Book Review (LX) Macabre Sanctuary

Thrills. Chills. Shadows and superstitions. Things that go bump in the night. Macabre Sanctuary boasts suspenseful fiction designed to elicit goosebumps and raise heartrates.

Learn the lore of a haunted island.

Grapple with the undead while robbing graves Halloween night.

Endure a hazing ritual unlike any other.

Deal with a demon at an All Souls' Day celebration.

See what happens when you court death in the wild.

Battle zombies and cannibals in a quest to stay alive.

Travel back in time to witness the birth of true evil.

Fear prophetic nightmares made manifest.

Come to terms with new ethereal realities.

Befriend a feline to extend earthly life.

This collection from ten talented authors offers ghosts and demons, spirits and zombies, cannibals and killers… even a ferocious animal. Historical and contemporary tales of violence and fright keep readers on the edges of their seats. There’s something for everyone who loves spine-tingling, bone-chilling, blood-curdling stories.

Buy link: Amazon FREE

My Review

Macabre Sanctuary  is a collection of 10 short stories, that will have you hearing sounds, and hoping that you  haven’t forgotten to lock the backdoor. The descriptive tales are easy to read and will keep you turning page after page. The build up to each ending was something to look forward to!  In each of the stories, a life is about to be changed forever, with terrifying results.

Ten unique authors’ voices with one thing in common: the drive to terrify you. Not for the faint of heart! I recommend this collection for those who like a little horror in their life. All these short stories are just what horror fans are looking to find - a bit of fright for their night.

I loved them all, no matter the length. All display the deep gift of the writer in creating art that causes us to feel, be it fear or disgust.

I hope that Macabre Sanctuary will get the popularity it deserves!

Guest Promo (CLXXV) Craig Boyack and The Experimental Notebook

I have a wonderful guest visiting today. Please, welcome Craig Boyack with his latest release The Experimental Notebook.  What could he write down in it, huh?  
He is on a tour with a collection of short stories, and also shares with us from his writing experience. So without further talk here is our guest.

Thanks for inviting me today, Carmen. I'm here to talk about my newest book, The Experimental Notebook of C. S. Boyack II.

 Buy link The Experimental Notebook

This book is a collection of short stories that can be read individually during a lunch break, or even a coffee break in some cases. They run the gamut of science fiction, paranormal, and even one fantasy.

Carmen wanted me to discuss the difference between short form and novels. To be honest, there isn't much available online and most of those articles tell you to make them shorter. While that may be true, it isn't much help. I've had to learn all this myself, by reading some classics, watching some films, and trying things out.

With a novel, you have enough room to detail scenes, do some world building, and go on a traditional hero's journey. A short story isn't capable of all that, but you might weave some bits in there. One of my short stories is called Last Flight of the Rocket Men, and it's one of the longer ones. I spent a little bit of time exploring this new world, but not in the detail you might get in a novel.

I think most good short stories are about an epiphany. The character growth is limited to that moment, and revealing it is the basis of the short story. She really does love me, aliens are real, I'm moving out and going to Orlando. Sure in my stories it might be an extraordinary event in that person's life. Possibly even the end of their life. But the epiphany is there.

I also wrote a short story lesson that went semi-viral one day. It involves the twist endings that sometimes show up in short form. These make the stories fun, and I included one of my own micro-fiction pieces as an illustration. The story is from the first Experimental Notebook, which is also 99¢. Those of you who are interested might want to check it out at https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2016/04/09/a-short-fiction-trick/

Take a 99¢ chance. Short fiction is a time honored way of telling a story, and it nearly died out. Amazon gave it a new lease on life, and it's one of my favorite forms.
                                                  ***

Yes, blooging buddies, follow Craig's advice and take this 99c. chance. It's worth it, trust me!
 Buy link:

Thank you Craig for being my guest today! How's Lisa, your radio assistant, by the way?

                           

You can find more about the author and his works here:

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