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Say the Weird Thing!

Wed, 20 May 2026 15:43:33 GMT

Writing as Therapy...

"You shouldn't publish that. What are people going to think?"

"At least use a pen name and not your real one."

These are two phrases I heard while writing Candlelight Lounge and Bodyguard Boyfriend . I realize that my work may not be for everyone, thus the reason we have other products now and do not rely on book sales alone, but I use writing in a different way than people think and I'm about to do something I never do...explain myself.

I think my readers deserve to know where these stories came from, and how I view them as the author. This blog post will not be formal, nor will it have fancy wording. This blog post is just an author talking to you. Take what you want from this, leave the rest. One of my favorite phrases when brainstorming is, "If it fits, it sits!" much like the meme with the cats who can somehow manage to fit themselves into these strange places. I write down all of the ideas that pop into my head and live by that motto of if it fits with the storyline, it goes into the book.

When I wrote Candlelight Lounge , I knew I'd get some backlash when people read it. I knew it...and I wrote it anyway. I published it proudly, because that novel was my way of dealing with life and a way to cope with the situation I was dealing with. The original Candlelight Lounge was a gentlemen's club that was torn down. It had a reputation for being a place filled with utter debauchery and the depravity of the customers who visited there frequently was unmatched. This is the reason I named the book after this specific club, because I'd never worked there. I'd never even been there.

Read that again.

I've never worked, or even been to, the original Candlelight Lounge.

As someone who worked in that industry for many years, that novel was a way for me to cope with the rude and disgusting patrons that would enter the clubs where I was working. Yes, your read that right. I wanted so badly to find a way to give the girls who work in these establishments a voice. So, I asked my coworkers for all of their experiences. I have changed names/details of everyone involved, so any likeness is purely coincidental because I changed the appearances and names, both dancer names and "government names" as we call them at work, to be sure that no one would be able to pinpoint which character was based off of them even if/when they read the book.

This does not mean I hate, or even dislike, men. I am actually very happily married to a wonderful man who I have children with. I loathe the scum at the bottom of the barrel that feel entitled to a person's body. I don't care how much money a patron has, how attractive they might be, or what job title they hold, any person--regardless of gender--that works in the night-life industry has the right to be treated with respect. These people do a job, a job that the same customers who throw money at them shame them for.

I do not look down on anyone in the industry. I respected my fellow coworkers just like I would at a normal workplace, and expect that to be returned. If it's not, I walked away and do my best not to get involved. This novel was meant to shock those who glorify the industry, but look down on those who work in it. They are people.

I said what I said.

"No." That's a full sentence. It needs no explanation. If a dog can be trained not to attack its favorite meal when you present it, but wait patiently until its master gives it permission, then people can be trained to respect boundaries.

I used generic names that I've encountered multiple times over the years and combined different workers' stories together while exaggerating details to make this book over the top because that's what the Splatterpunk genre is all about. Splatterpunk uses graphic and violent scenes to shine light on something that is usually overlooked.

The world I wrote is fictional, and yet I find that people believe it's real because of human nature. I think that statement speaks for itself.

I had a few girls actually ask if one of the dancers in the novel was dead in the real world because she dies in the book. They freaked out...because they believed that something like that could happen. Now, either my book was so well-written those scenes seemed plausible, or this world has some real sick fucks in it. I'll let you decide, but I'd like to let everyone know that the characters in that book are all fictional.

I published the book, despite so many telling me I shouldn't. As if publishing that would tarnish my name somehow and associate me with the undesirables. It is a coping mechanism. I take real things that happen and then turn up the intensity until they're unrecognizable, because then it didn't happen and it's easier to deal with.

This is not to say that I haven't met some really awesome people in this industry, because I have. I've made friends and enemies alike, as one does in life, but I have tried not to let the job jade me. That's another reason for this book. If I kept all of it bottled up inside it would become poisonous. I did not write Candlelight Lounge to highlight the good times, because everyone on social media thinks it's really "cool" to work in a strip club. They see lights and a stage and think the girls there are having fun, and getting paid for it!

WRONG!

The dancers have to pay to work. Yes, you read that right, too. Each dancer must adhere to their area's laws, and in some places, a license is required. A literal license to be naked is required. I wanted to shed some light on one of the darkest places I've ever been, and to showcase that the dancers working there aren't there because they want to do this.

Author Spotlight: Stuart Bray

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:26 GMT

Violence on the Meek is not for the weak...

A little bit about Stuart Bray

Stuart Bray was born in Kentucky and has written over 30 books, none of them are for the faint of heart.

I met Stuart in a group on Facebook after reading a few of his novels and despite the graphic and violent nature of his literature, he is a very nice guy. I am proud to call him one of my literary friends.

He doesn't know it yet, until he reads this blog post, but he inspired a lot of Candlelight Lounge and showed me that writing within parameters is boring. He uses graphic and disturbing situations to convey a message to his audience. Please note, that his books are NOT meant for younger audiences in any capacity!

What is Splatterpunk?

Splatterpunk is a sub-genre of extreme horror literature, and everyone seems to have a difference in opinion on what qualifies. In my humble opinion, splatterpunk is limitless. It is a piece of work that could never be shown on screen due to its content. Most authors include a list of trigger warnings at the beginning of their books if they consider their work to be splatterpunk.

Think Lollipop Chainsaw meets a snuff film, but it sheds light on the human psyche and is an up-close and personal look at what humans are capable of.

