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A Modern Theme
Zara’s Gothic follows a paramedic who, after a life-altering road accident, retreats to a secluded property where she lives in a handmade van beneath the shadow of an abandoned Victorian house. Where did the inspiration for this novel come from?
I have always wanted to write a gothic novel, being most inspired by Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca and The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions. I was taken by the sight of an old, crumbling house, now in its last stages of collapse. It spoke to me. Maybe the story is a way to preserve the house’s memory.
What drew you to combining paramedic trauma with Gothic haunting?
Although I love the standard repertoire, I wanted a modern theme people could relate to. And, something different, something unique.
Zara’s inner world feels intensely sensory and unstable—how did you approach writing her perception?
It is said that there is a normal. I believe there are other ways of perception. Zara’s on the outside because she’s not like ‘normal’ people. The book is dedicated to Professor Elaine Aron, whose pioneering work on HSP, highly sensitive people, tells us that there is nothing wrong with ultra-sensitivity. It exists in humans and animals; it is not a mental disorder. No more of this “you’re just over-sensitive” rubbish.
If a reader remembers only one image from the novel, what should it be?
Oh, there are many. Without spoilers, it’s when Zara is hit with the reality that the immutable laws of physics no longer apply. Imagine how abjectly terrifying that would be!
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Amazon
Guilt ridden accident survivor Zara Wilander thinks she is taking on the renovation of a crumbling mansion. But instead, the house takes her on—Zara is progressively haunted. Or, is she simply losing her mind?
Flamboyant estate agent Jenner Reid believes this to be the case and encourages her to continue. But Reid has history with this house. When Zara learns his dark secret, and those of the old house, it may be much too late.
Mounting horror and astonishing word craft result in a masterpiece of the macabre, with all the elements of the classic romantic Gothic style. It is, however, refreshingly different. In the best traditions of The Beckoning Fair One and Rebecca, Zara’s Gothic will thrill your mind and chill your blood.
If you dare…
Zara’s Gothic: A Thrilling Journey Into Adventure, Horror, Mystery, and Romance
Zara’s Gothic opens with a woman already half-shattered. Zara Wilander, a paramedic in upstate New York, is wrecked by guilt after a road accident kills a dog and nearly kills a pedestrian; when work, therapy, and ordinary housing all fail her, she ends up living in her handmade van on a secluded property dominated by a derelict Victorian house that seems less abandoned than watchful. From there, the novel widens from trauma narrative into Gothic haunting: a lonely, hyper-attuned protagonist, an eccentric real-estate man named Jenner Reid, and a decaying house whose pull may be supernatural, psychological, or some unnerving braid of both.
I found myself most taken with the book’s atmosphere and with the way it inhabits Zara’s consciousness. McRoberts doesn’t give her a clean, tasteful suffering; she gives her jagged perception, sensory overwhelm, intrusive memory, odd wit, and a genuine estrangement from the social world. That makes the novel feel intimate. The prose often leans baroque, but in this case, the excess is part of the weather system: rot creaks, trees thrum, sound wounds, silence has grain. When the book is working at full voltage, it feels less like reading a plot than like walking through a feverish interior architecture.
What I really liked, though, wasn’t just the haunted-house apparatus but the tenderness threaded through it. Zara’s bond with her van, her craftsmanship, her ache for solitude, and her unstable reliance on Jenner give the novel an emotional undercarriage sturdier than its melodrama. Some scenes sprawl, and some flourishes arrive in clusters. This book has a peculiar pulse. It wants grandeur, morbidity, vulnerability, and sentiment all at once, and more often than not, it earns that ambition.
I’d recommend Zara’s Gothic to readers of Gothic fiction, psychological horror, haunted-house novels, women-centered dark fiction, and literary supernatural suspense, or anyone who likes their genre work emotionally raw rather than mechanically slick. It reminded me, at moments, of Shirley Jackson by way of Mexican Gothic: not because it copies either, but because it understands that a house can become an accomplice to grief. This is a strange, bruised, haunted novel that turns damage into atmosphere and atmosphere into destiny.
