A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

A is for Alibi, Sue Grafton, 1982 My favorite quote: “Except for cases that clearly involve a homicidal maniac, the police like to believe murders are committed by those we know and love, and most of the time they’re right – a chilling thought when you sit down to dinner with a family of five.

False Starts … or Oh, How I Hate the Beginning

Every writer has their problem area, some part of the plot that just gives them fits. It’s usually what’s infamously known as the “sagging middle,” but for me, it’s the beginning. Always. Not the entire first act, just the opening scenes – especially that first one.  I’ve accepted that when I’m beginning a new book,

10 Things I’ve Learned About Writing in the Past 10 Years

I’ve been writing all my life, but it wasn’t until ten years ago that I got serious about it. And I didn’t want to be a hobby-writer, either. I wanted to be a real-life, full-time professional who spends his time writing, editing, marketing, and well … doing it all – because that’s what writers do

The Art of Blaming the Industry

In 2010, I completed my first novel and the rush it gave me was of greater magnitude than anything else I’d ever experienced. After years of trying, I had finally done it: I had written my very first book. I was elated, bubbling with pride, and eager to get it out into the world where

Behind the Book: Sleep Savannah Sleep

One night, days after finishing my novel Dream Reaper, I was in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what to write next. I considered going back to the Crimson Cove series but I felt like there was a different story in me trying to get out. The trouble was, I didn’t know anything about it

The Angel Alejandro

THE ANGEL ALEJANDRO – coming later this year.   After a near-fatal accident, Madison O’Riley is faced with an extraordinary problem: What to do with the man who saved her life. He calls himself Alejandro … and he has no memory of who he is or where he came from. As they set out to

TODAY ONLY

Today is the last day to get your copy of THE CLIFFHOUSE HAUNTING for .99 on Amazon! And here’s a list of the weekend’s events!

THE CLIFFHOUSE HAUNTING is on sale!

A deranged doctor with an appalling side-hobby, a macabre groundskeeper who delights in terrifying children, an unlikely vandal with vulgar talents, a lovestruck cop, a 60s Scream Queen, a death-portending ghost, and an egomanaical self-proclaimed psychic who wants to write a book about it. What happens when they all end up in a cozy cliff

MOTHER: Coming Soon From Thorne & Cross

Coming this spring: MOTHER – a new novel by Thorne & Cross. A Girl’s Worst Nightmare is Her Mother … Priscilla Martin. She’s the diva of Morning Glory Circle and a driving force in the quaint California town of Snapdragon. Overseer of garage sales and neighborhood Christmas decorations, she is widely admired. But few people

THE CRIMSON CORSET is AVAILABLE NOW!

Just click the pic for your copy! Welcome to Crimson Cove Sheltered by ancient redwoods overlooking the California coast, the cozy village of Crimson Cove has it all: sophisticated retreats, fine dining, and a notorious nightclub, The Crimson Corset. It seems like a perfect place to relax and get close to nature. But not everything

THE CLIFFHOUSE HAUNTING

THE CLIFFHOUSE HAUNTING is available now: http://www.amazon.com/Cliffhouse-Haunting-Tamara-Thorne-ebook/dp/B00VL9LUC6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428264698&sr=8-1&keywords=cliffhouse “Thorne & Cross keep the surprises coming as swiftly as a master magician… the characters quickly become people we know, but then wish perhaps we didn’t… the laughter of recognition rides like bubbles on the surface of a deep flowing darkness… there’s something cold in here.” ~ Mark

COVER REVEAL FOR THE CLIFFHOUSE HAUNTING!!

At long last, our cover for The Cliffhouse Haunting is ready to be revealed. We love it, and would like to thank our cover design artist, Kealan Patrick Burke, for perfectly capturing the SPIRIT of our book!   When the Blue Lady Walks… Since 1887, Cliffhouse Lodge has been famous for its luxurious accommodations, fine

It works if you work it…

When I joined forces with Tamara Thorne in 2012, people warned me that collaborations are difficult and often don’t work out. Tamara no doubt received the same warnings and worse – she was, after all, an already-established novelist with over a dozen books under her belt. Undoubtedly, there was some nail-biting going on behind the

Why I Dig My Collaborator

‘Tis the season for gratitude, and although I have never enjoyed any of the traditional Thanksgivings customs, I do like to take a little time out around this time of year to reflect on the things I’m grateful for, and there are a lot of them. A lot. I am thankful to my family for

Readings, Photos, and an Interview with Belinda!

Today Tamara Thorne is doing a reading from The Ghosts of Ravencrest at 3:00 p.m. at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. While she’s doing that, I’ll be working on the next extra-creepy photo shoot for the series’ upcoming covers and e-posters. In the meantime, you can read an interview with Ravencrest’s governess herself, Belinda Moorland,

Welcome to Ravencrest…

Darkness Never Dies… Ravencrest Manor has always been part of the family. The ancestral home of the Mannings, Ravencrest’s walls have been witness to generations of unimaginable scandal, horror, and depravity. Imported stone by stone from England to northern California over a thirty-year period in the 1800s, the manor now houses widower Eric Manning, his

Gross Encounters of the Absurd Kind

My collaborator, Tamara Thorne, and I have been sitting down together to write everyday for months. We’ve gotten a lot done, and we still have much to do. On top of the Belinda serial, we’re finishing up a horror novel  and have another novel  to edit and publish around the holidays. Needless to say, we

Beneath the Lake: On Writing Horror… and Belinda!

