UF Author Kaylin McFarren: Shares a scary story! + excerpt

KAYLIN MCFARREN’S SCARY STORY 

Some people believe that the horror film character Freddy Kruger was based on a real life serial killer who lived in Rockville, Iowa in the 1800s. According to rumor, Mr. Kruger was known to have killed at least twenty children within a three-mile radius of where he lived and murdered most of the children using only a garden claw. But that’s pure fiction, designed by Hollywood to give children nightmares.

The true story involves Felix Kroger, a janitor that was harassed on a daily basis by mean children—bullies attending classes at Ridgefield High School. Reaching the end of his rope, he locked the exits during first period, lit a fire in the mechanical room after dousing it with gas, then tripped and hit his head, while trying to escape the flames. Firefighters freed everyone in the school, however, burns covered over 70% of Kroger’s body.

In the hospital recovering, Police questioned Kroger but he refused to cooperate. They searched his home and found children’s targeted photos at his house. Two months later, he was tried for attempted murder, but found to be criminally insane. He spent the rest of his life in a psychiatric hospital before dying in his sleep at the age of 72. Then shortly after his death, more than a dozen teenagers were found dead in their beds, the result of smoke inhalation. Family members and friends claimed they died as the result of vaping, but the burn marks on their hands remain unexplained to this day.

As one might expect, no one in Ridgefield vapes anymore and children living there deeply appreciate their janitors and the hard work they do. Because you never know who might be watching.

(Actually, I just found this picture and made all that💩💩up.) 

Hope you had a wonderful Halloween everyone!👻

SOUL SEEKER (Gehenna Book 1)

by Kaylin McFarren
Oct 27, 2020 
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
ISBN: 9798665284903
Number of pages:308
Cover Artist: Amanda Yoshida

"...a new urban paranormal, romance adventure taking you to the world of celestial politics, supernatural demons, guardian angels, soul collectors and other dark, maligning creatures referred to as humans."

Crighton Daemonium arrives in the peaceful town of Lochton, Illinois, searching for wicked souls to add to his count. Benjamin Poe, a devoted husband, father and firefighter, finds himself in a battle of wills against this evil, manipulating demon, while protecting his only son. Ultimately, Poe is tricked into committing murder, and Crighton is rewarded with the soul he was sent to retrieve.

Following Poe’s execution, Crighton continues his dark malevolent duties, until he's kidnapped by members of The Sovereign Sector. This group of scientists, notorious for experimenting on supernatural creatures, forces Crighton into a soulmate relationship with the very angel he was sent to capture for the King of Hell, Lucifer.

With secrets revealed, darkness rules and loyalties shift. The demonic soul-seeker soon becomes the target of Lucifer's revenge, and his journey to redemption and freedom—or eternal enslavement—begins.

(Winner of the 2020 NYC Big Book Awards for Cross Genre)

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Book Trailer 1: https://youtu.be/ZdopUKpfHpM

Book Trailer 2: https://youtu.be/yJG9_9xUQUA

 

Excerpt: 
"Are you aware of our situation?" 

"Of course, I'm aware," Poe snapped. "The date is approaching fast and we're running out of options." 

Beaudoin sighed. "It would seem so. But I haven't given up hope just yet. We can still try for an insanity plea, although I know how you feel about that." He paused a moment to study Poe's tired eyes. "I've seen it work even this late in sentencing. If there's one chance to keep you alive, Ben, then we need to–" 

"Counselor, it's over. You and I both know that. I'm done fighting. If I plead insanity, they'll send me away to the State hospital...and I don't want to spend what time I have left in that place. But I don't want to go home either. There's nothing left for me there." He leaned forward, resting his elbow the counter. "I know I'm not crazy, and I understand the seriousness of it. But I swear to you it was never my intention to kill him." He paused. "Not Gabriel. Not my son." 

"Can I be frank with you, Ben?" 

He nodded. 

"Any ordinary case would have resolved itself by now, but as you're very well aware, this is far from ordinary. Your son's blood was found on your clothes. The same caliber revolver found in your possession matched his wounds, and you never denied firing it. Yet you continue to claim your innocence. Which begs the question..." Beaudoin paused briefly, choosing his words carefully. "If you didn't kill your son, as you'd like me to believe, then who did?" 

Poe tipped his head to the side. "I never claimed he was killed by someone else, Mr. Beaudoin. If you read the transcripts, my story has never changed. Not one iota." The crease between Poe's eyebrows deepened. "I was the one who pulled the trigger. I was the one who fired all six shots. My son Gabriel died by my hand, but like I said, it was never my intention to kill him. The six rounds I fired were meant for someone else." 

Beaudoin slapped his hand on the counter. "Right! That's what you said before. Someone else was there. But who, Mr. Poe?" He paused, exasperated. "And why? Because you refuse to admit your guilt. You refuse to take responsibility for your actions. Yet here I am...trying my best to keep you alive." 

Poe sighed. "I've accepted my fate, Mr. Beaudoin. I don't expect any favors, but after everything you've done for me, you deserve to hear it all. The whole truth. I've never shared this with anyone because no one would ever believe me. But there's no point now in keeping it a secret any longer. I just want to leave this world knowing I held nothing back." 

Beaudoin shook his head. "And you wait until now to share this?" 

"I know, but I swear the story I'm about to tell you is the God's honest truth." 

