Tag: blog

Inspiration for The Phoenix Project

The Phoenix Project is a story that is very close to my heart. I had the original idea in 2002 and it has slowly grown with the input of a variety of influences and inspiration.

Inspiration #1: Raven Kennedy:

Raven began as the villain, Vincent, in my first novel “Dead End” (an idea which never came to fruition). The plot didn’t work, but I adored his character so I kept him and developed him as the antagonist in the fantasy world of ‘The Light and Shadow Chronicles’ (You may have met him in A Chronicle of Chaos or The Shield of Soren).

I loved the character so much that I took the idea of him and developed it in another direction—into the dark and depressed Raven in my next novel, The Phoenix Project.

Having worked with Raven for so long, I am very emotionally attached to him. Even though he is fictional, I feel that he is a part of my heart and soul. Hence this tattoo:

D.M. Cain profile picture - Raven tattoo

Raven also features as a major character in The Light and Shadow Chronicles. I don’t think I will ever write a book that doesn’t have Raven in it in some way. He is my muse and my access to my creativity.

Continue reading “Inspiration for The Phoenix Project”
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Enough about me – tell me about YOU!

Hello fans of D.M. Cain

Tell me about YOU! I’m writing to you today to ask you a few questions. I don’t want this to be a blog where I just talk at you – I want a two-way dialogue! So, tell me a bit about yourself.

Who are you? What are you interested in? What are your favourite books, movies, TV shows? (This isn’t a trick or a ploy of some sort – I genuinely want to get to know you!)

Is there anything I can do to help you? Would you like recommendations of other books similar to mine? Want to know how I got my books published? Would you like writing or editing tips? Want to discuss worldbuilding and extended universes? Or maybe you just want to know who I think would win in a fight between Deadpool and Black Panther.So-how-can-I-help-you-Tell-me-about-you

Whatever it is, no matter how big or small, drop me a line. Ask a question, tell me a fact, let me know about you, ask for help – anything!

I look forward to hearing from you! (simply reply to this post, fill in a contact form, or drop me a message on Facebook or Twitter)

RELATED LINKS:

About D.M. Cain

Contact

How I boosted my mailing list subscribers from 96 to 973 in a few days

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Scars and Souvenirs by Rocky Rochford

Rocky Rochford is a close friend of mine and a very talented multi-genre author. His highly anticipated newest release ‘Scars and Souvenirs’ is a collection of 10 short stories.

Releasing August 26th

scars & souvenirs-001.jpg

Author: Rocky Rochford

Title: Scars & Souvenirs

Series: None

Genre: Emotional Thriller

Book Content Rating: Adult!!! Contains swearing, scenes of death, depression and suicide.

Tag-line: “Darkness has many forms and Mares is its playground.”

Blurb:

Every scar tells a story, a tale of loss, or a tale of regret. The scars on my arms an echo of when times were hard. The scars on my eyes of the dreaded horrors I can never unsee. The scars on my soul a lasting memory of the sins that tore my soul apart. The scars on my heart from a love forever lost. The scars on my wrists, the end result of a failed attempt to end a life of brokenness. Each scar is a story.  A story begging to be told.

 

The following is an extract from the Devil Came to Drag Me to Hell

“You will bleed. You will cry. You will love and you will say goodbye to all those you hold dear. Life is repulsed by shadow and you reek of it. I look forwards to watching the show.”

His words made perfect sense.

Of course they would—they were my own.

Words I would tell myself when I was all alone.

The Devil knows all.

Especially the one that sits on your shoulder.

In the depths of your soul.

“Your wound isn’t deep and the knife didn’t hit anything vital. You will go on to live, knowing this is what you do to people. The poison that flows through your veins always finds a way to push those you hold dear away, no matter how hard you try to cling to them. You are the villain, John, and the villain is destined to fail.”

He reached out and grabbed me. His hands on my throat squeezed and then he began to drag me. The world I had left returned.

As did the sound of my heart beating.

And the air in my lungs.

My eyes opened.

I gasped.

The Devil had come to drag me to Hell, but like he said for the likes of me. There is only one kind of Hell, the life of an endless nightmare I live on a daily basis.

He dragged me back to my old life.

A life of scars.

****Here concludes today’s extract, for more check out the full collection when it releases next month. ****

Rocky Rochford Biography

Author Shot - Rocky Rochford 2015 Rocky Rochford is your standard guy, if your standard guy scuba dives, partakes in underwater photographer and is a wake-boarding, adventure seeking, sword collecting, marine conservation supporter. After living life on the road and the places between, he finally settled down but not without benefiting from all the lessons life had to teach him.

