Tag: horror

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Zita Harrison

OUT NOW!

THE FINAL BOOK OF THE GOTHIC SUSPENSE OWL MANOR TRILOGY: OWL MANOR – THE FINAL STROKE IS NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE!

For a quarter of a century, the horrors at Owl Manor have been buried under dust and decay, forgotten and unheard.

Then Dolores hears the whispers.

Dolores, a young artist, feels the pain all around her. It is the subject of her paintings. Strangely, once the pain is on her canvas, it diminishes.

A fated encounter takes her and her two best friends to Owl Manor in the Rocky Mountains. Ignoring the rumors of a gruesome past and ghosts, they take up residence. What’s the worst that could happen?

But it is the past that has summoned Dolores.

The owls begin to circle the sky again. The whispers get louder, seeping into each of their souls. And Dolores, besieged by the pain of brutal murders in the manor’s history, has no choice but to paint.

For the lives of those close to her hang in the balance.

Inspired by authors like Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven), Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn), and Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House), Owl Manor – the Final Stroke is the third and final book in the Owl Manor trilogy of Gothic Suspense novels. It follows Owl Manor – the Dawning and Owl Manor – Abigail.

BUY for $2.99
or DOWNLOAD from KINDLE UNLIMITED!

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Newest review for Owl Manor Abigail, book 2 of the Owl Manor Gothic Suspense trilogy!

Zita Harrison



5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2021

Great book
This was quite a roller coaster. The story is built in a way that makes you feel a part of it. You simply can’t stop reading but you do need to remind yourself to breath once in a while. The building of the characters is incredible. So is the story. You can actually see it in your mind and experience a boost of all the emotions that come together. I wish I could explain the atmosphere. While writing this I find myself trying to take a deep breath and simply stopping in the middle trying to think of the right way to describe the story. I think the best thing I can say is – -read the book. The author is talented. It’s not easy to give me the chills and she managed to do just that.

– A. Claire Everward. Goodreads reviewer.

$2.99 Kindle; $9.99 paperback https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FXJRFY9

Blog, notices

Another excerpt from Owl Manor – Abigail,

Zita Harrison

Book 2 of the Owl Manor trilogy, coming next month!

Abigai lfront cover copy

The minute the doors closed behind us, I breathed a sigh of relief, calmed by the fresh, wintry air. Sounds became muted, the parlor and its inhabitants faded. I shivered from the cold, and Victor took off his jacket and draped it around my shoulders, his fingers lingering.

All at once, I was intensely aware of him.

This man who made me feel like strings on the violin I had attempted to learn to play in New York—tight, quivering, vibrating. His touch, his smell…it was all too much.

I jerked away, then said, “Thank you…for rescuing me.”

“I confess, I did it for myself.”

There was that flutter in my stomach again, that feeling that I was standing on the edge of a cliff. I looked up at him. He stood with his back to the doors, his face in the shadows, but the moonlight shone on fragments of his cheekbones, his chin, the glint in his eyes. He looked fiendishly handsome, I thought, swallowing the hysteria that surged in my throat. It had to be the brandy.

“I do not know what you mean, Mr. Highmore,” I murmured.

“Victor,” he said.

The strings on the violin became tighter and tighter, as though they would snap at any minute and collapse in shreds. Shaken, I looked away toward the moon, hovering in the sapphire sky above the dark fir trees in the foreground, and the massive, sleeping giants in the background, with their crests of snow.

When I looked back at him, he had come closer. Our bodies were mere inches from each other, but not touching. I wanted to turn and run back into the parlor, but I was swept up in the current of something undefinable that throbbed in the space between us. I had no will of my own.

“Do you not feel it, Abigail? The thing between us?” Victor whispered. My head swam. I stared mutely up at his shadowy face. “You can’t deny it. I can see it on your face.”

“I…” My voice wavered and I paused to steady myself. “As I said before, Mr. Highmore,” I said, trying to be severe, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You’re afraid,” he said, still inches from me, still not touching. I felt the warmth of his breath on my face, the heat coming from his body. The scent of him was heady, intoxicating. “What are you afraid of, Abigail?”

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EXCERPT FROM OWL MANOR – ABIGAIL!

Zita Harrison

BOOK 2 OF THE OWL MANOR TRILOGY!

Abigail cover

That night I woke up suddenly with my heart racing, sweat pouring down my neck. The feeling that something was not right throbbed in every pore of my skin, every cell in my body. My eyes tried in vain to adjust, to distinguish shapes in the room, but gone were the usual glow coming through the windows, the fire in the hearth. It was pitch black. I rose, disoriented. What on earth was happening? The wood floor felt frozen on the soles of my feet, and I groped around for my slippers and robe and hurriedly put them on.

Suddenly, a wild slamming, clattering, and banging erupted from somewhere.

