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Multi-volume, science fiction, horror author Craig Crawford introduces us to his fourth volume in the Project Threshold series, “Project Threshold: Finale”: Greed releases something without compassion or care. Its sole purpose is to cleanse the Earth of humans. Starting in Canada, it destroys everyone it crosses paths with, making its way to bigger settlements. Weapons won’t kill it and the only group who might be able to save humanity is Project Threshold. An amazing story! I hope it is not real. The characters seem quite realistic to me. Facing an unknown foe, people are dying left and right. The creature seems to not be hampered by the laws of physics. Will the PT organization survive this threat? I love this series and this book. The author has a very deft hand and pours out the words onto the page with the utmost care. There is not an extra or unnecessary word in the story. Fabulous writing! If you like short stories, you will love this series. Each adventure can stand alone. If you like long stories and intricate plots, you will derive plenty of enjoyment because all of these stories are connected in multiple ways. I am excited for the new batch of stories! You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Threshold-Finale-Craig-Crawford https://www.goodreads.com/-project-threshold-finale https://www.barnesandnoble.com/project-threshold-finale-craig-crawford You can connect with the author: https://twitter.com/CRAIGLCrawford https://www.facebook.com/CraigLCrawfordWriter https://craiglcrawfordbooks.com https://projectthreshold.com I reviewed the first book in this series here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/p-t-team-berger I reviewed the second book in the series here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/p-t-team-talise I have reviewed the third book in this series: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/team-riker-by-craig-crawford Here is a link to my review of Craig's satirical "The Beginner's Guide to Being Evil": www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-beginners-guide-to-being-evil-by-craig-crawford Tags: aliens, demons, ghost, paranormal, supernatural, science fiction, urban fantasy, horror Copyright © 2024 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
55 Comments
1/8/2024 06:49:56 pm
Hi Mark,
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Mark
1/8/2024 07:21:57 pm
I am very pleased to have you back for a chat. I love your stories and being able to talk about your journey is a real plus.
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1/8/2024 09:18:29 pm
I had a couple of big hurdles.
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Mark
1/9/2024 08:22:55 am
I understand that phrase, 'too many moving parts' and use it frequently. I doubt if many independent publishers have entered into project-sharing agreements. I am not a publisher, but I can see several issues that would need to be hammered into a unique contract.
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1/9/2024 08:31:24 am
It seemed like a really cool idea at the outset: multiple presses teaming up to share stories. But the more time wore on, the more complicated it got.
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Mark
1/9/2024 10:37:48 am
I have struggled with NY resolutions for many years, capitulating after a month or two. Every year. My perpetual resolution is to not make resolutions. Am I doing it right? ;-)
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1/9/2024 12:17:55 pm
My similar experience with resolutions...for writing I often decide on a couple of project to tackle and see which takes over for priority, then get to the other one, though I really do let my muse give me the go sign on these stories.
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Mark
1/9/2024 02:31:43 pm
Your muse gives you a lot of help.
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1/9/2024 03:12:33 pm
I love the idea of a multi-dimensional world and I wanted to explore it to all of its depths. I read a ton of mythology, cryptozoology, Indigenous lore, & lore from other cultures and I wanted to incorporate it into these stories playing the "what if" game. It was an opportunity to take some of the lesser known strange and introduce it into these stories, plus add some of my own creations.
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Mark
1/9/2024 06:06:42 pm
Not casting the government as the evil mastermind is one thing that sets your books apart from so many others. The government and military are made up of many different individuals. Each have their motivations for seeking civil or military service. I think most of the service members want to serve their country, to keep it safe for future generations.
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1/9/2024 07:28:39 pm
When we watch movies I always start grinning or laughing every time the "evil" government card is thrown out there. It's been done so many times.
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Mark
1/9/2024 08:17:26 pm
Most authors don't do much brainstorming with readers for the reasons you explain quite well. I hope every author has devoted fans like you do. Jim and Shelby sound wonderful.
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1/9/2024 08:31:24 pm
Superstition Mountains have a Lost Dutchman Mine...supposedly. Also there have been several deaths out there where they find the bodies but no heads...or the heads turn up later far away from the bodies...horror food for thought.... ;)
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Mark
1/10/2024 09:05:44 am
The Lost Dutchman Mine. That was floating in the back of my head when I made my previous comment. I watched a lot of TV when I was growing up in the 50s and 60s. One of the shows was an exploratory, science, history, paranormal show called "You Asked for It". I think they did an episode or two about the LDM. It really sparked my imagination. I probably saw it on other programs also.
