Tag Archives: Gothic Mystery

Release Day~ 13 Authors / 13 Horror Short Stories – #Fridaythe13th #99Cents #Blog

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Spit on a grave by Tamrie Foxtail

Fun Fact:

When I was in high school there was a cemetery across the street. It may sound odd, but it was a quiet place to study and walk. And there was that one mysterious headstone…off by itself…broken….

About Spit on a Grave:

No one likes a bully and Kiera’s tormented by four of them. But Kiera knows something they don’t. She knows how to turn the tormentors into the tormented.

Snippet:

“Audrey’s right,” Makayla said. “This is spooky. Why can’t we just say we went?”

“Because we have to post a picture,” Jenna said. “With the time.” She pointed to her right. “Kiera said the grave is over there in the corner, under the oak tree.”

They walked two abreast, dead leaves crunching beneath their feet and the full moon playing hide-and-seek through bare branches.

“There,” Alissa said, pointing at the lonely stone. She motioned for the other three to follow.

“Do we just take a picture standing in front of the grave?” Audrey asked.

“We’re supposed to spit on it,” Makayla said.

“That so disrespectful,” Jenna said.

Alissa shrugged. “Who cares? She was a child killer.” Alissa turned on her camera and aimed it at the stone. “Here we are in front of the grave of Barbara Dawn Callan,” she said in a spooky voice. “So scary. Not.” She made certain she was in the video, turned and spit on the grave. “There you go Barbara Dawn. Come and get me.”

Makayla followed. “Waiting for you, Barbara Dawn,” she taunted.

About the author:

Tamrie Foxtail followed her husband from the Sunshine State to the Sooner State thirty years ago. She loves carousels, reading, her family, and her fur babies.

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Soulless by Alicia Dean

 Fun Fact:

When I write, I like to pay homage to things I love or that are personal to me. In Soulless, there are several scattered throughout:

  • The name of the town is Pleasence, after Donald Pleasence who played Dr. Loomis in the Halloween movie franchise.
  • A nearby town is called Boone Springs, which is the name of the town in my grim reaper romance, Soul Seducer.
  • My sheriff is Rosalyn (Roz) Grimes, and Rick Grimes is my favorite character in Walking Dead, and Roz is from one of my favorite sitcoms, Frasier.
  • Of course, I mention Elvis, though briefly.
  • And, I mention MLB, although at the time I wrote it, I didn’t realize that no post season game would be happening on Friday, although in the story I say there is.
  • And, lastly (I think), my bad guy’s name, Dearil, means ‘call of death.’

About Soulless:

When Sheriff Rosalyn Grimes shoots and kills the serial killer who is holding her daughter captive, she thinks the ordeal is over and her town is safe. But a rash of new murders plunges them right back into the nightmare—is there a copycat on the loose or, even more terrifying, has the same murderer come back to life?

Snippet:

He was only ten feet away, and she was suddenly afraid to go any closer. He gave off a bad vibe…as if just his being naked in the middle of the road wasn’t a bad vibe enough. No, there was something about this guy she wanted no part of. Screw it, she’d definitely call the police. And grab her gun while she waited for them.

She backed away, keeping her eye on him, but still, he didn’t move. She turned and hurried to her porch. She was twisting the knob when a smell like death assailed her nostrils. Fear choked her, and she whirled to see the man looming behind her. How had he gotten here so quickly?

She fumbled for the door and managed to get it open, then hurried inside. When she went to slam the door shut, he shoved it open from the other side and sent her tumbling to the floor.

He stalked over to her. “Let me in, little piggy.” His harsh voice rumbled out of him like a death rattle.

Shivers raced over her skin. “What do you want?” she managed to get past the lump of fear in her throat. “My husband’s upstairs, and he’s got a gun.”

 His grotesque mouth lifted in the parody of a smile. “Don’t lie to me, Bethy. Your husband’s out of town. I need his clothes.”

The moon outside the window passed from behind the clouds, illuminating his features, and she gasped with recognition.

About the Author:

Oklahoma author, Alicia Dean, has an unhealthy fascination with murder and all things creepy and disturbing. On a lighter note, she’s a lifelong Elvis fan, loves the NFL and MLB, and hardly ever makes her darkly disturbing fascinations a reality.

https://linktr.ee/AliciaDean1835

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The Widower by Krysta Scott

Fun Fact:

Some friends and I attended a forensic class at a Skeleton Museum. We were given a skull and instructions on how to determine the cause of death. It was interesting to go through the steps anthropologists and forensic scientists go through to determine age, sex and physical trauma. Skeletons really can tell a story of a person’s life.

About The Widower:

Lucy Cable has an inexplicable talent for reading bones—she can look at a skull and see the person’s face. While touring a local bone museum, she notices a skeleton on display and is horrified to identify it as her missing friend. When another murder takes place, Lucy realizes a maniac is in their midst. Can she figure out how to stop him before her snooping around puts her next on his list?

Snippet:

“I didn’t think the museum would have this effect on you. Seriously, I just thought it would be a fun party.”

“I’m fine,” Lucy said. “I just need to sit down for a bit.”

“Ok, if you don’t mind, I’m going to find Cora.”

“Knock yourself out.” Lucy headed for an empty bench across the room. She was almost there when a sight stopped her short. She couldn’t have seen what she thought she had. It couldn’t be. Slowly, she pivoted on her heels. She had to be imagining things. She walked toward the single skeleton in the far corner of the room.

She put her hands on the glass and stared at the figure allowing the flesh to layer in her mind. There was no mistaking it. The same pert nose. The high cheekbones. The perfectly shaped rosebud lips. Add the blue eyes and long blonde hair. It was Maeve. Her mind spun with the implications. She’d seen her last night and now her skeleton was on display. “Oh, Maeve.”

