This is my entry for Blog Battle, it is a poem so hope that is okay! I didn’t have time to write a full story as I didn’t get home from work until 7.30pm and the prompt seemed to scream poem, poem, poem!
I had the idea for this poem whilst walking to work this morning. I often get inspiration in the early hours of the day. I love the idea of a heart being like a cave – my title!
My Heart Is A Cave
My heart is a cave,
Hidden, dark and mysterious,
Stalactites and icy caverns,
Rock pools and hiding places.
No one visits anymore. I’m alone.
The ice is melting, and the stars seem so far away.
I long for light, life and laughter to discover me again.
I imagine it all.
While I wait ice drips in darling drops,
Drip, dropping.
The moon is high,
An orb of brilliant light, it grins at me.
I remember my past, days ago,
Children, a husband, lovers – even.
So I wait for someone to come,
For a torch to shine.
It comforts me that the moon is full.
Abundant.
Soon I will be reunited with you.
I imagine you smiling down on the cave.
Basic Rules:
The Prompt Word will be given the First Tuesday of Every Month.
Post your story by the 30th of the Same Month.
RULES 1000 words max (give or take a few) fictional tale (or true if you really want) Any genre that fits within PG-13 (or less) Content – let’s keep this family friendly! Your story must contain the randomly chosen word(s) and/or be centered around the word meaning in a way that shows it is clearly related. Go for the entertainment value! Put a link back to your #BlogBattle Short Story in the comments section Please tweet and otherwise share your battler buddies’ stories across social media. Use the hashtag #BlogBattle when tweeting all the stories so we can cross-share. Have fun!
It is my great pleasure to welcome K. M. McFarland to my blog today. Fellow author, and contributing participant in this year’s Ghostly Writes Anthology:
The Thinning Veil (A short story by K. M. McFarland from Ghostly Writes Anthology 2018.)
When you make a deal with Papa, he always keeps his end of the bargain,
but you better be damn sure you’re willing to pay the price.
MEET THE AUTHOR: K. M. McFarland made her way to the Big Easy in middle school by way of Nashville, Tennessee, and the Florida beaches. She immediately became intrigued by its ambiance. Stories of Voodoo, vampires, ghosts and haunted houses have been her inspiration as well as her fascination with New Orleans’ colorful history. When she isn’t writing or roaming the French Quarter researching her next book, you will find her spending time with her family, shopping online, or marathoning a good TV series. Photography, music, art, traveling, reading, coffee, and wine are among her favorite things.
Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Vampyr by K. M. McFarland
Series: The Bloodline Series, Book 1
Release Date: January 3, 2017
K. M. McFarland, Author
Act4Publishing
New Orleans, Louisiana
act4pub@gmail.com
Rock stars, vampires, nightlife, romance, and chaos set the tone for this intriguing vampire family saga in New Orleans’ French Quarter…
When West Side’s frontman, Quinn Forrester, mysteriously vanished in 1989, the band’s lead guitarist, Jeff West, suspected foul play. With no evidence, Jeff was never able to convince the authorities. It never occurred to Jeff that Quinn was turned into a vampire that night and hid away in the dark shadows of New Orleans. Years later, Quinn and his daughter formed a local nightclub act. Finding himself back in the public eye, ageless and immortal, Quinn reinvented himself as his son. Twenty-five years after Quinn’s sudden departure from the band, the opening of an art gallery brings Jeff to New Orleans. A beautiful artist, Quinn’s lookalike son, a vampire tour, romance, mayhem, and a series of events lead Jeff to Quinn. Finally, face-to-face with his long lost best friend, will Jeff uncover the shocking truth in this fast-paced character driven story?
