SB Knight

2012-01-06T18:14:00.008-05:00

"Born of Blood is a keenly-crafted thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned, the last word eagerly consumed. SB Knight knows how to keep the blood pounding and the suspense building. And just when you think you know everything... Step aside Stephen King and Dean Koontz, there's a new kid in town and his destination is keeper shelves everywhere. Let's hope Born of Blood is just the tip of Knight's creative iceberg!" ~ Rebecca Sinclair, Bestselling Author
_______________________________________________________

"If the topic of supernatural and mysterious has always intrigued and fascinated you, Born of Blood is the book for you. Surprising revelations, well-written characters, pulse-pounding suspense will make you want to keep turning page after page. SB Knight did a magnificent job with the plot of the novel and the imaginative and eloquent use of language that made the characters and the world around them three-dimensional at its best." ~ CA Milson - Film writer, producer, and author
_______________________________________________________
**MAJOR UPDATE - THE SEQUEL TO BORN OF BLOOD (BOOK 2 OF THE BLOOD CHRONICLES SERIES) IS UNDER CONTRACT AND WILL BE RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2012!! I'M HOPING FOR HALLOWEEN...MORE DETAILS TO COME SOON.

THE OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE FOR BORN OF BLOOD IS MARCH 23, 2012! MARK YOUR CALENDARS. IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN YEAR.

Welcome,

2011-07-05T17:08:00.006-04:00

Thank you for visiting my website. I hope your first visit will not be your last as we journey into the world of dark fantasy. What should you expect as you visit the multiple pages and links here? Well, I plan to share my experiences with you as my stories turn into novels. Here you will also find events, updates, information, book trailers and who knows what else. It is my goal to provide you with an entertaining and informative experience.

Please take a moment and click on the 'Like' button on the left hand side. Right above that is the Twitter follow me button. If you are not currently following me I hope that you would; yep, I follow back. That cool looking logo above that is my Google+ logo. If you are on G+ please click over and check out my profile there. Add me to your circle and I will return the favor.

In closing I would also like to invite you to take a moment and share your thoughts about the site and/or anything you read here with me. All you need to do is click on the 'Contact SB' tab and send me an e-mail. I truly enjoy feedback and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Expansion into the Unknown

2011-06-13T17:32:00.001-04:00

As I continue to wait...patiently.....ever so patiently for my edits and cover art I am focused on two things: the sequel and expanding my platform. I am so happy to announce that the first draft of my sequel is now finished. I have decided to allow it to cool down for a few weeks because it did takes its toll on me. I want to be fresh and re-energized when I begin the revision process. I'm not sure how long the revision process will be this time. I feel like this is the most complete first draft I have ever put together. Hopefully that holds true when I begin bleeding all over it.

With that out of the way I can know turn my full focus on expanding my social network. That is the fancy way of saying "I want to meet more people." How am I going about that? Well, I started with what I know - Twitter and Goodreads. I found groups for Dark Fantasy readers and I joined. No, I have nothing against authors as I have many friends who are authors; I simply want to reach out to more readers. Why? It is more than just the fact that I have a book coming out. I want to know what they think, how they view certain authors and what drives them to read what they do. It is interesting when you step over and see things from the readers side.

My next visit on this quest of expansion was Facebook. I have to be honest; I didn't hold much hope here. Facebook has not been a pleasant experience for me in the past. This time. however, was different. This time I actually stumbled on some fellow authors of Dark Fantasy as well as some groups for Dark Fantasy readers. I count that as a success as I clicked the 'Like' or 'Join' button. The most gratifying thing about this activity is the people you meet. I have met people from other countries who relate to the thoughts and opinions I have about things. I just think that is cool. Yea, I'm easily gratified but anyway. I always enjoy meeting people and learning from them.

It takes some effort to find things in the vastness of the Internet but when you do it is like striking gold. I'm not done yet; I still have some time before my book is released. I plan to continue expanding my network. How do you expand your network?

