Tagged: Drabble

Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear – Valentine’s Day 2024 Edition

Happy Valentine’s Day! Welcome to our special edition of Trembling With Fear. What a selection this year! I always love seeing how our writers take the themes of the holiday and incorporate them into an intriguing story, a enigmatic encounter, a twisting tale, and this year did not disappoint! Love, sweet treats, romantic dinners, meet-cutes – this Special Edition has everything that makes a great Valentine’s Day story. It also has a little extra – that special something that makes it just right for our Valentine’s Special Edition at Trembling With Fear. From deep love to rejection, this edition covers all the many facets of love and just as many of horror.

We really hope you enjoy this Valentine’s Day Special Edition of Trembling With Fear!

Happy Reading!

Shalini

Shalini Bethala

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Love is in the air, and we’re all about celebrating things getting a little… mushy. This year’s Valentine’s edition is really a return to form that shares all kinds of horror that really hits you like a stake to the heart (sorry, my vampiric friends!). As the twilight shadows stretch and the full moon blushes red, we invite you to a rendezvous with the macabre, where every heartbeat is a drumroll for the next chilling sentence.

In this collection, love isn’t just blind—it’s bound, gagged, and haunting the corridors of the brokenhearted. Prepare for tales where passion bleeds into obsession, and affection veers into the abyss of madness. These stories will entwine you in the arms of the forbidden, kiss your neck with a breath of the eternal, and leave love bites that linger beyond the grave.

So, light the candles and let the scent of roses fill the air, but beware the thorns among the petals and the shadows that move when you’re not looking. For in these pages, the only thing more terrifying than a broken heart is one that refuses to die.

Welcome to a Valentine’s celebration like no other, where we hope that you’ll fall in love with some new stories… or die trying.

Stuart Conover

Editor-in-Chief, Horror Tree

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Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear 2-11-24

Greetings, children of the dark. Keeping it short and sweet this week as I’m entertaining an old friend who’s visiting London for the first time in a decade. We went to see the West End production of The Picture of Dorian Gray last night, staring Sarah Snook (who also happens to be from our home town as well as Succession), and it was bloody sublime. Go see it if you can!

To swiftly move to this week’s trembling menu, we have a super-sensory short story from Ben Jackson that’s followed by the short, sharp speculations of:

  • DJ Tyrer, who’s digging, 
  • S.C. Fisher, who’s in a sticky situation, and 
  • Tim Kirton, who shouldn’t have got in the boat.

And remember, we’ve got an extra special edition on Wednesday—keep an eye out for this year’s Valentine’s spooktacular!

Over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

I’m finally back on track for being productive. Unfortunately, it wasn’t fun new feature productivity. It WAS needed productivity, though! We had a few issues with certain e-mails being sent out that required some troubleshooting, which I’m sure no one is that thrilled to hear about. I made payments to Trembling With Fear authors that were due, and that is always good news! I put a huge dent into reading for our TWF Specials, Unholy Trinities, Drabbles, and a small dent into reading some of the short stories that have come in. Also, with a few recent requests, I’ve updated the rate card for our website, though we might be changing that up a bit as well with a couple of revision ideas that I’ve had. That last piece is great news, as we’ve lost a couple of Patreons over the last year, and the sponsorships really help out!
 
 
Don’t forget – Trembling With Fear Volume 6 is out in the world, and if you’ve picked up a copy, we’d love a review! Next year, we may be looking to expand past just the Amazon platform. If we do that, what stores would you like to purchase your books from?

ATTENTION YOUTUBE WATCHERS: We’ve had some great responses so far but are open to more ideas – What type of content would you like to see us feature? Please reach out to [email protected]! We’ll be really working on expanding the channel late this year and early into next.

For those who are looking to connect with Horror Tree on places that aren’t Twitter, we’re also in BlueSky and Threads. *I* am also now on BlueSky and Threads.

If you’d like to extend your support to the site, we’d be thrilled to welcome your contributions through Ko-Fi or Patreon. Your generosity keeps us fueled and fired up to bring you the very best.

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)

Trembling With Fear

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Unholy Trinity: “Killing Fields / Feeding Grounds”, “Siren’s Call” & “Swapped Memories” by Cassandra Vaillancourt

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.

 

Killing Fields / Feeding Grounds

 

They were part of a group that toured the grounds of the Choeung Ek killing fields. The guide cautioned everyone to stick together. They had a hard time keeping up, desiring to stay and take selfies at the bone pits, the Murder Tree and skull displays to the chagrin of the other visitors.

Looking up, they discovered that their tour group was long gone, so they wandered the grounds musing on Khmer Rouge horrors.

They walked into a secluded wood and were surrounded by gaunt, ghoulish creatures. Their rags identified them as the original perpetrators who had just found new prey!

