Myrtle Mae and the Mirror in the Attic, Book Trailer - April

The House on Black Mill Road

Book one, of a series my wife and I have been working on, "Myrtle Mae and the Mirror in the Attic," is set to soon be released.  We have been working away on the second book in the series, Myrtle Mae and the Ring of Fire, which will hopefully be released next year.  Also, I haven't been sitting around on my hands when it comes to writing another story of my own.  The House on Black Mill road is in the works as a really scary Haunting story.  Here's a sampling of some of the writing...

A low rumble shook the foundation of the house.  Outside was a gentle autumn rain.  Leaves, just beginning to change their colors, and a slight bite to the breeze cooling even the last bit of warm air that swirled amidst the rain drops, were blowing across the old country road.
Inside, the window panes rattled in their frames and small amounts of dust and plaster fell from cracks into the howling breeze that had found its way in causing the air to have a haze-like appearance.
The damp, mold covered curtains fluttered until the foul spaces between them that let in even the faintest of light fell back into place darkening the secrets inside even more.  Spiders had made their presence with webbing that stretched from corners to floor and fell over everything like linen blankets.  Tiny corpses of flies and moths and many other creepy crawlies littered the dust covered floor. Amid paint chips and pieces of wallpaper, rats and mice had scattered other unmentionables along the warped floor boards and hallways.
Broken glass led to the occasional dead bird and broken window.  Many animals had entered here seeking shelter or food, but even now with a coming storm not a creature was stirring.  Not here.  Not in this house.
This house. This house. This house. This house groaned from pain.  It groaned in sorrow.  It ached in hunger.  It had filled its desires before on the few living that had filled its walls in the past, walls that had been infected long before wood was even cut.  The very ground had been spoiled and soured long ago.
Oh this house…

Myrtle Mae.... The new series!

Almost ten years in the making Myrtle Mae is on her way to shelves and Book Stores near you.  It started with a dream I had several years ago that involved a young girl standing in front of a mirror trying to figure out how to get through it.  She needed to save someone that had been taken through the mirror.  I woke up and jotted down notes and set it aside for a while.  I kept returning to it adding thoughts and notes but never really writing on it very much.  Then a few years later I married My wonderful wife Lynn, who is an amazing writer as well, and I asked her to collaborate with me on this series.  So we worked out an outline, broke the entire story into five books and started working one chapter at a time..Myrtle Mae and the Mirror in the Attic, the first book in the series is now finished and will soon be available.  Book Two is in the works as well as a new Spooky Ghost story i'm working on.  Keep checking in as I share more info later.

New Book coming soon...

Get ready... this August there will be a little magic in the air... Can you feel it? The adventure begins soon. Get ready to join Myrtle in a magical adventure that will change her life.

This book is book one in a series my wife and I have been working hard on for a while.  We think there will be five books in the series, but depending on how things go this may change. (It may be six.)  If you love the new fantasy world that was reintroduced to us about ten years ago by a wonderful author from the UK, you know who i mean, and you long for that type of series, hopefully this will be one for you.  I'll try to keep you updated as the release gets closer.  I hope you like it.  :)

Happy Thanksgiving! Here's my Favorite Turkey Recipe.

Basic Turkey

8 to 24-lb. frozen turkey, thawed

4 T. butter      

1 t. celery salt             

Pepper to taste           

Optional: fresh basil, parsley and thyme sprigs

Remove thawed turkey from its bag; remove giblet package from neck cavity and set aside for use in another recipe. With legs facing away, press one leg down near the leg clamp until released. Gently release other leg; do not remove clamp. Remove neck from body cavity and set aside; rinse inside and outside of turkey with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. If stuffing, allow 3/4 cup stuffing per each pound of turkey; stuff immediately before roasting. Re-clamp legs; place in a shallow roaster. Brush with butter; season with celery salt and pepper. Tuck sprigs of herbs around the turkey. Insert meat thermometer into the turkey thigh; bake at 325 degrees until thermometer registers 170 degrees. Once turkey begins to brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil. When turkey tests done, place it on a serving plate; let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving. In general, about one pound of uncooked turkey equals one serving; consider preparing about 2 pounds over and beyond the number of servings needed.

Gravy:

2 T. turkey drippings              

1-1/2 c. cold water, divided

2 T. cornstarch           

Pepper to taste

Blend turkey drippings and one cup water in a saucepan; heat over medium heat until hot. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch, remaining water and pepper; stir well. Gradually add cornstarch mixture to saucepan. Boil gently for 2 minutes. Makes 1-1/2 cups.

A sampling of "Crestwood."

Here's a taste of one of the chapters in my Horror novel "Crestwood." 

“Okay, okay,” started David.  “Well, I’ve got one for you.  Didn’t you all say that Mr. Armstrong had brought up the story of ‘Whispering Manor’ today in class?”  He stopped long enough to catch all of their nods that they did agree.  “Well I have a story that happened after that massacre, the next year the students returned.”  He knew they were listening, after all it was the story of the manor that prompted this evening and even Kevin, who had seemed distant up to this point, had found his attention drawn to David and a new twist in the story.

Accepting their readiness to hear the tale, he began.    “Now, like I said, it began the year the students returned to Crestwood,” he said standing himself up as he motioned for the others to follow his lead.  He continued the story as he spread them apart at arm’s length and began to blow out the candles, one by one.  Leslie begged him to leave one lit, but he wouldn’t.

