Author Bio: Kurt Schuett's debut novel Insurgency, a speculative work of fiction that can best be categorized as an urban suspense horror, is set to release during the Summer of 2014 by Bad Day Books, an imprint of Assent Publishing. Insurgency will be available both in print and in all e-book platforms.
Recent works by Kurt Schuett include the Southern Gothic paranormal story titled "Calamity James," which has been nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize, and "Tall Boy," a contemporary work of horror.
Kurt completed his undergraduate degree in English at Culver-Stockton College before tackling a Masters of Education at Graceland University. Currently, he is entering his seventeenth year as an educator, formerly as a German instructor and presently as a high school English teacher, working in the suburbs of Chicago. Kurt lives in the northern suburb of Libertyville, Illinois.
Kurt Schuett is a member of the Horror Writers Association and the National Council for Teachers of English. He has won the Gwendolyn Brooks Award and the Guy Cooper Poetry Award. Kurt is the 2013 Bad Day Books Rogue Writing Grand Prize Winner, and he is a Pushcart Prize Nominee.
Recent works by Kurt Schuett include the Southern Gothic paranormal story titled "Calamity James," which has been nominated for the prestigious Pushcart Prize, and "Tall Boy," a contemporary work of horror.
Kurt completed his undergraduate degree in English at Culver-Stockton College before tackling a Masters of Education at Graceland University. Currently, he is entering his seventeenth year as an educator, formerly as a German instructor and presently as a high school English teacher, working in the suburbs of Chicago. Kurt lives in the northern suburb of Libertyville, Illinois.
Kurt Schuett is a member of the Horror Writers Association and the National Council for Teachers of English. He has won the Gwendolyn Brooks Award and the Guy Cooper Poetry Award. Kurt is the 2013 Bad Day Books Rogue Writing Grand Prize Winner, and he is a Pushcart Prize Nominee.
Brief Synopsis for Insurgency:
Alan, a Gen-Xer with obsessive-compulsive disorder, is randomly targeted at a local dive bar outside Chicago with a synthetic drug called Red Phase. This particular narcotic, with an effect similar to the common street drug “bath salts,” prompts its users into manic and ultra-aggressive behavior, spanning a half-life of 1-2 weeks.
After leaving his part-time job as a standardized test scorer, Alan meets a friend at a local dive bar for a beer. This is where a group of college students randomly “roofie” Alan’s drink with Red Phase, causing Alan to perform an atrocious series of murders he doesn’t even realize he committed until the discovery of alarming physical evidence in his home the next morning.
Upon Alan’s aforementioned realization, he contacts a former undergraduate classmate and friend, George, who is a defense attorney in Chicago. After a quick phone conversation, George commutes to Alan’s house and convinces him it best to turn himself in, but under the umbrella of his counsel and protection.
While Alan is sitting in lockup, sleeplessly wrestling with his OCD, The Hand, an underground black bloc group of military-skilled insurgents, liberates him from confinement. After Alan is transported to their underground compound nestled in the recessed boroughs of “Old Chicago,” he meets the leader of the domestic terror cell and discovers it’s responsible for the creation of Red Phase. Consequently, this brotherhood plans to mass-distribute the synthetic drug during the height of the G20 Summit in Chicago, hoping to throw the city into a chaos of apocalyptic proportions.
Alan, a Gen-Xer with obsessive-compulsive disorder, is randomly targeted at a local dive bar outside Chicago with a synthetic drug called Red Phase. This particular narcotic, with an effect similar to the common street drug “bath salts,” prompts its users into manic and ultra-aggressive behavior, spanning a half-life of 1-2 weeks.
After leaving his part-time job as a standardized test scorer, Alan meets a friend at a local dive bar for a beer. This is where a group of college students randomly “roofie” Alan’s drink with Red Phase, causing Alan to perform an atrocious series of murders he doesn’t even realize he committed until the discovery of alarming physical evidence in his home the next morning.
Upon Alan’s aforementioned realization, he contacts a former undergraduate classmate and friend, George, who is a defense attorney in Chicago. After a quick phone conversation, George commutes to Alan’s house and convinces him it best to turn himself in, but under the umbrella of his counsel and protection.
While Alan is sitting in lockup, sleeplessly wrestling with his OCD, The Hand, an underground black bloc group of military-skilled insurgents, liberates him from confinement. After Alan is transported to their underground compound nestled in the recessed boroughs of “Old Chicago,” he meets the leader of the domestic terror cell and discovers it’s responsible for the creation of Red Phase. Consequently, this brotherhood plans to mass-distribute the synthetic drug during the height of the G20 Summit in Chicago, hoping to throw the city into a chaos of apocalyptic proportions.
PRESS RELEASES:
October 1-Press release dated October 1, 2013, Assent Publishing's Bad Day Book signs Chicago author Kurt Schuett to a professional writing contract.
October 28-Press release dated for October 28, 2013, author Kurt Schuett's Southern Gothic paranormal work of short fiction "Calamity James" is published in the Belle Reve Literary Journal.
November 21-Press release dated November 21, 2013, "Calamity James" is nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
December 26-Press release dated for December 26, 2013, author Kurt Schuett's short work of fiction "Tall Boy" is published in Sirens Call.
