EDEN ROYCE - WOMAN IN HORROR

 

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B004XVKWTG?_encoding=UTF8&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=2&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader

http://www.edenroyce.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Royce

https://apex-magazine.com/interview-with-author-eden-royce/

https://twitter.com/EdenRoyce

Eden Royce is my Woman In Horror today! Eden is a firm believer in "celebrating folklore and telling our stories." She's absolutely right. One must never forget where we come from. She holds her head high and proudly, as well she should.

Rather than jump into a bunch of biography about Eden, I'll let a great interview she did with Apex magazine  https://apex-magazine.com/interview-with-author-eden-royce/ do the talking for you. Eden and Andrea Johnson did a fantastic job.

Also, Wikipedia has a short bio, as well as a great many of the fantastic works that Eden has written at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Royce  

Visit Eden's website at http://www.edenroyce.com/ for more of what this fine lady is up to. 

For super fast happenings in Eden's life and books, as well as retweets about other authors, visit her at Twitter  https://twitter.com/EdenRoyce This is a treasure-trove of delights.

******

Eden's Amazon bio:

About Eden Royce

Eden Royce is descended from women who practiced root magic in her native Charleston, South Carolina. She's been a bridal consultant, a reptile handler, and a stockbroker, but is now content to write dark fiction about the South from her home in the English countryside.

When she's not writing, she's probably roller-skating, watching quiz shows, or perfecting her signature dish for Masterchef. Sometimes all at once.

Follow her on her website at edenroyce.com or on Twitter @edenroyce.

******

Let's get on to some of Eden's fantastic books.

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0872932RN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

“A poignant, necessary entry into the children’s literary canon, Root Magic brings to life the history and culture of Gullah people while highlighting the timeless plight of Black Americans. Add in a fun, magical adventure and you get everything I want in a book!”—Justina Ireland, New York Times bestselling author of Dread Nation

Debut author Eden Royce arrives with a wondrous story of love, bravery, friendship, and family, filled to the brim with magic great and small.

It’s 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won’t stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when Jez and Jay turn eleven— and their uncle, Doc, tells them he’s going to train them in rootwork.

Jez and Jay have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations—especially the curious potions and powders Doc and Gran would make for the people on their island. But Jez soon finds out that her family’s true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs…and not a moment too soon. Because when evil both natural and supernatural comes to show itself in town, it’s going to take every bit of the magic she has inside her to see her through.

******

David Ginsburg

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it - left me wanting more!

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

I've been a fan of Eden's work ever since she published Containment. Root Magic, however, is unlike any book I've read.

Root Magic is geared towards Middle Grade, it has the perfect blend of humor, horror/darkness and history. I fell in love with the Turner family, especially Doc and Jez. Eden's skill with words puts you right into South Carolina in the 60's. You can taste the food that's being cooked, you can feel the weather and experience their life out on the edge of the marsh.

The one thing I truly loved about this book is the education I received. With Eden's background, you know you're getting honest to goodness learning about the Gullah-Geechee along with root/conjure. Unlike in other horror media, this may be the first time it's been explained and not just lumped in as something people use for evil or bad intentions.

There is only one downside - I want more. I want to see Jez and her twin Jay grow up. I want to see them more. I truly hope we get a series of books, because there is so much more I want to learn and experience through the characters eyes and through Eden's words.

Go read this when you get a chance. You will not be disappointed.

******

I'm reading this book right now and am mesmerized by the words. This book is for children. Maybe. Maybe not. I'm in my seventies and am pulled into the story. Everyone should read this book. It's that good.

Blaze McRob

******

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06W2FLLMB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1

A 2018 Bram Stoker Award Finalist Thought-provoking, powerful, and revealing, this anthology is composed of 28 dark stories and 14 poems written by African-American women writers. The tales of what scares, threatens, and shocks them will enlighten and entertain readers. The works delve into demons and shape-shifters from "How to Speak to the Bogeyman" and "Tree of the Forest Seven Bells Turns the World Round Midnight" to far future offerings such as "The Malady of Need".  These pieces cover vampires, ghosts, and mermaids, as well as the unexpected price paid by women struggling for freedom and validation in the past. Contributors include: Tiffany Austin, Tracey Baptiste,  Regina N. Bradley, Patricia E. Canterbury,  Crystal Connor, Joy M. Copeland, Amber Doe, Tish Jackson, Valjeanne Jeffers, Tenea D. Johnson,  R. J. Joseph, A. D. Koboah Nicole Givens Kurtz,  Kai Leakes, A. J. Locke, Carole McDonnell,  Dana T. McKnight , LH Moore, L. Penelope, Zin E. Rocklyn , Eden Royce, Kiini Ibura Salaam, Andrea Vocab Sanderson,  Nicole D. Sconiers, Cherene Sherrard, RaShell R. Smith-Spears, Sheree Renée Thomas, Lori Titus, Tanesha Nicole Tyler, Deborah Elizabeth Whaley, L. Marie Wood, K. Ceres Wright, and Deana Zhollis.

******

Sumayyah Talibah

5.0 out of 5 stars We are Sycorax's Daughters

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2017

Verified Purchase

Sycorax's Daughters are us. We are the saviors, the monsters, the witches, the the magic personified. Billed as horror, some stories fall under the speculative umbrella, and leave the reader with thoughts to ponder. Others leave the reader inexplicably chilled and turning on every light possible. Poetry is interspersed and offers views on love, death, and redemption.

