#BadMoonRising Harbinger (Wake-Robin Ridge #3) by Marcia Meara #supernatural #paranormal

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising

Today’s author unfortunately doesn’t share my love of zombies (since she’s a friend, I can overlook that), but she’s put a spin on an urban legend and incorporated it into her featured book (part of a series I highly recommend – Rabbit!). Welcome Marcia Meara!

Would you rather dunk for apples or carve a Jack-O’-Lantern?

Oh, put me down for carving that pumpkin any day. First of all, autumn is my favorite time of year and I dearly LOVE Halloween. Secondly, coming up with fun faces to carve on the pumpkin is a delight, and I’ve been known to keep my carved pumpkins outside the door until the heat causes them to collapse in on themselves like deflated balloons. (Sadly, in Florida, this usually happens in a matter of 3 or 4 days.)

Was there a horror movie you refused to watch because the previews were too scary?

Any and ALL apocalyptic zombie movies, but not so much because they are too scary. It’s more that apocalyptic themes creep me out, especially in today’s world, and also because I find zombies utterly disgusting. Mostly that last one. (Way too much rot going on.)😊

Which urban legend scares you most?

I love many urban legends, though I don’t know that any of them really scare me, except for a shivery feeling or two, of course. One that I have always been drawn to, however, is the legend of the Black Dog as a harbinger of death. The legend is an ancient Celtic one, and has been the subject of many a tale. It has been said that the Hound of the Baskervilles was based on it, and stories of the Black Dog were brought to the New World by the Europeans. Those legends are alive and well in the Appalachian Mountains to this day.

There are some variations on the theme, but the most common one still seems to be that the Black Dog, called Ol’ Shuck by the mountain folk, is a harbinger of death. In other words, if you see him, you (or someone you know) is going to die. Typically, he stands at a distance, silently staring at the person who’s been unlucky enough to have the beast come to call. That concept has always given me chills, and is the inspiration for my third Wake-Robin Ridge novel, Harbinger, wherein a man’s past deeds might mean it’s only a matter of time before Ol’ Shuck drags him off to face the consequences.

Would you and your main character get along?

All of my books are set in towns like the ones where I grew up, and the characters are just like the folks I went to school with and have known all my life. I would get along with every single one of them because I know them well, and like them a great deal. (Except for the bad guys, of course.) I often imagine myself sharing a cup of tea with Willow or being out on the river with Maggie and Gunn. I’m pretty sure they are my kind of folks.😊

If you decided to write a spinoff of a side character, who would you choose?

Funny you should ask. I actually did exactly that with my Emissary Trilogy of novellas. In Finding Hunter, a minor character was featured as a trucker who gave Hunter Painter a ride back to his love, Willow. I was asked about him so many times, I knew I had to tell his story, too, so I did, and now Jake Daughtry (alias Gabe Angelino) is the main character in three novellas. (Excluding that ginormous archangel, Azrael, of course, who doesn’t like taking second place to anybody!)

And next, I’m going to return to Wake-Robin Ridge for a series of novellas that will include a brand-new partner joining MacKenzie Cole and Rabbit. He was introduced in The Light, and so many people enjoyed the interplay between him and Rabbit, I decided he had to be a full character in his own right. So, look for a new series of novellas to debut in a few months when I hope Book 1, Cole, Cole, & Dupree, will be ready for Prime Time.  

If you could spend the day with another popular author, who would you choose?

Oh, so many to choose from! Authors I chat with online all the time (and would love to meet in person), authors I’ve read over and over through the years, and even my favorite author of all time, Daphne du Maurier. I’d love to have been able to meet the late Rachel Caine, too, whose beautiful books I’ve devoured right to her very last. But—even though horror doesn’t really scare me (technically, anyway)—I’ve always loved spooky, creepy tales, and shivery camp side stories. With that in mind, I think I’d choose to go back in time and spend a day with Edgar Allan Poe. I devoured everything he ever wrote the year I turned twelve, and still enjoy re-reading my favorites. And I can quote great, long passages of The Raven to this day, much to the groans of annoyance from those around me. Yep. I can’t imagine anything more fun than meeting him, so Poe it is!

