Book Review: “Into the Deep Dark Woods” & “A Harmony of Hells”
Posted: August 28, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Book Review, Books, Dark fiction, Gothic, Horror, Mystery, Review, Short Fiction, Stories, Thriller | Tags: Allison Longueira, Book Review, Charles De Lint, Dark Fiction Anthology, Gothic Thriller, Harmony of Hells, Jonathan Maberry, Kevin J. Anderson, Sebastian de Castell, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Writing to be Read, Yves Fey Leave a comment
About Into the Deep Dark Woods
See what lurks in the deep, dark woods—a place of fairy tales, secrets, and monsters…
Where the unexpected looms at every turn.
Where twisted shadows meet dappled sunlight.
Where even the silence grows teeth.
Into the Deep, Dark Woods features 28 all-new stories and poems that explore the magic and mystery of the primeval wilderness. Venture from the decay of a demented pumpkin patch to worlds where dragons hide among the trees and the sycamore beckons the blue ghost fireflies. Face the strangeness of an alien planet, then dine in a themed restaurant that may or may not be staffed with werewolves.
Edited by New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson and award-winning editor Allyson Longueira, along with their Publishing graduate students at Western Colorado University, this page-turning anthology presents new stories by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jonathan Maberry, Charles de Lint, Sebastien de Castell, and many others.
Step off the path and into a world where every tree tells a story and every clearing offers a choice. The deeper you go, the darker it gets.
The darker it gets, the more interesting the light becomes.
Welcome to the woods. Try not to get lost.
Purchase Link: https://wordfirepress.com/products/into-the-deep-dark-woods
My Review of Into the Deep Dark Woods
I received a digital copy of the Into the Deep Dark Woods anthology from executive editors Kevin J. Anderson and Allyson Longueira in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Into the Deep Dark Woods is this year’s anthology put out by the graduate in publishing students at Western State Colorado University. Every year international bestselling author, Kevin J Anderson guides a cohort of Western’s publishing students through the process of putting together and publishing an anthology on the professional level, through his publishing company, Wildfire Press and Draft2Digital, as a group thesis project. submission numbers are higher every year. My cohort in 2022 published Gilded Glass, with over 600 submissions, and I heard they had over 900 for this one. Every story or poem is hand selected by the grad students, and I’m always happy to review these wonderful anthologies.
There are things in the woods. Whether they be shape shifters, the undead, all types of crawly things, fearies & dragons, golems, witches, alien life forms, or just the trees themselves, the stories found in this collection will make you believe they are there and you should be very afraid.
Some stories made me laugh, others made me cry, some gave me the creeps and others had me sitting on the edge of my seat. There are so many good tales in this anthology, that I wouldn’t even attempt to try and review each one. But I will give you an idea about the ones which stick out in my mind:
- “Underneath the Sycamore Tree on the Hill”, by Sam Knight was sad and made me want to cry.
- “This Real World”, by Lea Harper was my favorite poem.
- “Mulch”, by Brent Nelson offers excellent dark humor.
- “Metsubishu”, by Benjamin Spada has the feel of Ninjas and Samurai. I try and view such stories through the eyes of my son, Mike, who absolutely would have loved this story, therefore, it gets my vote.
- “The Dreadwood Dragon”, by Sebastian de Castell is an intense tale of friendship and sacrifice which touched my heart and made me smile.
Whether the forest or the things which lurk within, there is definitely something to fear if you dare to venture Into the Deep Dark Woods. I give this dark fiction anthology five quills.
About A Harmony of Hells
A poet haunted by grief. A lover marked by blood. A sister silenced behind asylum walls.
In the decadent heart of fin de siècle Paris, Averill Charron makes a devil’s bargain. To rescue his sister—locked away by their father—he joins forces with the last man he should trust, Blaise Dancier, the crime lord who once ordered his death.
No longer enemies. Now they are lovers. Together they descend into the underworld, searching cabarets and crypts, brothels and back alleys, chasing whispers that lead to deception and death.
Even as they hunt for her, Jeanette fights for her freedom. But escape only leads to recapture. Once again, she’s trapped in a world where only dreams of forbidden love and the promise of revenge keep her sane.
Their paths converge in the drowning beauty of Venice at Carnevale, where every mask conceals a threat. In a world ruled by power, madness, and betrayal, love may be the final sacrifice.
A HARMONY OF HELLS…a love story with murders.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Hells-story-murders-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0FXVTR5DX
My Review of A Harmony of Hells
I received a copy of A Harmony of Hells: A Love Story of Paris…with Murders, by Yves Fey, through the Review Pool in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own. I chose this book because of the awesome cover and because I love gothic horror and gothic mystery.
Let me start by saying, I’m not a big fan of m/m romance/sex scenes. It’s not a statement about morality, but rather something that doesn’t do anything for me, personally, so I will usually skip over those stories. But…, this story is written in such a way that the sex does not overwhelm the plot, and the romance is tactfully written to support the story. Although the m/m relationship does play a key role, and in places, it is very graphic, there is so much more to this story.
