Isis Sousa's Blog: Tragic Books' news

It has been a while since I did a blogpost or have been to GoodReads, that’s because, besides much work, I have traveled to France and Portugal, to attend two Computer Graphics events with focus on Concept Art/VFX/Animation and 3Dart, I worked and studied at these events – which were a great place to be since I live out of digital illustration/concept art.

Now, onto Gothic Books… Today I am revealing to you the cover of ‘As Black As Ice’ – the final part of ‘As Cold As Thorns’ novel. I painted it myself and hope you enjoy it :-D

Most likely this novel will be released during Autumn this year, so stay tuned!

Thank you so much for your amazing support and hope all of you are having a great time :-) Take care!

Hell-o, dear dark souls! Hope February has treated you right and that you had a cozy Valentine’s, if you celebrate this Holiday. :-)
This month has been a bit of a struggle for me as I have been sick with an apocalyptic flue and cold, coughing and whatnot! So I almost couldn’t make the Youtube Channel launch happen… But I found an opportunity this week and I took it.

I am very happy to start this journey talking about my books, discussing self-publishing, writing and of course, doing Gothic Books reviews! And I hope this channel will be both entertaining and helpful to you.

In the first video I am talking about The Night of Elisa – how the book was born and the process behind it writing & publishing it. It is scheduled for TODAY, Saturday 24th Feb, 8:00 PM or 20:00 hrs OSLO time, or GMT + 0100. I’m looking forward to seeing you there and hearing from you!

Here’s the link for the scheduled video: https://youtu.be/UzpfLw3xoXU

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Blood Pack Vol 5 – Music Download

Every year, Sean Paulfrey, the mastermind behind Intravenous Magazine, publishes a collection of indie Gothic Music . And now, celebrating the webzine’s 5th birthday, you have a massive 24 tracks to listen at your pleasure.

The album features names such as Angelspit, The Gothsicles, Deadfilmstar, Sounds Like Winter, Noir, Hardcore Pong, Cynical Existence, Veil of Thorns, Cold Therapy, and Chiron plus many more exclusive and unreleased tracks from international gothic, industrial and electronic bands. It also comes with an A4 PDF booklet containing bios and links for all the bands who have kindly donated a track.

Download it for FREE at Bandcamp: https://intravenousmagazine.bandcamp.com/album/blood-pack-vol-5

The webzine has also revamped their looks, check out their new, beautiful fresh layout: http://www.intravenousmag.co.uk/ and get updated on the dark side of music, entertainment and books.

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Check out Caroline’s Blog http://carolinesometimes.blogspot.no/ – She reviewed 3 of books and she is a Norwegian girl who loves hair, make-up, goth and black metal!

I have visited it a few times, since we got to know each other recently, and I love her style and creativity. You find a lot of nice tips and product reviews at her blog. ^.^ Thank you so much for your support, dear Caroline!

Winners from previews Follorwer's Promo: Janie C and Monique! Congratulations! You won 1 year digital subscription of Gothic Beauty Magazine! I will contact you guys about the prizes! :-D
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*VALENTINE'S PROMOS:*

This 14th February Win a kit with
3 paperbacks: As Cold As Thorns, The Night of Elisa and Eleanor’s Gift
+ 1 year digital subscription (3 issues) of Gothic Beauty Magazine

How to participate: All you have to do is to subscribe to Tragic Books Newsletter. If you have done that already, you are automatically in! Yeah!

One subscriber will be randomly selected and I will contact you to get your shipping address/deliver the Valentine’s Gift.



Your chance to win on Twitter! Follow Tragic Books on Twitter & Retweet the Valentine’s Promo to win one of the 3 Kindle copies of Valencia Noir + 1 year digital subscription (3 issues) of Gothic Beauty Magazine.

4 lucky winners will win one of the announced prizes. I will contact you via Tweeter to deliver the goodies.


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*UPCOMING BOOKS & MORE!*

Hell-o, darklings! Hope all of you have started 2018 in great style! Do you use to make plans for the year ahead or resolutions? Do you make wishes?

I usually make wishes and some planning/strategy. So now I have several things in motion to bring some projects to life. Here are some of them:

– Pere Lachaise – The Art of The French Cemetery (as announced on the Gothic Beauty article http://www.gothicbeauty.com/2017/10/t... is under production, and if all goes as planned, will be published this late Spring.

