Travel
takes a deadly turn in… Nightmare in the
North
A
new horror novella by Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing a look at the making of my latest
horror novella, Nightmare in the North. Some of you may know me as a romance
author, but I also write short horror fiction. I originally started out as a
horror author, but nowadays I divide my time between the two genres.
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 the 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!
Here’s an excerpt from the opening… partially based
on that trip to Vermont!
“You have
reached Great Bear Lodge. In three hundred feet, turn right into the parking—”
“Are you kidding me?” Mark jabbed the power button
on the navigation system, silencing it. The useless piece of shit had done
nothing but get him lost.
For the last half hour he’d been listening to the
robotic voice lead him deeper into the wilderness. He’d followed the GPS from
one secondary road to another, and now he was lost in the backwoods of Nowhere,
Vermont.
At least he thought he was still in Vermont. For all
he knew, he could be in Canada. Then again, if he was at the border, at least
there would be a sign and he could get directions from a Mountie.
The storm had started about four hours ago. At first
it was only a few flakes, then more, and more. Then the wind kicked up, and
before he knew it there was at least six inches of snow on the road. He had
watched the outside thermometer drop from a balmy eight degrees to four, then
two, until finally, it had settled at minus four.
There was nothing on either side of the snow-packed
two lane road except more snow and a few scatterings of pine trees. He grumbled
and kept driving at a whopping 10 miles an hour. He had no choice but to keep
going. There was nowhere to turn around.
He probably should have stopped when he passed that
house a few minutes ago. The driveway wasn’t plowed, but there was a light on,
and he could have asked for directions. But the house might be empty. It was
the middle of February. Didn’t most people up here spend the winter in Florida,
or—
BAM! The loud bang snapped him from his thoughts and
he yelped as the car started spinning.
Everything happened in slow motion. A cluster of
pine trees went past on the left, then the car rotated again and slid sideways
on the road, spinning out of control. He spotted a pine tree three feet from
the front end and jerked the wheel hard, shooting the car across the street
toward a ditch. He hit the gas and cranked the wheel again.
After a few more spins and slides, the car finally
stopped. He threw the gearshift into park and slumped over the steering wheel,
listening to his heart hammering in his chest. Jesus, that was close. “I hate
this state. I hate winter. I swear to God I’m never coming back here,” he
whispered.
But what the hell happened? He’d heard a loud bang
before he spun out. Did he hit something? He unhooked his seat belt and got out
of the car. Icy air blasted him in the face as he pulled on his gloves and
checked the driver’s side front tire. Great, just great. It was flat.
No, not flat. He leaned closer. The tire was…
shredded. “What the hell?” He walked around to the passenger side and groaned.
That tire was shredded too, right down to the rim. “Beautiful. What the frig
did I hit?”
He backtracked, kicking the snow in front of him.
About fifty feet from the car, his boot hit something, and he heard a metallic
clank. He bent down and wiped the snow away. A chain was lying in the road. Had
it fallen off someone’s truck?
He picked it up and scowled. This was no ordinary
chain. Two-inch metal spikes jutted out from every other link, like fangs.
“Shit. No wonder my tires are shot.” He tried to carry the chain out of the
road, then stopped as it pulled taut. “Now what?”
***
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.
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, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.
Her trilogy of erotic romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was released in spring 2017.
Loving a Wild Stranger was published in January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.
Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption was released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the Nebraska prairie in 1877.
Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative guide filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.
Catch Up with Kelli:
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.
Her trilogy of erotic romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was released in spring 2017.
Loving a Wild Stranger was published in January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.
Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption was released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the Nebraska prairie in 1877.
Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative guide filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.
Catch Up with Kelli: