I really do like to be scared. I have always loved books that make me jump at every little noise. I have read so many books and watched so many movies, that it takes something to really scare me.
When Diane Wing asked me if I would be interested in reading and reviewing her collection of scary stories, I was all for it. Nothing like a good fright to get those endorphins pumping!
Diane is being very generous. She has one paperback copy of her book to giveaway on my blog! AND she has agreed to an interview! Just keep reading:)
My thoughts and ramblins
Thorne Manor is the longer story in this collection.
Heather has finally found the strength to leave her abusive husband and start out on her own. She has always wanted to run her own business, and when the house of her dreams seems to call out to her, she ignores her friend’s advice and buys it. Thorne Manor has been empty for five years. It’s dark history has many people believing its haunted. That doesn’t worry Heather. The mansion, with its three levels will be perfect.
The house needs some TLC but no major reconstruction. While the workers are doing the repairs and adding the cosmetic touches, Heather sets out to get some tenants to rent the available rooms. Her plan is to make Thorne Manor a place of psychic entertainment and she needs to find various occult practitioners to provide services to the clients. Kind of like a psychic smorgasbord.
There is one major problem with the old manor. It comes with some very unwelcoming inhabitants. Gypsy, a trance medium, suggests a good cleansing ritual. It’s going to take more than that. Heather needs to clean house of these nasty spirits before her tenants move in. It proves much more difficult and dangerous than she thought.
My thoughts
This was a really creepy haunting. Diane knows how to create an atmosphere that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. I was almost looking over my shoulder while reading it. With a limited amount of words, she got me engaged with the characters. I felt protective and proud of Heather, and her psychic friends were my kind of people. Someone I would want on my side when things got bad.
Don’t get too comfortable. This story moves fast and the scares are many and intense.
By Invitation Only
Loretta is lost without Toby. He was her constant companion for 15 years.
Five years have passed and her grief is just as heavy. She really should move somewhere so she isn’t constantly reminded of Toby, her silken haired dog, but she fears losing the good memories.
Something strange starts to happen. There is something in the wall of her bedroom. Something trying to get out, chipping away at the plaster.
My thoughts
I would have moved. If something was pushing, trying to get out of the wall, slowly making a bigger and bigger hole, I would be so out of there. Curiosity killed the cat, people!!
This was an eerie tale, making me edgy and fearful of what was going to come out of that wall!
Dream State
Judith has a problem. A big one. There are living things in her mouth. Worms! Then she wakes up. It was only a dream. Or was it?
My thoughts
The title of this book says …and other bizarre tales. Well, this one is very bizarre. It is also kind of gross, which makes the creep factor high. For some reason, maybe I’m bizarre, I liked that.
Good Riddance
That’s it! Justin has had it with the mangy cat that keeps sneaking up onto his porch, covering his expensive furniture with its hair. The hair was everywhere. Finding out where it lived proved impossible and it just kept coming back, night after night. Something would have to be done.
This went on for months and Justin began to fantasize a gruesome ending for the nasty feline. He should have been more careful what he imagined.
My thoughts
This was a goodie! What Justin conjured up in his imagination is unspeakable and the ending was not what I expected to happen.
Guardian of the Gate
Anzuth makes the long, grueling climb from the bowels of Hell to Earth’s surface, but he is not where he expected to be. Spotting a beauty salon that’s still open, he decides to get cleaned up there, knock the stink off of him.
He gets a makeover straight out of The Twilight Zone!
My thoughts
Loved this. It was so different. I don’t know where Diane found this idea, definitely from left field. I think we need more beauticians like the one you meet in this story.
The Black Sheep
Amy can’t explain it. It’s a mystery to her. Why is she so drawn to The Black Sheep. It’s just a restaurant, isn’t it? Given, its outside is coated in red paint and there is a skull of a ram, complete with horns, displayed in the window, so maybe that’s where her sense of foreboding comes from.
She seems unable to stay away from the building, despite repeated warnings from her guardian spirit to stay clear. Each time she passes the building, the pull to enter is stronger.
My thoughts
I would have never entered that building. If something made me uneasy, I would avoid it, not seek it out. I don’t know, maybe she was meant to enter.
The Quiet Neighbors
Ever since Henry lost his job, it seems all Emma does is clean up after him. He stays glued to his chair, stuffing his face with Cheese Doodles, chasing them down with sweet tea, and watching endless TV. She longs for the future that should have been theirs. Not this.
Then she finds this book, Manual of Retribution – A Guidebook for the Oppressed. What she finds in it just might be able to make her life better.
My thoughts
Good for Emma. No one should have to put up with a loser like Henry. I don’t know if I could have done what she did, but since it’s a story, I say go Emma.