“Now, what do you think of my museum?” Professor Porter beamed down at her. Lucy looked into the eyes of a killer.

About the Author:

Krysta Scott is the author of the novel, Shadow Dancer. Since publishing her first book through the Wild Rose Press, she has since published two novellas in the Martini Club 4 series and three novellas in the Friday the Thirteenth series. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, daughter and dog.

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 The Boy in the Bubble by Stephen B. King

 Fun Fact:

This story was inspired by meeting someone who spent his childhood as a true boy in the bubble due to severe allergies that would kill him if he left it. Later in life, when he gained some immunities, though he still has to lead a sheltered life, he suffered a hernia and the operations went wrong. We can all be grateful that he didn’t have the telekinetic power Timothy does in the story……

About The Boy in the Bubble:

Timothy has spent his life in a bubble which protects him from fatal allergies. But nature always compensates and Timothy has developed incredible telekinetic powers. When a simple hernia operation goes wrong causing him unbearable, non-stop agony, Timothy strikes back the only way he knows how by reigning death and destruction.

 Snippet

Much later, when Joseph recalled the incident, he realized their attacker suddenly resembled a marionette operated by a manic puppeteer. As the man reeled backward away from the cab, his hand, which held the switchblade, trembled as it turned toward his own stomach. The man seemed to be fighting with an invisible bodyguard, and he grasped his right wrist with his left hand to try to stop the knife from stabbing into his own body. But he was fighting a losing battle, and the blade disappeared into his stomach as he screamed a blood-curdling yell which ended with an even louder shriek.

“No,” Joseph shouted frantically, “Timothy, stop.”

The man jerked the knife out, and a squirt of blood arced toward the open door, some hitting Miriam’s skirt. “Arggghhhhhh,” the mugger exclaimed and looked directly into Joseph’s eyes as the knife re-entered an inch higher, then again, and again, repeatedly until he fell to the sidewalk, shaking and kicking his legs in pain before passing into unconsciousness.

 About the Author:

I am thrilled, and deeply humbled to have published 17 books. Though my first love is psychological thrillers featuring the worst serial killers imaginable, I have also written romantic thrillers, horror stories and even a time-travel romantic thriller where the protagonist comes back in time to save the world, and falls in love. Find me on FB: @stephenbkingauthor

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A Wicked Fate Mark Edward Jones

 Fun Fact

I like to pluck quotes from Shakespeare’s different works and in Hamlet I found ‘Our wills and fates do so contrary run.’ I wanted to show a bit of the killers’ perspectives in this story. Can the young female antagonist, Miomir, resist her destiny, or will her uncle force her to accept her fate?

 About A Wicked Fate:

Miomir ìl Kurić desires money, power, and to be feared, while unburdened by her past. Her Uncle Karanosz insists she remains a part of their unique family, one which harbors special skills … and connections to evil.

 Snippet:

The ancient granite structure no longer offered Christian worshipers a place for gathering in southern Vienna. The Catholic Church abandoned then sold St. Ezekiel—some said because the hauntings had never ceased. A half-century earlier, the Jews of Vienna had been herded like cattle into the old church before transport to Mauthausen or one of its surrounding camps. The church sat empty for decades, an outcast building with broken stained glass, dusty pews and altars, and fading memories of the long-ago tragedy.

Two people had claimed a portion of the former church. A man with a fedora in his lap leaned back into a cushioned love seat, his head tilted upward with eyes shut. A young woman paced the living area, clenching an unlit cigarette between her lips.

Miomir stared and yanked the cigarette from her mouth. “Comfortable?” she asked, staring at her resting uncle. “Two dead, and now we are the hunted again.”

Tasev sighed and sat forward. “Dear Miomir, I cannot believe you let it happen.” He shook his head. “There will be many questions about the condition of the body. If someone knows your … abilities, they will identify you.”

About the Author:

Mark retired from higher education finance in 2017. He is working on his third detective mystery, has written three paranormal short stories, and has completed the first chapter of a proposed sci-fi mystery.

https://linktr.ee/mejbooksllc

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SHARE by Anna Kittrell

 Fun Fact

One morning, during the writing process of SHARE my grandson and I went on a bicycle ride through town. On our way home, our path led us beside an abandoned building with an entire wall missing. We could see something inside and climbed onto the crumbling foundation to get a better look. There, standing alone, was one single piece of furniture–a baby cradle complete with bedding. In contrast to the surroundings, the cradle was in perfect condition. The scene absolutely took my breath away, because of the similarities to my existing book cover–so much so, I snapped this picture with my phone.

About SHARE:

Expectant mother, Autumn, offers to lend her body through “lend and borrow” technology to her childless boss and mentor, Sadie, who longs to experience the movement of a child within her before she dies. However, Autumn is horrified to learn that her good intentions have warranted certain death for her unborn child. Sadie doesn’t like to share.

Snippet:

“Wow,” Autumn breathed, stopping in her tracks. “Look at that.” She pointed to a large painting of a crying infant whose colorful—was it a soul?—descended from the sky, entering the child, filling its small body with light. A Not For Sale sign was attached to the ornate frame.

Sadie approached, touching Autumn’s arm. “How far along are you?”

She turned slowly toward her. “Almost five months. But most people are surprised when I tell them. How did you know?”

“I just knew.”

“Do you have children?”

“Actually, no. I’ve had three miscarriages, each at around twelve weeks gestation. Shortly after the last one, our house burned down, and my husband died in the fire. No children, no husband. It’s just me and my shop. Loss is so painful.”

“That is heartbreaking.” Autumn wrapped an arm around Sadie. “Your husband is waiting in heaven for you. Your babies are there, too.”

“I wish that were true. But my children never drew their first breath, therefore they never received a soul.” She looked up at the painting. “The soul is granted by God when a newborn child takes its very first breath. The soul is precious. Reserved for children who thrive outside the womb, not those who merely exist inside it.”

