Category Archives: Blog

Harvester of Sorrow by Weldon Burge

Harvester of Sorrow by Weldon BurgeHarvester of Sorrow (An Ezekiel Marrs Thriller: #1)
Weldon Burge

Paperback and  Digital Release  $15.95/$4.99
(ISBN: 978-0-578-95444-8)
November 16, 2021 

A whirlwind of tragic, terrifying events …

A vodoun priest is brutally slain in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

On American soil, a man stands atop his car—naked from the waist down—and suddenly succumbs to a mysterious death.

Within the silence of a state park, an abducted child is found dead, yet another in a series of similar slayings.

In the small city of New Warfield, ODs have skyrocketed from the use of cocaine laced with an undetermined substance.

Detective Ezekiel Marrs may just have the wealth of strength and skills needed to fight these dark forces, to uncover the facts behind these hideous cases and how they relate to one another. With his team, Ezekiel takes on the immense task of putting the pieces together, making the connections that will hopefully solve this puzzle and stop the seemingly endless death and destruction.

But when Ezekiel and his fellow police officers find themselves facing two of the most vicious adversaries they’ve ever encountered, more lives hang in the balance as they battle to survive a deadly, inevitable confrontation with unimaginable evil.

Harvester of Sorrow by Weldon Burge


For publicity information, please contact John Raab at editor@suspensemagazine.com


“Burge’s debut thriller kicks down the door and comes at you with both barrels blasting.” — Ronald Malfi, award-winning author of Come With Me and December Park

Harvester of Sorrow is an impressive debut novel from Weldon Burge, and an exciting first installment in what will undoubtedly be a successful series featuring Detective Ezekiel Marrs. Assured, gritty, expertly paced, and sleek as a bullet, Burge’s eerie and intense tale of grizzled detectives frantically searching for a ritual killer who may be far more than he seems is not to be missed. I could not put it down!” — Greg F. Gifune, best-selling author of The Bleeding Season and Midnight Solitaire

“Rich in description and tension, with a colorful cast of characters, Harvester of Sorrow starts with a bang and never lets up. Weldon Burge has done a masterful job of creating an exciting, entertaining tale. Highly recommended.” — Joseph Badal, Award winning author of The Carnevale Conspiracy

“Welcome, Ezekiel Marrs, to the hall of great detective heroes. In HARVESTER OF SORROW, we get a front-row seat as Marrs confronts a sadistic, unforgettable killer with a rare and terrifying background: the bloody, dark arts of voodoo. It’s a no-holds-barred run to the explosive climax where it’s not a sure thing that Marrs will even survive. Grab a drink and find a comfortable chair to enjoy this new thriller from Weldon Burge … but leave the light on until you finish.” — Matthew Iden, best-selling author of the Marty Singer detective series

“This story drew me in and built speed with plenty of twists and turns. A great ride!” — J. Gregory Smith, author of Final Price, Quick Fix, and Short Cut

Harvester of Sorrow is one hell of a ride. Great pacing, well-drawn characters that positively jump off the pages! Move over, Stephen King!” — Carson Buckingham, author of Gothic Revival, Noble Rot, and Home

“Burge has successfully brokered an unlikely—and happy—marriage between police procedural and supernaturally tinged thriller that will keep you turning pages ‘til the end.” — Dana King, two-time Shamus Award nominee and author of the Penns River procedurals


WELDON BURGE

Author of the Ezekiel Marrs thriller, HARVESTER OF SORROW

Weldon Burge, a native of Delaware, is the debut author of the thriller Harvester of Sorrow, the first in the Ezekiel Marrs series published by Suspense Publishing. He is also a publisher and full-time editor. Weldon’s short fiction has appeared in many publications, including various magazines and anthologies (such as Crimeucopia, The Best of the Horror Society 2013, Pellucid Lunacy: An Anthology of Psychological Horror, Ghosts and Demons, Beach Pulp, and Scary Stuff, just to name a few). His stories have been adapted for podcast presentation by Drabblecast. Weldon is also a frequent writer for Suspense Magazine, often writing author interviews.

