… (Kevin) Ranson has effortlessly merged a mystery thriller with the allure of a vampire horror story. At every twist and turn, new revelations came to light and added even greater depth to the storyline. I highly recommend this book to anyone who fancies a cleverly written thriller/horror that banks on the idea that well-developed characters with a sense of humor are the key to a great piece of fiction.
Tag: novel
The Matriarch – The Complete Playlist
I’ve been featuring a number of favorite tunes that puts me into the world I’ve created and that have helped to mentally shape that world; if it was a movie, what would the soundtrack be? Most of these I’ve featured – I’ve included the song, a corresponding scene, location or character in parenthesis, and the artist. The last song, “My Songs Know What You Did” by Fall Out Boy, immediately sounded like the combination of everything, the perfect roll-the-credits song – if The Matriarch were ever made into a movie.
Fly On the Wall (Ed’s Church) – Thousand Foot Krutch
Come Along (Weekend Plans) – Vicci Martinez & Cee Lo Green
Head Over Heels (Gramma’s House) – Digital Daggers
Sleep Alone 909S In Darktimes Mix (Late Again) – Bat for Lashes
Nightmare (Booty Call) – Avenged Sevenfold
Boom Boom Ba (The Sanctum) – Métisse
Save Yourself (Daniel’s Drive) – Stabbing Westward
Running Up That Hill (The Turning) – Placebo
Beyond the Stars (Running Away) – Evans Blue
Cry Little Sister (Louisa Revealed) – Seasons After
Through Glass (Empty House) – Stone Sour
Beauty of the Dark (Back to the Cemetery) – Mads Langer
We Radiate (Little Black Dress) – Goldfrapp
Temptation Waits (The Lounge) – Garbage
Love the Way You Hate Me (Ian’s Theme) – Against All Will
Open Letter (Louisa’s Theme) – The Amity Affliction
Wait For Sleep (Tower Window) – Dream Theater
Life Is Beautiful – Acoustic (The Funeral) – Sixx:A.M.
My Songs Know What You Did (End Credits) – Fall Out Boy
One to Watch – 5-star Review for The Matriarch
5.0 out of 5 stars: “One to watch” June 22, 2013
By L. Reuther (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Matriarch (Paperback)
Kevin A Ranson beautifully blends the boundaries of vampires and ghosts. This story of revenge takes place in the real world with a straightforward insight on stakes, sunlight and soil. Kevin creates characters with believable motives who show that vampires, just like mortals, must ultimately chose their own path in life, and decide whether it will be a blessing or a cure. Either way, these are creatures with an impact on their ecosystem. They have been present in every human civilization, and deserve to be studied both historically and scientifically. Kevin’s cars, Kias and Escalades, add an element of fun. He has written a well-balanced story with elements of action, humor, and humanity.
Published! The Matriarch is Available on Kindle at Amazon
WTF Books has published The Matriarch!
Get it now on Amazon Kindle and compatible apps. More options coming soon. Enjoy!
From WTF Books:
“In The Matriarch, Kevin Ranson interweaves real and fictional horror into a tale that is part mystery, part supernatural – and entirely hypnotic. Full of rich characterizations and settings, Ranson draws an original picture of the vampire – one that reveals its secrets as it plays on your senses and sympathies.”
Book Synopsis:
Every October, the freshmen at Glenville State College are told stories about Sis Linn, the local ghost who haunts Clark Hall and the graveyard where she’s buried. Murdered in 1919, she was beaten beyond recognition, the target of a brutal killer who was never caught.
The stories are wrong.
When present-day student Janiss Connelly stumbles upon the truth, she inherits a unique opportunity to end a century of bloodshed… even if it’s already too late for her.
Read more about The Matriarch…
The Matriarch to be Published by WTF Books!
WTF Books has accepted The Matriarch for publication in the very near future. “WTF” doesn’t mean what you think it means, so check out their site to find out who they are and what they have to offer!