December 31-Press release dated December 31, 2013,
Assent Publishing’s Bad Day Books imprint is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2013 ROGUE WRITING Contest.
Wow! What a contest. We really enjoyed reading submissions from every corner of the world and the genre spectrum. There were nights we slept with the lights on, some we were up all night reading, and others spent all night laughing. Emotions ran high as we were lead through the desperation of an apocalypse, bit our nails as we rapidly turned the pages to see what came next in a thriller, and occasionally grabbed a tissue to catch tears of laughter from a bit of stress relieving humor.
With rich characters tugging at our shirt sleeves and such great talent to choose from, we rigorously reviewed the best of the best and chose the winners of the Bad Day Books Rogue Writing Contest.
Our GRAND PRIZE WINNER is author Kurt Schuett with his wildly imaginative apocalyptic thriller Insurgency. OCD afflicted Alan, a Generation-X do-gooder turned serial killer, is the only thing standing between the President and his assassination at the G20 Summit. Insurgency is Kurt Schuett’s debut novel, a speculative work of fiction that encompasses elements of urban suspense, thriller, and horror.
Kurt Schuett knew early on that he wanted to write. Upon graduating from high school, Kurt Schuett won the Gwendolyn Brooks Award for Poetry in 1993; this honor, coupled with professional publication in The American Goat literary anthology in 1993 with The First Time and Harmony literary magazine, where he won the esteemed Guy Cooper Poetry award for Tree House Blues, all fueled the realization that Kurt could and should write, dabbling in everything from poetry and short works of fiction to professional essays and lengthier works of fiction during and after his college years. He completed his undergraduate in English at Culver-Stockton College before tackling a Masters of Education at Graceland University. Currently, he is entering his seventeenth year as an educator, formerly as a German instructor and presently as a high school English teacher, working in the suburbs of Chicago. He lives in the northern suburb of Libertyville, Illinois. Mr. Schuett recently published a Southern Gothic ghost story titled Calamity James in the Belle Reve Literary Journal, a work that was just nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Mr. Schuett has contracted with Assent Publishing and receives all benefits offered including professional editing, professional cover design, print and ebook formatting, distribution, intense marketing training through the Assent Academy, and the unparalleled Assent Publishing commitment to author success. Among his prizes are a two thousand dollar promotional announcement blitz when Insurgency is released in 2014, ten one-on-one sessions with Author Success Coach Deborah Riley-Magnus, a membership with Horror Writers Association, and a Kindle Fire! Tune in for his posts on the ROGUE WRITING Grand Prize Winner Blog!
http://baddaybooks.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/go-rogue
January 1-Press release dated for January 1, 2014, author Kurt Schuett has his two short pieces "A Response To Charles Bukowski: Yes I'm Drinking Today" and "The Bohemian Waitress" published in the Burningword Literary Journal.
January 21-PRLog (Press Release) – Jan. 21, 2014 – PITTSBURGH –Bad Day Books, Assent Publishing’s horror, thriller, and suspense imprint, announces that we have signed Kurt Schuett, author of Insurgency.
Kurt Schuett knew early on that he wanted to write and upon graduating from high school, he won the Gwendolyn Brooks Award for Poetry in 1993. This honor, coupled with professional publication of The First Time in The American Goat literary anthology in 1993 and Harmony literary magazine, where he won the esteemed Guy Cooper Poetry award for Tree House Blues, all fueled the realization that he could and should write. He dabbled in everything from poetry and short works of fiction to professional essays and lengthier works of fiction both during and after his undergraduate studies. Support from his parents, compounded by the fact that his father was a Golden Apple Award Winning Teacher, strengthened his love for the written word.
Mr. Schuett completed his undergraduate in English at Culver-Stockton College before tackling a Masters of Education at Graceland University. Currently, he is entering his seventeenth year as an educator, formerly a German instructor and presently a high school English teacher working in the suburbs of Chicago. He lives in the northern suburb of Libertyville, Illinois.
Assent Publishing is a groundbreaking publishing company that stands apart from half-effort e-publishers and old-school traditional publishers. With proven strategies, attention to author marketing needs, commitment to distribution solutions, and dedication to publishing high quality books, Assent Publishing’s mission is writing the book on the publishing industry’s future. For more information or inquiries about Assent Publishing, Insurgency, or Bad Day Books, please visit our website at www.AssentPublishing.com and contact Les Denton at [email protected]. Please also visit Bad Day Books at www.AssentPublishing.com/BadDayBooks.aspx.
Source Article from http://www.prlog.org/12271335-assent-publishing-welcomes-author-kurt-schuett.html
- See more at: http://pubmemo.com/i/other-tidbits/more-tidings/2014/assent-publishing-welcomes-author-kurt-schuett_1295471.html#sthash.upc3WZFI.tjBd5XaJ.dpuf
October 1-Press release dated October 1, 2013, Assent Publishing's Bad Day Book signs Chicago author Kurt Schuett to a professional writing contract.
October 28-Press release dated for October 28, 2013, author Kurt Schuett's Southern Gothic paranormal work of short fiction "Calamity James" is published in the Belle Reve Literary Journal.
November 21-Press release dated November 21, 2013, "Calamity James" is nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
December 26-Press release dated for December 26, 2013, author Kurt Schuett's short work of fiction "Tall Boy" is published in Sirens Call.
