Skip to content
  • Welcome to StarkLight Press
  • StarkLight Press Bookstore
  • StarkLight Recreation Society
StarkLight Press

StarkLight Press

The Center of the Media Galaxy

  • Welcome to StarkLight Press
    • Call for Talent
    • Interviews with our Authors
    • Meet the Staff
    • Official Short Story Contest Rules
    • StarkLight Zone
  • StarkLight Press Bookstore
    • Shop
    • Outermost
    • Tales from Space
  • StarkLight Recreation Society
  • Toggle search form

Category: Uncategorized

In My Mind’s Eye- A Poetry Anthology

Posted on October 17, 2015 By admin No Comments on In My Mind’s Eye- A Poetry Anthology

inmymindseyecover

Here’s the fetching front cover to the first poetry anthology from StarkLight Press!

Inside, you can find beautiful poetry by participants in the online 24 hr. Poetry Marathon and top-notch writers from around the world. Featuring the fruits of more than a year’s poetic efforts, this beautiful anthology will be available the end of October, 2015.

Authors include:

Doris Ray (British Columbia historian)

Laura Callender (President, CW Press)

Monica McCawley

Liane Carter

Virginia Carraway Stark

Jason Pere

Meg Dunn

Jenn Spaulding

Jen M. Duell

Tony Stark

and more!

Check back at starklightpress.com for pre-order links for ebook and print versions!

Tony Stark,

President and CEO,

StarkLight Press.

Uncategorized

A Word About the Nature of Horror

Posted on October 17, 2015 By admin No Comments on A Word About the Nature of Horror

At this most spooky time of year, we are re-blogging editor in chief Virginia Stark’s blog about what, exactly is horror.

festive frights cover art

Lately I’ve been involved in two different horror anthologies. The first one was for Halloween. Published by CW Publishing and entitled ‘The Grim Keepers’. The second one is an upcoming one for Christmas called, ‘Festive Frights’ and promises to be a respite from ‘all that sugar and spice’ of the holidays. As more and more authors work on their stories and we discuss them amongst ourselves, I hear one question over and over again: Is this horror enough?

It’s an interesting question and I don’t think anyone is ‘expert’ enough to judge this one way or another for the simple reason that everyone is scared of something different.

A good example of this is a story that I submitted to a horror magazine years ago. The magazine has since gone out of business but I will never forget the rejection letter that they sent me. They were openly derisively towards me the way bullies in a schoolyard will be, “You call that horror?” They asked. “We didn’t find it at all scary. Maybe you should try writing for children.”

The story I had sent in involved ritual murder. The women involved captured peasants and put them in cages above bathtubs after slicing their victims legs and feet open so that they could bathe in their blood. That was one part that I felt classified it as horror and yet I was told it wasn’t horror enough.

This raises the question, what is scary enough for a horror anthology? Horror is defined as: 1) An intense feeling of horror, shock or disgust. 2) A bad or mischievous person, especially a child. 3) Having a frightening subject matter, especially a supernatural one.

The definition of horror shows how diverse of an issue it is. There have been a few stories that when I wrote them I got the heeby jeebies, but usually I only know if something is scary by the reactions of people to what I have written. Horror is subjective but the last definition of horror given is a telling one.

The supernatural all by itself can cause a regular story to be boosted into the category of horror in a single bound. We are, as a race most intensely filled with feelings of horror, shock or disgust by that which is profoundly other from ourselves. No category fulfills the criteria of ‘other’ better than the supernatural. Without a system to categorize and understand what we are experiencing our adrenaline gets pumping and we are left wondering if the creak of a floorboard is the house settling or a boogeyman about to pounce. We try so hard as a species to be rational in world where things very rarely follow a rational pattern.

A good example of something that is ‘horror’ without anything really horrific happening is the legend of the will-o-the-wisp. A mysterious light appears in a wooded or swampy area and someone, or a group of someones follow it. The wisp is always a little ahead of them, is it over there? No, wait, it’s all the way over there. Is it a person? Maybe someone lost and looking for home? But they don’t reply to the people calling to them? Perhaps it’s someone playing a trick on them? Or perhaps, it’s something worse…something unknown.

The will-o-the-wisp is an excellent example of the mystery of horror because the people can survive and return home, or they can be lost forever but either way, an unexplainable event occurred to them. This is what makes horror. It’s disarray in the ordered threads of day-to-day life, it’s anything extraordinary. Even seemingly positive things that are extraordinary can rapidly transition into horror. For example: The Lottery Curse.

It’s something of an urban legend that says that anyone who wins the big lotto is cursed. People tell stories about the man who won the lottery and then lost his wife and children to various falling outs and then discovered he had cancer. There are dozens of variations of these stories of how the money will never last and whatever you do with it will somehow inexplicably go wrong.

