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Stories That Are So Crazy
Taylor Mill Horror follows the terrifying true story of a family that buys a real haunted house. Why was this an important book for you to write?
We all hear wild ghost stories and claims. Stories that are so crazy we believe they could never be true. Prior to staying in this home I laughed at claims such as paranormal earthquakes and extreme poltergeist activity. The two weeks we spent in this home forever changed my life and outlook. I now realize that there are things that go on in the world that we will never be able to understand and explain. Things so frightening, we refuse to believe in them. I felt like I owed it to all those who I once thought were making up all these claims to write this book. I wanted to let others know that they are not the only ones who may be going through these things and ultimately that they are not crazy.
As you stayed in the house while researching this book, what were the scariest and the funniest thing that happened?
The scariest thing that had happened was easily the paranormal earthquake. Despite seeing things fly across the room or figures pass by, nothing will even come close to that night. While lying in the bed a loud almost mechanical sound resonated from the house, as if an engine were reving up. Shortly after the house began shaking violently causing things to fly off of the walls and shelves. At this moment, I was fully convinced that I was going to die that night in that home.
After about a week in the home we were so sleep deprived that we tried to find the humor in anything just to stay sane. Whenever we would hear odd noises or things would happen, we would explain them away in the most ridiculous ways possible. For example; the trashcan in the kitchen that had flown across the room a few times was obviously possessed by the spirit of a raccoon who was looking for a late night snack. We did anything we could to share some laughs and make light of what was a stressful situation.
How did you get interested in paranormal activity and haunted houses?
The biggest question in life is What happens after we die? I am a very critical and analytical thinker who needs to see proof before I can form an opinion. From movies to television and books we are told so many different stories about what lurks in the beyond. I simply wanted to set out and see if I could answer this ultimate life question.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on a completely fiction based horror novel. This novel is based off of a recurring nightmare that I have had ever since I was a child. Unlike Taylor Mill Horror, not only is it fiction it is also meant to scare the reader. This is a much more fast paced, horrifying and gruesome novel. I am hoping to release it in October of 2022.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
With the help of a priest and two paranormal investigators, Sam and his family began a battle with the unseen forces attempting to drive them from their home. They discovered the house was infested with a demonic presence. The events and dark energies were altering the emotions of the residents to the point they questioned their own sanity. When the team uncovers strange connections, Sam must ask what brought him to this home in the first place. Could a force beyond comprehension have been at work in drawing the family to that specific property? Discover the true events revealed through interviews and eyewitness accounts for the first time in the pages of Taylor Mill Horror. Written by the team who spent two weeks amidst the horrors and the man who lived it all firsthand, this is an account like no other. Taylor Mill Horror will immerse readers in a story they will never forget, made even more chilling for its status as non-fiction.
HAMLET IN BALTIMORE
Hamlet in Baltimore by Pavel Cerny is a rather ambitious attempt to combine the author’s two passions – horror stories and theater and place it into one fascinating short story. Although purely made up, Cerny manages to present a rather interesting tale on vampires and the parents of Edgar Allan Poe. The five-year-old Poe must deal with the death of his parents at the hands of vampires. This imaginative take on the life of Poe will give readers plenty to think about in this quick read.
Readers will appreciate that the book starts with a disclaimer informing them that the real Mrs. Poe had died 3 years before the events described in this book. I am impressed with the fact that Cerny took a real person and placed her into his fictional narrative and created a shocking and thrilling story. I wonder if Cerny had left the Poe family out of his narrative and created a fictional family of young actors instead if the story would have the same impact especially on those who are fans of Edgar Allan Poe.
Cerny has created a fresh new plot that is mysterious and chilling. The images help the reader feel like they are watching a play. Readers will be impressed with how flawlessly Cerny manages to incorporate several storylines into one well-conceived short story. This is extremely hard considering the short length of the piece thus showcasing the author’s amazing skills. Complementing this imaginative short story are the brilliant illustrations of Manuel Vitman. His work is truly astounding and gives this remarkable story an added edge, complimenting the storyline and giving readers a memorable visual.
