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An Indoctrinated Horror Enthusiast
Witches and Pumpkins, Fur and Fangs is a collection of twenty short stories surrounding Halloween, bringing together tales of monsters, goblins, ghosts, witches, and everything scary. What was the inspiration for creating this collection of stories?
I got the idea for this collection after I saw the movie Trick ‘r Treat. I first watched that movie in 2009, which also happened to be the year I started writing for the first time. I remember thinking how amazing it was that the movie (almost) had a little bit of everything in it, and how it all took place in the same town on the same night. I thought to myself how cool it would be if a book or movie literally had EVERYTHING in it. Something like that movie, but on a grander scale. A year later, I wrote Jack of the Lantern. After that, I kept adding stories, always making sure they stood alone on their own, but secretly including Easter eggs that connected them to the others. I took the secondary characters from previous stories and threw them into the spotlight for their own stories. I made sure each one either addressed a different type of monster, or revolved around a different Halloween tradition or legend. Almost every character in the book appears multiple times. ‘Science Make Me Mad’ and ‘Can You See Me’ feature the same mad scientist antagonist. The librarian from ‘Hob Gob’ is a main character in ‘Incorporeal Beings’. Things like that. I encourage anybody reading to try to pay attention to the characters and all the connections, because there’s a lot of them.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
I became an indoctrinated horror enthusiast since I was eleven. I was a child of the 90’s and grew up on late night television specials like Joe Bob Brigg’s Monstervision every Friday and Saturday night. I would catch Sunday afternoon showings of American Werewolf in London and Children of the Corn, complete with commercial breaks, just to find out later that the only parts they really cut out when editing for television was the nudity and cursing. All the scary parts were mostly still intact. I became fascinated with all things scary, and as a teenager I began reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I write other stories in the realm of science fiction or fantasy, but I always end up leaning towards the darker sides of things.
Do you have a favorite story in this collection, and if so, what makes it so appealing to you?
I have a couple. ‘Jack of the Lantern’ has always held a special place in my heart. Not only was it my first to write, it was also my first short story to ever get published. When I was reading these stories again for this collection, I stopped at ‘Incorporeal Beings’. I remember telling myself, “Wow I actually wrote this. This is pretty damn good.” I like a good ghost story, especially when it becomes clear that the ghosts are a real threat and can actually kill you. That story was a lot of fun to write.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I am actively working on a novel entitled I Don’t Want to be a Monster. Imagine if Dexter was the Wolfman; that’s the basic concept. It’s about a werewolf who targets serial killers, rapists, child molesters, etc. I currently have several interested parties requesting the manuscript, and I’ve been given an early December deadline to complete (it’s almost done!). Hopefully you’ll be seeing that one soon.
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Witches and Pumpkins, Fur and Fangs
The book is a collection of eerie short stories that all orbit around Halloween, monsters, and the uncanny. From haunted pumpkins to mischievous goblins, from restless spirits to twisted killers, each tale drops the reader into a familiar world that quickly spirals into the unsettling. What makes the book stand out is how it taps into both folklore and modern horror, shifting easily between campfire-style legends and grittier contemporary scares. Every story feels like it belongs to the same haunted neighborhood, and that gives the collection a strong, cohesive flavor.
This is a very entertaining collection. I was caught up in the thrill of the scares, the build-up of tension, and the shocking payoffs. I found myself grinning at the way the author played with tropes I thought I knew inside out. Some of the stories reminded me of watching late-night horror movies as a kid, the kind where you want to cover your eyes but never actually do. The writing doesn’t waste time. It dives headfirst into dread, yet still leaves room for atmosphere, the kind that makes you glance at the shadows in your own room.
Some stories hit harder than others. A few felt predictable, but even then, I didn’t mind, because the fun was in the ride, not just the destination. When the author’s imagination really kicked in, though, the stories burned bright. “Jack of the Lantern” and “Hob Gob” stuck with me the most. They had this creeping inevitability that made me uneasy in the best way. I also liked how the collection never tried to be highbrow. It doesn’t put on airs or dress itself up. It just tells spooky stories the way they’re meant to be told, direct, raw, and with a wicked grin.
