Tag: Ghost Story

Golden Chapter: And No Birds Shall Sing by E.A. Clark

Jena braves the ghouls to tell us about a spooky new release. Where is her golden handbag?

Beneath the moonlight, I heard whispers of a haunting new release for Halloween.  Shh!  A familiar voice hovered on the silence and thawed the chill a little.

Hello, hello – it’s Jena C Henry.  It’s time to tell you about the latest book in my golden handbag.  Don’t be afraid!

I’ve got a golden handbag
And with a golden handbag…
it’s a golden day…
to read…

I peeked into my golden handbag and glimpsed an intriguing cover. I saw an evening sky showing that mysterious, elusive time between day and night, with a harvest moon rising over an old cottage and the tagline “There’s nothing like a good ghost story…” I gasped and pushed the chapter to the bottom of my handbag and snapped my bag shut. I’m one of those people who always runs up the basement stairs, afraid of what’s behind me in the dark. “Silly, it’s just a book and it looks hauntingly beautiful.” I grabbed the book again and without overthinking, I began to read the first chapter. What’s that chill in the air?

We begin in England, the year is 1725, and the day is “a pleasant one, with the hope of an early spring. Lambing was well underway…”

Soon, we are in the year 1953, again on a tranquil mid-summer evening, with balmy air and a setting sun that had blessed the day. See, this is a charming story, what was I afraid of?

And then we move forward to April 2013, still in England. But, by this time the mood has changed. I begin to read phrases, “harrowing events”, “malevolent”, “something evil”.

Whether the year is 1725 or 2013, something odd is happening at the old Partlowe place. Why are healthy babies dying in their sleep? Why are unborn babies lost? What is this evil face in the mirror, the “distinctly icy…cold, terrible dread”?

As my frisson of fear grew, so did my affection for the characters. We are introduced to a mother and her somewhat unusual daughter in 1725, and to a young teenage couple in 1953. The author was able to make them immediately likable. I truly cared for the husband Sam, and his daughter Cass, that we meet in 2013. They are experiencing a crisis with the wife/mother, Grace, when Chapter One ends in a sad and shocking way.

Jena C Henry

Jena C. Henry

And now I see a problem with my Golden Chapter reviews. I want to know what happens next! Readers, please give us some hints in the comments. Here are some questions to get our discussion going.

  1. The title is compelling. Is it an incantation, a warning, a promise or a threat? What do you think?
  2. The young, precocious girl Cass is blind. I think she may hold the key to solving the mystery of the evil presence at Partlowe cottage. Do you agree?
  3. Do you like ghost stories? Do you scamper up your basement steps when its dark?

Thanks! We look forward to chatting about And No Birds Shall Sing by E. A. Clark in the comments. If you’ve read the book, please leave a link to your review.

A spellbinding paranormal thriller from the best-selling author of Lay Me To Rest. You may want to keep the lights on…

More about And No Birds Shall Sing:

Not all spirits rest in peace… 
Following a personal tragedy, a recovering Grace Clements relocates with her husband and daughter to an old cottage in idyllic rural Oxfordshire. As the family integrate into the seemingly benign local community, they learn unsettling facts about the cottage’s dark past. Grace quickly becomes uncomfortably aware of a menacing presence within their new home.

Stumbling upon a neglected cemetery, Grace and her daughter discover the graves of the house’s previous inhabitants, including those of nine babies. Dismayed to find herself pregnant, Grace suspects she has awoken something truly evil in her new residence. She develops a creeping sense of unease as she unravels the disturbing truth about the history of the cottage and the fate of its occupants.

Who is the sinister boy watching Grace and her family? Are there malevolent forces at work? Or is the mentally fragile Grace heading for another breakdown?

A spellbinding paranormal thriller from the best-selling author of Lay Me To Rest. You may want to keep the lights on…

E A Clark

About the author

E. A. Clark lives in the UK, in the Midlands, with her husband and son, plus a rather temperamental cat, a rabbit and a chinchilla. She has three (now grown-up) children and five grandchildren. She is particularly partial to Italian food, decent red wine (or any coloured wine come to that …) and cake – and has been known to over-indulge in each on occasions.

She has a penchant for visiting old graveyards and speculating on the demise of those entombed beneath.

Whilst she has written short stories and poetry for many years, a lifelong fascination with all things paranormal has culminated in her first novel for adults, Lay Me to Rest. The setting is inspired by her love of Wales, owing to her father’s Celtic roots.

In her second novel, And No Birds Shall Sing, set near the historic city of Oxford, she delves once more into the realms of the supernatural.

You can follow her on Twitter @EAClarkAuthor

 

Please see all the Golden Chapters and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A ghostly extract in the pocket of my handbag

Lay Me to Rest, Elizabeth Clark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the book about?

‘Lay Me to Rest’ is the story of the newly-widowed, pregnant Annie’s attempt to overcome her depression, by renting a remote cottage in Anglesey. Her arrival, however, triggers violent, unexplained disturbances within the house and the “holiday” soon becomes the stuff of nightmares.

Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

You’ll want to keep the book to hand – there are several momentous events throughout, so you’ll probably want to keep turning pages!