December 31-Press release dated December 31, 2013,
Assent Publishing’s Bad Day Books imprint is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2013 ROGUE WRITING Contest.
Wow! What a contest. We really enjoyed reading submissions from every corner of the world and the genre spectrum. There were nights we slept with the lights on, some we were up all night reading, and others spent all night laughing. Emotions ran high as we were lead through the desperation of an apocalypse, bit our nails as we rapidly turned the pages to see what came next in a thriller, and occasionally grabbed a tissue to catch tears of laughter from a bit of stress relieving humor.
With rich characters tugging at our shirt sleeves and such great talent to choose from, we rigorously reviewed the best of the best and chose the winners of the Bad Day Books Rogue Writing Contest.
Our GRAND PRIZE WINNER is author Kurt Schuett with his wildly imaginative apocalyptic thriller Insurgency. OCD afflicted Alan, a Generation-X do-gooder turned serial killer, is the only thing standing between the President and his assassination at the G20 Summit. Insurgency is Kurt Schuett’s debut novel, a speculative work of fiction that encompasses elements of urban suspense, thriller, and horror.
Kurt Schuett knew early on that he wanted to write. Upon graduating from high school, Kurt Schuett won the Gwendolyn Brooks Award for Poetry in 1993; this honor, coupled with professional publication in The American Goat literary anthology in 1993 with The First Time and Harmony literary magazine, where he won the esteemed Guy Cooper Poetry award for Tree House Blues, all fueled the realization that Kurt could and should write, dabbling in everything from poetry and short works of fiction to professional essays and lengthier works of fiction during and after his college years. He completed his undergraduate in English at Culver-Stockton College before tackling a Masters of Education at Graceland University. Currently, he is entering his seventeenth year as an educator, formerly as a German instructor and presently as a high school English teacher, working in the suburbs of Chicago. He lives in the northern suburb of Libertyville, Illinois. Mr. Schuett recently published a Southern Gothic ghost story titled Calamity James in the Belle Reve Literary Journal, a work that was just nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Mr. Schuett has contracted with Assent Publishing and receives all benefits offered including professional editing, professional cover design, print and ebook formatting, distribution, intense marketing training through the Assent Academy, and the unparalleled Assent Publishing commitment to author success. Among his prizes are a two thousand dollar promotional announcement blitz when Insurgency is released in 2014, ten one-on-one sessions with Author Success Coach Deborah Riley-Magnus, a membership with Horror Writers Association, and a Kindle Fire! Tune in for his posts on the ROGUE WRITING Grand Prize Winner Blog!
http://baddaybooks.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/go-rogue
January 1-Press release dated for January 1, 2014, author Kurt Schuett has his two short pieces "A Response To Charles Bukowski: Yes I'm Drinking Today" and "The Bohemian Waitress" published in the Burningword Literary Journal.
January 21-PRLog (Press Release) – Jan. 21, 2014 – PITTSBURGH –Bad Day Books, Assent Publishing’s horror, thriller, and suspense imprint, announces that we have signed Kurt Schuett, author of Insurgency.
Kurt Schuett knew early on that he wanted to write and upon graduating from high school, he won the Gwendolyn Brooks Award for Poetry in 1993. This honor, coupled with professional publication of The First Time in The American Goat literary anthology in 1993 and Harmony literary magazine, where he won the esteemed Guy Cooper Poetry award for Tree House Blues, all fueled the realization that he could and should write. He dabbled in everything from poetry and short works of fiction to professional essays and lengthier works of fiction both during and after his undergraduate studies. Support from his parents, compounded by the fact that his father was a Golden Apple Award Winning Teacher, strengthened his love for the written word.
Mr. Schuett completed his undergraduate in English at Culver-Stockton College before tackling a Masters of Education at Graceland University. Currently, he is entering his seventeenth year as an educator, formerly a German instructor and presently a high school English teacher working in the suburbs of Chicago. He lives in the northern suburb of Libertyville, Illinois.
Assent Publishing is a groundbreaking publishing company that stands apart from half-effort e-publishers and old-school traditional publishers. With proven strategies, attention to author marketing needs, commitment to distribution solutions, and dedication to publishing high quality books, Assent Publishing’s mission is writing the book on the publishing industry’s future. For more information or inquiries about Assent Publishing, Insurgency, or Bad Day Books, please visit our website at www.AssentPublishing.com and contact Les Denton at [email protected]. Please also visit Bad Day Books at www.AssentPublishing.com/BadDayBooks.aspx.
Source Article from http://www.prlog.org/12271335-assent-publishing-welcomes-author-kurt-schuett.html
- See more at: http://pubmemo.com/i/other-tidbits/more-tidings/2014/assent-publishing-welcomes-author-kurt-schuett_1295471.html#sthash.upc3WZFI.tjBd5XaJ.dpuf
March 21-Press release dated for March 21, 2014, author Kurt Schuett, along with local Chicago non-profit Beyond OCD and Leyden Softball, announced a major Chicagoland fundraising event titled "Knocking Out OCD" Hitting Derby at The Ballpark at Rosemont, the finest women's professional sports venue in the country. The event will take place under the lights from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, April 26th, and it will feature food, live music, various games/contests, and the live hitting derby, all open to the public for participation. For questions, contact David Narter at 847-691-7672.