Pages: 224 | ASIN : B0H6JL2WX7
The Manglers of Carraig
The Manglers of Carraig drops readers straight into a city split by wealth, fear, and the eerie green glow of warding gems. It follows Conell Byrne, a boy fighting to keep his family alive in a world where monsters stalk the night and the rich hoard their safety behind iron fences. His desperate attempts to protect his sister and his mother collide with the power games of men like Garban the loan shark, and the story pulls that thread tighter as the dangers grow. Alongside this grim struggle is Riona, a jeweler whose bold designs using mangler claws spark outrage among the elite. Their stories move on separate tracks at first, one soaked in survival and the other in ambition, yet both expose the city’s deep fractures and the unseen costs of living in Carraig.
I found the writing fast and punchy. Scenes land quickly and hard. I especially liked how the book lets moments breathe right before everything goes sideways. Conell racing through dark streets with only gemlight to save him had me clenching my jaw. The author leans into sensory details that linger and refuses to clean things up for comfort. I felt the grit of the lower districts and the cold shine of North Hill. I felt Conell’s panic when he returned home and found the door broken open and the ominous quiet inside. The emotional hits come simply and directly, which makes them incredibly impactful.
The worldbuilding grabbed me, too. I appreciated how the author mixes small human choices with the big looming terror of the manglers. It all feels grounded even when the story dips into the grotesque. Riona’s chapters were a surprise. They twist into subtle power struggles and hidden desire. Her jewelry made of claws could have been a cheap gimmick, but it ends up saying something about the people of Carraig and what they choose to look away from. I enjoyed how these two storylines sit far apart but rhyme in the way everyone is just trying to survive something, even if the monsters look different.
By the end, I felt a strange mix of sadness and curiosity about where the story might go next. I would recommend The Manglers of Carraig to readers who enjoy dark fantasy with heart, quick pacing, and a world that feels alive even in its ugliness. If you like stories about people pushed to the edge and forced to make impossible choices, this one will stick with you.
Pages: 188 | ASIN : B0FX3WVJ1C
Midnights in October – eerie nightly escapes
Midnights in October is a collection of 31 tiny tales, each just fifty-five words, crafted to match the eerie, mystical mood of every October night. Each story aligns with a calendar day in October, some rooted in real-world observances and others purely imagined. The book doesn’t follow a linear plot but rather unfolds like a haunted advent calendar, with each entry offering a flash of the supernatural, a flicker of fear, or a jolt of dark whimsy. Ghosts, witches, misfits, rebels, and spirits lurk behind every page, waiting to whisper their fifty-five-word truths into the reader’s ear.
I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. I’ve seen microfiction before, but never quite like this. The tight word limit could’ve been a creative straitjacket, but Bossano wears it like armor. Each story punches harder because there’s no room to soften the blow. The writing is sharp, vivid, and almost lyrical. It dances between poetic and unsettling without getting bogged down in over-explanation. I found myself rereading many entries just to let the mood sink in again. One second, you’re smirking at a sly jab; the next, you’re genuinely creeped out. It was like sipping thirty-one shots of moonlight and ink, each with a different burn going down.
What I liked most, though, were the ideas hidden behind the shadows. There’s anger here. Power. Longing. Justice. Loss. Bossano doesn’t just want to scare or amuse you, she wants you to see something. Sometimes it’s political, sometimes it’s personal, sometimes it’s just raw. Stories like “¡Salud!” and “Uprising” stirred something deep and real. Others, like “It’s My Party Day” or “National Cat Day”, brought a strange tenderness to the eerie. It’s rare that something so short can carry so much weight, but these stories do. They sneak up on you. You’ll feel a little haunted afterward.
