The Haunted Zone: A Horror Anthology by Women Military Veterans
Our Kickstarter takes center stage on Tuesday, September 12th!
We’re excited to share how fabulous this book looks, so stay with us and follow our campaign! Our pre-launch (when you can ask Kickstarter to notify you via email when it launches) is active now. The Haunted Zone by Sirrah Medeiros — Kickstarter
Thank you for following the project!
More Great News!
Shad Meshad, Founder and President of the National Veterans Foundation, will write the afterword for our anthology. With over 52 years supporting veterans and finding them much needed assistance, you’ll want to read about his experiences and how the National Veterans Foundation is helping our women veterans now.
Partnered with the National Veterans Foundation
We are thrilled to share the news! We’ve partnered with the National Veterans Foundation for The Haunted Zone anthology. Their founder, Floyd “Shad” Meshad, has been tirelessly supporting veterans for over 52 years. With that loyal devotion to our military veterans, Tundra Swan Press has partnered with the NVF for at least 10% of proceeds based on the retail book value to go toward the Women Veterans Resources and Support programs of the NVF.
Please take a few minutes and read about their fantastic work to support our veterans, especially our women warriors and their families.
Thanks for following along and sharing this unique opportunity for women veterans to take center stage in the world of horror.
Meet the Authors
Ella B. Rite joins us!
We’re excited to announce Ella B. Rite has joined The Haunted Zone with her short story, “Never the Princess.” Ella retired from the U.S. Navy, raised two sons, and earned her undergraduate degree before embarking on a writing career. She can’t resist stories about haunted houses & cursed objects. Currently, she is working on a book series about a rogue witch who constantly irritates her coven.
Welcome Lee Franklin from The Land Down Under (Australia)!
We’re happy to announce Lee Franklin has joined The Haunted Zone. Lee is an Australian Army veteran having served 10 years in Logistics Support, including two tours in East Timor. Lee delights in writing fast action, blood-soaked short stories and her debut was a military horror novel called “Berserker – Green Hell,” all with a distinct Australian flavor. Her short story, “The Turk,” reminds us we can find interesting allies in the most unusual circumstances.
Help us welcome Thea Brune!
Thea is a U.S. Navy veteran, having served as an Electronic Warfare technician. She is a horror author who lives in Abu Dhabi, UAE with her cat, Scruggs the Third. Her short story, “The Gobble-uns,” will give you chills and summon those repressed terrors from your childhood about what lingers under the bed at night.
Sam Casey, Welcome Aboard!
Join us in welcoming Sam Casey to The Haunted Zone. Sam is a Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear) in the U.S. Navy, currently teaching in the English Department at the United States Naval Academy as a Military Instructor. Prior, she was attached to USS ROOSEVELT (DDG 80) from 2017 to 2018 and USS George Washington (CVN 73) from 2019 to 2022. She enjoys writing poetry and prose in her free time. Published previously under the pen name Porter Jenkins, Sam has her debut as a horror author in THZ with her short story, “Shaft Alley,” and her poem, “Sappho at Sea.”
Welcome, Brenda Huettner!
We are excited to announce Brenda Huettner has joined The Haunted Zone. Brenda is a U.S. Army veteran and served in the headquarters unit for the 94th ARCOM for the duration of the Desert Shield/Desert Storm operations. Since then, she has been an independent technical communication consultant as a writer, editor, trainer, and manager for both software and hardware companies. Brenda has published several books and articles, and presented courses on writing, project management, and related fields. She’s a principal of Microwaves101.com, an online encyclopedia of microwave engineering knowledge. Her short story, “On Guard,” reminds us to look twice before pursuing shadows lurking in the corners.
Say Hello to Donna Zephrine!
We are excited to share Donna Zephrine has joined The Haunted Zone with her poem, “Baby Boy.” Donna is a U.S. Army combat veteran, having served two tours in Iraq. She has shared her stories through several publishing avenues such as The New York Times, Writers Guild Initiative, Long Island Poetry Association, The Seasons, and many, many others. She is a graduate of Columbia University and currently works for the New York State Office of Mental Health as a Bridger.
