April Update!

Hey! It's been a while, so I thought I'd pop in and post a little something about what's been going on this month. 😊

But firstly, how are you? Hope this month has treated you well.

I've been very busy during April. 

The month started with a long weekend. It was an excellent, relaxing break with my husband. We don't celebrate religious holidays, but definitely celebrate public holidays! LOL.

After that, I've embarked on not one, but TWO different full edits. Yep. I edited a novella (40k) and a novel (50k). It was a bit of work (especially the novel because it needed extra attention) but I really enjoyed re-reading these stories and doing everything I can to make them even better.

That's the thing about revision/editing. It's always a LOT of work and at the end of each round I feel like my brain has turned to mush, but it's ALWAYS worth it. Always. And to be honest, I enjoy the process.

So, now I'll hopefully take the rest of the week off and catch up on some reading. Oh and by the way, today is also a public holiday.

Another thing that happened is that an anthology that I have a story in was released by Cemetery Gates Media:

My story is a Creepypasta shortie called The Hags from Merricktown and features a creepy pair that may or may not have been inspired by real people I've experienced in my own suburb. 😳

You can grab a copy HERE.

Well, asides from the above I've been walking heaps, keeping up with the awesome Yellowjackets, and finally caught up on Saga. The other day I realised that this is pretty much the only comic book series I'm still reading. I used to enjoy The Walking Dead and read into the 100s, but gave up because I didn't like the direction of the story arc. To be honest, I don't even know if it ended yet or not.

I've been so caught up in my own writing that it wasn't until last week that I managed to catch up on some reading. I'm really behind on review books and the many awesome books I've bought myself. I'm hoping to get stuck into some of those this week.🤞

That's it for now. I hope you all have an awesome week!

SAGA #62 & #63: Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

 

Saga #62 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. This might be a short issue but it sure packs a punch. Not only do we see a very interesting Alana and Petrichor flashback that puts things into perspective, but we also get a glimpse of what's currently going on with some of the other (more disturbing) characters. I fucking LOVE this series!

Also, this cover is stunning.

 

Saga #63 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy shit! That's quite the unexpected ending!! 😳

This is another great issue that blends several POVs to move the story forward. I'm really enjoying Hazel's story arc and can't wait to see where the story takes her. I feel bad for Alana because she's trying really hard to raise both children while working shitty jobs and trying to outrun their past.

Like I said in my review of the previous issue: LOVE this series.

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SQUISHMALLOWS OFFICIAL COLLECTORS' GUIDE

 

Squishmallows Official Collectors' Guide by Squishmallows
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Recently, we started casually collecting Squishmallows. They're adorable squishy plushies that are too cute to resist. And there are SO MANY to choose from. Too many, really, because you just can't have them all.

Our beloved cat, Loki, passed away at the end of February. After spending sixteen years with him, he left a huge hollow place in our apartment. And I have to admit that Squishmallows helped fill in that painful void. They make me happy and helped me deal with the loss. For that, these plushies will always have a special place in my heart.

It wasn't until I was looking through a few local websites that I found this book. My husband picked it up the other day and I have to say that it's beautiful! It's a pretty thick hardback, it's very colourful, and the quality is fantastic. It also features a lot of these super cute Squishmallows. Every single one of them has a story to tell. Some are funny. Others are quirky. But all of them are delightful.

I love this book! A lot of work and care was obviously put into making this. If you're a collector, it's definitely worth picking up.

And by the way, the casual collecting has become hunting adventures. 😅

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LINGHUN by Ai Jiang

WELCOME HOME.

Follow Wenqi, Liam, and Mrs. in this modern gothic ghost story by Chinese-Canadian writer and immigrant, Ai Jiang. LINGHUN is set in the mysterious town of HOME, a place where the dead live again as spirits, conjured by the grief-sick population that refuses to let go.

I would like to thank the author for sending me a review copy of this very unique novella.