So, what is ‘horror enough’? There is no answer for this. Is it bad? Is it mischievous? Is it filled with disgust and entrails? Is there a mysterious light that lures people to their possible deaths? Is it winning so much money that your life has become unnatural?
GrimKeeper cover

That’s the fun of horror. Not everything is going to be scary to everyone but the reason we write it primarily is to explore the bounds of what is known to us. When I write horror it is like wading the ocean, everything is normal and then… suddenly the shelf of sand breaks off into vast unknown depths. The difference between horror and a regular story is that break between touching the ground and having the depths below your feet. Who knows what will rise from those cold deeps.

Uncategorized

Fall Fantasy Interview Series: #3

Posted on October 17, 2015 By virginiaseastark No Comments on Fall Fantasy Interview Series: #3

Source: Fall Fantasy Interview Series: #3

Uncategorized

StarkLight’s Christmas Anthology

Posted on October 13, 2015 By admin 3 Comments on StarkLight’s Christmas Anthology

Introducing a very special, close-deadline short story contest! StarkLight is putting forth a Christmas anthology of short stories… and our theme is: Steampunk Holiday Stories! As usual, we are looking for stories with a wry, speculative, thought-provoking twist- and this time, with an added shot of Christmas, Solstice and any other winter holiday you think…

Read More “StarkLight’s Christmas Anthology” »

Events, News, Uncategorized

In My Mind’s Eye- A Poetry Anthology

Posted on October 11, 2015 By admin No Comments on In My Mind’s Eye- A Poetry Anthology

StarkLight Press is pleased to announce the upcoming release of its first poetry anthology, entitled In My Mind’s Eye.

book2

This anthology features poetry from online writers’ groups chaired by Virginia Carraway Stark as well as a selection of poems from participants in the 24 Hour Poetry Marathon 2015.

Collected and compiled by StarkLight Press, this anthology will be available in perfect-bound and e copies November 1.

Featuring authors Ingrid Exner, Laura Callender, Virginia Carraway Stark, Monica McCawley, Hank Porter, Roxann Harvey, Jenn Spaulding, Jen M. Duell and more.

You can order your advance copies through StarkLight Press today!

– Tony Stark,

Publisher and CEO,

StarkLight Press

Uncategorized

Introducing the Phraser Connector

Posted on October 9, 2015 By admin 1 Comment on Introducing the Phraser Connector

StarkLight Press is proud to present online the long-standing local newsmagazine, The Phraser Connector.

As part of our commitment to sharing local author voices with the wider world, StarkLight Press is making available the Connector to online audiences all over the world.

The Phraser Connector is the brainchild of author Elaine Storrey, local humanitarian and arts patron in Fraser Lake, British Columbia. This paper collects the best of the area’s public events, local interest stories and cottage industry offerings. In addition, The Phraser Connector has regular columns from the pens of local authors about life in the wilds of northwest British Columbia.

Each new edition will be available for ebook readers and computers as it is sent to local mailboxes.

In addition, StarkLight Press will soon have all archived editions available through Scribd, the amazing periodical respository.  Our thanks to Elaine Storrey for making these available to the public!

Be sure to check out the fun events and local color from this region on your kindle, iphone or computer today!

– Tony Stark,

Publisher and CEO,

StarkLight Press.

Uncategorized

Turkish Delight

Posted on October 9, 2015 By virginiaseastark No Comments on Turkish Delight

Turkish Delight or How a child understands abuse through symbols and stories. My mother loved Turkish Delight. I personally never liked the stuff. I couldn’t eat it without thoughts of The White Witch and Edmund’s temptation away from Aslan in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I couldn’t figure out what she loved about…

Read More “Turkish Delight” »

Uncategorized

Tony Stark Interviewed for Hallowe’en Anthology

Posted on October 9, 2015 By virginiaseastark No Comments on Tony Stark Interviewed for Hallowe’en Anthology

Source: Tony Stark Interviewed for Hallowe’en Anthology

Uncategorized

Poetry Marathon Anthology

Posted on October 9, 2015 By admin No Comments on Poetry Marathon Anthology

StarkLight Press is pleased to publish a collection of poems from the intrepid, dedicated poets who took part in the 2015 24 Hour Poetry Marathon.

Several of the many participants have had their inspiring and impacting poems selected for the StarkLight Press Poetry Marathon Anthology. Read the creativity brought forth by an entire day of hourly poetry crafting and celebrate poetry on a deadline!

We are pleased to offer the Poetry Marathon Anthology in ebook and print format, available soon from StarkLight Press- The Center of the Media Galaxy.

– Tony Stark,

Publisher and CEO,

StarkLight Press.

Uncategorized

Tony Stark Interviewed for Hallowe’en Anthology

Posted on October 5, 2015 By admin No Comments on Tony Stark Interviewed for Hallowe’en Anthology

This Hallowe’en, check out a chilling collection of stories from North American authors, compiled and edited by Laura Callender of Collaborative Writing Challenge fame.

