Evan Bond's Blog

Flashlight Tag Micro Terrors

Bruce Lindahl- TMCT

Originally posted on March 16, 2023 in my Newsletter.

​This month's creepy thing has a [somewhat] happy ending. Bruce Lindahl, an American man born on January 29th, 1953. He graduated college in the 70's with a degree in electro mechanics. Afterwards, he worked as an electrician and enjoyed parachuting and racquetball in his free time. All of his friends spoke highly of him. In 1976, he was arrested for possession of marijuana. Drugs were not his addiction, however. That addiction was murder. Turns out, Mr. Lindahl murdered 12 or more people over the course of his "career". Early on, Lindahl raped a woman named Annette Lazar in his home. She called the police but her testimony was discounted since she appeared to be addicted to drugs. The police did not believe her story. A few years later, Lindahl raped another woman by the name of Debra Colliander after abducting her from a shopping center parking lot. She also called police. Thankfully, he was arrested and charged this time. He posted bail and was supposed to appear in court but the court date was cancelled due to the absence of a key witness.  All charges were dropped. It seemed Lindahl had found himself in a bit of a disgustingly "lucky streak". But thankfully, that luck would run out. Lindahl met an 18 year old man named Charles Huber. They played some bowling together and afterwards, Lindahl suggested they go back to his girlfriend's house to drink. Huber agreed and they were off. Later that evening, Lindahl attacked Huber with a knife, stabbing him a total of 28 times. But Huber fought back. Though he subsequently died, he caused Lindahl to accidentally stab himself in the leg severing his femoral artery. Both men died at the scene. After Lindahl's death, a few people came forward and named him as an attacker claiming they had been sexually assaulted. He was linked to several missing person's cases as well. One man even came forward and admitted to murdering Debra Colliander, the key witness who disappeared during the murder trial, after being paid by Lindahl to dispose of her. Her body was recovered. With him being tied to about a dozen murders, it's safe to say this man was a monster and got what he deserved. It's unfortunate that Huber died in the process, but he died a hero. So, be careful who you go bowling with, I think is the lesson here? 

SUNSHINE CITY SCARE

I will be signing books at Sunshine City Scare at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg, FL this coming May 13th-14th. Come celebrate all things horror (and mother's day) that weekend and swing by and say hi! You can find out more about the horror convention by heading to their website here. I can't wait! 

BLAZING CAR MURDERER (TMCT)

​I think by now we all know never hitchhike or pick up hitchhikers. If horror movies have taught us anything, it's that 50% of the people now in the car are serial killers. And that was true in the case of Alfred Arthur Rouse also known as the Blazing Car Murderer. He was a British man in the late 1930's, looking to fake his own death. So instead of torching his car and running away like any "reasonable" person, he decided to pick up a hitchhiker. Do you see where this is going? Think of his alias...That's right, he knocked the hitchhiker unconscious and then set his car ablaze in the hopes that the body would be mistaken for his own and he'd be free! Except he was caught and convicted of murder and subsequently hanged. The victim was never identified. Rouse claimed he never asked the victim's name saying, "There was no reason why I should do so." If you want to read more about Rouse or how he was caught, it's a fascinating read. Check it out here. And remember, DO NOT HITCHHIKE! 

If you want to read This Month's Creepy Thing the day it goes live and not a month later, then consider signing up for my monthly newsletter here. Hope to see you there!

COMING SOON...

For a while, I've been trying to figure out just what I wanted to do with this blog. If you've been around with me for a while, you will know that it's undergone many changes over the years. I'm also sad to say that I haven't been posting nearly as much as I should have been over the last few months. But I think I found a way to correct this issue. 

If you're on my monthly newsletter, then you're familiar with the segment This Month's Creepy Thing . If you're not, allow me to explain. TMCT is a segment of my newsletter dedicated to a creepy news story or fact that I discovered. These are true stories only. No fictionalized retellings of stories that may or may not have happened. True to life, creepy ass shit. If that sounds like something you'd enjoy, then I've got news for you! 

