Day 28: GENETIC MORSELS

Day 28 of #scrypthalloween gets into #dnasplicing and #evolution in my #novel GENETIC MORSELS. Some facts: 1) it was originally published on June 22, 2015. 2) @dpipito of @pintsizedpages came up with the design and #art for the cover to reflect a chalkboard with biology notes. 3) I grew up a fan of comic books and wanted to write a novel about people with abilities. When I approached this #book however, I did it based on real laws of physics. It’s very grounded and lacks colorful spandex to create a feasible plot. 4) the original title was “Fatty Morsels” and it was going to be a wrap up of loose ends from the first six novels. When I decided it could kick off a new trilogy I changed the title and merged the idea to involve genetic manipulation and evolution. 5) there is an underlying political theme that runs throughout the plot that echoes a lot of what we see in politicians today. Jason Black is more than just a world leader, he’s a villain with public trust and nefarious intentions. #authorsofinatagram #dna #superheroes #supervillains #political

Day 27: A LITTLE BOY IN THE LAND OF THE HICCUPS

Day 27 of #sCrypt Halloween is a #bedtimestory with my children’s book A LITTLE BOY IN THE LAND OF THE SLEEPLESS KNIGHTS. Here are some facts: 1) it was first published on June 5, 2017. 2) @dpipito of @pintsizedpages not only did the outstanding #art for the cover and interior, but he helped me finalize the concept for the Sleepless Knight characters. 3) the book was written for my son, Tony, who had many a “sleepless nights” unless he had a good story before bed. 4) the dinosaur shown is the Cranky King. A T-Rex was chosen because Tony was obsessed with dinosaurs at the time and I wanted something to connect with him before bedtime. 5) the book exists in the same universe as my other works even though it is not involved or appears in any way in that continuity. What are your favorite children’s books? #authorsofinstagram #book

Day 26: GHOSTLY HAUNTINGS

Day 26 of #scrypthalloween features my #shortstory GHOSTLY HAUNTINGS. Some facts: 1) it was published in September of 2013. 2) originally it was a graphic novel, but was later released in text format. 3) the cover art was a picture taken in a restaurant kitchen with steam enhanced by graphics of faces to resemble lousy souls. 4) the comic version had us working with artists from the United States, England, and Japan. 5) most of the story aspects were based on my experiences as a kid as well as watching my daughter as an infant and how she reacted to certain scenarios

Day 25: THE LOST DAY

Day 25 of #scrypthalloween gets a little frightening with my short story THE LOST DAY. Here are some facts: 1) it was published on August 17, 2018. 2) the protagonist was chosen for this story because I’d originally wanted to kill him off in one of my novels but decided to leave him have an open ended fate. This was to elaborate on what happens to him after those events. 3) Blake is the character that just wont die. While writing the short I had planned on offing him again but decided that I could use him once again for a later story. So while this has a satisfying conclusion there are still answers left hanging out there to be determined. 4) the pocket watch cover idea seemed logical for the title but after finalizing it I realized it had no reference in the book so I had to go back and write a watch into the plot that would make the cover that much more important. 5) the people of the future were based off of various scientific studies with my own creative conclusion as to how we would eventually evolve. Making them observers of time would be a way to explain why people have seen alien “grays” throughout history. . . . #timetravel #book #scifi #evolution #alien #future #authorsofinstagram

Day 24: EDEN’S ORDER TRILOGY

Day 24 of #scrypthalloween is here and since it’s my #birthday I’m doing a #free #book #giveaway. First come first serve and if interested in the digital download then inbox me. Here’s the EDEN’S ORDER TRILOGY. Some facts: 1) the #collection was originally published in print and digital on May 9, 2013 and can be found at lulu.com as well as on amazon and Barnes and Noble sites. 2) the #compilation includes the novels: FLESH AND LEFTOVERS, BLOOD THE SECOND HELPING, and BONES AT BREAKFAST, as well as the short stories in ZOMBIE INCIDENTS, LEGENDS OF VAMPIRE, and IN CASE OF WEREWOLF. #zombie #vampire #werewolf 3) the cover #art by @dpipito of @pintsizedpages has a tree representing the Tree of Knowledge, but with the bark being flesh, the branches bone, and the tips blood, which represents each of the novels within. 4) this was originally called “Flesh and Leftovers: Eden’s Order Trilogy” but after the series continued and became known as the ETERNAL HUNGER SAGA, I decided to drop the former title to just reflect the trilogy itself. 5) bonus content in the book includes a comprehensive timeline of all the events within. The plan was to continue with this but as history became a larger factor as the series went on it became nearly impossible to continue, especially since the end of the series brings in time travel and alternate realities aside from our own. #authorsofinstagram #reading #novels

