Black Water

By: Roma Gray

Narrated by: Terry F. Self

Length: 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Mike has a very unusual phobia: He’s terrified of Champ, the creature reported to be living in Lake Champlain. Ever since he was a child, he has been haunted by nightmares about the monster and has avoided the lake most of his life.

It’s a ridiculous fear, for the creature couldn’t possibly exist, could it?

Tonight, whether he wants to or not, Mike will finally discover the truth about the lake and its legendary inhabitant.

©2018 Roma Gray (P)2018 Roma Gray

When the real enemy lurks just below the surface

Gray manages to put together another creepy tale that is more twist than turn. Her story centers on a man who is terrified of a lake monster, Champ, and actively does everything he can avoid the water of the lake. He has nightmares of dying on a rowboat to such a degree that he is near to losing his sanity. Suffice it to say that when he does hit the water what happens will not be what you expect.

This is a short story from Gary, but it is packed full of her cleverness and creativity for making her characters suffer in unexpected ways. She never lets her listeners or readers down and the only thing you can expect is the unexpected from her.

Mister Self, Gray's collaborative narrator manages to narrate a story of desperation and fear as if he were living through it himself. I always respect the work that he does for Gray, and he seems to be on the same wavelength with her when it comes to storytelling because they mesh together so well.

I like the cover, too. It is dark and foreboding, and features the water in a most nefarious way. I would have liked to see a small wake or even the outline of the lake monster in the distance. That would have really sold the book, but this works, too.

As always, another great short from Roma. I can't wait for the long awaited novel/novella that features Hitler's doll! Keep up the good work! Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and honestly, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.

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Great Story!!!

This was such a great story!!! Roma Gray sucks you right into the story and tells it fabulously!!! I am never disappointed in her stories.

What’s your fear? (an audio review) Everyone has

Everyone has fears. Some are rational – a loved one may die or I might fail a test. Some are irrational – I am going to be hit by lightning or my life will end if I don’t get the girl. Fears are often things we avoid thinking about because they cause distress. Even people who truly seem to have their lives put together have dark thoughts periodically.

Me? Well, not things that go bump in the night or snakes in the grass or monsters in the closet or the highest of heights. I can handle those. Don’t believe me? A woman was walking down the street the other day with a MASSIVE snake around her neck. Did I pet it? No. Did I cross the street? No.

I think, for me, it’s the fear of losing my mind. Whether through a psychotic break or something like Alzheimer’s, I cannot bear the thought of not being in control of my mind.

And Mike, the protagonist in ‘Dark Water’? It is the prehistoric monster that lives at the bottom of Lake Champlain. Mike can only recall one picture where the monster appears, but that’s enough for him. (Think Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster)

One summer night, with his daughter getting into trouble on the other side of the lake, Mike convinces himself that the lake monster isn’t real. And with “water like glass”, what could possibly go wrong?

I loved the resolution of this short story. Perfect and absolutely typical Roma Gray.

I have to mention Terry F. Self. His narration is great and he brings Mike’s inner voice to life, hitting just the sweet spot between terror and ridicule. I enjoyed this and can’t wait for another short story.

This book was very short of about 18 mins and to

This book was very short of about 18 mins and to the point. The part which i like the most is about how Roma brought the monster to life in this one and connected me with everyone in the story. The narrator did a great job.

What really lurks beneath the surface?

This is great short horror story written by the talented Roma Gray.

Mike has a recurring nightmare about the monster of Lake Champlain, named Champ, which is supposedly a monster like the one in Loch Ness. In his nightmare, he is rowing across the Lake at night when he is attacked by Champ and brutally killed. When he has to cross the lake at night in order to find his rebellious teenaged daughter, his nightmare comes true.

This story delves into the way that our minds often are more terrifying than the "monsters" that we imagine. The narrator, Terry Self, does a great job in conveying the tone of the story and really draws you into it.

Ms. Gray does an awesome job, as usual, in staying to the true horror tradition, letting the listener's mind supply most of the horror. I look forward to reading more by this great author!

Short Masterpiece

I am honestly speechless about this book. All I can say is that this must be in your to be read/listened to pile! The combo of Roma's words and Terry's voice is unmatched!

Like A Boss!!

Black Water by Roma Gray, narrated by Terry F. Self is an 18 minute short story that is both written and performed on a level of mastery! This is the 2nd story I have listened to by Roma Gray, both of which have been performed by Terry F. Self. I loved her writing in Secrets in the Pumpkin Seeds and was curious to find out if there was more where that came from, or if, by chance, it just happened to be a well-wrriten story. Well, LIKE A BOSS, Roma Gray's writing is off the charts, proving she's got what it takes to mingle with the big dogs! Black Water falls into the horror genre, however, have no fear (well, maybe a little fear...), you will find it to be very relatable! As a child I'm sure we all had something that that freaked us out to the point of shedding tears, hiding in corners under blankets, or running for the hills. For some of us, that same fear still lingers. I vividly remember that scared feeling in the pit of my stomach that arrived each time I approached the basement stairs, causing me to run with turbo speed, 2 steps at a time as if my life depeneded on it because the "monster" behind me was right at my heels! It was only when I reached the top of the stairs, my "home base," that the feeling subsided, and I allowed myself to breathe again. Whether your own monster was on your basement stairs or in your back woods, prepare yourself because this short story is bound to bring you back to those days! Well, that is, if you dare....

The performance by Terry F. Self is outstanding. He effortlessly switches between being narrator of the story and the main character. He keeps a calm and steady tone, which helps to both set the mood and build the suspense. This is also only the second time I have heard him perform. He is amazing, and I hope that he has narrated all of Gray's audiobooks because I'm definitely interested in hearing more, if not all, of them. Similar to actors who appear in multiple movies together, there are specific authors and narrators that just "click." Gray and Self fall into that category. The work of each greatly complements the other, making them an excellent team.

Black Water by Roma Gray, narrated by Terry F. Self deserves 5/5 stars across the board. It will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what lies ahead. The descriptive language puts you in the scene, brings the story to life, and makes the minutes seem very real! I highly recommend this audiobook to those who enjoy short stories, as well as to those who are fans of the genre. I mentioned in my review of the last book that I am a teacher. I have to say that I think this would be a great text to use in class when teaching specifically about setting, mood, and genre. It also would match well with lessons on other literary elements and devices for both reading and writing. Therefore, I recommend it to teachers and professors of English who are looking for anchor or mentor texts to supplement their lessons. As for everyone else, you made it this far in the review, so what are you waiting for? You, too, will not be disappointed!

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Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was helpful. :-)

Great little short!

Well-written, nicely crafted short. Would be a nice piece in a compilation. Will definitely check out authors other work.

Spine-Chilling Story

The story was very intriguing throughout the end. The illusion between imagination and reality was painted in a spine-chilling way. Kudos to Roma Gray. The narrator's performance was outstanding for this theme.

Great short story!

Another great short story by Roma Gray! I really enjoyed this short story about a fearful father and the lake monster Champ. A whole lot of story in just 18 minutes. The narrator did a great job also. I received this for free for an honest review.