Michelle E. Goldsmith's Blog, page 3

The ‘Use Only as Directed’ Interview

I’ve been interviewed again, this time by Simon Petrie in relation to my story The Climbing Tree which was published in the anthology Use Only as Directed (Peggy Bright Books). At this rate I might  start to think I’m famous and get a big ego!

In this interview I talk about the motivations and inspirations behind the story and drop some hints about other projects. Simon also wrote a very nice introduction and says some nice things about another of my recent stories, Of Gold and Dust. 

The interview can be read here.

Interviews with the other contributors are also posted on Simon’s website.

Use Only as Directed is available to buy here in both paperback and ebook.

The anthology is well worth a read. Of course, I would say that, but in this case (even if you discount my story) it is definitely true!

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Australian Spec Fic Snapshot 2014 Interview

Recently I was interviewed by the wonderful Sean Wright (from The Adventures of a Bookonaut) as part of the 2014 Australian Speculative Fiction Snapshot.

Among other things, we talked about writing, reviews, the publishing industry and caffeine-fuelled lake creatures. The interview can be found here.

This is the first interview I’ve ever done about my writing and, having enjoyed reading the Snapshot interviews from past years, I was very grateful and excited to take part. Hopefully I came across ok! My responses are quite lengthy.

You can find other interviews in this series at the interviewers’ websites linked below and they will all eventually be collated on SF Signal.

Sites:

Tsana Dolichva
Stephanie Gunn
Kathryn Linge
Elanor Matton-Johnson
David McDonald
Helen Merrick
Ben Payne
Alex Pierce
Tansy Rayner Roberts
Helen Stubbs
Katharine Stubbs
Tehani Wessely
Sean Wright
Nick Evans

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Continuum X Schedule

Continuum X is lurching towards us like a Galapagos tortoise – you could quite easily avoid it but why would you want to? Yes, I do realise that was scraping the bottom of the simile barrel but I have had a hectic few weeks!

I will generally be lurking around the convention and will be appearing at a number of panels and other events. This includes what I assume will be a highly dignified display of flexibility at the Cover Art Pose-Off.  May need to squeeze in a few more yoga classes, or more likely, alcoholic beverages, beforehand.

So if you are looking to avoid me do not turn up to the following events!

 

Son of Stranger Than Fiction – Friday 15:00 – 16:00 in The Hall of Mirrors with: Michelle Goldsmith, Brendan Carson, Ben McKenzie, Hespa.

Back by popular demand! What astounding animals, perturbing plants and mind-boggling microbes can we dig up this year?

Cover Art Pose-off! – Saturday 17:00 – 18:00 in The Big Top.

 

Book Launch: Use Only As Directed – Sunday 13:00 – 13:30 in Sideshow Alley with: Jack Dann, Dirk Flinthart, Michelle Goldsmith, Claire McKenna, Lewis Morley, Charlotte Nash, Janeen Webb, Edwina Harvey, Simon Petrie.

 

Interspecies Interactions – Sunday 17:00 – 18:00 in The Hall of Mirrors with: Amanda Elliott, Michelle Goldsmith, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Leonie Rogers, Tracy Joyce.

From companion animals to totem animals, shapeshifters to wildspeak- ers, humans have sought closer connections with other species for thousands of years, both in their lives and in their fiction. Our panellists discuss what it is about animals that speaks to us, as well as their favourite fiction linking the human and the animal.

History: Weirder Than You Think – Sunday 22:30 – 23:30 in The Hall of Mirrors with: Liz Barr, Michelle Goldsmith, Jane Routley, Jenny Blackford, Paul Poulton.

Peter the Great founded the Russian empire, but he was also a dedicated amateur dentist! If strange, unexpected historical trivia is your passion, this is the panel for you. – Liz Barr, Michelle Goldsmith, Jane Routley, Jenny Blackford, Paul Poulton

Preventing the Apocalypse – Monday 14:00 – 15:00 in The Haunted House with: Maia Sauren, Justin Semmel, Michelle Goldsmith, Elaine Walker, Russell Blackford.

