After months of writing and preparation, I’m happy to announce that Wanted Witch, book one in the Daughter of Darkness series is ALIVE!

Origin of Zee’s Magical Abilities

As most of you know, I play a lot of video games. The idea for this series started from me wondering what it would be like to have multiple lives–like a video game character. I began forming the image of Zee in my head as someone who discovered she had this ability, and I wondered how she would use it. Would she save everyone she came across–like a superhero? Would she be able to use the Konami code and add 99 extra lives? Would her extra lives be unlimited? If not, would she know how many she has? If her lives are limited, would she have to be selective in whom she saves?

Does Zee Know If Her Next Life Will Be Her Last?

With limited lives, it would inherently cause conflict for Zee. Conflict within herself from dealing with not only her newfound ability but knowing the next person she saves could be her last, as well as conflict with those closest to her.

Zee Kicked and Screamed Inside My Head

For several weeks before I started writing the prequel, Zee was all I could think about. I got the idea for the series as I was finishing Zombie Boy 2–(another series with a video game theme). I couldn’t just abandon Zombie Boy, although Zee would have probably preferred that, so I finished book two in the Zombie Boy series while discovering the ins and outs of Zee’s abilities. Then, I immediately began writing Reborn, the prequel to the Daughter of Darkness story. It wasn’t until I got to book one, Wanted Witch, that things really got fun!

When the Magic Happens

I hate when cool stuff gets spoiled for me because I like to discover secrets as I go, so I won’t do that. However, I will say that while Reborn gives us the backstory of Zee’s magical abilities, Wanted Witch is when Zee learns to deal with her magic and the power it gives her. It’s also when she discovers several truths she wasn’t looking for. I will give one hint–in Wanted Witch we learn why Zee and Alexa are enemies… and it’s a a doozy!

You can get Wanted Witch here for $.99 for a limited time. And the prequel, Reborn, is available FREE. There are three books (plus the prequel) planned for the Daughter of Darkness series. If you guys like it, I’d love to write more!

Stay tuned for the cover reveal of book two!

 Happy Halloween!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

Today I have a couple of cool things to share. First up, news on my new Urban Fantasy series! The Daughter of Darkness series will debut on October 25th with Wanted Witch. You can get the prequel, Reborn, FREE which includes a sneak peek of book one by visiting Instafreebie. The cover was designed by the talented Lou Harper. I can’t wait to show you the next two!

The Daughter of Darkness series is an adult coming of age story about Mackenzie Adams, a young woman whose life is turned upside down when she discovers she is not only a witch but can cheat death.

And speaking of Instafreebie…. Reborn and Zombie Boy are both part of a major exclusive giveaway today! There’s everything from Game of Thrones to various Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, and even a few gaming related books in honor of the NYC Comic Con!

After you get your FREE copy of Reborn, head on over to this list of awesome books. It’s such a huge list, there’s something for everyone!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

Well, almost, but you can pre-order it here. Zombie Boy 2: Level Up will be released on September 27th… that’s NEXT Tuesday!

The cover was illustrated by my talented artist/musician friend, Jason Whitt. I think he captured the essence of Zombie Boy perfectly! I can’t wait for you to read it! The synopsis is below, but be warned… if you haven’t finished Zombie Boy: Press Start (book 1), there are SPOILERS ahead!

Synopsis:

Trapped in a video game overrun with zombies, Katie’s life is in jeopardy.

Liam Walker, a now leveled-up zombie hunter, suspects that HoriZon Corp, the virtual reality game developer, is somehow behind it all. Liam must use the experience he gained from the first adventure and return to the video game world that took his best friend. With new foes threatening their plan at every turn, Liam and friends battle mini-bosses, giants, and hordes of zombies across many familiar video game settings in search of Katie.

Can he and his friends escape the zombie apocalypse and get out of the game world alive… once again?

Twice the action, double the adventure!