– As Black As Ice (As Cold As Thorns, book#2) is being written, edited, and beta read, all at the same time and also scheduled for late Spring/Summer publishing. My dear newsletter subscribers will have access to a free e-book copy when this title is out!

– YouTube channel, almost there! I planned to launch it this month… It won’t be possible. But stay tuned for the next couple of weeks, and you may have a surprise! 😉

– An idea for a free story in video format. I’ve been dreaming about making an illustrated book for adults, narrating a girl’s nightmare and most recently, I’ve been asking myself what it would look (and sound) like it was made in video format. How would you, as a fan of books, like such a project? Let me know your opinion. I’d like to publish it later this year, around Autumn.

– New Gothic novel ideas – I have now several ideas for new illustrated gothic novels, which I hope to start writing this year and publish from the next year on. They will be within the subgenres Steampunk, Traditional Gothic and Urban Gothic. I will share more with you in time.

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So, hope you have a brilliant year ahead, with much love, great ideas and creations and much success on your endeavours. Thank you for your support! :-D

So how is your December rush going? Do you have special plans for the holiday season? How do you celebrate Christmas and New Year?

For me, November and December have been very busy! As most of you know, I write, edit and publish on my free time, which means I have a day job to help paying the bills. What do I do for a living? I am a professional illustrator and graphic designer, and I have been doing mostly Fantasy book covers for indie authors and publishing houses for the past 6 years (and before that, I did graphic design for different forms of advertisement in the heavy metal/alternative music niche). And for the past one and a half year I have also worked as art teacher at the local school.

These past three months, I have contacted my clients and told them I am stopping doing book covers so I can pursue the career which I have always dreamed about: be an independent artist. Long story made short: has been a tough decision and difficult transition for me. But in 2018 I will start the year doing what I love most, which is teaching and producing independent art. I will better invest time on writing and illustrating Gothic Fiction books and producing new artworks for my portfolio and can’t wait to share them with you guys!

I am also starting Tragic Books YouTube Channel in January! Yeah! It will focus on Gothic Books reviews, Writing and Self-Publishing, and a sneak-peek into my book projects and some vlogging. That will be my way to support more of our ‘dark’ community as well as help aspiring writers – who like me, wish to have their work published independently.

It’s a lot to think about during these holidays, which I plan to spend home, with peace and quiet together with my husband. ^.^ We don’t have religion, but we like to enjoy the season nonetheless.

So last, but not least… THANK YOU! Seriously! Thank you guys for your support! I am very fortunate that you have taken the time to read, share or purchase my stories! Means a lot for someone who started out from zero!
Happy Holidays, take care and have fun!
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* * * FOLLOWERS GOODIES: * * *
1 yearly subscription to electronic Magazine Gothic Beauty !!! (3 issues per year) for 3 lucky winners!!! :-D

>>> All you have to do is to leave a comment and I will pick up 3 random winners. The result will be announced in the beginning of January 2018.

http://www.gothicbeauty.com/ features art, lifestyle, fashion and all things Gothic & Dark.
Good luck!!!

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by the mag or anything, I promote them because I like their stuff :-)

Hi there, guys! :-) December, the key that closes 2017, has arrived… And I would say, it came rather too quickly!

Now, it’s the time of the year where most have too much work and many social events to attend as well as hunting for gifts and planning for the big holidays.

I have a Christmas post prepared for you, but that one comes later! ^.^

Today, I’d like to share with you that I am launching 2 YouTube channels:

- Tragic Books: where I will do Gothic Book reviews, talk about self-publishing, writing and show you my own book projects. This channel will start in January 2018!

- Helheimen Design: where I do art book reviews, talk about art and artist problems and show making ofs, tips and tutorials based on my own paintings.

This channel is now out, and the first video you watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=robYW... showcasing the art book and calendar of my artist friend Pierangelo Boog.

If you’d like to support my work, you can subscribe, leave a like or a comment :-D Hope you enjoy it!

Have a great time, good luck organising your month and see you soon!

Good morning, darklings! Hope all of you have started your week in a great dark mood! ;-) Halloween and The Day of The Dead are in the air... And I am evilly happy in sharing with yo a great news!

Something that means a great lot to me, a huge milestone: My books and I have been featured at the awesome Gothic Beauty Magazine!

I invite you to read the full article here: http://www.gothicbeauty.com/2017/10/t...



And, I would like to wish you all an AMAZING HALLOWEEN and DAY OF THE DEAD (Dia de finados, in Portuguese and Dia de los muertos in Spanish).

