Title:
Hallowed Ground
Author:
Maggie Hawkins
Genre:
Paranormal Suspense Thriller
Book Blurb:
When a buried secret comes back to haunt a small town, its residents learn that you can’t silence the voices of the past.
Some say there are no secrets in a small town, that they just stay dormant, lying in wait for the right messenger. When journalist Cassandra Bell moved to the town of Brookville in upstate New York, she thought she was leaving the madness of the big city behind, but what she found instead was madness of a different kind. The people of Brookville, once ordinary and predictable seem to change personalities overnight. Their behavior is accompanied by a series of strange events – lost time, hallucinations, and memories of a past with which they are unfamiliar. Cassandra had heard of haunted houses, but could it happen to an entire town? Will she be able to get to the bottom of these occurrences before it reaches a violent end? She will need to use her wits and her training to uncover the long-buried secret behind the mystery.
Excerpt:
That afternoon, Sophia found herself on the lonely plot of land at the intersection of Lily Road and Route 9 locally referred to as the Millers’ property, despite the fact that no one by the name of Miller had lived there since the 1970s. It was in that decade that the son of the original owner, for reasons people continue to speculate about, abandoned the place overnight and tried unsuccessfully to sell it for years before finally leaving the place to ruin. And nature, knowing no other way, reclaimed the property, shrouding it with vines and weeds until the place was virtually hidden. The only recognizable landmark there was a towering oak tree that was easily 200 years old. Its branches, heavy and gnarled, gave it the appearance of a terrestrial Kraken turned to stone by a power beyond all reckoning, or some unnamed trauma. Sophia sat behind the wheel of her car, transfixed by the sight before her. Contrary to local folklore, there were no disembodied voices or strange noises to speak of. Instead, what was most unnerving about the place was the silence. It was heavy and full of tension – like the deep inhalation before a scream.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What’s your favorite thing about autumn:
Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year, so I always look forward to that in autumn. I also love autumn weather. It’s perfect for finding a comfy spot and reading a good book.
What inspired you to write this story:
I was inspired by Ida B. Wells-Barnett and her tireless efforts to bring to light the racial injustices happening at that time.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon gift card
Open internationally.
Runs September 1 – 30
Drawing will be held on October 2.
Author Biography:
Born and raised in Utica, NY, Maggie Hawkins has been a professor of English since 2006 and currently teaches at Salt Lake Community College in Utah. She earned an MFA in Screenwriting from National University and writes poetry and nonfiction. She considers herself a spiritual person and loves studying the interconnectedness of all life and the mysteries of the past. She practices tarot reading, meditation, and other forms of soul-searching and divination. Hallowed Ground is her first self-published work.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: authorMaggieHawkins.77
Instagram: @zombiegal77
Tik Tok: @mrswal0