A look at the challenges facing science communicators in educating the public about climate change and other complex but important modern issues. How can people without a science background wade through the vast mass of information available, choose reliable sources, get the facts and avoid the fallacies? And how can science communicators encourage people to be responsible citizens?

 

Triptych: Gender Stereotypes in Speculative Fiction – Monday 15:00 – 16:00 in The Hall of Mirrors with: Michelle Goldsmith, Jim C. Hines, Leonie Rogers, Helen Stubbs, Stephanie Lai.

Why don’t warrior women get armour? Are there working mums or stay at home dads in space? From matriarchal societies to alternative marriages and changing expectations of relationships. Does the hero always have to get the girl?

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The Climbing Tree to appear in Use Only as Directed

I’m proud to announce that my story The Climbing Tree will be appearing in  Use Only As Directed , an anthology of original speculative fiction edited by Simon Petrie and Edwina Harvey, and published by Peggy Bright Books.

The anthology will launch at Continuum X, in Melbourne.

Table of Contents: 

‘Large Friendly Letters’ — Stephen Dedman

‘The Eighth Day’ — Dirk Flinthart

‘Never More’ — Dave Freer

‘The Climbing Tree’ — Michelle Goldsmith

‘The Kind Neighbours of Hell’ — Alex Isle

‘Fetch Me Down My Gun’ — Lyn McConchie

‘Yard’ — Claire McKenna

‘Dellinger’ — Charlotte Nash

‘Mister Lucky’ — Ian Nichols

‘The Blue Djinn’s Wish’ — Leife Shallcross

‘Always Falling Up’ — Grant Stone

‘Uncle Darwin’s Bazooka’ — Douglas A Van Belle

‘Future Perfect’ — Janeen Webb

‘Home Sick’ — M Darusha Wehm

Cover art by Lewis P Morley.

The anthology is a sister publication, of sorts, to 2012′s Light Touch Paper, Stand Clear, and will be available in print and e-formats.

Hope people enjoy the story and hope to see some of you at the launch!

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So…I’ve been nominated for a Ditmar!

This was announced a few days ago now but I’m still fairly excited and can’t think of a more eloquent way to put this so: YAY! I’ve been nominated for a Ditmar award in the field of Best New Talent!

The Ditmar Awards are annual awards to recognise achievement in Australian speculative fiction. Like the Hugos they are voted for by the community and eligibility is determined by membership at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention. This year the Natcon  is Continuum X in Melbourne.

The Best New Talent field looks to be a very competitive this year and I’m honoured to be appearing on the ballot with such a talented group of people.

Here is the list.

Best New Talent

Michelle Goldsmith
Zena Shapter
Faith Mudge
Jo Spurrier
Stacey Larner

I’m also very grateful to the people who nominated me. Thank you so much!

Although I am not sure about my chances of taking home the prize, I’m very excited and encouraged that some of the people who have read my published (and I’m guessing forthcoming work as well – the smallish nature of the community means that most of my stories have been seen by a reasonable number of people during the critiquing, editing and pre-publication process) thought I was worthy of being nominated.

I have been slightly out of the loop for a little while due in part to chronic illness (which thankfully seems to be under control after my most recent surgery), and some more positive reasons including a new job and beginning a Masters in Publishing and Communications. However, adapting to these and struggling to find time to write can impact upon confidence so it is a real motivational boost to know that people believe in you and like what you are doing.

I’ve read many of the works in the other Ditmar categories as well, and the quality is certainly very high. Congratulations to all the nominees and the eventual winners!

Anyone eligible can vote in the Ditmars here.

I also look forward to catching up with friends and meeting new ones at the convention this year. As well as generally lurking around, I will be on a number of panels and at the launch of the anthology ‘Use Only as Directed’ which contains one of my stories. Hope to see you there!

