Denise Aparo’s ‘The Pines’ in WordCrafter Press’ Midnight Roost Anthology

October 14, 2023

I asked fellow Midnight Roost anthology contributors to share some things about themselves prior to publication and those generous enough to do so will be appearing here for the next week or so.

Each entry gives a taste of their contribution, a little about them, how to contact them, how their story came about, and definitely a link to Midnight Roost (which you should purchase because it would make each and every one of us happy.
you do want to make us happy, don’t you?
i mean, considering what we wrote, you want us to know you’re a good person, right?).

Let’s start with a Hallowe’en-themed introduction to the anthology as a whole:

Denise’s contribution is The Pines. Here’s the opening:

The ping of the brass counter bell resonated through the rustic tavern lobby.
“May I help you?” As the tavernkeeper appeared from behind the mahogany counter, he gave the guest a cheerful smile as he twisted a stark white cloth inside a barrel-shaped stein.
“I have a reservation for a single room under Douglas. Orna Douglas.” She held out a credit card.
Setting the pint glass on the inner counter, he flipped the pages of a large register. He frowned, “Em, sorry, Ms. Douglas. There was no confirmation for the booking. I procured it yesterday. Unfortunately, no rooms due to the storm.”

How the story came about:
The inspiration for her short story “The Pines” came from a weekend visit to the cozy New Hampshire town of North Conway. While staying at a local inn with her husband and another couple, they each experienced unexplained events, like seeing shadows move against the wall and having a feeling of being tapped on the shoulder when standing alone. The more they discussed their eerie feelings, the more the power of suggestion took over!
The visit to the inn, combined with recently learning about her family heritage, and hearing about the miscarriage of a very spiritual friend, prompted the structure of her story.

About Denise Aparo:
Denise is a Connecticut native who lives with her husband, Joe. She spends her time writing, gardening, flipping flea market finds, and hiking. Denise began writing in her teens, entering and winning poetry recognition in high school.
She married young, becoming a military wife stationed in Guam. While there, she wrote a few articles for the Guam Horizon Magazine. On returning home, she wrote special-interest stories and took photos for her hometown newspapers, Home Town, and The Bristol/New Britain Observer.
Denise earned her MFA in creative writing from Southern New Hampshire University and was elected a member of Sigma Alpha Pi. She is a member of the Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association and the author of a WordPress writing blog, The Write Voice. A blog that boasts, “Like multiple genres, there are many cultures – each with an individual voice.”
She is a poet, writer, and author of the short story “The Pines” for the Midnight Roost WordCrafter anthology. Her New England roots are the inspiration for her upcoming novel, Crossbows.
You can find Denise via her blog and on LinkedIn.