Eternally Beautiful Summer Nights - Horror - Paranormal #Horror #Paranormal

Martha Wickham is here to tell us about Eternally Beautiful Summer Nights, horror, paranormal.

Read on for details...

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Horror / Paranormal

Date Published: 09-08-2025

 

 Experience the eternal, beautiful dread of summer nights, where every shadow holds a story and the past refuses to stay buried.

Welcome back to the world of *Summer Scares*, where the warmth of the season does nothing to banish the chill of the supernatural. In this pulse-pounding fourth volume, Martha Wickham weaves five tales of dolls, deadly secrets, and the ghosts that glitter in the darkness.

Inside, you will encounter the terror of:

Cursed Heirlooms: A vintage collector doll named Reiny uses an old, randomly chiming grandfather clock as her only way to communicate, and you'll find out just how protective (and creepy) she can be in "Girl Protected," "Reiny's Clock Terror," and "Reiny's Last Guardian."

*Glittering Ghosts: When Felicity moves into an apartment, she finds glitter that won't go away and hears tinkling bells—a terrifying trail left behind by the ghost of Lisa and an important clue for a murderer on the run in "The Glitter Veil."

*The Dollhouse Trap: Curious teens fix up an old dollhouse found in an abandoned Victorian, only to start a haunting that communicates its terrible ending. When Terri blames the trapped spirits for an accident, he must compromise with the ghosts to escape their approaching wrath.

These are stories for your eternal summer—a chilling journey where the dolls are more than just toys, the hauntings are inescapable, and every beautiful summer night ends with a scream.

Excerpt

Reiny’s Clock Terror

The grandfather clock chimed loudly and could be heard from Sara’s bedroom. It was closed and she ran to it. It said nine o'clock, but it was the middle of the afternoon. Sara Greyston wondered why it rang when it hadn’t in over a year. Her parents heard it too. The clock was very old and was built by her great-grandfather, George. She moved the arms to three o'clock. There wasn’t much hope that it was going to work right. She wasn’t sure what time it was.

She ran into her mother’s bedroom. “Can we take it and get it fixed?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. It’s only for show,” her father said.

When she got to her room she checked the time on her cell phone. It said ten am. Her watch was right, but she never wore it. The time on her computer also said ten am.

“Did the power go out?” she asked her mother.

“No,” her mother responded. “I don’t think so."

Maybe that was it, and she shrugged. It was an old clock and an old house, and it had been in the family for at least a century. She had just graduated from high school and had time to do what she wanted. All she really wanted to know was when her friends were going to the beach and which school she should go to in the fall.

Just as she feared, the grandfather clock randomly chimed. She sat up in bed and checked her watch. It said one in the morning. It was so cold she got up to get hot tea and turn on the heat. Afterwards, she lay down and checked her watch. It still said one in the morning. In the morning, she would have to reset it. Lying there, she suddenly heard small footsteps in the attic. Reiny hadn’t seen that doll since Mary died, and the doll was locked with a bolt so that it couldn’t get out. The protector doll had become a threat in high school a couple of years ago.

Come early morning, she grabbed the keys and unlocked the attic door. There near the door was Reiny. Her lifelike eyes were staring at Sara. She picked her up, and the clock chimed. It was annoying, but somebody in the family had made it. She took the doll downstairs and shut the door behind her. She had planned to lock it up somewhere still.

She sat in the kitchen eating her eggs. From the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she saw the doll turn its head toward her. Her mom entered the kitchen.

“Mom, what’s the name of the relative that built the big broken clock?” Sara asked.

“George Greyson. He was a clock-maker and the original owner of this house. He was great at it. I’m sure there are pictures and tools he used to use up in the attic,” she answered sipping her coffee.

“I’ll definitely go up there,” Sara said. Her mom noticed how the doll sat in her green and white dress near Sara.

“That’s Reiny,” Sara said. “I believe she may be controlling the clock."

 

Cami Hensley · Eternally Beautiful Summer Nights

 

About the Author

 

 Martha Wickham has a knack for finding the ghosts hidden in the dust. A lifelong student of the arcane and the artistic, Martha has an Associate's Degree and professional writing credentials, but she honed her skills in the thrilling shadows of screenwriting and horror. Martha lives for the secrets that only come out "By Dawn". You can discover more of her work, including her newest audiobooks, at your favorite retailer.

