Michelle Scott's Blog, page 6

You Don’t Know Me – a Psychological Thriller

Read the first few episodes of this new psychological thriller for free!

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After leaving his beloved in a pool of her own blood, Dominick Pastor flees the west coast ending up in a city where nobody knows him. But there’s no escaping his grief. His ex’s memory haunts him, and he wonders if he should give up and join her. Then fate intervenes. While helping an old man who collapses on the street, Dominick meets Nadine and knows that she will be his next great love. Now, he’ll do anything to keep his old life from spoiling his new one. History will not repeat itself.

Have you met Dominick Pastor? In this new psychological thriller, you’ll meet a man who has a new face for everyone he meets. Is he a con artist? A best friend? A confidant? Or a killer? Only time will tell.

Jump into the story by reading the first three episodes for free. The rest of the episodes are posted on Kindle Vella and the reading app Radish.

To get updates on the story and behind the scenes looks, sign up for my bi-monthly newsletter. Newsletter subscribers also get information on upcoming books, links to giveaways, and other opportunities.

You can also follow me on Instagram for my own book reviews on popular thrillers, mysteries, and horror novels.

The post You Don’t Know Me – a Psychological Thriller appeared first on Michelle Scott Author.

Trying to Know the Unknowable Character

Dominick Pastor is the quintessential unknowable character. The first time I ‘saw’ the main character of my serial novel You Don’t Know Me, he was standing on a bridge, ready to throw himself into the churning river below.

Questions raced through my mind. Who was this guy? What made him want to kill himself? Why was he seeing a woman on the river bank below?

But he wasn’t entirely a mystery. I knew he was young. I also knew that he was on the run, and the woman below had something to do with that. Beyond that, I knew nothing.

Which, I soon realized, was exactly the way Dominick wanted it. He was a man of mystery. As a writer, however, I needed to get to know him better or my story wouldn’t happen.

In the past few months, as I’ve spent more time on this story, I’ve gotten to know Dominick better. I don’t trust him—I’ll never trust him—but he does have a certain sense of morality. He left his ex-girlfriend to die in a bathtub full of warm water, which means he’s a cold-hearted bastard. At the same time, the fact that he rescued an old man who fell in the snow marks him as a hero. Dominick is always a mystery. Always a conundrum waiting to be solved.

At times I like him. He is, after all, very charming. At other times I fear him. Mostly, though, I don’t trust him.

I’m constantly trying to catch up with him. As he makes his decisions, I’m always surprised. Yet, there is a consistency to his actions that make him uniquely himself.

For me, writing is putting a character into a certain situation and recording how they act. Dominick surrounds himself with drama which makes him an ideal protagonist. I’m always surprised, and I hope you are as well.

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Review of My Heart is a Chainsaw

I’m a big fan of Stephen Graham Jones. After reading his novel The Only Good Indians, I knew I had to keep up with this author. So when I saw on Netgalley that My Heart Is a Chainsaw was available for a review, I immediately snagged a copy.

Right away, I was taken with the main character, Jade. Jones writes in a very tight first-person POV, which means the readers know everything about 17-year-old Jade. She’s smart and sassy. She knows everything about slasher movies. But at the same time, she’s troubled, vulnerable and trapped in her life. She’s the kind of kid I want to reach out to. Someone whose stories I wanted to hear. My heart really went out to her.

I also liked the character of Letha Mondragon whose perfection could have been irritating if not for the fact that she was so darn likable. She really seems to want what’s best for Jade.

This book is not for the faint of heart. Jones really does write My Heart Is a Chainsaw as if it is an actual horror movie. It’s gross and bloody, exactly what I’d been hoping for. (If you read my reivew of Carrie 2013, you know I like my horror intense.) The beginning moved a little slowly for me, and I did find myself putting it down. By the end, however, I was completely hooked. I read the final quarter of the novel in one sitting because I couldn’t bear to put it down. I certainly hope that there is a movie based on this because I will stand in line to watch it.

The final chapter, however, left me with mixed emotions which tainted my review of My Heart Is a Chainsaw. Warning: minor spoilers ahead. I am fine with horror novels and movies ending on a sour note. After all, that’s the nature of the genre. However, the final chapter seemed too extra for me. I wasn’t sure why Jones needed to tack on that forest fire or the way Jade handled the situation.

Nevertheless, My Heart is a Chainsaw is an excellent novel, and I highly recommend it.

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Carrie 2013 – Did It Need to Be Remade?

Carrie 2013

Last Sunday, I celebrated Mother’s Day in my favorite way – I watched a horror movie with my daughter. Our pick was the 2013 remake of 1976 iconic movie based on Stephen King’s novel, Carrie.

