Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Wednesday, 14 October 2020

October Frights Day 5: Dark Poetry Corner

Today it is time for my annual dark poetry corner, and I have three offerings for you today. I'm stepping away from witches today into the macabre magic of the undead and the Fae. Enjoy.

Bleed Me to Life

Immortality

written within the tomb

Saddened fatality

beneath the moon

Who am I,

to stalk the shadows?

Who am I,

but a corpse

Blood through the veins

Substance to hunger

You are Life

I am Death

You always crave

what you cannot have

A momentary glimpse;

the warmth of breath

against decaying skin

when I hold you, mesmerized

Your lifeblood stolen

to feed my eternity

It is not enough,

our flirting dance,

your poignant demise

Even though you've given

me this façade of life,

prolonged my existence

I long to join you

in life or death

Not this forever in-between

As the Shadows Dance

As the shadows dance

under the moon,

against shafts of light

reflecting fire,

the whispering wind

murmurs the names

of the wandering Fae

Among the trees, they move,

one with the night,

sapphire eyes searching

for the ghosts lingering

on the edge of forever

Left there long ago

by careless words

and broken hearts

Suspended souls, waiting

for broken Fae promises

to be kept

Now it is time

for the reaping

Now it is time

for the payment come due

The night wails

for the lost souls,

The night mourns

as the Fae collect

And the wind howls;

the last sound of

human trust

Breathless and Chilled

In the shadow of the frost,

a last whisper past the twilight,

there creeps a sigh

and a glimmer of the moon

Once he held a rose,

the warmth around his heart,

now he sees only ghosts

in the barren, solitary tomb

underneath the ice

Winter blows,

down the long road

Winter settles,

in the truth

And her voice echoes,

in his lies

Here's a free book for you

Visions and Nightmares

And don’t forget our group giveaway with 23 great books available.

Ends October 31st.

Check the books out here.

The October Frights Giveaway

And I have another great giveaway!

C.L. Cannon’s Myths & Legends Reader Giveaway

And be sure to continue on with the rest of our hoppers to see what they’re up to.

Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC

Always Another Chapter

Spreading the Writer's Word

Yours in Storytelling

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

October Frights Day 4: Soul's Day

Today I have another book spotlight for the supernatural box set, Souls Day. Enjoy.

Soul’s Day Boxset

This Halloween, Soul’s Day brings you all the creepiest, the horror, terror, mysteries, thriller and paranormal unexplained.

Old Hallows Eve, when things go bump in the night,
Children come to play, and the witches provide the fright.
For 19 authors, USA Today and international bestselling,
The Halloween tales become more than this foretelling.
In the Soul's Day Boxset, a mansion feeds on souls,
A gargoyle captures them, and a demon dungeon master makes the calls,
Campers get picked off one by one,
The Karnaval's corn dogs are less than fun,
Ghosts lurking around every bend,
'I do' at the wedding is the very end.
A boxset of chills and thrills to keep you up at night,
One-click pre-order to snap your copy filled with fright.
On old Hallow's eve when creatures come to play,
With this spine chilling pages, it's where you'll want to stay.

A boxset filled with all kinds of weird, the unexplained, terror and survival from unearthly beings.

Pre-order Today: Soul's Day

Releases October 20th

AND BE SURE TO GRAB THE PRE-ORDER SPECIAL GIFT

BUY SOUL'S DAY AND CLICK FOR YOUR GIFT

https://soulsdayboxset.com/pre-order-gift/

Here's a free book for you
Visions and Nightmares

And don’t forget our group giveaway with 23 great books available.
Ends October 31st.

Check the books out here.
The October Frights Giveaway

And I have another fabulous giveaway!

C.L. Cannon’s Myths & Legends Reader Giveaway

And be sure to continue on with the rest of our hoppers to see what they’re up to.

Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC

Always Another Chapter

Spreading the Writer's Word

Yours in Storytelling

Monday, 12 October 2020

October Frights Day 3: Drabble Time with Witches

Today is drabble day and I'm serving up three stories of dark witches. Enjoy.