Self-professed “Student of Everything, and Master of Nothing,” Rochford does not choose what he writes, but writes what chooses him, be it fantasy, crime, poetry, philosophy or even adventure. Life is a journey we all get to experience, just like a good book.

Every read into another of his typed works is another trip into the imagination of his mixed up, crazed and deranged mind and this year along those works include the likes of full novels and novellas such as:

London CallingLondon Calling – a Deep Water Novel (Spy Thriller)

Don’t Even Blink – Part of the Don’t Turn Around Trilogy (Horror)

Wait and Bleed – The Don’t Turn Around Collection (Horror collection of the entire Don’t Trilogy)

And now The Eye of Mares – Book 2 of the Rise of the Elohim Chronicles (Illustrated YA fantasy adventure)

Wait and Bleed

Other works released by him, are a number of short stories pertaining to horror, paranormal and romance, as well as other works released as part of an anthology:

The Devil You Know (Paranormal short)

Salt in the Wound – Part of the Entwined Saga (Paranormal short)

The Food of Love (featuring Him & Her) – An Anthology by Solstice Publishing (Romance filled Anthology)

Him & Her (Romance Standalone release)

Don’t Say A Word (Horror)

awethologyDARK

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Volume II (featuring The Devil Before) – An Anthology by the Solstice Shadows (Paranormal themed Anthology)

Awethology Dark (featuring Ghosts) – An Anthology by the #Awethors (Adult stories pertaining to a darker theme)

The December Awethology Dark Volume (featuring Seven Years Bad Luck) – An Anthology by the #Awethors (Adult stories pertaining to a darker theme, set around December)

 

****Welcome to the World of Rochford****

Social Media Links:

Rocky Rochford’s website: rockyrochford.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IamRockyRochford/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RockyRochford

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7310280.Rocky_Rochford

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Rochford/e/B00O3AA3KU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1449272442&sr=8-1

 

Rochford writes a little something for everyone, so if Scars & Souvenirs isn’t your cup of tea, you can guarantee one of his many other works will be!

by dmcain84

Wizarding Protection Program: J.B. Taylor

This week the incredible J.B. Taylor (author of a whole range of exceptional stories and novels) has released two fantasy stories entitled ‘Wizarding Protection Program’.

Take a look and grab a copy!

Wizarding Protection Program 1

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Wizarding Protection Program 1 – Christine is an actress, a breakout star in truth. She never believed in wizards. She never knew of the darkest wizard ever to have existed … Mortem. But Mortem knows of her. Christine is the sole survivor of his assassination of two wizarding journalists that resulted in a destroyed café and many dead civilians. Fearful her rising celebrity will bring his great plan to take over the wizarding world into the consciousness of the public he seeks her out, and Christine is forced on the run.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HYDFE60/

https://www.scribd.com/book/319509695/Wizarding-Protection-Program-1-Wizarding-Protection-Program-Series

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/wizarding-protection-program-1

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1138626342

http://www.inktera.com/store/title/f104070d-8e75-40d5-b0e6-ac8b1d8067f9

 

Wizarding Protection Program 2

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Wizarding Protection Program 2 – A disciple of Mortem is on the hunt, killing those who’ve offended him deeply. Christine has survived one dark wizard and is forced to flee yet another. Help proves to come from the strangest of places. And maybe, just maybe, Christine will prove magical after all.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wizarding-protection-program-2-jb-taylor/1124215726?ean=2940153347035

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1138626228https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/wizarding-protection-program-2

https://www.scribd.com/book/319509691/Wizarding-Protection-Program-2-Wizarding-Protection-Program-Series

http://www.inktera.com/store/title/3662b8e0-305b-4aff-a6e2-11ddf2b0c7ac

by dmcain84

The Light and Shadow Chronicles symbol no. 6 -Brotherhood of Shadow

Chronicle of Chaos 34 final file resized title and shield changed DPI flat

The cover for my newest novel A Chronicle of Chaos features a shield with eight symbols carved upon it. Each of the symbols represents a different army, faction or group of people within the series. Over the next eight days, to complement the release countdown, I will be posting about each of the symbols to give some background on the armies you can expect to learn about in Chaos and the upcoming novels in the series.

The SIXTH symbol I will be talking about can be seen on the left of the shield:

Repaired shield BofS

 

This is the sigil of The Brotherhood of Shadow. The largest army on the planet belongs to the Brotherhood of Shadow, a dark cult ruled by the Bavelize – a mysterious smoky creature of unknown origin.

Residing in the huge forested country of Meraxor, the Brotherhood of Shadow are ruled by Vincent Wilder, an immortal warlord locked in eternal battle with Callista Nienna – the leader of opposing army the Children of Light.

