New Cryptid Thriller Release – SHADOW OF THE MOTHMAN Haunts Bookshelves
Years after writing books about a host of cryptids – Skunk Apes, Bigfoot, Orang Pendek, Loch Ness Monster, Montauk Monsters, Jersey Devils, Goat Man, Dover Demon and so many more – it was time I finally sat down to write my own Mothman tale. The issue for me always was, the Mothman story from 1967 in Point Pleasant in WV, as chronicled in John Keel’s Mothman Prophecies, is more than just a creepy winged beast lurking in the night skies. It’s literally the whole dang paranormal kitchen sink!
I’ve spent the better part of the last decade trying to come up with a Mothman story I felt was worthy of the bizarre events the people of Point Pleasant experienced. I’m talking about 50-plus concepts that just never floated my cryptid boat. Then, this summer, I had a kernel of an idea that piqued my interest. I said to myself, “Just sit down and write and shut the doubt out of your giant Irish head.” I figured I would write a wild little novella in the vein of To The Devil, A Cryptid. Then I just kept writing, and the book kept growing, until I had a full-fledged novel on my hands.
The question that sparked the idea was – What if a survivor of the Silver Bridge collapse, someone who was not part of the Mothman flap, survived, but was in a coma, waking up in the early 80s, only to find the creature and all of its high strangeness had followed him to his home?
Because any monster book is really about the people, I set the story in a fictionalized MA town based on the one my wife’s grandparents lived in and we would visit every year. I’m talking no-nonsense, salt of the earth types who have zero flights of fancy. How would they react to such a thing? The story revolves around the Silver Bridge survivor, Ken Orsulak, who’s family car plunged into the icy Ohio River when he was 16, and now finds himself a 32 year old man out of time. He’s grappling with the loss of his youth as well as a terrifying mystery that’s taken over the town.
Last but not least, I wanted to write about my favorite stalwart reporter, John Keel himself! It was time to make him a character in the meta tale about the cryptid he had made infamous. He was the real-life Karl Kolchak and deserves more love and attention from folks in my circle.
So there you have it – the inspiration behind SHADOW OF THE MOTHMAN. It’s finally out of my head and now out there for you to grab in ebook or paperback (with audio on the horizon).
I hope you enjoy my take on Mothman! For me, the best part of this is that it’s now mandatory that I take part in the annual Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant. Hope to see you there in September.
If you dig the book, please drop a quick review/rating on Amazon. It’ll keep ol Mothy happy…and you don’t want an angry Mothy patrolling the skies!
Cover Reveal and Release Date for SHADOW OF THE MOTHMAN!
I finally did it! I tackled what I consider to be the most fascinating and perplexing cryptid of them all, the Mothman! The story of the Mothman’s year-long presence in Point Pleasant, West Virginia is one of the strangest moments in US history. I’ve wanted to write a Mothman book over the past 15 years, but I could never find the right story…until now.
We have a release date of December 15th, just in time to make sure you have a cryptid under your tree. It will be available in paperback and ebook from Severed Press. In the words of the late Kinky Friedman, I think the cover is killer bee. What do you think? Anyone anxious to get some Mothman to haunt their dreams?
Come Meet Hunter Shea & How To Have a Proper Horrortober!
Greetings to the hellions far and wide, on both sides of the veil, from basements to belfries! It’s Horrortober, our favorite time of the year. I love it so much, I’ve agreed to crawl out of my lair to make 2 appearances.
First off, on Saturday, October 11th, I’ll be at the wild Halloween Hulabaloo in Lakewood, NJ, signing books, selling cool merch, and maybe some horror themed baked goods. And you never know, I might don my sasquatch costume to terrorize the con. 🙂
Next, on Saturday, October 25th, I’ll be at a multi-author signing at Barnes & Noble in Easton/Bethlehem, PA. There will be copies of Combustible, I Kill in Peace, and Manrattan on hand. Show your love of horror and support us schmoes who write scary stuff for a living.
