I never expected to be a success out of the gate–that’s a rarity and usually happens to someone with major house backing. My goal was to put out the best books I could and continue to improve my craft. After hiring a freelance editor who worked with Penguin NAL, I know I’ve done that. And every day I focus on putting out better stories. That said, there are those days when I wish for the big numbers of my more established peers. I do believe the key to building an audience lies in writing more books, and that much of the time and money new authors spend toward marketing is a waste, but that doesn’t stop me from sometimes feeling like I’m still on the outside of the ballroom, hoping to be allowed into the exclusive dance. That said, I believe in my writing 100%, and I have big plans for 2014.

So after a year in this business (and don’t get me wrong, I’m still very much a newbie), what would I tell someone getting ready to publish their first novel?

• If you’re independently publishing, put your money into editing. Do your research and hire a developmental editor – one with experience editing the genre you write. A critique partner is NOT the same as an editor, especially for a newer writer.
• Hire a separate line editor. This is different from developmental editor. This is about sentence structure, grammar, etc. A good line editor is worth the investment because they can prevent a lot of the grammar issues that seem to be a major issue with independently published books.
• If you’re going with a small press, make sure their editing is top notch. Read their books and look for quality of plot and grammar.
• If you’re going with a small press, stop and think about that decision. In this digital world, unless you go with a small press that has some pull with bookstores or marketing, it might not be the best investment of your money. Depending on the press, you won’t have much control over pricing and sales, and that makes a big difference. A huge part of the success of many independently published authors is working their prices and staggering their sales.
• Understand cover art and hire an artist who gets the differences between genres. This was a major mistake with my Delta Crossroads Series. The original covers were beautiful and professional, but they didn’t fit in with the suspense genre. My new cover artist finally told me that my books resemble Lisa Gardners, and asked if my covers looked like hers. When I realized that huge difference, the genre thing finally clicked.
• Don’t spend a bunch of money in marketing. I’ve learned the hard way that there isn’t much point in investing a lot until you’ve got at least three books out and if possible, an entire series. Readers are so inundated with options many don’t want to invest their time and money in an author until they have more books, and an entire series is available to them. I don’t read like that, so it was hard for me to get that mentality. But after taking a step back and listening to established (and successful) indie authors, I had to admit this was absolutely true.
• Write the next book. Invest your time in coming up with great plots and characters.
• Read a lot. It really does make a difference.
• Study what your peers are doing. Look at authors who’ve had successful book launches and see what they are doing on Facebook.
• Be accessible, and be grateful for every reader. Most of us are starting from the ground up, building an audience reader by reader. Embrace that. Get to know your readers and make sure they understand how important they are to you.
• Start a mailing list. Give those readers something special. You may have to play around and figure out what that something special needs to be, but a mailing list is a great way to build loyal readers.
• Keep writing. Don’t get boiled down in numbers. Don’t check them half a dozen times a day. Keep writing.
• Whether you have an agent and are seeking traditional publishing or publishing independently, you are a brand and a business. Don’t make decisions based on emotion. Do what is best for the long term career you’re after.
• This is a business. Most success stories don’t come overnight. WORK HARD. Be a student of craft and of the industry. Realize this is an all hours a day job.
• Stay positive. You are lucky to be following your dream and brave to be embarking down this road. Good luck!

Don’t forget about the Kindle Giveaway to celebrate my one year in publishing! Contest ends December 13th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Isn’t it funny how we can be on an emotional ride and not even realize it? How the littlest things can send us way off kilter?

Example: I finished the final book in the Delta Crossroads Series last Friday and sent it to my developmental editor. It’s an accomplishment to be sure: three books (actually four, if you count the draft of the new series I’m working on now) written in a year. A trilogy fans love is almost finished. I had no idea how that one action would spark a saddie moment. It’s time to end the series, but it’s bittersweet. I love those characters, and their voices are still rattling in my head. I’ll most certainly miss them.