Praises for Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Vampyr:
“K.M. McFarland may have just made a big contribution to the massive amount of vampire lore and books that have been created in the wake of Anne Rice.” —Ray Simmons -Readers’ Favorite
“The title says it all…set in New Orleans, an immortal character itself.” — Bookworks
“The New Orleans setting is exciting and filled with mystery.” —Jack Magnus -Readers’ Favorite
“A horror book in the way of Twilight. McFarland does a great job in bringing the reader to a whole new area of vampires and the location she picks is perfect.” —Blood Moon Rising Magazine
Praises for Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Vampyr:
“K.M. McFarland may have just made a big contribution to the massive amount of vampire lore and books that have been created in the wake of Anne Rice.” —Ray Simmons -Readers’ Favorite
“The title says it all…set in New Orleans, an immortal character itself.” — Bookworks
“The New Orleans setting is exciting and filled with mystery.” —Jack Magnus -Readers’ Favorite
“A horror book in the way of Twilight. McFarland does a great job in bringing the reader to a whole new area of vampires and the location she picks is perfect.” —Blood Moon Rising Magazine
Rock Star Quinn Forrester mysteriously vanished in 1989. His now grown up daughter, Nadia Forrester is playing a deadly game with alcohol, promiscuity, and an abusive relationship. When you’re living on the edge, reconnecting with your long lost father and discovering he is an immortal may not be such a bad thing.
Under a Bourbon Street Moon (The Vampyr Series, Book 2):
Country singer Amber Rose arrives in New Orleans from Nashville hoping to reconnect with former rock star Quinn Forrester whom she has learned is her biological father. But there are a lot of things she doesn’t know about her father, and she soon finds herself caught up in a world of vampires, ghosts, and Voodoo.
Quinn Forrester has his hands full dealing with a new romance, his vampire daughter, his mortal daughter who sees dead people, his spiritually connected vampire ex-girlfriend who is her mentor and his not so dearly departed ex-wife that just won’t stay dead. Is his mansion big enough? Being undead can get complicated.
Buy Link: http://amzn.to/2nPUAYS
Author Q & A:
What made you choose to write in the paranormal genre?
I live in New Orleans and I have always been fascinated with the New Orleans legends of vampires and ghosts. Our city was built on a swamp, so we don’t bury our dead. Instead, they are interred above ground so we won’t meet up with them in the next hard rain. Our cemeteries are tourist attractions, but there’s something romantic about them. Voodoo is also a part of our culture whether we believe or not. Our history is colorful and intriguing. If you walk down Bourbon Street on any day/night of the week, you can see how easily vampires could blend in. But in this age of technology, vampires would have to be able to blend in with humans and play nice with them. That idea was the beginning of the Vampyr series.
What is your favorite paranormal creature and why?
I would have to say vampires. I started reading Anne Rice novels when The Vampire Lestat was first published, and Lestat is responsible for my obsession with vampires. My vampire novels also feature ghost stories so vampires followed by ghosts.
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Yes. Thank you for your support. Thank you for reading. Your kind reviews and words make it all worthwhile. I write to entertain, so when someone reads my work and feels entertained, it makes me happy. Thank you.
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release:
A New Orleans author’s new book receives a warm literary welcome.
Readers’ Favorite announces the review of the Fiction – Paranormal book “Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Vampyr” by K. M. McFarland, currently available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQPJ9TS.
Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.
“Reviewed By Ray Simmons for Readers’ Favorite
Some time in 1975 or 1976, Ila Bosarge gave me a copy of Interview With The Vampire, written by some author I had never heard of called Anne Rice. I wasn’t too keen on reading it because I’m not into horror so much. But I was into Ila. She was and is one of the great friends of my life and she was a very smart girl so I read the book. It changed my perspective on vampires. I think it changed the world’s perception of vampires. Bram Stoker might have written the book on vampires, but Anne Rice rewrote it. K.M. McFarland may have just made a big contribution to the massive amount of vampire lore and books that have been created in the wake of Anne Rice. Some of these I have read, some of them I just can’t get into. I got into Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Vampyr. I look forward to seeing more of The Bloodline Trilogy series.
I love that Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Vampyr takes place in New Orleans. It is the perfect setting for a vampire story and, since I grew up a two-hour drive away, I am intimately familiar with the city. I like K.M. McFarland’s take on vampire lore. Every writer has a different approach and I like hers. I like her characters. Lestat might have been a very interesting vampire, but he was sometimes difficult to like. I like Quinn. I like his family. Family is something Lestat could never get right. It seems to me that without a functional family, being immortal would become a chore. The writing is good. The plot works, and the vampires are fashionable and friendly. If you are in the market for a new vampire book, try this one.”
You can learn more about K. M. McFarland and “Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, and Vampyr” at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/sex-blood-rock-n-roll-and-vampyr where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.
