Tales’ Spring day out!

April 16, 2025April 16, 2025Leave a comment

Happy Spring guys! Sharing with you Tales from the Manor’s first day out! 🌸🥰 Do you often bring books out with you on adventures? Spring & summer are ideal for those floral, or beachy ☀️ holiday shots, the perfect opportunity to get out and soak in the sunshine ~ and who can tell these are in London 😲 🙌🏻 (Specifically round the Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens area which should be in bloom for the following few weeks.)

Once the roses hit, I’ll try to capture some more to share with you, fitting for ‘Tales’, which incidentally is set during a cool, June day!🌹😍 But for now, let’s appreciate these beautiful cherry blossoms…

What signs of Spring do you have in your area? Share down below! 👇

Until next time friends! ❤

Reader reviews for “Tales from the Manor”

January 20, 2025Leave a comment

Hello friends, another Monday dawns! Hope you’re all staying warm and having a great start to the week 🥰 Today, I’ll be sharing some of the very lovely reviews I’ve received from those who have read “Tales from the Manor” ~ I cannot thank you enough! And if you would like to- please head on over to Goodreads/Amazon to give a review and share your thoughts, experiences, or anything you’d like future readers to know. The link is provided below as always 🤗

And so let’s begin with review number 1!

“Chills… goosebumps… get me out of the manor…

How Kate managed to tie in psychological trauma into manor terrors is phenomenal. Each short story shines on its own and I was on the edge of my seat reading each one. Not to mention, the stories are derived from true events (my personal fav when it comes to horror).

The characters each has a unique tale to tell. Though I have my favourites, each one is special. I don’t want to spoil anything but I’d go back to the psychological elements they entail. This book is more than just fictional horror stories (which is once again, my fav kind!). It makes you question your own fear and ask whether it has manifested in any way similar to the characters’ (I better stop now or I might spoil everything).

If you want a cosy yet thrilling read, I highly recommend Tales from the Manor! You’ll see what I mean!”

~ Lyn

“The book is split into 5 stories, all set in the grotesquely gothic Hartshaw Manor. At first I thought the stories were only connected by the location but as the book goes on it becomes clear that there is much more than that connecting these creepy tales.

Each story is told from a different characters point of view but they all have a dream-like quality. The narrative is split into little sections, the slight disconnect helps time move forward quickly and sporadically. It’s difficult to know if the events are truly happening or if they’re just a dream. I was questioning all the way to the end! It really messed with my head and I loved that!

I really enjoyed each story and each character, but it’s the ending that really blew me away. I’ll say nothing more because I don’t want to spoil it but it is so clever!

And the writing in this is so beautiful. The author truly captures what I mean when I say that I love the beauty in horror! The juxtaposition between the terrifying scene and the beautiful, lyrical words to describe it. It’s so well done!

I love the little afterword at the end from the author too. I was focused mostly on the horror of the situation so I appreciated the few notes at the end pointing out some of the nuances I wouldn’t have thought about.

There really is so much to this little book. It is gripping, gothic, horrifying, disgusting, disturbing and psychologically twisted. I loved every single page.

My only warning would be to proceed with caution, or you may find yourself waking in the night to little green flies crawling all over your skin.”

~ Samantha

“This is a perfect book to read on a rainy day at home (or any other weather, of course)!

Kate created a world that is spooky yet familiar to all of us because sometimes our fear is a projection from our internal world. I was very much immersed in the creepy manor when I read. I actually really enjoyed how it manifested in the manors through paintings, dolls etc.! It’s crazy, I know.

Particularly loved the Kary chapter. I was instantly hooked and wanted to know what actually happened in the past…I won’t spoil it for you.

5 out of 5, I definitely recommend it!”

~Wendy

Though I can only include a small selection here, I appreciate each and every one of you have taken the time to read, be immersed in the world, and are so eloquent in expressing your thoughts in your reviews!

I hope you enjoy this little collection of cosy, gothic short stories that conjure up the image of old manor houses and days snuggled by warm country fires; nestled deep in the English countryside. Lose yourself for a moment.

Follow me… for things are not as they seem. And the power of what you can’t see – can be truly wondrous indeed.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222142687-tales-from-the-manor

Synopsis:

Inspired by true events…

In these five stories, the gothic awaits. From eerie oil paintings that come alive, devilish dolls, and a sinister game of hide and seek; there are more than creepy crawlies that lurk in the crevices of Hartshaw Manor. The secrets the structure holds will keep anyone up at night. But is it the work of mischievous spirits, or are they merely horrors conjured from their own frenzied imaginations?
Join Dinah, Peter, Kary, Tony and Violet as they each spend an unforgettable night deep in the folds of the British countryside.

Read on if you dare, because we’ve saved the best till last….

