Greylock Wins the Gold Medal

Hello to All My Readers of My Published Fiction and my Followers Here at Reading Fiction Blog!

I am happy to share this news with you that my supernatural mystery Greylock has won the Gold Medal at Global Book Awards, 2022.

The category, of course, is Supernatural and Occult (“quiet horror”). Global Book Awards  is named one of the “Top 29 Book Awards” in 2022, along with the Hugo Awards, Nautilus, USA Best Books, Feathered Quill, Eric Hoffer Awards, IBA, Readers’ Favorite International, Chanticleer Book Awards, Book Excellence Awards, Page Turner Awards, and others by Scott Lorenz of Westwind Communications.

U.S. Review of Books: “Cappa’s latest is nothing less than a mind-boggling mystery … always keeping an elusive edge to her characters’ personas—a plot replete with all the wonderful trappings of a romance-laced mystery with unexpected twists and turns. Greylock has the potential of being earmarked as another award winner.” RECOMMENDED by the U.S Review of Books.

I’ve been writing mysterious novels for over 10 years and Greylock has exceeded my expectations. Besides the Gold Medal, Greylock achieved  the prestigious Best Book Award Finalist in 2017 by American Book Fest, and, garnered the Chanticleer Book Award in 2015.

 

 

 

Book awards play an important role in an author’s life and in readers’ lives. The recognition of a book’s quality and its merits encourages reading, which grows the imagination and the thinking process. And, of course, reading feeds the success of the literary industry. Ralph Waldo Emerson said “If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.”

I thank all my readers and The Global Book Awards for honoring Greylock. As my writing career progresses (I am working on a fourth novel and more short stories) in fiction, I feel so blessed with the loyalty of my readers.

My other two novels have enjoyed book awards as well. The Bronze Medal from Readers’ Favorite International Awards for The Dazzling Darkness. The coveted Eric Hoffer Book Award, and, the Silver Medal from Global Book Awards for Night Sea Journey, A Tale of the Supernatural.

Bronze, Silver, Gold. My muse has been hard at work. She is my clever friend and my passion. And sometimes she is my ghost. I think I see her dancing right at this moment.

 

 

Jasper Peacock, A Short Story, New Release

JASPER PEACOCK, A Short Story

January 10, 2022

I am happy to announce my new release!

 

Welcome art lovers, to the Art of Darkness. 

Fans of The Twilight Zone will enjoy JASPER PEACOCK, a short story flavored with Rod Serling’s Night Gallery themes. You might even hear Serling’s voice-over on the last page.

“You’re traveling through another dimension—a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind.”

Jasper Peacock is an accused murderer. Ben Samm is a struggling art journalist who doesn’t believe in ghosts, haunted dimensions, or supernatural powers in art—until he meets the famous painter Jasper Peacock. Ben is desperate to get a revealing interview about this genius’s award-winning portrait Rabbles, a horrific devilish-pointed figure—the reported living muse who inspires the artist.

Rabbles resides inside Peacock’s isolated Hampshire estate in the country where Ben conducts the interview. When the meeting goes awry, Peacock coerces Ben into his attic studio. Here the supernatural dimensions of Jasper Peacock’s artistic creations not only threaten to seize Ben’s mind, body, and soul, but reveal Rabble’s dark menacing powers.

This is not your ordinary painting on a canvass; this is a mystery of light and shadow that needs cracking. Does Ben have the courage to resist the force of the almighty Rabbles?

“Jasper Peacock” was originally published by Coffin Bell Literary Magazine, 2019.

Some early reviews:

“Is Horror ever Magical?” Don’t the two neutralize each other’s possibilities? And yet … ‘The invisible becoming visible and then invisible.’ Paula Cappa writes with a supernatural cadence, not just an inexplicable rhythm: she writes in a way that makes the unseen real (and logical) … in a way that the merely physical world could never approach. And her paranormal mysteries do induce—relentless—horror.  —Rob Dunbar, author of The Pines and The Streets.

