Off with a hiss and a roar!

Well 2013 has kicked off with a hiss and a roar. Long may it continue, the hissing and the roaring that is. First of all I’d like to thank all of you who take the time to visit. It really means a lot and supports independent artists and craftspeople like myself. Anyway, this is my site so I guess I better tell you about what’s happening in my world at the moment (myopic as it may be). I have started a new novel titled ‘Blood Trail’ and have finished the first quarter and mapped out the balance with an expected finish of July/August approx. I have nearly completed formatting a rather large dark-poetry collection (title to be decided). ‘Songs for the Raven’ is an anthology I’ve been working with and is in the process of taking submissions (I did this book cover for them recently). If you’re interested, click on the pic and submit your best literary Horror short:

A few interviews will go live shortly and three separate anthology selections that I’ll post about on my official website: http://williamcookwriter.com. Please stay updated if interested in any of these things via my facebook page.

On other fronts, I have had limited success with my first ventures into self-publishing with the following poetry books. They are all $0.99 titles so if you like poetry, take a punt

My first Kindle short has met with an enthusiastic response and I received my first 1-star review from an indignant reviewer. Sometimes I think people confuse the sample with the whole story! (spoiler alert: stereotypical representations of minor characters) It was supposed to be like an episode from a TV Horror series or Tales From the Crypt. I love and collect vintage EC, Eerie, Creepy and Psycho comics, hence the influence.  Anyway, another $0.99 cent title and recently topping a Goodreads poll. 

Meanwhile, Blood Related is ticking along steadily, not losing or gaining much pace via Amazon but hoping I’m selling a few copies through my publisher, Black Bed Sheet Books (cheaper too)

Anyway, that’s about all from me this month but I will be back in a few days with some more posts. One of my many resolutions for 2013 was to be more communicative (and no that doesn’t mean spamming!).

Oh, and one more thing I’m still doing book cover, audio/music/dvd, graphics through my design site  www.bloodsoakedgraphics.tumblr.com if you need anything.

Until next time, see you later. Will.

Blood Related 2nd Edition release date announcement.

Hi all, well it’s been a while now since my last post and I’d like to thank those of you who have hung around and those of you who are new visitors. Blood Related, the 2nd Edition, is being released by the good folk at Black Bed Sheet Books this Halloween. I have also relaunched the Facebook page for Blood Related where most of the fresh info about the book and the upcoming sequel will be posted. Please visit and ‘like’ the page to stay updated.

 

Here is the new Book Trailer for Blood Related. Very cool – thanks to Cyrus from CyrusFiction Productions for creating this.

WARNING: CONTAINS SCENES OF HORROR AND ANIMATED VIOLENCE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRIbCyNWMcw

 

 

Here is the new cover designed by CyrusFiction Productions, Black Bed Sheet Books, and Blood Soaked Graphics.

The new Blood Related cover.

Times, they are a changin’

 

Well, things are happening with Blood Related. My contract is nearly finished with Angelic Knight Press, consequently I have been thinking a lot about where this novel is going and where it has been. For it is not a stand-alone novel in a sense, as I have always planned it to be the central story in a trilogy that would span 3 generations of the characters therein. After accepting the initial publishing offer from AKP a year ago, I also received a couple of other offers a few days after I had signed with them. I stuck with AKP because they gave me my big break as a first-time novelist and for that I am eternally greatful. We haven’t always had the same vision for the book but that hasn’t been a problem as the suggestions offered by AKP were such that they only served to enhance the work. I feel a little bit sad about leaving AKP after a year but I have had another offer from the good folks at Black Bed Sheet Books – one of the inital publishers who wanted to publish BR a year ago.

Sooooo, I have decided to make the leap and relaunch Blood Related with BBSB, who have also offered to publish the sequel when it’s finished. It was a difficult decision to make and I thought long and hard about it. I didn’t expect to make a lot of money from my book in the short term and feel that is a pretty unrealistic expectation for any debut Indie author, but I have big plans for the complete saga and feel that positioning the work with BBSB will best serve this purpose. That is, not to make money but to grow as a series with an increased focus on the Horror of it all (and hopefully make a few dollars on the way). Nicholas Grabowsky has been an unflinching ally since I approached him over a year ago about Blood Related – the timing wasn’t right then, but the stars have aligned so to speak and i’m very happy to be on board (post August 1) with Captain Grabowsky at the helm. Amongst many other things, Nicholas is the author of Halloween IV and The Everborn, and has a long pedigree of involvement in the Indie and Pro Horror markets. As a result of his tireless work within the Horror industry he has attracted an impressive stable of authors to BBSB. Black Hamster TV is another wing of BBSB’s diverse media presence online and real world: you may have heard of ‘Francy & Friends Radio‘, Hacker’s Source, or Shot in the Dark Comics, all affiliates of BBSB.

