Urban Fantasy / Horror
To Be Published: 12-12-2022
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Armand Tarkanian is trapped in the ultimate dead-end job: embalming decedents under his abusive uncle’s watchful eye. Every day he goes through the motions, making death look beautiful while his life is anything but.
A car accident leaves him indebted to Berj, a mysterious man with rune-carved gold teeth and a penchant for worshipping old gods. Blackmailed and desperate, Armand feels more trapped than he was under his uncle’s thumb. But the embalmer harbors his own dark secret, a bloodline curse that allows him to communicate with the dead.
When the spirits show him how they were murdered, Armand must choose between fealty to the sadistic and manipulative Berj, or joining the Legion of the Lamb, a monster-hunting biker gang with their own agenda. What began as a dangerous game between secret societies has led Armand on a frightening quest to save the only family he’s ever known and a chance to get closer to the rebellious misfits who saved him.
Heartfelt and provocative, Accursed Son is a story featuring generational clashes, found families, and the rewards of tempting fate.
What I Wish Someone Told Me About Writing
I wish someone told me, when I was a plucky teenager years ago writing short stories on a typewriter and dreaming of literary success, the one immutable truth about writing: Writing is hard.
Spin a convincing yarn with the right emotional beats and you’ll ensnare readers with your words.
Easier said than done.
Every story is a chance to improve your craft, create relatable characters, and take readers on a journey.
Getting there takes skill and determination. There’s no one source for becoming a better writer. No magic potion you imbibe can transform you into a master wordsmith.
Want to become a better writer? Then sit in front of the keyboard and give yourself permission to fail.
And you will fail. Repeatedly. With frustrating frequency you’ll get things wrong, muddle your syntax, and birth monstrous word salad. You’ll feel like throwing in the towel and walking away. Self-defeatism and depression take over. You’ll tell yourself writing is impossible and that you can’t write your way out of a paper bag.
You’ll want to abandon writing and walk into the sea.
But you won’t. You’ll return because imaginary people are suffering and you’re the only one who can save them. Or torture them. Whatever works, right?
I wish someone told me about keeping notebooks. Carry a notebook with you at all times. You never know when those creative juices start flowing. Write down everything, no matter how trivial or random. Maybe you hear an interesting name or eavesdrop on a conversation and enjoy the wordplay or cadence. Others may describe you as the weirdo scribbling into their journal at the coffee shop, but pay them no mind. Those words fit sweetly on the page, and taking notes can only help.
I wish someone told me about impostor syndrome and how real it is, how you’ll spend time comparing yourself to others, questioning your writing ability, and grow moody and introspective. Don’t buy into despair. Don’t dramatize your situation. You are not Lord Byron weeping while drinking brandy from a human skull. (Look it up.) Take a breather, exercise, or distract yourself with work or a hobby. Then return to the keyboard or journal and write with a fresh outlook.
I wish someone told me inspiration comes at the most inopportune times. It kicks in your door at 2 a.m. and drags you screaming out of bed. It cares not for your meticulous schedules or daily plans. When the muse strikes, she punches hard.
I wish someone told me writing requires patience and discipline. Put in the time, and write from your heart. Tell stories the only way you can, with your unique voice. What typifies your fiction? Is it the characters with quirky traits, or the daring subject matter, or the genre you explore in your stories? Whatever you write about, be authentic and stick to a voice that works for you.
I wish someone told me that writing is not a race; it’s a marathon you run by yourself. No two writers are the same, neither are their individual journeys. Some will get agents, lucrative book contracts, and coveted writing awards. Others will continue toiling in obscurity or publish a few poems in a small journal for a pittance.
Wherever you are in your writing journey is where you are now. Continue writing those words, seizing every opportunity, making those contacts. The primary strategy is forward momentum; write your stories, then write more. Craft those words onto the page, scribes. Make your writing sing, make it say something about you and how you view the world. Being alive and writing is your foundation; build off that.
About the Author
Eric Avedissian is an adjunct professor and speculative fiction author. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and a ridiculous number of books. When not chained to his writing desk, he hikes the Pinelands and wastes too much time on social media. Accursed Son is his first novel. Visit him online at www.ericavedissian.com and on Twitter: @angryreporter.
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I want to read it. And also thanks for the giveaway.