Category: Bad Moon Rising

The Witch Hunt (The Witch Haven #2) by Sasha Peyton Smith #bookreview #YA #fantasy

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising22 Comments

The lush and pulse-pounding sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Witch Haven follows Frances and her fellow witches to the streets of Paris where family secrets, lost loves, and dangerous magic await.

Months after the devastating battle between the Sons of St. Druon and the witches of Haxahaven, Frances has built a quiet, safe life for herself, teaching young witches and tending the garden within the walls of Haxahaven Academy. But one thing nags; her magic has begun to act strangely. When an opportunity to visit Paris arises, Frances jumps at the chance to go, longing for adventure and seeking answers about her own power.

Once she and her classmates Maxine and Lena reach the vibrant streets of France, Frances learns that the spell she used to speak to her dead brother has had terrible consequences—the veil between the living and the dead has been torn by her recklessness, and a group of magicians are using the rift for their own gain at a horrifying cost.

To right this wrong, and save lives and her own magical powers, Frances must hunt down answers in the parlors of Parisian secret societies, the halls of the Louvre, and the tunnels of the catacombs. Her only choice is to team up with the person she swore she’d never trust again, risking further betrayal and her own life in the process. 

It’s not often that I like a sequel better than the first book, but it happened with The Witch Hunt.

I wasn’t crazy about main character Frances in The Witch Haven. She seemed to have no problem asking others to take risks without considering the consequences for them. In this followup, months have passed, Frances has matured, and now she’s worried more about her friends than herself. When her magic begins acting strangely, Frances is naturally very concerned – especially since she teaches at a school for witches. When an opportunity to visit Paris presents itself, she jumps at the chance. Besides finding a solution to the problems with her powers, she has a more personal reason for the journey.

The strong friendship between Frances, Lena, and Maxine was one of my favorite things about the first novel, and it continues to top the list with this sequel. Maxine stole my heart with her snarky comments. Oliver, Frances’s boyfriend, has been attending school in Paris, so she’s also excited to be reunited with him. And he’s such a sweetie – totally supportive of Frances in every way.

It’s no secret that Finn is reintroduced. He betrayed Frances in a horrible way, but still believes they’ll be together and he can persuade her to forgive him. Honestly, he had some pretty good moments, and it wouldn’t be the first time a “villain” redeems himself. Turns out the spell Finn and Frances cast to talk to her dead brother in the prior book had some serious repercussions. The veil between the living and the dead is open, strange things are afoot, and power-hungry people are taking advantage of it. Someone has to close the veil, and it’s not going to be easy – or accomplished without a few dead bodies along the way.

I really enjoyed the 1913 Paris setting – I love this time period, and the high stakes kept me flipping the pages. Although some reviewers aren’t happy with the ending, it felt right to me. But I admit to thinking about it a couple days before I decided.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#BadMoonRising Thanks You!

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising1 Comment

Hope everyone had a spooktacular Halloween last night! We had several trick or treaters and nearly ran out of candy. The best costume award went to the kid in the inflatable shark costume. His fins couldn’t hold the bag, so his friend got candy for both of them.

I love hosting Bad Moon Rising every year, but I couldn’t do it without all of the comments, shares, and author participation – which all comes from you! Thanks to all of you for helping make BMR a success. As long as you keep showing up, BMR will be here.

It was a fun-filled month meeting new authors and other readers and we enjoyed plenty of laughs. We learned there are a lot of homeless haunted dolls – not one person was willing to give them a chance. The vast majority of us prefer the Bloody Mary drink to summoning the person. Stephen King’s Misery scared the crap out of lots of writers. And adorable little furry faces will steal the spotlight every time.

See you next year!

#BadMoonRising An Endless Darkness: The Novellas by Steve Stred #horror #shortstories

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising37 Comments

Happy Halloween! I always look forward to this holiday, but it’s also a little bittersweet because it’s the last day of BMR. Today’s author has made several appearances here, and he’s certainly no stranger to horror stories. His featured book is a collection of his horror novellas, some of them the first time in print. He shares a story that perhaps isn’t your typical ghost tale, but is just as terrifying. Welcome Steve Stred!

Would you rather visit a haunted house or a haunted graveyard?

I’d definitely rather visit a haunted house, because there seems like more potential. More places to explore, more room to creep inside with who knows what waiting for you. And a haunted house can remain scary 24 hours a day. A graveyard would lose its spookiness once the sun came up! I’m a huge fan of watching Urban Exploration videos of old abandoned houses and mansions and every time they always seems so ridiculously scary, even during the day!

Do you believe in any ‘mythical’ monsters like chupacabras or shadow people?

Yes and no. For instance, yes, I absolutely believe we’re not alone in the universe. To me that seems like an impossibility with how vast space is. But I also don’t think every UFO sighting means little green men. If anyone reading this has read any of my work, they’ll know my love and fear in equal parts of the mountains. To me, the wilderness is so spacious, I find it perfectly reasonable to think that Sasquatch can exist. There are plenty of videos out there (sure some are fake) that are hard to push aside as ‘fake.’ It can be hard for people who’ve grown up their entire lives in a sprawling city to accept that, but if you’ve spent any time in the Canadian wilderness, you’ll know how massive it is and how easily it would be for any animal to remain hidden.

