Book Spotlight: Consumed by Evil

Today I have a spotlight for the new Crystal Lake Publishing horror novel Consumed by Evil by John Durgin. Enjoy.

Consumed by Evil by John Durgin

“Small towns hold the biggest secrets…”

In the chilling aftermath of the Halloween homecoming massacre, the town of Newport struggles to recover from the terror unleashed by Jessica Black. But as the survivors come to terms with their losses, a new breed of horror lurks just beneath the surface, threatening to plunge them back into chaos.

Fifteen-year-old Howie grapples with the grief of losing his friends, haunted by memories of that fateful night. Cory is tormented by disturbing visions and violent urges that threaten to consume him. Meanwhile, Bethany finds herself ensnared in a fatal web of deceit as dark forces conspire against her.

Determined to uncover Newport’s buried secrets and dismantle the coven's sinister influence, Howie, Cory, and Bethany must confront their pasts and the malevolent entities that refuse to let go. As they delve deeper into the town’s dark history, they realize that the true horror lies not just in the shadows of Newport, but within themselves.

In Consumed by Evil, John Durgin weaves a gripping tale of survival, friendship, and the relentless fight against darkness. Perfect for fans of psychological horror and supernatural thrillers, this sequel expands on the chilling narrative of The Cursed Among Us, promising even more heart-pounding suspense and unexpected twists.

Are you ready to uncover the secrets that lurk in the shadows?

Book Link: https://getbook.at/ConsumedByEvil

About the Author

John Durgin is a proud active HWA member and lifelong horror fan. Growing up in New Hampshire, he discovered Stephen King much younger than most probably should have, reading IT before he reached high school—and knew from that moment on he wanted to write horror. 

He had his first story accepted in the summer of 2021. His debut novel, The Cursed Among Us was released June 3, 2022, and went on to become an Amazon bestseller. Next up, his sophomore novel titled Inside The Devil’s Nest, released in January of 2023, followed by his debut collection, Sleeping In The Fire in June of 2023. In 2024 he is set to release two more novels, starting with Kosa which released to stellar reviews, and Consumed by Evil through Crystal Lake Publishing in November 2024.

Book Spotlight: Plank Children

Today I have a book spotlight on the horror novel, Plank Children by Michael Schutz, plus an excerpt. Enjoy.

Plank Children by Michael Schutz

Miles Baumgartner lost his boyfriend. His house. His job. Worst of all, he lost his nephew when Ian—his almost-son—died, crushed to death in a car accident nine months ago.

So how is there a recent photo of Ian on Facebook?

A series of lies and half-truths leads Miles far north to a long-abandoned orphanage. Secrets slink within St. Hamelin’s shadowed halls, and when Miles starts piecing the truth together, the horrors that walk within its rooms tighten their grip.

They say that time heals all wounds, but time is running out for Miles. How can he start his life over now, knowing what really happened to Ian and the children of that unholy place? To have any chance, he must escape before dark forces curse him to walk eternally with the evils inhabiting St. Hamelin’s.

You can check out Plank Children on

Amazon or Three Furies Press

Excerpt

The door whisked shut, sealing Miles into a dark cavern of a room. On the one side, ten metal bathtubs ran the entire length on dappled vinyl flooring, each one growing less distinct farther down the line. At the nearest tub, he bluffed. “I see you guys.”
His voice evaporated into the high ceiling.
What looked like high-sided, steel kiddie pools stood in the gloom on the other side. Goose-neck faucets.
Why did an orphanage or reformatory need a hydrotherapy room?
In the shadows at the far end, indistinct shapes rose and fell—the kids climbing into tubs and scooching down.
He summoned his teacher voice. “Stop fooling around.”
But what if they weren’t just messing around? Starting toward them, his stomach flopped with that sinking feeling he always got whenever stepping over that little gap from a jet bridge onto a plane.
“I mean it.”
That didn’t even convince himself. He passed empty tubs and tanks, and his teeth chattered as the temperature dropped. A figure slumped in the steel tank next to him, and Miles jerked backward, cursing. A shirtless boy stared with hollow eyes; shuddery breaths shook the slats of his ribcage.
“Are you okay? Kid?”
From the front of the room came a squeak like a shoe on a gym floor.
The tubs he’d passed had been empty, but now another emaciated boy stood inside of one, watching him. Across the aisle, a youngster with skin the color of sour milk planted his hands on the lip of a high-sided tank. As he pulled himself up to climb out he slipped, and again that squeal as his feet skidded on the smooth inner sides.
How had he missed these kids?
Both the others swung their legs over and out from the tubs. Their skin had a grainy quality like old Seventies’ films. The boy with struggling breath lurched away from his tub, his hips and legs misshapen as if they’d been broken and put back together wrong.
Beastly thing: and he looked as if he was wet all over: and I’m not at all sure that he was alive.
Three new boys in strappy tee shirts and boxer shorts emerged from between tanks, and limped on malformed legs toward him. Some weird interplay between light and shadow gave the illusion of transparency as they advanced, dripping on the floor.
Impossible.
Overtired, that’s all. He wasn’t actually seeing through them.
Except he was. Right through the boys’ bodies to the walls.
Will-o’-the-wisp flickered over the remaining tubs, the tanks, and through that spectral light incorporeal boys sat up, stood up, climbed out. A waif two tubs away turned his tousle-haired head.
Miles froze. “That’s a really good trick, guys.” He sounded stupid. This wasn’t a trick.
A kid in the tank next to him blinked rapidly. Dark bags under the boy’s eyes distorted his face into a skull with gaping empty sockets. His voice croaked. “Tear us apart.”