“You said yourself it was painful to lose your children,” Marlene piped in, her words bristling with irritation.

“Extremely painful. But even more painful was the acknowledgement that each of those small, lifeless bodies lacked a soul.”

The breath whooshed from Autumn’s lungs. She steadied herself against a sturdy-looking bookcase as Marlene put an arm around her and glared at Sadie. “Seriously, lady? What you said goes way beyond polite conversation.”

“I’m sorry—”

 About the Author:

Anna is a screenwriter, freelance writer, and fiction writer with twelve books in publication and over a dozen articles/stories featured in Writers’ Digest, Southern Writers, and Woman’s World magazine. She was named “Oklahoma’s Best Author of 2021” by Oklahoma Living Magazine.

https://www.facebook.com/AKittrell

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Blanks by Christopher Farris

 Fun Fact

In “Blanks,” my favorite character, Josiah Poopart, better known as Beaver, rides again. I liked him so much in “Stripes” that I couldn’t resist writing a sequel. I’ve known him in various forms my entire life: canoeing buddies, fellow soldiers, family members. Men with a simple yet somehow poetic view of life. None as homicidal as Beaver, of course, but they speak of the world much as he does. He is very true to my experience and very close to home. He is not sophisticated, but he is creative, and he’s never met a story he was afraid to embellish. He’s so fun to write. My hope is to write at least five stories documenting the misadventures of my lethal, bucktoothed friend. I’d like to eventually publish them as a single work. (Title suggestions are welcome. 😊) We’ll see.

I did a lot of research for this story (LSD, Spavinaw history, etc.) I always do. My favorite scene, however, wasn’t due to any research or innate creativity on my part. I really wish it was. The Tale of the Depressed Duck was given to me whole cloth by my buddy Colin. He had just had a nearly identical conversation with his wife and was wondering how he should respond. I had no advice for him but, I roared when I heard the story and had to find a way to make it Beaver’s. Fortunately, Colin was willing. I’m hoping you enjoy my retelling of The Depressed Duck. If not, that’s on me. The original version was hysterical.

 About Blanks:

Beaver Poopart has graduated both the VA psych ward and the police academy. Now he’s gone to Oklahoma in search of a wayward woman. Lots of people are going to wish he hadn’t.

 Snippet:

“Anyway,” I said, “thirteen weeks I spent getting my head unscrewed and re-screwed. No booze. No women. Nothing but cigarettes and all the sleep and VA chow you could eat.”

“Food bad?”

“Hell, no. I ate better than I ever did. Free, too. They had this carrot Jell-O that I got to liking a lot. Little blob of whip cream on top. Real darn good. Sometimes I think I ought to head back over there for dinner or lunch some time. In fact, we could—” I stopped myself. Shooter might meet one of my docs. He might not understand about that dead orderly, Raymond.

Nothing to do with me, of course. People break their necks falling down the stairs all the time. They don’t often die on the fire escape outside my room, but that ain’t my fault. Truth is, nobody knows what he was even doing out there. I reckoned him for a peeping Tom, and I told them so. I told them I was suing for sexual harassment. I pointed out that he kept trying to give me weed, which everybody knows is a gateway drug to sexual slavery. Turns out they had their own suspicions.

About the Author:

Christopher Farris lives in a very old, very small house in a very old, very small town nestled deep in a valley of the Boston Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. His novels, The Fountain, and Intersection: A Trucker’s Christmas Carol are available at Amazon.com, as are his Friday the 13th short stories, including the first Beaver story, “Stripes.”

http://www.facebook.com/cfarrisauthor

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The Devil’s Dregs by Robert Herold

 Fun Fact

The climax to the story takes place in the old Rainier Brewery in south Seattle. The huge building is next to the freeway with an iconic “R” sitting on top. Millions of people have driven past the place, but few have entered it. I decided the bowels of the building would be an ideal setting.

About The Devil’s Dregs:

 A witch has stolen Steven Metcalf’s newborn son and intends to sacrifice the child to her dark lord. Steven and his two friends scour Seattle to rescue the infant, but the city has become infested with witches and their allies. Can Steven and company save the innocent before it’s too late?

Snippet:

We were about fifty yards down the hill, stumbling through the ferns and salal bushes when a bright flashlight illuminated us. A woman shouted, “This is the police! Stop where you are!”

We ignored her and increased our pace, careening down the hillside by taking flying leaps through the wet fall foliage. Gunshots rang out. I could hear the whizzing sound of bullets flying past us and into the leaves of bushes. Bark flew off a nearby tree. This caused us to leap even faster until we entered a copse of evergreens with low-hanging branches, shielding us at least from view. We crouched on the ground and gathered together as bullets continued to wiz over our heads.

“What now?” asked Hu. While normally cool as a cuke, her voice betrayed her desperation.

 About the Author:

Robert Herold is the author of the award-winning Eidola Project novels, which follows a team of 19th-century ghost hunters, and The Seattle Coven Tales, declared by N. N. Light Book Heaven as the “must-read paranormal series of the year.” Find out more at: http://robertheroldauthor.com

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Feast or Famine by Jon Minton

 Fun Fact

The story contains a scene at the Teatro della Pergola, an opera house in Florence, Italy. It opened in 1656 and still hosts shows today. In the scene, the main character is watching Robert le Diable, a Meyerbeer opera about the medieval legend who discovers he is the son of Satan. Released in 1831 it is known for the provocative Nun’s Ballet.

About Feast or Famine:

Theresa Salomé is cursed and blessed. Every Friday the 13th, she must kill and cannibalize her victim, extending her life. She’s collected knowledge, amassed wealth, and watched empires come and go. But as centuries pass, the cycle and isolation threaten to tear her mind apart. Is she a monster, a preview of humanity’s future, or just another pawn for gods and devils.

