Book Review; Heaven's Door (Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Book 6) by John G. Hartness

Heaven's Door (Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Book 6)

by John G. Hartness

October 18, 2016

118 pages
He's finally found something to care about after a century of searching, but will he lose it all at the hands of his most dangerous foe yet?

Seven years ago, Quincy Harker vanquished the demon Orobas and saved the city of Charlotte, NC from his evil plans. Or so he thought. Now the half-divine Nephilim are turning up dead in the Queen City, and it looks like Orobas is back to finish the job.

Can Harker stop Orobas, or will the bloodthirsty demon unleash Hell on Earth?

Who is behind these horrible murders, and why do they seem to be calling Harker out?

Will this be the battle that finally ends the long life of Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter?

Find out when Harker, his girlfriend Detective Rebecca Flynn, his guardian angel Glory, and his uncle, the legendary Count Dracula bring the battle of the diving and demonic right to HEAVEN’S DOOR.

He's the immortal magic-wielding child of Jonathan Harker and Mina Murray from the classic novel Dracula. But to him it's not a story, it's family history. Quincy Harker is what you'd get if Constantine were renewed by HBO and taken to the darkest of dark sides. When things go bump in the night, he bumps right back.

Heaven's Door is Book 6 of the best-selling Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series. Book 1 of the series, Raising Hell, was awarded the 2016 Manly Wade Wellman Award by the NC Speculative Fiction Foundation.

amazon

My favorite a$$hole demon hunter is at it again. Book 5, Heaven Sent, was a lead in to the events of Heaven's Door. So spoilers for book 5, but not for this book.

The big bad demon Orobas has plans to finish what Quincy stopped him from seven years ago. The demons in hell got to be pretty tired of having the door to hell almost opened only to have it closed in their faces...just saying. Any way, Quincy is on Orobas' sh** list but instead of going after Quincy directly, he is hitting those he holds most dearest.

There are lots of bloody fights, traitors unveiled and then Mr. Hartness goes all Games of Thrones on some characters...damn, no mercy. There are going to be some very powerful and pissed off people looking for revenge in the next book. Can't wait to see them in action.

The only knock I can find about this series is the "romance" between Quincy and Flynn doesn't work for me. She is bad a$$ and should have stayed in the friend zone <G>.

More fun quotes from Quincy:

"I hate demons, but sometimes when you need to pound a nail, you have to have a hammer. And sometimes you need a really big, flesh-rendering, life-devouring hammer that besmirches your immortal soul just by being in the same room with it. But killing that particular d**kwhistle was totally worth it."

"Great, because stoned wizards make the best decisions."

"I reared back and chunked that folded umbrella like a javelin, channeling all my former Olympian ancestors with my mighty throw.

Okay, more like I used my vampire-infused blood to hurl it like Ahab chunking a harpoon, but I'll take that, too."

Sheep reviews of previous Quincy Harker Novellas

4.5 "knock, knock" Sheep

SharonS

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Literate Liquors video blog

This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.

Book Review: Heaven Sent (Quincy Harker Demon Hunter Book 5) by John G. Hartness

Heaven Sent - a Quincy Harker Novella (Quincy Harker Demon Hunter Book 5)
by John G. Hartness

July 29th 2016 by Falstaff Books

Kindle Edition, 111 pages

BOOK 5 in the Award-Winning Dark Fantasy Series takes us back to where it all began.

He's the immortal magic-wielding child of Jonathan Harker and Mina Murray from the classic novel Dracula. But to him it's not a story, it's family history. Quincy Harker is what you'd get if Constantine were renewed by HBO and taken to the darkest of dark sides. When things go bump in the night, he bumps right back.

It's the summer of 2009, and Harker has a brand-new guardian angel. Her name is Glory, and she's here to try to keep Harker from getting himself killed. Try is the operative word. Because not even a divine guardian with a Joss Whedon fetish can get Harker through this mystery unscathed.

Someone is murdering Nephilim, the rare offspring of human and angel, and using their blood for a terrible ritual. Harker, with some help from his Uncle Luke (you probably just call him Count Dracula), has to find out who the next victim is, who the murderer is, and what the plan is. All in three days. Because no matter what kind of help Heaven Sent, it might not be enough to prevent someone from raising a lot of Hell. Heaven Sent is a prequel novella, with far-reaching effects that will change Harker forever.

