#BadMoonRising: Fairies, Myths, and Magic: A Summer Celebration by Colleen M. Chesebro #paranormal #shortstories

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising

Today’s author is a familiar face to many of you – maybe it’s from her poems and weekly poetry challenges, her author interviews, or her Carrot Ranch writing challenges.  If you own a rocking horse, many of you may be pushing them to the curb after reading this interview.  Welcome Colleen M. Chesebro!

Vampires, ghosts, werewolves, or zombies – which would you least want to meet in a dark alley?

I would have to say that I would be terrified to meet a zombie in a dark alley. There’s just something about the zombies that makes my skin crawl!

Think about it… zombies are reawakened corpses who become human eating machines. And once you’re a zombie all you want to do is bite someone else, so you can infect another person with the same virus that made you a zombie. It’s a terrifying proposition. A chance meeting with a zombie could end a writing career for good.

I do realize that the fear of the undead is one of our most primeval fears stretching back into antiquity. Ancient gravesites have been found containing rocks placed on skeletal remains because the living feared the ability of the undead to rise once again.

Zombie folklore from Haiti explains another explanation for the zombie phenomena. Horrible conditions for West African slaves working in the sugar cane plantations left the slaves yearning for freedom. It is thought that these conditions represented the afterlife and the predicament of slavery represented in zombie form. However, medical journals in Haiti do confirm evidence of actual zombies. (History.com-Zombies)

So, bring on the ghosts, vampires, and werewolves. I can deal with those phenomena better than reawakened corpses. LOL!

What’s the creepiest thing that’s ever happened while you were alone?

Many years ago, when I was in the Air Force stationed in East Anglia in the U.K., my ex-husband and I rented an old farmhouse in the English countryside close to RAF Lakenheath.

I remember I was pregnant with my second child at the time. I only mention it because I believe that somehow made me more susceptible to the spiritual vibrations in the area. All I know is the old stone house gave me a creepy feeling every time I walked inside.

That Christmas, we purchased one of those rocking horse toys suspended on a metal frame with giant springs for our older daughter. Tabitha loved feeding the horses that grazed in the field next to the house. She and I made a daily habit of visiting the horses, and she was crazy in love with them, like most three-year-old girls are.

Image Credit: popscreen.com

English homes back then were divided into many small rooms, each with a door. I had a hard time finding a place where the rocking horse could fit. It was so large that I finally stored it in the hallway outside the kitchen beneath the stairs where I could watch Tabitha playing as I prepared our evening meal.

After a few evenings of play, Tabitha said that she didn’t want to go into the hallway to play on the toy anymore. Of course, I figured the charm of the rocking horse had worn off. So, I didn’t pursue it with her any further.

One thing I did notice was that the hallway was always freezing. We could shut the door to the lounge and the kitchen to keep the downstairs warmer which I had a habit of doing. Whenever you had to go upstairs to the loo, you had to go by way of the hallway and stairs. I don’t remember a time that hallway wasn’t freezing cold – even in summer.

As I progressed with my pregnancy, I stayed home by myself during the day, as my ex would leave for work after taking Tabitha to daycare.

One afternoon, while I sat on the couch watching a television program, I heard the springs squeaking on the rocking horse. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up at attention. I had the most unsettling feeling I’ve ever had, almost like being sick to your stomach. I knew I was completely alone in the house, out in the middle of nowhere. I glanced through the window to see if the wind was blowing but it was a normal overcast English summer day, and there was no wind.

I crept closer and peeked through the glass door that separated the lounge from the hallway. There, underneath the stairs, the rocking horse bounced with a steady rhythm as if someone was riding it. The squeaky springs creaked making me cringe in fright. After about five minutes, the rocking stopped.

That night when my ex came home, I told him what had happened. I also informed him that I wanted to move. He gave me a funny look and shared a similar experience having seen the rocking horse moving on its own one night. No wonder Tabitha didn’t want to ride the horse in the spooky hallway.

I felt that we had witnessed the ghost of a small child still attached to the house, who wanted to play with the rocking horse. The coldness never left the hallway and my paranormal radar worked overtime. I couldn’t wait to leave.

The next month, we moved from the house. Tabitha played with her rocking horse until she outgrew it with no further mishaps. I still get the shivers when I think of that house.

Are you superstitious?

