By Angelique Fawns
Eda Easter is no stranger to the world of horror. A panel expert on extreme horror at the San Antonio Ghoulish Book Festival happening from March 15-17, Eda is creating her own brand.
She is the creator of the indie feminist horror zine “Last Girl’s Club”, and author of the fun splatterpunk book, Killer RV, which you can find on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Killer-RV-H-Obey/dp/B0BMSKBPFV
Our church worships at the altar of the Unholy Trinity. Its gospels are delivered as a trio of dark drabbles, linked so that Three become One. All hail the power of the Three.
Under the shadowy canopy of ancient trees, the campfire light flickered. Martha shivered, as she recalled the tale of the Whispering Grove. Legends spoke of the lost souls trapped within, condemned to eternal whispers. As the friends huddled around the fire, the wind seemed to mimic eerie voices, sending a chill through their bodies. Unnerving rustles approached, and in the trembling light, they swore they could glimpse spectral figures. The grove seemed with ghostly murmurs. As Martha finished the story, they all laughed but the whispers lingered, as if the grove’s tormented souls had now joined them around the fire.
Around the bonfire, Jake took his turn sharing a yarn. In a nearby marsh, it was said that ghostly footprints appeared on moonlit nights. Intrigued, people ventured to the marsh as ethereal prints guided them to an old well. Fear clutched their hearts for as they neared the well a voice would be heard. Turning back in dread, they would notice that the footprints had vanished. People would panic, realizing they had no way back. And as they tried to find their way, they’d eventually hear the chilling voice again, calling them to it, and the bottom of the well.
Amidst the crackling flames, Dorothy shared the tale of the cursed camper. One night, a couple camped beside the forsaken vehicle. They had scoffed at the warnings and tales of its last occupants’ mysterious disappearance. As they prepared to turn in; terror struck. They could see faces in the camper’s windows. The camper’s door opened, beckoning them in. When the search parties found their camping site they were nowhere to be seen. The camper had long been towed away, Dorothy whispered, but its haunting presence is forever tied to that fateful camping spot, the very same we now sit on.
Miguel Gonçalves was born in Porto, Portugal, in the 80s. He grew up on comics, fantasy books, horror movies, and rock hair bands. He’s been writing, mostly for himself, since a young age and his stories are a mix of horror, thriller, and serial killers, some venturing into the supernatural spectrum of horror. He’s the author of “The Scarecrow Man”, which was published in an anthology by Dark Pine Publishing and by itself as a mini book, and also has some stories published by Fábrica do Terror a Portuguese- Horror website (one of his stories also features on their anthology). He also had one of his drabbles published at Horror Tree. You can find him at https://linktr.ee/AngelusSanguis.
Got a book to launch, an event to promote, a kickstarter or seeking extra work/support as a result of being hit economically by life in general?
Get in touch and we’ll promote you here. The post is prepared each Thursday for publication on Friday. Contact us via Horror Tree’s contact address or connect via Twitter or Facebook.
Click on the book covers for more information. Remember to scroll down to the bottom of the page – there’s all sorts lurking in the deep.
Before you scroll down through the books however, please could you consider checking out the ‘Creatives in Crisis’ section. This has been added to help those who need additional support at this time. Please note I keep these up as long as they’re either running or have hit their targets. The two still showing, Claire Fitzpatrick and Bill Spangler continue to need support. Thank you!
Stephen King once wrote, “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” But what if that moment could be the beginning of an unforgettable journey? Welcome to Crystal Lake Entertainment’s newest challenge: “Unleash Your Horror Novella in Just 8 Weeks,” a course designed not only to ignite the dark spark of creativity but to fan it into a blazing inferno.
Under the watchful eye of Joe Mynhardt, founder and CEO of Crystal Lake Publishing, you’re not merely signing up for a workshop; you’re enlisting in an expedition. With Joe and a team of professional editors as your guides, you’ll delve into the abyss, transforming the nebulous shadows of your imagination into a horror novella capable of chilling the very marrow of your readers.
Each week, you’ll gather around the virtual campfire for expert-led Zoom presentations, illuminating the dark arts of plot development, character creation, and more, all through the prism of horror writing. These sessions aren’t just about learning; they’re about applying, doing, and evolving. Seth Godin tells us, “The best way to complain is to make things,” and here, you’ll make something that whispers, screams, and lurks in the night.
Yet, what truly elevates this experience is the professional editing phase. It really is something you don’t see a lot of courses offer and is a unique selling point that really ups what Crystal Lake Publishing is bringing to life.
