Dark Short Fiction
Dark Romantic Fiction
Horror
Ghosts
The Supernatural
And the occasional bottle of wine...
 The #OctoberFrights Blog Hop 2017 has come to it's fateful end. Fun was had by all and now it's time to hand out the prizes! The winner of my first prize: two enchanted soaps is... Linda Romer! The winner of my second prize: flameless Haunted Halloween Candle: Clare Parr! AND THE WINNER OF THE GRAND PRIZE $20 Amazon Gift Card is: Irma! Thank you to everyone who participated in the hop and commented on my blog and all the authors blogs, to Anita Stewart for organizing and doing al the hard work to bring this together and to all my fellow paranormal and horror writers. See you next year!!
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Welcome to the final day of the #OctoberFrights Blog Hop. I had a fabulous weekend in Salem, Mass and thought I'd make the last post about one of the most interesting places we'd visited. 
I LOVE cemeteries and the older and more mysterious the better. THE BURYING POINT is Salem, Mass oldest burying ground. It owns a lot of history as you can see from those buried there. There's also a fairly new addition, The Witch's Memorial. Outside of the cemetery there are 20 plaques each with an executed witch's name on it and their date of death. Over 200 people were accused in the mass witch hysteria of 1692-1693 and 20 were executed. There seemed to be three waves of execution, all on the 19th of the month. I don't know what the significance of that date is, if there is any, but 19 witches were hanged either on July, August or September 19th. One was pressed to death. John Proctor, a wealthy and successful farmer and tavern owner, was the first male to be accused of witchcraft. First, his servant Mary was accused, then his pregnant wife, then finally suspicion grew about him, because he was an outspoken opponent of the accusations, calling those accused frauds and liars. The Proctors are the basis for Arthur Miller's, The Crucible, where you can read and learn many more details of the case. 
Giles Corey was 80 years old when he was pressed to death for refusing to enter a plea to the charge of witchcraft. English law allowed torture of a mute prisoner in order to force them to plea. His wife, Martha, was hung, I believe on the same day. I thought I had a picture of her plaque, but I don't see it in my photos now. You can also read about Giles and Martha Corey in The Crucible.
The cemetery itself was beautiful. Old, massive trees seemed to protect the graves from the elements, but for some it was too late. Many were so worn, we couldn't even read who was laid to rest. Sadly, there were many babies, toddlers and young adults in their late teens and early twenties. Life was definitely hard back then and something as simple as the common cold could turn to pneumonia and kill.
I found this stone, over to the side, completely on its own. Not another stone anywhere around it. I wondered why and still don't have an answer. It doesn't seem her husband is next to her, but according to the engraving, which is hard to read, Mrs. Louisa was wife to Daniel (last name I couldn't make out) and someone died September 12, 1837 at age 31. At first, the way it's written I wondered if it was the husband's date of death, but I'm assuming it's the wife's. Still, I found her to be lonely in a big burying ground surrounded by many of her fellow town folk, that for some reason, she'd been separated from. 
There is so much history and mystery in Salem, and we took it all in, but The Burying Point, was by far the coolest place for me.
If you'd like to be entered in my Grand Prize giveaway, a $20 Amazon Gift Card,
leave me a comment. I'll pick all my winners tomorrow morning to give anyone who wants to, time to comment. It's been great fun and I hope everyone who's hopped around has enjoyed it as much as the authors have! It's the final day - please hop around and visit the other authors and don't forget to enter the rafflecopter!! 
HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH!! And welcome to my third installment of the October Frights Blog Hop. Today's post will be short because guess who was lucky enough to be born on Friday, October 13th? ME!! Yes, in 1961, October 13th was a Friday. Its happened a couple times since then, but twelve years have passed since the last time October 13th and Friday reunited (those pesky leap years). My husband knew how much I was looking forward to the date, so he surprise me with a trip to Salem, Massachusetts for the night. 
To be entered to win the flameless Halloween candle and to be entered in the Grand Prize of a $20 Amazon Gift Card, let me know: Have you ever been to Salem, Mass? (I have but never in October, I'm so excited) Have you always wanted to go to Salem? Can you recommend something that we should see? We have a couple things scheduled, but I'm always up for suggestions.
It's a 3 hour ride from where we live in CT to Salem, so I'll check the comments. I won't be posting tomorrow, but on Sunday for the last day of the hop, I hope to have some eerily, fun pictures and maybe a ghost story or two to share. I'll also pick all my winners on Sunday. Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter!!
Follow the black cat to the other authors participating in the hop. Lots of ghoulish surprises await. 
Welcome to my second post in the October Frights Blog Hop. Today is an excerpt from FAVORS FOR THE DEAD. My main character Spookie Millane doesn't see dead people... until they need her to do them a favor - which means finishing up any business they ran out of time to get done. The favors are normally benign until the night Carina Corona, a witch, dead for almost two hundred & fifty years visits her with a deadly request... Without giving too much away, here's a scene from the night Spookie and Carina meet. Spookie also meets Mick that day. He can speak to and see the dead, except for those who visit Spookie, and he's having dark visions about her future.