Born Of Blood Teaser Trailer

2011-06-02T16:52:00.001-04:00

I've been exploring the world of book trailers and this is my first offering. Every image in this video has meaning and shares insight to 'Born of Blood'. Take a moment and enjoy.

What do you think? Feel free to give me your thoughts and opinions. I appreciate feedback; it will help with my next project.

Dark Fiction, Dark Fantasy or Horror?

2011-05-25T14:35:00.000-04:00

What's up with all these genres? I mean, how many do we really need? Take romance for example; I bet there are at least 25 sub-genres to romance. Bringing this closer to home is the recognition of Horror, Dark Fiction and Dark Fantasy. What exactly is the difference between these three? What I am even more interested in is if you decide my book is not Dark Fiction or Dark Fantasy but something all together different. I asked this question to a group I'm with on Goodreads.com. Below you will find, what I think to be, the most complete answer to this debate.

"Dark Fiction, as loosely described un-officially in various threads I've seen around this group, is fiction where there is a focus on what Jung called the Shadow. Alternately, it is defined as "minor key" fiction. It could also be described as fiction that doesn't shy away from or sugar-coat the harsher parts of life or which looks unpleasantness in the eye.

It doesn't have to be horror, although horror often fits the bill, as does much science fiction, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, detective and crime fiction, Gothic fiction, psychological/character studies where not everything is sunshine and roses, mysteries, ghost stories, war fiction... Dark Fiction isn't only gory and/or even horror fiction. It can be blood-n-guts, yes, but just as often you will find subtle dread, philosophical angst, tension, bleakness, questioning, unusual atmospherics, mythic archetypes, internal turmoil, gritty action, surrealism, satire, Big Questions, etc."

WOW! In other words Dark Fiction covers a lot of ground but if we look closely though we can draw a line in the sand. I will admit that my observations and opinions on this topic are broad and generalized; however, I feel that they help define and understand the distinctions between these three genres.

Horror really is the easy one to mark out. The horror genre is comprised of stories that deliver a shock value to the reader. Be it through blood and gore or head games, the driving force behind horror is to deliver fear from areas in life and our imaginations we would much rather ignore. What about the other two? Just as the response above implies; Dark Fantasy and Dark Fiction can contain the same elements as Horror but they are delivered in a different manner from that of Horror.

To me Dark Fiction delivers the element of Horror but contains either real life situations or situations that could happen in real life. Of course the story is fiction but it could very well happen. For example, if an author wrote a book about a character that kidnapped people, tortured them and ate them that would be Dark fiction but we all know that this can and has happened in real life. Dark Fantasy delivers the element of Horror but contains the monsters and ghouls that haunt our childhood nightmares. Vampires, werewolves, and Frankenstein's monster are good examples of Dark fantasy characters. In the end I believe they all complement each other and it really comes down to the preference of the reader; sort of like rock-n-roll, heavy metal and death metal.

I think the big draw to this genre and sub-genre is that it goes to the places people usually shy away from. They shine a light in the dark corners where people don't want to look.

Once Upon a Time There were 3 Angels

2011-05-17T17:27:00.000-04:00

This is a new twist for The Blood Chronicles. I just received and e-mail from Technorati with trailers for two new ABC shows. Well, I say new but one is a relaunch of a classic show and the other is based on some well known fairy tales. Why in the world would I put that on a site like this? I am an author but I do watch television from time to time. Which one should I talk about first? How about this one:

I think this show will do well because it has a young set of stars for one and some of you might have noticed the blonde (Rachel Taylor). She was in the first Transformers movie. Now I will not say that this is a home run because, let's be honest, this show has really big shoes to fill. Anyone who has seen the original series with Farrah Faucet will agree with me on this.Charlie's Angels will air on Thursday night at 8 o'clock this fall. It will be interesting to see how this pans out because there is some hidden star power here. Check out the pilot and let me know what you think.