Readers’ Favorite LLC
Media Relations
Louisville, KY 40202
800-RF-REVIEW
support@readersfavorite.com https://readersfavorite.com
I’m so thrilled to be discovering new and exciting authors via this anthology. I love vampire stories!
The Ghostly Goodbye by M J Mallon
The Ghostly Goodbye is a paranormal love story about a young woman called Iris who can’t get over her husband’s death. She is mourning him so much that she feels dead inside. Her husband Ed sends her a ghostly message from beyond the grave via an old forgotten garment in her wardrobe. She responds by dragging herself from her tomb-like bed and he draws back the curtain of death to visit her in a most unusual way.
A warm welcome to fellow Ghostly Writer – Mary R. Woldering who like me is one of the authors in this year’s Ghostly Writes Anthology which releases on Halloween!
Thank you to Mary for this interesting anecdote about Raemkai’s Stairs to whet your appetite…
I’ve often been asked how I came up with my characters. When I was a college student in Memphis, TN, I and several friends were amateur psychic researchers. One spirit we encountered was a wolf spirit known as Raemkai who had been mysteriously confined to a staircase in an old house and seemed somewhat demonic (but more of a trickster) in nature. There were two other spirits. I decided to tell their story – adding a bit here and there.
And by the way Raemkai became an important anti-hero in my Historical Fantasy series of Ancient Egypt and the gods Children of Stone because there was so much more to him that we originally thought.
Here is how the story starts:
Raemkai’s Stairs.
His head rose from his crossed paws and his dark snout sniffed at the air.
Is that smoke? Is the house on fire? Did the wiring in this old place finally spark out? the wolf rose and padded around on the upper landing. Then, looking down the stairs, he saw the wild-haired man slouched and warming his hands over a low, licking flame. A discordant yowl rose from his weaving and rocking form:
“Bebe Lie mie fiyah…cmon bebe lie mie fiyah…”
A drunk broke in from the cold to warm his hands. I was only going to tease him for provoking my rest, but now the bastard gets the full visual for the fire.
Materializing from the head down, the wolf spirit slowly altered his shape. He became a red furred hellhound with oversized glowing green eyes and saber teeth. With a howling growl, he extended his clawed hands, seized the man’s ragged shoulders, lifted him high overhead and flung him to the floor beside the pile of smoldering papers.
“My house!” he shrieked. “My stairs! Put out the damned fire and get out!” he zipped around and lunged at the scrambling man who whimpered and swatted the flames with his hands. As the sparks flew and died, the man kept screaming, kicked his empty liquor bottle, and ran.
Sounds terrific doesn’t it?
CLAIRE PLAISTED HOPES TO HAVE THE BOOK FREE WITHIN A WEEK OF PUBLISHING ON AMAZON.
THE ANTHOLOGY WILL BE FREE ON THE 31ST OCTOBER ON NOOK, KOBO, APPLE etc. The link below is the pre-order ebook. The ebook will be priced at 99p/99c until Amazon agree to make it FREE as on other sites.
To find out more about the anthology follow this link:
CHILDREN OF STONE
1)Voices in Crystal 2) Going Forth By Day 3)Opener of the Sky 4) Heart of the Lotus 5) Lake of Memory – coming 2019-20
EMOTIVE, EXOTIC & BEAUTIFUL!!
WALK WITH THOSE WHO ONCE BECAME GODS.
The Mystery of Ancient Egypt RETOLD – in a combo of fantasy, real history, mythology and magic. Like GAME OF THRONES in Ancient Egypt – With ALIENS
Like ancient superheroes, those touched by the Children of Stone wander through the reality of ancient legends, RESHAPING myth and history.
Unforgettable people and their stories of mysticism, magic and never-ending love.
The Ghostly Goodbye by M J Mallon
The Ghostly Goodbye is a paranormal love story about a young woman called Iris who can’t get over her husband’s death. She is mourning him so much that she feels dead inside. Her husband Ed sends her a ghostly message from beyond the grave via an old forgotten garment in her wardrobe. She responds by dragging herself from her tomb-like bed and he draws back the curtain of death to visit her in a most unusual way.
