Melanie McKnight of Unplugged Book Box is launching her next passion project this Fall with Twisted Retreat, a monthly subscription box of horror and oddities for the twisted soul. Each month will be a retreat into the world of all things that go bump in the night. Boxes will contain a newly released horror title with an exclusive cover and … Read More
Exclusive Interview: Alexandrea Weis Gets Under Your Skin With “River of Ashes”
By Lindy RyanHistory, haunts, and horror. Growing up the daughter of a filmmaker in New Orleans’s famous French Quarter, novelist Alexandrea Weis has seen it all—and she’s brought it all in her new novel RIVER OF ASHES, co-written with Lucas Astor. Currently in development for a television series, RIVER OF ASHES is the first in a new series that follows a pair of twin sisters … Read More
Ten Twisted Reads to Chill You This Fall
By Lindy RyanRIVER OF ASHES by Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor (Vesuvian Books, 02 August 2022) Award-winning writing duo Weis and Astor are back with another cinematic, soapy, Southern Gothic that proves once again, things – and people – aren’t always what they seem, no matter how charming they appear. A handsome psychopath and long-held secrets unravel an idyllic river … Read More
The Big Thrill Review
River of Ashes by Alexandrea Weis & Lucas by Austin CamachoIf your tastes run to psychological thrillers filled with chills, plot twists, and rising body counts, you’ll want to pick up RIVER OF ASHES from Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor. This novel shows us that an idyllic Louisiana river town can harbor dark secrets. The story revolves around Beau Devereaux, … Read More
Put These 12 Summer Reads in Your Beach Bag
With summer right around the corner, there is no better time to start thinking about heading to the nearest beach for some fun in the surf and sand. But before you finish packing your beach bag, you’ll need a great book or two for company while lounging in your chaise. So settle in, grab a Mai Tai, and get lost … Read More
The Kids Aren’t Alright in “River of Ashes”
At first glance, St. Benedict is a small, quaint Southern town that oozes the type of charm lovers of Sweet Magnolias and Dawson’s Creek thrive on. Scratch at the veneer of this perfectly crafted façade and you’ll reveal a nitty, gritty darkness that clings to you like a second skin. River of Ashes (Vesuvian Books), the first book in the St. Benedict series by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor, … Read More
Otherwordly Inspiration
Inspiration can come from anywhere and varies from writer to writer. For me, the eerie influences of New Orleans have created the ghosts, voodoo tales, and twisted characters appearing in many of my novels. The Magnus Blackwell Series with Lucas Astor is no different. What starts out as a ghost story, morphs into a thrilling supernatural series drenched with all … Read More
Advice for New Writers
Keep writing. It seems simplistic, but the advice is solid and has put me where I am today. I view creativity as a muscle. You need to use it. The process can seem slow in the beginning, making it difficult to find your voice. But discovery only comes through practice, a lot of it. Writing is all about the voice: … Read More
Surviving the Self-Publishing Ocean
Navigating the shark-infested, treacherous waters of the self-publishing world can be daunting to even the most experienced of writers. When setting your sights on this endeavor, I suggest you sit back and take a full accounting of where you want to go, and why you want to do this. Having a plan is necessary, but cannot involve the number of … Read More
How to Make Characters Believable
I continually strive to make my sure my characters resonate with readers. After all, that is what makes any story memorable. Whether a movie, television show, or novel, the characters propel the story along. But putting people on paper can be difficult. You have to relay idiosyncrasies readers can understand. Ticks, personal gestures, the way someone walks or talks, or … Read More