Next we have:

Once Upon a Time looks interesting in my opinion. It is based on fairy tales with a twist. As you can see in the video things are not as they seem in the sleepy little town of Storybrook. This series has some new faces as well as known figures acting in it. You may have noticed Jennifer Morrison from 'House' is starring in this. I'm not sure how she fits in but we know she fits into the story in a major way. This show has potential if handle properly. We shall see on Sunday night at 8 o'clock this fall. Just like it says in the video "every story has two sides" and we will see how interesting this side is. Check it out and let me know what you think.

It looks like television is in for a major overhaul with all the new shoes and cancellations. What are some of your favorite shows?

Friday the 13th

2011-05-13T17:28:00.000-04:00

What a great day to post a blog on The Blood Chronicles. I, for one, enjoy Friday the 13th. They have been productive and oftentimes very enjoyable days. Does that make me weird or crazy? More so than the fact that blood is associated with just about every aspect of this blog? Okay, don't answer that.

It does surprise me how some people react to superstition. Whether it be a day or an object (like a broken mirror) or an animal (like a black cat) everyone has their own specific opinions about them. There doesn't seem to be a gray area. Most of the day I monitored Twitter, yes I worked so call it multi-tasking, and it was rather entertaining to see where people drew the line between real and just make believe. For example, walking under a ladder doesn't bother them; however, the make an effort to not step on any cracks in the sidewalk. Remember that little rhyme? Some pay no attention to the date but will not answer the phone after a certain time at night.

Is there anything wrong with being a little superstitious about some things but discard other things that people are superstitious about? No, not at all; that is one thing that makes us unique and different from the person next to us.

As for me, I've already talked about my opinion about Friday the 13th and my favorite cat is a black cat. Don't tell my tabby that; she might get a little upset. I will not walk under a ladder though; not because I'm superstitious, that is because I've fallen off a few ladders and had a few fall on me. I guess you could say that is a safety issue. I would not call myself a superstitious person; however, there are aspects of the "unexplained" that I do pay attention to. That is for another article.

I just looked at the calendar for 2012 and there is a Friday the 13th next April. Maybe I should move the release of Born of Blood from March to April and release it on the 13th. What do you think?

What are your opinions about Friday the 13th?

Giving the Readers what they want...I think.

2011-05-03T17:46:00.000-04:00

Over at my publishing house forum we are discussing, with readers, who we, as authors, gain their attention and trust. We don't do this for the mere fact of convincing you to purchase our book; no, it goes deeper than that. We are, at the heart of things, readers ourselves; we want that connection with readers that readers oftentimes desire to have with their favorite others. I suppose you could say it is like the scenario of a dog chasing its tale. Authors want readers and readers want authors. The difference, of course, is that readers want authors that write in a style and/or voice that they can relate to and connect with.

So here I sit wondering how I am going to gain your attention and interest. I have read loads of suggestions such as post a book excerpt, post a piece of work that I have never shared before, do a blog tour and interviews, post my book cover on every corner I come to....the list goes on and on. I ultimately want to get my novel to a point where readers are telling other readers about it. How do I go about achieving that?

Fortunately (and unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) my book does not come out until next year so I have some time to better establish my name and the title of my novel. This blog is the start of things and while it is coming along slowly I promise to make things interesting here. I have also found some very interesting groups that read dark fiction. I think my focus will now switch to book clubs. To be honest, this journey has been a lot of fun. I've learned a lot about the genre and what people think of certain titles and voices. It is very interesting.

As the title states "Giving the Readers what they want....I think" is not a question regarding my novel but more to the point of introducing myself and my novel to the readers so they can learn, discover and determine if my novel is something of interest to them. Yes, it is a slow process but you know...Rome wasn't built in a day.

Muse Blog Conference

2011-04-22T17:34:00.000-04:00

The whole month of June is Muse Blog Conference month. What does that mean? Well, for starters you get to meet MuseItUp authors during the entire month plus there are chances to win free e-books. Also, there will be special sales gong on during the entire month on selected e-books.

