The Darkest Lullaby is an anthology full of suspense and horror. You’ll not want to miss this heart-pounding collection if you loved Survive the Night by Riley Sager, works by Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, or American Horror Story.
Six authors come together to bring to life thrilling and heart-pounding horror stories of nannies and their wards, creating something unsettling that will haunt the reader long after they’ve finished reading!
A governess is plagued by nightmares of her own death each night—but are they mere dreams? Atrocities of the past collide with the future for a nighttime nanny. Secrets surrounding a castle are murderous for a caregiver. A failed witch’s apprentice must take up her late aunt’s babysitting shift at a terrifying house. For one babysitter, discovering the truth about a local house, and her ward, comes with a hefty price. An unsuspecting young woman gets more than she bargained for when she takes on a nannying job… for a doll.
“It is not every day you come across stories that have been marinated in suspense, cooked in gore, and finished up in an intriguing fashion that creates a horror story. […] The notable aspect of this collections the way each author takes the ordinary and pushes it to the edge of reason in such a manner that will make the reader question the very essence of logic when attempting to solve these puzzles.
The Darkest Lullaby is a horror masterpiece in its purest form.”
October sure got away from me! After having some sort of event or show every weekend and followed up with a manuscript deadline, I’m just now getting back online again and doing more besides lurking! I’ve got several announcements and sales to share.
First up, it’s the start of a big 99cent sale for Emporium of Superstition! We were fortunate to nab a Bookbub promo for this beast of an anthology, and now readers get the benefit! This anthology of all-women horror authors was a big hit at Multiverse Con last month, I was only two copies away from selling out. Every story is based around a superstition, some more well known than others. This almost 600-page book is going to be on sale for a limited time, so grab it while you can.
Emporium of Superstition
Heed the warnings, or you could be next.
A society of Old Wives’ comes together in this collection of suspenseful stories. In between these pages, twelve authors draw on ancient tales your grandmothers warned you about. From demons living amongst humans, to ghosts lurking in the shadows, and even gods looming above, these recountings will surely inspire a fright.
Open the book, turn the page, for it may be the last thing you do.
Next up, Catstruck! I’m thrilled to share that Catstruck is now out in the world. Every story features cats from fantasy to horror to mystery. So there really is a story for everyone! The proceeds from this anthology are all donated to Tenth Life Cat Rescue. They provide veterinary care, foster homes, and adoptive placement to stray cats and kittens, prioritizing those with special needs. My short story, “Protector of Dreams”, features Mawr from the Stolen series and features a very unusual cat. The editor, Debbie Manber Kupfer, enjoyed my story so much that she chose it to read it at an event recently. And my goodness she did such a good job! Go give it a listen, it’s the first story on the episode.
Catstruck!
“Perhaps one reason we are fascinated by cats is because such a small animal can contain so much independence, dignity, and freedom of spirit.” Lloyd Alexander
Delve into the world of all things feline in this anthology of tales of whimsy, courage and wonder.
“Protector of Dreams” read by Debbie Manber Kupfer
Finally, I have a new standalone short story coming out this month! I always try to release one as a standalone because I personally love reading short fiction like that. As an author, gives me the space to be super experimental, weird, and explore some dark themes. This one is a sexy weird horror scifi. See what I meant about experimental?
A Beautiful Specimen
On one of the upper floors of an apartment complex downtown, Alice keeps a secret. It isn’t hidden in a closet or in a dresser drawer, but in a spacious bathtub. As she comes home from a long day of work and hangs up her keys, she hears it thumping against the porcelain in anticipation of her return.
Alice isn’t at all what she seems. Worse yet, she’s ready to move to the next stage.
A Beautiful Specimen releases on 11/15 and is now available to pre-order for only $0.99!
It has sure been busy as I prep for all of the things going on this October, but today I’m celebrating the release of my first self-published full-length book, The Impostor and Other Dark Tales! This collection has been a labor of love and given me the chance to work with some incredibly talented people. I’ve also been blown away by the reviews and support this book has already gotten, but mostly I’m so thankful to have these tales I’ve loved for so long out in the world in one solid place!
Happy book birthday to my dark, twisted, beautiful short story collection!
Now available in ebook and paperback wherever horror books are sold!