Heaven Sent is Book 5 of the best-selling Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series. Book 1 of the series, Raising Hell, was awarded the 2016 Manly Wade Wellman Award by the NC Speculative Fiction Foundation.

link to Sheep reviews of books 1-4

This is such a fun series. If you love action-packed dark edged urban fantasy with mystery, humor and a lot of foul language then check this one out. Don't worry too much about what order you read them in. Each novella is a full start to finish mystery. There are a few series arc threads, but Hartness does a good job of cluing you in so you don't feel lost. And the stories can be read in one sitting. He is a regular wham-bam-thank-you-ma'ma writer that will leave you satisfied. Lots of bang for your buck...and that's probably enough cliches from me. And there is an unexpected twist at the end. If that doesn't sell you: he uses a Firefly and a Buffy reference.

This book is about a case that happened seven years ago when Quincy first meets his guardian angel, Glory. Glory is my kind of angel. I've always loved the dynamic between her and Quincy. The book ends seven years later, right after the fourth book, and there are signs that what happened seven years ago is getting ready to start again...

I also look forward scenes with Quincy and his Uncle Luke (psst...he's actually Dracula) I love Quincy's personality...if you dealt with monsters on the daily you might be a bit of an a**hole too <G>.

Quotes: had to censor a bit

"It was a dick move, and I knew it, but I didn't respond well to fright, especially when I wasn't allowed to kill the thing that frightened me. I didn't particularly want to kill my guardian angel because that seemed like a bad idea on so many levels." -Quincy

Exchange between Mort (demon) and Quincy-

Mort turned back to me. "Are all humans this f***ing stupid, or are you just a shining example? Look, f***wit, you're missing the point. The point is not that something killed Baxter; the point is that something killed Baxter. Killed. Made dead. Took the part-angel son of a bitch and made him not here anymore. That takes a lot of juice. And this ain't the first time it's happened, either."

Now I was really interested. "There are more?"

"More what?" Mort asked

"Goddammit, I can't tell which part of you is the bigger douche, the demon or the cat!" I exploded. "More dead Nephilim, you fuzzy pr***!"

"There's no need for name-calling," Mort said, suddenly all prim and proper licking one paw and washing behind his ears.

4.5 "apocalypse bring" Sheep

SharonS

About the Author:

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Literate Liquors video blog

This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.

Book Review: Queen of Kats Book I - Betrayal by John G. Hartness

Queen of Kats Book I - Betrayal

by John G. Hartness
August 4, 2015
119 pages
Publisher: Falstaff Books

It was supposed to be a simple job. Steal a gem, fence it to his normal guy, get paid and enjoy the company of one of Marie's lovely ladies for the night.

Instead Remarin is running across rooftops dodging armored men and crossbow bolts, the blood of his favorite fence dripping from his enchanted talking dagger, with a rescued street urchin at his side.

As simple jobs go, this one leaves something to be desired.

Best-selling author John G. Hartness presents Queen of Kats: Book I - Betrayal, the first in a three-part serialized novel featuring Remarin, a thief with poor impulse control, Trand, his partner trapped inside a dagger for a dalliance with the wrong mage's wife, and Kit, a street urchin with secrets of his own.

A light-hearted epic fantasy in the vein of David Eddings, Raymond Feist, Michael J. Sullivan and Fritz Leiber, Queen of Kats will be released as three quarterly novellas, each containing a complete portion of the novel. All three segments will be released by March 2016, when the full novel will be put on sale and the novellas will vanish into the ether, like all good thieves.

Included in Part I is Shadow Garden - a Deadly Curiosities short story from Gail Z. Martin!

amazon buy link

I am a big fan of Hartness' Quincy Harker series so I though I would give his newest series a go even though it was completely different. You know how authors have a style? You can tell the same author wrote two different series? Well, I would have NEVER guessed this was written by the same guy who wrote Quincy Harker. And that is kind of awesome.