Tapas.io- Read “Caskets of Ice” for free!

January 4, 2025Leave a comment

Hi friends! Happy New Year! 🥳🎉🥂

To kick start Jan, I have uploaded episodes (or chapters!) on tapas for free, link below:

https://tapas.io/episode/3400974

Press subscribe directly on the site to read the latest segment when I post a new chapter weekly!☺️ I’d love to hear your thoughts over the course of the trilogy ~ who are your favourite characters, what do you think of the setting of the dreamworld? Do you have vivid dreams?

Synopsis:

How far would you go, if you had the power to control your dreams?

“One thing is true for them all; and what a price to pay-
When they realise the ice caskets, which were once their tomb, are the only thing keeping them alive.”

Entering lands where things are eerily not what they seem, cannibalistic witches and glowing jade cicadas that bring nothing but misfortune. Where a dream devil wanders the dreamscape collecting souls, building his empire on nothing but fear and death. Beyond the caskets of ice, some doors should remain unopened….

Come closer and listen my dear…

Where do we really go when we fall asleep?

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If you’d like to own your very own copy to add to your shelves, the link on Amazon, including my latest gothic short story release “Tales from the Manor” can be found below. I have a collection of poetry too for you poetry lovers!

https://linktr.ee/Katewjwhite

Happy weekend friends! ❤

Celebrating Christmas ~ Tales & the festive spirit

December 12, 2024Leave a comment

Christmas is finally around the corner! Are there any festive books on your radar?

They say to write what you want to read and this time I was really yearning for that gothic, historical cosy feeling, with a bit of the uncanny (also to try my hand at writing a psychological horror!) Especially as the cold, dark, winter months are upon us!

I was inspired by more traditional folk tales, as well as some more of the unique eerie, Victorian Literature based around this season! You’ve got your dolls and dream terrors, but also more fantastical, gothic romance.

If you end up picking ‘Tales from the Manor‘ either for yourself or a loved one this Christmas, firstly thank you! and secondly, I hope you enjoy this journey.

Let me know if you’ll be reading ‘Tales from the Manor‘ (I’ll probably be dipping into it during the Xmas week!) & we can do a buddy read together! 🙂

*Festive book tree using my hardcover creations!*

Click video below to see the book in more detail:

Lots of love, Kate x

~ The mystery of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ ~ 🖤🌹

February 28, 2019February 28, 20192 Comments

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ is definitely a tale about escapism- Christine spends her whole life being coached by a ‘mysterious voice’ that mentors her to do better and achieve beyond what she thought possible, when she finally steps through the mirror and meets the man behind the voice, her illusion shatters and she is repulsed by his deformed face. 💀

Instead, she goes for her childhood sweetheart Raoul, and, the phantom realises that despite all he’s given her, she still turns away in horror. She pities him and yet still agrees to lay a trap, by going along with his grand plans for her on the stage, but in the end, his jealousy still destroys them (and the opera house which is also his home.) 🎼🎭

We see him as the villain of the story, but we also feel sorry for him, hiding away with no love and kindness- and perhaps it’s this forced solitude & space to develop his talents that turns him into a musical genius. There are many things to learn from it, that you can’t force love, that you can’t expect too much from anyone, yet also the power of forgiveness and also dedication throughout a lifetime. 🖤🖤

Another thing I love about the Phantom are the aesthetics, the opulent backdrop & historical references- after all it’s a theatre, the masquerade balls, the grandness, and of course, the amazing soundtrack!! Andrew Lloyd Webber really transformed it and made it his own- hence why it still stands the test of time. 👰🏻👻🎞⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

~ 𝔔𝔲𝔬𝔱𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔯~

“They played at hearts as other children might play at ball; only, as it was really their two hearts that they flung to and fro, they had to be very, very handy to catch them, each time, without hurting them.”

“And, despite the care which she took to look behind her at every moment, she failed to see a shadow which followed her like her own shadow, which stopped when she stopped, which started again when she did and which made no more noise than a well-conducted shadow should.”

“Northanger Abbey”~ Let’s talk Austen!

August 17, 2014August 17, 20142 Comments

Northanger Abbey is notably a coming of age story. So can the protagonist Catherine be considered an inspiring heroine?

“Catherine Morland, a quixotic young woman who sees things through the distorted lens of the Gothic novel, must grow out of that illusion. In doing so, she follows the trajectory typical of all true novels: she moves from innocence to experience. Catherine must change, she must react to life and become, by the end of her story, another person”- from the introduction by Alfred Mac Adam.

So what does this book teach you? That reading too many Gothic novels leaves you unprepared for the real world? That you ought to look out for ‘false friends’? That you shouldn’t make too many presumptions about other people, especially their parents- which can lead you into a lot of trouble?