What is the spookiest ghost story you’ve ever heard?

Piggybacking off my previous answer, the ghost stories I always found the spookiest were more related to the woods. And some of them are not even so much ‘ghosts’ in that sense. For instance, one story I’ve heard variations of over the years involves a little boy – 4 or 5 depending on the source – who goes into the woods playing hide and seek. He goes missing. A massive search is carried out. Some sources say 100 searchers, some have said even up to 1500 searchers. All they find is two sets of prints. One matches the boys shoe size and leads from about where he was. The other is barefoot. In some of the versions their footsteps disappear. In some they find the boys shoes and the tracks disappear into a cave etc. Or a river. Always something to prevent the searchers from finding anything further. To me, that entire story scares me so badly haha! So much potential for our minds to fill in the blanks with horrific details.

How do you use social media as an author?

I’m an anomaly in that I love social media. I think it’s because I’ve curated it into how I use my own social media, that is – support and promote others (no matter their market share), celebrate when people have big wins, give kudos when someone has a loss (ie rejection etc) and just enjoy seeing what others are up to. I genuinely want to see people’s kids first day of school photos. Cool things they’ve created, awesome concerts they’ve been at and movies they watched. There’s sooooo much negativity and horrible news out there. So, I try really hard to remain as positive as I can!

What books did you grow up reading?

I’ve been a voracious reader since I was little. I started out with Archie comics and Berenstain Bears etc, before moving into Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. My grandfather also had an extensive collection of western paperbacks, so I read some of those. Louis L’Amour type stuff. Then when I was eight or nine, I was allowed to borrow a Stephen King book from my neighbor, Patti and I was hooked. ‘Skeleton Crew’ was my first of his, ‘The Mist’ opening that up and it scared me so badly. To this day, I’m still frightened of deep, dense fog.

If you could be mentored by a famous author, who would it be?

I’m fortunate that I currently have three authors combined fill the ‘mentor’ aspect for me, whether they know it or not! The first is the awesome David Sodergren. David has been instrumental in making me a better writer. He is far from ‘yes’ man for me. I run stuff by him and our relationship is solid enough and we’ve developed a great enough rapport that I know he’ll give me his honest opinion. The same for when he is editing my work. His notes back to me reflect that and I can’t thank him enough for that.

The second is Duncan Ralston. Whether you like him or not, Duncan has a phenomenal catalog of work and has built a ravenous fan base. He’s seen it all and is always up to answer my questions. And, he’s not a ‘yes’ guy either. If he doesn’t think something will work or something’s not good enough, he’ll tell me and he’ll offer alternatives or suggestions.

Lastly, is Andrew Pyper. If you’ve seen any of my social media, you’ll know how much I love his work. Discovering his writing was a subconscious kick for my own writing. Seeing his ‘Instant Bestseller’ label on The Demonologist and his bio saying he was from Canada blew my mind. Wait? You mean Canadians CAN do this! When I retired from sports and focused my passions back onto writing (when I knew my time was ending I had returned to working on my in-progress novel of close to a decade), that mini-bio drove me. Over the last six years or so, I’ve been fortunate to have developed a friendship with Andrew, and he’s always been willing to answer any questions I’ve had that have come up. He’s been through it all, knows the ins and outs and is a truly kind person. I’ve said I’m fortunate to have him as a friend, but that never seems to be enough. Just like ‘thank you’ often doesn’t seem to be enough. But, Andrew has always inspired me and having his backing and advice on things has been a blessing.

As always – thank you so much, Teri for having me! I love being a part of these and seeing the other posts from the others involved!

From Splatterpunk-Nominated author, Steve Stred comes a collection of his darkest novellas.

Re-edited and released to achieve maximum despair, Stred gathers some of his earliest nightmares for your reading pleasure!

– YURI – a twisted haunted house story, Yuri follows a young man, forced to flee his home and find work at the mine, owned by the town’s richest man. The only problem – things are not what they seem. ‘Don’t Eat the Stew.’

– The One That Knows No Fear – they say don’t meet your idols, and this holds true in this high-octane novella. Set in the late 1970’s, young Timmy wants to find out how his favorite daredevil appears to be invincible. He’ll wish he never found out the truth.

– Wound Upon Wound – for the first time in print, the sci-fi prequel to Stred’s Empyrean Saga is filled with a growing dread. ‘What would you do if you knew today was the last day of your life?’

– Jane: the 816 Chronicles – telling the story of specimen 816, aka Jane, this prequel story tied into Stred’s smash-hit ‘Mastodon’ will grab you by your throat and not let go.

– Seth – for the first time in print, ‘Seth’ tells the story of a young boy faced with an impossible task – either kill his own brother or let the monster kill him.

– Daisy’s House – for the first time in print, Daisy’s House is the house at the end of the street that everyone avoids. That is, everyone but the local high school kids who want to prove they’re not scared.

Black Void Publishing is proud to release this collection – featuring three stories never before in print, from one of the most intriguing writers in all of dark fiction!