In A Chronicle of Chaos, the Brotherhood have summoned four demons to fight for them in a hope to shift the balance of power in their favour.

Characters from this army that you can expect to see in A Chronicle of Chaos include:

Vincent Wilder – Cold and merciless, Vincent has ruled the Brotherhood of Shadow for over 130 years.

The Bavelize – Very little is known about the Brotherhood’s shadowy deity, aside from the fact that it only appears to select few, and even then after completing a specific ritual. It appears to know many things outside of a human’s understanding and has the power to travel between realms with ease.

Brotherhood

A Chronicle of Chaos is now available from Amazon!

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D4YAD96/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01D4YAD96/

Previous posts:

Cover art and symbols designed by Irina French: facebook.com/irinafrenchdigitalart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMCainauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DMCain84

Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/XevZH

Website: www.dmcain84.com

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DMCain/posts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7888430.D_M_Cain

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzt_E8st1pyfkoTiA4E5jNg

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.M.-Cain/e/B00LTTX3PA/

by dmcain84

The Light and Shadow Chronicles symbol no. 5 -Avalanche

Chronicle of Chaos 34 final file resized title and shield changed DPI flat

The cover for my newest novel A Chronicle of Chaos features a shield with eight symbols carved upon it. Each of the symbols represents a different army, faction or group of people within the series. Over the next eight days, to complement the release countdown, I will be posting about each of the symbols to give some background on the armies you can expect to learn about in Chaos and the upcoming novels in the series.

The FIFTH symbol I will be talking about can be seen on the top right of the shield:

Repaired shield avalanche

 

This is the sigil of Avalanche, a high-ranking elite battalion within the Children of Light’s army. They are led by Raven Lennox who is feared and renowned across the world as a formidable warrior.

Recruitment is very limited and every entrant is handpicked by Raven himself. This means that each soldier graced with a position in Avalanche must be talented and extremely disciplined. If there’s one thing Raven Lennox will not tolerate, it’s a lack of dedication.

Characters from this army that you can expect to see in A Chronicle of Chaos include:

Raven Lennox – Chaos’s father and his tutor, Raven plays a huge part in shaping his destiny, and acts as both a shoulder to cry on, and an unyielding mentor in the ways of battle.

Deacon Thialdor – Deacon is another exceptional warrior who trained as Raven’s apprentice (a highly coveted position.) He is not just Raven’s apprentice, but also his half-sibling and best friend. Deacon often calms down raven’s fiery temper, but has his own issues to contend with as he fights a devastating sickness that ravages his body.

Soren Nitaya – Trapped for eternity in the body of a ten year old, Soren is cute and deadly at the same time. He has taken it upon himself to protect the angel Ceres due to the unique weapon that nestles deep within him.

Avalanche

A Chronicle of Chaos is now available from Amazon!

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D4YAD96/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01D4YAD96/

Previous posts:

Cover art and symbols designed by Irina French: facebook.com/irinafrenchdigitalart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMCainauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DMCain84

Mailing List: http://eepurl.com/XevZH

Website: www.dmcain84.com

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DMCain/posts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7888430.D_M_Cain

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzt_E8st1pyfkoTiA4E5jNg

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.M.-Cain/e/B00LTTX3PA/

by dmcain84

Cover reveal for ‘Timeshaft’ by Stewart Bint

Today is the cover reveal day for science fiction thriller ‘Timeshaft’ by the amazing Stewart Bint. This book was originally published on Smashwords in 2013 and is a firm favourite of mine. Mind-bending time-travel science fiction and excellent writing make this an excellent read.

Now with with a brand new dazzling front cover by Troy Johnson, and a thorough re-editing (plus a number of new scenes including new begining and ending), I am very excited to read this brand new Booktrope edition!

So without further ado, here is the striking new cover!

9781513706887_cover FRONT.jpg

Blurb:

By the twenty-seventh century, mankind has finally mastered time travel—and is driving recklessly towards wiping itself out. The guerilla environmentalist group WorldSave, with its chief operative Ashday’s Child, uses the Timeshaft to correct mistakes of the past in an effort to extend the life of the planet.

But the enigmatic Ashday’s Child has his own destiny to accomplish, and will do whatever it takes within a complicated web of paradoxes to do so. While his destiny—and very existence—is challenged from the beginning to the end of time, he must collect the key players through the ages to create the very Timeshaft itself.

“Do our actions as time travellers change what would otherwise have happened, or is everything already laid down in a predetermined plan?” he asks. Stewart Bint’s Timeshaft is an expertly synchronized saga of time travel, the irresistible force of destiny, and the responsibility of mankind as rulers of the world.

