Bite Me Spider
Nora Penn
Genre: horror, sci-fi, action and adventure
Date of Publication: 11/8/2017
ISBN: 1973231603
ASIN: B076KK5VF4
Number of pages: 205
Word Count: 66785
Cover Artist: Nora Penn
Tagline: An Eight-Legged Nightmare
Book Description:
What would YOU do to save your family? What lengths would you go through to rescue your loved ones from a truly horrible fate? A fate such as being eaten by a pack of giant spiders? This is the question that “Bite Me Spider” asks.
A bona fide page-turner, “Bite Me Spider” combines an outrageous disaster scenario with intense family drama. James Dresden wants the best for his family, including his daughter, Carol, his wife, Hannah, and their unborn child. When Hannah is diagnosed with cancer, the family opts for a radical new treatment, the bite of the genetically modified Black Hermit Spider. Although Hannah is cured there is a terrible cost: an invasion of giant spiders that threatens every living thing on the planet. To save his family, James must face the scuttling menace head on. He must perform deeds that would put weaker men in the madhouse.
Buckle up, horror fans. “Bite Me Spider” puts YOU, the reader, in the driver’s seat, allowing you to experience the terror, the tension, the madness, the mayhem, and the tiny moments of salvation, that are part and parcel of surviving in a world overrun by spiders.
The question remains. If all hell broke loose, what would you do to save your family? Read “Bite Me Spider” and find out.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Ngw2j60j8hE
Excerpt:
Sonja could
barely see the road ahead for all the tears in her eyes. She had been driving
for half an hour and had been crying for the entire time. It wasn’t a sobbing,
heaving cry, like one might expect of a woman who had moments ago been widowed
of her husband of fifty years. Rather it was a steady, unceasing flow, as if
she were a fountain filled with pure grief. At some point she stopped wiping
the tears from her face and simply let them run down her cheeks.
barely see the road ahead for all the tears in her eyes. She had been driving
for half an hour and had been crying for the entire time. It wasn’t a sobbing,
heaving cry, like one might expect of a woman who had moments ago been widowed
of her husband of fifty years. Rather it was a steady, unceasing flow, as if
she were a fountain filled with pure grief. At some point she stopped wiping
the tears from her face and simply let them run down her cheeks.
As she drove
along 95 South her mind replayed a hit parade of memories of her and Bill.
These memories went back to when they had first met, all the way back through
their time dating and then getting married, their raising their children, and
then their children’s children, and then living in the lighthouse and fighting
off the giant spiders for their survival. As the old woman reminisced she was
painfully aware of a hollow place in her soul. It was the place in her life
that her husband had occupied. It was more than a hole. It was another half of
her that had gone missing. No, not gone missing. This half of her had been
ripped away. And as sure as up is up and down is down, Sonja knew that she
would never be the same now that the love of her life was gone.
along 95 South her mind replayed a hit parade of memories of her and Bill.
These memories went back to when they had first met, all the way back through
their time dating and then getting married, their raising their children, and
then their children’s children, and then living in the lighthouse and fighting
off the giant spiders for their survival. As the old woman reminisced she was
painfully aware of a hollow place in her soul. It was the place in her life
that her husband had occupied. It was more than a hole. It was another half of
her that had gone missing. No, not gone missing. This half of her had been
ripped away. And as sure as up is up and down is down, Sonja knew that she
would never be the same now that the love of her life was gone.
The only thing
keeping the old woman going at that point was her mission. Her sanity hinged on
the fact that she was entrusted with saving Carol’s life. In a strange way she
was grateful for the task. If she, Sonja, could play a role in saving the
child, she thought to herself, she could shuffle off this mortal coil knowing
that she had done one last good deed. It occurred to her then that once she had
caught up with James and Carol and informed them about the true nature of the
spider’s bite, she could simply drive her car off the road and let herself be
reunited with her husband in heaven.
keeping the old woman going at that point was her mission. Her sanity hinged on
the fact that she was entrusted with saving Carol’s life. In a strange way she
was grateful for the task. If she, Sonja, could play a role in saving the
child, she thought to herself, she could shuffle off this mortal coil knowing
that she had done one last good deed. It occurred to her then that once she had
caught up with James and Carol and informed them about the true nature of the
spider’s bite, she could simply drive her car off the road and let herself be
reunited with her husband in heaven.