At first I felt like I was reading a young adult story in a typical fantasy set in a medieval kingdom. But next thing I knew I was at the end and thinking "Wait! Where's the rest?" And this isn't a young adult novel. I loved the quirky, arrogant, and over dramatic thief, Remarin. There is more too him than we see in part one and I'm curious to find out. His best friend, Trand, is stuck in a magical dagger and Remarin has sworn to find a way to release him. But in the meantime, having a magical dagger possessed by your best friend comes in handy during fights, except Trand tends to refer to Remarin as Remoron often. Remarin picks up an unwanted side-kick and things go to hell in a hand-basket.

This was a fast paced story with delightful characters and I look forward to reading the next book.

Quotes:
"No you don't. You always say something remarkably stupid like, "What's the worst thing that could happen?" Well, you could end up dead or trapped inside a magical dagger for a thousand years, that's what could happen!"

"Dead! I'm dead, I tell you. They'll have me strung up outside the city gates with a pike up my arse and a rope around my neck. They'll kill me at both ends!"

"Because you are not a bad person, Kitty-cat. And that means that you understand that killing has a cost, and we all pay for it. They paid with their lives, and we pay with a little piece of our soul. You have to guard those little pieces of your soul because it's all too simple to cast away more of them than your can live without."

4.5 "What in the Nine Hells?" Sheep

SharonS

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Literate Liquors video blog

This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.

Book Review: Hell on Heels - A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella by John G. Hartness

Hell on Heels - A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella
by John G. Hartness

116 pages
Falstaff Books July 29, 2015
You think your family has baggage? Quincy Harker has to not only deal with his uncle's psychotic vampire ex-minion Augustus Renfield, but there's a new Vampire Hunter in town, and her name is Van Helsing! It's not a good day for a foul-mouthed magic-using demon hunter, and it gets worse when the original Renfield kidnaps the current Renfield to lure Harker and his Uncle Luke (you can call him Dracula if you prefer) into an ambush.

"John Hartness' sense of humor, sarcasm and snark makes his tales unique."

"I've always been a fan of the Dracula mythology, and Hartness puts a unique spin on it."

amazon buy link

This!

Now this is how you write a freaking monster-ass kicking story! Hell of Heels is the third novella in the Quincy Harker series. And my favorite so far! You know how you have to pay extra for the center meat of a watermelon because it is the best part. Well, this story is like that. Hartness took a novel's worth of story and carved out the best part of it. Not sure why the melon comparison, but I love watermelon so made sense at the time.

Action packed from start to finish. Every character is strong, snarky, fun and I love them all, even the big bad. Not to mention a clever take on the whole Dracula/Harker/Renfield/Van Helsing stories.

Quote from book. Everytime Quincy Harker speaks it contains many, many colorful words so if you want to read just highlight it <G>.

"When he wants to be, when he needs to be, he can drop all that 'Uncle Luke' bullshit in a hot second and turn into Count Motherfucking Dracula, Vlad the Goddam Impaler, Lord of the Undead and One Hundred Percent Baddest Son of a Bitch on the Planet. If you ever forget, ever, for even a second, that your employer can rip your heart out of your chest with his bare hands and drink the blood from it while it still beats hot in his palm, it may be the last mistake you make. [...] Because this ain't no movie BS. This is the real deal, and Dracula is gonna get biblical on a motherfucker."

5 "We are Pitchfork" Sheep

SharonS

Review: Raising Hell (A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella #1)

Review: Straight to Hell (A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella #2)

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Literate Liquors video blog

This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.

Book Review: Straight to Hell - A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella By John G. Hartness

Straight to Hell - A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella
by John G. Hartness
April 28, 2015

Quincy Harker is back, and the stakes are higher than ever. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of a swearing, drinking, misanthropic half-vampire with a bad attitude and an itchy trigger finger. Harker and his team of misfits have just a few days to prevent the actual end of the world, as a group of fanatics have kidnapped a young man thought to possess the power to open the Seven Seals.

The thrilling sequel to Raising Hell brings even more action, more explosions, and more Renfield to readers.

Quincy Harker is still kicking-ass and taking…well, honestly he doesn’t care what your name is, if you’re a bad guy you’re going down. Usually with a lot of blood and screaming. In this second installment of the Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series we learn a bit more about Quincy and Detective Rebecca Gail Flynn’s backgrounds. The first chapter is the two of them trading barbs and “bonding” which kind of felt weird for this series, but at the end of the chapter they were off to guard a stoner college student who also happens to be The Lion of Judah—the one that can open the seven seals from Revelations.

