Hello, and happy Halloween, dear reader!
It's that most hallowed time of the year, when the veil thins and beings from beyond the mortal curtain roam. A time of ghost stories and horror, costumes and celebrations, revering - and perhaps summoning - the spirits of old.
I normally release a new novella around this time of year - although this year, Careful What You Wish For kind of bucked that trend! - so I decided to write a short story for All Hallows' Read. A Sam Hain Samhain Special. I say a short story, but as I was writing it quickly took on a life of its own and became an accidental novella.
It's called The Tufnell Park Terror, and it's out now! The full story is currently available to read for free, from 31st October to 7th November, after which it'll be available on Kindle and in paperback only.
The Tufnell Park Terror
Halloween. A time of costumes and celebrations.
However, humans aren’t the only ones who regard this All Hallows’ Eve, and don disguises of their own…
While investigating an interdimensional incursion somewhere in the vicinity of Tufnell Park, occult detective Sam Hain finds himself gatecrashing a Halloween party. With the help of friend and burgeoning witch, Alice Carroll, and enlisting the aid of supernatural specialist, Penelope Etrange, they seek to eliminate any eldritch entities before things go awry.
But the veils between worlds are at their thinnest on this night, and the threat of things from beyond crossing the terrestrial threshold looms…
The story first came about after talking with friend and fellow author, Jon Kaneko-James, about writing, storytelling and weird fiction. Jon also kindly - and supernaturally skilfully - created the phenomenal cover art for the book (you can read more about his work and Dark Sheep Design here). In The Tufnell Park Terror, I’ve featured one of Jon’s original characters, Penelope Etrange – affectionately known as Penny – as she joins Sam and Alice on this eldritch escapade.
I hope you enjoy reading this somewhat unexpected adventure; I know I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and am incredibly excited to share it with you all.
I hope you're all enjoying this most supernatural of seasons, keeping safe and well from both our current physical reality and the metaphysical things which dwell beyond the scrim of reality.
I wish you a blessed Samhain, haunting Halloween, and happy All Hallows’ Read!