Travel
takes a deadly turn in… Nightmare in the
North
A
horror novella by Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing a look at the making of my horror
novella, Nightmare in the North. Some of you may know me as a romance
author, but I also write short horror fiction.
Nightmare
in the North is a cautionary tale about traveling alone in the winter and trusting
strangers. Here’s the summary:
NIGHTMARE IN THE NORTH
Stranded during a
violent blizzard, Mark hikes to the only house nearby. George, a well-mannered
University professor, welcomes Mark and gives him shelter from the storm.
By morning, Mark
suspects that everything isn’t what it seems. George’s adult daughter, Kate, who
also lives in the house, shares a disturbing and unsettling tale. When
questioned, George insists that Kate has a psychological issue and can’t be
trusted to tell the truth.
Mark quickly finds himself caught in a game of
cat and mouse. Who should he believe? Is Kate’s desperate plea for help
sincere? Should he be suspicious of George? Or are both of them plotting
something together?
Isolated from
everyone, Mark is forced to wait out the storm—and find a way to escape—if he
hopes to make it out alive.
***
So… how did this novella come about? Believe it or
not, I wrote a version of this story for my eighth grade English class. The
assignment was to write a short story – and boy, did I! The original version
was much shorter and less detailed, but the basic premise was there. I’m not
sure what my English teacher thought when she read it, but I got an A.
I grew up in upstate New York where winters can be
brutal and last a long time. It can be an isolated place, and sometimes you could
be snowed in for days. I decided to use that as the backdrop to the story,
throw in some strange characters, and add a little mystery. After I submitted
the story for my English class, I pretty much forgot about it.
Then, in January of 2018 I drove to Vermont in a
snowstorm. I was in th
e car for 12 hours, and naturally, my mind started to
wander… I wanted to write a new horror story, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted
to write. As I was driving, I thought back to that original story and decided to
rewrite it – to tell the story the way it needed to be told.
I changed the opening, moved the setting to Vermont,
and filled in all the details and backstory that set the tone. The ending of
the new version is slightly different from the original, but it’s not off by
all that much. I added an epilogue (of sorts) to the end, and spent about
twenty minutes getting the last line just right.
Nightmare
in the North is a departure from my “usual” romance
novels, but it’s not gory. My horror stories tend to be more psychological/spooky
than bloody. I love writing horror, and after writing a few romances, I find it
refreshing to embrace my darker side and write something creepy. (I wrote this
in between edits of my historical romance novel, Redemption from a Dark Past.)
After reading Nightmare in the North, my husband
said that it was well written and it drew you in, but it was “twisted” and “disturbing”
– I consider that high praise!
Order Nightmare in the North here:
All
other platforms: https://www.books2read.com/u/m2vqOk
***
I hope you’ll check it
out. If you like horror fiction, don’t miss my other ebooks: Kropsy’s
Curse and Dead Til Dawn. Read more about them on my site/blog: www.KelliWilkins.com
I
enjoy hearing from readers and welcome comments and questions about my books.
Follow me on my blog or on social media to get the latest news and updates.
Happy
Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has
published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, 6 non-fiction books,
and 2 online writing courses. Her romances span many genres and heat levels,
and she’s also been known to scare readers with her horror stories.
In November 2019, she released Romance
Every Weekend: 104 Fun Ways to Express Your Love, a non-fiction guide
to romance. The book features 104 fun and easy ways you can express your love
to that special someone in your life. Perfect for men or women, it focuses on tender, everyday gestures that let your partner know
how much you love him or her.
Kelli published Extraterrestrial Encounters, a collection of
18 sci-fi stories, in August 2019. If you like horror fiction, don’t
miss her disturbing novella, Nightmare in the North.
Her historical romance, The Viking’s Witch, was
released in June 2019. This full-length novel takes place in Celtic Scotland
and blends a sensual romance with paranormal elements.
In March 2019, Kelli published Dangerous
Indenture, a historical mystery romance set in Colonial Pennsylvania.
She released the second half of her flash fiction series, Cupid’s Schemes, in early
2019. These two volumes of lighthearted mini-romances are perfect reads for a
quick lunchtime escape or an after-work indulgence.
Kelli released a Teachable mini-course, Fiction
Basics: Finding Ideas in February 2019. She authored Fiction Writing for Beginners through
Teachable in 2018. These courses are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how
to write. Visit: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/ for more details.
Not just an author, Kelli is also
an amateur photographer. Visit her pages on Shutterstock https://www.shutterstock.com/g/kelli+wilkins and iStock https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/kelliwilkins to view her photos.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.
Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings.
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