It's been long overdue: I finally created a cover photo and updated the icon for the Atavists Trilogy facebook page! If you haven't 'liked' it yet, you might want to remedy that, like, now.

http://www.facebook.com/ataviststrilogy…

Because I'm eyeballs-deep in Darkness Surrounding re-writes and will be heading a weekly write-in during NaNoWriMo, I don't foresee posting here on TAT more than once per week until about January. I will, however, be posting writing advice and other fun things every couple of days over on my blog, http://blog.katmellon.com. You do NOT need a Google account to comment. (You can use your name/email…

Oh, how I miss the days when people used to comment...

While searching for some quartets/quintets to propose for my chamber group's spring program, I stumbled upon a kick-ass composer named Sean Patrick Hannifin (AKA WizardWalk on Youtube). He composes electronically using sound samples from Garritan World Instruments, and suffice it to say that…

Hi, folks! Today, I'm going to talk about the inspiration behind Helena and Daniel and the quest of the Atavists. It all started with a symphonic metal album by Kamelot called "Epica."

Lost and Damned

 …

Unlike with the basketball court, the high school I used in Darkness Surrounding is modeled after Rio Rancho High School, which I graduated from in 2009 (officially in 2010). At the time, writing DS helped me cope with my own insecurities as a basketball player. Zanni was, to me, someone I aspired to be; someone more cool-headed and confident who wouldn't take crap from anyone. 

Parking Lot

There are no pictures available…

The basketball court I describe in Darkness Surrounding doesn't actually exist. Somehow, I believe I melded the courtyard of Sandia High School and the outside basketball court at my gym together.

The following are sketches I sent to a collaborator for a graphic novel teaser. Although the project never made it to fruition, I thought you all might like to see these anyway. (I should totally become an artist,…

NOTE: The following excerpt is from my re-write effort over the summer and has not seen an editor. </endexcuse>

(Took this picture today. It's the wrong side of the Sandias, but you get…

As you all know, I took a break from The Atavists Trilogy for a while. I've been working on re-publishing Creation (read the preview here) and finishing up a larger literary fiction work titled Flowers When You're Dead. Both are very different from TAT and therefore keep me sane. (Authors who write in the same style novel after novel: HOW CAN YOUR STAND IT?!) I needed the…

As you all know by now, I am no longer self-publishing The Atavists Trilogy. I hope to have a new and improved Darkness Surrounding to send out to agents in late 2013. For now, I'm querying agents for my literary fiction novella Creation and am finishing up my other literary fiction novel called Flowers When You're Dead. (You can read about my other projects at katmellon.com!)

In the meantime, here's a presentation I gave in my public speaking class about how to format a…

No, I didn't get picked up by HarperCollins or anything rad like that. Bear with me.

I will not self-publish Streets or Warmness on the Soul.

After a year's worth of self-publishing experience and a nagging sense that I didn't accomplish what I'd hoped to with Darkness Surrounding, I will no longer be distributing Darkness Surrounding in print or online, nor will I publish the remaining books under Tarsier Publishing. Instead, I will be re-vamping…

Amazon

Head on over to Blkosiner's Book Blog for a spiffy little author interview and a chance to win an ebook version of Darkness Surrounding! 

Notes about the re-release: I still need to tweak a few more things. Stay tuned -- It'll come out soon, I promise!

Read my thoughts about both covers on my new website/blog, www.katmellon.com! (Streets Covers: Pros, Cons, and YOUR opinions!)

Which is your…

Introducing...the new cover of Darkness Surrounding!

Also, I'm going to partake in the Cyber Monday shopping-till-you-faceplant-onto-keyboard madness and offer a small deal of my own.

CreateSpace orders (unsigned copy): Use coupon code "X3MLP5ZA"…

If any of you have read Darkness Surrounding and are willing to write a brief review that I can use a snippet of for the "Reader Reviews" section in the re-released edition, please email it to me at ataviststrilogy@gmail.com or post it online (Amazon, B&N, Goodreads) ASAP! I will include your first name and age unless you request otherwise. I will lower the price of a signed copy from $12 to $10 when ordered directly through me via Paypal, check, or money order until Friday, November…

Well, long time no chat! Or blog, whatever you'd like to call this. You can blame it all on National Novel Writing Month (add me as a writing buddy here!). So far, I've hammered out an average of 5,000 words per day. Well, that was true until yesterday, which was when the massive headache began its siege over my center of creativity. I wrote a measly 1,500…