Static Screams: Why You Should Read It
Static Screams is set to be one of the best horror novella’s set for release in 2024! This is something really special! - Yvonne (The Coycaterpillar Reads)
My latest book Static Screams is coming! On March 6, 2024, readers will get to experience my most vulnerable piece of writing to date, but I understand that books are pricey and time is valuable, so if you’ll allow me, I’d like to humbly offer up three reasons to check out my book! Here is the back cover:
Carmen Franco’s untethered mind twists reality into a nightmare filled with relentless hallucinations.
Her greatest desire is a peaceful life, but despite countless doctors and swallowing a pharmacy’s worth of pills, she can’t escape her disturbing delusions brought forth from a past tragedy.
Enter Dr. Barbara MacDonald, a brilliant psychologist proposing an innovative and experimental treatment program. Barbara ignites a flicker of hope, but Carmen quickly realizes the doctor’s motives aren’t exactly pure. Carmen holds the key to the one thing Barbara covets most in the world, and the determined psychologist intends to obtain it by any means necessary.
Now, Carmen races against the clock to save herself as madness and deception converge. Will she unravel Barbara’s menacing motives before time runs out or will Carmen fall prey to the dark abyss pulling her in?
This amazing cover is by Fabled Beast Designs:
Okay, now I’m going to do my best to try and convince you to give me (and Carmen) a your time:
Women, Women, and Fat Confident Women!
First, this is a women-led cast. When being interviewed by Small Town Creepy podcast, Dex (the podcast host) mentioned how they were halfway through the book when it suddenly hit them: this book doesn’t have any men. Actually, there is a man mentioned in passing, but this character gets less than a full sentence of page time. Why did I do this? Well, I didn’t need men. They couldn’t offer anything to the story, so I didn’t write them. In fact, I rarely write men into my stories (Open House is the exception since the protagonist is a man, but the book is strongly about women).
Dex writes, “Everyone from the nameless side characters to the main character and her connections including the doctors to the villain and her henchwoman - all women or girls.”
Also, Carmen is plus-sized and loves her body. The shape of her body isn’t dwelled on, but she does take a moment to reflect on her fat confidence, and then the plot continues without another mention of it. So, if you’re looking to read a book about women, with women, for women, with a fat-positive character, look no further!
Genre Mash-Up Uniqueness!
Second, if you like genre mash-ups, especially science fiction and horror, and you liked The OA Netflix series and the show Fringe, I really think you’re going to dig this book. This isn’t a straightforward “girl sees things no one else sees” type of story. In fact, Yvonne from The Caterpillar Reads says in comparison of Static Screams to this familiar premise, “this [Static Screams] is far more refined, way more intelligent than that.”
Carmen and Barbara each struggle with their own dark pasts, but they approach their pain with very different methods, and the way Carmen’s hallucinations tie them together creates both internal and external conflict for each of these women. There’s a mix of unsettling moments and technology. Dex from Small Town Creepy says it is “A delicious blend of scifi and paranormal horror, Static Screams is creeping tale that will make you question the things you see out of the corner of your eye as well as your next doctor visit.”
If you like twists of familiar premises, check out Static Screams!
Fast Paced and Only 153 Pages!
I’m a huge fan of novellas because even slower readers, such as myself, can cuddle up on the couch and read through them in one session. Static Screams is 153 and very quick paced! Early reviewers mentioned that “There’s never a wasted word in her stories, every single one leading up to its crushing conclusion” and “Once Carmen (and we the readers) enter Barbara's care, things start to go down hill so fast if you blink you'll miss it.” Readers who want a fast-paced experience where they can enjoy a quick read in one sitting will love Static Screams!
So, did I wet your appetite? I hope so! Static Screams is the most “me” on the page so far. It’s a vulnerable dive into trauma that explores mental health, death, and grief. While it comes out on March 6, 2024, you can preorder it today!
Happy Reading!