Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Excerpt: The Son of A Mad Father



"It was to have been an ordinary court martial. Had that been the case the accused would have been tried, judged and executed for heinous crimes and that would have been the end of it.

But the thing was it was not ordinary in the least. That is the accused was not your run of the mill soldier. He was from a prominent family and that quite changed everything.

The decision to hold an inquiry rather than a court martial was not unexpected. I just didn’t expect it to involve me.

I am not even in the military but merely an aide to the present Home Secretary.

“Please see about this business, it’s rather something that needs your attention…”

The inquiry was held in my office and if that was odd the whole thing got odder still. The day finally arrived and I was about to hear the testimony from an eye witness, a young lad by the name of Briscoe.

He looked very nervous. I wished to put him at ease.

“This is merely an inquiry, Cpl. Briscoe. But I want to know exactly what happened.”

“Well sir, we had the enemy in our sights. They weren’t 200 yards from us. Captain Stockton-Ripley was firing. But then suddenly he was hit. He let out a scream and went topside. He had apparently decided to charge the enemy single handedly. The thing was sir; he killed several of his own men along the way; men who had merely said they would cover him. Still screaming he even fired at an ambulance crew…!”

“Go on.”

“It was terrible carnage. Terrible, there were scores of dead and dying.”

I thanked the lad and called my next witness.

“You are a doctor at Orchard Hospital, Dartford is that right?”

“Yes I am.”

“I see from your report that there have been more killings.”

“Oh yes, it hasn’t stopped. He’s even cannibalized one of his doctors…and killed three nurses...”

The testimony was unbelievable. But there had been reports about him. High Command was abuzz with this and frankly nearly all of England was too. You see Robert Stockton-Ripley’s father is Lord Ripley who happens to sit in the House of Lords. His mother was one of the Stockton Girls; the youngest being the present Duchess of Blye.

Terrible acts of violence though they were it was all going to be handled carefully. It’s just the way things are.

So here we all were discussing these atrocities when in fact the parents hadn’t even felt obliged to contact me or any of my staff. I was quite put out but not really surprised. I decided before doing anything else to visit them. I was going to at least have the satisfaction of asking some questions.

(end of excerpt) 


In this horror collection you'll find stories of vampires, zombies, murderous midgets, demon clowns, evil dolls, haunted cemeteries, a real shop of horrors, taxidermy gone haywire, serial killers and more! 
Your worst fears and nightmares dished up for you with extra helpings of blood-curdling terror!

Review: 

"There is no doubt that she soars above the endless parade of independent horror authors to shine as a true star in the darkness. With the brilliant anthology House of Horrors she proves why she is a perennial favorite. To put it simply, this is a great assembly of tales anyone would be proud to have in their collection"

~Joshua Skye
DARK MEDIA

Sunday, June 26, 2016

TESTING A NECROMANTIC SPELL! YOU NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS!




Louis' friend was dead. There was only one thing to do. Louis was going to bring him back. A man told him about a certain book. Perfect, Louis thought. He just had to test it first. 

"It looked like it would work. There were diagrams and shit, like you see in movies sometimes. The only thing that bothered him was that the print was red; some schmuck’s idea probably to make it scarier or something.

He read it over until he had the basics down.He smiled when he spotted the mouse.

“Bart!” he called. “Come here boy! I got somethin’ for ya! Somethin’ I want you to do.”

Bart sidled in, his green eyes lit up and the mouse was fucked. Two good swipes and it was dead. Louis was delighted.

The time had come. Put up or shut up. Louis closed his eyes and said the incantation only nothing happened.

He was determined to go and ask for his money back when suddenly the mouse stirred. It didn’t have much of a head left. What was there was bloody and mushy but the little fucker stood up anyway.

“Welcome back, little fella!”

(END OF EXCERPT) 

***

There are other stories about:

War surplus from the Eastern Front supplies a quaint little shop of horrors!

Orphaned child vampires

Haunted cemeteries where the dead dance, 

What would Death say if he could speak?

A story of the war: evil comes to a village near you.

What if the world became Dead World?

Valhalla rejects are nasty, worst vampires ever!

Three tales of the Ripper

What are the blood-drenched secrets of The Crimson Club?

A crazed soldier and his famous father!

Zombies in therapy. Hey, why not?

Poetic justice meted out by grave angels and fate

Jonathan Harker has a night to remember!

 ~*~

"I grew up with horror legends such as King, Koontz, Poe, Shelley, Stoker and I added Gill to that list."
¬C.Gaydas

"There is no doubt that she soars above the endless parade of independent horror authors to shine as a true star in the darkness. With the brilliant anthology House of Horrors she proves why she is a perennial favorite. To put it simply, this is a great assembly of tales anyone would be proud to have in their collection"
~Joshua Skye
DARK MEDIA

Monday, June 20, 2016

Don't Waste Time, Start Another Book!