Midnights in October is a perfect companion for dark, quiet nights when the wind starts to rattle the windows and you want something strange to keep you company. I’d recommend it to fans of flash fiction, lovers of all things spooky, and anyone who craves clever, offbeat storytelling that doesn’t overstay its welcome. If you enjoy Halloween vibes with a side of soul-searching, this is for you.
Pages: 39 | ASIN: B0FJMVJF85
Visage of Moros
Tamel Wino’s Visage of Moros is a gut-wrenching descent into grief, obsession, and vengeance. It follows Drystan Caine, a man hollowed out by the loss of his daughter, Alba. What starts as a desperate search for answers turns into an all-consuming need for justice, leading Drystan down a path of paranoia, violence, and, ultimately, self-destruction. Told through fragmented, time-jumping entries, the novel blurs the lines between past and present, sanity and madness, memory and reality. Wino doesn’t hold back. The prose is haunting, poetic, and unrelenting, making the reader feel every ounce of Drystan’s pain and fury.
What stood out to me immediately was the sheer rawness of Wino’s writing. There are no clean edges here. Every sentence drips with anguish and exhaustion, pulling you into Drystan’s unraveling psyche. One of the most powerful moments comes when Drystan, at the police station, sees another missing person’s flyer and is momentarily convinced it’s Alba before realizing it isn’t. It’s a simple, brutal moment that encapsulates his denial and desperation. The writing has an almost cinematic quality, immersing the reader so deeply that it’s hard to step away.
Another thing I liked was the book’s structure. The shifting timelines and diary-like entries make it feel like a jigsaw puzzle, with pieces missing and some jammed together forcefully. It’s disorienting, but that’s the point. This isn’t a straightforward story about grief; it’s a chaotic spiral into obsession. One chapter, Drystan is reliving a happy memory of Alba and the next, he’s drinking himself into oblivion while fixating on a potential suspect. There’s an especially harrowing scene where he attacks a sculpture he and Alba once worked on together, as if physically trying to destroy his own memories. It’s these moments of self-inflicted violence that make the book so emotionally exhausting and so powerful.
The novel is unrelentingly bleak. There’s no reprieve, no light at the end of the tunnel, just a slow, steady march toward devastation. That’s not a criticism of the writing itself, but it does mean that this book isn’t for the faint of heart. It reminded me of The Road by Cormac McCarthy in that way, beautiful but punishing. There are no easy resolutions, no catharsis, just a man drowning in sorrow. Some readers might find that frustrating, but for me, it made the book memorable.
I’d recommend Visage of Moros to readers who appreciate dark, psychological fiction and don’t mind stories that leave bruises. If you’re drawn to character studies about grief, trauma, and revenge—think Sharp Objects meets Prisoners—this book is right up your alley. Just be warned: Wino doesn’t let you off easy, and neither does Drystan.
Pages: 463 | ISBN : 9781069182401
Section Roads
![Section Roads by [Mike Murphey]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51RXQafyQ2L.jpg)
Section Roads is a captivating mystery novel by Mike Murphey that follows a group of friends getting together at their small New Mexico hometown for their high school reunion after more than forty years. As freshmen band geeks, Cullen Molloy and Shelby Blaine meet in the small town of Arthur, New Mexico during the 1960’s. As they experience their first love, they also form a friendly relationship with Buddy, a misunderstood football player. Little do they know, this friendship will be forever bonded by a dark secret. When they reach sophomore year, Buddy is charged with the murder of a girl named Chrissy Hammond, though later absolved of the charge. The crime causes the three friends to leave Arthur in hopes of starting their lives over elsewhere, that is until forty years later they return to their hometown and are forced to face the past as a new killing takes place.