Purchase Links

Universal Link: mybook.to/anendlessdarkness

Author book link: author.to/stevestred

Author Bio and Social Media

A Splatterpunk-Nominated Author, Steve Stred lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wife, son and their staffy, Cocoa.

His work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.

A proud co-founder of the LOHF Writer’s Grant, he is also an Active Member of the HWA.

Website: stevestredauthor.wordpress.com

Twitter: @stevestred

Instagram: @stevestred

#BadMoonRising The Doors of Chamberlain by Steve L. Clark #horror #thriller

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising48 Comments

It’s another BMR debut today! No haunted dolls for him, either – apparently there are a lot of homeless haunted dolls out there. But this author had a hair-raising experience with another haunted item. Welcome Steve L. Clark!

Do you believe in any ‘mythical’ monsters like chupacabras or shadow people?

I split the line on this one depending on which monsters are in question. As much as I’d like to believe in Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, I think they are both unlikely. That said, I believe the oceans are home to ‘monsters’ beyond what we imagine. I also absolutely believe in aliens and life on other planets. The truth is out there!

If you were stuck as the protagonist in any horror movie, which would you choose?

This is an easy one. Dawn of the Dead. George Romero’s 1978 classic is my favorite movie of all time. I got into horror at a young age, and I was completely enthralled by the fight for survival against zombie hordes in a shopping mall.

Would you buy a doll that you knew was haunted?

Absolutely not. I do believe in ghosts and hauntings, and I had a personal experience with a haunted item. My father built several grandfather clocks for the family when I was young. One of those clocks went to my aunt. After she passed away, I was given that clock to keep in the family, as well as having something built my dad, who unfortunately had also passed away. My aunt was never particularly fond of me, and within days of having her clock in my house, both my wife and I noticed odd occurrences. There was a strange energy in the house that we had never experienced. Then, my wife saw a shadow walk through the kitchen from our bedroom. I connected the dots and moved the clock out to the garage. I told my mom what happened, and she agreed to trade me that clock for another one she had at her house. The incidents stopped immediately once the clock was gone. I believe my aunt did not want me to have it, and I obliged. So, yeah, I’ll pass on haunted items.

What books did you grow up reading?

I’ve always loved to read. I was in 4th grade when Goosebumps first came out, and I ordered them from the Scholastic book fair order forms we got each month at school. I devoured those, getting each new book as soon as it came out. As I got older, I moved on from Goosebumps to Fear Street, and then read my first Stephen King novel in my early teens. The rest of my teenage years were spent mostly on what I considered the big three, Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Dean Koontz. I didn’t discover the independent horror scene until much later, so I still have a lot of catching up to do.

What is your kryptonite as a writer?

Consistency. I rarely have issues with writer’s block. When I sit down to write, things flow at a good rate. My problem has always been and continues to be maintaining any kind of routine. I do not do a good job of making time to write. I’m getting better, but I’m still not where I would like to be. It’s a work in progress. Always, looking to improve.

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on my next novel/novella. It is a supernatural horror story set in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. I am on track for a December 2022 release.

When Janie’s boyfriend Mark goes missing while filming a ghost hunting documentary, she spirals into a deep depression. Three months pass with no leads or answers.

With all hope fading and facing the reality of a future without him, Janie receives a package in the mail with no return address. It contains a flash drive and a simple note…

Mark is not dead. I need your help. Watch the videos.

The truth is more sinister than she imagined. She shares the videos with Mark’s sister Leslie, and together they are pulled into a mystery that changes everything.

Sometimes the missing should not be found.

Purchase Links

The Doors of Chamberlain: Clark, Steve L: 9798528507927: Amazon.com: Books

The Collapse of Ordinary: Clark, Steve L: 9798529126295: Amazon.com: Books

Author Bio and Social Media

Steve L Clark is an author of horror and dark fiction from Southwest Ohio where he lives with his beautiful wife and three wonderful children. He is the author of the cosmic horror novella The Doors of Chamberlain, the short story collection The Collapse of Ordinary, and a contributing author to the anthology Dark Words: Stories of Urban Legends and Folk Lore edited by Matt Wildasin, all of which are available on Amazon.

Twitter @stevelc8349

#BadMoonRising Johnny Lycan and the Vegas Berserker (The Werewolf PI #2) by Wayne Turmel #thriller #paranormal #werewolves

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising26 Comments

This author made his BMR debut two years ago with the first book in his Johnny Lycan series, and he returns today with book two that releases in December. Saying Bloody Mary three times in front of a mirror? Only at a snooty brunch. But he and The Candyman are acquaintances. Welcome Wayne Turmel!

Have you ever said Bloody Mary three times in front of a mirror?

I know what you mean, but the only time I ever said Bloody Mary three times in front of a mirror was at a snooty brunch in West Hollywood, and the waiter ignored me every time. Candyman, on the other hand, and I are on speaking terms.

Would you rather visit a haunted house or a haunted graveyard?

I’d much rather visit a graveyard. They are so much more atmospheric than haunted houses, there’s the smell of newmown grass, and there’s a lot more room for running, dodging and hiding when #%$#^ gets real.

Which Stephen King novel unsettled you the most?

