ELEMENTS now .99 cents (Limited Time)

Permuted Press has ELEMENTS OF THE APOCALYPSE for only .99 cents. That's 4 novellas, includes my novella PHRENETIC.

http://www.amazon.com/Elements-of-the-Apocalpyse-ebook/dp/B004A159WO

Nick Cato reviews FLESH

"Booth and Riley have saddled up a wild cast for this pulpy blast that's a cross between a spaghetti western and Tales from the Crypt's DEMON KNIGHT film..."

http://nickcato.blogspot.com/2012/04/flesh-of-fallen-angels-by-roy-c.html

Two new 4 Star Reviews for THE FLESH OF FALLEN ANGELS

Check em out :)

Amazon Reviews

Horrornews.net reviews THE FLESH OF FALLEN ANGELS

"...layering a story about the conflict between angels, both fallen and otherwise, over the historical backdrop of the American Civil War was genius. The comparison between the two is never mention, but used quite well in subtext. Warring angels referring to each other as brother, the knowledge that their war did nothing more than destroy their home, the fact that the reason for fighting is largely forgotten in the midst of the fight and the humanization of those who are ostensibly the most evil are all used to great effect without smacking the reader in the face with it. Nice job, gentlemen..."


Continue reading @  http://horrornews.net/50936/book-review-the-flesh-of-fallen-angels-authors-roy-c-booth-r-thomas-riley/

THE FLESH OF FALLEN ANGELS free on Kindle

Once again (for a limited time) THE FLESH OF FALLEN ANGELS is free on Amazon Kindle.

http://amzn.to/wvI4eP


We're now on Getglue. Check in if you're reading :)

http://getglue.com/books/flesh_of_fallen_angels_gibson_blount_novel/roy_booth

Diaphanous

DIAPHANOUS (w/ Roy C. Booth) is free on Amazon Kindle for a limited time. 

http://amzn.to/jSysJK

Get a peek at Roy's Comic Shop and our new novel

In Focus Roy C. Booth & R. Thomas Riley - 

Lakeland News at Ten - March 9, 2012

http://youtu.be/ItDvE4X0d2U

Goodreads Giveaway (April 9th-23rd)

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway
 

 
   
   

     
       
     
   

   
   

     

       
          The Flesh of Fallen Angels
       
     

     

       
          by R. Thomas Riley
       
     

     
     

       
         

            Giveaway ends April 23, 2012.
         

         

            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.
         

       
     

   

   

   
   
      Enter to win
   
   
 

The Flesh of Fallen Angels is currently free on Kindle. Grab your copy today!


http://amzn.to/wvI4eP

Grand Mal Press publishes new Weird Western novella by Roy C. Booth and R. Thomas Riley (March 1, 2012)

American writers, Roy C. Booth and R. Thomas Riley, have sold a new Weird Western novella entitled, The Flesh of Fallen Angels, to US publisher, Grand Mal Press for publication in 2012. The novella will be available in all formats, including Kindle and in paperback where ever books are sold. According to the authors, The Flesh of Fallen Angels contains fast-paced, horror, sci-fi and Old West themes that explore the dark side of human nature.

About the Novella:

It's the eve of The Ripening as Gibson Blount discovers the secret history of an ancient race and the true outcome of Lucifer's fall. Now, the fallen angel, Azazel, has horrific plans for Blount's town...and the world. With the help of a local priest, a prostitute, an orphan, historical figure William Quantrill, and one of God's chief angels, Blount must dig for truth and unearth secrets woven deeply within Time itself to uncover a supernatural plot put into motion by the Church to punish the Roanoke Puritans. The War in Heaven has been lost and the flesh of fallen angels hangs in the balance. An alternative 1860's history Weird Western, The Flesh of Fallen Angels is filled with fast-paced action, intrigue, and good-versus-evil what-ifs.

Grand Mal Press is a US based small-press book publisher of novels, collections, and anthologies from such esteemed authors as David T. Wilbanks, Randy Chandler, Ryan C. Thomas, and Gregory L. Norris, Iain Robert Wright, Craig Saunders, among others.