Quincy, Flynn, Detective Smith, and the mysterious Renfield end up having to fight ninjas, a dragon (not really a dragon because “There is no such thing as a mother***** dragon!” and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The story is fast paced with a ton of action squeezed into this novella, which makes for a quick and fun read. I really enjoy the voice the author gives Quincy Harker. Like I mentioned in my review of book 1, it has an action/ horror comic book feel to the story.

Review: Raising Hell (A Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter Novella #1)

4 “Plan B” Sheep

SharonS

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

Literate Liquors video blog

This is me, and this is where I write. I’m John “Falstaff” Hartness and I’ve been writing for years, for myself and for other people. Once upon a time I did a little gig for Turner Broadcasting as part of their My South ad campaign and that got me interested in writing fiction and poetry again. After writing a poker blog for several years, I’ve transitioned into writing fiction, and launched this site to be my internet home. This is where I try out new stories, new essays and poems, and post photos of some of the shows I’ve designed.

I grew up in Bullock Creek, South Carolina, the youngest of four kids. I’m a graduate of Winthrop Universty with a BA in Theatre Performance, and I live in Charlotte with my lovely wife Suzy. We’ve been active in the theatre community around Charlotte for years, and between us we’ve worked for almost every theatre group in town at some point. My work has primarily been as a lighting designer, but I've also directed quite a bit, done sound and set design, and even acted once in a while. But I’ve always wanted to write, and this site is where I do it. So welcome, thanks for stopping by.

ConCarolinas 2013 Writer's Panels

I only attended ConCarolinas on Saturday. Between visiting, interviewing and preventing Baaart and his "friend" from bringing on the apocalypse (that is a whole other post!) I only sat in on two panels, but they were good ones! Here are some of the highlights.

Sat. 4:00 First Five Pages: A Magical Words Seminar 

This was interesting panel about what should and shouldn't be included in the first five pages of your manuscript with 3 authors from the Magical Words blog: Faith Hunter, David B. Coe and Misty Massey.
These three authors love to help aspiring writers and obviously enjoy working together on a panel. Here are some highlights.

* Faith thinks the first 5 pages is what gets you published. David thinks publishers are looking for potential in the first 5 pages. (there might have been some stink eyeing going on over this <G>)

*Editors are looking for a reason to trash your manuscript. They just don't have time. Writers can't depend on luck anymore.

*Faith: openings need a bait and hook, an event that will prove pivotal later on. You need an event on the first page. In a mystery you would want a dead body.
David: story should begin where is begins to lead into the climatic event. (Faith mentions that David's Thieftaker is the book of the decade)

*David: wants readers to know his character isn't anyone to mess with and has you rooting for him.

*Faith: first 5 pages need to be unique and exciting. Faith learned to write analytically. She would read books and underline/comment in margins what worked and didn't in the books she read. She suggests reading the first 5 pages of many books and figure out what worked or didn't.

*You should work on your next big thing while waiting for responses to submitted work. 

Sat. 5:30 Writer Beware! 

Hosted by David Coe, John Hartness, Aaron Rosenberg, Edmund Schubert, James Tuck and Faith Hunter.

This was a brilliant and colorful panel <G>. Everyone laughed and learned from the mistakes of authors who have been there, done that.

* Agents are the most common place writers get taken advantage of.

*Sites all writers should visit:
Preditors and Editors, The Passive Voice, Kris Writes, Kboards (writers Cafe)

*Writer mistakes:
-angsting over what to write next instead of writing.
-READ YOUR CONTRACTS!! Contacts are negotiable, boiler plate contracts (standard)
- if an editor says change this, change it! (John)
-do your research in the industry, know how it works (John)
-filter the advice you get. People's advice is based on their career and it might not be right for you.
-don't put too much on your plate. You have to ask yourself how much of your life are you willing to give up. Know your limits, don't say yes immediately to publishers. You must know your daily, weekly, comfort and top speeds.
-publishing is a s-l-o-w business.
-pay attention to foreign rights clauses (Tuck)
-narrow the option clauses as much as possible. Don't leave loop holes. Be willing to walk away.