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1/10/2024 09:54:05 am
That's a good call on the blog. I will do that. I don't always have a song or set music when I write, but sometimes it's just the perfect match.
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Mark
1/10/2024 11:55:03 am
Fans love inside details and sharing the music that helps you in definite spots seems like an ideal tidbit for them.
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1/10/2024 01:37:00 pm
I hadn't thought about it, but I think so too on the music front. And probably the podcast links too--people who would be interested in my horror would probably be into similar related fringe :)
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Mark
1/10/2024 03:55:31 pm
That visual dictionary sounds fabulous! I love it and might have to get one for myself.
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1/10/2024 04:15:48 pm
I think we did talk about this before but I had World Book Encyclopedias too which were a boon...before Google :)
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Mark
1/10/2024 06:13:50 pm
I think you are right.
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1/10/2024 06:50:08 pm
As a pantser I am fine when the characters take charge and display their personalities. It's when I get some of my best stories and also when they go in new directions I didn't see coming. With Erin I knew she was gonna be kind of a badass, but this whole side plot opened up and she went from being in awe of a hero to challenging him for acceptance and even outdoing him.
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Mark
1/10/2024 08:32:29 pm
Thanks for breaking that down.
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1/10/2024 10:11:42 pm
Agreed-- 1st person POV has to be handled carefully or it can go flat. And I think you're doubly under pressure to keep the story on track without getting too wordy, too descriptive, and in 1st person I think that can be a hard thing.
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Mark
1/11/2024 10:12:10 am
At least you know the ending, many authors don't even know that much. Perhaps writing out the ending would be helpful. You can always change it, of course. Here is a guest blog by one of my clients from a few years ago. Maybe it will be useful for you, though I do think you are on the right track. Copy-and-paste time. http://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/non-linear-writing or hit the search box below.
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1/11/2024 11:46:19 am
Thanks. I'll check the article out. This one has been giving me some troubles, but I keep learning to turn the story over to the characters because they know what's going on :)
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Mark
1/11/2024 01:30:08 pm
Short of being born with an MBA in literature, it seems like you were born to write! That might make a nice tattoo.
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1/11/2024 02:18:10 pm
It seems it and I am fine and happy with that direction. I am at my most contented when I'm working on stories.
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Mark
1/11/2024 04:05:02 pm
Wolf Pirate sounds like an interesting company. It's too bad they aren't operating anymore. Thanks for explaining.
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1/11/2024 04:38:56 pm
Catherine said they started out building writing curriculum for schools in Florida, I believe, and that they were funded by authors. I know she got very frustrated and disillusioned with the big 5 even back then. It probably didn't endear her to them because her organization used to take books coming out from the big 5 and grade them like a assignment, based on content, editing, etc., and she was a tough grader :) :) :)
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Mark
1/12/2024 09:29:48 am
I understand your writing focus. I have a similar focus when reading. I used to read on buses and other public places when I was going to school. That worked well for me until I got married. I had to learn to tune out the world selectively and keep the wife channel open.
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1/12/2024 10:45:07 am
So when I sold the index I actually used the money to buy my first Dell computer. This was back in the "old" days when Dell was new on the scene. It was either a Dell, Gateway or an NEC, and I went with a Dell.
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Mark
1/12/2024 01:06:26 pm
That is a great story! I love it. I kept a book beside my computer while waiting for dial-up to connect and download or upload. It was so slow. There was no GUI, I had a 12", green-monochrome display, CRT. If you didn't know your DOS commands, you were not getting far.
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1/12/2024 06:15:46 pm
For the finale, the first page came easy. I ended The Missing on a literal cliffhanger :) I knew I had to bring the teams together and so it made sense to start with the plane, rerouting all personnel north. And, all throughout these stories, I'd been name dropping and mentioning Kurt and Cass without actually introducing them so I knew it had to start with them front and center. (Early on I toyed with Kurt and Cass and thought it would be fun to tease the reader with each of the teams giving hints about Kurt and Cass but no one ever actually meeting them until the finale, and I followed through on that).
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Mark
1/12/2024 08:01:28 pm
There are a lot of things above my pay grade. I was only E-4 in the air force.
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1/12/2024 09:47:02 pm
I have several. What I've discovered over the years, it that when I'm in the middle of writing, my mind has those momentary pauses when I'm finishing a couple of words and the story is progressing but during those hesitations I end up using all kinds of filler words like "that." I also often tend to use the same descriptors like 'he darted left' and 'she darted around the corner' and so on.
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Mark
1/13/2024 09:10:27 am
You make a good point. Filler words and phrases can help get the story out of the author's head and that is critical because with that first step nothing else can happen. Arm pumping is a good descriptor and should not be overused.
