Happy Holidays from THE DEAD GAME SERIES!
Showing posts with label chills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chills. Show all posts
Friday, December 25, 2020
Thursday, August 17, 2017
ALONE IN THE WOODS
ALONE IN THE WOODS
Shadows follow me into the deep.
I walk while others are asleep.
The chill flows right through me.
I’m alone as you can see.
White sleepy lambs elude me.
Though I am where I should be.
Here in the forest on this path.
Sun will rise, it can do the math.
It will find me on this bench.
Next to the one with the stench.
It is past time for me to move on.
Before I’m found by what is now gone.
Monday, August 7, 2017
A QUIET SPOT
In a quiet spot.
On a soft chair.
In the sun’s spotlight.
I will read a book.
Eyes wide open.
My mind set to explore.
Sunlight streaming in.
I will read a book.
Hands trembling.
Tears falling.
Sun warming my body.
I will read a book.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
DARK HOUSE
DARK HOUSE
Enticing.
Dark.
Deserted.
Dusty.
Eerie.
So many words
to describe the house.
Afraid.
Alone.
Reluctant.
Uneasy.
Too many words to describe
how I feel inside this house.
I will take it step by step.
One creaky step
followed by another.
Until I make it to the top.
What will I find there?
Creak, creak.
We will find out together.
Creak, creak.
Those weren’t my creaks.
I’m not alone in the house.
I’m leaving.
Bye.
Enticing.
Dark.
Deserted.
Dusty.
Eerie.
So many words
to describe the house.
Afraid.
Alone.
Reluctant.
Uneasy.
Too many words to describe
how I feel inside this house.
I will take it step by step.
One creaky step
followed by another.
Until I make it to the top.
What will I find there?
Creak, creak.
We will find out together.
Creak, creak.
Those weren’t my creaks.
I’m not alone in the house.
I’m leaving.
Bye.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
SECRETS
Source:necro-mance
End House has its secrets.
It has its residents.
And their own unique
way of travel.
Come and play with us.
THE DEAD GAME
Kindle
Nook
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Author Interview with Susanne Leist, Paranormal Mystery Writer
I’m sharing this interview again since it is one of my favorites.
Author Interview with Susanne Leist, Paranormal Mystery Writer
Hello, everyone! Welcome to today’s author interview with paranormal mystery/thriller author Susanne Leist! Susanne has always had a passion for writing and has achieved her life-long goal of writing her debut novel. Please stick around and discover her and her book, The Dead Game.
Hello, Susanne! Can you start by telling us a little about yourself?
After college, I worked in the fields of commodities, financial analysis, and budgeting. I went back to school for an M.B.A. in Finance. But my creative side had been calling out to me for years, wanting to be set free. I finally listened to it and wrote my first book, The Dead Game, a paranormal mystery/thriller with vampires and vampire derivatives.
I am married with two beautiful daughters. My oldest is married and works as a buyer for an internet company. My second is graduating from college and will go on to graduate school for social work.
My life is complete.
What’s your writing background?
My writing background is my love for the written word. I have been reading adult books since the age of ten. When I say adult books, I am referring to the murder mysteries that my older brother was reading at the time. He devoured books, a few each week. I followed him into the magic world of books. He read Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, and Alistair Maclean and so did I.
I wrote my book to honor his memory. It took me ten long years to hone my craft. I had to begin at step one and teach myself through editing and grammar books the proper way to write. I hope I made him proud.
When it comes to reviews, do you have a thick skin? How do you handle negative feedback?
I’ve never had a thick skin. I’m sensitive about my feelings and other people’s feelings. I find it hard to give a bad review. I could always find something good to say about a book. But I received a few poor reviews, at the beginning.
These reviews were from fellow authors in review groups. At first, I was hurt and discouraged. Then I noticed a trend to them. They were criticizing the same few things about my book. I was telling too much of the story and not showing the reader enough. I was using too many adverbs. I studied these reviews and read more editing books. My book had been edited by Outskirts Press, but I edited it again.
I believe my book is done. I’m happy with it. It is all what I had dreamed it could be. My reviews have been good so far—fingers crossed.
What inspires your stories? What draws you to your preferred genre?
I’ve always loved to read murder mysteries. I’ve read all types of mysteries, from Agatha Christie to Sherlock Holmes. In recent years, I’ve begun to watch TV shows with paranormal themes. My favorites are The Originals and Supernatural. They combine horror with wit.
I have always found it hard to find books that offer mystery in paranormal settings. That’s why I decided to write a paranormal, murder mystery of my own. My book, The Dead Game, has dead bodies, clues, and suspects like a traditional murder mystery. However, it also has humans, vampires, and vampire derivatives. A little humor is added along the way. And don’t forget the haunted house—we must have one of these.
