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Hungry Monster Book Awards: August 2016
The Hungry Monster Book Awards are given to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and The Hungry Monster is proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and imagination of these talented authors.
Gold Award Winners
Jabberwocky: A Novella by Theodore Singer
Silver Award Winners
Milijun by Clayton Graham
Derailed by Alyssa Rosy Ivy
Bar Nights by Dave Matthes
Death of a Gypsy by Janet Hannah
Mervyn vs. Dennis by Niels Saunders
Stage Door Comedies by Sally Roger
Asana of Malevolence by Kate Abbott
In the Eyes of Madness by Michael Pang
Welcome to Deep Cove by Grant T. Reed
The Six and the Crystals if Ialana by Katlynn Brooke
Thing Bailiwick: A Collection of Horror by Fawn Bonning
Tarbabies: The Shadow Man of Ichabod Lane by Allen Brady
Books have the ability to entertain and inform us. They can make the impossible possible. They are vehicles of time travel and windows into perspectives. In books, authors are gods and imagination is their power. Transforming letters into words; words into characters and places; and these into emotions and worlds. Even if we never meet, we are connected by the stories we tell.
Visit the Hungry Monster Book Awards page to see more information on the awards. See all award winners.
A World Where Magic Is A Natural Force
Ryan Grimbly Author Interview
Call of the Conjurer is a story about a group of diverse soldiers brought together to be initiated into magical combat. What was your inspiration for blending military fiction with magic and the paranormal?
Call of the Conjurer was actually written as a prequel to a homemade, stop-motion film some friends and I made when we were kids, way back around 1996. It was called Bloodfest, and it was mainly about a squad of modelling clay soldiers tearing through a Lego city full of demons and zombies. It would have been on youtube, if that had existed back then. Ultimately Bloodfest was just a weird little black comedy with minimal plot, although the whole setting and the characters stayed with me for years afterwards. It was when I started toying about with programming and began work on a Bloodfest video game that I started to give it more thought. The original story was a bare concept, and we had made the Bloodfest team far from professional – quite “Monty Pythonesque” in their quirkiness, so I had to ask myself: ‘Why was it up to this squad of soldiers to save the whole world from monsters? What made them capable to do such a thing?’ That was when I had the idea of giving them all super powers and magic spells. I wanted to make an RPG game, and to let players customise the characters with a selection of spells and abilities. I also thought more about the backstory, how the team were in service to a shadowy “Hidden Government” who deployed them to fight off extreme threats. Working on the world building to explain how and why the soldiers had magic; why their abilities were so rare and why there were monsters in existence, eventually led me to write Call of the Conjurer when I wanted to try self-publishing books. I decided to start from the beginning, and work my way up to writing Bloodfest as a novel. I never quite finished that RPG game, but maybe I’ll get back to it sometime!
I felt that the military jargon and tactics used was well displayed. What research did you do for this novel to get it right?
The main thing I had to research was what happens during military training, and then work that around the setting I wanted to write about. The military is something that has always intrigued me. In England we celebrate the heroism of those who fought in wars, and conflict is a big part of our history, so it is the kind of thing I’ve read about a lot over the years. I’ve also known a few people who have served in the British Army and United States Army, and one thing I wanted to get across in Call of the Conjurer was how these soldiers are just ordinary people with the same flaws and ambitions we all have. Bearing in mind the rarity of the recruits in the story – their magical abilities which are desperately sought after – the characters in Call of the Conjurer are granted more privilege than most soldiers would be given in reality. This allowed me to occasionally put the cast in relaxed situations where they could be themselves, which was important for building them up as a team who trusted each other, and letting them grow as individuals.
There is magic used throughout the story. How do you keep magic believable in your story?