                “A group of students had gotten together one night and decided to take a walk over to the manor and check it out.  They decided to at least wait until it was late enough that none of the regular school staff would be out and about, stopping them in their quest.  So, at about eleven-thirty, they all started their walk towards the manor.  Now, as you know yourselves,  they can follow Crestwood Drive until it turns towards the library, then you can take the brick walkway that leads past the sorority houses and finally wind back to the Crestwood manor.  They could see the place fall into view as they finished walking around the last curve in the walk way, clearing the trees.  They were all walking toward the house when one of the girls thought she heard something.

                “I can see you,” David said as he passed by Leslie in the darkness, making her jump and take in a deep, sharp breath.  She had heard that herself before, or at least she thought.

                David continued.  “The girl wasn’t sure where she heard it from, but she heard it.  They all stood in the darkness trying to make out the features of the house.  But even by straining their eyes in the moon light, they couldn’t make out much of the house or its surrounding buildings.  However, they all agreed that they could feel something odd about this place.  They could all feel a pulse alive and beating, like a heart.  After a little time had passed they agreed that other that the creepy feeling that this place gave off  it was still just the old Fraternity house and that they didn’t need to go any farther.  They all began to turn around as they heard, ‘I can see you’.  David passed by Ken and Andrea.

                “They had all heard it that time.  However, not wanting to stick around much longer, they all started walking again, just a little faster than before.  ‘I can see you”.  Walking this time between Jesse and Casey, causing one of them to jerk when David went on.

                “This time someone heard something when they stopped.  They thought it was a door shutting.  “I can see you,” he whispered in Brian’s ear, causing Brian to jump and almost punch David in the mouth.  “I can see you, he said again as he passed behind them all.

                “The students could hear it.  Someone was walking out of the house.  They heard the footsteps as whatever it was walked closer and closer to them. “I can see you,” David was in front of them now.  “I can see you,’ it said, ‘I can see you’ It was right behind them,” David said as he snuck in the darkness to stand behind the group for added effect.  “I can see you,” he said again as he tip-toed in front of them, ready to finish.  He continued, “With the horror of what could possibly be behind them, one by one the students slowly began to turn around to see what was after them when…AHHH!” David screamed as loud as he could, and realized so did everyone in the room.  Laughing hard and almost unable to walk straight, David turned on the living room lights, looking around the room at their faces.  He realized it wasn’t as funny to them as he thought it was.  The guys were holding their chests and heads.  The girls were doing pretty much the same except for the fact they were all huddled together.  Leslie was shaking badly and it looked as though she was about to have a break down.  Tears were already filling her eyes.

                “Oh my goodness, Leslie,” Andrea said, reaching over to try and comfort her, “What’s wrong? She asked as she put an arm around her.

                Leslie just shook her head as if to say nothing was wrong, but she knew that she looked ridiculous sitting there the way she was.  She knew she didn’t look like nothing was wrong.

                David walked over to her, sat on the couch arm nearest her and tried to apologize.  “Sorry Les, I mean, I didn’t think that that story would bother anyone.  I’m sorry if I’ve upset you.”

                “It’s okay, David.  I’m just paranoid, I guess.  Those dreams and stuff that’s been going on have just got me jumpy.  I just don’t feel well.”

                Leslie had said enough.  She was sick now, and if she didn’t get to the bathroom, she thought they all might see the pizza she had already eaten.  She stood up, excused herself and headed for the bathroom.

                                * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                Amber thanked the librarian for helping her find the books she needed as she placed them in her bag and headed towards the door.

“Just around the corner, and I’m there,” she said as she walked through the doors of the library and faced Crestview Drive.  A cool evening wind passed by her sending goose willies all over her body.

                Once back out on the sidewalk she heard the familiar clicking of her boots on the pavement, creating the same echoing response in the silence around her, comforting her somewhat by breaking the stale void, yet running through her, like the thought of sliding down a razor blade into a pool of alcohol.  Listening to her own steps brought to her attention what sounded like someone else was behind her.  Maybe someone else leaving the library, she thought, but then remembering the fact that, besides the librarians, she was the last one out brought her feet slowly to a stop, seeming to cause whoever was behind her to cease also.  She could feel her heart pounding so hard that she thought it was going to bust through her chest and splat against the hard, cool cement.  With a jerk of adrenalin she turned to look into the shadows behind her.  The slight breeze that had been blowing when she walked out of the library was still rustling the leaves and limbs of the nearby shrubs and trees, making shadows bounce across the walkway. The full moon illuminated open areas but confined the corners to darkness.  She couldn’t see anyone behind her and to be completely honest she didn’t see or hear anyone around her.

                “Maybe it’s just the echo of my own shoes I heard,” she said quietly to herself as she turned back around and started back toward the turn.  One way lead to the dorms and apartments while the other went passed the sorority houses.  She was only about a block away from the turn when she heard it again.   She knew it wasn’t her footsteps.  The others were closer and they fell out of sync with her own.

She panicked and started to run, tripping as she dropped her book bag under her feet.  She hit the ground hard, knocking the air from her lungs.  She saw the slight shadow cover her.  She tried to scream but not even enough air to breathe came out of her open, bleeding mouth.  Tears filled her eyes.  She knew.  Just as it pierced her back and busted through her heart.  She knew.

Welcome to my blog!

Have you read one of my books?  Are you a fan? Or maybe neither and this is your first encounter with me.  Eaither way, welcome to my blog.  I intend to use this blog to share with you some of my favorites, as well as keep you update about my books and anything new I'm doing.  Please feel free to join in on any conversations or ask me any questions you want.  Ok, that's all for now, look for more soon.  :)