I’d say this book is perfect for readers who want to get lost in Halloween vibes any time of the year. If you like scary stories that mix folklore with fresh, gory twists, this is for you. If you want a jolt, a chill, or that delicious sense of dread before bed, you’ll enjoy this ride. I’d recommend it to horror fans, casual readers looking for a scare, and anyone who still feels that spark of excitement when the October moon rises.
Pages: 189 | ASIN : B0FM335L3H
Blend of Fantasy and Horror
The Warning Signs is a collection of tales featuring elements of dark fantasy, horror, and psychological terrors. What inspired you to write this collection of stories?
I enjoy reading and writing in a variety of genres, but I am most drawn to creating works of fiction that examine the darker and more frightening side of human nature, mental processes, the strange, and the mysterious. For the stories within this particular collection, apart from sticking with the subject of warning signs, my goal was to showcase a blend of fantasy and horror, written in differing styles. Inspiration for each of the tales came from different places, for instance, the town described in Perception was modeled after some medieval villages I visited while traveling.
Do you have a favorite among the stories in this collection? One that was especially enjoyable to craft?
That is a tough question to answer. I took pleasure in creating each of these tales. The process of getting to know your characters on an emotional level and allowing their journeys to unfold can be exhilarating. That said, I don’t think I could pick just one story, but after giving it some thought, I would say from the first section, I am particularly fond of The Other Side of the Door.
As far as the second section goes, I always enjoy revisiting the world of Sumir. Doing so allows me to expand on lesser character’s ambitions as well as offering the opportunity to delve deeper into the lore and mythology from my completed dark fantasy series, The Blood Inheritance Quartet.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
Right now, I am working on a few projects simultaneously. My main focus is reworking some short stories, which I plan to publish together as a dark fantasy/horror collection titled Wishes Gone Awry. Barring any scheduling conflicts with editors, I aspire to have the short story collection available this summer.
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…the warning signs
Something lurks beneath the waves on an island where the sun never sets; a ghost tries to stop an up-and-coming serial killer; a heartless sorceress is thrilled when she finds access to the human realm; a boy tries to win his crush’s heart by challenging a horrifying local legend.
Delve deep into the shadowy, unexplored territories of the imagination with these short stories that are sure to frighten and enchant.
From misunderstood spirits to encounters with mythical creatures, these twisted tales include run-ins with ghosts, mermaids, werewolves, sorceresses, vampires, murderers, and their victims.
(Includes three short stories from the world of Sumir – The Blood Inheritance Quartet)
The Warning Signs: Tales of Horror and Dark Fantasy
M. Ainihi’s The Warning Signs is a collection of dark fantasy and horror short stories that plunges readers into eerie landscapes filled with unsettling truths, strange creatures, and psychological terror. The book is split into three sections: One-Shot Shorts, Tales from Sumir, and Day 32,854, each offering its own brand of nightmare fuel. Whether it’s ghosts that refuse to be forgotten, twisted mermaids exacting revenge, or apocalyptic survivors battling unseen forces, every tale grips with an uncanny sense of doom. This isn’t a book about cheap thrills—it’s about slow-burning horror that lingers long after the last page.
What I love most about Ainihi’s writing is her ability to create an atmosphere. She doesn’t just tell you a horror story; she makes you feel it. Take “Dead Already,” for example. The protagonist gradually realizes she’s watching her own body being hidden away, and the dread seeps in line by line. It’s not just the horror of death; it’s the horror of being erased and forgotten. That’s the kind of existential terror Ainihi plays with, and it’s chilling. Similarly, in “The Warning,” a house isn’t just haunted; it feels alive, like it’s waiting to consume its new occupants. These aren’t just ghost stories; they feel like whispers of something deeper, something ancient.
Not every story delivers the same kind of impact, but that’s part of what makes The Warning Signs so engaging. Some, like Cultivating Wrath, lean more into dark fantasy, bringing a sense of adventure alongside the horror. Others, like The Three Percent, take bold risks by exploring post-pandemic dread in a way that sparks the imagination. Ainihi’s strength lies in her ability to craft diverse narratives, each with its own unique style and pace. When she allows her stories to unfold naturally, they become truly mesmerizing.