June 5, 2014--Author Kurt Schuett is participating in the Eagle Golf Scramble, a charitable event to raise scholarship money for financially underprivileged student-athletes.
June 21, 2014--Come join author Kurt Schuett at the 5th Annual Zombie March in Millennium Park (downtown Chicago) on Saturday, June 21st from 3-6 p.m.
July 8th, 2014--Insurgency made Emme Magazine's Hot Summer Reads List for 2014. http://www.emme-magazine.com/2014/07/05/hot-summer-reads/
July 9th, 2014--Kurt Schuett is highlighted as the Author of the Month per Burial Day Books with his short story "Dibs." http://burialday.com/
Dateline, July 13, 2014. Chicago – Local writer, Kurt Schuett, announces the release of his urban suspense horror novel. Insurgency is a Chicago-based thriller where an OCD-afflicted Alan, a Generation-X do-gooder turned serial killer, is the only thing standing between the President and his assassination at the G20 Summit. This tale pits Alan against The Red Hand Brotherhood, an underground black bloc group of military-skilled insurgents, who plan to mass-distribute a synthetic drug during the height of the G20 Summit in Chicago, hoping to throw the city into a chaos of apocalyptic proportions. Join the masses of UNDEAD fans as they swarm Half Price Books, celebrating the launch of Insurgency while supporting the Wounded Warrior Project. Author Kurt Schuett will be giving out 100 signed copies of his book Insurgency on an individual, book-by-book basis for donations toward the Wounded Warrior Project. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project. The Half Price Books Store at 14 Countryside Plaza, Countryside, Illinois, 60525, is Kurt Schuett’s first stop on his book events tour. This event is scheduled for Saturday, August 2nd, from 1 – 3 p.m. For questions, call Half Price Books Regional Manager Eric Green at (708) 579-1770 or Author Kurt Schuett at (847) 477-7360.
July 19, 2014. Chicago - Be sure to check out the following two links (provided by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times Companies), advertising Insurgency's Book Launch at Half Price Books on August 2nd.
http://chicago.metromix.com/events/mmxchi-insurgency-book-launch-event
http://franklinpark.suntimes.com/2014/07/18/leyden-teacher-pens-speculative-fiction-novel/
http://chicago.metromix.com/events/mmxchi-insurgency-book-launch-event
http://franklinpark.suntimes.com/2014/07/18/leyden-teacher-pens-speculative-fiction-novel/
By The book reviews (september 15, 2014)
Kurt Schuett (Bad Day Books 2014, ) 294 pages $10.84 cover price
In the beginning, there is a very good first chapter title: In the Beginning, There Was Unemployment. What separates Kurt Schuett's novel Insurgency from the growing numbers of reader-disturbing apocalyptic fiction is that this novel is grounded in an understanding of why a mass of people may revolt and turn to terror. After all, it truly is in the eye of the beholder as a famous old political cartoon of Ronald Reagan put it, which ones are the insurgents and which ones are the freedom fighters?
Imagine, as Schuett did, a group of people who have become so disaffected and disenfranchised by society that they wish to strike back against it. How best to go about that? There are of course the usual methods: bombing, kidnapping, or perhaps attacking corporate computers. All have proven successful in both the worlds of reality and fiction, yet all are limited. Not to sound utterly callous about it, but a bomb destroys one building, kills those unfortunate enough to be in its immediate vicinity, and the result is that the corporate state clamps down even firmer on the aggrieved. Would it not be much more effective to destroy from within, by turning the comfortable into the uncomfortable? Yes, it would be much more effective to turn the weakness of the target against itself.
So what then is the targeted weakness in the people of Insurgency's Chicago? There is a simple one word answer: drugs. And so it is that the insurgents here invent a narcotic named Red Phase, with one assumed the name chosen from making the takers 'see red.' As one of Schuett's characters describes the effect, “This Red Phase supposedly numbs people entirely, causes them to become hyperactive, aggressive, and can cause both euphoric and paranoid reactions, depending on the individual.” Flood the street market with this stuff and enough of the subconsciously angry – even the consciously bored – would transform from so many mild-mannered Bruce Banners into legions of raging Incredible Hulks. Smash!
This, one must say, is an excellent set-up for a novel; so the question then is, how well does the author execute it? The answer is, very well indeed. His protagonist Alan Schultz is just another guy who works at a dull office job (he marks standardized tests for a living – lucky him!) who has a shot of Red Phase slipped into his Friday after-work drink. Complications arise, in the form of a trail of dead bodies that are the result of Alan murdering them, as he realizes to his horror when the effects of the drug wear off. He is this resolved to set things right.
Where Schuett is absolutely brilliant in his plotting is in describing what the reaction of government is to this latest pandemic. There is a G-20 Summit planned for Chicago. Yes, it is ludicrous to put such an event in a large city, but on the other hand that is exactly what happened in Toronto just a few years ago. Thus, the corporate state cracks down on personal liberties, the streets are armed with the National Guard, and with that as the result it becomes an interesting debate as to whether or not the drug lord insurgents actually have won. The nation is destroying itself from within.
I note from his biography that Kurt Schuett is also an award-winning poet. It shows. It shows not in the way one might reflexively expect – he is in no way a florid or purple writer. No, he understands the economy and vivacity of words; how words can manipulate a mood with equal (yet hopefully more benign) effect that a Red Phase drug. I truly look forward to reading more of his work.
