reading – K. M. Alexander

October 9, 2021

The Stories So Far

I have made a new video, well… videos, really. Headphones recommended. Check it out:

As many of you have noticed, I’ve started to experiment with more video content lately. Seeing what I can do by taking advantage of vertical formats found on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Along with these experiments, I’m also trying to be more mindful in promoting my books.

So, for fun, I assembled the four looping animations you can see in the videos above, and I’ve been sharing them on Instagram and TikTok for the last few days. Each is designed to fill a vertical smartphone screen and loop seamlessly. I’m pleased with the result.

With each book, I’ve had an undercurrent of thematic “elements,” and each of these videos is based upon those. These aren’t the traditional four elements but beats designed to help me focus on the sensory side of worldbuilding. The Stars Were Right had its darkness and shadow, Old Broken Road was fog or mist, Red Litten World had its icy cold, and Gleam Upon the Waves was obviously water and the sea and I have more planned for the two remaining books.

If you’re new to my series, the first book, The Stars Were Right is available on eBook for only $2.99. You can find out more over here, and expand your knowledge about the weird world of the Territories here.

Let me know what you think of the videos in the comments below. Feel free to share any of them with friends who you think would love the series. Leaving reviews/ratings and word of mouth is the best way you can help me promote my books.

Happy spooky season, everyone!

October 2, 2021October 2, 2021

Check Out My SPFM Interview!

September was Self Published Fantasy Month, and I was lucky enough to participate and I gave an interview with the crew there. It’s varied, and much is discussed from my reasoning for indie publishing, how I celebrate the wins, common pitfalls for new writers, some of my favorite indie books, and I describe a tavern in Lovat—The Marsh Bed—a place I now consider canon. Click the button below and read it today.

Read the IntervieW TODAY!

While you’re there, be sure to follow/bookmark the SPFM blog. They’re a great site with a ton of content. It’s a solid place to find a fantastic collection of indie titles to fill out your TBR list. They’re also active on Twitter and Instagram. So give ’em a follow across the web, and you’ll be set when the next Self Published Fantasy Month rolls around.

🎙 Interviews & Articles

Looking for further conversations with me? Perhaps you’re interested in articles I’ve written elsewhere? You can find all of this and more at my About Page. There’s a lot of great stuff with posts going back as far as 2013.

April 3, 2021April 9, 2021

DEAD DROP Live now on YouTube

I’ve shared a recording of last week’s DEAD DROP Live on YouTube. (And it’s embedded below.) The fun starts at the 11:00 mark (otherwise, it’s just a chill “stream starting soon” countdown). This was my first attempt at streaming, and while I think it went rather well, I’ve already made some adjustments for the next stream to make it easier to watch after the fact. Next week I’m planning on giving a behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into creating an Old Haunt. So come join me and watch live on my Twitch channel next Tuesday, from 6–7 PM PDT. Should be a good time.

I hope you enjoy the reading and the Q&A session. If you haven’t nabbed your copy of Gleam Upon the Waves you can do so via any of the links below. Signed-books are coming soon. (I’ll post when they arrive.)

Buy the paperback:

Amazon – Barnes & Noble – IndieBound

Buy the eBook:

Kindle – Kobo – Nook – Apple Books – GooglePlay

March 27, 2021

Join me for Dead Drop Live

Dead Drop is the name of my infrequent newsletter. (Subscribe, heathen!) The name comes from the method of espionage tradecraft used during the cold war era to exchange information. I always felt it fitted a newsletter that only comes once or twice a year (if you’re lucky). But, on Tuesday, March 30th, in celebration of the launch of Gleam Upon the Waves, Dead Drop is emerging from the shadowed spaces and going LIVE.

Join me for Dead Drop Live
Tuesday – 3/30/21 – 6–7 PM PST
– On Twitch at twitch.tv/kmalexander –

I’m going to be doing a reading from Gleam Upon the Waves. (Probably Chapter 4.) I’m going to be answering questions. I’m going to be showing the new swag. Maybe we’ll do a giveaway? Who knows! I’ve never done this before! I’m old. Streaming is new and weird to me. Let’s make it extra weird. So, mark your calendars and come join me! You’re invited.

Can’t make it. Don’t worry, the stream will be recorded and available later. But really, what else do you have happening on a Tuesday night in March during a pandemic? Exactly. I’ll see you there.