What makes this collection stand out is its originality and refusal to rely on predictable horror tropes. Ainihi doesn’t hand out easy answers, she makes you think. In stories like Amma, the real horror isn’t just the physical threats but the unsettling realization that reality itself may not be what it seems. It’s this kind of storytelling that lingers, making you question and reflect.
The Warning Signs is the perfect collection for anyone who loves eerie, thought-provoking horror that lingers long after the last page. Ainihi has a knack for crafting unsettling, immersive tales that pull you into strange and terrifying worlds. If you enjoy slow-burning suspense, psychological twists, and a blend of dark fantasy and horror, this book is a must-read.
Pages: 181 | ASIN : B091YR9H1M
Pure Creativity and Imagination
Curbside Curses follows a group of people, all of whom purchased one item or another from an estate sale that was unknowing to them or the sellers to be cursed. What was the inspiration for this collection of short stories?
I had been writing and submitting short stories to several anthologies when one day I was driving around my town and saw a yard sale. With my mind in potential story mode, I thought, “Hey, that would be a good story.” I then was talking to a close author friend of mine, Stuart Knott, telling him about my idea when it came to me that it could be a cool anthology collection. He thought it was a great idea and said, “Hey, you should do it”. I had only been published in other anthologies and hadn’t taken on self-publishing myself yet, so I was intimidated thinking about it. But he believed in my idea so much that he kept bringing it up and encouraging me to follow through with my idea. After making him promise to help me and answer my questions (he has self-published several books), I decided to go for it.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
I didn’t even read horror until the end of 2022. I can’t even watch scary movies, they give me nightmares. But I stumbled across a few indie author horror books and I was hooked. No nightmares and I just found the genre to be so diverse. And indie books in general are so refreshing. No cookie cutter plots shopped to the masses. Just pure creativity and imagination. I have always wanted to write for a long time. I fell in love with children’s literature when I was in university and always thought I’d be a children’s author but horror just grabbed me. I wrote some flash fiction using some monthly horror prompts and found I was fairly good at packing a punch with a twisted ending into a short amount of words. So I just started writing and submitting to anthology calls and getting published. My story “The Missing Gold Ribbon” in Terrorcore Publishing’s Doors of Darkness anthology was well-received and one I’m very proud of. And Caleb, the editor and owner of Terrorcore made the whole process very hands-on and collaborative for the contributing authors. We were involved almost every step of the way. So long story short, after being a part of six or seven anthologies at that point I saw how they were run, how the authors were treated and I was able to take what I liked about the different processes and apply them to how I wanted my anthology to run. I established House of the Macabre as my own little imprint and involved my authors as much as possible. It was really important to me to do right by the authors. I wanted to produce a book they could be proud of. Something they were excited to take to conventions and signings to show off.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
I knew I wanted it to be different from other anthologies. I wanted it to stand out and I knew I wanted them all connected to a single yard sale and that I would write a framing narrative around them through the prologue and epilogue that would offer some insight into how the objects were all cursed. It makes it read more like one story rather than just a regular collection of stories on a general theme. I think it came together very well.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I have another anthology call I’m preparing to drop this summer with House of the Macabre and I am working on a collection of dark poetry that I’m shooting to release next Valentine’s Day. But I currently have a short story due to be released in October with Terrorcore Publishing’s Doors of Darkness: Volume 2 and I’m writing another short story as we speak for another submission call.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | House of the Macabre | Facebook | Website | Amazon
At our sale, that may be truer than you care to find out. Here, your bargains are sure to come with a bump in the night. Collected here are 22 tales of second-hand deals that are so cheap, it’s scary… Literally!
Four siblings are cleaning out their childhood home after their parents mysteriously passed away within hours of each other. The siblings are selling off everything at an estate yardsale but unbeknownst to them a curse has affected every single item in the home. Each of the 22 stories in this anthology connects back to this one single sale. Each story tells how the curse affects their purchased object and its new owner. And all are framed by a back story told through the prologue and epilogue.
The Loneliness of Miscommunication
The Curse of Balar follows the inhabitants of a decaying town starting with the murder of a young woman and leading to a sequence of vengeful events.What was the inspiration for this collection of stories?