Posted 1 week ago by Hubert O'Hearn
In the beginning, there is a very good first chapter title: In the Beginning, There Was Unemployment. What separates Kurt Schuett's novel Insurgency from the growing numbers of reader-disturbing apocalyptic fiction is that this novel is grounded in an understanding of why a mass of people may revolt and turn to terror. After all, it truly is in the eye of the beholder as a famous old political cartoon of Ronald Reagan put it, which ones are the insurgents and which ones are the freedom fighters?
Imagine, as Schuett did, a group of people who have become so disaffected and disenfranchised by society that they wish to strike back against it. How best to go about that? There are of course the usual methods: bombing, kidnapping, or perhaps attacking corporate computers. All have proven successful in both the worlds of reality and fiction, yet all are limited. Not to sound utterly callous about it, but a bomb destroys one building, kills those unfortunate enough to be in its immediate vicinity, and the result is that the corporate state clamps down even firmer on the aggrieved. Would it not be much more effective to destroy from within, by turning the comfortable into the uncomfortable? Yes, it would be much more effective to turn the weakness of the target against itself.
So what then is the targeted weakness in the people of Insurgency's Chicago? There is a simple one word answer: drugs. And so it is that the insurgents here invent a narcotic named Red Phase, with one assumed the name chosen from making the takers 'see red.' As one of Schuett's characters describes the effect, “This Red Phase supposedly numbs people entirely, causes them to become hyperactive, aggressive, and can cause both euphoric and paranoid reactions, depending on the individual.” Flood the street market with this stuff and enough of the subconsciously angry – even the consciously bored – would transform from so many mild-mannered Bruce Banners into legions of raging Incredible Hulks. Smash!
This, one must say, is an excellent set-up for a novel; so the question then is, how well does the author execute it? The answer is, very well indeed. His protagonist Alan Schultz is just another guy who works at a dull office job (he marks standardized tests for a living – lucky him!) who has a shot of Red Phase slipped into his Friday after-work drink. Complications arise, in the form of a trail of dead bodies that are the result of Alan murdering them, as he realizes to his horror when the effects of the drug wear off. He is this resolved to set things right.
Where Schuett is absolutely brilliant in his plotting is in describing what the reaction of government is to this latest pandemic. There is a G-20 Summit planned for Chicago. Yes, it is ludicrous to put such an event in a large city, but on the other hand that is exactly what happened in Toronto just a few years ago. Thus, the corporate state cracks down on personal liberties, the streets are armed with the National Guard, and with that as the result it becomes an interesting debate as to whether or not the drug lord insurgents actually have won. The nation is destroying itself from within.
I note from his biography that Kurt Schuett is also an award-winning poet. It shows. It shows not in the way one might reflexively expect – he is in no way a florid or purple writer. No, he understands the economy and vivacity of words; how words can manipulate a mood with equal (yet hopefully more benign) effect that a Red Phase drug. I truly look forward to reading more of his work.
Posted 1 week ago by Hubert O'Hearn
Upon graduating from high school, Kurt Schuett won the Gwendolyn Brooks Award for Poetry in 1993; this honour, coupled with professional publication in The American Goat literary anthology in 1993 with “The First Time” and Harmony literary magazine, where he won the esteemed Guy Cooper Poetry award for “Tree House Blues,” all fueled the realization that Kurt could and should write, dabbling in everything from poetry and short works of fiction to professional essays and lengthier works of fiction during and after his college years. He completed his undergraduate in English at Culver-Stockton College before tackling a Masters of Education at Graceland University. Currently, he is entering his eighteenth year as an educator, formerly as a German instructor and presently as a high school English teacher, working in the suburbs of Chicago. He lives in the northern suburb of Libertyville, Illinois.
Kurt recently published a Southern Gothic ghost story titled “Calamity James” in the Belle Reve Literary Journal, a work that was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. In addition, two of his poems, “A Response to Charles Bukowski: Yes I’m Drinking Today” and “The Bohemian Waitress” were featured in the 69th edition of the Burningword Literary Journal. Kurt’s short story “The Last Supper Redux” will be the top-slot in an upcoming anthology launching this fall, highlighting local Chicago horror writers. Kurt was also the featured author of the month for Burial Day Books as his short work of fiction “Dibs” held the top spot.
Insurgency is Kurt Schuett’s debut novel, a speculative work of fiction that encompasses elements of urban suspense, thriller, and horror. This novel was released by Bad Day Books, an imprint of Assent Publishing, on August 2, 2014, in print and all e-book platforms.
Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
My name is Kurt Schuett, and I’m a writer and high school English teacher living in the suburbs of Chicago.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I’m a huge gamer, so I spend some time slashing and dashing via my Playstation4. I work out because I have to, and I enjoy crushing cocktails practically every night.
What’s your favourite food?
Wow, this is a tough one, especially since I’m from Chicago. I’d probably have to say pizza and fries, but I’m more into Chicago thin crust than its deep dish.
Who would be on the soundtrack to your life story?
Phil Collins’ “Sussudio.”
Do you prefer the term Horror, Weird Fiction or Dark Fiction?
Horror.
Who are some of your favourite authors?
