Published Works
Bayou Whispers
Bayou Whispers, the latest thriller from horror writer R.B. Wood is the story of no-nonsense New Orleans native, Jeannine LaRue, the sole survivor of her family after the devastation brought on by Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of the storm, she believed she’d been saved, but soon found herself held hostage and sexually exploited, rescued months later by sheriff’s deputy Curtis Jones.
Twelve years after Katrina, Jeannine is a new attorney who returns to New Orleans to save her old friend Curtis Jones-now a local thief and trafficker of stolen goods-after he is arrested for the murder of Jeannine’s captors, whose bodies have recently been found. But Jeannine discovers more than she bargained for when she uncovers a family history of dark voodoo magic and an unholy alliance with an ancient evil Haitian god.
Shallow Waters
Take a Deep Breath and Dive Beneath the Surface of Shallow Waters—Where Nothing Stays Buried.
With 20 Dark Fiction & Horror tales diving beneath the surface of life, death, and the mystery that lies beneath.
Volume six includes stories of Karma, travel horror, forgotten elder gods, being home alone or in lockdown, and a non-themed challenge.
Offbeat: Nine Spins on Song
Inspired by favorite songs, nine fantasy and science fiction authors spin tales of adventure, intrigue, mystery, and horror.
- A boy follows his girlfriend’s suicide note to its disturbing conclusion.
- A man must pass on an ancient curse of immortality before his time finally runs out.
- Two lost beings fight for life, for each other, and to find a way home.
- A serial killer from the future, banished to the present day, must control her homicidal urges in order to survive.
- A thief and a sex worker find their paths unexpectedly entwined in ways that threaten both of their lives.
- For a caged girl, one hand gives, but the other takes away all she’s ever known.
- To gain their freedom, quarreling townsfolk must find a way to cross a bottomless ravine.
- A man interrupts a monster at work and is determined to entertain the creature long enough to stay alive.
- When his father’s ghost appears, a businessman is forced to reflect on his life.
Christmas Nightmares: An Anthology
When the shreds of the truth surface, Hannah, Matthew, and Ethan all realize their parts in an old religion with old practices. The Glass Bauble – When a young man’s fiancée goes missing in New England, his search leads him on a path filled with nightmares and delusions. Eggnog, Tinsel, and Terror. – Christmas eve: A night of last minute shoppers, cops hoping for a quiet shift, and a serial killer in the middle of his latest victim. The Scribe – It’s Christmas Eve and Christopher, an old scribe residing in an abandoned hermitage, is translating a mysterious scroll thought to be related to the birth of Christ. As candlelight flickers, he transcribes the story of Pelznickle; the words that will unleash the wrath of the real Kris Kringle. The Ghost of Christmas – past Santa’s not the only one visiting this home for Christmas. An unfaithful husband finds himself being tormented by a spirit that knows his secret. In the sleepy little town on Higglesworth the ghost of a Christmas past will deliver a very deadly present. Unjoyful Noise – On this holiday season, the songs in the air brings forth death everywhere. Extras:
- Elf – A short Christmas horror by Mike Kehoe
- Dear John – A short Christmas horror by Frank Zubek
- A collection of horror poems by James Brewer
The Unforgiven
Step into our twisted minds for six horrifying tales.
Seeing Red, by J.L.Clayton
All her life, Challis has been bullied by the people around her, and now the thin string holding her sanity intact has snapped…The only thing she sees is crimson. They say revenge is best served cold, but Challis will take hers: hot, sticky and red! Come along for one horrific ride as author J.L.Clayton takes a forsaken girl and turns her into a heartless killer. Seeing Red has never looked so frightening.
Twisted Insanity, by R.L. Weeks
Author R. L. Weeks brings you Twisted Insanity. It cannot be reasoned with. It cannot be bargained with. Jacob has been locked up for ten years, waiting for his chance to take his revenge on Gale, his ex-wife. After persuading the mental health team that he has recovered, he goes on a killing stint. Gale is about to find out the extent of his twisted insanity.
