- Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
- Release Date: January 17, 2015
- Length: 201 Pages
- Published by: Katharsys Pictures Publishing
- Buy Links: Amazon
- My Rating: 4.5 Heart-Stopping Hearts
- My Reaction: Anytime a book can make me question reality, fear dark shadows, & afraid to turn the lights off, it is horror done right.
Hundreds of years ago their battle began . . .
In an age of knights and sorcery, a good king must raise a monster to protect his people from the demon unleashed by a dark-hearted enemy determined to claim his kingdom. But once called forth upon blood-drenched fields, can such evil ever be truly laid to rest?
To a present day community held hostage by fear, a serial killer will soon be the least of its worries after two off-duty firefighters enter a forest and find a grave. What they dig up isn’t a victim or family pet. When they race from the woods, they bring a timeless hell with them . .
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Before we get to my review of In The Woods, I'd like to thank Nancy for stopping by to answer some questions. Only a couple - I promise!
Was it easier or more challenging to write a book based on a screenplay, to start with someone else's vision of a story and turn it into a book with the Nancy Gideon signature?
Not easier or more challenging – just different! It was definitely an adjustment using someone else’s interpretation of a story when I might have gone in a different direction (sometimes something as simple as the difference between a male and a female’s POV), but what a fun and unique opportunity for this movieaholic! Since I write my first drafts basically as a glorified screenplay, building from that framework came naturally. I had the dialogue and scene action but I got to create everything else from scratch: character backstory and motivations, the descriptions, development of secondary storylines and characters to breathe literary life into the outline the way the camera, special effects, and sound techs would the film. And the bonus was I didn’t have to work on a shoestring budget. The only limit was my imagination.
In The Woods Review:
My Rating: 4.5 Carve Your ♥ Out Hearts!!
To a present day community held hostage by fear, a serial killer will soon be the least of its worries after two off-duty firefighters enter a forest and find a grave. What they dig up isn’t a victim or family pet. When they race from the woods, they bring a timeless hell with them . .
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Before we get to my review of In The Woods, I'd like to thank Nancy for stopping by to answer some questions. Only a couple - I promise!
Was it easier or more challenging to write a book based on a screenplay, to start with someone else's vision of a story and turn it into a book with the Nancy Gideon signature?
Not easier or more challenging – just different! It was definitely an adjustment using someone else’s interpretation of a story when I might have gone in a different direction (sometimes something as simple as the difference between a male and a female’s POV), but what a fun and unique opportunity for this movieaholic! Since I write my first drafts basically as a glorified screenplay, building from that framework came naturally. I had the dialogue and scene action but I got to create everything else from scratch: character backstory and motivations, the descriptions, development of secondary storylines and characters to breathe literary life into the outline the way the camera, special effects, and sound techs would the film. And the bonus was I didn’t have to work on a shoestring budget. The only limit was my imagination.
Lynn Drzick, the screenwriter and director of
IN THE WOODS was a dream to work with, full of ideas and enthusiasm, and
thrilled to see his vision fleshed out in book format the way he’d imagined it
for the big screen. We recently got
together with DJ Perry, the leading man, to do a voice over commentary for the
new Blu-ray and Video on Demand release of the IN THE WOODS film! 15 years
later and it was like no time had passed at all. And while we were enjoying Lynn’s homemade
scones, we couldn’t resist beginning to plot ITW II!
It’s
obvious you're a fan of horror movies & books. Is horror a genre you
are interested in exploring as a writer? Is there a horror book or maybe
a series in your writing future?
I read
horror long before I read romance. If I could do Dean Koontz-type justice to a
horror series, I’d be all over it! I
love to plot and I like a dark, twisty tale to sink my teeth into. You never know. It’s all just a matter of
focus.
What
can fans expect to see next from Nancy Gideon?
I wouldn’t be able to face you if I wasn’t
working on the next book in the “By Moonlight” series! UNLEASHED BY SHADOWS
should be finished by late summer. The
first three books in my “Midnight” vampire romance series (looong out of print)
are being re-released by ImaJinn Books. All nine books are being updated with
new covers and will come out one per month beginning in July! After that, maybe
it’ll be time to explore that darker side.
Staying
with the book/movie theme, what throws a scare into you? Gives you the heebie-jeebies?
- Horror books/authors: in a good way-Dean Koontz and Stephen King, in a creeped out way-Clive Barker. The Stand and Lightning are two of my favorite books.
- Horror movies: in a good way-Cabin in the Woods, Odd Thomas, The Crazies, the Woman in Black, in a Oh Hell No way – Mirrors, Hostel and Final Destination. Heart-jumping yes. Hurlingly graphic, no!
- Horror characters: The monsters from Creature Feature. I just loved their tragic tales. If you haven’t watched The Strain, American Horror Story or Penny Dreadful, you don’t know what you’re missing.