Join us in welcoming Rook Riley to The Haunted Zone!
Rook is a U.S. Army veteran and horror writer of short stories and poetry. They have stories in several anthologies: Queens and Courtesans, A Lone Star in the Sky, and Witches and Warriors, to name a few. Their dark story, “Joy and the Patchwork Lady,” delivers terrifying retribution for violence through a pact to protect the innocent. Learn more about Rook at https://www.authorrookriley.com/.
Tara Moeller, Welcome!
We are happy to announce Tara Moeller has joined The Haunted Zone. Tara served in the U.S. Navy for six years as an electronics technician. She has published several short stories in various anthologies, novellas, and a full-length novel—not all of them horror, but they do have horror elements. Her story, “Guilty Conscience,” serves a hauntingly heavy dose of regret in this terrifying tale.
V. R. Jones, Joins The Haunted Zone!
We are delighted to announce V. R. Jones has joined The Haunted Zone roster. Verona is U.S. Navy veteran, paranormal enthusiast, and horror writer. She grew up in a haunted house in Washington State, which fueled her passion for the supernatural and monsters. Add that the Navy sent her to one of the best locations for urban legends and hauntings, Scotland, and she’s continued to explore, adding to her wealth of material to inspire her horror writing. Her story, “Devil’s Highway,” lingers and will continue to haunt as you take the next long, lonely drive in the dark.
Welcome, T. R. Whitney!
Please join us in welcoming T. R. Whitney to The Haunted Zone! Tanya is a U.S. Army retired Master Sergeant and an award-winning author of poetry and short stories found in various anthologies in the U.S. and England. She is a 2018 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival Gold Medalist and 2022 Silver Medalist in Creative Writing categories. Her tantalizing story, “The Beast,” will have you clawing out of your skin.
Say hello to Dacia M. Arnold!
We are thrilled to announce Dacia M. Arnold has joined The Haunted Zone with her story, “(F)law of Attraction.” Dacia’s story will motivate readers to think twice before accepting someone’s advice. She is a U.S. Army veteran with ten years of service as a combat medic. A cross-genre author, she has been published in the New York Times and is a two-time ChapterBuzz award winner for her debut novel and its sequel. Learn more about Dacia on her website at https://daciamarnold.com.
K. E. Jennings, Welcome!
We are happy to announce K. E. Jennings has joined The Haunted Zone anthology. Jennings served in the U.S. Army as a Chaplain Assistant for eight years. She is the writer of over six novels and various short stories. Her story, “Hotel Monroe” takes us on a terrifying archeological dig.
Welcome, Natalia Glaros to The Haunted Zone!
We are pleased to share Natalia K. Glaros has joined The Haunted Zone anthology. Natalia is a U.S. Army veteran. Her poem, “Hanging On,” is sure to grab your attention and have you holding on for dear life.
A warm welcome, Janine Spendlove!
We are delighted to share Janine K. Spendlove has signed on to The Haunted Zone anthology. Janine is a retired United States Marine Corps KC-130 pilot. In the writing world, she is an award-winning author primarily known for her War of the Seasons fantasy series. Her story, “Endings and Beginnings” shares a unique perspective to the marriage vows, “until death do us part.”
Welcome, Lane Blevins to the Haunted Zone!
It thrills us to announce we’ve signed Lane Blevins to The Haunted Zone anthology. Lane is serving in the U.S. Army with over 14 years of service and two combat tours. Her short story, “Lorelai,” is sure to please with its vivid imagery and terrifying motherly love.
Welcome, Dr. Q. to the Haunted Zone!
We are delighted to share Dr. Q. (Querus Abuttu) has signed on to The Haunted Zone anthology. Dr. Q. is a retired U.S. Navy veteran with 28 years of service. She is a writer of dark tales, speculative fiction, and weird sci-fi. Her story, “Witch of Dunlora” is sure to give you goosebumps and make you think twice about wandering away from the campfire. You can discover more about her at www.QuerusAbuttu.com.
