Are you ready to leave the safety of the light?
Into The Darkness is a collection of psychological horror and supernatural terror from author Samuel Minier, curated from over two decades of his previously-published works in small-press anthologies, magazines, and websites. These twenty-four tales are a phantasmagoric gathering in the vein of Joe Hill, Paul Tremblay, and Richard Matheson, told with Sam’s signature style of complex characters and jarring twists that include:
… messages of bleak discovery delivered by ghosts, angels, and two-hundred pound infants …
… confrontations with grim family legacies, whether by swimming in a deadly moonlight race, living with mirrored reflections that are not your own, or trying to stop the bedroom walls from bleeding every night ….
… Halloween night using its treats to trick a grieving soldier, a couple caught up in young lust, and a most unusual group of candy-collectors …
… cruise ships, mouse traps, and med school cadaver labs all becoming gateways to shattering revelations …
… and so much more, if you only just come right this way. Come …
… into the darkness.
Reviews for the writings of Samuel Minier:
- “Simply masterful. Each time the reader thinks he knows what’s happening, Minier spins his plot elegantly sideways, leading us somewhere new but equally compelling … ‘The Third List’ is wonderfully descriptive and effectively gruesome and eerie to boot, making it a pitch-perfect dark holiday fable. A+” – Monica Kuebler, Rue Morgue
- “The unlucky central character of Sam Minier’s ‘Stuck’ is plagued by nocturnal regrets and unhappy replays of her life. Those are traps in themselves, but there’s a physical one to exacerbate matters, and her escape proves more hideous than her plight. ” – Grand Master of Horror Ramsey Campbell
- “Minier tells a good, taut horror tale squarely in the Arkham tradition, notable for its characterization, sharp writing, and suspense.” – Amy Sterling Casil, SFReader
- “Minier sews with a beautifully bizarre thread…” – Jay Wilburn, Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing
THUNK, a horror short I co-wrote for Shadow Wolves Productions, was shot in March 2026 and is currently in post-production.
Logline: An aunt uncovers the terrifying truth: her niece’s imaginary friend is real – a parasitic entity that feeds on fear and innocence, using make-believe as a gateway to cross into our world – one soul at a time.
______________________________________________________
“A Gentle Trick”, co-written with Tommy Reed. Originally posted as part of the 31 Days of Horror event during October 2023 on Creepy Pod.
