Crier's Knife by Neal Litherland is an amazing tale that evokes the Old West, southern gothic and Lovecraftian horror (without the racism), but set in his own unique world. It has a sense of the South or Appalachia, with the mentions of lowlands and a mountain, but isn't really set there either.
The book description: "In the dark heart of a sweltering summer night, alone and shivering, a young man whispers an incantation. Leagues and miles away, in a creaky cottage atop a mountain, a silver mirror breaks in the night. A woman in white rolls scrimshaw knuckle bones by the light of black candles, frowning at their message before she sends for her grandson.
"Dirk Crier is no stranger to being summoned up the mountain, and this is far from the first time he’s been sent to bring his cousin Teller home when he’s gone too far astray. This time is different, though. This time a shadow looms over the end of the path; a nameless threat, asleep for now, but coming closer to waking with every passing day. He will need to be swift if he wants to bring them both back to the slopes of Ben Morgh.
"And if he isn’t quick enough to save his cousin, Dirk will show those responsible why the folk around the mountain say only a dead man crosses a Crier."
Litherland's first indie novel follows his previous forays into small press publishing and anthologies. With a vast experience of writing both fiction and nonfiction, he weaves his prose into tales of fantasy, horror and science fiction, plus gaming advice and characterizations.
Based in Northwest Indiana, Litherland continues to live the life of the indie author, supporting himself by his writing. He recently appeared at Windy Con 45 Unlikely Heroes in Chicago and shared his expertise in several panels, including "Super Heroes Re-imagined," "The Obligatory Vampire Panel," "Storytellers Guide to Not Sucking," "Streaming Services the New Movie/TV studios" and "If, When, and How to add Sex to your Story."
Litherland is currently working on a mystery and a Crier's clan sequel.
Amazon: Neal Litherland's Author Page
Crier's Knife
New Avalon: Love and Loss in the City of Steam
Blog: Improved Initiative
Windy Con 45 Unlikely Heroes
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