Submission Window: April 15th – May 15th, 2024
Payment: $15.00 for short stories, $5.00 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fiction pieces., $5.00 for reprints
Theme: SF/Fantasy (ideally fantasy) with strong and complex female characters
Note: Reprints Welcome
The Lorelei Signal is a quarterly SF/Fantasy electronic magazine – one that will feature strong / complex female characters. This does not mean your female character has to be the main hero or villain in the story. What it does mean is no shrinking violets, or women who serve only to get into trouble so the male hero can rescue them.
Each issue I hope to publish:
7 short stories, 1 flash fiction piece and 2 poems
that meet the following guidelines:
My primary guideline is simple:
Write a good fantasy story with strong/complex characters.
What I am NOT looking for – erotica / slash / or other such stories.
Although well written love scenes that are IMPORTANT to the story will be considered on a story-by-story basis.
1) Stories should be no longer than 10,000 words.
However, tell the story – if it takes more than 10,000 words to tell the story properly so be it.
Just try to cut it down if possible – but remember the story is the important part.
2) Stories must feature 3 dimensional / complex characters.
3) I will accept reprints as long as it has been at least 1 year since the story was previously published,
rights have reverted back and you tell me where it previously appeared.
These will be limited to 2 per issue.
4) Please keep the graphic gore down to a minimum
(only what’s needed for the story).
5) Please keep the obscene language to a bare minimum
(again, only what’s needed for the story).
6) Simultaneous Submissions will be considered IF:
a) You tell me up front
b) You inform me immediately if the story has been accepted elsewhere
If I have too many occurrences of finding out a story was accepted somewhere else when I contact an author to tell them I would like to accept their story for The Lorelei Signal – I will no longer accept simultaneous submissions. (more…)
Deadline: October 31st, 2024
Payment: $50
Theme: A novelette featuring detectives in a steampunk setting solving peculiar crimes.
Deadline: October 31st, 2024
The genre of mystery is designed to get the cogs cranking, but let’s not forget that steampunk is all about cogs too! Why not bring them together? Steampunk Sleuths will be an anthology of four novelettes (15 – 20,000 words) featuring detectives in a steampunk setting solving peculiar crimes. The only requirements for submission will be that the means of committing the crime (murder, theft, kidnapping…) must be clearly steampunk and the reader must be given the tools to crack the case before the solution is revealed. Think Agatha Christie and Jules Verne getting kinky together… um, actually, please don’t. 😉
* Previously unpublished only
* Double the standard rate for this one: $50 USD
By Lionel Ray Green
Since the advent of the Splatterpunk Awards in 2018, Kristopher Triana has been one of the most celebrated authors of the extreme horror subgenre.
With eight nominations since 2019, Triana has won two Splatterpunk Awards for his novels Full Brutal and The Night Stockers, which he co-wrote with four-time Splatterpunk Award-winning author Ryan Harding.
In February, Bad Dream Books released Triana’s novel, The Old Lady. The story is about Tracey, the daughter of a traumatized Vietnam War veteran, who returns to the remote cabin of her youth only to face a new danger that launches her into survivalist mode when a stranger needs help rescuing her friends from a compound run by extremists.
Triana is perhaps best known for his Splatterpunk Award-nominated novels Gone to See the River Man and its sequel Along the River of Flesh. Gone to See the River Man has garnered almost 16,000 ratings on Goodreads and earned the Best of #BookTok banner on Amazon.
Triana agreed to an exclusive email interview with Lionel Ray Green for The Horror Tree about the Splatterpunk Awards, the success of his Gone to See the River Man series, and why The Old Lady Tracey is one of his favorite protagonists.
Welcome to “Writing Prompt Wednesdays,” a haven where your imagination can roam free in the realms of speculative fiction. As we embark on this weekly journey, it’s thrilling to think about the untold stories waiting to be penned in the domains of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Whether you’re a seasoned author or a budding wordsmith, these prompts are your gateway to unexplored worlds and untapped potentials.
Every Wednesday, we’ll serve up a fresh, thought-provoking prompt designed to ignite your creative spark and challenge your storytelling prowess. Think of these prompts as a key, unlocking the doors to uncharted territories where your creativity is the only limit. From eerie, shadow-laden corridors of Gothic horror to the farthest reaches of interstellar space, and the mystical depths of high fantasy, our prompts are a kaleidoscope of possibilities.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to approach these prompts. They are mere stepping stones, guiding you towards the vast landscapes of your imagination. Use them to break free from writer’s block, to experiment with new ideas, or simply as a fun exercise to keep your writing skills sharp.
I’d like to take this time to give special thanks to our Patreon Sponsors who are at the Level 3 reward level and above!
– Ryan Benson.
– Jane Nightshade.
– Rebecca Rowland.
– James Aitchison.
– Robin Ginther-Venneri.
– Burial Books.
– Craig of Write my paper.
– Celltrackingapps.