And on the heels of that came the news that my mother’s kidney function is down to 15.9%. If something doesn’t change, dialysis is probably coming in the next couple of months. Now, she’s lasted longer without it (almost two years) than the doctors expected, so I can’t complain. I thought I was prepared for the news. Every time she goes to the doctor, I steel myself for it. Monday night I was fine. Tuesday sucked. I wanted to yell and scream and cry, and the worst of it is, I wanted to do those things to her. We are very close, and I don’t know what I will do without her when that time comes. And no matter how hard I try, I’m mad as hell at her for not taking care of her diabetes like she should have. She thinks she did, though, and arguing with her is a waste of precious time. It’s too late to change things now, and so we have to trudge on and hope for the best. That really doesn’t make it any easier.

So this week has been loaded with saddies. Change is all over the place and I DO NOT LIKE IT. And believe me, I know I’ve really got nothing to whine about. Things could be a lot worse. But sometimes you just have to let yourself wallow in the pity pit for a while and then start clawing back up.

I’m working on it. I’ve been editing the first draft of a new series I’m launching in May. I adore the character, and her darkness is something I love exploring. Getting into her head is a weird kind of therapy.

The point of this post is two-fold: first off, if you’re diabetic or pre-diabetic, be proactive and BELIEVE that it will kill you if you don’t make major changes. It is a horrible disease. Take care of yourself now before it’s too late. And secondly, don’t feel bad if you want to wallow around and feel sorry for whatever lousy thing is going on in your life. Sometimes a pity party is just want we need, as long as we don’t drag it out.

Thanks so much to all of you out there reading and chatting up Tin God and Skeleton’s Key. Nothing blows a saddie moment to bits like a wonderful review or Facebook comment.

How do you deal with a bout of the saddies?

Now, onto the writing part. This movie is an excellent example of conflict and piling more and more on the character. One problem resolved, quick breather for the character, then another disaster. It’s a roller coaster that is perfectly executed.

Whether you’re interested in screenwriting or not, I recommend this movie for every writer, especially suspense and thriller writers. It is the best example I’ve seen of ratcheting up the stakes while making the viewer care deeply for the main character in a long time. The movie’s setup is quick, giving us just enough interaction with Bullock and Clooney to care, and then all hell breaks loose and last until the last seconds of the movie.

Beyond that, the character growth is very strong. Through fear, desperation, panic, and finally, faith, Bullock keeps fighting. We see her terror while witnessing her strength, and that is a damned hard thing to pull off.

Genre tastes aside, this movie is a must see to better your writing craft.

Have you seen Gravity? Do you plan to? What movies have helped shape your writing?

Skeleton’s Key (Delta Crossroads #2) broke into the top 100 in Mystery Series in less than a week of release! Thank you so much to those of you who attended the launch party on Facebook and who are reading/reviewing the book. I’m thrilled with the positive response!

A very quick teaser for Skeleton’s Key:

Some business next, but make sure you check below to find out how to snag some free and cheap stuff. Subscribers, make sure you read!

But what about content? Here’s the thing: my writing has to come first. I’ve got two releases slated for 2013 and will likely be adding a third. And whether you are a writer, reader, or casual observer, you don’t have any more time to read my long posts than I have to write them.

So we’re shaking things up. Most of you know I’m a research nerd, so we’re talking Twisted Facts on Monday. Short, interesting, (sometimes) fun facts on history, crime, technology, and whatever else catches my eye that day.

Thriller Thursdays will still feature Twisted Minds, but they’re going to be shorter and much easier to read through. I’ll also be featuring Thrilling Reads on my Facebook Author Page on Thursdays, highlighting some of my favorite suspense/thriller writers as well as up and comers, so don’t miss that.

Finally, I’m introducing a new feature I’m really excited about: Twisted Reads – Author Book Lists. Two Saturdays a month, I’ll have a guest author talking about the last great book they read and why it twisted their minds. If you’re an author and would like to sign up, please email me at stacygreenauthor@gmail.com.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVES

Subscribers: I’m going to be moving the blog to my website soon, so you will need to resubscribe through Feedburner for blog updates.

