Horror Aficionados discussion
This topic is about
The Restoration
Group Reads: Guest Author Invite
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May 2022 Group Read with Guest Author, J.H. Moncrieff
Thank you so much, Kimberly! I'm so excited about this. I've been a huge fan of this group since my first book was published, and being a guest author was always a dream of mine.Thanks in advance to all the Aficionados who give my book a read! I really hope you enjoy it, and I'm happy to answer any and all questions.
This is great! Thanks for joining J.H. Looking forward to it!
Mod
Looking forward to reading this with y'all!
This book looks good can’t wait to read it !
Oh! Good, not by myself! I’m in!
Thanks so much, everyone! I hope you enjoy the haunting. ;)
Looks intriguing! I am in! Welcome J.H.!
Hello, and welcome, J.H.!
Mod
I just joined the group just for this 😊Looking forward to May! 🥰
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Mod
One of my particular favorites!!!! :D
Mod
One of my particular favorites!!!! :D"
Right??! I can't wait to read it again, this time maybe I won't hold my breath the whole time.
Mod
One of my particular favorites!!!! :D"
Right??! I ..."
I love the infusion of fact with fiction/speculation!!!
Mod
Looking forward to May! 🥰"
Welcome to HA! Hope you enjoy it here.
Our group reads are the best!
This is a brilliant book and an excellent choice. You're all going to love it!
Just joined and looking forward to reading this!
Beaubooks wrote: "I just joined the group just for this 😊Looking forward to May! 🥰"
Aw, that's SO nice! Thank you so much. xx
Kasia wrote: "I have also read Return to Dyatlov Pass also by J.H. and it was awesome! I highly, highly recommend it as well :)" Thank you so much, Kasia! I'm so glad you liked it. It has a sorta sequel too, just because so many people wanted to know what happened after. x
Catherine wrote: "This is a brilliant book and an excellent choice. You're all going to love it!"Thank you so much, Cat! You're the best. xx
Char wrote: "Hello, and welcome, J.H.!"Thanks for having me! This is seriously a dream come true for me.
Thank you all for your warm welcome! I'm looking forward to telling some ghost stories. :)
I am realllly excited to read this one! It looks really good. I love a good haunted house story!
Kasia wrote: "I have also read Return to Dyatlov Pass also by J.H. and it was awesome! I highly, highly recommend it as well :)"I am with you there! I loved it!
Just got my copy and I'm trying to restrain myself until May to get started--
Kevin wrote: "Just got my copy and I'm trying to restrain myself until May to get started--"Thanks so much, Kevin! I hope you love it. :)
I bought my copy and I hope to start around the middle of the month. I'm really looking forward to it!
I bought my copy today. I look forward to begin reading it tonight.
Char wrote: "I bought my copy and I hope to start around the middle of the month. I'm really looking forward to it!"Thanks so much, Char! I hope you love it. x
Leigh wrote: "I bought my copy today. I look forward to begin reading it tonight."Thanks, Leigh! I really hope you enjoy the book. x
Rachel wrote: "Well, this sounds right up my alley. Just bought my copy so I can join in."Thanks so much, Rachel! I hope you love it. x
Nick wrote: "I am realllly excited to read this one! It looks really good. I love a good haunted house story!"Thanks, Nick! I really hope you like this one.
E wrote: "Just joined and looking forward to reading this!"Thanks for joining! I hope you love it.
Mod
Looks like I'll be starting sooner than I expected, at lunch today. My last book was just not working for me. J.H. Can you tell us a little bit about how this book came about?
Kimberly wrote: "I plan on diving back into this one tonight!!"Kim, aren't you sick of me yet? :D
Rachel wrote: "Just got started and read the first 2 chapters. Really liking the vibe so far, but just have to say [spoilers removed]"Thanks, Rachel! Glad you're liking the vibe. :)
Char wrote: "Looks like I'll be starting sooner than I expected, at lunch today. My last book was just not working for me. J.H. Can you tell us a little bit about how this book came about?"
Thanks, Char! Sorry to hear about your other book.
As for how this book came about, sure! I'll post a little intro.
Hello, fellow Horror Aficionados!There's an interesting backstory to this book. Before the pandemic hit, I was one of four dark-fiction writers selected to spend the night in a historic haunted house, and write about my experiences. On Friday the 13th, no less. We returned to read our finished stories on Halloween night.