Extract

Again, the same line, yet louder and more persistent. It seemed to reverberate round the walls. I was in no doubt now that the words had been uttered with venom; that someone – or something – meant me harm. My breath came in shallow, rapid gasps. I was filled with a feeling of unreserved dread.

As my eyes grew accustomed to the dimness, I could discern a silhouette, apparently seated at the foot of my bed. I opened my mouth to scream but the power of speech seemed to have deserted me. I could do no more than watch in sheer terror, as the mattress rose slightly and a nebulous figure drew to its full height, releasing a rush of icy air. I could not – dared not– conceive of what might ensue. I was petrified.

I stared helplessly at the apparition; through the gloom, its body resembled the shimmering negative of an old photograph; but the eyes receded deep into their sockets, as black and fathomless as a calm lake. My stomach lurched as the spectre brushed past me, only to vanish into the wall. I sat, rigid with fear, hardly daring to breathe. My heart pounded so loudly in my chest that it seemed to fill my whole head.

The tension shines through in this extract and involves the reader. Elizabeth’s debut novel is receiving very positive reviews. This is a gripping thriller; perfect for fans of Kerry Wilkinson, Sarah Wray and Stella Duffy. 

E. A. Clark

The novel is currently on offer.  Find out more about the book at:

Bag a Bargain

Elizabeth will talk more about her book in an interview on Friday. This ghostly book is released on Friday, 29th September. Warning!  You won’t be able to put this book down.

 

Please see my blog for more articles, book reviews, author interviews and adventures at jessiecahalin.com

Dylan Thomas, No Sign Bar and my Followers

No Sign Bar: Dylan Thomas’s watering hole.

Nobody followed me to the No Sign Bar, Swansea – a regular haunt of Dylan Thomas. Seated next to the window, I searched inside of my handbag for Collected Stories by Dylan Thomas and found The Followers

A ping from my phone confirmed a signal, but I ignored the emails. I sat in the bar Thomas renamed the Wine Vaults. I read the opening lines of the story, but there was no sign of the beer I had just ordered. Without anything to quench my thirst, there was nothing I could do apart from read on. Between words, I felt compelled to search for two pairs of eyes outside of the window, but there was no sign of anyone.

Seated next to the window, I searched inside my handbag for Collected Stories by Dylan Thomas.

Outside the window, ‘the rain spat and drizzled past the street lamps.’ No one wore ‘squeaking galoshes, with mackintosh collars up and bowlers and trilbies.’ Alas, the ‘rattle of bony trams’ was silenced long ago. Only the swish of car tyres, hum of engines and slamming of car doors filled the silence on the streets. Gazing at the decaying red window frames, I did not see ‘a young man with his arm around a girl’. Instead, I glimpsed a young couple hand in hand dashing across the road while there was a break in the traffic. Outside, there was a mass of coloured jackets and everyone wore jeans, leggings or trousers. No one looked inside the tatty building. They didn’t seem to care that Dylan Thomas had once frequented this watering hole.

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953). This famous Welshman wrote poems, short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself.

Reading the short story, I pursued the followers, as they scurried through the alley. Inside No Sign Bar, I could smell the old musty wine cellar. No one was responsible for the spontaneous spark of colour in the open fire. The pitted floorboards had been battered by tired and drunken feet for centuries. Words echoed around cavernous room. Perhaps, these were the words that inspired Dylan Thomas’s story The Followers – his only ghost story. And I heard the rise and fall of the Welsh accent that probably escaped into the pages of Thomas’s mind, as he imagined the story. I read the final sentence, ‘And we went our separate ways.’ I departed.

Artist’s impression of the ancient Salubrious Passage. Thomas renamed it Paradise Alley in The Followers

Near to Paradise Alley, I heard a voice echo.’  Spare some change, madam?’ The homeless soul was clutching a synthetic, fleece blanket. His watery, bloodshot eyes regarded me as he rolled himself a cigarette. I spared him fifty pence, but this wouldn’t even buy him a beer. He caught the meagre offering with a grateful nod that punched my conscience.

I heard the distance tapping of footsteps and turned around

I ran to the car park. The rain drizzled until diluted my memory of the bar. I heard the distance tapping of footsteps and turned around. Thankfully, there was no sign of anyone following me. Checking Twitter, I did note I had two more followers.

No Sign Bar and The Followers

No Sign Bar is believed to be Swansea’s oldest pub and dates to 1690. The wine cellars date back to the 15th century. The name ‘No Sign originates from legislation of licencing when public bars had to have a recognisable sign. This building was not public house and did not require a sign, hence was later given the name No Sign to announce its presence!

Dylan Thomas Collected Stories

Dylan Thomas frequented No Sign Bar, as a young man. No Sign Bar is featured as the Wine Vaults in Dylan Thomas’s story.

Here are useful links if you wish to visit Swansea and find out more about the writer, poet and playwright.

http://www.dylanthomasexperience.co.uk/
http://nosignwinebar.com/dylan-thomas-history-no-sign-bar-swansea/
https://www.swansea.gov.uk/dtc
http://www.5cwmdonkindrive.com/guided_tours.php
http://www.dylanthomaswales.org.uk/