Exactly ten days ago, as you will recall from my recent blog post, I met at a local coffee shop with one Mr. Eldritch Black. A rather curious gentlemen and fellow author here on Whidbey Island, Mr. Black writes creepy books for the purpose of scaring youngsters. We’ve asked him not to do this terrible thing, however the children seem to enjoy these tomes of his, so I guess it’s all for the better. Weirdbey Island
Since becoming an author myself just over a year ago with “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies“, I’ve had the blessing (and sometimes curse) of connecting with numerous other authors. Quite a few have kindly shared their works, most often in the form of e-books — some with audiobooks. Over the past year I have received so many of each I can’t keep up with them. Mr. Black generously foisted some of his upon me — two from his Weirdbey Island series along with The Book of Kindly Deaths.
A few months ago I had the opportunity to listen to the first of the Weirdbey Island books — The Pirates of Penn Cove. Despite Mr. Black’s purpose of scaring children, I being an adult found I rather enjoyed the story. His story of Island newcomer, Dylan, was unsettling at every turn — and the locations were written much as they are in real life right here on Whidbey! For his generosity, and whatever possibly twisted reasoning behind it, I wanted to return Mr. Black’s courtesy with my online review.
Today I started Weirdbey Island book #2 — The Day of the Jackalope — and it’s already off to a bizarre and unnerving start. Dylan is with his friends leading their own investigations into the mysterious going-ons on Whidbey Island. These books have been a delight for the sheer sake that they remind me of the creepy books I read as a kid. It is a nostalgia-blast that takes me back to the first two books of the Bunnicula series.
As time permits I will listen to the audiobook copy of The Book of Kindly Deaths … not that I really want to, I just want to make sure the children out there are safe. Weirdbey Island
This has been an attempt to write in similar style to the story-telling you will find in these first few Weirdbey Island books. Frankly, they’re a lot of fun, and I hope you and the children in your life will enjoy them as much as I have. Both of the Weirdbey Island books above are delightfully narrated by J. Scott Bennett.
~ Best, Don
Eldritch Black ~ Links
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