It sounded as though it came from the room next to mine, but there was no room there. On one side was the back garden, and on the other side was the servants’ staircase. I whirled around, bewildered, as the house began to sway, creak and groan, and the sounds of heavy objects thudding against walls and windows being smashed ripped through the walls. There was a roar that made my blood curdle. It was the sound of someone trapped in torment. And rage. It sliced through me, burning, searing, and all the while the roaring went on and on.

Abruptly, all the sounds ceased, and a deathly silence swelled in the room, followed by the faint sound of a woman keening. My eyes frantically searched the dark, but I could see nothing. The sound became louder and louder until it turned into a deafening wail that rang and quivered in my ears, my heart, my limbs. I covered my ears and squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them and gasped.

My childhood tutor, Miss Wilkins stood in front of me.

Lit by an eerie glow in the blackness, she held out her hand, eyes beseeching, and kept moaning and wailing. A scream rose in my throat, and I opened my mouth to let it out. But it gurgled and spewed, making me gag. Feeling as though I were drowning in my own spit, I lurched towards the bedroom door and found the handle. The wailing behind me became even more intense, as though in protest at my leaving, as I yanked the door open and stumbled into what should have been my study. But it was the hallway. The study had disappeared as though it had never existed. I staggered through the hallway toward where I hoped the kitchen would be…and ran headlong into a figure in the dark. Now the scream broke out of my throat and I struggled furiously as I felt someone’s hands grip my shoulders…

COMING THIS FALL ON AMAZON!!

notices, Uncategorized

AmazonGiveaway for a chance to win: Owl Manor – the Dawning (Owl Manor Trilogy Book 1) (Kindle Edition).

Zita Harrison

See this #AmazonGiveaway for a chance to win: Owl Manor – the Dawning (Owl Manor Trilogy Book 1) (Kindle Edition).
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
Ends the earlier of Nov 6, 2018 11:59 PM PST, or when all prizes are claimed.
See Official Rules http://amzn.to/GArules.

https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/8ee31dcaad8687ba

final cover copy

“I could feel the moisture on my arms, hear the rustling of leaves and twigs, the hooting of owls. He turned to face me and stood still, waiting in the gloom…”
Sometimes the tide sweeps us into a fog where dark forces are at work…
All of a sudden evil and good become blurred…
Powerless and defenseless, we swim toward it, and wonder if we’re going mad.
Stifled by the repression of women in the 1800s, trapped in a loveless marriage, Eva lives a life of dissatisfaction and frustration. The tide sweeps her to the Rocky Mountains during the gold rush in 1859, where she finds unexpected hope at Owl Manor, a strange, dark place with owls in the very fabric of its walls.
But the stakes are perilous. Shadows wander the dim corridors. The owner of the manor is moody, volatile. Does she dare trust him?

Owl Manor – the Dawning,the first standalone book in a trilogy of Gothic romantic suspense novels, is inspired by authors such as Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn, Rebecca), Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Marina, Shadow of the Wind), Kate Morton (The Forgotten Garden).

Filled with Poe-esque atmosphere, dark desires and supernatural elements, this book is a must read for fans of Gothic Romance.

 

Blog, Testimonials

Reviews for Owl manor – the Dawning: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars – Good book! Highly recommended!

Zita Harrison

final cover copy

V. Timmons (Amazon reader)

5.0 out of 5 stars     Good book! Highly recommended!
“I thoroughly enjoyed Owl Manor. I read books across a variety of genres, but not typically Gothic romance. After reading this book, I will definitely add Gothic romance to my reading list, as well as other novels by this author. I was attracted to this book by the beautiful cover and the suggestions of dark suspense of the woman protagonist living in the 1800’s.

Linda Dunbar

5.0 out of 5 stars  Another great tale from a Zita Harrison

Silvia Curry, Silvia’s Reading Corner

“Owl Manor the Dawning is an amazing Gothic horror novel that instantly takes you back to a time where life was harder and misery seemed to love company. The story follows Eva, Mr. Bradstone, Gilbert, and Joseph on a wild ride to madness, and every single unexpected twist and turn left me breathless. 

Zita Harrison’s writing is reminiscent of Poe, in which the entire story comes alive and leaves you anxiously turning the pages to see what is going to happen. The foreshadowing is amazing, and if you aren’t careful, you just may miss it (and it is so much more fun to find them the second time around!). 

Zita Harrison does an incredible job with this epic gothic horror novel. Her story will stay with me long, and I will never look at owls the same again!”

$2.99 for Kindle at Amazon https://amzn.to/2yhfmbq

Bohemian Wood And Marble Effect Pentagon Shaped Drop Statement Earrings (AMAZON)

Price: $16.99 Free Shipping for Prime Members & FREE Returns
Blog, notices

OWL MANOR – THE DAWNING NOW AVAILABLE on AMAZON!!

Zita Harrison

FB adnow available copy

Sometimes the tide sweeps us into a fog where dark forces are at work…

All of a sudden evil and good become blurred…

Powerless and defenseless, we swim toward it, and wonder if we’re going mad.

