Steve was born in Nakusp BC, Canada, but grew up 30 mins away in small Burton BC. He graduated from the University of the Fraser Valley with a Kinesiology Degree in 2008 and is now a practicing Certified Canadian Pedorthist in Edmonton AB, Canada. Steve has been an athlete his entire life, first with Golf, Soccer and then Weightlifting, before he transitioned into Shotput. He then switched sports, pursuing his love of the winter sport of Bobsleigh as a Brakeman. Outside of work and sport he loves spending time with his wife Amanda, son Auryn and goofball dog OJ.
KR: Today see’s the release of Steve’s latest work Left Hand Path: 13 More Tales of Black Magick. To celebrate Kendall Reviews is delighted to offer you the chance to win a copy. In fact Steve has generously agreed to offer three copies as prizes! All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is LIKE & RETWEET my pinned Twitter post. (@gjkendall)
– 1st winner will win a signed copy of Left Hand Path.
– 2nd winner will receive/win the ebook.
– 3rd winner will receive/win the ebook.
The giveaway is now CLOSED! Thank you to everyone that took part.
Open internationally. All prizes will be sent via the author.
Do you remember the first time, you heard something go bump in the night?
Or when you first played with the Ouija board and it moved on its own?
What about the last time a movie or book scared you so badly, that you had to turn on all of your lights and make sure your feet were not hanging over the edge?
If any of this rings true, something probably caused you to find this book.
Within this book, the author of Frostbitten: 12 Hymns of Misery, Invisible, Yuri and Wagon Buddy returns to ensure you will be looking behind you frequently while reading.
Left Hand Path: 13 More Tales of Black Magick collects all new tales filled with depravity and retribution. Brimming with horror, thrills and creepy chills, the reader is sure to find the hairs standing up on the back of their necks and the occult themes causing them to question the true nature of the lights flickering.
When all is said and done, when you finally finish reading this batch of stories, you will have found that at some point, you locked the doors, checked under the bed, and made sure all of the closet doors are closed.
You have been warned.
KR: Now, please sit back, get comfortable and enjoy this remarkably honest interview.
Coffee?
KR: Could you tell me a little about yourself please?
My name is Steve Stredulinsky, but for simplicity I publish under Steve Stred! I am a dedicated Indie Author, who has been writing all of my life, but only started to really release things for public consumption at the end of 2016! I am located in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. I am a former athlete and currently work in the medical industry. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have a son and a American bulldog named Oj!
KR: What do you like to do when not writing?
Things have really changed now. Before I was a father, and was an athlete, my life was work, training and competing. Now, since retiring from that life, it is all about spending as much time with my wife, son and dog. We live near a fantastic river valley, so we go for lots of walks, and generally try and get out and see the city! We are those folks who like being a tourist in our own city and don’t really live our lives by the weather. We also live a 5 minute drive from West Edmonton Mall (largest mall in Canada), so we like to go there and see what’s happening.
KR: What is your favourite childhood book?
I can’t really remember all of the books I read when I was little. I started reading adult fiction early on, so my two favourite books/novellas from way back in my day are The Long Walk and the Mist from Stephen King (Richard Bachman). I also loved The Neverending Story. Besides those, I always loved reading Archie comics!
KR: What is your favourite album, and does music play any role in your writing?
It would be so hard for me to pick one singular album. I listen to so much music and love so many different bands. If I had too, and it was a life or death choice, I would say Six Feet Under – Haunted. Growing up we used to order a lot of CD’s from Columbia House, and we would often choose the CD simply from the album artwork, and the screaming skull face pushing through the black hooked me instantly! Chris Barnes crazy vocals sold me instantly. I have two Chris Barnes related tattoo’s simply because of my love of that band and it all started from me seeing that album cover artwork.
As for the question; “Does music play a role?” I would say yes. For instance my first full length novel Invisible has over 100 musical specific references in it. I always write will listening to music and use it for the atmosphere for sure.
KR: Do you have a favourite horror movie/director?
