Recently, Robert Creekmore answered our questions via email. His writing mixes science fiction, horror, thriller and more against a backdrop of rural North Carolina locales. He can frequently be found at Moondog Meadery in Durham reading his latest work. Today we take a closer look at his first in a trilogy, The Prophet’s Debt.

Dialogue is one of the most powerful tools a writer has, and one of the easiest to misuse. It can pull readers deeper into a scene or quietly push them away. At its best, dialogue feels natural while doing intentional work behind the scenes. At its worst, it rambles, explains too much, or exists simply because silence feels uncomfortable.

The good news is that there is a publisher for every type of book. Each one comes with its own expectations, opportunities, and trade-offs. None of them are inherently “better” than the others; they simply serve different goals and writers.

Idiopathic, empathetic— Hyperventilating, still poetic. Scratching, Stripping, Clawing walls; Muted texts, unanswered calls. Echoes in a crowded room “I am trying,” never soon.

What a conversation  Little trading cards of Who we are  Passed like middle school notes, Small laughter across a table. A flicker, A passing recognition, I think I knew you once Or maybe I was just waiting to.

Treading, Heading on a course south of north gnawing on the marrow of a harrowing rebirth

The Women Who Raised Me 1. My grandmother is a half of a woman I love both halves, the one she is allowed and the one I will never know Think my grandparents love each other, or must have once...

Grab a cup of cocoa and get cozy while we take a stroll down candy cane lane to the intoxicating tune of carols and stop under an opportunely-placed sprig of mistletoe to discuss the finer points of Christmas story crafting.

Author K. Cardella took the time to answer Ink & Oak’s questions about her work via email recently. She writes dark romance and can be found at many local venues for readings and book signings. Let’s get into it with the author of The Blue Rose and The Black Lotus.

No matter where you are in your writing journey, resources, and free ones at that, are essential. They help you connect with other writers, join peer review groups, find free workshops near you, or even learn the ins and outs of submitting and publishing your work. Let’s explore some great resources both locally in the Triangle and beyond.

Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT are a hot-button issue for writers. There are many ethical reasons for this, but it has also brought writing craft and style debates. One question I have seen a lot in online forums is whether generative AI has ruined the em dash for writers because of how often (and how incorrectly) it’s used by these tools. Let’s take a deeper look at this debate and some potential considerations for future em dash use.

Take a brief small bookstore tour around North Carolina with us and find some niche new (and old) places to meet your next favorite book. Be sure to check individual store websites and socials for the most up to date information on inventory, events, and offerings.

Elsie Jones did not belong here. Despite the soft sunlight that filtered in through her large windows, the lush pillows surrounding her, the gorgeous silk scarf holding her dark curls aloft as she slept, and the inviting platter of tea sitting on the table beside her door, the entirety of Southerby Plantation seemed to constantly ooze a sense of foreboding. It was as if the very structure itself whispered obscenities to her through the walls each night...

Kid crashed his car into the River at 2:03. It was just as the sun came into his eyes and flared that he’d swerved. Or didn’t realize he’d swerved. Not that it mattered.

He comes in those moments before sleep sweeps across my brow, sinks me into nothingness. His words mere whispers. In my ear? My mind? I can never tell. They encoil my heart and steal my breath as terror surges through me, awareness of my mortality palpable. His presence a shroud embracing me. Portending that which lies beyond my end.

Pickles the Clown was calmer than he remembered being in his entire life. Leaning forward in the vanity chair toward the mirror, he carefully drew a rag across his cheek. The thick white makeup and red freckling transferred from his face onto the cloth. He’d been with the traveling carnival for three seasons. During that time, he’d aged from runaway teenager to legal adult. The other members of the troupe had treated him like a grown-up from the beginning.

Author Samantha Dunaway Bryant recently took the time to answer Ink & Oak’s burning questions via email. Keep reading for more on her forthcoming titles and bookish events you can find her at over the next few weeks. 

You don’t have to look far for inspiration when setting out to write chilling content in North Carolina. Our state is home to a host of authors delivering freshly brewed horror tales. Read on, if you dare, for details on local meet-ups and frights to spur your creativity.

I wrote this like Psalms etched in the sand, A message from the soul, so I hope you’ll understand. I used to marvel at your magic like Strange with the hands, Now your spells feel hollow, generic, and bland.

We are at the brink of October, that time of wandering souls, Samhain and otherworldly vibes. Here at Ink & Oak, that means we are sending out a call to all you tortured souls and twisted Triangle-based writers to hit us with your finest flash fiction, micro-fiction, and short stories that bring out the dead, the undead, and all that occupies the liminal space between.