Snippet:

Tess’s strength and extended life came from the brain and heart, the meat and potatoes of the meal. She threw the heart to Marco, who tore into the tough muscle like butter. Despite popular opinion, the brain isn’t something you can hold. Tess scooped out gelatinous fat, slurping it from her hand like an oyster.

Everything that came after the brain and heart, just like the spinal fluid hors d’oeuvres, could be skipped. Tess reminded herself that there was a technical need. If nothing else, body disposal. On a cursed day, she tore flesh and consumed it with the same efficiency as her companion, and together, they would devour it down to the bone in a single day.

 About the Author:

Jon Minton is an American speculative fiction writer based in Oklahoma City. He is a software developer but has always been passionate about a great story.

https://www.jonmintonbooks.com

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VIOLET by CONNOR TREADWAY

Fun Fact:

The natural springs and caverns that are part of this story were once popular spa destinations in Florida for travelers in the laste 1800s and early 1900s.

About Violet:

Ivy Powers, now Ivy Ligon, is happily married, renovations to convert the Victorian home she inherited from a distant relative into a bed-and-breakfast are almost complete, and she just discovered she’s expecting. Life is perfect except for troubling dreams and the heartbreaking wail of a child that keeps waking Ivy in the middle of the night. While one lost soul may be seeking solace, another intends to keep its secrets buried…forever. Ivy will be forced to pay a price in her quest to right a wrong…but will it be worth the cost?

Snippet:

“Did you hear about the skeleton they found at the sinkhole on Aaron Rebisz’s farm?”

Ivy was sitting cross-legged next to a box of ledgers from the 1900s the town librarian had dropped off for the new museum. Across the room, Truby Santella was methodically sorting four generations of war medallions donated by Pete Wilson, a retired Navy captain who came from a long line of patriotic men and women who’d served in the Armed Forces.

“Passaway is slow to reveal her secrets, but nothing stays buried forever.”

Ivy flinched at Truby’s choice of words. Although she’d slept a few more hours, undisturbed by eerie cries, the thought of a small child dying in an underground cavern unsettled her. She’d confessed her feelings to Mike who frowned sympathetically but cautioned her about jumping to conclusions.

“We don’t know what happened,” he’d said, smoothing a strand of hair out of her face. “A family could have been picnicking out in the field on top of another sinkhole and the child fell in and was trapped under the dirt and rocks. Jackie mentioned something about a health spa where people came to swim in the natural springs. Could be the child accidentally drowned or was swept away by the waters. Whatever it was, I suspect it happened a long time ago, given there are no stories about children who unexpectedly went missing in the area.”

Her husband was right. The child’s death was most likely an unfortunate mishap.

No, it wasn’t.

Ivy’d had a series of baffling and inexplicable events when she first arrived in Passaway. Premonitions, visions and dreams that seemed to be those of another woman, ghostly encounters, roses with supernatural abilities—all related to Rosemary Storm’s murder. She’d learned to trust her intuition and believe in the unbelievable.

There was a dark secret connected to the child’s skeleton spit out by the earth yesterday. What would it take for the truth to be revealed?

“You’re familiar with the town’s unofficial history.” Ivy tried to sound curious, not like she was digging. “Have you ever heard of a young boy or girl getting lost in the caverns around here?”

“That’s not something I know,” Truby drawled. “Each generation has its own secrets.”

About the Author:

Connor Treadway is the pen name for the writing team behind Gothic thrillers and mysteries. The duo lives and writes in northeastern Florida.

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 Karma’s a Bitch by TL Schaefer

Fun Fact:

This was one of those stories that just appeared in my head as I drove back from a lunch meeting with my writer friends! Driving time is the best time for conjuring ideas.

 About Karma’s a Bitch:

Millie is determined to prove the existence of the paranormal in Bountiful, Oklahoma. But the people of Bountiful don’t care much for strangers asking questions…

Snippet

A monster emerged soundlessly from the depths of lake into the eerie silence, the last rays of sunlight putting her on display.

She was small, no bigger than Millie, but pure presence and power surrounded her like a nimbus, making her seem larger than the men arrayed before her combined. Her naked body was mottled gray and green and brown, long knotted ropes of what looked like moss shrouding her face. She was grotesque and stunning at the same time, and her terrible, terrifying beauty made the breath clog in Millie’s lungs.

The water streaming off of the monster was clear, and all around her water lilies formed and bloomed, a riot of green and white and pink against cool, crisp water that had looked black and clouded just a moment before.

A kind of wonder tinged with terror swept through Millie, leaving chill bumps on her arms as she looked and tried to comprehend. Failed. She’d never seen anything like this. Had a feeling no one had, except the men who’d summoned the creature.

 About the Author:

TL Schaefer writes mysteries/police procedurals that also have a romance twined throughout. And likely some stuff that goes bump in the night.

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Knockers by Mary Coley

 Fun Fact

The KNOCKERS story came together after visiting the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO this summer.

 About Knockers:

Trina Ellsbury needs a break. Then she checks into the StayLonger Inn. The desk clerk neglects to tell her about Knockers that linger on the fifth floor, or the history of Room 511.

 Snippet:

“Front Desk. How may I help you?” A woman asked.

“Trina Ellsbury in 511. I need maintenance. The water in my bathtub is brown.”

“511? That can’t be right. What room, Ms. Ellsbury?”

“511. I checked in last night and have been here all day.”

The woman cleared her throat. “I have no one in 511. We don’t rent that room. Please check the number again. I’ll be happy to send someone up.”

“Trip has been here several times today.”

“Trip? We don’t have an employee by that name.”

“Then ask Lou. He delivered food and picked up something for the cleaners. I assure you I’m here and in room 511.”

“Lou? We have no one on staff named Lou. I’ve been at the desk all day.”