Beaudoin could see his own reflection in the Plexiglas barrier and it looked as shocked as he felt. He shrugged and said, "Very well then, you've got my full attention, Mr. Poe." 

"You'll think I'm crazy. That much is certain. You might even demand that I plead insanity after you hear my explanation. But all I ask from you is to hear me out. Nothing more. Then you decide if the devil was there...or if he's sitting in this room right now." 

Beaudoin eyed Poe, trying to decide if this bit of storytelling was worth his time. He tugged on his shirt sleeve and glanced down at his watch. It was 10:58AM and he had more than forty minutes to spare before his next meeting. So what did he have to lose, aside from his patience? Blowing out an exaggerated breath, he answered, "Okay, I'm listening." 

Poe shifted on his seat and appeared to be collecting his thoughts. Or maybe he was formulating his story. Then he began.: 

"It happened two weeks before Christmas. The fire at College Inn. Do you remember that?" 

Beaudoin nodded and waited for him to continue. 

"It was the night that everything was destroyed, including my life. You see, Mr. Beaudoin, up until then, I was a good Christian man, a loving father. I made an honest living. I provided a comfortable life for my family. I did everything by the book...everything that was expected of me." Poe rubbed his eyes and before he pulled his hands away, he continued, "I didn't know until that night that the world is full of monsters. Monsters with dark souls and claws, waiting for the chance to tear you apart."

About the Author:
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Kaylin McFarren has received more than 50 national literary awards, in addition to a prestigious Golden Heart Award nomination for FLAHERTY'S CROSSING - a book she and her oldest daughter, New York Times/USA Today best-selling author Kristina McMorris, co-wrote in 2008. Prior to embarking on her writing journey and developing the popular THREADS psychological thriller series, she poured her passion for creativity into her work as the director of a fine art gallery in the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon; she also served as a governor–appointed member of the Oregon Arts Commission.

When she's not traveling or spoiling her two pups and three grandsons, she enjoys giving back to her community through participation and support of various charitable, medical and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest. Her latest time-travel adventure, HIGH FLYING, asks challenging questions that will linger long after the final twists are revealed. Recently jumping to the supernatural thriller genre, Kaylin's clever SOUL SEEKER series leads readers into the pit of Hell, through the mechanisms of secret societies, and across the earth's crust, ever raising the stakes for her leading duo—a wicked demon and a saintly angel with secret earth-shattering agendas. With each story she writes, this author delivers unexpected twists and turns and keeps her readers on the edge of their seats, leaving them guessing and thoroughly entertained. 

#soulseeker #supernatural #thriller #angelsanddemons

Excerpt: Dr. Cushing's Chamber of Horrors by Stephen D. Sullivan + giveaway

Dr. Cushing's Chamber of Horrors (Cushing Horrors Book 1) 

by Stephen D. Sullivan (Author), Mark Maddox (Illustrator)

August 30, 2020

437 pages

The monsters aren’t only in the museum!

Despite a lifetime of traveling with their father to collect strange artifacts, twins Topaz and Opal Cushing have never fully believed in monsters or the supernatural. Oh, sure, they share an eerie psychic connection, and their tarot card readings often come true, but… Werewolves? Vampires? Living mummies? None of those could be real. Those legends are just for rubes. Right?

Since the girls’ father has been away, though, strange things have been happening in the family’s little exhibit—and in the waxworks studio that shares their dilapidated Victorian mansion on the outskirts of London. Now, the twins’ dreams of a fun, romantic summer season are turning into a nightmare, and the monsters are running...

Dr. Cushing’s Chamber of Horrors!

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Excerpt

The Werewolf – Transylvania

The Night of the Full Moon

The man moved through the moonlit forest at what for him probably seemed a quick and silent pace.

But, to the beast, his every footstep and rustle of clothing echoed like thunder. The man was slow, too, and he reeked of body odor and something the werewolf’s animal nature could barely identify—cologne, a terrible, unnatural stench.

Involuntarily, the wolf’s black lips curled away from its sharp teeth, and it nearly growled. But then it remembered itself. This was no ordinary man; this was its foe—the being it had been created to kill. And the beast knew instinctively that the man sought to destroy it, as well.

The werewolf feared nothing. The full moon beamed all her occult fury into its hairy frame. The preternatural animal could sense its own power, its own near invulnerability. All the world was its prey, and its talons and teeth were sharp enough to rend the flesh of any mortal.

And, yet, somehow, the monster knew that this man had the means to destroy it: weapons of silver—proof against even the supernatural power of the beast—and a gun loaded with silver bullets.

Reflexively, the wolf-thing clutched at its shoulder; blood still trickled there.

The creature’s memory was brief and blurry, but it remembered the man wounding it, not long after moonrise. They’d skirmished briefly, before the shot had rung out and the fire of silver tore through the monster’s shoulder.

The wolf had fled then, seeking the safety of the deeper woods, leaving the battered hunter amid the corpses of his hounds, which would track the beast no longer.

But the man had recovered, and it seemed he could track, too, though not as effectively as his dogs.

Nor as effectively as the wolf, for the monster had recovered, as well.

The silver-inflicted wound still stung it, but the bullet had passed cleanly through.

And the creature was strong—even when wounded—far stronger than any man.

The hunter moved quickly and nearly silently past the tree where the wolf lay waiting. The beast had hidden in the upper canopy, leaping from tree to tree, to avoid leaving a blood trail on the ground.