For most of the characters in the book, magic is a startling experience to begin with but it eventually becomes second nature. Some of them had prior experience with it, and I wanted a world where magic is a natural force but being able to utilise it is a rarity. It is a mysterious power tied to genetics and human history, and the Hidden Government has an entire Magical Science department dedicated to studying the phenomena. Over the years these scientists have tried to quantify, categorise and explain magic; successfully turning it into a weaponised asset for battle, but like all fields of science their understanding changes with new developments. In this way I can make magic a standard tool for the soldiers who use it every day, but leave many mysteries and revelations to be explored throughout the Bloodfest series in upcoming books.
There are a lot of diverse and interesting characters in this novel. What was your favorite character to write for and why?
I wanted a diverse but small cast, and as Call of the Conjurer was written as a prequel, there were a few key characters that had to be included. I liked having this chance to re-establish characters like Ace and Shimon, writing about them several years younger where they were different people to how I knew them. Captain Mason was instantly a good character to write about. My aim for him was not to be a typical drill-instructor people might expect. He’s much kinder to the recruits (sometimes chastised for being so), but still has to be tough at times. He’s a warrior, and a powerful spell caster. He’s fatherly and considerate, though in private he is a very solemn individual with a huge burden on his conscience. His inner turmoil is a big undercurrent throughout the story, and becomes more impactful to the whole plot towards the end. I enjoyed writing Gretel as well. I wasn’t sure where she was supposed to go at first; how she would develop, but I wanted to write a character who is initially perceived as a snarky, aloof ‘Goth’ but actually has a lot of personality and depth. She’s full of surprises, and I’ve had a lot of feedback from people saying she was their favourite part of the book.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will that be published?
The next book is Typhoon of Fire, which is finished and in the proof editing stage right now. The story follows the surviving recruits from Call of the Conjurer several years later as fully fledged soldiers now on active duty. They’re on a mission in an arid setting, living rough and facing greater threats in hostile conditions. “Hell on Earth” is a big theme of the story, and the whole book is a strange mix of Vietnam War films and Dante’s Inferno. It is definitely grimier and darker than Call of the Conjurer was, taking away the safety nets and really pushing the characters into some difficult situations while expanding on the whole Bloodfest universe even more.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
In the shadows, Just out of sight, A hidden army fights a secret war. In the autumn of 2003, a few remarkable soldiers from across the world are brought together. Each hasa a special gift, and they are to be initiated nto a world of magical modern combat. Captain Calbert Mason is their instructor. He is a Conjurer; one who can summon and control ethereal monsters. As the recruits confront their new powers and the monstrous enemies they will encounter, Mason must ensure their safety throughout the training programme, confront a vengeful ghost from his past, and see that the recruits survive their first mission against a rival, deadly Conjurer.
Suddenly Dropped Into My Mind
Ken Hart Author Interview
Behind the Gem follows Raymond and his coworkers as they are taken from Earth and transported across the galaxy where Raymond becomes a surrogate for the aliens eggs. How did you come up with this intriguing and idea and develop it into a story?
The idea just suddenly dropped into my mind. It took off with a mind of it’s own, with me towed behind. It quickly became an obsession, and I was frequently awakened at night with ideas that had to be written down before I’d forget them. Many ideas were lost until I purchased a voice recorder that I keep with me constantly. I keep it on my bed table, and the next morning, I’m amused by the sleepy voices emanating from it while I write down ideas recorded from the night before. Like any novel in progress, the story line changes; it has to. The first completed write of Behind the Gem is 235,000 words long, The finished version of Behind the Gem is 81,00 words long. Some of the first write will appear in a second story in progress, Behind the Gem: A New Direction. Don’t groan, it won’t be as a flashback.
Raymond has to overcome many obstacles in his new life with the Drassens. What was the inspiration for the culture of the Drassens? Are they modeled after any particular society?
In contrast to the alien movies on the silver screen, I have always envisioned a gentle, benevolent society of aliens, showing us how to live in peace and harmony with them, and each other. I had to shuck the commonality of current thinking about aliens, and dig into my imagination for a story that I would enjoy. Key words, ‘I would enjoy’. I wrote Behind the Gem for my own entertainment, but encouragement from others suggested I should get it published, get a movie deal, make lots of money (what?). Reality supersedes such lofty goals, but we must have a dream to keep life interesting. This dream is mine.
