They were two college freshmen, simply searching for that higher high along life's journey. They found it in the devil's den. Best friends since childhood, college freshmen Gat O'Malley and Caleb Jackson stumble into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: Finding themselves the life of the party at semester's end, it's up to them to keep the crowd pumped, the ladies intrigued, and the liquor freely flowing. To keep spirits flying high, Gat and Cay venture into their friend's cellar to retrieve a fresh keg.
They soon hit rock bottom when failing to locate any source of light, becoming lost in the endless labyrinth below. Lurking about the shadows, they encounter their friend's eccentric Uncle and begin to realize they're getting more than they bargained for. By showing them the mystic ways of an ancient, arcane society- the Olde Order- Nicklaus Scratch entices the freshmen with all the power, prestige, and prominence they would dare to dream up at the onslaught of the new age. The world is theirs for the taking. All can be possessed through the Olde Order- the way of the Wickflicker. Would you gain the whole world in exchange for your soul?
Wickflicker is a thriller with unexpected twists and turns. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and you will probably
have to strap yourself in. Author,Teric Darken, has joined us
to give us insight into Wickflicker and how it all came about.
Teric, thanks so much for joining us here at Chicks In Lit.
How long have you been writing?
Hi Kim, thanks for having me! As far as writing, I remember writing the lyrics to my first song in second grade in 1976. I've been writing poems in earnest since the 10th grade in high school, and my first book was printed in 2000.
How was Wickflicker born?
Wickflicker was born when I found out that Linda Boulanger was interested in adding me as an author to the TreasureLine Publishing roster. I currently have around twenty story treatments in my arsenal, but I wanted to start from scratch with TreasureLine- dream up something new. The whole book was based off of a character my dad used to tell me about named Ol' Scratch. My dad was a master at making up stories, and he once told me a story about this spooky moth named Ol' Scratch. You have to remember I was five when he was telling me these stories, so a moth with that name seemed spooky to a five year old. Come to find out: Old Scratch, or Mr. Scratch, was a term used for the Devil in New England and pre-civil war America, so it really is spooky. I simply took a part of my childhood- small tidbits from my dad's story- and comprised a manuscript around a character and theme: a cryptic, arcane secret society known as the Olde Order: Wickflicker. Nicklaus Scratch is the founder of that secret society. Incidentally, I chose Scratch's first name, Nicklaus, because Old Nick is also an old term used for the devil.
How long did it take for you to write Wickflicker?
Writing Wickflicker took me a couple months. The writing process actually went by quicker than any other story I've written. I simply sat down, started typing away, and the story unfurled. It's the proofing that always takes me the longest, but I am fortunate to have one friend in particular who is kind enough to help me with that: THANK YOU, KRISI KELEY!
Where did the idea of Wickflicker come from?
The name Wickflicker evolved from this fictional secret society I created. I was thinking: To join this secret society of the Olde Order- to become a Wickflicker- what must one do to gain the whole world- to receive all the power, prestige, and prominence this society promises? The answer to that can be found in the Wickflicker rite of passage as follows:
Is your palm freely passed twixt the wick and the flame?
Do you smoke the briar's fire fueled by faces and names?
On the bridge of your lust, will you pay the small toll?
Would you gain the whole world in exchange for your soul?
-Olde Order: Wickflicker
So what is happening here is that one runs the palm of their hand between the candlewick and its flame. Then the candidate smokes a briar pipe filled with the miniscule souls of the damned. Following that, the person agrees to pay the "small toll" in exchange for acquiring all earthly possessions his heart lusts after. And all that it costs the candidate is something that no one has ever even seen- as Ol' Scratch likes to put it- their soul!
The term "Olde Order" I actually snagged from a Bible passage from Revelation 21:4: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
What other works have you done and what else do you have coming up?
My first book was a collection of my favorite poems I had written up to a certain point. It is entitled A Conversation with Isolation. My first thriller was a novella released in 2010 entitled KILL FM 100. U-TURN KiLLuR is part thriller, part horror, and was released January 2011. I mentioned KILL FM 100 being a novella. That little book has actually received a few kudos, and I am thankful for that. It was nominated and was a top three finalist in thrillers for the 2010 Grace Awards. I have since taken that novella and turned it into a full length novel, entitled KILL FM 100 (Nightshift Edition). What began as a ninety page story is now a fully realized, two-hundred-plus page novel. TreasureLine has expressed interest in releasing it, and I hope to see the day. I have also revamped my second novel, U-TURN KiLLuR. There has been talk of re-releasing that, too, as U-TURN KiLLuR (Death Row Edition). And believe it or not, I actually have a children's book in the works that I know kids from five to eight years of age will absolutely love!
