Eldritch Black

Eldritch Black, Author of Tales of Dark Fantasy and Dread

Beware, the Pumpkin Men are coming

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One Dark Hallow's Eve by Eldritch Black

Beware, the Pumpkin Men are coming…

I have further news following yesterday’s post. Today I’m excited to announce that I’ve just released a new short story. A lost tale from The Book of Kindly Deaths, called One Dark Hallow’s Eve and it’s available on Amazon now.

Do you love spooky Halloween stories? Then this twisted tale is for you. One Dark Hallow’s Eve is a complete story in and of itself, and gives readers a glimpse into the world of The Book of Kindly Deaths. I hope you will check it out.
The front cover was made by the wonderfully talented Lisa Amowitz who created the cover for The Book of Kindly Deaths.

Here’s the synopsis from the back cover so you can discover more. Should you dare…

Beware! It’s Halloween and the Pumpkin Men are coming…

Fourteen year old Owen is not having a good day, it’s All Hallow’s Eve and things are not as they should be. Something is lurking in the lake by his house, dead leaves are falling and the brambles are twitching.
Nothing is right.

When Owen meets a strange old man hiding in an abandoned farm, things go horribly wrong. Soon Owen catches his first glimpse of a real-life monster, one that raises a terrifying horde of nightmarish creatures to descend upon the village.

As the villagers hide in their hall, there’s only one place left for Owen to go; across the lake. The very same lake where a horrifying legend is said to stir deep below the waters…
Can Owen cast aside his terror and save the village as the clock ticks towards midnight?

One Dark Hallow’s Eve is a lost tale from Eldritch Black’s The Book of Kindly Deaths. Read it now for an adventure in a dark fantasy world, with more than a touch of Halloween horror.

But wait – there’s more!

A giveaway for The Book of Kindly Deaths

To celebrate this month of unquiet pumpkins, terrible tricks and tantalizing treats, I’m holding a GIVEAWAY for The Book of Kindly Deaths on Goodreads.
For a chance to WIN your very own copy, simply go here.
Good luck and Happy Halloween!

How to stay safe on Halloween, or ‘Narroweve’ by ‘unknown author’ (presented by Eldritch Black)

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PumpkinsBlog

The following excerpt came from a weathered old tome I found on the shelf of a tiny bookshop in Edinburgh. Both the bookshop and the street where it resided have long since vanished, and all attempts to find either have proven fruitless. Thankfully, I was so puzzled by the following passage that I made note of it. You may question, as I had, if the following is fiction or a prank, but the odd…qualities of the original manuscript convinced me of its truths. The book itself held declarations of another realm; a place called the Grimwytch. A land where a monstrous people seek to protect themselves from humans on Halloween night. Or Narroweve as they call it.

On protection from humans on Narroweve 

It is a singularly strange fact that human beings, or Drearspawn as most of us more accurately call them, are absolutely terrified of Narroweve. On this night, which they call Halloween, they wear costumes that make a mockery of us denizens of the Grimwytch. Ironically, the purpose of this is a wretched attempt to fend off the very same spirits we too seek to be free of on this night.
But alas, human beings tend to wander like lost sheep on Narroweve and from time to time they slip through the veil into the Grimwytch. And from there cause all manner of havoc, disturb the peace with their perpetual screams and gibbers, and even go as far as to attack our citizens. So here, for your consideration, are five ways to repel humans.

Distilled Essence of Fear
Pure Essence of Fear is both difficult and expensive to acquire. Fortunately there are merchants, particularly in the market on the Vashhaal wharf, who can procure such things. So if your funds are plentiful, Essence of Fear will make a most effective remedy to repel humans. Simply spray it into their ears, allow it to spread and creep, and their fevered minds will take care of the rest.

Lumpathumps
While Lumpathumps are difficult to find on account of being invisible, you should be able to lure them using fried rat tails or copper pennies. Lumpathumps make perfect deterrents and are especially effective in warding off young humans. This is due to their propensity for hiding beneath beds, as well as the fearsome noises they make when threatened by a din of snoring.

Spiders
Oddly, spiders are a very common fear for Drearspawn. Why these friendly and articulate pets bother human beings is certainly beyond this writer’s comprehension. And whilst I’d never condone frightening a spider with a human, needs must as the drivel drives.

Cheesedung fly
As there are spiders, so there are flies. And the almost indescribable stench of a Cheesedung fly, especially one gathered at dusk, is enough to deter even the angriest of Hoardspikes let alone a Drearspawn. Needless to say coating oneself in a scent so vile should be a last measure as the wearer can expect to carry this most noxious scent for the rest of their life. Or lives.

Hackthins
While it should be noted this author has little regard for Drearspawn, I do not mean them harm. I only wish they’d leave us in peace and that our citizens would stop opening the portals between our worlds. But if a human is armed and intent on causing mischief, then let the Hackthins at them. And whatever’s left will almost certainly make a most pleasant purse or scarf.

So now you have five means to repel humans. Although removal and disposal of them is another problem entirely. See chapter five for more on this troublesome topic.

Addendum
After noting this intriguing passage, I discovered a so-called novel by a writer called Eldritch Black titled ‘The Book of Kindly Deaths’. This rather strange author has portrayed the Grimwytch as fiction in his book of very curious stories, but it’s quite clear to me that the monsters he chose to write about are terrifyingly real.
You can win a copy of The Book of Kindly Deaths on Goodreads from now until November 9th 2015, and read a lost tale from the book here.

Halloween Offerings from Eldritch Black

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As you can probably imagine, Halloween marks my busiest season. October is the month I traditionally rise, sweep the last of the sun from my lair and prepare to unleash my dark fantastical tales on the world. I write a lot over the summer, forced as I am to retreat to a heavily curtained room with the sound of rain playing to ease my sun-addled mind.

