Frightfest2016 Stories

The Cartwright clan has worked the farm for almost a century. On the surface, they are prosperous pillars of the community. But once a generation, a wicked harvest must be reaped, to ensure that the family never falls. The appointed time for Joshua Cartwright's offspring approaches. He has to remind himself that we all must suffer, so that we do not take our blessings for granted. Reviews for Birthright: @Finnyh "Birthright's uniqueness, quality, and authenticity are what set it apart. A piece to indulge every fan of horror, historical fiction, and Southern Gothic themes. Ian delivers a compelling story about a family curse through the ages, all the while keeping up a sinister tone and the 'feel' of a different time and place. Ian's Deep South horrors will never fail to entrance and haunt me." @rosaimee "Ambience and tone are incredibly well weaved, in that it's both terrifying and beautiful. With each chapter it grows in complexity, and a solid backdrop enriches the plot." @LynnS13 "Birthright goes to the heart of Southern Gothic. It understands that pace is all when it comes to this special breed of horror. It doesn't boil over or spill; it simmers and goes skin deep."

With creatures roaming the streets, a girl is trapped in her house, alone. With her thoughts. Sometimes facing your inner demons is just as daunting as the monsters outside. (Contains no gore, flesh-rending, or other gross-out things. Mostly a thriller.) Big thanks to @summerssolitude for finding a great cover image for me! I'm proud to say I got a sweet Silver award in @FinnyH's FrightFest2016! Here's what he and a special judge had to say about it: FINN H. ARLETT: The author's character beams bright throughout, giving a touch of humour to a "flesh-eater" classic. An experimental piece with a mix of first and second person that also touches on more than just the horror genre. L. L. SANDERS (LLSanders): The first paragraph of Leaving It Behind sets the tone of this unique take on zombie horror. With its subtle hints of humor mixed with full-on horror, and its underlying theme of all-powerful lessons in love, this experimental short pays off! Great writing, edge-of-your-seat scenes and suspense, and a protagonist whose personality shines through every paragraph. This story is engaging from the start to the surprising & satisfactory ending. This story definitely deserves a spot amongst the #FrightFest2016 winners.

The twists and turns will keep your spine nicely chilled until the very end. Following the death of her mother 11-year-old Tamicka Moon and her father move from Canada to Eastlake in England, where they both struggle to come to terms with their grief. Jack Moon becomes engrossed in writing about Munford House, the estate where they are staying, while Tamicka is left to explore the house that no-one in Eastlake, save the housekeeper, Mrs Hughes, will go near. Why is everyone so afraid of the old house, and who is the spirit that offers to make everything better for Tamicka - friend or something else? When Tamicka befriends a local girl, Penny, the spirit warns her she can't be trusted, and that seems to be true when Penny's friends play a cruel trick on her; but is the spirit telling her the whole truth? And what is the dark secret of Munford House?

***FRIGHT FEST 2016 GOLD WINNER*** "There are two kinds of people who sit around thinking about how to kill other people: psychopaths and mystery writers." -Richard Castle "Don't make promises you can't keep, Mr. Parker." "Yeah, but those are the best kind." -"The Amazing Spider-Man" (2012) Heaven and Hell aren't above or below Earth. If you want to find them, you should be looking sideways. Teenage angel Alex Snow has a very weird life - his twin brother Gabe is a demon, he has few friends, he doesn't get out much, his tastes in pop culture are quirky at best...and one of his classmates has just been horribly murdered. Soon, more dead bodies start to pop up in town, and Alex and Gabe discover that the killer is someone to whom they are inextricably connected, despite having never met. (First in the Red Rain Series. Cover designed by @Whisperingwater.) Reader Reviews: "Technically sound, brilliant quality, full of intelligence with a dash of dark humour and a touch of science fiction." -Finn Arlett "It's escapist and I enjoyed every minute of reading it." -Gavin Hetherington "This captivated and intrigued me in many different ways...I personally haven't read anything similar to it." @kirrencee "You're a spinner, Ricky. A kick-butt weaver of tales with twists that only a non-novice could compose. Mad kudos..." -Michelle E. Hayes "I just sat on my bed for 2 hours straight in the night reading Red Rain until I finished it!!...It's so addictive." @Phoenix39736 "Amazing book! Can't wait to read the rest." @SarahJayneBrown

Dark, creepy and disturbing short stories. Some of them true.

Bloodwood, doesn't the name sound bad? A group of teens are targeted by an unknown masked killer. Some think this has something to do with the Halloween of 1996 or is this a brand new murdering spree? Secrets will be kept, friendships will break, and most of all. People will die.

GOLD WINNER 2016 FRIGHT FEST! What's done in the dark will come to light ... Those words are engraved on the door and offer the only clue as to why I'm trapped in this windowless room with ... a chair. The old dining chair and the overwhelming sense of someone watching begins my unsettling journey to discover who's responsible and why. Will revealing who's behind my imprisonment be the key to my freedom? *A short story with an ending that will stay with you long after reading.

Sixteen-year-old Kaitlyn wants to enjoy a typical Saturday night with friends. Instead, her boyfriend convinces her to go with him and their best friends to photograph a desolate tree with an evil past. . . but not all of them will make it back to town alive.

SHORT/THRILLER/SUSPENSE: Jackson receives a call from a distraught stranger intent on talking to someone before she ends her life. He's forced to take on the role of crisis counselor in an attempt to save the caller. Once he discovers the caller is nearby, he puts both of their lives at stake as he secretly sets out to find her. However, the closer he gets, the more dangerous the situation becomes. *A short story about lessons learned with a shocking twist ending. --- Highest Rank: #461 in Mystery/Thriller

FRIGHT FEST 2016 GOLD WINNER Kara Saunders is a budding photographer with a taste for architecture. When she runs into Lysander Blackwood, a wealthy aristocrat with an air of mystery about him, she jumps on a once in a lifetime opportunity: the famous Blackwood Manor as a muse, and a week to explore and photograph. Lysander lets Kara stay in the residence for a small fee, and she takes his offer gratefully, but behind the magnificent facade of the mansion, something else lurks, and she doesn't know who, or rather what, Mr Blackwood is, and what exactly it is that he is hiding. (BTW this isn't a werewolf short despite the cover)

* 2017 WATTY WINNER!* Blurb: Humans are at the top of the food chain and always have been. But what if they weren't? What if another took our place and decided to raise and exploit us as we have every other animal on earth? Welcome to a world after humanity... No one is exactly certain where the sibla came from. Some say they evolved from humans long ago, slowly taking power as their numbers increased. Taller, stronger, and longer-lived, than homo sapiens it isn't too hard to imagine. Now humans must face a reality in which they are no more than animals, domesticated beasts bred for their master's various needs and hungers. Rachel Turner is only eight years old. Born in Demin, one of the last remaining free human settlements on earth, she has never been forced to face the reality of life under a sibla Master, living a carefree existence in her hidden village. Magnus Kendrick is a sibla farmer with a sizable estate on which he raises all manner of livestock, from chickens, to sheep, to...humans. He is also the man destined to purchase Rachel's life. *Warning: This book contains a certain degree of gore and disturbing themes Beautiful cover by @my_fairytale 2016 Fright Fest Gold Winner Cryptic's Choice 2017 WATTY Winner ( Story Smiths category) *All Rights Reserved