N.R. Allen's Blog, page 2
April 9, 2014
Summer Book Release!
Unfortunately, due to a chronic illness, "Lott's Mountain" won't be released until this summer.
Murder. Mayhem. Monsters. Magic.
You'll find it all on "Lott's Mountain."
Come on in and stay for a spell.
Murder. Mayhem. Monsters. Magic.
You'll find it all on "Lott's Mountain."
Come on in and stay for a spell.
October 28, 2013
My New YA Novel: Lott's Mountain
After his brother is brutally tortured and murdered, Dylan Caid's world falls apart. Soon everyone will learn that he has a secret, one that he has been keeping all of his life. But Dylan is about to find out that the world itself has a secret. Very soon, he's going to see exactly what has been waiting for him in the dark.
As a child, he was always told that there was no such thing as monsters, but people lie.
Look for it in this December!
As a child, he was always told that there was no such thing as monsters, but people lie.
Look for it in this December!
November 26, 2012
I've released a new Poetry Collection
The collection, "Teddy Bear Heads" includes many poems and 2 flash fiction pieces.
Come out and play because sometimes even the things in the dark get lonely . . .
It's available through Amazon.com. Prime members can read it for free.
http://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Bear-Head...
Come out and play because sometimes even the things in the dark get lonely . . .
It's available through Amazon.com. Prime members can read it for free.
http://www.amazon.com/Teddy-Bear-Head...
October 28, 2012
Teddy Bear Heads
Teddy Bear Heads
I love teddy bear heads,
With their cute little glass eyes.
I know they watch me when I’m sleeping;
They think I don’t know, but I do.
And I really like their fluffy fur,
Their fuzzy, round ears,
And the little stump of stuffing
Where their necks should be.
I whisper my special secrets to them,
Because I know they won’t tell anyone.
I love teddy bear heads,
Especially when they start talking back to me.
I love teddy bear heads,
With their cute little glass eyes.
I know they watch me when I’m sleeping;
They think I don’t know, but I do.
And I really like their fluffy fur,
Their fuzzy, round ears,
And the little stump of stuffing
Where their necks should be.
I whisper my special secrets to them,
Because I know they won’t tell anyone.
I love teddy bear heads,
Especially when they start talking back to me.
September 28, 2012
Facebook page for the Novel!
Just wanted to say THANK YOU to Jimmy Hunt of Jimmy Hunt Photography for the great profile photo for the new facebook page for my next novel. I'll use the other graveyard pictures to fill out the rest of the page. Thanks everybody!
You can check out the page by looking Lott's Mountain up on Facebook. Please visit and spread the word.
You can check out the page by looking Lott's Mountain up on Facebook. Please visit and spread the word.
September 25, 2012
I like Monsters
My new novel, "Lott's Mountain" is due for release in December. Soon, it will have its own Facebook page.
The novel is a mix of urban fantasy and horror (with a little romance and humor on the side).
We're told that there are no such things as monsters, but sometimes . . . people lie.
The novel is a mix of urban fantasy and horror (with a little romance and humor on the side).
We're told that there are no such things as monsters, but sometimes . . . people lie.
September 13, 2012
Would you like a side of blasphemy with that?
One of the things I remember about college is reading "Things Fall Apart", a novel that details how the mysticism of Christianity made it easier for tribal people to convert.
There is a dark side to religion, not just wars, but also the magical / mystical side of things that compels, fascinates, and terrifies us.
If you don't listen, the devil's going to get you . . .
In the new novel, the villain uses his followers' curiosity and fear to control and manipulate, drawing them closer to him. But even as he cloaks himself in all that Old Time Religion, he has a secret that he's hiding, a dark and dangerous one.
There is a dark side to religion, not just wars, but also the magical / mystical side of things that compels, fascinates, and terrifies us.
If you don't listen, the devil's going to get you . . .
In the new novel, the villain uses his followers' curiosity and fear to control and manipulate, drawing them closer to him. But even as he cloaks himself in all that Old Time Religion, he has a secret that he's hiding, a dark and dangerous one.
August 13, 2012
Ghost Stories of the Shenandoah Valley
For the new novel, I've been researching old stories originating in the area where I grew up.
There is one where a slave owner was killed by two slaves, one of whom was named "Captain". The body was dumped in the river. The slaves, after confessing, were hanged.
From then on the land seemed to be cursed or haunted. The owner's son killed himself. As the story goes, much later, young girl, distantly related to the family, later disappeared. Searchers looked and looked for the child. Finally, they found her body in the middle of the forest. Even though she was no where near water, her cause of death was found to be drowning.
It came to light later, that her teddy bear was named Captain.
There is one where a slave owner was killed by two slaves, one of whom was named "Captain". The body was dumped in the river. The slaves, after confessing, were hanged.
From then on the land seemed to be cursed or haunted. The owner's son killed himself. As the story goes, much later, young girl, distantly related to the family, later disappeared. Searchers looked and looked for the child. Finally, they found her body in the middle of the forest. Even though she was no where near water, her cause of death was found to be drowning.
It came to light later, that her teddy bear was named Captain.
July 30, 2012
Did my first book-signing
Wanted to thank all the folks at the summer camp who made it possible. THANKS AGAIN!
After doing a book-signing I feel all . . . writerish now . . .
After doing a book-signing I feel all . . . writerish now . . .
July 25, 2012
Why do we like to be scared?
Making more progress on the second novel even though my voice sounds like I've gargled with gravel. My son was thoughtful enough to share his cold. 8-) At least I don't have to talk in order to type.
Why do we like to be scared so much? It isn't just gore. I never liked a lot of blood and guts and not story, but I loved to curl up as a kid and read 'Salem's Lot in the middle of a summer night with the windows open and the screen doors unlocked. And I'd image that every sound--from the house settling to the night noises outside--could be something watching me, something creeping forward waiting for me.
Being scared is such a natural emotion, a natural state of mind. It's something we don't have to think about. And it's genuine. Real fear can't be faked.
I have a friend I love to go see horror movies with. She jumps ten feet when they go for the "cheap" scares of a cat jumping out of a cupboard or something like that. Sometimes I just end up watching her instead of the movie.
Why do we like to be scared so much? It isn't just gore. I never liked a lot of blood and guts and not story, but I loved to curl up as a kid and read 'Salem's Lot in the middle of a summer night with the windows open and the screen doors unlocked. And I'd image that every sound--from the house settling to the night noises outside--could be something watching me, something creeping forward waiting for me.
Being scared is such a natural emotion, a natural state of mind. It's something we don't have to think about. And it's genuine. Real fear can't be faked.
I have a friend I love to go see horror movies with. She jumps ten feet when they go for the "cheap" scares of a cat jumping out of a cupboard or something like that. Sometimes I just end up watching her instead of the movie.