The Dead Zone freaked me out when I read it the first time, and it still does today, maybe more so. It takes the old “what if you had a chance to kill Hitler?” question and brings it home. There are too many similarities to what’s going on now in the world. I’d rather take my chances with rabid Saint Bernards.

What books did you grow up reading?

I was—and am—bibliographically promiscuous. (I’m a book slut, I’ll read anything.) I grew up with a lot of classic “boy books,” Kim, Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers, and started reading adult books early. My mom let me read Jaws, because she was fine with me reading the blood and guts. She didn’t know there was a sex scene that left a mark.

Do you regret leaving out something in the final draft of any of your books?

My daughter has too much influence on my writing. When I wrote Acre’s Bastard, it was supposed to be a one-off, standalone book. I had a lovely epilogue saying what happened to Lucca after the Crusades. She told me if I left that in there and didn’t continue the series she wouldn’t look after me in my old age and would put me in a home when I got old. That wasn’t so bad, since I consider the sequel, Acre’s Orphans, some of my very best work.

I nearly ended the second Johnny Lycan book with a tantalizing sexy scenario, and her considered literary opinion was, “ewwwww.”

So, no threesome for Johnny. The world’s loss.

What are you working on now?

I am at about the third-way mark of the third Johnny Lycan adventure.  Fun creepiness and hijinks will ensue as he deals with a 400 year old witch finderand a haunted book. Oh and a buttload of rats.

The world’s favorite werewolf P.I. is off to Las Vegas. What could go wrong?

Life’s good for Johnny Lupul. He has a steady gig and a growing reputation as a guy who gets things done. He’s even learning to keep his Lycan side under control—mostly.

But when he’s sent to Sin City on a simple retrieval job, things go sideways. He bumps up against a coven of badass witches, a psychic pawn broker, and a mysterious enemy with a secret darker and more violent than his own.

“Like Jack Reacher with bite. Even more fun than the first installment.”

“Turmel has created a series that’s part detective noir, part urban fantasy, with plenty of snarky humor.”

Purchase Links

Johnny Lycan and the Anubis Disk  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KQHJQ7D

Johnny Lycan and the Vegas Berserker (preorder) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B89LQTKR

The Lucca Le Pou Stories (2 book set)  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B8TV3YGB

Author Bio and Social Media

Wayne Turmel lives and writes in Las Vegas. He’s the author of 10 nonfiction books, but writes fiction to save what’s left of his sanity. He’s a former standup comic, car salesman and still a consultant since he needs to pay the rent. He lives with his wife, The Duchess, and Mad Max, Defender of the Realm, Scourge of Lizards, and Most Manly of Poodles. You can find him at www.WayneTurmel.com, on Twitter @Wturmel, and his Facebook author page

Twitter   @Wturmel

Facebook Author Page  https://www.facebook.com/Wayne-Turmel-Author-105157635590618

Blog and Website www.WayneTurmel.com

Amazon Author Page  https://www.amazon.com/Wayne-Turmel/e/B00J5PGNWU

#BadMoonRising Boondock Butcher by Chuck Buda #horror #suspense

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising47 Comments

Happy Friday! Many of us remember childhood sleepovers where we told ghost stories. But this author’s recounting of his sleepover will send chills down your spine. He also introduces his most recent writing distraction – and the cuteness is off the charts. Welcome Chuck Buda!

Which Stephen King novel unsettled you the most?

The Stephen King novel that unsettled me the most was Pet Semetary. I read the book late at night one summer, next to an open window. While the book was creepy, the scares were amplified by the nightly shriek of wild cats fighting outside my window. I would have to check under my bed before turning off the lights. IT was a close second because the story preyed on the fears in my mind. I suppose if clowns shrieked and fought outside my window then IT would have surpassed Pet Semetary easily.

Which unsolved murder fascinates you the most?

The unsolved murder that fascinates me the most would have to be the Dyatlov Pass Incident. I have read numerous books on the eerie event and the intrigue is overwhelming. Tales of strange lights in the area, a sketchy photo of a hairy monster and the random injuries or positions of the bodies check off all my boxes for things Bigfoot, UFO and unknown. If the event had taken place in more favorable conditions or a place less remote than the Ural Mountains, the potential explanations would make far more sense. It freaks me out to think about this crazy, unsolved murder.

Would you rather go to a real haunted house or watch a horror movie marathon?

Hands down, I would much rather watch a horror movie marathon than go to a real haunted house. It is easier to shake off scares from celluloid. I’m deathly afraid of bringing home an attachment from a haunted house. I love to watch ghost hunting television programs and often daydream about visiting a real haunted location. But I couldn’t do it in real life. True story, I stayed at a friend’s house once, a documented haunted house, and I couldn’t sleep the whole night. I insisted my friends lock the bedroom door. In the middle of the night, I heard footsteps in the hall and then the doorknob jiggled as if the person tried to come inside but found it locked. Moments later, the footsteps were inside the room, approaching my bed on the other side of the room. I had the pillow jammed into my mouth and the covers pulled up over my head. Nothing happened but I trembled, awake all night. The next morning, none of the guys who crashed in the room with me had heard a thing. Goosebumps!

Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing? 