Mike Murphey has an extraordinary way of intertwining past and present events smoothly to form a single story. One that does not cease to surprise at every turn. The main character, Cullen Molloy, is a semi-retired attorney with a newfound confidence he never displayed during high school. He considers himself a protector of his friends, especially Buddy, who he feels has carried a terrible weight on his shoulders for too long. Shelby is the perfect example of the shy but pretty girl who peaks after high school and develops an outgoing, slightly flirtatious personality and lives by herself after divorcing twice. Her connection to Cullen is deep, yet they never seem to be at the same place at the same time. As for Buddy, he is a loner man as he was a loner teenager. Haunted by the events he lived through high school and plagued by the guilt of the death of his fellow classmate. He finds himself in trouble when he returns home forty years after high school. The way the author creates a story that spans over four decades, the relatable characters and setting, and the exciting course of events rich with drama, murder, romance, and suspense, makes for no less than a five-star review. It reminds of the same character and plot buildup effortlessly accomplished in Stephen King novels. I enjoyed Section Roads thoroughly and highly recommend it to any mystery fan out there.
Pages: 361 | ASIN: B07RSLSFKS
Mournful Beauty
Lisa Diaz Meyer Author Interview
All Roads Shattered is the third book in the All Roads series of dark fiction stories and poems. In the last book you said you wanted to go darker and bring more sci-fi into the story. Did you want to continue that in book three or did you envision a different path?
With All Roads Shattered I wanted to show darkness and variety, perhaps a different type of ending other than just brief character life lessons or moments.
The characters are all superbly created, as usual. Is there anything from your own life that you put into your characters to make them more believable?
Most of the time, no, at least not with this book. I did that with All Roads Home. In All Roads Shattered I wanted my characters to have their own life and story. Put my “empathic feet” into make believe shoes.
I enjoyed all the stories in the collection, as they all inspired some reflection afterward. Is there a story that didn’t make it into the collection?
If anything, a poem might get put to the side to be reworked but that’s about it.
Do you find that you write stories that challenge you as a writer, or stories that are easy for you to write?
I write what I feel or imagine, so it’s not difficult. I never mind a challenge if it inspires mournful beauty or captivating contemplation.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
ALL ROADS SHATTERED, the third book of Lisa Diaz Meyer’s All Roads Collection contains two short story sagas, five multi-genre, dark fiction short stories and twelve macabre poems. Other books in this dark fiction collection are ALL ROADS HOME and ALL ROADS DESTINED.
Real or Imagined
Lisa Diaz Meyer Author Interview
All Roads Destined is a collection of stories from fantasy to science fiction with links back to your first collection. What was the inspiration for this collection of stories?
As for the Outposts, I wanted to continue on since I’d left it as a cliffhanger in All Roads Home. I then felt I wanted to bring more loneliness and some addiction awareness into the equation as these subjects, real or imagined, can be sad and frightful.
I felt that this book was a bit darker than the last collection. What were some themes you wanted to capture while writing this book?
I did want to go darker, bring more science fiction in but based off subjects that make people uncomfortable. Again the addiction issue, some odd poetry. As you said in your review, the short story The Crone was your favorite. It was also mine, too. And I love when something like that can just come upon me, the imagery and the way I want it to be read.
You also included a selection of poems in the section titled The Fragments. What was your favorite poem from the collection and how did you pick which poems made it into this collection?
The poems or fragments I write in between or even during a WIP. My favorites in this book were Clocks and The Water Globe, both having to do with the passage of time.
What is your process like for writing short stories? Does it differ from longer novels?
There’s a certain pace with short stories that I prefer. I may be inspired to write a longer novel one day, just not yet.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![All Roads Destined: A Collection of Dark Fiction and Poems by [Meyer, Lisa Diaz]](https://i0.wp.com/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51278fxUk2L.jpg?w=604&ssl=1)
Destiny is what we bring to the world where the roads are stained with tears and blood, and paved in eternal stone. In Part One, the continuation of The Outpost Trilogy shifts from post apocalyptic to science fiction. Part Two, The Enduring contains five dark fiction short stories. Part Three, The Fragments include fifteen poems of urgent struggle and destination. New York author, Lisa Diaz Meyer relates to the odd, macabre & funereal. ALL ROADS DESTINED is the second of her ALL ROADS trilogy.