William Faulkner, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Margaret Atwood, Hunter S. Thompson, and John Steinbeck.
What is your all-time favourite horror novel, and film?
The Shining and The Shining.
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?
That genre fiction is junk when it comes to the power of storytelling. Some of the most beautiful writing—meaning structurally sound and seamless to read—I’ve ever enjoyed comes from dark fiction writers.
Which fictional character would be you perfect neighbour, and who would be your nightmare neighbour?
My perfect fictional neighbour would have to be Holden Caulfield because he reminds me of my brother.
My nightmare neighbour would have to be Pennywise from It.
What do you think of the current state of the genre?
Authors are doing tremendous unconventional things within the genre at present, and I think this thinking-outside-the-box mentality is creating some truly frightening work. Consequently, I believe the role of technology is also impacting horror writers because it opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.
What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski was a really fun unconventional zombie book, and the local-colour dialect and mannerisms per the 1930s were spot-on. Justin Cronin’s The Passage was a little too long for me; it was a really solid read, but I’m certain he lost some readers along the way due to its excessive length.
How would you describe your writing style?
Deliciously pulpy.
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
Ironically, the English Department Chair at the school where I teach read my book, without my knowing, and posted a 5-star review on Goodreads and Amazon. Since then, he has informed me that I have a penchant for violence.
What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult?
Surrendering my work to imprint editors.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
Nope. Anything is fair game.
If you could kill off any character from any other book, who would you chose and how would they die?
I’d kill Harry Potter by poisoning him over a cup of tea.
What do you think makes a good story?
Great setting, believable complications and crises, and an unhappy ending. Life is often a struggle that doesn’t end happily for people, so authors who embrace the gritty aforesaid realization appeal to me.
How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Many of my characters’ names have symbolic meaning to them; as an author I get excited when somebody says, “Hey, I looked up the name of that villain because it seemed interesting, and now I totally get why you named him that.”
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
I’m constantly evolving as a writer. Learning to write 3rd person POV was a huge step for me because it’s much more difficult than 1st. In addition, running multiple plot lines throughout a work is so vital. Something else I’ve learned, both through trial and error and from the tutelage I’ve received per experts in the writing field, is to take some chances. Asking questions and pushing the envelope to get into the best writing and reading circles is an absolute for any writer’s progress.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Writers need to be open to constructive criticism; there will always be haters out there, so one must toughen up the old backbone in order to become resistant to non-constructive feedback. And lastly, writers must be patient. Never rush the writing and editing processes.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
It’s all been done before; great writers just do it better.
How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
Social media has been extremely helpful and engaging in philanthropic events where you can showcase your work while giving back to the community is a must. Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. Every single acquaintance you meet and friendship you foster will go further than anything else.
Who is your favourite character from your book and why?
Maurice is my favourite because he is such clichéd pulp; I can totally see Denzel Washington or Laurence Fishburne play his role in a movie version of Insurgency.
How about the least favourite character? What makes them less appealing to you?
George because he’s a flip-flopper; for me, loyalty trumps all.
Fame, fortune, or respect?
Enough fame to maybe get a free parking spot from time-to-time in the city, enough fortune to pay for some more reading material, and enough respect to be invited into group conversations over some of the issues I poke inside my writing.
What piece of your own work are you most proud of?
Really, it’s two pieces. My current novel Insurgency and a short Southern gothic ghost story entitled “Calamity James” that’s been nominated for The Pushcart Prize.
And are there any that you would like to forget about?
I have a whole trunk of them.
For those who haven’t read any of your books, what book of yours do you think best represents your work and why?
Insurgency is my debut novel, so this is my best representation up to this point in my writing career. I have been contracted to write two more books in the Red Hand Brotherhood Series.
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
Insurgency is about Alan, a Gen-Xer with obsessive-compulsive disorder, who is randomly targeted at a local dive bar outside Chicago with a synthetic drug called Red Phase. This particular narcotic, with an effect similar to the common street drug “bath salts,” prompts its users into manic and ultra-aggressive behaviour, spanning a half-life of 1-2 weeks. Hence, this novel embraces the unconventional zombie.
After leaving his part-time job as a standardized test scorer, Alan meets a friend at a local dive bar for a beer. This is where a group of college students randomly “roofie” Alan’s drink with Red Phase, causing Alan to perform an atrocious series of murders he doesn’t even realize he committed until the discovery of alarming physical evidence in his home the next morning.
Upon Alan’s aforementioned realization, he contacts a former undergraduate classmate and friend, George, who is a defense attorney in Chicago. After a quick phone conversation, George commutes to Alan’s house and convinces him it best to turn himself in, but under the umbrella of his counsel and protection.
While Alan is sitting in lockup, sleeplessly wrestling with his OCD, The Hand, an underground black bloc group of military-skilled insurgents, liberates him from confinement. After Alan is transported to their underground compound nestled in the recessed boroughs of “Old Chicago,” he meets the leader of the domestic terror cell and discovers it’s responsible for the creation of Red Phase. Consequently, this brotherhood plans to mass-distribute the synthetic drug during the height of the G20 Summit in Chicago, hoping to throw the city into a chaos of apocalyptic proportions.
