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October
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Maryland Author: Ronald Malfi Genre: Horror
“The Sun Also Rises is probably the greatest American novel ever written.” Ronald Malfi
Ronald Malfi (1977 - ) An award-winning author of many novels and novellas in the horror, mystery, and thriller categories from various publishers, in 2009 his crime drama, Shamrock Alley, won a Silver IPPY Award. In 2011, his ghost story/mystery novel, Floating Staircase, was a finalist for the Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Award for best novel, received a Gold IPPY Award for best horror novel, and the Vincent Preis International Horror Award. His novel Cradle Lake garnered him the Benjamin Franklin Independent Book Award (silver) in 2014, while December Park, his epic coming-of-age thriller, won the Beverly Hills International Book Award for suspense in 2015. Most recognized for his haunting, literary style and memorable characters, Malfi's dark fiction has gained acceptance among readers of all genres. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, and eventually relocated to the Chesapeake Bay area, where he currently resides with his wife and two daughters. Learn more about Ronald Malfi at: www.ronmalfi.com.
Genre: Horror - This type of fiction is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten, scare, disgust, or startle its readers or viewers by inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie and frightening atmosphere. Horror is frequently supernatural, though it can be non-supernatural. Often the central menace of a work of horror fiction can be interpreted as a metaphor for the larger fears of a society.
A partial reading list includes: Floating Staircase; The Narrows; December Park; Little Girls; The Night Parade
Writer's Prompt Responses
Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA) invites you to have fun writing part of a horror story using only 100 words. In your 100 words, weave together the main character (a Barista), a second character (you pick), an abandoned movie set, a broken shovel, a flood, and the color orange.
Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA) invites you to have fun writing part of a horror story using only 100 words. In your 100 words, weave together the main character (a Barista), a second character (you pick), an abandoned movie set, a broken shovel, a flood, and the color orange.
Toya Dover - MD Independent - Brandywine, MD
Malfi breathlessly crept through the dark alley of the eerily abandoned movie set . From the corner of his eye, an angry flash of brilliant orange and yellow flames hungrily licked at his frame.
Feverishly trying to outpace his aggressor, he tripped over a broken, jagged edged shovel, which catapulted in mid-air, finally resting in his left temple.
Momentarily blinded by the drizzle of blood streaming down his face, he was able to make out the hazy shadow of a familiar face. No! It couldn’t possibly be the barista who had made his skinny venti latte with RIP etched atop the foam.
Malfi breathlessly crept through the dark alley of the eerily abandoned movie set . From the corner of his eye, an angry flash of brilliant orange and yellow flames hungrily licked at his frame.
Feverishly trying to outpace his aggressor, he tripped over a broken, jagged edged shovel, which catapulted in mid-air, finally resting in his left temple.
Momentarily blinded by the drizzle of blood streaming down his face, he was able to make out the hazy shadow of a familiar face. No! It couldn’t possibly be the barista who had made his skinny venti latte with RIP etched atop the foam.
Lawrence McGuire - MD Independent - Waldorf, MD
Metal scraped concrete.
Delvina Trace, clutching a flashlight, followed the din to the unsound "Slaughterhouse Live" set. She found fellow barista, Grania Gaines, kneeling there, arms moving from left to right.
"Grania, our urban explorings over. A storm is coming."
"I am the storm."
"Where's Keesha and Erin?"
"I killed them. With this."
Grania showed off a shovel, its handle broken, its blade honed to a blood-bright edge. She rose, marionette-like. Her eyes gleamed orange.
Delvina knelt in trash, warm, soaked, and salty-smelling. "E-E-Every god needs a prophet."
Outside, the storm unleashed a flood that drowned the thing's cleaving laughter.
Metal scraped concrete.
Delvina Trace, clutching a flashlight, followed the din to the unsound "Slaughterhouse Live" set. She found fellow barista, Grania Gaines, kneeling there, arms moving from left to right.
"Grania, our urban explorings over. A storm is coming."
"I am the storm."
"Where's Keesha and Erin?"
"I killed them. With this."
Grania showed off a shovel, its handle broken, its blade honed to a blood-bright edge. She rose, marionette-like. Her eyes gleamed orange.
Delvina knelt in trash, warm, soaked, and salty-smelling. "E-E-Every god needs a prophet."
Outside, the storm unleashed a flood that drowned the thing's cleaving laughter.
Moira Gillen - Cumberland Times - News - LaVale, MD
The handle splintered as she finished tamping down the last shovelful of dirt.
It had been such a blow to the community when that flood had halted filming – local shops had been counting on the tourism a movie would bring – but now she was glad. No one had been to the abandoned set in months.