I'm bringing This Month's Creepy Thing (TMCT) to my blog! That's right, you can read this month's creepy thing right here on my website. Or rather, I should say last month's creepy thing. You see, I still want my newsletter subscribers to get something extra special for allowing my emails to grace their inboxes so they will be getting the stories first. My newsletter goes out on the 16th of every month. You can look for TMCT right here a month after. If you don't feel like waiting a whole month for these creepy bits of information, and believe me they're something you'll want to read, then I suggest signing up for my newsletter here. Otherwise, look for the first This Month's Creepy Thing on March 16th! (It's about a man's attempt to fake his own death by killing a hitchhiker! Don't miss that.) 

I want to do more with my blog page but I don't want to make any announcements as of yet because I want to test the waters and see what people like and what people could do without. I will probably post the occasional book review or writing tips here and there but I've got some ideas in my head that I want to try out. So could you please do me a favor and check back in with this blog and leave me comments letting me know what you like and don't like so I can grow this blog! I would be forever grateful! 

MOTHMAN | RR

Welcome to RR (Recommended Reads) where I tell you about a book I've read and recommend it to you. Seems self explanatory so let's dive in! 

Mothan Return to Point Pleasant is a creature feature horror novella by the incredible Scott Donnelly. If you're looking for a fun, fast paced read that's going to get your blood pumping then look no further. If you're unfamiliar, the Mothman is a cryptid that is said to reside in Point Pleasant West Virginia. Some say it's an omen of death and others believe it's a warning of things to come. Whatever the truth, Donnelly has crafted a truly scary monster that I would never want to come face to face with. 
The story follows Billy as he and his mom move to the small town of Point Pleasant only for the stories of the Mothman to quickly become reality. Billy finds himself smack in the middle of the legend known as the Mothman. You're going to love this story! 

If you want to pick up a copy for yourself, I highly recommend reaching out to Scott Donnelly himself and getting a paperback copy straight from the author. That's one of the best ways to support your favorite indie author. You can connect with him here. If you want to support me and my blog, you could consider clicking this affiliation link and buying a paperback copy from Bookshop.org. It's a great site that helps you support independent bookstores around the country. And clicking the link helps me out in the process, so of course I would appreciate that as well. Either way, do yourself a favor and pick up this book! 

Until next time...

CHARRED REMAINS PLAYLIST

Click on the Spotify playlist below to listen to a playlist I put together to get you in the mood to read some creepy stories! 

Thanks, The Mummy!

If you haven't seen the 1999 movie The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, you should probably go watch it now. That movie is a classic! Watched it, now? Good, we can continue. 

My upcoming paranormal adventure novel After Death centers around Jeffrey Raines, a spirit who works as a bounty hunter for Death. He reaps wandering spirits that cause harm to the living and the natural balance of life and death. What does this plot have to do with The Mummy, you ask? Absolutely nothing. 

The plot of the movie didn't influence the book. The tone did. I've always loved the movie The Mummy and the sequel The Mummy Returns. There's a third one, but we don't talk about it. If you're unfamiliar with these movies, even though in the beginning I specifically told you to go watch it you rebel, allow me to explain. The Mummy is part action/adventure, part horror, and part comedy. This blend of genres always fascinated me. There are parts of the movie that are downright creepy and scenes that just make you laugh out loud. All of this mixed with fun and exhilarating action. 

I know this isn't something that is exclusive to The Mummy. But this movie series always stood out to me and shaped a lot of my own writing. I loved Rick O'Connell's attitude from start to finish. A little bit of his personality may have found its way to Jeffrey Raines in After Death. 

I loved the way The Mummy blended horror tropes with action, adventure, and comedy and I set out to mimic this in my newest book. I hope I even came a fraction close to capturing that sort of tone. But you'll be the judge of that. After Death comes out later this year! Are you a big fan of The Mummy? Let me know your favorite scene in the comments below! 