The wolf-thing was clever—more clever than the man, as well as stronger.

The time had come to prove it!

The monster sprang.

The hunter turned, as if sensing his peril at the last instant.

He raised his gun toward the werewolf’s slavering jaws.

BANG! 

About the Author:

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Stephen D. Sullivan has over sixty published titles to his name and helped create more comics and games than he can either list or remember.

A Scribe award-winner for “Best Novel Adaptation, 2016” with his book Manos: The Hands of Fate, Sullivan lives with his wife in a small town in Wisconsin.

You can contact him via Twitter, Facebook, Patreon, or on his website: www.stephendsullivan.com

Also, to add to the Halloween mischief, we'll be holding an Easter Egg hunt. One of our bloggers has agreed to post a picture of a werewolf. First one to find the werewolf and comment on "Werewolves, Mummies, Dr. Cushing's, oh, my!" wins the Easter Egg hunt. Good luck... :) 

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Fantasy author Jeri Westerson: The Clockwork in Steampunk

The Clockwork in Steampunk and Clockwork Gypsy 

By Jeri Westerson 

Clockwork, devices, goggles, and gears. Why are these things important to the steampunk aesthetic? And what is steampunk anyway?

I had to answer these questions myself when I embarked on my gaslamp fantasy/ steampunk series. I was interested in the aesthetic, which also involves a fanciful wardrobe of top hats and leather aviator-type garb added to lots of ruffles and corsets for the women. And since steampunk stories were usually set in a fantastical Victorian London, it naturally lent itself—at least it did so to me—to the fascinating world of magicians in this time period, where séances and the investigation into the next world compelled and enthralled, and science was still crossed with a certain level of mysticism, where maybe magic was a real possibility. I wanted to use a magician who summoned Jewish daemons to pepper his act with real magic.

My magician, Leopold Kazsmer is of Jewish/Romani heritage and ashamed of both to give him an interesting backstory that has everything to do with his current situation as a man who often helped out Scotland Yard when the crimes involved something more supernatural in nature.

In the first book in the Enchanter Chronicles series, THE DAEMON DEVICE (just released in audio), it sets the stage and introduces the characters who will help Leopold Kazsmer, the Great Enchanter, on his quest—a Jewish daemon who helped raise him when his father was killed; a living automaton of mysterious nature; his friend who died and was returned against his will as a ghost; and a secretive and special inspector from Scotland Yard, Mingli Zhao…about whom Leopold is wary…and besotted.

Steampunk can be characterized as a sub-genre of science fiction where it is set in a Victorian London that never was, in a world powered by steam…and often a little magic. So why is clockwork such a powerful device in the genre?

In my newest entry in the series, CLOCKWORK GYPSY, a Romani man has been slowly changed, bit by bit, gear by gear, into a clockwork man, and is naturally a bit peeved by this. He’s bent on revenge and he thinks he knows who the culprit is and goes on a rampage in order to kill him before his own mind is completely taken over by gears and pistons. Let’s face it, it’s scary, the whole idea of your body being consumed against your will with technology. But as we look at the late Victorian world, there is no greater technology than clockwork.

In fact, clockwork men or automatons go back far earlier, when clockwork itself was invented and refined. In seventeenth-century Japan, artists there created whole scenes of “puppets” generated by clockwork mechanisms, performed in automata theaters.

French engineer Jacques de Vaucanson created his Flute Player in 1737, who could perform twelve songs. He also created the Digesting Duck, who could quack, flap its wings, eat, and…well, digest and leave behind the result. 

There was Turk, the chess-playing automaton in 1767. There were several writing automatons who could write poetry and draw pictures. One in 1774 was made by Swiss clockmakers. Joseph Jacquard in 1801, essentially invented the computer when he built a loom automaton that was controlled autonomously with punched cards, much like early computers in the 1960s. 

Because clockwork is precise—and looks to all the world as if enchanted—is it too far to assume that they could be run by magic?

Clockwork Gypsy (Enchanter Chronicles Book 2)

by Jeri Westerson, illustrated by Robert Carrasco
October 31, 2020
Page count 280 
Five illustrations to come
$15.99 print/ $.99 ebook
ISBN 978-0-9982238-5-8, print
ISBN 978-0-9982238-7-2, ebook
A diabolical plot is afoot to kill thousands by connecting England’s railway lines to a deadly curse. The beautiful and mysterious Mingli Zhao, Special Inspector to Scotland Yard, enlists the help of Leopold Kazsmer, the Great Enchanter, who uses his skills with summoning Jewish daemons to perform true magic to help solve supernatural crimes. Meanwhile, a Hungarian Romani—part man, part clockwork—will stop at nothing to kill the man he believes is responsible for his hell of an existence that is slowly grinding his mind into the nothingness of gears and pistons. It’s a race against time for Leopold to stop the fiendish plot of the railway barons, fight off a plutocratic society of goblins, struggle to gain the romantic attentions of Miss Zhao…and discover the identity of the Clockwork Gypsy before he kills again.