Driven by a need to find his sister, Jeanette, who has been hidden away in the asylums and brothels of Paris and beyond by his father, Averille makes an alliance with Blaise Dancier, Parisian crime lord. It is risky business, but he feels he has no choice, and then finds himself surrendering to lust and wholly giving himself over to a man he knows he shouldn’t trust. In the search for Jeanette, it seems they are always at least one step behind his father, but Jeanette is resourceful and works toward her freedom at every opportunity. Their efforts bring them so close to crossing paths, but not close enough, and it is a race for time to find one another before their father can whisk her away once more.
A scandalous gothic thriller that will keep readers turning pages. I give A Harmony of Hells five quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders. Her novels include Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Books 1 & 2 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, and Double Visions.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARC digital copies, (she also accepts print copies). Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
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In Touch with Nature – The Vulnerable Southern Ground Hornbill
Posted: August 26, 2026 Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Southern Ground Hornbill, Wildlife, Writing to be Read 41 Comments
I was very excited to see a flock of nine southern ground hornbills during my recent trip to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. These birds are classified as endangered in South African, Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini (previously Swaziland) and are listed internationally as vulnerable by the IUCN. I have only seen these birds once before in a national park and it was from a distance so I couldn’t get good photographs. I may never see another one of these birds so I will treasure these photographs.
Thunderbirds (freestyle poem)
Hearing the low
resonating rumble
you expected a lion
not a flock
of thunderbirds
Dominant pairs
performing
a deep-base duet
The bright red
balloon-like wattle
below their bills
acting like a drum
The echoing sound
amplified
by natural air pockets
inside their head bones
which magnify
their low, booming call
allowing it to carry
for over four kilometers
across the veld
Predators with feathers
small animals lie low
when a party
is out foraging
They snap up
lizards, small birds,
tortoises, rodents,
and even snakes
as big as puff adders
Endangered due
to slow breeding
a pair raising
only two chicks
in a nine year cycle
one of which
will survive
Not a lion
something much better
Interesting facts about Southern Ground Hornbills
- The southern ground hornbill is the largest hornbill species on Earth.
- These striking, turkey-sized birds stand up to 130 cm tall, weight between 3.3 and 4.4 kgs and have a wingspan reaching nearly 2 meters.
- These birds can fly up to 18 miles an hour.
- Their jet-black feathers, yellow eyes and bright red throats make these birds highly recognisable.
- Ground hornbills have lived up to 70 years in captivity. This makes them one of the world’s longest-lived birds.
- These birds are highly territorial with family groups of up to 10 individuals protecting large areas of territory.
- Ground hornbills are monogamous and pair for life unless their mate dies.
About Robbie Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5
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Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: 14 authors bring you 16 dark tales that explore your deepest fears. These are the stories which nightmares are made of. Tales of monsters, mayhem, and madness which will make you shiver in the dark. Read them while you burn the Midnight Oil… if you dare. https://books2read.com/Midnight-Oil
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An Eye on Art: Creativity as Emotional Release or Expression
Posted: August 24, 2026 Filed under: Art | Tags: An Eye On Art, Edvard Munch, Expressionism, Kaye Lynne Booth, Writing to be Read 10 Comments
We’ve all done it. As creatives, we allow our emotions to flow into our work, and perhaps, we even have a need to do so. Authors take real life experiences and write them into their stories, perhaps rewriting, so the endings that are preferred to real ones, because in stories, anything can happen. Songwriters pour their emotions into their music, and artists spill their emotions across the canvas for all to see. Creativity is the way we express ourselves and often, the way we interpret the reality around us.
