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The Stories of Scott D. Southard

  • In Jerry’s Corner
  • A Jane Austen Daydream
  • Permanent Spring Showers
  • Megan
  • Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare
  • The Dante 3
  • Me Stuff
  • Man Behind the Curtain
  • November 28, 2013

    Jane Austen! Demonic Castles! Time Travel! Dragons! This Black Friday Consider a Southard Novel…

    When I sit down to write a book, my first goal is always to give my readers something new. So much of what you find on bookstore shelves can feel like a cookie-cutter recipe for a tale. Add a twist here, build to a love story here, sprinkle some comedy… That is not what you will find in one of my novels.

    This Black Friday, and in your holiday shopping, consider one of my novels for your readers. You can find excerpts, reviews, interviews, and more information on each of the books via their pages on this site.

    A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM
    Available in print ($13.46) and eBook ($3.99) from Madison Street Publishing via Amazon.com here.

    A Jane Austen DaydreamAll her heroines find love in the end–but is there love waiting for Jane?

    Jane Austen spends her days writing and matchmaking in the small countryside village of Steventon, until a ball at Godmersham Park propels her into a new world where she yearns for a romance of her own. But whether her heart will settle on a young lawyer, a clever Reverend, a wealthy childhood friend, or a mysterious stranger is anyone’s guess.

    Written in the style of Jane herself, this novel ponders the question faced by many devoted readers over the years–did she ever find love? Weaving fact with fiction, it re-imagines her life, using her own stories to fill in the gaps left by history and showing that all of us–to a greater or lesser degree–are head over heels for Jane.

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

    MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE
    Available in print ($9.71) and as an eBook ($3.99) via Amazon.com here.

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, CoverThe cursed and foreboding McGregor Castle is the most terrifying and haunted location in all of the British Empire. Only a brave (or foolish) soul would consider visiting it, let alone staying within its walls for five days. In other words, a perfect dare for a man like Maximilian Standforth!

    Maximilian Standforth, famed playboy aristocrat and private detective, is a genius with dangerous tastes. With Bob (his trusty carriage driver, biographer, and body guard) and Maggie Collins (actress, spy, and maid) by his side, Maximilian will experience horrors and madness unlike any seen before. For it is at McGregor Castle that the team will discover more than they ever could imagine in this very experimental and genre-breaking thriller.

    “Playing with traditional style and plot ingredients but introducing enough surprises and originality this book was great fun to read.” -Christoph  Fischer Books

    MY PROBLEM WITH DOORS
    Available in print ($15.38) on Amazon.com here and as an eBook via Google Play ($9.99) here.

    My Problem With DoorsJacob’s life changed in a single moment when, as a toddler, he walked through his bedroom door only to find himself in the office of a British officer in Capetown, 1870. This would begin a thirty-year journey which would take him from ancient to future civilizations, and innumerable places and times in between. Through all of his travels, Jacob seeks for the purpose of his predicament, the significance of his life with all of its joys and suffering, loneliness and impermanence.

    “This is a most compelling book. It pulls you in to a fascinating concept from the beginning…. I give this book 5 stars.” -The Voracious Reader

    MEGAN
    Available in print ($15.51) on Amazon.com here and as an eBook via Google Play ($9.99) here.

    MeganMegan Wane is caught in a life of dull dreariness. She goes to work in a dead end job with a boss she can’t stand, and comes home to a silent apartment with only a standoffish cat for company. She can only get away through her imagination. And there, in her thoughts, there exists a fairy-tale kingdom with wizards and dragons. A place called Prosperity, where she is both a princess and a hero. On this day, both Megan’s external reality and her interior world will suffer tragedy that will turn her life upsidedown and shake her to the foundation. Can Megan turn disaster into deliverance?

    “I am very impressed with how Mr. Southard has interwoven the two world’s of Megan. It is very artfully crafted with vivid descriptions. ” -S. M. Nystoriak, Writer’s Block

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  • October 31, 2013

    Boo! New WKAR Book Review: The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

    Current StateJust in time for this spooky holiday!

    I have a new book review on WKAR’s show Current State. This time I am taking on the “lost” classic novel by Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree.

    You can hear my review here: http://wkar.org/post/book-review-ray-bradbury-s-halloween-tree

    You can find The Halloween Tree on Amazon here. If you would rather read my new book review it is available below.

    Happy Halloween! (more…)

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  • July 26, 2013

    “A tale filled with horror…” An excerpt from MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE (on sale!)

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, CoverFor a limited time, the new gothic, experimental, fun and odd novel, MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE is on sale on amazon!

    It can be found for the low price of $1.99 for eBook and $9.89 in paperback via this link.