As we do every year at this time, the Monster Men posted our 31 Nights of Halloween episode, where we didn’t roll the dice, but carefully curated a movie for you to watch each day of the Halloween season. I think, no, I know, this is the best list we’ve ever put out there. Come discover something new or reacquaint yourself with a moldy oldie.
Since I was flirting with the Grim Reaper this time last year, I have to make up for a pretty much lost month. My goal this Horrortober is to watch 80 horror movies. It would be a new personal best. What’s your top movie watch number?
I also have, as always, a few books on my Horrortober TBR. Tell me some of yours!
New Release Day – I KILL IN PEACE!
I am so happy that my most brutal, off the wall book, I Kill in Peace, lives to see another day, thanks to the great folks at Dark Wolf Books. This doozy of a tale had been my last publication with Samhain, just as it was taking on water. It had only been an ebook and it didn’t have a long shelf life because the publisher closed their doors.
Well, the voices in your head have returned, and it’s time to do some very dirty deeds!
When I wrote I Kill in Peace, I thought for sure it was either going to get rejected outright for touching base on a lot of taboo subjects (all wrapped in a warm tortilla of vengeance) or edited to the point of it being about as exciting as a slice of Wonder Bread.
Happily I was wrong. So, what’s in store for those brave enough to dive into this world of madness and carnage?
Some men break under pressure…Peter Blades kills.
Peter was just a regular guy—suburban dad, loyal husband, corporate drone—until the day he lost his job…and his grip on reality. Now, anonymous messages are flooding his devices, giving him an address, a target, and a weapon: a blood-red Mustang and a gleaming scimitar.
First on the list? His smug, power-hungry boss. Next? A child predator hiding in plain sight. Each kill feels more justified than the last—until Peter starts to wonder if justice is even the point anymore.
Haunted by hallucinations, paralyzed by pain if he resists, and unable to confess without collapsing, Peter is a man unraveling fast. And whoever—or whatever—is pulling the strings isn’t done with him yet.
Is Peter saving the world…or helping destroy it?
Gripping, brutal, and darkly disturbing, I Kill in Peace is a descent into controlled madness that asks how far an ordinary man will go when his conscience is no longer his own. Start reading now—and ask yourself: would you do the same?
And before you ask, yes, the movie I Come in Peace did inspire the title. 🙂 Dolf for president!
So, click right here to get the ebook or paperback of I Kill in Peace. Will Peter Blades be your hero, or your worst nightmare?
When you purchase the book, send your proof of purchase to me at huntershea1@gmail.com to be eligible to win a signed copy of Combustible or We Are Always Watching! Happy reading!
The End of the World Has Never Burned So Bright – Combustible Is Here!
What if the world didn’t end with a bang… but with a burn? That’s the question I set out to answer in my latest post-apocalyptic horror novel, Combustible — now available from the fine fiends at Dark Wolf Books.
I’ve written about swamp monsters, undead killers, mutants gone wild, haunted places and people, and cryptids that make Bigfoot look like a teddy bear. But this time, I wanted to dive into the raw, ugly horror of a world collapsing under the weight of something totally out of its control — where society isn’t just broken, it’s on fire. And not metaphorically.
In Combustible, people are literally exploding.
Not all of them. Just anyone who sneezes. Which means it’s coming for you, no matter what! And once it starts, there’s no stopping it. One second you’re sprinkling too much pepper onto your meatloaf, the next you’re a pile of smoldering ash.
Yes, spontaneous human combustion is real — in Combustible, at least. And while I could’ve gone full doom and gloom, I wanted to inject this chaos with a sharp edge of satire. Because let’s face it — if the world really did end due to something as normal as a sneeze, it would be terrifying and kind of hilarious.
This isn’t a quiet horror. It’s loud, visceral, brutal, and sometimes funny. And yet, at its core, it’s about love and survival — about a husband doing anything he can to protect his wife even though their marriage was in flames before the world followed suit.
You’ll laugh. You’ll cringe. You’ll smell burning hair (in your imagination, hopefully).
From flame-worshipping cults to roadside lunatics, no one’s safe and no meltdown goes unnoticed. It’s Zombieland by way of The Road, with a little bit of Warm Bodies sprinkled in for flavor.