The Expressionism of Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch was a noted Norwegian Painter and Printmaker who lived from 1863-1944. Plagued by a troubled childhood and difficulty in his adult relationships, the mental and social disruptions of a tormented mind are evident in his artworks, particularly in those done in his expressionistic style, which created the most controversy and made him famous. At an early age, he lost both his mother and his older sister, Johanne Sophie3, to tuberculosis, and later in life, another sister, Laura Katherine, developed a schizophrenic illness and was confined to a mental asylum. His romantic relationships were filled with turmoil and eventually he became rather reclusive, withdrawing more and more from human society.2
The expressionistic work of Edvard Munch employs distortion and vibrant colors to draw viewers’ focus; demanding patrons attention. The work titled, Vampire (1892), was so controversial in its time, that it closed down the Verein Berliner Kunstler exhibition of 1892; an event that catapulted Munch’s career into celebrity. In this work, the vibrant colors that are so typical of Munch are not seen. It is a dark scene with the orange-red of the female’s hair being the only color that really draws the eye, as she embraces the male laying across her lap. With this painting, Munch set out to make us see the fine line between love and pain with this painting, hence the original title, Love and Pain. It was mistakenly interpreted as having a vampiric theme, and the painting’s subjects do appear more as predator and prey than as lovers in consoling embrace, especially if one takes notice of the bluish hue of the male’s facial skin.1
The models for his works may have been real women in his life and are portrayed in Munch’s work either as life devouring vampires, sultry seductresses, or frail and naked, reflective of his own personal relationships. It is believed that Love and Pain depicts his at one time lover Tulla Larsen, a rich winemaker’s daughter, who he had a turbulent relationship with. Whereas Madonna (1894-95) depicts another ex-lover, Dagny Juel, reflecting her liberated sexuality in contrast in contrast the traditional idea of a chaste Madonna. It features a nude woman contorted, perhaps in the throes of passion, with a red, rather than white or golden halo.1 Ashes (1894-95) is thought to depict clandestine, but destined to end in despair, meetings in the forest with his cousin’s wife, Millie Thaulow.3
On the other hand, in The Weeping Nude (1913), the focus figure is much less distorted. Attention is focused on the nude, through his use of vibrant colors that contrast with her flesh colors, drawing the eye to the central figure. Sadness and depression are the dominant emotions that radiate from this work, and the emotion rises from the pose, and the concealment of the figure’s identity.
The haunting image of The Scream (1893) reflects feelings that all viewers easily relate to. At some point in life, we all have felt like screaming at the world, and so to, have felt as no one would hear or care. By far his most famous painting, the violent forms and savage colors are representative of contemporary sentiments. In truth, this image may not be a screaming figure, as most believe, but rather, it is his attempt to block out “nature screaming during a blood-red sunset”, (perhaps during a panic attack), according to Munch himself. This sky and setting appear in at least two more of Munch’s works done around the same time: Despair (1893-94) and Anxiety (1894). It is believed by some that the location was one in Oslo, near a slaughterhouse and the asylum where his younger sister, Laura Katherine, was housed, where he may have visited often, and which would have had a cacophony of screams between the dying animals and the mental patients’ cries.1
He was featured as the male figure in many of his works, including perhaps Ashes and Love and Pain, above, to further attest to the expression of emotions from his own life, revealing his inner soul. While not happy images, they are captivating, and they draw out our darker sides.
As authors, our stories should reveal so much. If you could look into the minds of horror authors such as Steven King, Peter Straub, Dean Koontz, and so many more, perhaps you would find similar histories, filled with pain and despair, to fuel their creative story telling. Or perhaps some are just meant to allow their darker sides to dominate and be expressed through their creative works.
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1 “7 Must See Paintings by Edvard Munch”. The Collector. June 11, 2025. Anastasiia Kirpolov, MA: 7 Must-See Paintings by Edvard Munch | The Collector
2 “Beyond the Scream: How Edvard Munch Channeled a Timeless Sense of Dread”. Art in America. March 17, 2021. Tessa Solomon: What Are Edvard Munch’s Most Famous Paintings?
3 “16 of Edvard Munch’s Paintings”. Artistic Junkie: Art for All.: 16 of Edvard Munch’s Paintings | ArtisticJunkie.com
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
________________________________________
This postis sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: 14 authors bring you 16 dark tales that explore your deepest fears. These are the stories which nightmares are made of. Tales of monsters, mayhem, and madness which will make you shiver in the dark. Read them while you burn the Midnight Oil… if you dare. https://books2read.com/Midnight-Oil
Midnight Madness: A Carnival of Nightmares: Coming in October, 2026
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WordCrafter “Legends” Book Blog Tour Giveaway Winners
Posted: August 22, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Books, Dark fiction, Giveaways, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: Blog Tour, Books, Giveaway Winners, Legends: Monsters the go Bump in the Night, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 1 Comment
We had a great tour last week, and contributing authors shared some tasty morsels which, hopefully, tantalized your horror tastebuds and made you want to read more of the stories in Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night. Before we can officially sign off from the tour, there’s a matter of a couple of different giveaways, that we need to announce the winners for.
First, Chris Barili’s Classic Mustang Photo Competition
On Day 1, author Chris Barili offered an excerpt reading from “The Legend of Trooper 666” which describes the trooper’s classic Mustang. Chris is offering a signed print copy, (winners outside the U.S. will receive a free digital copy instead, due to the outlandish costs of international shipping) for the person who sends in a photo of a classic Mustang that closest matches the trooper’s car during the tour
Here are the rules:
1. You don’t need to be in the exact year, just the generation or year group (1960s, for example)
2. If their pic is verifiably of a NY State Patrol car, it wins. If we have more than one, we’ll select the winner.
3. If it is of a show or race car, owned by other than the photographer, they need that owner’s permission to submit the photo.
4. Actual dead state troopers or other LEOs will disqualify the entry immediately. :).
The Winning Entry
There was no winning entry, because we received not one photo. Nobody played.