I’ve always been superstitious as far back as I can remember. I suspect part of that was because my mother died when I was three and I lived with my grandparents until I was about six or seven. My grandfather came from Russia and he told me all kinds of folk stories when I was growing up. I’m sure many of these stories were the sort you shouldn’t tell young children, but nevertheless they fired my imagination!

One of these strange superstitions (well, I still believe it!) is the rule of three. The idea is that whatever positive or negative energy a person puts into the world will return to that person three times. In fact, the number 3 has figured prominently in many important dates throughout my life.

I don’t believe in coincidences either. Everything happens for a reason. Just like my participation in Bad Moon Rising.

How do you develop your plots and characters?

I have the most vivid dreams. Many times, the idea for a plot comes to me through a dream. Sometimes, an idea pops into my head from the ether. Sometimes, I get my ideas from television, movies, or even real-life events. It’s only an idea, but I do write it down. Then, I brainstorm to see if the idea can develop further into a story, poem, or even a book plot.

I base many of my characters off of real people I’ve known in the past. I worked as a bookkeeper and a legal assistant much of my past career, so I met many strange and unusual characters. A few of these people were quite scary. Some of these personalities have found their way into my writing.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?

My writing has been most influenced by my blogging journey. I started out four years ago as a new blogger looking for a way to increase my writing opportunities. It was within that community of bloggers and authors that I found my path to becoming an author. The support I’ve received from other authors has been phenomenal.

I am an avid reader, so as soon as I read a book, I follow up with a book review on my blog. Writing about other author’s writing has helped me learn the craft. The same went for poetry. I love poetry and got my feet wet with a Haiku Challenge that eventually led to me hosting my own poetry challenge.

Poetry helps you write better stories. Last year I discovered a love for writing flash fiction by participating in a weekly flash fiction challenge. Each new writing challenge has propelled me toward another writing goal.

What are you working on now?

Remember how I said I create many of my characters from people I’ve known? Well, last year I asked seven other authors to form a group blog with me. They liked many of the same things that I did, like crystals, tarot cards, Rune Stones, angels, paganism, etc. They agreed, and we named the blog “The Sisters of the Fey.” Of course, you know my fairy nymphs guided me to these wonderful folks.

G. Kaye (Debby Gies), Adele Marie Park, Annette Rochelle Aben, Deborah Bowman, Marjorie Mallon, Tina Frisco, and Wendy Anne Darling have all joined me as co-authors on the Sisters of the Fey blog.

One thing led to another. Suddenly, I had an idea for a story, then a novella, and now possibly a book, called, “The Sisters of the Fey – Genesis.” The story is about eight Slavic Witches who are asked to form an alliance with the Rusalki Fey to protect magic from the Byzantine Monks who are spreading their new religion across the land.

I promise there will be some unusual paranormal twists and turns to keep my readers enthralled. And yes, I’ve based the characters loosely off of my author friend’s personalities. It will be fun for my readers (many who already know my friends) to see if they can figure out who is which character. I hope to release this book by January 2019.

New Release: Fairies, Myths, & Magic ~ A Summer Celebration priced at $.99 for the summer season.

Title: Fairies, Myths, & Magic ~ A Summer Celebration

ASIN: B07DTSBH4T

Release Date: June 17, 2018

Format: Kindle Paperback

Purchase from: Amazon & FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Country Tagged Universal Book Link: Smarturl.it/FairiesMythsMagic

Blurb:

Step into a world where fairies, dragons, and other magical beings converge in a collection of poetry and short stories inspired by the celebration of Litha, the Summer Solstice.

Meet Drac, a dragon cursed by his own poisonous deeds, and two pixies who help an old man remember a lost love. You’ll meet a pair of fairies with a sense of humor, and a young girl who fulfills her destiny after being struck by lightning. Learn what happens when a modern witch’s spell goes terribly wrong. Meet the Sisters of the Fey, a group of Slavic Witches who sign a pact with the Rusalki Fey to preserve their magic for the good of all.

Atmospheric and haunting, the prose and poetry, will rewrite the mythologies of the past bringing them into the future.

Author Bio

Colleen M. Chesebro is an American Novelist who loves writing about paranormal fantasy and magical realism, cross-genre fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. She loves all things magical which may mean that she could be experiencing her second childhood—or not. That part of her life hasn’t been fully decided yet.