Strangely, I had no idea that the movie had been remade. Somehow, this bit of news escaped me. I’m also a huge fan of the 1976 version, so I went in to the experience with high expectations. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment.

The first Carrie came out when I was only 12 years old, and the movie poster with its image of Sissy Spacek covered in blood terrified me. My parents deemed me far too young to see it (not that I had wanted to at the time), but the movie poster was everywhere. 12-year-old me was both fascinated and horrified.

When I finally got around to seeing it, I found the movie as disturbing as the movie poster. Piper Laurie, who played Carrie’s mother, was a screaming, religious banshee who abused her soft-spoken daughter. The gym scene at the end brought me out in a cold sweat. 1976 Carrie was everything King’s novel was: shocking, gripping, and wonderfully horrible.

Then came 2013 Carrie.

Carrie 2013 – Did It Need to Be Remade?

I’ll start off by saying that the remake wasn’t terrible. In fact, my daughter and I found it mildly entertaining. And that’s the problem. 2013 Carrie was completely bland. With its emphasis on boring, high school drama, it reminded me more of High School Musical with blood rather than an actual horror movie. I wanted Piper Laurie’s crazy, over-the-top performance, and what I got was a quietly, albeit self-harming, Julianne Moore. None of the actors were bad, but they were all very dull. (An exception being Ansel Elgort who is always a charmer).

This leaves the question – Carrie 2013 – did It need to be remade? My thought is no. Remakes are important only if they can give their audiences something new. Like I said in my post about book series, I am a firm believer in authors and directors giving the readers and audience something new. Since the story of Carrie is, at its heart, a coming of age story (Carrie explores her new powers and tests the boundaries of her mother’s influence), I would have loved to see Carrie 2013 go in a new direction. This could have included a queer Carrie who pushed against her mother’s religion. Or a BIPOC Carrie testing the confines of small-town racism. Anything would have made this movie remake more interesting.

My final decision is that the OG Carrie is the better movie by far (excluding the very exploitative nude shower scene in the beginning – which is a post for another time).

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The Demon in the Tower – an Occult Thriller

The Demon in the Tower – an occult thriller

Ready for pre-order at a special price.

The clock tower at Westerdale College is forbidden for a reason.
Rumor has it that Westerdale’s bell tower is haunted, but only psychic Nigel Smyth knows the truth. On a dark, October night five years before, he climbed up to meet his lover and discovered Thomas’ ravaged body at the foot of a demonic altar. Only luck saved Nigel from a similar fate.
Now, as Nigel reluctantly returns to Westerdale, he worries the demon will hunt him down again. This time, however, he’s not the only one in the crosshairs. Other Westerdale students are meeting their own terrible fates as well. As Nigel forges a plan to kill the monster, he worries that his earth magic skills won’t be strong enough to conquer it. Then he meets Jack Lewis, and his desperation turns to hope.
Although Jack is too practical to believe in the paranormal, he can’t explain why he was savagely bitten while in the tower. Nor can he account for the terrifying shadow that haunts him wherever he goes. It’s only when he meets Nigel that he finds an ally against the dark forces surrounding him.
Though billionaire Nigel and reluctant criminal Jack have little in common, together they make a formidable team of demon hunters, and an unlikely pair of lovers.

Pre-order for only $1.99

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Looking for a new series? So are the writers!

Looking for a new series? Try Restless Spirits

I’m a TV show junkie, and I’m always looking for a new series to binge-watch. (HBO’s Station Eleven is my new obsession.) In fact, I far prefer shows with multiple seasons over movies. Why? Because in a series, you get to know the characters better!

The same goes for books. If I love a book, I’m crestfallen when I get to the end. I just have to read more about my favorite characters. I want them facing new challenges and meeting other, interesting characters.

At the same time, however, I can get bored with a series. If the plot becomes a rehash of the previous installments, or if there’s no new character development, I’ll move on to something new.

This is true for me as an author, too.

My experience with writing series

To date, I’ve written a few series but nothing longer than three books. (Although, I am considering a fourth installment of the Straight to Hell series.) I believe that a series shouldn’t continue if the author has nothing new to offer her readers. I’d rather cut a series short than rehash old plot lines or revisit the same, old character tropes.

Additionally, longer series can ostracize new readers. When the latest book in a series comes out, it may look interesting, but do readers really want to start it if they haven’t read the previous ones? Sometimes, a series of books translates into a ‘member’s only’ club for long-time fans. (At the same time, I do love a good series, though!)

Personally, I want to write books that enthuse me. If I’m bored with a series as a writer, I know for sure that my readers will be as well. Phoning it in as a writer never pays off. Each new book should make me eager to write it.