The Black Cat Bookstore by Pamela Silva
A Cat For Christmas by Eve Merrick-Williams
Detour by M. E Hembroff
Dead Man’s Divorcee Club by J G Clay
Funhouse of Horror by Cassandra Jones
Underneath The Mirrors Surface by Adele Marie Park: https://firefly465.wordpress.com/
Haunted North Street by Michelle Hughes
and a poem – Midnight Moon by Kyrena Lynch
WE HOPE TO HAVE THE BOOK FREE WITHIN A WEEK OF PUBLISHING ON AMAZON.
THE ANTHOLOGY WILL BE FREE ON THE 31ST OCTOBER ON NOOK, KOBO, APPLE etc. The link below is the pre-order ebook. The ebook will be priced at 99p/99c until Amazon agree to make it FREE as on other sites.
Here’s my entry for Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge.
It’s been ages since I’ve been able to take part due to long working hours, etc, but seeing as it is nearly Halloween I couldn’t resist! For Haunt I chose lair, and for spell I decided upon trick.
Hope you enjoyed my Tanka….
THIS IS THE PRE-ORDER LINK…WE ARE HOPING THE BOOK WILL BE FREE VIA AMAZON WITH IN A WEEK OF PUBLICATION.
MEANWHILE IT WILL BE FREE ON THE 31ST OCTOBER ON NOOK, KOBO, APPLE, TOLINO etc.
A huge welcome to my dear friend, fellow author Marcia Meara…
It’s lovely to be here with you today, Marje, and I thank you for inviting me over. I’m really excited to share a little about The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody with you and your readers.
To Love Somebody is the middle book of The Emissary Trilogy, and like Book 1, it was a lot of fun to write. This little series of novellas is my first foray into what I call Urban Fantasy Lite, and it features a ginormous, white-winged archangel named Azrael. Popular books today often involve romances between heavenly beings and beautiful women here on earth, but this angel keeps his robe on at all times. In fact, Azrael can get downright snippy when questioned about such dubious affairs, and believe me, making the archangel angry is never a good idea.
I hope the blurb and short excerpt below will tempt some of your followers to check out these novellas. Both Book 1 and Book 2 of the trilogy are quick, easy reads, which are definitely not meant to be taken as serious religious dogma. Rather, they are merely excursions into a bit of “what-if-ery,” with a few nuggets of universal truths scattered throughout.
Note: I do need to point out that this middle book of the Emissary Trilogy is not a stand-alone novella. With that in mind, Book 1, The Emissary, can be downloaded HERE.
BLURB
They’re back!
Jake and Dodger, the first (and so far, only) Emissaries to the Angels, are on the road again.
They’re looking for mortals about to take a wrong turn. You know the ones—the kid thinking about stealing from a corner market or the man planning to lie about a coworker and destroy her career. Yeah, them. People on the brink of making a mistake that could send them down that wrong road and jeopardize their mortal souls.
Of course, there are rules by which the emissaries must play, and the archangel Azrael stands ready to enforce them. First and foremost, a person’s free will must never be compromised. Emissaries are allowed to use only the smallest of mental nudges. Thankfully, a whispered suggestion here or images of a better course of action there is usually all it takes. The potential mugger walks on by. The thief drops the wallet back into the unattended purse. But whether the results are obvious or not, Jake and Dodger are fully committed to making a positive difference, even as they struggle with issues of their own.
Will Dodger get over losing his chance to learn what true love is all about? Will Jake survive the grueling angelic equivalent of Boot Camp? Will Azrael ever finish the Official Emissarial Guidebook—including the chapter titled Do Not Even Think About It?
One thing’s for sure—Jake’s and Dodger’s strengths are growing daily, as they help more and more people make better choices. But is the price for so much power higher than they’re willing to pay?
EXCERPT
(Jake and Dodger)
“You know, there’s a lot more to Florida than just sand and waves. I’m thinking we’re overdue for a change of scenery. Maybe when we finish our loop through Key West, we could head to the center of the state again.”
Dodger stared at the floor a long minute before answering. “That didn’t work out so well last time.”
“That doesn’t mean it won’t ever work out again, does it?”
Silence.
“Come on now, Dodge. There are people living in non-coastal areas who could use our help, too, you know.” The memory of a lost young man from the little town of Riverbend came to mind, and he hoped yet again that all was well with him, then focused on Dodger once more. “We shouldn’t ignore them, in spite of what happened in Clewiston. If we can’t ever return to places where we weren’t able to save someone, we might end up someday with nowhere left to go.”