Full Ditmar Shortlist

Best Novel

Ink Black Magic, Tansy Rayner Roberts (FableCroft Publishing)
Fragments of a Broken Land: Valarl Undead, Robert Hood (Wildside Press)
The Beckoning, Paul Collins (Damnation Books)
Trucksong, Andrew Macrae (Twelfth Planet Press)
, Paul Collins (Ford Street Publishing)

Best Novella or Novelette

“Prickle Moon”, Juliet Marillier, in Prickle Moon (Ticonderoga Publications)
“The Year of Ancient Ghosts”, Kim Wilkins, in The Year of Ancient Ghosts (Ticonderoga Publications)
“By Bone-Light”, Juliet Marillier, in Prickle Moon (Ticonderoga Publications)
“The Home for Broken Dolls”, Kirstyn McDermott, in Caution: Contains Small Parts (Twelfth Planet Press)
“What Amanda Wants”, Kirstyn McDermott, in Caution: Contains Small Parts (Twelfth Planet Press)

Best Short Story

“Mah Song”, Joanne Anderton, in The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories (FableCroft Publishing)
“Air, Water and the Grove”, Kaaron Warren, in The Lowest Heaven (Jurassic London)
“Seven Days in Paris”, Thoraiya Dyer, in Asymmetry (Twelfth Planet Press)
“Scarp”, Cat Sparks, in The Bride Price (Ticonderoga Publications)
“Not the Worst of Sins“, Alan Baxter, in Beneath Ceaseless Skies 133 (Firkin Press)
“Cold White Daughter”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in One Small Step (FableCroft Publishing)

Best Collected Work

The Back of the Back of Beyond, Edwina Harvey, edited by Simon Petrie (Peggy Bright Books)
Asymmetry, Thoraiya Dyer, edited by Alisa Krasnostein (Twelfth Planet Press)
Caution: Contains Small Parts, Kirstyn McDermott, edited by Alisa Krasnostein (Twelfth Planet Press)
The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories, Joanne Anderton, edited by Tehani Wesseley (FableCroft Publishing)
The Bride Price, Cat Sparks, edited by Russell B. Farr (Ticonderoga Publications)

Best Artwork

Cover art, Eleanor Clarke, for The Back of the Back of Beyond by Edwina Harvey (Peggy Bright Books)
Illustrations, Kathleen Jennings, for Eclipse Online (Nightshade Books)
Cover art, Shauna O’Meara, for Next edited by Simon Petrie and Rob Porteous (CSFG Publishing)
Cover art, Cat Sparks, for The Bride Price by Cat Sparks (Ticonderoga Publications)
Rules of Summer, Shaun Tan (Hachette Australia)
Cover art, Pia Ravenari, for Prickle Moon by Juliet Marillier (Ticonderoga Publications)

Best Fan Writer

Tsana Dolichva, for body of work, including reviews and interviews in Tsana’s Reads and Reviews
Sean Wright, for body of work, including reviews in Adventures of a Bookonaut
Grant Watson, for body of work, including reviews in The Angriest
Foz Meadows, for body of work, including reviews in Shattersnipe: Malcontent & Rainbows
Alexandra Pierce, for body of work, including reviews in Randomly Yours, Alex
Tansy Rayner Roberts, for body of work, including essays and reviews at www.tansyrr.com

Best Fan Artist

Nalini Haynes, for body of work, including “Defender of the Faith”, “The Suck Fairy“, “Doctor Who vampire” and “The Last Cyberman” in Dark Matter
Kathleen Jennings, for body of work, including “Illustration Friday”
Dick Jenssen, for body of work, including cover art for  Interstellar Ramjet Scoop  and  SF Commentary

Best Fan Publication in Any Medium

Dark Matter Zine, Nalini Haynes
SF Commentary, Bruce Gillespie
The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond
Galactic Chat Podcast, Sean Wright, Alex Pierce, Helen Stubbs, David McDonald, and Mark Webb
The Coode Street Podcast, Gary K. Wolfe and Jonathan Strahan
Galactic Suburbia, Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts

Best New Talent

Michelle Goldsmith
Zena Shapter
Faith Mudge
Jo Spurrier
Stacey Larner

William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review

Reviews in Randomly Yours, Alex, Alexandra Pierce
“Things Invisible: Human and Ab-Human in Two of Hodgson’s Carnacki stories”, Leigh Blackmore, in Sargasso: The Journal of William Hope Hodgson Studies #1 edited by Sam Gafford (Ulthar Press)
Galactic Suburbia Episode 87: Saga Spoilerific Book Club, Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts
The Reviewing New Who series, David McDonald, Tansy Rayner Roberts, and Tehani Wessely
“A Puppet’s Parody of Joy: Dolls, Puppets and Mannikins as Diabolical Other“, Leigh Blackmore, in Ramsey Campbell: Critical Essays on the Master of Modern Horror edited by Gary William Crawford (Scarecrow Press)
“That was then, this is now: how my perceptions have changed“, George Ivanoff, in Doctor Who and Race edited by Lindy Orthia (Intellect Books)

 

Slider image is Carnival of Souls by moforuss

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Song of the Slums by Richard Harland

Song of the Slums is the latest book by accomplished author Richard Harland, and is set in an earlier period in the same world as his acclaimed steampunk novels, Worldshaker and Liberator. This standalone novel sees a shift in focus from the mechanical marvels central to the previous books, to the more human and political elements of Harland’s alternative Victorian England. While Worldshaker and Liberator were distinctly works of steampunk, Song of the Slums could be more adequately described as a ‘gaslight romance’. The stronger emphasis on character works well in this context and results in a tale that is equally entertaining as and perhaps more widely appealing than its predecessors.

Song of the Slums tells the tale of Astor Vance, the musically talented daughter of an award winning musician (now deceased) and now stepdaughter to a former war hero and member of the aristocracy. When Astor is sent to Swale House, home to a family of extremely wealthy plutocrats, she believes she is going to be betrothed to the youngest Swale son. However, things aren’t quite what they seem. Astor is appointed as governess to the horrid Swale children, treated with contempt by the entire family, and caught up in the Swales’ devious political machinations. Her only ally is the obstinate yet charismatic servant Verrol, and even he is hiding something. Thus begins a saga of rags and riches, love and hate, political intrigue and a whole new kind of music.

I found Astor to be a likeable and interesting protagonist despite her initial position of privilege. I also appreciated that despite her limited exposure to the world of the slums and the fate of those who inhabit them, she was not portrayed as completely innocent and oblivious in general. She is a young woman who knows she is both talented and attractive and is aware of how she can affect people. While she is smart, talented and determined, she is also flawed, stubborn and somewhat vain. The other main character, Verrol, who could easily have come across as a ‘stock-standard-mysteriously-brooding-possible-romantic-interest’*, also displays an interesting mix of appealing, as well as less appealing traits.

One thing that struck me while reading was how versatile an author Richard Harland is, equally adept at crafting a less fantastical and more deeply human story as he is dreaming up bizarre grotesqueries and strange happenings. This should by no means be interpreted as implying that Harland loses his unique ‘voice’ however. While reading Song of the Slums it should be clear to any familiar reader that this is undeniably a Richard Harland book. The strange, unforgettable and often despicable character he portrays so well are present, and the horrid Swale children bring a touch of the grotesque.  The book boasts a complete cast of varied and memorable personalities from gang-leading grannies to ambitious act-manangers.

Harland’s passion for music and performance really shines through in this work. Even someone as musically inept such as myself found themselves tapping their feet to the beat and harbouring unlikely delusions of hitherto undiscovered musical talent. (Hopefully my family, partner and pets will eventually forgive me my attempts at drumming).

Harland also incorporates the political elements underlying his alternate Victorian society with a deft touch, portraying them in a readily accessible manner so as not to bore younger readers or those reading primarily for a interesting tale rather than political commentary, without the kind of oversimplifying that would make them unbelievable to older or more politically interested readers. There are multiple layers here and those who demand greater depth need only read in between the lines.

