My Muse: A Love StoryBrent AbellThe Ancient Greeks thought of the Muses as a group of beautiful woman who whispered in the ears of artists to inspire them. These whispers brought poems, sculptures, and songs. Without the Muses, we’d have nothing. Without my Muses, I have nothing.The Muse is a picky thing and differs from artists to artist. She is fickle and can change your work on a silly whim. One moment, you can have the momentum in the world, but then in the drop of a hat… you have nothing.I love my Muse and I hate my Muse.The feeling is mutual on her side of things too.My mind is constantly churning and weird story ideas pop up all the time. The Muse likes to keep me on my toes. She’ll toss an idea at me in the middle of work and I have to try to hang on to the nugget until I can take a break and jot it down. I love her for that, but I hate her for her timing. The Muse and I first met in high school. I really liked dark and creepy things and when she awoke in my head, she became an eager partner. We’d take long walks where she’d tell me what I could write. The ideas flowed and then just as soon as we became a serious couple; she abandoned me.I felt like she caught me cheating with something and bugged out on me. The ideas in my head fell silent and the dream of writing died.The world fell into darkness…Then one day, she came crawling back. I was trying to think of a story to write for a small author con’s open-mike night. I needed something, but I couldn’t think of a thing. The lights in my imagination were out. Then, something popped in my head. The crumb took hold and, like a seed, sprang into a story I quickly typed up before the magic vanished again. I felt her in my head and she slipped back in like she never left.I guess she thought we went too fast at first. I’ll agree, we needed to be apart and to grow up. I wasn’t ready for what she had to share with me. In 2011, a mere seven years after she moved on, she returned home. We have a good relationship now and I hope I never upset her again. She’s had to accept the humans in my life, but she’s been cool with everybody. I do my part now to make sure all she whispers in my ear is jotted down. I don’t take her for granted anymore and when your Muse speaks to you, listen. Oh, and always capitalize her name… she likes that a lot. She also likes it when you read her work.
The Calling – Brent Abell
Carl Volker has a problem. After waking one morning with a hangover to find his wife gone, he notices a crow stalking around his yard. As days go by with no word from his wife, more and more crows gather.
Frank Hill is sheriff in the seemingly pleasant town of White Creek. Up until recently, his job has been fairly mundane but after a recent spree of murders, bodies are beginning to pile up and Frank has no clue as to who the killer may be.
White Creek has kept its secrets hidden well over the years but the sins of its past are coming to light; the town harbors an evil and the bindings that keep it in check are beginning to unravel.
As Frank and Carl's friendship is tested and their destinies are revealed, the dead accumulate while the crows watch and The Calling begins!
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5 STARSThe Calling is a dark fantasy/horror novel that drew me in immediately from the start. Set in a small, remote town where old long-buried secrets are awakening, the story pulsates with an eerie Gothic creepiness. The chilling atmosphere in the otherwise tranquil town perfectly sets the tone for the unexplained events that unfold in a rapidly escalating series of strange and gruesome deeds.
I was captivated by the quirky small-town personalities, and was kept enthralled wondering about the ever-multiplying crows that begin haunting Carl, a middle-aged, depressed farmer. The story was fairly straight-forward and entertaining but, for me, the best part of the tale was the shivery, dark, foreboding mood that permeated Carl’s farm and the town; compelling imagery that kept me reading! Reviewed by Laurie-J
Brent Abell lives in Southern Indiana with his wife, sons, and a pug who sits around eating the souls of wayward people. His stories have been featured in over 30 publications from multiple presses. His work includes his novella In Memoriam, collection Wicked Tales for Wicked People, and novel Southern Devils; which are available now. He also co-authored the horror-comedy Hellmouth series. Currently, he is working on the second book in the Southern Devils series and the next book with Frank Hill in the White Creek Saga.Facebook: Brent T. AbellTwitter: @BrentTAbellBlog: https://brentabell.wordpress.com/
