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New Release: Shades of Hades

Hello Readers,

Well it is finally here! My new short story ‘Shades of Hades’ is now available. You’ll find all the links below the blurb. And don’t forget the anthology, which will include this short story, will be coming out in the not too distant future.

***

It can be tough ruling the underworld. Hades is cold and has a headache, but nobody seems to care, least of all the dead. When he decides to move to a warmer climate, the other gods aren’t pleased.

Will Hades find somewhere warm to call home? Or is he destined to a life of misery?

Shades of Hades is a short satirical fantasy about the gods. If you like fun filled fantasy, comical capers, and tales of ancient gods, you’ll love Shades of Hades.

***

If you don’t want to wait for the anthology, you can get a copy of Shades of Hades at the following retailers:

Amazon.com

Amazon.com.au

Amazon.co.uk

I hope you enjoy the story. I certainly had fun writing it. Please let me know what you think and feel free to share this post with any of your friends or family who might enjoy a good, comical short fantasy.

Thank you so much for your support.

Happy Reading,

Allan

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Cover Reveal: Shades of Hades

Hello Readers,

It is an exciting time for me as the release date for Shades of Hades draws nearer. With that in mind, and as promised, I’m delighted to share the cover with you. And here it is…

I’ll keep you posted on any further developments and will let you all know when the book is released.

Happy Reading

Allan

Brisbane, Australia.

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Introducing ‘Shades of Hades’

Hello Readers,

I’ve got more exciting news for you. I’m happy to let you know that I’m very close to releasing my next short story. This one is called Shades of Hades and it’s scheduled to be released soon. I’m still planning to release a collection of my short stories in an anthology over coming months and the anthology will include this story, plus many more.

To whet your appetite for Shades of Hades, I’ll be doing a cover reveal in coming weeks. So keep an eye out for that post the near future.

Happy Reading

Allan,

Brisbane, Australia.

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Would you like to try my writing? Here’s a peek at Little Monster.

Hello Readers,

Here is the next sample of my work in the 10% Club series of posts, I give you a peek at Little Monster, a short horror story about a little monster that turns out to be big trouble. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of horror.

Little Monster by Allan Walsh

The creature was hideous; the dimples in its bulbous eyes reminded Jordan of a golf ball. Wart-ridden, black skin glistened over its body like an oil slick on a giant toad. Jordan stared at the thing’s long arms, his eyes straying down one of the creature’s muscular biceps, across its trunk-like forearm to the huge hand—knuckles dragging through the dirt, leaving a slimy black trail as the creature skulked along.

“I hope I don’t get that one,” he grumbled, flipping the cereal box over. Words seeped down the front of the packet—‘Monster Crunch, a little fiend in every box. Collect all six.’ He already had Godzuku and the Trull, he didn’t care which of the others he got, as long as it wasn’t the Akuma. That one gave him the creeps. He slid his finger under the flap.

“Ouch!”

He pulled away and saw a line of crimson leaching from a paper cut. Jordan popped his finger into his mouth and sucked on the wound; the metallic taste of blood crept over his tongue. A moment later he tried opening the box again, this time tearing the flap open. He took the waxy packet from within and pulled on either side. The seam gave way with a jolt and cereal burst into the air, clattering down to the tabletop.

There it was. The Akuma. Just lying there on its back. Bulging yellow eyes glaring up at him, pocket sized collectors’ card beside it. Jordan grabbed the figurine and held it aloft, studying its grotesque form. Blood oozed from the slit in his finger, smearing on the Akuma.

“Why’d it have to be you? You’re so damn ugly, why would anyone ever want to collect you?” he said, tossing it away.

If you enjoyed this sample of my writing, please share it with your friends.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in some libraries. 

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New Release: Little Monster

Hello Readers,

Well it is finally here! The new short story, Little Monster, is now available. You’ll find all the links you could possibly need below the blurb. And don’t forget the anthology, which will include this short story, will be coming out in the not too distant future.

***

Could you take the supernatural seriously if your soul depended on it?

Jordan collects monster figures for inspiration. He doesn’t believe in the paranormal and all that rubbish, after all, it’s a load of nonsense… isn’t it?

Little Monster is a short horror story. If you like creepy tales, spine-tingling horror, and dark mythical monsters, you’ll love Little Monster by Allan Walsh.

***

If you don’t want to wait for the anthology, you can get a copy of Little Monster at the following retailers:

Amazon.com

Amazon.com.au

Amazon.co.uk

Kobo

Other Stores

I hope you love the story. I certainly enjoyed writing it. Please let me know what you think and feel free to forward this email to any friends or family who might enjoy a good short horror story.

Thank you so much for your support.

Happy Reading,

Allan

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Cover Reveal: Little Monster

Hello Readers,

It is an exciting time for me as the release date for Little Monster draws nearer. With that in mind, and as promised, I’m delighted to share the cover with you. And here it is…

I’ll keep you posted on any further developments and will let you all know when the book is released.