Mick inhaled, ready to darken the candles, when the high pitch noise of a dentist drill hit. It gnawed at the base of his neck and rang in his ears. His knees buckled and he grabbed his head.
“Mick!” Tula Mae ran to his side. He twisted his crippled body toward Spookie. Blood seeped from her ears and nose. Tears of red spilled down her cheeks. “Is he alright?” Spookie’s words came out slow and drawn out, her voice deep and thick. Ping-Pong ball size globs of blood rolled off her tongue, exploding into tiny pools as they hit the hardwood floor. Thin tributaries branched off from each puddle forming a ruddy stream that oozed right at him. He concentrated on keeping his expression neutral. The vision wasn’t real. Spookie, on the other hand, was real as the pain rattling his teeth and spine. “Something’s coming.” Mick steadied himself of the back of a wooden chair. “I think it’s here for you. “Yes, and I’m sorry.” Spookie glanced at Tula Mae. “I didn’t expect this, not here.” “I understand, dear. Some things are out of our control.” Tula Mae guided Mick back to the side of the room. “Here, let me help you, and let Spookie do her job.” “No.” He jerked away from Tula Mae. “I know you can’t see it, but there's blood everywhere. It's a warning. I understand what it’s trying to tell me. I don’t think she’s safe here.” Goose bumps rose on his sweat soaked skin as the temperature plummeted. A whistling wind swirled down the chimney. The candle’s flame hissed and vanished. Curtains blew and papers took flight. The crystal pendulums swayed, clinking together resembling church bells in the distance. “Spookie, please listen to me. I’m trying to help you.” Mick pleaded, zigzagging toward her. “Justus, tell her.” But it was too late. Whatever presence chose to make its grand entrance had arrived. ************ Spookie gawked at Mick. His skin paled to a horrible ashen color. Beads of sweat covered his brow, yet his body trembled at the cold. His eyes reflected genuine dread as he begged her to listen to his ramblings of blood and the need for her to leave. Warmth stirred in her at his compassion and determination, as weird as it was, to help someone he’d just met, against something he couldn’t see. “Mick, I’ll be fine. Please, don’t worry, I can explain." “I’m looking for a Miss Spookie Millane.” A smoky voice interrupted. “Yes, I’m Spookie.” A lucid outline of a feminine figure developed, glowing red with energy. Her head swiveled 360 degrees and took in the surroundings. The spirit hung suspended high near the ceiling, creating a daunting effect. “Do you mind lowering to my level? I’m getting a crick in my neck.” With a sudden but graceful swoop, the manifestation appeared inches from Spookie’s face. “Is this better?” “Yes, yes. Thank you.” Spookie squinted against the brilliance of her radiance, not daring to ask her to back up. “I’m Carina Corona.” “The Berkshire Witch?” “You’ve heard of me? I’m flattered.” Carina made herself comfortable atop the couch, her long legs dangling off the back. “Most everyone in New England knows of the Berkshire Witch.” Spookie hesitated. “But you’ve been dead for almost two hundred and fifty years. What could you possibly need from me?" Something shattered. Spookie jumped. Mick stood next to Tula Mae, his arms waving to get her attention. A glass of water lay broken at his feet. “Spookie. The corner,” Mick shouted. “The thing that was in the woods.” A massive shape with ragged edges and a muddy color rose up behind Carina. It possessed no light, only a dark abyss. “What’s that doing here?” Spookie demanded. “Is it with you? Its been following me around.” “Yes, he’s a harmless Roamer,” Carina said. “Their energy hasn’t formed into souls yet. They have to work for it. I sent it to evaluate you. I need exactly the right person.” “Harmless? Every time it appears, I face plant the floor.” “Spookie, you’re mistaken. It isn’t my Roamer doing that to you. It’s him.” Carina’s arm aimed toward the wall. “Mick?” Spookie dismissed her. “Come on, I just met him. It’s impossible.” “What’s impossible?” Mick’s color returned. He stood tall and resolute. “I know someone else is here, but I can’t see it. Are you sure you’re okay?” “Yes,” Spookie nodded. “Carina, could you please ask it to leave?” With a flick of her wrist, the Roamer collapsed into a wisp of smoke and evaporated. “Thank you.” Spookie straightened her black skirt. “Now, what can I do for you?” To enter to win a flameless Halloween candle and to be entered to win the $20 Amazon Gift Card Grand Prize, comment below. If a spirit came to you and asked you for a favor, would you try and help them? And don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter where you could win lots books and prizes, including two e-books from me.
Hop on Carina's broomstick (she won't mind) and head over to the other awesome authors and check out their work and giveaways!! You won't be disappointed. |
Debbie Christiana
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