THE ROOTS RUN DEEP by C.M. Forest with Guest Post and giveaway

Love and horror

C.M. Forest

I write scary stories. My end goal, when I sit in front of my keyboard, is to create a world full of dark, terrifying things. Spooky scenarios that will have readers afraid to go to sleep. As such, I fill my tales with creatures, creaking houses, dark corners, eerie sounds, deranged killers, and…love. Yes, like all genres, horror benefits from the addition of romance.

Let me explain. Most of us have been in a relationship. I ask you, what is more frightening than navigating the complicated waters of love? Even if it’s a good, healthy relationship, there will always be moments of tension. Days of hardship. And that’s saying nothing of the anxiety that comes with the early days of dating. The nervous, gut-clenching sensation of talking to somebody that you find attractive for the first time. These are the very specific elements of romance that I look to mine. If used right, a solid romance subplot can add greatly to the horror.

In the story What the Storm Brought In (found in my new collection The Roots Run Deep), a man and woman spend a romantic day at the beach. Using the setting, the love and attraction they have for each other, I can add that much more weight to the horror when it arrives. It raises the stakes.

Another example would be in my novel Infested. The main character’s relationship with her husband fuels most of the events of the book. Her need to pursue a romance that may be dead, causes her to do things that, without the love-interest, she would not do.

I would never try my hand at a full romance (I know my limitations!), but it has become an integral part of my writing. And, when trying to scare people, you need to exploit every weapon in your arsenal.

THE ROOTS RUN DEEP

C.M. Forest

GENRE:  Horror Short Story Collection

BLURB:

Dug from the twisted mind of C.M. Forest, the acclaimed author of Infested, comes a collection of 15 horror stories that will drag you into the abyss of fear and despair.

A fast-food playland with a nightmarish secret, a greenhouse with a bug problem, a busload of kids lost in the woods, a trip through the solar system to investigate a strange comet, and many more.

Brace yourself for an unrelenting journey through a world where evil knows no bounds, and darkness consumes all.

Excerpt:

The truck door swung open with a painful groan. Gordon kept his gaze locked on the barn as he climbed out. A cool breeze wafted across the field to grab and tussle his long, unkempt hair. Ahead, the barn door swayed as if in anticipation.

In the bed of the truck were two gas cans. The fuel sloshed as he pulled the red, plastic containers free. The weight of the cans felt comforting as he approached the structure.

He caught the barn door with his foot and kicked it open enough to enter. He thought he might feel a twinge of nostalgia, or maybe even horror, at returning to the old building, but the truth was, it looked just like every other barn he had ever been in. Spinning the caps off one of the cans, he began dumping the gasoline.

A low, creaking sound pulled him away from his work. He stared around the darkened structure, trying damn hard to convince himself it was just the wind, but failing. Despite his darkest imaginings, he could not wrap his head around what could be living within the old, warped walls of the barn. What malevolent force was animating the ancient boards and struts?

When nothing materialized from the gloom, he returned to his business.

With both cans empty, Gordon stood in the door and fished around in his pocket for his lighter. As soon as it was free, he began thumbing the flint wheel. A few angry sparks jumped from the end, but the flame was stubbornly absent. Once again, he heard the creaking. This time, it seemed to come from everywhere all at once. With his lighter forgotten, Gordon stared ahead as something started moving, opening, along the floor. A spike of cold fear chilled him to the bone. He turned to run.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

C.M. Forest, also known as Christian Laforet, is the author of the novel Infested, the novella We All Fall Before the Harvest, the short story collection The Space Between Houses, as well as the co-author of the short-story collection No Light Tomorrow. His short fiction has been featured in several anthologies across multiple genres. A self-proclaimed horror movie expert, he spent an embarrassing amount of his youth watching scary movies. When not writing, he lives in Ontario, Canada with his wife, kids, three cats and a pandemic dog named Sully who has an ongoing love affair with a blanket.

Website: http://www.ChristianLaforet.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristianlaforet

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianlaforet/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/c_laforet

TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@christian_writes_horror

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