“This marvelously dark, immersive tale draws you in with icy fingers until you’re enveloped in horror by the end. You’ll never look at art the same way again.”  —Teri Polen, scifi, horror, and fantasy author of Subject A36,  The Gemini Connection, and Sarah.

“Like so many of her stories, author and multiple award winner Paula Cappa has mightily captured an understanding of the world between reality and the paranormal. Jasper Peacock is a tale of the supernatural and mysterious underpinnings. It is also astounding in its imagery. The evil antagonist in this stellar tale is clearly visible through Ms. Cappa’s words. His unbearable behavior is evident from the start, but is he or is he not the murderer of his wife, Cassandra? Paula Cappa is at the top of her craft with this tale. She captured the supernatural and exposes the world of the unexplored. Jasper Peacock is an exhilarating read.”  —Linda Spear, mystery author of corporate thriller The Ice Man Checks Out, and I Know You By Heart. Also, When It Hurts, Inside a Pain Management Doctor’s Office by Sabrina Shue, M.D. and Linda Spear (release date February 2022).

Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer Gives Paula Cappa 5 Stars: “A talent that will draw even those who are not keen on supernatural stories into her fold.”

You can find this new release on Amazon.com, a Kindle Single.

Also available on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1124420

 

While many of you know my novels and short stories here at Reading Fiction Blog, this story JASPER PEACOCK became an exploration in writing a chilling narrative that would take the reader into another dimension of mind, mystery, and imagination. What powers reside inside this country estate in Hampshire? Only the key to your imagination will unlock the mystery.

 

Night Sea Journey Wins Silver Medal

Night Sea Journey Wins Silver Medal at Global Book Awards

September 20, 2021

I am pleased and honored to receive the Silver Medal for Night Sea Journey, A Tale of the Supernatural at Global Book Awards.

Book awards benefit the entire reading community and promote the appreciation of literature. Thank you to the literary judges for their recognition and support. Night Sea Journey has been out for several years and is still selling.  From U.S. Review of Books, their review: “Stunning and absorbing plot on par with—if not better than—a Dan Brown novel. Truly an outstanding read, Night Sea Journey is one book that is hard to put down!”

In 2015, Night Sea Journey won an Eric Hoffer Book Award. Their review: “This romantic fantasy is propelled by gorgeous language and imagery…angels and demons…The grime of inner city Chicago, the tranquility of the Rhode Island coastline, and the depths of a phantasmagoric ocean are the stages for this conflict.”

 

SAN FRANCISCO BOOK REVIEW ★★★★★ posts “NIGHT SEA JOURNEY is like reading a Dan Brown book with a wicked twist: it has real demons. Readers will be taken on a continual thrill ride, impossible to put down, a fast-paced thriller.”

 

Thank you to my readers who have consistently read my mysteries and short stories!

 

Buy on Amazon.com

 

On Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/275962

 

On Barnes and Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-sea-journey-a-tale-of-the-supernatural-paula-cappa/1114109942

 

Thriller of the Day at Kindle Nation Daily: Night Sea Journey

Thriller of the Day

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

 

NIGHT SEA JOURNEY, A TALE OF THE SUPERNATURAL

Do dreams have the power to live beyond nightscapes? Night Sea Journey ia a fast-paced read with the mystery of angels and demons, psychological and spiritual twists, romance, and murder.

An Eric Hoffer Book Award Winner, 2015  

Night Sea Journey on KND:   http://kindlenationdaily.com/2015/12/157588/

Paula Cappa on BookGorilla.com: http://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B009P2HZ7A/paula-cappa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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U.S. REVIEW OF BOOKS “Stunning and absorbing plot on par with—if not better than—a Dan Brown novel. Truly an outstanding read.”

SAN FRANCISCO BOOK REVIEW ★★★★★ ” Readers will be taken on a continual thrill ride, impossible to put down, a fast-paced thriller.” 

