The Gothic Shift by Brian David Bruns - Audio Book Tour + Giveaway
Author: Brian David Bruns
Narrators: Scott Bennett, Brittany Morgan Williams, Thomas Stone, Gary Furlong
Length: 9 hours 41 minutes
Publisher: Brian David Bruns
Released: Mar. 31, 2017
Genre: Horror; Short Stories
Winner of the International Book Awards for Best Short Story Collection, The Gothic Shift is a beguiling collection of the macabre and supernatural from best-seller Brian David Bruns."The Gothic Shift" begins with a man who comes into a restaurant every day to gulp down vast quantities at the shrimp buffet, while his forlorn waitress seems to gain weight on his behalf. Here Bruns achieves a delightful balance of whimsy and the grotesque, with a glimmer of moonstruck romance."The Finger People" is a fine study of Civil War squalor and carnage - spotlights the Union attack on the Confederate stronghold Fort Henry. A timid rebel cook discovers something even grislier than the usual horrors of war: ghouls feeding off the dead...and the living."The Ghost of Naked Molly" takes us back to old New Orleans on the eve of the Louisiana Purchase, where the ghost of a gorgeous octoroon slave mistress complicates the political schemes of a local grandee by parading around his house in the nude."The Penultimate Mr. Nilly" visits the crew of a ship stuck in the Arctic ice in 1859 as they slowly go mad from hunger. The ultimate solution - prompted by a stitched, velveteen toy wolf - gives a completely new twist on survival of the fittest.
Brian David Bruns has adventured in over 60 countries to gather material for his bestselling books and won dozens of literary awards, including the USA REBA Grand Prize. He has been featured on ABC's 20/20 and was anointed Sir Brian by Prince Michael, Regent of the Principality of Sealand (yes, really).
Sir Brian writes of his global experiences with a self-mocking wit and an astute insight into human behavior. His historical fiction seamlessly blends his love of travel and adventure with the fantastical--a sort of Indiana Jones meets Bram Stoker.
He is devoted to veterans organizations, such as Operation Homefront and Wounded Warriors Project, to which he's donated thousands of his books.
After several years residing in Dracula's actual hometown (yes, really), he and his Romanian wife now live in Las Vegas with their two old rescue cats, Julius and Caesar.
Website⎮Amazon
Waffle fries or curly fries?
I abhor
waffle fries. I’m not in it for the starch, man. I want crispy fried edges.
Sure, waffle fries have more surface area but they’re never crispy. Crispy is
what fries were meant to be. I have spoken.
GIF with a
hard g or soft g?
I guess
it’s supposed to be a hard g, but screw that. This is a rare moment wherein I
have chosen my own way over the correct way. I am actually a little distressed
over this.
Fantasy or
science-fiction?
Might as
well ask eating or drinking? Gotta have both. That said, I do prefer fantasy. I
love science fiction that is founded upon real science and delves into
philosophy. But for escapism I go to fantasy. I was a huge D&D kid. I’d be
a huge D&D adult if my wife would let me. Like my SF, I want my fantasy
grounded. I’m not into surrealism. I want there to be rules. They can be any
rules the author cares to invest into his/her own world, but those rules need
to be shown and adhered to.
Superman or
Batman?
I don’t
like characters who are invincible. Can’t we all agree that Superman is just
“Jesus is an American?” I’m not into that. Yeah, yeah, kryptonite. Whatever.
Batman is obscenely capable as well, to be fair. But I like bats and stuff. I’m
much more of a ‘realist’ Batman fan, rather than a ‘campy’ Batman fan. Okay
okay, I have to admit I’ve never read a single comic from either. Only seen the
movies. I’ll watch anything for which Tim Burton designs the wardrobe, or
Christopher Nolan directs. Not that I’m dissing Christopher Reeves or anything,
and Henry Cavill is the hunkiest man on the planet. Even with a mustache he’s a
total sex bomb. Maybe I’m just jealous.
Text
message or call?
