Category: Fiction - C.A. VERSTRAETE

C.A. VERSTRAETE

Dancing & Reading Barry Manilow-Inspired Fiction!

4/14/2025

Copacabana fiction, Barry Manilow

barry manilow mystery fiction

Woo-hoo!!! Got my copies of A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow.
My story, "Some Kind of Friend," is based on the song of the same name. * See the full story/song list in my other blog post here.
Buy it at various sites everywhere - you can also order via Bookshop.org. ISBN: 196347970X
Or... You'll get the best ebook rate (and download/own NOT license it) plus get less expensive paperbacks (free shipping!) at the publisher's site here - White City Press.
My story is "Some Kind of Friend," based on the song of the same name.

🎵 About the story:
Clarissa Simone was lucky to fulfill her dreams of dancing at the famed Copacabana nightclub. Those dreams soon tarnished, however, when she was blamed for the shooting death of fellow dancer and former friend Mina Ruiz's mobster boyfriend at another local club, The Bar by the Harbor. But was it Clarissa's fault?

🎵 About the Book:
From his early days in the 1970s playing piano for Bette Midler in the bathhouses of New York City to his 2025 lifetime residency in Las Vegas, Barry Manilow has put his stamp on the music industry. With legendary hits such as "Weekend in New England," "Mandy," and "I Write the Songs," Manilow has created a catalog of instantly recognizable songs that have lasted decades and continue to be in rotation on radio stations, elevators and Spotify playlists to this day.
Manilow also created a legendary musical crime in his song "Copacabana," telling the story of feather-wearing dancer Lola who is caught between bartender Tony and patron Rico as the two men vie for her affections...and ultimately meet untimely ends.
Now, 13 crime author fans of Barry (affectionately known as "Fanilows") take on other songs from his collection of hits to tell all new stories of love, life, relationships and other situations gone horribly wrong. All the hits are here, as well as a few lesser-known tracks.
Features all new stories from Karen Keeley, Linda Kay Hardie, Adam Gorgoni, Maya St. Clair, Matt McGee, Laurie Stevens, Caleb Weinhardt, Kurtis Rupé, Recita Clemons, J. M. Taylor, John M. Floyd, T. Fox Dunham, Christine Verstraete and Shari Held.

Release: A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow

3/17/2025

crime fiction, barry manilow anthology

This releases on March 18.

Yay!! Today (March 18 but pre-orders are live) is Release Day for A Killing at the Copa: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Barry Manilow.
  My song, "Some Kind of Friend," is based on the song of the same name. * See the full story/song list in my other blog post here or scroll down on this site.
*** Buy it at various sites everywhere - you can also order via Bookshop.org.  ISBN: 196347970X
Or... You'll get the best ebook rate (and download not license it) and less expensive paperbacks (plus free shipping!) at the publisher's site here - White City Press.
Some links may provide affiliate compensation.
Here are a few other places to get it:
Amazon.com - B&N - Japan: Rakuten - Indigo/Chapters/Canada - Smashwords

About the Book:
From his early days in the 1970s playing piano for Bette Midler in the bathhouses of New York City to his 2025 lifetime residency in Las Vegas, Barry Manilow has put his stamp on the music industry. With legendary hits such as "Weekend in New England," "Mandy," and "I Write the Songs," Manilow has created a catalog of instantly recognizable songs that have lasted decades and continue to be in rotation on radio stations, elevators and Spotify playlists to this day.

Manilow also created a legendary musical crime in his song "Copacabana," telling the story of feather-wearing dancer Lola who is caught between bartender Tony and patron Rico as the two men vie for her affections...and ultimately meet untimely ends.

Now, 13 crime author fans of Barry (affectionately known as "Fanilows") take on other songs from his collection of hits to tell all new stories of love, life, relationships and other situations gone horribly wrong. All the hits are here, as well as a few lesser-known tracks.

Features all new stories from Karen Keeley, Linda Kay Hardie, Adam Gorgoni, Maya St. Clair, Matt McGee, Laurie Stevens, Caleb Weinhardt, Kurtis Rupé, Recita Clemons, J. M. Taylor, John M. Floyd, T. Fox Dunham, Christine Verstraete and Shari Held.

