The Best & Worst: May IWSG

6:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 40 Comments

It's the best of times; it's the worst of times. What are your writer highs (the good times)? And what are your writer lows (the crappy times)?

The worst? The insecure moments when you wonder if every second you've ever spent on a writing career was a complete and total waste of time. Or that few seconds after someone tells you they bought your book and you worry they'll say you made them waste their hard-earned money. Or what about the hassles of the business-side of writing? I'm still procrastinating on filling out a business license. And don't even ask me about the amount of sweating I do at tax season.

It all boils down to insecurities. I worry I don't actually know what I'm doing and at worst; I am wasting not only my time and money, but a reader's time and money.

At its best? The writer friends I have made from our mutual loves of words has been priceless. Same goes for my readers, whom I can't accurately call readers, they're also friends. The mom who messaged me her hopes for her daughter, also named Bella, to grow up as strong, generous, and positive as my heroine from Bella's Point. Or the reader who sent me a picture of herself reading Fate Intended while she was in the hospital for cancer surgery. Those are wow-writer moments and they are what make every headache and hassle worth it.

The awesome co-hosts for the May 4 posting of the IWSG are Kim Elliott, Melissa Maygrove, Chemist Ken, Lee Lowery, and Nancy Gideon! Thank you, guys!

Speaking of the awesomeness of writer friends! Fellow writer, Sandra Cox, is joining us as a fellow IWSG admin. I'm blessed to call Sandra a friend. She reads my rough drafts and checks in on me when I occasionally fall off the cyber planet. And once, she bought me lunch! What's not to love about her?

Join the IWSG! Sign up Here

What's the purpose of the IWSG? To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Revenge of the Space-Surfing Butt Monkeys (Gale Harbour Book Two)

By C.D. Gallant-King

Newfoundland, Canada, 1993.

It's been a year since a handful of kids defeated the Psycho Hose Beast in the sleepy town of Gale Harbour, Newfoundland. Our heroes have entered into the era of rollerblades, Super Nintendo and oversized plaid shirts… unless you’re a goth, then it’s the era of Maybelline eyeliner, boots with too many buckles, and infected safety-pin piercings.

Thirteen-year-old Niall O'Neil is navigating a blossoming relationship with his crush, Harper Jeddore. Unfortunately, the power that allowed them to defeat the monster from the deep is still within them, and they are no closer to understanding or controlling it. When just touching your girlfriend can kill innocent bystanders, it complicates the already precarious practice of teenage dating.

But lurking in the backdrop of teenage romance, a sinister power is growing in Gale Harbour, and dangerous people are turning up in the small town with possibly deadly intentions.

Will the kids defeat this new threat? What did the US Air Force leave in the abandoned Hansen Air Force base? What is a space-surfing butt monkey? And most importantly—will anyone get to touch a boob?

Horror / Science fiction / Comedy

Print ISBN 9798542434674 $13.99 USD

eBook ASIN B09RKG6772 $3.99 USD

AMAZON US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09RKG6772

AMAZON CANADA: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09RKG6772

AMAZON UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09RKG6772

“An entertaining story peppered with dashes of nineties nostalgia, snappy one liners and perfectly-captured teenage angst…” – Damien Larkin, author of Big Red

“Gutsy, original, and savagely fun.” – Samuel Gately, author of The Fire Eye Refugee

“Don’t let the title fool you into thinking this is fluff… themes of age, memory, and history are woven through on multiple levels, from one end of the character continuum to the other.” – Joey Madia, Editor for NewMystics.com

“I would put him at the top of the list of Canadian horror humor authors, as soon as I find some more so I can actually make a list.” – Patrick LeClerc, author of Out of Nowhere

C.D. Gallant-King is a comic fantasy and horror writer currently based in Ottawa, Ontario, though he was born and raised in Newfoundland, in a town eerily similar to Gale Harbour. He has self-published four novels, including HELL COMES TO HOGTOWN, which was a semi-finalist in Mark Lawrence’s 2018 Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. His short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies by Mystery & Horror LLC and Dancing Lemur Press, as well as in The Weird and Whatnot magazine.

Contact Information:

http://cdgallantking.ca

https://twitter.com/CDGallantKing

https://www.facebook.com/cdgallantking

https://www.instagram.com/cdgallantking/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RKG6772

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60387932

EXCERPT:

“Is Harper home, Mrs. Jeddore?”

Understanding dawned on Samantha’s face like a blossoming flower. She smiled, which brought a small piece of comfort to Niall’s racing heart. “Oh, the two of you are going out tonight, is that it? On a date? How sweet.”

She turned back into the house and out, “Harper, your date is here!”

Niall’s cheeks burned. Why did she have to make this even more awkward?

In the porch behind Samantha, the small, bespectacled head of Niall’s best friend, Pius, appeared from behind a corner. The long, black rat tail dangling down the back of his neck looked particularly whimsical today, because of a new hair elastic with brightly-coloured baubles at the end. “Niall? You’re going out with Harper?”

Niall groaned. He had hoped to keep this low-key. Why was everyone making a big deal about this? “We’re just going to The Hangar for some milkshakes and fries.”

Pius’ eyes grew wide, and then he adjusted his glasses. “The Hangar? Niall, are you trying to get your ass kicked?”

Niall rolled his eyes. “Pius…”

Samantha’s face took on a look of motherly concern. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Guys like us don’t go to The Hangar,” Pius explained. “Guys like us get beat up at The Hangar.”

Niall resented being lumped into the same category as his diminutive, glasses-wearing, mathlete best friend. Niall had a date for crying out loud! Not to say Pius was wrong, though…

“It’s the underage dance tonight,” said Niall. “It’s fine. We’re going to play some arcade games and eat French fries.”

“You know who else goes to the underage dances?” Pius counted them off on his fingers. “Bernie Budgell, Chris Tobin, Steve Cutler, and Keith Doucette. They all go to look for fights and for nerds to pick on!”

“Well, I’m not looking for a fight,” said Niall. “And Keith is our buddy now.”

“He would still kick your ass to look cool in front of his friends.”

“Pius, stop saying ‘ass’!” Samantha scolded.

Image by Prawny from Pixabay