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Series Book Trailer: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqxHaMm45rI 

About the Author:
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Los Angeles native JERI WESTERSON is the author of twelve Crispin Guest Medieval Noir Mystery novels, a series nominated for thirteen national awards from the “Agatha” to the “Shamus”. Her fifth novel BLOOD LANCE was named one of the Ten Hot Crime Novels for Colder Days by Kirkus Reviews, and her sixth, SHADOW OF THE ALCHEMIST, was named Best of 2013 by Suspense Magazine. For BOOKE OF THE HIDDEN, her urban fantasy series, Publishers Weekly said, “Readers sad about the ending of Charlaine Harris’s MIDNIGHT, TEXAS trilogy will find some consolation in Moody Bog.” The fourth and final in the series, THE DARKEST GATEWAY, releases October 2, 2019. Jeri also writes the humorous SKYLER FOXE LGBT MYSTERIES under the pen name Haley Walsh. Jeri’s short stories were included in several mystery anthologies, including Shaken: Stories for Japan (for the 2011 Earthquake Relief Fund). Jeri was also featured on two local NPR shows, “My Awesome Empire” and KVCR-Arts. She has served two terms as president of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, twice president of the Orange County Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and as vice president and California Crime Writers Conference co-chair for the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Interview: Horror author Luke Phillips (Beast Series) + giveaway

Can you, for those who don’t know already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?

I live in the county of Kent, which is the South East corner of England and I have always had a fascination with wildlife. As a kid, I would be the veritable Gerald Durrell, often bringing home the things I found, much to the annoyance of my family, and especially my sisters. I actually wanted to be a vet, and ended up studying zoology at university. But, from an early age, my teachers had encouraged me to write – advice which I ignored. However, over the years, creative writing has crept into virtually every job I’ve ever held, to the point that I finally embraced it – better late than never. And now, wildlife – both real and mythical, now features heavily in my writing. So, I definitely think it was meant to be and I took the path I was always meant to!

What are you passionate about?

I’m really passionate about wildlife conservation and protecting our natural world. Many real-world issues, such as ecoterrorism and the illegal wildlife trade feature in my books, and I also try to make regular contributions to animal charities off of my sales.

What do you do to unwind and relax?

I have a veritable need to be in nature. Hiking is a real escape for me. I have a connection to mountains and the ocean that is always pulling at me. I live in a lovely rural area where I can disappear up onto the local hills quite quickly and easily. Identifying birds, insects, and other wildlife whilst heading into the woods is a favourite pastime. I also love to wild swim.

The draw of a good book or five is hard for me to resist. I’ve very happy engrossed in a novel, but also read some incredible books in the name of research. And I enjoy cooking, as well as being a bit of a film fanatic!

Do you have a favourite movie?

Raiders of the Lost Ark is the standout for me. I can’t remember exactly how young I was, but it was young, when my mum came up to my bedroom and told me to come downstairs with her, and to bring my duvet. I dutifully obeyed, and watched Raiders of the Lost Ark for the very first time. I was transfixed. I think it is absolute classic story telling at its very best. And to this day, I always celebrate my birthday by watching Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Pale Rider is a close second, and another that I always tend to watch on my birthday!

Which of your novels can you imagine being made into a movie?

I think the second book, The Daughters of the Darkness, definitely has a blockbuster sort of feel about it. It has the exotic location of Africa, a great villain, a sidekick, and spectacular scenery, action sequences, and wildlife. I’ve always imagined Henry Cavill as potentially playing my main protagonist, Thomas Walker; Rebecca Ferguson as Catherine Walker, and Chris Hemsworth as Jericho O’Connell. They’ve all played complex characters with damaged pasts, and they would of course be on any author’s wish-list! I would love to see my work make it to the big screen. I’ve had lots of reviews from readers saying what great movies make, so hope spring’s eternal.

Interestingly enough though, with the first book, Shadow Beast, I always imagined this making a great autumnal TV mini-series. It has a noire feel, and the setting of the Scottish Highlands makes it perfect for snuggling up on the sofa to watch, within the safety and comfort of your own home. I remember when I was writing it, I cast it in my mind. Thomas was played by Hugh Dancy – who was playing Will Graham in Hannibal at the time, and I thought the aloofness, intelligence and baggage that character had lent itself to Thomas, as well as Dancy’s rugged, athletic look. Catherine I cast as Kara Tointon, who I’d seen in a number of theatre productions – Gaslight in particular, and in a little-known horror film, Last Passenger. She portrays strong, independent characters brilliantly and was a perfect fit for Catherine. For Fairbanks, my human villain, I have always wanted Tom Wilkinson – partly because he was excellent in The Ghost and the Darkness, which depicts some of the historical accounts of what my books are based on.

What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

In 2016, I visited Paris for the first time. I stayed in Montmartre, which has always been popular with artists and writers – and especially the Lost Generation; Hemingway, Fitzgerald and of course Gertrude Stein, who christened the band of disillusioned, American writers who set up in Paris after the Great War, and ushered in a new era of freedom of expression.

I read Hemingway’s ‘A Moveable Feast’ which depicts his time in Paris with a mouth-watering focus on its culinary delights. I also visited the cafés, bars and restaurants they favoured, as well as the places they went to for solace – walks along the Seine and little cobbled backstreets. And, of course, no writer’s trip to Paris is complete without a visit to Shakespeare & Co, the famous bookstore, where I spent far too much money on special editions, exploring the maze of floors and shelves, and then dipping into them over coffee in their conveniently adjoining café!

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

I guess if I don’t say a large black cat, people are going to think of me as a traitor! I certainly have an absolute fascination with big cats. I am in awe of their power and ability – the fact that they are unapologetically predatory in nature.