Tony Stark has included a tale in The Grim Keepers, entitled Remus. It is an accounting of the events that transpired following the pivotal incident of the founding of Rome… in this story, Remus, trapped on the edges of life following his murder, uses the magical time of All Hallows Eve to settle accounts with his brother Romulus.

Below, find the interview regarding the Anthology- Many thanks to Virginia Carraway Stark for the interview opportunity!

Interview with Anthony Stark about his upcoming short story in The Grim Keepers anthology available October 23!

1. What is your favourite part about writing scary fiction?

My favorite part about scary fiction is the more subtle, spiritual aspect of horror. I like finding the place where culture meets horror and expanding that membrane, making myths and legends meet the modern day.

2. What inspired your story for The Grim Reapers anthology?

My inspiration for this story is, of course, the Roman legend of Romulus and Remus. With the fading of the year, the plight of Remus the famous ghostly brother seemed fitting. I combined it with oriental ideas of Yang and Yin, because in the old myths, demigods didn’t just die that easily… So I asked, what happened to all the life Romulus stole, and what dark place would that have left his brother?

3. What scares you most?

The things that scare me most are stories without beauty, hope and redemption. That’s not a good scary, either, but a horrible terror. The current obsession with worlds and movies that are post-post apocalyptic in nature, where everything is FUBARed and a ‘happy’ ending is merely some twisted form of survival for another day, that scares me. It scares me just as much that people eat up these bleak tales as that people can think to make them, let alone make them into gigantic movies. So much energy goes into them; like any creative product, it propagates itself in the world. That is truly scary.

Look for a link to the anthology to be posted on StarkLight Press later this month!

– Tony Stark,

Publisher and CEO,

StarkLight Press.

Uncategorized

Posts pagination

Previous 1 … 15 16 17 … 29 Next

Archives

  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014

Categories

  • Author Interviews
  • Child Abuse
  • Children of alcoholics
  • Courage
  • divorce
  • Events
  • medical treatments
  • News
  • Our Books
  • Our Characters
  • Our Writers
  • poetry
  • poetry marathon
  • Sexual Abuse
  • StarkLight Press Merchandise
  • StarkLight Press Travels
  • Tales from Space
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos

Recent Posts

  • Welcome to Poetry Month
  • Tales from Space 3 Short Story Contest
  • StarkLight Press Calendar
  • Innovate and Inform
  • SLP Author Interview Today

Recent Comments

  1. virginiaseastark on Integrity in the Multiverse
  2. נערות ליווי on Welcome to Poetry Month
  3. נערות ליווי on Tales from Space 3 Short Story Contest
  4. נערות ליווי on StarkLight Press Calendar
  5. נערות ליווי on StarkLight Press attends National Conference
  • Status Update on StarkLight Volume 2 News
  • Kelly Blanchard, Interviewer Author, Meets Sasha Wheaton Author Interviews
  • The Green Man Events
  • StarkLight Press Makes Book Launches Shine! Events
  • Will Norton: Roughneck, Writer, Historian Author Interviews
  • Avis News
  • Our First Christmas Party- Huge Success! Events
  • Release of Second Printing of Tales from Space News
  • Status Update on StarkLight Volume 2 News
  • Kelly Blanchard, Interviewer Author, Meets Sasha Wheaton Author Interviews
  • The Green Man Events
  • StarkLight Press Makes Book Launches Shine! Events
  • Will Norton: Roughneck, Writer, Historian Author Interviews
  • Avis News
  • Our First Christmas Party- Huge Success! Events
  • Release of Second Printing of Tales from Space News
  • The Lament of the White Star
    The Lament of the White Star
    $39.50
    Add to cart
  • The Alaska Highway 75th Anniversary
    The Alaska Highway 75th Anniversary
    $58.99
    Add to cart
  • An Incident in El Noor
    An Incident in El Noor
    $22.99
    Add to cart
  • The Androsian Question - Tales from Space Novel
    The Androsian Question - Tales from Space Novel
    $23.99
    Add to cart
  • Great Ladies Volume 1
    Great Ladies Volume 1
    $15.99
    Add to cart
  • Hearts Asunder Volume 1
    Hearts Asunder Volume 1
    $15.99
    Add to cart
  • Autumn Frost
    Autumn Frost
    $13.99
    Add to cart
  • The Irregulars Volume 1
    The Irregulars Volume 1
    $19.99
    Add to cart
  • Wild, Wicked and Sparkling
    Wild, Wicked and Sparkling
    $14.99
    Add to cart

Copyright © 2021 StarkLight Press. Site created and Managed by MacGregor Logistics Ltd.

Powered by PressBook News Dark theme

 

Loading Comments...