Category Archives: Writing Samples

June 23, 2018

The Pilgrimage

By thelivingdread

Now that I’m getting deeper into the sequel to my very first novel, Doguhn, I wanted to share an excerpt from the opening chapter. The prologue is titled, The Pilgrimage, and it takes us back before the events of the first novel, before we return to our protagonist and his companions for a new adventure.

I’m shaking the cobwebs off the site again, so updates should be coming soon. I hope you enjoy the excerpt, don’t forget my previous 3 novels are still available on Amazon, and as always, thanks for reading!!!

 

PROLOGUE: THE PILGRIMAGE

Before the gates of Excereax were discovered, opened, and ultimately sealed once more, before it was consumed until nothing but darkness remained, when the Dōguhn still slumbered, dreaming their murderous dreams, a man named Jerold Quintax set foot on this new world for the first time. Bordering on the land of the Eanigmus, Excereax was once a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, mountains, forests, and sparkling clean water; a land wholly uninhabited and void of intelligent life, or so it seemed. Jerold Quintax’s pilgrimage into Excereax was one of peace and exploration.

But his story was destined to be far more tragic. Continue reading

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February 26, 2017

Transactions of the Flesh

By thelivingdread

With the release of The Skin Collection in just a couple days (2/28/17) I thought I’d share the first chapter again to whet your appetite. The trade paperback and Kindle versions will both be available, and you can pre-order the kindle version now if you click right here!

Howard Russo is a collector of human remains. What began as mere fascination became a hobby which fed off the man’s fragile will until it developed into a desperate craving that could never be fulfilled, no matter how many ghastly trophies lined his walls. Forty years later, very few know of Howard’s whereabouts, but some of those with this valuable information are ones to be feared, which is why the old man currently remains in hiding from the prying eyes of the world. Even still, his unhealthy desires persevere, and the skins of countless men and women continue to keep him warm on the darkest, coldest of nights. Continue reading

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February 5, 2017

The Skin Collection Release Date!

By thelivingdread

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The Skin Collection will finally be released in trade paperback (my favorite) and kindle on 2/28/17! Both will be available on Amazon.com, and the kindle edition will be free to those who purchase a physical copy. By the way, once again I opted to omit those pesky DRM restrictions on the kindle version, so you’re free to dump onto as many devices as you like and share with your friends. But it’s only $2.99 on kindle so tell your friends not to be so cheap. The kindle version should be up for preorder shortly, so keep an eye out for it, along with news of the other projects on the way!!!

 

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December 19, 2016

The List

By thelivingdread

black-christmas

I’ve been meaning to write a short holiday/horror story for years (don’t get excited, I still haven’t) but you might get the gist of where I want to go with it below, to be titled: The List.

With the list completed, he looked it over twice, and then a third, fourth and fifth time, hoping with each repetition he’d find that what he’d written with a shaky hand had been a mistake. How could this be? There was an extensive list of infractions with an entire year for him to find just one to levy against the boy, but somehow the son eluded each and every one. As a matter of fact, the boy had even gone out of his way to add a few genuinely good deeds to his list of accomplishments.

Normally the jolly old man would even overlook several bouts of naughty behavior, but in this instance he only needed one reason to avoid this dreaded trip. Try as he might, he couldn’t find a hint of naughtiness in the boy all year, and despite all the lies, torment and death the son of the devil may have dished out in the past, each year a fresh slate is given to all the boys and girls, and this one is clean.

He made his list.

He checked it five fucking times.

He found out who was naughty and nice.

Santa Claus is coming to hell.

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October 18, 2014

What Lurks Beyond the Shadow City?

By thelivingdread

What lurks beyond the shadow city? This question is the title of my new project, which I’m finally moving full-steam ahead with. It’s been quiet, I know, I know, but a divorce, foreclosure, new life and making up for lost time for the last year and a half will do that to a person. Now I’m back in Philly with my new love, my new writing room/desk all set up, and I’m writing not one, not two, but three novels at once…or at least, that’s the plan, as ludicrous as that may seem. I’m enjoying the bleed over and contrast, and if ever I hit a block in one, I can carry over to another.

In addition, I currently have two novels out on amazon now, with my third, The Skin Collection, complete and planned for release as soon as I finish with editing and cover design, as well an older young adult horror novel that I’m polishing, so while you haven’t heard from me, and I’ve been quite lazy if I’m being honest, I haven’t been sitting completely idle.