"I'm delighted that The Flesh of Fallen Angels will be published by Grand Mal Press who are making tremendous strides forward in publishing genre fiction" says Riley.

R. Thomas Riley is the author of The Monster Within Idea, Diaphanous (w/ Roy C. Booth), If God Doesn’t Show (w/ John Grover), and Phrenetic, a post-apocalyptic horror novella. Roy C. Booth is an author, comedian, poet, journalist, essayist, and screenwriter/doctor (w/. screenplays optioned). Internationally award-winning playwright with 55 plays published (Samuel French, Heuer, et al) with 725+ productions worldwide in 28 countries. Check out his books on Amazon.com/Kindle, Goodreads, and elsewhere.

Riley’s website can be found at http://www.rthomasriley.com and Booth’s website can be found at 

http://www.facebook.com/roy.c.booth 

Grand Mal Press can be contacted at grandmalpress@gmail.com

www.grandmalpress.com

ISBN-10: 1937727130

ISBN-13: 978-1937727130

The Monster Within Idea - Re-released

Back in August, my collection The Monster Within Idea (2009-2011, Apex Books) was dropped from print with very little warning. It was gaining ground on Kindle (reached the top 100 in the horror category twice) and starting to find its legs, I thought, but I opened an email from my publisher stating they were releasing it. It was a bit surprising, but I understood the logic. The book was selling, albeit slowly and print copies were all but nonexistent. 


I won't lie and say it didn't sting a bit. It did. The collection is very dear to my heart and, I think, holds some of my best work to date. I feel both I and the publisher did everything in our power (minus a few missteps along the way) to get the collection noticed and copies sold. Story collections are just notoriously a hard sell as it is. The reviews were solid ( I don't think I ever saw an entirely negative review) for the most part, but the collection simply never sold steadily, there were spurts of activity (Kindle Top 100 2x) but we could never get the collection out of the valleys it fell into. 


I debated re-releasing it. I didn't want to feel like I was resting on my previous accomplishments, but the stories were too good to let disappear (the readers who did read it said so). 


So, it's back available on Kindle. I've added a new afterword, a never before published story, and a sneak peek at mine and John Grover's novel from Permuted Press, If God Doesn't Show, coming in 2012.


Hopefully, it'll finally find its legs and new readers will discover it. There's also a MMPB in the works, soon as I receive the proof and approve it, that'll be available as well. 


Please consider picking up a copy of either or both, I'd really appreciate it. http://amzn.to/s7teEC


In the meantime, here are some reviews the collection garnered when it was available through Apex. 

 http://jennifer-brozek.livejournal.com/29811.html

 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/160539251

 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/197544653

 http://shroudmagazinebookreviews.blogspot.com/2010/09/monster-within-idea-apex-publications.html

 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54138675

 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48877617

 http://horrornews.net/25759/book-review-the-monster-within-author-r-thomas-riley/

 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46485513

Amazon Reviews Page

Sometimes Looking Back...Helps Moving Forward

I've been in this business for over a decade now. I'm tired. I really am. I've accomplished a few things, but I want to be much further than where I am currently. I'm never going to be satisfied, I know this and have accepted it. The drive is too strong, but sometimes you just have to look back to see where you've been, so you can find the strength to move forward. 

I've had a few career changing opportunities over the years. Some, I've failed, others I haven't. Some, I was ready for, others, not so much. But I tried and gave it my best. I'd like to think my best has gotten better. I'd like to think my skill as a writer has improved. Ray Bradbury said something along the lines that, every writer has a million bad words in them, once those million bad words written, they can finally write something worth reading. I'm getting pretty close to my million. How did I do it? The answer is easy and hard at the same time: I wrote them.

Writing is a solitary process. You do it, nobody else can do it for you. The rest of it, isn't done alone, however. That's were friends come into play. I've met and talked with quite a few other writers in this business since I started. Some of helped me, others not so much. I firmly believe that those that have gone before should mentor as much as they can. They received advice from their own mentors and they should strive to pay it forward. They owe it to the next generation of writers coming up behind them. Now, I'm not advocating, you walk up to them and demand advice, not at all. 99% of the time all you have to do is shut up and listen. Just listen, watch their mistakes (they'll make plenty, we all do) and learn. I've done my best to pass on what I've learned over the years and seen. 