About the Author

Michael Schutz was born and raised in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, where the macabre tales of Ray Bradbury and Stephen King kept him warm at night. He’s seen way too many horror movies to be healthy. He is the author of the novels Plank Children, Edging, and Blood Vengeance. His short fiction has been featured in Crossroads in the Dark II, III, and IV, Ravenwood Quarterly, Dark Moon Digest, and Sanitarium. He lives with his naughty cat-children in northern California. You can keep tabs on him at http://michaelschutzfiction.com

Interview with Author John C Adams

Today I have an interview with horror author John C Adams who stops by to discuss writing and his book, Blackacre Rising. Enjoy.

Interview with John C Adams

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

I am a nonbinary author and critic of horror and fantasy fiction. I review for the Horror Tree, the British Fantasy Society and Schlock! Webzine.

I started writing way back in 2006. It was an escape for me at a time when I faced very heavy domestic responsibilities raising a young family and looking after a severely disabled relative. It gave me a little space just for me. I had my first short story published in 2010.

Since then, I've taken my time in learning how to craft fiction because I just don't think it is something that can be hurried. This has included studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Writing, but perhaps my most important lessons have been learnt practically via submissions reading for the Aeon Award, having my short fiction published in various small magazines and anthologies and of course reviewing.

Being a writer is something I really love doing. Before that I was a lawyer, which I don't think suited me at all. In hindsight, it was far too serious a career for someone so recklessly irresponsible as me.

 

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

It's called ''Blackacre Rising' and it is the sequel to my dystopian novel 'Souls for the Master'. This novel, however, has more of a straight-up horror feel mixed with just a little bit of dark fantasy. I hope to make it a trilogy, but it is very important to me that each story is completely stand-alone. I get asked to review many books that are midway into a series. Sadly, comparatively few are intelligible to the new reader.

 

What do you enjoy most about writing in the horror genre?

My horror writing is inspired by the people and places of rural Northumbria. That's where our family has been lucky enough to make our home since 2003. It is such a beautiful county and something of a hidden gem. My favourite thing about it is that nothing is too odd or sinister to be at home round here, and I just love including this in my short stories and longer fiction within the fictional Blackacre universe. It's deliciously bizarre in this area, and even after almost two decades here I am constantly struck by many of the things I see and hear going on.

I'm really lucky to have so much inspiration on my doorstep and that so little alteration of reality is required to turn it into liminal horror. I love this subgenre because it can be so strange and unexpected that it often borders on the humorous, and I do enjoy writing comedy occasionally.

Did anything surprise you about the process of writing your book?

I've been amazed by how easily the existing characters from my short fiction fitted in alongside characters I'd invented specifically for 'Souls for the Master'.

Ivy, Gerald and Don formed the backbone of the plot in 'Souls for the Master' and they all feature centrally in 'Blackacre Rising' as their stories continue. However, I decided to make the northern farmhouse Blackacre a new location for this novel. The Flints of Blackacre have featured in many of my horror short stories in the past five years including in my starter anthology 'The Red Dawn and Other Stories' which is available on Smashwords.

I was apprehensive about how to blend the existing characters from full-length fiction with those from my short stories, but courtesy of a cross-over character Gerald Flint it turned out to be much more natural than I had expected. That was probably what I enjoyed most about writing 'Blackacre Rising'.

 

Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas originate? Do you have a certain writing routine?

The main technique I use as part of my writing process is lucid dreaming. Basically, I let the images and thoughts of characters, plot, and even dialogue just roll around my mind without trying to write any of it down. I have developed all my novels this way, and it has never let me down. I have never experienced writer's block, and I absolutely credit lucid dreaming with being the reason why.

It's not for everyone, and many authors would run screaming for the hills at this style of approach, but it really works for me, you know?

My horror novels are grounded in the lives I observe here, and my fantasy novels are based within the LGBT community, which I belong to because I am nonbinary.

I have to fit writing in around family life and caring responsibilities, but both activities are quite routine-oriented, so I usually have quite a structured day in terms of when I'll write and what I hope to achieve in the time available to me. Lots of authors fit in writing around working, so I'm not alone in wanting to make the best of the hours left when everything else is taken care of.

 

What is your greatest challenge as a writer?

Fitting it all in. I love my reviewing work and writing articles for blogs such as Horror Addicts. But there's no greater pleasure than writing fiction. Also, I work in both fantasy and horror genres so the background reading for each (fantasy especially) is considerable.