I hate
phones. I recognize and appreciate the power of instant communication from
afar, but just don’t care to partake. ‘Cuz people suck. Why give them my time?
Upon reflection, there may be a reason nobody calls me…
Pancakes or
waffles?
A damn
fine question. I prefer pancakes because they can stack higher. Volume is
important here. But all that really matters is having enough butter to smother
the bejeezus out of what’s on your plate, be it pancake or waffle. Can I get an
amen?
Doctor Who
or the Walking Dead?
I’ve
never seen either. With very few exceptions I don’t do TV.
TV Shows or
movies?
It’s
currently the golden age of television, so I may have to go that route. I
prefer movies, but nowadays it’s predominantly comic book stuff. TV, on the
other hand, is where the risks are being taken, with stellar results. And I do
like to dive deep. TV lets you do that. Look at Battlestar Galactica really gettin’ down with the ugly reality of
the scenario they’ve established, or Breaking
Bad with a profound and audience-challenging character arc. When movies try
for real depth they lose money, no matter how amazing they are. Bladerunner 2049, anyone?
Facebook or
Twitter?
Ugh.
Alice in
Wonderland or Robinson Crusoe?
Both are
adventurous, but one is grounded. I like monsters and stuff, but I also like
grounded. So I’ll swing for Crusoe. Not to mention I have a love of tropical
islands and visit them often. I vacationed at Crusoe’s Retreat in Fiji and had
the time of my life. Met a cannibal and everything. (yes, really.)
Being too
warm or too cold?
I live in
Las Vegas. Being too cold is not a thing here. That said, I used to live in the
Midwest where it was brutally cold in the winter and I hated it. Actually, it
was the lack of sun that I hated. Those days it was zero Fahrenheit didn’t
bother me if it was sunny. Conversely, in Vegas I have found the sun to be my
mortal enemy. Can’t win for losin’, as they say.
Netflix or
Hulu?
I don’t
do either.
Work Hard
or Play Hard?
Both,
both, both. Take big bites out of life, my friend. You might choke
occasionally, but have a friend to pat you on the back. You’ll be fine. I’m not
a fan of idling, whether at the office or at the resort. The world has too much
awesomeness to just sit there and ignore it. And working harder at work enables
you to play harder at play. Win-win.
Passenger
or Driver?
I admit
I’m not a good passenger. I’m not a backseat driver or anything (barring when
my wife drives). I just love the feeling of driving. Nowadays cars are no
longer manual transmission, which was a big blow for me. I get it, fuel
efficiency/progress and all that, but I love shifting. I still have my little
red convertible Mini that’s stick. Guess I’m never letting it go.
Amusement
Park or Day at the Beach?
I
actually hate the beach. I feel like quoting that horrible line from Star Wars
(Attack of the Clones) when Anakin complains about sand. And just sitting there
all damned day? Nah. Oh, I could play in the waves. That’s all right. I enjoy
body surfing. And I do like nature. I just need a bit more mental stimulation,
I guess. Whenever my wife drags me to the beach (which is often) I sit in the
shade with a book and a cigar.
Honesty or
Other’s Feelings?
Honesty
every damned time. The world is a crappy place because everybody is scared of
honesty and peddles lies. Many of those lies have grown into massive BS that is
used to control your life. Deal with truth, people, and get on with living. It
all really comes down to fear, doesn’t it? Scared to pull the band-aid off
fast. Scared to deal with an unpleasant truth. You might be scared to hurt
somebody with a hard truth, but is lying to them showing them any respect? I
think not.
Movie at
Home or Movie at the Theater?
Love me
some theater, especially now that they’re getting all snazzy with reclining
love seats and stuff. Get outside a little, I say! A lot of ‘em sell beer now,
if that’s what you’ve been waiting for. If people went to more movies, such as
independent films or ANY FREAKIN’ NON-SUPERHERO film, we’d see higher quality
offerings again. But I get it. Sometimes you have kids, or demanding cats.
Cuddling at home does indeed work.
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1 Comments
This sounds like a good book.
ReplyDeletePlease try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.