Curse

“The cursed are mine, only fodder for the worms.”

I shivered, trying to bury the sounds in my pillow. I knew it would do no good.

“Tonight you die.”

I leapt out of bed, unable to stand it. I looked out the window, knowing what I would see. She stood at the edge of the forest. Long ragged hair, shrouded in rags and blue light, her black eyes staring into my soul.

“I will come for you under the twice cursed moon.”

I looked up to see the moon. I heard her laugh and felt a hand on my shoulder.

Lady of Ravens

“Does the Lady of Ravens really walk the forest?”

“Indeed, she does, little one. Best stay away from the woods.” My grandmother ruffled my hair, and I smiled, but didn’t listen. I went into the forest.

“Where are you, Lady of Ravens?”

“Right here.” A dark figure materialized from the air and trees, her clawed hand grabbing my arm, her mouth open to devour me. I screamed, “No, please, don’t kill me!”

“Too late. Unless you trade the one you love the most. Will you trade?”

I nodded. Laughing, she let go.

I ran home to find my grandmother missing.

Caged

“Do you like my little bird?”

The peculiar woman smiled at Arthur; all taffeta and lace ruffles, holding a small gilt birdcage. The creature tweeted at him; a sad little sound.

“Your pet doesn’t seem happy.”

“No, I don’t think he is. Will you set him free?”

Her voice hypnotized Arthur, and he reached out, fumbling with the latch. The bird flew at him in a flurry of wings and claws. Arthur gasped, pain searing through his body, and he passed out. As he regained consciousness, he looked out through gilt bars at a dead man lying on the cobblestones.

Get your free book.
Download Visions and Nightmares from Amazon

And don’t forget our group giveaway with 23 great books available.

Ends October 31st.

Check the books out here.

The October Frights Giveaway

And be sure to continue on with the rest of our hoppers to see what they’re up to.

Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC

Always Another Chapter

Spreading the Writer's Word

Yours in Storytelling

Sunday, 11 October 2020

October Frights Day 2: Fairy Tales Punk'd

Today I have a spotlight on a mythpunk anthology I'm part of, called Fairy Tales Punk'd. This upcoming illustrated anthology takes fairy tales, folklore and fables and twists them into the worlds of steampunk, clockpunk, dieselpunk, and beyond. I'm honoured to be a part of the book, but I won't be showcasing my story today. No, I'm spotlighting one of my fellow authors, K.A. Lindstrom and her tale The Great Astrolabe of Einsem.

The Great Astrolabe of Einsem

The children of Einsem begin to disappear just as the machine at the heart of the village starts to malfunction.

In an isolated town, the people rely on the Astrolabe to tell them when to plant, when to harvest, when to work, and when to celebrate. But while everyone is in the fields, the town’s misfits start to wonder if something might be wrong with it.

The story is loosely based on The Pied Piper of Hamelin but evolved into a gothic horror story with a creepy supernatural beast.

For more on and her story check out her recent interview.

FAIRY TALE FRIDAY: SPOTLIGHT ON K.A. LINDSTROM

Coming soon... Fairy Tales Punk'd

Here's a free book for you
Visions and Nightmares

And don’t forget our group giveaway with 23 great books available.

Ends October 31st.

Check the books out here.
The October Frights Giveaway

And be sure to continue on with the rest of our hoppers to see what they’re up to.

Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC

Always Another Chapter

Spreading the Writer's Word

Yours in Storytelling

Saturday, 10 October 2020

October Frights Day 1: Introductions and Judgement

Welcome to the first day of the October Frights Blog Hop, the annual spookfest where horror and paranormal author get together and bring you creepy scares. The Hop runs from the 10th-15th and we have seventeen participants this year, so join us for some dark delights.

This year, I'm doing a witch/magic theme in honour of my new release, Past Legends (which I showcase on the 15th) and today I have a flash fiction story and a gift.

First the gift.

From October 10th until October 14th you can download my horror fantasy story collection Visions and Nightmares for free! That's right free.

