The Stories of Scott D. Southard

December 5, 2013

Book Sale on Kindle! The gothic MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH… is only 99 cents! Check out an excerpt!
“For now, let me warn you of the morbid and sad tale ahead of you. This is a
tale filled with horror, dark passages, ghostly apparitions, and deaths I would
give my last shilling to forget.”

For a limited time (and just in time for holiday shopping and holiday travels), my novel MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE is on sale on Amazon!

The eBook version is only 99 cents and the print version is only $9.89! If you enjoyed my other books (like A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM) or are curious about my fiction or simply want to read something new, different, and unlike anything you will find… well… anywhere, this is for you!

Honestly, this is not a book for everyone and I adore it for all of its madness. It is the kind of book as a reader I would love to discover lost and dusty on a library shelf. My goal in it was to break down the idea of storytelling and see what remains in the ruins of it… with a lot of humor, romance, horror and mystery roped in as well.

You can find the novel on amazon here (http://amzn.com/B00CXSDEBE).

If you would be interested in kicking the tires first, there is an excerpt below and more via the page for the book on this site here. (more…)
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November 12, 2013

“A definite read for all Jane Austen Fans!” Laura’s Little Book Blog reviews A Jane Austen Daydream
Today A Jane Austen Daydream was reviewed by the popular book site Laura’s Little Book Blog! Here is an excerpt from the review:

I instantly took [to] this novel, it is written extremely well and it was almost like Jane Austen herself had written it; it was written so adeptly to the period and I instantly fell in love with Jane’s character.

The author states from the beginning that this is a work of fiction and not a biography and I mean this in a nice way, but I instantly assumed it would be fictional and not biographical, although it would have been a very clever attempt by the author considering Jane Austen passed away nearly 200 years ago! So this is the authors imagining of what Jane Austen’s life would have been like and I easily could have believed this really was what Jane Austen was like.

You can read the rest of the review here.

A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle. You can find it on Amazon here (http://amzn.com/B00CH3HQUU). I hope you will enjoy it as well.
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November 1, 2013

Discover A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM
“I consider this novel one of the best not only in regency era literature, but also in mainstream fiction.” -NovelTravelist.com

Need a book for this November? A future gift idea? Something new and different for those that feel they have read it all before?

A Jane Austen Daydream (published by Madison Street Publishing) is a book for the “Janeites” to the everyday reader. It reimagines a new adventure for Jane, something she might’ve wanted but never got… with a very surprising and daring new twist.

“…Lovely, thought-provoking novel. Fans of Austen will adore this book.” – Lori Nelson Spielman, author of The Life List.

You can discover about this fun book via links on this site!
- There are two exclusive excerpts available (here and here). In one Jane discovers her destiny, and in the other she works to fight the fates.
- There are a series of different articles on its creation from finding its inspiration (Visiting Austen), to the courage needed to attempt it (Braving Austen), the writing of it (Finding Jane’s Voice), and, finally, the gift behind its creation (Austen in Stealth).
- There are also interviews and reviews by different literary sites, readers, and authors. You can learn more via the main page for the book here.
“…quick paced novel unlike any you can ever have read, which injects new ideas and possibilities into the world of Jane Austen.” -The Jane Austen Centre

A Jane Austen Daydream can be purchased in print ($13.46) or as an eBook for the outrageously low price of $3.99 for Kindle.

“A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM by Scott Southard, a fictionalized account of Jane’s life, is a book that should be placed on the shelf of every book-loving fan of Jane Austen because she’s absolutely “alive” on the pages of this book.” -Julie Valerie’s Book Blog
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October 18, 2013

“Challenging the Fates” My Jane Austen Book Club presents A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM (excerpt and introduction)
Today, I’m honored to have my novel A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM showcased on the popular Jane Austen site My Jane Austen Book Club.

“Challenging The Fates” is a new introduction on the inspiration of A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM.

Here is an excerpt from the beginning:

The fates gave Jane Austen a bum rap.

Yes, she is remembered as one of the most important writers in all of literature, defined for generations what it means to be in love and have a successful relationship, and inspired countless writers and genres. That is all fine and very good, but that is now… for us.

For Miss Austen’s reality, she died young (only 41) in a cottage in a small village where she was living with her sister and mother and her books were published anonymously. Sadly, it is hard for us to even know her that well, with the destruction of many of his letters and writings by her sister. After that, we have to rely on a biography written by her nephew that seems more concerned with the family’s name as compared to the truth of this great person. She joins Shakespeare in our mystery-lost genius category, the ones we only have our hopes and dreams to point to for truth.

Also, on My Jane Austen Book Club is an exclusive excerpt from the novel!

It is Chapter II from Volume I, in which Jane gets some rather surprising news. Something is afoot and her life will never be the same afterwards… You can read this new introduction and fun excerpt on My Jane Austen Book Club here. I hope you enjoy it!

A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM is published by Madison Street Publishing and can be purchased in print or as an ebook for the outrageously low price of $3.99. It is available for the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.
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August 7, 2013

Mo Willems Is a Genius
Last week, I actually cried while reading my daughter’s bedtime story. Looking back, I think I was set up for this moment.

My family is big fans of the books of Mo Willems and, in my opinion, there is no more imaginative and witty author of children picture books out there today. To say he is this generation Dr. Seuss or Maurice Sendak is not to do his creativity justice. That is not to say he is better than Dr. Seuss; no, what I mean is he is on his own path.

He is incomparable, unique.

