Matt Powers's Blog

Sample Chapter - Bumps and Thumps

Bumps and ThumpsEdmund creeps back up the stairs, his encounter with Mary’s shadow still chilling his body and clenching his soul. The staircase creaks with every step back to the second floor.On the second-floor landing, the blackness is absolute. The hallway has no windows. The two bedroom doors across the hall are closed. On the wall to Edmund’s left is the doorway to his study, also closed. To his right are the stairs leading to the third floor, the thought of which makes Edmund shiver. The hallway is normally grim. Now, in the middle of the pitch dark of night, with the ceiling light turned off, the hallway appears to be a chamber filled with nothingness.A small beam of light streams out from underneath the bathroom door. The door is dark, like a hole in the wall, but there are lines of yellow-white light around the edges, outlining the doorframe.Edmund slowly crosses the hall and gently places his hand on the small table against the wall between the two bedroom doors.CLUNK! A striking noise emanates from behind the bathroom door.Edmund stares at the closed door, daring it to make another sound.Abruptly, the light changes. There is a shift in the darkness of the hallway—a shadow passes behind the door and across the light seeping from underneath.Edmund moves his hand slowly along the table edge and steps forward.CLUNK! CLUNK! Two repeated sounds chasing each other. Quick strikes and then silence. Then faint splashing sounds.Startled, Edmund’s hand slips, knocking over something on the table. He scrambles to catch it.The shadow in the bathroom moves again. Did it hear my approach?Keeping his eyes on the bottom of the bathroom door, Edmund grabs the picture frame and puts it back.The light continues to drift out from under the door of the bathroom. Edmund waits, leaning slightly against the table. He licks his lips. The air doesn’t taste right.Edmund tries to take another step but his body is numb.He forces himself to breathe.He begins to perspire. The light under the door shifts some more.Edmund tries to move his foot, willing his body to obey his commands. He grits his teeth.Stepping forward, Edmund is just a few feet away from the door.CLUNK! The sound is even louder.Deafening. The sound clashes and echoes through his bones. The banging from the other side of the door feels inhuman. Then there is a light sound of water splashing on a tile floor. The light shifts once more. Edmund clenches his hands into fists. There is nothing to fear. There is always a reasonable explanation—isn’t there?Edmund lifts his foot, his weight shifting forward. He is now an arm’s reach from the door.“Squelch.” A sharp squishing sound.Edmund’s bare foot lands on the soaked rug. He looks down and sees water gradually leaking out from under the door.CLUNK! CLUNK! The noise vibrates the air and the puddle under the door shimmers.CLUNK! Once more the sound reaches out and shifts the air around the door. The light moves, the puddle shimmers.Then, without warning, CRAAANG! Edmund leaps back from the sudden noise.Reaching out, he slowly turns the knob.[To be continued in Ghosts of Manor House by Matt Powers]

Sample Chapter - Reflections

Reflections  Unlike the other doors in the house, the basement door opens smoothly and silently. Outside, clouds pass swiftly. The shifting sun shining through the stained-glass windows above the door casts colorful light across the hallway.  By sharp contrast the basement is dark, and there is a chill breeze drifting up from below.  Each step is silent—no creak or groan. He descends farther into darkness, the light from above seemingly swallowed by the cold earth below the house.  Accustomed to the sounds of the house, the quiet is odd to Edmund.   So quiet Edmund can hear his heart thumping and the blood pumping throughout his body.  Edmund pauses halfway down the steps. That isn’t my heart. There is a repetitive “thump” echoing from the basement.  Edmund grits his teeth and refuses to stop his downward descent.  “Thump... thump... thump.”  The sound seems to fill the room below and is creeping up to Edmund, into him. He shifts his step when he notices his footsteps are matching the strange rhythm.  The noise grows louder as Edmund slowly descends.  The room at the bottom of the stairs is dark. The thumping emanates from a far wall, pulsing outward. In the darkness, Edmund sees red eyes reflecting back at him.  A beam of light shatters the darkness. A dark silhouette stands at the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. The figure lurches into the room. An arm extends through the opening as the apparition reaches towards Edmund.  Edmund wants to flee but his body is frozen.  The figure grasps upward, scratching against the wall.[To be continued in Ghosts of Manor House by Matt Powers]Treat yourself to a book this Halloween. You can find Ghosts of Manor House on Amazon.  Follow the book on Facebook.  Happy Halloween!