Second, the Legends Puzzle
Each stop on the tour featured two authors and their stories, and each post included the name of the legend their story is based on. So, there is the opportunity to collect two puzzle pieces at each stop when the correct legend for each story is placed into the comments. Any visitor with a complete puzzle at the end of the tour wins a free digital copy. In the event that no one completes the puzzle, the visitor with the most pieces wins.
And the winner is…
(Drumroll please)
- Robbie Cheadle, with puzzle pieces 1 & 2, (because she was the only one who played.)
Final Thoughts
I have to say, I was highly disappointed that no one participated in the giveaways for this tour. I thought it would be really fun to run them a little different than just “comment to enter”. We went to considerable effort to set it all up, and no one seemed interested to play. 😦 I will have to look at other options in the future, or maybe just go back to the same old, same old.
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Wrapping Up the WordCrafter “Legends” Book Blog Tour
Posted: August 21, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Audio Excerpt, Fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Horror, Mythology and Legend, Short Fiction, Stories, Supernatural, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: "My Pumpkin Ate My Wife", "The Last Stage Coach", Chupacabra, Excerpt Reading, Guest Post, Jack O'Lantern Legend, Kaye Lynne Booth, Legends: Monsters the go Bump in the Night, Myths and Legends, Sara W. McBride, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 1 CommentWelcome to the final day of the WordCrafter Legends Book Blog Tour. Today I’m pleased to bring you a guest post from contributing author, Sara W. McBride, who wrote the wonderful story, “My Pumpkin Ate My Wife”, and an excerpt reading from my story, “The Last Stage Coach”.
It’s been a great tour, but it’s also the last day to get in on two different giveaways we have going. There’s still time to get your Mustang photos in for Chris Barili’s “Trooper 666” giveaway for a free print copy of Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night. Send your photos to Chris at stealthcb@gmail.com and to me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com. You can find the full guideslines for this giveaway at one of the Day 1 Tour Stops, by clicking on the link in the tour schedule at the end of today’s stop. I’ll be announcing the winners in a special winners post on Sunday, so get those photos in now.
Also, this is the last chance to collect your puzzle pieces for the digital giveaway, by placing the legend for each story in the comments. (We made it really easy for you. Each story post tells you what legend it is from.) Today’s puzzle pieces are 9 and 10, but you can collect any you’ve missed by going back to the individual stops through the links on the tour schedule, too. The winner for this giveaway will also be announced in that Sunday post, so get your answers in while you still can.
The Giveaway
We made a puzzle out of the Legends cover.
Follow the tour to find the clues hidden in the guest posts, readings and promos.
Name the Legend each story is based upon as you go through the tour.
Place your answers in the comments.
For each correct answer, you earn one of ten puzzle pieces.
At the end of the tour, the three people who have collected the most puzzle pieces
will win a free digital copy of
Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night
The Authors of Legends
What Makes a Legend?, by Sara W. McBride
What do scientists, authors, and monsters have in common? They all desire to be legends. I could claim there is a shared egotistical drive to be immortal, and let’s face it, that might be true of many people regardless of occupation, but instead I’ll claim the shared love of the unexpected discovery.
Why are Newton, Einstein, Galileo, Copernicus, and poor Mike Brown, all legends? They discovered something unexpected: gravity, relativity, other planets, and that Earth wasn’t the center of the Universe. Mike Brown? What about him? He’d dreamed of discovering a planet his entire life, then he thought he had. He thought he found something in our solar system that was bigger than Pluto. But he didn’t. So why is he a legend? He spurred on the debate that redefined the parameters of a planet and got Pluto demoted to a dwarf planet. So yes, Mike Brown is now legendary as the man who killed Pluto. Poor guy still receives hate mail from ten year olds who learned the solar system from Grandpa’s planetary model in the attic.**
Becoming a Legend is not usually something one can strive for. It just happens. In this anthology, none of the authors are legends. But many of us are scientists, of some sort, and we often use writing as an excuse to do research. So we researched legends!
The Jack-O’Lanterns, Wendigo, Succubus, and Pheonix were all researched. And others were legends from our youth, like the grim reaper or the famous babysitter nightmare; a creepy phone call from a person watching you, which turns out to be from inside the house. Cue the delighted screams from around the campfire. There are more specific area legends, like the girl ghost of Cleveland, Gilgul, and Trooper 666.
But personally, if I, me, myself, was going to become a legend, I’d like an international following. Or at least a few countries, like the Jack O’Lantern. I mean, who wants to be the slimy legend of Des Moines? I say, Go Big! There’s an Angel of Death in every culture and country.
Because unlike Pluto, a legend never dies.
**I worked at Caltech for a decade and spoke with Mike Brown a few times. He’s an inspiring, generous astronomy professor. He didn’t mean to kill Pluto. Please send him some fan mail.
“My Pumpkin Ate My Wife” is based on the traditional Jack O’Lantern legend.
