Plagued by horrific boogeyman nightmares since childhood, Murray Thompson is deathly afraid of the things that he thinks “go bump in the night”. The one thing that keeps him grounded is his psychiatrist of many years, Dr. Rosen. With regular visits since he was 11 years old, Murray feels progress should have been made already, but with his dreams becoming more intense and “real”, he thinks something needs to be done. Going to see his family, Murray believes that this is the break he needs to keep sane. Feeling at home, and safe around his family, it works for a time. But when the nightmares start up again, he once more relies on Dr. Rosen for help. Once back, Dr. Rosen takes Murray on a journey to root out his longtime phobia and find out if there is cause for his fear or all in his mind.
Read an excerpt!
Prologue
The clouds perforated the moonlit sky in a dance macabre. The street lamplight’s bulb flickered, and blew out.
The sound of a cat screeched through the nearby alleyway as it knocked over the lid of a steel trash can it had been hiding under for shelter. Along the heavily tree-lined, dimly lit street, cars were neatly parked while their owners nestled inside the safety of their homes, sleeping soundly.
Sixteen year-old Abigail Moorehouse walked home as usual after her shift at the all night diner. With her mp3 player tucked neatly in her jeans pocket, she plugged the earphones tightly in her ears while moving to the beat of the music as it soothed her. She never could get used to walking alone in the dark late at night. If she wasn’t forced to take a job after school to help her mother support her two younger brothers she would be in the comforts of her own bed right now. Her feet ached as she continued her pace.
The music ceased in her ears. She knew the battery must have died.
Irritated, she removed the earphones and placed the player in her apron pocket instead. One more block to go she knew and quickened her pace. The night breeze began to blow a slight chill that surrounded her so she wrapped her arms about her for warmth.
Behind the tree ahead, the unseen dark figure hid waiting. Abigail hastened her pace as she felt a familiar pit in her stomach. The kind she sensed when she knew something was about to happen, and her instincts set off a jumble of warnings.
As she reached the tree the figure stepped out, grabbed her from behind with a firm hand to her mouth and a sharp blade to her throat. Her fingernails dug into the assailant’s firm grip as she tried to scream but her mouth was muffled. She stumbled, scratching and kicking his legs. Twisting, turning every which way. Her family’s faces flashed before her eyes. She wasn’t giving up, not now.
Tears stung her eyes as she continued her fight. She bit his hand, for a brief moment freed from his grasp. He pulled back on her hair as she kicked and screamed. Lights to the surrounding homes turned on as the owners emerged from their doors to see what the ruckus was all about. He pushed Abigail down on the ground the moment he wanted to shove the knife he carried deep into her back. Too late.
A young man came running from one of the homes to her aide. “Back off of her! Someone call 911!” Her attacker was up and running as two more men followed on his heels. He was too fast for them and gone from sight before they could see his face.
“Are you all right, miss? Here, let me help you up. The police were called and on their way.”
She was visibly shaken and still crying. “Thank you for saving me,” she managed in a whisper.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe now.”
She heard one of the approaching policemen say how lucky she was compared to the girl two nights ago.
“Come now, Miss, you’re all right. We have an ambulance on the way to take you to the hospital. Can we call your parents?”
Abigail handed him her cell phone.
“You’re a very lucky girl. We will find the person that did this to you, I promise.”
The music ceased. More abrupt and more impact.
Read the reviews!
"The characterization is excellent. I quite like the interactions between Murray and Doctor Rosen. I also like the psychological horror element of the book. It's a far cry from most YA horror which, if anything, pays only lip service to the psyche side of horror. I think it's remarkable that a young adult book focuses so much on older characters as well. You never see that."
--Rosser's Relaxed Reading Reviews
PURCHASE BOOGEDYMAN AT MUSEITUPPUBLISHING.COM OR AMAZON!
The writing team of AP Miller lives in sunny and mostly warm Las Vegas, Nevada with their three dogs who are plotting for world domination, and they wouldn't have it any other way. Their writing is based on the belief that readers' needs are of the utmost importance. They are committed to meeting those needs. Their readers are very important to them and they enjoy meeting and hearing from each and every one. They welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best books possible in the industry.
Visit AP Miller online at http://apmiller.weebly.com/.
No comments:
Post a Comment