She checked her watch in the streetlight’s orange glow, excited to get to work and tell Jess that, after months of missing pets, threatening phone calls, and useless restraining orders, Chad wouldn’t be bothering the baristas at Joe’s anymore. Chad wouldn’t be bothering *anyone* anymore.
The handle splintered as she finished tamping down the last shovelful of dirt.
It had been such a blow to the community when that flood had halted filming – local shops had been counting on the tourism a movie would bring – but now she was glad. No one had been to the abandoned set in months.
She checked her watch in the streetlight’s orange glow, excited to get to work and tell Jess that, after months of missing pets, threatening phone calls, and useless restraining orders, Chad wouldn’t be bothering the baristas at Joe’s anymore. Chad wouldn’t be bothering *anyone* anymore.
Myriah Strozykowski - Cumberland Times-News - LaVale, MD
“Hello?” The barista’s voice echoed through the rafters.
Soundlessly, a figure moved from the shadows, making her start and nearly spill the orange paper cups she carried.
“What a costume!” Her laugh was forced. “A note at work asked me to deliver coffee to the set of ‘The Flood’?”
Without a word, it took another step forward.
“Maybe there’s been a mistake; this place looks abandoned?” She started to back away but stumbled over the broken shovel prop behind her.
When, still, it didn’t speak, only continued towards her, she opened her mouth to scream, but it was too late.
“Hello?” The barista’s voice echoed through the rafters.
Soundlessly, a figure moved from the shadows, making her start and nearly spill the orange paper cups she carried.
“What a costume!” Her laugh was forced. “A note at work asked me to deliver coffee to the set of ‘The Flood’?”
Without a word, it took another step forward.
“Maybe there’s been a mistake; this place looks abandoned?” She started to back away but stumbled over the broken shovel prop behind her.
When, still, it didn’t speak, only continued towards her, she opened her mouth to scream, but it was too late.
Marcel Jewell - Enterprise - Mechanicsville, MD
Thomas was in the car, on his way to work as a barista at Java Loco Café. He passe d the movie set that has been abandoned since the flood; and thought he saw a woman covered in blood throw down a broken shovel and run into the woods. “Maybe they are filming there for some reason,” Thomas thought, “but where were the cameras?”
Thomas looked in his rearview mirror back at the abandon movie set but the bright orange glare of the rising sun was all he saw.
Thomas was in the car, on his way to work as a barista at Java Loco Café. He passe d the movie set that has been abandoned since the flood; and thought he saw a woman covered in blood throw down a broken shovel and run into the woods. “Maybe they are filming there for some reason,” Thomas thought, “but where were the cameras?”
Thomas looked in his rearview mirror back at the abandon movie set but the bright orange glare of the rising sun was all he saw.
Tiffany Butler - Calvert Recorder - Deale, MD
“The water’s rising!”
You’ve landed a speaking role and you’re sure this is your big break. You repeat your line, emphasizing each syllable differently, testing them on your tongue, trying on various dramatic facial expressions.
The barista, on delivery, impatiently moves aside a broken orange shovel to set the steaming paper cups on the desk. “It’s about a flood,” you say to his retreating back as he glances at the detritus on the vacant movie set, exits, and leaves you to wonder who ordered coffee.
You have a single line. This is your only chance. This has got to work.
“The water’s rising!”
You’ve landed a speaking role and you’re sure this is your big break. You repeat your line, emphasizing each syllable differently, testing them on your tongue, trying on various dramatic facial expressions.
The barista, on delivery, impatiently moves aside a broken orange shovel to set the steaming paper cups on the desk. “It’s about a flood,” you say to his retreating back as he glances at the detritus on the vacant movie set, exits, and leaves you to wonder who ordered coffee.
You have a single line. This is your only chance. This has got to work.
Patsy Snyder - Cumberland Times - Ridgeley, WV
Working as a barista was exhausting. Then my flood damaged car wouldn’t start. So wh en Rose, offered me a ride home, I accepted. “One stop first” Rose said, which turned out to be an abandoned movie set. “Terrific", I thought as I followed her. Stepping around fast food garbage and a broken shovel, Rose led me into a room with a mirror. Legend said anyone looking into the mirror would see their true self. Rose looked into the mirror revealing an orange and blood streaked skull. Only I could see the mirror image and Rose’s face were now the same!
Working as a barista was exhausting. Then my flood damaged car wouldn’t start. So wh en Rose, offered me a ride home, I accepted. “One stop first” Rose said, which turned out to be an abandoned movie set. “Terrific", I thought as I followed her. Stepping around fast food garbage and a broken shovel, Rose led me into a room with a mirror. Legend said anyone looking into the mirror would see their true self. Rose looked into the mirror revealing an orange and blood streaked skull. Only I could see the mirror image and Rose’s face were now the same!