Hamlet in Baltimore is a riveting short story that will grip readers from start to finish. This superb telling of Edgar Allan Poe’s early life will fascinate readers of horror, fiction, short stories, suspense, and fantasy.
Pages: 40 | ISBN : 1664158650
Dark Was the Night
![Dark Was the Night: A Novella by [Tania Lorena Rivera]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Le6cTgNEL.jpg)
Dark Was the Night by Tania Lorena Rivera was the exact spooky season read I needed! In this unique thriller, we follow Lucy Arnold as she battles her constant fear of the dark and the shadows that reside there. We soon learn that these fears may stem from a long-forgotten traumatic event from her childhood that she has yet to process. But on one terrible Hallow’s Eve, Lucy is thrown into another traumatic situation that makes her memories come flooding back. Will she survive the night and escape her past – you will have to find out for yourself in Dark Was the Night!
Author Tania Rivera sure knows how to write a fast-paced read that captures your attention from start to finish! Let me jump right into this review by mentioning how fantastic the plot and premise of the story are. I enjoyed the interconnecting story of Lucy’s childhood trauma to a present-day event. It shows the complexities of PTSD and how it can follow you and haunt you in more ways than one. What happens in this book is never Lucy’s fault, but it does propose how an event can affect us in the future if we don’t address it.
The plot twist was wholly unique and unexpected! The culprit of the later events in the story has a genuine charm, unlike many other antagonists. I praise Rivera for her creativity in that regard. Although I loved the plot and premise of this story, I would have enjoyed more details around the characters to give them more depth. That was especially the case when it came to their physical appearance. But I am glad to say this is my only complaint, and it does not affect my feelings towards the story as a whole.
Dark Was the Night by Tania Lorena Rivera is a must-read for the autumn season. I give this book a dazzling four out of five stars! Now hurry and add it to your TBR for the month. This is a short but suspenseful horror novel with an eerie atmosphere and an engrossing story.
Pages: 238 | ASIN: B09DFJLPNC
Chindi
![Chindi by [Timothy Bryan]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qJVx56OrL.jpg)
Chindi by Timothy Bryan begins in Northeastern California in the fall of 1862, diving into the story of a man named Abraham. As Abraham and his brother Billy dig something up in the rural landscape, they find a horrifying skull that strikes fear deep into their hearts. The story then travels across the plains to find a Native man named Chief Hakan as he discovers the bodies of a murdered family. He assumes the worst—that their tribe is being attacked.
The meat of the story begins with conflict. After the shocking deaths of many good people, Lieutenant Crook realizes that the Native Americans must be attacking white settlers. This spurs him to ready his men for battle, as more disastrous deaths occur around them. As we watch him struggle to understand why the conflict is happening, we learn that Abraham has been possessed by a being named Chindi—as he traverses the landscape, he collects the bodies of the dead, raising them to join him in his trek.
I found Chindi to be a harrowing story that explores history while emphasizing elements of horror. I loved the action throughout the story, and found Crook’s battles with the creature haunting and intriguing. As Crook and his men learned of the demons entering the bodies of the dead, I felt their fear along with them, completely entranced by the terrifying tale.
I would have liked to see even more description of the actual monsters. I had a hard time picturing the creatures at first, but I was thankful when Bryan explored the fearful aspects of their appearance. However, I sometimes felt that the increased dialogue took away from the atmospheric terror.
If you’re a fan of horror stories, Chindi takes the idea of a classic western and turns it into something absolutely haunting. I loved the unique nature of the monsters and enjoyed how history played a part in this spooky story. I recommend it to anyone looking for an exciting and scary read this Halloween season.