Hope all of you have a great time, partying or cozy at home, with lots of great books, films, or petting your black cat or tarantula :-D



And, thank you so much for your great support and friendship! <3

After years doing digital work, I am rekindling with ink and paper. As an artist, it is important that I do studies in both digital and traditional media and I have basically abandoned the last part for a while.

This week, however, after months trying to reconnect with my roots, I finally found the motivation and right mindset to do that.

Here comes a little drawing, Frankenstein - not from the book, - but from the classic movie. I used a mechanical penciler for the draft and 0.3 + 0.5 mm ink pens.



You can see more of my artworks, including book covers, on my new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/helheimendes...

So, what are you reading or watching Horror-wise this Friday?
I will be drawing another classic Horror/Gothic character and hope to post it soon :-)

Stay dark! Thanks for visiting!

I first came across Rupert's work through Harry Whitewolf, Janie C and Jason, great GR friends, who were reading The Rebel's Sketchbook. Well, I am an artist and I am a rebel by nature. I loved that title and the cover, so 'explosive'! I thought it was some kind of punk-ish real sketchbook, but it turned out it was a collection of short stories, rather than an art book, and guess what? It was one of the coolest books I have ever read! For some, the stories are 'dark humour', for me, an 'acurate picture of reality.'

Indulge in this interview I did with Rupert Dreyfus:

1) When did you start writing and which are your main influences?
I’ve written on and off since I was a kid. It was mostly self-indulgent, artless drivel. Then when I turned thirty, something clicked and I realised that writing literary fiction isn’t for everyone so no need to try imitating it anymore. After a little experimenting I discovered a style and a subject matter that seemed to compliment each other. The rest is a blur.

As for influences: it’s hard to say who or what my main influences are. We always think of influences as having to be other writers but we all know this isn’t strictly speaking the case. For example music is a massive influence on my writing; specifically the old punk bands and their approach to using the arts as a nailbomb against the established order.

When it comes to literary influences, over the years I’ve enjoyed the works of Orwell, Poe, Kafka, Dashiell Hammett, Irvine Welsh, William Burroughs, Cornell Woolrich, Edward Carey, Oscar Wilde and Patrick McGrath to name a few. I have also discovered some incredibly raw poetry in recent years; poets such as Raegan Butcher, Harry Whitewolf and Andy Carrington. Can’t get enough of it.

2) Do you live off writing or do you balance it with another job? How easy/difficult is it to make it as an author?
I don’t make anywhere near enough money to survive off writing stories so a day job subsidises my savage addiction to ink and paper. Needless to say I’m not in it for the money anyway. I mean it’d be lovely to wake up to having enough money to switch the world off and make a lifestyle out of writing stories, but I can’t see that happening any time soon. Leeching off creativity is reserved for the privileged among us.

As for how easy/ difficult it is to make it as an author: it depends what we mean by ‘make it’. I think it’s a fallacy to link ‘making it’ to financial success because profit isn’t a useful yardstick for the true value of art. I think getting just one stranger to read your book is making it; even if they think it’s eternally wank. Better still each time we bypass the gatekeepers and take back control of the arts we’ve made it.

3) How do you connect with readers? How has been the response towards your work, which is quite polemical?
I mostly connect with readers through social media and by email. Pretty much every day I send DMs and emails to friends and readers. I love to connect with anyone who has taken time out to read my books and support me. The old days of pretentious authors living in their ivory towers are numbered. It’s all about community and caring for your readers as much as they care for you.

To answer your second question: the response to my work has been largely positive which, given the subject matter, is surprising really. Back in 2014 I set off expecting most people to have a negative gut reaction to what I write because counterculture in the Digital Age is deader than Hugh Hefner’s libido. The only difficulty I’ve had so far is getting my stories firmly on to the cannon. But it’s a work in progress…

4) Which of your books/projects is your favourite and why?
Without a shadow of a doubting Thomas my latest novella Prezident Scumbag! has been my favourite project. It was certainly the most fun to write and allowed me to vent about some pretty serious stuff. I was in an awful place in my personal life, too, and it turned out to be perfect for finding the narrator’s inner-voice.

The subject matter is also close to my heart. If I could write only one story in my entire career then it would be centred around calling out the racists and the fascists in society, and doing everything I possibly can to extinguish their nasty, disgusting views.