Luckily, I have more and more time free to do all of this, and I count myself very fortunate to be in that position. I'm still caring full time for a severely disabled relative within our home environment, and that is very hard work, but my daughter is in Sixth Form and will be applying for university next year. My son's got kids of his own. So, suddenly, after years of running around feeling frazzled, I actually do have some time for myself and that means lots and lots of time for writing. Feels good.

 

What advice would you give beginning writers?

I'm often asked this, not because I have any great wisdom to share on this or on any other topic, but simply because as I head towards 50 at breakneck speed people seem to think I might have something sensible to say. I think the grey hairs are to blame for that.

In fact, the best advice I can give is to read widely and to do so as actively and critically as possible. With that in mind, I'm going to go ahead and suggesting posting reviews as a great way to learn the craft of writing fiction. It's never been easier to share reviews on platforms such as Goodreads or Smashwords. There are so many blogs open to recruiting book reviewers that you might soon find a home for your thoughts and find that it also helps promote your writing. That's been my experience, and it has been incredibly empowering.

 

What do you like to do when you're not writing? Any hobbies?

Not really sure this counts as a hobby, but most of my free time is taken up conducting the ultimate long-distance relationship with my boyfriend in Pennsylvania. He's about to come for a six-month visit to live with me here in the UK while he works on the rewrite of his current fictional work in progress, and I'm honestly going to say I won't be missing that five-hour time difference in the slightest...

 

What’s your next project? Any upcoming book secrets you care to reveal?

I'm currently just over halfway through the first draft of my next fantasy novel, which is about a lost princess in a universe inspired by Medieval Russia. It really picks up on the whole folk-tale feel, and I'm just loving being immersed in them as I form characters, plot and location.

It is a multi-stranded novel, as both of my earlier fantasy works 'Aspatria' and 'Dagmar of the Northlands' have been, and it features some old favourites like Gortah van Murkar and his wife Dextra of Aspatria, as well as including lots of new characters.

It's been a very personal experience for me because I'm nonbinary and this work in progress is the first time I've included a transgender character. Gortah is bisexual and Dagmar is same-sex orientated, so it's far from the first time that I've written about characters from the LGBT community, however this character feels just a little bit closer to home and that has been surprising moving.

 

You can find Blackacre Rising on Amazon

Fireside Chat With Johnson Nottidge from Belle Vue

Today we have part two of our C S Alleyne interview weekend and a Fireside Chat with Johnson Nottidge from her novel, Belle Vue.

Fireside Chat with Johnson Nottidge

“Welcome everyone, to another Fireside Chat. I’m Richard Dale, your host. Today, our guest is the Honorable Doctor Johnson Nottidge, of the Belle Vue Asylum.” Richard Dale holds out a hand in greeting.

Nottidge gazed at the outstretched hand with a slight moue of distaste. He brushed a non-existent speck from the lapel of his frock coat and, after carefully adjusting his straight legged trousers, seated himself.

Richard Dale takes his own seat, a slight scowl on his face. “Why don’t we begin with a bit of your life story, shall we?”

“Let’s not. I am here at the behest of a chum, who is Chairman of the Metropolitan Asylums’ Board solely to provide information about my role in capturing that murderess Mary Grady who dared to bring Belle Vue into disrepute. Her poor sister, an inmate at the asylum, who died in unspeakable pain. I knew immediately it was that shameful trollop and was more than happy to play a key part in revealing the culprit and her guilt and see justice done.”

“I see. Perhaps we’ll get to that later. For now,” Richard leans forward slightly, “describe your relationship with your father.”

“Distant. Which suits me. His lordship has a sense of noblesse oblige whereas I have none at all. Every man for himself. It used to worry him, he even threatened to disinherit me but my exposing the murderess has seemingly made him feel I can be in his words ‘saved’. The title and estates will be mine on his demise and I shall carry on as normal doing exactly what I want.” Nottidge gives a broad smile but his eyes remain cold.

“Interesting. What is your involvement with the Mephisto Club?”

“What is that?” Nottidge leaned forward his piercing gaze raking Richard’s face as though seeking any malicious intent. “I am of course a member of the best clubs in London but don’t recall one with that name. If it exists, perhaps it is some sort of secret society who doesn’t want all and sundry,” Nottidge’s mouth tipped upwards for a bare second, “poking their noses and causing undesirable consequences for themselves.”

The sound of clinking cups interrupts the tense conversation, as a distinguished gentleman enters the room carrying a tea tray.

Richard eyes his guest and says, “Ah, here’s Jenkins with refreshments” Richard turns to the butler. “What’s on the menu today, Jenkins?”

“I have a lovely Darjeeling tea today. And some scones fresh from the oven, as well as strawberry jam.” Jenkins sets the tray down and asks Nottidge, Would you care for a cup, sir?”

“No thank you.”

Richard adds. “My usual cup, please. And one scone.”

Jenkins pours one cup and serves Richard Dale, before retreating.