Pages: 243 | ASIN: B09FSCS87K
A Paranormal Casebook
![A Paranormal Casebook by [Robert Lee Dean, Crissha Figarella, J.N. McLaughlin, R.L. Dean]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31uszEc2UwL.jpg)
A collection of short stories from West Texas, A Paranormal Casebook by Robert Lee Dean starts strong. Unsettled spirits feature alongside our narrator, who begins as a deputy in a rural Sheriff’s Department. Each story weaves in elements of death, loss, and haunting as we learn about specters he encounters, year by year.
The tone of the chief character is sparse, becoming a welcome voice. We read terse descriptions, not unlike case reports, with the awareness of surroundings that law enforcement officers often have. This creates punchy prose with nothing outwardly violent, terrifying, or grotesque; we see these unexplained phenomena alongside one with feet solidly planted on the ground and who has a gun in their holster. Few ghost hunters can call for armed backup, although it may not be needed, yet it helps the reader maintain a sense of safety when confronted with the unexplained.
Ghostly folk tales as outsider art make this a unique entry in the genre. The author is not a writer by trade and didn’t set out to write a book. That these stories were recorded gives us a rare and unique perspective, as he had written them as fleeting notes and hadn’t kept them. Luckily, someone did.
Some tales in A Paranormal Casebook have the familiar feel of urban legend or folk tales but are fresh through the eyes of a cop. We follow this rational, friendly man with his worn cowboy hat and love of pizza into ghostly adventures easier than a skeptic or frenzied ghost chaser. This is a riveting collection of short stories, and if you are looking for something new in the paranormal genre and want just the facts, this is a great pick from the Lone Star State.
Pages: 89 | ASIN: B091N8ZCQV
The Walrus: Monster in the Mist – Book Trailer
Paul Tonetti, Jr., at 14 years of age, was on the verge of taking the darker dark path towards adulthood. But then George and Lucia Albert moved in next door and everything changed. Was George the superhero Paul perceived him to be, or something much less super and more sinister? And what about the vacant lot nearby, which seemed to defy the laws of nature? In the “shake, rattle and roll” world of spirts and demons, the Walrus knows all the answers.
A Fairly Straight-forward Haunting
The Covenant of Wickersham Hollow follows a group of teens that go into the Wickersham house and awaken a malevolence that has lain dormant for centuries. What was the inspiration for the setup to your thrilling story?
Wickersham Hollow actually started under the name Witch Hill and was intended originally to be a fairly straight-forward haunting. But as the characters developed, so did the story. The further I went, the more I realized it had to be told in both the past and present…each leading in circles to the other.
The story is told from the viewpoint of different interesting characters. Who was your favorite character to write for?
I think my favorite character to write and develop was Mother Cassandra. Getting the reader to hear her Jamaican dialect as they read, without pulling them out of the story by having to struggle with it, was a challenge – one I hope to (and have seemed to, so far) met.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I think the most important theme was relationships. It’s the ties between people, be they best friends or relatives, that drive any meaning into the telling of a story. Without relationships, without connections, characters become flat and one dimensional. I think that’s pretty true in life as well.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m nearing completion on the first book of a new series. The title of the book is The Bones of Sarah Golescue. The series is based around two characters from a previous novel, Blood Tracks. I see it as a kind of “Supernatural” meets The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
If all goes well, I plan to have it up for pre-sale by the end of March (2021)
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
300 years ago…
…an evil was born of lust.
Now it’s awake … and hungers.
When seven teenagers go into the old Wickersham place in search of a Halloween thrill, they get more than they bargained for when they awaken a malevolence that has lain dormant for centuries. Barely escaping with their lives, they learn that the past never dies.
For … in a house that hungers…
…no soul is safe.
When a young couple set about restoring the old place, the evil resurfaces. And those who faced it once before just might be the couples’ only hope.
Will they find the courage to reunite…
…and face a terror they’ve tried to forget?
And if so…
Will anyone survive?
You’ll love this old school horror tale, because some things that go bump in the night are real. Don’t forget your night light.
Get it now.
LITERARY TITAN 