 

Siren’s Call

 

Chad couldn’t sleep. He left the guest house to go for a late night stroll in the sleepy Cambodian village he visited.

He heard someone singing the most beautiful melody ever heard and followed it to the edge of a field where he encountered a Cambodian beauty who was singing to the moon.

She beckoned Chad to follow her as she effortlessly glided through the field.

She stopped and opened her arms to Chad. He almost caught up and heard a click. The ground erupted, splitting him in two.

His dying vision was of her giggling as she faded away.

 

Swapped Memories

 

Mark was enjoying the best of Phnom Penh’s nightlife. An evening of wine women and song.

He noticed some enchanting beauties and ran to catch up with them until he crashed into an elderly man. “Watch where you’re going!!” Mark snorted and rudely pushed the poor man away. The girls were long gone. Mark cursed his luck.

Much later, Mark passed out in his hotel room only to be violently awakened by visions of planes raining fiery death, wiping out villages in nonstop explosions.

Meanwhile an elderly man enjoys a happily peaceful sleep with dreams of wine, women and song.

 

Cassandra Vaillancourt

Hello. My name is Cassandra Vaillancourt. I am a Trans Woman and a veteran. I am also a regular contributor to the Horror Tree as well as a contributor to the Veterans Arts Festival where my writings have won 1st, 2nd and Best of Show ribbons in the local level. I reside in the great state of Washington. I am on Facebook and Twitter.

Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear 2-4-24

Greetings, children of the dark. I know it’s a cliche, but I can’t help myself: February already?! At least we’ve hit that part of the year where the daylight is getting noticeably longer, the coldest parts are hopefully behind us, and, of course, we’re starting to get into genre-con season. For my part, I’m kicking it off with a trip to Derby in the UK soon for the UK Ghost Story Festival—see you there?

Before then, though, we have the dreaded V-Day ahead of us. Alas, this isn’t anything about vampires. I’ve never been a Valentine’s Day fan, and nothing has changed after a decade of marriage. For me, it’s a commercialised pressure-fest that serves only to make the majority of the world feel terrible about themselves, kinda like NYE on love-heart-shaped steroids. The only good thing about the big day is our TWF Valentine’s special. If you have something dark bubbling underneath, try channelling it into a piece for us: Specials Editor Shalini is going through the submissions as we speak, but you’ve still got a few days left. Please, try to go beyond revenge killings of your ex or unrequited love, and make it truly and darkly speculative. Incels need not apply. Submit here.

Not for you? We’ve always got our weekly feast of darkness. This week’s main course is a fever dream of speculative futures by Addison Smith, and it’s followed by the short, sharp speculations of:

  • Alyson Faye, who’s having fun with the babysitter, 
  • E.R. Burgess, who’s dealing with an infestation, and 
  • Alan Moskowitz, who’s forgotten the off switch.

PS I had an awesome chat with the lovely Kev Harrison of the All Creatives Now podcast this week. The episode will be released soon, so keep an eye out for it! 

Over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

We’re currently open for drabbles and guest posts that cover any aspect of writing (from the process to publishing to marketing and beyond!) 
 
Don’t forget – Trembling With Fear Volume 6 is out in the world, and if you’ve picked up a copy, we’d love a review! Next year, we may be looking to expand past just the Amazon platform. If we do that, what stores would you like to purchase your books from?

ATTENTION YOUTUBE WATCHERS: We’ve had some great responses so far but are open to more ideas – What type of content would you like to see us feature? Please reach out to [email protected]! We’ll be really working on expanding the channel late this year and early into next.

For those who are looking to connect with Horror Tree on places that aren’t Twitter, we’re also in BlueSky and Threads. *I* am also now on BlueSky and Threads.

If you’d like to extend your support to the site, we’d be thrilled to welcome your contributions through Ko-Fi or Patreon. Your generosity keeps us fueled and fired up to bring you the very best.

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)

Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear 1-28-24

Greetings, children of the dark. I’ll be honest with you here: it’s 10pm on a Friday night and I am f***ing exhausted, but am only just getting a chance to curate this week’s TWF for you. This has been one entirely draining month, and I wonder if you’re both as baffled and as glad that the end of January is upon is. I’m sure there’s a story in there about time being an energy vampire and the tides messing with our sense of chronology. If you write it, please submit it to us—the details for our various TWF-related opportunities are over on this page. 

The next of those internal submission opportunities will be for our Valentine’s special. Subs are already making themselves known to our inbox, but special editions editor Shalini would love to see what your dark and speculative brains can make of this annual celebration of lurve. Do send them—both short stories and drabbles—our way. 

Remember, though, that we are currently closed to short stories for our regular weekly edition of TWF, but we always have an insatiable need for more drabbles. Get your nightmares into 100 words exactly and show us what you’ve got. 