But, if we’re talking a daimon, in a ‘His Dark Materials’ kind of way, it would probably have to be an otter; they’re playful, inquisitive, intelligent, and have the most joyful personalities. My absolute favourite animals, and less likely to drag you off into the forest and eat you compared to a big black cat.

What inspired you to write this book?

I think like a lot of writers, it was simply a case of not being able to find the story I wanted to read. My head was full of these creatures, and every now and then a story pops up in the press about something being sighted, or a terrifying encounter that can’t be explained. So, one day, I just started writing. And now I hope I never stop.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I think one of the joys of being a self-published author is that I’m not bound by a specific genre or certain characters. In my head, and actually now mapped out on paper, I have a book universe. I’m currently working on book three in the series, and I introduce a new character who will be getting her own book, which I’m also working on. That will take me into real monster territory.

But, there’s also a science fiction story I really want to tell. And a children’s faerie story. I even have a crime thriller that I can’t seem to leave alone. Apart from book three in the Black Beast series, you can expect at least one more outing from Thomas and Catherine Walker after that, but from there, it gets interesting. The one thing I’m sure on is, the books will all exist in the same universe. My protagonist in the science fiction story will have gone to university with my protagonist from the Beast series. I am introducing elements of myths and the faerie realm into book three of the Beast series, which will set the foundation for the children’s story. There are some really exciting stories I’m hoping to tell over the next few years.

Shadow Beast (Beast Series Book 1)
by Luke Phillips

November 28, 2014

Print Length: 383 pages

Genre: Thriller
We just lost our place at the top of the food chain. Man is just meat.

It is only when the bones of its prey are discovered in a remote Scottish glen that the majesty and power of one of nature’s most successful predators is truly revealed. As it strikes silently from the shadows and on nights shrouded in darkness, a small village falls under siege to a remarkable creature. For thousands of years mankind has had the upper hand but now – suddenly, violently, bloodily – the balance of power has shifted.

When an isolated wildlife research centre launches an investigation, it is soon discovered that something out of place has made the Highlands its home and set its sights on the quiet village of Cannich. It will hunt, it will kill and it won’t let anything get in its way. Thomas Walker, a renowned wildlife specialist and former big game hunter, finds himself confronted with his past and an animal the likes of which he had never wanted to face again. As its devastating rampage goes unchecked and threatens his home, the woman he loves and his very way of life, an older and much more human adversary seeks him out. How long will any of them survive the presence of the beast in their shadow?

There are nearly 2,000 reported sightings of what have become known as mystery big cats across the UK every year. Some, such as the beasts of Bodmin and Dartmoor have become infamous. Their origin and identity remain unknown. Shadow Beast, the new chiller from Luke Phillips, offers a terrifying and deadly explanation.

"This was on par with Jurassic Park." Courtney L.

"This story has heart and soul in the midst of its rampaging terror." Bevi Debb

"His hero has the potential to be one of the most loved adventure icons, in the mould of Indiana Jones." A.K.S Ford

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Chapter Twenty-Four 
The creature stopped and glanced behind it, again scenting the air and listening to the baying dogs as they began to close in. It stepped off the trail and began to loop back, stealthily moving through the dense gorse, box, and hawthorn bushes that kept it hidden. Each calculated step brought it back onto an intercept course with its pursuers. It found a hollow a few yards from where it planned to meet the path again and hunkered down into it. It hunched its shoulders ready for the spring and became still amongst the brush, as the mist swirling around it steadily thickened. 

The large black and tan coonhound galloped along the fresh trail it was now on, baying eagerly as the lurid scent filled its sensitive nostrils. It didn’t feel the impact of the unseen force that lifted it into the air, and barely had time to let out a yelp of pain as slicing teeth severed its spine and cut through its torso. The dog hung limp between the creature’s jaws. It enjoyed the taste of the flesh but let the canine fall to the floor in a bloody ruin. It trotted along the trail at a faster pace this time, skilfully gauging the approach of the second dog before it disappeared into the thick gorse and brush for a second time. 

Lobo trotted along the trail. No longer able to hear Boomer ahead, the big dog immediately became more cautious and let out a low, warning growl. At Boomer’s sudden silence the men had started calling to the dogs more earnestly, but they were too far behind now for their commands to be heard clearly. The bloodhound in Lobo made him follow any trail to the end determinedly, and the mastiff in him made that unfortunate for anything he found there. The brindle coloured dog came to a halt over the mangled remains of Boomer and let out a menacing growl. Lobo nosed the dead dog and barked a warning to the big cane corso that was approaching him from behind. Arturo came up alongside Lobo and nosed Boomer’s body. Working as one, both dogs wheeled around to face the gorse, entering the brush to flush out the animal whose spore lay so thickly upon the trail.

The Daughters of the Darkness (Beast Series Book 2)
by Luke Phillips

June 26, 2017

pages:420
"We often look to escape the everyday by seeking out the dark places, where something monstrous waits in the void. Luke Phillips takes you there, where man is still well and truly on the menu."

SHANNON LEGRO - INTO THE FRAY RADIO

1898, East Africa. The Tsavo man-eaters kill 130 people over the course of nine months. The unusually large, pale-coloured, and maneless male lions mark history in what became known as their reign of terror.

Now, history is repeating itself. A new pride of killers has arrived in Tsavo, staking out their own bloody legacy. One that includes the murdered wife of conservationist and former hunter Thomas Walker.