If you have ever felt frustration, you will relate to this novel in some degree. The amount of times Catherine is stopped in pursuing a path, or keeping a promise, or thwarted in her plans is truly frustrating. It is definitely something the modern reader can empathise with, when often good intentions do not turn out quite as you expect.

Henry Tilney & Catherine Morland

It has a simple storyline, it is humorous, satirical and mysterious. Catherine is a romantic girl and dreams about things that, let’s face it- are unlikely to happen in real life, hence she is often disappointed. She is young, but also (another country girl comparable to Dickens’s Nicholas Nickleby) a moral character. If she has done wrong or made a mistake, she will do all she can to remedy it, no matter pride or the consequence. In this light, it makes her a likeable character.

“She mediated, by turns, on broken promises and broken arches, phaetons and false hangings, Tilneys and trap-doors.”

Northanger Abbey – Lismore Castle

The story details Gothic castles, suspicious looking chests, locked rooms and mysterious notes. Definitely something for the lovers of Gothic fiction. However Catherine’s romantic fancies lead her to some dramatic conclusions and she must learn to not only respect the feelings of others but also to atone for her mistakes- especially to those she has come to love.

I have known people to say they do not like this novel. It is perfectly fine, because Jane Austen isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. So what do other famous authors think of her? Charlotte Bronte resented what she called Austen’s lack of sentiment, “I should hardly like to live with her ladies and gentlemen, in their elegant but confined houses.” Mark Twain went even far as to say “Everytime I read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone..” Wow…steady on there Twain! Let’s just agree that all novels (and authors) have their merits eh!

On a more positive note, Penguin calls Northanger Abbey the ‘most youthful and optimistic’ of Jane Austen’s romances. Perhaps because it is fun, light hearted and a comparatively short novel; different to some of her other perhaps more universally liked works, such as “Sense and Sensibility” or “Emma”. But there is something reliable in the unlikely 17yr old heroine Catherine. She has a good heart and means well, thrust into an adventure she could little foresee. As Alfred Mac Adam claims, she matures as the novel progresses, changing her view on life, but most importantly, of herself as a person. It is something we as readers can definitely relate to as we follow her journey.

The World of Edgar Allen Poe

July 17, 2014July 25, 20141 Comment

Some of you may have heard of him, some of you may not. However, it is hard not to come across something he has influenced.

So why is Edgar Allen Poe so famous?

Firstly, he is said to be the inventor of detective fiction, inspiring young readers today with his portrayals of the gothic and horror genre. Secondly (and importantly for us writers), rather than to deliver a message, he believed a poem’s “first obligation is to create beauty through rhythm, rhyme, and visual imagery.” Not only are his stories eerie and terrifying, but they reach into the deepest recesses of the reader’s sub conscious and into the darkness of human nature.

His works explore the juxtaposition between madness and sanity, the dead and their power over the living, of love versus all consuming hate, as well as the inner exploration of the self. Perhaps Poe’s most famous poems include “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee”, and short stories such as “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Murders at the Rue Morgue.” He was able to create such a variety of poetry and prose, appealing to a universal reader. They are dark, unsettling and macabre and it is hard to find another author who quite writes like he does.

“The Raven”

Perhaps my personal favourite is “The Masque of Red Death”. It is intriguing, captivating and rich with colour and imagery. While the plague rages on in the country, Prince Prospero locks up his castle and invites guests to enjoy themselves at a grand masquerade ball, a retreat away from the death outside his walls. We are introduced to an enchanting setting, where everything is opulent, gaudy with aspects of the grotesque. Each room is a different colour, decorated with silks and damask, under the rule of the selfish Prince. Before long, the red death is revealed by the figure of an unknown masquerade character, who having brought the plague into the walls of the castle and causes Death to all present; simply vanishes into nothing.

There’s something about it that reminds me of the “Phantom of the Opera”, of which there is a similar masquerade scene…

“Phantom of the Opera” (2004)

“That which you mistake for madness is but an over acuteness of the senses.” Many of Poe’s characters profess their “sanity” despite the cruelty of their actions- actions which are strategically planned and carried out, such as in the story “The Tell Tale Heart” first published in 1843.

Ranging from melancholy to despair- there is a certain mystery that surrounds his works, and an equal mystery associated with his death in Baltimore. Yet there is no denying it, there is something haunting about his writing, something that stays with you; a long time after you have turned the last page…

Fun Fact: If anyone is familiar with the film “Holes”, you will notice there is a scene where Kate Barlow is reciting a poem to her pupil. The character of Sam overhears it and starts to quote…

“I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea;

But we loved with a love that was more than love-

I and my Annabel Lee-“

You got it! It’s Poe once again-

Do you have a favourite of Poe’s work? Have you seen the film adaptation called “The Raven”?