There are twenty-three days until Christmas and for each of them I will be sharing a short teaser from my novelette ‘The Storm Creature’.
Tune in tomorrow for the next instalment or if you can’t wait then you can pick it up on Amazon.
Print copy: £3.50/$5.00
Kindle: 0.99
At eighteen, Lucy had everything going for her: a supportive family, a rapt audience, and her dream of becoming a published author about to be realised.
A single moment in time on a dark, rainy road changes things forever.
That was then, but this is now. Lucy has suffered through eight years of haunting visions and thoughts with every raging storm thanks to a tempestuous storm creature who torments her. What does the baleful creature want with Lucy? Will the troubled woman ever be able to let go of the past and forgive herself?
Or will she sacrifice everything she holds dear?
Reviews so far:
Small story…Big impact, 20 Aug. 2016I have to be honest that it was nothing like I expected it to be…but saying that I loved it nonetheless.
The Storm Creature tells the tale of Lucy – an author who’s life turns upside down in the blink of an eye.
What this book does is make you think.
Maria Gibbs has certainly packed a large punch with a short story, and I will certainly be recommending this book to everybody.
Atmospheric and suspenseful, March 17, 2016Lesson of the story – never try to use your mobile phone while driving ……
A Fantastic and Compelling Short Story, July 5, 2016The Storm Creature focuses on the mental suffering and delusions of a young woman who is riddled with guilt over being the survivor in a car accident, she felt she was the cause of.
The writing is superb and the tension is well created by the Author. I won’t give any of the plot away, but this was a stunning, little tale. I know it was a short story, but still, I couldn’t put it down for a second until I knew just how it played out. Well done to the author!
You many well shiver as you experience this stormy short., 15 Mar. 2016At eighteen years of age Lucy is following her dreams. Her first book is published ‘As Dreams are Made on’ which has been warmly received. Her family are supportive, she is happy, with a wonderful life ahead of her.
Then one dark and stormy night, as Lucy makes her way home, along the quiet wet, winding country lanes, one tiny decision she makes, sees her dreams washed away in the lashing rain.
Eight years on and Lucy has turned into a recluse, her family once close, barely know how to deal with her. She now lives alone in a small cottage in the woods; barely ever does she venture out, and she hardly ever sees anyone.
This troubled young woman is tormented by the events of that stormy evening and is constantly taunted by the presence of the ‘Storm Creature.’ Lucy is petrified by thunder and lightning but this crazed creature revels in it. She dances in the lashing rain, as the author says ‘… laughing and spinning, her arms waving like an Indian goddess… possessed of multiple limbs.’
Maria Gibbs has a wonderful way with words, almost lyrical at times. Check out the opening lines:-
‘The rain danced against the pane of glass, wild and wicked until the tempo changed, curling and writhing into a beautiful sensual rhythm.’
The atmosphere is set so you become embroiled within the story, you may well shiver as you are drawn in, experiencing the stormy nights with the rolling thunder. I sat tense on the edge of my seat wandering what was to come next upon the turn of the page. I was not disappointed.
For a short story this psychological thriller sure packs a lot in, with unexpected twists as you near the end. I don’t wish to share anymore because it is a story you need to experience for yourself, and in my view the author certainly does make you experience every event.
Quite thought Provoking, 1 July 2016The Storm Creature wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but it’s a poignant story that made me think more about life. It also reminded me that it is never too late to change your mind.
Maria’s words show us that the way we see things is not always as they are in reality. Sometimes it’s good to take stock before it is too late. It’s not a happy story, but it teaches us to be happy and to dance in the rain.
Amazing Story, 10 April 2016author, looking forward to reading your next book.
Very Highly Recommended.
Five Stars, 29 Mar. 2016
Death has more than one victim, April 15, 2016A moment’s thoughtlessness, an accidental death and so many lives are changed forever. Lucy’s life is shattered in a single moment, but it’s the slow disintegration of her being that keeps the story moving.
It seems the person least affected by Adele’s death is Adele.
reminiscent of James Herbert at his best. More please, 24 May 2016|
Meaningful, 19 July 2016 Verified Purchase(What is this?)
This review is from: The Storm Creature (Paperback)
Fantastic short story, creative, easy to read, well written and meaningful. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this and the unexpected twist at the end look forward to more by Maria Gibbs.
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Could not put it down, May 30 2016
Open the letter Lucy…, 25 July 2016Beautiful!, April 1, 2016Having read “As Dreams Are Made On,” I was really looking forward to another beautifully written novelette by Maria Gibbs, and that is exactly what I got! This author has a wonderful talent at both storytelling and writing in her own unique way.
The only thing I found a bit uncomfortable was that the protagonist of the story is supposed to be the author of another novelette by Gibbs, which makes it awkward when she writes about her own work.
With that said, “The Storm Creature” has a creative plot, executed well through the use of poetically written prose, and really has something to say, which is important when a great deal of fiction nowadays is devoid of meaning. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading “A Lifetime or a Season” next.
Maria Gibbs 