    Below is an exclusive excerpt from Chapter 1. Enjoy…

    –

    The Beginning of Chapter 1 – The Dreaded Invitation

    It is with great trepidation and very little pleasure that I begin this next chapter in the life of the great Maximilian Standforth. For many long months I have debated with my soul and conscience on whether to share this work with you, faithful reader. But in these hard times, my wallet and empty stomach have forced me to share this chronicle no matter my misgivings. Yes, hard times have forced my unsteady hand and pen, but I will share no more of that now. It’s not important. If it comes, it will come later in these pages. 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. A tale, I am sad to say, that even tested the mind of one of our country’s greatest citizens…. The outcome of that test you will see shortly if you dare continue. (more…)

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  • June 17, 2013

    The Awesomeness of TeeFury

    TeeFuryI live everyday with TeeFury regret.

    This tragic tale is from last year, sometime in the autumn. It was before I purchased my first TeeFury shirt and this one was a combination of Calvin and Hobbes and Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog.

    Let me repeat that- Hobbes and Kermit.

    Basically, the artist took an image of rambunctious Calvin carrying his stuffed tiger and replaced it with a child that looked like Henson carrying a puppet of the awesome frog. And for 24 hours I stewed over this shirt, weighing each of the arguments pro and con for getting the shirt (or maybe purchasing it for others). I even shared the link to the shirt with friends and family who I thought might like it! But as the hours dripped by, I forgot about the shirt until it was the next morning… and there I was, head down on the computer keyboard staring forlornly at a new shirt available that did not include my beloved frog.

    That is my TeeFury regret and now that I am on the mailing list I think of it each time a shirt appears that I may or may not be interested in purchasing. Do I want to live with that experience again?

    Do I? (more…)

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  • June 11, 2013

    Free eBook! My new novel MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE is out!

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, Cover

    I’m proud to announce that my new novel MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE is now available! And to celebrate, it is being offered as a FREE EBOOK for a limited time (June 11 through June 15). You can get the free eBook from amazon.com here- http://amzn.com/B00CXSDEBE

    It is also available as a paperback for the low price of $10.71, which you can find on amazon as well (http://amzn.com/1484034287). The book is also available via amazon in other countries, many also taking part in this one-time deal.

    If you have ever enjoyed my blog or my writing or have ever been curious about my novels I hope you will take this opportunity to discover my fiction with this surprising new book. Also, I ask that you please tell other readers. I would love for more people to discover my work, especially during this special limited deal. Here is the back cover description for the book:

    “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.”

    The cursed and foreboding McGregor Castle is the most terrifying and haunted location in all of the British Empire. Only a brave (or foolish) soul would consider visiting it, let alone staying within its walls for five days. In other words, a perfect dare for a man like Maximilian Standforth!

    Maximilian Standforth, famed playboy aristocrat and private detective, is a genius with dangerous tastes. With Bob (his trusty carriage driver, biographer, and bodyguard) and Maggie Collins (actress, spy, and maid) by his side, Maximilian will experience horrors and madness unlike any seen before. For it is at McGregor Castle that the team will discover more than they ever could imagine in this very experimental and genre-breaking thriller.

    I hope you enjoy my new, surprising, and unpredictable novel!

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  • June 10, 2013

    “Nightmares first take breath.” An Excerpt from MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, CoverI’m proud to announce that my new novel MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE is now available!

    You can get the eBook from amazon.com for just $3.99 (http://amzn.com/B00CXSDEBE) or as a a paperback for the low price of$10.71  (http://amzn.com/1484034287). The book is also available via amazon in other countries.

    This excerpt is from Chapter 7 (and depicts much of what you see in the great cover art), when our heroes and two questionable individuals arrive at the dreaded McGregor Castle. Enjoy! 

    –

    Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare

    From Chapter 7. The Gothic Landscape

    Darkness.

    Even in that cloudless and starless night, it seemed to win out against the sky’s eternity, surpassing it in black, the darkest and heaviest black.

    All the stories Blackberry tried to tell us on the train, all the fear that McGregor showed at our departure could not match, could only hint at, the vision of horror in front of us. It looked like the kind of place you would believe was built in the center of hell, not to keep evil out, but to keep the evil in.

    No words exist to express the horror of its peaks, the gothic nature of its shape and structure, the grimness of its design. I wish I could properly convey the feeling of terror it generated in all of us, dear reader. I wish I knew words that would fill you with the same dread we felt, the same repulsion, the same desire to escape, to run.

    I do not. (more…)

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  • June 6, 2013

    Two Book Giveaways and New Reviews: A Writing Update

    How I lookThis is a busy and tiring time right now for me. With A Jane Austen Daydream out in the real world making new friends left and right and Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare about to be released. (Whoa!)

