A Trip Down Scream Queen Lane

Few scream queens get the recognition they deserve, but most seem to have languished despite an impressive portfolio of horror. In this post, I share a few Scream Queens that have brought me joy. A few, I think, have been forgotten, and deserve a second watch. In the late 1970s, Katharine Ross added an impressive…

Author Shorts: How do you define suspense?

Author shorts is back! And this time, I want to know, “How do YOU define suspense?” Of course, the Author Shorts twist is that there are no long-winded responses aloud. All answers had to be no more than two sentences. Brevity presents a greater challenge.   “Suspense is the moment you reach when you want to…

#FREE ebook: The Wolf at His Door

Now through July 2, 2016 Ilene Rune has lived with a secret for 21 years that threatens to destroy her marriage, her life, and all of humanity. But how can she tell her son, Alec, that his new boyfriend, Jared, may be part of that secret? “Overall the storyline was outstandingly captivating, oozes brilliance and…

Author Shorts : What’s the one thing that makes you squeamish?

I’ve asked a variety of authors— from horror to romance to comedy to non-fiction—to answer a few questions that I pose. Of course, I love a twist. All answers had to be no more than two sentences. Brevity presents a greater challenge. For me the process was delightful as well as insightful. I love that…

Dark Quotes: Words of Wisdom (?) from Benjamin Franklin

I love wisdom passed down in pithy, easily regurgitated quotes. This one from Benjamin Franklin makes great use of the (often misplaced) human fear of wolves to make a political statement. One has to wonder about the double-edged sword of these words, however. Does the advice eschew acts of kindness and generosity, thus making more…

So, I’ve decided to write a #slasher…

I often have so many ideas floating around in my head, and I’m never sure which one I’ll pluck to write next, but I’ve decided to write a slasher. Yes, a serial murderer stalking victims slasher. It’s a bit of a departure for me as my previous books have had supernatural elements to them. Yet…

Dark Quotes: Poe, Alone

I was quite young, maybe third grade, when I discovered Poe on the family bookshelf in a bound compendium of his work. While my love for his stories took a bit of time to grow (they were a bit a slow burn for me), I was immediately taken with his poetry. Still today, the casual rhyme,…

#QuoteGarden: Trees, ashes

                “In a moment the ashes are made, but the forest is a long time growing.” Wise words before we throw away anything that has been a long time in building — relationships, cities, civilization. Taken literally, we still have time to stop the destruction of our environment. Just…