Pets have never gotten in the way of my writing until recently. We welcomed a new puppy into our lives (a Cavapoo) and he is a handful. He gets into lots of trouble chewing furniture and tearing apart our clothing but he is sooooooo cute. His name is Bobo and he is almost four months old now. The interruptions are well worth it!

What books did you grow up reading?

I grew up reading Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, Edgar Allan Poe and The Hardy Boys. Then I moved on to James Bond novels. With all the suspense and thrills in my formative reading years, it was a natural progression to Stephen King books at age thirteen.

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on a six-book classic western series. The Sentinel series will be rapidly released over the next year (one book every other month) starting this month. I am very excited about this series. Fans of my Son of Earp weird western series have already expressed interest in this new venture.

Local legends aren’t what they seem.

Nestled within the remote Tennessee mountains, a small town hides an ugly secret. A bloody wound that has never healed.

Renee Hunter finds herself broken down on a dark, lonely road. A local Samaritan helps her out. But he may have just delivered her into the belly of the beast.

Renee discovers that young women like her disappear in these woods. Now she must fight for survival.

But the Boondock Butcher stands in her way.

Purchase Links

Boondock Butcher

Sentinel Series

Son of Earp Series

Gushers Series

Debt Collector Series

Author Bio and Social Media

Chuck Buda writes across multiple genres including westerns, horror, and crime thrillers. He loves to eat pizza, drink whiskey and craft beers, listen to Norwegian Black Metal and search for answers about Bigfoot and UFOs. Plus, he works very hard to fit quotes from Seinfeld or Big Bang Theory into every conversation. That’s a ton of fun in one man.

Join his mailing list

Follow Chuck on BookBub:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/chuck-buda

Follow Chuck on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/Chuck_Buda

Chuck Buda co-hosts The Mando Method Podcast on Project Entertainment Network with author, Armand Rosamilia. They talk about all aspects of writing.

#BadMoonRising Amanda in New Mexico: Ghosts in the Wind by Darlene Foster #childrensbooks #ghosts #supernatural

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising73 Comments

I’m a big fan of this author’s Amanda series. I haven’t traveled to all the places Amanda has, but after reading the book I feel like I have. They’re so well-researched they could double as travel guides. I follow this author on social media and get to see adorable pics of her fur babies, but if you haven’t met them yet, today is your chance. Welcome Darlene Foster!

Would you rather visit a haunted house or a haunted graveyard?

A haunted graveyard. (Aren’t they all haunted? I mean, they are full of dead people, right?) I love graveyards and spend a lot of time in them. They are outside and easy to escape if things get tense. You can get locked inside a haunted house. Yikes!

What is the spookiest ghost story you’ve ever heard?

The story about a young couple who are making out in a car when they hear noises outside. When they check, there is an artificial hand hanging on the door handle. Later they hear on the news about a one-armed serial killer on the loose. That always creeps me out. (Maybe it’s not really a ghost story but it is scary) 

If you could have a spooky Halloween pet (black cat, owl, bat, rat, wolf, etc.), which would you choose?

A black cat. I have owned three black cats in my life and they were all great. Mind you, I was careful not to make any of them angry.

Have you ever travelled as research for any of your books? 

I travel as research for all my books! I travelled to New Mexico to research Amanda in New Mexico: Ghosts in the Wind. I visited the haunted hotel in Cimarron and boy did it have scary vibes. 

Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing? 

Oh yes! My two dogs, Dot and Lia, are always pestering me for a walk just as I am at an intense part of the book.

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones. There just might be some spooky parts in it, you never know.

Amanda Ross is on a school trip to Taos, New Mexico with several of her fellow creative students. She shares a room with Cleo, an anxious classmate who insists she sees ghosts. Although Amanda is determined to prove there is no such thing, she can’t seem to shake the feeling that something or someone is watching her. 

Join Amanda, Cleo and their funny friend, Caleb, as they visit a rugged and beautiful landscape where a traditional hacienda, an ancient pueblo, and a haunted and spooky hotel all hold secrets to a wild and violent past. 

Does Cleo really see ghosts? Can Amanda escape the eerie wind that follows her everywhere? Perhaps The Day of the Dead will reveal the mysteries of Taos in this latest adventure of Amanda’s travels.

Purchase Links

Amazon.ca https://www.amazon.ca/Amanda-New-Mexico-Ghosts-Wind/dp/1771681209/

Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Amanda-New-Mexico-Ghosts-Travels/dp/1771681209/

Amazon.co.uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amanda-New-Mexico-Ghosts-Travels-ebook/dp/B01MT8LXAR/

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amanda-in-new-mexico-darlene-foster/1125480361?ean=9781771681209

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/es/en/ebook/amanda-in-new-mexico 

Author Bio and Social Media

Darlene Foster grew up on a ranch in Alberta, Canada, where her love of reading inspired her to see the world and write stories. When not travelling, meeting interesting people, and collecting ideas for her travel/adventure books, Darlene enjoys spending time with her family in Canada and with her husband and entertaining rescue dogs, Dot and Lia, in Spain.

website www.darlenefoster.ca

blog https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3156908.Darlene_Foster

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DarleneFosterWriter

Twitter  @supermegawoman

#BadMoonRising The Visitor by Terry Tyler #mystery #suspense

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising55 Comments

I’ve read several books by this author (highly recommend!), and we share a deep love of The Walking Dead. Her featured book is set within the same world as her Project Renova series, but can be read as a standalone. She attempted to write a novel in a genre she rarely or never reads – and it was an epic fail. Welcome Terry Tyler!