Torn between the newfound happiness he has discovered in the Highlands of Scotland with his new fiancée, and his loyalty to the man whose brother has been taken by the man-eaters, Thomas must face his past and creatures feared as myth by his friend and the people of Kenya.

Arriving in Africa, Thomas finds the situation worsening as a local arms dealer and war lord declares the ‘critters of the bush’ are under his command to drive those not loyal to him from the land. With all not as it seems, the odds are stacked against Thomas and the small band of friends trying to restore balance to the region and its wildlife.

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About the Author

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Luke Phillips has always had an interest in natural history. Its hard to say when that interest began to include the myths and monsters that haunt our folklore, but it may well have been as a young boy, standing on the shores of Loch Ness.

From trekking through California looking for Bigfoot to camping out in the Highlands on the trail of real-life reported big cats, his imagination has always been captivated by the darker side of our unnatural history.

Despite studying zoology at university, Luke has strayed from the mainstream into the eerie world of cryptids and monsters. And the truth may well be stranger and far scarier than fiction!

His first book, Shadow Beast, was launched in 2015 and his second, The Daughters of the Darkness, was released in 2017.

He is based in Kent in the UK.

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Dark Fantasy Author Mark Kirkbride’s Top Five Favorite Authors + giveaway

Mark Kirkbride’s Top Five Favorite Authors 

My list of top five favorite authors changes all the time. It’s a constantly shifting chart with new entries, climbers and fallers. I’ll find a new favorite author, go through his or her entire back catalogue, then, with nothing more to read, ultimately move on. There’s usually a bit of horror, a bit of science fiction, some fantasy and a lot of literary. Counting down, then, here we go: 

5. Pat Barker
It was a close one here between David Mitchell (for Ghostwritten and Cloud Atlas) but I decided to go with Pat Barker, primarily for her Regeneration Trilogy and Border Crossing. The trilogy is a fascinating study of the duty of war versus the pull of peace as exemplified by the lives and work of the World War I poets. My wife and I both read Border Crossing and it’s as if we read a completely different book, such was the gulf between our interpretations of the ending – a measure of the richness of the characterization. (Pat Barker’s early work is also well worth checking out.)

4. Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson comes in next because if you can imagine it, he probably got there before you. So many great ideas shading into different genres. I Am Legend helped kickstart all things zombie. Then there’s the charming time-travelling whimsy of Bid Time Return (better known as Somewhere in Time) and Summerland and the descent into hell of What Dreams May Come. What the latter two novels are about, above all else, is love. My new novella The Plot Against Heaven probably owes a debt of gratitude to What Dreams May Come just as my last novel, Game Changers of the Apocalypse, doubtless did to I Am Legend.

3. Mary Shelley
Again, it was a close one here. It was either going to be Edgar Allan Poe for his macabre imagination or Mary Shelley for Frankenstein. Frankenstein is such an iconic story for horror and sf, embodying – unifying – both. It might seem a rather tired story now thanks to all the derivative texts and films but the original telling remains fresh and surprisingly moving.

2. Jonathan Franzen
When I read Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections, there were parts of it that made me think that this generation had finally found its Shakespeare. It wasn’t just good, it was mind-blowingly good, with a finger on so many pulses.

1. JG Ballard
But at No.1 it’s JG Ballard, who remained consistently interesting throughout his writing life, publishing sometimes challenging but always thought-provoking work. Highlights for me would be The Crystal World (with its gorgeous descriptions of refracted light), Concrete Island (for updating Robinson Crusoe), The Kindness of Women (for its oblique glimpses into the making of the novels) and the later, more thriller-y Cocaine Nights and Super-Cannes.

So there it is, my top five favorite authors. Thank ewe for reading and thank ewe to I Smell Sheep. Though if you ask me in six months, ewe might well get a different answer. Baa-a-a! 

The Plot Against Heaven 

by Mark Kirkbride
3rd October 2020
Publisher: Omnium Gatherum
61 pages
Genre: dark fantasy
Hell-bent on confronting God after the death of wife Kate, Paul gate-crashes heaven. With immigration problems and a wall, heaven turns out to be nowhere near as welcoming as expected. Both heaven and hell are modern, militarised, and the cold war that exists between them is about to heat up, with him in the middle of it. Caught on the wrong side of heaven, Paul faces an impossible choice if he’s to have any hope of seeing Kate again.

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About the Author:

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Mark Kirkbride lives in Shepperton, England. He is the author of The Plot Against Heaven, Game Changers of the Apocalypse and Satan’s Fan Club, all published by Omnium Gatherum. Game Changers of the Apocalypse was a semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards 2019. His short stories can be found in Under the Bed, Sci Phi Journal, Disclaimer Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine and So It Goes: The Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. His poetry has appeared in the Big Issue, the Morning Star, the Daily Mirror, Sein und Werden and Horror Writers Association chapbooks.

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Spotlight: A Dance with Fate (Warrior Bards) by Juliet Marillier + excerpt

A Dance with Fate (Warrior Bards #1)

by Juliet Marillier

September 1, 2020

512 pages

Genre: Norse & Viking Myth & Legend, Historical Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery

Publisher: Ace

A young woman who is both a bard--and a warrior--seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series.

The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau's family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau's home as a bond servant for the span of one year.

There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help.

