Nature's Warning: Earthquake Rocks East Coast

Nature’s Warning: Earthquake Rocks East Coast

By Nomar Knight

An ungodly rumbling caused more than the east coast to tremble.  The recent earthquake, which originated in Virginia, did more than disrupt everyone’s routine.  The blast of nature assisted in shedding light on the possibility of an extreme change for life as we know it.  What most people hate to admit, lies inside them, rose to the surface as many grew terrified of the possibility that the end of the world, or perhaps a catastrophic terrorist attack was at play. 

Moments after the event, I received a call from a loved one.  I heard the fear in her voice.  The older a person gets, the more aware they become of their mortality.  At that moment, I was at a loss to find the words that would comfort her.

My mind wandered with the images she described, first of how she visited her brother and sat with her husband in a loveseat.  Their familiar encounter literally shaken as the building swayed, and their loveseat trembled.  Shock quickly transformed to sheer panic, and instead of looking to position over a doorway, or dive under solid furniture, they said their goodbyes and headed to the same place the majority went to, the crowded streets. 

Images of concrete breaking open and swallowing people as they danced for their lives, doing their best to negotiate each new crater, popped in my mind.  As I listened to her tormented account, I envisioned skyscrapers collapsing all around them.  I felt hopeless when the best advice I could offer was for them to remain outside, away from buildings for at least an hour. 

Perhaps my advice would have been useless if the situation were worse, but the one thing I do know from personal experience is that when our number is up, there’s nothing we could do to change the outcome.  Death waits for no one and eventually, will meet us all. 

Nevertheless, I’m pleased that as of this writing, the situation did not get worse and that no one got hurt.  Yet I can’t help but wonder what the underlying purpose of the event could be.  Was the seismic event that got everyone’s attention just a prelude to the end of the world? 

While the scientists look for answers, I’ll chalk it up to nature’s way of providing us with a wakeup call.  My advice, live life as if each moment is your last.

Catch you on the dark side

Nomar Knight

© Copyright Nomar Knight 2011. All rights reserved.

More Than Luck: An interview with Author Alex Knight

Author- Alex Knight

Please welcome the talented and versatile Alex Knight. 

Tell us a little about yourself. 

I enjoy writing about murder and horror. Born in Toronto, I have lived in a number of cities in Canada and the United States. Currently, I live in a small city outside of Toronto with my partner. I love to travel and if I'm not reading I'm writing. Oh yes, I hate research. I love reading about all sorts of things - for entertainment purposes. If I have to memorize dates and details - it becomes work.

 

Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book is my 2010 NaNoWriMo 'winner', which is yet unnamed. It is the back story of my character, bodyguard Anya Orlova (The Bodyguard, The Mermaid and Dolphin) and her continuing adventures.

How did you get started as a writer? 

I started out by taking an online writing class, winning a writing contest and getting published in the local paper before the class was over. It encouraged me to continue writing humorous essays for newspapers. I was able to earn several bylines while working on what I really wanted to do, which was write fiction.

What’s a typical day like for you?

I start the day on the computer, then head out for my day job, which is accounting. While I'm crunching numbers I'm thinking of the latest works in progress, writing dialogue in my head, etc. When I get back home it's time for dinner and another couple of hours on the computer - writing, catching up with friends and other writers on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

What do you like most about reading and writing?

I enjoy the escapism reading provides, there's nothing like curling up with a good book. When I write, I can say and do all the things I would never do in real life - especially since more often than not I write about murder.

Which author influenced you the most?

It would be impossible to say one writer influenced me more than another. There are a number of writers who inspired me for many different reasons. The short list would be topped by Edgar Allan Poe, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, John D. MacDonald & Agatha Christie.

Tell us 3 interesting things about you.

 

I have to admit that this question stumped me and I asked my partner to help me out. He immediately came up with a half dozen things. I told him there was no way I was admitting to any of that much less putting it in writing. On a serious note I think interest, like art, is subjective. Would your readers find it interesting that I'm into archaeology, that I'm a silversmith or that I used to teach ballroom dance? Probably not. They might be interested in knowing that I do believe in paranormal experiences having had a number of them myself. I once saw a person days after he died, only at the time I didn't know he was dead. When I read about his death I was shocked, thinking how I had just seen him - then I discovered the newspaper was already several days old. If I have the same or similar dream two or three times, I know it's a warning to be taken seriously. A couple of dreams have literally saved me from physical danger and possible death. Fortunately, I haven't had any lately. Also, I have had several psychic readings (Tarot, palm & tea leaves) that were so accurate it was eerie. I'm still waiting for the last prophecy to come true, lol.

Would you say you write specifically for one genre and if not, what’s your favorite genre to write?

I try not to think of genres when I write because the lines tend to blur for me. A story might appear to fit one genre when I begin but as it unfolds it can often end up being something totally different. While I usually write about crime and murder, I also cross over into horror, paranormal and chick lit. I would really like to write more horror novels, but find it difficult because more and more I'm finding things scare me less and less. I can generally write enough horror to fit the short story category, but can't stretch it out to a full blown novel.

Best and worst part of being a writer?

The worst part is that it doesn't (yet) pay the bills. However, like most writers I write for the love of writing. The best part is that I love the creative process and watching where the characters take me as their stories unfold.

Advice to writers?