I sent off my manuscript to my editor. While I'm waiting to see the edits, before I can send it to my publisher, I could, conceivably start climbing the walls. I get that tense. It's the inaction that does it. I like to work, I need to work. Now, if I did begin climbing the walls that would upset me and frighten my kitten so I decided to do something else. Actually, I've always done this while waiting for the edits to come back. I've done it several times for each novel I've written. 

I did have an idea for the next book, but now I'm really focused, not dreamily, but seriously writing down plot ideas and characters, how I want it to end is especially important. I have that down now. Yes, I turned off the last episode of The Tudors (before it finished) and chose to do this instead!

This new book of mine will be different. The vampires are arguing with me, they want to come back, but I want them to take a break. The supernatural has fascinated me for years. As a matter of fact, I've become addicted to shows like Psychic Detectives. Psychics who have the uncanny ability to help solve murder cases amaze me. They bring justice and comfort to the bereaved and help to punish the guilty. I've seen shows recently with skeptical detectives who come to accept (at least for the related case they're on) a psychic's perceptions. I've seen them look sheepish and incredulous and say how they cannot help but accept the reality of the situation, that a crime was discovered when it seemed impossible. 

Okay, so there's a clue. But here's a truth. I'm not approaching this as a complete novice. I haven't had any experience with psychics, what I have had, and did live through, was the devastating loss of my husband. The death of a child is the worse loss there is but second to that is the death of a spouse. It changed me forever, that I know. 

What I felt, how I was--the dreams I had, the feelings and perceptions were all filed away in my head. I didn't know it at the time, that is I wasn't 'planning anything,' I was just grieving.

Then I started to get a little better and I came to believe that my feelings and all that I went through would have to come out. I felt too many things too deeply for too long. It's not good to keep things bottled up, I was brought up to believe that and I do. 

I've just begun my new book. Not just notes, but the foundation for the story of a woman who has lost her husband. There is a great deal to consider and I am making a start. I'll give you updates, I promise! 

When my manuscript is returned, I will work on it and send it to my publisher and 
I, Bathory Queen of Blood will be released. I'm just using my spare time while it's spare! See?! So practical don't you think? 


Sunday, June 19, 2016

Update on Bathory Book!



Countess Erzsebat Bathory and her favorite mirror. The one she could lean on and study her face for any signs of aging. If only there had been plastic surgeons then! Upwards of 200 (figures vary) young women might not have perished!

You know about her, right? The quirky but 'fun' countess who had absolute power and could do whatever she pleased? Sadly, she had a penchant for bathing in blood. She thought it would help her to remain young-looking.

Sigh.

She was so rich and powerful, that her husband who was also rich and powerful, TOOK HER NAME!

To make a long story short (as they say), when I thought to write about Countess Erzsebat Bathory, I knew it would be a challenge. I like to get into my characters' skins, especially my main character. That is a left over from my having studied method acting many years ago, wherein you become your character.

I think she was jealous aside from wanting to remain youthful so I made her fly into 'red mist' rages, fuelled by insane, lethal jealousy. That was the motivation. That was when she kills. And she kills a lot!

I don't want to tell you more right now, I will in future posts. This book will go into the Creativia line up soon and I wanted you to know what to expect. You'll be reading a lot more about this!

Saturday, June 18, 2016

PLEASE SUPPORT AUTHORS NATALIE G. OWENS & ZEE MONODEE'S NEW RELEASE IN THEIR THUNDERCLAP CAMPAIGN!

As I'm typing this I see there are 10 days left until their new release! Please support these two gifted authors! Join their Thunderclap campaign. It's for the release of IRRESISTIBLE!

Just press the icon! 

Thank you so much!

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Where Does Our Inspiration Come From?




It comes from everywhere! That is the most concise answer I can give. But beyond that, how is it we came to write, those of us that do. Writing is writing. I don't mean being published. That's something you can work for if you choose.

Both of my parents were sci-fi fanatics. Before I started school, I'd watch War of the Worlds with my parents. "Now Carole, this is a great film!"

It was! I loved it. It was especially fun watching it with them! Creature From the Black Lagoon, The Giant Behemouth, Tarantula, Terror in the Year 5,000. I mean there were zillions of films like that in the fifties. Wow, it was fun.

But there was also something else. I was just telling a friend about this. Whatever foreign film was out, I was zipped along to see it by my mother. Fellini's La Strada with subtitles. I couldn't read, but I could see the drama and emotion there. The tragedy of a man who only came to know love once he had lost it. Oh yes, I didn't have to read to feel the pathos!





