Scranton author Thomas Cerra releases scary story collection
SCRANTON — Get your chills and thrills with the compelling short stories and poems in Thomas A. Cerra's new book, "The Collective."
"The Collective" features heartfelt ghost stories, coldblooded murder plots, and engrossing realistic fiction. Each story stands alone, weaving together distinctive emotions, settings, and characters, while working together to create a mystifying universe of Cerra's own design.
Enjoy wicked tales from Scranton author Thomas Cerra that both intrigue and entertain, while often suddenly shifting in surprising and unsettling new directions. This spine-tingling second release from the local author was just published September 2024.
Cerra gives us a gorgeous invitation deep into the darkness, as the cover art created by his daughter Maura Cerra might suggest. In this collection, there's a sense of dread but there's an even greater sense of emotion.
Peer beyond the "normal" world through Cerra's vivid machinations. The whole of this collection is outfitted with outstanding imagery. Each striking "THE END" conclusion hits the reader like a brick to the dome.
The beginning and end of the collection is each book-ended by a poem, kicking off with title poem, "The Collective," to set the eerie mood and finishing with "Morpheus" to tie off the volume with a bold bow.
Each selection from the talented local author is a fresh haunt that'll keep you on the edge of your chair. "An Autumn Tale" sings like a poem on an unexpectedly spectral walk through the cemetery in fall. Or, go travelling with "Little Man" on an awe-inspiring journey that leads into pure desperation. Let these creepy tales paint a poignant picture that sticks in your mind.
Meanwhile, "A Murder at Lilly Lake," explores a mind-bending post-breakup adventure teeming with the unknown behind every bend — so much so, that I found myself flipping back to revisit details I missed earlier on!
"One thing people said to me is that they feel like they get immersed in the story," said Cerra. He said readers often tell him that they feel like the characters in the story themselves. I'd agree. Each narrator felt flawed, but oh so real.
One short story, "Heartbroken," allows the reader to enter the twisted mind of a killer. I found myself relating to the devastated narrator, until suddenly the tone of the story completely shifts in one horrifying moment. There's so much to discover between these pages!
Cerra put so much clever care into each out-of-the-ordinary tale. As for which is his favorite, Cerra said, "I enjoyed writing all of them, but I think 'Help Wanted' is the one story that I really love reading over and over myself. That has twist to it — and it comes out of nowhere."
Personally, the story that I loved the most was "The Shallow Hours." Cerra read this beautifully with tear-filled eyes at his very first book-signing and author reading at the Washington West apartments in Scranton while his peers cheered him on. Though a ghost story at its core, this quick read expounds on a much more realistic horror. The audience and I were hanging on every word from this expressive author.
Cerra has been holding book signings at local establishments to spread the word about his latest release. This November, he appeared at Groove Brewing and Old & Brew in Scranton. Next, he plans to hit Olyphant's Third Thursday and Poets Live.
This is a collection literature lovers can devour in one night or pace themselves one by one."The Collective" is "Volume 1," so I'm personally looking forward to more short stories and poems from Thomas Cerra that continue to run the gamut of emotion within his paranormal world. He said he plans on doing three volumes, with many pieces already in the works.
Cerra is passionate about writing mysteries that stretch the reader's imagination. His first book, fiction novel "Black Rose," was published in 2014. He decided to publish a collection this time because he was encouraged by his enthusiastic readers!
"The reason I did this is I've been writing for many, many years. I've been letting people read my stories and they said, 'Why don't you do a collection?'. I didn't feel comfortable with it, but people kept saying 'do it, do it, do it'," said Thomas Cerra. "And — so far, so good."