When Liobhan and Dau start to expose the rot at the center of Oakhill, they place themselves in deadly danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them a hope of survival. . . .

Praise for the Warrior Bards series by Juliet Marillier
“This big-hearted novel completely transported me to the wonder and enchantment of ancient Ireland--and its resonance lingered long after the final page.”
—Callie Bates, author of The Waking Land
“Breathtaking, often heartbreaking. . . . This lush fantasy is sure to win Marillier many new fans.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A tale that draws on some haunting fairy tale elements while telling an exciting adventure all its own.”—Locus

Excerpt

1
Liobhan
It's a glorious day. The sun is warm, the clouds are high puffs of white, the sea is as calm as it ever gets around Swan Island. We're sitting on the bench seats at the combat area, tingling with anticipation, knowing today's celebration marks the end of many months of grueling work. Work that we've loved and hated. Work that has tried us to the edge of our endurance and stretched us to the furthest bounds of our ability-though, as Archu has told us, in a crisis you can always find a bit more to give. Work that has forged not only four warriors fit to join the island's permanent force, but also four true friends.

They don't choose many. When we started training there were twenty in our group. Fifteen went home. My brother Brocc was lost on our first mission. Not dead; gone to the Otherworld, in a strange and baffling series of events. I miss him every day. I think of him every time I sing. I'm afraid he will never come back.

"All right?" murmurs Dau, who's sitting beside me.

"Fine." I sound sharp, but I can't help it. I so wish Brocc was here with us, enjoying this day, sharing our success. "Look, there they are!"

We jump to our feet, shouting encouragement as our fellow trainees walk out onto the combat ground, staves in hand. They have the next display bout, then it's Dau and me. We're well warmed up, ready to go, but we're not going to miss watching Hrothgar and Yann show their talents. A great noise goes up, the voices of every resident of Swan Island cheering the combatants. There's nobody off on a mission at present, so there's a crowd of nearly sixty watching: fighters, trainers, the folk who support the work of the island, and the elders: Cionnaola, our leader; Archu, our chief combat trainer; Brigid and Eabha and Haki and the others. They're the best of the best. Those lucky enough-and talented enough-to be trained here are highly sought after when kings and chieftains need a task completed that's beyond the ability of their own men-at-arms. Or their own spies, if they have them. Sometimes our missions fall somewhat outside the rules of law. We do covert work. Secret work. That's why we live and train in such an isolated place. It's why few outsiders come here. And it's why the training period is so long. They've not only been testing our physical skills, they've been making sure we're trustworthy. Making sure we won't crack under torture. And making sure we can think for ourselves. It's unusual for them to take four new fighters at once. We know how lucky we are. And we know we've earned it.

Hrothgar and Yann enter the combat space. The field edge is marked by a circle of rope laid on the ground. The combatants halt, facing the elders, and with staves held upright they bow. Cionnaola gives a grave nod of acknowledgment. The crowd is quiet now.

"Three coppers on Hrothgar," whispers Dau in my ear.

"Done." Hrothgar, a Norseman, is taller and broader than Yann. But the Armorican has a talent for deception. That makes him dangerous. Yann's beaten me once or twice, using that skill, and I know it's a mistake to underestimate him.

The two turn to face each other and bow again. They assume a fighting pose, staves gripped in both hands, one near the end, one partway up the shaft. They move about, backward and forward, jabbing in turn, each looking for an opening. Both men wear protective leather helms-those things get hot as an oven and you end up with sweat obscuring your vision, but for this sort of fight you need them-and padded jerkins over their trousers and tunics.

"Wait for it, wait for it," murmurs Dau. "Ah!" as Yann loses patience and rushes forward. His intention is clear: to knock aside Hrothgar's staff, then jab his own toward the other man's midriff. But he's not quick enough; the end of Hrothgar's weapon strikes Yann's arm hard. I know what that does: your fingers go numb for long, precious moments. Yann skips back out of reach, winces, shaking his hand, flexing his fingers.

"Playactor," mutters Dau.

I can't argue. When Yann grips his staff again, he's moved his hands; now they're a handspan further along. This will place the staff slightly further away from Hrothgar than before. Yann's used his own error to his advantage. And now, under cover of a momentary hesitation, he puts one foot forward but leans his upper body back. "Clever," I murmur.

Hrothgar thrusts high to low, aiming for his opponent's chest. If Yann hadn't tricked him, this would be a bout-ending move. But Yann is closer than Hrothgar expected. The Armorican shifts his weight to the front foot and slides his staff through his front hand straight into Hrothgar's chest, between the lower ribs. Hrothgar folds. He can't breathe. His hand goes up in the gesture, I yield.

The crowd roars. Yann steps back, waits for his opponent to catch his breath-it takes a while-then stands beside Hrothgar again as they acknowledge the applause.

Dau and I don't wait to see them walk off. It's our bout now. The last of the day; an unarmed combat, best of three rounds.

"Can't bet on this one," says Dau with a crooked smile as we make our way down to the combat area, where someone is raking the ground, getting it ready for us. Folk do have a habit of throwing things when they get excited. Dust rises around the rake.

"But if you could, you'd bet on yourself to win, no doubt."

"No doubt. I'd wish you good luck, but I want Bran's Blade, so I won't."