My overall review
Excellent writing. Diane quickly lays out the plots and gets right to the heart of each story. There is something for everyone here. Each story has its own atmosphere or flavor. She makes you connect with the characters. I was surprised at which characters I was drawn to. I felt a slight nudge towards them by the author. I got everything I hoped for out of this collection, and more.
Very Scary Good!
A special treat today! Diane is here to answer a few questions.
Welcome Diane. Thanks for agreeing to answer a few questions. It gives us a chance to get to know you.
1) Most of my readers know I love to read and review short stories and collections. I find them very challenging to review without giving too much away. Can you explain your writing process when doing short stories?
I start with a scenario and let it run from there. I get into a zone where I am experiencing the story as it unfolds and love to see where it takes me.
2) Where do your ideas come from?
Inspiration comes from many places and can happen at any time. I carry a notebook with me, for the idea can strike while having dinner with friends, walking in the woods, or looking at an object, person, or situation and asking myself what if? People-watching can trigger all sorts of ideas.
3) What do you think makes for a good story?
Atmosphere, intriguing characters, and the strange and unusual introducing itself into daily life. Having an out-of-the-ordinary component that brings about a mental or emotional reaction is important to keep my attention.
4) Do you have a favorite story in this collection, or perhaps a favorite scene?
Guardian of the Gate is the one I had the most fun writing. It’s hard to say more about that without giving away the plot.
5) Did you draw on anything from your own life when writing Thorne Manor… and other bizarre tales?
I think every writer draws a piece of themselves into their writing. Even in fictional works, a writer’s underlying philosophy is exposed, albeit taken to the extreme within the storyline. By Invitation Only was written while grieving the loss of my own beloved pet. Thorne Manor incorporated experiences from a controlling relationship and an actual business idea I had. A house that was in severe disrepair where I live sparked the idea for The Quiet Neighbors.
6) What is your favorite thing you like to do when not writing or working?
I like walking in the woods and going to concerts – a wide variety from classical music to classic rock. They are such opposite types of activities – one peaceful with few people for contemplation and rejuvenation and the other loud and crowded, to stimulate new ideas. Each of these activities serve to move thought in new directions – one internally and one externally.
7) Are you writing something now, and if so, can you tell us something about it?
Right now I’m working on The True Nature of Energy: Secrets of Energetic Consciousness. It is an exploration of the energetic dynamics between the physical and the divine and ways to interpret the energies we are exposed to, as well as the energies we create ourselves. By increasing energetic awareness, it increases the ability to see things objectively, reduces drama, and enhances personal growth. My vibrational scale and associated quiz are included, so readers can determine their energy level and find ways to raise their vibrational level. Target date for release is early 2013.
The other manuscripts I’m working on include five new short stories, a book of tarot combinations, and Coven II (sequel to Coven: The Scrolls of the Four Winds).
1) What psychic power would you wish for? To hear the thoughts of all living things
2) What is your favorite animal? Hawk in the wild; dog in the house
3) Have you ever had a supernatural encounter? Many!
4) What is the scariest book you’ve read? The Shining and Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
5) What is the scariest movie you’ve seen? I’m still looking for the movie that is the scariest. There is a 15-second scene in Exorcist III that creeps me out and stays with me.
I really enjoyed this opportunity to get to know you Diane. Thanks so much for everything!
And now for the giveaway! Giveaway is over. Thank you.
I have one paperback copy of Thorne Manor…and other bizarre tales to giveaway. US and Canada only.
To enter just leave your email address along with a comment, Do you like to be scared?
Not required, but you’d make me smile if you followed my blog and twitter.
Giveaway end September 26th.
You can find Diane here:
dianewing@forestwitch.com and www.forestwitch.com
More about Diane
Diane Wing, M.A. is an author, teacher, personal transformation guide, and intuitive consultant. She has a Master’s degree in clinical psychology and has been providing valuable insights for the highest good of her clients for over 27 years.
Diane is the author of the books “The True Nature of Tarot: Your path to personal empowerment,” a collection of short fiction titled “Thorne Manor…and other bizarre tales,” and the novel, “Coven: The Scrolls of the Four Winds.”
Diane works her clients to find meaning and fulfillment in their lives by helping them find their Inner Magick and empowering them to create the lives they really want. Her website is www.forestwitch.com.
You can purchase Thorne Manor by clicking on the image below.
It’s a quaint old town, with some windy cobbled streets full of interesting shops and bars and restaurants. My favourite place is a bay on the north- west coast where it’s usually quiet and I can just lay on the sand and listen to the sea. As it happens, I’m just about to go back to Guernsey this month and I’m looking forward to chilling out on the beaches – weather permitting! And a trip to the magical island of 