I understand that you grew up in a military family. How do you think that affects your writing?
Not so much for Behind the Gem. It does have a limited effect on my second novel, The Eyes Behold Tomorrow.
What is the next book that you are writing and when will it be published?
To be released in 2017, my third novel, It Was A Small Affair, chronicles an Army infantry squad delivering ammunition to a training exercise, gets caught in a time warp that lands them outside the Alamo, thirteen days before it fell. My own military experience is shown here with glaring efficacy.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Ripped from heart and home by galactic farmers, Ray and his co-workers are taken hundreds of light years across the galaxy and left to fend for themselves. When he begins hearing a voice in his head and is unjustly blamed for the deaths of his friends, he is separated from them and is led to a gentle race of aliens called the Draasen. He experiences a new way of life with responsibilities and challenges he never could have imagined. He is accepted into their society, but at a high cost to his dignity when he is led into protecting and birthing their eggs. When the galactic farmers arrive to take the Draasen population as fodder, the Draasen’s fate becomes entwined with that of the nearly extinct human race and their mutual struggle to survive.
Drop Dead Gorgeous
When Ray wakes up beaten, bloodied, and bound with duct tape in the bottom of a basement, he immediately tries to figure out how he got there and how he can escape. But his captor, the most beautiful woman that he’s ever seen, is hell bent on keeping him in captivity with her. No matter what he tries, he can’t seem to escape her or her captivating story of a husband’s ultimate betrayal and a wife’s twisted revenge that lead Ray’s captor to his town. As details of the woman’s past are revealed, Ray tries to hold onto the hope that he won’t be the next victim.
A story of revenge and insanity, Drop Dead Gorgeous, a novel by Donald Allen Kirch, taps into the craze of scientific experiments, the nature of man, and what actually makes a person a person. A dark imagining and entertaining journey, readers should be able to fly through the quick-witted and often hilarious phrases created by the author.
From the very beginning of the story, Kirch captivates the reader through his description of the setting. The vivid telling of the location of the main male character creates a dark, terrifying, and intriguing straight away.
The story appears to be told in small arcs, each more captivating than the first. There is never a lack of action in the story as the author keeps every part of the story moving along without focusing too long on any one section of the story. Just as the reader becomes interested in one part of the story, the author moves quickly into another section. This keeps the reader on his or her toes as the outcome of the story is eagerly awaited. This style of writing also comes across as being very efficient. The reader is never given more information that absolutely needed in each section of the story.
The characters largely aid in the quickness of the story. But their quick and lively narration may be their biggest redeeming quality. Whether or not the author means for the two main characters to be sympathetic is lost. Though strong characters, neither of them is likeable. While Eve’s backstory tries to give a sort of sympathy to her character, her introduction and elements of her backstory demolish any chance of actual redemption of the character. The character of Ray also has no redeeming qualities. It’s difficult to want either of the characters to end up successful in the story. Although there are a few characters in the story, only one character, the female scientist, is actually sympathetic. But even then, she’s pushed into the unsympathetic category a couple of times during her section of the narrative, as if the goal of the characters is to prove that no person is actually good.
While some descriptions and characterizations delve into an exceedingly awkward and confusing style of writing, there is no doubt that the author excels in creating a believable, albeit disturbing, reality.
Pages: 166 | ISBN: 1523905352
Spikes (A Horror Novel)
Murder, revenge, supernatural powers, and some mystery are what Spikes by Kelvin J. Kettle will bring you. This short novel will leave you questioning what is real, what is in people’s minds and how do all the pieces fit together. At the center of the story is the Goddess Morrigan, who is known to be a shapeshifter, fearsome, strong, and vindictive. She is also known as the Goddess of Crows and to deal out punishment to those she feels are deserving. Knowing this piece of mythology helps the reader to understand this story better, it is not covered in the book so without this knowledge there are some pieces that don’t make a lot of sense.
