Blog Archives
Sinister Settings: THE HANA HIGHWAY
Even palm trees can be creepy.
It’s often been said that anything that is stunningly beautiful is also incredibly dangerous, and that’s probably no more true anywhere in the world than it is on Maui’s Hana Highway.
Built in the 1920s, the nearly 65-mile road takes almost a full day to travel from end to end. Along the way Read the rest of this entry
“Splendid Chyna” on Black Friday sale for a whole week!
Nothing says Black Friday like a ghost story, right? If you missed the opportunity to read my novella “Splendid Chyna” – perfect if you like Asian Horror (i.e., The Ring, for those of you not familiar) and abandoned theme parks – the Kindle version is on sale for 99 cents through Thursday, November 29!
“Splendid Chyna” appears in the collection Three on a Match with two other novellas, “All’s Well that Ends” by G. Elmer Munson, and “Thicker than Water” by Melissa Crandall. These shorts are just the thing to be reading in between season busy-ness.
You can get it here, and happy holiday shopping!
MS for THE SHADOWS BEHIND has been delivered…and a new project
Margolynn gets an odd item in the mail in “Attempted Delivery.”
The manuscript for my upcoming short story collection, The Shadows Behind, has been delivered to the publisher, Books & Boos Press! The slated release date is April 2019.
This collection will contain some new stories, as well as some out-of-print pieces and reprints from currently available anthologies (if you’ve never picked any of those up, now you’ll be able to get some of them in one place). A few that are potentially included: Read the rest of this entry
Short Story Sunday: A House at the Bottom of a Lake, by Josh Malerman
A House at the Bottom of a Lake, Josh Malerman
Technically, this isn’t a short story—although I’m uncertain of its word count, I’m sure it’d be considered either a novella or a short novel. Still, this chiller—about two teens in a burgeoning relationship who get a little more than they bargained for when they discover a secret lake on their first date—is peppered with twisted, disturbing imagery that’s so unique it isn’t easily forgotten. At its core, this a romance with a heavy-handed conceit—but I can guarantee you won’t even notice or care. This is definitely one you’ll be leaving your lights on after finishing. You can pick it up here: http://a.co/1OBK6tR
Read “Where There’s Smoke” for free now in THE HAUNTED TRAVELER!
I’m pleased to announced that my short story “Where There’s Smoke” — inspired by the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the fact that my brother lives just a few doors down from the original building–is now available to read for free in the May 2017 issue of The Haunted Traveler: A Roaming Anthology. You can go ahead and check out the issue here! https://www.weaselpress.com/tht4
If you like what you see, please support The Haunted Traveler by “liking” their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/thehauntedtraveler/
New release: Read “Blood on the Snow” in INK STAINS 3!
My ghost story “Blood on the Snow” is now available in Ink Stains: A Dark Fiction Literary Anthology Volume 3, published by Dark Alley Press!
You can pick up the print edition here: http://a.co/7RWaa1Q and the Kindle edition here: http://a.co/3l03pco.
Angevine Farm, 2002
“Blood on the Snow” takes place on an abandoned Christmas tree farm in rural Connecticut. I’m not going to give anything away, but here’s a link to the story’s real-world (and very much still in business!) counterpart: Angevine Farm. My family, however much it’s changed over the years, has been getting our Christmas trees there since the 1970s. I don’t have many photos from that time period, but here’s a montage of the pix I do have — notice some of the landscapes, particularly on a gray day with snow. It’s the perfect place for a ghost story.
If you love ghost stories–and stories about being haunted by the past–then Ink Stains Vol. 3 is for you! Here’s the full Table of Contents: Read the rest of this entry
INK STAINS 3 — which includes my story “Blood on the Snow” — releases next week!
How amazing is this cover?
My short story “Blood on the Snow” will be available in Ink Stains: A Dark Fiction Literary Anthology Volume 3, published by Dark Alley Press, on Tuesday, January 24!
If you love ghost stories–and stories about being haunted by the past–then this collection is for you! Here’s the full Table of Contents: Read the rest of this entry
“Rightfully Mine” is now available!
My most recent flash fiction piece, “Rightfully Mine,” (which I wrote up at this year’s Kipling Retreat) joins several excellent stories and is now available in Sanitarium Magazine Issue #49! It’s an e-mag, so it’s inexpensive. You can get it at one of the links below and in the Google Play Store.
Hunting for Ghosts: Real or Otherwise Pix!
Nathan and I spent our Saturday at Annie’s Book Stop in Worcester, MA, giving presentations as part of their Hunting for Ghosts: Real or Otherwise event. I talked about the nature of the ghost story (and how to go about writing one) and Nathan discussed paranormal investigation and the occult. We had a nice turnout and met some interesting people…and it was fun to present at the same event together, because that rarely happens. Here are a few photos.
Sometimes these events are more about fun than they are about the event itself…
“Crawl” to appear in CT Halloween collection
I’d watch out for that baby blanket if I were you.
I can announce this now! I just signed the contract for my short story “Crawl,” which will appear in Books and Boos Press’ Tricks and Treats: A Collection of Spooky Stories from Connecticut Authors this September. As its title suggests, each story Read the rest of this entry
