Monique Snyman's Blog, page 9

New Year, New Me: My 2022 Resolutions

With 2021 finally in our rearview mirror, I decided it’s time to shift my perspective on life and be more positive. I even made some New Year resolutions to mark the occasion! ���� The entire world needs change for the better; humanity needs good energy. I don’t think we can achieve that overnight, to be honest, but here’s the thing … I don’t need to change the world, I just need to change me for the better.

That’s my motto for 2022���New Year, New Me.

Of course, I’ll still be��me … I’ll just be better. Monique v2.0. Upgraded. System bugs fixed. *nods* And how am I going to achieve that? Well, with my New Year Resolutions, of course. ����

New Year, New MeWriting

In my previous post (2021: My Year in Review), I mentioned some of my ultimate writing goals for 2022. This included finishing 5 projects I’ve been working on���4 novels and 1 novella. Here’s the rehash of what my goals are:

Finish my second episode in the��Black Mariah seriesFinish��The Night Weaver (Book #3)Begin writing the sequel to��Dark CountrySecret project #1 (a standalone horror) – already pitched to a publisher.Secret project #2 (a standalone horror)

I’m aware that’s a lot��of writing I have planned, but it’s not impossible. I just need to stick to a writing schedule. So, here’s the breakdown of how I will ultimately finish all of those projects.

Write 2,500 words per day, every day.

It’s that simple and that hard. ���� But come hell or high water, I��will��finish those projects in 2022.

Blogging / Social Media

I’ve already decided to be more active on social media again. Reason? I miss interacting with you guys! Now, I’m not going to promise being on 24/7, but I’ll check in on all my accounts on all the various social media platforms, at least, once a day. ���� Furthermore, I’ll be adding more content more consistently. And yes, that means I’ll be more active on TikTok, too. So, if you haven’t followed me there, yet, I suggest you do.

As for on the blogging side, I’ll be posting more regularly here. I decided to go back to basics and bring more positivity to both my readers and fellow writers by bringing back book reviews! This ties in with another resolution I made that I’ll talk about later on. I’m super excited about it, though.

Personal

2022 is the year for personal growth. I don’t care about “losing weight” or “eating healthy” or any of those typical resolutions. They have their place, but that’s not me this year. I want to grow emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Reason? I want to set a good example for my daughter, to bring happiness to everyone around me, to be here in the moment, and be more compassionate. Maybe, just maybe, it’ll change things for the better (if only for a day) for someone else. So, here’s what I have planned:

Compliment people more oftenBe kinderGive when I can to those in needListen!Forgive unconditionallyBe the positive change!Spend as much time with family and friends as possible

Of course, then I have other goals that aren’t��that��personal either.

Read more (2021 didn’t see me reading a lot for pleasure)Try something new (I’m a bit set in my ways, so maybe an adventure is what I need to jumpstart a new chapter. Suggestions?)Go on a holiday (doesn’t need to be far away from home, I just need to refresh my brain)Save up for a house depositPay off all my debt (almost there)Learn a new skillHere’s to a Fresh Start

I don’t think my resolutions are unachievable at all. Yes, they require hard work and some creativity (maybe even some sleepless nights), but I��really��want to give it a shot this year.

Did you make any resolutions? Let me know some of yours, and maybe I can add some other things to my list. ����

Whether you have any resolutions or not, here’s to hoping that 2022 will be kinder, gentler, and sweeter to us all. We kind of need that after surviving 2 years of Hell on Earth …

2021: My Year in Review

2021 has been ��� yeah. So, my year in review is going to be quite a lengthy one. I suggest you get comfortable, maybe get yourself a hot beverage and a snack, because I am taking ya���ll on a rollercoaster ride through my life.

There were so many ups and downs ��� The birth of my daughter, my whole family contracted Covid-19 at one point, then there was my father-in-law���s death. We moved house, I struggled finding my feet with a newborn baby with everything else going on. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Luckily, it wasn���t all doom and gloom. Some great things happened this year, too, which kind of threw me off my whining game. ����

My Year in ReviewMy Written Works ��� Accepted and Published

I���m pleasantly surprised by the number of things that I actually got done this year. Considering how sick I became during my pregnancy and then the abovementioned chaos taking over, it���s amazing I found some time to write. It is a testament to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to. So, here���s a brief look at all my written works that were either accepted or published in 2021.