Tell us in the comments which legend this story is associated with to claim puzzle piece 9.
About Sara W. McBride
Sara Wesley McBride enjoyed a nerdy childhood sneaking onto hotel rooftops to write plays and stories. As a grown-up child, many of her adult party conversations end with a comical defense of why her first degree in theater from UCLA, and her second degree in molecular and cellular biology from SDSU, are completely related. Between her degrees, she spent two years pranking the mafia in New York City architecture; also completely related.
All parts of her life have led her down a streamlined path toward noveling because nothing else maintains her sanity. Daily, like many modern-day biological researchers, she invents new swear words to sling at million-dollar machines while locked in a dark hole of a decaying academic hall. This has caused her to witness ghosts and create a romantic fantasy life within her head, which she now puts down on very non-technological paper with her favorite Jane Austen style quill pen.
Her first novel in the Alexis Lynn series, Will Write for Wine, and the companion short story collection, Stories I Stole from Lord Byron’s Bastard, both set in Venice, Italy, were recently released by Puck Publishing. She’s hard at work on the second Alexis Lynn novel, a Regency mystery series, and a haunted play. She strongly feels the world needs more haunted plays.
When not researching biological stuff, reading history, or writing in random, elegant hotel lobbies—much warmer than rooftops—Sara is hiking the San Diego shorelines, parks, and trails with her husband and their tiny, bouncy dog named Wombat.
About Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night
Legends take many forms, but most carry a warning within. For instance, stories of monsters such as the Chupacabra, Snallygasters, and Windigos were told to warn children to behave themselves. The tale of the ghost girl who haunts buildings in Cleveland, is a warning to daredevils, who would chance their lives and safety in old derelict buildings. And Trooper 666 is a deterrent against drunk and dangerous driving. The angel of death and gilgul offers lessons to be learned about our spiritual lives. And any one of the monsters found between these pages could decide to follow you home.
These diverse shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts and monstrous creatures, which each hold a certain sense of justice. Introduced by multi-genre author Kaye Lynne Booth, these stories are a celebration of legends of old, and some new ones, too, but there are no happy endings.
Featuring stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Abe Margel, Chris Barili, Sara W. McBride, C.R. Johansson, Rebecca M. Senese, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, DL Mullan and Joseph Carrabis.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/LegendsMonsters
“The Last Stagecoach”, by Kaye Lynne Booth
“The Last Stagecoach” is based on the legend of the Chupacabra.
Tell us in the comments which legend this story is associated with to claim puzzle piece 10.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
Wrap Up
That’s it for today’s tour stop. We hope you enjoyed DL Mullan’s guest post and her reading, and Rebecca M. Senese’s Promo. Don’t forget to pick out the legend each was based on and put your answers in the comments. Each correct answer earns a piece to the puzzle, and the more pieces you have, the better your chances of winning a free copy of Legends.
Also, don’t forget to get those Mustang pictures in to try and match the car in Chris Barili’s “The Legend of Trooper 666” story for a chance to win a signed print copy of the book. (Available to U.S. residents only due to the expense of International shipping.)
Winners will be announced in a special post on Sunday, on Writing to be Read.
Tour Schedule
Mon. 8/17 – Chris Barili – reading/contest & C.R. Johansson Promo & Trailer – Michelle Ayon Navajas –
Poetry by Mich: https://michnavs.wordpress.com/2026/08/17/day-1-legends-tour/
Hotel by Masticadores: https://hotelmasticadoreshouse.wordpress.com/2026/08/17/day-1-legends-tour/
Masticadores Phillipines: https://masticadoresphilippines.wordpress.com/2026/08/17/day-1-legends-tour/
Tues. 8/18 – DL Mullan – guest post & Rebecca M. Senese Promo – Kaye Lynne Booth –Writing to be Read: https://writingtoberead.com/?p=72488
Wed. 8/19 – Danaeka Scrimshaw – guest post & Joseph Carrabis – Video post & reading – Carla Johnson-Hicks – Carla Loves to Read: https://wp.me/p6H3KI-kJa
Thurs. 8/20 – Robb T. White – guest post – Abe Margel Promo – DL Mullan – Undawnted: http://www.undawnted.com/2026/08/undawnted-presents-legends-day-4.html
Fri. 8/21 – Sara W. McBride– guest post about authors & Kaye Lynne Booth – audio reading – Kaye Lynne Booth – Writing to be Read: https://writingtoberead.com/?p=72831
Sun. 8/23 – Contest Winners post – Writing to be Read
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Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!
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Day 4 of the WordCrafter “Legends” Book Blog Tour
Posted: August 20, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Dark fiction, Fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press Leave a commentWe’re celebrating the release of Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night on Day 4 of the WordCrafter Legends Book Blog Tour over on Undawnted with host, DL Mullan. We have a guest post from contributing author Robb T. White about his story, “The Urbexer’s Girl” and a promo for Abe Margel’s “It was no Stroll in the Park”.