Wenqi's family have moved into HOME because her parents want to reconnect with the ghost of their dead son. But she doesn't want to be there and is constantly at odds with her obsessed mother. When she meets the mysterious Liam, she thinks they're forming a real friendship but he might have nefarious plans of his own...

Linghun is such a haunting and peculiar story that grabbed my attention instantly. Not only does it focus on the effect that loss has on people, but also introduces a very strange and wondrous place where families can move into certain houses in hopes of enticing the spirits of their dead partners, offspring or relatives to return.

The atmosphere in HOME is as surreal as it is dark. The mysterious vibes are creepy and the way this place works is intriguing. Not only are spirits encouraged to come home, but there are also humans called lingerers who live in frontyards and waste their lives away while waiting for a house. 

And auction days are absolutely terrifying. Yikes. 😳

I really enjoyed this disquieting tale about a young girl who has been forgotten and lives in the shadow of her dead brother. It's heartbreaking to see how her mother ignores and resents her, only focuses on the child she lost without sparing a thought for the one who's actually there.

Several other interesting characters, like Mrs. and Liam fill the pages of this novella. Both tie into Wenqui's story and in their own way, add an extra layer of sadness.

I think this is a great exploration of how life, death, grief, hope, and love shape our world. It's also a haunting and melancholy ghost story with just the right amount of horror.

Linghun is now available from Dark Matter INK.

BRAD, UNWOUND by Jamie Kort

 

Brad, Unwound: A Puppet Scorned Yarn by Jamie Kort
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last year I read a very interesting and unique little yarn called, A Puppet Scorned. Today, I got the chance to read the prequel.

Brad is the King of the Attic. He knits all day and creates socks he wants to control. When they don't look the way he wants them to, or they don't listen, he shuns them. Disappointed that he can't make the perfect pliable creation, he mopes around. Until the day inspiration walks into his domain and changes everything...

Yikes! This is such an entertaining story. It's fun and made me chuckle several times. It's also infuriating because Brad is a total jerk, and this episode featuring his personal struggles made me dislike him even more. Oh, and it's pretty dark, too. Brad is not a nice sock puppet. His mind is a cavernous abyss in search of self-gratification and selfish ambition.

This guy only cares about himself, and when the story takes an unexpected turn, he really starts believing his own hype.

I REALLY enjoyed this, and how it leads perfectly into Camille's tale. 🧦🪡

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HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE by Grady Hendrix

 

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading a new Grady Hendrix book is something I always look forward to. 😊

Louise is a hardworking, overachiever who left her hometown years ago and never looked back. She's also a single mother who lives in San Francisco. When her parents die in a car accident, she's forced to return to her hometown to attend their funeral, sort through their belongings, deal with her brother, and sell the house. However, nothing goes according to plan because her childhood home is hiding as many secrets as her memory...

Wow. This story packs quite the punch and deals with a LOT. These characters are put through so much emotional, physical and mental trauma that I was exhausted by the time I reached The End.

As usual, I couldn't put this down, and reached the halfway point during my first sitting yesterday. Then finished the rest today because I HAD TO FIND OUT where this insane adventure of the puppet kind was going to lead. And boy, it didn't disappoint.

There's so much going on in this book, and just when you think things can't get more batshit crazy, Hendrix cranks it up. The sense of creeping dread hangs so heavy over that cursed house, that every moment Louise and Mark spent inside had me on the edge of my seat. The descriptions were extremely vivid, so I could feel those bleak and dusty rooms closing in, see Nancy's spooky artwork on the walls, and sensed all those claustrophobic dolls.

Not to mention the puppets. OMG. The puppets. 😫

Pupkin was absolutely fucking terrifying. All those family secrets were twisted af, and tied every surreal moment together.

I also enjoyed the interactions and relationship arc between the estranged siblings. This might be a horror tale at it's core about a house haunted/cursed by damaging family secrets and omitted lies, but it's also a sad story about loss and love. About how far someone is willing to go to protect the ones they love, and how they deal with the aftershocks while also trying to process grief.

Loved this disturbing book.



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