The
Eidola Project
Eidola Project
An
Eidola Project Novel
Eidola Project Novel
Book
One
One
Robert
Herold
Herold
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Wild Rose Press (Black Rose Imprint)
Date of Publication: November 18,
2019
2019
ISBN: 978-1-5092-2406-7 Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-5092-2407-4 Digital
Number of pages: 290
Word Count: 69870
Cover Artist: Debbie Taylor
Tagline: The Eidola Project is recruiting. Dare to
join them?
join them?
Book Description:
It's 1885 and a drunk and
rage-filled Nigel Pickford breaks up a phony medium's séance. A strange twist
of fate soon finds him part of a team investigating the afterlife.
rage-filled Nigel Pickford breaks up a phony medium's séance. A strange twist
of fate soon finds him part of a team investigating the afterlife.
The Eidola Project is an intrepid
group of explorers dedicated to bringing the light of science to that which has
been feared, misunderstood, and often manipulated by charlatans. They are a
psychology professor, his assistant, an African-American physicist, a sideshow
medium, and now a derelict, each possessing unique strengths and weaknesses.
group of explorers dedicated to bringing the light of science to that which has
been feared, misunderstood, and often manipulated by charlatans. They are a
psychology professor, his assistant, an African-American physicist, a sideshow
medium, and now a derelict, each possessing unique strengths and weaknesses.
Called to the brooding Hutchinson
Estate to investigate rumored hauntings, they encounter deadly supernatural
forces and a young woman driven to the brink of madness.
Estate to investigate rumored hauntings, they encounter deadly supernatural
forces and a young woman driven to the brink of madness.
Will any of them survive?
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/SZovJ-MZQ5Y
Excerpt:
Sarah
retrieved the lamp and twisted the peg. The outhouse door swung open on its
own, and she gasped.
retrieved the lamp and twisted the peg. The outhouse door swung open on its
own, and she gasped.
“Momma?”
Sarah asked as she held out her lantern. No. A ruined version of Molly stood in
the doorway.
Sarah asked as she held out her lantern. No. A ruined version of Molly stood in
the doorway.
Before
her disappearance, people often commented on the sixteen-year-old’s beauty, but
in the last twenty-eight days birds pecked out her pretty blue eyes, and
maggots now swam in the sockets. Molly’s head hung to the left at an odd angle.
Her skin looked mottled with patches of gray, blue, and black. A beetle crawled
out of Molly’s half-opened mouth and darted back in.
her disappearance, people often commented on the sixteen-year-old’s beauty, but
in the last twenty-eight days birds pecked out her pretty blue eyes, and
maggots now swam in the sockets. Molly’s head hung to the left at an odd angle.
Her skin looked mottled with patches of gray, blue, and black. A beetle crawled
out of Molly’s half-opened mouth and darted back in.
Sarah’s
heart leaped to her throat, and she jumped back. She lost her footing, fell
onto the outhouse seat, and dropped the lantern to the floor. She bent to
retrieve it; thankful the glass globe did not break. Sarah looked up and saw an
empty doorway.
heart leaped to her throat, and she jumped back. She lost her footing, fell
onto the outhouse seat, and dropped the lantern to the floor. She bent to
retrieve it; thankful the glass globe did not break. Sarah looked up and saw an
empty doorway.
Impossible,
she told herself. Must’ve dozed off, had a nightmare, and woke up when I
dropped the lamp. Her heart still pounded in her chest, and Sarah took a deep
breath to calm herself.
she told herself. Must’ve dozed off, had a nightmare, and woke up when I
dropped the lamp. Her heart still pounded in her chest, and Sarah took a deep
breath to calm herself.
Holding
the lamp before her once more, she crept out…
the lamp before her once more, she crept out…
About
the Author:
the Author:
The supernatural always had the
allure of forbidden fruit, ever since Robert Herold’s mother refused to allow
him, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved in.
(Well, not literally.)
allure of forbidden fruit, ever since Robert Herold’s mother refused to allow
him, as a boy, to watch creature features on late night TV. She caved in.
(Well, not literally.)
As a child, fresh snow provided
him the opportunity to walk out onto neighbors’ lawns halfway and then make paw
prints with his fingers as far as he could stretch. He would retrace the paw
and boot prints, then fetch the neighbor kids and point out that someone turned
into a werewolf on their front lawn. (They were skeptical.)
him the opportunity to walk out onto neighbors’ lawns halfway and then make paw
prints with his fingers as far as he could stretch. He would retrace the paw
and boot prints, then fetch the neighbor kids and point out that someone turned
into a werewolf on their front lawn. (They were skeptical.)
He has pursued many interests
over the years (among them being a history teacher and a musician), but the
supernatural always called to him. You could say he was haunted. Finally,
following the siren’s call, he wrote The Eidola Project, based on a germ of an
idea he had as a teenager.
over the years (among them being a history teacher and a musician), but the
supernatural always called to him. You could say he was haunted. Finally,
following the siren’s call, he wrote The Eidola Project, based on a germ of an
idea he had as a teenager.
Ultimately, he hopes the book
gives you the creeps, and he means that in the best way possible.
gives you the creeps, and he means that in the best way possible.
Interview with Robert Herold
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
‘A little of both, and by design. A few years ago, I was writing a pilot script using the method outlined in Save The Cat Goes To The Movies. I used a giant white board and taped index cards on it for every story beat. While this part was fun, I found that I had much less fun actually writing the piece. So thereafter, including my three Eidola Project novels (number two is currrently at the editor, and I’m 100 pages into book three), I just came up with the premise and an ending. Then I start to write. I may jot down a couple of beats I want to be sure to hit, but otherwise I let the characters and the story drive what I write. Along the way, I’m always asking myself, what’s the worst thing that can happen to my characters? And, how might they try to address this?
Afterwards, during the revisions/editing phase, I analyze it and may write new material, or remove unnecessary parts. It takes longer, but I enjoy the process a whole lot more. The “reigns” or the analysis of the story is important, I just do it at a later stage. Nevertheless, I think it’s really important to have an ending in mind. It gives you direction from the outset. It’s OK to change the ending, if you come up with one that is better, but starting with an ending is critical. I’ve known many talented writers who come up with interesting characters &/or an interesting premise and just start writing. Most of them peter out after a while because they don’t know where to go.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
The Eidola Project mirrors many of the issues of today, racism, sexism, class issues, addiction, and science versus religion, but does so through what a reviewer stated was “a ripping good yarn!”
The plot moves along at a breakneck speed and is full of interesting characters. Many people describe my writing as cinematic, that they could picture everything in their mind. This is a wonderful complement for me, especially since the book began as an award-winning pilot script.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
The second Eidola Project novel is currently at the editor and I’m awaiting the publisher’s offer. Book three is currently being written (I’m about 100 pages into it).
Pen or type writer or computer?
Long ago, I used to write everything by hand, but I trained myself to compose on the computer and have never looked back. Incidentally, I recall once reading that Louis L’Amour wrote the first draft of all his 105 novels by hand. So the lesson is, whatever works!
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
As a thank you gift, a free short story (what I’m considering for the first chapter of book three) is available on my website, robertheroldauthor.com
I’m also really excited about my animated book trailer. Please check it out (it’s only 16 seconds)! Go to:
Thanks and stay tuned for further developments!
I loved all that I have read, so I know I'll love this! I am so excited about getting this book.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Audrey!!
DeleteBest wishes,
Robert Herold, author