O happy day. Typing “new release” never gets old for a writer. This time I write it with special satisfaction. My new novel is Follow the Chupacabra, and I think (hope) that the legions of readers of fantasy fiction out there will find this to be a unique addition to the genre. It’s a wild ride, I promise.

Some background: I wanted to write a contemporary fantasy story, but was determined to create something fresh. I challenged myself to dive into the fantasy genre without relying on vampires, elves, werewolves, fairies or zombie fairy elves. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just didn’t know what I could add that hasn’t already been done. (Memo to self: investigate zombie fairy elf idea further).

I enjoy fantasy stories that incorporate mythical creatures and wanted to include that aspect of fantasy into the book. I just didn’t want to populate the story with the usual creatures of legend. So I’ve recruited the shadowy myths of my home base, the American Southwest. We’ve got a well-stocked pantry of rich folklore in these sunny climes, from the terrifying to the ridiculous—chupacabras, jackalopes, malevolent twisters, giant insects that sting so hard you’ll feel it in your next three lives… you get the picture.

I also love the concept of alternate worlds, those hidden places discovered down pathways that cut through the fabric of reality. Combine these elements, and you’ve got Follow the Chupacabra.

Here’s the pitch:

If you follow the chupacabra, where will it lead you?

Ray Lenstrom is a broken man. His family, the life he knew, and his will to live were all swept away in a series of catastrophic storms. After the swarm of devastating twisters finally receded, no element of his life remained untouched.

He is a man adrift—until the night of the dark visitor, the chupacabra of legend.

When do you allow yourself to believe the unbelievable? When do mythological creature become part of the real world? Ray has to figure out if the chupacabra that has tracked him down and attempted to enlist him in an impossible undertaking is spinning wild lies or simply revealing frightening truths.

Ray has only one place to turn—a mysterious woman cut off from the rest of humanity who may hold the answers. She may also be the key to rebuilding his shattered life.

As Ray embraces the adventure of a lifetime, he’ll discover that the world is larger than he ever dreamed, and forgotten planes of existence lurk at the end of every path. Hidden elemental powers command the shadowlands of Earth, and bizarre creatures of legend travel endless pathways in a multiverse of alternate worlds more terrifying—and more beautiful—than any he has ever known.

Follow the Chupacabra is a contemporary fantasy novel where the vivid legends of the American Southwest come to unforgettable life.

(E-book on Amazon to start—other formats to follow quickly).