Nottidge takes out an impressive gold watch from his fob and opens it. He raises his eyebrow then puts it away. “Are we done yet?” Nottidge asks with not a smidgeon of enthusiasm.

Richard Dale takes a sip of his tea and asks, “Almost. We’ll continue with a more mundane question. Tell us about a fond childhood memory?”

“You’re assuming I had any. Or would speak about them to you. Your questions are very impertinent. The past is over and nothing can change it. The present and future are what interest me and how I can profit from and enjoy whatever it is I choose to do. That will create the memories I want to retain. Mary Grady’s hanging next week will be one for instance.

“A sad affair that. Of course, you got involved in that sordid mess through your work. How do you find your career at Belle Vue? Fulfilling?”

“Not fulfilling, rather the means to an end. The dregs of society are off-loaded in ever increasing numbers to the Belle Vue Lunatic Asylum. I study them. Study—and experiment—on them. On occasion that part of the work is fulfilling but mostly dealing with the imbeciles, cretins, drunks and worse from the rookeries and workhouses—and my responsibility is for the female inmates—can be extremely tiresome. They want so much attention and I am an extremely busy man who has far more important matters to deal with. But they have their uses…” Nottidge stopped there and this time the smile did reach his eyes.

Richard Dale’s eyes and lips narrow and his fingers tighten over the arm of his chair. “Let’s get a bit philosophical. What would you consider your perfect life?”

“I have it now. I do what I want, I have everything – and everyone - I want.  Little bothers me. I love the gambling tables as the element of risk is what excites me.  My only concern is that life becomes boring. So it’s about continually raising the stakes. Winner takes all.”

Richard Dale nods. “In your own opinion, what are your best features, and your worst habits?”

“My best is that I always win. Anything less is not acceptable. It may take a little while – as Mary Grady has found out to her cost – but I will not rest until I am the victor in whatever battle I choose. I think your definition of worst habits and mine would greatly differ. And I am not going to share them with you as doing such a thing creates vulnerability. That is a failing I despise. It is something I will never suffer from.”

“One last question. What does morality mean to you?” Richard Dale finishes his tea as he waits for an answer.

“Nothing I need worry about. That is for the lower orders. Like religion, it keeps them in their place.”

“Thank you, Doctor Nottidge, for joining us today.” Richard Dale doesn’t offer his hand to his guest, nor does he rise as the man sees himself out.

 

Check out Belle Vue on Amazon

You can read an excerpt of Belle Vue here: 

Prologue and first two chapters

Interview with Author C S Alleyne

Today we have the first of a two part interview with author C S Alleyne and her character Johnson Nottidge. Today's interview is with the author as she joins us to discuss her paranormal horror novel, Belle Vue, and her writing. And tune in tomorrow when Richard Dale puts her antagonist Johnson Nottidge on the hot seat. Enjoy!

Why don’t you begin by sharing a little about yourself.

My name is Cheryl Alleyne. I grew up in Australia and originally trained as a hotel manager in the UK. After several postings in the Caribbean, I changed tack and completed my MBA followed several years later by a PhD in Information Systems. When not writing, I am a management consultant and also lecture in several universities.

Could you tell us a bit about your latest book?

My debut novel, Belle Vue, is a paranormal horror which is told in two strands – past and present – around a Victorian lunatic asylum and the people who live there. It is very dark and focuses on an unspeakable crime, the hunger for justice and how when revenge is paramount, innocence doesn’t count. It will be published on 25^th August 2020 by Crystal Lake Publishing.

Do you have a favourite character? If so, why?

I always have a preference for ‘baddies’ and there are numerous in Belle Vue but my favourite (and goodness knows what this says about me lol!) is the aristocrat, Johnson Nottidge. He is completely amoral, a cunning schemer and cares not a jot for anyone or anything but his own pleasure.

Why did you write this book? What was your inspiration?

Although I was always jotting down ideas for stories, I never got round to completing anything but then that unexpectedly changed. I used to go past a derelict asylum on my way to the gym. It was then converted into luxury flats and some time later, I found a book in the library about murders in Hertfordshire (the county in which I live). In it, there was a case about a girl in that asylum who was murdered. That story, and my connection to the location, captured my attention in a way nothing had done before. So from having years of half-finished stories and yellowing notes, I wrote every spare minute I could get and didn’t stop until Belle Vue was complete.

What did you enjoy most about writing your book?

To create characters. For me, that is a fascinating process as you can choose every aspect of their lives and appearance and with but a few words change their fate. What I didn’t expect was that – for me - the characters became so strong that it was as though they were directing their actions and speech on the page, not my imagination!

Did anything surprise you about the process of writing your book? 

Yes - that I could write so much! When I first started and had the idea about a murder in the asylum in Victorian times and it being converted to luxury flats in the present day, I didn’t really think I’d be able to write much and wondered if it might be a short story as it was unlikely I could find enough to write for a novel. I sure got that wrong! The soon-to-be-published book is half the size of my first complete draft.