Our article, Extreme Collaborating, is up at Beneath the Lake: On Writing Horror. In it, we discuss our unique form of collaboration – how we get in the Cloud and literally write together, often in the same paragraph.  Go on over to Crystal Lake Publishing and check it out. While you’re there, look around; you’ll

BELINDA HAS ARRIVED!

The Adventures Have Begun… The New Governess, the first installment of The Erotic Adventures of Belinda, is now available on Amazon and Smashwords.  (We will have Nook and other links soon.) New adventures will appear every four to six weeks. Expect serious erotica, lots of ghosts, romance, and intrigue as we put our own spin

Agnith’s Promise: The Vildecaz Talents, Book 3

Agnith’s Promise, the final book in Chelsea Quinn Yarbro’s Vildecaz Talents series from Avalerion Books is for sale. Be sure to give it a look-see here. Agnith’s Promise While at the Imperial Court, Erianthee witnesses an enormous Conjure Storm that turns half of the palace complex to rubble. Afraid of what could come next, she heads for Vildecaz and home with

Let the Adventures Begin

The Erotic Adventures of Belinda is a true gothic thriller, filled with steamy romance, ghosts, and some of the hottest erotica you’ve ever read. The New Governess This morning we completed our final round of revisions and sent the first installment of The Erotic Adventures of Belinda to the publisher.  This  first installment is titled

Writing… and Riding the ‘One Day’ Wave

You know those books you’re going to write ‘one day’ but never seem to get around to? Well, for me, ‘one day’ has arrived, and let me tell you, Bub – it’s nuts. I rode the ‘one day’ wave for as long as I respectably could, but eventually, you have to get off – and

Shhh… Don’t Let Her Catch You Looking…

Here’s a peek at Belinda in one her private moments. Coming this Summer http://.alistaircross.com http://tamarathorne.com ~

Authors on the Air

Tamara Thorne and I will be live on Authors on the Air tomorrow night, April 17, at 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern.  Come join us for an hour of fun and information about our projects. You can even call in with questions! Here is the direct link to the show. 

Going Down…?

This weeks hot reminder that Belinda is on her way… Belinda An erotic series by Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross Coming this summer from Avalerion Books  

Scandalous Interview!

Gingernuts of Horror has just published a wonderful and scandalously fact-filled interview with Tamara Thorne  and me. You’ll find out how we met, how we work, news about our horror novel,Grandma’s Rack,  and our erotic serial novel, Belinda. You’ll see news of Tamara’s  Candle Bay sequel, and my solo novel, The White Room. We also give the skinny on how

The Laces Come Undone…

Tamara and I are hard at work on the first installments of our erotic serial novel, Belinda. Our lusty heroine is already thigh-deep in a sea of sensual exploits… and we expect her to go even deeper very soon. The laces come undone this summer… For more about Belinda and other works, visit us at: http://www.alistaircross.com & http://www.tamarathorne.com

Belinda Is Coming…

The first photography session for the upcoming serial erotica, Belinda, went swimmingly. Here is a promotional picture from the sitting… There are many more to come… Look for the first installment of Belinda this summer! Visit us at: http://www.alistaircross.com & http://www.tamarathorne.com

GRANDMA’S RACK Revealed!!

  There’s a new coven in town… War of the Witches The plague witches have declared war, and ten-year-old Joey is in more trouble than he can even imagine. As the town of Milkwort becomes a battleground of magic and mayhem, the only thing he seems to have on his side is the sweet, soft-spoken

Almost There…

We’re only four days away from the cover reveal for the collaborative novel Tamara Thorne and I are working on. Currently, the artwork is done, and it is just going through some minor revisions. Also on Monday, my website – which I am lovingly referring to as The Dungeon – is going live. Thank you to

The Truth About Fiction

I’m always amazed at what goes into writing a book, and as I approach the beginning of the end of my current collaboration with Tamara Thorne, I’m reminded of how precious this really is to me. I can remember the days when it was new; back when I wrote little more than an occasional stray paragraph – or jotted down

Who’s That Girl?

A collaborative post by Tamara Thorne & Alistair Cross   If you’ve been following our progress you probably know we are nearing the end of our soon-to-be-revealed collaborative project. You also might have heard us talking about a woman named Belinda. Recently, we’ve had some people ask us who she is, so we decided it’s

Upcoming Work

Good afternoon, fellow Hounds of Horror, I have felt a bit under the weather the past few days and have taken some time off . However, as of next week, I am back to writing full swing. I’m working on two projects ~ and next week, I’m turning my attention to the novella I am