BLURB FOR HARBINGER

The wine-red trillium that carpets the forests of the North Carolina Mountains is considered a welcome harbinger of spring—but not all such omens are happy ones. An Appalachian legend claims the Black Dog, or Ol’ Shuck, as he’s often called, is a harbinger of death. If you see him, you or someone you know is going to die.

But what happens when Ol’ Shuck starts coming for you in your dreams? Nightmares of epic proportions haunt the deacon of the Light of Grace Baptist Church, and bring terror into the lives of everyone around him. Even MacKenzie Cole and his adopted son, Rabbit, find themselves pulled into danger.

When Sheriff Raleigh Wardell asks Mac and Rabbit to help him solve a twenty-year-old cold case, Rabbit’s visions of a little girl lost set them on a path that soon collides with that of a desperate man being slowly driven mad by guilt.

As Rabbit’s gift of the Sight grows ever more powerful, his commitment to those who seek justice grows as well, even when their pleas come from beyond the grave.

EXCERPT FROM HARBINGER

3:00 A.M. Sunday, March 2, 2014

Morganton, North Carolina

EYELASHES FROZEN, EACH gasping breath a snowy plume in the frigid night air, the boy ran for his life. Heart pounding, he scrambled up the wooded slope, terror driving him faster and faster.

There! Just ahead, a warm light glowed in a small window. Home. Safety. Only a few yards more.

He lurched forward, sure he was going to make it, now. His heart sang with joy, even as his foot slid on an icy patch of old snow, and he went down hard, knocking the wind right out of himself. The metallic taste of blood from his bitten tongue flooded his mouth, and for a moment, he couldn’t move. He was simply too tired to keep going.

No, no, no…get up. You got to get up. You’re almost there.

Desperation gave him a last burst of energy, and panting, he struggled to his knees. The woods loomed dark and silent around him, and he dared to hope he had outrun his pursuer. Then he heard it. A soft rumble at first, the sound built into a full-throated growl, coming from the last stretch of trees between him and his daddy’s tiny cabin. Somehow, it had gotten in front of him. He was cut off!

As he stared in horror, two glowing pinpoints of red appeared not ten feet away, growing steadily larger, as the beast stepped out of the bushes and into the moonlight. The dog was huge, and black as coal. And those fiery eyes stared unblinking, directly into his.

Whimpering, he felt a rush of warmth as he wet himself. He’d seen the Black Dog, and that meant it had come for him. He was going to die.

Somewhere in the dim recesses of his mind, he heard his aunt calling his name, but it was already too late. When Ol’ Shuck shows up to get you, it’s always too late. Still, she called, her voice coming from far away.

“Cadey? Cadey … ?”

He tried to answer, but could make no sound, and stood helpless, watching. Just before it leapt, the Black Dog’s lips peeled back, revealing long, gleaming teeth. Hot, foul breath washed over his face, as Ol’ Shuck opened its mouth impossibly wide, and Cadey tumbled forward into its reeking maw.

At last, he screamed.

Purchase Link

Amazon

Author Bio

Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years and four big cats.

When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. She enjoys nature. Really, really enjoys it. All of it! Well, almost all of it, anyway. From birds, to furry critters, to her very favorites, snakes. The exception would be spiders, which she truly loathes, convinced that anything with eight hairy legs is surely up to no good. She does not, however, kill spiders anymore, since she knows they have their place in the world. Besides, her husband now handles her Arachnid Catch and Release Program, and she’s good with that.

Spiders aside, the one thing Marcia would like to tell each of her readers is that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true. If, at the age of 69, she could write and publish a book (and thus fulfill 64 years of longing to do that very thing), you can make your own dreams a reality, too. Go for it! What have you got to lose?