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Website

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Looks That Kill - Serial Killer Thriller - and a Giveaway #SerialKiller #Thriller #SerialKillerThriller #Giveaway

Lee Gemmill is here to tell us about his serial killer thriller Looks That KIll.

There's also a great giveaway.

___________________

Sometimes death is not enough.

Looks that Kill

by Lee Gemmill

Genre: Serial Killer Thriller

Sometimes death is not enough...

Laura Johnson's life has been a mosaic of terror, each piece a fragment of her haunted past. In her world, to be unnoticed is to be safe, yet, beneath her camouflage lies a burning desire to live without the constant pulse of fear.

Enter Diablo, a serial killer who transforms his victims into chilling avatars that appear within his dark and popular computer games. With the police powerless to peel back his many masks, Diablo sets his sights on Laura.

In this heart-stopping race against time, Laura is thrust into a deadly play where facing fear isn't a choice-it's survival. With the killer's shadow looming, can she stand against the darkness? Or will she become the next character in his twisted games of death?

The terror begins now....

  

“A wounded soul becomes the target of a brutal serial killer’s game in this dark, gripping, game of cat and mouse.” ★★★★★ – Explore Authors Magazine

 

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1989

 

The prison guard spoke softly into a communicator on his shoulder, and the steel door opened with a metallic echo in the corridor. The guard looked first at Isabelle, then at Mr. Dunn, asking, “Do you want me to stay?”

Isabelle replied, “Thank you, officer, but no. You’ve done your part.”

The guard nodded and left them in the death row area. They heard the sound of metal on metal as the door locked behind them, sending a small shiver through Isabelle’s heart. But she straightened her jaw and stepped into the cell, with Mr. Dunn following closely behind.

She removed her hat and held it like a weapon. The edge of its brim was thin and stiff enough to slice. Isabelle knew her toughness often intimidated men, but this disturbed individual would likely see her as a beauty queen. Mr. Dunn took a protective stance by the door, his size and the scar running from his eyebrow to his chin making it clear why he was there.

Surveying the cell, which was barely larger than a cheap walk-in closet, Isabelle noted the metal bed, stainless-steel toilet, and sink. In her opinion, this minimalist setup was more than the inmate deserved; far too lavish. She adjusted her posture, shifting into business mode, tilting her head back to exude confidence and becoming the salesperson she was meant to be.

“Hmm. John Spenkelink’s old cell. I know you’re awake, Mr. Bundy.”

Ted Bundy, lying on the bed with his back to them, sat up, feigning disturbed sleep. He yawned, blinked his eyes, and smiled disarmingly. The news photos hadn’t lied; he was indeed a handsome man. Yet, Isabelle recalled how he wielded his charm and good looks like weapons. Maintaining her poker face, she thought of the thirty women he had confessed to killing, with hints of even more hidden in unmarked graves.

“You have me at a disadvantage,” Bundy said, keeping his gaze fixed on hers. “But who wouldn’t be disadvantaged in here?”

Isabelle ignored him and began her presentation. “I’m Dr. Quint. My associate is Mr. Dunn. We’re from Blunt Point Labs. Mr. Bundy, the governor absolutely will not consider a stay of execution.” She glanced at her watch again, already aware of the time. “In less than twenty-four hours, you’re going to die. We can’t prevent that.”

“Then why bother me?”

Isabelle remained stoic; this was her favorite part. “Mr. Bundy, we’re here to make you an offer you can’t refuse. A chance to serve mankind in a positive way.”

Bundy raised his eyebrows. “Serve mankind? When I’m dead?”

Mr. Dunn moved as if cued; it was the signal for him to take the next step. He reached into the satchel, pulled out some important-looking papers, and handed them to Isabelle. She held them just out of Bundy’s reach. His gaze flickered to the papers momentarily.

She continued, “You’ll be dead alright, but I think you’ll find this to be a fair offer.” She handed the papers to Bundy, who studied them intently for several long minutes with a practiced legal eye. Suddenly, he looked up.

“How does it work? There aren’t any laws to protect the dead. Blunt Point has this kind of power?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll need a pen.”