Because re-subscribing to the blog is a pain and my Feedburner is lonely, I’m entering everyone who signs up for the blog by January 17th into a drawing for a $20 Amazon Gift Card.

All you have to do is CLICK HERE and Follow Instructions. You can also go to the link in my right sidebar and SIGN UP FOR FEEDBURNER UPDATES VIA EMAIL.

You’ll also receive an invite to join my newsletter. By joining, you’ll not only get first crack at all contests, but you’ll also receive exclusive pricing on all future releases. The newsletter is monthly, and to sign up now, head on over here. You can also wait for the email, but I WILL NOT subscribe you without your permission. The party is no fun if you don’t want to be there.

Everyone who joins by January 31st will receive a free digital copy of my short story, Welcome To Las Vegas.

Thanks so much for making 2012 an amazing year, and I can’t wait to see what 2013 brings for all of us.

Do you have any New Year’s resolutions or changes to share?

http://catierhodes.com/2012/11/25/celebrity-author-playlists-embrace-the-dark/

Happy Sunday, everyone! I’m very excited to be taking part in a the latest blog hop from the WG2E Street Team. Nine authors have new releases and to celebrate, we’re showcasing our new books at the Beach Book Blast website and at our sister site at the RG2E. There’s something for everyone–from Romantic Suspense, to Holiday romance, to YA Dystopian, and mysteries. To make the event even more fun, we’ve added a blog hop where readers can connect to their favorite authors and learn what great books, characters, or authors have inspired them.

What’s my inspiration as a writer?

I  was in high school when I read Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, and I remember being completely swept up in the world she created. Not just the vampire lore she built nearly from scratch, but the worlds she took us to and the emotional roller coaster she put her readers on. I remember thinking if I could ever do half as good a job at telling a story as Anne Rice did with the Vampire Chronicles, I’d be a successful writer.

I don’t write paranormal–I write suspense and thrillers, but I still want to elicit that same bone-chilling, heart pounding joy ride Anne Rice inspired in me. I want readers to feel as though they are in the moment, as if they’ve stepped into my pages, wherever I’ve taken them. I’m sure I’m nowhere near her level, but it’s what I aspire to every time I sit down to work.

I’m so thankful to have picked up those books, to authors like Anne Rice, Stephen King, Thomas Harris, Alice Walker, and so many more who have given us such amazing books to learn from.

Here’s an exclusive sneak peek from my debut suspense novel, INTO THE DARK.

Thanks so much for holding down the fort, Kass. Take it away!

While Stacy’s off gallivanting around the blogosphere talking to folks about her new book coming out on November 30th, she let me squat here asked me to come visit here at Turn the Page and talk about a topic near and dear to both of us at the moment–psychopaths!

Okay, you may be thinking that’s a little sick.

Let me explain. Stacy and I are so fond of psychopaths because they all too often play a very pivotal role in the novels we write. They are our bad guys.

I’m frequently asked, by students and fellow mystery/thriller authors, whether psychopaths are born or made. The answer is “Yes, all of the above.”

Lots of research has been done on this and that research tells us there’s a strong genetic predisposition to antisocial behavior, i.e., behavior that goes against society, that defies the rules, breaks the law.

This predisposition doesn’t usually come to fruition, however, unless that child is placed in a very unhealthy environment. Full-blown psychopaths always come from abusive backgrounds, with harsh and often inconsistent parenting.

Scientists are still trying to tease out some of the inherited components in antisocial personality disorder (the official diagnostic term for psychopaths) and how they interact with the environment. But here’s what we know so far:

• There seems to be something inherently wrong with the wiring of psychopaths’ brains, because they never develop much in the way of a conscience. Most children, by age five, are starting to feel guilty when they break the rules they’ve internalized from their environment. But not budding psychopaths. They intellectually understand what the rules are, but they have no qualms about breaking them. They don’t feel remorse or guilt.
• Another area where the wiring may be lacking to begin with is empathy, our natural ability to feel what others are feeling. Psychopaths lack empathy for others.The smarter ones may become quite skilled at reading other people’s emotions for the purpose of manipulating them, but they feel little or no concern or sympathy for others.This is one of the areas where environment interacts a good bit with genetics. On the mild to moderate end of the genetic predisposition continuum, the child often is capable of feeling empathy. With the guidance of a patient, loving parent, this empathy can be nurtured. I’ve seen a couple real-life examples of this! But in a highly dysfunctional abusive environment, that glimmer of empathy gets snuffed out early on.