★★★★★ Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer. “A talent that will draw even those who are not keen on supernatural stories into her fold.”

 

Trade paperback published by Crispin Books, Milwaukee, WI.

Amazon.com

Amazon UK 

Barnes & Noble.com

Smashwords

Weird Fiction by Stephen King

Premium Harmony  by Stephen King  (2009, The New Yorker Magazine)

Tuesday’s Tale of Terror   October 20, 2015

 

Halloween season requires at last one Stephen King story. Not too many are available online to read for free and this one about a cold death seems appropriate as we approach Halloween.

We are in King’s famous town of Castle Rock, Maine, with Mary and Ray, a married couple on route to Wal-Mart to buy grass seed. How mundane is that? They argue about petty things, which is actually amusing. Then something really shocking happens. This is not a traditional spooker—more like a dark comedy or weird fiction. You be the judge. Did you like this story? What did you think of the “smoky” ending?

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Read the short story here at The New Yorker Magazine.com.

At Open Culture.com, you can find a few more free Stephen King stories.

And here’s a review of King’s

Bazaar of Bad Dreams: http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/books/article41913834.html

 

 

 

Are you looking for a real Halloween story? Try this spooky tale.

“The White Scarecrow” at Underworld Tales.com. This time of year yields some pretty weird happenings.

 

 

Other Reading Web Sites to Visit

Bibliophilica       Lovecraft Ezine     HorrorAddicts.net  

Horror Novel Reviews    Hell Horror    HorrorPalace

HorrorSociety.com        Sirens Call Publications

 Monster Librarian   Tales to Terrify       Spooky Reads

HorrorNews.net     HorrorTalk.com

 Rob Around Books     Sillyverse    The Story Reading Ape Blog

For Authors/Writers:  The Writer Unboxed

Don’t forget to view the INDEX above of more free

Tales of Terror classic authors.

Night Sea Journey Earns Eric Hoffer Book Awards

To All My Readers,

The Eric Hoffer Book Awards has named Night Sea Journey, A Tale of the Supernatural as a Finalist in their Grand Prize Competition, and, placed as a winner in Commercial Fiction. I am so pleased and honored to be recognized by such a prestigious award program and to be among some of the newest and leading writers of our time.

The award program is one of the largest international awards for academic, small, and independent presses and  honors free-thinking  writers and independent books of exceptional merit.

Eric Hoffer was an American philosopher, author of ten books (The True Believer) and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  His writings are often compared to  Montaigne, Shakespeare, and Paine. His unpublished notebooks are part of the Hoover Institution Archives to be available for scholarly study.

You can find more award information and reviews of the winners’ books in

The U.S. Review of Books: http://www.theusreview.com/USRhoffer.html

Here is their review of Night Sea Journey

Night Sea Journey, Paula Cappa, Crispin Books of Chickhollow Books – This romantic fantasy is propelled by gorgeous language and imagery. In the gothic world of this novel, dreams bleed into reality, as protagonists Kip Livingston, a painter, and Raymond Kera and Father Garcia, two Roman Catholic priests are drawn into a clash between the angels and demons of Hebrew mythology. Each of these characters has visions—either nightmarish or heavenly—which seem to graft themselves into their waking lives. The grime of inner city Chicago, the tranquility of the Rhode Island coastline, and the depths of a phantasmagoric ocean are the stages for this conflict, which is as much about finding inner forgiveness as it is about finding outward peace.

 

 

 

I owe a great deal of thanks to  my readers  here who have commented and emailed me not only about my weekly blog on supernatural fiction but also my novels and short stories. Cheers to you, my loyal readers! And to my family, my husband Ron (the first believer in my fiction since college days) whose patience deserves medals, my daughter Gina and son-in-law Todd who have been valuable eager supporters of all my needs, and my son JP a faithful reader who shares his sparkling enthusiasm.