The story takes place in Boston. The focus is around several police officers and a mystery woman that no one can ever remember clearly. All they remember is that she is beautiful and wears leather. It starts out in the prologue with Karen. She is clearly abused by her father, physically and sexually. Kettle than jumps to modern day with detective John Quint investigating a murder. While at the murder scene he notices a crow watching everything, it spooks him, this is our first look at Morrigan. From here we follow a choppy story line. Kettle jumps from one scene to the next with no transitions and little connection among the pieces. Eventually they all fall into place and you see where it was going but you are clearly following multiple people in their own world separate from the other characters.
While investigating the murder Quint’s partner, Bill Jennings, is introduced. Most of the story revolves around Quint and Jennings’s investigation of the murder. You learn who Spikes is and how she became the person she is now. Through flash backs and hallucinations, you learn about Quint’s past and how he ended up caring for the character Peggy. There is a very chilling way that justice is met out from Morrigan and her followers. They go through a lot of trouble to hide their identities and keep their members safe.
Over all it is a short novel, and a quick read. This is a dark story that is not for the person looking for a happy ending. It is a fascinating introduction to the Goddess Morrigan and her powers. It will challenge the reader’s perspective to follow the different paths the author takes and see where they all meet up in the end. I felt that Spikes was written so that there could easily be more spin off stories that add to the character of Spikes and Morrigan; or I hope so, because I want more of these characters.
Pages: 112 | ASIN: B01HRBUHQQ
A Monster of My Own
Allen Brady Author Interview
Tarbabies follows Josh as he lives through the invasion of Earth by the “tarbabies”, monsters made of a soft gooey substance. What was your inspiration for the tarbabies slow, but relentless movement and appearance?
I’ve been a devotee of zombie stories since I first saw Dawn of the Dead back in 1978, and have long toyed with the notion of writing my own contribution to the genre. But as I began to flesh out a plot, I came to realize that the story I wanted to tell wasn’t going to fit within the confines of the category. The core premise of Tarbabies is best summarized by the first line of the back cover blurb: “That Thing on the porch won’t go away.” Zombies work best in hordes. They’re terrifying when you’re surrounded by them, but a lone shambling corpse is easily dispatched or avoided, making it as much a thing to be pitied as feared. What I wanted was a threat that was just as dangerous on its own as in a mob, and that couldn’t be dismissed by something as simple as a bullet to the brain. The longer I thought about it, the more I realized I needed to make a monster of my own. One of my favorite conventions of zombie fiction is the fact that there are no second chances. The moment you’re bit, you’re done for. I decided to take that a step further. With the Tarbabies, a single touch is enough to seal your fate. For that, I can credit the Blob as a primary inspiration. Once I got the idea to merge the Blob with zombies, I was off and running. The Tarbabies, on the other hand, slowed down. Once the creatures took their final form as animated bags of muck, their plodding, sluggish nature followed inevitably.
Josh and his wife were my favorite characters. Was it difficult writing such an in depth relationship? Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with these characters?
What I wanted most from my protagonists was for them to be ordinary. Tarbabies is a story about what happens when the monsters come to your front door. I wanted my heroes to be people of modest ambitions and corresponding resources. They would not be battling their demons with an arsenal of weapons or years of Special Forces training. They would be limited to the same skills and means that a typical reader might possess. But there still had to be a reason why Josh and Libby can survive while their neighbors succumb to the monsters. I wanted this to be their ability to rely upon each other. There is nothing extraordinary about Josh and Libby’s relationship, but they are devoted to one another, and they know each other well. In a world where every mistake can be your last, this trust and familiarity allows our heroes to share the burden of survival, and gives each of them their opportunities to shine. Though this first book is a complete story, one of these two characters undergoes a significant, substantive change in the course of the novel. The full ramifications of this change are explored further in the third book in the series, and without giving much away, I can say that it represents the greatest test of Josh and Libby’s devotion to each other.
