On March 13th, We Return...

The number 13 plays a big role in the world of Summer’s Hollow. The newest installment even takes place 13 years after the first one. Naturally, I had to release Return to Summer’s Hollow on the 13^th of the month. Even better, it’s a Friday and 13^th. Hmm… Summer’s Hollow was released on a Friday the 13^th as well. Anyone else noticing a pattern?

So yes, it’s officially, official. My newest horror novel Return to Summer’s Hollow will be released on Kindle and in print on Friday, March 13, 2015! In this book, you’ll return to the Massachusetts town of Summer’s Hollow with Rylie and relive the horrors that the Pascal family has the offer.

This book has more suspense, more blood, and more scares than the first. We find out much more about the psychotic Pascal family and all their dealings as well as why Rylie has this psychic connection to them in the first place. This was my favorite book to write so far and I’m sure you all will be on the edge of your seat throughout the harrowing storyline.

To tide you over until the release I have provided a sneak preview of the horrors to come in the town of Summer’s Hollow:

     Rylie crept past the staircase and into the brightly lit kitchen. Standing there with her back turned to her was a woman Rylie didn’t recognize. She was a black woman in a black dress with what seemed to be a white apron tied around her waist. Rylie felt a little better; she was sure that it wasn’t Judith.

    “You shouldn’t be here,” the woman said.

     Is Judith here?” Rylie asked softly, inching towards the woman who continued to chop some sort of large vegetable.

     “You shouldn’t be here,” the woman repeated and now Rylie realized the woman wasn’t chopping vegetables, she was chopping her own arm.

     Rylie gasped and jumped back as she was now looking into bloody, hollow eye sockets. She felt the bile rising up as she turned away from the woman. Rylie noticed as she turned away that the cabinets were fully stocked with all of Judith’s spell ingredients. She quickly gathered up some small jars that held the herbs she needed.

     “You shouldn’t be here,” the woman continued to say which unnerved Rylie.

     Rylie slowly turned to see the woman was holding the knife out in her left hand, her right reduced to a bloody stump that was dripping onto the floor. The woman held the knife up as if to strike, but instead plunged it into her own throat.

     Rylie stifled a scream as the woman gurgled on her own blood and fell with a thump to the floor. Rylie stuffed the vials into the pockets of her dress and took off out of   the kitchen. Nausea came over her in waves as she stumbled into the living room. She saw a large portrait of Judith staring down at her as the fireplace suddenly roared with flames. Rylie was so startled that she tripped over the rug and fell onto the hard wooden table. She moaned as she then rolled onto the floor. 

     “So nice of you to join us,” came a voice that stopped her in her tracks.  

Fifty Shades of Nope

*Graphic Language Warning* *Trigger Warning *

In the past I’ve mentioned how much I detest the “Fifty Shades of Grey” books. They are horribly written and glorify rape, yet MILLIONS of copies were sold. This sickens me to my core as an author, as a woman, and as a human being.

This weekend, the movie comes out. Now not only are people going to be reading this shit (excuse my French) but they will be watching it. The amount of money that this whole franchise will make is completely deplorable and anyone who contributes to it is part of the problem. This may sound harsh but this is something I strongly believe in.

There is nothing wrong with erotica. This is not erotica. This is a poorly written advancement of rape culture that was based on a Twilight Fan Fiction. Don’t believe me? Check out some passages below and tell me what you think:

“I want him to stay because he wants to stay with me, not because I’m a blubbering mess, and I don’t want him to beat me, is that so unreasonable?” (286)

“This is so…I want to think wrong, but somehow it’s not. It’s right for Christian. It’s what he wants—and after the last few days…after all he’s done, I have to man up and take whatever he decides he wants, whatever he thinks he needs.” (484)

“…I allow myself to fantasize that he loves me…I’m careful not to touch his chest but just snuggle in his arms…” (356)

“I will spank you each time you do it, do you understand?”…he hits me—hard. Ow! My eyes spring open in response to the pain and I try to rise, but his hand moves between my shoulder blades, keeping me down. He caresses me again where he’s hit me, and his breathing’s changed—it’s louder, harsher. He hits me again and again, quickly in succession. Holy f*ck it hurts. I try to make no sound, my face screwed up against the pain. I try to wriggle away from the blows—spurred on by adrenaline spiking and coursing through my body.” (274)

And lastly…

“Stalker, my subconscious whispers at me through the cloud of tequila that’s still floating in my brain, but somehow, because it’s him, I don’t mind.” (62)

The entire franchise gives the BDSM community a bad name. There is nothing wrong with BDSM. This is not BDSM. BDSM is done between two consenting adults and all proper precautions are taken during the sex acts. This is not the case in the Fifty Shades of Grey series.

Beyond that, why would anyone think that this series even remotely resembles literature? Below are some actual “racy” passages from the first novel:

"I can almost hear his sphinx-like smile through the phone."

"My very small inner goddess sways in a gentle victorious samba."

"I had no idea giving pleasure could be such a turn-on, watching him writhe subtly with carnal longing. My inner goddess is doing the merengue with some salsa moves."

"Hmmm… he's soft and hard at once, like steel encased in velvet, and surprisingly tasty."

"He smiles, then strides with renewed purpose out of the store, slinging the plastic bag over his shoulder, leaving me a quivering mass of raging female hormones."

So why is it that women (and some men) everywhere are eating this up? It is beyond me how anyone could find this arousing unless they themselves are turned on by abuse. As a society we need to point these things out, take a stand, and refuse to let this “popular culture” become even more popular.

References:

- Fifty Shades of Grey by: EL James (Unfortunately)
- '50 Shades of Grey': 23 funniest quotes from EL James's novel by Emma Dibdin
http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/at-the-movies/a512275/50-shades-of-grey-23-funniest-quotes-from-el-jamess-novel.html#~p3V1vJ9LLRo6OX