from World Castle Publishing: https://www.worldcastlepublishing.net/mike-sherer
A mother and her possessed son battle for their lives against a horde of demons intent on not only their destruction but the death of the unborn child she carries.
Stressed-out single mother Vivian has to fetch twelve-year old son Kody from an overnight after he gets into a fight with the friend he was spending the night with. On the way home she nearly runs over a man out for a night jog. Who ends up being run over in front of her house. When a police officer very quickly responds he shows little sympathy for the injured man, instead drawing his gun. But the jogger kills the officer first. Vivian calls for help, then flees her house with her son. Thus begins a long gory night as Vivian is hunted down by demons intent on her destruction. As the reasons for this come into focus, an extremely weird relationship develops between Vivian and her possessed son who is on the brink of death. Forget Norman Bates. This mother-son relationship is more twisted than the Gordian Knot.
See Under A Raging Moon at my Ask David site:
http://askdavid.com/reviews/book/adult-horror/17880
INTERVIEWS:
This week it is my pleasure to interview Mike Sherer. Would you please introduce yourself to my readers and share something about your life.
I was born and raised in the Greater Cincinnati area of southwest Ohio. I have written in one form or another my entire life, beginning with poetry as a teen and progressing through a record review column in my college paper to screenwriting (I had one filmed and released direct to DVD) then on to short stories, novellas, and novels. I also post weekly to 2 ongoing blogs.
When did you write your first book and how did it come about?
I began working on my first novel, ‘A Cold Dish’, in the spring of 2013 and completed it in the summer of 2015. I based it on a screenplay I had written years ago, and expanded the story greatly. It was published by James Ward Kirk Fiction in the summer of 2016. The publisher had published a short story of mine, ‘Beauty and Death at 70 MPH’, and included it in his ‘Ghosts Redemption’ anthology. I mentioned in my bio that I had written ‘A Cold Dish’, and briefly described it. He requested to see it, I sent it to him, and he responded with a contract.
Do you always write in the same genre or do you mix it up?
I prefer horror and science fiction, but I try other genres. I occasionally like to move outside my comfort zone and try different things.
When you write, do you start with an idea and sit down and let it evolve, or do you make notes and collect ideas on paper beforehand?
I am definitely a pantser. I do a very basic outline and a few notes on my characters, but nothing in depth. When I am working on something it is bouncing around in my head 24/7. I believe that’s why my work flows so smoothly when I sit down at a keyboard. I’ve already thought the story out in great detail ahead of time.
Would you like to give us a short excerpt from one of your books?
This excerpt is from near the beginning of my published horror novella ‘Under A Raging Moon’. It takes place between a middle-aged single mother and her twelve year old son. The reason for her seemingly cruel attitude toward the injured jogger is a result of a previous encounter with him:
Tires squealed. A soft thud. A cry of pain. Vivian looked out to the street. A car was stopped at the end of her driveway. In its headlights a body lay on the street before it, raising up, trying to get up. The engine roared and the car ran over the body. Thump thump. All four wheels. Like a speed bump. Then raced away. “Shit.”
Vivian ran out to the end of her driveway. The jogger was sprawled in the middle of the street, writhing in agony and moaning. She nearly smiled. Until the jogger beseeched her with his pain-filled face. She kneeled before him. “Can you move?” The jogger just stared, moaning softly. Vivian looked up and down the street. “I can’t leave you out here. You’ll get run over. Again. You got to move.”
Vivian stood and grabbed an arm to drag him by. The jogger cried out in pain, but tried to scoot with his feet to help her. Vivian pulled him out of the street onto the end of her driveway. She tried to release him, but he clung to her arm with surprising strength. “Hey. Let go.” She broke free and backed away. Still, he reached for her. “I’m going in to call nine-one-one.” With a smirk, “Now don’t run off.” Vivian ran into the garage and on into the house. While the jogger wriggled slowly up the driveway toward the garage.
Vivian dashed in from the garage to the kitchen. The rooms of the house were small and badly cluttered, nearly as cramped as the garage. And no cleaner. “Kody!”
