What is something unique/quirky about you?
My first job after college was a belly dancer at The Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas where I also learned to walk and dance on stilts. Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I didn’t grow up knowing that I wanted to be a writer, it happened by accident. I was always obsessed with stories, movies first and then as I got older, I became a reader. When I was getting my Master’s Degree in Media and Journalism Studies, we had to take a graduate course outside of our degree focus. I thought I wanted to be a film critic so I took screenwriting as my outside course. The only assignment for screenwriting was to pitch and write a full-length screenplay. So, I pitched and wrote a screenplay about my dad’s life story. He had been an investigator for the Nevada Gaming Control Board in the 1970’s and uncovered the skim portrayed in the movie casino. The class loved the story. The pitch was supposed to be around twenty minutes, but I ended up talking for the entire class period which was about an hour and a half. I ended up turning that screenplay into a treatment, getting an agent, and writing my first book—Hit Me! Fighting the Las Vegas Mob by the Numbers. In that process, I found that I loved writing and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Who is your hero and why?
My parents are my heroes. They both had incredible careers and raised my siblings and me with so much love and support. My dad was a law enforcement agent and then went into the casino business and became one of the most successful casino executives in the industry. He passed away about ten years ago, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. His motto in life was “Love is the most powerful force in the Universe.” He truly believed that. He helped so many people. My mom was a professional dancer and ballerina. She’s the epitome of grace and beauty. Now in her 70s, she recently launched her second career. She invented and patented a new nail care tool. She’s incredible and so filled with love.
What inspired you to write Roll Them Bones?
I grew up in the casino business. When I was about twelve, we even lived in a casino for almost a year. When my family moved from Las Vegas to Atlantic City and our house was being built we lived at the Taj Mahal (now Hard Rock) Casino. Then later in my dad’s career, he worked at Resorts Casino Hotel. While he was there, I learned about the history of the building, I toured the basements, saw the twelve-and-a-half floor, and heard all of the ghost stories. The building has such an incredible history and trust me when I tell you, the basement is creepy! I thought it would make the perfect setting for a horror.
Convince us why you feel your story is a must read.
Roll Them Bones is inspired by a real place with an incredible history. The Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel, which is now Resorts Casino Hotel, was built in the 1920s. During World War II, the hotel was converted to the Thomas England General Hospital which was the largest surgical hospital during that time. Roll Them Bones takes the history of the building and infuses it with the true history of the occult, some conspiracies from that era, and merges it with a modern spin. Roll Them Bones is a spine-tingling read with a unique setting. At its heart it’s the origin story of a new female anti-hero, Lillith, that will leave you craving more of her.
What is your advice to new authors?
I will give new writers the same advice that I received and led me to write Roll Them Bones—write what you know. I know the casino business and as a trained researcher and journalist I know how to do research. With Roll Them Bones, I started with a strong foundation built on what I know. This foundation allowed my imagination to run wild and create a completely off-the-wall, fun, terrifying story that’s grounded in fact.
Winning at this casino can be HELL
Roll Them Bones
by Danielle Gomes
Genre: Supernatural Thriller, Horror
A gripping supernatural thriller where the house always wins—unless you’re willing to burn it all down.
When Lilith Umbra flees Las Vegas for a fresh start at the Golden Sands Casino in Atlantic City, she thinks she’s escaping her tragic past. But some fates can’t be outrun.
Strange occurrences plague the crumbling casino: phantom sounds, impossible shadows, and visions that feel disturbingly real. Local journalist Sharp insists the building is cursed, while her charismatic boss Amon dismisses such claims as nonsense.
But when Lilith uncovers a mysterious book detailing the rituals of a powerful occult organization, she realizes the truth is far more sinister than any ghost story.
As ancient prophecies collide with modern ambition, Lilith discovers she hasn’t stumbled into evil’s path—she’s been guided there. With allies who may be enemies and time running out, she faces an impossible choice that will determine not just her fate, but the fate of humanity itself.
Perfect for fans of supernatural thrillers who love unreliable narrators, shocking twists, and stories where nothing is as it seems.
Some games are rigged from the start. But sometimes, the only way to win is to change the rules entirely.
Edgeweaver Books-Amazon-Apple-B&N-Google-Kobo-Bookbub-Goodreads
Excerpt from Roll Them Bones by Danielle Gomes
“How big is the basement area?” I ask, a weak attempt to dispel the quiet.
“It’s
very large. The shipping dock unloads to an underground warehouse, so
we have some storage areas. Facilities has a few offices down here. Then
everything’s connected by these tunnels. It’s very safe, just don’t
explore alone ‘til you really learn your way around.”
“I don’t plan on spending much time down here.”
“The
tunnels can be very confusing. Some lead nowhere. They used to run
under the street and connect multiple buildings, but most of those
buildings have been torn down and the tunnels closed off.”
I
have to jog a little to keep up with Peter, he’s moving so quickly . . .
for which I’m grateful. We take a quick left, followed by a right, and
another left—I think.
“Am I going too fast?” Peter yells back to me.
“Nope,”
I say as my heel catches and I stumble, nearly going down. As I regain
my balance, I turn to look for whatever caught my heel. It felt like a
trick kids do to each other, but I don’t see anything that could have
tripped me.
“Sorry,” Peter says. “I should’ve told you to wear your walking shoes.”
“I
should know better than to wear shoes like this to work.” Mom’s
insistence that heels belong in a workplace hadn’t considered a basement
tour. The lights flicker then go dark. It’s pitch black. “Peter!” I
grope at the darkness, searching for something to hang onto. My fingers
brush across something soft—Peter’s sweater. I grab on. The dark is so
absolute that my fingers instinctively tighten into a frenzied clutch,
as though this sweater is the only thing that anchors me to the real
world. “I’m sorry,” I say.
“Did you say something?” His voice is
much too far away. Whatever I’m holding onto, it isn’t Peter’s sweater.
Immediately, I let go and swallow as a current of cold, dense air pours
down on me. “Peter?”
“Yeah, I’m here,” he yells from up ahead.
“Where?”
I know someone is right by me and it’s not Peter. My scalp tingles like
thousands of ants have poured out of the darkness and are working their
way through my hair. As I gasp for air, I’m hit with the acrid aroma of
old fabric, wet and rotten. Part of me wants to thrash my arms, wildly
fighting off whatever is close, but the other part wants to shrink back
and hide in the dark.
“Just a little farther up. It’s very dark. Hold on.”
I freeze. Even my breath becomes shallow. Tears burn.
I’m completely and utterly paralyzed.
Something inches closer.
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Bookbub-Goodreads Danielle Gomes is an accomplished author, freelance journalist, and brand development specialist known for her dynamic, cinematic storytelling and ability to blend real-world themes with suspenseful narratives. She holds a Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), a foundation that supports her diverse work in nonfiction, fiction, and media. Gomes gained recognition with Hit Me! Fighting the Las Vegas Mob by the Numbers, a gripping true crime book co-authored with Jay Bonansinga that chronicles her father’s efforts to dismantle mob influence in 1970s Las Vegas. She later ventured into science fiction with EVE-0 and Lucien, a high-stakes thriller series exploring genetic engineering and global pandemics. Her work has earned critical acclaim, including a Telly Award and a Videographer's Award of Excellence for a documentary short on homelessness. She is a member of the Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, and Horror Writers Association.
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The Seven Sins portrayed as demons
The Devil is hawt and unhinged
Forbidden love
The origin story of Hell and Pride himself
First Time…for demons new to human forms
Betrayal and revenge
Grief
Old fantasy meets dark fantasy
”I won’t stop until he’s dead.”
Gluttony making guacamole
Kishōtenketsu structure