Lastly, just so you have the opportunity to share the reading experience I had, here is video footage of Richard reading an except of the novel (reading starts at around 4mins 46 seconds but the intro is fun to watch too). I defy you to read the book after watching this and not hear it narrated in his voice the entire time.

*(I’m sure there is already a word for it but I am tempted to refer to the trope from now on as SSMBPRI- just rolls off the tongue doesn’t it?)

 

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The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories by Joanne Anderton

The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories is the debut short story collection by talented upcoming author, Joanne Anderton. It contains thirteen stories in all, eleven of which have been previously published and two of which are brand new. All considered, it is an extremely impressive collection, and it did not contain a single story that I didn’t enjoy.

While I have enjoyed Anderton’s novels, in my personal opinion, her short stories have their own unique magic. They offer tantalizing glimpses into strange yet familiar worlds occupied by deeply and undeniably human characters. Without the need for elaborate explanation, Anderton draws you in and makes you believe in places where statues move, machines rule, or a wind chime made of bones tells its own tale. At times you can almost hear the crunch of desiccated grass underfoot or the rustle of skeleton animals stirring.

Most of the stories in The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories lean towards the darker side. Nevertheless, Anderton does not always paint a bleak picture, and as often as not the stories retain a strong sense of hope.

While each and every story in the collection is unique, all are consistently imaginative and compelling. I can’t help but agree with Kaaron Warren who, in her introduction to the collection, describes these stories as ‘transformative’

Many of Anderton’s stories defy categorisation into a single discreet genre mould. She expertly weaves genres together to produce what could be described as dark science fiction laced with horror, or psychological horror with a dash of fantasy, or any number of other things.

While I almost never reread books or stories (I have a very good memory for text which often makes it pointless past a few pages) I found myself rereading the stories I had encountered elsewhere purely for the beauty of the language. Doing so merely uncovered new layers and increased my admiration for the author’s skill. I could go on to describe the stories themselves, but in doing so I risk breaking the spell and ruining the experience for new readers. Furthermore, I cannot really pick a favourite story. By the time I finish writing this review it will probably have changed again.

For transparency’s sake I will admit that I have met Jo a number of times and very much like her. I think it would be hard not to. However, that is not the reason why I love this book so very much, nor why I’ve chosen to review it now. The simple fact is that these stories are good. Much more than good, in fact. Anderton has a beautiful way with words and an almost preternatural ability to draw the reader into her strange, wonderful and often disturbing imaginings.

All in all, I urge anyone who loves dark, strange and beautifully written stories to read this collection. You won’t regret it. Furthermore, I imagine this collection and the previously unpublished stories within it will be hot contenders for the Ditmar and Aurealis awards next year. Personally, I can’t wait to read whatever Joanne writes next.

 

The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories is published by Fablecroft Press and can be purchased here.

 

Note: As an added recommendation, my partner, who doesn’t read much fantasy, picked up the book while I was in the shower and read Sanaa’s Army. Then he wouldn’t give it back or stop reading until he’d finished it. He really enjoyed it and now we both want a ‘Cat Box’ for a pet (read the story for that to make sense).

 

Continuum 9, Publication News and General Updates

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending Continuum 9, the annual Melbourne speculative fiction and pop culture convention. Over the four days of the convention I met or caught up with heaps of great people (far too many to name), attended some thought-provoking panels, a couple of book launches and a highly amusing and informative sex writing workshop with Narelle Harris where we learnt not to use phrases like ‘turgid member’ and that sometimes ‘you just have to call a cock a cock’. I can’t say that I will be breaking into the erotica market anytime soon, but hopefully the occasional sexy scenes that may appear in my writing won’t be so shamefully bad that no-one will ever be able to look me in the eye again.

I also got to meet some of the members of my new writing group, Supernova, and attended the Chronos awards.  We sat right at the back so Jason Nahrung had to do the long walk of victory twice in order to get his awards (complete with an amusing story title misspelling).