Kody emerged from the downstairs bathroom. “Will you stop screaming.”
Vivian snatched up the phone and punched nine-one-one. “You know that jogger I nearly ran over? He just got run over. Right in front of our house.”
“Is he dead?” Kody started toward the garage.
“Don’t go out there.” Kody opened the door to the garage. “Damn it, Kody!” Vivian dropped the phone and ran over to slam the door in his face. “We don’t know who he is. Stay away from him.” Kody turned away angrily and ran into the living room up to the front window to look out. Vivian hurried back to pick up the phone.
“A cop’s here,” Kody informed her.
“Already? Are you sure?”
“Mom. I know what a cop looks like.”
Into the phone, “There’s been an accident. But the police are here already. So bye.” Vivian dropped the phone and raced to the door to the garage. “You stay in here.” Vivian hurried out to the garage, closing the door behind her.
The jogger was crawling up to the open garage door, all twisted up in pain but determined. “You crawled this far?” Vivian asked. “Bad as you’re hurt? Why?” She started around the back of her car toward him.
A policeman walked up the driveway from his cruiser parked at the curb in front of the house. “Ma’am,” he called out. “Please stay back.”
Vivian froze, looking to the policeman. He was drawing his revolver as he approached. “Is he dangerous?”
“Yes. Now go back in your house.”
Vivian looked from the policeman to the jogger, confused. “He could have done a carjacking. Earlier tonight. He pushed my head. He could have grabbed it and yanked me out of my car and taken it. If he was trying to get away. But he didn’t.”
The policeman kneeled beside the jogger, placing the barrel of his gun to his temple. He looked up at Vivian, his face distorted with fury. “Get inside! Now!” Vivian backed away in fright.
While the policeman was distracted with Vivian, the jogger swung one arm up knocking the barrel away from his head. The policeman fired, the bullet blasting harmlessly into the concrete floor. The jogger swung up his other arm. Clenched in his fist was a metal tent stake. He buried it in the policeman’s neck. The policeman jerked to his feet, dropping his gun and grabbing his neck, the tent stake deeply embedded in it as blood pulsed out. The jogger grabbed the baseball bat and swung hard. He connected with a knee. The policeman crashed to the pavement. Scooting up to the policeman thrashing about on the driveway, the jogger raised the bat high above his head and brought it smashing down into the policeman’s upturned face.
Who is your favorite character and why?
Sean, the lead character from my published Middle Grade novel ‘Shadytown’. He begins as a fifth-grader who is timid and shy and intimidated by just about everybody, but grows into this self-assured capable problem-solver. By the second book in the series, ‘Time Tripper’, which is yet to be published, he grows a little too cock-sure of himself and suffers the consequences.
Which of your books gave you the most pleasure to write?
Shadytown. I love good coming of age tales, and this is what the Shadytown series is.
What is the best marketing tip you have received?
Get yourself and your work out there. You never know what might come of it. Getting a short story published led to me getting my first novel published. You just never know. Put your work out there. If you get paid, fine. If you don’t get paid, that’s fine, too. I’m not in this for the money. Put yourself out there by giving away books in exchange for reviews, trade reviews with other writers, join online groups, join in-person writers groups, go to book fairs, hold book signings, blog, give interviews (!), anything that gets you exposure.
How would you describe yourself?
An extreme introvert who has forced himself to become a semi-extrovert. It has taken a lot of effort.
What do you do when you are not writing?
Travel. I have a travel blog on my Word Press site. Hike. Read, of course. Watch high-quality TV series (Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Americans). Watch low-quality football (I’m a Cincinnati Bengals fan).
If you could holiday anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
Akumal, on the Mexican Riviera. This is an all-inclusive beach resort. It’s small and not very fancy, but it has a beautiful beach at which the second-largest coral reef in the world (second only to the Great Barrier Reef off Australia) is within easy swimming distance. I’ve snorkeled miles of that beautiful reef. Also, the waters right off the beach is swarming with huge sea turtles. I’ve swam with many of them. And the climate is perfect.