"Skill beats luck," I tell him, pausing to put on my helm. Gods, I hate these things! They get even hotter when you have a lot of hair to squash in, as I do. I've been tempted to cut my hair short, but when I'm not fighting I'm a musician, and the long hair feels right when I dress up to perform. And useful when I'm working under cover and needing to look more like an ordinary woman and less like a Swan Island warrior.

At a gesture from Archu, Dau and I walk together into the combat space, where all is now in readiness. Folk cheer and shout as we go; this is a joyful day not only for us but for the whole community. A special day. Bran's Blade is displayed on a cushion, next to Cionnaola. It will be awarded to the most outstanding fighter, not only of today but of the whole training period. It's an old, well-kept dagger, beautifully balanced, of plain design apart from the tiny image of a bee in flight carved on the oak hilt. This weapon is said to have belonged to the man who founded Swan Island long ago, a man who was called an outlaw but who showed great heart, spirit, and generosity to his fighting team. His son and his grandson were in their turn part of the island community, and there are descendants of that original crew still among us. Nobody gets to keep Bran's Blade forever. One of us will be given it today, to look after and to use until a new custodian earns the privilege through some act of outstanding valor or skill. A training and testing period such as the one that saw me and my three comrades win places on the island happens only rarely. It's more usual for fighters to join the community one at a time, each coming here by his or her own path. You have to be capable. You have to be skilled. And you need the right attitude. I thought Dau lacked that when I first met him. His manner was arrogant, scornful, aloof, as you might expect from a chieftain's son. The mission changed my opinion. It changed both of us. But the old rivalry still remains. We both want Bran's Blade. We both want to be the best.

We salute the elders, bow to Cionnaola, position ourselves within the rope guideline.

"Three rounds," calls out Archu, informing the crowd of what we already know. "Win two and you're the victor. Set foot outside the boundary and you lose that round immediately. No eye gouging. No groin strikes. Remember it's a display bout, not a fight to the death. Break those rules and you'll not only forfeit the fight, you'll be emptying privies and hauling goods up from the ferry for a good long while. Understood?"

This is probably meant for me. I do have a reputation for using dirty tricks to win if the situation requires it. But I know better than to try that today of all days. Dau and I both nod and murmur, "Understood."

"Begin," calls Archu.

The Harp of Kings (Warrior Bards #1) 

by Juliet Marillier

September 3, 2019

512 pages
Genre: Norse & Viking Myth & Legend, Historical Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery
Publisher: Ace
A young woman is both a bard--and a warrior--in this thrilling historical fantasy from the author of the Sevenwaters novels.

Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. She and her brother train there to compete for places, and find themselves joining a mission while still candidates. Their unusual blend of skills makes them ideal for this particular job, which requires going undercover as traveling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies.

Their mission: to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone mysteriously missing. If the instrument is not played at the upcoming coronation, the candidate will not be accepted and the people could revolt. Faced with plotting courtiers and tight-lipped druids, an insightful storyteller, and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realizes an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision and is faced with a heartbreaking choice. . . .

About the Author:
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Juliet Marillier is a member of the druid order OBOD and is the author of the Blackthorn & Grim novels and the Sevenwaters series. Her historical fantasy novels and short stories are published internationally and have won a number of awards.

Swan Songs of Cygnus: The Weight of Black Holes by Vincent Hollow + giveaway

Swan Songs of Cygnus: The Weight of Black Holes

by Vincent Hollow

January 8, 2020

Genre: Poetry
Publisher: Writers Republic
ISBN: 9781646201167
ISBN: 9781646202294
Number of pages: 154
Word Count: 8275 words
Cover Artist: Tom Nicosia
"How far would you go?"

Side A: horizon
Mourning the death of his love. A bereaved astronaut signs up for a deep – space mission to reunite with her ghost.

Even if it means becoming a ghost himself. Traveling at the speed of light. The astronaut jettisons through the solar system. Pausing only to gaze at its celestial splendor.

Cast under the grandeur of the planetarium. Seeing her apparition in every sphere…

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About the Author:

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VINCENT HOLLOW is an astro-poet and interstellar storyteller living aboard the space vessel, Aquarius. Shooting from the star system to star system. Vincent spends his time gazing out into the universal abyss and the depths of himself where he hopes to find his place in the cosmos through the words he weaves in the fabric of spacetime.

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Cover Reveal: Hex, Love, and Rock & Roll (Coven Daughters #1) by Kat Turner

Hex, Love, and Rock & Roll (Coven Daughters #1)

by Kat Turner

July 2020 

by City Owl Press
Helen Schrader is a desperate woman. With her business skidding toward bankruptcy and her bank account bone dry, she’s willing to do the unthinkable: hire a witch to cast a money spell. But when the spell sets in motion her own latent magic and her inexperience causes her to accidentally hex her celebrity crush, rocker Brian Shepherd, all that good fortune she hoped for flies out of the window.

Now, Helen and Brian struggle to break the curse and tackle their growing feelings for each other. Problem is, the harder they fall for each other, the deadlier the curse becomes.

But as a dark magic cult with an unquenchable thirst for power closes in on them, the couple will have to face more than just their inconvenient desire. With time running out and danger mounting, can they beat the hex before Brian becomes its next victim?

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About the Author:

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Kat Turner started writing a few years ago, got sucked into the magic of spinning fictional worlds, and never looked back. In addition to crafting tales of supernatural debacles and steamy romance, she works for a university and is the mom to an eight-year-old who has inherited her fluency in sarcasm.