Can you tell us about your books? What other projects are you working on?
The Dead Game is the first in a series of three books. The first book resolves the murder mystery, but at the same time, opens a Pandora’s Box of new mysteries. Its surprise ending will lead to more surprises.
Once The Dead Game is established in the marketplace, I will begin my work on the second book. I have an outline and notes all ready to be written. My writing often leads me in unknown directions, so I won’t know how the book will end until it does.
The story opens with a horrific scene at End House, setting the stage for the rest of the book. End House is situated in an idyllic town in Florida, where tourists frolic on its white-sand beaches. But this paradise turns deadly as bodies wash up on shore. The small town is ravaged by winds and dark shadows.
Three young women move to Oasis for its secluded white-sand beaches. What they find is anything but peace and quiet. They and their new friends are invited to a party at a deserted house. That is when the fun and games begin. They are thrust into a deadly game between humans, vampires, and The Dead.
Linda wants to find a new home and to trust Todd, who might be the ring leader of the evil group. Shana wants love with Sheriff Sam, but he is too close with the nocturnal, original residents. And Louise finds that she doesn’t fit into this small town of secrets and intrigue.
Do they uncover The Dead and save their town? Or are they sucked into the descending realms of the supernatural?
The Dead Game has begun.
Can you tell us one or two quirky thing about yourself? Other hobbies besides writing?
Besides reading and writing, I enjoy shopping, mostly for handbags, and swimming. Swimming gives me the strength to shop and write.
What’s one thing about writing you would have liked to have known before getting behind the computer?
I hadn’t realized beforehand that writing a book was so hard. Characters have to move around and speak at the same time. They can’t sound the same. After all the rewrites, the plot and story of my book has remained the same. Only the dialogue and grammar have changed. I believe I could edit for the rest of my life and still not be satisfied.
The writing and publishing process has been a steep learning curve for me. But I would not have had it any other way.
Did you go traditional or self-publish?
I published through Outskirts Press.com, which is a do-it-yourself type of self-publishing house. Once my book had been improved, I was offered a menu of services to choose from. Most of these were expensive. I picked editing and their publishing service. Everything else had to be chosen a la carte.
One day, the publisher informed me that my book had been published. I thought that this meant it was printed. Not only was it printed, it was sitting on Amazon and Nook without a description or bio. It looked sad. I panicked. I had to learn how to use Google. I opened blogs. I found Facebook and Twitter. Luckily, I found some nice authors who helped me with my countless questions.
Advice to those looking to break into your genre? On marketing and selling?
It is important for an author to have everything in place before launching his or her book. I learned the hard way after I self-published. Blogs, websites, and social sites like Google and Twitter should be ready and waiting. Summaries and bios should also be prepared in advance. After the book is released, it should be announced everywhere with bold pictures and words. People will be ready and eager to read it. That’s my goal for my next book, which will be the second book in The Dead Game series.
How can readers get into contact with you?
My readers can find me through my blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Google. I respond to all questions and remarks. I love to interact with my followers and read their opinions.
Thanks for reading, everyone. Please let Susanne know how much you enjoyed her interview by leaving a message below, or visiting one of her sites. Have a great week, and tune in next Monday for our next interviewee.
Monday, May 2, 2016
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
THE DEAD GAME -- The Perfect Wave
Welcome to Oasis, Florida
where sunlight glistens on the pink sand.
Money flows like water at the Oasis Hotel.
Tourists forever searching
for the perfect paradise.
The perfect wave.
The perfect partner.
The perfect party.
Night brings the perfect ones,
looking for their perfect partners.
Looking for innocents
to join their deadly games.
Who will be alive come morning?
Only THE DEAD know.
THE DEAD GAME
Kindle
http://amzn.to/1lKvMrP
Nook
http://bit.ly/1lFdqNj
Monday, November 23, 2015
Magical Holiday Book Giveaway
ENTER FOR FREE: THE MAGICAL HOLIDAY BOOK GIVEAWAY for a chance to win two e-books of The Dead Game and over 50 OTHER PRIZES from 29 authors, and a $100.00 PAYPAL CASH GRAND PRIZE
Rafflecopter coming soon!Sunday, November 22, 2015
THE BOOK
THE BOOK
Please take a closer look.
Something’s wrong with this book.
The words have come alive,
Breaking free to survive.
Words need to be loved and shared
And not forced alone and scared.
Let the stories come out and play.
They will serve to brighten your day.