If you have owned pets, do you have a funny story you would like to share with us?
Sorry, not a pet owner.
What is the biggest factor for you when selecting a book to read?
The author. I have read everything Neal Stephenson has written, and nearly everything Margaret Atwood has written. A favorable review. The genre. I gravitate toward science fiction and horror.
Do you have your own website?
I have 2 Word Press sites. My author site, where info and links to all my published works, along with my travel blog American Locations, is posted: https://mikesherer.org
Also, a site dedicated to my book ‘Shadytown’, where my writers blog is posted: https://shadytown522338397.wordpress.com/
Are you working on a new book at the moment?
Yes. A science-fiction tentatively titled ‘Flatlanders’. It is very early in the process.
Do you have any events or book promotions coming up that you would like to tell us about?
Sorry, but no. Covid-19 has really put a cramp on gatherings. I along with a half-dozen members of my writers group had two tables reserved for the Gem City Comic-con to be held in Dayton, Ohio, but that was cancelled. So I am sheltering-in-place in my basement working on my writing (which is heaven for an extreme introvert) until it is once again safe to go outside and play.
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Written by Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief
Thursday, 26 March 2020 15:31
Read 88 times
Fanbase Press Interviews Mike Sherer on the Novel, ‘Under a Raging Moon’
The following is an interview with Mike Sherer regarding the recent release of his latest novel, Under a Raging Moon, from World Castle Publishing. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Sherer about the inspiration behind this story, his creative process in bringing the story to life, the impact that the story may have with readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the release of your latest novel, Under a Raging Moon, by World Castle Publishing! For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe the book’s premise, and what inspired you to tell this story?
Mike Sherer: The premise is that when a pregnant single mother is attacked by demons intent on her destruction, a “guardian angel” comes to her rescue by possessing her 12-year-old son. What inspired me to write this story was that I wanted to explore the relationship between mother and possessed son. Early on, the son is mortally wounded, and the only thing keeping him alive is the spirit possessing him. This spirit is trying to protect the mother from the attacking demons while keeping the boy alive, while the mother is trying to deal with this adult spirit in her son while fleeing for her and her son’s lives.
BD: What can you share with us about your creative process in bringing the horror novel to life, and what have been some of your creative influences?
MS: My process is to loosely outline the plot points, then rush non-stop through the first draft, then go over and over and over the story until I am satisfied. But each revision has a specific purpose. The second draft will be to check for plot holes and inconsistencies. The next draft will be to develop character. The next draft will be to fill out scenes with richer descriptions. The final draft will be to check for grammar. There are usually many more drafts than these, but this is the way I work. Get it quickly down on paper, then go back to enrich the story. My creative influences: Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Bloch, Clive Barker, Shirley Jackson, Richard Matheson, and William P. Blatty.
BD: At Fanbase Press this year, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavor to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Under a Raging Moon’s story will connect with and impact readers, and why do you feel that this story was important for you to bring to life?
MS: I hope to impact readers by setting my stories in the real world with real people. I try to avoid exotic settings and fantastic worlds. I believe grounding incredible stories in reality makes them more frightening. Are you more concerned with what goes on in Transylvania? Or in that run-down house at the end of your street? Are you more frightened of zombies eating your brains? Or of that not-quite-right neighbor roaming your streets at night? I tried to ground this story in the reality of a small-town suburban community and inhabit it with real people dealing with real problems even before the scary stuff starts. I want to show that real life can be much more frightening than monster mash-ups in abandoned castles or haunted Victorian mansions.
BD: Do you foresee expanding the novel into subsequent books or even into other entertainment mediums, if given the opportunity?
MS: There is definitely a sequel potential. Without giving away too much, the story ends at an interesting place that begs to be continued. I would love to see this filmed. I wrote a screenplay that was filmed by a producer in LA and released direct-to-DVD: Hamal_18. It is listed on the ImdB site. That was an amazing experience I would love to undertake once again. I worked closely with the producer on the screenplay, he involved me in the casting sessions, then invited me to the premier at the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood. A fascinating process.