Classic Monsters Unleashed ��� Edited by James Acquilone

I was invited to write a short story for Crystal Lake Publishing and Black Spot Books��� highly anticipated anthology (coming out in 2022), Classic Monsters Unleashed. My story, ���Modern Monsters��� was accepted to appear amongst legends like Joe R. Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson, Jonathan Maberry, Seanan McGuire, Ramsey Campbell, Lisa Morton, and Owl Goingback. I am honored and grateful for this opportunity, and I can���t wait to see this beauty in print.

Under her Skin ��� Edited by Lindy Ryan and Toni Miller

I have never described myself as a poet, but I���m absolutely thrilled to finally have my first submitted poem, titled ���Midnight Maelstrom���, accepted by Black Spot Books��� inaugural poetry showcase, Under Her Skin. Again, my name appears amongst some of the best female horror writers of our time. Coming in 2022, this poetry showcase is not to be missed!

Black Mariah: Victoria West, Northern Cape, South Africa (S1E8)

When I was asked to participate in the Black Mariah shared world series, I jumped at the chance. What writer in their right mind would say no to writing a political thriller where conspiracy theories are found in abundance? Okay, maybe it���s just me, but wow! It���s been a wonderful journey to be part of this shared world and to have met so many great authors along the way.

What���s more, the entire first season is now available in print! Look at that glorious book ��� 784 pages of AWESOME!

Season 2 is coming in 2022, so I sincerely hope you���re ready to be taken on another helluva journey.

Some Honors and Achievements

2021 may have thrown a lot of curveballs my way, but I also got a few shiny gold stars. ����

The Bone Carver (The Night Weaver #2) was a finalist in the 2020 Bram Stoker Awards for superior achievement in a Young Adult Novel. I didn���t think I���d get a second nomination, but holy cow, I did! Unfortunately, I couldn���t watch the ceremony, because I was in the hospital at the time, recovering from a C-section, but what an honor ��� *gets the shivers again*

Dark Country (Dark Country #1), which will be released in 2022, also became a Quarterfinalist in the 2021 Screencraft Cinematic Book Competition.

Not too shabby for 2021, eh?

My 2022 Writing Goals

2022 is going to be a hectic year, I already know that much. ���Hectic��� and ���Bad���, however, aren���t synonyms. Will 2022 be pleasant, though? I sincerely hope so, because if I���m gonna get stuck with a 2021 sequel, I���ll probably go into permanent hiding. Alas, I won���t be too quick to disappear, after all I have some hefty goals for 2022.

Finish The Night Weaver (Book #3) ��� I���ve been trying to finish this one for a while now, I know, but I will have it done soon. No more playing around. *nods*Begin writing the sequel to Dark Country ��� This one will, hopefully, see its release in 2023 if I can get it written in time. Eeeep! So, I better get a move on.Finish my second episode in the Black Mariah series ��� This one���s already been started and will, hopefully, see its release in 2022.Secret project #1 ��� I submitted a pitch to a publisher for a standalone horror, which is tentatively being released in 2023. Still gotta write the book, though. Yikes.Secret project #2 ��� Been quietly working on another standalone horror since last year. I���m hoping to get this one done in 2022. ����

This is just the writing goals. There are several editing projects waiting for me. Also, I have some personal goals I don���t feel comfortable sharing yet (when I achieve them, you���ll struggle to get me to shut up, I promise you).

And that���s it. That���s basically my year in review. It was both a long year and a very short year in other ways. I���m just glad 2021 is coming to an end.

If I don���t see you again in 2021, have yourself a happy holiday season and please stay safe during these strange times.

Season���s greetings,

Monique

 

Black Mariah: Jasper, Indiana (S1E10) by Marie D. Jones

We end Season 1 of the Black Mariah series with Marie D. Jones‘ tenth episode, set in Jasper, Indiana. Full of conspiracy, this thriller is another exciting look at what the end of the world could look like. But here’s the question: Will we find out who this mysterious Crow is or will we have to wait until Season 2 of the Black Mariah series? You’ll have to read to find out. ����

Black Mariah: Jasper, Indiana

When the planes arrive in Jasper, Indiana, Wil Akins is ready���he knew this was coming. Now he must find a way to lead others to safety and tell them what he knows.

William ���Wil��� Akins is Half white, half Oglala Lakota. All his life, Wil has struggled to reconcile two conflicting identities, never feeling at home, or having a true purpose. But when planes come to his town of Jasper, Indiana, everything changes.