I attended the launches of Richard Harland‘s newest steampunk novel, Song of the Slums, and Kirstyn McDermott‘s short story collection, Caution: Contains Small Parts. Both are lovely people and great writers whose work I recommend you check out (although you might need a strong constitution for some of Kirstyn’s stuff). I’m just finishing Caution: Contains Small Parts and it is a brilliant, disturbing and poignant collection. I haven’t got around to reading Song of the Slums yet, but I’m looking forward to it (especially as it is set in the same world as Worldshaker and Liberator, which I really enjoyed).

As was inevitable, I spent the money I brought along for food on books instead. I regret nothing!

Unfortunately, I missed Nora Jemisin‘s excellent and poignant speech, however I did get to meet Nora herself and see her with Kirstyn and Mondy at the recording of the latest episode of ‘The Writer and the Critic‘ podcast.

I was on a couple of panels myself, both of which were good fun. I talked about cuttlefish and creepy anglerfish and bedbug sex with Ben McKenzie, Gareth Hodges and Hespa, and had a great panel discussion (with lots of audience participation) on book reviewing with Liz Barr and Sue Burstynski.

In other exciting news, Sue has just accepted my story Of Gold and Dust for her upcoming issue of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. It’s a tale of unlikely friendship, jealousy, racial tension and strange happenings, set during the Victorian gold rush.

I’m pretty excited because I only just revised the story from a draft I wrote about a year ago and was never happy with. I was sure this idea  was going to rot on my hard drive so I’m very glad it came together and found a home!

Overall, the story sale and the convention have given me a much needed motivation boost to overcome the fatigue of finishing a pretty intense final semester of my degree despite lingering health issues. I currently have a draft under consideration at another market (I won’t hear back for another month or so at least) and plenty of other drafts (in various states of completion) and ideas to keep me busy in between applying for jobs and postgrad courses.

My final exam is in about a week and I’m quite looking forward to the six month break before postgrad. It will be nice to have a break from study in which to (hopefully) sort out my health problems, write and work to replenish my rather depleted finances.

I’m still pretty busy at the moment, but hopefully I’ll be around more soon. I also need to mention some of the other great books I’ve read lately.  I’ll keep people updated on any interesting happenings!

(Header image is DayBreak by Gary Annett).

 

Website Redesign and Hiatus

Theoretically, anyone who pays notice to my online existence will probably have noticed that I haven’t been around much lately. Anyway, regardless of whether anyone has noticed, it’s true.

There have been a number of reasons for this, the first and most important being my ongoing health and personal issues. I’ve been sick for quite a while now and although the cause is being treated (it’s nothing life threatening, just persistent and unpleasant) and I’m a lot better than I was, it has taken a lot longer to sort out than I had hoped. Mostly this is because I’ve had to swap medications a number of times as I have had trouble tolerating them. The first few I trialled (each for at least 3 months) made me just as sick as the condition they were meant to treat. Sometimes modern medicine takes a while to get it right and that’s just life.

While lately things are starting to seem more hopeful in this regard, being various degrees of sick for about two years has caused me to fall behind in many aspects of my life. I’m just starting to feel well enough to start catching up on it all.

Most importantly, I need to finish my degree. I’ve been delayed so many times now it is starting to get to me and as this is my last semester (assuming I pass) I can’t really afford to mess anything up.

All in all, I haven’t had the time or energy to write reviews (of a quality that I’m satisfied with) or maintain this blog. I apologise if I’ve let anyone down.

Also, under the pressure to review all the books I promised to review and watching the backlog pile up I somehow stopped enjoying the process along the way.

So, what I’m getting at is that I have decided that at the moment I need to concentrate on other areas of my life and will be putting this blog on hiatus until the end of semester (around the start of July). I may appear here and there if I find the time, but until then I will not be taking on any new commitments.

When I return I will probably start off reading and reviewing the books I personally want to read (as opposed to those that might get me the most hits) and sorting through my backlog. I also plan to use the site less as a pure review site (I can always send my reviews to bigger sites with broader reach such as RD for that) and more as a personal author blog with genre news and reviews.