I joined a writers’ circle and many there who had had books published said they had written lots of novels before getting published (now in bottom drawers) so each was a form of practice and developing their writing skills. I did it the other way round and used the same book to do this!  I pruned it and rewrote it numerous times instead (using advice from a lot of rejection letters!). Then my wonderful agent, Italia Gandolfo saw its potential (or I caught her at a weak moment lol) and we did more pruning and editing before it was accepted by Crystal Lake Publishing.

How do you research your books?

I love all the research and given I didn’t know much about the history of asylums, murder and punishment in Victorian times and satanic societies, I had much to get my teeth into. The present day required a different type of research and as I was local I was able to visit old asylum grounds – not just the Leavesden one but also others in the area such as Colney Hatch and others that had also been converted into luxury accommodation. I also posed as a potential buyer to view the inside of the main building and one of the luxury Leavesden apartments but the buyer who knew my husband (at the time), recognized me and wanted to know all about our moving plans! Oops.

What advice would you give beginning writers?

If you love to write or have a story you want to tell, then - as long as you are enjoying yourself - keep at it. Hone your craft – be open to ideas and feedback and whether you want to be published or not – take pride in your creation. If you can translate that pride and excitement about your work to the page – you’re halfway there! If you do want to be published, you may get (lots of) rejections but believe in yourself, keep honing and never give up.

Are you working on another book?

Yes, Belle Vue is now planned to be the first of a trilogy. I am in the middle of writing the sequel – Secret Nemesis is the working title - and in it, the main characters from both the Victorian and present day move to the United States and face a cross-fire of evil and danger.

About the Author

C S Alleyne grew up in Australia and originally trained as a hotel manager in the UK. After several postings in the Caribbean, she changed tack and completed her MBA followed several years later by a PhD in Information Systems. She is a management consultant and also lectures in several universities.

Her dark horror novelette, POWEЯ, was published in December 2019. 

Author links

Website | Blog | Goodreads Profile | Twitter | Facebook

US Amazon Author Page | UK Amazon Author Page

Belle Vue by C S Alleyne

Jealousy, betrayal, murder and a hunger for vengeance that spans the centuries…

History student Alex Palmer is thrilled when his girlfriend, Claire Ryan, buys an apartment in Belle Vue Manor, formerly a Victorian lunatic asylum.

But as Alex begins to discover the dark truth about the asylum’s past, he, Claire, and their friend Marianne find themselves on a nightmarish journey. Each will face the deadly consequences of the evil that began with the construction of the first Belle Vue Manor by an aristocratic French émigré in 1789, as well as the cruelty and satanic practices that continued when it became an asylum for the insane.

As the two strands—past and present—unfold, Alex uncovers a supernatural mystery where revenge is paramount and innocence irrelevant—without being aware of the price he, and those around him, will pay.

You can check out Belle Vue on Amazon: http://getbook.at/BelleVue

Or on Goodreads

You can read an excerpt of Belle Vue here: Prologue and first two chapters

And click the link to check out C S Alleyne's other book POWEЯ:  http://getbook.at/CSPower

 

Book Spotlight: The Seven Experiments

Today I have a book spotlight for you, on the psychic thriller/horror novel, The Seven Experiments by Stephen Kanicki. Enjoy.

The Seven Experiments by Stephen Kanicki

Doctor Gary Miller learns to manifest his heart’s desires through seven, easy experiments; his world will soon come crashing down. 

Doctor Gary Miller is introduced to the world of self-help in the form of seven experiments. Each experiment is designed to focus Dr. Miller's mind, so he can realize his dreams through the power of thought alone: conceive it, believe it, and achieve it. He's dubious at first, but frustrations at work and a loveless marriage lead him down the rabbit hole. Much to his surprise, the experiments work. In fact, they work unbelievably well, and he soon discovers they can lead beyond the acquisition of material wealth. They can make him immortal, and God-like. However, Dr. Miller will learn getting what you want isn't always a good thing. In fact, it can be quite maddening. Just be careful what you ask for.

The Seven Experiments is available on Amazon

About the Author

Stephen Kanicki enjoys thought-provoking, reality-based science fiction. His novel, The Seven Experiments, explores religious, spiritual and metaphysical themes woven into an imaginative and frightening narrative. Kanicki is a father, a teacher, and an award-winning photographer. When he's not writing, he likes to run and if his aging body can stand it, he would love to complete his third marathon. 

Book Spotlight: The Book of David: Chapter One

Today I have a spotlight for the horror novel, The Book of David: Chapter One by author Robert Kent. Enjoy...

The Book of David: Chapter One by Robert Kent

"The Lord has appointed you to a special duty in these last days and given your life a unique purpose. Will you turn away from the myriad temptations of this wicked world and answer His righteous calling?"