Reluctantly, Dodger nodded. “Okay. I get that. But we don’t have to go back to that exact spot yet, do we?”
“Definitely not. I’m considering a couple of places more scenic.”
“Scenic? You mean there are places away from the ocean where I can still enjoy girls in bikinis?”
“Probably, since Florida has plenty of lakes, rivers, and swimming pools. But I was thinking more along the lines of wildlife.”
Dodger cocked his head. “Yeah? I didn’t think emissaries were allowed to have any kind of wild life at all.”
“One word, kid. Wildlife.”
“Oooh,” Dodger drawled, eyes twinkling. “You mean like lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!”
“More like birds, and alligators, and snakes.”
The boy grimaced. “I was afraid you were gonna say that.”
Jake had to give Dodger his due, though–he accepted the new plans with very little grumbling. After they’d spent a few productive days in Key West, they said goodbye to the emerald waters of the Gulf, and hello to the darker beauty of places with names like Big Cypress Preserve, Corkscrew Swamp, and the Fakahatchee Strand.
And if the boy wondered whether they’d really find themselves needed in these relatively quiet, remote places, he soon found out Trouble never does a head count before showing up to cause misery.
Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years, four big cats, and two small dachshunds. When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. At the age of five, Marcia declared she wanted to be an author, and is ecstatic that at age 69, she finally began pursuing that dream. Her belief in the redemptive power of love is a unifying factor in both of her popular series and her poetry. Today, she’s still going strong, and plans to keep on writing until she falls face down on the keyboard, which she figures would be a pretty good way to go!
Marcia has published six novels, one novella, and one book of poetry to date, all of which are available on Amazon:
It’s been such a pleasure having you visiting my blog Marcia. You are such a lovely, friendly lady who I admire so much and your new book sounds fascinating. Love that excerpt! Wishing you much happiness and continued success. xxx
Thank you so much to Donna for this lovely blog post and review of my Curse of Time and Teagan’s The Glowing Pig. What can I say? Dr Who, Teagan I are glowing with the praise like a bunch of very pink, jolly time travelling piggies. 🙂 x
This second installment of The Box Under the Bed series, Dark Visions, is filled with strange and creepy stories sure to keep your heart racing. Enter into a dark world of the macabre, the mystical and the malevolent, featuring 33 spine tingling tales that just may keep you up at night. Edited and compiled by Amazon bestselling author Dan Alatorre, this anthology of horror stories brings together the minds and pens of twenty seven authors:
34 stories by 27 authors. A few bestselling authors on that list, and quite a few prize winning authors.
Prologue: Now Comes Death, part one
1. The Corner Shop – Dan Alatorre
2. The Stranger – Allison Maruska
3. The Right Time To Move On – Jenifer Ruff
4. Devil’s Hollow – Adele Marie Park
5. Where The Black Tree Grows – MD Walker
6. The Storm – J A Allen
7. The Bloody Dogwood Tree – Dabney Farmer
8. Ghosts Of Tupelo – Sharon Cathcart
9. Cabin 5 – Heather Kindt
10. Bella And Button – Allison Maruska
11. Doll’s Play – Bonnie Lyons
12. Spirit Lake – Sharon Connell
13. Ice Cream – Geoff LePard
14. A Glimpse Of The Monster – Anne Marie Andrus
15. A Best Selling Lie – Christine Valentor
16. Normal Things – BA Helberg
17. Roadkill – Ernesto San Giacomo
18. Behind The Leather Apron – Alana Turner
19. Clicking And Clacking – Nick Vossen
20. The Haunting Of William – Robbie Cheadle
21. Where The Power Hides – Anne Marie Andrus
22. Nightmare Man – Betty Valentine
23. The Willow Tree – Robbie Cheadle
24. The Changeling – Christine Valentor
25. What If – Geoff LePard
26. Swimming – Frank Parker
27. The Call – Juliet Nubel
28. La Garconniere – Bonnie Lyons
29. Lucifer’s Revenge – Christine Valentor
30. The Nightmare – Lori Micken
31. Who Am I – Chuck Jackson
32. The Documentary – Ellen Best
33. The Doctor’s Walk – Betty Valentine
34. Excavation Murder – Victoria Clapton#