A few years ago, a mystical experience led her to renew her passion for writing and storytelling. These days she resides in the fantasy realm of the Fairy Whisperer where she writes the magical poetry and stories that the fairy nymphs whisper to her in her dreams.

Colleen won the Little and Laugh Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by the Carrot Ranch Literary Community.com in November 2017 for her piece, called The Bus Stop. Her debut novel, The Heart Stone Chronicles: The Swamp Fairy won gold in the 2017 AuthorsDB.com cover contest.

Colleen lives in Colorado with her husband and her two Pomeranians, Sugar and Spice. When she is not writing, Colleen enjoys spending time with her husband and friends. She also loves gardening, reading, and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art.

Feel free to get in touch with me at colleenchesebro3@gmail.com.

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76 thoughts on “#BadMoonRising: Fairies, Myths, and Magic: A Summer Celebration by Colleen M. Chesebro #paranormal #shortstories”

  1. Colleen, I am so glad you got out of that house! I had goosebumps reading about your experience. An old house tucked in the English countryside seems both quaint and also ideal for a ghost to latch onto. If only the first didn’t come with the second, LOL.
    Wishing you much success with Fairies, Myths, and Magic!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    2. Colleen Chesebro

      Thanks, Mae. That was the eeriest house. Years later I figured out that I picked up the energy of the past quite often. But, back then, I didn’t have a clue. I wonder how many other GI’s rented that house and experienced what we did? Whew! It still gives me the creeps. 😀 ❤

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
      1. Colleen Chesebro

        LOL! My daughter remembered that house too and the episode. Many years later we talked about it and she said it just made her uncomfortable. Personally, I was freaking out!!

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    2. Colleen Chesebro

      Oh, yeah! Especially when it affects your child. Residual energy is really something. I never felt like it meant to harm, only to play and make itself known. ❤

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      1. Mischenko

        Exactly! We had one very strange thing happen at our house with our piano once. Just a key was pressed out of nowhere, but the horse springs would have me moving for sure haha. 😂

        Liked by 2 people

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        2. Colleen Chesebro

          Oh… that is spooky. I believe I’m clairaudient… I hear things! We lost our two beloved Pomeranian sisters last year. One night, my hubby and I both woke up to hear Spice (she was so vocal compared to Sugar) barking downstairs. It woke us up…

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          1. I had something like that happen with our cat, Shadow after he died. After he’d been gone a couple of weeks, I asked him to just let me know he was alright. He loved playing with cotton balls more than anything. When we got home from church, a cotton ball was laying in the doorway of our bedroom.

            Liked by 1 person

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            1. Colleen Chesebro

              Awww… they make contact and stay with us. I think all of my animals (hairy kids) are still around – just beyond the veil. ❤️❤️❤️

              Liked by 1 person

    2. Colleen Chesebro

      It was a really strange experience. I don’t pick up energy in the same way now. There was a definite spirit attached to that house. As my empathic abilities grew I now sense the energy like a weight tugging at me. I felt something similar in a house we bought in Florida. When we moved to Colorado we bought a new house! No leftover energy. Problem solved. 😀

      Liked by 2 people

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    2. Colleen Chesebro

      Hi, Craig. A story based off of this event will appear in the Winter version, the second book of my Fairies, Myths, & Magic. That will publish next year. I can’t seem to write fast enough these days. Teri was a gem! I appreciated the opportunity! ❤

      Liked by 2 people

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    1. Colleen Chesebro

      Hi, Priscilla, and thank you. I consider myself to be a prose metrist. I love and write syllabic poetry. The brevity of your word choice really gets your mind working. You should get it a try. I sponsor a challenge every week. ❤

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  6. I’ve known Colleen since the beginning of our blogging journeys, but never knew about that rocking-horse story. It’s one of the creepiest things I’ve read in a long time. My sister had one of those horses, and I think they look like the ones often seen on the merry-go-round rides at fairs. I think Mary Poppins even rode one.
    Colleen is a very talented writer. I’m so glad I’ve witnessed her writing journey over the last four years. Wishing her much more success with her books.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Colleen Chesebro