That ends now of course, as I have What Lurks Beyond the Shadow City?, The End to the Dawn, and The Eanigmus (a sequel to my first novel, Doguhn) in works. I’ll reveal more about all three as I progress and I’m sure I’ll be posting excerpts as well. If I’m feeling especially ambitious I might even pick up the movie and game reviews, or fun articles and lists again, but one step at a time.

So with that, I’ll leave you with the first Chapter of my work in progress. Let me know what you think (PLEASE), and thanks SO much for reading! I love you guys and gals! Continue reading

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April 18, 2014

The Lost Pages of Trevor Sunburn

By thelivingdread

The Lost Pages of Trevor Sunburn is finally available in trade paperback and kindle!

Click here to purchase the trade Paperback version for 12.95!

Click here to purchase the Kindle version for $2.99!

KindleCover

Here’s a synopsis:

The world moved along as it always had, on an inevitable spiral leading to the self-annihilation of mankind, but something beat us to the punch. These are the lost writings of Trevor Sunburn; one of the few remaining survivors who tells of the plague that consumed our species, believed to have been caused by a race of ancient creatures known as angels. The plague came swiftly, traveling in the wind, causing madness, physical mutation, and death.

Trevor and his eccentric companions will lead us through life and death before and after the apocalypse, the dangers of the remaining survivors who have lost their minds or have been horribly transformed by the epidemic, and on a journey to discover the home of those responsible. Filled with elements of horror, action, sci-fi, fantasy, surrealism and dark comedy, The Lost Pages of Trevor Sunburn will take you on a mind trip you won’t soon forget.

Now, I’d like to take a little time to talk about how this one was created, because it was a fun ride and different than any book I’d ever written.  Continue reading

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June 20, 2012

Looking for Head

By thelivingdread

Seems every time I post I’m apologizing about the interval of time since my last entry. I’ll just say it’s been a trying time in my life and though it’s been quiet, I’m plugging away in the background on multiple projects. I made some promises I honestly haven’t kept and frankly shouldn’t have made while such calamitous life events are in play.

I said I’d have The Lost Pages of Trevor Sunburn in print around June. This didn’t happen A. Because I’m uncertain how I want to have this one distributed yet and B. I’ve simply been fucked up. This still might come out in 2012, the damn thing’s been done for years now, but I can’t say at this second precisely when. I’ve seen interest and I really want to get it out there, so stay tuned on that. Continue reading

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April 12, 2012

The List (and other stuff)

By thelivingdread

I just found this little tidbit in an email I wrote to myself this past December, in an attempt to start a short horror/comedy Christmas story. It’s only the first two paragraphs, but I figured I’d share and if there’s any interest, I might finish it this year. So anyway, here’s the start of The List.


A tremendous sense of dread hung over the North Pole. He’d made his list, checked it twice, thrice, but no matter how many times he looked it over the impossible facts remained. The devil’s son had been good that year. Continue reading

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April 7, 2012

Ghosts of the Past (excerpt from The Skin Collection)

By thelivingdread

Had Ethan believed in ghosts, he would have few doubts the house looming before him was infested. There’s a trail of paperwork stating that the house had on multiple occasions been bought and sold and that it was currently occupied, but there was no evidence anyone’s stepped foot on this property, or neighboring homes, since Howard Russo abandoned ship years ago. The weeds had overtaken the lower floor of the estate, choking what life remained from the rotting edifice; the trees wrapped themselves around the second and third floors and forced their bony fingers through several windows, exposing the interior to the elements with no apparent intervention to seal with glass or wood. No, if the house was unoccupied by ghosts it wasn’t occupied at all. Continue reading

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March 7, 2012

The Town of Hullum (Excerpt from Doguhn)

By thelivingdread

(Excerpt from the Book II, Chapter 2 of Doguhn)

As they approached the town of Hullum the sun had started to descend, calling forth the moon and stars. The constellations here were not as they were in the Terrafirmoux and this was perhaps one the hardest concepts for Guy to grasp. He wondered how he could possibly be under an alternate sky. The land changes all the time but the stars always remained constant, at least until now. The moon was much brighter here and like the sun, much larger in scale. Comets occasionally cut their way through the darkened skies, leaving a trail of crimson in their path.

Turning his eyes back toward to the town before them, Guy could see it was much less modern than any towns of his world. From this distance he could see huts made of mud and clay lining the streets, illuminated by torches. Tents, some as large as two story homes, were woven of a cloth Guy had never seen and adorn with beautiful and intricate designs. The attention to detail was astounding, mixing colors and images that could never be put into words. The buildings and tents appeared to be weather beaten and in desperate need of repairs. Guy estimated the entire town covered only a few square miles. Continue reading

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