Undawnted does not accept comments, so please post your answers here to collect the puzzle pieces for this stop to get in on the giveaway for a free digital copy. And just a reminder, there is still time to get in on Chris Barili’s giveaway for a print copy. Send your Mustang GT photos to Chris at stealthcb@gmail.com and to me at KLBWordCrafter@gmail.com.
Visit today’s stop at: http://www.undawnted.com/2026/08/undawnted-presents-legends-day-4.htm
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Day 3 of the WordCrafter “Legends” Book Blog Tour
Posted: August 19, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Audio Excerpt, Blog Tour, Book Release, Book Review, Books, Dark fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Review, Short Fiction, Stories, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: "Sema", "The Legend of Tilly Mae", Anthology, Book Review, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Dark fiction, Giveaway, Joseph Carrabis, Legends: Monsters the go Bump in the Night, WordCrafter Press Leave a commentFor Day 3 of the WordCrafter Legends Book Blog Tour, we’re over at Carla Loves to Read with a video guest post and excerpt reading from “Sema”, by Joseph Carrabis, a guest post from contributing author Danaeka Scrimshaw on their story, “The Legend of Tilly Mae”, and a review of the book by host Carla Johnson-Hicks.
Don’t forget to name the legends and collect the puzzle pieces to get in on the giveaway for a free digital copy of Legends: Monsters the go Bump in the Night.
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Day 2 of the WordCrafter “Legends” Book Blog Tour
Posted: August 18, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Audio Excerpt, Fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Horror, Mythology and Legend, Short Fiction, Stories, Supernatural, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press | Tags: "The Call", "The house on the Lake", DL Mullan, Excerpt Reading, Guest Post, Legends: Monsters the go Bump in the Night, Myths and Legends, Rebecca M. Senese, The Babysitter LEgend, Windigo, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 2 Comments[Intro.]
The Giveaway
We made a puzzle out of the Legends cover.
Follow the tour to find the clues hidden in the guest posts, readings and promos.
Name the Legend each story is based upon as you go through the tour.
Place your answers in the comments.
For each correct answer, you earn one of ten puzzle pieces.
At the end of the tour, the three people who have collected the most puzzle pieces
will win a free digital copy of
Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night
“The Call”
Ring.
Ring. Ring.
It’s the middle of the night… do you answer the phone?
Rebecca Blackwood does.
THE LEGEND
“The babysitter and the man upstairs” is one of the most retold urban legends in horror — a threatening call that turns out to be coming from inside the house.
THE TWIST
The Call swaps the babysitter for a first-time homeowner. The fear isn’t a teenager on a job — it’s an adult who thought she’d finally earned safety.
THE CALL
Rebecca Blackwood finally has what she’s worked for: a home of her own. It’s modest, it’s hers, and it’s the first thing that’s ever felt permanent. Then the phone starts ringing.
At first, it’s silence. Next, breathing. Afterward, a voice that knows exactly where she’s standing, what room she’s in, what she’s wearing. Rebecca does everything right — she calls for help, she checks the locks, she stays calm. But the caller is already inside the house.
The Call is a slow-burn reimaging of one of horror’s most enduring urban legends, grounded in something scarier than any monster: the terror of being watched in the one place you’re supposed to be safe. Some things aren’t what they seem.
Join The Call…
*”The Call” appears in Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night (WordCrafter Press, 2026, ed. Kaye Lynne Booth), then again in Broken Things, DL Mullan’s own collection of weird short fiction (Undawnted, 2027).
Tell us in the comments which legend this story is associated with to claim puzzle piece 3.
About DL Mullan
DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. Her lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lecture invitations. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. Currently, Ms. Mullan’s artistic renditions are seen on book covers, blog sites, and various merchandise. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate the way she perceives the creative arts.
As a writer, DL Mullan loves to stretch her imagination and the elasticity of genres. She writes complex multigenre stories in digestible and entertaining forms, be it poetry, short fiction, or novels. Her science, history, mythology, and paranormal research background is woven into her writings, especially in Undawnted’s Legacy Universe. Ms. Mullan’s creative endeavors are available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is also an award-winning poet.
Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at http://www.undawnted.com.
About Legends: Monsters that go Bump in the Night
Legends take many forms, but most carry a warning within. For instance, stories of monsters such as the Chupacabra, Snallygasters, and Windigos were told to warn children to behave themselves. The tale of the ghost girl who haunts buildings in Cleveland, is a warning to daredevils, who would chance their lives and safety in old derelict buildings. And Trooper 666 is a deterrent against drunk and dangerous driving. The angel of death and gilgul offers lessons to be learned about our spiritual lives. And any one of the monsters found between these pages could decide to follow you home.
These diverse shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts and monstrous creatures, which each hold a certain sense of justice. Introduced by multi-genre author Kaye Lynne Booth, these stories are a celebration of legends of old, and some new ones, too, but there are no happy endings.