Which Stephen King novel unsettled you the most?

Misery.  The gradual revelation of Annie Wilkes’ insanity was terrifying, as her behaviour changed from benign if a little eccentric, to completely psychotic.  The sense of menace, as Paul began to understand how much danger he was in.  How trapped he was.  I much prefer this brand of darkness to the evil turning out to be a giant spider, or similar. 

My favourite of King’s books is The Stand, but it was Misery that made me feel scared when I was reading it.

Would you rather go to a real haunted house or watch a horror movie marathon?

I’ll go with the film binge.  Mind you, I’d choose that over most activities! 

Which unsolved murder fascinates you the most?

I do have an interest in those that many consider still unsolved, such as JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, etc.  Perhaps ‘controversial’ is the right word, though!

Have you ever tried to write a novel in a genre you rarely or never read? 

Yes.  It was hopeless!  About 10 years ago I thought I’d see if I could write chick lit/a romcom, as that was one of the most popular genres on Amazon at the time.  By the fourth page, my not-ditzy-enough heroine was having deep introspective thoughts and making incisive remarks about the human condition.   Wasn’t going to happen.

Have you ever traveled as research for any of your books? 

Yes, but not very far. The island of Lindisfarne was the farthest (just off the coast of the far north east of England).  I went alone on my second trip; it was March, and the rain was relentless.  I walked around the island in a big yellow waterproof thing, wiping the rain off my glasses as I took verbal notes and film.  I was stuck there for six hours, cold and wet, because I don’t drive; the bus from Berwick-on-Tweed dropped me off at 10 am and was not due back until 4 pm.

I haven’t travelled much, generally – because of this, I see everywhere I go as possible research/setting for future works.  One reason why I take a lot of photos, all the time.

What are you working on now?

A series about a ‘rage’ type of virus, in the form of three short novels.  I will be writing at least two of them before I publish the first, as it’s a continuing story.  I’ve always thought that I would not go to my grave without writing a zombie series, then I decided to make it a rage virus instead, because it feels more feasible.  The virus affects certain neurotransmitters in the brain and causes the subject to be motivated by two instincts only: to kill and to eat.  

Aside from anything else, I didn’t want to run the risk of writing a really bad version of The Walking Dead, so I had to say goodbye to the zombie idea.

Many thanks for including me in your October feature, Teri!

In 2024, a mystery virus ravages the entire world. ‘Bat Fever’ is highly contagious and one hundred per cent lethal.

A cottage tucked away in an isolated Norfolk village seems like the ideal place to sit out a catastrophic pandemic, but some residents of Hincham resent the arrival of Jack, Sarah and their friends, while others want to know too much about them.

What the villagers don’t know is that beneath Sarah’s cottage is a fully-stocked, luxury survival bunker. A post-apocalyptic ‘des res’.

Hincham isolates itself from the rest of the country, but the deaths continue―and not from the virus. There’s a killer on the loose, but is it a member of the much-depleted community, or somebody from outside? Paranoia is rife, as friend suspects friend, and everybody suspects the newcomers.

Most terrifying of all is that nobody knows who’s next on the list…

Purchase Link

https://bookgoodies.com/a/B08ML72P2K

Author Bio and Social Media

Terry Tyler writes dark psychological, post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction, available on Amazon.  Her latest book, Where There’s Doubt, is about a romance scammer and his victims.  She is an avid reader and is a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review team.  Aside from writing and reading, she loves The Walking Dead, history, the coast and the countryside and anything on telly about the end of the world as we know it.  She lives in North East England with her husband.

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#BadMoonRising Betrayed by Joseph Lewis #psychologicalthriller #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising32 Comments

Today’s author has made several appearances on this blog, and he’s a publisher sibling of mine. He’s featuring a backlist title, but also has a preorder link for an upcoming release. Haunted house or haunted graveyard? He’s visited both. Haunted high school? Uh, yeah – he attended one. Just imagine those class reunions. Welcome Joseph Lewis!

Would you rather visit a haunted house or a haunted graveyard?

I’ve done both, but I have to tell you, I attended a haunted high school. It was a co-ed boarding school, and there is a history, well before my time there, of odd and strange occurrences. Stories of screams in the night. The founder back in the 1800s had a history of practicing occult and witchcraft. Seldom did you see students by themselves. Unsettling and creepy!

Which Stephen King novel unsettled you the most?

It was The Stand that did it for me. “The walking dude” was a figure I couldn’t get out of my head for a long time. The image and what he stood for stuck with me. Still does. The book’s concept of good vs evil intrigues me, as it did in Golding’s book, Lord of the Flies. The idea in both books that civilization won’t hold up if there isn’t structure and those willing to fight for the good of the whole is a theme in my writing. Another great spooky book is Peter Straub’s Ghost Story. Fenny Bate still gives me chills. I couldn’t read it at night.

Would you buy a doll that you knew was haunted?

