Morgen by Stephen M. DeBock

Two months ago, college junior Lori Stark was found dead of unknown causes alongside the Appalachian Trail. Today, the police bring a beautiful girl to the grieving parents’ door. She appears around Lori’s age; is amnesiac from an as yet mysterious trauma; and her only link to her prior life consists of two words: Lori Stark.

Lori’s parents take the girl—whom they’ve named Morgen—into their home and eventually into their hearts. The arrangement is intended to be temporary, until her memory returns. But time and the girl’s near perfect nature draws the parents into her sphere, resulting in Morgen’s blinding them—and binding them—to her dark purpose.

MORGEN is available at Amazon, BookStrand, OmniLit and Barnes & Noble.

*****

Since Stephen is one of my new favorite people (and he wrote the fantastic novel, The Pentacle Pendant), I just had to check out his other work. As I suspected, I was absolutely not disappointed. Morgen is a dark tale with an even darker twist. I quickly forgot the synopsis and found myself on the roller coaster of mystery that overshadowed the young woman. I wanted to believe she was good for some reason. I wanted her to somehow be Lori. I wanted but did not receive! What I did get was a tragic story of several very kind yet unfortunate people. And, I loved it!

Morgen is a short story, easily digested in one sitting. It is a perfect introduction to Stephen’s impeccable writing style–his ability to draw the reader into a story so completely they are sad when it is over!

By Cassie McCown “Cassie – Gathering Leaves”

*****

As a boy, Stephen M. DeBock used to entertain (and frighten) the neighborhood children by telling them stories from his favorite horror comics. As a middle school teacher, he continued the tradition by starting each year by reading to his class a story from a horror anthology. Upon retirement from his public school and later college careers, he has had time to create his own horror tales: from a children’s vampire spoof in Spider magazine to paranormal-themed short stories and novelettes, as well as The Pentacle Pendant, his first full-length horror novel.

DeBock’s writing on consumer education won an award from the State of New Jersey, which led to his serving as consultant to Zillions, Consumers Union’s children’s magazine, and his contributions to essays in Time magazine, ABC’s World News Tonight, and CNBC. Before leaving New Jersey, he was a member of the Rutgers University Media Literacy Project.

His writing on various topics has appeared in American Heritage, AOPA Pilot, and Living Aboard magazines. He’s written newsletters for various organizations, compiled a book of reminiscences from and for members of his U.S. Marine Presidential Honor Guard Association, and wrote the text for The Art of H. Hargrove, a coffee-table book that makes a cameo appearance in The Pentacle Pendant.

He and his wife Joy live in Hershey, Pennsylvania.