April 23, 2026
Where does my inspiration come from?
Almost anything can inspire a story. Sometimes it happens as a flash of an idea out of nowhere, but most often, it occurs as a result of an encounter I had or something I’ve seen. In my story collection, Thorne Manor and Other Bizarre Tales, there were specific instances that sparked these horror stories. The first is a novella called Thorne Manor. It came to me as I drove past the ivy-covered, weed infested property of the old Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry, which was a psychiatric hospital located on Roosevelt Boulevard (Route 1) in Northeast Philadelphia. It opened in 1907 and was closed in 1990, later being demolished in 2006 to make way for residential projects, including apartments.
Thorne Manor is where you’ll meet Heather, a woman trying to separate herself from an emotionally abusive ex-husband. While pursuing her dream of opening a business, she finds herself in an old, abandoned mansion that houses a sinister secret.
Thorne Manor (excerpt)
“It’s too risky, Heather,” Joyce Wolfe warned. “As your realtor and friend, I have to remind you that financially this is too much to take on.” Heather stared at the Gothic mansion. It was as if Heather had been absorbed into its strange aura. Riding up the driveway, the overhanging trees hugged her from above and pointed the way toward the house.
Standing amidst a dense forest of maple, sycamore, pine, and cedar the timeworn stone Gothic mansion welcomed her. The arched windows gazed down upon her with dark, tired eyes. The soaring center tower of the house enshrouded in aged brown stone gave the impression of an old woman wrapped in a tattered shawl. “I dreamed of this place; of owning it and starting a business. I can live and work here,” her voice trailed off as if talking to herself. With commercial zoning, she saw in its dark countenance the bright spark of a successful enterprise, not simply a fantastic place to live. The rumors of the home’s dark history did not dissuade her from seeing its potential. All it needed was some loving attention, and the sadness that was said to permeate the structure would dissipate.
“No one who lives around here will come near the place. Too much has happened here – the murders, the torture – to allow a business to be successful.” “We can clear the energy. The psychics that rent from me will bring fresh energy to the house and the grounds.” Thorne Manor stood before them, patiently awaiting the final decision. A gentle pine-scented breeze blew Heather’s long brown hair across her face. She moved the hair to the side and hooked it behind her ear.
“There are several other properties I can show you that will be perfect for what you want to do. Let’s go take a look.”
Heather’s eyes were fixed on the mansion, mind whirring with ideas for the abandoned building.
“The dark history of this house will add an air of mystery that will attract people to have social gatherings here. I can use it as part of my marketing strategy.”
The enamored expression on Heather’s face told Joyce she had made her decision, but wanted to give one last attempt to dissuade her.
“The house on Chestnut Street is a bright contemporary with an open floor plan on three acres. There is plenty of parking and we can get it for an incredible price.”
Heather nodded, knowing Joyce had said something, but did not know what it was. Joyce could see that Heather was enthralled with the property and completely oblivious to her opinion. Thorne Manor had been on the market for almost five years; the structure was sound, but the tragedies that took place here deterred most buyers. Joyce had researched the history of the property in depth with the hope of finding something positive in its past that she could share with her clients. What she found out she mostly kept to herself.
Heather was not only her client, but also her friend, so in this case, she would do her best to talk Heather out of buying this place. The dark past of the house would not be good for Heather’s healing after such a difficult marriage. The professional relationship Joyce and Heather shared began when Heather was assigned as the accountant to Joyce’s real estate office, Mather Properties. The friendship began when Heather left her possessive husband, Robert.
This is the upcoming cover for Thorne Manor, as voted for by you! In the meantime, the current cover is in place.
The Stories Behind the Stories
Every experience holds within it a story with the potential to be taken to the extreme. The stories in Thorne Manor and Other Bizarre Tales, have unique origins. With some, there were opportunities to include humor to lighten the darkness and others stayed on the darker side. Here are the moments that sparked the stories in this collection:
Guardian at the Gate: A demon with plans to take over the world is given a leadership makeover. This story was inspired by a large, round hairbrush with a spike hidden in the handle that can be turned to use as a hair separator. I imagined it as a weapon.
The Black Sheep: A troubled, clairaudient girl rejects her psychotherapist when a new spirit begins to counsel her. One night I was walking through Center City Philadelphia on a side street and glimpsed a ram’s skull in the window of a restaurant. What if it was a signal of a meeting location to those in an evil secret society?
The Quiet Neighbors: A housewife’s first attempt at witchcraft backfires. For years there was a house in my neighborhood that was left to decay before being renovated. The curtains in the main window hung shredded by sunlight and mold. No one lived there. I wondered who had lived there was the house was viable and came up with this creepy couple.
By Invitation Only: A grieving pet owner is visited by an unusual creature. Anyone who loves their pet understands that when they pass, the grief is unbearable. I had lost my Lhasa Apso before writing this story, and it prompted fantasies about him coming back.
Dream State: A woman’s dreams become deadly reality. This story came about when I had the spooky dream that kicks off this bizarre tale. Oddly, I don’t normally have weird dreams like that, but when I do, it begs to be put into a creepy narrative.
Good Riddance: A man’s hatred for cats creates an unexpected result. We have a couple of feral cats that roam the neighborhood. One balmy night, I had the windows open and heard them fighting on my back porch. The next morning, there was fur and bits of skin on the porch floor. I could only imagine a person battling to keep cats off of his porch furniture. In every story, the origin starts with a small trigger and expands to become a bigger concept. You may sense the energy I felt while writing this very dark collection of stories. Enjoy!
