April is here! Let’s hope that the showers to come will bring some of those proverbial May flowers. Here in West Kootenays, the weather here has been more than acceptable for the last few weeks and we’ve been getting some lovely sunny days, though still quite chilly early in the morning. But this is ultimately a good thing, since it will keep the snowpack in the mountains from defrosting too quickly and flooding the valleys below. Plus, over the last month we’ve been getting some of that lovely Lawless-style ice fog as well. Fortunately, there have been no reports of anything lurking around out in the mist, as far as I know…
Enough about the weather, though. You’re probably reading this to see the new cover reveal of Book 2 of CLAW Emergence: Into Daylight. Well, here is a little teaser for you.
To see it in all its unblurred glory, you can click the image or click here: https://katieberry.ca/claw-emergence-book-2-coming-soon/
In other news, I learned not to overcook gnocchi! Though it is not a dish I had too much of growing up, I have come to appreciate the convenience and versatility of these little potato dumplings. They make a great alternative to pasta or rice to be sure. I realise I am not a cookbook author but love comfort foods and good food in general. Some of you may have noticed this tendency in my novels and my sometimes obsessive desire to have food included in many of my scenes.
Food is also something you’ll find at a wedding and makes for a great segue. I thought I should mention that I might have my work on Book 2 impacted slightly in April because a lifelong friend is getting married and I have had the honour of being asked to be a witness to this joyful, but private event. I will be down on the coast for three or four days this month, so that may delay things a tad. Just an FYI, CLAW Emergence: Into Daylight is complete and is currently in the post-production stage and I am hoping for a mid-to-late May launch. And trust me when I say, I shall keep you right up to date via email as things progress. After all, that’s why you’re part of the Katie Berry Books Insiders Newsletter where you get the latest Katie Berry news delivered to your inbox at the first of every month without delay. No spam just pure, unadulterated Katie Berry goodness.
For something completely different, I thought I would share some of my interests with you. I have been a film aficionado my entire life and as such, I thought I’d mention a few of the movies I’ve enjoyed recently, with some being new and some not so much (but all horror themed, naturally). You may have seen a few of them, and others may have flown under your radar, as they did with me. I’ve rated them all using the new Berry scale–it’s like the star system, but fruitier. I hope you find something new to you to enjoy.
The Menu (2022): Very entertaining and thought-provoking. As usual, Ralph Fiennes does a fantastic job, bringing true menace to his character of Chef Slowik, and Anya Taylor-Joy is wonderful in her role as ‘the girl in the wrong place a the wrong time’. And let’s not forget John Leguizamo, who is always a treat in any movie he appears in. 10 Berries out of 10.
The Last Winter (2007): Ron Perlman chews up the screen once again, this time in his role as an oil company executive wanting to drill in the arctic no matter what the cost. However, what he doesn’t realise is that the drilling may cost more than he could have ever imagined. 8 Berries out of 10.
Don’t Blink (2014): A quiet little low-budget film, but quite disturbing. One by one, a group of people at an isolated lodge begin disappearing into thin air, never to be seen again (as you can imagine, this is a film I would be interested in seeing, especially after writing ABANDONED). Solid performances and film work make for a fun low-budget romp. And don’t let the low 4.8 out of 10 on IMDB fool you, it’s quite engaging and a lot of fun. 9 Berries out of 10.
The Signal (2007): Another low-budget movie, this one about an electronic signal with murderous intent. It has heavy shades of Cell by Stephen King (his novel was released almost two years before this movie). And you can trust me when I say that The Signal is just as violent as the Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack movie version of King’s Cell, which released almost ten years later in 2016. 7 Berries out of 10 (Just FYI, Cell the movie is a solid 8 Berries out of 10–I mean, it’s got Sammy L, Johnny C and the end of the world; what more could you want?)
As for books I’ve been reading, but not yet finished, The Maw by Taylor Zajonc has been keeping me entertained. Set in an underground supercave, it’s a story filled with mystery and the unknown. While talking of reading, I have to apologise that I don’t gobble down books as quickly as other authors do and don’t recommend new ones too often. It’s not that I don’t read. I used to read about twenty novels or so every month for many, many years, but have slowed down a bit these days, especially with the writing of my own novels taking precedence each and every day. Currently, I am lucky to squeeze in a novel a month since various aspects of my own projects keep me so busy. In fact, I thought I would share this screenshot from Scrivener showing my work on one of my latest projects so you could see what I do each and every day, regarding writing at least (it is only one of many hats I wear). As you can see, I aim for 1600 words a day, but some days are wordier than others.
Well, this is getting rather long and we haven’t even gotten to the winners of the monthly draws yet, so let’s get to it right now. Congratulations to this month’s Katie Berry Books Insider Newsletter winners! The audiobook goes to: dbarrickster@XXXXXX.com And this month’s autographed paperback winner is: cindy@XXXXXX.com I truly hope you both enjoy your prizes.
To see a list of previous winners, click here: https://katieberry.ca/audiobook-winners/
Okay, that is it for this month, see you in thirty!
Good health and great reads,
-Katie Berry
P.S.- If you’re not a Katie Berry Books Insider Subscriber, you’re missing out. If you’d like to have a monthly chance to win an audiobook or an autographed copy of one of my novels, why not join here: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/322821/79749587124880887/share