Before my publisher launches Insurgency’s sequel, I’m going to release a completely different horror-thriller novel, with its title being announced in December. All I’m going to say is that it combines a serial killer, a couple of Chicago detectives, and unconventional gypsy vampires.
What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?
What scared you the most when you were a child? Answer: Clowns…enough said.
Find out more about Kurt by following the links below
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Alan, a Gen-Xer with obsessive-compulsive disorder, is randomly targeted at a local dive bar outside Chicago with a synthetic drug called Red Phase. This particular narcotic, with an effect similar to the common street drug “bath salts,” prompts its users into manic and ultra-aggressive behavior, spanning a half-life of 1-2 weeks.
After leaving his part-time job as a standardized test scorer, Alan meets a friend at a local dive bar for a beer. This is where a group of college students randomly “roofie” Alan’s drink with Red Phase, causing Alan to perform an atrocious series of murders he doesn’t even realize he committed until the discovery of alarming physical evidence in his home the next morning.
Upon Alan’s aforementioned realization, he contacts a former undergraduate classmate and friend, George, who is a defense attorney in Chicago. After a quick phone conversation, George commutes to Alan’s house and convinces him it best to turn himself in, but under the umbrella of his counsel and protection.
While Alan is sitting in lockup, sleeplessly wrestling with his OCD, The Hand, an underground black bloc group of military-skilled insurgents, liberates him from confinement. After Alan is transported to their underground compound nestled in the recessed boroughs of “Old Chicago,” he meets the leader of the domestic terror cell and discovers it’s responsible for the creation of Red Phase. Consequently, this brotherhood plans to mass-distribute the synthetic drug during the height of the G20 Summit in Chicago, hoping to throw the city into a chaos of apocalyptic proportions.
Purchase Insurgency from this link
THE HEART AND SOUL OF UK HORROR WEBSITES - See more at: http://gingernutsofhorror.com/5/post/2014/09/kurt-schuett.html#sthash.k69F3RhD.dpuf
Kurt recently published a Southern Gothic ghost story titled “Calamity James” in the Belle Reve Literary Journal, a work that was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. In addition, two of his poems, “A Response to Charles Bukowski: Yes I’m Drinking Today” and “The Bohemian Waitress” were featured in the 69th edition of the Burningword Literary Journal. Kurt’s short story “The Last Supper Redux” will be the top-slot in an upcoming anthology launching this fall, highlighting local Chicago horror writers. Kurt was also the featured author of the month for Burial Day Books as his short work of fiction “Dibs” held the top spot.
Insurgency is Kurt Schuett’s debut novel, a speculative work of fiction that encompasses elements of urban suspense, thriller, and horror. This novel was released by Bad Day Books, an imprint of Assent Publishing, on August 2, 2014, in print and all e-book platforms.
Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
My name is Kurt Schuett, and I’m a writer and high school English teacher living in the suburbs of Chicago.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I’m a huge gamer, so I spend some time slashing and dashing via my Playstation4. I work out because I have to, and I enjoy crushing cocktails practically every night.
What’s your favourite food?
Wow, this is a tough one, especially since I’m from Chicago. I’d probably have to say pizza and fries, but I’m more into Chicago thin crust than its deep dish.
Who would be on the soundtrack to your life story?
Phil Collins’ “Sussudio.”
Do you prefer the term Horror, Weird Fiction or Dark Fiction?
Horror.
Who are some of your favourite authors?
William Faulkner, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Margaret Atwood, Hunter S. Thompson, and John Steinbeck.
What is your all-time favourite horror novel, and film?
The Shining and The Shining.
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?
That genre fiction is junk when it comes to the power of storytelling. Some of the most beautiful writing—meaning structurally sound and seamless to read—I’ve ever enjoyed comes from dark fiction writers.
Which fictional character would be you perfect neighbour, and who would be your nightmare neighbour?
My perfect fictional neighbour would have to be Holden Caulfield because he reminds me of my brother.
My nightmare neighbour would have to be Pennywise from It.
What do you think of the current state of the genre?
Authors are doing tremendous unconventional things within the genre at present, and I think this thinking-outside-the-box mentality is creating some truly frightening work. Consequently, I believe the role of technology is also impacting horror writers because it opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.
What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
Braineater Jones by Stephen Kozeniewski was a really fun unconventional zombie book, and the local-colour dialect and mannerisms per the 1930s were spot-on. Justin Cronin’s The Passage was a little too long for me; it was a really solid read, but I’m certain he lost some readers along the way due to its excessive length.
How would you describe your writing style?
Deliciously pulpy.
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?
Ironically, the English Department Chair at the school where I teach read my book, without my knowing, and posted a 5-star review on Goodreads and Amazon. Since then, he has informed me that I have a penchant for violence.
What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult?
Surrendering my work to imprint editors.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
Nope. Anything is fair game.
If you could kill off any character from any other book, who would you chose and how would they die?
I’d kill Harry Potter by poisoning him over a cup of tea.
What do you think makes a good story?
Great setting, believable complications and crises, and an unhappy ending. Life is often a struggle that doesn’t end happily for people, so authors who embrace the gritty aforesaid realization appeal to me.
How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Many of my characters’ names have symbolic meaning to them; as an author I get excited when somebody says, “Hey, I looked up the name of that villain because it seemed interesting, and now I totally get why you named him that.”