TOP 5 STORIES

Simily is a great site for authors and readers alike. Us writers get to post short stories that all you readers can see for free! And the best part is, we get paid for each view received. So, if you're looking for a great way to support an author like me, check me out over on Simily. 

That being said, I wanted to share my top 5 stories over on Simily. These would be the ones that have received the most traction. So, if you're going to read any stories of mine over there, probably best to start here. Click the links below to read each story. Enjoy!

#5. From Santa

From Santa is a holiday themed story (obviously) centered around a failing family at Christmas. The two little children open their presents on Christmas morning, only to discover something gruesome from Santa Claus. 

#4 Getting Angry

Getting Angry follows a man's journey to keep his home from being sold without his permission with confusion as to why no one will listen to him. 

#3 The Surprise 

A young girl's curiosity shows her exactly what her father has been working on in the basement and it's a gift for her. Like father, like daughter. 

#2 New Year, Same Me

A man is tired of all the new year's resolutions out there and vows to stay the same old man he was last year, no matter how frightening that may be. 

#1 Out of Room

A woman's journey with the ferryman charged with laying souls to rest doesn't go quite as it's supposed to. 


If any of these story summaries intrigued you, please consider clicking the links to give them a read. And don't forget to check out my other stories while you're there! Simily is a great platform that I will be sure to keep updating. So be sure to sign up and follow me there. 

Rapid Facts: Getaway

    The idea for a horror novella sprung on me one weekend while I was vacationing with my wife’s family. We were taking a trip to an Airbnb out in the middle of nowhere. Like a sort of cabin getaway. When we got there, an idea popped into my head that I couldn’t ignore. The first night there, I pulled out my laptop and got to work.  
     That book was Getaway. If you’ve read the book, you know how badly the vacation goes for the family. Well, I’m here to give you some rapid facts about the plot and the real inspiration behind it. Enjoy! 
 

5. The Cover  

    If you’ve seen the original cover for Getaway, you’ll know it features a yellow house with a red door which is exactly what is described in the book. Well, that was the actual house we stayed in for the weekend. I thought the house would make a good back drop for the cover, so I snapped some shots and sent them to my graphic designer who worked wonders.  


4. The Family 

    While no one in the book is based on any real people, the amount sure was. There was me and my wife, her brother and his girlfriend, and my wife’s parents. In the book, you have Samantha and Tyler (husband and wife), Wesley (the brother), Ashley (the sister), Helen and Dan (parents).  
 

3. Creep Factor 

    When the book was first published, my wife’s family was surprised to see the cabin we had stayed in on the front cover. They were even more surprised to find out that the story of a maniac terrorizing this family was inspired and written while we were there. Needless to say, they were scared of me for a while. Fair enough.  
 

2. “Spin-offs”  

    With the completion of Getaway, I almost continued a tradition of writing horror novellas once a year. I figured they were short enough to get one out a year. But I dropped the idea when it left me less time to write more of my larger stories. But that doesn’t mean I’m done with novellas altogether. There may be more in the future. 
 

1. No One Knows What’s Going On 

    Don’t worry, if you haven’t read the book yet I won’t be spoiling the ending here. However, I will say this. The family doesn’t know who is tormenting them or why. Eventually, they begin to turn on each other. Everyone who has read the book has had their suspects but only I know the truth and I’m not telling ? Read it for yourself to come up with your own conclusion!  

​
 
    That was rapid facts about my horror novella Getaway. I plan to do more of these in the future for all my books and possibly even stories I’ve written. Let me know in the comments below if this would be something you’d like to see more of. I truly enjoy dropping this kind of info about my work. It’s a lot of fun!  
    If you want to go past the page of my books, consider signing up for my monthly newsletter. I give details about current projects, cover reveals, early looks at chapters, giveaways, and much more! You can sign up below. And don’t forget to find me on social media and say hi.   #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */Go Past the Page With My Monthly Newsletter