A massive thanks to Dark Wolf Books, who jumped at the chance to publish this beast. These folks aren’t afraid to take chances on dark, bloody, emotionally raw horror — the kind that bites and burns. If you’re not already following them, you’re missing out on some of the best indie horror in the game.
If you’re a fan of horror with teeth, apocalypse tales with bite, and humor darker than the inside of a burnt-out SUV, Combustible is calling your name.
⚠️ Warning: May cause spontaneous laughter and/or anxiety the next time you feel a sneeze coming on.
📖 Available now in eBook and paperback:
👉 Get it on Amazon
The Return of WE ARE ALWAYS WATCHING!
Thanks to the great folks at Dark Wolf Books and their new horror line, We Are Always Watching is now back in print and ebook! Inspired by the true crime mystery of the Westfield Watcher House, We Are Always Watching is filled with creeping dread, dark mysteries, and a secret too dangerous to be revealed.
The original cover that was on the Sinister Grin edition was pretty badass, so the folks at Dark Wolf wanted to stick with that theme. This is home invasion horror taken to a whole new level.
About the book:
When West Ridley’s family is forced to abandon New York for a crumbling Pennsylvania farmhouse, he expects misery—but nothing could prepare him for the horrors lurking within its walls. His father’s worsening illness, his mother’s exhaustion, and his grandfather’s drunken ramblings paint a bleak picture of their new reality. But it’s the eerie warnings and shadowed figures that truly unnerve him.
The words “WE SEE YOU” scrawled on his ceiling are just the beginning. Something sinister roams the halls at night, whispering through the silence, watching from the darkness. Grandpa Abraham swears the house is haunted. But the truth is far worse than restless spirits—because in this house, secrets are buried deep, and the Guardians will do anything to keep them hidden.
As the Ridleys unravel the mysteries of their new home, one thing becomes chillingly clear: escape is impossible. No matter where they go, the watchers remain.
A pulse-pounding horror thriller packed with eerie suspense, We Are Always Watching is perfect for fans of Stephen King, Paul Tremblay, and haunted house stories that linger long after the last page. Dare to uncover the truth?
For the first time in many years, I’m also going on a week-long blog tour. During the tour stops, you’ll see new (and I hope interesting) posts by me, Q&A, and some cool giveaways, including a signed copy of the book. The links to the various stops are right here –
June 5 Gail’s Gory Details
https://gailsgorydetails.blogspot.com/
June 5 Sapphyria’s Books
https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/
June 6 Bewitching Book Tours
https://bewitchingbooktours.tumblr.com/
June 6 Paranormalists (Interview)
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/
June 9 Roxanne’s Realm
http://www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
June 9 Liliyana Shadowlyn
https://lshadowlynauthor.com
June 10 The Book Junkie Reads (Interview)
https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blogspot.com/
June 11 Fang-tastic Books
http://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
June 11 The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom (Guest Blog)
http://creativelygreen.blogspot.com/
June 12 Supernatural Central (Interview)
http://supernaturalcentral.blogspot.com
June 12 Lisa’s World of Books
http://www.lisasworldofbooks.net/
So, take a stop on the tour, enter to win some stuff, and most importantly, grab a copy of We Are Always Watching. You may just end up afraid of being in your own house.
A Horror Writer’s Life Review
King of the Cryptids! B-Movie Monster Maker! That Pulp Horror Guy!
I’ve been called all of those things and much more (and far worse!). I wear all of those badges with pride and honor. It’s exactly what I set out to do when I started scribbling stories back in the 90s when I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston was the #1 song in the world, and the first Jurassic Park was lighting up the big screen. Folks always said, “Oh, you want to be the next Stephen King.” In the sense that I wanted to write horror and make some money doing it, yes. King money would be incredible. But really, I was hoping to be more along the lines of Guy N Smith, James Herbert, and Hugh B. Cave.