“Mr. Jenkins has helped me each time I’ve called. Get him, please. Mr. Jenkins, the manager.”

“There is no Mr. Jenkins. I’m Sandra Lawson, the night manager.”

Someone knocked on the door. Knock…knock, knock, knock, knock. Five times. In my head, the two answering knocks sounded.

“Maintenance, Ms. Ellsbury.” Trip called. He knocked five times.

Through the peephole, I recognized Trip’s blazing smile. I knocked twice in response, loudly, and let him in.

 About the Author:

Mary Coley thinks in mysteries. Her favorite question is WHY? A traveler, nature and dog lover, her next story is just around the corner. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and Trixie, their current rescued hound.

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 Spine Chilling by Michelle Godard-Richer

 Fun Fact

I put up a post in The Booklounge For Readers and Authors to ask men which classic books were their favorites to decide which book Peter McFadden would possess.

About Spine Chilling:

Peter McFadden’s life is ending, but he isn’t ready to leave this world and his killing ways behind. His spirit lingers inside his favorite vintage book, tethering him to this world, while he waits for his next victim.

 Snippet:

Esme kneeled beside her sister and angled the flashlight on her phone into the dark space beneath the box spring. The beam illuminated two boxes. A black metal case and a big shoe box.

Lucy pulled them out. “If he had anything valuable in this room it would be inside these.” She tugged the metal box towards her and lifted the latches. “Yep, this is his old Colt. We’ll take this with us. What’s in that one?”

With an unexplainable sense of unease lifting the hair on the back of her neck, Esme pulled the shoe box towards her and flipped it open. “This is weird.” She picked up a bundle of cards, with a woman’s driver’s license on top, held together by an elastic band. She tugged the elastic off and spread what turned out to be a bunch of driver’s licenses across the carpet. They all belonged to young women. “What the hell, Luce? Why would he have these?”

“I don’t know. I’ll google the names.” Lucy’s fingers flew across her iPhone as she glanced at the driver’s licenses. Her skin turned clammy, and her hands shook.

“What’s wrong, Luce?”

“Ohmigod. I’ve searched three of the names so far, and they were all murdered by the Colorado Strangler. And the police still haven’t caught him. But that still doesn’t explain why Dad has these.” Lucy picked up a small jewelry box, the only other thing left in the shoe box. “I wonder what’s in here.”

Esme’s stomach twisted into a tight knot as her brain worked through the shock of their discovery and arrived at a horrific conclusion. “I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.”

“Why not?” Lucy opened the box, then dropped it, and covered her mouth.

The box landed on its side and a mound of gleaming white teeth spilled out all over the carpet. Almost as if their father had polished each tooth individually after…he yanked them out of someone’s mouth.

 About the Author:

Michelle Godard-Richer is the award-winning author of The Fatal Series. She writes edge-of-your-seat suspenseful stories with strong protagonists and diabolical villains. linktr.ee/mgodardricher

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Wednesday’s Want, Wed, Waste: Talk Show Hosts – Giveaway – 99¢ Ebooks!

Hello and welcome to my version of the game, ‘F*@#’, Marry, Kill. This week we are WWW’ing talk show hosts.

 

Myself and some of my friends are sharing our Want, Wed, and Waste choices from this week’s list:

Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, David Letterman

carson lenbo letterman

Click on book titles below to learn more and to be taken to a buy link

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Me (Alicia Dean). FOUR different Ebooks on sale for a limited time from Amazon: 99¢ each! Lady in the Mist, Death Notice, Liberty Awakened, Liberty Divided. Click here for info and links: Alicia Dean Kindle Book Sale

Want: Johnny Carson. He was funny and adorable. Definitely the sexiest of the three. I think I would actually rather be married to him than David Letterman, but when I think of ‘want,’ Johnny definitely comes to mind before David. So, since I can’t Wed and Want Johnny, he gets the ‘want.’ (Who made up these stupid rules, anyway? J)

Wed: David Letterman. He’s not sexy at all, but he’s really funny. We would have a chaste marriage, but I would have a lot of laughs.

Waste: Jay Leno. He is NOT attractive, and I find him the least funny of the three. I’m SO glad Jimmy Fallon  is taking over for him on Late Night. Now, talk about a ‘want’…

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Callie Hutton, author of An Angel in the Mail, Angel never wanted to be a mail order bride, but now she’s facing a stranger with five children.  Website: www.calliehutton.com

Want: Johnny Carson, cause in his own way he’s ‘bad little boy’ sexy

Wed: Jay Leno, cause he’d always have me laughing

Waste: David Letterman. ::sigh:: It seems I wouldn’t need a reason, cause he really is a ‘waste.’

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SILVER JAMES, author of CHRISTMAS MOON  What’s a Wolf to do? Save the girl or save Christmas? Website: http://silverjames.com

Want: Johnny Carson. I went to bed with this man every night for years and I still miss his particular brand of humor. I just wish he was still breathing.

Wed: Jay Leno. He’s rich, funny, has a garage full of really hot classic cars–what’s not to get cuddly over that pre-nup with?

Waste: David Letterman. Yeah. He is sooooo not my type. Snide, arrogant, and there’s nothing socially redeeming about him, IMO.

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Linda McLaughlin, author of LADY ELINOR’S ESCAPE A runaway heiress leads her would-be rescuer on a merry chase in this sweet Regency romance. ON SALE for ONLY 99¢ at Amazon & B&N. Website: http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/ladyelinor.html

Want: David Letterman who has such an off-the-wall sense of humor. Though if I had my choice, it would be the adorable and equally off-the-wall Charleston dandy, Stephen Colbert. He’s such a hoot.

Wed: Jay Leno, who seems to be an all-around good guy. Plus have you seen his classic car collection? I’d love to go tooling up Pacific Coast Highway in a classic convertible with him some Sunday afternoon. I grew up with old cars and love them.