This business will chew you up and spit you out without a second thought. How you respond is what determines if you make it or not. We've all heard the horror stories and the success stories and the horror stories far outweigh the successes. That's how it is, it's not going to change. You simply accept it and roll with the kicks to the teeth. You get back up, you trudge forward and you write your million words, and then you keep writing. 

Writing has to come from somewhere deep inside you, if it doesn't, you'll never last. I've had my teeth kicked in more than I care to remember in this business. I've had writers I thought were friends, take projects we were working on together and sell them out from under me. I've had writers steal my work. I've had multiple publishers lie, cheat, and steal my work. I've been dumped from publication more than once. Yet, I'm still here. I'm still writing because it's what I do. Sure, I can stop writing (done it quite a few times), but I always come crawling back. It's who I am, it's what I do. It's my identity, my outlet. It's my coping mechanism. Without it, I'd be lost. 

A few years back, I wrote something for Ray Garton for WHC 2006, I believe. 

"Ray, I met you awhile back in a chat room, somehow we ended up alone and I was scared to death to actually carry on a conversation with you, but somehow I relaxed and had a great time talking with you. I know you may not remember it, but I sure do, because of that night and something you said, I'm where I'm at today with my writing. You took the time to be honest with a nobody and that seed you planted, without realizing it, gave me the confidence to succeed in this business. Something you said stuck with me, so much that I can quote it word for word: " I think you're going to go places. You crack that novel length, and I think you'll be outta here."

"Thanks Ray for taking the time to take a fledgling writer under your wing and offering some encouragement.  I've watched you and you've been nothing but professional and writerly to everyone you come into contact with and whether you've realized it or not, you've provided an example to follow, not just with me, but with everyone you come into contact with.  Thanks for being who you are, Ray." 

What I wrote above all those years ago, still stands. If it weren't for writers like Ray, James A. Moore, Tom Piccirilli, Brian Keene, John Grover, Roy C. Booth, John Paul Allen, Nikki Edwards, Mari Adkins, and a host of others, I wouldn't be where I'm at today. That's the part where the writing isn't a solitary exercise. Friends, you need them. You need to them to vent, so you don't go on a public rant on FaceBook, Twitter, or elsewhere and embarrass the crap out of yourself. You need them to kick your ass and tell you to not quit. You need them to tell you your work sucks and you can do better. You need them to commiserate when you're getting nothing but rejections and nothing is selling. 

Put simply, you need them and they are integral to your success. 

Later this week..."Readers, Why We Need YOU..."

Revenants, Gibson Blount, and Other Things

My most recent project is now available on Kindle. Revenants is a digital chapbook with over 30k of fiction from John Grover and myself. There's also an exclusive excerpt/sneak peek at our upcoming novel If God Doesn't Show from Permuted Press next year. For those of you who know my work I've also included an essay on the history of Gibson Blount and where you can expect to find more stories about him and what's in the works.

John and I have been collaborating for nearly five years now. Time sure does fly. It's truly been a blast and an honor to work with him. He gets me, and I get him. We work extremely well together, practically finishing each other's sentences as we write.

The ink is dry on the contracts and Grand Mal Press will be publishing The Flesh of Fallen Angels, co-written with Roy C. Booth, sometime next year. This novel has had a precarious road to publication and hopefully this time it will actually see the light of day. This novel is very important to me as it is basically Gibson Blount's origin story. Some of the same characters also appear in If God Doesn't Show, so it'll be nice to see how you, the reader, receive Blount and if there's enough interest to keep his story evolving.

Diaphanous has been available for nearly six months now. If you've read it, please consider leaving a review on the Amazon page, your blog, your Facebook, or wherever you hang your internet hat. Roy and I have started work on Diaphanous: Bug Collector and slowly making progress. We really need to see more movement and interest with Diaphanous and we'd love all the help and word of mouth you could give.

I've also starting writing a few stories with Nikki Edwards as well. Those have been submitted to various markets and hopefully will find a home in the very near future.