You know, I truly don’t! Ridley Scott has done some phenomenal stuff, and I absolutely love all of the Alien world. John Carpenter is another one, really crazy stuff that made you jump. Growing up the movie that scared me the worst was actually The Monster Squad. I am petrified of Werewolves (to this day actually!) and just the combination of all of the monsters freaked me out. For many years, the Tri-Star opening with the music and the Unicorn would give me chills. I have enjoyed all of Rob Zombie’s works, and Tobe Hooper has made some truly messed up stuff. But in all honesty, I tend to gravitate towards the more extreme, the more brutal, much like my music, and so many different director’s accomplish that, really well.
KR: What are you reading now?
Currently I have a number of works I am reading! I tend to read a bunch of stuff at one time.
- The Only Child by Andrew Pyper
- Deep Shadow by Nick Sullivan
- Return to Dyatlov Pass – J.H. Moncrieff
- Monsterland – Shaun Whittington
Once I am done one of these, I will be starting Strange Weather by Joe Hill and then The Outsider by Stephen King.
KR: Who were the authors that inspired you to write?
Truly my biggest influence has been Stephen King. He has always been, and always will be my favourite author. I am forever indebted to our neighbour growing up (Patti!) because she was the one who introduced me to his works! I have read a number of other authors over the years, many whom I truly adore and admire, but as for wanting to write, it has always been the King.
KR: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to just see where an idea takes you?
To me it depends on the story. I typically plot out my long reads. I will have a baseline beginning, middle and ending. Then I will patch in the rest of the stuff as I go. For my short stories, I usually have it completely thought out beforehand. I may only have a one line word doc that says “guy’s imaginary friend is real” and know the entire thing from that line.
KR: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I will do some. For my Jane 816 Chronicles novella, I took some time to read about genetic splicing and creating living creatures in a lab etc. Just to get an idea. I typically don’t get too involved in very specific details to the point that, if someone were to read it, they would say the science or details were so far off base that it ruined the story for them. In one of my recent kids releases, the girls need to dismantle a nuclear bomb, and I had no idea what that took. So I googled it (probably not the best thing to google!) and then simplified the process.
KR: Describe your usual writing day?
I write Monday to Friday. I have an hour long lunch at work, so I will eat for the first 15 minutes, read some online stuff/browse the web and then I spend the next 45 minutes focused on writing/editing/getting the release ready. Really anything I need to focus on in those 45 minutes. I put my headphones on, so no co-workers bother me and go at it! I will try and do little things here and there during the day, but those 45 minutes are the key.
KR: Do you have a favourite story/short that you’ve written (published or not)?
I actually have three, if you will indulge me!
The first would be my first novel, Invisible. It is part fiction, part non-fiction. I wrote a number of autobiographical parts in the book as well as the thriller/fantasy/horror portion. As mentioned before, I have over 100 musical references in it as well. Ultimately I love it because it addresses a number of things in my life. Which is why it took over 8 years to write! I shed a lot of tears writing that book.
The second would be For Balder Walks. This was my very first short story that I released on Amazon. I was able to get my amazing and talented friend Lee Orr to do a fantastic cover, which I am re-utilizing for my re-release of The Fence, now called Frostbitten: 12 Hymns of Misery.
I had some hits with this from some editors/publishers but ultimately went the self-release route!
The third is Gabe & The A Word. I wrote this for my nephew Gabe. He has high functioning autism and I just wanted to try and let him know that his diagnosis doesn’t define him. In the book he comes to find out that the A word is Awesome! He loves reading and I thought this was a neat way to let him know how much we love him and want him to succeed! Plus it’s a fantastic conversation starter for him; “Did you know I have books about me?”
KR: Do you read your book reviews?
When I get them I do, ha ha! Book reviews appear to be harder to get than winning the lottery and I seriously don’t understand it. Every book I read, I review. (Now, in the past I didn’t when I didn’t use the computer much!) I don’t know how many authors do read their reviews, but I do know the more reviews the better exposure, and for a lot of us, we have little to no budget for marketing so to have 5-50 reviews is huge exposure.
I had a contest that I just terminated recently, to win a free ARC of my next book of short stories. I did a 5 day free promo for all of my work on kindle, and had 125 downloads, which I was so excited about and blown away. So the contest was, for every review you do, you get entered to win the book. That’s it. I didn’t even care if you hated my work, just say it. Be constructive and tell me what I can do better for you. I had zero entries into the contest. Just flabbergasted.