So, for you, kind reader, who has happened upon this page, I wanted to share a bit of my writing journey and showcase the strange little darlings that seeped from my brain pan onto the printed page. You may be new to Hunter Shea, or a tried and true hellion. Come on, follow me (and keep your hands in the car and no flash photography)…
I may be fully immersed now in all things cryptid and monstrous, but I actually started out writing ghost stories. I lived in a haunted house from 1993 – 2019, and for a great part of that time, we had the spirit of a young boy sharing our living space with our family. I liked him a lot because I didn’t have to pay for any food or clothing, but I do wish I could have claimed him as a dependent on my taxes. Needless to say, I became obsessed with ghosts and the afterlife. My first published novel was Forest of Shadows, with the now defunct Samhain Publishing. I went on to make it a trilogy that is still available today. Numerous short stories have since followed in different anthos, and I feel there are more full-length novels that need to be told.
While churning out novels and novellas for Samhain, I came to the attention of an editor at Kensington Publishing, aka Pinnacle books. That editor and I collaborated first on 3 mass market paperbacks (still my favorite format), with 2 focusing on cryptids – the Montauk Monster and the Jersey Devil – and one a post-apocalyptic nightmare. It was pretty damn cool having books available everywhere, including your local Piggly Wiggly.
Samhain eventually goes kerplooie, and I hitch my wagon to Severed Press, where all things cryptid and monstrous really take center stage. I’ve grappled with the Dover Demon, squatches of all kinds, prehistoric ghost sharks, megalodons, the Goat Man, Loch Ness Monster, dinosaurs and even very pissed off killer whales. I’m still publishing with Severed and working on a new story idea as we speak for 2025.
My editor at Kensington came to me about writing a series of novellas about the things you used to be able to order from old comic books. Since we’re both technically 12 year olds, we were giddy as hell to get to work. Out popped the Mail Order Massacre trilogy over the course of one summer. We delved into the horrors of receiving sea monkeys, x-ray specs, and a submarine made of cardboard in the mail.
For our encore, we created a new trilogy of novellas, One Size Eats All! Easily my favorite book covers, this time we had rats invade NYC, a dinosaur eat a Florida town, and a strange fungus turn a camping trip into a nightmare.
And thank heaven my dream editor at Samhain, the legendary Don D’Auria, brought me along when Flame Tree Press when they started their horror line. This really gave me a chance to stretch my wings. I wrote my first slasher with a killer that would make Jason head for the hills, delved into the Melon Heads, and mined my personal life with a tale of real and unimaginable horror.
There are other books that are now out of print (some of them coming back with a new publisher this year!) and even a new one that will be out in 2025. Mostly these days I’m happily working on ghost writing projects outside the horror genre that give me great joy to write (and I’m spared having to do promotion). Sure, I may not be on the NY Times bestseller list, but I know I’ve given a whole lot of people a distraction from the real world. And really, that’s what matters most. I hope you’ll stick with me as I keep on typing away (a little slower now, but still getting it done). There are plenty more monsters that need to come to life!
Recharging Your Batteries
I’m going to come at this topic from the angle of a writer, but it applies to everyone and every endeavor.
Being knocked out for 6+ weeks getting seriously ill and then recovering, the last thing I thought of was writing, even though I had just agreed to pen a new book with a specific deadline. Things were so bad at one point, the thought of watching an episode of The Office was like asking me to scale Everest. Occasionally, I would look at my laptop and know that a few thousand words were in there, waiting to be expanded upon. Then I would see my pillow and collapse on it.
Cut to now and I have no shortage of energy. The drive is getting there. A shortened attention span is hopefully just here for a visit and will soon hit the bricks. There is a book to be written, and I need to get in the proper headspace.
That calls for a recharge. Even though my body is willing, the mind, the will, the drive, needs some bulking up. Daily ra-ra sessions are good ways to get your ass in gear. What am I doing to get myself in the mood? Pretty much what I’ve always done.
I love podcasts. And I love the work of Ernest Hemingway. His aesthetic helped teach me to keep my writing lean and clean. So, it’s no surprise that I’m a big fan of One True Podcast, a deep dive into the works and deeds of not just Hemingway, but other artists of his generation. Hearing Hemingway scholars and other esteemed authors discuss the process, meaning and real-life circumstances around his stories and books always gets me going. I missed a few episodes while I was down and out and have enjoyed catching up.