“Yes, you will. But before you sign, I want to know why you tortured, raped, and murdered thirty innocent women.”

Bundy grinned mischievously. Everything about him was likable. Isabelle forced herself to frown.

“Thirty?” he asked. “You think small, Doctor.” He paused, as if considering his words. Isabelle realized he wasn’t thinking at all; he was remembering. Bundy’s smile turned predatory. “Having those women tied up and terrified was the ultimate aphrodisiac. They knew they were going to die because of me. To them, I was their angry god.”

If Isabelle had been holding a chainsaw at that moment, she would have used it on him. Instead, she forced herself to remain unresponsive to Bundy’s comment. She didn’t need to look back at Mr. Dunn to know his expression had not changed; it rarely did.

With no visible reaction from his visitors, Bundy shrugged. He raised his hand as if holding an invisible pen, wiggling his fingers in a gesture that conveyed, "I still need something to write with." Mr. Dunn reached into his coat and pulled out a ballpoint pen, offering it to Bundy. Carefully and neatly, Bundy signed each page and initialed several others. He returned the pen to Mr. Dunn and handed the papers to Isabelle.

“When do we start?” he asked, excitement bubbling in his voice like a child eager for an adventure.

Isabelle provided the answer he needed. “As soon as you die.”

 

At 20, Lee Gemmill set off on a hitchhiking adventure from Virginia to California, climbing Handies Peak in Colorado and losing all his food to sneaky ground squirrels in the Grand Canyon along the way. A former biology and anatomy teacher with 32 years of experience in Virginia, he’s now retired and fully dedicated to writing.
Lee’s mission is to reshape storytelling by blending fantasy, science fiction, and horror into unforgettable tales. His work pushes the boundaries of imagination, delivering thrilling experiences that stay with readers long after the last page — all while building a legacy of unique, genre-defying stories that cultivate lifelong fans.

 

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All the Shadows We Become - YA Romantasy Thriller - and a Giveaway #YA #Romantasy #Thriller #YARomantasyThriller #Giveaway

Dustin Blackwall is here to tell us about his YA romantasy thriller All the Shadows We Become.

There's also a great giveaway.

____________________

When the shadows come alive, Ava and Caleb discover the only safe place is in each other’s arms.

But the closer they get, the darker the truth becomes.

All the Shadows We Become

by Dustin Blackwall

Genre: YA Romantasy Thriller

Caleb Ward is trying to forget the night he almost died.
Ava Lin is trying to understand why he survived.

But Hollow Creek isn’t letting either of them move on.

What starts as a strange blackout spirals into a trail of eerie clues, shifting shadows, and a connection between Ava and Caleb that grows hotter and more undeniable with every new secret uncovered.

Something happened that night.
Something dangerous.
And it’s waking up.

 

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The lights exploded into darkness so fast it felt like the whole world had been switched off. One second, the fairgrounds pulsed with noise; the next, a hush dropped over everything - thick, heavy, wrong. Ava’s breath caught in her throat as the shadows around the tents stretched, bending in directions that didn’t match the lanterns flickering overhead.

“Caleb…”

She didn’t even finish his name. Her hand shot out on instinct, finding his fingers in the dark. His grip closed around hers immediately - warm, tight, desperate - anchoring her like a lifeline.

Static rolled through the air, not sound but pressure, brushing across her skin like cold fingertips. The wind picked up and carried the faint smell of scorched leaves and metal. Somewhere behind them, a ride creaked slowly, even though nothing was moving it.

Caleb stepped close enough that she felt the heat of his chest at her shoulder.

“I’m here,” he whispered, voice low and unsteady.

Something moved at the corner of her vision - a ripple of shadow that stole her breath. But Caleb was already there, guiding her back against him, solid and unwavering.

The world still trembled, but she didn’t. Not with his strength at her back. In that moment, she felt it with aching clarity: as long as he held her, she could face anything.

All around them, people shouted - fragmented cries swallowed by the dark. A string of carnival lights fizzled overhead, sputtering blue sparks that made the shadows jump like living ink.

Ava squeezed his hand harder.

“We have to move,” she said, though she wasn’t sure which direction was safe anymore.

Caleb turned, pulling her with him, and in that split-second flash of dying light, she saw his face - terrified, determined, and somehow still looking at her like she was the one thing in this chaos he trusted.