The tarbabies are slow moving, but the tension was expertly crafted in the novel. What was your approach to writing the interactions between people and the tarbabies?
I tried to strike a balance between the Tarbabies being equally repulsive and alluring. They may be shambling bags of ooze, but they are also Something New, and human beings have always been fascinated by novelty. This is why, when the very first monster arrives in Otterkill, Josh discovers one of the neighborhood children literally poking it with a stick. But it’s not just the novelty of the situation that captivates the residents of Otterkill. There is also the knowledge that these creatures used to be us. Every monster wandering Ichabod Lane used to be a neighbor, or a family member. This can only amplify the urge to understand what is happening to them, as it is ultimately what might happen to each of us. There is one final, more insidious reason for the Tarbabies’ appeal, and it’s one that actually occurred to me when I was watching the Twilight movies. In that series, vampires are immortal, super-powered, rich, beautiful, walk about freely in the daylight, and can survive without drinking human blood. In a world where there’s no downside to being a vampire, I thought, why wouldn’t everyone want to be one? It’s not an idea that translates naturally to oozing, amorphous abominations, but the more I played with it, the more I liked the idea of people lining up for their chance to become monsters.
This is book one of the Tarbabies series. Where does the story go through the next two book in the series and where do you see it going in the future?
The good news is, if you enjoy Book 1, you don’t have to wait for more. Books 2 and 3 in the series are available now. Tarbabies Book 2: The Siege at Friendly Haven follows the residents of the Friendly Haven Assisted Living Facility, whom we first met in Book 1. As the last remaining invalids and geriatrics struggle to keep a horde of monsters from oozing into their home, they come to realize that no one in the outside world will be riding to their rescue. Instead, their last hope of escape may come in the form of a 300 pound octogenarian and her beloved personal mobility scooter. In Book 3, we meet up with Josh and Libby once again. In Tarbabies Book 3: The Honey Pot of Defiance, the plague has spread over most of the North American continent. We follow our heroes as they push westward in an attempt to reach the safe haven that is rumored to lie beyond the Rocky Mountains. In the desolate oil fields of northwestern Ohio, they discover the origins of the tarbabies, and witness the next stage in their evolution. Beyond these two books, I have ideas for two more installments in the series. These will further the developments revealed in Book 3, and follow the spread of the tarbaby plague as it becomes a global threat.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
That thing on the porch won’t go away. I called the police, but I don’t think they’re coming. They’ve got their hands full with the Manhattan quarantine, so they can’t waste their time on a nothing little town like Otterkill. That means it’s up to me and the neighbors, and there are fewer of us every day. Fewer of us, and more of them. Every person we lose is one more monster to deal with. The Spiller family, the folks from the Retirement Center, even the Mathises’ Rottweiler are now stalking the streets, waiting for someone to get too close. A single touch is all it takes. I don’t know which of my neighbors became the thing on the porch, and I suppose it doesn’t matter. I’ve got to get out of here, but the Tarbabies are already showing up in Albany, and Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. There’s nowhere left to run, and there’s no point in hiding. Not when the shadows themselves are after you.
Limbo.
In the world created by Marko Pandza, Death is not one hulking figure haunting our last moments of life, but rather a whole society of different Reapers. One Reaper, Grim, though at the top of his game and the ranking of the Elites, despises his job and what it stands for. He longs for a time long gone, of his mortal life as John Grim and his wife, Dora. On a chance encounter with an Engraver, those beings tasked with creating and intertwining souls, he discovers his love is back in the living realm and is informed of a way to return to his beloved. He must fight Heaven, Hell, and everything in-between to be with his true destiny.
This book spares little in ways of imagery and wit, though both are steeped in valleys of dust, it is so dry. The intriguing and original concept of the book helps the reader get through the slow beginning. The author can conjure up a rich and enticing vision through his words. However, this works to both his advantage and disadvantage. It is easy to envision the characters and scenery he creates, but when the creations become grotesque, the reader can feel ripped from the moment, hindering the story.