Now you might be thinking, okay, I come over to the blog and maybe when an e-book but what will be going on while I'm there? I'm glad you thought of that. Each day the author for that day will be blogging about a topic he or she picked. There will be exercises, handouts and examples throughout any given day. It will be fun and informative - that I can promise. For example, I am scheduled for June 13th. The topic for that day will be "Harnessing the Full Potential of Blogs." That means, on the 13th I will be posting articles throughout the day about blogs, blogging, what to have on your blog and why you should blog. I may throw in an exercise or two as well.

Each day will be like that; a different author with a different topic each day. With that said, what do you need to do? First you need to head over and register. Why? When you register and participate you are automatically entered into the contest for the free e-books. There will be multiple e-books handed out too. After you register, scroll down and check out the line up so you will be ready and can pick out the days that really catch your interest. Hopefully all of them do but you know what I mean.

Alright, time to get ready and have some fun. Here is the link to the MuseItUp Blog. http://museituppublishing.blogspot.com/p/muse-blog-conference.html

Welcome to Blood Chronicles!

2011-04-12T17:29:00.004-04:00

Take a trip with me, if you dare, to the darker side of imagination. To a new realm where nothing is as it seems. What will we find? Will we escape once we enter? I don't know but if we plan to answer those questions we must take that all important first step.

That first step has brought you here. This is my domain; a snapshot inside the mind of author SB Knight. Here you will find the ends and outs of the publishing experience as my manuscript morphs into a well polished debut novel. The fun doesn't stop there; no, that is just the tip of this bloody iceberg. I plan to share insight about the novel, upcoming events, reviews, blurbs and I might throw in a contest or two.

Why did I create the Blood Chronicles website? I needed a home for my books. You see, my debut novel is "Born of Blood" and is book one of the Blood Chronicle series. I am very happy to announce that "Born of Blood" will be released in March of 2012. I know, that is so far away but the good thing is that I have time to get that nice polish on the story plus I can get a head start on promoting it. That, of course, brings me back to this blog. Oh, did I mention that it gives me time to get book two of the series well underway? Yes, I am hard at work on the second book until I start the editing process of "Born of Blood."

Please keep in mind that this site is still under construction. As you click on some of the links you will see 'Site Under Construction' posted on the screen. That will change in the coming weeks and months. I invite you to click on the links and check out the interesting things on this site. To help you with that I thought a little tour was in order. If you look below the title of the site you will see the main links (such as home, about the author, etc...); these links will take you to different pages within the site. I am very excited about the 'Forum' link so please check that out. Right below the links is my scroll bar - I will update this as events and milestones are reached. I have links embedded within the notes of the scroll bar too. Alright, now we are at the meat and potatoes of the site. To the right is the badge and link to my publisher - MuseItUp Publishing. It is an honor to be a part of this publishing house and I encourage you to visit their site. Below that is the social networking links where you can join me on Facebook and Twitter. Everyone knows that e-mail subscription so I will skip that and talk about the two items under it. The first is a list of links to my fellow MuseItUp Authors. Trust me on this, these authors are really good. Beside that list is the visitor counter which happens to be covered in blood. To the left of the post is the followers or as I call them 'the coven.' You may think it is cheesy but, you know, that’s what vampires call their groups. Below that is my Twitter profile which will update you on all the tweets I send out.

As I said, this site will change multiple times as I get more information. I can't wait to get the cover of my book. I plan to make that my new background. In the near future I will talk more about Born of Blood but for now I will leave you with my site. I do hope you enjoy your time and will return. I also invite you to leave feedback and thoughts.

Born of Blood - Book Excerpt Two

2011-01-30T21:10:00.001-05:00

The rider’s head swiveled as she searched the hillside for any sign of pursuit. Wet mud flew high in the air from her horse’s hoofs as they thundered down the rutted trail. She shifted her eyes for a split second to look at the bundle snugly bound against her midsection.
“Just a little further now,” she whispered.

The cold night air whistled past her ears, but sweat continued over her brow. The barren trees reached out with their finger-like limbs, threatening to rip her off her mount. At the last second, she swerved her horse down a side path. A glimmer of light in the distance called to her, and a burst of speed brought the weary rider to a ramshackle farmhouse with a single light glowing from a lone window.

