Award Winning Author

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Karen Dales is the Award Winning Author of "The Chosen Chronicles" which include "Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen Chronicles," "Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen Chronicles," and "Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen Chronicles." She is currently at work on "Thanatos: Book Three of the Chosen Chronicles" and a Historical Romance set in Edo Japan.
Karen loves receiving emails from fans. If you'd like to email her:

karendales@karendales.com

www.karendales.com

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The Dark: A Short Story for Hallowe'en

THE DARK 


I wrote the following flash fiction to see if I could. I hope you enjoy it!

The freezing stone floor set off a spasm of shivering and she awoke, unknowing of her surroundings for they were as pitch. Panic set in. She had been walking to her car. Where was she? How did she get here? Don't panic, she thought in an effort to quiet her malleate heart. Turning over, she crawled on all fours, her hands burning on the cold as they fluttered to feel what she could not see.

Knees aching, her hands scraped against a wall as firm and steadfast as the floor. She whimpered. She needed to get out; needed to be free; needed to bathe in the warm summer sun. 

Following the right angled path of wall and floor, she scrabbled to gain purchase of her surroundings. No sound except for her panicked breath, rasping clothes and tapping fingers, filled her consciousness. She flailed about, searching for a break in the wall, a difference between frozen stone and a possible wooden door, but found none. 

Stumped, unknowing how many circuits of the small room she had spun, she grasped the wall before her and pulled herself up. If there was no indication in the blackness of a door near the floor, then maybe there would be one higher up. Again, hands outstretched before her, she circumambulated the midnight stone room. 

Nothing.

No door. No window. No way in. No way out.

How did I get here? WHERE AM I?! Her mind cried out.

A rasping sound, far above, followed by a chuckle. Something hard hit her on the head before a wash of fluid cascaded, splashing, over her. More laughing, deep and male, before it was cut off by the same rasping sound.

Her back sliding down against the frozen stone, she crumpled to the chilled floor, hugging herself, her tears mingling with the droplets eking their way down her face. She knew now she was captured, that far above, in the darkness, was the door she must have fallen through into this place, this oubliette. It still did not explain why she could not see, why all around her was atramentaceous.

Numb from the cold, her fingers brushed away a droplet threatening to fall in her eye and halted the motion at the strange feeling before her finger tips. Breath staggering, she brought both hands to her eyes and felt –

Nothing.

Her eyes were gone!

Only empty sockets remained!

Mouth opening, she screamed into the darkness. Her tongue was gone, too.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Hallowe'en Skull and Cross Bones Cookies

Last night I mentioned that I made 6 dozen skull and cross bones cookies in my update.

Then people started asking to see photos, so I posted a couple of them of the cookies.





I was then asked to post the recipe, so here it is!

Plain and Simple Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter(softened)/margerine
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 cups of flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk


  1. In a lage bowl, cream together butter/margerine and sugar until smooth.
  2. Add eggs and continue beating until creamy.
  3. Stir in flour and baking powder alternately with the milk, to make a fairy stiff dough.
  4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed a few times by hand to make it smooth and workable.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven 350F.
  7. Cut dough into 4 peices.
  8. Work 1 peice at a time.
  9. Roll onto lightly floured surface to an even 1/4 inch thickness.
  10. Cut out shapes and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
  11. Bake 13 to 15 minues until the cookies are very slightly browned on the bottom, but still light on top.
  12. Let them cool before decorating.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

HALLOWE'EN GIVEAWAY!!!

Hallowe'en is around the corner and what better way to celebrate than having a Giveaway!

There are THREE prizes to win for THREE lucky winners, but to win one of them, you have to enter.

The prizes are:
  •   a signed limited edition of Angel of Death (includes Changeling)
  •   a Kindle/ebook version of Angel of Death
  •  a handmade Angel of Death Doll!
So make sure you enter!   a Rafflecopter giveaway