Friday, October 23, 2015
THE DEAD GAME CONTINUES — PART 1
THE DEAD GAME CONTINUES — PART 1
I’m falling down a dark hole,
Beneath the spot where End House had once stood.
I’ve reached the bottom of the rabbit hole.
Pea soup darkness envelopes me.
Shadowy forms are swaying in the distance.
With the tunnel’s wall at my back,
I walk toward the strange objects.
They look like lamps with brightly lit shades.
They aren’t lamps but tall mushrooms.
Mushrooms in a variety of shapes and colors.
A whole field of them,
Sparkling far into the distance.
I could just imagine what Alice had felt
About her Wonderland.
Mine is too dark for my taste.
But I must find the truth.
The mushrooms loom around me,
Facing me with their iridescent spots and stripes.
A town lies up ahead,
Pale lights flickering in the windows.
The town looks oddly familiar.
The church is quaint and so are the stores.
It’s my town, the town of Oasis.
An underground town built to resemble the real town.
The stores are empty.
The streets are deserted.
Night is here without its blanket of stars
Or the protection of the moon.
I’ve found the beach but its sand is ice cold.
The ocean is even colder.
No birds.
No sea breeze.
He’s here.
I knew he would be.
“Linda, Welcome to my Oasis.
Have you decided to join us?”
I step back.
“No Wolf, I will never join you.
Please let me go.
I don’t belong here with The Dead.”
His lips tighten as he moves closer.
He is not going to let me go.
Ever.
I’m his prisoner.
Wolf watches my face.
He sees my fear and my defeat.
A small smile forms on his lips.
“My dear, our games have just begun.”
THE DEAD GAME CONTINUES — PART 1
Friday, August 14, 2015
OUR GAMES HAVE JUST BEGUN --- THE DEAD GAME --- PART 9
The house is evil.
Its windows like eyes
That watch our every move.
Its doors like arms
That try to hold us in.
We've come this far.
We cannot give up.
An easy escape this is not.
There's no going back now.
A steep staircase waits for no one,
Its wooden railing broken and useless.
A throbbing sea waits for them below.
More victims to bob on its choppy waves.
Louise is determined to overcome the odds.
She cannot wait for Mike and David.
Time has almost run out.
She tries the first step with her foot.
It creaks and crumbles away.
The winds kick up their legs
In their nightly dance.
They howl in glee
As the music picks up its pace.
The house intensifies its attacks.
With the winds
Come flying creatures.
Creatures from hell
With murder in their yellow eyes.
Louise feels talons pulling on her hair.
Shrieks fill the night sky.
They have no choice but down.
A cloud of darkness descends,
Its claws ready to grab hold of her.
She jumps over the first step.
The second one holds her weight.
Down she goes into the night.
The fog hides the remaining stairs.
But down she goes,
For she has no other choice.
Cries from her friends
Follow her in the darkness
Until she hits rock bottom.
Soft sand cushions her fall.
Time is running out.
She must make it back to town.
Leaving her friends,
She flees for her life.
THE DEAD GAME
Sunday, August 9, 2015
OUR GAMES HAVE JUST BEGUN --- PART 1V
Linda runs out from the Town Hall
To find sunshine beating down on the sand.
Birds are once again flying overhead.
Happy cries fill the blue sky.
The sun resumes its regal position.
The winds retreat as one,
Dragging their tails between their legs.
The palm trees stop their mad dance
To bend softly in the sea breeze.
"Are we finally safe?
The Dead must still be here,
Somewhere close.
I can still feel them.
But they won't win.
They can't!"
Her friends walk down the steps of the battered Town Hall,
Climbing over fallen bricks and dead creatures.
No more cries of flying creatures.
Only the sounds of leaves shuffling in the breeze.
Linda is proud of her town and her friends.
With the help of The Watchers, human vampires,
And Father John, victory will soon be theirs.
Tears stream down her face.
They are safe.
This is all that matters to her.
Worrying about the future could wait for tomorrow.
Today is a day for thankfulness.
All is well.
All are safe.
The church bells gong in the distance.
Tomorrow will be a new day.
THE DEAD GAME
Monday, June 29, 2015
OPEN THE DOOR
OPEN THE DOOR
A door to fantasies.
To new worlds.
To new beginnings.
A life worth living.
A door to your imagination.
Where words flow like water.
Ideas ride the tides.
Stories to live by.
A door to your heart.
Love and happiness in store.
Clear blue skies for all.
Beauty set free.
A door to possibilities.
Where mysteries abound.
Blood may curdle.
Clouds may seep out.
A door to The Dead.
Where darkness rules the night.
Flying creatures reign free.
And no one is safe.
Open the door.
THE DEAD GAME
Kindle
Nook
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)