This is taken from the BBSB where Mr Grabowsky talks about his publishing/production company and values:

“In October 2008, I set into motion what it takes to establish a bona-fide publishing company out of my garage and two other offices inside my home.  If this venture proves to be an extremely successful one, I’ll still be operating out of my garage and home, but perhaps in larger ones.  Even if it doesn’t go that far, I’ve submerged a great many years of my life into not only the art of writing as a profession, fiction as well as non, but into the entire process of taking something creative from typed manuscripts to computer documents to something scribbled on grocery store paper bags or napkins, packaging them into a bookstore-quality products and presenting them to the world…..my own works, as well as works of others, since 2002 under the name of Diverse Media.  I decided that the time had come to take my publishing pursuits to the next level and to establish Black Bed Sheet Books as a credible, reputable, and successful publishing venture.  Since my reputation and focus is built upon the genre of horror literature, that is what BBS specializes in.  I will not limit myself nor BBS to this genre, and all avenues are open, hence the byline “fine publishers of exemplary literature, fiction and non.”

In the past, I’ve invested my writing career into publishers and agents that fell short of even minimal expectations.  As a result, I’ve become fiercely independent.  I’ve been working for myself and as a result brought myself farther into my career, and I have the will and means to do the same for you.

My objective is to be the ideal publisher I as a writer always wanted to have, and I intend to carry out that mission to the fullest.  I will work with each one of my authors to meet the highest quality publishing standards, and release each title to the broadest marketing and selling potential utilizing all the tools and resources available to me.”

As you can see, the appeal of having someone like Nicholas in your corner, is quite an advantage and a privilege. So it is with a touch of sadness that I bid farewell to AKP and thank them for taking a chance on me and my work and wish them continued growth and success, but it is with a glad heart that I cross the threshold and enter the DownWarden world of Black Bed Sheet Books and all it has to offer. It is hard for an indie writer to get ahead and unfortunately one must make difficult decisions to do so; life is short but the road is long – the journey twists and turns, climbs and falls, and as long as the way is forward, the horizon looks a bit brighter with every mile forged ahead.  Thankyou to everyone for your past and continued support. More treasures in store for you shortly, I promise.

 

http://twitter.com/blackbedsheet

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Bed-Sheet-Books/49733235679

http://downwarden.com/homepage.htm

http://www.downwarden.com/blackbedsheet/

 

This is the latest review (of Blood Related) by William Malmborg. When you’re done reading, please make sure to check out William’s very cool website here.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Blood Related by William Cook

Nurture or nature?  Anyone involved in such a debate would probably have a hard time pinning an answer to this question when concerning the Cunningham twins Charlie and Caleb.  Brought up by abusive parents, one of whom is a savage serial killer that often encouraged his children to take part in his horrible crimes; one could easily argue that the two were nurtured into the monsters they eventually become.  At the same time it’s hard to say nature didn’t play a part because how else could one explain the generational bloodlust the Cunningham family displays, bloodlust that seems to have begun with Charlie and Caleb’s grandfather?  Whatever the cause, the result is a pair of psychotic serial killers who show no empathy for their fellow human beings; serial killers who actually view themselves as separated and on a higher plane of existence than mankind and thus entitled to do whatever they wish to them.

As noted above, it begins early on for the twins, usually with over the top physical punishments that would easily knock any sense of goodness from within the mind of a growing child.  After that came the introduction to murder as their father brought female victims back to the basement and allowed his children to watch and sometimes take part in the torture and eventual slaying of the captive or captives.  However, the act of murder was not limited to the basement or even the house.  Lacking any control on his impulses, their father will also sometimes commit murder while the family is out and about, a situation that then calls for disposable of evidence and the cleaning up of the crime scene.  Such moments are a ‘hands on’ learning experience for Caleb and Charlie, one that will prove invaluable later in life as each matures into individual serial killers.  Of course this isn’t to say suspicion isn’t leveled on the father.  The local police — and one man in particular — are pretty sure the father is responsible for the crimes, ones that eventually become attributed to a killer known as the Dockside Ripper.  Being able to nail him down as the Dockside Ripper, however, isn’t easy, which in turn allows the body count, and the education of two budding serial killers, to grow.