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
I’m constantly evolving as a writer. Learning to write 3rd person POV was a huge step for me because it’s much more difficult than 1st. In addition, running multiple plot lines throughout a work is so vital. Something else I’ve learned, both through trial and error and from the tutelage I’ve received per experts in the writing field, is to take some chances. Asking questions and pushing the envelope to get into the best writing and reading circles is an absolute for any writer’s progress.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Writers need to be open to constructive criticism; there will always be haters out there, so one must toughen up the old backbone in order to become resistant to non-constructive feedback. And lastly, writers must be patient. Never rush the writing and editing processes.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
It’s all been done before; great writers just do it better.
How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
Social media has been extremely helpful and engaging in philanthropic events where you can showcase your work while giving back to the community is a must. Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. Every single acquaintance you meet and friendship you foster will go further than anything else.
Who is your favourite character from your book and why?
Maurice is my favourite because he is such clichéd pulp; I can totally see Denzel Washington or Laurence Fishburne play his role in a movie version of Insurgency.
How about the least favourite character? What makes them less appealing to you?
George because he’s a flip-flopper; for me, loyalty trumps all.
Fame, fortune, or respect?
Enough fame to maybe get a free parking spot from time-to-time in the city, enough fortune to pay for some more reading material, and enough respect to be invited into group conversations over some of the issues I poke inside my writing.
What piece of your own work are you most proud of?
Really, it’s two pieces. My current novel Insurgency and a short Southern gothic ghost story entitled “Calamity James” that’s been nominated for The Pushcart Prize.
And are there any that you would like to forget about?
I have a whole trunk of them.
For those who haven’t read any of your books, what book of yours do you think best represents your work and why?
Insurgency is my debut novel, so this is my best representation up to this point in my writing career. I have been contracted to write two more books in the Red Hand Brotherhood Series.
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
Insurgency is about Alan, a Gen-Xer with obsessive-compulsive disorder, who is randomly targeted at a local dive bar outside Chicago with a synthetic drug called Red Phase. This particular narcotic, with an effect similar to the common street drug “bath salts,” prompts its users into manic and ultra-aggressive behaviour, spanning a half-life of 1-2 weeks. Hence, this novel embraces the unconventional zombie.
After leaving his part-time job as a standardized test scorer, Alan meets a friend at a local dive bar for a beer. This is where a group of college students randomly “roofie” Alan’s drink with Red Phase, causing Alan to perform an atrocious series of murders he doesn’t even realize he committed until the discovery of alarming physical evidence in his home the next morning.
Upon Alan’s aforementioned realization, he contacts a former undergraduate classmate and friend, George, who is a defense attorney in Chicago. After a quick phone conversation, George commutes to Alan’s house and convinces him it best to turn himself in, but under the umbrella of his counsel and protection.
While Alan is sitting in lockup, sleeplessly wrestling with his OCD, The Hand, an underground black bloc group of military-skilled insurgents, liberates him from confinement. After Alan is transported to their underground compound nestled in the recessed boroughs of “Old Chicago,” he meets the leader of the domestic terror cell and discovers it’s responsible for the creation of Red Phase. Consequently, this brotherhood plans to mass-distribute the synthetic drug during the height of the G20 Summit in Chicago, hoping to throw the city into a chaos of apocalyptic proportions.
Before my publisher launches Insurgency’s sequel, I’m going to release a completely different horror-thriller novel, with its title being announced in December. All I’m going to say is that it combines a serial killer, a couple of Chicago detectives, and unconventional gypsy vampires.
What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?
What scared you the most when you were a child? Answer: Clowns…enough said.
Find out more about Kurt by following the links below
Website
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads
Alan, a Gen-Xer with obsessive-compulsive disorder, is randomly targeted at a local dive bar outside Chicago with a synthetic drug called Red Phase. This particular narcotic, with an effect similar to the common street drug “bath salts,” prompts its users into manic and ultra-aggressive behavior, spanning a half-life of 1-2 weeks.
After leaving his part-time job as a standardized test scorer, Alan meets a friend at a local dive bar for a beer. This is where a group of college students randomly “roofie” Alan’s drink with Red Phase, causing Alan to perform an atrocious series of murders he doesn’t even realize he committed until the discovery of alarming physical evidence in his home the next morning.
Upon Alan’s aforementioned realization, he contacts a former undergraduate classmate and friend, George, who is a defense attorney in Chicago. After a quick phone conversation, George commutes to Alan’s house and convinces him it best to turn himself in, but under the umbrella of his counsel and protection.
While Alan is sitting in lockup, sleeplessly wrestling with his OCD, The Hand, an underground black bloc group of military-skilled insurgents, liberates him from confinement. After Alan is transported to their underground compound nestled in the recessed boroughs of “Old Chicago,” he meets the leader of the domestic terror cell and discovers it’s responsible for the creation of Red Phase. Consequently, this brotherhood plans to mass-distribute the synthetic drug during the height of the G20 Summit in Chicago, hoping to throw the city into a chaos of apocalyptic proportions.
Purchase Insurgency from this link
THE HEART AND SOUL OF UK HORROR WEBSITES - See more at: http://gingernutsofhorror.com/5/post/2014/09/kurt-schuett.html#sthash.k69F3RhD.dpuf
Contact Phone Number: (847) 477-7360