Waste: Johnny Carson, mostly because I’m not into necrophilia. 😉

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M.J. SCHILLER, author of BETWEEN ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (Even rock stars aren’t immune to murder.), http://www.amazon.com/BETWEEN-PLACE-ROCKING-ROMANCE-COLLECTION-ebook/dp/B00H0SPAAA/ Website: www.mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com

GIVEAWAY!!! M.J. is offering a FREE copy of Trapped Under Ice to one lucky commenter! Name will be drawn Monday, January 6, 2014 – Be sure to leave your email address along with your comment.

Want: Okay, I’m going purely on looks here for the want. Johnny Carson is the most attractive of the three, although he’s much older than I am and I probably wouldn’t be interested, no offense. But if you’re going straight looks, Johnny’s my pick.

Wed: Well I can’t say Letterman, because I think it was rumored that he’s had affairs. I’ve never heard that about Leno, so I’ll stick with him.

Waste: Wow, that leaves me wasting Letterman, who I have no real desire to waste. Sometimes this game is cruel.  …but I still LOVE it!

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Now we’d like to hear from you….which of these Talk Show Hosts would you Want, Wed, and Waste?

Thanks for playing!

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New Kindle for Christmas? Four Ebooks ON SALE FOR 99¢ EACH!!! Ends 1/15/14

Through January 15, 2014, purchase these titles for only 99¢ each. Something for everyone: A Gothic Mystery, two New Adult Paranormals, a Suspense with Romantic Elements.

10. Lady in the Mist 7.26.12(Alicia Dean writing as Winter Frost)

Click here to purchase: Amazon

Blurb:

Upon her arrival in Shoal Harbor, Maine, Lily Jackson hears eerie moans that the locals claim are the ghostly cries of the unfortunate Breckenridge women. Running from loss and setback in Cincinnati, Lily needs the job as semi-psychiatric caregiver for Andrew Breckenridge, but the storm she has to weather from the oldest Breckenridge brother is severe. Clinton Breckenridge is a brooding man used to getting his own way, and he’s not convinced Lily is the right person to help his troubled younger brother.

Even as Lily starts picking up the pieces of Andrew’s tortured psyche and finding out his dark secrets, another mystery looms before her. Andrew’s lover has gone missing in recent months and no one knows what has happened to her, or if her voice has joined those of the other Breckenridge women. Before she knows it, Lily finds herself in danger—thrust directly into the eye of the raging storm.

Snippet:

That night, I was in my room preparing for bed when a loud crack of thunder vibrated through the room. I rushed to the window, dread pounding through me at the sight of the darkening sky. Drops of rain shimmered on the glass, and a startling bolt of lightning illuminated the lighthouse. Something flashed in the top window of the tower, and I squinted through the darkness. Had that been a face? That was impossible. The weather was making me imagine things. Another enormous clap of thunder boomed, and I jumped back, dropping the curtain.

I shivered. Stop this. It’s only a storm. You’re inside. You’re safe. I made a concentrated effort to stop the trembles running through my body. Choosing a book from the nightstand, I settled in bed to read. No way would I be able to sleep until the storm subsided. I tried to focus on the novel, but the words might as well have been written in Swahili for all I understood.

My mind kept wandering to the weather raging outside. With a determined effort, I focused on the page I’d already read no less than five times.

A particularly horrendous blast of thunder made me let out a scream. The lights went out, and I was plunged into darkness.

I froze, my legs quaking so badly, I couldn’t climb from the bed. But then again, did I want to? Wasn’t this the safest place to be?

I tried to remember if I’d seen any candles in the bedroom, but couldn’t recall. The storm was frightening enough, but a power outage was terror-inducing. The only illumination was the occasional flashes of lightening across the draperies, which only intensified my fear.

Forcing my legs to work, I threw off the covers and stood. There had to be a candle in here somewhere. I was halfway across the bedroom floor, making my way through the dark toward the dresser, when a violent rattle shook the doorknob.

A scream left my throat. I couldn’t think straight. Terror sent blood rushing through my eardrums, and it was several moments before I recognized Clinton’s voice. “Lillian? Are you all right?”

On shaking legs, I rushed to the door, mindless of the dark. I jerked it open and summoned all my willpower not to launch into Clinton’s arms. In the faint glow of the flashlight he held, I could barely make out his silhouette, but just having another human in the vicinity eased my terror.

“The power’s out,” I said stupidly.

“I know. I’m sorry. There are candles in the bathroom.”

“I wasn’t sure where to look. And it was dark…” I shuddered. “Why are you here?”

“Drew mentioned your fear of storms. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s get those candles.” His touch landed on my arm, warm and comforting. He guided me to the bathroom where he released me and opened a cabinet. Several candles, some new, some already used were stacked neatly in place. He grabbed the nearest one. Resting the flashlight on the countertop, he reached into his pocket. Flame from a lighter touched the candle’s wick. He turned off the flashlight and slipped it in his back pocket. The flare wavered over his features, which were drawn into a look of concern I’d glimpsed only a few times.

“You’re shivering,” he murmured. He rubbed his hands up and down my arms. The friction of his touch sliding the silk gown along my flesh sent a skitter of desire over my spine.

I met his gaze in the candlelight. His eyes shimmered a golden green. We stared at one another for a few excruciatingly silent moments. He tugged lightly, and I was pulled against his chest. My bones turned to liquid, his touch leaving languorous heat in its wake. His hands slid upward, settling on my face.

“What am I doing?” he asked, his voice a tortured groan.

