Witch Ridden: A Shot of Murder Ballads and Whiskey

This download contains the 5000 word short story, WITCH RIDDEN, three essays about Appalachian traditional magic and magical realism, and one-hundred page previews of the first three novels in the MURDER BALLADS AND WHISKEY SERIES: THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK, HELLBENDER, and THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK.WITCH RIDDEN is set in the dark Appalachia of the MURDER BALLADS AND WHISKEY series. This paranormal urban fantasy tale features a young Jamie Collins and his ethnography of traditional magic and music.MURDER BALLADS AND WHISKEY is a unique, literary, blend of dark fiction, paranormal urban fantasy and horror. It's Appalachian Gothic, Alt.Magical.Realism, Hillbilly Horror. It's AMERICAN GODS meets JUSTIFIED. TRUE BLOOD with witches. It's Johnny Cash with a fistful of copperheads singing the devil right back to hell. This is a series where love can save a soul, where a song can change a destiny, and where evil still hides in the dark corners of the night.What they are saying about Jason Jack Miller and his MURDER BALLADS AND WHISKEY series:"Miller doesn't shy away from death and violence--Hillbilly or no--the book is definitely horror, but not stilted Hollywood horror. It's well-written, character-driven horror. The setting is often beautifully described. The characters are complicated and capable of the unexpected. There's even gender equality--both men and women kick a little butt--men usually with guns (or tree limbs, rocks, ax handles, etc.) and women primarily with magic. But the magic isn't hokey; it's magical realism that is strangely more believable because Henry doesn't always believe. When his family suggests that one of the Lewises may have stolen Alex's hairbrush, he mocks "hair magic", and he also thinks the victim of a drowning spell is suffering from food poisoning. Granted, sometimes the chase scenes could be just as smidgeon shorter, but all in all, this is simply a good book. And it gets bonus points because I can't remember the last time I read something like it. Let's face it--in the 21st century, originality isn't always easy to find."From In 'Hellbender', Is He Speeding Away from Trouble? Or Toward It? By Catherine Ramsdell for PopMatters"Hellbender is Miller's second novel and the book has a real confidence about it that comes from an author who has found both his feet and his voice. The narrative flows easily and rarely wastes much time pausing for breath. The strong plot and well-formed characters allow you to immerse yourself in a cracking story that carries the reader through the twists and turns of impenetrable laurel hells and over scarred mountain tops to a bloody and satisfying conclusion.Jason Jack Miller has a real feel for the country of which he writes. He enfolds his story with the rich culture of the hills and paints his Appalachia with such atmospheric detail that you can almost smell wood smoke from the cooking fires and taste the burn of old Pap's stump whiskey. I'm a sucker for anything with shotguns and backwoods blood letting and while Hellbender has plenty of that it also brings something a little different to the party. But please don't let the magical element put you off, I guarantee there are no pointy hats or annoying adolescents riding around on broomsticks. The magic here is a much more ethereal thing born out of mountain folklore and it makes for a book that's, well... magical."From Review: Hellbender by Jason Jack Miller by Chris Leek for Out of the Gutter Online"Miller clearly has confidence in his voice and style, and in the story he came to tell. He cuts no corners and makes no compromises...