Wickflicker is a thriller with unexpected twists and turns. It will keep you on the edge of your seat and you will probably
have to strap yourself in. Author,Teric Darken, has joined us
to give us insight into Wickflicker and how it all came about.
Teric, thanks so much for joining us here at Chicks In Lit.
How long have you been writing?
Hi Kim, thanks for having me! As far as writing, I remember writing the lyrics to my first song in second grade in 1976. I've been writing poems in earnest since the 10th grade in high school, and my first book was printed in 2000.
How was Wickflicker born?
Wickflicker was born when I found out that Linda Boulanger was interested in adding me as an author to the TreasureLine Publishing roster. I currently have around twenty story treatments in my arsenal, but I wanted to start from scratch with TreasureLine- dream up something new. The whole book was based off of a character my dad used to tell me about named Ol' Scratch. My dad was a master at making up stories, and he once told me a story about this spooky moth named Ol' Scratch. You have to remember I was five when he was telling me these stories, so a moth with that name seemed spooky to a five year old. Come to find out: Old Scratch, or Mr. Scratch, was a term used for the Devil in New England and pre-civil war America, so it really is spooky. I simply took a part of my childhood- small tidbits from my dad's story- and comprised a manuscript around a character and theme: a cryptic, arcane secret society known as the Olde Order: Wickflicker. Nicklaus Scratch is the founder of that secret society. Incidentally, I chose Scratch's first name, Nicklaus, because Old Nick is also an old term used for the devil.
How long did it take for you to write Wickflicker?
Writing Wickflicker took me a couple months. The writing process actually went by quicker than any other story I've written. I simply sat down, started typing away, and the story unfurled. It's the proofing that always takes me the longest, but I am fortunate to have one friend in particular who is kind enough to help me with that: THANK YOU, KRISI KELEY!
Where did the idea of Wickflicker come from?
The name Wickflicker evolved from this fictional secret society I created. I was thinking: To join this secret society of the Olde Order- to become a Wickflicker- what must one do to gain the whole world- to receive all the power, prestige, and prominence this society promises? The answer to that can be found in the Wickflicker rite of passage as follows:
Is your palm freely passed twixt the wick and the flame?
Do you smoke the briar's fire fueled by faces and names?
On the bridge of your lust, will you pay the small toll?
Would you gain the whole world in exchange for your soul?
-Olde Order: Wickflicker
So what is happening here is that one runs the palm of their hand between the candlewick and its flame. Then the candidate smokes a briar pipe filled with the miniscule souls of the damned. Following that, the person agrees to pay the "small toll" in exchange for acquiring all earthly possessions his heart lusts after. And all that it costs the candidate is something that no one has ever even seen- as Ol' Scratch likes to put it- their soul!
The term "Olde Order" I actually snagged from a Bible passage from Revelation 21:4: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
What other works have you done and what else do you have coming up?
My first book was a collection of my favorite poems I had written up to a certain point. It is entitled A Conversation with Isolation. My first thriller was a novella released in 2010 entitled KILL FM 100. U-TURN KiLLuR is part thriller, part horror, and was released January 2011. I mentioned KILL FM 100 being a novella. That little book has actually received a few kudos, and I am thankful for that. It was nominated and was a top three finalist in thrillers for the 2010 Grace Awards. I have since taken that novella and turned it into a full length novel, entitled KILL FM 100 (Nightshift Edition). What began as a ninety page story is now a fully realized, two-hundred-plus page novel. TreasureLine has expressed interest in releasing it, and I hope to see the day. I have also revamped my second novel, U-TURN KiLLuR. There has been talk of re-releasing that, too, as U-TURN KiLLuR (Death Row Edition). And believe it or not, I actually have a children's book in the works that I know kids from five to eight years of age will absolutely love!
What words of encouragement can you give other authors who have WIPs and are trying to get published?
Keep honing your craft. We're all works in progress, just as our stories are. Keep plugging away and sending your manuscript in. Don't give up; keep asking... seeking... knocking on those publication doors. And when/if you get depressed, remember: what a difference a day makes. Tomorrow's a brand new day.mMany of our favorite authors have been rejected many times before being accepted, so don't give in!
Keep honing your craft. We're all works in progress, just as our stories are. Keep plugging away and sending your manuscript in. Don't give up; keep asking... seeking... knocking on those publication doors. And when/if you get depressed, remember: what a difference a day makes. Tomorrow's a brand new day.mMany of our favorite authors have been rejected many times before being accepted, so don't give in!
Teric, thanks so much for letting us into your world and we look forward to reading more from you!!!
