EXCERPT: MONSTER INSIDE

This, sadly, is inspired by my first marriage. What's it feel like to be married to a monster? 

"Another night after another day and him rotten like always, using his eyes to frighten her, his mouth to curse her and torment her. He’s let her leave the room this time. Sometimes he doesn’t. It depends on his mood.

She can’t even remember what the fight was over—something stupid but not to him, never to him.

He doesn’t beat her; his mode of operation is to kill her slowly—destroying her mind and wearing her down. He wants her to die or to lose what’s left of her soul.

She doesn’t even want to run away anymore. Those pitiful dreams have died along with hope. Hope, a barely remembered word something lost from long ago.

The funny thing is no one would believe the truth. Take this evening; they had guests all over the place. Nice, happy sparkly-eyed people; friends of his mainly. She hasn’t any friends now, they drifted away.

She’s protected his secret too long, you see..."

AMAZON

Caligula, Nero and More!

Eco, the demon has penned a journal of confessions. From Ancient Egyptian vampire cults, Roman vampire brothels, The Dark Ages, The Crusades, The Black Death of 1348, on to his meeting with the child murderer and satanist Gilles de Rais, and concluding with his wicked, blood-soaked affair with the Blood Countess herself, Erzebat Bathory. The pages are filled with debauchery, vice and murder. This is an excerpt about Caligula, 

 
From Eco's Journal:

"Rome glittered in the blazing light of midday when I arrived. Great crowds milled around. Romans often gossiped and debated one another vociferously. Some defending the government, others decrying it. Not the rabble, of course; they scurried and worked hard and groveled before their betters, which of course was their place and their calling. I am if nothing a snob and always have been.

Standing there, trying to get my bearings, wondering which foot to set forth next, I suddenly heard someone call my name and turned to find Pulinius hurrying to my side.

Now came the moment I did dread for I knew I would have to tell him about Ankata. I opened my mouth to but he stopped me. “I know.”

I was incredulous. “How do you know?”

“A friend of yours told me. A man came by a few days ago, a rather handsome young man who told me all about it.”

I knew it had to have been Satan in his human form. It didn’t surprise me. Satan did things like that. He could, it seemed, often be in two places at once, sometimes even more than two.

Actually, I was relieved and began to relax, as I no longer felt the pressure of imparting my sad news.

Pulinius put his arm about my shoulder. “I was dreadfully sorry to hear of Ankata’s death. I know how much she meant to you.”

I wondered what Satan had told him for Ankata’s death was related to how she felt about Jesus. Pulinius went on. “She grew tired of her existence, that’s what your friend said. Further, he said you had gone to rest with his family, is that right?”

“Oh, most definitely. And I do feel better now.”

“That is good. That is as it should be. And the other business, what of that?”

He of course meant the Jesus affair.

“All settled.”

Pulinius nodded. “Yes, Pilate sent dispatches. Of course, time will tell. There are quite a number of the rabbi’s supporters in and around Rome you know, although most have gone into hiding. I think they fear an action from Rome but so far there has been none.” Pulinius patted me on the back. “Well now, come and have wine with me. We shall have something more exotic later.”

We went to our favorite little wine shop near the market.

I asked him how the brothel was. His face lit up. “It is better than ever. Busier than ever, too. The old man is on his way out, Eco.”

He meant of course Tiberius.

“Yes.” He went on. “We’re all bored with him. But I must tell you what I have discovered! He has the most amazing nephew; actually, he is his adopted grandson. This fellow is a handsome rascal and as wild as they come. You should see what he gets up to! If anyone was a natural for a vampire, it is he!”

I was intrigued and asked to meet this young man. “What do they call him?”

“Caligula,” Pulinius replied.

*

My coven was delighted to see me and greeted me warmly, stripping down and doing all sorts of things to beguile me to bed them—which of course I did, and I did it without feeling guilty about Ankata. Besides, Ankata had been a lusty wench sharing herself with all of them, whatever their sex.

I bedded several of the wenches at once with Pulinius joining in. Actually, he not only joined in with them, he coupled with the beautiful young male vampires we had as well, allowing them to feed upon him wherever they liked.

Pulinius was a daring character for he never cared how much blood he lost through his varied and sometimes surprising sexual machinations. It was surprising it hadn’t killed him.

I did meet Caligula and he was even wilder than I had imagined. He was a voracious sexual beast, a human with an appetite for sex and degradation that was unsurpassed.

I agreed that if ever there was a natural for vampiric creation, it was he. He was there almost every day, cavorting and having the time of his life. But when he wasn’t there, some days went by and Pulinius commented that Caligula must be up to something.

He was, for suddenly Tiberius was dead. Almost immediately after, Caligula summoned us to the palace to tell us exactly which poison he had used.

“You should have seen it! It was so fantastic! In a moment, poof! My problem was gone!”

It most certainly was and he saw to it, for he was now what he wanted to be—Emperor of Rome, an all-powerful ruler who intended to carry on with his debauched lifestyle.

We did our part. We began to supply him with wenches but he still came to the brothel as well. He liked to get out and about, he said.

His antics were wild and became increasingly wilder as the years passed. Eventually, he made his palace into a giant brothel.

I liked him so much, I happened to tell him of my parentage. You see, I planned to create him. Well, it was something he wished and I thought he deserved the honor.

And so, to prepare him I told him of the war in Heaven. It meant nothing to him; however, he did understand the concept of being a god.

“You are a god!” he shouted. “I am one too, you know.”