    Here is a quick update on what you may have missed around my books and the opportunities out there on the internets to learn/read more:

    • On Indie Jane (a fun website for Jane Austen readers and writers) there is a book giveaway going on which ends on Sunday. One lucky recipient will win an ebook copy of A Jane Austen Daydream. I have also written a guest post for the site on the creation of the book called “Finding Jane’s Voice.” You can find the book giveaway and post via this link.
    • Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare, CoverTo celebrate the upcoming release of Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare I am having a book giveaway for it on Good Reads. Two good readers will win a signed print copy of the book! This bookgiveaway goes through Tuesday and you can enter it here.
    • Maximilian Standforth… will be officially released on amazon.com on June 11. On Monday, I will be sharing an excerpt from this creepy and unpredictable book. It will be available in print and eBook. I hope you will check it out.
    • This week A Jane Austen Daydream received three new 5-star reviews on amazon.com. “I loved this book.” “I couldn’t put it down.” “By the end of the novel you will, if you have a heart, feel for the characters, and you will be happy that you gave Scott Southard’s A Jane Austen Daydream a try.” You can read those and all of the reviews here.

    A Jane Austen DaydreamA Jane Austen Daydream is available via amazon.com where you can find it in print for just $13.85 in print and only $3.99 for the eBook.

    Here is the link: http://amzn.com/0983671923

    Thanks for reading!

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  • June 4, 2013

    My Mad Genius Moment: The Thrill of Writing Something Radically New

    Mad!!!On June 11, my new book MAXIMILIAN STANDFORTH AND THE CASE OF THE DANGEROUS DARE will be released via amazon.com in eBook and print. Currently, there is a book giveaway going on for the book on Good Reads which you can enter here (only 7 days left!).

    To help prepare for the release of this odd and playful book, I thought it would be entertaining to write on the unique experience I had creating my “monster.”

    –

    Every artist has a mad genius moment in their past that they can point to…. And if they can’t, chances are they are still in the midst of it.

    My mad genius moment came when I had turned thirty. Let me paint the scene- my wife was in grad school; I was working a lousy evening temp job which made it so I only saw her one to two hours a day, if at all; my literary agent at the time was still uncertain how to represent my books, which I truly loved and thought should have been published yesterday; I was continuously hitting walls when I applied for creative writing positions on the college level; and I was turning thirty, which kept reminding me of how many writers and poets said the best work was created by people in their 20’s…. AHHHHH!!!

    For any artist, feeling this level of burden and frustration, how could I not put the white lab coat on, mess up my hair and laugh loudly and evilly? (more…)

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  • March 1, 2013

    My Adventure in Self-Publishing: Calling All Cover Artists!

    brush tipsWe’ve all heard the expression not to judge a book by its cover.

    IT’S BULL!

    We all do it!

    A cover is the first line of communication between an author and their audience. It’s the opening shot at a race. It is what convinces a reader to pick it up and read the description (or in today’s world, scroll down the page). Frankly, a cover can make or break a book on the market and we as writers have to care. We have to care a lot!

    Right now I have almost 15,000 twitter followers, most of them are my fellow writers, and each time I get the e-mail saying I have a new follower, I will usually visit their website quickly or check them out on amazon. And, I hate to admit this, a cover has been known to influence how I feel about their work before investigating further. See, if a work has a cover that is a generic one from a self-publisher or is obviously created out of stock footage on Photoshop (without any flair to it)… well… there ya go.

    I know how unfair this is!

    To sit down and write any work (and then have the guts to get it out into the harsh world of sales and reviews) a writer has to care some. No one simply falls into writing a book. Only Paul McCartney can wake up humming Yesterday; we authors are not that lucky. Yes, we may wake up with Yesterday (or with “Scrambled Eggs” as was the original title), but it takes months and months before our song is ready for a performance. (more…)

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  • February 18, 2013

    Facing Writing Fears: Test Your Creativity

    booWe writers were the children who believed monsters hid under our beds. It was completely believable to us that the ghosts and ghouls would choose to haunt us since we read it every day in our beloved books. And our budding imagination found the lurking terrors in every swaying curtain in the dark and approaching with every creaking floor board.

    Fear.

    There is so little logic that comes with the spark of creativity, we live on the side of the brain with emotions and, yes that includes fear. Yet, when we experience fear in our art it may limit us, make us want to return to our norms, return to our rut, our safe secure spot by the fire; not to say to the other campers “I’ll be right back, I want to check out that weird noise.”

    Fear can hold us back; so we write another genre story, another tale with the same characters, not daring to see what other surprises were hiding in the folds of our brain. Some may argue with me, but I believe this niche genre writing that is so prevalent in books today can limit us as artists, as storytellers, confining our creativity and the extent of our imagination.

    Yes, my fellow writers, sometimes we need to face our fears. Try something new. And, yes, you did hear a noise over by the lake, you should check it out! Let the other writers wait for you to return. (more…)

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