The ground trembled.

The shadows bent again.

And together, hand in hand, they ran toward whatever waited in the dark.

Light Years to Midnight

by Dustin Blackwall

Genre: SciFi Thriller

When data itself begins to speak, who decides what it’s trying to say?

Light Years To Midnight — a globe-spanning thriller where science, faith, and code collide in a race against a countdown written into the fabric of reality.

 

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The wind whipped dust across the plateau as Jonas crested the ridge, breath burning in his throat. Below him, the satellite dishes of the abandoned relay station stretched into the dark like a field of frozen giants. Their metal frames groaned under the rising storm, each bent toward the same invisible point on the horizon.

He wasn’t alone.

A faint beam of light—too controlled to be an accident—flickered between the dishes. Jonas crouched, heart thudding, watching as a woman stepped into view, her silhouette sharp against the skeletal machinery. She moved with the alertness of someone who had been running for far too long.

Elena.

He had seen her face in files, in encrypted packets, in the warnings that had chased him across continents. But seeing her here, in the flesh, felt unreal—like walking into a photograph he wasn’t meant to understand.

Before he could speak, a second figure emerged from the opposite end of the array. Maya paused only when she spotted Elena, recognition flaring across her face. They had never met, not really, but the anomaly had braided their paths tightly enough that the moment felt inevitable.

Jonas stood and lifted a hand, but movement in the distance froze him mid-step.

Engines.

Low, tactical, deliberate.

A convoy approached from the north, its headlights dark, its tires crunching through gravel like muffled gunfire. Special operations—unmarked, unhurried, confident. Not hunters, but collectors.

Elena’s eyes locked on his.

“Are they here for you,” she whispered, “or for all of us?”

Maya stepped closer, her breath sharp in the cold air. “Does it matter?”

Something pulsed beneath the earth—three beats, a pause, three more—vibrating up through the metal frames of the dishes. The sky above them shimmered, faint but unmistakable, as if answering the rhythm.

Jonas swallowed hard.

“No,” he said. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s already found us.”

Dustin is a lifelong fan of science and speculative fiction, blending his fascination with astronomy, technology, and the unknown into stories that explore the edge between logic and wonder. When he’s not writing, he’s reading, stargazing, or chasing trails on his dirt bike — always searching for what lies just beyond understanding.

 

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Enter the All The Shadows We Become Giveaway Here

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MFRW Book Hooks - PRIVILEGE on Audible - Dark Erotic Romance - Mafia - FBI Assassin - A Woman with Nothing to Lose #MFRWBookHooks #PrivilegeonAudible #DarkEroticRomance #Mafia #FBIassassin #AWomanwithNothingtoLose

 

Check out these great authors' works 

for some seriously super reads!

Privilege - on Audible - Dark Erotic Romance - Mafia

The galaxy will never be safe. Not for you

She's Leaving Me by Jana Richards

Kissing first, or dinner? - Daulton

Stir in a pinch...

"Between Goodbye & Hello" - Australian Romance

Another Holiday Excerpt from "Ten Years..."

PRIVILEGE

NOW ON AUDIBLE

She'll destroy the mobsters who murdered her brother...

unless they kill her first.

Dark Erotic Romance

Mafia

FBI Assassin

A Woman with Nothing to Lose

 

District cop Lia Blosky warned her twin brother not to get involved with the Valesky Crime Family. He didn’t listen. Now, he’s dead, tortured horribly before mobsters murdered him. Out for blood, she’ll do anything to see these monsters dead.

FBI Special Agent Adrian Kalin is connected to the Valesky Family in a way he loathes and doesn’t want. His stepfather rules the syndicate and is tired of Lia threatening to kill him and others responsible for her brother’s death. To shut her up for good, he orders Adrian to murder her. Who better than an FBI agent who has no connection to her and knows how to hide evidence?

Adrian resists, but if it comes down to saving Lia or his brothers and mother from Dimitri’s rage, he’ll have to choose family.

In a deadly game between each other and the mob, Lia and Adrian fight to survive… while also surrendering to their undeniable attraction to each other.

This is book two in the Valesky Crime Family series, can be enjoyed independently and has an HEA.

