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Making Choices

R. Groff Author Interview

The Righteous Place In Light and Shadow is a collection of short stories rooted in both science fiction and horror. Where did the idea for this collection come from, and how did it develop over time?

As an introvert, confrontations are especially hard for me. So, this book is about my struggle to get out of difficult situations. I mostly write about trauma and express myself with fantastic metaphors of what happened to me and some people that I know. I am from Brazil, and it took me a couple of years to translate to English and to revise my writing until I was satisfied with the result.

Is there one story that stands out to you? One that was particularly enjoyable to write?

I enjoy sci-fi a lot, but after Asimov, the virtual bar is incredibly high. So, my favorite story is “This handwriting is not mine,” as I am awfully forgetful, which causes me a lot of trouble, especially in school and work. I’m terrified of Alzheimer’s and tiny Greys that walk funny and don’t need a spacesuit.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore throughout your stories?

Being a man means being pushed to your limits every day. If you are not in pain (either physical or emotional), you are not evolving. These stories are mostly for boys and about becoming men; that’s why there is the label “Big Boys” on the book cover. “Jacobs Games” is an example of making choices and facing their terrible consequences while surviving a terrible situation presented to you (growing up means controlling your inner beast). Most of the time, we cannot avoid the horror of losing someone or moving on to “dangerous places” to solve an impossible problem.

What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?

I will take a break and reflect, but I intend to release another three books in this exact format — the next one is The odd place next to Coincidence and Fate, (about 20% complete) which will continue to be a mix of sci-fi and Horror. I hope my readers saw this, but some stories are interconnected, and the lore of this universe will be expanded. I also don’t want to write completely solo anymore, and for the next book, I will hire a pro editor to help me out in the dark corners of my mind with a better flashlight.

Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon

THE RIGHTEOUS PLACE IN LIGHT AND SHADOW is the first release in a trilogy of short stories that explores the theme of confrontations and close, deadly encounters. Those dangerous places are in for power and dominance — and the reader’s mind is the battlefield where all those forces will collide and see which one gains the upper hand.
Event [1]
In the aftermath of an unprecedented nuclear event that wipes out several blocks of the city, the following story shows the perspectives of many individuals caught in the mysterious and unexplained event. THE LOST ARE ALWAYS BURNING presents horror, violence, mystery, and spirituality through an intricate story told from different points of view.
Event [2]
After receiving a book order in the mail that Mark Wenbley does not remember, the biology professor sees his own hand coming to life and making a different signature. This odd incident triggers Mark to pay more attention to what is happening.
THIS HANDWRITING IS NOT MINE is an accelerationism science fiction story about the collapse of the frail human society, with the ongoing silent war in everyone’s heads as the cities are slowly becoming deserted without anyone even aware of it.
Event [3]
After a small plane crashes into the dark waters of Greenwood Lake, a strange metal box is retrieved and stored in the Finn family Lakehouse. In this story, we will follow the family drama of the Jersey Fire brigade officers Joel Finn and his father. THE UNDEAD OF GREENWOOD is a dark fantasy and horror story about addiction and the bad decisions people make instead of confronting the real terrors inside their minds: the absolute fear of change and facing the consequences of their choices.
Event [4]
We will follow the life of Chris Miller, a survivor of WWII who finds himself inside a string of crimes that unfortunately hide a more sinister and out-of-this-world hidden truth.As the head of security for an elite industrial group, Miller gets involved directly with the inexplicable death of one young son from a privileged family. After being fired and accused of failing miserably, this event pushes Chris to the edge in search of answers, including his own inexplicable past in rural Louisiana.
THE JENNTU ARTIFACT is a science fiction story with elements of horror, mystery, alien technology, and shadow government.
Event [5]
n the pioneering years of electronic games, graphics were not the cutting edge of technology.
Back in the eighties, when tech resources were scarce, the first light in interactivity was creating an entire virtual world by combining text and the player’s imagination.
JACOBS GAMES is set in a very dangerous Compton of 1993, following a young boy passionate about his text adventures found on a computer sold by a friendly VCR repairman. Spending his nights immersed in other realities, Jacob enjoys intricate puzzles and fantasy narratives to escape his private hell of school violence and a runaway mother.
Unfortunately for the young boy, he enters a real game of survival when he meets a demonic entity called Lucius — a vicious and treacherous adversary. To survive, Jacob must win the challenge from the “simulacrum” created by the game master from the mighty Umbra, the dark legion of hell.

The Righteous Place In Light and Shadow

The Righteous Place in Light and Shadow, by R. Groff, is an outstanding short story collection that delves deep into the realms of horror and sci-fi, delivering a series of imaginative and unsettling short stories. Within these pages, readers will encounter a variety of close encounters with the unexplained, the unknown, and the unknowable. In one gripping tale, a World War II survivor finds himself inexplicably linked to a string of bizarre crimes while another story presents the collapse of society in a manner that defies all expectations. Elsewhere, an alien artifact holds the key to cosmic horrors, and in the violence-torn streets of 1990s Compton, a computer game unleashes a demonic entity that threatens to drive a young boy to madness. As you navigate through this collection, be prepared to enter a realm where fantasy and reality blur, and cosmic terror lurks at every turn.

Groff’s collection echoes the eerie atmospheres found in Ray Bradbury’s The October Country and Stephen King’s Nightmares and Dreamscapes. Some of these stories delve into pure horror, while others venture into the speculative territories of science fiction. What ties them all together is the recurring theme of unsuspecting protagonists who stumble into situations where the very fabric of their reality is shattered, revealing a world far more sinister than they could have imagined.

A unifying thread throughout this collection is the idea that humans are most vulnerable when they believe their world is easily defined and categorized. The stories remind us that unspeakable evil and insidious threats often lurk closest when life appears most mundane. Standout stories include The Undead of Greenwood, which poignantly explores the hopelessness of addiction, and Jacob’s Game, which draws inspiration from the Tron movie series to craft a tale of technological horror.

The Righteous Place in Light and Shadow is a must-read for fans of both horror and sci-fi. Groff’s ability to craft tales of genuine nastiness and cosmic dread will undoubtedly resonate with aficionados of the genre, evoking the mastery of storytellers like Clive Barker and Robert Bloch. This collection is a treasure trove of short fiction that will both unsettle and captivate, making it an essential addition to any horror or sci-fi enthusiast’s library.

Pages: 688 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D61BJC4Z

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