Wil always loved a good conspiracy, and he knows exactly what is happening���and who is behind it. He leads his friends to an abandoned bunker in the woods and forms ���Defiance,��� an underground movement to disseminate information about the attacks, and, maybe one day, fight back. He begins leading other survivors to safety, where he shares that the attacks that exterminated their towns off the map were no accident, or foreign terrorists. They were a part of Operation Black Mariah, the first wave of a more sinister agenda���an agenda to cull the human population at the hands of a global shadow government. How does Wil know all of this? A Crow told him…and now he���s going to spread his wings and spread the word.

All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal���to centralize the world���s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun. Wave One of Operation Black Mariah has begun.

Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today���s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called ���Defiance��� is born.

This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what���s to come?

Immerse yourself in the world of ���Black Mariah��� and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.BlackMariahSeries.com.

NOW AVAILABLE

Buy Ebook


About Marie D. Jones

Marie D. Jones is a best-selling author of non-fiction and fiction, and a screenwriter/producer with her own company, Where���s Lucy? Productions. She has appeared on television and on radio all over the world, and has hundreds of credits writing for magazines, guest blogs, reviews, short stories, online articles and gift books. She has lectured widely on the paranormal, unknown anomalies, cutting edge science, metaphysics and human consciousness.

 

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Black Mariah: Changi, Singapore (S1E9) by Pearry Teo and Lindy Ryan

We’re off to Changi, Singapore in Pearry Teo and Lindy Ryan‘s episode in the Black Mariah series, and the stakes have never been higher. With political intrigue found in abundance, conspiracies and horror flourish. Can the survivors make it through a second experiment that will cull their numbers? Find out in the ninth episode of the Black Mariah series. ����

Black Mariah: Changi, Singapore

 

When a group of survivors make shelter in Singapore’s abandoned���and rumored haunted���Changi Hospital, they discover the horrors of the present bear a striking resemblance to the ghosts of the past.

When a covert government project known only as Project Archangel is released into the overpopulated city of Singapore, the death toll is astounding. Few survivors find refuge in the abandoned Changi Hospital, and while many suffer severe side effects of the unknown contaminant, the rest attempt something even more precarious: survival. They are able to make some sense of order within the confines of the ruined hospital, and for a moment, there is hope���until Shadow Ops hunt them down.

When Shadow Ops discover the survivors hiding in Changi Hospital, they do not raid the place. Instead, they block off all exits and turn Changi Hospital into a Black Site. Now prisoners, the Archangel survivors are used as human experiments for a new attack���Operation Black Mariah.

The lives of the survivors hang in the balance, trapped inside their human experiment lab, as their only hope lies in making contact with a rumored global citizen movement only known as “Crow.”

All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal���to centralize the world���s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun. Wave One of Operation Black Mariah has begun.

Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today���s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called ���Defiance��� is born.

This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what���s to come?

Immerse yourself in the world of ���Black Mariah��� and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.BlackMariahSeries.com.

NOW AVAILABLE

Buy Ebook


About Pearry Teo

Pearry Reginald Teo was born in July 23rd 1978. He started making films at the later stage than most filmmakers, when he was 22 years old. His first short film Liberata Me (2002) was screened at Cannes, won Best Horror at the New York International Film Festival and an Award of Excellence from The Communicator’s award, garnishing critical acclaim from celebrities such as Ray Manzarek, keyboadist of The Doors. Shortly after the completion of the festival circuit for Liberata Me, Pearry Teo enrolled in Pima Community College studying basic video production and cinematography but was soon dropped out after failing all his classes during the making of his second short film Children of the Arcana. Children of the Arcana took home (for the second year) the 2003 award for Best Horror at the New York International Film Festival.

About Lindy Ryan

Lindy Miller Ryan is an entrepreneur, award-winning analytics professor, and publishing professional. In 2011, Ryan became the co-founder of Radiant Advisors, a business intelligence research and advisory firm, where as Chief Content Officer, she leads the company’s editorial and research divisions, and its data enablement practice, for clients that have included 21st Century Fox Films, Warner Bros., and Disney. In 2017, Ryan founded Black Spot Books, an independent small press focused in speculative fiction, which was acquired by Vesuvian Media Group in 2019. Now an accomplished publishing professional, Ryan currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and was named as one of Publishers Weekly‘s 2020 Star Watch Honorees. In 2021, Ryan founded media agency DARKLINE with author and screenwriter Burke Bryant.

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Black Mariah: Victoria West, Northern Cape, South Africa (S1E8) by Monique Snyman

South Africa isn’t for sissies as you’ll soon find out in the eighth episode of the Black Mariah series. Written by yours truly (Monique Snyman, to those who don’t know me), this terrifying adventure begins in Victoria West in the Northern Cape���a remote Karoo town. What does my tale have to offer this shared world series, you wonder. Well, some graphic horror scenes, more conspiracies, some not-so-subtle criticisms at the current South African government, and an adventure through the gorgeous desolate Karoo.