Of the twins, Caleb seems the most level headed, which in turn makes him the scarier of the two when it comes to the two serial killers.  That said, Caleb does have some impulse control issues just like his father, which sometimes causes close calls with the police.  At one point it also puts him in conflict with his brother due to the slaying of a young woman that Charlie wanted to keep alive, his desire to cause chaos and the eventual breakdown of civilization leading to a different type of torture and murder than what Caleb usually takes part it.  The question is will the two be able to work together to the end that Charlie wants, while also allowing for Caleb’s desires to be realized, or will the two come into such conflict that they destroy each other.  Also, will the detective obsessed with their family and the savagery it displays be able to put an end to their reign of terror, or will he just become another victim?

Mostly told from the point of view of Caleb, but also occasionally from some of the other individuals within the story, Blood Related by William Cook is a wonderfully twisted tale of two serial killers who have no redeeming value whatsoever, yet are somehow fun to read about.  In fact, not only are they fun to read about, but at times you find yourself actually rooting for them, which can be very unsettling.  Equally unsettling is the disgust one starts to feel toward the father and Charlie, yet not toward Caleb despite his being just as ruthless as the other two.  Adding to the story and its authentic feel were the newspaper accounts, books segments, and clinical observations layered throughout the story, all of which had the feel of being real documents one would find in such media forms.  Having seen and used these types of documents in the real world when studying such subjects in school, I can honestly say the author nailed it when penning his own, and had I read them as part of a case-study I would have assumed them to be genuine.  I also would have been horrified to know that two such killers had done the things they did for as long as they did, and that a family had had produced three generations of serial killers.

Needless to say, I found Blood Related to be an excellent read, one by an author who hopefully will be releasing more works in the near future.  Until then readers will have to keep their bloodlust sated with the tale of Caleb Cunningham and his twin brother Charlie.  I promise, if this type of story is your thing you will not be disappointed.
Source:

http://www.williammalmborg.com/2012/02/blood-related-by-william-cook.html

‘BLOOD RELATED’ – AMAZON KINDLE RELEASE

Blood Related now available on Amazon Kindle

 

‘Blood Related’ by William Cook has just been released on Amazon for Kindle. Print release to follow shortly. Please choose ‘tags’ on the ‘Blood Related’ Amazon page and make sure you share it via Twitter or Facebook. Thankyou for your patience and support. Hope you all have a great start to the New Year. Much appreciated.

 

 

Another superb endorsement for Blood Related

Nicholas Grabowsky on 'Blood Related' by William Cook

Note: To all of you who are waiting to get a copy of ‘Blood Related’, sorry for the delay. It is quite a big book at 420 pgs and the formatting people have been having a few issues with the online version. I have seen a test-run online so I can happily tell you that it is not far away. Thanks for your patience and please stay posted as I will make the official announcement when it’s ready to go, here on http://bloodrelated.wordpress.com. The other place you can keep up with the news about BR is on Facebook on the FB Blood Related page. Thanks again for your interest and Happy Holidays to all.

p.s. Make sure you check out Nicholas Grabowsky’s brillant website here.

William Cook

Guy N Smith on 'Blood Related' by William Cook.

John Paul Allen quote for Blood Related

Check out my article/review I did of John Paul Allen’s fabulous book, ‘Monkey Love.’

Official Book Cover for Blood Related

Concept by William Cook

Design by Angelic Knight Press

Photo image by the fabulous Danielle Tunstall

Non-fiction books about Serial Killers

During the course of research for my first novel, ‘Blood Related,’ I read many books about Serial Homicide, both fiction and non-fiction. In order to understand what makes a serial-killer murder others this research was heavy reading. I found myself becoming desensitized to the violence after the first ten books or so, every now and then something would turn my gut and stand out as unique behavior that differed from the other cases. The central character of Caleb Cunningham is an amalgamation of these behaviors and personality types as I read them. Once ‘Blood related’ is published, I will post a personality profile that outlines CC’s psychological status.

 

Here is the link to the online list I compiled, complete with Book Covers etc:

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/14429.Non_fiction_books_about_Serial_Killers.

As promised, here is the Non-fiction Bibliographical source list.

