Happy Release Day for The Origin #horrorbooks #horrorthrillers

I’m very excited to announce that The Origin released today.

It’s the sequel to last year’s The Sighting, and, as the title suggests, it tells the origin of the mysterious creature that appeared one morning on a beach on the east coast of America.

The novel follows two narratives–one following the main character from the first novel, and one that takes place over 400 years earlier during the time of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

I’ve always loved the idea of historical mysteries, especially ones that, even with all of today’s information sharing and technology, still can’t quite be solved, and the Lost Colony is a perfect example of that.

The Origin was a lot of fun to write for that reason, since it allowed me to posit my own ‘theories’ about what may have happened to those early American settlers.

I hope you enjoy it!

for the ebook ➜ click here
for the paperback ➜ click here

I’ll be running contests on my Facebook page all day today and well into the evening. Make sure you like my Facebook page so you don’t miss out. The first contest will be announced at 2 pm EST today.

LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE

The Origin:  (The Sighting Book Two): A gripping monster horror thriller by [Coleman, Christopher]

The Melting (They Came with the Snow Book Two) is OUT

The Melting : A Science Fiction Horror Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (They Came With The Snow Book 2) by [Coleman, Christopher]

 

The snow is melting, and the crabs are growing more violent. 

At the base of a blocked-off bridge spanning the South River, Dominic and his friends plan a daunting journey to flee Warren County and the monsters that came when the snow fell.

But the crabs aren’t the only danger they face.

There are other forces at work, forces with a secret as inhuman and terrifying as the crabs themselves.

And these forces are determined to never let the group leave.

The quest is no longer just to survive, it’s to escape.

Free with Kindle Unlimited  Amazon US / Amazon UK

What inspired me to write The Sighting?

What inspired me to write The Sighting?

Like a lot of people, I’ve always been kind of captivated by things like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster and other cryptozoological creatures.

But what was always more interesting to me were the people who claimed to have had close encounters with these creatures.

Of course, I’ve no doubt many of those people were just making up the stories–probably the vast majority of them–but certainly not all, right?

Some small percentage of those men and women truly believe they saw something beyond what’s known to exist on Earth.

And, maybe, just maybe, they even did. So for those people, those who are convinced that they know to be true what the rest of the world thinks is legend, how must their lives have been altered from their experience? That question was the inspiration for The Sighting.

The Sighting (The Sighting Book One): A gripping horror and psychological thriller with a twisted ending by [Coleman, Christopher]

AMAZON

What makes a good horror story? What scares you?

What makes a good horror story? What scares you?

For me, the basic characteristics of a good horror story don’t differ much from any other kind of story: I want to be able to visualize the setting and feel the tension. If I can ‘see’ the scene, I feel immediately connected to the story, and if the angst of the characters resonates, I feel invested.

Horror, of course, has to include the threat of death to the main character as a result of someone or something malevolent. So, in addition to setting and tension, any good horror story has to include a terrific monster.

Why does the horror genre lend itself really well to short stories and novellas?

Why does the horror genre lend itself really well to short stories and novellas?

I think one reason horror stories work so well in short form is that the main goal of horror is to scare, and back story and character build-up aren’t as critical to achieve that end. We might start reading a story about a girl lost in the middle of the woods at night, who suddenly hears the sound of footsteps following her and the raspy wheeze of heavy breathing.

Those details could all be established in the first couple of sentences, and from there to scare can be a pretty short trip; the reader simply inserts him or herself in the position of the girl and then internalizes that fear.

A great short horror story, though, will elicit more in readers than just fear. It will take us beyond just identifying with a scary situation and will create sympathy for the characters within. In that case, the great short story, may be just as difficult to write as any other.

KIndle Unlimited Horror Books

Alone. Frightened. Captive. If you hear someone approaching, RUN. She is not there to help you.

There is an ancient evil in the Back Country, dormant for centuries but now hungry and lurking. When it sets its sights on an unsuspecting mother one routine morning along an isolated stretch of highway, a quiet farming family is suddenly thrust into a world of unspeakable terror, and a young girl must learn to be a hero.

The Gretel Series: Books 1-3 (Gretel Series Boxed set) (A gripping psychological and horror thriller with shocking twists and turns) by [Coleman, Christopher]

Looking for a scare? The Gretel Series is a gripping, thrilling horror with bone-chilling twists and turns you won’t see coming. 

The Gretel Series: Books 1-3 includes Gretel (Book One), Marlene’s Revenge (Gretel Book Two) and Hansel (Gretel Book Three). If you are a fan of horror, mystery, suspense and dark fantasy, The Gretel Series is an absolute must read. Just make sure you keep all the lights on while reading.

Buy the boxed set to get three full length books you won’t want to put down.

What readers are saying:

★★★★★ “What an intriguing series, it’s gruesome and scary but so well written that I couldn’t put each of the books down.”

★★★★★ “This is the coolest/scariest series of books I have read in a long time.”

