About the Book
Cursed CasinoPages: 142
Published: January 21st 2013
Publisher: Biting Dog Press
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Book Description
The Van Vincent hotel is ready to reopen.
It sits along the Mississippi coastline, welcoming tourists with lavish shops and casino. It is the home to sparkling slot machines and elegant gaming tables. A group of friends gathering for a reunion and a chance to experience the luxury of the Van Vincent before it officially opens. A night of gambling turns into a night of hell. When the darkness descends on the Van Vincent, the dead don't always stay underground and the phantoms of the past like to play for keeps.
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Guest Post by
Sara Brooke
Are places truly cursed?
With the release of Cursed Casino, I often wonder if a “cursed” place truly exists and if so, would I know if it was cursed? Would an icy chill travel through my body upon stepping foot into such a place?
It really boils down to whether or not you believe that all energy is connected. If everything is made up of energy (regardless of how that energy is bonded together), then isn’t it reasonable to imagine this energy being transferred upon death or by a negative charge that could somehow manifest itself in one place and lead to terrible things happening over and over again?
For example, think of a hospital where many people have died. Their souls may pass along to another plane (if you believe in that), or the energy that escaped their bodies upon death, may be lingering in the corridors. In particularly harsh or painful situations where the patient suffered, isn’t it possible that some of that negative energy somehow remains in the darkened hallways and empty rooms where the finality of life took place?
There are many people don’t believe in cursed or haunted places. They see life as a series of beginnings and ends. Black and white. But, we all know that things aren’t always what they seem.
For example…
When I was a young child, my parents enrolled me in a summer camp. Campers took classes like art, music, and singing in this large building that was made up of many hallways and rooms. I remember enjoying the break from school and had quite a bit of fun getting to explore my creative side.
There was however, a hallway on one end of the building that was circular and lined with offices that were rarely used during the summer. It was always dark, because the walls were lined with a deep mahogany and the carpeting was a dark blue.
I never felt right in that hallway. It always seemed like the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I was walking there…especially when I was alone.
One particular day, my counselor asked me to pick up a form from one of the offices in that frightening, gloomy hallway.
The trek to the office started out ok, but when I entered that hallway, my feet felt heavy and I began to breathe faster. It seemed like forever, and when I finally got to the office and pulled on the door handle…it was locked. As I pulled harder and tried to open the door, I felt a cold breeze tickle the back of my neck, which was unusual, because there were no windows or doors open.
That strange breeze and a horrible feeling that something was wrong, caused me to turn and run down the hallway….never looking back.
It was the last time I visited that horrible place. And, to this day, I believe that it was either haunted or cursed. A place where bad energy was trapped between the confines of those brown walls.
Like the hallway from my youth, The Van Vincent Hotel and Casino is most certainly cursed. It’s a place where the dead and the living come together…a place where the only ones who survive…are those who understand that sometimes the only way out…is understanding how the cursed souls...got in.
Do you believe a place can be cursed?
If you don’t have the answer to that question…perhaps you’d like to take a stroll down my haunted hallway…or instead, place your bets at my Cursed Casino.
About the Author
Sara Brooke
Sara Brooke is a horror and suspense novelist living in South Florida. A lifelong avid reader of all things scary, Sara's childhood dream was to write horror books that force readers to sleep with their lights on. Her first novel, Still Lake, was released Spring 2012. Sara's influences and favorite authors include Bentley Little, John Saul, William Blackstone, and Joe McKinney.
Author Links
Giveaway
Biting Dog Press is giving away one set of the complete Sara Brooke digital library. These books include The Zyne Project, Still Lake, Kransen House, and Ghost Swim.
Take a haunting trip around the internet with author Sara Brooke as she talks about life, writing and the paranormal. There will also be reviews of Sara's latest book Cursed Casino, book giveaways and excerpts from Cursed Casino.
Cursed Casino Tour Stop List
March 14 – The Dead Centre – Guest Post from
Sara Brooke
March 15 – The Cerebral Writer –
Guest Post from Sara Brooke
March 16 – Evil Girlfriend With a
Pen – Guest Post from Sara Brooke
March 17 – Mallory Heart
Reviews – Review of Cursed Casino
March 18 – The
Blog World of Kat Yares – Excerpt from Cursed Casino
March 19 – My Cozie Corner – Review
of Cursed Casino
March 20 – The FlipSide of Julianne –
Interview with Sara Brooke
March 21 – Fundinmental - Excerpt
from Cursed Casino
March 22 – Timothy Dean's Pirate Radio – LIVE
Interview with Sara Brooke
March 22 – Sylv-Jenkins –
Guest Post from Sara Brooke
March 23 – Krystal's Enchanting Reads –
Guest Post from Sara Brooke
March 24 – The Cerebral Writer – Excerpt
from Cursed Casino
March 25 – A Girl and Her Kindle -
Review of Cursed Casino
