Welcome to the Hallowe’en Blog Hop Trick or Treat! Thank you so much for stopping by and thank you to author Francine Howarth for organizing the spooky event.
The following is an excerpt from my book The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge. Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page and include the words “Trick or Treat” to be entered into my witches’ hat for a Kindle copy of the book. Only one copy will be given away, and a winner will be chosen at the witching hour Oct 31. That’s midnight Pacific Time for you mortals. Check back Nov 1 to see if you’re the winner and to claim your prize. Have a safe and ghoulish Hallowe’en, my little toadlets!
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The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge excerpt
The fog was dense, and the freckled boy couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of him, but he ran as fast as he could, tree branches whipping at his face. He tripped on a log, lunged forward, and nearly hit a tree head-on, but he caught his balance with his hands on the large tree trunk. He swung around behind it, leaning his back into it. He put his hand to his mouth to quiet his panting and felt the stickiness of sap from the trunk. He tried to wipe it off his face with his other hand, but that one was full of sap, too. He breathed slowly through his nose as he listened for his pursuer. He didn’t hear anything.
He was shaking uncontrollably and couldn’t stop himself. He clenched his jaw so his teeth wouldn’t chatter. Maybe he lost the murderer. Maybe he was dreaming. Maybe this was all a nightmare. Maybe he didn’t just witness an ax splitting his friend’s head wide open. He looked up into the black arms of the branches but couldn’t see anything but shadows. He glanced around in every direction, not being able to see more than a few feet in front of him. Where should he go? He didn’t know where he was or how long he would have to run to find safety. The nearest person could be miles and miles away. He didn’t see a place to hide. He would have to keep running. Surely the man wouldn’t follow him all night.
He held his breath and listened. Nothing. Which way? His breathing had begun to return to normal when a twig snapped loudly behind him. He gasped.
“You can’t hide forever, Freckles,” came a singsong voice. “Come out and let’s talk about this.”
He bolted in the direction opposite the voice, straight into the thick fog, running as fast as his feet would carry him. Vines and barbs grabbed at his legs, and branches scratched his arms like the claws of an unknown creature trying to rip off bits of his skin. He ignored them.
He stopped dead in his tracks as he felt an immense pain on his forehead, but he knew it couldn’t possibly be his pursuer’s ax. The murderer was way behind him.
He reached up to his face and felt something metal—something with a wooden handle. What is this!? The thick fog had limited his visibility. The sticky, warm wetness dripping into his eyes blinded him completely. His face was covered in warmth. Is this blood? He moved his hands over the object stuck in his forehead. A rake? Where did a rake come from? And how did it hit him squarely in the forehead? Confused, frightened, and in pain, he dropped to his knees, and an agonizing scream involuntarily escaped his lips as the long, wooden handle of the rake reached the ground before his knees did. The tines jerked upward, ripping off the front half of his scalp. The last thing he felt was the ax on the back of his head.
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Don’t forget to say “Trick or Treat” in your comment to be entered into the ghastly drawing and check back Nov 1 to see if you’re the winner!
Please visit the other Hallowe’en blog hop participants.
| 1. | Francine | 9. | Denise Covey | 17. | Susan Hanniford Crowley | |
| 2. | Marie Laval | 10. | Grace Elliot | 18. | Stephen Tremp | |
| 3. | NancyJ | 11. | Gilli Allan | 19. | Hywela Lyn | |
| 4. | N. R. Williams | 12. | Alison Stuart | 20. | Iyana Jenna | |
| 5. | Alison Morton | 13. | Mary Pax | 21. | Vala Kaye | |
| 6. | Karen Aminadra | 14. | Natalie-Nicole Bates | 22. | Yolanda Renee | |
| 7. | Lori Crane | 15. | Douglas Boren | |||
| 8. | Derek Birks | 16. | Anna Belfrage |
Lori Crane 
I won’t enter the giveaway as I already have this book, which I WARMLY recommend!
Thank you, Anna. Everyone needs to get over to your page!!
Ooh, scary excerpt! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Hywela! Happy Halloween!
Hi! Trick or treat! I hope your having an awesome time! This hop is a blast! Great post! Your book sounds great! Thanks for sharing and for the awesome giveaway! Happy Halloween!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Shadow,
Thanks for stopping by and Happy Halloween!
Can’t wait to read this book. Trick or Treat!!!!
Happy Halloween, Dana!
Trick or Treat, Lori 🙂 Have fun tonight.
Happy Halloween, Alison! 🙂
Thanks for taking part, Lori. Great Read! I hope to God that’s a dream sequence… I sense Trick at play here, and a thrilling Treat to come…
best
F
Thanks for organizing, Francine! And nope, that’s no dream sequence. Muahahahahaha.
Trick or Treat! Sounds like a great book!
Happy Halloween, Mike!
Happy Hallowe’en! In a word- messy! Poor guy, and there he was minding his own business?? 😉
Trick or treat. Please add me to the list! nan_jar@btinternet.com
Will do, Nancy. Thanks for stopping by. And, yes, he was minding his own business, when suddenly…
Yikes! Not a dream sequence? I almost couldn’t finish the excerpt! (I don’t do well with scary–I know, big baby.) But if I did, THIS sounds like a great read!
I think I better stick with your ancestors! 😉
LOL. It’s only a story. Be careful with those ancestors. Most of my books are written about them. 🙂
Oh my, not for the faint hearted! Scary stuff – now watching my back.
Grace x
Don’t worry, Grace, nobody ’round here has a ax. …I don’t think. 🙂
Trick or Treat and Happy Halloween!
Awesome sounding book – I mean “the last thing he felt was the ax on the back of his head!”
That’s a big ouch!
I have Okatibbee Creek – bought it some months and months ago – and shamefully admit to starting it in August but once school started in September I just ran out of time. I do plan on finishing it as I love historical books, and tales of family history. Is this one in any way related Okatibbee Creek? Either way, I’m interested in this one, too! I’ve been enjoying your October Ancestry posts. I haven’t read them all, but I have enjoyed what I did.
Count me in. Trick or treat.
I’ll be eagerly awaiting the witching hour. Now for two reasons: NaNoWriMo and to see if i won, despite having a chance in hell (pun intended…oh God, that’s not even funny).
Happy Halloween, Lori!
Hi Will,
How are you??
Good luck with NaNoWriMo. I don’t have the time to do it this year. No, this book is not related to Okatibbee. Same location, but different time and characters.
Happy Halloween!
And the winner of the Kindle copy of “The Legend of Stuckey’s Bridge” is Nancy Jardine! Congrats, Nancy. Check your email. I hope everyone had an awesome and spooky Halloween. Thank you all for stopping by and for commenting.
I’ve had two blog hops so I’ve missed your cut off. Well written. I think this is everyone’s nightmare.
Nancy
Thanks for stopping by anyway, Nancy. I appreciate your comment and hope you had a spooky Halloween!