Take inspiration from this week’s trembling menu. Our main course is fuelled by fungi, and comes to us from Indonesia and Rinanda Hidayat.  Then we’ve got three fabulous tasty morsels for dessert:

  • Gary Gregory plays with dark form, 
  • AW Voelkel takes things one step too far, and 
  • Christina Nordlander persists.

Over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

We’re currently open for drabbles and guest posts that cover any aspect of writing (from the process to publishing to marketing and beyond!) 
 
Don’t forget – Trembling With Fear Volume 6 is out in the world, and if you’ve picked up a copy, we’d love a review! Next year, we may be looking to expand past just the Amazon platform. If we do that, what stores would you like to purchase your books from?

ATTENTION YOUTUBE WATCHERS: We’ve had some great responses so far but are open to more ideas – What type of content would you like to see us feature? Please reach out to [email protected]! We’ll be really working on expanding the channel late this year and early into next.

For those who are looking to connect with Horror Tree on places that aren’t Twitter, we’re also in BlueSky and Threads. *I* am also now on BlueSky and Threads.

If you’d like to extend your support to the site, we’d be thrilled to welcome your contributions through Ko-Fi or Patreon. Your generosity keeps us fueled and fired up to bring you the very best.

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)

Trembling With Fear

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Unholy Trinity: “Like a Lamb to Slaughter”, “Good Hunting” & “That Time of the Month” by Storm Lomax

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.

 

Like a Lamb to Slaughter

In an ancient temple dedicated to an ancient entity, a young girl screams for her mother. Bound roughly, she lays in the centre of a chalk ring. The members of this ancient order surround her and chant the summoning spell.

With a crack like thunder, the ground splits and exposes a fiery glow. A demon, large and terrible, pulls itself through. The members fall to their knees, their bargains for wealth at the ready. But the demon turns away, kneeling next to the child.

Daughter, the demon rumbles before turning its eyes on the members. Thank you for the food.

 

Good Hunting

Agnes didn’t fight back. Not when they came for her, not when they dragged her to the stake, not when the kindling was placed at her feet. The witch hunters exchanged glances but followed through nonetheless – she was a witch, after all. The only way to save her rotten soul was through cleansing fire.

They lit the kindling and watched as the flames spread. Agnes threw back her head and cackled. 

The fire grew bigger, more violent, and the witch remained untouched. The witch hunters turned to flee but it was too late; Agnes the pyromancer would cleanse them all.

 

That Time of the Month

I was twelve when my mother sat me down and told me about the changes that would soon happen to me. That’s what she called it – changes. I would be a little girl no longer. My body would change, my mind as well. I would be moodier, angrier; there would even be blood. 

She assured me it was all normal, that she went through the same thing when she was young and her own mother too. 

It still didn’t prepare me when I woke up one day in the woods with dirt under my fingernails and flesh between my teeth.

 

Storm Lomax

Storm Lomax is a writer from Larbert, Scotland. She’s worked as a ghostwriter of romance novellas but has always had a soft spot for horror stories. Her flash fiction has been published in The Chamber Magazine, The Metaworker, and Flash Fiction Friday, and her short story has been narrated by Manawaker Studios podcast. Her other work can be found on https://stormlomax.wordpress.com/

Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear 1-21-24

Greetings, children of the dark. Keeping it short as it’s been Arctic here in London this week and I am definitely feeling worse for wear. So, just two quick reminders from me before we get stuck in.

First up, we’re now closed to short story submissions until our next window in April. You’ll find details of all the windows over on our submissions page, as well as other opportunities to be published on this here site. Big and important note: we’re open to drabbles 24/7. Insatiable. Etc, etc. 

Also—and this will be the last time I mention it!—my next Writing the Occult event happens this Saturday, 27 January. This is all about ritual, so if you’ve got any interest in folk horror, faith horror, or occult horror, or even just dark magic, you’ll likely find something to inspire your next story. All the details are over at writingtheoccult.carrd.co. Tix are here.

But that’s enough plugging; let’s get to why you’re here. This week’s TWF main course is a car crash unfolding in front of us, thanks to Damien Exton. Then we’ve got three fabulous tasty morsels for dessert:

  • Ryan Van Ells found a loophole, 
  • SG Perahim is called out on her own prank, and 
  • Lauren Kessinger has an unwelcome visitor.

BTW, the boss and I had a rare virtual catch-up last weekend. Much to talk about. Much to come. Make sure you stay tuned in 2024!

Now it’s over to you, Stuart.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

I’ve been slowly going through my to-do list, and I have so much to catch up on I feel almost paralyzed on what to do next. That being said, I had a great talk with Lauren this last week and we’re eyeing a few changes coming up which will hopefully both streamling things and add a bit more support on the administrative end of the site – more on all of that soon! 
Don’t forget – Trembling With Fear Volume 6 is out in the world, and if you’ve picked up a copy, we’d love a review! Next year, we may be looking to expand past just the Amazon platform. If we do that, what stores would you like to purchase your books from?