I’m so thrilled to announce the release of the much anticipated anthology, Masks, filled with tales about Mardi Gras and New Orleans. This has been in the making since last year and it’s so rewarding to see the book finally in reader hands!
My short story including in this anthology is titled “La Femme en Rouge” and features a trans woman struggling to find acceptance with her father. It’s a suspense-filled tale that features tarot readings, mysterious encounters, and a washboard band.
There were really several factors of my life that inspired this piece. I have several friends in the LGBT community, and have witnessed first hand the kind of pain and bigotry they face for coming out to family and friends. I admire the bravery these people have in order to be who they know they are. I wanted to explore this with Josie. I wanted the reader to walk beside her and feel her struggles, her confusion, and her fear. I wanted to make this story feel personal.
That’s really a mantra I’ve carried in many of my stories lately. I’ve worked hard to write stories that get under the skin, so to speak. When Filles Vertes Press asked me if I wanted to write about Mardi Gras, I instantly knew I had to say yes because I wanted an excuse to write about New Orleans. That place lingers with you long after you’ve left it.
Back in 2000, I joined a bunch of internet friends I had never met or even seen in person and traveled to New Orleans with them around Halloween. I was a senior in High School at the time and was on the verge of burning out from stress. This was a cathartic time for me. We went ghost hunting, we dressed up like vampires, we experienced Bourbon Street. I wasn’t nearly as confident in myself as I am now, and that time seems almost surreal.
One of my friends was the only one of us who could speak fluent Creole and she was our negotiator and our representative as we navigated the enormous city. At one point we had to switch hotels because the first one we went to was so haunted that all of us had nightmares and couldn’t bring ourselves to stay. Our Creole speaking friend was the only one who could negotiate with the manager to get us moved. She was tough, quiet, and had the best acidic comebacks of the group.
As I began writing books and short stories, she remained my champion over the years. She always encouraged me to continue and demanded to get to beta read my first horror book when I got it put together. She loved reading horror, and she had the kind of personality that she would be honest with me if there were problems. I worked hard on my writing, preparing to send her my first horror book that she was excited to read.
A few years back, I learned that she had died of an illness she had fought for years without telling hardly any of us. That was the kind of person she was. She didn’t like to let on that she was struggling, and she didn’t want people to worry over her. That was her choice.
When this anthology offer came up, I leapt at it because I knew she would have loved it. She loved New Orleans. She posted about it constantly, knowing the streets better than she knew her own hometown. She never got the chance to live there, but she visited every chance she could.
This story is dedicated to her, because she knew the potential I had and she always encouraged me even when she probably feared for herself. Her love of New Orleans is weaved into the story of “La Femme en Rouge”, and I like to think she would have appreciated my attention to detail. She would have flipped at being able to read an entire anthology about Mardi Gras.
For some, Mardi Gras is a celebration For others, it’s a dangerous game
I visited New Orleans once in 2000 with several online friends. I was a senior in high school at the time and it was stressful meeting people who I had never really seen in real life. This was the age of anonymity on the internet, and all I had was a picture of them.
This was before 9/11 happened, so the flight over was completely different than it is today. It was also before Katrina hit and I remember us driving over bridges and seeing all the buildings underneath, all the homes that in a few years would be seen on TV underwater.
For me, it was a special moment, a way of letting go of the stress of my academics and visiting someplace new. At the time, I was stressed out from applying to colleges and I didn’t know where I would be the following year. It was a period of transition and a period of reflection.
When I was asked by the wonderful editors of Filles Vertes Publishing if I wanted to participate in an anthology about New Orleans, I jumped at the opportunity. You see one of those online friends of mine passed away a year ago, and she was absolutely in love with the place. She was also a big supporter of my work. I wanted to honor her with a story about the city she always wanted to move to.
I am thrilled to share the cover reveal for Masks an anthology about Mardi Gras and the themes that surround it. My story, “La Femme en Rouge”, is a tale of transformation and of reflection. I associate New Orleans with a place to help me make big decisions in life, and I think my story reflects that. I wanted to capture the lights, the smells, the sounds, the moods, the mixture of perspectives, and the economic struggles.
I hope you’ll dare to explore the fantastic tales within, and maybe you’ll also find yourself transformed. After all, Mardi Gras is all about shedding your skin. Coming 3/31/2020.
