By Heidi Simmons
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Dark Corners Collection – Stories
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This is the time of year when we can unabashedly indulge our dark side. What better way to get into the Halloween spirit than wrapping up in a chilling book. Dark Corners (Amazon Original Stories) is a collection of short stories by bestselling authors that will give you seven reasons to be afraid of the dark!
Hannah-Beast by Jennifer McMahon (49 pages) A lonely girl is tricked rather than treated by her “friends” on Halloween, which immediately becomes a terrible local legend. Still haunted by that horrible night thirty-four years later, one of the girls who is now a wife and mother pays a high price for her sins.
The Sleep Tight Motel by Lisa Unger (48 pages) After a woman escapes her boyfriend and bad choices, she finds herself at a remote motel where the kindly proprietor protects her. Each night, she wakes to sounds of a violent fight in the room next door, but the motel is vacant.
There’s a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed by Edgar Cantero (24 pages) Sleepovers wouldn’t be as fun if there were no scary stories to tell. But when the stories you tell come to life, and fun turns to fear, it’s wise to be prepared with the appropriate spell.
Miao Dao by Joyce Carol Oates (66 pages) When a teen girl’s world slowly comes apart she is powerless to do anything, however her relationship with a feral cat gives her unexpected strength.
The Tangled Woods by Emily Raboteau (37 pages) An angry film critic, cynic and snob realizes his dreams have never come true. When he takes a vacation with his family to get away from the world he loathes, he discovers he is part of a bigger nightmare.
The Remedy by Adam Haslett (29 pages) Defined by his long-term illness and pain, a man seeks an alternative treatment recommended by a friend that delivers an unexpected cure.
Oak Avenue by Brandi Reeds (72 pages) During a restoration of an old home, a woman uncovers secrets about her new close-knit community that not only affects her, but her husband and baby. Is the project and loneliness making her crazy, or is it the house?
I am a big fan of the short story and I enjoyed these Halloween-themed tales, which were specifically written for Amazon. The authors are all seasoned writers and do a good job creating eerie environs, tantalizing twists, and creepy characters. Several of the authors were new to me and I look forward to reading some of their other works.
The Dark Corners Collection is published by Amazon and is available free for Prime or Kindle Unlimited subscribers. They can also be purchased separately. Each story comes with an audio file so if you cannot read the story, you can at least listen to it.
I have often wished I could keep reading while doing mundane, mindless or menial tasks. This is the first time I used the audio feature, and I found it to be a very pleasant experience. Who doesn’t like to be read to? Listening is a great way to keep engaged with the story — especially when it’s suspenseful!
Even better, the software highlights the individual words of the professional reader; so when you jump back to read yourself, you are right where you stopped listening. I love these features. The voice often sounds robotic, but I got use to it and I didn’t mind since I was already involved with the story.
If you don’t own a Kindle, no worries, the software is free to download on other devices. Be aware that listening more than doubles the time it takes to read the story.
Amazon is changing the world! In fact, it already has, and this format for reading is thrilling.