Truth or Dare, by K.L. Humphreys
Taken to a psychotic man’s playground, Becca only hopes her husband can get help to save her, before she ends up like the others.The Missing Persons Unit team know that unless they stop a madman and find missing Becca, they will be finding body parts in the forest. Author KL Humphreys will have you looking over your shoulder wondering what is really going on in the minds of those you call family.
Hell House, by Becca Moree
A walk through the Hell House leaves Erin questioning if visiting the Carnival of Darkness was a good idea after all. The sounds pouring from the mouths of the actors in each room were just a little too good. A little too…real. Step into a world of unthinkable torture as author Becca Moree takes one innocent college student on a Halloween outing she will never forget.
Poison Pen, by R.B.Wood
Upset the author at your own peril. A young down-on-his-luck author makes a demonic deal to remove a few obstacles from his writing career and stardom.
White Wedding: Reckoning, by Steven Evans
Jen’s best friend, Jess, is an emotional train wreck. Too weak and afraid of her abusive father and now forced to marry a man she doesn’t love, Jess’ life is spiraling out of control. Jen desperately wants to help her friend but… What’s a doll to do?
Steve Evans brings a wickedly sweet twist to a tale of friendship in “White Wedding: Reckoning”.
The Prodigal's Foole
A man can run from his past … but not his future.
Symon Bryson lives in self-imposed exile until Monsignor DuBarry goes missing and not even the most adept of the magic practitioners can determine the reason for the abduction. The clues lie buried in the past amidst epic battles and horrific losses but reliving that failed mission uncovers fresh challenges and fearsome threats that reunite his old team. Symon must deal with his own hidden demons and confront the menace that threatens the delicate balance of power. When the darkest of all evils lures Symon into springing a long-planned trap, an unsuspecting world will confront the unthinkable.
When all that stands between Heaven and Hell is magic, more than faith will be tested.
“It started with the bang (the first line is absolutely gripping) and ended with fireworks!”
–Mercedes M. Yardley, Shock Totem Magazine
“The Prodigal’s Foole is a ripping good action tale.”
–Deviant Art Review
“R. B. Wood has filled every inch of his vast canvas with gripping reverses of fortune and a narrative that blends the most disparate elements with great skill and verve.”
–Bill Kirton, author of the Jack Carston Series
Tales of Magic & Misery
Tales of Magic and Misery features 19 short stories spanning Tim’s career and includes stories in the Demon Squad world plus early works of horror and dark fantasy. Also included are several rare stories as well as one unreleased and a two-chapter sneak preview of the forthcoming Tales of the Prodigy novel and the first chapter of Clandestine Daze, Eyes Deep.
As a bonus, Tales of Magic and Misery will include stories from a number of other authors, giving readers a peek into new worlds. Alongside a never before released story by C.L. Werner ToMM includes: Armand Rosamilia, Nathaniel Connors, Adrian Collins, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, R.B. Wood, N.X. Sharps, Daniel Weaver, Amanda Shore, Glenn Hefley, Chris Garrett, GR Matthews, and J. Cameron McClain.
Fine Print
ORANGE KAREN: TRIBUTE TO A WARRIOR
Get swept off your feet by an Internet romance
Escape from a war-torn encampment with a mystical healer/princess
Witness the murder of a NASCAR driver in the bathroom of local Home Depot
Join Miss Della and Chip as they find friendship and a new zest for life in their golden years
ORANGE KAREN: TRIBUTE TO A WARRIOR is a collection of 39 stories that explore the strength and resilience of the human spirit. From the monster in the basement to the teddy bear on a young woman’s pillow, each story uses the colour orange as a thematic element, revealing the power of love, friendship, and the will to live.
Karen DeLabar is a friend, author, and mother. In June of 2012, she was stricken with Toxic Shock Syndrome.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the anthology will be donated to Karen and her family, to assist with her medical expenses, and ongoing recovery.