All about Stewart Bint:

Stewart Bint is a novelist, magazine columnist and PR writer. He lives with his wife, Sue, in Leicestershire, in the UK, and has two grown-up children, Christopher and Charlotte.

He is a former radio presenter, newsreader and phone-in show host, but always wanted to become a fiction writer — a dream that came true when his first novel was published in 2012 at the age of 56. Now the author of five novels, a collection of short stories and a compilation of his early magazine columns, he was signed by Booktrope in 2015, who published a revised edition of his paranormal novel, In Shadows Waiting, in August.

They are publishing a revised and re-edited edition of Timeshaft shortly.

As a member of a local barefoot hiking group, when not writing he can often be found hiking in bare feet on woodland trails and urban streets.

Stewart Bint online:

Website and blog: http://stewartbintauthor.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StewartBintAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorsjb

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stewart-Bint/e/B00D18IARS

Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/Stewart-Bint/e/B00D18IARS

by dmcain84

Inspiration for The Phoenix Project

Inspiration for The Phoenix Project

The Phoenix Project is a story that is very close to my heart. I had the original idea in 2002 and it has slowly grown with the input of a variety of influences and inspirations.

Raven Kennedy: Raven began as the villain, Vincent, in my first novel “Dead End” (an idea which never came to fruition). The plot didn’t work, but I adored his character so I kept him and developed him more as an antagonist in the fantasy world of ‘The Light and Shadow Chronicles’ (You may have met him in the first of the series, ‘A Chronicle of Chaos’).

I loved the character so much that I took the idea of him and developed it in another direction—into the dark and depressed Raven in my next novel, ‘The Phoenix Project.’

Having worked with Raven for so long, I am very emotionally attached to him. Even though he is fictional, I feel that he is a part of my heart and soul. Hence this tattoo:

profile pictureRaven also features as a major character in ‘The Light and Shadow Chronicles.’ I don’t think I will ever write a book that doesn’t have Raven in it in some way. He is my muse and my access to my creativity.

The decline of religion: Religion plays an important role in my life, which is unusual, as I am agnostic. I feel that faith is beautiful and special. I, sadly, am not lucky enough to have it myself, but I don’t understand why people blame religion for the world’s problems. I wanted to portray a world which was clearly worse for the decline of religion in an attempt to show the benefits of faith.

Salverford prison: I travelled a lot whilst I was writing ‘The Phoenix Project’ and many of the places that I visited helped to fuel my imagination and give depth to my work. On a trip to Rome, I visited the Colosseum and was inspired by the ancient building. The exhibits on gladiators gave me a deeper understanding of the life of a person forced to fight to the death. I was able to pick out certain details and use them in ‘The Phoenix Project’ – such as the type of food gladiators were given to eat.

I also spent some time in Krakow, Poland, and visited Aushwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. I’ll never forget the horror of the place, particularly Block 11, the torture and incarceration block. The long, thin cell which Raven passes in the Ruby Tower dungeons comes directly from a cell I saw at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The descriptions of smoke billowing from small chimneys also come from things I saw at Auschwitz.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_11

The place which gave me the most inspiration for Salverford, especially the underground cellars of Ruby Tower and the dark room, was the Terror Haza Museum in Budapest. This museum is the old offices of the Soviet Union Stasi and, later, The Nazi party’s Gestapo. Underneath the building, in the cold, dark cellars, is a grim and depressing dungeon of tiny, damp cells and a crushing sense of futility. I crept inside one of the waist-high cells and sat in pitch darkness and felt despair crowding in on me. This is where the ‘dark room’ was born.

For more information on the Terror Haza Museum, visit:

http://www.terrorhaza.hu/en/museum/about_us.html

The Colosseum:

I love the city of Rome. I’ve visited three times and have loved it more every time! Setting the finale in Rome fitted in well with the religion theme and gave the novel a focus, but I also enjoyed writing about a place I loved so dearly. The Colosseum was a great place for Raven to end up as an ironic safe place.

As I was coming close to finishing ‘The Phoenix Project’, I was preparing myself to write the epilogue about Rome. My incredibly thoughtful husband surprised and delighted me by treating me to a holiday in Rome for Valentine’s day in 2010. It meant that I was able to write that final chapter in Rome itself.

Buy ‘The Phoenix Project’:

Nook:

http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/the-phoenix-project-by-dm-cain/2940157645656

Amazon:

US http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195A6AYK
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0195A6AYK

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-phoenix-project-dm-cain/1123117161

iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/book/id1066900946

by dmcain84