Beyond the Red Door Excerpt

Beyond the Red Door

The Demon Series Part 2

Excerpt

Fairfield, California, 2012

Taylor stood before the old house.

Jesse grinned. “So, what do you think?”

She took a step closer. Crossing her arms, she looked up at the building. “What did you call this place again?”

“The Starke house.”

“And you say some serial killer lived here over fifty years ago?”

“Yep.”

“And he buried twelve boys in his basement?”

“You can check for yourself, if you don’t believe me.”

She studied him, her blonde hair falling down into her eyes. “I just might do that, Mr. Miller.”

Jesse’s grin widened. “You haven’t heard all of it.”

“You’re telling me there’s more to this story?”

“You have no idea.”

“Well?”

Lowering his voice, he leaned in. “It’s been said, Starke killed a teen in this house, in 1962.”

“Didn’t you say he was executed, in 1956?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Let me guess. His ghost rose up from Hell and slayed him.”

He shrugged. “To be honest, I think it was the demon.”

Taylor’s brow furrowed.

“I read Starke made a deal to raise his little brother from the dead—if he sacrificed thirteen boys to a demon.”

“Wait, if there was some sort of pact with a demon to raise Starke’s little brother, then when this teen—”

“Max Jensen.”

She paused. “If Max Jensen was killed by this demon, as you say, wouldn’t that have completed the pact?”

“Now that you mention it, there were stories of a five-year-old kid found wandering the streets, that same night. The kid was the spitting image of Starke’s little brother.”

Again, her brow furrowed. “But why Max? Surely, people have gone into the cellar before that day.”

“A bag, a knife, and a chip of wood were found just inside the door. The knife had blood on it. They think he was trying to take a piece of the door and cut himself.”

“And he bled on the ground.” She nodded. “You’re not saying you actually believe any of this.”

The corner of Jesse’s mouth curled. “You want to know what happened to the little kid, don’t you.”

“I never said…” She pursed her lips. “Okay, what happened to him?”

“He was adopted by the people who found him. Wasn’t long after that they moved. From time to time, for years after, a reporter would track him down and dredge the whole Starke thing up, to make a fast buck. But, after some time, he dropped off the map.”

“So, as far as you can tell, he’s just some regular Joe.” She hesitated. “What I don’t get is why Max was down there in the first place? What was he doing trying to take a piece of the door?”

“My best guess? Someone bullied him into it.”

“You’re serious.”

“What can I say? Things never change, it seems.” He sighed. “But, like I said, check it out for yourself, if you don’t believe me.”

New Cover for Beyond the Red Door

Beyond the Red Door

The Demon Series Part 2

Fresh Edit, New Cover, More Gore...

Fifty years to the day Max Jensen walked into the Starke house, Jesse Miller is throwing a party.

Jesse wants to go down in high school history as the kid to remember. Only problem is, he may just get his wish. If he thought throwing a party in the long abandoned house of a serial killer would do it, then he would be right. But what happens that night at the old Starke house isn't something you want to remember...not if you ever want to sleep again. Performing a mock ceremony to raise Starke from the dead proves to be a mistake of monumental proportion. And by the time Jesse realizes he is in over his head, he must now worry about keeping that same head on his shoulders. 

What would you do if the only way out was to go Beyond the Red Door...into the very mouth of hell?

WARNING: This book contains extreme violence and language that may be offensive to some readers.

The Red Door Review

Diana Coyle ~ Night Owl Reviews

5 Stars

Max Jensen, a sixteen year old, has to adjust to a brand new move into a different school district. On his first day of school while trying to grab a seat in his first class, he meets Jimmy Davidson, one of the class bullies. Jimmy begins tormenting Max and it doesn’t end there. Jimmy tells Max that he wants him to meet him and his friends after school, behind the gym. Reluctantly, Max goes to accept his fate. When they all meet up, Jimmy tells him he won’t leave him alone unless he proves himself to the boys. His task is to enter the Starke house at midnight on September 9th and chip a piece of red “paint” off from the basement door. This is the very door that is rumored to be coated with blood from twelve children’s murders. Does Max accept the challenge? Does he make it out of the house safe and sound if he does go? Is the story of the Starke house fact or fiction?

I loved this story and I can honestly say I’m James’ number one fan now! I highly recommend this story and I eagerly can’t wait to sink my teeth into the sequel. Well done!

The Red Door Excerpt

The Red Door: The Thirteenth Boy

The Demon Series Part 1

Excerpt

Fairfield, California, 1962

“Did I say you could walk here?”

Max stopped short, as someone reached a leg out and rested their boot on the seat of the desk across the aisle, blocking the way. “Didn’t realize I needed to ask permission.”