Marcia has published seven novels, three novellas, and one book of poetry to date, all of which are available on Amazon:

Wake-Robin Ridge

A Boy Named Rabbit: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 2

Harbinger: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 3

The Light: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 4

Swamp Ghosts: A Riverbend Novel

Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2

That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3

The Emissary: A Riverbend Spinoff NovellaThe Emissary 2: To Love Somebody

The Emissary 3: Love Hurts

The Emissary Trilogy

Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love

Marcia’s Amazon Author Page

Social Media

You can reach Marcia via email at marciameara16@gmail.com or on the following social media sites:

The Write Stuff

Pinterest

Twitter: @marciameara

67 thoughts on “#BadMoonRising Harbinger (Wake-Robin Ridge #3) by Marcia Meara #supernatural #paranormal”

  2. What a fun Bad Moon Rising! And, Teri, I have to agree with Marcia–I am NOT a fan of zombies for the same reason. All that rot is disgusting!

    I love the legend of ‘Ol Shuck, and enjoyed how Marcia incorporated it into Harbinger. A great tale in a wonderful series.

    And I’m highly excited to learn about Cole, Cole, & Dupree. Can’t wait for that one!

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  3. I’m not surprised that you and I agree on zombies. We aren’t Penderpals and Dresdenphiles for nothin’, after all.😁

    Lovely to see you here, Mae, and I thank you so much for the kind comments. I’ll be starting on Cole, Cole and Dupree just as soon as I manage to finish A Need to Burn, the working title of my 4th Riverbend novel. I seem to be writing a little bit slower these days, but I will definitely get ‘er done, as we say down here, and then it’s back to those wonderful North Carolina mountains. 😊

    Thanks again for stopping by and taking a moment to comment! 🤗

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  4. Pingback: #BadMoonRising – Post 4 Featuring (ahem) Marcia Meara | The Write Stuff

    1. Thanks, Staci! So nice to hear that. And I can use a little more “best” in my life right now, though I shouldn’t complain. It IS improving as I continue to return to good health.

      I just love Bad Moon Rising, and am glad you stopped by today to say hi! 😀💗

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  7. It’s fun to see Marcia playing along, and I agree with her on dystopian movies. They’re kind of creepy since they seem to rolling into real time. I don’t mind zombies, though, as long as they’re shamblers and not thos super fast ones. Yikes. And I loved loved her Wake Robin Ridge series. I’m delighted that it’s continuing. 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much, Diana! I’m really looking forward to continuing the WRR tales with a series of spinoff novellas. But first, I’ve got some things to wrap up in Riverbend. You know how it is when a WIP refuses to cooperate and zip along as quickly as you’d like! 🙄

      And I get your drift on dystopian books hitting way too close to home to enjoy, at least these days, anyway. I’m looking farther and farther afield in my fantasy worlds. BTW, I recently finished this amazing fantasy about a ferryman and a sea witch. Have you heard of it? (Wink, wink.) Seriously, it was amazing, Diana, and I hope to catch up on my reviews soon, now that I’m trying to return to my old life, BC. Umm … Before COVID, that is. Even I’M not old enough for the real meaning of that! 😂

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      1. Oooh. You got my full attention once again! I’m glad you enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read your thoughts. And you cracked me up with BC. I’m going to add it to my vocabulary. Keep working on the WIP and Happy Writing, my friend.

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  8. I love Marcia´s books, especially the Emissary Trilogy. So it was great to see her featured here on Bad Moon Rising. I loved her answers and am also a no zombie lover. So excited to hear she has ideas for another series of novellas. She writes faster than I can read!

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    1. You are so nice, Darlene, and I’m thrilled you’ve enjoyed some of my books. The Emissary books were terrific fun to write, and it does my heart good to know you liked those, especially! I also had a great time writing this post, so I’m extra happy you enjoyed it, too. And yep. I’m thinking when I wrap up the 4th Riverbend book, novellas might be the way I go for a bit. MUCH quicker to get them written and published, and that sounds good to me. 😁

      Thanks so much for stopping by today and letting us know you enjoyed the post. This series of Teri’s is great fun, for sure! 🤗💗

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      1. Oooh, I’m excited to hear that, Teri. I really hope you enjoy the Emissary books, and am looking forward to hearing your thoughts. And on The Light, too. I think it might be my favorite of Rabbit’s stories. 😊 Happy reading! 🤗

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  9. It is great to see you here, Marcia, and I enjoyed all your answers. I am very impressed that the Emissary series came out of a spin-off character. I knew that when I read the first but it is still amazing to think about. Have a great October.