Before I had time to respond, he lowered his head and claimed my mouth. The kiss was gentle, his lips warm and coaxing. I opened to him with a small moan, linking my hands behind his neck. I pressed into him while a wave of undeniable yearning ached in my lower belly. Madness. This is madness, a voice whispered in my head. In spite of the truth in the words, I didn’t stop.

libertyawakened400

Click here to purchase: Amazon

Blurb

Evil lurks beneath the surface in the beauty of the tropics…

After graduation from her small, Oklahoma high school, Liberty Delacort is looking forward to a fun-filled summer before college. But when the people she trusts the most betray her, and a letter arrives claiming her deceased father is still alive, she jumps at the chance to travel to an exotic island to meet him.

But her excitement is short-lived. Her father is dying, and he doesn’t want her around. And, in spite of its outward tranquility, the island is filled with danger and ominous secrets. The secrets soon begin to unravel, and she discovers she is a descendant of Van Helsing, the vampire hunter.

The one up side is her budding romance with the sweet and sexy Ryan Kelly. But even that is threatened when—in spite of her fear of him—she finds herself attracted to an insolent, formidable vampire. Her plan to stay away from him fails when she learns he is the only one with the ability to train her to fulfill her destiny—to save humans from a faction of vicious vampires.

Will her inexperience lead to her death—and the death of others—or will she rise to the challenge and realize her full potential as a Hunter?

Snippet:

Eli moved closer until only a hint of space separated their bodies. “Liberty?” His raspy voice was like a caress over her flesh. A breeze wafted over her bare back, and she shivered. She waited breathlessly for his next words, his next move. “You find me irresistible,” he whispered, his gaze never leaving hers. “You’re helpless to deny me anything. Your knees are weak.” He stroked his finger over her shoulder, letting them trail down to the center of her chest, just above her breasts. “Your heart is pounding for me right now. All you can think about is what it would feel like to kiss me.”

She licked her lips, wishing her glass wasn’t empty. Her mouth was so dry, she couldn’t speak. But oh wow…was he ever right. She didn’t even mind his aggressive, unusual approach. Something about the atmosphere, about leaving behind the trappings of home. The memories of what Cam and Alyssa had done made her reckless. She took his glass from his hand without breaking eye contact. His eyebrows rose as he watched her take a sip of the strong liquor, whatever it was. It burned her throat and eyes, but she resisted the urge to cough. It had done the trick, and she was able to whisper, “Yes.”

The corner of his mouth quirked. He moved closer, brushed his lips along hers, just a tease. That was it? That was the kiss? She bit back a groan of frustration. Her body ached with disappointment. But he moved toward her again, his eyes searching, his lips a hairsbreadth from hers. He stroked a hand down the side of her neck. His touch sent a flash of fire through her veins. She nearly moaned in anticipation, in yearning to feel his mouth, firm and hot against hers. She braced herself. Something primitive deep within told her this would be the kiss to rival any other. She swayed, her lids drifting shut, every nerve in her body tingling…

A scream tore through the night, breaking the spell. Liberty’s eyes flew open, and she gasped.

Eli stepped back. “Dammit,” he bit out. He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Don’t forget where we were.”

Then he was gone. She could barely feel her legs. Were they still supporting her? What the hell had just happened?

She shook her head, then followed the sound of excited voices where the scream had originated.

A group of people had gathered around a gazebo at the back of the house.

Liberty pushed her way through the crowd. Ryan knelt in the center of the gazebo next to a bench where a girl lay still. Her skin was as white as the moon, blank eyes staring at the midnight sky.

Liberty was afraid to look, but somehow couldn’t help herself. She scanned the girl’s body from head to toe. No blood. Good, that was a good sign, right? But the girl looked so…dead.

“Son of a bitch,” a male voice shouted. “She’s been drained.”

LibertyDivided-400

Click here to purchase: Amazon

Blurb

One man can fulfill her destiny…the other can fulfill her fantasy.

To quell the rise of evil vampires, Liberty Van Helsing must embrace her newfound Hunter destiny. But she has a great deal to learn, and Eli Barkley—the vampire who has been teaching her—has already betrayed her once. Her goal is to shut Eli out of her life and become a better hunter on her own—and to focus on her new romance with hot Australian, Ryan Kelly, a human she can trust.

But when a rogue vampire begins savagely killing young women, the authorities insist Liberty work with Eli to find the murderer. Liberty must overlook Eli’s epic betrayal and find a way to get along with him if they are to stop the unknown maniac and protect innocent lives.

Yet, the more time Liberty spends with Eli, the more her unwanted attraction to him grows. She starts to question her feelings for Ryan—are they real, or could Eli be ‘the one?’ As Eli and Liberty delve further into the murders, clues surface that point to Eli as the culprit. Can she trust him now? Or will she have to plunge a stake into his heart, breaking her own, just when she’s learning to believe in him again?

Snippet:

“Rough night?”

Liberty jumped at the sound of Eli’s voice. Speaking of darkness and evil

She turned a glare on him. He stood directly behind her, hands shoved in his pockets, yet he’d been in the bar only seconds ago.

“Don’t do that,” she snapped. She looked back at the tiki bar. “How the hell did you…?” She shook her head. “Never mind. You’re a vampire. You move with the speed of light.”

He grinned and slanted his upper body toward her. “Yeah, but we’ve got all that darkness brewing inside. Ironic, isn’t it?”

She swung away from him and took hold of the door handle. “Whatever. I’m tired, so you’ll understand if I don’t feel like hanging out and bantering with you. Besides, your dates are waiting for you.”

“Jealous?”

She snorted a laugh. “No. Sympathetic. Better them than me.”

“Why is it I don’t believe you?”

“Maybe because you’re delusional?” She gave him an overly sweet smile before turning away to jerk the car door open.

“I see you’re still pouting because I didn’t tell you I was once a big, bad vampire.”

“It doesn’t matter. You warned me early on not to trust you. I should have listened.”

“And now you should put on your big girl panties and get over it. You’re a hunter, Liberty. You need to toughen up.”