Follow Karen’s story at karendelabar.com, and learn more about the symptoms, effects, and treatment of Toxic Shock Syndrome at toxicshock.com
Acknowledgements by Christina Esdon
Foreword by Jennifer Gracen
Introduction by Karen DeLabar
Contributing Authors:
Jesse James Freeman, February Grace, Cara Michaels, Jennifer Gracen, Anna Meade, Jeff Tsuruoka, Patty Blount, Steve & Zack Umstead, R. B. Wood, Taylor Lunsford, Anne Baker, Alex Kimmell, Elizabeth Ann West, Janelle Jensen, Gareth S. Young, Julie Glover, Maureen Hovermale, S.G. Lee, John Moore Walker, Jonathan Gould, Benjamin Cain, Joseph Schmidt, Christina Edson, Andrew F. Butters, Mark Etheridge, Francis Setnocis, D. Savannah George, E. Wells-Walker, K.D. McCrite, J.L. Gentry, Shay West, Christopher Cantley, Valerie Haight, J. Whitworth Hazard, Emmett Spain, Tim Queeney, Stephanie Fuller, Steven Luna, and Glenn Skinner
Dear Dad
This was a pretty personal piece for me. My dad passed away from four different types of cancer in March of 2016. I cobbled together this epistolary story from letters I wrote to him while undergoing treatments. Many details have been changed for the purposes of the story and to protect my family…but many true details remain.
I read this a couple of years ago during a live reading/recording for my show, The Word Count Podcast episode 88, at a ReaderCON 30.
You can listen to that episode HERE.
Reflect on loved ones who have passed as you go through the main character’s desperate attempt to ignore the fact that his father is dying.
And call a loved one.
R. B. Wood
March 2020
West of Hell
Want to go on a Western Adventure?
Join three highly talented authors on a thrilling journey into the past that’s perfect for readers of Western thrillers, horror, mystery, fantasy, and of course the supernatural.
DEAD MEN by James A. Moore: And the Dead shall rise. Jonathan Crowley is having a problem with dead men. They just keep getting back on their feet. From the ghost dancers at a strange burial site to the corpse of a man he literally just killed, the dead refuse to lay down and die, and now it’s up to Crowley and his traveling companion Lucas Slate to try to figure out why the dead are restless and determined to kill whatever crosses their paths.
THE TRICKSTER OF PARADISE by R.B. Wood: Never trust a cave painting with an agenda.
In the old west, the people of Paradise live in harmony with the local Sioux tribe until the U. S. Army arrives with false accusations and their deeply rooted prejudices. While the strange newcomer known as “Mortimer” watches; a sixteen year old boy and an ancient legend must come together to fight the invaders, save the town and win the day. Can the desires of an ancient legend and the wishes of a young man survive the encounter with Death watching their every move?
LAST SUNSET OF A DYING AGE by Michael Burke: Ibuki Shibuya is a disgraced samurai, a fugitive from the vengeance of his former master. His flight leads him to the American Southwest where he discovers a mutilated body in the Arizona desert. He eventually finds himself in Copper City, a frontier town plagued by a series of grisly murders.
A motley cast of characters populate the town and Ibuki becomes embroiled in affairs both mundane and extraordinary as he resolves to assist the sheriff in solving the strange murders. Perhaps he will even meet the honorable end he seeks in doing so. All the while, a strange man, dressed in black, who knows more than he says, lurks outside of Copper City.
Events come to a head when the truth is laid bare. Ibuki, along with both friends and foes, learns that not all remnants of a dying age have given way to progress.
The Glass Bauble
This is a dark one. What happens when incredibly bad luck follows someone for their entire life? I wrote this during one caffeine-fueled evening for a class. Five thousand words between 11 PM and 3:30 AM.
To date, the fastest story I’ve ever written.