Then there was the color. Lust for Life, the masterpiece about Van Gough starring Kirk Douglas. That did more than fill up a rainy afternoon in summer. Who cared if it rained? I saw the world in color, but I saw more than that. It was a glimpse into a world I would first get to know. One beyond crayons and dolls.

Color, pathos and Martians. A funny combo but a great introduction to a world beyond the one I was familiar with. It inspired questions and thought, doodles and well, two stories I wrote when I was eight. Science Fiction of course! One was about a Martian invasion of earth. The aim was to take the children back to their own childless planet. And the other was about a globe in a library. One that a child opened up to see outer space. The stars and planets--were all there.

Not too sure what started the horror. Just my wanting to be scared, doing anything on a dare. I think that was it.

It's a rainy Sunday today and I'm thoughtful about the past. The past is all I have because my present still has to be fashioned. I am learning to cope without my husband. Not something I wanted to do, but who chooses their fate?

So, I'm resigned. Let the memories come. I'll deal with them, one by one! And then, hopefully, be inspired to write more and more...! Putting spins on things is what writing is all about, I think because when you spin, you weave!

Saturday, June 11, 2016

FROM GOTHIC ROMANCE TO DARK HORROR!



I write two kinds of horror: dark horror that holds no bars. It’s dark and frightening. Case in point is Circus of Horrors. That is the darkest, most twisted novel I have written and that’s saying a lot!
Carole Gill’s House of Horrors is a collection of horror storts that were published in anthologies. Please scroll down to see the titles of those anthologies.

My latest novel which has been delayed because of the untimely death of my husband is nearly ready for the editor. Talk about dark? That novel is about The Blood Countess Erzsebat Bathory who didn’t use bath salts but virgin blood instead. Hammer did a great film about her with Ingrid Pitt as Countess Dracula. Bathory was, sadly all too real. I’ll be doing special posts leading up to the publication by Creativia.

Every one of my books is published by them I am happy to say.

I also write dark Gothic Romance and Paranormal Romance with elements of horror in them. I love history and unlike my straight dark horror, This fiction is historically based.


All four novels in the series are comprised in The Blackstone Vampires Omnibus. Complete series for $4.99.

I’m proud of this series and here’s why:

2014 - Amazon Bestseller in Dark Fantasy - THE BLACKSTONE VAMPIRES OMNIBUS
2015 - Amazon Bestseller in Vampire Horror - THE BLACKSTONE VAMPIRES OMNIBUS

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,

Justine: Into The Blood Book One - Blood and Passion Series is on sale at Amazon.
Book 2, Anat: Blood Princess, follows.

I, Bathory, Queen of Blood, a novel about the Blood Countess Erzsebat Bathory is due to be released shortly.

ANTHOLOGIES

Sideshow, PsychoPomp 
Rogues Gallery, The Illustrated Police News, Firbolg
Enter at Your Own Risk: Dark Muses Spoken Silences Firbolg
Vampires: Romance to Rippers an Anthology of Tasty Tales
A S Publications: Enter at Your Own Risk: Old Masters New Voices, An Anthology of Gothic Literature,
Fresh Fear: Contemporary Horror
Triskaideka Books' Masters of Horror Anthology One,
Triskaideka Books' Masters of Horror Damned If You Don't,
Sonar 4 Publishing's Ladies and Gentlemen of Horror 2010,
SNM's Bonded By Blood3 Languish In Lament,
Sonar 4 Publishing's Whitechapel 13, Anthology,
Rymfire's Undead Tales,
Rymfire's Zombie Winter,
Rymfire's Zombie Writing
Angelic Knight Press' Satan's Toy Box: Demonic Dolls and
Sci Fi Almanac 2009 and 2010 and
Science Fiction Freedom Magazine, issues 1-4,
Sci Fi Talk's Tales of Time and Space.

FYI:
In 2000 I was selected by Northwest Playwrights of England for further development. Short stories and novels were what I preferred to write. However, it certainly taught me how to write dialogue which I love doing!
I am just getting back to writing now and have already begun notes on a ninth book. This one isn’t about vampires. I’m interested to see how it goes!


Friday, June 3, 2016

ON PROMOTION: JUSTINE, INTO THE BLOOD!


ON PROMOTION SATURDAY, JUNE 4 - FRIDAY JUNE 10th purchase for 99 cents/99pence!

Born in pre-Revolutionary France and orphaned as a child, Justine Bodeau is taken in by a family friend who employs her as a seamstress. Eventually, she winds up to work in the court of Queen Marie Antoinette. 