Featuring stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Abe Margel, Chris Barili, Sara W. McBride, C.R. Johansson, Rebecca M. Senese, Danaeka Scrimshaw, Robb T. White, DL Mullan and Joseph Carrabis.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/LegendsMonsters
“The House by the Lake”, by Rebecca M. Senese
Tell us in the comments which legend this story is associated with to claim puzzle piece 4.
About Rebecca M. Senese
Rebecca M. Senese weaves words of horror, mystery, contemporary fantasy, and science fiction in Toronto, Ontario. She is the author of the contemporary fantasy series, the Noel Kringle Chronicles featuring the son of Santa Claus working as a private detective in Toronto. She garnered an Honorable Mention in “The Year’s Best Science Fiction” and has been nominated for numerous Aurora Awards.
Wrap Up
That’s it for today’s tour stop. We hope you enjoyed DL Mullan’s guest post and her reading, and Rebecca M. Senese’s Promo. Don’t forget to pick out the legend each was based on and put your answers in the comments. Each correct answer earns a piece to the puzzle, and the more pieces you have, the better your chances of winning a free copy of Legends.
Also, don’t forget to get those Mustang pictures in to try and match the car in Chris Barili’s “The Legend of Trooper 666” story for a chance to win a signed print copy of the book. (Available to U.S. residents only due to the expense of International shipping.)
Winners will be announced in a special post on Sunday, on Writing to be Read.
Pop in for tomorrow’s tour stop over at Carla Loves to Read where Carla Johnson-Hicks will be hosting a guest post from contributing author Danaeka Scrimshaw about “The Legend of Tilly Mae”, and Joseph Carrabis shares the inspiration and an excerpt reading from “Sema”.
Tour Schedule
Mon. 8/17 – Chris – reading/contest & Johansson Promo & Trailer – Michelle Ayon Navajas – Poetry by Mich, Hotel by Masticadores, & Masticadores Phillipines
Tues. 8/18 – Dawn – guest post/audio reading & Senese Promo – Kaye Lynne Booth –Writing to be Read
Wed. 8/19 – Danaeka – guest post & Joseph – Video post & reading – Carla Johnson-Hicks – Carla Loves to Read
Thurs. 8/20 – Robb – guest post – Margel Promo – DL Mullan – Undawnted
Fri. 8/21 – Sara – guest post about authors & Kaye – audio reading – Kaye Lynne Booth – Writing to be Read
Sun. 8/23 – Winners post – Writing to be Read
________________________________________
Book your WordCrafter Book Blog Tour today!
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Welcome to Day 1 of the WordCrafter “Legends” Book Blog Tour
Posted: August 17, 2026 Filed under: Anthology, Audio Excerpt, Blog Tour, Book Release, Books, Dark fiction, Giveaways, Guest Post, Mythology and Legend, WordCrafter Book Blog Tours, WordCrafter Press 2 CommentsIt’s day 1 of the WordCrafter Legends Book Blog tour and we’re over at Poetry by Mich, and Hotel by Masticadores, and Masticadores Phillipines. Meet contributing author Chris Barili and hear an excerpt reading from his story, “The Legend of Trooper 666”.
We’ve got two great giveaways. Help us put together the Legends puzzle by collecting two puzzle pieces at each stop. And this stop has the way to find out about the one offered by Chris Barili. You’ve only got a week to gather your photos and get your entries in, so join us today.
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Audio Book Review: “My Queendom for a Horse” & “The Recipient”
Posted: August 14, 2026 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Crime, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Review, romance, Speculative Fiction, Thriller | Tags: Audio Book Review, Audrey J. Cole, Bridget E. Baker, Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Kaye Lynne Booth, My Queendom for a Horse, mystery, Shifter Romance, Speculative Fiction, The Recipient, Thriller, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
About My Queendom for a Horse
Kristiana Liepa was supposed to use the money to save her family farm. She was not supposed to spend it all to save a massive, black stallion.
But when she saw how he was being treated, what’s a vet to do?
She had no idea that gorgeous beast was really a powerful (and morally gray) magician who had been cursed by a witch, or that she was the only one who could reverse the curse.
And she couldn’t possibly have known how that one rash decision would irrevocably change her life…and his.
Need a little more information to make up your mind? Read a longer description below:
Kristiana’s father has a gambling problem. After a particularly bad hand of cards puts their family’s land in jeopardy, her dad’s solution is to call her billionaire ex, but Kris can’t bring herself to beg him for money. At least, not her first time seeing him in 10 years. Instead, she withdraws her life savings and bets on herself.
Thankfully, it pays off! She and her most promising horse win big at the Down Royal steeplechase in Ireland, but only because the best horse on the track wasn’t ridden properly. Luckily, it’s just enough to grant a stay of execution with the bank.
