# STRANGE TALES 1: The Black Lake & Headlamps -- excerpt here -- 99c



## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

The Black Lake & Headlamps (Strange Tales)

_Three friends on a fishing trip in the MidWest encounter a mysterious dark-watered lake. They hope to catch something to eat ... but who's eating who this evening?_

_John Tarrell is driving his little sportscar across the Rockies, when a pair of huge round headlamps materialize behind him. He'd thought that he was on his own out here ... and now, he wishes that he was._

EXCERPT: Cowley stopped at the top of the low hill and turned. Well, at least there was one other sign of life! Coming in swiftly from the east a bird, a swallow, was homing in on the lake, perhaps hoping to catch some insects there. It swung in very low across the water. Cowley watched it, the sun beating down on his head, sweat trickling into his eyes. The bird changed direction once, twice, lunged at something just above the surface ...
And was gone.
Suddenly gone.
Ripples spread out across the jet-black water.
"Did you see that?" he said to Douggie.
"See ...?"
"The bird. The swallow. Disappeared."
"Those things move so fast --" Douggie said. "I'd get your hat on, get out of the sun. Out here, it can turn your brain to scrambled egg."
Cowley wiped the hot, salty perspiration off his brow and out of his eyes. The back of his head, he realized, had begun to pound. "Perhaps you're right," he said. He followed his friend back to the trailer.

"Richards is a master" - RT Book Reviews.
"A terrific author. A unique and eloquent voice" - John Pelan.
"One of the great masters of dark fiction, a hell of a writer" - Horror World.

*ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tony Richards is the author of 7 novels from Harpercollins, Tor, and Pan Macmillan and has seen more than one hundred short stories in print, most of them in magazines like Isaac Asimov's SF, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery, Postscripts, F&SF, and Weird Tales. His novels have been selections of the Science Fiction and Doubleday Book Clubs, and he has been shortlisted for both the HWA Bram Stoker and British Fantasy awards.*

All of Tony's titles on Kindle, traditionally published and self-published, can be viewed here: https://www.amazon.com/author/tonyrichards


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Tony,

Congratulations on your book!

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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Thank you, Betsy!


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

You can find out more about my fiction, both on Kindle and in print, at my website:
http://www.richardsreality.com


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

I've been talking about the process of writing a short story on my blog: http://raineslanding.blogspot.co.uk/


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

I'm producing new short stories all the time. Just finished another one.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

I write in other genres, but horror/supernatural is my favorite.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Another week, another bump.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

The first two stories in my mammoth collection of horror, supernatural, and suspense tales (see my signature below) are FREE this entire weekend!!!


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

You can view some more of my collections and novels by clicking on the covers in my signature (below).


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

These critically praised stories are free all Tuesday.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

This one isn't free any longer, but is still terrific value.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

These small books are samples from my far larger horror/suspense collection (see below).


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

My self-published ebooks are selling 10 times the number in the US that they sell in the UK, and so thanks to all of my American readers.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Although I've started doing well in the UK as well the past couple of weeks.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

My books on Kindle are starting to get reviews. It's been a long wait (18 months or so) but mostly worth it: http://amzn.to/m4ihme


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

These small STRANGE TALES books are tasters from the much larger book below.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Some brand-new stories of mine are on the way to Kindle very soon.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

And once again, I bring this book to your attention.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

And here it is again.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

And again!


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

And yet again!!!


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Buy now, while stocks last!


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

All of my self-published work on Kindle -- with the exception of all but one of my Immortal Holmes tales -- has appeared in print in some magazine or collection (usually a top one) before going onto KDP. You can enjoy them here for a fraction of the price.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

And here it is once again.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Perfect reading for these dark, cold evenings. Or there's the bigger book, from which these stories came (Below).


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Don't miss the chance to read these excellent stories.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

I've chosen some of my very best ones for the _Strange Tales_ series.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

These short _Strange Tales_ collections are intended as samples of my work. The big book of stories is in my signature below.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

These are 2 of my earliest stories -- and 2 of my best.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Here's another chance to look them over.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Happy Holidays to all my readers!


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Have a great 2013, everyone!


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