Oh, heck no! Any doll, any clown – haunted or not- are just creepy to me. Pennywise is an awesome character, but scary as all get out. My daughters never played with dolls- their choice, not mine. My oldest daughter cannot sleep in a room if it has a doll in it.

Do you believe in any ‘mythical’ monsters like chupacabras or shadow people?

Yes, I do. I believe in the spirit world- both the good (angels, saints) and the bad (Satan, ghosts). I use the supernatural in my own writing. One of my characters, George, is a full-blooded Navajo boy of seventeen. He was raised by his grandfather and practices the traditional Navajo beliefs of the spirit world. I believe there are forces- good and bad- at play in our world and in our minds. Can be both scary and comforting.

How do you use social media as an author? 

Mostly for promotion. I will post reviews, snippets, and blurbs to sell books. I have an author website where I introduce authors to the public, talk about writing and give examples, introduce my characters and my books. I find it both fun and overwhelming. I’d rather just write, honestly, and have someone else do the promotion.

What books did you grow up reading?

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes; The Seminole (I don’t even know if it is in print any longer; Stephen King and Peter Straub. Now, I read James Patterson, John Sandford, and David Baldacci. I prefer mystery and crime to read, which is what I write. I like the suspense and the “keep them guessing” aspect to mystery and suspense. I try to do that in my own writing, though I blend a fair amount of coming-of-age threads in my books, since my main characters are a patchwork group of adopted boys.

If you could be mentored by a famous author, who would it be? 

I would love an after dinner conversation with James Patterson, Stephen King, and John Sandford. Each are unique. I tend to write most like Patterson – short chapters, interesting characters, and a crime to solve. But King, because of his detail in setting and atmosphere, his ability to bring a “place” to life, intrigues me and I would want to understand how he goes about developing it. Lastly, Sandford, because of his journalism background, doesn’t waste words. I struggle with that.

What are you working on now?

My newest book, Fan Mail, is currently available for preorder. It is different from any book I’ve written, though it still is in the thriller-crime genre, and it still uses the same characters as my other books. However, there is a strong coming-of-age theme to it that readers will identify with and love. The brief synopsis for Fan Mail is:

A barrage of threatening letters, a car bomb, and a heart attack rip apart what was once a close-knit family of adopted brothers.

Randy and Bobby, along with fellow band member and best friend, Danny, receive fan mail that turns menacing. They ignore it, but to their detriment. The sender turns up the heat. Violence upends their world. It rocks the relationship between the boys and ripples through their family, nearly killing their dad.

As these boys turn on each other, adopted brother Brian flashes back to that event in Arizona where he nearly lost his life saving his brothers. The scars on his face and arms healed, but not his heart. Would he once again have to put himself in harm’s way to save them? And if faced with that choice, will he?

Fan Mail can be preordered at https://www.blackrosewriting.com/thrillers/fanmail. If readers purchase the book prior to the publication date of March 30, 2023, you may use the promo code: PREORDER2023 to receive a 15% Discount!

Integrity is protecting someone who betrayed you. Courage is keeping a promise even though it might mean death.

A late-night phone call turns what was to be a fun hunting trip into a deadly showdown. Fifteen-year-old brothers George Tokay, Brian Evans and Brett McGovern face death on top of a mesa on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Arizona. They have no idea why men are intent on killing them.

Betrayed is a contemporary psychological thriller and an exploration of the heart and of a blended family of adopted kids, their relationships to each other and their parents woven into a tight mystery-thriller.

Purchase Links

Amazon

Black Rose Writing

Author Bio and Social Media

After having been in education for forty-six years as a teacher, coach, counselor and administrator, Joseph Lewis has semi-retired and now works part-time as an online learning facilitator. He uses his psychology and counseling background to craft thriller/crime/detective mysteries, and has taken creative writing and screen writing courses at UCLA and USC.

Lewis has published eight books, all available on Amazon and each to excellent reviews: Taking Lives (May 2021) the prequel to the Lives Trilogy; Stolen Lives (May 2021) Book One of the Lives Trilogy is a BestThrillers 1st Place Award Winner for Crime Fiction, and a Literary Titan Gold Book Award Winner; Shattered Lives (May 2021) Book Two of the Trilogy; and Splintered Lives (May 2021) Book Three of the Trilogy (May 2021); Caught in a Web (April 2018), which was a PenCraft Literary Award Winner for Crime Fiction and named “One of the Best Crime Fiction Thrillers of 2018!” by Best Thrillers; Spiral Into Darkness (January 2019), which was named a Recommended Read by Author’s Favorites; Betrayed November 2020 is a Top Shelf Award 1st Place Fiction-Mystery; Top Shelf Award Runner-Up Fiction-Crime; PenCraft Award 1st Place Winner, Maxy Award Runner-Up for Mystery-Suspense, a Literary Titan Silver Book Award Winner, and a Reader’s Favorite 5 Star Rating Winner; Blaze In, Blaze Out January 2022 has already won a Literary Titan Gold Book Award, A Reader’s Favorite Recommended Read, and was an Editor’s Pick by BestThrillers.com . Lewis has another thriller-crime-mystery, Fan Mail hitting the market March 30, 2023.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Lewis has been happily married to his wife, Kim. Together they have three wonderful children: Wil (deceased July 2014), Hannah, and Emily. He and his wife now reside in Virginia.