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1/13/2024 09:58:53 am
It's what I've seen in my own writing. My best buddy and I discuss writing all the time. He's read everything I've ever written which is helpful because he knows my quirks and methods--probably better than I do. When I get into creation mode, it is about getting the story down and all those little mental pauses that translate into filler words help keep the flow. They just don't make for good story and need to go later :)
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Mark
1/13/2024 11:30:08 am
Your characters and writing mirror the real world. We all have brokenness within. We live among others who experience pain, hardship and heartbreak. We cannot escape the real world for any appreciable length of time unless you're reading a really good book.
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1/13/2024 01:31:15 pm
Most stories have to have struggle in some form, otherwise what's the point :) I embrace the beat down and the broken and try to help them find their heroic sides :)
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Mark
1/13/2024 03:40:48 pm
True. There are no quick paths to healing.
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1/13/2024 06:41:07 pm
As a reader, I like crossovers too so I will keep going :)
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Mark
1/13/2024 09:00:31 pm
That is a lot of books! I am guessing around two million books are published a year for at least one decade maybe two.
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1/13/2024 10:58:51 pm
That has become my marketing and publishing stance. I'm in for the long game. There will doubtless be ups and downs, moments where it feels like I'm going nowhere, but it's just one section of road. Drive over it, ride through it and keep going. I can live with that.
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Mark
1/14/2024 08:17:00 am
That is the smart thing to do.
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1/14/2024 09:24:30 am
Agreed about Amazon. I got lucky and found Red Cape Publishing for Project Threshold--they sell my books on Amazon, Apple and B&N and a couple of others too. I'll check the link!
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Mark
1/14/2024 01:21:33 pm
You have a full plate with those marketing plans. I think you are making the right moves. Being willing to take the time to understand how ads work on the different platforms will pay off in the long run. It will likely take months of testing before you have a good grasp on the ins and outs of each platform. I expect you will find that your ads will require small adjustments as time rolls along.
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1/14/2024 03:45:47 pm
Thanks for the links! I need all the information I can get. With ads it's what I've heard: a lot of people give up quickly because they don't get immediate results and it sounds like you have to spend the time to figure out the system with lots of trial and error. I can live with that because not everything I'm doing hinges on Project Threshold's stories. It's a proving ground and experimental training ground.
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Mark
1/14/2024 06:09:02 pm
That is some good advice, it's measured and reasonable. You make a lot of sense; I have recommended daily writing to more than one author, I will change that to regular writing. I also like the idea of switching writing lengths. I have been a firm believer in having more than one project at a time. I especially like the bottom line!
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1/14/2024 06:35:29 pm
Mostly that's what I learned about myself over time. I tried the whole 'write every day' thing and it just bogged me down. It made it much harder to get passionate about writing.
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Mark
1/15/2024 09:21:45 am
I know what you mean about the physics. I love superhero movies and read Marvel comics as a boy and well into adulthood. I don't care how strong the Ironman suit is, in our world he would die inside the suit experiencing the trauma the suit goes through in the movies. Yet, I enjoy the movies because I can suspend my beliefs for a short period of time.
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1/15/2024 10:50:09 am
Agreed. I am comfy with a certain amount of disbelief as long as it makes sense. With your Iron Man armor example, yes they never explain how he can survive a direct strike from a tank shell :) However, in the beginning they establish that is the "rule" and I am good with it because it's consistent. And his armor is damaged regularly and he has to replace it, so I'm happy. I just need something.
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Mark
1/15/2024 02:17:47 pm
Readers love getting the inside scoop! I am not an exception.
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1/15/2024 02:35:08 pm
It's a good idea. When the first book came out I did randomly pick 5 subscribers to get free books. Last year I wrote two other Project Threshold stories that were exclusively for the newsletter and were Kurt and Cass focused since they didn't have any stories of their own. If you would like those, let me know and I'll email them to you. Also- I have a redacted mission statement. I'll probably reissue those for subscribers this year but again let me know if you want to see them.
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Mark
1/15/2024 05:12:35 pm
Yes, I would love to see those stories and the mission statement.
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1/15/2024 06:55:27 pm
Thanks Mark. I always enjoy these and I will contact you every time I get books published. I feel like this is very valuable as a resource for marketing.
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Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
September 2024
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"I'm very pleased with all your efforts. Twitter promotion and proofreading were beyond what I expected with a book review. Your suggestions throughout the process of refining both books helped me immensely. I look forward to working with you again." A.E.H Veenman “Dial QR for Murder” and “Prepped for the Kill”
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