“What did you say to me?” The boy took his foot from the desk and placed it in the middle of the aisle. Standing, he was mere inches from Max.

Max shook his head. “Look, whatever you’re going to do just do it now and get it over with, so I can get to my seat.”

The boy pulled himself up to the full six feet of his stature, where he stood eye to eye with Max. “What are you, thick or something? Do you know who you’re talking to?”

Max met the boy’s gaze, the only thing blacker than the boy’s eyes being the black hair now falling into them. “No. But I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

The dark-haired boy smirked and swatted a blond-haired boy, sitting on the top of a desk, with the back of his hand. The smile fell from the dark-haired boy’s face, and he pressed his fingertips upon Max’s chest. “I’ll tell you who.”

He gave Max a shove. There was something behind Max and he fell, his books flying out onto the tile floor with a loud smack.

All eyes in the classroom turned upon Max; conversations now replaced with titters and guffaws.

The dark-haired boy kneeled next to him. Leaning over Max, he poked a finger into Max’s chest. “Jimmy Davidson. That’s who. And don’t you forget it.”

Once more, Max met his gaze. “No worries. I won’t.”

Jimmy chuckled to himself, and slapping Max lightly on the face, he then offered him his hand.

Max eyed Jimmy’s hand. “You don’t actually expect me to take that, do you?”

“What? You don’t trust me?” Jimmy’s expression took on an exaggerated pout. “I think I’m hurt.” The surrounding four boys laughed, as they gathered around Max. “You’re going to have to start trusting me some time. It may as well be now.”

Max sat forward and collected his books. “Must it be?” Again they all laughed.

“You know what? I think I’m beginning to like this guy.” He swatted Max on the chest with the back of his hand, much as he had the boy on the desk a moment earlier. “Tell you what, considering you’ve been such a good sport about this whole thing, I’m going to give you a second chance.”

“Lucky me.”

A grin spread across Jimmy’s face, and he stood. “This guy cracks me up.”

“Nice to know you consider me good for something.”

Jimmy nodded. “Not bad, for your first day…?”

“Max Jensen.” Max climbed to his feet.

“Well, Max Jensen, if you want to make it up to me, meet me out back of the gym after school.”

“Make it…Make what up to you? What is it I am supposed to have done, other than let you make a fool of me?”

“I can’t have anyone disrespecting me. You know how it is.”

“Yeah, I do, as a matter of fact.” Max brushed his hand over his pant leg.

“Good. As long as we understand each other.”

“More than you know.”

New Cover for The Red Door: The Thirteenth Boy, Demon Series Part I

The Red Door

Fresh Edit, New Cover, More Gore...

Max is your typical 16-year-old kid trying to navigate his way through yet another high school, in 1962. 

Unable to avoid the bullies that love to torment everyone in their sight, Max plays along. But when they demand he go into the abandoned Starke house at midnight, on the anniversary of the serial killer's execution, Max is not overly anxious to comply. For it is said Starke reappears at the scene of the crime, back to where he buried all those boys in his basement. 

Given the task of returning with a chip of blood from the basement door, Max heads into the house, determined to make fools out of every one of them. For only a fool would believe in such nonsense…right?

WARNING: This book contains extreme violence and language that may be offensive to some readers.

The Red Door Rerelease

The Red Door:

The Thirteenth Boy

The Demon Series Part I

Rereleased March 3, 2017

The Red Door has a fresh edit and a new cover.

WARNING: Gory violence

Click here to buy

The Red Door Series

I am about to launch a series of stories that started as The Red Door.

I never planned on writing a part two, or three...now I have just completed Part Six and Seven, which will be the end of the series. But then, who knows, I may come up with new adventures for the characters of the series.

Parts one through five are to be released, one a month, starting the beginning of March. By then I'll have part six and seven edited, and hopefully accepted for publication with my amazing publisher, Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. That way they can be released on the heels of part five.

I guess I should clarify something, part one and two, have a fresh edit, and will have a new cover.

I am hoping part six will tie up the loose ends of one character that was mentioned but never expanded upon. And part seven will expand on a character introduced in part five.

Once all parts have been released, the series will then be available as a hard-copy, novel-length book to be purchased from amazon.

I've decided to call this The Demon Series, with each of the first three installations focusing on a main character and their story. Part four brings forward an old character, and part five has several of the characters coming back.

Part six focuses on the life of a character I hadn't planned to write about, but while working on final edits of part one with my editor, the seed was planted, and I had to run with it and expand on it.

In the first version of The Red Door, I held back on the violence. But with the new version, I have decided to let my imagination take over and got a bit descriptive with the gore.

Just one thing I need to say, in order to know the whole story you need to read to the end of the series.

I hope you enjoy!