A Little About Me
I’m told I must write this lengthy bio that gives my reader (you) a chance to know me better. So, without further ado, let’s dig in…
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners… ah, who am I kidding, ha-ha. I like horror, the color purple, and deep conversations with like-minded people.
When I first started writing, it was the year 2008 when an image came to me in a dream. I know, cliché, right? But it did, and an idea started forming. I created a novel, showed a few people, and was encouraged by how awesome it was, so I published it. Only issue… I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING! Behind the curtain, it was surreal that I could do something so magical. But, in front of the drafty curtain was a target for a lot of negative feedback. So, here I was, fresh out of the lake and thrown into a sea of sharks. No one to hold my hand, no one to tell me what I did wrong. I assumed they were haters at this point.
But I didn’t let it deter me from walking down that path. I saw it as an opportunity if people asked what NOT to do. So, I created another story (and yes, from a dream as well. I know, I know, cliché). I polished and polished until I found it to be as good as I could get it. This one, however, I struggled to do anything more with. Remember that negative feedback… it hit me harder than I was willing to admit.
That’s when life decided to alter my plans on where I was to live and be with. So, I packed up and headed across the country to California, where they say dreams come true. (I didn’t stay long enough to find out.) Once again, the writing was put on the back burner until I could navigate this new life. I met my soulmate and had my daughter. Moved to Las Vegas, had my son with him, and was right back into navigating a completely different reality. Being a stay-at-home mom.
I had more free time, so I pulled out my second novel, dusted off the cobwebs, and polished it more. It was now 2013, and I became involved with The Las Vegas Writer’s Group and met my writer soulmate, Kathy-Lynn Cross. This is where Twister of Mystery became an idea. We attended The Las Vegas Writer’s Convention that following April and began working on projects together.
We spread our wings, dipped our toes in the sand together, and quickly became part of the Indie circuit. We wrote and edited each other’s work before submitting it to become accepted in Enchanted: A Paranormal New Adult Novella Collection. Mine was titled K + L. That’s when life decided, yet again, to take another drastic step, and I became pregnant with my third. However, the loss took me down a rabbit hole I struggled to find my way out of. It wasn’t until my writer soulmate came to me and insisted that I write for another contest, but I hesitated because that’s what people do when they let depression rule their life. And she said, “Come on. We can write 2,000 words in our sleep.” So, reluctantly, I picked up my laptop and wrote until I had nothing to say. We read and edited each other’s material again before submitting it to be told we were accepted. It was called, Lurking in the Mind, an anthology with many other amazing authors, and mine was titled Lonely Hearts. Which this anthology, by the way, has won multiple awards:
* Finalist in the Fiction: Anthologies category of the 2017 International Book Awards
* Winner in the Fiction: Anthologies category of the 2017 Best Book Awards
* Official Selection for Short Story Fiction in the 2018 New Apple Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing
* Solo Medalist Winner for Short Story Collection in the 2018 New Apple Summer E-book Awards
Yay for us! We must have done something right. It was a story I became incredibly proud of because of where it came from. My heart. My sadness. My anguish. Now I was stuck in this starving artist phase and had to put the big girl pants on and get a job that paid more than I was bringing in. I found a job involving another passion of mine. Mechanics.
I also joined the Las Vegas HWA Chapter and met another soulmate in writing. (I’m seeing a pattern here. Lol.) Timothy Chizmar. What a character that one is! From there, a friendship grew. We began frolicking in the river, skipping rocks (lol, just kidding, we did come close a few times, though.) So instead, we settled for joining our teams (Spooky Ninja Kitty Media, Twister of Mystery, and Inscytheful Publishing) with one goal: to bring success to others! (Cue the fireworks.)
I attended Wondercon 2023 and was fortunate to be a part of a panel with several other exceptional talents. (How could I say no?) I am now in charge of the Horror Writers Association (HWA), Las Vegas, NV, Chapter and intend to only grow from here. If you live in the area and are interested to learn more or on how to join, leave a message on the Contact Me page.
As far as my second novel goes, it still sits on the shelf, waiting to be revisited and molded into the techniques I have learned along the way. So, who knows, I may surprise ya'll and have it sooner than you think, so stay tuned!
"One of my favorite quotes of all time is from Guillermo Del Toro."
"We are overwhelmed by the realization that the putrid flesh, the vacant eyes, and the mad stare we see in that lonely figure are nothing but the reflection in a mirror. A dark mirror facing us."
– Guillermo Del Toro
"In a world of mystery, there is always a twist."
– Twister of Mystery Productions -
Founder, Amber Hassler