In The Woods Review:
If asked, I’d say I’m not a fan of horror, not a fan of getting scared out of my skin...yet I’m a fan of
King, Hitchcock, & Poe. I’ve gone to
bed more than once hesitant to turn the lights off after a late night of
reading or a horror movie marathon. I
think what that says is that I’m a fan of good writing in any genre, including horror
done right. After learning that Nancy
Gideon had a horror book, I knew I had to read it. I snuggled into my comfy spot on the sofa,
cracked open the cover of In The Woods, and a couple of hours or so later, I
read the last page and closed the book. Glancing around, I noticed the dark shadows now lurking menacingly around the corners of
the room. Night noises taunted me,
daring me to make a mad dash for the safety of my bedroom. I reached up to turn out the lights…no, not yet...maybe
I should leave the lights on…just in case I have to get up during the night…don’t
want to trip over something…yes, best to leave the lights on…at least for a
little while. And there you have it –
horror done right. Anytime a book can
make me question reality, fear shadows, and afraid to turn off the lights, it is horror done right.
In The Woods opens in medieval times with Prince Freeacas
leading the charge to save his lands and heritage from an evil force so deadly,
so horrifying, that even the bravest of knights turn tail and run. King Haggert travels to Sethrye, making a
deal with a sorcerer for dark magic to save his people and loved ones. He doesn't realize that dark magic comes at a high price - one more precious than silver or gold. The evil beast is eradicated, its body journeying
with men traveling to the New World, bearing instructions to bury the beast in
the middle of a forest, and so they do.
The grave lies within a circle of barren ground, guarded only by a cross,
as centuries come and go. But is true evil
immortal? Is it dead and buried forever…or
just lying in wait?
Fast forward many years to a small town community, living in
fear. People are disappearing without a
trace. Could one of the town’s people be
a serial killer? Two friends entered the
woods on a day hike, a day away to unwind.
They came upon a grave lying in a circle of barren ground, guarded by a
cross. Could this be where the serial
killer is burying victims? If so, the
families deserve closure…the chance to give their loved ones a proper
burial. The men tossed aside the cross
and began digging. One of them removed an
old bag wrapped in ancient leather thongs from the grave, ripped it open, and
an evil transcending centuries sent them racing from the woods.
"Behind them in the woods, in the strange clearing that had
been unvisited for centuries, where dirt spilled back from a gaping rave, a
thick mist rose. From out of that
blanket of fog, something shifted and began to move. Something that had no business stirring in
this modern century. The dark form
gathered and grew, taking a monstrous, unholy shape that lingered only an
instant to taste the air, to stare in the direction the firemen had taken,
before disappearing into the trees." (from In The Woods)
An evil force descends upon the town. Bloody body parts begin appearing in one of
the men’s backyards, almost like a gift, an offering. Are they pointing an
accusatory finger at this firefighter. Are the bloody offerings from the bodies
of victims of the serial killer? Could
this firefighter be the serial killer? Something is horribly amiss here. No one is safe. A reign of terror has begun.
In The Woods should be experienced firsthand. It’s hard to talk about the storyline without
giving away spoilers, so I’ll just say it has all the elements of horror done
right. But it’s the author's expert use of what I
call the human element and a soft kiss of romance that upped the stakes and
took it to the next level – making me really care about these characters. The couple struggling to save their marriage,
the firefighter trying to drown his guilt in alcohol, the young, innocent girl
lured from her first car on a dark road at night – all people I fear for and all
in danger from the unknown evil descending upon the community. And there it is - horror done right. Nancy Gideon’s In The Woods will have you
looking over your shoulder, peering into shadows, and sleeping with the lights
on. Fans of horror, thrillers, and
suspense will love this book. It is a
Must Read! Crack open the book and…don’t
forget to leave the lights on!
My Rating: 4.5 Carve Your ♥ Out Hearts!!
Under her own name, she’s a bestseller in contemporary romantic suspense, has written an award-winning vampire romance series, and has a six book shape-shifter series with Pocket Books. Also listed on the International Movie Database (IMDB), she collaborated on Indie horror films In the Woodsand Savage with screenwriting and ADR script credits, and even played a small role, that of “bar extra.”
Writing historical romance as Dana Ransom, she’s a “Career Achievement for Historical Adventure” and “K.I.S.S.” award winner with books published in Romanian, Italian, Russian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, German, Icelandic and Chinese.
As Rosalyn West, she’s a HOLT Medallion winner with nominations for “Best North American Historical Romance” and “Best Historical Book in a Series.”
A prolific writer, Nancy attributes her creative output, which once peaked at seven novels in one year, to her love of history and a gift for storytelling. She also credits the discipline learned through a background in journalism and OCD. The due date for her third book and her second son were on the same day . . . and both were early! When on deadline, she turns on the laptop between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. to get a chapter in before heading in to her full time job as a legal assistant. She’s a member of GDRWA, MMRWA, FF&P and dotes on her critique group.
6 comments:
Sandra, thanks for the awesome review!! So glad you came aboard the IN THE WOODS tour. Remember to leave the light on!
Happy to be part of the tour, Nancy. Thank you for another great book! IN THE WOODS is horror done right. My lights are on!
Thanks so much for participating in the IN THE WOODS blog tour, Sandra - You ROCK!!!
My pleasure Florence!
A horror with some history and romance in there too - sounds like there's a lot of elements to this story which is great. Great excerpt!
I really enjoyed the mix of history & present day with the added element of a little romance to raise the intensity & stakes. Great read!
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