The Walters family has just purchased the perfect home if only it weren't located in the small hick town of Harrington, Indiana, and if only it weren't haunted. David Walters is an atheist now, but his minister father taught him from a young age that Satan would one day deceive all mankind by pretending his demons were extraterrestrials. The day the Walters family moves in, they spot a flying saucer outside their new home. Things only get stranger from there. David Walters is about to learn what it means to be truly haunted, forcing him to confront his past, fight for his family, his soul, and his sanity.

The Book of David: Chapter One can be found on:

Amazon 

Author Bio:

Robert Kent is the author of the horror novels THE BOOK OF DAVID and ALL TOGETHER NOW: A ZOMBIE STORY, the middle grade novel BANNEKER BONES AND THE GIANT ROBOT BEES, and the novellas PIZZA DELIVERY and ALL RIGHT NOW: A SHORT ZOMBIE STORY. 

He runs the popular blog for writers, MIDDLE GRADE NINJA, which features interviews and guest posts from over 500 authors, literary agents, and other publishing professionals, and was the recipient of Middle Shelf Magazine’s Best Blog award. He is a proud member of SCBWI, The Horror Writers Association of America, and the Young Adult Cannibals. Robert Kent holds degrees in Literature and Creative Writing from Indiana University and owns over 900 Batman action figures. He lives with his family in Indianapolis where he teaches courses at the Indiana Writers Center and is hard at work on his next book. 

Website: MIDDLEGRADENINJA.COM

Horror Bites: Alice's Scars

Today I bring you a featured book spotlight from HorrorAddicts.net with an Alice-inspired story by Adam L. Bealby. Enjoy...

HorrorAddicts.net launches its Horror Bites series!

Horror Bites: Alice’s Scars by Adam L. Bealby

When he met Alice, he wasn't prepared to go down the rabbit hole. His love for her pushes him into the uncomfortable realization she might be mad. He wants to keep her safe, but what if that’s not what Alice wants?

“Adam Bealby has written a mini masterpiece that explores mental illness, drug addiction, and real life horror.”

~David Watson, The All-Night Library

Horror Bites: Alice’s Scars

Just 99 cents at Amazon.com

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A look inside…

Alice’s Scars

BY ADAM L. BEALBY

When I first met her she was Katie, soon to be Alice. It was her first day at Uni, my second, and her scars intrigued me. They lined her cheeks like tribal markings and the way she caked her face in foundation, you could tell they were forever on her mind. It helped, of course, that she was a beautiful Goth girl. I wanted to save her, share her pain, kiss her, and fuck her, too. I asked her what she kept in the drawstring purse around her neck.

“Money,” she said dismissively, turning away to talk to someone else at the bar.

She disappeared soon after. I only found out later how drunk she got, how she spent the rest of the night over a toilet bowl with Jackie holding her hair clear of her mouth. Her first and last run-in with alcohol. Alice had too much else going on in her life to get any more screwed up.

I dogged her all through freshers’ week. Instead of dorms, she’d been accommodated in a little house just off campus. A new friend I met lived there too, so it was an easy thing to fall in with her motley crew, drawn together by circumstance as we were. I became a regular in their kitchen, smoking weed and trying too hard—as we all did—to be quirky and cool.

We struck up conversation over a jar of pesto. I didn’t know what it was and she couldn’t believe it. I strung it out, made it appear I was more ignorant than I actually was, and I got her laughing. When I said her pesto looked like rabbit food she blushed, right through all that paint and powder.

“You don’t know the first thing about rabbits,” she said, and she showed me what was in her drawstring purse. It was a tiny white rabbit’s foot. It freaked me out and yet I felt even more attracted to her. It was my in, a secret shared. Looking at the severed foot I felt myself getting hard and I had to sit down for fear she’d notice.

She ran away that evening. We were all stoned and a bit drunk, talking about our parents, being glib, critical, or overly generous. She burst into tears and ran out of the kitchen and into the night, not even bothering to put her shoes on. We made an extravagant show of hunting for her, shouting her name up and down the street. Pete the Poet, as we later christened him, came out to help from next door. The way John shouted Katie’s name in his Irish accent, Pete thought we’d lost a cat. We had a good laugh about that.

But it wasn’t funny when we found Katie. She was hunkered down by the bushes on a bit of common area at the end of the row.

“Katie? What are you looking for?” I asked as we gathered round in a concerned hub.

“He was here,” she muttered. She’d been pawing at the dirt. Her fingers were black. “I saw him, but he got away from me.”

“Who was here, Katie?”

She looked up. The glare from a passing car lent her eyes a lustrous sheen.

“Alice. Call me Alice from now on, okay? Do you know what time it is? The days all seem to blur into one.”

******************************************************

Adam L. Bealby writes fantasy, horror and weird fiction for both adults and children. His short stories and comic work have been published in numerous anthologies, including Spooked (Bridge House Publishing), Pagan (Zimbell House Publishing), Darkness Abound (Migla Press), Once Upon a Scream (HorrorAddicts.net), Sirens (World Weaver Press), World Unknown Review Vol. 2, rEvolution (MiFiWriters) and Murky Depths magazine. He lives in Worcestershire, UK with his wife and three children, and a harried imagination. 