Don’t forget, you can pre-order your copy today, and it will be automatically delivered to your Kindle or Kindle app on release day!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

It could be debated whether the anniversary should fall on the day I started writing my first book or the day it was published, but I choose the former because it’s the day I took action. – from my one year anniversary blog 1-12-15

Looking back over the last year I had a few ups and downs. The ups were:

– Publishing Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic (Feb)
– Writing 4 fun horror shorts that I planned to release as an anthology (March)
– Writing my first horror novel (March-May)
– Creating a daily word count goal (Sept)
– Writing Zombie Boy: Press Start, book 1 of a trilogy, using the above daily word count goal (Sept-Nov)
– Publishing Zombie Boy: Press Start (Dec)

When I look at that list of accomplishments, do you know what stands out the most? The period between May and Sept. I hate to admit it, but I did nothing to speak of writing-wise during June, July, or Aug. Not only that, but the horror short anthology and the horror novel did not get published last year. As humans, it’s so much easier to focus on what we didn’t do, which brings me to my downs from last year. Basically it consists of one thing – I let various things in life, both good and bad, interfere with my writing. During the months of June through August, I let a lot of negativity in, and it affected my getting things done.

Thankfully I recognized this, and in September, after reading two books that encouraged the process, I created my first ever daily word count goal. It was small, 250 words per day, but it got me focused. I was able to write Zombie Boy: Press Start in just shy of two months thanks to this goal.

The take away here is, every little bit counts. No matter how small, it adds up. If there is something you’re struggling with (saving money, writing a book, etc.), my advice would be to create a daily plan to get it done. Plan out a small step for every day, stick to it, and I promise it will add up before you know it!

You can check out my latest book, Zombie Boy: Press Start, now! It’s available at all your favorite retailers!

Available on: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

2015 was a pretty good year

While I didn’t accomplish all of my writing goals, I did manage to publish two books that I’m very proud of: “Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic” and “Zombie Boy: Press Start“. I also wrote the vomit draft of my first horror book as well as several short stories, all of which will be published at a future time. I was hoping this year would be a good time to bring my books to the audio world, but it’s something I decided to put off a tad longer.

One big goal that I hoped to accomplish this year just recently happened. ALL of my books are now available at all the major online retailers: iBooks, Nook, Kobo, and, of course, Amazon. I’m in this for the long haul, and going wide to all the other stores just seemed like a no-brainier.

It was also a good year for me personally due to all the hiking my husband and I were able to do. And also for the two hiking-and-gaming-filled visits by my best friend and her husband. Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad, and 2015 also brought me both home and auto repairs to deal with. Bleh. However, I am very blessed with what I have!

My focus for 2016

Book sales are still low, which is to be expected. Readers don’t read my books if they don’t know they exist. So, 2016 is the year of promotion and more writing. Writing needs no explanation. I’m a writer, therefore I write. However, I can’t efficiently promote unless I have a decent number of reviews. I’m working on a plan that I can implement hopefully in the first quarter of the new year that will net me more reviews, and thus allow me to promote more. I’m sure readers hear/read it all the time, but it’s true. Reviews are so very important to indie authors like myself. Think about it. When you’re browsing an online store for a product, you check out the reviews, right? I know I do. I want to get a general feel for what other users think of said product. Does it perform as advertised? Is it a good value? Has it held up over time?

Books are no different. We buy them based on what our peers say about them. I’m gonna toot my own horn here for just a second. Knowing how important reviews are, I try to return the favor as often as I can. Granted, life is hectic and I don’t always remember to do it, but I do practice what I preach and write reviews for some of the books I read. (I mainly review on Amazon and Goodreads since the Kindle has been my preferred reading platform for a while now.)

And speaking of reviews…. One thing I would like to do more of in 2016 is read more fiction! I read a crapTON (yes, that’s a word) of non-fiction. I’d like to make a concerted effort to read even more indie fiction this next year, especially in the horror and thriller genres. With that will come more reviews, too!

See how I brought that back around? I firmly believe ya get what ya give.

Stay tuned for books 2 and 3 in the “Adventures of Zombie Boy” series! Be sure to check out book 1, “Zombie Boy: Press Start” available NOW!

Available on: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Happy New Year, everyone!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

My iPhone has been used in two daily photo challenges this year (one from April and the second is going on right now), and it gets a lot of use out on the hiking trails. One of my favorite things to do with my iPhone’s camera is use the Olloclip 4-IN-1 lens attachment and shoot macro. Spring and summer bring out the bugs, and while I prefer them to not be in my house, I do love taking extreme close-up photos of strange-looking bugs that I find outside. (Click here to view photos on my Flickr page: Bugs and iPhoneography.)