• While scientists aren’t sure exactly what goes wrong biologically in the conscience or empathy development arenas, they do know that there are other inherited factors. One is a high tendency to be impulsive. This personality trait is about 60% inherited and 40% influenced by environment. A child who inherits a high tendency for impulsivity is going to be a challenge for the best of parents. If that child grows up in a very dysfunctional, abusive environment where little effort is made to teach self-control, he or she is going to be extremely impulsive!

• Also, the vast majority of people with antisocial personality disorder have learning disabilities, especially attention deficit problems. Seventy-five percent have full-blown ADHD (which we’re pretty darn sure is genetically transmitted). The ADHD child does not make the connection between behavior and consequences nearly as readily as children normally do (Please take my word for this so I can spare you the long, boring brain-malfunction explanation). Children with ADHD often don’t get it that what they just did is the cause of the punishment the parent or teacher is inflicting on them. From their perspective, the adult is just being mean, for some inexplicable reason.

Again, put a child with these learning deficits in an environment where discipline is very inconsistent and often way too harsh, and where out-of-control anger is often exhibited, and you end up with a very confused and pissed-off kid.

• A third genetic piece, and this is the biggie for those of us who write and read mysteries and thrillers, is that people with antisocial personality disorder (i.e., psychopaths) inherit a nervous system that is not easily stimulated. It takes a huge amount of stimulation for them to feel excitement, or any other feeling. Everyday life, that most of us find quite satisfying, bores them and makes them feel “dead inside.”

So psychopaths are constantly looking for a thrill that will make them feel alive! They may find it in a variety of activities–dangerous sports, reckless driving, drinking and drugging, gaining power over others in their family or in the workplace, stealing, pulling off a con or getting away with other criminal behavior, physical violence, sexual aggression… You get the picture.

One myth about psychopaths is that they are often brilliant. Nope, that’s a Hollywood-generated misconception. They run the gamut from stupid to brilliant, just like the rest of us. The dumb ones engage in high risk behaviors and criminal activities early on. They either get killed or get caught and spend a lot of time in jail (although not all criminals are psychopaths).

The smarter ones become politicians, business executives, lawyers, cops, con artists, etc. They may be very successful in their chosen professions because they are quite ruthless; it doesn’t bother them a bit to climb over others to get to the top. (Again, not all politicians and business executives are psychopaths, and definitely this is not most lawyers or police officers!)

Another myth about psychopaths is that they are obvious monsters or highly dysfunctional loners. Most are neither. Most look like everybody else on the surface. They get married, hold down jobs, may even be civic or church leaders! They figure out how to fit in, but behind closed doors they are seeking those thrills.

The BTK killer, Dennis Rader, killed ten victims in and around Wichita, Kansas. He sent sixteen written communications to the news media over a thirty-year period, taunting the police and the public. He was married with two children, was a Boy Scout leader, served honorably in the U.S. Air Force, was employed as a local government official, and was president of his church. –July, 2008, FBI symposium report on Serial Murder.

The degree of antisocial tendencies also exists on a continuum. On the milder end, we have the guys (antisocial personality disorder is twice as common in men as women) who get their thrills through sports, drinking and using recreational drugs on the weekends, and controlling their families. In the moderate range, we have more heavy-duty drug abuse, more violent behavior in the wife battering-barroom brawls category, and more of a tendency to engage in criminal behavior.

Many rapists and a fair number of those more ruthless politicians and business executives are in this group. This is where the bad guy in my latest novel falls (and then my protagonist, Kate, and her private investigator husband discover they have a second psychopath in their midst!)