Welcome, Sara Crocoll Smith to the Haunted Zone!
We are happy to announce we’ve signed Sara Crocoll Smith to The Haunted Zone anthology. Sara served in the U.S. Air Force from 2008 to 2012 as a Logistics Readiness Officer. She is the author of a ghostly gothic horror series and an award-winning anthology editor. You’re going to love the spine-tingling horror of her hair-raising tale, “The Phone in the Woods.”
Welcome, Rachel A. Brune to the Haunted Zone!
We are excited to announce Rachel A. Brune has signed on to The Haunted Zone anthology. She is a U.S. Army veteran and an author and publisher of dark fiction. Her story, “Arachne’s Shadow” is a tantalizing story of dedication to craft, woven with care.
Welcome, K. P. Kulski to the Haunted Zone!
We are happy to announce we’ve signed K. P. Kulski to The Haunted Zone anthology. She served in the U. S. Navy and Air Force and is an author of fiction and gothic horror. Her story, “Rayon,” delivers a chilling tale from the view of a child’s eyes. Find her online at garnetonwinter.com and on Twitter @garnetonwinter.
A warm welcome, Pamela K. Kinney!
We are delighted to reveal we’ve signed Pamela K. Kinney to The Haunted Zone anthology. She is an U. S. Army veteran and published writer of horror fiction and non-fiction. Her story, “Haunted App,” will make you think twice about downloading entertainment to your phone. You can learn more about her at http://www.PamelaKKinney.com.
The Haunted Zone Graphics Team
Our illustrators include Kristina Osborn a U.S. Air Force veteran and owner of Truborn Design. Kristina is known for her creative horror book covers as well as related merchandise such as stickers and unique bookmarks. Her amazing covers can be found here at Truborn Design – Designs for you.
We are delighted to have Elize McKelvey join our team. Elize is a Marine Corps veteran, having served as a combat artist in areas such as Iraq and Baghdad. Her exceptional acumen has led to opportunities to work with companies such as VETtv, Wacom, Michaels Art Craft Store, The Smithsonian Channel with Paramount, Pilot pen, and many more. Read more about Elize McKelvey’s story and see her amazing work at InkStickArt.com.
We can’t wait to share the book covers and illustrations they come up with for The Haunted Zone!
We’re thrilled to share that Secrets of Mother has been chosen as one of the NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winners for 2022 in the Best Books in Fantasy Category.
You can see the entire list of award winners here.
We’re happy to offer titles by Sirrah Medeiros, author of dark fantasy, horror, and thrillers. The Cristiane Bradford series are the first publications offered through TSP.
Witches. Demons. Ghosts. Ritual Sacrifice.
As anticipation builds toward her initiation, Cristiane Bradford faces disappointment as High Priestess Sarah Killian refuses to admit her into the coven. Shocked, Cristiane learns that her mother is a practicing witch. Until the coven leader is convinced Cristiane is not involved in her mother’s dark magic and cult activities, she is not welcome.
Devastated but determined, Cristiane pursues the truth, leading her to uncover ancient demons and haunting ghosts connected to her mother’s past. A new witch with limited abilities, Cristiane struggles as she must face powerful adversaries. Cristiane’s anxiety works on her emotions and toys with her confidence. She turns to her old friends for support, and meets new ones that fill her with hope, until it all comes crashing down around her. Left alone and distraught, she has no one to rely on but herself when faced with Lamashtu’s spirit. Will she prevail over the evil that surrounds her?
Can Cristiane learn the truth without destroying her family? And will she survive as she battles creatures of the dark?
Cristiane Bradford finds that the typical teenage life that she once knew is gone. Witches and ghosts are real. Connections to long-forgotten ancestors spring up to wreak havoc all around her. People she comes in contact with are getting hurt. Without understanding what’s happening, she finds help through an unusual new acquaintance. Unexplored opportunities are within her reach, but first, she must break the curse before she or someone is seriously injured.