Catch up with his latest ravings at @adamskilad.

Once Upon a Scream, featuring “The Other Daughter” by Adam L. Bealby

Once Upon a Scream…there was a tradition of telling tales with elements of the fantastic along with the frightful. Adults and children alike took heed not to go into the deep, dark woods, treat a stranger poorly, or make a deal with someone-or something-without regard for the consequences. Be careful of what you wish for, you just might get it. From wish-granting trolls, to plague curses, and evil enchantresses, these tales will have you hiding under the covers in hopes they don’t find you. So lock your doors, shutter your windows, and get ready to SCREAM.

HorrorAddicts.net

for Horror Addicts, by Horror Addicts

Listen to the HorrorAddicts.net podcast for the latest in horror news, reviews, music, and fiction.

HorrorAddicts.net Press

www.horroraddicts.net

Book Spotlight: Edging

Today I shine the spotlight on the horror novel, Edging by Michael Schutz. I have a look at the book, an excerpt, plus the book trailer. Enjoy!

Edging by Michael Schutz

Intenze is the newest designer drug. Take it, and nightmares come alive. The fears of all those who “edge” summon the Thirst—a living miasma that thrives on terror. Rick Carlson needs to protect his family and dear friends from the horrifying storm that’s coming, but they don’t all want to be saved. And time is running out.

Edging is available at Amazon

Excerpt:

Steven loved scary movies, same as his girlfriend, Trish. Horror fiction not so much, she had confided to him, though she’d read all the bestsellers. No, she liked to see the faces full of terror, watch movement in the shadows of good cinematography, and hear the heartbeat thumps of a menacing score.

That’s why Steven thought she’d love to edge.

His upstairs neighbor had come knocking just as Steven was heading out for the gym. Kenny’s dark unlined face and retro Jheri curl placed his age anyway from twenty to forty. In the past they’d struck up a friendly rapport at the mailboxes out front. He invited Kenny in, feeling underdressed in his own apartment. Kenny was decked out in an olive green suit with red shirt and red pocket square while Steven wore his blue track suit with his Brewers cap hiding his unkempt shaggy brown hair.

Facing each other on the couch, Kenny stared at Steven with red-ringed brown eyes throbbing with intensity while the gentle cadences of his pitchman’s speech lulled Steven into a sort of trance.

“It’s a further distillation of lysergic acid diethylamide.” Kenny sounded like a marijuana aficionado waxing philosophical about strains of Kush.

“L.S.D.”

 “Yeah. Paired with a particular strain of psilocybin. The drug targets the fear center of the brain to induce mild panic, hallucinations, stressed heart rate—”

“It gives you a bad trip.”

Kenny shrugged. “What’s ‘bad’? People shell out millions of dollars a year at Six Flags. Every summer, some new Destination or Scream movie rakes in at the box office. All to scare people who can afford a hundred bucks to take the family out.” He held up a flat, tiny white disc on the tip of his finger. “This baby’s just twenty bucks for the same thing. It’s called edging.”

Steven took the little pill into his hand. It weighed nothing and looked so innocuous lying in his palm that he found it hard to argue with his neighbor’s rationale.

“It looks like aspirin.” He turned it over. The imprint on the other side read 1N10Z.

“Actually,” Kenny said, “it was. Now it’s the delivery mechanism. That there,” he pointed to the imprint, “is where this baby gets its name—Intenze.”

“Listen, Kenny, I don’t do drugs.”

Kenny shrugged again and reached to take the pill away. Steven pulled his hand back an inch.

“But you say it’s just, like, entertainment?”

Kenny smiled. “Its physical effects are like riding that big coaster at Disneyland. The hallucinations are like walking through a Halloween haunted house: spooky faces, shadows stalking around. But it’s different for everyone. Auditory sometimes—voices, you know?”

“That doesn’t sound fun.”

“This only lasts half a minute.”

Steven laughed. “And that sounds like a rip-off!”

“Brother,” Kenny lowered his voice, “you take this, it’s the most intense horror movie you’ve ever seen. Because you’re in it. It’s all around you, and you’re participating. It’s one freight train of a rush. But, c’mon, if that kind of high lasted too long, you’d blow your circuits.”

Book Trailer

 

Author Bio:

Michael Schutz was born and raised in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, where the macabre tales of Ray Bradbury and Stephen King kept him warm at night. He’s seen way too many horror movies to be healthy and blogs and podcasts about them on Darkness Dwells. He is the author of the novels Edging and Blood Vengeance and the novella Uninoch. His short fiction has been featured most recently in Crossroads in the Dark II: Urban Legends, Dark Moon Digest, Sanitarium, and the anthologies Beasts: Revelations, Beyond the Nightlight, and Cranial Leakage: Tales from the Grinning Skull. He lives with his three naughty cat-children in northern California. You can keep tabs on him at: http://www.michaelschutzfiction.com

B2BCyCon Horror Genre Tour: My Type of Horror by Carol James Marshall

Welcome to the 2017 Brain To Books Convention! 