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    1. Thanks, John, and yep. The trucker (who was using the name of Gabe Angelino) made Willow wonder whether he was just a nice guy, or was really an angel. Apparently it made a lot of other folks wonder, too. I kept getting asked about him for months at every wildlife talk I did. Finally, even I could read the writing on the wall, and decided to give him his own novella–which then turned into three. I’m still being asked when I’m going to put the 3 out in print form, but I’ve had trouble formatting a boxed set for print. The eBook boxed set is no longer available, but I’m not giving up hope on the print version. Yet. 😉

      Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I hope you have a great October, too! 😊🎃

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  10. What a wonderful interview! I love the idea of the Grim Reaper coming in the form of a black dog. 🙂 I have Marcia’s Rabbit stories waiting for me on my Kindle and I look forward to reading them. Thank you, Teri! Congrats, Marcia!

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    1. Thanks so much, Jan! And I can’t wait to see what you think of the good folks on Wake-Robin Ridge. Rabbit came along in Book 2, and promptly usurped my entire “romantic suspense” series. But it turned out okay, because he’s hands down my readers’ favorite character, and probably mine, too.

      Glad you enjoyed the post, and the Black Dog is a scary ol’ legend, for sure. 😀 Thanks for stopping by today. 🤗💗

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    1. Definitely my favorite writer of all time, M’Lady, but Poe wins my vote for most interesting to chat with. I’d just love to know what’s going on in his dark, dark mind! 😄

      Thanks so much for stopping by today, and taking a moment to say hello. Hope you enjoyed the post as much as I enjoyed writing it. Happy fall! 🎃🎃🎃

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  13. suerovens

    Wonderful, fun interview! 🙂 As for zombies? Only the slow ones are scary – the original (or somewhat original) from the late 60’s. The fast ones are too goofy! We’ll protect you, Marcia! 🙂

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    2. Thanks, Sue! I know I’m late, but I hope you’ll forgive me. Things went a bit sideways around here for a couple of days, but today promises to be a good one. I don’t care whether zombies are fast or slow. They stink. Literally. Because … ROT!!! 😁 So I’ll leave them for others to enjoy, because I’d rather my monsters at least not smell like an abattoir, thanks very much. URK! All the protection in the world won’t save my nose!! 😂😂😂 But thanks, anyway, 😉

      And thanks for taking a moment to stop by and say hi, too! 🤗💗

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  14. Enjoyable interview, Teri and Marcia. I told you I was scared of Zombies, Teri, even though I knew it was not real. The writing and the movie effects are too good. 🙂
    How wonderful that you turned a minor character, Jake Daughtry, into the main character in three novellas, Marcia. Congratulations on your new series Cole, Cole, & Dupree. 🙂

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    2. Thanks, Miriam! (Sorry I’m late responding, but had my hands full the last couple of days.) Yeah, zombies are just not something I enjoy in movies, though I do confess, they pop up in some of my favorite fantasy reads now and then. Just not usually as the “main monster.” 😉

      Jake (alias Gabe Angelino in Finding Hunter, turned into one of my favorite characters, ever. I just loved writing about him and his life, both before death and after his return as an emissary to the angels. Hope you’ll check out his story when you get a chance.

      I’m afraid Cole, Cole, & Dupree is still a bit away, though. I need to finish this Riverbend book first. Readers have been waiting a long time for it, and I owe it to them to wrap up things with the Painter brothers and crew before moving on. THEN, I can justify getting back to Riverbend for my new series of novellas. Woohooo! Looking forward to being with Rabbit and family again, for sure.

      Thanks so much for stopping by and taking time to say hi, Miriam! 🤗💗

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      2. Hubby watched zombies movies by himself when I’m not in the living room. I carried the images to my dream. It’s disturbing. It seems like you have a lot going with you. I’m glad you have many things and writing projects to keep your life interesting. Take care, Marcia. ❤ 🙂

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        1. Always busy, Miriam. And I give two wildlife talks every month, too, when I’m not in quarantine. Those are SO rewarding! Love sharing my feelings about our birds and other critters all around us. 😊

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    2. Thanks, Joan! I know how much you love legends, and the Black Dog is a cool one, I think. Definitely spooky. Ands it’s been around for a long, long time.