Not only do I love the built-in camera, but my iPhone is used to edit photos, read books, watch movies, listen to music and podcasts, and even, wait for it… write stories. I’m writing this blog on my iPhone right now. My latest book, “Zombie Boy: Press Start” was written almost entirely on my iPad. (See #2 in the “5 Things I Learned” Post.)

My MacBook Air fills in the gaps (which aren’t many), and is also used to compile and publish all my books. Which brings me to the point of this blog entry. Books. Specifically, iBooks.

Like many indie authors, I did a stint of time in Amazon Kindle exclusivity, but now the time has come to spread my wings and take that next step into my writing career’s future.

I’m happy to announce that not only is “Zombie Boy” now available on iBooks, but ALL my books are! It was a goal of mine to “go wide” to all the major book retailers this year, and I am beyond thrilled to have reached that goal! Being published in 51 countries is a pretty awesome feat! That’s 700 million potential customers who love their iPhones as much as I do.

To celebrate, “Zombie Boy” will be on sale for a limited time for $.99! (Links for each book are listed below.)

Be sure to let me know what you think by leaving a review on iBooks. It may seem small, but reviews help indie authors in a HUGE way.

Thank you!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

From video game references to the different ways to describe zombie goo, I had a blast writing my third book! Like always, it was a great learning experience. Here are a few things I learned.

1. That setting writing goals is a MUST.
After reading “5000 Words Per Hour“ and “The 8-Minute Writing Habit“, I decided to set a daily writing goal of my own. My initial goal was to meet one of the following every day: either write for 8 minutes OR write 250 words. I basically do my own shorter version of the Pomodoro Technique. Because, honestly, I have no excuse to not write 8 minutes every day. It really is amazing what setting a daily goal did for my productivity. I typically write longer than 8 minutes, and most days I at least double, and sometimes triple, my minimum word count. (And the 1,000 word days are like Heaven!) Using this technique, “Zombie Boy” was written in just shy of two months. Compare that to the seven months for “Monster Girl” and five for its sequel. The takeaway from this is, no matter how small, every little bit adds up. Another good book to read on that very subject is “The Compound Effect“.

2. That I can write first drafts using a keyboard.
When I wrote my first two books, “Monster Girl” 1 and 2, I did so longhand using only pen and paper. For most of my writing life that is how I preferred to write. But I’ll be honest, transcribing from paper to screen is so not fun. It’s such a drab that with “Zombie Boy”, I wanted to learn how to tap into my creative flow using a keyboard the same way I am able to do it with pen/paper. Surprisingly, it was easier than I expected! I even wrote paragraphs using my iPhone but I mostly wrote entire chapters on my iPad since those are two devices that I always have at arm’s length. My MacBook Air was mainly used for editing.

3. That I’m still a total pantser.
For the record, I do outline key events, but it’s usually nothing more than a few sentences. Mainly to get what’s in my head down on paper so that I won’t forget it before I write it. I’ve mentioned before that Stephen King writes using a similar method, but I also recently read another book on the subject that I really liked. Dean Wesley Smith’s “Writing Into the Dark“ is a great read for anyone feeling unsure about your pantsing methods. Not that we need permission to write the way that feels most natural, but it is nice to know we aren’t alone.

4. That there is a fine line between enough and too much.
“Zombie Boy: Press Start” is chock-full of video game references. Some are obvious and others not so obvious. Balancing how many references was tricky. My love of gaming could have lent itself to a reference every other page, but I had to make sure that each one fit the story. I do feel I captured that balancing act, and I promise there will be more fun references in future sequels!

5. Naming characters/places/games/etc. is hard.
You’d think it would be easy, but it’s something I struggle with all the time. Naming stuff can be fun, but when that perfect name eludes me – the one that encapsulates the very essence of that person, place, or thing – it feels like pulling teeth. I have two criteria for naming: 1.) it must sound good, and 2.) it must have meaning, whether apparent to the reader or not. Even coming up with the subtitle for this book was a challenge. The book needed an immediate reference to gaming since it plays a major role in the story, and I think “Press Start” does an excellent job of conveying that. If you’re one of the people I hit up for name ideas, THANK YOU for your ideas and putting up with me!

Thank you for reading!  “Zombie Boy: Press Start” is available at all your favorite online bookstores! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Available on: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

I’ve put an insane number of hours into Fallout 4 since its November 10th release date, and I’ve put an equal number into editing, polishing, and publishing “Zombie Boy” in that same amount of time. To say my brain feels like someone used a Mesmetron on it would be an accurate statement. But, boy, does this feel awesome!

