believe the manhole-makers tried to placate the wrath of the sun god by laying down circular offerings and idols which resembled the fiery star. Alternatively, wacky conspiracy theorists claim that early Manhole Men just wanted people to stop falling through holes in the road. But…who made the holes, and also the roads? Those are the fundamental questions.

How would you describe your writing style?

SK: Antique, poetic, elegant; at least, I hope my prose displays these characteristics. I’m still learning the craft though, and am always aware of that I need to improve my writing.

What is the strangest thing we would find in your refrigerator right now?

SK: I’m not sure that there’s anything particularly strange in my refrigerator. There may even be some food in the gaps between wall-to-wall Cola.

What inspired you to write The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar?

SK: I very much wanted to write about an anti-heroine, and Alatiel somehow fits that description despite the fact that she is evil incarnate. Her revenge is payback for the way people of her gender and class were treated by their male patrons.

Of course, the book is influenced by Dracula, by The Picture of Dorian Gray and other classic novels but nevertheless it has something all of its own in that Alatiel and the Salazar clan are not exactly vampires, not exactly ghosts; and they can only be fought with their own weapons of choice – witchcraft and illusion.

Tell us about your soon-to-be-released novella!

SK: The story begins with the discovery of a journal in a windswept empty house. This tells the tragic tale of Helena Graham and her introduction to an artists’ model, Alatiel. Alatiel soon bewitches her admirers but her influence is malign and deadly; she takes Helena’s mind and body for herself and leaves a trail of bodies in her wake, leading to the home of her benefactor, the artist Cristian Salazar. Gabriel Holland and his allies must seek out Salazar and the sinister Cousin Beatriz in order to solve the mystery of his beloved Helena’s terrible fate. But within shadows, in the guise of night, walks Alatiel, the creature Helena has become…

Would you say your stories are more plot-based or character-based?

SK: In my mind, I have an entire history for each character from The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar, and the mutual connections between them made it easy for me to conceive of a whole series of books. In truth, the characters drive the plots and vice versa.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?

SK: Steve Martin, in character as “Nathan R. Johnson” from The Jerk.

What is your super power?

SK: The Power of Laziness – at the first sign of trouble, I leap into…bed.

What do you think of Immortal Ink Publishing so far?

SK: Absolutely fantastic. I’m very happy, and very impressed, with IIP – I honestly haven’t a single complaint or concern. Based on my experiences so far, I’d say that Immortal Ink is a wonderful, new option for writers.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in life?

SK: Wilde advised people to be themselves at all costs, and to always bear in mind what is truly important in life; these seem like good guidelines to live by.

Name a trend you just don’t “get”.

SK: All of them. As I get older, I feel like one of Anne Rice’s vampires – confused by my own time, and innappropriately dressed.

Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 how weird you are.

SK: 9 going on 107.

Rate this interview on a scale of 1-10 how weird it is.

SK: 10½.

What are your dreams for the future?

SK: Oh, the usual – wealth, fame, unlimited cigarettes etc etc. And then there’s that world peace thing.

Chess, Checkers, or Parcheesi?

SK: Chess. I’m absolutely terrible at the game but at least I get to feel like an intellectual in the thirty seconds before my three-year-old opponents defeat me.

The Video Trailer!

Be sure to enter for a chance to win a copy of her book, The Portrait of Alazar Salatiel, by tweeting, blogging, or facebooking this interview and replying below with a link to your tweet/post. And don’t forget to sign up for release information on the book—it’s the best way to secure a discounted copy at the time of release!

The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar, by Steven Katriel

When Gabriel Holland’s beloved Helena vanishes from his life, he journeys to the home of disgraced artist Cristian Salazar, the man he holds responsible for her disappearance and the death of several friends. Once in the town of Carliton, Gabriel finds only malice and mystery in the tales told by the few brave enough to speak ill of Salazar and the sinister Cousin Beatriz. And within shadows, in the guise of night, walks Alatiel, the creature Helena has become. . . .

Read a sample HERE.

We are very excited about the release of this novella, which is sure to capture the heart and imaginations of readers everywhere.

Yours in Books,

Rudy and Shana