KR: Any advice for a fledgling author?
Oooooh, good question. As a fledgling author myself, I can only go by what I have experienced so far. I would say the three biggest things for me would be;
- Don’t be afraid to put your stuff out there. I write because I love to write and have a passion for it. I want to see where my characters go. If someone else likes it then amazing! But don’t be afraid to go for it, and don’t be afraid to put it out there!
- Reach out to other authors and book reviewers. I have been super fortunate to have gotten some amazing feedback about a year ago from Ania Ahlborn. I messaged her on Instagram and she kindly replied. If I hadn’t reached out, then I would have not re-focused on my other social media platforms. I have also found a group of authors who I respect big time and who have been kind enough to give me some guidance. J.Z. Foster has been amazing, Justin Woodward has been super kind, and Brian Bogart has been so encouraging, to the point we are teaming up to release a collaboration together. Chris Sorensen has also been very kind with his time. Finally, Mason McDonald also did some beta reading and gave great feedback, which I thoroughly appreciate. This group has been beyond awesome to me. So don’t be afraid to reach out!
- As for the book reviewers (and bloggers), these guys are phenomenal. This is all a “hobby” if you will. They spend their free time to read the books folks put out, review them, and promote them. They deserve all the respect in the world! Plus they take gorgeous pictures of the books! And you need to understand, not everything you write will resonate with everyone!
- Lastly, have a NO person. Everyone has YES people, but have a NO person. Someone who will read your works and tell you when something isn’t working or should be changed. For me that is my sister Jodi. She has been so amazing helping me, I can’t thank her enough. I typically craft a story and will recraft it based on her reviews/thoughts!
KR: What scares you?
Werewolves, fog and horses. In that order. Werewolves because, I mean, they are werewolves! Highly trained soldiers had trouble with them! (Dog Soldiers reference there!)
Fog because you never know what the heck is lurking. The Mist changed my life.
Horses are massive animals. Angry animals. They will bite you and eat you if you let them. Just scary things. I had a few scares from them when I was young and that has forever left that impression on me.
KR: E-Book, Paperback or Hardback?
If you would have asked me before we had our son, I would have said Paperback 100%. Now the only reading I get done is on my kindle! I never really have liked hard covers in the past, simply because I found them bulky and hard to read in bed. I have a number of them, and they have some gorgeous options, but for me lately, e-book has been the way to go. I find though, that it is really easy to suddenly have 70 books you want to read, and for a fraction of the cost! Plus all my favourite authors always have random sales, so that number just keeps growing!
KR: Can you tell me about your latest release please?
I have two recent releases. The adult release is Frostbitten: 12 Hymns of Misery. It is a re-release of my previous collection The Fence. I re-edited it and updated the art work, then added the short story For Balder Walks into the collection. I had some advice from J.Z. Foster about the artwork for The Fence. I had used a generic template, as I have zero artistic abilities. So I had been pondering a redo on that one. After his feedback I knew it was the way to go. He also read Time Out Noose and loved it, so from his advice, I have put that story on my blog for free! So that should be out, when this is posted up! If not keep your eyes peeled!
The kids release is my third children’s action/adventure story, titled Ayrielle and Willow Band Together! I have previously released Gabe and the A Word and Layne Meets Lefty & Knuckles. Those two were for my nephews and this release is for my nieces. I thought this would be a great way for them to be able to read my stuff now, not be frightened, and also be featured in the stories! I have a bunch of stuff written for my son already as well!
KR: What are you working on now?
Oh jeeze! Haha, what am I not! Ok let’s see here – 3 novels; The Stranger, which is about a family camping at their normal spot, only to discover Mother Nature might be a bit of a jerk, 15 Years, which is in the infant stages of development, and an untitled project involving a plane crash.
I am also putting the finishing touches on my second book of short stories; Left Hand Path: 13 More Tales of Black Magick. This one is ready to go, just waiting on artwork/formatting. I am also working on my third book of short stories, tentatively titled The Night Crawls In.