The overall story and world was fully fleshed out. The setting of Limbo itself was a solid induction into the story, and the home of the Reapers had much to offer, along with the mortal realm, personal paradises, and even rooms from the Maker of Limbo Itself – the audience experienced plenty, and again, this is where the author showed his expressive talents. The reader could easily see the home that Grim shared with his wife, or the performance hall of the Reaper awards. The characters were never floating in a gray area without much detail.
The characters the reader is introduced to throughout the story each have a different motivation, and is it laid out for everyone to see. Grim is the main focus, but by no means the only view point explored. Friends, strangers, and even deities have their stories told. Because of the switching between voices, the reader can live through many stories. However, when the author chooses to pursue narrow avenues for these characters that leave a lot to be desired, it detracts from the quality of the story.
Limbo, much like death, is not a story that everyone is ready for, but it is not without value. This story is by no means badly written, nor does it fall into many typical tropes, but where the concept and the fluidity of descriptions are absolutely high points, the choices to include the depressing overtones and the highly unpleasant imagery of many deaths – they are Reapers, after all – cause the story to fall a couple of notches away from higher ratings. The morbidity and grim tone for the entire book causes the reader to walk away shaken and more than a bit prone to contemplation on their own existence. This may not deter every reader, however, and its commitment to tone and atmosphere is to be applauded. This book won’t appeal to the vast majority, but those who enjoy it will praise its value for a long time to come.
Pages: 278 | ISBN: 1367857368
Voodoo Child
William Burke’s Voodoo Child is an engaging, if not slightly creepy, adventure to a tropical island plagued by greed, witchcraft and humanity. With Maggie Child as our main character, this strong female lead finds her life turned upside down when a tour in Iraq ends up landing her in a research facility. After undergoing an intense experiment it’s her wits and savvy that spring her, and fellow captive Glen Logan, from their captors. Using her family connections Maggie ends up bringing Glen along for the ride as they escape to the Caribbean Island of Fantomas. Neither of them is prepared for what lies ahead. The island has descended into chaos thanks to the joining of a money-hungry woman and one of the strongest spirits in Voodoo lore. This isn’t a tropical vacation that will leave you with a tan. You’ll be lucky to leave with your body intact.
Don’t let the eighty-four-chapter count intimidate you. Many of the chapters are short, carrying important information in succinct little pages. Burke knows how to engage his audience as his cast of strong female leads aren’t ready to lay down and accept their fate. Maggie, Sarafina and Lavonia are the three main characters of this tale and they couldn’t be more different from each other. On one hand you’ve got Maggie, who is an army chopper pilot who isn’t afraid of anything and not about to take sass. Sarafina is the lovely Voodoo priestess who has inherited her title at a young age, but don’t let her youth fool you. Lavonia is a greedy former beauty queen looking to make a fast buck and is ill-prepared to deal with the consequences of her desires. These three cross paths in the most interesting of ways on the small island of Fantomas. Burke weaves his tale and captivates his audience with ease.
Voodoo Child is the first book in a series and it does an excellent job of setting the stage for the story to come. The first volume can make or break a series and Burke seems to understand that as he lays out the world in which his characters live. The relevant characters have their back stories tenderly flushed out and the basics of Voodoo, which is an obvious major part of the tale, are carefully explained. Since Voodoo is a real religion Burke must have had to research and ensure that what he is portraying in his story is correct. The care in which he takes in explaining the various rituals reveal that he did indeed do more than spend five minutes Googling the subject.
If the chapter count hasn’t scared you off you’ll find yourself entangled in a mess of zombies, arrogant humans and spiteful spirits out to take what is theirs. The chaos has meaning and while there are horrific moments in the story none of them feel overdone or out of place. If horror stories are your thing, you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for within the pages of Voodoo Child.
Pages: 333 | ASIN: B01H9E4HDA
LITERARY TITAN 