 

1. The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy The Shocking Inside Story by Ann Rule

2. The Night Stalker by Philip Carlo

3. Crime Classification Manual: A Standard System for Investigating and Classifying Violent Crimes by John E. Douglas

4. The Serial Killer Files: The Who, What, Where, How, and Why of the World’s Most Terrifying Murderers by Harold Schechter

5. Psycho Paths: Tracking the Serial Killer Through Contemporary American Film and Fiction by Philip Simpson

6. The Only Living Witness: The True Story of Serial Sex Killer Ted Bundy by Stephen G. Michaud

7. Bobby Joe: In the Mind of a Monster: The Chilling Facts Behind the Story of a Brutal Serial Killer by Bernie Ward

8. Natural Born Killer: In Love and on the Road with a Serial Killer (Killing Time) by Sandy Fawkes

9. Garden of Graves: The Shocking True Story of Long Island Serial Killer Joel Rikfin by Maria Eftimiades

10. Bound To Die: The Shocking True Story of Bobby Joe Long, America’s Most Savage Serial Killer by Anna Flowers

11. Bad Boy: The True Story of Kenneth Allen McDuff, the Most Notorious Serial Killer in Texas History by Gary M. Lavergne

12. The Shadow of Death: The Hunt for a Serial Killer by Philip E. Ginsburg

13. Step into My Parlor: The Chilling Story of Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer by Edward Baumann

14. Unholy Messenger: The Life and Crimes of the BTK Serial Killer by Stephen Singular

15. Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Next Door by Roy Wenzl

16. Serial Killer Investigations by Colin Wilson

17. Criminal Profiling from Crime Scene Analysis by John E. Douglas

18. Unabomber: On the Trail of America’s Most-Wanted Serial Killer by John E. Douglas

19. Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives by John E. Douglas

20. The Anatomy of Motive: The FBI’s Legendary Mindhunter Explores the Key to Understanding and Catching Violent Criminals by John E. Douglas

21. Journey Into Darkness by John E. Douglas

22. The Cases That Haunt Us by John E. Douglas

23. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas

24. Criminal Shadows: Inside the Mind of the Serial Killer by David Canter

25. Mapping Murder: The Secrets of Geographical Profiling by David Canter

26. Ted Bundy: Conversations With a Killer by Stephen G. Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth

27. The St. Albans Poisoner: Life and Crimes of Graham Young by Anthony Holden

28. Clues from Killers: Serial Murder and Crime Scene Messages by Dirk C. Gibson

29. Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder by James Alan Fox

30. Panzram: A Journal of Murder by Carl Panzram

31. Serial Killers and Sadistic Murderers Up Close and Personal by Jack Levin

32. My Life Among the Serial Killers: Inside the Minds of the World’s Most Notorious Murderers by Helen Morrison

33. Inside the Minds of Serial Killers: Why They Kill by Katherine Ramsland

34. Hunting Humans: The Rise of the Modern Multiple Murderer by Elliott Leyton

35. The Last Victim: A True-Life Journey into the Mind of the Serial Killer by Jason Moss

36. Comrade Chikatilo: The Psychopathology of Russia’s Notorious Serial Killer by Mikhail Krivich

37. Couples Who Kill by Carol Anne Davis

38. The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers by Michael Newton

39. Killer Clown: John Wayne: The John Wayne Gacy Murders by Terry Sullivan

40. Bluebeard: The Life and Crimes of Gilles de Rais by Leonard Wolf

41. Hunting the Devil/Pursuit, Capture and Confession of the Most Savage Serial Killer in History by Richard Lourie

42. The American Murders of Jack the Ripper: Tantalizing Evidence of the Gruesome American Interlude of the Prime Ripper Suspect by R. Michael Gordon

43. The Thames Torso Murders of Victorian London by R. Michael Gordon

44. The Search for the Green River Killer by Carlton Smith

45. The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History by Kevin M. Sullivan

46. Murder In Spokane by Mark Fuhrman

47. The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer by Robert D. Keppel

48. Inside the Mind of BTK: The True Story Behind the Thirty-Year Hunt for the Notorious Wichita Serial Killer by John E. Douglas

49. Lust Killer: Updated Edition by Ann Rule

50. The Want-Ad Killer by Ann Rule

51. The I-5 Killer: Revised Edition by Ann Rule

52. Bestial: The Savage Trail of a True American Monster by Harold Schechter

53. Fiend: The Shocking True Story Of Americas Youngest Serial Killer by Harold Schechter

54. Deranged: The Shocking True Story of America’s Most Fiendish Killer! By Harold Schechter

55. Depraved: The Definitive True Story of H.H. Holmes, Whose Grotesque Crimes Shattered Turn-of-the-Century Chicago by Harold Schechter

56. The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers by Harold Schechter

57. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original “Psycho” by Harold Schechter

58. Green River, Running Red: The Real Story of the Green River Killer-America’s Deadliest Serial Murderer by Ann Rule

 

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/14429.Non_fiction_books_about_Serial_Killers