Free Halloween Story!

My creepy short story, “A Night in the Tower-Soudan Mine,” was published on the Twin Ports Terror website. You can access it for free by clicking on the linked text above. Eventually, it will be published in their printed book, which is distributed for free around the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior.

The storyline was inspired by several trips I’ve taken into the mine, a half-mile underground on Minnesota’s Iron Range, since I was a youngster. My latest trip was just a few weeks ago, taken to refresh my memory. The sections about the mine tour are factual (other than the character getting knocked out thing), but the latter parts about the safety tunnel are figments of my imagination, informed by research.

Iron ore, which is used to make steel.

I began writing the story as part of a fiction workshop by the indomitable and inspirational Felicia Schneiderhan, where she challenged us to write two short stories that follow the same “rules” and feature the same random object in them.  If you read the story, I’d be interested in hearing what you think is the random object.

The second story I wrote for the workshop is part of a collection for which I’m currently trying to find an agent. So far, I’m striking out, but I just received some good tips, so we’ll see if they are helpful.

Enjoy and Happy Early Halloween!

Marie in the mine.

Free Horror Story: The House

Photo by Henry & Co. on Pexels.com

As you may recall, I’ve been writing an anthology of short stories about deceiving appearances. I think I’m almost done with the collection. I’m currently working on the last story, or what I intend to be the last story – but we’ll see if any more ideas strike!

One of the spookier stories in the collection was just published on the website of a local group of Halloween enthusiasts who are collecting horror stories from local authors for future publication in a ‘zine called “Twin Ports Terror.”

My story’s title is “The House.” It’s a cautionary parable about curiosity. I characterize it as a mix of speculative fiction, mild horror, and suspense. A nameless woman is the main character. She walks by a house in her neighborhood every day — a house so nondescript that it looks like it’s trying just a little to hard to fit in. Her curiosity about the place sets her on a perilous path . . . .

Read more here to find out what happens to her!

Thank you to the Haunted Duluth folks for this opportunity to share my work. Thanks also goes to my writer’s group for their help and edits.

Writers from Duluth and Superior – Haunted Duluth is looking for more stories for their ‘zine. Click on my link above to access details.