I started “Zombie Boy” in September at the request of my nephew. He loves the “Monster Girl” series and is a HUGE zombie fan, the biggest I know (and I know a few). He asked me, “When are you gonna write the ‘Adventures of Zombie Boy’?” Well, I couldn’t get that title out of my head, not to mention, who’s gonna say ‘no’ to such a request?

On November 11th, I finished the first draft of “Zombie Boy”, just one day after Fallout 4‘s release. What timing! (I wish I could say it was all planned, but it was a total accident. Ok, maybe a little planned.) And now, a month later, I’m happy to share “Zombie Boy” to the world!

Join Liam and his friends on an action packed, zombie-bashing adventure! For a limited time, “Zombie Boy” is on sale for $.99 (ebook). It’s available in Paperback and ebook at Amazon today, but I’m not stopping there. “Zombie Boy” will be available for iBooks and Nook very soon!!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible! My editors, Jessica and Susan; cover designer, Craig; to all the advanced readers: Rhonda, Viki, Roger, Tori, Lori, and Lori (that last part sounds like a cool all-girl rock band), and to anyone I may have forgotten (my brain is mush – again, see paragraph one, haha), I couldn’t do this without you!

Thank you!!!

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

Baseball, video games, and… zombies. What could possibly go wrong?

Liam Walker wants is to be an all-star baseball player, but life has other plans. When his best friend, Katie, lends him a video game, his world literally changes. Transformed from a down on his luck boy next door into a zombie bashing video game character, Liam must learn to deal with bullies, new friends, and loss while attempting to learn the rules of the game and save everyone from a zombie apocalypse.

With time running out, can he navigate his way back to the real world before it’s too late? Or will the appeal of being a zombie slaying hero have him staying in the video game world forever?

“Zombie Boy: Press Start” is my third book and the first in the “Adventures of Zombie Boy” trilogy. It will be available very soon! My nephew is the biggest zombie fan I know and, after reading “Monster Girl”, it was only natural that he encourage me to write, as he called it, ‘The Adventures of Zombie Boy’. How could I say no to that? Combining our mutual love for gaming and his infectious enthusiasm for zombies, the story of “Zombie Boy” was born.

Paperback / Kindle

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!

Books 1 and 2 in the “Monster Girl” series are only $.99!

Happy Halloween, Monster Readers! For a limited time, the “Monster Girl” series is on sale in the Kindle store for $.99!

Kindle – Monster Girl / Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic

***

ABOUT THE SERIES

“Monster Girl” – Book 1

A young girl, obsessed with monsters and the supernatural, befriends the ghost of her grandfather and, with his help, learns valuable lessons while dealing with a bossy older sister, parents who ignore her, and a school bully.

Viki Mitchell is being bullied.

All Viki wants is to fit in at her new school and join the art class. When she and her family move to a new house in Draxon Hollow, she makes both a new friend and enemy.

During a Halloween celebration, Viki is humiliated in front of all of Draxon Hollow Elementary by a mean girl at her school. With the guidance of her ghostly grandfather, she devises a plan to teach the bully a lesson.

Will she take the darker road and seek revenge?

What she does next may be surprising … for a Monster Girl.

Get “Monster Girl” on Kindle! 

“Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic” – Book 2

Following the events of the first book in the “Monster Girl” series, Viki and Herman find clues that take them on a mysterious journey as they try to discover the identity of the ghost in the attic.

When Viki defies her parents by sneaking out of her house, she witnesses her sister, Suzy, in a compromising situation that puts Suzy’s life in danger. But if Viki speaks up, she’ll be ratting on herself as well.

Does Viki do the right thing and tell the truth before it’s too late to save her sister? And just how will the mystifying ghost in the attic play a part in what Viki ultimately decides to do?

Get “Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic” on Kindle!

**The “Monster Girl” series is also available in Paperback!

Monster Girl / Monster Girl: Ghost in the Attic

Val O. Morris

Val O. Morris likes to pretend the monsters aren’t real. She is a filmmaker turned author who writes Urban Fantasy, Horror, and YA. A Monster Kid since birth, she loves all things ghosts, goblins, slashers, demons, monsters, zombies, madmen, werewolves, vampires, and freaky little kids who live in the corn. She invites you to come for the monsters and stay for the story.

Get Your FREE Book!