The nice thing about being a writer, however, is that I can revisit the series once I get a new inspiration. And when I do, it’s like reuniting with long-lost friends.

What’s your favorite series? Leave your reply in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

Are you looking for a new series? Try Restless Spirits!

Are you looking for a new series? If you like Gothic mysteries with haunted houses, then The Restless Spirits series on Amazon if for you!

The post Looking for a new series? So are the writers! appeared first on Michelle Scott Author.

New Serial Novel – Moving Target

Moving Target – a romantic thriller

Moving Target, a romantic thriller serial novel, is now out on Radish Reads.

When Ashlyn Shay goes to the sleepy, northern Michigan town of Eagle River to look for her missing cousin, she’s not expecting to become a sniper’s target. But as she soon learns, someone wants her dead. Thank goodness she’s hired sexy private investigator Nick Harris to be her bodyguard.

Now, as the attacks on Ashlyn’s life become more and more desperate, they must figure out where Ashlyn’s cousin has gone, and why Ashlyn is in danger. Three years after his wife’s murder, Nick Harris is still looking for clues that will help him solve the mystery. Not only has meeting Ashlyn has gone a long ways in mending his lonely heart, it’s also throwing new light on his investigation. For the first time in years, he’s able to put the past behind him and focus on the one woman who has made him think it would be possible to love again.

One of my favorite character types is a hard-bitten private investigator. Nick Harris definitely fits the bill! On the four-year anniversary of his wife’s murder, Nick is still looking for answers. He isn’t sure if he can love again, but then he (literally!) runs into Ashlyn Shay. Nick’s knight-in-shining-armor complex comes to the forefront, and he’s ready to protect her from the unknown assailant who’s out to get her.

My other serial novels

I love writing serial novels since they give readers a new, thrilling chapter each week! Whether it’s The Demon’s Prisoner on Wattpad, or You Don’t Know Me on Kindle Vella, I am so excited to post these weekly updates. I hope you’ll join me.

Now out on Radish Reads! This fast-paced romantic thriller is will make readers fall in love with Ashlyn and Nick, a couple who are thrown together when their worlds collide. Part mystery, part thriller, Moving Target will keep you turning the pages of this serial novel. You can see more of my serial novels here!

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You Don’t Know Me is now on Radish

You Don’t Know Me – a psychological thriller – is now out on Radish

After leaving his beloved in a pool of her own blood, Dominick Pastor flees the west coast and ends up in a Midwestern city where nobody knows him. But there’s no escaping the grief he feels. His ex’s memory haunts him, and he wonders if he should give up and join her. Then fate intervenes. While helping an old man who collapses on the street, Dominick meets Nadine and knows that she is going to be his next great love. Now, he’ll do anything to keep his old life from spoiling his new one. History will not repeat itself.

I love a good psychological thriller. The Netflix series ‘You’ kept me hooked. I think I binge-watched the entire thing in a week. Then there are books. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith remains one of my favorite books.

These things are behind my latest serial novel, You Don’t Know Me.

If you like dark mysteries as much as I do, I hope you’ll give this one a try. New episodes are posted every Friday at 9:00 a.m.

And don’t forget…if you’re not a Radish person, you can also find You Don’t Know Me on Kindle Vella.

The post You Don’t Know Me is now on Radish appeared first on Michelle Scott Author.

Sweetheart Giveaway – Win a $30 Dollar Gift Card

Sweet, sweet Valentine’s Day! I love losing myself in the pages of a good romance novel. Now here’s your chance to win something sweet! One lucky winner will receive a $30.00 gift card from The Book Depository and an e-copy of my book Straight to Hell.

Simply enter the contest using the form below. The contest runs from February 14, 2022 – February 21, 2022.

Sweetheart Giveaway - Enter to Win a $30 Gift Card from the Book Depository

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Have You Tried Kindle Vella?

Dominick is a man of secrets. All of them bad.

I read my first serial novel back when Stephen King wrote The Green Mile. It was so exciting to visit the bookstore every week to read the next installment. The book also ended up being one of my favorite Stephen King novels!

Amazon’s Kindle Vella program works just like the serial novelization of the Green Mile, only this time it’s in a digital format. As a reader, you get to preview the first three chapters for free. After that, it’s up to you whether or not you want to continue reading.

As an author, my favorite part of Kindle Vella is my ability to connect with my readers by adding comments at the end of each installment. I give you a behind-the-scenes look at what I was thinking when I wrote the chapter. Readers also get an added bonus of giving a ‘thumb’s up’ to their favorite installments.

Why not give serial reading a try? You can visit my Kindle Vella page to read You Don’t Know Me and get the latest on Dominick Pastor, the hero (?) of the story.

What do you think? Are serial novels the wave of the future? Let me know in the comments.

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