It would have been, but when Kris realizes her nemesis is abusing the gorgeous black stallion who should have won, she can’t help herself. She spends her winnings buying the horse she fell for the moment she saw him. It may not be the smartest move in the short run, but Obsidian Devil’s her best hope of finally digging out from under the massive debt hanging over them. She’ll have to ask her ex to help with the next payment, but seeing him again won’t be sobad.
What Kris doesn’t know is that her new purchase is actually a powerful magician stuck in horse form by a witch’s curse. She also has no idea that she’ll be the only person who can help him lift the curse. And worst of all, that helping him may mean losing the family farm for good.
Purchase Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/My-Queendom-Horse-Russian-Witchs/dp/B0BV7Z3BM8
Chirp: My Queendom for a Horse by Bridget E. Baker – Audiobook (No Subscription)
My Review of My Queendom for a Horse
I purchased My Queendom for a Horse, by Bridget E. Baker and narrated by Cindy Gunderson from a Chirp Freebie Friday deal. I’m offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
I chose this book because of the fantastic cover with shades of blues and purples. Although the tiny sparkles indicated a magical theme, the image of a horse made me think of the story of Black Beauty, a story I loved as a child. Soon after beginning to listen, I was surprised to learn that what I had was a shape shifter romance.
Setting out to save her family farm from her father’s gambling debts, Kristiana has a plan to ride the winning horse and take the purse and a bet on her own horse. And it would have worked if she hadn’t impulsively purchased a stallion which was being abused by one of her competitors, forcing her to take a loan from the man who dumped her years ago. You can imagine her surprise when she finds her newest purchase is not a horse , but a shape shifting Russian prince who had been cursed hundreds of years ago, and somehow, Kris has the key to his powers. The whole scenario leads to some humorous scenes, as the headstrong prince rears his jealous head, while Kris tries to sort out her feelings for her ex, and raise the money to save the farm.
The author has crafted a truly enjoyable story that makes you laugh in all the right places. And Ms. Gunderson does an excellent job of narrating. I give My Queendom for a Horse five quills.
About The Recipient
Sergeant Wade McKinnon knows who killed Samantha the moment he arrives at her crime scene. Problem is, he watched her killer die a year ago.
A year after serial killer Michael Rhodes is executed and allowed to donate part of his brain as an organ transplant, Wade gets called to a murder scene that shares uncanny similarities to those of the late Michael Rhodes. Other similar killings happen around Seattle, and Wade seems to be the only person still alive who knows enough about Michael Rhodes’s murders to be able to replicate them. When evidence found at one of the crime scenes points to Wade as the killer, he races to find the real culprit before it’s too late to clear his own name.
Elle is overjoyed when her husband, Brian, receives a partial brain transplant and gets a second chance at life. Until she learns that his brain cells came from a serial killer….
Purchase Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/The-Recipient-Audrey-J-Cole-audiobook/dp/B07QYK6WBZ
Chirp: The Recipient by Audrey J. Cole – Audiobook (No Subscription)
My Review of The Recipient
I purchased The Recipient, by Audrey J. Cole and read by Marcio Catalano and Veronica Pace, from a Chirp Freebie Friday deal. I’m offering an honest review. All opinions stated here are my own.
This story uses dual male and female narrators, which I’ve found works well in romances, but I was unsure how that would work for a thriller. In hindsight, although each of them missed inflections a few times, they really did a premium job. Catalano and Pace did a smash-up job, instead of just alternating chapters, they dubbed the female voice of Pace into the male POV chapters, and the male voice of Catalano into the female POV chapters, which is how the dual narrating should be done. I can see why this book was nominated for the Voice Arts Awards, as advertised on the cover.
As far as story goes, the title gives it all away, but it is also a little misleading. Early on I figured out who the killer was and although the author was skilled in laying it all out, I still felt the story to be predictable as events unfolded. Overall, though, it was a decent thriller with tension building in all the right places and well-developed characters.
I give The Recipient four quills.
About Kaye Lynne Booth
For Kaye Lynne Booth, writing is a passion. Kaye Lynne is an author with published short fiction and poetry, both online and in print, including her short story collection, Last Call and Other Short Fiction; and her paranormal mystery novella, Hidden Secrets; Books 1 & 2 of her Women in the West adventure series, Delilah and Sarah, and Book 1 in her Time-Travel Adventure series, The Rock Star & The Outlaw, as well as her poetry collection, Small Wonders.
Kaye holds a dual M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing with emphasis in genre fiction and screenwriting, and an M.A. in publishing. Kaye Lynne is the founder of WordCrafter Quality Writing & Author Services and WordCrafter Press, where she edits and publishes two short fiction anthologies and one poetry anthology every year amidst her many writing projects. She also maintains an authors’ blog and website, Writing to be Read, where she publishes content of interest in the literary world.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARC digital copies, (she also accepts print copies). Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review on the Book Review tab above.