Toughen up? Was he kidding? She’d risked her life last night, had worked her ass off training, and he was calling her a wimp. To hell with him. She started to slide into the car, but his voice stopped her.

“You can be mad at me all you want, but you can’t completely shut me out.”

“Watch me,” she bit out, not turning around.

“Let me ask you something. What difference would it have made if you’d known in the beginning?”

She slammed the door and whirled on him. “At least I’d have known who—what—I was dealing with.”

“Would you still have let me train you?”

“I’m not sure. But I had the right to know. To have all the facts before making that decision.”

“If you had chosen not to let me train you, how do you think you would have fared last night? Not knowing the truth was for your own good.”

She gave a bitter laugh. “Yeah, and I’m sure you’re all about what’s best for me.”

“Look, you’re going to have to put all that behind you. Like it or not, you still need me.”

“No, I don’t. I’ll keep practicing. I’ll be fine.”

“You can’t take that chance. If I hadn’t saved your ass last night, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Just like him to throw that in her face. She huffed out a sigh of irritation. “Thanks, but from here on out, I can take care of myself.”

He stepped closer, backing her up to the door. The only way she could get away from him was to climb inside the car. But she didn’t.

“What’s wrong?” He raised his eyebrows, amusement lifting the corners of his mouth. “Are you afraid of me now?”

She tilted her chin up and met his eyes. Eyes that were molten grey in the semi-darkness. “Not afraid. Pissed off. There’s a difference.”

He chuckled. “Well, it’s nice to know I have an effect on you.” His gaze dropped to her throat. “Your pulse is beating like crazy. Right here.” He stroked a finger down her neck, sending heat skittering over her flesh. Damn him. She sucked in a breath and clenched her teeth.

“I can see it.” He dropped his hand, and his gaze locked onto hers. “No matter how much you’d like to be, you’re not immune to me, Liberty Van Helsing.”

She swallowed hard, trying to slow her racing pulse. “I need to get home. Let me go.”

His lips curved in a grin, and his voice lowered to a near whisper. “I’m not touching you.”

7. Death Notice 7.2.11

Click here to purchase: Amazon

Blurb

A killer has something to say—and he’s using her obituary column to get his point across…

When columnist Monroe Donovan receives an obituary notice with a date of death two days in the future, she dismisses it as a typo. Then, a second incorrect obituary comes in, and a woman whose name matches the name of the deceased is murdered—on the date listed in the obituary. Now, Monroe realizes that something much more sinister is happening. A serial killer is trying to communicate with her.

She turns to Detective Lane Brody for help, but her attraction to him is complicating her already complicated life. And when the killer turns out to have a disturbing connection to Monroe, complications turn deadly.

Snippet

I went to work early on Monday morning, before anyone else arrived. I wanted to look up some information from when Katie was murdered. Our computers held software that couldn’t be accessed from my home terminal.

I left off all the lights, other than the one directly above my cubicle. Sipping from the mug of hot, strong coffee I’d just brewed, I scrolled through the limited data available about the murder.

The only viable suspect they’d had was Cameron Cooper. He’d been twenty-one at the time. He’d served three years for a rape that occurred when he was a juvenile.

I did a search on his name. He’d be forty-six now. I wondered if he were still alive, if he were still in the area. Had the police looked at him for Maya’s killing two years ago? I hadn’t found anything to indicate they had in my two years of research. Hadn’t found anything to indicate whether or not Cooper was still around. Was he in jail now for some other crime? Maybe another rape? Once a rapist, always a rapist. The question wasn’t had he done it again. The question was, had he been caught and convicted.

Nothing came up on the search.

A noise sounded behind me and I turned. A figure lurched toward me from the darkness. I let out a scream.

“Monroe? Is that you?” a male voice said.

My heart pounded furiously, but I recognized him now. Adam.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“What are you doing here so early?”

He came closer and in the circle from the light above me, I got a better look at him.

His clothing was wrinkled, as if he’d slept in it. His face, however, looked like he hadn’t slept at all. Deep lines etched the sides of his mouth and dark circles surrounded his eyes, their vivid green now dulled. His hair was uncombed. He smelled of stale cologne and sweat. He squinted at me, blinking like he was coming out of a daze.

“I came in to do some research,” I told him. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

He peered at the computer screen. “What kind of research?”

Adam knew about Katie, but not everything. In the two years we’d dated, I hadn’t told him half of what I’d told Lane.

“It’s not important,” I said, minimizing the web site I had pulled up. I repeated my question. “Are you okay?”

He shook his head, shoving a hand through his hair. Shaking his head again, he stared at me. For just a moment, I saw a longing in his face. The old feelings I’d buried surfaced briefly, my body responding to the look in his eyes. I shoved them aside.

“Adam, has something happened?”

“Did you read yesterday’s paper?”

“No.”

“Tabitha’s best friend.” He sighed and dropped into the chair next to my desk. I waited for him to continue. After a long silence, he did. “Tabitha’s best friend was…murdered.”

“Oh, Adam. I’m so sorry.”

He nodded slowly, staring at his hands where they rested on his knees. “Murdered. Tabitha’s a wreck. We were up all night.”

“How did it happen? Do they know who did it?”

“Not yet. She was stabbed.” He drew in a shuddering breath. “Murdered,” he said again.

Not knowing what to say, I sat silently. Reaching out, I placed a hand on his shoulder. I could feel him tremble beneath my fingertips.

“I need a drink,” he said.

“It’s six-thirty in the morning.”

He gave a weak grin. “It’s five o’clock somewhere.” Leaning back in the chair, he closed his eyes. “I can’t believe it. Can’t believe Laurel’s dead.”

A chill weaved its way through me and I shuddered. “Laurel?”

He nodded. “Laurel Lohman.”

My blood froze. I couldn’t speak.

Laurel Lohman was the girl’s name. The one in the obituary with the wrong date.

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