The time has come! Welcome to the cursed town of Balar where not all are as it seems… I am quite excited to share these dark stories with you. For those who are familiar with my other work, this one might come as bit of a shock.
This is not humor or drama (with a smidge of the uncanny), this is full-blown horror. Expect monsters, death, blood, darkness, plus extreme adult themes and content – you have been warned. Those familiar with the genre might know what to expect, but in case you need to know what you’re about to get yourself into, allow me to demonstrate.
Follow me into darkness…
Oh, the Horror
The horror genre has always been close to my heart. Dark stories have always had an impact on me as a reader. From the early days of depleting the library’s stock R.L Stine’s Goosebumps to diving into the depths of Stephen King’s extensive mythos, horror has always been close to my heart and a source of excitement, inspiration, and nightmares.
As I have stated before, there is nothing I love more than mystery. In fact, I would go so far as to say that all good books have great mystery at their core. Horror’s greatest weapon is our fear of the unknown. What is the unknown buy a mystery you have yet to solve?
This is what I hoped to experiment with in this new series. It started as an off-shoot of another, larger project, but it has since (like some lab experiment) taken on a life of its own. Mysteries, fear, and a monster or two… Let’s see how it goes.
Will you uncover the secrets of Balar?
Lucky Number Thirteen
So far, I am planning three short story collections (thirteen interconnected stories each) and a final novel. The latter will (hopefully) tie up any loose ends.
The first installment, The Curse of Balar, contains the following stories (I tried to make it as spoiler-free as possible):
The SHarpest Shadows
A group of men accidentally murder a servant girl, however she is not as dead as they hoped.
The Beast of Scaffold Hill
A graverobber steals a cursed trinket from a hanged man, his past catches up with him.
Midnight
Four strangers get ambushed on the way to Balar, the attackers did not expect a monster hunter among them.
The Patron
A scientist is invited to Fellcroft Castle, the crumbling structure overlooking Balar, for a mysterious project.
The Cadaver Express
An empty train pulls into Balar Station and brings a flood of nightmares with it.
Wax
A dark fairytale of twin brothers who try to win the heart of the town’s fortune teller.
The Last Song
A senile composer’s music making days are behind him, but perhaps he has one more song in him.
Hex
The gypsies and the church are at odds, both turn to extremes to solve their differences.
The Portrait
An aging noble is obsessed with having his portrait done, but all the artists paint the same thing: a skull.
Eyes
A husband and wife are driven to extremes when a noble extracts a shameful price. Can they live with the consequences of their actions?
Invalid
A strange fever has spread among the peasants of Balar and Primrose worries that her father cannot keep up with her hunger.
The Governess
The Saint children receive a new governess, but will the ghosts of the old house get the better of her?
There you have it, thirteen stories set in the town of Balar. There may also be a horror poem in there somewhere. Each of these stories contain clues to a larger mystery surrounding Balar itself (There are even some clues in this post) All will be revealed in due time…
Order Your Copy Today!
So, if any (or all) of these short stories piques your interest, consider picking up a copy of The Curse of Balar on the Amazon store. It is available in eBook, Paperback, and Hardcover formats. Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read it free of charge!
I would like to know what you think of it. Please consider leaving me a review on Goodreads or Amazon – it is the only way that I can improve as a writer. You know, seeing as shouting into the void has not worked for me thus far.
Will you be picking up a copy? Please let me know in the comments below. Also, if you have a friend or two who likes a good scare, please consider sharing this with them.
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