Day 23: BONES AT BREAKFAST

Chief Whispering Wolf – art by Dan Pipito

BONES AT BREAKFAST is the #novel of focus for day 23 of #scrypthalloween. Here are some facts: 1) it was published on February 15, 2011. 2) not only did @dpipito @pintsizedpages do a fantastic job with the cover art but he also included the illustration shown of my Native American character Chief Whispering Wolf. 3) the “true” story behind the origins of certain folklore and fairy tales represented in this book are: Little Red Riding Hood, Peter and The Wolf, The Three Little Pigs, #werewolf, and #greekmythology. 4) when rounding out my outline for writing this book I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep a Lycan story interesting. Once I fleshed out the details and began #writing it ended up being the quickest and easiest book to write so far. 5) one of my werewolves in the pages experiences altered moods and appearances based on every phase of the moon, not just a full moon. What are your favorite werewolf stories? #authorsofinstagram #eternalhungersaga

Day 22: THE PANDORA’S CHAOS TRILOGY

Day 22 of #scrypthalloween involves my #compilation #novel THE PANDORA’S CHAOS TRILOGY. Here are some facts: 1) the novels included are SOULS 4 SUPPER, DEVIL’S DESSERT, and TECHNO FEAST, but there are also 3 spinoff #books included GHOSTLY HAUNTINGS, DEMONIC ENTITIES, and VIRAL UPGRADES. 2) the trilogy was published on 11 September 2014. 3) the #coverart by @dpipito is akin to the style of statues I describe as existing in Atlantis. For the cover however Dan included hints at the content. There is a soul emanating from a technological power source in its chest while other parts seem machine like. There’s a wilted demon wing on one arm and an angelic feathered wing on the other. 4) there’s bonus content that hints at the next book in the series. That content is a list of clones genetically engineered with various traits and abilities. These are only hinted at in this collection so it gives the reader something to look forward to. 5) the book is available in print and digital formats on lulu.com, amazon and Barnes and Noble sites.

Day 21: TECHNO FEAST

Day 21 of #scrypthalloween brings #artificialintelligence to a whole new level in my #novel TECHNO FEAST. Some facts about the #book: 1) it was published on March 9, 2014. 2) this was perhaps the most difficult of my novels to write because it had to be something unlike what’s been done before, but also be timeless in an age where #technology runs our lives. 3) there is a robotic mannequin in the plot that I based loosely on the innovative and life saving products that @techlinetrauma creates. 4) the book was considered for #movie treatment but shot down by the studio because in their words it needed to be “portrayed as a series.” They loved the concept but couldn’t do it justice in a two hour movie. 5) there is a scene I wrote which details a mother dying giving birth. I wrote the scene after almost losing my wife and son in a similar situation. Thankfully they are with me now and all is okay, but it was definitely a frightening experience. What are some of your favorite #ai stories?

Day 20: PLANET ATE

Day 20 of #sCrypt Halloween is all about #conspiracy in my #novel PLANET ATE. Here are some facts: 1) it was published on March 7, 2016. 2) the cover is a recreation of a dry erase board similar to one I have in my office with notes on the current #WIP. 3) although #aliens are a central focus of the #book it focuses more on the government coverup as to them existing. 4) The Apollo missions, The Book of Ezekiel, Neanderthals, Noah and his Ark, Area 51, the Hollow Earth, the Holy Grail, Easter Island, Egyptian Mythology and more are all incorporated into the plot. 5) before each chapter is an actual quote made by important figures in our history regarding the existence of extra terrestrials. What is your favorite conspiracy?

Day 19: DEVIL’S DESSERT

Day 19 of #scrypthalloween shares some facts and an excerpt from my #novel DEVIL’S DESSERT. 1) it was published on May 3, 2013. 2) the title for this #book was decided on by a vote from readers and followers. 3) every faith, religion and non-believer was taken into account when writing and researching the #demon lore within. I wanted to represent each of these in a story that would show those differences may not be as far apart as people think. 4) it earned a place in the top 100 list of novels for that year. #top100 . 5) God and the Devil are represented as Light and Darkness with their own views on the universe and those who dwell in it.