08/28/2026
Hi everyone! Please check out the first chapter in my new release Haunting in the Savannah Shadows!
Chapter 1
My mother hates me.
A slow, sick churn rolled through me as the plane descended through a ceiling of cloud so low it felt like the sky was pressing its palm against Savannah, holding it still. From my window seat, I watched the land emerge in fragments, the mighty river bending like a dark vein, clusters of roofs half-hidden by trees, and streets dissolving into shade.
My phone vibrated before the wheels touched down.
It was mother.
Of course.
When you arrive, don’t take a taxi. I don’t want strangers knowing the house is empty.
I closed my eyes. Of course, no, I’m glad you’re coming. No, did you land safely? Just instructions, sharp as tacks.
Another message.
Get it ready for sale. Declutter. Neutralize. Make it presentable.
Neutralize. As if the house were a threat.
I watched the cityscape pass under us. It was evening and cloudy, but I could still pick out the grassy squares where tourists would pose for pictures in front of the cooling fountains. My eyes followed the Savannah River, a crooked trail with twinkling lights from riverboats and cars passing over bridges, knowing a desolate road would lead to my lonely, suffocating childhood home. One that filled me with heartache and trepidation, but I was an adult now. I could, should be able to handle these feelings. I was no longer a shade of a terrified child.
My white-knuckled fingers curled around my bag, which I held on my lap under a jacket. The sight of the city and the feelings it engendered made me want to book another plane… a plane that would take me far away from the city and leave this chapter of my life, never to return.
The unease blossomed in my stomach as the city lights disappeared behind the airport building. I felt the bumpiness of the wheels touching down, as the plane hit the runway with a thud that rattled my teeth. I could hear the click, click, click as passengers unbuckled their seatbelts prematurely. The flight attendant grabbed the interphone, warning everyone to remain seated. I had no problem with that. I would be happy to remain seated and wait for the next takeoff. The memory of my mother’s phone call kept me on my trajectory; however, this task would be the last thing I would do for her.
The chimes of phones echoed around me and I glanced at mine, but there were no further messages.
I turned back to the window, waiting for the all-clear for us to deplane, and prayed that any ghosts that remained in the uneasy hallways and rooms that awaited me would stay hidden.
When Abigail returns to her family's crumbling Savannah home, she’s drawn into a maze of haunted memories, long-forgotten whispers, and something lurking deep within the overgrown hedges. The house feels alive with memories, the floorboards creek where no foot steps. Shadows call to her under t...