On the severe end of the continuum, you have the very violent criminals, the totally ruthless business executives and politicians, those who are brutally abusive to their own families, and the serial killers. These are the bad guys that Stacy loves to conjure up in her thrillers.

Unfortunately people with antisocial personality disorder are 3% of males and almost 2% of females in this country. (Yes, you probably know several!) Fortunately, only a very small percentage of people with ASPD become serial killers. What would motivate your average run-of-the-mill psychopath to become a serial killer?

One of the most thrilling things for psychopaths is having power over others. And there is no greater thrill than having power over the life and death of another person.

Most often the serial killer starts out killing for financial gain–robbing people and then killing them to eliminate witnesses, for example–or they kill as part of a gang or drug culture they are immersed in. Then they discover that killing gives them a rush of excitement, and they start to kill for that reason. These are the hardest killers to identify and capture because their victims often have little or nothing in common.

Another major element is rage. Abused children grow up harboring a lot of rage about that abuse. The vast majority of them turn that anger inward and it becomes poor self-esteem and depression. A small percentage deal with that rage by becoming abusive themselves. An even smaller percentage, the full-blown psychopaths (i.e., those who have a strong genetic predisposition to ASPD), discover that killing is a great outlet for that rage. These are the serial killers who have a specific victim type. Their victims usually, in some way, shape or form, symbolize the abuser, or sometimes the passive parent who let them be abused, or the lover who jilted them and set off their rage.

A very small percentage of serial killers are not only psychopaths but they also have other mental disorders. They may lose their grip on reality completely and act out truly bizarre fantasies with their victims. These fantasies are usually based in some triggering event in their histories that tipped them over the edge into psychosis. (Note: psychopath and psychotic are two very different things, but they do sometimes coexist in the same person.)

You’re probably checking the locks on your doors and windows about now. Keep in mind that psychopaths are a relatively small percentage of the population and serial killers are a small percentage of that group. And totally psychotic serial killers are a very small percentage of that small percentage.

But… (You didn’t really think I was going to leave you on a cheery note, did you?)

Psychopaths feel little or no fear. That’s part of their high arousal threshold. The situation’s got to be pretty damn terrifying before they feel even a flicker of fear.

So they don’t fear going to jail, or even dying. Indeed, some view dying as the ultimate thrill! And they can pass lie-detector tests with flying colors, while lying through their teeth. Because those tests are based on the premise that people are anxious when they lie. Not psychopaths! They’re not afraid of getting caught in a lie, because they’re not afraid of much of anything.

Which brings me to the last Hollywood myth I’ll debunk before leaving you. Serial killers are not hoping someone will stop them; they are not trying to get caught. They would have to feel remorse in order to want to be stopped. And they are incapable of remorse.

But they will sometimes escalate to contacting the police or newspapers with taunts or even hints as to where they might strike next, or they may intentionally leave clues behind at crime scenes.

They do this to enhance the thrill! Killing is starting to lose its buzz so they have to up the ante.

If you’d like to read more about psychopaths and serial killers, check out this 2008 report by the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (the real one, not the one portrayed on Criminal Minds, which is, by the way, one of my favorite TV shows).

If you have any questions, I promised Stacy I’d hang around until she stops gallivanting gets back later, so ask away!

Celebrity Status, A Kate Huntington Mystery (Book 4)

KINDLE

NOOK

PAPERBACK

A BLURB FROM CELEBRITY STATUS:

Kate Huntington’s new husband has built up a thriving private investigating agency and he’s attracted his first celebrity client, a pop singer whose anonymous stalker has a twisted concept of love. Before Skip Canfield realizes just how twisted, he involves first his psychotherapist wife and then their lawyer friend, Rob Franklin, in the case. Soon they are being hounded by paparazzi and someone is planting evidence to convince Skip that Kate and Rob are lovers. Struggling to deal with this onslaught of unwanted attention and a stalker who will stop at nothing to remove the obstacles in his path, Kate and Skip must face the reality that you can’t always keep those you love from harm.