And I, honestly, wish his books were around when I was my little ones’ ages. I would have devoured his books like a box of Macaroni and Cheese…

…or like a pigeon with hot dogs. (more…)
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May 29, 2013

Dante, Tigers, & Tap-Dancing Demons, Oh My! Listen to THE DANTE EXPERIENCE
Dan Brown in his latest book, Inferno, thinks he knows Dante’s Divine Comedy.

I. THINK. NOT.

Inspired by Douglas Adams’ The Hithchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series and Monty Python, the entire award-winning unpredictable and bizarre radio comedy series The Dante Experience is available to listen to online via soundcloud. All freaking 10 episodes! If you don’t know this work of mine, you are in for a treat. Listen below!

Produced and directed by Mind’s Ear Audio Productions, The Dante Experience follows a badly-managed attempt to instill a fear of the afterlife in the next generation of man. Robert and his friends were definitely the wrong young adults to choose for the tour, as his girlfriend dumps him for Mephistopheles the devil, his friend Susan forms an army with Julius Caesar to argue for the deads’ rights, and Steve seduces famous women throughout history. The afterlife is never going to be the same.

I hope you enjoy listening to my comedy series!
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May 3, 2013

Need a book to read this weekend? Want to learn more about my new novel A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM?
Right now I am suffering from a literary internet addiction. With the release of my new book A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM I can’t stop looking at amazon.com and GoodReads.com. I want to know what people think of my new work. I know the book has only been out for a few days, but I can’t help myself. I want everyone to read this book! And I want everyone to like it. It’s kind of like the feeling of being dropped off at camp for the summer and wondering if you will have any friends. Will you be my book’s friend? Please? I’m sure we have much in common.

Seriously though, if you would like to know more about my surprising, touching, and witty new book there are some great options out there for you.
- Before the release of the novel, I gave an interview with the Jane Austen Centre in Bath. You can read that interview here.
- Recently, author and book blogger Deborah Kalb interviewed me about the book on her site. You can check it out here.
- I have written three different introductions to the book on this site over the last few weeks. The first dealt with having the courage to write the book (Braving Austen), the second was about finding the character of Jane (Visiting Austen), and the third was about how I wrote the book as a surprise for my wife (Austen in Stealth).
- Also, this week I shared an excerpt from it. It is from Volume II of the book and I think it introduces the character of Jane and the style of the book in a very fun way. You can read that here.
A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM is being sold exclusively through amazon.com. It is availale for $3.99 as an eBook and only $13.46 in print. You can buy the book via this link- http://amzn.com/0983671923

I hope you enjoy my new novel.
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February 6, 2013

Trapped in Spam: My Days in a Post-Monty Python World
…As I write this I am wearing a t-shirt from TeeFury that has the black knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail fighting Darth Vader. (I believe we can all guess how such an mind-blowing awesome encounter would end.)

…Also, as I write this my ringtone on my phone is the King Arthur theme from Holy Grail. So a call not only makes me run to the phone but also consider grabbing one or two coconuts (without African swallows to hold them up).

When I first came here, this was all swamp. Everyone said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built in all the same, just to show them. It sank into the swamp. So I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So I built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. And that’s what you’re going to get, Lad, the strongest castle in all of England.

…I own every episode of the series (including the German episodes), a bunch of documentaries, the movies (of course), the live show, CDs, and a pile of books on the history. To be able to talk to me for more than an hour it is almost required that you have a smattering of Monty Python in your vocabulary to draw from because, oh yes, I quote them all the time. More than Shakespeare (and that is a lot, usually with a poor British accent), more than song lyrics, more than anything. They are lodged permanently in my brain, and most times when I think of them they are in drag (maybe I should see a doctor). (more…)
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August 1, 2012

Reblogged: Red Dwarf Article
So a day, a DAY, after I list my most popular editorials (here), another emerges to ruin my list. Last night my editorial “Jesus or Red Dwarf? I Choose the Return of Red Dwarf” was shared by a producer of the show (‏ @RichardDGNaylor) as well as one of the cast members (@DannyJohnJules). I’m in smegging fan nerd heaven! Usually, I have a hard time understanding the point of Twitter, but sometimes it really is awesome.

The Stories of Scott D. Southard

First and foremost, this is not a love letter to a TV show. Sane and mature adults do not write love letters to sitcoms, especially science-fiction ones with campy special effects and a man pretending to be a cat. No, not at all.

Red Dwarf as a concept should not work as a TV sitcom premise; let’s get that point out of the way as well. Sometimes I am floored it ever moved forward to filming in the first place. It could never have sold in America (and for those that know the failed American pilot of it, it didn’t!). I am serious when I state it is probably the darkest, most bleak idea for a series, especially a comedy.

Breaking Bad? Game of Thrones? The Wire? Oz? No, Red Dwarf is darker. They can’t even compete against it.

View original post 1,088 more words
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July 9, 2012

Jesus or Red Dwarf? I Choose the Return of Red Dwarf
First and foremost, this is not a love letter to a TV show. Sane and mature adults do not write love letters to sitcoms, especially science-fiction ones with campy special effects and a man pretending to be a cat. No, not at all.

Red Dwarf as a concept should not work as a TV sitcom premise; let’s get that point out of the way as well. Sometimes I am floored it ever moved forward to filming in the first place. It could never have sold in America (and for those that know the failed American pilot of it, it didn’t!). I am serious when I state it is probably the darkest, most bleak idea for a series, especially a comedy.

Breaking Bad? Game of Thrones? The Wire? Oz? No, Red Dwarf is darker. They can’t even compete against it. (more…)
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