BD: Are there any upcoming projects on which you are currently working that you would like to share with our readers?
MS: My MG paranormal adventure novel, Shadytown, was released by INtense Publications on January 27th of this year. The publisher provided great support. I am currently securing interviews for it. If any of your readers would be interested in reviewing it, I can send them a PDF file. Just be aware it was written for a young reader; it is nothing like Under a Raging Moon. That is definitely an adult story. Shadytown is available in digital and paperback formats at Amazon. Also, I have a horror short story, Campground Host, that will appear in the April issue of Scribe Magazine, which is published by Breaking Rules.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Under a Raging Moon and your other work?
MS: Email is the easiest most direct way to reach me: m.sherer (at) yahoo (dot) com. Links to all my published works, and my travel blog (American Locations), are posted at my WordPress site: https://mikesherer.org. I’m also on Facebook: FB mike.sherer.7140 and Twitter: @mikewsherer. I also have an author page on Amazon.
REVIEWS:
Mike Sherer’s Under a Raging Moon was a wild ride from beginning to end.
The pacing was short, snappy, and honestly perfect for the short story it had to tell. Readers were dropped into an exciting scene that was already unfolding quickly without much explanation at all as to what was going on. The most important bits were quickly revealed, though, and they only made me more curious to see what would happen next.
Vivian’s character development was handled nicely. She’d been thrust into a horrifying chain of events that she had no way to prevent or plan ahead for. The fact that she adjusted so quickly to the new rules she’d have to discover and follow in order to have any hope of keeping herself and her son alive was admirable, especially once I realized that her Achilles Heel was just about the last thing I’d expect her to be afraid of after everything else she faced. She definitely acted fast in the beginning, but her reasons for having that reaction made sense to me once they were revealed.
There were so many imaginative plot twists. While I did see some of them coming in advance, that didn’t make them any less exciting because of how quickly they popped up and how invested I was in finding out what would happen to Vivian and Kody next. They were in very real danger, and this was one of those cases when I as a reader genuinely didn’t know how they’d survive all of the things that were threatening to end their fragile human lives.
I wasn’t as thrilled with the subplot involving the relationship between Vivian and the entity that was possessing her son. The plot would have been tighter without it, and it added some strange undertones to what was happening that I would have preferred not to see play out. With that being said, I did appreciate how far the author stretched the boundaries of what should and should not be included in the horror genre.
The ending, though, was perfect. After all of the blood and gore – and there was a lot of it – I was not expecting the characters’ stories to be tied up the way that they were. In fact, I thought I’d seen all of the plot twists by the time this final one popped up. It couldn’t have been more satisfactory.
Under a Raging Moon kept me on my toes. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what the author comes up with next.
Under a Raging Moon BY MIKE SHERER
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This book narrates the story of woman who has to protect her son Kody (who has been possesed by the way) from a bunch of demons.
Horror, fantasy, suspense… a great mixture.
One of the main strenghts of this book is the main character, Vivian, a strong woman who will do anything to save her child. The author was been able to show us her struggle, inner thoughts, and humanity. It was like being there with her.
The plot caught me off guard more than once, when I though I already knew where the story was going there was a plot twist that changed the scenario. The premise is kinda familiar, yes, but Mike Sherer manages to make this story unique and really entertaining.
The gory descriptions make the story look more realistic, a nice touch.
I.M. Redwright
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New! Tim Meehan reviewed Under a Raging Moon
For fans of possession horror April 7, 2020
Under a Raging Moon embodies one of my favorite types of horror novellas. I like to think of it as a snapshot. The reader is thrown into a story already in development on page one. Anything we need to know as far as backstory or setting is addressed pretty quickly unless the plot calls for it to be dragged out. These novellas are usually fast-paced and take place over the course of hours or maybe a day or two.
The main character is Vivian. We learn early on that although she cares for her son Kody, their relationship is a bit strained. You could write it off to Kody’s age perhaps. The truth is we don’t get to know him super well before he undergoes a bit of a change.