      Thanks for stopping by to say hi! 🤗💗

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  16. Victoria Zigler

    I keep my carved pumpkins on display as long as possible too. I only light them for Halloween itself (using a battery-powered candle, because then it doesn’t have the heat to speed up the process) but they don’t get thrown out until they reach that point where I have no choice. Luckily for me that’s longer than it is for you, since temperatures here at this time of year are much cooler. It varies from pumpkin to pumpkin – and depending on that particular year’s temperatures – but I get to keep them on display for about a week on average.

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    1. I always admire pumpkins that are carved into unique images. Hubby and the boys always did the standard triangle eyes and nose and some kind of mouth – never anything fancy. I’ve seen some that are works of art.

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      1. Victoria Zigler

        I’ve seen some awesome ones too. The life boat rescue station was near us where we used to live, and one year I got to see theirs. They had one with a sailboat carved in it, and others with things like bats and spiders carved in to them. Shame we didn’t have our camera with us when we saw them, because I’d have loved to have photos I could show you.

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    2. It’s heading for 90 degrees here today, so while it’s better than our summers which are often triple digits in July & August, it sure doesn’t feel like fall, Victoria–not to me OR pumpkins! 😁 Nice to meet a fellow pumpkin lover, though, and glad you can keep yours out for a week. It’s always sad to say goodbye to the jack-o-lantern of the year. 😕

      Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your cooler weather. I’ll try not to be envious! 🤗💗

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        1. I DETEST the heat, too, but try to bloom where I’m planted. My husband does not want to leave Florida, and at this point in our lives, I doubt we ever will. There’s a lot to love here, especially with our wildlife and nature. And I DO enjoy having roses in my garden that bloom all year long. But I prefer temps in the 60s, and hate it as soon as it passes 72 or so. Summer is just miserable for me, as I’m pretty much trapped inside in the a/c!

          Oh, well. Places, like people, are never 100% perfect, so you have to deal with them the best you can. 😉😊

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    2. Thanks, Robbie! I do love Halloween and jack-o-lanterns. (I love pumpkin pie, too. It’s my favorite in the entire world. Alas, unless I can find a good one that’s totally sugar free, they are off of my menu now. 😪)

      Nice to meet a fellow Poe lover. I think it’d be incredibly interesting to have a chat with him!

      And thanks for taking the time to stop by and say hi! Bad Moon Rising is such fun!! 🤗💗

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    1. Thank you so much, Deby. He interests me, too. I never know what he’s going to tell me to write down, but tell me, he does. In fact, he’s often narrating tales I’d never even thought of, and he constantly makes droll observations (as only he can) about people and places when I’m out running errands. Seeing life from Rabbit’s point of view is very entertaining! 😊

      Thanks for stopping by and taking a moment to say hi! 🤗💗

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    1. Thanks, Trish. If you got shivers, then yay! It worked! 😁 Of course, Cadey Hagen probably doesn’t think it was such a great thing, but hey. He’s not supposed to enjoy it! 😄

      Isn’t Bad Moon Rising just the MOST fun? I really love this series! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and Happy Fall! 🤗🎃🎃🎃💗

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  20. You mentioned a sheriff asking for help from someone who has visions. One thing that surprised me after I became a journalist and covered crime (I talked to police five days a week for years) is how many of them believe in psychic phenomenon, spiritualists, fortune tellers, etc. Before then, I had a vision of police being like what I saw on old Dragnet and Adam-12 programs: skeptics.

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    1. Good to know. This one started as at least “doubtful,” but he lives in an area where folks with what they call The Sight aren’t unheard of, so he kept an open mind. And what he saw convinced him the boy was gifted in that way.

      Personally, I’ve never met anyone like this, but I like to think if I did, I’d at least take a long look at what they claimed before I’d discount it. 😊

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing such an interesting comment.

      Liked by 1 person

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