Now 80% Selfie-Free! (And no added Food Porn)
Are you on Instagram? I am improving and growing my ‘Bookstagram’ this year. I’m consistently posting about what I’m reading (mainly horror, true crime, and rock music biographies), what I’m writing (rock and roll horror novels, scary anthologies, and entertainment nonfiction), what’s on my TBR stack, memes, shelfies, and some killer writing hacks I’ve not shared before. I aim to be helpful and diverting while also diving into some of my books. What you won’t see: Daily selfies and pictures of my lunch.
If you’re into that, please follow me at https://www.instagram.com/slw_books/ and I’ll follow back.
What to Read Right Now
Lately life feels like a series of push notifications punctuated by eating and sleeping, doesn’t it? Reading a good book is a great way to stimulate your mind while giving you a break from all the swiping and rabbit-hole diving. I’m revisiting one of my favorite horror tales of late, 'Jinxed' by Thommy Hutson. “Someone at the Trask Academy of Performing Arts is taking things one deadly step further when the campus is rocked with the deaths of some of its star students.” I read the paperback a couple of years back, and now I am enjoying the audio version, which is read by Amanda Wyss (of 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' fame). Come on, feel the noise! I also recommend Chuck 'Fight Club' Palahniuk’s new novel, 'The Invention of Sound.' It’s about a desperate father in search of his missing daughter, a bright young woman with a dark secret, and a malicious recording that can make the whole world scream at the exact same time.
No Time to Read?
Check out the music documentary that I directed: 'The Ventures: Stars on Guitars.' It’s about my dad’s band, and it goes into the history of the electric guitar, the rise of surf music, and a lot more. It features Jimmy Page, John Fogerty, Josie Cotton, The Neptunas, and other luminaries. It’s on Prime, iTunes, Fandango Now, and over 200 cable affiliates. I’ve also got signed DVDs for sale in my store.
For more info about my experience making this film (and others), take a look at this podcast interview with me on J. Horton's popular YouTube channel, Filmmakers On.
The Kind of Writing Advice You Don’t Expect.
The human head weighs about 11 lbs (5 kg). Maybe even more when it’s brimming with ideas. That’s why it is important not to strain your neck and shoulders when you’re working on your latest opus. I personally suffer from headaches and muscle strain, but it is far worse when I don’t take this simple precaution: use a laptop riser (or something else to keep your eyes at screen level). This one has various levels of adjustment and costs about $20. When I’m writing on a sofa or in bed, I use my laptop tray that has the same function. Try it! You will definitely notice a positive difference. (I have the 3M LX550 laptop riser, and the wooden adjustable laptop tray from ISINO that is foldable and has a drawer and stopper.)
And this month's winner is...
Faith Pierce! You get: My super-spooky high-fidelity short story collection, ‘Sex Death Rock N Roll’ (co-authored with Darren Gordon Smith), and a copy of ‘Shevenge,’ an all-female horror film anthology that I produced. I’m also sending a DVD of the new animated comedy 'The Croods,' and a good old-fashioned thriller by Mary Higgins Clark. I hope you’ll enjoy these, Faith!
I do a random drawing for prizes to go to one lucky subscriber with every newsletter I send out. Any subscriber can win. If this has been forwarded to you, then go to my website [StaciLayneWilson.com] and fill out the simple subscribe-form under the FREE tab. U.S. winners will get goodies in the mail; those outside the U.S., will get digital downloads.