March 4, 2021March 23, 2021

Read a Free GLEAM UPON THE WAVES Sample Chapter Today

As I promised yesterday, the sample of Gleam Upon the Waves is now live! If you’ve been hankering to know what’s next for our intrepid caravan master and the crew of Bell Caravans, you go read it right now and dive into the story a little early. Just click the link, and you’ll be whisked back to the streets of Lovat. I think you’ll find it’s as crowded as ever—apologies in advance about the smell.

But that’s not all! There’s much more on the way. I’ll be live-streaming a reading of another chapter from the book later this month, and if there is enough interest, we can do a small Q&A session as well. Details on all that is coming soon, so stick around. I’ll be announcing it here. (I’ll give plenty of notice.)

In the meantime, eBook preorders are live! Use any of the links below, preorder, and your eBook will magically appear on your e-reader on launch day.

Kindle – Kobo – Nook – Apple Books – GooglePlay

Enjoy the chapter. I’ll be seeing you soon.

March 8, 2020March 8, 2020

Five Genre-Busting Fiction Writers You Should Read

When it comes to reading, I always appreciate the weird. I’m drawn to tales that are on the fringe, stories that are difficult to place within traditional genres. Weird fiction—as a result, calls to me. There’s something about those category-defying stories that make me feel at home. Perhaps you also enjoy stories like this? (If you read and enjoyed my books, I’d wager you did.)

It’s been a while—Halloween, actually—since I’ve given book recommendations. So, let’s rectify that today. Below I’ve shared five authors who write fiction that’s a little hard to pin down. As of this year, whenever I share books, all links will now go to IndieBound instead of Amazon—be sure to support your local bookstore. Also, where possible, I am now linking to each author’s official website. So be sure to give those a visit as well.

Rebecca Roanhorse

Recommended Book: Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World #1)

What begins as a gritty desert-focused modern fantasy following a Navajo monster hunter quickly expands into something more—Roanhorse takes the contemporary threat of environmental catastrophe creates a refreshing post-apocalyptic setting in which she places her southwest desert setting. What you end up with is a world that reworks your standard monster-hunting tropes and takes them into fresh and wonderfully strange territory. A fantastic read.

Also by Roanhorse: Storm of Locusts (The Sixth World #2), Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience (Short Story)

Fonda Lee

Recommended Book: Jade City (The Green Bone Saga #1)

Transcending your standard genres and weaving an intricate wuxia tale of criminal clans in a pseudo-1980s city, Lee goes in places no other fantasy has before. A story of family, crime, and honor, complete with magic enhanced abilities and kung-fu style action. Here you’ll find complex characters, a visceral world, and a high body count. A perfect blend of genres to create a unique and utterly refreshing experience.

Also by Lee: Jade War (The Green Bone Saga #2), Exo

Charlie Jane Anders

Recommended Book: All the Birds in the Sky

A strange and often surreal tale that weaves together a helping of science fiction, a dash of awkward romance, a smattering of academy fantasy, and a hefty serving of the downright bizarre. It’s hard to truly pin down this tale of love during that awkward twenty-something malaise—it’s been called magic realism, it’s been called fantasy, and it’s something right in the middle. Polarizing it might be, but it’s solidly unique.

Also by Anders: The City in the Middle of the Night

Ruthanna Emrys

Recommended Book: Winter Tide (The Innsmouth Legacy #1)

Often it’s easy for series rooted in Lovecraft to slip entirely into the horror genre. However, Emrys takes a different approach. Here she creates a forlorn experience that reexamines the atrocities and ramifications of American internment camps and the Cold War through a slightly stranger lens. History and horror are woven together here in a fascinating (if not polarizing) tale of human nature.

Also by Emrys: Deep Roots (The Innsmouth Legacy #2), Imperfect Commentaries

Cherie Priest

Recommended Book: Chapelwood (The Borden Dispatches #2)

Taking the historical account of Lizzie Borden and coupling it with Lovecraftian Horror, Priest manages to create an engaging and wonderfully weird series in The Borden Dispatches. While her first book is delightful, her second is divine. The characters are more established, the plot tighter, the world richer, and the events within more distressing with every page turn.

Also by Priest: The Toll, Brimstone

If you’ve spent any time here, you’ve undoubtedly you’ve heard me sing the praises of one of these authors before. But, perhaps they’re new to you, and hopefully, you find something here to enthrall you, and you’ll discover a new genre-defying world to explore. Have a suggestion of your own? Is there a favorite genre-busting author who’s work you enjoyed? Leave a comment below and let me know!

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