Things are about to get real. Are you ready?

Black Mariah: Victoria West, Northern Cape, South Africa

For years, the people in Victoria West, South Africa, had prayed for rain, but when it finally came, hell followed.

Eleven-year-old Protea Meyer can barely remember a time before pandemic regulations became part of everyday life. Even in a small town like Victoria West, in the most sparsely populated province in South Africa, the new laws are, at best, draconian. Combined with the long, devastating drought, the continued hardship folks are facing, and the government���s reluctance to assist the struggling communities of the Northern Cape, the future already looks dire.

But when a storm erupts without warning, Protea watches on helplessly as a vast majority of Victoria West���s residents are killed by the rain. Stuck in a communications blackout, shocked, and confused, Protea and caf�� owner, Simon Stander happen upon the mysterious, old librarian, Auntie Martha, who knows far more about what���s happening, thanks to someone called Crow.

All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal���to centralize the world���s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun. Wave One of Operation Black Mariah has begun.

Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today���s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called ���Defiance��� is born.

This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what���s to come?

Immerse yourself in the world of ���Black Mariah��� and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.BlackMariahSeries.com. NOW AVAILABLE

 

Buy Ebook


 About Monique Snyman

Monique Snyman���s mind is a confusing bedlam of glitter and death, where candy-coated gore is found in abundance and homicidal unicorns thrive. Sorting out the mess in her head is particularly irksome before she���s ingested a specific amount of coffee, which is equal to half the recommended intake of water for humans per day. When she���s not playing referee to her imaginary friends or trying to overdose on caffeine, she���s doing something with words���be it writing, reading, or editing.

Monique Snyman lives in Pretoria, South Africa, with her husband, daughter, and an adorable Chihuahua. She���s the author of the Bram Stoker Award�� nominated novels, THE NIGHT WEAVER and THE BONE CARVER, and the upcoming South African horror series, DARK COUNTRY.

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Black Mariah: Hanau, Germany (S1E7) by Dorothy Dreyer

This time, we’re heading to Hanau, Germany in Dorothy Dreyer‘s episode in the Black Mariah series. Be prepared for a gripping tale that’ll keep you glued to your seat from the first page to the last. The suspense, emotion, and action is going to leave readers wanting more and more. ���� What’s more, we have some more conspiracies to delve into!

Can you figure out what’s happening in the Black Mariah universe yet? ����

Black Mariah: Hanau, Germany

When low-flying planes shower Lina Schuster���s hometown of Hanau, Germany, with a strange, white mist, she has no choice but to believe her conspiracy-minded friend Sofie���s theories of a Great Reset.

It���s been a year since Lina Schuster lost her mother���just another in the long line of casualties of the ongoing pandemic. After helping her father cope, as well as battling her own depression and bouts of panic attacks, Lina is finally ready to get back on her feet. When she starts a new job at a small electronics store, Lina meets Sofie, a conspiracy-driven coworker, who seems convinced a secret global government is out to control the population by striking down the poor, the weak, and anyone who resists their ways.

Lina thinks Sofie is simply delusional��� until low-flying planes appear and shower her town with a strange, white mist. When the aftermath of the event reveals Sofie���s theory could be right, Lina finds herself leading a group of survivors to a supposed sanctuary in hopes to keep them from being culled into nonexistence.

All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal���to centralize the world���s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun. Wave One of Operation Black Mariah has begun.

Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today���s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called ���Defiance��� is born.

This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what���s to come?

Immerse yourself in the world of ���Black Mariah��� and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.BlackMariahSeries.com.

NOW AVAILABLE

Buy Ebook


 About Dorothy Dreyer

I’m a Philippine-born American living in Germany with my husband, my two college kids, and two Siberian Huskies.

I am an award-winning, USA Today Bestselling Author who writes young adult and new adult books which usually have some element of magic or the supernatural in them. I also like to read those kinds of books. Aside from reading, I like movies, chocolate, take-out, traveling, and having fun with my friends and family. I tend to sing sometimes, too, so keep me away from your Karaoke bars.