PRAISE FOR PRIVILEGE

FIVE STARS

"This was a simply wonderful and captivating read...it is simply impossible to put the book down until you reach the end of the book and discover the outcome." Sue B

"Great book. This is the 1st book I've read written by Tina Donahue; I can’t wait to read more of her books." - Jeanne

"Awesome book, can't wait to read more of the series." - Arin

"Holy cow. This was mind blowing good." - Lisa

"I absolutely loved this book." - Sha77

"OMG!!! Loved it!!!" - Indie

"One hot romance!" - Kathleen

TEASERS

What else will you learn about in my newsletter?

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By Dawn - The 13th House - Horror - Paranormal #Horror #Paranormal

Martha Wickham is here to tell us about By Dawn, The 13th House, horror-paranormal.

Read on for details...

____________________

 

Horror/paranormal

Date Published: 11-22-2025

Nine Tales. Nine Secrets. All Before Dawn.

In the shadow of Bloomstone Manor, a dilapidated estate hauntingly known as "Lily Lane", the veil between the living and the dead is impossibly thin. This collection of nine paranormal mystery stories explores inheritances, dark family legacies, and spectral demands, all bound by the Manor's enduring, dark influence.

This Halloween, meet the three students who dare to knock on the door of "The 13th House"—a black, unnumbered prison that holds the sinister secrets of the past. Their trick-or-treating leads them to a terrifying collection of artifacts: a bent spoon, a rusted key, and a doll's eye. Every artifact is a clue left by a child who vanished, whispering pleas for help from beyond the grave. The teens must solve the mystery and free the spirits before the night's magic fades, or they might become the next secret the old house keeps.

Every house has a debt. Every ghost has a tether. Uncover the restless spirits and broken promises that demand attention and resolution. When the clock strikes dawn, the secrets settle back into the dust and the lilies—and it may be too late.

Excerpt

Night of the Spirits 

 

Anthony pushed through the thick brush that had swallowed the old path. His friends told him the house was hidden somewhere ahead, rumored to be haunted. When he finally saw it, the place looked half-demolished, with climbing walls that had paint curling and peeling. Yet every window was perfectly intact.

He opened the front door. Stale, cold air rushed out, thick with dust. His footsteps echoed through the empty living room.As he moved down the hallway, the front door suddenly slammed. He spun around and ran back, and in that moment, he was sure he heard a whisper: Sam.The door wouldn’t budge. He was trapped. He tried the windows too none of them opened.

Again, the whisper came, louder this time. Sam.

“Who’s Sam? I’m not Sam!” he shouted.

A hiss answered him, followed by footsteps upstairs. Heart pounding, he raced up the stairs. At the top, he stopped and listened. The footsteps were clear, moving steadily into an empty room. He followed them.

Moonlight spilt across the floor through a bare window. The invisible footsteps crossed the room and came to a stop at the closet. Inside, there was only a small box containing a single book. The spirits wanted him to find it; maybe it would explain everything.

He lifted the book. It was an old, battered ledger. Inside, a name was written: Samuel. He began to read.I made a promise to the spirits trapped here. One of them is buried downstairs. I swore I would help free them with my rituals. I study the occult, and they own a golden statue worth a fortune. It must be used in the ritual. If I hide it now, I can return for it later. No one alive will see me take it.

Anthony reached deeper into the box and pulled out a loose page, a torn sheet from another book. It carried a chant and the instructions for a ritual to free spirits.A freezing gust swept through the room. Then a booming voice declared:“Complete the ritual by dawn, or be trapped here forever!”

“What am I supposed to do?” he asked the spirit.

Once again, he heard footsteps descending the stairs and followed them. Near the kitchen, the basement door creaked open. He cautiously stepped down the dark basement steps and saw the cloud-like spirit hovering over a crypt in the floor, where it looked like a ritual had been started over someone’s grave. Candles and matches were scattered nearby.

About the Author

 

Martha Wickham has a knack for finding the ghosts hidden in the dust. A lifelong student of the arcane and the artistic, Martha has an Associate's Degree and professional writing credentials, but she honed her skills in the thrilling shadows of screenwriting and horror. Martha lives for the secrets that only come out "By Dawn". You can discover more of her work, including her newest audiobooks, at your favorite retailer.

Contact Link

Website

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

iBooks

Books2Read

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