The smoke from the fire was a welcoming sign of warmth as she approached the door. A soft knock, and it cracked opened. An old woman gazed beyond the traveler’s shoulder for a moment until she stepped aside and waved her in.
“You sure you weren’t followed girl?” a gray-haired man asked from a seat in the corner next to the fire.
“Yes, I’m sure,” the rider replied as she dropped her saddlebag on the table.
The old woman shut and latched the door. “Now, Pa, leave her be. She’s been on a long ride.”
“Well, if’n she was followed, it will be for naught.”
“I said I wasn’t followed.”
Pa stared at the girl for a moment and nodded before repacking his pipe with tobacco. “Then move over here to the fire and warm your bones.” He indicated the hearth.

Elizabeth stood close to it and absorbed the warmth into her stiff fingers. As she warmed, she removed her hat, scarf, and cloak, but the bundled blanket remained against her midsection. I hope I’m doing the right thing. She turned to the old couple.
“I know this is a burden on you. There are some supplies in the saddlebag. It’s not much, but it will last a few days.”
“That witch has done enough horror in these parts, so it’s the least we can do.” Pa spat.
“Well, let’s have a look,” requested Ma.
Elizabeth detached the bundle and handed it to her. With experienced hands, she pulled back a portion of the blanket. The angelic face of a sleeping baby girl greeted her.
“Oh, isn’t she darlin’.” Ma cooed at the babe. “Come look, Pa.”
Pa moved around the table and stared at the baby.
“I’d say that’s a baby, all right.” With that, he moved back to his seat.
“Never you mind him. I know him like my own hand, and he loves this little bundle already.”
Elizabeth gave a slight smile. “I knew she would do well here, but mind the countess will never stop looking for her once she figures things out.”
“You think she will?” Ma asked.
Elizabeth bundled up for the journey back. “I’m positive,” she exclaimed as she walked out into the night.

****

The elderly couple stood in the doorway with the baby and watched as Elizabeth disappeared down the darkened path.
“Did you see what that woman did to Elizabeth’s face?” Pa asked.
“You’ve heard the sayings, Pa. Now you know some are true. She’s a brave girl, doing what she did.”
“Yes, but it might cost her more then she wants to pay.”
The baby squirmed in her blanket, and their conversation shifted to her and keeping her safe.

* * * *

Elizabeth arrived back at the castle an hour before sunrise. It would be a long day, but if all went well, it would be worth it. She corralled the horse and crept to the kitchen through the back of the stable yard. With silent steps, she climbed the stairwell, ever mindful of other servants who, to find good favor, would notify the countess. Her door swung open on oiled hinges. With growing confidence, she stepped into the comforting darkness of her room, but her hand stopped on the sconce where the torch should have been. Panic began anew as she patted along the wall, fingers trembling.
“Looking for this?” A voice startled her as the torch came to life. The old gray stone walls dulled the red and orange glow from the flame.
Elizabeth straightened as she turned to face the countess. She dropped into a deep curtsy.
“Countess, I didn’t expect you up so early.”
The countess glared at the girl before a cold, heartless grin creased her face. “Oh, this is a special day,” she replied and moved to the window to gaze over the darkened countryside.
“Why is that, my lady?”
“Before we get to that, I would like to know why you took one of my horses out so late.”
Elizabeth froze as her mind raced for an excuse.
“I…uuummm…”
“Never mind. My newest addition is nowhere to be found on the same night you go for a joy ride. Isn’t that interesting?”
Tears ran down Elizabeth’s face. “Countess, I’m deeply sorry. I…”
The countess flew over from the window and stopped just as her nose touched Elizabeth’s.
“I have no time for a sniveling little whore like you,” she yelled.
She stepped back, took a deep breath and smoothed out her dress. “Look at me. You’ve got me all in a mess. You are right about one thing…you’ll be deeply sorry.”

Born of Blood releases soon. Be sure to mark your calendars for March 23!

