Sam Rebelein

"Alternately whimsical and horrifying, Rebelein's newest is a bizarre gem. I don't want to join any cult he dreams up, but I will be first in line to read about them." --KIERSTEN WHITE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of HideIn this shockingly fun wild ride of horrors, Sam Rebelein takes readers back to Renfield County and tells the story of two Rachels--one who mistakenly starts a cult at her local high school and one who tries to dismantle it ten years later. 2009: Rachel Galloway is bored in class. She spends the dreary fall days sketching in her notebook--adorable pigs munching on her boring teachers--and imagining a utopia where all the horrors of Burnskidde High School disappear. But when her classmates start to believe this utopia could be real, Galloway finds herself at the center of an elaborate, and quickly spreading, new religion. Before long, the town is split between believers and nonbelievers. As tensions rise and the rituals become more dangerous, Galloway can't be sure what's real and what's not, or who she can trust. BURNSKIDDE: CULTWATCH2019: This is the cryptic message that Renfield County Guard Rachel Durwood receives from her colleague Mark, mere days after he's disappeared. Mark's note leads Durwood to the town of Burnskidde, famously sealed off from the rest of the county ten years ago. Now, she discovers a small, insulated community preparing for the rapture and, seemingly, their collective demise. In order to save Burnskidde from itself, she must piece together the fallout from 2009 and avoid being swept up into the monstrous cult herself. As Rachel Galloway watches her life spiral out of control, Rachel Durwood navigates a world where history, horror, and faith collide. Despite being separated by a decade, Galloway and Durwood may be closer to each other than they realize. But even together, will they be able to stop Burnskidde's impending doom?" The novel never forgets to have fun but always keeps its finger on the pulse of the characters' hearts. A wild, bristling ride that would make Lovecraft blush." --MICHAEL WEHUNT, author of The October Film Haunt and Greener Pastures

Return to the world of Renfield County from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Edenville. Perfect for fans of Paul Tremblay and Eric LaRocca.“You remember all the stories, right? Monsters and giants and kid-eaters and that guy in the tub? Of course you do…”There’s something wrong in Renfield County. It’s in the walls of the county’s historic houses, in the water, in the soil. But far worse than that—it’s embedded deep within everyone who lives here. From the detective desperate to avoid hurting his own family; to the man so consumed with feeling zen that he will pursue horrific, life-changing surgery to achieve it. From the townspeople taken by ancient, unknowable forces; to those who find themselves lost in the woods, pursued by the beasts who lurk within the trees. Yes, there’s something very wrong in Renfield County—something that has been very wrong for a very long time. Something that is watching. Something that is hungry. From the mind of acclaimed author Sam Rebelein, return to the Bram Stoker Award-nominated world of Edenville in this interconnected series of short stories, and discover the true secrets of Renfield County.

Goosebumps meets Stephen King at Edenville College, where an aspiring horror novelist takes a teaching job and soon finds a blood-soaked town history, a secret society in the library basement, alternate dimensions and people who might actually be spiders...

" A]n essential read for horror enthusiasts." --Booklist An unsettling, immersive, and wildly entertaining debut novel from "a major new talent " (R. L. Stine)." A] delightfully gooey blend of gothic, cosmic, folk and body horror churned by a sharp-bladed critique of academia."-- Lucy A. Snyder, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Sister, Maiden, MonsterAfter publishing his debut novel, The Shattered Man, to disappointing sales and reviews, Campbell P. Marion is struggling to find inspiration for a follow-up. When Edenville College invites him to join as a writer-in-residence, he's convinced that his bad luck has finally taken a turn. His girlfriend Quinn isn't so sure--she grew up near Edenville and has good reasons for not wanting to move back. Cam disregards her skepticism and accepts the job, with Quinn reluctantly following along. But there's something wrong in Edenville. Despite the charming old ladies milling about Main Street and picturesque sunflowers dotting the sidewalks, poison lurks beneath the surface. As a series of strange and ominous events escalate among Edenville and its residents, Cam and Quinn find themselves entangled in a dark and disturbing history. Told with equal parts horror and humor, Edenville explores the urban legends that fuel our nightmares and the ways in which ambition can overshadow our best instincts. Sam Rebelein is an exciting, sharp new voice, sure to terrify readers for years to come." The mundane horrors of rural and academic living collide with pure cosmic weirdness in Sam Rebelein's Edenville. Not since Jason Pargin's John Dies at the End have I been so horrified and grossed out by a book... I could say more, but honestly, the less you know about this book, the better. A fantastic debut."-- Todd Keisling, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Devil's Creek and Cold, Black & Infinite

The stories from the 2018 season of Shimmer Magazine.