Social Media Contact:

Author Website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.blog

Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/jrlewisauthor

Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Joseph.Lewis.Author

Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Lewis/e/B01FWB9AOI /

Blog at: https://www.simplethoughtsfromacomplicatedmindsortof.com  

#BadMoonRising The Haunting of Kinnawe House by Steven Rigolosi #horror #paranormal #ghosts

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising49 Comments

Another BMR debut today! I have a weakness for haunted house stories, and dual timelines make them even more irresistible – and just look at that eerie cover below. This author shares the spookiest ghost story he’s ever heard – but it happened to him. Welcome Steven Rigolosi!

Which Stephen King novel unsettled you the most?

Firestarter. For me, it fired on all cylinders (pardon the pun). There is something so elementally terrifying about fire and how quickly it gets out of control. I re-learned this lesson not too long ago when my mother’s kitchen burned down in the space of about 3 minutes. Something in the oven ignited, and before she knew it, the kitchen was engulfed in flames. Fortunately, she survived unharmed. But it was such a terrifying experience for everyone that I can’t imagine myself re-reading Firestarter any time soon.

Would you buy a doll that you knew was haunted?

I don’t believe in tempting fate, so the answer is a big No. Also, several years ago I wrote a short story, “Locked in the Basement with Bebe,” about a haunted doll. The doll (Bebe) ended up disturbing me so much that I’ve sworn off haunted dolls forever.

What is the spookiest ghost story you’ve ever heard?

I think this one is the spookiest because it happened to me. When I was in college, I went to Barbados on Spring Break. One night during the vacation, I had a dream about my father’s oldest brother. In the dream we were just sitting at my kitchen table and talking. He kept saying, “You’re a good boy” and “You march to the beat of your own drummer.” The dream was very odd because I was not close to that uncle at all. In fact, he and my father didn’t get along and had almost nothing to do with each other. When I got home, I got a phone call from my mother telling me that my uncle had died—during the night on which I had the dream.

Have you ever traveled as research for any of your books? 

Yes, for The Haunting of Kinnawe House, I traveled many times to York County, Maine, visiting towns such as York, Cape Neddick, and Ogunquit. Part of the story takes place in Northampton, Massachusetts, so I went there, too, to soak up the sense of history. Images from all of these places burned themselves into my brain and made their way into the book. Now I’m a big fan of traveling to research my books, though I hadn’t done much of it in the past. For fun, I am also attaching a photo of the real house (now demolished) that inspired Kinnawe House.

What is your kryptonite as a writer?

I can’t write in present tense, so if someone said to me, “You must write a novel in present tense, or you will die,” then I would die.

What books did you grow up reading?

At first I was going to answer this question by mentioning specific writers and books, but then another thought occurred to me. I don’t come from a wealthy family, so money was tight as I was growing up. Of course I made frequent use of the library, but as we all know, there’s nothing quite like buying books. Hardcover books were beyond my budget, and then I discovered the book clubs of that era: The Literary Guild, The Doubleday Book Club, The Mystery Guild, and Book-of-the-Month Club. They made hardcovers affordable, and they helped to form my reading tastes, in that I discovered a lot of writers through them. While I don’t remember them offering a lot of horror selections, there were always a few, and I still have my book-club editions of the classic haunted house stories that inspired my book, including Stephen King’s The Shining, Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, and Anne Rivers Siddons’ The House Next Door. I also love mysteries, and the book clubs helped me discover a lot of the greats, including Agatha Christie, John D. MacDonald, Andrew Garve, Michael Gilbert, and Dorothy L. Sayers.

The Haunting of Kinnawe House is a ghost story that spans two eras in U.S. history: the American colonial period and the present. Matthew Rollins, an aspiring singer/songwriter, takes a job as caretaker of Kinnawe House in Agamenticus, Maine. The haunting begins immediately upon Matthew’s arrival. Threatening, ghostly strangers stalk the property. The cellar is filled with mysterious, foul-smelling barrels. And with each day, Matthew’s insomnia gets worse. The story alternates between past and present, as Matthew struggles with increasingly violent hallucinations, and the 1740s, as a dark preacher populates his town with a community willing to sell their souls for a comfortable life. Past and present come together as Matthew learns, little by little, of his family’s ties to Kinnawe House—and why the house will not rest until Matthew has taken his own life.

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Black Rose Writing

Author Bio and Social Media

Steven Rigolosi is the editor-in-chief of Cambria & Calibri, an editorial services firm, where he specializes in editing psychology, economics, and business books. His other published fiction includes four mysteries, including Who Gets the Apartment? and The Outsmarting of Criminals. Both received the David Award for Best Mystery of the Year, andOprah’s editors selected The Outsmarting of Criminals as one of the best mysteries of its publication year. He lives in Northern New Jersey, where he plays classical flute with the Ramsey Wind Symphony. His other books are Circle of Assassins and Androgynous Murder House Party.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @srigolosi

Facebook: StevenRigolosiWriter

Email: stevenrigolosi AT gmail.com