Born of Blood - Excerpt 1

2011-01-30T14:09:00.010-05:00

“You’re late.” Drake’s calm, smooth voice cut through the silence.
“I had to make sure no one followed me. You got my cash?”
Drake turned, his lips a straight line on his face, and speared him with a cold, hard stare. Trey stepped back.
“Did you forget my instructions, Trey? They were rather simple, don’t you think?”
“Nope, I did what you wanted. You said to scare her real good, and I did that. You saw how that ho ran to your arms just like you wanted. Right?”
“Yes, but I distinctly remember telling you to scare her without harming one hair on her head.”
Trey shivered from the instant cold that seeped into the alley, even though sweat built under his shirt. He stepped backward another three steps, but Drake matched him step for step. Trey lifted his hands to his chest, palms facing out.
“Hold on, man. I didn’t know she would fight back so hard. I had to defend myself.”
Drake shook his head.
“Defend yourself? How weak you must be. People are so soft in this day and age. They do not have anything to live for, but expect to be handed everything. Like you — all you want is money. You do not understand the value of living. Do you understand, Trey?”
“What the hell are you talking about, man?”

In an instant, Drake’s intense red eyes filled Trey’s vision. He tried to turn away, but was held in place by unseen hands.
“Let us try this again, my dear Trey. I am going to give you a command, and you are going to follow it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Run, Trey. Run as if your life depended on it. Run now.”

Trey stared at Drake long enough to realize the truth of the situation, and took off down the alley, turned the corner, and ran harder. He refused to stop until he felt safe again, and then collapsed against a dumpster and inhaled. His heartbeat thundered in his chest as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
“Come on, pick up the phone,” he begged.
“Hello.”
“Sam, it’s Trey. I’m in trouble, man, and I need your help.”
“Man, I told you I wasn’t bailing you out of jail again.”
“No, you don’t understand; I’m not in jail. It’s that creepy dude I told you about. He is…”
Keep running, Trey, he heard whispered in his ear.
He turned from side to side, but saw no one.
“Sam, I think I’m going crazy. That chick ain’t worth all this. I need your help.”
“All right. Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
I said, ‘Run, Trey,’ the whisper repeated.
Trey jumped off the dumpster and searched the deserted alley, dropped his phone, and ran toward the street.

* * * *

“Trey, Trey…where are you? Are you there? Can you hear me?”
“I am sorry, but Trey will no longer be available.”
“Who is this?” Sam shouted.
“A friend.”
A loud clatter sounded in Sam’s ear. He looked at his phone, closed it, and stared out the window.
Should I call the police? What will I tell them? I don’t know who that was or where Trey is. Maybe he’s just playing more games with me.
Sam locked up his apartment and went to bed.

* * * *

The street light’s glow was a welcome sight as Trey pushed himself to make it clear of the alley’s darkness. Halfway to safety, he was knocked hard against the wall. His back cracked, and tears built in his eyes. Through the haze of his blurred vision, Trey saw a pitch-black shadow separate from the shadows of the wall. A cold hand snapped out of the blackness, wrapped around his throat, and choked off the air to his lungs.
“I told you to run, Trey. People just do not know the worth of life.”
With a quick twist, a grotesque sound echoed off the walls as Trey’s neck snapped. Drake materialized from the shadows, bit deep into his neck, and drank.

I hope you enjoyed this book excerpt from Born of Blood. When we get closer to the release of the novel I will share the second excerpt I have prepared.

Born of Blood - Teaser Trailer 2

2011-01-06T14:21:00.000-05:00

Welcome! Here is the second teaser trailer for Born of Blood. I added a script to this one which was tough as I wanted to further entice you but not give away to much. That is, indeed, a tight rope to walk. Here it is, the second teaser trailer for Born of Blood. Enjoy and I look forward to your thoughts and feedback.

Coming Soon

2009-05-12T16:04:00.004-04:00

This site is still under construction

Welcome to the Blood Chronicles. Soon this site will be jam packed with information about the forth coming books in the Blood Chronicle series.

Stay tuned and be ready for something you've never experienced before!