Check it out.

With the odds stacked against them, can these ten women survive... or will they succumb to the threat of revenge, fate, and death?

Wander into the realm of the old gods with Elenora, where humanity and marriage are a prison.
Step through a looking glass of dark horrors with an Alice you never knew.
Join with Zenna to seek the truth as her death by magic grows closer.
Journey with Olivia as she crosses paths with a monster of the forest and runs for her life.
Watch Isobel summon the faerie to solve her problem of an unwanted husband.
Shiver as Doctor Killbride experiments with corpses to create life from death.
All that and more await within the pages.

In the twilight shadows, secrets are revealed in the whispers of madness and the world shifts… Who will persevere? Who will fall? And who will succumb to their inner evil?

Find out in Visions and Nightmares.

Warning: This book contains disturbing scenes that may be upsetting to some readers.

Download for Free

And now here's the story.

Judgement

The dank air stilled, not a whisper of a breeze. Bitter cold seeped into my bones, and little light filtered through the grey sky to illuminate the way. I wanted to turn back, to run screaming from this path, but that was not a choice I could make. The rune mark on my hand condemned me to this fate.
The elders sentenced me to seek judgement for my crimes.
As I arrived at the temple, I saw her, Aresis, Goddess of Judgement. Standing statuesque, pale skin shimmering, and dressed in shining silver robes with a sword in each hand. Her eyes were closed, her expression stark underneath slicked back alabaster hair. I noticed a mark tattooed on her forehead; a match to mine.
I whimpered, and she opened her eyes. There was no running, no hiding now.
She stared at me, glancing at the mark on my hand. “Tell me your crimes.”
I shivered at the soft tone of her voice, and my throat went dry. I croaked, “The elders of my village accused me of heresy. Of breaking traditional law. Of disobedience to the church.”
“These are useless words. Tell me your crimes.”
I swallowed, shaking in fear. I didn’t want to tell her my sins. But I had no choice. “I refused to follow the church edicts. I refused to shun those who the elders deemed unworthy.”
The Goddess frowned. “Who were deemed unworthy?”
I hung my head, my words barely a whisper. “Those who could not, or refused to pay, the church taxes. Those who would not give the gods their due.” I looked up, my eyes pleading for mercy. “But I am a healer. I can not turn away those in need, even if they have wronged the gods. I treated all who came to me for aid and helped those in need.” I sighed and lowered my gaze to the ground. “I never meant to disrespect the gods, but I would do it again.”
I felt her move closer; her icy fingers touched my chin and lifted my head. I stared into her grey, piercing eyes, terror seizing me. Yet, she smiled.
“Good. The gods ask for no monetary tribute, only faith and kindness. You have shown more adherence to the gods than your church and elders. They are the ones that have sinned. And they are the ones who will feel my judgement.”
She stepped back, swinging her swords. They sang through the air, splitting the sky with a razor-edged clang, and the wind howled in a sudden gale that forced me to my knees. Thunder rattled my bones and lightning streaked across the firmament as a bloody rain fell in torrents. My skin and clothes soaked red, and I wept until it ended.
Then I heard the Goddess's voice.
“Return home. Your village will have need for a kind soul and a healer. They will have a need for a leader. The ones they had are all dead now.”
I dared not look at her, only turned and fled, the blood of my accusers stained into my soul.

We also have a group giveaway with 23 great books available.
Ends October 31st.

Check the books out here.

The October Frights Giveaway

And be sure to continue on with the rest of our hoppers to see what they’re up to.

Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC
Hawk's Happenings
Heidi Angell
Curiosities
James McDonald
Always Another Chapter
Spreading the Writer's Word
Yours in Storytelling
Carmilla Voiez
Hello Romance
GirlZombieAuthors
Frighten Me
M'habla's!
Angela Yuriko Smith
Brain Matter
NLCARTERWRITES.COM

Pages

Wednesday, 14 October 2020

October Frights Day 5: Dark Poetry Corner

Tuesday, 13 October 2020