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Black Mariah: Tandragee, North Ireland (S1E6) by Julieanne Lynch

It’s time to visit Tandragee, North Ireland for the next installment of the Black Mariah series! Written by Julieanne Lynch, we are privy to what happens behind closed doors as the world as we know it falls into chaos. This episode is filled with tense scenes, conspiracy, and a whole lot of suspense. You’ll be wanting more, I guarantee it. ����

Check out what’s in store this time …

Black Mariah: Tandragee, North Ireland

Fia Hamill, wife, victim, prisoner–survivor. Cut off from her once loving family, Fia has been devising a plan to leave her abusive police officer husband. Then the planes come, and along with them, a deadly mist.

Like any other day, Fia dreaded her husband Craig coming home from work. All the despair, hurt, pain, and humility are more than Fia can bear alone. For months, she has divulged her secrets to ���C47CH-22���, an entity on the dark web. But when Craig returns home wearing a gasmask, Fia learns her rural town has been obliterated.

Cut off from the outside world, with no electricity, no transport, and no way of knowing if they are the only ones left, Fia, along with Craig and a small band of survivors wait on the next broadcast, and when C47CH-22��� drops hints of a safe zone, and someone called ���Crow���, they are desperate to find the truth. Someone is watching, someone who knows more than what the government or media are willing to divulge.

All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal���to centralize the world���s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun. Wave One of Operation Black Mariah has begun.

Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today���s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called ���Defiance��� is born.

This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what���s to come?

Immerse yourself in the world of ���Black Mariah��� and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.BlackMariahSeries.com.

NOW AVAILABLE

Buy Ebook


 About Julieanne Lynch

Julieanne Lynch is an author of YA and Adult genre books, specialising in horror, fantasy and contemporary women���s fiction.

Julieanne was born in Northern Ireland, but spent much of her early life in London, United Kingdom, until her family relocated back to NI in the early nineties.

Julieanne lives in Northern Ireland with her family, where she is a full-time author. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University.

Julieanne is represented by Italia Gandolfo and Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management and has several projects optioned for film.

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Black Mariah: Las Vegas, Nevada (S1E5) by Mercedes M. Yardley

What happens in Las Vegas apparently doesn’t always stay in Las Vegas. In this episode of the Black Mariah series, written by Bram Stoker Award winning author, Mercedes M. Yardley, we’re heading to the city that never sleeps where we’re forced to question what is real and what is not. Tackling a variety of real-world issues, readers can expect to face a variety of emotions throughout this episode.

Are you ready for an unforgettable ride into the unknown?

Black Mariah: Las Vegas, Nevada

Zora Lehmbeck lost her husband in the biggest mass shooting in American history–that massacre was a drop in the bucket compared to the horrors of Black Mariah.

Zora is suffering from extreme PTSD after witnessing her husband���s murder during the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting. She is at a club for the first time since the tragedy, but the throbbing music and crush of bodies force her to flee before the fog machine fills the air with smoke and a mysterious lethal agent.

Zora���s mental health deteriorates as the city-wide panic forces her to isolate at home with her nine-year-old daughter, Jazz. Access to her medication is cut off and she���s going through horrific withdrawals. As she fears for her sanity and her ability to care for Jazz, Zora must rely on the young stoner next door as she tries to get in touch with her emotional lifeline: her ex-metro PD best friend who lives in Washington. Unable to trust her own mind, Zora fears she is spiraling into paranoia as she comes to believe in an entity called The Crow who sends her mysterious messages warning her that the conspiracy is bigger than she could imagine.

All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal���to centralize the world���s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun. Wave One of Operation Black Mariah has begun.

Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today���s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called ���Defiance��� is born.

This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what���s to come?

Immerse yourself in the world of ���Black Mariah��� and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.BlackMariahSeries.com.

NOW AVAILABLE

Buy Ebook


 About Mercedes M. Yardley

Mercedes M. Yardley is a whimsical dark fantasist who wears stilettos, red lipstick, and poisonous flowers in her hair. She is the author of many diverse works, including Beautiful Sorrows, the Stabby Award-winning Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love, Pretty Little Dead Girls: A Novel of Murder and Whimsy, Detritus in Love, and the BONE ANGEL trilogy. She recently won the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for her story Little Dead Red. Mercedes lives and creates in Las Vegas with her family and menagerie of battle-scarred, rescued animal familiars.

Mercedes is a member of the Horror Writers Association and co-chair of the Las Vegas HWA Chapter.

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Black Mariah: San Antonio, Texas (S1E4) by Eva Pohler

In this episode of the Black Mariah series, Eva Pohler transports us to San Antonio, Texas���where readers are about to embark on a terrifying journey. You can expect conspiracy theories that’ll make you wonder about the world we live in today, some unforgettable scenes, and a lot of suspense.