ATTENTION YOUTUBE WATCHERS: We’ve had some great responses so far but are open to more ideas – What type of content would you like to see us feature? Please reach out to [email protected]! We’ll be really working on expanding the channel late this year and early into next.

For those who are looking to connect with Horror Tree on places that aren’t Twitter, we’re also in BlueSky and Threads. *I* am also now on BlueSky and Threads.

If you’d like to extend your support to the site, we’d be thrilled to welcome your contributions through Ko-Fi or Patreon. Your generosity keeps us fueled and fired up to bring you the very best.

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)

Trembling With Fear

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Trembling With Fear 1-14-24

Greetings, children of the dark. How’s your 2024 treating you thus far? I hope well. Me, after spending a few weeks in intensive family catch-up mode (our first festive season together in 12 years! This is what happens when you live on the other side of the world…), I’m now fully in alone-recharging mode. My hubby (and sometime-Horror Tree contributor Chris Hawton) is currently in Minneapolis, USA, appearing as a special guest (alongside his podcast co-host Matt) at the CONsole Room Doctor Who conference. It’s the first time he’s met his co-host in more than seven years of hosting together, so he’s been rather excited. By the time you read this, he’ll be on his last day at the con, but good vibes are always welcome so do send them his way.

It feels like January is the time for these new starts, for obvious reasons. I’ve vowed (yet again; but I’ve kinda cleared more of a path this year!) to get my writing habit under control and start subbing shorts to wet my nose, so to speak. But what to write about, that is the question! I’m hoping two upcoming events will help to inspire me.

First, I’m helping to host the British Fantasy Society’s “Inspirations” event this coming Saturday, 20 January. It will not only feature readings from SFFH authors, but also an interview with the brilliant CJ Cooke, gothic author extraordinaire (her latest, A Haunting in the Arctic, is now available), as well as three panels looking at how we can get inspired by different aspects of culture: Fairytales, Gods & Monsters (including our own Steph Ellis as a panellist!); Music, Movies & Media; and finally, History & Current Affairs. I’ll be moderating that last panel, and will be chatting with Mary Robinette Kowal, Benjamin Langley, and Olivia Atwater. It’s free for BFS members and just £5 for non-members, so get your ticket here.

A week later, on Saturday 27 January, I’ll be hosting the latest in my Writing the Occult series of events, presented in partnership with Alex Davis Events, and this time we’re talking about ritual. If you have any interest in folk horror, faith horror, or aspects of the occult in fiction, come and join us! You’ll hear from the likes of Tracy Fahey, LMK Sheppard, Adam Scovell, Dr Helen Frisby, and Eden Royce, and we’ve got a big panel finale where Lee Murray, Robert P Ottone, Stephanie Ellis (again!), and Kev Harrison will chat about their own ritual inspirations in folk horror. I’m so damn excited! Details are over at writingtheoccult.carrd.co, and early bird ticket prices (£35+bf) end tomorrow, 15 January, so get in quick! Tix are here.

But that’s enough plugging; let’s get to why you’re here. This week’s TWF menu features a delicate warning about the dangers of pick-up culture from Michael Subjack. Then we’ve got three fabulous tasty morsels for dessert:

  • Joshua Diabo is all-in on body horror, 
  • Brian McAuley has some terrible neighbours, and 
  • Robert Allen Lupton goes around in circles.

Finally – today is the last day to submit a short story in our Winter Window. Anything submitted after midnight tonight will unfortunately be returned unread, with a note to resubmit in the next quarterly window if you’re still interested. 

Now it’s over to you, boss man.

Lauren McMenemy

Editor, Trembling With Fear

Planning for the upcoming year has begun. I’m hoping we’ll see some significant changes over the course of the next year! 
Don’t forget – Trembling With Fear Volume 6 is out in the world, and if you’ve picked up a copy, we’d love a review! Next year, we may be looking to expand past just the Amazon platform. If we do that, what stores would you like to purchase your books from?

ATTENTION YOUTUBE WATCHERS: We’ve had some great responses so far but are open to more ideas – What type of content would you like to see us feature? Please reach out to [email protected]! We’ll be really working on expanding the channel late this year and early into next.

For those who are looking to connect with Horror Tree on places that aren’t Twitter, we’re also in BlueSky and Threads. *I* am also now on BlueSky and Threads.

If you’d like to extend your support to the site, we’d be thrilled to welcome your contributions through Ko-Fi or Patreon. Your generosity keeps us fueled and fired up to bring you the very best.

Stuart Conover

Editor, Horror Tree

(more…)