Because her
emotions were so chaotic and her thoughts so scattered, and her eyes so misty
with tears, Sonja’s driving was extremely erratic. On several occasions she had
almost driven off the road and only managed to save herself by swerving back at
the very last moment. Compounding the danger was the fact that she was speeding
along at 90 miles per hour. Having a highway that was empty of cars (except for
the occasional abandoned vehicle) had given her a false sense of safety. What’s
more, she figured that James would be driving fast and she deduced that if she
was to catch him she would have to drive even faster.
emotions were so chaotic and her thoughts so scattered, and her eyes so misty
with tears, Sonja’s driving was extremely erratic. On several occasions she had
almost driven off the road and only managed to save herself by swerving back at
the very last moment. Compounding the danger was the fact that she was speeding
along at 90 miles per hour. Having a highway that was empty of cars (except for
the occasional abandoned vehicle) had given her a false sense of safety. What’s
more, she figured that James would be driving fast and she deduced that if she
was to catch him she would have to drive even faster.
As she drove she
remained just aware enough to keep on the lookout for spiders. The eight-legged
bastards had a habit of suddenly scuttling out in front of vehicles. Back when
the spiders were no larger than squirrels this was more of a nuisance than a
real danger, but now that the spiders were as big as bulls they posed a far
more serious threat. But as fate would have it, she hadn’t seen any thus far.
remained just aware enough to keep on the lookout for spiders. The eight-legged
bastards had a habit of suddenly scuttling out in front of vehicles. Back when
the spiders were no larger than squirrels this was more of a nuisance than a
real danger, but now that the spiders were as big as bulls they posed a far
more serious threat. But as fate would have it, she hadn’t seen any thus far.
The unexplained
growth of the spiders since the beginning of the spider apocalypse meant that
survivors like Sonja had grown accustomed to looking for the larger specimens,
as they posed the most obvious danger. But the fact that is that there were
still plenty of smaller spiders creeping about, such as those that had hatched
inside of her husband. As if further evidence of the danger of the smaller
spiders was needed, a normal-sized Black Hermit Spider was crawling up the back
of Sonja’s chair as she drove.
growth of the spiders since the beginning of the spider apocalypse meant that
survivors like Sonja had grown accustomed to looking for the larger specimens,
as they posed the most obvious danger. But the fact that is that there were
still plenty of smaller spiders creeping about, such as those that had hatched
inside of her husband. As if further evidence of the danger of the smaller
spiders was needed, a normal-sized Black Hermit Spider was crawling up the back
of Sonja’s chair as she drove.
“I’m going to
make you proud, Bill,” Sonja said out loud and sniffed. “I know you would want
me to help these kids. Just like we would help our own kids.”
make you proud, Bill,” Sonja said out loud and sniffed. “I know you would want
me to help these kids. Just like we would help our own kids.”
The Black Hermit
Spider put its finger-like legs over the top of Sonja’s chair. When the
creature saw the exposed neck of the female human, its eyes gleamed with a
terrible malevolence.
Spider put its finger-like legs over the top of Sonja’s chair. When the
creature saw the exposed neck of the female human, its eyes gleamed with a
terrible malevolence.
Sonja’s thoughts
turned to her children and her grandchildren, especially Dylan, who was her
favorite. She hadn’t heard news of him since the spider apocalypse began, but
she had a feeling that he was still alive. He was such a hearty soul – a lot
like this James fellow – and he would certainly put up a fight. If anyone could
survive the spider apocalypse and start building civilization afresh, Dylan was
the one.
turned to her children and her grandchildren, especially Dylan, who was her
favorite. She hadn’t heard news of him since the spider apocalypse began, but
she had a feeling that he was still alive. He was such a hearty soul – a lot
like this James fellow – and he would certainly put up a fight. If anyone could
survive the spider apocalypse and start building civilization afresh, Dylan was
the one.
Sonja snapped
out of her reverie just in time to turn the wheel and follow the curve of the
highway. The tires squealed but she was oblivious to the danger. Instead of
slowing down to a more reasonable pace, she pressed the gas pedal down further.
The car was going so fast the frame of the vehicle began to shake.
out of her reverie just in time to turn the wheel and follow the curve of the
highway. The tires squealed but she was oblivious to the danger. Instead of
slowing down to a more reasonable pace, she pressed the gas pedal down further.
The car was going so fast the frame of the vehicle began to shake.
The Black Hermit
Spider, meanwhile, put its legs over the ridge of Sonja’s collar. The creature
was about the size of a human hand, and just as heavy. If Sonja had been
thinking clearly she would have felt the weight on the back of her shirt. But
she was too lost in her thoughts to notice.
Spider, meanwhile, put its legs over the ridge of Sonja’s collar. The creature
was about the size of a human hand, and just as heavy. If Sonja had been
thinking clearly she would have felt the weight on the back of her shirt. But
she was too lost in her thoughts to notice.