What is happening in this strange, not too unrealistic world? Can you figure it out yet?

Black Mariah: San Antonio, Texas

 

As Marianne Turner tends to her garden in a suburb of San Antonio, Texas, she doesn���t notice the planes and the feathery white mist they leave behind, until her dog, Mo, collapses–the first of many more heartbreaks ahead.

After her computer-savvy daughter, Carley, relocates to work her very first job as a software developer, empty-nester Marianne Turner consoles herself by planting a new garden. The house will feel empty with both her son and daughter gone, but at least Kyle and his husband, Bobby, lived nearby. With the latest pandemic outbreak over, Marianne will be able to see them regularly again���that is, if her husband, Jim, doesn���t interfere.

When the mist comes and her dog, Mo, dies, along with countless other neighborhood pets, Marianne begins to believe her daughter���s crazy theories, especially when people start getting sick again. Jim, a doctor, assures her it isn���t yet another new Covid strain. While he continues to live in denial, Marianne pays attention to Carley���s cryptic messages urging them to leave Texas. Carley warns that a global plot is afoot, something called Operation Black Mariah, and Texans have been slated to die.

All over the world, from small rural towns to big cities, from Alaska to South Africa, something is happening. Though events differ from place to place, all point to the same chilling outcome: the implementation of a New World Order by the global elite. Their goal���to centralize the world���s power and wealth into their own hands, and to control humanity. But first they need to cull the human population to sustainable levels, and their plans have begun. Wave One of Operation Black Mariah has begun.

Welcome to the world of Marie D. Jones Presents Black Mariah, a harrowing near-future ripped from today���s headlines that dares to look at what might come next. This is a world of conspiracies and cover-ups, of lies and deception, of chaos and confusion, and of small groups of people who realize the only way to survive is to harness the power of the human spirit. To defy and persist. In the wake of the quest for survival, a revolution called ���Defiance��� is born.

This is a stand-alone story in the Black Mariah Shared World, a collaborative effort by authors from all across the globe whose characters react and respond to the same events, but in their own unique ways. Each story takes the reader on a journey of one of these characters, allowing for multiple perspectives to unfold. The only thing these characters have in common is that they survived Wave One. But will they survive what���s to come?

Immerse yourself in the world of ���Black Mariah��� and stay up to date on news and announcements at www.BlackMariahSeries.com.

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About Eva Pohler

Eva Pohler earned her Ph.D. in English in the mid-nineties, specializing in twentieth-century British and American narrative strategies. She has taught writing and literature for over twenty years at a university in San Antonio, her hometown, where she lives with her husband, two of her three adult children, and three dogs.

A USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels in multiple genres, Eva writes mysteries, thrillers, and young adult paranormal romance based on Greek mythology. Her books have been described as “addictive” and “sure to thrill”–Kirkus Reviews.

Whichever genre you read, you will find an adventure in Eva Pohler’s stories. They blur the line between reality and fantasy, truth and delusion, and draw from Eva’s personal philosophy that a reader must be lured and abducted into complete captivity in order to enjoy the reading experience.

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Dark Country Publication Date Rescheduled

In every industry, external factors have a direct influence on certain aspects of projects. Sometimes, though, opportunities come knocking, which could also have an impact on the success of a project. The publishing industry is no different. Every single book depends on a variety of things���a stable economy, a viable market and, of course, whether or not a pandemic is raging. So, publishers tend to reshuffle publication dates at times, in order to give their books a proper chance to succeed.

While rescheduling aren’t a common occurrence, it’s not unheard of … In 2020, several highly anticipated books’ publication dates were pushed for later releases due to the pandemic. And, although the world is kinda, sorta getting back to normal, there are still a lot of issues affecting the industry.

Well, it’s my turn to inform readers about a publication rescheduling …

In a weird turn of events, an opportunity has arisen that would (hopefully) give Dark Country a real chance outside of the US market. We’re talking great marketing and more in-store distribution. In other words, more eyes will be on it. And, sadly, in a consumer’s market, writers need to chase every sale opportunity they can get in order to survive.

This��was a difficult decision to make, because I hate letting my readers down, but in the end I chose to push the publication date.

I apologize wholeheartedly to everyone who was excited to get their hands on Dark Country in October.

If it helps, there’s still my Black Mariah episode to look forward to���a book I had��so��much fun writing and one I’m super excited to share with the world. ����

 

DARK COUNTRY WILL BE RELEASEDMAY 17th, 2022