Hi everyone! I’m over at Jenny Hansen’s awesome More Cowbell Blog today giving an exclusive interview on the story behind INTO THE DARK and my inspiration for the Charity Blog Tour. Please stop by when you have the time for a chance to enter AND a shot at a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Thanks so much to Jenny for welcoming me to her awesome blog today! I’m excited to talk about INTO THE DARK and the charity blog tour I’m running.

1. Give me each of your main characters in 50 words or less.

Emilie is a master escape artist–she’s escaped a manipulative ex-husband and a cruel mother. She’s also vulnerable and on the edge of emotional disaster. Nathan is perceptive, loyal, and brave, but damage from his past drives him to atone for what happens to Emilie.

2. Your book features the homeless living in the Las Vegas tunnels? Tell me about them.

Read the rest here…

The homeless living in the storm drains beneath Las Vegas play an important role in INTO THE DARK. Stretching hundreds of miles beneath the city and known as the tunnels, the drains are a refuge for around 200 of the city’s homeless. Yes, people are living below Las Vegas in the storm drains, many of them directly beneath the Strip.

Reporter Matt O’Brien introduced the tunnels to the world in his excellent book, Beneath the Neon. He decided to research the homeless living in the drains after covering the Weber murder case of 2002 for Las Vegas CityLife.

A Cold-Blooded Killer Escapes.

Here’s your true crime case for this Thursday. In April 2002, Timmy “T.J.” Weber raped his girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter and then killed his girlfriend and one of her sons. Police found the woman stuffed in a storage container in a bedroom closet.

Her son was discovered facedown on the mattress, arms taped behind his back and a t-shirt in his mouth. A plastic bag was secured around his neck with speaker wire. He smothered to death.

Weber originally left Las Vegas but returned a week and a half later. He attacked his girlfriend’s surviving son and his friend when they came into the home to choose items for the funeral. The men fought, and an injured Weber fled on foot. He eventually made it to a storage ditch and disappeared into the storm drain where he spent five hours underground.

Weber was captured after more than 3 weeks on the run. He told investigators his journey through the drains reminded him of the movie The Fugitive.

Timmy “T.J.” Weber was sentenced to life in prison for one count of murder and was sentenced to death for the second.

INTO THE DARK

I first discovered the tunnels in 2009 when I was researching for INTO THE DARK. I knew at once I’d found my stalker’s escape route, but I didn’t realize what an important role the storm drains played in the book until after the first draft was complete.

There are only a handful of scenes that take place in the tunnels and yet, they’ve added true depth to the book. As SWAT and detectives are searching for the man who becomes known as the Taker, readers get a glimpse of the dark and sadness festering beneath the city. Seeing this reality gives both my hero and heroine a new perspective on life and ultimately helps make them into three-dimensional characters.

So when it came to figuring out how to market INTO THE DARK, I knew I had to do something to give back.

I hate the idea of marketing, by the way. I’m not going to go around telling you all to buy my book and to please tell everyone you know about it. Maybe it’s a mistake, but I simply can’t do it. I’ll tweet and Facebook here and there, share some excerpts, do some giveaways, but I’m not going to run off at the mouth on social media. That’s just not me.

So here’s the plan: from today until the end of February (covering both of my blog tours) I’m running the INTO THE DARK Charity Blog Tour to benefit the homeless. It’s through Rafflecopter. There are several entry options, including tweets and Facebook shares.

Even better is the option to donate to HELP of Southern Nevada, the organization that aids those living in the storm drains. The raffle’s grand prize is a $100 donation from me in the winner’s name to the homeless charity of their choice.

Enter the INTO THE DARK Charity Raffle!

Will this help sell books? I have no idea. But I know it’s the right thing for me to do. I realize times are tight for everyone, but I hope we can raise a little money for HELP, and I’m excited to donate to the winner’s homeless charity.

If you’d like to help spread the word, feel free to grab some of the tweets listed at the end of the post.