On November 16, 2021, Suspense Publishing will release Weldon’s debut thriller, Harvester of Sorrow, the first in the Ezekiel Marrs series. He is also currently writing a paranormal suspense novel that may also be the start of another series (but he hasn’t determined that yet). He intends to stay on the novel-writing rollercoaster for the future.

In 2012, Weldon and his wife, Cindy, founded Smart Rhino Publications, an indie publishing company focusing primarily on horror and suspense/thriller books, many of them anthologies. To date, the company has published 15 books, including Zippered Flesh: Tales of Body Enhancements Gone Bad, Insidious Assassins, Asinine Assassins, A Plague of Shadows, The Box Jumper, Broken: Stories of Damaged Psyches, and Green Tsunami.

Weldon Burge


Contact Information

Weldon Burge – contact@weldonburge.com

Website: http://www.weldonburge.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Weldon-Burge/e/B001KIVSDY

Bookbub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/weldon-burge

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/321854.Weldon_Burge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weldon.burge

Twitter: https://twitter.com/weldonburge

Can’t Suppress These Shivers!

Fae Shivers AnthologiesThey’re heeere…
Thrilled to receive my copies today of Fae Shivers, published by Fae Corps Publishing! This two-volume large print horror anthology will be available in hardback, paperback, and ebook on November 15.
The set consists of Forgotten Horrors and Remembered Nightmares. The latter features my story, “Break and Enter.” After a fugitive breaks into an old country chapel, the pastor learns that he’s running from something far more terrifying than the death penalty.
It’s an honor to be included among this august group of writers and artists! Check out some of the interior illustrations below by Vonnie Winslow Crist and Patricia Harris.
Both books are available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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Fae Shivers: Forgotten Horrors Cover     Fae Shivers: Remembered Nightmares Cover
Under the Bed by Vonnie Winslow Crist    Dolls by Vonnie Winslow Crist
Ghost by Patricia Harris     Trees by Vonnie Winslow Crist
Briar by Patricia Harris

Book Review: Harvester of Sorrow by Weldon Burge

Harvester of Sorrow by Weldon BurgeIn his hometown of New Warfield, Detective Ezekiel Marrs faces a spate of illegal drug overdoses, ritual murders, and a malignant version of voudon religion resulting in a deadly contest of wit and willpower. Until Marrs can determine how all of these are connected, no one in the city is safe—man, woman, or child.

No stranger to the suspense genre, Weldon Burge is a seasoned short story writer and editor whose prowess is evident in this deftly crafted debut novel.

Mindful Writers Retreat Recap – Autumn 2021

To the disappointment of some of my fellow attendees at the Mindful Writers Retreat last week, summer weather made a final,  triumphant return. Daytime temperatures hovered between 73F and 79F with abundant sunshine in bucolic Ligonier, PA. Unlike last year, when the foliage was resplendent in autumn colors, most of the trees this time were only beginning to show signs of the season.

   

This was my third Mindful Writers Retreat since 2018 and I hope to see it become an annual autumn tradition for me. There are also winter and spring retreats in February and March, respectively, but I have conflicting events at those times of year.

The Ligonier Camp and Conference center, nestled in the Laurel Highlands region of the Allegheny Mountains, is the perfect location for hours of quiet, uninterrupted writing sessions, rejuvenating walks in the woods to stir the creative juices, and enjoying delicious meals and evening socials with a coterie of talented fellow writers.

This year’s retreat delivered the added bonus of a brief paranormal experience. It was shortly after 3AM on Tuesday, October 12 when, during a restless sleep, I heard the door to my room creak open and what sounded like a hand sliding along the vinyl covering on one of the neighboring bunk bed mattresses. It wasn’t entirely dark in the room as I had left a low wattage light on. Unable to move at first, I opened my eyes with great difficulty, but there was no one to be seen… except for the owls.

     

     

That could have been a simple case of sleep paralysis, but Ligonier has a rich history dating back to the Revolutionary War.  Fort Ligonier is only minutes away from the lodge and just down the street is the Wilpen Rail Trail where, on July 5, 1912, a horrible train wreck occurred claiming 24 lives and injuring 38 others.

All told, it was a productive week for me as I finished the outline and first two chapters for what I hope will be my fourth paranormal mystery novel. I also submitted a short story to Space Opera Digest, a prestigious science fiction anthology, and made a few tweaks to my short story intended for next year’s Mindful Writers anthology.

