Cower House

Note: This story is available in Hidden Villians: Duos

"Claire’s brand of weird might be too much even for Cower House, the place they send the kids who already have one foot in the supernatural world. When a new arrival threatens to upset the status quo, Claire will have to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to be accepted."

Anyone who grew up watching The Facts of Life or Young Sherlock Holmes or, later, Harry Potter, (or, even later, Wednesday) at one point or another wished they could go to boarding school. I know I did. I dreamed of getting away from my parents and finding exactly two other quirky kids with whom to stumble into wild adventures with.

When the call for submission went out for this one, I was already playing with the concept of three teens solving crimes. I was also really enjoying the world of the Kinston Collective, and one of the characters in an upcoming book-length story, a telepath with a wayward past, needed a history. Claire, Nikki, and Ben: the teen trio trope has been played out many times and is still fun, but as I wrote this one, the relationships between the three characters evolved into something…exciting.

Cower House, the former school turned orphanage, was based on Ahoski High School in my dad’s old hometown and Broughton High School in Raleigh, NC. When I say they don’t build them like that anymore, I really mean it. Hardwood floors, stone walls, and radiators that clink and bang when the heat comes on. They are worth the trip if you ever have the opportunity.

Crime, romance, ghosts, and an eerie, atmospheric setting that you can actually visit? If that sounds like your cup of tea, check out this story in Hidden Villains: Duos.