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.

Writing horror isn't always about blood, guts and gore.
   Sometimes the story has a heart... even if the heart in question doesn't beat any longer.
   My new story, "Of Life, Death and the Krieg" in the just-released anthology, RUN FROM THE DEAD, is a different kind of zombie story.
​   The fun of writing a story like this is getting to create something different, so my story is about the after... What happens after a man is bit by "feral zombies" and finds himself in a new, nightmarish world? What happens when he's dead--but not? Now he's part of a horde... and the horde thinks. And, he realizes, he still feels emotions... even... dare we say, love?
   Another interesting part of writing this story was the anthology had a prompt requiring a certain set of words be included.
   So, read, and enjoy the scavenger hunt! (See photo for list of included words.)
    BUY: Kindle & Print /US - Amazon UK
Amazon CA - Amazon AU
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**  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!!
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​ 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

I know I've been remiss on posting on this blog, so thought I'd do an update.

I've been busy, though, writing newspaper stuff and working on short fiction.

New short-short coming: I recently revamped a short 100-word "drabble" that's been accepted to a new horror anthology. Stay tuned for details.

And... a surprising new idea: Actually, I had this idea awhile ago for a cozy-type mystery, but I let it sit. As often works for me, the idea recently came back to mind, more fleshed-out and looking pretty possible.
 
In fact, I'm kind of excited about it. Change is good. Sometimes you have to switch gears and "draw" on what you like to read. I've always enjoyed reading cozy and other mysteries. So, it's been part of one of my goals to actually write a full, standard mystery.

It's looking do-able, so I'm working on an outline. I want to make sure it goes where I want and that it can be completed before I share more details. Let's say, knowing me, I may slip a little light spookiness in it, too, if it works with the story.

I even checked that the idea hasn't been done - and it hasn't. It's a fun, retro-based idea and something I used to enjoy doing as a kid, too. I won't give too many details until I know it's going to work! So keep checking back for more hints and updates!