******

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XRKOW18/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2

Pull up a rocking chair and sit a spell. Soak in these twelve tales of Southern Gothic horror:

Sinister shopkeepers whose goods hold the highest price, a woman’s search for her mother drags her into the binding embrace of a monster, a witchdoctor’s young niece tells him a life-altering secret, an investigator who knows how to keep a 100% confession rate….

These are stories where the setting itself becomes a character—fog laced cemeteries, sulfur rich salt marshes—places housing creatures that defy understanding and where the grotesque and macabre are celebrated.

The stories are rich in flavor and clever in metaphor, the horrors completely surreal or—far more unnerving—all too possible. She brings a refreshing perspective to the table that paranormal lovers are sure to enjoy. 

—B.D. Bruns, author of The Gothic Shift

You can feel the warm thick air, the rich history and legends, the desperation of the impoverished, and the deep horror of the betrayed.

—Roma Gray, author of Gray Shadows Under a Harvest Moon

******

Rasheedah Prioleau

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Read!!!

Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2017

Verified Purchase

Spook Lights is a collection of southern gothic horror stories written from a third person perspective.  The tone of each story is soft, warm, and inviting.  It has the echo of a loving mother with a gentle warning for her children, "Once upon a time something terrible happened..." 

The atmosphere throughout the book is thick and rich.  Each description has depth and dimension. The heat of a bar, the sound of a drum, and the smell of worn skin all work together to fully transport the reader into that space and time.  Her words are sadistically hypnotic.  There is an uncomfortable familiarity throughout the book with a focus on the everyday reality of what happens in families, and the finality of each tale that seems to swing on a pendulum between vengeance and justice.  Just when you feel you can’t take it anymore the last story comes to a conclusion.  You can finally breathe again.  However, as a flood of relief from the horror rushes in, all you want to do is read more.  

Spook Lights is my top recommendation if you’re looking for something to frighten you this Halloween.

******

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBAB91Y/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3

Y’all gather round for thirteen more tales of Southern Gothic horror:

Boys find evil in their favorite sweet treat, a perfume shop that makes more than scents, a hurricane carries a mother’s vengeance, a conjure woman lies dying, unable to name a successor…

This is Gothic horror Southern style—shadowy rice fields, creatures that assume humanity at will—where even the most damaged and delicate have their power.

Spook Lights II takes us again South with stories that are graceful in the telling, and beautifully edgy in their details. Humans and haints traverse historic land in search of magic and revenge, finding salvation and justice in unexpected ways; each tale unwinds magnificently in Royce’s hands.

—Linda D. Addison, award-winning author of “How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend”

“Eden Royce’s collection of Southern Gothic fiction is an elegant and haunting read. Her stories filled with the kind of quiet chills born of things glimpsed mostly from the corner of the eye. From the genius of ‘To-Do List’ (just try to forget this tale once you reach its ending!) to the landscape she has created in the house of secrets known as Azaleas Hall, in Spook Lights 2 Ms. Royce has created an experience—and one of those favorite books likely to be enjoyed over and over again.”

—Gregory L. Norris, Tales From the Robot Graveyard

******

Amy's Bookshelf Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the first

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

I loved the first volume, but this one really set a tone for more than just a horror collection. I always read the sections in the front of the book, and when I read the Introduction, I knew it was going to be filled with grand stories that were more than just horror, it was about the human condition and the monsters within. I read each story twice, but I really found myself connected with "Grandmother's Bed". The words stuck with me. “I’ve seen our fall, Gran, and it will be because we lose you. I can’t let that happen yet. To be honest, I’m not ready. None of us is.” Highly recommended collection. Read it more than once.

******

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT57FV5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i5

Colors in Darkness, the premiere online site for dark fiction authors of color presents its first anthology!

Amid the upheaval of the 1960s, the Kretcher Motel opened in a poor, desolate part of Atlanta. It still serves its original purpose: to lure those souls who are lost, who are troubled, who are evil…to itself. Check in to view these thirteen dark tales of horror, betrayal, fear, and wickedness, all featuring characters of color. You may never want to leave.

The Thing in Room 204 – C.W. Blackwell

Karma Suture – Tawanna Sullivan

The Last Day of Jerome Brown – Jordan King-Lacroix

Roost – Kenya Moss-Dyme

Salvation – Ross Baxter

The Honeymoon Suite: Jacob’s Reunion – Sumiko Saulson

A Long Way From the Ritz – Eden Royce

Mister Mackintosh – David Turnbull

Flesh Trap – Querus Abuttu

A Devil of a Deal – David O’Hanlon

Hollygraham – Sy Shanti

The Adjusters – Dahlia DeWinters

Need – Zin E. Rocklyn

******

Amazon Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars "Forever Vacancy" is a wonderful collection of short

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2017

Verified Purchase

"Forever Vacancy" is a wonderful collection of short, horror stories by an eclectic mix of talented authors. The theme of the anthology is a pretty simple and basic one--people check into the Kretcher Motel but not everyone checks out. Now, what happens to the guests once they check in is where each story takes an interesting and surprising turn. This Colors in Darkness anthology will keep a reader guessing and fully engaged to the last page.

******

Make certain to check out all the books Eden Royce has written, as well as those anthologies she shares with other authors, for she is one fantastic Woman In Horror!

Blaze McRob