Stifled by the repression of women in the 1800s, trapped in a loveless marriage, Eva lives a life of dissatisfaction and frustration. The tide sweeps her to the Rocky Mountains during the gold rush in 1859, where she finds unexpected hope at Owl Manor, a strange, dark place with owls in the very fabric of its walls.

But the stakes are perilous. Shadows wander the dim corridors. The owner of the manor is moody, volatile. Does she dare trust him?

Owl Manor – the Dawning,the first standalone book in a trilogy of Gothic romantic suspense novels, is inspired by authors such as Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn, Rebecca), Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Marina, Shadow of the Wind), Kate Morton (The Forgotten Garden).

Filled with Poe-esque atmosphere, dark desires and supernatural elements, this book is a must read for fans of Gothic Romance.

https://amzn.to/2yhfmbq (kindle) $2.99
https://amzn.to/2QP8Z63 (paperback) $9.99

Check out these awesome silver owl earrings on Amazon! Simple and gorgeous!

925 Sterling Silver Owl Cut-Out Heart Dangle Hook Earrings

 

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THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OWLS and DEATH

Zita Harrison
OWLGHOST copy
Since ancient times, many different cultures have been associating birds with death. Especially OWLS. In his thesis, “On the Relationship between Birds and Spirits of the Dead,” Christopher Moreman gives us some fascinating facts, some of which I plucked out (pun intended!) for us to enjoy:
“…The Egyptian soul, called Ba, is depicted as a bird with a human head. Human-headed birds also appear among the ancient Greeks as sirens, or soul-birds…”
“…The North American Osage describe various spirit worlds, the highest of which is populated by birds embodying human souls…”
“…A pre-Islamic tradition that has survived in some parts of the Arab world explains that a murder victim will return as a white owl, screeching for vengeance…”
“… in Northern India, owls and bats might embody “the malevolent dead”…”
“…Some Pima Indians believe that at death the soul inhabits the body of an owl; an owl’s hooting portends death as it calls out for a soul to embody…”
“…Virginian folklore describes the cries of owls as “ole folks talking”…”
“…Various kinds of birds embody spirits of the dead in Brazil and Paraguay and among the Asabano of Papua New Guinea…”
“…The owl, for instance, appears most commonly as a death symbol. “The owl’s natural characteristics, its sudden pounce on its victims, its eerie cry, its preference for darkness, and the carrion smell of its nest made it the sinister messenger of the death goddesses”…”
Mmm lovely. And here I was thinking it was just a silly ghost story!!! Thank you Mr. Moreman for all the research!
Check out this AMAZING video of an owl in motion below!!!
OWL MANOR – THE DAWNING, a novel by Zita Harrison
available on Amazon, fall of 2018!!
Blog, Short story, Uncategorized

Dreamsphere II: ANGRY BLASTS FROM THE BEYOND

Zita Harrison

dreamsphere IIThe world lit up with sudden flashes of blinding light, like angry blasts from the beyond. Big, fat raindrops erupted in torrents, pounding a savage, primordial beat that left the soul quaking and raw.

She jerked up in bed, shaken, confused, and reached out to turn on the fan, but realized the power had gone out. The air was heavy, sweltering. It was hard to breathe. The world lit up again and she dove under the sweat-drenched sheets, covering her ears with her hands to shut out the deafening cracks in the facade of the night, the glimpses of whirling, sucking horror that lay beneath. But when they came, her hands were no protection. They drilled through her head mercilessly, splitting, shattering. She tossed and turned under the covers, and finally fell into a turbulent sleep.

But there was no rest in sleep that night. She dreamed that someone lay next to her on the bed. He lay on his side, with his back to her. Something sprouted in the bottom of her gut like mold and worked its way up to her heart, clutching, squeezing. When he turned his head slowly to face her, his teeth jutted out of his mouth in a gruesome parody of a grin, and his soulless eyeballs shifted in bony eye sockets. She stared at him, telling herself that this was a dream, that it wasn’t real; it couldn’t be. It was the effect of the storm.

Suddenly she felt herself being seized by her nightgown in the back of her neck. And something sinister began throbbing in the room. Her skin crawling with fear, heart thudding painfully against her ribs, she felt herself being lifted up, up, off the bed, all the way to the ceiling. Now she was looking down at the thing on her bed, held up by the scruff like a defenseless kitten. The thing stared up at her, grinning the whole time, and the room continued oozing with something menacing, malevolent.

“What do you want from me?” she whispered, head and limbs dangling from the ceiling.

All of a sudden she plummeted to the bed with a force that knocked the wind out of her. She lay there for a few minutes, eyes closed, catching her breath, then opened her eyes and looked around tentatively for the thing lying next to her. It was gone.

Leaping out of bed, she ran to the window and threw it open. It was daylight. Somehow she had slept through the night. The sun was coming out, beaming warmth, reassurance. The air was pungent with the sweet aftermath of a cleansing rain. Shrubs and trees danced with new life, and the gentle, herby smell of chrysanthemums saturated the air.

She breathed deeply, filling every pore, every cell in her body with that smell and that warmth, and slowly exhaled.