This is the official launch of my two short story collections, however readers may be disappointed if they are looking for happy endings in these two ebooks because the stories fit better into the scary or dark type where happy endings are not guaranteed. So be warned - if you suffer from unexplained fears, panic attacks, or have an adverse physical reaction after reading them, I cannot be held responsible. On the other hand, if you like a good scary read, then these are the books for you.
Both books have been published to Kindle and Smashwords, plus they can be found at most outlets that sell electronic books, including the Apple iBookstore for the iPad.
Now what can I say about the stories in these two books. Well, Ghost Train & Other Stories is probably the scarier book of the two and is mostly horror stories. While Obsession & Other Stories has a mix; there are some really scary stories, some dark and gritty crime stories, and a couple of gentler ones.
So let's have a look at some reviews and maybe that will give you an idea of what you are in for!
Reviews for Ghost Train & Other Stories
Stories that creep into your head
As another reviewer said, these aren't horror stories of the vampire, slasher, gore-fest type and, as a result, they lever themselves more insidiously into your consciousness. Even though you know that's the genre you're reading, Longmuir lulls you into accepting the normality of what she's describing. Her characters are normal, relatively `ordinary' people in mostly familiar contexts, but as you get to know them, they or the contexts warp, twist, take us further and further into what becomes a nightmare for them, and/or for us. My own favourite here is Brainpower, but they're all good, scary reads.
Horror stories at their best
This collection of horror stories has no vampires or werewolves nor the blood and gore that the horror genre has taken on in recent years. These stories get inside your head and stay there.
Definitely not for the faint-hearted but if you love to be scared when you read, then this collection is for you.
Insomniacs Beware
Ghost Train and Other Stories by Chris Longmuir is a collection of short stories that is sure to have you sleeping with the lights on, providing you can get to sleep in the first place. We've all heard horror stories that scare us but we can dismiss them as fanciful. The truly horrible are those stories that take a normal fear well beyond the comfort level where you really don't want to go; to a place where maybe you can see it actually happening.... have fun, horror fans.
Gripping
Chris's collection of stories is both dark and gritty, with a couple of gentler ones added to help ease that looking over your shoulder feeling. The title story Obsession is about a stalker and told from his point of view - not the vicitim's. Scary indeed. This short story was the basis for Chris's crime novel Night Stalker.
This is an excellent collection of stories which works well for those who don't like to read longer works.
The Darker Side of Human Nature
Obsession and Other Stories by Chris Longmuir is a dark and thought-provoking collection of short stories that touch on the seamier side of life. There's a touch of history, a touch of mystery and a fanciful tale with a very real theme. All six stories are told in Chris's no-holds barred, gritty style.
The featured story, Obsession is a disturbing tale of a stalker told from that viewpoint - the stalker, not the victim. Very creepy being in that head! This is the story that lead to the novel, Night Watcher, an excerpt of which follows after the collection.
If you like to read but prefer short stories, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
If you decide to give these books a try they won’t break the bank because, as an introductory offer I’ve priced them at less than a pound or dollar. There will also be a prize draw of one book from each selection, but please bear in mind they are ebooks. If you want to enter the draw please leave a comment below, but I will need your email address and which electronic version you prefer, for example, Kindle, epub or PDF. Now I know that Blogger has been having problems and some folks seem to be prevented from leaving comments, so if that happens to you, then send me an email either directly or through the Contact page on my website http://www.chrislongmuir.co.uk/contact/index.html and put Book Launch in the subject line.
Once you have read them it would be awfully nice if you could leave a brief Amazon review and maybe mention what you liked or didn’t like in the stories. No obligation though, just if you feel like it. Now I know that not everyone has the same tastes in reading so if you really don’t like the books tell me why, but please don’t be cruel, we authors are sensitive people, and we don’t like our babies to be abused.
Now that you’ve found your way to my blog why don’t you check out my website http://www.chrislongmuir.co.uk/index.html
Nice talking to you.
11 comments:
All the best with these, Chris - I've still to get those! Way, way behind with my reading.
Well, you never know, you might be lucky in the prize draw. It's going to be names in a hat so there won't be any risk of favouritism.
Now that I've seen it for 'real'I do think the white writing on Night Watcher looks better.
When will we get a 'taster' of the next one?
I'm 22,000 words in, about 74,000 to go, so a wee bit too early for a taster. But I guarantee you'll like it.
Okay Chris - if you can read romance - I can read scarey (I'm trembling already...) please put my name in your draw!
PS I'm glad you picked the white writing for Night Watcher too - I love the fact that white is usually associated with purity and innocence - but something tells you that's definitely not the case with this book!
Right, Gilly, your name will be going in the hat, and I'm not sure whether you are trembling because you hope to win or whether you hope not to win. I would hate to scare you to death, although if I do I could make a short story out of it! Feeling ghoulish just now!
I'll come out of my comfort zone (as you would say yourself) to read these. Best of luck with them.
I appreciate folks coming out of their comfort zone, but you never know you may develop a taste for them. I know that when I came out of my comfort zone, with several books lately, I was pleasantly surprised when I enjoyed them. The last one was No More Mulberries by Mary Smith, and I loved it.
I am always looking for new titles to read, Chris! I will have to check them out!
Let me know what you think!
Keep up the 'scary' work -we love it!
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