A strong-willed survivor, defeat does not occur to her. When she fights off an attack by an aristocrat and kills him, she is given refuge but is soon betrayed and winds up on the streets of Paris, where she is attacked and killed by rogue vampires. But for whatever reason, love will not let her die. 

Justine goes from wishing to be destroyed to wanting to survive, when she feels passion for the one who brought her back, Gascoyne — the one they call the Vampire Prince of Paris.

EXCERPT:

I chose the first place I came upon— an abandoned shop, stinking of the sourness of filth and decay. There were rats and mice and heaven knew what else, but other than that, no people to bother me. I would rest. Sleep came quickly— but so did the attack. Something bit the back of my neck. The pain was excruciating. My first thought was, I was being attacked by a dog. I tried to defend myself. That's when I heard the hissing.

Frightened and in too much pain to think, I somehow managed to pull away . All I wanted to do was run from the beast. But then I was attacked again— this time from every direction. I fought hard but knew I was failing. A whole pack was attacking me, killing me.

I felt myself growing weaker by the second . I could just see the beasts' outlines in the dim moonlight. Why didn't they look like dogs? Death was at hand. I felt it and I welcomed it. The pain passed through me while the life drained from me. I am dying. Then, just before everything grew black, I saw its eyes, the eyes of the one that had been the most voracious of all. They glowed yellow, like a wolf's. With that last thought, I died.

***
The blackness turned to shadows and from within those shadows, I saw figures. They might have been my parents. I called out to them but then felt myself drifting away— slowly at first, then more quickly. I clearly heard the shouts and cries of the damned. Was I bound for hell? I don't think I cared. And then I heard a voice; quite distinct it was, too. Someone was calling me forth. “Rise!” A man's voice, rich and deep sounding.

At first I thought it was the count… I might have even called out Oriani's name. There was no answer though, just words spoken that sounded strange. “Enter the darkness and live again!” Soft murmuring ensued. Muffled voices and whispers, voices saying things I could not understand. “Drink!” Believing the offering to be water, I obeyed. But then I smelled it and turned away. “Please, no!”

Was it wine? If so, it smelled awful. “You must drink…” I looked to see someone's wrist, from which blood poured forth. I gasped as it was held over my mouth. The blood splashed down on me and still, I would not open my mouth. “She is sinking fast…” “Open your mouth and drink!” I obeyed because the man's tone was pleading. He looked so sad and impassioned. “It is the only thing that will bring you back!”

I opened my mouth to receive his blood and become what he wished me to be. What it was my destiny to become— a Vampire, a blood-imbibing creature of the night, a cursed being condemned to feed like the Vampire bat. I would call shadows home, along with night. Sun would become my enemy. I had visions of people I neither knew nor recognized. They weren't my memories, of that I was certain.

“The things you see come from my living life for it is my blood you drink.” I tried to understand but it was so difficult. Something struck me. It felt like a hard stinging slap, but I did not cry out. I heard the sound of another slap and the cry of a woman following it. Scuffling accompanied those sounds, as well as a warning: “Leave her alone or I will tear you apart.”

Finally, I regained my senses and looked about. I lay in a dimly lit, cavernous room. The light within came from flickering candles. The shadows frightened me, and the smell of damp and dust threatened to overpower me. I saw her then; a woman with disheveled hair glared at me before rushing away. I was certain she was the one that had slapped me. I tried to lunge at her! As weak as I still was, I tried, for I brimmed with rage and loathing. The man held me down. “Let me look into your eyes.” He nodded sadly after he did. “I don't know how you were before, but now you are the Devil's own. Some return different with Hell's taint upon them. I fear you are one of those…”

I had passed into the blood. The being that once was Justine Bodeau had ceased to exist. In her place stood a raging Vampire. Wantonness and hatred replaced my soul. Whatever I had been, I would be no more. They say I slept for days; not sleep as I had known it but the deep, nearly fathomless sleep of the Vampire. When I woke, I was alone but for a man sitting near me. As he had his back to me, I could not see his face. He turned suddenly, as if he sensed me looking at him. He was the man whose blood I had drunk. “I am Gascoyne,” he said. “I am called the Vampire Prince of Paris.” When I made no reply, he asked me my name. “I am called Justine,” was my reply.

“Top of its genre!"


"Revenge, betrayal, passion, bloodshed, lust and love are just a few of the elements of this dark and spellbinding book."

"Justine, realizes she as a vampire could actually love and in fact is in love with Gascoyne. I think that was the turning point in the story."

"This vampire romance is rich in history, deep in blood sex and exotic locations and is very highly recommended."


"Vampires have their own allure and none more so than the female."