Hopefully, I’ll have more writing to speak of in the near future as despite the above mentioned setbacks my mentorship with Kaaron Warren seems to be progressing well and I’m currently polishing a few more drafts (slowly but surely). Hopefully I’ll be able to send them out in the next few months.

I have also started to redesign this website to be a bit simpler to better suit its new purpose. While I loved the previous design for a busy review blog, it was a design that was really made for having a lot of content and regular updates to fill it up.

Cheers,

Michelle

Image: ‘Moonlight Construction’ by Evan Ludes (www.framedbynature.net)

Excerpt: Spook House by Michael West

In the mood for a good old haunted house monster fest? Good news. Michael West's latest novel, Spook House has just been released by Seventh Star Press and promises to be all that and more! 

Blurb

There are some places in this world that go far beyond any normal definition of “haunted.” These places are so evil, so diabolical, that they become gateways to Hell itself. The Fuller Farm is one such place.

It is said that old man Fuller conducted unspeakable acts, blood rituals and human sacrifices, all in an attempt to gain the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate power. And then, he was killed–horribly murdered on his own lands, leaving the house to stand as a vacant monument to his wickedness. But once a door is opened, it can never really be closed.

Now, the stars are right. The gateway is ready to once more unleash unspeakable horror upon the town of Harmony, Indiana. And this will be one Halloween that they will never forget!

 

As part of the Spook House blog tour to celebrate the big release, Seventh Star Press have provided me with an excerpt from the book to whet your appetites. 

This is but one of a number of sequential excerpts released during the Spook House blog tour. Check out the full schedule for earlier excerpts, reviews and giveaways. Enjoy!

 

Spook House Excerpt 

The sudden silence on the other end of the line chilled her to the bone.

Sheri clutched the phone to her ear, her hand shaking.  She sat there in the passenger’s seat, staring through the windshield into the darkened doorway, and the Fuller house stared back at her with cold indifference.  She cried out again, “I’m going to call the cops, Jeff.”

No reply.

“I’m serious!”

Still nothing.

She lowered the phone and looked at the screen.  The call hadn’t dropped.  Jeff just wasn’t talking.

Shit.

Sheri glanced up just in time to glimpse a dark shape as it bolted from the mouth of the door and dove off the porch into the tall grass.  The blades rocked violently back and forth as whatever it was neared the Pontiac’s bumper.  She locked her door, then reached across Jeff’s seat and did the same.  She ran her fingers over the steering column, trying to see if Jeff had left her the keys; when her fingernail slipped into the empty ignition, she had her answer.

Shit! 

Her foot brushed against her purse on the floorboard.  Inside was a Monarch Stun Pen.  1.3 million volts.  She put the phone back against her ear and shrunk down in the seat, trying to reach it, trying not to be seen, her seatbelt digging into her chin.  “Jeff?” she whispered. “Jeff, something’s coming for the car.”

Coming for her.

The dark shape leapt up onto the hood, denting the metal, a jolting impact that rocked the car on its axles.  Sheri’s breath caught in her throat.  The thing was the size of a German shepherd, but this was no dog.  No.  This was unlike any animal she’d ever seen, a nightmare silhouette.  Its back was the serrated outline of a naked spine, and it stood on more than a dozen boney, spider-like legs that flexed and bent in odd, crazy angles, each step accompanied by the shrill scrape of claws on metal.  Its long, narrow head dipped down, peering in at her.

Does it know I’m in here?  Can it see me?  Smell me?

The shadowy creature snarled at her.  Its snout split open and the flesh peeled away from its jaws in flaps.  The obscene mouth lunged at the windshield, streaking the glass with slime and spittle, its fangs scraping and scratching like diamonds.

Sheri recoiled, pressed herself flat against her seat.  Her heart thumped so loud she could hear it; the beat mixed with the beast’s snarl and the scratch of metal and glass to form a hellish symphony.

“Jeff!” Sheri shrieked into her phone, knowing now why he didn’t answer, why he would never answer again, and the image sprang up behind her eyes with such suddenness that she literally jumped in her seat; Jeff lying on a rotting floor like the Raggedy Andy doll she’d had as a child, his head nearly ripped off and his stuffing spilling out, except it wasn’t stuffing at all.