Now Out! Behind the Shadows II horror fiction anthology

10/1/2024

behind the shadows II horror fiction

horror fiction preview cverstraete

The eerie Behind the Shadows II anthology is now out- perfect for Halloween reading!
Got my copy! See photo for a sneak peek at the story beginning, too!
BUY: * Paperback, e-book - Barnes & Noble -* Paperback - Amazon US

Behind the Shadows II Release!

9/12/2024

Behind the Shadows II horror fiction

It's release day (perfect on Friday the 13th!) for the anthology, Behind the Shadows II, containing my eerie, Twilight-Zone-ish story, "Blink!"
In "Blink!", Tommy wakes to a new world and wonders why no one else "sees" what is going on but him. A little weird and even funny at times! (Ok, funny to me. I know, humor is subjective but I think you'll laugh a little!) This was such a fun story to write. One of my favorites I've done!

* Get the ebook: various outlets
* Paperback, ebook - Barnes & Noble
* Paperback - Amazon US

Behind the Shadows II horror fiction back

New Story & Horror Anthology Coming Soon!

5/23/2024

Behind the Shadows II horror anthology

My story, "Blink!", will be coming soon in the Shadows II horror anthology from Inkd Publishing. (See their Facebook page.) The story is a bit gruesome, but not gorey. It's more creepy-weird-Twilight Zoneish. This one was fun to write!
*** There will be a Kickstarter for the anthology starting in July. Check out the Kickstarter page here and sign up to get in on some cool stuff!

Like Ghost Stories? Coming Soon!

3/19/2024

My story, "Secrets of the Last Mine," will be in the spooky anthology, Noncorporeal II, coming soon from Inkd Publishing.
*** Follow the Kickstarter to get in on cool editions and other goodies! LAUNCHES APRIL 17!
* * Follow Inkd Publishing on FB for the latest news.

Pre-Order One-Hit Wonders Crime Fiction!

12/24/2023

*Ordd Yay! (I Just) Died in Your Arms: Crime Fiction Inspired by One-Hit Wonders is now up for pre-order! Releasing Jan. 9, 2024.
Based on some familiar songs, including my story, "Wildfire," inspired by the haunting hit of the same name. I can't wait to read all the stories!
* Pre-order here! (If any problems, use main link.) * Paperback only $10! *Order at any bookstore: Bookshop.org
* Also on Kindle and at Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo - UK, Kobo - US

(Note: affiliate link may earn some commissions)

New Eerie Short #Fiction Coming!

3/21/2022

the colored lens fiction

Remember those childhood fears of what was under the bed? I've got an eerie new short story, "Sweet Dreams," in the Spring issue of The Colored Lens. #horror lite; #creepy
** BUY Issue here for Kindle or with Kindle Unlimited.

January 14th, 2020

1/14/2020

New #Zombie 'Drabbles' Out Now! #fiction

zombie bites 2 fiction coming soon

** OUT now on Kindle - 100 Word Bigger Zombie Bites! Print coming soon.

Cool cover set huh?

Great New Year news! First acceptances!

Got word that two of my latest "drabbles" have been accepted!
What's a drabble, you ask? Easy. 100 word stories. Coming out soon!

The stories, "The Comedians" and "Fido, fetch!" are out in 100 Word Bigger Zombie Bites. This is book 2 in the series put out by the Reanimated Writers Group. Oh, and the second book will be as cool-looking and neat to read as the first.

I had fun writing these as it's a challenge to try to stick to that short-short format. The first story, "The Comedians" also is a fun, tie-in to the book covers. Stay tuned for more details!!

100 Word Zombie Bites, An Undead Drabble Anthology - Reanimated Writers - Bite-size stories by group of writers. Includes my two new stories, The Heist and The Awakening by C.A. Verstraete

New #Horror Story, Women in Horror, Sirens Call Mag.

2/26/2018

horror fiction, women in horror

The 6th annual Women in Horror issue of the Sirens Call Magazine is now out!

Great free fiction. I've got a flash story I updated a bit and renamed, "The Place of Honor" (by C.A. Verstraete.)

* Download the pdf directly here or on my horror fiction page. Enjoy!

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