And there’s more big news today! My official website is live! Visit stacygreenauthor.com for the full list of my blog tour. In addition to the Charity Raffle, I’m also hosting A Gift From Stacy–a chance for readers to win a $25 Amazon gift card, so don’t miss out on those events.

What do you guys think? Are you ready to spread the word and raise a little money for charity?

An Introduction to the Darkness Below.

WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS, a short story. (Contains exclusive excerpt from INTO THE DARK)

“5 Stars …”
“Creepy and Terrifying…”
“A Riveting, Fast Read…”

Dark, dirty, and terrifying, the storm drains below Las Vegas stretch hundreds of miles and house the city’s homeless and criminal element. Walking into the underground abyss is the last thing Tate wants to do, but his junkie sister has disappeared into the drains. Armed with only his flashlight, Tate wades into the gritty depths beneath Sin City to rescue his sister from her demons.

Every step into the smothering darkness challenges Tate’s resolve. With his sister’s life and his own sanity at stake, Tate must face his fears or risk becoming another victim of the Las Vegas tunnels.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
iTunes

An Excerpt from INTO THE DARK (11.30.12 in digital and print)

Emilie’s resolve faltered as they reached the tunnel entrance. She peered over Nathan’s shoulder at the triad of pipes branching off in different directions. Big enough for a tall man to walk through easily, their murky blackness was as foreboding as anything Emilie had ever experienced.

She pressed the button on her flashlight and shined it into the abyss. Four other lights joined hers, and the inner concrete walls of the tunnel became visible. Graffiti was scrawled over them. A bevy of cockroaches scuttled away from the intrusion.

Emilie followed Nathan and Chris across the threshold and tried not to give in to the claustrophobia that immediately wrapped itself around her. The tunnel was wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side with room to spare, but the sense of being closed in was amplified by the heavy silence. The group’s splashing feet echoed and then faded away into the never-ending darkness. How deep were the channels?

A smell resembling the rotten egg she’d once dropped on Evan’s porcelain kitchen floor hit her full force. Emilie’s hand flew to her mouth.

“Something else, ain’t it?” Chris’s voice broke the uneasy stillness. “I liken it to a men’s locker room filled with dirty socks and jocks after a five-mile run.”

“If you guys stink this bad, you need medical help. Christ.”

“At least my stomach’s not rumbling anymore,” Nathan said.

“Shit, I could eat,” Chris said.

“You can always eat. You’re like a human trash compactor.”

“Do you guys have any idea where to find Snake?” Avery’s voice came out muffled.

Chris turned around and shined his light on Avery. “Dude, that hanky over your face ain’t gonna stop the stink. Embrace it. Feel the burn.”

Emilie laughed as the knot in her stomach began to uncoil. The banter made it easier to forget why she was here.

Her right foot suddenly came down on something hard in the shallow stream of water. She stumbled into Nathan’s back before an arm caught her from behind.

“Watch it,” Avery said. “Last thing you want to do is fall face-first in this.”

“Sorry.” Emilie clutched the hem of Nathan’s thin T-shirt. “I tripped over something.”

She shined her light into the two-inch-deep water. A pair of soulless black eyes stared back at her. A child’s doll lay abandoned, its once-blond hair soaked with the filthy water.

Children lived down here?

“Into the Dark by Stacy Green explores deep, dark secrets and exposes a fascinatingly creepy killer!”

–Debra Webb, USAToday bestselling author of the Faces of Evil series

“Stacy Green writes suspense like a pro. You’ll be captivated from the first page to the end of this harrowing story. Don’t forget to breathe!”

–Diane Capri, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of The Justice Series and The Hunt For Reacher Series.

Pre-Order Into The Dark

Add INTO THE DARK to your Goodreads List

INTO THE DARK Charity Blog Tour Tweet Ideas

Helping those in need for the #holidays. Enter the #IntoTheDarkCharity Raffle and help an #author give back http://bit.ly/PlKhrP

#IntoTheDarkCharityRaffle Discover a great new #author and give back for the #holidays. http://bit.ly/PlKhrP

Cover Reveal at Night Owl Reviews Blog!