Thanks for reading and hope you continue to enjoy what we're putting out.

The Pieces Shatter Just So (Part 2)

"I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag..." Pearl Jam



As a writer, if you want to really write something well, potent, you have to dig deep into yourself, prod those dark things that lurk in the back of your head. Those regrets, those painful memories, those things that paralyze you for hours if you let yourself dwell on them.

Regrets, we all have them. Things we should've done different, things we could've done different. If you think about your past for too long, you'll find yourself never moving forward. But when it comes to fiction, the more "truth" you let slip in, the better the story will be for it. Write what you know, is a mantra we've all heard before and it applies here.

Regrets. Such a simple word, but it's pregnant with meaning specific to each individual. Me? Boy, do I have plenty. To list them all, would fill this blog up. I usually don't talk about my own regrets, at least not in public, but if you read my work, you'll see them all. They're a part of who I am and they form all my decisions as I move forward. I'm a very analytical person, I approach things from every imaginal angle and I'm not an emotional decision maker, usually. The few times I have made decisions based on emotion they've turned out disastrous. If that makes me cold, then so be it, it works for me.

No one knows you like you know yourself. I'm constantly analyzing my motives and actions, I need to know why I do what I do in certain situations so I don't repeat past mistakes. But being completely honest with one's self can be pretty disheartening. Pulling at those old wounds, bleeding them onto a page, is draining and you have to be careful to leave yourself crumbs so you don't get lost in the words. You have to be able to pull yourself out of the deep, dark hole you just dug for yourself and make sure the rope you're using to pull yourself back out doesn't end up around your own neck.

My biggest regret is losing my son. I was an idiot back then. Lots of things I could've done differently. I was a very unhappy person and didn't even know why back then. I made a ton of mistakes, took a lot of bad roads, and ended up losing the most important thing to me. And I pay for it each and every day. It's a hole that I can't fill no matter what lies I tell myself to cope and feel better. I'm missing his life, sure I get to talk with him on the phone as time permits, but I'm not there to see him play basketball, baseball, football. To see him be a KID. I'm missing it all and it's the worst feeling in the world. This isn't a pity party, an oh poor me rant, it's simply stating facts. I miss having my son, seeing him grow up and being a part of his life. Despite everything, this is the knife that constantly twists in my gut when I think about him, I'm missing his childhood because I couldn't fix myself. Being honest with myself, that's the one thing, despite a huge list of wrongs on both sides of the DMZ, that I'll never be able to forgive her for, she stole my son and there's nothing I can do to make that right.

Nothing...

The Pieces Shatter Just So

Writing is everything to me. It's what I do. It's what I am. If I'm not writing, I'm thinking about writing. I've said this many, many times over the years, if I don't write, people around me know. I've gone months without writing anything for any number of reasons. Every time I sit down to write, everything comes out crap, or I just don't "feel" anything coming out on the page. I've decided multiple times over the years to stop writing, but I always, always, always come crawling back.

What is it about writing? Where did this desire come from? Why do I do it? That is one of the most burning questions I constantly think about it. Why? Why dig so deep and prod those dark thoughts swirling about my head. Why dwell on such horrible things and put my characters through such hell? Why can't I write about bright and shinny happy things? Believe me, I've tried and there's always something dark that slips in under the door and oozes it's way into the story. I could blame my upbringing, but that's just a cop out. I could blame many things that have gone wrong in my life...my marriage, my relationships, whatever...but again that's a cop out and it's never that simple.

The title of this blog is from a recent story that I wrote. There was no idea for it, it simply stumbled out one night. I had no idea what the story was going to be about or even if I was going to finish it, until I did. Those are the best kinds of stories, those that come out of nowhere. Sneak up on you and fester until it simply HAS to come out. You wanna know why I write? This is why, for that feeling, that surge of desire to see where this rabbit hole goes. Even now, the words I'm using to describe this feeling are inadequate, I really can't put into words this feeling I get when I'm in the zone. But if you're a writer, then you know that I'm trying to describe.

No matter what happens, no matter how many times I may stumble into a depressive hole of self loathing and self pity, I will always write, even if it's only in my head for a time, I will always write. It's who I am.