My American Nightmare Women in Horror Anthology Book Tour with Personal Review and Giveaway :)



My American Nightmare:
Women in Horror Anthology
Stories Selected by Azzurra Nox
Genre: YA Horror

For Fans of American Horror Story, Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Danielle Vega


America, land of the free, land of the brave, land of nightmares? A group of female authors come together in this collection of creepy tales and psychological horror stories to bring you chills and disturbing images that won't leave you long after you're done reading. From zombies to rural small towns, to the foggy New England to the glamour of Hollywood, each story focuses on a diverse aspect of living in America and the horror found in bullying, being the “new girl,” starting your first job, and navigating the murky waters of adolescence and all the terrifying changes that come with it. Bold and haunting, My American Nightmare encompasses daring stories from new voices in the horror genre. This collection will unsettle your nerves and linger in your mind, demonstrating that women can show you a nuance of horror that isn't always evident from the male perspective.

Dare to take a walk on the dark side.

Stories In Anthology

Angela Sylvaine – The Ballad of Sorrow and Lila
Amelia Kibbie – We Kill The Skullman
R. A. Goli – Mr. Buttons' Tea Party
Jamie Kahn – The Poison & The Ivy
Rachel Bolton - The Girl & The Yellow Wallpaper
Hillary Lyon - Boys' Night Out
Nicky Peacock – She Looked Like Krystal Sparkle
Spinster Eskie - Angie's Change
Sheri Kreitner - The Pickman Sisters of Salem
Sierra Ryan – Volunteer
Kara Nelson - The Eye
E.F. Schraeder – Night Moves
Andrea Teare – 39 Days
Heather Miller - The Stars
Marnie Azzarelli – When Evacuating Pennsylvania
Erica Ruhe - Perle
Phoebe Jane Johnson - Ruby
Azzurra Nox - Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?
Kara Dennison - Billson



Excerpt from “The Girl & The Yellow Wallpaper”
The faces in the flowers were more pronounced than usual that night. Big eyes, gaping and expectant, seemed to blink back at her. Lizzie dismissed the idea immediately. Paper did not blink. Nothing could move in the room, except her. But the yellow faces had a more human quality the more she looked. They were women’s faces. Lizzie found something feminine in the shape, warped as it may be. The heads in the wallpaper appeared to tilt to the side, violently, like their necks had been snapped.

Excerpt from “Perle”
A muscle flickered in that clean-shaven jaw. “Step out of the vehicle.”
I hesitated. Another bang.
I said step out of the vehicle.” Singer popped the snap on his holster. “I’m not gonna ask you again.” Dog whimpers urged me to comply.
My shoulders slumped. I released the latch and fought open the stiff door. It protested with a loud, long squeal.
Now what is in the back of this truck?”
Still I hesitated, puckering my lips in a coy attempt at innocence.
My stepdad.”


Excerpt from “Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?”
Jesus,” she whispered, not sure if anyone could hear her. The dolls made her feel unsettled as they stared back at her with vacant eyes. Peering down, a scream escaped her throat when she realized that their plucked eyes were scattered on the bed. She pushed the comforter off of her. The eyes fell down, making a sound similar to marbles crashing to the floor as she ran for the door.
Frantic, she opened the door and stood upon the landing. She looked to and fro, not knowing what direction to run to next.
Don’t panic! She told herself. And yet, her hands were shaking.


I will start off by saying that horror is MY THING :)  I absolutely adore reading about it and watching horror movies and tv shows.  It's just everything for me, so when I saw this book I knew I had to read it and review it!  And of course women writing horror is not as prevalent, so it was awesome to see women writers penning these grotesque stories.  I would totally recommend this anthology to anyone who loves to read scary stuff, and the best part is that they are short stories so they can be quickly read if you are a mom like me and on the go a lot - time is not always easy to find to read an entire novel.  Short stories are I think even more difficult to write because you have to tell the ENTIRE story in a very short amount of time, and as you know from watching movies that is not an easy task - they always have to cut out half of the stuff in the books to make the movie less than 2 hours.  So give these women some serious kudos for coming up with these amazing stories of horror :)  




Born in Catania, Sicily, Azzurra Nox has led a nomadic life since birth. She has lived in various European cities and Cuba, and currently resides in the Los Angeles area. Always an avid reader and writer from a young age, she loved entertaining her friends with ghost stories. She loves horror movies, cats, and a good rock show. She dislikes Mondays and chick-flicks. CUT HERE, her debut paranormal urban fantasy was inspired by a nightmare the writer had a few years ago. Some of her favourite authors include Anne Rice, Oscar Wilde, Chuck Palahniuk, and Isabella Santacroce.


***GUEST POST***
Azzurra Nox, “Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?”

Where do you find inspiration for your writing?

I find inspiration in a plethora of venues, especially in films and music. But a lot of my scarier moments in books have been taken directly from my nightmares. For “Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?” I was inspired by a nightmare where every time I came in and out of a bedroom all the furniture was rearranged in the room and the only thing in the room was a life-size doll.

What's one of your favorite books and/or short stories?

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I first read it when I was nine and just found the notion of an aging painting very terrifying and the lengths one would go to to preserve their youth. As far as short stories go, I love Joyce Carol Oates' Haunted: Tales of the Grotesque collection. She has a way of creating a sensation of dread and uneasiness in the reader that's unlike any other author I've ever read.

What food/beverage would be a good pairing with your short story?

Something decadent and yet (somewhat) innocent, so I'd go with a Shirley Temple combined with a Sundae, garnished perhaps with a bloody, severed tongue.

If your short story could have a theme song what song would you choose?

Lost In Hollywood by System of a Down.

One of your favorite literary quotes?

“A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” - Oscar Wilde

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!


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