Aaron Rosenberg, David Coe, John Hartness

Edmund Schubert, Faith Hunter, James Tuck

Here were the writers panels offered this year. You can see all the other panels here.
Fri 03:00 pm Politics in Writing Fri 04:00 pm Writer's Reception
Fri 04:30 pm Creating the Truly Alien Harris
Fri 06:00 pm Tech vs Magic
Fri 06:00 pm Turning Good Ideas into Great Stories
Fri 06:00 pm The Trap of Tropes
Fri 07:30 pm The Book Cover Welwyn
Fri 07:30 pm Choosing the Right Words - A Magical Words Seminar
Fri 07:30 pm Setting the Scene
Fri 09:00 pm Writing the Other
Fri 10:30 pm John Hartness Launch Party
Fri 11:30 pm The Undead as Characters
Fri 11:30 pm The Villain as Protagonist

Sat 09:00 am Books and Breakfast Sat 10:00 am Timothy Zahn
Sat 10:00 am Anthologies
Sat 10:00 am Self-Publishing: Pros and Cons
Sat 11:30 am Character Costumes and Accessories
Sat 11:30 am Walking in Someone Else's Shoes
Sat 12:00 pm Writer's Workshop
Sat 01:00 pm Getting Over Yourself
Sat 01:00 pm The Adult Appeal of YA Literature
Sat 02:30 pm The Un-Fair Folk
Sat 02:30 pm The Entourage
Sat 04:00 pm First Five Pages: A Magical Words Seminar
Sat 04:00 pm The Villain as Protagonist
Sat 05:30 pm Writer Beware!
Sat 05:30 pm Clearing the Block
Sat 07:00 pm The Art of War
Sat 08:00 pm Finding Your Voice: A Magical Words Seminar
Sat 08:30 pm My Hero
Sat 10:00 pm Bloodsucking Fiends
Sat 10:00 pm My Heroine
Sat 10:30 pm Literate Liquors Executive Boardroom
Sat 11:30 pm Making Monsters Scary Again
Sat 11:30 pm Time For a Little Sex

Sun 09:30 am Baen Traveling Road Show Sun 10:00 am Writer's Workshop
Sun 10:00 am Gods and Goddesses
Sun 10:30 am Timothy Zahn
Sun 11:30 am Self-Publishing: Pros and Cons
Sun 11:30 am Editors and Agents
Sun 01:00 pm The Future of Print
Sun 01:00 pm Maintaining a Large Cast
Sun 02:30 pm Saying Goodbye
Sun 02:30 pm A Satisfying Ending

-Sharon Stogner

ConCarolinas 2013 Interview: John Hartness + giveaway

I have seen John Hartness at many conventions, but only recently gotten to know him (I was lucky enough to be on two panels with him at Mysticon 2013). He is such an articulate speaker and has a wicked sense of humor. If you ever get a chance to sit in on one of his panels, go! Not only will you be entertained while learning something, he has one of the best sounding voices. 

Sharon: How many times have you been to ConCarolinas?
John: This is my second year as a guest. My third year attending over all.
Sharon: How does this convention compare to others you attend and why do you keep coming back?
John: This is one of my favorite conventions because it’s kind of like a homecoming, I see some of my best friends here, some folks I only see once or twice a year. And I get to sleep in my own bed cause I live 15 minutes from the convention site. It’s awesome. I also think this con has one of the most robust writers tracks of any convention of its size in the southeast. So for aspiring writers or writers who are seeking publication, seeking to expand their career this is one of the best places to be in the southeastern US. There are very few places you can get to hear real live advice from a consistent level of expert professionals.
Sharon: wow, I had no idea.
John: it’s awesome for a con this size to have as many guests of a level of experience and sales like a Gail Martin or Faith Hunter or AJ Hartley or David Coe or Kalayna Price. You wouldn't typically get that many at the same convention.
Sharon: especially since it is so small relatively speaking, you have an intimate setting and can actually talk with the guest as opposed to just seeing them on panels.
John: Right, you can talk to people face to face and get some real contacts.

Interview Roulette

While picking questions he asked if he should tell the readers who he is… *interviewer fail* you would think after all the in person interviews I’ve done I wouldn’t be pulling the dork card still.

John: So they already know I am an amaaaazing humorist, brilliant anthologist and generally full of crap?