Happy Reading Allan

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Introducing ‘Little Monster’

Hello Readers,

I’ve been quite busy of late but I now have some exciting news for you. I’m delighted to let you know that I’m very close to releasing my next short story for your reading enjoyment. The story is called Little Monster and is scheduled to be released in the near future. I wrote this story for a writing competition some time ago and while it didn’t win, it did receive an honourable mention. I’ve made a few changes to the story since then in the hope of improving it.

But that’s not all. I also plan to release a collection of my short stories in an anthology over coming months. The anthology will include this story, plus many more. And to whet your appetite, I’ll be doing a cover reveal next week. So keep an eye out for that post in the coming days.

Happy Reading

Allan

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Book Review: Pricing Strategies 2020 by Craig Martelle

Pricing Strategies 2020 by Craig Martelle is a non-fiction title from the Successful Indie Author series that provides authors with strategies on how to price their books.

The Cover: This title’s cover makes it obvious that the book is non-fiction. It is branded to align with the rest of the series in the usual high visibility colours. The images for this series always have a business feel to me, which I suppose is the underlying topic behind being an author, but if not for the series tag, I’d have no idea it was to do with writing. I’ve thought about this a little and I think it would be hard to come up with a cover that represents pricing strategies for book sales. I’m a little disappointed in the cover, but it does fit with the content from the business side of things. The title combined with the series name identifies the content for this one, and the image ties it to the business side of being an author. Overall it fits and is good for purpose.

The Good Stuff: This book covers a great deal, in fact I was surprised at just how much there is to talk about on the topic. I found it a very interesting read that opened my eyes and cemented the importance of writing more books and building a back list. It is written in the same direct, matter of fact, manner as the rest of the series that makes it clear and to the point. There’s no fancy words or bullshit in this series. Craig tells things straight in layman terms and that’s what I love about this author and this series of books.

The Bad Stuff: The worst I have to say about this book is the back matter is the same as the other books. Much the same as any author plugging their website/other titles and thanking those who helped. The fact that I read the back matter again just goes to show this book is worth reading. I can’t really fault this one.

Overall, I found this title to be very informative. I like the authors voice/style, his attitude, and his principles that all come through in this non-fiction series. This one earns itself a dollar making 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Book Review: Write Compelling Fiction by L.J. Martin and Craig Martelle.

Write Compelling Fiction by L.J.Martin and Craig Martelle is a non-fiction title offering hints and tips on how to write compelling fiction.

The Cover: The cover for this book is a typical non-fiction cover. With its bright yellow cover it stands out, yet sits nicely amongst the brand of books in this series of titles for indie authors. Personally, I don’t feel the image conveys the content of the book, but it does hint that it is to do with writing. The title confirms what to expect from this book and sits clearly on the cover with strong contrast and a nice clean font.

The Good Stuff: I found the content of this book to be on point. It covers a lot of ground on the key factors that make up good writing. It is done in an inspirational way, which is I have found to be a consistent theme with these titles. This book would be a good addition to any writer’s tool box, from beginner to veteran writer. If you do not learn anything new, at the very least it will serve as a reminder of the things to be aware of.

The Bad Stuff: The examples inside this title are mainly based on westerns (which makes sense as one of the authors writes in this genre.) I really wish it had been geared towards the fantasy genre, I think I would have enjoyed it so much more – but hey, you can’t always get what you want. There is some repetition, especially with the prose used to present the concepts and techniques, but again, this makes sense.

Overall, I found this to be a great book about the craft of writing that offers tried and tested techniques used in good writing. This one earns a page turning 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries. If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Book Review – Collaborations by Craig Martelle.

Collaborations by Craig Martelle is a non-fiction title that provides information on how to collaborate on writing projects with other Authors.

The Cover: As far as I’m aware, there is only one version for this book. It is bright, stands out, and is branded so as to align with other non-fiction titles in the Successful Indie Author series. I find it presents as a business focused title, which ultimately it is. Once again, I’m not a real fan of the colour choices, but the cover does grab your attention, the font is clear, and the cover successfully conveys that this is a non-fiction title.

The Good Stuff: There is a lot of great information in this title. The content was very informative for me and opened my eyes to what is involved in a collaboration. Not just the work, but how to protect yourself and the co-authors rights, etc… I like Craig Martelle’s down to earth, no-bullshit style. He claims to be a blue collar author, and I am convinced this is the truth. I believe it is well worth investing in this book if you are looking at collaborations. You may save yourself and others a lot of trouble.

The Bad Stuff: What can I say? It’s a great book. There is some repetition, but I’ve found that in this series of books and I feel it is just to hammer the point home. It didn’t bother me at all, but it may irk others. At the end of the day, there is a lot of value in this book for anyway looking to form a collaboration.

Overall, this was another easy and enjoyable read. It was very informative, gets you thinking about things you may not have considered, and provides some example contracts for different types of collaborations. After some discussion with my imaginary friends, we’ve decided to give this one 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.