I tried to look suitably impressed but really, it only confirmed what I thought—Caligula was suffering from madness even greater than my own!

Well, it takes one to know one.

“I tell you what!" I said. "As a God, you will be able to outdo me with one hand tied behind your back! How does that sound?"

He looked thrilled. “I know! I will command the senator's wives to participate in a sexual contest! They would never dare to refuse me and to make it even more fun, we will have this performed in front of the entire Senate!"

I was incredulous but tried not to show it.

So it happened, and it was great fun. I think, though, it rather hurried his assassination along for almost immediately after it, the young man was done away with. His elite Palatine Guard had been bribed, paid handsomely to assassinate him.

Sadly, this occurred before I created him. You see, despite ‘being a god,’ he did wish to be a vampire. We had arranged for the creation but our plans went awry and he was done to death as they say.

I didn’t see it myself, but I heard about it.

Even as he was run through with the sword, he was shocked he wasn’t a god. ‘I die,’ he said. And so he did.”

AMAZON 

AWARDS:

eBook Festival of Words 2014

Best Horror: The House on Blackstone Moor and

Best Villain: Eco

Top 10 Books - 2013 - The House on Blackstone Moor

Aoife Marie Sheridan - ALL THINGS FANTASY

Publisher, Ultimate Fantasy Books

'

92 Horror authors you need to read right now,

Carole Gill - The Blackstone Vampires Series. ~Charlotte Books Examiner

2014 - Amazon Bestseller in Dark Fantasy - THE BLACKSTONE VAMPIRES OMNIBUS

2015 - Amazon Bestseller in Vampire Horror - THE BLACKSTONE VAMPIRES OMNIBUS

$4.99 complete series!

AMAZON 

DARKEST GOTHIC ROMANCE YOU'LL EVER READ 4 NOVELS, $3.99

This is darkest Gothic romance combined with horror. You have to like the dark for this. It's a tough journey and it begins with The House on Blackstone Moor and ends with The Fourth Bride (of Dracula).

The series spans many human lifetimes because it is the story of vampires. The saga begins in Victorian England and ends there, but takes the reader to Ancient Egypt, Rome and beyond.

You will meet the famous and infamous. Ever wonder what vampire brothels are like? Some Roman emperors liked them! Well, Caligula did, as you will see! You will also see what sacrifice is all about. Would you give up your soul for love? If you don't think you would, you might change your mind after reading the series!

AWARDS:

eBook Festival of Words 2014

Best Horror: The House on Blackstone Moor and

Best Villain: Eco

Top 10 Books - 2013 - The House on Blackstone Moor

Aoife Marie Sheridan - ALL THINGS FANTASY

Publisher, Ultimate Fantasy Books

'

92 Horror authors you need to read right now,

Carole Gill - The Blackstone Vampires Series. ~Charlotte Books Examiner,

2014 - Amazon Bestseller in Dark Fantasy - THE BLACKSTONE VAMPIRES OMNIBUS

2015 - Amazon Bestseller in Vampire Horror - THE BLACKSTONE VAMPIRES OMNIBUS

AMAZON 

TO OUTLINE OR NOT TO OUTLINE! A CHANGE IN THE WAY I WORK!

Okay, first of all this post refers to the next book I'm writing. I am outlining! Well, I can't write at the moment--not until my head is on straight or at least straighter.

I do outline a little, I outline (even when I wasn't outlining much in my previous books) chapters (always) and have a general over-all outline so I never got stuck. But now at this point in time, I'm doing more.

I am doing my characters a lot more and the story line in depth. It's making the book come to life that much sooner because when I can, I will jump in and start the real writing of it.

It's a book close to my heart now--I'll be posting about it, don't you worry. Do I ever shut up? Nah!

We all have our own way of working and whatever works for you as a writer, is how you should go. We're all different. I've got my eighth book coming out soon, and as I go, I learn (I hope I do) ways to improve what I do and how I do it. The whole thing, the craft of writing is a learning experience. That and adapting and growing as a writer.

I have learned along the way that a story evolves on its own, no matter what you've planned. This is interesting! The characters show you the way to a great extent and you listen. If they're not crazy, then I go with it. But who I am to judge?!

I still go with what I intended basically, but there might be a refinement or two I didn't consider. That's what I mean. A small refinement can be really interesting.

Well, that's all for now. But there will be more and when there is, I'll tell you about it!

Special New Year's Blog Post: What's Coming!

Glad it's 2016 now. Moving forward! The Bathory book will be at editor's very shortly, then publisher. I've done posts so not going to repeat myself. Well not yet, anyway.

I have begun another book, well--not writing yet. That has to wait a bit. But I have begun to make notes and character notes too. I have the first part outlined! It keeps me busy which is good and positive. Oh, and by the way, it is NOT dark horror. It's supernatural but not horror, more paranormal.
Fans of very dark horror, Circus of Horrors will also be released by Creativia in the New Year.

The other thing is a project that is really different. A friend and I had decided to collaborate on something. I am way behind because of traumatic events. But I am getting focused and ready to work on the story now. Yes, I can work on two things at one time. Working on more, would make my head explode. Going to avoid that for now.

Good wishes for this next year! And best wishes to you with whatever you're working on or hoping for.

And one more thing. Those of you facing a difficult time, I know what that's like, I wish you well. Remember, we never stop missing the people we loved who've left us, we just grow more accustomed to the loss as we continue to love them. Love never dies. Ever!