Sit down with the master

What inspired you to start writing?
I remember always reading books like The Outsiders and The Old Man and the Sea when I was a kid. Something about how those stories made me feel at that age is what I think inspired me to start creating stories of my own. I don't think I really got serious about writing until around 2017 when I decided to sit on my ass long enough to start writing my first novel. It had to be the show Californication that made being an author look so cool.
Tell us something interesting about you personally
Something interesting? Well, I got my professional wrestling/boxing license back in 2009 (which you must have in Kentucky if you want to do either of those two things professionally) before joining a motorcycle club in 2013 and becoming my chapter's sergeant at arms. It was a very interesting period in my life.
What are your favorite books you've written, and why?
Easily Obscurus 1939 , and The Boys of Barren County . Both of those books allowed me to step outside of the horror genre for a little bit and experience something else and write in a way I didn't know I was capable of.
What are your biggest challenges when working on a novel?
Honestly, keeping myself from going off the rails and murdering all my main characters halfway through.
What are your guilty pleasure reads/genres?
I'm not ashamed to admit that I loved reading the Twighlight series, those books were awesome. The film adaptations on the other hand, not really my cup of tea. But those books, especially Eclipse , are beautifully written.
Are you a "planner" or a "pantser"?
Meticulous planner on a handful of books, pantser on all the rest.
What are some of your favorite quotes from your books?
"I am mother nature's hired exterminator." (Paul from Violence on the Meek pt 1)
Which character did you identify with the most, or has the most of "you" in them?
Ren from Heretic . That shit was me through and through.
Tell us a little about your writing/editing process. When you finish a manuscript, do you stare at a wall for a while or get right on editing?
I like to write early in the morning, 5 o'clock is usually my favorite time to start. There's something about writing in that morning silence. When it comes to editing, I have close friends for that.
Knowing your writing touches on some sensitive topics, how do you handle negative feedback or criticism?
Damn, that's a good question. When it comes to the negativity regarding what I write, I look at it like this. I'm not Stephen King; I'm not a big-name author with millions of fans. I'm an indie author who's amassed a small but loyal number of readers. In twenty years, who's going to give a fuck what I wrote?
What advice would you give someone who's just starting on their writing journey?
Stay humble, interact with your readers in a positive way, you're not above anyone else and your readers owe you nothing.
What unexpected challenges have come up during your writing career?
Imposter syndrome. Some days I'm proud of myself for what I've worked hard to build, others I can't wait for it to come crashing down so I don't have to deal with it anymore.
What would you like to tell readers about your books?
I try hard to write something for everyone. So don't be discouraged by the warning labels on the front of my extreme stuff, not all my work is like that. If you don't like extreme horror, that's fine, I have lots of other shit to choose from.
How can your books be found? How can you be contacted?
All of my work is available on Amazon in a variety of formats. Paperback, e-book, audiobook, you name it. I can be contacted through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, email, whatever the fuck gets you off. If you want to order from me directly, slide into my DM's.

A big thank you to my first spotlight author, it was an absolute pleasure to read your responses, sir. I look forward to reading your next release!

Note: If you're an author and would like to be featured in one of my blog's author spotlights, please email me. I love supporting fellow authors.

Getting to Know Me

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 23:51:08 GMT

It all started with a dream...

My name is Camilla Huffman, and I can now say that I am living my dream.

I made it! I'm a published author with her own business!

I never thought I'd get here when I started on my first novel. The words fell out of me, but I wrote it scared and knowing that everyone I knew would read it. I was holding myself back. I have since stopped doing that, and now I write the books I want to read.

Please, keep in mind that I write adult fiction. I touch on a lot of controversial subjects and I'm unapologetic about it. My literature has spice in it when appropriate as well as graphic depictions of violence. Check your trigger warnings!

I published Pursuing a Priestess in 2019 and I was hooked. I realized that this was the one thing that I'd been missing. I use my writing as therapy and have met so many awesome people along my journey as an author, I feel truly blessed.

My best friend, who I call Lander, has been there every step of the way. He listened to me read and reread every single one of my novels (yes, even the ones with M/M spice) and helped me stay motivated.

I have a very supportive husband who is now one of my beta readers. He read Mentalist and was instantly immersed. He brought my Kindle Paperwhite to work with him every day and read on his lunch break. He caught things I never thought were mistakes, helped me with military planning and strategies, and has improved my writing by giving me a male perspective on a lot of scenes.

I have a team on Discord that I am truly grateful for as well. If you'd like to come meet them, they are the glue that holds my crazy self together. When my thoughts are scattered, I jump into the Workroom in Discord and we talk it out. There is a link to my Discord server in my links, but bear in mind it is an adults only server due to the literature we discuss there. No one under 18 is allowed to join, sorry not sorry.

I carry my Kindle Scribe around like a child with a security blanket. If I leave the house, it's in my purse. I legit bought a bigger purse just to carry my Scribe. I take notes on the go, and my kids don't even blink when Mom pulls over into a parking lot to jot down a plot idea or a fix that just came to me. My kiddos are not allowed to read my books due to the adult content in them, but I do enjoy their perspectives on the scaffolding when I'm building a world. They come up with some terrifying monsters! You can thank them for the Dream Walkers in Dancing with Dream Walkers , as well as the deaders and mythical beasts in Mentalist .

If you're an author, please feel free to shoot me an email. I am a beta reader and would love to read your book! Your characters will live rent-free in my head and I will send you detailed feedback. I will also leave an honest review when it goes live. I do not expect to be paid as a beta reader, I am not an editor or a professional. I will catch what I can and give you a reader/author perspective. I will be honest if I think something isn't clear or doesn't make sense.

Ask me anything you'd like, I'm an open book and I don't gatekeep!

Email me if you'd like to become a beta reader and/or join my team.

If you're an artist, I want to hear from you as well. I need good cover artists and insert sheet artists. If you know what a dinkus is, let's chat!

My Discord is open to the public, join us and hang out. Play some games, make some friends, and maybe even help me plan out my next novel or get a sneak peek at what I'm writing!