This year has been a busy one. I’ve finished a novel, have nearly completed another short Steampunkesque novel, and am starting a new book in the next few weeks. In between I’ve revamped several of my book covers and I’ve also written two short stories. Both tales are based around The Book of Kindly Deaths. One has been shelved because it felt like it deserved to be a full length book, the other, One Dark Hallow’s Eve, is coming very, very soon.

Here’s my short story cover makeovers:

 

 

The Curious Incident at Gloamingspark Yard by Eldritch Black

There will also be another new cover coming over the next few days. This one for that darkest of lost tales from The Book of Kindly Deaths, One Dark Hallow’s Eve. So ask your spidery familiars to return to this site next week to discover more, or wait for a tap-tap-tap on the window…

 

Press the golden button!

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Follow Eldritch Black on Amazon

You may or may not have noticed the golden yellow ‘Follow’ button on Amazon Author pages. It’s been there for awhile, and as far as I’m aware, it’s never worked. I say this, because I clicked, pressed and prodded it with a long stick, and nothing happened…
Or did it?
Perhaps it did. Maybe each time I pushed it, some poor soul lost a tooth. Or a penguin slapped a toad. Or a witch lost her hat. But whatever happened, one thing was for sure – I never received updates from my favourite authors.
Until today. Because I’m told, the Amazon follow button is now fully operational.
Hurrah!

So if you enjoy my work, please go and push the golden yellow Follow button right away, and receive updates from Amazon each time I release new short stories and books. Which will be soon, for new things are coming. Including a terrifying lost tale from The Book of Kindly Deaths, among other ghastly delights.
So go and push the golden button, make a wish, cross your fingers and see what happens…

The Book of Kindly Deaths in the Amazon Top 100!

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Huzzah!

There has been cause for celebration here in my woodland lair. Crows have cawed, bats have blazed through the air and frogs have croaked in the fog.
As mentioned in yesterday’s post, The Book of Kindly Deaths has been featured in Amazon’s Daily Deal. Cue constant refreshing of my Internet browser as I watched it climb the Amazon Sales Rank…until my head felt like it was full of tiny fish, and my eyes were pebbles.

I woke today to find the book in the Amazon Top 100, which was a perfect way to start the day! Naturally, I’m over the moon in a top-hat shaped balloon, and writing this post from somewhere near Jupiter. I’m also incredibly grateful for all the lovely people who purchased the book, tweeted and shared it, and left many wonderful reviews.

Here’s some quotes from the reviews, and links so you can read the full reviews 🙂

“There are so many things to love about The Book of Kindly Deaths, Eldritch Black is so descriptive that I couldn’t help but be delighted when picturing the hoardspikes, hackthins, and aranachiros that frequent the land of Grimwytch. The characters were layered and mysterious, and their stories left me wanting more. This is the perfect type of book to pick up if you are a fan of the darker side of middle grade novels. Fans of Claire Legrand and yes, even Neil Gaiman will be delighted to read about the monsters that frequent this land.”
http://bookstakeyouplaces.com/2014/10/13/the-book-of-kindly-deaths-by-eldritch-black/

“One of the things that I loved the most about THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS is the world. I don’t mean the real world England that is the Eliza’s home, even though that’s certainly fine and plenty dark, especially when we get a glimpse into the stories of the monsters’ victims from the book. I mean the world beyond the window where the monsters live. WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE. It’s dark, literally and figuratively, and the inhabitants are perfect—vicious, dangerous, sometimes evil, grotesque, and scary.”
http://www.trippingoverbooks.com/2014/10/10/book-review-book-kindly-deaths-eldritch-black-2/

“I am not afraid to admit that I was sincerely creeped out while reading THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS. Not like I needed to put the book in the freezer (LOOKING AT YOU GONE GIRL) but definitely felt creepy crawlies and had to have the light on while I read just to make sure everything was legit. Yeah, this is a middle grade book, but the kind of creepy that Eldritch Black infuses transcends age and keeps you on the edge of your seat!”
http://www.bookishbroads.com/2014/10/review-book-of-kindly-deaths-by.html

And from Amazon:

“When the story crosses over from the ordinary world to the dark alternative world of the Grimwytch, it’s like Edgar Allen Poe, Hieronymus Bosch, and the Brothers Grimm got together and repopulated the world on the other side of Alice’s Looking Glass. Wondrous, nasty, and unforgettable!”
Link

“What I loved the most about The Book of Kindly Deaths is it was easy to form a mental image of the scene and characters as they were described in the book. On a number of occasions, I found myself thinking of a possible comparison. The author that kept coming to mind is Neil Gaiman, and his books The Graveyard Book and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which both revolve around pre-adolescent characters. I also loved the fact that while this book called be called fantasy, it’s a little darker too.”
Link

“The characters are unique and interesting, and most importantly – believable. The setting is absolutely amazing, and the various stories within the greater story are compelling. Heroes are here, as well as villains, but none are one-dimensional. The best of them have doubts and foibles, and the worst of them have their own reasons for what they do. There are ethical challenges and moral choices, and the consequences of a poor choice can be dire, but the right answer isn’t always evident.”
Link

The Book of Kindly Deaths Amazon Daily Deal!

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The Book of Kindly Deaths deal

Do you ever wonder where monsters come from? You should…because it’s best to know where they are at all times. That way you can avoid them.
And now you can, for The Book of Kindly Deaths documents the eerie and strange lands of the Grimwytch. And today, you can buy this dreadful, fantastical story and guide to the realm of monsters at a reduced price. For one monstrous day only!
So go now, interpid adventurers, and lose yourself in The Book of Kindly Deaths…

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