The Dark of Knight [Interview]

I often discover new authors through Instagram. This past year, I stumbled upon K.B. Knight, author of the Greenwood series (featured in May 2019)...and I've since learned he goes hardcore at Halloween. His home decorations are better than some haunted houses I've visited.

Naturally, I needed to bring him into the Lair to discuss his work and his love of this holiday...

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Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Yes. In seventh grade my teacher, who loved reading, allowed us to write short stories for extra credit to help out grades. She loved my stories so much she signed me up in a writing competition called Young Authors Future Success. I placed third place and second place the following year. I knew someday I'd be a great writer. Fast forward some years, I read my first book, MISERY, and wanted to be S. King ever since.

Who or what has influenced your writing, particularly your choice in genre?

Stephen King, after reading Misery.

Do you prefer to write stand-alone novels or series?

That's a hard question to answer. I don't believe there is a definite one-or-the-other answer. I love stand-alone novels, but sometimes an idea is so good you simply cannot leave it at one book. Sometimes a story is so great it would tear your heart in two if you ended it on one book.

However, sometimes a story is so great it would be a crime to continue it on. You struck gold with it, leave it be; don't tarnish it with a second or third that could bomb in the worst way.

I dragged this longer than it needed to be. I guess BOTH would be my answer.

Have you ever used personal experiences or news headlines in your work?

Yes, the Greenwood Abductions… Three stories total within that book. Two of them were experiences a few members of my family and I were part of. One was from my childhood friend.

Do you plan to stick with horror, or do you see yourself writing in other genres in the future?

I don't write exclusively horror. Being a one-trick pony limits yourself and your abilities to gain fans/readers from all walks of life.

I wrote a drama book, and an apocalyptic book. I've started a fantasy fiction book a few years ago. I wrote 27 chapters in it before I placed it on the back burner...for now.

Based on your Instagram account, Halloween is your favorite holiday. Why is that? What does Halloween mean to you?

The same feeling/thrill one looks for and embrace when climbing aboard a menacing roller coaster is the one I feel with all things spooky. I was like that since the beginning of my memories.

What can readers expect from you in the next year or so?

Possibly the completion of my Greenwood Series, part two of Kelsey's Playground, and my first book of short stories.

How can fans find out more about you and your stories?

My website: www.kbknightauthor.com

My Instagram: www.instagram.com/kb_knight_author

(Currently making a second Instagram page that will have nothing but my flash fiction stories)

 My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJxmCA3g2CwEOX7fvX-aabw (or type KB Knight Author in YouTube search. There you will find my audio flash fiction stories)

Thank you for stopping by!

As always,
AstraDaemon

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In addition to the Nurse Blood giveaway this week, I am also giving away autographed copies of both Greenwood paperbacks. To enter, just leave a comment below. The winner will be chosen on October 27th.

Postcard From the Future

LARRY'S LAST COMPANION by Abe Evergreen is not a story as much as a glimpse into a future with flying cars and androids mistaken for humans. Larry reminisces about his late wife as he revisits the Grand Canyon with his companion. Ironically, the old man uses ground-breaking technology to hold onto memories of more simple times in his past.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Remote Road Rage

BELTWAY BASHER by Abe Evergreen is a flash fiction piece which takes road rage to a new level. I don't want to sound sympathetic with Ben, but I would have liked to see him take on a lane merge with drivers who don't know how to zipper.

For a few pages, there are a lot of sociological and psychological aspects in this story to discuss. Very interesting, especially with the driverless vehicles becoming more common.

As always,
AstraDaemon

When The Palace Is A Dungeon

MARY MAGIC by Abe Evergreen is a short story set in a dystopian future with a Presidential Palace and women in charge of everything. Men make up the working class, following orders as if their lives depended on it.

Mary is the President's daughter and, as such, she is essentially kept in a gilded cage. The eleven year old girl longs to climb a real tree and feel the grass under her feet, so she stages a well-planned out escape.

While the characters are a little flat, Evergreen obviously put a lot of thought into this future society. The little details are so fascinating, I would love to see the author turn this story into a mini-series like Dark City.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sci-Fi Saturday: Stowaway

YLLAS YOT by Abe Evergreen is a mix of sci-fi and crime drama, kind of like a simplified version of the 80s movie, Ice Pirates. Yll finds a woman, Ada, hiding aboard his freighter, trying to escape from a planetary crime lord who wants to add her to his brothel.

Ada has an entitled attitude which doesn't go over well with Yllas, and he can't decide if he wants to take her bribe to get her home, or accept the reward for returning her to her captors.

Being a short story, the story left me wanting more. Evergreen should consider turning this one into another mini-series, the way the author did with Dark City.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sci-Fi Saturday: Teens vs. Aliens

THE GREENWOOD ABDUCTIONS by K.B. Knight is the second book in a series centered on a town constantly dealing with paranormal and otherworldly visitors. The novel begins with the author sharing his own UFO experience, setting the tone for a frightening chain of events. Jasmine, Rose, Nathan, Jewel and Rico are deeply involved...imagine The Breakfast Club thrown into Fire In The Sky.

While the local police try to investigate several missing person reports, as well as some other disturbing crimes, a couple of FBI agents are trying to shut down the conspiracy theories. The Greenwood teens aren't having any of it, determined to stop the most recent wave of sci-fi horror to invade Greenwood.

I enjoyed this story much more than the first one. Knight includes a lot of past experiences with UFOs the characters share with one another, creating an atmosphere of helplessness and desperation. The personal accounts are very much like the tales of real life alien abduction claims, which are likely to give readers second thoughts about going out alone at night. (I had flashbacks to my own memories of strange sky lights.)

The ending is something else. Knight does wrap up the abduction story without any loose ends, but introduces the next tragedy to befall Greenwood in the last sentence. What a hooker.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Sci-Fi Saturday Short

The colony ship known as the Vale has been spiralling towards Epsilon Eridani for four millennia, and Barry - the semi-sentient AI set to guard its frozen human cargo - has had a long time to question the nature of his mission. There are too many gaps in his code, too many mistakes left unfixed.

Could Barry's programmers really have been so lax? Or does he have a greater purpose, some secret mission buried in his source code? He has another eighteen thousand years to find the answer. In the meantime, he's growing bored, and idle hands are the devil's playthings...

The Last Broadcast by Christopher Ruz is a science fiction short story, but the thought process the A.I., Barry, goes through is horrific. I found Barry's conspiracy theories about the Scrubbers intriguing and I wish the author had gone in that direction. Instead, Ruz chose to go with a theme which is overdone and in the sci-fi genre and result in a predictable ending.

I did enjoy the author's writing style. I'd love to read this same story, but from the Scrubbers POV and with a different ending.

As always,
AstraDaemon