Mike Sherer does a good job of hooking the reader by not allowing you to establish a firm foothold right away. As soon as you get an idea of where the story is going, the ground shifts underneath you and knocks you over. This was probably the biggest strength in my personal reading experience. I found that once all the big reveals had been made I wasn’t quite as invested as I had been at the onset. Sherer delivered enough drive to keep me reading the whole story, but the magic created at the beginning didn’t quite hold up for me.
Readers who enjoy strong female leads or stories of demonic possession will likely find this book to their taste. There are some graphic scenes but nothing so over the top that a casual horror reader will feel the need to shy away.
I was given a copy by the author for review consideration.
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New! Ray reviewed Under a Raging Moon
Engaging story April 7, 2020
This book narrates the story of woman who has to protect her son Kody (who has been possesed by the way) from a bunch of demons.
Horror, fantasy, suspense… a great mixture.
One of the main strenghts of this book is the main character, Vivian, a strong woman who will do anything to save her child. The author was been able to show us her struggle, inner thoughts, and humanity. It was like being there with her.
The plot caught me off guard more than once, when I though I already knew where the story was going there was a plot twist that changed the scenario. The premise is kinda familiar, yes, but Mike Sherer manages to make this story unique and really entertaining.
The gory descriptions make the story look more realistic, a nice touch.
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viconeil1599 reviewed Under a Raging Moon
Horror Novella Done Wella October 22, 2019
It’s a tale as old as time, yet with a modern twist. What more powerful motive can a hero have than protecting their child? How about saving the world at the same time?
This was an action-packed read that never let my eyes glaze over. Each page turn was easier than the last. I highly recommend this book to anybody looking for a good horror/thriller story.
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Never1701 reviewed Under a Raging Moon
A new twist on a classic theme October 14, 2019
A young mother must attempt to protect her son, who has coincidentally been possessed by an angel from a host of body jumping demons. If she fails not only does she lose her son, but possibly the whole world will burn.
This is an old theme with many variations, but Scherer offers a bold new twist in the demon’s Achilles heel. Vivian is great because she isn’t your typical beleaguered mother trying to save her child. She comes off as very human, very natural. She is the kind of person that you probably know. And that’s what we love about her. She makes mistakes, she rushes to judgment and sometimes she just freezes up unable to cope with the madness her life has turned into.
The demons themselves make an interesting and challenging foil. On one hand, they possess the ability to jump between human hosts, turning them into blood-mad psychopaths bent on creating as much havoc as inhumanly possible. On the other, their baser natures leave them open to being slain before they can complete their missions. I loved the exploration of this hedonism, personified by hell’s minions.
Under the Rage Moon is clever, concise and imminently readable. A lovely page-turner that kept me interested from start to finish.
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Pamela reviewed Under a Raging Moon
Well-written and Engaging Horror Novella October 10, 2019
Loved the twists and turns. Action packed, fast read. Great imagery, well-written, and full of intriguing characters. Will be checking out more from this author. Recommend to other horror/thriller junkies.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Look out for the full moon!
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2020
This actually a 3.5 star rating and for a novella, it packs a lot of punch. Vivian and her son Kody are about to have a horrible night as the super moon releases a legion of shapeshifting demons. Vivian wants to protect her son from harm and that help comes from the most unlikely form. No spoilers! The story does move along in a rapid pace, places change constantly as if you are running right along side. My only complaint is the spatter gore gets redundant and the ending seemed nicely tired up but I found the adventure wholly enjoyable! I’m new to this author and I will read more of his books in the future, enjoy!!
Kimberly Napolitano
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Jun 19, 2020Irene rated it liked it This was a fast paced, gore drenched tale of demonic possession on the run. The supermoon has allowed demons to wreak havoc on earth. They not only possess humans but can jump from one body to the next, even taking over wild and domestic animals should the need arise. I can’t say that it was scary, but there was lots of action and splattery blood soaked fun. I do think it could have benefited from a bit of editing, but all in all it is worth a read.
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From the North Rim 