What’s that sound?

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on October 5, 2020October 5, 2020Categories Our process, The Writer's Life, Thought ExperimentTags ,

One of the scariest elements of a good horror story is the anticipation, the furious flight of an imagination trying to explain what is to come. Fireside ghost stories are full of these experiences as the storyteller builds to a reveal. Today’s question. What horror story (novel, TV, movie or campfire tale) built the best suspense for you? Was it satisfying to discover what was causing the “tap, tap, tap” sound coming from the roof of the car? Or did … Continue reading “What’s that sound?”

A Long-Expected Party

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 22, 2020September 17, 2020Categories Our process, The Writer's Life, Thought Experiment, UncategorizedTags , ,

Today is Hobbit Day, the annual day to celebrate the marvel and majesty of Middle-Earth. Whether you came to his work through print, screen, games, film or just meme’s, today’s the perfect day to turn our thoughts back to the Shire and the journey that J. R. R. Tolkien set out for us. Today’s question: What do you think of J. R. R. Tolkien and what he built for us? After you read ours, drop your thoughts and reflections in … Continue reading “A Long-Expected Party”

Writer Wednesday

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 16, 2020September 16, 2020Categories Holocaust Engine series, Our process, The Writer's Life, Thought ExperimentTags , , , , ,

One of the best things about being a writer is having writer friends. The creative churn of new releases, WIPs, and discussions about what they’re working on is inspiring. To celebrate the release of “The Holocaust Engine” by Evolved Publishing, I want to hear what my friends are working on. Drop your links, or even thoughts about that new WIP in the comments below. Show us what’s out there and what’s coming.

Take a Look Around: A Tour of www.holocaustengine.com

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 14, 2020Format GalleryCategories Holocaust Engine series, Our process, Survival, The Writer's Life, Thought ExperimentTags , , ,

With the release of “The Holocaust Engine”, here is a guide to our corner of the web. This post should help you get started with what you may find here and why you should take a look around or subscribe to keep up with our updates. http://holocaustengine.com/ has three goals: Provide a home for news and insights related to “The Holocaust Engine”, our thriller trilogy set in Key West, FL. Provide a platform for deeper dives into the book for … Continue reading “Take a Look Around: A Tour of www.holocaustengine.com”

The end?

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 13, 2020September 13, 2020Categories Our process, The Writer's Life, Thought Experiment, UncategorizedTags , , , , ,

All good things must come to an end, but some endings are better than others. We started this journey to our launch date talking about famous first lines. While we hope this journey never ends, it made us think about last lines. Sometimes they are the perfect bow on a perfect package. Othertimes, they leave us wanting more. Books, movies, whatever comes to mind, we’d love to see yours in the comments. Here are a few of ours: “The creatures … Continue reading “The end?”

Who needs a hero?

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 12, 2020September 12, 2020Categories Thought Experiment

Today’s breakfast-time writer prompt: Name a favorite protagonist and a single sentence of why. Bonus points for being off the beaten path, but recognizeable. STEPHEN PATRICK: One of my favorite fictional Texans, the “gallant gentleman” himself, Quincey Morris: big heart, big knife, big smile, and he killed Dracula! DAVID RIKE: Stephen R Donaldson’s leper, Thomas Covenant, a fun version of the social pariah as hero, with no real stake in society, but they defend it anyway.

Dog-eared pages and faded ink

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 11, 2020September 12, 2020Categories Our process, The Writer's Life, Thought Experiment, UncategorizedTags , , , , 1 Comment on Dog-eared pages and faded ink

Today’s thought experiment is about “that one book”, the one with the worn edges, the notes in the margins, the one that has traveled with you through time and space. Other than religious volumes, what is “that one book” on your shelf that you’ve read the most often? Drop yours in the comments, and add any backstory that goes with it! Ours are below. Mine is a bit classic, and, to be expected, David’s is hyper-practical. STEPHEN: This one is … Continue reading “Dog-eared pages and faded ink”

The perfect tool or a perfect waste

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 7, 2020September 12, 2020Categories Survival, Thought ExperimentTags , , , , , ,

Any disaster book has to explore the tools, skills and essential needs required to survive. Sometimes you have the perfect tool for the job and other times you’re lost in the woods with a writing journal and no pen. Our thought experiment for today is: What is the one item that you consider absolutely essential in a survival situation? AND What is the one item you consider absolutely useless in a survival situation? (extra credit if you add on why … Continue reading “The perfect tool or a perfect waste”

Out of nowhere?

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 4, 2020September 12, 2020Categories Our process, The Writer's Life, Thought Experiment, UncategorizedTags , , , , , , , , ,

One of the joys of being a writer is finding inspiration in the most unusual spaces. My question for today: What is the most obscure thing you’ve read/seen in the past month that impacts your writing? Here’s a few gems we’ve found in obscure places that have impacted our writing. Leave your own in the comments or feel free to comment on ours. Enjoy! DAVID RIKE Attack of the Mushroom People is a Japanese horror movie from the 60’s on … Continue reading “Out of nowhere?”

What we’re reading

Author stephenpatrick1 Posted on September 4, 2020September 12, 2020Categories Our process, The Writer's Life, Thought Experiment, UncategorizedTags , , , , , , , , , , ,

From Stephen Patrick: One of the best things about working with a writing partner is how we compliment each other to make us and our stories better. Our individual reading tastes are hard to describe, but we both have a unique discipline beneath the madness. Below is a small snippet of what we are reading as The Holocaust Engine prepares to launch. Please share your own in the comments. We’d love to see where you are casting your gaze these … Continue reading “What we’re reading”