★★★★★ “An imaginative creepy twist on a fairytale based on Hansel and Gretel.”

★★★★★ “What an excellent take on a classic horror story!”

★★★★★ “Wow. Fabulous twist on a Grimm classic. Such well developed characters. And THREE heroines.”

★★★★★ “Man oh man! A true horror story….not your old time Hansel and Gretel. No gingerbread house, no barred cages to be locked behind while the witch fattens you up. Nosiree bob. If you truly want to be scared out of your wits about what some people will do to others, read this book!”

★★★★★ “Wow. Simply wow.”

The Gretel Series will keep you on the edge of your seat, afraid to turn off the lights and go to sleep. If you are looking for a thrilling, suspenseful, creepy and spooky read that will leave you scared out of your wits, then the Gretel Series is for you. You have been warned.

Hansel (Gretel Book Three)

The evil witch’s plague on the Back Country is over, but a new terror now lurks in a distant land.

Years have passed since Marlene’s death, and Gretel, unable to cope with her mother’s descent into madness, has fled the Back Country for the solitude and anonymity of the Old World. But one quiet day in the remote village of Stedwick, Gretel is taken by Gromus, an ageless mythical figure known only by locals, but whose reputation and power is steadily growing.

It is now up to Hansel to save his sister and the ancient land of their ancestors from a horror as old as the book that unleashed it to the world.

Free with Kindle Unlimited  Amazon  / Amazon UK

Gretel (Gretel Book One)

Gretel Book Cover

Alone. Frightened. Captive. If you hear someone approaching, RUN. She is not there to help you.

There is an ancient evil in the Back Country, dormant for centuries but now hungry and lurking. When it sets its sights on an unsuspecting mother one routine morning along an isolated stretch of highway, a quiet farming family is suddenly thrust into a world of unspeakable terror, and a young girl must learn to be a hero.

“A terrific read and a much scarier take on the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel.”–Amie’s Book Reviews

“Witches, terrible deeds, horrific battles with the good guys. A LOT of surprises.”–Amazon Customer

“One of the best collections of strong female characters that I’ve seen in a long time.”–Errant Dreams

“Good read on a dark night, especially if you are alone in the house. It’ll creep you out.”–Annie Flowers, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer

230+ Rave Reviews, 4.3 star rating

Read an Excerpt from GRETEL:

And things took time. There was no patience in this modern world; everyone needed things now. And this System officer, Stenson, he seemed particularly hasty. She could see in the way he leaped for the spilled potion that he’d grown addicted to the idea of it. To the idea of immortality. It was a pattern she’d seen dozens of times in her past. No temperament to handle the wait. And as she’d also witnessed, the pursuit of the broth had caused his early expiration, an irony never lost on her.
But Stenson’s death was unimportant. Nothing more than a mess to clean. Her aims were different now. She’d found the true serum. The one she’d heard whispered of in the Old Lands by her ancestors. The myth sought by all. She could stay young. Forever. She was strong again, of mind and body. And Life. She would reconnect with It. Control It as she once had when she was young and zealous.
She walked back to the kitchen and stood over the twisted body of Officer Stenson, which now lay still, dead. The witch’s feet were planted irreverently in the remaining mixture on the floor, and she almost chuckled at the locked expression of fear and pain on the officer’s face.
She kicked the left side of his body and heard the sound she was listening for—the jingle of keys—in his right pocket. She reached over and pulled the ring of keys free, and then dangled them in front of her face, smiling at the confidence she felt inside of her. It was almost impossible to believe what she was considering—no, not considering, what she was going to do.
The world now seemed a platter to her, a buffet of opportunity and treasure. Every second in this cabin now seemed a waste of the eternal time she now possessed. If even yesterday she’d been granted this opportunity, the opportunity to drive off in this machine, she would have certainly hidden from it, afraid of the technology she’d shunned for so long.
She’d driven a car in the past, in the days before secrecy and privacy had taken over her life, but it had been years, and she’d certainly never controlled anything like the monster parked outside. Yes, her old self would have spent days, weeks maybe, figuring out some method to dispose of the car without ever starting the engine or even getting inside.
But now the machine excited her and the thought of driving released a burst of saliva across her tongue. The energy under her. The power and speed at her control. And, most importantly, the utility of the thing. There were more sources to find before this day ended, and the car would help her find them.
It was time to hunt.

Free with Kindle Unlimited Amazon US  / Amazon UK   

What is your favorite line from a book?

This giveaway is closed. The winner is Shannon Smith. Congrats, Shannon! For your chance to win any eBook of your choosing, answer this question: What is your favorite line from a book? Comment with your answer in the comments section below and follow me on Twitter (if you’re on Twitter), like my Facebook page (if you’re on Facebook) or Amazon.

Twitter

Amazon  Click the yellow “Follow” button.

Facebook

Giveaway closes on 11/25/16!  Good luck!