 

San Francisco Book Review 5-STARS Night Sea Journey

Just in Time for Halloween,

Night Sea Journey, A Tale of the Supernatural

Earns a 5-star rating, San Francisco Book Review

★★★★★

Kip has nightmares that would institutionalize most. In fact, her shrink thinks she is hallucinating. Her nightmares are real though: each nightmare brings forth real creatures trying to kill her and ends with their death at her hands, with their corpses buried in the dunes and surrounding area. Night Sea Journey is like reading a Dan Brown book with a wicked twist: it has real demons. Readers will be taken on a continual thrill ride. The story itself is excellent and impossible to put down; it is a fast-paced thriller where reality is blurred and faith is tested, guaranteeing to keep you enthralled until the very last word. There is definitely re-readability with Night Sea Journey that you will want to discover for yourself.

Reviewed by Kim Heimbuch at San Francisco Book Review  October 2014

Buy the ebook or soft cover at Amazon or Barnes & Noble ($2.99 $16.95) Crispin Books

Night Sea Journey … more reviews.

***** Definitely a page turner where I did not want to put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great read, great writer, awesome detailed characters, demons, angels.  HellHorror.com

**** A suspenseful, romantic, mystical tale … Cappa’s superior writing skills, her ability to write this particular story to be so profound and thorough was perhaps one of the most impressive thing about the book. HorrorPalace.com

Beautifully told. Cappa is a skilled writer producing beautiful prose with amazing imagery.  Horror-Web.com

Quite an enchanting tale, weaving together ancient Biblical supernaturalism and dream theory, told in dreamy colorful language, with deft characterizations. Highly recommended. Monster Librarian
“Paula Cappa’s novel Night Sea Journey is a powerful page-turner – enigmatic, surprising, and completely engaging … a wild ride over dangerous and previously uncharted terrain.”  JAMES HULBERT, author of A Kiss Before You Leave Me

“Night Sea Journey” is a startling story that captures the reader from the first page, strong character development and a robust vocabulary. Cappa’s characters are the kind the reader remembers long after the story has been read. Her dialogue flawlessly carries the story from one stage to the next.” JUDITH REVEAL, author of The Brownstone

“Night Sea Journey is one of the most interesting novels I’ve come across in a good long time! The writing is good, the story is truly engaging, the characters are memorable, and as far as this editor is concerned, the philosophical base is right on!”
– TERESA KENNEDY, author of In The Country of No Compassion, and co-founder of Village Green Press

Night Sea Journey Earns 5-Star Reviews on Amazon

Greetings:

Just a quick note for those of you asking about how Night Sea Journey is doing with its new release in trade paperback.  Amazon.com reviewers are coming in with lots of 5-stars. Five new reviews this past month and all 5 stars. Ebook is still $2.99.

Latest Reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Sea-Journey-Tale-Supernatural-ebook/product-reviews/B009ONWSC2/ref=cm_cr_pr_top_recent?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

 

In the dark caverns of her dreams … a firehawk. 

Want to go with her?

Buy it now on Amazon, ebook at $2.99  Trade softcover discounted at $13.92

Announcing Five Winners of The Dazzling Darkness ShelfAwareness Giveaway!

Greetings:

I’m happy to post the names of my five ShelfAwareness.com winners for a FREE copy of The Dazzling Darkness. Thanks to all who participated.  I chose the names at random.

Congratulations to the following readers:

Heidi Daum

Nancy Smith

Karl Stenger

Victoria Miner

Olga Romero

Signed copies will be mailed out Monday, May 5, 2014.

This free book drawing has been an exciting experience for me, communicating with so many readers who are not only interested in the supernatural and The Dazzling Darkness but also Ralph Waldo Emerson. So many of you made lovely comments about Emerson, Concord, and transcendentalism in your entries for the drawing.

At book signings and interviews I’ve been asked many times, Why is Ralph Waldo Emerson important in this story?  My answer: “Emerson is not a live character, nor is he a ghost, although his presence is “felt” by the characters. Emerson’s thoughts and transcendental teachings act as a creative energy for the characters Elias Hatch, Detective Mike Balducci and even Antonia Brooke.

 “This novel actually developed from a line in one of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays in his address called Nature. He wrote … “Even the corpse has its own beauty.

 “Shocking statement, right? The more I read about Emerson’s personal experiences with death, the more the story began to take shape. Emerson lost his young wife Ellen only a short time after they were married. He buried her in the family vault and a year later, still driven by intense grief, he opened her coffin. What a heart-breaking experience. And then twenty-five years later, after his young son dies at five-years-old, Emerson opened his coffin as well. These images all connected for me: images of a cemetery, images of a boy named Henry suddenly appeared, coffins opening. The story just unraveled in a very exciting way and Emerson was that foundation.”

What’s next for me? Besides Night Sea Journey, A Tale of the Supernatural just released from Crispin Books, I have two short stories, Beyond Castle Frankenstein (historical fiction about Mary Shelley), and A Terrible Beauty (Lovecraftian horror). Watch for posts here as to where and when they will be published. And yes, I am working on another novel and several short stories.

To my readers, I am always grateful for your reviews on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, Smashwords, or Goodreads. Speaking of Goodreads, if you are a member, do stop by my Goodreads Book Page and become my friend.

Or hang out here at my blog, Reading Fiction, Tales of Terror for a FREE classic short story every Tuesday. Check out the Index of Authors’ Tales of Terror from the tabs above to select a short story by one of your favorite classic authors featured here in the past year. Explore my free short stories, or sample the opening chapters of Night Sea Journey.

Do you have a comment or question about a character or storyline in one of my novels or short stories? I’d love to hear from you! Every page on the tabs above has comment boxes, so please feel free to post your thoughts.

Again, my gratitude to all for participating in The Dazzling Darkness giveaway at ShelfAwareness.com.

Wishing you all the best in your reading endeavors,

Paula

Announcing Night Sea Journey from Crispin Books in Trade Paperback

Greetings! May I share some news?

Crispin Books has just released Night Sea Journey, A Tale of the Supernatural in trade paperback. Available now at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and soon to be in bookstores and libraries.

Angels and demons, psychological twists, paranormal, romance, and murder make this little supernatural thriller a fast-paced read. “Quiet horror” lovers, this is your read.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS

***** “Definitely a page turner where I did not want to put the book down. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great read, great writer, awesome detailed characters, demons, angels.”  HellHorror.com

**** “A suspenseful, romantic, mystical tale … Cappa’s superior writing skills, her ability to write this particular story to be so profound and thorough was perhaps one of the most impressive thing about the book.” HorrorPalace.com

“Beautifully told. Cappa is a skilled writer producing beautiful prose with amazing imagery.”  Horror-Web.com

“Quite an enchanting tale, weaving together ancient Biblical supernaturalism and dream theory, told in dreamy colorful language, with deft characterizations. Highly recommended.” Monster Librarian

“Paula Cappa’s novel Night Sea Journey is a powerful page-turner – enigmatic, surprising, and completely engaging … a wild ride over dangerous and previously uncharted terrain.”  JAMES HULBERT, author of A Kiss Before You Leave Me

“Night Sea Journey” is a startling story that captures the reader from the first page, strong character development and a robust vocabulary. Cappa’s characters are the kind the reader remembers long after the story has been read. Her dialogue flawlessly carries the story from one stage to the next.” JUDITH REVEAL, author of The Brownstone

“Night Sea Journey is one of the most interesting novels I’ve come across in a good long time! The writing is good, the story is truly engaging, the characters are memorable, and as far as this editor is concerned, the philosophical base is right on!”
– TERESA KENNEDY, author of In The Country of No Compassion, and co-founder of Village Green Press

 

Still available for Kindle and Nook at $2.99.