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2021 Award Roundup Post
It's been a long time since I finished a piece of writing. Life, Interrupted has been prolonged. But a 7500 word novelette called "Borrowed Places" is now out in the ghost story anthology MURMURS IN THE DARK, edited by Marissa Doyle and Shannon Page. It's about a young person who is a property assessor for Borrowed Places, Inc. BPI is a rather special B&B type of place, catering to those who are so sensitive to chemicals, smoke, and EMF that average motels and rentals drive them half-nuts. And there's a second type of rental BPI handles. . . haunted homes.
Is Rik negotiating with the owners--or the ghosts?
There's humor, affection, and problem-solving along the way, as Erika Rowen does her best to keep owners, renters, and ghosts happy.
You can find the anthology at Book View Cafe, in MOBI or EPUB--at a mere $3.99 USD for 13 Stories. Click through if you'd like a trade paperback version for a friend who loves ghosts. There is more unease than ARGH in this anthology, and I am pleased to have a story in it. No, I didn't submit it anywhere else. I just needed to see that I was still in there fighting the good fight for Story. And Marissa and Shannon wanted it. I hope my story leaves you in a good place. The anthology contains tales of laughter, love, and loss.
By K. E. Kimbriel
“Rik, are you—”
That was all Erika caught before her earbuds fell out and slapped her shoulders in passing. There wasn’t much she could do about it—Rik was sprinting out the back entrance and off the hill country farmhouse’s deck. Spectral energy seethed like an invisible cloud around her, spiking her adrenaline. Her heart was trying to tap dance out of her chest.
A stabbing headache from mold spores inside the house and her skin on fire from the lingering chlorine odor wasn’t helping, either.
WHERE WHERE WHERE shrieked the energy battering her mind.
Whatever it was, it was upset.
“I can’t talk right now, Kam, I’ll text you!” Rik gasped, smacking into her faithful (and allergen-free) ancient Toyota Camry. As terror receded, she drew in a deep breath, disconnected the phone, clutched her clipboard to her chest, and turned around. The owner of the recently renovated 120-year-old farmhouse had wandered back outside and was standing on the wood deck.
Mr. Emmons wore a huge grin. “You must be one of the people who can feel it, eh? What do you think, Ms. Rowan? Can we advertise as haunted?”
Is Rik negotiating with the owners--or the ghosts?
There's humor, affection, and problem-solving along the way, as Erika Rowen does her best to keep owners, renters, and ghosts happy.
You can find the anthology at Book View Cafe, in MOBI or EPUB--at a mere $3.99 USD for 13 Stories. Click through if you'd like a trade paperback version for a friend who loves ghosts. There is more unease than ARGH in this anthology, and I am pleased to have a story in it. No, I didn't submit it anywhere else. I just needed to see that I was still in there fighting the good fight for Story. And Marissa and Shannon wanted it. I hope my story leaves you in a good place. The anthology contains tales of laughter, love, and loss.
It was an October, 2021 release. Should be eligible in original fiction, novelette length. Hope you enjoy it, and thank you for your consideration.
Sample below:
"Borrowed Places"By K. E. Kimbriel
“Rik, are you—”
That was all Erika caught before her earbuds fell out and slapped her shoulders in passing. There wasn’t much she could do about it—Rik was sprinting out the back entrance and off the hill country farmhouse’s deck. Spectral energy seethed like an invisible cloud around her, spiking her adrenaline. Her heart was trying to tap dance out of her chest.
A stabbing headache from mold spores inside the house and her skin on fire from the lingering chlorine odor wasn’t helping, either.
WHERE WHERE WHERE shrieked the energy battering her mind.
Whatever it was, it was upset.
“I can’t talk right now, Kam, I’ll text you!” Rik gasped, smacking into her faithful (and allergen-free) ancient Toyota Camry. As terror receded, she drew in a deep breath, disconnected the phone, clutched her clipboard to her chest, and turned around. The owner of the recently renovated 120-year-old farmhouse had wandered back outside and was standing on the wood deck.
Mr. Emmons wore a huge grin. “You must be one of the people who can feel it, eh? What do you think, Ms. Rowan? Can we advertise as haunted?”