This is a stop on the 

Out of the Shadows Horror Genre Tour!

Welcome to the Blood Spring!

For this part of the Out of the Shadows Tour, I bring you a delightfully intriguing post on inspiration, monsters and the love of the genre by author Carol James Marshall. Enjoy...

My Type of Horror by Carol James Marshall

The horror genre is massive. The streets of horror are connected to side roads. Those side roads are connected to dirt roads. Fair warning no good can come from a dirt road on the horror path.  There seems no way of mapping the horror genre it is something that must be explored. Many steer clear of the horror roads, being afraid of where they lead to.  I have been down many of those roads trying my best to discover what branch of horror I liked. The horror inclination was always tugging at me giving me the need to wander in it finding where I fit in.

This is article isn’t for or against any facet of horror.  In writing my Women of the Grey series I am constantly surprised at what my readers find creepy, unsettling while others find the same section mysterious and poetic. The fact that this happens is a tell of human nature. While some people smell the flowers, others stomp them, and some plant them.

In my wanderings down the horror path I discovered my horror love is classic horror mixed with some camp. I’ll be the first to line up for a Hammer film festival or to see Elvira at local venue.  I am not a blood and guts fan. My heart belongs to monsters, Kaiju, and those creepy things that go bump in the night. Most of all my heart pumps for those terrifying things that visit us from outer space.

My fandom for monsters and classic horror started off when I was very young. I might have been the only 8 year old on the block watching Godzilla movies, not sure. Thinking back at such a young age my love for these monsters came from admiration. Who wouldn’t want to be Godzilla? If you’re having an awful day wouldn’t it be great to just knock down a building? As a kid I didn’t think about the logistics of knocking down the building, I just knew I wanted to be Godzilla.

As I grew older my tastes for monsters progressed. I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds and had my mind blown by the fact that there was other type of monsters out there. Everyday things could be a monster, just like the birds in the movie. By the way I’m still a bit wary of large groups of birds, being almost certain that they are called a murder of crows for a reason.

In my teen years I discovered Tolkien. Orcs were a new type of monster. After my Lord of the Rings obsession (read the series 5 times) came the Alien movie franchise. As I grew older my palate for monsters was developing. My palate became enhanced more than what was typical. I can clearly remember the first time I watched Pan’s Labyrinth; the eye holding, saggy skin, kid eating monster that our heroine narrowly escapes shook me down and woke me up. That, I could point a finger at, was my type of horror.

There were other things before Pans Labyrinth that put the stepping-stones down for my education into horror. I watched things like Faces of Death and I read Stephen King. I took long walks with Anne Rice books bringing along her vampires and witches.  I did these things to further explore the horror path. I wanted to know how many places it could lead me to. The Faces of Death movies weren’t for me. Stephen King books were a pleasure to read and his movies enjoyable. Anne Rice vampires were seductive, her witches intriguing.

There was so much out there to understand about my relationship with horror, why I liked it and what I liked. Horror is not one solid thing. What is one person’s horror is another person’s main stream; some might believe to have horror you must have torture or captivity. While others might believe to have horror there must be a guy with a mask and machete romping around some lake. 

When it is discovered that I am a writer the first thing people ask is what genre I write. When I say I am a horror author some immediately put their hands up explaining to me that they can’t handle it, don’t like it. “Oh girl, I can’t sleep at night after reading that stuff.” I understand that, but I invite readers to stick a toe in any way. Try my books or other horror authors. Horror isn’t just one thing; horror is many things that can challenge the reader into feeling emotions that perhaps they haven’t explored in a long time.

My cousin and I often had horror, let’s call them discussions she loved the movies I run from. She wanted to watch movies where the human spirit is challenged by little men on tricycles. When I asked her why, she said that she would become engrossed into trying to figure out how she would survive such an ordeal. My cousin is a survivor she’s been through a lot, it added up and made sense.

Another avid fan of gore horror books and movies told me it wasn’t the horror that he loved most of all, but the psychology of it. I often hear this, horror takes us to places within ourselves that we would rather not explore. Horror can have the reader questioning themselves. What would I do? What could I handle? It’s actually not about the zombies, but about how the people handle the zombies.

As a writer I am still on my monster hunt, but now I create them. My current manuscript The Demon Dealer is a nod to the great Stephen King and my love for the show Stranger Things. My books are me still searching, traveling down those horror roads figuring out what makes me jump back and take notice. 

For me the scariest thing of all is the unknown. It’s not that there is something under that bed. It’s the not knowing what that thing is. Because of that I fill my books with mystery. I want the reader to get the creeps over what “it” might be.  Those dark corners of the unknown are where I find myself most often.

If you haven’t tried horror before maybe it’s time you go find your monster; you might learn something about yourself that was hidden on one of those dirt roads.

Carol James Marshall is a new adult author of the Women of the Grey series that likes to flirt with science fiction and horror. Carol James Marshall is also appearing this weekend in the B2BCyCon Book Expo, Blog Hop and Author Showcase.