The house was an example of Queen Anne architecture, from the same time period as the one in The Restoration, and had also been completely restored. (Dalnavert House, if you'd like to check it out. Their website has a virtual tour.)
Each writer got to choose where they wrote, and I chose Jack's room. Jack was the son of the famous family who'd owned the home, and he'd died of diabetes in that room. I figured if anything was going to happen that night, it would be most likely to happen in Jack's room.
My hunch was right.
I was sitting on the floor with my back against the wall when something compelled me to stand up and walk over to the window. I set my laptop down on the floor, and got up. Just as I reached the window, BAM!
The closet door flew open, right into my laptop! It was so loud, all the other writers--who were in different parts of the house--heard and thought I'd dropped something. I tried my best to recreate the experience--jumping up and down on the floor, walking back and forth to the window, trying to leave the closet door ajar (not possible--it was either shut tight or it opened), etc. When the other writers showed up, they tried too.
They all remarked on how much colder it was in that room than in other parts of the house. As the night went on (yes, I continued to stay in that room, alone), it got so cold that I had my coat on and a blanket over me. Finally, at about 4 am, it was like the Arctic in there, so I left.
The deal was that each writer had to submit a short story inspired by the house. While writing mine, I felt there was a lot more to it, so I pitched the idea of The Restoration to the publisher, and they said yes.
To date, it's the only book I've been paid an advance for BEFORE it was written.
I really hope all of you enjoy it, even if you don't agree with Terri's choices.
One of the things that sets me apart is I travel to the most haunted places in the world to write my books, especially my GhostWriters series. I'm also on several true crime TV documentary series as an on-air writer-expert (Cruise Ship Killers and the upcoming Shoot To Kill and Sunshine Slayings). I'm happy to answer any questions you might have!
Thanks for sharing that story!I'm not sure I'd have the guts to stay after that. I like to think I would. I have never experienced anything even remotely supernatural in my life, and sometimes I think I would like to. And other times I think it's better not to. If that makes any sense?
Mod
Kim, aren't you sick of me yet? :D"
I think this is my third time reading RESTORATION....hoping to pick up on more I may have missed!!!
Mod
There's an interesting backstory to this book. Before the pandemic hit, I was one of four dark-fiction writers selected to spend the night in a historic haunted h..."
I think this is amazing. Obviously there's research going into every book, but having the first hand feelings, and knowledge by visiting these locations comes out so clearly--it makes me feel as though "I've" been there, myself!
Char wrote: "Thanks for sharing that story!I'm not sure I'd have the guts to stay after that. I like to think I would. I have never experienced anything even remotely supernatural in my life, and sometimes I ..."
It totally makes sense, Char. I intentionally seek out ghosts, always forgetting just how terrifying it is when something supernatural happens.
Kimberly wrote: "J.H. wrote: "Hello, fellow Horror Aficionados!There's an interesting backstory to this book. Before the pandemic hit, I was one of four dark-fiction writers selected to spend the night in a histo..."
Thanks, Kim! I can't believe this is your third read! Wow, I'm honoured.
Dalnavert House is worth a visit, even if it wasn't haunted. It's absolutely beautiful.
I'm about 30% in and I'll say one thing:I don't care for this Vandermere woman. (However it's spelled.) I don't care for her at all.
Mod
Char wrote: "I'm about 30% in and I'll say one thing:I don't care for this Vandermere woman. (However it's spelled.) I don't care for her at all."
😁
Kimberly wrote: "Jumping on Char's comment, I was wondering if the owner of the estate was based--even loosely--on anyone you know? ;)"No, all fiction! I don't normally have characters inspired by actual people. Dragonfly Summer is the rare exception.
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
Return to Dyatlov Pass (other topics)Those Who Came Before (other topics)
City of Ghosts (other topics)
Book of the Dead (other topics)
Return to Dyatlov Pass (other topics)
More...
For the month of May, 2022, we will be joined by author J.H. Moncrieff, as we read the novel, THE RESTORATION : The Restoration ! The author will be on hand to answer any questions, and add to discussions--including the real-life event that inspired this novel.
Please join me in welcoming J.H. Moncrieff to the Horror Aficionados!