From WTF Books:
“In The Matriarch, Kevin Ranson interweaves real and fictional horror into a tale that is part mystery, part supernatural – and entirely hypnotic. Full of rich characterizations and settings, Ranson draws an original picture of the vampire – one that reveals its secrets as it plays on your senses and sympathies.”
Book Synopsis:
Every October, the freshmen at Glenville State College are told stories about Sis Linn, the local ghost who haunts Clark Hall and the graveyard where she’s buried. Murdered in 1919, she was beaten beyond recognition, the target of a brutal killer who was never caught.
The stories are wrong.
When present-day student Janiss Connelly stumbles upon the truth, she inherits a unique opportunity to end a century of bloodshed… even if it’s already too late for her.
Read more about the upcoming novel, The Matriarch…
New Synopsis for The Matriarch (back cover text tease)
Vampires don’t believe in ghosts.
Every October, the freshmen at Glenville State College are told stories about Sis Linn, the local ghost who haunts Clark Hall and the graveyard where she’s buried. Murdered in 1919, she was beaten beyond recognition, the target of a brutal killer who was never caught.
The stories are wrong.
When present-day student Janiss Connelly stumbles upon the truth, she inherits a unique opportunity to end a century of bloodshed… even if it’s already too late for her.
Middle of the Road (an excerpt from The Matriarch)
After accelerating out of a curve, Craig glanced down at his dashboard. The Escalade was just about to turn over its first hundred miles. He grinned as he repeatedly sneaked looks down at the dash trying catch the number rolling over. Just as it did, he looked back at the road in time to see something on the right side of the vehicle fall into its path.
Impact.
Craig gripped his steering wheel and stomped on his brake; the Escalade skidded to a stop in an impressively short distance. After shifting into park, the shoulder strap on his seat belt disengaged. He wondered for a moment why the airbags never inflated before finally assuming that whatever he’d hit hadn’t been big enough to set off them off.
What the hell was that?
Continue reading “Middle of the Road (an excerpt from The Matriarch)”
The Matriarch is DONE!
After finishing both copyediting and proofreading, my new novel, The Matriarch, is off to my publisher for final check and out of my hands. Whew!
There are still a few more things that have to happen before I can announce the actual and official publishing date (aka when you can get your mitts on this thing), and I can’t wait for you all to read it. This was one of the first ideas I ever had for a book, and seeing it finally come to fruition is a dream come true.
If you’re on Facebook, follow the progress at https://www.facebook.com/thematriarchnovel.
Crunch Time Begins Tomorrow at Dawn!
It’s the eve of “Crunch Lock-In Weekend,” where the proofreader and I will be sequestered for the duration to get the Matriarch book edits done before Monday! Expect updates throughout the crunch (she added the word “sequestered” in this post… see what I have to deal with?!)
If you’re on Facebook, follow our progress at https://www.facebook.com/thematriarchnovel.
Everything Old Made New Again (an excerpt from The Matriarch)
Halfway down the corridor were two recreational rooms, one on either side. Unlike the solid condo doors, these rooms had glass door fronts. The one on the left had shades drawn, but the room on the right was full of elderly folks, including two she immediately recognized. Louisa stepped aside and held the door to allow Janiss to enter first.
“Mr. Fisher! Vivian!” Janiss could hardly believe it. They looked great, and Mr. Fisher was out of bed. How was he standing up on his own when he couldn’t walk before?
“Just call me John, my dear,” Mr. Fisher replied. “It’s good to see you again.”
Janiss gave both her old acquaintances quick hugs, then noticed how everyone was looking at her. It was as if she was the most important person in the room, or possibly the one that something terrible was about to happen to. It all seemed too well and good, as though something sinister lurked beneath the surface of the situation.
Then it dawned on her: it was their movement. None of them were doddering or shuffling about. Their actions were quick and deliberate, like a younger person’s movement. Janiss imagined that people half their age might have been wearing the masks of the people they had become. What was happening? Janiss looked back toward Louisa, who was conferring again with her thin assistant.
“Questions?” Louisa asked, looking toward her potential new employee.
Continue reading “Everything Old Made New Again (an excerpt from The Matriarch)”
Kevin A. Ranson 