Write - I can't stress this enough - thinking about it isn't doing it. And never listen to your inner critic or the advice of family and friends (unless they happen to be famous authors.) Never stop to edit as you go, otherwise you will never finish the project. When you finish a project put it aside for a while - let it rest. Then go back and read it again, out loud. If you stumble over the words so will your readers. Mark those passages with a high lighter and keep going. Once you're finished you can start the editing process. But be careful, self-editing can become a perpetual task. You will always find something you think you can improve upon. Any author who thinks he's nailed it and could never improve upon his work is only kidding himself, but you have to know when to stop.

Interesting story about writing.

 

I can create a story around a word heard randomly, and usually that word will figure into the title somewhere. Also, whenever I start a larger project, if I don't already have a title in mind, I usually come up with one after the first few pages. At the very least I have a working title until something else comes to mind. This time around I'm drawing a blank. I keep referring to the story as the Bodyguard WIP and I really need a title before I send it off into the world. I think I need to have a 'name the ebook' contest.

Thank you Alex Knight for a wonderful interview.  

You can catch more of Alex in her website here

Click on the What Luck Cover to order the outstanding book. You won't be disappointed. 

  

© Copyright Alex Knight 2011. All rights reserved. 

Alex Knight has granted Knight Chills non-exclusive rights to display this work.

© Copyright Nomar Knight 2011. All rights reserved. 

A Knight Chills author interview.

M

Chupa Cabra: Friend or Foe

Let’s put aside any personal feelings we may have about the existence of the creature called the Chupa Cabra. Eyewitness reports have more or less described a creature about four feet in height with a canine or boar’s snout and black in color. Some witnesses claimed the creature can fly and has wings. Regardless of sightings that seem to be seasonal in nature throughout warm climate locations, the possibility of the beast being a hybrid of some kind has ignited creative interpretations which have turned the beast into a legend.

I have personally interviewed two people who claim to have encountered the strange creature that others deemed the Chupa Cabra. One man came face to face with the terrifying creature while working in a dairy. The other heard a commotion in his yard, expecting to ward off thieves. Imagine his surprise upon discovering the culprit wasn’t human. I promise to detail these accounts in a short story that I’ll submit to a new medium called Chupacabra Magazine. In the meantime, I’d like to share a rumor I heard a few years ago.

Why the Chupa Cabra Doesn’t Attack Humans


In beautiful Puerto Rico, under a cloak of darkness, a drunk who worked in a dairy farm fell asleep. He awoke yelling and cursing because something bit his neck. A noise coupled with a stinging pain, set off his internal alarm that something malicious stood near. He discovered a wound as some blood stained his fingers. He rose from the chair with flashlight in hand and discovered a black creature with red angry eyes backing away from him. The drunk noted that in spite of his height advantage, his instincts were to retreat as well, too stunned to take his eyes off the strange creature, he said, “What are you?”

Their encounter was brief because instead of the beast charging at the man, it appeared to ascend into the trees. At first he thought it was a monkey, but the more he tried to recall the creature’s features, the more he understood, nothing like it was known to man. Nevertheless, the encounter left the man with two puncture wounds in his neck.

His boss arrived with the rising sun and when he examined the frighten man’s wounds, chuckled. “Looks like you got bitten by a vampire bat.”

They made light of the event until they spotted a cow lying on the ground. It wasn’t long before they discovered the cow was lifeless and had two puncture wounds similar to the drunkard. When they sliced open the cow they discovered it was drained of all its blood.

Rumor has it that because the Chupa Cabra attacked an alcoholic, it dislikes the taste of man and that’s why it hasn’t attacked another human since.

Of course, the rumor cannot be collaborated, but like myths, it is entertaining to the rest of us. I’m sure the drunkard would disagree with our assessment. So next time you’re in the wilderness. Watch out for the creature with the devil’s eyes. You may come face to face with the legendary Chupa Cabra.

See you on the dark side.

Nomar Knight

Mystical Attractions

Have you ever found yourself asking, "What was that?" A shadow or some play of lighting appearing out of nowhere, moving strangely. If you were with someone, perhaps the other person witnessed the same event, but nine times out of ten, the experience is a lonely one. Expect of course, the mystical shadow that you swear is watching you.

The reality of death has given birth to life after death. Cynics argue against such possibilities yet are at a lost for explaining appearances of ghosts or similar phenomena.

Take this eye witness account: I was driving down the highway late at night in a secluded section surrounded by trees, no lights posted anywhere. My high beams picked up a teenage boy riding a bike, heading straight for me. I didn't have time to react so I braced myself for the inevitable contact. It never came. What I thought was a kid on a bike turned out to be a transparent ghost. My car drove straight through. No physical contact was made, no one reporting an accident the next day, nor did my car have a mark on it.

The man did not sleep that night, worried the authorities would be knocking on his door. He tried to talk himself into believing he must have been sleeping, but he recalled enough details about the encounter consistent with an accident of that type. His slow reaction time due to disbelief and a strange opaqueness surrounding the object in question left him wondering about his mental state. He went from surprise, disbelief, shock, and eventually rationalization.

While the aforementioned encounter is pretty typical for those experiencing contact with mystical origins, it's quite spectacular when the living interact with the dead. I wrote a story based on a legend that spans centuries from numerous countries. Its underlying theme deals with obsession when the main character, Lisa, goes through extraordinary lengths to experience her first college dance. Her partner demonstrates a different kind of obsession. Mystical Attractions aside, The Dance features unfinished business between a mother and her daughter.

Supernatural horror involves many different aspects of a fear that instead of its victims running away from predators or unusual foes, they become willing participants in macabre acts. Encounters connected to the mysterious realm of an afterlife intrigue many and opens the genre to very creative works.

Have you ever had an encounter with a ghost?- Tell me about it.