Writer’s Digest still gets delivered to my house every month. When I first subscribed in the 90s, it was my glossy bible, one I hoped would lead me to the Land of Published Authors. All these years later, with over 40 books under my belt, I’m still reading WD, always learning, always being inspired. I like to read an article or interview just before I sit down to write. Another publication that helps in this regard is The Writer.
Reading as much as I can gets the juices flowing. I don’t just read books in the genre that I’m writing. Life is too short to pigeonhole myself. I drink from a fountain of variety, picking up things both consciously and subconsciously from the great, good, and even bad books. When I read what others are putting out there, it motivates me to finish my own stories.
Last but not least, I look for shows or movies to watch that are in the genre I’m focusing on. If it’s horror, I’m on Shudder or Tubi or combing through my personal library of movies, just absorbing all the bits and pieces. For, say, a book set in the old west, I’ll fire up The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, the Lonseome Dove series, or Silverado. If I want to add a little comedy, I’ll pop in The 40 Year Old Virgin, The Big Lebowski or Dr. Strangelove. You get the idea. I also have a whole section of movies just about writers that I’ll hit every now and then to remind myself why I do what I do.
Way back in the day when I worked in telecom customer service, I would blast heavy metal in my car to psych myself up for another day of problems and getting yelled at. When I saw Dwight on The Office do the same before sales calls, I nearly fell off my chair laughing.
The big question is, how do you recharge your batteries? Is it spending time with your favorite guinea pig? Chopping wood? Hitting the treadmill? Or just vegging out on the couch? Reply in the comments here and I’ll pick some folks to win a signed book. Bring it on!
A Plea for Peace from the Edge
A little over three weeks ago, I was in the Intensive Care Unit wondering if I was going to make it through the night. I was in some pretty rough shape. The one thing that saved me from total panic was the thick fog that had enshrouded my brain. It was if I were a half step removed from everything going on around me.
Luckily, my story has a happy ending. I was stabilized and have been home recovering quicker than expected. I’ve gone from walking with a cane to walking for a half hour without one. I even hit the gym for a super light workout yesterday. So much of my life has changed in just a short amount of time. I have to be mindful of how and what I eat, make sure I stay mobile, build my strength and stamina, set up doctor appointments, and take my meds, some of them unpleasant.
Needless to say, I’ve had my share of downtime, and also time for reflection. Allow me to take a dip into waters I never tread.
It’s been impossible to avoid the election madness leading up to this Tuesday. If I see one more TV ad or find one more postcard in my mailbox, I’ll scream into my pillow, unless my cat Salem is close by. Don’t want to frighten him. He’s kinda skittish.
Since 2015, the word hate has been thrown around as if it were free samples of General Tso chicken at the mall food court. The country is split with hating the candidates. They hate people who oppose their candidate or point of view. They hate Washington. They hate the media. They turn on each other and hate close friends and family.
We’ve all seen and heard some awful things over the past eight or nine years. I watched whole families crumble just because we’ve somehow forgotten how to have civil discourse. People in the horror community and beyond have said and done terrible things, all in the name of ‘my candidate is better than yours’. They talk about the country devolving into socialism or totalitarianism. They rant and rave and provoke and, sometimes, assault.
Stop. Please, please, stop.
None of the things we’ve been told to fear will come to fruition. Our country is run by a giant, and I admit, in need of repair, machine. No one person can topple almost 250 years of history. That’s it. Plain and simple.
This hate, this fear, it’s all a waste of time. I’ve ‘hated’ doctors my entire adult life. Let me tell you, there wasn’t a shred of hate when I was in that ICU, wondering what the hell was happening to me. Nor has there been any of the ‘h’ word during my many follow up visits.
“Darkness cannot cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Because in the end, we all need each other. Everyone brings something to the table, whether it be a rare or special skill, knowledge or wisdom, love, an act of kindness, or even something as simple as a smile on a day when you feel like a dark cloud is following your every move.
