Thursday, March 15, 2018

Blue Sludge Blues or Why You Should Hold It

blu eyes


Today, I am helping celebrate the release of a horror story collection titled Blue Sludge Blues and Other Abominations by Shannon Lawrence. What's more terrifying than a rest stop toilet? I can't wait to find out. But first, a little tale of terror from my past.

Many years ago, I took up jogging to get a break from the insanity that is staying at home with two toddlers who hate each other's guts at least 50% of the time. How bad was it? Well, let's just say I preferred dragging my butt through the dark, snowy streets of our neighborhood with temps dipping into the 20s to dealing with another minute of "She hit me first. No, she hit me first!" 

Standard question my husband would ask before I left: "Are you running away from home?"

Me: "Yes." 

Husband: "Are you coming back?"

Me: "Maybe."


Snow and Christmas Lights in HDR



In the months leading up to Christmas, it was kind of fun with all the different lights, inflatables, and even music ushering me along my slippery route.

Then one night, with the snow dulling the streetlights' glow to a dim blue, I saw movement about thirty yards ahead. At first, I couldn't understand what I was seeing. My first impression was legs. Lots of legs, long and not human. Too many for a single dog, I slowed down, worried I had run afoul of a pack. Which was ridiculous, right? Then the long, thin legs made me wonder if they were greyhounds. Equally ridiculous. But the bodies were too large. I stopped in my tracks. OMG, were they wolves!? 


Walla Walla wolf
Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?



Then the critters trotted under a streetlamp and I realized they were not dogs at all, but a family of deer. Oh, dear!

Without further ado, let me present: Blue Sludge Blues:





Blue Sludge Blues And Other Abominations
by Shannon Lawrence

Release Date: March 15, 2018
Horror short story collection



A collection of frights, from the psychological to the monstrous. These tales are a reminder of how much we have to fear: A creature lurking in the blue, sludgy depths of a rest area toilet; a friendly neighbor with a dark secret hidden in his basement; a woman with nothing more to lose hellbent on vengeance; a hike gone terribly wrong for three friends; a man cursed to clean up the bodies left behind by an inhuman force. These and other stories prowl the pages of this short story collection.

Excerpt


From Know Thy Neighbor:

"She could tell he enjoyed her pain, and she grew determined to not show him anymore. She would bear this quietly, staring directly into his eyes."


Buy the Book


Also available from Apple and other countries through Amazon


About the Author


A fan of all things fantastical and frightening, Shannon Lawrence writes mostly fantasy and horror. Her stories can be found in magazines and anthologies, including Space and Time Magazine, Dark Moon Digest, and Ember: A Journal of Luminous Things. When she's not writing, she's hiking the wilds of Colorado and photographing her magnificent surroundings, where, coincidentally, there's always a place to hide a body or birth a monster.


Social Media Links



19 comments:

  1. You went jogging in that weather? Heavens, the kids must have been difficult! ;) You must have been relieved when that wolf pack turned out to be deer.

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  2. Big congratulations to Shannon!
    You were a dedicated jogger to be out in that weather. Glad it was deer and not wolves.

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  3. No wonder you wanted to get out of the house--sounds painful! I hope they get along better as they age. Deer are so majestic but that would be jarring before you realized the species you were dealing with.

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  4. I love the title of this post! Thank you for helping with my book release. That would have scared me, too. I always run into deer and bunnies on my late night walks. Funny how stealthy deer are, despite their size.

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  5. Wolves would be kind of scary to encounter. Deer not as much.

    Shannon's book sounds like creepy fun.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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  6. Congrats to Shannon. Sounds like a creepy read! :)

    Glad your run turned out safe!
    ~Jess

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  7. Congratulations to Shannon! Thrilling story!

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  8. Congrats to Shannon! And wow, you are far more dedicated to your jogging than I am. Then again, i have just one child who likes to sleep in!

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  10. Congratulations Shannon. It looks like a good book!

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  11. I've seen deer and foxes while walking in the evening, but thankfully never a wolf. It would be shocking in the UK as the only wolves we have are in zoos - I hope! That book looks really scary, will have to check it out.

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