Sharon: *taking the hint* So why don’t you go ahead and tell us about your next book getting ready to drop?
John: The newest project is The Big Bad: An Anthology of Evil. Published by Dark Oak Press and it is a collection of 30 short stories featuring bad guys. Everybody loves the villain. The villain always has the best story. So the only restriction on submissions to this anthology was the protagonist had to be a bad guy. So we got super villains, we've got monsters, demons, werewolves, vampires, human beings. Cause human beings can be the biggest monsters out there. So that is currently available in all ebook formats and in hard back and trade paperback. It’s a lovely hardback volume. I suggest everybody by 10. And if you are into digital it is on amazon right now for $2.99. You are paying a dime a story at that rate, you can’t beat that. 

John: okay, let’s see what’s in this little yellow thing…
Q: What is in your pocket and can we take a picture?
John: yes you can cause there is nothing particularly interesting.

Sharon: no body parts?
John: no, and I’ve already taken all my drugs. We’ve got cash, wallet, a pony tail holder, some business cards and a pocket knife because I am a redneck and I don’t go anywhere without a bladed implement of destruction. Oh, and a valet parking stub.

Sharon: *takes picture* thank you

wondering why I didn't ask him to open the wallet... now wondering if he would  have...

John: now I got to put all my crap away. 

Q: What is the nerdiest thing you own?
John: It depends on what flavor of nerd we’re talking about. I have a collection of somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 Magical The Gathering cards.
Sharon: O_O okay, that would count…

John: I have the starry starry night exploding tardis poster autographed by Peter Davidson. I have full run of Comico Grendel comic books with number one autographed by Matt Wagner. I have a World Wrestling Federation Honky Tonk man intercontinental action figure. I have a autographed Larry Elmore print of the artwork for the cover of the first Dungeons and Dragon Box set.
Sharon: I actually have that game at home.
John: My nerd-fu is pretty good.
Sharon: yeah, you rank pretty high up there.
John: I don’t have any Star Trek or Star Wars. I have a book case full of signed books from author friends or just ones I’ve met.
Sharon: That’s not nerdy, that’s cool.
John: I don’t know, one of those is the nerdiest thing I own.
Sharon: the 10K cards wins.
John: that’s probably it.
Sharon: there is a zombie sheep one!
John: there is also a Ovinomancer which is a blue creature that you tap it and it turns another creature into a sheep.

Q: Saint Patrick’s Day or Cinco De Mayo?
John: neither one. Real men don’t drink on amateur night. 


Q: Thor’s hammer or Harry’s wand?
John: Thor’s hammer.

Q: Chainsaw arm or shotgun leg?
John: shotgun leg cause that is just F’ing hot. The one on the chick. That’s just F’ing hot. Because women that can kill you are hot.
Sharon: what’s that movie coming out with the woman with a metal brazier that shoots bullets?
John: I don’t know, but you now have to email me when you find out.

*we did remember, The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp*

Thanks to John Hartness for taking the time to talk. I look forward to seeing you at the next con!

About the Author:

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John G. Hartness is a recovering theatre geek who likes loud music, fried pickles and cold beer. John is an award-winning poet, lighting designer and theatre producer, whose work has been translated into over 25 languages and read worldwide. He's been published in several online literary journals including The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, cc&d, Deuce Coupe and Truckin'. His poem "Dancing with Fireflies" was nominated for a 2010 Pushcart Prize.
His first novel, The Chosen, is an urban fantasy about saving the world, snotty archangels, gambling, tattooed street preachers, immortals with family issues, bar brawls and the consequences of our decisions.

He followed up The Chosen with Hard Day's Knight, a new twist on the vampire detective novel and the first book in the highly successful series The Black Knight Chronicles. The second book of The Black Knight Chronicles, Back in Black, landed in March 2011 and has enjoyed immediate success. Knight Moves, the third Black Knight book, was released in August 2011.

John is also the host of the popular YouTube writer's video series Literate Liquors, where he and other science fiction and fantasy authors talk about the best alcoholic beverages to enjoy while reading. He can be found online at www.johnhartness.com and spends too much time on Twitter, especially after a few drinks.

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an ecopy of The Big Bad: An Anthology of Evil

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