“Wherever you
are, Dylan. I hope you’re well. I hope you know your grandmother loves you. If
you’re up in Heaven, then I hope you’re with your grandfather. And if you’re
still here on Earth, I hope I see you again someday.”
are, Dylan. I hope you’re well. I hope you know your grandmother loves you. If
you’re up in Heaven, then I hope you’re with your grandfather. And if you’re
still here on Earth, I hope I see you again someday.”
The spider’s
fangs were hovering over the exposed flesh of the back of Sonja’s neck. As she
wrapped up her tearful soliloquy, the spider drove its fangs into her skin.
Sonja winced as she felt the needle-like projections burrow into her flesh.
There was a sharp sting and then a powerful numbness as the poison was injected
into her system.
fangs were hovering over the exposed flesh of the back of Sonja’s neck. As she
wrapped up her tearful soliloquy, the spider drove its fangs into her skin.
Sonja winced as she felt the needle-like projections burrow into her flesh.
There was a sharp sting and then a powerful numbness as the poison was injected
into her system.
At first the
numbness was uncomfortable, but then it spread out like rays of sunshine freed
from behind a passing cloud. Instead of feeling heavy she began to feel light.
numbness was uncomfortable, but then it spread out like rays of sunshine freed
from behind a passing cloud. Instead of feeling heavy she began to feel light.
“I love you
Dylan. And I love you Bill. I hope I’ll see you both again someday in Heaven.”
Dylan. And I love you Bill. I hope I’ll see you both again someday in Heaven.”
Sonja closed her
eyes. A spasm passed through her body and her spine stiffened, causing her legs
to extend and her foot to press the gas pedal to the floor of the car. The
vehicle shot forward like a rocket, crossing the highway at a sharp angle and
smashing through a partition. On the other side of the partition was a deep
ditch waiting to accept the plummeting vehicle. But this isn’t what Sonja saw.
eyes. A spasm passed through her body and her spine stiffened, causing her legs
to extend and her foot to press the gas pedal to the floor of the car. The
vehicle shot forward like a rocket, crossing the highway at a sharp angle and
smashing through a partition. On the other side of the partition was a deep
ditch waiting to accept the plummeting vehicle. But this isn’t what Sonja saw.
What Sonja saw
was a multitude of faces. The faces belonged to everyone she had known in life,
going back to when she was a child. They were all smiling at her as if she had
just walked into a surprise birthday party being thrown in her honor. Behind
the familiar faces was a bright light and inside this bright light was her
husband Bill, who looked just as happy to see her as the rest. He held out his
arms to her. Sonja was suddenly no longer in the car. She was in her husband’s
arms. And in her husband’s arms she would stay.
was a multitude of faces. The faces belonged to everyone she had known in life,
going back to when she was a child. They were all smiling at her as if she had
just walked into a surprise birthday party being thrown in her honor. Behind
the familiar faces was a bright light and inside this bright light was her
husband Bill, who looked just as happy to see her as the rest. He held out his
arms to her. Sonja was suddenly no longer in the car. She was in her husband’s
arms. And in her husband’s arms she would stay.
About the Author:
Nora Penn writes fast-paced horror novels with strong, relatable characters.
Her favorite authors are Dean Koontz and Stephen King.
She released her first novel, Bite Me Spider, in November of 2017.
She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, who endures her various idiosyncrasies in return for being the first to read her new novels. They welcomed their first child, a daughter, on September 11, 2015.
If you don't want to miss any Nora Penn news, you can:
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Interview with Nora Penn
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
Everywhere. Dark clouds inspire me. Empty streets inspire me. Even a little cockroach makes me think about a great horror plot.
How did you do research for your book?
I have arachnophobia so it was easy-peasy. I just had to dig deep into my biggest fear. 😊
Do you have another profession besides writing?
Yes, I’m a team lead at big software development company located in Boston.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
To 1920s. Al Capone, Babe Ruth, The Jazz Age. That era always makes me smile.
What is your next project?
Bite Me Spider 2 😊
Interview with Nora Penn
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
Everywhere. Dark clouds inspire me. Empty streets inspire me. Even a little cockroach makes me think about a great horror plot.
How did you do research for your book?
I have arachnophobia so it was easy-peasy. I just had to dig deep into my biggest fear. 😊
Do you have another profession besides writing?
Yes, I’m a team lead at big software development company located in Boston.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
To 1920s. Al Capone, Babe Ruth, The Jazz Age. That era always makes me smile.
What is your next project?
Bite Me Spider 2 😊
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