It was blood.

Tears ran down her cheeks.  She hung up, her harried fingers dialed 922, then she hung up again and dialed the correct number.  As she listened to it ring, she undid her seatbelt, reached down and retrieved her purse, all the while keeping her eyes on the windshield, on the creature outside.

Those flaps around its jaws opened and closed again.  The creature hissed and snarled and bellowed its frustration.  It knew she was in the car, but it could not get at her.

“Go away!” she screamed, searching blindly through her purse with her free hand.  She felt her Kindle, her checkbook, a compact, her birth control pills, a small bottle of Excedrin, and folded pieces of paper that seemed so important but now meant nothing.  Where the hell is my stun pen? 

Ringing gave way to a distant female voice, “Harmony 911, where’s your emergency?”

“Oh God…Help!  Please help me!  The old Fuller place!”

The creature snarled, then scratched the glass once more with its teeth.

“What’s your emergency?”

“Send the police!  Hurry!”

“What’s your problem there?”

“It’s trying to get in!  I think it killed my boyfriend!”

“What happened to your boyfriend?”

The thing lunged at the windshield again, and this time the glass cracked in a spiderweb.

 Spider-dog! she thought incoherently.  The word just popped into her mind and then exploded from her lips.  “Spider-dog!”

“What happened to your boyfriend, ma’am?  I need to know.”

“It’s breaking in!  It’s gonna get me!”

The spider-dog screeched and growled, saliva tethering the folds of its mouth to the glass in long, back-lit strands.

“Someone’s breaking in right now?”

“Just send cops with guns!  Guns!  Hurry!”

“Who has the guns?”

“No!  Listen, you stupid bitch!”  Sheri held the phone up to the windshield so the woman could hear the spider-dog’s hungry, frustrated snarls.  “You hear that?  It’s gonna kill me!  Send some fucking cops out here to shoot it or I’m gonna die!”

The voice came again, but this time Sheri didn’t think the woman was talking to her.  “Route Six, the old Fuller Place.  Possible break-in.  They say someone has a gun and is trying to kill somebody else.”

Another lunge and she felt the sting of glass on her arms and her cheeks.  “Hurry,” she screamed into the phone.  “It’s getting in!”

“They’re on their way,” the dispatcher assured her.  “I need you to calm down.  I need you to talk to me.  You say someone’s breaking into the Fuller place?”

The spider-dog thrust its snout through the opening in the windshield, coming within inches of her nose.  It opened its mouth again.  Its hot breath stank of low tide.

Sheri continued to fish through her purse, and finally, her fingers closed around the Monarch’s rubber grip.  She yanked the pen free and thumbed off the cap.  She hit the wrong button, however, and turned on the high-powered LEDs instead of the stunner.

In the bright light, she saw the spider-dog clearly for the first time.  The insides of those folds were wrinkled and pink and lined with rings of teeth like a lamprey.  The rest of its skin was the blackish-gray color of rotting flesh.  It screeched and shook its head back and forth.  Its eyes were bulbous and black; there were dozens of them, various sizes and on both sides of its narrow head, but they didn’t seem to have any lids.

I’ve blinded it!  

It screeched again, and outside, those countless legs clawed and scratched and tried to pull itself free of the windshield.

Sheri glanced down at the Monarch, and this time, she armed it.  She thrust it up like a sword.  There was a bright flash of electricity, and the spider-dog let out a shrill cry of pain.  Its head jerked backward, withdrew from the car; it slid off the hood into the grass and was gone.

For a moment, she thought she heard more creatures coming up behind her, their screeching growing louder, closer.  When she saw the red and blue strobes in the Pontiac’s rearview mirror, however, she knew it was just the police.  Sheri fell back against her seat in tears, her cell phone in one hand and her stun pen in the other.  And when a police officer finally knocked on her window, his gun drawn, she was slow to open it.

 To be continued…