5) What is your biggest dream as an indie author?
I deep down hope to make enough money out of writing to purchase an island and turn it into a self-sufficient anarchist community. There’d be some spare rooms for visitors to seek refuge; particularly vulnerable people from around the world. Like an open house for free spirits. And everyone’s welcome. Except for Trumpets. They can fuck right off.

The characters of your stories, are they inspired on people you know? Or people you observe through the media?
Some characters and their personalities are drawn from people I know in the real world; others are satirical swipes at political and cultural figures of the day. I always try to choose my targets wisely and make sure I’m not slapping about harmless people.

If you could recommend 3 books to the readers, which would they be?
Brilliant question! The first three books that came to mind are Profit Over People by Noam Chomsky, New Beat Newbie by Whitewolf and Coming Up for Air by Orwell.

Thanks for the interview, Isis, and peace be with you.

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Connect with Rupert:
Website: http://www.rupertdreyfus.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rupert_Dreyfus
The Rebel's Sketchbook on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/151474895...
Prezident Scumbag! on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
Spark on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spark-Rupert...

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SPOTLIGHT
Rupert's Books:
Click on the covers to check their GoodReads official pages.

The Rebel's Sketchbook

Prezident Scumbag! A Sick Bastard Novella

Spark




If you like unsettling criticism, dark humour, and polemic observations about the condition of mankind and politics, don't waist another bloody second. Go there and check out his books!

Nightmares, hallucinations, strange happenings and impossible love have all been traits of As Cold As Thorns contrasting with sarcasm, narcissism, art and extravagance. There is a mystery in the story – the key to everything and that is the infamous, elusive Black Rose.

But what really is the Black Rose? Which powers does it possess?

Henrique, the protagonist, goes through a transformation, from a bright artistic mind and kind, cordial man to someone cold, tormented and shrouded in darkness. Is it love, madness or something else inflicting him this pain and twisted state of mind?

For those who followed the ups and downs of the world’s most acclaimed tailor, the sad story of Amelia, the grim drama of Princess Catalyna and the expeditions towards the infamous rose, you shall no longer be puzzled. You shall have your answers in the Spring of 2018 on the sequel As Black As Ice.

Like the first book in the duology, this one will also be illustrated and have the special layout.

At the moment, I am writing its chapters and doing the editing with Clare Diston https://humanvoices.co.uk whom I have worked in (almost) all my books. This October, a team of beta readers gathered by RBTL Book Tours http://www.rbtlbooktours.com and I are starting the beta reading process for the final part of the story.

The cold, dark mood of the Autumn and Winter seasons in Norway are perfect inspiration to help setting the mood during the writing process, and of course, all the amazing energy and support of those who have read the story and helped me making it better.


(I took this photo last week while driving with my husband on a beautiful Autumn morning.)

So stay tuned, for something wicked this way comes… in Spring 2018.

Cheers guys and enjoy life! :-)

I've met author Candace Robinson here on GR when she sent me a private note. She writes YA Horror & Dark Fantasy. While I'm not into YA books, I totally love her covers and the blurbs of her stories and couldn't resist but sharing it with you! :-)

We did a short interview and a spotlight for her Glass Vault series. Check it out!

1) How was your Glass Vault series born? What inspired you to write it?
I've had this retelling idea for a long time, and I'm all about horror old horror movies and fairy tales!

2) What were the most difficult aspects of writing the series?
Not being able to finish it in a day lol. I'm a person that likes to get things done right away, but with writing, it can't work like that.

3) As a self-published author, how did you find/connect with your readers? Share some of your marketing insights.
Honestly, I'm terrible at marketing. It can get pretty costly, but there are some great readers out there that were willing to try reading my books!

4) Any books planned for the near future?
Yes! I have two planned. One is a NA dark retelling, and another will be a Fantasy book.

5) What things do you like to do when you're not writing?
I read! I read all the time.

6) Which authors or books are your favourites?
I mainly read YA and some NA, but it has to be Sarah J. Maas. Her books are so massive too! She deserves 5 stars just for being able to write such long books! Plus they're amazing!

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Connect with Candace:

Website: https://authorcandacerobinson.wordpre...
Blog: https://literarydust.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/literarydust
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/literarydust
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/literarydust/

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SPOTLIGHT
Candace's Books:
Click on the covers to check their GoodReads official pages.

Quinsey Wolfe's Glass Vault


The Bride of Glass - NEW RELEASE!!!




Go there and check her spooky books and delightful covers! ;-)
Cheers and good week ahead!