I was working on another Gothic Horror novel (coming soon). For inspiration, I went back to the classics of the genre (e.g. Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.) and discovered that there might be unexplored aspects of the genre. The roles of female characters – for instance – were often limited. They were forced to accept what the male characters did to them – this did not seem right to me. All the stories flowed from this idea of subverting some of the tropes and seeing what came out of it.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
Humans are contradictory animals. The angel of the mind is always at odds with the ape of the body – in some sense. For me, there is story (and to some extent, horror) in this inner conflict. We are capable of feeling great guilt, but we are not so capable of avoiding the cause of that guilt in the first place. Furthermore, we have sophisticated means of communicating (what other species has a writing system), yet we are doomed to misinterpret each other or hide our true feelings behind euphemisms and lies.
This has become a feature of my writing: the loneliness of miscommunication. This is perhaps a battle only literature can win. But for now, it is what interests me most and what keeps me coming back to the keyboard.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
Scary stories stay with you. They stayed with me from childhood – a childhood in which I was given free rein of a library. I wandered into sections that were meant for older readers. I guess strange things happen when you finish all the Goosebumps and move on to Stephen King.
Furthermore, the unknown is scary – the unknown is a mystery (by its very definition). An unanswered question is what keeps me reading for all good books have a sense of mystery about them. Horror seems to embrace this aspect better than any other genre. Balar was my first step into this realm as a writer, and I hope that I instill that same sense of awe and curiosity in my readers.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am working on the rest of the Balar series. I am writing the next two installments concurrently. The first one is The Doom of Balar which I hope to release somewhere near the end of May 2024. There is a murder mystery at the heart of this short story collection, as Inspector Skender discovers a rather strange body left on display just outside the town. As he follows his leads, we discover more stories about the doomed residents of Balar.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Beasts stalk the woods, the dead rise from their graves, and not all is as it seems. Everyone carries a secret — a secret that can either be a blessing or a curse.
Welcome to Balar, a secluded town in the Carpathian Mountains. With the turn of the Twentieth Century looming, the townsfolk cling onto old traditions and superstitions while the world around them steadily marches into a new age. But all is not well in this backwater, for paranormal killers stalk the streets, strange creatures wonder the woods, and a mysterious resident has moved into the ruined castle on the hill.
Now, strangers arrive in town in search of lost treasure, destiny, and blood. Will they find what they seek or will they — like many before them — succumb to the Curse of Balar.
Thirteen stories of supernatural horror await the bravest readers in this, the first of a series of stories exploring the many secrets of the cursed town of Balar.
Warning! This book contains adult themes of violence and sexual conduct. +18
No AI was used in the creation of this book.
Horror And Paranormal Stories
Twisted Tales from the Darkside – The Devil’s Playground is a collection of short stories that involve characters who have encounters with the devil or demons. Where did the idea for this collection come from?
I have always loved horror anthology TV shows, I had roughly six chapters of a novel written which had mixed ideas in it that did not make sense together, and I was having trouble with having enough material for a full novel at the time so I decided to pull two of the ideas out from those chapters and write short stories from them instead and add more into a published collection. All six of the stories in the collection followed the same theme, so that is why this one is subtitled.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
Horror and paranormal hold a place in my heart and mind and have since I was very young. What intrigues me about these genres is the way one can make the unknown familiar and then rip us out of our comfort zone and creep us out or scare us enough to resonate with the memories of horror and paranormal stories told well whether on paper or onscreen.
What were some books or movies that you think were your main sources of inspiration for this novel?
My inspiration for this collection came from the quirky horror anthologies on TV: Creepshow (Shudder series and movies of the 80s), Tales from the Darkside, Tales from the Crypt, Twilight Zone, and Outer Limits.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next collection?
Yes, this is the first book in a series of 3 that I have planned. The second book is scheduled to be completed and published in October 2024.
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All six of the shorts in this collection installment involve characters who in some way, shape, or form brush elbows with the devil or demons.
Titles include:
Evil Rises
You Better Watch Out
The Devil’s Playground
In Evil Rises, the sole beneficiary of a funeral home uncovers a strange key in the office of his recently deceased father and learns a deadly lesson.
In You Better Watch Out, a spiteful twelve-year-old is kidnapped by a horrific Christmas Demon who puts Krampus to shame!
In The Devil’s Playground, a petty burglar happens upon an unlocked house in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen district and finds himself fighting for his life against a three-headed beast.
LITERARY TITAN 