      Hugh, my dear friend, you always bring a smile! Can you believe that we’ve been writing and blogging for 4 years already? How thrilling! I’ve had a few more paranormal experiences since the rocking horse incident. It was definitely a creepy experience. To make matters worse, we found out the owners of the house were living in a caravan in the field behind the house. I think they were land rich and cash poor. Initially, they had jobs in the Middle East that were later canceled. I think they were happy to have us leave their house. I always hoped that another unsuspecting GI didn’t get taken to the cleaners by them. They said we messed up the house’s plumbing and tried to sue us. Luckily, the British courts realized what they doing and dismissed the case! Never a dull moment in my world. LOL! Hugs for stopping by and reading my tales. ❤

      Liked by 2 people

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        1. Colleen Chesebro

          LOL! They were broke and really facing hard times. It was a mess for sure. They tried to say that the plumbing got messed up from diapers and feminine products… *Ahem* I was pregnant and Tabitha was potty trained back then. The judge understood that.

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      2. Oh, what a terrible story about the owners of the house trying to sue you, Colleen. I’m glad the British courts saw justice and dismissed the case. It must have been a constant worry until the case came to court?
        Yes, 4 years and counting with the blogging. It’ll be 5 years in February for me. I sometimes do wonder why I’m still here blogging and why people keep coming back. Dismissive thoughts, though. I soon tell myself that if it wasn’t for blogging then I’d not have written and published a book or made so many new friends worldwide.
        Hugs to you.
        xx

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  10. Pingback: Smorgasbord Daily Blogger – October 17th 2018 – Mae Clair with Robbie Cheadle, Jill Dennison, Teri Polen with Collen Chesebro. | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

  11. I had one of those rocking horses as a child, minus the ghost! I imagine it was a scary time made worse by your pregnancy and being alone. I would have sat in the driveway until hubby came home! lol.
    Love your writing and thoroughly enjoyed Fairies, Myths, and Magic.
    Enjoyed the interview 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Colleen Chesebro

      This happened in 1981! East Anglia is mostly farmland, or it was then… I don’t know now. I felt a lot of strange things so your Aunt could have been right. 😀 I also remember the UFO incident at RAF Bentwaters. That happened while I was in-country too! 😀

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  13. Fabulous interview Teri and Colleen. Thanks for mentioning the sisters Colleen. ❤ And wow, that rocking horse story gave me shivers. I would have been out of there pronto LOL. But I will say, my bestie lives in the UK, she moved there 20 years ago. Her and her hub have bought, renovated and sold a few homes over the years, and in England where there is rich history, many old homes can go back centuries old. She has 'the gift' of sensing spirit and has shared a few stories of her encounters in some of those homes with seeing spirits, some stuck there that she has helped to move on, so there is much truth to spirit than many are aware of or will admit to. 🙂 ❤

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Colleen Chesebro

      Wow, Sis… that’s fabulous about your bestie… I guess that makes me your second bestie! LOL! 😀 I’ve had some other experiences too. It all makes sense now, but back then I was a scared kid. Hugs for stopping by. ❤

      Liked by 1 person

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  14. Okay, the rocking horse (or, I guess the house it was in) story gave me chills. Glad you all got out of there unscathed.

    Love the sound of The Sisters of the Fey: Genesis. It’s adorable that you’re basing the characters’ personalities on your friends. Wishing you all the best!

    Liked by 2 people

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  15. Wow, Colleen, The rocking horse part of your life is new to me. My eyes glued to the story and visualized the creepy squeaky rocking. The story gave me shivers too. Your ex also had that experience so it made the decision of moving out faster. What a terrible thing you found out later what your daughter talked about it. I would feel horrified if my daughter had that experience as a kid and was not able to talk about that tight there and then.

    Your new book is going to be so interesting. I’ll try to guess which witch is the shadow of which sister of your group. ❤ ❤

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I was glued to the screen reading it when she emailed me her interview, Miriam. If the cat would have jumped in my lap, I guarantee it wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience for either of us, lol. Thanks for stopping by!

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  16. OMG – I got chills from the rocking horse ordeal. I would have moved out of that house too! And I can’t wait for the next book about the Slavic witches. Sounds like another excellent read from Colleen. I did enjoy her Fairies, Myths and Magic stories. Great interview, Teri and Colleen. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
        1. Colleen Chesebro

          LOL! This story will be in the winter version of my Fairies, Myths, & Magic but not until next year. I’ve got too many writing things in my fire. Now, I’ve learned how to better protect myself. ❤️❤️❤️

          Liked by 1 person

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