Horror/Mystery
Date Published: 06-24-2024
Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing
Surfside City, New Jersey. 1966. Cub reporter Harman Bass is cutting his
teeth in the fast world of local journalism and getting out-scooped by the
competition. Facetious, cocky, and always quoting Nietzsche, Harman
isn’t making any friends both in and out of the newsroom.
All that changes when the daughter of a prominent family is found dead on
the beach, handing Harman the juiciest news story of the year. But she
wasn’t any old beauty pageant queen; she was his high school
girlfriend. Harman’s dogged reporting into the young woman’s
death reveals pushback from the authorities and pulls the newshound into the
resort’s darkest corners.
After one of his sources is murdered, the routine story becomes dangerous
and personal. Something watches Harman from the shadows, something ancient
and hungry, worshipped by powerful men who kill to keep their secrets.
Harman’s job and life are soon threatened, and the once brash reporter
must battle his boss, rival journalists, and his own sanity before filing
what could be his last story.
THE OCEAN HUGS HARD is a mystery with the salty whiff of the ocean, a tinge
of nostalgia, and a dollop of mind-shattering eldritch horror.
INTERVIEW
What is the hardest part of writing your books?
The hardest part of writing is creating a plot that engages the reader. Developing a character that readers can root for is another challenge. With The Ocean Hugs Hard, I’ve written really interesting characters embroiled in a murder mystery that turns into a cosmic horror nightmare. Harman Bass, the protagonist, is a newspaper reporter who must write a story about a local beauty pageant queen. When she turns out to be his girlfriend from high school, he’s emotionally invested, but must maintain his objectivity as a reporter. This balancing of personal interest and journalistic ethics is explored throughout the novel.
What are your most played songs?
My musical taste is eclectic and depends on my mood. Since The Ocean Hugs Hard is set in 1966, I listened to music from that era to put me in the mindset of writing about the 1960s. It varies from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, the Monkees, the Beach Boys, the Temptations, the Supremes, Bob Dylan.
Do you have critique partners or beta readers?
I have a few beta readers who provide insightful feedback, which helps. I would get pages of notes from them, cataloging their impressions of my novel, what they liked or didn’t like and what needs improvement. If you’re a writer, get a good beta reader or two!
What book are you reading now?
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell.
How did you start your writing career?
I was a working journalist for 27 years writing for weekly and daily newspapers. My beat was primarily general news, but I covered politics, local and state government, and wrote the occasional editorial. It taught me how to write on deadline, research issues, and conduct interviews. Good old-fashioned shoe leather reporting. It was the only time in my life where my writing supported me, but the job was grueling and thankless. The first creative thing I had published was a pulp science fiction role-playing game called Ravaged Earth. Ever since high school I wanted to be a novelist, so I wrote a few manuscripts that were better trunked and buried. I shifted to short stories and after years of disappointment, I finally got a few published. At the time I was in grad school (Try doing that in your late forties. It’s fun.) when I got my first book publishing contract for a novella. I left reporting behind me and now teach English composition at a community college, so writing is still part of my profession.
Tell us about your next release.
The third book in The Martyr’s Vow series is Blood Family and it’s due for a December 2024 release. It involves Armenian culture, the supernatural, and family secrets.
About the Author
ERIC AVEDISSIAN is an adjunct professor and speculative fiction author. His
published work includes the novels Accursed Son, Mr. Penny-Farthing,
Midnight at Bat Hollow, and the role-playing game Ravaged Earth. His short
stories appear in various anthologies, including Across the Universe, Great
Wars, and Rituals & Grimoires. Avedissian received a 2024 Fellowship in
Prose from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. He lives in New Jersey
with his wife and a ridiculous number of books. Find him online at
www.ericavedissian.com if you dare.
Contact Links
Website
Twitter: @angryreporter
Instagram: @ericavedissian
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