I have two Novellas coming out shortly as well; Wagon Buddy and Yuri.
Then I have a batch of short stories coming out based on my son!
Lastly, as I mentioned before I am partnering up with Brian Bogart for a fun collaboration called Constant Creepers!
KR: You find yourself on a desert island, which three people would you wish to be deserted with you and why?
You can choose…
a) One fictional character from your writing.
b) One fictional character from any other book.
c) One real life person that is not a family member or friend.
Well, if we are going to be there a long time, I would probably want them to be large right? Plenty of food source? Hahaha!
Ok, on a serious note, I would choose;
- Jane, from my release Jane: The 816 Chronicles. She’s such a caring soul, and would be our island’s de facto mother!
- Roland the Gunslinger of course! I mean, he may not chat much, but there’s a good chance he could find a way to leave the island. And who wouldn’t want to be part of his ka-tet, am I right? If Roland wasn’t available then it would be Miles from Wildfire Season. He never gave up, and clearly has a connection with the earth.
- Easy – Jake “the Snake” Roberts! Former WWF (now WWE) superstar! He could even bring Damien his snake with him! Would be amazing to hear all of the crazy stories from when I loved watching wrestling! He is my favourite wrestler of all time, and even prompted to me to name my childhood dog after him! I have the name Jake tattooed on the back of my neck, all because of how awesome he was!
In closing, I just wanted to say thank you Gavin and the rest of the blogging crew who always reach out, share, retweet, and promote all of us Indie Authors! I believe from the time we connected on Twitter until now, you have retweeted stuff from me over 50 times, and that is huge.
And in fairness and full disclosure, when we first connected, it was related to a contest I was having and you ended up being one of the lucky winners! I can’t thank you enough, and I can’t thank the twitter/Instagram/Facebook bloggers/reviewers etc. enough!
KR: Thank you Steve.
You can follow Steve on Twitter @stevestred
To find out more about Steve please visit his official website www.stevestredauthor.wordpress.com/
You can check out Steve’s author page here
You can visit Steve’s Facebook page here
Do you remember the first time, you heard something go bump in the night?
Or when you first played with the Ouija board and it moved on its own?
What about the last time a movie or book scared you so badly, that you had to turn on all of your lights and make sure your feet were not hanging over the edge?
If any of this rings true, something probably caused you to find this book.
Within this book, the author of Frostbitten: 12 Hymns of Misery, Invisible, Yuri and Wagon Buddy returns to ensure you will be looking behind you frequently while reading.
Left Hand Path: 13 More Tales of Black Magick collects all new tales filled with depravity and retribution. Brimming with horror, thrills and creepy chills, the reader is sure to find the hairs standing up on the back of their necks and the occult themes causing them to question the true nature of the lights flickering.
When all is said and done, when you finally finish reading this batch of stories, you will have found that at some point, you locked the doors, checked under the bed, and made sure all of the closet doors are closed.
You have been warned.
You can buy Left Hand Path from Amazon US & Amazon UK
Chased across the country-side by a ravenous beast, haunted by the decisions he has made.
The Lighthouse, where nothing appears to be what it is.
A noise, constantly drawing him in, but keeping him at a distance from answers.
All of it comes to a crescendo, crashing down around him.
Invisible is a gut wrenching ride across a nightmarish landscape, filled with music references, peppered with claustrophobic bouts within the Lighthouse. Part fiction, part auto-biography, Invisible will etch itself into your subconscious long after you have finished reading.
You can buy Invisible from Amazon US & Amazon UK
Hope. What lengths would you go to, when all you have is hope? For Jane, known medically as 816, that is all she has. She hopes to be free one day, free from the torture, the captivity and the loneliness. She wants to be free, with her best friend Penny, known medically as 815, experiencing life outside of their caged walls.
Jane: The 816 Chronicles is a story about ‘a being’ discovering the world and people around her. A being discovering that sometimes situations and people are completely outside of her control, but still doing their best to look towards the positive, even when it becomes apparent, that what you see, isn’t always what you get.
You can buy Jane: The 816 Chronicles from Amazon US & Amazon UK
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