I’ve so far contributed to two of the Mindful Writers charity anthologies beginning in September 2019 with Over the River and Through the Woods and in January 2021 with Love on the Edge.  Their first book, Into the Woods, was published in spring of 2018, a few months before I arrived on the scene. New editions of all three anthologies were released in June 2021.

Over the River and Through the Woods     Love on the Edge

The anthologies are made possible through the efforts of retreat co-organizer Kathie Shoop and editor/publisher Demi Stevens of Year of the Book Press. Larry Schardt, a fellow member of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, is the other half of the retreat coordination team with Kathie.

Speaking of Kathie, she took time out of the retreat to interview each author about their published books and what they enjoy most about the retreats.

As usual, the week flew by much too quickly, but I left with memories  I’ll cherish forever, including an early morning walk in the fog. Already looking forward to next October!

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Crossroads by James Gallahan

The Crossroads by James GallahanYou’ve come to a place where ghost stories, whodunits, and tales of vengeance and suspense meet in new and terrifying ways.

In this unique collection of short stories in English and Spanish by James Gallahan, the reader is taken on a journey to the crossroads of good and evil, life and death.

If you enjoy tales with twists and unexpected endings that make you want to sleep with the light on, then this nail-biting collection is for you.

Ready to take on the unknown? Prepare yourself for The Crossroads  premiering October 24!


Dead Man's Cave by James GallahanWhile you’re at it, check out James Gallahan’s debut novel, Dead Man’s Cave.

A crew of pirates and a famed treasure ship. Can a gifted captain steal a fortune, and then keep it against impossible odds?

It is 1695, and a fleet of pirate ships led by Henry Avery captures the Emperor of India’s treasure ship, plundering it of a fortune in money and jewels. This amazing heist makes Avery the richest pirate in the world.

The emperor’s soldiers will do anything to reclaim the treasure, and now Avery is a man on the run. He is chased up one coast and down another, ending up in New York fighting against great odds to keep his ill-gotten fortune.

A sinister enemy with wide underground connections is poised to attack and destroy Avery and everything he cares about. Plus, the cave where Avery attempts to hide his loot is protected by fierce creatures the indigenous people call Mhuwe.

Dead Man’s Cave is filled with astonishing twists and captivating action. If you like reading adventure stories, tales of horror set in dark caves, and endings you didn’t see coming, then you’ll love James Gallahan’s debut novel.

Get Dead Man’s Cave today and be swept away on the adventure of your life.

 

 

About This Writing Stuff…

This week’s lineup bring us several “how-to” articles including writing diverse and developed characters, marketing your book without social media, and outlining your novel (or not).

Is writing for TV better than writing feature films? Ken Miyamoto discusses. Confused about when and how to use a Framing Device in your story? Britton Perelman explains.

Jennie Nash explores the importance of asking yourself why you feel compelled to write that story that’s been bouncing around in your head. Over at Sidebar Saturdays, Matt Knight delves into estate planning for writers while at the Kill Zone, James Scott Bell argues on behalf of going exclusive with KDP and Kindle Unlimited.

All that and a little more. Enjoy!

Elevator Pitching: How to Grab Someone’s Attention in 30 Seconds or Less by David Young

How to Write Diverse Characters (And, Also, Are You Qualified?) by Joiya Morrison-Efemini

How to Create Characters by Kristen Overman

Why Writing TV is Better than Writing Feature Films (and Why it’s Not) by Ken Miyamoto

Everything You Need to Know About Framing Devices by Britton Perelman

Sequencing and Layering: Advanced Techniques That Will Improve Your Writing by Kevin Nelson

Why Write This Book? by Jennie Nash via Jane Friedman

How to Market Your Book Without Social Media by Carol J. Michel

Warning to Writers: You Won’t See This New Publishing Scam Coming by Anne R. Allen

How to Outline Your Novel. Or Not by Hank Phillippi Ryan

On Going Exclusive by James Scott Bell

Estate Planning for Writers by Matt Knight

Estate Planning for Writers Part II – Transferring Intellectual Property to a Corporate Entity by Matt Knight

World-Building Through Architecture by Dave King