If after Tuesday, your side wins, win with dignity. And if your side loses, lose with dignity. Keep the peace. Make your voice heard, peacefully. We must find a way to stop the division and fighting that has been stoked by all sides. Evil loves chaos and hate and dissent. All of this anger has gotten us nowhere. It’s time to move forward and shake off this whispering devil that has been crouched on our shoulder for too long.
In the end, this isn’t a post about politics. It’s a plea for a return to sanity, to loving one another, to peaceful coexistence. Because the dissent has stretched way beyond the political arena. Stop watching and following people who drag us down. Stop filling your mind with hate.
I don’t know about you, but I have plans for Wednesday and beyond. None of them involve living in a world turned upside down just because one person gets to live in a fancy house, and another doesn’t. I have family dinners, birthday parties, holiday celebrations, visits with friends, books to read and write, new things to explore, movies to watch, Final Guys and Monster Men podcasts to record, daughters to see get married and hopefully give me grandkids. You have plenty of wonderful things to experience, too. Let’s all live our lives peacefully and lovingly.
Pretty please.
Book Recommendations for the Halloween Season
If there’s just one thing I love more than sinking into the couch and watching horror flicks, it’s reading horror books. And like every year, I’ve set aside a few reads to get me through the Horrortober season. I admit, I haven’t been reading much horror lately, so this will be a nice month-long foray into my favorite genre. Hope you’re ready, because this year’s list is, ah, eclectic.
I have Jason Brant to thank for this one. How can I resist that title?
Johnny awakes. A puppet looms over his bed.
He recognizes the furry monster: Grandpa was its puppeteer on the children’s television show R-City Street. But Grandpa went missing a year ago. He disappeared from this very apartment building, which was converted from the old R-City Street studio.
Desperate to see Grandpa again, Johnny follows the puppet inside the building’s walls, ever deeper into a puppet-infested labyrinth…
Inept cryptozooloist Hunter Shaya returns for another round of monster mayhem with Armand Rosamilia’s St. Johns River Monster. I feel like I know that character…
In the darkest depths of the St. Johns River, a legend awakens from the shadows of the past. For half a century, the elusive river monster known as Pinkie has remained hidden, its monstrous presence a chilling mystery.
Now, just as a politician stands on the banks of the St. Johns River, the beast resurfaces with a vengeance, igniting a cataclysmic rampage that plunges the unsuspecting citizens of Jacksonville, Florida into a nightmarish battle for survival!
We’re heading to Roswell in the flat-out amazing new series by Preston-Child. I can’t wait!
Lucas Tappan, a wealthy and eccentric billionaire and founder of Icarus Space Systems, approaches the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute with an outlandish proposal—to finance a careful, scientific excavation of the Roswell Incident site, where a UFO is alleged to have crashed in 1947. A skeptical Nora Kelly, to her great annoyance, is tasked with the job.
Nora’s excavation immediately uncovers two murder victims buried at the site, faces and hands obliterated with acid to erase their identities. Special Agent Corrie Swanson is assigned to the case. As Nora’s excavation proceeds, uncovering things both bizarre and seemingly inexplicable, Corrie’s homicide investigation throws open a Pandora’s box of espionage and violence, uncovering bloody traces of a powerful force that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets—and that threatens to engulf them all in an unimaginable fate.
Got a signed copy at a cryptid con this June and have been waiting until now to crack that spine.
In the woods of the Luke Miller State Park, north of Eastham, NJ, an urban legend lives in peace with nature. You don’t bother it and it will leave you alone. A simple rule to live by and one the park rangers enforce.
Unfortunately, Rick and Max don’t know this natural law, and when they come face to face with an immense monster, they react, and in a moment of panic, inadvertently shoot it.
Their actions set off a series of events that leaves Rich, his wife, Kara, Max, and the others fighting for their lives against a force that cannot be stopped. As things spiral out of control, Rich wonders if there’s any way to escape the thing in the woods.
Here’s the big question. What’s on your Horrortober reading list? Share it with hellions far and wide and you might just get a free ebook!
Hunter Shea 