About the Author

Matt is the author and creator of Ghosts of Manor House and Senior Producer at Zynga.Computers and video games have been a part of his life since he was young.  As a child, he always played video games and when he was ten, his Dad told him that he should try making his own.  And so he taught himself to program and create games on the computer.  He majored in Computer Science and enjoys working with a team of creative people. Matt has a passion for books and finds writing to be a great way to release his inner creativity.Matt lives and works in the busy and vibrant metropolis of San Francisco where he is surrounded by extraordinary views of the ocean.  He loves how the city is filled with a variety of people and activities - there is always something to do and new to see. In addition to San Francisco, Matt spends a lot of time in Grass Valley with friends and family where he can escape the concrete jungle for the relative calm of this gold mining sierra town. This is where the characters and story of Ghosts came to life.He loves to write because he can use his wacky and twisted imagination to create interesting characters that he brings to life on paper. Matt’s writing process with Ghosts started with a concept, “write a creepy haunted house story.” Ideas became scenes, which became characters that created a story. Matt made a deal with Manor House to tell its tale and so he did, but at what price?To learn more about Matt Powers and Ghosts of Manor House Visit:Twitter and Instagram: @ghostsofmanorhouseFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/GhostsofMano...

Ghosts - Sample Chapter

Eyes still closed, Mary listens. She listens to Edmund’s light snoring as he lies next to her. She is aware of the house at rest—the house she and Edmund have lived in since they married fifteen years ago. Outside she can hear a light breeze play through the trees. There is nothing to indicate anyone else is awake. No thumping down the hallway of her children… well, child. All the sinks and toilets are mute. She lies still and listens to the silence of the house.    Satisfied she is the only one awake, she gradually opens her eyes and stares at the back of her husband’s head. Edmund has always slept soundly. Mary hasn’t slept well in months—ever since Tommy drowned. She is glad Edmund can sleep; someone needs to be strong for the family. He seems to have found some peace in their loss.    She reaches out and gently touches his short hair. Edmund, my love. What he doesn’t know, and wouldn’t understand, is that their son, while dead, isn’t gone.    Mary slowly rolls to her other side. She sees the clock shimmering “4:17” The soft red glow of the digital clock casts a pink pale light across her side of the room. She blinks and watches the thin curtains shift in the light breeze coming through the open window.    She sits up on the edge of the bed and rests her feet on the cold wood floor. All her movements are slow and silent. She glances at the clock again, “4:18.” Almost the same time as the other nights. She doesn’t think the actual timing is important for this to work, but it can’t hurt to be consistent.    Next to the clock sit a crowd of prescription bottles. Pills for depression, pills for lack of energy, pills to help her sleep, pills to wake her up and pills so she forgets. Mary ignores the bottles. She stopped taking her medicine days ago, and has felt much better since.    She stands up and pauses, listening for changes in Edmund’s breathing.    She walks around the bed and into the bathroom. Gently closing the door, she turns on the small night-light. Evil Knievel, Tommy’s favorite.    The small light provides just enough illumination. She knows the layout of the bathroom well, so she doesn’t need the light to navigate but does need it to see if something changes, or if anything—or anyone—arrives.    Mary opens the bathtub curtain all the way. Turning her back, she peers into the mirror above the sink. From her tippy-toes she can see through the mirror into the tub. Mary pauses at the mirror, glancing at herself. The dim glow from the night-light casts rippled shadows across her skin. Her straight dark hair frames the pale skin of her face, making it appear paper-thin with dark circles under her eyes.    These visits are rare and always a bit different. But what Mary is sure of is that her son has visited her; she has felt him.    Mary turns the faucet and fills the sink with water. She dips a finger into the water then taps the mirror above the sink. As she taps, she whispers his name, “Tommy.” She says his name and taps again and again. Nothing happens.    Her whispers turn to sobs. She falls to her knees resting her arms on the sink and her body shudders. “I love you, baby. I love you, Tommy.” She sniffles. “Please visit me, Tommy. I miss you so much.”    Her sobbing slows. Mary breathes deeply. Where are you, my darling? Will I see you tomorrow night? Using the corner of the sink, she gradually pulls herself up. She rests her weight on the counter and stares at her reflection.    Mary shivers. She pulls her hands away from the sink and gently rubs her arms. She watches as a light frost creeps along the edge of the mirror. Her breath comes out in a white mist.    Then she hears it—a dripping sound—a light splash of water falling onto the tiled floor. She rises up on her toes. Using her hands on the sink to stay balanced, she looks into the mirror.    Through the mirror, Mary sees water in the tub gently moving back and forth. In the center of the tub a murky shape, pale white, manifests itself in the shadows. The shape shifts slightly. Water drips over the edge of the tub onto the floor.    She quickly turns away from the mirror to look at the bathtub. Her body trembles—a mix of excitement and fear. But it is empty. There is no water, no light reflecting off the gentle waves, and no floating body.    She takes quick, shallow breaths. For just a moment, her son was there. The room is still chilled; goose bumps rise on her skin. She breathes deeply and exhales a plume of mist.    There is a light probing touch on her hand. She continues to stare straight ahead. Something small, wet, and clammy grasps her hand. Mary smiles as she hears him speak. “I love you, Mommy.”Thanks for reading a sample of Ghosts of Manor House.  Sign up to receive updates and more information about the upcoming book.