Prologue Preview

This Monday morning, my mind is on the upcoming launch of Drudge, which I recently put up for pre-order on Amazon. Unfortunately, the pre-order system doesn’t allow for any previewing of a book’s content. So what I thought I’d do is share a wee sample here instead, namely the prologue of my third Hartmouth Horrors novella.

Of course, it’s always a bit risky posting book content for public consumption, as I open myself up to unsolicited critique, especially from the prologue disdainers of the world, but anyway, here it is, and I hope it gives you a ‘pleasant’ taste of what’s to come.

DRUDGE - PROLOGUE

I tell him it’s delicious, knowing that anything less will only get me into trouble. And God knows, once you’ve been on the receiving end of his ministrations, for want of a better word, you’re not in any hurry to relive the experience.

“Do you mean it, Jacob?”

“Of course,” I mumble, the left side of my mouth still in a world of pain. “It’s really… excellent.”

“Excellent, eh? I like that.”

I manage to swallow the next proffered forkful, a vile pie made with seafood that’s clearly several days past its best.

“Though it does sound like excrement.”

Tastes like it too, I think to myself, and there must have been a glimmer of mirth in my eyes, because now I’m getting the look. The one that says I’ve offended him and he’s going to do something about it later, probably in the middle of the night.

“Mum used to tell me I couldn’t cook to save my life.”

“No, really, it’s great.”

“Hmm,” he says, a sly grin creeping onto his stupid fat face as he serves up another foul-smelling portion. “Very well then.”

Mouthful after mouthful goes down, my stomach silently shrieking, and I try to distract myself by looking around the cellar that’s become my prison cell. This rickety bed with its wafer-thin mattress, the stack of stools in the corner, the workbench, the mystery manhole cover, the plastic dust sheets and tins of paint, the rolls of old carpet.

“If you finish it all, I’ll bring you down some painkillers, and something to clear up any infection.”

Tongue going now to the ragged, throbbing gap where just hours ago a couple of molars resided, I give him the sweetest look I can muster, no easy task when all I want to do is jam my thumbs into his eyeballs.

So there you go. If you like what you read and want to get 1/3 off the regular eBook price, you can pre-order via this Amazon link.

And that’s my penny’s worth for today. Until next week, happy writing to you all.